The Explanation

Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin.

World Service,250 episodes

Episodes

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The President’s Path: Elections fallout
How Republicans and Democrats fared in this year’s elections
07 Nov 2025,26 mins
Unspun World: War-weariness in Russia
John Simpson explores war-weariness in Russia and the problem it poses for the Kremlin
07 Nov 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: Lessons from Top Gear
Producer Andy Wilman on success and fallout at TV’s biggest car show
06 Nov 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: Electoral battlegrounds 2025
What will the first big elections of Trump’s second term reveal?
31 Oct 2025,25 mins
Unspun World: Donald Trump’s China strategy
John Simpson analyses President Trump’s approach to dealing with China
31 Oct 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: Advertising race row
How race and representation in adverts became a political issue.
30 Oct 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: Shutdown and teardown
Trump tears down the White House's East Wing as the federal shutdown continues
24 Oct 2025,24 mins
Unspun World: Will Hamas really give up control of Gaza?
John Simpson analyses whether Hamas will lay down its weapons in Gaza
24 Oct 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: When the Royals lose control of the story
What renewed scrutiny of Prince Andrew reveals about royal-media dynamics
23 Oct 2025,22 mins
Weight loss jabs: A medical game changer?
Do weight loss injections have far-reaching benefits beyond weight management?
18 Oct 2025,49 mins
The President’s Path: How many wars has Donald Trump ended?
How many wars has President Trump ended?
17 Oct 2025,25 mins
Unspun World: Who will run Gaza?
John Simpson analyses who will actually be running Gaza in the wake of the ceasefire
17 Oct 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: The Gaza Ceasefire
How newsrooms are covering Gaza as access remains blocked
16 Oct 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: Supreme Court shapes Trump's powers
How Supreme Court could define the scope of Donald Trump's presidential authority
10 Oct 2025,24 mins
Unspun World: Is peace in Gaza now possible?
John Simpson analyses whether peace in Gaza is now possible
10 Oct 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: Reporting from Inside Putin’s Russia
Steve Rosenberg on reporting truth and staying safe as a BBC journalist in Moscow
09 Oct 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: Trump’s power
Trump is testing the limits of his power over executives and the military.
03 Oct 2025,24 mins
The Media Show: Is Larry Ellison the new Rupert Murdoch?
Tech billionaire’s media deals fuel debate over political influence
02 Oct 2025,22 mins
The President's Path: Silencing voices
Jimmy Kimmel’s return and the fight over free speech
26 Sep 2025,24 mins
Unspun World: World leaders formally recognise Palestinian statehood
John Simpson analyses what effect the recognition of Palestine as a state might have
26 Sep 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension
Treatment of the US talk show host raises questions about US media and political pressure
25 Sep 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: Trump's diplomacy
President Trump’s visit tests Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of the “special relationship”
19 Sep 2025,25 mins
Unspun World: President Trump’s second state visit to the UK
John Simpson examines the relationship between Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump
19 Sep 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: Reporting Charlie Kirk’s killing
How journalists have covered the murder of a polarising figure
18 Sep 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: The killing of Charlie Kirk
The killing of Charlie Kirk and reaction from across the political divide
15 Sep 2025,25 mins
Unspun World: Protests hit France as new PM takes office
Is France's latest political crisis a signal of long-term decline?
12 Sep 2025,26 mins
The Media Show: Super Mario Bros at 40
Why Nintendo’s 1985 adventure is remembered as a turning point for video games
11 Sep 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: Trump's troubles
Trump enters a new political season as Congress returns from its summer recess
05 Sep 2025,25 mins
The Media Show: France’s political crisis
Coverage of François Bayrou’s political gamble and the rise of ‘Bloquons Tout’
04 Sep 2025,22 mins
The President’s Path: Trump’s law and order
Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard draws equal parts praise and concern
29 Aug 2025,25 mins