Wake Up to Money

Will Bain gets the latest from the Gorton and Denton by-election and hears about the build-up to the first ever BRIT Awards to be held in Manchester.

Sean Farrington looks into the prospect of robotaxis coming to the streets of London. We also hear from the UK boss of Volvo on what's next after more than 10,000 cars were recalled over a fire risk. And as the UK's first geothermal power plant is switched on in Cornwall, we hear from the man who runs it.

Sean Farrington speaks to an investor and a cab driver about a major funding round for a British autonomous vehicles company, which could be carrying passengers on London's streets this year. And he discusses the significance of Trump's State of the Union address with finance and trade experts.

Sean Farrington reacts to the latest milestone in the Warner Bros mega deal. We reflect on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion on Ukraine. As the British Retail Consortium's latest retail crime report's released, we speak to a shopkeeper on the frontline. And we hear from the president of the National Farmers' Union as they kick off their annual conference.

Felicity Hannah gets to the bottom of President Trump's new global tariffs. What will this mean for businesses and consumers in the US and elsewhere? We assess the fallout with a US business owner and an economist. And we find out why the warehouse and logistics sector is experiencing a fall in recruitment Also, we speak to one of the big homegrown UK winners at the Bafta awards to hear about what it takes to make a film in the UK.

Will Bain hears how thousands of investors risk losing their money if BrewDog is sold. The Scottish craft beer giant is up for sale after five consecutive years of losses.With half-term week coming to an end, we'll be hearing from an independent cinema in Newcastle on whether the school holidays have provided the trade boost they hoped for.And our Friday panel will be summing up the week, from the unemployment figures to how the winter weather has wreaked havoc with Britain's agriculture sector.

Will Bain hears from the designer shaking up London Fashion Week by turning the humble shopping trolley into something chic. We’ll also look to the US, where Meta’s owner has been in court for a landmark civil trial examining the impact of social media on young people, with reaction from an investor in Silicon Valley. And we’ll bring you the latest from New Delhi as tech bosses and world leaders gather for The Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit 2026.

Will Bain has the latest on another twist in the takeover tale of Warner Bros Discovery as talks with Paramount Skydance reopen. The boss of the UK's largest commercial property company Landsec tells us he is more confident about shopping centres than any other part of his business. Plus Carling's iconic Black Label brand is set for a UK revival.

Will Bain checks in with a UK house builder to see if we are building quickly enough to meet the government target of 1.5 million homes to be built over the next decade. Also we will be hearing from a UK chocolate maker on how they will adapt as the price of cocoa drops due to oversupply. Elsewhere we will hear about the Lunar New Year economy as we welcome the year of the Fire Horse.

Leanna Byrne finds out about the latest government online safety powers designed to keep children safe from illegal content created by AI. We hear from a tech journalist on what the measures will mean in practice. Also, farmers are facing bad weather and falling milk prices. We hear from the farming community on the toll it's all taking on their businesses. Elsewhere, we bring you the latest on the civil service pension scheme and hear what Royal Mail staff told the BBC about the service they deliver.

Theo Leggett has the latest as AI doubts continue to rumble around markets. Our Friday panel digests a slightly soggy growth reading to end 2025 and a week of political turbulence. We also take a closer look at a US company's swoop for one of the City's oldest names and how supermarkets look to get Valentine's Day right.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has outlined her intentions bring down barriers to closer integration with the EU's defence industry - with an eye on its huge spending plans. We speak to the UK industry's trade body to discover what's at stake. And ahead of the publication of the UK's GDP figures for the end of last year, we speak to a businesswoman and a finance expert to hear their thoughts on what the economy needs to grow. Also, musical Billy Elliot is going on tour, more than 20 years after it left the West End. We'll be finding out why shows like this are so important to keep the arts alive outside London.

Small businesses are experiencing pressures unseen since the pandemic and the hospitality business is also finding trading tough. Sean Farrington speaks to owners from both sectors to find out why. And we'll finding out more about the latest streamer to land on these shores. What can HBO Max add to our viewing?

Sean Farrington speaks with three Manchester business leaders - Laurence Newman of Beauty Tech Group, Shaun Morton of On The Beach, and Emma Thackray of Hip Pop - to discuss why the region is growing faster than the rest of the country.

Sean Farrington weighs up prime minister Keir Starmer’s record on the economy - after a nerve-wracking start to the week for the PM. Elsewhere, three Manchester entrepreneurs tell us why they think business is booming in the city. And as Britain chases its first medal, we hear from the Scottish business that manufactures curling stones for the Winter Olympics.

Leanna Byrne finds out how the Japanese economy will fare under PM Sanae Takaichi after her resounding victory in the weekend's snap election. And we get the latest snapshot of the UK's employment figures. Also, what does it take to fill the half-time advertising slot during the US's biggest sporting event? We touchdown with the creative mind behind one of this year's Superbowl ads.

What does success in the Winter Olympics mean for the popularity of the sports in the UK? Will Bain talks to the director of British curling and the managing director of some the country's biggest winter sports venues. We'll also be hearing from the creative director of the opening ceremony in Milan. And it's a hold on UK interest rates and jitters in the US stock markets over AI. Will Bain discusses what it all means on both sides of the Atlantic with our regular Friday panel.

Sean Farrington hears about why some pharmacies are reducing their opening hours. Elsewhere, nearly half of zoos have reported financial struggles since 2022, and we look ahead to the Bank of England's latest rates decision.

As Disney chooses its next CEO, Sean learns what the appointment suggests about the company's focus. Plus, there's more on Elon Musk's mega-merger, and Sean asks what's behind Gen Z's craving for cottage cheese.

Sean Farrington reacts to Elon Musk's merger of Space-X and xAI - making it the most valuable private company ever.And, as the government tackles forever chemicals linked to harm to the environment and human health - Sean Farrington speaks to an outdoor clothing brand that's already developing alternatives.And we discuss the future of Disney as its veteran CEO prepares to leave the entertainment giant.Three coins in the fountain? Why you may need four or five coins in your pocket the next time you visit Rome's world-famous landmark.