Best Zing Tsjeng Podcasts (2025)

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Conspiracy theories, GB News and Britain's far right – with Dr. Matthew Sweet 28:12

Play Pause

1h ago28:12

28:12

In recent weeks we’ve seen right wing protestors and their figureheads take to the streets – often touting conspiracy theories with no basis in fact. Increasingly these narratives are tipping into the mainstream, with GB News presenters key culprits in spreading this peculiar and damaging way of thinking. How did we get here? And is there any turni…

1
Miles Jupp on JL Carr, author of A Month in the Country 27:28

7m ago27:28

27:28

"I find his novels extraordinarily beautiful .. and they're an excellent length." Miles Jupp picks an author he loves, but knows little about. JL Carr was born in Yorkshire and was a teacher, mapmaker, and an eccentric. Joining the comedian in studio to discuss Carr is a man who knew him well - DJ Taylor - who paints a picture of a man who hated Lo…

1
Starmer, Trump and Palestine: What next? — Start Your Week with Alex von Tunzelmann 33:55

14h ago33:55

33:55

Starmer announced the UK’s recognition of Palestine as a state at the weekend – what will this mean for foreign relations and the ongoing crisis in Gaza? Plus, Labour conference is coming up and Trump is on a vengeance warpath in America. Alex von Tunzelmann and Jacob Jarvis discuss the news to look out for in the week ahead. We are sponsored by In…

1
Coming soon: More tales of the megarich 1:42

1h ago1:42

1:42

Film stars, tech bros, shipping magnates and online retail giants... BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng introduce the latest batch of billionaires whose stories they will uncover in their new season, starting 6 October. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their we…

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Scare BnB – Why Fawlty Towers is still THE perfect British comedy 33:31

4d ago33:31

33:31

On 19 September 1975, the nightmare story of a maniac who should never have been running a hotel, his tyrannical wife, their hapless Spanish waiter and a stream of eccentric guests made its debut on BBC2. Fifty years later Fawlty Towers still captures middle Britain at its most hilariously uptight – and Basil Fawlty has never been bettered as an En…

1
System Failure – Is AI going to drive us all insane? 28:21

5d ago28:21

28:21

AI promised helpful assistants. Instead, some users find “friends,” therapists, even lovers. But when bots reflect our thoughts back at us, paranoia, mania and worse can follow. Today on The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann speaks to Dr. Kate Devlin, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Society at King's College London and Chair-Director of the Digi…

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Will China lead a 'New World Order'? 33:40

6d ago33:40

33:40

China is challenging decades of US global dominance. With Xi Jinping forging alliances, launching international initiatives, and pushing for superpower status, is Beijing prepared to lead the world? Today on The Bunker, Gavin Esler speaks to Professor Steve Tsang, director of SOAS’s China Institute, on China’s ambitions, America’s unpredictability,…

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What will Charlie Kirk's death mean for America? 32:34

7d ago32:34

32:34

Charlie Kirk’s assassination has sent shockwaves through American politics. In this episode, we unpack Kirk’s legacy, his influence on the Republican grassroots, the culture wars he helped inflame and more. Seth Thévoz is joined by Charlotte McDonald-Gibson, author of Far Out:The Lives of Former Extremists and What They Teach Us to find out what Ki…

1
Helen Castor on Richard II 27:37

9m ago27:37

27:37

Today's great life is possibly more famous as a Shakespearean character - King Richard II who was deposed by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke in 1399. He's been chosen by historian Helen Castor, author of The Eagle and the Hart, who shines a light on what really happened towards the end of his reign. Also helping is Professor Emma Smith who explains wh…

1
Far right clashes, Trump visit and Starmer crisis – Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor 25:39

8d ago25:39

25:39

Far right agitants caused chaos over the weekend – what do they mean for Britain and can Starmer rise to meet the moment? Plus, Trump is visiting – how will that go down? Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor discuss all this and more as they outline the news to look out for this week. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored cre…

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From edgelords to dictators… Why does everyone still love ‘The Art Of War’? 32:42

11d ago32:42

32:42

This ancient Chinese military treatise by the mysterious Sun Tzu is one of the most influential books ever written. Internet shock-merchants and tech oligarchs swear by it, Dominic Cummings is a fan and it has inspired military leaders for 2,500 years. Why has ‘The Art Of War’ lasted – and is there more to it than a manual for the manosphere and a …

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Russia, Poland and drones – What happens next? – This is Not a Drill crossover 18:43

12d ago18:43

18:43

This is a special crossover edition with our partner podcast, This is Not a Drill. NATO jets have scrambled to shoot down Russian drones after what Polish military command has called an ‘unprecedented violation’ of its airspace. As Europe reacts to Russian aggression crossing into NATO airspace and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk invokes Article …

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Flag Wars – Inside this summer's political minefield with Jonn Elledge 28:53

13d ago28:53

28:53

Over summer, Saint George’s Cross flags have sprouted across Britain across lampposts, bridges, even painted onto roundabouts. Is this a wave of patriotism or simply a culture-war stunt to mark out who belongs and who doesn’t? Today in The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Jonn Elledge to find out what flags really mean today. • We are spons…

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Cranks, corporations and crap karaoke – Inside Reform UK’s bizarre conference 33:45

14d ago33:45

33:45

Reform UK’s conference was as weird and worrying as you might have expected. If you haven’t seen the “highlights” then we’ll spare you watching. Matthew Holehouse, The Economist’s British politics correspondent, was there and joins Gavin Esler to discuss what went on. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. ww…

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DJ Deb Grant on John Prine 26:51

7d ago26:51

26:51

DJ Deb Grant picks US mailman turned country-folk singer John Prine, whose beautiful songs captured the world in which he lived. Bob Harris, who first met him on the Old Grey Whistle Test, adds to the conversation. "I came to know him through him speaking about his own music - it's his character, his personality and his attitude that I fell for," s…

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Take me to your deputy leader — Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Jacob Jarvis 32:49

15d ago32:49

32:49

Angela Rayner’s departure has left Labour in turmoil as the party looks to recalibrate. Will Starmer’s changes work? Plus, Reform UK held its conference at the weekend – is there any way of stealing the spotlight back from them? Gavin Esler and Jacob Jarvis discuss all this and more in Start Your Week. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/b…

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George Lucas and Peter Jackson: Film stories 1:04:29

12d ago1:04:29

1:04:29

George Lucas created Star Wars and Peter Jackson directed the Lord of the Rings films, two of the movie world’s most epic adventures. Ahead of a new season of Good Bad Billionaire, presented by Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack, here’s another chance to hear how these two film directors went from zero to a billion, in episodes original…

1
Are the fact-checkers losing? – Inside the fake news crisis with Chris Morris of Full Fact 33:55

18d ago33:55

33:55

As the fake news pandemic worsens, Twitter/X and Facebook are phasing out their human fact-checkers in favour of crowdsourcing the job – that is, getting the users to do it. And it turns out that the “Community Notes” system Musk loves so much doesn’t work at all as you’d expect. Are fact-checkers fighting a losing battle? Chris Morris, Chief Execu…

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Just asking questions – How conspiracy theories took hold in Britain 29:11

19d ago29:11

29:11

Conspiracy theories used to be confined to fringe internet discussions and the guy you’d avoid in the pub. Now, thanks to figures like Donald Trump, they’ve gone mainstream. But where’s the line between healthy scepticism and believing the Royal Family are lizard people? Today in The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Daniel Jolley, social ps…

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The Future is Slop – Why the Far-Right loves tacky A.I. imagery 31:59

20d ago31:59

31:59

Blond white children playing in slightly-too-colourful fields? London as an open sewer patrolled by threatening migrants? Trump as Superman? Alligators in MAGA hats? The far-right thrives on generative artificial intelligence images and they’re all so naff. Is A.I. slop the official art style of the new authoritarianism? New York Times columnist Ja…

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Ukraine war report: The latest from Kyiv with Oz Katerji 35:36

21d ago35:36

35:36

It’s been more than 1,280 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The death toll is unthinkable, peace talks are stuck and Trump’s latest “summit” in Alaska hasn’t shifted the dial. Today in The Bunker, Chris Jones is joined by journalist and This Is Not a Drill co-host Oz Katerji to ask: where does the war stand now, and how…

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Trump’s Not Dead! – Start Your Week with Alex von Tunzelmann 33:22

22d ago33:22

33:22

‘Weekend At Donald’s’? After a feverish few days of speculation about the President’s health, we get back to reality. Alex von Tunzelmann guides you through the week ahead, from the beginning of Starmer’s make-or-break autumn with all its thorny taxation issues to the endless flags-and-hotels protests – will they burn out with the summer? Plus the …

1
Inside Hitler’s inner circle – How his underlings served the Nazi tyrant 34:23

25d ago34:23

34:23

At the core of the most infamous regime in history is a paradox: a leader who somehow exercised total control while being personally lazy and issuing only vague instructions to his ministers. In Hitler’s People: The Faces of the Third Reich the renowned historian Richard J Evans investigates Hitler’s central clique from Göring, Goebbels and Himmler…

1
Bob Villain – What does Robert Jenrick want? 35:44

26d ago35:44

35:44

He’s climbing up a lamp-post near you to hang flags. He’s smearing every immigrant in terms that would have got you kicked out of the Tories even five years ago. And he thinks he can lead the Conservatives. What turned Robert Jenrick from a non-threatening Cameroonist Tory into a trouble-stirring Cosplay Farage? Does he really believe in anything? …

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Empire of Lies – How Putin rules Russians with conspiracy propaganda 31:15

27d ago31:15

31:15

Inside today’s Russia, conspiracy theories like this aren’t just fringe curiosities, they’re mainstream. From TV talk shows to Putin himself, wild stories about stolen lands, shadowy Western plots, and circling enemies aren’t dismissed; they’re used to fuel Russia’s war in Ukraine and position the country as a morally just state. Today in The Bunke…

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The dead billionaires: What do you think? 10:49

24d ago10:49

10:49

What did you think of John D Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Sam Walton and Hetty Green? These five titans of American industry include an oil tycoon, a motor magnate, an eccentric aviator, the founder of Walmart, and an unsung pioneer of value investment known as the ‘Witch of Wall Street’. They helped shape business in the United States, …

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Flags, Boats and Hotels… Again – Start Your Week with Ros Taylor 32:40

28d ago32:40

32:40

The dog days of summer continue to be dominated by flags, boats and hotels. Will the migrant protests and freelance flag-raising burn out or will the Mail’s dream of chaos in Britain come true? Plus as Trump’s Ukraine “solution” stumbles on he floats the idea of more military occupations of American cities; the French government teeters; and the Gr…

1
From Bad to Norse – How the Vikings would have dealt with a tyrant like Trump 34:10

1M ago34:10

34:10

Some say Donald Trump’s ancestry ties him to Norse kings and even Rurik, founder of Russia’s first dynasty. In recent weeks, Russian state media have pushed the idea that Trump’s “Viking blood” explains his ruthless streak. But would the real Vikings have raised a flagon in his honour, or run him out of the fjord? Today on The Bunker, Chris Jones i…

Zing Tsjeng Podcasts

1
The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Podmasters

1
Great Lives

BBC Radio 4

1
Good Bad Billionaire

BBC World Service

1
United Zingdom

BBC Sounds

1
Never Told

Brock Media

1
Conspiracy theories, GB News and Britain's far right – with Dr. Matthew Sweet 28:12

1
Miles Jupp on JL Carr, author of A Month in the Country 27:28

1
Starmer, Trump and Palestine: What next? — Start Your Week with Alex von Tunzelmann 33:55

1
Coming soon: More tales of the megarich 1:42

1
Scare BnB – Why Fawlty Towers is still THE perfect British comedy 33:31

1
System Failure – Is AI going to drive us all insane? 28:21

1
Will China lead a 'New World Order'? 33:40

1
What will Charlie Kirk's death mean for America? 32:34

1
Helen Castor on Richard II 27:37

1
Far right clashes, Trump visit and Starmer crisis – Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor 25:39

1
From edgelords to dictators… Why does everyone still love ‘The Art Of War’? 32:42

1
Russia, Poland and drones – What happens next? – This is Not a Drill crossover 18:43

1
Flag Wars – Inside this summer's political minefield with Jonn Elledge 28:53

1
Cranks, corporations and crap karaoke – Inside Reform UK’s bizarre conference 33:45

1
DJ Deb Grant on John Prine 26:51

1
Take me to your deputy leader — Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Jacob Jarvis 32:49

1
George Lucas and Peter Jackson: Film stories 1:04:29

1
Are the fact-checkers losing? – Inside the fake news crisis with Chris Morris of Full Fact 33:55

1
Just asking questions – How conspiracy theories took hold in Britain 29:11

1
The Future is Slop – Why the Far-Right loves tacky A.I. imagery 31:59

1
Ukraine war report: The latest from Kyiv with Oz Katerji 35:36

1
Trump’s Not Dead! – Start Your Week with Alex von Tunzelmann 33:22

1
Inside Hitler’s inner circle – How his underlings served the Nazi tyrant 34:23

1
Bob Villain – What does Robert Jenrick want? 35:44

1
Empire of Lies – How Putin rules Russians with conspiracy propaganda 31:15

1
The dead billionaires: What do you think? 10:49

1
Flags, Boats and Hotels… Again – Start Your Week with Ros Taylor 32:40

1
From Bad to Norse – How the Vikings would have dealt with a tyrant like Trump 34:10