Picks of the week

Press F to Play Football
Widely available, weekly from Wednesday
Listeners of Total Sport FM are used to hosts being white and blokey, so what happens when management bring in a young YouTuber? Lolly Adefope (below) plays Lisa, the new recruit who is battling for airtime when she’s paired with Des (Fergus Craig). The fast-talking, banteresque satire of sport radio is spot-on and every character is a little bit clueless and awful. As the producer says: “Hate equals clicks, equals views, equals ad money.” Hannah Verdier

Miss Me?

“Episodes are released twice a week on BBC Sounds.”
Lifelong friends Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver have plenty of chemistry and material for a twice-weekly catchup. Funny stories, 90s memories involving A-listers, debates on hot topics and musings on the Princess of Wales’ whereabouts are all here, along with an insider’s perspective of how the celebrity world works. HV

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Wiser Than Me

Easily accessible, new episodes every week.
RY’s

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ outstanding audio series, featuring conversations with seasoned and insightful women, is back for a second season. This time, she interviews incredible individuals such as Billie Jean King, Patti Smith, and Sally Field, who share their inspiring stories. Louis-Dreyfus credits the podcast for changing her perspective on getting older and making it something to anticipate. It’s easy to understand why. HVRY’s

Unreliable Witness

Episodes are released on a weekly basis and are easily accessible.
Who is Ellie Williams? The 22-year-old was jailed in 2022 for making false rape allegations, but this nuanced podcast proves that there’s a lot the public don’t know. Sky News home editor Jason Farrell and producer Liz Lane talk to her family and friends, who paint her as an intelligent, outgoing woman who displayed signs of abuse. HV

Strike

Weekly episodes available on BBC Sounds.
quicknotes

As the 40th anniversary of the miners’ strike is commemorated, there are plenty of contemplations surrounding it. However, it is the individual recollections that truly evoke strong emotions. Jonny Owen, a filmmaker originally from Merthyr Tydfil and 13 years old during the strike, recounts the division among the miners who chose to strike and those who did not, and the impact it had on friendships and communities. HVquicknotes.

There is a podcast available for that.

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This week, Rachel Aroesti selects five top-rated podcasts about the paranormal, including a detailed overview of American spiritualism and a BBC exploration into the reality behind a poltergeist case in 1950s London.

Ghost Story

The story begins with a general tale about a possibly haunted room in the southwest part of London, but it quickly develops into a captivating, deep, and lovely contemplation on remembrance and the past, as presented in this excellent podcast by journalist Tristan Redman. The catalyst for this series is an uncanny coincidence: as a child, Redman experienced unexplainable happenings in his bedroom – years later, he discovers that his wife’s great-grandmother was murdered in the neighboring room. This leads to a gripping investigation into a bizarre murder case and an eerie exploration of the potential ghost. Could Redman have spent his entire adult life under the influence of supernatural powers? The conclusion is not black and white, but it is both enlightening and emotional.

The Battersea Poltergeist
Danny Robins, the host of the popular audio series and TV show, Uncanny, is considered the top authority on paranormal podcasting in the UK. In 2021, he released The Battersea Poltergeist, which marked a career switch for the comedy writer. Despite his thorough investigations into the ghostly events that occurred on Wycliffe Road in the 1950s, Robins cannot fully explain the noises and objects that haunted the Hitchings family and captured the attention of the media. While he tries to offer logical explanations, there is still a lingering possibility that there was something unexplainable at play. By the end of the series, even the listener will question the events that took place.

Ghost Church

Comedian and podcast host Jamie Loftus serves as our knowledgeable and amusing guide to American spiritualism, a faith based on the belief that the deceased continue to exist. With a mix of humor and sincerity, Loftus dives into the history and modern interpretations of spiritualism by immersing herself in the close-knit community of Cassadaga, Florida. Through interviews with mediums who have devoted their lives to communicating with spirits, Loftus approaches the subject with an open mind but finds it challenging not to be amused by the outlandish and perplexing aspects of this unconventional religion.

Radio Rental

After gaining recognition for his work on several unsolved cases, podcast host Payne Lindsey shifted his focus to unnerving stories that may not technically fall under the category of true crime, but still involve sinister elements. By scouring online forums, he uncovered tales that ranged from a girlfriend’s doppelganger to a fictitious malevolent babysitter. Lindsey then interviewed the original posters and recorded the harrowing details of their experiences. While the possibility of paranormal activity exists in these accounts, it often feels more comforting than the alternative of human malevolence. And if the content becomes overwhelming, Rainn Wilson (best known as Dwight from The Office US) lightens the mood as the MC, playing the role of video store owner Terry Carnation.

Reworded: Spirits in the Suburbs

Although it is based on a real town, Wellesley, Massachusetts is not as haunted as the Ghosts in the Burbs podcast may lead you to believe. Initially, the podcast seems non-fiction, with the host Liz Sower being a genuine member of the community who collects ghost stories from her neighbors on her blog. However, as the podcast progresses, it becomes clear that Sower is actually telling a complex soap opera about a town dealing with supernatural occurrences. The tone of the podcast is both comfortable, with Sower and her friends giving off a “yummy mummy” vibe, and eerie as Sower develops the ability to see ghosts, spirits, and demons. This is not exactly a skillset that helps her sleep peacefully at night.

Why not try …

• After Broad and Market examines the 2003 murder of 15-year-old student Sakia Gunn, who was young, black and queer in downtown Newark. Her killing galvanized LGBTQ+ activism in New Jersey.

• Arina Kuzmina, a nutritionist, and her expert guests address various aspects of well-being on The Y Matters. These topics include but are not limited to overeating, balancing work and personal life, and the relationship between the mind and body.

• The Serpentine Podcast titled “Intimacies” explores ways to broaden and develop our relationships with ourselves, others, and the world.

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Source: theguardian.com