And as it is Halloween (errr \u2026 boo!) let\u2019s start with some spooky and unsettling podcasts you can get stuck into (like a vampire). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A podcast that caused the hairs on the back of everyone\u2019s necks to stand on end, the part documentary \/ part drama Danny Robins\u2019 The Battersea Poltergeist<\/strong><\/a>, <\/em>received acclaim for the way it weaved drama and documentary to tell the story of a famous British haunting. He\u2019s now back with a new 15 part series on BBC Sounds, called Uncanny<\/strong><\/a>, which delves into paranormal experiences. Each episode features interviews with listeners who believe that they have witnessed something unusual. Personally speaking, it doesn\u2019t matter whether you are a believer of the subject matter or not. The storytelling and the sound production will make you feel rather unsettled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sticking with the Halloween theme, the history podcast Not Just The Tudors<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>has an episode looking at the witch trials<\/a> that took place in Massachusetts back in 1651. Meanwhile, the macabre RedHanded<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>have got a two part Halloween Special, featuring a story swap between its hosts Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala. Real Life Ghost Stories<\/strong><\/a>, which says what it does on the tin, have also completed a \u201831 Days of Terror\u2019 series, with different paranormal stories for every single day of October. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And for the little ones, Story Quest<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>by Fun Kids has a haunted story about a tour of a spooky, abandoned chapel<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n NOTABLE NAMES ON PODCASTS THIS WEEK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have listened to a great guest on a podcast, let us know by filling in <\/strong>this form<\/strong><\/a> and it might get featured in an upcoming newsletter.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are our podcast picks for the week ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want your podcast featured, or you have a great recommendation, all you need to do is fill in this <\/strong>simple form<\/strong><\/a> and might get featured in a future newsletter.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Is It Normal? The Pregnancy Podcast with Jessie Ware<\/strong><\/a> – <\/strong>A smart new podcast idea. If you are currently pregnant, or you are supporting someone who is, there is a new podcast with advice and expert support for every stage of pregnancy. Why? \u201cBecause sometimes a voice in your ear is more reassuring than a Google search,\u201d says its host Jessie Ware. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each episode is split according to what week of your pregnancy you are on, with information on what to expect during your first midwife appointments and scans, insight into what exactly is happening inside your body at each stage of your pregnancy and guidance on when to tell your employer and your rights going on maternity leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of the focus is reassurance, that everything you are going through (from cravings to feeling the temperature more than others) is generally normal. Yet it is also mindful that every pregnancy is different, with advice on where to turn if you have any concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n dot com: The Wikipedia Story<\/strong><\/a> – <\/strong>We have all spent hours late at night going down a rabbit hole of stories and subjects on Wikipedia. But how much do you know about the website Wikipedia itself? In particular, the thousands of people who spend their time writing, updating and correcting the posts that you read for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this new series by Crowd Network, host Katie Puckrik meets some of these people who dedicate their time to this cause. In the first episode, she meets Steven Pruitt, a Wikipedia editor who has written more than 35,000 articles and has made more than four million edits on the site. \u201cListen to this,\u201d says Puckrik. \u201cFour million edits means he\u2019s edited a third of all the articles on English Wikipedia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At a time when the internet can feel so polarising and problematic, especially on social media, it is always good to hear stories like this about the internet. Yet there is a darkness to Wikipedia too, which future episodes are going to tap into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spotify Podcast of the Week –<\/strong> Rose & Rosie: Parental Guidance<\/a> is currently in the middle of its third season. If you haven’t listened yet, the show is hosted by married couple Rose & Rosie who have been documenting their crazy journey of starting a family since Season 1. You will laugh, you will cry; this show will take you on a real rollercoaster of emotions. This season we get an insight into how life has dramatically changed as new mums to baby Ziggy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We are treated to a special Halloween episode this week; there are ghost stories, tales of childhood Halloween experiences and more to get you in the mood for the holiday. Enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Price of Football<\/strong><\/a> – <\/strong>This is a good fortnightly podcast that explores the billions of pounds worth of money swirling around football and the various issues and ethical dilemmas that come about from the high profile deals, acquisitions and sponsorships. It is brought to you by football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire from the University of Liverpool as well as the comedian Kevin Day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A recent episode looks at David Beckham\u2019s controversial deal as an ambassador<\/a> for the Qatar World Cup, reportedly worth \u00a3150 million. Amnesty International has criticised the deal and have urged Beckham to speak out about Qatar\u2019s human rights abuses, poor track record on freedom of expression and oppressive stance on LGBTQ rights. As is pointed out in the podcast, a typical sponsorship for a company like McDonalds or Qatar Airways to sponsor the World Cup to be around \u00a330-\u00a335 million. The podcast explores the ethical dilemmas around the deal and whether or not it will affect his reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t Call Me \u201cExotic\u201d<\/strong><\/a> – <\/strong>The final choice for this week is a new interview series by radio presenter and promoter Oh Annie Oh, who speaks to other creatives about their experiences of racism within the industry, racism within our culture and institutions and how it affects them on a day-to-day basis. As well as providing thought provoking and important discussions, Annie\u2019s presenting style throughout is infectious. Guests so far have included songwriter and soul singer Amahla, Rinse FM\u2019s Jordss and the curator and artist Almass Badat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Two podcasts coming soon to note before we go. The first is Whistle Through The Shamrocks<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>a comedy podcast written by Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls! Bridgerton!) <\/em>and the playwright Camilla Whitehall. There\u2019s also the return of The Log Books<\/strong><\/a>, the series that delves into the call archives of Switchboard, providing a rich archive of LGBTQ history. Episodes from both series will be out tomorrow and we\u2019ll take a bigger peak in next week\u2019s newsletter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n