The UTV Podcast

All eyes are on the Chancellor in the hope that tomorrow's budget at Westminster might help close the funding gap facing Stormont.

Retirement can be a tricky time. For many, the absence of a 9 to 5 is a blessing, for others it means swaths of time to fill. For Stephen Graham, after two months of DIY and pottering around the house, he decided a trip was in order and off he went to Downpatrick Museum.

Unionist parties meet again with the Chief Constable to discuss the fallout from the Drumcree dispute. Has Jon Boutcher managed to allay their concerns?

The Lady Chief Justice has described the legal journey of the A5 road project as 'long and tortuous'. She ruled that the scheme could go ahead.

On the latest edition of Going the Extra Mile, Carol is joined by Emily Wilson, a campaigner from Belfast who after the death of her late husband Jim has become an advocate for better diagnosis and improved support services for those who develop early onset dementia. Working alongside the Alzheimer’s Society, she has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her dedicated awareness-raising and volun...

We have the latest from Drumcree as the stalemate playing out in Portadown threatens the stability of the Stormont institutions.

The Justice Minister confirms she will meet the family of a man whose killer absconded while on temporary release later this week. We have an extended interview with Naomi Long. DUP Leader Gavin Robinson joins me following his party conference at the weekend. Our commentators are Suzanne Breen, Ben Lowry, and Ursula Savage.

After losing two close friends to suicide, medical student Paddy McClintock turned intense grief into a mission to save lives. Recognising the power of exercise to heal both body and mind, he launched Check In On a Mate —a movement using sport to break the stigma around mental health and make deep, supportive conversations second nature. To spark national awareness, Paddy pushed his physical limit...

President Trump's comments on Irish unity have sparked a political row at Stormont. What does it mean for relationships on the hill?

25 years ago the world changed, and now the horror of 9/11 is etched in our memories forever. Almost 3,000 people were killed on the 11th of September, 2001 when four passenger planes were hijacked. Two of those planes hit the Twin Towers in New York, causing them to collapse. Barbara Stephenson had been appointed as 'US Consul General' in Northern Ireland just weeks before the attacks happened, a...

As the Secretary of State holds crunch budget talks with Executive ministers we ask, how close are they to striking am agreement? Education Minister Paul Givan defends plans to change the rules for pre-school places, and says he hopes threatened strike action by teachers can be avoided Plus, we'll look ahead to President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to Ireland

The Secretary of State orders a judge-led review of the Parade's Commission following last week's Drumcree High Court decision. Sir Chris Bryant is also grappling with the lack of a Stormont budget. I'll be joined by representatives from some of the main parties to discuss it all. Plus, we hear from Stormont's newest minister - the UUP Health Minister Robbie Butler.

At the beginning of this month, the festival of music and culture, the Fleadh, was held for the first time in Belfast. While hundreds of thousands of visitors were expected, it felt like the entire city, from all communities, went the Extra Mile to make the Fleadh as overwhelming success. Carol Jordan is joined by colleague Alison Fleming who has produced and presented two special programmes dedic...

On this episode of Going the Extra Mile, Carol Jordan is joined by Michelle Bradley, founder of the charity The Parent Rooms, which supports the mental health and wellbeing of parents and carers. Earlier this year the charity was nominated in what's called the Oscars for small charities, a Centre for Social Justice Award, for its work. The awards celebrate the best of the small charity sector who...

On the latest episode of Going the Extra Mile, Carol Jordan is joined by Kelly Barnes, a baby loss charity volunteer with the charity Sands. Losing a baby is often a difficult topic to talk about but despite her personal loss, Kelly has campaigned for the introduction of baby loss certificates which offer formal recognition to babies lost or miscarried before 24 weeks. Her campaigning helped lead...

After losing her 27-year-old son Karl in a tragic road collision, Monica Heaney discovered a gaping void in support for grieving families, friends, and witnesses. In this episode, Monica shares how she turned her profound heartbreak into action by founding The Road Ahead NI —a vital charity ensuring that no one has to navigate the devastating aftermath of a road tragedy alone. You can watch the ep...

For decades, he was a towering figure in British and Irish politics, ever present at major turning points in the history of Northern Ireland. From fierce opponent of the Good Friday Agreement to leader of the DUP, Jeffrey Donaldson was the polished unshakable face of unionism. A man whose life was almost always in the spotlight. But behind the carefully crafted public persona of a man of deep fait...

As Jeffrey Donaldson faces a lengthy prison sentence, we consider the impact of his conviction on politics. Sir Keir Starmer is standing down as Prime Minister - what does another change at Downing Street mean for Northern Ireland? It's 10 years since the Brexit referendum - we speak to two key players in the negotiations - Lord Frost and Leo Varadkar.

In the past few months, UTV has been part of a transparency pilot to let reporters into family court proceedings. The pilot has been running under strict rules, but is part of efforts by the Office of the Lady Chief Justice to improve open justice and transparency within the system. UTV’s reporter Sarah Clarke attended a case in the Court of Appeal in which a woman in Northern Ireland, whose wife...

On the this episode of Going the Extra Mile, Carol Jordan sits down with Gillian McCann. After her son Jay's death two years ago, Gillian formed her own group to support other women who had lost children. You can watch this episode on ITVX. For more of the biggest news stories in the UK and around the world, visit the ITV News YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ITVNews • Subscribe to ITV Ne...

The use of the controversial 'petition of concern' to block a move to raise the age of criminal responsibility here, has been branded as 'deeply disappointing' by campaigners pressing for the change. I'll be joined by representatives from the parties. There's still no movement of the Good Jobs Bill. As the window to progress the legislation closes, I'll speak to the Economy Minister, Caoimhe Archi...

Protests have erupted across Belfast after a Sudanese man is charged with attempted murder following a knife attack in the north of the city last night. Houses have been attacked and vehicles highjacked by crowds, roads have also been blocked. We get immediate reaction from policitians plus I'll be joined by a panel of experts. And as the DUP offers to progress parts of Sinn Féin's Good Jobs Bill,...

To celebrate Volunteer’s Week, the Going the Extra Mile podcast highlights Elaine McBride, who has volunteered and fundraised for the Northern Ireland Hospice for nine years. Inspired by the exceptional respite care her son Sam receives there, Elaine works tirelessly to challenge the misconception that hospices are solely about end-of-life sadness, choosing instead to focus on the joy, light, and...

Burrows bites back - a civil war in the Ulster Unionist Party - the party leader Jon Burrows sits down with our Political Editor Tracey Magee. Suzanne Breen from the Belfast Telegraph and former UUP director of communications Alex Kane give their views. What next for the Good Jobs Bill? As the horse trading to secure Executive agreement continues, we'll hear both from business and unions. And as r...

On the latest episode of Going the Extra Mile, Carol Jordan speaks to Chris Tennyson. They discuss Chris' campaign for solutions and legislative change that would allow crucial family health history to be shared with adoptive families. You can watch this episode on ITVX. For more of the biggest news stories in the UK and around the world, visit the ITV News YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com...