Hello, welcome to the latest edition of the show. This one featuring Ed Balls.

Star of Strictly Come Down, saying that obviously,

a distinguished political career in his own right.

It's such an incredible figure, Ed Balls.

One of the most defining characters of the post-Blair Brown labour years.

A significant figure in that new labour story, as well, obviously,

is a very close lieutenant to Gordon Brown,

a deep economic and political thinker in his own right.

And such a divisive individual, often, I think, unfairly,

but nevertheless, some that have been desperate to interview for a long time,

and some who absolutely did not disappoint.

Now, a risk of repeating myself sometimes,

but one of these shows I enjoy for different reasons.

And I think every guest I've had on has been fantastic.

Ed was fantastic in a way that perhaps I didn't expect.

He was just absolutely superb and more revealing than I expected,

and more personal. Not personable. I knew he would be that.

But it was a far more personal interview than I expected.

And I just think a time when politics has become so polarised,

Ed, who himself at times has been a polarising figure,

and I think a lot of the time wrongly, reveals a reflective side

that I think suddenly some people might presume they might not have seen.

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