20 Questions With Giles Coren

Times Columnist and food critic Giles Coren talks about food, dieting, restaurants, sport, fatherhood, performance, writing, money, TV, death, anger, self-harm, and causing offence. He also opens up about the lasting impact on him of being hit as a child by his father, the late broadcaster and satirist, Alan Coren. This is a conversation that oscillates between humour and seriousness and offers an insight into the man behind the headlines.  (Includes very strong language. If you've been affected by any of the issues in the podcast, you can call the Samaritans in the UK on 116,123.)

Arguably England's greatest prop since World Cup winner Trevor Woodman, Alex Corbisiero has a fascinating life story. Born in New York and raised in Surrey, he went on to represent England at the highest level, before retiring in his late 20s after a long injury history. In 2020 he received treatment for testicular cancer. Now a TV personality, DJ, and rugby coach, Corbisiero is still only 37. Here he reflects on his days as a prop when he fluctuated between 18 and 19 stone and could deadlift 260kg. What were the one on one battles like on the field? How did he improve? What was it like playing through injury? He played a key role in helping the British and Irish Lions win the decisive Test against Australia in 2013. The year before he was in the England side that beat the All Blacks at Twickenham. Corbisiero also reflects on his experience of cancer, reveals his commitment to Christianity, offers his take on brain injuries in rugby, discusses political polarisation, and gives thanks to the strength of his family. 

Chris Hadfield has made three trips to space, observed Earth from afar, spacewalked, flown fighter jets, made music and become a novelist. Here he explores ideas he hasn't articulated before and takes us into parts of the universe most of us will never experience for ourselves. Hadfield introduces his latest book, Final Orbit, explains how he became an astronaut, thrillingly reveals what our planet looks like from space, describes what it's like heading towards the moon in a rocket, talks about the precariousness of spacewalks, reflects on what space travel has taught him about himself and humanity, and spells out his attitude to risk. 

The best-selling author of This Is Going To Hurt, Adam Kay, introduces his first novel, A Particularly Nasty Case, and takes us behind the scenes of his life as a comedian, while also reflecting on his career as a doctor in Obs and gynae. Stand-up, life, death, and a clarion call for the NHS.

Award-winning Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland explores themes from his new, Nazi era book, The Traitors Circle, including how human beings react to evil in their midst; considers what he sees as the growing threat of authoritarianism in the UK, the Tommy Robinson rally, and the involvement of Elon Musk; ponders whether or not participation on X is the best way to combat populist, and extreme, views projected from the platform; rejects the blaming of Israeli government policies on Jews while acknowledging the connection many Jewish people feel to the state of Israel; calls out what he sees as the injustice of Israel's response to the atrocities of October 7th; reveals the role his father played in his becoming a journalist, and explains why he became an Arsenal fan. 

The former Labour leader gives his views on patriotism, Keir Starmer, the upcoming Budget, inequality, child poverty, raising taxes, the left behind, the future of British manufacturing, charisma in politics, the survival of the Tory Party, Nigel Farage, populism, Donald Trump, proportional representation, the legacy of Thatcherism, and what it was like facing Margaret Thatcher at the despatch box. In an emotional moment towards the end, Kinnock weeps as he remembers his late wife, Glenys, Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead.  (Note in reference to mention of Nigel Farage's plans for mass deportations, there was uncertainty about exactly which people illegally in Britain the Reform leader was referring to, and he made clear he didn't want a repeat of the Windrush scandal). 

Wow! What an extraordinary story Huey Morgan has to tell. Brought up on the rough side of New York by his mother, Huey got into trouble with the law before joining the US Marines. After leaving the military, he fell back into the criminal underworld before helping to establish the rap rock band, Fun Lovin' Criminals. His memoirs, Fun Lovin' Criminal, lift the lid on his journey towards stardom and the challenges he faced along the way. Here Huey offers insights into his life on and off the stage and the road from criminality to married life in Bath, with a dog and two children, and his own BBC 6 Music radio show.  (Explicit language)

Steve Richards gives his views on the state of British politics, some of the challenges facing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer - including the vital importance of communication skills - the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform UK, the shift towards a multi party landscape, and the urgent need, as he sees it, to improve public services. Richards has been a political journalist for decades and, during their time in government, regularly met both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. His new book, Tony Blair, is about to be published and in this podcast he also gives his verdict on the Blair years and compares him to Starmer. Whether you're a Westminster nerd or more loosely interested in the world around you, this is a riveting and insightful take on power, people and politics. 

As Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Paul Johnson was one of the most influential figures in British economics. Now Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, (as well as a Times columnist) having stepped down from the IFS this summer after a decade and a half of leading the independent think tank, Johnson offers his verdict on the British economy, what he makes of some of the choices facing Starmer's Labour government (including the possibility of a change to property taxes), his views on some of the decisions they've made so far (including Chancellor Rachel Reeves's raising of employer National Insurance contributions), how much credibility he gives to fears of an IMF bailout, the levels of taxation in the country, the financial policies of Reform UK and the Greens, comparisons between the cost of borrowing under Reevs and Liz Truss, and what he'd do if he were a benign dictator. 

Opera singer Freddie de Tommaso is only 32 but he's already a star and about to play a lead role in Tosca at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. From there he travels to New York to sing in La bohème at The Met before his role debut in Verdi's Luisa Miller in Valencia. In this episode of 20 Questions, Freddie takes us behind the scenes of his success, explains how he sprang to fame, speaks of his days playing rugby, explains why body-building helps his voice, reveals how much he can bench press, reflects on the role of looks in modern day productions and the greater power of the director, and remembers a childhood growing up in Tunbridge Wells where his late father ran a fine dining Italian restaurant.