Best of the Spectator

Vanity von Glow is one of the UK's most in demand drag queens. She's a singer, pianist, and comic, and also hosts a new political talk show The Vanity Project. On the episode, she talks to Andy and Ben about flirting in a pandemic, why the word 'unprecedented' is unprecedentedly insufferable, and why Lana del Rey is her person of the month.That's Life is a sideways look at the events, people, words and ideas that shape the news agenda. Presented by Spectator Life’s satirist Andy Shaw and political commentator Benedict Spence. Find previous episodes here.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear Katy Balls on the long term impact of the Cummings affair; Dr John Lee on the problem with the way we are counting Covid deaths; and Lionel Shriver on how life isn't worth living without a little risk.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Book Club podcast we're talking about Brideshead Revisited. Evelyn Waugh's great novel is 75 years old this week, and I'm joined by our chief critic Philip Hensher, and by the novelist's grandson (and general editor of Oxford University Press's complete Evelyn Waugh) Alexander Waugh. What made the novel so pivotal in Waugh's career, what did it mean to the author and how did he revise it -- and why have generations of readers, effectively, misread it?The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not just coronavirus, but the government is keen to have a new approach to China. We discuss what this entails and whether or not it's a good idea (00:50). Plus, what will be the lasting impact of the Cummings affair on the government? (17:16) And last, the way to deal with noisy neighbours now that people are working from home (34:00).With our Political Editor James Forsyth; former Cabinet minister Sir Oliver Letwin; our Deputy Political Editor Katy Balls; Conservative Home's Paul Goodman; Spectator columnist Melissa Kite; and our 'Dear Mary' columnist and Gogglebox star Mary Killen.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest for this week’s Book Club podcast is the great Michael Frayn, talking about his new book of sketches Magic Mobile, lockdown life, the joys and perils of technology, adapting Spies for the screen - and how his muse has changed as he gets older.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.Click here to try four weeks of the Spectator for free and get a free wireless charger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Amber Athey, Spectator USA's Washington Correspondent.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Audio Reads, Douglas Murray advises Labour to get a new attack line, now that the Conservatives have become the party of the NHS. Professor Paul Dolan, a behavioural scientist at the LSE, ponders what would have happened had the pandemic started in Sweden, rather than China. And Andrew Watts says - if Brexit talks are scuppered because of fish, shouldn't Brits at least eat more of it?Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Forbes is an SNP MP and the Scottish Finance Secretary. She stepped in at the last minute when her predecessor, Derek MacKay, was suspended from the party on the day of the Budget. On the podcast, she talks about her international upbringing and how that relates to her nationalism, what it was like to step in for the Budget on that day, and how she squares her faith with politics.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brexit is back on the agenda, but this time, talks are even more difficult than the last phase (00:45). Plus, what do we understand about immunity, and how should that inform the lockdown policy (16:45)? And for a nation that bangs on about fish, do we eat enough of it (28:00)?With the Spectator's Political Editor James Forsyth; former Adviser on Europe to Theresa May Raoul Ruparel; Crick Institute scientist Rupert Beale; former Cabinet Minister Nicky Morgan; Spectator contributor Andrew Watts; and Pesky Fish founder Ben King.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Williams is the ebullient Executive Chef at the Ritz. On the podcast, he talks to Lara and Livvy about breaking into the London fine dining scene as a boy from Tyneside, how the Ritz is as far from rustic as you can get, and his friendship with Margaret Thatcher, when she lived at the hotel in her last years.Click here to try a month of the Spectator for free and get a free wireless charger.Table Talk is a series of podcasts where Lara Prendergast and Olivia Potts talk to high profile guests about their life story, through the food and drink that has come to define it. Listen to past episodes here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.