Episoder
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For our final episode of 2024, Alan and Lionel look back at their Media Confidential year. Theyâve tackled a huge range of stories: from phone-hacking and the rise of AI, to Ofcomâs battles with GB News. Theyâve analysed elections on both sides of the Atlantic, were joined by Toby Jones on the Post Office scandal, and heard from courageous reporters working inside Gaza.
Thereâs been an assassination attempt on Donald President, and a crisis at the Washington Post⊠but which episodes do they find the most memorable?
Michael Lewis came to Prospect Towers in September to promote his new book about Sam Bankman-Fried, Going Infinite. But when Alan started reading out criticism of the book, the temperature dropped several degrees. The heated resulting exchange is hard to forget.
Ahead of the US election, Rebecca Solnit joined Alan and Lionel to discuss her concerns about the American media âsanewashingâ Donald Trump.
Finally, James Harding and Carole Cadwalladr recently appeared on the show to tell-all about Tortoise's controversial decision to buy the Observer. James received a grilling from our hosts. Now, with Observer journalists striking, whoâs to say who was right?
2025 promises to be a heck of a ride.
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Cyborgs, a Gregg Wallace public enquiry...the Popeye slasher movie? In our end of year special, the Prospect familyâeditors, writers and producersâshare their predictions for the year ahead.
From politics to technology and culture, what will be the most interesting stories of 2025? Ellen and Alona are joined by contributors to discuss the trends that we should be watching in the UK, across the pond, and around the globe...
Listen out for guest appearances from Prospect editor Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber, who host our sister podcast Media Confidential. And send us your predictions at [email protected]!
Not sure what to gift this Christmas? Why not make use of our discounted subscription offer at: https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/dec24off/prospect-magazine/de24nl
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After more than 50 years of repressive dynastic rule, Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria.
Ellen and Alona are joined by Syria expert Lina Khatib, director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS and associate fellow at Chatham House. While many were surprised by the rapid toppling of Assadâs regime, Lina was not.
As people speculate about what HTS and other rebel groups intend for Syria, she explains why this might not be what western commentators expect. And with some voicing anxiety about Syria becoming a new Afghanistan, she unpacks why these comparisons just donât make senseâand what policymakers are getting wrong.
Plus, unicorns and dinosaurs: banger or dud? From medieval monsters to Big Oil, Priya Khanchandani shares the secret histories and consumer messaging behind two of the most ubiquitous creatures in the toy industry. Read her feature "Unicorns and Dinosaurs are everywhere!" from our Winter Special magazine issue here.
Linaâs piece on pragmatism in Syria can also be found at prospectmagazine.co.uk. To watch this interview, head to our YouTube channel, where the Prospect podcast is published every Thursday.
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This week, political scientist Cas Mudde joins the Prospect podcast to analyse the âyear of electionsâ.
In 2024, around 70 countries with a combined population of 3.4bn went to the polls. In many of those electionsâin the EU, India and the US, the far right did surprisingly well. But why do the far right seem to be the only group to have benefitted from the turbulence of recent years? Was it inevitable? He joins Prospectâs Ellen Halliday to discuss.
Plus, a festive âbangerâ or âdudâ: posh advent calendarsâterrific or tacky?
To watch this interview, search for âProspect magazineâ on YouTube, where episodes are published every Thursday.
Casâs piece âDoom Spiralâ is featured in the latest issue of the magazine, which can be read in print or online at prospectmagazine.co.uk.
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Are Jews white? Is criticism of Israel antisemitic? Why is the âJudeo-Christianâ grouping a myth?
To unpack these big questions, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Rachel Shabi, whose new book Off-White: The Truth About Antisemitism was released earlier this month.
Rachel explores the rising tensions of the past year, including the impact of Israelâs wars in Gaza and Lebanon, and a slew of misinformation and bad faith arguments on social media. She discusses her own identity as a British-Israeli with Iraqi heritage, how antisemitism has historically intersected with other forms of racism, and how it gets weaponised today. And she forces us to confront our own dark historyâthe idea that Britainâs antisemitism was âthe first and the worstâ.
To watch this thoughtful discussion on race, privilege and prejudice, search for âProspect magazineâ on YouTube, where episodes are published every Thursday.
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This month we introduce a new Lives columnist, Kiran Sidhu, who writes about the rural Welsh village where she lives. Kiran celebrates the power of nature, as does actor and writer Sheila Hancock, who welcomes a robin to her roof garden. Alice Garnett asks whether Gen Z have killed the office romance, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman explains her secret love of weightlifting.
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Families are spending years living in hotels, households are being moved miles across the country, and government is spending billions on a system that harms those it is designed to protect. What can be done?
This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by researcher and local government expert Jack Shaw to talk about his exclusive investigation into the growing scandal of temporary accommodation. This form of homelessness is worse in the UK than in any other nation in the OECD and has a terrible impact on families and individuals.
Jack reveals what goes into an investigation and shares his most shocking discoveries, including the millions that councils are doling out to private hoteliers. He explains why this is a problemâand which councils are trying to fix a broken system.
Plus, the hosts take on a hard-hitting Daily Mail article which condemned gen-Zâs embrace of âwoke sandwichesâ. Are fancy sandwiches a âbangerâ or a âdudâ? Ellen and Alona discuss.
To read Jackâs article âTemporary accommodation nationâ from the latest issue of the magazine, click here.
And to order tickets to our special book event with Lionel Barber, go here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/gamblingman
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Why do some women like tradwife videos? And why does it even matter?
This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by writer Sarah Manavis to discuss the small but significant group of women who promote anti-feminist values onlineâand why so many others watch their videos.
Sarah argues that the success of right-wing young men with large social media followings has distracted from a boom in similarly reactionary gen-Z women. Lifestyle influencersâfrom the overtly political to the unassumingâare using social media to championing a return to traditional gender roles.
Sarah reported on the story for the most recent issue of Prospect magazine. While researching her article, she spoke with academics to analyse why so many women gravitate towards making and consuming this brand of content online.
Is this harmless escapism, or a form of radicalisation? What about the paradox of self-made women making their careers out of promoting domestic lifestyles? And in the aftermath of Trumpâs victory over Kamala Harris, Sarah discusses what trends on social media tell us about the US more broadly.
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Would legalising assisted dying end unnecessary suffering? Or would it instead enable the abuse of some of societyâs most vulnerable people?
As parliament discusses assisted dying once again, Prospect invited two of our most profound thinkersâRowan Williams and Brenda Haleâto debate the issue. As archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams led a Church that publicly opposes any form of assisted dying, while, as a Supreme Court judge, Brenda Hale was involved in life-or-death judgements.
In a moving discussion, Hale discusses her own Christian faith, while Williams shares his pastoral experience in the company of the dying. They join Prospectâs editor Alan Rusbridger and commissioning editor Emily Lawford for a thoughtful and vitally important conversation.
To read this conversation from the magazine, visit our website.
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For the first time, Ellen and Alona host a special Q&A episode, recorded with a live audience. Theyâre joined by Jill Abramson, former executive editor of the New York Times, who has been has been covering the presidential election for Prospect.
Jill describes how this American election compares to what sheâs seen in the past, and answers listenersâ questions. Whatâs the mood in the US? Can we trust the polls? And what might happen between now and election day to move the dial?
To watch this episode, head to the Prospect magazine YouTube channel.
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As Halloween approaches, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse to discuss his plunge into the world of conspiracy theories, QAnon and the extreme fringes of US politics.
What have witches in the dark ages got to do with American democracy? How has the internet destabilised state power? And what does that mean for this Novemberâs election?
Conspiracy theories about satanic cabals took off in America after the 2020 electionâand 41 per cent of Americans now believe that the politicians they elect arenât actually the people governing the country. To many, the truth seems increasingly murky.
Gabrielâs reporting has taken him deep into the rabbit hole of this strange and eerie world. On the podcast, he shares the stories that went into his most recent book, The Coming Storm: A Journey into the Heart of the Conspiracy Machine, based on his BBC Radio 4 series of the same name.
Listen to this spooky episodeâor watch on YouTubeâto find out about Americaâs old ghosts, new superstitions, burgeoning evil and unravelling reality.
The Coming Storm is available here.
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This week, Ellen and Alona look ahead to COP29, the annual climate summit, hosted this year in Baku, Azerbaijan.
They are joined by Isabel Hilton, Prospectâs contributing editor who shares her experiences at COP, and Sam Alvis, a policy advisor and director of energy and environment at Public First.
25 out of the 35 key âplanetary vital signsâ are out of bounds, and biodiversity is rapidly dwindling. At the same time, a growing culture war means consensus about action is increasingly contested in the political space. Last year, a government minister left the conference early to vote on the Rwanda schemeânow, is Labour doing any better?
Isabel and Sam discuss the governmentâs climate plans and rank its performance out of ten. But why do leaders struggle to make progress? And, amid growing climate-related anxiety, how can we avoid a sense of paralysis?
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This week, Ellen and Alona talk to investigative journalist Peter Geoghegan. Peter is the former editor-in-chief of the award-winning website openDemocracy and is the author of Democracy for Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics.
Public faith in democracy has been undermined by hidden influence and undisclosed donationsâbut how susceptible is the new government to this?
In an entertaining conversation, spanning from Mongolian wrestling to Keir Starmerâs glasses, Peter shares his journey doing investigative work, the corrosive impact of what he calls âdark moneyâ, and what Labour is getting wrong.
To watch this interview and othersâincluding with Baroness Warsi and Jon Sopelâsearch for âProspect Magazineâ on YouTube.
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This month, our columnists are busy with new difficult tasks. Sarah Collins, our Mindful life columnist, boards the emotional rollercoaster that comes with preparing to live abroad, while Anglican Priest Alice Goodman composes her first carol. Farmer Tom tries to rescue seven baby pheasants, while Alice Garnett is moving out of her shared house and navigating Londonâs rental hellscape.
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Baroness Warsi, former Conservative cabinet minister and lawyer, joins Ellen and Alona to talk about her new book Muslims Donât Matter, about âthe silencing, stereotyping and stigmatising of Muslims by the British press and political parties.â
Politicians, media outlets, think tanks and even the entertainment industry have poisoned public discourse about Muslims, culminating in this summerâs riots. She describes how Islamophobia, which she calls âBritain's bigotry blind spotâ, not only passes the âdinner table testâ, but has been enacted into policy.
In a moving conversation about her journey in the public eye, she talks about her lifelong effort to challenge racism and why sheâs finally resigned the whip.
Muslims Donât Matter is out now: https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/sayeeda-warsi/muslims-dont-matter/9780349136486/
Her podcast with David Baddiel âA Muslim and a Jew go thereâ is available to stream: https://shows.acast.com/a-muslim-a-jew-go-there
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This week, Prospectâs commissioning editor Emily Lawford joins Ellen and Alona to discuss a dark side of the internet: the âmanosphereâ.
Emily spent months reporting âThe incel trapâ for this monthâs issue of the magazine, meeting with self-proclaimed misogynists in real life. On the podcast, Emily shares what she learned about why young men are radicalisedâincluding the role of mental healthâand how online hatred is connected to violence against women in the "real world".
Plus, silent discos and maternity pay gaffesâis the Tory party conference a âbangerâ or a âdudâ?
To read Emily's piece, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/philosophy/gender/67935/the-incel-trap
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Jon Sopel, co-host of the News Agents podcast and a former BBC North America editor, joins Ellen Halliday and Alona Ferber to discuss his new book, Strangeland: How Britain Stopped Making Sense. He reflects on his time covering the Trump administrationâincluding what he saw unfold on 6th Januaryâand on the upcoming US election.
Jon also shares his view on the problems with Robbie Gibb and how editorial standards are overseen at the BBC. Some at the BBC think Robbie Gibbâs stewardship of editorial standards at the broadcaster is âabsolutely monstrousâ, he says. âIt really doesn't bear scrutiny, and then it still going on, strikes me as unbelievableâ.
Plus, Alona dials in from rainy Liverpool to decide whether the Labour conference has been a âbangerâ or a âdudâ for Starmerâs party.
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This week, journalist and author Oliver Burkeman joins Prospectâs Ellen Halliday and Mindful life columnist Sarah Collins to talk mental health and building a meaningful lifeâand why his new book, Meditations for Mortals, really isnât self-help.
Plus, freelance political journalist Jonn Elledge dials in from the Lib Dem conference in Brighton to help us decide whether Ed Davey's party is a âbangerâ or a âdudâ.
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This week Ellen Halliday and Alona Ferber discuss a vital question: what is the reality of life under occupation for Palestinians? And how much longer can the world ignore it?
They are joined by Nathan Thrall, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy, which follows the life of a Palestinian man whose son Milad died in a 2012 road accident in the West Bank.
Thrall, who is based in Jerusalem, discusses how Salamaâs story provides a window into the wider tragedy of Israel Palestine.
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In February 2022, invading Russian forces on their way to Kyiv also occupied the site of Europeâs biggest nuclear disasterâChernobyl. The response of the Ukrainians running the site, and of the International Atomic Energy Agency, would prove decisive. But who would be honoured as a hero, and who would be branded a traitor?
In this episode of the Prospect Podcast, deputy editor Ellen Halliday is joined by Baillie Gifford award-winning author and historian Serhii Plokhy to discuss his new book Chernobyl Roulette, which tells the gripping story of the occupation of the former nuclear site by Russian forces following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Plokhy recounts the experiences of Ukrainian workers who were forced to manage the plant under dangerous conditions, revealing the complicated power dynamics between them and the invading Russian forces, as well as the implications of this event for global nuclear safety. The conversation delves into how this occupation fits into the larger context of the war in Ukraine and what it reveals about the geopolitical significance of nuclear sites. Plus, Alona and Ellen debate whetherâin the words of the Gridâthe reunion of the legendary rock band Oasis is a âbangerâ or âdud.â
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