BBC Two — Newsnight, followed by Weather

Newsnight's lead story was an exclusive interview with Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden. Biden discussed his past addiction, describing a period of using crack cocaine every 15 minutes and drinking nearly a gallon of vodka a day, and acknowledged that his addiction worsened his father's health and caused trauma to his family. He defended his father's decision to run for president in 2024, saying Joe Biden made all his own decisions, and described the shock of watching the debate where his father appeared confused. He also addressed the pardon he received from his father, admitting it was not good for the Constitution or his father's legacy but expressing gratitude, and spoke about his father's current cancer diagnosis, saying the cancer has spread and is painful. He also defended his decision to appear on podcasts with controversial figures like Nick Fuentes and Candace Owens, saying he wanted to find common ground.

Following the interview, a panel including Gillian Tett, Katie Balls, and Deena Bass Williams discussed the Biden legacy and the Democratic Party's future. Bass Williams said she had no criticism of the pardon itself but objected to Hunter Biden's revisionist history and alleged media coverup of his misdeeds. Tett argued that the handling of Biden's cognitive decline fueled public disgust with the establishment, while Balls noted that Democrats still have a Joe Biden problem and that the party's leftward turn, exemplified by a Senate candidate in Michigan, could hurt them in the midterms. The programme also briefly touched on the resignation of Cambridge professor Jason Arday, with Tett supporting an external review of universities under fire.