NEW SEASON KICKS OFF WITH LIZ KENDALL ON 9TH NOVEMBER
“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, 29th May, that leading political comedian and satirist Matt Forde (Spitting Image, HIGNFY, British Scandal) will 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 news comes ahead of Forde’s Political Party with Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Lucy Powell – the final show of the current run – taking place this Monday 1st June. There couldn’t be a better time to interview Lucy, someone who will be central in the imminent leadership election. Powell is expected to offer candid insight into the challenges internal Labour battles that will decide the future of the country.
As the West End residency pauses for the summer, Matt will host three special Political Party Edinburgh Fringe live editions at the Gilded Balloon on 9th, 15th and 20th August, with guests to be announced.
Following his biggest tour to date, Matt will also return to the festival with his new stand-up show Project Holy Moly at The Pleasance from 5th- 30th August at 8pm. The new hour will see Matt embark on a mission with impossible odds: find joy amid global political turmoil, the rising tide of populism, and his own ongoing health challenges – several years on from a bone cancer diagnosis.
Political Party and Project Holy Moly tickets are available to buy now 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. The podcast has amassed over 11 million downloads, earned multiple nominations from award bodies including the British Podcast Awards and Chortle Awards, and is regularly featured as a top podcast pick 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.
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
