There are so many insightful conversations in this week’s podcast picks.1. All There Is with Anderson Cooper
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Life, culture and society
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper knows about grief – at the age of 10 he lost his father Wyatt to heart disease; then when he was 21, his older brother Carter died by suicide, and his mother, designer Gloria Vanderbilt, died in 2019 of stomach cancer. For him, grief has become an unexpected beacon throughout his life.
In the new season of All There Is with Anderson Cooper, the 58-year-old continues his deeply personal exploration of grief in all its complexities and the impact of life-altering losses on people.
At the start of the latest episode, Cooper talks about watching a lost TV interview of his author father, which was discovered by an archivist, and how it made him feel watching it. He also mentioned that he has started calling his son “buddy,” a nickname his father was given.
Cooper is joined by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, who is widely known for documentary series that include The Civil War, Jazz, and, later this month, The American Revolution.
But what many people don’t know about Burns is how early loss and grief have shaped his entire life.
He talks about why we spend so much of our time trying to avoid it, and how loss and grief can define our accomplishments.
Burns goes on to discuss the “half-life” of grief being “endless”, how it has become an engine in his filmmaking, and a conversation he had with a therapist and his father-in-law about letting his mother go.
All There Is with Anderson Cooper is an honest, beautiful, yet poignant exploration of the one thing that is promised to us all: death. There is a new weekly companion show, All There Is Live with Anderson Cooper too.
(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)
2. Charlene: Somebody Knows Something
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: True crime
In 2003, 14-year-old Charlene Downes mysteriously vanished from her hometown of Blackpool.
The story of what happened to this young girl has haunted Blackpool for more than 20 years, because so much of it remains unknown. But broadcaster Nicola Thorp, who was the same age as Downes when she went missing, remembers the case, having grown up in Blackpool.In that trial, it was alleged the men disposed of Charlene’s body by making her into kebab meat.
Now Thorp is revisiting the case to uncover the truth and lies about what really happened to Downes. This eight-part podcast series by investigative reporting hub The Crime Desk will appeal if you are an avid fan of true crime.
(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)
3. Work Friends
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Careers
If you’re feeling lost in your career and could use a spark to reignite your motivation, the Work Friends podcast might be just what you need.
This inspiring podcast offers honest, unfiltered career stories, and in this week’s episode, host Sali Christeson sits down with CNN news anchor Abby Phillip to discuss her professional journey and how she got to where she is today.
Their candid conversation pulls back the curtain on the seemingly impenetrable world of journalism, touching on challenges that many young professionals, particularly women, face early in their careers – such as imposter syndrome.
Phillip also shares how she leveraged the evolving media landscape to break into the industry and emphasises the importance of relationship-building in the workplace.
You may presume that news anchors must be naturally bold and extroverted, but this episode shows a more introverted side to Phillip, who opens up about her initial reluctance to be on the TV full time.
Whether you’re a fan of Abby Phillip, an aspiring journalist, or simply looking for a motivational boost, Work Friends is definitely worth tuning into.
(By Camilla Foster)
4. Homing
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Homes, architecture, life and wellbeing
If you’re interested in how our environment – particularly our homes – impact our lives, then this arts podcast is the perfect listen.
Hosted by the co-founder of The Modern House and architectural journalist Matt Gibberd, Homing explores not just how homes look, but how they make us feel.
It’s a thoughtful evolution for a podcast once preoccupied with design; now, its real subject is the psychology of place.
In a standout episode, naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham reflects on what it means to be neurodivergent and how his environment can both soothe and unsettle him.
He speaks with disarming precision about the comfort of routine, the need for order and the textures and sounds that can overwhelm him.
It’s a portrait of domestic space as both refuge and battleground, and Gibberd listens with patient curiosity, allowing silence to do some of the work.
The production mirrors its pared-back theme. There are no ornamental musical interludes, just the rhythm of conversation and the occasional rustle of real life. It feels uncluttered.
Homing won’t appeal to those seeking renovation inspiration, but for listeners intrigued by the emotional architecture of everyday life. It’s a calm and contemplative place to linger.
(By Lara Owen)
5. This Life of Mine with James Corden
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre:
This Life of Mine with James Corden is a podcast hosted by the British entertainer and actor.
In each episode, Corden speaks with a variety of guests as they open up about the people, places, possessions, music and memories that made them.
This week’s episode features writer, producer, actor and musician Mark Duplass, who may be best known for being the lead singer of the indie rock band Volcano, I’m Still Excited!!, or as one half of the Duplass Brothers.
Throughout this episode, Corden and Duplass go through the structure of explaining their picks for each category previously mentioned. When it comes to his person, Duplass chooses his brother Jay.
He credits him for being kind to him as they grew up, and he admits he viewed him as his “God”.
Duplass says.: “When Jay turned 18 and went to college, he was not prepared to be out on his own.”
He explains his brother had a really hard time adjusting, and although Mark was the younger one, he was the supportive “pillar” for his sibling. He goes on to talk about the influence of 1987 movie Raising Arizona and his relationship with his father.
If you enjoy celebrity stories that go deeper than surface-level chats, then this is worth a listen.
(By Sara Keenan)
