Weekend

Weekend

By The Guardian

Every Saturday, the Weekend podcast brings some of the best Guardian writing from the week, read by talented narrators. Listen to celebrity interviews, lifestyle features, and opinions from our most popular columnists including Marina Hyde and John Crace. Weekend is the perfect way to relax.

Episodes

Revisited: Bafta-winner Jamie Demetriou, unmasking dating app cheats, and peeing: to sit or not to sit?

Writer and actor Jamie Demetriou reveals how an admin mixup paved the way for an unconventional career trajectory, the groups of women unmasking online cheats and ghosters, and Sam Wollaston extols the virtues of sitting down to pee. Because of industrial action taking place by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observer this week, we are re-running an episode from our archive. For more information please head to theguardian.com. We’ll be back with new episodes soon.
07/12/2441m 25s

The man who caught his catfish; actor Kaya Scodelario on Skins, scares and sex scenes; and Philippa Perry on coping with the climate crisis

Former Skins actor Kaya Scodelario talks about growing up poor in London, why she loves doing action films – and the pitfalls of taking her kids to work. When one man discovered someone had been impersonating him for years without his knowledge, he decided to act. He reveals what happened next. And ‘the climate crisis and all the evil in the world drives me to despair’: Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to cope
30/11/2442m 46s

Jacob Rees-Mogg on abortion, religion and reality TV; Marina Hyde on Musk vs Trump Jr; inheritance inequity; and teenage love – podcast

Marina Hyde asks us to spare a sob for Don Jr, replaced in Daddy’s affections by Elon Musk. The Bank of Mum and Dad – the unspoken dynamic behind society’s growing inequality of ‘inheritocracy’. ‘I’ve been called worse than a Nazi’: Simon Hattenstone meets Jacob Rees-Mogg. And psychologist Lucy Foulkes on why we should take teenage love more seriously
23/11/2453m 11s

The truth about dark empaths, why is Britain still so obsessed with the Tudors? And Philippa Perry on overcoming social awkwardness

‘Narcissists – only more devious’: Anita Chaudhuri explores the world of the Dark Empath and how to recognise the danger signs; ‘Henry VIII is a serial killer and abuser’: what’s behind the flood of 21st-century retellings of the Tudors, including the new TV series The Mirror and the Light?; and Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to circumnavigate emotional hesitancy.
16/11/2440m 50s

‘My lips and cheeks caved in’ – when filler removal goes wrong, Marina Hyde on Trump-based amnesia, and my husband the conspiracy theorist– podcast

Donald Trump has triumphed again, and collective amnesia means any lessons Democrats and Republicans may learn from Trump 2.0, they will also forget; influencers have declared the trend for ‘duck lips’ over and many people are seeking to reverse their cosmetic treatment – often with painful and disfiguring results; and ‘Lies, manipulation and fear’ – writer Lucille Howe recounts how she lost her husband to fake news and flat-Earthers. Would their relationship survive?
09/11/2449m 39s

Rob Beckett on dyslexia and dark thoughts, Marina Hyde on the Saoirse Ronan truth bomb, and Philippa Perry on nuanced honesty

Marina Hyde reflects on the unexpected stone-cold truth Saoirse Ronan delivered to the male guests on Graham Norton’s sofa; comedian Rob Beckett on the anxieties behind his infectious humour; and Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to improve their relationship with their daughter after deciding not to reveal a dark secret
02/11/2434m 8s

Why Rivals is the horny, hopeful show we need, Marina Hyde on Musk’s $1m voter gifts, the secret life of a care worker, and Philippa Perry on lying

Why does Rivals’ high-camp, warts-and-all frolic through the 80s make Zoe Williams feel so nostalgic? Is it wrong for Elon Musk to offer voters $1m to get Trump elected? ‘I was blown away by how meaningful and interesting it is: one woman’s ‘love story’ to the caring profession. And Philippa Perry advises a reader to be more forgiving to a friend who is a perpetual liar
26/10/2444m 7s

Marina Hyde on Strictly’s latest row; the father who lost his daughter in the Sandy Hook school shooting – then faced years of abuse; and Philippa Perry on mismatched sex drives

Strictly Come Dancing is no longer just a dance show – it’s a battlefield for culture wars, says Marina Hyde. The extraordinary story of Robbie Parker facing down right-wing provocateurs after losing his child. Philippa Perry offers advice to a reader whose partner wants more sex and more enthusiasm
19/10/2435m 26s

Al Pacino tells the inside story of The Godfather, and Marina Hyde on Keir Starmer, the unforced error machine

‘It’s hard to think of anyone who has squandered so much electoral capital, so quickly, for so little’: Marina Hyde reflects on Keir Starmer’s first 100 days. When Al Pacino bagged the lead role in The Godfather, he couldn’t believe his luck: in an extract from his new book, he recalls the making of the film that changed his life …
12/10/2442m 9s

Heartstopper’s Joe Locke, the mothers who regret having kids, and Philippa Perry on boastful rich friends

Heartstopper’s Joe Locke on trolls, typecasting and turning to the dark side; ‘I wished I were holding a cat and not a baby’: the mothers who regret having kids; and Philippa Perry advises one reader struggling to cope with a rich friend who has become a boastful bore.
05/10/2442m 44s

Marina Hyde on Al Fayed and Diddy’s enablers, the hidden life of Elizabeth Taylor, and Philippa Perry on embracing anger

Marina Hyde on the motley crew of enforcers, concealers and NDA experts behind every Al Fayed or Diddy; Liz Taylor’s son, Chris Wilding, discusses his mother’s legend and legacy; and Philippa Perry helps one reader struggling to reconcile the emotions that come with a devastating illness
28/09/2443m 39s

Janet Jackson on Michael and motherhood, Friends at 30, and Marina Hyde on the real ‘enigma’ about Charlotte Owen

Marina Hyde laments the sexist gossip surrounding Charlotte Owen and her relationship to Boris Johnson; Friends writers and producers on the inside story of the iconic TV show; and Janet Jackson talks to Nosheen Iqbal about taking back control
21/09/2456m 15s

Best of Weekend part 2: Louis Theroux, a late life gender transition, and is it murder if you’re asleep?

Weekend is taking a little break. So this week, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them… Zoe Williams turns the tables on veteran interviewer Louis Theroux; how an app sparked a late-life gender transition for author Lucy Sante; and if you kill someone in your sleep, are you a murderer?
14/09/2447m 46s

Grenfell: System Failure – Scenes from the Inquiry (part 2)

Listen to part 1 Scenes from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry by Richard Norton-Taylor and Nicolas Kent On 14 June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower in London. 72 people died. It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the second world war. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire. Two reports were published as a result of this inquiry: phase 1 on 30 October 2019; and the second, and final, report last Wednesday. This verbatim play, which was recorded in front of a live audience, is taken from excerpts of spoken evidence, given under oath, to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Phase 2, between October 2019 and July 2022. This play was created so that some of the lessons leading up to that night, and the vital work of the Inquiry, could be more widely understood by the public. This is the second part in a two-part series, if you haven’t yet listened to part 1, you may want to before starting this episode.
08/09/241h 6m

Grenfell: System Failure – Scenes from the Inquiry (part 1)

Listen to part 2 Scenes from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry by Richard Norton-Taylor and Nicolas Kent On 14 June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower in London. 72 people died. It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the second world war. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire. Two reports were published as a result of this inquiry: phase 1 on 30 October 2019; and the second, and final, report last Wednesday. This verbatim play, which was recorded in front of a live audience, is taken from excerpts of spoken evidence, given under oath, to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Phase 2, between October 2019 and July 2022. This play was created so that some of the lessons leading up to that night, and the vital work of the Inquiry, could be more widely understood by the public.
08/09/2457m 8s

Best of Weekend part 1: Julia Fox, are we to blame for our bad habits? And surviving a ship wreck

Weekend is taking a little break. So for the next two weeks, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them… Actor Julia Fox unpacks abuse, fame, and dating Kanye; should you blame yourself for your bad habits? And what happened when one man’s boat sank in the dead of night and he had to save his seven-year-old son.
07/09/2446m 36s

Actor Michael Sheen on leaving Los Angeles, presenter Alison Hammond’s rise to fame, and Philippa Perry on empty-nest syndrome

Michael Sheen talks about life back in his home town of Port Talbot and falling in love with a younger woman; from Big Brother to Bake Off, Alison Hammond discusses the highs and lows of celebrity; and Philippa Perry responds to an empty-nester who misses her adult children so much it feels like grief
31/08/2459m 56s

Actor Gillian Anderson on female desire, singer Chappell Roan’s slow and steady rise, and how to stop people-pleasing

Actor Gillian Anderson on prudes, powerful women, and collecting secret fantasies; How singer-songwriter Chappell Roan slow-burned her way to stardom; and Oliver Burkeman tells you how to stop being such a people-pleaser.
24/08/2445m 3s

Growing up in a utopian commune - and the dangers that came with it; Marina Hyde on the Trump-Musk interview; and the power of embracing selfishness

Susanna Crossman describes her childhood in a utopian commune where children ran wild – and the trouble that came with that freedom; Marina Hyde assesses Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s glitch-ridden chat; and Moya Sarner reveals the life-changing power of selfishness, with the help of a simple phrase.
17/08/2446m 34s

Marina Hyde on the ‘brave’ inciters of Britain’s race riots; lightning struck my plane and I plunged 3,000m; the delights of the dead hang

Where are you Tommy and Elon? Marina Hyde finds that those provoking the race riots are far, far away; the dead hang delight – how this quick, surprisingly simple exercise can change your life; and ‘A bolt of lightning struck my plane’ – one woman’s incredible story of survival
10/08/2432m 47s

Jeff Goldblum, eccentric as ever at 71; the fallacy of ‘tradwives’; and ‘My dying wife found me a girlfriend’

Actor Jeff Goldblum on vanity, mortality and becoming a father in his 60s; sundresses and rugged self-sufficiency: the ‘tradwives’ trend touts a conservative American past that didn’t exist; and one man’s extraordinary story of embracing the dating world with the help of his terminally ill partner.
03/08/2448m 44s

Bullied, belittled but indisputably brilliant: how Victoria Pendleton became a cycling legend; and what’s missing from Twisters?

Victoria Pendleton is one of Britain’s greatest ever athletes, but has often felt like a failure and fraud. She tells Simon Hattenstone about her Olympic golds, the misery that came with them, and the joy she has found since she retired. And Twisters is the tornado blockbuster that almost has it all. But its two hot stars – Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones – avoid a climactic smooch. Is Steven Spielberg to blame?
27/07/2440m 58s

Is this the Brat girl summer? Marina Hyde predicts a sticky end for Trump-Vance, how to be a Norwegian parent, and Ask Philippa on sibling rivalry

Never doubt the instincts of Donald Trump, warns Marina Hyde, who just appointed a ‘never Trump guy’ as his running mate. Let your kids roam free, stay home alone, have fun – and fail – Norwegian style. Charli xcx’s new album, Brat, highlights how many young women now aspire to live – dirty, hedonistic, happy and bra-less. And ‘My brother’s mental illness hovers over my family life’ – Philippa Perry answers a reader.
20/07/2447m 36s

Marina Hyde’s career advice for Joe Biden, the world’s smallest stuntman, Philippa Perry on ‘failure’, and could you forgive your childhood bully?

Marina Hyde advises the US president: ‘Walk to podium, smile, wave goodbye’; ‘I’m a failure, in debt and my partner is pregnant’ – Philippa Perry helps one man open up; Superman, Frodo and Star Wars: the stunning life and career of Kiran Shah; actor Katy Wix confronts a painful memory when she gets a message out of the blue
13/07/2446m 7s

Actor Kevin Bacon on learning selflessness, the secret lives of porn addicts, and what’s it like to be a private tutor for the rich?

Hollywood’s great survivor discusses his band, politics, family, embracing change and learning selflessness; as pornography use soars, we meet the men who feel their behaviour is moving from a compulsion to an addiction; and, last week, a job advert emerged for a private tutor to an architecture student with potential earnings of more than £2m. One man who has worked with wealthy families describes what it takes.
06/07/2437m 53s

Keir Starmer’s most personal interview yet, the woman who gave birth to her granddaughter, and why do we have the dreams we do?– podcast

Charlotte Edwardes interviews the Labour leader as he closes in on power, but who exactly is the man who wants to run Britain? Plus the extraordinary story of the woman who stepped in as a surrogate for her daughter’s baby, and Sam Pyrah examines the latest scientific understanding about why we dream what we do
29/06/2450m 7s

Marina Hyde on Sunak and class, my parachute failed at at 4,000ft, my gaming-addicted son, and a new approach to quitting smoking

Marina Hyde on poor Rishi, who had to go without a Sky subscription as a teenager; Chris Godfrey spent a decade trying to quit smoking, then he tried hypnotherapy and it changed his life; when Jordan Hatmaker pulled the string of her parachute, she realised something was very wrong; and ‘My grownup son is gaming all day and lives on takeaways’ - Philippa Perry offers advice to a mother
22/06/2450m 7s

Azeem Rafiq talks racism, cricket, and leaving Britain; Philippa Perry offers advice on a painful crush; why Rory Stewart quit politics; and the big British bamboo crisis

The former cricketer discusses the ramifications of his decision to speak out about racism at Yorkshire; a reader has developed an intense crush on an unavailable work colleague; Boris Johnson and Brexit weren’t the only reasons Rory Stewart left politics; and Simon Usborne on the destructive impact of bamboo
15/06/2447m 25s

New series – Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph: Taylor Swift cultural icon or turbo-capitalist?

We are delighted to bring you the first episode in our latest series of Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph. Chanté (not a Swift fan) is joined by the writer Elle Hunt (is a Swift fan) to talk about why Taylor Swift is not just a pop sensation, bringing her billion-pound Eras tour to the UK, but has also managed to become a business icon. The pair also chat about whether or not one artist should even have that much influence in the first place. If you like the episode, please search for Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph and hit subscribe.
10/06/2424m 11s

A Guardian Blind Date happy ending, the boy who fled the Nazis, and Philippa Perry’s advice on an alcoholic father

The Guardian lockdown love story that ended in ‘I do’; the incredible story of Maxwell Smart, who lost his family in the Holocaust at 10 and avoided detection from the Nazis for two years; and Philippa Perry advises a reader not to invite his alcoholic father to his wedding.
08/06/2441m 54s

America’s premier pronatalists on having ‘tons of kids’ to save the world, Marina Hyde on the election campaign trail, and is doing nothing the secret of happiness?

Rishi Sunak is so convinced he can’t win he’s promising any old mad thing, while the Lib Dems are deliberately falling off paddleboards – Marina Hyde on the election. The couple on a mission to make it easier for everyone to have multiple children – Elon Musk (father of 11) is a supporter. Few of us have the money to take a long pause from work – but, as Anita Chaudhuri discovers, even a day can make a difference
01/06/2455m 39s

Stephen Merchant on his ‘preposterous’ trajectory; the trouble with the Zoe nutrition app; and when does drinking become a problem?

Comedian, writer and actor Stephen Merchant on standup, fame and the pressures of cancel culture; testing the ‘world-leading science’ claims behind the Zoe nutrition app; and the point when writer Harriet Tyce realised she didn’t want to be remembered only as a drinker
25/05/2441m 37s

Marina Hyde on Russell Brand’s baptism; plus ‘deepfake’ cheerleaders: the woman wrongly accused over a viral video

Marina Hyde: ‘So Russell Brand was baptised in the Thames, and all his sins were washed away. Cheaper than a lawyer, I suppose’; plus Jenny Kleeman meets Raffaella Spone, the woman accused of creating and circulating a damaging ‘deepfake’ video of teenage cheerleaders. The problem? Nothing was fake after all.
18/05/2446m 23s

Josh O’Connor on Zendaya and gardening; Marina Hyde on the Met Gala; being a boy in 2024; and Philippa Perry offers advice on leaving a legacy

Frock horror! The ludicrous spectacle of the Met Gala; reluctant star Josh O’Connor takes the lead in a new film, Challengers; Catherine Carr talks to boys about sex, pornography and feeling isolated and vulnerable; and Philippa Perry responds to a reader who is child-free.
11/05/2444m 21s

Comedian Sofie Hagen on eight years of celibacy, the £5 coffee is coming, and Philippa Perry offers advice on reconnecting with a sibling

Sofie Hagen loves sex – so why has it been 3,089 days since she’s had any? (1m27s); A flat white can now set you back up to £5.19 – but should we swallow it? (25m13s); and psychotherapist and Observer columnist Philippa Perry addresses a reader’s personal problem (43m51s).
04/05/2451m 7s

‘I was hammered on stage’ – David Harewood on racism and success; John Crace on ‘tetchy’ Rishi; the answer to insomnia hell; and Baby Reindeer fall out – podcast

Beware of ‘Tetchy Rishi’ – the prime minister struggles to control his anger during the Rwanda bill press briefing (1m24s); David Harewood on acting, racism and mental health (9m08s); Phil Daoust’s surprisingly simple solution to insomnia hell (24m33s); and Stuart Heritage examines the dangerous fallout from Netflix’s Baby Reindeer (42m29s)
27/04/2448m 12s

The extraordinary story of the biggest art fraud in American history, plus Zoe Williams on Liz Truss

Zoe Williams explores the greatest mystery of modern politics: Liz Truss’ self belief (1m15s), and Charlotte Edwardes delves into the extraordinary inside story of the biggest art fraud in American history (5m53s)
20/04/2442m 9s

What’s it like to be a sociopath?; Gen Z’s lust for Sex and the City; and Marina Hyde on ‘President’ The Rock

Marina Hyde with her take on Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s surreal US presidential bid (1m23s); Emine Saner meets the sociopath who learned to behave – and found happiness (8m05s); why Gen Z has fallen in love with Sex and the City (24m45s); and do our political opponents really hate us? (29m54s).
13/04/2438m 17s

Nick Cave on how grief shapes his art, Marina Hyde on the Thames Water crisis, and bread’s role in British society

This week, Marina Hyde discusses the Thames Water crisis after a sewage-plagued boat race (01:27); Simon Hattenstone interviews Nick Cave, who is about to exhibit his ceramic figurines at the Xavier Hufkens gallery, about art, love, politics and the death of his two sons (08:59); and Rachel Dixon investigates bread in Britain and what it tells us about health, wealth and class (28:52)
06/04/2447m 25s

Gillian Anderson on playing Emily Maitlis; Marina Hyde on the Tories’ misguided attack ad; and the quest to live to 100

This week, Marina Hyde discuss the Tories’ attack ad as they bid to unseat Sadiq Khan (01:54); Phil Daoust asks what can he change at 60 to make it to 100 (08:31); and Eva Wiseman interviews Gillian Anderson as she prepares to play Emily Maitlis in a drama about her interview with Prince Andrew (26:25)
30/03/2442m 58s

‘We’re ready’ – Labour’s Angela Rayner takes on the Tories; and how an app sparked a late-life gender transition

If Labour gets into government, the deputy labour leader Angela Rayner will be one of the most powerful women in Britain. ‘Bring it on,’ she says (1m58s); and ‘I was having a much better time as a girl in that parallel life’: why author Lucy Sante transitioned (29m08s)
23/03/2444m 33s

Teacher Michael Donkor on coming out to his pupils; finding love via small ads; and are bad habits your fault?

Should you blame yourself for your bad habits? (1m53s); author and teacher, Michael Donkor, on the dilemma of whether to come out to his pupils (7m50s); and missed connections: four extraordinary stories of couples who found love via small ads (26m05s)
16/03/2449m 5s

Does murder count if you’re asleep? Marina Hyde on Christian Horner’s F1 drama; and how inanity ruined the red carpet

It’s the Christian Horner paradox, according to Marina Hyde: F1 is now hideously dull, but it’s never been more dramatic (1m53s); if you kill someone in your sleep, is it murder? (9m33s); and ‘What a ridiculous question!’ How fawning, and inanity ruined the red carpet (23m02s)
09/03/2436m 28s

The Guardian’s new podcast series about AI: Black Box – prologue

We wanted to bring you this episode from our new series, Black Box. In it, Michael Safi explores seven stories and the thread that ties them together: artificial intelligence. In this prologue, Hannah (not her real name) has met Noah and he has changed her life for the better. So why does she have concerns about him? If you like what you hear, make sure to search and subscribe to Black Box, with new episodes every Monday and Thursday.
02/03/2414m 36s

A Ted Bundy survivor on finding happiness, John Crace on the Tories’ Islamophobia problem, and the ‘worst film ever made’

John Crace watches the Tories tie themselves in knots to avoid calling Lee Anderson the ‘R’ word (1m48s); a Ted Bundy survivor tells Anna Moore how the moment changed her life (8m59s); and Fergal Kinney looks at how Sex Lives of the Potato Men broke the British cinema industry (25m59s)
02/03/2436m 58s

The Libertines’ tortured reunion, Marina Hyde on celebrity-dictator bromances, and the simple trick to enjoying life more

From Tucker Carlson to Johnny Depp, a celebrity bromance is the must-have accessory for modern dictators, says Marina Hyde (1m50); the Libertines on feuds, friendship and their tortured reunion by Simon Hattenstone (9m03); and how habituation, a simple behavioural trick, can help you experience less pain and more pleasure by Cass Sunstein and Tali Sharot (35m49).
24/02/2442m 21s

John Crace on Rishi’s GB News grilling; when yoga turns toxic; and why a father is rejecting anger after his daughter’s murder

John Crace on Rishi Sunak using his Big Break on GB News to remind us he can’t connect with people (1m27s); Annie Rice on burn out and exploitation – when yoga turns toxic (8m34s); and on the 10th anniversary of Hollie Gazzard’s murder, Anna Moore speaks to her father about how he has not let anger destroy him (28m20s)
17/02/2443m 56s

Michael J Fox on Parkinson’s and a potential cure, Marina Hyde on Liz Truss’s relaunch, and Emma Stone’s Poor Things intimacy coordinator

Marina Hyde reviews ‘Liz Truss and the PopCons’, the Tory tribute act sounding a death knell for irony (1m28s); Catherine Shoard interviews Michael J Fox on pity, Parkinson’s – and a potential cure (9m40s); and Poor Things’ intimacy coordinator, Elle McAlpine, discusses consent, orgies and Emma Stone with Elle Hunt (25m27s)
10/02/2440m 2s

Crystal Hefner on surviving the Playboy Mansion, Marina Hyde on Laurence Fox, and how to protect your brain from dementia

Marina Hyde asks what now for Laurence Fox after the sad clown of the culture wars circus loses high court libel case (1m21s); Hugh Hefner’s wife on mind games in the Playboy Mansion (9m05s); and the difference between memory loss and dementia – and how to keep your brain sharp (28m20s)
03/02/2439m 44s

Weekend podcast: Strictly star Johannes Radebe, John Crace reviews the new Tory ‘comics’, and how to spot a liar

Long live the Tory Fringe! John Crace reviews last week’s conservative ‘comedy hour’ (1m22s); Johannes Radebe on how he fought the bullies - and became a Strictly superstar (9m22s); and Zoe Williams reveals how to spot a liar in ten easy steps (26m14s)
27/01/2439m 56s

Bernie Sanders on Trump and democracy, Marina Hyde on Prince Harry, and is brain-boosting coffee a fad?

So Prince Harry is a living legend of aviation? Why not, says Marina Hyde (1m21s); Bernie Sanders on what happens if Trump wins – and how to stop him (8m32s); and mushroom macchiato, anyone? Are the new boosted coffees worth the hype? (34m37s)
20/01/2445m 1s

Jodie Foster on gen Z, Marina Hyde on the Post Office scandal, and does rejection therapy work?

As the Post Office scandal continues to unfold, Marina Hyde urges us to keep watching and stay angry (1m24s); what one man learned after 30 days of rejection therapy (9m40s); and double Oscar-winner Jodie Foster on beauty, bravery and raising feminist sons (26m49s)
13/01/2450m 6s

Weekend podcast: best of 2023 – part 2

Weekend is taking a little break. So this week, we’ve picked some of our favourite pieces from the last few months, just in case you missed them… Two stories about secrets, lies, and what happens when the people we trust turn out to have hidden motives: first, Joe Gibson reveals a troubling affair he had with his teacher that changed his life (1m48s); and comedian Michelle Brasier explains why she befriended her scammer (41m46s)
06/01/2457m 37s

Weekend podcast: best of 2023 – part 1

For the next two weeks, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months, just in case you missed them…Two tales of coming of age and finding out what matters most: in this episode, Heartstopper’s Kit Connor confronts the aftermath of being forced to come out under the gaze of millions (1m44s); and how food helped the Guardian’s restaurant critic Grace Dent create small, meaningful moments amid immense loss (25m20s)
30/12/2340m 23s

Weekend podcast: Victoria Mary Clarke remembers her husband Shane McGowan, Marina Hyde on Michelle ‘PPE’ Mone, and the shame of the ‘silent treatment’

Marina Hyde mulls over Lady Mone’s PPE farrago, car crash interview and fight with the PM (1m26s); Victoria Mary Clarke on the excess, addiction and love that bound her and Shane MacGowan together (10m20s); and Anita Chaudhuri on being shut out by loved ones for 40 years (27m46s)
23/12/2343m 35s

Actor Toby Jones, John Crace on Sunak at the Covid inquiry, and how Taylor Swift gets in shape for her shows

Actor Toby Jones on class, character and the cost of fame (1m26s); John Crace on Rishi Sunak’s break from a feral Tory party with a spa day at the Covid inquiry (23m00s); and the weird world of celebrity training – how Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Madonna get in shape for their shows (30ms58)
16/12/2341m 16s

Marina Hyde on Omid Scobie’s royal naming mishap, and the extraordinary story of an English couple, a Ukrainian surrogate and a baby

Marina Hyde ponders the small slip that sent Omid Scobie’s Harry and Meghan book into orbit (1m18s); and an English couple, a Ukrainian surrogate and a baby: the extraordinary story of how war united two unlikely families (8m51s).
09/12/2353m 28s

Gareth Gates, John Crace on Rishi losing his marbles, and the profound effect of nature on our brains

Rishi Sunak loses his marbles and causes a diplomatic spat in the process (1m18s); Gareth Gates on bullying, resilience and tabloid gossip (7m32s); and the nature cure: how time outdoors transforms our memory, imagination and logic (21m06s).
02/12/2334m 48s

What’s happened to The Crown? Surviving a shipwreck, how Aldi and Lidl changed British shoppers, and Philippa Perry on loneliness

How The Crown went from prestige drama to TV disaster (1m26s); what happened when one man’s boat sank in the dead of night – and he had to save his seven-year-old son (11m19s); how discount supermarkets changed the way we shop (25m21); and Philippa Perry shares advice on how to overcome loneliness and isolation (40m08s)
25/11/2346m 38s

Nicolas Cage, Marina Hyde on David Cameron’s return, plus cardiologists’ advice for a healthy heart

Is Rishi Sunak rewarding failure? With David Cameron back it’s being celebrated like never before, says Marina Hyde (1m28s); Nicolas Cage on dreams, fame and his two-headed snake (10m25s); why one woman flew across the world to win back her ex (22m51s); and four cardiologists share 20 simple steps to a healthy heart (27m37s)
18/11/2341m 40s

Harry Potter’s stunt double on life after breaking his neck on set, and Marina Hyde on Nadine Dorries’s new book

Marina Hyde asks: What’s in Nadine Dorries’s book? A pile of dead cats big enough to kill that phrase for good (1m18s); and writer Simon Hattenstone finds out what happened next after Harry Potter’s stunt double broke his neck on set, changing his life forever (8m18s).
11/11/2337m 34s

Louis Theroux, Marina Hyde on the Covid inquiry, and remembering Matthew Perry

Marina Hyde reports on the not-so-shocking incompetence laid bare by the Covid inquiry (1m20s); Zoe Williams turns the tables on avuncular interviewer Louis Theroux (9m58s); and Elle Hunt reflects on Matthew Perry’s troubled life and foreshadowed death (28m48s).
04/11/2338m 25s

Olympian Caster Semenya speaks out, Marina Hyde on GB News, plus the ghost hunter turned skeptic

Marina Hyde wonders if anything will change, as GB News is found to have breached Ofcom rules yet again (1m26s); American writer Kenny Biddle, reveals how he became a full-time paranormal investigator…and sceptic…(10m03s); and Olympic champion Caster Semenya talks labels, leaked medical records and how lowering her hormones took its toll on her body (15m58s).
28/10/2343m 0s

Bella Ramsey, Marina Hyde on Princess Di’s ghost, and the woman crushed by an elephant

Marina Hyde is impressed by Princess Diana, the ‘hardest working spectre in showbiz’ (1m22s); Bella Ramsey talks football, rapping and why fame is ‘silly’ (9m44s); and Elle Hunt meets a woman who was crushed by an elephant (20m32s).
21/10/2336m 39s

Dolly Parton, John Crace on Keir Starmer, and could a hair transplant change one man’s life?

John Crace watches a glitter-covered Keir Starmer get down to business with a game-changing speech (1m21s); Dolly Parton on style, stardom and sexism (9m51s); plus one man’s leap of faith into the world of hair transplants (26m46s)
14/10/2340m 12s

Actor Julia Fox, John Crace at the Tory party conference, and The Greatest Show Never Made

John Crace watches Rishi Sunak veer between dull and delusional in his conference speech (1m23s); actor Julia Fox unpacks abuse, fame, and dating Kanye (9m12s); plus the bizarre story of how an advert for a reality show led to a British TV mystery (35m01s)
07/10/2346m 11s

Joan Collins on love, loss and lust at 90, and Marina Hyde on Rishi’s ‘longtermism’

Marina Hyde asks: who gains from Rishi’s ‘longterm’ thinking? (1m21s) ; and journalist Simon Hattenstone meets the illustrious Joan Collins to discuss love, loss and lust at 90 (8m43s).
30/09/2340m 11s

What makes Elon Musk tick?; Marina Hyde on the Russell Brand allegations

Marina Hyde appeals for us all to do the right thing by the victims of Russell Brand’s misogyny (1m23s); and writer and professor David Runciman reveals what happened when he followed all the same Twitter accounts as Elon Musk to try to get inside his head (11m9s).
23/09/2342m 13s

Grace Dent on the love of cheese, Marina Hyde on dull spy ‘scandals’, and a male escort on what women want

Marina Hyde ponders a government so tedious, even the ‘shocking’ revelation of an alleged spy can’t sex things up (1m20s); Grace Dent delves into ‘the great social leveller’, cheese, and what our love for this foodstuff says about us (8m8s); and a male escort reveals what women want when they pay for sex (34m56s).
16/09/2345m 20s

Richard Osman on conquering publishing, Marina Hyde on RAAC, and poet Maggie Smith on divorce

Marina Hyde on why crumbling concrete is just the latest phase in Rishi’s doom loop (1m26s); Maggie Smith on why her marriage disintegrated as her career took off (10m01s); and Richard Osman reveals how he conquered both TV and publishing (25m24s)
09/09/2350m 45s

Olivia Rodrigo, Marina Hyde on Prince Andrew, and the dark impact of Shallow Hal

Marina Hyde on Prince Andrew being chauffeured back into the royal fold by Prince William (1m24s); how Shallow Hal almost broke Gwyneth Paltrow’s body double (8m29s); and pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo contemplates overnight pop superstardom, plagiarism and growing up in public (21m17s)
02/09/2350m 28s

Weekend podcast: best of 2023...so far - part 2

The Weekend team are taking a break. So this week, we’re looking back at some of our favourite pieces of the year. Elle Hunt reveals the incredible story of one man’s struggle to rebuild his life after being struck by lightning (1m35s); Amelia Dimoldenberg recounts her journey from the Chicken Shop to Vanity Fair’s Oscars party (16m32s); and Chloë Hamilton describes navigating the heartbreak of fertility – shoulder to shoulder with her twin sister (33m56s).
26/08/2356m 0s

Weekend podcast: best of 2023...so far - part 1

The Weekend team are taking a break. So for the next two weeks, we’re looking back at some of our favourite pieces of the year. Michelle Obama reads an exclusive extract from her book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times (2m05s); are you a stehpinkler or a sitzpinkler? Sam Wollaston extols the virtues of sitting down to pee (28m23s); and three decades on, the only survivor of a plane crash reflects on how the trauma changed her (41m23s).
19/08/2355m 41s

Author Jacqueline Wilson, Marina Hyde on Matt Hancock as ‘just Ken’, and is snacking a problem?

Marina Hyde recoils at Matt Hancock’s latest cringeworthy attempt to boost his brand (1m24s); writer Joel Snape asks whether we should worry about snacking (7m55s); and journalist Simon Hattenstone sits down with author Jacqueline Wilson to discuss rivalry, censorship – and love (14m02).
12/08/2331m 17s

At home with world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, John Crace on Rishi’s climate retreat, and comedian Michelle Brasier on befriending her scammer

Tyson Fury weighs in on marriage, mental health and life as a multimillionaire in Morecambe (23m57s); John Crace looks on as the PM gaslights the UK with his North Sea plan while the world burns (1m30s); and Michelle Brasier explains why she befriended her scammer (8m42s)
05/08/2346m 18s

History-making footballer Viv Anderson, the TV makeover’s chequered past, and the slow running revolution

Viv Anderson: the phenomenal Black footballer who changed England for ever (11m39s), the chequered history of the TV makeover show (1m23s), and the slow running revolution: how to really enjoy the race (26m53s).
29/07/2337m 40s

Weekend podcast: Heartstopper’s Kit Connor, Marina Hyde on the Post Office scandal, and the genesis of ‘boundaries’ in therapy.

Charlotte Edwardes meets Kit Connor (11m12s); Marina Hyde implores us to stay angry about the Post Office scandal (1m32s); and Lily Scherlis explores the genesis of ‘boundaries’ in the world of therapy (35m25s)
22/07/2359m 54s

Actor Cillian Murphy, Marina Hyde on the demolition of Captain Tom’s legacy, and nuptials on a budget

Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer, sex scenes and self-doubt; Marina Hyde asks what’s going on with the Captain Tom spa complex; and forget the blowout wedding, couples explain how they tied the knot on a budget.
15/07/2341m 54s

An affair that changed my life – an exclusive extract of Joe Gibson’s memoir, and Marina Hyde on Rishi Sunak’s ‘spirit of cricket’

We’re doing something a bit different this week and bringing you an extended extract from Joe Gibson’s memoir, Seventeen, about the troubling affair with a teacher that changed his life (10m53s); and after Rishi Sunak is quick to decry the Australian cricket team, Marina is quick to point out: well, that’s just not cricket…(1m27s).
08/07/2351m 44s

Actor Simon Pegg, Marina Hyde on the benevolent Lord Lebedev, and the truth about inflammation

Simon Pegg on joining the A-list elite and embracing home life in Blighty (1m32s); Marina Hyde implores us to ignore Lord Lebedev’s links to the KGB and just focus on his successes (16m46s); and writer Joel Snape reveals all you need to know about 2023’s hottest health topic: inflammation (24m48s) This podcast was amended on 2 July 2023. The wrong EP was uploaded. This audio has now been removed and has been replaced with the correct audio.
01/07/2340m 4s

Strictly winner and actor Rose Ayling-Ellis, Marina Hyde on the one-trick Sussexes, and is an AI affair cheating?

Marina Hyde unpacks the curse of the Harry and Meghan media empire (1m22s); in the age of AI, is it cheating if you’ve got a bot on the side? (8m16s); and award-winning actor and Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis on shifting the spotlight towards the deaf community (18m50s)
24/06/2334m 56s

Alex Scott on love, Lineker and the Women’s World Cup, Marina Hyde on Boris’ deluded acolytes, why indulgence means success

England footballer turned BBC pundit; sad, confused, deluded: Marina Hyde spares a thought for the friends of Boris Johnson at this difficult time; and science writer David Robson on why delayed gratification may not be worth waiting for.
17/06/2349m 9s

Juno star Elliot Page, Marina Hyde on holier-than-thou Holly, and the Secret Tory comes clean

Oscar-nominated Juno star and trans actor Elliot Page opens up about Hollywood, abuse and coming out (18m41s); Marina Hyde implores Holly Willoughby to lose the sanctimony as she returns to daytime TV (1m26s); and as he finally reveals his true identity, Henry Morris (aka The Secret Tory) tells Zoe Williams why it was time to come clean (8m31s)
10/06/2343m 9s

Former Scissor Sisters’ frontman Jake Shears, Marina Hyde on fauxlanthropist Jeff Bezos, and meaning in a post-divorce world

The Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears reflects on the new wave of queer culture – and throwing the ultimate party (8m32s); Marina Hyde on how difficult it is being a philanthropist like Jeff Bezos (1m30s); and Joanna Biggs tries to find meaning in a post-divorce world (19m32s)
03/06/2337m 22s

The genesis of Succession, Marina Hyde on Suella Braverman, and life tips from a hostage negotiator

Succession creator, Jesse Armstrong, on why the show nearly didn’t happen (1m24s), Marina Hyde is amused by the idea of the home secretary being too famous to attend an online speed awareness course (15m15s), and a hostage negotiator reveals the secrets that could transform your life (23m32s).
27/05/2337m 27s

Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey, Marina Hyde on the This Morning ‘rift’, and the bereaved sex taboo

Nothing is more important to the country right now than Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield’s alleged rift, and Marina Hyde is absolutely here for it (1m30s); in the wake of a racially-charged backlash, Halle Bailey talks about overcoming self-doubt and her soulmate sister Chlöe (8m15s); and author Kat Lister explores the stigma of grieving partners’ sexuality and the loss of sexual intimacy (25m56s).
20/05/2336m 7s

Actor Ruth Wilson, Marina Hyde on coronation protest arrests, and the man hit by lightning

Award-winning British actor Ruth Wilson considers #MeToo hypocrisy, the violence of cosmetic surgery and why she steers clear of social media (24m02s); Marina Hyde grapples with last week’s coronation protest power-play from the Met (1m32s); and Elle Hunt reveals the incredible story of one man’s struggle to rebuild his life after being struck by lightning (8m48s)
13/05/2346m 30s

Multi-platinum singer Kesha, Marina Hyde on the Post Office scandal, and coronations gone awry

Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Kesha discusses her most raw and confrontational album to date (9m31s); as the Post Office scandal continues to unfold, Marina Hyde asks why there is a deafening silence on social media (1m35s); and as the nation celebrates the new monarch, Caroline Davies considers the historic coronations that went awry (26m44s)
06/05/2334m 20s

Chicken Shop Date’s Amelia Dimoldenberg, being the only survivor of a plane crash, and is AI getting out of control?

Amelia Dimoldenberg recounts her journey from the Chicken Shop to Vanity Fair’s Oscars party (1m19s). Artificial Intelligence keeps Google bosses up at night - so how worried should we be (18m36s)? And three decades on, the sole survivor of a plane crash reflects on how the trauma changed her (28m19s)
29/04/2342m 37s

Fatima Whitbread, Marina Hyde on the coronation ‘moment’, and Ruthie Henshall turns campaigner

Champion javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread reveals how competitive sport saved her (1m34s); Marina Hyde asks why the coronation is being overshadowed by Meghan, Harry and a quiche (17m32s); and from the West End stage to care homes campaigner, Ruthie Henshall talks to Sam Wollaston (25m04s)
22/04/2340m 36s

Musician Feist, Marina Hyde on the world leaders who just won’t stop, theatre audiences behaving badly– podcast

Marina Hyde asks why sell-by dates don’t apply to the world’s most powerful men; Rachael Healy explores the ugly new side of theatre audiences; and Canadian musician Feist reflects on the impact of adopting her daughter, and then losing her father, had on her songwriting.
15/04/2334m 56s

Charles Dance, the ‘missing personality type’, and Marina Hyde on politicians’ priorities

Marina Hyde asks who really are the ‘people in the real world’ that politicians speak so highly of (1m54s), Rhik Sammader discovers what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (10m14s), and actor Charles Dance reflects on his big break and humble beginnings (25m25s)
08/04/2337m 43s

Remembering Paul O’Grady, Marina Hyde on Gwyneth’s trial, and Zoe Williams refutes the ‘men are trash’ narrative

Marina Hyde confesses that she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the Gwyneth Paltrow trial (1m32s); from Camden council care worker to trailblazing icon, we revisit an interview with Paul O’Grady from 2017 (9m34s); and Zoe Williams laments the revival of the ‘men-are-trash’ narrative (24m15s).
01/04/2330m 52s

Marina Hyde on Boris’s last hurrah, the world’s favourite poem, and decoding midlife fashion

With Partygate and the former PM back in the news, we ask if we’ve finally reached peak Boris (1m35s)? With one billion streams, what makes John Cooper Clarke’s I Wanna Be Yours possibly the world’s favourite poem (8m27s)? And Viv Groskop navigates the mixed messages of the women’s fiftysomethings clothing market (21m40s)
25/03/2334m 55s

Episode one of season two: Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph – Are we over the Oscars?

We are delighted to bring you the first episode in our second series of Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph. Awards season reached its climax with the Oscars this week. Despite the Academy Awards being the biggest event in Hollywood, are viewers really that bothered? Chanté speaks to Michael Schulman, the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears. If you like what you hear, search “Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph” wherever you get your podcasts.
19/03/2327m 33s

Paris Hilton, the mystery of the missing Oscars, and do we have depression all wrong?

It-girl-turned-campaigner Paris Hilton speaks up about her stolen childhood, years of trauma, and taking down the ‘troubled teen industry’ (1m41s), Steve Rose investigates the mysterious case of the missing Academy Awards (30m35s), and the great serotonin debate: do depression treatments work by boosting the happy hormone? (43m14s)
18/03/2358m 29s

Weekend podcast: Zoe Williams on Boris’ honours list, what the film The Whale gets wrong, plus life lessons from hospice volunteering

Zoe Williams reacts to the news that Boris Johnson plans to nominate his father for a knighthood (1m28s), what Oscar-nominated film The Whale says about how society truly views fat people (7m), and how volunteering in a hospice changed Anna Tims’ perspective on life – and death (20m27s)
11/03/2335m 32s

Oscar-winning designer Jenny Beavan, Gen Z’s ‘tech shame’, and Katy Wix’s near-fatal and life-changing crash

Costume designer Jenny Beavan reveals why fashion is usually the last thing on her mind (1m33s), writer Alaina Demopoulos dismantles the misconception that Gen Z are tech-savvy (15m28s), and actor Katy Wix recalls the near-death experience that changed her relationship with her father forever (23m16s)
04/03/2336m 49s

Bafta-winner Jamie Demetriou, unmasking dating app cheats, and peeing: to sit or not to sit?

Writer and actor Jamie Demetriou reveals how an admin mixup paved the way for an unconventional career trajectory (1m33s), the groups of women unmasking online cheats and ghosters (18m37s), and Sam Wollaston extols the virtues of sitting down to pee (27m45s)
25/02/2341m 9s

Actor Cate Blanchett, the rise of energy drinks and the science of personality

Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett reflects on her life-changing role in Tár (1m25s), food writer Bee Wilson investigates the real impact of energy drinks on consumers (21m38s), and David Robson on what a ground-breaking study says about our power to shape our future selves (48m09s)
18/02/2355m 50s

Munroe Bergdorf’s revelatory memoir, Marina Hyde on deluded ex-prime ministers, and the key to happiness

Model, activist and writer, Munroe Bergdorf on how she fell back in love with life (28m27s), Marina Hyde on the country’s worrying relationship with toxic ex-prime ministers (1m25s), and a Harvard professor’s lifelong work reveals the key to our health and happiness (9m46).
11/02/2358m 8s

Male friendships, Prince Andrew’s comeback, and hyper-organised homes

Tim Dowling mulls over the fragility of male friendships (10m06s), Marina Hyde on Prince Andrew’s latest run at the greasy pole of ‘justice’ (1m28s), and Amelia Tait methodically unpacks the world of the hyper-organised (17m49s)
04/02/2339m 9s

Actor Michelle Williams, Marina Hyde on Nadhim Zahawi’s career, and Sam Wollaston plays pickleball

Marina Hyde ponders Nadhim Zahawi’s career trajectory (1m26s), Sam Wollaston tries his hand at pickleball, one of the world’s fastest-growing sports (10m25s), and Michelle Williams discusses her Oscar-nominated performance as Steven Spielberg’s mother – and what it taught her about parenting (19m51s)
28/01/2342m 21s

Extreme swimming, Marina Hyde on a broken police force, and rude place names

Marina Hyde on why women can no longer trust the Met (1m26s); extreme swimmer and ‘environmental diplomat’ Lewis Pugh braves the coldest waters on Earth (9m57s); and Tom Lamont discovers the pleasures and pitfalls of living somewhere with a silly name (25m19s).
21/01/2344m 3s

Actor Kathleen Turner, Marina Hyde on Prince Harry’s memoir, and navigating fertility as twins

Marina Hyde considers what Prince Harry’s memoir revelations say about us as a nation (1m26s); Kathleen Turner on navigating chronic illness and falling for Michael Douglas (10m19s); and Chloë Hamilton describes the heartbreak of fertility, shoulder to shoulder with her twin sister (25m20s)
14/01/2347m 25s

An exclusive interview with comedian Rhod Gilbert, why money really can’t buy you happiness, the pros and cons of tech

A psychotherapist to the ultra-rich explains why money can’t buy us happiness, comedian Rhod Gilbert gives his first national newspaper interview since being diagnosed with cancer, and Elle Hunt discovers that arguments about technology and our dwindling attention spans aren’t as black and white as they may seem.
07/01/2335m 28s

Weekend podcast: best of 2022 – part 2

Weekend is taking a break. So this week, the team is picking out their favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them. Writer Tom Lamont sits down with beloved British writer, actor and comedian, Lenny Henry (1m42s), journalist Jess Cartner-Morley looks at whether we’ve finally reached peak Whatsapp (25m03s), and finally, columnist Zoe Williams asks: Why has Britain fallen in love with Botox? (37m37s)
31/12/2254m 20s

Weekend podcast: best of 2022 – part 1

The Weekend team is taking a break. So for the next two weeks, we’re looking back at some of our favourite pieces of the year. This week, historian Lucy Worsley unravels the mystery disappearance of Agatha Christie (1m37s), fashion editor Jess Cartner-Morley talks to singer and actress Willow Smith about her complicated relationship with the limelight (18m45s), and Bronwyn Adcock gains a little insight from a radical Buddhist nun on the secret to happiness (38m31s)
24/12/2251m 27s

Marina Hyde on Meghan and Harry, navigating festive feuds, embracing pantomime dames

Marina Hyde on the people obsessing over Meghan and Harry’s obsessing; columnist Annalisa Barbieri offers guidance on how to navigate tricky Christmas conversations; and journalist Kate Wyver explores the history (and future) of a beloved British seasonal character: the pantomime dame.
17/12/2232m 13s

Actor Kathy Burke, Marina Hyde on Dominic Raab, the demise of Made.com

Marina Hyde discusses the latest revelations on justice secretary Dominic Raab, Amelia Tait gets to the bottom of Made.com’s dramatic downfall, and Sophie Heawood talks to director, actor and writer Kathy Burke about making it through her darkest period.
10/12/2246m 39s

Actor Billie Piper, Marina Hyde on Balenciaga, leaving Scientology

Marina Hyde looks at Balenciaga’s disturbing festive ad, and considers the moral responsibilities of brands (1m37s), Paula Cocozza interviews former scientologist Mike Rinder about abandoning his faith and his family (9m07s), and Rebecca Nicholson interviews Billie Piper about a life in showbiz (23m36s)
03/12/2246m 18s

Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman, Marina Hyde on England’s armband U-turn, the house-sitters defying the cost of living crisis, the rise and fall of the cryptocurrency exchange: FTX

Marina Hyde on the hollow sound of the England football team’s ‘activism’ (1m37s), Jessica Rawnsley on the house-sitters living for free (9m20s), Lucy Knight meets Heartstopper writer and illustrator Alice Oseman (19m33s), and technology editor Alex Hern charts the rise – and epic fall – of FTX (34m15s)
26/11/2244m 7s

A message from our Pop Culture With Chanté Joseph podcast

Pop Culture With Chanté Joseph: a brand new 10-part series from the Guardian, out now. Each week, writer and broadcaster Chanté Joseph will look into the current pop and internet culture stories everyone is talking about. This podcast is for anyone who loves pop and internet culture, and wants to get into how it is shaping and impacting our lives. Listen to a new episode every Thursday - just search for Pop Culture With Chante Joseph wherever you get your podcasts.
20/11/2218s

Actor Letitia Wright, Marina Hyde on Jeff Bezos, the student who sued Pepsi for a fighter jet

Marina Hyde on the Amazon boss’s vice-like grip over his own money (1m25s); Stuart Heritage on the incredible new Netflix documentary Pepsi, Where’s My Jet? (9m18s); and Simon Hattenstone meets Letitia Wright as she reprises her starring role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (19m56s)
19/11/2244m 24s

Episode two of a new podcast: Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph – Has The Crown lost its way?

We’re delighted to bring you the second episode of our new series, Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph. The Crown season five has arrived, and with it a whole load of controversy. Politicians, actors and royal commentators have all thrown criticism at the Netflix series, accusing it of exploiting the royal family and sensationalising real-life events. This week, Chanté Joseph is joined by the writer of the Emmy award-winning TV series The Tudors, Michael Hirst, to find out if The Crown has lost its shine
13/11/2224m 51s

A Michelle Obama exclusive, Marina Hyde on Boris’ honours list, why quiet nights in are the new going out

This week, Marina Hyde on Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list (1m34s); Michelle Obama reads an extract from her new book, The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times (11m18s); and Tom Lamont on why a night in with a board game is the only way he wants to party (38m39s).
12/11/2246m 56s

Episode one of a new podcast: Pop Culture With Chanté Joseph – Rihanna is back … what makes her such an icon?

We’re delighted to bring you the first episode of our new series, Pop Culture With Chanté Joseph. Rihanna fans have been waiting for this moment for six years. The singer has released Lift Me Up, a single from the soundtrack to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s her first release since she launched her Fenty Beauty empire, became a billionaire and a mother. As she storms back into our lives, we ask: what makes Rihanna such an icon?
06/11/2225m 33s

Marina Hyde on Matt Hancock, plus fussy eaters, Peter Tatchell and digital break ups

This week, Marina Hyde on Matt Hancock’s career move into the jungle (1m35s); Joe Stone asks ‘Can a psychologist fix my diet – and transform my life?’ (10m15s); Zoe Williams talks to veteran LGTBQ+ and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell about his recent expulsion from Qatar (25m08s); and Louis Staples’ offers advice on how to have a healthy digital break up (40m48s)
05/11/2253m 12s

Episode one of a new podcast: Ben Roberts-Smith v the media

In the defamation trial of the century, Australia’s most-decorated living soldier is seeking to defend his reputation against reports in three newspapers that he says falsely accuse him of being a war criminal. His lawyers argue Roberts-Smith has been unfairly targeted by envious comrades and assisted by credulous journalists. The newspapers’ lawyers say their reporting is true, and that Roberts-Smith broke the ‘moral and legal rules of military engagement’, something he denies outright. But who is Ben Roberts-Smith, and how did he earn the military’s highest honour, the Victoria Cross?
30/10/2246m 9s

Singer Lewis Capaldi, Marina Hyde on Rishi Sunak, queer horror, and the secret to TikTok

This week, Marina Hyde rattles through the PM’s first week (1m26s), the Guardian’s head rock and pop critic Alexis Petridis talks to singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi about staying grounded in the limelight (10m10s), columnist Guy Lodge dissects the history of queer horror (25m46s), and finally, technology editor Alex Hern explores the seemingly innocuous algorithm that pushed TikTok to the top of its game (36m27s).
29/10/2246m 23s

Love Island’s Ekin-Su, Marina Hyde, the power of body clocks

This week, Marina Hyde on the political chaos of the last four days and counting (1m28s), columnist Zoe Williams meets Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, the woman who may have just changed the fortunes of Love Island (10m01s), and writer Amelia Tait reveals how our body clocks can improve the effectiveness of everything from our nutrition to Alzheimer’s (34m50s).
22/10/2250m 49s

Actor Viola Davis, Marina Hyde on John Cleese, botox, burnout

This week, Marina Hyde on the plight of a constantly aggrieved, and very particular, subsection of male “celebrity” (1m28s); Zoe Williams asks, why has Britain fallen in love with Botox? (8m38s); Gaby Hinsliff explores the big British Burnout (24m42s); and Ellen E Jones meets Oscar-winning actor Violas Davis to talk about her new film, The Woman King (40m12s).
15/10/2255m 32s

Comedian Lenny Henry , Marina Hyde at the Tory conference, the wild world of chess

This week, Marina Hyde picks over the rubble of this week’s decision-making by the Tories (1m25s), Sean Ingle delves into the wild world of chess (10m52s), and Tom Lamont sits down with comedian, writer and actor Lenny Henry (25m57s).
08/10/2249m 33s

Marina Hyde, comedian Jayde Adams, and the obsession with pumpkin spice

This week, columnist Marina Hyde examines how Kwasi Kwarteng responds to the chaos he creates (1:22), Aimee Levitt investigates why Americans like adding pumpkin spice to things (8:08), Emine Saner interviews Jayde Adams about her hopes for Strictly Come Dancing (19:00), and Will Coldwell looks back at the business of the smiley symbol (34:38)
01/10/2253m 16s

Actor Jeff Bridges, Welcome to ‘First Blokes’ Club, the secret to happiness

This week, columnist Zoe Williams on the curious political role of the ‘First Bloke’, writer Tom Lamont meets the Oscar-winning actor and all-round ‘dude’ Jeff Bridges, and finally, journalist Bronwyn Adcock gains a little insight from a radical Buddhist nun on the secret to happiness.
24/09/2247m 45s

Can I tell you a secret: episode one of a new podcast

In this new six-episode podcast, Guardian journalist Sirin Kale investigates the story of a cyberstalker who terrified people in his hometown and beyond for over a decade. Episode one begins in his hometown, Northwich, where Sirin meets some of his earliest victims - Andrea Yuile, Amber and Amy Bailey. They tell us how he infiltrated their lives and talk about the horrendous fallout of what he did
23/09/2234m 24s

Willow Smith, Marina Hyde on hecklers, the Queen in film

This week, columnist Marina Hyde on heckling the royal family and the fallacy of ‘free speech’, fashion editor Jess Cartner-Morley talks to Willow Smith about her complicated relationship with the limelight, film critic Peter Bradshaw reviews the many fictional iterations of the Queen, and, finally, writer Niloufar Haidari on why Kourtney Kardashian’s new sustainable fashion line will do far more harm than good.
17/09/2252m 4s

Hadley Freeman on psychedelics, the value of small talk, Jennette McCurdy

This week, Yvonne Roberts on the importance of small talk, Emine Saner meets Nickelodeon actor Jennette McCurdy to discuss her explosive new memoir, and Hadley Freeman has an out of body experience with shoe designer-turned-psychedelic-guide Patrick Cox.
10/09/2253m 13s

From Today in Focus: the life and death of Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen has died aged 96 at her Scottish home of Balmoral. In this episode of our Today in Focus podcast, Polly Toynbee joins Nosheen Iqbal to look back on her life
09/09/2231m 41s

Movie legend Pam Grier, Rory Stewart, the price of heartbreak

This week, Sirin Kale meets former Tory MP and hit podcaster Rory Stewart, columnist Eva Wiseman counts the clinical cost of heartbreak, and Ryan Gilbey sits down with the queen of Blaxploitation Pam Grier.
03/09/2252m 51s

The ‘disappearance’ of Agatha Christie, Marina Hyde on the sewage scandal, animal emotions

This week, columnist Marina Hyde asks why all the blame for the sewage dumping scandal is pointed towards politicians and not the water company bosses, writer Sam Parker on the Gen Z entrepreneurs who are turning their backs on office nine to fives and turning their personal passions into full-time jobs, historian Lucy Worsley on whether best-selling author, Agatha Christie, really did go into hiding to frame her husband for murder, and finally, neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett asks: can we really tell what animals are feeling, or are we merely projecting?
27/08/2253m 27s

Marina Hyde on Brooklyn Beckham, Nish Kumar’s Fringe, music post-30

This week, Marina Hyde on Brooklyn Beckham’s ever-evolving career path, comedian Nish Kumar is at the Edinburgh fringe, Jess Cartner-Morley investigates Whatsapp fatigue, and writer Daniel Dylan Wray asks why thirtysomethings are giving up on music.
20/08/2241m 59s

Weekend podcast: Marina on Trump’s raid, Tom Daley, and Hypochondria

This weekend, columnist Marina Hyde on why the FBI’s search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home will lead to him running again in 2024, Simon Hattenstone sits down with diver Tom Daley to discuss how making a documentary about gay rights led to an awakening, and Annalisa Barbieri reveals what triggered – and eventually settled – her late-onset hypochondria.
13/08/2244m 33s

Weekend podcast: best of 2022 … so far – part 2

Weekend is taking a break. So this week, the team are picking out their favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them. This week, reporter Kari Paul asks why so many people are going ‘goblin mode’ (1m46s), Hadley Freeman shares some defining moments from the Wagatha Christie trial (9m51s), and Charlotte Higgins asks why Brits are still obsessed with the Regency period (43m40s)
06/08/2259m 46s

Weekend podcast: best of 2022 … so far – part 1

Weekend is taking a break. So for the next two weeks, the team is picking out their favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them. This week, columnist Eva Wiseman chats to comedian and activist Joe Lycett (01m15s), comedian Hannah Gadsby unpicks the myths and personal struggles surrounding autism spectrum disorder (15m55s), and Michael Segalov reviews Netflix’s recent LGBTQ+ coming of age romcom series, Heartstopper (35m47s).
30/07/2252m 54s

Actor John Cho, anti-ambition, naked yoga

This weekend, journalist Elle Hunt on why thousands of people are embracing the ‘age of anti-ambition’, Aaron Hicklin meets with John Cho – or as you may know him – Harold of Harold and Kumar, now Sulu in the new Star Trek, and Kelsy Burke strips away the pretence after trying out naked yoga.
23/07/2246m 54s

John McEnroe, pet custody battles, men rocking skirts

Rhik Samadder finds out how it feels to walk down his local high street in a skirt, Sirin Kale looks at what happens to pets after relationships break down, and John McEnroe reflects on how he went from tennis bad boy to the game’s elder statesman.
16/07/2243m 46s

Marina on Johnson’s exit, digital amnesia, celebrity lookalikes

This week, Marina Hyde on the week the prime minister’s house of cards finally fell down, Rebecca Seal investigates if our smartphones are ruining our memory, Tim Lewis interviews actor Daisy Haggard, and Francisco Garcia introduces us to the people who earn a living looking like our favourite famous people.
09/07/2254m 57s

The Regency era: why we’re obsessed, Marina Hyde on Boris’ Chequers treehouse, calling the cops on jokes, and the end of shampoo – podcast

This week, Marina Hyde looks at the prime minister’s £150k treehouse plan, Charlotte Higgins asks why we’re still obsessed with the Regency era, Brian Logan documents the history of gags so offensive that punters called the police, and Lisa Niven-Phillips charts the rise of ‘non-shampoo’ shampoos.
02/07/2242m 28s

Fatboy Slim, Marina Hyde, ‘winging it’ to the top

This week, Marina Hyde on Boris Johnson’s ability to blame everything on anyone but himself, musician Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim, on his mental health DJ classes, Emma Beddington investigates whether winging it to the top really works, and Imogen West-Knights looks at how the ‘mid-century millennial’ look took over our homes.
25/06/2244m 21s

Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska, Marina Hyde on that policy, scaring yourself happy

This week, Marina Hyde on making policy that ‘annoys all the right people’, Shaun Walker talks to Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska, and Daniel Lavelle investigates whether chasing scary experiences might be the secret to losing your fears.
18/06/2246m 14s

Musician Pete Doherty, Marina Hyde, tips on making tough choices

This week, Marina Hyde on what’s next for the Tory party after Hannibal Johnson wins his confidence vote, Hadley Freeman talks to singer Pete Doherty in Normandy, and Joanna Moorhead advises on ways to make life’s hardest decisions.
11/06/2249m 50s

Singer Avril Lavigne, the Heartstopper generation, tips for summer sleeping

This week, Sarah Manavis interviews the punk-pop singer Avril Lavigne, Michael Segalov reflects on a turning point in generation Z’s queer experience, Yasmina Floyer looks at the potential death of the underwire bra, and Emine Saner brings us tips to a better night’s sleep during the hot summer months.
04/06/2248m 59s

Wagatha Christie, John Crace on Partygateo, open relationships

This week, John Crace dissects Boris Johnson’s short-lived humility over Partygate, Hadley Freeman on one of the showbiz trials of the decade, and Tom Rasmussen opens up on the benefits, difficulties and complexities of life in an open relationship.
28/05/2259m 59s

Weekend podcast: Kasabian, cost of living and why we love “like”

Marina Hyde on MPs and their cost of living excuses, Niall Doherty interviews Kasabian, Anna Berrill on how timing your meals can benefit your health, and Sam Wolfson on why people love the word “like” so much.
21/05/2242m 11s

Jarvis Cocker, Marina Hyde on Starmer’s Beergate, Sofie Hagen on influencing, clash of the Cannes– podcast

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on Beergate and Keir Starmer’s gamble, Britpop legend Jarvis Cocker discusses his new memoir, comedian Sofie Hagen on the hard slog to become an influencer, and Xan Brooks dissects the Cannes film festival as it celebrates its 75th birthday,
14/05/2249m 37s

Eurovision, Marina Hyde on Roe v Wadde, bad taste and the Met Gala, middle-aged tattoos

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on the anger surrounding the Roe v Wade leak, Alexi Duggins on whether this year’s Eurovision song contest will be the most electric ever, Jess Cartner-Morley on whether social media has killed good taste at the Met Gala, and a first-hand experience of getting tattoos later in life.
07/05/2241m 26s

Arcade Fire, Marina Hyde on Elon’s Twitter Takeover, lessons from therapy, hyperempaths

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on the anger surrounding Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, Laura Barton interviews the Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, Hannah Booth explores the important lessons she has learned from going to therapy for 10 years, and bestselling author Joanna Cannon explains why hyper-empaths should use their emotions for good.
30/04/2256m 34s

Actor Sienna Miller, Marina Hyde on Boris’ 1000th day, the fall of Abercrombie & Fitch, fast fashion

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on Boris Johnson’s 1,000th day as PM, Michelle Kambasha analyses Lena Dunham’s divisive sitcom Girls 10 years on from its debut, actor Sienna Miller discusses her experience with the toxic tabloid press, and Adrian Horton analyses how a US fashion giant paid the price for building an empire on discrimination.
23/04/2253m 53s

Actor Eddie Marsan, Marina Hyde on Commons’ crims, popstar afterlife, regrets of the dying– podcast

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on the expanding number of Commons crims, actor Eddie Marsan reflects on sex-symbol status with Alex Moshakis, author Nick Duerden uncovers the curious afterlife of pop stars, and writer Georgina Scull reflects on how the regrets of the dying can remind us how to truly live.
16/04/221h

Author Douglas Stuart, Marina Hyde on MP rule flouting, the end of the small plate, is there hope for soap?

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde notes how following the rules is something MPs can ignore, Simon Hattenstone interviews author Douglas Stuart, Imogen West-Knights ponders the end of small portions, and Stuart Jeffries questions whether there is hope for the soap.
09/04/221h 1m

Comedian Joe Lycett, John Crace on Partygate, comedian Hannah Gadsby

Ease into the weekend with our brand new podcast, showcasing some of the best Guardian and Observer writing from the week, read by talented narrators. In this week’s episode, John Crace on Partygate delusion, Hannah Gadsby on her autism diagnosis, comedian Joe Lycett talks to Eva Wiseman about life as a consumer activist, and Hannah Bourne-Taylor recounts what it was like to let a bird nest in her hair for 84 days. If you like what you hear, subscribe to Weekend on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts
02/04/2252m 36s

Musician FKA twigs, Marina Hyde on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, extortionate hand soaps, manifesting– podcast

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on the ingratitude police who feel Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe should be grateful, Kadish Morris interviews FKA twigs, Ed Cumming looks into why Aesop hand soap got so posh, plus Stuart McGurk on the new age world of manifesting.
26/03/2259m 3s

Adwoa Aboah, Marina Hyde on oligarchs, Ira Glass, ‘goblin mode’– podcast

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on why Metropolitan police officers pulled out all the stops to protect an oligarch’s London mansion, Hadley Freeman talks podcasts with Ira Glass, Kari Paul investigates why so many of us are entering ‘goblin mode’, and Hannah J Davies’s interview with Adwoa Aboah.
19/03/2245m 33s

Weekend: John Crace, Zoë Kravitz and the art of saying ‘sorry’

In this week’s episode, John Crace on Boris Johnson’s six-point plan for Ukraine turning out to be six vague principles, Sirin Kale interviews Zoë Kravitz, Annalisa Barbieri on why ‘sorry’ is the hardest word, and Emine Saner on female standups from the 1960s.
12/03/2248m 16s

Weekend: Marina Hyde, Nicola Coughlan and vegan bros

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde reminds Matt Hancock that this isn’t the time to be relaunching his career, David Hillier explores the rise of the vegan bro, Elle Hunt interviews Derry Girls actor Nicola Coughlan, and Jamie Klingler gives her advice on sober dating.
05/03/2248m 54s

Charlie Brooker, Marina Hyde, voice note etiquette, Queen of Bitcoin– podcast

In this week’s episode, Marina Hyde on oligarchs in London, Zoe Williams interviews Charlie Brooker, Annie Lord discusses the pros and cons of voice notes and Luke Winkie investigates the Crime Queen of Bitcoin.
26/02/2239m 32s

Johnny Knoxville, Marina Hyde, Emma Thompson, Jay Rayner

In this week’s episode, Chris Godfrey interviews Johnny Knoxville about his life as a world-famous stuntman, Marina Hyde laments the fact a computer system was believed over humans, actress Emma Thompson explores the intersection of three generations of women in her family, Jay Rayner reviews Chef Tee’s Sugarcane London, and Nell Frizzell gives 10 tips to revive a longterm relationship.
19/02/2251m 18s

Actor Will Arnett, Marina Hyde, Mastermind, stressing about stress

Ease into the weekend with our brand new podcast, showcasing some of the best Guardian and Observer writing, read by talented narrators. In this episode, Marina Hyde looks at the new additions to Downing Street, Hadley Freeman interviews Hollywood actor Will Arnett, Sirin Kale tries her hand at quiz show Mastermind, and David Robson examines why we’re so stressed about stress.
12/02/2249m 17s

Weekend: Marina Hyde, George Ezra and Joe Rogan

Ease into the weekend with our brand new podcast, showcasing some of the best Guardian and Observer writing, read by talented narrators. In our first episode, Marina Hyde reflects on another less than stellar week for Boris Johnson (1m34s), Edward Helmore charts the rise of Joe Rogan (9m45s), Laura Snapes goes deep with singer George Ezra (18m26s), and Alex Moshakis asks: ‘Are you a jerk at work?’ (34m38s)
05/02/2248m 18s

Weekend: a new podcast to help you switch off from a busy week

Get ready for Weekend. Every Saturday, we’ll share some of the best Guardian writing from the week, read by talented narrators. Listen to celebrity interviews, lifestyle features, and opinions from our most popular columnists. Weekend is the perfect way to relax
31/01/2234s
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