Political comedian and satirist Matt Forde is bringing his Political Party podcast back to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with four live specials this August.
They will feature Sadiq Khan, Kirsty Wark, Ian Murray and Joanna Cherry.
On 7 August, Ian Murray, Secretary of State for Scotland, will join Matt to reflect on Labour’s first year in government and discuss the party’s prospects in Scotland ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections.
Joanna Cherry KC will return to the podcast on 13 August for a conversation about her relationship with the SNP, the party’s position on women’s rights following the Supreme Court ruling, and her future ambitions.
On 15 August, Sadiq Khan will sit down with Matt to discuss his historic third term as Mayor of London. The conversation will explore how Labour’s return to power nationally has impacted his role, what Labour can learn from London, and his assessment of the party’s performance so far.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark will appear on 21 August for a wide-ranging discussion covering her 40-year career, Newsnight, the changing political journalism landscape, misinformation, social media, press freedom, and the politicians and stories that defined her work. Kirsty was recently honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship.
Since launching in 2013, the Political Party podcast has hosted major political figures including Keir Starmer, Nicola Sturgeon, Tony Blair and Angela Rayner. After an 18-month break due to Matt’s bone cancer diagnosis, the show has resumed, with Michael Gove set to appear on 14 July in London ahead of these Fringe specials.
The podcast has amassed over 11 million downloads and received multiple award nominations. Tickets for Political Party and Matt Forde’s stand-up show ‘Defying Calamity’ are available now at mattforde.com.
