Podcast · Society & Culture

Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy

by Channel 4 News · English · Society & Culture

How can you change the world? Join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and his guest of the week as they explore the big ideas influencing how we think, act and live.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest: 2 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

2 Oct 2026 · 44 min

From Trump INSIDER to CRITIC: Anthony Scaramucci on how he got Trump wrong

Anthony Scaramucci is a Wall Street banker, podcaster and former White House communications director who spent just 11 days working for Donald Trump before being fired. Once a Trump supporter, he has since become one of his most vocal critics, and it would seem that the feeling is mutual, with Trump calling him an "unstable 'nut job'" who showed "gross incompetence" during his 11-day tenure. His new book, All the Wrong Moves , looks at the political and economic decisions he believes helped create the anger and populism that transformed American politics. In this episode of Ways to Change…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

25 Sep 2026 · 37 min
Alexei Sayle on Gaza, Marxism and why people “should stop believing lies”
Alexei Sayle has spent a lifetime mixing comedy with politics, protest and an instinctive suspicion of authority. Raised in a communist household in Liverpool, he became one of the defining figures of alternative comedy before building a career as a writer, actor and political activist. His latest book, How I’ve Tried to Change the World by Walking Down the Middle of the Street Shouting, looks back at decades of marches, political battles, defeats and moments of hope. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Alexei talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about Gaza and Israel, and his feelings on…
18 Sep 2026 · 42 min
Salman Rushdie on the fatwa, the attack and his second act
Salman Rushdie is one of the world’s most celebrated writers. But for more than three decades, his life has also been bound up with arguments about freedom of expression, religious extremism and the threat of violence. In 2022, that violence caught up with him when he was attacked on stage and nearly killed. His wife, the poet and visual artist Rachel Eliza Griffiths, began filming his recovery, creating an extraordinarily intimate record of what followed. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Salman and Rachel Eliza join Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss the attack, anger and…
16 Sep 2026 · 47 min
Johnny Marr on the ‘MAGIC’ behind The Smiths
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…
11 Sep 2026 · 54 min
Algorithms, angry men and the collapse of reality - Jon Ronson
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…
9 Sep 2026 · 40 min
Francis Fukuyama: ‘The old United States is NOT COMING BACK’
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…
4 Sep 2026 · 37 min
‘Expensive restaurants are all the same’ - Jay Rayner
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…
28 Aug 2026 · 46 min
Trump’s like a NEW ROMAN EMPEROR - Robert Harris
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.
7 Aug 2026 · 41 min
The 'normal' drinking habit DESTROYING your mental health
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,…
31 Jul 2026 · 36 min
"We're heading over the cliff" - Former SpaceX and Google insider’s warning
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…
24 Jul 2026 · 29 min
Is university a waste of time? Euan Blair on the future of education and AI
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…
17 Jul 2026 · 42 min
Trump, Gaza and the end of human rights as we know it
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…
10 Jul 2026 · 51 min
How social media DESTROYED childhood and how to get it back - Jonathan Haidt
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…
3 Jul 2026 · 48 min
Carlo Rovelli: Are we sleepwalking towards nuclear war?
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…
26 Jun 2026 · 44 min
How the "cult of success" created Trump and Musk - Obama’s speechwriter
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…
19 Jun 2026 · 48 min
What Gareth Southgate can teach Britain - ‘Dear England’ writer James Graham
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,…
5 Jun 2026 · 45 min
His parents were killed on Oct 7th. He chose reconciliation over revenge.
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.…
29 May 2026 · 49 min
Is ‘colourblindness’ a myth? Kimberlé Crenshaw on the 'war on woke'
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…
22 May 2026 · 37 min
Karen Hao exposes how AI bros are building an EMPIRE to control the future
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,…
15 May 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
How society is structured to 'keep people in poverty' - Labour MP Naz Shah
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…
4 May 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Anthropic co-founder: AI impact ‘10x larger and 10x faster than industrial revolution’
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…
1 May 2026 · 39 min
Prue Leith: How to grow old without fear
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…
24 Apr 2026 · 46 min
Amanda Knox: the cost of being wrongfully convicted
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…
20 Mar 2026 · 47 min
How bipolar and ADHD shaped Heston Blumenthal’s creative genius
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…
13 Mar 2026 · 41 min
Eric Schlosser: Why the real cost of cheap food is hidden
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.
6 Mar 2026 · 39 min
Ece Temelkuran: democracies don’t collapse overnight
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…
27 Feb 2026 · 42 min
Guardian editor Katharine Viner: “Facts are essential, but they’re not enough”
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…
20 Feb 2026 · 42 min
‘We are being beaten into submission with lies’ - writer George Saunders on Trump, truth and power
“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…
13 Feb 2026 · 38 min
Clara Mattei: capitalism is not natural - it’s enforced
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…
5 Feb 2026 · 36 min
How Europe can end the Russia-Ukraine war - Kishore Mahbubani
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…

About Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy

How can you change the world? Join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and his guest of the week as they explore the big ideas influencing how we think, act and live.

Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy is a English society & culture podcast from Channel 4 News. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Channel 4 News
Language: English
Category: Society & Culture
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest episode: 2 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1359195562
Rights: Channel 4 News

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