Weekday BBC Television current affairs program
POPULARITY
Categories
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was reportedly becoming increasingly isolated from the royal family, with friends saying he felt abandoned and no longer considered himself part of the family's inner circle. Despite reportedly receiving an invitation from King Charles III to join the traditional summer gathering at Balmoral, Andrew declined because he believed he would be treated like an outcast and become the “elephant in the room.” Royal commentators said he had instead been spending time abroad with friends while his relationship with senior royals continued to deteriorate. The estrangement followed years of fallout from his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia Giuffre's allegations, his disastrous Newsnight interview and renewed scrutiny from recently released Epstein-related records. By 2026, Andrew had lost his royal titles, vacated Royal Lodge and was facing an ongoing police investigation after being arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he shared confidential information with Epstein while serving as a U.K. trade envoy.The picture that emerged was of a former prince whose exile from royal life had become both public and personal. Royal experts said King Charles had reportedly not seen Andrew during 2026, while Prince Edward was believed to be one of the few family members who had visited him. Even Sarah Ferguson and Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were reportedly keeping their distance from his new residence. Some observers attributed Andrew's refusal to attend Balmoral to humiliation and resentment, while others suggested arrogance and anger toward Charles and Prince William remained part of the equation. Whatever the reason, experts saw little possibility of any meaningful rehabilitation: they argued that Andrew's Epstein association and the continuing revelations surrounding it had made a return to public royal life essentially impossible, particularly with Prince William eventually expected to inherit the throne. Even as Andrew reportedly complained of being abandoned, the monarchy appeared increasingly determined to keep its distance from a man whose relationship with Epstein had become one of the most damaging scandals in the modern royal family's history.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Former Prince Andrew feels abandoned by royal family at Balmoral: experts | Fox News
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
The Jeffrey Epstein story has created shockwaves on both sides of the Atlantic. As new documents continue to emerge, and as journalists continue to report around those documents, we're increasingly seeing how the powerful and well-connected can evade scrutiny. At its core, this is a story about a system of privilege that shielded Epstein – and failed the women and girls around him. Amy Wallace and Emily Maitlis have each played a pivotal role in bringing this story to light. Wallace, an American journalist and writer, spent years working with Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre, helping her to tell her story in her posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl. Maitlis's explosive Newsnight interview with the then Prince Andrew addressed his relationship with Epstein. This was the broadcast that sparked public outrage, and triggered a crisis from which the royal family has struggled to recover. In July 2026 Maitlis and Wallace came together on the Intelligence Squared stage to discuss what this story reveals about the wealthy, powerful elites who protected Epstein for so long; and the brave and determined women who are seeking justice and are holding the powerful to account. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
The Jeffrey Epstein story has created shockwaves on both sides of the Atlantic. As new documents continue to emerge, and as journalists continue to report around those documents, we're increasingly seeing how the powerful and well-connected can evade scrutiny. At its core, this is a story about a system of privilege that shielded Epstein – and failed the women and girls around him. Amy Wallace and Emily Maitlis have each played a pivotal role in bringing this story to light. Wallace, an American journalist and writer, spent years working with Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre, helping her to tell her story in her posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl. Maitlis's explosive Newsnight interview with the then Prince Andrew addressed his relationship with Epstein. This was the broadcast that sparked public outrage, and triggered a crisis from which the royal family has struggled to recover. In July 2026 Maitlis and Wallace came together on the Intelligence Squared stage to discuss what this story reveals about the wealthy, powerful elites who protected Epstein for so long; and the brave and determined women who are seeking justice and are holding the powerful to account. --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Netflix treated the Jeffrey Epstein scandal very differently depending on the project. In the 2020 documentary series Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, the streaming service put Epstein's survivors at the center of the story and examined how his wealth, connections, lawyers, employees, and social standing helped him escape meaningful accountability for years. The series explored the 2005 Palm Beach investigation, the extraordinarily lenient non-prosecution agreement, Epstein's relationships with powerful figures, and the machinery surrounding his abuse. Prince Andrew was part of that story because of his well-documented friendship with Epstein and the allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre, including her account that she had been trafficked to the prince when she was 17, allegations Andrew denied. In that documentary context, Andrew's association with Epstein represented one of the clearest examples of how Epstein gained access to elite circles and how the scandal extended far beyond Epstein himself.By contrast, Netflix's enormously popular drama The Crown largely sidestepped Prince Andrew's role in the Epstein scandal, even as the series moved into the period when Andrew's relationship with Epstein was becoming increasingly consequential. Andrew appeared as a comparatively minor member of the royal family, and the show devoted far more attention to Charles, Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, William, and the monarchy's broader crises. Because The Crown ended its story in 2005, it stopped before the 2010 photographs of Andrew walking with Epstein in New York, Giuffre's allegations becoming internationally prominent, Andrew's disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview, and his subsequent withdrawal from public duties. Still, Epstein's abuse was already under investigation by 2005, and Andrew's friendship with him had begun years earlier, meaning the series had opportunities to foreshadow or examine that relationship but essentially chose not to. The result was a striking contrast within Netflix's own catalog: Filthy Rich presented Epstein's access to royalty as an important component of the scandal, while The Crown told the modern monarchy's story with Andrew's connection to one of the most notorious sex offenders of the era almost entirely outside the frame.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are being portrayed as a scandal-bound royal duo whose relationship long outlived their marriage because it benefited both of them. Royal author Andrew Lownie describes them as the royal family's “Bonnie and Clyde,” arguing that their post-divorce bond was built around mutual loyalty, shared self-interest, financial survival, and the preservation of status. Andrew gave Sarah continued access to royal proximity, prestige, and money-making opportunities, while Sarah remained fiercely loyal to Andrew even as his public image collapsed. Their history includes the 1986 wedding, the 1996 divorce, tabloid scandals, Andrew's reputation as “Air Miles Andy” and “Randy Andy,” Sarah's own controversies, and the unusual fact that they continued living closely together long after their marriage ended.The Epstein fallout has turned that long-running royal arrangement into something far more damaging. Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia Giuffre's allegations, his disastrous Newsnight interview, the loss of his royal duties and titles, and years of public scrutiny have made his name toxic. Sarah has also been pulled back into the scandal because of her own past dealings with Epstein, including accepting money from him after publicly condemning him. The broader point is that Andrew and Sarah's relationship now looks less like eccentric royal loyalty and more like a survival pact between two people trapped inside the same reputational wreckage. What once played as tabloid weirdness has become part of the larger Epstein stain on the House of York.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Former Prince Andrew, Fergie were 'Bonnie and Clyde' of royal scandal: author | Fox NewsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
Gunther Von Hagens, often known as Dr Death, was a German anatomist who developed a system of plastination to preserve human bodies permanently after death. His aim was to de-mystify anatomy and created the internationally successful “Body Worlds” exhibition. Former Channel 4 producer Nick Curwen, who helped Gunther broadcast a public autopsy, tells his story.Sir Ian Wood was the billionaire Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune by transforming his Aberdeen based family fishing boat repair business into one of the oil and gas sector's biggest engineering firms. The former Business Editor at BBC Scotland, Douglas Fraser, covered Sir Ian's work for many years and shares his memories.Juliet Gardiner was a social historian who poured over the diaries of ordinary people in WWII to bring a different perspective to history. She wrote books and made radio and TV programmes such as Channel 4's “The 1940s House” in which a modern family were challenged to live as they would have done during the war. Fellow social historian Simon Garfield reveals what inspired her to choose her field of study.Dinkie Flowers was a mere 98-years-old when she wowed the audience and judges alike on the BBC TV show The Greatest Dancer. She had previously had a long and successful dancing career when in the 1940s she moved from the ballroom to the ice rink, to become England's only ice acrobat. She went on to set up her own dance school in her home town of Shoreham-by-Sea. Her friend and former pupil Louise Durrant remembers her.Presenter: Matthew Bannister Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Andrea KennedyArchive: BBC World Service, The Interview, 17/08/2007; BBC Two, Newsnight, 22/11/2002; Channel 4, Firefly Film, Television, The Autopsy, 20/11/2002; BBC News, Reporting Scotland, 18/11/2012; Channel 4, Wall to Wall Media, The 1940's House, 02/01/2001; BBC Radio 4, Archive on 4, 05/09/2015; BBC, A Blitz Scrapbook, 01/01/1941; BBC Radio 4, The History of the Future, 20/02/2018; BBC Radio 4, Making History, 23/02/2016; BBC Two, Who Do You Thin You Are?, 27/12/2007; BBC Two, the Goodies, Kitten Kong, 09/04/1972; BBC Two, Springwatch, 29/05/2006; BBC News, 10/03/2021; BBC One, The Greatest Dancer, 04/01/2020
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
Prince Andrew was repeatedly warned that sitting down with the BBC to discuss his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was an enormous risk. His public-relations adviser, Jason Stein, reportedly argued against the interview for months, while defamation lawyer Paul Tweed also urged Andrew not to proceed. The concern was obvious: a lengthy, unscripted interrogation would force him to explain years of questionable decisions, including why he stayed at Epstein's Manhattan home after Epstein had already been convicted of sex offenses. Andrew ignored those warnings, apparently believing that directly confronting the allegations would clear his name and allow him to move past the scandal.Instead, the November 2019 Newsnight interview became a catastrophic act of self-destruction. Andrew's Pizza Express alibi, his claim that a medical condition had prevented him from sweating, his suggestion that the photograph of him with Virginia Giuffre might have been manipulated, and his apparent lack of sympathy for Epstein's victims generated widespread disbelief and ridicule. Rather than repairing his reputation, the interview made him appear evasive, detached and completely unaware of the seriousness of the allegations. Within days, he stepped back from public duties, lost the support of major organizations and became permanently associated with one of the most disastrous television interviews in royal history.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
Today, we start the first of six Old Newscasts looking at the story of 30 years of British Politics through six votes. We start in 1997, when the Prime Minister John Major called an election, hoping to extend 18 years of Conservative rule, and beat Labour's Tony Blair .To help us, we have two BBC legends who were there at the time. Jeremy Vine was and political reporter and Kirsty Wark was presenting Newsnight.In this, the first of two 1997 election episodes, we look at what contributed to Blair's landslide.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Anna Harris. The social producer was Joe Wilkinson. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Today, we start the first of six Old Newscasts looking at the story of 30 years of British Politics through six votes. We start in 1997, when the Prime Minister John Major called an election, hoping to extend 18 years of Conservative rule, and beat Labour's Tony Blair .To help us, we have two BBC legends who were there at the time. Jeremy Vine was and political reporter and Kirsty Wark was presenting Newsnight.In this, the first of two 1997 election episodes, we look at the lay of the land in the run up to the vote.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Anna Harris. The social producer was Joe Wilkinson. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
“We all need to be speaking up about it. Not just the survivors. And we put so much burden on the people who've actually suffered the most, the most vulnerable among us.”Naga Munchetty speaks to Amy Wallace, co-author of Virginia Giuffre's memoir Nobody's Girl. Giuffre accused the then Prince Andrew, and late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, of sexual abuse. The former prince, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, told Newsnight in 2019 that he did not remember meeting Giuffre, and he has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Virginia Giuffre's father has also denied all allegations of abuse.The memoir, published six months after Giuffre took her own life, describes her encounters with Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Amy Wallace says she expected to be a ghostwriter in the shadows, but after Giuffre's death, she decided to step forward and speak up for her.If this programme has affected you there are people who can give you support. If you're in the UK search for the BBC's Actionline or befrienders.org Thank you to the team at BBC Radio 5 Live with Naga Munchetty for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with writer Maggie O'Farrell, Sierra Leone's first lady Fatima Bio and head of the World Health Organisation Dr Tedros. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Naga Munchetty Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Amy Wallace. Credit: Patricia Shields)
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
Prince Andrew appears to be using his daughters once again as human shields against the continuing fallout from his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Reports that he encouraged Beatrice and Eugenie to attend prominent royal and society events with their heads held high suggest an effort to keep the York family publicly visible and to demonstrate that they have not been completely cast out. Rather than allowing his daughters to build identities separate from his disgrace, Andrew's strategy risks turning every appearance they make into a referendum on him. Their royal status, popularity and continued access to respectable circles can then be presented as indirect evidence that the family remains accepted, even while Andrew himself is sidelined and facing renewed scrutiny.This is especially troubling because Andrew has already placed one of his daughters inside his defense of the allegations made by Virginia Giuffre. During his disastrous Newsnight interview, he invoked Beatrice while claiming that he had taken her to a birthday party at Pizza Express in Woking on the day Giuffre alleged she was trafficked to him, effectively making his daughter part of his alibi. Now, as the Epstein scandal continues to engulf the York family, Beatrice and Eugenie are again being pushed into public view while carrying consequences created by their father's behavior. The princesses are not responsible for Andrew's decisions, but his repeated reliance upon their names, visibility and royal legitimacy makes it appear that he is willing to let them absorb some of the pressure in his place.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Windsor 'Using Panicked Daughters' to Fight Royal ExileBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
Prince Andrew appears to be using his daughters once again as human shields against the continuing fallout from his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Reports that he encouraged Beatrice and Eugenie to attend prominent royal and society events with their heads held high suggest an effort to keep the York family publicly visible and to demonstrate that they have not been completely cast out. Rather than allowing his daughters to build identities separate from his disgrace, Andrew's strategy risks turning every appearance they make into a referendum on him. Their royal status, popularity and continued access to respectable circles can then be presented as indirect evidence that the family remains accepted, even while Andrew himself is sidelined and facing renewed scrutiny.This is especially troubling because Andrew has already placed one of his daughters inside his defense of the allegations made by Virginia Giuffre. During his disastrous Newsnight interview, he invoked Beatrice while claiming that he had taken her to a birthday party at Pizza Express in Woking on the day Giuffre alleged she was trafficked to him, effectively making his daughter part of his alibi. Now, as the Epstein scandal continues to engulf the York family, Beatrice and Eugenie are again being pushed into public view while carrying consequences created by their father's behavior. The princesses are not responsible for Andrew's decisions, but his repeated reliance upon their names, visibility and royal legitimacy makes it appear that he is willing to let them absorb some of the pressure in his place.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Windsor 'Using Panicked Daughters' to Fight Royal ExileBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
In-depth analysis of topical issues of the day with interviews, business and sports inserts
The newly released emails between Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew directly contradict the central claims Andrew made during his disastrous Newsnight interview, where he insisted he had severed contact with Epstein years earlier and had no meaningful relationship after Epstein's 2008 conviction. The correspondence shows sustained, friendly communication well beyond the timeframe Andrew publicly acknowledged, including coordination around meetings, travel logistics, and tone that reflects familiarity rather than estrangement. This is not casual or incidental contact; the emails demonstrate continuity, comfort, and mutual access. Andrew's insistence that he had “nothing to do” with Epstein post-conviction collapses when placed alongside written evidence showing otherwise. The language used undercuts any claim of a reluctant or distant association. Instead, it paints a picture of an ongoing relationship that Andrew later tried to erase retroactively. The gap between what he said on camera and what he wrote privately is no longer debatable. It is documented.Even more damaging is how the emails dismantle Andrew's explanation for the now-infamous 2010 meeting at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse, which he framed as a one-time, honorable attempt to “end the friendship.” The correspondence shows no clean break, no finality, and no discomfort—only continuity before and after that meeting. This makes Andrew's Newsnight narrative read less like confusion and more like deliberate misrepresentation. The emails also undermine his claims about memory lapses, timing, and lack of awareness by anchoring events to specific dates and exchanges he cannot plausibly deny. Taken together, the record shows that Andrew didn't merely misstate details; he constructed a false storyline designed to minimize exposure once Epstein's crimes became impossible to ignore. The emails prove he wasn't distancing himself—he was managing optics. And once those private words are read alongside his public denials, the conclusion is unavoidable: Prince Andrew lied, plainly and repeatedly, in an interview meant to salvage his credibility.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Girls coming 'after school' and $5,000 cash floats: The full sordid truth about Andrew's wild NINE-DAY visit to Jeffrey Epstein's New York mansion | Daily Mail OnlineBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
A giant of American economics, former US Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan, was an economic pioneer who shaped the modern American economy and believed in free markets and light touch regulation. A world financial crisis after he left the job, however, forced him to question some of his economic assumptions. We hear from Bloomberg's Stephanie Flanders.Tulsi Vagjiani survived the plane crash which killed her family, but it left her with burns over much of her body. She went on to be a legendary camapigner for better treatment for people who have visible differences. Phil Gorf from Changing Faces and broadcaster model and fellow campaigner Katie Piper pay tribute to her work.French sailor Charlie Dalin, smashed the record in the non-stop round-the-world Vendée Globe race. It was only afterwards that he revealed that he had taken part in the gruelling competition with a rare cancer. We hear from friend and Vendée Globe competitor Pip Hare.Teddie Beverley was the last surviving member of the original girl group, The Beverley Sisters. The trio found huge fame in the 1950s, with hits such as I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Teddie's daughter Sasha Felix tells us how they became the highest-paid female entertainers in the UK, and why some of their tracks were banned from the airwaves. Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse EdwardsArchive: Beverley Sisters: London Plus, BBC, 04/02/1985; Legends: The Beverley Sisters – Tickled Pink, BBC Two, 31/12/2010; Saturday Live, BBC Radio 4, 05/03/2022; Changing Faces: Visible Hate campaign, YouTube, 23/01/2020; Changing Faces: Our ambassador Tulsi on our #IAmNotYourVillain campaign, YouTube, 14/10/2021; Charlie Dalin: Vendée Globe, 14/01/2025; Alan Greenspan, Capitalism, Newsnight, BBC One, 01/10/2007; Alan Greenspan, Newsnight, BBC One, 01/10/2007; Evan meets Alan, BBC Radio 4, 23/10/2013
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is portrayed as someone whose public charm and privileged image always sat alongside a much uglier reputation behind the scenes. His former girlfriend Sandi Jones described him as a “real character” who liked making people laugh and was popular with women, but that softer image is contrasted with accounts of Andrew as loud, spoiled, arrogant, and difficult from childhood onward. The broader portrait is of a man indulged by royal status, treated as the Queen's favorite son, and allowed to move through life with a sense that ordinary rules did not apply to him.That personality profile becomes part of the larger explanation for his downfall: Andrew was once marketed as the handsome war-hero prince, especially after serving as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands, but the old “Randy Andy” image curdled into something far darker as his behavior, judgment, friendships, and entitlement came under scrutiny. The same traits once dismissed as cheeky royal mischief — arrogance, self-importance, vulgar humor, and a need to be catered to — are presented as warning signs that followed him into adulthood, through his failed marriage, his trade envoy controversies, his Epstein association, the disastrous Newsnight interview, and finally his collapse into disgrace.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ex-girlfriend sums up his 'real personality' in four words | Royal | News | Express.co.uk
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is portrayed as someone whose public charm and privileged image always sat alongside a much uglier reputation behind the scenes. His former girlfriend Sandi Jones described him as a “real character” who liked making people laugh and was popular with women, but that softer image is contrasted with accounts of Andrew as loud, spoiled, arrogant, and difficult from childhood onward. The broader portrait is of a man indulged by royal status, treated as the Queen's favorite son, and allowed to move through life with a sense that ordinary rules did not apply to him.That personality profile becomes part of the larger explanation for his downfall: Andrew was once marketed as the handsome war-hero prince, especially after serving as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands, but the old “Randy Andy” image curdled into something far darker as his behavior, judgment, friendships, and entitlement came under scrutiny. The same traits once dismissed as cheeky royal mischief — arrogance, self-importance, vulgar humor, and a need to be catered to — are presented as warning signs that followed him into adulthood, through his failed marriage, his trade envoy controversies, his Epstein association, the disastrous Newsnight interview, and finally his collapse into disgrace.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ex-girlfriend sums up his 'real personality' in four words | Royal | News | Express.co.ukBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is portrayed as someone whose public charm and privileged image always sat alongside a much uglier reputation behind the scenes. His former girlfriend Sandi Jones described him as a “real character” who liked making people laugh and was popular with women, but that softer image is contrasted with accounts of Andrew as loud, spoiled, arrogant, and difficult from childhood onward. The broader portrait is of a man indulged by royal status, treated as the Queen's favorite son, and allowed to move through life with a sense that ordinary rules did not apply to him.That personality profile becomes part of the larger explanation for his downfall: Andrew was once marketed as the handsome war-hero prince, especially after serving as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands, but the old “Randy Andy” image curdled into something far darker as his behavior, judgment, friendships, and entitlement came under scrutiny. The same traits once dismissed as cheeky royal mischief — arrogance, self-importance, vulgar humor, and a need to be catered to — are presented as warning signs that followed him into adulthood, through his failed marriage, his trade envoy controversies, his Epstein association, the disastrous Newsnight interview, and finally his collapse into disgrace.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ex-girlfriend sums up his 'real personality' in four words | Royal | News | Express.co.ukBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
The royal household's repeated posture of surprise became harder to sustain as evidence accumulated showing that Prince Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was neither fleeting nor hidden from the machinery surrounding him. Epstein and members of his circle were entertained in royal residences, Andrew traveled with people connected to Epstein while carrying out official duties, and palace staff helped manage the public-relations crisis once the relationship became impossible to ignore. Later disclosures indicated that Andrew remained in contact with Epstein after the point at which he claimed the friendship had ended, including a 2011 email telling Epstein that they were “in this together” and should remain in close contact. More recent reporting has also shown that a large archive of emails concerning Andrew's activities was delivered to the lord chamberlain, the royal household's most senior official, in 2020. Taken together, these revelations suggest that the palace had access to far more information about Andrew's associations, movements and conduct than its carefully limited public statements acknowledged.Rather than confronting the implications early, the royal institution appeared to treat the scandal primarily as a reputational problem that could be contained through silence, distance and strategic delay. Andrew was allowed to continue performing public duties for years after Epstein's conviction, while the allegations surrounding Virginia Giuffre were treated as a controversy that might eventually fade rather than a matter demanding a transparent internal accounting. Even the disastrous Newsnight interview was conceived by Andrew's advisers as a way to “draw a line” under the issue, showing that the objective remained closure and image management rather than disclosure. Only when the interview intensified public outrage did the palace remove Andrew from official duties, and even then it released no comprehensive review of what royal officials knew, when they knew it or what records existed. The palace's central failure was not merely that it underestimated the scandal; it was that it repeatedly chose institutional preservation over candor, apparently hoping that time, privilege and public fatigue would make the questions disappear.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com
Lord Roy Hattersley, the former Deputy Leader of the Labour party. He was born and brought up in Sheffield. In his book A Yorkshire Boyhood, he confessed to being passionate about three things: Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, Yorkshire County Cricket and socialist politics. His friend and colleague, Lord Kinnock, pays tribute.Daphne Hamilton-Fairley, spoke out for tolerance after her husband was killed by an IRA bomb. He had inspired her to become a speech therapist and after his death she set up one of the first specialist schools for dyslexia and other special educational needs. She named it Fairley House, after her husband. Her daughter Diana Hamilton-Fairley shares her memories.Roger Cook was the intrepid investigative journalist who pioneered the technique known as “doorstepping” - challenging those he suspected of wrongdoing face to face with the camera or tape recorder running. First on Radio 4's consumer affairs programme Checkpoint and then on ITV's The Cook Report he took on criminals and fraudsters on behalf of listeners and viewers. Matthew talks to his colleague Tim Tate.Sterling Betancourt was a pioneer of steel pan music from Trinidad and Tobago. He was one of the first to bring the instrument to Britain in the 1950s and went on to play a big role in the early days of the Notting Hill Carnival. Sterling's wife Beatrice Elokbi tells his story.Presenter: Matthew Bannister Producer: Ribika Moktan Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Andrea KennedyArchive: BBC Midlands Today, 23/02/94; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 31/01/1986; Labour Party Conference 1983 , BBC News , 2.10.1983; Newsnight, BBC Two, 19/04/1981; Tony Livesey, 5 Live, 24/01/2012; PM, BBC Radio 4, 23/10/1975; Tonight, BBC One, 17/12/1975; Forty Minutes: Women in Black, BBC 2, 21/04/1988; Nationwide, BBC One, 29/11/1982; David Hockney, Desert Island Discs, 07/02/1972; The 1951 Festival of Britain: A Brave New World, BBC Four, 24/09/2011; Steel Pan Alley, Radio 4, 6/12/2003
The royal household's repeated posture of surprise became harder to sustain as evidence accumulated showing that Prince Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was neither fleeting nor hidden from the machinery surrounding him. Epstein and members of his circle were entertained in royal residences, Andrew traveled with people connected to Epstein while carrying out official duties, and palace staff helped manage the public-relations crisis once the relationship became impossible to ignore. Later disclosures indicated that Andrew remained in contact with Epstein after the point at which he claimed the friendship had ended, including a 2011 email telling Epstein that they were “in this together” and should remain in close contact. More recent reporting has also shown that a large archive of emails concerning Andrew's activities was delivered to the lord chamberlain, the royal household's most senior official, in 2020. Taken together, these revelations suggest that the palace had access to far more information about Andrew's associations, movements and conduct than its carefully limited public statements acknowledged.Rather than confronting the implications early, the royal institution appeared to treat the scandal primarily as a reputational problem that could be contained through silence, distance and strategic delay. Andrew was allowed to continue performing public duties for years after Epstein's conviction, while the allegations surrounding Virginia Giuffre were treated as a controversy that might eventually fade rather than a matter demanding a transparent internal accounting. Even the disastrous Newsnight interview was conceived by Andrew's advisers as a way to “draw a line” under the issue, showing that the objective remained closure and image management rather than disclosure. Only when the interview intensified public outrage did the palace remove Andrew from official duties, and even then it released no comprehensive review of what royal officials knew, when they knew it or what records existed. The palace's central failure was not merely that it underestimated the scandal; it was that it repeatedly chose institutional preservation over candor, apparently hoping that time, privilege and public fatigue would make the questions disappear.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
Keir Starmer's legacy is on the line, no matter who wins in Makerfield. A flurry of announcements from social media bans to the defence strategy have seen the PM attempt to recentre himself in the narrative as his greatest rival comes closer and closer to re-entering Westminster. This week, Ed Balls and George Osborne delve into what it means for Labour, whether Wes Streeting is still a contender, and if ‘last chance saloon' legacy building ever works.No matter who the PM is later this year one thing is certain: the fallout of Iran. Positive or negative the worldwide economy has been affected by the war, and with Trump signing a peace deal we may start to see what the true impact will be long term. Finally, the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote is on Tuesday and after turning down the Today Programme, Newsnight, and Channel 4, George gives us his verdict on the Brexit legacy. Is Britain poorer, weaker and less influential outside the EU, as George argues, or was Brexit ultimately inevitable, as Ed suggests? And have George's personal relationships recovered? We love hearing from you, so please don't forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:
Russia says one of its naval frigates fired warning shots near a yacht in the Channel, because the UK-registered vessel was on a "dangerous course". We hear from the retired couple on board who have spoken to the BBC's Newsnight programme.Also on the programme - the world's leading economies meet at the G7 in France with the US-Iran war top of the agenda. And we hear about the enduring appeal of The Smiths 'The Queen Is Dead' 40 years after it became an instant indie classic.
The Prince Andrew interview on BBC Newsnight came about after Buckingham Palace sought to clear his name amid growing scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The idea was first pitched when Prince Andrew's then-private secretary, Amanda Thirsk, was in discussions with BBC journalist Emily Maitlis and Newsnight editor Esme Wren about a possible interview. Initially, the palace wanted to use the interview to refute allegations that Prince Andrew had sexually abused Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked to him by Epstein when she was 17. Thirsk and Andrew saw it as an opportunity to publicly address the controversy, believing it would help him regain credibility. The interview was arranged through direct negotiations between Thirsk and the Newsnight team, with Prince Andrew ultimately agreeing to the sit-down, which was filmed inside Buckingham Palace in November 2019.However, the interview turned into a public relations disaster for Prince Andrew. Instead of clearing his name, his lack of remorse, bizarre explanations, and contradictions only fueled greater criticism. He infamously claimed he could not have been with Giuffre on the alleged night because he was at Pizza Express in Woking and insisted he could not sweat due to a medical condition. The broadcast led to intense backlash, forcing Andrew to step back from royal duties days later. BBC journalist Sam McAlister, who negotiated the interview, later revealed that Andrew and his team failed to anticipate how damning his answers would sound, leading to what is now regarded as one of the most disastrous royal interviews in history.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
Emails reportedly handed to Buckingham Palace in 2020 appeared to show that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential government information while serving as a UK trade envoy. According to the report, the cache contained more than 30,000 emails, allegedly from the account of British businessman Jonathan Rowland, an associate of Andrew's, and included material connected to Andrew's financial dealings. The emails were reportedly sent to the Lord Chamberlain six years ago, months after Andrew stepped back from royal duties following his disastrous Newsnight interview over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew was later arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he passed sensitive government information to Epstein while working as a trade envoy; he denies wrongdoing.The most damaging part is the timeline: if these emails were already in Palace hands in 2020, then the question becomes what Buckingham Palace knew, what it did with that information, and whether serious concerns about Andrew's trade envoy conduct were allowed to sit quietly for years. The report also ties the emails to earlier claims that Andrew requested confidential Treasury information about Iceland's financial crisis in 2010 and then passed details to Jonathan Rowland before a business move involving Kaupthing Bank. With police inquiries still ongoing, the Palace declined to comment, citing the investigation, but the story adds another layer to the broader Andrew scandal: Epstein was not the only issue — the allegations now reach into Andrew's official government role, his business contacts, and the possibility that warning signs were sitting inside the royal household years before public accountability caught up.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Palace was given emails about Andrew's trade envoy activities six years ago, report says | UK news | The Guardian
Emails reportedly handed to Buckingham Palace in 2020 appeared to show that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential government information while serving as a UK trade envoy. According to the report, the cache contained more than 30,000 emails, allegedly from the account of British businessman Jonathan Rowland, an associate of Andrew's, and included material connected to Andrew's financial dealings. The emails were reportedly sent to the Lord Chamberlain six years ago, months after Andrew stepped back from royal duties following his disastrous Newsnight interview over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew was later arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he passed sensitive government information to Epstein while working as a trade envoy; he denies wrongdoing.The most damaging part is the timeline: if these emails were already in Palace hands in 2020, then the question becomes what Buckingham Palace knew, what it did with that information, and whether serious concerns about Andrew's trade envoy conduct were allowed to sit quietly for years. The report also ties the emails to earlier claims that Andrew requested confidential Treasury information about Iceland's financial crisis in 2010 and then passed details to Jonathan Rowland before a business move involving Kaupthing Bank. With police inquiries still ongoing, the Palace declined to comment, citing the investigation, but the story adds another layer to the broader Andrew scandal: Epstein was not the only issue — the allegations now reach into Andrew's official government role, his business contacts, and the possibility that warning signs were sitting inside the royal household years before public accountability caught up.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Palace was given emails about Andrew's trade envoy activities six years ago, report says | UK news | The GuardianBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are being portrayed as a scandal-bound royal duo whose relationship long outlived their marriage because it benefited both of them. Royal author Andrew Lownie describes them as the royal family's “Bonnie and Clyde,” arguing that their post-divorce bond was built around mutual loyalty, shared self-interest, financial survival, and the preservation of status. Andrew gave Sarah continued access to royal proximity, prestige, and money-making opportunities, while Sarah remained fiercely loyal to Andrew even as his public image collapsed. Their history includes the 1986 wedding, the 1996 divorce, tabloid scandals, Andrew's reputation as “Air Miles Andy” and “Randy Andy,” Sarah's own controversies, and the unusual fact that they continued living closely together long after their marriage ended.The Epstein fallout has turned that long-running royal arrangement into something far more damaging. Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia Giuffre's allegations, his disastrous Newsnight interview, the loss of his royal duties and titles, and years of public scrutiny have made his name toxic. Sarah has also been pulled back into the scandal because of her own past dealings with Epstein, including accepting money from him after publicly condemning him. The broader point is that Andrew and Sarah's relationship now looks less like eccentric royal loyalty and more like a survival pact between two people trapped inside the same reputational wreckage. What once played as tabloid weirdness has become part of the larger Epstein stain on the House of York.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Former Prince Andrew, Fergie were 'Bonnie and Clyde' of royal scandal: author | Fox News
Van and Rachel look back on the legacy of 'Love & Hip-Hop' before reacting to the pausing of Post Malone and Jelly Roll's stadium tour. Plus, Scott Jennings gets flustered on CNN and Fernando Mendoza skips the White House visit, before a conversation about colorism and Blackness. (0:00) Intro (17:37) The end of ‘Love & Hip-Hop' (32:37) Post Malone and Jelly Roll cancellations (44:51) Scott Jennings and CNN's ‘Newsnight' (1:06:27) Fernando Mendoza and the White House (1:23:19) Colorism and Blackness Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Jade Whaley Social Producer: Bernard Moore Video Supervision: Chris Thomas and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices