And welcome to this second special article, featuring a roundup of my favourite podcasts of 2024. If you missed the first part, it's here!
Thank you so much for your company over the past year, and hope you have a great New Year.
2024 PODCAST PICKS
The Price of Paradise - A rollercoaster limited series about a woman who decides to relocate to a paradise island off the coast of Nicaragua, along with a reality television crew. Absolutely everything that can go wrong does go wrong.
The storytelling is sublime and the narration by Alice Levine is a joy.
Miss Me? - There are many podcasts fronted by celebrity friends and this series by Miquita Oliver and Lily Allen is one of the best.
Each episode features the pair talking about the celebrity and entertainment world over the last week, with both providing interesting insights after being part of these worlds for more than two decades.
Gangster: The Story of the Daniels and the Lyons - Launched earlier this month, the latest series of this gangster podcast looks at the decades long feud between two crime families in Glasgow, the Daniels and the Lyons. It is a feud that has lasted generations, and shows no sign of ending, causing hardship for those who are caught up in the violence.
Short Cuts - This BBC Radio 4 series showcases short documentaries, usually under a theme, and a listen is always eclectic and unpredictable. It feels like a British version of This American Life.
A shame, then, that the BBC has announced that the series will be ending (although the BBC will be expanding their short form commissions).
Sherlock & Co - A great way to twist the work of Arthur Conan Doyle. In each episode, you’ll hear Sherlock and Watson’s adventures, through the perspective of Watson who has framed the whole thing as a true crime podcast.
Written by Joel Emery, the series takes all of the hallmarks that make the plots so renowned while making the stories feel fresh and fitting in the world of true crime podcasting. There’s also great acting by Paul Waggott as John Watson and Harry Attwell as Sherlock, and rich sound mix and production.
Extrasensory - A haunting series well narrated by the actor Will Sharpe, looking at a strange story from 1950s England. A milkman did not mourn the passing of his daughters, because he believed that they were to be reincarnated. His wife then gives birth to two daughters who claim that they have memories of their previous lives.
The Curious History of Your Home - You might not think that a podcast that goes into the history of the shed or bins would be a stimulating listen, but you would be mistaken. This series by the domestic historian Ruth Goodman is fascinating because it is so well researched, making you realise that some of the rituals and features of the humble home go back thousands of years.
Oceans: Life Under Water - The wildlife filmmaker and zoologist Hannah Stitfall is behind this engaging series, a partnership between Crowd Network and Greenpeace. It teaches you all about how oceans work around the world as a way to inspire and encourage you to help protect them.
Press Play, Turn On - A series that looks into how pornography can be more inclusive, authentic and ethical. Presented by Amelia Lander-Cavallo, the series throws you into the growing world of audio pornography, featuring an array of interesting contributors and perspectives.
Just One Thing with Michael Mosley - Earlier this year the television and radio broadcaster Michael Mosley died. He was a frequent podcaster, and achieved acclaim for his series full of health advice and wellbeing wisdom, from the benefits of yoga to coldwater therapy.
There are two special episodes celebrating his life and work on the podcast feed.
