From some shocking investigations and getting frank about money, to a twist on the cultural phenomenon of reality dating shows, there’s something in this batch for everyone.
Come By Chance
Streaming platform: Spotify, Apple
Genre: Investigative
Host journalist Luke Quinton reports on the fascinating – and heartbreaking – story of two Canadian men, Clarence Hynes and Craig Avery, who were switched at birth. It’s a sleek production and captivating from the get go, Quinton’s calming narrative in his low Canadian drawl is so easy to listen to. We meet members from both families, but it’s Avery’s wife who starts to unravel the mystery.
It’s all against a backdrop of the eerily beautiful Newfoundland, the country’s most easterly province – a place portrayed so vividly on the audio it’s like it’s almost another character in the story.
Three episodes are already available for non-subscribers so go back and start at the top. The latest – featuring the men seeing each other for the first time – is a harrowing listen (please note, there is discussion on suicide in this episode).
But there’s still much to reveal about this 52-year-old secret and it changes everything for the people involved forever. These men aren’t alone. A must-listen.
(By Lauren Taylor)
Bread & Butter
Streaming platform: Spotify
Genre: Entertainment, Money
Financial advisor Emmanuel Asuquo and property expert Tayo Oguntonade present what they call ‘not your typical finance or business podcast’ featuring well-known guests such as influencers, athletes and musicians.
The latest episode features drummer Stephen Asamoah-Duah from The Compozers, and you’ll probably have to be a fan to get the most out of this one. They launch straight into the chat without much introduction to who anyone is, which is a tad confusing. The three cover subjects such as fame, social media and meeting big music-industry names, before moving onto money, how it’s played a part in Asamoah-Duah’s journey, and financial lessons he’s learned along the way.
The format may be a bit chaotic and sometimes it’s hard to keep up, but the content is refreshing; money discussions can be dull and this podcast makes it relatable, even with a few laughs, taking the taboo away.
(By Lauren Taylor)
Crime World presents: Caught in the Crossfire
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Crime
If you love rewatching crime dramas and serial killer documentaries on Netflix and are looking for something new to binge watch, then look no further.
Crime World has released thrilling new series, Caught in the Crossfire, which investigates the unsolved murders of Anthony Campbell, a 20-year-old plumber who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when gunmen assassinated major Irish criminal and gang boss Martin ‘Marlo’ Hyland in 2006.
The latest episode is called Operation Oak, which investigative journalist host Nicola Tallant calls ‘the beginning of Marlo’s end’.
Tallant does an amazing job at transporting the listeners back in time by providing a detailed picture of the events that transpired alongside a bounty of insightful contextual information, while her dramatic pauses create suspense and drama.
This episode covers some of the pivotal moments that led up to the seemingly untouchable Irish criminal’s demise and is both entertaining and informative.
(By Camilla Foster)
Stirring It Up with Andi and Miquita Oliver
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Food, Celebrity
Andi and Miquita Oliver, the dynamic mother-daughter presenting duo recently returned with the fourth series of their podcast, which features celebrity guests who come to share a meal that chef Andi has made.
Fans of the Table Manners podcast with Jessie Ware and her mum Lennie Ware, will enjoy this; there’s a similar vibe of a casual discussion over food, an appreciation for all things culinary, and sweet mother and daughter repartee.
The latest episode is with two-Michelin star chef and BBC Great British Menu judge, Tom Kerridge and his wife Beth. They share how they set up their acclaimed pub, The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, the legacy of the Great British Menu, and Kerridge’s lifestyle transformation – including his sober journey. It’s more like a chat among friends than an interview, which is strangely comforting, and Andi opens up too about struggling with a past eating disorder.
(By Lauren Taylor)
Spotlight on…
Cocktails & Takeaways
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Celebrity, Entertainment, Pop culture
Prior to Madame Joyce’s cheeky Cocktails and Takeaways podcast stardom, she posted lifestyle content on YouTube and her charisma permeates through both video and audio.
The hilarious host chats freely to prominent Black British guests and covers a range of subject matters such as sex, romantic relationships, London nightlife and Black British culture.
In this week’s episode, Joyce invites fellow content creator Moyo J Ajibade, known to many as YourBoyMoyo, to sip on Long Island iced tea. Between the flirty banter and giggles, the pair take a trip down memory lane and reminisce on previous podcast collaborations, Mojo’s infamous hip flick routine and the time the YouTuber broke his leg.
If you are looking for a light-hearted chatty podcast to detach from mundane nine-to-five life, give this a try.
(By Camilla Foster)
Hang Up
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Dating
Ever been to dinner when you couldn’t help eavesdropping on the first-date couple at the next table, tentatively navigating a romance?
Hang Up is a voyeuristic podcast where a woman conducts phone calls with six suitors, rejecting one each week. Everything hinges on conversation: There’s no texting, swapping photos or meeting up, until just one prospective love interest has escaped the dreaded dial tone.
Season two star Timo, a 41-year-old single mother from New Mexico, is open to dating all genders, and leads us through honest, tender and, at times, explicit conversations from her call log.
There’s a compelling twist: whoever Timo picks has the option of an all-expenses-paid holiday together, or can hang up on her and take a cash prize.
Listeners share in the uncertainty, with no photos of Timo or the callers shared online until the end. This removes the feeling of inevitability reality dating shows often labour under, where body language makes the prime attraction all too obvious.
(By Amy Crowther)
