Oh God, What Now?

America is still processing Donald Trump’s midterm drubbing. But what does the result mean for the UK, Europe and the rest of the world?

Plus: As Russell Brand is sentenced to ten years and six months in prison for rape and sexual assault, what are the wider political and cultural implications of the horrifying case?

Matt Green, Jonn Elledge and Zoë Grünewald are joined by special guest, comedian, Taskmaster champion and broadcaster Andrew Zaltzman.

• Get tickets to Andy’s tour, 2026: The Certifiable History

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at ogwn@podmasters.co.uk.

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Zoë hasn’t been able to put down Sarah Wynn-Williams’ Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

• Jonn cheekily plugged another political podcast… and has been listening to Nate Silver’s Still Counting

• Andy has been watching East of Eden, Netflix’s smash-hit adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel
• Matt has been reading Tonight the Music Seems So Loud: The Meaning of George Michael by Sathnam Sanghera

• Support us on Patreon for ad-free episodes and more.

Presented by Matt Green, with Jonn Elledge, Zoë Grünewald and Andy Zaltzman. Produced by James Liddell. Audio Production by Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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Donald Trump does like a nice interior design project and be fair, he earned the Republicans a thorough shellacking. What happens next? When does the circular MAGA firing squad assemble? Is there a can big enough for Pete Hegseth to carry? Has the fight gone out of Agent Orange? And will the establishment Democratic leadership be able to constrain new Congresspersons who are thirsting for revenge… sorry, the proper application of justice? The doyenne of American political podcasting Molly Jong-Fast brings the latest to Andrew Harrison, live from New York.

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at ogwn@podmasters.co.uk.

[Not for Patreon]

• Support us on Patreon for the Extra Bit, ad-free episodes and more.

Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio Production by Chris Jones. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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At last, at last… After suffering two years of shame, cruelty and corruption, Americans render a devastating verdict on Trump, his war, his careless greed and the entire Republican establishment. An electoral wave of Biblical proportions sweeps away Trump stooges and raises up a new, diverse generation of progressive superstars. So what happens next? Will the Democrats have the guts to use their new power? And how will a humiliated Trump respond? Marquette University politics professor Julia Azari joins us to sift through the ruins of MAGA.

Plus: Why Shabana Mahmood’s revised policy on Indefinite Leave to Remain is still a disgrace… Exodus at the Telegraph… and should Germany rebuild Hitler’s holiday home?

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at ogwn@podmasters.co.uk.

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Jason recommends Ghosts: The Possession of Button House, bringing back all your favourites from the much-loved sitcom.

• James recommends Kornacki Cam where NBC News analyst Steve Kornacki talks through electoral data ASMR-style.

• Julia has been enjoying the novel A Dog In Georgia by Lauren Grodstein, which isn’t out in the UK yet, and Nobody Wants This on Netflix – complete with hot rabbi.

• Andrew has been reading the Kafkesque science fiction book There Is No Antimemetics Division by QNTM (or has he?). Buy it throughour affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund OGWN by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

• Support us on Patreon for the Extra Bit, ad-free episodes and more. Exciting news coming soon…

Presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison with James Ball and Jason Hazeley. Audio Production by Tom Taylor. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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The BBC created Nigel Farage. Endless “spiky” guest slots led to a sense of legitimacy, then inevitability, and now a fear of NOT covering the man they still think – despite Reform’s declining polls – is the PM-in-waiting. Why can’t our public broadcaster quit marketing a man and a party which wants to destroy it? Or is it caught in a Catch-22 where they either promote Reform or, by ignoring them, let them off the hook? Will it all pay off in Prime Minister Farage attempting to destroy the BBC forever? Plus, in related matters… Are we finally, finally at the end of the age of politics as cheap entertainment?

• Hear James Ball on the problem with Meta’s “Pervert Glasses” on today’s edition of The Bunker

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at ogwn@podmasters.co.uk.

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Ros has been watching David Attenborough’s Blue Planet III on iPlayer.

• Raf recommends A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler. Buy it through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

• Marie watched the Factory/Happy Mondays movie 24 Hour Party People largely for the Andy Burnham vibes in the area.

• Zoe recommends Tony, the biopic of Anthony Bourdain.

• Support us on Patreon for ad-free episodes and more.

Presented by Zoë Grünewald with Rafael Behr, Marie le Conte and Ros Taylor. Audio Production by Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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Have YOU done YOUR emergency stash of sardines, toilet paper and Kit-Kats? The government’s warnings to stockpile tinned food and water set off a mix of panic, confusion and (from the usual suspects) mockery… but should we all be taking preparedness more seriously? Is Britain going to have to accept bigger changes in our society as the world gets more dangerous?

Plus: We look into what the “fiscal devolution” and a hundred quid off energy bills in John Healey’s first Budget all mean. It was boring, but is boring good in these straitened times? And in the Extra Bit for Patreon people, take your mind off the misery with the Oh God, What Now? winter break guide, as the panel shares some unexpectedly delightful destinations for an autumn escape.

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at ogwn@podmasters.co.uk.

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Jonn watched The Lion in Winter – “like Succession with Henry II”

• Hannah watched Steven Knight’s Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger

• Rachel has been reading Anthony Horowitz’s latest book, A Deadly Episode

• Ros has been bingeing Polish thriller The Mire on Netflix

• Support us on Patreon for the Extra Bit, ad-free episodes and more.

Presented by Ros Taylor with Hannah Fearn, Rachel Cunliffe and Jonn Elledge. Produced by James Liddell. Audio Production by Simon Williams. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk
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