Where Are You Going?, a podcast that charmed audiences and audiophiles alike, is finishing today after a decade in production. It ran as a BBC show from 2014-2019 before returning as a podcast in the past few years.
The show was a rare gem that made the most of a simple format and ran with it, simply asking passing members of the public the titular question: "where are you going?"
What followed was invariably lovely, sweet and surprising. The personal stories spilled to a perfect stranger at a moments notice made this a podcast with the power to change the way you see the people around you. Each is on their way somewhere and it transpires simply asking where could make you laugh or break your heart.
That perfect stranger is Catherine Carr, who has stopped passersby in New York and Northampton. Her success in getting her guests to open up on mic has seen her win awards including Best Presenter at the Audio Production Awards, while her show has been named Podcast of the Year by the Radio Times, as well as featuring in countless outlets including the Observer, The Week and The Sunday Times.
The show's fans also include the Financial Times' audio critic Fiona Sturges, who guests on the podcast's final episode. Of the show, Sturges says "My delight... has only grown because of the way audio has gone and it's become a bit celebrity obsessed. So I love hearing just everyday people from all sorts of backgrounds and all sorts of walks of life just sharing their stories."
Carr says: "I am going to miss the surprise and delight of stopping total strangers in the street and hearing their most unexpected stories. It has been a completely wonderful experience. Over a million downloads, audio awards, amazing reviews, our club, a loyal and brilliant audience and the sharing of all the extraordinary interactions with the people I have met out and about around the world. I am moved every time I take my tiny recorder and head out."
Carr remains a committed audio producer making shows for the likes of BBC Radio 4, including the recently well-received About The Boys. She will soon be a published author, having written a book based around another podcast project, Relatively.
