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Start the Week

BBC Radio 4
Ukraine
Climate Change
Art History
Disinformation
Artificial Intelligence
Propaganda
British Art
China
Animal Communication
Neuroscience
Russian Revolution
Election Fraud
Social Care
Gender Equality
Christianity
Art
Poetry
Mental Health
Climate Crisis
Freedom

Weekly discussion programme, setting the cultural agenda every Monday

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes655Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Start the Week

Latest Episodes

How did we arrive at an age of global instability, conflict and political distrust, and can democracy renew itself? On Radio 4's weekly discussion programme, Tom Sutcliffe is joined by three guests to examine the pressures facing the international or... more

How has life online reshaped society in real life? On Radio 4's weekly discussion programme, Tom Sutcliffe is joined by 3 guests who are investigating the digital sphere, and in some cases resisting its ubiquity.

The filmmaker Baroness Beeban Kidron... more

What has happened to working-class identity in Britain? On Radio 4's weekly discussion programme, Adam Rutherford explores the political fractures within families and communities.

Nicola Wilding discusses These Wild English: A Family, a Class, a Cou... more

How have we made discoveries about the world around us and how has our understanding changed when we got it wrong? Adam Rutherford hosts Radio 4's discussion programme which starts the week, asking about the the nature of scientific discovery, unders... more

Key Facts

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

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Recent Guests

Gordon Brown
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; author of The Future Starts With Us
Independent politician/Author
Episode: Gordon Brown: The Future Starts with Us
Francis Fukuyama
Political scientist; author of The End of History and The Realm of the Last Man
Stanford University (academic), thinker
Episode: Gordon Brown: The Future Starts with Us
Bronwen Maddox
Director of Chatham House; policy commentator
Chatham House
Episode: Gordon Brown: The Future Starts with Us
Beeban Kidron
Filmmaker and activist campaigning for online child protection; author of Users
Episode: Life Online: Power, Risk and Resistance
Katherine Dunn
Business journalist and writer; author of Little Blue Dot about GPS
Episode: Life Online: Power, Risk and Resistance
Meena Kandasamy
Writer; author of Fieldwork as a Sex Object
Episode: Life Online: Power, Risk and Resistance
Nicola Wilding
Author of These Wild English: A Family, a Class, a Country on Fire
Author, These Wild English
Episode: Working-Class Lives: Identity and Political Fractures
Natasha Carthew
Author of Rough Edges
Author, Rough Edges
Episode: Working-Class Lives: Identity and Political Fractures
Daljit Nagra
Poet and writer
Author, Yiewsley
Episode: Working-Class Lives: Identity and Political Fractures

Hosts

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

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 618 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
    Sweden3 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 Kingdom4 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
    Canada5 years ago
  • Variable and a bit pompous but often interesting

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

    Great listen well worth subscribing to.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Welger AP 45
    Ireland6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful, long-form journalism that rewards attentive listening and note-taking.
The host shepherds lively, high-brow discourse with a broad range of guests.
Guests are consistently excellent; conversations feel both rigorous and approachable.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#111
Singapore/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#215
Russia/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mythmaking at Hay: from Medea to Rasputin
Q: What is the political context in which Rasputin arrives and what are the problems facing the czar and Russia?
Beevor explains the regime's mismanagement, corruption, and a disconnect between aristocratic priorities and the needs of a struggling peasantry, setting the stage for Rasputin's influence to be seen as both spiritual and political leverage.
Reading and storytelling
Q: How did your publishing philosophy at Alison and Busby challenge norms and push for more diverse voices?
We published work that others wouldn't and took risks with cheap paperback poetry, African writers, and women authors, which broadened access and opened up a broader global conversation.
Reading and storytelling
Q: Why do you think true crime fascinates readers, especially women, in your novel Mrs. Pearcey?
The fascination ties to social anxieties and empathy for victims, with crime becoming a lens to understand personal and societal threats, and the domestic sphere offering a tense space for exploring relationships gone wrong.
Fun and games
Q: Stephen, you wrote a piece in the Financial Times last year with the headline, If you don't understand Nintendo Switch 2, you won't understand the modern world. Is that an exaggeration?
No, I think it's important because video games shape people's perceptions and how they interact with the world.
Censorship
Q: Are there controls on what can be said about?
Yes, strict prohibitions exist against criticism of the government and can lead to imprisonment.

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?

A provocative, cross-disciplinary discussion program that brings together writers, scientists, historians, policy thinkers, and journalists to unpack big ideas in culture, technology, and society. Episodes frequently center on online life, the ethics of science and medicine, economics, and the politics of everyday life, featuring ambitious conversations that blend historical context with contemporary critique. Notable strengths include high-profile guests, rigorous inquiry, and a track record of shaping cultural conversations through nuanced debates. Listeners are likely drawn to thoughtful analysis, interdisciplinary perspectives, and accessible yet substantial storytelling that connects ideas to real-world implications.

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?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Start the Week, 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 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. Front Row
2. Great Lives
3. More or Less
4. A Good Read
5. The Briefing Room

How many episodes of Start the Week are there?

Start the Week launched 21 years ago and published 655 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?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Start the Week. 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 Start the Week?

Recent guests on Start the Week include:

1. Gordon Brown
2. Francis Fukuyama
3. Bronwen Maddox
4. Beeban Kidron
5. Katherine Dunn
6. Meena Kandasamy
7. Nicola Wilding
8. Natasha Carthew

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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