What You Need To Know

ITV News

The quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories. Our team of specialist correspondents plus guests bring you information and analysis you can trust so you get What You Need To Know in minutes.

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705 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes705

Newest first

Aug 21, 2023 · 15 min
Why Hawaii’s wildfires should have been prevented
In what’s been America’s deadliest wildfire in over a century, the historic town of Lahaina in Hawaii has been reduced to little more than ash. And as the search for the dead continues, a search for answers now begins. With no evacuation warnings in place, survivors say this was not a natural disaster, but in fact a man made one. So, could this have been an avoidable tragedy? From Maui, ITV News Correspondent Peter Smith tells Tom Bradby what you need to know...
Aug 18, 2023 · 20 min
Inside the Lucy Letby trial
It was one of the biggest trials of its kind in the UK. Over the last nine months ITV News reporter Sangita Lal sat across it, less than two metres away from Lucy Letby. She watched Letby’s reactions as parents re-lived in court the worst moments of their lives. And the moment Letby broke down and sobbed during her own evidence and tried to leave the court room, right through until the day when the verdict came. So how did we get here? In this special edition of What You Need To Know, Sangita Lal takes you Inside the Lucy Letby trial.
Aug 16, 2023 · 13 min
Is it game over for musicians thanks to AI?
Imagine listening to a Taylor Swift song that hasn’t been written or even sung by the star herself. Well, now, thanks to Artificial Intelligence, this could be happening to all of your favourite artists. But, as record labels toy with deep fake music, questions over consent have been raised. So, when does a bit of fun become a real threat? And would you buy deep fake music? ITV News Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda tells Lucrezia Millarini What You Need to Know...
Aug 14, 2023 · 10 min
The Brits left botched from surgery abroad
From tummy tucks to Brazilian butt lifts, social media sells the dream of surgery and sunshine abroad. But, for those flying out for cheap cosmetic surgery, instead of a better body, they often come back with a botched job. And UK hospitals are left to fix what's gone wrong. So, how much is it costing the NHS? And how can social media influencers be stopped? ITV News journalist Lucy McDaid tells Rachel Younger what you need to know...
Aug 11, 2023 · 13 min
Disease X: Are we ready for the next pandemic?
Scientists racing to stop another global pandemic are battling a future threat which has no cure. The government’s created a new state-of-the-art vaccine facility to combat the so-called Disease X. So, have they learned the lessons from Covid? And why is climate change now a game changer? ITV News Health and Science Correspondent Martin Stew tells Tom Bradby what you need to know...
Aug 9, 2023 · 11 min
The rebirth of Luton Town
Their rise to the Premier League has already defied football logic. Now, Luton Town are bidding to upset the odds once more. So, are they ready to compete with England’s elite? Why are they spending millions on their stadium if they’re about to move? And how could their success on the pitch transform the town itself? From ITV Anglia, journalist Andy Ward tells Lucrezia Millarini what you need to know…
Aug 7, 2023 · 13 min
Is ASDA on its way to equal pay?
Jackie says she’s worth more than just 11 pounds 11 pence an hour. Yet, her bosses at ASDA think otherwise. The supermarket pays workers in the male dominated depots more than their colleagues on the shop floor who are mainly women. This is the crux of a huge equal pay case against ASDA. And now, a leak to ITV News suggests shop floor workers like Jackie, may have just had the boost they need to help their case. So, will ASDA be left with a hefty bill? ITV News Deputy Political Editor Anushka Asthana tells Julie Etchingham what you need to know...
Aug 4, 2023 · 10 min
Why our wildlife's getting high on cocaine
The contraceptive pill is feminising fish and crabs are unwittingly swallowing anti-depressants. And it’s thanks to unbelievable levels of untreated sewage being pumped into supposedly protected habitats, not to mention drugs like cocaine and MDMA. So, why is it happening? And can the damage be undone? ITV News Health and Science Correspondent Martin Stew tells Lucrezia Millarini what you need to know...
Aug 2, 2023 · 12 min
Why has ULEZ got people so riled up?
Have you heard of ULEZ? Well, if you live in the capital, it's hard to miss. It’s the Mayor of London’s controversial green policy that’s got the greenlight to clean up the air. So why are people so riled up about it? Will other cities follow suit? And why has it become a battleground for the next general election? ITV News Political Correspondent Simon Harris tells Duncan Golestani What You Need to Know…
Jul 31, 2023 · 14 min
Why is help so hard for SEN parents?
With the summer holidays here, the main problem for most parents is how to keep the kids entertained. But for others whose children have special educational needs their biggest concern is whether they’ll even have a school place in September. With thousands stuck on waiting lists, they’re running up incredible debts and desperately appealing for help. So will they get it? From ITV Anglia, Producer Neil Barbour who has been looking into the Special Educational Needs system in Britain tells Faye Barker what you need to know...
Jul 28, 2023 · 15 min
The teenage nightclub deaths tragedy that became a mystery
It was a tragedy that remains a mystery. How did 21 teenagers die in a nightclub in South Africa? At first their parents were told it was from asphyxiation, then came claims of a gas leak, a stampede, or by poisoning. So, what really happened? ITV News Global Security Editor Rohit Kachroo tells Tom Bradby what you need to know... For more on this, head to ITVX to watch the latest episode of ITV On Assignment which includes Rohit's visit to East London in South Africa: https://www.itv.com/watch/on-assignment/2a3007/2a3007a0094
Jul 26, 2023 · 19 min
Should direct action be stopped?
From barricading the motorway to interrupting the Grand National, Direct Action protests are fast becoming the norm in British daily life. But now, as the law closes in on protestors, will the chaos caused actually lead to any change? Or will they have to find alternative methods? And can we expect direction action’s disruption to become an ever-present part of our daily life? This is What You Need to Know… Tune into the Tonight programme on ITV to hear more on this at 20:30pm on the 27th July. Or watch it on catch up on ITVX.
Jul 24, 2023 · 15 min
Could Barbenheimer's success really save cinema?
It’s the comeback Hollywood has been longing for since the Covid pandemic - Barbenheimer has officially spun box office gold. Two very different movies Barbie and Oppenheimer have created the biggest opening weekend of 2023 so far. But, with the ongoing Hollywood strikes and mounting fears AI could change the cinema forever, is it enough to save the industry, at least for now? ITV News Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda tells Faye Barker What You Need to Know…
Jul 21, 2023 · 19 min
Can the Tories bounce back from bruising by-elections?
In a by-election bruising, Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives have suffered a double blow as both Labour and the Lib Dems overturned significant Tory majorities. And yet despite this, the PM is insisting the next general election is not a “done deal.” But is he being overly optimistic? And what else do the results reveal about the mood of our country? ITV News Elections Analyst Professor Colin Rallings and Professor Jane Green from Nuffield College tell Harry Horton what you need to know...
Jul 19, 2023 · 12 min
The Euro holiday spots hit by the record heatwave
Europe is sweltering in extreme heat, breaking temperature records around the world. So where’s getting it worst? How long could it last? And what can you do if you’re set to holiday in a heatwave hot spot? With her own travel plans set to be affected, Lucrezia Millarini finds out what you need to know from meteorologist and Anglia Weather Presenter Chris Page. Head to the ITV News website to read more heatwave analysis from Chris: https://www.itv.com/news/2023-07-18/weather-forecast-for-popular-europe-holiday-spots-hit-by-heatwave
Jul 17, 2023 · 13 min
The growing threat of the party drug Ket
At around half the price of cocaine, the horse tranquilliser ketamine is proving a popular party drug in the UK. And with it has come an increase in the number of young people it’s damaging, causing irreversible bladder failure that leaves some addicts wearing nappies in bed. So are users aware of the dangers? And what can be done to stop its widespread use? Having met a young man whose life was quickly wrecked by the drug, Wales Reporter Rhys Williams tells Tom Bradby what you need to know…
Jul 14, 2023 · 13 min
What's going on with this summer's weather?
Are you feeling a bit of a chill? Or maybe you’re just a bit confused by the weather… It’s a year since Britain’s record heat of more than 40 degrees - and as we mark the anniversary this July, the weather’s not quite living up to the same temperatures. So the skies may be cloudier - but could there be another heatwave on the way? ITV News Weather Presenter Lucy Verasamy tells Faye Barker what you need to know...
Jul 12, 2023 · 13 min
Could the death of Olivia Pratt-Korbel change sentencing laws?
The death of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, the nine-year-old murdered in her own home, shocked the country. The man who shot her - Thomas Cashman - received a life sentence in court - and yet he wasn’t there to hear it. Nor to hear Olivia’s family tell the court of their utter heartbreak after her brutal death. So now they’re out to change that. ITV News Reporter Chloe Keedy tells Daniel Hewitt what you need to know...
Jul 10, 2023 · 13 min
Why a bargain holiday is harder this summer
If you’re still looking to book your summer holiday expect to pay a premium and prepare for disruption. New figures for ITV News show the average price of flights is up by more than a third this year while strike action continues to affect flyers. So which destinations are seeing the highest rises? Why could Covid be to blame? And how much longer will there be chaos at the airports? Consumer Editor Chris Choi tells Lucrezia Millarini what you need to know…
Jul 7, 2023 · 12 min
Is Threads a Twitter copy and can you ever leave?
It’s been called the Twitter killer and already been downloaded by millions. But Mark Zuckerberg’s newly launched Threads app is out to reach a billion users in its bid to topple tech rival Elon Musk’s tweeting platform. So how does the app work? Are you safe to use it? And is it true that once joined you can really never leave it? Our tech-savvy Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda tells Shehab Khan what you need to know…