PODCASTS/AUDIOBOOKS
The Medici: the Inheritors BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston
The second series following the fortunes of the famous banking family in Renaissance Florence. The opening episode of Catherine Johnson’s dramatization of the lives of the Medicis focusses on Alessandro de Medici (played by Elliot Barnes-Worrell) who was the first hereditary Medici duke. While he was very popular with the Florentine people, Alessandro was less popular with his own family – his cousins Lorenzino and Ippolito in particular resented what they saw as his seizing of Ippolito’s birthright. It wasn’t long before attempts on his life began and he was eventually assassinated at the age of only 26. A fascinating study of power, politics, money, art and religion. The first three-part series, broadcast in January 2023, is also available on BBC Sounds.
The Miners’ Strike: Return Journey BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston
To mark the 40th anniversary of the divisive miners’ strike, there are a range of radio and TV broadcasts on the subject. This thoughtful series is hosted by journalist Chris Jackson who back in 1984 was a young radio reporter in South Wales and found himself covering the bitter year-long dispute that scarred a whole generation. Here he meets and records the memories and experiences of people who were involved on all sides. In the opening episode Jackson travels to Sunderland to meet Neil Foster, the fourth generation of a mining family, who went on strike for the full year. The poignant location for their meeting is Sunderland Football Club’s home ground which was built on the site of the former Monkwearmouth Colliery.
Offstage: Inside the X Factor BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston
The reality series The X Factor, in which aspiring stars performed in front of celebrity judges for a chance to realise their dream of stardom, was one of the biggest hits of its genre. Reporter Chi Chi Izundu looks back on the series, taking a glimpse behind its glitzy exterior to find out what it was really like behind the scenes for the contestants. She looks at the whole journey – from the audition process right through to the latter stages of the competition and beyond, hearing from contestants and staff about the tough words, the hard work and the rewards. The contributors talk about what it felt like to be constantly watched by the media and the pressure of becoming famous overnight.
Why Do You Hate Me? BBC Sounds, review by Yvette Huddleston
This new series, hosted by the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring, looks at the sometimes-harmful interactions that take place online and investigates how untruths and dangerous conspiracy theories can easily develop and grow in the digital space. And the kind of hatred that can be ignited. In each episode Spring examines a different case of online hate, meeting the people at the centre of the conflicts, bringing them together and in some cases attempting to see if understanding or even forgiveness might be possible. In the opening episode she hears from a woman, Julia Wandelt, who posted on social media saying she believed that she was Madeleine McCann. Spring talks to Wandelt about her motives for posting and her regrets.