Show 376. Dr Sharon Lockyer

Show 376. Dr Sharon Lockyer

Author: Avalon February 10, 2025 Duration: 42:14

Dr Sharon Lockyer


The live comedy industry is worth around £1bn annually to the UK economy, yet it doesn't get included in government conversations about the arts.


As a result, it doesn't receive the financial support that other arts forms routinely get.


To understand why, and to explain the wider impact of live comedy on society, Matt is joined by Dr Sharon Lockyer from Brunel University. 


Comedy. It's a serious business. 


THE POLITICAL PARTY IS BACK ON STAGE!


10 February: Rachel Reeves

10 March: Alastair Campbell

31 March: Anthony Scaramucci

12 May: Wes Streeting

9 June: Kemi Badenoch


Plus more to be announced...


Get tickets for all shows here: https://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/


SEE Matt at on tour until April 2025, including his extra date at The Bloomsbury Theatre: https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows

12 February: Bath, Komedia

13 February: Southend, Palace Theatre

16 February: Cambridge, The Junction

20 February: Nottingham, Lakeside Arts

23 February: Brighton, Komedia

25 February: Cardiff, Glee Club

26 February: Bury St Edmunds, Theatre Royal

28 February: Chelmsford Theatre 

2 March: Bristol, Hen and Chickens (Matinee)

2 March: Bristol, Tobacco Factory

4 March: Colchester Arts Centre 

6 March: Birmingham, Glee Club

7 March: Maidenhead, Norden Farm

11 March: Aberdeen, Lemon Tree

12 March: Glasgow, Glee Club

27 March: Oxford, Glee Club

28 March: Nottingham, Lakeside Arts Centre

4 April: London, Bloomsbury Theatre


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: 100

Matt Forde's Political Party
Podcast Episodes
Show 372. Tonia Antoniazzi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:20
Tonia Antoniazzi England are due to play Afghanistan at cricket next month. The decision to honour the fixture has caused uproar. Under the Taliban, women are banned from playing sport. Tonia is leading the campaign to g…
Show 369. Alex Burghart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:33
Alex BurghartPolitics. History. Food.What more do you want for Christmas?Alex Burghart is the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and fills in for Kemi Badenoch at PMQs.More importantly, he has a deep fat fryer a…
Show 368. Natalie Fleet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:25
Natalie FleetNatalie has only been an MP since July but has already established herself as one of the most impressive members of the new intake.She has had to overcome a lot to become an MP and talks passionately about h…
Show 367. David Yelland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:41
David YellandThis is a gripping inside account of editing The Sun when tabloids were still dominant.David tried to take the paper in a different direction. But did Rupert Murdoch approve?Plus, does Elon Musk's use of X h…
Show 366. Alison McGovern [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:17
Policy! Football! Pies!It's the interview with everything.After years in opposition, Alison is now an Employment Minister and is keen to get on and change things. She explains the changes she's making to Jobcentres and t…
Show 365. David Duguid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:02
This is inspirational. David was the Conservative MP for Banff and Buchan for 7 years. Then he suffered a spinal stroke. Incredibly he wasn't allowed to defend his seat in the general election. This is the remarkable sto…
Show 364. Salma Shah  *State of the Tories Special* [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:23
Salma Shah is back! The Tory strategist gives her entertaining assessment of Kemi Badenoch and how the Tories are doing. This is such a great chat in which I have my centre-left prejudices thoroughly checked. Talking abo…
Show 363. Seth Harris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:13
Seth Harris - US Election SpecialWell, it happened. This is a comprehensive and entertaining analysis of why and how Trump won the election with friend of the show, Seth Harris.Seth served in Obama's Cabinet and worked c…