Who are you and what is your podcast about?

My name is Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. I’m Iranian by birth, British by education, Italian by former marriage, American by migration, and global in my work and vocation. I’m the Founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International Public Affairs (SIPA) and a Richard von Weizsacker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy. I am also mother to identical twin girls, aged 23, and come from a close-knit global family.

For nearly 30 years, I’ve worked at the frontlines of a field of practice known as “women peace and security”. It took me to New York and the UN, chasing diplomats and writing the draft of UN Security Council resolution 1325 that with much editing – got passed – and has been among the most radical, potentially transformative developments for peace, of the past decades. Because I was there when it all got started, I’ve had the chance to explore and discover, create, advocate, and practice what I was preaching.

I did research in 15 countries and wrote a book called Women Building Peace: What They Do, Why It Matters, The UN asked me back to train staff and lead more research – this time on men and what makes them vulnerable to becoming violent or joining militant groups. All this led me to study the rise of identity-based extremism from Jihadis to white supremacists and identify effective ways of preventing and offering alternatives.

Since I believed in and was inspired by the women I met, I started ICAN out of an old wing-backed armchair in my living room. It was an idea that has become reality: a small organization leading a global network – like the league of extraordinary women. We have over 90 partners in 43 countries, set up a fund and disbursed $11M and counting in over 30 countries, and continue to influence government policies, and trying to bring peace actors to peace negotiations. I was stunned to receive an MBE in 2020 for my work on “International peacebuilding and women’s rights”.

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

It took me to all manner of places; a gala dinner in Johannesburg where I got to kiss (and be kissed) by Nelson Mandela, tea with the Maoists in Nepal, comparing parenting notes and fears of death with gangsters in Jamaica, debating manhood and masculinity with guerillas in Liberia, a brush with the law and the revolutionary courts in Iran, talking Security sector reform with the paramount chiefs in Fiji, backroom meetings with Muslim women who neighboured the men who blew themselves up and killed hundreds of people on an Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka’s chicest hotels. It also meant that in 2021 when the Taliban took over Afghanistan, at ICAN, I decided we would try to live up to our name and do what we could to help our partners. We were able to help 1100 people – mainly women peacebuilders and their families to safety in Germany, the US, Canada, and the UK. We are still channelling money to women’s organizations active across the country.

It’s all part of the ongoing 45-year odyssey of an 11-year Persian girl who danced to the tune of Boney M on the balmy summer nights of ’78 when the military curfews cracked their guns and the “Allah o Akbars” ricocheted off building blocks in north Tehran. She went on a 10-day vacation with a suitcase full of schoolbooks and ski clothes, and never returned to that life. I’m a girl who lost her home and land, a young woman who felt compelled to help others avoid the same fate, a working mom, and an immigrant who calls the world home.

The podcast series focuses on global challenges and issues of our times, with emphasis on solutions, possibilities, and hope. It counters the trend of issues being polarized by politicians, sensationalized by the media, and oversimplified on social media, by creating the space for complexity, nuance, and actionable solutions. With a pivot away from the usual pundits, I put the spotlight on the frontline, roll-up-their-sleeves “do-ers”. From extreme capitalism to nature conservation, the future of feminism and peace in the Middle East, each podcast is an informal but in-depth conversation with the imaginers, and innovators focusing on their work and solutions, and what else could be done if they were in charge.

The format allows for a wide range of topics and solutions, big and small. Importantly, the podcast bridges the gap between specialist knowledge and general audiences. By demystifying the issues, If You Were in Charge also aims to educate, empower, and inspire listeners to imagine what they too could do, about the issues they care about.

Why did you decide to start If You Were In Charge?

I started If You Were in Charge, with the aim of amplifying the work and perspectives of people who have dedicated their lives to tackling some of the world’s most complex problems. In my line of work and community of practice I meet so many wonderful people doing extraordinary work. Many of us have innovative and practical solutions that could have transformative impact, but too often the daily work of “doing” means there is little time left for the writing and sharing of ideas. This is particularly true for women. Despite all the progress on equality, most of us are juggling our family and professional responsibilities. Having the brain space to write and publish becomes a luxury that few have.

The simple premise of If You Were in Charge is to give the “do-ers” the space, and enable them to share their solutions, if they had the power and the resources to do so, and hopefully inform, inspire, and energize audiences.

I was also motivated by my frustration with the armchair pundits that offer erudite critiques of all that is going wrong, but rarely offer solutions. I find the prevailing sense of pessimism disturbing, because ultimately to be pessimistic about the future is a privilege of the privileged. I also get exhausted listening to the “what’s wrongs” and the problems. It is demoralizing and often sucks the energy out of the room. I think audiences are also fatigued generally, so people switch off. But I’ve also found that when I ask experts what their solutions are, or what they’d do if they were in charge, their entire demeanour changes.

The framing allows for extraordinary breadth in terms of the topics we could select.

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

What do you hope listeners will take away from your podcast?

New insights into issues they often hear about but have become background noise “problems”.

Inspiration, hope and respect for my guests and their work and insights.

A “can-do” sense about big issues and positive momentum.

A sense of the “ordinariness” of these extraordinary people with whom I talk. So often activists and advocates are seen as unidimensional and distant. I want to show how approachable people are, and how relatable they are. It’s a way of showing that each of us has the capacity to have an impact if we care enough, if we are committed enough, and have the courage and imagination.

You have a section at the beginning of the podcast where you talk to your daughter Soleh (and occasionally her twin sister Lydia) about the guest and/or theme of that week’s episode. What made you decide to include your daughters on the podcast?

My kids, all the kids around us, are the future. We are handing them a world full of problems. It’s unfair because we as GenX, or earlier generations, especially the post-war and the boomers have had the very best of the world. Yet we have squandered all that was given to us – be it in terms of the environment, peace and stability, human rights, or socio-economic opportunities.

We owe our children some light and hope in this increasingly tough environment. I have enormous respect for GenZ as they are attuned to many of the critical challenges we face in the world. They know from first-hand experience what gun violence in the US means, and how climate change affects them and the future. They are savvy about social media and political manipulation. They are also irreverent and funny.

But I worry also that sometimes knowledge leads to inertia and pessimism. That’s also unfair to the younger generation. We need to share with them how things are done, what is still possible and how important it is to imagine solutions and create new approaches.

I wanted to have a chance to hear from them, have them inform my discussions with the various guests, and for them to hear about the solutions that exist.

It’s also a nice way to spend time with my girls now that they’re both living their own lives. I have fun when they poke fun at me. I hope that their generation will listen in and relate to them, even if they find me old and stodgy.

Sanam with her twin daughters

What role do you think podcasts can play in sharing ideas and getting information to a wider audience?

I think podcasts are the antidote to social media. They provide a space to delve into issues with more nuance. They have rekindled the art of conversation and discussion.

The fact that I can provide a platform for people who rarely make it into the mainstream news yet are working on issues that are constantly in the news, is important to me. Traditional media likes to talk to the big names and celebrities. It’s bite-size quotes and problem oriented – often sensationalized. Or it’s a “gotcha” mentality, trying to catch people out.

On a podcast, you can have a diversity of guests from all walks of life, to share their perspectives and experiences – to show that you don’t have to be a president or billionaire to make an impact.

In fact, the self-empowerment of citizens is one of the repeated common themes across all the discussions from peace-making and advocacy against police violence to nature conservation and justice. With their own communities and families at risk, or because they have a love of nature or a passion for justice, people are taking matters in their own hands.

While money matters to their work, it is not sufficient. What really makes the difference is the quality of the cohorts of people who care enough to act. When they do, they inspire others through sharing their own courage and enthusiasm and imagination. While the actions may seem minuscule compared to the scale of the problem, every small win has an effect. It shows that change is possible.

We’re going to turn your lead question back on you now – if you were in charge, what would you change?

That’s easy and difficult.

1. I would change the entire way we think about war and peace. I would focus on ending the 56 major wars we have in the world. They are entirely human-made problems, so it means they can be entirely resolved by human beings, if we had the political will and interest.

So, I would put the prevention and resolution of wars as the singular priority of our time – because wars are a driver of destruction, refugee flows, environmental damage, and deep trauma. But we can control and stop them, because while conflict is natural, violence is a choice, and it is not inevitable.

I’d invest in radical diplomacy that, by definition, would be inclusive of the people affected by wars, and the local peacebuilders who are the agents of change. It’s putting peace actors at the tables of negotiations, so that violence is not the only ticket to the table and armed actors aren’t swapping military fatigues for fancy suits in a shift to “power sharing”.

I write and talk about these issues in detail and ad-nauseum, so I won’t go on, but suffice it to say, that our models of war and peace diplomacy are too archaic to be effective for contemporary complex wars. The good news is that we have models that can be effective. We know from experience that two factors are needed for sustainable peacemaking: political will and inclusivity. If we focus on the inclusivity, we can muster up the political will more effectively.

People often say, “peace is possible”. I prefer to say that “without peace everything else is impossible”, so we need to stop taking it for granted, and invest in it, foster it, value, and appreciate it.

2. I’d also change the narrative and tell the untold stories of peace heroism. Hobbes was wrong. Humanity is not de facto violent. In fact, our natural state is peaceful and seeking to co-exist. Violence is an aberration which serves a minority of humanity. The vast majority of men and especially women are not prone to violence as a primary act. War is also not good for business. It is bad for most businesses and only good for the weapons industry. So, we need to change the narratives, pull back the curtain and expose the sham of “national security expertise” and the minority who benefit from increasing militarization and perpetual war.

3. We can democratize security debates by engaging and enabling people to feel confident about talking about “what security means to them” – and in this way rethink our priorities to link human and national security together and allocate resources accordingly. I’d reduce defence spending and invest in education, health, environmental issues. I’m not naïve, I get that we may need deterrence, but whether we have 40 or 50 nuclear bombs or 1000 is almost irrelevant. Much of this weaponry is only useful if it stays entirely useless.

Episode one’s guest is Abigail Disney, grand niece of Walt Disney, and a philanthropist and social activist. Photograph: By U.S. Institute of Peace – Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Can you remember what the first podcast you ever listened to was?

Empire – with William Dalrymple and Anita Anand.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from? And which podcasts have impacted you the most?

Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! – from NPR is always great. I like the humour.

My kids have shared episodes of You’re Wrong About which are fascinating – in part because I lived through some of the incidents in real time.

Legal ones like 5-4 are interesting – to get a perspective I don’t often hear and generally I like the discussions/podcasts where people who are practitioners and experts in their field, look under the hood, discuss, and analyse and make issues accessible.

It reminds me of Einstein’s quote (or attributed to him) that if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t know the topic well enough.

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

Episode 1 with Abigail Disney is a great introduction. Not only does she talk about the challenges and dangers of extreme capitalism to society, and offer her solutions, but she also discusses the links to other issues that come up in future episodes.

Episode 2 with Kelly Ghaisar is another great example – as it’s the story of a family, and a woman who was a professional interior designer, suddenly having her life ripped apart, being lurched into the universe of police violence and impunity, and deciding to take charge. Her convictions and integrity are so strong, that they give her inordinate courage and power. It’s very moving.

I could go on because every episode has its unique quality and topic.

Could you tell us more about the guests you have coming up on this first season of If You Were In Charge?

So far, I’ve had Abigail Disney, Kelly Ghaisar, Dame EJ Milner-Gulland, Kavita Nandini Ramdas.

I have had Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger on November 12th discussing the issue of Jewish settlers/settlements in the Occupied West Bank, and Mohammad Darwashe on educating for peace and equal coexistence in Israel on November 18th.

Meredith Whittaker who is CEO of the Signal Foundation (Signal app) joined me to discuss AI, cyber security and surveillance issues, and Professor Stephen Walt of Harvard’s Kennedy School joined me to talk about hypocrisy in US Foreign policy, academic freedom, and the price you pay for speaking truth to power.

Episode eight’s guest is Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal, seen here on the Future Societies stage of the Web Summit 2022, Portugal. Photo by Sam Barnes/Web Summit via Sportsfile

Who would be your dream guest for the podcast?

Funny thing is so far I’ve had my dream guests.

I would love to invite:

• Dr. Hanan Ashrawi – CEO of Miftah & Former spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority
• Steve Balmer -Ex-CEO of Microsoft and now head of Usafacts
• Kamala Harris now that she’s lost the elections, to discuss how she’d do things differently.

If I could reach up to the heavens, I’d invite Nelson Mandela and Princess Diana. People forget that at just aged 36 when she passed away, she had already made a profound impact on public attitudes regarding HIV/AIDs and on the Campaign to Ban Landmines. Imagine if she had survived and continued her advocacy for critical causes.

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

You can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else you get your podcasts. For more about my work and organization please check out Icanpeacework.org

Twitter/X I often comment (still) at my handle @sanambna & @Whatthewomensay

Instagram @Albaloo2910 and @whatthewomensay

LinkedIn @sanam Naraghi Anderlini and @International Civil Society Action Network.

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No Holes Barred

This is probably the only show that still makes me snigger like a schoolgirl, Laura and Victoria chat every week about the cummings (see what I did there) and goings-on in their lives, alongside readers’ stories and a good old dose of pure filth. With episode names like ‘Lube the Hoover’ it’s not for the faint hearted, but hey those types of people are no fun anyway! If you want a show that makes you feel like you are down the pub with your best girl mates swapping hilarious date/sex stories this is the one for you! Listen on your podcast app now >>

I’m Absolutely Fine By the Midult

If you don’t already know Annabel and Emilie – the legendary ladies of the Midult – then where have you been? Rummaging through their “emotional knicker draw” every episode, the ladies take a good look at (mid)life, relationships, careers, mental health and everything in between. All that is topped with some killer guests and some of the most relatable letters from listeners ever. They’ve also just started a new mini Friday episode called Podcast from the Edge, a five-minute-ish delve into all the ways Annabel and Emilie have been embarrassed and undignified over the past seven days. All I can say is HARD RELATE. Listen on your podcast app now >>

The Modern Mann

This monthly magazine show has been going for years and the stories that host Oli Mann explores in each episode are fascinating. It is, however, the amazing Ali Fox and her regular sex segment The Fox Hole that is one of my fave sections. She explores everything from ethical porn to sex toys and trends, as well as answering some regular listener questions. I always come away with interesting facts/knowledge/ideas I didn’t have before. Take that how you will Listen on your podcast app now >>

Dear Sugars

As agony aunt podcasts go, to me is the OG! Okay, it isn’t actually releasing episodes anymore, but it frequently does ‘encore episodes’. Hosted by Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond, the beautiful letters they read out in every episode are tiny little glimpses into someone else’s world and the issues they are facing. The advice Cheryl and Steve offer back is equally as honest and relatable. With 300+ episodes there is nothing they haven’t covered so if you are looking for some advice, dig in and you are sure to find an episode that fits. Listen on your podcast app now >>

Modern Love

If anyone has ever read anything I’ve put online about podcasts before, they would have heard me bang on about Modern Love. It’s the podcast that got me into podcasts and I will wax lyrical about it FOREVER. Based on the Modern Love column in the NYT, each episode is an essay from that column read out by what were big celebs of stage and screen (see pre-2020 for those episodes) and is now usually the authors themselves. There isn’t an essay in the whole series that hasn’t touched on the eerie part of relationships/love and everything in between. Go find one you like the sound of, dive in and have tissues at the ready. Listen on your podcast app now >>

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

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Whenever I hear someone claim “I am so obsessed with this podcast and I want everyone to know about it!” I have to add it to my queue, but even more so when it’s a independent show. Subterraneans was Suchandrika Chakrabarti’s Podcast of 2022, and her description of the eerie monologues about London, combined with the social and political issues that surround housing in the UK, intrigued me. I recently got around to listening to the new series, and immediately contacted the creator, James Thompson, to find out more…

What’s your podcast elevator pitch?

The first words I wrote in my design document were “NPR-style overproduced podcast about cryptids”, but it’s evolved a little since then. Subterraneans is a show about the strange creatures and forgotten stories that live underneath the bloody, violent heart of capitalism. It’s a mix of history and folklore, scored to nightmarish synths and haunting echoes, which drags you under the earth with it. It is not for the faint of heart, but it finds moments of hope in this dark place; in stories of resistance, of joy, and of solidarity. Let’s join hands and warm ourselves amongst the dirt.

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

I am a writer and a musician, so podcasting is a natural fit for my style of storytelling. It also lets me play audio games with the listener; since everything you hear on the show comes from me one way or another, I can completely control the experience, dropping strange and unsettling sounds in and out in a way that’s hard to avoid. I want to frighten people on the bus.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

As per the original design document, I wanted to do a version of This American Life or S-Town that takes folklore and horror seriously, in order to pull the rug out from under you. I’m always trying to borrow legitimacy from the scripted podcast medium, from serious journalism and embedded writing, and every time I get an email from someone asking for more details about some aspect of a story or my research then it makes my entire week. My biggest inspiration, in that way, is actually found footage horror; Occult (2009) has a direct line to my interests with the show.

Where do you find the inspiration for your stories?

Dreams, nightmares, and long walks. Truthfully, many of the subjects come to me when I see an interesting building or architectural feature and start walking down the garden path in my mind. I also have a close-knit and wonderful group of friends & loved ones who keep me grounded and send me strange happenings from around the city; without them, I simply couldn’t do it. My other major cultural influences would include Junji Ito, Mark Fisher, Karl Marx, Judith Butler, Rei Kawakubo, Jordan Peele, Park Chan-wook, and Kim Ki-young.

Why podcasting? What is it about the medium that you like?

Musically speaking, I’m a textural thinker; it’s the reason why I love harsh noise music. There’s something about thick, swirling, woozy textures washing over a listener that just feels so satisfying and evocative to me. Podcasting lets me explore this type of feeling while giving listeners an entry point and an anchor in my voice, in a way that I think mirrors the type of layered and complicated stories I want to tell. Gradually layering in complexity on top of complexity, leaving doors open, and disrupting the flow of sound with the unexpected or uncomfortable; that’s something you can really achieve very powerfully through an audio medium.

Also, it’s cheap and I can do it entirely by myself. That’s important.

Can you give our readers a point of entry? Is it best to start at S1 E1, or can they dive in at any point?

I normally link to S1E4 for new listeners. It’s about super basements in Kensington and Hampstead, and the strange sounds you can hear from beneath when exploring the dilapidated properties on Billionaires Row. That said, almost every episode is self-contained, so you can run them in order or jump around depending on your personal interests!

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

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What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

The first podcast I ever listened to is a show called the GiantBombcast back in 2009, I was a big gamer at the time and I didn’t have the best internet connection to watch reviews or previews so it was a great way to stay in the loop and the personalities of all the hosts really impressed on me that doing a podcast could be fun.

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

I always had a creative streak but never really knew what to do with it, I’m not the best writer and can’t draw but always wanted to make things. After a stint in college radio I did an internship in commercial radio but the format never felt right. Eventually I decided to give podcasting a try when I went back to study journalism after listening to them for so many years and immediately it clicked. All the ideas I had in my head seemed to start to take form and I saw all the little threads that would pull the fragments of my notebooks together to become a reality.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I take a lot of inspiration from shows like Articles of Interest. I like to think about how different storylines come together to influence something as a whole, like the story of how a forearm tattoo on Tsar Nicholas II intersects with the Meiji Restoration in Japan and the decline of the Dutch trading companies. I like shows that take a small, almost inconsequential, story and use it to connect it to something bigger and more nuanced.

How do you navigate talking about the cultural aspects of tattooing?

One of the biggest things to remember about tattooing is that it is not a monolith, from the outside most non-tattooed people just see tattoos as tattoos, ink in skin and nothing much more than that, all painted with the same brush. When in reality tattooing as a culture is very diverse, from styles, to regions, to even who’s applying them. There has always been a very rich cultural history in tattooing that far predates tattooing machines or our modern ideas around tattooing. It’s an artistic medium that has touched every culture and subculture you could imagine, so it’s a lot more diverse and deep than most people think

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

Always save a backup and don’t drink sparkling water before recording.

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

I would recommend either our second episode, ‘Into the Land of the Painted People’ on the prehistoric origins of tattooing, or our episode on ‘Britain’s first professional tattooist’ Sutherland McDonald.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

There’s no such thing as a bad tattoo, just ones that aren’t appreciated yet.

Where can Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

You can find us on Instagram @beneaththeskinpod where we also share images of some of the tattoos we talk about in the show!

Listen to Beneath The Skin on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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BBC Sounds AudioLabs – Talia Randall

Pod Bible: What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

Talia Randall: It was probably one of the big guns at NPR that first got my attention. I also loved Two Dope Queens. Recently the shows I’ve been addicted to are Harsh Reality, Wild Boys and The Trojan Horse Affair. I think an investigative podcast works best when the host really inserts themselves into the topic and doesn’t pretend to be neutral. I also enjoy The Polyester Podcast. It’s a self-published, intersectional feminist and culture show. I think the seriousness they give to seemingly throwaway or ‘bad taste’ subjects is really refreshing

In terms of audio more broadly I was very briefly involved in pirate radio quite some time ago and before that, the first thing that properly had me as a listener was Blue Jam by Chris Morris. I’d be scared to listen back to it, I can’t tell you how much that twisted my melon.

PB: Why was audio the right medium for your project?

TR: We all know that a good podcast is an intimate experience. As a listener I really enjoy the feeling of someone inviting me into a corner to have a natter about some random, interesting topic. It’s a bit like having a gossip in the smokers section of club. You hear a revelation, inhale sharply and then rush to share the secret with someone else.

Obviosity my podcast is less gossip and more feelings about nature but I want that mood to be present; a one-on-one chat with a stranger, before you know it, you’re getting to know each other really well; you’re sharing revelations with each other.

There’s also that vibe when you’re on a walk – how your mind can wonder with your feet. Spending time alone in nature is a joy and a privilege and there was something about the meandering thoughts you have on a walk that chimed with the style of the podcast.

PB: What the biggest thing you’ve learned from making the podcast?

TR: Honestly, that I can do it! I was learning everything as I went (which is usually the case for me but certainly not on a platform this big). Learning how to edit, to sound design, putting the whole thing together. I mean every time I opened my laptop was a crash course in learning a new skill with a hefty deadline looming over me. I’m neurodivergent too so holding that all in my head was messy and complex

I also learnt that I can take on the subject matter. This last time year if you’d have told me I was gonna make a nature show I would’ve howled with laughter, yet here we are! Check in with me next year, maybe I’ll be making something about another subject that will surprise me. (I’m currently open to commissions babes)

PB: What would you like to see more of in the podcast space?

TR: We need a much broader range of audio makers and stories. I think this is true of arts and culture in general. I’ve had a few comp tickets to award and industry events via the Audio Lab scheme and although there’s been lots of great things and I’ve learnt loads, there is so much more than needs to be done to make more audio creatives (and listeners) feel like they belong. For example, I might be misremembering but I don’t remember any wheelchair access at many of these events. I think there needs to be a conversation about transcripts and captions for podcasts. I’d like to see more genuine risks on lesser known talent and, honestly, we need to talk more about cash. Money and the arts are so opaque and until we stop expecting people to work for little money (or no money) we just won’t have more perspectives.

Listen to Blossom Trees and Burnt Out Cars now on BBC Sounds and other popular podcast apps. 

Come back next week, when Adam Zmith will be talking about The Film We Can’t See. Check out the other interviews in the series here.

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After a short hiatus, I was happy to see the show return earlier this year. I caught up with Faith and Addie to talk about where the idea for the show came from, how they’ve found podcasting and the shows that influenced them.

Pod Bible: Can you give us an introduction to yourselves and The Trail Ahead?

Faith: Addie and I met trail running. We were both living in Portland, Oregon at the time and friends introduced us and it was a pretty fast friendship. And we basically realised that we wanted to talk about serious things most of the time, and we started having all of these conversations around the intersection of race, environment, history, culture and the outdoors. So basically The Trail Ahead is an extension of that. Whether it’s narcissism or not, we thought that the conversations we were having should reach a larger audience and so we created a podcast to do that.

How much preparation do you do before episodes are recorded?

Addie: A lot of preparation! Well, a lot and a little. It’s funny, we’ve gone through a transformation over the past year. We used to be much more planned in our questions and we had, like, 30 questions to ask each guest and we really had a prescribed flow of the conversation and how we wanted it to go etc. And this new round of episodes, we’ve been trying to be much more conversational – or as conversational as possible with our guests. We do a lot of background research on them, but oftentimes we’re just writing down themes and things we want to touch on with them and going from there. We’ve had incredible episodes, we’ve recorded a few conversations in the past few weeks that have gone in a completely different direction than I would have initially thought. But if we kept our 30 questions, we might not have gone there. I think that what’s been really cool is we both prepare a lot for these conversations.

We also have a visual component to the podcast, which most people are surprised by – we make short one-minute films on each of our guests because we feel that not only does representation matter in the outdoors, but visual representation matters. One of our guests said that if you can see it, you can be it. So what we’re hoping is that folks listen in, and watch and are able to see themselves outside.

What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned from doing the podcast so far?

Faith: I’m not sure if I can answer the biggest lesson that we’ve learned. I just go back to how lucky Addie and I feel, all the time with all of these guests that we get to speak with. Social media asks you to be really, really egotistical and you get kudos and likes for focusing on yourself. But I think the creation of a podcast was really all about amplifying other voices. So the big learning for me is how to shift the attention and how beneficial that is to everyone when it’s not about you and what you have to say, but it’s more about how you can – as one of our guests, José González says – share power with other people. That has been so mutually beneficial in all these ways. I don’t even think Addie and I have begun to quantify yet.

Addie and Faith. Photo by Fred Goris

What do you think the secret is to being a good podcast interviewer?

Faith: I think like Addie said, not being tied to what you thought you were going to make or not being tied to the conversation you thought you were gonna have. I think our first season we had these questions and we felt we had to get through them and you can actually hear it. I think you can hear at some point we’re switching tones just to get to our next question versus really letting it be okay to talk about half the things you thought you were going to talk about. Or realising you’re not telling anyone’s whole life story just where they are now. I think that’s been huge for us in terms of shifting how we host and realising that you don’t have to check a bunch of boxes in the episode.

Addie: Absolutely. And I think you can hear it in the conversation, we’re both much more engaged in what we’re talking about and what they said. Initially I was so rigid and “okay great, they just answered this question” and then I would realise that I hadn’t even heard what the answer was because I was thinking about the next question. I’m so impressed with interviewers who are just so seamless in this when they do have a list that they’re going through.

Now hopefully there’s just more natural flow and hopefully that increases the ability for us to create a safe space for our guests. I absolutely thought we were telling people’s life stories, I thought that was the point. I was like okay, we have two hours, we need to cover everything about this person. That has been such an unlock to be able to let that go and to really come in with “what do you want to talk about today? What do you want to say to the world?” and then go from there.

Faith: And that’s specific to ours too. I think there are some people who you go to that podcast and you expect and want to hear those six answers, right? We both love, how am I forgetting your celebrity crush’s name suddenly?

Addie: Oh, Brett Goldstein!

Faith: Right? So listening to Brett Goldstein’s podcast – if a certain guest didn’t answer one of the specific movie questions he asked, I’d be like, “I’m sitting here and not knowing their answer” because I expect to hear these six questions answered. So it totally depends on the podcast. I think allowing for flow is really important for ours, but it just depends on how you’ve structured yours.

Were there any podcasts that inspired you before you were making yours?

Addie: So we’re both big fans of Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson who used to co-host How To Save A Planet with Alex Blumberg. Now she no longer hosts the podcast, but I listened to that every week and I was so excited when a new episode came out. When your favourite podcast comes out with the episodes, it’s like Christmas morning or something, it feels very exciting. Faith put me onto On Being.

Faith: Yeah, I’m like a long, long term On Being devotee. I think Krista Tippett is goals in so many ways and I just feel like that podcast has changed my life. I think the depth of those conversations was really important for us, just to say you can have really deeply important conversations via this medium. And then How To Save A Planet, the co-host structure – I think those two things really influenced our desire to do one, our belief in the medium and the way that we came together to do it.

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

Addie: I don’t even think it’s advice, it would just be read up and learn more about what the industry is, because I’ve been so fascinated to learn from folks like yourselves, Arielle [Nissenblatt], we work with a wonderful podcasting producer Ona Oghogho. There’s been so many people in our lives, who have helped us along the journey.

Faith: Jen Chein. I don’t know what we would’ve done without Jen, oh my gosh, explaining even “this is how you do an introduction” you know? Yeah, we definitely learned in time. I’m very grateful to those folks.

Is there a particular episode you’d like to highlight or you’re particularly proud of?

Faith: Oh man, I’ve been kind of loving Noël’s recently. Noël Russell we just did a couple of weeks ago and one of the things that she says is “contentment leads to confidence”. But she just talks a lot about being okay with yourself and not feeling like you have to do what everyone else is doing. Certainly we’ve heard things like this before, but the way she says it just makes it all feel so okay. I’ve loved that one. I think while we were editing it, we were obsessed while we’re having the conversation. And then the day it came out, I was like ‘play’ as if I haven’t heard it so many times. And I can be shy about telling the people that are closest to me in my life to listen to my podcast because it feels really silly to do. But even my partner I’ve been like, “have you listened yet? You need to listen to this episode. This is my podcast, you know?” Maybe this influenced me more than I realised. It was like reading Chicken Soup for the Soul. It’s like a real feel good one.

Where can readers find out more about you?

You can find out more, listen to episodes and watch the mini videos on our website trailaheadpodcast.com, and you can follow the podcast on Instagram @trailahead_podcast. We’re @faithevebee and @adelinemthompson.

Listen to The Trail Ahead now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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The nomination seemed like a good excuse to catch up with host Marc Thompson and Producer Hana Walker Brown to learn more about how the show was made…

Pod Bible: Congratulations on the recent British Podcast Awards nomination! How does it feel to see this show nominated?

Marc: It feels fantastic and such an honour to be nominated for this award and to be on such an incredible list. I’m really proud that my passion project has been recognised alongside so many great podcasts that I listen to myself.

Hana: Its always nice to be recognised for the work you’ve done, especially with such a small team. We’re up against big budget and even bigger team productions. “We Were Always Here” was made by Marc and I with the support of our production assistant Rory Boyle so it really shows what is possible – and no women were murdered for this storyline!

I believe We Were Always Here was the first series of Broccoli’s ‘Documentary’ stream. I’ve been wondering which came first: the idea for a stream of short-run series, or the idea for WWAH?

Hana: Both kind of happened simultaneously, my background is documentary so it was really important to me that we had a dedicated space for docs that could be include any number of subjects, producers, series – just a space to be adventurous or introduce new voices bound only by the broccoli ethos of telling stories that empower. I got an email from Marc through our mutual friend who had connected us for a series of Anthems. He wanted to make a show about the UK HIV Epidemic and was asking for me for advice on where to pitch it. As soon as I read it, I knew I had to make it and felt there was no other company that could his story justice in the way he wanted to tell it so I said don’t pitch it, we’ll take it and that was that!

What was the collaboration like between Marc as Host and Hana as Producer? Did you silo your roles or was there collaboration on all aspects?

Hana: It was a really collaborative project– obviously there are things that we both brought to the table – Marc’s rich history and connections to the community and my storytelling and sound design skills and sensibility – together we were responsible for creating a space not just for Marc’s story but the stories of all the people that feature as well as the community as a whole that could bring to the fore those unheard voices to the fore and ensure their history was documented. We trusted each other implicitly which I think is important and actually, we both cared about these people and these stories which definitely helps.

Hana told me on Twitter that “I interviewed @marct_01 for hours and built the narrative from his ridiculously eloquent answers.” Do you know how many hours of conversation between the two of you was recorded?

Marc: I think Hana and I probably recorded around 6-8 hours maybe between just us!

Hana: We have a responsibility as doc makers to tell the “truth” of any situation and to me that starts with the words of the narrator which have to feel authentic and I think the only way you can do that is through interviewing. Yes, it’s a bit of a heavier lift than just feeding someone words on a script but it allows a much deeper intimacy and connection to the person’s story so I wouldn’t do it any other way. Also, Marc is a phenomenal storyteller so it made my job a lot easier!

Marc: And also outside of our interviews we recorded 80 hours of interviews with individuals who made up the bulk of the narrative of the podcast it was really refreshing to get to sit in the interview seat as well and ask the questions I was really interested in and to learn so much about friends and colleagues and allies.

There are a couple more big budget podcasts about or incorporating HIV that have come out this month – A Positive Life and Love In Gravity – I wonder if you’ve had a chance to listen yet?

Marc: I haven’t had a chance to listen to any of the new podcasts yet. I wish them really well. I welcome them as it’s great that we’re finally hearing all of these narratives about the HIV epidemic. It adds to the wider canon of British history and LGBTQ+ history so I think it’s great that they’re out there.

Follow-on question – why do you think this topic is being picked up more at the moment?

Marc: I think the HIV epidemic story is being picked up right now because its 40 years since the first cases were identified and it’s really important this anniversary is marked in various ways. We don’t have a memorial to those we lost in the UK, so this is a great opportunity to remember that history and the people we lost, and to also to remind ourselves that HIV hasn’t gone away, that we still have work to do to end new HIV transmissions and support the lives of people who continue to live with HIV in the UK and globally.

Hana: I agree- and while this year has put HIV back into the mainstream consciousness due to the anniversary and the popularity of shows like “It’s a Sin” it really needs to continue. As Marc said we recorded over 80 hours of interviews for this which we are handing over to Bishops Gate queer archive this autumn – all audio and transcripts and episodes – so that they live on beyond the podcast as a resource. A lot of the retellings of this history have been through a predominantly white lens so we wanted to ensure that these voices don’t get lost.

Listen to We Were Always Here on Broccoli’s Documentaries Stream on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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Podcasters have been all over it for ages, going all the way back to the very beginning of the boom. It’s easy to see why too.

The intimacy that podcasts can build between hosts and listeners makes it an ideal place for guests and emailers to open up and show vulnerable parts of themselves, and for listeners to eavesdrop on other people’s lives.

At the very least, someone sharing a mortifying story about the first time they met their partner’s parents will never, ever not be funny. Here are some of the best sex and relationships pods to hitch yourself to.

Savage Lovecast

Everyone’s welcome on columnist Dan Savage’s forthright sex and relationships show, which has been dispensing judgement-free advice for the best part of 750 episodes now. Savage’s dictum is always that he only goes in hard on bad decisions rather than whatever particular quirk he’s been asked to dissect. It’s not for the delicate, but it’ll certainly open your eyes to quite how varied and joyous the rich tapestry of sexuality and relationship dynamics really is. Listen now >>

The Receipts

Tolani Shoneye, Audrey Indome and Milena Sanchez started up The Receipts back in 2016, on seeing a now hilariously misinformed tweet from 3 Shots of Tequila’s Tazer Black which suggested their pod wouldn’t work with three women hosting. Six years later, The Receipts is massive, and while the hosts are happy to dive into pretty much any topic at all their ‘Your Receipts’ episodes, which often tackle listeners’ relationship dilemmas, are frequently standouts. Listen now >>

Unexpected Fluids

It may be defunct now, but if you’re after some grossout fun, look no further. This one’s all about sharing sex stories where something goes hideously, hilariously wrong. That includes the deeply misbegotten sex tips listeners have tried out, the perils of getting tech involved in the bedroom, and Dr Alex George’s reminiscences of treating erotically acquired injuries in A&E. Probably not one to stick on if you’re in the office. Listen now >>

How to Build a Happy Life: ‘How to Know You’re Lonely’

Of course, the first issue in any relationship is working out whether you actually want one or not. The Atlantic’s podcast touches on most of the very biggest questions there are – finding joy, dealing with pain, making your work mean something – and its study of the growing epidemic of loneliness in the West is also a look at the fundamentals of making relationships meaningful. It’s not just a lecture either: there are exercises to complete to turn your new knowledge into a habit you get into every day too. Listen now >>

The Log Books

After three series, this sparkling, moving, sensitive exploration of the anxieties and joys of Britain’s LGBTQ communities from the 1970s to 2003 has come to an end. Tash Walker and Adam Zmith’s dive into the logs of Gay Switchboard (now Switchboard) has been a leader in showing how podcasts can turn raw sources into affecting social history which gives voice to marginalised groups. Listen now >>

Modern Love

What with having already been adapted into a TV programme and three books, it was perhaps inevitable that the New York Times’ long-running relationships column, Modern Love, would jump to podcasting too. The format isn’t revolutionary – stories from the huge archive of stories of real, ordinary love are read, authors are interviewed, and that’s roughly it – but it’s so well put together and the trove of material so strong that it’s pretty undeniable. The relationships it details are rarely plain sailing, but it’s proof that love is a persistent, mysterious and wonderful thing. Listen now >>

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How did you come up with the concept of the podcast?

Kieran: The concept of the podcast came around quite organically. Even before the mics were turned on for Episode 001, we were already having the types of conversations that are on record now. The idea was to give ourselves a platform and a space to come together and share our perspectives on different experiences we’ve had in our lives. We’re also four individuals who care a lot about community and seeing people flourish. Coming from the UK and relocating to The Netherlands there was an opportunity to bridge the gap between the cultures and so Out of Home was born -giving a little flavour for people in Amsterdam what it was like being a Londoner but on the flip-side also giving Londoners an insight to what life was like living abroad. Through sharing stories of our own but also of people who inspired us.

What are some of your favourite podcast moments so far?

Group: There’s a few moments that stick out in the period that we’ve been a collective but if we were to name a few:

• Pivoting during lockdown to deliver In House Sessions: Covid put a stop to in-person link-ups but instead of letting that hinder our consistency, we were able to use it to our advantage. We understood that people were going to be staying in their houses, and in need of entertainment. It also meant that the people who we wanted to speak with were also going to have more time on their hands, so in this period we interviewed individuals who were crushing it in their field such as Premier League players, Olympians, fashion stylists, and DJs.
• Winning a British Podcast Award- winning in the Bullseye category which honours excellent podcasts for under-represented audiences. This was amazing because we had no idea of what we could achieve when we started this, but to be recognised by experts in our field and to win something by us just getting together and shooting the breeze totally floored us!
• Being flown to Barcelona back in June and playing at the world-famous Camp-Nou stadium for a football tournament. This is the stuff dreams are made of, also our football teams (Man United & Arsenal supporters here) aren’t doing the best to be honest, so to play at FC Barca before some of our beloved club players have was quite a touch!

How has Out Of Home helped you connect with your audience?

Yaf: Quite simply, stories, everyone connects with stories! We see ourselves as a community platform rather than a podcast. We don’t want people to just consume our content, we love to have two-way discussions and listen to other stories and perspectives on things that we talk about. Everything begins with a conversation, so what I find is that the discussions we have on the podcast are starting points to wider interactions with people, whether that’s doing physical events and partying with them, or having a chat in our DM’s, we see our podcast as a gateway to all of these things.

What do you love about making a podcast?

Steven: Love linking up with the mandem, connecting on a weekly basis, and the support we are able to provide each other. Also, we bring the vibes so there’s always laughter, they say laughter is the best medicine and I’ve been in great health. One other thing I love is the people that listen and give their feedback. It’s mad that we have become a staple of people’s lives. Out of Home to the world!

What have you learned from the guests who have appeared on the podcast?

Kwame: That a lot of our guests learn best when figuring it out, making mistakes, or just being inexperienced. I think a lot of times in life we are expected to have these super detailed plans and objectives, which is fine but there’s also a beauty in the process, learning by doing and sometimes learning more whilst losing.

Listen to Out Of Home on ACAST, SPOTIFY and other popular apps. Follow the podcast on Twitter @outofhome_ams

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Season 3 explores the day-to-day impact on LGBTQI+ people made by shifts in technology and attitudes from 1992 to 2003. As the internet changed how LGBTQI+ people found each other, this series also explores how more people created queer families, how a nail bomb ripped through the community in 1999, and how changing attitudes and a government focus on human rights led to significant improvements in the lives of many queer people.

But before we open the Log Books for the last time, we asked the team to reflect on their top 5 episodes from the past two years. If you haven’t yet listened, these are a great place to start. And if you’re already a fan, these episodes will be sure to get you returning to the back-catalogue…

Adam Zmith, Shivani Dave, Tash Walker, producers of The Log Books – photo by Imogen Forte

S2 Ep 1 – Please Be Gentle

All: In our second season we covered the years from 1983 to 1991, which included the memories of the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic as it has never been told before. Hearing from those who nursed, loved and supported those diagnosed with HIV, as well as the volunteers who spoke to thousands of people who were terrified of this very new virus. We all were incredibly touched and impacted emotionally by what we read and heard, such an important time in our shared LGBTQI+ history that has to be shared.

S1 Ep 3 – Let’s Not Shy Away From Sex

Adam: The pages of the log books at Switchboard are filled with endless questions about what we can do with our bodies as queer people — so this episode was a real pleasure to make! Lots of laughs and plenty of serious business too, thanks to how non-inclusive sex education has been in the past.

S2 Ep 6 – Right On Sister

Shivani: This episode allowed us to look at the nuance of religious and LGBTQI+ life, an area that is too often dismissed and overlooked. This episode has a delicate balance of light and shade in the stories told – with moments that repeatedly made me laugh and break my heart over and over in a trademark The Log Books way.

S2 Ep 11 – Would Like to Stay

Tash: So many people reached out to Switchboard for advice on how to live, love and work in the UK throughout the 80s and 90s but what struck me about this episode is how current these issues are still today decades later. With conversations around borders, cultures and LGBTQI+ identity, this episode hears from a lesbian who helped a gay immigrant to stay in the UK and a gay refugee who recently fled Syria – pushing us to reflect on the LGBTQI+ rights globally that we still have to fight for today.

S3 Ep 1 – Multiple paradox net files

All: The first episode in final season telling untold stories from Britain’s queer history exploring the day-to-day impact on LGBTQI+ people made by shifts in technology and attitudes from 1992 to 2003. This first episode explore the internet, its impact on our communities and how it has evolved throughout the years. With the rest of Season 3 exploring stories from lesbians starting queer families in the 90s with sperm donors, kinky club nights such as Sadie Masie, the groundbreaking legal fight to equalise the age of sexual consent for men having sex with men and stories from transgender teenagers who reached out for help from Switchboard.

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Listen to all episodes of The Log Books now on ACAST, SPOTIFY or other podcasts apps.

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What was the drive behind starting the podcast and with so much going on in Europe every second, how do you go about selecting your topics for conversation?

Katy: The podcast was born in late 2017. It kind of grew out of Brexit in that, as two Brits, we felt like when “Europe” got talked about in our national media, it was almost as if Europe and Brexit were the same thing and there was nothing worth following in European news that wasn’t Brexit. As two people living on the continent — me in Paris, and Dominic in Amsterdam — we knew of course that this wasn’t true. I was working as a journalist covering French politics at the time, and Dominic is a total news junkie, so we knew there were all kinds of topics worth talking about. But we also felt they could be made more accessible, so we wanted to make a podcast that talked about European politics in a fun and approachable way.  

Dominic: I noticed that I knew so much more about what was going on in America than I did about what was happening in the continent I was living in. I was, like most European citizens, pretty oblivious to how the institutions of the European Union worked and I was initially worried that this ignorance would be a problem when making a podcast about Europe. But in the end, I think our status as relative outsiders from the ‘Brussels-bubble’ has actually helped make our podcast a success. Week on week, we are trying to cut through the Euro-jargon and to learn more about how Europe works, bringing our audience along with us on this somewhat nerdy ride. 

Katy: In terms of where our topics come from, a lot of them just come from news stories we’ve been following in any particular week, whether it’s an election or some juicy political scandal. Between us our team speaks five languages so we try to keep an eye on different national media around the continent, but of course there’s far more going on than we can keep track of. So quite often, we get brilliant ideas sent in for topics or potential guests from our listeners, by email or on Instagram or Twitter. 

What does preparation for your topics typically look like?

Katy: Our style is pretty chatty and conversational, but actually a huge amount of research goes into making the show each week! We’re very conscious that we’re not experts on what’s happening in every country, so we make sure we read as widely as possible on topics that we’re going to talk about as it’s super important to us that we get it right. Quite often I will hunt down local experts on whatever topic it is we’re talking about and read everything they’ve written or tweeted about it.

Political and cultural views tend to be topics of discussion avoided at the dinner table, how careful are you when introducing personal opinions?

Katy: It’s a difficult line to tread! I don’t feel like the point of our podcast is to tell people what to think, necessarily, and I’m always wary of shoving my views down other people’s throats. But at the same time I don’t think we necessarily try to hide it when we have an opinion about something. For me the ideal balance is not hiding my own opinions, but trying not to give the impression that I’m trying to tell people how to think either. 

Dominic: I remember that Katy, was initially pretty reluctant to express any hint of her own opinion at all on the show. I totally got that for her as a professional journalist who is trained to report neutrally on the news. I was, on the other hand, as an opera singer with no journalistic training, initially a bit looser with expressing my opinions. Over the years, I think we have both shifted a bit towards each other’s default position and found a happy medium in our chatter.

What do you have coming soon that your listeners can look forward to!?

Katy: I’m really looking forward to seeing episodes two and three of the visual podcast series (that’s right, visual podcasts!) that we’re making with Are We Europe. The series is called This Is What A Generation Sounds Like and it’s a series of eight very intimate stories told by young people around Europe. The first of these, “Josh and Franco”, was about a father and son in southern Italy who are both gay, having a very raw and honest conversation about their relationship and the difficulties of coming out in a very macho culture. It was so amazing to see the design wizards at Are We Europe turn the podcast into something that can be watched as well as heard, and we can’t wait to see what they do with the second and third of these stories.

Listen to The Europeans on ACAST, SPOTIFY and other platforms.

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In Have You Heard George’s Podcast?, spoken word artist George The Poet joins producer and composer Benbrick to create this narrative-style podcast where the narrator, George, delves into different themes and topics. Starting as an indy production in 2018, its huge success at the 2019 British Podcast Awards brought it to the attention of the BBC, who took it on for the second series, or ‘chapter’.  So far George and the team have released three chapters in total, and I will be choosing my favourite episode from each.

Chapter One: Episode 3 – A Grenfell Story

A Grenfell Story was released 2nd September 2019 almost two years after the Grenfell Tower fire, which occurred 14th June 2017. Here, George narrates the story of a teacher in the background of the disaster.

With George’s research, the script is full of knowledge as he tackles the issues that occur in inner city London through this teacher – she faces rejection throughout as her colleagues call her methods a nuisance, even though she is trying to get through students who are used to hustle culture. The relationship between her daughter’s father lacks stability and her relationship with George’s character seems to lack substance as he doesn’t even know which floor she lives on – this is repeated and holds significance.

The feeling of neglect that the teacher experiences mirrors what the residents of Grenfell went through – before the fire the residents expressed concern regarding the safety of the building including lighting issues and even calling the building a firetrap in 2014. As the inevitable happens and the fire occurs, what I appreciate is the humanity that George brought towards this story – it is a reminder that these were real people not just numbers.

Chapter Two: Episode 18 – Concurrent Affairs

In May 2019 George The Poet turned down an MBE, and in this chapter two finale he explains why.

George personifies the countries of Uganda and Great Britain. With the character of Uganda, although a complicated relationship both she and George want peace. When talking to Great Britain, George exclaims how appreciative he is to the BBC. Great Britain asks “tell me more about me as a country” and this is when there is a slight pause – Benbrick has been experimental with sound, pushing and manipulating what we can do with it particularly with episodes where George spirals into his mind – however here it’s quite simple.

MBE stands for “member of the British Empire” and this title does not sit right with George. He shares in detail what damage Great Britain had on Africa and its children, including gaps in information, and that this is the reason why he must fight for his identity. If you have been listening to this podcast George’s decision to reject the MBE makes sense – George has dissected his identity through each episode and tried to understand parts of himself through music and other themes. He has tried to explain his upbringing in Great Britain – though at times full of nostalgia and joy – George is transparent and doesn’t shy away from calling out its institutional and systemic faults. George makes it very clear: “Yeah Brexit is tough. Me and your pain are not the same. I’m not a member of the British Empire. I’m George Mpanga and my name is my name.”

Chapter Three: Episode 25 – Who Hurt R&B?

In Chapter 3, George and his team have developed Common Ground – a website where after you listen to an episode George asks questions relating to it, so the conversation continues. After you answer the questions, you get taken to the ‘commons’ where you get to read and listen to other people’s perspectives through voice recordings, mini essays or images.

In this episode he explores how much R&B has changed and dissects how African Americans have had a history of conveying pain and frustration through music, tracking the narrative back all the way to the 70’s. He talks about several reasons for changes. Towards the end of the 20th Century feminism affected music and divorce was on the rise among African Americans. We hear the power anthem “It’s not right but it’s okay” by Whitney Houston, and George notes it wasn’t just feminism that played a part in the number of divorces but poverty. Throughout the episode there’s examples of how surroundings shaped these men and women and the music that they created as George explains “rap music portrayed women being put down but RnB portrayed women putting their foot down.”

I shared on Common Ground that what this episode and George’s whole podcast has taught me to do is go beyond the surface – it has also caused me to think about what I grew up with and how that has shaped my identity.

Listen to Have You Heard George’s Podcast on BBC Sounds and all other apps.

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We started Postcards from Midlife as part of our mission to help women make the most of their midlife years. As former glossy magazine editors we’re seasoned journalists with decades of fashion, beauty and life-style knowledge. We’re lucky that so many women have followed us throughout our careers and between us we have edited all the biggest selling magazines: Elle, Cosmo, Sunday Times Style, Marie Claire and Red. And now our loyal audience have become our podcast listeners too.

Nothing is off limits in our conversations with midlife celebrities and interviews with experts. We tackle the highs and lows that affect us all at this life stage. We talk about everything from sleep and sex to health and wellbeing and parenting hormonal, angst-ridden teenagers as well as the perils of peri-menopause with high-profile, midlife women such as Trinny Woodhall, Anna Richardson, Mary McCartney, Davina McCall, Elizabeth Hurley, Caitlin Moran, Marian Keyes, and Sadie Frost to name a few.

We’ve also had some respected and trusted experts on the show, sharing advice women are finding hard to access elsewhere. These have included: leading menopause specialists Dr Louise Newson and Dr Shahzadi Harper; international breast cancer surgeon Dr Michael Baum; NHS sexual health specialist Dr Paula Briggs; psychologists Julia Samuel and Philppa Perry, and nutritionist Jane Clarke. We were the first podcast to reveal the lack of knowledge about peri-menopause and the first to explore the facts about the link between hormone deficiency and mental health in midlife.

We’re determined to change the narrative around what it means to be a woman over 40 or 50 today. After all, we are Generation X, we grew up listening to The Smiths, we went to see The Stone Roses at the Hacienda and holidays would be clubbing in Ibiza. We laugh a lot on the show, in fact one listener called us the ‘Menopausal Morecombe and Wise’!

Connecting with our listeners is hugely important to us, it’s something we’ve always done as magazine editors, so we set up a Facebook Group alongside the podcast and now have thousands of members. We share ideas and experiences, funny midlife stories, and give words of support and encouragement for anyone going through a particularly tough time. We’ve had many women thanking us who didn’t know they were going through peri-menopause and thought they were seriously losing the plot – even contemplating suicide. Others were going to leave their marriages or give up their jobs. From what they’ve learned through the podcast they were able to go to their GP to ask for the right help – HRT – and not be fobbed off with antidepressants, which unfortunately is what a lot of doctors mistakenly do to two thirds of women seeking support at this age.

It’s a great feeling to know that we’re changing the ‘hot flush’ jokey narrative about menopause and putting an end to the shame that midlife women can feel about a natural process that will affect every single one of them at some point in their life. We’re also putting an end to the image of older women being grey-haired cardigan wearers, which is so often the default position of the media in the UK.

We’re now working with brands to tell a more honest and compelling story around midlife and menopause, as well as companies to devise menopause policies and support staff going through this life stage. Another initiative we have been part of is supporting Carolyn Harris MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group who came on the show to talk about her Private Members Bill to provide free HRT for women in England, to bring it in line with the rest of the UK.

The Menopause Revolution is happening – and Postcards From Midlife is leading the charge!

Download Postcards From Midlife from your podcast provider. Visit @postcardsfrommidlife

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And there’s research behind this, too. In 2018, a Canadian study found that podcast listening supports a person’s ‘ability to be alone yet feel like they were connected to others’. Tuning into your favourite show is time that you carve out for yourself, to tune into topics and niche areas that interest you as an individual, while being inspired by the ideas, expertise and musings of hosts and guests. Win-win, if you ask me.

But here’s where it gets a bit meta. So, we’ve already established that podcasts in general are a great companion for your alone time. But what about the podcasts that actually explore what it means to be alone – and how you can best value your own solitude?

As the author of Alonement: How To Be Alone & Absolutely Own It – a book dedicated to answering just this question – that’s a topic I’m obsessed with, and I’ve learnt so much for podcasts on everything from how to work alone successfully (and productively); how to pursue a solo travel adventure; and how meditation and journaling can support your time by yourself. Here’s my round-up of the best podcasts that help support your me, myself and I time:

Alonement

First things first, I wanted to share my own podcast, Alonement. In a nutshell, it’s an interview-led podcast where I ask high-profile guests about their own alone time, and why it matters to them. Alonement – a word I coined and trademarked to refer to positive, restorative alone time, regardless of your age, life stage or relationship status – is the foundation of each conversation, but we also discuss loneliness and the different connotations of the word ‘alone’. I first started recording episodes in November 2019, but unsurprisingly the show took on a whole new resonance in March 2020 – which just so happened to be my launch month – as the world went into lockdown.

Now in its fifth season, Alonement is a hit podcast which has inspired listeners around the world to practise their ‘solitude skills’ and lean into the transformative power of alone time, even if that’s just ten minutes a day. Guests have included philosopher Alain De Botton, happiness expert Mo Gawdat and radio presenter Vick Hope.

Slo Mo

A wonderful podcast from my friend and former podcast guest, Mo Gawdat. Author of Solve For Happy, and one of podcast giant Elizabeth Day’s favourite ever guests, it was only a matter of time before Mo shared his own unique approach to the world with his podcast, Slo Mo. Mo’s philosophy is that inner content comes from slowing down and listening, a message many of us would do well to honour. The show features a combination of solo episodes (one of the most memorable of which where Mo has a conversation with his brain, whom he has named ‘Becky’), and interviews with the likes of Poppy Jamie, Nir Eyal & Emma Gannon.

Desert Island Discs

Stranded alone on an island, what are the cultural companions you’d take with you? That’s the premise of one of the UK’s most loved and longest running radio programmes, the BBC’s Desert Island Discs, hosted by Lauren Laverne – which now exists as a podcast, too. Most of us know the drill: guests are asked about the eight songs, book and luxury item they’d take if they found themselves marooned alone, indefinitely, on a desert island. Historically (this show has been going since 1942), not all guests have reacted so well to the prospect of indefinite solitude. Three guests – Lynn Barber, Peter Nicholls and Stephen Fry requested ‘cyanide pills’ have their luxury item – to end it all there and then. But often, guests provide candid, touching reflections on the value of time alone – ’Loneliness is to be avoided, solitude is to be sought, said Tom Hanks in his episode – and how culture, memories & practical pursuits can form a feeling of companionship even in times of solitude.

Solo Collective

This is a podcast for anyone who is self-employed, freelance, or simply works from home sometimes. Hosted by Solo: How To Work Alone (And Not Lose Your Mind) author Rebecca Seal, this is a timely reflection on what we need to support our mental health and wellbeing during our working lives. And, of course, there are many wise reflections on the power of solitude and social connectivity within our professional lives. The episode with solopreneur and fellow podcaster Emma Gannon, about self-sabotage and the importance of dating yourself, is a particular highlight of this series.

Feel Better, Live More

Journaling, meditation and solitude are topics that come up regularly on this podcast, driven by host Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s preoccupation with all three as cornerstones of his lifestyle-driven approach to medicine. The tagline – ’I want to empower you to become the architect of your own health’ – is indicative of Rangan’s championing of self-reliance, which at the same time involves regular solitary practices in order to be in tune with how you feel in your mind and body. Favourite episodes of mine include Rangan’s chats with meditation leader Light Watkins; computer science professor and ‘Deep Work’ proponent Cal Newport; and happiness author Gretchen Rubin. Listen now.

A Girl’s Guide To Travelling Alone

Craving a solo travel adventure? This is the podcast for you. A Girl’s Guide To Travelling Alone looks at a more specific form of solitude, and that’s travelling alone – which for many can be a time of befriending oneself, developing faith in your ability to fly solo and reinforcing a sense of individual identity, interests and passions. Hosted by veteran solo traveller Gemma Thompson, interview-led episodes cover everything from the mental health benefits of solo travel to the ups and downs of camping alone in the Australian Outback. Yes, it’s aimed at a female-specific audience (the clue’s in the name), but Gemma’s energising interview style, and the practical advice offered by the vast array of guests, would equally appeal to anyone looking to explore an adventure-for-one. Listen now.

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Francesca Specter is a London-based journalist, podcaster and the founder of Alonement – a platform dedicated to the time we spend alone, and why it matters. Formerly deputy lifestyle editor at Yahoo, Francesca has worked for the Daily Express, Healthy magazine and British Vogue, while she has written on a freelance basis for The Telegraph, The Guardian and Grazia. She has a Master of Arts degree in Magazine Journalism from City University. She started the Alonement blog in 2019, and launched her podcast of the same name in early 2020 – interviewing guests including Alain de Botton, Poorna Bell and Daisy Buchanan. Her first book Alonement (Quercus, 2021) empowers you to value your own company and dedicate quality time to yourself, whoever you are and whatever your relationship status.

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

We are Eva Martínez and Linda Talve, the initiators of This is Europe, the Interreg podcast. This is Europe tells a different story about the EU, a story that is closer to our daily lives than to the corridors of the big buildings in Brussels. The protagonists are the Europeans whose lives have been transformed by Interreg, an EU initiative that supports cooperation across borders and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund. In the second series of This is Europe you’ll hear how the Interreg community works with everyone from refugees to reuse pioneers, musicians to doctors, forging stronger bonds across borders, tackling pressing issues such as food sustainability and green mobility.

Why did you decide to start podcasting?

The stories around the EU often involved people in suits making big decisions. We wanted to show a different angle. There is a very real, very tangible EU that is built daily by millions of anonymous citizens across the continent. We wanted them to tell us how they cooperate with other professionals in different countries to solve issues of our daily life that know no borders (climate change, food security, health…). This cooperation makes us Europeans. It nourishes the very foundations of the Union and we thought people should know more about it.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

This American Life – It shows how compelling audio stories can be.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Also This American Life. I love how they manage to plunge you in the stories.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

It would be great to speak with David Sassoli, the president of the European Parliament, about the importance of cooperation for the EU project.

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

‘Culture in crisis’ is a great one to start with. It tells how cooperation across borders has helped artists and workers throughout the cultural sector following the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Make sure you have a good reason to podcast. The world is already a pretty noisy place, so before you start podcasting, be sure to have something special to add.

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

You can find out more on our website, interreg.eu/podcast/

Listen to This Is Europe on SPOTIFY or your podcast app.

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