Who are you and what is your podcast about?

I am Kaye Adams, journalist, and broadcaster. I have worked in television and radio since the beginning of time and I am probably best known as a long-standing anchor on ITV’s Loose Women. I decided to set up the podcast How To Be 60 when I was about nine months shy of the milestone. Previously, I had been a shameless age-denier and was horrified at the prospect of being 60 so I decided the only way to deal with it was to dive right in. My co-host is Karen McKenzie, who is a couple of years further down the track than me and has been living her best life since she retired at 59. She loves growing her own veg, Nordic walking and campervanning…all the things that give me the absolute ick. She thinks I am bonkers for continuing to work, I think she has waved the white flag…hilarity ensues.

The podcast also invites guests to come on and discuss their attitude to being 60…we’ve had a host of famous names including Andi Oliver, Shirley Ballas, Jonathan Ross, Alastair Campbell as well as people who take an alternative approach.

Who is the biggest inspiration on your podcasting style?

I am a big fan of Jenny Eclair and Judith Holder’s podcast Older and Wider, they are very relaxed and natural which is the way I like it. I also devoured Dear Joan and Jericha which made me howl.

What do you like most about podcasting as a medium?

I spend a lot of time broadcasting on live TV and radio where time is always of the essence. It’s all about getting the essential information in the shortest space of time. Also studio settings tend to be very busy and full of people. Podcasting is the opposite of that. We record in a freezing cold attic room in my house where I only painted half the wall so it’s just me, Karen, and the guest on a screen. We start talking and see where the conversation takes us and it is often in very unexpected directions. That’s what I like the most.

If you could do a cross-over episode with one other podcast, which podcast would you choose?

I should be so lucky but I would love to do a crossover with Julia Louis-Dreyfuss’ Wiser Than Me where she interviews women who are older than her. Many, if not most, of her guests are 70+ and it is a real acknowledgement that their currency is not devalued by age.

What advice would you give to someone starting a podcast?

Don’t do it for the money and don’t do it for the short haul.

Is there any kind of episode/special you’d like to do but haven’t done yet?

I would like to do a special about erectile dysfunction. Women tend to be more open about having intimate conversations and sharing some of the challenges of getting older. Men face similar challenges but are either loathe to talk about it or hide behind humour. Let’s get it out there.

Which episode(s) mean the most to you?

I am going to say the very first one. It’s easy to talk about doing a podcast and it’s a common joke that ‘everyone has a podcast these days’ but going from a vague idea to sitting in front of a mic is a big leap and a big deal.

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

On our website or at @kayeadamsofficial on Instagram and @kayeadams on Twitter/X.

Listen to How To Be 60 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast apps >>

The post How To Be 60: Kaye Adams gets real about getting older appeared first on POD BIBLE.

My Seven Wonders with Clive Anderson is back and better than ever! Clive, the renowned host of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Loose Ends, and a BBC Radio legend, is bringing his hilarious podcast to the stage for a series of entertaining live shows. But don’t worry if you can’t attend in person because each show will be recorded and released as a special live podcast for everyone to enjoy on their favourite audio platforms.

Known for his quick wit and engaging conversations, Clive has mastered the art of entertaining an audience. After years of broadcasting, there was no doubt that his podcast would be exactly the same delightful patter, welcoming a whole host of eccentric guests. However, last year started a new era of My Seven Wonders, bringing together Clive’s much-loved podcast format to the live stage, combining Clive’s masterful wit with the infectious reaction of a theatre audience. Previous guests have included John Bishop, Stephen Fry, and Dara Ó Briain amongst others!

This year, Clive, along with his award-winning producing partner Stak, is determined to give an even better live show experience through the podcast. They plan to introduce even more interesting celebrity guests and delve into their chosen weirdest and wildest wonders of the world.

The journey began at the Leicester Square Theatre back in May, where exclusive episodes from Clive’s spring shows were recorded. Clive was joined by special guests, satirical comedian and actor Rosie Holt, and British comedian Terry Alderton, to delve into their outlandish seven wonders of the world as well as their current career conquests. These shows originated from the success of Clive’s 2022 Edinburgh Fringe run, with audiences in London eager to witness the magic of Clive’s podcast on the live stage.

Then the show went all the way up to the bustling Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where Clive hosted 13 greatly anticipated live shows filled with a fascinating guest every night. However, Clive is no stranger to the Edinburgh Fringe stage. Not only did he bring his My Seven Wonders podcast there last year, but he first started performing there in 1981 whilst he was still practising criminal law! Who knew he would still be performing there 23 years later.

Previous episodes of the podcast have featured captivating guests like German comedian Henning Wehn, who revealed his past life in marketing a professional football club. The infamous pub landlord Al Murray joined Clive to share why France is one of his wonders of the world. Additionally, the brilliant Scottish comedian Larry Dean provided a hilarious take on his seven wonders, recounting his decision to step away from a life of crime and pursue a career in comedy.

The shows have received rave reviews from critics. The Scotsman describes it as “a pleasure to be in an audience as relaxed and entertained as this… a perfectly judged show,” while The Telegraph hails it as “a complete delight!” Now, with new live podcast episodes released every week, no one has to miss out on the action.

So, whether you’re sitting in the audience, listening on your favourite audio platform, or catching up on the live podcasts, My Seven Wonders with Clive Anderson promises an evening of laughter and fascinating conversations with some of the biggest celebrity names. Prepare to be entertained as Clive’s quick-witted banter and his guests’ peculiar wonders of the world take centre stage.

My Seven Wonders LIVE! was first released on Thursday 3rd August with new shows coming in every week. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 

—

This column was created with Stak. 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.

The post My Seven Wonders LIVE returns to your podcast feed! appeared first on POD BIBLE.

So when I recently discovered that David Oakes – an actor best know as Godwin from the Netflix series Vikings: Vallhala – has a podcast in my favourite genre, that’s been running for several years, is independently produced, and has a penchant for puns, it was refreshing.

Trees A Crowd celebrates nature and the stories of those who care deeply for it, and David’s own passion for environmentalism is apparent. As well as talk-and-walk conversations that place us outside with artists, scientists, creatives and environmentalists, his narrations and miniseries are a great use of his actor-skills. Plus the music (by folk musician Bella Hardy) is a fun little nod to trees he is so connected to.

I of course reached to David to ask him more about the show…

Tell us about Trees A Crowd – how did the podcast come about?

Back in 2018 there weren’t many Nature podcasts – it was well before the glorious bloom of ‘naturalists with microphones’ that emerged during the pandemic – and I wanted to listen to one. The BBC had a few natural history shows, but they were mostly short interviews or sound bites – people saying “one point five degrees” over and over again, and I felt the most important climate and nature messages were getting lost through repetition and the false comfort that ultimately breeds in unhearing ears.

The cult of personality was in it’s heyday too – Global Politics rife with egos placing the climate far down the list of priorities – and I wondered whether you could use personality to push a variety of positive green messaging instead.

Put those two things together, and you have the germination of the TAC seed.

David with Leigh Morris of Manx Wildlife Trust

With a name like Oakes, is it safe to say you’ve always had an interest in trees?

My first name is Rowan too; trees everywhere! I grew up in the New Forest, my Great Aunt was a Botanist, her husband the Chief Executive of a Wildlife Trust… I think everyone in our family had little chance but to hold nature closely to their sole in one form or another.

Personally, I envy the alternate timeline where my a-levels took me towards a degree in Biology or Zoology, rather than English literature and Drama. But, as it turns out however, I seem to be able to maintain a foot in both camps – a career on stage and screen, whilst also serving as an Ambassador for both the Woodland Trust and the Wildlife Trusts.

Why podcasting? What is it about the medium that appeals to you?

People talk candidly; especially in long form interviews recorded in the wild. The microphone gets lost in the leaf litter and tongues loosen. Suddenly it’s not an interview, it’s a conversation. Wherever my day job takes me, my microphones travel with. And the opportunities the show has opened up have been genuinely life changing. Whilst the reels have spun I’ve walked the New Forest with Chris Packham, downed home brewed scrumpy with George Monbiot, bathed in the dawn chorus of Kielder Forest with David Attenborough’s preferred Sound Recordist, Chris Watson. In the name of the podcast, I’ve dived the Atolls of the Maldives with the Manta Trust and the Olive Ridley Project, been given a personal tour around the grounds of Hampton Court with the Head Gardener of Historic Royal Palaces, and sat on the banks of a river whilst two, then four, then six Hippos walked worryingly closer and closer to hear what our conversation was all about!

David with Nicole Pelletier of Manta Trust

You seem to have a lot of fun, does this podcast let you be creative in a different way?

My greatest pleasure to date was creating the third season of the show – one with an episode devoted to each of our nation’s native 56(ish) tree species. As with the interviews, my goal was to illuminate the secrets of arboreal botany and the mysteries of the palaeo-pollen record in such a way that the layman would get excited by things such as leaf pigments and the calyx of a crab-apple. “56(ish) Trees” was a f**kload of work (you have to be insane to produce a weekly podcast), but I think the end result is quite something. I had to call in oodles of favours – each species had original artwork, there was a Cherry Tree related folk song performed specially by the award-winning folk singer Martin Simpson, poetry readings by Sam West, Natalie Dormer, Katie McGrath, Francois Arnaud, friends from casts past and present – pretty much the entire ensemble of “Vikings: Valhalla” appear at some point or another pretending to be Thor or some other aspect of ancient human mythology… and the series culminates with an original composition by the Novello-winning Leisure Society. It was a true labour of love for many many people.

‘Come for the Vikings, stay for the trees!’ – what has been the reaction of listeners who might know you from something else entirely?

Surprise. I think people remain a little shocked by how much an actor can know. But what isn’t always apparent is how much research I’ve had to do. I learn a great deal each time I prepare for an interview, and then more besides when I actually sit down and press record. I have to legitimise my voice in the environmental world – there’s no need for just another face off the telly talking too much – so I make sure that I’m adding to the debate; make sure that I ask informed questions that genuinely push the guests; make sure that the collective mass of interviews, over a hundred now, highlight all the wonderful ways humans interact with the wild world.

What’s your best (or worst) tree-related pun?

I WISH I had spent more time on the title! I mean, for one, should there be an apostrophe?

And what does it even mean?! Sure, the bastardisation of ‘Three’s a crowd’ into my arboreal alternative makes sense(ish) if it’s just me and the Chief Naturalist at Sequoia National Park talking about Giant Redwoods (see Season Two); but what about when I’m talking to two guests about Bison reintroduction in Kent, or a collective noun of anti-rhino-poaching rangers in the middle of the Kuhnene Desert in Namibia??! Puns just tie you in knots.

But, if I had to choose, the episode from the tree season which focuses on our native Hawthorn species had the subtitle: “May Fairies protect your Midland bush against any Common Haws”. I hate it – it’s unbelievably puerile – but it makes perfect sense as a pun from a botanical and folkloric perspective. I’m sorry.

Lastly, aside from your own, do you have a podcast recommendation for readers?

Simple; the Beef and Dairy Network. Can’t describe it. Sometimes it terrifies me. Listen.

Listen to Trees A Crowd now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Main photo of David Oakes by Martin Behrman

The post David Oakes talks podcasts, puns and using personality to push positive green messaging appeared first on POD BIBLE.

As listeners of Off Air with Jane and Fi will testify, nothing quite compares to the much-loved duo’s wry rapport and composure while discussing everything from Downing Street shuffles to, say, the merits of a baked potato. The voices behind the eponymous Times Radio show are, of course, Jane Garvey, who presented Woman’s Hour until December 2020, and Fi Glover, the broadcaster behind The Listening Project (2012 to 2022).

Each episode begins with a familiar format: a chatty introduction from the hosts, recording shortly after they have come ‘off air’ from their live show, which runs Monday through to Thursday. This framing device allows them to debrief from the most recent live segment – they’ll comment on their most recent guests (everyone from Jamie Oliver to MPs), before listeners hear a full replay of the interview itself. Before we get to the interview (and in the episode’s closing segments afterwards), Jane & Fi typically read through some reader emails – always with amusing commentary – and discuss a mixture of domestic anecdotes, for instance the most recent Nigella Lawson recipes they’ve tried out, with some glorious digressions – plus, what’s trending on the news.

It would be totally remiss of me not to mention Fortunately… with Fi & Jane, the award-winning BBC Radio Four show and podcast that featured the powerful pairing since 2017. It hit headlines when they left the BBC for Times Radio in October last year, leaving behind their original show and its 30 million downloads. Four months in, if you’re a long listener yet to follow Fi & Jane to their new home, be reassured that Off Air has proved a popular follow-up – and these are my cherry-picked favourites from the show to help you catch up. Feast your ear lobes on the below…

Chat & Chop – with Jamie Oliver

The first-ever episode of Off Air started with a bang: the pair discuss settling into the Times Radio studio, outline the show format going forward (so this is a good gateway episode if you’re new to the show), then they are joined by Jamie Oliver, who discusses his latest book One Pot and expounds his wisdom of decades of campaigning for healthy eating for children, amid the cost-of-living crisis.

A saccharine note of journo pap – with Elizabeth Day

This episode comes fresh off the back of the controversy around then-Prime Minister Liz Truss, making for a politics-themed beginning followed by a discussion of the difficulties of starting a new job in middle-age. The highlight of this episode is guest Elizabeth Day, a fellow podcast extraordinaire and bestselling author, who as coincidence would have it has interviewed Truss on multiple occasions and shares her insights. Talking of inside scoops – I particularly enjoyed Fi & Jane’s discussion of their former fellow BBC employees’ toilet habits, together with their own ‘favourite cubicles’ at their newfound Times Radio home.

If music be the food of love, order her a Happy Meal – with Fred Sirieix

One for First Dates fans. After a chat about everything from slippery pavements to elderly parents, the pair introduce guest Fred Sirieix, the TV dating show’s charismatic maître d’ frontman, and get into an animated discussion about relationships, together with the politics of cooking for dates and significant others.

I love Nando’s mash – with Romesh Ranganathan

Actor/comedian Ranganathan, also a fellow podcaster, is the guest on this Nando’s centric episode – he tells listeners all about his spontaneous decision to get an Albanian flag tattoo, his committed love of the popular chicken franchise (and the trio open up about their go-to orders and preferred sides) and what he would do (as a former maths teacher) if he were Education Secretary for a day.

At least I’m owning my hypocrisy

This fascinating episode opens with a discussion of Joanna Lumley’s controversial comments about the #MeToo movement. Later, Jane & Fi meet Teresa Weiler, an adopted child who discovered that her biological parents were siblings – a revelation which led to her deciding not to have kids.

Fantastically successful – with Grace Dent

Some amusing reader questions – including a deep dive into an awkward supermarket scenario – begin this episode, while the highlight is food critic & broadcaster Grace Dent, who opens up about giving up alcohol and her ‘deep love’ of breakfast buffets (funeral buffets also get discussed – plus the politics of consuming a post-death vol-au-vent…)

Listen to Off Air… with Jane & Fi on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

To learn more about Jane and Fi, thier love of podcasts, and the new show read our interview in Issue 25 of the Pod Bible Magazine now!

The post Where to start with… Off Air with Jane and Fi appeared first on POD BIBLE.

I came up with the idea for the podcast after noticing how many of the audience members from my live shows wanted to come up to me afterwards and get into really compelling conversations about Amy Winehouse. They were full of memories, stirred up by the show’s time travel back to 2006, by the music I play and by this feeling that they had some unfinished business if not with the singer herself because they didn’t know her, but then with their idea of her. Talking about Amy was a way of reassessing the problematic 2000s, of understanding that we were young in a very different time to now.

I decided to ask fans from the worlds of music, journalism and comedy to talk to me about their three favourite Amy Winehouse songs, where they were at in life when they first heard her, the memories her songs soundtrack, her cultural importance… and all of those subjects naturally lead into explaining a feeling we shared: that we miss Amy Winehouse.

The first guest is journalist Emma Garland, who wrote the introduction to the book Amy Winehouse: Beyond Black. Emma was asked to do this by the book’s author, Naomi Parry, who had been Amy’s stylist and one of her closest friends. The book came out in summer 2021, to mark the 10th anniversary of Amy’s death, and it was accompanied by a beautiful exhibition about Amy’s life and style at the Design Museum.

I wanted to feature Amy Winehouse’s music in the podcast to make it a more immersive experience, rather than potentially pushing the listener away from our audio and off to stream the music elsewhere. This meant having to make some compromises. As an indie podcast maker, I can’t afford music royalties or a PRS licence of my own. So I decided to launch the series as a Music + Talk show on Spotify and Anchor. This means that I can search for any of Amy Winehouse’s songs hosted on Spotify and then drop them into the podcast episode. Listeners with free Spotify will hear a 30-second clip, and listeners with Spotify Premium have the option to hear the whole song if they want, otherwise they can easily scroll onwards.

The podcast format I’m working with is like a scaled-down Desert Island Discs, in that my guests only talk about three songs by Amy Winehouse that mean something to them. That format determined how I interviewed my guests, always keeping at the back of my mind the fact that I’d need to move them onto the next song.

The back end of the Music + Talk show determined how I’d edit. It works by letting you drop in songs into your audio, but of course I would have to introduce each song. I had to start thinking of my episode as halfway between a pre-recorded radio show and the podcasts I have been used to making (Freelance Pod, Black Mirror Cracked). I would also have to divide the interview up into segments, to allow space to drop the songs into the episode at the right place. The songs can’t be dropped into an uploaded MP3, only around it. As someone who will happily let interviews meander into interesting places and move sections about in the edit, I found myself aiming for much more linear interviews this time, to save myself from having to deal with too many moving parts in the edit.

Lastly, the main compromise is that the podcast will only be available on the Spotify app. For some potential listeners, that will be a dealbreaker; for others, it will be a mild annoyance for them not to be able to use their favourite app. We Miss Amy Winehouse won’t slot into their podcast queue, but maybe I don’t want it to – maybe it’s better that it stands out.

Making my Edinburgh show, I Miss Amy Winehouse, has been a mostly solitary undertaking, so producing the podcast has been a wonderful reminder that there is an audience for this out there, and even if I don’t get to meet them all at the Fringe, at least I’ve found another way to reach them.

The post We Miss Amy Winehouse: Making a companion podcast to my Edinburgh Fringe comedy appeared first on POD BIBLE.

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

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

What makes a great guest?

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

What makes a great host?

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

What’s been your worst podcast moment?

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

What is it about podcasts that appeals to you?

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

What is your podcast/podcaster pet peeve?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Both: Sh**ged Married Annoyed, obvs.

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

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Chris & Rosie Ramsey appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Could you whittle your favourite podcasts down to a top 5? We asked Nikesh Shukla – Author, Screenwriter and Host of the Brown Baby podcast – to do just that. Here’s his selection…

1. BROWN HISTORY PODCAST

Spinning out of the .Brown History Instagram account, these are in-depth interviews with South Asian academics, thinkers, artists and historians about South Asian diaspora history. Listen now >>

2. GOOD ONE: A PODCAST ABOUR JOKES

The host plays a comedy routine from a comedy writer or performer, and then sits down with them to discuss how they wrote the piece, giving us a real insight into how comedy is written and formed. Listen to Taika Waititi talk about his scripting of Thor Ragnarok. Listen now >>

3. INTO THE ZONE

Novelist Hari Kunzru is a master of super specific research that forms the majority of his work. And here he presents the research as investigations into opposites and borders, taking us on a sometimes trippy journey into fascinating topics like punk rock and stasi, Stonehenge, the originators of MP£ and more. Listen now >>

4. LITERARY FRICTION

Hosts Carrie Plitt and Olivia Bright have in-depth discussions with writers about their books, and find deeper truths in words. These are also followed by booklists related to the main interview. An engaging listen. Listen now >>

5. OFFICE LADIES

I love the US The Office, and any excuse for rewatching it. So this re-watch podcast is hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey who played Pan and Angela on the show, and each week, they deconstruct an episode, talk about how it was written and filmed, and gives us an insight to the making of the best sitcom that ever was. Listen now >>

—

We hope you enjoy these podcasts recommended by Nikesh Shukla. Read more For The Love of Pod articles in the Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop.

The post Nikesh Shukla’s Top 5 Podcasts appeared first on POD BIBLE.

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

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

What is it about podcasts that appeals to you?

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

What makes a great podcast guest?

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

What makes a great podcast host?

This is a simple answer. Someone who listens.

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

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

What’s your podcast pet peeve?

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

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

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

Which episode of Happy Place means the most to you?

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

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

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

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

@fearnecotton // officialfearnecotton.com

Main photo: Stephanie Sian Smith

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

Welcome to 2022 podcast disciples and welcome to the first New This Month article of the year. This is the longest list I’ve done so far – I was betting on January being a slow month for podcast releases, but I was very wrong. The last two months have brought us BBC projects galore, the latest narrative podcast from QCODE, and several new true crime shows – including the newest project from one of the most popular podcasts of all time…

Enjoy!

New Pods

Shattering Gleam

Lots of the best music podcasts take a close look at songs and albums from different viewpoints – whether that is the personal preference of a celebrity, (Soul Music) or the specific nuts and bolts of putting a song together (Song Exploder). Shattering Gleam is slightly different, and perhaps is best described as a culture podcast. Host and music critic Sasha Geffen explores how pop stars have re-shaped gender through music: from Prince’s falsetto to Beyoncé and Britney’s robotic tuning. I like the idea of a playlist of the songs spoken about, but it’s a shame it’s on US-only app Pandora. Listen now >>

The Trojan Horse Affair

This is a big one: this 8-part investigative podcast series jokingly describes itself as an “elaborate student podcast”, but it’s actually the latest project from the team that brought us Serial and S-Town. One night in Birmingham, Brian Reed (the host of S-Town) was approached by ex-doctor and journalism student, Hamza Syed, who wanted help with a story for his Masters degree. He wanted to uncover the truth about the ‘Trojan Horse letter’ that caused the UK government to launch investigations into the supposed ‘radical Islamisation’ of schools in Birmingham in 2014. Despite the fact that this letter was unsigned, undated, incomplete, throughout all the official inquiries and heated speeches in Parliament, no one has ever bothered to answer the basic questions: Where did the letter come from? Who wrote the letter? And why? Brian and Hamza team up to investigate. As might be expected from this production team, this is a gripping and fascinating listen. Listen now >> 

Last Known Position

The latest fiction podcast from production company QCODE  follows a privately funded team of experts as they try to find a flight that suddenly vanished over the Pacific Ocean. Last Known Position stars Gina Rodriguez (Jane The Virgin) as submersible pilot Mikaela Soto and James Purefoy (A Discovery of Witches, Rome) as a grieving billionaire. It describes itself as “the next revolution of suspense and terror” and from the trailer voice to the music score, it really feels like a Hollywood production. The sound design is uncannily realistic and this is definitely worth listening to on headphones for the full effect. As somebody that can get jumpy over sounds I’m not expecting, I did appreciate the content warning that “it may seem like sounds are coming from the sides or behind you” – and it still made me jump! Listen now >>

Fake Psychic

Another new investigative podcast, this time from the BBC. Vicky Baker looks at the ‘stranger-than-fiction’ story of Lamar Keene, a renowned psychic in America during the 1960s who became known as the Prince of Spiritualists. Then one day, he turned his back on spiritualism, and wrote a memoir where he confessed to being part of an underground network he called the “psychic mafia”. He wanted to blow the whistle on the whole industry. But how much can we trust the revelations of a self-confessed conman? Similar to other recent BBC shows, this mixes documentary with drama – although the drama plays quite like the radio classic The Archers in style.  Listen now >> 

Learning From Genocide

Learning From Genocide is a podcast from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust that comes with a content warning of ‘upsetting stories of genocide and violence’. We hear a number of first-hand accounts from people directly affected by recent genocides. The show starts by looking at the Holocaust and Nazi persecution, and moves onto the more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. All seven episodes of the show were released in January to coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day, but I would recommend spreading out your listening so you can fully appreciate each story. Listen now >> 

Fairy Meadow

Another new investigation from the BBC, this one looks at a personal tragedy and the repercussions. In 1970, three-year-old Cheryl Grimmer disappeared from Fairy Meadow beach in New South Wales, Australia. This is mostly the story of her older brother, Ricki, who was the one looking after her when she went missing. We hear Ricki talking through his decades-long search for answers, and the emotional impact it had on him. BBC News Correspondent Jon Kay has been investigating the case since 2016, and over eight episodes we get a really exclusive and in-depth podcast. Listen now >> 

The Stitch Up, Lonel(i)ness, and In Touch with Ruby Rare…

This is like three podcasts for the price of one! As part of Broccoli Productions’ Documentaries stream, they’ve released some one-off episodes and a new show, each looking at different topics: In The Stitch Up, Bea Duncan looks at the fashion industry and how it prioritises profits over people and planet; Lonel(i)ness has Jaja Muhammad ask what we mean by loneliness, what causes it, and how we can at least tackle the stigma of ‘lonely’ if we’ll never fully be rid of it; and In Touch with Ruby Rare is a new short series drawing on sex educator Ruby’s own personal and professional experience. Listen now >> 

Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy

This has been showing up in many newsletters, and is perhaps already as popular as its subjects. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration, but Wild Things is one of the new podcast offerings from Apple TV, and is making a splash. It looks at the lives and hidden truths of the illusionists Seigfried & Roy, who performed 30,000 shows for 50 million people and generated well over $1 billion in ticket sales with their animal magic shows, until Roy was attacked on stage by a tiger in 2003. Listen now >>

Other new podcasts for your list:

The Way They Were – Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate love discussing their own odd ex’s, but they love remembering weird celebrity couples even more. Each week, they’re joined by a celebrity guest to discuss the celebrity romance they never got over, from Brangelina, to Bennifer, and Mick and Marianne. Listen now >> 

Reclaimed & Rewritten – Produced by award-winning publication gal-dem,  this six-part podcast seeks to unearth the mysteries and the stories behind the devastating Tulsa Massacre of 1921. February is Black History Month in the USA, and this is a great way to learn about the state-sponsored massacre, and what actually happened to the community of Deep Greenwood. Listen now >> 

Getting My Dad to Say I Love You – Chris Martin (not Coldplay Chris Martin, by comedian Chris Martin) has been inspired by his own relationship with his father to interview guests, including Romesh Ranganathan and Roisin Conaty, to find out what type of relationship they have with their parents. Perhaps it might help Chris to convince his dad to say those three words, “I Love You” too! Listen now >> 

Go Love Yourself – Star of the Great British Bake Off Laura Adlington has launched a show that aims to empower people to feel good about themselves and their bodies. Laura and best friend Lauren Smith talk about body image, confidence, and growing up in the age of low-rise jeans, diet culture and Bridget Jones. As well as exploring their own journeys to self-acceptance, the pair give practical advice on caring a lot less about what other people think. Listen now >> 

Room 5 – Another BBC production: One afternoon changed everything for Helena Merriman as she was given a shock diagnosis. Now she’s speaking to other people who were changed by a diagnosis. This is an intimate series that uses immersive sound design to help shines a light on misunderstood conditions, and asks how we cope when our bodies and our minds no longer behave as we want them to. Listen now >> 

This Is Dating – “Come for the cringe, stay for the connection.” This show from PRX lets you listen in on first dates. What saves this from being really awkward – even exploitative – is the input from a behavioural scientist pre and post-date. Listen now >>

Ghosthoney’s Dream Machine – Social media trailblazer Ghosthoney, aka Tyler Gaca, has made a podcast with a difference. These short narratives describe the magical worlds that occupy Tyler’s dreams. Tyler is also taking listener’s suggestions for stories! Listen now >> 

New Seasons:

CHAMELEON – Season 3

CHAMELEON: Hollywood Con Queen took us through the story of one of the weirdest and wildest scams in history – a supposed major film project, in Indonesia that never existed. Season two, High Rollers, looked at an FBI agent and a group of businesspeople in Las Vegas who all pretended to be money launderers. Now, the con-themed podcast is looking at a story from 2003, when two half-starved young men turned up in a small Canadian town, saying they’d be living in the woods. Listen now >> 

Deep Cover – Season 2

Deep Cover is a podcast from Puskin Industries that has a simple premise – it focuses on people who lead double lives. Season two, Mob Land, is back with a brand new podcast cover. It’s 1986, and a high-rolling lawyer named Bob Cooley walks into a federal prosecutor’s office and says that he has information that could bring down the mob… Listen now >> 

Human Resources – Season 2

If you’ve heard me on the Pod Bible Podcast,  you’ll know that Human Resources is one of my favourite podcasts. It explores the British involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and how it permeates our society and culture today. Season 2 starts off with a focus on the most British thing imaginable – the Royal Family – and the profits they made from enslaved people. Listen now >> 

Asylum Speakers – Season 6

The podcast that used to be called The Worldwide Tribe is back with a new name for the sixth season. In Asylum Speakers, Jaz O’Hara speaks to people with lived experience of displacement, as well as the people working on the front line supporting them. In the first episode of this series we hear from Hassan Akkad, a BAFTA award winning filmmaker, activist and writer from Syria, who chose to work as an NHS hospital cleaner during the worst days of COVID. The two chat after a family meal and the conversation is a really nice insight into his life. I also love the theme music of this podcast! Listen now >> 

Out There – ‘Things I Thought I Knew’

Another of my often recommended podcasts, Out There shares stories that explore big ideas through our relationship with the outdoors. Up until now, the podcast has worked on a rolling basis, but they’ve done something of a re-launch with this themed series. ‘Things I Thought I Knew’ looks at harnessing the power of nature to uncover truths about our humanity and our world. In the first episode, Sarah Dealy tells us about her time in ‘wilderness therapy’. Listen now >> 

Other new seasons for your list:

Conflicted – Season 3

This podcast from Message Heard has an ex-Al Qaeda jihadi turned MI6 spy (Aimen Dean) and a former monk turned filmmaker (Thomas Small) looking in depth at some of the most nuanced and complicated aspects of war in the Middle East. The long-awaited third season starts with the continuation of their bonus episode on Afghanistan. Listen now >> 

Marvel’s Wastelanders – Season 3

A fictional ‘audio epic’, Wastelanders is the official tie-in podcast that builds on the Marvel universe through audio stories. Season 3 focuses on Black Widow, and is set in New York “almost thirty years after The Day the Villains Won (aka V-Day)”.  Listen now >> 

dot com – Season 2

Dot com is the podcast documentary series about the people of the web. After looking at Wikipedia in the first season, dot com: Redditland takes a close look at the social media website that has been called the front page of the internet. Listen now >> 

—

If you listen to these podcasts, please tell us what you think! Tag us on social media @PodBible. Read more of our New This Month editorials for the newest podcasts to listen to.

Do you have a show for our new podcast list? Email  info@podbiblemag.com with the show description, release date and artwork. We will share as many launches as we can.

The post 23 New podcasts you must listen to this February appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Co-created and co-hosted by multi award-winning actor, producer and environmental advocate, Cate Blanchett (Don’t Look Up, Nightmare Alley, Blue Jasmine); and climate entrepreneur and activist, Danny Kennedy (CEO of New Energy Nexus [NEX] and Managing Director of the California Clean Energy Fund). It features out-of-the-box thinkers, innovators and high-profile guests, all of whom will be announced at a later date.

Two seasons have been commissioned in the deal between Audible and Blanchett’s Dirty Films (in association with StoryHunter), with the first series set to launch globally this April ahead of Earth Day. This collaboration marks the first time Cate Blanchett and Danny Kennedy will create and host a podcast together, as well as Audible’s first major original climate change podcast series.

Climate of Change sees the two long-term friends explore despair, optimism and hope in the face of environmental change. This one-of-a-kind podcast, featuring an exclusive sound track by Grammy Award-winning electronic artist Imogen Heap, takes listeners to the front edge of the most exciting initiatives to address the climate crisis. From women-led energy solutions in Uganda, to a Navajo solar farm in the Arizona desert, to ideas that could transform the global fashion industry; Cate and Danny offer surprising, uplifting stories of ingenuity and resilience, and a listening experience to empower the change we all want to see.

Cate and Danny interview guests along the way, discussing the biggest challenges humankind face and the incredible and ground-breaking work being done to tackle the crisis. Climate of Change will feature some of the world’s leading authors and thought leaders in the green economy, behaviour change and sustainability, as well as grass-roots innovators who are making a positive impact on their local communities by creating clean energy solutions.

Cate Blanchett (Partner, Dirty Films) on behalf of Dirty Films, said:

“This podcast is a joyous extension of a long-standing friendship that all of us at Dirty Films have had with the wonderful Danny Kennedy. Danny’s knowledge about and passion for climate solutions is infectious, and our experience developing this project with the folks at StoryHunter for Audible has been a shot in the arm – and has gone a long way to tempering our eco-anxiety. We hope that our listeners enjoy hearing the conversations as much as we have enjoyed having them.”

Aurelie De Troyer, Senior Vice President of International English Content at Audible, said:

“We are thrilled to be working on such an exciting and important series as Climate of Change. Podcasts are the perfect vehicle to educate and raise awareness of important issues and it’s an honour to collaborate with the extremely talented Cate and Danny on their first podcast. We have been blown away by the passion for this project from the team at Dirty Films and StoryHunter and we know this will be something special.”

—

This is a press release which we may link to from our newsletter. This is reprinted verbatim; we may rewrite headlines and descriptions.

The post Audible commissions two seasons of new original podcast from Cate Blanchett’s Dirty Films appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Do men really talk? We’re currently facing a major mental health challenge in society with suicide being the biggest killer of men
under the age of 45, so what can we do to make sure we’re really airing our thoughts and fears?

Comedian Russell Kane hosts the podcast Man Baggage where he talks to celebrities and an array of people in efforts to tussle with the real problems that men face. So, how does Russell personally feel about male mental health and how does he like to handle the subject?

RK: Men’s mental health – it’s an iceberg problem. Most of it is hidden – and incredibly deadly. There is a space to use humour and banter to get a certain type of man to engage. That’s the area I’m interested in.

There’s a new episode each Tuesday where Russell leaves no topic off the table! The podcast was previously titled Boys Don’t Cry and this title also perfectly summarised many of the issues that the podcast is inherently about. At what point did Russell personally decide that he wanted to do more for men’s mental health?

RK: When I saw, finally, that the long needed conversation around men’s mental health was beginning – but that it was somewhat dominated by worthiness. There is nothing wrong with worthiness – but a certain type of working-class man is put off by the seriousness of it.

The Russell Kane’s Man Baggage podcast blurb rather wonderfully says it all:

“Russell and his guests explore all the uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing conversations that usually make men run for the door by doing what blokes do best – make daft jokes about them.

Are men biologically more reckless? Are women naturally more assertive than men? Should all men wear a watch? Thought provoking, insightful and laugh out loud funny, Man Baggage takes you to all the best places.”

As Russell points out, as the host he tries to make the conversations funny, accessible and engaging so that we can all partake in the themes. It’s often the case that men can avoid emotional baggage, hence the need for the podcast – what are his personal highlights?

RK: Easily – the episode about heights. I cannot believe what a divisive topic it is to men and women, to reflect on how tall they are, and how much insecurity and toxicity lies beneath it.

What more can we do – what advice would Russell personally give to make sure that we carry on these conversations?

The number one piece of advice I gave to all blokes is check in twice. Most men will tell you everything is okay, so you’re gonna need to be a little bit annoying when you’re checking in with a friend you’re worrying about. Don’t worry about being annoying, you might save his life.

Listen to Russell Kane’s Man Baggage now on Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts.

This article was first written in August 2021 and featured in Issue #016 of the Pod Bible Magazine. Subscribe to the magazine so you never miss an issue. 

The post THE GOOD SAMARITAN // Russell Kane’s Man Baggage appeared first on POD BIBLE.

It’s the last new podcasts round-up of the year and we have an epic list to take you over the holiday season. This list sees celebrity podcasts levelling up and going beyond interviews. There’s also a number of creative uses of audio, and more audio-play podcasts coming out. So if you’re driving home from Christmas, or hopping on a train for the holidays, line up some of the best new podcasts to listen to right now!

New Podcasts

The Last Days of Maradona

When football legend Diego Maradona died at the age of 60 in 2020, there were many questions about the medical treatment he received. The Last Days of Maradona is a new podcast from Spotify that is part forensic investigation, part homage to Maradona. Another football legend, Thierry Henry, is the narrator, and I find him interesting to listen too. There’s no doubt his delivery is a little unnatural, but the personal influence of Maradona on Henry is a great connection to explore. The series is also available in French (also narrated by Henry), Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. Listen now on Spotify >>

The Always Sunny Podcast

The Always Sunny Podcast is already a chart-topping show, having knocked Joe Rogan off the top of the Spotify charts for a brief moment. It’s an unofficial re-watch podcast for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – with the extra punch that it’s hosted by those involved in the show. Glenn, Charlie, and Rob are going over every season with a deep dive into their memories of creating the show. Listen now >>

We Were Always Here

Another Broccoli production (and the first released under the new ‘Documentaries’ strand of the company) We Were Always Here seeks to bring the untold perspectives of the UK HIV epidemic to the fore. It’s been 40 years since the first cases of HIV – or as it was known then ‘Gay-Related Immune Deficiency’ – were identified. In this series, Activist Marc Thompson weaves fact, history and personal experience, along with the experiences from those that rallied together during the worst parts of the epidemic. I think that Marc’s commentary has some really lovely, lyrical wording, which also seems impressively unscripted. And the music is really emotive and unique. Listen now >>

Storytime with Seth Rogan

This podcast has been getting rave reviews, and as the description says, this is “not a typical comedian-hosted chat show!”. Episodes are short and sweet, and we hear a guest’s story interspersed with Seth’s monologues, conversations with people who know the storyteller and music breaks from all genres. The first episode, Glorious Basterds, has Seth talking to a Jehovah’s witness-turned-comic about her journey to comedy, which involves a Quentin Tarentino film and Paul Rudd. But does Paul Rudd remember..?! Listen now >>

Psycho Schizo Espresso

Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson teams up with best-selling author Dr. Kevin Dutton for “an Indiana Jones-style adventure” in this interesting take on a celebrity podcast. Bruce and Kevin delve into the psyches of rock icons, sporting superstars, and special forces soldiers. Along the way they speak to some of the most respected thought leaders and brain scientists on the planet. The first episode looks at ‘the number of the beast’ and speaks to Professor Steve Friesen about why 666 is associated with the Devil.  Listen now >>

dot com: The Wikipedia Story

I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting from this podcast about Wikipedia – but it definitely wasn’t a guest unexpectedly singing an American folk song. The singer in question is Steven Pruitt, one of the top editors on Wikipedia, and therefore one of the 25 most influential people on the internet. We meet him, along with other eclectic wiki authors, in the first episode. This is an interesting peek behind the pixels of the Internet’s biggest encyclopaedia. Listen now >>

Whistle Through The Shamrocks

It’s another celebrity making a podcast! And this is especially amusing considering this tweet from one of the creators last year. But Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls) and Camilla Whitehill are really levelling up the celebrity-doing-a-podcast genre, and bringing a heap of tongue-in-cheek as well. The sleepy Irish village of Ballysnavougherenn is the scene for an epic audio drama about foul winds, potato farming, and evil English lords. But in the framing of the drama, we hear Coughlan and Whitehill directing the play. We’re also treated to a host of celebrities that have been duped into recording this play for ‘The National Theatre’. A must listen – if only because this one is hard to explain! Listen now >>

Other new podcasts for your list:

• Trusty Hogs – Catherine Bohart from the You’ll Do podcast and Helen Bauer of Daddy Look At Me team up after winning hundreds of regular fans with their award-winning online comedy show Gigless over lockdown. Now they’re putting the world to rights, solving listener problems, and welcoming fantastic comedy friends to join in with the high-energy hilarity. Listen now >>
• Power: Hugh Hefner – The second subject in the Power series is the silk-robe clad Hugh Hefner. We hear from the models, Playboy Bunnies, and other women in the Playboy founder’s inner circle, and it explores the power he had for progress, and for abuse. Listen now >>
• Jackie The Ripper – What if the genders were turned on the infamous Ripper story? Stak’s audio drama is a comedic re-telling of the true story that still holds onto the social importance. The 5-part series premiered for Halloween, but would make a great alternative to the Christmas ghost story. Listen now >>
• Life Sentence – This semi-fictional podcast brings a fresh perspective to the climate crisis by drawing on music, spoken word and evocative sound design to tell stories of some of our planet’s prime inhabitants. Features Jordan Stephens, Charlotte Ritchie, Will Mellor, Evanna Lynch, Jade Anouka, Sindhu Vee and Cel Spellman. Listen now >>
• Not Another Love Song – Matt Edmonson wanted to make an album, but he can’t sing or play instruments. So he enlists the  help of some of his favourite artists to create songs about some less likely subjects like hayfever, dishwashers, potatoes. This might remind me at times of doing joint music projects at school, but there’s some comedy and the end songs are fairly impressive.  Listen now >>
• 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. The first episode ‘Why do refugees ‘love’ the UK?’ couldn’t be more timely. Listen now >>

New Podcast Seasons

The Log Books – Season 3

The podcast telling untold stories from Britain’s queer history is getting closer to the present day. This series looks at the day-to-day impact on LGBTQI+ people made by shifts in technology and attitudes from 1992 to 2003. I’m sad to say this is the final season of a Pod Bible favourite, but the physical log books from Switchboard became digital in 2003, so it’s a fitting place to end. Listen now >>

Armchair Adventures – Season 2

The award-winning podcast is back for a second season and looks set to continue is its mission for creativity and connection. We recently spoke to creators, theatre company Made By Mortals, about the series and their inspirations. Listen now >>

Unobscured – Season 4

Unobscured is one of the non-fiction offerings from Aaron Mankhe’s Grim & Mild, and looks at parts of history we think we know. Previous seasons have covered the Salem witch trials, the Spiritualist Movement, and Jack the Ripper. This one is looking at the Romanovs and their relationship with Rasputin. (If you can listen to this season without getting Boney M. in your head, you’re a better person than me!) Listen now >>

Stuff The British Stole – Season 2

This history podcast from Australia has a simple premise – each episode looks at one item that was taken from its country by the British Empire. There is… a lot. From Maori ancestors (as in literally their heads) to the Parthenon Marbles, there is a true crime style to this series. This has been one of my favourite podcasts of the past year, so I’m half hoping there’s enough stuff to keep this going for many years. But I’m mostly worried how big the can of worms is… Listen now >>

—

If you listen to these podcasts, please tell us what you think! Tag us on social media @PodBible. Read more of our New This Month editorials for the newest podcasts to listen to.

Do you have a show for our new podcast list? Email  info@podbiblemag.com with the show description, release date and artwork. We will share as many launches as we can.

The post 17 new podcasts to listen to in December 2021 appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Redefine You: A Conversation for Wellbeing has been a true blessing in my life. At the beginning of lockdown, like many, I went from an abundance of travel for work, to a stand-still. During this time, my mind was racing on how I could give back some of the knowledge I have accrued over my years in the body image and wellness space.

As artists, we regularly deal with the fear of the unknown professionally and still have to show up for ourselves. Now the whole world was dealing with the fear of the unknown and they may not have explored the tools they already had access to within themselves.

I wanted to give back my knowledge on how I’ve walked alongside my anxiety, even on the most challenging of days, and still showed up for myself. Then I became curious about friends of mine in the industry. What was in their toolbox? We often get asked about our professional achievements, but what about our personal ones? The ones where we struggled yet still succeeded; felt lost yet suddenly became found through an ‘AHA!’ moment; when we finally took ownership of who we are and all that we are.

I wanted to celebrate those moments – the good, the indifferent and beyond. I wanted an audience to know they are never alone in their journey to become grounded in the power of them. Even the people they admire the most experience these feelings and have had challenging moments behind the scenes.

Once you find the courage to make ‘you’ a part of your daily practice and build a personalized toolbox to revert back to on your stumbled moments that you too will be okay, succeed and live a beautiful life.

What started as an InstaLive series (purely created to give back inspiring stories of ownership to self and mental health awareness) has now turned into this overpouring love of a podcast, with a community of people waiting to support you in your journey to become grounded in the power of you.

As we hit our twentieth episode, the impact I get from each one of the stories being told is far too much to put into words.

I have been a body activist for years, yet silently suffering with crippling social anxiety at times, and feeling shame for not being able to grasp why these emotions would arise when I am such a people person. To hear stories outside myself is a true reflection that there is so much strength in vulnerability, and you are not alone in where your mind may wander. It gives me another reason to feel grounded in knowing it’s okay to not be ‘okay’ in a journey to become connected to an ever-evolving self.

We all struggle at times, fall down, turn those moments into life experiences and work hard to find our way out. It just so happens that we just don’t talk about it publicly enough to know that this has been true, time and time again. The stories shared in Redefine You will surprise you and leave you feeling encouraged to look within. What may serve you from their journey that you can apply to yours? When a guest shows vulnerability in such a way, it encourages us all to look within.

Redefine You with Hayley Hasselhoff shares conversations with inspiring friends of mine in the industry. We hear their stories of true ownership in self and their mental wellbeing journey along the way. I’ve learned how we all experience mental health challenges but that they can arise in different forms for each person; that not one mental health condition can be categorized yet it helps another when you put a face to it; how validating our emotions – even without knowing the answer – is always the first step; that hearing another lived experience can help us in healing our own; and how feelings like grief can catapult into many aspects of someone’s lives.

We have had guests speak about living with an eating disorder, grief, imposter syndrome, losing a loved one through death by suicide, the beauty of putting ‘pain to purpose’ when being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and so much more.

I thank each and every beautiful, fearless guest I have had on for the impact they are making by telling their truth and the beauty in that. I can only hope the podcast inspires you to look within and guides you to lead a life being grounded in you.

Listen to Redefine You with Hayley Hasselhoff now on SPOTIFY, Hayley’s website, or other podcast platforms.

The post Hayley Hasselhoff writes about Redefine You: A Conversation for Wellbeing appeared first on POD BIBLE.

This month’s list has a big focus on aspects of modern society that are confusing, frustrating and complicated. From sexism, to cancel culture, and environmental issues told through the mouths of birds… Here are the best new podcasts to listen to right now!

New Podcasts

Women Vs Hollywood

This new film podcast is hosted by Empire journalist Helen O’Hara and discusses the challenges that women face in the film industry. Based on her critically-acclaimed non-fiction book Women Vs Hollywood: The Fall And Rise Of Women In Film. O’Hara and guests (including film critic Pamela Hutchinson and the hosts of the Best Pick podcast, Jessica Regan and Tom Salinksy) examine how far sexism in Hollywood goes – and asks how we can change the picture. The episode about the Silent Era, in particular, was a real surprise, and now I really want to watch The Hazards of Helen. Listen now on Spotify >>

Cancelled

The latest show from Broccoli Content has been getting high praise. It takes a shot at ‘cancel culture’ with some tongue-in-cheek monologues about the biggest cancellations in recent years. What is brilliant about Cancelled is that it’s looking at all aspects of culture, and across the left/right spectrum. Piers Morgan, Jameela Jamil and Nike are just some of the subjects so far. As it says in the description, the monologues hold no judgement as such – or least the words don’t but the delivery from host Cameron Bernard Jones is hilarious.  Listen now on Spotify >>

I’m Sorry

There’s apparently a public need to hear about public people’s missteps, because Lemonada’s latest podcast also looks at famous controversies. I’m Sorry is not dissimilar to Cancelled in subject, but uses a panel chat rather than a crafted monologue. It’s a weekly comedy podcast where Kiki Monique, Mohanad Elshieky, and Hoja Lopez talk about apologies and how they play out in the court of public opinion. If you’re anything like me, you’ll skip straight to ‘The Worst Apologies of All Time’.  Listen now on Spotify>>

The Way We Are with Munroe Bergdof

Spotify launched another massive celebrity podcast last month. It hardly feels like a Munroe Bergdof podcast needs promotion. But the premise of this one goes a bit beyond the regular celebrity podcast. Rather than a general ‘life story’ interview, this asks interviewees to focus on how events have shaped them into the person they are. From the dramatic and traumatic, to the smaller moments. After listening to how Jameela Jamil was ‘cancelled’, perhaps you can listen to her talk about the difference between ‘cancel culture’ and ‘accountability culture’ with Munroe. Listen now on Spotify >>

The Flock

The Flock is a new an unique audio drama funded by Arts Council England. This podcast is an environmental fable and epic adventure about the end of the world – told from the point of view of the birds. We hear from lead characters Parrot and Budgie, and political analogies abound, including ‘city versus country’ and rousing leaders speeches. With plenty of bird themed soundscapes and original songs (with perhaps a hint of Flight Of The Concords or The Mighty Boosh era TV comedy) each episode is short and sweet. Listen now on Spotify >>

First Time For Everything

Everyone remembers their first time… and there really is a first time for everything. This podcast invites guests and listeners to share a litany of first times. Whilst Scrobious Pip talks about the origins of his stage name, comedian Rich Wilson talks about what a surprise he had the first time he went on a plane. You might recognise the voices in this one – it’s the new podcast from our Editor Adam Richardson and our previous Digital Editor Jordan Rizzieri! So give it a try. After all, there’s a first time for everything… Listen now on Acast >>

Coiled

Coiled is a great example of what I love about podcasts: start with a very specific topic, and dive deep into it until it has wide appeal. Producers Leanne Ali and Sylvie Carlos explore black afro hair in society and history, framed with a personal journey as Leanne transitions back to her natural hair.  Listen now on Spotify >>

Other new podcasts for your list:

• Tingbao– This podcast comes from Dreamsailors, an international performance and design collective. Tingbao is a series of eight short episodes (less than 15 minutes each) that weaves the story of one boy’s search for a song lost in time with a musical soundscape by Richard Navarro and Paul Cheneour. The first episodes launched yesterday. Listen now >> 
• But Is It Funny? – Comedy critics in conversation about comedy. Each week, the Guardain’s Brian Logan and one of our contributors, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, talk about what’s happening in stand-up, just why exactly we find things funny. Listen now >>
• Heal With It – From barbershops in Little Rock to park benches in Zimbabwe, this podcast searches for mental health and healing in its many, and sometimes unexpected forms. I’ve listened to the first episode and I love that it’s looking at mental health globally (and the artwork is amazing!). Listen now >>
• American Vigilante – Crowd Network’s latest podcast let’s us hear from KC, an anonymous but real vigilante from America. Former BBC Journalist Sam Walker spoke to KC for months and recorded everything. “You’ll need to listen to make your own mind up, but you might never be the same again.” Listen now >>

New Podcast Seasons

Bottoming – Season 3

The LGBTQ+ mental health podcast is back for its third season, kicking off with an interview with Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and producer, MNEK. The episode touches on starting out in the music industry at an early age, how he’s learned to love his body, and his particular way of processing stress and emotion. Listen now on Acast >>

Small Town Dicks – Season 9

Small Town Dicks is back for a 9th season, and they have signed on with Acast. The show follows real-life, big-time crime happening in ‘Small Town, USA’ — the podcast name being a reference to the slang term for detectives. Rebecca Steinberg, Director of Development at Acast, gives the show big praise: “I’ve been listening since 2017 and it’s the show that prompted my career shift into podcasting,” said  Listen now on Acast>>

Wild For Scotland – Season 2

Lastly, a little bit of shameless uplifting for a small podcast I do some work on! Wild For Scotland is an immersive storytelling podcast by award-winning Scotland travel blogger Kathi Kamleitner. This is a pod born out of lockdown, when Kathi couldn’t travel around the country she loves, and she started writing and recording stories about past journeys. It was recently nominated for an International Women’s Podcast award. This series is about roadtrips! Listen on Acast now >>

—

If you listen to these podcasts, please tell us what you think! Tag us on social media @PodBible. Read more of our New This Month editorials for the newest podcasts to listen to.

Do you have a show for our new podcast list? Email  info@podbiblemag.com with the show description, release date and artwork. We will share as many launches as we can.

The post 14 new podcasts to listen to in October 2021 appeared first on POD BIBLE.

London, 9th September 2021: Acast, the creator-first podcast company, has signed Deborah Frances-White’s hilarious, award-winning podcast The Guilty Feminist to the Acast Creator Network. Winner of Pod Bible’s ‘Best Lifestyle and Culture Podcast’ 2019, and gold winner at the British Podcast Awards 2020, The Guilty Feminist will now be hosted, distributed and monetised by Acast.

The exclusive partnership will also see Acast support the launch of a slate of brand new podcasts from the house of The Guilty Feminist later this year. Planned shows will appeal to a similar audience as The Guilty Feminist, with three podcasts already in development spanning British politics, in-depth investigations on current affairs, and live comedy — the latter featuring a host of stand-ups acts who’ll be very familiar to The Guilty Feminist’s regular listeners.

UTA represents Deborah Frances-White and brokered the exclusive partnership deal with Acast.

Deborah’s inimitable delivery has helped the podcast amass more than 90 million listens, and has cemented her as one of the UK’s foremost voices in conversations around feminism. Recorded in front of a live audience each week, The Guilty Feminist tackles topics as wide-ranging as money management and mental health, with high-profile guests from the worlds of TV, comedy and journalism lending a hand — including the likes of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Yomi Adegoke and Eddie Izzard.

As part of the Acast Creator Network, The Guilty Feminist‘s revenue, and those of its new launches, will be strengthened by Acast’s range of monetisation options — which include premium ad products available exclusively via the Acast Marketplace, branded content and the option of fan-supported revenue streams through Acast+.

Acast’s podcast team will help Deborah expand The Guilty Feminist’s audience and bring listeners to her planned new shows, with Acast’s commitment to open podcasting meaning they’ll remain available to listen to globally across all podcast listening platforms.

Deborah Frances-White, host of The Guilty Feminist, said: “There’s never been a more thrilling, vibrant, animated time for feminism. It is such a joy and a privilege to be at the beating heart of such an electric movement — co-creating a funny, entertaining forum for new ideas, sparky conversations and productive action, with a tone that welcomes imperfect feminists everywhere.

“Gloria Steinem says, ‘a movement has to be moving somewhere’. With the wonderful people at Acast putting their gas in our tank, who knows how far and fast we can go? They’ve really helped us keep the podcast free for anyone in the world to listen to, while enabling us to pay our guests and contributors – as well as expand our podcast house — and I can’t wait to discover what we will build together.”

Clarissa Pabi, Acast’s Senior Content Development Manager, UK, said: “Deborah is an incomparable voice in podcasting and comedy. She’s worked so hard to create a safe and brave space for honest feminist conversations, and to nurture a community of loyal, engaged listeners — and we believe the stories she shares should be heard by people the world over.

“Working with Deborah and her team, and helping to launch a slate of new shows over the coming months, makes this a dream partnership.”

Shelby Schenkman, Emerging Platforms Agent at UTA, said: “Deborah’s podcast, The Guilty Feminist, is adored by its fans and has enjoyed millions of listeners over the years — thanks to this partnership with Acast, we’re confident we can build on that success and make a splash on a global scale.”

For brands and advertisers looking to work with The Guilty Feminist podcast, opportunities are available exclusively through the Acast Marketplace.

—ENDS—

The post The Guilty Feminist joins the Acast Creator Network appeared first on POD BIBLE.