Podcasts & Blogs I like

[Hazey_Jane]

The latest episode of the Grange Hill podcast is really good, with Lee MacDonald aka Zammo. He seems like such a lovely bloke and he’s funny too and we haven’t even gotten to the heroin bit too.

Other reason for coming here was to ask for a movie podcast recommendation. For political reasons I’ve had enough of Kermode and Mayo but still want to keep on top of what’s coming out at the pictures, both mainstream US and UK blockbusters and independent/ arthouse recommendations. Any ideas?

[Lily]

I couldn't keep up with Nobody Should Believe Me; I found it too depressing. So now I'm on The Teacher's Pet, which is obviously much more cheerful. I'm also listening to The Girlfriends, on a similar theme (surely not).

[Derek Nimmo]

History's Secret Heroes on BBC Sounds, narrated by Helena Bonham Carter. Absolutely cracking social history about WW2, it's had me quite spellbound even though I knew a couple of the stories already.

[sally maclennane]

I recently listened to Blood on the Dance Floor, a BBC sounds podcast about the murder of a gay police officer in Northern Ireland in the 90s. It was well done and interesting.

I always listen to the Alistair Campbell/Rory Stewart podcast and they were discussing the Lucy Letby case this week. They mentioned a podcast about it which I was tempted to listen to, but it's by the Daily Mail and also is over 50 episodes long. They were full of praise for the sensitive way the journalists involved have handled the case. I'm just not sure I could listen to it all.

[Disco]

I’ve been listening to that Sally. I’ve heard the whole thing but as it’s been released.

Obv not flaunting a DM friendship but this was easily accessible and factual.

[sally maclennane]

I’ve been listening to that Sally. I’ve heard the whole thing but as it’s been released.

Obv not flaunting a DM friendship but this was easily accessible and factual.

Oh interesting, is it worth listening to the whole thing, do you think? I wondered about skipping the episodes that feature each child as I thought they might be a bit harrowing. But maybe its best to listen to the whole thing?

[Disco]

I found value in listening to it all as I wanted to gets the events straight in my head so I could follow easily and form my own verdict. If I'd started from LL being on the witness stand, for example, I wouldn't have realised the times she was lying or trying to blame someone else.

[sally maclennane]

That makes sense, I'll give it a go. Thanks

[Disco]

There are a few filler episodes I ended up skipping through - as I started in the late 20s as it was broadcast but went back to the beginning to catch up - people opining about court cases in general.

[Lily]

I've just finished Vishal (BBC). I highly recommend it as a piece of incredibly tenacious journalism but it is really upsetting - I couldn't binge it, and I wound up crying over it yesterday when I finished (episode 10 is due out soon). I'm using Del 's recommendation to cheer me up.

I tried The Retrievals but it made me feel quite sick. I'm not great with talk about ladies' innards for some reason; it makes me feel squeamish in a way I'm not normally, so I had to give it up.

[Kleio]

Bumping this to add Ghost Story.

It's a 50:50 murder investigation and ghost story about the journalists in laws. It's absolutely fascinating.

[rosy]

Iain Stirling and his partner Laura Whitmore have a new true crime podcast Murder They Wrote, available on BBC Sounds. Sometimes the back and forth irritates me but they do explain the cases quite well.

My current favourite is DNA:ID (new episodes every Monday). I am fascinated by the science of familial/genealogical DNA to identify bodies, and to catch criminals in cold cases.

[Jupiter]

Bumping this to add Ghost Story.

It's a 50:50 murder investigation and ghost story about the journalists in laws. It's absolutely fascinating.

I just finished that and really enjoyed it.

[Lily]

I enjoyed Ghost Story immensely, I was going to recommend it too!

I heard an advert for Murder They Wrote but I am trying to steer away from true crime. I feel guilty about enjoying someone else's trauma.

[sally maclennane]

I've started listening to The Rest is Entertainment, there's obviously a few of these podcasts (The Rest is...) but this one is quite light hearted. It's hosted by Richard Osman and Marina Hyde, I find her a little bit irritating at times but I love Richard. Its about anything Entertainment related - films, TV programmes, books, social media and they cover a couple of topics per episode.

[Duophonic]

I'm listening to - June: Voice of a Silent Twin

It's about June and Jennifer Gibbons and so desperately sad that everyone failed them

[Lily]

This is very entertaining.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b03fpr2d

[Lily]

Has anyone listened to Death of a Codebreaker (BBC Sounds) about the murder of Gareth Williams? (Because I don't for one second buy the theory that he locked himself in a bag, in the dark, in a bath with the heating on full whack) It's really sinister. Poor sod. If that happened to a member of my family I think I'd go bonkers with the grief and horror of not knowing.

[sally maclennane]

I listened to that a few weeks ago. Like you, I don't believe the official line at all. I thought the podcast handled it well.

[Lily]

It was so bizarre at the time it never occurred to me how awful it must be for his family. I think I'd believe the bizarre fetish story a little more if MI6 had noticed that he hadn't turned up for a week. Not that I'd believe it at all but something is really off with that. They're supposed to be an intelligence service: it doesn't really bode well for us if they don't notice one of their employees is absent.

I feel really sad for him. Unless he did something absurdly stupid like lock himself in a bag in the dark with the heating up... You see it just is not plausible. At all.