Sweeney Talks, hosted by investigative journalist John Sweeney is being launched by LBC.
Over 15 episodes, John will talk to guests who, over the course of their lives, have found themselves in big trouble.
Those appearing will include ex-spies, politicians, sports stars and former police officers. John will ask probing questions to discover the stories that power and money don’t want told.
The first episode features palliative care doctor and writer Dr Rachel Clarke. She was training doctors and nurses on the ground in Ukraine when she had to flee to a bomb shelter after missiles hit Kyiv in the first attack on the capital since June. John asks what the government needs to do to support the NHS properly and tackle the social care.
The second episode meets former MI6 agent and the man behind the Trump dossier, Christopher Steele.
John has previously worked for The Observer and BBC’s Panorama and Newsnight. He has investigated The Church of Scientology, doorstepped Vladimir Putin, challenged Donald Trump, gone to Zimbabwe undercover, some of the time in the boot of a car, and covered wars and revolutions in 100 countries. Most recently, John has spent several months in Kyiv reporting on the conflict in Ukraine.
His first podcast for LBC, Hunting Ghislaine, received rave reviews and hit number one on the Apple UK podcast charts and has gained more than six million listeners.
John Sweeney said: “The best stories don’t come from the well behaved, they come from people who are in trouble. My job is to tell the stories that power and money don’t want told. And you can’t stand up to power and money if you’re afraid of getting into trouble. That goes for me and my guests too on my new podcast…”
Guests across the series include Johnny Mercer, former Veterans Minister and Conservative MP; Alan Johnson, former Home Secretary; Jackie Malton, former senior police officer who was the inspiration for the lead character on Prime Suspect; Elgen Strait, former member of The Moonies cult and Martin Bell, former war reporter and independent MP.
There will also be bonus content, available exclusively on Global Player, where John and producer Helen Burke will discuss each interview in more detail, titled ‘Sweeney Keeps Talking’.
Sweeney Talks will be available on Global Player from 31 October, or wherever you get your podcasts, with new episodes every Monday.
