MY TOP EIGHT PODCAST PICKS
I am a self confessed Podcast addict. I came late to the Podcast trend but I have definitely made up for it; I have even swapped my music powered runs to Podcast powered. All of the Podcasts listed here I listen to via Spotify (as I am a paid account holder) but all are also available on iTunes and other platforms such as SoundCloud or Podbean; a simple search online and you will find them!
Here are my favourites so far and full disclosure you will not be able to stop listening so clear your diary!
1. The Teacher’s Pet - By Hedley Thomas for The Australian.
This podcast is from The Australian. It is investigated and written by Hedley Thomas and looks at a cold case concerning the probable murder of Lyn Dawson who disappeared in 1982 and is described by The Australian:
“… Chris and Lyn appear to have the perfect marriage. But when Lyn goes missing, dark secrets are buried. This is no fairytale, but a sordid story of strangely close twin brothers, teenage student lovers, and probable murder.”
With over 5 million downloads so far I think my decision to have this Podcast at the top of my must listen to list is justified - it is brilliant and Hedley’s voice is melodic. Your travel time will pass too quickly with this podcast in your ears leaving you wanting more!
2. West Cork Podcast - By Sam Bungley & Jennifer Ford.
This podcast is available for purchase on Audible and their description of it is:
“… Two days before Christmas 1996, the broken, battered body of Sophie Toscan du Plantier was found outside her vacation home in West Cork, a serene region on Ireland’s idyllic southern coast. Decades later, no one has been charged with the murder, but the aggrieved inhabitants of West Cork are convinced they know who did it and he still lives among them. In this haunting and heartbreaking true crime series, reporter Sam Bungey and documentarian Jennifer Forde revisit the grisly homicide that left Ireland reeling. Featuring unprecedented research and extensive, exclusive interviews with the case’s key players, their work offers new insight on the still unsolved murder and the labyrinth investigation that followed. The result is an evocative audio portrait as gripping and intriguing as the case it unravels.”
This podcast is researched and narrated by Sam Bungley and Jennifer Ford. Great listening, upsetting and shocking at times but so interesting. If you are from Ireland you will probably be familiar with this case and will thoroughly enjoy this podcast, it definitely provided me with more information then I previously knew about this case.
3. Dr. Death - By Laura Beil for Wondery.
Doctor Death is a Wondery podcast and is reported and hosted by Laura Beil. It is a truly gripping, shocking and at times really just unbelievable podcast series. Here is the description taken from the Dr. Death podcast homepage:
“… 33 Patients. A Charming Surgeon. A Spineless System. We’re at our most vulnerable when we go to our doctors. We trust the person at the other end of that scalpel. We trust the hospital. We trust the system. Dr. Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. He claimed he was the best in Dallas. If you had back pain, and had tried everything else, Dr. Duntsch could give you the spine surgery that would take your pain away. But soon his patients started to experience complications. And all they had to protect them was a system ill equipped to stop the madness.”
I absolutely loved this podcast and could not stop listening, patiently waiting each week for the latest episode to be released.
4. Dirty John - By Christopher Goffard for Wondery.
Dirty John is another Wondery podcast reported and hosted by Christopher Goffard. Dirty John tells the story of Debra Newell and John Meehan. Debra is a successful interior designer who meets a man named John Meehan. John is described as:
“… a handsome man who seems to check all the boxes: attentive, available, just back from a year in Iraq with Doctors Without Borders.”
However, Debra’s family do not like or trust John and you soon realise their concerns are warranted! You will be so caught up in this podcast you will want your travel time to be extended just so you can keep listening!
NOTE: This podcast has now become even more popular following the release of a Netflix Series also entitled “Dirty John”.
5. Unfiltered with James O’Brien.
The Unfiltered podcast can be found for free on SoundCloud where they accurately describe it as:
“… Revealing and candid one-hour conversations with a different special guest every week, featuring fascinating people from the worlds of sport, politics, entertainment, activism and the media”.
I love James’ voice and I love that the episodes are one hour long so if you don’t want to get caught up in a series (like No.1, No.2, No.3 and No.4 on this list) you can pick and choose the episodes that appeal to you most based on the guest he interviews in each episode. This is a JOE.co.uk podcast.
NOTE: As of 24th September 2018 James O’Brien has left the Unfiltered Podcast. You can now find James O’Brien on his new Podcast “Full Disclosure” which first aired in March 2019.
6. An Irishman Abroad - By Jarlath Regan.
This podcast is unique on this list as it is the only podcast listed here that is crowd funded. It is brought to you in association with Currency Fair. The podcast is available on the An Irishman Abroad website as well as SoundCloud.
An Irishman Abroad is presented by comedian Jarlath Regan. Each episode is about one hour long and Jarlath is:
“… joined by a well known Irish writer, actor, performer, sports person or public figure to discuss their life and shared experiences of Ireland and abroad.” - Soundcloud.
Once again you have the convenience of choosing episodes that you want to listen to, in any order you want. Among my favourite episodes are Gary Lightbody, Graham Linehan, Donnacha O’Callaghan and Caroline Morahan.
7. No Filter - By Mia Freedman for Mamamia.
OK so this podcast is for sure more orientated towards a female audience (sorry men). Well known Australian journalist Mia Freedman is the presenter of these episodes which you can find on her website Mamamia. Mia has over 300,000 listeners each week when she speaks to a range of guests, some famous some not, but always a brutally honest discussion of real life issues without any “rose tinted glasses”. Her podcast episodes are described accurately by Omny.fm:
“… each week she has fresh and original conversations with interesting people who have fascinating stories to share. From Nigella Lawson, Malcolm Turnbull, Marian Keyes, Liane Moriarty, athletes, actors, politicians, business leaders, authors and regular people who have achieved extraordinary things… they all let their guard down and open up”.
8. TRAINED - By NIKE - Hosted By Ryan Flaherty.
This is a relatively new podcast and is described by iTunes:
“Through years of research and working with the world’s best athletes - Nike has learned greatness isn’t born, it’s trained. This podcast explores the cutting-edge of holistic fitness to help make you a better trainer and athlete. Listen to conversations with industry experts and discover the latest innovations, insights, and trends making the biggest impact on the training world.”
If you are into sport, fitness or nutrition and want short interesting no nonsense interviews then this podcast is the one for you. Really easy listening, super interesting and provides plenty of food for thought.
So that’s it - My Top Eight Podcast Picks - Happy listening!
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