Rephonic
Artwork for Start the Week

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes651Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Start the Week

Latest Episodes

What are the biggest problems facing the economy - and how might we set about dealing with them - from inequality to inflation, domestic growth to geopolitics? On Radio 4's weekly discussion programme, setting the cultural agenda every Monday, Tom Su... more

In front of an audience at the Hay Festival, Tom Sutcliffe hosts Radio 4's discussion programme which starts the week, bringing together three thinkers who each, in different ways, examine the stories societies tell about themselves, and how those st... more

What is the future of farming and rural life? Adam Rutherford hosts Radio 4's discussion programme which starts the week, asking about the future of food production and the communities that support it.

Minette Batters was the first female president... more

What can an art exhibition, a concert hall and Classical town tell us about twentieth century German history? On Radio 4's weekly discussion programme, setting the cultural agenda every Monday, Samira Ahmed leads a conversation exploring what inter-w... 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.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Arts & Ideas
Arts & IdeasBBC Radio 4
Thinking Allowed
Thinking AllowedBBC Radio 4
Great Lives
Great LivesBBC Radio 4
In Our Time
In Our TimeBBC Radio 4
Front Row
Front RowBBC Radio 4

Recent Guests

Jeremy Hunt
Former Conservative Cabinet Minister and former Chancellor
UK Government
Episode: Searching for economic solutions
Mariana Mazzucato
Professor in Economics at University College London
University College London
Episode: Searching for economic solutions
Patrick Foulis
Contributing Editor at the Financial Times
Financial Times
Episode: Searching for economic solutions
Antony Beevor
Historian, author of Rasputin biography
Independent historian/author
Episode: Mythmaking at Hay: from Medea to Rasputin
Natalie Haynes
Novelist and broadcaster
Writer and broadcaster
Episode: Mythmaking at Hay: from Medea to Rasputin
Susan Neiman
Philosopher
Einstein Forum
Episode: Mythmaking at Hay: from Medea to Rasputin
Minette Batters
Baroness Batters, farmer and crossbench peer
National Farmers' Union (NFU)
Episode: Farming, food production and rural life
Dave Goulson
Professor of biology and author
University of Sussex
Episode: Farming, food production and rural life
Melissa Harrison
Novelist and observer of rural life
Author
Episode: Farming, food production and rural life

Hosts

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

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 617 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
    Canada4 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.

The show is a British cultural institution with smart, nuanced conversations.
Guests are consistently expert and well-chosen, though pacing can be challenging at times.
High-quality long-form journalism that rewards careful listening.
The rotating presenters keep the format fresh and engaging.
Thoughtful, intellectual start to the week with strong guests and questions.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#180
Indonesia/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?

Thoughtful, high-brow discussions spanning culture, science, history, and public policy. Episodes frequently center on books, archival research, and expert commentary from authors, historians, scientists, and curators, with a moderator guiding nuanced conversations that connect ideas to contemporary society. Notable strengths include a live-roundtable format that surfaces diverse viewpoints and a track record of inviting recognized scholars and practitioners to illuminate complex topics. Likely to appeal to curious, educated listeners who want to understand how culture and ideas shape current events, with a premium on careful reasoning and evidence-based discussion.

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?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Start the Week, 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 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. Arts & Ideas
2. Thinking Allowed
3. Great Lives
4. In Our Time
5. Front Row

How many episodes of Start the Week are there?

Start the Week launched 20 years ago and published 651 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.

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 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. Jeremy Hunt
2. Mariana Mazzucato
3. Patrick Foulis
4. Antony Beevor
5. Natalie Haynes
6. Susan Neiman
7. Minette Batters
8. Dave Goulson

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