Giles Coren Has No Idea

Some sad news – the podcast is coming to an end.Giles and Esther, after over two hundred episodes will be ending the podcast next week. The penultimate episode has echoes of the first as masks are making a comeback. With a particularly virulent strain of flu spreading across the nation is it time to bring back masks…opinion is divided.Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch is also making something of a comeback, after her leadership was questioned  she is now receiving rave reviews - her latest policy target is getting young people back to work. Would Giles or Esther do manual labour?As social media is banned for under sixteens in Australia, could there be any unforeseen consequences….?Lastly, why on earth has RFK Jnr has been given a billion dollars to install gyms in airports? And as always please do get in touch: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giles and Esther are trying to work out how best to teach their children to think better about energy  - how and when to use it wisely. But who should teach valuable lessons about the economics of the home - the school or themselves, the parents? And how much do they really understand? So in this bonus edition made in partnership with Smart Energy GB Giles and Esther discuss bathtime, underfloor heating and whether something that makes a whirring noise in the kitchen at night is really going to reduce them to penury! And how the smart meter might make it easier to pass on some important wisdom.Made in partnership with Smart Energy GB. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A quick but very loud update on Giles’ snoring. He has recorded himself and it’s been quite a shock. But he has found a new gadget that is aiding him in his quest to return to the marital bed. This week is better than Christmas for Giles as the Ashes begin, he plans on adjusting his body clock and not missing a second…and he’ll be dragging a bleary eyed twelve-year-old along for the ride.Are you rich? Would you admit it if you were? Weary with seemingly well-off people pleading poverty Giles has developed a very simple check list to establish – rich or not rich?Lastly, the Cambridge Dictionary word of the year is… And as always please do get in touch: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giles is still sleeping apart from Esther because of his snoring. But he is not fully reconciled to the new arrangement. The subject hit a nerve as many listeners have been in touch with ideas to improve the situation – from wired jaws, wedge pillows or intriguingly a trip to Newcastle. After Giles composes himself, he considers a few of the options. In more upbeat new Parisians are being offered the chance to win a burial spot next to the likes of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison or Edith Piaf in the famous cemeteries of the Père-Lachaise, Montparnasse and Montmartre. So where would Giles and Esther like to be buried?Lastly, a new charge has started to appear on some restaurant bills – an admin charge. What is it, why is it there and does it mark the end of fine dining…?  And as always please do get in touch: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Giles and Esther record the pod in front of a live audience at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.Giles regales the crowd with tales of his prostate cancer diagnosis, taps up an off-duty doctor for some opinions and wonders what would get Jane Austin cancelled.Esther demonstrates her grasps of veganism, her unwillingness to read out loud and knows what would get her cancelled.Special thanks to 'The Nook on Five, Cheltenham's rooftop restaurant' for hosting us. And as always please do get in touch: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giles and Esther had a lovely night out at the theatre, but they’re suffering for it now. As the hang overs clear and King Charles requests Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson not to take part in Royal Christmas engagements they wonder which of your relatives would you like to disinvite to Christmas lunch? Perhaps the King should utter “Riddikulus!” a spell cast in Harry Potter when faced with a lurking pest. JK Rowling may be doing likewise as her public spat with Emma Watson has resurfaced. Do either deserve our sympathy? Stop the press! The British Museum is hosting its own version of The Met Ball…sort of. But who on earth would want to be first name on the guest list? And last but by no means least Esther tests Giles’ fitness…but while he has a hangover. And as always please do get in touch especially if you wish to divulge which of your relatives, you’d like to not attend Christmas: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump has been honoured with a second state visit to the UK. He had a stay at Windsor castle, met Esther’s sister and took a trip to Chequers. But what would have given him a more realistic reflection of Great Britain? Join a queue, attend A&E, get stuck in a traffic jam…? In his column last week, Giles incurred the wrath of Times readers…again. He wrote about the inflated guesstimates of the numbers attending the Tommy Robinson march. Confused as to why readers are so annoyed, he wonders if he is still in tune with the average reader? After the break, a tribute to Hollywood great Robert Redford and who will win this year’s booker prize?Please send your book recommendations or favourite Robert Redford films to: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the last episode before a summer break. Giles and Esther open the post bag to answer some of your questions. There are love stories, restaurant reviews, far flung listeners, potters, dating advice, film recommendations and more.As always please do get in touch with any comments or questions: noidea@thetimes.comHave a lovely summer – see you in September Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giles has been triggered. The BBC/Banijay investigation into allegations surrounding former Master Chef presenter Greg Wallace has published its findings. The results are enough to sack not only Greg Wallace, but also former co-host John Torode. Rather than sack Mr Torode perhaps the BBC could kindly draft a resignation statement for him, sighting the stress of recent events and challenges to his mental health…not so fast! Giles is furious about the whole matter.The BBC isn’t all bad, this week President Trump gave an interview to their reporter Gary O'Donoghue. In the interview President Trump revealed that he doesn’t really trust anyone. Which poses the question, how important is trust? This week we were given the first glimpse of the actor who will play Harry Potter in the new HBO series. Have they sprung a surprise?Lastly, as a new iteration of Barbie is unveiled - diabetic Barbie, what others could there be...?Please do get in touch with any comments or questions: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giles wants to recount his plumbing woes…the Smurfs give him a helping hand to hurry things along.After sifting through the first weeks post from the new podcast email address Giles and Esther assess a very difficult week for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. A week since rap duo 'Bob Vylan' hit the headlines at Glastonbury Giles shares some of the responses to his notebook piece on the subject, not all are positive.Then a whistle stop tour of faces on bank notes, the cool club and Eau De Politician.Please do get in touch with any comments or questions: noidea@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

**Please hold. Giles and Esther will be with you shortly….[muzak]…Press 1 for the podcast. Press 2 for immediate death or press 3 to speak to a bot who will return you to the main menu…** If there really is no sound more joyful than that of children playing, no wonder the world is so miserable. It is a sound in short supply as children have retreated from playing outdoors to stay indoors on their tech. Former children’s commissioner Baroness Anne Longfield has called for ‘no ball games’ signs to be removed to get children playing outside again. The trouble is, if they go outside who is there to play with apart from a load of killer dogs and some bloodthirsty gangs? If kids can’t play outside, can you take them to work? Well, best to check first in case you’re turned away at the door as one lady was with her nine-month-old. Should she have been allowed in, or are some places just not meant to be child friendly?**A new apple app promises to deal with hold music for its users, but Esther doesn’t want it.Finally, can you schedule your friends? Lily Allen 40, may do this (or she may just have a good sense of humour.) Either way she has given Giles an idea…  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a busy day in the Coren house as they prepare to welcome sister podcast ‘Wine Times’ for lunch…and wine. But before that the small matter of Gary Lineker leaving the BBC under a cloud of antisemitism. How does Giles feel about his friend’s departure and recent tweets?  From one complicated subject to another, what is a semicolon and how should one use it? Two published authors might have a chance of figuring it out, a dyslexic producer almost certainly won’t.Whilst working from home Giles reflects on research which suggests as many as half of workers would look for another job if asked to return to the office full time. How much would Esther have to be paid to get her back into the office?      Finally, will a McDonalds apple pie cure Giles’s cancer…? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.