Unmissable Episodes

  1. Russell T Davies - On Dr Who, Grief and Gay Representation on TV

    30 Sept

    Russell T Davies - On Dr Who, Grief and Gay Representation on TV

    Russell T Davies has spent decades creating some of Britain’s most beloved and groundbreaking television. After studying English at Oxford, he went from writing for children’s programmes and Coronation Street to creating Queer As Folk in 1999 - a show that changed the conversation around gay representation on TV. Since then, he’s written hit after hit, from Bob & Rose and A Very English Scandal to Years and Years, It’s A Sin and his hugely successful revival of Doctor Who. He’s won four BAFTAs and was awarded an OBE in 2008. In this episode we talk about where his obsession and passion for TV came from, how his exceptionally busy mind works, losing his husband to a brain tumour, his love of Dr Who and…finding love again. His new memoir, The Queerest of Folk, is out on 8th October. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 02:35 TV Obsession Origins 03:24 Memoir and Andrew 08:35 AIDS and Its a Sin 10:36 Queer as Folk Shockwaves 12:37 Failure to Drive 16:45 Writing in Images 28:05 Early Illustration Gigs 28:54 Obsessed With Drawing 30:20 Losing the Habit 31:52 Comics and Story Beats 33:54 Writing Geniuses Doctor Who 37:13 Staying a Fan 41:41 Legacy and Family Roots 49:59 Aging Love and Goodbye 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: When I dream I invent people who don’t exist. I’ve saved for decades, I saved for a rainy day, and then one day it rained. Please never get rid of the Tardis. 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Russell’s memoir, The Queerest Of Folk is available to buy now: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-queerest-of-folk-a-life-in-television-russell-t-davies/a290496f474a1f8c Join the How To Fail community: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Elizabeth’s Substack: www.theelizabethday.substack.com 📚 WANT MORE? Phoebe Waller-Bridge - swap.fm/l/gTCOCJUmXX9t22mTABSa Bernardine Evaristo - swap.fm/l/EH5cvO3uPdNCQN9tYyiJ 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Elizabeth and Russell answer listener questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: https://lnk.to/7i0moR Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: askhowtofail.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Shania Manderson Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Alex Lawless How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. E8 - The Words Behind the Songs | with Tim Rice

    23 Sept ·  Video

    E8 - The Words Behind the Songs | with Tim Rice

    Today, Wodcast sits down with Sir Tim Rice one of the world's most celebrated lyricists and one of only a small number of people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, for a wide-ranging conversation about words, songwriting, storytelling and the strange alchemy of turning language into something that lasts. From Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and Chess to The Lion King and Aladdin, Tim has written some of the most recognisable lyrics of the last half-century. But this conversation is less about the hits themselves and more about what happens inside the words: how a lyric comes together, why a title can change everything, and why sometimes the smallest rhyme can make a song feel complete. Tim shares the story behind “Hakuna Matata”, including the lost verse that never made it into The Lion King, and explains how a phrase from a Swahili dictionary became one of the most recognisable expressions in popular culture. He reflects on the difference between writing for a character and writing from your own experience, and why a lyricist has to be able to imagine lives they've never lived. Together, they explore the hidden architecture of lyrics: rhyme, rhythm, titles, repetition and the words that somehow lodge themselves in our memories. Tim reveals why “Don't Cry for Me, Argentina” almost had a completely different title, why vagabond was the perfect word for a line about kings and vagabonds, and why sometimes the best explanation for a particular word is simply: “It rhymed.” The conversation also wanders into the life of words themselves. Tim reflects on how words change meaning, why he thinks “hopefully” is often used incorrectly, and whether words are losing their meaning altogether. They discuss the power of songs as one of the oldest forms of storytelling and how a song can sometimes communicate something faster and more directly than a novel. This is a conversation about the craft of words, the life of words, and the extraordinary things that can happen when the right words meet the right melody. ───── Topics include: • The art of lyric writing • The Lion King and “Hakuna Matata” • Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and Chess • The power of song and storytelling • Why titles matter • Rhyme, rhythm and scansion • How words change their meanings • Childhood and memory • Writing from other people's perspectives • The lost verse of “Hakuna Matata” • “Vagabond” and the words we remember • Poetry, music and meaning • Language, mortality and the mystery of existence ───── More from the Wodcast: ➟ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wod.cast/ ➟ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wodcast/id1896893830 ➟ YouTube – https://youtube.com/@wodcast_channel ➟ Substack – https://wodcast.substack.com/ ➟ Website – https://wodcast.co.uk/ ───── More from Tim Rice: ➟ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tim_rice_words ➟ Website - https://www.timrice.co.uk Join the Wodcast on Substack Explore the words between episodes, discover our upcoming live events, and subscribe to join us along the way.

  3. Blamed on Bundy | Everyone Knew Everyone | 1

    Season 5, Episode 1

    Blamed on Bundy | Everyone Knew Everyone | 1

    Impatient customers lined up at the cash register late on the afternoon of Friday, July 4th, 1975. The gas station clerk, Nancy Perry Baird, was nowhere to be found. A police officer soon discovered Nancy’s purse, keys and car were left behind. So was Nancy’s 4-year-old son, Brant. In this episode, investigative reporter Dave Cawley traces Nancy Baird’s life from her childhood to her disappearance. He reveals how a tiny, untrained police department in East Layton, Utah fumbled the case. That is, until a convenient scapegoat arrived to draw away the public's attention. Now, Nancy’s son Brant Baird breaks his silence, speaking for the first time exclusively to COLD. And the last surviving member of the East Layton Police Department spins a confusing story about where he was when Nancy Baird vanished. Share your thoughts: Instagram Facebook Reddit Join the COLD Insider Club for ad-free listening, early access and exclusives: https://insiderclub.thecoldpodcast.com/Right now, founding members receive 20% off. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, free and confidential help is available through the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Episode credits: Research, writing and hosting: Dave Cawley Audio production and mastering: Aaron Mason COLD main theme composed by: Michael Bahnmiller KSL Executive Producer: Sheryl Worsley KSL Senior VP of Content: Ruth Todd If you enjoy COLD, please try these other great shows from KSL Podcasts: The Letter, Ransom, Stranger Becomes Neighbor

  4. How an Article of Clothing Goes Viral

    30 Sept

    How an Article of Clothing Goes Viral

    It feels like a real symptom of the modern age that an article of clothing can just start... following you around online. There it is, in your Instagram feed (again, and again, and again). But it's also there in between paragraphs while you're reading the New York Times, or suggesting you click while you're sifting through your Buy Nothing group on Facebook, or accosting you every tenth video on TikTok. It'd be one thing if these things were cute... but so many of them feel like they're trying to make fetch (or a barrel leg) happen. I'm so thrilled to have veteran fashion journalist Cheryl Wischhover here to explain how an item of clothing goes viral (we tackle so many of your specific asks) and how virality, e-commerce, and influencing intertwine. This is an absolutely fascinating ep — I can't wait to hear your thoughts! Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode:Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at tumbleliving.com/CULTUREOllie. Feed the Obsession. Go to ollie.com/culture and use code culture to get 70% off your first box!Listen to rePROS Fight Back wherever you get your podcasts.Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to:  https://www.wildalaskan.com/CULTUREShow Notes:Strongly suggest subscribing to Cheryl's newsletter, Good for Your AgeHer piece on the Ruti pants that made me want to pod with her immediatelyCheryl's Bloomberg piece on how affiliate links are even taking over group chats This is the second entry in our 'Back to School' Fashion Episodes — check out our previous episode on All Your Questions About Personal Style, AnsweredWe're currently looking for your questions on the following topics:WTF IS GOING ON WITH TELEVISION RIGHT NOW with Phil Maciak and Kathryn VanArendonk — podcasts-as-television, Netflix's Season Season Problem, what the networks aren't learning from Widow's Bay, ask us more!WOMEN LEAVING THE (CHRISTIAN) CHURCH — what are you seeing, what are you curious about, what are they leaving for?VENMO CULTURE: People who won't let you treat, people who say they're gonna Venmo you after you put a big dinner on your card and then don't, the utility (and annoyance) of Splitwise, Venmo-ing for a $4 coffee... convince Melody that there's an episode hereLOW KEY SUPER RICH PEOPLE — ever since I read this piece on 'American Gentry' I've wanted to do a big episode about how the real (diffuse) wealth in this country is people who own care dealerships, HVAC companies, and other "pass-through" S-Corps. How does that wealth persist, what power does it wield, why do they vote the way they do, WHO ARE THEY, REALLY? (We're talking with some economists who've really crunched the numbers on this, so it's gonna be fascinating)THE LATEST IN BOOK TRENDS with Alyssa Morris (from our very popular BookTok episode!). Ask Alyssa about whatever you're seeing in the book world: covers, genres, how it's handling fan-fic, BookTok trends.....JOURNO-INFLUENCERS with s.e. smith — yep, another episode on influencers, this time on how they're changing the norms of journalism. What journo-influencers do you follow and what makes them compelling? What's the future of journalism when it's wed to this style of promotion? Is it actually anything new? Ask away!Anything you need advice for/want musings about for the AAA segment. You can ask about anything — it’s literally the name of the segment. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world.Got a question to submit, a prompt for Ask Anne Anything, or an idea for a future episode? Tell us here.Catch up on everything else happening in the Culture Study universe here.Transcripts will be available here within 24 hours of publishing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  5. The Fluid Dynamics of Fountain Pens

    23 Sept

    The Fluid Dynamics of Fountain Pens

    The wait is finally over: Hannah Fry introduces Michael Stevens to her beloved fountain pen collection and the beautiful physics behind how fountain pens work. From a £20 Lamy Safari to vintage Waterman and Montblanc pens, Hannah explains how capillary action, surface tension, air pressure and carefully engineered feeds control the flow of fountain pen ink. Michael tests the collection, chooses his favourite and discovers why the most expensive pen is not necessarily the nicest to write with. Then Hannah and Michael answer your questions: which words are terrible at their jobs, how do aeroplane wings actually generate lift, and which moment in history would they most like to witness? ------------------- For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit https://cancerresearchuk.org/restisscience Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ. ------------------- Find The Rest Is Science all over the internet by ⁠⁠clicking here.⁠⁠ ------------------- Video Producer: Adam Thornton + Oli Oakley + Jack MeekAnimator: Sam BensonVideo & Social: Bex TyrrellAssistant Producer: Lucy LipscombeProducer: Simona RataSenior Producer: Lauren Armstrong-CarterChief Digital Officer: Samuel OakleyExec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. #259 Ash & April - His Sobriety, Her Side Of The Story

    8 Sept

    #259 Ash & April - His Sobriety, Her Side Of The Story

    This might just be one of our most emotional episodes yet. We’ve heard Ash’s sobriety story - the pain, the struggles and the voices in his head but today we hear from the person who was there through all of it: April. From their binge-drinking teenage years, through their 20's and into parenthood, to Ash making the life-changing decision to give alcohol up in his 30's, April has had a front-row seat. She opens up about what she did, what she didn’t do and what she’s learned about supporting someone through addiction without losing themselves in the process. It’s a raw, honest and incredibly vulnerable conversation that gives us a whole new look at their relationship, built on love, trust, honesty and a whole lot of hope. There are some seriously powerful takeaways about marriage, parenting, addiction and what it really means to stand beside someone when life gets hard. We hope you love this one as much as we do. If you need help with addiction you can call Lifeline on 1800 250 015 or you can find resources here. ______________________________________________________________________________ If you need a shoulder to cry on:  Two Doting Dads Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/639833491568735/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTwoDotingDads  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twodotingdads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twodotingdads   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. Ep 1 | The Great Game

    9 Sept

    Ep 1 | The Great Game

    A British passenger jet has crashed into the North Sea with 350 on board. GCHQ monitoring and Royal Navy vessels establish GPS interference from a hostile power brought it down. With an election just weeks away Prime Minister Alex Kernoway's options are limited, Washington is insisting on restraint in an effort to preserve peace talks in Ukraine. 15 years earlier Tom "Duffy" MacDuff was in the heat of battle in Helmand province. Strong language, violence. Listener discretion is advised. Thomas Mitchells as Alex Kernoway Naomi Miller as Mel Murray Luke Jasztal as Sir Pilgrim Moore Donald Pirie as Tom "Duffy" MacDuff Freddie Trenholme as Shaun Wade Michael Ashtiany as Scott "Robbo" Robertson Lauren Ingram as Miriam Brann Nalan Burgess as Azra Simsek Scott Tunnix as Sam Kernoway Karim Kronfli as Peter Kernoway Romy Emery as Grace Kernoway Muhammad Luqman as Mohammed "Ram" Ramdani Lance Fuller as US President Denis Michallet as President Tousart Nicolas Sayce as Anthony Harcourt Dan Rhun as Phil Joel Emery as Ben Harry Frost as Air Investigation Technician Trev Fleming as Show Voice Additional voices Adam Jarrell Darcey Ferguson Joel Emery Rahmat Dewan Lucy Carpenter Edited by: Joel Emery Technical Producer: David Allen Written by: Joel Emery Directed by: Adam Jarrell and Joel Emery Producer: Neil Fearn Executive Producer: Tony Pastor Music provided by Audionetwork Copyright 2026. Property of Goalhanger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. 60 Words

    4 Sept

    60 Words

    We’re coming up on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and it had us thinking about an episode we produced in 2014. It’s the story of one sentence, written in the hours after September 11th, 2001, that has led to the longest war in U.S. history. We examine how just 60 words of legal language have blurred the line between war and peace.  In the hours after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a lawyer sat down in front of a computer and started writing a legal justification for taking action against those responsible. The language that he drafted and that President George W. Bush signed into law—called the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)—has at its heart one single sentence, 60 words long. Over the last decade, those 60 words have become the legal foundation for the "war on terror." In this collaboration with BuzzFeed, reporter Gregory Johnsen tells us the story of how this has come to be one of the most important, confusing, troubling sentences of the last two decades. We go into the meetings that took place in the chaotic days just after 9/11, speak with Congresswoman Barbara Lee and former Congressman Ron Dellums about the vote on the AUMF. We hear from former White House and State Department lawyers John Bellinger & Harold Koh. We learn how this legal language unleashed Guantanamo, Navy Seal raids and drone strikes. And we speak with journalist Daniel Klaidman, legal expert Benjamin Wittes and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine about how these words came to be interpreted, and what they mean for the future of war and peace.  LATERAL CUTS -Really anything from our sister show, More Perfect EPISODE CREDITS: Reported by - Kelsey Padgettwith help from - Matt KieltyProduced by - Matt Kieltywith help from - Kelsey Padgett Sign up for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Signup (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org. Leadership support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.