Podcasts That Helped Me Survive 2020

In this review, Lottie shares her favourite podcasts that have occupied her during the long year that 2020 has been…

I love a good podcast, but it can sometimes be so overwhelming to find a place to start. So, here are a few of my personal favourites that have kept me company through lockdown and beyond, as 2020 winds to a close (about time…)

Off Menu 

First up is my all-time favourite: The Off Menu podcast, hosted by James Acaster and Ed Gamble. Guests go through their dream menu, complete with starters, desserts and the crippling choice between bread and poppadoms. If, like me, you find yourself constantly thinking about food, this one’s for you!

Some of my favourite guests across the four series include Louis Theroux, Joe Lycett and Greg Davies (to name a few), but there really is no such thing as a bad episode. Fair warning though: I have laughed out loud in public more times than I care to admit.

My Dad Wrote a Porno 

If you’ve not heard of this multi award-winner, where have you been? The premise is simple and also horrifying in equal measure: host Jamie Morton’s father has written an erotic novel called Belinda Blinked (sexy title). So naturally, he’s going to read it with two of his friends (Alice Levine and James Cooper), for the podcast. Forget 50 Shades, it’s all about Belinda from now on.

Definitely not one to show your nan – it is, as you might expect, painfully explicit – but very funny, nonetheless.

My Favourite Murder

If you’ve worked your way through Netflix’s true crime shows and still can’t get enough, this is a perfect substitute. Each week hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark research and then present two true crime cases (try saying that ten times over). The hosts are naturally very funny and tread the line perfectly between staying sensitive to the cases, and keeping things on the lighter side, which makes this so unique. They also use it as a platform to talk about anything and everything, from their experiences with sobriety to what TV shows they’ve been loving.

For those who prefer their true crime more straight-laced, I would recommend the Australian Casefile podcast!

Today in Focus, by The Guardian

Let’s face it, 2020 has really pushed us when it comes to the news – but that is where this podcast steps in. Every day, they take a story in the news and condense it into a small 30-minute summary, complete with interviews from experts and those involved. There is a range of topics, recently (at the time of writing) including COVID-safe Christmases, Joe Biden’s challenge to reset US relations and whether The Crown is factually accurate. 

All covered in a concise and balanced way, it’s an absolute lifesaver when it comes to trying to understand it all.

If none of these float your boat, have a look around! Believe me when I say there is probably a podcast for every topic you can think of, and there were plenty of honourable mentions that didn’t make it onto this list.

Happy listening!

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