“Matt Forde’s podcast is like Top of the Pops for Westminster…phenomenally popular fortnightly show…refreshingly positive”
The Sunday Times
“Forde’s Political Party podcasts have become essential listening for both comedy fans and Westminster wonks”
The Evening Standard
“Forde is a brilliant interrogator, being just friendly enough to coax out some surprising admissions and insights. It successfully makes politics funny, which is no mean feat in the current climate.”
ShortList’s No. 1 Political Podcast
“Forde is a master at the long- form interview and turns sometimes robotic politicians into human beings. This is without doubt the most entertaining and insightful political interview podcast of them all”
Iain Dale’s Top 50 Political Podcasts, Mace Magazine
It was announced today that leading political comedian and satirist Matt Forde (The Royal Variety Performance, Spitting Image, Have I Got News For You, British Scandal) is set to interview Anas Sarwar, Stephen Flynn, Malcolm Offord and , over four live Edinburgh Festival Fringe Political Party podcast specials.
On 9th August, Anas Sarwar, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, will join Matt to discuss Scottish Labour’s future following its most challenging Holyrood election results. As the first major party figure to call for Keir Starmer to resign, will a new Prime Minister help revive the party’s fortunes in Scotland? And what does Scottish Labour have to do differently if it ever wants to beat the SNP? See Anas and Matt at the Gilded Balloon at 1.15pm
On 15th August, Stephen Flynn, SNP MSP for Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine and former Westminster leader of the SNP, joins Matt to discuss his move from Westminster to Holyrood in the aftermath of the SNP corruption scandal. With the First Minister on the ropes, might Flynn look to replace him? And what does it all mean for the future of Scotland? Stephen joins Matt at the Gilded Balloon at 11.45am.
On 18th August, Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for Scotland joins Matt. Alexander has held the position since 2025, having previously held the position from 2006 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party, he has been MP for Lothian East since 2024, and was previously MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South from 1997 to 2015. He’s served in the cabinets of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and held the position of International Development Secretary from 2007 to 2010. Douglas will discuss all this and more at the McEwan Hall at 5pm.
On 20th August, Malcolm Offord, Leader of Reform UK Scotland and MSP for West Scotland, joins Matt to discuss Reform’s rapid rise in Scotland, Nigel Farage’s influence north of the border and whether Scottish politics has entered a new era of multi-party competition at the Gilded Balloon at 1.15pm.
Alongside Matt’s Political Party Edinburgh Fringe specials, Matt Forde (The Royal Variety Performance, Spitting Image, Have I Got News For You, British Scandal) returns to perform his new stand-up show Project Holy Moly at The Pleasance, Beyond, from 5th– 30th August at 8pm.
As the UK prepares to welcome its seventh Prime Minister in ten years, Matt’s new hour will see him embark on a mission with impossible odds: find joy amid the domestic and global political turmoil, the rising tide of populism, and his own ongoing health challenges – several years on from a bone cancer diagnosis.
Project Holy Moly and Political Party live podcast tickets are available at mattforde.com
Since launching in 2013, Matt’s Political Party podcast has brought Parliament to life through stand-up and lively debate with some of politics’ most powerful figures, including Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, Zack Polanski, Tony Blair, Nicola Sturgeon, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Angela Rayner, Michael Heseltine, Anthony Scaramucci, Alastair Campbell, Gordon Brown, and Gary Neville. Matt is set to extend his West End live Political Party podcast residency for the fifth time through June 2027, returning to The Duchess Theatre on 9th November 2026 with Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Liz Kendall kicking off the new season. The podcast has amassed over 14 million downloads, earned multiple nominations from award bodies including the British Podcast Awards and Chortle Awards, and is regularly featured in the press.
Elsewhere in audio, Matt recently completed the second series of his ARIA Award-nominated BBC Radio 4 political comedy show The Matt Forde Focus Group, in which he is joined by politicians, comedians and subject experts to discuss current issues and the ideas shaping them. He also co-hosts the British Podcast Spotlight Award-winning British Scandal podcast with Alice Levine, and Down The Dog with Jon Richardson, alongside hosting Absolute Radio’s Rock ’n’ Roll Football Show and talkSPORT’s How To Win The World Cup podcast.
Matt hosted four series of Unspun with Matt Forde on Dave, receiving several nominations at the Broadcast Digital Awards, and has numerous other broadcast credits including: Spitting Image (ITV/BritBox), Have I Got News For You (BBC One), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV), Mock The Week (BBC Two), 8 out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), Hypothetical (Dave) Rory Bremner’s Coalition Report and Rory Bremner’s Election Report (BBC Two), Question Time (BBC One), This Week (BBC One), Newsnight (BBC Two) and Daily Politics (BBC Two).
What The Press Said About Matt’s Stand-Up:
“a sensational start to the Festival…the most topically incisive impersonator on the block…exemplary in its vocal accuracy and political acumen. It’s laugh-a-minute stuff, underpinned by the kind of wisdom and natural resilience our leaders could learn from. He was always impressive, but he deserves his inevitable standing-ovation as never before.”
Dominic Cavendish, The Daily Telegraph ★★★★★
“flying the flag for satire…succeeds in seamlessly weaving together the personal and the political in a meaty hour of impressions, gags and reflections. Forde is brilliant…so much to admire here. But you come away admiring the man as much as the performer”
Mark Wareham, Mail On Sunday ★★★★★
“An outstanding hour…nobody else serving up party-political humour at this level…the greatest set piece of the evening, perhaps the best routine in town. Stunning.”
Dominic Maxwell, The Times ★★★★
“our foremost satirical stand-up…Whatever your politics, you’ll find excellence here”
★★★★ Stephen Armstrong, The Sunday Times
“tremendous performance, encapsulating the politics of modern day Britain”
★★★★★ Lewis McKenzie, The Herald
“the excellent Matt Forde…even more accurate than Starmer’s needling voice”
Lloyd Evans, The Spectator
“Is there a better political comic than Matt Forde currently working in the UK? I can’t think of another to touch him”
★★★★½ Jay Richardson, Chortle
“Matt Forde never fails with his state-of-the-nation address, a mix of bang-on-the-money political takedowns and spot-on impressions”
★★★★ Mark Wareham, Mail On Sunday
“Matt Forde is the consummate political comedian”
★★★★ Tim Cornwell, The Scotsman
