Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Johnny Marr is one of the most influential guitarists of his generation. As a founding member of The Smiths, his distinctive playing helped create some of the most enduring songs in British music.

He joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy, surrounded by the guitars that have soundtracked more than four decades of his life, including the legendary Gibson ES 355 1960, the Gibson Les Paul Standard 1984, and the Martin D28 1971, as he prepares to let much of his collection go.

They talk about the magic of writing with Morrissey, how The Smiths found their sound, why a new generation is discovering their music, and the strange relationship between musicians and their instruments.

Marr also discusses his new album The Age of Everything, politics, inequality and why he believes so many of the world’s problems come back to “unregulated greed and unfairness”.

The auction "Marr's Guitars: The Johnny Marr Collection" is taking place at Christie's in London on 17th September 2026. 0:00 Introduction and highlights0:45 Johnny Marr on selling his guitar collection3:32 Why Marr wants his guitars to be played, not collected4:45 1960 Gibson ES-355 and “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now”9:17 Gibson Les Paul: Marr’s most-used Smiths guitar13:46 The Rickenbacker and escaping the blues-rock sound15:54 Rejecting 1970s rock and finding a new guitar sound20:43 How Marr built The Smiths as a guitar band23:20 Writing songs with Morrissey: “It was magic”26:21 Why a new generation is discovering The Smiths29:11 Andy Burnham, Manchester and “Rusholme Ruffians”31:38 The Age of Everything and Marr’s new worldview36:40 Politics, defiance and “reclaiming the world”38:08 Martin D-28: “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” and The Queen Is Dead40:34 The guitars Marr is keeping and his signature Jaguar42:42 The nine-pickup guitar, Noel Gallagher and Kraftwerk44:42 How Johnny Marr would change the world48:06 Gretsch Super Axe and the earliest Smiths songs49:49 The guitars with the most personal history50:51 “How Soon Is Now?”, “The Headmaster Ritual” and the final guitars

Why are so many men feeling angry, lost and without purpose, and what role do algorithms, AI and the collapse of traditional institutions have in this?

Jon Ronson has spent decades investigating the strange corners of modern life. His new book, The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unraveling Men, begins with his son being lured to a mysterious castle in the US and expands into an investigation of masculinity, internet fame, the manosphere, public shaming and the increasingly extreme incentives of social media.

He joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss his long-running feud with Graham Linehan, why YouTube can push ordinary people towards increasingly extreme behaviour, the seductive promise of becoming a personal brand, and whether AI threatens our sense of purpose. Jon also reflects on his own search for purpose, the impact of his upbringing, and why he believes the answer lies not online, but in reconnecting with communities in the real world.

This episode contains offensive language. 

More than three decades after publishing The End of History and the Last Man, political scientist Francis Fukuyama is looking back on the ideas that made him famous, and asking whether democracy can still withstand the forces reshaping the world.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy talks to Fukuyama about Donald Trump, the rise of populism, why young men are driving political upheaval across the West, and whether social media has destroyed our shared sense of reality. Through the lens of his new book, In the Realm of the Last Man, they discuss why people are drawn to extreme causes, what Europe should do in a world where America can no longer be relied upon, and whether liberal democracy is entering a period of dangerous turbulence.

Fukuyama also reflects on changing his mind about the Iraq War and free-market economics, the intellectual friendships he lost along the way, and why he believes good thinkers must be willing to abandon ideas when the facts change.

Restaurant critic and writer Jay Rayner says restaurants are much more than a set of tables and chairs. In an age of rising costs, social media trends and pressure on the hospitality industry, he argues that restaurants remain vital spaces for creativity, community and human connection.In this episode of Ways to Change the World, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he would ban tipping. How restaurants help people connect in ways few other public spaces can. And why he believes going out to eat is good for society. He also discusses the challenges facing the restaurant industry, the rise of influencers and online food culture. And states why there’s nothing wrong with taking that photo of your meal.

Historical novelist Robert Harris writes about the Roman Empire - and says the parallels of disillusionment with modern day politics are ‘impossible’ to ignore.  

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy that Donald Trump’s vanity projects and strong man tactics remind him of Emperor Augustus, how the pressure to appease the masses is ‘crushing politicians into a form where it’s impossible for them to operate’ and why historians might look back and see the Brexit vote as ‘the first big crack’ in British democracy.

We talk more openly about mental health than ever. So why is alcohol so often left out of the conversation?

Millie Gooch believes Britain's relationship with drinking is overdue for a rethink. After struggling with binge drinking and anxiety herself, she founded Sober Girl Society and has become one of the leading voices calling for a more honest conversation about alcohol, addiction and wellbeing.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Millie about the science behind "hangxiety" (hangover anxiety), why moderation is harder for some people than others, the stigma surrounding addiction, and whether Britain's drinking culture is preventing us from asking difficult questions. They discuss the alcohol industry's influence, the changing habits of younger generations, and why Millie believes giving people better information - not banning alcohol - is the way forward.

This episode features conversation around suicide.

Former Silicon Valley insider Dex Hunter-Torricke spent years advising some of the most influential figures in tech, from Google and Facebook to SpaceX. Now, the founder of The Center for Tomorrow, he is sounding the alarm about the future being built by the industry he once helped champion.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Dex Hunter-Torricke about why he believes society is unprepared for the impact of artificial intelligence, the growing power of Big Tech, and the political influence of Silicon Valley’s leaders. Drawing on his experience working alongside figures including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, he reflects on what changed inside the tech industry, why he feels betrayed by its direction, and why he fears AI could deepen inequality, fuel social unrest and transform the global balance of power. From online safety and regulation to jobs, democracy and the future of international cooperation, this is a conversation about whether technology is really changing the world for the better, and what must happen if we are to avoid the dangers he believes lie ahead.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace. Employers are rethinking how they hire, train and retain staff, while workers face growing uncertainty about which skills will matter in the future. As technology accelerates, long-established assumptions about education, careers and social mobility are being challenged.

Euan Blair believes Britain needs a radical rethink. As founder and chief executive of the skills and apprenticeship company Multiverse, and the son of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, he argues that the country has become too reliant on traditional academic pathways and is failing to equip people for a rapidly changing economy.

In this conversation, Blair explains why he believes universities are no longer the reliable route to opportunity they once were, why apprenticeships and workplace learning should play a much bigger role in education, and how artificial intelligence is already changing recruitment and career progression. 

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Euan Blair about apprenticeships, artificial intelligence, social mobility, and why he believes the future of education lies beyond the university lecture hall.

Democracy is under pressure. Human rights are increasingly contested. And around the world, authoritarian leaders are gaining ground.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Binaifer Nowrojee, president of the Open Society Foundations, one of the world's most influential human rights organisations. From documenting sexual violence during the Rwandan genocide to leading a global network dedicated to democracy, justice and human rights.

Nowrojee reflects on the growing backlash against women's rights, the mounting pressure facing civil society groups, and the future of international law in the aftermath of conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza. She also discusses the controversy surrounding billionaire philanthropy, why she believes human rights are not in retreat, and the reasons she remains hopeful about the next generation's willingness to fight for freedom and dignity.

Drawing on her own experience growing up under authoritarian rule in Kenya, she argues that progress is rarely linear - but that the struggle for justice is never finished.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to the social psychologist whose work helped ignite a global rethink of childhood in the smartphone age. Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, argues that social media has fundamentally reshaped the lives of young people – driving rising rates of anxiety and depression, fragmenting attention spans and replacing real-world play with screen time. As Britain follows Australia in introducing restrictions on social media use for children, Haidt explains why he believes an entire generation has been caught up in a “great rewiring of childhood”, why girls and boys have been affected differently, and what parents can do to push back. They also discuss whether social media is fuelling political polarisation, why governments are finally taking action, and whether it's possible to reclaim our attention from the platforms competing for it. This conversation includes references to suicide, self harm, sexual activities and offensive language. 

We're closer to nuclear catastrophe than at any point since the Cold War. That's the warning from theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli.

Drawing on his new book “85 Seconds to Midnight”, Rovelli argues that fear, not strength, is driving a dangerous new global arms race. He explains why he believes humanity has forgotten the lessons of Hiroshima, why today's rearmament risks repeating the mistakes of history, and how artificial intelligence could make the threat of nuclear war even greater.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to theoretical physicist and bestselling author Carlo Rovelli about nuclear weapons, the morality of science, AI, international cooperation and why he believes humanity's greatest enemy is its own irrationality.

From the White House situation room, to shaping the Obama administration's national security communication - few people have had a closer view of the forces shaping modern America than Ben Rhodes.

As Barack Obama's speechwriter and Deputy National Security Adviser, Rhodes helped craft some of the defining messages of the Obama era and played a central role in major foreign policy decisions, including the Iran nuclear deal. Now, in his new book All We Say, he argues that speeches reveal the enduring battle over American identity, who belongs, who holds power, and what kind of country America wants to be.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy talks to Ben about why Donald Trump succeeded where others failed, whether speeches still matter in the age of social media, the backlash to Barack Obama, the rise of populism, and the lessons history offers for today's political turmoil.

They also discuss Gaza, Israel, Iran, the future of the Democratic Party, and whether politics has lost the ability to tell a compelling story about where society is heading next.

At a time when Britain feels increasingly fragmented, playwright and screenwriter James Graham believes the country faces a deeper crisis than politics alone can explain.

From the collapse of community spaces and growing loneliness to the impact of AI, social media and declining trust in institutions, Graham argues that Britain is losing the social bonds that once held it together. But he also believes there's a way back.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to the writer behind Sherwood, Dear England and Brexit: The Uncivil War about national identity, class, culture, storytelling and why Gareth Southgate may offer a model for rebuilding social cohesion. They discuss the future of the arts, the rise of populism, whether politics has lost the ability to tell a compelling story, and what happens when a society stops creating shared experiences.

What does it mean to choose peace after unimaginable loss? In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon, peace activists and co-authors of "The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land".Abu Sarah is a Palestinian whose brother died after being tortured in an Israeli prison. Inon is an Israeli whose parents were killed in the 7 October attacks. Instead of turning further towards hatred, they have built an unlikely friendship rooted in empathy, forgiveness and a shared determination to imagine a different future. Together, they reflect on grief, revenge, political failure and why they believe peace is not naïve, but necessary.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Kimberlé Crenshaw, one of the most influential thinkers on race who coined the term intersectionality. Crenshaw has spent decades challenging how we understand inequality — and why it persists today.Crenshaw’s new memoir, Backtalker, is a blunt origin story of the lived experiences that shaped her work - from childhood moments of exclusion to confronting discrimination at Harvard, and the early instincts that led her to question power.The conversation explores the growing backlash against her ideas, from political attacks on critical race theory to efforts to erase or distort the language of inequality. Crenshaw argues that this is not just a cultural debate, but a fight over history, truth and democracy itself.Her solution is as simple as it is risky: talk back.

Artificial intelligence is often sold as inevitable — a force that will transform our lives for the better. But Karen Hao believes that story is too simple, and too convenient.

An author and journalist, she has spent years investigating the people behind the AI boom. In her book Empire of AI, she argues that the technology is not just being built — it’s being shaped by a small group of companies driven by competition and a desire for dominance.

In this episode, Krishnan delves into whether she is now an activist as she continues to challenge the idea that AI’s future is already written. So, who really decides how AI develops — and is it too late to change course?

Naz Shah first came to public attention through her campaign to free her mother, who was imprisoned after killing an abusive partner - a case that raised difficult questions about domestic violence, justice and the way the system treats women who fight back.

Before entering politics, her early life was marked by poverty, abuse and coercion. She was sent to Pakistan as a child, forced into marriage as a teenager, and later returned to the UK to care for her younger siblings while her mother served a long prison sentence.

She has since written extensively about her experiences in her memoir Honoured, and built a political career rooted in her formative years. Since 2015, she has been the Labour MP for Bradford West, advocating on issues including violence against women, poverty and inequality.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Naz Shah about honour, shame and the silence that surrounds abuse, the structural inequalities that shape life chances, and why she believes education is the key to changing the world.

This episode includes conversation around abuse, sexual exploitation and suicide. 

Artificial intelligence is evolving faster than ever - and the debate over AI safety, regulation, and control is intensifying. 

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Jack Clark, co-founder and Head of Policy at Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI systems. A former journalist turned AI insider, Clark has been at the centre of some of the biggest debates shaping the future of this technology - from safety and regulation to the race between innovation and control.

They discuss Clark’s journey from reporting on AI to building it, his decision to leave OpenAI over concerns about safety, and the growing fear that powerful systems are outpacing our ability to manage them. From warning governments at the UN to grappling with the risks as a father, Clark reflects on the tension at the heart of his work: what does it mean to build something you believe could be dangerous?

Prue Leith may be best known as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, but her influence reaches far beyond television. She founded a leading cookery school, built a Michelin-starred restaurant, spent decades shaping national policy on food education and public health, and has written extensively on ageing. This year she also served as a judge for The British Book Awards.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy, reflecting on her latest new book ‘Being Old… and Learning to Love It!’ and talks frankly about growing older, staying relevant, finding happiness, and why she believes ageing can be liberating. Prue also discusses childhood nutrition, school food, her campaigns with Jamie Oliver, weight-loss injections, why she refuses to exercise, and the realities of caring for a parent with dementia.

This conversation includes discussion around suicide.

Amanda Knox became internationally known following the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher in Pereugia, Italy, and the years of legal proceedings and media scrutiny that followed. Knox was found guilty of Meredith’s murder in 2009 but was ultimately acquitted in 2015.
She has since written and spoken extensively about her experience, and has advocated for others who may have been falsely imprisoned. Her latest documentary, Mouth of the Wolf, sees her return to Perugia, where she spent four years in prison - and confront Giuliano Mignini, the prosecutor who sent her to prison more than 15 years ago.
In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Knox about accountability in the justice system, the importance of admitting when institutions get it wrong, and the lasting stigma that follows even after innocence is proven.

Heston Blumenthal is one of the world’s most innovative chefs, known for transforming the way we think about food, flavour and the dining experience. From his self-taught beginnings to building one of the most celebrated restaurants in the world, his career has been defined by curiosity, experimentation and a refusal to follow convention. But beyond the kitchen, Blumenthal has also been navigating deeply personal mental health challenges that almost led him to death at one point. 

In 2023, Heston was sectioned after his wife called medical professionals following a severe manic episode and bipolar diagnosis.

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Heston Blumenthal about his approach to mindful and sustainable eating, living with ADHD and bipolar disorder, and why he is determined to challenge stigma.

My guest this week is Eric Schlosser, the investigative journalist and author whose work has fundamentally changed how we think about what we eat. Fast Food Nation was a landmark book that exposed the abuse of animals and the exploitation of workers at the heart of America's food industry. 

Now, 25 years after it was first published, Schlosser says he is astonished that not only has the industry failed to improve, in many ways it has gotten worse. And yet, despite this, he still believes change is possible.

Warning: moderate strong language

Ece Temelkaran is an award-winning journalist and novelist who has spent years warning that the collapse of democracy rarely announces itself with a bang. Instead, it happens gradually - institution is weaken, truth is eroded and what once felt unthinkable becomes normal. 

Ece knows this first hand. After being fired from her newspaper in Turkey amid mounting political pressure, she watched her country slide towards what she says is authoritarianism, a story she believes is no longer uniquely Turkish but part of a wider global pattern. In her writing, she argues that the real danger isn't just strong men or populist leaders, but how easily societies adapt to them. Her latest book, Nation of Strangers, explores belonging and exile. But beneath it lies the same urgent question that has defined much of her work. How do democracies fail? And can they still be saved? 

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Ece about democratic backsliding, the moral crisis she believes sits at the heart of modern politics, the experience of exile, and why rebuilding democracy may require not just political change, but a deeper transformation in how we see ourselves and each other.

This interview was recorded on 13 February 2026.

Katharine Viner has spent the past decade running one of the most influential news organisations in the world, steering it through profound industry change, digital upheaval and intense political pressure. She became the first woman to lead The Guardian in its 205-year history. Under her editorship the paper has transformed its funding model, expanded globally, and fought to preserve the idea of independent public interest journalism at a time when trust in the media is under sustained strain. 

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Katharine about defending liberal values in a polarised age, navigating internal editorial battles during turbulent political moments, and why The Guardian sees itself as a global mainstream newsroom.

“It's really a deep irony that this guy who has really never set foot in a normal American street was mistaken as a man of the people”, writer George Saunders says of the US President, Donald Trump. His work has long centred on the very people who live with the consequences of decisions made far above them, ordinary and fallible individuals navigating increasingly hostile conditions.

In a world marked by political lies, climate denial and the erosion of shared reality, Saunders’ fiction interrogates moral ambiguity, human weakness and the forces that draw individuals toward destructive choices.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Saunders about the collapse of truth in public life, why satire no longer pierces political leaders who feel no shame, and whether storytelling can still help us understand one another in an age of polarisation.

Clara Mattei is an economist who wants us to rethink the idea that capitalism is simply the natural order of things.

She is an author and professor of economics whose work explores how economic ideas become tools of power, shaping policy while masking the political decisions beneath. 

Her new book, Escape from Capitalism, argues that many of the problems that we see as inevitable - poverty, unemployment, inflation - are built into the system and shored up by models and theories designed to convince us that there is no alternative.

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Mattei about whether there is an alternative to capitalism.

For decades veteran Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani has challenged what he sees as Western complacency, warned of the irreversible rise of Asia, and argued that the global order must adapt to a world no longer dominated by Europe and the United States.

And now it appears Western leaders have caught up with him as a new world order is declared in the wake of the “rupture”, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called it, of President Trump’s second term.

Born into poverty in Singapore, he rose through the country’s foreign service to become its ambassador to the United Nations and then president of the UN security council.

He joined Krishnan Guru-Murthy on this episode of Ways to Change the World.

Mehdi Hasan is a prominent broadcast journalist in America who’s forthright anti-Trump and pro-Palestinian opinions have thrust him to the fore of many of the big issues facing the country today. 

He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Zeteo, previously hosting The Mehdi Hasan Show on MSNBC, and his work straddles the line between conventional journalism and advocacy-driven argument. 

In this episode of Ways to Change the World he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he believes American democracy is facing an “existential threat’, what he expects to happen next in Gaza and whether Labour can withstand the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. 

In the podcast, Mehdi makes accusations against several US companies. 

Comcast rejects any suggestions it may have engaged in misconduct by donating to the new $400 million ballroom under construction at the Trump White House. Responding to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who asked the media and Internet company if there had been a quid pro quo, they said: “Comcast’s pledged donation included no specific limitations or conditions on how the proceeds were to be used or spent. Furthermore, Comcast made the donation with no expectations of receiving anything in return and the implication that the donation has anything to do with a potential transaction involving Warner Brothers Discovery is categorically false.”

When Paramount settled their lawsuit with President Trump they said the money was going to be allocated to Trump's future presidential library, not paid to him "directly or indirectly".

The company also noted the settlement does not include a statement of apology or regret.

Responding to reports in the Financial Times that a donor to Donald Trump’s reelection campaign had received the first barrels of oil obtained from Venezuela after America seized president Maduro, a White House spokesman said: “President Trump always does what is in the best interest of the American people, such as brokering this historic energy deal with Venezuela immediately following the arrest of narcoterrorist Nicolás Maduro. The media’s continued attempts to fabricate conflicts of interest are a tired attempt to distract from the incredible work only this president is capable of achieving.” 

The White House has also rejected accusations of corruption. 

Israel denies accusations of genocide and ethnic cleansing.

Nick Lowles has spent three decades fighting racism and extremism and in 2004 founded the advocacy group Hope Not Hate which became instrumental in defeating the far-right British National Party.

Under his leadership, Hope Not Hate has become a leading voice in the UK against hate groups and far-right extremism, while Nick himself has become the target of countless threats. 

His new book, How to defeat the far right: lessons from Hope Not Hate, tells the story of how intolerance and hate have grown in western societies and what can be done to counter them.

Rebecca Kuang is the bestselling novelist whose books explore some of the most fraught debates of our time, interrogating racism in publishing, cultural appropriation, tokenism and diversity politics. 

Her novel Yellowface in particular struck a nerve, highlighting the pressures and hypocrisies of the modern literary world, from social media mobbing and cancel culture to the uncomfortable questions about who gets to tell which stories.

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, she speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy why America’s higher education is broken and why AI is not a threat to literature. 

Chris McCausland is perhaps now best known as the first blind contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and the show's 2024 champion.

His famous waltz with dancer Diane Buswell even won a Bafta as the most memorable moment in TV.

He first started losing sight as a young boy due to a genetic condition, and was fully blind in his early twenties. But he has never let disability define him.

In his latest autobiography, Keep Laughing, Chris details the journey of a boy from Liverpool who goes on to win the hearts of the nation.

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about why it was important for him to take part in Strictly Come Dancing, the frustrations and identity challenges he faced as he grappled with losing sight, and how he continues to challenge perceptions.

Sanna Marin became Finland’s prime minister at just 34 - the youngest serving national leader at the time. She was raised by her mother and her mother’s female partner in modest circumstances, and was the first in her family to complete high school and attend university.

Since her rise to power, Marin has become known for her outspoken commitment to climate action, social justice and democratic values.

In her memoir Hope in Action, Marin shares a journey marked by resilience and hope, as well as a vision for a new kind of leadership.

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Marin speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the European leadership, why she left politics and how to embrace womanhood.

Cory Doctorow has spent decades helping to shape the way we think about the modern internet. He is a campaigner against monopolies, surveillance and digital rights. His new book Enshitification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It analyses how the internet giants have captured us and become not quite as good as we had thought they were. On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Cory about the broken systems we are living in and what we can do to try and make things better.

Strong language warning.

Jan Ravens is one of the UK’s most celebrated  impressionists and comedians. She first discovered comedy at Cambridge University’s Footlights society, where she made history as the first female president. Now she is best known for her work on the hit BBC show Dead Ringers, where her impressions of figures like Theresa May, Liz Truss, Margaret Thatcher and others have become iconic.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Jan about the meaning of satire and the importance of a good laugh.

Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, is calling on Unilever to “free” the ice cream brand after years of clashes over its social mission and stance on issues like Gaza.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Ben tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he believes business has become the strongest force in society - and why it must care about more than profit. Unilever maintains that it’s working to create “a fairer, more socially inclusive world”.

David Shrigley is one of Britain’s most original and celebrated contemporary artists. Known for his deadpan drawings, iconic sculptures and ambitious installations, David Shrigley’s work blends absurd humour with sharp observations on everyday life. 

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy joins David at his latest show, Exhibition of Old Rope, in central London to discuss art, politics and Donald Trump.

Founding member of Pussy Riot and one of the most high-profile political activists in Russia imprisoned by Vladimir Putin's government - in this Ways to Change the World Podcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Masha Alyokhina.

She became internationally known after the group's protest performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2012, which led to her arrest and two years in prison. Since her release, Masha has continued to challenge Putin's regime and fight for freedom of expression through her art, writing and activism. And her new book, Political Girl, is an account of protest, prison and her thoughts about Russia today.

Lynsey Addario is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American photojournalist who has spent two decades covering conflicts and humanitarian crises across the globe. Travelling to the frontlines of some of the world’s most dangerous countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and Ukraine.

She has a string of alarming personal stories to go with it. She has been detained by the Libyan army, forced to go through an X-ray scanner three times by Israeli forces who knew she was pregnant at the time. 

She once said, “I realise with every assignment I do, there is a chance I might not come home.”

On this episode of Ways to Change the War, Addario speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her life as a conflict journalist, wife and mother, as well as her latest feature documentary Love+War.

Jimmy Wales is the co-founder of Wikipedia - the free digital encyclopedia that just about everyone in the Western world goes to if they need to quickly know anything.

It has been going for almost 25 years, determinedly democratic, non-profit and user-run, but increasingly under attack by right-wing influencers, Republican politicians and Elon Musk for being biased and with an overly-progressive ideology. And now AI models like ChatGPT are parking their tanks firmly on Wikipedia's lawn, claiming to be the real fount of all knowledge. Wikipedia calls them "conversational chatbots".

On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Jimmy Wales speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the “crisis of trust”, AI and why Wikipedia will continue to lead the way. 

Munya Chawawa wants to make you laugh, but not at the expense of someone else. Through his sharp satire and viral sketches, his comedy explores the line between humour and harm, showing how you can illuminate difficult truths without tearing people down.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Munya joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to talk about comedy, kindness, and the power of perspective. He reflects on growing up in Zimbabwe, navigating early experiences of bullying, and the challenge of finding empathy in a world that often rewards outrage. He shares his thoughts on how laughter can connect us and help us make sense of chaos, and gives advice to aspiring social media stars.

Husam Zomlot was born in a refugee camp in Gaza and has since become one of the most prominent Palestinian voices on the world stage. In 2017, Zomlot was appointed envoy to the United States, until the Trump administration shut down the PLO mission in Washington. The following year he became Head of the Palestinian Mission in London, a role that has now been elevated to Ambassador after the UK’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine. He has been a leading voice for Gaza throughout the recent conflict, while also enduring devastating personal loss, with members of his own family killed in the violence. 

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Husam Zomlot speaks with Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his childhood, the growing recognition of a Palestinian state and the hope for him and his people.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee launched the worldwide web on Christmas day 1990; an invention which has undeniably and profoundly changed the world.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Sir Tim spoke with Krishnan Guru-Murthy about why addictive algorithms should be made illegal, the potential for artificial intelligence to outsmart humans, and how the internet has been both a powerful force for good and a source of significant harm to the world.

Sir Ian McEwan is one of Britain’s most acclaimed novelists, a Booker prize winner with a career spanning five decades with work that often explores morality, memory, and the intersections of private lives with public events. 

Sir Ian has long been associated with contemporaries like Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, and Salman Rushdie, who together reshaped the British novel from the 1980s onward. 

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, he spoke to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the great issues facing the world from artificial intelligence to the rise of authoritarianism - as well as his latest novel What We Can Know.

Philippa Perry has spent years helping people understand their inner lives, but she believes that something fundamental has shifted in the way we connect. Lockdown, she says, left many young people struggling with social confidence, while the dominance of phones and texting has created “fantasy relationships” that don’t prepare us for the realities of face-to-face communication.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Philippa joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss the hidden costs of social media, the pressures of cancel culture, and why we are so easily drawn to bad news. She explores the dangers of overdiagnosis, the challenge of parenting in a digital age, and why building genuine, flexible relationships matters more than ever in an anxious world.

Mona Chalabi is a Pulitzer Prize-winning data journalist, illustrator, writer, and commentator who gained international recognition for her distinctive illustrations which distil complex issues into art that is deeply relatable and easily understood.

In this episode of Ways To Change The World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy what people should know about data journalism in a world where we are constantly bombarded by information. She also shares how reporting on Gaza has taken an emotional toll.

After a summer of Britpop revival provoked by the Oasis concerts, nineties legends Suede are about to take over the Southbank Centre in London for a series of events.In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Suede frontman Brett Anderson speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy ahead of the release of their tenth album ‘Antidepressants' and explains how his writing continues to evolve to the times and his age.

Ella Al-Shamahi grew up as a Muslim creationist, part of a ‘tribe’ that believes that humankind was created whole by a higher power. At university, she enrolled in courses that studied evolution, specifically to prove her professors wrong - but the plan backfired when she became fascinated by evolutionary biology and came to the conclusion that Darwin was, in fact, right all along. Now an accomplished paleoanthropologist, she explores the complex journey of human evolution and the origins of Homo sapiens. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Ella joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss her remarkable personal transformation from creationism to science. She also explains why she believes humans haven’t fully evolved to meet the demands of the modern world, and shares her unwavering faith in humanity’s resilience and potential.

Sami Tamimi is one of the brains behind the hugely successful and influential Ottolenghi restaurants, which he launched with his friend and long-time collaborator Yotam Ottolenghi.

The pair co-wrote the bestselling cookbook Jerusalem - and more recently, Sami has written Falastin and Boustany, a powerful celebration of Palestinian food and culture.

He says that in Palestine, “food is political”, and never more so than right now.

Morgan McMonagle is an Irish trauma and vascular surgeon who has been to the heart of some of the world’s most harrowing conflicts. Twice, he has traveled to Gaza, working in hospitals under constant bombardment since the conflict began.What he witnessed goes beyond medicine — it raises questions about humanity, the moral cost of war, and the toll it takes not just on the bereaved and wounded, but on those trying to save them as well.

Michael Gove, now Lord Gove of Torry in the City of Aberdeen, was a cabinet minister under David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. He ran to be leader of the Conservatives twice, famously killed off Boris Johnson's first tilt at the top job but backed him on Brexit, spectacularly falling out with David Cameron in the process in a drama portrayed in sometimes excruciating detail in a book by his ex-wife Sarah Vine. He has now gone back to his first trade of journalism as editor of the Spectator magazine.

Jacinda Ardern is arguably the most globally famous and lauded New Zealand Prime Minister of modern times. 

Her international profile began with her being the world's youngest head of government at thirty seven, who within months had a baby and took it all in her stride. 

But it was her response to the horrific terrorist attack on mosques in Christchurch that gave her hero status amongst progressives around the world - embracing the muslim community in New Zealand and passing strict gun laws in response. 

Her six years as prime minister also meant dealing with the covid pandemic, and the fury and conspiracy theories around lockdowns and vaccines that came with it - many of which targeted her personally. And then in January 2023 - as suddenly as she had arrived on the global stage, she stood down. Her book, A Different Kind of Power, is perhaps the most sensitive and candid account of a leader you could ask for, framed around her desire to be remembered for her kindness. 

Whilst life expectancy is declining in the UK and America and other high-income countries, some tech billionaires have become obsessed with life longevity - but which factors really impact how long we live and when we die? 

Public health expert Devi Sridhar speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Ways to Change the World about the launch of her new book 'How not to die (Too Soon).

She explains how changing our public health policy could improve life expectancy, what the UK can learn from other countries when it comes to health, and what her own cancer diagnosis taught her about the state of the NHS’ waiting list times.

Our guest this week is Conservative MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat. 

Tom talks to Krishnan about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, his plans to run for Prime Minister and his time serving in the military during the Iraq war and war in Afghanistan. 

Produced by : Freya Pickford

Isabel Allende has been called “the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author”, known for titles such as 'The House of the Spirits' and 'City of the Beasts'. Her books often put women at the centre, paying homage to some incredible female characters.

Her new book, ‘Violeta’ is written as a letter from a grandmother to her grandson. Violeta, the narrator, was inspired by Isabel’s own recently deceased mother.

Isabel talks to Krishnan about being a life-long feminist, her hopes for a post-pandemic world and her own experience of being a refugee during the civil war in Chile.

Producer: Rachel Evans

Once described as the 'comedian's comedian' Stewart Lee has been performing stand up since 1988.

He is known for pushing boundaries with his intelligent, self-referential and often provocative style of comedy but in his new show 'Stewart Lee vs the Man Wulf' he questions his place on the comedy circuit in an era of increasing populism rhetoric and the popularity of, in his words “$60m Netflix comedians of hate.”

In this episode of Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy he discusses the state of comedy today and what he thinks of the comedy style of comics like Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle as well as why he wouldn't tour America right now.

As The Observer, the world's oldest Sunday newspaper begins a new era under Tortoise media he also reflects on his column for the paper which he's stopped after 15 years.

Produced by Holly Snelling and Sachin Croker

Newly appointed National Theatre Director Indhu Rubasingham becomes the first woman and person of colour to lead the theatre in it's 60 year history.

She sat down with Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss art, diversity and censorship and taking on her 'dream job.' 

Produced by Holly Snelling and Vik Patel.

Joanna Moncrieff is a British psychiatrist, author and researcher who is a prominent and controversial voice in the research of depression.

Her 2002 study ‘The Serotonin Theory of Depression: A Systematic Umbrella Review of the Evidence’ concluded that there was no link between serotonin and depression, debunking the mainstream medical belief in antidepressants.

Moncrieff, whose research has drawn criticism from ‘Big pharma’ and support from fringe figures on the right, speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy in the latest episode of Ways to Change the World.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak and Tom Gordon-Martin.

Pia Sinha worked in prisons for 24 years before being appointed CEO of the charity Prison Reform Trust and she describes herself as a "ridiculously optimistic" person, who believes the prisons can be made to work properly.

Sinha started her career in prison as a psychologist and went on to work in female, male prisons and institutions for young offenders. She was the governor at three prisons and later was responsible for all the women’s prisons in the country.

Sinha, who believes many of the prisoners in the UK should not be behind bars, speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy in the latest episode of Ways to Change the World.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak and Tom Gordon-Martin.

Sustainability expert and professor Mike Berners-Lee argues that dishonesty in politics, business, and the media is one of the biggest barriers to tackling global crises like climate change, social inequality, and environmental destruction.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the need for a cultural shift where honesty is valued, and where deceit in public life carries real consequences. Without this, he warns, we risk making the world's biggest challenges even harder to solve.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak, Tom Gordon-Martin.

Entrepreneur, investor, and former Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies has spent 20 years building businesses and helping others do the same. She started her company, Crafter’s Companion, while still at university and turned it into a global brand. But as she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy, success isn’t just about strategy - it’s about mindset.

It’s a theme she explores in her latest book, The Six-Minute Entrepreneur, which distills the lessons of her own journey into advice for anyone looking to succeed.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she reflects on the challenges facing small businesses, what she’s learned from Dragon’s Den, and why the UK needs to celebrate its entrepreneurs more. As she steps away from the Den, she also shares what’s next for her and why she remains deeply passionate about backing businesses that make a difference.

Produced by Silvia Maresca and Ka Yee Mak.

Christo Grozev is a Bulgarian investigative journalist who has spent years tracking down Russian spies and is on Vladimir Putin’s wanted list.

Grozev’s open-source journalism exposed spies linked to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in 2018 and Alexei Navalny in 2020.

Now he is at the centre of his own sinister Kremlin plot, as a Bulgarian spy-ring was sent by Moscow to target him and planned to kidnap and kill him, before they were arrested and convicted in the UK.

He speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy in this episode of Ways to Change the World ahead of the streaming release of his new documentary ‘Kill List: Hunted by Putin’s Spies’ - which is available on Channel 4.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak.

Misan Harriman went from picking up a camera for the first time aged 40, to becoming one of the most influential photographers of his generation.

In 2020, his images of the Black Lives Matter protests went viral, capturing a historic moment of resistance and solidarity. He was also commissioned by Meghan Markle to take her second pregnancy announcement portrait and made history as the first Black photographer to shoot the cover for British Vogue's acclaimed September issue

For Harriman, photography is more than an art form - it’s activism. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about using his platform to challenge injustice, why he believes media coverage of major global issues - including the Israel-Palestine conflict - can fuel division rather than understanding, and why he wants to inspire the next generation to make a difference..

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy sits down with Jude Kelly, founder of the Women of the World (WOW) Foundation, to talk about the rise of traditional values in global politics, equitable education and the arts and whether the divine really is 'a bloke'.

Kelly, a theatre director and former artistic director of the Southbank centre in London, reflects on her experiences challenging entrenched patriarchal values while growing up as an Irish immigrant in England; how she feels our financial, legal and religious norms have placed men in charge of society and what to do about it; the recent resurgence of traditional values and strongman politics; and why community-driven change is the real key to creating a more just and equitable society.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Why are the rich getting even wealthier while the middle and working classes continue to struggle? Former top trader Gary Stevenson - the star behind popular YouTube channel Gary’s Economics - breaks down how wealth inequality is driving down living standards for the middle and working classes on this episode of Ways to Change the World.

He tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy how the rich grow their wealth through passive income and investments, while ordinary people fall into debt, and argues that low interest rates, tax policies, and government responses to crises like 2008 and COVID-19 have mainly benefited the wealthy, deepening the financial divide. And finally, he urges people to educate themselves and push for change before inequality spirals further out of control. 

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Actor Brian Cox, famed for his role as the media magnate Logan Roy in the HBO series Succession, speaks about his fears for America with Donald Trump as president again, how greed has infected politics, and whether he thinks Keir Starmer could be a great leader.

In this latest episode of Ways to Change the World, Cox also tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about growing up in Scotland, his love of British theatre, and his latest West End play “The Score” about the German classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Produced by Silvia Maresca and Freya Pickford.

It appears the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has been brought back from the brink as Hamas now says they will now release Israeli hostages as planned on Saturday after Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump threatened the militant group. 

But for award-winning author Omar El Akkad, the war in Gaza has already been a turning point for his relationship with the West - the part of the world that took him in as a child refugee. He says the faith he had in the cultural and political values he believed underpinned the West has been totally shattered by its response to the Israel-Gaza war.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to him about his new book ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’ and asks if he has any hope for the future.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Max Velody.

On this week’s episode of Ways to Change the World, Blur bassist Alex James speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about Jeremy Clarkson, Oasis, band break ups, diets, and how he went from a rock and roll star “swinging from chandeliers” to a farmer with five kids. 

Alex James’ new book Over The Rainbow tells the story of Blur’s reunion tour last year and the struggles of a middle aged man to fit in the jeans he last wore as a young rock star. 

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Comedian Omid Djalili talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about Syria, Israel, Gaza and the Iranian regime, and why the West should care about the Middle East.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Djalili says a combination of his Baha’i faith, his heritage and the encouragement of friends is what has kept him resilient in the face of setbacks, including being “cancelled” after the 9/11 attacks.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Tim Minchin has never been one for following the rules—or even having a dream. “I ran towards unpigeonholeability,” he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy, reflecting on his career as a comedian, musician, and writer who refuses to fit into a single box.

Best known for his sharp wit, powerful lyrics, and smash-hit musical Matilda, Minchin explains why he doesn’t see comedy as a vehicle for his worldview and how the messiness of life fuels his creativity.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, he opens up about stepping away from social media, the rise of polemicists in public discourse, and why kindness and generosity are central to the stories he wants to tell, and the kind of person he wants to be.

Produced by Shaheen Sattar, Silvia Maresca and Ka Yee Mak.

Esther Ghey is the mother of Brianna Ghey, the 16-year-old transgender girl who was stabbed to death in a park in Cheshire, England in 2023.

In the wake of her daughter’s brutal murder, Esther has been campaigning to ensure that Brianna’s legacy is an improvement in the mental health of children and teenagers, something she believes can be achieved by limiting their access to harmful online content from an early age, as well as with teaching mindfulness in schools.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why protecting young people online is not only the parents’ responsibility, but that of governments and social media companies. She also talks about the importance of teaching empathy and compassion to children, and why she supports Labour MP Josh MacAlister’s proposal of banning social media apps for under-16s in the UK.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Economist-turned-Labour MP Torsten Bell knows all too well that things have not been going great for Britain - but is optimistic that a different future is possible.

The UK’s economy has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the last few years: wages are flatlining, taxes are on the rise, and public services are on the brink of collapse. The younger generation can’t afford to buy a home, the old aren’t receiving the social care they need and an increasing number of people are reliant on food banks. So what’s at the root of all these problems - and crucially, how do you fix it?

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Torsten Bell, the Labour politician and former Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, talks to Krishnan Guru Murthy about Britain’s “catch up potential” to turn things around and build a more equal and better off country.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

American political forecaster Nate Silver explains who will win the US election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, why he thinks Elon Musk’s comments during the riots in the UK were acceptable, and how AI will change the world.

Silver is the founder of the influential polling and politics website FiveThirtyEight, but now writes on his website Silver Bulletin. He’s just published a new book called ‘On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything’ where he argues that “professional risk takers” such as low-stakes poker players, crypto kings, venture-capital billionaires and hedge fund managers are “winning” in American society, and what they can teach us about handling the uncertainties of the 21st century.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, American election forecaster, Nate Silver, tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy the chances of Kamala Harris or Donald Trump winning the US election, why he thinks Elon Musk’s tweets on X during the 2024 UK summer riots were part and parcel of having freedom of speech, and the transformative impact of AI on the world.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

US Presidential candidate Dr Cornel West is a philosopher and prominent advocate for social and racial justice. He’s taught at some of the top universities in the US including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, but has one major plan if he becomes President: to “dismantle the American empire”.

The 71-year-old activist, who campaigned for Biden in 2020, has recently been vocal against both the Democratic and Republican’s party’s stance on Gaza, which he calls “morally bankrupt”. Though he faces very long odds in winning the race, he says he wants to appeal to a group of disillusioned voters who have given up on the American two-party system.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Dr Cornel West tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he thinks US foreign policy on Israel is enabling destruction in Gaza, how both Biden and Trump are problematic for oppressed groups, and why it’s difficult to have hope to change the world without also being in despair at the suffering we see.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Nobel Prize Laureate Joseph Stiglitz is one of the most influential economists in the world, having advised multiple Democratic Presidents of the US and the World Bank, where he worked as Chief Economist and senior Vice President. His latest book, called “The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society,” argues that the economic right’s concept of “freedom” doesn’t take into account the necessary trade-offs, that one person’s freedom often comes at the expense of another’s. And that “free” - unregulated - markets, far from promoting growth and enterprise, in fact lessen economic opportunities for majorities and syphon wealth from the many to the few. Stiglitz, now 81, is a Professor at Columbia University in New York, where freedom of speech and the right to protest have been making headlines in recent weeks, with hundreds of pro-Palestinian student protesters occupying the campus and clashing with police. The movement has now spread from the US, and encampments around the world are being launched, where the common demand is asking universities to divest and disclose their financial support of the war in Gaza. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, economist Joseph Stiglitz tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why more government intervention is desirable, whether campus protests in the US are going “over the line” and why stalling living standards “create a fertile field” for demagogues like Donald Trump. Produced by Shaheen Sattar and Silvia Maresca

Bassem Youssef thinks that he’s come on the wrong podcast. “People in power don't really care about any of our suggestions to change the world”, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy, “because if our ways to change the world affect their interests, they will stop you.”

And he knows what he’s talking about, having fled his home country of Egypt after his TV comedy became no longer acceptable to the authorities there.

Bassem started his career as a heart surgeon, then moved to political comedy in response to the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, taking on the ruling elite in his country. His political satire show, ‘Al-Bernameg’ was the most watched show in Egyptian TV history, but soon became a thorn in the side of the authorities there, forcing him into exile.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Bassem Youssef talks about his view that Israel should be held accountable for the war in Gaza, how the Egyptian revolution was a turning point in his life, and why he feels disillusioned with the West's "lecturing" on human rights and international law.

Produced by Shaheen Sattar, Silvia Maresca and Hila May.

When lawyer turned playwright Suzie Miller created a one-woman show starring Jodie Comer for the West End and Broadway called ‘Prima Facie’, she wouldn’t have dreamt that her play would fuel real change in the legal system’s approach to sexual assault cases.

The play has won multiple awards, has inspired efforts to change UK laws, and has also been turned into a book of the same title.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Suzie Miller  tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why rape victims are failed by the legal system, how trauma is misunderstood in the court room, and why a patriarchical system forces female barristers to become part of the problem.

Produced by Silvia Maresca and Shaheen Sattar.

WARNING: Contains references of sexual assault

Nikki Giovanni has spent more than five decades in the public eye, as an activist, poet and innovator.

Born on the "wrong side of the tracks" in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the era of segregation, Giovanni came of age during the Black power and civil rights movements in 1960s in America. She came under the spotlight again in 2007, when the university she had been teaching at, Virginia Tech, was the victim of a mass shooting, carried out by one of her former students. The poem she wrote to commemorate the 32 victims, “We are Virginia Tech”, touched many people across the world.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Nikki Giovanni joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to to talk about her life and work, how anger has fuelled her poetry at different stages of her life - touching on topics such as domestic abuse, segregation, Black Lives Matter and Donald Trump - and recounts her experience of the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Author Armistead Maupin is a pioneer - writing about AIDS and HIV for a mass audience and daring to include gay, lesbian, trans and queer lives when few others were.

His ‘Tales of the City’ series, which started as a newspaper column in 1974, became worldwide best-selling novels and a Netflix series. It chronicles the lives of queer people in San Francisco and pokes fun at morality and social norms, touching millions of readers and viewers over 50 years. The beloved saga is now back for its 10th and final instalment, Mona of the Manor.

Now in his late 70s and living in London, the American writer opens up to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about growing up in the South in a “sexist, homophobic” conservative family, how he came to embrace the LGBTQ community, what life was like at the peak of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

“I don’t write fiction to preach my politics,” says Kiley Reid - an American author whose debut novel “Such a Fun Age” was longlisted for the 2020 Booker prize. The book gained recognition for its themes on race, privilege, and social dynamics in modern America.

Fast forward to 2024, and Reid’s second novel, “Come and Get It” delves even further into the heart of societal complexities. It’s based in a US campus and centred around money and wealth - who has it and who wants it - and the impact it has, on even the most personal of relationships. 

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Kiley Reid about the importance of finding stability whilst being a writer, the impact of having a theatre background on her writing, and her thoughts on being social media savvy as an author.

Produced by Silvia Maresca and Shaheen Sattar.

How do you measure a business’s success? For James Timpson, CEO of the Timpson’s Group, it comes down to two things: the satisfaction of its staff, and what it gives back to society.

His employees only have to “put money in the till and look the part”; for the rest, they have complete authority to do whatever they think is right to offer a quality service to customers. This “upside-down” style of management doesn’t mean the business is not profitable - quite the opposite, in fact.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, the boss of the shoe-repair, key-cutting and dry-cleaning group tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy the secrets behind his unconventional leadership style and why fostering a culture of kindness, giving ex-prisoners a second chance and cultivating a happy workforce are key to Timpson’s ethos.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Bernie Sanders is the longest-serving independent senator in US congressional history and has brought income inequality, poverty and the “uber-capitalist” status quo into focus throughout his decades-long career. He nearly became the Democrats’ candidate for president, twice, and has recently been backing Joe Biden against Donald Trump, warning that Trump’s re-election could be the end of American democracy.

In his latest book, “It’s Okay To Be Angry About Capitalism”, he presents his vision of what would be possible through a progressive agenda - one that would challenge the “corrupt” economic order that allows just 1% of super-rich to control more wealth than the rest of society, and where a decent standard of living for all is not an impossible dream.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, the US Senator tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why the US should stop its funding for Netanyahu’s “horrific war against the Palestinian people”, why a second Trump victory could foment right-wing movements across the world with disastrous consequences, and why taking on the ruling class is a necessary but “long, long process”.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar and Alice Wagstaffe.

Crystal Hefner was 21 when she first entered the infamous Playboy Mansion in October 2008. Within months, she ascended its hierarchy to become the top girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, who was 60 years her senior, and went on to marry him in 2012.

But she quickly discovered the house was not the glittering sanctuary she had believed, nor Mr Hefner’s Playboy was the place of freedom, expression and empowerment it professed itself to be. Crystal only left the mansion when Hefner died, aged 91, in 2017.

Having made a promise to the Playboy tycoon to ‘only say good things’ about him, for years Crystal suppressed the truth of what really happened behind closed doors at the Mansion, and the lasting trauma it caused her. Now she's written a book, "Only Say Good Things", about her experiences.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about life at the Playboy Mansion as one of Hugh’s three live-in girlfriends, how he made her ‘feel small and afraid for so long’, and why she’s finally decided to speak out.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

The past year has been a time of climate firsts, mainly for the wrong reasons. 2023 was the hottest year on record - with devastating wildfires, catastrophic flooding, ongoing loss of biodiversity and carbon emissions continuing to rise. But is there any hope for the possibility for a better future?

Well, there is in fact room for ‘cautious optimism’ says environmental scientist, Dr Hannah Ritchie, whose book Not the End of the World offers a data-based analysis of environmental problems and their solutions. Her view stems from the significant strides made in human progress across the world, and the advancements of technology, especially within renewable energies.

Today on Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy how her work taught her that there are more reasons for hope than despair about the climate and the planet we live on - and why a truly sustainable world can still be within reach.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Ella Mills is the best-selling food writer and founder of Deliciously Ella, the food blog-turned-brand which she created in 2012 after a sudden debilitating illness led her to overhaul her diet and turn to plant-based foods as a way to get better.

Since then, Mills has become a key player in bringing healthy food to the mainstream, with a brand whose 100 plant-based, additive-free products are now sold in all major UK supermarkets, and whose revenue is estimated to be £20 million. But this huge success has come with vicious trolling and personal attacks online - and it’s only now that Mills has finally come to terms with it.

Today on Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the story behind Deliciously Ella, why a change in our diets towards more fresh, plant-based foods cannot happen unless the government steps in, and acknowledging the difference between her privilege and her business success.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Despite being 76 years old, Arnold Schwarzenegger shows no signs of stopping.

The bodybuilding champion turned Hollywood star turned US politician, now in the ‘fourth act’ of his life, has reinvented himself into a motivator, and written a book, ‘Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life’, about guiding people to achieve a ‘happy, successful, useful life’, inspired by his singular American experience.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Arnold Schwarzenegger tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy how he can ‘be useful’, why world leaders are failing to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict and why America needs a new candidate to enter the presidential race.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

From 2019 to 2021, Samuel Kasumu was the most senior Black advisor in Downing Street, and was widely referred to as Boris Johnson’s racism advisor, working alongside the former Prime Minister during the first half of the Covid pandemic.

Kasumu left Downing Street in April 2021, amid the fallout from a UK government report that dismissed institutional racism. It wasn’t until after leaving his position, he says, that he realised how much of an ‘outsider’ he was, as a Black, working-class man who did not go to Oxbridge.

In this week’s episode of Ways To Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the reasons why he first joined the Tory party aged 19, the role of special advisors in No 10 and why culture wars inside Downing Street made the downfall of Boris Johnson ‘inevitable’.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

It is nearly two weeks since Israel launched its ground offensive into Gaza and more than a month since it began intensive air strikes against Hamas, following the brutal attacks in Israel in which more than 1,400 people were killed.

ActionAid is one of the many charities responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and its UK CEO Halima Begum is urging countries that finding a humanitarian solution is paramount, with thousands of civilians dead and the majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents having been displaced.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Halima Begum tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her journey from youth activism to NGO work, the West’s ‘moral responsibility’ to humanitarian aid and the need for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Keith Allen has been many things. The father of popstar Lily and Game of Thrones actor Alfie Allen, he was also a TV presenter, theatre actor, the man behind two hit football anthems (the Fat Les ditty “Vindaloo” and New Order’s “World in Motion”, both of which he co-wrote) and a handful of small roles in cult movies (Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, 24 Hour Party People).

Growing up, he was a troublemaker; he’d spent time in Borstal, was thrown out of drama school, even sent to prison. 

Now in his 70s, as he prepares to star in a new musical called Rehab, he looks back on the moments that have made up his rollercoaster life and career with Krishnan Guru-Murthy, on this week’s episode of Ways to Change the World.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Song credits:

'Vindaloo' / Fat Les

'World in Motion' / New Order

Billy Porter started singing in church when he was about five years old, and growing up saw performance as a lifeline out of the trauma and rejection he experienced as a Black gay man.

The multi-hyphenate star won a Grammy and a few Tonys since his breakout role on Broadway with 2013's Kinky Boots, and was the first openly gay Black man to win a lead acting Emmy for his role in the drama series Pose in 2019. Now Porter is returning to mainstream music with his fifth studio album, Black Mona Lisa, which he hopes will continue to craft an empowering legacy for the queer youth of colour.

Today on Ways to Change the World, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the challenges he faced due to homophobia in the music industry in the '90s, the harsh reality of being an actor in the golden age of streaming and what success means to him.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Being an astronaut is a job like no other. Of the estimated 100 billion people who have ever lived, only 628 people in human history have left Earth.

Tim Peake is one of them. A former test pilot who served in the British Army Air Corps, he was the first British astronaut to ever walk in space, and completed his six-month Principia mission to the International Space Station with the European Space Agency when he landed back on Earth in June 2016.

Today on Ways to Change the World, he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his journey to becoming an astronaut, his time on the ISS and the crucial role of Elon Musk and SpaceX in future space missions.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.

Caster Semenya has never doubted that she was a woman. It wasn’t until her athletics career started to take off that the now two-time Olympic Games gold medallist and a three-time World Athletics Championships gold medallist faced any questions over her gender. Called a ‘threat to the sport’ and ‘not woman enough’, she has become the most visible DSD (difference in sex development) athlete today, and found herself at the centre of the debate around the newly drawn line between gender and sport.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her experiences as an athlete with a difference in sex development, her tumultuous journey to the top of the athletics world, and what being a woman means to her.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Carlo Rovelli has devoted large parts of his life to explaining to the general public what appears on the surface to be the unexplainable - and his bestselling science books saw him dubbed 'the poet of modern physics’.

But the quantum gravity researcher is as comfortable discussing his own work on black holes, as he is talking about recent politics such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, on the grounds that, like in scientific research, every issue has different facets and cooperation is key to finding a solution.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Carlo Rovelli tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his search for ‘white holes’ and how science can bridge different global narratives in the geopolitical arena.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

The climate crisis is the biggest single issue affecting us all - but for some, the impact will be, and already is, far greater than for others.

This is the principle of climate justice, that sees the causes and consequences of climate change as inextricably linked with social inequality - and that activist Mikaela Loach has made the focus of her work.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Mikaela Loach tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why we need to reframe our understanding of the climate crisis in order to tackle its root causes, and why only through “active hope” and collective action can we radically transform our world for the better.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

The world is witnessing an epochal shift, according to Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis: from the now-dead capitalism, to “technofeudalism”.

In his latest book, the former Greek politician - who in 2015, at the height of the Greek debt crisis, was catapulted from academic obscurity to Minister of Finance - argues that insane sums of money that were supposed to re-float our economies in the wake of the financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic have ended up supercharging big tech's hold over every aspect of the economy. And capitalism's twin pillars - markets and profit - have been replaced with big tech's platforms and rents; while we, the “cloud serfs”, increase these companies’ power with every online click and scroll.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Yanis Varufakis tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy how the world is grappling with an entirely new economic system and therefore political power, and why Britain and the EU are “irrelevant” compared with the “fiefdoms” of US and Chinese tech firms.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

Since this interview was recorded, questions have been raised about aspects of Jason Arday’s public biography, with several claims made elsewhere contradicted by institutions, although the account of his childhood discussed here has not itself been independently disproved.

-----------------

‘You're categorised as not being particularly intelligent or able’ says Jason Arday, an autistic Sociologist who became Cambridge University's youngest black professor. Jason Arday was unable to speak until he was 11 and could not read or write until he was 18. As a P.E teacher in 2012, he wrote a list of goals he wanted to achieve. One of them was to be a professor at Oxford or Cambridge University. Today on Ways To Change The World, Jason Arday tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his journey with Autism, learning to read and write at the age of 18, and why racial profiling is limiting people’s ability to achieve their dreams.

At 14, Lemn Sissay inked his initials into his hand with a homemade tattoo. He didn’t write LS, but NG, for Norman Greenwood, which he thought was his name. Except that it wasn’t. His real identity had been withheld from him since he was born.

Born in Wigan to an Ethiopian mother, Lemn Sissay was raised in care; first in a foster family and then, from the age of 12 to 18, in a string of children's homes, including the notorious Wood End assessment centre, where he was physically, emotionally and racially abused. Despite going on to become an award-winning and internationally acclaimed poet, the trauma of his harrowing childhood never left him, and has informed much of his work on and off the page.

Today on Ways to Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about growing up in the care system, finding his identity as a British and Ethiopian man, and why the care system in the UK is failing children in need.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

As the third Black woman ever to be elected as an MP, and then instated as a government Minister, Dawn Butler has been vocal on the disrespect that Black women face in politics.

As an outspoken campaigner herself, Butler was criticised in 2019 for calling Boris Johnson a liar in the House of Commons. She was subsequently asked to leave the Parliament grounds that day. 

Whilst calling for the former Met Commissioner, Cressida Dick, to resign, she ironically found herself being stopped by the police whilst driving with her friend (who is also Black). 

After facing a long battle with breast cancer in 2021, she found inspiration to write her first book, ‘A Purposeful Life’, where she draws on the repeated times she’s been called a liar after facing racism and sexism both in politics and outside of it. 

In today’s episode of Ways to Change the World, Labour MP Dawn Butler speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about calling Boris Johnson a liar in Parliament, white feminism in the Labour party (and at large) and her ambitions to be the next Mayor of London. Being a Black person in a white-dominated space, she also tells us why wearing a lime-green suit in a sea of grey-suits was her way of realising you don’t have to fit in.

Produced by Silvia Maresca

“The police haven’t changed,” says American rapper Ice Cube, marking 35 years since the release of the track “F*** Tha Police” that cemented his status in musical history alongside the hip hop group N.W. A.

Ice Cube is regarded by hip-hop critics and fans as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. He was first famous for the N.W.A album, Straight Outta Compton, then became a solo artist, actor, producer and owner of a new basketball league, BIG3.

Today on Ways to Change The World, Ice Cube tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his journey through 50 years of Hip Hop, his thoughts on the American government and why he thinks AI is an existential threat.

Produced by Shaheen Sattar

Gina Martin is best known as the driving force behind the Voyeurism Act, which made upskirting, or the taking of pictures under a person’s clothing without permission, a criminal offence in England and Wales, after she was assaulted at a music festival.

The gender equality activist is now working to teach people how to challenge problematic statements such as ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘not all men’, and have constructive conversations on social justice issues.

Today on Ways to Change the World, Gina Martin tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the lessons she has learnt since changing the law on upskirting, the importance of trans voices, the online abuse she has received and why the conversation around masculinity needs to change.

Produced by Silvia Maresca