The team responsible for BBC Radio 4’s Today, the UK’s most prominent and influential news programme, is set to launch a new weekly podcast. This initiative aims to extend the conversation with Today’s audience once the programme concludes.
Starting on 5th October, The Today Podcast will be available every Thursday on BBC Sounds and Radio 4. Listeners will join Amol Rajan, Nick Robinson, and various guests as they share their perspectives on the most significant news stories. Additionally, they will provide an insider’s view of the programme’s production process.
Amol and Nick, both well-known journalists in the UK, are regular hosts of the Today programme.
The introduction of The Today Podcast demonstrates the BBC’s strong commitment to expanding the Today brand. This follows the launch of The Today Debate with Mishal Husain last year, as well as regular joint presentations outside of London, and the listener Guest Edits in August.
This new podcast is at the core of the BBC’s strategy to promote BBC Sounds and enhance digital listening. The platform recently experienced substantial growth, with a record-breaking 216 million plays of on-demand radio and podcasts in the last quarter.
The Today Podcast will highlight the journalism of Today and allocate more time for in-depth analysis and context.
Nick Robinson says: “I love presenting Today – a fast-moving, agenda-setting, daily news programme – but I can’t wait for the chance once a week to slow down, take a breath, kick off my shoes and reflect on what’s really happening in the world beyond the headlines, without ever needing to look at the clock and say ‘I’m sorry, that’s all we’ve got time for’.”
Amol Rajan says: “Well, this is exciting. I am a podcast fanatic. Recent years have shown there is massive global demand for the intellectually ambitious, deeply humane and mischievous conversation which podcasts can provide. Helpfully I like Nick a lot and respect his intellect. Everybody’s invited and there will be plenty of input from the Today community – and beyond.”
Owenna Griffiths, Editor, of Today and Executive Producer, of The Today Podcast, says: “With Amol and Nick, the conversations we have about stories and ideas off-air are as interesting and challenging as the interviews on the Today programme and I’m really excited this podcast will open up those conversations to our listeners.”
Mohit Bakaya, Director of Speech and Controller of Radio 4 and 4Extra, says: “The Today programme remains essential daily listening every morning for millions of listeners on BBC Radio 4. However, one often wants to go deeper on certain stories than time allows so I’m pleased that Nick and Amol can now get an opportunity to really get their teeth into the most important and often complex stories of the week, providing the insight, analysis and context one expects from Radio 4.”
The Today Podcast will premiere first on BBC Sounds, every Thursday starting from 5th October, followed by a broadcast at 11 pm on Radio 4 the same evening.
Presented by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson, the podcast is produced by Tom Smithard, and edited by Jonathan Aspinwall and Louisa Lewis. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths. Rhian Roberts serves as the BBC Radio 4 commissioner.
