AI is everywhere, in every industry you can imagine. There’s plenty of articles about how AI can help us with writing or research, with graphics and data. These are ways it makes our lives easier in the present, but how can AI help us prepare for the future? I want to share with you a few episodes exploring where AI is today, where it is headed, and how it can help us in the days to come.

Imagine This…

Preparing for an Uncertain Future…in the Future

AI forecasting won’t eliminate the need for a well-thought-out strategy, it’ll mean we need it more than ever. By 2035, AI will revolutionize forecasting, offering more accurate predictions for everything from stock markets to consumer trends. Meteorologists already use AI to enhance hurricane landfall predictions, but BCG’s Alan Iny emphasizes that strategic planning is here to stay. Predictions are never perfect, and various tools are widely accessible, which means leaders must still plan for multiple scenarios. AI will refine, not replace, the art of planning. Listen here >>

Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future

Is Artificial Intelligence a Threat to Humanity? Judd Rosenblatt Discuss AI Safety and Alignment

Something we have all wondered at some point. Superhuman hosts Zain and Hassan take a real look at the potential risks AI poses to humanity with Judd Rosenblatt, an AI researcher known for his work on AI safety and alignment. The conversation goes into why many top AI experts are concerned about AI disempowering humanity and examines various approaches to solving AI alignment issues. Listen here >>

School’s In

AI in the classroom: Equity, creativity, and teaching

How do we prepare students to take on a world where AI plays such a central role? Schools In hosts Dan Schwartz and Denise Pope sit down with Associate Professor Victor Lee to chat about the rise of AI in education, and what that means for both how we learn and teach. He shares both sides of the coin: how AI could potentially enhance and complicate our learning processes. Listen here >>

Grit & Growth

Navigating the AI Revolution: Practical Insights for Entrepreneurs

If you are hesitant about using AI in your business strategy, then listen up. Wharton professor Ethan Mollick and entrepreneur Arun Jagannathan explore why it should be. Mollick provides practical tools and key questions to help businesses integrate AI creatively and strategically. Jagannathan shares how he’s adapting his startups, CrackVerbal and Yzerly, to leverage AI for growth. Together, they highlight the power of AI to democratize innovation while emphasizing the need to keep humans in the loop. Listen here >>

Technology Now

The AI Skills Gap… Are We Prepared?

This episode of Technology Now explores how generative AI is transforming the workforce across all sectors – not just tech. As organizations and governments rush to adopt AI, questions arise about how managers, non-IT teams, education systems, and individuals can adapt to this seismic shift. It really makes us think about the future of our workplaces, and if we are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. Listen here >>

This article was provided by Lower Street as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

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With over 380 episodes, interviewing some of the most recognisable names in show business, White Wine Question Time is a hive of fascinating conversations with a huge range of star-studded guests. From insights with TV legends like Joe Lycett and Bruno Tonioli, to esteemed actors like Sam Neil and Steve Pemberton and even conversations with royalty such as HRH Princess Eugenie, Kate brings out a new side of guests we know and love, blending warmth with her quick wit to reveal stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

To help you explore the White Wine Question Time universe – whether you’re after hidden gems, unheard stories, or simply the perfect chat to wind down your evening – we spoke with producers Charlie Morgan and Tayler Owen. Here are their top episode picks to guide you through some of the best moments yet. Take it away, Charlie and Tayler!

Charlie Recommends:

Sarah Parish on acting adventures, her worst jobs, and overcoming unthinkable tragedy

If White Wine Question Time is about spending time in the amazing company of some fascinating people, Sarah Parish is as good a guest as you could hope for. She’s whip-smart, fun, and hugely affable – I could’ve spent all day listening to her! She was also incredibly open and vulnerable about the realities of losing a child, and to hear about her charitable work to help those going through the tragic situation her family went through was both moving and inspiring.

Michel Roux Jr. on why selling La Gavroche was never an option, leaving Masterchef and what’s next

Kate is a fantastic interviewer and I think the show’s at its absolute best when she’s sharing the airwaves with a guest with a fascinating story. Michel Roux joined us just as he was closing his legendary restaurant Le Gavroche, so we caught him in a period of deep reflection and gratitude. To hear about what the restaurant had meant to his family, some of the hilarious and at times unbelievable stories from its hallowed halls and to dig into his life away from the stovetop was an absolute pleasure.

Tayler Recommends:

Sam Neill on the importance of friendship, discovering acting at 30, and life beyond Hollywood

Kate’s chat with Hollywood legend Sam Neill simply feels like a warm hug. Diving into his extraordinary life, Sam shares how he found acting at 30, his passion for producing world-class Pinot Noir, and how he balances life away from Hollywood on his peaceful New Zealand Vineyard. He also opens up about his battle with cancer – and how that inadvertently led him to writing his much-loved memoir – as well as his commitment to “not letting the old man in” as he celebrates his 77th birthday. This episode is as heartwarming as it is charming!

Lynda La Plante on a remarkable life in showbiz, a career in crime fiction, and parenthood in later life

This episode is one of our juiciest listens! Here, Kate sits down with the incredible no-holds-barred writer Lynda La Plante who takes a deep dive into her storied 60-year career, opening up about her storytelling brilliance, embracing motherhood later in life, and the shocking end to her marriage. Her life behind the scenes is just as enthralling as her writing. Trust me, you’ll definitely want to grab a glass of wine for this one!

To listen and subscribe to Charlie and Tayler’s suggested episodes, check out White Wine Question Time wherever you get your podcasts, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday and Friday!

This article was provided by Stak as part of a paid advertising package. Stak produces podcasts that entertain and inform, including some of the UK’s biggest and most popular shows – boasting a combined 4 million monthly listen and over 45 years of podcasting experience. Whether recording remotely or in our broadcast-grade London studio, we special in every stage of the podcasting process. To find out more or get in touch, visit our website at stak.london.

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We all hit slumps from time to time – stuck in the grind of our routines, we can start to feel a bit too comfortable, and maybe even a little stuck in life. But deep down, who doesn’t crave more? A better mindset, a fresh perspective, and continuous growth.

Learning is a lifelong process, and there is always room for personal growth. While books, courses, and articles offer guidance, I’ve found that listening is my favourite way to learn. Podcasts give me a chance to wind down, reflect on what’s happening in and around my life, and absorb new ideas at my own pace.

Self-improvement podcasts, in particular, provide fresh insights, practical advice, and inspiring stories that help lift us up. So if you are also looking to shake yourself out of the routine, and strive for personal growth, here are some of my favourite self-development podcasts to tune into.

The Breakout – Unleashing Personal Growth

“Get out of the box and into your life” That’s the tagline of The Breakout, hosted by talent and change experts Dr. Keri Ohlrich and Kelly Guenther. Every week they themselves learn from individuals who have gone through incredible change, sharing how you can access personal growth, increase your confidence, and make major moves in your life.

It’s an inspiring podcast that shows me change can come in dramatic shifts, or quiet steps, either way, good things happen when we push our limits.

If you prefer to read rather than listen, Dr. Keri Ohlrich and Kelly Guenther have just published a new book as well: Whatever the Hell You Want: An Escape Plan to Break Out of Life’s Little Boxes and Live Free from Expectations. Listen here >>

On the Table with Ashley

The best lessons come from when we push our boundaries and listen to new perspectives. Often we may feel stuck in our lives because we have only ever looked at things in one way, a way shaped by our own experiences and values. We may be scared to open up and talk about difficult things, this blocks our path to living to our highest potential.

On the Table with Ashley invites us to all sit down at a table and re-learn how to honour our differences, through compassion, and an open mind. Every episode brings a difficult topic to the forefront and brings on guests to discuss it from varying perspectives.

Re-learning what our minds have been stuck in is so important to our personal growth, and this podcast pushes us to change our minds and our hearts.

This season is focused on Death & Dying, a universal experience yet an often unspoken topic. Ashley’s guests discuss preparing for, talking about, and supporting others through end-of-life moments. It’s a heavy one, but a discussion I think we all need at some point in our lives. Listen here >>

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

If you’ve been around the self-improvement space already, you’ve probably heard the name Jay Shetty. A former monk turned bestselling author and life coach, he brings wisdom and purpose to every episode of On Purpose.

Each week, Jay interviews experts and celebrities who share their personal stories and strategies for living with intention, finding inner peace, and cultivating meaningful relationships.

The podcast reminds me that growth is a daily practice, and Jay’s soothing voice and thoughtful approach make complex ideas feel approachable. Listen here >>

The Art of Listening

We learn through connection, and the best way to connect is to listen and hold space for one another. Eileen Dunn’s podcast The Art of Listening reminds us of this week after week. Her interviews with experts in therapy give us a new perspective on the relations between people and the lessons we can learn through talk therapy. This is a great listen to learn more about human connection. Listen here >>

Sisters in Sobriety

At its core Sisters in Sobriety is a raw, honest look at life beyond alcohol. After both embracing sobriety, they share their personal journeys of recovery, exploring the ups and downs of life without drinking.

Well you may not consider yourself in need of a sobriety podcast, I promise there’s something in this show for everyone. No matter your relationship with alcohol currently, sisters-in-law Sonia Kahlon and Kathleen Killen, bring new and interesting takes that make us reflect, and be honest about how we face struggles in our lives. At the same time, they share fun and relatable conversations.

Each episode gets into topics like emotional sobriety, mindful living, and navigating social life alcohol-free, offering listeners a blend of support, inspiration, and humor.

Their candid conversations remind us that sobriety is not just about quitting alcohol, but about embracing a more mindful, empowered lifestyle. Listen here >>

Blue Sky

Hosted by Bill Burke, founder of The Optimism Institute, Blue Sky brings a great dose of inspiration and optimism to the week. In a world of constant bad news, Blue Sky shares the stories of leaders and big thinkers with a contagious sense of optimism.

This podcast invites us to lift our heads above the clouds and see the possibilities, even when things feel overwhelming. Bill’s conversations are often with individuals taking on challenges much bigger than the ones I face in my day-to-day, but they leave me reflecting on how a positive mindset can shape the way we tackle our own struggles, no matter how big or small. Listen here >>

The Whole Damn Pie!

If you’re feeling tired of settling for just a slice of life, listen in to The Whole Damn Pie hosted by Amalia Martino, founder of The Vida Agency. Amalia leads conversations that challenge us to think about what “the whole pie” even means – whether it’s health, success, personal growth, or leaving a lasting legacy. The podcast brings a lot of clarity: whether it’s finding balance and the fun in life, redefining our relationship with money, or even addressing equity and social justice. With Amalia’s relatable, down-to-earth approach, she shares her personal and professional experiences while learning from her guests along the way. Listen here >>

The Happiness Lab

If you’ve been living your life chasing the next big thing, thinking it will bring you happiness, you’re doing it all wrong. What does make us happy? Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos started The Happiness Lab to tell us. She’s spent years studying the science of happiness, only to realize most of us aren’t seeking happiness in the best way. Through The Happiness Lab, Dr. Santos shares the latest scientific research and inspiring (and surprising!) stories that will change the way you think about happiness. Listen here >>

Life Kit

Need some practical advice to help you face this challenge of being human? Listen to LifeKit (and check out their entire archive). LifeKit by NPR is hosted by Marielle Segarra, and covers everything from sleep strategies and budgeting tips to parenting hacks and beyond. Episodes are only 20 minutes or shorter, so easily fit into your day. They feature conversations with experts who share clear tips to help you tackle life’s hurdles with confidence. Listen here >>

Talks with Dr Shafer

What I love most about Talks with Dr. Shafer is her incredibly soothing voice. It reels me in and lets me relax alongside the show. Her thoughtful approach makes each episode feel like a meaningful conversation with a wise friend.

Talks with Dr. Shafer invites us all to reclaim our stories and envision a brighter future. Hosted by Dr. Shafer Stedron, MD, this show blends her expertise as a physician, life coach, and author to create a truly calming and insightful experience. Each week we hear the personal journey of a guest, and learn from their experience of overcoming obstacles and striving for a fulfilling life. From addressing mental and emotional well-being to exploring the intersection of health and personal growth, this podcast offers a safe space for reflection and connection. Listen here >>

This article was provided by Lower Street as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

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Evelyn Hill from the Lower Street team has gathered a recommended listening list of eleven podcasts that take on the issues of sustainability, our well-being in a changing world, and climate change. Each show offers unique insights and actionable ideas, empowering listeners to engage with the challenges we face and explore solutions. From discussions on renewable energy to the crimes of Big Oil, and to the intricacies of climate policy or feminism in climate change, these podcasts serve as vital resources for anyone looking to take their understanding a step further this Climate Week.

Here’s what we recommend tuning into:

50 Shades of Green

The podcast of New York Climate Week 2024, presented by the Climate Group. While the Group has always been green, they believe it is time to explore every shade – from business to government and the social sectors. This podcast explores the ways green action shows up across all sectors, keeping listeners in the know of what organisations are doing for a better future.

Every episode features discussions with experts, activists, and business leaders about innovative solutions and strategies to combat climate change. 50 Shades of Green aims to inspire listeners to engage with environmental issues and promote sustainable practices. Listen here >>

Healthy Spaces

When we heard that the theme of this year’s Climate Week is “Health” Healthy Spaces was our first thought. A podcast presented by Trane Technologies, Healthy Spaces explores how climate technology and sustainable innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, and play.

While not focused on health in a medical sense, Healthy Spaces considers the health and well-being of our environment and us as individuals, how they are intricately connected, and how we cannot focus on one without the other.

Co-hosted by the team of Dominique Silva, Scott Tew, and Oakley Roberts – each episode features conversations with sustainability leaders, startups, and scientists on what’s next and how their work positively impacts people and the planet. Listen here >>

Climate Clinic

When it comes to the climate and our medical health, there is no better podcast to tune into than Climate Clinic. The Climate Clinic Podcast is an initiative by the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) that focuses on climate change and its effects on human health. Episodes feature four distinct segments: “Be the Expert,” which covers recent research; “Code Red,” offering in-depth discussions with experts; “Be the Change,” highlighting innovative solutions in healthcare; and “Code Green,” a student-led segment addressing climate health issues.

The podcast aims to empower listeners to understand and address the climate health crisis effectively. Listen here >>

We the Children

We the Children is a podcast for all ages but especially aims to inspire young minds and educators to take action for a sustainable future. This is a show for kids to learn more about the climate crisis, and the environment, but have some fun along the way, too. Young Zach wants to learn as much as he can about climate change science, stories, and solutions, and share with his peers. Each episode includes interviews with experts and activists, breaking down complex topics to be understood by all. Listen here >>

Navigating Zero

Whether or not we realize it, shipping and global trade affect us all – it’s how we access the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the items we use every day. Yet, shipping can also have a major impact on the climate. But ZeroNorth is working to provide insights to help global shipping optimize voyages, reduce carbon emissions, and improve commercial performance while leading the green transition.

Navigating Zero explores this industry’s transformation to a greener future. While the first series aimed to give listeners a better idea of how the shipping industry functions, this year Navigating Zero looked at how regulations, business, and policy are all taking steps towards zero emissions in global trade. Listen here >>

Climate Vision 2050

Take a step into the future where the world has successfully navigated the climate crisis with Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Hosted by journalist Georgie Frost, the podcast explores innovative solutions and collaborative efforts among governments, businesses, and even us as individuals to achieve sustainability and drastically reduce carbon emissions by 2050.

Each episode presents a narrative that combines storytelling with scientific insights, creating a hopeful vision for the future of our planet.

The podcast has been recognized for its excellence, notably receiving in 2023 a W3 Gold award for Best Branded Podcast, Individual Episodes & Specials-Corporate Communications, and a Silver award for Podcasts Best Innovation & Creativity, Individual Episodes in Environmental & Sustainability and the Best Use of Writing. The show also received a nomination for a Webby Award in the Sustainability & Environment category in 2023, as well as an Honoree for Original Music Score / Best Sound Design in 2024. All this recognition highlights its impactful approach to discussing climate change and sustainability issues. Listen here >>

Drilled

The popular True Crime genre meets Climate Change and our environment. Drilled is an award-winning podcast hosted by investigative journalist Amy Westervelt that explores climate change through the lens of crime.

Launched in 2018, it discusses the history and impact of fossil fuel companies, focusing on their continued role in spreading climate denial and misinformation.

Each season addresses different climate issues, such as legal battles against Big Oil, the industry’s public relations strategies, and the influence of corporate free speech on climate action. The podcast was originally a limited series but it has evolved into an ongoing investigative project, making it one of the most listened-to climate podcasts available today. Listen here >>

SystemShift

Greenpeace has released a number of important podcasts that are worth a listen, but a favourite of ours is SystemShift. This podcast focuses on the urgent need for a transition to sustainable and equitable economic systems.

It looks at our future and the climate from an economic standpoint and explores what a well-being economy could look like and how to achieve it. The show addresses the concerns and anxieties of us individuals while sharing knowledge about the current economic realities and potential solutions.

Episodes feature discussions that connect environmental issues with social and economic transformations. Listen here >>

Zero

Bloomberg Green’s podcast Zero explores innovative solutions to achieve net-zero emissions. Hosted by Akshat Rathi, the podcast features discussions with experts, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, highlighting groundbreaking ideas and technologies aimed at combating climate issues. Each episode delves into specific sectors, such as energy and manufacturing, showcasing how various industries can transition to sustainable practices. The podcast aims to inform and inspire listeners about the possibilities of a greener future while addressing the complexities involved in this global effort. Listen here >>

Mothers of Invention

What do feminism and climate change have to do with each other? More than you think, and Mothers of Invention is here to tell us all about it. Hosted by former Irish President Mary Robinson, comedian Maeve Higgins, and producer Thimali Kodikara, they focus on the intersection of climate change and feminism.

The podcast explores the idea that climate change is a man-made problem with a feminist solution. The podcast features guests from around the world who are fighting for climate justice, including activists, scientists, and politicians. It aims to raise awareness about climate change and highlight the work of women, particularly those from the global south, who are leading the movement for climate justice. Listen here >>

AND is the Future

Hosted by Ilham Kadri, CEO of Solvay, AND is the Future dives into the intersection of business, sustainability, and technology. Kadri brings her wealth of experience in driving sustainability within one of the world’s leading chemical companies to the podcast, interviewing global thought leaders and innovators. Each episode explores how businesses are evolving to address climate challenges through collaboration, innovation, and bold, long-term strategies, delivering insights that inspire actionable change. Listen here >>

Final Thoughts

While we admit there are many more podcasts addressing climate change, sustainable action, and the journey to a green future, this list includes our favourites and go-to recommendations for anyone interested in learning more. There’s something for everyone and we hope you find one you enjoy.

Think we missed a great one? We’d love to add it to our listening queue, so let us know.

In the meantime, enjoy New York Climate Week, and happy listening.

This article was provided by Lower Street as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

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My name is Scroobius Pip and I’m a full-time podcast listener. Here’s what I’ve been listening to recently.

Here Comes The Guillotine

Each week Frankie Boyle, Susan McCabe & Christopher MacArthur-Boyd attempt to talk about what’s been going on in their worlds and the wider world, but more often than not just end up talking about stuff I can’t in good conscience commit to text in this set of recommendations.

Either way, this is consistently the first thing on my listen list when a new episode drops.

For better or for worse… Listen here >>

Three Bean Salad

Three Bean Salad* is a podcast I’ve had recommended to me for YEARS but, for some reason, only got round to listening to this year. And boy was it worth the wait.

Well, to be specific, boy was Henry Paker worth the wait. I hadn’t come across Henry until Three Bean Salad and I am now, to be blunt, obsessed.

But that’s not to downplay the joy brought to me by the other two hosts, Mike Wozniak and Benjamin Partridge. Listen here >>

*For more information on Three Bean Salad, check out Suchandrika Chakrabarti’s guide on where to start with the podcast!

Lucy & Sam’s Perfect Brains

Having adored hosts Lucy Beaumont and Sam Campbell on Taskmaster I came into this podcast with an open mind. But seemingly not as open a mind as Lucy and Sam as I couldn’t have predicted the avenues and alleys of thought that would be explored by these glorious minds.

Throwing in guests like Tim Key, John Kearns and seemingly any random person Lucy has ever met… and your ears have a hell of a ride in store.

Be warned: it also features the most inexplicable but catchy theme tune in the podcasting world today. Listen here >>

Got A Problem Mate?

Each week Got a Problem Mate* (or GAPM if you’re nasty) sees comedians Joey Page and Bilal Zafar solve their own problems, their guests problems and the problems of their listeners.

Do they ACTUALLY solve many of the problems in any functional manner?

No.

Do they actually tend to add to the problems?

Sure.

Is it a joy of a listen?

YOU TELL ME, PAL. Listen here >>

*Watch Pip’s interview with Got A Problem Mate? 

Come Curious

Press play on Come Curious and things will get personal and intimate QUICKLY.

Hosts Florence Bark and Reed Amber have been at the forefront of sex positivity and open discussion and exploration of sexuality for around a decade now and they have the ability to make socially uncomfortable subjects seem like every day discussion points (as they probably should be).

Whether they’re being joined by an array of sexperts and sex workers or simply talking amongst themselves, it’s always an eye opening and positive experience. Listen here >>

Keep up with Pip’s news on his website scroobiuspip.co.uk or follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram or Twitch. 

The artwork of Scroobius Pip at the top of this article was created by Dan Evans. Find more of Dan’s work on Instagram, Twitter/X or on his website. 

You can also listen to the Distraction Pieces podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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Luckily, podcasts and audio geekiness go hand in hand of course – and so there’s a plethora of brilliant shows out there about sound. Here are five podcasts that will make you listen to the world differently.

Reasonably Sound

Reasonably Sound is a show that’s unapologetic about getting into the nitty gritty of all things sound. It’s presented by Mike Rugnetta, a writer, sound designer and audio engineer. Each episode zeroes in on a very specific theme – the one I listened to most recently is called ‘The Braaam’, and traces the history and science behind a very specific sound that seems to feature in every action movie trailer.

Mike delves deep into the detail, all the while peppering each episode with casual, tongue-in-cheek humour and weird and wonderful sound effects. He’s got a nice, approachable style – like a friend who’s excitedly sharing their favourite subject with you. Listen here >>

The Sound Detectives

Ostensibly a kids’ show, The Sound Detectives follows Detective Hunch and his new sidekick Audie the Ear – literally an ear – as they track down sounds that have mysteriously gone missing. LeVar Burton is involved too, playing the founder of the new Museum Of Sound. The podcast takes you along on the detectives’ hunt for missing sounds – like the barking of dogs, or the banging of fireworks.

What I love about The Sound Detectives is that it caters to kids and adults alike. There’s clearly an educational element – the first episode features Beth Taylor, Yellowstone Youth Education Program Manager, playing herself, celebrating the return of a mud pot sound and teaching us about her National Park in the process. As well as clever cameos like this, there’s an interactive side to it, too – kids (and maybe adults) get the opportunity to ‘guess the mystery sound’ at the end of each episode.

But also, it’s genuinely funny – whatever your age. The humour is very dry and I feel like Vinny Thomas (Hunch) and Jess McKenna (Audie) are riffing and improv’ing together quite a lot. The result is really nice – you follow the pair into some quirky conversations that you don’t really want to end. It’s not the type of humour I’d expect in a children’s show – offbeat in a really charming way. Listen here >>

99% Invisible

99% Invisible covers all sorts. They’re a podcast about ‘all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about’ – mostly, all things design and architecture. While the whole podcast isn’t about sound, the specific episode ‘The Sound Of Sports’ has to be included in this article.

This episode really took me aback with how much it taught me about how sound is used in sports programming. Among other things, the episode covers the imaginative ways microphones are used to capture sounds in live play, the way pre-recorded samples can be used when the ‘real’ sounds aren’t available, and even how sounds are used in video games like FIFA, and how that in turn then inspires the audio production for live sports games.

‘The Sound Of Sports’ is a wonderfully thorough episode. In one hour the team delves into an eclectic mix of sports, sounds and production techniques. They get a great range of guests, and these guests’ passion for such a niche subject shines through in a brilliant way. Listen here >>

Twenty Thousand Hertz

Another podcast that offers listeners an unprecedented level of access is Twenty Thousand Hertz, a show that reveals the stories behind the world’s most recognisable and interesting sounds. They’ve explored everything from Minecraft to our ‘inner voices’.

The episode I listened to most recently was called ‘TikTok’s Boom-Bling’, and it featured interviews with the production team behind TikTok’s sonic branding – that small noise that ends every one of their videos.

This was a fascinating listen because of how open the team was. They play a selection of old demos for the TikTok sound, and even share a story about a small mistake that was deliberately left in the finished product. That small mistake made a huge difference – and the fact that the Twenty Thousand Hertz team understands that, shows that they truly get sound. Listen here >>

Song Exploder

Whilst more specifically about music than sound as a whole, this one has a lot for the audio-nerd to appreciate. Produced and edited by host and creator Hrishikesh Hirway, Song Exploder describes itself as a show where ‘musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made’. It’s this ‘piece by piece’ element that places Song Exploder on my list today.

Each episode sees a producer or artist unpack the creation of a song, to a really granular level of detail. Their stories are accentuated by different solo instrument stems, or old song demos; (which, if you’re a music geek like me, are wonderful things to hear). It gets you thinking about all the different sounds that go together to make a song. I want to mention the back catalogue, too. A hugely varied list of artists is featured: from Hans Zimmer, to alt-J, to KT Tunstall. Listen here >>

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I’ve curated (or should I say ‘prescribed’) a selection of seven podcasts that cover different conditions. Whether you’re personally affected by an invisible disability or know someone who is, these shows serve to raise awareness and cultivate understanding.

Invisibly Ill

In 2023, three Kiwi women in their thirties started a podcast on the ups and downs of their respective experiences with invisible illnesses simply because they couldn’t find one. And in fact, there aren’t a lot of shows out there that don’t focus on one specific disability, or that aren’t affiliated with charities or support groups, which is why I think this is an ideal starting point for anyone seeking understanding and connection in their journey. Laura, Jenny, and Maeghan cope with separate illnesses (post-surgery chronic back pain, GERD, and triple-positive breast cancer), but what is great is that they always find common ground in the challenges they face daily. From diagnosis to recovery and coping with side effects, they openly share personal stories and mental health updates, creating a safe space through sometimes hopeful, sometimes raw talk. If you’ve ever heard the dismissive phrase ‘but you don’t look sick’, or any of its variables (‘it’s all in your mind’ and ‘you’re probably just stressed’ being strong contenders), you’ll love this as much as I do. Listen now >>

The Sick Gaze

Healthcare can pose extra challenges for women, particularly those with chronic illnesses. That’s precisely why we need more podcasts like The Sick Gaze, which explores how long-lasting invisible disorders affect women’s well-being, relationships, and self-identity. The cover art is what first drew me in—because it literally is just that: art. The more I look at it, the more it reminds me of a pop art, female version of Edward’s Munch ‘The Scream’. The title of this show is inspired by Laura Mulvey’s feminist concept of male gaze, which I also think is brilliant. Hosted by Molly Dickerson, a student in Public Health and Medical Humanities, the show centres mostly on young people and opts for interviews over casual conversations. This podcast advocates for a fairer healthcare system by tackling not just gender but also racial disparities, another issue that is unfortunately frequently overlooked. I thought the ‘Hear Black Women!’ episode was a powerful and very important account on that topic. Listen now >>

The Neurodivergent Woman

About 15-20% of people are neurodivergent, so there is a good chance you might know someone who is. Michelle Livock, a clinical neuropsychologist, and Monique Mitchelson, a (neurodivergent!) clinical psychologist, reached a pivotal moment in their careers when they recognized the disparity between the high number of patients seeking their assistance for neurodivergence and the limited education they had received on the matter. When I listened to the first episode of the podcast, I found this take very refreshing, as it’s something of a rarity to witness health professionals openly acknowledge their limitations. I truly believe anyone who goes out of their way to learn something because they’re genuinely curious about it is likely to be great at passing on that knowledge in a way that will actually stick to your brain. There is evidence that women are more likely to be misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed for neurodivergence, and Michelle and Monique focus on bridging the gender gap by helping women to embrace their brain’s distinct wiring rather than feeling constrained by it. From Autism to ADHD and beyond, they delve into topics like identification, sensory regulation, education and expression. Listen now >>

Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking

Who said people with learning disabilities couldn’t be some of the smartest in their field? Dyslexia is often portrayed in a negative light, and it’s a real shame that we don’t hear as much about the unique strengths that come with dyslexic thinking. Lateral thinking. Visual memory. A knack for creative problem-solving. All things I could use more of, to be honest. Hosted by Kate Griggs, the founder of global charity Made By Dyslexia, Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking explores how dyslexic thinking can be harnessed to bring about positive change in our world, offering an uplifting perspective on this invisible disability. In every episode, Kate interviews accomplished individuals spanning a wide array of fields, ranging from chefs and make-up artists to CEOs and celebrities you might not have known were dyslexic, like Hollywood actor Michael Provost. One of the first episodes even focuses on how UK intelligence agencies use dyslexic thinking to protect the country! Need I say more? Listen now >>

A Bipolar, a Schizophrenic and a Podcast

A winning combination indeed! Just as the podcast title suggests, Gabe grapples with bipolar disorder while Michelle battles schizophrenia. On paper, this already sounds like an explosive cocktail personality-wise. But just wait until you hear Gabe and Michelle tease each other for 40 minutes straight. The two have known each other IRL for a long time, so together, they have the type of ‘frenemies’ banter (their words, not mine) that’s sure to keep you laughing. If you’re anything like me and serious discussions about difficult topics tend to exacerbate your pre-existing worries, this show is for you. The high energy and sense of humour brought by the co-hosts really balances out the gravity of the matters being tackled. Both of them are champions for mental health awareness on and off the mic, so they are also very knowledgeable and encouraging. You can really tell they have been doing this weekly podcast for many years—if you want to dig up the first seasons, you’ll find them tucked away in their website’s archive section! Listen now>>

CUTI

We’re all familiar with UTIs, but what about chronic UTIs? CUTI is a narrative, short podcast about Chronic Urinary Tract Infections, an illness predominantly affecting women that is often misconstrued or questioned by medical practitioners due to its recent acknowledgment. First of all, it’s really rare to find health podcasts that aren’t conversational. CUTI has a mix of heartfelt patient’s accounts, pretty ground-breaking expert insights considering how under the radar this disease is, and well-written scripted voiceover. I don’t have any links with the topic, and yet that storytelling element dragged me from the first episode, and I found myself wanting to learn more about this condition. Not only does this series underscore the misconceptions surrounding chronic UTIs, but it also addresses the significant waste of time and energy resulting from them, between misdiagnoses, dismissive treatment, and delayed recognition—an endless cycle that anyone with an invisible disease can relate to (yes, we’re all traumatized). Listen now >>

This Podcast Will Kill You

Ever wished to delve into the historical backdrop of a disease and unravel how it shapes our current understanding of it? If you’re a science nerd, or even a history nerd, you’re bound to love This Podcast Will Kill You. While not exclusively focused on invisible illnesses, this conversational podcast features numerous episodes addressing conditions like long COVID, vision impairment or lupus—lesser-known/more ‘recent’ diseases your GP might not be so knowledgeable about. Each episode of this show kicks off with a firsthand account from a patient and concludes with an exploration of the current global status of the disease and promising new treatments, ending on a positive note. Co-hosts Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke, both accomplished scientists, do a fantastic job at making medical research accessible, and even manage to sprinkle some humour along the way. When I first listened to the podcast, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities in dynamic and format with iHeart’s Stuff You Missed in History Class, and that’s a compliment because it’s one of the first podcasts I fell in love with. Listen now >>

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Eloïse Bertil is an emerging French-English bilingual podcast producer, marketer and writer from Reunion Island, now based in London.

The post 7 podcasts about invisible illnesses for Mental Health Awareness Week appeared first on POD BIBLE.

The UK’s political landscape can be confusing at the best of times. We continue to gain and lose party leaders quicker than it takes a lettuce to wilt, and when it comes to election season, UK politics can be downright impenetrable. Trying to keep up with local elections, general elections, by-elections and party-internal-elections, it can be easy to be overwhelmed, angered or downright bored by what’s happening in the news.

Luckily, there are podcasters out there doing the good work of picking apart just what is happening. From roaring entertainment to shows that carry out important reporting, these podcasts can help you unpack what’s really happening in politics and current affairs.

The Bugle
Recommended by Suchandrika Chakrabarti

Launched in 2007 by Andy Zaltzman (Radio 4’s The News Quiz) and John Oliver, who co-hosted until 2015, when Oliver sadly disappeared from public life. The podcast was originally on Times Online, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News International, but the podcast has never been afraid to bite the hand that feeds it, particularly during the 2011 News International phone hacking scandal. The Times dropped The Bugle at the end of that year for completely unrelated reasons… Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell could never. It’s proudly left-wing, bitingly satirical and filled with inventive cricket-related imagery: the perfect politics podcast. Listen here >>

Trendy
Recommend by Tom Nicholson

It can often feel like politics and the idea of ‘what people are really talking about’ is just something to be booted around by pundits, but if you’re a bit sick of the Westminster machine Trendy plants itself sturdily on facts and evidence rather than personality and narrative. Each time a big topic in British or international politics – social mobility, populism, net zero – is examined through polls and data. It could be a bit wonkish and dry, but the nation’s favourite pollster Sir John Curtice and former Downing Street advisor Rachel Wolff keep things moving smoothly. Listen here >>

The Bunker
Recommended by Zainab Amer

Finding a politics podcast disseminating news away from the mainstream is tricky. Thankfully, I stumbled across The Bunker. This podcast delivers daily reporting alongside a weekly round-up of hot topics. The mix of bite-sized episodes and under-reported stories offers a unique perspective on traditional political discourse. Hosted by a diverse array of commentators, from comedians to academics, The Bunker explores fascinating topics from across the globe. Standout episodes include expert analysis of illegal mining in South Africa and the proliferation of digital nomadism, including its connection to racism. While some reporting indeed toes political lines, it provides fresh outlooks on others. Listen here >>

Oh God, What Now?
Recommended by Katie Stokes

When keeping up with British politics, I find myself using the title phrase of this podcast more and more frequently. Oh God, What Now?, formerly known as Remainiacs, is a bi-weekly panel show making politics entertaining and bearable. If you hadn’t guessed from the former name, the show is left-leaning so don’t expect impartial views. But the chemistry of the panel is fun and they have great segments including ‘Stories under the radar’ and ‘Heroes and villains of the week’ alongside their central question and commentary on the latest developments in UK politics. An engaging and digestible listen! Listen here >>

Paper Cuts
Recommended by Francesca Turauskis

I find it really difficult to read newspapers – not just because of the space it takes to sit down with them (mental space, time space, and physical space if we’re talking about broadsheets…) but also because I can’t help but see the agenda of the various papers, rather than the stories. If you’re the same, Paper Cuts is the perfect podcast to help – I find the tagline “we read the newspapers so you don’t have to” very accurate. A mixed panel of writers, political commentators and comedians riffle through the headlines of the British Press every week day, explaining, analysing and applauding the wit of the best headlines. It’s very entertaining, with just enough information. (Ed. note – I’m realising as I upload that this makes a Podmasters triple for this list, alongside The Bunker and Oh God, What Now?) Listen here >>

Recommendations from our Newsletter:

The Trouble with Politics – Marverine Cole explores the state of the UK’s political system with a focus on “perspectives often skimmed over on mainstream news programmes”. This gives a much-needed discussion on the racist comments made about Diane Abbott by a Tory donor, and Marverine unashamedly promotes the need to vote, with one of her television friends announcing this at the end of episodes. Listen here >>

Media Storm – Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are usually asked last. “Migrants”, “criminals” and “sex workers” are some of the biggest stars in the headlines, yet we rarely actually hear from them. This show hands them the mic. Listen now >>

Pod Save The UK – Our cover stars from Issue #027 have remained chart-topping since it launched a year ago. As host Coco Khan explained best, Pod Save The UK is 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.” Listen now >>

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Want weekly recommendations for podcasts? Make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter to find out about our favourite shows! Do you have a podcast you want us to know about? Get in touch here.

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Technology has recently been dominating the headlines. Elon Musk mentioned, “I think we really are on the edge of probably the biggest technology revolution that has ever existed,” – a bold statement, but fair.

From travel to medical, cyber security to everyday activities, the technological landscape is wonderful and terrifying in equal measure, and also vast. We’re careering headfirst into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which for many is a recipe for tech confusion.

Without a doubt, technology has improved our lives. However, with the quick development of tools like ChatGPT, worries about cyber security, bots, unchecked misinformation, and data security breaches, it raises important questions about what role technology plays—or will play—in our lives.

Terrifying? Yes. Should we panic? Probably not, because there is help at hand.

Podcasts offer a Smörgåsbord of up-to-date information that could keep us all ahead of the technological curve. However, much like the above mentioned technical landscape, the tech podcast category is vast and forever growing. So, in order to help you better understand this wild, wild west, here are five very different, but valuable technology podcasts.

GenAI on GenAI
E1 – ‘Introduction: Meet GENE’

Business leaders are in a bit of a quandary, how do you incorporate GenAI? Generative AI is slated to be the most significant change to business. So, what if there was a GenAI podcast co-host who was ready, willing and beyond able to help advise us all on the impact of GenAI is having on business and the workforce?

GenAI on GenAi is a four part series created by the highly knowledgeable team at BCG (Boston Consulting Group). Led by Paul Michelman, BCG’s editor-in-chief, cohost GENE, the world’s first business AI podcaster, GenAI on GenAI  helps leaders to understand the state of AI in business today; how it’ll reshape industries in the future; and how companies can use AI responsibly.

As far as synthetic entities go, GENE is intelligent, considerate, and wittier than people like me could ever hope to be. A tech podcast must-listen for all who are trying to future-proof themselves and their businesses. Listen now >>

Tech Matters
‘Defending Indigenous Rights with Data, with Emily Jacobi of Digital Democracy’

With Who Trolled Amber released last month, the Tech Matters podcast couldn’t be more timely! The emergence of generative AI, bots, and deepfakes has distorted online information, with some instances even influencing election results and trial outcomes. The digital landscape and our future is looking pretty bleak.

But there are those who are trying to rewrite the narrative by using their skills to build a better world and drive positive social change. Tech Matters is a series on how we can use tech for good. Tech Matters is hosted by the charismatic Jim Fruchterman, CEO of Tech Matters and Tech for Good entrepreneur.

Technology is a formidable force that we often take for granted. However, we must not forget that its immense power can sometimes result in unpredictable outcomes. Tech Matters explores how Digital Democracy is empowering marginalized communities, taking down corruption, and using data for good. Listen now >>

Whiskey, Web and Whatnot: Web Development, Neat
‘Hot Takes, Web Technologies and Learning to Code with Ken Wheeler.’

Casual chats, great guests and belly laughs. Whiskey, Web and Whatnot is the refreshingly, oaky flavoured show that breaks through the industry jargon and humanizes the world of web development, all while sipping the best whiskey.

Hosted by veteran web developers RobbieTheWagner and Charles William Carpenter III, these guys interview top industry professionals, diving deep into their stories while gathering advice for aspiring web developers. Topics touch on everything from web development, JavaScript, TypeScript, EmberJS to React to Astro, SolidJS, CSS, HTML, Web3, and so much more.

Breaking away from the constant AI talks of other shows, their goal is to focus on the more human side of developers. So, grab a glass tumbler, your best bottle of whiskey, and kick back by the fireside with the WWW guys. Listen now >>

HPE’s Technology Untangled

Hewlett Packard may conjure up images of quality printers and scanners, but HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) is all about edge-to-cloud, enterprise computer IT, data, and security solutions, and Tech Untangled is a tech must listen.

Technology Untangled simply asks, why isn’t talking about tech simple? Technology Untangled’s 30 minute episodes, guided by host Michael Bird, is ideal for keeping you on track through a series of interviews, stories, and analyses with some of the industry’s brightest brains. Listen now >>

LinkedIn’s Big Technology Podcast:

“Entertaining and Informative,” those two words don’t often go hand in hand when talking about the indepth world of tech. But, the Big Technology Podcast from LinkedIn is just that. Alex Kantrowitz, a Silicon Valley journalist, keeps these longform episodes moving at a great pace.

From Elon Musk suing OpenAi to Foursquare’s founder making the internet fun again, tech chat has never been so beguiling. No empty fluff, just smart commentary that offers honest and nuanced perspectives through interviews with quality guests.

The title says it all really – It’s big, it’s about tech, and it’s a podcast. What more can I say? It’s a strong fan favourite, and I’m sure you’ll love it too. Listen now >>

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This article was provided by Lower Street.

The post LOWER STREET RECOMMENDS: 5 Podcasts for understanding tech in our everyday appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Some of our writers have recommended their favourite new shows – all of the released in the past four months. And of course, we catch-up on some of the shows we’ve been recommending weekly in our newsletter…

Self Help by Scottee
Recommended by Suchandrika Chakrabarti

Multi-hyphenate writer and performer Scottee has made a podcast about mental health, which feels like a series of deeply intimate voice notes from your mate who’s just had an epiphany they had to share. As Scottee strode through the rain, I trudged through the drizzle, and listened to him laying out the podcast’s mission statement: “What happens when I’m left alone with the voices in my head, something doctors are always trying to stop me from doing.” Spending time alone with Scottee’s voice in your head is alternately painful and uplifting, illuminating and righteous-anger-provoking. His words will stay with you. Listen now >>

Things Fell Apart – Series 2
Recommended by Tom Nicholson

Jon Ronson’s excellent culture wars pod returns for a second series picking away at the wrong presumptions and half-truths which spawned some of the most insidious wedge issues in British and American politics. This time the conspiracy theory which says 15-minute cities are a Big Government plot is traced back to a meeting at Chipping Norton Town Hall, the death of George Floyd is connected to a spurious mental health diagnosis in the eighties, and lockdown laws in Michigan get a young man mixed up in a terrible crime. Level-headed, humane and meticulous. Listen now >>

The Gatekeepers
Recommended by Zainab Amer

In this eight-part series, author and journalist Jamie Bartlett journeys into Big Tech’s dominance over information. The first episode transports us back to the Capitol riots in 2021 and Trump’s subsequent Twitter suspension. Marking a pivotal moment, Jamie traces social media’s roots back to the 1960s counterculture and a Bill passed by Clinton. Featuring compelling interviews with early tech pioneers, we are left pondering: where do we go from here? The Gatekeepers offers us a fly-on-the-wall experience for anyone interested in how a handful of companies have come to dictate not just what we see, but even what we think. Listen now >>

Never Post
Recommended by Katie Stokes

I love listening to commentary about the internet on the internet. It’s a uniquely meta experience, one I’ve thoroughly enjoyed on the newly released Never Post. The first few episodes are loaded with questions about life online – what is Posting Disease? Why does “influencer voice” exist? When did metrics replace community? And who better qualified to host than Mike Rugnetta, veteran internet dweller and creator who adds this to his array of podcast and video content. Mike shares recent news about the web and story segments with guests, with playful interludes throughout. If the first few episodes are indicative of what’s to come, we can expect curated and creative observations from unexpected pockets of the internet. Listen now >>

GASBAGS
Recommended by Francesca Turauskis

If you’re after a masterclass in how to do a buddy podcast to a professional standard, give GASBAGS a go. Given that the show is run by audio-producers, Anna Perrott and Sophie Little, it’s no surprise that this podcast sounds great, and part of the draw for me was the meta-audio concept. Anna and Sophie speak to us from their non-profit podcast studio SOUNDYARD, and offer much-needed transparency to the ups and downs of running a small business as women (with questionable maths skills). This show could have been dry… but the friendship chat is wholesome without being bloated, and the solid structure keeps episodes under half an hour. As a bonus for audio fans, every episode has podcast recommendations and a ‘found sound’ of the week to keep your ears attuned. I am slightly obsessed. Listen now >>

The Plug Podcast
Recommended by Takudzwa Mudiwa

The Plug Podcast connects content creators of colour to creative opportunities. Host Simone Pennant lets us into the conversations her community are having about TV (for example, the response to Jeremy Hunt’s comments comparing British TV to “Hollywood” even though it is facing a major economic downturn) and just four episodes in, there is already a never-ending list of names providing a mix of concrete advice and words of encouragement. This is a thoughtful podcast for creatives of colour and is very informative for anyone who is just interested in TV. The name ‘The Plug’ comes from the idea that someone provides you with valuable resources and information and that is exactly what this podcast does. Listen now >>

Recommendations from our newsletter:

Camlann – one for fiction fans, this podcast is inspired by Arthurian legends but set in a post-apocalyptic Wales. The music and voice acting are both very moving. Listen now >>

Weird Transfers – A series to add to your list of football podcasts, this well-thought-out mini series comes from Sumit Sharma of Breaking Atoms: The Hip Hop Podcasts. It looks into weird football transfers and ran during this season’s transfer window. Listen now >> 

Serial: Series Four – It needs a recommendation as Serial has once again made it to the top of the charts, but the new looks into the truth of Guantánamo in the way only Serial can. Listen now >>

The 3 Body Podcast – Obsessed with the Netflix new series? Did you know there is a companion podcast? There’s a lot to unpack in the 3 Body Problem, and the podcast goes deeper into aspects that are difficult to address in the sci-fi format. Listen now >>

Dead River – Dead River is the story of Brazil’s worst environmental disaster — the Mariana dam collapse — that claimed the lives of 19 people. This isn’t just a tale about the tragedy itself though, but rather a look at the relationship with nature, pursuit of happiness, the impact of greed, and the overnight disappearance of centuries-old traditions. Listen now >>

Oceans: Life Under Water – A collaboration between Crowd Network and Greenpeace UK, this podcast aims to connect people to the world we don’t often see under water. Each episode brings us a couple of interviews and some watery sound design as wildlife filmmaker and broadcaster Hannah Stitfall meets freedivers, whale experts, and much more. Listen now >>

Untold: The Retreat – A fascinating first story for the new investigative series from the Financial Times. Untold: The Retreat examines a group that promotes the intensive meditation known as Vipassana. Thousands of people go on Goenka retreats every year to practise Vispassana, but some participants feel a deep sense of terror, and even a break with reality after such deep meditation. Listen now >> 

Want weekly recommendations for new podcasts? Make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter to find out about our favourite new shows as they are released! Do you have a new podcast you want us to know about? Get in touch here.

The post The best new podcasts of SPRING 2024 appeared first on POD BIBLE.

But it’s not just a case of looking for the nearest set of oddballs in robes and pointing a microphone at them. Invariably the podcasts about cults which work best, and which make the best use of podcasting as a medium, don’t really look like cult stories at all. They’re about the ways in which a whole array of difficulties can combine to lead a person to look for meaning in places where most of us never go.

Cult stories aren’t really about cults; they’re about the gaps in society which people can fall through, and where they end up when they feel they’ve nowhere left to go. Here are nine of the best podcasts about cults.

Sounds Like a Cult

If you’ve been thinking of cults purely in terms of very spindly blokes with beards and sandals promising good vibes to anyone committed enough to hand over their Monzo card, you’ve had it all wrong. Amanda Montell and Isa Medina are joined by a new guest each episode to pick apart how the mechanics of cults are at play in all sorts of places: K-pop fandom, corporate America, Coachella, Peloton, the Boy Scouts, Apple, diet culture. Honestly, you’ll be amazed if it turns out you’ve not been in a cult all this time. Listen now >>

A Very British Cult

For Jeff, Lighthouse seemed to be exactly what its name promised: a beacon of hope and guidance during a difficult time in his life. The life-coaching company said it could set him straight and put him on a path to abundance and freedom. But his sister Dawn saw that it was leaching him of his self-confidence and his cash – to the tune of £100,000. This investigation from some of the team behind The Missing Cryptoqueen is often difficult to listen to as Jeff is crushed and trapped, but it’s compulsive too. Listen now >>

Escaping NXIVM

The luridness of what used to go on at NXIVM – grooming, sexual abuse, branding rituals with hot irons – made it a huge news story in 2018, and as soon as you thought you’d hit the most bizarre revelation another would pop up. Hang on: Allison Mack from Smallville’s involved? But focusing on just those lurid aspects ignores the wreckage which NXIVM strewed through its victims’ lives. CBC’s seven-part examination came out just after the ringleaders were arrested in 2018, and is as thorough and sober a telling as you’ll find. Listen now >>

The Orgasm Cult

There’s been a libel case hanging over this one for a couple of years, as the founder and former exec of OneTaste – a “sexuality-focused wellness education” organisation – attack the BBC over its accusations of manipulation and extortionate prices for enlightenment. OneTaste offered classes in “orgasmic meditation”, which is roughly what it sounds like, but this podcast suggests it was exploiting the women who came to it hoping for answers. It’s not a pure wibbly-woo cult story; there is a hard edge here, and is as much a business investigation as anything else. Listen now >>

The New Gurus

Now that cults and how they work are fairly well-trodden ground, you’d assume that most smart, level-headed people would be able to spot the red flags and skip on by. But as Helen Lewis points out, the methods which were once used to flog mysticism and self-knowledge are still around – they’re just being wrapped up in all sorts of new guises. While not strictly about cults, Lewis shows how techno-utopians promising the earth are speaking to people anxious about what’s to come, and the scions of, say, pick-up artistry, certainly have big cult vibes. Listen now >>

Trust Me

Most cult-concerned podcasts are limited, bingeable series, but this is an always-on one dedicated to talking to survivors of cults about how their particular sect worked, how they got out, and how they managed to readjust to mainstream life afterwards. Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth are the perfect hosts: both are cult survivors themselves, and can probe in a way that doesn’t feel exploitative or judgemental. Recent guests have included Crystal Hefner on the Playboy Mansion and Jenna Miscavige Hill on getting out of Scientology. Listen now >>

The Coming Storm

When the Capitol building was stormed on 6 January 2021, the world suddenly woke up to the very real danger which the QAnon conspiracy posed to sanity and democracy. To show how a niche subculture on the 4Chan imageboard gestated, warped and metastasised to take over people’s entire lives and a frightening chunk of the Republican party, BBC reporter Gabriel Gatehouse goes all the way back to the very beginning, and the discovery of a dead body in a park. Listen now >>

Filthy Ritual

Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala from true crime podcast RedHanded tell the story of how a North London neighbourhood became the playground of a shamanic healer who convinced her clients to hand over hundreds of thousands of pounds. Maguire and Bala are engagingly wry hosts who nonetheless get over the strange hold which Juliet d’Souza had over otherwise rational, reasonable people. Listen now >>

Plus one from our Digital Editor:

The Commune
Recommended by Francesca Turauskis

“I couldn’t let this article go out without adding my own recommendation for The Commune, which won the ‘Podcast of the Year’ at the New Zealand Podcast Awards in 2022. For New Zealanders, Centrepoint is notorious – as was it’s Founder, Herbert “Bert” Potter. Started in 1977 just outside the town of Albany, it positioned itself as an alternative lifestyle. In reality, it was abusive and psychological manipulative, with unmonitored forms of group therapy and widely reported sexual abuse, drug use, and local corruption. The Commune features interviews with previous Centrepoint residents (some of whom look back on Centrepoint fondly) and people who lived near by, and ultimately tries to figure out, how did it happen.” Listen now >>

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As well as bringing us International Women’s Day, March is also Women’s History Month. So much of the history we are taught focuses on the male perspective, and the same can be said of many history podcasts. Even when searching for the best women’s history podcasts,  quite often you will be recommended podcasts from the USA, and focused on American history. So for those of you searching for some UK-based women’s history podcasts, we’ve pulled together some shows that look at the history on our doorstep.

History Becomes Her

Who inspires the women making history right now? In History Becomes Her, Mashable journalist Rachel Thompson speaks to some of the women making change today about the women of the past who paved the way for them. Episodes include journalist Zing Tsjeng talking about pirate queens, and Ruth Hunt speaking about Virginia Woolfe and LGBQT+ history. This is also a great one to listen to for the book recommendations to add to your reading list. Listen now >>

Hell Cats

Speaking of pirate queens, a great Audible Original podcast to listen to this month is Hell Cats. It tells the little-known story of history’s most progressive pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. This is a fictionalised version of a true story, so expect adventure on the high seas and an enduring love affair between the women.  This has had great reviews on Audible, with one listener saying “The sound design is like watching a series with your eyes closed”. Listen now on Audible>>

History Cafe

This podcast isn’t exclusively for women’s history, but it has some great episodes that delve into lesser-known parts of British women’s history. In a short series running this month ‘The Secret History of the Suffragettes’, they “peel away the Pankhurst monopoly to reveal something much uglier”. Learn about the WSPU and the terrorist tactics they employed in the name of women’s voting rights.  Listen now >>

Outliers

Another podcast that looks at history from an interesting angle, Outliers is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events filter down to the people left out of the history books. Made by Historic Royal Palaces, in association with Rusty Quill (who are most popular for making fiction podcast The Magnus Archives and Stellar Firma) each episode has a writer pick a lesser-known person associated with a historical event, and write a monologue from their point of view. I really enjoyed Fresh Sweat and Cloves, where we hear from the widow of Walter Raleigh. Listen now >>

It’s A Continent

This podcast is here to remind us that Africa is a continent, not a country. And as such, there is a lot of history for many of us to unpack. For Women’s History Month, check out some of the episodes devoted to women who have changed their countries. ‘Queen Nzinga: Angola’s Protector’ was made famous by fighting against the slave trade and European influence, whilst ‘Wangari, Kenya’s mother’ tells the story of Wangari Maathai, who was the first Black woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Listen now >>

Same Sh!t, Different Century

In the Women’s March in 2017, three women went viral for dressing as suffragettes and marching with a sign that said “Same Shit, Different Century”. They were Costume Coordinators Amy Trend, Hannah Monkley and Amy Toll, and this is their podcast. Made back in 2018, there are only eight episodes and the first couple are very homemade. But this is a great podcast diving deep into one aspect of history, and it often pops up in lists for offering a different angle on women’s history. Listen now>>

Normal Women

This podcast was created to be released alongside Philippa Gregory’s history book, Normal Women, but it’s not a book podcast but rather a standalone series based on the book premise. The eight-part series doesn’t focus on the normal podcast narrative about the three or four well-known historical heroines. It is a dive into the normal women who we don’t learn about in history, whether they left records or were ‘hidden from history’ in the everyday. Listen now >>

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We’re a very podcast-savvy nation now. More than 70% of the UK population are familiar with podcasts, and fewer people are asking “what’s a podcast?” these days. But it can still be hard to know where to start, and easy to be overwhelmed by how many podcasts there are out there.

But don’t worry – Pod Bible is here to help you narrow it down. In fact, that’s what we’ve been about for half a decade now. Our introduction to some of the best podcasts for beginners has been pulled from our magazine archive. These are some of the biggest podcasts around and we’ve laid out who the hosts are, how many episodes there are and why we think you might like these shows if you’ve never listened to a podcast before. Plus, the hosts share their own elevator pitch.

We’re updating this list all the time, so if you’re still dipping your toe in, why not bookmark this page as a cheat-sheet? It could help you sound like the biggest podcast fan in the UK!

1. The Adam Buxton Podcast (Issue #001)

Host: Adam Buxton
Category: General Interviews
Number of episodes: Nearly 200
Listen if you like: Adam Buxton! and other celebrities

The host says: “Three of my favourites, which I’ve listened back to and felt really happy with were Romesh Ranganathan (EP.61) Tash Demetriou (EP. 32 & EP.82) and Tim Key (EP.77). Yes, I know that’s four.”

We say: Where better to start than with the Pod Bible-award-winning, listener favourite, Adam Buxton. His show is a simple format well-executed. His chats with comedians, writers and musicians often only briefly touch on their work, but The Adam Buxton Podcast has been the gold standard of interview podcasts for a little while now. Although technically our first cover-star, Adam only actually made it onto the cover last year. Listen here >>

2. Off Menu (Issue #015)

Host: James Acast and Ed Gamble
Category: Comedy, Arts
Number of episodes: More than 150
Listen if you: enjoy eating food, and watching comedy panel shows

The host says: “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.”

We say: Off Menu once nearly crashed our website because the article was so popular. But when Ed Gamble and James Acaster started the show in 2018, they expected to make no more than 10 episodes. Three years and nearly 200 episodes later they’ve heard about some truly delicious menus and some wonderfully bizarre requests. A highlight was the 100th episode, where we finally got to hear the hosts’ own dream menus. Listen here >> 

3. The Guilty Feminist (Issue #013)

Host: Deborah Francis-White
Category: Society & Culture, Comedy
Number of episodes: Over 300
Listen if you: have ever felt like you should be better at feminism…

The host says: “The Guilty Feminist is a podcast about our noble goals as 21st century feminists and our hypocrisies and insecurities, which undermine those goals.”

We say: The Guilty Feminist has grown into a podcasting juggernaut, producing engaging episodes week in, week out while building a loyal live audience. Whilst some podcasts have made the jump to the stage from recording in bedrooms, TGF was always a stage-show, giving it a different energy (and sound) to some shows. Episodes start with a reassuring “I’m a feminist but…” segment that always gets the crowd cheering. Listen here >> 

4. Films To Be Buried With (Issue #023)

Host: Brett Goldstein
Category: Film
Number of episodes: More than 200
Listen if you like: Ted Lasso, the guy who plays Hercules in Marvel…

The host says: “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.”

We say: He might be an Emmy-winning actor, writer and comedian. And sure, he is now literally a demi-god in the Marvel franchise. But he will always be a podcaster to us. Considering how busy he is, we’ve been worried he would put his passion project on hold. But not Brett – he hardly takes a week off of this show! Listen here >>

5. The Receipts (Issue #010)

Host: Audrey & Tolly T
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 150
Listen if you: want to hear real conversations

The hosts say: “The show is made up of our lived experiences and no topic is off limits.”

We say: A bit like jumping into a group chat, The Receipts grew a cult following due to their open and unfiltered approach, where no subject was off limits. This was the type of show that is all about the hosts – alas one third of The Receipts, Milena, left in autumn 2023 – but their relationship with listeners was a massive part of the show too – and the ‘Your Receipts’ feature still gives their community a part to play.

6. Kermode & Mayo’s Take (Issue #022)

Hosts: Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo
Category: Film and TV
Number of episodes: < 50
Listen if you: read Rolling Stone or Empire magazines

The hosts say: “…we are still just chatting about films, life, getting distracted by avocados and elementary physics etc. But delivering a number of pods a week has obviously modernised what we do, breaking it down into more digestible chunks. So hopefully the heritage listeners feel well served, and the new listeners feel fabulously welcome.”

We say: Kermode & Mayo’s Take is technically a new show, but it is also an evolution from the pairs’ Film Review that ran on BBC Radio 5 live. Kermode gets excited about films, Mayo drily undercuts him and there’s a lot of chatter about stuff that has nothing to do with anything. Listen here >>

7. Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed (Issue #004)

Hosts: Chris and Rosie Ramsey
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 150
Listen if you: like to eavesdrop on couple’s private lives

The hosts say: “[we get] 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.”

We say: Chris and Rosie were fun separately, but getting them together on microphone is a real treat for fans. Since we spoke to the couple in August 2019, they’ve gone on to do a live tour and write a book based on this podcast, so we certainly agree that they are doing something right! Listen here >> 

8. No Such Thing As A Fish (Issue #018)

Hosts: James Harkin, Anna Ptaszynski, Andrew Murray and Dan Schreiber
Category: Comedy, History, Science
Number of episodes: More than 450
Listen if you: want to be the type of person who knows the answers on QI

The hosts say: “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).”

We say: This award-winning podcast from the QI offices is quite interesting in and of itself. It’s an example of how podcasts can cross genres, giving us some facts and figures, as well as some silliness too. Listen here >>

9. Soundtracking (Issue #003)

Host: Edith Bowman
Category: Music, Film
Number of episodes: More than 300
Listen if you: think the soundtracks are the best part of the film

The host says: “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!”

We say: With an outstanding broadcasting career behind her, Edith Bowman knows a thing or two about creating engaging audio. In Soundtracking, she has conversations with film directors, actors, producers and composers to shine a spotlight on how music is used in film. We’re surprised there aren’t more radio shows dedicated to movie soundtracks, because the stories that come from the creators on this show are fascinating. Listen here >>

10. Stephen Fry’s 7 Deadly Sins (Issue #009)

Host: Stephen Fry
Category: Society & Culture
Number of episodes: 9
Listen if you: want an in-depth exploration of the human heart

The host says: “I think it offers a different way of looking at the problems of the world without recourse to the usual blandishments of echo chamber politics and culture on the one hand or endless reiterations of neoBuddhist mindfulness on the other. With all due respect to both brands of podcast.”

We say: Best known for his acting and presenting (as well as being a bonafide National Treasure) Stephen Fry released his first ‘Podgram’ way back in 2008! 7 Deadly Sins was only a short-run series, but the combination of music, Stephen’s wonderful narration and the deep research on each of the sins make this a great starting point for new podcast listeners. Listen here >>

11. The Kurupt FM Podkast (Issue #012)

Host: Beats, Chabuddy G, Grindah, Steves
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: 13
Listen if you like: Mockumentaries, strong language and dangerously high level lyrical content.

The hosts say: “First of all I would never pitch anything in an elevator. We’re way above that now. I’d probably get the Best Podcast award that we won out of my bag and just hold it out in front of me and then when the other people in the lift ask “why have you got that award?” I’d explain; We do an award winning podcast called The Kurupt FM Podkast where we talk about different topics and help you to understand them. The best way to describe it is probably it’s like injecting pure knowledge directly into your brain using headphones.”

We say: Audible may be best known for audio books, but it was natural for them to step into podcasts with Audible Originals. This mocumentary follows on from the BBC TV show People Just Do Nothing. After the world’s biggest pirate radio station, Kurupt FM, shut down, the team rose from the ashes as a podcast – this podcast. Only available on Audible >>

12. Table Manners (Issue #011)

Host: Jessie and Lennie Ware
Category: Comedy, Arts (food)
Number of episodes: Over 200
Listen if you: want to hear the real version of ‘the dream dinner party’

The hosts say: “Our podcast elevator pitch is a mother and daughter duo invite a guest round to their house for a ‘friday night dinner’. Friday night dinner was always a big thing in our house. I’d have friends over for dinner and mum would cook, but she couldn’t resist joining in the conversations we’d have and the podcast basically became a continuation of that. We’ve been lucky to have some really amazing and fascinating guests round to mums for dinner – it’s great fun – a great meal and a chat!”

We say: Jessie Ware is perhaps still most famous as a singer, but Lennie Ware is certainly most famous for this podcast. A great example of authentic conversations caught on microphone. Get the table ready, pick your favourite guest and join in. Listen here >> 

13. Hip Hop Saved My Life (Issue #006)

Host: Romesh Ranganathan and RuMaj
Category: Music
Number of episodes: 135
Listen if you like: Hip hop or Romesh Ranganathan or RuMaj.

The hosts say: “we had Afrika Baby Bam from the Jungle Brothers on the podcast [that] was when I first realised that this thing that started off as a hobby had somehow enabled me to be in the same room as legends who had shaped my life, and people who I admire so much.”

We say: Romesh Ranganathan may be one of the busiest men in show business, but that didn’t stop him from starting a podcast about one of his biggest passions in life – hip hop. Romesh of course brings his comedy credentials into this show, but the music and artists are the focus here. Listen here >> 

14. Drunk Women Solving Crime (Issue #008)

Host: Hannah George, Catie Wilkins and Taylor Glenn
Category: True Crime, Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 200
Listen if you: fancy yourself as a Sherlock Holmes – booze and all

The hosts say: “Drunk Women is the most fun I’ve ever had at work. Only a podcast could allow for this kind of format, and we are in charge of our content completely. That’s what’s exhilarating about podcasts vs other mediums.”

We say: Our favourite slightly-sozzled super-sleuths, each episode of Drunk Women Solving Crime tackles true crime in a slightly different way. Rather than gruesome, the crimes chosen are personal, petty and – sometimes – pointless. It makes for a far more relaxed atmosphere, and the drunkenness fits perfectly. Listen here >> 

15. Say Your Mind (Issue #017)

Host: Kelechi Okafour
Category: Society & Culture, Current Affairs
Number of episodes: More than 250
Listen if you: Want a rallying call from Kelechi Okafour

The host says: “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.”

We say: As the media is starting to realise, actress, director and public speaker Kelechi Okafor is one of the most powerful and important voices around at the moment. Kelechi Okafor wears many hats and as her podcast has grown she has built herself the perfect platform to show each one off in all its glory – though its 280th and final episode went out in late January 2024. Say Your Mind will be missed. Listen here >>

16. Happy Place (Issue #007)

Host: Fearne Cotton
Category: Society & Culture
Number of episodes: Nearly 200
Listen if you like: Insights to celebrities’ lives

The host says: “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.”

We say: Broadcaster and positivity pioneer Fearne Cotton transitioned brilliantly from the regimented format of TV and radio to the flexibility of podcasting. These aren’t interviews, but rather a conversation that’s relaxed and really gives us a sense of the real people behind some of the most famous names in showbiz. Listen here >>

17. My Dad Wrote A Porno (Issue #014)

Hosts: Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: 168
Listen if you: Like rude, crude and incredibly lewd shows!

The hosts say: “Do you like porn? Do you like laughing? Then you’ll love My Dad Wrote A Porno.”

We say: One of the most recommended podcasts, My Dad Wrote a Porno have been downloaded more than 430m downloads globally since its launch in 2015, as well as selling out two world tours of the live show. Celebrity guests have included Hamilton’s Lin Manuel Miranda and Dame Emma Thompson. MDWAP has now sadly ended, so if you’re overwhelmed with the weekly aspect of some podcasts, this will give you a chance to catch-up. Listen here >>

18. Wrighty’s House (Issue #019)

Hosts: Ian Wright
Category: Sport
Number of episodes: 100 +
Listen if you like: Football punditry with the social commentary

The host says: “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 say: This podcast allows listeners access to a national legend without the filter of traditional broadcasting. It’s no exaggeration to say that having Wrighty as a Pod Bile coverstar was a highlight. His infectious enthusiasm and unapologetic honesty make this a must listen, but the way he elevates and learns from each of his co-hosts is also a joy to behold. A Pod Bible favourite. Listen here >>

19. The Blindboy Podcast (Issue #017)

Host: Blindboy
Category: Comedy, Solo
Number of episodes: More than 260
Listen if you: want to hear a real-life Krapp’s Last Tape every single week

The host says: “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.”

We say: Who is Blindboy? A storyteller? A poet? A journalist? A historian? A musician? If you listen to the Blindboy podcast, you’ll find out that he’s all of the above and more… Listen here >> 

20. RedHanded (Issue #021)

Hosts: Hannah Maguire & Suruthi Bala
Category: True crime
Number of episodes: Nearly 350
Listen if you: want a good example of a True Crime podcast

The hosts say: “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.”

We say: What started as a passion project between friends quickly became one of the most successful true crime podcasts around. The show hits differently than popular US-counterparts – Hannah and Suruthi cover crimes from both sides of the Atalantic, and they can give UK-listeners context that American shows might assume people know. Listen here >>

21. Football Ramble (Issue #005)

Hosts: Marcus Speller, Jules Breach, Luke Aaron Moore, Andy Brassell, Pete Donaldson, Vithushan Ehantharajah, Jim Campbell, Kate Mason, Dotun Adebayo
Category: Sport
Number of episodes: 1729 and counting!
Listen if you: Love football (or know someone who does and want to impress them)

The hosts say: “Taking a show that a number of years ago only used to release one knockabout podcast a fortnight and getting it to a stage where it puts out six vastly different types of show every week was and is a huge undertaking. It’s been a real team effort and we’re very proud of it.”

We say: Football Ramble has changed quite a bit since it started in 2007, but one thing that’s been a mainstay is the level of entertainment. The Ramble gang consistently tackle each aspect of the game with a nuanced and thoughtful approach, whilst not losing the best level of silliness. It’s also worth checking out the offshoot podcast, Upfront. Listen here >> 

22. WTF with Marc Maron (issue #024)

Host: Marc Maron, obviously
Category: Interviews, Arts
Number of episodes: More than 1500. Yep – one thousand five hundred and sixteen, and no sign of slowing down.
Listen if you: What to hear an OG podcaster, and why every interview podcast that follows owes Maron a pint.

The host says: “The secret of being a good podcaster? Being interested and listening and having a good producer.”

We say: Probably the podcast which deserves the title of ‘podcast which made podcasts podcasts’ more than any other podcast. Maron’s laidback style and feel for the flow of a conversation is balanced by his deeply engaged and well prepped questioning convinced a general public who had yet to see the point of this weird radio-but-not-radio thing of its benefits. Namely: you can go deep and long with conversations in a way that live production just won’t allow. Normally you’d say Maron walked so Adam Buxton and the like could run, but Maron was sprinting pretty much out of the gate. Listen here >>

23. RHLSTP with Richard Herring (Issue #002)

Hosts: Richard Herring
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: If including bonuses and re-runs, over 550
Listen if you: Like stand-up comedy, and especially if you miss live shows

The host says: “[listen to] 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!”

We say: The Guardian calls him “The Podfather” and Richard has a huge amount of podcast credits, but the RHLSTP is the one to start with. We remember when this was called ‘Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast’ but at some point in the last 400 episodes the venue changed and the name was shortened. Check out the back-catalogue for episodes with Stephen Fry, Eddie Izzard, Dawn French, David Mitchell, Katherine Ryan and Brian Blessed and many more. Listen here >> 

24. Feel Better, Live More (issue #026)

Host: Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Category: Health
Number of episodes: More than 350
Listen if you like: Simple, straight-talking advice to make every day healthier.

The host says: “My podcast is about empowering every single listener to be the architect of their own health and happiness. Health is so much more than just our food choices and our exercise habits. It is about our relationships, our mindset, the way we approach conflict and the way we manage stress. The key message behind my show is that all of us can feel better than we currently do, and that it is not as hard as you might think.”

We say: The conflicting messages we get all the time about what we should and shouldn’t be doing with our bodies can be deeply confusing, but Rangan Chatterjee’s clear, waffle-free interviews with experts and holistic approach makes it all feel a lot more achievable. Listen here >>

25. Off Air with Jane and Fi (issue #025)

Hosts: Jane Garvey and Fi Glover.
Category: Arts, Comedy
Number of episodes: 135 and counting
Listen if you: Like BBC Radio Four, The Times or unencumbered chat between women…

The host says: “Women of a certain age have their sentences finished by other women of a certain age,” says Jane. Fi adds: “And sometimes it’s funny.”

We say: More than sometimes, Fi. Some broadcasters have the ability to make you feel like you’re listening to a friend you’ve known for a very long time; it’s even more rare to find a duo who both have that, and can make you feel like you’re a part of their gang. Jane and Fi are one of those duos. Whether they’re interviewing novelists or arguing over what makes the perfect hot cross bun, they’re always excellent company. Listen here >>

26. Wolf & Owl (Issue #020)

Hosts: Tom Davis (The Wolf) and Romesh Ranganathan (The Owl)
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: Over 100
Listen if you: want an entertaining waste of time

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

We say: Romesh is the only podcaster who’s made it onto our cover more than once! Two men having a chat is hardly a new trend in the world of podcasting, but when the men involved share humour, vulnerability and an undying love for each other then you’re probably on to a winner. Listen here >> 

27. Pod Save The UK  (Issue #027)

Hosts: Nish Kumar and Coco Khan
Category: Politics/Comedy
Number of episodes: 25
Listen if you: Need a fun way of knowing what’s going on in the UK

The hosts say: “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.”

We say: A podcast probably can’t save the UK, but it can certainly save you some time by explaining what’s actually going on in UK politics. With only a small back-catalogue, episodes that are timely, and hosts you likely know from elsewhere, this is a great podcast to start with if you get overwhelmed by the always-on nature of some podcasts. Listen here >>

28. Closet Confessions (Issue #028)

Hosts: Candice Brathwaite and Coco Sarel
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: Over 70
Listen if you: Want TikTok levels of truth in a longer form

The hosts say: “Closet Confessions is recorded in an actual working closet (so we’re surrounded by a lot of pretty shoes). Myself and Sarel kick off with a confession each, then we take a pop culture moment and expand on it like a spider diagram. And the last segment, we call the Closet Cousins, we go to a listener’s confession, chop it up, and try to help. It’s sisterhood and community based. It’s extremely funny. Someone said ‘spiritual’.”

We say: Candice and Sarel have managed to build a community of listeners that span generations, but who are all in on their inside jokes. The podcast feels like a safe space for everyone who shares their own confessions. If you value sisterhood – or want an insight to it – this podcast is for you!  Listen here >>

29. Dish (Issue #028)

Hosts: Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett
Category: Food and Drink
Number of Episodes: 70
Listen if you: Are a foodie who wants dinner chats about the food

The hosts say: “Dish is a podcast about food and entertaining, I do it with Nick Grimshaw, obviously, who’s just incredible. We interview guests as if they’re coming to our house for dinner and it’s literally set up like that, you know. People come and they have a great dinner!”

We say: A simple yet nourishing recipe for one of the best new podcasts of recent years. We caught up with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett to discuss their appetising show, dish…

Listen here >>

30. Cuddle Club (Issue #030)

Host: Lou Sanders
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 140
Listen if you: Short celeb conversations that feel like a hug

The host says: “Woman asks nosy questions to comedians and strangers. No, it’s really a way into relationships. I’m fascinated by what makes people who they are. Was your mum an asshole? Do you have commitment issues? And what gives you a drive? It’s that kind of thing, but funnier.”

We say: A podcast about cuddling? Sign us up! But there’s a lot more to it than that…

Want more podcast recommendations? Check out the back catalogue of Pod Bible magazine, or search our website for more reviews, interviews and podcast recommendations. 

The post 30 of the BEST podcasts for beginners appeared first on POD BIBLE.

You can see why: people still love true crime, scammers and freaky horror-thrillers about creepy people, and it’s very handy for TV producers and commissioners that podcasters have done some of the legwork for them. But there’s something about the intimacy of podcasting as a medium that can make the whole thing more satisfying to listen to. Often, interviewees on podcasts are talking about their experiences publicly for the first time, and there’s an immediacy and vulnerability to that, which makes it compelling listening. Podcasters get all the time they need to luxuriate in nuance and detail, and give the story they’re telling the space it needs to be told. So, we’ve pulled together seven of the best podcasts that have been adapted for TV right here.

Limetown

This scripted fiction pod was made into a show starring Stanley Tucci and Jessica Biel, which was perhaps unfairly cancelled after a single season, so if you want the full, creepy, atmospheric story of what’s going on at a neuroscience research centre in Tennessee. A 911 call draws police to the gates, but the facility stays locked – until three days later, when a pyre and a dead body are found, and 300 people are missing. Investigative reporter Lia Haddock goes on the hunt for clues. Listen now >>

Dr Death

The first series of this one was a proper blockbuster that told the story of Christopher Duntsch, a doctor who presented himself as a wunderkind of neurosurgery but who injured 31 people and killed two with his procedures. Later series looked at a chemotherapy-mad oncologist and a fraudulent thoracic surgeon who kept experimenting with synthetic tracheas. It’s properly nightmarish stuff, explored with a level of creeping dread and alarm which will stay with you. Listen now >>

Dirty John

If Dr Death was a blockbuster, the LA Times’ Dirty John was the Star Wars to its Jaws, the Avengers: Endgame to its Titanic. Debra Newell met John Michael Meehan on an online dating website, and he seemed like a catch: charming, good looking, had his life together. But Meehan was not the man he appeared to be. To say too much would ruin the whole thing, but it’s a twisty, deeply unpredictable story which reaches a wild climax which, depending on your view, will feel either like just desserts or a frustrating chance at justice missed. Listen now >>

Song Exploder

For a podcast that felt like the kind of thing only podcasting could do justice to – musicians breaking down the process of writing and recording their biggest hits, stripping down a song to its bare bones before putting it back together again – the TV version that turned up on Netflix did it great justice. Whereas the Netflix series has two seasons, pretty much everyone’s been on the podcast over more than 250 podcast episodes, from Foo Fighters to Sampha and Paramore to New Order. Listen now >>

Lore

Another one that tickles whatever part of your brain it is that likes sitting around a campfire listening to spooky stories, Lore tells true tales which lean toward the unsettling, the inexplicable and the mordaunt. There’s a delicacy and strange power to host Aaron Mahnke’s coolly underplayed narration, which makes the stranger-than-fiction stories all the more bone-chilling. The Amazon Prime series based on it looked at lobotomies, werewolves and haunted houses. Listen now >>

The Shrink Next Door

Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn all starred in the Apple TV+ adaptation of this psychological thriller of a true story about a psychiatrist who manages to inveigle his way into his clients’ lives and help himself to anything he likes. The tone isn’t quite true crime; it’s more like a relationship drama, with celebrity shrink ‘Ike’ Herschkopf and his biddable subject Marty Markowitz becoming bound tighter and tighter together over years of manipulation. Listen now >>

Can I Tell You a Secret?

Netflix has just announced an adaptation of Sirin Kale’s investigation into a mystery that gripped Northwich in the mid-noughties. Over a decade, dozens of apparently random women were sent the same message: “can I tell you a secret?” This mysterious person would then spread rumours of infidelities, which spiralled into real life fights and fall-outs. Kale tries to find the cyberstalker at the centre of it all, and speaks to the women whose lives he made a misery. In the end, things are far more complicated than they seem. Listen now >>

The post 7 of the best podcasts adapted for television appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Ever since Mel Gibson as William Wallace riled up his army of blue-faced Highlanders by shouting “freedom!”, the world has been infatuated with Scotland. It’s OK – you can admit that you liked the movie (even if it was mostly filmed in Ireland).

Since then – in what’s known as the ‘Braveheart Effect’ – the film has inspired people around the world to visit Scotland. And many others have joined its ranks – Outlander, The Outlaw King, Harry Potter and even Trainspotting to some extent.

Scotland is rife with stories, so it’s no surprise that there are plenty of podcasts about Scotland too. From shows that focus on Scottish history, to gruesome or legendary tales set in the landscape, and travel tips for planning a visit. Here are some of the best Scottish podcasts – you might even find some episodes about Outlander or Braveheart in there…

Whisky Sisters Podcast

Liquid gold, water of life, single malt whisky – there are many names for the Scottish national drink. In Whisky Sisters Podcast, hosts Inka Larissa and Jennifer Rose share a dram or two and dive into the fascinating world of whisky from Scotland and beyond. In each episode they discover new drams and distilleries, speak with expert guests and uncover the mysteries of distilling. If you’re not a whisky connoisseur already, you may want to ease yourself in with this episode about whisky cocktails. Listen now >>

Stories of Scotland

Learn about Scotland’s mythical creatures and gruesome history – but make it fun! Stories of Scotland is an award-winning podcast that explores the rich tapestry of Scottish culture, nature and heritage. Hosts Annie and Jenny come together to blether about the past, try their tongues at historical accents and tell often forgotten or misrepresented stories. A great one to start is their 3-part series ‘Queer as Folktales’. Listen now >>

Atlantic: A Scottish Story

Atlantic: A Scottish Story is a captivating 8-part drama about life on the edge of the world. We follow the story of Evie and Quinn, two young islanders from St Kilda whose lives are entwined even when an ocean comes between them. The cast includes Kirsty Findlay, Kate Dickie and Richard Rankin (of Outlander fame) and original music by Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie. Since this is an audio drama, you better start at the beginning – ‘Episode 1: A New Arrival’. Listen now >>

Wild for Scotland

Close your eyes while you listen and you could think you’re there. Wild for Scotland is an immersive storytelling podcast for anyone who dreams of being in Scotland or is looking for travel inspiration. The first-person narratives are enriched with captivating soundscapes and contextualised by interviews with locals to learn more about life in the landscapes featured. This is, in fact, my podcast! And you might not be surprised if I tell you that ‘The Key – An Outlander Road Trip from Edinburgh’ is a listener favourite. But if you love puffins as much as I do, you’ll love this episode from my trip to the Isle of Canna. Listen now >>

What We Do In The Winter

Have you ever wondered what life is like on Scottish isles during the winter? What We Do In The Winter is a community led show that answers just that question. Produced by Alasdair and Georgia Satchel it features conversations with locals from the isles of Mull, Iona, Ulva and Gometra and gives insights into the lives of locals out of season. Why not start with this episode featuring Catriona MacLeod, a singer, cabaret artist and Mull-native. Listen now >>

Creative Me Podcast

What makes an artist tick? And how do they get their creative juices flowing? These are just some of the questions posed by Ice Headlam on the Creative Me Podcast. Every episode Ica quizzes another creative from the north east of Scotland about their practice and process with the aim to foster creativity among others and amplify BIPOC voices in Scotland’s creative industries. A great episode to start with is this conversation about the Scottish music scene with Matt Hickman aka. Brown Bear. Listen now >>

Love Scotland

Love Scotland gives listeners an insight into the conservation work by the National Trust for Scotland. Hosted by former BBC Reporting Scotland anchor Jackie Bird, each episode dives into the history of another NTS location from grand castles and museums to some of Scotland’s most beautiful glens and mountains. Along the way, Jackie interviews researchers and conservation experts who shine a light on what happens behind the scenes. If you’re an Outlander fan, you may enjoy this episode about the beauty of Glencoe with Outlander’s Sam Heughan. Listen now >>

Kathi Kamleitner is a Glasgow-based author, podcaster and travel expert. Originally from Austria, she moved to Scotland for her studies, fell in love with the country and never looked back. She shares immersive travel stories on her podcast Wild for Scotland and practical travel guides and tips on her blog Watch Me See. Kathi’s first book “Glücksorte in Glasgow” was published by Droste Verlag (Germany) in March 2022. Photo by Roxanna Barry.

Did you listen to a podcast on this list? Have we missed your favourite Scottish podcast? Let us know in the comments below!

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