Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Nate Silver on Trump-Harris election, Elon Musk and AI Sep 03, 2024

American political forecaster Nate Silver explains who will win the US election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, why he thinks Elon Musk’s comments during the riots in the UK were acceptable, and how AI will change the world.

Silver is the founder of the influential polling and politics website FiveThirtyEight, but now writes on his website Silver Bulletin. He’s just published a new book called ‘On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything’ where he argues that “professional risk takers” such as low-stakes poker players, crypto kings, venture-capital billionaires and hedge fund managers are “winning” in American society, and what they can teach us about handling the uncertainties of the 21st century.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, American election forecaster, Nate Silver, tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy the chances of Kamala Harris or Donald Trump winning the US election, why he thinks Elon Musk’s tweets on X during the 2024 UK summer riots were part and parcel of having freedom of speech, and the transformative impact of AI on the world.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

US Presidential candidate Cornel West on Israel Hamas war, greedy ruling class and Biden vs Trump May 10, 2024

US Presidential candidate Dr Cornel West is a philosopher and prominent advocate for social and racial justice. He’s taught at some of the top universities in the US including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, but has one major plan if he becomes President: to “dismantle the American empire”.

The 71-year-old activist, who campaigned for Biden in 2020, has recently been vocal against both the Democratic and Republican’s party’s stance on Gaza, which he calls “morally bankrupt”. Though he faces very long odds in winning the race, he says he wants to appeal to a group of disillusioned voters who have given up on the American two-party system.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Dr Cornel West tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he thinks US foreign policy on Israel is enabling destruction in Gaza, how both Biden and Trump are problematic for oppressed groups, and why it’s difficult to have hope to change the world without also being in despair at the suffering we see.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Economist Joseph Stiglitz on Pro-Palestine campus protests, Trump and rethinking freedom May 07, 2024

Nobel Prize Laureate Joseph Stiglitz is one of the most influential economists in the world, having advised multiple Democratic Presidents of the US and the World Bank, where he worked as Chief Economist and senior Vice President. His latest book, called “The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society,” argues that the economic right’s concept of “freedom” doesn’t take into account the necessary trade-offs, that one person’s freedom often comes at the expense of another’s. And that “free” - unregulated - markets, far from promoting growth and enterprise, in fact lessen economic opportunities for majorities and syphon wealth from the many to the few. Stiglitz, now 81, is a Professor at Columbia University in New York, where freedom of speech and the right to protest have been making headlines in recent weeks, with hundreds of pro-Palestinian student protesters occupying the campus and clashing with police. The movement has now spread from the US, and encampments around the world are being launched, where the common demand is asking universities to divest and disclose their financial support of the war in Gaza. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, economist Joseph Stiglitz tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why more government intervention is desirable, whether campus protests in the US are going “over the line” and why stalling living standards “create a fertile field” for demagogues like Donald Trump. Produced by Shaheen Sattar and Silvia Maresca

Comedian Bassem Youssef on the Israel-Gaza war, the Arab Spring, and why we can’t change the world Apr 11, 2024

Bassem Youssef thinks that he’s come on the wrong podcast. “People in power don't really care about any of our suggestions to change the world”, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy, “because if our ways to change the world affect their interests, they will stop you.”

And he knows what he’s talking about, having fled his home country of Egypt after his TV comedy became no longer acceptable to the authorities there.

Bassem started his career as a heart surgeon, then moved to political comedy in response to the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, taking on the ruling elite in his country. His political satire show, ‘Al-Bernameg’ was the most watched show in Egyptian TV history, but soon became a thorn in the side of the authorities there, forcing him into exile.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Bassem Youssef talks about his view that Israel should be held accountable for the war in Gaza, how the Egyptian revolution was a turning point in his life, and why he feels disillusioned with the West's "lecturing" on human rights and international law. Produced by Shaheen Sattar, Silvia Maresca, Hila May and Alice Wagstaffe.

Playwright of Jodie Comer's Broadway hit, Suzie Miller, on sexual assault and getting justice Apr 04, 2024

When lawyer turned playwright Suzie Miller created a one-woman show starring Jodie Comer for the West End and Broadway called ‘Prima Facie’, she wouldn’t have dreamt that her play would fuel real change in the legal system’s approach to sexual assault cases.

The play has won multiple awards, has inspired efforts to change UK laws, and has also been turned into a book of the same title.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Suzie Miller tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why rape victims are failed by the legal system, how trauma is misunderstood in the court room, and why a patriarchical system forces female barristers to become part of the problem.

Produced by Shaheen Sattar and Silvia Maresca.

WARNING: Contains references of sexual assault

Poet Nikki Giovanni on white supremacy, the Capitol attack, and teaching the Virginia Tech shooter Mar 28, 2024

Nikki Giovanni has spent more than five decades in the public eye, as an activist, poet and innovator.

Born on the "wrong side of the tracks" in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the era of segregation, Giovanni came of age during the Black power and civil rights movements in 1960s in America. She came under the spotlight again in 2007, when the university she had been teaching at, Virginia Tech, was the victim of a mass shooting, carried out by one of her former students. The poem she wrote to commemorate the 32 victims, “We are Virginia Tech”, touched many people across the world.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Nikki Giovanni joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to to talk about her life and work, how anger has fuelled her poetry at different stages of her life - touching on topics such as domestic abuse, segregation, Black Lives Matter and Donald Trump - and recounts her experience of the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Armistead Maupin on trans rights and growing up gay in a homophobic household Mar 14, 2024

Author Armistead Maupin is a pioneer - writing about AIDS and HIV for a mass audience and daring to include gay, lesbian, trans and queer lives when few others were.

His ‘Tales of the City’ series, which started as a newspaper column in 1974, became worldwide best-selling novels and a Netflix series. It chronicles the lives of queer people in San Francisco and pokes fun at morality and social norms, touching millions of readers and viewers over 50 years. The beloved saga is now back for its 10th and final instalment, Mona of the Manor.

Now in his late 70s and living in London, the American writer opens up to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about growing up in the South in a “sexist, homophobic” conservative family, how he came to embrace the LGBTQ community, what life was like at the peak of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Author Kiley Reid on Black artists, handling criticism and social media Mar 07, 2024

“I don’t write fiction to preach my politics,” says Kiley Reid - an American author whose debut novel “Such a Fun Age” was longlisted for the 2020 Booker prize. The book gained recognition for its themes on race, privilege, and social dynamics in modern America.

Fast forward to 2024, and Reid’s second novel, “Come and Get It” delves even further into the heart of societal complexities. It’s based in a US campus and centred around money and wealth - who has it and who wants it - and the impact it has, on even the most personal of relationships.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Kiley Reid about the importance of finding stability whilst being a writer, the impact of having a theatre background on her writing, and her thoughts on being social media savvy as an author.

Produced by Silvia Maresca and Shaheen Sattar.

Timpson’s boss on upside-down management and business secrets Feb 29, 2024

How do you measure a business’s success? For James Timpson, CEO of the Timpson’s Group, it comes down to two things: the satisfaction of its staff, and what it gives back to society.

His employees only have to “put money in the till and look the part”; for the rest, they have complete authority to do whatever they think is right to offer a quality service to customers. This “upside-down” style of management doesn’t mean the business is not profitable - quite the opposite, in fact.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, the boss of the shoe-repair, key-cutting and dry-cleaning group tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy the secrets behind his unconventional leadership style and why fostering a culture of kindness, giving ex-prisoners a second chance and cultivating a happy workforce are key to Timpson’s ethos.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Bernie Sanders on Gaza, genocide and Trump Feb 23, 2024

Bernie Sanders is the longest-serving independent senator in US congressional history and has brought income inequality, poverty and the “uber-capitalist” status quo into focus throughout his decades-long career. He nearly became the Democrats’ candidate for president, twice, and has recently been backing Joe Biden against Donald Trump, warning that Trump’s re-election could be the end of American democracy.

In his latest book, “It’s Okay To Be Angry About Capitalism”, he presents his vision of what would be possible through a progressive agenda - one that would challenge the “corrupt” economic order that allows just 1% of super-rich to control more wealth than the rest of society, and where a decent standard of living for all is not an impossible dream.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, the US Senator tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why the US should stop its funding for Netanyahu’s “horrific war against the Palestinian people”, why a second Trump victory could foment right-wing movements across the world with disastrous consequences, and why taking on the ruling class is a necessary but “long, long process”.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar and Alice Wagstaffe.

Crystal Hefner on her marriage to Hugh and being ‘trapped’ in the Playboy Mansion Feb 15, 2024

Crystal Hefner was 21 when she first entered the infamous Playboy Mansion in October 2008. Within months, she ascended its hierarchy to become the top girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, who was 60 years her senior, and went on to marry him in 2012.

But she quickly discovered the house was not the glittering sanctuary she had believed, nor Mr Hefner’s Playboy was the place of freedom, expression and empowerment it professed itself to be. Crystal only left the mansion when Hefner died, aged 91, in 2017.

Having made a promise to the Playboy tycoon to ‘only say good things’ about him, for years Crystal suppressed the truth of what really happened behind closed doors at the Mansion, and the lasting trauma it caused her. Now she's written a book, "Only Say Good Things", about her experiences.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about life at the Playboy Mansion as one of Hugh’s three live-in girlfriends, how he made her ‘feel small and afraid for so long’, and why she’s finally decided to speak out.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Hannah Ritchie on replacing eco-anxiety with 'cautious optimism' and how to build a more sustainable world Feb 01, 2024

The past year has been a time of climate firsts, mainly for the wrong reasons. 2023 was the hottest year on record - with devastating wildfires, catastrophic flooding, ongoing loss of biodiversity and carbon emissions continuing to rise. But is there any hope for the possibility for a better future?

Well, there is in fact room for ‘cautious optimism’ says environmental scientist, Dr Hannah Ritchie, whose book Not the End of the World offers a data-based analysis of environmental problems and their solutions. Her view stems from the significant strides made in human progress across the world, and the advancements of technology, especially within renewable energies.

Today on Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy how her work taught her that there are more reasons for hope than despair about the climate and the planet we live on - and why a truly sustainable world can still be within reach.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

‘Deliciously’ Ella Mills on healthy eating and society's toxic relationship with ultra-processed foods Jan 11, 2024

Ella Mills is the best-selling food writer and founder of Deliciously Ella, the food blog-turned-brand which she created in 2012 after a sudden debilitating illness led her to overhaul her diet and turn to plant-based foods as a way to get better.

Since then, Mills has become a key player in bringing healthy food to the mainstream, with a brand whose 100 plant-based, additive-free products are now sold in all major UK supermarkets, and whose revenue is estimated to be £20 million. But this huge success has come with vicious trolling and personal attacks online - and it’s only now that Mills has finally come to terms with it.

Today on Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the story behind Deliciously Ella, why a change in our diets towards more fresh, plant-based foods cannot happen unless the government steps in, and acknowledging the difference between her privilege and her business success.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Arnold Schwarzenegger on self-help, the Israel-Gaza war and why he'd be a good US president Dec 21, 2023

Despite being 76 years old, Arnold Schwarzenegger shows no signs of stopping.

The bodybuilding champion turned Hollywood star turned US politician, now in the ‘fourth act’ of his life, has reinvented himself into a motivator, and written a book, ‘Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life’, about guiding people to achieve a ‘happy, successful, useful life’, inspired by his singular American experience.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Arnold Schwarzenegger tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy how he can ‘be useful’, why world leaders are failing to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict and why America needs a new candidate to enter the presidential race.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Samuel Kasumu, Former Special Advisor to Boris Johnson, on culture wars in government and being a Tory Dec 15, 2023

From 2019 to 2021, Samuel Kasumu was the most senior Black advisor in Downing Street, and was widely referred to as Boris Johnson’s racism advisor, working alongside the former Prime Minister during the first half of the Covid pandemic.

Kasumu left Downing Street in April 2021, amid the fallout from a UK government report that dismissed institutional racism. It wasn’t until after leaving his position, he says, that he realised how much of an ‘outsider’ he was, as a Black, working-class man who did not go to Oxbridge.

In this week’s episode of Ways To Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the reasons why he first joined the Tory party aged 19, the role of special advisors in No 10 and why culture wars inside Downing Street made the downfall of Boris Johnson ‘inevitable’.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Keith Allen on becoming an actor and why he would legalise drugs Dec 08, 2023

Keith Allen has been many things. The father of popstar Lily and Game of Thrones actor Alfie Allen, he was also a TV presenter, theatre actor, the man behind two hit football anthems (the Fat Les ditty “Vindaloo” and New Order’s “World in Motion”, both of which he co-wrote) and a handful of small roles in cult movies (Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, 24 Hour Party People).

Growing up, he was a troublemaker; he’d spent time in Borstal, was thrown out of drama school, even sent to prison.

Now in his 70s, as he prepares to star in a new musical called Rehab, he looks back on the moments that have made up his rollercoaster life and career with Krishnan Guru-Murthy, on this week’s episode of Ways to Change the World.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Song credits:

'Vindaloo' / Fat Les

'World in Motion' / New Order

Billy Porter on being a queer Black man in the music industry, the actors' strike and Trump's America Dec 01, 2023

Billy Porter started singing in church when he was about five years old, and growing up saw performance as a lifeline out of the trauma and rejection he experienced as a Black gay man.

The multi-hyphenate star won a Grammy and a few Tonys since his breakout role on Broadway with 2013's Kinky Boots, and was the first openly gay Black man to win a lead acting Emmy for his role in the drama series Pose in 2019. Now Porter is returning to mainstream music with his fifth studio album, Black Mona Lisa, which he hopes will continue to craft an empowering legacy for the queer youth of colour.

Today on Ways to Change the World, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the challenges he faced due to homophobia in the music industry in the '90s, the harsh reality of being an actor in the golden age of streaming and what success means to him.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Astronaut Tim Peake on Elon Musk's SpaceX and the future of space exploration Nov 23, 2023

Being an astronaut is a job like no other. Of the estimated 100 billion people who have ever lived, only 628 people in human history have left Earth.

Tim Peake is one of them. A former test pilot who served in the British Army Air Corps, he was the first British astronaut to ever walk in space, and completed his six-month Principia mission to the International Space Station with the European Space Agency when he landed back on Earth in June 2016.

Today on Ways to Change the World, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his journey to becoming an astronaut, his time on the ISS and the crucial role of Elon Musk and SpaceX in future space missions.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Caster Semenya on gender fairness in athletics and what being a woman means to her Nov 17, 2023

Caster Semenya has never doubted that she was a woman. It wasn’t until her athletics career started to take off that the now two-time Olympic Games gold medallist and a three-time World Athletics Championships gold medallist faced any questions over her gender. Called a ‘threat to the sport’ and ‘not woman enough’, she has become the most visible DSD (difference in sex development) athlete today, and found herself at the centre of the debate around the newly drawn line between gender and sport.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her experiences as an athlete with a difference in sex development, her tumultuous journey to the top of the athletics world, and what being a woman means to her.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

ActionAid CEO Halima Begum on siding with humanity in Israel-Gaza war and the West’s ‘moral responsibility’ to humanitarian aid Nov 10, 2023

It is nearly two weeks since Israel launched its ground offensive into Gaza and more than a month since it began intensive air strikes against Hamas, following the brutal attacks in Israel in which more than 1,400 people were killed.

ActionAid is one of the many charities responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and its UK CEO Halima Begum is urging countries that finding a humanitarian solution is paramount, with thousands of civilians dead and the majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents having been displaced.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Halima Begum tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her journey from youth activism to NGO work, the West’s ‘moral responsibility’ to humanitarian aid and the need for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Carlo Rovelli on white holes, challenging different narratives and the need for a ‘reasonable compromise’ in the Israel-Palestine war Nov 03, 2023

Carlo Rovelli has devoted large parts of his life to explaining to the general public what appears on the surface to be the unexplainable - and his bestselling science books saw him dubbed 'the poet of modern physics’.

But the quantum gravity researcher is as comfortable discussing his own work on black holes, as he is talking about recent politics such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, on the grounds that, like in scientific research, every issue has different facets and cooperation is key to finding a solution.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Carlo Rovelli tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his search for ‘white holes’ and how science can bridge different global narratives in the geopolitical arena.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Mikaela Loach on fighting the climate crisis through social justice, the problem with net zero, and being a 'soft Black girl' Oct 20, 2023

The climate crisis is the biggest single issue affecting us all - but for some, the impact will be, and already is, far greater than for others.

This is the principle of climate justice, that sees the causes and consequences of climate change as inextricably linked with social inequality - and that activist Mikaela Loach has made the focus of her work.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Mikaela Loach tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why we need to reframe our understanding of the climate crisis in order to tackle its root causes, and why only through “active hope” and collective action can we radically transform our world for the better.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Yanis Varoufakis on the death of capitalism, Starmer and the tyranny of big tech Sep 29, 2023

The world is witnessing an epochal shift, according to Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis: from the now-dead capitalism, to “technofeudalism”.

In his latest book, the former Greek politician - who in 2015, at the height of the Greek debt crisis, was catapulted from academic obscurity to Minister of Finance - argues that insane sums of money that were supposed to re-float our economies in the wake of the financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic have ended up supercharging big tech's hold over every aspect of the economy. And capitalism's twin pillars - markets and profit - have been replaced with big tech's platforms and rents; while we, the “cloud serfs”, increase these companies’ power with every online click and scroll.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Yanis Varufakis tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy how the world is grappling with an entirely new economic system and therefore political power, and why Britain and the EU are “irrelevant” compared with the “fiefdoms” of US and Chinese tech firms.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Cambridge’s youngest Black professor Jason Arday on Autism, racism, and learning to read at 18 Sep 22, 2023

"You're categorised as not being particularly intelligent or able," says Jason Arday, an autistic Sociologist who became Cambridge University's youngest black professor.

Jason Arday was unable to speak until he was 11 and could not read or write until he was 18. As a PE teacher in 2012, he wrote a list of goals he wanted to achieve. One of them was to be a professor at Oxford or Cambridge University.

Today on Ways To Change The World, Jason Arday tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his journey with Autism, learning to read and write at the age of 18, and why racial profiling is limiting people’s ability to achieve their dreams.

Produced by Silvia Maresca and Shaheen Sattar

Poet Lemn Sissay on growing up in the care system, racism and finding his Ethiopian family Sep 15, 2023

At 14, Lemn Sissay inked his initials into his hand with a homemade tattoo. He didn’t write LS, but NG, for Norman Greenwood, which he thought was his name. Except that it wasn’t. His real identity had been withheld from him since he was born.

Born in Wigan to an Ethiopian mother, Lemn Sissay was raised in care; first in a foster family and then, from the age of 12 to 18, in a string of children's homes, including the notorious Wood End assessment centre, where he was physically, emotionally and racially abused. Despite going on to become an award-winning and internationally acclaimed poet, the trauma of his harrowing childhood never left him, and has informed much of his work on and off the page.

Today on Ways to Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about growing up in the care system, finding his identity as a British and Ethiopian man, and why the care system in the UK is failing children in need.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Dawn Butler MP on white feminism, Sadiq Khan, and racism in Parliament Sep 08, 2023

As the third Black woman ever to be elected as an MP, and then instated as a government Minister, Dawn Butler has been vocal on the disrespect that Black women face in politics.

As an outspoken campaigner herself, Butler was criticised in 2019 for calling Boris Johnson a liar in the House of Commons. She was subsequently asked to leave the Parliament grounds that day.

Whilst calling for the former Met Commissioner, Cressida Dick, to resign, she ironically found herself being stopped by the police whilst driving with her friend (who is also Black).

After facing a long battle with breast cancer in 2021, she found inspiration to write her first book, ‘A Purposeful Life’, where she draws on the repeated times she’s been called a liar after facing racism and sexism both in politics and outside of it.

In today’s episode of Ways to Change the World, Labour MP Dawn Butler speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about calling Boris Johnson a liar in Parliament, white feminism in the Labour party (and at large) and her ambitions to be the next Mayor of London. Being a Black person in a white-dominated space, she also tells us why wearing a lime-green suit in a sea of grey-suits was her way of realising you don’t have to fit in.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Ice Cube on the police, AI and Black business Sep 01, 2023

“The police haven’t changed,” says American rapper Ice Cube, marking 35 years since the release of the track “F*** Tha Police” that cemented his status in musical history alongside the hip hop group N.W. A.

Ice Cube is regarded by hip-hop critics and fans as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. He was first famous for the N.W.A album, Straight Outta Compton, then became a solo artist, actor, producer and owner of a new basketball league, BIG3.

Today on Ways to Change The World, Ice Cube tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his journey through 50 years of Hip Hop, his thoughts on the American government and why he thinks AI is an existential threat.

Produced by Shaheen Sattar

Activist Gina Martin on changing the law on upskirting, ‘boys will be boys’, and the impact of online abuse Aug 25, 2023

Gina Martin is best known as the driving force behind the Voyeurism Act, which made upskirting, or the taking of pictures under a person’s clothing without permission, a criminal offence in England and Wales, after she was assaulted at a music festival.

The gender equality activist is now working to teach people how to challenge problematic statements such as ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘not all men’, and have constructive conversations on social justice issues.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Gina Martin tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the lessons she has learnt since changing the law on upskirting, the importance of trans voices, the online abuse she has received and why the conversation around masculinity needs to change.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Poet Ben Okri on disruptive climate protests and dreaming of Nigeria Jul 21, 2023

‘This earth that we love is in grave danger because of us,’ reads the first line of Sir Ben Okri’s poem, ‘The Broken’.

The poet and Booker-prize winner, who has long been a vocal environmental activist, has seen the effects of the climate catastrophe firsthand, as a young boy growing up in Nigeria, but is optimistic that it’s not too late to reverse the damage that’s been done to our planet.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Ben Okri tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the urgent need for action on climate change, the importance of disruptive protests like Just Stop Oil, and why artists like him should use their voice to encourage people to rise up to the challenge.

Produced by Alice Wagstaffe and Silvia Maresca

Syrian chef and refugee Imad Al Arnab on his journey from war-torn Syria to opening his dream restaurant in Soho Jul 14, 2023

When he fled his war-torn hometown of Damascus, Imad Al Arnab spent three dangerous months smuggled in lorries trying to reach Europe. He arrived in the UK in the autumn of 2015 with a fake passport and just £12 in his pocket.

Now, the Syrian chef has opened his own restaurant in Soho, and written a cookbook that is as much a celebration of his homeland as a reflection of his experience as a refugee.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Imad Al Arnab joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to talk about fleeing Syria and his journey from losing everything in the war to rebuilding a life in the UK.

Produced by Annie La Vespa, Silvia Maresca and Alice Wagstaffe

Wes Streeting on child poverty, coming out, and how he would run the NHS Jul 07, 2023

Brought up on a council estate in the East End of London, the son of a single mother whose own father was a bank robber and whose mother once shared a prison cell with Christine Keeler, Wes Streeting MP owes his life to a fry up.

His working class background and the challenges he experienced growing up in poverty now inform the Shadow Health Secretary’s mission in politics, to ensure others like him have similar opportunities.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Wes Streeting joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to talk about his journey from a Stepney council estate to the Labour frontbench in Westminster, his optimism that poverty is a trap we can escape and his vision for an NHS ‘fit for the future’ on the eve of the 2024 UK general election.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Warning: The following contains language that some viewers might find offensive

Evgenia Kara-Murza on the fight to free Russia’s political prisoners and the dream of a democratic Russia Jun 30, 2023

When Evgenia Kara-Murza and her husband Vladimir parted ways in April 2022, she had no idea that would be the last time they’d see each other.

Vladimir, a long-time Russian opposition activist, was arrested in Moscow later that month and is now serving 25 years in prison for his public criticism of President Vladimir Putin and Russia's war on Ukraine. Since then, Evgenia has taken up the mantle of his activism, travelling around the world to speak out against his detention and the crimes of Putin’s authoritarian regime.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Evgenia Kara-Murza joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to talk about her fight to free Russia’s political prisoners, the toll Vladimir’s detention has taken on their family and whether she can envisage a future in a free, democratic Russia.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Barbara Kingsolver on America’s opioid crisis and classist attitudes to rural communities Jun 23, 2023

For a generation growing up in the rural US state of Virginia, opioid addiction isn't an abstraction - it's neighbours, parents, and friends.

Writer Barbara Kingsolver wanted to give these ‘lost boys’ of Appalachia a voice; to tell the story of the children forced into a life of foster care because their parents are dead, in prison or too incapacitated by addiction.

Today on Ways to Change the World, the award-winning author joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to talk about America’s opioid crisis, the devastating impact it has on rural communities and how she set out to write ‘the great Appalachian novel’, tracing back the steps of Charles Dickens.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Kamila Shamsie on "Googling while Muslim", Shamima Begum and the UK’s ‘racist’ immigration policy Jun 16, 2023

In 1988, a 15-year-old Kamila Shamsie stayed up all night to watch Pakistan elect its first woman prime minister. Years later, and politics is still very much at the centre of the writer’s life – on and off the page.

The Pakistani / British writer has long been a vocal critic of the UK government’s immigration and civil rights policies, and yet she only felt able to write Home Fire – which offers a piercing critique of Islamophobia within the British political establishment – after she became a citizen of the country.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Kamila Shamsie joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss her Pakistani upbringing, how politics shaped her writing and her view of Suella Braverman’s ‘racist’ immigration policy.

Produced by Silvia Maresca and Alice Wagstaffe

Chris van Tulleken on how our ultra-processed diet is killing us Jun 09, 2023

What is ultra-processed food? And do we really know what it’s doing to our bodies, our health, and the planet?

Chris van Tulleken is a doctor and TV presenter who says most of the food that we eat isn’t really food. “Whether you're eating a burger, or a piece of fried chicken, or a breakfast cereal, there are illusions of texture. There will be little crunches and pops and snaps and greasy bits and dry bits and chewy bits. But it's all inhalably fast-to-eat and the hormones that tell you to stop just can't keep up.”

His latest book, ‘Ultra-Processed People’, explores how ultra-processed food is designed to fuel addiction and is creating an epidemic of diet-related disease.

Today, Chris joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Ways to Change the World to discuss the dangers of a UPF diet, and why urgent government regulation is needed.

Produced by Annie La Vespa, Freya Pickford and Alice Wagstaffe.

Sadiq Khan on climate change, immigration and London’s policing crisis Jun 02, 2023

Sadiq Khan has been the mayor of London since 2016, and he’s seeking a third term next year.

In today’s episode of Ways to Change the World, Sadiq talks to Krishnan about his new book, ‘Breathe’, in which explores why tackling the climate emergency has become his defining policy, as the mayor of London.

Sadiq also discusses the crisis of policing in London, the possibility of a Labour government in Downing Street and why the UK government should be allowing more migrants to move to London.

This podcast was recorded on June 24 2023.

Produced by: Freya Pickford

Nick Cave on free speech, his religion, and finding - and defining - happiness May 26, 2023

Nick Cave hates giving interviews. It’s the first thing he mentions in his new book, “Faith, Hope & Carnage”, which comprises a series of conversations between Cave and the writer Seán O’Hagan.

So it’s with some trepidation that Krishnan Guru-Murthy sits down with the post punk legend, to discuss the book, along with Cave’s attending the coronation, the tragic death of his son, his attitudes towards free speech and political correctness, and his journey to find - and define - happiness.

With thanks to the London Review Bookshop, where this interview was filmed.

Produced by Alice Wagstaffe.

Suzanne Simmard on fungal networks, ‘Mother’ trees, and restoring our forests May 19, 2023

When Suzanne Simard discovered that trees could communicate through underground networks of fungi in 1997, her work was largely dismissed.But today, as a Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia, her work is recognised as pioneering within the scientific community.

In her book ‘Finding Mother Tree’, she explores how forests have ‘hub trees’ that play an important role in plant communication.In today’s episode of Ways to Change the World, Suzanne looks back at her work, and explains to Krishnan Guru-Murthy how it could help protect forests from climate change.

Produced by Imahn Robertson and Annie La Vespa.

Azeem Rafiq on tackling racism in cricket, losing his son, and facing his own failures May 12, 2023

In 2017, Azeem Rafiq’s world collapsed around him. He lost his baby son, and shortly after, the career that he had worked his entire life for, after he blew the whistle on racism and bullying at Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Azeem found himself at the centre of a long-running scandal which unlocked a long process which is now international.

In the years that followed, Rafiq’s grief, his battle with the club, and numerous allegations of poor behaviour against himself, saw him reach the lowest of lows - struggling for money, often staying in bed for days at a time.

Fast forward to 2023, Azeem has written a new book, “It’s Not Banter, It’s Racism: What Cricket’s Dirty Secret Reveals About Our Society”, and is looking ahead to a brighter future; hoping to get back into the game that he has devoted his life too, and campaigning for meaningful change in sport.

In today’s episode of Ways to Change the World, Azeem looks back at several years of pain and growth, and tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his hopes for the future.

Produced by Freya Pickford, Imahn Robertson and Alice Wagstaffe.

Warning: this episode includes offensive language.

Actor Eddie Marsan on the struggles of being a working class actor and the tyranny of toxic masculinity Apr 07, 2023

He is an actor who would be hard to typecast, but Eddie Marsan always plays the villain. “I think it has a lot to do with my upbringing”, he says, “there was a lot of violence, criminality and a lot of toxic masculinity.”

“I remember being afraid of white working class men. When you see Danny Dyer, Ray Winstone… they have an appeal to them, and I've never been able to do that. And it's because of my experience growing up within the white working class; there was always an element of fear.”

Today on Ways to Change the World, Eddie Marsan joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss his chaotic upbringing, lessons in Buddhist teachings, and how actors from privileged backgrounds can find success despite being “mediocre”.

Produced by Imahn Robertson

Warning: This episode contains offensive language

Michael Balogun on finding his purpose in prison and the power of belief Mar 31, 2023

“I don't think you can expect someone to change their life by putting them in a room and locking the door.” Michael Balogun might not believe that prison “helps” people to turn their life around, but it was undoubtedly his experience serving time that led him to where he is today - a star of the West End, currently appearing in a version of the Lehman Trilogy at the National Theatre.

But there’s more to Balogun than a zero to hero story; his is one of extraordinary resilience, the power of manifestation, and a chance encounter with someone who saw his potential that changed everything.

Michael Balogun joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Ways to Change the World to discuss how he turned his life around through acting, and why the power of your thoughts matter.

Produced by: Imahn Robertson

Gary Younge on race, Rwanda and a lifetime of writing about Black life Mar 24, 2023

“On the television, they were saying we were thieves, that we were raised with no morals”. Growing up Black in 1970s Britain, writer Gary Younge didn’t feel fully accepted - he didn’t even feel British. “Someone would go, “it’s cold today isn’t it, I bet it’s not like this where you come from,” and you’d be like, "I come from just down the road mate!”

His latest book, Dispatches from the Diaspora, looks at a lifetime of writing about Black life, spanning a 30-year career, based in Britain and America, that goes from Mandela to Obama and from Stormzy to Black Lives Matter.

He joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Ways to Change the World to discuss significant events that have impacted the Black diaspora, his mother’s influence and what he can teach the next generation of journalists.

Produced by: Imahn Robertson

Mariana Mazzucato on how governments can take back control of their contracts Mar 17, 2023

How can the government attract the country’s best minds to work for them? How do we know when a private sector contract is a good one? And what can we learn from NASA about business and efficiency?

Mariana Mazzucato is a professor of Economics at the University College London and an advisor to many governments. In her latest book, ‘The Big Con’, she looks at the relationship between the consulting industry and government, and the way business and governments are run, and plans executed.

She joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Ways to Change the World to discuss how economic theory can streamline everything from school lunches to handling a pandemic, and the link between knife crime and the economy.

Produced by Imahn Robertson and Ka Yee Mak

Peter Frankopan on how humans have shaped the planet and how we’ll destroy ourselves Mar 10, 2023

“We're the only species who have worked out to blow up everything and kill everyone”. In his latest book, The Earth Transformed, Peter Frankopan takes on the entirety of the history of planet earth, and looks at how our lives have been shaped by environmental changes since the dawn of our planet, 4.5 billion years ago, until the present day. He tackles the transformation of the earth, teasing apart the connection between humans and climate, explaining how “we are the product of massive climate change in the past”, and looks ahead to crises anew.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Peter Frankopan sits down with Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss how humans have impacted the world, the existential threat posed by nuclear war and global superpowers, and what happens “when the music stops”.

Produced by: Imahn Robertson

Simon Le Bon on the secret to Duran Duran’s success and why the band shy away from politics Mar 03, 2023

He’s the frontman of one of the most iconic bands of the 80s.

Four decades on, Simon Le Bon says that New Wave legends Duran Duran are still going strong, making new music and announcing that they’re going on tour again.

In today’s episode of Ways to Change the World, Simon Le Bon sits down with Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss why the band doesn't make political statements, the state of the music industry, and the secret to Duran Duran’s longevity.

Produced by : Imahn Robertson

Sebastian Payne on centre-right ideas and Britain’s political future Feb 24, 2023

Sebastian Payne is an author and the Director of centre-right think tank Onward, where he explores the bigger problems and challenges facing Britain today.

He recently left his post as Whitehall Editor of the Financial Times, where he spent years navigating the corridors of Parliament, detangling the latest scandals and finding out what politics really means for people up and down the country. His childhood, growing up in Gateshead, influenced him to write one of his books, ‘Broken Heartlands’, and he went on to write ‘The Fall of Boris Johnson’, charting the former PM’s final weeks in office.

In today’s Ways to Change the World, Sebastian Payne sits down with Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss Brexit, Boris, and what we can expect from the next general election.

Produced by Imahn Robertson.

Baaba Maal on the power of music and the future of Africa Feb 17, 2023

“I’m a nomadic person, I don’t want to stay in one place”. When Baaba writes his music, he takes inspiration from the places he visits. “When I started travelling, I came to London, I bought cassettes, I appreciated different people. And when I got a chance to meet them, we sat down and wrote songs”. But no matter how much Baaba has travelled, and to where, he always brings his music “back home to Podor, Senegal”.

Baaba has released his first solo album in seven years, ‘Being’, which is inspired by working on the soundtrack to Black Panther and the issues facing the world today, including climate change and desertification in African countries. In today’s Ways to Change the World, Baaba sits down with Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss the power of music and why we are all politicians in our own way when it comes to helping the world.

Produced by: Imahn Robertson and Alice Wagstaffe

Music credits:

Wakanda by Ludwig Göransson ft. Baaba Maal - Hollywood Records

Yela by Baaba Maal - Island Records Ltd.

There Will Be Time (Live in South Africa) by Mumford & Sons and Baaba Maal - Gentlemen of the Road, Island, Glassnote

Cariad Lloyd on coping with grief and finding humour in death Feb 03, 2023

“I was thinking about all my friends who launched a podcast and I thought, “if I had a podcast. I'd just talk to people about death. That's a terrible idea”.” When Cariad Lloyd’s father died of cancer when she was 15, she was angry, “for, probably, 10 years”. But later in life, she found herself wanting to share her experience of grief, and started the award-winning podcast Griefcast.

Cariad has now written a book, ‘You Are Not Alone’, which delves into her own experience of grief, and what she has learned from her hundreds of podcast guests. In today’s Ways to Change the World, Cariad sits down with Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss dying, death, grief, and what comes next.

Produced by Imahn Robertson

Jyoti Patel on identity, belonging, and how to ask someone the question: “Where are you from?” Jan 27, 2023

“I didn't write this book to be hugely sellable, hugely commercial - I wrote it because it’s a story that I felt needed to be told.”

Jyoti Patel’s debut novel, ‘The Things That We Lost’ is the story of a British Gujarati mother and son discovering how they fit into the world and learning how to balance the Gujarati and British sides of their identities.

The book earnt Jyoti the Merky Books New Writers Prize 2021, a competition launched by Stormzy and Penguin House UK to discover unpublished and underrepresented writers.

In this episode, Jyoti joins Krishnan to talk about feeling othered, why her book is written in the voice of a young man, and how to ask someone the question, “where are you from?”

Produced by: Imahn Robertson

Frances O’Grady on strikes, single parents and the trade union movement Jan 20, 2023

Frances O’Grady stepped down as the General Secretary of British Trades Union Congress at the end of 2022. She was the first woman to hold the post in TUC’s 154-year history.

She is now a Labour peer in the House of Lords where she is committed to abolishing the unelected chamber.

She joins Krishnan to talk about the history of the trade union movement, why she thinks workers are going on strike and what the government should be doing to support them and support for single parents.

Produced by : Imahn Robertson

Rick Rubin on working with Run DMC, The Strokes, Slayer and Johnny Cash and how to be an artist Jan 13, 2023

Rick Rubin is the legendary music producer who founded Def Jam records, one of the most important hip hop labels of the 80s.

He has won nine Grammy awards and worked with some of the biggest artists of our time, to name but a few: Jay Z, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Strokes, Adele, Run DMZ and Slayer.

He joins Krishnan to talk about his incredible career, as well as the launch of his new book ‘The Creative Act’.

Produced by: Joe Lord Jones and Nina Hodgson

Music Credits:

Superrappin’ - Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, and The Furious Five

Label: Enjoy Records

Producer – Bobby Robinson

It's Yours - T La Rock

Artists: Jazzy Jay and T La Rock

Label: Def Jam Recordings

Producer Rick Rubin

Feel the Heartbeat - Treacherous Three

Label: Enjoy Records

Producer – Bobby Robinson

The Big Beat - Label: Capitol Records

Producer – Eddy Offord

The Adults Are Talking - The Strokes

Label: RCA AND Cult Records

Producer – Rick Rubin

Angel of Death Slayer

Label: Geffen Records – Def Jam Recordings

Producer: Rick Rubin

Trouble Funk - Drop The Bomb

Label: Sugar Hill Records

Producer – Reo Edwards

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash

Label: Columbia

Producer – Bob Johnston

Hurt - Johnny Cash

Label - American & Lost Highway

Produced by Rick Rubin

Fight For Your Right - Beastie Boys

Label - Def Jam & Columbia Records

Produced by - Rick Rubin,

I Can't Live Without My Radio - LL Cool J

Label - Def Jam/Columbia/CBS

Producer Rick Rubin & Jazzy Jay

RUN DMC - Walk This Way ft. Aerosmith

Label - Geffen Records

Produced by - Rick Rubin & Russell Simmons

Ways to Change the World with Chatbot GPT Dec 23, 2022

ChatbotGPT is a new artificial intelligence programme designed to simulate human conversation and tackle complex questions.

It's made by Open AI foundation, a tech-startup co-founded by Elon Musk, and it draws on text taken from a variety of sources on the internet and its creators say it has learned how to answer academic questions, and even sometimes admits when it's wrong. We've done an interview by putting questions to the chatbot, and then generating a voice for it using different software.

We asked the Chatbot GPT whether fears about A.I. threatening the human race are well-founded.

Ways to Change the World with Chatbot GPT Dec 23, 2022

ChatbotGPT is a new artificial intelligence programme designed to simulate human conversation and tackle complex questions.

It's made by Open AI foundation, a tech-startup co-founded by Elon Musk, and it draws on text taken from a variety of sources on the internet and its creators say it has learned how to answer academic questions, and even sometimes admits when it's wrong. We've done an interview by putting questions to the chatbot, and then generating a voice for it using different software.

We asked the Chatbot GPT whether fears about A.I. threatening the human race are well-founded.

Nouriel Roubini on the ‘megathreats’ to our global economy, how to stop them and his nickname Dr Doom Dec 16, 2022

Nouriel Roubini is an economist, a professor in New York, a global economic consultant and an author who, amongst many distinguishing things, was one of those who foresaw the 2008 credit crunch and financial crisis.

His latest work is called ‘Megathreats’, and it details 10 trends that make it more likely than not that we are heading for a global economic crash of stagnant growth, debt crises and high inflation that will cause decades of dystopian suffering and injustice. No wonder they call him Dr. Doom.

In this episode, Nouriel joins Krishnan to talk about climate change, job-displacing artificial intelligence and our future.

Produced by: Imahn Robertson

George Takei on being sent to an internment camp, Star Trek and hiding his sexuality. Dec 09, 2022

George Takei is an actor, activist and author, best known for his role of Lieutenant Sulu in Star Trek.

Imprisoned as a child in the United States for being of Japanese origin, he campaigns for gay and immigrant rights. He brings his award-winning broadway musical ‘Allegiance’ to London, which is inspired by his own memories of growing up in a Japanese internment camp.

George joins Krishnan to tell his extraordinary story, from childhood to stardom and his mission to raise awareness about his life.

Produced by: Imahn Robertson

Rosie Holt on being a Twitter comic, women in media and why we should laugh at things that make us angry Dec 02, 2022

Rosie Holt has become famous on Twitter, where she reinvented herself via satirical videos; A conversative MP and right-wing activist who many mistake for being real.

In this episode Rosie joins Krishnan to discuss life as a social media sensation, women in media and why we should laugh at things that make us angry.

Produced by: Imahn Robertson

Clint Dyer on dealing with dyslexia, racism, his admiration for Shakespeare and his vision for directing Nov 25, 2022

Clint Dyer is an actor, writer and director who has turned his pain into power. That power has resulted in numerous ‘firsts’, the first Black British artist to have performed, written and directed a full-scale production at the National Theatre and the first Black man to direct a Shakespeare tragedy at a major British venue.

In this episode, Clint joins Krishnan to discuss theatrical traditions, his vision to articulate the Black experience and his new history-making production of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello.

Warning: this podcast contains references to racist language

Produced by : Imahn Robertson

Julian Lennon on his identity, the Beatles and his life outside of music Nov 18, 2022

Julian Lennon is a singer-songwriter, who rose to fame for the Beatles song Hey Jude, which was written after his parents John and Cynthia Lennon separated.

In this episode, Julian joins Krishnan to speak about his seventh album Jude, emotion in songwriting, dealing with depression and the importance of relearning his old material.

While Julian has received platinum success for his music, he has also pursued other endeavours. The multi-faceted singer-songwriter discusses his work as a photographer, filmmaker, author and his foundation called The White Feather Foundation.

Produced by Ka Yee Mak

Rob Delaney on the loss of his son, supporting the NHS and swimming Nov 11, 2022

Rob Delaney is a comedian, actor and writer, best known for co-creating the British sitcom Catastrophe, which won him a Bafta for comedy writing.

But during the height of his success, he learnt that his son, Henry, was dying of a brain tumour. He’s written a book about it in which he grapples with the fragility of life, the mysteries of death, and the question of purpose for those left behind.

In this episode, Rob joins Krishnan to talk about his new book, ‘A Heart That Works’ and why he felt it was important to tell his family’s story.

Produced by : Imahn Robertson and Nina Hodgson

Photo Credit: Southbank Centre

Orhan Pamuk on authoritarianism and pandemics, his new novel and Salman Rushdie’s attack Oct 14, 2022

Orhan Pamuk is a renowned Turkish Nobel Prize winning author.

He is one of Turkey’s most acclaimed writers and has been openly critical of laws which curtail freedom of expression, particularly those which make it illegal to criticise Turkish President Recep Erdogan.

He joins Krishnan to talk about his new book, ‘Nights of Plague’, why he believes pandemics fuel authoritarianism and how he became an author.

Produced by : Joe Lord-Jones

Marina Hyde on British politics, Brexit and her new book Oct 07, 2022

Marina Hyde is a columnist at the Guardian, where she’s worked for over 20 years.

She is one of the most admired journalists in the UK and known for her witty analysis of politics and the chaotic times we live in.

She joins to talk about her new book ‘What Just Happened?!’, an amalgamation of the columns she writes for the Guardian. It spans post-referendum politics in Britain, from David Cameron to Theresa May, to Boris Johnson.

Marina also talks about how she became a journalist, the state of British politics and what’s next in her career.

Produced by Freya Pickford

Gaia Vince on how to manage climate change migration Sep 30, 2022

Gaia Vince is a science and environment journalist and author.

She has written extensively about the impact human life has had on our planet.

In this episode, Gaia joins Krishnan to talk about her new book, Nomad Century, in which she takes a look at how migration could be the solution to the climate crisis.

Produced by : Joe Lord-Jones

Auschwitz survivor Tova Friedman on escaping death, struggling with God and taking her story to TikTok Sep 23, 2022

Tova Friedman was one of the youngest survivors of the Auschwitz death camp.

Her family came from Poland, went through various concentration camps, and ended up in Auschwitz. But remarkably, both her, her mother and father survived.

She has written an extraordinary memoir called The Daughter of Auschwitz, together with the journalist Malcolm Brabant.

Tova joins Krishnan with her grandson Aron, who is taking her story to a new generation through the medium of TikTok.

Krishnan talks to Tova about what she remembers of her time in Auschwitz, her views on God and what she wants the world to learn from her story.

Producers: Freya Pickford and Rachel Evans

Edward Enninful on his career as the editor of British Vogue, being a refugee and the war on woke Sep 16, 2022

Edward Enninful is the editor of British Vogue and European editorial director of Condé Nast.

Krishnan talks to him about what it’s like to be a refugee in the UK, having moved to London from Ghana at a young age.

They also discuss Enninful’s new book, ‘A Visible Man’, what he thinks of Liz Truss and how he’s changed Vogue to be representative of all women.

Producer: Freya Pickford

Dave Stewart on meeting Annie Lennox, Eurythmics and his new album Sep 02, 2022

Dave Stewart is a musician, who rose to fame after forming the iconic British pop duo, Eurythmics, alongside Annie Lennox.

Krishnan talks to him about his latest solo album, Ebony McQueen, which has drawn heavily on the blues he heard growing up in Sunderland, as he tells the story of his life through the songs.

Ebony McQueen is a 26 track epic, which will also become a film, featuring a fictional “voodoo queen” who visits a boy very much in need of the blues.

Producer: Joe Lord-Jones

Deborah Meaden on the cost of living crisis, why she hated school and how Dragons’ Den has transformed the business world Aug 26, 2022

Deborah Meaden is a successful businesswoman, entrepreneur and star of the TV show Dragons’ Den.

She talks to Krishnan about her worries about the British economy, how Dragons’ den has transformed the world of business and why she has been talking about protecting the environment for decades.

Producer: Rachel Evans

Tom Daley on LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport, trans rights and being a gay parent Aug 12, 2022

Tom Daley is an Olympic Gold Medallist, sports personality, campaigner and knitter.

We recently saw him at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games as a flag bearer, bearing the Progress Pride flag with LGBTQ+ athletes across the commonwealth.

Krishnan talks to Tom about why he is fighting for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports, his views on trans athlete participation and what it’s been like for him being a gay parent in the UK.

Warning: contains distressing themes.

Sources: BBC

Produced by: Rachel Evans

Michael Pollan on his belief that using psychedelics can cure mental health issues Jul 29, 2022

Michael Pollan is one of TIME magazine’s top 50 most influential people in the US, he is a reporter, writer and psychonaut.

His books The Omnivore’s Dilemma and The Botany of Desire questions the way the world thinks about food and he is now doing the same for psychedelics and psychoactive plants. His book How To Change Your Mind and a new Netflix series by the same name explore his belief that Psychedelics are the tool to understanding the mind.

Produced by: Nina Hodgson

Steve Thompson on his early-onset dementia, his new book and how rugby changed his life Jul 22, 2022

Steve Thompson is a former England rugby player and he played in every England match during the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

But today, age 43, Steve remembers nothing about that final. And in 2020 he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia - and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

In today’s episode Krishnan talks to him about his diagnosis, the impact it’s had on his mental health and his memoir, ‘Unforgettable’.

if you have been affected by any of the issues covered in that report, you can find a range of places to seek help by visiting channel4.com/support

Produced by: Joe Lord-Jones and Freya Pickford

US Air Force Chief General CQ Brown Jr. on the Ukraine war, BLM and Top Gun Jul 15, 2022

General Charles Q Brown Jr. is the chief of staff of the US Air Force.

Krishnan talks to him about how the war in Ukraine has changed the way he thinks about defending the US, why he joined the US Air Force and whether he thinks anything has changed in America since the death of George Floyd.

Producer: Freya Pickford

Sources: Pacific Air Forces/ Mentorship Moment

Asma Khan on her female run restaurant Darjeeling Express and discrimination in hospitality Jul 08, 2022

Asma Khan is a world-renowned restaurateur and cookbook author who runs London restaurant Darjeeling Express with its kitchen entirely staffed by women.

After two years at her current location in Covent Garden, she has moved on, but she’s struggling to find another place for her restaurant. She blames discrimination in what she called the ‘all white, Mayfair, men only club’ of the hospitality industry.

She joined Krishnan to talk about where her love of cooking real Indian food came from, finding a new home for her restaurant, and writing her recent cookbook for her mother.

Produced by : Nina Hodgson

Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko on her work, how the war might end and Russian war tactics Jul 01, 2022

Lesia Vasylenko is a Ukrainian politician and human rights lawyer.

Since the war in Ukraine began, we’ve spoken to her many times on Channel 4 News, but she joins Krishnan to talk about what it was like to have to send her children to another country when the war in Ukraine began. She also discusses her first impression of President Zelenskyy and how she believes this war might end.

Produced by : Freya Pickford

Leila Mottley on writing her bestselling novel at 17, police brutality in America and the way the world treats Black girls Jun 24, 2022

Leila Mottley has only just turned 20 and she is already a New York Times Bestseller and the youngest person to make Oprah Winfrey’s book club. Her first book, which she started writing one month before her 17th birthday, has received rave reviews from critics.

She joins Krishnan to talk about all the themes her novel, Nightcrawling, takes in; racism, sexism, poverty, injustice, police abuse of power.

Produced by : Nina Hodgson

‘Don’t treat those who disagree with you as your enemy’ - Archbishop Justin Welby Jun 17, 2022

Justin Welby has been the Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013. Before he began training for ministry in 1989, Archbishop Justin worked in the oil industry for 11 years.

His new book, The Power of Reconciliation encourages peacebuilding at all levels, turning the abstract idea of reconciliation into something that can be done throughout life.

Krishnan joined the Archbishop at Lambeth Palace to talk about what reconciliation is, and how we can use it to approach wars, culture wars and personal conflicts as well as what the role of church is in a time of war.

Produced by: Freya Pickford and Rachel Evans

Lethal Bizzle on racism, crypto and grime Jun 10, 2022

Our guest this week is Lethal Bizzle. He’s a rapper and entrepreneur with Ghanaian heritage, who originally hails from Walthamstow.

He’s one of the founding fathers of Grime who got into a very public spat with David Cameron when he was prime minister about whether the music genre glorified violence.

He talks to Krishnan about how he started out in music, crypto and his new album, ‘Lethal B Vs Lethal Bizzle’.

Produced by : Freya Pickford

Geoff Norcott on being a conservative comedian, the culture war and why politicians shouldn’t be on Twitter Jun 03, 2022

Geoff Norcott is a writer, activist and comedian.

As a rare right-winger, Geoff is a unique voice in British comedy operating outside the usual comedic commentary on social issues and politics.

Geoff talks to Krishnan about how politics doesn’t have to be all about ‘punching up’, why he’s had enough of ‘the culture war’ and his thoughts on the importance of having class diversity in the media.

Produced by: Rachel Evans

Denzel Curry on police brutality, overcoming trauma and the power of martial arts May 06, 2022

Denzel Curry is an American rapper and artist. He is brutally honest in his music about very personal topics such as his own mental health and his approach to policing and racism in America.

Krishnan talks to Denzel about how he’s overcome trauma, his attitudes towards police brutality and why he thinks the music industry needs to become more collaborative.

Warning: This episode contains very strong language and very adult themes

Produced by: Rachel Evans

Sarah Brown on her daughter’s death, the importance of educating all children and her time at Downing Street Apr 29, 2022

Sarah Brown is the Chair of Theirworld. Their mission is to end the global education crisis. She’s also the Executive Chair for the Global Business Coalition for Education.

She joins Krishnan to talk about Theirworld’s work and how they are helping Ukrainian children. She also speaks about her experience of losing her daughter, Jennifer, and her time at Downing Street.

Producer: Freya Pickford

Bill Browder on his life as a target of Putin, if sanctions can stop the war and the legacy of Sergei Magnitsky Apr 22, 2022

Bill Browder was one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia until 2005 when he was kicked out of the country. He is now known for being one of Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics.

He joins Krishnan to talk about his new book called Freezing Order - in which he details his mission to pursue justice for his lawyer and friend Sergei Magnitsky who died in a Russian jail.

Produced by: Nina Hodgson

Photo credit: Luke MacGregor

Vanessa Nakate on the climate crisis, online abuse and racism in the media Apr 15, 2022

Vanessa Nakate is a Ugandan climate activist who has quickly become a prominent and formidable voice in the climate change movement.

She recently published her book ‘A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis’.

Krishnan spoke to her about why she became a climate activist, racism and online abuse she has experienced.

Produced by : Freya Pickford

Ai Weiwei on China and the West, his father’s exile and if democracy really exists Apr 08, 2022

Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei is a world-famous artist and activist.

Krishnan speaks to him about China’s relationship with the West, his father’s exile and whether democracy really exists.

His new exhibition, The Liberty of Doubt, is currently on display at Kettle’s Yard gallery in Cambridge.

Produced by: Freya Pickford

Francis Fukuyama on the war in Ukraine, liberalism and democracies under threat Apr 01, 2022

Francis Fukuyama is a political scientist and professor at Stanford University.

Francis is known for his book, 'The End of History and the Last Man', but he recently published a new book 'Liberalism and its Discontents’.

He joins Krishnan to talk about the war in Ukraine, liberalism and whether democracy is under threat in today’s world.

Producer: Freya Pickford

Angela Davis on socialism, how change happens and growing up in segregated Alabama Mar 25, 2022

Angela Davis grew up in segregated Alabama and became a world renowned political thinker, activist, author and academic.

Her involvement with a politically distorted murder trial sent her into hiding, becoming one of the FBI’s most wanted. She spent 18 months in jail before she was acquitted of all charges.

She returned to teaching, writing a series of seminal books on social justice and equality. She joined Krishnan to talk about Socialism, how change happens, and her life.

Produced by: Shaheen Sattar and Nina Hodgson

Tom Tugendhat on the war in Ukraine, his time in the military and his ambition to run for PM Mar 18, 2022

Our guest this week is Conservative MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat.

Tom talks to Krishnan about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, his plans to run for Prime Minister and his time serving in the military during the Iraq war and war in Afghanistan.

Produced by : Freya Pickford

Isabel Allende on her life as a refugee, the decline of the West and war being a male construct Mar 11, 2022

Isabel Allende has been called “the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author”, known for titles such as 'The House of the Spirits' and 'City of the Beasts'. Her books often put women at the centre, paying homage to some incredible female characters.

Her new book, ‘Violeta’ is written as a letter from a grandmother to her grandson. Violeta, the narrator, was inspired by Isabel’s own recently deceased mother.

Isabel talks to Krishnan about being a life-long feminist, her hopes for a post-pandemic world and her own experience of being a refugee during the civil war in Chile.

Producer: Rachel Evans

Adam McKay on his new movie Don’t Look Up, the climate crisis and the state of US politics Mar 04, 2022

Adam McKay is an Oscar-winning writer, director and comedian. He is the man behind a whole string of movies including Vice, The Big Short, Anchorman and Talladega Nights.

His most recent film, Don’t Look Up, is a satirical movie about a comet hurtling toward Earth and is a metaphor for climate change, and has been nominated for four BAFTAs and four Oscars. It has also recorded the highest viewing in a week in Netflix history.

Adam speaks to Krishnan about his fears for the future of our planet, if world leaders and fossil fuel companies fail to take proper action now. He also discusses the state of US politics, his ideas for his next movie and the possibility of working with Will Ferrell again.

Produced by: Freya Pickford

Ruby Wax on why we are more "frazzled" than ever, re-visiting her past interviews and her closure with Louis Theroux Jan 21, 2022

Ruby Wax is an an actress, a comedian, a script writer and was a star on television through the 1990s, doing some of the most high profile celebrity interviews of all time.

She is also an author and her most recent book 'And Now for the Good News' chronicles her experiences meeting inspiring people who are spearheading the latest innovation and influencing a brighter future for humanity

Krishnan speaks to Ruby about her techniques for coping in a "frazzled" world and how speaking to Louis Theroux has given her closure in her life.

Produced by: Rachel Evans

Rosie Jones on being a disabled, gay, northern woman in comedy Jan 14, 2022

Rosie Jones is a comedian, writer, actor and broadcaster known for appearing on programmes like 8 Out Of 10 Cats and The Last Leg.

She speaks to Krishnan about getting into comedy, diversity in the media and making the world a better place for disabled people.

Produced by : Nina Hodgson

Lin-Manuel Miranda on Jonathan Larson’s legacy, diversity in the arts and where America is now Jan 07, 2022

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a theatre composer, writer and actor, who has made his directorial debut with Tick Tick...Boom!, the story of Broadway composer Jonathan Larson and his struggles as an artist before he wrote the world-renowned musical, Rent.

Lin-Manuel is best known for his Pulitzer Prize, Tony and Emmy award-winning musical, Hamilton, which remains one of the most popular musicals on Broadway and the West End today.

He speaks to Krishnan about Jonathan Larson’s influence on him as a writer, the Hamilton years and how he sees America now.

Tick, Tick...Boom! is available on Netflix now

This episode was recorded in December 2021.

Produced by: Faye White and Max Velody

Sources: Netflix, New York City Center/Encores! Off-Center, Warner Bros. Pictures, Disney+, Atlantic Records/WEA International Inc.

Jon Snow on his life, finding a sense of right and wrong and always seeking the truth Dec 24, 2021

Jon Snow has spent almost all his adult life trying to make the world a better place as a volunteer, giving public service and as a journalist.

He joins Krishnan to talk about finding his sense of right and wrong, going to Uganda for voluntary service, his life in broadcasting and his advice for young journalists.

Produced by: Nina Hodgson

Paul Chowdhry on making family-friendly comedy in a cancel culture age and diversity in the media Dec 17, 2021

Paul Chowdhry is a no holds barred comedian who sold out Wembley with his ‘Live Innit’ stand-up tour making him the first British Asian comedian to do so.

Paul is now on tour with his new show, ‘Family Friendly Comedian’, hoping that this style of comedy won't get him cancelled. He speaks to Krishnan about how comedy has evolved, creating stand-up material in a cancel culture age and diversity in the media. Warning: This episode contains language some might find distressing

Producer: Fola Olorunselu

Pauline Campbell on the Windrush scandal, changing your career late in life and racism in Britain today Dec 10, 2021

Pauline Cambell is an award winning local government lawyer who supervises The Windrush Justice Clinic, providing free legal advice and preparing compensation claims for victims of the Windrush scandal.

She’s written a new book ‘Rice & Peas and Fish & Chips’ a part memoir, part commentary on what it means to be British as a first-generation immigrant child of Caribbean parents.

In this week’s Ways to Change the World, Pauline talks to Krishnan about her work, how she became a lawyer at the age of 39 and tackling racism in Britain today.

Produced by: Freya Pickford

Sir Roger Penrose on being a nobel prize winning Physicist, impossible art and AI Dec 03, 2021

Sir Roger Penrose, a mathematical physicist who has changed the way we see the universe. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2020 for his work on black holes.

He tells Krishnan about how he wasn’t top of the class in maths at school, talks about his relationships with Steven Hawking and MC Escher and tells Krishnan why he thinks Artificial Intelligence is a misnomer.

Benjamin Bratton on why Covid should change the way we think and on why he hates Ted talks Nov 26, 2021

Benjamin Bratton is a sociologist, design theorist and author. He perhaps is most known for his TED talk, 'What's wrong with TED Talks?' His most recent book, 'The Revenge of the Real: Politics for a Post-Pandemic' world discusses the lessons he says that we can learn from our experiences with Covid-19 politically, culturally and technologically. Benjamin talks to Krishnan about 'that' Ted talk, why he thinks we need a new language and why he thinks universal collaboration is of utmost importance. Producer: Rachel Evans

Jools Holland on his old friend the piano, his dancing dog and inventing punk piano Nov 19, 2021

Jools Holland is a world-renowned musician, composer, broadcaster, band leader and host of Later with Jools Holland and the Hootenanny.

He tells Krishnan all about how the piano changed his life, sparking a lifelong love affair with music and tells him about how his dancing dog inspired a track on his new album.

Producer: Nina Hodgson

Credit for Clips: East West Records

Nish Kumar on political comedy, mental health and leaving The Mash Report Nov 15, 2021

Comedian Nish Kumar is best known for his five years at the helm of BBC Two's The Mash Report. The show was cancelled by the BBC earlier this year and moved to Dave under a new name - Late Night Mash. But in an act of "self-cancellation", Kumar stepped down as its host and is touring with his new show, Control, in 2022. He speaks to Krishnan about leaving The Mash Report, seeking professional help for his mental health and sexism in comedy.

Producer: Faye White

Steven Pinker on rationality during an epidemic of unreason, teaching tools of reason and debating an irrational people Nov 05, 2021

Steven Pinker, an experimental cognitive scientist and professor of psychology at Harvard. He has been named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world today.

He joins Krishnan to discuss his new book, ‘Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems scarce, Why It Matters’ which is billed as a user's guide to rationality during an epidemic of unreason.

Producer: Nina Hodgson

Yuval Noah Harari on the origins of racism, the future of Israel and the dangers of AI Oct 29, 2021

Yuval Noah Harari is one of the world's most famous public intellectuals, historians and writers. He is probably most famous for his book 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind'.

His most recent book, 'Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 2: The Pillars of Civilization' has just been published and offers a different way of telling the story of humankind for a younger audience.

Yuval talks to Krishnan about where racism comes from, what the recipe for a dictatorship is and why we should be very careful about how we used artificial intelligence.

Producer: Rachel Evans

Shon Faye on the liberation of transgender people, the problems with the trans ‘debate’ and choosing to save her own life Oct 22, 2021

Shon Faye is a writer, comedian and podcaster who had an instant Sunday Times Bestseller with her debut book The Transgender Issue - An Argument for Justice, making her the first trans person to be a bestseller since 1974. Shon’s new book is a detailed overview of the systemic violence and discrimination trans people face in Britain today. From access to healthcare, to poverty and homelessness, Shon outlines what it will take for trans people to achieve true liberation. She talks to Krishnan about how the liberation of Trans people would benefit everyone in society, the problems with the ‘debate’ about Trans people in the media and how transitioning saved her life.

Steve Van Zandt on being Bruce Springsteen's right-hand man, The Beatles and his disillusion with American politics Oct 15, 2021

Steve Van Zandt is an American musician, actor and activist. He is best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and for his role in the TV drama series, The Sopranos. His new book, Unrequited Infatuations, tells the story of his journey from Surburban New Jersey in the early '60s to performing on some of the world's largest stages and using rock and soul to change the world. Steve talks top Krishnan about how The Beatles had a profound effect on the course of his career and how he has used his music to influence politics and social affairs.

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