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
Has Trump just started to work out he’s being played by Putin? A light bulb moment is going on in the White House - Washington officials are privately admitting that the Ukraine peace deal is not going to plan. Whilst fifty senators have combined forces to seek new sanctions on Russia, we ask whether Trump has lost patience with Putin and whether this will make him double down or walk away? We hear what the Kremlin makes of this - with the BBC’s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg. Later, Senator Cory...
Apr 02, 2025•39 min
It's 'Liberation Day' eve as Trump dangles his tariffs threat across the world again. How should Starmer respond to what could be a nail in the coffin to the UK economy? And how has one woman’s anti abortion protest now got tangled up in a free trade deal? We talk with a former Bank of England chief economist. Later, is Kemi Badenoch right about Adolescence? Should policy be made off the back of TV drama? And if so, what is it? Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcast...
Apr 01, 2025•46 min
The French Far Right leader Marine Le Pen is barred from standing in the country's next presidential election following her conviction for embezzlement. She’s beginning an emergency appeal straight away, and her party says “democracy has been executed“ in France today. Will that conviction silence them? Or could it be a rocket boost to their electoral fortunes? Plus, we have an exclusive interview with International barrister Philippe Sands on what happens when the law and politics clash, why Tr...
Mar 31, 2025•37 min
The White Lotus - now in its third series has proved a recipe for a smash hit. Take a fabulously wealthy bunch of characters. Make most of them dreadful. And watch them fight it out in a tropical paradise. We’re joined in today’s episode by one of this series stars, Jason Isaacs AKA Tim Ratliff, to discuss whether getting roles now depends on your political persuasions. And whether it pays to be outspoken in MAGA America. Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via ...
Mar 28, 2025•26 min
This week on The Sports Agents... Britain's biggest boxing promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren made a rare appearance together. How is it being partners after 15 years of rivalry? Could boxing gyms help with issues raised in ' Adolescence' ? And could Anthony Joshua fight influencer Jake Paul? (02:15) Leaving your boyhood club in search of a Ballon D'Or - is Trent Alexander-Arnold a traitor or should we admire his ambition? Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague and John Gibbons from The...
Mar 28, 2025•24 min
No sooner had the Chancellor sat down after her Spring Statement than Donald Trump announced to the world that he was slapping 25% tariffs on all cars imported into America. Car manufacturers are livid - and scared. And the OBR has warned that if the US goes further and imposes blanket tariffs, they could wipe out any short term prospect of growth in the British economy. With her room for manoeuvre already tight, could Rachel Reeves now have to rip up her latest plans? Are tax rises on the way? ...
Mar 27, 2025•32 min
Today, the Prime Minister was asked to directly express his confidence in the Chancellor. He did so without missing a beat. But how much support does Reeves have more widely in government, in her party and in the country at large? Later, as Trump's defence secretary insists no war plans were leaked when a group chat on the cusp of bombing Yemen accidentally invited a journalist to join. The journalist in question then publishes the war plans he received. Like shooting fish. Don’t forget you can ...
Mar 26, 2025•36 min
In the days before a US bombing campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, key members of Trumps administration began to plan the attack in a group chat. They accidentally invited a top journalist into the group - in what has become one of the all time best security fuck ups ever. Will anyone pay the price? What will Trump do now ? And do Europeans still trust America with their security? Later, we are joined by the Adolescence writer and creator Jack Thorne - what does he want to see happen for the...
Mar 25, 2025•39 min
The jailing of Turkeys main opposition leader - President Erdogan's biggest rival - has sent thousands on to the streets in protest. Students who’ve never lived under anyone’s rule but Erdogan are now fearful this spells the end of democracy in the once great bastion of free secular expression and economic growth. Is Erdogan following the Putin playbook for staying in power? Is Trump about to follow both? And why is no one in NATO prepared to call it out? We speak to the main opposition party wh...
Mar 24, 2025•31 min
It has now been more than a year since plans for a compensation scheme were laid out for those affected by the sodium valproate scandal - and it is a state failure that stretches back decades. Sodium valproate is an effective treatment for epilepsy, but it has been linked to lifelong disabilities in around 20,000 babies born since the 1970s whose mothers were prescribed the drug while they were pregnant. Many were not properly warned of the risks, and a 2020 review concluded that thousands of mo...
Mar 21, 2025•45 min
This week on The Sports Agents... First up, an exclusive interview with the most important man in English rugby union, Bill Sweeney , CEO of the RFU. He faces a vote of no confidence next week after accepting a £350,000 bonus, taking his pay to £1.1m, when clubs are going bust, redundancies have been made and the community game is crying out for help (02:30). Newcastle legend Alan Shearer celebrated with Gabby (and Sam Fender ) as they won their first domestic trophy in 70 years (13:30). And we ...
Mar 21, 2025•26 min
In dramatic fashion, The Sun reports that a leaked government memo claims that the UK's race to reduce carbon emissions could trigger a financial crash. Kemi Badenoch also ditched her party's commitment to net zero by 2050 this week, insisting that the target was now "impossible". So if the cross party consensus on Britain's climate targets are over - could Starmer's so far steadfast commitment to the green revolution come under pressure? Later, as Steve Bannon suggests a plan is being cooked up...
Mar 20, 2025•42 min
It seems that everyone is talking about the Netflix hit drama 'Adolescence'. It has been viewed 24 million times in just a few days, and is topping the chart in the UK. It deals with raw teenage toxic masculinity - and it’s hit a nerve. Even the prime minister is watching it. As Gareth Southgate warns of the dangers to and from young men who’ve got tangled up in Andrew Tates world we ask why it’s suddenly become a talking point? Later, is Trump being played by Putin? Is he bright enough to even ...
Mar 19, 2025•38 min
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke for an hour and a half today - could they bring the Ukraine conflict and closer to a sustainable peace? Or is the Russian president only interested in carving up Ukraine and taking the West for a ride? While a ceasefire in Ukraine does appear to be edging ever so slightly closer, the fragile cessation in Gaza collapsed overnight. More than 400 Gazans were killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, as Israel launched a series of airstrikes on the str...
Mar 18, 2025•37 min
Keir Starmer says he has a "duty" to fix welfare - and has described the current benefits system as "unsustainable" and "indefensible". But many of his own backbenchers fear that the noble rhetoric is an attempt to mask little more than a savings drive, and the backlash is growing. Andy Burnham became the latest Labour figure to voice his concerns, and there are indications that the government is looking again at some of the harshest measures expected to be unveiled tomorrow. But is the PM right...
Mar 17, 2025•42 min
What is the likely endgame is for the Russia-Ukraine war? How can journalists hold politicians to account when gaining access to them requires towing an idealogical line? And will Rupert Lowe leave Reform? This Friday, Jon and Lewis answer your questions. Editor: Tom Hughes Executive Producer: Louis Degenhardt Producer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela Walters Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell Video Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal Digital Journalist: Michael ...
Mar 14, 2025•45 min
