Podcast
Boris
Hosted by BBC Radio 4 · EN
Adam Fleming explores the life and career of Boris Johnson with people who've known, watched, worked or dealt with him - from boy to man to prime minister.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
9. The Wilderness Year: This Ain't Over
Jun 15, 202300:33:31Tap to summarizeThis series tells the story of Boris Johnson, from boy to man to prime minister - and now beyond.For this special bonus episode - recorded just after the Privileges Committee found that he had deliberately misled the Commons over lockdown parties at Number 10 - we're looking back at his first year after Downing Street.From his last-ditch attempt to regain the Tory leadership to his controversial resignation honours list to his fulminating response to the Privileges Committee report, we look at Boris Johnson's post-prime-ministerial career and ask what's coming next - will he be back?Guests:Sir Anthony Seldon, historian, headteacher and author of Johnson At 10: The Inside StoryWill Walden, executive director at Edelman PR, formerly Boris Johnson's Director of Communications and Senior Counsel Claire Bullivant, founder and editor of the Conservative Post and CEO of the Conservative Democratic OrganisationCharlotte Ivers, political correspondent at Times Radio and columnist for the Sunday TimesProducers: Lucy Burns and Natasha Fernandes Series editors: Penny Murphy and China Collins Production coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck Studio engineer: Neil Churchill
Transcribe →8. The PM Years Part 2: The Three Ps
Jul 28, 202200:24:00Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply Boris.This series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to prime minister. In each episode, Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him.In the eighth episode, we look at the events leading up to the PM's resignation.Guests:Jacob Rees-Mogg, Minister of State for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency. Katy Balls, deputy political editor of The Spectator.Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government and author of Held in Contempt: What’s Wrong with the House of Commons?Producers: Ben Carter and Arlene Gregorious Series Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: James Beard
Transcribe →7. The PM Years Part 1: Getting Brexit Done
Jul 27, 202200:24:00Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply BorisThis series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to Prime Minister. In each episode, Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him.In the seventh episode, we hear about his early years as Prime Minister. Guests:Lord Frost, a British former diplomat, civil servant and politician who briefly served as a Minister of State at the Cabinet Office between March and December 2021. Frost was Chief Negotiator of Task Force Europe from January 2020 until his resignation in December 2021.Katy Balls, deputy political editor of The Spectator.Simon Hart, Conservative MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire who served as Secretary of State for Wales between 2019 and 2022. Producers: Ben Carter, Natasha Fernandes and Arlene Gregorious Series Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: James Beard
Transcribe →6. Brexit and Foreign Secretary Years: Tablecloth Tug of War
Jul 21, 202200:24:00Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply BorisThis series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to Prime Minister. In each episode, Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him.In the sixth episode, we hear about his involvement in the Vote Leave campaign and his time as Foreign Secretary.Guests:Sir Alan Duncan, former Conservative MP who served as Minister of State for Europe and the Americas from 2016 to 2019 and author of 'In the Thick of It: The Private Diaries of a Minister'Isabel Hardman, assistant editor of the Spectator and author of 'Why We Get the Wrong Politicians'Will Walden was Boris Johnson's Director of Communications and External Affairs and his Chief Spokesman during his second term as mayor.Producers: Ben Carter, Natasha Fernandes and Lucinda Borrell Series Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: Rod Farquhar
Transcribe →5. The City Hall Years: The Stir-Fry
Jul 19, 202200:24:00Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply BorisThis series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to Prime Minister. In each episode, Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him.In the fifth episode, we hear about his time as London mayor.Guests:Alex Crowley worked on Boris Johnson's two mayoral campaigns.Will Walden was Boris Johnson's Director of Communications and External Affairs and his Chief Spokesman during his second term as mayor.Anne McElvoy is a columnist and broadcaster at The Economist and she was a columnist at The Evening Standard when Boris Johnson became mayor. Producers: Ben Carter, Natasha Fernandes and Lucinda Borrell Series Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: Neil Churchill
Transcribe →4. The Early MP Years: Riding Two Horses
Jul 16, 202200:33:02Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply BorisThis series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to Prime Minister. In each episode, Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him.In the fourth episode, we hear about the early politics years.Guests:Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2003. Lord Michael Howard, who served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005. Andrew Gimson, political journalist and author of Boris - The Making of the Prime Minister.Producers: Ben Carter, Natasha Fernandes and Lucinda Borrell Series Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: Neil Churchill
Transcribe →3. The Early Journalism Years: Shouting at the Yucca Plant
Jul 14, 202200:34:36Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply BorisThis series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to Prime Minister. In each episode, Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him.In the third episode, we hear about the early journalism years.Guests:Sonia Purnell is a writer and journalist and author of Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition and a former colleague of Boris Johnson at the Daily TelegraphGeoff Meade, Brussels Correspondent for PA at the same time as Boris’s stint as The Telegraph’s Brussels Correspondent. He has over 35 years experience covering EU affairs.Peter Guilford, a former Times correspondent and later a spokesperson for European Commissioner, Leon BrittanProducers: Ben Carter, Natasha Fernandes and Lucinda Borrell Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: James Beard
Transcribe →2. The University Years: Beauty and the Beast
Jul 12, 202200:30:50Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply BorisThis series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to Prime Minister. In each episode Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him.In the second episode we hear about the university years.Guests:Anne McElvoy is a columnist and broadcaster at The Economist and her first interaction with Boris Johnson was interviewing him for the student newspaper at Oxford.Jeya Wilson handed over the Oxford Union presidency to Boris Johnson in 1986.Simon Kuper is a Financial Times columnist and author of the Chums: How a Tiny Caste of Oxford Tories Took Over the UKProducers: Ben Carter and Natasha Fernandes Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: James Beard
Transcribe →1.The Early Years: The Fifth Beatle
Jul 9, 202200:25:09Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. A bit of a mouthful. To most people - and there are those that hate it - he’s simply Boris.This series tells the story of Boris Johnson - from boy to man to Prime Minister. In each episode Adam Fleming talks to a range of people who’ve known, watched, worked or dealt with him. In this first episode we hear about the early years. Guests:Andrew Gimson, political journalist and author of Boris - The Making of the Prime Minister.Sonia Purnell, writer and journalist and author of Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition Michael Cockerell, broadcaster and journalist who made the acclaimed documentary Boris Johnson: The Irresistible RiseProducers: Ben Carter and Natasha Fernandes Editor: Emma Rippon Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Engineer: Rod Farqahar
Transcribe →Introducing Boris Johnson
Jul 7, 202200:00:13Tap to summarizeAlexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, from boy to man to Prime Minister.
Transcribe →