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


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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 362. Darren Jones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:47
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Duration: 1:04:25
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Duration: 1:02:02
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Show 358. Pam Duncan-Glancy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:56
Pam Duncan-Glancy Pam is the Shadow Education and Skills Secretary in Scotland. She's only been an MSP for four years but has already made a huge impact. Her life story is fascinating, as is her route into politics. As t…
Show 357. Iain McNicol [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:58
Iain McNicol This. Is. Class. Iain was General Secretary of the Labour Party from 2011 to 2018. He tells us what it was like having to run the party during the most tumultuous time in its history. You'll be hanging on hi…
Show 356. Siobhan Baillie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:16
Siobhan Baillie What's it like to lose your seat after one term, when your political career was really starting to flourish? Siobhan was the MP for Stroud and had worked hard to do the job properly. But that experience w…
Show 355. Emma Revell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
Emma Revell What does a Thatcherite think tank do when the Tories are out of office?Emma Revell from the Centre for Policy Studies briefs us on what's next for one of Britain's most influential organisations. Plus... why…
Show 354. Murdo Fraser [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:16
Murdo Fraser - Scottish Conservative Leadership Special What's next for the Conservatives in the UK and in Scotland? Murdo Fraser wants to lead the party into the Holyrood election in 2026. But what's a realistic ambitio…
Show 353. Sarah Brown: LIVE at the Edinburgh Festival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:37
Sarah lived in Downing Street for the entirety of the last Labour government. What is the role of a political spouse? Why doesn't the UK formalise the role? More importantly, what was Sarah and Gordon's first date like?…