Talking Features

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel Clewlow discusses the true cost of free things - whether that is in money, time, or energy.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about the areas of the country that are likely to receive the most snow, and the effects that has on the geography of the region as well as its communities.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses good news stories from 2025!

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy looks at Lego's new tech-powered "Smart Bricks", launched at CES 2026, which use sound, light and motion sensors to bring sets to life. While Lego hails them as a major innovation that enhances imaginative play, child development experts warn they could dilute creativity and raise concerns about how much control technology has in children's play.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses how people are reading for pleasure less, reading rates are in particular decline among children, and reading has many health benefits, so we should all read more.

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel Clewlow discusses some top tips to help everyone bring their bills down this winter, whilst keeping their homes warm.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about how time zone oddities mean that we don't all celebrate the new year as uniformly as you might think.  

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses New Years Eve Traditions in Spain, Japan, Brazil, Denmark and the Philippines.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy discusses the new Women in Tech Taskforce, led by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, which will advise ministers on improving gender diversity and supporting economic growth in one of the UK's fastest-growing sectors.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses Dr David R Hamilton's research on the science of kindness and how kindness affects our immune systems.

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel Clewlow discusses some top tips to help everyone make 2026 a budgeting and saving success.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory searches for traditional, cozy places that are popular for tourists who want to snuggle up by the fire during the winter.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses interesting Christmas traditions in Ukraine and Spain.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy was joined by Mary Hubbard, Executive Director of WordPress to discuss the history of the first website and the importance of websites in the current world.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses ways to look after your digestive health, avoid heartburn and indigestion this Christmas.

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel Clewlow discusses how we can make Christmas more affordable, during what is arguably the most expensive time of year.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about the modes of transportation that allow us to travel across snow, who uses them and how they work.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Hannah Beard, an emergency veterinary nurse from Vets Now, to discuss keeping our pets safe this Christmas.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy discusses how UK actors are being balloted by their union, Equity, on whether to support industrial action over concerns about the use of artificial intelligence and digital scanning of performers' likenesses without consent.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses keeping your skin healthy this winter.

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel Clewlow discusses credit scores. In particular, how to improve yours ahead of a mortgage application.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks to TV Personality and star of shows like Changing Rooms and more recently Outrageous Homes, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, about his experience and fondness of Saxony, a state in Germany, as a location to spend Christmas.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Floral Expert, Dani Turner, from Bunches, to discuss floriography (the language of flowers), flower symbolism, and how flowers can 'speak' when you can't find what to say.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy discusses how misogynistic abuse on social media is pushing women out of sport, highlighting Ofcom chief Dame Melanie Dawes' warning that talented female athletes may leave not because of performance or injury, but due to constant online hostility.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses health experts' warnings regarding taking cold and flu medicine or painkillers correctly.

In this week's Talking Money, Jessica is joined by precious metal expert Dave Russell, CEO of Goldcore, to discuss how more people are investing in gold, and how to do this.

 In this week's Talking Travel, Rory travels the UK in search of the most unique Christmas markets the UK has to offer, as we approach the festive season.

In this week's Talking Life, Rory talks to Dr Mary Fraser - a researcher who's dedicated to the history of the police in the UK, about a fascinating scheme the police ran in the late 19th century that involved donating clothes to poorer communities - a real slice of life, from the past.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy discusses a new AI-powered 5G technology that aims to fix poor stadium connectivity and revolutionise the matchday experience for football fans.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Professor of Urology Stephen Langley to discuss the National Screening Committee recommendation for a UK-wide prostate screening programme for men aged over 45, which was not passed in November 2025.

In this week's Talking Money, Poppy Sayer speaks with Rob Halliday-Stein from Bullion By Post about why, despite gold being one of the world's oldest assets, many people still overlook it as an investment option.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about how on this upcoming Black Friday, how good historically have deals been on flights and other forms of travel. Are they worth your money, or are you better off just buying further in advance like usual?

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Mark Durrell, Specialist Paramedic at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, and Dan Joyce, from Kwik Fit, to discuss car and road safety.

In this week's Talking Tech, Daniel Clewlow speaks with the CEO of Medefer, Dr Bahman Nedjat-Shokouhi. They explore the changes coming to the NHS by 2027, and what they will mean for patients.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Dr Mark Hudson-Peacock and long-term haemorrhoid sufferer and Founder of eXroid, Graham Bason, to discuss haemorrhoids, prevention, and treatment.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory takes a trip to Switzerland, to discover what awaits in its alpine landscapes for British tourists to discover. 

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Mark Harding, Veteran and Army Benevolent Fund Ambassador, and Peter Monteith, Veteran and Chief Operating Officer for the Army Benevolent Fund, to discuss how the charity supports soldiers, veterans, and their families.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy discusses Europe's reliance on foreign tech leaves it vulnerable to surveillance, digital sabotage, economic rent extraction, and external influence over politics and public discourse.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses the concerning rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel Clewlow is joined by Chris Butler, Finance Director at Ethex, to discuss the rise in ethical investing - and the positive impact it's having on local communities around the UK.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory discusses Brit's most popular wedding destinations and uncovers the data behind why so many now travel to these places for the best day of their lives.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Jennifer White, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Associate Director of Media and Communications, to discuss Plant Wool Month.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy explains how Elon Musk sees Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus, as central to the company's AI future - and how rising industry investment suggests humanoid robots could soon move from science fiction to everyday reality.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Dr Ahuja, Fertility Expert from London Egg Bank, and Sammy Rainbow Furnival, an egg donor, to discuss The London Egg Bank's Freeze and Share programme, and the need for more donors from ethnic minorities.

In this week's Talking Money Daniel was joined by Ray Coyle the CEO of Energise Africa for Talk Money Week to discuss how the organisation is helping bridge the climate finance gap by connecting everyday investors with impactful solar energy projects across Africa. They talked about how Energise Africa began, the difference it's made to communities and small businesses, and how it's empowering people to invest sustainably in the transition to clean energy.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about many of the world's most famous deserts - what makes a desert a desert, and why they contain more surprises than you might expect. 

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Paul White, CEO of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, and Maddi White, who has a non-visible disability, to discuss Hidden Disabilities Sunflower's launch of the Sunflower Extra - a new NFC-enabled card that lets wearers share personalised support information instantly and discreetly.

 In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy is joined by Simon Onyons from Kroll UK to explore why data has become the new currency. They discuss recent cyber-attacks on M&S, Co-op and Jaguar Land Rover, which reveal how criminals are exploiting customer information. Simon also explains how organisations can strengthen their defences to prevent hacks and data breaches.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Samantha Duffy, Senior Manager of Global Water Programs at NSF, to discuss how millions of UK homes could be fitted with illegal, non-compliant taps and plumbing.

In this week's Talking Money, Dan talks about a new report detailing the priorities of home buyers in 2025, and sits down with expert Karen Rodriguez from MFS to discuss why things like wifi connectivity and valuing property quality have become top priorities. 

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about why school trips are so important for children and the most popular places teachers take children to so that they can learn something about the world around them.

In this week's Talking Life, Rory talks to a consultant Counselling Psychologist, Dr Ritz Birah, about some new research around how the clock changes effect our sleep. She dives into how the darker days affect our mental health, as well as giving listeners some of her best tips for getting to sleep after a busy day.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy is discussing new Vodafone research revealing that Sheffield is the UK's most AI-savvy city, with the highest "AIQ" score measuring confidence in using artificial intelligence.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Mark Rowland, Chief Executive at the Mental Health Foundation, to discuss improving our sleep for better physical and mental wellbeing.

In this week's Talking Money, Jessica is joined by Inheritance Tax Expert and CEO and Founder of Level, George Williamson, to discuss new research showing that many people are financially dependent on inheritance.

In this Talking Travel, Rory talks about why we have A and B roads and why they're numbered in the confusing way that they are.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses a pilot project, called Chrisp Street Community Cycles, a pop-up bike library in East London, launched by Hubbub, Poplar Harca, and Sustrans, helping residents build cycling confidence through free bike loans, repairs, and guided rides.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy discusses Human Rights Lawyer Amal Clooney's ground-breaking UK initiative that uses AI to improve access to justice for women and girls around the world. The programme explores how artificial intelligence can help support those too often left behind by the justice system.

In this week's Talking Health, Poppy is joined by Dr Alice Ashby, Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Medical Director at the London Psychiatry Clinic, and Jennifer, who has ADHD and was treated by Dr Ashby. As October marks ADHD Awareness Month, with this year's theme "The Many Faces of ADHD," the episode explores how the condition affects people of all backgrounds, genders, and ages.

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel takes a look at some of the most costly mistakes ever made in movie history.

In this week's Talking Travel, Jessica is joined by TV Chef and Hong Kong Tourism Board Ambassador, Jeremy Pang, to discuss Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, which begins on the 23rd of October 2025.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses the statue Mother Vérité – created by British artist Rayvenn Shaleigha D'Clark, in collaboration with Chelsea Hirschhorn (founder of Frida Mom), depicting a postpartum woman.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy highlights an IBM study showing rising public trust in AI, with 74% comfortable using AI assistants for decisions. The report points to growing opportunities for businesses to use adaptive "agentic AI" to improve customer experience and productivity.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses using headphones and ensuring good ear health.

In this week's Talking Money, Daniel explores why investors seem to flock to gold in times of economic uncertainty.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks a trip to Florida to see what there is for UK tourists to do in the sunshine state. 

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Dr Robert Metcalf to raise awareness of Salivary Gland Cancer, a rare form of cancer that often gets forgotten and is in desperate need of more funding and research.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy marks 15 years since The Social Network, reflecting on how its themes of power, connection, and control still define the digital age. She links the film's warnings to today's UK debates over the Online Safety Act, AI moderation, and free speech, noting how Zuckerberg's story foreshadowed our modern struggles with loneliness, digital dependency, and the true cost of living online.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Rebecca Reid, a marathon world record holder who lives with an arrhythmia, to discuss how cardiovascular disease is the world's biggest killer.

In this week's Talking Money, Etty is joined by James Shore, Managing Director of iO Finance Partners, to discuss the challenges facing SMEs - with one of the biggest being the lack of lending available, which is stunting their growth.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about the statistics behind our commutes, and how varied the UK's commuter picture really is, talking about how long the average journey into work takes and what we use to get there.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Nick Sanderson, the CEO of the Audley Group, to discuss a new survey of people aged 55 and over conducted by Audley Group, which has found that being an explorer and a lifelong learner are among the most popular types of retirement lifestyles.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy explains how robots could be helping to save the housing crisis, as an Oxfordshire construction company has turned to robots in an effort to speed up housebuilding and help tackle the UK's housing shortage.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Dr Julie Greenfield from the charity Ataxia UK to discuss Ataxia, which is a collection of rare diseases that affects thousands of people in the UK, and Omaveloxolone (Omav), a new drug that has been approved in Scotland and is awaiting approval in the rest of the UK.

In this week's Talking Money, Jessica is joined by Jack Smith, the founder and CEO of Love Finance, to discuss how UK small businesses are struggling in the current economy and what they can do.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory takes a trip to WA – Western Australia, and its capital city Perth, to see what's going on in the heart of Australia's largest state.

In this week's Talking Life, Etty is joined by Christina Bennett, from Start Network, to discuss the Start Network's new policy paper urging governments, the UN, and INGOs themselves to change their approach to humanitarian aid.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy explains that the Tech Prosperity Deal has brought major US investments from Nvidia, Microsoft and Google, which the government hopes will boost jobs and innovation. But concerns remain that the UK is becoming too dependent on US tech giants, with lighter regulation raising questions over control and protections. The investment brings optimism, yet Britain's bet on AI may lead to either revival or deeper reliance.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Dr Juho Jalkanen – Chief Executive Officer at Faron Pharmaceuticals, to discuss the clinical trials of bexmarilimab for blood cancer treatment.

In this week's Talking Money, Etholle explores how much Britons really spend on their furry (and feathered) friends - and what our pet spending habits reveal about love, lifestyle and loyalty.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about something that many areas of the UK see as a point of pride – cheese! How did this food item become something that so many regions cherish so dearly, and how many types of British cheese are there?

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica is joined by Dr Anand Patel, GP and men's health expert, to discuss a Lovehoney report showing that sexual anxieties are widespread among British men. 

In this week's Talking Tech, Etholle unpacks the rise of the "Blue Tick Economy" - exploring how online verification turned from a simple badge into a new kind of digital status symbol.

In this week's Talking Health, Etholle is joined by Gastroenterologist, Dr Alan Desmond, to discuss the nation's gut health. Are you really getting enough fibre? 

In this week's Talking Money, Jessica is joined by Chris Teasdale, the Chief Branch Officer from Handelsbanken, to discuss a new poll of the public, which revealed continued frustration and mistrust regarding automated customer service.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory will be talking about the natural world. September is time where many different animals will begin migrating for the winter, so how far do some of them travel just to survive the winter?

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses Dr. Qizong Yue, from Southwest University in China, team's research that suggests that cheerful music could help with motion sickness. 

In this week's Talking Tech, Etholle traces the surprising history of the 'computer bug',  from Edison's engineering quirks to the famous moth that stopped Harvard in its tracks.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica is joined by Consultant Dermatologist, from Derma Reading, Dr Rima Clayton, to discuss new research that reveals that nearly one in three teenagers say their skin makes them less likely to go to school.

In this week's Talking Money, Etholle explores the curious history and economics of paying to use the loo, from Roman taxes to Britain's "spend a penny" tradition.

In this week's Talking Travel, Rory talks about VPNs – what are the benefits of connecting to servers across the world and how do people use them while they're abroad? 

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses the move of a church that is over a hundred years old, 5km down the road in Kiruna, Sweden.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy explains how Jaguar Land Rover's cyberattack shows how even major firms are vulnerable, with SMEs at even greater risk due to weaker defences. Beyond disruption, attacks can trigger lost sales, reputational damage, and financial strain - making cybersecurity a board-level priority for resilience and growth.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses AI stethoscopes, which can detect heart conditions in seconds.

In this week's Talking Money, Etholle unpacks what your weekly supermarket shop really says about money, class, and identity in Britain. 

In today's Talking Travel, Rory takes us on a trip to the pyramids to discover what secrets they have, and to answer many of the most common questions about these great, mysterious structures.

In this week's Talking Life, Jessica discusses how scientists have made a 'superfood' that could save honeybees.

In this week's Talking Tech, Poppy explains how robots are transforming the UK - patrolling streets, building homes, and assisting in surgery - showing they're already reshaping everyday life.

In this week's Talking Health, Jessica discusses new smartphone technology to help diagnose type 2 diabetes at home, PocDoc, that CEO Steve Roest says is a 'game changer' for preventative healthcare.

In this week's Talking Money, Etholle explores the Bank of England's plans for a potential 'Digital Pound' – a new form of money that could transform how we use the pound in everyday life.