I think we can all agree, the simple pleasures in life have never been so important. With a lack of espresso martinis, over-priced brunches and holiday plans to spice up our lives, we must seek enjoyment elsewhere.
Is your daily walk down the road becoming slightly repetitive? Or perhaps you want to drown out the noise unknowingly emitted by your quarantine partner as they chew on their sandwich. (Have they always eaten that way?)
Podcasts are a fantastic way to get swept away and effortlessly entertained on a day-to-day basis. With their ability to bring a sense of enjoyment and distraction to mundane tasks, podcasts have become a popular form of media consumption. Whether you are listening to true crime, self-help, or comedy podcasts, there is something for everyone. And now, with the rise of video podcast production, listeners can also enjoy visual content alongside their favorite audio shows. This new form of multimedia content adds an extra layer of engagement and entertainment to the podcasting experience.
With a record figure of listenings in the UK at the moment, the time to tune out and listen in is apparently now. These are some of our favourites that we’re currently listening to that cover crime, inspiration, health and history.
Real Narcos
Sitting at the top of our list and at number 10 on the UK Apple Podcast Top Shows chart, is Real Narcos. Real Narcos meets the DEA agents who were asked by the US Government to move to Colombia to hunt down history’s most notorious criminal masterminds. From the King of Cocaine, Pablo Escobar, to the most powerful drug trafficker on the planet, El Chapo, and the Cocaine Godmother, Griselda Blanco, this podcast covers it all.
With unprecedented access to contributor insight, Real Narcos sheds new light on Pablo Escobar’s formative years, explores how Griselda Blanco out hustled men and revolutionised drug trafficking, and uncovers the life of Barry Seal, the ex-smuggler turned DEA’s most prized informant. This reformed criminal also just so happened to get closer to the heart of the Medellin Cartel than anyone else before him. All of this combined with high drama will capture the shortest of attention spans. Plus, these captivating episodes are a handy 30-45 minutes long with new episodes out every Monday.
You can listen to the trailer and first 5 episodes here.
How to Fail with Elizabeth Day
How to Fail with Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates failures, or as she likes to put it, “the things that haven’t gone right”. Each week an uplifting, inspiring conversation is shared between Elizabeth and her guests. From the bestselling author Marian Keyes, to the former Chief Business Officer for Google X, Mo Gawdat, there is a wide range of successful interviewees who openly answer Elizabeth’s questions with pure honesty to reveal their vulnerabilities. Each conversation shares a unique failure to learn from and be inspired by.
The conversations are unrehearsed, honest and make you feel as though you’re a third party in the room. Despite the guests sharing their difficult experiences in life, every episode is equally thought-provoking and warming. The hour long episodes are the perfect lunch-time filler, and will no doubt leave you with a feeling of encouragement and motivation for the rest of the day.
Listen here.
The Food Medic
With ‘detoxing tea’, and ‘hair-reviving gummy sweets’ filling our Instagram feeds, it’s difficult to differentiate legitimate information from a marketing hoax these days. Especially when it comes to health and lifestyle enhancers. Hosted by medical doctor, personal trainer, and author, Dr. Hazel Wallace, The Food Medic podcast shares no-nonsense guidance on how we can live healthier lives.
Hazel interviews leading experts in their field who share evidence based advice to cut through the overwhelming information found online. Despite the clear professionalism and expertise of her interviewees, each conversation still manages to be easy to follow and understand. From nutrition and exercise, to skincare and mental health- this podcast covers everything and anything to help you stay motivated, happy and healthy!
Listen here.
The Alarmist
Writer and performer Rebecca Delgado-Smith and her guests examine and uncover history’s greatest disasters in The Alarmist podcast. From The Plague to the break-up of the Beatles, a variety of tragic historical events are investigated and scrutinised in a way that’s informative yet light-hearted and humorous.
During the 40 minute episodes, Rebecca and her company discuss just how the greatest failures of our time actually happened, what went wrong, whether they could have been prevented and most importantly, who is to blame. The Alarmist podcast will allow you to be mindlessly entertained and subconsciously expand your history knowledge at the same time!
Listen to this podcast here.
