PODCASTS/AUDIOBOOKS

Ian Hislop’s Oldest Jokes BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston

In this new series Ian Hislop investigates the historical roots of comedy and tracks down some of the earliest examples of what we recognise as enduring British comedy tropes and jokes. With the assistance of modern-day comedians such as Paul Whitehouse, Nina Conti and duo Flo and Joan as well as comedy academics, Hislop looks at how a number of themes or techniques in our national humour seem to survive any social or political upheaval. These include wordplay, parody, jokes about animals and double entendre. In the opening episode Hislop goes right back to the dark ages, not necessarily the obvious era for comedy, but he nevertheless finds wordplay within the pages of the Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England.

The Godmother Various platforms, review by Yvette Huddleston

Poet and writer Nichole Perkins hosts this fascinating eight-part series. In the 1930s one of America’s most notorious mobsters Lucky Luciano was finally brought to trial. The littleknown story, however, is that he was brought down by young prosecutor Eunice Carter, one of the first Black women to become a prosecutor in the United States. Her pioneering role in what became known as ‘the trial of the century’ has been all but erased from the history books. Perkins looks at Carter’s life and career as a writer, social worker, community organiser, political candidate and campaigner for justice. She explores how Carter navigated the world of New York politics and remained focussed, ambitious and driven in the face of sexism and racism.

Hollywood Exiles BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston

Oona Chaplin hosts this new weekly series which tells the story of how her grandfather Charlie Chaplin was forced out of Hollywood during the communist witch hunt of the 1950s and 60s. Charlie Chaplin was one of Hollywood’s first and biggest stars and a pioneer of the film industry in the America. However, at the height of his career, the FBI considered him and others in the movie industry to be a threat to the United States and by the 1960s he was living in exile in Switzerland. Oona goes back to her grandfather’s early life living in poverty in Victorian London and charts his rise to fame and wealth in Hollywood. In many ways his story seemed like the embodiment of the American Dream.

Rare Earth BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston

This new podcast series, hosted by environmental journalist and Countryfile reporter Tom Heap and physicist and author Helen Czerski, explores some of the biggest stories about the environment, meeting the people who are coming up with innovative ideas on how to help us, and nature, thrive. In each episode the pair aim to answer one key question on the topic with the help of expert studio guests and contributions from around the world. While the series doesn’t shy away from the challenges facing us – such as rising temperatures and wildlife decline – the aim is to explore the potential solutions that scientists and others and looking at. In the opening episode Heap and Czerski ask how we can bring nature back from the brink.