11 New Podcasts Our Lifestyle Editor Is Loving This Month
The Retrievals
One of the most gripping series I’ve come across in a long time, this podcast tells the story of dozens of women who underwent treatment to become mothers at the Yale Fertility Centre. Over several years, women began cycles of IVF, only to realise the anaesthetic didn’t work, meaning they underwent excruciating procedures without any pain relief. Some patients screamed in the procedure room, while others called the clinic from home to report pain in the hours that followed. But most of the staff members who fielded the patients’ reports didn’t know the real reason for the pain, which was that a nurse at the clinic was stealing fentanyl from the hospital and replacing it with saline. Told by a New York Times journalist, it’s a harrowing story about the flaws of the health system in America and its ongoing opioid crisis.
Listen here.
It's Not You, It's Them...But It Might Be You with LalalaLetMeExplain
Finally, a relationships podcast hosted by a credible expert. Lalalaletmeexplain is an anonymous relationships guru who knows all about 21st-century dating. In fact, she was the person who first brought ‘the ick’ stories to Instagram. In her excellent new podcast, she answers listeners’ questions on love, dating and sex with insightful advice on how to navigate tricky and awkward situations. She’s also a registered social worker, so you can trust her guidance. On Mondays, Lala addresses a hot topic of the week (don’t miss the episode on ‘limerence’), while Wednesdays are about conundrums around love and sex. There’s also an episode each Friday dedicated to your dilemmas, from red flags to ick reactions.
Listen here.
Over My Dead Body
True crime fans, this one’s for you. Series four of Wondery’s Over My Dead Body tells the story of Mike Williams, an estate agent who went missing on a hunting trip on Lake Seminole, a reservoir straddling the Georgia-Florida state line. The cops said he was eaten by alligators, but his mother suspected foul play. She spent the next few years conducting her own detective work, putting ads in newspapers and persuading the local community to come forward with new information. When police reopen the case, they discover the truth about his marriage and his best friend, and an unbelievable betrayal starts to unravel. Expect to be transported to a rural community in the Deep South.
Listen here.
The Girlfriends
This podcast was made in collaboration with No More, a global non-profit company dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence. It tells the true story of a group of women who formed a club to put a murderous ex-boyfriend behind bars – think John Tucker Must Die, but far worse. Unlike your typical true crime story, this one’s not about the murderer, Bob. It’s about his wife Gail and the other women who dated him who could have suffered the same fate. It’s also about Gail’s sister Alayne, who never gave up the fight for justice, and the gratitude she felt when she learned that a sisterhood of women were on her side. Hosted by one of Bob’s real-life girlfriends, the series highlights the ways women unite to protect each other when systems of justice fail them.
Listen here.
The Break With Patricia Bright
Patricia Bright is one of my favourite OG YouTubers, so I was excited to hear she’d recently launched her own podcast, inspired by her business The Break, a network for women to learn about finance. Patricia wants to share what she’s learned during her career – working at an investment bank and being a content creator – so each episode opens the doors to those conversations. She’s rounded up some of her famous friends to share tips on investment, becoming your own boss and how to break into various industries. Don’t miss the episode with founder and CEO of TALA and Shreddy, Grace Beverley, who talks to Patricia about her successful business and how ‘fight or flight mode’ helped her make her first £100k.
Listen here.
Real Survival Stories
Fans of TV series Lost will love this podcast. Ever wondered what you would do if you found yourself lost in the wild? In the desert, the jungle or the mountains, would you make the right choices to stay alive? Real Survival Stories talks to people who have survived deadly situations, like being trapped under a glacier or stranded in the South Atlantic. Don’t miss the third episode when a paraglider finds herself in a nightmare scenario when a huge storm rolls in. Sucked into the clouds, she’s pelted by hailstones the size of oranges. As lightning cracks around her, she’s higher than Everest and nearing the cruising altitude of a jumbo jet. A gripping listen.
Listen here.
The Eras: Kylie Minogue
Pop culture lovers and noughties music fans will no doubt know the impact Kylie Minogue has had over the years. From her breakout role in Neighbours in the 80s to those famous hot pants, she’s stayed in the cultural zeitgeist for over three decades. This BBC podcast tells the story of Kylie’s career through its era-defining chapters. In the first four episodes, you’ll hear from Kylie’s famous fans, including Jessie Ware, David Tennant (who Kylie starred with in a special Christmas episode of Doctor Who in 2007, watched by over 13m viewers), Jake Shears, Olly Alexander, Beverley Knight, Rylan Clark and Emily Eavis. In the final episode, you’ll hear from Kylie herself in an exclusive interview with Radio 2 DJs Zoe Ball and Scott Mills.
Listen here.
The Coco Berthmann Story
For a long time, it seemed like Coco Berthmann’s story was all over the news and social media. This podcast takes listeners back to the beginning of an unbelievable series of events. Coco became internet-famous after sharing her story of surviving sex trafficking as a young child growing up in Germany. She was sheltered and supported by families in Utah, where her faith and fame intertwined. But in 2022, Coco was arrested for raising money for a fake cancer diagnosis, and people began to doubt everything that she had ever said. Was her life story one big elaborate lie? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim leads the investigation…
Listen here.
The History of the World's Greatest Nightclubs
This series is hosted by American singer-songwriter Ultra Naté, who’s behind 90s classics like ‘Free’, and is produced by Paris Hilton – two women passionate about the importance of nightclubs. The 12-part series explores how different clubs around the world revolutionised the way we party, from NYC’s Studio 54 to Berghain in Berlin and the legendary queer club Trade at Turnmills in London. These places weren’t just party venues; they ushered in the birth of new genres and became hotspots for political activism. But, above all, they created space for people to escape the world around them, to lose themselves in the music and leave it all on the dancefloor.
Listen here.
The Red Carpet Treatment with Jordan Stephens
Jordan Stephens is one half of Rizzle Kicks and presents the chat show Don't Hate the Playaz on ITV. Now, he’s taken over from YouTuber Nella Rose to host the new season of the official BRIT Awards podcast. In each episode he talks to guests about their own BRITs experiences and what it’s like being in the public eye. Expect to hear from Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts, R&B artist Raye, rapper Ms Banks and songwriter Mini Webb, to name a few. We most enjoyed the episode with Oliva Dean who discusses growing up in Walthamstow, supporting Loyle Carner on tour and playing at Glastonbury.
Listen here.
Terribly Famous
Adoring fans, multi-million-pound houses, more money than you know how to spend. Being super famous comes with endless possibilities, but it can also come with equal downsides, especially today when everyone has a smart phone and social media trolling is at an all-time high. This series takes you behind the scenes on the lives of our most iconic stars, from homegrown singer Adele to the regular guys who make up the world’s biggest boyband. I’m looking forward to the episodes on Victoria Beckham which will dissect her rise from popstar to global fashion designer.
Listen here.
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