Random podcast request

[RumNotRun]

This may be a bit niche but does anyone know of a podcast (or audiobook), preferably history, crime, or mystery, that is narrated by someone who speaks RP English or has pronunciation like John Cleese or Joanna Lumley? I've tried loads of different podcasts and books to help me sleep but my mind focuses on any pronunciation that it decides is wrong or odd, and then won't shut off. I tried Mythos by Stephen Fry as I usually love listening to him but my brain didn't agree with the way he said certain names so I couldn't listen to it.

Please don't think this is me hating regional accents or anything like that. I do usually love most accents (and I definitely do not speak RP English!) but just not when I'm trying to turn my brain off.

I've been listening to Miranda Hart's latest book, and it's wonderful - and should fit the RP bill...?

I like the Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine (same person!) audiobooks, many of them are free on Audible. I haven’t listened to any of the Inspector Wexford series but the standalone mysteries are nearly all narrated with a very pleasing RP and/or slightly old fashioned voice. I find them very soothing and they’re not too scary for crime stories!

What about "a short history of" he's got a lovely voice, give it a go.

This reader (Michael Bertenshaw) of War of the Worlds goes for a very RP period accent. Think 'rum' rather than 'room'. Martians in Woking have never sounded so posh!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p07lbzbp

There's a lot of older (70-90s) drama on BBC Sounds, I find anything before 1998ish sounds quite RP. Not that many straight audio books though.

Sheduunit are fab. On iplayer

Not Joanna Lumley class, but The Rest Is History has two well-spoken presenters. I can't guarantee they will send you to sleep, but they make a very reassuring noise. Unless Tom is singing...

Thank you everyone. I will give them all a try.

I was weirdly obsessed with Tom singing Evita and had to keep listening back to it. So bizarre!

BBC sound no iplayer
Dont start with the current Christmas one- it isnt the best- go back in time

Sherlock & Co podcast. It's well written, funny and exciting. I've been falling asleep to it.

Lucy Worsley has a few history/crime podcasts, and she is nicely spoken although not painfully so.

History Hit with Dan Snow?

Not Just the Tudors sounds perfect for you. It's by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and her voice is incredibly soothing.

John Hopkins, who narrates Real Survival Stories, has a lovely voice, and he's quite RP. You have to be interested in people in desperate situations up mountains/in caves/in sinking boats, though.

I have the opposite problem - I can't get passed the first few lines if the person narrating has RP English if its an audio book.

I can listen to American podcasts and Real Survival Stories if I'm cleaning and motivated. But no American or RP English Audio books.

Desert Island Disks for sending me to sleep.

This one:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4cE3piJ1dtOB0Phe8LEBgW?si=gAiABsfxQkyPxJnsnYfrAA

I'm the same, @RumNotRun . With me, it's not that the accent needs to be RP, it's that it needs to not be a pronounced regional accent, as I feel they are laid on with a trowel. Some actors and presenters have regional accents but soothing voices, for example, Winifred Robinson and Felicity Finch.

Penelope Wilton and Anton Lesser have soothing tones, and I tend to like anything they narrate.

If you have Audible look you can search for books narrated by Joanna Lumley.

Have you listened to Conversations from a Long Marriage on BBC Sounds too?

Stephen Fry reads a story called ‘Blue Gold’ as part of a series of calming sleep stories that last 30 minutes, you might like that.

Try Short History Of. Each episode is about a person or event from history. It’s presented by John Hopkins or Paul McGann depending how far back you go.

Timothy West narrates a lot of Audible books and has a wonderfully soothing RP voice.