Newscast
BBC News
The BBC's daily news podcast, Newscast dives into the day's biggest news stories so you're never out of your depth.Newscast picks the brains of BBC News experts so you're ready if someone picks yours, covering the latest news, developments in politics in Westminster and beyond.Newscast is hosted by trusted politics and news journalists including Adam Fleming, BBC Political Editor Chris Mason, Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O'Connell. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.Catch Newscast seven-days a week and watch on BBC One at 23:40 on Thursday night or later on BBC iPlayer. GET IN TOUCH:
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to 03301239480
Email Newscast@bbc.co.uk
Or use the hashtag #BBCNewscastYou can register for Castfest tickets here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/castfest-2026
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to 03301239480
Email Newscast@bbc.co.uk
Or use the hashtag #BBCNewscastYou can register for Castfest tickets here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/castfest-2026
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 8, 2024 • 35min
Derek Draper: The Long Covid Struggle
This podcast explores the struggles of Derek Draper with long Covid and the documentary 'Finding Derek'. It also discusses the challenges and limitations of long Covid, the urgency for research on the disease, and the first American moon launch in over 50 years. The commercialization of space exploration and the importance of establishing rules for property rights are also touched upon.
Jan 7, 2024 • 40min
Post Office Scandal: The Prime Minister Gets Involved
The podcast discusses the Prime Minister's interview on the review of Post Office prosecutions, immigration, and NHS strikes. It also covers topics like future leadership in the Tory party, NHS waiting lists, and the impact of the Prime Minister's statements on the upcoming election. The episode concludes with a discussion on suggestions for a government minister's catchphrase.
Jan 6, 2024 • 23min
How To Interview A Prime Minister
Guest Michael Cockerell, a political journalist and documentary maker, joins Laura and Paddy to discuss the challenges of interviewing Prime Ministers. They delve into Rishi Sunak's doubts over the Rwanda scheme and the importance of a Prime Minister's character fitting the moment. The podcast concludes with teasers for future episodes and reminders to subscribe.
Jan 5, 2024 • 38min
The Post Office Scandal
Hear about the Post Office Scandal, with former sub-postmistress Jo Hamilton, writer of 'Mr Bates vs The Post Office' Gwyneth Hughes, and former Government minister Paul Scully. They discuss the wrongful prosecutions, bringing the story to the screen, accountability, and the impact of a British TV show on tourism.
Jan 4, 2024 • 28min
Sunak’s General Election Selection
Rishi Sunak's strategically timed election announcement stole the spotlight from Keir Starmer's New Year launch speeches. Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology discusses plans for the economy, AI, and the Post Office scandal. The podcast explores the transformative impact of AI in public services, including healthcare, and highlights the importance of implementing healthcare innovations. The discussion also delves into the complexities of being an MP and the choices they face.
Jan 3, 2024 • 33min
Doctors, Darts and Devilishly Good TV
Dr Adrian Boyle, president of Royal College of Emergency Medicine, discusses the impact of the junior doctors strike on NHS services. Eddie Hearn, darts boss and sports promoter, talks about the rise of 16-year-old dart player Luke Littler. The return of reality TV show, The Traitors, is also discussed by series 1 winner Hannah Byczkowski.
Jan 2, 2024 • 33min
Has Sunak Cleared the Asylum Backlog?
Migration Observatory guest Madeleine Sumption and BBC Verify guest Nick Eardley join Adam to discuss whether the government has cleared the backlog of older asylum cases. They analyze the numbers, question the definition of the backlog, and highlight the progress made and remaining uncertainties. They also delve into the complexities of immigration and migration issues, emphasizing the need to understand specific groups and systems involved. Additionally, they cover the new boss of Ofsted being interviewed and a head teacher sharing his experience with school inspections.
Dec 29, 2023 • 35min
What on Earth Could Happen in 2024?
Discussion on the Israel-Gaza conflict, impact of social media on disinformation and hate, American election scenarios, speculation on British election timing, hopes for Paris Olympics, and personal interests
Dec 28, 2023 • 26min
The Future of Democracy
Political scientist Ben Ansell discusses the future of democracy and the challenges faced by Indian politics, including the rise of Modi and concerns about freedom of communication. The definition of populism and its implications for democracy are explored, along with personal reflections on voting rights in the speaker's family. The chapter also examines the historical and current state of UK constituencies and the issue of underrepresentation.
Dec 27, 2023 • 35min
2023 Newscast Unwrapped!
Adam Fleming is joined by all the Newscast hosts: Chris Mason, Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell. They discuss the political events of 2023, including global boiling, the Prime Minister's updates, migration issues, broken promises, Rishi Sunak's pledges versus Keir Starmer's missions, Boris Johnson's resignation, the Liberal Democrats' performance, personal and professional memorable moments, Britain's relationship with Eurovision, highlights from the coronation concert, and future plans for the podcast.
