Eight Entertaining Chatty Podcasts That I Love!
Being a massive fan of true crime/murder and cult related Podcasts, sometimes it is nice to switch it up and enjoy some light hearted chatty style Podcasts. In 2020 we saw a lot of new Podcasts appear, presented by some very well known names, such as Louis Theroux and David Tennant (both of which feature here) however some mentioned here have been around for a while. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Check out My Complete Podcast List for lots more Podcast recommendations.
Some Old, Some New - Lots to Get Through!
1. Grounded with Louis Theroux - For BBC Sounds & Radio 4.
Show me someone who doesn’t love Louis Theroux and I will show you a liar! I was never so excited to hear a new Podcast was being released, one of the best things to come out of the 2020 (and on-going) Covid-19 fiasco.
Louis Theroux is an excellent award winning documentary-maker, journalist, broadcaster, author and now Podcaster!
“Stuck at home like most of the country, documentary-maker, Louis Theroux, used the lockdown to track down a number of high-profile people he’d been longing to talk to – a fascinating mix of the celebrated, the controversial and the mysterious. The result was ‘Grounded With Louis Theroux’…” (Source here).
So many great guests, Helena Bonham Carter, Lenny Henry, Ruby Wax, Sia and FKA Twigs are probably my top five but honestly all episodes are worth listening to. This is definitely a Podcast that you would enjoy listening to with your significant other or with your friends/housemates, over a pot of tea or a bottle of wine - love it!
2. David Tennant Does a Podcast with… - From Somethin’ Else & No Mystery.
I only discovered this Podcast in 2020 but it first aired in January 2019. The upside of this late discovery was that there were plenty of episodes to catch up on.
In David Tennant Does a Podcast with… award winning actor David Tennant chats to:
“… the biggest names from TV, movies, comedy and elsewhere.” (Source here).
A few stand out guests for me have been Elisabeth Moss, Jim Parsons, Dame Judi Dench, James Cordon, Catherine Tate, Sir Ian McKellan, Jodie Whitaker and my favourite “queen” Olivia Colman.
If you love David’s accent as much as I do, you will be very happy listening to all his excellent entertaining interviews.
3. I’m Grand Mam - By Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby.
Even though I am a Corkonian I only became aware of the hilariously funny and supremely entertaining I’m Grand Mam Podcast back in September 2020. However, over the course of two weeks I binged all the available episodes and now feel like I am one of the “girlies”. This Podcast never fails to make me laugh out loud and because of this I have received many a funny look while listening in public but that only adds to the hilarity.
Kevin and PJ are:
“Two lads, originally from Cork in Ireland and now living in London” (Source here).
In each episode the hosts:
“… have a cuppa and catch up each week while exploring the collective life landmarks that accompany growing up gay in the world today. Join Kevin and PJ as they navigate their way through gay London and immerse themselves in the virtues and vices of the city whilst battling with the internal shared struggle that every Irish gay man deals with when living away from home - ‘what would mam think?’” (Source here).
If you are Irish, or better still from Cork then you are definitely going to love this Podcast. However, regardless of where in the world you are from, or living now, this is a great Podcast guaranteed to entertain you. Kevin and PJ have loyal listeners from all over the world and I hope their success continues to grow and blossom for a long time to come.
4. Sibling Revelry with Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson - From Cloud10 & Simplecast.
If you want to listen to a Podcast that has some of the biggest names in Hollywood as guests then this is the show for you. I guess as Kate Hudson is such a well known and respected actor she has been able to attract a lot of uber famous people to feature on this Podcast that she hosts with her brother Oliver Hudson. They also seem to really know a lot of their guests which is really nice and definitely allows for more insightful interviews.
Sibling Revelry explores:
“… explores the sibling bond, family dynamics, the human mind, body, and so much more. Kate and Oliver dive deep into the things that interest them and talk to other siblings in a free-formed, wide open, relaxed conversation to not only have some laughs, but to maybe inspire some people along the way with universal tales of what it’s like to grow up with brothers and sisters.” (Source here).
I think there are about 60 episodes available now so there are plenty to choose from, I am still working my way through. I really liked their Paris Hilton and Nikki Hilton Rothschild episode, the Dakota and Elle Fanning episode and their episode with Shawn and Jessie White.
The one annoying thing about this Podcast - all the advertisements!
5. Second Life with Hilary Kerr.
I am a long term listener to this Podcast (first aired in February 2018) and with a massive back catalogue of episodes there is a wealth of information available. Hilary Kerr describes the Second Life Podcast as one that:
“… spotlights the career changes that can come at any age.” (Source here).
In each episode, Hilary will:
“… explore the stories of inspiring women who’ve fearlessly mastered career pivots of their own. You’ll hear from pioneers, artists, mothers, founders, writers, visionaries, designers, CEOs, and more about how they found their version of success and fulfillment.” (Source here).
“… peeling back the layers to their successes and sharing their winding roads of missteps, lessons, trying moments, and even outright failures that we can all learn from. Hopefully, hearing these women’s stories makes your Monday commute a little more enjoyable and inspires you in your first, second, or third life—and beyond.” (Source here).
The Podcast host/founder Hilary started out as a freelance writer and journalist. Her well honed skills in these areas are evident in her excellent interview skills, asking the right questions, extracting information and listening to her interviewees. My favourite episodes include Tia Mowry-Hardrict (I was a massive Sister Sister fan back in the day), Joy Cho, Lisa Price, Kirsten Bell, Kat Von D and Reese Witherspoon.
6. Walking the Dog with Emily Dean - From The Times.
This is another Podcast that has been around since 2017 but I only discovered in 2020. I really enjoy it and it often makes me laugh out loud. Emily Dean has an excellent ability to walk (maintaining control of her dog) and negotiate normal walking related obstacles while simultaneously remembering her train of thought, the questions she wants to ask, while a lot of the time she will have to pause for some interruptions out of her control along the way. For example, dogs doing dog things, people saying hello to her and her guests, crossing busy roads, emergency vehicles passing, deteriorating weather conditions and so on. She takes it all in her stride and never falters.
In Walking the Dog with Emily Dean, Emily Dean:
“… takes some of her friends for a walk with their dogs. They talk about the weird, the wonderful, the funny and the extraordinary.” (Source here).
Some of the episodes that I enjoyed the most (so far) include her walks with Frank Skinner, Alan Carr, Matt Lucas, Katherine Ryan, Jimmy Carr and Jonathon Ross. As Emily is friends with most (all?) of her guests on the Podcast, you really feel like you are getting to eavesdrop on a really interesting private conversation.
7. Castaway: The Podcast about Podcasts - Hosted By Laura Whitmore with Mags Creative.
As a Podcast addict, Castaway: The Podcast about Podcasts is almost essential or vital listening for me as it is a great place to hear of other/new Podcasts, that are recommended by the person being interviewed. It has definitely helped me to find new Podcasts that I have then come to love.
Self proclaimed Podcast lover Laura Whitmore is the host and she is:
“… on a mission to uncover the best podcasts out there by interviewing a celebrity guest every week about what they’re listening to. Whether you’re looking for podcasts about mental health, comedy, love, crime or your next fictional series to binge listen to, Laura’s guests have got you covered.” (Source here).
Lots of great episodes to choose from with a really diverse mix of guests. Nicola Roberts, Niall Horan, Nicola Coughlan, Clara Amfo, Kate Thornton, Jessie Ware and Joss Stone are just some of the many that I enjoyed.
8. Katie Piper’s Extraordinary People - A Somethin’ Else Production.
In Katie Piper’s Extraordinary People, Katie:
“… brings stories that will inspire you, making you laugh and cry. Katie chats with inspirational people who have turned incredible adversity into powerful positivity.” (Source here).
As you know, Katie Piper herself is an extraordinary person and so there is no one better suited to present this Podcast then her. I find her voice so peaceful and melodic. So many amazing and powerful stories, most episodes are 30-45 minutes long so perfect to accompany you on your daily walk or commute.
BONUS PODCAST:
Life Interrupted with Simon Thomas - From Global.
OK, so this last Podcast does not really fall under the aforementioned category of “light hearted” but in many ways, like Katie Piper’s Extraordinary People, while the episodes can be hard to listen to, they are uplifting, inspiring and heartening. I just had to include it.
In late 2018 Simon Thomas, a UK based TV presenter lost his 40 year old wife Gemma to cancer. Gemma died shortly after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Since her death, Simon has formed the Gemma Thomas Fund with Bloodwise, which aims to raise money to aid and assist research into blood cancers such as AML in the hope of preventing other families suffering such devastating loss.
At the start of 2020, Simon’s Podcast Life Interrupted with Simon Thomas was launched. In this Podcast, Simon:
“… explores human endurance through the toughest times. In a series of interviews with well-known celebrities and notable people, he discovers how crisis and desperation can lead to hope and inspiration for a new and happy life. In each episode, we find out that there are so many others experiencing mental anguish, who have lived through the most difficult times. We hear how many have overcome tragedy to live happy and fulfilling lives.” (Source here).
It is no surprise that Simon is an excellent Podcaster and due to his own personal experiences he has so much empathy with those he interviews, this really comes across in all the episodes. It might not be a Podcast that you will binge on but it is most definitely worth listening to.
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