Do you miss me? (BBC Sounds)
53 Minutes (Global)
Heroes and Humans of Football (Immaterial)

Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver, longtime friends, have recently launched a new podcast titled Miss Me?. The show is a delightful and entertaining listen, comprised of two separate segments. The “proper show” airs on Mondays and features the duo discussing their thoughts and current events, such as the whereabouts of the Princess of Wales and Lily’s music career. On Thursdays, they answer questions from their audience. The first segment is informally known as the Meaty Dump while the second, formally titled Listen Bitch!, features Lily in Brooklyn and Miquita in east London, often connecting via FaceTime. During their inaugural show, Oliver joked about prefering to see Lily on FaceTime.

Do you miss me? This show may seem a bit messy, with topics introduced and then quickly dismissed and diversions into unrelated areas. However, none of this really matters. It’s all incredibly uplifting and will have you laughing out loud, thanks to the charming and authentic friendship between Allen and Oliver. Their anecdotes are both intimate and hilarious. In the first episode, Allen shares a story about a rapper she was sleeping with asking about her liposuction scars, and her hilarious response. In the second episode, they reminisce about a childhood holiday where they escaped from their parents and their famous adult friends who were partying too hard.

Oliver is more of a host than Allen, as she has had a successful career in television presenting. However, the dynamic between them is not apparent as their shows are centered around the overall atmosphere. The two women are very comfortable and open, even discussing minor details. In the first installment of Listen Bitch!, which focused on Boys From the 90s (a time when Oliver and Allen were teenagers), they shared their past crushes, including Paul Nicholls from EastEnders and Stephen Gateley from Boyzone. They seamlessly transitioned into discussing their attraction to men in citrus Ben Sherman polo shirts and their admitted “daddy issues”. “My dad was physically there but emotionally distant,” explained Allen, to which Oliver jokingly replied, “Thanks, I have therapy later.”

Frequently, podcasts hosted by celebrities are not successful because the celebrities do not put in the necessary effort behind the scenes and are too concerned about their image to be anything other than positive. However, that is not the case with this podcast. While there may be some controversial snippets from the podcast, the real enjoyment comes from listening to the full shows. Have fun!

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Enough with the crazy and humorous feminine entertainment. It’s time to switch gears and listen to a couple of football podcasts. The talented hosts Dara Ó Briain and Josh Widdicombe bring us an exciting series called 53 Minutes, where they take a deep dive into the story of Ali Dia. Who could forget Dia, the player who subbed in for Southampton in 1996 and only played for 53 minutes before disappearing from the Premier League? The podcast will consist of six episodes, featuring dynamic hosts, a captivating script, and insightful guest interviews. And don’t worry, it won’t just be about Dia – Widdicombe assures us that the show will also touch on the bigger impact of Dia on modern football. The first episode kicks off at the 1990 World Cup and is full of fun and lighthearted banter. Ó Briain and Widdicombe are experts at capturing the pure joy of the beautiful game.

Heroes and Humans of Football is a new program that delves into the lives of intriguing individuals in the world of football. The first three episodes feature Kylian Mbappé, Roman Abramovich, and Emma Hayes. The show offers in-depth and informative analyses of these captivating figures, much like a thought-provoking article in a prestigious newspaper. Hosted by Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan, both experts in the field, the show provides listeners with a well-rounded perspective. While Kuper, a journalist from the Financial Times, is well-versed and skilled in storytelling, he can come across as a bit curt when faced with a challenge. In one particular episode, Khan, a reporter from the Times, asks if the Parisian banlieue football community is similar to the football culture in south London, known for producing numerous talented players. Kuper does not fully engage in the discussion, but excels at painting a vivid picture of each individual and the environment they operate in. Khan, also highly knowledgeable, serves as the listener’s guide, asking insightful questions and providing reactions. Perhaps incorporating more varied audio elements could potentially make the show more appealing to a wider audience, not just avid football enthusiasts.

Regarding the recent controversy surrounding Radio 4’s decision to switch the time slots of Desert Island Discs and The Archers with the latter now airing at 11am and the former at 10am, there are a few points to consider. Personally, I believe the more significant change is the decision to extend the running time of Desert Island Discs (and The Media Show) to an hour. This has the potential to save money by eliminating the need for a separate 15-minute Friday program. However, this also means that smaller programs, like next Friday’s New Storytellers piece “The Sound Collector” which won the Charles Parker prize for best student audio feature, may no longer have a time slot. While this decision may not be ideal, it’s important to acknowledge that Mohit Bakaya, the head of Radio 4, is likely making these changes in an effort to cut costs.

Source: theguardian.com