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What The F Is Going On? with Mark Steel

What The F Is Going On? with Mark Steel

WTF Productions 230 episodes Latest Jun 1, 2026

Mark Steel hosts a weekly podcast where he tries to make sense of the chaotic state of the world and politics. Each episode features conversations with guests from comedy, politics, and culture, including Miles Jupp, Jeremy Corbyn, Caitlin Moran, and others. The discussions are funny, honest, and occasionally furious, aiming to answer the question: 'What the f is going on?'

Episodes

Ep 185 with Nick Hancock Pt 1: The World Cup Is Going To Be A F***ing Circus! Jun 8, 2026 3162 Mark is joined by legendary broadcaster and comedy icon Nick Hancock for a furious, funny and gloriously nostalgic deep dive into the World Cup. From crying over England’s defeat in 1970 to the magic of crackly late-night commentary, Nick and Mark relive the tournaments that shaped their lives before turning their attention to what modern football has become. FIFA, Trump, halftime shows, dynamic p
Ep 184 with Alan Davies Pt 2: I Spent Years Pretending I Was Fine Jun 1, 2026 2974 This week Mark continues his conversation with Alan Davies. If you haven't heard the first part then do go back and listen now but for the rest of you here is the second half of the interview. Want to get access to the full video interview before anyone else? why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it! ⁠ht
Ep 184 with Alan Davies Pt 1: Comedy Became My Family May 25, 2026 3032 This week Mark is joined by comedian, actor, cricket obsessive and national treasure Alan Davies for a conversation that covers childhood trauma, football VAR, council bureaucracy, working-class warehouses, stand-up comedy in the 80s, Peter Snow in a BBC toilet, and why comedians instinctively know when someone is “not really a comic”. Alan talks candidly about the deeply personal experiences b
Ep 183 with Rachel Millward Pt 2: We Are Sleepwalking Into Disaster! May 18, 2026 2985 This week Mark continues his conversation with Rachel Millward. If you haven't heard the first part then do go back and listen now but for the rest of you here is the second half of the interview. Want to get access to the full video interview before anyone else? why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it!
Ep 183 with Rachel Millward Pt 1: Labour Came FOURTH! May 13, 2026 3269 The morning after the local elections, Mark is joined by Green Party deputy leader Rachel Millward to ask the only question anyone in British politics can answer right now: what the f**k is going on? As Labour and the Conservatives collapse into third and fourth place, Rachel explains why the Greens believe they’re becoming the real opposition — and why the political establishment seems terrifi
Ep 182: What The F Is Going On With Peter Mandelson? May 4, 2026 4355 Mark is joined by journalist and columnist Matthew Norman as they discuss the rise and influence of Peter Mandelson, New Labour’s ruthless relationship with the media, how political standards have collapsed over the past 30 years, Mandelson’s reputation for power, spin and survival, the blurred lines between journalism and politics, and why modern British politics now feels closer to oligarchy tha
Ep 181 with Mothin Ali (Part 2): We’re Here to Replace Labour Apr 27, 2026 3574 This week Mark continues his conversation with Mothin Ali. If you haven't heard the first part then do go back and listen now but for the rest of you here is the second half of the interview. Want to get access to the full video interview before anyone else? why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it! ⁠htt
Ep 181 with Mothin Ali (Part 1): They Tried To Brand Me A Terrorist Apr 20, 2026 2951 Mark is joined by Green Party deputy leader Mothin Ali as they discuss the Greens’ breakthrough in Gorton and Denton, Labour’s increasingly desperate attacks, anti-war politics, media smears, why Reform voters aren’t the enemy, the case for rent caps and public ownership, and whether the Green Party can genuinely replace Labour as Britain’s main opposition. They also get into Mothin’s political ro
Ep 180 with Emma Warren (Part 2): We've Abandoned A Whole Generation! Apr 13, 2026 2904 This week Mark continues his conversation with Emma Warren. If you haven't heard the first part then do go back and listen now but for the rest of you here is the second half of the interview. Want to get access to the full video interview before anyone else? why not join us on Patreon? For £4 a month you can listen to the whole interview straight away – and you'll also be able to watch it! ⁠ht
Ep 180 with Emma Warren Pt 1: This is what happens when you take away youth services! Apr 6, 2026 2787 Mark is joined by writer and youth worker Emma Warren as they discuss the importance of youth clubs in shaping communities, growing up around grassroots music and culture, how youth services have been systematically dismantled, what happens to young people when those spaces disappear, and why rebuilding youth infrastructure is essential to fixing deeper social problems – and you can buy Emma’s boo
Ep 179 with Dr Julia Grace Patterson Mar 30, 2026 3592 Mark is joined by Dr Julia Grace Patterson as they discuss the collapse of NHS working conditions, corridor care and patients dying in hospital hallways, the government’s handling of staffing and funding, the role of privatisation in reshaping the health service, why politicians pit patients against doctors, and how growing public anger could reshape British politics. For Ad-free episodes, Exte
What the F is going on in Iran? 🇮🇷 With Ali Milani Mar 27, 2026 4459 Mark is joined by writer and political commentator Ali Milani as they break down the war in Iran, Trump’s lack of a clear strategy, whether the conflict is really about nuclear weapons, the role of Israel in shaping US policy, the history of Western intervention in Iran, why regime change from the air doesn’t work, and how this war could actually strengthen the very regime it claims to weaken.

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