Pick of the week: Homo Sapiens and Questions of Faith
Will Young and Chris Sweeney’s hit podcast returns for a second season, and their opening guest Jeremy Corbyn feels the force of their charm. After a cheerful discussion about jam-making, talk moves on to gay rights, how to stay calm in Parliament, and the porridge that fuels Corbyn’s long days. It flows from cheekiness and gentle chat to the feverish nitty-gritty of politics today – and although Young is affable and light-hearted, he’s not afraid to ask the big questions. HV
David Suchet’s Questions of Faith Podcast
This fascinating new show from Audible’s nascent podcasting arm sees Suchet – best known as Poirot, but boasting a varied stage and screen career – explore another of his other passions: theology. While previous TV docs saw him focus on saints from his own religion, Christianity, here (in a podcast that launches on 9 March) he presents a more wide-reaching look at the intersection between the Abrahamic faiths. The result is a brilliant primer, featuring voices from across the divides and considering subjects including 9/11 and the Troubles. HJD
Your picks: Snacks, dinosaurs and getting motivated
My kids’ favourite series is the podcast Aaron’s World. It’s imaginative, bite-sized adventures exploring the prehistoric world. I recently asked the kids how they would describe the podcast, they replied by saying it’s fun, educational, and exciting. The dialogue, sound effects, and plot are so well done, I often catch myself still listening as I continue on to work after dropping them off at school. Recommended by Sam Alexander
Just Chips Dot Com is a comedy podcast where every week hosts Zoë Robertson and Sophia LePage pit two snacks head-to-head, and invite funny friends and celebrity guests to choose a winner. The best part of the show is the dynamic between the two hosts, who are lifelong best friends. They regularly finish each other’s sentences, but never make you as a listener feel like you’re on the outside. Recommended by Huma Fazil
Beyond Busy is a podcast where Graham Allcott, the author of the business book Productivity Ninja interviews people about their work and how they manage success. His guests include the comedian Josie Long, and Seyi Obakin, the head of the charity Centrepoint. It’s really inspiring to hear what motivates successful people. One of my favourites was the chat with Gerald Ratner about his journey from huge success to huge failure and then building himself back up again. It’s great for long car journeys and is super relaxed. Recommended by Chris Noble
Guardian pick: is there an alternative?
The Alternatives is a new podcast series hosted by senior economics commentator Aditya Chakrabortty. Aditya’s writing explores communities that have been discarded by the market and disregarded by the state. These groups are trying to work out their own answers to the big questions. Questions such as: where will we live? How shall we heat our homes? The podcast investigates real-world examples of people doing things differently: councillors who are extending local government far beyond collecting the bins; housing activists turning themselves into property developers; and energy bosses who actually ask customers how their companies should be run. Forty years ago, Thatcher gravely intoned that There Is No Alternative – then set about bulldozing the institutions that might incubate anything of the sort. The stories in this series show there are alternatives and offers hope on how to do things differently. Recommended by Lily Ames
