Broadcast timeline
Newsnight, followed by Weather
Tuesday 25 August 2026 · 22:30 BST · 35m · 3 stories · 10 annotated moments · 29 of 35 min on news stories (82%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
The programme opened with the death of Dolly Parton at the age of 80, announcing her family's statement and her career achievements, including 11 Grammy Awards and over 3,000 songs. It noted President Trump's order to lower US flags for a week, and featured tributes from Bob Harris and Suzi Quatro, who discussed her songwriting, philanthropy, and legacy, including the Imagination Library project.
Next, the programme reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe had made an unannounced trip to Moscow, with flight tracking data confirming a US military aircraft. Shashank Joshi speculated the visit was likely about escalation management or sending a message to Russia, referencing previous CIA-director trips and concerns over Russian hybrid attacks.
The final segment covered Andy Burnham refusing to rule out tax rises in the upcoming autumn budget, with discussion of fiscal challenges, the impact of speculation on the economy, and the need to manage public finances and defence spending. Panelists analysed the government's messaging and potential tax measures.
- 0:00 Story begins Dolly Parton dies at age 80
- 0:39
Claim Dolly Parton dies at age 80
Dolly Parton won a string of Grammy and Emmy awards and was also an actor.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 0:39-1:08
- 0:39
Claim Dolly Parton dies at age 80
Dolly Parton won 11 Grammy Awards.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 0:39-1:08
- 1:01
Claim Dolly Parton dies at age 80
Dolly Parton wrote more than 3,000 songs.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 1:01-1:08
- 5:58
Claim Dolly Parton dies at age 80
Her foundation sent more than 300 million books to children.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 5:58-6:02
- 6:03
Claim Dolly Parton dies at age 80
Her foundation sent more than 300 million books to children.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 6:03-6:15
- 11:56
- 17:00
Claim CIA director John Ratcliffe reportedly travels to Moscow for talks
Ratcliffe is the most hawkish on Russia member of the Trump administration.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 17:00-17:08
- 17:21
Claim CIA director John Ratcliffe reportedly travels to Moscow for talks
Ratcliffe's trip was very short, not long enough for serious negotiations.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 17:21-17:31
- 17:55
Claim CIA director John Ratcliffe reportedly travels to Moscow for talks
The visit may relate to concerns about NATO and Russian escalation.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 17:55-18:01
- 18:15
- 18:15
Claim Burnham signals welfare cuts and seeks Trump common ground
Burnham hinted at tax increases in the budget.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 18:15-18:19
- 22:29
Claim Burnham signals welfare cuts and seeks Trump common ground
Budget speculation has hurt economic growth in recent years.
BBC Two, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 25 August 2026, 22:29-22:36
- 28:45 ~6 min without annotations
Source: BBC TWO, "Newsnight, followed by Weather", Tuesday 25 August 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.