Introduction: what to expect from the show

Okay, if you've got this far into the trailer and are wondering what the position of the show is regarding the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, well, I'm glad you asked.

Let me give you my shortish answer.

If you're listening to this within the Russian Federation, I hope and expect you've taken the necessary precautions.

To put it bluntly, I hope I'll get to see the day when Russia is no longer ruled by Putin or someone like him.

This show stands with Ukraine.

I understand that even by mentioning this I'm opening myself up to some industrial-grade whataboutery and trolling.

As you've probably guessed from my accent, I'm British, and specifically from the English bit of the UK.

Is the UK an ideal country? Absolutely not.

I'm an older millennial and watching the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its deadly aftermath unfold was a formative experience for me.

and my country's government and sections of its media played a part in attempts to legitimise that war.

And don't get me started about the British Empire.

All I'll say about that is I'm very glad we're no longer doing that.

Empires are bad, people.

Empires are bad, regardless of who's in charge of them.

So, this isn't a capital-P political show per se, but given the subject matter I've chosen to cover, inevitably it's going to come up from time to time.

As I've mentioned, the show has been going for almost 10 years and consequently many episodes on this feed were recorded before the escalation of Russia's brutal war against Ukraine in February 2022.

The beginning of the war in 2014 contributed significantly to my decision to leave Russia at the end of that year.

I've chosen to continue the show since 2022 for many reasons.

The chief one being, I really enjoy doing it.

That is, when editing it to a standard that I'm more or less happy with isn't driving me up the wall.

But I'm also still doing it because among Putin's many crimes, one of the most insidious is how he's attempted to make himself and Russia synonymous.

I continue to believe that the country I called home for five formative years deserves better than being ruled by people like him.

I want for Russia what I want for my own country, for it to be governed for the benefit of all its people by its wisest, most creative, most thoughtful and most decent citizens, and for it to be at peace with its neighbours.

I continue to make the show as an act of solidarity with Russians who deplore the country's present regime, whether they're in exile or remaining in the country.

At the risk of sounding hopelessly naive, I also continue to make the show as a gesture of hope for a better future.