Picks of the week
The Competition
All episodes now on Wondery+, widely available from Monday
When Shima Oliaee was a teenager, she flew to Mobile, Alabama, to compete for a lucrative scholarship. She didn’t win. More than 20 years later, she returns as a judge and goes behind the scenes of the tough two-week event, which sees one girl crowned Distinguished Young Woman of America and win a $40k education. It’s a harsh, competitive tale that Oliaee tells so well. Hannah Verdier
The Letter: The Ripple Effect
Widely available, episodes weekly
When two young fathers were found murdered in Utah on a snowy day in 1982, a man confessed – but no one could understand why he did it. In Amy Donaldson’s sensitively handled true-crime podcast, their loved ones share memories of the incident and try to fill in the blanks and heal, amid so many unanswered questions. HV
Halfway
Audible, all episodes out now
Idris and Sabrina Elba pose some powerful ethical questions around AI and grief in this scripted podcast, with Lenny Henry (above) leading a solid cast. A tech company is making big money from recreating the personalities of dead loved ones, but when a woman uses it to bring back her brother, problems emerge. HV
Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust
Widely available, episodes weekly
Twenty-five years after the Columbine High School shootings, Garrett Graff opens a rational discussion about the right to bear arms in the US. People affected by gun violence get their say, along with those who hunt and rely on the weapons for their trade, but hearing Columbine witnesses cry at the memory of that day sharpens the debate. HV
The Bachelor of Buckingham Palace
Wondery+, all episodes out now
In 2013, Matt Hicks pretended to be Prince Harry for a dating show in which American women contended for “Harry’s” affections. Who on earth would fall for that? Well, in this wild series, TV journalist Scott Bryan speaks to former contestants and finds out just how easily they were duped into taking part in something so absurd. Hollie Richardson
There’s a podcast for that
Hannah Verdier chooses five of the best podcasts hosted by pop stars, from Tim Burgess’s listening parties to Sam Smith’s sensitive history of HIV
Queer the Music
Scissor Sisters singer Jake Shears is a frontman who knows when to step back from centre stage and listen, as he proves in his fabulous podcast. Electro-pop goddess Peaches, his cabaret castmate Self Esteem and Years and Years’ Olly Alexander are among the stars who join him to talk about their songs in a warm and thoughtful atmosphere. While asking if there is such a thing as queer music, Shears showcases the best, starting with Sylvester’s You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real), with help from the team around the icon. Andy Bell’s breakdown of Erasure’s A Little Respect is a beautiful history lesson.
Tim’s Listening Party
The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess rescued lockdown evenings with his Twitter listening parties and the magic continues with this podcast. “I’m not a broadcaster in any way,” he warns his guests, and his low-fi, introverted interview style means he’s having a conversation rather than firing questions. Artists love him and he gets what they do, being unafraid to say when he’s a fan. The enigmatic Sparks open up about their influence and The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs brings a lot of stories about being in the pioneering band.
A Positive Life: HIV from Terrence Higgins to Today
Sam Smith leaves the flamboyant trousers and pop star persona at the door for this sensitive podcast about people affected by HIV. Higgins is the initial subject, with those close to him recalling their memories of the first man to die from Aids-related illness in the UK. Smith goes beyond the obvious narrative, charting the early years of the crisis through to first effective treatments in the mid-90s, with real empathy for the communities affected. It’s particularly poignant to hear people living with HIV telling their stories – and what the future looks like thanks to Higgins’ legacy.
Questlove Supreme
The Roots’ lovable drummer, film-maker and just about everything else corners high-profile guests including LL Cool J, Chaka Khan and Michelle Obama in his long-running podcast. It strays far beyond the conventional chat – and the well-worn subjects. Mariah Carey went for an all-night interview that ended up as a two-parter in which she revealed news of a secret grunge album and a talent for impersonating Aretha Franklin. There’s also a gorgeous discussion with the lesser-spotted André 3000 about playing by ear and feeling the music, rather than simply learning the notes.
Dua Lipa: At Your Service
Celebrity interview podcasts seem like an easy option for both host and guest to gain publicity, but Dua Lipa brings quality to hers. Despite being a Grammy- and Brit-winning pop star, it’s clear she’s taken time to understand her subjects – and she does her own interviews, and does them well. Vulture rather snobbily described At Your Service as a “middlebrow pop intellectual podcast”, but that’s no bad thing, with Lipa bringing in her own experiences to make politics and culture accessible.
Why not try …
Ripple, which tells the untold story of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the effects the crisis still has on locals on the Gulf of Mexico.
Life coach Jamie Hess’s Gratitudeology, a guide to “turning pain to purpose” told through stories of perseverance and acceptance.
The latest from podcast powerhouse Tortoise, Who Trolled Amber?, which explores the origins of the organised hate campaign against actor Amber Heard.
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