If you’ve been thinking about getting more involved in podcasting (such as setting up your own podcast or finding out more about this thriving industry) there’s a huge podcasting conference just around the corner, from the same team behind the Great British Podcast newsletter. Better still, you can watch it all from your own living room.
Podcast Day 24 will feature interesting talks covering all aspects of the industry from some of the biggest podcasting names from Europe, America and Australia. Audrey, Tolani and Milena from The Receipts will talk about how they built their podcast into becoming one of the most popular discussion shows in the UK, Fearne Cotton will talk about how Happy Place has become a destination for discussions around mental wellbeing. The hosts of RedHanded will discuss how they have built a solid financial footing thanks to contributions from their listeners and Clarissa Pabi from Acast and James Cator from Spotify will talk about what they’re looking for when funding a brand new show.
All of the talks will take place on Monday June 7th 2021. Tickets are £99 + VAT, but there’s a great special offer for GBP readers. It’s just £75 + VAT – use the code: BPAINSIDER at the checkout. To buy them, head to PodcastDay24.com.
Right, let’s get cracking with the rest of this week’s newsletter.
GUESTS ON PODCASTS THIS WEEK
If you have heard a great guest on a podcast, please let us know! Fill in this form and it might get featured in an upcoming newsletter.
- Jed Mecurio was on the Obsessed with Line of Duty podcast this week explaining that divisive finale and the why that person was H: “We wanted to make a different commentary on the way in which someone can do a lot of harm,’ he said, “without necessarily being a mastermind,”
- St Vincent is on the latest episode of the music interview podcast Midnight Chats, chatting to Greg Cochrane about what it was like to perform on Saturday Night Live and how surreal it was to be on the phone with Sir Paul McCartney.
- David Baddiel is the latest guest on the WWII podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk, talking about his family’s experiences of the war.
- Elisa Donovan (aka. Amber in Clueless, the one who famously said “whatever”) talked about the struggles she endured whilst making the film and her subsequent recovery in Celebrity Catch Up: Life After That Thing I Did.
- Gareth Wild, who went viral after trying to park in every single car parking space at his local supermarket over a space of six years, joined The New Normal to talk about his achievement.
Here are our podcast picks for the week ahead
If you want your podcast featured, or you have a great recommendation, all you need to do is fill in this simple form and might get featured in a future newsletter.
At Your Peril – This is a deeply creepy and unsettling spooky story (aimed at adults), from the minds of Arthur McBain and Owen Jenkins. A recent episode set within a submarine deep underwater felt particularly immersive, as you hear the crew succumbing to fear as an unknown presence starts appearing on their radar. The production style is sharp, the storytelling also compelling. Recognisable voices play the main characters, from Kingsman’s Sophie Cookson and Drag Race Brit Crew’s Ashraf Ejjbair, to Olivier award winner Richard Gadd.
There is an ‘intense batch’ of stories coming up we’re told, so now is a good time to join if you haven’t already. Episodes are out every few weeks.
Stacey Dooley: Fresh Starts – I don’t know about you, but the country opening up again from its third lockdown has given me a fresh opportunity to ditch the things that weren’t serving me, from unnecessary purchases to old habits. This new podcast, hosted by the BBC broadcaster Stacey Dooley, features interviews with loads of people who are making a big change in their life, but all are in surprising and unique ways. In an interesting twist to the format, Dooley and her producers Blanca Muñoz and Chessie Bent have spoken to their contributors since the start of the year, which means that they’ve built a relationship over time, rather than found a quick case study.
The first episode starts with Tash, who is learning to read and write at the age of 44, caused from being stuck in a room of unruly classmates, and made worse by her dyslexia. She has been able to cope in adulthood (and hide her difficulties from friends) by dictating spelling questions into her phone. She is just one out of 2.4 million adults who can barely read in England.
What I appreciated in this interview is how Tash isn’t made to feel inadequate, but is praised for how she has been able to thrive in her life despite her reading and writing difficulties. You’ll also follow her progress. Just so you know, this podcast is only available to listen to on BBC Sounds, so make sure you have the app on your phone if you want to listen.
Spotify Podcast of the Week – Who We Be Talks welcomes yet another incredible guest this week as the one and only Ian Wright joins Harry and Henrie to chat about his new documentary, growing up in an abusive home, Chunkz’s new shape, his career as a footballer and after retiring, and how learning to love eventually eased his mind.
If you want more Wrighty, we can recommend another Spotify podcast in the form of Wrighty’s House – this week Ian’s joined by Jeannette Kwakye and Ryan Hunn to discuss the art of shithousery and how it can be used to gain an advantage over opponents (amongst other topics!)
A Voyage to Antarctica – Many of us might be hankering over the prospects of a European holiday this summer, but why not take a moment to escape to somewhere a bit further afield? This podcast throws you into one of the most inhospitable places on earth, Antarctica, by talking to those brave enough to trek there or simply know a lot about the subject. Funded by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (a charity that tries to help educate the public) and hosted by journalist and broadcaster Alok Jha, I particularly like its focus on stories that you wouldn’t have heard before elsewhere, from stories of the first women explorers, to how the continent has been an inspiration for artists (even to those who can’t visit). Now is a great time to start listening, as a second series has just started.
Dad & Me Love History – Last week we asked for your podcasts that are great at delving back into history and one of our Great British Podcast newsletter readers suggested this great little podcast presented by history teacher Paul and his son James. Their enthusiasm for history and podcasting is infectious. Each episode explains a big history topic in around 20 minutes, from whether the musical Hamilton is historically accurate to the complex history that resulted in the French Revolution.
For a different take on the French Revolution for the adults, listen out to the latest episode of The Rest is History.
If you want to listen to a lot of new British podcasts that have come around in the last month or so, look no further than BBC Radio 4 Extra’s Podcast Radio Hour. Presenter Laura Grimshaw and I played excerpts from some of our favourites, including Jane Garvey’s Life Changing, the new investigative series The Lazarus Heist and The Moon Under Water, a new podcast that celebrates all the small things that are unique and special to British pubs.We also spoke to Kat and Emma about how they came up with Dead Parent Club, a podcast that supports people who have lost one or both of their parents.
