PODCASTS/AUDIOBOOKS

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane Austen?

The fabulous Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders return for the second series of David Quantick’s sparkling sitcom about two chalk and cheese warring sisters – respected novelist Florence (French) and glamorous movie star Selina (Saunders). The first series deservedly won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best Radio Comedy and Quantick delivers another delightful helping of fun. In the opening episode Selina is off to Buckingham Palace to pick up her OBE with an envious Florence in tow and their friend Mrs Ragnarrok (Meera Syal) is applying for Danish citizenship in order to secure an EU passport. Other escapades in future episodes include Florence being sued for libel and Selina’s diaries being serialised in the Daily Mail.

Happy Place Various platforms, review by Yvette Huddleston

In this health and wellbeing series, author and broadcaster Fearne Cotton speaks to celebrity guests about their life experiences and how they have shaped the person they are today. In one of the latest episodes she speaks to actor, comedian, presenter and author Matt Lucas. He speaks movingly about why the festive period is not a happy time for everyone, himself included especially after losing his father when he was only 22. It is a theme he explores in his new children’s book The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas which touches on childhood grief within a heart-warming adventure story. The pair also discuss why grieving takes time, there are no rules, and the importance of creativity in supporting our mental health and wellbeing.

Unchartered with Hannah Fry BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston

Mathematician Professor Hannah Fry looks at the mathematics in everyday situations in this entertaining series. In each episode she looks at the data behind commonplace events. One example in this latest series Fry takes a look at the story of a hi-tech driverless train system in Singapore which in 2016 began glitching in random and unpredictable ways. The government, the train company and even the military struggle to figure out what is causing the problem and then data scientist Jason Bay and his team take a look and put together an oldfashioned timetabling graph developed in 19th century France. It finally exposes what could be causing the problem. Other episodes include a look at the ‘happiness curve’ and the risks of decision making.

Screen Shot BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston

This excellent, in-depth movie analysis series is a must-listen for dedicated film buffs. Hosted by Mark Kermode and Ellen E Jones, each episode takes a deep dive into a particular film, genre or aspect of filmmaking. A recent episode celebrated the 50th anniversary of British thriller Don’t Look Now, a chilling psychodrama directed by Nicolas Roeg adapted from a story by Daphne Du Maurier, starring Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland as a married couple in Venice grieving the recent death of their young daughter. Jones speaks to Allan Scott, co-writer of the screenplay, about his memories of working with Roeg and the making of the film, while Kermode talks to two filmmakers, Alice Lowe and Thomas Vinterberg whose own work has been influenced by the film.