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Is the UK’s power network in trouble?
Season 1
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With firefighters in London battling a huge blaze at an electrical substation, just over a month since a similar incident brought Heathrow Airport to a standstill, how worried should we be about the frequency of these substation fires?
And, in light of the recent events in Spain and Portugal, are there greater concerns about the stability of the UK’s power network?
John Loughhead, Professor of Clean Energy at the University of Birmingham and Fellow and Former President at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, is here to offer an insight to the situation both here and abroad.
Plus, in part two, could you help the Zoological Society London uncover mystery film footage in time for their 200th anniversary celebrations in 2026? ZSL’s Bicentenary Project Manager, Tina Campanella joins us to explain how to get involved.
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How Venezuela’s deposed leader struck a bizarre ‘win-win’ deal with London
15:00||Season 1Overthrown Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro is facing drug trafficking charges in New York after being seized by US forces in an early-morning raid on Caracas.But he was once instrumental in an extraordinary deal between London and the oil-rich South American nation that resulted in 250,000 low-income Londoners being able to claim half-price bus and tram fares for a year.As the world watches on, The Standard’s City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall is here with the latest.
In need of a laugh? The best comedy shows to see in 2026
13:53||Season 1It’s a new year and officially the first Monday back to work after the festive break…if that feels a little bleak, and you’re looking to schedule some laughs in 2026, then stay tuned for today’s episode. The live comedy scene seems to expand exponentially every year; from award nominees to TV stars to online sensations and podcast heroes, stand-ups are all getting back to their stage roots. The Standard’s Comedy Critic Bruce Dessau is here with a bumper guide to the best of the bunch hitting the road in the coming months, from Josh Widdicombe and Michael Spicer, to Sam Nicoresti, Bridget Christie and plenty more.
From Wuthering Heights to The Bride: Films we’re most excited for in 2026
13:04||Season 1It’s a new year, and 2026 is set to be full of blockbuster and arthouse film releases to entice viewers to the cinema. Although we’re only just entering Oscars season, a brand new slate of films will be hitting the big screen very soon. The Standard’s Head of Culture, Martin Robinson, is here to discuss some of the most anticipated movies of 2026, including Wuthering Heights, Hamnet, Supergirl, The Odyssey, Avengers: Doomsday, The Moment, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, The Bride, The Testament of Ann Lee and The Drama. You can find the full list of 2026 releases here.
Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of WHOOP, on Brave New World (Preview)
15:07||Season 1A special preview from our sister podcast Brave New World, featuring a new episode from its latest series.Host Evgeny Lebedev is joined by Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of WHOOP, to explore recovery, sleep, and why “you can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Will shares how overtraining as a Harvard athlete led him to build a wearable focused not on steps, but on the missing piece of performance: how ready your body actually is.Listen to the full conversation on the Brave New World podcast here.
Has Netflix’s megahit Stranger Things lost its way?
14:17||Season 1Back in 2016, Netflix released a little show called Stranger Things, which went on to become the defining megahit for the streamer. But now, ahead of the finale on New Year’s Day, the sheen appears to be wearing thin…Fans and critics alike have complained about overstuffed plots and too many characters - and more than 280,000 people have signed a petition, demanding to see alleged unseen footage from the latest volume. It’s never simple to wrap up a hugely popular TV series, so we're joined by The Standard’s Commissioning Editor and Culture Writer, Vicky Jessop, with the latest on the end of The Stranger Things era.
The best video games of 2025: from Wanderstop to Clair Obscur
12:36||Season 1As another year draws to a close, we’re taking a look back at the past twelve months and what it’s meant for the world of video games. It’s been a stellar year for indie games, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 raking in heaps of plaudits (and a fair few award nominations) for its take on the JRPG genre — while smaller titles like Wanderstop and Blue Prince have proved that you can do an awful lot without the massive budgets that AAA studios command.The Standard’s Commissioning Editor and Culture Writer Vicky Jessop is here to discuss the highlights of the year, plus what to look forward to in 2026.
The best TV of 2025: from Adolescence to Hacks
17:20||Season 1As we settle into the festive season, it’s time for a round-up of all the best TV from 2025.It’s been a jam-packed one, as ever, serving up lashings of humour, tragedy and a whole lot of sequels. Severance has returned for the first time in years, as has Stranger Things, and the Alien franchise has gotten its own TV spinoff for the first time ever.The Standard’s Commissioning Editor and Culture Writer Vicky Jessop is here to discuss the highlights - and lowlights - of the year, plus what to look forward to in 2026.
Fury as ‘secret courts’ hand out warrants for energy firms to break into homes
17:21||Season 1It’s well-documented that our courts system is in crisis but following an investigation, The Standard can reveal that magistrates are sitting in secret to allow utility companies to break into people’s homes, granting warrants based on applications they have never seen.Back in late 2022, energy firms and courts were rocked by scandal when it was revealed that hundreds of thousands of warrants – including for the homes of some of Britain’s poorest people – were being “waved through” by magistrates.The government promised a clean-up and new court process, but a year-long probe by The Standard has uncovered disturbing practices - and the Chief Magistrate is investigating the concerns. The Standard’s Courts Correspondent Tristan Kirk is here with the latest.
Councils shake-up: Will local elections face further delays?
12:52||Season 1It might be the festive season, but there’s fury in the corridors of power following a row which broke out regarding proposals that would see local elections delayed for a second year in a row for millions of voters. It comes as the government plans to abolish the two-tier system of district and county councils, creating a swathe of new local authorities that will be responsible for delivering services in their areas from 2028. In total, ministers have written to a total of 63 councils scheduled to hold elections in May 2026, although we won’t know for sure if they’re postponed until January.The Standard’s Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest.