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IThe way to solve the world’s problems? With a podcast, apparently. It launches today Assembly requireda new show from former US politician Stacey Abrams, which aims to help listeners understand the planet’s biggest ills and how they can play a part in fixing them. It comes on the heels of A Fine Mess, in which entrepreneur Sabrina Merage Naim attempts to grapple with some of society’s toughest problems and “find a way through this mess” by approaching them with curiosity, rather than fear. Will they work? Who knows? But at this point, we’re willing to try anything.
We also look at this week’s best podcasts about love, from profiles of Hollywood romances to an audio drama you’ll love listening to via voicemail about two men falling in love. Add to that a compelling confession from a former professional footballer turned match-fixer, a fascinating analysis of psychiatric medication, and the inspiring story of a refugee Olympic team. Even if they don’t fix the planet, hopefully some of them will bring you some joy.
Alexi Duggins
Deputy TV Editor
Selections of the week
Confessions of a match-fixer
BBC Sounds, weekly episodes
“I drove around London with loads of banknotes and found out which footballers could be forced to miss a game,” says Moses Swaibu as he opens this confessional podcast. The former professional footballer admits he had the power to control outcomes and make millions for overseas betting cartels. Now you can hear the regret in his voice as he tells Troy Deeney how he went from a promising young player to a traitor to the sport he loved. Hannah Verdier
Scripts
Radio Atlantic, all episodes available now
Can a “safe” opioid save you after another has destroyed your life? If buprenorphine helped people quit heroin in France, why didn’t it work in the United States? The Atlantic’s Ethan Brooks raises these questions in a sensitive and thought-provoking analysis of sobriety medications. High voltage
The Anonymous: The Hidden Stars of Sport
Widely available, already available
Formed in 2016, the Refugee Olympic Team made history at Paris 2024 when boxer Cindy Ngamba won the team’s first medal. In this special episode of the series celebrating unsung sporting heroes, fellow refugee Olympians badminton player Dorsa Yavarivafa and swimmer Matin Balsini share what the journey is really like. Hollie Richardson
A good mess
Widely available, weekly episodes.
Philanthropist and investor Sabrina Merage Naim has a seemingly perfect, energetic life, but she doesn’t feel quite right. That’s why she invites guests to help her tackle big problems “with curiosity rather than fear.” Questions related to artificial intelligence, cannabis legalization, and the meaning of success are tackled here, with contributions from comedian Samantha Bee and “reformed boss” Samhita Mukhopadhyay. High voltage
Master plan
Widely available, weekly episodes.
David Sirota, former Bernie Sanders speechwriter and co-author of Don’t Look Up, and his insightful team have spent two years investigating corruption and scandals at the US Supreme Court. From Watergate to the 2020s, this podcast shows the impact of corruption on everyday life and offers a terrifying glimpse into future possibilities. High voltage
There’s a podcast for that.
This week, Charlie Lindlar choose five of the best podcasts of Great love storiesfrom the tangled stories of celebrity couples like John and Yoko to the gripping Dolly Alderton miniseries.
Important lovers
Reformed Twilight podcasters Melissa Duffy and Kelly Anderson (Mel and Kel to listeners) host this show that delves into Hollywood romances, which they analyze with a detail that borders on obsession. In addition to the classics (John and Yoko, Brangelina), there’s plenty here for millennials, by way of Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson, Alex Turner and Alexa Chung, and Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. The pair’s investigative skills and sincere emotional investment in each couple make every episode heartbreaking in one way or another.
Hooked on Hooked on
Page Six’s podcast about stable celebrity marriages aired from 2020 to 2022, but with apologies to Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet, among others, it’s mostly still relevant today. Journalists Eileen Reslen and Brian Faas delve into the love stories of famous entertainment figures, asking how their marriages persevered despite distance, scandal, and the occasional affair. While other podcasts go all in on every tabloid-style twist and turn, Hooked Up to Hitched is remarkably short: Each episode takes fans on a journey through history in under 10 minutes.
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Past loves
Far from red carpet romances, Past Loves reveals the often untold love stories of influential politicians, scientists, authors, royals and even ballet dancers. Host Holly Smith invites expert guests to take listeners on “a journey into the most heartbreaking and poignant depths of history to explore affection, infatuation and attachment throughout time” – from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, to Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas. Dive into the world to hear the truth about the private lives of public figures who, behind the scenes, changed the world we live in.
Love stories
Recorded in 2019, this relatively short 17-episode series does exactly what the name says, with columnist and author Dolly Alderton talking to stars about the loves of their lives. Guests from Stanley Tucci to Ruby Tandoh to Lolly Adefope open up to Alderton, and the show isn’t afraid to talk about the relationships they’ve had. No end up being stories of happy endings; after all, sometimes the ones that “fail” can be the most formative. Although the episodes are few, the frankness of the guests and Alderton’s ability to keep the conversation going make each one gripping.
Love and luck
This marathon audio drama, which runs to 100 episodes, was cut short by COVID, but it’s still a wonderful story of two gay men finding love against all odds. Taking the fascinating form of voicemails between main characters Jason and Kane, Love and Luck is a timeless queer show with real depth. Over its mammoth run, the show tackles that stage when relationships aren’t quite “official,” all the little details that come with moving in together, family rejection, and more. What about those hundred episodes? Each one runs between five and 50 minutes, so consider it a binge-worthy listen.
Why not try…?
A gossipy, stranger-than-fiction look at real-life detective work in Private investigators.
With the Paralympic Games on the horizon, “armless archer” Matt Stutzman and Olympian Michael Johnson team up to The Phoenix Risinginterviewing top para-athletes including Team GB’s Kadeena Cox.
What does “wilderness” really mean today? Watch NPR’s new series How wild To find out…
