Uncanny is a series of real-life tales of the supernatural, told by the people who lived them. It claims to be the biggest investigation in the paranormal – ever. That might sound like an empty boast, but with such a vast listenership and access to the plentiful resources of the BBC, it’s hard to argue.
Danny regularly includes updates on previous stories, incorporating new research and information sent in by listeners, creating something of an international hive mind.
Almost all of the witnesses are credible – often very articulate and academic – and, most importantly, many don’t believe in ghosts, even after recounting their thrilling and spooky experiences.
Where Believers and Skeptics Meet
Uncanny taps into my long-forgotten love of ghost stories. Growing up in England, where houses are centuries old, it was common for homes to feature unexplained goings-on.
Each story is occasionally paused to confer with a pair of experts – one believer and one sceptic. The conversation between Danny and this panel is respectful, giving each person space to share their perspective without dismissing the other side.
If you love a spooky mystery, pull the covers up tight and let Uncanny take you to places you’d never normally go.
Uncanny is available wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Podcast Review: Wrong Turns
Life’s all about choices, but do we always make the right ones?
While many podcasts celebrate people’s greatest successes, Wrong Turns with Jameela Jamil does the opposite. It invites guests to share their most embarrassing moments and spectacular missteps. Misfortune is celebrated rather than hidden away, because Wrong Turns isn’t about polished success stories or motivational speeches.
It’s about the messy reality of being human. As Jameela puts it: “The podcast where dignity goes to die.” She’s not trying to convince you there’s always a silver lining or a life lesson waiting to be learned. Sometimes life is simply embarrassing – and often far funnier in hindsight. While the show features a roster of star-studded guests, some of the funniest and most cringeworthy stories actually come from Jameela herself.
Honest, Hilarious and Unfiltered
A small warning: the podcast is sprinkled with more than the occasional expletive, but it’s all very much in the spirit of good fun. What makes Wrong Turns work is its honesty. Everyone has taken a wrong turn at some point – most people just don’t admit it out loud.
This podcast turns those moments into stories worth telling, proving that sometimes the worst decisions make the best tales later. So, indulge in the humiliation and enjoy the schadenfreude.
Find Wrong Turns wherever you enjoy your podcasts.
Podcast Review: Pop Culture Parenting
What have movies and TV taught us?
If you’re like me…almost everything.
It may sound sad to admit, but apart from my amazing parents, films and TV have helped guide my moral compass most of my life, being raised on a solid diet of American sitcoms and Hollywood stories. So when I was recommended the Pop Culture Parenting podcast, I thought, “This is right up my street.”
Personal and Professional Parenting Insights
Hosted by Nick, who classes himself as a ‘Developing Parent’ and Dr Billy, who is a Developmental Paediatrician, they offer their personal and professional insights into parenting (including how they raise their own daughters) through 80s and 90s movies – is there nothing movies can’t do? The pair ask key questions, including how to better support child mental health, and how to aid their development, by using films like a spoonful of sugar to help the educational medicine go down.
Their advice aims to give parents the skills to identify when their kid is struggling and offers the best approach and tools to handle tricky situations, such as using Home Alone to tackle the ‘Time Out’ technique and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to help kids who are struggling to attend school. I wish I had this podcast when my kids were younger.
Catch Pop Culture Parenting wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Wanging On Pocast Review
The start of a new year can be a bit exhausting.
So, I found a podcast that’s part agony Aunt, part comedy show.
Hosted by Irish talkshow legend Graham Norton and his bestie, actress Maria McErlane, they help solve all the problems of the world one 30-minute episode at a time.
The name of the show, Wanging On, means basically the same as ‘waffling on’ or to ‘talk at length’ with no end in sight.
Why Wanging On Works So Well
What the friends lack in any form of problem-solving qualifications, they make up for with hilarious hot takes and brazen honesty. You’ll feel like you’re eavesdropping on a couple of mates who absolutely refuse to wrap things up quickly.
The joy of Wanging On is that it embraces the ramble. Stories aren’t rushed, punchlines aren’t forced, and they share their own (often embarrassing) anecdotes. The podcast trusts that if you give funny, self-aware people enough room, they’ll eventually say something brilliant, or at least embarrassing.
If you’re after slick segments and tightly timed analysis, this probably isn’t your podcast. But if you enjoy listening to people dissect problems, then this is for you. Just don’t expect it to finish on time.
Listen to Wanging On wherever you find your podcasts.
Podcast Review:Christmas Past
Christmas is full of traditions, but do you know why people do any of them?
Uncover the lore, history and cultural meaning behind what most of us consider completely normal behaviour at Christmas. I mean, when did hanging socks on the mantelpiece become acceptable behaviour? Or, for that matter, since when did offering a carrot become an acceptable gift for a flying reindeer? The more I started thinking about bonkers customs that have become the norm over the years, the more I wanted answers.
Luckily, Brian Earl created Christmas Past, where he explores the often fascinating festive season traditions and how they have developed like a snowball over the years.
A Nostalgic Podcast for Festive Story Lovers
The stories are around 10 to 15 minutes long, so you can easily fit them into a morning walk, drive to work, or while you’re sobbing on the lounge room floor trying to untangle your Christmas lights.
The show mixes researched storytelling and fascinating trivia, creating a cosy and nostalgic atmosphere to help get you in the festive mood.
What makes Christmas Past special is the way it blends history with warm personal memories. Alongside well-researched storytelling, listeners sometimes share their own anecdotes.
If you want to fill your Christmas stocking with festive trivia and wow your relatives, then catch Christmas Past, wherever you download your podcasts
Podcast Review: The Imperfects
Sometimes life gets a bit messy, so what do you do?
October was Mental Health Month, and I started thinking about finding a podcast that covers mental health in a way that’s both real and enjoyable. Enter The Imperfects podcast, a show that somehow manages to make tricky topics entertaining, thought-provoking, and often laugh-out-loud funny.
The Imperfects was born out of Hugh van Cuylenburg’s book The Resilience Project (which, by the way, is a fantastic read). Hugh brought his brother Josh and his good mate, comedian Ryan Shelton, along for the ride – because let’s be honest, is it even a podcast if there isn’t a comedian involved?
Why The Imperfects Podcast Works
What makes this show shine is how the trio dive into conversations about struggles, flaws, growth, and everything in between. They’re funny, open, and never afraid to be vulnerable. It’s not about polished perfection, it’s about embracing imperfection and discovering the beauty in it.
Their guest list is impressive, too. From big-name celebrities to everyday people, each one pulls back the curtain to share their own messy, human stories. Topics range from ADHD, menopause, and dementia, to forgiveness, resilience, and loss – nothing’s off-limits.
If you’re after a podcast that treats vulnerability as strength, then The Imperfects is a great place to start.
Podcast Review: The Big Pitch with Jimmy Carr
Do you have an idea for a movie?
In his brand-spanking-new comedy podcast, comedian Jimmy Carr revels in his role as Netflix executive, inviting his comedian mates to come in and pitch him the next big movie. The only prerequisite (apart from that it needs to be good) is that the film needs to fit into one of Netflix’s often bizarre 27,000 subgenres. Such as ‘Don’t Watch Hungry’, ‘High Brow Horror’ or ‘Relentless Crime Thrillers’. Ultimately, Jimmy will decide if their movie will be greenlit or given the thumbs down.
If he likes the idea, he’ll help his guest elaborate and develop it, adding to the story and offering cast suggestions. However, if he’s not a fan, Jimmy will unleash some of his razor-sharp wit and scathing banter… A safe space it ain’t.
The Podcast’s Appeal
Now, whether or not these films will be made, stuck in development hell, or simply thrown in the bin is really neither here nor there; as with most good stories, it’s all about the journey, not the destination. Despite the profanity and smutty innuendo, there’s an almost childish wonder to the process, reminiscent of making up adventures and stories with your mates as a kid.
Find The Big Pitch with Jimmy Carr wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Podcast Review: How Did This Get Made?
Ever watched a really bad movie and wondered, ‘How did this get made?’
Then you need to join actors and comedians Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and the occasionally unhinged Jason Mantzoukas, as they take a hilarious deep dive into films that are so bad, they’re brilliant! It doesn’t matter if the budget was one hundred million dollars or one hundred rupees; if it’s a cliche-laden, nonsensical nightmare, then it’s fair game.
In each episode, a film is chosen from any genre or decade and put on the chopping block. However, their aim isn’t just to bag out movies; there is often a lot of love for these bad films.
They also take to the road, incorporating a live audience into the mix along with comedic special guests. These are the episodes that really shine, asking the audience for their questions and two cents on the film.
For maximum enjoyment, it’s best to have watched the movie yourself, but for some of the more obscure clangers, don’t be afraid to go in blind and enjoy the brutal, yet entertaining, insights.
To help balance the critical commentary with some love, each episode wraps up with ‘Second Opinions’, reading unhinged five-star reviews of the film from Amazon – proving that some of the worst films can be the most entertaining.
Catch How Did This Get Made? wherever you find your podcasts.
The Buckleys
Do you air your dirty laundry in public?
Even before Mrs Mangles, neighbours have always loved sticky-beaking into other people’s business. Husband and wife duo James and Clair Buckley have created a space where they can air their grievances, take potshots at each other and do it all with a smile on their faces.
Clair is an actress and vlogger, and you may recognise James from the hit show The Inbetweeners. Together they have created a podcast that is part whinging, part relationship advice and mostly funny tangents. If they have boundaries, I’ve never heard them, as no subject is taboo and no anecdote too embarrassing. Topics range from parenting advice to James’ most recent bodily functions.
Laughter, Love, and Loud Listening
They say that the couple who banter together, stay together, and these two are living proof that most relationships need laughter to function.
You can even watch the ‘action’ unfold with an option to watch the podcast as a video. It’s worth checking it out to see Clair’s reactions to some of James’ nonsense. For additional effect, you can turn the podcast up to full volume in another room and pretend you’re eavesdropping.
You can find The Buckleys wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the B@stards
Why would you want to know more about the worst people in history?
Because they’re really weird, that’s why! In our minds, we compare dictators to villains like Darth Vader, when in truth, they probably have more in common with a character from The Office. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a podcast that sympathises with the baddest people who walked the earth, it lifts the curtain to reveal an old scared man, working a bunch of cogs and dials in fear of people discovering his secrets.
Uncovering the Bizarre Side of History’s Villains
Journalist Robert Evans hosts the show, using his years of experience to probe the backstories of people who shaped history in the worst way, inviting comedians with knowledge of the subject to offer their insights and one-liners. Despite the dour subject matter, Evans doesn’t dwell on the facts we already know, instead revealing their bizarre behaviour and conditions. Such as – Hitler was a chronic farter who could clear a room, Osama Bin Laden was obsessed with American action movies, and Saddam Hussain wrote romance novels.
If you enjoy insightful history and laugh at bad people’s expense, then you’ve come to the right place.
Behind the B@stards is available wherever you find your podcasts.
It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton
Free audiobooks!!!
Nope, it’s not illegal, It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton.
Although he is an accomplished actor, his name may not ring too many bells for younger readers, but his body of work should – having starred in the 80s classic movie Stand By Me, a regular on Star Trek: The Next Generation and nerding out on The Big Bang Theory. He’s also added his dulcet tones to various audiobooks, which is where we start our story.
The Tale of It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton
Two years ago, Wil decided to record his mate’s recently published short story. Then he was struck with a Eureka moment – this would make a great podcast – deciding to elevate the voices of writers who haven’t yet found their way into the mainstream.
Despite his name being in the title, it’s not about him. His intentions are to elevate great stories and the indie magazines that publish them. Generously, he’s financing the venture, while letting the authors retain all their legal rights.
An author himself, he understands what makes a good story and curates the most interesting tales for your delectation. Running at less than an hour, it makes perfect listening for a long commute. The stories cover a wide variety of genres, so you never know what you’ll get.
Catch It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton wherever you download your podcasts.
Making a Scene Podcast Review
Ok, so you’re making a movie of your life.
What stories would you include or omit, and most importantly, which actor would be cast in the leading role of you?
Little Britain comedians David Walliams and Matt Lucas ask their celebrity mates to share anecdotes from the pram to the present day, casting and selecting a soundtrack for the stories of their lives. You’d think it would sound egotistical to listen to celebrities talk about themselves, but it’s a unique way for people to share moments that were important in shaping who they are today. This isn’t a drudging walk down memory lane, as the guests are usually comedians keen to share their more embarrassing moments, with Lucas and Walliams injecting their dry British wit along the way.
Behind the Laughter: Bonus Episodes and Relatable Lives
In bonus episodes, the hosts answer more risqué and probing questions from their guests and listeners that would even make Little Britain’s Vicky Pollard blush. The video of the podcast is worth watching for the reactions on the guests’ faces alone; Richard E Grant’s earliest memory is an absolute cracker.
You may think that celebs’ lives are vastly different from our own, but they’re filled with as much joy, love and embarrassment as the rest of us.
Podcast Review: If Books Could Kill
If the pen is mightier than the sword, then a bad book must be like a nuclear weapon.
Although that may sound hacky, it’s true that some books can easily spread misinformation, especially when their contents are presented as fact.
If Books Could Kill not only has a great title, it sets its sights on ‘airport books’ – bestsellers like Freakonomics, Atomic Habits and Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, which have sold millions of copies. That’s millions of people around the world who have been influenced by these perhaps not-so-helpful, self-help books and millions of people who may have taken their word as the Bible.
A Podcast for Critical Thinkers
Journalist Michael Hobbes and lawyer Peter Shamshiri use their backgrounds and savage wit to pick apart these books on their journey to discover how ill-conceived ideas are spread. They balance their critiques with humour and add small nuggets of their own advice.
With the constant barrage of information we are subjected to daily, this podcast reminds you to stop every once in a while and question content and its source.
It’s the perfect podcast if you love books, but you’re too time-poor to read a bad one.
Check out other podcast reviews:
Read more stories from The North Lakes Guide print magazine here:
- What’s Hot Around Town
- In the North Lakes Loop: Updates from the Community
- Youth Program Scoring All the Street Cred
- Presenting A Touch of Suspense and Drama
- Get Involved in Threads of Connection
- Eco Eve: Living a More Environmentally Friendly Life!
- Little and Often Closes the Disadvantage Gap
- Rising Local Star Makes TV Debut in New Series
- Experience the Beauty of Lake Samsonvale
- The Perfect Day to Be Happy
- A Living Piece of History
- Dinner, a show and laughter aplenty
- Join the Fun at Capestone Lake Parkrun Birthday Celebrations
- Shining a Light on Local Women
- SpikyPuffer
