

What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel
WTF Productions
From Donald Trump's tariffs to Elon Musk's Teslas; from the rise of Reform to 'Woke Marxist Popes' and the axing of Winter Fuel Payments, award winning comedian Mark Steel and some very special guests attempt to answer the most taxing intellectual question of our time... What The F*** Is Going On?! Get video versions and instant access to the full interviews on Patreon.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 14, 2025 • 47min
Ep 159 with Jeff innocent (Part 1)
Mark is joined by comedian Jeff Innocent for an insightful and deep chat, Mark and Jeff discuss the role of Instagram and social media in comedy, finding a defence to woke that isn’t “mad”, how to be inclusive through comedy – and the funny differences between upper and working class people.
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 to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it! https://www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod
For media, press & guest enquiries please email mikey@carouselstudios.co.uk
Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Twitter @wtfisgoingonpod
Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel
Follow Jeff @Jeffinnocentofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 7, 2025 • 44min
Ep 158 with Caitlin Moran (Part 2)
This week Mark continues his conversation with Caitlin Moran in this very interesting discussion that covers a wide range of topics.
You can hear all of Mark's interviews in full before anyone else by joining us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen or watch the whole interview before anyone else with none of those pesky ad breaks.
visit https://www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod to sign up now!
For media, press & guest enquiries please email mikey@carouselstudios.co.uk
Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Twitter @wtfisgoingonpod
Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel
Follow Caitlin Moran @mscaitlinmoran Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 31, 2025 • 48min
Ep 158 with Caitlin Moran (Part 1)
Mark is joined by journalist, broadcaster & author Caitlin Moran In a full-length, incredibly interesting interview, Mark and Caitlin discuss feminism, the differences between men and women when it comes to health, life growing up within the working class – and secret Midlanders.
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 to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it! https://www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod
For media, press & guest enquiries please email mikey@carouselstudios.co.uk
Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Twitter @wtfisgoingonpod
Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel
Follow Caitlin Moran @mscaitlinmoran
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 24, 2025 • 53min
Ep 157 with John Mcdonnell MP (Part 2)
This week Mark continues his conversation with John McDonnell, ex-Shadow Chancellor and Jeremy Corbyn ally. If you haven't heard the first part then do go back and listen now but for the rest of you here is the rest of the interview.
Want to get access to the full video interview before anyone else? why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it! https://www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod
For media, press & guest enquiries please email mikey@carouselstudios.co.uk
Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Twitter @wtfisgoingonpod
Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel
Follow John McDonnell @johnmcdonnellMP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 17, 2025 • 58min
Ep 157 with John McDonnell MP (Part 1)
We're back! Mark is joined by John McDonnell, ex-Shadow Chancellor and Jeremy Corbyn ally. In a full-length, outspoken, no-holds barred interview, Mark quizzes John about his political passions, the Jeremy Corbyn years, life in the Labour Party under Keir Starmer – and how we go forward from here.
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 to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it! https://www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod
For media, press & guest enquiries please email mikey@carouselstudios.co.uk
Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Twitter @wtfisgoingonpod
Follow Mark Steel @mrmarksteel
Follow John McDonnell @johnmcdonnellMP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 14, 2025 • 1min
Brand New Series Coming This Saturday!
We have a very exciting announcement, We are returning for an all new and improved series of What The F*** Is Going On? starting this Saturday!!
We have some incredible guests lined up such as John McDonnell, Caitlin Moran, Michael Rosen, Alexei Sayle, Matthew Norman, Jeff Innocent and many more so make sure to tune in this weekend as we to try to figure out, once again .. What The F*** Is Going On? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 3, 2025 • 50min
Classic: Ep 108 with Scott Bennett
We'll be back in just a couple of weeks with some brand new episodes, But for now, here's another classic from the archives, in which Mark was joined by comedian Scott Bennett for a special extended interview, as he tried to make sense of his ongoing cancer treatment.
Mark somehow manages to see the funny side of coughing fits, industrial scale mucus production – and an assortment of drugs and paraphernalia that would put Walter White to shame!
Get ad-free extended episodes, early access and exclusive content on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wtfisgoingonpod
Follow What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel on Twitter
@wtfisgoingonpod Follow Scott Bennett @scottbcomedyuk and the 'Brew With The Bennetts' podcast @BWTBpod https://scottbennettcomedy.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 19, 2025 • 58min
Classic: Ep 126 with Ramita Navai
Good news! We'll be back with some brand new episodes starting next month. But in the meantime, here's another classic episode from the archives. Mark is joined by award-winning journalist Ramita Navai for a special extended interview about the Middle East. From Israel's war crimes in Gaza, to life under the Taliban, and the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement in Iran. Informed, entertaining and shocking, subjects range from the Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, whose death sentence was thankfully overturned by the regime after worldwide condemnation – to the hackers who filmed a pro-Iranian regime journalist masturbating to porn in his office. As a British-Iranian journalist, Ramita has won an Emmy and other awards for documentaries such as Afghanistan Undercover, ISIS and the Battle for Iraq, Undercover Syria, and Breaking Into Israel. If you want to understand What The F*** Is Going On in the Middle East, this is the episode for you. Follow Ramita Navai @ramitanavai Follow What The F*** Is Going On? With Mark Steel @wtfisgoingonpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 5, 2025 • 1h 7min
Classic: EP 118 with Robin Ince
We're on a break from the podcast while Mark starts his new tour 'The Leopard In My House' (details here: https://marksteelinfo.com/) But in the meantime, here's another classic episode from the archives. Mark is joined by Robin Ince - comedian, writer and broadcaster - for a special extended interview, as he tries to make sense of the rise of conspiracy theories and the challenges faced by rational thought. It's a hilarious and wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from Naomi Klein and Donald Trump to Robin Askwith, star of Confessions of a Window Cleaner! Mark and Robin discuss whether it's worth arguing with anti-vaxxers and flat-Earthers, and reveal some of the tricks that psychics use to con their audiences. But the most heated argument of all revolves around a Trotskyist interpretation of the 70s American detective series Columbo! Follow Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social Follow What The F*** Is Going On? With Mark Steel @wtfisgoingonpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 22, 2025 • 1h 1min
Classic: EP 79 with Miles Jupp
We're on a break from the podcast while Mark starts his new tour 'The Leopard In My House' (details here: https://marksteelinfo.com/) But in the meantime, here's another classic episode from the archives. Mark is joined by the comedian and actor Miles Jupp for a special Coronation edition of the podcast. In an extended interview, Mark and Miles discuss the big ideas of monarchy, religion – and whether David Attenborough secretly likes to go fly-tipping. Plus, there's Mark's take on what the Coronation ceremony itself will involve, including the Wolverhampton Dragoon Guards of the Prussian battalions of the Noble Emissaries of Mansfield. Oh – and masturbating hedgehogs. Follow What The F*** Is Going On? With Mark Steel @wtfisgoingonpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices