Best of the Spectator

Best of the Spectator

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Home to the Spectator's best podcasts on everything from politics to religion, literature to food and drink, and more. A new podcast every day from writers worth listening to.<hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

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Easter Out Loud: Lisa Haseldine, Matthew Parris, Damian Thompson, Peter Pomerantsev, Chas Newkey-Burden & Catriona Olding

<p>On this week’s&nbsp;<em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: Lisa Haseldine reports from Svalbard;&nbsp;Matthew Parris reflects on the Iran crisis during Holy Week; Damian Thompson assesses how Pope Leo XIV is quietly reshaping the …

Apr 06, 2026 · 40m
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Holy Smoke: how would you sell Christianity? with Rory Sutherland

<p>Advertising guru – and the Spectator's <em>Wiki Man – </em>Rory Sutherland joins Damian Thompson to try and tackle the question 'how would you sell Christianity – today?' If religions have …

Apr 05, 2026 · 28m
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LIVE: Should we defund or defend the BBC? | Michael Gove & Jon Sopel v Charles Moore & Allison Pearson

<p>Should we defund – or defend – the BBC?</p><br><p>Live from London, the&nbsp;<em>Spectator</em>&nbsp;hosted a debate on the future of this iconic British institution, compered by associate editor Isabel Hardman. The&nbsp;<em>Spectator</em>’s chairman …

Apr 04, 2026 · 59m
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Easter Edition: is politics becoming more religious? With Tom Holland & Jonathan Sumption

<p>Is British politics becoming more religious? Madeline Grant certainly thinks so, arguing – in the&nbsp;<em>Spectator</em>’s cover article – that the next election could be the most religious for decades. Issues …

Apr 03, 2026 · 38m
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Book Club: Yann Martel

Sam Leith's guest in this week’s <em>Book Club</em> podcast is Yann Martel, talking about coming late to Homer, definitely not being influenced by <em>Pale Fire</em>, why he can’t resist a …

Apr 02, 2026 · 33m
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Quite right! | Anas Sarwar: why I said Starmer should go

<p>One month on from calling for Keir Starmer's resignation, Anas Sarwar – the leader of Scottish Labour – joins Michael Gove to reflect on British politics ahead of the May …

Mar 31, 2026 · 49m
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Americano: podcast wars, Cuba & Corbyn – with Steven Crowder

Steven Crowder, host of Louder with Crowder joins Freddy Gray to discuss the warring factions in the podcast world, worsened since Charlie Kirk's assassination; the global leftwing alliance promoting communism …

Mar 31, 2026 · 38m
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Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman, Ben Clerkin, Maxwell Marlow & Hermione Eyre

<p>On this week’s&nbsp;<em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: looking back to 1973, Tim Shipman wonders how bad the energy crisis could get;&nbsp;Ben Clerkin interviews Steve Hilton, the former Cameron aide running to be …

Mar 30, 2026 · 23m
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Holy Smoke: Prince William resets faith – as Sarah Mullally enthroned

<p>Dame Sarah Mullally has been enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first female head of the Church of England. Prince William attended as the representative of the Monarch and …

Mar 29, 2026 · 36m
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LIVE: is it time for a Tory-Reform pact?

As Reform chips away at the Tory vote,&nbsp;the Conservatives face a stark choice – join forces with Nigel Farage or fight alone.&nbsp;James Heale<em>, The Spectator</em>’s deputy political editor, will be …

Mar 28, 2026 · 51m
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The Edition: does British politics have a problem with the 'omnicause'?

<p>It is undoubtable that – under the leadership of Zack Polanski – the Green Party have soared to new heights. Having won their first parliamentary by-election in February, polls consistently …

Mar 27, 2026 · 50m
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The Book Club: inside the world of competitive Scrabble

My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is Stefan Fatsis, whose classic <em>Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble</em> is 25 years old …

Mar 26, 2026 · 49m
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Quite right!: the political Islam debate

<p><strong><em>Search ‘Quite right!’ wherever you are listening now, to hear the episode in full.&nbsp;</em></strong></p><p>This week: the row over political Islam and a bigger question beneath it. After Nick Timothy’s comments …

Mar 25, 2026 · 23m
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Holy Smoke: Iran, Shia Islam & its tradition of martyrdom

<p>When Ayatollah Khamenei was assassinated early in the Iran conflict, and during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, it was celebrated by the Trump administration – who saw this as …

Mar 24, 2026 · 28m
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Spectator Out Loud: Ruaridh Nicoll, Angus Colwell, Mary Wakefield, Philip Hensher & Nicholas Farrell

<p>On this week’s&nbsp;<em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: Ruaridh Nicoll reads his letter from Havana; Angus Colwell takes us through an A-Z of London horrors; Mary Wakefield points out the glaring flaw in …

Mar 23, 2026 · 33m
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Americano: can anyone beat a madman President?

Freddy Gray speaks to James D. Boys, author of the new book <em>US grand strategy and the madman theory</em>. He is also a senior research fellow at UCL. They discuss …

Mar 22, 2026 · 29m
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Coffee House Shots: Britain’s decline – and how to reverse it | with John Bew

<p>In this special edition of <em>Coffee House Shots</em>, our political editor Tim Shipman is joined by historian, biographer and foreign policy adviser to four different prime ministers, John Bew. In …

Mar 21, 2026 · 48m
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The Edition: does Nigel Farage really want to be Prime Minister?

<p>Nigel Farage is a shark – hell bent on devouring Britain's political class, as illustrated with the <em>Spectator</em>'s cover story this week, co-authored by James Heale and Tim Shipman. Yet, …

Mar 20, 2026 · 45m
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The Book Club: Howard Jacobson

My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is the Booker Prize-winning novelist Howard Jacobson, whose new novel <em>Howl</em> emerges from his rage and despair at the response to the …

Mar 19, 2026 · 38m
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Quite right!: what’s the point of Keir Starmer?

<p>This week: the stark question of Keir Starmer’s leadership. After a bruising week in Westminster – from fresh revelations about the Mandelson appointment to renewed scrutiny of the Prime Minister’s …

Mar 18, 2026 · 22m
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Holy Smoke: who is Sarah Mullally?

<p>One week from the enthronement of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, her biographer Andrew Atherstone – Professor of Modern Anglicanism at Oxford University – joins Damian Thompson …

Mar 17, 2026 · 44m
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Coffee House Shots: is the government right to restrict jury trials?

<p>The government's plan to restrict jury trials passed its first parliamentary hurdle this week. It is one measure, amongst many, in a Bill designed to reduce the huge backlog currently …

Mar 16, 2026 · 22m
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Spectator Out Loud: Damian Thompson, Francis Pike, Ysenda Maxtone-Graham & Lloyd Evans

<p>On this week’s&nbsp;<em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: Damian Thompson says his addiction to the piano has only got worse with&nbsp;age;&nbsp;Francis Pike ponders if Kim Jong-Un is lining up a female&nbsp;successor; Ysenda Maxtone-Graham …

Mar 15, 2026 · 25m
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Coffee House Shots: Keir Starmer's total lack of curiosity

<p>Today we are delighted to be joined by the&nbsp;<em>Sunday Times</em>’ Gabriel Pogrund, whose book –&nbsp;<em>Get In,&nbsp;</em>which details Starmer’s rise to power – is out now in paperback with new revelations …

Mar 14, 2026 · 14m
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The Edition: America's Iran gamble – why the Royals could be Britain's Trump card

<p>As oil prices rise, the <em>Spectator</em>’s cover story this week – written by deputy editor Freddy Gray – wonders if Trump’s gamble has backfired, and Operation&nbsp;<em>Epic Fury&nbsp;</em>could end up more …

Mar 13, 2026 · 46m
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The Book Club: Lionel Shriver

My guest on this week's Book Club podcast is Lionel Shriver, whose new novel&nbsp;<em>A Better Life</em>&nbsp;offers among other things a savage send-up of liberal pieties on immigration. I asked Lionel …

Mar 12, 2026 · 38m
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Quite right!: is Britain still a great power?

Michael and Maddie discuss the escalating crisis in the Middle East and ask a bigger question about Britain’s place in the world – is the UK still a great power, …

Mar 11, 2026 · 19m
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Reality Check: Oil crisis – the worst we've ever seen?

<p>Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel as the war with Iran intensified over the weekend. With the Strait of Hormuz practically closed, and without a solution to the severe …

Mar 10, 2026 · 28m
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Americano: why Iran marks the end of neoconservatism

<p><em>Spectator World</em> columnist – and <em>Heritage Foundation</em> fellow – Daniel McCarthy joins Freddy Gray to explain how Trump's war with Iran could mark the end of an era, that of …

Mar 09, 2026 · 45m
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Coffee House Shots: why we left the Foreign Office | Ben Judah & Ameer Kotecha

<p>Does Britain still have a coherent foreign policy? James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by Ben Judah, former special adviser to David Lammy, and Ameer Kotecha, who recently resigned …

Mar 08, 2026 · 35m
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