Who doesn't like a good story that captivates you from the beginning? Or have you ever thought about putting some of our favorite TV characters on the couch?
1. Everything I know about myself
Transmission platform: All streaming platforms
Gender: personal stories
A household name since she burst onto our screens on TOWIE in 2011, Essex queen Gemma Collins, also known as 'The GC', is back for a second series of her popular podcast, Everything I Know About Me, where she talks of fame, her highly publicized battle with her weight and the pressure of living in the spotlight.
She may be living the dream, enjoying the ultimate celebrity lifestyle, but it was a tough road before fame came.
Here, Collins speaks candidly about her past, from the torment of her adolescence, dealing with bullying at her all-girls school, and the pressure of trying to fit in, which led her to take diet pills at age 13.
“You were thrown into a cattle market every day and you had to survive.” Desperately unhappy, she even began to self-harm. 'I hid it from everyone. I still have the scars, but I'm over it. “I just wish I wasn’t in that environment.”
Fortunately, after being out of school for a long period due to contracting glandular fever, her mother sent her to a private school, where she thrived because she felt she was treated like an individual. Collins also talks about her ambitious mother (the aptly named Joan Collins), who was behind her every step of the way and played a pivotal role in helping her achieve her dream of stardom.
Before TOWIE, there's also a cheating boyfriend, the heartbreaking decision to terminate a pregnancy and how it felt to have to go through that experience alone. Approaching 30 and feeling like nothing was working in her life while working in a BMW car showroom, came the phone call from TOWIE that changed the trajectory of her life. “We've been told about you, we've heard you're a character in Essex.” And the rest is history.
Honest and candid, this podcast reveals the real Gemma Collins behind the showbiz mask and her fans will love it.(By Caroline Duggan)
2. Reduce the cash
Transmission platform: All streaming platforms
Gender: TELEVISION
There's a lot of focus on personal growth and self-awareness these days, but let's be honest: TV would be pretty boring without a healthy dose of human messiness in the mix.
In Shrink The Box, actor and comedian Ben Bailey Smith and psychotherapist Nemone Metaxas put some of our favorite TV characters on the couch, revealing the dynamics and driving forces behind the drama and chaos that make them so entertaining on the screen, and take up themes that could arise in an imaginary therapy session.
The second season begins with the pedantic radio psychiatrist Frasier Crane from the long-running American sitcom Frasier receiving psychiatric treatment. And as fans of the series will know, there's a lot to explore, from the ever-simmering sibling rivalry with his brother Niles (both are psychotherapists/analysts, Frasier Freudian and Niles Jungian) and their complicated chalk-and-cheese relationship. with his father, to his romantic life turned upside down.
It's kind of fun and pop psychology fans can learn a thing or two.
(By Abi Jackson)
3. Black people love Paramore
Transmission platform: All streaming platforms
Gender: Culture
Black People Love Paramore is the recent Webby Award-winning podcast where host Sequoia Holmes explores the common and uncommon interests of Black people to help them feel seen.
When Holmes uploaded the first episode on March 31, 2021, her intention was never to make a Paramore podcast, but rather a space for marginalized people who love everything from anime, Ariana Grande, Ginger Ale, and Uno to feel safe. , seen and represented.
In the latest episode, Holmes is joined by Danielle B Jackson, female friendship coach and author of the new book Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women's Relationships, out May 16.
They had a thought-provoking talk about bridal parties, neutral prioritization, why we need to unite our friendships, rethinking the nature of some friendships, how they evolve as we age, and the subtle influences of pop culture.
Black people are not a monolith, so it's great that a podcast exists to prove it every week by taking a humorous look at the seemingly random things Black people love.
(By Yolanthé Fawehinmi)
4. World of secrets
Transmission platform: All streaming platforms
Gender: Religion
What is a behind the scenes story? Sometimes when powerful stories are told, we don't always hear about the incredibly hard and brave work that went on behind the scenes.
Hosted by Love, Janessa presenter, journalist and founder of We Are Black Journos Hannah Àjàlá-Rahman, the BBC's hit podcast series, World of Secrets returns with a bonus episode exploring the journalism behind series two, The Disciples.
In front of a live audience of around 100 people in London, it was thrilling to hear journalists Charlie Northcott and Yemisi Adegoke, producer Rob Byrne and whistleblowers Rae and Ajoke talk about the investigation into Megachurch frontman TB Joshua, who according to the BBC, faithful raped and tortured.
It was particularly interesting to hear Adegoke talk about the level of intimidation that journalists face in Nigeria and to hear more about why we should value and protect people who choose to speak out.
But it is important to note that this episode contains references to sexual, physical and psychological abuse.
(By Yolanthé Fawehinmi)
Focus on…
5. Chasing the mansion of Boaz
Transmission platform: All streaming platforms
Gender: Documentary film
Chasing Boaz Manor is a podcast told in two timelines, with a common thread: a scammer who reinvents himself to fleece even more people.
In one story, we have Boaz Manor, a young financial expert from Canada who is changing the game with a new hedge fund. But not everything is as it seems, as the company is really too good to be true and investors will soon pay the price.
Years later, we have Shaun MacDonald, who appears to be a cryptocurrency genius and runs an interesting new blockchain company. His hair is darker, his name is different, but he is the same person, who just moved to the United States to con more people with his money.
It's a captivating story, and while some elements of the hedge fund and cryptocurrency businesses can get quite technical, it's well explained by the engaging host, Reacher actress Serinda Swan.
Scammers are plentiful these days, so you could be forgiven for never having heard of Boaz Manor or Shaun MacDonald, but all of their scams are almost incredibly audacious, which makes for a great story. All that, and he's still out there – and who knows what he'll be doing.(By Prudence Wade)
6. Mummy Chaos Podcast
Transmission platform: All streaming platforms
Gender: Rising children
Mummy Mayhem is a new podcast powered by Madeaux Africa Network, brought to you by two millennial mothers, Nicole Chikwe, a social media personality, and Feyi Bello, Editor-in-Chief of Perfete, who wanted to take listeners into the beautiful chaos of their motherhood . experience.
It's fun, vibrant and full of introspection. I love the random moments where they start singing and shower each other with love and affirmations. The podcast is truly a gift to other millennial moms who are still trying to get back on their feet.
In this episode, Chikwe and Bello talk about the joys and challenges of juggling work and family life, and what it's like to deal with social pressures. In particular, they wonder why they will continue to actively pursue their dreams outside of motherhood: They typically record episodes during their school trips.
At the heart of Mummy Mayhem are personal stories that reveal the corners of being a mother and the power of a story, a real life story, can never be denied.
(By Yolanthé Fawehinmi)
