4 Top New Non-True Crime Podcasts of May 2023
Here are four great new non-true crime podcasts for you to check out!
1. A Very British Cult - Hosted By Catrin Nye - BBC Radio 4.
The BBC (in various forms) have produced some of the best podcasts I have listened to and this new cult themed investigative podcast continues that trend! A Very British Cult is a great podcast to binge as firstly its utterly addictive and secondly, and probably most importantly, all eight episodes are available now!
In this podcast, host Catrin Nye takes us along on her investigation into the life coaching company “Lighthouse” whose methods of operation are questionable, to say the least! The person behind Lighthouse is Paul Waugh. We get to hear directly from Mr. Waugh later in the series but not until we have heard from some previous members of this alleged “cult”; their experiences are certainly not what comes to mind when you think of life coaching.
As you will have already come to realise, I loved this podcast! I’m a big “cult” podcast fan and I think its about time I put together a top “cult” podcast list and will certainly be including this podcast on it.
2. Believe in Magic - Hosted By Jamie Bartlett - BBC Sounds.
Second on the list and another BBC podcast, this time a seven-part series looking into a charity set up by a teenage girl and her mother and strongly supported by one of the biggest boy-bands ever to come out of the UK and Ireland, “One Direction”. The charity in question was called Believe in Magic and it was founded by 16 year old Megan Bhari. When Megan discovered she had a brain tumour she established the charity to raise money to help other sick children and their families.
This podcast tells the story of Megan, her charity and a shocking story of drama and deception with far reaching consequences for many.
I am absolutely glued to this podcast and really trying to refrain from Googling it, as while I have a vague memory of this story, I cannot remember the details and so I wait for the next episode to drop on Spotify.
A quick side-note, if you like the host of this podcast be sure to check out his other work on the excellent The Missing Cryptoqueen - an absolute podcast gem!
3. Who Robs a Banksy? - Hosted By Jake Warren - Podimo & Message Heard.
I would consider myself a “fan” or perhaps admirer of Banksy’s work, I only hope I still will be after I have finished listening to this new podcast series!
Who Robs a Banksy? is a six-part series featuring a very interesting character named Andy Link. Andy Link is the man behind the robbery:
“In 2004, he kidnapped one of Banksy’s pieces of art in broad daylight from the middle of central London, and held it to ransom. The fact that someone would kidnap a Banksy statue is pretty absurd already, but the story of why it happened, how the statue vanished again after it was kidnapped, and how it was mysteriously put up for auction over 10 years later is even wilder.” (Source here).
Banksy has always portrayed himself as an anti-establishment figure but the wider question raised by the host is “How genuinely anti-establishment is Banksy really?” (Warren:Ep.3). It seems that Banksy (like many artists) takes inspiration from others, such as Blek Le Rat. In fact, the Banksy statue “the drinker” that is at the centre of this podcast was not even made by Banksy (Warren:Ep.3).
Banksy’s elusive character and his anonymity “while a tool to keep his identity hidden, is also useful in batting any difficult questions or scrutiny away” (Warren:Ep.3) and is a much loved masked crusader “who’s mask enables him to do anything he wants” (Warren:Ep.3).
An intriguing and entertaining podcast that I am really enjoying and hope you do too. There are three episodes available so far.
4. British Scandal: Gazza (Season 26) - Hosted By Alice Levine & Matt Forde - Wondery.
British Scandal is back with a new season all about Paul “Gazza” Gascoigne who found fame on the soccer field, playing for Newcastle United and England soon after. But Paul Gascoigne’s life was far from smooth sailing, his inner struggles could not remain hidden forever. This podcast covers it all! I loved hearing about his early life and childhood in episode one and how his hard work and commitment resulted in him making the Newcastle United team. However, we also see the first signs of the darker side of Paul, we learn of his early struggles with an eating disorder and alcohol and much more. Although I am not a soccer fan, I don’t think you need to be for this podcast, it is all about the person that is Paul Gascoigne and who “Gazza” really is. The first three episodes are available now.
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