Huw Edwards sabotaged my show: Broadcasting legend Simon McCoy on what really happened at the BBC

Huw Edwards sabotaged my show: Broadcasting legend Simon McCoy on what really happened at the BBC

Author: Avalon August 3, 2026 Duration: 1:07:52

Simon McCoy is the man who made BBC News funny.


He is also an absolute news obsessive. 


In this fascinating and entertaining interview, he tells us what it was like moving from the BBC to GB News, what frustrated him about covering the Brexit referendum, and the intervention that Huw Edwards made about Simon's afternoon slot on News 24. 


Packed full of behind-the-scenes insight, this is an absolute cracker with one of our most gifted broadcasters. 


 

GET TICKETS for Matt's brand new stand-up show Project Holy Moly at the Edinburgh Festival and touring nationwide in 2027:

www.mattforde.com


MARCH

19 FAVERSHAM The Alex

20 DORKING Halls


APRIL

7 STOURBRIDGE Town Hall

8 GLOUCESTER Guildhall

9 LEICESTER Y Theatre

12 SALFORD Lowry

16 NORTHAMPTON Royal & Derngate

21 EXETER Northcott Theatre

24 LONDON Bloomsbury Theatre

28 ALNWICK Playhouse

29 BARNARD CASTLE Witham

30 HULL Asylum


MAY

6 BIRMINGHAM The Glee Club

12 COVENTRY Warwick Arts Centre

13 WORCESTER Huntingdon Hall

14 CHORLEY Theatre

18 STAMFORD Corn Exchange

19 SHEFFIELD Steamworks

20 SHREWSBURY Theatre Severn

21 NOTTINGHAM Theatre Royal

23 LEEDS City Varieties Music Hall

26 NORWICH Playhouse

27 NORWICH Playhouse


JUNE

2 SCUNTHORPE Plowright

4 CANTERBURY Gulbenkian Theatre

5 READING Concert Hall

8 CARDIFF The Glee Club

9 BATH Komedia

10 MONMOUTH Savoy Theatre

11 CHIPPING NORTON The Theatre

15 BURY ST EDMUNDS Theatre Royal

16 MILTON KEYNES The Stables

18 TUNBRIDGE WELLS Trinity Theatre

30 LIVERPOOL Everyman Playhouse


JULY

1 CARLISLE Old Fire Station

2 GLASGOW The Glee Club

4 EDINBURGH Lyceum Theatre



See the Political Party Live on Stage:

9 August: Anas Sarwar (Edinburgh)

15 August: Stephen Flynn (Edinburgh)

18 August: TBC (Edinburgh)

20 August: Malcolm Offord (Edinburgh)

9 November: Liz Kendall (London)

21 December: Wes Streeting (London)


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


There’s a unique space where politics and comedy meet, and that’s where you’ll find Matt Forde's Political Party. As a comedian and broadcaster who once worked as a political adviser, Matt brings a rare perspective to every conversation. This isn’t a standard news analysis show; it’s where serious discussion sheds its usual stiffness. The podcast features renowned politicians and policy experts, but the atmosphere is more like a candid backroom chat than a formal interview. Guests tend to open up in ways they might not elsewhere, leading to honest, revealing, and frequently hilarious exchanges. You’ll hear the inner workings of political life, the human stories behind the headlines, and the kind of frank opinions that are usually reserved for off-mic moments. Produced by Avalon, each episode leverages Matt’s insider knowledge and comedic timing to explore the personalities and ideas shaping current events. The result is a consistently engaging listen that demystifies the political world while never taking itself too seriously. Tune in for a refreshingly direct and entertaining take on the news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Matt Forde's Political Party
Podcast Episodes
How I will lead Labour to victory in Scotland: Michael Marra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:12
Many have failed... but is Michael Marra the man to finally lead Labour to success in Scotland? It's a huge task that has proved beyond nine leaders, so what would Michael do differently? And does having Andy Burnham as…
We underestimated the SNP: Douglas Alexander LIVE in Edinburgh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:00
Douglas Alexander has been around for ages and he still looks fresh-faced. In this frank and entertaining hour the Secretary of State for Scotland reveals why Labour failed so badly at this year's Holyrood elections.He a…
Sturgeon wrong to criticise SNP: Stephen Flynn LIVE in Edinburgh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:42
One of the SNP's top talents, Stephen Flynn is on hilarious form at the Edinburgh Festival.He opens up about his frustrations with Nicola Sturgeon's critique of the SNP campaign and exclusively reveals that he'd already…
Top Blairite: Why I'm Not Blairite Anymore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:55
John McTernan is one of the most fascinating voices on the British left. He worked at the centre of 10 Downing Street as Tony Blair's Political Secretary. But now he's in a slightly different space. His perspective has s…
Dan Neidle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:03
Dan is a tax expert. A proper tax expert. You may have seen him on Channel 4 recently getting immensely frustrated with Gary Stevenson about a wealth tax. Dan doesn't agree with a wealth tax and in this fascinating inter…
Andrew Neil [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:40
The one-and-only Andrew Neil pops in for a gripping hour of political and media analysis. What's it like working for Rupert Murdoch? Has Andrew ever tried to go into politics? What really happened with Bobby Gillespie? A…
Suzanne Moore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:14
You're not going to hear anyone else talk about politics like this. Suzanne is an original thinker. From bunking off school and doing acid while selling Marxism Today to ending up writing for The Telegraph. Her route thr…