Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Radio/podcast addicts

Discuss your favourite podcast, radio show or The Archers episode.

BBC sounds - add your review or recommendation here

121 replies

idontgetitdoyou · 14/02/2026 21:25

Inspired by another thread about how rubbish the search functionality on Sounds is.

It’s also annoying that there are no listener reviews. So a few times I’ve listened to some pretty poor quality dramas etc and really wished I could have read a review first.

So I thought it would be good to have a thread for this so people can share recommendations for shows they liked (or warnings for those they didn’t!)

I’ll start with:
Really enjoyed a dramatisation of Behind the Scenes at the Museum (Kate Atkinson)
plus just listened to the Barchester Chronicles which I enjoyed.

I like fiction especially detective and historical, but post about anything you like on Sounds. There’s so much on there but it’s hard to navigate and the length of time things are available for is so random.

Getting on a flight now so look forward to reading later!

OP posts:
FirstdatesFred · 14/02/2026 21:27

It’s possibly of niche interest but am enjoying the series about weight loss injections “the hunger games”

SemmaLina · 14/02/2026 21:29

Real survival stories
Soul music

LittleLapwing · 14/02/2026 21:29

All the old Graham Norton podcasts. They’re just lovely to have on in the background.

LittleLapwing · 14/02/2026 21:30

And Voices of the First World War is incredible, an absolute must listen.

idontgetitdoyou · 14/02/2026 21:38

ah yes I love Soul Music as well.

OP posts:
TheCurious0range · 14/02/2026 21:38

I love lady killers, it's about female killers but set within the social/historical context, it isn't glorified or gory but more about women's history. That's also the spin off lady swindlers.

I also like it's a fair cop with Alfie Moore, retired police officer turned comedian, talks through case examples with audience input, interesting and funny.

I really like Eleanor rising a drama about the life of Eleanor of Acquitane.

The intrigue series have some great deep dive investigations into a variety of things, I was surprised to really enjoy the one that was about the dark side of kpop.

Conversations from a long marriage with Joanna Lumley is gentle , funny and also heart warming.

The adaptation of Beth O'Leary's flat share was good, even having read the book.

My teenage diary hosted by Rufus hound is very entertaining

I like a lot of the usual stuff too, the unbelievable truth, the news quiz , GQT, today, ramblings , strong message here and of course the Archers.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 14/02/2026 21:38

When I ‘cast’ the live show to my smart speaker

I cannot pause or rewind

bugs me!

DisplayPurposesOnly · 14/02/2026 21:52

I think More Or Less should be compulsory.

I like several history shows:
This Week In History
You're Dead To Me
Shakespeare's Restless World
A Short History Of [but not that short and the narrator puts me to sleep so takes ages to get thru an episode]
After Dark: Myths Misdeeds & The Paranormal

Other factual ones:
Sliced Bread (is xyz as good as it's cracked up to be?)
Just One Thing With Michael Mosley
Last Word (obituaries of interesting people)

GenerousGardener · 14/02/2026 21:54

Cautionary Tales.

Lamelie · 14/02/2026 21:56

I’m listening to Paul Temple. Utter tosh and always the same plot and conceits but very soothing.

SwedishEdith · 14/02/2026 21:57

I like Add to playlist. I love musicians explaining why I might like something.
Also enjoy Strong Message Here.

Greedybilly · 14/02/2026 21:58

Last word
Desert island discs
The reunion.
All brilliant!

Fuckitydoodah · 14/02/2026 22:01

Great idea! I love bbc sounds, but don't make enough use of the podcasts.

I have enjoyed:
Lives less ordinary
Life changing with Sian Williams
Uncanny
Just one Thing

I love Fearne Cotton's sounds of the 90s and Dermot O'Leary's Alternative sounds of the 90s - both so nostalgic for me.

BlueEyedBogWitch · 14/02/2026 22:03

Life Changing - about pivotal moments in people’s lives.
Real Survival Stories.
Sideways with Matthew Syed, about different ways of looking at things we think we’re familiar with.
Uncanny, although the earlier episodes are better.
Lives Less Ordinary - stories of unusual lives around the world.

TwoBlueFish · 14/02/2026 22:03

if you search for whodunnits there’s a whole load of detective fiction in like the Julie Enfield series. Limelight is also pretty good with several different 5 part stories. It’s a Fair Cop, Old Harry’s Game, The Witch Farm, Trust and several of the history podcasts.

BlueEyedBogWitch · 14/02/2026 22:04

I bloody love Sounds of the 80s with Gary Davies, too. Cheers me up.

AnneofBohemia · 14/02/2026 22:07

I love A Good Read with Harriet Gilbert.

drspouse · 14/02/2026 22:09

I'm really into Music Map. It has all kinds of unlikely but lovely music.

VWT7 · 14/02/2026 22:10

Mark Steel’s In Town, witty standup based in various towns and cities.
(Especially amusing if you choose episodes relating to places you have visited)

BetteDavisChin · 14/02/2026 22:16

The Cold Tapes - murder mystery set in an arctic research station. Very original format.

I love In and Out of the Kitchen - written by and starring Miles Jupp. Hilarious. There are only two episodes available atm, which is a shame.

CompanyOfThieves · 14/02/2026 22:23

John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme

Scarydinosaurs · 14/02/2026 22:25

non-fiction
fame under fire
fair cop (agree with others)
behind the crime

drama
Mediation
Paul Temple
The Interrogation
Life Lines
this thing of darkness
limelight series - some are better than others

AlwaysSometimesNever · 14/02/2026 22:27

From Our Own Correspondent is my favourite.
Voices in the Valley
The Hotel
Anything crime as well, as pp have said, Julie Enfield etc
And I agree the search function is bobbins. Also the themed sections don’t list half the shows in that genre that are actually available to stream.
I just skim through the schedules instead.

NoCommentingFromNowOn · 15/02/2026 00:11

Pick of the week on a Saturday Night often gets me searching for the original programmes.

And sometimes I look carefully at the schedule and save a whole bunch of stuff to go through later.

I get a lot of notifications about things too, I not sure if I have enabled them somewhere or not.

The BBC news main page has links to programmes.

In the search box you can put a name eg of an actor, or an event eg Easter.

And googling the R4 schedule brings up more days than Sounds does.

deeahgwitch · 15/02/2026 00:48

I don’t live in the UK and did have access to it but not any more. The BBC removed access to it.
I miss Desert Island Discs