
The Bunker – News without the nonsense
News without the nonsense, every weekday morning. In episodes that fit your commute*, The Bunker cuts through the noise to make sense of what’s really going on in news, current affairs, politics, economics and culture. We bring you smart explainers, interviews, fresh perspectives and under-reported stories to as a refreshing alternative to repetitive Punch and Judy news coverage. It’s the only way to start the day. From the producers of Oh God, What Now?Our regulars include: Gavin Esler • Ros Taylor • Alex von Tunzelmann • Andrew Harrison • Zing Tsjeng • Jacob Jarvis • Emma Kennedy • Rafael Behr • Seth Thévoz.• Sign up to support the podcast and get episodes ad-free and early: patreon.com/bunkercast• Apple users: Get all of our core shows ad-free and early with the Podmasters Originals super-subscription.(* Even if it’s just from the kitchen to the front room. )The Bunker is a Podmasters production.
Latest episodes

Jun 3, 2025 • 39min
Leading Question – Who would replace Starmer?
Wes Streeting? Angela Rayner? Andy Burnham? Or someone you’ve never heard of? Starmer won’t be stepping down any time soon – but what happens when he does? Who’s most likely to win the leadership? Do they have the right combination of personality and vision to get Labour out of its rut? And will it be yet another bloke? Ava Santina of PoliticsJoe joins Andrew Harrison around the crystal ball to see who’s most likely to lead Labour when Keir disappears.
• Listen to Why? with Emma Kennedy: How could we talk to space aliens? now.
• Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.
Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production
www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 2, 2025 • 41min
Defence of the realm — Start Your Week with Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis
The defence review is the big talking point of the moment – what’s new and how will Starmer frame it? Plus, Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis discuss other pressures on Labour, the state of conflicts across the globe and Trump’s latest conspiracy theory thinking.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Rafael Behr. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 30, 2025 • 37min
MAGA wasn't built in a day – Which Roman emperor is Trump most like?
Donald Trump isn’t an emperor, yet – but who knows how he might change the US in the next few years. As he gets more dictatorial by the day, what lessons could we learn from Rome – and which Roman emperor is he most like? Peter Edwell is associate professor in ancient history at Macquarie University and joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 29, 2025 • 31min
Is politics too tough for Elon Musk?
Elon Musk seems to be limping off the political stage with a whimper. So was he ever the power behind the throne or just a useful idiot with a fat wallet and a massive platform for Trump to exploit? Today in The Bunker, Alex Von Tunzelmann is joined by Andrew Boujean, editor of The Washingtonian, to find out just how the richest man on earth m became the latest high profile figure to be chewed up and spat out by the Maga machine.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social
Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 28, 2025 • 43min
Does money really decide wars? Strange tales from the Vikings to the Luftwaffe to Ukraine
Economist and historian Duncan Weldon delves into the fascinating links between economy and warfare. He discusses how Viking pillaging ultimately boosted medieval economies and how Spain’s influx of silver made it poorer. Weldon provides insights on Genghis Khan as a globalization pioneer and critiques the Luftwaffe's glamorization of fighter pilots. Through his book, Blood and Treasure, he articulates how war shapes economies, typically with unexpected outcomes, and reveals the complex financial histories behind conflicts from the past to the present.

May 27, 2025 • 38min
Downing Street fighter – Start Your Week with Ros Taylor and Jacob Jarvis
There are reports of chaos in Downing Street – but just how bad are things really? Ros Taylor talks Jacob Jarvis through the latest from Number 10 and how Farage is upping the pressure on Starmer. Plus, we look at world news to look out for in the coming days.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26, 2025 • 35min
How Britain got lucky with its choice of enemies – with Horrible Histories creator Terry Deary
Forget the storybook version of British history. Churchill without Hitler would be a forgotten windbag with a record of failure. Elizabeth I and Francis Drake didn’t defeat the Spanish – bad luck and bad weather sank the Armada. And Boudicca would be remembered as a sadistic tyrant if not for the Romans. Creator of the multi-million-selling kids’ series Horrible Histories Terry Deary brings his irreverent, fact-packed style to adult readers with A History of Britain in Ten Enemies. He tells Andrew Harrison why history isn’t what it used to be.
• Buy A History of Britain in Ten Enemies through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.
• Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.
Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production
www.podmasters.co.uk
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 23, 2025 • 34min
From UFC to MAGA – How fight sports shaped Trump’s macho politics
Donald Trump is obsessed with sport – and increasingly, sports stars are obsessed with him. From his ties to wrestling through to his connection to the UFC, fight sports in particular have shaped the way he approaches politics. To discuss this journey, Jacob Jarvis is joined by Tom Kludt, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, who recently wrote a piece headlined A Guide to Donald Trump’s Jockocracy: 100 Days of Sports and Politics.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Sara Farolfi. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 22, 2025 • 32min
Is social media dying?
Whatever happened to the promise of social media? What started as a buzzing digital town square now feels like a ghost town overrun with fake news, A.I. slop and disinformation. LBC tech correspondent Will Guyatt joins Natasha Devon to ask: Is social media dying – and what could possibly take its place?
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social
Written and presented by Natasha Devon. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 21, 2025 • 34min
Why are we so obsessed with the end of the world?
From ancient Mayan prophecies to the QAnon faithful awaiting the next biblical storm, humanity has never been able to resist a good apocalypse. Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Tom Phillips, author of A Brief History of the End of the F**king World, to talk about asteroid anxiety, finding community in chaos, and why dreaming about doomsday might just be the ultimate form of escapism.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
Buy A Brief History of the End of the F**king World through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. https://bookshop.org/’s fees help support independent bookshops too.
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social
Written and presented by Gavin Esler Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices