Just discovered the celebrated Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda through this week’s #AddToPlaylist with @LucyParham and the brilliant tenor Nicky Spence. Plus the origin story of The Archers theme is a proper rabbit hole. Listen here: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002x5…

Brendan Scannell, best known for playing the lead in Netflix's dark comedy series Bonding and Paramount’s TV adaptation of Heathers, is making his Edinburgh Fringe debut with the stand-up show The Abyss.chortle.co.uk/news/2026/05/0…

In Conversation With Onjali Rauf: The Making of the Boy at the Back of the Class amaliah.com/post/90187/onjal… @OnjaliRauf @boyatbackplay

Our media fixation with Keir Starmer is becoming a literal drag on the country now. As I write this, I can already see the replies forming below, accusing me of being a Labour shill etc. but, believe it or not, I am not. Maybe it's worth setting this out — I have no party affiliation. None. I'm not 'on the right' … but that's as far as it goes. There are policies and people that I admire across the Lib Dems, Greens and Labour. Conversely, there are policies and people I am vehemently against within each of those parties as well. There are some decent Conservatives left but fewer and fewer in frontline politics and I can have excellent discussions with those moderate Tories that remain. Where my line in the sand is drawn though, as I'm sure you're all aware, is the far-right. Reform UK and Restore Britain. I have no common ground with their populism — I see through the propaganda. This doesn't mean that I think every member of Reform UK is a bad person, far from it, but I cannot rationalise their top-line bravado into credible politics. So, with all that being said, I think the witch-hunt of Keir Starmer is distracting the public from some far more serious crises. Since the very day Starmer took office, there has been an onslaught from the media; desperation to try and topple him and his principal team. This played out successfully with Angela Rayner, and they have been vicious and relentless pursuing Rachel Reeves. I listened to Paul Brand on LBC at the weekend continuously comparing Starmer to Boris Johnson in terms of sleaze. Have we collectively lost our minds? There is no other Prime Minister in history that compares to Johnson for scandal. The elephant in the room — Peter Mandelson. But is it really an elephant still? Clearly, Starmer should never have brought the Prince of Darkness into his team, that was a madness and severe failing of judgement. One for which he has accepted responsibility and apologised on multiple occasions. The vetting process appears to be, pretty much, a non-story, despite what Dan Hodges and GB News are shovelling out. So … we should be moving on. Shouldn't we? Kemi Badenoch and her famously robust judgement felt not yesterday, and spent more of her diminishing political currency by pushing Starmer with six questions at PMQs on the subject. She was met with a well briefed lawyer, that, in all honesty, made her look a bit silly for continuing her defeated line of questioning. While this continues to dominate the headlines, other far more crucial issues are being missed — we're going to run low on fuel soon, the cost of living is about to skyrocket, holidays will be cancelled imminently. But mainly ... the cost of living is about to skyrocket. We saw in yesterday's inflation rise that food is already moving upward, if Trump's ludicrous war in Iran continues, then we're all going to suffer the consequences. Surely, this is a far more pressing matter? One in which the government should be fully engaged in order to help protect the public — it's number one duty. It is very telling that Reform UK are spending very little time on the Starmer issue. They sent Lee Anderson out to raise this issue, for goodness’ sake. LEE ANDERSON. Farage is hyper focused on the local elections, safe in the knowledge that the media is obsessing over Keir Starmer, once again. He's making hay while the S*n shines on Labour. Jeez! This went on a bit, sorry, but it feels critical to me. We are being led around by the nose by the legacy media outlets. They smell blood in the water, but I really don't think the story is there. Not yet. And while the sharks circle, Reform UK are flying under the radar, ready to swoop on the local elections [sorry for the weird mixed metaphors — it's early!]. Have a lovely sunny day. 🌞

Ha, I'd never seen this before.

Olivier Award for Best Family Show goes to The Boy at the Back of the Class by @OnjaliRauf. A RoseTheatre production, adapted by @NickAhad. #childrenstheatrepartnership @FieryAngelHQ

NATO IS NEVER THERE WHEN WE NEED THEM. TRUMP WANTED TO STEAL GREENLAND, DID NATO HELP? NO! TRUMP WANTED TO WIPE OUT AN ENTIRE CIVILIZATION, DID NATO HELP? NO! TRUMP DECLARED WAR ON BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, DID NATO HELP? NO! IF NATO DOESN'T PAY ITS SHARE FOR THE BALLROOM, IT'S OVER.

10/10. No notes.

“They Looked Iranian”: Security Footage Shows Trump Negotiating With White House Patio Umbrellas for Six Hours theshovel.com.au/2026/03/25/…

the judi dench cameo fucking sent me 🤣😭

I don't think I'll ever be able to read, "I hope this email finds you well" in an email without laughing out loud 😂

This morning on @BBCWomansHour @OnjaliRauf will be talking about what inspired her to write The Boy At The Back of the Class adapted for the stage by @NickAhad. @OlivierAwards nominated. Produced by @Rosetheatre and Children's Theatre Partnership

This week it’s Muslims & dogs Last week it was Muslims & Chess Here’s me with my dog, playing chess She’s not very good though Ps: Eat what you want in front of Muslims during Ramadan It’s none of our business to tell you how you should live your life #RamadanMubarak

Never in my life have a heard a French Geordie accent until now 😂😂

Happy birthday to my favourite of all the haters, Charles Darwin

catherine o'hara would want us to be laughing, so i've gotta post this schitt's creek clip where everyone thinks moira is dead

My column on American bootlicking theguardian.com/commentisfre…

The best Burns Night joke of them all: An English doctor is being shown around a Scottish hospital. At the end of his visit, he's shown into a ward with a number of patients who show no obvious signs of injury. He goes to examine the first man he sees, and the man proclaims:- "Fair fa' yer honest sonsie face,
Great chieftain o'the puddin' race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place, painch tripe or thairm:
Weel are ye worthy o' a grace as lang's my arm...." The doctor, being somewhat taken aback, goes to the next patient, who immediately launches into:- "Some hae meat, and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit." This continues with the next patient:- "Wee sleekit cow'rin tim'rous beastie,
O what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty, wi bickering brattle
I wad be laith to run and chase thee, wi murdering prattle!" "Well," said the Englishman to his Scottish colleague, "I see you saved the psychiatric ward for last." "No, no, no," the Scottish doctor corrected him, "this is the Serious Burns Unit."

This speech *is* one for the history books. But that’s less a compliment, than a coda. Carney has given us the words to mark the end of the ‘rules-based order’…by acknowledging it never really existed. It was a collective illusion. That now is over.

We stand with the people inside Iran.