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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

Historian and co-host of The Rest Is History podcast Tom Holland joins Amol to explore the history of radical ideas and what it means to be radical today. 

Tom explains why Christianity represented such a radical break from what came before, how it shaped secular thought in the West and how that compares to other religions. He also talks about his interest in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. 

And Tom discusses the phenomenal success of The Rest Is History, which he presents with fellow historian Dominic Sandbrook. 

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, Sophie Millward and Joe Wilkinson. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Radical History: Greek Gods, Roman Emperors and Religion (with Tom Holland from The Rest Is History)

From social media to artificial intelligence, one of themes of the first six months of Radical has been whether modern technology augments and improves what it is to be human or, on the contrary, degrades and damages our species.

In this final episode of 2025 Amol reflects on what he’s learned from the people he's spoken to on the podcast about how technology is changing our lives and brings you some of his personal highlights.

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. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Radical Essay: How Is Technology Changing Our Lives? (A 2025 Review)

Best-selling author Naomi Alderman answers your questions about her first non-fiction book, how she feels about her writing being used to train AI models and whether there will be a new series of ‘The Power’ on Amazon Prime.

And Naomi also reveals exciting new details about her latest novel, called ‘The Strangers’, which is set to be released in September 2026. 

GET IN TOUCH: 

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 

* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 

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 James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

What Do You Think About AI Using Your Writing? (Your Radical Questions with Naomi Alderman)

What happens when a new technology transforms how we communicate ideas and information? Best-selling science fiction writer Naomi Alderman joins Amol to explain why she thinks the digital age has pushed us into a “third information crisis”, which is as profound as the invention of writing or the printing press. 

Drawing on those past revolutions, Naomi offers some solutions to help us navigate the era we're living through. She suggests new laws to regulate the online world and potentially even a “checked internet” like Wikipedia, which is home to verified facts rather than misinformation. 

But at the heart of her argument is the need to prioritise real world, human connection and resist the urge to move everything online. 

Naomi also tells Amol how therapy has helped her and why she’s written her first non-fiction book after a series of successful novels. 

(00:03:23) What is the third information crisis? 

(00:08:01) Why the invention of the printing press caused the Reformation 

(00:10:40) Challenges of an information crisis 

(00:12:40) The transition to literature 

(00:16:30) The pros and cons of smartphones 

(00:20:30) The origins of writing and how that changed human connection 

(00:24:10) Collective thinking and decision making 

(00:26:30) What is social media doing to our minds? 

(00:29:06) Naomi’s radical ideas 

(00:39:28) Hope for the future 

(00:42:30) Scepticism about AI 

(00:49:40) Digital ID 

(00:51:29) Is this making it better or worse to be human? 

(00:55:10) The importance of therapy and becoming reconciled with the events of her life 

(01:00:00) What’s next for Naomi Alderman? 

(01:02:09) 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 James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Information Crisis: Why Social Media Bans Aren't The Answer (Naomi Alderman)

Chef, author and campaigner Jamie Oliver answers your questions about obesity and how he'd create a more inclusive education system. 

Also, is food in French supermarkets better than in British ones? And should there be a move towards predominantly plant-based meals in schools? 

GET IN TOUCH: 

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

Should School Meals Be Plant-Based? (Your Radical Questions with Jamie Oliver)

Jamie Oliver thinks diet-related illness and growing levels of debt are killing the country he loves. In this frank and open conversation, he tells Amol why we need to go further to help people understand the nutritional value of the food they eat. And although his campaign for the sugar tax brought significant change, Jamie says there is still more to do on school meals, breakfast clubs and food packaging. 

But Jamie’s mission doesn’t stop at food. He wants children to be taught how to manage their money and he also sets out a case for reforming education so it better serves children with diverse ways of learning. Reflecting on his own dyslexia, he emphasises the importance of giving every child the support they need to thrive. 

And following the announcement that Jamie’s Italian will return to the UK, Jamie reflects on what went wrong the first time and how he hopes to make the relaunch a success. 

(00:01:42) Reflecting on the cultural shifts throughout his career 

(00:06:12) What he thinks of the current state of Britain 

(00:08:25) Sugar tax 

(00:11:13) Junk food advertising

(00:13:50) What are we getting wrong with obesity? 

(00:16:58) Decline in cooking 

(00:19:39) School meals and breakfast club standards 

(00:23:17) Neurodiversity 

(00:28:30) How did dyslexia affect him as a child? 

(00:31:00) Why we need to teach financial literacy to kids 

(00:35:14) Jamie’s radical ideas 

(00:39:15) The decline of British pubs 

(00:43:10) Jamie’s Italian – why it failed and why he is bringing it back 

(00:46:55) The ups and downs of fame 

(00:52:37) Reflecting on his childhood 

(00:55:52) 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 Your Radical Questions, where you get to put questions to our guests, is released every Monday.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@r4today 

Watch 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.

Jamie Oliver: Obesity and Debt are Killing Britain

Musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens answers your questions about porn and masculinity. 

One half of the hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks, he now also advocates for young men and boys, which is why he was invited to an International Men’s Day reception at Downing Street - so why did he turn it down? He explains in this episode of Your Radical Questions. 

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
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 Ricardo McCarthy. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

What Do We Do About Young Men and Porn? (Your Radical Questions with Jordan Stephens)

How is online porn affecting sex and relationships? In this episode, musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens calls for a new approach to sex education and a modern redefinition of masculinity. 

From Paris Hilton to Bonnie Blue and AI generated porn he discusses how sexual content is evolving and the impact it is having on young people’s lives. 

Jordan also explains how his childhood and the whirlwind fame he found with Rizzle Kicks led to heartbreak and addiction. 

And how that led him to become an advocate for boys and men. 

(00:02:30) Why Jordan became an advocate for boys and men? 

(00:08:30) Jordan’s childhood 

(00:12:17) Reflections on fame 

(00:13:36) How he learned about healthy relationships 

(00:15:30) Is there a crisis of masculinity? 

(00:20:25) The reality of pornography 

(00:28:50) How he would design the sex education curriculum? 

(00:31:26) AI and pornography 

(00:38:25) Thoughts on Bonnie Blue 

(00:42:30) Legalisation of sex work and drugs 

(00:45:25) What his partner, the popstar Jade Thirwall, has taught him about relationships 

(00:47:30) Politics and young people 

(00:54:50) 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 Ricardo McCarthy. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Porn and Masculinity: How to Teach Kids about Sex and Relationships (Jordan Stephens)

Environmentalist and TV presenter Chris Packham answers your questions about wildlife conservation, consumerism and his love of punk. 

Also, why does he oppose trail hunting? What support would have helped him as a child growing up with autism? And how does he make even the smallest insects interesting? 

Here’s how to send us your questions for Jordan Stephens and Jamie Oliver: 
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk 
 
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 Johnny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Will Conservation Become More Mainstream? (Your Radical Questions with Chris Packham)

What does it mean to confront climate change? Amol speaks to broadcaster and campaigner Chris Packham who says conservationists like him have not done enough to protect nature. 

After the COP climate summit in Brazil ended without new targets to reduce the use of fossil fuels, he wants the UK government to lead a global emergency action plan as it did in World War Two and during the 2008 financial crisis to address what he calls climate and nature breakdown. 

The Springwatch and Winterwatch presenter also highlights the importance of biodiversity, how carbon emissions affect our health, and the practical steps individuals can take to make a difference. 

But ultimately he says we need a policy shift, which makes polluters pay. 

Chris also speaks candidly about his neurodiversity, his compulsion to speak truth to power and the personal price he pays for his campaigning. 

(00:06:27) The scale of the climate crisis 

(00:09:22) What he wants the UK government to do 

(00:12:23) Why climate change has fallen down the political agenda 

(00:14:52) Short term vs long term decisions 

(00:20:26) Are net zero policies working? 

(00:33:55) Environmentalism as a form of misanthropy 

(00:40:14) Radical solutions 

(00:44:02) What Chris does to help the environment 

(00:45:40) Why he thinks he and other conservationists have failed

(00:48:01) What individuals can do 

(00:57:38) The price he’s paid for his campaigning 

(00:59:55) Neurodiversity 

(01:02:38) 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 Johnny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Radical History: Greek Gods, Roman Emperors and Religion (with Tom Holland from The Rest Is History)

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