Who Is Iain Dale?
Iain Dale is a prominent British broadcaster, author, and political commentator best known for hosting the evening programme on LBC, airing Monday to Thursday from 7pm to 10pm. Over the course of his media career, he has become one of the UK’s most recognisable political voices across radio, television, publishing, and podcasting.
Broadcasting Career and Awards
Since joining LBC in 2010, Dale has played a central role in the station’s political coverage. He previously hosted the Drivetime show between March 2013 and August 2018 and has led live coverage of major political events, including multiple UK General Election nights, American presidential elections, and referendum broadcasts covering Scotland and Brexit.
His broadcasting achievements have received significant industry recognition. He was shortlisted for Audio Presenter of the Year by the Broadcasting Press Guild in 2022. Earlier in his career, he won Radio Presenter of the Year at the Arqiva Awards in both 2013 and 2016 and received a Sony Award for Best Interview of the Year in 2014. He was also shortlisted for Speech Programme of the Year at the Sony Radio Awards.
Books and Publishing Success
Iain Dale is a prolific writer and editor, having authored or edited more than fifty books focused on politics, leadership, and history. His recent publications include:
In 2025, several new titles were released, including books on Margaret Thatcher, British by-elections, Irish political leadership, and historical reflections on Thatcher’s legacy.
Before focusing fully on broadcasting, Dale founded Biteback Publishing in 2009 and served as Managing Director until 2018. Under his leadership, the company published more than 600 political titles, including bestselling political biographies and memoirs.
Podcasting and Media Appearances
Alongside his radio work, Dale is an active podcast creator and host. He co-hosts Where Politics Meets History with historian Tessa Dunlop and previously recorded 500 episodes of the award-winning For the Many podcast with former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
His podcast portfolio also includes:
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Iain Dale All Talk
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Cross Question (political panel podcast edition)
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The Presidents, Prime Ministers, Monarchs & Dictators
These programmes are distributed across major platforms, including Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other streaming services.
Iain Dale frequently appears on national television and international news outlets, contributing political analysis to programmes such as Newsnight, Good Morning Britain, and Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine Show. He has also appeared on CNN International as a political panellist.
Academic and Professional Roles
A graduate of the University of East Anglia, where he studied German and Linguistics, Dale now serves as a visiting professor of politics and broadcasting at the institution.
Beyond media, he holds several advisory and charitable roles. He is a non-executive director of the Lending Standards Board and supports health charities as an ambassador for Diabetes UK and the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
Journalism and Political Commentary
Widely regarded as one of Britain’s leading political commentators, Dale writes regularly for national newspapers including The Telegraph, the Evening Standard, and the i newspaper. He has contributed to magazines such as GQ and previously wrote columns for Attitude magazine and the Eastern Daily Press.
He has also been a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions and has appeared multiple times on BBC One’s Question Time. Earlier broadcasting work included presenting on BBC Radio 5 Live and hosting political programming on Oneword Radio.
Political and Professional Background
Before becoming a full-time broadcaster, Dale worked as a parliamentary researcher and chief of staff to David Davis. His career has also included roles as a political lobbyist and financial journalist.
He stood as a parliamentary candidate in North Norfolk during the 2005 General Election but later stepped away from active politics to focus on media and publishing. He also created and hosted the touring theatre production A Night With Ann Widdecombe, featuring former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe.
