I love a podcast, I do. I listen to them an equal amount, if not more than, music. It’s the perfect thing to listen to whilst you’re travelling somewhere. Some of my faves are things related to some of my fave TV shows such as Drag Race and Strictly to hear extra chat and opinion on those but my faves below are all on unique topics. There’s a bit of comedy, a bit of heartwarming human life, a bit of true crime, a bit of education and industry insight. So here goes, my top 5 podcasts of the moment:

My Dad Wrote a Porno
This will forever be the best podcast out because it is outrageous! Basically this guy and his two mates read out his dad’s poorly written “erotica” novels Belinda Blinked, about the sexy world of the pots and pans industry. It’s full of twists and turns, we’re now on book 5 and it’s like a bloody spy movie. Honestly, it’s not sexy in the slightest, if anything it’s a bit disgusting on that front but my god is it funny and their commentary makes it even better. I feel like this latest season is particularly great because it’s so dramatic, you genuinely don’t know what Rocky Flinstone (the dad’s pseudonym) is going to say next. This is the kind of podcast that makes you look mental in public because you genuinely laugh out loud and it gives you so many inside jokes and references to share with your fellow Belinkers. Every time a new episode pops up I am so buzzing to listen. Pure gold.

Beautiful Anonymous
This is my other all time favourite but for a much different reason. In Beautiful Anonymous comedian Chris Gethard has an hour long discussion with an anonymous person on the phone and the topics are so diverse. Some of the guests have wild life stories with stories like confessing a crime and sending yourself to prison, or there’s more normal but relatable things like losing a loved one and sometimes it even goes wild and you spend an hour hearing some emotionally adjusted bros who bonded over both of their dads being murdered but also a love of pickling – I’m not even kidding! That’s the exciting thing though, you hear stories from all sorts of people, sometimes it’s hilarious, sometimes it’s emotional, sometimes you learn something new, but it is never ever boring. I would absolutely recommend this to everyone, you’ll like it because it’s human. 
If you like this you might also like Table Manners with Jessie Ware

Getting Curious
Nowadays we all know and love the enigma that is Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye fame but maybe not everyone knows how widespread his intelligence is. I’ve been listeing to his Getting Curious podcast for a couple years now. The idea basically is that he is curious about various different topics and then finds an expert in that field to explain it to him (and us, the listener). You really do learn a lot, and because it’s delivered with JVN’s gorgeous personality and way of seeing the world it is hugely entertaining. I definitely feel like I’ve learned about topics I wouldn’t have thought to research. (On a side note, I’m also currently reading his book Over The Top and I’m so in love with him as a human, gorgeously overcoming so many things to ultimately bring people joy).
If you like to learn about new topics via podcast Hannah Witton’s Doing It podcast looks at all sorts of sex and relationship, women’s bodies and disability

My Favourite Murder
I’ve told y’all before how much I love me some true crime and why that truly fascinates me, so the ultimate true crime podcast is, of course, My Favourite Murder. Georgia and Karen are the queens of the true crime comedy podcast, they merge the fascinating and horrifying stories of crime in with the lightness of their personalities and in tangents and it’s really interesting. They tell loads of really great true crime stories and on their minisodes encourage listeners to share their Hometown stories so you hear some amount of varied stories from all over the world. It’s hard to explain how enjoyable and entertaining listening to murder stories can be but it just is – if you know, you know.
If you like true crime you might also like Up and Vanished, Serial, Monster

CI to Eye
I add this one because I love it but it is rather niche so not necessarily a recommendation that everyone will love, however it is MY JAM. This podcast is about arts marketing and they have conversations with arts and culture industry leaders to give you new insights in how to run your arts organisation. Obviously as this is my job it’s totally relevant to me and I learn a lot of new perspectives that I can apply to my career. If you work in the arts (in any department) I recommend you listen to this podcast as an audience integrated approach is key. If you don’t work in the arts I’m not sure you’ll gain a lot from this one – but I love it!
If you like the arts industry you might also like Putting It Together which features conversations with loads of lovely people in Scottish theatre

What are your favourite podcasts? Is there a gem I’m totally missing out on? Let me know!