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 PeteIs Being the UK Prime Minister an Impossible Job?
Why does every British Prime Minister now seem doomed almost immediately? In this episode of Mark and Pete, we explore whether the job of Prime Minister has…
Mark and PeteAmazon UK's First Drone Delivery Service.
zAmazon drone delivery UK trials have finally become reality and, honestly, it feels exactly like Britain would make the future feel: slightly exciting…
Mark and PetePussycat Dolls Left on the Shelf
The Pussycat Dolls reunion tour has reportedly collapsed after poor ticket sales and, if we’re honest, there’s something almost beautifully symbolic about it…
Mark and PeteTribute to CNN's Ted Turner
Ted Turner dead at 87 , it feels a bit like the end of a particular species of American businessman. The loud, impossible, swaggering media baron who looked as…
Mark and PeteRetired IT Analyst wins Who Wants to be a Millionaire
There is something oddly reassuring about Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? still existing. In an age where television increasingly resembles either therapy…
Mark and PeteLatest Banksy Statue: Rebellion or Quiet Cooperation?
Banksy has spent years cultivating the image of the outsider. The elusive vandal-philosopher with a spray can, appearing in the night to mock politicians…
Mark and PeteStephen Fry Stage Mishap
A story involving Stephen Fry, a public fall, and the suggestion of legal action against a festival organiser might sound, at first glance, like a minor…
Mark and PeteMadonna Stripped of Her Clothes
It is, on the face of it, a slightly odd sort of crime. Not subtle, not especially discreet, and certainly not small. Costumes belonging to Madonna have been…
Mark and PeteSmoking Banned for Teenagers.
It begins, as these things often do, with something that sounds both sensible and faintly unreal. The UK government is pressing ahead with a generational…
Mark and PeteThe Serious Business of Comedy
Something quietly marvellous has happened. A lost episode of the Morecambe and Wise Show has turned up, not with trumpets exactly, more like a slightly dusty…
Mark and PeteIs the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame out of touch with British Acts?
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has just welcomed a striking wave of British artists, and on the surface it feels exactly as it should: overdue recognition, a…
Mark and PeteA Shaggy Dog TV Story.
Siesta Dog TV might sound like a charming little corner of YouTube, and in fairness it is soft visuals, gentle movement, carefully designed to keep your dog…
Mark and PeteThe Irrational Trump Pope Spat
Donald Trump vs the Pope over the Iran war has quickly become one of the strangest and most talked-about global flashpoints, not only because of the stakes…
Mark and PeteThe Marmalade Scandal: a sticky situation with the EU.
Marmalade, EU regulation, UK food labelling, citrus spread none of these sound like the beginning of a cultural moment, and yet here we are. A quiet little…
Mark and PeteBadminton Shuttlecock Crisis.
Badminton, of all things, is having a moment. Not a glorious one, mind you, but a slightly awkward, faintly ridiculous sort of crisis. The problem is not…
Mark and PeteFaberge Egg stolen from Dog and Duck.
A stolen bag. Nothing remarkable about that, you’d think. The sort of petty, forgettable crime that barely troubles the police blotter. And yet, tucked inside…
Mark and PeteOrkney Supermarket goes Bananas.
In this episode of Mark and Pete, we turn to a story that is, on the face of it, faintly ridiculous and yet, like most such things, not without its lessons…
Mark and PetePoor Peppa Pig got Hacked.
In this episode of Mark and Pete, we turn to a rather surreal development: the hacking of one of the most trusted names in children’s entertainment. Peppa Pig…
Mark and PeteApple Computers is 50 Years Old. Hurrah!
In this episode of Mark and Pete, we look at the astonishing story behind Apple’s 50th anniversary—and the man who walked away from one of the greatest…
Mark and PeteAmazon Echo - Smarter or More Irritating?
As AI upgrades roll out, these devices are beginning to hold longer conversations, remember context, and respond in ways that feel less robotic and more…
Mark and PeteTrump Autographs US Currency
Should a president’s name be stamped onto the very money people spend every day? In this episode of Mark and Pete, we dive into the debate surrounding Donald…
Mark and PeteLuke Littler Trademarks His Face.
Luke Littler, the teenage darts phenomenon who has taken the sport by storm, is now making headlines off the oche by moving to trademark his own image. In this…
Mark and PeteAt last! Unbreakable Encryption.
In this episode of Mark and Pete, things take a distinctly futuristic turn as the conversation lands on the rise of quantum computing and the claim that it may…
Mark and PeteThe Highest Snooker Break in History
In this episode of Mark and Pete, the conversation turns from quiet coastal wandering to something far sharper: the astonishing precision of Ronnie O'Sullivan…
Mark and PeteThe King and the World's Longest Walk
In this episode of Mark and Pete, the unlikely duo of businessman and preacher turn their attention to a quietly remarkable national project: the opening of…
Mark and PeteUK Ewes Insuffiently Breeding
Britain’s sheep population has fallen to one of the lowest levels on record, raising serious questions about the future of UK farming, rural communities, and…
Mark and PeteLifechanging Euromillions Jackpot for UK Winner
A UK Euromillions jackpot winner has taken home £181 million, instantly becoming one of the richest individuals in Britain and in this episode of Mark and…
Mark and PeteBritish Banknotes go Wild and Woke
British banknotes could soon feature wildlife instead of famous people, according to discussions about redesigning UK currency and in this Mark and Pete…
Mark and PeteRIP to 9-5 Working Hours
Is the 9-to-5 job dead? In this episode of Mark and Pete we discuss the collapse of traditional working hours, hustle culture, and why modern tech companies…
Mark and PeteThe Ant and Dec Art Scandal.
In this episode of Mark and Pete, we take a look at the bizarre world of the modern art market through the story involving Ant and Dec and a work connected to…
Mark and PeteHow to Take Feedback
In this episode of Mark and Pete, we explore the strange world of feedback culture, from podcast listeners and YouTube comments to the deeper question of how…
Mark and PeteThe Ten (Modern Day) Commandments.
Are the Ten Commandments still relevant today, or does modern society think it can update them? In this episode of Mark & Pete, we explore why the Ten…
Mark and PeteMathematical Models for Better Food Crops.
In this episode of Mark & Pete, we explore a fascinating development in modern science: how mathematical models are helping scientists identify genetic…
Mark and PeteThe Green Party: Dirty Tricks in Politics
Mark & Pete examine the recent Green Party by-election victory and the allegations of cheating that have followed. When a party built on moral language…
Mark and PeteDrunk in Charge of Classroom
When authority wobbles, everyone feels it. In this episode of Mark & Pete, we examine the troubling case of a teacher reported to have been under the influence…
Mark and PeteWhy is Britain the Wettest Ever?
Has Britain entered a new ice age — or is it simply Tuesday in Cornwall? In this episode of Mark & Pete, we examine reports that Cardinham in Cornwall has…
Mark and PeteAndrew Mountbatten Windsor: a national embarrassment?
What happens when royalty meets reality? In this episode of Mark & Pete, we examine the ongoing reputational crisis surrounding Prince Andrew and what it means…
Mark and PeteThe Tudor Heart: Romance or Propaganda?
A pendant linked to Catherine of Aragon has reportedly been discovered — and it’s more than just Tudor jewellery. It’s a window into one of the most dramatic…
Mark and PeteHave we Fallen Out of Love with Valentine's Day?
Is Valentine’s Day still romantic… or has modern culture quietly fallen out of love? In this episode of Mark and Pete, we take a sharp look at Valentine’s Day…
Mark and PeteThe Reduced Working Week - Productivity or Sloth?
Should Britain move to a shorter working week? Would a three-day or four-day week make us healthier, more productive, and less miserable… or is it just the…
Mark and PeteUK’s Laundry Poverty
Britain has reached a strange new milestone in the cost of living crisis: even doing the laundry is becoming unaffordable. In this episode of Mark and Pete, we…
Mark and PeteThe Winter (Olympics) of Discontent
The Winter Olympics are facing an awkward little problem: winter is increasingly unreliable. In this episode of Mark and Pete, we explore the growing concern…
Mark and PeteStarmer: Stifled or Stuffed?
Is Keir Starmer already on his last legs, or is he exactly the kind of leader modern Britain deserves: bland, managerial, and strangely unkillable? In this…
Mark and PeteDriverless London
Driverless cars are coming to London — and not in a distant sci-fi future sense. Real streets, real traffic, real pedestrians stepping into the road while…
Mark and Pete100 Years of TV
2026 marks an extraordinary milestone: 100 years since the invention of television, the glowing box that quietly reshaped modern civilisation while we were…
Mark and PeteAre We Heading for World War III?
Are we really on the brink of World War Three — or are we simply being herded into panic by a media economy that thrives on fear? In this episode of Mark and…
Mark and PeteRobbie Williams, 16 Number Ones, and the Long Goodbye to Cool Britannia
A statistic quietly slipped into the news, and it landed with more cultural weight than most headlines. Robbie Williams now has sixteen UK number-one albums —…
Mark and PeteThe Business of Bickering Beckhams
When a celebrity moment sparks discomfort rather than applause, it usually means something deeper has been touched. In this episode of Mark and Pete, we turn…
Mark and PeteGreenland, Trump and Sinful Occupation
When Donald Trump floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, the media treated it as comedy — late-night fodder, Twitter mockery, and a thousand smirking…
Mark and PetePolitical Backstabbing, Prying Embassy and a Party for Pooh
This week on Mark and Pete, we take a hard look at a British political landscape that feels increasingly unstable, unserious, and oddly theatrical. The episode…
Mark and PeteRobots, Junk Food, and Talentless Tennis
Robots, Junk Food, and Talentless Tennis explores three revealing stories that say far more about modern culture than their headlines suggest. First, we look…
Mark and PeteTop Prediction Picks for Twenty Twenty-Six
What will 2026 really bring? In this episode of Mark & Pete, we take a boldly unscientific but spiritually alert look at the year ahead, guided by Mark’s…
Mark and PeteNew Year - The Survivor’s Guide to 2026
Welcome to the New Year episode of Mark and Pete, where optimism is treated with caution and realism is offered with grace. The Survivor’s Guide to 2026 is a…
Mark and PeteTop Ten Christmas Party Rules
Christmas, as it turns out, is a strange mixture of warmth and mild insanity, and this special episode leans cheerfully into both. Mark and Pete wander through…
Mark and PeteStolen Artefacts, Cancelled Social Media, and the Annual Flu Panic
In this episode of Mark and Pete, we take a clear-eyed look at three stories that reveal how badly modern Britain and the wider West now struggle with value…
Mark and PeteOBR Leaks, Mansion Tax & A Fateful Fiscal Forecast
In this Mark and Pete Budget Special, our intrepid duo dive into the chaos, comedy, and quiet despair of Britain’s latest economic rumblings. First up: the OBR…
Mark and PeteSuperman, Super Fatberg, and Super Scottish Soccer
In this episode of Mark and Pete, your favourite businessman-and-preacher double act dive into a trio of “super” stories shaping the week’s headlines. First…
Mark and PeteTrump Sues the BBC, Cheating Pub Quizzers, and Tariffs Gone Bananas
In this episode of Mark & Pete, the boys tackle three stories that prove the world has not yet learned to behave itself. First up: Donald Trump threatens to…
Mark and PeteRemembering the Brave, Overweight Oil Workers, and a Centre for Illustration
In this thoughtful and gently sardonic episode of Mark and Pete, we take a reflective walk through three very British stories of courage, dignity, and the…
Mark and PetePrunella Scales bows out, big Boeing penalties and illegal teeth whitening
Mark and Pete, the Reverend and the Retailer tackle three stories that expose the strange priorities of our modern world — from comedy to catastrophe and…