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Start the Week

BBC Radio 4
Claude Monet
Glass
Glassmaking
Laurence Cummings
Emma Smith
Errollyn Wallen
Small States
Climate Change
Stained Glass
Material Science
Art History
Opium
China
Games
Classical Music
Handel
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Compositional Process
Machine Vision

Weekly discussion programme, setting the cultural agenda every Monday

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes625Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Latest Episodes

What can genetics and palmistry tell us about how we understand identity, character and health? Adam Rutherford is joined by Professor of Zoology Matthew Cobb; the historian Professor Alison Bashford and the geneticist Charlotte Houldcroft.

Matthew ... more

How can we reclaim the internet? Tom Sutcliffe and guests discuss the digital age - its supporters and discontents.

Tech critic Cory Doctorow introduces his new book Enshittification, a blistering diagnosis of how online platforms have decayed — fr... more

Threats to the natural world are the focus of today’s conversation. Adam Rutherford talks to wildlife biologist Jonathan Slaght, novelist Juhea Kim and criminal psychologist Julia Shaw.

Jonathan Slaght discusses Tigers Between Empires, his account o... more

In her latest novel, One Aladdin Two Lamps, the writer Jeanette Winterson takes inspiration from the legendary story of Shahrazad in One Thousand and One Nights. But she calls on the reader to look again at stories we think we know, unpick how fictio... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Alison Bashford
Author of 'Decoding the Hand', exploring the history of palmistry and its connection to science.
Episode: Genes and hands: mapping character and health
Matthew Cobb
Author of 'Crick, A Mind in Motion', a biography of Francis Crick.
Episode: Genes and hands: mapping character and health
Charlotte Houldcroft
Virologist at the University of Cambridge specializing in the history of infectious diseases.
University of Cambridge
Episode: Genes and hands: mapping character and health
Jonathan Slaght
Conservationist and author of Tigers Between Empires
Episode: Saving Tigers, Green Crime and Cli-fi
Juhea Kim
Novelist in the cli-fi genre and author of A Love Story from the End of the World
Episode: Saving Tigers, Green Crime and Cli-fi
Julia Shaw
Criminal psychologist and author of Green Crime
Episode: Saving Tigers, Green Crime and Cli-fi
Jeanette Winterson
Novelist and author of One Aladdin, Two Lamps
Episode: Storytelling: Jeanette Winterson, Rory Stewart and Soweto Kinch
Rory Stewart
Podcaster and professor, author of Middleland
Yale University
Episode: Storytelling: Jeanette Winterson, Rory Stewart and Soweto Kinch
Soweto Kinch
Musician and composer of Soundtrack to the Apocalypse
Episode: Storytelling: Jeanette Winterson, Rory Stewart and Soweto Kinch

Hosts

Tom Sutcliffe
Host of Start the Week
Adam Rutherford
Host of Start the Week
Shahid Abari
Host of Start the Week

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 612 ratings
  • För bra att somna till

    Jag brukar somna till poddar om ämnen som intresserar mig, men här är det för intressant och för intresserat - jag vaknar till istället och vill lära mig allt om nattfjärilar eller allergier.

    Initierat, kunnigt, nördigt.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PappaStekman
    Sweden2 years ago
  • So much better since Marr left

    Every week this show delivers an interesting discussion and normally results in more additions to my ‘to read’ pile.

    The new post-Marr format of rotating presenters is refreshing and less egotistical in style. And speaking are even now allowed to be honest about how bad Brexit is going.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Alex_Phillips
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • Excellent but…

    Can someone ask the host to resist the urge to interrupt his guests? We genuinely want to hear what they have to say. That is, we haven’t run out of attention quite as quickly as he has.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    MaryCherry75
    Canada4 years ago
  • Variable and a bit pompous but often interesting

    Podcast Addict
    4
    Professor
    5 years ago
  • Intelligent long form journalism

    Great listen well worth subscribing to.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Welger AP 45
    Ireland5 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the diverse range of topics and the intellectual depth of the discussions.
The rotating host format has been positively received, bringing fresh perspectives to each episode.
The podcast is viewed as an essential platform for thoughtful discourse on cultural and societal issues.
Some have noted interruptions by the host can detract from guest insights but acknowledge valuable content overall.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#207
Ireland/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Genes and hands: mapping character and health
Q: How did Francis Crick's discovery of DNA change scientific understanding?
It introduced the concept that life is fundamentally information stored in DNA, impacting fields like genetics and evolutionary biology.
Genes and hands: mapping character and health
Q: What was the role of palmistry in the 19th and 20th centuries?
It transitioned from a spiritual practice to being seen as a way to understand personality and health, with significant contributions from medically trained individuals.
Steven Pinker on common knowledge
Q: What is the dilemma in the drowning child thought experiment?
The experiment illustrates the moral obligation to help those in need, regardless of distance, emphasizing the indistinguishable nature of human lives across geographies.
Steven Pinker on common knowledge
Q: What is effective altruism?
Effective altruism is a movement that emphasizes not just giving, but giving effectively to maximize the good that can be achieved.
Steven Pinker on common knowledge
Q: How has social media changed common knowledge?
Social media can generate common belief including misconceptions, but it doesn't truly create common knowledge as it lacks universal engagement.

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 Start the Week

What is Start the Week about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The episodes cover a variety of cultural and societal themes, often featuring discussions on significant historical and contemporary topics such as migration, mental health, privacy, and the evolution of societal norms. Guests typically include well-respected authors, academics, and experts from diverse fields, leading to intellectually stimulating conversations that challenge mainstream narratives. The format allows for a dynamic exploration of ideas, often linking art, science, history, and social issues in a way that encourages listeners to think critically about the world around them. This broad-ranging approach is likely to appeal to those interested in deep, thoughtful discussions about pressing cultural matters and social justice.

Where can I find podcast stats for Start the Week?

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

How many listeners does Start the Week get?

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What are the audience demographics for Start the Week?

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How many subscribers and views does Start the Week have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Start the Week 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 Start the Week?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Start the Week:

1. Arts & Ideas
2. Front Row
3. Great Lives
4. In Our Time
5. More or Less

How many episodes of Start the Week are there?

Start the Week launched 20 years ago and published 625 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 Start the Week?

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 Start the Week?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Start the Week from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Start the Week?

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What guests have appeared on Start the Week?

Recent guests on Start the Week include:

1. Alison Bashford
2. Matthew Cobb
3. Charlotte Houldcroft
4. Jonathan Slaght
5. Juhea Kim
6. Julia Shaw
7. Jeanette Winterson
8. Rory Stewart

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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