577 episodes

Making sense of our political hell every Tuesday and Friday! Oh God, What Now? is the no-bulls**t politics podcast, making the unbearable bearable with top quality guests and analysis, plus poor quality jokes. 
Regulars include: Dorian Lynskey, author of The Ministry Of Truth: A Biography of Orwell’s 1984 and host of Origin Story • Alex Andreou, writer, commentator, cook, actor, secret agent • Writer and commentator Ros Taylor • Rachel Cunliffe of the New Statesman • Writer and host of This Is Not A Drill Gavin Esler • Hannah Fearn of the i paper • Comedian Matt Green • New Statesman policy and politics corresponent Zoë Grünewald • Group Editor Andrew Harrison • Journalist Marie Le Conte • Podmasters Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis
Sign up and get ad-free shows earlier than anyone else: patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow.
Oh God, What Now? is a Podmasters production

Oh God, What Now‪?‬ Podmasters

    • News
    • 4.7 • 2.3K Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
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Making sense of our political hell every Tuesday and Friday! Oh God, What Now? is the no-bulls**t politics podcast, making the unbearable bearable with top quality guests and analysis, plus poor quality jokes. 
Regulars include: Dorian Lynskey, author of The Ministry Of Truth: A Biography of Orwell’s 1984 and host of Origin Story • Alex Andreou, writer, commentator, cook, actor, secret agent • Writer and commentator Ros Taylor • Rachel Cunliffe of the New Statesman • Writer and host of This Is Not A Drill Gavin Esler • Hannah Fearn of the i paper • Comedian Matt Green • New Statesman policy and politics corresponent Zoë Grünewald • Group Editor Andrew Harrison • Journalist Marie Le Conte • Podmasters Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis
Sign up and get ad-free shows earlier than anyone else: patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow.
Oh God, What Now? is a Podmasters production

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    The Wrath of Khan

    The Wrath of Khan

    The Tories got trounced at the locals – we unpack the winners and losers. Plus, we question how the media covered the races, including those who said Susan Hall might do better in London than she did… And with Monty Panesar standing for George Galloway’s party – didn’t have that on our 2024 bingo card – we ask about celebs and sports people going into politics. What are the dos and don’ts? 

    • “Susan Hall basically stood there spitting fire about why she lost and how it wasn’t fair.” – Jonn Elledge
    • “There is probably a point bringing up Reform – because they’re a bigger threat to the Tories than they are to Labour.” – Marie Le Conte 
    • “Even if you talk to Tory MPs, they know they cannot sell another new leader on the doorstep.” – Marie Le Conte 
    • “With the younger generation online, they think all celebrities actually should be political. Celebrities are in a hard place because of it.” – Marie Le Conte 

    Listen to American Friction – with Jacob Jarvis, The Bunker’s Chris Jones and special guest Molly Jong-Fast here. 

    We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow 

    www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

    Presented by Andrew Harrison with Marie Le Conte and Jonn Elledge. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production by: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Video production by Kieron Leslie. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.
     
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    • 46 min
    Extra: A taster of American Friction

    Extra: A taster of American Friction

    The brand new podcast from the makers of The Bunker. Bewildered by the US Presidential Election? Don’t worry, American Friction has got you. Every Friday Chris Jones, Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramírez of Rolling Stone join expert special guests to count down to America’s most rancorous election in generations. 
    Get the full episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major platforms. 
    Follow us on social media: 
    Twitter
    Instagram 
    TikTok
    Written and presented by Chris Jones, Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramírez. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production
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    • 8 min
    Emergency Localcast – How bad was it for Sunak?

    Emergency Localcast – How bad was it for Sunak?

    As Labour takes Conservative seats across the UK and in the Blackpool South constituency, Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to work out what it all means. Is it really the Tories’ worst local elections performance in 40 years? Are there any scraps of comfort for Sunak – or is he doomed? 
     
    Support us on Patreon to get early access to all our live tickets plus mugs, t-shirts and more.  
     
    Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Produced by Chris Jones. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Theme music by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. 
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    • 20 min
    Scorn in the USA – The Biden-Trump countdown begins

    Scorn in the USA – The Biden-Trump countdown begins

    The US Election is just six months away. How come snoozy Trump still leads in several states, even though he’s in court every day? We’re launching a brand-new US election podcast American Friction and its regular panelist Nikki McCann Ramírez joins OGWN to scope out American’s Final Countdown. Plus, last-minute speculation on the local elections. Are our devolved local institutions really “a hot mess”? And in the Extra Bit for Patreon people: Following the fall of Too Nice Guy Humza Yousaf, when are politicians too ruthless – and when are they not ruthless enough? 
    Subscribe to American Friction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all other platforms, and hear own Jacob Jarvis and Chris Jones make sense of the US Election countdown, along with Nikki and special guests. 
    • “The biggest threat to Trump’s candidacy isn’t necessarily the trials. It’s that the more time he spends in court, the less time he has for campaigning.” – Nikki McCann Ramírez
    • “It’s not ‘The Economy, Stupid’ any more because people will literally turn away from the evidence if it doesn’t support their view of the candidate they hate.” – Rafael Behr
    • “The scariest promise that Trump has made is his vow to gut Federal agency staff and replace them with Trump loyalists… He has learned from his first term.” – Nikki McCann Ramírez
    Support us on Patreon to get early access to all our live tickets plus mugs, t-shirts and more. 
    Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Hannah Fearn and Rafael Behr. Produced by Chris Jones. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.
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    • 1 hr 1 min
    Who’ll stop the Rayner?

    Who’ll stop the Rayner?

    The right wing press’s feverish attempts to take down Angela Rayner seem to be failing. What’s the secret of Rayner’s appeal and what does the future hold for Labour’s combative Deputy Leader? Plus, the SNP in turmoil as Humza Yousaf’s powerplay against the Greens goes badly wrong, forcing him to quit as Scotland’s First Minister. Scottish writer Gerry Hassan unpacks it for us. And how misty-eyed nostalgia accounts sneak hardline culture war dogwhistles into your mum’s Facebook feed.
    Final tickets for Oh God, What Now? Live in Islington with special guest Jan Ravens are still available.
    The dark subtext of Classical Art and Architecture Twitter.
    • “She is quite gobby… but she’s unapologetic of who she is.” – Marie Le Conte
    • “If Angela Rayner was in the Tory party they would love her!” – Alex Andreou
    • “She’s the most powerful communicator for the message that Sunak is not in touch with real people’s lives.” – Alex Andreou
    • “People used to leave their doors unlocked years ago because there was nothing to nick!” – Andrew Harrison
    We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow 
    www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow
    Presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou and Marie Le Conte. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production by: Robin Leeburn. Video production by: Kieron Leslie. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.
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    • 1 hr 3 min
    Rwanda endgame, Local Elections: The Tory collapse is here

    Rwanda endgame, Local Elections: The Tory collapse is here

    Sunak is still adamant his Rwanda plan will ‘stop the boats’. Will it? We unpack the latest in Tory failure and cruelty. Plus, the local elections are just around the corner and some Tory councillors are literally begging Sunak to stay clear of their constituencies. What should we be looking out for come May 2nd? Then in the Extra Bit for backers, are we heading for a future where all our politicians are weird and wealthy, as Tony Blair puts it? Or are we already there?

    • “It will cost more to send a person to Rwanda than it would to send them to space – that was read out in Parliament.” – Hugo Rifkind
    • “People think Rwanda is the Tories’ worst plan…it’s not.” – Hugo Rifkind

    We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow 

    www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow
    Presented by Dorian Lynskey with Yasmeen Serhan, Ros Taylor and Hugo Rifkind. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production by: Robin Leeburn. Video production by: Kieron Leslie. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis.. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.
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    • 1 hr

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
2.3K Ratings

2.3K Ratings

donksu ,

Hilarious

Best podcast going. I love them all but particularly Alex and Marie. I listen to all the political pods but this one is by far my fave. Sadly the excitement felt when it hits my inbox is huge

RocketFox12 ,

Good. Could be better.

An okay podcast that often has hit and miss panellists and can feel just a wee bit smug.

Alex is incredibly insightful and naturally entertaining but often plays second fiddle to other less able hosts.

The show seems to be unable or unwilling to play with the format and improve and seems to adopt changes after other podcasts in the genre have done so.

Some of the format decisions feels clunky and
I have no idea why the show has decided to play within the rules of legacy media having forced “segments” instead of flowing organically. They also call guests panellists.

The show also has a problem with relevancy, covering topics long after they hit the news due to their scheduling.

To be fair, the show has tried to fix this with emergency episodes and the change to a twice weekly format, but recording an episode that drops Thursday to paid backers and Friday to the rest (and probably recorded Wednesday) means that the episode just isn’t as fresh as some of its other podcast rivals.

The show also falls into the west minister bubble, rarely looking at any regional politics and lacking any panelists with insight in those areas when they do.

Locking away discussion around the Scottish first minister’s resignation to “the extra bit”, and thinking the first minister of Wales will struggle because they aren’t a native Welsh speaker really illustrates this podcasts London centric approach.

Panellists frequently agree with themselves and while I understand that the show isn’t going to have guests with widely different views, they do largely seem to all be from London, playing into the perception that the show is just a safe space for London liberal elites.

The podcast can be very good and I’d like to see it do better.

Ultimately the show seems to be trapped between wanting to be a TV show like politics live, and being a podcast.

Teenyteeny ,

Love this podcast

Really think the mix will f people on this podcast puts it above the rest. Although Alex is my favourite! Keep on podding on!

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