Best of the Spectator

Fred Smith is Head of Beef at Flat Iron. Having trained at several of London's top restaurants, he later became Head of Food at Byron. He then joined the Flat Iron series of restaurants in 2017. On the podcast, he tells Lara and Liv about how his love of steak developed, how he got into cooking, and what his comfort food is. His passion for the world-famous Angus breed is evident, but why is British steak so good? Also, on the podcast Lara let's slip her son's first sentence - safe to say, it's food related... Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damian Thompson, a papal expert, dives into the intersection of art and Vatican politics, revealing the intrigue of succession. Paola Romero shares insights on Venezuelan politics, spotlighting Maria Corina Machado's fight against Nicolás Maduro. Stuart Jeffries reflects on the perpetual nature of war, while Ysenda Maxtone Graham humorously critiques the evolution of party bags. Nicholas Farrell explores the emotional chaos of football fandom in Italy, highlighting the cultural clashes within a family divided by team loyalties.

Political consultant Alex Castellanos discusses Kamala Harris' candidacy for President, highlighting the need for her to transition from 'not Trump' to a convincing candidate. The podcast explores Trump's hostility towards Harris and women voters, the impact of social media on political figures, and the challenges in choosing a vice president to shape Harris' campaign image.

Kate Andrews, economics editor at The Spectator, discusses the rise of Kamala Harris and her potential to defeat Trump. The podcast also covers the debut of the 'Enhanced Games', Arthur Conan Doyle's belief in fairies, and Vatican intrigues for papal succession.

Writer and film director Neil Jordan discusses his new book 'Amnesiac: A Memoir', sharing insights on writing for page and screen, myth in storytelling, encounters with ghosts, and experiences in the film industry including dealings with Harvey Weinstein. He also reveals failed attempts to persuade Marlon Brando to play King Lear.

The podcast delves into Taylor Swift's huge fanbase in China, with dedicated fans flying to Singapore to see her and breaking box office records. The discussion covers the popularity of Western music in China, challenges faced by Western artists, the influence of K-pop, and the obstacles Chinese artists face in going global. They also mention viral videos featuring Western pop music in China.

Kate Andrews analyzes J.D. Vance's MAGA stance, Adam Frank discusses super-Earths for alien life, David Hempleman-Adams recounts his balloon voyage, Svitlana Morenets reports on Kharkiv's battle, and Michael Beloff dives into Olympics history.

Ambassador Eduard Habsburg, Archduke of Austria, shares wisdom on Twitter etiquette and living a good life based on Habsburg history. Emphasizes kindness, forgiveness, family values, and spreading positivity online to combat negativity. Offers advice on navigating social media and relationships with humor and grace.

This podcast discusses the unwavering support for Donald Trump following an assassination attempt, his lead in battleground states, and speculation about a second term. It also explores the mega MAGA fans in Wisconsin, favourite magazine pieces, and the rise of techno-optimism in society.

Acclaimed poet Roger McGough discusses revisiting his old work and making it new, his not-so-serious outlook on the future of Poetry Please, and a narrow miss on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. He reflects on themes in his over 65-year poetic career, the evolution of his poems, working with musicians, and the importance of humor in poetry.