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BBC Radio 4

Conversations about tomorrow, from Today.

Every week Today programme presenter Amol Rajan talks to radicals, pioneers and innovators from all over the world. From populism and climate change, to economics and AI... How can their radical ideas help you win the future?

As well as presenting Today on BBC Radio 4, Amol is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that he was the BBC's media editor and editor of The Independent.

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are published on Thursdays on BBC Sounds. You can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today podcast. If you enjoy this (and you've read this far so hopefully you do), then we think you’ll also like another podcast from Today. It’s called Political Thinking with Nick Robinson and you can listen to Nick’s interviews here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p04z203l

The Today Podcast

The fashion industry is the world’s second‑largest contributor to carbon emissions, surpassed only by agriculture. With such a significant impact on the climate, the question is: what can we actually do about it? Tech entrepreneur and founder of SOJO, Josephine Philips, wants you to stop throwing clothes away and think about what you’re buying. 

In her conversation with Amol, they explore the wider issues tied to fast fashion, including exploitative labour practices, overflowing landfills, and the relentless pace of production. 

They also look at the rise of second‑hand shopping, from charity shops to online resale platforms, and how this shift is reshaping consumer habits. She says legislation can play a major role in holding large companies accountable for their product life cycle and Josephine shares practical, everyday steps we can all take to reduce our impact on the environment. 

TIMECODES 

(00:02:17) What is SOJO? 

(00:06:22) How the fashion industry impacts people and communities globally 

(00:11:03) Corporate responsibility and legislation 

(00:13:38) The environmental impact of the fashion industry 

(00:21:45) Josephine’s RADICAL solutions 

(00:23:38) The growth of second-hand fashion 

(00:26:55) Learning to repair our clothes instead of throwing them away 

(00:32:20) The downside of overconsumption 

(00:35:30) Affordability in sustainable fashion 

(00:38:38) Practical advice to help you consume less 

(00:50:41) Learning from past generations 

(00:54:24) Amol’s Reflections 

GET IN TOUCH 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Consumer Culture: Why We Need to Buy Less (Josephine Philips)

Social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidt answers your questions on social media bans for under‑16s, the influence of YouTube, and the risk of restricting access to certain online platforms.

He also talks about Donald Trump’s second presidency and how technology is changing the nature of political debate.

GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

How Do We Reduce Political Polarisation Online? (Your Radical Questions with Jonathan Haidt)

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt is at the forefront of the campaign to ban social media for under-16s and end what he calls “phone-based childhoods”. 

His book, The Anxious Generation, sparked a global reckoning that has led countries like Australia and Spain to introduce laws restricting access to social media platforms. 

He spoke to Amol ahead of a meeting with UK health secretary Wes Streeting about why he thinks we’re at a tipping point, whether technology is making us “stupider” and how parents can reduce their child’s smartphone use by organising local “play-bourhoods”. 

A Meta spokesperson said: “We agree with Jonathan Haidt that keeping teens safe online is critical. That’s why we've made meaningful changes - like Teen Accounts - to limit who can contact teens, what they see, and their time on our apps. However, two recent independent, large-scale studies in the UK and Australia, including one from Oxford, show the complexity of teen mental health and that many factors beyond social media influence it. Any serious conversation should reflect all the evidence and social media's positive role for teens: friendship, skill-building and finding community." 

Snapchat and TikTok were approached for comment. 

TIMECODES

(00:03:45) Are we reaching a global turning point in how children interact with technology? 

(00:05:58) Understanding why governments have been slow to respond 

(00:10:23) How Meta has reacted to Jonathan Haidt’s research 

(00:12:35) Exploring the claim that we are becoming ‘stupider’ 

(00:15:58) Phone-free schools 

(00:19:13) The rise and impact of the loneliness epidemic 

(00:24:38) Jonathan presents his evidence on the ‘correlation vs. causation’ debate 

(00:34:09) How Jonathan addresses criticism of his work 

(00:35:17) What the science shows about social media, smartphones and developing brains 

(00:37:44) Why children benefit from facing adversity 

(00:40:18) Jonathan Haidt’s message to children 

(00:42:47) Jonathan Haidt’s message to parents 

(00:49:48) Examining the argument that kids will always find ways around social media restrictions 

(00:53:08) Meta’s response 

GET IN TOUCH 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Social Media Bans: Are We at a Global Turning Point? (Jonathan Haidt)

Panos A. Panay, president of the Grammy Awards and Recording Academy, answers your questions about how governments can better support musicians and whether an AI-free music platform could exist in the future.

He also explores whether royalties paid to artists’ estates could be redirected to help fund the next generation of musicians.

GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Will There Be A Revolt Against AI Music? (Your Radical Questions with Panos A. Panay)

Executive producer and son of John le Carré, Simon Cornwell, speaks to Amol about how The Night Manager was revived a decade after its first season and how his father’s work was reimagined for a new generation. 

They also discuss the shifting realities of producing for linear TV versus streaming, the risk of losing distinctive British storytelling, and whether there should be a ‘streamers’ tax’. 

And as the second series comes to an end, Simon offers Amol a tantalising hint of what’s to come in series three. 

GET IN TOUCH 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

The Night Manager: How To Make Great British Drama (Simon Cornwell)

As president of The Recording Academy, which organises the Grammy Awards, Panos A. Panay is grappling with how artificial intelligence and streaming is transforming the music industry, often at the expense of artists. 

A former agent who worked with the likes of Leonard Cohen and Nina Simone, Panos tells Amol about his love of music and how that led to him becoming one of the most influential figures in the industry. 

And against the backdrop of record-breaking tours from Beyonce and Taylor Swift, he reflects on why the next generation of artists like Sabrina Carpenter are forging real connections with audiences through live performances. 

(00:04:16) What is the Recording Academy? 

(00:05:17) How did he want to change the Academy as president? 

(00:07:10) Finding his love for music growing up in Cyprus 

(00:10:39) Panos’ career in the music industry 

(00:17:01) What does an agent look for in an artist in 2000 vs 2026? 

(00:22:19) Are artists being unfairly paid by music streaming companies? 

(00:25:55) How do you get a better deal for artists? 

(00:27:45) The threat of AI to the music industry 

(00:33:11) Panos’ RADICAL ideas 

(00:37:32) The rise of live music 

(00:39:20) The popularity of music in different languages 

(00:45:51) Amol’s Reflections 

GET IN TOUCH 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Inside the Music Business: The Grammys President on the Fight to Protect Artists (Panos A. Panay)

Louise Allen answers your questions about the rewards and challenges of being a foster carer.

She also discusses reports that a new government strategy will back a scheme that helps foster carers expand their properties to give more young people a home.

GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

What Does It Take To Be A Foster Carer? (Your Radical Questions with Louise Allen)

As the government prepares to introduce a strategy to boost fostering in England, Amol speaks to foster carer and author Louise Allen about the crisis in the system and what it will take to fix it. 

At the end of March 2024 there were 83,630 children in care in England, of whom 56,390 were being fostered, but there is a shortfall of around 6,000 foster carers nationwide. 

In this episode Louise explains why we need to be more honest about the realities of caring for often vulnerable kids and focus on retaining foster carers rather than recruiting new ones. 

She also explains why there needs to be more practical support like providing a cleaner for every fostering household so that they can focus on emotionally supporting the children in their care. 

(00:03:10) Why is there a fostering crisis?
(00:06:20) Why do we have so many children in care?
(00:08:49) Louise's story: growing up in care
(00:16:13) The effect of smartphones
(00:20:08) Why is there a shortage of foster carers?
(00:23:37) Why do people foster?
(00:27:28) The recruitment process
(00:30:33) Foster care v residential care
(00:33:10) What is the fostering allowance?
(00:39:09) Louise's RADICAL ideas
(00:45:06) The government's fostering reforms
(00:47:30) The importance of giving children social capital
(00:52:19) Amol's reflections

GET IN TOUCH 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O'Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Children in Care: How to Fix the Fostering Crisis (Louise Allen)

Professor Helen Thompson, an expert on oil and global politics, answers your questions about Europe’s energy security, whether America would intercept Russian-flagged tankers carrying oil to Cuba and what uncomfortable truth she would inject into political debate. 

She also explains how the shift away from burning gas and oil and towards electricity and renewable energies will affect geopolitics? 

GET IN TOUCH 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

How Will The Shift To Green Energy Reshape Global Politics? (Your Radical Questions with Professor Helen Thompson)

The capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro by the United States feels like confirmation that we are in a new era of global politics, but what has caused this shift and where does it leave Europe? 

Amol speaks to Professor Helen Thompson, an expert on the history of globalisation and author of Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century, about how oil is fuelling competition between the US and China. 

They explore how it’s reshaping global power politics, whether it's possible for Europe to decouple from the US and why high levels of national debt threaten to undermine Western economies. 

And Helen, who is Professor of Political Economy at the University of Cambridge, explains why she thinks there is a case for potentially reversing the independence of central banks like the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England to give politicians more control. 

(00:05:11) What is the Western Hemisphere?
(00:07:45) The importance of Venezuela
(00:11:05) How and why Washington is putting pressure on China
(00:19:30) Why Trump is inspired by the US in the late 19th century
(00:25:08) The rules based international order
(00:29:00) Where does Europe fit into this new world?
(00:30:52) Can Europe break away from the US?
(00:33:30) Oil and the Western Economic Crisis
(00:37:40) How is oil effecting power politics today?
(00:40:40) What about renewable energy?
(00:43:58) The coming debt emergency
(00:46:30) Helen's RADICAL ideas
(00:56:02) Amol's reflections

GET IN TOUCH 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Trump v China: How Oil Is Defining Great Power Politics (Professor Helen Thompson)

What is the point of going to university? In this episode, Amol sits down with the critical theorist, academic and social media influencer Louisa Munch who thinks you shouldn’t have to pay for higher education. 

With the graduate premium in decline, she explains why people should go to university to gain knowledge rather than get a job because she believes having an informed society is good for everyone in an era of competing narratives about the past. 

She also reflects on why people of her generation feel disillusioned and what can be done to give them some hope for the future. 

(00:05:04) What is critical theory?
(00:06:06) Why she believes university should be free
(00:12:50) University as a meritocracy
(00:18:45) Is student debt worth it?
(00:22:06) Thoughts on class divide
(00:26:23) Nostalgia and the far right
(00:37:28) Disenchantment about the future
(00:43:32) Nostalgia in contemporary politics
(00:47:30) Louisa's RADICAL ideas
(00:49:08) Political movements of the next generation

GET IN TOUCH: 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan 
 
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. 

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Gareth Jones and Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Knowledge and Nostalgia: Why a University Education Should Be Free (Louisa Munch)

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