PODCASTS/AUDIOBOOKS

Here Comes the Guillotine Various platforms, review by Yvette Huddleston

Not for the faint hearted this one – there is plenty of robust language and no holds barred discussion on a variety of topics as comedians Frankie Boyle, Susie McCabe and Christopher MacArthur-Boyd share their darkly comic, subversive opinions on anything and everything. The award-winning Scottish comics discuss a variety of themes including politicians, celebrities, the Royal Family, Billy Connolly and famous historical figures. Their conversation also takes in, inevitably, the current chaotic state of the world, geopolitics, economics and don’t swerve from really weighty topics such as death, loss and rejection. Having said all that, it is definitely not a misery fest as the three friends riff on all those subjects, always with one eye on making the listener laugh.

One Handshake Away: Peter Bogdanovich & the Icons of Cinema

Various platforms, review by Yvette Huddleston

Early in his career, director, actor, critic and historian Peter Bogdanovich got the chance to interview legendary directors such as Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hawks and John Ford. Shortly before his death, Bogdanovich was working on a new podcast series in which he interviewed his favourite contemporary directors about their heroes from the past. Sadly, he died before he could complete the project, but thankfully his ex-wife and collaborator Louise Stratten stepped in so that we can now get to hear it. She acts as co-host and narrator, with the help of award-winning director Guillermo del Toro in the final episodes. Among those taking part in the fascinating conversations are Greta Gerwig, Quentin Tarantino, Ken Burns and Julie Delpy.

Straight to the Comments Various platforms, review by Yvette Huddleston

A little high concept and at the same time unashamedly lowbrow, this new series takes a look at the bizarre comments left under MailOnline stories. Hosts Archie Manners and Josh Peters invite a celebrity guest into the studio and read them some of the comments left under stories that they have featured in and ask them to make a guess at which story they might relate to. It is all very irreverent, slight anarchic and often funny. First up is Dani Dyer, inset ,who chats to the pair about her father’s affection for Chinese restaurants, some of the famous babysitters she had when she was a child (they include Keira Knightley), chicken dippers, dirty feet, and what life is like with Danny Dyer as your father.

One Person Found This Useful BBC Sounds , review by Yvette Huddleston

Frank Skinner hosts a fairly niche panel game based, bizarrely, on the world of online shopping reviews. The contestants are required to read the comments and work out which review relates to which item. It does lead to some quirky and often very funny revelations. In the opening episode it is the turn of Simon Evans, Jessica Fostekew, Amy Gledhill and Ahir Shah to try and decipher some of the reviews which range from the whimsical, to the angry to the frankly quite incredible on items including a Hercule Poirot box set, mead and a toy brontosaurus. There are some gems, such as this comment left by a TripAdvisor reviewer whose verdict on Ben Nevis was that it was ‘very steep and too high’…