!sretratseriF kcab emocleW... What's that funny sentence? A secret hidden message of course! Because this week we're getting into the weeds of heavy metal and Satanic Panic. Were Judas Priest hiding secret messages in their songs? Was music threatening the very fabric of the modern world? And where did the moral panic go? It's a complicated, tragic, and often absurd story, so music journalist and metal-head Michael Hann is back to talk us through it all!

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RIDE SALLY RIDE! We can’t believe it’s true, but Sally Ride is the birth name of the woman who’d later to become the First American woman to orbit space. Talk about nominative determinism! And what an extraordinary woman she was: from tennis player mentored by THE Billy Jean King, to lifelong advocate for women in STEM, her impact can’t be understated. But why were people so averse to woman-astronauts? Why did she hide her sexuality for so long? And ohhhh god WHY did engineers try to give her so many tampons for a 6 day flight?!? It’s time to chat about the incredible Sally Ride, with author Sue Macy.

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It's the game that's spun its way into the hearts of millions: today we're taking a wild ride through the history of the ICONIC game show, Wheel of Fortune. But how did a billionaire's childhood memories of hangman, turn into a cultural phenomenon? What are things actually like behind the scenes? Who turned up drunk for an audition? And how did David Letterman nearly end up hosting it? Today we're joined by Wheel superfan and gameshow historian, Adam Needeff to chat all about Wheel of Fortune, why we love gameshows, and his own experiences working on the show!

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In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the rise of communism in the country, beginning a series of constant conflict that Afghanistan still faces today. It’s also had huge impacts on our geopolitical climate today - to fight Russian communism, the US backed and funded rebels, who’d later become the Taliban, who rose to power, and continue to rule today, after the civil war which followers Russia’s eventual retreat. But how did one invasion lead to such huge consequences? How does the Taliban continue to rule today? What does it tell us about the war in Ukraine? And what does Afghanistan’s future look like? Today, we’re joined by an esteemed guest - foreign correspondent, Afghanistan expert, and the only journalist who was with the Taliban when they took Kabul in 1996, David Loyn.

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In 1979, Iran’s pro-Western Shah was overthrown by Ayatollah Khomeini, ushering in the Iranian Revolution and Iran’s shift to an Islamic Republic. But the hope many people thought Khomeini represented, quickly soured as his zeal led to increasing amounts of oppression. And despite it all, this revolution still holds strong today, only recently starting to face real threats to its stability. So how has it lasted so long? What do the women’s rights protests mean for Iran’s future? And what was it really like to live through the revolution? This week, we’re joined by award-winning British-Iranian journalist, documentary producer and author, Ramita Navai, to talk through the history and her personal experiences with the Iranian Revolution.

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Listeners, strap yourselves in. The late 20th century was an era of glamorous air travel, where you could saunter right through to the plane and buy your ticket in your seat (alongside your martini). But, alongside the glamour was a slew of sky-jackings, with hundreds of hijackings taking place across the world. But who were behind these? why were they so prevalent? How did it impact the public? And WHY did some hijackers bring a baby on board, and force the hostages to knit for them? This week, we’re chatting ‘Terror on the Airline’ with author, Brendan Koerner.

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Why Billy chose to encapsulate this behemoth of a topic in a single lyric, we'll never know. But this week, we're talking Palestine and all it experienced in the 20th century. Wars, protests, land grabs, displacement: the atrocities of this era are still being felt, and carried out, today. It's not something we were ever taught much about, but luckily we're joined by the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University and co-editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies, Rashid Khalidi, to discuss this hugely important topic.

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Ronnie was one of America's most beloved and controversial presidents. From his early days as a B-movie actor and union president, to his pivotal role in heating up the Cold War, Reagan was an icon of the 80s (even for British kids like Tom!). But what was he really like? How did he become president? And did he really bring an end to the Cold War, or was it all just a Hollywood-style illusion? 

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Menachem Begin was the sixth Prime Minister of Israel, and a signal of the state’s growing disillusionment. Since its founding, it had been run by socialist Ashkenazi elites, but Begin’s win signified a shift to a conservative coalition of marginalised Mizrahi and Jewish-religious communities. But what did this mean long term for Israel? How does it impact politics today? And what did it all mean for Billy? To discuss it all we’re joined by Henry Abramson, a Lecturer in Jewish History and Thought.

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Fluffies and spikies, get ready to ROCK! It's the music scene that shook (and scared) the 70s, and could've ended Billy's career... this week we're talking punk! How did it all start? Who's THE definitive band? Why was it so scary? And how did Billy feel about it?! We're ready to nerd out, and we're joined by music journalist Michael Hann to delve into all things punk.

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