Just Buffering - A light-hearted look at the week's news

Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter
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Just Buffering is a relaxed, light-hearted weekly podcast where two old friends, Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter, take a sideways look at the week's news. With decades of broadcasting experience between them, Steve and Gordon bring warmth, wit, and a reassuringly familiar style to the stories everyone's talking about — from the headlines that matter to the ones that simply make you smile. It's informed without being heavy, entertaining without trying too hard, and always delivered with a touch of humour and perspective. Think of it as the kind of conversation you'd enjoy over a cup of tea… if it just happened to be recorded in a studio. New episodes every week.

  1. 1d ago

    Burnham's Budget, Trump's Promises & AI Panic

    This week on Just Buffering, Steve and Gordon are back after a short break and there's plenty to catch up on. Andy Burnham warns of tough budget decisions, Reform's finances continue to make headlines, and Donald Trump is making yet more extraordinary promises ahead of the US midterms. The pair also debate whether AI really is the biggest threat facing us, discuss Ed Sheeran's American tour controversy, ask whether modern protest movements actually achieve anything, and wonder if politicians have completely lost touch with reality. Plus... King Charles hosts AI leaders, oil prices surge again, the world's black pudding throwing trophy is finally found, and Gordon discovers the only walking joke that's guaranteed to leave you 25 miles from home. News, opinion, laughter... and the occasional technical difficulty.

  2. Aug 28

    Slow News... Big Opinions

    It's the summer holiday lull, but there's still plenty for Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter to get their teeth into. This week the pair discuss Donald Trump's latest headlines, political manoeuvring in both the UK and US, soaring energy prices, immigration policy, and whether governments are making promises they can actually afford to keep. There's also debate over Andy Burnham's latest proposals, social media for under-16s, AI and data centres, autonomous taxis, Wetherspoons banning loudspeaker phone calls, the return of Top Gear, The Traitors, and even the possibility of eating biscuits made from recycled plastic. Another week of news, opinion, humour and the occasional rant from two broadcasters who aren't afraid to say exactly what they think.

  3. Aug 21

    Pamphlets, Pints & Political Promises

    This week on Just Buffering, Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter tackle another packed week of news, opinion and the occasional rant. The pair discuss the controversial migrant information pamphlet, rising inflation, Andy Burnham's latest promises, and whether government spending is getting out of control. They also look at Harry and Meghan's reported return to the UK, Angela Rayner's donation controversy, Donald Trump's White House departures, and the BBC legal battle. There's plenty of lighter relief too, including Wetherspoons' crackdown on speakerphone users, some truly unbelievable 999 emergency calls, and the remarkable bricklaying world record that rounds off another week of news viewed through the Just Buffering lens.

  4. Aug 14

    Heatwaves, Eclipses & Political Firestorms

    This week on Just Buffering, Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter tackle another packed week of headlines. The pair reflect on Britain's spectacular solar eclipse and the surprising number of people who managed to injure themselves trying to watch it. They also discuss the UK's fifth heatwave in a row, wildfires, buckled railway lines, water shortages and whether Britain's infrastructure is coping with extreme weather. Politics dominates the agenda as they examine the Clacton by-election, Nigel Farage's latest victory, renewed scrutiny over political donations, Andy Burnham's handling of migration and sentencing policy, plus the wider debate surrounding asylum, borders and Britain's international obligations. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump's press team is changing, questions continue over events in the Middle East, and Steve and Gordon wonder whether America's political landscape is becoming any calmer. There's also time for a lighter look at neighbourly etiquette, the surprising things that cause disputes next door, and an astonishing story involving Royal Navy technology and unexpected communications with China. As always, it's two experienced broadcasters taking a humorous, opinionated and occasionally irreverent look at the stories making the headlines.

  5. Aug 7

    Binface, Blackouts & Big Promises

    Just Buffering – Week Commencing 3rd August 2026 Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter return with another fast-moving, opinionated look at the week's biggest talking points. This week the duo tackle the increasingly bizarre Clacton by-election and ask whether Count Binface could end up being the biggest winner of all. They debate Nigel Farage's proposal to use the Royal Navy to tackle illegal Channel crossings and discuss whether Britain is losing control of its borders. Elsewhere, Andy Burnham's latest prison release proposals come under the spotlight, while FIFA's latest money-making plans leave Steve and Gordon asking whether football has finally become all about profit rather than the fans. They also examine the Government's creative accounting, the suggestion that wealthy people should simply donate more money to the Treasury, London's proposed ban on "vertical drinking", and whether Britain's electricity network is heading towards future blackouts. Finally, the pair explore the astonishing pace of artificial intelligence after reports of AI helping to develop new immunisation research—and ask whether the technology could just as easily create tomorrow's biggest threats. As always, it's two old broadcasters putting the world to rights, with plenty of laughs, strong opinions and the occasional sideways glance at the headlines. Join the conversation! Visit JustBuffering.com to leave a 60-second voice message or send the team an email—you might even feature in a future episode.

  6. Jul 23

    Burnham's Big Promises, AI Breakouts & Battery Power

    his week on Just Buffering, Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter tackle another week of headlines with plenty of opinions, a few laughs and absolutely no guarantees of finding the answers. The pair dissect Andy Burnham's first days as Prime Minister, questioning whether headline-grabbing promises such as cutting VAT on energy, reducing business rates and ending rough sleeping are genuinely affordable—or simply good politics. They also discuss a fascinating AI story after reports of an experimental OpenAI model escaping its test environment, raising questions about cybersecurity and the future of artificial intelligence. On the technology front, Steve and Gordon look at the arrival of plug-in home batteries that could dramatically reduce electricity bills by storing cheaper overnight power, and debate whether battery storage could transform the UK's energy future. Elsewhere they cover Donald Trump, the continuing tensions in the Middle East, Britain's smartphone addiction, football, the future of nuclear power, and the strange things parents keep long after their children have grown up. It's another lively mix of current affairs, technology, politics and gentle irreverence from two old broadcasters trying to make sense of a rapidly changing world.

  7. Jul 17

    Covid Costs, Burnham's Big Plans & Trump's Latest Chaos

    This week on Just Buffering, Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter dive into another packed week of headlines, opinions and the occasional rant. They question the ever-growing cost of the Covid Inquiry, debate whether endless public inquiries actually achieve anything, and ask if Andy Burnham's vision for Britain is looking forward—or heading back to the 1970s. The conversation turns to new peerages, Sadiq Khan heading to the House of Lords, and proposals that could see electric vehicle owners paying by the mile. Nigel Farage's Clacton campaign continues to make headlines, while Count Binface somehow becomes one of the week's most talked-about political figures. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump is back in the spotlight with more controversy, while Steve and Gordon also discuss rising fuel prices, the Strait of Hormuz, terms and conditions nobody reads, and one listener's email about Gloucestershire's human sheep race. It's another week of news, views and laughs from two old broadcasters trying to make sense of an increasingly baffling world.

  8. Jul 10

    Clacton Chaos, Prince Harry, Trump & the ITV Takeover

    Just Buffering – Week Commencing 6 July 2026 Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter return for another light-hearted (and occasionally exasperated) look at the week's biggest stories. This week the pair dive into the increasingly bizarre Clacton by-election, where Count Binface, Laurence Fox, Nigel Farage and a growing list of candidates are turning politics into theatre. They also discuss Prince Harry's latest court defeat, question whether one judge should decide major civil cases, and look at the backlash surrounding Rupert Lowe's controversial comments. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump continues to dominate headlines—from renaming airports to his latest international interventions—prompting the question: is politics becoming all about personality rather than policy? Finally, Steve and Gordon explore the proposed Sky and ITV takeover, what it could mean for Coronation Street, ITV News and free-to-air television, and whether British broadcasting is entering a completely new era. As always there's plenty of humour, a few disagreements, and absolutely no shortage of opinions. 🎙 Join the conversation! Leave us a 60-second voice message or email the show via www.justbuffering.com. You could feature in a future episode.

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About

Just Buffering is a relaxed, light-hearted weekly podcast where two old friends, Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter, take a sideways look at the week's news. With decades of broadcasting experience between them, Steve and Gordon bring warmth, wit, and a reassuringly familiar style to the stories everyone's talking about — from the headlines that matter to the ones that simply make you smile. It's informed without being heavy, entertaining without trying too hard, and always delivered with a touch of humour and perspective. Think of it as the kind of conversation you'd enjoy over a cup of tea… if it just happened to be recorded in a studio. New episodes every week.

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