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The Explanation

BBC World Service
The Explanation
Latest episode

361 episodes

  • The Explanation

    The President's Path: Is Canada's EU relationship a threat to Trump?

    18/09/2026 | 16 mins.
    Caitríona Perry, Sumi Somaskanda and Bernd Debusmann discuss the European Union's ambition for Canada to become its first-ever "associate member", a status that does not currently exist. They examine what such a partnership could mean for Canada, President Trump’s reaction, and whether deeper ties with Europe could reshape Canada's future relationship with its neighbour.

    Senior producer: James Kraft
    Editor: James Kraft
    Executive producer: Anna Holford
  • The Explanation

    Unspun World: Yemen hostilities escalate

    18/09/2026 | 26 mins.
    John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC’s unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses the impact of the latest outbreak of hostilities in Yemen, examines whether there is any hope for a Palestinian state in the Middle East, and explores the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
    Producer: Kate Cornell
    Executive producer: Benedick Watt
    Commissioning editors: Silvia Costeloe and Paul Royall
  • The Explanation

    The Media Show: Is the right of reply under threat?

    17/09/2026 | 22 mins.
    The right of reply has long been a cornerstone of journalism, giving those involved in a story the chance to respond before publication. But with politicians and public figures now using social media to publish their own version first, is this principle being undermined? Guto Harri, former Downing Street Director of Communications, Professor Karen Fowler-Watt from City St George’s, University of London, and journalist Matt Shea assess how the practice is changing.
    As streaming services compete for attention, TV remotes usually now include buttons for platforms like Netflix and YouTube, often paid for by the services themselves. UK broadcasters argue this disadvantages British platforms and have called for a dedicated ‘British’ button. Technology historian Edd Thomas and Professor Catherine Johnson from the University of Leeds explain why the remote has become such a significant battleground.
    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
    Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
    Content Producer: Lucy Wai
    Researcher: Ruth Waites
    Production Assistant: Cameron Taylor
    Technical Coordinator: Samuel Iyiola
    Sound: Nicola Brough
  • The Explanation

    The President's Path: How 9/11 changed America and the world

    11/09/2026 | 16 mins.
    Caitríona Perry, Sumi Somaskanda and Bernd Debusmann reflect on the legacy of the 9/11 attacks 25 years on, examining their lasting impact on US society and foreign policy, and how that day reshaped the course of the world.
  • The Explanation

    The Media Show: A television experiment that lasted 60 years

    10/09/2026 | 22 mins.
    In 1964, a group of seven-year-olds appeared in a TV documentary about class in Britain. The cameras returned every seven years to see how their lives had changed. Now, more than 60 years later, 70 Up brings the project to an end. Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual at ITV, talks about the people who took part and the legacy of a remarkable TV experiment.
    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has given an interview to Katie Razzall and The Media Show. She talks about BBC funding and cuts, its place in the UK media landscape, and proposals for a UK streaming service and a public service algorithm. Jake Kanter, international investigations editor at Deadline, gives his reaction.
    Channel 4’s undercover investigation into Reform UK has raised questions about how undercover journalism works and how political parties use opinion polls that later appear in the media. Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, and Stephan Shakespeare, CEO of YouGov, consider the issues raised by the story.
    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
    Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
    Content producer: Lucy Wai
    Production co-ordinator: Colette Cunningham
    Technical co-ordinator: Mark Dickins
    Sound engineer: Allyson Purcell-Davis
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About The Explanation
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world. Featuring new episodes of The President's Path, Unspun World with John Simpson, and The Media Show.
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