Alas Vine & Hitchens

What's the Big Idea? Finally, Sarah Vine (once memorably described as being ‘like and loathed in equal measure, divisive, but never indecisive’) and Peter Hitchens (a man whose writing a critic was called to compare to a Guardsman’s boot: ‘as highly polished and potentially lethal’) meet once a week to look at the world and mutter, alas… Acclaimed columnist and journalist Sarah Vine and best-selling author and broadcaster Peter Hitchens discuss and dissect social, economic, and pop cultural flotsam and jetsam that have risen out of the dark waters of that week’s news.  Taking one big idea each episode and pulling it apart with élan, imagine Vine and Hitchens respective columns brought to life and then skewered, scoffed at, debated, and given the full weight of Vine and Hitchens impenetrable gaze. Though an accord might not always be reached, it’s the journey that matters.  Whether it’s the tech bros gone rogue – Meta tearing up its own rule book on fact checking, Musk attempting to influence governmental policy, or the knotty subject on society’s ever-increasing reliance on anti-depressants to treat what might just be the modern malaise and not depression at all. Or, evil, nature or nurture? Does evil actually exist or is it an idea that hangs over us, or do we just sometime embody it and the actions themselves are evil, not the individual? All this and more are to be pored over, one towering topic each week discussed with humour, insight, and real understanding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 10h ago

    Kier Curtailed and A Voyage Round My Father

    On this week’s episode, Sarah speaks candidly about her father’s recent passing, both muse on the brutality of modern politics as Kier Starmer steps down and Peter wonders why some nations crave war.   And the pair pore over our mailbag prompting Peter’s remarkable impression of an announcer on the Moscow Metro. They both offer up the funniest politicians they’ve encountered and revisit Peter’s anti-Cameron documentary, Toff At The Top.  On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      Two Women – Dir: Vittorio De Sica ·      Salvador – Dir: Oliver Stone ·      Dispatches: Cameron - Toff at the Top   Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min
  2. Jun 15

    Banned Books and Past-It Politicians

    On this week’s episode, Sarah’s asking is eighty too old to be a world leader or any kind of politician and Peter would like to know why the Thought Police are coming after Janet and John.   And the pair pore over our mailbag to consider why Peter is s a Swissphile, to wonder what the Victorians ever did for us, how the Mamas and Papas were a musical apex for some and why is one of our presenters practically meat and drink for the Popbitch website.  On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      Chocky – John Wyndham ·      Janet and John – Various ·      Places Where They Sing – Simon Raven   Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular   To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  3. Jun 10

    An Iron Dome for the UK and Allaying the Blame

    On this week’s episode, Peter has finally worked out how to defend the realm (so you might sleep safely in your beds), and Sarah is asking why do some authority figures often go after the wrong people, and leave the real criminals alone?   And the pair pore over our mailbag to consider Britain’s place in two world wars, the valuer of spoiling a ballot paper. What happened when Peter appeared the panel of Have I Got News For You (clue: it changed political history)? How he might go about robbing a bank (unsuccessfully). And to decimalise or not? And what that may or may not have meant to the Roman army.  On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      What Happened to the Corbetts – Nevil Shute ·      The Phoney Victory: The World War II Illusion – Peter Hitchens ·      The Guns Of August – Barbara W. Tuchman ·      The Life of Brian – Dir: Terry Jones   Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular   To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  4. Jun 3

    Abolish the Police and Return of the Blair Creature

    On this week’s episode, Sarah is asking what happened in the brutal murder of student Henry Nowak and Peter would like to know why the Blair Creature has returned from the deep to haunt the Labour Party.    And the pair pore over our mailbag to consider what the Festival of Britain brought the UK and if we might ever see it’s like again. While Peter embraces the charms of Paris, Sarah less so. They also ask what use libertarianism? But are united in their love of Spain and its wonderful cities. On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      Scarman Report – Lord Scarman ·      The Abolition of Liberty – Peter Hitchens ·      Robert Peel: A Biography – Douglas Hurd ·      Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity) - Pope Leo XIV  ·      Tales from the Alhambra – Washington Irvine   Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  5. May 27

    Crime And (No) Punishment and Phew! What a Scorcher!

    On this week’s episode, Sarah is asking why a judge thought it was a good idea to let three rapists walk free. And Peter would like to know what the deal is with ridiculous centigrade temperatures.    And the pair marvel over Peter’s rakish black eye and pore over our latest mailbag to answer listener questions on whether devolution really can work and is the blueprint for politics on a national scale. The merits of the free bus pass, compulsory voting works for Australia, so why not us? And, perhaps more importantly, why parenting used to be akin to NATO and that was a good thing. On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      A Clockwork Orange – Dir: Stanley Kubrick ·      Book Of Common Prayer ·      Unconventional Wisdom – Peter Hitchens   Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  6. May 20

    Prawn Again, Bombs and Displaced People

    On this week’s episode, two worlds collide as Sarah asks why prawn cocktail and such old school culinary delights as beef bourguignon and banana splits are back on the dinner menu. And Peter will be asking if our policy of bombing foreign countries is driving up mass immigration to the UK. And the pair pore over our latest mailbag to answer listener questions on whether Kemi Badenoch is really a true-blue conservative or more in the mould of someone like libertarian Javier Milei? The merits of the latest cinematic take on the life of Charles De Gaulle, the shortcomings of the Criminal Cases Review Commission and, finally, what did the 60s ever do for us? On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      The Leopard - Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa ·      I’m Still Here – Dir: Walter Salles ·      De Gaulle: Tilting Iron - Dir: Antonin Baudry Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  7. May 13

    Voting for Beginners and the End of the PM

    On this week’s episode, Peter will be telling us why first past the post is a much more preferable voting model to proportional representation. And sticking with the electorate, Sarah will be asking if there should be a general election if Keir Starmer finally falls on his sword.   And the pair pore over our latest mailbag to answer listener questions on the ‘sovereign’ bases in Cyprus, go back and forth on the latest report on the October 7th attacks. Why has the city of Coventry gone to wrack and ruin since Peter left and do either enjoy the cut and thrust of social media? Peter, you may be surprised to find, is all for it. On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      In The Wet – Nevil Shute ·      Lost Coventry – David McGrory ·      10/7: 100 Human Stories – Lee Yaron Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  8. May 6

    2000 Days of Lucy Letby and the Badenoch Bounce

    On this week’s episode, Peter would like to know why Lucy Letby has been in prison for 2,000 days while there is still little to no evidence against her. And Sarah – struggling valiantly with bronchitis - will be telling you why she was right about Kemi Badenoch all along.    And the pair pore over our latest mailbag to ask whatever happened to civilised political debate and can it possibly ever return? Peter doesn’t hold back on his thoughts on Tom Holland’ s Dominion, we hear from a honeymooning listener who’s been traversing Japan by train while listening to Alas… And King Charles II gets a mention, no surprises there. On our reading and watch list this week:    ·      Short Breaks in Mordor: Dawns and Departures of a Scribbler's Life – Peter Hitchens ·      Blue Ambition: The Unauthorised Biography of Kemi Badenoch - Lord Ashcroft  ·      Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind - Tom Holland Please do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas’.   Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular To get in touch email alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - on 07796 657512 start your message with the word 'alas' Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter Hitchens Producer: Phillip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

What's the Big Idea? Finally, Sarah Vine (once memorably described as being ‘like and loathed in equal measure, divisive, but never indecisive’) and Peter Hitchens (a man whose writing a critic was called to compare to a Guardsman’s boot: ‘as highly polished and potentially lethal’) meet once a week to look at the world and mutter, alas… Acclaimed columnist and journalist Sarah Vine and best-selling author and broadcaster Peter Hitchens discuss and dissect social, economic, and pop cultural flotsam and jetsam that have risen out of the dark waters of that week’s news.  Taking one big idea each episode and pulling it apart with élan, imagine Vine and Hitchens respective columns brought to life and then skewered, scoffed at, debated, and given the full weight of Vine and Hitchens impenetrable gaze. Though an accord might not always be reached, it’s the journey that matters.  Whether it’s the tech bros gone rogue – Meta tearing up its own rule book on fact checking, Musk attempting to influence governmental policy, or the knotty subject on society’s ever-increasing reliance on anti-depressants to treat what might just be the modern malaise and not depression at all. Or, evil, nature or nurture? Does evil actually exist or is it an idea that hangs over us, or do we just sometime embody it and the actions themselves are evil, not the individual? All this and more are to be pored over, one towering topic each week discussed with humour, insight, and real understanding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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