Full Chat launched on 24th April and has had an abundance of  celebrity guests already, including Paul Ainsworth, Kriss Akabusi, Peter Hickman and James Cracknell. The podcast is powered by Bikesure, the UK’s largest specialist motorbike insurer.

We spoke to Iwan and David about podcasting, their dream guests and where to start with their podcast…

David Prutton and Iwan Thomas interview James Cracknell on Full Chat

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

Iwan: I’m Iwan Thomas, a former European, Commonwealth and world champion athlete and I’ve always been a total bike nut. The podcast is about not only my love for bikes but our guest’s life stories of what riding motorbikes brings them.

David: My name is David Prutton, former footballer now presenter and motorbike nut. Now, with the lovely Iwan Thomas, we speak to the great and the good about our shared two-wheeled passion!

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

Iwan: I started to do the podcast because I believe it’s a brilliant way to get across my passion, enthusiasm and love for a subject close to my heart and in doing so chat to like-minded people who also have brilliant stories to share.

David: I love the medium and the pace of it. It’s as thrilling as working on live TV but in a different gear.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Iwan: There’s a number of different podcasts I like for different reasons but being a father of three at the moment I really love listening to Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe.

David: I Love SmartLess, The Rest is Entertainment, Not The Top 20 (NTT20) and Armchair Expert.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Iwan: I think my dream guest for Full Chat would be Valentino Rossi.

David: We’ve had some corkers so far but would I love Ewan McGregor or, on a totally unrelated non-bike vibe, Robert Plant. I LOVE (Led) Zeppelin!

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

Iwan: The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far as a podcaster is don’t let Kriss Akabusi on the mic for too long!

David: More succinct questions!

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Iwan: I’ve enjoyed all of our episodes so far, but if you want energy and excitement listen to the Kriss Akabusi one, which was our second episode.

David: Kriss Akabusi on episode two; energetic, irreverent and passionate!

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

Iwan: Probably the best place to find out more about me would be on my social media, @iwanrunner.

David: Wherever you get your podcasts from, and via socials!

Listen to Full Chat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and other popular podcast apps >>

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Previous guests include Tom Allen, Raye, Hannah Waddingham, Craig Doyle, HRH Princess Eugenie, Jam es Acaster & Ed Gamble and loads more. Kate  consistently brings her warm, thoughtful and deeply researched questions to every guest, from all corners of the entertainment industry, whether that be food, sport, music, or comedy. Every conversation allows listeners to connect with the guest and the intimacies of their story. “The show has given me a chance to share in pivotal moments in a guest’s life, like when we had Hannah Waddingham on just as Ted Lasso was gaining momentum. Hannah had been a friend of mine for some years by then and we recorded her episode at my house over a curry just as the world was waking up to her talents. It was really special to help tell her story over a couple of glasses of wine as she came into full bloom professionally.”

Even the most famous guests bring plenty of stories you’ll have never heard before. “I’ve been lucky enough to carry on working as a journalist and interviewer for 30 years now and the format of the show gives me a chance to really dive into all I’ve learnt across those years. If a guest says “that’s a really hard question” or “I’ve never been asked that before” it feels like a win – it means we’re exploring new territory!”. It’s like settling in for a chat with an old friend – the show is charming, ferociously funny and often deeply heartfelt. “The general rule of thumb we apply is if a guest is booked onto the show then it’s because they’ve done enough extraordinary things in their life to warrant you lending us your ears for an hour. They are all “best in class” from whatever field they’re in, be it acting, singing, food, sport, politics or entertainment” says Kate.

Every Friday, listeners can hear brand new interviews with various well-known names, as well as a deep dive into the show’s cellar every Tuesday, where Kate will take us back down memory lane with some of the most interesting guests from previous episodes. “We have
some gems lined up over the next few months – there’s a real life living legend in the form of the first British astronaut to ever walk in space and a member of probably the most famous family on the planet…but I can’t say any more on that for now!”

Listen and subscribe to White Wine Question Time wherever you get your podcasts with new episodes releasing every Tuesday & Friday.

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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.

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Whilst you could get them some equipment – microphones or headphones – but you always run the risk of getting the wrong one. So my suggestion is to follow the lovely Icelandic tradition, and give them a podcast-related book. There are loads of books based on podcasts or by podcasters, and the best thing is – they are super simple to wrap too!

So if you’re after books based on podcasts, here are eleven of the best.

Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed.
by Chris & Rosie Ramsey

The husband and wife have been chatting about almost everything on their chart-topping podcast for nearly five years now, and they’ve committed their conversations to paper too. Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed by Chris & Rosie Ramsey goes through “the ups and downs and ins and outs of love, sex and relationships”. Author Daisy May Cooper said she “Laughed ’til I cried reading this. An absolute triumph!”. Find out more >>

The Rest Is History: The Official Book from the Makers of the Hit Podcast
By Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook

Released earlier this year, The Rest Is History is a great addition to the podcast from historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. It gives you a whistle-stop tour through the past by answering questions such as ‘did the Trojan War actually happen?’ and ‘how did a hair appointment almost blow Churchill’s cover?’. This is also a great present for history fans! Find out more >>

Diary of a CEO
by Steven Barlett

Steven Barlett’s podcast is consistently one of the most popular podcasts in the UK, so when he released his companion book earlier this year it was big news. The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business, Marketing and Life is partly based on interviews from his show, and promises to teach the reader principles ‘rooted in psychology and behavioral science’ that can apply to any industry. Find out more >>

What’s That Lady Doing?
by Lou Sanders

The host of Cuddle Club is a regular face on television and a regular voice on podcasts, but this step into literature is a new medium for her. And it’s worth saying that What’s That Lady Doing? shows a new side of Lou in an incredibly sincere memoir. As one review said “A memoir with this much rape and alcoholism in it has absolutely no business being so funny. But it is fucking hilarious.” Find out more >>

From Gay to Ze
By Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley

Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley broke new audio-ground with their first podcast, Some Families, which talked about the logistics of LGBTQ+ parenting. Their book The Queer Parent: Everything You Need to Know From Gay to Ze breaks literary ground as the first LGBTQ+ parenting book to ever be published by a major author. As the writers said to us earlier this year “Isn’t that insane?”. Find out more >>

It’s A Continent
by Chinny Ukata and Astrid Madimba

Chinny Ukata and Astrid Madimba educate and entertain listeners about the history of Africa with their podcast It’s A Continent. The book follows in its footsteps, appreciating the identity of each nation and exploring key historical moments that have shaped the continent, in an easily digestible, satirical (and shady) format. I was super excited to see the mention of Pod Bible in the bio at the start because we featured the podcast as a great women’s history podcast way back in 2021! Find out more >>

Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial
By Rabia Chaudry

Serial is often credited with starting the first podcast boom – it has won every major award for broadcasting, including the first-ever Peabody awarded to a podcast. The epitome of the true crime genre, it is steeped in its own controversy. Rabia Chaudry’s book delves into the case on a much wider level, offers new content and evidence, and questions aspects that were only touched on – or not even reported – in the podcast. Find out more >>

How To Fail
By Elizabeth Day

Another hugely popular podcast, there are twelve whole seasons of How To Fail to catch up on. Elizabeth Day has spoken to hundreds of people about their failures and what it taught them. The book shines the light more on the author and is described as ‘part memoir, part manifesto’. This is a great one to give someone so they can start their new year on a positive – or learn to embrace the negative. Find out more >>

Welcome to Night Vale
by Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor

Whilst the Welcome To Night Vale podcast is in the style of a radio show, the book is a more traditional narrative. There are three book tie-ins to the series, and in this first, nineteen-year-old pawn shop owner Jackie Fierro is determined to uncover the mystery of “King City”. Other books in the series are It Devours! and The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home. Find out more >>

Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film
By Helen O’Hara

Empire magazine’s ‘geek queen’, Helen O’Hara, explores women’s roles – both in front of and behind the camera – since the birth of Hollywood, how those roles are reflected within wider society and what we can do to level the playing field. The podcast and book were released as a joint venture and therefore feed into each other really well.  This book ticks the boxes for anyone who likes cinema, podcasts or books. Find out more >>

The Breakup Monologues: The Unexpected Joy of Heartbreak
By Rosie Wilby

One of our regular writers, Rosie has done the full circle from writing her book, to making her podcast, and back to writing books. The Breakup Monologues is the book that came out of her podcast of the same name, and Rosie explore the psychology of love and heartbreak by drawing on her own and others’ experiences. You can read more about the journey in our interview with her. Find out more >>

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Ki and Dee

With Songs, stories and good old fashioned gossip to make you smile, Ki and Dee are the two pod besties you wish you had. Both fantastic artists in their own right, if you missed THAT viral Love Island song, then where have you been? Join the ladies as they chat to like minded guests about everything from dating to Cuban heels and everything in between, oh and there is usually a super catchy self-penned song thrown in for good measure as well. Listen now >>

NonCensored

It’s news but not as you know it. Join comedian Roise Holt as she plays the despicable Harriet Langley-Swindon, a radio journalist with lots of un-fact checked opinions on Brexit, immigration and the horrifying “tofu eating wokerati”. Joined weekly by producer Martin and resident comedian Eshaan Akbar for the hilarious Hot and Spicy Take of the Week. It’s podcast satire at its best. Listen now >>

The Upshot

If you were just as obsessed with the Beckham documentary as everyone else and need more salacious gossip to fill the Beckham shaped void now the series has finished then The Upshot might just be for you. Weekly topics include drunken antics, dressing room squabbles and the simmering sexual tension of the French football team(seriously!) and yes there is a Beckham episode. Go check it out but don’t say you weren’t warned. Listen now >>

Answer Me This

Okay don’t get too excited, this podcasting behemoth and huge series isn’t back for new series (sorry) but it is still a massively listened to series with an evergreen back catalogue that fans just love diving into again again. Considering Olly and Helen were 400+ episodes deep there really is something for everyone and let’s be honest when the present and future seem a bit grim, there is nothing better than a good old trip down podcast memory/episodes lane. Listen now >>

HypnoSOS

Created during the pandemic to give key workers a tool to help them manage their stress, Ursula James’ HypnoSOS podcast now has 10,000’s of listeners a month using her 15 min episodes to help them relax and de-stress. From letting go of frustrations to boosting motivation, there is an episode for everyone and every emotion you might be feeling. So dive in when you have a spare 15 mins and give your brain a well deserved break from the chaos of the day. Listen now >>

Auddy is inspiring and engaging audiences through audio. Supporting creators, creating branded content and private podcasts.

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

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It’s about music, obviously. But it’s more about people, and about life at large. That’s a very broad précis, admittedly, but the vast, sprawling, deeply moving stories that Soul Music manages to tell in 45 minutes are that podcasting gold.

It’s a way of getting right to the very core of a piece of music by giving a little bit of the context around its making, but by then lifting it out of history and hearing it through the people each piece has touched.

So instead of hearing, yet again, how unexpected the first line of God Only Knows is, we meet a couple in Burundi from different cultures who personify the whole sentiment, and a widow remembers how it felt to collide with what, exactly, she should be without her husband.

Always understated and beautifully paced, there’s a library of 165 episodes stretching back to 2000 on BBC Sounds now stretching from Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor to the Smiths’ There is A Light That Never Goes Out via the traditional Welsh ballad Myfanwy. Here’s where to start…

Sunshine on Leith by the Proclaimers

This is a great example of the way Soul Music finds interviewees who can tell the story of the song at the same time as the song is telling the story of the interviewees. The hymnal feel of the song is at the heart of the responses here, from the communal joy and relief of the crowd at Hibernian, who took the song as their anthem, to a lawyer who heard Craig and Charlie Reid singing the song at a gig while he was defending a prisoner on Death Row.

Prelude a l’Apres Midi d’un Faune by Debussy

The other thing Soul Music does extraordinarily well is articulating the abstract feelings that classical music can stir up inside you, especially when you’ve not got the specific vocabulary to really dig into exactly what it’s doing to make you feel that way. Rather than getting the thing up on the jacks and having a poke about inside it with a musicologist, Soul Music’s intertwining stories show how a piece is refracted like light through each person who hears it. Hearing Debussy floating from a window moves a Jamaican poet to write, and an Iranian doctor to leave Tehran for London, and a new mother to cope with postnatal depression.

Africa by Toto

Soul Music’s also very good at taking a piece of music that has some level of ironic appreciation attached to it, and dusting it away to reveal the very earnest emotional tug underneath. The soft rock classic turned into a viral hit around the time a DJ in Bristol played it for 12 hours solid at a charity night. But beyond the surface it’s got this deep yearning which David Greig, the Artistic Director of the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh, leveraged by using the song in one of his plays. And, on top of that, a song by an LA rock band is reclaimed by a youth choir from the poorest parts of South Africa.

Listen to Soul Music on BBC Sounds, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and your preferred podcast app.

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The first series saw some iconic moments (including Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds’ choice of Kendrick Lamar to headline over The Beatles) and now Shaun is back for a second series.

This season promises even more excitement, imagination and controversy – with special guests including musical heavyweights such as Paul Weller, Nadine Shah and Rag’n’Bone Man as well as acclaimed actors in Maxine Peake and Himesh Patel.

We asked him to tell us more about the show, and how he’s finding podcasting so far…

Congratulations on your Pod Bible Poll Winners nomination! How has the reception for the podcast been so far?

It’s been so warm wonderful and positive! It’s a really simple concept but it seems to be just what people are after right now. We’ve been lucky to grab some superb guests and I think we have managed to get some really emotive and funny chats out of them.

As you said on the Pod Bible podcast, the premise of this podcast can be a great pub discussion! But how did this make its way into podcast form?

It’s down to my old compatriot Matt Everitt, and his mate Graham Hodge, who are evil podcast genii. They synthesised the format, and dragged me on at the last minute as pure talent. I think the idea percolated up in those dark days when festivals seemed a distant dream.

You spoke a little bit about the difference between podcast and radio – but do you think this show would have been different if you’d done a radio show?

You know how much I love radio, it is my original home, however I do think the podcast format is often better for longer form chats isn’t it? There is a slightly more relaxed feeling about it, and you don’t have to hit the news on the hour.

There are a few music heavyweights you’ve had on the show and you have some legends coming up – dare you tell us if there’s one you were most star-struck by?

They have all been by turns charming, effusive, hilarious and moving, but KEITH BLOODY URBAN was the one I was most star struck by. He was charm personified, a real laugh, and he showed me two guitars that were worth more than my house.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

BOB DYLAN

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from making the podcast?

Don’t try and record a podcast in a Lakeland hotel. (Listen to the Gregory Porter episode to find out why…)

Are we going to hear about your dream festival at some point?

I am a terrible curator. I cannot make decisions and frankly my knowledge is not extensive enough. That is what love about doing the show, I learn so much music from the guests!!

The Line-Up is available on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Acast and all podcast providers

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Last time we spoke to Dave and Rich from Unequal Sequel, they told us all about their film podcast that focuses on the sequels to films. Well now it’s time for the sequel to that interview! For part two, we asked them to tell us where new listeners should start, and which episodes stick in their minds…

S01 E01 – Helen O’Hara

It seems a bit convenient that our first ever episode is first on this list, but Helen was such a brilliant guest that we really couldn’t have chosen anyone else. We have both been big fans of Helen’s writing for a long time and we were both blown away when she agreed to be the first guest on our new podcast. Helen’s answers to our daft questions about movie sequels were perfect and she perfectly balances an incredible insight and knowledge of film with wit and charm that instantly puts you at ease. Also we got to talk about Indiana Jones, which is always a winner!

S02 E01 – Nick Helm

We are such big fans of Nick that we were both really nervous before we recorded this episode, but the nerves soon went away as Nick had us laughing from for first minute. One of the things that we love about this podcast is when we get to watch movies that we haven’t seen before and Nick really delivered some crackers. We won’t spoil it but his pick for worst sequel is one of the worst movies we have ever seen! Normally we try and keep our episodes to around an hour, but this episode is a lot longer as there was just too much great stuff for us to cut any out and as Nick says were now BEST friends!

Ghostbusters Afterlife Extra Episode with Seann Walsh

We recorded with Seann in our second episode and we both really liked him straight away. It’s a great episode, but we both agreed that our chat about Ghotsbusters: Afterlife for an extra episode in series 2 was our favourite. As well as our interview episodes we also record an ‘Extra’ episode every week where we review recent sequels or talk about some sequel related nonsense. This was a special one as its the first time we had invited a guest on an extra episode. Seann is such a huge Ghostbusters fan that we knew we had to get his thoughts about the new movie. Seann is passionate, funny and engaging. This is probably the best ‘Extra’ episode we have done, maybe because it’s not just us two!

S01 E05 – Lewis Arnold

Both of us studied film at university and Lewis was in the year below, but it was clear from the first time we met him that he was going to be something special. Lewis has directed loads of award winning TV shows including Broadchurch, Humans, Misfits, Des and mostly recently Time with Sean Bean and Stephen Graham. Lewis’ film knowledge is truly encyclopaedic and he had so many honourable mentions that this turned into an extra long episode, but it’s all great stuff. It was such a good chat that we also had to release an extra ‘Extra’ episode of Lewis talking about directing Time and his other projects.

Our Best, Worst and Dream James Bond Extra Episode

I think that this is the ‘Extra’ episode that we enjoyed the most, which is weird because neither of us are huge Bond fans. We decided to ask ourselves the questions we ask our guests and came up with our Best, Worst and Dream Bond movies. It’s a great episode if you like Bond or not and has a twist because Rich’s dream Bond sequel isn’t really a sequel and doesn’t have Bond in it, but you’ll have to listen to the episode to find out how that works.

Listen to Unequal Sequel now on ACAST, SPOTIFY and find links to other platforms on the podcast’s page.

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

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On the Acast Creator Network, two of them, Firecrotch & Normcore and Previously On… Succession, are currently tied up in a fearsome rivalry to dominate the market.

The podcasts both launched on Acast in October to mark the highly anticipated return of season three of the Succession TV series, each offering listeners an in-depth commentary on the plotline and character, allowing listeners to get even more of the Roy family, discuss fan theories and shocking plot twists.

However, as the series continues to unfold, so does the podcaster’s discord. This week, Firecrotch & Normcore released a public statement in response to Previously On… Succession’s press conference discussing “the other podcast’s” attempt at a hostile takeover. There have been talks of plans for the podcasting giants to sit down for a shareholder meeting – which is rumoured to take place on a crossover episode at the end of the season…

Whilst is may seem cut-throat, the tongue-in-cheek animosity from both podcasts is in line with the tone of the show. And this is also a good example of how cross-promotion can work on podcasting, perhaps one of the few platforms where ‘rival’ shows can feel confident to share an audience.

And it just goes to show how we can’t get enough of TV companion podcasts!

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And October belongs to the king of horror himself – Stephen King! Every Monday and Thursday, Alex, Vicky and Chris are dissecting classic film adaptations of Stephen King’s bone-chilling novels for a month of King vs. King. Kicking things off with horror darling The Shining vs. Dr Sleep, Alex, Vicky and Chris revisit Kubrick’s masterpiece with plenty of humour and laughter.

Alex Zane

What was your introduction to Stephen King’s stories?

Alex: I had a misleadingly soft entry into the work of King – back to back viewings of Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption. Having discovered they were based on King’s work I duly purchased his short story compilation Night Shift and got a shock. The first story I read was called ‘The Boogeyman’, a child-killing monster that lives in your closet. I couldn’t sleep for a week. And now I’ve just re-read the Wikipedia plot page (to remind myself if it really was that scary) and am currently having terror flashbacks.

Vicky: A combination of being 10 years old and wanting to leave children’s books behind, and a very cavalier (read: neglectful?) parent-recommendation for anything by Stephen King. Which led me to Needful Things, which I’m not sure I got, but I knew was way more fun than Sweet Valley High.

Chris: My first exposure to Stephen King was through the movie Stand by Me, which came out when I was 8 – making me pretty much the target audience. Loved the film, so I read the short story on which it was based in the Different Season anthology, which is where I found Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption – and then I was hooked.

Vicky Crompton

What’s your favourite adaptation of King’s work?

V: ​​With apologies to Stephen King – it’s [the 1980] The Shining! The Gold Room calls to me and if I go my whole life without having an Old Fashioned in there…well, what a waste. Although, I’ve just re-watched Pet Sematary having forgotten a toddler EATS AN OLD MAN so that might nudge it. Cute!

A: I watched the Tim Curry It TV mini-series way too young and to date, it is the most scared I’ve ever been watching something. His Pennywise is one of the great Stephen King monsters. When he’s peering out of the drain at young Georgie and says that line: “They all float down here.” I get chills. I don’t even think I know what it means – like, do the bodies float? But he’s holding a balloon, and they float, so that’s confusing. Maybe I was scared of being confused!

C: Stand by Me and Shawshank are obvious contenders, but we’re talking about the Master of Horror, so I’ll go scary and pick The Dead Zone. David Cronenberg lends his icy-cold touch to King’s novel, Christopher Walken brings his unique brand of weird to the psychic central character, and the film itself felt all too clairvoyant as the world struggled through the Trump era.

Chris Tilly

… and least favourite?

C: There are more bad Stephen King adaptations than good, but Hollywood hit rock bottom with 2003’s Dreamcatcher. With William Goldman writing, Lawrence Kasdan directing, and the likes of Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Damian Lewis and Timothy Olyphant starring – it should have been a home run. But the resulting film was pretty much unwatchable, with the villainous ‘shit-weasels’ a low-point not just for King adaptations, but for cinema in general.

A: I have to agree with Chris and go with Dreamcatcher – it had such talent behind it, Lawrence Kasdan and William Goldman… but, I mean… I don’t know that you can be scared of anything called a shit-weasel! The most terrifying thing about that movie is Morgan Freeman’s monstrous eyebrows.

V: Carrie – because it reminds me of periods and being unpopular at school, two things I could really do without.

Clash Of The Titles is a Stak production. Listen to Clash Of The Titles’ month of King vs. King via Acast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Frankie Ward and I’m an esports host from London, but in non-pandemic times I work all over the world covering different esports tournaments.

Red Bull’s Save Your Game is a podcast where I chat to my guests about the three most important games from their life, why they mattered so much and how they’ve impacted them since. At the end of the podcast, they have to choose just one game to save above all others.

What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?

I genuinely can’t remember because that’s going back a long time! But my favourite podcasts are Table Manners, Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review, and HLTV Confirmed, which is a brilliant podcast about the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competitive scene. I recently listened to Who Killed Emma? From BBC Scotland and put everything aside to play the episodes back-to-back, and The Fault Line: Bush, Blair and Iraq soundtracked renovation work on my house.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I had my own podcast, My Life in Pixels that I began when I began hosting full-time in 2018, which has a similar theme to Save Your Game but a bit less structured. Years ago, I worked in radio so when I thought I had some spare time I thought I’d give it a shot, but then hosting life kicked into gear so I’d just take my mic everywhere and tried to be brave enough to ask friends to be on the show. After the initial few episodes, the podcast became more of a general conversation with people I knew from the gaming industry.

I’m really excited to be working with Red Bull Gaming on Save Your Game because we really get to focus in on our guest’s three most important games – and the line-up we’ve got is awesome. Also, I don’t have to do the edit as we have a production team involved, which is living the dream, to be quite honest.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Given the format of our podcast, it’s no surprise that Desert Island Discs is one of them – there’s been some incredibly emotional episodes and they put a lot of work into how they structure and draw out those stories.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Aisha Tyler, who is known for being a gamer, but probably never finds the time as she’s also a comedian, talk show host, actor, writer and director. She’s hosted some of Ubisoft’s E3 press conferences and I just think she’s amazing. Also Henry Cavill as he won hearts of PC Gamers by sharing a video of him building a gaming rig, so I do need to discuss what he’s been playing on it with him!

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

I think it’s been a case of learning more about what people’s game choices say about them. With older guests I think they have a much more emotional response to their games whereas with younger interviewees, the games are so fresh that they don’t have the nostalgia factor just yet, because they’re still playing with the same friends they were a few years ago.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

On the first ever episode, launching on 17th June, I’m joined by Carlos “Ocelot” Rodriguez. He’s a dream guest – known for being one of the biggest personalities in esports. After being an esports pro player, he set up one of the world’s most successful esports organisations, G2 and is very much the face of the brand. The podcast interview was a great opportunity to see if Carlos has a more introspective side than the online personality, and he was really receptive to reflecting on what the games he chose meant to him and how he’s changed since playing them.

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

I’m on Twitter, @frankieward and Instagram @getfrankgames. I also stream and twitch.tv/frankie, and have a website where I tend to write about what it’s like to work in esports at getfrank.co.uk.

Save Your Game by Red Bull Gaming can be found on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Flixwatcher is set to hit 200 episodes, but like any good film series we need an origin story – how did Flixwatcher come about? Helen and Kobi explain:

H&K: We met after we joined a film quiz team together in London and talked about starting a podcast after a few months. We came up with the idea at Kings Cross after we’d been to a Guardian Masterclass hosted by Helen Zaltzman. We chose films on Netflix as pretty much everyone has it and letting guests suggest the films would be more interesting than us just picking our favourites.

The early days: How were the first few episodes?

H: We recorded our pilot remotely, and that was a complete disaster! Kobi kept dropping out, one of the guests was making too much noise and it was all quite chaotic. We decided then that recording four people was best done in person. Thankfully tech has improved massively and recording remotely online at present has been mostly without too many problems. The format hasn’t really changed much over the years but the film selection on Netflix has probably improved as some of the earlier film picks were a bit hit and miss. We do try and encourage people to pick “half decent” films. It’s not as fun to record when everyone is down on a film!

K: We haven’t really struggled to get interesting and fun guests on the show but I often think back to those first few recordings where a few lovely people (especially Dave and Jen from The Family Tree Pod, Dave and Cathy from The Cinemile, Tony and Jay from How to Write a Tune and Felix and Tom from Wooden Overcoats) took a gamble on us and joined us even though we hadn’t released an episode. We wouldn’t be anywhere without those guys so thank you!

Are you both film fans yourself – what do movies mean to you personally?

H: I’ve really missed going to the cinema this past year. Watching a film at a cinema is such a special experience, it’s not just getting to see a film on the big screen, it’s everything from picking your favourite seat, guessing the trailers and overhearing people’s reactions when they’re walking out. They’re the ultimate escapism for me.

K: Of course! You can’t have a film podcast and not love films. It’s been tough not being able to go to the cinema over the past year. I’d probably watch 2-3 films a week in the cinema and hadn’t realised how the experience had been an important part of my self care until it was gone!

What are some of the personal highlights from the previous episodes?

H: We rarely have really, really terrible films to review but when we do it’s usually hilarious – like Ciara Baxendale from Wooden Overcoats podcast picking Bee Movie and when Dave from The Cinemile picked Arq.

Being introduced to Agnès Varda by Jeanette from Sudden Double Deep with Faces Places was an absolute joy.

Having directors like Mat Whitecross for The Other Side of the Wind and Gareth Evans for Enter the Dragon was fascinating! Getting to hear them talk about film from the perspective of directing and creating was so interesting.

Hannah Dunleavy from Standard Issue on the Creed episode describing Sylvester Stallone as a ‘sentient piece of corn beef’ still makes me laugh. I really enjoy it when listeners send their Twitter reviews with creative emoji ratings too.

K: Adam Buxton making a song up on the cuff still makes me laugh when he first came on the show. But I love when people choose films that I would never have chosen in a million years and they turn out to be great and these can be as varied as “All About Eve” to “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”.

As mentioned by Kobi, Flixwatcher has hosted podcast royalty in Adam buxton and Joe Cornish, but what other guests have they particularly enjoyed?

H: One of the best things about our podcast is we get to meet so many interesting people and hear what they’re up too. Difficult to name only a few but we nearly have a full house for the Wooden Overcoats and Empire Magazine. Recording remotely this year has meant we’ve gone global with guests joining us from New Zealand and America… we had to do some timezone maths to get that to work. For our 100th episode special it was great fun to have Cathy and Dave Cinemile host while we picked the films. We’re looking forward to Sam and Louise from 90 Minutes or Less Film Festival hosting the 200th episode specials.

K: Aww man… I’ve loved every one of the episodes! We really appreciate that people take the time to pick films that we all watch – most people have busy lives! It’s lovely to meet new people, especially as we know very few of them before they join us and we’ve made some really good friends as a result and love being part of the podcast community.

Like anything in life, expect the unexpected…

H: For our first live show at Latitude Festival the original guest couldn’t make it and Aisling Bea was (pretty much a) surprise guest for us and the audience. Back when we used to record in Camden there was a didgeridoo performance in the room next door – that was a surprise for us!

Any dream guests that they would like?

H: The podcast community is amazing, we’ve been really lucky as pretty much everyone we’ve asked has said yes. Kermode and Mayo, Louis Theroux, Edgar Wright, Tailenders (Jimmy Anderson is a big Sandra Bullock fan!) would all be fun guests.

K: Absolutely! From the podcasting world I’d love all of the “How Did This Get Made” crew to join us. Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham from “Still Processing”, Lauren Lavern and Kirsty Young as current and past “Desert Island Discs” presenters would be amazing, as would Zach Braff and Donald Faison from “Fake Doctors Real Friends” and also Hrishikesh Hirway From “Song Exploder”. From the film world it would be great to hear from more directors, producers and writers so people like Kate Herron, Amma Asante, Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Lin Manuel Miranda…. We’ve also had most of the “Wittertainment” stand-ins join us now so it would be lovely for Sanjeev Bhaskar to join us, but yes, Kermode and Mayo would be lovely to get a “Full House”.

Flixwatcher celebrates – they hit 200 episodes! How does that feel to reach such a landmark, and are we able to look forward to more episodes… another 200 perhaps?

H: It’s an amazing achievement! As long as more films get added to Netflix, people keep listening and guests want to come on we’ll continue!

K: It’s great to be here! I have no idea how many episodes I would have thought we’d get to, but I would have laughed my ass off at the notion of 200 episodes when we started this! We’ll definitely keep keeping on…

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