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Show 376. Dr Sharon Lockyer
Dr Sharon Lockyer
The live comedy industry is worth around £1bn annually to the UK economy, yet it doesn't get included in government conversations about the arts.
As a result, it doesn't receive the financial support that other arts forms routinely get.
To understand why, and to explain the wider impact of live comedy on society, Matt is joined by Dr Sharon Lockyer from Brunel University.
Comedy. It's a serious business.
THE POLITICAL PARTY IS BACK ON STAGE!
10 February: Rachel Reeves
10 March: Alastair Campbell
31 March: Anthony Scaramucci
12 May: Wes Streeting
9 June: Kemi Badenoch
Plus more to be announced...
Get tickets for all shows here: https://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/
SEE Matt at on tour until April 2025, including his extra date at The Bloomsbury Theatre: https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
12 February: Bath, Komedia
13 February: Southend, Palace Theatre
16 February: Cambridge, The Junction
20 February: Nottingham, Lakeside Arts
23 February: Brighton, Komedia
25 February: Cardiff, Glee Club
26 February: Bury St Edmunds, Theatre Royal
28 February: Chelmsford Theatre
2 March: Bristol, Hen and Chickens (Matinee)
2 March: Bristol, Tobacco Factory
4 March: Colchester Arts Centre
6 March: Birmingham, Glee Club
7 March: Maidenhead, Norden Farm
11 March: Aberdeen, Lemon Tree
12 March: Glasgow, Glee Club
27 March: Oxford, Glee Club
28 March: Nottingham, Lakeside Arts Centre
4 April: London, Bloomsbury Theatre
More episodes
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Show 380. Peray Ahmet
54:01|Peray is the Labour leader of Haringay Council.They are leading the way when it comes to building council homes.But why?This is a fascinating, entertaining insight into leadership in local government, including how to manage disagreement and where to go for the best kebabs.THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg26 January: Special VIP Guest16 February: David Miliband9 March: Zack Polanskihttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
Show 379. Izzy Conn
42:38|Izzy is a political historian and host of the excellent 'Leading Labour' podcast that you can listen to here:https://leadinglabour.podbean.com/It's a series analysing every Labour leader from Attlee to Corbyn.So which Labour leader from history is Keir Starmer most like? And which one can he learn from the most?THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg26 January: Special VIP Guest16 February: David Miliband9 March: Zack Polanskihttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
The Matt Forde Focus Group Returns!
00:34|The Matt Forde Focus Group (BBC RADIO 4) is returning!Sign up to my mailing list for exclusive access to free tickets for the Christmas Special recording of The Matt Forde Focus Group on Wednesday 17 December at 7:15pm.Tickets will be released on Wednesday 19 November. https://www.mattforde.com/focus-group
Show 378. Marie Tidball
59:16|Marie is one of Labour's rising stars of the 2024 intake and was recently awarded 'Parliamentarian of the Year' by The Spectator. It's easy to see why. She is a formidable campaigner and has had to overcome various barriers in her life in order to succeed.An immense talent, Marie could easily have ended up in law or broadcasting, but politics was too strong a pull.Although there is one particular TV show she'd love to be on...THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg26 January: Special VIP Guest16 February: David Miliband9 March: Zack Polanskihttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
Show 377. Jack McConnell
01:07:08|This is PHENOMENAL.Jack was First Minister of Scotland 2001-2007. It was a tumultuous global time and he found himself at the centre of it at the Gleneagles summit.His stories about George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin are incredible.But there's loads more in this. Jack became the leader of a local authority at just 29. He'd joined the SNP at 16, but became a Labour member at 19. It would change the course of his life and he would have a huge impact on the future of Scotland and the UK.THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg26 January: Special VIP Guest16 February: David Miliband9 March: Zack Polanskihttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
Show 376. Bethany Dawson
01:04:04|Well this is about way more than politics...Bethany is one of the stars of the Politico Playbook morning email. It's the must-read morning briefing which mixes top-level political analysis with plenty of juicy gossip.We talk about gossip, why it's important and how to get it... but we also talk about health and the importance of patients really pushing for themselves.Bethany has had a number of health issues, including chronic pain in her teenage years. Told that she was making it up, she's had to be relentless to get the proper diagnosis and treatment.Prepare to be inspired!SUBSCRIBE to Politico London Playbook: https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg26 January: Special VIP Guest16 February: David Miliband9 March: Zack Polanskihttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
Show 375. Harriet Cross
51:21|Harriet is a rare thing: a new Conservative MP who won her seat at the last election. In Scotland. She's already been made a whip.So how come she's rising so fast and what's it like entering the Commons when your party has suffered a historic defeat?And how has living in rural communities shaped her particular brand of conservatism? THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg26 January: Special VIP Guest16 February: David Milibandhttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
Show 374. Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE
59:49|This is a powerful lesson in campaigning, pragmatism and processing grief. Rosamund's daughter Ella died in 2013 at the age of nine. She is still the only person ever in the UK to have air pollution registered as a cause of death. Since then, Rosamund has been a relentless campaigner for improving air quality. She has helped change policy here in the UK and has a legion of international admirers that includes Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can see why. Rosamund is impassioned but also reasonable and empathetic towards those who disagree with her. She is a total inspiration. DONATE to the Ella Roberta Foundation here:https://www.ellaroberta.org/about-ella THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg16 February: David Milibandhttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows
Show 373. Amy Callaghan
47:35|Amy has led an extraordinary life and she's still only in her 30s.While the SNP MP for East Dunbartonshire she suffered a brain hemorrhage. As she recovered, she had to battle the arcane rules of the House of Commons in order to speak and vote on behalf of her constituents. Having narrowly beaten Jo Swinson in 2019, Amy then lost the seat in 2024. So what's life like outside of politics? And what does the future hold for her?This is a great chat about life and how fragile it is. And what that means for politics. THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE8 December: Nick Clegg16 February: David Milibandhttps://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows