Podcasts That Will Help You Whilst In Lockdown

Thank you for all of your podcast recommendations you have sent us in the last week. As we are all in lockdown for the foreseeable, we have been asking you for all of the podcasts that help take your minds off things and keep you mentally active.

If there’s a podcast that you love and find really useful, let us know by filling this form with the podcast details. It doesn’t matter whether it is new or old, it just has to be a great British one.

We’ll be starting this email with some podcasts that cover the coronavirus crisis in a helpful way. For more distractionary podcasts then continue underneath. 

USEFUL CORONAVIRUS PODCASTS

Coronavirus Newscast – The Brexitcast / Newscast team have come up with an essential daily briefing on all you need to know about the virus and what you can do at home. It’s a great replacement to rolling news: all you need to know in thirty minutes.

Cash Chats – Andy Webb, a personal finance expert, has done a special series on protecting your finances during this time of economic uncertainty, including how best to save cash whilst working from home.

Owning It: The Anxiety Podcast – A special bonus episode, hosted by Caroline Froan, has just gone up about how to handle your anxiety at this difficult time. Includes tips and exercises.

Stories of Our Times – The daily news podcast by The Times, presented by Manveen Rana and David Aaronovitch has done some interesting original corona reporting. A recent episode looked at intergenerational households, houses where people choose to live with strangers much younger and older than them. A 92 year old and 26 year old living together.

Brown Don’t Frown – Tania Sultana Hardcastle asks friends and families to record voice notes for her podcast on how they have been affected, their coping strategies for self isolation and how they are trying to stay productive.

Podcrash – Professional cyclists and Olympic medalists Callum Skinner and Phillip Hindes present a podcast about elite cycling. The latest episode talks about how elite sports have been affected in the last few weeks.

DEEP DISTACTION

Girl Taken – A brilliant radio documentary, with all parts available to download, about an ex-British soldier who was accused of child smuggling after befriending a refugee in Calais. Journalist Sue Mitchell investigates an issue far more complex than it first appears.

The Sun King – Presented by David Dimbleby, this series delves into the influence of Rupert Murdoch and his far reaching impact on British media, culture and politics. A real treasure for media nerds, but note that this is an Audible Original, so you will need to subscribe to Audible.

The Guardian’s Audio Long Reads – Does exactly what it says on the tin. Their latest features, investigations and news reporting read aloud to keep you company.

13 Minutes to the Moon  – The critically acclaimed podcast looking at the history on the moon missions has returned for a second season, with several episodes already available to binge. The first series looks at Apollo 11, whilst the second looks at the near fateful mission of Apollo 13, weaving in compelling storytelling with actual recordings from the mission at the time.

CULTURAL DISTRACTIONS

Arts & Ideas – The BBC Radio 3 podcast features artists and thinkers talking about ideas, covering a broad range of topics: from economic growth, to EM Forster to the shoe trade.

Talk Art – As we can’t go to art exhibitions at the moment, let the art come to you. Russell Tovey and Robert Diament interview and profile artists and curators and other people who just love art. Recent guests include Alasdair McLellan, Louis Fratino and Tai Shani.

Nothing Concrete – The Barbican Centre has a podcast that delves into different topics on the arts, but not just recent releases (of which there aren’t many, obviously, due to the lockdown). Recent episodes feature archived interviews with musicians, choreographers, DJs and more.

Simon Mayo’s Book of the Year – Mayo and Matt Williams interviews well-known authors about their work and the books they love. Recent interviewees include Ariana Neumann (When Time Stopped), Mark Billingham (Their Little Secret) and Sophie Hannah (Haven’t They Grown).

CONVERSATIONAL DISTRACTIONS

How I Found My Voice – Samira Ahmed, recent recipient of the Audio Presenter of the Year award at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, has a great podcast where she interviews broadcasters and thinkers on how they developed their distinctive voice. A recent series includes chats with Fatima Bhutto, Jon Snow, Richard Osman and Gina Miller.

Rule of Three – Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris, the writers of Cunk on Britain and Charlie Brooker’s End of Year Wipe, have a podcast where they ask well known names about the things they love. Recent guests include Eddie Izzard, Katy Wix and David Mitchell.

This City with Clara Amfo – A podcast where celebrities talk about their favourite spots in London might not sound that tempting when all of it is in lockdown, but the city chat has never been the draw, it’s the rabbit holes the interview falls into. Recent guests include Jade Thirlwall and the Sugababes.

Hands Up! – A podcast about the references, frustrations and joys that many teachers face, hosted by educators Jordan Firth and Mark Tomlinson (fun small world fact: I worked with Jordan in a branch of Whittard of Chelsea in York back in 2009).

Full Disclosure James O’Brien – The LBC interviewer has a track record of interviews with notable people that go a little deeper. Recent episodes include Daniel Radcliffe, George The Poet, Hashi Mohammed and Katherine Ryan.

Finally, two more podcasts to tell you about, both recipients of The BPA Fund, an initiative between the British Podcast Awards and the Wellcome Trust to support conversations about public health (how incredibly timed).The podcasts funded this week are Dave Pickering’s Down to a Sunless Sea: Memories of my Dad, a podcast that talks about a father and son’s relationship through topics of dementia and mental health and Busy Being Black by Josh Rivers, featuring Professor Rusi Jaspal. 

We are also still wanting to know what guests you have got on your podcast in the weeks and months ahead, even if they might be joining at a remote location. Just fill in this form with the details of your guest, regardless of whether they are a big name or not, and we will take a look.

Stay safe, stay two metres apart, and see you next week. We’re all in this together.

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