And … let the Eurovision Song Contest begin!
There are a number of podcasts that will be dropping daily episodes from Liverpool this week, with fan sites The Euro Trip and Wiwibloggs reacting to the rehearsals and live shows. The BBC’s Eurovisioncast will also be keeping a close eye on proceedings.
The Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast are naturally not able to favour one act over another, but they are able to secure great interviews. A recent episode featured a special conversation between ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl (he’s the man who says “you’re good to go” during the points section.) In this episode they talked about the dominance of Swedish pop music, ABBA’s historic win in 1974 and how the contest has evolved over the last few years.
Oh, and you weren’t asking, but my tips of who to look out for in the contest: Austria’s Teya and Selena, Finland’s Käärijä and of course, Sweden’s Loreen.
NOTABLE NAMES ON PODCASTS THIS WEEK
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- TV presenter Scarlette Douglas is on It Can’t Just Be Me, a new podcast by Anna Richardson looking at the dilemmas we all face in our lives.
- Author Kasim Ali is on The Failing Writers Podcast talking about AI in writing and the progress towards his next book.
- Dannii Minogue is on Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware
- Kae Tempest is on Changes with Annie Macmanus this week.
- Sex and relationship coach Bibi Brzozka is on Live Well Be Well this week, talking about how to tap into intimacy in our relationships.
Here are our podcast picks for the week ahead
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Pod Save The UK – The hugely popular political discussion show Pod Save America has launched their own British version this week, hosted by former Mash Report host Nish Kumar and Guardian journalist Coco Khan.
The US version, presented by a team of ex-Obama staff, has received acclaim for the breezy yet geeky way it covers the latest coming out of Washington. The UK one promises to capture that same essence, with Kumar saying: “If there’s one thing British people like to do, it is go abroad and steal ideas and resources.”
There are two episodes out so far. One is where Pod Save America’s Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor and Jon Lovett join to talk about the origins of the US version. The second is a deep dive into attitudes towards monarchy and the Royal Family.
Blood on the Dance Floor – A compelling and thoughtful story that looks at how the brutal murder of a gay police officer during The Troubles threatened peace in Northern Ireland. In 1997, 24 year old Darren Bradshaw, a gay police officer, was killed in cold blood by terrorists whilst drinking in a gay bar at the heart of the city.
This series explores his life and legacy, the bravery of him being an openly gay police officer in Northern Ireland at the time, how the LGBT community grappled with bigotry and hatred and why Darren’s story has not been more widely known.
“When I was taught about Northern Irish history, it was always Orange and Green, Catholic and Protestant. There’s never any rainbow,” says the show’s host Jordan Dunbar, who performed as a drag performer and grew up in the same area as Bradshaw. “The first time I saw a picture of Darren, his face just stayed with me.”
The Island of Brilliant – Frank Cottrell Boyce, the genius writer behind the London 2012 Opening Ceremony and co-writer of The Queen and Paddington’s Tea Party, has joined up with the celebrated children’s author and illustrator Nadia Shireen for a new podcast celebrating the very best of children’s fiction. The premise of the podcast brings adults into what their children might be reading, and celebrates the authors and illustrators who bring great ideas to life.
In a delightful twist, the podcast is a bit like a children’s story, with the premise being that the hosts are stuck on a desert island with nothing but a giant pile of books to read. Luckily they aren’t alone, some guests (luckily) get deserted too, with their first episode is with Emily Drabble, the Children’s Literature Laureate. The audio of each episode is usually accompanied with the sound of waves crashing onto a beach. Delightful.
The List of Absolutely Everything That Might Kill You – And finally, a podcast that does exactly what it says on the tin. In each episode broadcaster Matt Edmondson and This Is Going To Hurt writer Adam Kay explore the random items that might accidentally cause your death, such as vending machines. Fun fact: according to Kay if a vending machine falls on you, you have a 25% chance of death.
They are also joined by statisticians who help break the odds. If anything it might not make you want to leave your bed (although, can your bed kill you?)
A final podcast before we go that we forgot to mention in last week’s Coronation podcast roundup. Queen Camilla: For The Love of Charles looks at the relationship between Charles and Camilla to the present day. All the ups and downs.
