Shows / This Is Why
This Is Why
The world’s a pretty confusing place right now – so how do you make sense of it all? This Is Why takes one story every day, explains how we got here and why it matters to you. Sky News’ Niall Paterson speaks to experts and correspondents from around the world, getting simple answers to some complex questions. Available every weekday afternoon. This Is Why is a Sky News podcast – if you have a question, contact us: why@sky.uk
Episodes
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Reeves rallies MPs, online abuse crackdown, Max Whitlock returns
The chancellor's called for unity among Labour MPs - 24 hours before she reveals her budget. Meanwhile, the prime minister's hosting a call between European…
This Is WhyWhy David Cameron’s calling for more cancer screening
Is it time for an NHS screening programme for prostate cancer? The disease is the most common cancer affecting men in the UK and kills more than 12,000 men…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Budget looms, Ukraine peace talks, Eze hat-trick
Two days out from Wednesday's big budget, Sophy and Wilf talk through what they're looking out for. Ukraine peace talks in Geneva continue today. David Cameron…
This Is WhyMichael Gove: Shabana Mahmood will lead Labour... but not yet
She’s the Labour home secretary winning praise from the Tories and Reform UK – no wonder Shabana Mahmood’s crackdown on immigration has grated with some of her…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Trump's plan for peace in Ukraine, energy bills cap, The Ashes
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's ready to work on a peace plan put together by just the US and Russia. UK drugs could be funding Russia's war effort. Plus, energy…
This Is WhyIs Trump using Ukrainian corruption to force a peace deal?
It's perhaps no coincidence that Trump's latest peace plan has dropped just as President Zelenskyy is having to deal with the biggest corruption scandal his…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Russian spy ship, secret Ukraine peace deal and the AI nightmare for novelists
Defence Secretary John Healey sent a direct warning to Russia after a ship was spotted off the north coast of Scotland. US special envoy Steve Witkoff's post…
This Is WhyRussian spy ship, secret Ukraine peace deal, AI nightmare for novelists - Cheat Sheet with Ridge & Frost
Defence Secretary John Healey sent a direct warning to Russia after a ship was spotted off the north coast of Scotland. US special envoy Steve Witkoff's post…
This Is WhyThe Punch: The killing of an innocent man and the wait for justice
When a British father, Matt Jeffrey, was killed by a single punch during a stag do on the Greek island of Zante, two men were convicted. But now a Sky News…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Scottish football victory, the president and the prince, UK defence warning
Scotland have secured their place in the football World Cup for the first time in 28 years. In the US, politicians have voted to approve a bill forcing the…
This Is WhyConsumer confidence: Knowing your rights
More than 100 companies are being warned by the competition watchdog in a crackdown on online pricing. If you’re not on your toes, it can be a tricky and…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Mahmood defends asylum reforms, UN backs Trump's Gaza plan, ticket touting banned
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood is defending asylum reforms some Labour MPs are calling "cruel and inhumane". Also, the UN has passed Trump's peace plan for…
This Is WhyIs the Danish immigration model right for the UK?
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced a radical overhaul of the UK's immigration system, by copying a model that has been seemingly successful in…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Asylum reform, Trump Epstein u-turn, house prices fall
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is announcing some of the biggest reforms to the asylum system since WWII. Trump has U-turned on the Epstein files, calling for…
This Is WhyWhy does BBC board’s Robbie Gibb keep getting criticised?
Who is Sir Robbie Gibb and is he the most influential figure at the BBC? In a week marred by controversy, the organisation has seen the departure of two senior…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Reeves's income tax U-turn, renting reforms and Ariana Grande ambushed
Reports say income tax won't increase in Rachel Reeves's budget - but where will the chancellor find the money for government spending shortfalls? The BBC…
This Is WhyIs the NHS in good health under Wes Streeting?
A tricky week for Wes Streeting was eased ever so slightly by the news NHS waiting lists have shrunk – if not by much. But the health secretary will still be…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | The president and the paedophile, children vaping and toy sales boom
New emails and documents provide an insight into the relationship between Donald Trump and the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. He has repeatedly denied…
This Is WhyIs Rachel Reeves' black hole ‘made up’?
Sir Keir Starmer is standing on the edge of a black hole. The budget is looming and Downing Street believes some of the prime minister’s own MPs may move…
This Is WhyUnseen: The ‘invisible girl’ abandoned by the state
Nonita had a voice, but nobody heard it. Aged just 18 and in care, Nonita was hit and killed b y a moving train – despite repeatedly warning the professionals…
This Is WhyWhy does Donald Trump want to sue the BBC for ‘$1bn’?
The row over how President Trump was portrayed in a Panorama programme has proved to be a scandal too far for embattled BBC bosses. Director-general Tim Davie…
This Is WhyWhat Will David Harbour Do About Lily Allen's Album?
A revenge record from the pop star Lily Allen has led to a storm of negative headlines for its alleged inspiration – her estranged husband, David Harbour. It’s…
This Is WhyDoom scrolling: How Elon Musk is boosting the British right
Have you been feeling a bit more right wing recently? If you're an avid user of X then it appears Elon Musk is trying to make that the case. For the first…
This Is WhyIs the Brazil climate conference a COP out?
With the leaders of some of the world's most polluting countries - the US, China and India - set to skip it, is the COP climate conference irrelevant? The…
This Is WhyForgotten victims: How do first responders deal with trauma?
Fatal crashes caused by young drivers inflict untold suffering on survivors and the loved ones left behind. But what about the trauma experienced by first…
This Is WhyIs it safe to travel on Britain’s railways?
From stabbing attacks to assaults and antisocial behaviour, do you still feel safe taking the train? On Saturday evening, 11 people were injured on board a…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet | Huntingdon train stabbing, Air India survivor and Women's cricket victory
Police are still trying to work out the motive for Saturday’s mass stabbing on a train from Doncaster to London. Sophy has spoken to the sole survivor of the…
This Is WhyCheat Sheet: A New Morning Podcast From Monday!
From Monday, Sky News has a new podcast for your morning commute. Sophy Ridge and Wilf Frost will be up early to get across the news so you don't have to…
This Is WhyWhat’s next for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor?
The King has announced that his brother, Andrew, will lose the title of ‘Prince’ which he was born with, and will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor…
This Is WhySudan's war: Is it a genocide?
Tens of thousands of people were killed in the Sudanese city of Al Fashir in the days after it was captured by a paramilitary group, analysts believe. The…
This Is WhyWhy did the Home Office pay Hadush Kebatu £500 to leave the country?
Why did the Home Office pay Hadush Kebatu £500 to leave the country? Sky News has spoken to migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu hours after he was deported to…
This Is WhyPunishing Prince Andrew – would losing Royal Lodge be enough?
Less than two weeks after Prince Andrew announced he was giving up most of his royal titles he is now facing mounting calls to leave his 30-room home in…
This Is WhyInto the 'kill zone': How Ukraine fights a war of the future
Ukrainian soldiers sprint away from a disabled tank on the battlefield while their control room desperately tries to help them evade the Russian drones…
This Is WhyFrom Iron Maiden to the Iron Lady: Japan’s first female prime minister
A former television presenter and heavy metal drummer has become the first woman to be elected prime minister of Japan. Sanae Takaichi is known for her…
This Is WhyCool cows: The cattle challenging climate change
Whether they are providing the beef for your roast dinner or the milk for your cup of tea – cows are undeniably useful animals. The problem is they also enjoy…
This Is WhyShadowing the storm: Is Britain being dragged into war?
With Ukraine highlighting the use of UK hardware in strikes against Russia and the US insisting British military personnel join a team monitoring the Gaza…
This Is WhyIs the AI bubble about to burst?
The rise of AI has been hailed as a new industrial revolution - a huge economic success story (depending on your point of view) with massive implications for…
This Is WhyTitles and entitlement: Prince Andrew’s unanswered questions
The downfall and disgrace of Prince Andrew has taken another dramatic turn after he announced he was giving up some of his royal titles. Reports have emerged…
This Is WhyThatcher 100 - why Margaret Thatcher is still shaping politics a century on from her birth
The UK's first female prime minister undoubtedly transformed the country as she achieved electoral success her Conservative successors could only dream of…
This Is Why'Divide and rule': The gangs rivalling Hamas for control of Gaza
A ceasefire may be in place, but violence continues to plague Gaza. As Hamas attempts to keep some control, a rival group has told Sky News they plan to fight…
This Is WhyAre the police getting it right on rogue officers?
Dishonesty, discrimination, and misconduct – just some of the reasons why more than 730 police officers were sacked and barred from service last year. Of…
This Is WhyThe communities combatting a rise in religious hate crime
Members of minority religious groups say they feel less safe in the UK than ever before. A summer of protests outside asylum seeker hotels and a renewed debate…
This Is WhyWhat next for Israel’s released hostages?
All 20 remaining living Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas – after more than two years in captivity. Now the slow process of recovery and…
This Is WhyNo laughing matter: Is Saudi festival a case of ‘comedy washing’?
Can you put a price on freedom of speech? Comedy royalty including Dave Chapelle and Jimmy Carr, famous for defending their right to say whatever they want…
This Is WhyPresidents, peace deals and how to win a Nobel prize
Donald Trump has claimed the credit for ending seven wars and with the developments in Gaza it could soon be eight - surely then he's a dead cert for this…
This Is WhyStarmer, spies and China’s threat to national security
The prime minister’s been asked to ‘explain himself’ after the UK’s top prosecutor blamed the collapse of a China spy trial on the government - for not…
This Is WhyLewis Moody and living with MND
In September, former England rugby captain Lewis Moody received a devastating diagnosis that changed his life forever. The 47-year-old Rugby World Cup winner…
This Is WhyWargame Day: Is the UK ready for a real Russian attack?
It's the morning of Monday 6 October 2025 and Russia has launched a missile strike against the UK. That was the scenario of The Wargame - a gripping five-part…
This Is WhySarah Mullally: The former nurse chosen to lead the Church of England
Could the historic appointment of a first female Archbishop of Canterbury cause a split within the Anglican Church? Dame Sarah Mullally has been chosen for the…
This Is WhyManchester synagogue attack: 'We knew this day would come'
Communities in Manchester are once again reeling following a terror attack - this time on a synagogue in Crumpsall during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the…
This Is WhyAre asylum fears a distraction in the fight for women's safety?
The senior police officer in charge of preventing violence against women and girls has warned the political discourse around asylum seekers risks being a…
This Is WhyImmigration and the problem with ‘progressive patriotism’
The government has continued to grapple with the subject of immigration during the Labour Party conference - where a desire to fight Reform UK's rhetoric has…
This Is WhyEd Conway on Rachel Reeves - what her conference speech reveals
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her keynote speech to the Labour Party annual conference in Liverpool. In an address where there were multiple standing…
This Is WhySarah Ferguson: Debts, deceit and the downfall of a duchess
Just as they were for her ex-husband, revelations about her relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have proved highly embarrassing for Sarah…
This Is WhyHow to survive a cyber attack
Despite Jaguar Land Rover announcing some of its systems are back online, not a single car has rolled off the production line since the end of August. And…
This Is WhyNatalie's story: The life-prolonging surgery that became a 'death sentence'
A woman left with an incurable brain disease following a NHS operation says she feels like she's "living with a death sentence". Natalie Bralee-Brett was born…
This Is WhyParacetamol, President Trump and the myths about autism
The scientific community has condemned comments made by Donald Trump and his health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, linking autism to the use of everyday…
This Is WhyStarmer and the risks of recognising Palestine
Nearly two years on from the October 7 attacks by Hamas and subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza, Sir Keir Starmer has joined other world leaders in recognising…
This Is WhyTrump and Starmer quizzed on Epstein
On this episode we are showcasing two of Sky News' other podcasts as we go over Donald Trump's second state visit. Electoral Dysfunction's Beth Rigby, Ruth…
This Is WhyLand of the free? Jimmy Kimmel and the death of discourse
US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has been taken off air by the Disney-owned ABC network for making "offensive" comments relating to the assassination of Charlie…