The Bunker – News without the nonsense
Podmasters
News without the nonsense, every weekday morning. In episodes that fit your commute*, The Bunker cuts through the noise to make sense of what’s really going on in news, current affairs, politics, economics and culture. We bring you smart explainers, interviews, fresh perspectives and under-reported stories to as a refreshing alternative to repetitive Punch and Judy news coverage. It’s the only way to start the day. From the producers of Oh God, What Now?Our regulars include: Gavin Esler • Ros Taylor • Alex von Tunzelmann • Andrew Harrison • Zing Tsjeng • Jacob Jarvis • Emma Kennedy • Rafael Behr • Seth Thévoz.• Sign up to support the podcast and get episodes ad-free and early: patreon.com/bunkercast• Apple users: Get all of our core shows ad-free and early with the Podmasters Originals super-subscription.(* Even if it’s just from the kitchen to the front room. )The Bunker is a Podmasters production.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 27, 2026 • 39min
Starmer finds Farage's Crypto-nite – Weekly Wrap-Up with Seth Thévoz
Seth Thévoz, journalist and author of London Clubland, offers sharp political and cultural analysis. He unpacks new crypto and overseas donation limits, the risks of anonymous crypto funding, and a proposed £100,000 cap on foreign donations. He also covers party funding loopholes, state funding ideas, and recent UK and international political stories.
Mar 26, 2026 • 40min
Hot Take Time Machine – March’s weirdest columns with Miranda Sawyer and Jonn Elledge
A roundtable sifts through the month’s most peculiar columns with sharp humour. They lampoon militaristic foreign‑policy grandstanding and influencer-shaped Iran coverage. They relish melodramatic money woes and extravagant diary details. They also adore a running pigeon saga and a wistful take on 1990s nostalgia.
Mar 25, 2026 • 29min
A picture of the future – A new movie captures what George Orwell knew about 2026
Dorian Lynskey, author and Orwell specialist, explores how Raoul Peck’s new documentary links 1984 and Animal Farm to today’s data-driven manipulation. He discusses the film’s collage style, its cinematic power, and where the Orwell connections feel stretched. Lynskey also examines surveillance, truth erosion, collective self-deception, and how adaptations shape our image of Orwell.
4 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 30min
MAGA’s new plan to take Canada without firing a shot
John Last, a Canadian journalist covering politics and national security, explains how MAGA influence is targeting Alberta. He highlights Alberta’s frontier culture, resentment toward Ottawa, and oil wealth as vulnerabilities. Short scenes cover referendums, US links, and scenarios for destabilization. A warning about treasonous aims and the need to defend Canadian unity threads through the conversation.
10 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 29min
Has Iran won the Iran War? – Start Your Week with Gavin Esler
A tense look at Trump’s dilemma over the Iran conflict and whether Tehran is gaining strategic advantage. Exploration of economic fallout from oil shocks and possible cost-of-living pain. Debate over the UK’s role, intelligence cooperation and political consequences at home. Coverage of misinformation and missile scares, plus a swirl of cultural and political flashpoints this week.
Mar 20, 2026 • 36min
Here comes the Rayner again – Weekly Wrap-Up with Alex von Tunzelmann
Alex von Tunzelmann, author and historian known for clear historical analysis, joins to dissect a turbulent week. They debate Angela Rayner’s warning and whether it signals real leadership maneuvering. Public health alarms over a Kent meningitis cluster get urgent attention. The conversation also covers shifting UK party dynamics, mixed US messaging on Iran, and a surprising baseball triumph for Venezuela.
Mar 19, 2026 • 31min
Back the Future? – What is Europe for in the 21st Century?
Roderick Beaton, historian and author of Europe: A New History, maps how European identity was forged over millennia. He traces core values like law and democracy. He examines postwar integration, tensions around Germany, EU enlargement, Brexit’s effects, migration and cultural integration, and how history can frame Europe’s uncertain future.
Mar 18, 2026 • 39min
The rise of “Muskism” – Will we live in Elon Musk’s nightmare future?
Ben Tarnoff, writer and technologist dissecting tech, state power, and Musk’s projects. Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history, explores Muskism’s political and historical roots. They map Muskism as a social-operating ideology, show how states and firms blur, probe humans-as-programmable systems, and debate whether this tech‑wrapped vision can outlast its creator.
Mar 17, 2026 • 33min
The secret history of nuclear weapons
David Holloway, historian and emeritus professor at Stanford, maps the hidden international story of nuclear weapons. He recounts near-misses like the Cuban Missile Crisis and Berlin standoffs. He traces how Mutual Assured Destruction emerged, why proliferation stayed limited, and how shifts since the Cold War reshape nuclear incentives today.
7 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 33min
Dire Straits – Start Your Week with Ros Taylor and Andrew Harrison
They break down Iran's blockade of the Straits of Hormuz and the global oil shock it could trigger. They consider Britain's possible involvement and security risks. They cover UK energy measures from solar balconies to targeted support for oil-heated homes. They discuss calls for a UK nuclear capability, EU energy politics, Labour’s EU outreach, and a dash of Oscars and culture-war banknote furore.
