Spice up your study breaks with our podcast recommendations

As sacred as brushing my teeth, podcasts are an integral part of my daily routine. Without them, I would be constantly over-worrying about my fast-approaching deadlines and graduation. Luckily, I can escape the dread of university work by listening to podcasts that are worlds away from my degree.

Podcasts are the godsend we’ve all been waiting for. Want to spice up your study breaks? Need a bit of a pick-me-up on your way to and from university? Or just want a good laugh? Here are a few podcasts that get me through the seemingly endless daily slog:

Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed

Hosted by Rosie and Chris Ramsey, the Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed podcast concerns a married couple slating each other’s living habits on a weekly basis. They also read confessional stories from listeners about everyday ludicrous occurrences – like accidentally eating someone else’s KitKat in a café – and answer random and humorous questions from the public, as well as celebrities.

Their Geordie accents are lush, and their anecdotes are gut-wrenchingly hilarious – speaking from experience, it is likely that you will laugh-out-loud on public transport. An absolute must-listen if you want to brighten your day.

My Dad Wrote a Porno

My Dad Wrote a Porno is the holy grail of all podcasts and a cult classic. The podcast that started before podcasts became popular. It is what it says on the tin: co-host Jamie Morton reads out his dad’s erotic literature, as James Cooper and Alice Levine rip it to shreds.

The self-published book is titled Belinda Blinked where Belinda, the main protagonist, unconventionally navigates her way through the ‘pots and pans’ industry. Jamie’s dad writes under the pseudonym of Rocky Flintstone and takes us on an unassuming and eccentric journey that is met with the draconian reception of Alice, James, and Jamie.

The podcast is revered and guested by celebrities across the globe, and Rocky’s writing has been likened to Shakespeare. What more could you want?

No Country for Young Women

In No Country for Young Women, Sadia Azmat and Monty Onanuga take a serious, yet humorous approach to discussing experiences of BAME women in the UK. Set in the same atmospheric café in London, each episode covers varied and important topics related to love, life, and working in a white patriarchal society.

Guests range from Ready, Steady, Cook host, Ainsley Harriott, to Desiree, an ex-dominatrix. Whatever your ethnic background, the pair’s honesty, intellect, and comedic talent make this podcast a highly enjoyable and valuable listen.

The High Low

The High Low is hosted by Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton; another engaging female double-act who discuss pop-culture and current affairs together.

The self-confessed ‘posh’ journalists form an opinion on just about anything, whether it be Meghan Markle’s treatment in the tabloid papers to the music tastes of famous politicians. Their reading, watching and listening recommendations come in coveted abundance as well.

If you’d like to discover new podcasts, Manchester Podcast Festival takes place from the 1st of November till the 27th of November and will host a number of podcasts live across the city.

If you are interested in hosting or producing your own podcast, get involved with Fuse FM and join the Facebook group to find out more.