Prospect Podcast

K-pop and Sydney Sweeney’s jeans: Prospect’s critics Christmas party

Our critics look back at the cultural year’s highs and lows

December 10, 2025
Image: Tatyana Sidyukova / Alamy
Image: Tatyana Sidyukova / Alamy



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Swooning audiences, demon-hunting popstars, and Sydney Sweeney’s jeans—it’s been quite a year for arts and culture.

In this week’s special episode, three of Prospect’s critics join books and culture editor Pete Hoskin to chat over eggnog and mince pies. Kate Maltby, Lucy Scholes and Laura Barton encounter the Prospect wheel of fortune and share their recommendations, as well as the cultural moments that defined the rest of the year.

Which play saw audience members fainting in droves? Which cosy reads should you try this Christmas? And is Sydney Sweeney the Republican Taylor Swift? Listen to find out.