Picks of the week
Pod Save the UK
Widely available, episodes weekly
Given its hosts, this take on the popular US leftwing look at politics Pod Save America is inevitably great. Nish Kumar is one of our foremost political satirists and Guardian journalist Coco Khan is unfailingly witty about current affairs. It’s less a play for laughs than genuine analysis that’s full of withering putdowns on topics such as the immigration bill. Or as Khan puts it: “I love being oppressed by someone who looks like me!” Alexi Duggins
Flipping the Bird: Elon vs Twitter
Widely available, episodes weekly
If you’ve been wondering what’s going on at Twitter, this new podcast from the makers of WeCrashed aims to investigate. From sackings to slowdowns, David Brown asks what Elon Musk’s motivation is and what will be left once he’s done with the social media platform. “It felt like everything was descending into chaos,” offers one ex-employee in a juicy interview. Hannah Verdier
Proper Class
Widely available, episodes weekly
The podcast that celebrates all things working-class returns, with Laura Checkley and Hannah Chissick back at the helm. The first guest is comedian Susan Wokoma, who gets nostalgic about Elephant and Castle shopping centre. Future guests include Vicky McClure. Hollie Richardson
Who Robs a Banksy?
Widely available, episodes weekly
Who would “kidnap” a Banksy sculpture and hold it to ransom, given how well-loved its creator is? “That’s such a fucking wanky, middle-class question!” exclaims artist (and former porn actor/rave organiser) Andy Link in this show’s intro. Its tale of the resulting 20-year battle is incredibly colourful, due in no small part to what an utterly compelling voice Link is. AD
Past, Present, Future
Widely available, episodes weekly
David Runciman’s new podcast about the history of ideas gets off to a flying start with author Ian McEwan picking what he calls the best political novel: Italo Calvino’s The Watcher. It’s fascinating to hear him talk about the book that will “get you through a two-hour train ride”. Guests coming up include Zadie Smith, John Lanchester and Lea Ypi. HV
There’s a podcast for that
This week, Rachel Aroesti chooses five of the best podcasts about planet Earth, from a deep dive into our oceans to an experiential travel adventure
Naturebang
Presented by Becky Ripley and Emily Knight, two BBC Radio 4 documentary producers, Naturebang is – unsurprisingly – a show about nature and wildlife. Yet it’s one that is particularly well-suited to those who don’t normally gravitate towards straightforward science documentaries: each episode focuses on a natural phenomena and then asks how we might apply it to human society. Looking at bull elephants provides an opportunity to think about fatherhood; an investigation into the busyness of ants leads to a discussion of leisure time; and the traditions of the Great Tit allow for a meditation on cultural orthodoxy and immigration. Utterly fascinating, even if biology isn’t really your thing.
Your Place or Mine
Part fact-packed travel guide, part gentle parlour game, this pod sees guests attempt to convince presenter Shaun Keaveny that their chosen location is well worth a visit. Some of the places pitched are classic holiday destinations, but others are locales you may never have considered: comedian Daliso Chaponda suggests Lilongwe in Malawi; chef Ching He Huang chooses Taipei; actor Aatif Nawaz goes for Lahore. Despite the chat being divided into rather dry-sounding sections – weather, hazards, landmarks and travel – our wisecracking host and his knowledgeable sidekick, historian and geographer Iszi Lawrence, ensure that it is always shot through with silliness and fun.
The Deep-Sea Podcast
Considering that 71% of our planet’s surface is covered in water, this show may just be the most on-topic of all when it comes to podcasts about the earth. Hosted by long-time pals Dr Alan Jamieson, a world authority on the deepest levels of our oceans, and Dr Thomas Linley – an expert in deep-sea fish – this accessible and often exhilarating series covers topics from bioluminescence to seamounts in an attempt to overhaul the stereotype of the deep-sea as a terrifying, unknowable place. The pair have also attracted some surprisingly starry guests, including Titanic director and avid sea explorer James Cameron.
Trees A Crowd
The passion project of actor David Oakes (who can be seen playing Earl Godwin in Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla), this show is indeed a detailed exploration of Britain’s trees – 56 different types of them, to be exact, from the much-worshipped Rowan to the anti-inflammatory Dogwood, the gloriously pink Spindle to the giant Aspen – but it’s also much more than that. The affable Oakes is frequently joined by those whose work is deeply entrenched in the natural world, including artists, zoologists, wildlife photographers, adventurers and activists, leading to conversations that feel like a brain-cleansing break from technology-riddled modern life.
Armchair Explorer
Traverse the wildest corners of the earth from your sofa with the help of this podcast from travel writer Aaron Millar, who encourages listeners to live vicariously through some of our most fearless explorers. Each episode is dedicated to an extraordinary adventure or adventurer: hear about Levison Wood’s perilous journey through the heart of the Middle East, Rebecca Stephens’ conquering of the Seven Summits, and comedian Andy Smart’s 72,000 miles of pan-European hitchhiking. Not all of the locations are far-flung, however – Nick Hunt’s recollections of a spooky hike in Scotland’s Cairngorms proves you can push the boundaries of travel relatively close to home.
Why not try …
A tale of “subterfuge and secrecy” – and a man who may have inspired 007 – in Cover Up: Ministry of Secrets.
Stories from the intersection of race and climate justice in a new series of Temperature Check.
Comic Omid Djalili has more fun with misheard tales in the second run of Please Tell Me a Story.
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