The Spectator Podcast

Domestic abuse services are braced for an avalanche of new cases as a result of social distancing. Of these cases, not all have or will be physically violent - instead, Women's Aid reports a significant proportion of cases in which access to money was used as a form of control. In the government's Domestic Abuse Bill, economic abuse will be for the first time recognised as a form of coercive control. So how can it be identified, and how can the women and men who are its victims be helped? Katy Balls speaks to Jess Phillips, Labour MP and domestic abuse campaigner; Olivia Robey, a safeguarding and vulnerability advisor and former SpAd at the Home Office; and Fiona Cannon OBE, Responsible Business, Sustainability and Inclusion Director at Lloyds Banking Group.This podcast is sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group.

This is an Easter like no other - so what happens to Christianity when Christians can't go to church (1:00)? We also hear reports from the New York frontline (12:20), and discuss just why humour is so important in dark times (29:40).With Luke Coppen, Tom Holland, Qanta Ahmed, John Rick MacArthur, and Jonathan Waterlow.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

My guest in this week's podcast is the multi-talented satirist Craig Brown, whose new book One Two Three Four: The Beatles In Time is, I feel confident in guessing, the most entertaining book about the Fab Four ever written. Craig joins me to talk about how he goes about his jackdaw work picking out the most curious and striking details from the mass of information in his research, what attracts him to his subjects, and why Paul McCartney has always been his favourite Beatle. Plus: a flabbergasting cameo for our own Stephen Bayley.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

This week's Book Club podcast features one of the great wise men of the literary world: Professor John Carey - emeritus Merton Professor of English at Oxford, author of authoritative books on Milton, Donne and Dickens as well as the subject-transforming broadside The Intellectuals and the Masses. (He's also lead book reviewer for a publication we shall call only the S****y T***s, but we pass over that.) In his new book, A Little History of Poetry, he sweeps us with his usual elan from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the backyard of Les Murray. I asked him (among other things) what constitutes poetry, why 'Goosey Goosey Gander' has it all, what he discovered in his researches, and why the so-called New Criticism got old. The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

Freddy Gray talks to author and professor Frank Buckley about the divisions in American society.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

The Spectator is meant for sharing. But in the age of coronavirus, that might not be possible. This new podcast will feature a few of our columnists reading out their articles from the issue each week, so that you don't miss out. It's a new format, so tell us what you think at podcast@spectator.co.uk.Matthew Parris warns against comparing coronavirus to the war, Lionel Shriver fears the economic repercussions, and Isabel Hardman explains why stockpiling hens isn't such a good idea.

Harry Mount, the editor of The Oldie, is appalled that thanks to the coronavirus regulations, he can't seek spiritual comfort in any of Britain's glorious churches. And he's not a religious believer. In this week's Holy Smoke podcast, Harry tells me why the ban on even entering a church is so pointless: he describes it as a giant exercise in 'our old friend, virtue-signalling' by the Anglican and Catholic hierarchies. I couldn't agree more. It was the bishops, not the Government, who came up with the idea of a total lockdown. One minute they're opening their cathedrals to helter-skelters and crazy golf; the next they're grossly exaggerating the health risks of solitary and well-regulated visits to churches. (No one disputes that a temporary ban on public liturgies is necessary.)But this episode is about much more than the current outbreak of control-freakery from their Lordships. Harry Mount is an agnostic; why does he feel the need to visit churches? His answer to this question is fascinating and uplifting.H

On the podcast this week, we take a look at the exceptional nature of 'coronomics' and what comes after (00:55), how the Swedish are dealing with coronavirus differently (18:50), and lessons in solitude from a polar explorer (31:15).With Kate Andrews, Lionel Barber, Fredrik Erixon, Yascha Mounk and Geoff Wilson.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

On the latest episode, Andy and Benedict talk to comedian and author Andrew Doyle, the brains behind the Twitter persona 'Titania McGrath'. Andrew explains just why he's so suited to self-isolation, the politicisation of coronavirus, and which quarantined celebrities he feels most sorry for.That's Life is a sideways look at the events, people, words and ideas that shape the news agenda. Presented by Spectator Life’s satirist Andy Shaw and political commentator Benedict Spence. Find previous episodes here.

On this week’s Book Club podcast, Sam is joined by Blake Gopnik — the author of a monumental new biography of Andy Warhol. Blake tells Sam how everything — fame, money, and other human beings — were 'art supplies' to Warhol, but that underneath a succession of contrived personae Warhol could be warm, generous and even romantic; that the affectlessness of his art was not the expression of an affectless man; and that if he’d lived on, Gopnik thinks, he could have produced something equal to the late work of Titian.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

This week's Holy Smoke podcast is a celebration of what must surely be the most inspiring piece of music ever written by a sick man recovering from illness – the slow movement of Beethoven's String Quartet, Op. 132, which he entitled 'A Song of Thanksgiving to the Deity by a Convalescent'. The relevance of this sublime music hardly needs spelling out. But what makes this episode particularly special is that, when they learned of the plans for the podcast, a brilliant young string quartet based in Kansas City, which calls itself The Opus 76 String Quartet, offered to record it for us. And that's what they did, without charging a fee, in the lovely acoustic of Visitation Parish Church just before it closed its doors because of the virus. They made a video of their luminous performance, which you can find on the Spectator's website, and there are two short extracts in the episode. My guest is the leader of the quartet, Keith Stanfield, who must be the only classical chamber musician in history to have played foo

The Spectator is meant for sharing. But in the age of coronavirus, that might not be possible. This new podcast will feature a few of our columnists reading out their articles from the issue each week, so that you don't miss out. It's a new format, so tell us what you think at podcast@spectator.co.uk.Douglas Murray asks, where do we find purpose? Tanya Gold writes on the Cornish revolt against second-home owners, and Mark Mason's gives tips from history on working from home.

Lisa Nandy is the Labour MP for Wigan and former shadow energy secretary. She is one of the remaining three contenders for Labour leader. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about her childhood ambitions, cross-party friendships, and the worst advice she's ever been given.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

How prepared is the NHS for the coming battle with coronavirus (1:20)? Plus, what will Britain look like after the epidemic (12:20)? And last, just how are children so good at make-believe (29:25)?With Dr Max Pemberton, Dr Kieran Mullan, James Forsyth, William Hague, Mary Wakefield and Piers Torday.Presented by Cindy Yu and Katy Balls.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

With Joe Biden taking a commanding lead in the Democratic race for the presidency, Freddy Gray asks Dave Weigel of the Washington Post who he might choose for his running mate. Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

Sam's guest in this episode is the poet Don Paterson — whose new book Zonal finds him accessing a new, confessional mode, a longer line and a childhood interest in the spooky TV show The Twilight Zone. Don talks about the relationship between poetry and jazz, the split between 'page poetry' and spoken-word material, the shortcomings of Rupi Kaur, whether poems should include 'spoiler alerts', and lifts the lid on his vicious feud with the man he calls 'Alan Jacket'.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

With Michael Auslin, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution and author of Asia's New Geopolitics.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

Emily Thornberry is the shadow Foreign Secretary and former contender for the Labour leadership. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about her challenging childhood, what practising law taught her about politics, and her bid to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

It's the first few days of a national lockdown, so have humans been hubristic in not expecting something like this to happen (1:10)? Over in France, is President Macron dealing with this any better (11:05)? Last, is there any point in being a historical novelist in the age of Hilary Mantel (19:10)?With James Forsyth, Dr Elisabetta Groppelli, Jonathan Miller, Katy Lee, Antonia Senior and Mark Lawson.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

Do you sense that something is missing in the churches' response to the coronavirus? In this week's Holy Smoke episode, Dr Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to the Queen, argues that the bishop's attitude of 'wash your hands and be nice' reflects the churches' polite surrender to secularisation – but suggests that ordinary believers now have the opportunity to show the public what Christianity really looks like. The coronavirus, dreadful though it is, could mark a turning point – one that leads to a religious revival in which the old breed of bishop-bureaucrat gives way to more inspiring leadership.Holy Smoke is a series of podcasts where Damian Thompson dissects the most important and controversial topics in world religion, with a range of high profile guests. Click here to find previous episodes.