Contributors’ Favourite Podcasts

Being under lockdown has meant that we’re often trying to find forms of escapism. One helpful way of doing this is through podcasts as zoning into audio can offer a helpful distraction or can provide us with reassuring advice and facts during this time. Lauren McGaun has been reflecting on her favourite podcast and asked others what their favourite ones were too.

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Some of our contributors highlighted the importance of current affairs podcasts during this time:

The New York Times Daily podcast has always been a firm favourite of mine but even more so during lockdown! Michael Barbaro has a way of exposing truths in a clear and friendly tone so that the current news stories don’t feel as overwhelming as they seem. As an American studies student myself I can’t recommend this enough as an easy, up to-date guide to US politics and current affairs. The episode I found most interesting recently exposed the harsh conditions of America meat factory workers who get no pay when they stay off work due to coronavirus – Lauren McGaun (@lauren_mcgaun)

The current Coronavirus Newscast podcast for BBC is great. It really balances important information with friendly chat and helps me feel a bit more relaxed and informed at the same time – Jessica Sharkey (@jessmsharkey)

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A few of our members recommended Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes:

The High Low by Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes doesn’t dismiss a lot of issues that people are particularly worried about right now and it can be quite refreshing to hear people actually discussing topics that others are avoiding. They don’t shy away from exposing the behind the scenes of Zoom chats or talk about how quarantine is affecting them. Having said that, when they do divulge to other topics their way with words and their friendship is just so relaxing to listen to as a form of escapism, and of course their pop culture references always give some inspiration of what to read/watch next. – Meghna Amin (@_meghnaamin)

Like Meghna Amin I love The High Low podcast with Dolly and Pandora.

Dolly Alderton does another podcast called ‘Love Stories’ which is such a relatable, funny and interesting podcast. It opens up the discussion of what love is, different kinds of love- romance, friendship, crushes on celebrities- and brings on really interesting and varied guests. Dolly is such a brilliant interviewer and brings the best out of her guests- allowing them to open up and be vulnerable as well as discussing light topics too. Dolly and Pandora also do a lot of work to help young journalists getting into the industry – Elle Woods-Marshall (@ewoodsmarshall)

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Others have been listening to mental health podcasts to help them get through lockdown:

Mental Breakdown by Nicola Thorp is a safe space for those struggling with the pressures of coronavirus. She speaks about life on her houseboat and asks her followers to sent amusing anecdotes from their time in lockdown – all whilst normalising any thoughts and feelings you have during lockdown. – Jess Walmsley (@jess_walmsley11)

The Calmer You Podcast by Chloe Brotheridge is such a relatable podcast at the minute. She explores anything and everything you could possibly think of, from being productive in lockdown to healthy eating. She builds upon common difficulties we are all facing, almost creating a sense of online community where no one feels alone. I would 100% recommend this podcast to anyone struggling, or for someone who just wants an extra bit of guidance on what they can be doing with all this extra time. –Madeleine Raine (@RaineMadeleine)

I Weigh by Jameela Jamil – It’s a fairly new podcast which follows on from her social media movement combating body shaming. I Weigh is about encouraging women to present identities which are nothing to do with the way they look. In the podcast she interviews various women about their careers and touches on their relationship with their mental health and body image. My personal favourite is the interview with Reese Witherspoon. They discuss the lack of female representation in Hollywood but all the positive work Reese Witherspoon continues to do to change that. It’s fab and exactly the kind of content I love and want to create myself – Lucy Williamson (@lucywilliamson)

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A few of us have also been using podcasts as a form of escapism:

Grounded by Louis Theroux – Once you strip away all of the imagery that would make up a lot of his documentaries you can really appreciate how great he is at just talking to people. The guests that have featured have been a real eclectic mix of famous faces who are being interviewed from their homes. In true Theroux fashion the podcast is honest with a dash of naivety in everything that it covers, from technology fudge-ups to stories of loss and separation during the pandemic. – Hannah Ward-Glenton (@hannahswg)

‘Wind of Change’ – it’s by New Yorker investigative journalist Patrick Radden on how the Scorpions song Wind of Change was basically created by the CIA to encourage the end of the Soviet Union. It sounds ridiculous and it kind of is but such an interesting listen! – Cerys Turner (@cerysturner7)

‘Let’s Talk about Myths Baby!’ with Liv Albert – She retells myths but from a feminist perspective and relates the stories to the world today. She’s also incredibly funny and a great storyteller – definitely been getting me through lockdown! – Orla McAndrew (@OrlaMMcAndrew2)

James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds is also an amusing one – he had a breakdown in 2017 which led him to hoard over 600 albums from 2016 as a means of escapism. In each episode of the podcast he tries to convince somebody that 2016 was the best ever year for music by getting them to listen to an album, and it covers everything from Beyonce’s Lemonade to Eurosceptic hip-hop albums. –Hannah Ward-Glenton (@hannahswg)

Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 – It’s an old favourite of mine and feels quite fitting at the moment. We may not be stranded on a desert island, but we’re certainly looking for ways to distract ourselves and keep ourselves occupied. Returning to music that reminds us of good memories is an excellent way of doing that and I’m also interested in seeing which tracks are special to the people I admire. – Joanna Magill (@joannamagill)

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Some contributors have delved into cooking podcasts:

‘Off the Menu’ with James Acaster and Ed Gamble– a podcast where they invite different celebrities to talk about their ideal ‘imaginative menu’ including their favourite meals, which gets surprisingly creative! A conversation in between with some really well-known guests. Really takes your mind off everything going on. If you love Mock the Week, you’ll love this! – Niamh Doyle 

I love Table Manners. They bring a celebrity guest and talk about the joy they get from cooking and eating spanning from their childhood to their busy lifestyles today. It’s such a mood lifter. On the one hand, they ask the funniest of questions light and fluffy, sometimes benign. Yet minutes later, they have exposed the soulful essence of their guest. It’s hosted by the singer Jessie Ware and her hilarious Mum, Lennie that gives off a vibe that you’ll find her in the kitchen appliance aisle in John Lewis. Warning to non-meat eaters – they’re quite disparaging to vegans. – Ella Bicknell 

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Finally, many of our contributors have used podcasts to inspire them for their future careers:

I love The Media Show on Radio 4. Not a podcast first and foremost but it is uploaded as one! Super interesting insight into the media industry! – Alexa Rendell (@lexierendell)

My favourite is ‘This American Life’. I have loved this podcast for a really long time. With a wealth of episodes, over 700, it is such a good podcast to get stuck into. Ira Glass is an inspiring host and always speaks so eloquently. Each episode has a theme and ties together different stories to it. I love it so much because there is a clear interest in individuals and their stories- the kind of journalism I aspire to be involved in. It is such a good podcast to escape the lockdown boredom with while educating yourself on a diverse range of topics and issues. This American Life brought us Serial, another amazing podcast, as well. – Elle Woods-Marshall (@ewoodsmarshall)

Work in Progress by Sophia Bush has been getting me through lockdown! She talks to some incredible people – ranging from her favourite college professor to Barack Obama’s speech writer to comedians, chefs and ex-CIA operatives – about how they got to where they are and where they feel they still need to improve. Sophia Bush has such a brilliant way of looking at the world, and she is so clearly eager to learn new things; the conversations that she’s having about current events, self-care, journalism, politics, race, gender, and healthcare (among others) are incredibly important right now. I really recommend to anyone who wants to feel inspired, especially if the news seems a little bleak. – Meg Fitzwater (@meg_fitzwater)

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So, if everything is feeling overwhelming right now, or you want something to occupy you whilst you’re bored, then why not zone out and delve into a podcast? Whether you want cheering up, want to learn more, or simply be informed, podcasts can do all these things.

Let us know what your favourite podcast is in the comments!

Lauren McGaun

Featured image courtesy of Juja Han on Unsplash. This image has in no way been altered. Image license is available here.