Rephonic
Artwork for Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared
Artificial Intelligence
Donald Trump
Russia
Mental Health
Ukraine
Climate Change
China
United States
Iran
Clean Water
Afghanistan
Philosophy
Wateraid
Social Media
Democracy
Populism
Sotheby's
Brexit
United Kingdom
Cumbria

Ideas shape the world. Intelligence Squared brings you the conversations that explain them. In every episode, we bring together leading thinkers, writers, scientists, policymakers and entrepreneurs, to challenge assumptions, test ideas and debate the questions shaping our future. If you want to think more clearly about the world and where it's heading, you're in the right place. If you’d like to s... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1762Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Intelligence Squared

Latest Episodes

Carlo Rovelli is an award-winning theoretical physicist and writer with a gift for making complex ideas feel real and accessible. Whether exploring black holes, quantum mechanics, philosophy, or history, he inspires audiences with his sense of wonder... more

With the US midterm elections one month away, we revisit highlights from Anthony Scaramucci’s recent Intelligence Squared tour across the UK.

The former White House communications director recalls how he discovered he had been fired, what election n... more

The bestselling author of more than 36 novels, including Fool Me Once, Tell No One and the Myron Bolitar series, Coben is renowned for his ability to build tension, wrong-foot his readers and create intricately plotted narrative worlds. His thrillers... more

This podcast has always brought together two kinds of conversation. Original episodes recorded in the studio, and live events from the Intelligence Squared stage. Now, we’re giving each a home of its own, making it easier for you to find exactly what... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Past Present Future
Past Present FutureDavid Runciman
In Our Time
In Our TimeBBC Radio 4
The LRB Podcast
The LRB PodcastThe London Review of Books

Recent Guests

Bill Nighy
Award-winning actor and participant in the discussion
Self-employed actor
Episode: Harlan Coben and Bill Nighy on the Art of the Plot Twist
Harlan Coben
Bestselling thriller writer and author of Plot Twist
Self-employed author
Episode: Harlan Coben and Bill Nighy on the Art of the Plot Twist
Sebastian Faulks
British novelist, author of Birdsong, Q, Engleby, Charlotte Grey
Author
Episode: Britain’s War in Palestine, with Sebastian Faulks
David McCloskey
Author and co-host of The Rest is Classified podcast
Author of London Station
Episode: The CIA vs MI6: Allies or Rivals? With David McCloskey
David Musgrove
Historian with a doctorate in Medieval Landscape Archaeology, fellow of the Royal Historical Society and content director at HistoryExtra
HistoryExtra / HistoryExtra magazine
Episode: Is There a Royal Sex Scandal Hidden in the Bayeux Tapestry? With David Musgrove
Marina Hyde
Guardian columnist, co-host of The Rest Is Entertainment podcast
The Guardian
Episode: Anthony Scaramucci and Marina Hyde: What Comes After Trump? Live from Guildford
Anthony Scaramucci
Former White House Communications Director, Trump critic, co-host of The Rest Is Politics US
SkyBridge Capital; The Rest Is Politics US
Episode: Anthony Scaramucci and Marina Hyde: What Comes After Trump? Live from Guildford
Lyse Doucet
BBC Chief International Correspondent
BBC
Episode: What Lyse Doucet Has Learned from 40 Years Reporting From War Zones, Live
Kevin Fong
Doctor of medicine and physician specialized in emergency medicine; NASA/astronaut health collaborator; author
University College London; Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance; NASA
Episode: Why Your Plans Will Fail After Five Minutes, and How To Fix Them, with Kevin Fong

Host

Mia Sorrenti
Host and producer, appears across Intelligence Squared events and episodes

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 2.3k ratings
  • “Hotels with History”: the wet lettuce leaf of podcasts … Is it really even a podcast?

    What the heck? How can such a potentially interesting topic with a great narrator, Mr Grant, be such a wet limp thing. Aggrandising trivialities and never really getting into the heart of anything. Just run an ad … honestly. Not just a waste of effort, this is worse; giving “ick” on these hotels I used to enjoy. And now Raffles is also dead to me … uggh. Why are these Hotels With History podcast episodes so bad? Well done, chaps

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Charlotte Burgman
    United States3 months ago
  • UFO Misinformation

    The latest UFO episode was garbage! 👎🏻

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    PawdKast
    United States5 months ago
  • Consistently Exceptional

    I listen to many and varied podcasts. Intelligence2 is consistently exceptional, nuanced, well researched, thought through and….witty!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Palafoxiana
    United States5 months ago
  • Great, with one « but »

    One issue: the journalist Adam talks way too much. His questions are too long and convoluted. Would really replace him. I find that he takes away from the guests and makes the podcast difficult to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    UmbBra
    Switzerland6 months ago
  • Afraid

    Intelligence squared always seemed a great place for debate until the

    Israeli genocide started. Then silence.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Lonnach123
    Ireland8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listener frustration with short-form non-subscriber clips and paywalls.
High-quality guests and analyses keep this show valuable for listeners who want depth and nuance.
Consistently exceptional and thoughtfully researched debates are a hallmark.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Harlan Coben and Bill Nighy on the Art of the Plot Twist
Q: What would you do if you weren't a writer?
I'd have no obvious marketable skills; I'd probably resort to something mundane and unglamorous, but the key is that writing is what keeps me engaged with the world, so I'd still be seeking a creative outlet.
Harlan Coben and Bill Nighy on the Art of the Plot Twist
Q: Hi Harlan, could you name one thing you enjoy about being a writer?
The entire experience is thrilling—the opportunity to communicate with readers, the sense of discovery when ideas click, and the unique relationship with the audience that makes every finished book feel like a conversation.
Anthony Scaramucci and Marina Hyde: What Comes After Trump? Live from Guildford
Q: How did Trump's second term differ from his first in practice?
The guest explains that Trump's second term didn't substantially change in coercive power but his understanding of the presidency and staff dynamics evolved; the transition team and cabinet staffing were constrained by prior expectations.
Anthony Scaramucci and Marina Hyde: What Comes After Trump? Live from Guildford
Q: What is your sense of the state of the Republican Party after Trump, and can it recover?
Scaramucci suggests a low probability of a full recovery in the current form, emphasizing the need for post-partisan leadership and structural reforms, including primaries openness and a move away from personality-driven politics.
Luke Harding and Alastair Campbell: Trump, Putin and the New Age of Conquest (Part Two)
Q: What kind of reaction are you getting to the book in continental Europe, particularly Germany?
The book is being published in several European languages; Germany's reaction is notable due to the rise of pro-Russian sentiment in parts of the electorate, and there is concern about how Russia's game plan could undermine European democracy through far-right forces.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Intelligence Squared

What is Intelligence Squared about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, idea-driven interview series that brings together writers, journalists, policymakers, and thought leaders to explore culture, politics, science, and society. Episodes frequently center on memory, history, and the dynamics of power, with deep dives into books, current events, and major global topics. Notable strengths include challenging conversations with high-profile guests, live event formats, and a willingness to tackle complex ethical issues, AI, journalism, and democracy. The show often blends personal storytelling with rigorous analysis, making it appealing to listeners who enjoy nuanced debate and cross-disciplinary perspectives.

Where can I find podcast stats for Intelligence Squared?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Intelligence Squared. 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 Intelligence Squared and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Intelligence Squared get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Intelligence Squared, 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 Intelligence Squared?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Intelligence Squared, 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 Intelligence Squared have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Intelligence Squared 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 Intelligence Squared?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Intelligence Squared:

1. Past Present Future
2. Empire: World History
3. In Our Time
4. The Audio Long Read
5. The LRB Podcast

How many episodes of Intelligence Squared are there?

Intelligence Squared launched 13 years ago and published 1762 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 Intelligence Squared?

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 Intelligence Squared?

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

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Intelligence Squared?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Intelligence Squared. 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 Intelligence Squared?

Recent guests on Intelligence Squared include:

1. Bill Nighy
2. Harlan Coben
3. Sebastian Faulks
4. David McCloskey
5. David Musgrove
6. Marina Hyde
7. Anthony Scaramucci
8. Lyse Doucet

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days