Radical with Amol Rajan

Why Are Young People Abandoning the Political Centre? (Your Radical Questions with Adrian Wooldridge)

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Amol puts your Radical questions to Adrian Wooldridge, a Bloomberg columnist and author of ‘Centrists of the World Unite: The Lost Genius of Liberal...

Reclaiming the Centre: Is the Old Political Order Dead? (Adrian Wooldridge)

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the columnist and author Adrian Wooldridge joins Amol to argue that liberalism is not only the best ideology for the future, but that it’...

Can Technology Rescue Reading? (Your Radical Questions with James Marriott)

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Amol runs through your questions with the Times columnist James Marriott. They take on whether we could use technology to encourage people to do more ...

The Reading Recession: Are We Making Ourselves Less Intelligent? (James Marriott)

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the columnist and writer James Marriott argues that reading is essential to the rise and fall of liberal democracy. He proposes that readin...

Could All Government Decisions Be Made Through an App? (Your Radical Questions with Hélène Landemore)

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Your questions answered on citizen‑led democracy and restructuring political systems.

Rethinking Democracy: Would Citizens Do a Better Job than Politicians? (Hélène Landemore)

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this week’s episode, Amol sits down with Yale political theorist and author of ‘Politics Without Politicians’, Professor Hélène Landemore, ...

Who Is Responsible For Over-Medicalisation? (Your Radical Questions with Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan)

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan, neurologist and author of The Age of Diagnosis, answers your questions about her book, what it means for women who are under-...

Over-Diagnosis: Are Too Many People Being Given Medical Labels? (Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan)

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan thinks that we are getting diagnosis wrong. In this episode the neurologist and author of The Age of Diagnosis explains how ad...

Should Former Colonial Powers Pay Reparations? (Your Radical Questions with Simukai Chigudu)

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Simukai Chigudu, author of ‘Chasing Freedom: Coming of Age at the End of Empire’ and associate professor of African politics at Oxford University,...

The Legacy of Empire: How to Reckon with the Past (Simukai Chigudu)

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is removing statues and decolonising the curriculum the answer? A member of the first generation born after the end of colonial rule in Zimbabwe, Simu...

Do Polls Influence Public Opinion? (Your Radical Questions with James Kanagasooriam)

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Leading pollster James Kanagasooriam answers your questions about how his idea of agency could advance social mobility, how it might be used by politi...

Taking Back Control: Why ‘Agency’ Could Be The Next Big Idea In Politics (James Kanagasooriam)

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s episode, leading pollster James Kanagasooriam explains how a sense of powerlessness amongst voters is shaping politics. His research ...

Does Marriage Need Modernising? (Your Radical Questions with Ed Davies)

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ed Davies, research director at the right-leaning anti-poverty think tank Centre for Social Justice, answers your questions about modern family life a...

The Decline of Marriage: Why We Need to Prioritise Family Life (Ed Davies)

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Marriage rates in the UK have fallen to historic lows, but what are the consequences? Ed Davies, research director at right‑leaning anti‑poverty ...

How Can Families Limit the Ultra‑Processed Foods Their Kids Eat? (Your Radical Questions with Thomasina Miers)

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

MasterChef winner and founder of Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, Thomasina Miers, answers your questions about the quality of kids’ meals in restau...

Health and Hospitality: When Does Food Stop Being Food? (Thomasina Miers)

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The UK is one of the world’s largest consumers of ultra-processed foods, so Wahaca restaurants founder Thomasina Miers thinks the government should ...

Is Capitalism Holding Back Social Mobility? (Your Radical Questions with Joe Seddon)

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Founder of the tech driven social enterprise Zero Gravity, Joe Seddon answers your radical questions about boosting social mobility in the UK and help...

Social Mobility: How to Break the Link Between Background and Opportunity (Joe Seddon)

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Seddon, founder of Zero Gravity, thinks “geography is destiny in the UK” which is why he has built a tech platform to do something about it. I...

Can A ‘Repair Not Replace’ Culture Be Revived In Fashion? (Your Radical Questions with Josephine Philips)

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tech entrepreneur and founder of tailoring and repair company SOJO Josephine Philips answers your questions on fast fashion, manufacturing and scaling...

Consumer Culture: Why We Need to Buy Less (Josephine Philips)

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The fashion industry is the world’s second‑largest contributor to carbon emissions, surpassed only by agriculture. With such a significant impact ...

How Do We Reduce Political Polarisation Online? (Your Radical Questions with Jonathan Haidt)

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidt answers your questions on social media bans for under‑16s, the influence of ...

Social Media Bans: Are We at a Global Turning Point? (Jonathan Haidt)

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt is at the forefront of the campaign to ban social media for under-16s and end what he calls “phone-based childhoo...

Will There Be A Revolt Against AI Music? (Your Radical Questions with Panos A. Panay)

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Panos A. Panay, president of the Grammy Awards and Recording Academy, answers your questions about how governments can better support musicians and wh...

The Night Manager: How To Make Great British Drama (Simon Cornwell)

01 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Executive producer and son of John le Carré, Simon Cornwell, speaks to Amol about how The Night Manager was revived a decade after its first season a...

Inside the Music Business: The Grammys Boss on the Fight to Protect Artists (Panos A Panay)

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As president of The Recording Academy, which organises the Grammy Awards, Panos A. Panay is grappling with how artificial intelligence and streaming i...

What Does It Take To Be A Foster Carer? (Your Radical Questions with Louise Allen)

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Louise Allen answers your questions about the rewards and challenges of being a foster carer.She also discusses reports that a new government strategy...

Children in Care: How to Fix the Fostering Crisis (Louise Allen)

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As the government prepares to introduce a strategy to boost fostering in England, Amol speaks to foster carer and author Louise Allen about the crisis...

How Will The Shift To Green Energy Reshape Global Politics? (Your Radical Questions with Professor Helen Thompson)

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Helen Thompson answers your questions on energy, geopolitics and uncomfortable truths. Long: Helen Thompson, an expert on oil and global pol...

Trump v China: How Oil Is Defining Great Power Politics (Professor Helen Thompson)

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump’s capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro feels like confirmation that we are in a new era of global politics, but what has caused thi...

Are You In A Social Media Echo Chamber? (Your Radical Questions with Louisa Munch)

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Academic and social media influencer Louisa Munch answers your questions about her left-wing politics, whether online algorithms mean she’s preachin...

Knowledge and Nostalgia: Why a University Education Should Be Free (Louisa Munch)

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What is the point of going to university? In this episode, Amol sits down with the critical theorist, academic and social media influencer Louisa Munc...

Can Donald Trump Be Compared To Julius Caesar? (Your Radical Questions with Tom Holland)

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Historian and The Rest Is History co-host Tom Holland answers your questions about whether Britain is currently in a more precarious state than it was...

Radical History: Greek Gods, Roman Emperors and Religion (with Tom Holland from The Rest Is History)

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Historian and co-host of The Rest Is History podcast Tom Holland joins Amol to explore the history of radical ideas and what it means to be radical to...

Radical Reflections: How Is Technology Changing Our Lives? (A 2025 Review)

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From social media to artificial intelligence, one of themes of the first six months of Radical has been whether modern technology augments and improve...

What Do You Think About AI Using Your Writing? (Your Radical Questions with Naomi Alderman)

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Best-selling author Naomi Alderman answers your questions about the her first non-fiction book, how she feels about her writing being used to train AI...

Information Crisis: Why Social Media Bans Aren't The Answer (Naomi Alderman)

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when a new technology transforms how we communicate ideas and information? Best-selling science fiction writer Naomi Alderman joins Amol ...

Should School Meals Be Plant-Based? (Your Radical Questions with Jamie Oliver)

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chef, author and campaigner Jamie Oliver answers your questions about obesity and how he'd create a more inclusive education system. Also, is food in ...

Jamie Oliver: Obesity and Debt are Killing Britain

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jamie Oliver thinks diet-related illness and growing levels of debt are killing the country he loves. In this frank and open conversation, he tells Am...

What Do We Do About Young Men and Porn? (Your Radical Questions with Jordan Stephens)

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens answers your questions about porn and masculinity. One half of the hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks, he now also advoc...

Porn and Masculinity: How to Teach Kids about Sex and Relationships (Jordan Stephens)

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How is online porn affecting sex and relationships? In this episode, musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens calls for a new approach to sex education...

Will Conservation Become More Mainstream? (Your Radical Questions with Chris Packham)

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Environmentalist and TV presenter Chris Packham answers your questions about wildlife conservation, consumerism and his love of punk. Also, why does ...

A War on Climate Change: Are Environmental Activists Losing The Fight? (Chris Packham)

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to confront climate change? Amol speaks to broadcaster and campaigner Chris Packham who says conservationists like him have not done...

How Good Is Vertical Farming? (Your Radical Questions with James Rebanks)

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Farmer and author James Rebanks is our first guest to answer your questions. He tackles everything from what consumers can do to support British farme...

Beyond Ultra-Processed Foods: Can Farmers Fix Our Health and the Planet? (James Rebanks)

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible to produce enough healthy food to feed the nation whilst also restoring nature? The farmer and best-selling author James Rebanks thinks...

Digital Dominance: How to Limit the Power of Big Tech (Sir Nick Clegg)

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How should we balance innovation, power and accountability in the digital age? This week, Amol speaks to Sir Nick Clegg — former UK deputy prime min...

Irrational Humans: How Our Behaviour Shapes the Economy (Professor Richard Thaler)

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do human choices, biases, and behaviours shape our economy? This week Amol speaks to Nobel Prize winning behavioural economist Professor Richard T...

A New Generational Divide: Living with(out) the Bank of Mum and Dad (Dr Eliza Filby)

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can Millennials, Gen Zs and Gen As thrive in a world where so much success depends on having access to the Bank of Mum and Dad? Historian Dr Eliza...

ChatGPT and Google: The Tech Billionaire Taking On AI Companies (Matthew Prince)

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally changing the internet. But Matthew Prince, CEO of cybersecurity giant Cloudflare, thinks there is a way to en...

A Fatal Punch: Why I Met the Parents of the Man I Killed (Jacob Dunne)

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whilst on a night out in the summer of 2011, Jacob Dunne made a split second decision to throw a punch that killed James Hodgkinson. After being convi...

Climate Migration: Confronting the Reality of Global Warming (Gaia Vince)

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As extreme weather forces people from their homes, the journalist and author Gaia Vince makes the positive case for immigration.Projections show that ...

British Identity: How Schools Can Improve Multiculturalism (Katharine Birbalsingh)

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh thinks multiculturalism in Britain has led to an excessive focus on our differences rather than what unites us, but ...

The Weaponisation of Science: How to Avoid a Global Catastrophe (Professor Carlo Rovelli)

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Physicist Carlo Rovelli thinks we need natural intelligence and not artificial intelligence in an age of confrontation.Ten years ago he wrote a short ...

Life After Vogue: Why I Want To Reinvent Fashion Magazines (Edward Enninful)

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Edward Enninful thinks fashion risks going backwards on diversity, which is why he’s launched a new media business, EE72, to promote inclusion in an...

Identity Politics: Why the Left Needs to Stop Fighting Culture Wars (Ash Sarkar)

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are some new (and old) faces on the left of British politics hoping to challenge Keir Starmer’s struggling Labour government, but could a part...

Artificial Intelligence: An AI Boss Warns About The Risks (Dario Amodei)

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial intelligence is arguably the single biggest force shaping our world today. Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic which created AI ...

Jordan Schwarzenberger Part Two: A Radical Religious Conversion

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Could finding religion allow Gen Z to better find their place in the world? That is the assessment made by Jordan Schwarzenberger, the manager of Euro...

YouTube, Insta and TikTok: A Guide to Growing Your Social Media Following (Jordan Schwarzenberger - part one)

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With audiences increasingly turning to echo-chambers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for their entertainment and away from traditional mass-media, is...

Homelessness and the Housing Crisis: How To End Rough Sleeping (Sabrina Cohen-Hatton)

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Homelessness is on the rise in Britian with record numbers of people living in emergency accommodation. Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer of th...

Fake News: How We Can Save Ourselves From Disinformation (Eliot Higgins)

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Conspiracy theories have flooded the internet in recent years and a growing number of people are avoiding mainstream news. Eliot Higgins, founder of ...

Books v Screens: Why Every School Needs a Library (Katherine Rundell)

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Only one in three children in the UK enjoy reading in their spare time – the lowest rate recorded in 20 years, according to a survey for the Nationa...

Britain’s New Right: Could Reform Replace The Tories? (Dr James Orr)

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since Labour won a landslide victory at the general election, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party and Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives have been figh...

Robert Macfarlane: Rivers Are Dying So Give Them Rights

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Serious pollution incidents by water companies in England rose by 60% last year, but the best-selling author Robert Macfarlane says there is a way to ...

Grey Britain: Do We Need To Have More Children? (Dr Paul Morland)

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson recently warned that Britain’s declining birth rate could have “worrying repercussions for society.” ...

From Trump to Corbyn: How Social Media Shapes Politics (Billy Bragg)

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The singer, songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg thinks there’s a crisis of accountability in politics (23:51). To fix it, he says we need ...

Law and Order: How to Fix Britain's Courts (Lady Hale)

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a better way to handle divorce and family separation in the courts? Lady Hale thinks there is. The former president of the UK’s Supreme Co...

Knife Crime: Can Education Save Lives? (Steve Chalke)

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More children are being convicted of crime and our prisons are nearly at capacity. But Steve Chalke thinks he has a solution. The founder of the Oasi...

The Future of War: How Should the West Respond to its Enemies? (Sir Niall Ferguson)

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leading historian Professor Sir Niall Ferguson explains how patterns from the past can help us understand the future. Amol and Sir Niall discuss the t...

AI and Sexism: The Fight Against Misogyny Online (Laura Bates)

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Feminist campaigner Laura Bates has fought for women's safety for over a decade. But now her battle against misogyny moved online. She tells Amol how ...

Introducing... Radical with Amol Rajan

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Conversations about tomorrow, from Today.Every week Amol Rajan talks to radicals, pioneers and innovators from all over the world. From populism and c...

Populism, conspiracies and... Doctor Who

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The creator of The Thick of It and Veep discusses the rise of populism and the evolution of political language.And Nick compares Amol to Billie Piper ...

Is your mobile phone the best or worst friend you’ve ever had?

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over half term this week Radio 4’s Today is conducting an exciting experiment: asking teenagers to abandon their smartphones for a week.On the podca...

Gary Lineker, the BBC and celebrity influencers

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the end of an era for Match of the Day – with Gary Lineker hosting for the final time after 25 years in the hot seat. He will now leave the B...

Eurovision: Europe’s biggest election

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why does Eurovision find itself at the centre of political controversy when it’s supposed to be non-political?This year, Israel’s participation ha...

Joe Biden, VE Day and the politics of nostalgia

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Amol and Nick discuss what President Biden told Nick in his first interview since leaving office.They’re also joi...

North Korea fights for Russia

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Jong Un has confirmed for the first time that North Korean troops have been fighting in Russia against Ukraine.Amol and Nick catch up with Today p...

Is Putin playing Trump on Ukraine?

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump has once again criticised Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and is putting pressure on both sides to accept a proposed peace deal.Ni...

Is Trump on a collision course with China?

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tensions between Washington and Beijing threaten the global economy, but could it escalate into a more serious conflict?Nick is joined by former spy N...

Trump’s Tariff U-turn

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The president has paused the introduction of higher tariffs on goods from most countries, but continues to ramp up the trade war with China. What caus...

Guilty! Marine Le Pen and the future of Europe’s populist right

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzling EU funds, potentially ruining her plans to run for the French presidency in 2027.Marine Le Pen was seen...

JD Vance: does Trump’s VP really hate Europe?

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Messages accidentally sent to a journalist by senior members of the Trump administration reveal information about strikes on the Houthis in Yemen and ...

Bonus: Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty on Adolescence and male rage

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Adolescence has sparked fresh discussion about the impact social media and misogynistic influencers have on young boys, so we thought you’d like to ...

Adolescence and the Crisis of Masculinity

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A series about a teenage boy who is accused of murdering a girl from his school was the most watched show on Netflix last weekend. Meanwhile the forme...

Is Starmer finally getting to grips with being PM?

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Voters seem to be giving Keir Starmer a bit of credit for the role he has been playing on the world stage, so is it a sign that the prime minister is ...

What's different about Trump 2.0?

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the first six weeks of his second term Donald Trump has rewritten US foreign policy, fractured the Nato alliance, dismantled parts of the US govern...

What will Starmer’s defence spending buy from Trump?

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement that he is increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP has defence experts taking a sigh of relief, whilst humanitari...

Ukraine or Russia: Whose Side Is Trump On?

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump has accused Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky of being a “dictator” and doing a “terrible job”.After a week in which the U...

What’s up with Gen Z?

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New research has found that young people seem to be disillusioned with life in Britain, so Amol (Millennial) and Nick (Baby Boomer) are joined by Labo...

How To Deal With Trump (and the EU)

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The prime minister has rejected the idea that Britain will have to choose between Brussels and Washington, but with the US president threatening the E...

Interview: Bill Gates talks to Amol

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From his childhood in Seattle to the current state of the world and the alliance between President Trump and the billionaire owner of X, Bill Gates jo...

Rachel Reeves in ‘Bring It On Mode’

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Chancellor has backed the expansion of Heathrow and picked a fight with bats in her pursuit of economic growth. Nick is joined by fellow Today pre...

Trump and the Era of the Deal

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nick reports from Jerusalem on the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and Amol is joined by the former head of MI6 to talk about global security ...

Bonus Q&A: Trump returns to the White House

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States he immediately set about signing executive orders on everything from immigr...

Going for Growth: Rachel Reeves v the markets

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she will go ‘further and faster’ in the search for economic growth after a week of market turbulence that pushed up ...

Bonus: The BBC’s Russia Editor on Life in Moscow

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After listener Margaret got in touch asking about Steve Rosenberg’s life in Moscow as the BBC’s Russia Editor, Nick and Amol sat down with him to ...

Musk, Zuckerberg and Free Speech

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The billionaire owner of X has made misleading claims about Keir Starmer’s handling of the grooming gangs scandal and Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has ...

2025 Lookahead

01 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amol and Nick with their take on what to expect in 2025. From a year of protest in the UK to what Donald Trump’s return to the White House might mea...

Bonus: Dame Laura Kenny guest edits Today

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dame Laura Kenny is Team GB's most decorated female Olympian. She used her guest edit of Today to ask whether elite sport could have a damaging impact...

Bonus: Baroness Floella Benjamin guest edits Today

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The latest Today Christmas guest editor is the TV presenter, author and Liberal Democrat peer Floella Benjamin.Baroness Benjamin is most famous for he...

Bonus: Sir Sajid Javid guest edits Today

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former Conservative Chancellor Sir Sajid Javid is Today's latest Christmas guest editor.Sir Sajid's key theme for the programme is Artificial Intellig...

Bonus: Dwayne Fields guest edits Today

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

UK Chief Scout Dwayne Fields is the Today programme's Boxing Day guest editor.Dwayne grew up on an inner city estate in London and turned away - in hi...