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Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
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Estimated from 7 chart positions in 7 markets.
By chart position
- 🇬🇧GB · Politics#1135K to 30K
- 🇯🇵JP · Politics#6410K to 30K
- 🇮🇩ID · Politics#136500 to 3K
- 🇹🇷TR · Politics#139500 to 3K
- 🇦🇹AT · Politics#141500 to 3K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
5.3K to 23K🎙 Daily cadence·219 episodes·Last published today - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
18K to 75K🇬🇧40%🇯🇵40%🇮🇩4%+4 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
7K to 30K
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 17 epsHosts
Recent guests
Recent episodes
Ukraine Strikes – Is Russia’s war machine faltering?
Jun 25, 2026
33m 01s
Trump’s Iran deal — Does it reveal a US divide with Israel?
Jun 18, 2026
34m 48s
Germany braces for war – Can rearmament secure Europe?
Jun 11, 2026
29m 01s
Xi and Putin – What do they really want from each other?
Jun 4, 2026
23m 49s
Order vs. Chaos – Who is thriving in a world of crisis?
May 28, 2026
35m 17s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/25/26 |  Ukraine Strikes – Is Russia’s war machine faltering? | Ukrainian drone swarms have hit targets in major Russian cities, while disrupting its military assets and vital oil supplies. Could this be a turning point in the war more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion began? Gavin Esler is joined by John Lough, senior research fellow at the New Eurasia Strategies Centre and associate fellow in the Russia Eurasia programme at Chatham House. • Special offer! Get 20% off any vehicle history check at carvertical.com/drill • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 33m 01s | ||||||
| 6/18/26 |  Trump’s Iran deal — Does it reveal a US divide with Israel? | News of the framework for a peace deal between Iran and the United States - if it holds - might be the beginning of the end of a conflict that has unsettled not just the Middle East and the world economy but also Washington’s relationships with its allies. Even if President Trump claims some kind of victory in Iran - with stories about arguments and possible rifts between Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, how far will the United States and Israel agree on the way forward? Gavin Esler is joined from Washington by Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East and African studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 34m 48s | ||||||
| 6/11/26 |  Germany braces for war – Can rearmament secure Europe?✨ | rearmamentEuropean security+4 | Jörg Lau | Der Westen Sind Jetzt WirDie Zeit+1 | GermanyEurope+1 | Germanyrearmament+5 | — | 29m 01s | |
| 6/4/26 |  Xi and Putin – What do they really want from each other?✨ | geopoliticsChina-Russia relations+3 | Joseph Webster | Atlantic CouncilThis Is Not A Drill+1 | — | Xi JinpingVladimir Putin+3 | — | 23m 49s | |
| 5/28/26 |  Order vs. Chaos – Who is thriving in a world of crisis?✨ | geopoliticsinternational order+4 | Mark Leonard | European Council on Foreign RelationsBookshop.org+2 | — | geopoliticschaos+5 | — | 35m 17s | |
| 5/21/26 |  All guns blazing – How the arms trade went into overdrive✨ | arms trademodern warfare+4 | Pieter Wezeman | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | UkraineMiddle East | arms trademodern warfare+5 | — | 32m 18s | |
| 5/14/26 |  Drone masters – How Ukraine reinvented modern warfare✨ | drone warfareUkraine+3 | David Kirichenko | Henry Jackson SocietyPodmasters | UkraineRussia+2 | drone warfareUkraine+5 | — | 37m 03s | |
| 5/7/26 |  Poison arsenal – The deadly return of bioweapons✨ | bioweaponsbioterrorism+4 | Dr Cassidy Nelson | Centre for Long-Term ResiliencePodmasters+1 | — | bioweaponsbioterrorism+4 | — | 25m 35s | |
| 4/30/26 |  Inside Russia’s web of terror – How Kremlin proxies wreak havoc across Europe✨ | Russiasabotage+4 | Shaun Walker | the GuardianPodmasters+2 | — | Russiasabotage+5 | — | 31m 25s | |
| 4/27/26 |  America against the World Part 4 – The New Normal?✨ | geopoliticsforeign policy+3 | Dr Célia BelinRichard Haass | European Council on Foreign RelationsCouncil on Foreign Relations+2 | — | Trumpforeign policy+6 | — | 39m 30s | |
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| 4/23/26 |  America against the World Part 3 – Who will fill the Power Vacuum?✨ | Pax Americanainternational relations+4 | Sir Robin NiblettUlrike Franke | European Council on Foreign RelationsPodmasters+2 | ChinaUnited States | Pax AmericanaChina+5 | — | 31m 29s | |
| 4/20/26 |  America against the World Part 2 – Is Washington pulling the world apart?✨ | international relationsPax Americana+5 | Nataliya GumenyukKori Schake+1 | American Enterprise InstituteCentre for Economic Security | AmericaWashington+1 | TrumpNATO+5 | — | 37m 49s | |
| 4/16/26 |  New Mini-Series – America against the World – Part 1: There are No Rules Any More✨ | international relationsPax Americana+4 | Nahal ToosiDr. Leslie Vinjamuri | PoliticoChicago Council on Global Affairs+3 | — | TrumpIran+7 | — | 38m 41s | |
| 4/15/26 |  America against the World - trailer✨ | Pax Americanamini-series+3 | — | This Is Not A DrillPodmasters | America | Pax AmericanaAmerica+3 | — | 3m 17s | |
| 4/9/26 |  China vs America – Who will be the soft power superpower?✨ | ChinaAmerica+3 | Dr Yu Jie | Chatham HousePodmasters+1 | — | soft powerChina+4 | — | 31m 52s | |
| 4/2/26 |  After Iran, A New Age of Terror?✨ | Iranterrorism+4 | Graig KleinDr Nikita Shah | University of LeidenCentre for Strategic and International Studies+1 | — | Iranterrorism+4 | — | 41m 11s | |
| 3/26/26 |  Iran vs. the Gulf – Is there any going back to normal?✨ | IranGulf States+4 | Allison Minor | Atlantic CouncilPodmasters+1 | — | IranGulf States+5 | — | 31m 51s | |
| 3/19/26 |  Trump says he wants to end the Iran war. Can he?✨ | Iran warDonald Trump+3 | Dr Sanam Vakil | Chatham House | IranUnited States+1 | TrumpIran+3 | — | 30m 03s | |
| 3/13/26 |  Despatch from Beirut – Oz Katerji reports as Trump's Iran war rocks the Middle East✨ | Middle East conflictIran war+5 | Karim Safieddine | Hezbollah | LebanonIsrael+2 | Beirutconflict+6 | — | 31m 37s | |
| 3/5/26 |  Trump's Iran doom spiral – Where does this end? | Iran has retaliated against US and Israeli attacks, widening the conflict across the Middle East. As the crisis deepens, is Donald Trump risking the kind of endless war he campaigned against? And for Iran, how long can its regime last in the face of the assault, and what does its retaliation risk? Gavin Esler is joined by Dr Burcu Ozcelik, senior research fellow for Middle East security at RUSI. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 30m 14s | ||||||
| 3/2/26 |  Trump’s deadly Iran gamble – Emergencycast with Paul Salem in Beirut | Trump’s stunning surprise attack on Iran could be the most consequential world event since 9/11. Will the President’s goal of smooth regime change work when it failed every other time, or trigger a regional conflagration? Iran’s hated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is dead but the Islamic Republic is showing no sign of collapsing. And now Hezbollah has attacked other Arab states as well as British and US military targets. How will the war play out? How resilient is the Islamic Republic? Does Israel want regime change or regime destruction? Does Iran have any potential leaders that the US could tolerate? And has anyone planned for running a country of 90 million people which is now in chaos? Live from Beirut our guest Paul Salem, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, speaks to Gavin Esler. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 30m 29s | ||||||
| 2/26/26 |  Does Putin really think he can still win in Ukraine? | It has been four years since the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Does Vladimir Putin still believe he is leading Russia to a military victory, or is he now banking on winning at the negotiating table? Gavin Esler talks to Samuel Greene, Professor of Russian Politics at King’s College London. You can read more from Professor Greene at his Substack, TL;DRussia. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 30m 12s | ||||||
| 2/19/26 |  Friend or foe? – Do Rubio's words in Munich change anything for Europe? | What a difference a year makes - or does it? The 2025 Munich Security Conference was shocked by divisive words from the US Vice President JD Vance. But at this year’s gathering, Marco Rubio represented America and struck a more conciliatory tone. What does this mean for Europe? Gavin Esler is joined by Dr. Liana Fix, senior fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 25m 13s | ||||||
| 2/12/26 |  AI vs. The World – Can we handle the threats of artificial intelligence? | Artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role in all our daily lives – and handing over power to AI comes with many risks. From misinformation and disruption to autonomous war technology, can we handle the dangers? Gavin Esler talks to Alex Hern, AI writer at The Economist. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 30m 39s | ||||||
| 2/5/26 |  The Winter War — How Ukraine is facing Russia’s cruelty | As temperatures plummet in Ukraine, Putin’s military is continuing to target the country’s power supply, leaving civilians suffering as the war continues toward a fifth year. With the diplomatic crises and international flashpoints of recent months dragging attention away from Ukraine, what are the prospects for the coming year, both on the battlefield and in the stalled peace process? Gavin Esler discusses the latest with This Is Not A Drill presenter and Kyiv-based conflict reporter Oz Katerji. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Advertisers - want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices | 22m 32s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
7 placements across 7 markets.
Chart Positions
7 placements across 7 markets.