Planet Normal

Douglas Murray, author, political commentator and associate editor of The Spectator lands on Planet Normal alongside Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan. He tells us why protests, such as the Black Lives Matter marches and recent stands against female harassment, are an inevitable consequence of lockdowns. Plus he urges Britain to take a leaf out of the French book and reject the American-born culture wars.Also on the podcast: Liam makes a strong case for the AstraZeneca vaccine, Allison tells us why heavy handed policing at the vigil for Sarah Everard ‘could not have looked worse’, and our hosts share a special announcement for regular Planet Normal listeners.Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 18th March from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/03/18/french-have-rejected-american-culture-wars-cant/ |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Read more on coronavirus transmission in hospitals: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/13/two-thirds-serious-covid-cases-caught-virus-hospital-start-second/ |Listen to Brian Moore’s Full Contact Rugby podcast: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |Need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor lands on Planet Normal this week, as he tells Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan why Budget day was momentous for his region and why he's urging Rishi Sunak to make the entire country a freeport. Plus he reveals how he thinks the Conservative party can keep precious Red Wall seats.Also on the podcast: our hosts wonder if the pandemic has turned into a "casedemic", Liam takes issue with the lack of journalism in Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview, and Allison shares positive news about her Covid vaccination.Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 11th March from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/03/11/avoid-ideological-battles-do-workstees-valley-mayor-tells-tories/ |Complete our podcast survey here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/planet_normal_survey |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Listen to Chopper's Politics: https://www.playpodca.st/chopper |Need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lady Carnarvon, owner of Highclere Castle, swaps "the real-life Downton Abbey" for Planet Normal. She tells our co-pilots why she thinks reopening England's heritage sites in May is too late and just how long it'll take for her company to pay back lockdown loans, plus she imagines how the Dowager Countess would handle the restrictions.Also on the podcast: Liam puts on his economist hat to dissect this week's Budget and Allison is delighted by President Macron's u-turn on giving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to over-65s. Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 4th March from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/03/04/planet-normal-budget-has-left-uk-danger-zone/ |Complete our podcast survey here: telegraph.co.uk/planet_normal_survey |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lord Grade, former chairman of the BBC and ITV and CEO of Channel 4, dons his spacesuit to join Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan on their trip to Planet Normal. He tells us why he's cheering on Laurence Fox's anti-woke crusade, how he's fed up with journalists trying to catch the government out and why diversity of opinion is sorely lacking in the UK media.Also on the podcast: Liam makes the case for extra government funding for catch-up lessons in schools, Allison questions why the UK is in one of the world's strictest lockdowns and one of our presenters tells us why they've come to resemble Cut-Throat Jake! Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 25th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/25/rarely-cheer-television-cheered-laurence-fox-question-time-says/|Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olympic medallist Sharron Davies MBE swaps her swimsuit for her spacesuit this week to join Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan on Planet Normal. And with the next games hanging in the balance, Sharron tells us what conditions athletes would accept to see the event go ahead, reflects on her time in the pool, and explains why she feels the rights of female athletes are being eroded.Also on the podcast: Allison sits on the fence on vaccine passports and Liam sets out why the next budget is the most important of his lifetime.Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 18th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/18/human-rights-females-trampled-olympic-swimmer-sharron-davies/ |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr John Lee, former NHS consultant pathologist blasts off to Planet Normal alongside Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan. He tells listeners why he believes the cost of coronavirus lockdowns has been hugely underestimated, and urges the government to take a look at the bigger picture. There is more to life than Covid, he tells us, as our co-pilots nod heartily in agreement.Also on the podcast: Allison opens up on a very personal struggle, Liam calls for the PM to reveal the roadmap out of lockdown, and the weekend's Six Nations result causes tension between our presenters.Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 4th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/11/scientists-should-last-people-running-society-claims-pathologist/ |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |Get 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country loses a beacon of hope in Captain Sir Tom Moore, and this week Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan pay tribute to the former officer. And in the spirit of Captain Tom, they look forward and predict a bright future for the UK's vaccine rollout - if the EU doesn't attempt to derail it... again.And joining the rocket is Rod Grant, Headteacher of Clifton Hall School and Planet Normal listener, who tells us why he felt obliged to write in after seeing the devastating effect the pandemic is having on children's mental health. He tells the podcast why he's more concerned now than he's ever been over his three decades in the classroom, and proposes an alternative solution to full lockdown.Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 4th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/04/children-frightened-go-playdates-fear-someone-will-die-result/|Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Do you need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |Get 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |Clip of Sir Captain Tom Moore courtesy of ITV's Piers Morgan Life StoriesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

University is the time of your life - unless you're living through a pandemic. Third-year student and listener, Lucy takes a ride in the Planet Normal rocket to tell Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan why her generation feels forgotten by the government, why she worries about her peers, and how the crisis has left her embarrassed to be a young scientist. Also on the podcast: Liam laments the reappearance of the Brexit wars in vaccine rhetoric, and Allison reveals some of our listeners' 'exotic' lockdown highlights. Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 28th January from 11am-12pm here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2021/01/28/students-like-last-thing-governments-mind/ |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Do you need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to The Juggling Act: www.playpodca.st/jugglingact |Get 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Christopher Meyer, former British ambassador to the US makes his maiden voyage to Planet Normal as Donald Trump’s presidency comes to an end. He tells Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan why it’s high time to abandon the idea of the “special relationship” and why we haven't heard the last of Mr Trump. Plus, as a former Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, Sir Christopher tells us why he believes Brexit divisions have seeped into the UK’s pandemic coverage.Also on the show: Allison makes the case for lockdown scepticism, Liam delves into the latest covid statistics and one of our presenters shows off their Welsh.Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 21st January from 11am-12pm here:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/21/brexit-divisions-have-infected-covid-reporting-says-sir-christopher/|Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Do you need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to The Juggling Act: www.playpodca.st/jugglingact |Get 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee dons his Planet Normal spacesuit, alongside co-pilots, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan. The MP for Altrincham & Sale West makes a strong case for easing the lockdown once the most vulnerable are vaccinated, and wonders just how happy the Prime Minister can be imposing restrictions in the first place. Also on the podcast, Allison ensures the podcast is “substantial” with the addition of a scotch egg, Liam analyses whether excess deaths may have been driven by the policy response to covid and not by the virus itself, and one of our presenters gets all riled up about their big toe (yes, really!)Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 14th January from 11am-12pm here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/14/lockdown-measures-ludicrous-removing-hope-public-says-leading/ |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Do you need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |Listen to The Juggling Act: www.playpodca.st/jugglingact |Get 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.