Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you will know that Podcasts are now a ‘thing’. Podcasts are great for listening at the gym, on a long walk or whilst ironing/cleaning – we’ve compiled a list of 5 podcasts you should definitely go and binge on now.
These are our favourites, but beware that the laughter or tears that might ensue are not always practical in a public place – cue images of you howling with laughter whilst trying to operate the step machine at your local gym.
5 Fabulous Podcasts
Our pick of 5 of the best Podcasts.
1. Filler: a creative industries podcast
Filler is a chat in a coffee shop each week with some interesting and vibrant characters within the creative industry. The podcast, which started in April 2015, is co-hosted and produced by British film-maker Harry Hitchens and Canadian photographer Matt Shore. Every week they sit down with the bright young stars in the industry to discuss experiences and delve into their stories. If you’ve ever wanted to find out how to become an Instagram star or talk with one of Facebook’s original designers, we guarantee you will come away feeling inspired and motivated to pursue your dreams.
Popular guests from Season 1 include Jack Harries – who talks about film-making, veganism and climate change – and writer Charly Cox, who has racked up an incredible CV working with Russell Brand and Burberry at only 19 years of age. Filler is now in its second series and so far includes interviews with YouTube vlogging star Ben Brown and Instagram sensation Jess Angel.
2. This American Life
This long-serving and very popular podcast is a joyful edition to a subscription list. It is hosted by Ira Glass from Chicago and has become a worldwide hit. Each week they pick a theme and tell stories from various people relating to that theme. It is a great insight into the weird and wonderful lives of all sorts of people. You never know what you’re going to get each week and some episodes can leave you in fits of laughter or in a more reflective and thoughtful mood. One of the best recent episodes is titled ‘If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say, SAY IT IN ALL CAPS’ which investigates the psychology behind internet trolls.
3. Serial
We know it’s kind of an obvious choice, but we couldn’t create a list of top podcasts without including Serial. From the creators of This American Life, Serial is one story told week by week by the incredible Sarah Koenig. The first season took the world by storm, detailing the murder of Hae Min Lee, a high-school senior in Baltimore who was murdered. Her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed is currently serving time for his murder – but is he guilty?
The series has divided the listeners each week and you will be begging for answers. The second series, which started in December, is of a more high-profile case: Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier who left his US army base in Afghanistan and was captured by Taliban fighters for 5 years in total. The second series isn’t as easily captivating as the first, but the beauty comes in Koenig’s storytelling, picking out the most relevant or small, seemingly irrelevant details to paint a picture through her words.
4. My Dad Wrote a Porno
The title is fairly self-explanatory: film director Jamie Morton’s dad has written an erotic novel – and it only seems right that Jamie should read the book aloud to the world, along with his two friends Alice Levine and James Cooper. Each week they battle through a chapter of Belinda Blinked, penned by Rocky Flintstone, Jamie’s dad’s alter ego. This podcast will have you crying with laughter as the trio critique Rocky’s debut novel and try to understand the plot and characters that stem from Rocky’s dirty mind. The first series has just finished, but a second novel is already in the works so hold tight for more LOLs soon.
5. IRL UK Podcast
Lastly, the most recent discovery is the IRL UK Podcast. Anna and Rhiannon, who are colleagues at Heat magazine, talk through the best real life stories of the week. Think of the sorts of unbelievable headlines you see in trashy magazines that your granny likes to read, all discussed and divulged by two hilarious friends. If you enjoy naughty, gruesome stories and the occasional heartfelt story then make sure to check this podcast out.
That’s our top pick of Podcasts.
What Podcasts would you recommend? Let us know – @tweetjanes.