Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley
I really like Lucy Worsley’s historical documentaries on the BBC so when BBC Sounds released this podcast series I thought it would be interesting to listen to and something different to my usual listening. I love the feminist angle to this podcast series and Lucy Worsley is such a wonderful historian and so passionate and great to listen to. Each episode in the series features a different female killer in history and Lucy deep dives into the Lady Killer’s life, their crime and factors surrounding the story as well as interviews with special guests. It covers all periods in history and there are special episodes in the podcast series such as exploring topics such as ‘Women on Trial’ and ‘Is the law gender blind?’ In a follow on series Lucy presents a new podcast series called ‘Lady Swindlers’.
A Bit of A Stretch
This is presented by Chis Atkins who wrote a book under this title. In this podcast he explores different aspects of the British criminal justice system in particular prisons. Chris himself did a stretch in prison for tax which is what his book documents. In his podcast series he shares his own experience and also speaks with other men and women who have also spent time in prison and discusses their experiences with them. Each podcast episode explores a different subject that affects those whilst in prison such as children, relationships, mental health and rehabilitation among other topics.
I’ve found it a very insightful and informative podcast series especially to hear directly from those who have spent time in prison and to hear they think the prison and probation system should be reformed to better meet their needs especially to potentially help reduce reoffending rates and issues within the prison system.
The Rise & Fall of Ruby Franke
You may or may not be familiar with the Ruby Franke story. She was a successful Mormon YouTube vlogger who is currently in prison for child cruelty charges against her own family. This podcast series by the Law and Crime Network looks behind the Ruby Franke story and what went on behind closed doors of her family’s YouTube channel ‘8 Passengers’, the crimes and abuse she and her business partner committed against her children, the criminal investigation and her prosecution and sentencing.
I’d already been following the story on the Law and Crime Network’s Sidebar channel (both on YouTube and the Sidebar podcast) but this podcast went into more detail about the Ruby Franke story and it was all collated into one podcast series making it easier to follow and understand the full story of the case. It was really well presented with inserts such a 911 calls and police recordings and from Ruby Franke’s vlogging for her YouTube channel to back the documentary series up.
Welcome to The Neighbourhood
If I’m looking for something light and laughable then this is my go to podcast. Unfortunately only one series has been made so I’m soon running out of episodes. It’s hosted by Jade Adam’s (aka Dawn French) and each episode features a guest such as a comedian or radio DJ.
In the podcast episodes they basically take a look at neighbourhood group chats from all over the UK and pull out the best conversations exchanged, the more laughable the better and Jade and the guest go over these neighbourhood conversations in the podcast. They put on the local accents for the area of the country for the neighbourhood and the guest will bring with them a conversation exchange from their local neighbourhood group chat too. It’s something very different to my usual listening as I’m not usually a comedy person but I do enjoy this podcast.
Hysterical
This podcast is another Wondery investigative documentary series following a mysterious illness that happened to a group of high school girls in LeRoy, New York. The podcast episodes investigates the case as to what happened to the girls and what might be the source of the sudden onset of the spread of the illness, was it in the water or the soil in town or was it all mass hysteria, what really happened and why did it suddenly stop as suddenly as it began? The podcast interviews some of the girls and others in LeRoy who were affiliated as well as experts to try and get to the bottom of what happened in the town.
Why Do You Hate Me?
This podcast is hosted by Marianna Spring who is the BBC’s Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent, I really like her work as a journalist. It’s one in a season of podcasts that she’s brought out through BBC Sounds.
In ‘Why Do You Hate Me’ and the second season of this a USA season of the series Marianna meets with people hated online for various reasons including Marianna’s own experiences of online hate from social media trolls. She meets with people at the centre of conflicts and in some cases brings them together to see if there can be a resolution. Some of the people she meets include someone who publicly believed they were Madaline McCann, people who believed the assassination attempts on President Trump were staged, conspiracy theorists and online trolls asking them why they spread online hate to her inbox.
Access All
This is another BBC Sounds podcast, it’s a disability focused podcast and each episode will feature different things such as a special guest to come and chat on the show or the shows hosts will discuss different disability related issues especially topics that a current.
Redhanded
This is a true crime/comedy in one podcast. I wanted to feature a true crime podcast in this post but I wasn’t sure which one to feature as there are a few I listen to. Redhanded is one I’m enjoying at the moment.
I like how Hannah a Suruthi go off script a lot talking about random things, sometimes to do with the case sometimes not but it can be a bit Marmite at times along with the amount of swearing they do too so there reviews on Apple Podcasts are mixed.
It would also be nice if they featured cases that aren’t always murder or serial killer cases - I like true crime podcasts that feature all types of true crime.
Every podcast has its pros and cons though and on the whole I do enjoy Redhanded and I would recommend it.
Uncanny
This is the BBC’s paranormal podcast hosted by Danny Robins. It’s lead to a book and even a TV program and spinoff podcast series such as the lasted Halloween special series, Christmas specials and live-streamed podcasts in front of an outdoor audience, and also a USA series.
It features both well known paranormal cases and cases brought in by listeners to the podcast. Danny analyses each case and has on to help him he brings on a ‘team skeptic’ and a ‘team believer’ paranormal psychologist to help him look at each case and rationalise what can and maybe what can’t be explained.
It’s not a dark paranormal podcast like some others out there on Apple Podcasts (or other platforms for podcasts). It does get a bit spooky depending on what horror level you’re used to. The podcast is also brought to life with sound effects which does make it a little more haunting but I’d say there’s more horrifying podcasts out there.
