Radical with Amol Rajan

Episode

• How Close Are We to a Cure for Cancer? (Your Radical Questions with Professor Sir John Bell) 01.06.2026 20mnt

  The FT’s John Burn-Murdoch stands in for Amol, joined this week by the immunologist and geneticist Professor Sir John Bell. After talking about the radical change being ushered in by successive medical breakthroughs on the main podcast, Sir John takes your questions on implications of this profound change. Will we see only wealthy people being able to benefit from these revolutionary treatments? What impact will the Trump administration have on the advance of medical science? And just how close are we to effectively curing cancer? * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Monday and Thursday. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray with Anna Budd and Oscar Pearson. Technical production was by Stephen Bailey. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
• Healthcare, Reinvented: How Dramatic Medical Breakthroughs Are Quietly Changing Your Life (Professor Sir John Bell) 28.05.2026 52mnt

  This week, John Burn-Murdoch sits in for Amol to speak to Professor Sir John Bell, one of Britain’s leading medical scientists, about the huge (and often undiscussed) medical breakthroughs changing how we live, age and die. Medical advances have already added 12 years to average life expectancy in the UK in the last 50 years. But the next revolution may be even more radical: earlier cancer detection, personalised vaccines, obesity drugs, AI-driven prevention and treatments that could keep us healthier for longer. But with the science and technology moving this fast, can the health service, the economy, and the public keep up?GET IN TOUCH    WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480  Email: radical@bbc.co.uk  Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and Monday. It was made by Rufus Gray and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Leona Gaspar. Technical production was by Stephen Bailey. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• Is Regenerative Farming Getting Greenwashed? (Your Radical Questions with Andy Cato) 25.05.2026 22mnt

  Oli Dugmore is in for Amol this week, and he's joined by Andy Cato to answer your radical questions about the regenerative farming movement. Before becoming a farmer, Andy was a successful musician and DJ as one half of Groove Armada. He sold the rights to his back catalogue to pursue a career in agriculture, pioneering regenerative farming methods though his company, Wildfarmed.In this episode, we put Andy in the hotseat, and ask him your questions about regenerative farming, including the potential scalability difficulties, whether it is being used for greenwashing, the role of rewilding, and whether it could be adopted around the world.GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Monday and Thursday. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray with Bella Saltiel and Anna Budd. Digital production was by Jem Westgate. Technical production was by Jack Graysmark. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• The Future of Food: Can Regenerative Farming Save Our Soil? (Andy Cato) 21.05.2026 57mnt

  This week, guest host Oli Dugmore, speaks to Andy Cato, one half of electronic music duo Groove Armada and a leading advocate for regenerative farming.Andy argues that modern agriculture is reaching a breaking point. He says that a reliance on chemical farming has degraded our ecosystems, taken agency away from farmers, and made us over reliant on fragile international trade systems. Through regenerative farming, he believes it’s possible to restore ecosystems, rebuild soil health and create a more resilient food system for the 21st century.They discuss Andy’s unlikely journey from global touring musician to farmer, including selling his music catalogue to buy land, and the founding of Wildfarmed, a business aiming to help farmers transition to regenerative agriculture while remaining profitable. Andy also explains why he believes traditional farming is no longer sustainable, how a different model could be financed, and what the benefits could be for farmers, consumers and the environment alike.
• Is Social Media Making Young Women Hate Men? (Your Radical Questions with Dr Jilly Kay) 18.05.2026 13mnt

  With Amol away, Eliza Filby, who an author and historian specialising in generational change, steps in for this week’s Q&A on young women and the “femosphere”. Jilly Kay, Professor of media and communications studies at Loughborough University, coined the term “femosphere”), and is here to answer your questions on the divide between young men and women, what role social media algorithms might have, and what men could do to help women avoid the “femosphere”. Plus, why might some people say that “femosphere” as a reasonable response to the patriarchy?GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical are released every Monday. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray with Oscar Pearson and Bella Saltiel. Digital production was by Jonathan Greer. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• What Are the Tech Billionaires Really Like? (Your Radical Questions with Reid Hoffman) 15.05.2026 18mnt

  Reid Hoffman is one of the founding fathers of the modern technology industry – an early investor and champion of the world of AI and the co-founder of the largest professional network in the world, LinkedIn. In this episode, he answers your questions on whether tech leaders understand the scale of their responsibility over the job market, how politicians will deal with the potential repercussions of tech on the working class, how AI could be used for evil, and what his contemporaries Elon Musk and Sam Altman are really like. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Monday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Joe Wilkinson and Beth Pritchard. Technical production was by Stephen Bailey. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• The Rise of the Femosphere: Who Are the Women Giving Up on Men? (Dr Jilly Kay) 14.05.2026 51mnt

  Are young men and women being pushed further apart? Recent polling by Merlin Strategies for the New Statesman suggests a growing divide: Gen Z women are less likely than their male peers to describe themselves as “happy”, “ambitious”, “excited” or “fulfilled, and only 35% of women under 25 say they have a positive view of men. Professor of Media and Communications at Loughborough University, Dr Jilly Kay argues that digital platforms are accelerating a new era of gender polarisation. In this special edition of Radical, guest hosted by historian and academic Dr Eliza Filby, Jilly explains why she coined the term “femosphere” to describe online communities in which women are encouraged to see men as inherently problematic, avoid casual dating, and exploit male attention for financial gain. Jilly and Eliza explore why a generation raised online feels increasingly powerless amid economic insecurity and social fragmentation, and ask what solutions might exist for a culture shaped by pessimism, alienation and division. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.ukRadical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray with Oscar Pearson and Bella Saltiel. Digital production was by Jem Westgate. Technical production was by Jonathan Greer. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• The Jobs Revolution: Is AI Working for You? (Reid Hoffman) 07.05.2026 1j 8mnt

  This week, Amol is joined by the tech billionaire Reid Hoffman. Hoffman is best known for creating the largest professional network in the world, LinkedIn, and revolutionising the world of work. His radical idea is that he wants to do it again with a rapid adoption of AI in the workplace in a way that is safe and ethical. The question is, how? In this episode we ask one of the world’s richest men why he thinks AI could change the workplace for better and for worse, whether billionaires should pay more tax, and his former relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Monday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Joe Wilkinson and Beth Pritchard. Technical production was by Stephen Bailey. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• Is AI Coming for Your Job? (Your Radical Questions with Matt Clifford) 04.05.2026 26mnt

  Amol puts your questions, queries, and concerns about AI to Matt Clifford, co-founder of Entrepreneurs First and former AI adviser to Number 10. Matt is a strong advocate for Britain’s rapid uptake of AI to boost the economy, but what are the risks? We asked him about capitalism, tech stifling creativity, universal basic income, how the UK government deals with the speed of AI development, and what the impact on inequality might be. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Monday and Thursday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He also hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor of The Independent newspaper. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray and Oscar Pearson. Technical production was by Ricardo McCarthy. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• Going for Growth: Can We Make Britain Wealthy Again? (Matt Clifford) 30.04.2026 1j 16mnt

  This week, Amol speaks to Matt Clifford, co-founder of Entrepreneurs First and former AI adviser to Number 10. Matt’s radical idea is simple; he wants to make Britain wealthy again by supercharging economic growth. He argues that economic stagnation has left the UK with flat living standards and wages. In short, he says, Britain needs a pay rise - and the way to get it is through a rapid adoption of AI, and backing entrepreneurs. But what are the challenges? Amol and Matt discuss the potential winners and losers in the AI revolution, the dangers of cutting red tape, and whether economic growth really is the best way of improving our lives.GET IN TOUCH    * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480  * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk    Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and Monday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper.Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Ricardo McCarthy. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• How Can More Women Become Business Leaders? (Your Radical Questions with Emma Grede) 27.04.2026 19mnt

  This week, Amol puts your questions to the businesswoman Emma Grede - from opportunity and motivation, to how dyslexia can contribute to our work ethic and the way we approach tasks. Emma Grede is the co‑founder of Skims, created with her husband Jens and Kim Kardashian, and the CEO and co‑founder of Good American, a fashion label known for its focus on inclusivity. She also serves on the board of the Obama Foundation and is an ambassador for The King’s Trust. GET IN TOUCH  * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480  * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk  Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper.  Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made Lewis Vickers, Anna Budd, Rufus Gray, and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• Taking Responsibility: Are We Thinking About Success and Ambition All Wrong? (Emma Grede) 23.04.2026 53mnt

  This week, the entrepreneur Emma Grede challenges ‘old thoughts’ about work-life balance, money, motherhood and success. She argues that focus, trade-offs and relentless effort matter more than comfort. From growing up in East London to building global businesses, she makes the case that opportunity still exists, if you’re willing to chase it. But are her ideas liberating - or just unforgiving? Emma Grede is the co‑founder of Skims, created with her husband Jens and Kim Kardashian, and the CEO and co‑founder of Good American, a fashion label known for its focus on inclusivity. She also serves on the board of the Obama Foundation and is an ambassador for The King’s Trust. GET IN TOUCH  * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480  * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk   Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper.  Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers, Anna Budd, Rufus Gray, and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The Senior News Editor is Sam Bonham.
• Why Are Young People Abandoning the Political Centre? (Your Radical Questions with Adrian Wooldridge) 20.04.2026 27mnt

  Amol puts your Radical questions to Adrian Wooldridge, a Bloomberg columnist and author of ‘Centrists of the World Unite: The Lost Genius of Liberalism’. They discuss individualism and society, a decline in support for the centre ground, the potential dangers of nostalgia, and how the political centre could engage young people. GET IN TOUCH  * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480  * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk  Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday.  Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper.  Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by Jonny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham.
• Reclaiming the Centre: Is the Old Political Order Dead? (Adrian Wooldridge) 16.04.2026 1j 1mnt

  This week, the columnist and author Adrian Wooldridge joins Amol to argue that liberalism is not only the best ideology for the future, but that it’s also under serious threat. Wooldridge sees populist movements on the right and identity-focused politics on the left as potentially fatal to liberal principles. The once dominant post-war philosophy has had a bad rap recently, so why should we bring it back? Has liberalism itself grown complacent? Is it now an out-of-touch establishment, failing to address modern challenges like social cohesion and corporate power? To survive, Wooldridge says, we must take radical steps to renew liberalism for the modern age and embrace the political centre again. GET IN TOUCH    * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480  * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk    Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and Monday. Amol Rajan presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was the BBC’s media editor and the editor of The Independent newspaper.  Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Rufus Gray and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by Jonny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham.
• Can Technology Rescue Reading? (Your Radical Questions with James Marriott) 13.04.2026 21mnt

  Amol runs through your questions with the Times columnist James Marriott. They take on whether we could use technology to encourage people to do more reading, pessimism on social media, and whether we risk changing our sense of what it means to be human when we lose our connection to imaginary worlds in books. James’s Radio 4 series ‘How Reading Made Us’ is available now on BBC Sounds. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday. Amol presents the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and hosts University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor of The Independent newspaper. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers and Rufus Gray with Anna Budd, Cordelia Hemming and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by Johnny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham.
• The Reading Recession: Are We Making Ourselves Less Intelligent? (James Marriott) 09.04.2026 58mnt

  This week, the columnist and writer James Marriott argues that reading is essential to the rise and fall of liberal democracy. He proposes that reading helps the spread of information, encourages critical thinking, and forces people to structure their ideas logically. But he’s concerned the shift from deep reading to digital skim-reading - driven largely by screens - is weakening our ability to think in complex, reflective ways. He suggests the decline has political consequences - that a less literate, more screen-dependent public may be more vulnerable to misinformation and less capable of meaningful democratic participation. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday. Your Radical Questions is released every Monday. Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, and he’s the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and the editor of The Independent newspaper. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers and Rufus Gray with Anna Budd, Cordelia Hemming and Oscar Pearson. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Johnny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham.
• Could All Government Decisions Be Made Through an App? (Your Radical Questions with Hélène Landemore) 06.04.2026 18mnt

  Yale political theorist and author of Politics Without Politicians, Professor Hélène Landemore, answers your questions about her radical vision for replacing electoral politics with citizen‑led democracy. She answers questions on app‑based referendum systems, how to persuade politicians to embrace open democracy, and why ‘de‑bundling’ policies could lead to decisions that better reflect the public. They also explore how the architecture of parliamentary buildings shapes, and sometimes limits, effective governance. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Monday and Thursday. 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, Anna Budd and Rufus Gray. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham.
• Rethinking Democracy: Would Citizens Do a Better Job than Politicians? (Hélène Landemore) 02.04.2026 55mnt

  In this week’s episode, Amol sits down with Yale political theorist and author of ‘Politics Without Politicians’, Professor Hélène Landemore, to discuss her argument to revive citizen‑led governance. She explains why she believes our current electoral systems fall short of representing the full diversity of the population and lays out a practical roadmap for what she calls an “open democracy.” Hélène also addresses the most common critiques of her approach and highlights real-world examples of citizen assemblies – how would they work at scale? Who would (and wouldn’t) be allowed on them? And what if people simply aren’t interested? GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and Monday. Previous episodes are available on BBC iPlayerhttps://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, Anna Budd and Rufus Gray. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham.
• Who Is Responsible For Over-Medicalisation? (Your Radical Questions with Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan) 30.03.2026 21mnt

  Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan, neurologist and author of The Age of Diagnosis, answers your questions about her book, what it means for women who are under-diagnosed and how she deals with criticism of her work. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Monday and Thursday.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 Cordelia Hemming. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham.
• Over-Diagnosis: Are Too Many People Being Given Medical Labels? (Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan) 26.03.2026 1j 4mnt

  Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan thinks that we are getting diagnosis wrong. In this episode the neurologist and author of The Age of Diagnosis explains how advances in screening have led to certain diseases being over-detected and why she thinks giving a condition a label can sometimes do more harm than good. And Amol asks about some of the criticism she’s faced since her book was published last year.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 Cordelia Hemming. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.