series
Lewis Vickers
Executive Producer
Andrew Neil
Host of The Backstory
45 mins • S1, E1
General David Petraeus
Andrew Neil talks to the former CIA director about Ukraine, America's role in the world and its politics at home.
8 mins • S1, E2
Inside the interview: General David Petraeus
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with former CIA director and commander of US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, General David Petraeus.
46 mins • S1, E3
Fiona Hill
Andrew Neil talks to the British-born Russia expert about Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and how she went from a deprived town in the North-East of England to advising three US presidents.
15 mins • S1, E4
Inside the interview: Fiona Hill
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with former director for Europe and Russia at the US National Security Council, Fiona Hill
42 mins • S1, E5
Robert Kagan
Andrew Neil talks to the hawkish US foreign policy thinker about Russia's war in Ukraine, his belief in liberal interventionism and why he thinks there's a constitutional crisis in the United States.
11 mins • S1, E6
Inside the interview: Robert Kagan
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with Robert Kagan, a contributing columnist at the Washington Post and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
37 mins • S1, E7
Wolfgang Ischinger
Andrew Neil talks to a man once described as Europe’s most powerful ambassador about Germany's shifting security policy and why he would still invite Russia's foreign minister to the Munich Security Conference.
11 mins • S1, E8
Inside the interview: Wolfgang Ischinger
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador and chair of the Munich Security Conference from 2008 until 2022.
39 mins • S1, E9
Ash Sarkar
Andrew Neil talks to the left-wing writer and contributing editor at Novara Media about why she's "literally a communist", her support for Jeremy Corbyn and how she deals with the abuse she gets on Twitter.
8 mins • S1, E10
Inside the interview: Ash Sarkar
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with the left-wing writer and contributing editor at Novara Media, Ash Sarkar.
44 mins • S1, E11
David Davis
Andrew Neil talks to the veteran Conservative MP and former cabinet minister about Boris Johnson's troubles, Rishi Sunak's plans to ease the cost of living crisis and life as a rebel on the backbenches.
10 mins • S1, E12
Inside the interview: David Davis
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with veteran Conservative MP and former cabinet minister, David Davis.
40 mins • S1, E13
Charles Moore
Andrew Neil talks to the former editor of the Daily Telegraph & member of the House of Lords about Boris Johnson, the character of the Conservative Party, and his own role at the apex of journalism and the Establishment.
10 mins • S1, E14
Inside the interview: Charles Moore
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with Charles Moore, the former editor of the Daily Telegraph and member of the House of Lords.
39 mins • S1, E15
Justin King
Andrew Neil talks to the former Sainsbury's chief executive about the cost of living crisis, the government's response to it and whether he would ever go into politics himself.
9 mins • S1, E16
Inside the interview: Justin King
In a bonus episode for Tortoise members, Andrew Neil reflects in his interview with Justin King, former chief executive of J Sainsbury.
42 mins • S1, E17
David Miliband
Andrew Neil talks to the former foreign secretary and president of the International Rescue Committee about the Labour Party and Keir Starmer, the war in Ukraine and the UK government's Rwanda policy.
11 mins • S1, E18
Inside the interview: David Miliband
In a bonus episode, Andrew Neil reflects on his interview with Miliband.
42 mins • S1, E19
Kevin Rudd
Andrew Neil talks to the former Australian prime minister and president of the Asia Society about China under President Xi Jinping, its relationship with the United States and whether Australia could become a republic under the new Labour government.
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