Planet Normal

Lady Carnarvon, owner of Highclere Castle, swaps "the real-life Downton Abbey" for Planet Normal. She tells our co-pilots why she thinks reopening England's heritage sites in May is too late and just how long it'll take for her company to pay back lockdown loans, plus she imagines how the Dowager Countess would handle the restrictions.

Also on the podcast: Liam puts on his economist hat to dissect this week's Budget and Allison is delighted by President Macron's u-turn on giving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to over-65s. 

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 4th March from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/03/04/planet-normal-budget-has-left-uk-danger-zone/ |

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Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

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Lord Grade, former chairman of the BBC and ITV and CEO of Channel 4, dons his spacesuit to join Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan on their trip to Planet Normal. He tells us why he's cheering on Laurence Fox's anti-woke crusade, how he's fed up with journalists trying to catch the government out and why diversity of opinion is sorely lacking in the UK media.

Also on the podcast: Liam makes the case for extra government funding for catch-up lessons in schools, Allison questions why the UK is in one of the world's strictest lockdowns and one of our presenters tells us why they've come to resemble Cut-Throat Jake! 

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 25th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/25/rarely-cheer-television-cheered-laurence-fox-question-time-says/|

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

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Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |

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Olympic medallist Sharron Davies MBE swaps her swimsuit for her spacesuit this week to join Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan on Planet Normal. And with the next games hanging in the balance, Sharron tells us what conditions athletes would accept to see the event go ahead, reflects on her time in the pool, and explains why she feels the rights of female athletes are being eroded.

Also on the podcast: Allison sits on the fence on vaccine passports and Liam sets out why the next budget is the most important of his lifetime.

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 18th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/18/human-rights-females-trampled-olympic-swimmer-sharron-davies/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

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Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |

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Dr John Lee, former NHS consultant pathologist blasts off to Planet Normal alongside Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan. He tells listeners why he believes the cost of coronavirus lockdowns has been hugely underestimated, and urges the government to take a look at the bigger picture. There is more to life than Covid, he tells us, as our co-pilots nod heartily in agreement.

Also on the podcast: Allison opens up on a very personal struggle, Liam calls for the PM to reveal the roadmap out of lockdown, and the weekend's Six Nations result causes tension between our presenters.

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 4th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/11/scientists-should-last-people-running-society-claims-pathologist/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

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Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |

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The country loses a beacon of hope in Captain Sir Tom Moore, and this week Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan pay tribute to the former officer. And in the spirit of Captain Tom, they look forward and predict a bright future for the UK's vaccine rollout - if the EU doesn't attempt to derail it... again.

And joining the rocket is Rod Grant, Headteacher of Clifton Hall School and Planet Normal listener, who tells us why he felt obliged to write in after seeing the devastating effect the pandemic is having on children's mental health. He tells the podcast why he's more concerned now than he's ever been over his three decades in the classroom, and proposes an alternative solution to full lockdown.

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 4th February from 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/04/children-frightened-go-playdates-fear-someone-will-die-result/|

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Do you need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

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Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |

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Clip of Sir Captain Tom Moore courtesy of ITV's Piers Morgan Life Stories

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University is the time of your life - unless you're living through a pandemic. Third-year student and listener, Lucy takes a ride in the Planet Normal rocket to tell Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan why her generation feels forgotten by the government, why she worries about her peers, and how the crisis has left her embarrassed to be a young scientist. 

Also on the podcast: Liam laments the reappearance of the Brexit wars in vaccine rhetoric, and Allison reveals some of our listeners' 'exotic' lockdown highlights. 

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 28th January from 11am-12pm here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2021/01/28/students-like-last-thing-governments-mind/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

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Sir Christopher Meyer, former British ambassador to the US makes his maiden voyage to Planet Normal as Donald Trump’s presidency comes to an end. He tells Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan why it’s high time to abandon the idea of the “special relationship” and why we haven't heard the last of Mr Trump. Plus, as a former Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, Sir Christopher tells us why he believes Brexit divisions have seeped into the UK’s pandemic coverage.

Also on the show: Allison makes the case for lockdown scepticism, Liam delves into the latest covid statistics and one of our presenters shows off their Welsh.

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 21st January from 11am-12pm here:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/21/brexit-divisions-have-infected-covid-reporting-says-sir-christopher/|

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

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Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee dons his Planet Normal spacesuit, alongside co-pilots, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan. The MP for Altrincham & Sale West makes a strong case for easing the lockdown once the most vulnerable are vaccinated, and wonders just how happy the Prime Minister can be imposing restrictions in the first place. 

Also on the podcast, Allison ensures the podcast is “substantial” with the addition of a scotch egg, Liam analyses whether excess deaths may have been driven by the policy response to covid and not by the virus itself, and one of our presenters gets all riled up about their big toe (yes, really!)

Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 14th January from 11am-12pm here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/14/lockdown-measures-ludicrous-removing-hope-public-says-leading/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

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Listen to The Juggling Act: www.playpodca.st/jugglingact |

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Commentator and author, Paul Embery joins the Planet Normal rocket alongside Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan to discuss what he sees as the Labour Party’s big problem: losing working-class voters. Plus, you’re never more than two metres away from discussion of the lockdown on Planet Normal - Paul tells us why he thinks the latest coronavirus restrictions haven’t been subjected to enough scrutiny.

Also on the podcast: Allison calculates just how few freedoms we have left, Liam makes the case for healthy discussion on alternative solutions to the UK’s covid crisis and the pair wonder if they can keep up dry January amid a deluge of bad news.

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Do you need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

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As we say goodbye to 2020, Telegraph columnists Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan take a trip down memory lane and look back at an extraordinary year with some of our star guests that have featured on Planet Normal. From our first guest, Alan Johnson giving his verdict on schools returning after lockdown to Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of M16 telling us that he believes that coronavirus started as an accident.

Also on the podcast, as we try to bring some joy at the end of a rollercoaster year, singer and actress Patti Boulaye spreads some much-needed happiness. Patti reveals how she accidentally auditioned for 'Hair' the musical, why being part of the Queen's diamond jubilee was the highpoint of her career and Patti treats us to a brief performance! 

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Do you need help subscribing or reviewing? Read more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

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