Hannah Stephenson

ITV political editor Robert Peston discusses how performing rock and punk covers with his band Centrist Dad, alongside Ed Balls, helps him manage stress, OCD, ADHD and grief. He reflects on the deaths of his wife Siân Busby and mother, the value of therapy, and his long-distance relationship with artist Nell Breyer. Peston also comments cautiously on Prime Minister Andy Burnham and explains that his new thriller, The Kill Switch, explores AI, political assassination and the risks of autonomous superintelligence and widespread job displacement.

BBC security correspondent and author Frank Gardner discusses the lasting pain and disability caused by the 2004 al-Qaeda ambush in Riyadh, in which his cameraman Simon Cumbers was killed. Gardner criticizes the Saudi government for failing to honor a promised compensation payment, while acknowledging the quality of his emergency medical treatment. He continues to report on security issues and has published Ballistic, a thriller about a Russian nuclear submarine, drawing on his professional experience and consultations with retired naval officers. He also reflects on the impact of his career on family life, his wheelchair accessibility challenges and his growing interest in wildlife photography.