What I am listening to in March 2020
Some more Podcasts for you to get stuck into, clear your diary!
1. In the Dark - Season 2 - By Madeleine Baran for APM.
I loved In the Dark - Season 1 so of course I had to listen to Season 2. I decided to hold off listening until all the episodes were available (the latest episode aired January 8th 2020) so I could “binge listen” and that is exactly what I did last week.
In the Dark - Season 2 investigates the case of Curtis Flowers who has been tried 6 times for the same crime over the course of 23 years (during this time Curtis has remained behind bars). It is a compelling story, at times frustrating and definitely emotional.
2. StoryCast - What Happened to Annie? - Narrated By Rona Dougall & Produced by Robert Mulhern for Sky News.
In early December 2005 the body of 30 year old Annie Borjesson was discovered face down on Prestwick Beach in Scotland. Annie had been due to fly home to her family in Sweden the day before. While her death was quickly deemed a suicide (via drowning), her family has never accepted this cause of death believing something more sinister took place.
According to the Podcast website:
“It is a verdict [suicide] long dismissed by the family of the 30-year-old Swede, who say she had no history of self harm or mental illness and left no note - and that there was therefore no case for suicide.”
Over the course of 6 episodes this Podcasts dissects the life and death of Annie Borjesson and tries to establish “What Happened to Annie?”.
3. The Dating Game Killer - By Tracy Pattin for Wondery.
The Dating Game Killer is a brand new series from my favourite Podcast producer Wondery and two episodes in I am already impatiently waiting for the newest episode to drop.
Taken from their website, The Dating Game Killer:
“… uncovers the twisted secret life of one of America’s most prolific serial killers. When Rodney Alcala appeared as a contestant on the popular TV show, The Dating Game, he was a diagnosed sociopath and convicted child molester. He held jobs as a typesetter at a prominent newspaper and a counselor at an idyllic summer camp. How did this predatory monster fool producers, employers, prison psychiatrists, and parole boards alike – all while committing heinous crimes from coast to coast?”
If you hadn’t noticed already, I am a sucker for crime/murder mystery/detective Podcasts series and this Podcast ticks that box for sure!
4. Dying for Sex - By Nikki Boyer for Wondery.
This Podcast is a little different to other Podcasts I have listened to, or that I have come across. In this Podcast Dying For Sex we hear the story of Molly, best friend of the host Nikki Boyer. When Molly was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, she decided to leave her unhappy marriage (of 15 years) and embark on a series of sexual adventures to feel alive. While the Podcast follows her on these “adventures” it really becomes much more than that. It evolves into an honest and sincere account of someone living with a terminal illness who has to deal with the reality that they will probably not reach their 50th birthday (or perhaps their 47th) and coming to terms with all that this heartbreaking reality involves.
5. This City with Clara Amfo.
Clara Amfo has been a radio presenter on BBC Radio 1 for almost five years. Her voice is just gorgeous, I could listen to her all day. Her new Podcast This City first aired in January 2020 and I am really enjoying it. It is all about her guests/interviewees relationship with the city of London.
“This City promises to reveal the stories, hidden gems and certified spots tried by some of London’s most recognisable names and others for whom the capital holds a special place in their heart.” (Source here).
Her latest episode features the Sugababes which was a blast from the past! I also loved her Louis Theroux interview having been a fan of his work for years and her chat with Ncuti Gatwa is hilarious. If you want some entertaining easy listening that will probably make you laugh out loud then definitely check out this Podcast.
6. The Wall - By Stephanie O’Quigley.
I have been following Stephanie on and off for a few years. She is Irish and living in NYC. Her Podcast The Wall:
“… features a series of interviews with people, delving deep into their story, their mission, their motivations, their struggle and their own personal walls they’ve had to deal with to achieve greatness. Everyone has walls to get over, but it’s how they get over them, and what they learn from it that holds the most value.” (Source here).
She has had some great guests such as Dr. Vanessa Creaven co-founder of Irish company Spotlight Oral Care, Sabrina Marzaro author of ‘Swiping for Prince Charming’, self-made nightclub entrepreneur Sligo man Paddy Greene and lots more.
I have to say that I like Stephanie’s interviewing style, she is not super scripted and doesn’t constantly interrupt the interviewee which is a pet peeve of mine, some hosts forget that you are listening to learn and hear from the interviewee/guest and not the interviewer/host.
7. Table Manners with Jessie & Lennie Ware.
I love the concept behind this Podcast, where the host (Jessie Ware) invites her famous guests to her house to share a meal, normally prepared by her mother who also features in every episode and so the interview takes place over dinner.
The official description of this Podcast taken from here:
“Jessie Ware hosts a podcast about food, family, and the beautiful art of having a chat, direct from her very own dinner table. With a little bit of help from her chef extraordinaire mum Lennie, each week guests from the worlds of music, culture and politics drop by for a bite and a bit of a natter. Oversharing guaranteed.”
Jessie Ware has had some brilliant guests on this show including one of my all time favourite celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and the brilliant comedian Jo Brand which made me roar laughing, but I do love Jo Brand! Nicole Scherzinger and David Swimmer are two other big names that have shared a place at her dinner table.
The one thing that frustrates me is Jessie and her mom’s tendency to ask a question but then interrupt the guest mid way through their answer to give their own opinion/story and you never get to hear the guests answer in full (I stopped listen to Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert Podcast for a similar reason, his guests can barely get a word in!). What I will say is it appears to be Jessie and her mom’s excitement and enthusiasm that causes them to interrupt their guests which makes it easier to tolerate.
That is all for now, I’m off to listen to the latest episode of The Dating Game Killer and the latest and last episode of Dying For Sex, both of which were released this morning!
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