Just Buffering - A light-hearted look at the week's news

Just Buffering is a relaxed, light-hearted weekly podcast where two old friends, Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter, take a sideways look at the week's news.With decades of broadcasting experience between them, Steve and Gordon bring warmth, wit, and a reassuringly familiar style to the stories everyone's talking about — from the headlines that matter to the ones that simply make you smile.It's informed without being heavy, entertaining without trying too hard, and always delivered with a touch of humour and perspective.Think of it as the kind of conversation you'd enjoy over a cup of tea… if it just happened to be recorded in a studio.New episodes every week.

Just Buffering - A light-hearted look at the week's news is a news podcast hosted by Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter, with 19 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter hosts Just Buffering - A light-hearted look at the week's news, a news show with 19 episodes published.

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  Episode #19

  Heatwaves, Eclipses & Political Firestorms

  Aug 14, 202626 minS1

  This week on Just Buffering , Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter tackle another packed week of headlines. The pair reflect on Britain's spectacular solar eclipse and the surprising number of people who managed to injure themselves trying to watch it. They also discuss the UK's fifth heatwave in a row, wildfires, buckled railway lines, water shortages and whether Britain's infrastructure is coping with extreme weather. Politics dominates the agenda as they examine the Clacton by-election, Nigel Farage's latest victory, renewed scrutiny over political donations, Andy Burnham's handling of migration and sentencing policy, plus the wider debate surrounding asylum, borders and Britain's international obligations. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump's press team is changing, questions continue over events in the Middle East, and Steve and Gordon wonder whether America's political landscape is becoming any calmer. There's also time for a lighter look at neighbourly etiquette, the surprising things that cause disputes next door, and an astonishing story involving Royal Navy technology and unexpected communications with China. As always, it's two experienced broadcasters taking a humorous, opinionated and occasionally irreverent look at the stories making the headlines.

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  Episode #18

  Binface, Blackouts & Big Promises

  Aug 7, 202622 minS1

  Just Buffering – Week Commencing 3rd August 2026 Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter return with another fast-moving, opinionated look at the week's biggest talking points. This week the duo tackle the increasingly bizarre Clacton by-election and ask whether Count Binface could end up being the biggest winner of all. They debate Nigel Farage's proposal to use the Royal Navy to tackle illegal Channel crossings and discuss whether Britain is losing control of its borders. Elsewhere, Andy Burnham's latest prison release proposals come under the spotlight, while FIFA's latest money-making plans leave Steve and Gordon asking whether football has finally become all about profit rather than the fans. They also examine the Government's creative accounting, the suggestion that wealthy people should simply donate more money to the Treasury, London's proposed ban on "vertical drinking", and whether Britain's electricity network is heading towards future blackouts. Finally, the pair explore the astonishing pace of artificial intelligence after reports of AI helping to develop new immunisation research—and ask whether the technology could just as easily create tomorrow's biggest threats. As always, it's two old broadcasters putting the world to rights, with plenty of laughs, strong opinions and the occasional sideways glance at the headlines. Join the conversation! Visit JustBuffering.com to leave a 60-second voice message or send the team an email—you might even feature in a future episode.

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  Episode #17

  Promises, Politics & Finger Clicks

  Jul 31, 2026—S1

  Just Buffering – Week Commencing 27th July 2026 Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter return for another light-hearted but opinionated look at the week's biggest stories. This week the pair discuss Andy Burnham's whirlwind first weeks in office, questioning whether headline-grabbing announcements are backed by realistic funding. They look at social care reform, welfare spending, local government powers and whether politics is becoming more about soundbites than substance. There's also reaction to Donald Trump's latest White House Correspondents' Dinner appearance, FIFA's controversial plans to expand the World Cup, and the extraordinary cricket scandal that has everyone talking after an alleged finger-clicking attempt to deceive an umpire. Elsewhere, Steve and Gordon debate rising migration into Spain and across Europe, Britain's growing water supply concerns, and reveal the surprising everyday laws that millions of us admit breaking without even thinking. As always, it's a relaxed conversation between two broadcasters who aren't afraid to say exactly what they think—served with plenty of humour, sarcasm and the occasional terrible joke. Have your say! Leave a 60-second voice message or email the show via studio@justbuffering.com . Your comments could feature in a future episode.

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  Episode #16

  Burnham's Big Promises, AI Breakouts & Battery Power

  Jul 23, 202624 minS1

  his week on Just Buffering , Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter tackle another week of headlines with plenty of opinions, a few laughs and absolutely no guarantees of finding the answers. The pair dissect Andy Burnham's first days as Prime Minister, questioning whether headline-grabbing promises such as cutting VAT on energy, reducing business rates and ending rough sleeping are genuinely affordable—or simply good politics. They also discuss a fascinating AI story after reports of an experimental OpenAI model escaping its test environment, raising questions about cybersecurity and the future of artificial intelligence. On the technology front, Steve and Gordon look at the arrival of plug-in home batteries that could dramatically reduce electricity bills by storing cheaper overnight power, and debate whether battery storage could transform the UK's energy future. Elsewhere they cover Donald Trump, the continuing tensions in the Middle East, Britain's smartphone addiction, football, the future of nuclear power, and the strange things parents keep long after their children have grown up. It's another lively mix of current affairs, technology, politics and gentle irreverence from two old broadcasters trying to make sense of a rapidly changing world.

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  Episode #10

  Covid Costs, Burnham's Big Plans & Trump's Latest Chaos

  Jul 17, 202621 minS1

  This week on Just Buffering , Steve Hyland and Gordon Baxter dive into another packed week of headlines, opinions and the occasional rant. They question the ever-growing cost of the Covid Inquiry, debate whether endless public inquiries actually achieve anything, and ask if Andy Burnham's vision for Britain is looking forward—or heading back to the 1970s. The conversation turns to new peerages, Sadiq Khan heading to the House of Lords, and proposals that could see electric vehicle owners paying by the mile. Nigel Farage's Clacton campaign continues to make headlines, while Count Binface somehow becomes one of the week's most talked-about political figures. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump is back in the spotlight with more controversy, while Steve and Gordon also discuss rising fuel prices, the Strait of Hormuz, terms and conditions nobody reads, and one listener's email about Gloucestershire's human sheep race. It's another week of news, views and laughs from two old broadcasters trying to make sense of an increasingly baffling world.

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