Shows / Mark and Pete
Mark and Pete
What on earth is going on? Mark & Pete have a few thoughts. A weekly British podcast about news, politics, culture, faith and the peculiar things people do. Mark and Pete tackle the big headlines and the smaller stories that probably tell us rather more about ourselves than we’d like. Theme music : Title Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Episodes
Mark and PeteShould Britain become More Energy Self-Sufficient?
Should Britain Become More Energy Self Sufficient? | North Sea Oil, Gas, Net Zero and Britain's Energy Future Should Britain become more energy…
Mark and PeteHow to Have a Horrible Halloween.
How to Have a Horrible Halloween! Britain's Craziest Costumes, Creepy Traditions and Halloween Madness 2026 Halloween 2026 is upon us, and Britain has…
Mark and PeteThe Great British Poo Cruise
Danny Dyer, Britain's sewage scandal, polluted rivers, failing water companies and an enormous floating turd. Yes, really. The actor has taken to the River…
Mark and PeteRoyal Mail to Royal Fail
Royal Mail is failing Britain. First-Class prices, Second-Class service, and a postal system that seems increasingly incapable of delivering the post. Quite an…
Mark and PeteBritain's Banknotes: Churchill Out, Hedgehogs In
Winston Churchill is out, hedgehogs are in, and the Bank of England has decided that Britain's greatest heroes should make way for wildlife. Yes, really. The…
Mark and PeteThe Elgin Marbles: Is It Time to Give Them Back?
The Elgin Marbles, the Parthenon sculptures, the British Museum, Greece, cultural ownership, restitution and one of the longest-running arguments in European…
Mark and PeteEsther Rantzen: The Consumer Queen Who Changed People's Lives
Esther Rantzen, Childline, The Silver Line, That’s Life!, consumer campaigning, British television history and the extraordinary legacy of one of the most…
Mark and PeteTrump, Greenland & Day One: Did We See It Coming? | Mark and Pete
Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, his return to the White House, an extraordinary first day in office and his ambitions for Greenland. This Mark and Pete…
Mark and PeteOpenAI Cracks 90-Year-Old Maths Problem
OpenAI may have cracked one of the most famous unsolved problems in mathematics. In this episode of Mark & Pete, we look at the extraordinary claim that an…
Mark and PeteDo we need a Kill Switch, or just kill AI?
The people building AI say it could destroy humanity, which is an unusually frank product review. In this episode of Mark and Pete, we ask: Do We Need a Kill…
Mark and PeteWarren Buffett: Sixty Years of Getting Rich Slowly
Warren Buffett spent sixty years proving that patience pays, which is awkward news for everyone selling a six-week millionaire course. In this episode of Mark…
Mark and PeteIs Jaguar Landrover Running Out of Road?
Here’s the episode 2 description, keeping the JLR story central but widening into the bigger British-industry and net-zero question. Jaguar Land Rover is…
Mark and PeteThe $5000 Vote: Trump Dividend or Trump Bribe?
Donald Trump is promising Americans a $5,000 payment if Republicans win control of Congress. He calls it a dividend. Critics call it a bribe. And somewhere in…
Mark and PeteRobotaxis: are we ready to sack drivers?
Robotaxis have arrived in London. Uber and British autonomous-driving company Wayve have launched the UK’s first public autonomous ride-hailing service, using…
Mark and PeteVictoria Beckham: Posh has Finally Turned Profit.
Victoria Beckham Holdings has finally made a profit. After 18 years of fashion shows, beauty launches, celebrity cachet, private investment, substantial losses…
Mark and PeteKeir Starmer: Britain's Worse Ever Prime Minister?
Keir Starmer resigns as MP, bringing an extraordinary political career to a rather abrupt close. After becoming Labour leader in 2020, winning a huge Commons…
Mark and PeteSay it with Flowers: Britain's Favourite Blooms.
Britain’s favourite flowers, the occasions we buy them for, and one extraordinary donation of 17,000 white roses are at the heart of this episode of Mark and…
Mark and PetePuppy Love: why cute animals sell us eveything.
Why do advertisers use cute animals to sell us everything from toilet roll and insurance to paint, tea and batteries? In this episode of Mark and Pete, we…
Mark and PeteWe remember Dolly Parton: the queen of country music.
Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, and in this episode of Mark and Pete we pay tribute to one of the most remarkable, successful and strangely universally…
Mark and PeteGross Britannia: Britain is Getting Fatter
Britain’s obesity crisis is getting worse, and the latest figures suggest younger adults are gaining weight faster than ever. According to the King’s Fund…
Mark and PeteE-scooters: a menace on Britain's streets.
zE-scooter accidents in Britain are rising sharply, with hundreds of riders and pedestrians suffering serious injuries and hospitals seeing a worrying increase…
Mark and PeteFerrari's First Electric Prancing Horse.
Ferrari’s first electric car has arrived, and the Ferrari Luce is causing exactly the sort of argument you would expect when the most famous maker of roaring…
Mark and PeteA Truck Load of Tomato Sauce.
Tomato sauce spill, Swaffham traffic, Norfolk news, lorry accidents, road closures and one enormous quantity of ketchup are the unlikely ingredients in this…
Mark and PeteCount Binface for Prime Minister!
Count Binface, Nigel Farage, the Clacton by-election, UK politics, protest voting and the strange state of British democracy are under discussion in this…
Mark and PeteTotal Eclipse: now I understand all the fuss.
Total Eclipse: Now I Understand the Fuss Total solar eclipse 2026, Spain, eclipse chasing, solar eclipse photography and the extraordinary experience of…
Mark and Pete£50,000 or £1 Million: the coin that reveals how you think.
£50,000 or £1 Million? The Coin Toss That Reveals How You Think is a fascinating look at decision making, risk, money psychology, behavioural economics and the…
Mark and PeteBritain's Great Petrol Station Getaway.
UK petrol theft, fuel drive-offs, rising petrol prices, shoplifting, retail crime and the cost-of-living squeeze are at the heart of this episode of Mark and…
Mark and PeteRaleigh Bikes: is it the end of the road?
zRaleigh bikes, the future of Raleigh, Accell Group insolvency, British bicycle history, the Raleigh Chopper and the decline of iconic British brands are at…
Mark and PeteWhen AI Goes Rogue
When AI Goes Rogue. What happens when artificial intelligence ignores the boundaries it was supposed to stay within? In this episode we explore one of the most…
Mark and PeteSelling the Soul of Football
Selling the Soul of Football looks at the extraordinary row involving FIFA, Gianni Infantino, UEFA and the future of the World Cup. At the centre of it all is…
Mark and PeteBill Oddie: Comedy, Music and Birds
Bill Oddie: Comedy, Music and Birds celebrates the remarkable life of one of Britain's most distinctive entertainers. From the anarchic brilliance of The…
Mark and PeteHow do you keep your chidren entertained in the summer holidays?
How Do You Keep Your Children Entertained in the Summer Holidays? School holidays can be magical. They can also be six weeks of hearing "I'm bored" before…
Mark and PeteKevin Keegan - England's First Football Superstar.
Kevin Keegan: England's First Football Superstar. Few footballers have captured the imagination of a nation quite like Kevin Keegan. In this episode we…
Mark and PeteThe Dancing Grannies who Brighten Britains High Streets.
Three Dancing Grannies Go Viral | Hilda, Letty and May Bring Joy Back to the High Street Can three elderly ladies dancing in the middle of the high street…
Mark and PeteWould you pay millions for an old football shirt?
Pelé's World Cup Shirt Sells for Millions | Why Is Football Memorabilia Worth So Much? | Mark and Pete Why would anyone spend millions of pounds on an old…
Mark and PeteGoodbye Starmer, Hello Burnham. Same Circus, New Ringmaster?
Goodbye Starmer, Hello Burnham | New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham | Can He Succeed Where Keir Starmer Failed? Andy Burnham is Britain's new Prime Minister…
Mark and PetePoor Posture: Are You Slipping a Disc at Your Desk?
Poor Posture: Are You Slipping a Disc at Your Desk? takes a close look at one of the most overlooked health problems of modern life. Millions of us spend hour…
Mark and PeteA Middle Finger to Marriage
A Middle Finger to Marriage explores one of the most unexpected social trends of recent years: the rise of the divorce ring. Increasing numbers of people are…
Mark and PeteThe Great Air Conditioner Swindle.
The Great Air Conditioner Swindle asks a simple question: are those cheap "portable air conditioners" all over social media actually air conditioners at all?…
Mark and PeteAmerica at 250: Happy Birthday! What next?
America is 250 years old, and somehow still has the energy of a teenager with a credit card, a rocket programme, and a very firm opinion about everything. In…
Mark and PeteThe Great British Bank Disappearing Actz
The Great British Bank Disappearing Act is leaving towns, villages, pensioners, disabled people, small businesses and cash users without proper access to local…
Mark and PeteHow to Get a Job in a Declining Market.
How to get a job in a declining market is becoming one of the biggest questions facing workers in Britain, especially as AI skills, digital literacy and…
Mark and PeteThe Royal £12.9 Million Tax Bill.
King Charles has paid a £12.9 million tax bill, but is the royal tax system really fair? In this episode of Mark and Pete, we examine the King’s personal tax…
Mark and PeteThe Perfect Pint and the British Pub
British pubs, pub culture, the perfect pint and one Essex barmaid’s extraordinary 53-year career come together in this episode of Mark and Pete. Sally Ward…
Mark and PeteAmber Alert: heatwave hits the UK
UK heatwave warnings, record-breaking June temperatures and the great climate argument arrive together in this episode of Mark and Pete, as Britain swelters…
Mark and PeteIf Starmer Goes, What's Next?
Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham and the future of the Labour Party collide in this episode of Mark and Pete, as we examine Burnham’s decisive Makerfield by-election…
Mark and PeteTrillionaire Elon Musk - can one man have too much money?
Elon Musk has become the world’s first trillionaire after the SpaceX IPO, and in this episode of Mark and Pete we ask the fairly obvious, slightly…
Mark and PeteSmart Devices, Dumb Students and Exam Cheating.
Smart devices, dumb students and exam cheating. A title which is, admittedly, a little unfair to dumb students, many of whom at least have the decency to fail…
Mark and PeteCan Britain still Defend Itself?
Can Britain still defend itself? It sounds like the sort of question once heard in gloomy pubs from men who owned atlases and distrusted decimalisation. Yet…
Mark and PeteStomach churning roller-coasters reach 20,000 rides.
Two British brothers have completed an astonishing 20,000 rides on The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is impressive, slightly baffling, and…
Mark and PeteWill we Discover Aliens in our Lifetime?
Steven Spielberg believes humanity may discover extraterrestrial life within our lifetime, which is either the beginning of the greatest scientific revelation…
Mark and PeteIs the Bayeux Tapestry an Invasion of England?
The Bayeux Tapestry is coming back to Britain, nearly 1,000 years after the Battle of Hastings, and naturally everyone is being very calm and sensible about…
Mark and PeteIs Tony Blair right to say Starmer has no coherent plan?
Tony Blair has accused Keir Starmer’s Labour government of lacking a coherent plan, which is a little like being told your sermon has no structure by a man who…
Mark and PeteWhy are birthrates falling in England and Wales?
Births in England and Wales have fallen again, for the fourth record-low year in a row, and the numbers are not exactly whispering. They are standing in the…
Mark and PeteThe £400 000 question - what did Nicola Sturgeon know?
Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the SNP and estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, has admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the Scottish…
Mark and PeteWhy we can't afford our staple diet.
Bread. Eggs. Milk. Cheese. Butter. Baked beans. Not exactly the shopping list of an oligarch. Yet in recent years these everyday staples have become noticeably…
Mark and PeteArsenal win the Premier League, why did it take so long?
After twenty-two long years, Arsenal are champions again. The jokes about “bottling it” can finally be retired, at least temporarily, and somewhere in North…
Mark and PeteJudith Chalmers - a Treasure in TV Travel
Judith Chalmers has died at the age of 90, bringing to a close one of the most remarkable careers in British broadcasting. In this episode of Mark and Pete, we…
Mark and PeteThe Beatles Have Become a Museum
Paul McCartney is helping to open up one of the most famous addresses in music history, 3 Savile Row, including access to the rooftop where The Beatles played…
Mark and PeteShould the UK veto Eurovison?
Britain lost Eurovision again, which now happens with such regularity it practically counts as a national tradition. In this episode of Mark and Pete, we ask…