Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell are teaming up to co-host fresh episodes of the popular BBC podcast – Newscast, on both Saturdays and Sundays. This move will mark a significant expansion, making the BBC’s most widely listened-to podcast available in the UK every day of the week for the very first time.
Starting from Saturday, 2nd September, and continuing on Sunday, 3rd September, Laura and Paddy will take on the role of hosting the weekend editions. This new weekend lineup signifies Laura’s reconnection with the Newscast team, as she has been a familiar voice on the show since its inception.
The dynamic duo’s introduction to the weekend episodes provides Newscast listeners an opportunity to dissect the weekend’s news alongside two of the BBC’s most esteemed and recognisable journalists. Moreover, they will offer additional insights straight from their popular Sunday morning broadcasts. The pair will transition directly from the television and radio studio to Newscast HQ, creating an amalgamation of TV, radio, and podcasting. This will mark the first time such a fusion has occurred, allowing them to discuss their on-air experiences and moments in the green room.
During the Saturdays, the expanding audience of Newscast enthusiasts will gain insight into the preparations for the hosts’ flagship shows – Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Radio 4’s Broadcasting House. Alongside this, they will delve into the most significant current stories. Listeners and viewers will also have the chance to have their queries addressed by the new Weekend Newscasters.
Both Paddy and Laura are among the most recognisable voices on the BBC, and their wealth of experience and cleverness will enrich the burgeoning community of Newscast followers. Their inclusion will add a distinctive weekend flavour to the audience’s experience, which has grown by over thirty per cent in the past year.
With this expansion to seven days a week and the addition of Laura and Paddy to the Newscast team, the BBC is making a substantial commitment to its flagship News Podcast, especially in anticipation of the forthcoming UK General Election. The weekday hosts of Newscast are Adam Fleming and BBC Political Editor, Chris Mason.
Laura Kuenssberg says: “I’m delighted to be getting back behind the Newscast mic, with a brand new show, and a brand new podcasting partner! Paddy’s broadcasting genius is to make you laugh out loud while you’re learning. I can’t wait to try to make sense of what just happened in our TV and Radio studios on Sunday mornings. And I’m thrilled to be reunited regularly with the Newscast audience, with their sparky questions and fantastic feedback, especially now we’re on the road to the General Election. Get the coffee on!”
Paddy O’Connell says: “It’s the best BBC decision since Colour TV. Millions choose TV or Radio on Sunday mornings but never before have we joined forces. Only Newscast can make this happen. Laura is the platinum-selling political journalist in the UK. I’m hoping Broadcasting House listeners start a new podcasting habit by listening on a Saturday and Sunday morning. It’s time for Podcasting House.”
