That’s why we’ve once again asked some of our writers to recommend the shows they think you should check out, before sharing some of the shows we’ve recommended in our newsletter…

Why?
Recommended by Tom Nicholson

I have a soft spot for podcasts which get academics on to talk at length about their extremely specific niche, and another soft spot for podcasts which talk about big, wobbly ideas which make me feel a bit freaked out. In the middle of this Venn soft spot is Why?, which has asked a series of cosmically huge, reality-shaking questions in an accessible, approachable way. Is time real? Why do we remember things that never happened? What will humans look like in a million years? Why? has such an easy-going, brain-expanding feel to it that it’s hard not to be charmed. Listen now >>

No Worries If Not
Recommended by Katie Stokes

Feminist writer and cartoonist Lily O’Farrell (aka @VulgaDrawings) has a gift for on-the-nose commentary about internet culture and how it affects women. Luckily, she’s brought these observations to podcast form. If you’ve personally been the victim of an ‘almond mum’, worry about the effects of digital domesticity, or have been on the receiving end of an ‘alpha male’ monologue, you may find solace in this show. Relevancy on the internet is fickle, yet this podcast manages to live in the present – a show about right now, for right now. Give it a listen to stay up to date, but of course…no worries if not! Listen now >>

What Now? With Trevor Noah
Recommended by Mimi Jones

South African comedian and political commentator Trevor Noah has taken the dive into podcasts with “What Now? With Trevor Noah” and we’re loving it. It is a witty, pleasing on the ears show, following conversations with various celebrities exploring their views on anything and everything. The point isn’t to change your mind on them, or their subjects they discuss, but, in Trevor’s words, purely to walk away saying ‘Huh, that gave me something to think about’. The conversations are dynamic, deeply personal, political without being too heavy, and with Trevor’s classic comedic flair. Listen now >>

28 Dates Later
Recommended by Laviea Thomas

28 Dates Later is the *perfect* podcast to tune into if you’re a single woman in your early 20s. More specifically, if you’ve ever been, or currently are trapped in the hell hole that is dating apps. This podcast officially launched Monday 6th November and has been a hot topic for me every week since. It’s the perfect giggle and makes you feel better about your own dating life, whilst simultaneously giving you a sense of reassurance. It’s a confidence boost to remind yourself to not put all your worth in the hands of the people you date. Listen now >>

Stories from the Village of Nothing Much
Recommended by Takudzwa Mudiwa

iHeartPodcasts’ Stories from the Village of Nothing Much podcast is warm and present. Yoga and meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai takes us through a fictional village where she points out the simple pleasures of life; twinkling of stars and snowflakes falling. She explains that the stories are from her previous podcast Nothing Much Happens: those bedtime stories intended for the listener to fall asleep have been altered in this new show for general relaxation. First episode we hear “Bustle in the City” – it is holiday themed and we are let into the protagonist’s personal traditions with friends and playful disputes with family. With atmospheric sound design; a quiet drum roll here and the opening of a local gift shop there paired with gentle narration this is perfect to wind down. I’m excited about what other stories they have. Listen now >>

The Rest Is Entertainment
Recommended by Jason Reed

Sometimes you get a combination of people who are startling close to your fantasy dinner party – we all have those, right?! For me journalist Marina Hyde, and all-round great TV bloke Richard Osman, could quite possibly be on my invite list. Individually they are sublime communicators, the type of people who make any conversation amusing and interesting, and together their chemistry makes you listen with a comfy ease. The podcast is ultimately a showbiz review column… which sounds like my personal idea of hell, but they make the concept work. Whether reviewing the latest documentaries, or giving a quasi obituary to Henry Kissinger, the show is about as eclectic as it gets. You either passively converse along with the presenters on the topics you’re familiar with, or you begin to seek out the ones that you’re not. It’s quite lovely! Listen now >>

Other recommendations:

Carrie Jade Does Not Exist

A six-part series hosted by Sue Perkins and journalist Katherine Denkinson, Carrie Jade Does Not Exist is the story of how one woman, who took on over six different identities, infiltrated the lives of vulnerable people, and lied her way into gaining their trust. Based on an expose article written by Denkinson in 2022, this show mostly takes the form of Denkinson telling the story – with a little help from actors reading quotes from the victims – whilst Sue Perkins asks questions and makes comments. This might fill the gap for listeners needing a catfish-controversy. Listen now >>

Unlawful Killing

Every year, hundreds of people die at the hands of the very institutions that are meant to keep us safe – police, prisons, and mental health services. Bereaved families are left fighting for answers, demanding justice, and campaigning for change. This podcast from the charity INQUEST is hosted by Lucy Brisbane and Lee Lawrence, and shines a light on state violence, death, grief and resistance. Listen now >>

Springleaf

Congratulations to one of our former cover stars (issue #015), James Acaster on the launch of his new podcast. Springleaf! is based on James Acaster’s undercover cop alter-ego Pat Springleaf. Well. Pat was under cover under recently, but now he’s sharing his wire recordings from the drug-smuggling operation he’s been trying to take down since 2013. Or, is Springleaf is a new comedy crime podcast written by and starring James Acaster? With jokes, sound effects and original music by (American-Nigerian multi-instrumentalist) NNAMDÏ, Springleaf is a true(ish) crime podcast, created with the support of crowdfunding, and the Wall of Thanks lists the names of all the backers. Listen now >>

Heirs of Enslavement

Heirs of Enslavement explores the Transatlantic slave trade, but at it’s core, it is telling the story of two individuals – Clive Lewis MP, a descendent of the enslaved, and Laura Trevelyan, a descendent of the enslaver. In the spirit of bringing different perspectives, we’ve shared two reviews on the podcast: One from a writer that can relate to Clive, and one from a writer that can relate to Laura… Listen now >>

Legacy

Legacy is a new history podcast, produced between Wondery and Goalhanger Podcasts. Afua Hirsch and Peter Frankopan tell the wild stories of some of the most extraordinary men and women ever to have lived – and ask whether they have the rep they deserve. Starting with the very topical Napoleon, they ask whether the man was a hero or a tyrant – or both? (And, while we’re at it, was he even short?) Listen now >>

Climate Decoded

With multiple hosts and a diverse array of guests Climate Decoded strives to make climate science and policy accessible and engaging for everyone. The first episode on the IPCC in particular gives a fascinating insight to the processes, limitations and biases behind reporting climate science. Listen now >>

The post The best new pods of WINTER 2023 appeared first on POD BIBLE.

It’s been eight months since the winners of Content is Queen’s 2022 Micro-Grants for Podcasters Programme were announced, and we are starting to hear the fruits of that scheme. The first sneak-listen was given to the audience of the Micro Grant session at the London Podcast Festival session, but now one of those stories is available to the public.

‘Dead Ends’ by Talia Augustidis was broadcast last night as part of the new series of the BBC’s Lights Out audio documentary. In the episode, Talia offers a personal reflection on how we choose to remember someone, in this case her mother. With a starting point of home videos and crime scene photographs, the episode is about as personal as it gets. In fact, one of the teaser clips features Talia interviewing her father after developing a video of her mum that turned out to be a homemade sex-tape.

I was intrigued to learn more about how Talia navigated the line between emotion, embarrassment and audio production in such a unique piece.

This came out of the Content Is Queen micro grant – what do you think it was about your application that stuck out?

I think first of all the power of the story: trying to discover my Mum from these insufficient fragments. Then also the concept, I pitched to them a version where it appears in an online exhibition in a choose-your-own-adventure style way, which will come out next year. And finally the access, I already had all of this tape from years of recording.

How important was it for you to have this kind of development space?

Hugely important. It’s such a personal piece that I really needed a lot of time and space to leave it and come back, which the micro-grant allowed me, while also pushing me to actually go into the tapes and sift through them. It was really helpful too because I have a full-time job so I could only really work on it in the evenings and weekends, so I don’t think I would have been able to make it for this Lights Out series without the ideas I developed during the micro-grant process.

Why was audio the right medium for this project?

Ultimately it is a story about “images”: home videos, a sex tape, crime scene photographs and memories. And it’s about me not being able to access those images, for a variety of different reasons. So audio is an interesting medium to choose, because it allows for privacy for me and my family while also replicating the feeling of not being able to access the images we are discussing.

Did you take inspiration from any podcasts in particular before you started?

Not consciously. I tried as best I could to work from the tape first, that’s why each chapter is in a different style. But of course unconsciously I am constantly picking up on influences and inspiration. That being said, I am always inspired by the work of Nanna Hauge Kristensen. I think she creates the most beautiful, human, intimate audio of anyone I’ve ever heard, which I try to channel in certain moments of this piece.

As the Producer you obviously had to watch the videos and then speak to your dad about it. How much did you have to re-listen to that interview when producing the episode? And did your emotions and reactions change with re-listens?

I did that particular interview (the one in the audiogram) with my Dad in 2021, and I only listened to it a few months ago for the first time when editing it. I sort of shut it out for a long time I guess. Then I listened once all the way through and just tried to really listen with my body for the part that made me feel things, including discomfort, and those are the parts that stayed in. Of course I had to listen many more times when refining and cutting down, which usually makes me a bit numb to the emotions of the tape, but with that section it always made me laugh and cringe like it did the first time actually. I guess talking to your Dad about your dead mum’s sex tape is never going to feel normal and comfortable, even on the 100th listen.

At some stage you must have had to bring in new listeners to help you produce – and then hand over to the public to listen – how did you know the right time to do that and how does that feel now?

This is where I really want to give a huge shout out to El and Alan from Falling Tree. I found it really hard at the beginning to send drafts of the pieces. It’s such an immensely personal piece, and sharing it with the public feels like sharing a little part of yourself with the world, but sharing first drafts is like an open wound. And when the pitch was accepted for Lights Out I was so relieved to be working with Falling Tree on it, because I trust them. It really taught me the power of having a good editor, not even just for feedback, but even just knowing that you have someone sensitive that you trust allowed me to really push and finish the project.

Do you have any advice for budding producers?

On the topic of Dead Ends, I would say be really gentle with yourself when making personal pieces. If it’s your first time, I wouldn’t recommend making something with hard deadlines. Give yourself time and space to walk away and come back, without the pressure of disappointing anyone external. The first time I made a personal piece was at university (actually it was my first ever piece, The Sound Collector), dredging up the past became really overwhelming and I had to take a few months away from it and come back when I was ready. So be kind to yourself, check in, and don’t put yourself in a situation where taking space isn’t possible.

Dead Ends wouldn’t exist without two years of recording, one year of space, six months of development time from Content is Queen and a couple months of final edits.

Anything else you’d like readers to know?

I pitched a version of this story to the BBC twice — once to Radio 3 and once to Radio 4 — and it was rejected both times. So I want to say thank you to Content is Queen for taking a chance on it, and for Falling Tree for not giving up on it and putting it in their Lights Out series, which features audio documentaries that do something a little different, and take a closer look at news stories. This project has been so immensely cathartic and I’m really glad it found such a lovely home in such good company.

Listen to Lights Out on BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Talia Augustidis: “Be really gentle with yourself when making personal pieces” appeared first on POD BIBLE.

The series uses family possessions – objeks and tings – to explore the ways Caribbean culture has flavoured British life. From the Dutch pots (affectionately known as “Dutchies” among Caribbean people) used at family gatherings, to the “grip” suitcases of the Windrush generation travelling from the Caribbean to the UK.

As the trailer says, this podcast will hold significance for people with Caribbean heritage, but “you’re sure to be charmed” by the stories, no matter your background. We caught up with Catherine and Lynda-Louise to find out a bit more…

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

Lynda-Louise Burrell: I kept hearing about Table Manners with Jessie Ware and her mum. Not just because she works with her mum like myself but also as we are working on a Caribbean food project. Their podcast has nothing to do with Caribbean history, heritage or culture but it is joyful, as all life should be.

Catherine Ross: I have only listened to one made by Black people in Britain more concerned about music and how it reflected and impacted on Caribbean life. I just knew that I wanted ours to be a laugh a minute with lapses into patois and being able to tell our stories and truths unfettered. I wanted our podcast to be like having a chat in a room with your mates.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

LLB: To be honest, I’ve taken just as much inspiration from podcasts I don’t like as from podcasts I do. There are many that I enjoy but these don’t tend to be ones covering the type of stories we wanted to share. And then the types of podcasts you tend to hear from my sector – small, not for profit organisations – are often ones where people do everything themselves and as a result, the sound quality often suffers. So we did have to wait to find the right production company to work with us that were as passionate as we are and wanted to work with us to curate a show we could all be proud of, and spoke to different types of Caribbeans.

We wanted to share their stories and views. We wanted people of differing ages, as usually with anything black, you tend to get the same types of stories from the same types of protagonists keeping us all in this metaphorical box – that all black people are the same. We wanted to capture multiple Caribbean stories of differing people to show that we are not a monolithic people.

CR: I love the podcasts of Black American women such as Michelle Obama, Meghan Markle and Oprah. When I listen to them, I come away inspired, confident and ready to step back into the affray of life.

Why did you decide that audio was right for sharing these stories?

LLB: I used to work in fashion and I am a natural creative. So working in museums now I try to keep things fresh and current to capture the public’s imagination as most exhibitions are rather dull, staid, and let’s face it, boring. In this day and age with social media, fast paced lives, and only seconds to draw people in before they move onto the next thing, I try to ensure our work as a museum draws people in and captures and holds their attention. We take exhibitions around the UK to different museums, art galleries and art spaces so have to keep our work fresh to engage with different types of people wherever they are. This way we get such a variety of different types of people engaging with our work from young people to those in their late 90s; from Caribbeans to white British, to Americans, and Eastern Europeans, all peoples from different communities.

Podcasts were becoming so popular that I thought – if this is how people are now spending their time, they can binge or dip in and out, listen at their convenience while working-out, driving or walking to work etc. so why not let them get their fix of Caribbean culture this way also! A quick convo filled with fun, laughter and a teachable moment, whether through the guest you can reminisce, reflect and connect or reconnect with your culture or explore a different one, it’s all good. I want through this podcast to connect with more people of Caribbean descent, help them reconnect to their culture while sharing our culture with others.

This will help us connect with more people, new people and different people and as a Creative Director that’s what I want through this creative conversation and am sharing my cultural heritage across the global one convo at a time.

CR: People on the move can access this mode of info sharing. I can listen by dipping in and out, and don’t have to listen to it all in one go! I can listen anywhere, which is just as well, as at times the content is so good I laugh out loud and sound like a mad woman or I take exception to what is being said and have a raging row with a machine!

Heritage and family is a massive part of the show, and you work together a lot. But did you discover anything new about each other from making the show?

LLB: I don’t think I discovered anything new about mum but the show just highlighted things such as:

-A retired English teacher will always be an English teacher! She goes through the scripts with a fine-tooth grammar comb. Yes, this is a loosely scripted convo believe it or not but mum will correct everyone’s English before reading it through

-All the world’s a stage… well certainly mum thinks so! She always reads things out in a presenter’s voice. She even does this with emails, again English teacher mode!

-She knows a lot about a lot

-She is extremely funny!

CR: I realise my daughter is quite clever and can take on anyone!! In fact, I sometimes worry for those who cross her. I suppose that’s the confidence of this generation. As a member of the Windrush Generation I hold things back. She knows so much about so many things she’s just right for a show like this, her life experiences of working in some difficult industries, and 13 years of working abroad has equipped her with not just views but strategies for dealing with most things. When people quote her, or refer to her in publications, I want to shout out to the world, “that’s my girl, that’s my baby, look at her go!”

What have you enjoyed most in making this podcast?

LLB: I have really enjoyed the process of making a podcast. It’s more than just speaking down the mic. However, talking is tough, with things to cope with like alliteration, not sounding like a kid’s TV presenter, or a news broadcaster. When a mic is pointed at you, or maybe just mum, your voice does strange things. It’s really bizarre. Just to let everyone out there know, I sound much better LIVE and direct.

But on a serious note, doing my day job as the Creative Director of The National Caribbean Heritage Museum, Museumand, one of my biggest pleasures is talking to people across the UK on a daily basis. Getting to know them, helping them share their stories to enrich Caribbeans and non-Caribbeans everywhere. So on the podcast, getting to meet more people, sharing info that we can instantly then share through the airwaves is a real honour and privilege and doing it this way through a podcast, more people get to hear this info much quicker than through our exhibitions. It does the same service in a different way.

CR: Meeting so many wonderful people who are generous in sharing their stories and experiences. I love hearing from others and feeling reassured that I am not the only one who has gone through certain experiences. It’s great having gaps filled in my cultural knowledge too.

What do you think listeners will enjoy most?

LLB: I think we have a really good, interesting group of guests with interesting stories to share and through our wonderful hosting skills, and mother-daughter dynamic, our fun Caribbean personality seeps through. Hearing Caribbean stories and quips straight from people of Caribbean descent, and of those you usually hear from non-Caribbeans speaking of Caribbeans.

CR: We as a family love sayings, and Caribbeans as a whole tradition, live on sayings, so we end each episode with one and make the end of a show a fun teachable moment. We also in places lapse into Patios. A language we need to keep alive but I think the listeners will enjoy as our sentences can flow beautifully from Standard English to Caribbean patios. The camaraderie, and fun of learning and laughing as we make discoveries about our culture and ourselves. The podcast will help people make sense of their life experiences, history and heritage.

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

Website: museumand.org

Instagram: @museumand

Twitter: @Museumand_

Facebook: @Museumand

Listen to Objeks & Tings on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Objeks & Tings: A mother-daughter celebration of Caribbean heritage appeared first on POD BIBLE.

IZZY: To be entirely honest, making this podcast was a selfish move on my part. I love to interview and champion the creatives I know & respect, and I dig any excuse to learn from a filmmaker who’s done it their way. But I ultimately followed through because, about a year ago, I realized that I was having similar conversations with many of the wonderful emerging filmmakers I coached and consulted with inside of indie spunk club – my membership platform for filmmakers.

These are directors, producers, writers and actors who are inspired to build an empowered, fulfilling career in the film industry, on their own terms, but just need some kind of blueprint or roadmap to get there. I am a director myself, who’s inspired to build this kind of a career.

I’ve always known I wanted to bring these conversations into a podcast format. I’m excited it’s finally here. My intention is to open up access to film industry insight and dissect how to strategically build a career using your individual creative voice.

Born in Australia and now an honorary American, Izzy has starred in notable series such as Puberty Blues and Underbelly, and many will have seen her in the 2018 sci-fi movie Occupation – she began her career in the entertainment world from an early age and knew exactly the path that she wanted to take.

I started professionally acting at 17 in TV and film, which exposed me to a world of filmmaking that I instantly fell in love with. I wanted to direct. I wanted to learn all of the roles on set. As well as directing, I fancy editing, production design, sound design, producing, and writing. The whole process. It’s an endless rush to collaborate with a team towards a shared creative vision. I intend on making films my whole life, I just love it!

During the pandemic and over the past few years, I’ve built a production company and coaching practice helping upwards of 60 filmmakers go from script to screen, which has taught me a whole lotta delicious wisdom juice about my own career. So came the podcast.

The podcast clearly wants to help emerging filmmakers, why is this so important to Izzy?

When I started out I really wished I had access to mentorship and guidance. Navigating this industry alone can be tough and confusing. There is also so much more I want to learn, and I figured that we can seek these answers together. I love supporting emerging filmmakers because they’re, in my mind, some of the best people I’ve met. Ideas driven, curious, playful, motivated and kind.

I believe the world becomes a more empathetic, cooler place when filmmakers from all walks of life get their stories seen and heard and experienced by an audience. Not just the dominant voices.

Filmmakers are inherently collaborative and want to network, and there is plenty of peer to peer help in the higher levels of the industry, the problem is we need more diversity in those higher level industry roles who will take bets on newer voices.

And Izzy knows that we need diversity in the industry to get new and exciting stories, she’s clear about this…

Hire women, hire queer folks, hire people of color — when our sets are equitable, the stories get better. It’s science proven. You can’t argue with science.

The Indie Spunk podcast has an array of eclectic episodes ranging from interviews with a mentoring tone, to out and out industry advice and guidance. What more can we expect as the episodes roll out?

Much more! So far we’ve had directors, writers, producers and special guests join us on the podcast who’ve worked with Sundance, created festivals such as HollyShorts, written for The Simpsons, and made award-winning films. But it’s only the beginning. I am giddy about what’s to come. We also run filmmaking workshops and events inside indie spunk club.

The podcast is all about you taking action. The best place to start is to surround yourself with a like-minded community, get busy creating from a place of curiosity, and seek guidance. You can listen to the podcast here where we get into it all.

It’s clear Izzy displays an unyielding passion for the arts and film, and the Indie Spunk podcast is part of a much wider project and conversation.

Indie Spunk podcast is an offshoot to my mentorship programs & production company, Indie Spunk, and I see it all continuing to grow as we support more filmmakers and make more films. As a director, I currently have a feature film in development, and I’m in production on a number of short films as a director and producer.

Indie Spunk can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all good podcast platforms and Izzy Stevens can be found on Instagram: @izzystevens and @indiespunk, as well as IzzyStevens.com

The post Izzy Stevens talks Indie Spunk and championing filmmakers through podcasts appeared first on POD BIBLE.

As much as I love sharing my weekly recommendations in the Pod Bible newsletter, I’ve missed the chance to share a more in-depth analysis of the podcasts I’ve been enjoying. So, like all the best franchises, I’m rebooting our ‘new podcasts’ feature. And like any superhero reboot, it’s going to look every-so-slightly different. Coming to a screen near you in time for Spring – my essential list of the best new podcasts to add to your queue…

The Last Soviet

I’ve noticed several podcasts have – consciously or not – been analysing the history of the Soviet Union recently. The Last Soviet does this through the story of Sergei Krikalev, the cosmonaut on the Mir space station at the time the Soviet Union collapsed. Krikalev is told he can come back to Earth, but doing so would risk Russia’s claim on Mir. So he’s asked if he could stay in space – alone – until further notice. This story would be thrilling in itself. But add to that NSYNC’s Lance Bass as a narrator telling his own story of becoming a trained cosmonaut… I’m obsessed. Don’t skip ‘The Lance Files’. Whilst not strictly part of the narrative, it had so many nuggets of amazement. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Synthetic Stories

Listening to the first episode of this show gave me a sense of things being not-quite-right. It might have something to do with the storyline (a young woman becomes obsessed with a new app called Horror World) but it’s probably more to do with the fact that This Is Distorted has made an entire podcast using AI. From the artwork, to the script, title and even the Press Release we were sent, Synthetic Stories is a podcast, about a podcast, made by… the podcast? The first episode works well as a horror genre, but the heart-warming tale of the second episode doesn’t quite land – perhaps because the writer doesn’t have a heart. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Pilot Season 2023

With more and more worthy podcast ideas vying for funding and attention, Pilot Season is a fantastic idea from award-winning production company Unedited. Described as ‘a mixtape of formats’, the feed showcases five new shows by letting people listen to ‘pilot episodes’ before the series is commissioned. The first episodes cover a wide range of topics, from hidden statistics of curry houses, to Reading Festival. In the first pilot, ‘Facts That Matter’, journalist, writer and broadcaster Gary Younge explains why the UK has more jobs in Indian restaurants than in industries like shipbuilding, steel, and coal – something I would never have thought about, but that is a symptom of underlying aspects of UK society. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Where’s Home Really?

When uttered by strangers it can have the effect of making people feel unwelcome, but in Where’s Home Really? journalist, restaurant critic, and Masterchef judge Jimi Famurewa flips the question to focus on the ‘home’ in the question. He asks his guests to reveal a person, a phrase, a place and a plate that best represent what home means to them. In the first episode, comedian Stephen K Amos gives us a suitably comedic take involving the News at 10 gong, whilst touching on some topics like racism – all in a refreshingly brisk 28 minutes. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Bitter/Sweet

This is another show that thinks about the relationship between food and our deepest memories. Like many food shows, it asks guests to share a profound moment in their lives involving an evocative meal. But unlike many food shows, the guests’ stories are interlaced with mini-memoirs from the creator Natasha Miller (founder of Miller Libertine, a taste branding consultancy that has won several Great Taste Awards.) Bitter/Sweet is the perfect name for these narrations – the first episode hits you in your gut as she talks about Sunday lunch and her mother. With short episodes the length the need to be, there’s no excuse not to listen to this one! Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Tony Robinson’s Cunningcast

Tony Robinson has been entertaining us for more than 50 years in various forms – and now he has a podcast talking about various different things. The launch episodes pulled us straight into Tony-territory with one episode focused on Blackadder (featuring the always enteratining Miriam Margolyes) followed by one on Stonehenge, Tony’s favourite ancient landmark. Whether you love him most as Baldric in Blackadder or himself on Time Team, this podcast is going to please you. And it quite clearly pleases Tony as well – he obviously enjoys speaking to the friends and experts he has on, and has lost none of the passion for his chosen subjects, even after 50 years of being connected to them. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

My Ramadan

An Australian podcast perfect for tuning into right now, My Ramadan features experiences of Ramadan and Eid through five specially themed episodes. Sarah Malik (investigative journalist, author and television presenter) chats with her guests about aspects like navigating work while fasting, slowing down and how Ramadan connects to spirituality and self. Some of the guests are famous, others and regular Australians, but what’s worth listening to hear is the affinity Sarah and her interviewees share. In ‘The hipsterfication of Ramadan’ despite the generational gap, you can hear the joint passion behind their favourite Iftar food traditions and the frustrations of micro (and macro) aggressions. The series will culminate in a special Eid episode (21st-22nd April). Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

High Strange

Can we have sensible conversations about the possibility of intelligent life beyond our planet? Perhaps more pertinently, could a podcast be the perfect place to do that? In High Strange, Payne Lindsey (creator of Ambie-winning podcast Up and Vanished) attempts to break the stigma surrounding the topic of UFOs. Each episode, a story of unidentified activity is interspaced with news clips, speeches from presidents and interviews with experts and skeptics. The variety of references makes the argument for intelligent life more compelling, but the dramatic score underneath does make this seem more like the storytelling than a ‘conversation’. If you want to believe, but are slightly concerned about the company you’d be keeping, I’m not convinced this will change your mind – yet. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Bear Brook

A man is serving life in prison for a murder he says he didn’t commit. A woman’s last moments are painted out in your ears. Chilling tapes from police interrogations. We’ve been here before with podcasts right? But something about Bear Brook has captured people. Claire Jones at Lemonada called it “gobsmacking”, Hannah Veridier at the Guardian says it’s a “thoughtful podcast”. I say – it’s worth a listen if you like crime podcasts, and especially if you want to think about why you like crime podcasts. Following in the footsteps of The Trojan Horse Affair, we get a meta podcast that explains itself as it goes. After a reveal that did get me gasping, host Jason Moon talks through the narrative devices he just used “I did it, and I’m telling you I did it as a demonstration”. This is about the power of storytelling, not just in podcasts but in the murder investigations themselves. Wherever that makes the show more ethical or thoughtful, I’m unsure. But it is certainly more interesting. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Buried

This ten part series has made it into my ‘most-recommend’ over the past few months, with a few friends thanking/blaming me for the things they now know from it. Husband and wife investigative journalists Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor dig into the illegal dumping of waste across the UK and beyond. From a deathbed confession, to Mafia connections and possible carcinogenic soil, Buried reminds us we don’t have to look to the US for stories of corruption to unearth. Made for BBC Radio 4, the episodes have a strict run-time of 15 mins or less, making this very easy to storm through, or fit in around other listening. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

The Rewild Podcast

Wildlife filmmaker James Shooter teams up with Rewilding Europe to create this podcast as he travels across the continent. He talks to the people and highlights the initiatives in various countries that are working to return landscapes to less human-managed forms. As shows like Wild Isles highlight rewilding to a wider audience, this podcast provides a good insight to the wider picture. Monthly episodes look at different countries – the episode on ‘Seawilding’ brings to the surface (ahem) an area that is often out of sight and out of mind, but close to my own Network’s heart. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Bust of Trust: A Kid’s Mystery Podcast

Small Wardour bring out a podcast for curious kids’ – and adults – who’d like to investigate some of the biggest world mysteries. Bust or Trust asks for help to uncover the truth behind Big Foot, the Lost City of Atlantis and more with their very own Mulder and Scully hosts, “Myth Truster” Tiernan Douieb and “Myth Buster” Athena Kugblenu. It’s great fun, but also a great way to start teaching critical thinking. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Other podcasts for your list:

From Gay to Ze – Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley broke new audio-ground with their first podcast, Some Families. From Gay to Ze continues the story by celebrating the messy reality of modern families and the intersection of queer culture. We caught up with Lotte and Stu recently to talk about the show. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Dwelling – As standard housing in the UK is becoming unobtainable, Marnie Woodmeade investigates alternative homes, from abandoned buildings to lost rivers. And as restrictions on alternative lifestyles tighten, she questions what the future will hold of the people choosing – or forced into – those lifestyles. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

This Little Light – Flea, founding member and bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, talks to other musicians about their music education and evolution. First guest are Rick Rubin and FINNEAS. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

Made With Love – With an obligatory reference to his love of knitting, champion diver Tom Daley speaks to a much loved celebrity about doing what they love. Listen on your favourite podcast app >> 

Black Prose – Black writers talk amongst themselves in conversations that are revealing and so necessary. Journalist Yolanthe Fawehinmi speaks to writers of all regards – from journalists, and authors to songwriters and rappers — about their careers, top tips and writing rituals. Listen on your favourite podcast app >>

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Francesca Turauskis is an award-winning podcast producer, Digital Editor for Pod Bible magazine and the Founder and Lead Producer of Tremula Network, a group of podcasts focused on unheard stories within adventure and outdoors. She has worked with Broccoli Productions, Stripped Media, and Ochenta. She’s been a judge for the International Women’s Podcast Awards, has spoken at the International Women’s Podcast Festival and runs workshops on How to Podcast for individuals and small businesses.

The post The best new podcasts of SPRING 2023 appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Squid Scam

In 2021, scammers stole $16 million from thousands of investors across the globe, by capitalising on the hype around NFTs and the success of the hit Netflix series Squid Game. The scam was so believable, the BBC, Yahoo and CNBC covered its initial trading success, before later publishing headlines revealing the full scale of the fraud. Investigative journalist Janhoi McGregor takes a deep dive into the murky underworld of Crypto and NFTs, to attempt to uncover the true identity of the squid scammer in an attempt to find justice for the victims. Listen now >>

“Could not stop listening…”
Amazon Customer

“Excellent podcast and well presented”
Anon

Mel Robbins: Reinvent Your Life

Reinvention doesn’t have to be hard–it can be simple and fun. Buckle up and start your journey to a better life with motivational powerhouse and best-selling phenomenon Mel Robbins! Listen now >>

“Loved it! Great advice and it WORKS”
Mr McGlinn

“Change my life for better”
Amazon User

Sleep Sound with Sienna Miller

In this season of Sleep Sound, come with Sienna Miller as she transports you to some of the most relaxing winter and spring scenes on the planet. From a windstorm on an English harbour, to a dawn chorus by an Estonian lake, settle down and snuggle up to the rumble of approaching thunder. Take a deep breath, relax, and join Sienna on an escape to sleep. Listen now >>

“The sound and short story are beautiful”
Ms Byles

“Beautiful and powerful”
Anon

Shared Baggage

Relationship advice from comedians – what could possibly go wrong? Shared Baggage is the series where listeners seek help from stand-ups Catherine Bohart and Larry Dean on all things dating, love and sex. But don’t worry, relationship expert Charlene Douglas is there to steer them back onto the right track if (when) they get it wrong. They’re also joined each episode by comedians who bring their own experiences, perspective and – usually – much better advice. Listen now >>

“Great fun and interesting”
Anon

“Could not stop laughing!!!”
Sam

Jack Whitehall’s Safe Space

Jack Whitehall throws open the doors to his Safe Space, the place where we can all share our most embarrassing stories and try to feel better about ourselves along the way. With a career built on getting into awkward situations, Jack knows more than anyone the power that sharing can have in getting over the moments we most regret. So come in and settle down as Jack asks listeners, his best friend James and big name guests to share their personal humiliations so we can all move on, cringe-free. Listen now >>

“Always fabulous”
Ms Butler

“Great!”
Anon

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LISTEN NOW. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED. SEE AUDIBLE.CO.UK FOR TERMS.

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

Hi! I’m Philip Gawthorne and I’m an action movie screenwriter living in Hollywood. Our podcast Die Hard on a Blank explores the influence of Die Hard on action cinema, one action movie at a time. I co-host the show with Liam Billingham, a brilliant film podcaster and fellow cinephile. Each episode is a deep dive on a different action movie that contains some kind of ‘Die Hard DNA’. It’s essentially a fun movie discussion podcast that treats the action genre with real respect and love.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

How Did This Get Made? was really my gateway drug into this world – I quickly became addicted to it. The three hosts are absolutely brilliant – wildly contrasting personalities who together have incredible chemistry. What they’ve achieved in the podcast space is truly inspiring – now they do live shows and pack out venues all across the United States. I think they blazed the trail for everyone in this game.

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

I’m a passionate cinephile with a particular love of the action movies of the 1980s and 1990s, which was really a golden age of action cinema. I was a video store kid and there’s a sense of nostalgia to the whole experience – there’s something wonderfully comforting about revisiting all these films that I loved so much growing up. At the same time, I work in the Hollywood studio system as a screenwriter, so I come at the analysis from an inside business angle, as well as being an action movie fanboy. This project was something I’ve wanted to do for a while, and when I met my co-host Liam Billingham, everything clicked into place. He has the same effusive love of action movies that I do, but he comes at it all from a completely different cultural perspective (I’m British, he’s American) which makes for highly entertaining conversations!

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I’m a huge fan of The Rewatchables and Clash of the Titles – two shows that adroitly balance serious cultural/critical analysis and a light-hearted sense of fun. I want our show to evoke the same friendly, inviting vibe that those podcasts have, where you feel like you’re hanging out with your mates when you listen. There was another show called 80s All Over that I absolutely loved, where they reviewed every movie of the 1980s, one month at a time. It was a fascinating endeavour, as everything was placed in a social-political context, and you got a real sense of different filmic trends throughout the decade. I want to do the same thing with Die Hard On A Blank, as we’ll be discussing all the films in chronological order of their release. It’s a kind of “action movie genealogy project”, where we’ll be able to track how the Die Hard formula evolved, adapted and mutated over time. Each episode will be entertaining in its own right, but in its totality it will be a comprehensive analysis of Die Hard‘s enduring impact on action cinema.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

There are several guests I’d love to have on, but right now there’s a podcaster and presenter called Kyle Brandt that I’m a huge fan of. He’s primarily an NFL guy, but he’s guested a few times on The Rewatchables discussing 80s action movies like Commando and Cobra and I know we’re very much on the same action movie wavelength! Van Lathan is another guy I’d love to have on, as well as Matt Gourley, who did a wonderful podcast called I Was There Too and now co-hosts the 007 podcast James Bonding We’ll be doing all the Bonds, Bournes and Jack Ryans, so I’d love to have guests who can provide additional expertise in certain areas, especially if there’s an action movie they’re really passionate about!

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

Doing a podcast is a lot of work, so it’s important that you absolutely love it, which fortunately I do! I think finding the right partners and co-host is also critical – it needs to be about a subject that you are utterly fascinated by and truly passionate about, that you discuss with someone whose company you genuinely enjoy. That’s certainly been the case with Die Hard On A Blank – it’s a transfer of enthusiasm with the audience, and Liam and I certainly have abundant enthusiasm for action movies!

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

The show starts with a two-part double header (out on December 21 across all platforms) all about the original 1988 classic Die Hard, and that’s a great entry point for new listeners. We break down Die Hard scene by scene, moment by moment, then we go on to discuss all the pop-cultural elements that influenced it. That includes films such as The Detective starring Frank Sinatra (who was originally offered the role of John McClane), the 1976 disaster movie The Towering Inferno, and the first Rambo picture, First Blood. We also talk a lot about Nothing Lasts Forever, the 1979 thriller novel upon which Die Hard is based. In other episodes, we’ll go on to talk about films like Road House, License to Kill, The Hunt for Red October and Die Hard 2 – look out for that episode, I think it was the funniest one we’ve done so far (by which I mean I mean the most embarrassing for me).

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

I’m on all the usual social media places – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. I’m also on the Blu-ray/iTunes commentary track for the 2020 sci-fi/horror/action film Underwater, alongside the director William Eubank, who is a frequent collaborator of mine – so you can hear me gabbing about that movie there. I recently appeared on my friend Andy Maiorano’s podcast The AndyPlex, where we discuss Blue Thunder, the most underrated action movie of the 1980s in my opinion, and we talk more about Die Hard on a Blank and the show’s format. There’s a few fun games we play on our show that we chat about in that interview. Liam also has his own show called Rohmercast that’s really cool – he was recently listed in Vulture’s article about the best film podcasts. So come check us out – we want to welcome all our pals to the party!

Listen to Die Hard On A Blank on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post Die Hard on a Blank: Exploring the influence of ‘Die Hard’ on action cinema appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Much like a cockerel can tell when the morning is near without even seeing the sky, I can tell when the end of the year is nigh without a calendar due to the slew of Best Of 2022 lists that eat up my hotmail storage.

So the Year of Celebrity Podcasts, formerly known as The Year of the Ox, draws to a close. Talent agents are no doubt keen to put their OOO on, but not before they politely reject the 14th request of the day for Tom Hanks to guest on a chat show. Freelancers chase their final invoice. And production companies send that invoice to their junk folders with a contented sigh.

It’s been a year full of excitement and commissions, but I’ve noticed that a lot of the shows produced and currently in development look similar in content and format. I’ve only been in the industry for 18 months but as the APA Gold winner of the Best Entertainment Producer award (humble brag), I feel justified in saying that not every idea needs a chat show. I too indulge on occasion, but there must be balance in the world. I have however developed a good coping mechanism – every time a potential client mentions recreating Diary of a CEO, I dry my tears whilst listening to The Real Tom Banks or Ghetto Life 101. And then I cry again in the knowledge that I haven’t made anything as good as that yet, but hopefully there’s still time for me to channel my inner Ira Glass ‘before the podcast bubble bursts’ – a prediction that was shared with me over Zoom earlier this year. Many of the prophecies that I’ve heard in 2022, such as ‘video podcasts are going to kill traditional podcasts’, are yet to come true but just in case 2023 is our last year of producing content then let’s make something remarkable.

I believe that interactive and personalised audio is the next frontier. Having been inspired by ingenious projects like VICE’s The Unfiltered History Tour, I’ve been keeping my eye out for other signs of innovation in the industry. Perhaps Spotify’s latest acquisition will lead to something exciting. Last month, Spotify confirmed the acquisition of voice AI company, Sonantic. Their AI turns text into a realistic-sounding voice, and was used to generate Val Kilmer’s voice in the movie Top Gun: Maverick. There’s a lot of interest in this space at the moment – Bruce Willis sold the rights to his likeness to a deepfake company and James Earl Jones sold his voice to Respeecher. Maybe Spotify intends to commission a series bringing back voices from the past like JFK Unsilenced, or to preserve voices that may not last much longer. During last week’s Radio Tech Con, Respeecher’s co-founder Alex Serdiuk demonstrated how the AI could clone Churchill’s voice and make him sing the Britney Spears hit Toxic. I found it incredibly exciting and I think Respeecher will have remarkable applications in podcasting. If you’re new to deepfake audio and all of this is going right over your head, then check out ‘Deepfake Dallas’ and ‘Sleight of Ear’ from 20 Thousand Hertz. Who knows what Spotify has planned for their deepfake AI, maybe they intend to use the technology so that celebrities can voice audiobooks without ever reading a line of script out loud, but if that’s the biggest that we can dream then please tell me where to hand in my resignation.

Also at Radio Tech Con, I watched Rebecca Saw and Ian Forester demonstrate their work in Adaptive Podcasting for the BBC – which I mentioned in my last column. In short, it makes use of a smartphone’s sensors (the pedometer, the accelerometer, the ambient light sensor and so on) and alters the script and SFX of a show to make it personal to your environment. Adaptive Podcasting could take a true crime show to an eerily personal level, slow down podcasts if you slow your running speed, or even alter the content of political shows depending on the country you’re listening in to make it more relevant. I’m not sure whether headphone gestures are already integrated into the programme but I’d love to make shows that listeners can personalise with a simple nod or shake of the head, eliminating the need to even get your phone out of your pocket. Currently Adaptive Podcasting is only supported on BBC Sounds’ own Android player but I’d love to see it incorporated onto all major platforms. Although let’s be real, if we don’t even have automatic transcriptions yet then this isn’t going to happen for a while.

I can’t tell you to stop listening to/making celeb podcasts; in the words of the Grinch: “one man’s toxic sludge is another man’s potpourri”. I’m just saying, let’s mix it up a little next year.

Meera’s Podcast Recommendations:

The Unfiltered History Tour

The podcast from VICE that made Meera cry, VICE World News brings you the stories of ten stolen goods on display at the British Museum. Listen now on your podcast app >>

(If you enjoy this, you can also try ABC Podcasts Stuff The British Stole).

‘Deepfake Dallas’

Twenty Thousand Hertz is a lovingly crafted podcast that reveals the stories behind the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds. This episode from September 2020 looks at and gives examples of deepfake audio. Listen on your podcast app >>

‘Slight of Ear’

This episode talks about the secret of sound design, including a look at audio deepfakes, sonic branding and analogue versus digital.

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Meera is an award-winning Producer and Content Development Exec. She was selected as one of the Rising Stars of 2022 in the British Podcast Awards, was named Best Entertainment Producer in the 2022 Audio Production Awards, and has won two Lovie Awards. Meera has produced stories for the BBC, Sony Music, Universal, UK Parliament, Waitrose, and other well-known brands. Meera is Ambie nominated, and has had her work featured in The Guardian and The Times and selected as one of Spotify’s Best Episodes Of 2021.

The post Goodbye ‘celeb’ podcasts: It’s time for the next frontier of audio appeared first on POD BIBLE.

So when we started thinking about the obligatory End of Year list, we decided to do things a little bit differently. Rather than limiting our enthusiasm to the new podcasts in 2022, we want to shout out a variety of our favourite shows.

We’ve asked some of our team and contributors to give us three recommendations – one new show, one indy and the podcast that is always on their app. This is the Pod Bible ESSENTIAL guide to the best podcasts we’ve listened to in 2022…

Suchandrika Chakrabarti – Journalist, Podcaster and Comedian

NEW – FOC IT UP! Comedy Club – What a great idea from comedian Kemah Bob: an unapologetic celebration of comedians of colour who aren’t cis men. Recorded at 21 Soho in central London, each episode sees three comedians each deliver a 10-minute set, then they all sit down together with Kemah onstage for a chat, aiming to give the audience a sense of what the conversation is like behind the scenes. Guests include Sophie Duker, Desiree Burch, Yuriko Kotani and, ahem, I have been on it too! Performing on that stage was electric. The podcast is a great way to discover new voices, and, because of the ever-changing combination of comedians and the live audience reaction, each episode feels thrillingly unpredictable. Listen now >> 

INDY – The Way They Were – Comedians Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate could not have known just how zeitgeisty their podcast about former celebrity couples would become, launching as it has in the year that Bennifer reunited and finally – 19 years after their original engagement – got married. The pod is inspired by the cult Tumblr, Old Loves, and it’s amazing how quickly we forget odd, or even iconic, celebrity pairings of the past – yet, discussing them takes us back to that moment in time so, so fast. The format is a nice jumping-off point for discussions about subjects that affect us all; a reminder that mulling over celebrities’ lives can help shine a torch on our own problems. Listen now >> 

PODCAST OF 2022 – Subterraneans Podcast – James Thompson launched this in 2019, but I only discovered it this year. I am so obsessed with this podcast and I want everyone to know about it! Made and presented by James Thompson (or is that a pseudonym?), his compelling, eerie monologues about London, its history, and what lies beneath its streets, dance along the tightrope between fact and fiction. It’s giving comedy, horror plus a ton of suspense along the way – and Thompson composes all of the music too, an impressive achievement. I love listening to this pod as I clomp about London – it’s almost like an audio Instagram filter, making the well-trodden streets more interesting to me as I listen along. Listen now >> 

Adam Richardson – Editor and Co-Founder, Pod Bible Magazine

NEW – Unreal – As someone who started out as a massive fan of reality TV before growing increasingly disillusioned at many show’s attempts to manufacture drama, I found Radio 4’s Unreal to be a truly fascinating listen. Ably hosted by Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale, the 10 part series revisits the iconic shows and their breakout stars whilst assessing the multitude of ethical questions raised along the way. Listen now >> 

INDY – On The Outside – I became interested in this one after speaking to Fran on the Pod Bible Podcast last year. After spending so much time walking in the local countryside during the 2020/21 lockdowns, I found myself taking a deeper interest in outdoor activities and conservation. On The Outside features a rotating panel of guests who discuss the latest news and developments relating to all things ‘outside’ – such as the Kinder Trespass or water companies dumping sewage. It’s made me passionate about a lot of things I previously knew nothing about and is really well put together. Listen now >> 

PODCAST OF 2022 – The Trojan Horse Affair – I adored S-Town so was excited and intrigued when I heard that Brian Reed’s next podcast was based in Britain and was delving into the Trojan horse scandal that surrounded schools in Birmingham in 2014. I’d read a bit about it at the time but had no idea how deep the story went and found myself flying through the episodes as they became available. The show is brilliantly produced as you’d expect it from the team behind Serial and Brian’s co-host Hamza Syed, making his podcast debut, adds a passionate and sometimes volatile presence that kept me riveted throughout. Listen now >> 

Tom Nicholson – Freelance Journalist

NEW – Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV – With so many pedestrian nostalgia pods out there now (hello, Keith Lemon’s 90s podcast) the clear-eyed journalism at work in Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale’s excellent survey of the 21st century’s definitive art form is a timely reminder that quality factual pods will find their audience. Alternately funny, painful, thoughtful and righteously angry, it both made the case for reality TV and itemised its failings both in front of and behind the cameras. Listen now >> 

Honourable mention to Marianna Spring’s Death by Conspiracy?, a perfectly paced investigation into the sad death of one man taken in by anti-vaxx propaganda in Shrewsbury.

INDY – Nothing is Real – The podcasting ecosystem around the Beatles is one of the nicer bits of podcast-dom, with the likes of Another Kind of Mind, Your Own Personal Beatles and One Sweet Dream among those finding new perspectives on a band that feels as vital as it’s ever been in the 60th anniversary year of its first single. But my favourite is the myth-busting, record-correcting deep dives put together by Beatles Brains of Ireland champs Jason Carty and Steven Cockroft. Chatty and enthusiastic but without boring on and on and on, their seventh season this year was another treat. Listen now >>

PODCAST OF 2022 –  Dead Honest – It took me a shamefully long time to get on Georgie Vestey’s interview series with professionals whose work brings them into regular close contact with our mortality and the complicated business of picking, humanely, through the wreckage. But this year it clicked, and I devoured both seasons in one go. A railway chaplain who counsels traumatised driver who have seen people take their own lives, a tow truck driver who sorts out fatal crash sites, a death doula who helps people choose how to die well: all are extraordinarily tender, and Vestey’s gently incisive questioning is a perfect fit. A third season is, I’m assured, in the works. Listen now >>

On a completely different note, Rylan’s mum calling him while he was on Off Menu because she was worried he’d died was snorting-on-the-train funny.

Francesca Turauskis – Digital Editor, Pod Bible

NEW – Blossom Trees and Burnt Out Cars  – Without a doubt I want everyone to know about this podcast! Writer and Performer Talia Randall explores who does and doesn’t have access to nature (and on a more philosophical level, what ‘nature’ even is). I found out about this one when it was in the early stages of production, and was so excited by the idea that I actually ended up doing half a day of work on it. Nature and the outdoors is such a big aspect of my own work, and Talia has addressed topics that do not get talked about enough in these spaces. It’s one of the BBC Sounds Audio Lab shows, and a great testament to the types of voices we could be hearing more. Listen now >> 

I want to give an honourable mention to Missing Pages as the ‘best new podcast I have absolutely no connection to’. I keep refreshing my app waiting for new episodes of this one! Listen now >> 

INDY – Beneath The Skin – This is a history podcast with a twist, as it uses the history of tattooing as a starting point to look at different cultural histories. It’s a new show for 2022 and a unique concept that I haven’t seen any rival to. I also think it exemplifies how ‘independent’ can still mean expert, and respect culturally sensitive topics. In truth, I don’t listen to Beneath The Skin as often as I should because the episodes are longer than I prefer (an hour is often my limit – my podcast app info below might explain why). But if you’re looking for some unique history chat, this is worth the time. Listen now >> 

PODCAST OF 2022 – Twenty Thousand Hertz – I have to say “bravo” to Dallas Taylor for making a show that is my undoubted Podcast of the Year. My podcast app told me I’ve listened to 170 different podcasts this year (and I listen on several different apps so this hasn’t counted about half…  ) but this show stands out. 2022 is the first year I have worked in podcasting full time, and Twenty Thousand Hertz has taught me so much about sound in the most literal sense – from deep fake audio to how the Netflix ident came to be. Despite being very related to my work, I will also listen in my downtime, which is a testament to the storytelling. Listen now >>

Meera Kumar – Freelance Producer, Presenter and Columnist

INDY – Wild For Scotland – I recently discovered this podcast and it is everything I need in the busy build up to Christmas. The latest episode ‘Creature of the Sea – Argyll Hope Spot‘ is immersive, relaxing and a very easy listen. It strikes the perfect balance of wonder, excitement and serenity. In addition to being an enjoyable listen, it’s lovely to hear a show focused on Scottish stories and locations. The country is incredibly beautiful but there are so many places that I hadn’t visited yet or even heard of until I listened to this show. Wild for Scotland has inspired me to travel up there more often in search of adventure! Listen now >>

NEW and PODCAST OF 2022 – This Is Dating – This show lets you eavesdrop on four dating couples, and I have loved it. It’s been featured on a few different lists this year and all I have to say is – Listen NOW >>

Samantha Downes – Pod Bible Social Media Admin

NEW – Unlicensed – I’m a big Welcome to Night Vale fan so when I heard that the writers Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor were launching a new podcast I knew I had to listen. An Audible Original podcast, Unlicensed is the story of a private investigator in Los Angeles and her new assistant, who get involved in a series of seemingly unconnected cases which lead them into a much bigger mystery. Featuring a great cast of voice actors, the story skips between viewpoints allowing the audience to get an omniscient view of the story. Listen now >> 

INDY – Best Friend Therapy – Elizabeth Day is such a huge name in podcasting that it almost feels like she shouldn’t be an indie podcast, but it’s not on a network so I think it still fits! She brought us a new podcast this year with her best friend Emma Reed Turrell, a psychotherapist. Each week the best friends discuss subjects such as making and enforcing boundaries, people-pleasing and dealing with difficult emotions like anger, jealousy and anxiety. As a recovering people-pleaser, this podcast covers a lot of topics that resonate with me and it’s a handy little dose of free therapy. Listen now >> 

PODCAST OF 2022 – Off Menu – My podcast of the year is Off Menu. This show is so popular that I doubt I need to explain the premise but just in case anyone has missed it – Off Menu is a food podcast hosted by comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster where guests are invited into the dream restaurant to pick their favourite starter, main course, side dish, drink & dessert. Even non-foodies will find enjoyment in Off Menu as the guests always have hilarious anecdotes to go along with their menu choices. Some of my favourite guests in 2022 were Rob Brydon, Jamali Maddix, Richard E. Grant and Claudia Jessie. Listen now >> 

Diana Safieh – Freelance Writer, Host of We Knew The Moon Podcast

NEW – HeidiWorld – Part true crime, part guilty pleasure, this podcast on 90s ‘Hollywood Madam’ Heidi Fleiss. This podcast is full of celebrity scandal and sexual hypocrisy which will leave you wishing to smash the patriarchy. Listen now >> 

INDY- Palestine Deep Dive – Giving a platform to oft-ignored Palestinian perspectives and voices. For your initial foray, check out the recent episode with former director of UNRWA Andrew Whitley on the historic responsibility that Britain has in Israel/Palestine. Listen now >> 

PODCAST OF 2022 – Women Who Rebrand – Championing female empowerment, and covering topics such as divorce, microdosing, adult diagnosis of neurodiversity and internet romance scammers, this podcast is always hilarious and informative. Host Sareta might just be the most fabulous person on the planet. Listen now >> 

What were your favourite podcasts in 2022? Let us know in the comments if we missed any of your favourites!

The post The best podcasts of 2022: the ESSENTIAL guide! appeared first on POD BIBLE.

We sent Bethanne a few questions to find out how she got involved in the project.

When did you get involved in Missing Pages, and what drew you to this project?

I’ve been looking to do a podcast for years now, but I knew I didn’t want to do one by myself, and I didn’t want to do one without great professional support. I waited, and I’m glad I did, because when Jeff Umbro (CEO of The Podglomerate) approached me to host Missing Pages he not only had a good knowledge of my background, he had a great idea for this show becoming the company’s first original podcast series. Jeff and his team are not only seasoned audio professionals (representing chart-topping podcast clients like PBS, Hubspot and NPR stations), they’re also book lovers: Jeff and a few others have backgrounds in the publishing industry. I knew they’d listen to my ideas but also keep things focused for this podcast on book publishing.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Marc Maron’s! And it was so exciting to me that someone could hold a one-sided conversation and also hold a listener’s attention. He’s smart and droll and endlessly curious. I think that’s something all great podcasters share (and please note, I am NOT including myself in that “great podcasters” company!): real curiosity about other people and engagement with the wider world. Maron’s is just one voice, but he’s rarely solipsistic.

Another podcast I loved early on and still love is The New Yorker Fiction podcast. It’s totally different, totally literary, but the genius there is in hearing one author breathe another author’s story to your ear. I mean, Roddy Doyle reading Lorrie Moore? Tell me you won’t walk away from that with a new understanding of Moore’s work! And Tim Parks reading Peter Stamm. . . ::shiver::

Why is podcasting the right medium for this project?

Missing Pages might be hosted by me but it rests on a deep foundation of research and interviews we conduct with our episode protagonists, their colleagues and sometimes even their antagonists. Including those voices and threading them consistently and intriguingly through our narratives might be possible in longform journalism, but really comes alive in the podcast medium. Not to mention we’re able to include pop-culture teases in the form of songs, sounds and news clips.

Someone recently mentioned to me that podcasts might soon become a sort of extension of audiobooks. . . I’m not going to jump up and start that business, but I just want to say that podcasts do offer a time-honored way (radio drama, anyone? It’s still huge in the UK!) to shape and tell stories.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

– Marlon and Jake Read Dead People. I adore Marlon James and his editor at Riverhead Books Jake Morrissey. The way they look at classics and the backlist reminds me that no one’s take on any book is the final one.

– Normal Gossip. I talk about this one all the time now because its hilarious way of unspooling the kind of stories we all tell each other all the time – about friends and family and colleagues and neighbors and strangers – is irresistible.

– Scam Goddess. All hail Laci Mosley, the Patron Saint of Grifter News! She’s funny, she’s fresh, she’s factual. She also isn’t afraid to talk about the little real-life scams, like a first-grader trying to con a teacher, because after all, tiny hustlers into big-time hustlers grow.

– Hidden Brain. My memoir, Life B, comes out next May from Counterpoint Press; it’s all about depression, family, and – surprise! – a late-life diagnosis and healing. This long-running podcast addresses so many different aspects of psychology, neurology and psychiatry. Catnip!

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

That things change, even when you think you’ve fixed on something, and that’s absolutely fine. This is audio, not a major-motion picture or a big coffee-table book; things can be corrected, or expanded, or eliminated! Learning to go with that flow has been a great lesson, not just for my time as a podcaster, but for life overall. I think there should be a “Meditations for Podcasters” book. LOL.

Where can readers find out more about you?

In addition to the podcast, I’m a book critic and literary insider with monthly columns/reviews for NPR, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe have moved hundreds of thousands of copies. Check your shelves: chances are you own a book (or three) with a Bethanne blurb on the cover. I’m also in the social media book realm as @TheBookMaven, and I started the #FridayReads hashtag on Twitter.

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

The post Bethanne Patrick from Missing Pages: Reopening “literary cold cases” appeared first on POD BIBLE.

New Pods

Gay Pride & Prejudice

This Spotify Original is a modern interpretation of – you guessed it – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Set in the United States, it’s 2015 and same-sex marriage is finally legal. Whilst his friends are excited to get married, Bennett is more exited about the future drama of gay divorces. But when the hottest pop star alive, Carlos Bingley arrives in Bennett’s small town, things are about to change. Starring Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Rosie O’Donnell this is a lot of fun – my personal favourite moment so far is when the Adderall kicks in. Listen now >>

Burnout

Levels of burnout are reaching an all-time high and the pandemic has only made things worse. In this show from Mindful and Lemonada Media, YouTube star Connor Franta explores the story of burnout. As a show from a company that’s dedicated to ‘sharing the gifts of mindfulness’, I expected this to be a fairly standard offering. But Connor is an engaging host and brings his own story into the mix. The first episode goes deep and looks at the history of burnout, and an emotional case study recorded from the hospital. Listen now >>

The Spying Game

Broadcaster, satirist and impressionist Rory Bremner is hosting a brand new podcast, The Spying Game, packed with fictional Hollywood spy tales and real-life espionage. With guests from Hollywood, literary figures and even real-life espionage experts, this tries to separate the facts from the fiction. As a spy enthusiast and someone who makes a living pretending to be other people, Rory is a great choice of host. The podcast really utilises Rory’s impressionist talents. Don’t skip the teaser trailers for this one – you get something a little bit different! Listen now >>

Square Hole

Square Hole is a podcast about neurodiversity, employment and the creative industries, and aims to be an audio narrative of what it means to be neurodiverse in the industry. Through conversations with guests from various areas of the arts, it guides listeners through the whole journey of leaving university, finding out a diagnosis, getting creative work, and working out the creative process. All episodes dropped in one go and listeners can use them as a resource for their own journey. Listen now >>

Looking For Esther

One of the much-awaited podcasts to come out of Spotify’s 2019 Sound Up Programme, Looking for Esther is something of an investigative memoir. Esther Robertson, a Scottish woman of colour, had three different names before she was three years old. After a difficult couple of years that included a cancer diagnosis, Esther decided she wanted to know more about her parents and past. Through chats with her partner and talks with professionals, we get to see some of her journey unfold. You can hear the creators talk about making the show on the Pod Bible Podcast. Looking For Esther is a Spotify exclusive. Listen now >> 

The Superhero Complex

This podcast has been out since April, but it made me want to watch Kickass again so I thought it was worthy of highlighting. It documents the rise and fall of a real-life crime-fighting vigilante. Phoenix Jones was the leader of The Rain City Superhero Movement in Seattle. It began with helping to catch petty criminals and defusing public nuisances, but it led to a charge of selling MDMA to undercover cops. Host David Weinberg enters the unbelievable universe of real superheroes and costumed crusaders. The story takes him from Buenos Aires to Tokyo as he asks – was Phoenix a super villain all along? Listen now >>

Quite Unsuitable for Females

To mark this summer’s UEFA Women’s Championship, this five-part series from the UK’s National Football Museum tackles the myths and busts the stereotypes about women in football. Working with MIC Media, the podcast has been put together with a host of young community producers to bring to the surface some of the secrets of the women’s game. This is a great podcast for football fans and history fans. Listen now >>

Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff

The first episode of this show features Robert Evans from Behind The Bastards as a guest, and it sets the tone for the type of show you’re in for. But this is the opposite of Evans’ show. A Ronseal name, Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff looks at the people from history who made change, the ones we should be celebrating more. Listen now >> 

Other podcasts for your list:

Deliver Us From Ervil – Deliver Us From Ervil is a stylistic true crime show about a crime family at the centre of a religious safe haven for Mormon fundamentalists. At the centre of the story is Ervil LeBaron, the maniacal cult leader who instigated the infamous “4 O’Clock Murders” in the 1980s. Listen now >> 

Kermode & Mayo’s Take – They’re back, and it’s bigger, and better and larger-er and more-er. Film reviews, TV reviews, and all your conversation around movie and non-movie related stuff. It feels slightly redundant to recommend this given their profile, but for anyone dubious about their move from the BBC, this is worth a follow. Listen now >> 

Run, Bambi, Run – Another 1980s crime investigation, Run, Bambi, Run is an Apple TV podcast that looks into the story of Laurie Bembenek. There’s a lot to unpack in her story: a Playboy bunny-turned-Milwaukee police officer; arrested for the murder of her husband’s ex-wife; and escape from prison. It’s no wonder she became the subject of a Garbage song.  Listen now >>

Not Lost – This travel podcast was born out of heartbreak and a redundancy. Brendan Francis Newman finds solace in travel, and vows to get asked to a stranger’s dinner party in every destination he visits. Listen now >> 

Abuse of Power: State of North Carolina vs. Charles Ray Finch (Audible) – This six-part true crime series from Audible takes us back to 1976 North Carolina. A white country store owner is gunned down in a robbery, and the police jump to arrest Charles Ray Finch, a Black American who protests his innocence. Listen now >> 

Spectre – A swashbuckling space opera, Spectre follows Rho as she escapes from a facility that has been holding her hostage, only to land in the hands of space pirates. Created by Stef Howerton, who also voices the main character, this indy podcast has big production values. Listen now >> 

’93 Women – Another big Audible production looking into a powerful story, ‘93 Women investigates how US law enforcement failed to stop the country’s most dangerous serial killer, Samuel Little, who confessed to murdering 93 women. Listen now >>

The Co-Founder – Valerie and Juliet are best friends and business partners with a video game startup on the verge of failure. They’re being treated like dirt during their fundraising meetings with big-deal finance bros, so they ask a random white guy (Toby Johnson, local barista) to pretend to be a co-founder to clinch the investment cash. Listen now >> 

New Seasons:

Code Switch presents ‘School Colors’

NPR’s flagship show, Code Switch, is one of my go-to shows on race and identity in America. Whilst it usually tackles one topic an episode, this month it’s dropping episodes in collaboration with Brooklyn Deep to cover one story in greater depth. School Colours looks at how race, class, and power shape American cities and schools. In 2019, there was a controversy when a “diversity plan” for a school district in New York was met with anger from local parents. Hosts Mark Winston Griffith and Max Freedman investigate – why would a school district in the middle of Queens – described as the most racially diverse demographics in America –  need a diversity plan? And why would that potential plan be met with such intense opposition? Listen now >> 

Coupledom

Coupledom 2 brings back Idris and Sabrina Elba for another 6 episodes to explore the partnerships of iconic duos from the worlds of sport, film, music, and beyond. With a line-up including Olympic gold medallist Tom Daley and his husband, Rita Ora and her sister/manager Elena Ora and author George R.R. Martin with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal, this is an insight into the cogs of well-oiled couples. Listen now >> 

Soul Music

After a break of a few months, the show asking people to bare their soul through a single song is back. If you haven’t listened to the show before, now is the time to dive in – why not check out our Where To Start? article to help you attack the immense back catalogue.
Listen now >> 

The Skewer – Series 6

Described by host Jon Holmes as a “satirical river of sound”, this season of The Skewer sees Jon incorporate the impassioned voices, sketches and ideas (however big or small) of NHS frontline staff, primary school teachers, railway workers, and even a Track & Trace worker – all who have experienced first-hand the rollercoaster of despair, optimism, and frustration from these turbulent times. Listen now >> 

We Can Be Heroes

Glyn Fussell – King of the London night scene and an LGBTQ+ icon – speaks to other extraordinary misfits who have harnessed the power of being different. Series one snagged interviews with the likes of Beverly Knight and lead singer of Skunk Anasie, Skin. Series Two’s future guests will include Paloma Faith, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and lot’s more! Listen now >> 

The post 21 New podcasts to add to your queue this June appeared first on POD BIBLE.

We’re heading into a long weekend, and should you be in need of soundtracking your journeys, cooking time or awkward silences, we have some new podcasts for you. With lots of big-production fiction shows, as well as interesting indys and influencer pods, there’s something here for everyone…

New Pods

Stories of the Stalked

This Audible series comes with a content warning for distressing themes (stalking and mental health) and it covers the personal, true story of the host. Filmmaker, performer, producer and choreographer Lily Baldwin gives us an insight to the experience of being stalked over a staggering 13-year period. The sound design that couples deep droning and realistic folly gives an unnerving base to Lily’s story of legal challenges, survival techniques and physical and mental health issues when a stranger fixates on her after seeing her at a gig. Well worth a listen if you have the emotional capacity. Listen now >>

American Hostage

Jon Hamm’s podcast drama debut is a scripted psychological thriller based on a true story. It’s 1977, local radio reporter Fred Heckman is looking for a big story – but as the opening narration tells us, Fred accidentally becomes the story. A hostage-taker, Tony Kiritsis, demands to be interviewed on Fred’s popular radio news program, and by the end of the first episode we know that Kiritsis has his hostage attached to a ‘dead man trigger’ leaving Fred no choice but to arrange an interview…  Listen now >>

Who Killed Avril Lavigne?

This sci-fi comedy podcast will take you straight back to the noughties. Set in the not too distant future, it follows the story of typical “angsty teen” Derek Walker. Walker is sent back in time to rescue Avril Lavigne from an “abduction and replacement” but begins realizing his own pop-punk destiny… It also has a full pop-punk album to accompany it, and the title music will get stuck in your head! Listen now >>

Let’s Make a Sci-fi

After listening to Who killed Avril Lavigne, you could take a listen to this one to think about how it may have come to be… In this show, three comedians are trying to make an actual sci-fi show from scratch. From the initial bad ideas to the final production, we can eavesdrop on the process. Along the way, they consult experts who worked on Star Trek, Star Wars, Firefly, and other names in science fiction, such as actor (and podcaster) Rainn Wilson and writer (and podcaster) Emily VanDerWerff. Listen now >>

Goodniks

We all want to do good in the world, but Goodniks are the people that make their lives about doing good. This podcast actually describes itself as an ‘audio project’ and has a really interesting format. Each episode is less than 20 minutes long, and merges several ‘Goodniks’ answers into a collage over music. Episode one explores how Goodnik’s weaknesses, personality quirks, or neuroses serve the work they do. I think this show will be a good short injection of inspiration for many people trying to change the world for the better. Listen now >>

Accidental Activist

This is actually another show asking people how they are doing the good work. Journalist Isha Sesay never envisioned becoming an activist herself, but in Accidental Activist, she sits down with others who have found themselves unexpectedly inhabiting a role as “activist.” Her conversations with cultural icons like actress Alyssa Milano and author Baratunde Thurston are supported with sound effects, which is an interesting idea. Listen now >>

Is it my ADHD?

Writer Grace Timothy explores what it’s really like to live with ADHD. Diagnosed with ADHD when she was 37, and Grace is still getting her head around what it means for her, in terms of her past, present and future. This podcast is a great way for those unfamiliar with ADHD to comprehend the condition. It’s really interesting to listen in to the conversations where Grace and her guest can find solidarity in their experiences. Listen now >>

SOLAR

Another one to keep sci-fi fans entertained, but in a more intense way. A disaster on board a spacecraft leaves crew members isolated from each other and fighting for survival. Those back on Earth try to fathom what’s happened, whilst spinning the press a story that won’t cause panic. With massive stars voicing the parts (Alan Cumming, Stephanie Beatriz, Jonathan Bangs and Helen Hunt), this is compelling listening – and I very much appreciate how the adverts have been linked to the story.  Listen now >> 

Other pods for your list:

Jazmyn Gives Bad Advice – TikToker, HR expert, and comedian Jazmyn W. is your new agony aunt. These short episodes start with a sketch before Jazmyn interprets a listener question and gives her best (she only says it’s her worst so you can’t blame her if it doesn’t work!) Listen now >> 

Founder Stories – A business podcast with a twist, Founder Stories turns an interview with a successful business starter into a monologue about their journey. With basic sound design behind the monologue, this is an appealing way to learn about entrepreneurs. Listen now >> 

Call Me Curious – In Wondery’s latest podcast, actress Nikki Boyer gets curious about things we’ve heard about “but don’t really know about.” The first episode asks, “can aphrodisiacs really turn you on?” Listen now >> 

#Matter – This fiction podcast from the US is presented like an investigative documentary, and tells the story of a father, Gerald Hayes, who ended up barricaded in a restaurant with a police officer after his son’s brutal beating by the police. Listen now >> 

No Harm in Asking – A new podcast about podcasts, but this one isn’t about recommendations. Instead, it aims to help people podcast well by reviewing the shows that everyone’s listening to and asking what people like about it. Listen now >> 

ZOE Science & Nutrition – ZOE is a healthcare science company helping people understand their body’s responses to food (and they also run the world’s largest covid study). This podcast unpacks some preconceptions on nutrition. Listen now >> 

Downton Abbey: The Official Podcast – There’s a brand-new weekly Downton re-watch podcast released to coincide with the release of the second Downton film, which comes out at the end of the month. Interestingly, this is the first official podcast from the series. Listen now >> 

Fast Enough: Ramadan Running – This weekly podcast drops 30 minutes before sunset and is set to 120bpm. Hosted by Olympian Lutalo Muhammad, it features other famous faces from Britain’s Muslim community, each episode gives expert advice to optimise training during Ramadan.  Listen now >> 

A Hit Dog Will Holler – A very meta new audio drama from Radiotopia, this follows a podcaster called Gina, who is having trouble recording episodes because of the noise from the monster outside. But is the beast really there? Or is it 400 years’ worth of racism, oppression, and trauma threatening to come in? This is actually adapted from a play by Craig-Galván . Listen now >> 

New Seasons:

A Podcast of Unnecessary Detail – Season 2

A Podcast of Unnecessary Detail proves that you can dive very deeply into science and still be entertaining. From Festival of the Spoken Nerd (aka. Matt Parker, Steve Mould and Helen Arney) A Podcast of Unnecessary Detail takes things that you wouldn’t believe could be interesting, and makes them fascinating by drilling down to the nitty and / or gritty details. We caught up with the three Spoken Nerds to ask them for the nitty-gritty on their podcast. Listen now >>

Dead and Gone – Season 2

This podcast explores one of the elements of darkness surrounding the Grateful Dead. Over the past five degades, there have been many mysterious cases of murdered and missing “Deadheads”. Season 2 takes a closer look at some of these forgotten cases. Hosts Payne Lindsey and Jake Brennan return with a focus on three tragedies that took place from the 1980s – 2004. Listen now >>

The Line Up – Season 3

A Pod Bible regular, Shaun Keaveny is back with the third season of  The Line Up.  The show gives its music-loving guests the chance to curate their very own dream festival from start to finish, showcasing each guests’ true passions and musical spirit. The season kicked off with Kiefer Sutherland, and later episodes are due to feature the likes of Ed O’Brien, Kae Tempest, Johnny Marr, Paddy Considine and Self Esteem. Listen now >>

The Breakup Monologues

Working on the premise that ‘tragedy plus time equals comedy’, Rosie Wilby speaks to esteemed guests and asks about their tales of breakup and recovery. The podcast stems from a trilogy of solo comedy shows, and Rosie has heard monologues from celebrities including Richard Herring, Dolly Alderton, Katy Brand and Ayesha Hazarika. The new series starts with a number of live shows recorded at Poplar Union. Listen now >>

Untold Killing

The first series of this award-winning podcast looked at the Bosnian genocide at the start of the Bosnian War in 1992, in which more than 8,000 Bosniak-Muslims were murdered in Srebrenica, a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Season 2 expands on this and explores the story of Prijedor – one Bosnian municipality’s descent from a peaceful, multi-ethnic society into a collection of burning towns and torture-filled concentration camps. It highlights how these things do not happen in isolation. Listen now >>

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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 22 New podcasts you must listen to this April appeared first on POD BIBLE.

We caught up with Matt Allen, Managing Director at Digital Bulls, to find out more…

Can you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

Matt: I founded The Famous Company, a music services agency in 2010. Over the last 12 years we have worked with artists across the globe, helping them find their sound, reach new audiences and launch their music careers. As a result of various lockdowns the music industry has been hit quite hard so I wanted to future proof the business by diversifying our service offering. We did some research into podcast production and felt it was an obvious next step for us to take.

We launched Digital Bulls a podcast production & promotion agency at the start of this year. My role within the business is as Managing Director.

The Digital Bulls team has a background in the music industry. It’s easy to see how you could step into working in other audio, but what do you like best about podcasts?

Matt: Our team are obsessed with podcasts. Our favourites range from keeping up with the news for me, The Blindboy Podcast for Harry, comedy and food podcast Off Menu for Rachael and wrestling podcast Something To Wrestle for Zaid. I spoke to the team before this interview and this is what some of them said they liked the most about podcasts:

Sol: Podcasts are a great way of learning, they provide lessons on the topics I’m really interested in.

Cameron: I come away from podcasts feeling inspired, creative and motivated. They are a great way to learn more about topics I’m interested in.

Matty: I find podcasts are a great way for me to wind down and distract my mind from life’s daily challenges.

Has there been anything that surprised you about stepping into podcasting?

Matt: I love music, I’ve worked in and around it for most of my adult life, but there’s something about podcasts that I find fascinating and so amazing. Podcasts are a really personally experience. Unlike a show or a lecture where the performer or speaker can react to the audience, whatever you hear in a podcast, it’s the original raw conversation, no changing of opinion based on audience reaction. And despite how many millions of people might listen to the podcast, it’s just you and the podcast when you listen to it. That’s really special – it’s what makes podcasts so personal, raw and most importantly real.

What is something you haven’t managed to do yet, but you would really like to work on?

I can’t really say too much as we have a number of Digital Bulls original podcasts in development but we want to be synonymous with creating socially responsible original podcast content. We’re based in Bristol but work with podcasters across the UK and also in the US. Bristol is famed for it’s wildlife and natural history media content, as is known as the green film capital of the UK, we would love nothing more than to become the podcast city of the UK too – an ambitious plan but we’re going to throw everything we’ve got at it!

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned since moving into podcasting?

That everyone has a story to tell. No matter what their background or who they are, they have something to say. As species we are curious beings, we love learning, and we love interacting with each other. Podcasts became so popular during lockdown as it brought us together in a way that we couldn’t do in person. I think you would be hard pressed to find someone now who hasn’t listened to a podcast – that’s a really great thing.

And where can Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

You can find out more about our services and meet our team at GoTeamPod.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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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

The post INTERVIEW // Matt Allen from Digital Bulls appeared first on POD BIBLE.

We may be halfway through the month, but I couldn’t let March slide without introducing you to some new podcasts! I’ve kept you waiting long enough, so let’s dive right in…

New Pods

Where’s My Jetpack?

Production company Stak have been prolific with their releases recently, but Where’s My Jetpack? is the one that has captivated me the most. Space journalist Sarah Cruddas and broadcaster – and Stak COO – Luke Moore explore the past, present and future of inventions, using cultural touch-points like Back To The Future and 2001: A Space Odyssey. As someone who grew up pretending my skateboard was a hoverboard, the mix of sci-fi and sci-fact is really fun. Listen now >>

Dua Lipa: At Your Service

Singer, songwriter and model, Dua Lipa is also the latest celebrity to add podcaster to her list of credentials. But this podcast stands apart from just being another celebrity interview show. Not just because it’s been highlighted in a number of newsletters and reviews, but because of the people she is speaking to. The first episode sets the tone, with a fascinating chat to the creative director of Balmain, Olivier Rousteing, about everything from his work to his adoption and learning about his birth parents’. Listen now >>

Shamima Begum: The Blame Game

Considering how long she has been a very public figure in the news, it’s difficult to believe Shamima Begum is only 22 years old. This podcast from ITV charts her journey over the past seven years, starting at her old school, and the moment she left London to join Isis in Syria. With archive audio and exclusive interviews, this aims to tell the whole story with journalistic rigor. Listen now >>

The Making of a Swindler

If you’ve watched The Tindler Swindler, this special three-part podcast companion expands on it in a satisfying way. Whilst the show focuses on the women that were conned through dating apps to part with huge sums of money, this three-parter looks at Simon, the swindler to blame. The hosts insist you go and watch the show before listening, but I ignored that. It stands alone quite nicely, and can be found on Netflix’s You Can’t Make This Up podcast feed. Listen now >>

Nicholas Craig: I, an Actor, a Podcast

Comedy legend Nigel Planer (The Young Ones, Comic Strip Presents…) reprises his spoof actor character. After appearing in film, radio, theatre and TV, it’s little wonder we now have Nicholas Craig: I, an Actor, a Podcast. Episodes are short, sweet, silly and with sleuthy music from Planer himself. Listen now >>

The Secret History of: Flight 149

Crowd Network’s investigative podcast is uncovering the truth behind a hostage crisis during Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Hours after the invasion was known, a British Airways Flight 149 chose to land in Kuwait, where the passengers and crew were captured and detained by Iraqi soldiers – some for weeks, and others for months. Journalist Stephen Davies has been looking into the crisis and subsequent government cover-up for 30 years. Listen now >>

Bone. Marry. Bury.

A reverse whodunnit where we know the hot-mess murderess! After a disastrous 2021, Allie goes to a New Years Eve party with plans for a fabulous 2022. But her best friend – and the podcast’s narrator – Gabe tells us what Allie’s future really holds – crossed paths with three of the party-goers who, one month from now, Allie will have had sex with, married, or killed! But which three, and why? Listen now >>

Ukrainecast

Possibly the most poignant new podcast on this list, Ukrainecast is a spinoff from the BBC’s Newscast. Victoria Derbyshire and Gabriel Gatehouse reflect on the news from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine every day. An important and accessible way to understand the evolving situation. Listen now >> 

Run, Rose, Run

Described as “perfect, soapy escapism from Dolly Parton” by The Guardian podcasts newsletter, this Spotify show is truly unique. So unique in fact, it’s not even calling itself a podcast. Run, Rose, Run has Dolly Parton and James Patterson collaborating on what Spotify calls a “bookcast audio experience”. And whilst such buzz-words are usually poor explainers, this is probably a fair description. The show is basically an extend advert for a new book by James Patterson and Dolly Parton, combining excerpts with some of the music from a brand new album from Dolly. It’s a nice idea, immersing you fully in the story. You can listen the bookcast here, you can hear the whole book here, or listen to the music album everywhere. Listen now >>

Other pods for your list:

Simple Politics Podcast – As its name says, a show about reflecting on political news in the “simplest way possible.” The podcast was borne out of a U.K.-based Instagram account of the same name, which has ~800,000 followers. Listen now >>

Why I Run – In the lead up to the global charity event ‘Wings for Life World Run’ in May 2022, TikTok sensation Erin Azar and world record-breaking swimmer Ayo Akinwolere are speaking to guests who share their passion for plodding and what drives them to run. Listen now >> 

Damages – A courtroom drama that follows the 200+ climate lawsuits currently active across the world. Host Amy Westervelt (from the true-crime style climate change podcast Drilled) starts this season by focusing on “rights of nature” cases. Listen now >> 

The Catch: The Real Freshwater Five Story – Produced by Message Heard, presented by Raphael Rowe, a journalist who himself spent twelve years locked up for a crime he didn’t commit, this seven part Audible Original series delves into a drug-smuggling case where the five fisherman convicted maintain their innocence years after being sentenced to decades in prison. Listen now >>

I Am with Jonny Wilkinson – After a career covering three decades and four World Cups, Jonny Wilkinson is sharing how he is finally at peace with himself and inviting other guests to share their own vulnerability. Listen now >>

New Seasons:

Dan Snow’s History Hit – ENDURANCE22: A Story of Antarctic Survival

More a mini-series, but in the feed of Dan Snow’s History Hit. Endurance22 was a series of separate episodes talking about history, whilst history was being made. The Endurance22 expedition set off this year to commemorate the centenary of Shackleton’s death by uncovering the wreck of his ship, Endurance, which sank in 1915 after it was trapped in the ice. Dan Snow’s History Hit had full access to the live expedition, and was the first podcast on the ground when the ship was actually found… Listen now >>

The Art of Longevity – Season 3

This podcast explores the long game in the music industry. Each episode speaks to a musical icon whose career has spanned decades and how to remain relevant. This season, host Keith Jobling, a music strategy professional with more than 25 years experience in the industry, has in-depth conversations with artists including Spoon, Tears For Fears, Sea Power, The Wombats and Steve Mason. Listen now >>

Out To Lunch – Season 7

World famous food critic Jay Rayner returns with more big name guests in a restaurant of his choosing – This series there are more incredible conversations with household names including Stephen Fry, Rose Matafeo, Bill Bailey, Lolly Adefope & Rob Brydon. Expect crackling anecdotes and blistering chat, lubricated by killer cooking. Listen now >>

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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 you must listen to this March appeared first on POD BIBLE.

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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