Best Mary Atkinson Podcasts (2025)

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Slipshod – a short story by Sarah Perry 34:22

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16h ago34:22

34:22

For this special Spectator Out Loud, Sarah Perry reads her short story Slipshod, from the Spectator's Christmas issue. The story follows an academic tasked with reconstructing a disturbing incident involving two long-standing colleagues whose close friendship unravels under the weight of envy, illness – and something harder to explain. What emerges…

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Spectator Out Loud: Slipshod – by Sarah Perry 34:22

19m ago34:22

34:22

For this special Spectator Out Loud, Sarah Perry reads her short story Slipshod, from the Spectator's Christmas issue. The story follows an academic tasked with reconstructing a disturbing incident involving two long-standing colleagues whose close friendship unravels under the weight of envy, illness – and something harder to explain. What emerges…

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Holy Smoke: how transformative has 2025 been for Christianity? 20:56

3d ago20:56

20:56

Anglican author The Rev'd Fergus Butler-Gallie, Catholic priest Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith and Evangelical commentator Fleur Meston join Damian Thompson to reflect on 2025. They discuss Pope Leo XIV's leadership so far, the choice of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury and why Christianity has been coopted by the far right. Plus, was the …

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Coffee House Shots: Stephen Flynn on Reform, Sturgeon & a second referendum 26:26

4d ago26:26

26:26

The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, MP for Aberdeen South, joins Lucy Dunn for a special episode to assess the place of the SNP in British politics as we approach the end of 2025. The SNP were ‘decimated’ to just nine MPs at the 2024 general election – yet, if polls are to be believed, they are on course for another record win in the 2026 H…

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Table Talk: Michael Gove 30:48

3d ago30:48

30:48

Surely needing no introduction to Spectator listeners, Michael Gove has been a staple of British politics for almost two decades. As a Christmas treat, he joins Lara Prendergast to talk about his memories of food including: the 'brain food' he grew up on in Aberdeen, his favourite Oxford pubs and the dining culture of 1980s Fleet Street. He also sh…

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Christmas II: Dominic Sandbrook, Philip Hensher, Steve Morris, Christopher Howse, Michael Hann & Mary Killen 40:43

6d ago40:43

40:43

On this week’s special Christmas edition of Spectator Out Loud – part two: Dominic Sandbrook reflects on whether Lady Emma Hamilton is the 18th century’s answer to Bonnie Blue; Philip Hensher celebrates the joy of a miserable literary Christmas; Steve Morris argues that an angel is for life, not just for Christmas; Christopher Howse ponders the Spe…

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Christmas Out Loud II: Dominic Sandbrook, Philip Hensher, Steve Morris, Christopher Howse, Michael Hann & Mary Killen 40:43

6d ago40:43

40:43

On this week’s special Christmas edition of Spectator Out Loud – part two: Dominic Sandbrook reflects on whether Lady Emma Hamilton is the 18th century’s answer to Bonnie Blue; Philip Hensher celebrates the joy of a miserable literary Christmas; Steve Morris argues that an angel is for life, not just for Christmas; Christopher Howse ponders the Spe…

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Coffee House Shots: who won 2025? with Quentin Letts 24:43

7d ago24:43

24:43

As is fast becoming a tradition on Coffee House Shots at this time of year, James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by sketch writer Quentin Letts to go through the events of the past 12 months. From sackings to resignations, and Farage to Polanski, it is a year in which the centuries-old consensus has been challenged and Westminster is delicately p…

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Americano: why did Susie Wiles talk to Vanity Fair? 29:14

8d ago29:14

29:14

Freddy Gray speaks to Vanity Fair's Washington correspondent Aidan McLaughlin about their latest two-part interview with one of Trump's closest allies Susie Wiles. As chief of staff to the White House, she has given some of the most candid quotes about what really happens inside Trump's regime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform…

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Speaker series: Bernard Cornwell – Sharpe's Storm 1:04:09

9d ago1:04:09

1:04:09

The Spectator’s associate editor Toby Young sits down with master storyteller Bernard Cornwell, author of more than 50 international bestselling novels, including The Last Kingdom and much-loved Sharpe series. They delve into Cornwell’s life and career, discuss the real history behind his riveting tales of war and heroism and explore the enduring a…

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Quite right!: where does Islamism come from? 23:54

9d ago23:54

23:54

Michael Gove and Madeline Grant confront the horror of the Bondi Beach massacre and ask why anti-Semitic violence now provokes despair rather than shock. As Jewish communities are once again targeted on holy days, they examine the roots of Islamist ideology and the failure of political leaders to name it. Why has anti-Semitism metastasised across t…

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Holy Smoke: why religious societies succeed – with Rory Sutherland 35:06

10d ago35:06

35:06

Advertising guru – and the Spectator's Wiki Man columnist – Rory Sutherland joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke. In a wide ranging discussion, from Sigmund Freud and Max Weber to Quakers and Mormons, they discuss how some religious communities seem to be predisposed to success by virtue of their beliefs. How do spiritual choices af…

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S3 Ep6 - Building Daughter of a Shepherd, Ringtons tea van visits to your door & an ode to sheep with Rachel Atkinson 1:05:52

9d ago1:05:52

1:05:52

Send us a text Our final guest of Season 3 is the fantastic Rachel Atkinson, the founder of & actually a Daughter of a Shepherd. I hope you enjoy this warm & festive episode as much as I enjoyed recording it (you can expect quite a lot of laughter! Rachel shares the story behind her wool company Daughter of a Shepherd where she creates limited edit…

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Americano: how is Trump's counter revolution going? 41:26

10d ago41:26

41:26

US historian and classicist Victor Davis Hanson joins Americano for a wide-ranging assessment of Donald Trump’s first year back in office, from the economy and immigration to Ukraine and the future of the West. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Christmas Out Loud I: James Heale, Gyles Brandreth, Avi Loeb, Melanie McDonagh, Mary Wakefield, Richard Bratby & Rupert Hawksley 44:15

13d ago44:15

44:15

On this week’s special Christmas edition of Spectator Out Loud – part one: James Heale wonders if Keir Starmer will really have a happy new year; Gyles Brandreth discusses Her Majesty The Queen’s love of reading, and reveals which books Her Majesty has personally recommended to give this Christmas; Avi Loeb explains why a comet could be a spaceship…

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Christmas I: James Heale, Gyles Brandreth, Avi Loeb, Melanie McDonagh, Mary Wakefield, Richard Bratby & Rupert Hawksley 44:15

14d ago44:15

44:15

On this week’s special Christmas edition of Spectator Out Loud – part one: James Heale wonders if Keir Starmer will really have a happy new year; Gyles Brandreth discusses Her Majesty The Queen’s love of reading, and reveals which books Her Majesty has personally recommended to give this Christmas; Avi Loeb explains why a comet could be a spaceship…

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Coffee House Shots: will Scotland switch course in 2026? with Gordon McKee 17:30

14d ago17:30

17:30

The Spectator heads into Christmas a little bit less Scottish as we bid farewell to our political correspondent Lucy Dunn. Before Lucy leaves for STV, she joins Coffee House Shots – with fellow Scots Michael Simmons and Labour MP Gordon McKee – for one final episode reflecting on the state of Scottish politics. They discuss whether the SNP has stab…

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The Christmas Edition: From The Queen to Bonnie Blue 40:22

15d ago40:22

40:22

The Spectator’s bumper Christmas issue is a feast for all, with offerings from Nigel Farage, Matthew McConaughey and Andrew Strauss to Dominic Sandbrook, David Deutsch and Bonnie Blue – and even from Her Majesty The Queen. To take us through the Christmas Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by deputy political editor James Heale, associate edi…

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The Book Club: The Journey to Save the Siberian Tiger 49:24

16d ago49:24

49:24

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Jonathan C. Slaght, whose new book is Tigers Between Empires: The Journey to Save the Siberian Tiger from Extinction. He tells me about these remarkable animals, the remarkable people who studied them, and how their fates have been entwined with the shifting politics of post-Soviet Russia. Hosted on Acas…

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Post-Budget briefing: what will it mean for your finances? 36:17

17d ago36:17

36:17

In the wake of an extraordinary Budget – leaked an hour before the Chancellor addressed Parliament – The Spectator brings clarity to a turbulent political and take stock of how the announcements will impact you. Michael Simmons speaks with John Porteous of Charles Stanley and James Nation, formerly of the Treasury and No. 10, to discuss how the eve…

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Table Talk: Tom Gilbey 30:25

16d ago30:25

30:25

Tom Gilbey, the internet’s most charismatic wine expert, sits down with Olivia Potts for Table Talk. Tom is a winemaker, merchant, educator – and also an author. His new book, Thirsty, is part-memoir, part guide to his life through wine in 100 bottles, and is available now. On the podcast, Tom discusses his family’s love for winemaking that stretch…

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Americano: will anyone miss the Boomers? 30:11

17d ago30:11

30:11

Christopher Caldwell joins Freddy Gray to discuss why the 'Boomer generation' – those born between 1946 and 1964 – became one of the most hated generations in recent history. Chris argues that the Boomers uniquely benefited from the resources of other generations, and were able to enjoy the benefits of leftist politics alongside the political and e…

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Spectator Out Loud: what's the greatest artwork of the century so far? 14:12

20d ago14:12

14:12

For this week's Spectator Out Loud, we include a compilation of submissions by our writers for their greatest artwork of the 21st century so far. Following our arts editor Igor Toronyi-Lalic, you can hear from: Graeme Thomson, Lloyd Evans, Slavoj Zizek, Damian Thompson, Richard Bratby, Liz Anderson, Deborah Ross, Calvin Po, Tanjil Rashid, James Wal…

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What's the greatest artwork of the century so far? 14:12

21d ago14:12

14:12

For this week's Spectator Out Loud, we include a compilation of submissions by our writers for their greatest artwork of the 21st century so far. Following our arts editor Igor Toronyi-Lalic, you can hear from: Graeme Thomson, Lloyd Evans, Slavoj Zizek, Damian Thompson, Richard Bratby, Liz Anderson, Deborah Ross, Calvin Po, Tanjil Rashid, James Wal…

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Coffee House Shots: who really runs No.10? 23:42

21d ago23:42

23:42

This weekend’s Coffee House Shots digs into the growing debate over whether Keir Starmer should tack left on the economy as voters peel away to the Greens and Lib Dems – and why some in Labour think its migration stance is now more popular with their own voters than ever. Are Labour tacking left? But beyond policy, a deeper question looms: is Westm…

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The Edition: Benefits Britain, mental health & what’s the greatest artwork of the 21st Century? 22:26

22d ago22:26

22:26

‘Labour is now the party of welfare, not work’ argues Michael Simmons in the Spectator’s cover article this week. The question ‘why should I bother with work?’ is becoming harder to answer, following last week’s Budget which could come to define this Labour government. A smaller and smaller cohort of people are being asked to shoulder the burden – …

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The Book Club: A Brief History of the Aphorism 43:29

22d ago43:29

43:29

My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is James Geary, talking about the new edition of his classic The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism. He tells me about what separates an aphorism from a proverb, a maxim or a quip; about the long history of the form and his own lifelong infatuation with it; and about whether – given our dwin…

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Quite right!: should Rachel Reeves go? 20:42

24d ago20:42

20:42

This week: Rachel Reeves reels as Labour’s Budget unravels – and a far-left Life of Brian sequel plays out in Liverpool. After a bruising seven days for the Chancellor, Michael and Maddie ask whether Reeves’s position is now beyond repair. Did Keir Starmer’s bizarre nursery press conference steady the ship – or simply confirm that the government is…

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Americano: why is the US obsessed with British 'decline'? 29:46

25d ago29:46

29:46

Why are Americans so interested in Britain's decline? While visiting London, Tucker Carlson has said that the country has ‘shrunken’ and its culture ‘destroyed’, particularly because of mass immigration. Freddy Gray is joined by Tim Stanley and Ed West to discuss whether Britain has become ‘ground zero in the decline of western civilisation’ and if…

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Nicotine pouches: solution or smokescreen? 28:51

25d ago28:51

28:51

There has been a renewed focus on tobacco and nicotine products across Europe. Just as countries seek to speed up the process to a smoke-free future, through measures like generational smoking bans and increased regulations on packaging and advertising, there has been a sharp increase in young people using alternative nicotine products like vapes a…

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Holy Smoke: Trump highlights the persecution of Christians in Nigeria 19:21

27d ago19:21

19:21

Fr Benedict Kiely, founder of nasarean.org, and Freddy Gray join Damian Thompson to discuss the persecution of Christians which has reached new and terrifying levels. Since this podcast was recorded last Friday, we have had the further news that over 300 children and staff were abducted from a Christian school – while around 50 of the children have…

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Coffee House Shots: Budget booze from Disraeli to Reeves 33:54

28d ago33:54

33:54

Throughout the years, the only person permitted to drink inside the House of Commons is the Chancellor, so what has been the tipple of choice for each resident of Number 11 dating back to Benjamin Disraeli? Following Rachel Reeves Budget this week, Michael Simmons and James Heale drink their way through the ages, discuss the historical context of e…

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Lara Brown, James Heale, Sam Olsen & Toby Young 18:52

28d ago18:52

18:52

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Lara Brown reports on how young women are saying ’no’ to marriage; James Heale takes us through the history of the Budgets via drink; Sam Olsen reviews Ruthless by Edmond Smith and looks at Britain’s history of innovation and exploitation; and, Toby Young questions the burdensome regulation over Politically Expose…

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The Edition: defending marriage, broken Budgets & the 'original sin’ of industrialisation 35:37

29d ago35:37

35:37

'Marriage is the real rebellion’ argues Madeline Grant in the Spectator’s cover article this week. The Office for National Statistics predicts that by 2050 only 30 per cent of adults will be married. This amounts to a ‘relationship recession’ where singleness is ‘more in vogue now than it has been since the dissolution of the monastries’. With a ri…

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The Book Club: The Decadence 29:39

29d ago29:39

29:39

On this week’s Book Club podcast I’m joined by debut author Leon Craig to talk about her novel The Decadence – a story of millennial debauchery in a haunted house which uses a knowing patchwork of literary influences from Boccaccio and Shirley Jackson to Martin Amis and Mark Z. Danielewski to make an old form fresh. She discusses how and why it too…

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Quite right!: the 'wickedness' of Labour's gender war 22:05

1M ago22:05

22:05

This week: After leaked EHRC guidance threw Labour’s position on biological sex into disarray, Michael and Maddie ask whether Bridget Phillipson is deliberately delaying clarity on the law – and why Wes Streeting appears to be retreating from his once ‘gender-critical’ stance. Is Labour quietly preparing to water down long-awaited guidance? And has…

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Spectator Out Loud: William Atkinson, Andreas Roth, Philip Womack, Mary Wakefield & Muriel Zagha 33:08

1M ago33:08

33:08

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: William Atkinson reveals his teenage brush with a micropenis; Andreas Roth bemoans the dumbing down of German education; Philip Womack wonders how the hyphen turned political; Mary Wakefield questions the latest AI horror story – digitising dead relatives; and, Muriel Zagha celebrates Powell & Pressburger’s I Know…

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William Atkinson, Andreas Roth, Philip Womack, Mary Wakefield & Muriel Zagha 33:08

1M ago33:08

33:08

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: William Atkinson reveals his teenage brush with a micropenis; Andreas Roth bemoans the dumbing down of German education; Philip Womack wonders how the hyphen turned political; Mary Wakefield questions the latest AI horror story – digitising dead relatives; and, Muriel Zagha celebrates Powell & Pressburger’s I Know…

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Quite right!: Is it time to abolish the Treasury? – Q&A 36:12

1M ago36:12

36:12

To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, go to: spectator.co.uk/quiteright This week on Quite right! Q&A: Is the Treasury still fit for purpose – or has ‘Treasury brain’ taken over Whitehall? Michael and Maddie dig into the culture and power of Britain’s most influential department, from the Oxbridge-heavy ‘Treasury boys’ to a ‘vision…

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Holy Smoke: is the Anglican Communion dead? 26:25

1M ago26:25

26:25

In the space of a month, the Church of England acquired its first female Archbishop of Canterbury, a majority of the world’s Anglicans have left the Anglican Communion in protest at the mother Church’s willingness to bless same-sex relationships – and the House of Bishops has suddenly backed away from introducing stand-alone gay blessings. The situ…

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Coffee House Shots: why Britain needs more Yimbys 21:09

1M ago21:09

21:09

Chris Curtis and Maxwell Marlow may have different political ideologies, but they agree on one key diagnosis: Britain is broken. Their solution can be found on baseball caps and bucket hats across social media and SW1: ‘Build Baby Build’. Less than a week before the Budget, Chris – MP for Milton Keynes and chair of the Labour Growth Group – and Max…

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The Edition: Labour's toxic budget, Zelensky in trouble & Hitler's genitalia 35:03

1M ago35:03

35:03

It’s time to scrap the budget, argues political editor Tim Shipman this week. An annual fiscal event only allows the Chancellor to tinker round the edges, faced with a backdrop of global uncertainty. Endless potential tax rises have been trailed, from taxes on mansions, pensions, savings, gambling, and business partnerships, and nothing appears des…

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Book Club: Ben Myers on Kinski 36:11

1M ago36:11

36:11

Ben Myers joins Sam Leith to discuss his book Jesus Christ Kinski, which he describes as a ‘novel about a film about a performance about Jesus’. Klaus Kinski was one of Germany’s biggest actors of the 20th Century – but he was also one of the most controversial, and Ben questions if he was one of the worst people to have ever lived. In this novel, …

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Quite right!: Labour’s migration crackdown & why the Rwanda plan was ‘ahead of its time’ 17:56

1M ago17:56

17:56

Listeners on the Best of Spectator playlist can enjoy a section of the latest episode of Quite right! but for the full thing please seek out the Quite right! channel. Just search ‘Quite right!’ wherever you are listening now. This week: a Commons showdown over asylum – and a cold shower for Net Zero orthodoxy. After Shabana Mahmood’s debuts Labour’…

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Reality Check: Rory Sutherland: Britain isn’t working – here’s how to fix it 30:00

1M ago30:00

30:00

Advertising legend and Spectator columnist Rory Sutherland joins Michael Simmons to explain why he thinks Britain’s economic problem isn’t income, tax rates or even inequality — it’s property, rent extraction, and a national belief that housing is the safest and smartest place to store wealth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa…

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Quite right!: Who could replace Keir Starmer? – Q&A 32:21

1M ago32:21

32:21

To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, go to: spectator.co.uk/quiteright This week on Quite right! Q&A: Could Britain see a snap election before 2029? Michael and Maddie unpack the constitutional mechanics – and explain why, despite the chaos, an early vote remains unlikely. They also turn to Labour’s troubles: growing pressure on K…

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Americano: Alan Dershowitz on Epstein & the client list 19:14

1M ago19:14

19:14

Lawyer Alan Dershowitz joins Freddy Gray to react to the 20,000 newly released Epstein emails — and why he believes far more remains hidden. He discusses Trump’s appearance in the documents, the contradictions in Virginia Giuffre’s testimony, the FBI’s real “client list”, and why judges are still sealing major depositions. Hosted on Acast. See acas…

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John Power, Madeline Grant, Ysenda Maxtone-Graham, Calvin Po & Gus Carter 33:08

1M ago33:08

33:08

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: John Power examines the rise in drug abuse and homelessness on British streets; Madeline Grant explains the allure of Hollywood radical Sydney Sweeney; Ysenda Maxtone Graham laments the rise of the on-the-day party flake; Calvin Po warns of a war on Britain’s historic architecture; and Gus Carter reads his Notes o…

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Coffee House Shots: H.M. Chief Inspector of Prisons on accidental prison release 15:11

1M ago15:11

15:11

Britain’s prisons are a legislative problem that has beset successive governments. New revelations show 91 accidental early releases in just six months, the latest in a growing pattern of administrative chaos across the criminal justice system. Between drones delivering drugs, crumbling Victorian buildings, exhausted staff and an ever more convolut…

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The Edition: BBC in crisis, the Wes Streeting plot & why 'flakes' are the worst 36:38

1M ago36:38

36:38

Can the BBC be fixed? After revelations of bias from a leaked dossier, subsequent resignations and threats of legal action from the US President, the future of the corporation is the subject of this week’s cover piece. Host William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s commissioning editor, Lara Brown, arts editor, Igor Toronyi-Lalic, and regular cont…