PB: TELL US ABOUT POD SAVE THE UK! WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

Coco: A progressive politics podcast from an outsider’s perspective, where the listener isn’t talked down to and instead lifted up and encouraged to engage in politics – all through the prism of hope and humour.

CAN A PODCAST ACTUALLY SAVE THE UK?

Nish: Probably not, but we’ll give it a damn good go. I’m hoping that by asking experts questions about the things that really matter to a lot of us, we can start trying to find solutions to some of the problems facing the country. But look, at the end of the day it’s probably not going to be a podcast that saves us, but the studios are booked so we should realistically press on with it.

HOW SIMILAR TO POD SAVE AMERICA WILL THE NEW SHOW BE?

Nish: Definitely different by virtue that John, John and Tommy actually have worked in politics and can explain how the sausage is made. Coco and I are more firmly on the side of the sausage consumers (this metaphor has got away from me), so unlike the founders of the company we aren’t experts and won’t be pretending to be.

Coco: We’d love to emulate the rapport between the hosts and the no-bullshit approach you can only really get between actual friends, rather than professionals shoved together for the sake of a podcast.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF MAKING THE SHOW SO FAR?

Nish: Working with Coco has been an absolute dream. We’ve been friends for a long time and I am delighted to have contractually obligated her to hang out with me every week. I look forward to a day when I can force all my friends to spend time with me by paying them money.

WHAT KIND OF DYNAMIC CAN LISTENERS EXPECT FROM YOU AS CO-HOSTS?

Coco: We’re great believers in the power of humour to cut through the nonsense, and being relentless optimists we genuinely believe change is possible. We’re outside the Westminster bubble ourselves and want to represent that position – we want to represent the listener. If you ever find yourself watching politics on TV and feel frustrated that everyone seems like they are on another planet, this is the podcast for you. Plus, there’s a lot of jokes.

COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE GUESTS YOU ARE LIKELY TO HAVE ON THE PODCAST?

Coco: We want to pass the mic to people out there doing good work to make Britain a more equitable place. This is people from inside and outside Westminster -from activists to political scientists, authors and artists.

WHO’S YOUR DREAM GUEST FOR POD SAVE THE UK?

Nish: Marcus Rashford, both for his good work and also so I could meet Marcus Rashford.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE  POLITICAL PODCAST?

Nish: Obviously the Crooked Media output, but I also really loved being a small part of About Race – a series Reni Eddo Lodge did a few years ago. It was really excellent and is available to download still. Slow Burn is also always great, whether it’s political or about Biggie and Tupac.

WHICH PODCASTS AWAY FROM THE WORLD OF POLITICS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

Coco: I listen to every Guardian Long Read – I love the depth and breadth of it – and I am partial to a true crime series. Naturally, Serial excel at the narrative series but I also love a self-contained case explored in a single episode, like with Casefile with its almost deadpan, factual approach. And for warm, genuine rapport, the pop culture series, How Did It Get Made cannot be beat.

Nish: I think people would be surprised by the number of football pods I listen to, including Stadio and Guardian Football Weekly.

FINALLY, IN THREE WORDS, WHY SHOULD PEOPLE SUBSCRIBE?

Nish: I am nice.

Listen to Pod Save The UK now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Pod Save The UK appeared first on POD BIBLE.

To mark the moment, we’re returning to our Issue #017 cover star interview. This is the Gospel According To Kelechi Okafor…

Actor? Director? Dance innovator? Social commenter? D*ckhead in recovery? Baby girl? Kelechi Okafor wears many hats and as her podcast grew she built herself the perfect platform to show each one off in all its glory. We caught up with the Say Your Mind host back in October 2021 to chat all things podcasting…

PB: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

KO: Say Your Mind is the current affairs podcast that you might not want to listen to on loudspeaker at work, but you definitely want to listen to regardless. The podcast expertly combines tarot, current affairs and pop culture into one expletive filled fun time and is delivered to you from the perspective of a Nigerian-British Baby Girl. I am the Baby Girl FYI.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALS TO YOU?

I enjoy podcasting a lot because I love sharing my thoughts and I find it much easier than typing, although I am pretty mean on the keyboard when it comes to tweeting! On the subject of tweeting though, the thoughts you share can be taken down at any time and that’s why I like podcasting because I am in control.

WHAT‘S THE SECRET TO BEING A GOOD PODCAST HOST?

A good podcast host should be able to tell you something you already knew but deliver it to you in such a way that you think you’re hearing that thing for the first time. It is about having a fresh, confident attitude about whatever it is that you’re discussing and ultimately wanting your listener to already miss you the moment that episode is done.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO BEFORE YOU STARTED OUT AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Be patient! That is the number one piece of advice I would give myself and anybody else who is starting out as a podcaster. I worried so much about whether people would listen to Say Your Mind, and then I worried about when I would get enough listeners to enable me to have live read sponsors etc. I spent a lot of time being impatient about getting to the markers of what makes a “successful” podcast that I just stressed myself out for no reason. Now I have these grey hairs! Once I just started going with the flow and being proud of whichever stage I was at, the things I was so fixated on attaining came to me naturally.

HOW DID YOU FIND PODCASTING DURING THE PANDEMIC RELATED LOCKDOWNS?

I found podcasting to be really therapeutic during the lockdowns. I definitely didn’t have to worry about whether people would listen to the episodes or not. Ha! Honestly, I felt purposeful because I knew listeners needed to hear me reassure them that things would be okay in one way or another, while making them aware of other things that were happening in the world. Hearing me swear and laugh as I talked my way through each subject, also gave listeners permission to feel their own feelings. It was also really nice to spend so much time with my brother Sadiq because he joined me as a guest in residence on the podcast since we were already in a bubble. Getting to share my podcast with him will always be one of my best memories of an otherwise rather challenging time in all our lives.

DO YOU HAVE A DREAM GUEST OR GUESTS WHO YOU’D LOVE TO HAVE ON THE PODCAST SOME DAY?

I would fall on the floor if I could get Viola Davis on the podcast. I admire her acting skills so much and I fear that if I were to have her on as a guest, I would just breathe heavily into the mic and forget what I wanted to ask her. I would also like to interview afrobeats artist Wizkid, mainly so I could show him my dance moves to each of his songs. Finally I think I would like to have Lewis Hamilton on the podcast now that I have added a new segment to the podcast called Start Your Motors to complement my love of Formula 1. I don’t think he’d accept though, my swearing and random song breaks might lead him to believe that I’m a tad unhinged.

WHICH EPISODE OR EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST MEAN THE MOST TO YOU?

Probably Episode 21: What now? This was the first episode after my pregnancy loss and I can’t believe how early it was in my podcasting journey yet I still insisted on being vulnerable and transparent while showing up to record. Episode 55: Easter Special – Baby Girl and a Baby was great because I announced I was expecting a baby and it was lovely to be able to have such a beautiful and intimate experience to share with my listeners.

WHICH PODCASTS OR PODCAST HOSTS INSPIRE YOU?

I know I have said this before because I love talking to you all! (Kelechi was our Podcast Disciple back in Issue #008!) but it would definitely be The Read with Kid Fury & Crissle. Their podcast is the reason I even thought being a host of my own podcast could be a reality. I love their openness while maintaining their personal boundaries. It is such a hilarious and well presented podcast, I really have no choice but to stan.

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE PODCASTS?

I love listening to The Receipts podcast because they’re really wonderful women and funny as hell. I really like Who We Be TALKS_ too. Harry and Henrie are really youthful and vibrant hosts. I was a guest on their podcast a while back and I left proper feeling like they were my new friends, and that speaks volumes about their hosting skills!

Listen to the last ever episode of Say Your Mind on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other popular podcast apps >>

Get your tickets for the last ever Say Your Mind live show! In person Saturday April 13th, Conway Hall, London or live-streamed anywhere in the world. Find out more >>

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Kelechi Okafor appeared first on POD BIBLE.

PB: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

TOM: Two buddies chatting nonsense for an hour each week, join us, you might just learn something about the World and maybe, about yourself.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALED TO YOU?

TOM: There’s a feeling of freedom in working in a medium on a show that can go just about anywhere. For me the chance to spend time connecting, bonding and butting heads with one of my best mates and finest comedy minds in the game never feels like work, it’s a pure joy.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR SHOWS HAVE BEEN RECORDED REMOTELY OVER THE INTERNET. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE PROS AND CONS TO RECORDING THAT WAY?

ROMESH: The main thing about podcasting remotely is you know you can do it anywhere, but you definitely notice a better connection face to face. Tom’s wi-fi is also a fucking shambles.

TOM: Recording remotely has been a blessing as it suits both of ours schedules, it’s all we’ve known aside one episode in the flesh. Bad wifi signals are always a kick in the crutch and can butcher the flow. I do look forward to a time when we sit across from one another, in the flesh, a touch away, and we make sweet pod together.

YOU OFTEN RECEIVE PRAISE FOR GIVING GREAT ADVICE TO YOUR LISTENERS, BUT WHAT’S THE WORST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE GIVEN SO FAR?

TOM: Hardest thing about giving advice is that you seldom see the outcome, it’s like missing the second half of a film. I like the thought that all our advice and musings have helped those who’ve reached out, who knows, you can only hope.

ROMESH: I told somebody to not feel bad about challenging some rude behaviour to a woman, and although he shouldn’t feel bad I should have been clearer that men should challenge that shit whenever we can.

DO YOU THINK YOUR RELATIONSHIP HAS CHANGED SINCE STARTING THE PODCAST?

TOM: Massively so, I think it’s grown into something pretty special, like a first love, a childhood sweet heart you share a heart pendant with. Sometimes late at night, I’ll think about a life without Rom, the bookish Owl flying no longer alongside my renegade Wolf, it’s always too much to even contemplate, so I fire up my phone and look at pictures of my guy doing wacky things and listen to all the voice notes I’ve saved from him… The darkness ends.

ROMESH: Tom is one of my favourite people in the whole world. I love him and the podcast is testament to how tight the friendship is. Although if I got the call up to parenting hell I’d f**k this off straight away.

WHAT OTHER PODCASTS ARE YOU ENJOYING AT THE MOMENT?

TOM: I’m a fan of the big hitters Off Menu and Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe’s Parenting Hell. I love 2 Bears, 1 Cave and shout out my G The Blindboy Podcast.

ROMESH: I’ve been listening to the Sweet Bobby podcast which is a catfish story of the maddest order. I also dip into What’s Upset You Now? with Seann Walsh and Paul McCaffrey.

FINALLY, TOM, WOULD YOU DO US THE PLEASURE OF ENDING THIS INTERVIEW LIKE YOU END THE PODCAST? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO OUR READERS?

TOM: What is a podcast? Well friend it’s a many layered onion or soap opera like Neighbours or Emmerdale, full of such wonderful characters, it’s a world reaching out to be heard, it’s a stranger saying hello sit with me I have a story a tell, it’s a meal you’ve never dared try nae taste that has you smacking your lips in anticipation. It can be almost and just about anything and that is what makes a podcast just about the most special gift you could give not just someone else, but give yourself.

Listen to Wolf and Owl on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find more interviews with your favourite podcasters in the Pod Bible Magazine >>

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Wolf & Owl appeared first on POD BIBLE.

PB: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

IW: Wrighty’s House is a safe place where a group of friends come together and talk about football in a very inclusive and positive way. It’s my yard! It’s the place where the WhatsApp group comes to life.

We have some real family, non-football talk as well. It’s a group of people that have become very close, care about each other a lot and who also have a passion for the game. It’s everything from stories of my playing days to discussing the vibes of our favourite players and managers, harder hitting stuff (when needed to be done) and real life as well.

It’s me and the beautiful family that is Ryan and Musa from Stadio, Carl Anka, Jeanette Kwayke, Flo Lloyd-Hughes and Mayowa Quadri.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALED TO YOU?

I am a radio guy. I grew up listening to the radio when I was younger and many people won’t remember, but it was radio that you could say saved my post-playing career. When I left the BBC, and no TV broadcaster would even consider me, it was Absolute Radio that gave me a platform to fall back in love with football media.

Radio really supported me. Podcasting feels a lot like radio and is accessible too. It allows me to speak directly to the listener in a way I want to. For someone like me, that can be emotional and can be forthright, podcasting – especially on Wrighty’s House – is a really safe space for me to be me. We can own the narrative and build a real community. It’s not scheduled or programmed. It literally feels like an everyday conversation.

The free nature of it all just works for me and how I want to speak about myself and about football. There is no pressure to cover certain topics because they are in the news cycle – something that I still have to do on a lot of platforms.

YOU HAVE A ROTATING CAST OF GUESTS ON WRIGHTY’S HOUSE EACH WEEK, WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THAT FORMAT?

The cast is rotating because I just love hearing different thoughts on football from different people. Also, you don’t always have the same people coming to your house right? One week you may have your sister come over, the next week it might be your cousin who you haven’t seen in a few months. Wrighty’s House is the same but football.

You may hear poetry in motion from Musa, alternative theory from Ryan, Championship and WSL breakdown from Flo, Olympic tales from Jeanette, xG explanations from Carl and Twitter breakdowns from Mayowa. Everyone has their certain niche, yet we all gel together and can move through different gears whenever we want.

Having different people just allows for us to touch on so much. I learn so much from them all and I think the audience love that too. I never wanted it to be just about me, I wanted it to be about us. And, one of my favourite things about the House, and having these people involved, is that there is something for everyone. Old or young. Expert or novice.

TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR YOU DID A LIVE SHOW WITH CHELSEA WOMEN’S MANAGER EMMA HAYES. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU’D LIKE TO DO MORE OF?

For sure! Live shows are a real experience. The House is an experience already but bringing it to life is something even further. The great thing about live shows is that you can give listeners access to people and conversation that they love, but in a very different way. It’s not the same as the normal weekly shows, but the core ingredients of them are still there. Kinda like listening to a live album of artists you like.

My connection with every member of Wrighty’s House is real. I know them, their parents, their families, their partners and I feel that automatic bond with our listeners. We have some incredible listeners that are part of our community that engage with us on that same level of family.

Everyone knows Emma is an elite coach and one of best football minds in the world but in that live show, they saw Emma the way I see Emma away from the cameras. A footballing mind who is incredibly funny. The jokes and insights were amazing, it was as though she was a long-time member of the Wrighty’s House family.

I’ve just always felt that in those sorts of environments, you are able to really get to know people. We are more than our jobs. So when you come to the House, you are you. Emma was Emma. Not only Emma Hayes the Chelsea manager.

I can’t wait to do the same with future live show guests. We did our first Wrighty’s House Live with Barclays in November last year and it felt really good being in a room full of people while we had a chat over some drinks.

YOUR OTHER SHOW IAN WRIGHT’S EVERYDAY PEOPLE TOOK YOU AWAY FROM FOOTBALL TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE FROM OTHER WALKS OF LIFE. WHAT WAS THE APPEAL OF WORKING ON THAT PROJECT?

When I did my Desert Island Discs, I received so many comments about my growing up story. People were calling me a hero, saying how much my story moved them and how inspired they were by it. It made me think about all the amazing people doing incredible things every day in society whose stories we never hear so that’s what I wanted to do, amplify those stories. Like I experienced with my teacher Mr Pigden, an ordinary man that changed my life, the series looks at a range of amazing people doing incredible things, from Andy Hider who fostered 150 children throughout her life to Munira Mahmoud who supplied hot meals to survivors of Grenfell. Each episode is emotional but inspiring and completely different to anything I’ve done before.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EMULATE YOUR SUCCESS BEHIND A MICROPHONE?

It is really important to own who you are. I could not do this if I tried to be someone else. I like having fun. I like telling stories. I love talking about football from my point of view. But I also speak how I speak and that is something that took me a long time to truly own, I remember getting criticised by viewers for some of my pronunciation.

I remember when I started, it was similar to when I had football trials back in the day. Back then, I was playing how I thought people wanted me to play, and my career in the media started similarly. However, as I built experience and confidence I was able to start just be me and grew more comfortable doing so.

The media industry can be very selfish, with everyone looking over their shoulder. You have to find friends in the industry that you can trust. People that will help you develop but also not hold you back because it serves them. You have to find those people and it takes time and you will get some of that wrong. But you learn from your experience and use that to hopefully help others on their journey too.

You also have to love what you do. Wrighty’s House does not feel like a show to me, it is literally a conversation between me and my people and one of the best parts of my week. I think that is a really important factor in its success: doing it because you enjoy it. I go through the rest of my week and I’m constantly thinking how we improve the show or I make a note of something I experienced or thought of that I want to mention on the next episode – you live and breath it because you ultimately love it and you hold yourself to a high standard.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER PODCAST HOSTS OR FOOTBALL PUNDITS THAT YOU TAKE INSPIRATION FROM?

Everyone on the House is a massive inspiration for me. They are incredibly talented and experts in their own right, they also talk about football in very pure and accessible way.

Musa and Ryan have made football more inclusive and a safe place for everyone. I learn from them all the time. They have mastered the art of just capturing people’s minds. You sit there listening and you are like “this is awesome’! As far as hosting goes, you won’t find many better. Every word they say becomes a part of your everyday dictionary.

Emma Hayes inspires me and is great to work with. Her understanding of the game and ability to give that back to the audience in a way that is very easy to understand is something I am always working to improve.

Jamie Carragher is also one of my favourite pundits because he brings football analytics together with a deep understanding of fan culture and how fans feel.

I am very fortunate to work with Kelly Cates – every time I am on with Kelly I learn something different. She has improved me as a pundit and host. She’s incredibly calm and witty, she keeps you on your toes but broadcasting with her is a pleasure.

WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE PODCASTS?

There are so many podcasts that I really enjoy that have good hosts with a range of styles and there is a new generation that is constantly creating new ways to consume football. I listen and try to support as many of them as I can. Musa and Ryan’s Stadio pod is one never miss along with Arseblog, and I also listen to the boys at Stoppage Time TV, the Goal Diggers girls & Sharky Does Sports. All really authentic football analysis and discussion pods.

I am also still working my way through GIANT which is a football documentary series that just tells some incredible football stories.

Outside of football I’m currently loving Mafia which is a deep look into the American criminal underworld.

Listen to Wrighty’s House on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find more interviews with your favourite podcasters in the Pod Bible Magazine >>

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Ian Wright appeared first on POD BIBLE.

PB: TELL US ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

BG: A guest comes on, I tell them they’ve died, then we discuss their life through the films that meant the most to them. What film scared them the most, made them cry the most etc. At the end they pick the film to go in their coffin and take to heaven. Life, death, movies.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT ATTRACTED YOU?

Podcasts are one of the only mediums you get to have a full, deep, funny and meaningful conversation with someone without interruptions or edits. It’s a privilege to talk to a person for 60-90 minutes straight. We don’t do that enough in real life probably. Without a mic, no one talks anymore!

WHAT‘S THE SECRET TO BEING A GOOD PODCAST HOST?

Make the guest feel welcome and safe, ask good questions, don’t interrupt. Listen more than you talk. Don’t be a xxxx.

SINCE STARTING THE PODCAST YOUR ACTING AND WRITING CAREER HAVE REALLY TAKEN OFF, HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO KEEP THE PODCAST GOING WEEK IN, WEEK OUT?

I don’t know. I should try to sleep sometime. But I would miss the real connection you get with a person in these conversations. If you ask the right questions, people are always fascinating.

YOU’VE HAD SOME INCREDIBLE NAMES ON THE PODCAST, FROM SHARON STONE, TO EDGAR WRIGHT, TO BARRY JENKINS. WHO WERE YOU MOST NERVOUS TO SPEAK TO?

All of the above. I get most nervous of the biggest heroes… I remember being very nervous meeting Brené Brown. I really wanted it to go well. And she was a delight. But one in particular was Mark Frost. Twin Peaks is something that has lived in my subconscious for 30 years so I was very worried about any part of that meeting being a disappointment. In fact, he was even better then I hoped. Though I think you can tell the whole episode is me trying not to say ‘I love you’ for 90 minutes.

…AND WHO WOULD YOU LOVE TO INVITE ON WHO HASN’T FEATURED SO FAR?

Martin Scorsese, Sofia Coppola, Greta Gerwig, Steve Martin, my neighbour Maureen (a really hard get as her agent is a power hungry psychopath.)

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE PODCASTS AWAY FROM THE WORLD OF FILM?

The Comedian’s Comedian, Cuddle Club, This American Life, and Off Menu.

Listen to Films To Be Buried With on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find more interviews with your favourite podcasters in the Pod Bible Magazine >>

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Brett Goldstein appeared first on POD BIBLE.

PB: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

RH: RedHanded is the ultimate true crime podcast for people who want more than crime. We aim to cover all sorts of cases, the obvious ones like Chris Watts and Casey Anthony to ones that other true crime podcasts don’t – like the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khasgohhi and the evolution of the satanic panic into modern day QAnon. RedHanded is for people who want all the facts, along with thoughtful analysis, but delivered like they are just down the pub with their mates.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALED TO YOU INITIALLY?

The incredibly low barriers to entry! Podcasting is fantastic because it allows anyone with anything to say, a place to say it! We had no background whatsoever in broadcasting, journalism, scripting, editing – anything relevant to podcasting – and so we knew it was going to have to be grassroots. Podcasting is the ultimate format because you don’t need someone in the industry to give you the greenlight to make it work.

THE TRUE CRIME GENRE IS HUGELY POPULAR IN PODCASTING. WHY DO YOU THINK LISTENERS FIND IT SO ENGAGING?

True crime has always, and we mean always, been a hugely popular genre. The Victorians were making Penny Dreadfuls and chasing Jack the Ripper around; it’s nothing new. We have always been obsessed with the extremes of human behaviour, and what’s more extreme that murder? I think that true crime combines all of the ingredients that appeal most to us as human beings: extreme behaviour, mystery and fear.

True crime offers us the opportunity to explore – in a safe way – the very addictive emotion of fear. Fear is hardwired into us and it’s why we go on roller coasters and watch Leatherface chopping teenagers up – but with true crime, the stakes are even higher, and therefore more alluring, because it’s all real.

AS A PODCAST WITH NEARLY 250 EPISODES, HOW DO YOU KEEP ENGAGED WITH THE GENRE YOURSELVES?

We genuinely love true crime. We live, eat and breathe true crime. We both have a truly deep and obsessive curiosity about it. And thanks to our listeners we’ve had the opportunity to explore increasingly different types of cases. This helps us stay excited, curious and constantly learning – all of which means we can still put out great content week after week!

WHICH EPISODE OR EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST HAVE YOU FOUND THE MOST REWARDING TO PRODUCE?

SURUTHI: It changes often, but for me the two parter on ISIS, Shamima Begum and the Bethnal Green Girls, was a really important story to tell. I hadn’t seen a true crime podcast cover that case and we really wanted to do it justice, which we think we did!

HANNAH: The two-parter we did on Scientology was probably the one for me. Again, we just tried to approach it in a different way to how we’d seen that story told before – as it was such a massive case to tackle we were nervous; so it was very rewarding to see peoples’ positive reactions!

YOU’VE ACHIEVED GREAT SUCCESS WITH YOUR SPIN OFF PATREON, ALLOWRING LISTENERS TO SUBSCRIBE FOR BONUS CONTENT. WHAT’S THE SECRET TO BUILDING SUCH A STRONG COMMUNITY?

Content, content, content. Stay focussed on creating great content – give it your full attention and the people will reward you!

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR GO TO PODCASTS WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING FOR LIGHT RELIEF FROM THE WORLD OF TRUE CRIME?

SURUTHI: I don’t think I do light relief all that well!!! I love Conflicted, which is a fantastic geopolitics podcast!

HANNAH: I’m actually currently re-listening to The Black Tapes – which if you like spooky shit is perfect, and I also love a bit of Desert Island Discs.

Listen to Redhanded on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find more interviews with your favourite podcasters in the Pod Bible Magazine >>

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… RedHanded appeared first on POD BIBLE.

PB: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

Blindboy: My podcasts are monologue essays on whatever topic I’m genuinely passionate about at that moment. I’d consider them to be pieces of writing, because I approach a podcast like I would a piece of writing. I try to bring the structure, prose and storytelling of fiction, to subject matter that is factual.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALS TO YOU?

I’ve worked for a decade as a writer and performer in TV. Because TV is quite a passive medium, you have to compromise creatively to grab the audiences attention. You’re competing with whatever app is on their phone, or the other channels on the TV. So, in a lot of cases, this means being louder, and brighter, and brasher. Unless the audience is absolutely there to watch your TV show. But in most cases, they’re not, you’re trying to reel in the uninitiated. As a creator, that’s minus craic, and it means creating a piece of work that you can’t fully stand over.

Podcasts aren’t passive. A person who’s listening to a podcast has made an active choice to listen to that podcast. They’ve created a space for themselves to be entertained . They’re less likely to be scrolling through an app. The experience of consuming a podcast, is a lot closer to reading a book.

As a creator, you now have room to be subtle, to take time, and to deliver a more thoughtful piece of work. I can make what I want to make, what I’d like to consume if I wasn’t me. Which is a pure privilege to do. That’s what I love about podcasting. It’s closer to a literary form.

WHAT‘S THE SECRET TO BEING A GOOD PODCAST HOST?

Be genuinely passionate. If you’re curious, and excited about what it is you’re chatting about, then your listener will experience that as entertaining and engaging. Be congruent and authentic. Let the words that you speak, match the emotions that you’re feeling in that moment.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES A GREAT PODCAST GUEST?

For me personally, it’s when I’m talking to a person who’s curious and passionate about their area of interest. When I chat with a guest. I want to learn, in the moment, and to get excited about what they’re telling me. I could be speaking to a vet who drains the rectums of cocker spaniels. But if they love what they do, then I’m there, I want to learn. That’s my job, as a person who hosts the occasional chat on my podcast. And I think, as listeners, we love to hear that. Because podcasts operate using the mechanics of empathy. There’s a dramatic technique in professional wrestling called Kayfabe. It’s an unspoken contract, between the audience and the wrestler. Where we the audience are consciously aware that the wrestling match is fake, but we ignore that, and submit to the emotion and spectacle.

When we listen to a podcast, we do that too. We plant ourselves in the conversation. We’re not listening to two people we’ve never met on our earphones. We’re smack bang in the middle of a conversation with our friends. A good podcast feels genuinely social. It’s not passive. It’s active. We suspend disbelief in order to do this. We tell ourselves a little lie. Just like a professional wrestling match. It’s kayfabe.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO BEFORE YOU STARTED OUT AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I came quite late to podcasting. Late 2017. I really really wish, I started earlier. Back in 2010. The weekly process of putting out work, would have massively benefited my creativity in other areas. Creating a piece of work is very important to my sense of personal meaning and mental health. The discipline of creating something and delivering each week has been really beneficial to me on a personal level.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR WORST PODCAST MOMENT SO FAR?

Pretty obvious one, but I have a fucking corrupted flash drive full of amazing interviews that never got backed up. I’m hoping I can get some cunt to retrieve the files.

WHICH EPISODE OR EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST MEAN THE MOST TO YOU?

I did three podcasts on the history of disco music and how it became post disco and eventually house/techno. I’m a musician and producer. I think about music for about 70% of my day. A drum sound, a synth line, a melody. I care about these little details very deeply. They fill me with joy and wonder. Music is symmetrical vibrations of air that make us feel emotions. So translating that complexity into words, is very cathartic for me. Those three podcasts allowed me to explore an area that I’m really excited about, and to create a space where I’m verbalising very intense feelings using storytelling and metaphor. It was immensely enjoyable to do that. And If I ever tried to speak about music like that in a twitter thread, It would read like I was a pure prick. It required the congruity of my voice and emotion to not sound like a gowl.

Another podcast episode that I have a special fondness for is called “Boscos Throat”. I recorded it live on a street corner in San Francisco, using a stereo microphone, so that it captured a sense of 3D space. The podcast is a monologue. It was my thoughts on San Francisco at that moment, mostly whispered and hidden so that no one would interrupt me. But people would pass, or sit beside me and chat to each other. I had the podcast written, I knew what I wanted to chat about and how. But being on a busy street corner introduced chaos into the process. Most of the time, that chaos would be un-listenable, but on this day, it worked. So the end result felt like a fully produced radio play, written in the moment, with characters dropping in and out. Pure Participatory art. Dogs barking, trams going from left to right, the rumble of trucks. I’m really happy with that piece of work.

WHICH PODCASTS DO YOU TAKE INSPIRATION FROM?

I’m not a huge podcast listener. I enjoy Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast the odd time. This American Life. The Irish History Podcast. Of course Distraction Pieces, which was one of the podcasts that made me want to podcast. I did a podcast before, about podcasts. It was called “Krapps Last Jape”. I explored the idea that the first ever podcast was a Samuel Beckett play from the 1950’s called Krapps Last Tape. It’s an absurdest piece, about a man who records himself talking every day of his life, and then listens to them back. At the time, this would have been batshit mad as a concept. But now, it’s simply about a fella with a podcast. But the work of Beckett is something I’d consider to be an inspiration when I podcast, in particular, when I try to create “the podcast hug” as I call it. He has a play called “Not I” from 1973, it’s just a mouth, talking. It strips down speech, and listening to its bare minimum. There’s an intimacy to it. Where the words are both for an audience, but also a bit of a private monologue at the same time. I think that had an influence on me. I’m hugely inspired by the work of Joe Frank too. He was an American Radio host, who read out absurdest short stories that were specifically suited to be being heard, rather than read.

Being Irish also, I can’t detach myself from the tradition of the Seanchaí . It’s a form of Oral storytelling, unique to Irish culture that informs the way in which we tell stories, whether we are aware of it or not.

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE PODCASTS?

The last podcast I listened to was Our Thing by Sammy the Bull Gravano. He was John Gottis enforcer in the Mafia. He’s simply a great storyteller.

Listen to The Blindboy Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find more interviews with your favourite podcasters in the Pod Bible Magazine >>

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PB: IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO JUST BEFORE YOU RECORDED THE FIRST EPISODE OF YOUR PODCAST AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

RH: Time travel? What a ludicrous idea. If you change one thing the whole history of the world changes. I wouldn’t want to risk it. I like the way that I entered this medium early and made my own mistakes and successes and the progress has been steady, as it should be if you want to secure a future. I’d tell myself never to listen to the me from the future, who is more of a sell-out, because the route to success was about doing it because it was fun and liberating and autonomous and not worrying about whether it would pay or lead anywhere else. Maybe I need the me of the past to come forward to now and give me some advice, because I think he totally got what was exciting and revolutionary about self-created content.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT GUEST?

Being ready to laugh at themselves and take the piss out of me, being open (though sometimes it’s fun to see the more guarded guests relax and start to enjoy themselves) and be ready to have a proper crack at answering the emergency questions, even though some of them are really hard and they might not have an immediate answer. And someone who enjoys the experience enough to open up and give a part of themselves that they haven’t previously revealed. In short – someone who is ready to enjoy themselves.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT HOST?

Listening is more important than talking, though it’s hard sometimes when you are trying to keep things rolling. Knowing when to shut up and being able to sense when things are moving somewhere interesting and guide the podcast there if required. I only book people I like or think that I will like, so genuine interest in your subject is important as well as trying to find questions they haven’t been asked before. It’s a very difficult job and the people who are good at it make it look like an easy job, but maintaining 60 to 90 minutes of unprepared chat with (sometimes) a stranger, is no mean feat. Unless they’re Brian Blessed, in which case, just sit back and try and find a moment when he’s breathing to toss in a joke.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR WORST PODCAST MOMENT?

A couple of guests have got too drunk too quick and been a bit weird or aggressive or just odd. Sometimes I am having so much fun with a guest that I haven’t realised I’ve over stepped a line. And so you sometimes get remorse about the way things have gone or something dumb you’ve said. In the Stephen Merchant one I thought we were on the same page with the mutual mockery and didn’t realise he had taken something the wrong way and so that was a little bit awkward. Such things can play on my mind for a few days. I want the guests to have fun so it’s a horrible feeling if you suspect that they haven’t enjoyed it all. Not being able to think of anything to say is probably the worst though. I’ve got young kids and sometimes tiredness has made the process very difficult. So thank God for Emergency Questions.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT PODCASTS THAT APPEALS TO YOU?

The autonomy is the main thing. Being able to do whatever I want, pretty much immediately, without having to go through commissioners or committees. And it’s a pretty level playing field. If you can do good stuff then people will find it and tell their friends. There’s a democracy to it and a meritocracy too. But the freedom to try anything you want (even if it’s playing snooker against yourself) is very refreshing and artistically fulfilling. And it’s amazing to be the person who decides if there will be another series (with some consultation from your listeners).

WHAT IS YOUR PODCAST / PODCASTER PET PEEVE?

What’s great about podcasting is the way the audience helps keep it afloat by chipping in a couple of quid or buying a book or backing a kickstarter or coming to a live show. And it’s been amazing to fund the filming of RHLSTP via the power of the audience giving a couple of quid. And don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that podcasts are free, so anyone can enjoy them, BUT, I wish more people felt that podcasts were worth a tiny contribution. If everyone who listened gave me even 25p per hour then I would be able to use the funds to make my own sitcoms or films. I think someone will be the Charlie Chaplin of this industry (and it’s possible that someone already is) in that like with his early films, you could make a fortune with all your audience chucking in the tiniest amount of money. And if the right person gets that kind of funding they’d be able to make incredible things! I am not saying I am the new Charlie Chaplin, that is for other people to say.

And I’m not. But all I am saying is that if you can afford it, then chuck your favourite few podcasters a quid each a year. If you choose wisely those people will use your money to give you even more “free” entertainment. Maybe sponsorship etc will make this idea redundant, but I love the idea of a podcaster being funded by their audience, who are then rewarded by even more stuff that they like. You may call me a dreamer….

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU FOUND ANNOYING AS A LISTENER BUT THEN UNDERSTOOD WHEN YOU STARTED MAKING YOUR OWN?

I started so early that I hadn’t ever really listened to any before I began doing it. But I think I initially didn’t really like people putting adverts in stuff, but have gradually come round to the fact that it’s fair enough to have a minute or two of self-promotion or advertising in order to facilitate hours of free product, though ideally I’d still prefer it if the audience paid a tiny amount and there were no ads. It’s not so bad when the podcaster chooses a good company or makes some effort to do the ads in the style of the podcast (Buxton is king of this of course) and I personally have enjoyed managing to find companies that I would promote for free who give the listener something for free as well as funding the podcast. That’s sort of magic right? The audience pay for the podcast by not giving up any money and getting given something themselves… if the product is actually good then they will stay on board and the sponsor makes money too. It’s free money for everyone, right? This could solve Brexit.

WHICH ONE EPISODE OF YOUR OWN MEANS THE MOST TO YOU?

I think maybe the episode of Collings and Herrin where I called Andrew’s mum “a fucking idiot” as it was a real moment of surprise and risk, which opened up a whole new door as to what was possible in this medium. Could have ended it all there and then, but luckily we held on for a few more years!

AND FINALLY, WHICH ONE EPISODE NOT OF YOUR OWN MEANS THE MOST TO YOU?

Adam Buxton interviewing Michael Palin. Partly because that’s the guest I would most like and am furiously jealous of Adam, but mainly because it was a thing of utter beauty and a meeting of lovely comedy minds from two different generations, sharing laughter and also grief.

www.richardherring.co.uk // @Herring1967

Main Photo: Kirsten McTernan

Read Issue #002 of Pod Bible Magazine online here, and you can get physical copies of the back catalogue here. 

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PB: IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO JUST BEFORE YOU RECORDED THE FIRST EPISODE OF YOUR PODCAST AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

EB: Don’t laugh too loudly. It makes me cringe when I hear my laugh. I guess I get carried away, which is only a good thing.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT GUEST?

Someone willing to have a conversation and allow that conversation to go wherever it may go. To not follow the usual premeditated answers that have been practised for a press tour. That’s why I love getting people out of that cycle.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT HOST?

Passion, genuine passion. I also think not being too informed on the subject. I’m a music and film fan, I know stuff but not everything and I like to learn from every guest, which I definitely do.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR WORST PODCAST MOMENT?

When I got home after interviewing directors Valerie Farris and Jonathan Denton who had just released, Battle of the Sexes and something happened to the audio, there was this constant whine that meant it was unusable. I crawled to the PR people and asked if there was anyway I could get another 20 mins with them. Knowing they were off to Europe to do more press, I was willing to jump on a plane or train to do it. Thankfully they had another screening the following night and very kindly said come along and we can chat after that. They were such good sports and very gracious and generous with their time.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT PODCASTS THAT APPEALS TO YOU?

The good ones are very intimate and the best ones make you feel involved in the conversation, like you are in the room with them. The worst ones are where you can tell that the host/s just love the sound of their own voices and their opinions are the only opinions. Immediate turn off for me.

WHAT IS YOUR PODCAST/PODCASTER PET PEEVE?

Well it’s a funny one. The biggest compliment should be when people try and imitate what you do, but it doesn’t stop you from feeling a little pissed off that someone has basically ripped off your idea. They just wish they’d come up with it first and did it half as well as you do.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU FOUND ANNOYING AS A LISTENER BUT THEN UNDERSTOOD WHEN YOU STARTED MAKING YOUR OWN?

Not really no. It’s such a wonderful world and opportunity for people to explore and share their passions and stories. Mine came out of sheer frustration. I did a similar show on 6Music, my idea that I came up with, they wouldn’t give me a regular slot, as I knew I could give them a really good guest every week. So I said, fuck it, I’m going to do it myself. That is the amazing thing about podcasts.

WHICH ONE EPISODE OF YOUR OWN MEANS THE MOST TO YOU?

Well there are two. The episode we recorded with Jon Favreau was our first ever and I am forever in his debt for being so enthusiastic and willing to jump on board with us. And then our very first episode with Ben Wheatley, he’s such a great supporter of the podcast, we appreciate his love so much. He’s been on three times now!

AND FINALLY, WHICH ONE EPISODE NOT OF YOUR OWN MEANS THE MOST TO YOU?

Oh man that’s a hard one. The one that has made me laugh the most and that I’ve probably listened to the most would be The Adam Buxton Podcast episode with Louis Theroux, the one where they drink an energy drink and get more and more wired the longer the chat goes on for. Genius and a great one to listen to on the tube, laughing out loud and making people think you are mad.

Listen to Soundtracking with Edith Bowman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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PB: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

James: ‘The first elevator shaft was built four years before the elevator was invented’. If that intrigues you, then you’ll like our show. (You’ll like it even more if the mere mention of the word ‘shaft’ made you giggle).

Anna: Reminds me of the fact that the person who patented the first elevator was called Otis, and the person who patented the first elevator brakes was also called Otis. What ever happened to the name Otis?

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALS TO YOU?

Andy: There’s No Such Thing As A Commissioner, meaning that as long as the internet still exists, you can’t be stopped.

Dan: Ironic that Andy is saying that – he wanted us to stop at 100 episodes. Poor guy is 400 eps in now.

YOU’VE BEEN PODCASTING SINCE 2014, WHAT‘S THE SECRET TO YOUR LONGEVITY?

Andy: Never miss a week. And I think the format we chose helped too – by good luck we picked a format where the subject of discussion each week is ‘any four nouns’, so it’s always going to be pretty varied from week to week.

James: I think the main thing is the varied subjects like Andy says. But we’ve also been helped by the fact that the podcast has kept growing. First with live shows, then a TV spin off, then books, then international tours… there’s always been a ‘next thing’ to look forward to.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO BEFORE YOU STARTED OUT AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Dan: Learn how to pronounce the word Covent and Ptaszynski.  Listeners will understand what I mean by that.

Anna: Don’t send long and unnecessarily detailed replies to the first 100 listeners who write in with feedback. You are setting the bar at a level you can’t possibly sustain.

HOW DID YOU FIND PODCASTING DURING THE PANDEMIC RELATED LOCKDOWNS?

Andy: At the start I think we were worried we might not be able to replicate our show or get the comedy in a Zoom environment – but thankfully we were already well-established enough that it felt natural, wouldn’t talk over each other, that kind of thing.

James: As the editor, I found it to be an immense amount of extra work: the timing is never quite the same if you’re not in the same room, especially when people’s wifi would cut out. Also, Anna always seemed to find a place to record that was next to a combine harvester, which didn’t help.

YOUR LIVE SHOWS ARE HUGELY POPULAR AND YOU’VE PERFORMED IN SOME SPECTACULAR PLACES, DO YOU HAVE ANY DREAM VENUES YOU’D LOVE TO PERFORM IN?

Anna: I’d love to do a tour of interesting countries where we’d get tiny audiences who would have no idea who we were. Just for the sake of adventure really. Botswana, Paraguay, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea etc. I’ve struggled to convince our tour managers it’s a good idea, sadly.

Andy: There’s a hillside in Scotland, which has an enormous oil tanker built into the side, where the echo of every word you say lasts about a minute. I think recording there would be great, if only to give the sound technician a breakdown.

WHICH EPISODE OR EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST MEAN THE MOST TO YOU?

Andy: I think the first one. Due to the auto-play feature on Apple I’ve heard the intro dozens of times now. I sometimes re-listen to it and think – we had no idea how big a part of our lives this podcast would become.

James: I’m extremely proud of a section of episode 198 when we managed to get 15 minutes of decent comedy out of a guy called William Hazlitt who, even by the standards of early 19th century essayists, is pretty dull.

WHICH PODCASTS OR PODCAST HOSTS INSPIRE YOU?

Andy: I’d have to say The Cryptid Factor hosted by Dan Schreiber.

Dan: Same.

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE PODCASTS?

Dan: Plumbing the Death Star, which is a brilliantly silly show from Australia. And Seeker! The Ken Campbell Podcast, which brings together archive recordings from Campbell’s brilliant live shows and talks.

Andy: In Writing With Hattie Crisell is highly revealing about all sorts of brilliant writers.

Anna: Sideways, hosted by Matthew Syed. It’s fascinating, and it really stretches your thought muscles.

James: I’ll listen to absolutely anything except for The Cryptid Factor hosted by Dan Schreiber.

Listen to No Such Thing As A Fish on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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Ever fancied jumping into bed for a duvet day with a celebrity? You’d get to find out what their bedroom looks like, what pulls them under the duvet, their weird sleep habits and how they got out of bed during the tough times.

In Duvet Days, Abby Hollick jumps into bed with special guests for unfiltered, honest chat. You can listen in as musicians and artists open up about mental health, fame, recovery, childhood and relationships. In this longform interview series, Abby discusses what a ‘duvet day’ means to Emeli Sande, Munroe Bergdorf, Nicola Coughlan, Joel Golby, Camilla Thurlow, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Yola, Rosie Jones, Laura Dockrill, Hannah Cockroft, Lemn Sissay and Ray BLK.

The podcast has recently returned for series 2 so we sat down with Abby to ask her a few questions…

What is it about podcasts that appeals to you?

A mate in your ear. It’s company on a long journey or while I’m in the bath. I also love learning more about people I admire and investigating how our minds work – using podcasts as free therapy basically! Podcasts are also a chance for the world to hear stories from people who have been silenced or ignored for too long.

If you could go back to just before you recorded the first episode of your podcast and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Don’t record for hours as you have to edit this Abby! Also, It’s ok to say ‘sorry my arm has gone dead I just need to put the mic in the other hand’! For some reason I was embarrassed to say this and would stay fixed in this painful, rigid position.

Abby with Paralympian Hannah Cockroft

What makes a great podcast guest?

Funny, vulnerable, open and hopefully saying something for the first time. Someone who says it like it is and is a bit of a maverick or someone who has survived something extraordinary and has some wisdom on how to do life and cope. Also, guests whose stories and experiences have been shut out of mainstream radio for too long.

What makes a great podcast host?

A woman! I was desperate to hear more women, back in the day the longform interview podcast was dominated by men but thankfully that’s changed. I want to think the host is my friend, so a good listener and someone who asks insightful follow-up questions. I’m not surprised so many comedians have podcasts as a funny host with outrageous anecdotes is always a laugh and you want to be in the pub with them.

What’s been your worst podcast moment?

I mean I live in fear of not pressing record. When I flew to Ireland to interview Nicola Coughlan I made her tell me she could see the red light and I had pressed record before we started, as I couldn’t go all the way to Galway and mess up! I’ve definitely had tough moments when I’ve asked questions and been told ‘I don’t want to go there’ and felt like I was being too intrusive but I just apologise and say fair enough. I’m not going to stop asking the questions I think listeners want to hear.

What is your podcast/podcaster pet peeve?

It annoys me that I can’t listen to podcasts when I am editing my own podcast as I feel podcasted out. Also I say ‘so’ a lot which irritates me when I edit myself. Its also a peeve if a group of friends on a podcast all talk over each other and share ‘in-jokes’ and I feel left out.

Is there anything you found annoying as a podcast listener… but then understood when you started making your own?

I used to think ‘why didn’t the host ask this or follow-up on that?’ but when you’re in the hot seat and being the interviewer your mind can go blank or you can worry about the time pressure, your battery power etc and you can make these mistakes so I am now less judgmental as a listener. Kirsty Young is the queen of the follow-up!

Previous guest Emeli Sandé

Which one podcast episode of your own means the most to you?

It means a lot when anyone says yes to be honest as they are trusting me to sit on their bed and chat about such personal stuff but I am really proud of Laura Dockrill’s episode as she was so open about suffering from postnatal psychosis, recovery and CBT therapy. I was extremely moved by her and full of admiration and I think it’s one of the most extraordinary descriptions of a mind exploding and then she pieces it back together again. Also, she’s hilarious and our babies were born around the same time. Both her and Joel Golby, whose parents died by the time he was 25, don’t feel sorry for themselves at all and use humour to explain really traumatic things, I loved meeting them. It was also huge for me to interview Christine and the Queens the day after her gig as I am such a fan and that gig blew my mind, I went with a friend who didn’t know her and we both left shaking – her dancing is out of this world!

Which one podcast episode (not of your own) has had the biggest impact on you?

One?! Ok out of Maya Angelou on Oprah’s podcast, Robin Williams on WTF with Marc Maron, Zadie Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on the New York Public Library, Aisling Bea on Griefcast, Zadie Smith on Adam Buxton and Toure Show (can you tell I love Zadie Smith) and Ellen Burstyn on Death Sex and Money… I am going to go with Ellen Burstyn’s ‘Lessons on Survival’.

Finally, what are your plans for the podcast moving forward?

Ooh that’s a question for BBC Sounds! Season 3 hopefully as I’m hitting my stride now and I’d love to interview Lizzo. And Michaela Coel and Jill Soloway.

Listen to the Duvet Days archive on BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

Read our other World Mental Health Day 2022 suggested posts.

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PB: ED! JAMES! TELL US ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

Ed Gamble: It’s a food podcast where we ask a special guest their dream menu and also James is a genie. It mainly ends up being a poo poo wee wee podcast, though. I probably wouldn’t say that bit in the elevator, though.

James Acaster: Ed Gamble and I invite a guest into the dream restaurant and ask them their favourite ever starter, main course, side dish, drink and dessert. Also, I am a genie.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALS TO YOU?

Ed: It’s complete creative control. There’s no notes on what we should be doing and what we shouldn’t, and that definitely appeals. Quite frankly, if we pitched Off Menu as a TV or radio show for a big corporation before it was a podcast then it would’ve got nowhere. All the weird bits would’ve been smoothed over. Podcasts are often characterised by weird running jokes and odd format points that you don’t necessarily get on any other platform. The sort of thing that podcast audiences appreciate – looseness, more natural content – is something I feel much more comfortable with than the more stringent requirements of other mediums. Basically, we can waffle on and people like it.

James: It’s the best format for having a chat and we can release whatever we want each week. Also, Benito does all the hard work for us and that is very appealing.

James Acaster. Photo by Paul Gilbey

HOW DID YOU FIND PODCASTING DURING THE PANDEMIC?

Ed: It pretty much became my career and my social life. We were recording a lot before lockdown and I was worried about how doing episodes over Zoom would affect the rhythm of it. But I think it’s worked pretty well! And chats with James and The Great Benito have often been the highlight of my week. Not sure they’d say the same, but they are my emotional crutch and I’ve come to terms with that.

James: Easiest thing in my whole entire life and I bless Jesus every day for it.

WHAT‘S THE SECRET TO BEING A GOOD PODCAST HOST?

Ed: It’s so different to hosting TV or radio I think. It’s OK to be a bit rough ’round the edges and waffle a little bit – people actually like that. I think it’s a more personal experience for the listener – the best hosts make you feel like you’re in the room with them. That’s the joy of someone like Adam Buxton, he’s so relaxed and fun that you start to think of him as one of your friends that you go out for walks with. Maybe that’s just me. I’m lonely.

James: Pretend to be a genie and always have a good anecdote up your sleeve about Diet Coke.

WHICH INGREDIENTS MAKE A GREAT PODCAST GUEST?

Ed: Just being open and fun and willing to go off topic with the host. All our guests have been wonderful, of course, but the best ones have done some prep – but not so much that they’re rigid. When I’m a guest on podcasts I tend to have listened to at least one in advance, but I don’t think that’s necessary. I just like to know the tone of something so I can drop in without too much fuss. I’m sure James would say something different – he doesn’t even listen to ours.

James: Someone who thinks I am really cool and always agrees with me.

Ed Gamble. Photo by Paul Gilbey

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO BEFORE YOU STARTED OUT AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Ed: About podcasts? Fire the Great Benito for being a little nerd and for chasing me relentlessly about getting these questions answered by a deadline. Other than that, I’d just go back and make sure I had all the most successful podcasts. Get my dad to write a porno earlier than the other one. Marry Rosie Ramsey. Be really tall and play for England. Be Louis Theroux…? Non podcast advice: buy Bitcoin, start doing weights when I was 18 and practise kissing on fruit before graduating to girls.

James: Steal Peter Crouch’s equipment and throw it in a well.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR WORST PODCAST MOMENT SO FAR?

Ed: Most of our episodes have been the absolute dream. The rare awkward interview is painful at the time but worth it when it comes out because it gets people talking. I’d love to tell you about an episode where I pooped myself during the record, but I can’t because I’ve done that in every episode since the start. It’s sort of a good luck ritual now.

James: Getting bullied by a mean American man.

WHICH EPISODE OR EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST MEAN THE MOST TO YOU?

Ed: We got to interview Corey Taylor from Slipknot which was a huge moment for me. I’ve loved that band since I was 13. He was utterly delightful and a very easy interview. That’s one of the episodes that turned into mainly toilet chat and I loved every second of it. The first episode with Scroobius Pip was a great way to start – we knew we had something straight away and it gave us a boost of confidence to carry on in the same vein. There’s so many episodes that I’ve loved. I’m always a fan of the episodes where the guest nails the food description: Sindhu Vee, Andi Oliver and Marcus Samuelsson are particularly good for that. Claudia Winkleman is another highlight, and the episode with Sue Perkins contains a story that blew my mind.

James: The episode where we finally kicked someone out of the dream restaurant means a great deal to me because it reminded me that we are in control of our podcast at all times no matter what.

WHICH PODCASTS OR PODCAST HOSTS DO YOU TAKE INSPIRATION FROM?

Ed: James Acaster

James: Ed Gamble and James Acaster on Off Menu.

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE PODCASTS?

Ed: Dear Joan & Jericha, Dead Eyes, Small Town Dicks, Films To Be Buried With, Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown, Nobody Panic, Rabbit Hole, Elis James and John Robins, Early Work.

James: There are too many good ones to choose from, oh mama! Find out more about the podcast including links to the restaurants mentioned by all guests at offmenupodcast.co.uk.

Photo: Paul Gilbey

If you love Off Menu be sure to check out our video celebrating the launch of issue 15, listen to Ed and James on Episode 12 of the Pod Bible Podcast and read this best-of Off Menu list from superfan and meme supremo @nocontxtoffmenu…

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PB: If you could go back to just before you recorded the first episode of your podcast and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

C&R: Probably “Learn how to use Logic X properly before sitting down to start the podcast so you don’t end up having a massive argument”… saying that, we still have absolutely no idea how we’ve managed to record the ones we have. Basically, every single recording of every episode has a clip of the first episode on it, because when we deleted it once, the settings all went back to default and we had another massive argument (hence why episode 3 is called ’Episode 3 Take Two’). So we just keep it there. Shocking behaviour we know, but every YouTube tutorial of Logic X is by a 12 year old American child, and we just refuse to watch it.

What makes a great guest?

Well, considering we only have a single question from a guest each episode I’d have to say “The ability to send a voice note in decent quality before the day of recording”. We ask very little of our ‘guests’.

What makes a great host?

Being able to connect with the audience. The best podcasts feel like they are speaking just to you. Whether it be a true crime podcast or a sports podcast, the really great hosts feel like they are on the phone to you, not hosting a podcast. There are so many out there where it seems they have no regard for the audience at all. As a stand up comedian, this is obviously something I lean towards, because my audiences will let you know pretty quickly if you’re not their cup of tea.

What’s been your worst podcast moment?

Probably the first time we recorded Episode 3. It was after a blazing argument and it was so tense and weird. It felt forced and neither of us enjoyed it. Compared to the absolute joy of recording every other episode, before and since then, it was a real low. Podcasting has allowed us to work together as a couple and we absolutely love it… but that was an early red flag that told us working together may not always be sunshine and rainbows.

What is it about podcasts that appeals to you?

Getting to be funny together as a couple, on our own terms. We can literally say anything we want, and if we are happy to put it out, then out it goes! We record it in our kitchen in our own time and often have to stop recording because someone in the street is mowing their lawn or the fridge is humming, it’s so low rent, but it’s getting a lot of love, so we’re doing something right.

What is your podcast/podcaster pet peeve?

As a listener, bad sound quality. There is no need. Some of them out there seem to have been recorded on the Talk Boy from Home Alone 2. I don’t even know how to use Logic and ours sounds decent. As a podcaster, it has to be the fact that every single week someone contacts us to ask why we aren’t on some random podcast app. We are on all the main ones, and I think that’s a fair spread, but every week without fail it’s “Why aren’t you on Trevor’s Podcast Shack?!”. It’s infuriating.

Is there anything you found annoying as a listener but then understood when you started making your own?

People laughing really loud into the mic after what was quite quiet dialogue… it almost blows your speakers out, we used to absolutely hate it… but we’ve done it SO MANY TIMES SINCE. It’s massively unprofessional, we know, and we usually always sit back from the mic to laugh, but sometimes you can’t help it. Again, if I had any idea what I was doing on Logic I could probably dampen it, but I’m an idiot.

Which one episode of your own means the most to you?

The first one, or maybe even the trailer. Because the interest was so massive when we first put it out, it made us realise that this was something people wanted to hear from us and that it was going to work. We had never done any kind of ‘work’ together before so it meant the world to see how excited people got about it.

And finally, which one episode not of your own means the most to you?

It’s hard to say, probably the final episode of Dirty John… if only because I (Chris) was listening to it in a ’trailer’ (like you get on a movie set, but this was for a TV show). When the thing that happens at the end happens (trying not to give it away here), I literally jumped up and screamed; hitting my head on the roof and terrifying the life out of the person in the next trailer. Now, if you’d told me 10 years ago that I would be listening to what is essentially a documentary one day and I’d get so into it, I’d almost put my head through the roof of a caravan, I’d call you a filthy liar.

Bonus question! Which three podcasts could you not live without?

Rosie: Scummy Mummies. I really love it, they make me laugh A LOT. They are two really funny women and I love listening to them.

Chris: The old Ricky Gervais Podcasts. They were the soundtrack to my early comedy career. I have heard them a million times. If it wasn’t for them, those drives to and from gigs for £10 a spot would have been unbearable.

Both: Sh**ged Married Annoyed, obvs.

You can listen to Sh**ged Married Annoyed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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For the few that may not be aware, tell us about your show! What’s your elevator pitch?

James Cooper: In 2015, Jamie’s dad wrote a series of extremely graphic, poorly erotic novels out of the blue called Belinda Blinked under the nom-de-porn, Rocky Flintstone. Jamie read them to us and we all found them so brilliantly bonkers that they needed to be shared far and wide. It’s proved so popular, we’re about to open the sixth book in Rocky’s magnum opus. In each episode, Jamie reads a chapter of his father’s smut and myself and Alice critique / tear it to shreds – affectionately, of course. The elevator pitch would be: Do you like porn? Do you like laughing? Then you’ll love My Dad Wrote A Porno.

Why podcasting? What is it about the format that interested you personally?

Jamie Morton: The minute I read my dad’s dodgy porn, Belinda Blinked with James and Alice we knew we wanted to do something with it, the question was what. The material as too salacious for a web series and too risky for a broadcaster. But a podcast seemed the perfect fit. Much like how the 50 Shades phenomenon benefited from the anonymity of ebooks, we figured people could ‘enjoy’ Belinda’s adventures in the privacy of their own headphones. There is a unique quality to podcasting that creates an incredibly intimate bond between host and audience. Our aim was always to make the listener feel like the fourth friend around the table with us and I think podcasts are the only medium that can truly achieve that.

What’s the secret to good chemistry between multiple podcast hosts?

Alice Levine: I’d love to say we had some big secret but we’ve been friends for nearly 20 years and that shared history is very hard to imitate. There is a certain shorthand that comes with that. We know when someone is teetering on the edge of corpsing just what to say to make them lose it. We know how to build on a joke with each other rather than step on each other’s toes. A big part of the dynamic with the three of us is an understanding that there’s no competition, we all just want it to be the best it can be and we are working as a team to get there – so who lands a punchline is really not a concern.

Which podcasts or hosts have you taken inspiration from?

James Cooper: A comparison that we get occasionally is The Ricky Gervais Show podcast – they find joy in the absurdity of Karl Pilkington and we find joy in the absurdity of Rocky Flintstone’s erotica. But we’ve found the success of the show has come from just being true to ourselves, really.

We’re very excited about the new series*, what can we expect?

Jamie Morton: We left Belinda and co on quite the cliff hanger last series so I feel we can expect some pretty dramatic twists and revelations in book 6. What’s been incredible about the ‘Belinda Blinked’ journey is how Dad has evolved in his writing. What started as a pretty basic ‘story’ about boring business deals has developed into a rather compelling spy novel. I mean, it’s as slight as an episode of Loose Women but he has a way of creating a really gripping read with brilliant characters. Will Belinda escape from the clutches of her evil pots and pans competitor Herr Bisch? Will the blueprints of the Tri-Oxy-Brillo range ever be recovered safely? What does the three B’s tattoo on her thigh mean? I can’t believe I care, but I am honestly counting down the days until we find out!

How have you found working on the podcast during a pandemic?

Alice Levine: We’ve spent A LOT of time having frustrating bad wifi chats on zoom like everyone else! But we did make the most of it by hosting a night in with us at the beginning of all of this which was really fun. We decided that a big part of the energy and atmosphere of our show is the three of us being in the same room. Luckily it works that our season is starting in the middle of 2021, so hopefully we won’t be too disrupted.

Which episodes of the show mean the most to you?

James Cooper: Some of the guests on our ‘Footnotes’ episodes – Dame Emma Thompson, Lin-Manuel Miranda – have been pretty special. They’re people we’ve always admired so when they want to come on our stupid little show, it’s so exciting. I also love any episode where the three of us just can’t hold it together from laughing – the first Christmas special we did is a prime example of that. But if you’re a newbie, you really have to start at series 1 episode 1 – it’s how it all began and sets up the rest of the show.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring podcaster, what would it be?

Jamie Morton: My top tip for anyone starting a podcast is to really embrace the edit. In my opinion, editing is the most important part of the creative process. You need to have objectivity and be prepared to kill your darlings for the greater good of the show. Concise, tight podcasts are what audiences expect and deserve. Remember, if you’re asking strangers to invest 40 minutes of their day to you, you owe them the best 40 minutes you can produce.

Finally, what podcasts are you enjoying at the moment?

Jamie Morton: How It Happened by AXIOS – An in-depth look at how Trump dealt with his election loss, from the night the polls closed to the insurrection at the Capitol. Amazingly sourced, for the first time you get a glimpse of events from the Oval Office’s perspective and it’s truly damning and utterly shocking.

James Cooper: I really enjoy occasionally dipping into Beautiful Anonymous with Chris Gethard – the host calls an anonymous person and has an hour long conversation with them about whatever they want to talk about. It’s got some fascinating stories and perspectives – really worth a listen.

Alice Devine: Nice White Parents – A five-part series about building a better public school system, and what gets in the way. Made by the team behind smash hit Serial. Such a compelling listen and a masterclass is story telling.

*Series 6 My Dad Wrote A Porno started in May 2021! The World Tour continues in 2022 – full details available at mydadwroteaporno.com.

You can listen to My Dad Wrote A Porno on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps. 

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If you could go back to before you started your show and give yourself one piece of advice. what would it be?

FC: I have learned a hell of a lot recording the first four series of Happy Place. I had to make the strange transition from radio to this looser format so I was a little scared to let things appear unstructured at first. I have been so used to prepping everything meticulously for interviews and having very prepared questions where as I have learned that there is beauty in the moments of silence, juiciness in the uncertainty of where things are going and a liberation for me in how that feels!

What is it about podcasts that appeals to you?

The intimacy. It allows guests a rare chance to properly relax in to a subject and be totally authentic. I have cried listening to podcasts, howled with laughter and remained utterly thoughtful for weeks after. Not many other mediums have this affect on me.

What makes a great podcast guest?

Someone who is willing to GO THERE. My guests have to know this isn’t an interview. This is a conversation that has to be fluid and relaxed. If the guests just simply answers like they’re being interviewed by a journalist then there is less room for magic. I love it when a guest surprises me and relaxes more and more throughout the chat to reveal something utterly normal and mundane about themselves. Often we think of people in the public eye, revered characters or academics as above us but when they let loose and allow us to delve beneath the surface we can all experience a deeper level of connection.

What makes a great podcast host?

This is a simple answer. Someone who listens.

What’s been the worst moment of your podcasting career so far?

I’ve been lucky that there haven’t been too many. When I was in Sicily interviewing Ludivico Einaudi the jumpsuit I was planning to wear to meet him snapped at the strap so I had to wear denim shorts and my pyjama top for the recording!

What’s your podcast pet peeve?

Intros that go on for longer than two minutes. I want to get IN TO IT.

Is there anything you found frustrating as a podcast listener but understand now you make your own?

Not really as I’m not critical of other peoples work. I think there is room for every style and subject matter. This is one of the few mediums that still holds little room for rules so I’m not going to start picking holes in how others make their shows because we should all celebrate each others differences.

Which episode of Happy Place means the most to you?

I have to say a HUGE thank you to Dawn French as she agreed to do the podcast before I had properly started. She had nothing to go on. No previous guests and not a single episode to listen to and consider first. We had a delightful day in Cornwall and captured some special seaside magic! She even gave me a Cornish pasty to take on the plane with me.

Which episode of someone else’s podcast means the most to you?

There is one episode of Eckhart Tolle and Oprah’s podcast A New Earth I have listened to maybe four times. Its episode three and labelled The Core of the Ego. Its so interesting and I get something new from it every time.

On Happy Place, Fearne Cotton talks to incredible people about life, love, loss, and everything in-between as she reveals what happiness means to them. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

@fearnecotton // officialfearnecotton.com

Main photo: Stephanie Sian Smith

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