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The Prospect Podcast

Prospect Magazine
Labour Party
Donald Trump
Gaza
Mental Health
Climate Change
Conservative Party
Ukraine
Elon Musk
Keir Starmer
Israel
US Elections
Democracy
NATO
Brexit
Antisemitism
Prospect Magazine
Artificial Intelligence
Immigration
United States
Reform UK

Join our deputy editor Ellen Halliday and senior editor Alona Ferber as they interview some of the brightest minds to discuss the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture.

The Prospect Podcast is produced by Prospect Magazine.

Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. Get one free issue of Prospect when you sign up toda... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes492Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsSociety & CulturePolitics

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Latest Episodes

This month Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu decides to embrace materialism, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman recounts the ballad of the Tithe pig. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock is taken to hospital after a fall and is very impressed by the attracti... more

Citizenship has been described as “the right to have rights”. But, in recent years, the UK government has increasingly stripped people of their citizenship— effectively leaving many stateless.

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist a... more

The UK’s young adults are ready to be taken seriously—so why aren’t they?

This week, Alona and Imaan are joined by journalist and author Marie Le Conte to discuss why a whole generation seems stuck in an extended adolescence, priced out of housing a... more

As Nigel Farage continues to face scrutiny over his finances and undeclared donations, is big money hurting our democracy?

This week, Alona and Imaan are joined by Peter Geoghegan, investigative journalist and founder of Democracy for Sale. Peter un... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Peter Geoghegan
Founder of Democracy for Sale and longtime observer of money in politics
Democracy for Sale
Episode: Big money, big problems: Reform’s donation problem—with Peter Geoghegan
Roopika Risam
Professor of Digital Humanities and Social Engagement at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Episode: A history of power: the creation of data empires
Robert Barrington
Professor of Anti-Corruption Practice at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
Episode: A barrel of rotting apples: Political corruption in modern Britain
Jens Beckert
Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies; Professor of Sociology at the University of Cologne
Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies; University of Cologne
Episode: Jens Beckert: Democracy won’t beat climate change
Teresa Shering
Medical Lead for Biogen
Biogen
Episode: It's time to take maternal mental health seriously
Getrude Seneviratne
Consultant Adult and Perinatal Psychiatrist
Episode: It's time to take maternal mental health seriously
Laura Kyrke-Smith
MP for Ellsbury and Architect of Sophie's Law (Perinatal Mental Health Assessments Bill)
Member of Parliament
Episode: It's time to take maternal mental health seriously
David Goldblatt
Sportswriter and sociologist; author of Injury Time, Football in a State of Emergency
Episode: World Cup 2026: Does Maga hate football?
Ravi Gurumurthy
CEO of Nesta; lead non-executive at the Energy Department; NHS board member
Nesta; Energy Department; NHS
Episode: Ravi Gurumurthy has a plan for Britain

Hosts

Ellen Halliday
Host and deputy editor of Prospect Magazine; co-hosts discussions with deep analysis across politics and culture.
Alona Ferber
Senior editor conducting interviews and analysis; co-host with a focus on political dynamics and media literacy.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 139 ratings
  • Kim Darroch episode

    I've just listened to the episode in which the main protagonist in the war on Iran isn't even mentioned. How extraordinary. Are listeners taken to be fools?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    takasa1978
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Episode on nuclear threat from presenter who can’t say “nuclear”

    Was really looking forward to Serhii Plokhy on nuclear threat only to be aurally assaulted by a presenter who says “nucular”. What’s so difficult about “new clear”? She’s also one of those too fond of “ kind of” which for me is the mental equivalent of driving down a potholed road.

    Had to give up, not for the first time. Because I’m interested I read the transcript.

    Can be excellent but sometimes impossible so I went first 3

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Lacwn
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Lucky Australia

    You’d never know from listening to that podcast about why Australia is better that a lot of the wealth, both common and private, came from a mass expropriation of land, water and other resources from the original owners.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Lynette responds
    Australiaa year ago
  • Assisted dying with jaunty break music

    A serious, sober and thoughtful conversation - interspersed by jarring jingly “showbiz” music. Surreal!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Dissatisfied2019
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • British magazine. Good. But they interviewed an author and neither interviewer had read his entire vote. I do, and strongly recommend you also, reserve 5 stars for truly outstanding podcasts so those ratings are more meaningful and the best podcasts stand out. This is good but not great.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    curmudgeon
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Polished analysis that rewards careful listening.
Thoughtful, high-quality discussions with strong guests.
Guests and topics are consistently rigorous and informative.
Some listeners feel pacing or tone can be dense for casual fans.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#149
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#51
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#216
Italy/News
Apple Podcasts
#57
Indonesia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#186
South Africa/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#224
Sweden/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Big money, big problems: Reform’s donation problem—with Peter Geoghegan
Q: Is Farage an exception or indicative of a broader problem with donations in UK politics?
Peter Geoghegan suggests it is both: the five-million-pound direct gift is unprecedented and reveals a new scale of influence, while the ongoing, systemic issues of donor concentration, untracked spending, and limited transparency indicate a structural problem across parties and campaigns.
Big money, big problems: Reform’s donation problem—with Peter Geoghegan
Q: Can you lay out for us the main accusations or issues around Nigel Farage's finances?
The discussion highlights a five-million-pound gift that was not declared and framed as a personal gift by Farage, raising questions about political influence and transparency; additional concerns include where other large sums originated and how reform funds were used, suggesting a broader pattern of opaque donations and potential regulatory gaps.
Jens Beckert: Democracy won’t beat climate change
Q: Why doesn't knowledge and the warnings about climate change translate into the action we need?
The guest explains that even with knowledge, there are structural barriers in the economy, political systems, and societal behavior. Incentive structures favor growth and profitability over sustained climate action, while financial markets and corporate power resist policy shifts that threaten short-term gains. This creates a dynamic where progress is slow, and action is constrained by expectations of prosperity and the political cycle.
World Cup 2026: Does Maga hate football?
Q: Why is football described as the world's game compared to the Olympics?
Because football creates a universal sense of ownership and national identity across diverse cultures, turning national pride into a shared global experience in a way that other sports and events, like the Olympics, do not.
Hettie O’Brien: The hidden cost of private equity
Q: What exactly is private equity and how does it operate?
It is a financial approach where a fund buys companies using mostly borrowed money, loads debt onto the bought company, and then aims to extract profits through restructurings and cost-cutting, often with little regard for the immediate well-being of employees or service users.

Audience Metrics

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

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Gender Skew
Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Prospect Podcast

What is The Prospect Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, idea-driven interview show that probes politics, society, and culture through in-depth conversations with experts, journalists, and authors. Episodes frequently center on political dynamics, global affairs, economic history, and media critique, pairing rigorous analysis with personal narratives to illuminate how large-scale issues shape everyday life. A notable strength is the ability to blend historical context with current events, drawing on guests who bring both scholarly depth and practical insight. The format tends to feature long-form discussions, multiple perspectives, and high-caliber guests, making it a strong pick for listeners who want to understand the forces shaping public life and policy, not just headlines.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Prospect Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Prospect Podcast:

1. Media Confidential
2. The Politics Show
3. Past Present Future
4. The LRB Podcast
5. Political Fix

How many episodes of The Prospect Podcast are there?

The Prospect Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 492 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 The Prospect Podcast?

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.

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What guests have appeared on The Prospect Podcast?

Recent guests on The Prospect Podcast include:

1. Peter Geoghegan
2. Roopika Risam
3. Robert Barrington
4. Jens Beckert
5. Teresa Shering
6. Getrude Seneviratne
7. Laura Kyrke-Smith
8. David Goldblatt

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