There’s nothing quite like a fascinating new podcast to engage the senses and broaden your horizons. From documentary veteran Louis Theroux’s first ever podcast and engaging analysis on world events from comedian Nish Kumar to the latest offering from the team behind Serial, there’s a podcast to suit every interest and every occasion this autumn. Here we’ve rounded up the best new podcasts to have on your radar for 2023.
Who Are You Dressing For with Kyle De’Volle
He’s one of London’s most celebrated stylists, famous for dressing the likes of Lily Allen, Rita Ora and Maya Jama in some of their most show-stopping looks. Now Kyle De’Volle is entering the podcast world with the launch of Who Are You Dressing For? Every week he’s joined by friends from across the pop culture sphere to explore their fashion journey, tackling everything from their first red carpet looks to how their style on the outside reflects their motivation on the inside. Tune in to hear the likes of Melanie Blatt, Layton Williams and Lily Allen reveal all about their most transformative fashion moments.
Pod Save the UK
You’ve probably heard of Pod Save America, the popular weekly show that delved into the latest news from across the pond. Earlier this year the UK got its own version, hosted by comedian Nish Kumar and journalist Coco Khan. Each week the pair are joined by politicians, experts and famous friends to unpick the most talked-about news stories, tackling everything from the climate crisis and the immigration bill to Beyoncé concerts and the state of the monarchy. Clever and insightful, it’s like listening to two very engaging friends discussing the biggest topics of the day.
Rylan: How to be a Man
Rylan Clark has come a long way since he first emerged on our screens in X Factor all those years ago, and he now counts himself among Britain’s best loved TV personalities. In this thoughtful podcast he takes a deep dive into what it means to be a man in the 2020s, exploring topics like toxic masculinity, gender identity and body image. Speaking to a range of guests, including David Gandy opening up about his life as one of the world’s most successful male models and flamboyant interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, it makes for lively and occasionally shocking listening.
Tiny Acts of Bravery
Bestselling author Clover Stroud is known for capturing some of life’s most visceral experiences in her writing, from the intensity of motherhood to the unbearable weight of grief. Now she’s taken that same skill and transformed it into a podcast, where she champions the tiny acts of bravery that make up our everyday lives. Many of the conversations make for tough listening, such as Rob Delaney opening up about the heart-breaking death of his two-year-old son and Olia Hercules’ vulnerable chat about the collective bravery of Ukraine, but ultimately, they reveal how we can all lead bolder, more courageous lives.
Soft Life
If you’re looking for something cultural to add to your podcast list, this is the one for you. Somerset House’s new podcast, Soft Life, focuses on our evolving attitudes to work, looking at everything from how we can move on from hustle culture to discussing ways of experiencing time in a non-linear way. The four-part series features interviews with the artists behind Black Power Naps, who suggest that rest can be seen as a radical act, philosopher Bayo Akomolafe on the politics of softness, and musician Shenece Oretha on how we listen.
The Booker Prize Podcast
Listening to the Booker Prize’s new podcast is like eavesdropping on the world’s most cerebral book club – with none of the intimidation. Hosted by Jo Hamya, author of Three Rooms, and broadcaster James Walton, each weekly episode offers a deep dive into novels from the back catalogue of past winners and nominees, while also explaining some of the awards’ most controversial moments over the years. There are also fascinating interviews with previous Booker winners, including Lincoln in the Bardo author George Saunders and Marlon James, whose book A Brief History of Seven Killings beat Hanya Yanagihara’s hotly-tipped A Little Life to scoop the award in 2015.
The Retrievals
When it comes to creating truly captivating podcasts, the team behind Serial is known for being the best in the business – and their latest offering is no exception. Entitled The Retrievals, it raises important questions about women’s pain, taking a closer look at why it is so often brushed aside. The five-part narrative series focuses on an American fertility clinic at Yale, and explores why so many of the women who received IVF there went on to experience excruciating pain during and after the egg retrieval procedure. We won’t reveal the shocking twist of the series, but trust us when we say this is one you should definitely be adding to your must-listen list.
Into the Dirt
The nation was gripped by catfishing saga Sweet Bobby when it launched at the end of 2021, and now Tortoise Media is trying to recapture that same fervour with their newest offering, Into the Dirt. Presented by Ceri Thomas, the series explores the murky world of corporate espionage and follows private spy Rob Moore and his work for New York-based company K2 Intelligence, who hired him to infiltrate an environmental campaign group. He later ended up operating as a double agent for several years until he was discovered in 2016. Touching on themes of truth, perception and the stories people tell themselves to justify their actions, it makes for compelling listening.
The Louis Theroux Podcast
Having conquered the world of documentaries, Louis Theroux is now looking to make his mark on podcasts with the launch of his first ever audio series. This new offering from Spotify gets Theroux to do what he does best – namely, interview an eclectic mix of fascinating figures in his own inimitable style. In the first season you can hear him tackling everything from the power of grief with Nick Cave and cancel culture with Ben Elton to Samantha Morton’s experiences of growing up in the British care system. Every episode has that trademark Theroux magic, where he manages to draw out the most surprising of revelations from each of his guests.
