Lou Sanders is a recognisable face on our TVs, often stealing the show. Seemingly out of nowhere she put in side splitting appearances on Hypothetical, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and, of course, Taskmaster. But to those in the podcast world it wasn’t out of nowhere, because she has been tearing it up as a guest on a wide range of podcasts for years now!

Lou’s unique takes on subjects have been what made her stand out on TV and they’re exactly what makes her a consistently hilarious and rarely repetitive podcast guest. Here’s some of our favourite episodes…

DRUNK WOMEN SOLVING CRIME
15: The Mother of All Criminals and Stolen Bermuda Shorts // Nov 2018

DWSC has been one of the blow up successes of podcasting, and, as luck would have it, two of Lou’s favourite things are drunk women and solving crime! The perfect guest, right? Not quite. She’s now sober. But fear not, as that doesn’t hinder her ability to approach the crimes in question from the strangest of angles. It makes no sense that she’s the only sober person. Listen now >>

UNEXPECTED FLUIDS
E4 S2: Sex tech Fails //Sep 2019

Taking your podcast live can throw up all sorts of issues but going live with a podcast about sexual mishaps and mistakes presents its own set of… unique hurdles. So who better for the London Podcast Festival appearance of Unexpected Fluids than the often uncomfortably comfortable Sanders! Lou gleefully shares tales of Tinder  terrors, fiancé foibles and so much more… Listen now >>

BIRTHDAY GIRLS’ HOUSE PARTY
New Year’s Eve // Dec 2018

The birthday girls bring party after party to the podcast world… but you don’t bring out a party pro like Lou Sanders for just any do. No, no no. You save Lou for THE NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY! Resolutions, choosing who to kiss at midnight and international New Year’s traditions all combine to make it a Birthday Girls’ House Party you really don’t want to miss. Listen now >>

FLIMS TO BE BURIED WITH
Christmas Special // 2018

After interrupting many episodes while living with host Brett at the Edinburgh Fringe, listeners were eagerly awaiting Lou’s full appearance on Films To Be Buried With. Sadly, things didn’t go quite to plan. As something of a precursor to her own podcast, instead of “first film you saw?” or “scariest/funniest film”, Lou proceeded to change the questions to “first cuddle you saw?” and so on. Ridiculous, but an unexpectedly tender and bloody lovely. Listen now >>

THE COMEDIAN’S COMEDIAN
110 // Feb 2015

Recorded three years before the episodes above, Lou’s chat with Stuart Goldsmith on The Comedian’s Comedian finds her in a much more calm and reflective mood as she discusses her career to date. Although there are sneak peaks of Lou’s performing persona, the majority of the podcast shows a side that we perhaps hadn’t heard before and allows us to learn about her journey as a comedian. Listen now >>

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We hope you enjoy these Lou Sanders podcasts. Read more Podcast Prophet articles in the Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop.

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In Crushed, Margaret Cabourn-Smith chats to funny people to celebrate crushes and unrequited loves in all their intense and embarrassing glory…

What’s been the game-changer moment for you?

knew I’d hit a nerve when out of the blue in the same week I was approached for an interview by the independent, and the brilliant writer and journalist Nell Frizzell wrote a column inspired by it. It’s an exciting thing when you feel like you’ve created something that people want to join in with.

What does the next 12 months hold?

We’re doing live shows at the London Podcast Festival in September and a crossover show with the Guilty Feminist at the Soho Theatre in August. Also I really want to do some merch. I’m a big fan of niche merch (is that weird?).

Why did you move Auddy?

It has a properly supportive indie boutique vibe, not to mention the opportunities for cross promotion were really appealing. Twiggy? Yes please

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The second podcast in the spotlight this issue was a show from Annabel Rivkin and Emilie McMeekan of The Midult…

How would you describe your show in 5 words?

The glamour and indignity of being grown-up – that’s six sorry.

What’s been the game-changer moment for you?

Lockdown; we found ourselves on opposite sides of the country, so we just used our Zoom and our phones and started recording all the unfiltered weirdness in our heads. We really got to know our audience, and they really got to know us.

What episodes should we watch out for? Why?

There’s a corker coming up with Anna Richardson (host of Naked Attraction and the host of it Can’t Just Be Me podcast) about bodies, attraction and of course, Ozempic

What does the next 12 months hold?

We have just launched a five-minute-ish podshot called Podcast from the Edge that goes out every Friday and we’re working on something for telly.

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

Listen to I’m Absolutely Fine on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find out more and browse the range of great shows that have chosen Auddy at auddy.com.

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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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Over the next six months I listened to loads of different sleep podcasts, discarding also-rans and adding contenders to my nightly rotations. There are a few different types, and you’ll probably have to shuffle through a few to see which works best for you. The most common style are story readings, either classics or new, specially written low-stakes scenes that aim to lead you gently into dreams – though there are a fair few that deploy mindfulness techniques and immersive soundscapes too

It’s a tricky balance to strike. They have to be interesting enough that you want to melt into the sound-world they create, but they have to be dull enough not to rev you up so much you can’t drop off. They need to be welcoming, but not overfamiliar. Almost by default, they’re oddly sensual experiences – someone is whispering in your ear as you lie in bed, after all – but they must be in absolutely no way alluring. Having said that, Audible got Matthew McConaughey for theirs and that didn’t do them any harm. Anyway: here are seven of the best.

The Sleeping Forecast

The Shipping Forecast is a widely prescribed sedative, but if you’re listening to Radio 4 at 00.47 you’ve got to be conked out pretty quickly before ‘God Save the Queen’ comes thundering in at 1am. Fortunately, BBC Sounds married extracts of it with neoclassical piano pieces in its hour-long piece, part of its Mindful Mix strand.

The smooth, lilting baritone of British-Jamaican announcer Neil Nunes is the perfect voice to hear gently reciting the liturgy of mythic places around the British Isles’ coastline: Fitzroy, Cromarty, German Bight. Producer Freddie Botham told me that Nunes was always his first choice. “There’s something about lower frequencies and Neil Nunes’s voice,” he said. “They are naturally comforting – there’s a womb-like aspect.” Listen now on your podcast app >>

Get Sleepy

From a slightly pokey walk-in wardrobe somewhere in Buckinghamshire, 27-year-old Thomas Jones reads specially written sleep stories in an even, soothing tone. Get Sleepy’s stories come in a few flavours. Some take you to different places around the world, like the Costa Brava or Nova Scotia; others take you to different places in time, perhaps Roman Colchester or Ancient Athens. There are new spins on folk tales and comforting retellings of how crayons or love heart sweets or the Pony Express came into being. It’s just added a new strand, too – The Sleepy Bookshelf, which features readings of classic stories and started with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Listen now on your podcast app >>

Phoebe Reads a Mystery

The title’s a tiny little bit misleading here. What started with a reading of Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles became an anthology of full readings of classic novels including Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Sense and Sensibility and, amazingly, over 44 episodes, Jane Eyre. There’s been a year’s hiatus but the show is back, and also boasts a big back-catalogue to dig into. You’d never think that Dracula could make for a good bedtime story, but it really works. Listen now on your podcast app >>

Nothing Much Happens

Yoga and meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai narrates little tales of perfectly formed mundanity. You’ll pop to the bakery, wander around a village looking for a gift for a friend’s housewarming, and revisit the first few months of a lifelong friendship. This is a great big cuddle of a podcast, and Nicolai’s whispered delivery is as calming as they come. Listen now on your podcast app >>

The Audible Sleep Collection

This was one of Audible’s biggest sellers in 2020, and it encompasses two strands: stories and meditations. The selling point here, that the stories are read by well known voices, seems a little bit self-defeating. How, you might ask, am I meant to sleep when Matthew McConaughey is reading to me? Me! Matthew McConaughey! A bedtime story! The meditations are more amorphous and rambling, and feature the likes of Diddy giving you affirmations and Nick Jonas rhapsodising about the perfect baseball swing. It is, however, undeniably effective. Listen now on your podcast app >>

Sleep Cove

Another podcast that mixes voyages into the past with factoids and meditative breathing exercises which encourage you to find sleep through mindfulness, this one also adds guided sleep hypnosis episodes into the mix. The idea is that narrator Christopher Fitton leads you gently into a state of readiness for sleep. It’s somewhere between mindfulness and general wellness, a more active experience than whacking on a story and waiting until you drop off. Listen now on your podcast app >>

Send Me To Sleep

Now, this one comes with a warning: narrator and pro voice actor Andrew’s reading style is a bit of an acquired taste. His slightly halting delivery can take a little getting used to, but it clearly works for a lot of people. He reads stories ranging from Ancient Greek fables and Shakespearean adaptations to The Phantom of the Opera and The Time Machine. Listen now on your podcast app >>

Boring Books for Bedtime

Dropping off while someone with a calming voice reads to you from a book that’s just interesting enough to hold your brain’s attention, but not so interesting you want to hear any more than you absolutely have to. Maybe it’s just me, but not all of the out-of-copyright books read here sound boring – PT Barnum’s autobiography? A history of the art of firework making? Oscar Wilde on English art? Sign me up! – but presenter Sharon’s semi-whispered style render everything she reads deeply soothing. Listen now on your podcast app >>

Podcast to Fall Asleep To

This is about as Ronseal a podcast name as you’re ever likely to find, and much like that celebrated wood stain it gets the job done with minimal fuss. Host Jimmy Jo softly and patiently talks about different topics which are, by his own admission, “both unimportant and uninteresting”. Most recently it was pets – specifically his cats, who have become producers on the show. Jimmy Jo’s murmurings have been less frequent over the last year, but there’s a back catalogue of 161 episodes to curl up with. Listen now on your podcast app >>

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Looking for a podcast for children struggling to sleep? Check out our interview with Kerry Keenan, who created Your Floating Bed >>

This article was first published in August 2021 and updated August 2023.

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In Tea With Twiggy, Dame Twiggy reconnects with her friends for a cup of tea and a chat!

How would you describe your show?

Intimate, fun, spectacular, entertaining, rare.

What’s been the game-changer moment for you?

Being discovered and declared as the face of 1966.

What episodes should we watch out for? Why?

I love all of my podcasts equally, it would be impossible to select from my fabulous guests.

What does the next 12 months hold?

More exciting guests… We have an incredible line-up including Earl Charles Spencer, Anita Dobson, David Baddiel and many more, so I hope it’ll be just as inspiring and fun to listen to as it was for me to record. So keep tuned into Tea with Twiggy!

Why did you move Auddy?

Auddy have been champions of the show for a while, so it felt natural that they would be our new home.

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The second podcast in the spotlight this issue was a show we’ve spoken to before, Namaste Motherf**kers…

How would you describe your show?

Celebrity, comedy, work & wellbeing collide!

What’s been the game-changer moment for you?

I was 45, had dinner with Joan Rivers and she told me it wasn’t too late to get into stand-up; she was 81.

What episodes should we tune in to?

Deborah Meaden (reveals a couple of things she’s never spoken about before),

Sally Phillips (shared stories of our brilliant autistic boys) & the Rev Richard Coles (mutual love of sausage dogs & I loved the Communards back in the day!)

What does the next 12 months hold?

Well 50+ more podcast episodes, of course, and apart from that: touring, TV and radio, a book and… I’m the face of something I’m not allowed to talk about yet. Stay tuned!

Why did you move Auddy?

They got it! They got me! A tailored, bespoke approach where they actually give a sh*t about the content and its creators.

Listen to Tea With Twiggy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Listen to Namaste Motherf**kers on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Find out more and browse the range of great shows that have chosen Auddy at auddy.com.

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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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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m a DJ on BBC Radio 6 Music, fascinated by audio and music. My podcast How To DJ explores the life stories, techniques, minds and experiences of much loved radio and club DJs.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

The Ricky Gervais Show. I loved Ricky, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington on XFM and this felt like bonus extended versions of that brilliant show.

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

I was fascinated by the one-to-one of radio as a kid and my ambition (other to to play left midfield for Shrewsbury Town) was to be a music radio presenter. I’m lucky – because that’s what I’ve always done – I’ve never had any other job. As such a huge fan of radio as a medium and as such a massive music fan I wanted to create a podcast where I got to ask DJs about their craft. For me, storytelling is key to all audio and I wanted to find a way of getting DJs to tell their inspiring life stories.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

The Boiler Room podcasts are fantastic. I listen to loads of music shows on BBC Sounds and love Lauren Laverne’s Desert Island Discs. I should also mention my wife – Clare Nasir. Clare’s a meteorologist and the Channel 5 weather presenter. She hosts a podcast called Weather Snap. If you like weather, you’ll love it.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

So many of my dream guests have already appeared on How To DJ. From Carl Cox to Tony Blackburn, Fatboy Slim to Greg James and Mark Radcliffe to Jodie Harsh. I’ve been lucky – when we invite guests to come on, they seem to say yes!

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

Greg James, Mark Radcliffe and Nicky Horne talk in great detail about the art of radio and from the club DJs, Carl Cox and Jamz Supernova really demonstrate that there are no shortcuts to the top – that hard work really pays off.

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

I’m on 6 Music every day!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

Menus to be Buried With (2021 AND 2022!)

Ed Gamble and James Acaster – hosts of the hit podcast Off Menu – have appeared in Goldstein’s staple podcast, Films to be Buried With. In these podcast crossovers for Comic Relief, the tables are turned and James and Ed have to choose the meals that best represent their lives before they go to the afterlife. The first special was so good Ed and James were resurrected for a second special in 2022. These episodes bring an abundance of laughter, both for you and from the hosts. Listen on your podcast app >>

Secret Artists

An interview show with a twist. Annie McGrath welcome Brett to choose an object or topic that inspires him, which Annie and Brett then create art about these chosen subjects. The vibe of this one is gentle with soft humour and feels as though you are there with them as they include clutter noises from the equipment and when the host and guest turn away to focus on their art. Secret Artists has guests on the show that are well known in British comedy, including Sophie Duker and Joe Lycett, so this is an excellent gateway into the show. Listen on your podcast app >>

Conversations Against Living Miserably

In partnership with TV channel Dave and the charity Mind, hosts Aaron Gillies and Lauren Pattison invited Brett onto the show to talk about he lives his life without miserably (or so we think). Brett also reflects on his general mood throughout his childhood and the pressure to feel miserable to be a good artist. An honest and frank conversation about mental health sprinkled with a dishy sense of humour, this is a short and sweet episode where you can take a break from the over-produced, loud and glitzy podcasts. The show did finish in 2020 so if you are intrigued by it you won’t be as intimidated by the backlog. Listen on your podcast app >>

Birthday Girls House Party

In this podcast, Brett joins sketch comedy trio, Beattie Edmondson, Camille Ucan, and Rose Johnson to plan the ultimate move night. This show is explosive and exciting with goofy party games played like everyone is fueled by copious amounts of sugar. During this Brett shares about how he may love eating popcorn in a dark room rather than actually watching films, the girls talk about how old the actors are in Grease, and the behind the scenes of filmmaking. The energy between the four podcasters take you back to your school days with the amount of chaos and laughs. Listen on your podcast app >>

To learn more about Brett Goldstein, his love of podcasts, and his show read our interview in Issue 23 of the Pod Bible Magazine now!

What’s your favourite Brett podcast appearance? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

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One of the beautiful gifts of the continued rise of podcasts has been the new voices they presents us with. But one of the less acknowledged joys is the new platform podcasts have provided to voices that had always been there, but had maybe drifted from the regular pundit or opinion piece guest list of the mainstream media.

Benjamin has been waxing poetically since the 80’s so it should come as no surprise that he steals the show on podcast after podcast. Here are just a few of our favourite episodes he’s featured on….

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS
Michaela Coel, Benjamin Zephaniah, Bez, Mike Bubbins // Jan 2019

On Blood On The Tracks, Colin Murray gathers together four music obsessives to debate their favourite tracks. The exceptional blend of guests on this episodes are asked to pick a song that gets people dancing, the best song under two minutes and modern day classic. As you’d expect from a performance poet, Benjamin’s picks captivate throughout. Listen on your podcast app >>

BUNK BED
Benjamin Zephaniah // Apr 2019

Benjamin’s dulcet tones provide perfect bedtime listening to his appearance on Bunk Bed (the BBC Radio 4 show that emulates those wondering bedtime conversations held with a sibling or friend) isa real joy. From tai chi breathing exercises to pillow positioning tips, you’d do well not to drop off before the episode’s conclusion. Listen on your podcast app >>

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN
What Would We Do if We Didn’t Have A Prime Minister? // Dec 2019

On each episode of Everything Under The Sun, host Molly (the first ever QI elf) is joined by a guest to answer a question sent in by a curious child. The vastness of Benjamin’s career means he has different experiences to draw upon for different kinds of podcast and his time as a children’s book author comes into okay beautifully on this show. [Ed. this seems particularly topical in October 2022…] Listen on your podcast app >>

BLACK BRITANNIA
Benjamin Zephaniah // Aug 2020

Discussions about police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement featured heavily in podcast conversations in 2020, and rightfully so. In this podcast, Benjamin shares his direct experiences of police brutality, the parallels between the US nad UK and how long these issues have been ignored. Listen on your podcast app >>

DISTRACTION PIECES
Benjamin Zephaniah // Nov 2020

Scroobius Pip is as master of getting his guests to relax and open up and when it comes to telling an engaging story, Benjamin Zephaniah doesn’t need to be asked twice. The conversation flows in all kinds of directions, from coping during the pandemic to his issues with the meat industry, and his interactions with Bod Marley to being in Peaky Blinders.  Listen on your podcast app >>

Main photo credit: REX / SHUTTERSTOCK

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Rob Moore – Entrepreneur, Investor, Author, Podcaster and two-time Public Speaking World Record Holder. My show is a mix of disruptive content and unedited interviews with the likes of Russell Kane, Caitlyn Jenner, Peter Schiff and Jordan Belfort.

What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?

Joe Rogan’s interview with James Hetfield of Metallica. I love rock music, & loved the hybrid, voyeuristic nature of education, information, biography and entertainment.

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

When I started, not many people were podcasting. As a broadcaster I’m always looking for new ways to reach people to fulfil my mission of getting better financial education out to the world. As the author or ‘Life Leverage’ I’m always looking for life hacks, so while everyone else was listening to music in the gym & I had podcasts on, on 2x speed. And podcasting is the perfect cathartic outlet for all the lack of attention I received as a child and FAR cheaper than therapy.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Masters of Scale by Reid Hoffman. Joe Rogan’s interviews with rock and metal frontmen and women. Any long form interviews with ‘Disruptors’.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Arnold Schwarzenegger or Ricky Gervais. As I can’t decide we can record a 3 way conversation at my house together.

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

I’ll give you two:

1. Do NOT talk. The less you say, the better the interview. The interviews are NOT about the interviewer, far too many interviewers want to be the guest.

2. Do NOT build rapport. Everyone tells you to do that, but you want to get straight in and have an edge to the interview. An unknown element; feeling each other out. Drama.

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

Probably my interview with Caitlyn Jenner. It has a bit of everything in it, & she’s quite shocked in places too. Plus she flirts with me a bit and I don’t know what to do about that.

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

Onlyfans, Ha. Only if my podcasting career bombs. www.robmoore.com & the #Disruptors podcast of course.

Listen to Disruptors podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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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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Do you really Lycett? Is it, is it wicked? Well of course it is. Joe Lycett is a stand up comedian, tv show host, panel show regular and author so of course he is going to be a master when it comes to providing engaging and hilarious variation as a podcast guest!

Joe is effortlessly amusing on any subject imaginable and has a seemingly bottomless grab bag of anecdotes to draw from. We’re loving it, loving it, loving it.

CTRL ALT DELETE
E95 // Comedy, Sexuality and Hecklers // Sep 2017

Emma Gannon’s Ctrl, Alt, Delete discusses work and the lucky people who’ve shaped their careers based on the interests they have. Appearing as part of a prmo tour, this conversation couldn’t feel less ‘promotional’ as Joe speaks of how underwhelming it was to “go viral”, his unintentionally Bond villainesque life goal and so much more.

THE COMEDIAN’S COMEDIAN
E168: Joe Lycett (Live at Machynlleth Comedy Festival) // May 2016

Stuart Goldsmith always does a brilliant job of disarming the comedians he has on his show but sometimes the live episodes are more about performance than introspection. Not in this case. Listen to hear Joe speak honestly about his path into comedy, being a stand up on television and the way in which his sexuality influences his act.

PRIVATE PARTS
E143: Requesting a Hand Job // Dec 2019

A podcast episode that feels more like sitting in on a sleepover than an interview. Jamie and Francis hit it off instantly with Joe as he regales them with tales of the dull reality of sobriety for responsibilities sake the difference between stage Joe and Tesco Joe and the best way to sign off an email. Oh… and they also cover handjobs, hotels and dogs. So that’s nice.

OFF MENU
E41: Joe Lycett (Christmas Special) // Dec 2019

Is there anything better than a guest on Off Menu (the show where celebrities pick thier dream meal) picking a dessert that provokes the ire of co-host James Acaster? We think not. Released as a special Christmas episdoe, you’ll be wanted to reive many of its hilarious moments all year round. Bowl of Special K anyone?

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We hope you enjoy these Joe Lycette podcasts! Read more top podcast guests appearances in our Podcast Prophet section, or in the Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop.

The post Joe Lycett’s top podcast guest appearances appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Rachel Botsman, I’ve spent the past decade researching, writing, and speaking about trust around the world . I’ve given three TED talks, written two critically acclaimed books, and I’m the first Trust Fellow at Oxford University, Saïd Business School. I’m passionate about finding ways to connect my ideas with different audiences.

Rethink Moments is a journey into the hearts and minds of renowned innovators, creators, and leaders – to rethink a profound moment from their careers. In each episode, we’ll go behind a big idea or event to find out what went right, what went wrong, and what was learned.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Revisionist History in 2016.

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

I’m interested in the art of finding and creating spaces to encourage different ways of thinking. I’ve done that in the past through books, talks and teaching and decided the audio space was a powerful medium to connect with people in a different way.

From a community of over 42,000 people built around a successful newsletter called ‘Rethink with Rachel’, I could see how people were keen to embrace power of ‘rethinking’. By going into the thought process behind breakthrough ideas and profound career moments, I hope I can unlock for listeners a better understanding of how humility can help us think differently about important decisions and events in our lives.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

How I Built This with Guy Raz, A Slight Change of Plans with Dr Maya Shankar and Heavyweight with Jonathan Goldstein

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

It’s hard to pick one! Simon Biles, Ricky Gervais, Piers Morgan, and The Duchess of Sussex. They all have powerful rethink moments!

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

I’m trying to get inside the head and backstory of the guest’s Rethink Moment. The best episodes are when you can almost hear the guests thinking! It involves earning the guest’s trust and getting them off-script. There is no single right way to do this, but I’ve found asking a different version of the same question multiple times is effective.

My most powerful lesson is the power of the pause – not rushing to the next question. In the pauses, the guests often share their true stories and are the most reflective.

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

Aza Raskin, episode 2 is called ‘Shift Your Attention.’ Raskin is a well-known tech entrepreneur, and he shares how even when one of his products or ideas is widely successful, he knows when it’s time to change purpose. My rethink moment in the episode was around attention – the most creative minds pay acute attention to what they give attention.

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

You can find more about me at www.rachelbotsman.com and sign up to my Rethink Moments newsletter. I’m also @rachelbotsman and share a lot of ideas on LinkedIn.

Listen to Rethink Moments with Rachel Botsman on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other podcast players.

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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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His second show, Shaun Keaveny’s Creative Cul-de-sac, sees Shaun explore creativity – and the lack of it – by riffling through 20 years worth of old ideas trapped in notebooks, on old hard drives, scribbled on the backs of beer mats and the like. He then asks creative people – from Vic Reeves to Greg James – to do the same, and share with us those ideas they themselves have clung to, that never saw the light of day.

The show was launched in February alongside Shaun’s Community Garden Radio, a new radio station available through a Patreon page, with money generated going towards the podcast. We spoke to Shaun to learn more about the inspiration behind the new show, and the Community Garden Radio.

It seems you have the podcast bug now! What do you love about podcasts?

There is a freedom to podcasting. Like ALL freedoms they’re not always intrinsically positive, however in pod world they mostly are. Freedom to talk to whoever you want, say what you want within some mostly self-set limits, and freedom of form and length etc. It is a bit intoxicating after the necessary strictures of radio.

Which finished idea – and it can be anything in the world – do you wish you’d come up with?

Ooo good one… I feel like most good scripts dramas and comedies I feel that about, as, despite having tried a few times, I have never been able to get that part of my brain going. Anything from Schitt’s Creek to Cheaters, Blackadder to Breaking Bad... I would LOVE to be able to think structurally like that, and deliver the actual dialogue too. I think it’s an amazing skill. I also wonder at the people who invented musical instruments… I know it happens evolutionarily over time but, imagine thinking up a fucking guitar!!!

What would you think if someone listening takes one of your abandoned ideas and makes it into a massive success?!

Oh CHRIST I haven’t thought of that….(calls patent lawyer) Hmm… I suppose it’s better that it’s out in the world as opposed to in a notebook at the bottom of my Mahogany Box of Dreams. That is kinda the whole beauty of the idea, releasing ideas like doves at a Rolling Stones gig… only for most of them to be brutally slaughtered by predators minutes afterwards…

Can you tell us a bit more about the Community Garden Radio?

This is a beautiful thing. On my last ever link at 6 Music I basically made the point that people should not see radio shows as “just radio shows”. They are a community, a gathering point for like minds. They are beautiful, organic things. I used this phrase, “community garden”. Yes there is a person who starts the thing, but then all these other people come and contribute and tend to the idea, the concept, they buy in. This then flowered into an entity when my producer Ben Tulloh said in an offhand way “ya know, we have the tech, we could do a radio show on the Patreon”… and the rest is, if not history, a lovely weekly collection of some of the people who loved what we did at 6.

The Friday shows are kind of free, wild, silly, and it is growing all the time. There’s music, carefully curated by me, and loads of bits of daft shite I have thought of as the week has gone on. Listeners get involved and it’s just FUN. It’s going to get better and better.

Lastly, what are your go to podcasts when you’re specifically looking for inspiration?

I am a terrible old stick in the mud, I have my faves and I don’t deviate too much. I LOVE music stuff like Rockonteurs, Andrew Hickey’s History of Rock in 500 Songs, Nina Conti’s Richard and Greta, Now Where Were We with the late great Barry Cryer, Alex Lowe/Clinton Baptiste’s Paranormal Podcast is hilarious. I need to pick up some new habits so I will take some tips from you guys…

Listen to Shaun Keaveny’s Creative Cul-de-sac on APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY and other popular podcast players.

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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

The post INTERVIEW // Shaun Keaveny from The Line Up appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Between Disney’s new three-part fly-on-the-studio-wall documentary The Beatles: Get Back, Paul McCartney’s own doc McCartney 3, 2, 1 and an expansive repackage of their last album, Let It Be, there’s been a lot of Beatles about in the last six months.

One of the most remarkable facts of their intensely remarkable story is that The Beatles never really stopped happening in the decades after they broke up. First it was fan conventions, then it was re-releases and TV documentaries. Now it’s the podcasting community that keeps the Beatles conversation going, and one of the best things about this is that they can hurdle the old gatekeepers who tended to tell the band’s story from a strictly blokeish, white perspective.

And there are absolutely loads of Beatles podcasts too. Here you’ll find new perspectives and under-examined angles on the story, which Derek Taylor, the band’s publicist, called “the 20th century’s greatest romance”.

Nothing is Real

The connoisseur’s choice, and a popular podcast in its own right even outside of the Beatles pod pool. Jason Carty and Steven Cockroft are Beatles aficionados – they’ve won the Beatles Brains of Ireland quiz before now – without ever getting anorak-y or losing sight of the fundamental magic of the story. Best of all, they zero in on particular moments and eras to pull out forgotten details, as well as recontextualising the big story beats. They’ve also watched the cinematic oeuvre of Ringo so you don’t have to. Listen elsewhere >>

I am the Eggpod

Host Chris Shaw wanders through a different Beatles or post-split solo work chosen by a guest. It’s a great example of the way that Beatles podcasts have helped to make sure the conversation isn’t just a bunch of middle aged white guys talking over each other – Another Kind of Mind is particularly good on that front. It’s like Desert Island Discs, but everyone always chooses the Beatles, talks about the Beatles, and picks the Beatles for their single luxury item. Listen elsewhere >>

Beatles Books

If you were intimidated by the amount of Beatles podcasts out there, don’t look at how big the pile of Beatles books is. Joe Wisbey has read most of them – he’s got a collection of more than 400 – and on this one he talks to authors about their work on the band and fans about the books which brought them into the swirl of different interpretations, agendas and vendettas which the Beatles publishing industry entails. Listen elsewhere >>

Winter of Discontent

Even if you’re a longstanding Beatles fan, there’s always something you’ve not heard. Few are dedicated enough to have listened to all of the audio reels which recorded the band working out songs for the Get Back project in January 1969, known to fans as the Nagra tapes. Fortunately, Nick Anthony has, and he’s chopped out the best bits and provided commentary on a window into the band at a particularly fractured and fascinating time. Listen elsewhere >>

Your Own Personal Beatles

Another guest-led one, but unlike Eggpod this one’s mainly about how the Beatles made them feel as a whole and the role they’ve played in the guest’s life rather than any particular album. The guests have been a mix of comedians, musicians and writers – including the likes of Shaparak Khorsandi, Jon Ronson and Mae Martin, who has a ‘Dig a Pony’ tattoo – and hosts Jack Pelling and Robin Allender bring their own musical insights too. Listen elsewhere >>

Beatles City

Sad as it is, the Beatles’ story is rapidly passing out of living memory. The Liverpool Echo’s podcast series began as an attempt to get interviews with people who remembered the band’s early days on record, from sweaty Cavern Club lunchtime gigs to the very day that John and Paul met. Since then it’s branched out into chats with authors, including Craig Brown about his excellent One, Two, Three, Four – and visits to important Beatle landmarks around Liverpool. Listen elsewhere >>

Bonus updates!

[ed. Following quite the discussion on Twitter, Tom sent us over some bonus Beatles pods to add to the list!]

Another Kind of Mind

One of the great things about the Beatle-podcasting ecosystem is that it’s coincided with a flowering of radically new perspectives on the band and, particularly, the relationships between the four Fabs. Another Kind of Mind is especially sharp and expansive on that theme. Phoebe Lorde, Daphne Mitchell and Thalia Reynolds bring a literate, empathetic perspective to all aspects of the band’s history – their five-part run picking apart the friendship between Lennon and McCartney was particularly good.

One Sweet Dream

Similarly deeply researched and keen to challenge the received wisdom of Beatles lore, Diana Erickson and AKOM’s Phoebe Lorde’s podcast is another must. Anyone on a post-Get Back jag for intel about the band’s last years and break-up should dig into the dissection of the story about Lennon’s demand for a “divorce” in September 1969. Like Another Kind of Mind, it’s attentive to the subtleties of the band’s emotional states and relationships that feels very fresh.

All About the Girl

From the very beginning in Liverpool, at the Cavern and the Casbah, women and girls were integral to the Beatles story. From the very prominent (Yoko Ono, Linda McCartney) to the quietly pivotal (Bettina Derlien, the Hamburg barmaid who did so much to ), hosts Chloe and Daisy find new angles on the story through unsung women who’ve been there all along.

Producing the Beatles

This one’s been on hiatus for a long while, which is understandable given the amount of work involved, but it’s the one that plays most with the podcast form with its in-studio soundscapes and exploratory sessions with musicians who get the music up on the jacks and have a good root around inside. Using studio tapes, outtakes and bootlegs, Producing the Beatles shows how their songs developed from embryonic doodles to fully fledged masterpieces.

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