My Favourite Non Crime Podcasts

My sister first introduced me to the world of podcasts (many years ago) and the first one I ever listened to was Serial (if you haven’t listened to it, where have you been?). Serial along with crime shows such as Making A Murderer, The Staircase and The Jinx catapulted me into a world of crime content. I absolutely lapped the stuff up and was always seeking my next thrilling crime journey.

Crime podcasts can be totally fascinating and very gripping, but they also require a fair bit of concentration and dedication. They’re not light listening that you can dip in and out of, they’re all consuming – and I found myself getting really bored of them as there are a lot of duds. After a bit of time off, I’ve managed to find my groove again, but tend to opt for more lifestyle based content – news, interviews, comedy – shows that will provide me with a relaxing 30 minutes, not an intense one.

// Table Manners with Jessie Ware
This podcast is my absolute favourite – it’s such easy listening. It’s the brain child of British singer Jessie Ware who hosts the show with her legendary mum, Lennie. It’s centred around food, family, and the art of having a chat, direct from her dinner table. Each week guests from the worlds of music, culture and politics drop by for a bite and a bit of a natter. I love the dynamic between Jessie and her mum, their humour and all the interesting guests that have been on. It’s a really comforting listen for me as it just feels like a slice of home.

// The High Low 
The High Low is a weekly news, pop-culture and current affairs podcast, co-hosted by journalists Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton (author of Everything I Know About Love). Their podcast has absolutely nailed the fusion of low-brow gossip with hard hitting cultural happenings, covering both the trivial (e.g. chin hairs) and the major (e.g. Trump politics). These brilliant ladies toe the line of being fabulously entertaining while providing stimulating, thought-provoking content. This is a true gem of a podcast.

// The Grief Cast 
This might seem like a bit of a strange recommendation based on the title (yes, it is about death), but it’s really not as miserable as it sounds. The host, comedian Cariad Lloyd, created the bereavement podcast to breakdown the taboo around death and to make it ‘less depressing’. In each episode she speaks to a fellow comic about the death of someone they loved – I won’t lie to you it’s a 50:50 whether you’ll laugh or cry, but it is incredibly entertaining and interesting and I highly recommend it.

// Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs, once described as ‘the greatest radio show of all time’ invites guests (known as castaways) to choose 8 pieces of music, a book, and a luxury item that they would taken to an imaginary desert island. The show centres around the discussions of their choices (which leads to a review of their life) and is just a really, really interesting listen. There’s a reason this is the longest running radio show in the world, give it a whirl.

What are you favourite podcasts?