What The F Is Going On? with Mark Steel

Part 2 kicks off with Mark Steel eating Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's homemade slow-cooked beef brisket directly off a spoon while they record. Hugh dives into the hard truths of modern agriculture, explaining the dark reality of factory pig farming and why every cheap supermarket purchase is a political vote for animal cruelty.  Hugh defends his history of eating roadkill venison, reveals the five wild plants you need to forage right now, and rants against the toxic, hyper-stressful perfectionism of TV cooking competitions. For Ad-free episodes, Extended cuts, Early access & bonus content go to: ⁠www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod⁠ If you enjoyed this episode make sure to order a copy of Hugh’s book “High Fibre Heroes’ which can be purchased here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/high-fibre-heroes-9781526639004/ For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Follow Hugh @HughFearnleyWhittingstall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this emergency, sleep-deprived special episode of What The F Is Going On?*, Mark Steel is joined by journalist and political commentator Matthew Norman to dissect the fallout of the US midterm elections. Broadcasting on zero sleep, the pair analyze the significant electoral defeats for Donald Trump's endorsed candidates, the shifting political center of gravity, and historic wins for minority candidates across America.  Along the way, Mark and Matthew discuss the global ripple effects on right-wing populism, debate what an unpredictable Trump might do with his remaining time in office, and share hilarious anecdotes about Keir Starmer's invisible party appearances and George Galloway's conference chaos. For Ad-free episodes, Extended cuts, Early access & bonus content go to: ⁠www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod⁠ For media, press & guest enquiries please email ⁠[email protected]⁠ Follow What The F*** Is Going On? @wtfisgoingonpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 1, Mark Steel sits down with the legendary man behind River Cottage, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, to figure out what the f*** is going on with our food systems.  Hugh explains how his "cliché" rural life—complete with a private water well and canceling holidays just to plant garlic—connects to a much deeper truth about our hunter-gatherer brains. They explore the catastrophic rise of ultra-processed foods, the supermarkets' refusal to cut sugar, and why teaching cooking in schools is the ultimate form of national healthcare.  Plus, Mark recounts the brutal, warring factions of a small Devon town violently divided over a herd of feral goats. You can hear the second part of the interview in next week's episode – but if you can't wait, why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen or watch the whole interview straight away. www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod If you enjoyed this episode make sure to order a copy of Hugh’s book “High Fibre Heroes’ which can be purchased here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/high-fibre-heroes-9781526639004/ For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Follow Hugh @HughFearnleyWhittingstall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The conversation continues with Isy Suttie sharing the brutal story of her worst Edinburgh Fringe gig—a 2005 set where an audience member successfully paid her a £20 note passed through the crowd to stop performing. Mark recounts a disastrously misunderstood joke about the Epstein files at a village library, while Isy reflects on her time playing Dobby on Peep Show, from getting her iconic fringe cut to the thrill of throwing a real photocopier down the stairs.  Finally, Isy explains how she wrote a song rhyming "human" with "cumin" in 20 minutes for Taskmaster and delivers her final verdict on why social media is ruining society. For Ad-free episodes, Extended cuts, Early access & bonus content go to: ⁠www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod⁠ For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Follow Isy @isysuttie  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian and actor Isy Suttie joins Mark Steel to figure out what the f*** is going on, promising to solve the world's problems in a single sentence. The duo explore the pride of local South London history, the nuances of the Matlock accent, and how a Spanish tapas menu mistranslated a pigeon as "dumbfounded sky bacon".  Isy also dives into stories from her book The Actual One, unpacking the bizarre reality of having to submit a CV to stay in a New York Airbnb, her attempt to kiss men alphabetically, and the societal pressures placed on unmarried women. You can hear the second part of the interview in next week's episode – but if you can't wait, why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen or watch the whole interview straight away. www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Follow Isy @isysuttie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week we had some technical difficulties in the studio so we apologise for the lack of episodes over these couple of weeks. To help bridge the gap between episodes please enjoy this conversation between Mark and Zack Polanski that was recorded just a few weeks before he was elected leader of the Green Party. It's an excellent interview and we are giving you the full episode all in one so no need to wait for part 2. It is one of our favourites so please enjoy and we will be back with a brand new episode next Monday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the second half of our conversation with Paul Holden, we dive into Keir Starmer's downfall, his unprecedented acceptance of freebies, and the dark money that funded his rise to Prime Minister. Paul brings his 20 years of experience investigating grand corruption—which famously included exposing South Africa's Jacob Zuma and facing death threats—to unpack the Labour Party's secret slush funds.  We discuss Starmer's fragile political project, his approach to politics as a barrister defending a daily brief, and the absurd smear campaign that attempted to frame Paul as a Russian spy to kill his reporting. Grab your copy of Paul’s book here: https://orbooks.com/catalog/the-fraud/. For Ad-free episodes, Extended cuts, Early access & bonus content go to: ⁠www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod⁠ For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, investigative journalist Paul Holden joins the show to discuss his explosive book, The Fraud, detailing the ruthless internal campaign to capture the Labour Party. Paul has spent 20 years investigating grand corruption worldwide, including exposing former South African President Jacob Zuma, which forced him to leave the country due to death threats. In part one, we explore how a right-wing faction led by Morgan McSweeney worked with the media to undermine Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. We discuss the cynical weaponization of antisemitism, the creation of fake online identities to target Jewish activists, and the fabricated story of a brick thrown through Angela Eagle's window. Pick up Paul’s book here: https://orbooks.com/catalog/the-fraud/. You can hear the second part of the interview in next week's episode – but if you can't wait, why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen or watch the whole interview straight away. www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the second half of our conversation with Russell Warfield, we look at the future of the Green Party as a mass political movement and what it actually takes to challenge entrenched wealth. Russell draws on his extensive background—having worked for the Greens for five years, run the comms for the London 2021 elections where Zack became an AM, and played a central role in Zack's 2025 leadership campaign—to answer listener questions.  We dive into Keir Starmer's resignation, whether Zack Polanski should run in the upcoming by-election, and the tension between local community action and electoral discipline. We also debunk the myth of Green NIMBYism and take a quick detour into the muddy, bizarre reality of "Faragefest." Grab your copy of Russell's book here: https://www.plutobooks.com/product/the-green-socialist/ For Ad-free episodes, Extended cuts, Early access & bonus content go to: ⁠www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod⁠ For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Follow Russell @Rmwarfield  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, communications strategist Russell Warfield joins the show to discuss the shifting landscape of UK politics and the dramatic rise of the Green Party. Russell worked for the Greens for five years, ran the comms for the London 2021 elections where Zack Polanski became an Assembly Member, and played a central role in his 2025 leadership campaign. In part one, we explore how the Green Party's enduring anti-capitalist principles and recent surge in membership directly influenced the Labour Party, arguably paving the way for Andy Burnham’s premiership. We also unpack the intense, coordinated media backlash the Greens faced and what it signals about their growing threat to the political establishment. Pick up Russell’s new book here: https://www.plutobooks.com/product/the-green-socialist/ You can hear the second part of the interview in next week's episode – but if you can't wait, why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen or watch the whole interview straight away. www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod For media, press & guest enquiries please email [email protected] Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Instagram @wtfisgoingonpod  Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel   Follow Russell @Rmwarfield  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices