PODCASTS

THE BEST AUDIO SHOWS TO LISTEN TO THIS WEEK

WE WILL GET PAST THIS Why Sandi’s still the Toksvig of the town

We all need Sandi Toksvig in our lives right now. Thankfully she has noticed and is churning out a soothing daily podcast from her home’s ‘room of books’. Episodes last ten minutes and are a little like Thought For The Day on Radio 4, only less boring and pious. Toksvig often takes a story from a book in her collection as a starting point for reflections of her own.

1619 Timely study of the legacy of slavery

In 1619, a ship loaded with over 20 enslaved Africans docked in Virginia, then an English colony. This award-winning podcast argues that the ship’s arrival marked the beginning of America as we know it. The series explores the ways in which the country was shaped by slaves, and celebrates the contributions of black people to American culture.

SO HOT RIGHT NOW An upbeat look at climate change issues

Carbon emissions may have dipped in the pandemic, but we are still heading for climate catastrophe. This show features interviews with figures in the fight against global warming, from David Attenborough to Ellie Goulding, who reveals that for every post about climate change she uploads on social media, she loses 1,000 followers. It’s surprisingly upbeat.

HOW TO SURVIVE Would you have escaped the Towering Inferno?

In this kooky podcast, friends Joe and Chris discuss how they would survive if pitched into the hellscapes faced by characters in films such as Home Alone and Titanic. As the hosts set out where characters dropped the ball, they provide plenty of witty and insightful analysis of the films in question. It’s great fun.