Month: September 2025

The Times and The Sunday Times have launched a new weekly political podcast, The State of It, hosted by four Westminster journalists.

Patrick Maguire, Gabriel Pogrund, Steven Swinford and Caroline Wheeler will combine their reporting experience to bring listeners insider conversations, tip offs and analysis from the centre of British politics.
The first episode will be recorded live at the Labour Party Conference and released on Tuesday 30 September, with the second episode following from the Conservative Party Conference. Episodes will then be available weekly.
Patrick, chief political commentator at The Times, said: “At The Times and The Sunday Times we hear every conversation that matters in British politics – including the ones they don’t want you to know about. With The State of It, you can hear them too.”
Gabriel, Whitehall editor at The Sunday Times and recent Press Awards political journalist of the year, added: “Patrick and I decided it was time to do something other than talk all day. We’re now going to do so publicly, and in the company of two finest political editors in Britain.”
Steven, political editor of The Times, said the podcast would provide the inside track: “We are going to give listeners the accumulated knowledge of our many conversations and meetings with politicians from all sides of the political spectrum, providing a unique insight into life in Westminster.”
Caroline, political editor of The Sunday Times, said: “We want to bring Westminster to life by providing listeners with an insider’s view of what’s happening in the corridors of power, as well as the gossip, plotting and intrigue that has come to define SW1.”
Episodes of *The State of It* will be available on all major podcast platforms and through The Times podcasts.

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Heart Xmas officially switched on today across the UK, joined by the return of Smooth Christmas on London DAB.

Heart Breakfast’s Amanda Holden, described as the station’s ultimate Christmas enthusiast, left co-host Jamie Theakston live on-air this morning to press the button next door in the Heart Xmas studio.
The station will now play Christmas hits around the clock, including songs by Mariah Carey, Wham! and Michael Bublé. Heart says it will broadcast non-stop festive music until Christmas Day on radio, smart speaker and via Global Player.
Smooth Christmas is also back, with the station promising listeners “always the best Christmas music” from artists such as Elton John, Whitney Houston and Slade.
Amanda said she goes “completely over the top” for Christmas and was delighted to launch Heart’s seasonal output. Sally Ardis, Senior Managing Editor of Heart and Smooth, said both stations were about giving listeners an early start to the season.
Heart Xmas and Smooth Christmas are both on air from today, Monday 29th September.
Last month, Bauer launched its own festive service, Magic Christmas, playing the best variety of Christmas favourites, also across the UK.

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