The Best Podcasts to Listen To Right Now: My Four Top Picks

I was very late to the party with podcasts in that I didn’t start listening to them until about 2 years ago. Podcasts became a firm fixture on our morning commutes once I started my job working in Bath, making the 30-40 minute trip each way a little more bearable. Given the current situation (the obvious C-word, which coincidentally, is being a MASSIVE other C-word), we’re no longer enjoying our podcast filled commutes, and our evenings are filled with binge watching whatever Now TV suggests for us rather than sitting and listening to a podcast. One thing I’m looking forward to is when things eventually go back to normal (whenever that may be), and we have a whole stack of podcasts to catch up on. So, just as I’m missing our usual commute podcast line up, I’ve decided to share with you all my favourite ones, in the hope that you can perhaps discover a new one, or maybe even discover them for the first time! As you’ll probably tell, I’m a fan of a particular niche…

Shagged Married Annoyed with Chris & Rosie Ramsey

Hands down, this is my absolute favourite podcast. Presented by comedian Chris Ramsey and his wife Rosie, each week they chat about life, relationships and pretty much everything in between. I’ve been a fan of Chris Ramsey for years, and Rosie regularly posts hilarious and relatable stories on Instagram, so I just knew that Shagged Married Annoyed would be something we’d love. Every week this podcast has me wetting myself laughing – the banter between Chris and Rosie is on point every week, and the stories sent in by fellow listeners involving dating disasters, awkward sexual encounters and quite often, bodily functions, are bloody hilarious. Their weekly segment of “What’s Your Beef” is one that all couples will find they can relate to at some point or another too!

Off Menu with Ed Gamble & James Acaster

One of the first podcasts we discovered, Off Menu is presented by comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster, and every week they invite a guest into their “dream restaurant” where they can order their favourite starter, main course, side, drink and dessert of all time. While initially, it may seem like a food podcast, there’s actually much more to it, and quite often the stories that come with each course are what makes each episode, so even if you’re not particularly a foodie, I would still recommend checking it out. Their guests include fellow comedians, actors, presenters and beyond, and the banter between Ed and James is often the icing on the cake. The format of the podcast is one that I’ve thought of numerous times, particularly when we first started listening, so much so that I decided to put together my own dream menu. You’ll also find a selection of my favourite episodes in the post too to get you started.

Teenage Mixtape with Joel Dommett & Steve Dunne

Teenage Mixtape came out a few months into our podcast testing period, and we decided to give it a go as we were both fans of Joel Dommett. Presented by Joel and his best friend Steve, each week on the podcast they welcome a guest who puts together their own ‘teenage mixtape’ playlist. It features fellow comedians, music stars, presenters and loads more, and each one will have you experiencing a bit of nostalgia at songs you’ve not listened to in years. Inevitably, there will be a few episodes where you won’t have a clue what any of the songs are, but to be honest, I listen to it for the comedy and the anecdotes rather than the music. The stories behind the tracks on each guest’s playlist, combined with stories from when Joel and Steve were at school together make for great listening, and quite often there’s plenty of relatable tales in there too! Again, because I’m clearly a sucker for a podcast format, I couldn’t resist putting together my own teenage mixtape, as well as a selection of my favourite episodes to get you started on this one too.

Help I Sexted My Boss with William Hanson and Jordan North

I was so late to the party with this one, literally discovering it a mere two weeks ago, and I’m gutted I didn’t discover it sooner! Help I Sexted My Boss is presented by Radio 1 presenter Jordan North and etiquette coach William Hanson, and tackles the dilemmas we all face in modern life. I’ve been bingeing these through each episode as I clean the kitchen and do my painting by numbers kit, and each time I’ve been wetting myself laughing. The banter between Jordan and William is just priceless, given that they are the complete polar opposites as well as being real life friends. Every episode involves them drinking a couple of gin and Dubonnet cocktails (quite often getting low-key pissed) and answering listeners’ questions, often with hilarious consequences! Each episode is just under half an hour long too, so they’re so easy and quick to smash through!

So that’s it, a handful of some of my favourite podcasts right now. As you can see, I’m a fan of the comedy genre! Have you listened to any of these? What did you think? If you have any recommendations for good podcasts be sure to let me know in the comments!

Featured image by freestocks on Unsplash.