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Matt Chorley

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Matt Chorley
Born (1982-09-25) 25 September 1982 (age 43)
Taunton, Somerset, England
EducationHuish Episcopi Academy
OccupationsJournalist, broadcaster
Known forRed Box newsletter and podcast for The Times, and weekday political shows on Times Radio (2020–2024) and BBC Radio 5 Live (2024–present)
SpouseAlyson Chorley
Children2
Websitehttps://mattchorley.com/

Matt Chorley (born 25 September 1982) is a British journalist, broadcaster and comedian. He presents an afternoon politics show on BBC Radio 5 Live.[1] On Fridays, he presents Newsnight.[2] He hosted a live morning politics show on Times Radio from 2020 to 2024.[3]

After beginning his career at the Taunton Times, Chorley was a political correspondent for the Western Morning News, the Press Association,[4][5] and the Independent on Sunday before becoming the political editor of MailOnline.[6] He joined The Times in 2016.[7] He has won awards for his political podcast and for his book.[8][9][10]

Early life

[edit]

Chorley was born in 1982 at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.[11] He was brought up there on the Somerset Levels, and attended Huish Episcopi Academy; he did not study at a university.[12]

Career

[edit]

Journalism

[edit]

Chorley started his journalistic career reporting at the now-defunct Taunton Times, and then the Western Morning News.[4][13] He moved to London in 2005 to work in the House of Commons press gallery for the Press Association.[5]

Chorley joined The Times in 2016,[7] where he edited the Red Box political email newsletter. He then also started presenting a podcast of the same name, also hosted by The Times, which was subsequently renamed Politics Without The Boring Bits in 2023.[14] In October 2023, The Times launched a weekly podcast called How To Win An Election, presented by Chorley and featuring the former political strategists Peter Mandelson, Danny Finkelstein, and Polly Mackenzie as recurring guests.[15]

In June 2020, Chorley stepped back from writing the newsletter, to present the mid-morning slot at the newly launched Times Radio from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Thursday.[16][17] In May 2021, he was also given the Friday shift, taking the show to five days a week.[18]

In May 2024, Chorley announced his departure from Times Radio, and BBC Radio 5 Live issued a press release stating he will host a weekday afternoons radio show commencing in September 2024.[19] His new politics show launched on 2 September.[20] The following May, he also started presenting the Friday editions of Newsnight on BBC Two.[2]

Comedy

[edit]

In parallel to his early journalistic career in Somerset, Chorley formed part of a comedy trio called Big Day Out, alongside friends Lewis Georgeson and William Kenning.[5] When Chorley left Somerset for London in 2005, his decision was influenced by wanting to spend more time focusing on the comedy sketch group, which had already enjoyed sold-out shows in the capital. In 2007, Big Day Out took their comedy show to the Edinburgh Festival.[5]

In 2019, Chorley toured his one-man political comedy show, This is Not Normal, around the UK.[4][21] In 2022, Chorley toured another show called Who is In Charge Here?[22] In 2024, Chorley toured his third one-man show called Poll Dancer.[13][23]

He announced a fourth tour taking place in the summer and autumn of 2025 called Making a Meal of It.[24]

Book

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In 2023, Chorley published a book titled Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors: 50 Places That Changed British Politics.[25] The book focuses on unique places outside the traditional corridors of power in Whitehall, that reportedly changed the course of British politics.

Awards

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At the 2020 Society of Editors' Press Awards, Red Box won the award for 'best news podcast'.[8] At the 2020 London Press Club, Chorley won 'digital journalist of the year' for his Red Box newsletter and podcast for The Times.[9][26]

Chorley's book, Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors: 50 Places That Changed British Politics,[25] won the award for the best 'political book by a non-parliamentarian' at the 2023 Parliamentary Book Awards, organised by the Publishers Association and the Booksellers Association.[10]

Feud with Andrew Bridgen

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Since 2018, Chorley has had a fractious relationship with Andrew Bridgen,[27] who served as the MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 until 2024. In November 2018, Chorley wrote that Bridgen's Conservative colleagues had described him as "spud-u-hate" and "thick as mash".[28] It is reportedly as a result of this Times article that Bridgen refused to vote in support of Theresa May's 2018 Brexit deal at the height of the Brexit negotiations.[29]

Chorley later regularly denounced Bridgen's struggles with the law and with parliamentary standards in his columns,[30][31] and has described Bridgen among other things as a "deluded attention-seeker"[27] and "the Conservative MP for North West Bullshitshire".[27][32]

Personal life

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Chorley is married to Alyson, whom he met while working for the Taunton Times. The couple live in Fleet, Hampshire, and have two daughters.[33][34] The family's pet Golden Retriever, Poppy, is a former guide dog.[35][36]

Chorley has spoken extensively of his dislike of cats, and has even campaigned for Larry the Cat to be evicted from Downing Street.[37]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Brundle, Lotte (21 May 2024). "Matt Chorley to host daytime politics show on BBC Radio 5 Live". Evening Standard. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Paddy O'Connell and Matt Chorley join Victoria Derbyshire as Newsnight presenters". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  3. ↑ "Matt Chorley". The Times. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Hill, Phil (27 April 2020). "Matt Chorley to host politics show on Times Radio". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Reporter-turned-comedian gets ready for Big Day Out at Edinburgh Festival". HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  6. ↑ Turvill, William (30 September 2015). "Mail Online political editor to take charge of Times' Red Box". Press Gazette. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Matt Chorley - The Press Awards". The Press Awards. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 Tobitt, Charlotte (3 April 2020). "Press Awards reveal winners despite cancelling ceremony over Covid-19". Press Gazette. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  9. 1 2 "The i and The Sunday Times take the newspaper of the year awards". London Press Club. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  10. 1 2 Anderson, Porter (7 February 2024). "In London: Fêting the New Parliamentary Book Award Winners". Publishing Perspectives. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  11. ↑ Chorley, Matt (15 June 2022). "Prince William and me at 40 — what we have in common". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  12. ↑ Chorley, Matt (5 July 2019). "Nobody knows what they're doing". Matt Chorley. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  13. 1 2 Scancariello, Antonio (13 April 2024). "Homecoming show for Taunton comedian Matt Chorley". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "The Red Box Politics Podcast on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "The Times signs big political names for How To Win An Election podcast". Podcasting Today. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  16. ↑ Tobitt, Charlotte (2 June 2020). "Times Radio launch date and line-up from Frostrup to Pienaar". Press Gazette. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  17. ↑ Warrington, James (27 April 2020). "Times Radio taps BBC and Channel 4 stars ahead of summer launch". City A.M. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  18. ↑ "Matt Chorley goes five days a week on Times Radio". Radio Today. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "Matt Chorley joins BBC Radio 5 Live for an exciting new daytime politics show ahead of election". BBC. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  20. ↑ "BBC Radio 5 Live shakes up daytime schedule for launch of Matt Chorley's exciting new politics show". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  21. ↑ "Matt Chorley: This.is.not.normal : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  22. ↑ "Matt Chorley asks 'Who Is In Charge Here?' with his new tour". Virgin Radio UK. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  23. ↑ Hall, Charlotte (4 March 2024). "'Silliness or satire?' Matt Chorley's new stand-up show dances a fine line". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  24. ↑ Chorley, Matt. "MATT CHORLEY". MATT CHORLEY. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  25. 1 2 Chorley, Matt (October 2023). Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors: 50 Places That Changed British Politics (1st ed.). HarperCollins UK / William Collins. ISBN 9780008622060.
  26. ↑ "The i and Sunday Times win at London Press Club Awards – Society of Editors". Society of Editors. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  27. 1 2 3 Chorley, Matt (4 November 2022). "Five days of parliament without this 'spud-u-hate' MP is a treat to savour". The Times. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  28. ↑ Chorley, Matt (17 November 2018). "The Midlands Machiavelli is an assassin who'd put his weapon on expenses". The Times. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  29. ↑ Withers, Matt (21 November 2018). "Tory MP 'refuses to vote with government after being called thick as mash'". The New European. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  30. ↑ Chorley, Matt (17 April 2022). "'Dishonest' MP Bridgen 'lied' about conduct in family dispute". The Times. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  31. ↑ Chorley, Matt (3 September 2022). "MP Andrew Bridgen ordered to quit home in fight over family potato firm". The Times. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  32. ↑ Chorley, Matt (13 January 2023). "Even for lazy Westminster, Andrew Bridgen the anti-science spud will no longer do". The Times. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  33. ↑ "Political commentator and comedian Matt Chorley coming to Farnham". Farnham Herald. 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  34. ↑ Chorley, Matt (20 January 2020). "Matt Chorley on falling for a dog at the Tory party conference". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  35. ↑ Chorley, Matt (2 January 2024). "Matt Chorley on falling for a dog at the Tory party conference". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  36. ↑ https://mattchorley.substack.com/p/it-was-20-years-ago-today
  37. ↑ Chorley, Matt (13 July 2024). "Sir Keir's most pressing task: speak truth to purr and evict Larry the Cat". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
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