This week on The Sports Agents... After two dramatic Champions League semi-finals we caught up with European Football Journalist Guillem Balagué (03:45). World number one tennis player, Jannik Sinner , returned from a three-month doping ban this week. His lawyer Jamie Singer came into the studio (12:15). With young superstars lighting up sport recently like Lamine Yamal and Luke Littler , we spoke to skateboarder Sky Brown , who became Britain's youngest Olympic medallist aged 13 (16:15). The ne...
May 09, 2025•25 min
Keir Starmer could only dial in to Donald Trump's press conference, hailing the new US-UK trade deal, but that didn't stop an Oval Office love in between the two leaders. Starmer praised a "historic" day for both countries, as Trump thanked Starmer, speaking warmly of the special “external and internal bond” between the two countries. The timing could hardly be better for the Prime Minister, some much needed good economic news after a brutal set of local election results and growing unease on hi...
May 08, 2025•36 min
For nearly a decade, Harvey Weinstein's former assistant, Zelda Perkins, has been exposing the way NDAs are abused by people of power, and trying to bring about change in how they are used in the workplace. Later in today’s episode we ask her why employers are still using NDAs to gag employees and why the government STILL hasn’t banned this practice. But we start on the border of India and Pakistan where shots have been fired between two nuclear powers. We’re going back to the start with Tim Mar...
May 07, 2025•33 min
In the latest round of “did I hear that correctly?“, the Prime Minister's spokesman has refused to rule out housing asylum seekers in tents. It’s a policy that's been touted by Reform's new mayor for Greater Lincolnshire, and, you'd think, should be an easy one for Labour to knock down. The fact they can’t - or won’t - speaks to a larger issue about how Labour deals with the Reform party in Britain and how progressive parties more generally should approach populist ideas. Should mainstream parti...
May 06, 2025•49 min
For the last decade, the spectre of Nigel Farage has been haunting British politics. From UKIP to the Brexit Party, he has loomed in the background of Westminster, threatening but never quite managing to pose a real threat to the two major parties. All that changed today. With just six votes in it, Reform took their first seat from Labour, in Runcorn - which had been one of the safest seats in the country. The party has secured other big council and mayoral wins too. Farage now claims that he, n...
May 02, 2025•41 min
This week on The Sports Agents... Gabby and Mark were live from L ords Cricket Ground this week for the launch of the 2026 Women's T20 Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. They spoke to World Rugby Player of the Year, Ellie Kildunne , about their own home World Cup this summer, the new trend for celebrations, and the cowboy craze (01:15). At Lords we also caught up with the new Head Coach of the England women's cricket team, Charlotte Edwards . Her task is to take the team from an Ashes white...
May 02, 2025•25 min
Trump has sent 50 million dollars of military aid to Ukraine - the first shipment of aid since he took power. The money started flowing after Ukraine signed that much discussed minerals deal: in it, America recognised Russia's “full scale invasion of Ukraine". So has the minerals deal finally made peace possible? Or is it little more than a shakedown of the Ukrainians? Later, the Labour MP who says he wouldn’t be disappointed if more UK universities closed. Do we have too many universities? And ...
May 01, 2025•41 min
Today, America's GDP figures show the economy is dramatically contracting, and recession continues to loom. It’s not an ideal backdrop for Trumps 100 day celebration. Jon has been in Detroit, where Trump has been addressing autoworkers terrified by Trump's tariffs. So, with 100 days of Trump 2.0 under our belts, we answer your most pressing questions about how it's gone so far, and whether things are only going to get crazier. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk...
Apr 30, 2025•41 min
Mark Carney’s election win in Canada has shown what a potent political force Trump can be - to those campaigning against his economic bullying. But could it have wider implications at home for Keir Starmer? Will the PM now feel more comfortable prioritising a trade deal with the EU over the US? And what does having an ally on America's border mean for the way the UK Government now deals with Trump? Jon's been at an election watch party and is now headed to Detroit across the border - as Donald T...
Apr 29, 2025•32 min
Polls have narrowed as Canadians head to the ballot box. Mark Carney has led a remarkable fightback for the Liberal party, driven in no small part by a newfound sense of Canadian nationalism - determined not to be cowed by Donald Trump, disgusted by his overtures to turn the country into America's 51 state. But with the election looking tightly contested, Jon's been on the Conservative party campaign trail in Oakville, Ontario, where "Maple Leaf MAGA" is also coming out in force - could Donald T...
Apr 28, 2025•44 min
A special edition of The News Agents this weekend as Canadians head to the polls for an election which may be decided by anti American antipathy for Donald Trump. But we begin in Rome after that meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy. Big questions for both leaders. Has Trump now recognised he’s been played by Putin? And will Zelenskyy have any choice but to agree to concede sovereign Ukrainian territory to bring the war to an end? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co....
Apr 27, 2025•38 min
Over ten years ago, Black Mirror burst onto our screens, bringing with it dystopian futures and exploring themes of how humanity would deal with rapidly evolving technology. Now in its seventh series, how much of this is a far-off future? And in 2025, are we now closer to the world of Black Mirror than ever before? Charlie Brooker joins Emily and Lewis in the studio to talk about how his own anxieties shape Black Mirror, the future of TV in a world of AI, and why he believes humanity will triump...
Apr 25, 2025•36 min
It was marathon week on The Sports Agents, inspired by the London Marathon... First up is Eilish McColgan , the four-time Olympian who's making her marathon debut in London. Her mum won the race just under 30 years ago, and now Eilish is hoping to break her record. (02:30) Former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss says he'll be chasing ex-England team mate Alastair Cook around the course as they run for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, in honour of Andrew's late wife. (08:30) Gabby and Mark look...
Apr 25, 2025•25 min
Overnight Ukraine's capital suffered one of its worst bombardments for nearly a year. Scores were injured by ballistic missiles. Since recording, the death toll has risen to twelve. Putin’s attack came just hours after Trump had berated Zelensky for being “the obstacle to peace". It’s hard not to see how Putin has been emboldened by Trump's words. Which may be why as America woke up, Trump issued an edict to Putin - sorry, Vladimir - saying STOP. Is Trump anywhere close to criticising his Russia...
Apr 24, 2025•33 min
London was expecting to host key players today for a Ukraine peace summit. Late last night the US Secretary of State pulled out - leaving many to assume there was no plan to sign off. All eyes are now on the Pope's funeral on Saturday, which may be one the de facto European summit, bringing President Trump and President Zelensky face to face. Is Trump serious when he says the plan has to be wrapped up by April 30th or else he walks away? Later, what does Robert Jenrick mean when he talks about a...
Apr 23, 2025•35 min
The IMF has just released a dire forecast for every major economy - predicting a sharp slowdown in growth on the back of Trump's tariffs plan. It comes as Trump is found trying to fire his central banker - the Federal Reserve Chairman ,Jerome Powell, whose job is completely independent of government. What happens if he goes? And why hasn’t Trump learnt from history? We speak to former senior advisor to Mark Carney at the Bank of England, Huw Van Steenis. Later, could the culture wars affect what...
Apr 22, 2025•36 min
Matthew Freud rarely gives interviews. He’s normally behind the curtain, on the end of the phone - helping A listers, politicians, and businesses navigate their way through a hostile and unrelenting media environment. But now, on the fortieth anniversary of his company, which has served many of the world's biggest brands and most famous faces - he sits down with Jon and Emily to discuss scandal, power, Succession and what it’s like to be part of both the Freud and Murdoch dynasties. Don’t forget...
Apr 17, 2025•37 min
This week on The Sports Agents... What a moment it was... after an 11-year wait for the final major, Rory McIlroy finally achieved a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters. Actor James Nesbitt explained what it means to Northern Ireland, we relived the rollercoaster with co-host of The Chipping Forecast Podcast, Andrew Cotter , and spoke to Ciaran Lavery the Head Pro at McIlroy’s golf club, Holywood. (02:15) Who needs Messi, Neymar and Mbappe anyway? The new look PSG are into the Champion...
Apr 17, 2025•25 min
After years of culture war debate over trans women and their rights, today the Supreme Court ruled that the word “woman” in the 2010 Equality Act refers only to “biological” women. So was this a victory for the women who brought the legal challenge? Does this change anything in real terms for trans-people going forward? And does it just give greater ammunition to those stoking the culture war debate? Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https:...
Apr 16, 2025•29 min
The night after one of the deadliest attacks on Ukrainian civilians since Putin's invasion, the American President has gone all block caps, tweeting: 'I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WAR'. He's clearly a bit rattled. He'd been briefed over the weekend - following talks between his own envoy and Putin - that a ceasefire was significantly nearer. Things, he told us on Saturday, were heading in the right direction. That was before Putin dropped his missiles on Sumy, a bustling city going to church on...
Apr 15, 2025•30 min
Is China trying to sabotage British industry? That’s the warning from a group in parliament. Some ministers may quietly agree. But they can’t say it out loud. So what should our strategy be? As the UK Government takes over the running of a Chinese owned company called British Steel, where does that leave our trade relationship with Beijing? Are we embracing China or running a mile? And what exactly is China planning to build now in the heart of the city of London? Don’t forget you can also subsc...
Apr 14, 2025•36 min
In a dramatic turn of events, parliament has been recalled for MPs to discuss the future of British Steel. In Scunthorpe, some 2,700 jobs hang in the balance after the Chinese owner of the steel works said its blast furnaces are "no longer financially sustainable". Thousands more jobs in the supply chain are also at risk - steel runs through the heart of Scunthorpe. Earlier this week, Keir Starmer declared that we have entered a "changing and completely new world" and promised to "rewire the sta...
Apr 11, 2025•40 min
This week on The Sports Agents ... From watching his uncle commit one of the biggest robberies in British history, to a police chase and a double life sentence. John McAvoy tells us his story of turning his life around to break world records and become a sponsored Ironman triathlete. (03:30) Former Liverpool winger Jordon Ibe was set to be England's next big thing but after a broken promise from Jurgen Klopp and being robbed at gunpoint, his mental health spiralled. Now he's in the 7th tier tryi...
Apr 11, 2025•25 min
At the precise moment Donald Trump was “pausing” his tariffs policy, his own trade negotiator was trying to explain to Congress who knew what when. Did those around Trump have prior knowledge, and take the opportunity to invest? Or did he leave his own team in the dark? Trump has tried to style his climb down as a win. But the soaring response of the stock markets suggest they think the tariffs trauma is now done. Has Trump boxed himself in? And will anyone believe him next time? Later, Trump’s ...
Apr 10, 2025•32 min
Trump's tariffs, combined with China's retaliation, are doing terrible things to stock markets around the world. People are selling off equity and assets in this increasingly uncertain time. But now something even more strange is happening - the bond market is tanking. And that’s a sign that confidence in the US government itself has hit the rocks. When Greece starts looking like a safer bet than America you know things are bad. Is Trump going to follow Liz Truss down the road to self immolation...
Apr 09, 2025•32 min
As Trump threatens to double the tariffs on China the trade war between two of the world's biggest economies is escalating. China has said it will "fight to the end". Trump says he will not back down. As each side raises the stakes, will Trump have to concede that he's made mistakes? Who will back down first? And how will this trade war affect the rest of the world? Later, we speak to pollster Luke Tryl from More in Common about how all of this is going down with the voters in the UK - and how S...
Apr 08, 2025•30 min
Hong Kong's stock exchange has just closed down 13% - to put this in context it's the worst day of trading since the Asian market crash of 1997. The FTSE 100 has plummeted here, Goldman Sachs has upgraded its probability of a US recession, and members of the US government are now taking to the airwaves to squabble about the plan ahead. Is this genuinely what Trump wanted? Is he still pretending it's going well? And is the plan to make the world come to the negotiating table? It can't - coherentl...
Apr 07, 2025•43 min
Trump's tariffs have caused chaos on the stock markets with a looming threat of recession. Rumours are swirling that the midterm elections could get cancelled. And tourists are re-thinking their travel to America. How worried should we really be? This Friday, Lewis and Jon answer your questions about Trump, the economy, and what the global impact will be. Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents is b...
Apr 04, 2025•39 min
This week on The Sports Agents... It's Grand National weekend! ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin was among our guests, as Gabby & Mark explored how viable a more 'ethically-conscious' version of the sport is, when it relies so heavily on gambling? (02:04) Former World Champion sprinter Darren Campbell is involved in the development a new 'Super Track' that promises to help athletes break Usain Bolt's 9:58-second 100m record. Darren joined us in the studio to explain. (06:00) After Chelsea s...
Apr 04, 2025•15 min
Declaring 'Liberation Day' for the USA, Donald Trump accused other countries of having "looted, pillaged, raped and plundered" America's economy. What he announced has sent tremors around the global economy and his own - Trump has set the stage for a global trade war. His tariffs start at 10% and go up to as high as 74% for an unlucky few states like Bangladesh and Serbia. It’s mathematical spaghetti. The UK has avoided the higher EU rate of 20% - so do Leavers have a point when they tell us tha...
Apr 03, 2025•43 min
