Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 P2

Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 P2

Author: The Telegraph August 12, 2026 Duration: 41:32

You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hxtGEUicygE


Summer continues on Planet Normal! In this, the second part of our best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their favourite voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far.


Back in January, Allison and Liam spoke to General Sir Peter Wall, former Chief of the General Staff, following The Telegraph’s revelations about Sir Keir Starmer’s role in a legal case that paved the way for hundreds of British soldiers to face investigation over alleged historic war crimes. Sir Peter discussed the impact of the cases on the Armed Forces and warned that soldiers need to know the state will support them.


And then, in February, Liam was joined by actress Sophie Winkleman to discuss her campaign to protect children from smartphones, social media and excessive screen use in schools. Sophie also shared her concerns about the growing use of AI in education, arguing that children need to learn to think for themselves rather than rely on technology.


Read more from Liam here

Read more from Allison here

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Every Thursday, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan step outside the daily noise to offer a different perspective on the week’s events. Planet Normal, from The Telegraph, is a conversation that often challenges the prevailing narratives found in mainstream media and political circles. This podcast digs into the stories shaping society, culture, and the news, focusing on the viewpoints and concerns that feel increasingly sidelined. Pearson and Halligan, both seasoned columnists, bring a blend of sharp analysis and relatable frustration to topics ranging from family life and economic pressures to broader cultural shifts. Their discussions feel like a break from a scripted debate, offering listeners a space where common sense and direct commentary take precedence. Tuning in provides a weekly reset-a chance to hear arguments grounded in everyday experience rather than abstract theory. It’s for anyone who feels the conventional discourse doesn’t quite reflect the reality they see. You’ll find the tone is more like a candid chat between two well-informed friends than a formal news broadcast, making complex issues accessible and engaging. This is the appeal of the Planet Normal podcast: a consistent, thoughtful alternative that speaks plainly about the forces shaping our world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Planet Normal
Podcast Episodes
The Mandelson mess, stagflation returns, and the battle for Wales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:31
This week on the rocket, co-pilots Halligan and Pearson dive into the political firestorm engulfing Westminster as Sir Keir Starmer faces intense scrutiny over the botched appointment of Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to…
Trump strikes ceasefire with Iran as Starmer grandstands in the Gulf [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:26
You can watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/B0VweeU7QlAThis week on Planet Normal, your co-pilots navigate their way from the high-stakes geopolitics of the Strait of Hormuz to the local battlegrounds of the…
The Liberal consensus gave us mass migration and broken boarders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:09
In this week’s dispatch from the sanctuary of sweet reason, co-pilots Pearson and Halligan examine a growing sense of national insecurity as Britain faces a big economic hit from the US-Iran war and the systemic economic…
Anti-semitism is clearly out of control in the UK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:31
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/z53vu3azxZsIn this week’s dispatch from the sanctuary of sweet reason, your co-pilots of sanity Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson, address the rise of antis…
UK Meningitis outbreak and Starmer’s abortion policy shame [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:04
You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QVXFsa07RpoIn this week’s dispatch from the sanctuary of sweet reason, co-pilots Pearson and Halligan examine a growing sense of national insecurity as Britain face…
The Iran war lays bare the betrayal of Britain’s energy security [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:27
You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uRceQCyRYIUIt’s markets this, oil prices that, and what will happen next, so your co-pilots are blasting in to make sense of the tsunami of news flooding across the…
Iran, Trump and running scared Starmer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:40
You can watch this episode on youtube: https://youtu.be/KQ1dUe4FxZ0As conflict with Iran hots up across the Middle East, your co-pilot blast in to make sense of the madness.Strapping into the rocket is Dr Alan Mendoza, C…
Planet Normal: Live, with Lionel Shriver and Suella Braverman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:00
You can watch this recording on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lFRwaTYK-mMYour co-pilots have braved the atmosphere of planet Earth as the rocket touches down at the Emmanuel Centre in London for a live recording of Planet No…
Reform launch their top team, as Starmer U-turns - again! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:57
Book your tickets for Planet Normal: LIVE on the 24th February: telegraph.co.uk/planetnormallive |You can watch this episode of Planet Normal on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_jt6Hy7NYvUOn this week’s flight through the sanc…