How did two men who shared the same heart and the same wife end up dying the same way? Plus, inside the beef between ‘the Kennedys of Italy’
This fascinating series opens with the death of a man from a gunshot wound – and the revelation that this isn’t the first time his heart has stopped beating. It previously belonged to another man who died the same way, and who also had the same wife. Hosted by Karen Kilgariff, what follows is an intriguing eight-part tale that veers between a scientific exploration and a gripping true-crime saga. Alexi Duggins
Apple, from Monday 19 October
The Scandal star talks to Ben Affleck about his childhood in Massachusetts. Plus, the Eras strand returns with the story of 90s pop phenomenon the Spice Girls
The Guardian columnist and former Greek finance minister tackle big political questions in a hugely entertaining chat. Plus, why was actor Nkechi Simms placed in foster care?
This new series from the Guardian columnist and senior economics commentator is a lively interview show that tackles politics’ big questions. First up, it’s former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis for a hugely entertaining tour of his career, dissection of democracy and attempt to apply some long-term thinking to the UK. Or in his words: “How long do you think it’ll be before Andy Burnham is pushed out for someone else?” Alexi Duggins Widely available, episodes weekly
John Boyega, who was friends with Damilola, speaks in this moving programme. Plus: David Harewood’s superb new legal drama. Here’s what to watch this evening
9pm, BBC Two
It’s been 26 years since 10-year-old Damilola Taylor was killed by teenagers. For the first time, the last people to see him alive create this essential account: from the actor John Boyega and Boyega’s sister Grace (Damilola’s mates who were at the library with him) to Guillermo Casal (the North Peckham Estate caretaker who found Damilola and cradled him as he died). His brother Tunde and the former Met officer Leroy Logan also revisit events, which eventually led to the conviction of two brothers, and take a wider look at why there were so many similar killings. The trauma and sadness remain palpable, but there is also a lot of love and even hope to be found in Damilola’s legacy. Hollie Richardson
Esther Rantzen, the Bafta-winning TV presenter and founder of Childline, has died aged 86.
In a statement, her family paid tribute to “the most wonderful mother” and “cherished grandmother”, whose “legacy of compassion and understanding will live on in her charities Childline and the Silverline, and through those of us who were lucky enough to love and be loved by her”.
Daring to defy the norms of political lobbying, the ex-US president is becoming a podcast mainstay – and is opening up about the books that inspired him. Plus, is the Richard Gere gerbil rumour true?
Barack Obama is now a podcast mainstay (good on him for not just defaulting to questionable lobbying). His latest Audible show – via his and Michelle’s company, Higher Ground – is a six-parter about the books that have inspired him, from James Baldwin to John le Carré. The first guest is Tom Hanks, who joins him for a frank chat on parenting and family, prompted by Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer-winning novel Gilead. Hannah J Davies Audible, out now
From bowl cuts to extreme mullets, punk dos to bad dye jobs, a terrible hairstyle can never be forgotten – even decades after it has grown out
It’s the late 1990s. Big, round, feathered fringes are a huge deal at my primary school. Most of my friends have one, influenced by Britney Spears or Emma Bunton. I, too, have a fringe. Mine, as you can see, appears more inspired by Kevin Keegan circa 1993.
They were once the hottest shows on television – gripping, sexy, hilarious, zeitgeisty. But for our writers, the likes of America’s Next Top Model, House of Cards and The Office are now part of their viewing history they feel tainted by
When I think of the summer holidays when I was a teenager, I think of watching America’s Next Top Model for hours on end, critiquing each contestant with my sister. The makeover episode was always my favourite: girls sobbing as their hair was cropped short, or even shaved off. At the time, Tyra Banks seemed like a big sister, giving the contestants the tough love they’d need to succeed in a ferociously competitive industry. Now I feel differently. I hadn’t watched America’s Next Top Model since I was young, but like many, I recently watched Netflix’s excellent series, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. It was the strangest sensation, rewatching episodes I hadn’t seen in more than two decades. At times I felt almost teleported back. How could I not find these scenes of models collapsing with hunger utterly abhorrent? I wondered what influence watching a show that celebrated eating disorders had on my own brain. I think it had an impact. I think the residual taint of it is still there. I can’t watch America’s Next Top Model any more, nor do I want to. Ironically, it’s all too ugly. Sirin Kale
What’s it like to live on the set of a soap opera? Or above Ted Lasso’s favourite pub? The residents of the homes made famous by hit TV shows tell all
Half the world recognises the apartment that Carrie Bradshaw lives in. Or the New Jersey mansion where Tony Soprano ate, slept and obsessed over the ducks in his swimming pool. In the 1990s, if you asked a good chunk of the global population where Will Smith lived, they would instantly picture a huge, white abode in Bel Air.
For the real people who call those places home, this can be an issue.
Fern Brady and Alison Spittle return for natter with no rules. Plus, the viral red phone is back on the bridge
Comedians Fern Brady and Alison Spittle return for a second series of comically chaotic chat. Expect plenty of wildly pinballing discussions with no theme other than what pops into their heads. Topics so far include Robert De Niro’s much younger partner, podcasts about nuns playing ultimate frisbee – and Brady on how “so many of Bonnie Blue’s views are so close to mine”. Business as usual, then. Alexi Duggins Widely available, episodes weekly
Author Alexander McCall Smith’s new series is an attempt to use short fiction to make listeners feel better about the world. Plus, what happened when two London gangsters decided to make a film?
While he is best known for his No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels, Alexander McCall Smith has something of a soft spot for short stories, which can “cover a whole sweep of history in a couple of paragraphs”. His new series features a selection of short original works that he hopes will make listeners feel better about the state of the world, beginning with a pleasingly twee tale inspired by a friend’s miniature helicopter landing pad. Hannah J Davies Widely available, episodes weekly
The popular broadcaster investigates what happened after a large pile of murdered animals were dumped outside a primary school in Hampshire. Plus, Lena Headey tackles an idea from an ‘ethical pornographer’
Mangled pheasants, mutilated foxes, weeping kids: the third series of the multi-award-winning show about environmental crime opens with a huge pile of murdered animals outside a primary school. The investigation leads to revelations about the world of illegal bloodsports and rural organised crime. It even recruits Chris Packham. “It’s low-level terrorism, isn’t it?” he exclaims at one point – and it’s hard not to agree. An essential listen. AlexiDuggins
BBC Sounds, all episodes available
Food writer and music enthusiast Ruby Tandoh details a tender picture of the existential threat to the lute. Plus, a joyous celebration of the great outdoors with Caitlin Moran and Adam Frost
This indie “audio magazine” brings together documentaries of all stripes, the common thread being a sense of experimentation. The third issue features food writer Ruby Tandoh detailing a quietly beautiful portrait of the lute, an instrument on the brink of extinction, while Jess Shane revisits a groundbreaking experiment that gave children the tools to turn their reality into poignant poetry. Hannah J Davies Widely available, episodes weekly
Penelope Keith, best known for starring in sitcoms The Good Life and To the Manor Born, has died aged 86.
A statement on behalf of her family said: “We are deeply saddened to announce that Dame Penelope Keith died peacefully whilst living with cancer at her home in Surrey where she had lived for more than 50 years.
The 44th president’s latest podcast is a slick, excellently researched look at the post-slavery period in the US. Plus, a troubling foray into the world of swinging
Who would have thought, back in 2008, that Barack Obama (pictured above) would become one of podcasting’s biggest movers and shakers? The former president is front and centre of this series on the post-slavery period in the US, a collaboration with Malcolm Gladwell for Audible and the History Channel. It’s slick and excellently researched, but it’s the calibre of conversation and careful dot-joining that make it so compelling. Hannah J Davies
Widely available, episodes weekly
Surreal genius from Harry Hill, trailblazing women and a passionate ode to an incredible New York rapper – these are the best listens from the last six months
From ludicrously fun 80s love affairs to outrageously scandalous drama, this has already been a year of great television. Here are our favourite shows of the year
How did Lordi sing in a giant condom? How many sex lives has Epic Sax Guy helped? And what will push Graham Norton to retire? As Eurovision hits 70, legends of the song contest spill the beans
Not many 70-year-olds spend their nights with pop singers in sparkly catsuits. Or nightmarish monsters barking out heavy metal. Or 160,000 giddy Europeans staring at them as they get progressively more drunk. There’s only one, in fact – the Eurovision song contest. To celebrate its uniqueness, we’ve spoken to some of the most interesting people ever involved with the contest to tell their tales. Happy seven decades of Eurovision!
The Paddington star narrates an eerie adaptation of an Arthur Conan Doyle classic. Plus a worrying series about the US tech company at the heart of the NHS
Anmelden
