Planet Normal

By The Telegraph

The podcast that speaks your language. News and views from beyond the bubble with Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, every Thursday.

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How many episodes does Planet Normal have?

The podcast currently has 325 episodes available.

Best of Planet Normal

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: Boat-load of trouble: Channel fury, Israel sanctions & broke Britain
You can watch this episode in full on Youtube: https://youtu.be/iZkeL-6UtSQ This week on Planet Normal, your co-pilots of sanity, Halligan and Pearson, strap into the rocket of right thinking to tackle a tumultuous news agenda. Allison argues following migrant protests in Portsmouth and Dover, that while black masks are wrong, millions of Brits share the anger over cross-channel immigration. She also takes aim at falling school standards in Wales and Scotland, and sounds the alarm over Ed Miliband’s foreign policy moves against Israel. Meanwhile, Liam analyses the electoral earthquake in Saxony-Anhalt, where Germany's AfD swept 44% of the vote. And Fresh from the Reform UK conference in Birmingham, the duo dissects the appearance of France's Jordan Bardella alongside the fallout from Channel 4’s undercover sting. Stowing away on the rocket this week is author Ross Clark, who joins to discuss his new book, Britain Is Bust: The Coming Sovereign Debt Crisis and What It Means for You. Ross breaks down the nation's ballooning debt and rising bond yields Highlights Planet Normal: Boat-load of trouble: Channel fury, Israel sanctions & broke BritainUnpacking the migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth. Warning over Ed Miliband’s stance on Israel.Ross Clark joins to discuss why Britain is bust and a sovereign debt crisis looms. Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor | Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ | Read Allison ‘The ‘poison’ on Britain’s streets is a failure by the political class’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/08/poison-streets-failure-political-class/ | Read Allison ‘The Church of England has abandoned its mission in the UK‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/06/the-church-of-england-has-lost-its-way/ | Read Liam ‘Only spending cuts can rescue Britain’s economy‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/09/06/only-spending-cuts-can-rescue-britains-economy/ | Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ | Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ | Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ | Email: [email protected] | For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal | Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 09, 20261h 7min
Number 2: Planet Normal: ‘Fair-weather’ Burnham faces a growing economic storm
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Djl86k1PyYw Co-pilots Halligan and Pearson strap back into the rocket of right thinking after their summer break to tackle Prime Minister Andy Burnham's PMQs debut. Allison slams Burnham’s ‘vibes-based’ leadership, warning that starry-eyed optimism won't fix record-high energy bills or a million unemployed youth. Meanwhile, Liam sounds the alarm on spiralling bond yields and a debt interest time bomb that’s set to blow up the upcoming October budget. Also on the radar: the duo rate Kemi Badenoch’s Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, debate the right-wing battle for welfare cuts, plus, nostalgic listener mailbags and a sobering reality check from a 26-year-old geophysics grad facing redundancy thanks to Britain's brutal North Sea tax policy. Joining your co-pilots is Reform UK’s Richard Tice to talk Net Zero, tax cuts, and why pre-election pacts are completely off the table. Highlights Planet Normal: ‘Fair-weather’ Burnham faces a growing economic stormAllison dismantles Andy Burnham's leadership Liam issues a dire warning about the bond marketsRichard Tice joins to discuss Reform UK's economic strategy, energy policy, and election approach Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor | Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ | Read Allison ‘Burnham is terrified Badenoch will expose him as a third-rate court jester’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/09/01/allison-pearson-burnham-scared-badenoch-will-expose-him/ | Read Allison ‘My top 10 tips to avoid paying Burnham’s spiteful mansion tax‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/30/tips-to-avoid-paying-burnhams-spiteful-mansion-tax/ | Read Liam ‘La belle France could edge the bond market’s ugly contest‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/08/30/la-belle-france-could-edge-the-bond-markets-ugly-contest/ | Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ | Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ | Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ | Email: [email protected] | For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal | Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 02, 20261h 7min
Number 3: The case of Essex police vs Allison Pearson and the co-pilots victory
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hjoyImW6a8s This week’s journey in the rocket of right thinking opens with an exclusive announcement from co-pilot Pearson in her case against the Essex police and Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst. Back in November 2024 Allison received a visit from Essex police regarding a year old post on the social media platform X. Mr Hirst later appeared on LBC and veered into making personal claims against Allison and the situation, for which he has now apologised. Liam discusses Andy Burnham’s first 10 days and amongst the ‘maybe this’ or ‘maybe that’ promises of the new Prime Minister, wonders when he will start acting like a statesman and wear a shirt when meeting world leaders; as his meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy seemed a casual T-Shirt affair. Joining your co-pilots is science writer and former member of the house of Lords, Matt Ridley, who tells your co-pilots why the claim that climate change is the only reason for wild fires, is only a fraction of the real story…. Highlights Planet Normal: The case of the Essex police vs Allison Pearson and the co-pilots victoryAllison updates on her case against Essex policeLiam breaks down the Burnham bounce promisesMatt Ridley on the raging wildfires in Europe and across the globe Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor | Read Allison ‘We want a properly dressed statesman in No 10, not a mate‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/28/britain-want-statesman-ino-10-not-mate/ | Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ | Read Liam: ‘Burnham is oblivious to the looming oil shock’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/07/26/burnham-is-oblivious-to-the-looming-oil-shock/ | Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ | Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ | Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ | Email: [email protected] | For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal | Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 29, 202659min
Number 4: Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2026 P4
You can watch this episode on YouTube Summer is coming to an end on Planet Normal! So, for the final instalment of our “best of the rocket” series, our co-pilots head back into the archives for two more memorable voyages aboard the rocket of right thinking. In April, stowing away on the rocket was former 22 SAS commander Colonel Richard Williams who discussed how “lawfare” and the prosecution of veterans are undermining British military recruitment and national security. Then, in May, return stowaway William Clouston joined the co-pilots to dissect the local election results, as well as where the Social Democratic Party stands on welfare and why he believes Labour’s approach is bankrupting the country. Read Allison 'Britain is no longer safe for women and children' Read more from Allison here Read Liam 'Labour needs to wake up to Britain’s ballooning welfare bill' Read more from Liam here Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here Email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 26, 202647min
Number 5: Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2026 P3
You can watch this episode on YouTube The summer voyage continues on Planet Normal! This week, our co-pilots fire up the engines and head back into the archives for two more memorable journeys aboard the rocket of right thinking. In February, Allison spoke to Siobhan Whyte, whose daughter Rhiannon was murdered by an asylum seeker. Siobhan discussed what she believes are the systemic failures of the UK’s immigration system and her campaign to support children left behind by such violence. Then, in April, former Royal Marine commando and documentary maker James Glancy strapped into the rocket to explain why he believes the UK military can no longer meet the demands of its responsibilities around the world. 'Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor | Read Allison 'Britain must pop the welfare balloon or face ruin' | Read more from Allison here Read more from Liam here Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ | Email: [email protected] | For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal | Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 19, 202657min