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Radical with Amol Rajan

BBC Radio 4
Labour Party
Donald Trump
Keir Starmer
Artificial Intelligence
Social Media
Mental Health
Gaza
Conservative Party
Ukraine
Climate Change
Social Mobility
Rishi Sunak
Democracy
Pornography
NATO
Russia
UK Elections
UK Politics
Housing Crisis
Israel

Conversations about tomorrow, from Today.

Every week Amol Rajan talks to radicals, pioneers and innovators from all over the world. From populism and climate change, to economics and AI... How can their radical ideas help you win the future?

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes214Founded3 years ago
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Society & Culture

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Artwork for Radical

Latest Episodes

The FT’s John Burn-Murdoch stands in for Amol, joined this week by the immunologist and geneticist Professor Sir John Bell. After talking about the radical change being ushered in by successive medical breakthroughs on the main podcast, Sir John take... more

This week, John Burn-Murdoch sits in for Amol to speak to Professor Sir John Bell, one of Britain’s leading medical scientists, about the huge (and often undiscussed) medical breakthroughs changing how we live, age and die. Medical advances have alre... more

Oli Dugmore is in for Amol this week, and he's joined by Andy Cato to answer your radical questions about the regenerative farming movement. Before becoming a farmer, Andy was a successful musician and DJ as one half of Groove Armada. He sold the rig... more

This week, guest host Oli Dugmore, speaks to Andy Cato, one half of electronic music duo Groove Armada and a leading advocate for regenerative farming.

Andy argues that modern agriculture is reaching a breaking point. He says that a reliance on chem... more

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Recent Guests

Sir John Bell
Professor, Emeritus Regis Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford
Population Health Partners; previously Roche board member
Episode: Healthcare, Reinvented: How Dramatic Medical Breakthroughs Are Quietly Changing Your Life (Professor Sir John Bell)
Andy Cato
Farmer, innovator and one half of Groove Armada
Wildfarmed / Grooves Armada legacy
Episode: The Future of Food: Can Regenerative Farming Save Our Soil? (Andy Cato)
Reid Hoffman
Co-founder of LinkedIn, PayPal; AI pioneer and investor
LinkedIn, PayPal, various AI ventures
Episode: What Are the Tech Billionaires Really Like? (Your Radical Questions with Reid Hoffman)
Dr. Jilly Kay
Expert in feminist media and cultural studies at Loughborough University, who coined the term the femisphere.
Loughborough University
Episode: The Rise of the Femosphere: Who Are the Women Giving Up on Men? (Dr Jilly Kay)
Matt Clifford
Co-founder of Entrepreneurs First; former AI advisor to Prime Minister Sunak and Chancellor (Stama)
Entrepreneurs First
Episode: Is AI Coming for Your Job? (Your Radical Questions with Matt Clifford)
Emma Grede
Serial entrepreneur, investor, CEO and co-founder of Good American; founding partner of Skims
Good American; Skims
Episode: How Can More Women Become Business Leaders? (Your Radical Questions with Emma Grede)
Adrian Wooldridge
Author of Centrists of the World Unite; Bloomberg columnist
Bloomberg
Episode: Reclaiming the Centre: Is the Old Political Order Dead? (Adrian Wooldridge)
James Marriott
Writer and commentator (guest on the episode)
Episode: Can Technology Rescue Reading? (Your Radical Questions with James Marriott)
Hélène Landemore
Yale professor, political scientist and author
Yale University
Episode: Could All Government Decisions Be Made Through an App? (Your Radical Questions with Hélène Landemore)

Host

Amol Rajan
Host of Radical conversations focusing on big ideas in politics, society, and culture; presenter with BBC platforms.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • Can we make Britain great again

    This is an inspired podcast. It is just the right antidote to the way the ‘media’ and politics portrays the nation. It sets out a challenge but one that can generate enthusiasm and optimism and at the same time positions the opportunities we face in a realistic way. Play this to every child on secondary education !! , to every financier / fund manager , to every board of directors. Give us all something to unite behind. Absolutely the best thing I have listened to for ages. Totally lifted my... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ray Coe UK
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Hollow

    They don’t get into issues deeply - just skirt around the actual problems and address the symptoms only.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    zztoptops
    Spaina month ago
  • Hit and miss

    Some guests are excellent and the discussion is grounded in rigorous research with Amol asking searching questions, but the consistency is not there from week to week. Sadly there seems to be an increase in anecdotal claims based on little more than personal experiences with Amol giving his guest a free pass.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Brazen Ludorum
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Top Podcast!!!

    Brilliant podcast. I can’t recommend it highly enough. The diversity of speakers is fantastic, and every episode is genuinely thought-provoking. I don’t always agree with what’s said, but that’s exactly why I enjoy it, it really makes you think. Amol is a great presenter too, asking insightful, searching questions that bring out the best in every conversation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Paulchelsea1969
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Food for thought

    This podcast is excellent. Each week, it offers plenty of food for thought and leaves me eager to learn more—so much so that I’ve built up quite a long reading list.

    It consistently explores a wide range of relevant and thought-provoking topics, featuring guests who are clearly passionate about their subjects. I appreciate that it includes perspectives I both agree and disagree with, which keeps the discussion balanced and engaging.

    In today’s world, it’s refreshing to find a programme that not ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    FunkyFlag
    United Kingdom2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The host's thoughtful, probing interview style creates deep, insightful conversations.
Guests consistently bring expertise and practical perspectives to complex issues.
Listeners appreciate long-form, nuanced discussion that avoids easy answers.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Future of Food: Can Regenerative Farming Save Our Soil? (Andy Cato)
Q: What's your big idea of fixing the system?
Andy argues for using technology in the service of biology—monitoring and managing soil and plant health in real time, enabling proactive care rather than reactive chemical inputs, and integrating livestock and diverse cover crops to restore soil ecosystems.
Healthcare, Reinvented: How Dramatic Medical Breakthroughs Are Quietly Changing Your Life (Professor Sir John Bell)
Q: What are the two big families of breakthroughs you see: extending life and extending quality of life, and how do they interact with health systems?
The two families are life extension through prevention and therapy (including obesity drugs and early cancer detection) and improved quality of life through better disease control and management. These advances stress traditional healthcare models, demanding scalable prevention, data integration, and system redesign to maintain workforce productivity and financial sustainability.
Healthcare, Reinvented: How Dramatic Medical Breakthroughs Are Quietly Changing Your Life (Professor Sir John Bell)
Q: If some of our listeners today have no idea about what has been happening in medical science and technology over the last decade, what have they missed?
They have missed a fundamental shift where prevention, early detection, and highly effective, targeted therapies—particularly immune-based approaches and personalized vaccines—have moved from the realm of possibility to routine clinical reality for multiple cancers, drastically changing survival rates and outcomes.
Is Social Media Making Young Women Hate Men? (Your Radical Questions with Dr Jilly Kay)
Q: Julie asks how to deradicalize audiences addicted to platform algorithms that promote negative sentiment.
Dr. Kay points to addressing the economic logic of tech platforms, promoting mindful engagement, and designing AI that emphasizes interdependence and empathy to reduce harmful content and polarization.
Is Social Media Making Young Women Hate Men? (Your Radical Questions with Dr Jilly Kay)
Q: Sally asks what can be done to get men to rebalance the labor division in households and workplaces.
Dr. Kay emphasizes that the division of labor must be addressed through policy changes like expanded paternity leave, greater state support for caregiving, and education about care work from a young age, to enable both genders to participate more equally in the public sphere.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Radical

What is Radical about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Conversations probe big ideas shaping tomorrow, from politics and economics to culture, technology, and societal norms. Hosts rigorous, curious interviews with policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, artists, and thinkers who publish provocative takes and push for practical reform. Listeners can expect long-form, thoughtful dialogue that weighs evidence, challenges received wisdom, and connects policy with everyday life. Its strength lies in tackling complex issues with nuance and a preference for big-picture thinking over partisan rhetoric, often bringing in data, ethics, and real-world implications for audiences spanning professionals, students, and policy-engaged adults.

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Which podcasts are similar to Radical?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Radical:

1. The Rest Is Politics
2. The News Agents
3. The Rest Is Politics: Leading
4. Political Thinking with Nick Robinson
5. Newscast

How many episodes of Radical are there?

Radical launched 3 years ago and published 214 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 Radical?

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What guests have appeared on Radical?

Recent guests on Radical include:

1. Sir John Bell
2. Andy Cato
3. Reid Hoffman
4. Dr. Jilly Kay
5. Matt Clifford
6. Emma Grede
7. Adrian Wooldridge
8. James Marriott

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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