Podcaster: Fun interviews with ‘The Voice of Pod’

Podcasting is a very friendly business, and you often get to hear your favourite podcasters on the other side of the mic when they guest on other shows (including ours!). So you may wonder if you need another podcast exclusively for interviewing podcasters. When the interviewer is a robot called V asking existential questions, the answer is definitely yes! You get to know  favourite podcasters (from Poppy Hillstead and Dane Baptiste, to our very own team members Stu Whiffen and Francesca Turauskis) in  whole new light. We asked the creator of Podcaster, Adam Read, a few questions of our own…

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Adam Read, I’m the co-creator of the production company The Chancer Collective and the podcast Podcaster.

Podcaster came about when we wanted to make a show that wasn’t reliant on having to work around the schedule of a main host. So we had the idea to create a character called V-The Voice of Pod, who asks the guests all sorts of random and simple questions that they might never have thought about before, whilst also promoting the podcast they host.

There are a LOT of podcasts out there, which means the potential for a show to run and run, and not struggle to find guests that fit a certain criteria.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

This American Life back in 2013. An old co-worker told me about it and as soon as I listened to my first episode, I binged on others. Around that time, like everyone else, I also got hooked on Serial and a show called Film Junk.

Cats or dogs?

A Podcaster classic question. I’d go for a dog. I’ve been asked by neighbours to feed their cats whilst they’re away, and recently I dog-sat for a few days. The dog was a lot more fun.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

There isn’t really a podcast we took inspiration from. I was a producer on Big Brother years ago and there was always something interesting in calling a housemate to the diary room, asking them a question, then just sit a listen to them answer with no interruptions.

We wanted to create an experience for our guest’s that was different to being on any other podcast. Some of them assume that it would be me asking the questions and we drop V’s voice in later, but we don’t. The guests are left alone to answer her questions, and we love seeing how each of them reacts to filling a quiet space by basically thinking aloud.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Can I have two? If not, then Fearne Cotton. Happy Place is a really nice show, something we all need right now and I think she’d have fun in the Podcaster chair.

If I can have two, Chris Gethard. His show Beautiful / Anonymous is so simple, yet the random conversations he has with his guests are always really captivating and he handles them brilliantly.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

No matter how much time you prep for a series or schedule guests, have a plan B in case something unexpected comes up. The beauty of making podcasts is that they can be relatively easy to set up and record, so if a guest pulls out last minute and the show is due to drop in a couple of days, what have you got in your back pocket that can be turned around quickly? If you rely on guests, can the show change slightly for an episode to just feature you?

What are you too afraid to try?

Another Podcaster question we ask our guests. Easy, skydiving. I don’t trust having a bit of fabric rolled up in a backpack to stop me falling to my death. No way.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

The podcast is available at Acast as well as the usual other platforms. Or you can find us on Twitter at @podcasterpod and Instagram at @podcasterpod.

We hope any new listeners out there will not only enjoy our podcast, but also then go on to enjoy the shows that our guests make.

Listen to Podcast on ACAST, SPOTIFY and all other popular podcast apps.