Historian and co-host of The Rest Is History podcast Tom Holland joins Amol to explore the history of radical ideas and what it means to be radical today.

Tom explains why Christianity represented such a radical break from what came before, how it shaped secular thought in the West and how that compares to other religions. He also talks about his interest in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.

And Tom discusses the phenomenal success of The Rest Is History, which he presents with fellow historian Dominic Sandbrook.

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis, Sophie Millward and Joe Wilkinson. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

From social media to artificial intelligence, one of themes of the first six months of Radical has been whether modern technology augments and improves what it is to be human or, on the contrary, degrades and damages our species.

In this final episode of 2025 Amol reflects on what he’s learned from the people he's spoken to on the podcast about how technology is changing our lives and brings you some of his personal highlights.

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Best-selling author Naomi Alderman answers your questions about the her first non-fiction book, how she feels about her writing being used to train AI models and whether there will a new series of ‘The Power’ on Amazon Prime.

And Naomi also reveals exciting new details about her latest novel, called ‘The Strangers’, which is set to be released in September 2026.

GET IN TOUCH:

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480

* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

What happens when a new technology transforms how we communicate ideas and information? Best-selling science fiction writer Naomi Alderman joins Amol to explain why she thinks the digital age has pushed us into a “third information crisis”, which is as profound as the invention of writing or the printing press.

Drawing on those past revolutions, Naomi offers some solutions to help us navigate the era we're living through. She suggests new laws to regulate the online world and potentially even a “checked internet” like Wikipedia, which is home to verified facts rather than misinformation.

But at the heart of her argument is the need to prioritise real world, human connection and resist the urge to move everything online.

Naomi also tells Amol how therapy has helped her and why she’s written her first non-fiction book after a series of successful novels.

(00:03:23) What is the third information crisis?

(00:08:01) Why the invention of the printing press caused the Reformation

(00:10:40) Challenges of an information crisis

(00:12:40) The transition to literature

(00:16:30) The pros and cons of smartphones

(00:20:30) The origins of writing and how that changed human connection

(00:24:10) Collective thinking and decision making

(00:26:30) What is social media doing to our minds?

(00:29:06) Naomi’s radical ideas

(00:39:28) Hope for the future

(00:42:30) Scepticism about AI

(00:49:40) Digital ID

(00:51:29) Is this making it better or worse to be human?

(00:55:10) The importance of therapy and becoming reconciled with the events of her life

(01:00:00) What’s next for Naomi Alderman?

(01:02:09) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Chef, author and campaigner Jamie Oliver answers your questions about obesity and how he'd create a more inclusive education system.

Also, is food in French supermarkets better than in British ones? And should there be a move towards predominantly plant-based meals in schools?

GET IN TOUCH:

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Jamie Oliver thinks diet-related illness and growing levels of debt are killing the country he loves. In this frank and open conversation, he tells Amol why we need to go further to help people understand the nutritional value of the food they eat. And although his campaign for the sugar tax brought significant change, Jamie says there is still more to do on school meals, breakfast clubs and food packaging.

But Jamie’s mission doesn’t stop at food. He wants children to be taught how to manage their money and he also sets out a case for reforming education so it better serves children with diverse ways of learning. Reflecting on his own dyslexia, he emphasises the importance of giving every child the support they need to thrive.

And following the announcement that Jamie’s Italian will return to the UK, Jamie reflects on what went wrong the first time and how he hopes to make the relaunch a success.

(00:01:42) Reflecting on the cultural shifts throughout his career

(00:06:12) What he thinks of the current state of Britain

(00:08:25) Sugar tax

(00:11:13) Junk food advertising

(00:13:50) What are we getting wrong with obesity?

(00:16:58) Decline in cooking

(00:19:39) School meals and breakfast club standards

(00:23:17) Neurodiversity

(00:28:30) How did dyslexia affect him as a child?

(00:31:00) Why we need to teach financial literacy to kids

(00:35:14) Jamie’s radical ideas

(00:39:15) The decline of British pubs

(00:43:10) Jamie’s Italian – why it failed and why he is bringing it back

(00:46:55) The ups and downs of fame

(00:52:37) Reflecting on his childhood

(00:55:52) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and Your Radical Questions, where you get to put questions to our guests, is released every Monday.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@r4today

Watch on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens answers your questions about porn and masculinity.

One half of the hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks, he now also advocates for young men and boys, which is why he was invited to an International Men’s Day reception at Downing Street - so why did he turn it down? He explains in this episode of Your Radical Questions.

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Ricardo McCarthy. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

How is online porn affecting sex and relationships? In this episode, musician and campaigner Jordan Stephens calls for a new approach to sex education and a modern redefinition of masculinity.

From Paris Hilton to Bonnie Blue and AI generated porn he discusses how sexual content is evolving and the impact it is having on young people’s lives.

Jordan also explains how his childhood and the whirlwind fame he found with Rizzle Kicks led to heartbreak and addiction.

And how that led him to become an advocate for boys and men.

(00:02:30) Why Jordan became an advocate for boys and men?

(00:08:30) Jordan’s childhood

(00:12:17) Reflections on fame

(00:13:36) How he learned about healthy relationships

(00:15:30) Is there a crisis of masculinity?

(00:20:25) The reality of pornography

(00:28:50) How he would design the sex education curriculum?

(00:31:26) AI and pornography

(00:38:25) Thoughts on Bonnie Blue

(00:42:30) Legalisation of sex work and drugs

(00:45:25) What his partner, the popstar Jade Thirwall, has taught him about relationships

(00:47:30) Politics and young people

(00:54:50) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Ricardo McCarthy. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Environmentalist and TV presenter Chris Packham answers your questions about wildlife conservation, consumerism and his love of punk.

Also, why does he oppose trail hunting? What support would have helped him as a child growing up with autism? And how does he make even the smallest insects interesting?

Here’s how to send us your questions for Jordan Stephens and Jamie Oliver: * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Johnny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

What does it mean to confront climate change? Amol speaks to broadcaster and campaigner Chris Packham who says conservationists like him have not done enough to protect nature.

After the COP climate summit in Brazil ended without new targets to reduce the use of fossil fuels, he wants the UK government to lead a global emergency action plan as it did in World War Two and during the 2008 financial crisis to address what he calls climate and nature breakdown.

The Springwatch and Winterwatch presenter also highlights the importance of biodiversity, how carbon emissions affect our health, and the practical steps individuals can take to make a difference.

But ultimately he says we need a policy shift, which makes polluters pay.

Chris also speaks candidly about his neurodiversity, his compulsion to speak truth to power and the personal price he pays for his campaigning.

(00:06:27) The scale of the climate crisis

(00:09:22) What he wants the UK government to do

(00:12:23) Why climate change has fallen down the political agenda

(00:14:52) Short term vs long term decisions

(00:20:26) Are net zero policies working?

(00:33:55) Environmentalism as a form of misanthropy

(00:40:14) Radical solutions

(00:44:02) What Chris does to help the environment

(00:45:40) Why he thinks he and other conservationists have failed

(00:48:01) What individuals can do

(00:57:38) The price he’s paid for his campaigning

(00:59:55) Neurodiversity

(01:02:38) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Johnny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Farmer and author James Rebanks is our first guest to answer your questions. He tackles everything from what consumers can do to support British farmers to whether sheep farming should go the way of coal mining, and how to reduce obesity in the UK.

He also discusses his experiences at school, going to Oxford University in his mid-twenties and how his education has shaped him.

Send us your questions for Jamie Oliver:

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Is it possible to produce enough healthy food to feed the nation whilst also restoring nature? The farmer and best-selling author James Rebanks thinks it is but says there needs to be a radical change to government policy and our entire food system.

He explains why he thinks farming subsidies are flawed, the unintended consequences of cheap food, and the delicate balance between food security and environmental stewardship.

And from the hills of Cumbria to a remote island in Norway, he also reflects on the lessons he learnt about masculinity whilst writing his latest book, ‘The Place of Tides’.

A government spokesperson said: “Farmers are stewards for our nation's land and for our food security. Farming also plays a central role in our mission to kickstart economic growth.

“We understand that when farmers run profitable businesses, it’s good for the whole economy.

“That is why we are backing them through new technology, streamlined regulation and our nature-friendly farming schemes are helping farmers produce food for the nation.”

This podcast has been updated since the original broadcast to remove some inaccuracies around pig farm numbers.

(00:05:34) James explains his rise to farming fame

(00:08:49) Why British farming is in crisis

(00:16:42) Food production vs nature recovery

(00:24:35) Our cheap food system

(00:32:27) Supermarkets and food security

(00:36:29) Restoring the balance between supermarkets and farmers

(00:39:00) How can consumers help British farmers?

(00:42:15) What do we do to build a better system?

(00:46:00) Farming and politics

(00:49:30) What it's like to be a British farmer and James’ family history

(00:52:43) From the farm to Oxford University

(00:57:37) How a visit to a remote island in Norway led to ‘The Place of Tides’

(01:05:17) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

How should we balance innovation, power and accountability in the digital age? This week, Amol speaks to Sir Nick Clegg — former UK deputy prime minister and former president of global affairs at Meta — about the power and responsibility of big tech companies. Sir Nick argues that breaking them up won’t solve the problem of their digital dominance, calling instead for greater regulation and user control.

He discusses how technology shapes young people’s lives, warning against moral panic whilst calling for stronger age-appropriate safeguards and phone-free schools. And with rare candour, Sir Nick offers an insider’s perspective on how Silicon Valley really works — and why governments, not tech CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg, must ultimately set the rules.

He also talks about politics and philosophy, arguing that true liberalism — rooted in reason, openness, and the belief in evidence over emotion — remains vital in an increasingly polarised world.

(00:03:20) Concerns about the impact of AI

(00:07:00) The power paradox and network effects

(00:06:11) Children and smartphones

(00:22:17) Social media and political polarisation

(00:34:00) What’s Mark Zuckerberg really like?

(00:37:56) Why tech bosses are not moral leaders

(00:41:36) Why he left Meta

(00:44:10) The future of technology and power

(00:49:26) The race for AI ‘supremacy’ between the US and China

(00:52:00) Preparing for this new digital world

(00:53:11) Why has politics changed so much since he was deputy prime minister?

(00:57:55) Is liberalism weak?

(01:01:20) What’s next for Sir Nick Clegg?

(01:05:16) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall and Ben Andrews. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

How do human choices, biases, and behaviours shape our economy? This week Amol speaks to Nobel Prize winning behavioural economist Professor Richard Thaler about his theories that dive into the patterns behind our decision-making and reveal why humans aren’t always as rational as we like to think.

From overconfidence and the lure of winning at any cost, to the hidden costs of risk-taking and the psychology of incentives, his research shows why individuals and markets sometimes make surprising — or even seemingly irrational — choices.

By unpacking the experiments described in his book The Winner’s Curse we get an insight into his work and he applies these behavioural insights to the issues facing the UK today. They discuss how to get young people off welfare and into work, government debt and why Richard believes the winter fuel allowance needs a rethink.

(00:04:10) Why he thinks traditional economic theory is flawed

(00:07:44) The pros and cons of behavioural economics

(00:17:40) The story behind The Winner’s Curse

(00:19:00) The Endowment Effect

(00:21:16) The Ultimatum Game

(00:23:28) Confirmation Bias and Overconfidence

(00:25:54) Mental Accounting

(00:29:42) Young people, welfare and work

(00:33:35) Tackling government debt

(00:38:32) The housing crisis

(00:40:06) The rise of AI and dangers of social media

(00:43:00) How he found out that he’d won the Nobel Prize for Economics

(00:45:26) Richard Thaler’s legacy

(00:47:43) Amol’s reflections

(00:51:20) Listener Messages

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

How can Millennials, Gen Zs and Gen As thrive in a world where so much success depends on having access to the Bank of Mum and Dad?

Historian Dr Eliza Filby – an expert in generational identity – tells Amol that society needs to shift in three major ways to mitigate the “rupture” between young and old: in values, education and wealth.

Amol speaks with her about her book ‘Inheritocracy’ which calls for a radical redefining of meritocracy. They also discuss the shifts in parenthood and the evolving household roles of men and women, and ‘kidulthood’ - where young people move into adulthood in their early thirties instead of their late teens or early twenties.

(00:02:30) What is ‘Inheritocracy?’

(00:04:13) The values rupture – Baby Boomers are the exceptional generation

(00:10:07) The education rupture - the declining graduate premium

(00:16:00) The wealth rupture – unattainable ‘big ticket’ items

(00:28:00) Why is the social contract broken between generations?

(00:38:27) Shifts in assortative mating

(00:45:30) Is meritocracy a good idea in principle?

(00:54:17) How to reconfigure the tax system for a new generation

(00:57:07) Dr Eliza Filby's radical idea

(01:01:11) Amol’s reflections

(01:04:25) Listener messages

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Gareth Jones. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally changing the internet. But Matthew Prince, CEO of cybersecurity giant Cloudflare, thinks there is a way to ensure content creators and publishers earn enough to operate — even as their work feeds AI.

Cloudflare has put up digital firewalls around its clients’ sites, which blocks the bots that copy content to train large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. It is then up to its customers to choose whether to allow those so-called AI “crawlers” to access their sites.

He hopes his decision will lead to a better deal for publishers as ‘search engines’ become ‘answer engines’ in the era of AI overviews and chatbots, which has an impact on website traffic.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has designated Google with strategic market status in general search, which includes AI Overview and AI Mode. But Google says “many of the ideas for interventions that have been raised in this process would inhibit UK innovation and growth, potentially slowing product launches at a time of profound AI-based innovation.” The company also disputes Matthew’s claim that traffic to websites has fallen since the launch of AI Overview.

Amol and Matthew also speak about the debate between artists like Sir Elton John and the UK government over plans to exempt technology firms from copyright laws.

(00:03:52) How the internet is changing

(00:08:05) How AI is reducing web traffic

(00:11:34) Why it's important to compensate content creators

(00:18:50) AI is a platform change

(00:21:38) How AI could improve content creation

(00:26:29) The story behind Cloudflare

(00:31:42) Why he decided to block AI “crawler” bots

(00:42:33) AI and copyright laws in the UK

(00:45:19) Google’s market power

(00:51:37) Advice for becoming a tech entrepreneur

(00:54:01) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Ricardo McCarthy and Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Whilst on a night out in the summer of 2011, Jacob Dunne made a split second decision to throw a punch that killed James Hodgkinson.

After being convicted of manslaughter, Jacob spent 14 months in prison during which time James’ parents contacted him to get answers about their son’s death. A dialogue began between them and when Jacob was released, Joan and David asked a question that he says saved him: “What are you going do with your life?”

That led to him doing his GCSE’s and getting a degree, and with James’ parents he now campaigns for criminal justice reform to improve the experience of victims and reduce reoffending.

Amol and Jacob go into extraordinary detail about his tough upbringing in Nottingham, what happened on that fateful night in 2011, and how – through his relationship with Joan and David - Jacob turned his life around.

They also discuss knife crime and why he thinks building stronger relationships is the solution to ending the cycle of violence in some of the most deprived areas of the UK.

His story is the subject of a West End play called Punch by James Graham and an award-winning BBC Radio 4 Series, which you can listen to here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l0jr

(00:04:00) What is restorative justice?

(00:14:00) Growing up in Nottingham

(00:26:44) The punch

(00:47:00) Time in prison

(00:56:20) Life after prison

(01:05:00) Meeting James' parents

(01:22:40) The future

(01:31:00) Amol’s reflections

(01:36:14) Listener messages

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

As extreme weather forces people from their homes, the journalist and author Gaia Vince makes the positive case for immigration.

Projections show that billions of people will be displaced by 2050 due to the effects of global warming, a phenomenon she has reported on in her book ‘Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval’.

She argues that if governments plan for the mass movement of people they can reap the economic rewards of immigration despite public concern about the issue.

And with news that renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of 2025, Gaia tells Amol why she thinks we’re approaching a “tipping point” which will see the end of our reliance on fossil fuels and green energy become the dominant source of power.

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh thinks multiculturalism in Britain has led to an excessive focus on our differences rather than what unites us, but she believes schools like hers can change that by teaching traditional values and British culture.

Known for enforcing strict discipline at Michaela Community School in north London, Katharine explains why she promotes unity over diversity.

She is also critical of those in power who ignore what she sees as the concerns of “white British people”, which she says breeds resentment towards minorities.

And she tells Amol why she's opposed to the government’s school’s bill and what she makes of Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.

In a statement the Department for Education said: "This government is delivering transformative education reforms so every child can achieve and thrive, regardless of their background or postcode because expecting a great education for all children should never be controversial.

"The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will be a seminal moment for the safety and success of our children, introducing common-sense measures backed by parents and teachers that ensure excellence and support - from highly qualified teachers and a cutting-edge curriculum, to reduced costs for families through breakfast clubs and school uniforms.”

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Physicist Carlo Rovelli thinks we need natural intelligence and not artificial intelligence in an age of confrontation.

Ten years ago he wrote a short book called Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, which became an international bestseller and catapulted him to scientific stardom.

A decade on he thinks the world is at a dangerous moment as the West’s dominance declines and global powers prioritise competition over collaboration.

One area he's most concerned about is AI, which he thinks is overhyped but needs to be controlled nonetheless.

He also explains some mind-bending ideas about time, space and why he thinks the Big Bang was actually a Big Bounce.

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Grace Reeve. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by Phil Bull. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.