A date with Sarah-Kate; Kate’s home truths
Sarah-Kate has discovered a fab new, er, cast-time
Far from being an early adopter who jumps from one glittering jewel of new technology to the next, I’m still resentful that the fax has had its day. What a time saver! But it’s not coming back, so in recent years, I’ve been trying to navigate the brave new world to figure out what other bits of it I like and can use in day-to-day life.
Social media works for a lot of people, but sadly, I’m not one of them. However, I have become a fan of podcasts. For those of you even further behind in the future than I am, a podcast is a recorded audio file you download via a website or iTunes so you can listen to it on your computer or phone.
Gwyneth Paltrow has done her very first one with Oprah Winfrey and it’s fab, just like a real conversation between two real people, which I suppose they are. Kinda. Not really. But hey, thanks to the magic of podcasts, we are right there listening to them.
My favourite, however, is Desert Island Discs. This podcast is the recorded version of a BBC show that’s been going for 75 years. Every episode is available and I play one when I walk the dog.
Over the course of about 40 minutes, an invited guest shares the eight “discs” they would choose if they were stuck indefinitely on a desert island. They can also choose a book and a luxury item. For copyright reasons, you don’t get to hear the whole song, but you still get the gist – and it’s amazing what else you get to hear. Among my favourite guests have been Tom Hanks, Stella McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Marian Keyes and David Beckham.
It’s not just the celebs, though – all sorts of business people, writers, architects and explorers consider it an honour to be invited on, and thanks to the extrication skills of host Kirsty Young, they never fail to perform. This stern Scottish woman (don’t ever suggest taking two books to your island) has been doing the interviews for the past 12 years and is an absolute star at worming the deep, dark secrets out of her soon-to-be-marooned guests.
Many’s the time I have laughed out loud or burst into tears as I trudge around the block with the pooch while listening. If you want to give it a bash, download the 75th anniversary special, with snippets from Kirsty’s favourite guests. The story told by surgeon David Nott about operating on a young girl in Gaza while waiting for a bomb to explode will melt even the hardest heart.
But I listen to a lot of screenwriting podcasts too because that’s what I’m doing with myself these days and what people can teach you via your headphones as you go about your business is nothing short of extraordinary. And it’s free. I know! When’s the last time that happened?
So if you love real-life crime or you miss Downton Abbey, or you need tips on parenting, find yourself a podcast. There’s a whole new world out there just waiting for your ears.