Unspun World provides an unvarnished version of the week's major global news stories - reliable, honest and essential viewing with the BBC's world affairs editor John Simpson.
Where to watch
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Availability data: JustWatch
- Seasons
- 6
- Episodes aired
- 129
- Latest aired
- S06E10
- Total runtime
- 2d 7h
Timeline when each season aired
- Season 1 February 2022 – December 2022 32 episodes
- Season 2 May 2023 – July 2023 8 episodes
- Season 3 September 2023 – March 2024 22 episodes
- Season 4 May 2024 – March 2025 27 episodes
- Season 5 April 2025 – March 2026 30 episodes
- Season 6 April 2026 – September 2026 12 episodes
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S03E01 23/09/2023
September 23 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, looks at the mood in Ukraine as their war against Russia drags on, analyses whether there have been changes in Iran in the wake of the protests there and examines how much of a threat Chinese espionage is to the west.
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S03E02 30/09/2023
September 30 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses Vladimir Putin's position a month on from Yevgeny Prigozhin's death, looks at how the possibility of a first ever female President might change Mexico and examines whether Africa has squandered the opportunities of the last two decades.
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S03E03 04/10/2023
October 4 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether European support for Ukraine in their war against Russia is starting to fray, looks at the consequences of the coup in Niger, and examines if short-term political considerations might prevent the world tackling climate change.
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S03E04 11/10/2023
October 11 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses what the consequences of the attacks on Israel might be, examines how European leaders are trying to tackle mass migration and looks at whether the United States is becoming increasingly ungovernable.
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S03E05 18/10/2023
October 18 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether the crisis in Israel and Gaza is in danger of escalating into a wider Middle East war, looks at what Iran's role might be in the situation and examines if China's spectacular economic growth is coming to an end.
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S03E06 25/10/2023
October 25 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses what the consequences of Israel's expected invasion of Gaza might be, examines whether Ukraine is any closer to winning its war with Russia as winter draws in and looks at the state of play in Argentina after the first round of the Presidential elections there.
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S03E07 01/11/2023
November 1 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson is in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. From there, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, he analyses the chances of the war in Gaza spreading to the region, examines the reasons behind Pakistan's move to expel more than a million Afghan migrants and looks at whether artificial intelligence can be controlled.
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S03E08 08/11/2023
November 8 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses how the conflict in Gaza might shape the future of the region, examines how Jihadist groups view Hamas and the war and looks at the issues that will decide the US Presidential race with a year to go.
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S03E09 15/11/2023
November 15 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether Israel can continue to count on the West’s support in the conflict in Gaza, examines whether the United States and China can avoid a new cold war and looks at whether the Spanish prime minister can stave off Catalan independence.
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S03E10 22/11/2023
November 22 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
This week John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, looks at the humanitarian situation in Gaza, examines whether Vladimir Putin's political future is now looking more secure and analyses why the head of one of the world's biggest oil and gas companies is hosting the next climate change talks.
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S03E11 02/12/2023
December 2 · 25min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses what might happen next in the war in Gaza. With Cop28 starting in Dubai, they also look at the issue of pollution from oil and gas production in the region, and examine whether Europe is moving towards the far right.
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S03E12 09/12/2023
December 9 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses why Ukraine's counter-offensive has failed to quickly deliver the hoped-for gains in its war with Russia, examines whether the United Nations is fit for purpose and looks at the latest new extraordinary discoveries we are finding in space.
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S03E13 17/01/2024
January 17 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, examines the strategy behind the US and UK attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, analyses whether the elections in Taiwan have made an invasion by China more likely and looks at the implications of Donald Trump’s dominant victory in Iowa.
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S03E14 24/01/2024
January 24 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, examines whether the war in Gaza is beginning to slip away from Israel, analyses the implications of Iran’s missile strike on Pakistan, and looks at what the inauguration of a temple in India means for the forthcoming elections there.
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S03E15 31/01/2024
January 31 · 25min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether Ukraine can win its war with Russia without the wholehearted support of the west, examines what effect the International Court of Justice’s ruling on Israel might have on the war in Gaza and looks at the challenges ahead following an expected general election in Britain this year.
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S03E16 07/02/2024
February 7 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses how the Russian economy has thrived despite western sanctions, examines the American military’s role in the Middle East and looks at the developing food crisis in Ethiopia.
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S03E17 14/02/2024
February 14 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether Israel can win its war in Gaza, examines what’s really happening to the Chinese economy and looks at what the outcome of Indonesia’s elections might mean for the world’s third largest democracy.
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S03E18 21/02/2024
February 21 · 25min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, looks at Vladimir Putin’s position after the death of Alexei Navalny, examines the situation in Ukraine two years after the Russian invasion and analyses the possibility of a new war in Europe.
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S03E19 28/02/2024
February 28 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza, examines Donald Trump’s legal problems, and looks at the issues behind the widespread protests by European farmers.
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S03E20 06/03/2024
March 6 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, looks at the humanitarian situation in Gaza, analyses what it would take to bring peace to the conflicts there and in Ukraine, and explores the significance of the meeting of the National People’s Congress in China.
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S03E21 13/03/2024
March 13 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses whether Russia has turned the tide in its war in Ukraine, looks at the situation in Haiti in the wake of the gang violence sweeping the country and examines whether oceans will be navigated by unmanned ships in the future.
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S03E22 20/03/2024
March 20 · 26min find the promo
Show synopsis
John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, examines what’s next for Vladimir Putin after winning re-election, analyses the possibility of civic unrest in the United States as Joe Biden and Donald Trump compete for the presidency, and looks at the battle between miners and environmentalists over extracting rare metals from the bottom of our deepest oceans.