Best Brilliantly Brave Parenting Podcasts (2025)

1
The brain collector: the scientist unravelling the mysteries of grey matter – an Audio Long Read podcast 35:43

Play Pause

2M ago35:43

35:43

Alexandra Morton-Hayward is using cutting-edge methods to crack the secrets of ancient brains – even as hers betrays her There are more Audio Long Reads here, or search Audio Long Read wherever you listen to your podcastsBy The Guardian

1
The mysterious novelist who foresaw Putin’s Russia and then came to symbolise its moral decay – an Audio Long Read podcast 35:54

2M ago35:54

35:54

Victor Pelevin made his name in 90s Russia with his scathing satires of authoritarianism. But while his literary peers have faced censorship and fled the country, he still sells millions. Has he become a Kremlin apologist? There are more Audio Long Reads here, or search Audio Long Read wherever you listen to your podcasts…

1
Inside the Vatican’s secret saint-making process – an Audio Long Read podcast 35:24

2M ago35:24

35:24

Canonisation has long been a way for the Catholic church to shape its own image. As the Vatican prepares to anoint its first millennial saint, we ask how it decides who is worthy There are more Audio Long Reads here, or search Audio Long Read wherever you listen to podcastsBy The Guardian

1
Seth Rogen: slacker to studio boss; Marina Hyde on Trump making anywhere but America great again; and Philippa Perry helps with imposter syndrome 35:15

2M ago35:15

35:15

Seth Rogen may be known for his stoner vibe and comedies such as Superbad and Knocked Up, but behind the scenes the actor, writer, weed-lover and pottery fan has also become a producing power player. The US stock market is spooked and Trump’s henchmogul’s companies are floundering – has the great dealmaker been building up the wrong nation? And Phi…

1
Actor Michael Sheen on paying off £1m of his neighbours’ debts; Marina Hyde on ‘grotesque’ JD Vance; and ‘how the Beatles helped my autistic son find his voice’ 50:20

3M ago50:20

50:20

Marina Hyde on 1,000 grotesque memes of JD Vance – they’re all more likable than the real thing. The actor Michael Sheen grew up poor, got rich, then lost everything backing the 2019 Homeless World Cup. Now he’s giving away more of his money to help 900 total strangers. When John Harris first started noticing that his baby had some unusual quirks, …

1
Actor Danny Dyer on aliens and cocaine; the anti-vax parents who changed their minds; and Philippa Perry on feeling unimportant 43:18

3M ago43:18

43:18

Danny Dyer talks about his journey from national joke to national treasure. Fuelled by social media misinformation, anti-vax activism has accelerated – but why are some in the movement becoming disillusioned? And Philippa Perry advises a reader who is ‘struggling to feel like I matter in any area of my life’…

1
The White Lotus actor Aimee Lou Wood, Marina Hyde on Daddy Musk, and are we over-diagnosing illness? 1:03:22

3M ago1:03:22

1:03:22

With the mothers of Elon’s kids begging for his attention on social media, he makes much of ‘pronatalism’ – but is that just a fancy word for bad parenting? ‘I don’t know whether I’d describe it as fun,’ says Aimee Lou Wood on the intensity of making The White Lotus. And are ordinary life experiences, bodily imperfections and normal differences bei…

1
‘I forgive them for what they’ve done’: Esther Ghey on life after the murder of daughter Brianna 32:35

3M ago32:35

32:35

Two years ago, transgender teenager Brianna Ghey was stabbed to death by two 15-year-olds. The killers had been radicalised on the dark web, while the victim was trapped in an online world of her own. Now her mother has become friends with the parent of one of the murderers. On the second anniversary of Brianna’s death, Esther sits down with Simon …

1
Can Drake come back from Kendrick Lamar’s diss?; Marina Hyde on Starmer aping Trump; ‘I was trapped for 65 hours under 4,000 tons of rubble’; and Philippa Perry on setting boundaries with your parents 41:26

4M ago41:26

41:26

Marina Hyde on Keir Starmer’s palid imitation of Trumpism. The sole survivor of a landslide describes the pain, the fear and the long, winding path of recovery. After Kendrick Lamar lands another savage blow at the Super Bowl, a crisis expert advises on how Drake can return to relevance. And, ‘I feel happier and healthier when not around my mother’…

1
Marina Hyde on Kanye and Bianca; the woman who lives without money; Roman Kemp on tattoos and mental health; and Philippa Perry on ‘chaotic’ partners 38:23

4M ago38:23

38:23

Emperor Kanye and his ‘chief architect’ Bianca Censori at the Grammys – guess which one wasn’t wearing any clothes? Roman Kemp opens up about his journey from viral radio presenter to mental health advocate. ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’: meet the woman who lives without money. And ‘I’ve totally run out of patience with my chaotic hu…

1
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo on fame, fear and fighting classism; Marina Hyde on why gen Z kids are not alright; and the mind/body revolution 46:46

4M ago46:46

46:46

From yearning for a ‘strong leader’ to being swept up in riots, the portents for our children are not good – and who can blame them for being so disillusioned, asks Marina Hyde. Oscar-nominated Cynthia Erivo has gone stratospheric as Elphaba in Wicked – what next for one of Britain’s brightest stars? And new research shows western medicine’s tradit…

1
My mum the family vlogger and child abuser; Marina Hyde on Trump’s ‘golden age’; and Spotify’s Billions Club 59:56

4M ago59:56

59:56

Confusing and capricious, Trump started as he means to go on: chaos, dysfunction and a coalition of creeps; Ruby Franke was a social media star who made viral videos about her six children – until she was jailed for child abuse. Now her eldest daughter Shari is telling her side of the story; and No Dylan but loads of Coldplay! What the songs with a…

1
Huel creator James Collier on bodybuilding and bullies; Marina Hyde on fawning Trump tech bros; and Philippa Perry’s advice on a dwindling sex life – Podcast 33:39

5M ago33:39

33:39

Move fast, break things, sprint to kiss Trump’s ring: Marina Hyde on the tech bro inauguration derby. ‘I get hate from both sides – vegans and carnivores’: James Collier on UPFs, emotional eating and why he created Huel. And “My partner blames a ‘lack of attraction’ for not wanting sex”: Philippa Perry advises one reader…

1
‘How can you rebuild when your father is the worst sexual predator in decades?’: Pelicot’s daughter speaks; and Philippa Perry on the deceptive ‘spark’ 37:44

5M ago37:44

37:44

Caroline Darian, daughter of Dominique and Gisèle Pelicot, tells of the ‘crushing double burden’ of being the child of both victim and perpetrator. Plus Philippa Perry invites one reader to see what happens when you prioritise someone who offers you stability and decencyBy The Guardian

1
Revisited: a new approach to quitting smoking; how to stop people-pleasing; and why do we have the dreams we do? 47:10

5M ago47:10

47:10

Chris Godfrey spent a decade trying to quit smoking, then he tried hypnotherapy and it changed his life. ‘They’re probably not thinking about you’: Oliver Burkeman on how to liberate yourself and stop people-pleasing. And ‘one night I’m a murderer, the next my husband’s having an affair’. Why do we have the dreams that we do?…

1
Revisited: actor Jeff Goldblum, eccentric as ever at 71; and America’s top pronatalists on having ‘tons of kids’ to save the world 1:02:58

5M ago1:02:58

1:02:58

Fast-talking, finger-jabbing Jeff Goldblum on vanity, mortality and becoming a father in his 60s. Elon Musk (father of 11) supports their cause, thousands follow their ideology: to make it easier for everyone to have multiple children. Enter the unsettling world of Malcolm and Simone Collins, America’s premier pronatalists…

1
Bros’s Matt Goss on love and loss; ‘my father, the serial killer’; Marina Hyde on Prince Andrew and the spy; and Philippa Perry on finding purpose at 80 – podcast 50:40

5M ago50:40

50:40

The Duke of York is a royal problem, says Marina Hyde: it’s time they owned it. Matt Goss discusses mega-fame, political correctness and loneliness with Simon Hattenstone. After April Balascio’s foster brother was killed, she started piecing together evidence that revealed her father was a serial killer. And Philippa advises an 80-year-old reader h…

1
‘I never want you around your grandchild’: the families torn apart when adult children go ‘no contact’ 35:04

6M ago35:04

35:04

Some cases of child/parent estrangement stem from a traumatic childhood. But in others it can come as a shock to parents who believe they did their best. People on both sides of family rifts share their stories with Gaby Hinsliff Because of industrial action taking place by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observer t…

1
Revisited: Bafta-winner Jamie Demetriou, unmasking dating app cheats, and peeing: to sit or not to sit? 41:25

6M ago41:25

41:25

Writer and actor Jamie Demetriou reveals how an admin mixup paved the way for an unconventional career trajectory, the groups of women unmasking online cheats and ghosters, and Sam Wollaston extols the virtues of sitting down to pee. Because of industrial action taking place by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observ…

1
The man who caught his catfish; actor Kaya Scodelario on Skins, scares and sex scenes; and Philippa Perry on coping with the climate crisis 42:46

6M ago42:46

42:46

Former Skins actor Kaya Scodelario talks about growing up poor in London, why she loves doing action films – and the pitfalls of taking her kids to work. When one man discovered someone had been impersonating him for years without his knowledge, he decided to act. He reveals what happened next. And ‘the climate crisis and all the evil in the world …

1
Jacob Rees-Mogg on abortion, religion and reality TV; Marina Hyde on Musk vs Trump Jr; inheritance inequity; and teenage love – podcast 53:11

6M ago53:11

53:11

Marina Hyde asks us to spare a sob for Don Jr, replaced in Daddy’s affections by Elon Musk. The Bank of Mum and Dad – the unspoken dynamic behind society’s growing inequality of ‘inheritocracy’. ‘I’ve been called worse than a Nazi’: Simon Hattenstone meets Jacob Rees-Mogg. And psychologist Lucy Foulkes on why we should take teenage love more seriou…

1
The truth about dark empaths, why is Britain still so obsessed with the Tudors? And Philippa Perry on overcoming social awkwardness 40:50

7M ago40:50

40:50

‘Narcissists – only more devious’: Anita Chaudhuri explores the world of the Dark Empath and how to recognise the danger signs; ‘Henry VIII is a serial killer and abuser’: what’s behind the flood of 21st-century retellings of the Tudors, including the new TV series The Mirror and the Light?; and Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to circumnav…

1
‘My lips and cheeks caved in’ – when filler removal goes wrong, Marina Hyde on Trump-based amnesia, and my husband the conspiracy theorist– podcast 49:39

7M ago49:39

49:39

Donald Trump has triumphed again, and collective amnesia means any lessons Democrats and Republicans may learn from Trump 2.0, they will also forget; influencers have declared the trend for ‘duck lips’ over and many people are seeking to reverse their cosmetic treatment – often with painful and disfiguring results; and ‘Lies, manipulation and fear’…

1
Rob Beckett on dyslexia and dark thoughts, Marina Hyde on the Saoirse Ronan truth bomb, and Philippa Perry on nuanced honesty 34:08

7M ago34:08

34:08

Marina Hyde reflects on the unexpected stone-cold truth Saoirse Ronan delivered to the male guests on Graham Norton’s sofa; comedian Rob Beckett on the anxieties behind his infectious humour; and Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to improve their relationship with their daughter after deciding not to reveal a dark secret…

1
Why Rivals is the horny, hopeful show we need, Marina Hyde on Musk’s $1m voter gifts, the secret life of a care worker, and Philippa Perry on lying 44:07

7M ago44:07

44:07

Why does Rivals’ high-camp, warts-and-all frolic through the 80s make Zoe Williams feel so nostalgic? Is it wrong for Elon Musk to offer voters $1m to get Trump elected? ‘I was blown away by how meaningful and interesting it is: one woman’s ‘love story’ to the caring profession. And Philippa Perry advises a reader to be more forgiving to a friend w…

1
Marina Hyde on Strictly’s latest row; the father who lost his daughter in the Sandy Hook school shooting – then faced years of abuse; and Philippa Perry on mismatched sex drives 35:26

8M ago35:26

35:26

Strictly Come Dancing is no longer just a dance show – it’s a battlefield for culture wars, says Marina Hyde. The extraordinary story of Robbie Parker facing down right-wing provocateurs after losing his child. Philippa Perry offers advice to a reader whose partner wants more sex and more enthusiasmBy The Guardian

1
Al Pacino tells the inside story of The Godfather, and Marina Hyde on Keir Starmer, the unforced error machine 42:09

8M ago42:09

42:09

‘It’s hard to think of anyone who has squandered so much electoral capital, so quickly, for so little’: Marina Hyde reflects on Keir Starmer’s first 100 days. When Al Pacino bagged the lead role in The Godfather, he couldn’t believe his luck: in an extract from his new book, he recalls the making of the film that changed his life ……

1
Heartstopper’s Joe Locke, the mothers who regret having kids, and Philippa Perry on boastful rich friends 42:44

8M ago42:44

42:44

Heartstopper’s Joe Locke on trolls, typecasting and turning to the dark side; ‘I wished I were holding a cat and not a baby’: the mothers who regret having kids; and Philippa Perry advises one reader struggling to cope with a rich friend who has become a boastful bore.By The Guardian

1
Marina Hyde on Al Fayed and Diddy’s enablers, the hidden life of Elizabeth Taylor, and Philippa Perry on embracing anger 43:39

8M ago43:39

43:39

Marina Hyde on the motley crew of enforcers, concealers and NDA experts behind every Al Fayed or Diddy; Liz Taylor’s son, Chris Wilding, discusses his mother’s legend and legacy; and Philippa Perry helps one reader struggling to reconcile the emotions that come with a devastating illnessBy The Guardian

1
Janet Jackson on Michael and motherhood, Friends at 30, and Marina Hyde on the real ‘enigma’ about Charlotte Owen 56:15

9M ago56:15

56:15

Marina Hyde laments the sexist gossip surrounding Charlotte Owen and her relationship to Boris Johnson; Friends writers and producers on the inside story of the iconic TV show; and Janet Jackson talks to Nosheen Iqbal about taking back controlBy The Guardian

1
Best of Weekend part 2: Louis Theroux, a late life gender transition, and is it murder if you’re asleep? 47:46

9M ago47:46

47:46

Weekend is taking a little break. So this week, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them… Zoe Williams turns the tables on veteran interviewer Louis Theroux; how an app sparked a late-life gender transition for author Lucy Sante; and if you kill someone in your sleep, are you a murderer?…

1
Grenfell: System Failure – Scenes from the Inquiry (part 1) 57:08

9M ago57:08

57:08

Listen to part 2 Scenes from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry by Richard Norton-Taylor and Nicolas Kent On 14 June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower in London. 72 people died. It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the second world war. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the…

1
Grenfell: System Failure – Scenes from the Inquiry (part 2) 1:06:39

9M ago1:06:39

1:06:39

Listen to part 1 Scenes from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry by Richard Norton-Taylor and Nicolas Kent On 14 June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower in London. 72 people died. It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the second world war. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the…

1
Best of Weekend part 1: Julia Fox, are we to blame for our bad habits? And surviving a ship wreck 46:36

9M ago46:36

46:36

Weekend is taking a little break. So for the next two weeks, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them… Actor Julia Fox unpacks abuse, fame, and dating Kanye; should you blame yourself for your bad habits? And what happened when one man’s boat sank in the dead of night and he had to save his se…

1
Actor Michael Sheen on leaving Los Angeles, presenter Alison Hammond’s rise to fame, and Philippa Perry on empty-nest syndrome 59:56

9M ago59:56

59:56

Michael Sheen talks about life back in his home town of Port Talbot and falling in love with a younger woman; from Big Brother to Bake Off, Alison Hammond discusses the highs and lows of celebrity; and Philippa Perry responds to an empty-nester who misses her adult children so much it feels like grief…

1
Actor Gillian Anderson on female desire, singer Chappell Roan’s slow and steady rise, and how to stop people-pleasing 45:03

9M ago45:03

45:03

Actor Gillian Anderson on prudes, powerful women, and collecting secret fantasies; How singer-songwriter Chappell Roan slow-burned her way to stardom; and Oliver Burkeman tells you how to stop being such a people-pleaser.By The Guardian

1
Growing up in a utopian commune - and the dangers that came with it; Marina Hyde on the Trump-Musk interview; and the power of embracing selfishness 46:34

10M ago46:34

46:34

Susanna Crossman describes her childhood in a utopian commune where children ran wild – and the trouble that came with that freedom; Marina Hyde assesses Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s glitch-ridden chat; and Moya Sarner reveals the life-changing power of selfishness, with the help of a simple phrase.By The Guardian

1
Marina Hyde on the ‘brave’ inciters of Britain’s race riots; lightning struck my plane and I plunged 3,000m; the delights of the dead hang 32:47

10M ago32:47

32:47

Where are you Tommy and Elon? Marina Hyde finds that those provoking the race riots are far, far away; the dead hang delight – how this quick, surprisingly simple exercise can change your life; and ‘A bolt of lightning struck my plane’ – one woman’s incredible story of survivalBy The Guardian

1
Jeff Goldblum, eccentric as ever at 71; the fallacy of ‘tradwives’; and ‘My dying wife found me a girlfriend’ 48:44

10M ago48:44

48:44

Actor Jeff Goldblum on vanity, mortality and becoming a father in his 60s; sundresses and rugged self-sufficiency: the ‘tradwives’ trend touts a conservative American past that didn’t exist; and one man’s extraordinary story of embracing the dating world with the help of his terminally ill partner.By The Guardian

1
Bullied, belittled but indisputably brilliant: how Victoria Pendleton became a cycling legend; and what’s missing from Twisters? 40:58

10M ago40:58

40:58

Victoria Pendleton is one of Britain’s greatest ever athletes, but has often felt like a failure and fraud. She tells Simon Hattenstone about her Olympic golds, the misery that came with them, and the joy she has found since she retired. And Twisters is the tornado blockbuster that almost has it all. But its two hot stars – Glen Powell and Daisy Ed…

1
Is this the Brat girl summer? Marina Hyde predicts a sticky end for Trump-Vance, how to be a Norwegian parent, and Ask Philippa on sibling rivalry 47:36

11M ago47:36

47:36

Never doubt the instincts of Donald Trump, warns Marina Hyde, who just appointed a ‘never Trump guy’ as his running mate. Let your kids roam free, stay home alone, have fun – and fail – Norwegian style. Charli xcx’s new album, Brat, highlights how many young women now aspire to live – dirty, hedonistic, happy and bra-less. And ‘My brother’s mental …

1
Marina Hyde’s career advice for Joe Biden, the world’s smallest stuntman, Philippa Perry on ‘failure’, and could you forgive your childhood bully? 46:07

11M ago46:07

46:07

Marina Hyde advises the US president: ‘Walk to podium, smile, wave goodbye’; ‘I’m a failure, in debt and my partner is pregnant’ – Philippa Perry helps one man open up; Superman, Frodo and Star Wars: the stunning life and career of Kiran Shah; actor Katy Wix confronts a painful memory when she gets a message out of the blue…

1
Actor Kevin Bacon on learning selflessness, the secret lives of porn addicts, and what’s it like to be a private tutor for the rich? 37:53

11M ago37:53

37:53

Hollywood’s great survivor discusses his band, politics, family, embracing change and learning selflessness; as pornography use soars, we meet the men who feel their behaviour is moving from a compulsion to an addiction; and, last week, a job advert emerged for a private tutor to an architecture student with potential earnings of more than £2m. One…

1
Keir Starmer’s most personal interview yet, the woman who gave birth to her granddaughter, and why do we have the dreams we do?– podcast 50:07

11M ago50:07

50:07

Charlotte Edwardes interviews the Labour leader as he closes in on power, but who exactly is the man who wants to run Britain? Plus the extraordinary story of the woman who stepped in as a surrogate for her daughter’s baby, and Sam Pyrah examines the latest scientific understanding about why we dream what we do…

1
Marina Hyde on Sunak and class, my parachute failed at at 4,000ft, my gaming-addicted son, and a new approach to quitting smoking 50:07

12M ago50:07

50:07

Marina Hyde on poor Rishi, who had to go without a Sky subscription as a teenager; Chris Godfrey spent a decade trying to quit smoking, then he tried hypnotherapy and it changed his life; when Jordan Hatmaker pulled the string of her parachute, she realised something was very wrong; and ‘My grownup son is gaming all day and lives on takeaways’ - Ph…

1
Azeem Rafiq talks racism, cricket, and leaving Britain; Philippa Perry offers advice on a painful crush; why Rory Stewart quit politics; and the big British bamboo crisis 47:25

12M ago47:25

47:25

The former cricketer discusses the ramifications of his decision to speak out about racism at Yorkshire; a reader has developed an intense crush on an unavailable work colleague; Boris Johnson and Brexit weren’t the only reasons Rory Stewart left politics; and Simon Usborne on the destructive impact of bamboo…

1
New series – Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph: Taylor Swift cultural icon or turbo-capitalist? 24:11

12M ago24:11

24:11

We are delighted to bring you the first episode in our latest series of Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph. Chanté (not a Swift fan) is joined by the writer Elle Hunt (is a Swift fan) to talk about why Taylor Swift is not just a pop sensation, bringing her billion-pound Eras tour to the UK, but has also managed to become a business icon. The pair also …

1
A Guardian Blind Date happy ending, the boy who fled the Nazis, and Philippa Perry’s advice on an alcoholic father 41:54

12M ago41:54

41:54

The Guardian lockdown love story that ended in ‘I do’; the incredible story of Maxwell Smart, who lost his family in the Holocaust at 10 and avoided detection from the Nazis for two years; and Philippa Perry advises a reader not to invite his alcoholic father to his wedding.By The Guardian

1
America’s premier pronatalists on having ‘tons of kids’ to save the world, Marina Hyde on the election campaign trail, and is doing nothing the secret of happiness? 55:39

1y ago55:39

55:39

Rishi Sunak is so convinced he can’t win he’s promising any old mad thing, while the Lib Dems are deliberately falling off paddleboards – Marina Hyde on the election. The couple on a mission to make it easier for everyone to have multiple children – Elon Musk (father of 11) is a supporter. Few of us have the money to take a long pause from work – b…

1
Stephen Merchant on his ‘preposterous’ trajectory; the trouble with the Zoe nutrition app; and when does drinking become a problem? 41:37

1y ago41:37

41:37

Comedian, writer and actor Stephen Merchant on standup, fame and the pressures of cancel culture; testing the ‘world-leading science’ claims behind the Zoe nutrition app; and the point when writer Harriet Tyce realised she didn’t want to be remembered only as a drinkerBy The Guardian