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More or Less

BBC Radio 4
United States
Covid-19
Climate Change
Donald Trump
Statistics
NHS
Artificial Intelligence
Autism
China
Mathematics
UK Economy
Education
Mental Health
US Healthcare Costs
Microplastics
Daniel Kahneman
Housework
Obesity
Labour Party
United Kingdom

Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes1135Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for More or Less

Latest Episodes

Earlier this year, South African-born tech tycoon Elon Musk briefly became the world’s first dollar trillionaire.

This prompted loyal listener Stephen to email the More or Less team, to ask us to investigate something his daughter had been ponderin... more

If you had a choice between instantly receiving £50,000 or a 50% chance to win £1m, which would you pick?

When YouGov asked exactly that question to people in the UK, 73% said they would take the £50,000, while 21% opted for the 50/50 chance of winn... more

What is the error in the calculation Donald Trump used to work out his new tariffs?

What happened when the government ordered a recount of bobbies on the beat?

When is a tax freeze not a tax freeze?

And do redheads really have a 25% higher toler... more

The crime rate in London has been cropping up regularly on social media and in political discussions - US president Donald Trump has claimed that crime in the city is ‘through the roof’.

But what does the data tell us?

Professor Matt Ashby, from Un... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Faisal Islam
BBC economics editor
BBC
Episode: Would you take £50,000 or a 50/50 chance of £1m?
Matt Ashby
Professor at University College London's Centre for Global City Policing
University College London
Episode: Is crime in London ‘through the roof’?
Ian Graham
Author and former head of research at Liverpool FC
Liverpool Football Club
Episode: How much luck do you need to win the World Cup?
Luis Nunes Vicente
Mathematician from Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Episode: How much luck do you need to win the World Cup?
David Sumpter
Professor of Applied Mathematics
Uppsala University
Episode: How much luck do you need to win the World Cup?
Adam Jacobs
Medical statistician
Episode: Does playing tennis make you live 9.7 years longer?
Simon Calder
Travel journalist and broadcaster, The Telegraph
The Telegraph
Episode: Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?
Matt Parker
Mathematics YouTuber and comedian
Stand Up Maths
Episode: Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?
Mark Galeotti
Author, historian focusing on Russia
Forged in War
Episode: Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?

Host

Charlotte McDonald
BBC journalist and primary host of the program responsible for guiding discussion and presenting case studies.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 5.6k ratings
  • Superb

    It is incredible for people who want to know what is going on around the world without getting brainwashed by social media

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Harry_bike_racing
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Delightful

    This podcast has no business being so delightful, and yet, it is.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Capybarbarian
    United States2 months ago
  • Propaganda with numbers

    We all know by now that BBC is all about promoting their own ideological agenda. The only special feature of this program is that numbers are used for this purpose. Yet this doesn’t make it any more solid than any other BBC propagandist venture. Trapped in their own bubble, they are desperately trying to project some appearance of credibility, which is however gone with the wind. No one trusts this fraud any more other than their own bubble

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    kritbjkbvzhiugf
    Germany2 months ago
  • Just to biased to math

    More or Less should bring the math but they twist it in analysis.

    Recently they headlined “Debunking, the claim that migrants will get half of new homes”. Funny enough the expert you brought on said, the number’s not wrong on its face and certainly there is a link between increased migration and housing supply as they have to live somewhere. But then the non-math analysis was that the migrants would have to compete for the new homes so the conservatives are incorrect in their claim as stated ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Future-is-bright
    United States2 months ago
  • Language needs work

    In your episode about trans women in sport, you acknowledge at the start that you are looking at studies comparing transgender women and cisgender women, which is the appropriately specific language. However, you then cease to use cisgender to specify when you mean women who were assigned female at birth, and for the rest of the episode you repeatedly compare “trans women” with “women”, implying that they fall outside of this category. This is, at best, a failure of specificity and professionali... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    brodycalypso
    Australia3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Reliable, data-driven analysis that educates without dumbing down complex topics.
Clear critical thinking on numbers, though some listeners seek more practical takeaways.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Is crime in London ‘through the roof’?
Q: But is it true that London is a lawless hotbed of violent activity?
The guest explains that when you compare across cities with harmonised definitions and reporting practices, London's homicide and assault rates are generally in line with other large European and global cities, and do not support the claim of London being uniquely dangerous.
How much luck do you need to win the World Cup?
Q: How do you separate luck from skill in evaluating team performance?
By looking at longer-run performance across multiple matches (e.g., five-game windows) and using metrics like XG to quantify the quality of chances, which helps distinguish random outcomes from genuine team strength.
How much luck do you need to win the World Cup?
Q: So, how important is luck in winning the World Cup?
Luck is significant because football is low-scoring and outcomes hinge on a few pivotal moments; yet skill still matters, as teams that generate more chances via high XG tend to perform better even if luck can upend single games.
Does playing tennis make you live 9.7 years longer?
Q: Why can't we say tennis makes you live 9.7 years longer?
Because the study has a small subset of tennis players, potential self-selection, and timing issues; the observed association may reflect other healthy behaviors and socioeconomic factors rather than tennis itself, so the result is not robust enough to claim causation.
Does playing tennis make you live 9.7 years longer?
Q: Is longevity just an artifact of socioeconomic status? Or is tennis truly responsible for longer lives?
There is confounding; once adjustments for education and income are made, the apparent benefit decreases, and due to small sample sizes and measurement limitations, we cannot claim a causal effect that tennis extends life.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About More or Less

What is More or Less about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A numbers-first show that consistently challenges headlines by unpacking the statistics behind current events and policy debates. Across episodes, it covers topics from public health, environmental science, and technology to risk language and social trends, often featuring academics, journalists, and policy experts who help translate data into actionable insights. Noteworthy traits include a preference for data-driven analysis, rigorous methodological critique, and a willingness to challenge common narratives even when it risks controversy. Listeners can expect clear explanations, nuanced discussions, and a habit of separating what is known from what is uncertain, making it valuable for decision-makers, researchers, and curious, analyticall... more

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Which podcasts are similar to More or Less?

These podcasts share a similar audience with More or Less:

1. Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
2. BBC Inside Science
3. Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast
4. Sliced Bread
5. The Briefing Room

How many episodes of More or Less are there?

More or Less launched 19 years ago and published 1135 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on More or Less?

Recent guests on More or Less include:

1. Faisal Islam
2. Matt Ashby
3. Ian Graham
4. Luis Nunes Vicente
5. David Sumpter
6. Adam Jacobs
7. Simon Calder
8. Matt Parker

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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