

Newscast
BBC News
The BBC's daily news podcast, Newscast dives into the day's big stories so you're never out of your depth.Newscast picks the brains of BBC News experts so you're ready if someone picks yours, covering the latest developments in politics in Westminster and beyond.Newscast is hosted by trusted journalists including Adam Fleming, BBC Political Editor Chris Mason, Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O'Connell. 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.Catch Newscast seven-days a week and watch on BBC One at 23:40 on Thursday night or later on BBC iPlayer. GET IN TOUCH:
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to 03301239480
Email Newscast@bbc.co.uk
Or use the hashtag #BBCNewscastNewscast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Newscast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, The Today Podcast, and of course Americast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Newscast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.Americast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to 03301239480
Email Newscast@bbc.co.uk
Or use the hashtag #BBCNewscastNewscast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Newscast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, The Today Podcast, and of course Americast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Newscast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.Americast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 22, 2021 • 44min
The Newscast Christmas Party 2021
...and you're invited! Singer Jessie Ware and her mum/podcast co-host Lennie, Radio 1’s Greg James and author Bella Mackie, plus filmmaker Richard Curtis and broadcaster Emma Freud, are the special guests at Newscast's virtual Christmas party this year. A bit of a family affair!It’s been another year of big news, so as a seasonal treat, we talk about the politics… of Christmas food, we review the year in music, and we celebrate the best festive films.The Newscast Christmas special was produced by Daniel Wittenberg with Alix Pickles, Sally Abrahams and Ros Jones. The sound design was by Emma Crowe and the studio manager was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.Thanks to:
Twentieth Century Fox and Hughes Entertainment and Chris Columbus for Home Alone 2.
BRON Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Scott Free Productions and Ridley Scott for House of Gucci.
Gary Sanchez Productions, Project Zeus and Hyperobject Industries and Jesse Armstrong for Succession.
New Line Cinema, Guy Walks into a Bar Productions, Gold/Miller Productions and Jon Favreau for Elf.

Dec 21, 2021 • 29min
Mingle Bells
There'll be no new restrictions in England before Christmas Day, says Boris Johnson...Adam and Chris chat through the days news. The BBC's Jim Reed explains what we know (and what we still don't know) about the latest Omicron data and Simon Jack runs through what the government's £1bn fund means for businesses around the country. Also, Louise, from the Oxford Playhouse, lifts the curtain on how her industry is coping right now.Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Ros Jones and Alix Pickles. The studio manager was Emma Crowe

Dec 20, 2021 • 33min
Covid Rules Not Ruled Out
How likely are further restrictions over the festive period?Vicki Young, Hugh Pym and Adam pore over the latest covid data and consider what the numbers mean for hospitals and hospitality.
And as jigsaw sales soar, Cynthia Yeoh chats through the nation’s favourites in 2021. Newscast was made by Emma Close with Ros Jones and Alix Pickles. The studio manager was Emma Crowe.

Dec 17, 2021 • 39min
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Another turbulent week in politics...Andrew Marr, the soon-to-be-ex-Sunday-morning-TV-host, drops by to reflect on his career (and pore over the shock by-election result in Shropshire). Laura makes a late appearance after news breaks that Simon Case (the person currently investigating lockdown Xmas parties at Downing Street) was also at a seasonal office get-together last year. And Adam hears from Dr Maryam Khosravi, an intensive care doctor in London, about how she is preparing for Omicron.
Today’s Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Ben Cooper, Georgia Coan, Alix Pickles and Danny Wittenberg. Emma Crowe was the studio director. Jonathan Aspinwall was the editor.

Dec 16, 2021 • 38min
Disappointing the Archbishop
The Archbishop of Canterbury tells Adam, Laura and Chris that he was disappointed to see a photo of Conservative activists having what looked like a party at Tory headquarters last Christmas. Justin Welby also says leaders need to be honest, admit mistakes and stick to the rules. And he reveals what it was like to do a jigsaw with the Queen at Sandringham. We get the latest on record Covid figures from Fergus Walsh too.
Today’s episode of Newscast was made by Danny Wittenberg and Sally Abrahams. The studio director was Emma Crowe and the assistant editor was Alison Gee. Jonathan Aspinwall is the editor.

Dec 15, 2021 • 36min
Christmas Prioritrees
Chris Whitty sends clear message on festive parties as Omicron surges: stay at home unless it really matters. Adam, Laura and Fergus reflect on a gloomy No 10 press conference...And, what did the COP26 President really think of what happened in Glasgow? We find out from the man himself, Alok Sharma. Today’s episode of Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Ros Jones, Georgia Coan, Maia Lowerson and Ben Cooper. The studio manager was Michael Regaard.

Dec 14, 2021 • 33min
Plan reBellion
Covid passes pass... despite a huge Tory revolt.MPs have backed the government’s Plan B measures (for England) in a Commons vote, despite nearly 100 Tory MPs rebelling against the plans. The BBC's Vicki Young joins Adam to chat through what went down in Parliament. And Dr Angelique Coetzee, the South African doctor who first spotted the new Omicron variant, joins Newscast to explain why it’s different from the rest. Today’s episode of Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Ben Cooper, Georgia Coan, Sally Abrahams and Ros Jones. The studio manager was Emma Crowe.

Dec 13, 2021 • 34min
All I Want for Christmas Is Queue(s)
People have been queuing at vaccine centres and online for hours to get hold of the booster after the PM’s address last night. Even the NHS website crashed! Laura, Fergus and GP Silvana McCaffrey join Adam to chat through the booster roll-out plans, what we know about the Omicron variant so far, and what this all means for the government now.Today’s Newscast was made by Emma Close with Alix Pickles and Georgia Coan. The studio manager was Emma Crowe.

Dec 12, 2021 • 26min
'Get Boosted Now'
Boris Johnson offers third jabs for everyone over 18... What do we know about Omicron? Can the NHS cope? Could tighter restrictions be coming soon? Adam, Laura and Fergus get together for an emergency Newscast after the Prime Minister’s Sunday night TV address.Today’s Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Daniel Wittenberg. The studio manager was Ash Taylor.

Dec 10, 2021 • 34min
Plan B Begins
So here it is... Merry Maskmas. As England's new Covid rules start to take effect, the Daily Mirror’s Pippa Crerar, who first broke the news about last year’s Downing Street Christmas gatherings, brings us up to date on the controversy.Meanwhile, the BBC’s Ed Thomas tells Adam about the impact of the pandemic on poverty and mental health in Burnley, where he has been following communities in some of the town’s most deprived areas over the past year.And Brit Awards’ Rising Star winner, Holly Humberstone, talks about becoming famous during lockdown and why she supports mask-wearing at her gigs.Today’s Newscast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Ben Cooper and Alix Pickles. The studio director was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Alison Gee.