With over 150 million views and more than half a million followers on Instagram, A View From A Bridge has become one of the internet’s most distinctive storytelling platforms. Now, the project is expanding into audio with a brand-new podcast launching today, offering audiences the chance to hear the extended and previously unpublished stories behind its viral clips.
The original format is simple but striking: interviewees – from everyday passersby to world-famous musicians, actors and activists – stand on a bridge holding a bright red telephone, sharing their story in a short, poetic burst. Each video gives a glimpse into a life, a moment, or an idea. But what most viewers don’t see is that these clips are taken from much longer conversations with the show’s creator, artist and producer Joe Bloom.
The new podcast format releases those conversations in thematic episodes, giving listeners a richer, more intimate perspective. Each episode brings together a selection of voices recorded on bridges across the world — from London to New York to Paris — exploring themes that range from life-changing moments to identity, love, fear and hope.
A standout episode, “To Be Or Not To Be… A Parent,” brings together four stories that explore the complexities of parenthood. Singer Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem), documentary filmmaker Jonathan, musician Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, and Alexandra, who shares her experience of birth trauma on Waterloo Bridge, each offer strikingly different perspectives — from choosing vasectomy to navigating near-death childbirth experiences.
Other episodes include “Leaving Home,” featuring Syrian filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab; “Something Changed,” with contributions from musicians Jason Williamson (Sleaford Mods) and Perfume Genius; and “I’m Alive!”, a collection of stories about moments that awaken our most primal instincts, including reflections from Kae Tempest.
Bloom is determined to keep the project firmly audio-first, resisting the industry trend towards video podcasts. Citing This American Life as an inspiration, he focuses on intimate, thoughtful storytelling underscored by original music. The result is a mosaic of voices that captures both the extraordinary and the everyday, offering listeners a uniquely human perspective.
Episodes 1 to 3 of A View From A Bridge are available on all major platforms now.
