The Spectator Podcast

How prepared is the NHS for the coming battle with coronavirus (1:20)? Plus, what will Britain look like after the epidemic (12:20)? And last, just how are children so good at make-believe (29:25)?With Dr Max Pemberton, Dr Kieran Mullan, James Forsyth, William Hague, Mary Wakefield and Piers Torday.Presented by Cindy Yu and Katy Balls.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

With Joe Biden taking a commanding lead in the Democratic race for the presidency, Freddy Gray asks Dave Weigel of the Washington Post who he might choose for his running mate. Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

Sam's guest in this episode is the poet Don Paterson — whose new book Zonal finds him accessing a new, confessional mode, a longer line and a childhood interest in the spooky TV show The Twilight Zone. Don talks about the relationship between poetry and jazz, the split between 'page poetry' and spoken-word material, the shortcomings of Rupi Kaur, whether poems should include 'spoiler alerts', and lifts the lid on his vicious feud with the man he calls 'Alan Jacket'.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

With Michael Auslin, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution and author of Asia's New Geopolitics.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

Emily Thornberry is the shadow Foreign Secretary and former contender for the Labour leadership. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about her challenging childhood, what practising law taught her about politics, and her bid to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

It's the first few days of a national lockdown, so have humans been hubristic in not expecting something like this to happen (1:10)? Over in France, is President Macron dealing with this any better (11:05)? Last, is there any point in being a historical novelist in the age of Hilary Mantel (19:10)?With James Forsyth, Dr Elisabetta Groppelli, Jonathan Miller, Katy Lee, Antonia Senior and Mark Lawson.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

Do you sense that something is missing in the churches' response to the coronavirus? In this week's Holy Smoke episode, Dr Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to the Queen, argues that the bishop's attitude of 'wash your hands and be nice' reflects the churches' polite surrender to secularisation – but suggests that ordinary believers now have the opportunity to show the public what Christianity really looks like. The coronavirus, dreadful though it is, could mark a turning point – one that leads to a religious revival in which the old breed of bishop-bureaucrat gives way to more inspiring leadership.Holy Smoke is a series of podcasts where Damian Thompson dissects the most important and controversial topics in world religion, with a range of high profile guests. Click here to find previous episodes.

With Amber Athey, Washington Editor of Spectator USA.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

In this week’s Book Club, Sam's guest is the writer Hadley Freeman, whose new book House of Glass tells the story of 20th century jewry through the hidden history of her own family. The four Glahs siblings — one of them the writer’s grandmother — grew up in a Polish shtetl just a few miles from what was to become Auschwitz. They fled the postwar pogroms to Paris; and then had to contend with the rise of a new and still more dangerous antisemitism under the Vichy regime. Hadley traced their story through two wars and across continents, and tells Sam how the story reflects both on Jewish history and on urgent concerns of the present day. And she even offers an intriguing cameo of the teenage Donald Trump…The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

With Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the National Interest and a columnist for Spectator USA.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

This week kicked off with an incredible fall in oil prices globally, so what on earth happened (00:50)? We also talk about the Budget, where Rishi Sunak set out in more detail how the government's 'levelling up' agenda will look (10:20). Finally, should we be doing more science research for curiosity's sake (23:05)?With Kate Andrews, Owen Matthews, James Forsyth, Polly Mackenzie, Thomas Fink and Dallas Campbell.Presented by Cindy Yu and Katy Balls.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

With Deroy Murdock, a Fox News contributor and contributing editor of the National Review online.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

In this week’s Book Club podcast, Sam's guest is the veteran foreign correspondent Christina Lamb. Christina’s new book, Our Bodies Their Battlefield: What War Does To Women is a deeply reported survey of rape as a weapon of war, described in the Spectator's pages by Antony Beevor as the most powerful and disturbing book he has ever read. From the fates of Yazidi and Rohingya woman at the hands of IS and the Burmese military, to the German victims of the Red Army and the Disappeared of the Argentinian Junta, Christina looks at the past and present of this phenomenon and talks to me about why it’s so little reported or discussed, let alone prosecuted, how it happens, what it means — and why it’s seemingly on the increase even as wealthy western liberals congratulate themselves on the success of the #metoo movement.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Ed

With Ed Condon, Washington bureau chief of the Catholic News Agency.Holy Smoke is a series of podcasts where Damian Thompson dissects the most important and controversial topics in world religion, with a range of high profile guests. Click here to find previous episodes.

Prue Leith is a restaurateur, Bake Off judge, and advisor to the government's review on hospital food. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about growing up in apartheid South Africa, how she got her first Michelin star, and having breakfast with Boris Johnson in Downing St.Prue Leith will be live in conversation with her nephew Sam Leith (the Spectator's Books Editor) and her niece Peta Leith on the 24th March. Get tickets here.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

As the coronavirus sweeps across the globe, it's causing businesses, consumers, and governments to rethink their globalised lives. Is this a tipping point for hyper-globalisation (1:00)? Plus, is the government slimming down its Budget plans (13:40)? And last, is it harder to be eco-friendly if you are a woman (26:35)?With Kate Andrews, Gideon Rachman, James Forsyth, Sarah Longlands, Laura Freeman and Sian Sutherland.Presented by Cindy Yu and Katy Balls.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

With Bill Barnard, former chair of Democrats Abroad UK and American history.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

Chris Atkins is a journalist and documentary filmmaker, whose work on the tabloid media led him to give evidence in the Leveson Inquiry. In 2016, he was sentenced to five years in prison for tax offences. On the podcast, he talks to Lara and Olivia about food in prison - why it was doomed to taste bad, how tuna was used as a barter currency, and cooking curry in a kettle.Table Talk is a series of podcasts where Lara Prendergast and Olivia Potts talk to high profile guests about their life story, through the food and drink that has come to define it. Listen to past episodes here.

Don’t Panic! Next month marks the 42nd anniversary of the first radio broadcast of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Joining Sam on this week’s podcast to discuss the genesis, genius and legacy of the show and the books it spawned are the literary scholar and science fiction writer Adam Roberts, and John Lloyd, the founder of QI and a close collaborator and lifelong friend of Douglas Adams. Do they let slip the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything? Nearly.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

With Kate Andrews, Economics Correspondent of the Spectator.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.