36 years after the original, Tom Cruise returns for Top Gun: Maverick, plus we don our parkas as we listen... more

Monkeypox has hit the headlines with its spread in Europe. What is it? How do we deal with it? And... more

As scientists seek extraterrestrial life, what would we do if we actually found it? How would we manage first contact,... more

As the Prime Minister is caught red wine handed, we discuss the crises facing Britain alongside the partygate furore. We... more

Sue Gray’s final partygate report is due, meaning a long week ahead for Boris Johnson. What can we expect it... more

NEW PODCAST: In a brand new 6-part series, Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey explore the histories of the most misrepresented... more

Blows to the head are commonplace in a range of sports – why do the risks often go unspoken? What... more

Pop culture roundup: Can we plumb the depths of Kendrick Lamar’s dazzling, disturbing Mr Morale & The Big Steppers? Has... more

Authoritarian leaders are dominating 21st century politics. How did this new generation of strongmen rise to power? Gideon Rachman, chief... more

Eleven of the fifteen postwar Prime Ministers went to Oxford. How did their privileged upbringing change the U.K? The FT’s... more

We look at the Government’s culture war push as people are told to just work harder to beat the cost... more

As Finland and Sweden look to join Nato, we unpack the latest from Ukraine as Putin faces consequences for his... more

Joe Biden’s poll ratings have been underwater for months. What is the state of his presidency? Dorian Lynskey speaks to... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk This year’s Eurovision is upon us – but is it full of... more

How do we talk to radicals and terrorists who are bent on reshaping society through violence? Charlotte McDonald-Gibson was at... more

With the prospect of Roe v. Wade being overturned, we unpack the movement against abortion rights in the United States.... more

What was spicier, Starmer’s curry or its aftermath? We discuss the Labour leader’s standing and his bluff-calling gamble. Plus, who... more

Brexit tensions spike in the wake of Northern Ireland’s assembly elections – what will come of the fallout? Plus, Putin... more

News of Elon Musk buying Twitter has enraged some users – but what could he actually do with the platform?... more

In our pop culture roundup: Does the new Dr Strange go a multiverse too far? Reunited Deutsche electro legends xPropaganda... more

You may have heard of China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, but what actually is it? And what are Beijing's underlying... more

With the Tory tractor bogged down in scandal, can diversion tactics help them at the local elections? We look at... more

We assess the latest political rumblings as local elections loom. How will the latest scandals sway public opinion? Will the... more

Someone has to pick up the pieces after a disaster. What’s it like to deal with the aftermath of a... more

Ahead of the local elections, we look at the key political battles across Britain. Could a bad set of results... more

Our pop culture roundup. This week, time twists in new Apple TV+ thriller Shining Girls with Elizabeth Moss. How hip... more

Atrocities in Ukraine have sparked calls to prosecute Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Could that happen? Dr. Maria Varaki, lecturer... more

Emmanuel Macron may have defeated Marine Le Pen – but that doesn’t mean France’s far right is finished. Where is... more

What’s worse about the Mail’s attack on Angela Rayner? The sexism or the clumsy vindictiveness? Plus, Macron squeaks the French... more

In France Emmanuel Macron has won again. What challenges will he face in his second term? And what does the... more

Brexit came as a shocking nadir in British politics for many people – but looking back, was it really a... more

Pop culture polemic with guests folk-pop-chanson visionary Kathryn Williams and journo Jude Rogers, whose new book The Sound Of Being... more

How do we tackle new international threats from terrorism to forced migration as people flee climate change? Does diplomacy still... more

Priti Patel cements her position as honorary Minister for Outrage while Johnson apologises, but doesn’t, once again. We pick apart... more

The PM faces a partygate reckoning amid the Rwanda refugee plan backlash. What more Government chaos is due this week?... more

The BBC: nest of woke lefty propaganda or tame right-wing mouthpiece? Or something more complex? As the BBC marks its... more

How did Britain come to be one of the largest gambling markets in the world? Rob Davies, investigative journalist and... more

On our pop culture round-up: Special guest Will Young tells us about the art of mind maintenance, a life in... more

Anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny is the man Vladimir Putin fears most. Now a new documentary tells his story. Director Daniel... more

We live in a culture obsessed with the spectacle of youth. One in five Britons will be over 65 by... more

Is Johnson’s hit job on Sunak distracting from a Tory brand that’s falling apart? Does the West have the stomach... more

As the far right’s Marine Le Pen runs off against Macron, could France fall to extreme populism? Plus the briefing... more

Britain now removes more children from their parents than ever before. Is it possible to mend broken families? Polly Curtis,... more

On our pop culture round-up: BBC2’s “genuinely moving” Paul Gascoigne documentary, reggae legend Horace Andy returns, and is Apple TV+... more

Money makes the world go round, but how does it actually work? With economies across the globe in flux, understanding... more

For millions of people, social media isn’t a source of entertainment or information, but a way to reinvent themselves. So... more

Russia’s withdrawal from some areas of Ukraine has unveiled new depths to the atrocities committed under Putin. With horrific images... more

With Russia accused of massacring civilians in Ukraine, we look at the world’s reaction, and what will come next. How... more

What is life like for Hong Kong activists detained then forced into exile after daring to defy Beijing? Simon Cheng... more

We welcome indie-rockin’ winger Pat Nevin (Chelsea, Everton, the Camden Falcon) to talk music and his new book The Accidental... more

Jacques Peretti’s mother, Alina, survived World War Two in Poland, Siberia, and finally, Auschwitz. They talk to Siân Pattenden about... more

Loneliness is something we’ve all felt at some point in our lives, particularly throughout COVID. But it can also have... more

What a difference a week makes. Rishi Sunak’s stock has plummeted dramatically, how far can it fall? We unpick the... more

As fallout from Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement boosts tensions in Government, we look at how this might unravel further. And... more

Just 9% of all the plastic ever produced on planet Earth has been recycled. So where does the other 91%... more

This week’s pop culture review: Aldous Harding’s couture cocoon-pop, bizarre Betamax horror in new movie Broadcast Signal Intrusion, and Sky... more

How can historical fiction be relevant to today’s society but faithful to the facts of the past? Author Laura Shepherd-Robinson... more

The pandemic and a decade of underfunding has ground courts to a halt in England and Wales. How can this... more

As a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is discussed, could Vladimir Putin’s word possibly be trusted? Is his sway... more

With ongoing devastation in Ukraine and a biting cost of living crisis here at home, the outlook remains bleak. The... more

Whatever you think of him, Nigel Farage has been one of Britain’s most influential politicians. His campaign to take the... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Dr Catherine Anne Davies, AKA Welsh multi-instrumentalist The Anchoress, joins us on... more

Why is Britain so accommodating to the super-rich? Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the World talks to Ahir Shah... more

Cultural organisations are becoming more assertive in boycotting Russia. But how effective are their sanctions? Can these moves compare with... more

The Government has been bounced into doing more for Ukrainian refugees, but are new plans just shifting responsibility? Plus, we... more

The horror of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to shock the world. Is more involvement from the West inevitable? What... more

Nuclear war is back in people’s minds after Vladimir Putin put Russia’s deterrent on high alert. How real is the... more

Our pop culture review: Dancefloor existentialists Electribe 101, Microdisney mastermind returns with Telefís, Netflix comedy sci-fi The Adam Project and... more

We often hear that laughter is the best medicine. But healthcare providers in Bristol have taken the message seriously and... more

Western coverage of the bloody civil war in Syria might indicate that the conflict is over. But in the northwest,... more

Among Putin’s missteps has been underestimating the support Ukraine would muster. Why is he losing the information war? Meanwhile, Russia... more

Harrowing scenes of families fleeing Ukraine have seen the Government pressured to do more for them. Will it? As Russia’s... more

Imagine an app able to dictate social media trends at the click of a button. Digital researcher Ayushman Kaul talks... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk After a sneaky single drop from their new album A Bit of... more

Cryptocurrencies have boomed in recent years, but are they here to stay? Amy Castor, an independent journalist whose work focuses... more

What’s the situation like on the ground in Ukraine? Nearly a week after Russia invaded, veteran war correspondent John Sweeney... more

Is a humiliated Putin even more dangerous than a victorious Putin? Can the incredible bravery of the Ukraine and President... more

Setting up the week ahead: Putin threatens nuclear war, EU sanctions bite Russia, French presidential elections. Would Putin really use a... more

Eugenics might be considered a horrific relic of the past, but the concept still has its advocates today. Dr Adam... more

This week’s pop culture review: Untold tales of British metal, the star of the National Theatre’s astonishing Wuthering Heights, new... more

We live in a world of chaos, with Western democracies facing overlapping geopolitical, economic, and political crises. How did we... more

Beijing 2022 was the first Winter Olympics to rely almost exclusively on fake snow – at great cost to the... more

This edition recorded before Putin’s speech and the Russian incursion into Ukraine. “Levelling up” is a mantra for Boris Johnson,... more

The threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is still looming. Can further diplomacy prevent war? There are reports of... more

What will China do in 2022? Cindy Yu, The Spectator’s broadcast editor and host of the Chinese Whispers podcast, joins... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Lakeland poets of “high church rock’n’roll” Sea Power play songs from their... more

How did a Christian movement, founded at the turn of the century, become the fastest growing religion today? Pentecostal Christianity... more

A strong accent can lead us to make many assumptions about a person. We ask why, and the impact of... more

Russia’s threatening moves on the borders of Ukraine have led to a frantic diplomacy blitz. Can Vladimir Putin be urged... more

Following Cressida Dick’s resignation, we look at the looming clashes over who will become the next Met police chief. What... more

We all want control over our lives. But as we make more decisions digitally, the impact of algorithms on our... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Writer, director, actor, singer, dancer - THE NOTORIOUS RBB Rikki Beadle-Blair joins... more

With environmental destruction threatening our oceans, what might a fresh plan to protect them look like? Chris Armstrong, political theory... more

Christine Lee’s recent designation as a Chinese agent of influence by MI5 has breathed new life into calls to reassess... more

Amid a profound and worsening cost of living crisis, we discuss whether the Government is rising to the challenge. Is... more

With Boris Johnson’s senior team in chaos, we discuss what comes next as we brace for yet another calamity-packed week.... more

Northern Ireland has been plunged into political turmoil following DUP first minister Paul Givan’s resignation over Brexit border controls. What... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk EMMY, BRIT and BAFTA award winning composer Howard Goodall tells us about... more

The car is one of history’s most important inventions, but with changing ownership patterns and the climate crisis, will the... more

With the global population set to hit 8 billion in 2022, are we really in the midst of a new... more

Boris Johnson’s apology after Sue Gray’s “update” on Downing Street parties was followed by a shameful bout of obfuscation from... more

The wait for the Sue Gray report goes on–with the word “imminent” having been redefined of late. If it is... more

Conservative minister Lord Agnew’s dramatic resignation due to his dissatisfaction over efforts to tackle COVID loan fraud drew stark focus... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk A mash-up of Burt Bacharach, Scott Walker and Michael Nyman for the... more

From drone pilots and prison guards, to the undocumented migrants who man industrial slaughterhouses, it takes an army of workers... more

Despite Dishy Rishi’s best intentions, restaurant culture has been hit hard by COVID. Lockdowns and cancelled reservations, social distancing and... more

As we await Sue Gray’s report, the scandals continue to pile up for the Government. With allegations of blackmail and... more

As Russia is accused of plotting to install a pro-Kremlin government in Ukraine, what will NATO’s next move be amid... more

If you’ve been on Twitter in the past month, you might have heard of ‘Wordle’, the new Mastermind meets Scrabble... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk As Yard Act Overload us with new tunes, Jim Butler and Linda... more

As the Arab Spring rippled across the Middle East, many looked to the relative calm of Dubai and the United... more

Hungary’s election on April 3rd is seen by many as the last chance to rid the country of autocratic leader... more

What will be sacrificed to protect self-designated Big Dog Boris Johnson: the BBC, migrants, a swathe of civil servants or... more

So much for Veganuary. It’s Red Meat Week, apparently, as the Government throws the BBC, migrants and their own staff... more

Robots make our cars, deliver our food, and soon they’ll be commonplace in our homes and at work, but what... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Guitar hero, super-producer and long-suffering Arsenal fan Bernard Butler tells us about... more

Politicians don’t always give us what we want. So why do they get their decision-making so wrong? Polly Mackenzie is... more

Rare, endangered animals are under attack from rich, powerful people who operate above the law. But this isn’t a story... more

Why is the NHS struggling so badly if Omicron is less severe than previous COVID wave? And how come the... more

The Government toys with pulling free lateral flow tests and mass vaccination. Are they giving in to the hard right... more

Warning! Major spoilers! DO NOT listen unless you’ve already finished Sweet Bobby. How well do you know the person you... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Comedian and actor Omid Djalili joins us to talk about the joy... more

How would you behave as the dictator of Turkmenistan? Are bad people the only ones who get power - or... more

In the UK the country’s falling out of love with Johnson, the economy’s in crisis and the Conservative government is... more

What does 2022 have in store? It’s crunch year for three massive British institutions that have defined our lives: the... more

From 1970s Westminster, to the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? scandal, James Graham is one of the UK’s most... more

Anyone for cheese and whine? The noble Lord Frost scuttles away from his Brexit mess as it emerges that real... more

It’s going to be a cold Christmas at No 10, as Lord Frost resigns as Brexit Minister, Simon Case recuses... more

A festive homage to the fromage… Nothing says Christmas like cheese, so in a sequel to Ros’s insect-eating special she... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk We round off 2021 with more picks of the best of the... more

We treat TV as the most disposable art form – but for decades it has shaped our world more than we... more

We’ve all heard of the placebo effect, but what about the Expectation Effect? What we think will happen can change... more

As the leaks about illicit parties and quizzes pile up, and the Tory right wing fly into a rage about... more

It’s Crunch Week (again) for Boris Johnson as he tries to get Plan B Corona restrictions past a mob of... more

Our world is no longer governed by international coordination, with superpowers instead promoting ‘Enduring Disorder’. Jason Pack, non-resident fellow at... more

Hear all the music on our podcasts in full on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk The holidays are almost upon us, and... more

Nearly a quarter of the world’s population is Muslim, so if we are to fully understand the modern world, we... more

Last week far-right TV pundit Eric Zemmour announced he was running in next year’s French Presidential election, but who is... more

The Government announces a performative war on middle class drug users just as cocaine traces are discovered in the Commons... more

Omicron cases continue to rise, but will new travel rules actually stem the tide of infections, or is it too... more

With The War of The Worlds, H. G. Wells catapulted to international literary success. But how did his adolescence shape... more

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk It’s the first of two Best Of 2021 editions where we choose... more

Last week 27 people tragically drowned trying to cross the Channel from France, and 2021 has seen a record number... more

Laundering the dirty cash of kleptocrats is labour-intensive work. So who are the Western bankers, lawyers, accountants, and realtors enabling... more

This week’s panel show out early for Patreon people… Oh good, there’s a new variant in town. Is this really the... more

The new Omicron variant is here in Britain, but how worried should we be about it? Will the Government be... more

Charlotte Raven was in her mid-30s when she discovered her father was suffering from Huntington’s disease. For her and her... more

Hear all the music on our podcasts in full on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk In this week’s show, Madness frontman SUGGS... more

Over 130,000 people were killed in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, with most deaths concentrated in Bosnia. But 26... more

Around the world democratic values have been in decline, with Hong Kong’s struggle against Beijing one of the clearest examples.... more

This week’s panel show out early for Patreon people… And you can hear our new series DOOMSDAY WATCH here: https://kite.link/doomsday  The... more

Northern Powerhouse trains might be derailed, but as the CBI convenes across the country, levelling up is back on the... more

Running a marathon is no easy feat, but to run one in under 3 hours puts you in the top... more

Hear all the music on our podcasts in full on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk What a difference Adele makes. As Adele’s... more

COVID may have suspended parliamentary debate, but important decisions were still being taken behind the scenes. So how did we... more

The Republican Party might be the party of Donald Trump, but how did it get to this place of uncompromising... more

The curtain has fallen on Glasgow’s climate conference, but is the overtime pact agreed enough to steer the world away... more

COP26 came to a close at the weekend, but did India and China scupper an opportunity for real progress on... more

In England, 50% of the land is owned by just 1% of the population, but how did such a small... more

Hear all the music on our podcasts in full on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk The artist otherwise known as Malcolm Tucker... more

Albania in the 1980s was the last bastion of Stalinism in Europe. It was difficult to visit, and a place... more

When you think about the gig economy, you probably imagine an Uber driver. But one in seven Brits are part... more

British-born US intelligence analyst FIONA HILL, America’s top Russia expert, became an overnight hero when she demolished Donald Trump’s Ukraine... more

As Johnson scuttles away from the Owen Paterson debacle and fresh sleaze oozes out, will new Commons regulations mean that... more

George Orwell was a keen gardener, but did his love of nature influence his politics? Inspired by her encounter with... more

Hear all the music on our podcasts in full on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk The Wordsworth of Bury GUY GARVEY of... more

The phrase ‘Net Zero’ has become increasingly prominent in our discourse around climate change, with most countries and businesses pledging... more

As the world banks its hopes on COP26, we talk live from the conference to the FT’s SIMON MUNDY about... more

As climate change becomes a bigger issue, more companies are trying to prove they’re eco-friendly, but are they actually as... more

Climate change is the existential challenge of our time – but do we fully understand the depth and complexity of... more

As COP26 kicks off in Glasgow, what do you need to know about a summit that’s being described as the... more

Hear all the music on our podcasts in full on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Original Essex Man BILLY BRAGG joins us... more

As the human race reaches new heights of scientific understanding, why then does it seem to be losing its mind?... more

The COVID pandemic has seen us bombarded with statistics like never before, - case numbers, excess deaths and vaccination rates.... more

Is Plan B really happening or what? Does the Government grasp the magnitude of the NHS crisis that’s coming? And... more

Metaphor time! Rishi Sunak strains over a painful Budget while Conservative MPs are hammered for voting to allow raw sewage... more

t’s often said that the crisis in Western democracy is caused by those left-behind, but is the greatest threat to... more

Hear all the music on our podcasts in full on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk This week: Snooker star turned cosmic DJ... more

It’s COVID Groundhog Day with cases spiking, the Government dithering and the NHS under critical pressure all over again. As... more

Is gene-editing – replacing sections of DNA to make plants and animals more fertile or resistant to disease – really our escape route... more

The horrific murder of Sir David Amess has put MPs’ personal security into sharp relief. But should the Government tighten... more

Children lost an average of 115 days of schooling under last year’s lockdowns, but that doesn’t capture the scale of... more

A second MP in five years is killed during the performance of constituency duties. Will the death of Sir David... more

The Anglo-Saxons represent one of the most vital and important periods in English history, but then why do we know... more

We’ve got a bit less music on this week’s podcast than we’d like but you can hear it in full... more

Cities are slowly coming back to life after COVID. But has the pandemic permanently changed our urban spaces, and how... more

Enigmatic Californian tech investor and libertarian Peter Thiel is best known for his controversial ‘spy tech’ company Palantir and for... more

As Britain surges forward into the 1950s, the Prime Minister goes on holiday – again. Will fuel costs, supply chains,... more

Unelected Brexit panjandrum David Frost gets ready to blow up the Northern Ireland deal that he and Johnson sold to... more

DANGER, SPOILERS! James Bond finally returns to cinemas in a world where questions about sexism, racism and Britishness have seldom... more

Remember you can hear the music from every Culture Bunker in full on our rolling playlist.  Joining us for this week’s... more

Antisemitism remains one of the Labour Party’s most painful problems. It’s an issue with deep roots, dragged up by Corbyn,... more

Should we feel more compassion towards men who are send to public schools? And what do boarding school books reveal... more

Britain staggers into another Winter of Discontent but the atmosphere in the Conservative Party Conference is serenely unworried, says our... more

As the Conservatives convene for their Manchester conference, are there sufficient supplies of Churchillian cosplay, blather about levelling up and... more

In a groundbreaking study, a team of scientists at the University of Dusseldorf have grown mini brains, each with their... more

Remember you can hear the music from every Culture Bunker in full on our rolling playlist. On this week’s pop culture... more

The Red Wall has been the backbone of Labour's vote in the Midlands and the North of England. But in... more

For many of us, politics is a hobby. We soak in the gossip, eat up the statistics and tweet our... more

Out early for Patreon people… When a government fails to deliver the basics – like getting petrol to the pumps –... more