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Best of the Spectator

The Spectator
Labour Party
Keir Starmer
Iran
United States
Andy Burnham
Donald Trump
Conservative Party
Nigel Farage
United Kingdom
Church Of England
Reform UK
Artificial Intelligence
British Politics
UK Politics
Manchester
Morgan Mcsweeney
Immigration
Catholic Church
Spectator
Christianity

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesDailyEpisodes2725Founded13 years ago
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Latest Episodes

Is the Church of England slowly abolishing the parish priest? A new model of ‘oversight ministry’ promises team-based leadership and a greater role for lay volunteers – but critics fear it will leave priests increasingly invisible in the communities ... more

One month on from Andy Burnham entering Downing Street and a lot has changed at the top of government. Starmer's old guard have been reshuffled or replaced, and Burnham's government have announced dozens of new projects, but the big challenges that h... more

William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, commissioning editor Tali Fraser and actress Maureen Lipman.

This week: has the West lost the will to defend itself? The panel discuss the threats posed by China, Russia and Is... more

Britain is in the grip of another hot, dry summer, with hosepipe bans in force and fears growing about the country’s water supply. But are we really running out of water?

Michael Simmons is joined by Reality Check reporter John Power to explain what... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Thangam Debbonaire
Baroness, former shadow culture secretary, Labour peer in the House of Lords
Labour Party (House of Lords)
Episode: Coffee House Shots: Andy's report card – with Baroness Debbonaire
Maureen Lipman
Actress; guest discussing safety of Western values and experiences with public pressure
Independent of a single organization
Episode: The Edition: has the West lost the will to defend itself? | with Maureen Lipman
Tim Montgomerie
Former editor, ConservativeHome; Reform UK member
Reform UK
Episode: Coffee House Shots: Reform suspends Tim Montgomerie after Spectator interview
Magnus Lundberg
Church Historian, professor at Uppsala University
Episode: Holy Smoke: Wandering bishops, rival popes & schismatic churches
Michael Tobin
Entrepreneur
Episode: Reality Check: Britain's AI problem isn't data centres – it's electricity
Alex Burghart
Reader discussing Harold Godwinson with a Viking touch
House of Lords/Political Commentator
Episode: Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman, Arabella Byrne, Alex Burghart & Lloyd Evans
Russell Warfield
communications strategist and writer; author of The Green Socialist, Zack Polanski & the Battle for Britain's Future
Green Party communications history; author
Episode: Coffee House Shots: has Zack Polanski proven more continuity than change?
Simon Sebag Montefiore
Historian and author of The Cauldron (The making of the modern Middle East)
Author, The Cauldron
Episode: Quite right!: Simon Sebag Montefiore explains the making of the modern Middle East
Lucy Fisher
Whitehall editor at Financial Times and host of its Political Fix podcast
Financial Times
Episode: Coffee House Shots: Clacton by-election lookahead

Host

Freddy Gray
Host of Americano Show; deputy and US editor for The Spectator

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Etiquette

    Tim, please don’t interrupt you guests when they are speaking.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    AnotherWorker
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Disappointed

    Alarmed to hear an interview with antisemitic cartoonist - who was unchallenged when referring to Israel’s defensive war against 8 terrorist armies as “genocide”. Libellous insanity. Saco was touted as some kind of objective journalist. Expect a much higher standard from the Spectator.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    JJAADF
    Australia4 months ago
  • Not everyone translates from the written to the spoken word

    If you have a journalist who can read aloud properly, great. If not please get someone to read their copy for them . The review of Wuthering Heights which would have been entertaining was spoilt by the Robitic and at times inaccurate delivery, which made it hard to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    sjblondon
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Common & run-of-the-mill

    Conventional takes with little distinguished insight. Disappointing.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Bibliophenia
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • A gang bang queen!

    No longer a serious magazine

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Cwycu
    United Kingdom8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Balanced guest mix and insightful political analysis, though some critics push back on balance and tone.
The show earns praise for provocative takes and high-profile interviews, but some reviews call for clearer balance and delivery style.
Listeners appreciate deep dives with insider perspectives and historical context, especially on UK politics and leadership dynamics.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Coffee House Shots: has Zack Polanski proven more continuity than change?
Q: What role does the party's willingness to take unpopular but principled positions play in attracting voters?
Taking principled but unpopular stances is admired by many; when given a platform, voters respond positively even if they disagree, suggesting a long-term strategy of campaigning on core policies rather than short-term electoral gains.
Coffee House Shots: has Zack Polanski proven more continuity than change?
Q: How large is the constituency for the Greens' more radical ideas, such as drug policy reform or anti-war stances?
Polling over the past decade shows Green policies are often favored by the electorate, but the hurdle has been voters' belief that Greens can win locally or nationally; radical ideas have a broader base than their electoral record would suggest, and the party's strength lies in articulating popular policy and building coalitions.
Coffee House Shots: has Zack Polanski proven more continuity than change?
Q: What is the overarching thesis of your book about Polanski's leadership?
The overarching thesis argues that Polanski's leadership represents continuity with the Greens' recent and deeper past, rather than a rupturing break; he expresses a settled, representative Greens politics that has been in play for years, if not decades.
Reality check: the truth about Britain’s water crisis – and what it means for net zero
Q: Are the headlines right to be so alarmed about the drought this summer?
The host and guest explain that while headlines often claim reservoirs are running dry, national reservoir levels are broadly similar or better than recent years, and drought definitions focus on extended dry and hot conditions that affect water use, not just rainfall. The key point is how demand spikes and processing capacity interact to create shortages in specific areas.
Holy Smoke: Wandering bishops, rival popes & schismatic churches
Q: With the Palmarian movement, how did a private revelation narrative translate into a papal claim and a grand basilica?
Private revelations to a figure known as Gregory led to a self-styled papacy and the construction of a massive basilica in a way that made the movement feel like a rival church, despite lacking canonical legitimacy.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Best of the Spectator

What is Best of the Spectator about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features brisk, opinion-forward conversations on politics, media, history, and culture, with a strong emphasis on UK politics, international affairs, and thoughtful bookish analysis. Episodes frequently juxtapose insider perspectives with broader public policy, exploring leadership dynamics, party strategy, geopolitical tensions, and cultural institutions. A standout trait is its willingness to host high-profile political insiders and authors, offering controversial takes, strategic context, and long-form discussions that often blend history, current events, and policy critique. The format tends to favor lively banter, insider anecdotes, and sharp, sometimes polarizing, viewpoints aimed at listeners who enjoy policy, politics, and... more

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1. Coffee House Shots
2. Americano
3. Quite right!
4. The Edition
5. Planet Normal

How many episodes of Best of the Spectator are there?

Best of the Spectator launched 13 years ago and published 2725 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 Best of the Spectator?

Recent guests on Best of the Spectator include:

1. Thangam Debbonaire
2. Maureen Lipman
3. Tim Montgomerie
4. Magnus Lundberg
5. Michael Tobin
6. Alex Burghart
7. Russell Warfield
8. Simon Sebag Montefiore

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