Balancing being Co-EiC of Concrete and doing a Master’s over the last year has certainly had its stressful moments, but one thing that helps me to switch off is listening to podcasts. Here’s five of my favourites…

Off Menu

Off Menu is the most popular podcast on this list, and for good reason! Hosted by comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster, on each episode a celebrity guest is invited to enter a ‘Dream Restaurant’ and select their favourite ever starter, main course, dessert, side dish and drink (not in that order). It’s the perfect combination of an inciteful celebrity interview, surreal elements (particularly from James who is a Genie Waiter) and a clearly genuine friendship between the hosts.

The Rest is Entertainment

Hosted by Richard Osman and Marina Hyde, this podcast is fascinating for anyone with an interest in the entertainment industry. Releasing two episodes a week – one discussing the latest entertainment news and one answering listener questions – the industry insights given by the pair are genuinely revealing, properly lifting the lid on the worlds of film, music, literature and journalism. The best bits though are Richard’s insights into the TV industry, drawing on his years as a producer and then host – particularly expect lots of behind-the-scenes details on TV quiz shows!

Out of the Broom Cupboard

This one’s a bit niche, but if you’re up for some childhood nostalgia it’s lots of fun and genuinely fascinating too! Hosted by Chris ‘Yonko’ Johnson, formerly of the CBBC Office, each episode features an interview with a big hitter from late 2000s/2010s children’s TV – think Iain Stirling, Ed Petrie and Hacker T Dog. Not only will listening to it remind you of childhood memories buried deep in your brain, but much like The Rest is Entertainment, it’s a really interesting delve behind-the-scenes of an industry we’re so familiar with, but really know little about.

We Are History

As a History student and enthusiast, there are lots of history podcasts for me to choose from, but my favourite is this one from comedian Angela Barnes and writer John O’Farrell. Each episode tackles a different topic, and it does so in a way that is fun and engaging! It doesn’t take its subject matter too lightly (this is still history done well and in depth), but it’s clear that the hosts genuinely love exploring these topics and that love is infectious.

A Week in Concrete

A bit of shameless self-promotion to conclude, to remind you that our very own podcast is available on Spotify (with more episodes coming soon)! We talk about all the best bits of the paper, and have a laugh along the way, so why not give it a go the next time you need something to listen to!