Episodes
This week on The Sports Agents...England captain Leah Williamson, who lifted the Euros trophy at Wembley, talks to us about her 19-year Arsenal career culminating in the Champions League final this weekend. (03:00)We have a laugh with the man responsible for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney taking over Wrexham, Humphrey Ker. (07:30)As Netflix launch a new Drive to Survive series for the F1 Academy, where 18 women compete to make a name for themselves in motorsport, we speak to Susie Wolff, former F1 development driver and now Managing Director of the F1 Academy. (14:30)Tottenham ended their...
Two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead outside the Jewish museum in Washington DC. The suspect chanted "Free Palestine" as he was taken into custody. World leaders - including the PM - have condemned the killings. He said in a statement: "Antisemitism is an evil we must stamp out wherever it appears." Earlier this week, the UK, France and Canada issued a statement about the "intolerable" humanitarian situation in Gaza, and threatened sanctions against Israel. That response has led to some Israeli ministers blaming Keir Starmer, Emanuel Macron and Mark Carney of emboldening the forces of t...
At PMQs, Kemi Badenoch asked Keir Starmer when “the inevitable U-turn on winter fuel" would come. Unfortunately for her, he’d already announced it. Admittedly, it was quietly done. With a bit of hedging and fudging. But if you were following closely, you’d have heard him commit to a rethink at "the next fiscal statement" to a Labour MP who stood up before the Tory leader. When will the backtrack come into force? And does this alleviate pressure on the Treasury on benefits - or just ramp it up? We speak to the Labour backbencher Brian Leishman, who wants to see his leader go further and fast...
The frustration in Keir Starmer's voice was palpable. He’s joined forces with France and Canada to pressure Israel to stop the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza. How far are these leaders prepared to go? And will Trump support them? Later, what is the political fallout from the EU trade deal? And what would the Lib Dem’s do differently? We hear from Ed Davey on Brexit, Nick Clegg and his new book “Why I care“.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Late on Friday, the Newsagents learnt that Gary Lineker could part ways with the BBC as soon as Monday. On today’s episode we piece together the conversations that explain the timing, and ask where it leaves both parties. More widely, do the BBC rules work when it comes to talent tweeting? And was this relationship already over? Later, the big EU - UK reset has provoked a lot of white flag rhetoric of surrender and defeat. But 8 years on from Brexit, might the problem really be that the government hasn’t been braver in terms of jump starting our economy?And we look at the rumours of a cover...
Jon and Lewis are back for a second News Agents live Q&A taking your questions. In the week of the PM's "island of strangers" speech, they discuss why some voters feel "hoodwinked" by Keir Starmer's government, who in Labour ranks is in prime position to succeed him when the moment arrives, and whether the media is responsible for the spike in Reform's poll numbers - or if liberals need to figure out a better way to take the fight to the populist right. They also reveal the weirdest places they have been sent on assignment...The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co...
Two big exclusive interviews this week on The Sports Agents...The new face of rugby, Henry Pollock, joined us in the studio. With two tries from one England cap, and now a Lions call up - this 20-year-old is on a rapid rise, and he’s using that fame to make rugby cool again with his try celebrations. (03:45)Gabby and Mark also sat down with Bournemouth manager, Andoni Iraola. Under his guidance the club could qualify for Europe for the first time ever, and he and his players, like Dean Huijsen, are catching the eyes of Real Madrid! (12:15) Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at ...
MP Rupert Lowe was kicked out of the Reform party earlier this year after a very public spat with Nigel Farage. He claims “lawfare“ and says Farage was trying to jail a political opponent. Reform say he was dropped for his behaviour after bullying allegations came to light. Yesterday the CPS announced no further action would be taken against Lowe, concluding that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. We speak to him on today’s episode about bullying, grooming, and the accusation that Farage was trying to get him locked up.The News Agents is brought t...
Sean Combs, P Diddy and Puff Daddy - the names are as numerous as the allegations. The hip hop star is standing trial for sex trafficking and racketeering in a legal suit that’s captured America. On today's show we bring you everything you need to know about the biggest trial since Weinstein.Later, we ask whether Keir Starmer is now treating Reform as the main party of opposition.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
In the 24 hours since giving his hard hitting speech on immigration, Keir Starmer and his cabinet have faced accusations his language was channeling that of the far right 1960s politician Enoch Powell. He of the 'River of Blood' speech, in 1968. We talk to Lord Alf Dubs, the child refugee and moral conscience of the nation, about how he sees the Prime Minister's language. And why the words matter. Later, Christiane Amanpour launches her new global podcast 'The Ex Files' with her Ex Husband, Jamie Rubin, a former State department diplomatic. You can listen to The Ex Files here: https://www.g...
Keir Starmer, sounding in tone closer to Nigel Farage than previous Labour prime ministers, has called immigration a failed lab experiment and decreed it’s time to take back control. Introducing the government's immigration white paper, the PM says that high net migration has done "incalculable damage" to the country. It’s language that suggests he has been spooked by Reform's recent successes. But language, he presumes, voters now want to hear from their leader. Is he right? And what happens to our most vulnerable if we don’t have NHS staff and care home workers to fill the job gaps no one...
For half a century, Tina Brown has been a titan of journalism both here in the UK and in America. Editor of Tatler at just 25, she continued to take on Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, moving now into the digital age of journalism. Through the Reagan era to Trump, Tina Brown has seen it all. This Friday, Lewis is joined by Tina in the studio to talk about her vast career, Trump's drive for payback, and the future of journalism in the digital age. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
This week on The Sports Agents...After two dramatic Champions League semi-finals we caught up with European Football Journalist Guillem Balagué (03:45).World number one tennis player, Jannik Sinner, returned from a three-month doping ban this week. His lawyer Jamie Singer came into the studio (12:15).With young superstars lighting up sport recently like Lamine Yamal and Luke Littler, we spoke to skateboarder Sky Brown, who became Britain's youngest Olympic medallist aged 13 (16:15). The new snooker world champion Zhao Xintong just came back from a 20-month ban for being party to match fixin...
Keir Starmer could only dial in to Donald Trump's press conference, hailing the new US-UK trade deal, but that didn't stop an Oval Office love in between the two leaders.Starmer praised a "historic" day for both countries, as Trump thanked Starmer, speaking warmly of the special “external and internal bond” between the two countries.The timing could hardly be better for the Prime Minister, some much needed good economic news after a brutal set of local election results and growing unease on his backbenches about welfare cuts. But is there actually that much to get excited about in this trad...
For nearly a decade, Harvey Weinstein's former assistant, Zelda Perkins, has been exposing the way NDAs are abused by people of power, and trying to bring about change in how they are used in the workplace. Later in today’s episode we ask her why employers are still using NDAs to gag employees and why the government STILL hasn’t banned this practice. But we start on the border of India and Pakistan where shots have been fired between two nuclear powers. We’re going back to the start with Tim Marshall. Why do these countries hate each other so much? And how did it all begin? We have the expl...
In the latest round of “did I hear that correctly?“, the Prime Minister's spokesman has refused to rule out housing asylum seekers in tents. It’s a policy that's been touted by Reform's new mayor for Greater Lincolnshire, and, you'd think, should be an easy one for Labour to knock down. The fact they can’t - or won’t - speaks to a larger issue about how Labour deals with the Reform party in Britain and how progressive parties more generally should approach populist ideas. Should mainstream parties shun them or embrace them? Later, Netanyahu’s latest plan for political survival is to occupy ...
For the last decade, the spectre of Nigel Farage has been haunting British politics. From UKIP to the Brexit Party, he has loomed in the background of Westminster, threatening but never quite managing to pose a real threat to the two major parties. All that changed today. With just six votes in it, Reform took their first seat from Labour, in Runcorn - which had been one of the safest seats in the country. The party has secured other big council and mayoral wins too. Farage now claims that he, not Kemi Badenoch, is the leader of the opposition. Is he right? How will Labour respond to this R...
This week on The Sports Agents...Gabby and Mark were live from Lords Cricket Ground this week for the launch of the 2026 Women's T20 Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. They spoke to World Rugby Player of the Year, Ellie Kildunne, about their own home World Cup this summer, the new trend for celebrations, and the cowboy craze (01:15). At Lords we also caught up with the new Head Coach of the England women's cricket team, Charlotte Edwards. Her task is to take the team from an Ashes whitewash to a home World Cup victory - so how's she going to pull that off? (20:30)After Liverpool won th...
Trump has sent 50 million dollars of military aid to Ukraine - the first shipment of aid since he took power. The money started flowing after Ukraine signed that much discussed minerals deal: in it, America recognised Russia's “full scale invasion of Ukraine". So has the minerals deal finally made peace possible? Or is it little more than a shakedown of the Ukrainians?Later, the Labour MP who says he wouldn’t be disappointed if more UK universities closed. Do we have too many universities? And are some Labour figures now starting to parrot the language and talking points of Reform?The News ...
Today, America's GDP figures show the economy is dramatically contracting, and recession continues to loom. It’s not an ideal backdrop for Trumps 100 day celebration. Jon has been in Detroit, where Trump has been addressing autoworkers terrified by Trump's tariffs. So, with 100 days of Trump 2.0 under our belts, we answer your most pressing questions about how it's gone so far, and whether things are only going to get crazier. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Mark Carney’s election win in Canada has shown what a potent political force Trump can be - to those campaigning against his economic bullying. But could it have wider implications at home for Keir Starmer? Will the PM now feel more comfortable prioritising a trade deal with the EU over the US? And what does having an ally on America's border mean for the way the UK Government now deals with Trump? Jon's been at an election watch party and is now headed to Detroit across the border - as Donald Trump marks his 100 days in office. Later, Amazon vs Trump: why, according to the White House, it’...
Polls have narrowed as Canadians head to the ballot box. Mark Carney has led a remarkable fightback for the Liberal party, driven in no small part by a newfound sense of Canadian nationalism - determined not to be cowed by Donald Trump, disgusted by his overtures to turn the country into America's 51 state.But with the election looking tightly contested, Jon's been on the Conservative party campaign trail in Oakville, Ontario, where "Maple Leaf MAGA" is also coming out in force - could Donald Trump have killed their chance of returning to government?Later, Emily speaks to Sacha Lord - the c...
A special edition of The News Agents this weekend as Canadians head to the polls for an election which may be decided by anti American antipathy for Donald Trump. But we begin in Rome after that meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy. Big questions for both leaders. Has Trump now recognised he’s been played by Putin? And will Zelenskyy have any choice but to agree to concede sovereign Ukrainian territory to bring the war to an end?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Over ten years ago, Black Mirror burst onto our screens, bringing with it dystopian futures and exploring themes of how humanity would deal with rapidly evolving technology. Now in its seventh series, how much of this is a far-off future? And in 2025, are we now closer to the world of Black Mirror than ever before? Charlie Brooker joins Emily and Lewis in the studio to talk about how his own anxieties shape Black Mirror, the future of TV in a world of AI, and why he believes humanity will triumph in the end. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
It was marathon week on The Sports Agents, inspired by the London Marathon...First up is Eilish McColgan, the four-time Olympian who's making her marathon debut in London. Her mum won the race just under 30 years ago, and now Eilish is hoping to break her record. (02:30)Former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss says he'll be chasing ex-England team mate Alastair Cook around the course as they run for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, in honour of Andrew's late wife. (08:30)Gabby and Mark look at how far the marathon has come with Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially run the Boston...
Overnight Ukraine's capital suffered one of its worst bombardments for nearly a year. Scores were injured by ballistic missiles. Since recording, the death toll has risen to twelve. Putin’s attack came just hours after Trump had berated Zelensky for being “the obstacle to peace". It’s hard not to see how Putin has been emboldened by Trump's words. Which may be why as America woke up, Trump issued an edict to Putin - sorry, Vladimir - saying STOP. Is Trump anywhere close to criticising his Russian pal? We speak to Ukraine-based journalist Conall Kearney. Later, Keir Starmer is facing pressur...
London was expecting to host key players today for a Ukraine peace summit. Late last night the US Secretary of State pulled out - leaving many to assume there was no plan to sign off. All eyes are now on the Pope's funeral on Saturday, which may be one the de facto European summit, bringing President Trump and President Zelensky face to face. Is Trump serious when he says the plan has to be wrapped up by April 30th or else he walks away? Later, what does Robert Jenrick mean when he talks about a “coalition with Reform"? And what should Kemi Badenoch do about it?Don’t forget you can also sub...
The IMF has just released a dire forecast for every major economy - predicting a sharp slowdown in growth on the back of Trump's tariffs plan. It comes as Trump is found trying to fire his central banker - the Federal Reserve Chairman ,Jerome Powell, whose job is completely independent of government. What happens if he goes? And why hasn’t Trump learnt from history? We speak to former senior advisor to Mark Carney at the Bank of England, Huw Van Steenis. Later, could the culture wars affect what happens now at the Vatican, as Conservatives and progressives vie for dominance of the Catholic ...
Matthew Freud rarely gives interviews. He’s normally behind the curtain, on the end of the phone - helping A listers, politicians, and businesses navigate their way through a hostile and unrelenting media environment. But now, on the fortieth anniversary of his company, which has served many of the world's biggest brands and most famous faces - he sits down with Jon and Emily to discuss scandal, power, Succession and what it’s like to be part of both the Freud and Murdoch dynasties.Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/the...
This week on The Sports Agents...What a moment it was... after an 11-year wait for the final major, Rory McIlroy finally achieved a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters. Actor James Nesbitt explained what it means to Northern Ireland, we relived the rollercoaster with co-host of The Chipping Forecast Podcast, Andrew Cotter, and spoke to Ciaran Lavery the Head Pro at McIlroy’s golf club, Holywood. (02:15)Who needs Messi, Neymar and Mbappe anyway? The new look PSG are into the Champions League semi-finals and flying. So how has such a young team become one of the best teams in Europe to w...