Every week Amol Rajan talks to radicals, pioneers and innovators from all over the world. From populism and climate change, to economics and AI... How can their radical ideas help you win the future?
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan will be published on Thursdays on BBC Sounds. It will also be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Thursdays at 11pm. Visualised versions of the podcast will also be available on BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
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Leading pollster James Kanagasooriam answers your questions about how his idea of agency could advance social mobility, how it might be used by politicians and whether there are any reasons to be cheerful at a time of global instability. He also explains how voters might be influenced by the reporting of opinion polls. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https...
On this week’s episode, leading pollster James Kanagasooriam explains how a sense of powerlessness amongst voters is shaping politics. His research suggests that people who feel like they have control over their lives are more likely to vote for traditional parties whereas those who don’t tend to vote for populists promising to change the status quo. So what can we learn from this and how could the idea of ‘agency’ help solve some of Britain’s problems? TIMECODES (00:04:12) Why James thinks agen...
Ed Davies, research director at the right-leaning anti-poverty think tank Centre for Social Justice, answers your questions about modern family life and relationships. He also discusses why young men are falling behind in work and education, how economic pressures are reshaping marriage rates, and why he argues that we need to re-prioritise social connection and community. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thu...
Marriage rates in the UK have fallen to historic lows, but what are the consequences? Ed Davies, research director at right‑leaning anti‑poverty think tank the Centre for Social Justice, explains what has led to this shift and argues that it has caused a decline in family stability with profound consequences for society. To deal with it he says we need to modernise marriage and adopt a range of policies that promote family life. TIMECODES (00:04:29) The decline of marriage in the UK (00:06:33) W...
MasterChef winner and founder of Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, Thomasina Miers, answers your questions about the quality of kids’ meals in restaurants, how to make hospitality an attractive career and whether cooking should be made a compulsory part of the curriculum in schools. She also tells Amol about the virtues of worm salt! GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC ...
The UK is one of the world’s largest consumers of ultra-processed foods, so Wahaca restaurants founder Thomasina Miers thinks the government should cut the taxes of businesses that serve healthy alternatives. In fact, she challenges the idea that ultra‑processed products should be called ‘food’ at all. From social canteens that teach people to cook simple meals to zero percent business rates for greengrocers, the MasterChef winner tells Amol how she would reform Britain’s food system. And she wa...
Founder of the tech driven social enterprise Zero Gravity, Joe Seddon answers your radical questions about boosting social mobility in the UK and helping talented young people from low opportunity areas realise their potential. Amol and Joe explore how volunteering can become a powerful engine for skill building, discuss the rise in youth unemployment, and unpack Joe’s prediction that the next 15 years could bring a “blue collar rebellion” as AI reshapes white collar work. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsAp...
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. In this week’s episode, Amol and Joe dig into the barriers facing young people across the country, from stalled social mobility to uneven access to opportunity. Growing up in a single‑parent household in Morley, West Yorkshire, he went on to study at the University of Oxford, but he thinks those opportunities are still too rare for people from a similar...
Tech entrepreneur and founder of tailoring and repair company SOJO Josephine Philips answers your questions on fast fashion, manufacturing and scaling the repair economy. She also discusses how big retailers are beginning to invest in repairs, the craft of making a garment and why we need to invest more in manufacturing clothing in the UK. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them ...
The fashion industry is the world’s second‑largest contributor to carbon emissions, surpassed only by agriculture. With such a significant impact on the climate, the question is: what can we actually do about it? Tech entrepreneur and founder of SOJO, Josephine Philips, wants you to stop throwing clothes away and think about what you’re buying. In her conversation with Amol, they explore the wider issues tied to fast fashion, including exploitative labour practices, overflowing landfills, and th...
Social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidt answers your questions on social media bans for under‑16s, the influence of YouTube, and the risk of restricting access to certain online platforms. He also talks about Donald Trump’s second presidency and how technology is changing the nature of political debate. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BB...
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 childhoods”. His book, The Anxious Generation, sparked a global reckoning that has led countries like Australia and Spain to introduce laws restricting access to social media platforms. He spoke to Amol ahead of a meeting with UK health secretary Wes Streeting about why he thinks we’re at a tipping point, whether technology is making us “stupider” and how pa...
Panos A. Panay, president of the Grammy Awards and Recording Academy, answers your questions about how governments can better support musicians and whether an AI-free music platform could exist in the future. He also explores whether royalties paid to artists’ estates could be redirected to help fund the next generation of musicians. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC...
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 and how his father’s work was reimagined for a new generation. They also discuss the shifting realities of producing for linear TV versus streaming, the risk of losing distinctive British storytelling, and whether there should be a ‘streamers’ tax’. And as the second series comes to an end, Simon offers Amol a tantalising hint of what’s to come in se...
As president of The Recording Academy, which organises the Grammy Awards, Panos A. Panay is grappling with how artificial intelligence and streaming is transforming the music industry, often at the expense of artists. A former agent who worked with the likes of Leonard Cohen and Nina Simone, Panos tells Amol about his love of music and how that led to him becoming one of the most influential figures in the industry. And against the backdrop of record-breaking tours from Beyonce and Taylor Swift,...
Louise Allen answers your questions about the rewards and challenges of being a foster carer. She also discusses reports that a new government strategy will back a scheme that helps foster carers expand their properties to give more young people a home. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan ...
Amol Rajan speaks with foster carer and author Louise Allen about England's worsening fostering crisis, marked by record children in care and a drastic decline in foster families. Allen advocates for a radical shift from recruiting new carers to retaining current ones by improving working conditions, allowances, and providing domestic support like cleaners. She also highlights the often-overlooked issue of screen-induced emotional neglect as a primary driver of children entering care, alongside the need to build social capital for vulnerable youth.
Professor Helen Thompson answers listener questions on global energy and politics. She details the historical divergence in US and European energy interests, the geopolitical implications of the US shale boom, and risks associated with Russian oil tankers. Thompson also explores how the shift to green energy impacts geopolitics, particularly China's role in critical minerals and the Arctic's strategic importance, alongside a deep dive into the practical challenges and "uncomfortable truths" behind net zero targets.
Amol Rajan speaks with Professor Helen Thompson about the evolving global political landscape, focusing on how oil fuels the US-China competition and reshapes international power dynamics. They explore Trump's assertiveness in the Western Hemisphere, the reevaluation of the "rules-based international order," Europe's struggles for strategic autonomy, and the significant role of oil prices in the 2008 financial crisis. The conversation also delves into the impending global debt crisis and the radical idea of reconsidering central bank independence in response to these profound challenges.
Louisa Munch, a critical theorist and TikTok star, answers listener questions about her rapid rise and political views. She discusses the challenges of accent and class bias in academia, advocates for policies like Universal Basic Income, and shares her vision for education reform to foster critical thinking. The episode also explores whether social media algorithms create echo chambers and her stance on pushing for radical, non-mainstream change.
In a radical discussion, critical theorist Louisa Munch champions free university education, asserting its role in cultivating critical thought and an informed citizenry rather than merely preparing for jobs, a perspective that challenges prevailing neoliberal views. She delves into the political weaponization of nostalgia by the right and the left's current struggle to articulate an inspiring vision for a disenchanted Gen Z, all while candidly sharing her personal struggle with student debt and bridging socio-economic divides.
Historian Tom Holland answers listener questions, comparing Britain's 1970s challenges with current anxieties and exploring the historical parallels between Donald Trump and Julius Caesar within the context of the Roman Republic. He also delves into the multifaceted definition of "radical" and shares humorous stories about his cricket career and the surprising benefits of sports psychology. The episode concludes with a lighthearted moment about his famous namesake.
Amol Rajan hosts historian Tom Holland, who delves into the radical nature of Christianity, arguing that its transformative power laid the groundwork for Western secular thought and institutions. They discuss key figures like Gregory VII, the impact of the Reformation, and how European ideas of "religion" were exported globally. Holland also posits that modern atheism and movements like Marxism bear the imprint of Christian intellectual frameworks, concluding with a look at current societal shifts as a new "reformation" and the evolving meaning of "radical."
This episode reflects on how modern technology, especially AI, is changing human lives, exploring whether it augments or degrades our species. Discussions cover AI's role in promoting misogyny, influencing youth through pornography, the decline of reading, and its transformation of online search and job markets. The host also touches on Britain's unique societal challenges and concludes with a call for collective self-control and thoughtful navigation of humanity's technological crossroads.
Best-selling author Naomi Alderman answers your questions about her first non-fiction book, how she feels about her writing being used to train AI models and whether there will be a new series of ‘The Power’ on Amazon Prime. And Naomi also reveals exciting new details about her latest novel, called ‘The Strangers’, which is set to be released in September 2026. GET IN TOUCH: * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He i...
Bestselling author Naomi Alderman explores the "third information crisis" caused by digital communication, comparing it to the societal upheavals brought by the invention of writing and the printing press. She argues that while technology offers incredible benefits, it also risks degrading human connection and exacerbating societal anxieties. Alderman proposes a three-pronged solution involving new laws, technological structures like a "checked internet," and cultivating stronger social norms, emphasizing the vital importance of real-world human interaction.
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 French supermarkets better than in British ones? And should there be a move towards predominantly plant-based meals in schools? GET IN TOUCH: * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor...
Chef Jamie Oliver passionately addresses Britain's critical issues of diet-related illness and debt, proposing radical changes to food policy, education, and financial literacy. He shares personal insights on his dyslexia and the failure and relaunch of Jamie's Italian, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes and fostering community over celebrity. The episode highlights his unwavering commitment to improving the health and prospects of future generations.
Musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens answers your questions about porn and masculinity. One half of the hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks, he now also advocates for young men and boys, which is why he was invited to an International Men’s Day reception at Downing Street - so why did he turn it down? He explains in this episode of Your Radical Questions. * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of Universit...
How is online porn affecting sex and relationships? In this episode, musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens calls for a new approach to sex education and a modern redefinition of masculinity. From Paris Hilton to Bonnie Blue and AI generated porn he discusses how sexual content is evolving and the impact it is having on young people’s lives. Jordan also explains how his childhood and the whirlwind fame he found with Rizzle Kicks led to heartbreak and addiction. And how that led him to become an...
