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Reality Check

The Spectator
Housing Market
Inflation
Nicola Sturgeon
London
Brexit
Economics
Scottish National Party
Rachel Reeves
Mortgage Market
Economic Policy
Bank Of England
UK Budget
First-Time Buyers
Special Educational Needs
Taxation
Income Tax
Welfare Spending
Laffer Curve
Alex Salmond
United Kingdom

Reality Check cuts through the spin and explains the numbers behind the noise. In each episode, The Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons and in-the-know guests will make a data-driven case on a story hogging the headlines.

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Artwork for Reality Check

Latest Episodes

Amid rising backlash over the early prisoner release scheme, Kemi Badenoch has called for emergency legislation to stop the plans going ahead. The new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has already halted the plans until a review has been conducted. The sit... more

Andy Burnham has laid out some of his top policy agendas for his premiership. Top of the list is to tackle homelessness – something the former Manchester mayor pledged to solve in Greater Manchester too, but the numbers have suggested the outcome was... more

YouTube

Last week, the Joe Rogan Experience podcast released a two-hour interview with Rupert Lowe, leader of the Restore party. Was Lowe there merely to create content – or is Restore a serious political party? Some of his statements suggest it’s the former... more

YouTube

A report has suggested that white working class children are being failed by the education system that is 'not serving in [their] interests'. Burnham blames a lack of aspiration – but does this issue, like many others in Britain really stem from an o... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Rick Henderson
Chief Executive at Homelessness Link
Homelessness Link
Episode: The real problem behind Britain's homelessness & why Burnham won't fix it
Tom Scotston
Sun journalist
The Sun
Episode: The real problem behind Britain's homelessness & why Burnham won't fix it
John O'Neil
Reality Check and The Spectator's Director of Research
The Spectator / Reality Check
Episode: Fact check: Rupert Lowe on Joe Rogan
Joanna Marchong
Senior Analyst at The Think Tank Onward and freelance journalist
The Think Tank Onward
Episode: The white working class ceiling, private schools & why Britain's failing – with Joanna Marchong
Ed Shackle
Director in Public First's research team
Public First
Episode: Burnham's bid to bridge the North-South divide
Alice Wright
Money reporter for The Times and Sunday Times
The Times / Sunday Times
Episode: Can you trust your spouse with your finances? Plus Britain's longest divorce. With Alice Wright
Matthew Lesch
Pollster and strategist quoted as discussing the public poll on supermarket margins
Freshwater Strategy
Episode: Price caps are pointless – why Reeves is wrong to attack supermarkets
William Clouston
Leader of the SDP
Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Episode: How to revive industrial Britain: SDP leader on British steel, the entitlement state & a Farage pact
Lyndon Kim Caron
former leader Kent County Council
Kent County Council
Episode: Council budgets are financial black holes – what's the point in voting?

Host

Michael Simmons
Host of Reality Check; The Spectator's economics editor

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 58 ratings
  • Well informed

    Episode on leasehold was fascinating. Very revealing. Michael cuts to the chase and has no agendas or metropolitan bias, which is a rare thing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tom Walton Temmy
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Utter lies when discussing PIP

    I have disabled family and friends, one has an autistic son that repeats the same words over and over. She was denied pip for him. This is one story of many lived experiences I know and your comment it’s easy to get is so far from the truth.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Wbt1981
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Rory Sutherland episode - priceless

    And I’m 60 and retired (albeit is volunteering my socks off…), quite the Reality Check ! Keep up the good work, thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NatsPoddie
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Disappointing episode

    Rory Sutherland podcast very disappointing, just another person airing their peeves. Let’s get back to the content in the initial two podcasts

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Yachtsman
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Excellent!

    Splendid spin-off and valuable insights at this pivotal moment in Scottish (and more broadly U.K. / European) politics. Still not sure if Fraser Nelson’s really Scottish though 😉

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JasN4
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some episodes polarizing, but provides balanced data discussion.
Useful, data-driven and well explained, with strong host clarity.
Guest selections often bring practical policy insights for practitioners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to revive industrial Britain: SDP leader on British steel, the entitlement state & a Farage pact
Q: How would you address the entitlement state and pensions while pursuing industrial policy?
Taper entitlement spending gradually over a decade, reform the triple lock, and reallocate resources to productive investment, with pensions kept affordable through targeted reforms rather than abrupt cuts.
How to revive industrial Britain: SDP leader on British steel, the entitlement state & a Farage pact
Q: What would be the most important policy for Britain on day one if you led the government?
Secure the border to halt asylum influx, restore national sovereignty, and set the groundwork for a credible, growth-oriented plan including reindustrialization and smarter public investment.
Benefits Britain exposed: are you paying for someone else's day out?
Q: What is your take on benefits being used to subsidize day-out activities for families on universal credit?
The guest argues that subsidies distort incentives, improperly allocate public funds, and should be reined in to prevent working families from subsidizing others' leisure; there is emphasis on strengthening the welfare safety net while removing unintended benefits.
This oil crisis could be the worst we've ever seen – former Trump economist Tyler Goodspeed
Q: How susceptible is the president to market signals in this crisis?
Markets signal that the economic costs could be higher than initially expected, and policymakers may adjust accordingly, balancing strategic objectives with the economic impact of higher energy prices.
Debt bomb: the £100 billion problem nobody talks about
Q: Do you think our politicians think about these issues enough?
It's hard to discern where reform is, particularly when politicians seem to believe they can print money without consequences.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Reality Check

What is Reality Check about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Reality Check delivers data-driven takes on timely economic and political stories, often featuring sharp, numbers-focused discussions with high-profile guests. Episodes frequently cover macroeconomics, public finances, housing, and policy reform, mixing investigative analysis with accessible storytelling. Noteworthy are its willingness to challenge official narratives and present contrarian or reform-minded viewpoints, making it a compelling listen for professionals evaluating policy impacts, markets, and public investment.

Where can I find podcast stats for Reality Check?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Reality Check. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Reality Check and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Reality Check get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Reality Check, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Reality Check?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Reality Check, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Reality Check have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Reality Check has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Reality Check?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Reality Check:

1. Coffee House Shots
2. Quite right!
3. The Edition
4. Americano
5. Best of the Spectator

How many episodes of Reality Check are there?

Reality Check launched 3 years ago and published 45 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Reality Check?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Reality Check?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Reality Check from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Reality Check. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Reality Check?

Recent guests on Reality Check include:

1. Rick Henderson
2. Tom Scotston
3. John O'Neil
4. Joanna Marchong
5. Ed Shackle
6. Alice Wright
7. Matthew Lesch
8. William Clouston

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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