Brexitcast

The Brexitcast band has come together again and this time they've got Midge Ure from Ultravox with them! Three weeks since the end of the Brexit transition, Adam, Laura, Chris and Katya come together to talk about what the impact of Brexit has been for business owners, lorry drivers and touring musicians. Studio Director: Mike Regaard Producer: Georgia Coan Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

Biden, what you gonna do? Adam and Laura go transatlantic with the BBC’s Nick Bryant in Washington and a former US Deputy Ambassador to the UK, Lewis Luken. What could the impact of a Biden presidency be on life in the UK?   Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producers: Georgia Coen, Rick Kelsey, Ben Weisz Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

Large backlogs in criminal courts means some crimes from last year, will not go before a jury until 2022. Barrister Alexandra Wilson drops in, to tell us she’s frustrated to see some courts being used to film dramas, rather than hear real cases, that are piling up because of the pandemic.And we ask: how do you make smart motorways smarter?Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producers: Alix Pickles, Georgia Coen Episode Editor: Rick Kelsey Editor: Dino Sofos

Sea shanties are flooding social media, so we wrote our own for Newscast. More than four million people have now had Covid vaccines - but why is the rollout 'lumpy'? Laura Kuenssberg and Hugh Pym give us the latest. We also hear from Moscow, where President Putin's fiercest critic has been arrested. And as influencers come under fire for trips to Dubai, we speak to the man who links them up with advertising opportunities. Studio Manager: Emma Crowe Producers: Georgia Coan and Cristina Criddle Episode Editor: Ben Weisz Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

Two men's journey through the snow. Newscaster Paul describes how he felt walking his 82-year-old neighbour, Henry, through the snow to get vaccinated. And the BBC's Sima Kotecha (with her her mum, Hansa Kotecha) join Adam to talk through why fake news could be causing people from British South Asian communities to reject the vaccine. Producer: Alix Pickles Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

How worried should we be about the Brazilian Covid variant? Well, the government is concerned enough to ban travel to the UK from South America and Portugal. But there's some good news on immunity if you’ve had Covid, and evidence that the vaccine may also stop you passing it on to others. And the new boss of Unison, Christina McAnea, drops in for a chat.Studio Director: Michael Regaard Producers: Alix Pickles, Rick Kelsey Editor: Dino Sofos

On the day that hundreds of alleged members of Italy's most powerful mafia group go on trial, Adam is joined by documentary filmmaker, Tobias Jones, to explain how the mobsters may be taking advantage of the pandemic. And we talk to Marcel Levi, Chief Executive of University College London Hospitals, about the mental health of NHS workers at the moment. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producers: Alix Pickles, Rick Kelsey, Ben Weisz Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

Hugh, Vicki and Adam are joined by the charismatic Bishop of Liverpool, Paul Bayes, after many churches close to prevent the transmission of the virus during group worship. And head teacher at St. George’s Community Primary School in Gainsborough, Katie Barry, explains how free school meals are being provided with more children now at home. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producers: Alix Pickles, Georgia Coen Senior Producer: Rick Kelsey Assistant Editor: Emma Close Editor: Dino Sofos

Adam is joined by Happy Mondays star, Bez, who’s planning on launching his own “buzzin’” online fitness classes. Laura and Fergus discuss vaccines, restrictions, and a controversial Boris bike ride. And the BBC’s Zoe Kleinman explains what’s going on with the social media platform, Parler. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producer: Alix Pickles Episode Editor: Ben Weisz Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

Adam is joined by Nathaniel Popper, author of the book Digital Gold, to explain Bitcoin's latest boom. And on the day the UK reported the biggest daily death toll since the pandemic began, Fergus tells us about the latest vaccine to be approved and we hear how the new "Test and Fly" scheme will work for travellers, with John Holland-Kaye, the Heathrow Airport boss. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producer: Rick Kelsey Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

James and Adam hear dramatic tales from GP Silvana McCaffrey about her part in delivering the Covid-19 vaccine. And after a troubling week for America we speak with Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace about the future of her party following the Washington riots.Studio Direction: Emma Crowe Producers: Ben Weisz, Rick Kelsey and Georgia Coan Assistant Editor: Emma Close Editor: Dino Sofos

Fergus takes us inside the intensive care unit at University College Hospital in London for the third time since the pandemic started. With three times as many critically ill patients in the hospital as normal, how much longer can staff keep going like this? And the BBC's Branwen Jeffreys explains why teacher grades are going to be used to replace cancelled GCSEs and A-levels in England this summer.Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producer: Georgia Coan Episode Editor: Rick Kelsey Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

As the UK’s Covid cases top 60,000 for the first time, and Professor Whitty says one in 50 people now have the virus, our Health Editor Hugh Pym joins us to go through the latest numbers. Our Business Editor Simon Jack fills us in on the latest business grants announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and our Asia Correspondent Karishma Vaswani tells us the story of Jack Ma, a Chinese tycoon who has gone missing without a trace. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producers: Georgia Coan, Ben Weisz Editor: Dino Sofos

As Boris Johnson announces another national lockdown for England, Laura, Adam and Fergus discuss the latest measures, the impact on schools, and the new vaccine. And we hear from Dr Coralie Carle about the current pressure on NHS hospitals. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producers: Georgia Coan, Alix Pickles Episode Editor: Ben Weisz Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

Adam, Chris, Laura and Katya weigh up the UK's post-Brexit trade deal after MPs approve it in a parliamentary vote. And Fergus joins us, on the day the UK approves the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford.Producer: Rick Kelsey Assistant Editor: Emma Close Editor: Dino Sofos

In January this year, Brexitcasters packed out the BBC's Radio Theatre as Britain left the EU. Who'd have thought that eleven months later, we'd all be Newscasters, experts in the R number, PCR testing and Tiers?It's also been the year of Black Lives Matter, long drives to Barnard Castle and Hugh Bonneville dramatically reading out Girls Aloud lyrics. So join Adam, Fergus and Laura as we take one last look - and bid good riddance - to 2020. Thank you for listening, and we wish you all a Happy New Year! Studio Director: Emma Crowe Episode producer: Ben Weisz Newscast production team: Sej Asar, Georgia Coan. Jo Deahl, Rick Kelsey, Natalie Ktena, Harriet Noble, Alix Pickles, Frankie Tobi, Ione Wells Assistant Editors: Sam Bonham and Emma Close Editor: Dino Sofos

1,645 days after the UK voted to leave the EU and 328 days after we actually departed, a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and EU has finally been agreed. Adam, Laura, Chris and Katya gather on the night before Christmas to talk through how the months of disagreements over fishing rights and future business rules ended.By the way… there’s still so much we don’t know. We’ll be back. Merry Brexmas!Studio Director: Mike Regaard Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

Our studio might be in Tier 4 but no one can stop us having a virtual Newscast Christmas party! Emily Maitlis and Nigella Lawson are here to help with Christmas dinner for one and Radio 1’s Nick Grimshaw joins us to share his favourite Covid-secure party songs of 2020. BYO // Christmas hats compulsory // RSVP to newscast@bbc.co.uk Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producer: Alix Pickles Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos

As lorry drivers learn they'll be allowed to cross the Channel into France with a negative Covid test, the gang asks if lateral flow tests are fit for that purpose. Professor Jon Deeks is on hand to explain the evidence. And Dr Adler drops in with an update on Brexit talks - will they ever end?Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producer: Ben Weisz Editor: Dino Sofos

More than 40 countries have banned flights from the UK as we learn more about the new variant of coronavirus that's spreading. There's disruption at Dover, and yes, somebody mentioned the B-word... Thank goodness for the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, James Gallagher and Simon Jack who’ve joined Adam to talk it all through. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Producers: Alix Pickles, Ben Weisz Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham Editor: Dino Sofos