Share

BOOKED IN
ALEX THOMPSON: The Book About Biden - An Unfinished Chapter
Season 1, Ep. 13
•
Back in 2021, reporter Alex Thompson signed a deal with Simon & Schuster to write a book about President Biden, which was expected to be published ahead of the election in November.
Not busy enough, he was also a journalist covering the White House for Axios - and one of the few reporting on the growing concerns about the president's age and ability, particularly when it came to a possible second term.
But then, back in March - and long before the infamous June debate - Simon & Schuster announced the book deal was off.
While his research is yet to be published, I spoke with Alex about this extraordinary chapter in his career.
More episodes
View all episodes

13. MIKE FINKEL: The Art Thief
46:27||Season 2, Ep. 13Over the course of eight years, a man called Stephane Breitwieser stole more than 300 objects and pieces of art. In total, they were worth an estimated $1.4 billion. He is now widely considered the most prolific art thief in history, but he was never motivated by money - just a love for art. The fascinating true crime story was documented in the 2023 best seller, 'The Art Thief'. Author Mike Finkel kindly granted me a rare interview to chat about the book, and the crime itself.
12. CHRISTOPHER LAMB: American Hope, Pope Leo, President Trump & A War of Words on Iran
44:15||Season 2, Ep. 12Pope Leo is the first American Pope in history, yet remarkably he has not yet had a conversation with President Trump. They did, however, get into a war of words in April, after Pope Leo criticised the Trump administration's mass deportation policies. Things escalated further when Pope Leo said Trump’s threat to destroy “a whole civilisation” in Iran was “truly unacceptable”. CNN’s Vatican Correspondent, Christopher Lamb, has written a timely book called ‘American Hope, and spoke to me all about the Chicago born pontiff and his impact on the international stage.
11. PROF OMER BARTOV: Israel, What Went Wrong?
53:06||Season 2, Ep. 11Professor Omer Bartov is a leading scholar on the Holocaust, and history of genocide. He is also a man who was born and raised in Israel, served in the IDF during the Yom Kippur war in 1973, and was raised in the country just a decade after the end of World War II and the Holocaust - in the beginning years of the establishment of the state. In July 2025, Bartov wrote a piece in The New York Times entitled; ‘I’m a Genocide Scholar, I Know It When I See It’. In it, he wrote about reaching the ‘inescapable conclusion’ that Israel was committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. He recently spoke to me about his recently published book called ‘Israel: What Went Wrong?’, where he argues Zionism in its current form is beyond repair.
10. CHRISTINA HILLSBERG: Women in the CIA, Agents of Change
48:00||Season 2, Ep. 10What is it like to be a female spy in the CIA? It’s a mysterious world we as members of the public have very little access to. However, Christina Hillsberg - herself a former agent - has written a fantastic book called Agents of Change. It explores the untold stories of some of the most revered and respected women to have worked for the intelligence agency despite the significant challenges a life in espionage often presented to them.
9. RICHARD CHAMBERS: Make Ireland Great Again
42:09||Season 2, Ep. 9They say that about a tenth of Americans proudly claim Irish ancestry, but how do American lawmakers view Ireland these days? That’s the question journalist Richard chambers explored in his new documentary Make Ireland Great Again - a documentary that touches on White House visits, economic ties, geopolitical differences and questions around defence. It airs this Wednesday May 20 on Virgin, but in advance of its release I got an exclusive look at the documentary and had a nice little chat with Richard all about it.
8. ISABEL VINCENT: RFK Jr, The Fall & Rise
46:41||Season 2, Ep. 8Robert F Kennedy Jr is undoubtedly one of the most polairisng political figures in the US right now - some say his comments on vaccines are dangerous misinformation, others applaud him for sparking a conversation about nutrition in America. From a political dynasty deeply intertwined with the Democrat party, to President Trump’s Health Secretary - RFK Jr has lived an unusual, extraordinary, colourful life - however you want to describe it! Much of his personal life before becoming a cabinet member has been documented by reporter isabel vincent, in a fascinating new book, RFK Jr, the fall and rise.
7. DOMINIC MCGREGOR: I'm Never Drinking Again
36:56||Season 2, Ep. 7Dominic McGregor is the more private of a very successful duo. He and his co-founder, Steven Bartlett, set up the Social Chain and were immensely successful in their early twenties. However, it was also a time of huge pressures for Dom, who turned to alcohol to numb his emotions. In his book, I'm Never Drinking Again, he very bravely lays out some of the lowest moments that led to a lasting change.
6. ELIE HONIG: Nixon to Trump, The White House & The DOJ
44:27||Season 2, Ep. 6When you come at the king, you best not miss. Over the past decade it seems the US Justice Department has generated as many headlines as the White House. To understand the political landscape in America, it is vital to understand the law, and how it works. Elie Honig, CNN’s senior legal analyst, provides captivating insight to it all with a book that looks at each administration from Nixon to Trump, and everything in between.
5. DR BROOKE NEWMAN: The Crown's Silence, British Monarchy & The Transatlantic Slave Trade
38:10||Season 2, Ep. 5Over the course of more than 350 years, an estimated 12 to 15 million people were forced on transatlantic slave ships from West Africa to the Americas. In a recent symbolic vote, the UN passed a landmark resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade “the gravest crime against humanity”. I spoke to Dr Brooke Newman about her recently published book, The Crown’s Silence, a deeply researched account of the British monarchy’s involvement and financial gain from the slave trade.