The festival spans two weekends in September, and with a programme featuring lots of returning favourites as well as brand-new faces, there’s plenty to discover. To make it easier to navigate, we've picked out some of the highlights.
Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
Friday 6 September | 7PM
At the British Podcast Awards earlier this year, the spoken word performer George Mpanga (AKA George the Poet) stole the show when he took home no less than five gold and two silver prizes. Have You Heard George’s Podcast was awarded first place in the categories ‘Arts & Culture’, ‘Fiction’, ‘New’ and ‘Smartest Podcast’ – as if that was not enough, it won the prestigious ‘Podcast of the Year’ and it has been described by BBC Radio 4 as ‘a story that could change the world’. The live recording on 6 September is a chance to experience a fusion of music, storytelling, news and drama which will leave you with a fresh take on London’s inner-city life.
A Gay and a Non-Gay
Saturday 7 September | 7PM
What happens when a non-gay and a gay person meet? Nothing in particular, one would think. In the case of James Barr (Gay) and Dan Hudson (Non-Gay), however – who met when James was asked by Dan's girlfriend to look after him whilst she was living abroad – the encounter resulted in the birth of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ podcast: A Gay and a Non-Gay.
A Gay and a Non-Gay meets where the gay and straight worlds collide. In serious discussions mixed with a good dose of humour, James and Dan dive into topics such as homophobia, coming out and mental health. Their aim is to challenge differences and promote equality – using themselves as living proof that love is love and gays and non-gays can be friends.
The Guilty Feminist
Saturday 7 September | 7PM
Ever felt like you should be a better feminist? If the answer is yes, then you’ll be happy to hear that so has Deborah Frances-White: once, she went to a women’s rights march, popped into the toilet at a department store and got distracted trying on face cream – and when she came out again, the march was gone. Instances like these make up the podcast The Guilty Feminist, where Frances-White and her guests discuss topics ‘all feminists agree on’, whilst confessing the paradoxes and insecurities that undermine their principles.
The podcast has been downloaded over 60 million times since 2016 – so check out what the hype is about and join Frances-White live on 7 September.
Nobody Panic
Sunday 8 September | 7PM
Answering the important questions in life (such as ‘how to know if you’re ready for an animal’, ‘how to deal with your terrible boss’ or ‘how to be sporty when you’re not sporty’), Nobody Panic has been described as a guidebook to being a fully functioning adult – without screaming all the time.
In their hugely funny podcast, hosts Stevie Martin and Tessa Coates tackle life’s big and small issues together with experts and special guests – helping us along the way in a world where no one's really sure what they're doing.
The Adam Buxton Podcast
Thursday 12 September | 9:30PM
When comedian, actor and director Adam Buxton takes on the stage at the London Podcast Festival this September, it will have nearly been four years since the first episode of The Adam Buxton Podcast was released in 2015, when it debuted at number one in the British iTunes Podcast Chart. Since then, many an interesting guest (Louis Theroux, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Brian Eno among them) has joined Buxton for an episode of his podcast, for sometimes serious, sometimes funny conversations.
If you’re interested in seeing Buxton live, keep your eye out for ticket re-sales, as the tickets to his show have already sold out.
The Complete Guide to Everything
Friday 13 September | 7PM / Saturday 14 September | 10:30AM
The Complete Guide to Everything is a podcast about … well, everything. In an attempt to provide the last resource you’ll ever need, or ‘the next Wikipedia, in podcast form’, New York-based Tom Reynolds and Tim Daniels deal with topics ranging from North Korea to Nicolas Cage. You might also be presented with the podcast's recurring segment ‘Tim & Tom Solve Your Problems’, where the hosts answer emails sent to them by listeners asking for advice.
Performing on two separate dates, you’ve got double the chance to become a little bit informed (and amused) with Tim and Tom this September.
Friends with Friends
Saturday 14 September | 7PM
Have you followed the lives of Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross through all 10 seasons of Friends? Of course you have. And if you still can’t get enough of the beloved 90s sitcom, you’re not alone – even to this day, it is one of the most watched TV-shows on Netflix.
Pete Allison and Dave Cribb are also (very) enthusiastic about Friends – so much so that they have made a podcast dedicated to the show. Every week, they invite a special guest to pick their favourite Friends episode and examine it in close detail. The result? A podcast which is arguably as humorous as the sitcom itself.
Griefcast
Sunday 15 September | 7PM
For those in need of something a little more serious, Cariad Lloyd’s Griefcast is an award-winning podcast that explores how we grieve. Together with different guests every week (past guests include Robert Webb, Sara Pascoe and David Baddiel), Cariad reflects upon questions such as whether grief changes with age, whether there’s an afterlife and the backstories behind awkward funeral songs.
Griefcast is cheerier than it sounds, however – it is, after all, hosted by comedians. So, expect tears and laughter as Cariad guides her audience through the weirdness, humour and pain of grief.
| What | London Podcast Festival 2019, Kings Place |
| Where | Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG | MAP |
| Nearest tube | King's Cross St. Pancras (underground) |
| When |
06 Sep 19 – 08 Sep 19, All day event - times vary 13 Sep 19 – 15 Sep 19, All day event - times vary |
| Price | £prices vary per show |
| Website | Click here for tickets and more information |
