A bold new podcast takes on the Epstein scandal – podcasts of the week
everything from poetry to wrestling. Highlights include live recordings by George the Poet, Adam Buxton and the Allusionist, as well as talks on how to pitch, produce and present your own podcast.
Picks of the week
Hag
Audible’s eight-part podcast brings a collection of forgotten folk stories reimagined by a group of sharp female writers. The fiction debut from GalDem’s Liv Little is a real highlight: a powerful tale about twin sisters who are reunited with their mother in her final days at a hospice. Meanwhile, Eimear McBride’s knowing asides about the flowery descriptions of women in fables (“Do we really need to go over all this?”) are a sardonic delight. It’s easy to get lost in the stories from diverse voices. Hannah Verdier The Open Ears Project
Former BBC presenter Clemency Burton-Hill is hoping to bring classical music to a wider audience with this daily US podcast featuring guests including Ian McEwan, Alec Baldwin and Sam Mendes. Each day a different person, from celebrities to everyday New Yorkers, will introduce listeners to their favourite piece. The soothingly voiced Burton-Hill believes listening to a little classical music each day has a positive effect on your life and, with each episode just a few minutes long, it’s a regular ritual worth joining. HV
Guardian pick: Today in Focus: Reporting from the eye of a political storm
Anushka Asthana and the Today in Focus team visit Westminster over two of the most frenetic days in recent political history. Asthana follows the Guardian’s political correspondents as they attempt to make sense of another seismic week in British politics, with Boris Johnson losing his fragile majority and calling for MPs to allow him an election. One of the highlights is Asthana’s poignant interview with Sir Nicholas Soames, who was one of 21 Tory MPs expelled by the party.
Producer pick: Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer
Chosen by Takudzwa Mudiwa
American comedian, and host of the wonderful anti-cookery show Nailed It!, Nicole Byer leads a podcast where she discusses why she is still single. Byer questions the anxieties and pressures of dating, while sharing hilarious anecdotes about how she navigated herself through personal frustrations and bringing humour to situations we may be too embarrassed to talk about.Candid and unapologetic, Why Won’t You Date Me? is well worth the listen, though perhaps not during the morning commute as it may be difficult to stifle your laughter.