Show overview
Presidents, Prime Ministers, Monarchs & Dictators has been publishing since 2020, and across the 5 years since has built a catalogue of 229 episodes, alongside 2 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 160 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence, with the show now in its 4th season.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 30 min and 50 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Society & Culture show.
There hasn’t been a new episode in the last ninety days; the most recent episode landed 5 months ago. The busiest year was 2021, with 55 episodes published. Published by Global.
From the publisher
Season One of ‘The Presidents & Prime Ministers brought to life all 55 of Britain's Prime Ministers through interviews with the authors of all 55 essays in Iain Dale’s book The Prime Ministers: Three Hundred Years of History. From the obscure 18th-century figures like the Earl of Shelburne and Henry Pelham to 20th-century titans like Churchill and Thatcher, these podcasts provide a much-needed reminder about their motivations, failures and achievements. Season Two, gives the same treatment to the 45 US Presidents from George Washington through to Joe Biden, with each episode featuring an interview with the author of the essay about a President in Iain Dale’s book ‘The Presidents’. Season Three contained interviews about the various and varied Irish Taoisigh, whilst the new Season 4 takes you through England and the UK's many Kings and Queens, as featured in Iain's book Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs. Season 5 looks at the life of 64 Dictators. Buy signed copies of ‘The Prime Ministers’, ‘The Presidents’ and 'Kings and Queens' & 'Dictators' at http://www.politicos.co.uk.
Latest Episodes
View all 229 episodesS4 Ep 105229. Sir Keir Starmer – Labour (2024-)
Iain Dale talks to Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator for The Times about the life and career of the UK’s current prime minister.
S4 Ep 104228. Napoleon III – France (1852-70)
Iain Dale talks to Sir Robert Buckland about the French Emperor who failed to live up to the reputation of his namesake predecessor.
S4 Ep 103227. Liz Truss – 2022-22
I talk to Liz Truss’s biographer, James Heale, about Britain’s 56th and shortest serving prime minister.
S4 Ep 102226. Simon Harris – Ireland (2024-25)
In order to complete the Irish Taoiseach podcast series, Iain Dale talks to Irish Times Political Editor Pat Leahy about the 16th Irish Taoiseach, Simon Harris.
S4 Ep 101225. Bashar Al-Assad – Syria (2000-24)
Iain Dale talks to former Conservative MP Brooks Newmark about the rule of the Syrian dictator who eventually fled to exile in Moscow. Brooks met Assad on nine occasions.
S4 Ep 100224. Josef Stalin - Soviet Union (1924-53)
Iain Daie talks to Lewis Goodall about the life and brutal rule of the man who ruled the Soviet Union for close on three decades. Buy a signed copy of THE DICTATORS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024Buy a signed copy of THE PRIME MINISTERS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-prime-ministers-edited-by-iain-dale-paperback-coming-on-august-26-2022-signed-copy Buy a signed copy of THE PRESIDENTS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-presidents-signed-by-iain-dale Buy a signed copy of KINGS & QUEENS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/kings-queens-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-in-novemer-2023 Buy a signed copy of THE TAOISEACH here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-irish-taoiseach-ed-iain-dale-coming-31-october-2026
S4 Ep 99223. Hendrik Verwoerd - South Africa (1958-1966)
Iain Dale talks to Simon marks about the Father of apartheid in South Africa.
S4 Ep 98222. Napoleon Bonaparte – France (1799-1814, 1815)
Iain Dale talks to political historian Alex Puffette about the French Emperor who is one of the most famous dictators in world history.Buy a signed copy of THE DICTATORS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024Buy a signed copy of THE PRIME MINISTERS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-prime-ministers-edited-by-iain-dale-paperback-coming-on-august-26-2022-signed-copy Buy a signed copy of THE PRESIDENTS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-presidents-signed-by-iain-dale Buy a signed copy of KINGS & QUEENS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/kings-queens-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-in-novemer-2023 Buy a signed copy of THE TAOISEACH here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-irish-taoiseach-ed-iain-dale-coming-31-october-2026
S4 Ep 97221. Isaias Afwerki – Eritrea (1991-)
Iain Dale talks to Justin King about the Eritrean dictator Isaias Afwerki, who is now 79, but has clung to power for more than 30 years.
S4 Ep 96220. Saddam Hussein – Iraq (1979-2003)
Iain Dale talks to Nadhim Zahawi about the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Nadhim spent the first 11 years of his life living under Saddam before his family left Iraq for the UK Buy a signed copy of THE DICTATORS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024Buy a signed copy of THE PRIME MINISTERS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-prime-ministers-edited-by-iain-dale-paperback-coming-on-august-26-2022-signed-copy Buy a signed copy of THE PRESIDENTS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-presidents-signed-by-iain-dale Buy a signed copy of KINGS & QUEENS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/kings-queens-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-in-novemer-2023 Buy a signed copy of THE TAOISEACH here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-irish-taoiseach-ed-iain-dale-coming-31-october-2026
S4 Ep 95219. Genghis Khan – Mongolia (1206-1227)
Iain Dale talks to historian Dominic Selwood about the Khan of the Mongol EmpireThe Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 94218. Lee Quan Yew – Singapore (1959-90)
Iain Dale talks to historian Jack Brown about Singapore’s first prime minister.The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 93217. Mohammed bin Salman – Saudi Arabia (2017-)
Iain Dale talks to documentary maker and author Jonathan Rugman about the Saudi ruler.The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 92216. Enver Hoxha – Albania (1941-85)
Iain Dale talks to Julia Langdon about the rise and rule of a man who ruled Albania for more than four decades.The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 91215. Benito Mussolini – Italy (1922-43)
Iain Dale talks to Vanda Wilcox about the life and rule of the man who tried to properly unite Italy but ended up ruining it by his alliance with HitlerThe Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 90214. Walter Ulbricht – East Germany (1950-71)
Iain Dale talks to historian Dr Robert Waller about the first leader of the German Democratic Republic, East Germany, whose iron rule lasted for 21 years.The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 89213. Alexander the Great – Macedonia (346BC-323BC)
Iain Dale talks to historian Matthew Binkowski about the man who conquered an empire stretching from Europe into South Asia.The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 88212. Hugo Chavez – Venezuela (1999-2013)
Iain Dale talks to former Guardian Latin American correspondent Rory Carroll about the Venezuelan dictator who brought his country to its knees.The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 87211. Mao Zedong – China (1943-76)
Iain Dale talks to china expert Jonathan Clements about the dictator that saw 70 million people die during his long ruleThe Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
S4 Ep 86210. Joseph-Désiré Mobutu – Congo (later Zaire) (1971-97)
Iain Dale talks to political journalist Harry Lambert about the life and rule of one of Africa’s most brutal dictators.