Pod Save the UK
A weekly UK political deep-dive where a comedian and a journalist unpack the news with a left-leaning, often exasperated, perspective.
The UK edition of the influential Crooked Media podcast network, applying the 'Pod Save America' formula to British politics. Episodes typically open with hosts Nish Kumar and Coco Khan discussing the week's major events with a mix of sharp analysis and comedic frustration. This is followed by long-form interviews with journalists, activists, and politicians who share their progressive perspective.
“The show's primary distinction is the dynamic between its hosts: Nish Kumar, a well-known political comedian, and Coco Khan, a working journalist for The Guardian. This pairing allows for a blend of rigorous, informed questioning and satirical commentary. Its official link to Crooked Media also provides a unique transatlantic perspective, often drawing parallels between the political landscapes of the UK and US.”
Who hosts this show
Pod Save the UK is the British spin-off of the popular American political podcast, Pod Save America. Hosted by comedian Nish Kumar and journalist Coco Khan, the show provides a weekly dose of political news and analysis from a progressive viewpoint. Each Thursday, the hosts are joined by politicians, experts, and commentators to dissect the latest news, explore big ideas, and inspire listeners to action.
Credentials & credits
- Nish Kumar: Stand-up comedian, host of BBC's 'The Mash Report' and 'Late Night Mash'.
- Nish Kumar: Host of BBC Radio 4's 'The News Quiz' and 'Newsjack'.
- Nish Kumar: BA in English and History from Durham University.
- Coco Khan: Journalist and columnist for The Guardian.
- Coco Khan: Contributor to the bestselling essay collection 'The Good Immigrant'.
- Coco Khan: BA in English & American Literature from Warwick University.
Other ventures
- Crooked Media (Production Company)
- Nish Kumar: 'Joel & Nish vs The World' (Comedy Central show).
- Nish Kumar: 'Hello America' (Quibi series).
- Coco Khan: 'Paper Cuts' (Contributor).
- Coco Khan: 'Vs from Intelligence Squared' (Host).
- Coco Khan: Author, currently working on her debut novel.
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- uk
When new episodes drop
- 01Is Burnham up to the job of PM?Jun 25, 2026 · 1h 11m
- 02Makerfield: Bad Night for NigelJun 19, 2026 · 21 min
- 03London's Burnham - but is Makerfield tired?Jun 18, 2026 · 1h 08m
- 04Hasan Piker: Kind to People, Ruthless to SystemsJun 11, 2026 · 1h 08m
- 05Starmer’s Mandelson Problem Just Got WorseJun 4, 2026 · 1h 14m
- 06Nish loses it at Tony BlairMay 29, 2026 · 1h 14m
- 07Farage’s Finances: has he finally been caught out?May 21, 2026 · 1h 06m
- 08Is this the end?May 14, 2026 · 1h 17m
Notable episodes
- 01Hasan Piker: Kind to People, Ruthless to Systems
Features an interview with major international streamer Hasan Piker about being banned from entering the UK, connecting online culture with geopolitics.
- 02Is Burnham up to the job of PM?
Includes 'Pod Save the World' co-host Ben Rhodes, explicitly linking the UK show to its American parent and drawing direct parallels between the two countries' political crises.
- 03London's Burnham - but is Makerfield tired?
A deep dive into the legal definition of terrorism in the UK and the controversial sentencing of the 'Filton Four', showcasing the show's ability to tackle complex legal issues.
- 04Makerfield: Bad Night for Nigel
A prime example of the hosts' rapid-reaction, co-host-only format, breaking down by-election results with tactical analysis and commentary.
What you'll be asked on this show
The interview format is a conversational co-hosted discussion. Nish and Coco often open with broad, scene-setting questions like "What's the vibe there?" to ground the listener before getting into specifics. [hCEukpak3AM] They use guest responses to probe further, asking for concrete examples ("Could you give an example of what might fall under the broad definition of terrorism?") or challenging an assumption ("Wouldn't a coronation for Andy Burnham be politically damaging?"). [hCEukpak3AM, sz5Cjd_6Lwk] The hosts frequently interject their own analysis and connect the guest's expertise to wider political themes, particularly the strategic challenges facing the progressive movement in the UK and abroad. [9QuuwJoxkH0]
Episodes are released weekly on Thursdays and follow a consistent structure: an opening segment where the two hosts break down recent news, followed by one or two pre-recorded interviews. The hosts' style is conversational and informal, often using humor and profanity to express exasperation with political events. Interviews are framed with journalistic context before diving into a detailed discussion.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
personal
1- Q.01
“Where are you on the scale of despair, horror, outrage, and intrigue regarding UK politics?”
This question is often used to gauge a guest's emotional and analytical starting point on the current political chaos.
origin
1- Q.01
“Can you briefly take us through how [a specific situation or policy] came about?”
Used as an opening move to have an expert guest establish the necessary background for listeners.
political analysis
1- Q.01
“What went wrong for [a specific political leader or campaign]?”
A frequent question used to dissect the reasons behind a political failure or loss of support.
process
1- Q.01
“Could you give an example of what might fall under the broad definition of [a complex term]?”
The hosts ask this to translate abstract political or legal jargon into concrete illustrations for the audience.
political philosophy
1- Q.01
“How have progressives ended up defending a status quo they shouldn't believe in?”
This question explores the philosophical paradoxes and strategic challenges facing modern centre-left parties.
future
3- Q.01
“What is the story the left needs to tell, and can it be told without alienating people?”
A forward-looking question seeking strategic advice for the progressive movement's communication.
- Q.02
“How important is international cooperation and solidarity in the progressive space?”
This question broadens the discussion to explore the global dimension of left-wing politics.
- Q.03
“Is [a specific proposal] a new development, and can we roll it back?”
Asks guests to provide historical context for a new policy and assess the possibility of reversing it.
craft
1- Q.01
“Why is it so important for you to continue with your 'firebrand' style despite criticism?”
Aimed at media-savvy guests to understand their personal communication strategy and motivations.
legacy
1- Q.01
“What is [politician]'s legacy going to be for the city and its people?”
This question moves beyond immediate politics to consider the long-term impact of a leader's tenure.
controversy
1- Q.01
“Do you think the government has backed itself into a corner with [a specific action or reasoning]?”
Prompts guests to analyze the political consequences and potential blowback of a government decision.
industry
1- Q.01
“Is the UK a vassal state of America?”
A provocative question used to elicit a strong opinion on the UK's relationship with the United States.
Signature segments
- · Weekly News Recap
- · Co-host Banter
- · Expert Interviews
- · US/UK Political Parallels
- · 'Not an emergency podcast' joke
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show books guests who can offer expert, left-of-center commentary on UK politics. This includes journalists from publications like the New Statesman, directors of civil liberties organizations like Liberty, Labour MPs, and progressive international commentators and streamers. [sz5Cjd_6Lwk, hCEukpak3AM, 9QuuwJoxkH0]
- Tom McTagueon Is Burnham up to the job of PM?
- Ben Rhodeson Is Burnham up to the job of PM?
- Jack Delantyon London's Burnham - but is Makerfield tired?
- Akiko Harton London's Burnham - but is Makerfield tired?
- Hasan Pikeron Hasan Piker: Kind to People, Ruthless to Systems
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors include a mix of tech/SaaS companies (Vanta, Shopify), fintech (Wise), consumer tech (Aura Frames, Saily), and major telecoms (BT), suggesting an audience of politically engaged, digitally-savvy professionals.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Pod Save the UK?
- The podcast is co-hosted by comedian Nish Kumar (The Mash Report) and journalist Coco Khan (The Guardian).
- Is this podcast related to Pod Save America?
- Yes, it is the official UK spin-off from the same production company, Crooked Media, and often shares a similar format and political perspective.
- What is the format of the show?
- Each weekly episode begins with the hosts discussing the latest political news, followed by in-depth interviews with one or two guests, such as politicians, journalists, or experts.
- When do new episodes come out?
- New episodes are released every Thursday.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Pod Save the UK is available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and on the Crooked Media YouTube channel.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Pod Save the UK - Crooked Mediacrooked.com
- [02]Pod Save the UK - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [03]Nish Kumar - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [04]Coco Khan - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Coco Khan | The Guardiantheguardian.com
- [06]Coco Khan's Journalist Success Story - New City Collegencclondon.ac.uk
- [07]The Mash Report - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
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