Three Old Hacks

Mar 25 2024 6

Three Old Hacks Podcast artwork

Mihir Bose – former BBC Sports Editor, David Smith – Economics Editor of the Sunday Times and political commentator Nigel Dudley have been friends since they first met while working at Financial Weekly in 1980s. They have kept in touch regularly, setting the world to rights over various lunches and dinners. With coronavirus making that impossible, what do journalists do, deprived of long convivial lunches over a bottle of red wine or several? Why, podcast of course.Get in contact with the podcast by emailing [email protected], we’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

Prime Ministers in election mode - from the pipe-smoking Harold Wilson to the dishwasher-stacking Rishi Sunak

Mar 25 2024 41 mins

The Three Old Hacks have long memories. Former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley have been covering the nation's major events for decades and are well placed to compare and contrast the pre-election antics of politicians.Harold Wilson smoked a pipe in public, in an attempt to appear a 'ma

But is it democracy?

Feb 26 2024 38 mins

The Three Old Hacks discuss the power of the people. Recorded the day after the chaotic Gaza vote in Parliament, they consider the safety of MPs, the leverage voters have to influence them, the impact of a powerful grassroots movement supported by social media and also the power of TV drama to galvanise public opinion, as evidenced by the TV drama Mr Bates and the Post Office.They

Piers Morgan, hacking and the unseemly side of journalism

Dec 18 2023 44 mins

The intrusions into the private lives of celebrities rehashed by the phone hacking case brought by Prince Harry against Mirror Group Newspapers represent a "dreadful low" in the history of British journalism, says Mihir Bose.The High Court ruled that Harry was a victim of phone hacking on multiple occasions, as were his friends. Former BBC Sports News editor Mihir discuss

Holding the line for a free press

Dec 04 2023 51 mins

The Culture and Media Secretary Lucy Frazer has intervened to scrutinise the sale of the Daily Telegraph to a company backed by the Abu Dhabi ruling family, over concerns around public interest.Would they interfere with the editorial in pursuance of their interests? It wouldn't be the first time a newspaper owner had tried it, with more or less success. The Three Old Hacks, ak

Three Men in a Boat navigating British Journalism

Nov 06 2023 41 mins

Our podcast with The Three Old Hacks, aka former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith, and political analyst Nigel Dudley, has been described as ‘the modern equivalent of Jerome K Jerome’s book Three Men in a Boat‘ by broadcaster and journalist Lucy Beresford.Like George, Harris and Jerome they are old friends who consider themse

A perfect profession for spying

Sep 18 2023 43 mins

Former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley continue setting the world to rights with their podcast Three Old Hacks. This week their subject is spies, and how the journalistic profession lends itself to approaches from foreign powers. Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@outlook.

What the Nigel Farage ‘debanking’ saga tells us about British journalism

Aug 06 2023 41 mins

Much has been written and said about the Nigel Farage ‘debanking’ story. Thinking a client is a ‘disingenuous grifter’ or a xenophobic racist is not supposed to be a good enough reason for a bank to deny someone an account.But what about the journalism involved in breaking the story? Was the BBC’s Business Editor Simon Jack right to have broadcast a story based on the wor

Gamesmanship and Protest

Jul 17 2023 54 mins

The Three Old Hacks, aka Sunday Times Economics Editor David Smith, former Sports News editor at the BBC and author of many books about sport, Mihir Bose, and political commentator Nigel Dudley, have been chewing over the week's news - in particular the cricket, and whether or not the Australians have behaved abominably.Warming to their theme, they discuss gamesmanship, coloni

Is the coronation still going on? Sorry, I missed a bit, the dog needed a walk

May 15 2023 46 mins

Flags flying upside down, Rishi Sunak being criticised for 'not being grounded in our culture' despite his perfect reading from the scriptures at the coronation, and Nigel being accused of being a Marxist for taking the dog for a walk during the ceremony.The Three Old Hacks chew over the coronation, the national anthem (time for a new one?) and the admirable state of Pen

Gwyneth, Boris and the economy, stupid!

Apr 03 2023 27 mins

From Gwyneth Paltrow to the protests in France and Israel and the perennial subjects of Boris Johnson’s career and the state of the economy, the Three Old Hacks, aka former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley, discuss the week’s news.Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@o