Top 5 episodes – Rule Not The Exception

Spotted a podcast you want to try from a Pod Bible recommendation, but not sure how to dive in? In our regular Divine 5 columns we ask podcast hosts to share five of their favourite podcast episodes and tell us why they’re worth checking out for new listeners…

Now in its second season, Rule Not The Exception is the inclusive podcast with exclusive guests. Hosts, Sagar Radia and Amrita Acharia talk through a collection of experiences and views from friends and peers in the creative arts and beyond. We asked them to take us through their five favourite episodes.

Sagar Radia, Photo by Michael Shelford

Mandip Gill (Series 1,  Episode 2)

Mandip just brings a natural energy to any room she’s in. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, and I’m sure she can bring a smile to anyone’s face! Having worked with her on The Good Karma Hospital we already had a short-hand with Mandip, but she was great at taking that to another level when we would go off on completely random tangents! I think what made this episode great was her candid honesty and genuine laughter. Sometimes questions in interviews can feel a little formulaic and answers are a little guarded, or “planned” and for our podcast we really try to find a way into the core of a person and a relatability, which this episode is a fantastic example of. “Being yourself” is a phrase that gets bandied around left right and centre these days, but we definitely feel you get a slice of Mandip as ‘herself’ and no one else in our chat together. Listen now.

Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Series 1, Episode 7)

Elliot is the real deal. He acts. He writes. He directs. And that’s only the stuff we do know! His love for stories and attention to detail in our conversation was absolutely captivating. Elliot is an incredibly passionate person and that shone through in our chat when he delved deep about some of his early struggles getting into the entertainment industry. I think this one stuck out for us because he laid it all out in the studio. He could have chosen to shut down certain topics but chose to share honest experiences, and saw it as a responsibility to say his part. It resulted in a raw, and in places painful, but incredibly powerful talk that resonated with a lot of people. Listen now.

Amrita Acharia. Photo by Sam Jackson

Moyo Akande (Series 2 Episode 3)

Moyo is literally a force of nature and despite it being lockdown she’d been so busy with creating projects that we had to pin her down for an hour in the studio! By the time series 2 was mid-way through recording, the Black Lives Matter movement had dominated the headlines, and as a black woman in the creative industry, Moyo has no qualms about speaking out and pushing the conversation to change the lack of representation not just in front of and behind the cameras, but also in the education system. Moyo has a drive and a tenacity that is infectious and this chat really unveils her intelligent, business-like, and yet hands down creative to the core attitude to carving out the career she wants for herself. Listen now.

Naroop Jhooti (Amit & Naroop) (Series 2 Episode 8)

Naroop’s drive and determination to achieve his dreams is something he’s been passionate about since the first day I met him. Not one to mince his words or apologise for his hunger for more, this chat is a brilliant insight into a no-excuses mentality, and a taste of talent meeting opportunity in creating your own luck. With no format training as a photographer his get-up-and-go attitude made for a conversation that I feel people can be inspired by in any line of work. Listen now.

Russell Tovey (Series 2, Episode 10)

Russell Tovey is a staple name in the entertainment industry and was actually a huge reason we started this podcast! Russell has an innate confidence and belief that anything is possible. From acting, to writing, also podcast hosting, Russell has shown you can be a multi-hyphenate and enhance your skillset in various fields. This was a chat we were planning for a while, so we were lucky to get him days before the second lockdown began! I think in our conversation with Russell you can learn about his love of acting, some key roles he missed out on, and how networking can open doors for you without even realising! Subscribe now to listen when this episode is released.

Check out Rule Not The Exception on Spotify ,  Apple Podcasts and all other platforms. You can follow the podcast, Sagar and Amrita on Twitter.

Rule Not The Exception Podcast cover art. Photo taken by Michael Shelford.

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