Best Jay Bean Podcasts (2026)

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Episode 700: Live At Kings Place, London (ft. guests Corin Hardy & Dafne Keen; Bart Layton; Ben Wheatley; Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, & Chi Lewis-Parry; Anthony Russo & Joe Russo) 2:55:21

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13h ago2:55:21

2:55:21

It's been delayed by lurgy, but at last it's here, folks: the latest landmark in the Empire Podcast's epic journey, as we reach our 700th episode (not counting all the interview specials, spoiler specials, and sundry other specials). Recorded live, as is tradition, at Kings Place, London, on Friday January 9, it's a near three-hour odyssey of film-…

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Jessie Buckley & Paul Mescal On Hamnet; James Vanderbilt on Nuremberg — An Empire Podcast Interview Special 41:30

4d ago41:30

41:30

Don't worry, folks — the Empire Podteam may be engaged elsewhere today (Friday, January 9), preparing to do the live show at Kings Place, London, that marks our 700th episode. But we'd never let you down, and let a Friday go without a dose of Empire Podcast goodness. Which brings us to this interview special, in which Helen O'Hara sits down on Zoom…

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The Shameless Plug #11: Peaky Blinding 31:32

8d ago31:32

31:32

It's finally here! A little later than usual due to some technical mishaps, the latest episode of The Shameless Plug sees Chris Hewitt and Nick de Semlyen sit down on Teams (yes, Teams!) to have a chat about the latest issue of Empire magazine, which is still on sale in all good, evil, and virtual newsagents. In it, our dynamic duo talk about the c…

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The Lonely Island Discog Breakdown #2: Turtleneck & Chain (ft. Shak Lambert)

11d ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this second episode of The Lonely Island Discog Breakdown, Jackie and Matty are joined by special guest Sh…

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The Empire Podcast Preview Of The Films Of 2026 1:36:41

12d ago1:36:41

1:36:41

With the Empire Podcast team still in hibernation until the first show of 2026 (our live show at Kings Place, London, on Jan 9 — check kingsplace.co.uk for last-minute tickets), we're plugging the gap where the regular podcast would usually be with something a little different: a look ahead to the films of 2026, in which Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara,…

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299: The 2025 AOTYcast (Pt. 2 – #5-1)

17d ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this episode, Matty, Rose, Jenna, Jay, and special guest Ataxon reveal our Top 5 Albums of 2025, along wit…

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The Empire Podcast Review Of The Year 2025 2:41:08

17d ago2:41:08

2:41:08

And so, as 2025 disappears off into the distance, it's the most wonderful time of what's left of the year, as the Empire Podcast team get together in the podbooth for their marathon deep dive/look back at the cinematic year that was. Join Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer for this near-three-hour behemoth in which they go through the year …

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298: The 2025 AOTYcast (Pt. 1 – #10-6)

19d ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this episode, Matty and Rose are joined by our two newest cast members, Jenna and Jay, along with special …

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Farewell, Rob (ft. guests Glenn Close; Stephen Lang; Josh Safdie) 2:13:59

24d ago2:13:59

2:13:59

The final Empire Podcast of the year is here, folks, and it's a bumper-sized jamboree, longer than usual and hopefully fit to tide you over until we return with Episode 700 (live from Kings Place) on January 11th. For the first time ever, the revolving fourth chair revolves wildly during the pod itself, so Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer…

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It: Welcome To Derry — An Empire Podcast Special, In Association With Warner Bros. 46:38

24d ago46:38

46:38

They all float down here. Now that It: Welcome To Derry, the prequel to Andy Muschietti's It Chapter One and It Chapter Two, has finished its eight-episode run, the Empire Podcast has teamed up with Warner Bros. to bring you a special episode in which Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer conquer their fears of clowns, spiders, and spider-clow…

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297: The Pod Awards 2025

27d ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this episode, Matty, Chris aka Barely March and Max unveil the nominees and winners of our annual Pod Awar…

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Paul Thomas Anderson & Boogie Nights: An Empire Podcast Special, In Association With Warner Bros. 44:55

1M ago44:55

44:55

Boogie Nights wasn't Paul Thomas Anderson's first movie (that was Hard Eight), but it's the film that put him firmly on the map, and served notice that here was a serious filmmaking force. And with the release of a remastered 4K UHD version of Boogie Nights on Monday, December 15, it's the perfect time for the Empire Podcast team — Chris Hewitt, He…

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There's Magic In The Air (ft. guests Shih-Ching Tsou & Sean Baker; Daryl McCormack & Cailee Spaeny; James L. Brooks) 1:56:11

1M ago1:56:11

1:56:11

The penultimate regular Empire Podcast of the year is here, folks (don't worry, there are specials galore on the way), and it's a belter. Guest-wise, we have more goodies under the tree, as Jamie Graham talks to longtime collaborators Shih-Ching Tsou and Sean Baker (the director of Anora) about Tsou's directorial debut, Left-Handed Girl, which can …

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F1: An Empire Podcast Interview Special ft. Jerry Bruckheimer, Damson Idris & Kerry Condon 1:04:35

1M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

"Yer man's in the pits, boss!" Joseph Kosinski's crowd-pleasingly kinetic F1 was one of the success stories of the year at the box office, displaying impressive legs (or wheels) to take the chequered flag with over $600 million in the global bank, making it the biggest hit of Brad Pitt's career. And now that the film is making its debut on Apple TV…

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[PREVIEW] BONUS: This Is My Height Song

1M ago

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This episode is exclusive to our Real Ones Patreon supporters. Listen to the full episode by supporting us for $5 a month or more on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this episode, Matty, Max and Rose use some songs about being short as a launchpad for whatever this episode ended up becoming. Songs discussed: Skee-Lo – I Wish Be…

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QT's Making A List, We're Checking It Twice (ft. guests Taron Egerton; George Clooney & Adam Sandler; Jon M. Chu) 1:58:26

1M ago1:58:26

1:58:26

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Christmas on our mind as we enter December, and accordingly we deliver a sackful of great guests to you, our loyal and loving listeners. First off, Chris Hewitt goes to Taron Egerton's actual flat (smells divine... and the flat wasn't bad either) to sit down with him for a candid chat about his career,…

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The Lonely Island Discog Breakdown #1: Incredibad (ft. Grace Robins-Somerville & Lou Barcott)

1M ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this premiere episode of The Lonely Island Discog Breakdown, Jackie and Matty are joined by Grace Robins-S…

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The Shameless Plug #10: The Odyssey Odyssey 42:36

1M ago42:36

42:36

The new episode of The Shameless Plug is here, folks, and this month sees Chris Hewitt sit down with freshly-minted award winner, Empire editor Nick de Semlyen, to delve into one of the most special issues of Empire magazine in many a moon: our world exclusive first look at Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, for which Nick went on something of an ody…

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There Can Be Only Dozens (ft. guests Simu Liu; Ke Huy Quan; Richard Linklater & Ethan Hawke) 1:51:41

2M ago1:51:41

1:51:41

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down with two actors who star in animated movies (and ask them both about their favourite things to do in London). First, Simu Liu Zooms in to talk about new Netflix family flick, In Your Dreams, plus his own dreams, and the return of Shang-Chi to the MCU. [21:38 - 38:30 approx] Then, …

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S4E5: Steve Moloney Is Throwing the Coffee Party the World Needed 32:12

2M ago32:12

32:12

What happens when a music festival producer gets bored with coffee's stuffy competition scene? He starts a revolution. In this episode, we sit down with Steve Moloney, the founder of The Barista League. Ten years ago, he was done with 4 AM gigs in Swedish nightclubs and dreamed of a coffee event that felt less like a silent exam and more like a vib…

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296: The Nightmare Before Christmas (Vol. 2)

2M ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this episode, Matty, Violet and Barely March are joined by special guest Ataxon as we hit the halfway poin…

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Escape From Malcatraz (ft. guests Benedict Cumberbatch & Dylan Southern; Joel Edgerton & Clint Bentley; Ariana Greenblatt) 1:57:43

2M ago1:57:43

1:57:43

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees the podteam — Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer — play themselves as they discuss great 'as themselves' performances in the movies. They also run their collective eye over the week's movie news, including heartening Star Trek developments, review Train Dreams, Wicked: For Good, Playdate, and S…

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S4E4: Coffee, Cocktails, and the Journey of Odi - Georgius Audrey Teja 30:50

2M ago30:50

30:50

In this episode of the I'M NOT A BARISTA podcast, we sit down with Georgius Audrey Teja — or Odi, as most people know him — to chat about his incredible journey from behind the bar to the world stage. Odi’s story is one of quiet perseverance. From serving iced lattes to confused customers in the early days of Indonesia’s specialty scene, to winning…

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295: Butt Rock Number Ones – Where Are They Now? (ft. Jay Papandreas)

2M ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this episode, Matty, AJ and Rose are joined by special guest Jay Papandreas as we check in on some of the …

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S6 Ep 07 – The best and worst of 2025 and what we’re excited about in 2026. 43:59

2M ago43:59

43:59

“Closing time, open all the doors and let you out into the world.” No, but for real we’re wrapping up the season, putting up the storm windows, holidays and long PTO are coming. We’ll be back in 2026 but before we board up the windows for the winter we wanted to recap everything that's happened this year in the email industry. Alison Gootee stopped…

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All The Information Is On The Task (ft. guests Edgar Wright, Rosamund Pike & Isla Fisher, Michael Shannon) 1:58:03

2M ago1:58:03

1:58:03

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast would surely deserve to get a full fat five points from Greg Davies, the Taskmaster himself, as Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and John Nugent apply themselves wholeheartedly (some more wholeheartedly than others, it must be said) to deciding which Taskmaster contestant has appeared in the best fil…

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Julia Ducournau & Tahar Rahim On Alpha: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 24:35

2M ago24:35

24:35

Alpha is the third film from the brilliant French filmmaker, Julia Ducournau, following on from her titanic debut, Raw, and her raw follow-up, Titane (which won the Palme D'Or, no less!). A tale of an unusual epidemic and generational trauma, there's much going on above and below the surface, which we get into in this interview special, as Jamie Gr…

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Ep318 McMansion & Wife, The King Of Nice & Carl Carlson Rides Again (Guests: BT & Danny) 2:55:45

2M ago2:55:45

2:55:45

The Simpsons Index is going on an indefinite hiatus. We thank all of our listeners, heroes & guests for all the support over the years. We get into full details about why at the 2 hour mark, but first, we still have 3 last bits of reviewing business to do… Elliot Jay O’Neill, BT Calloway & Danny Rosewell review; S.35 E.3 “McMansion & Wife” S.34 E.4…

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The 6th All Bonus Scenes Super Special 2:02:04

2M ago2:02:04

2:02:04

This is a compilation of all the bonus scenes from Ep201 - Ep317 This is a Side Quest Studios Production Huge THANK YOU to our Heroes over at Patreon Grant Prusi // 16_oz_mouse // Philip Wolf // Timothy Burleson // Stephanie // Chris Tar // AlmightyK // Kaleb982 // nickibis // Nick Sultana // Teresa // David James Young // Paul Walsh You too can be…

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Jenny Beavan: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 45:41

2M ago45:41

45:41

Nicholas Hytner's The Choral, a delightful drama set in 1916 Yorkshire, is in cinemas now, folks. It features costumes designed by the legendary Jenny Beavan, who is one of the best costume designers in the business. Nominated for 12 Oscars, winner of three, Beavan has worked with directors like Robert Altman, James Ivory, and George Miller across …

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[PREVIEW] BONUS: The 1950s Number Ones – Violet’s Should’ve Beens

2M ago

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This episode is exclusive to our Real Ones Patreon supporters. Listen to the full episode by supporting us for $5 a month or more on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this bonus episode of the 1950s Number Ones, Matty, Violet, Chris/Barely March and AJ talk the songs that Violet thinks should have hit #1 on the 1950s charts. Son…

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Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, & Ronan Day-Lewis On Anemone: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 50:02

2M ago50:02

50:02

Every year at the London Film Festival, Empire hosts a gala screening for a film that we particularly admire. This year's choice was Ronan Day-Lewis' Anemone, a drama that we called 'sad, absurdist, brooding, tender, and intense', and which marks the return to acting of the great Daniel Day-Lewis, father of Ronan and co-writer of the movie, after e…

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Ep317 The Tell-Tale Pants (Guests: Paul from One Good Thing & Christopher from Role To Cast) 1:29:44

2M ago1:29:44

1:29:44

Elliot Jay O’Neill & BT Calloway are joined by Paul Salt & Christopher Bond to review; S.35 E.16 “The Tell-Tale Pants” This is a Side Quest Studios Production Huge THANK YOU to our Heroes over at Patreon Grant Prusi // 16_oz_mouse // Philip Wolf // Timothy Burleson // Stephanie // Chris Tar // AlmightyK // Kaleb982 // nickibis // Nick Sultana // Te…

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The Sound Of Burning Felt (ft. guests Jennifer Lawrence & Lynne Ramsay; Elle Fanning & Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi; Sean Bean & Daniel Day-Lewis) 1:51:46

2M ago1:51:46

1:51:46

Blimey, this week's episode of the Empire Podcast is star-studded, and then some. First, Chris Hewitt chats with Die, My Love star, Jennifer Lawrence, and director Lynne Ramsay, about unpredictability on set and receiving an email from Martin Scorsese; then, he has a crash course in Yautja from Predator: Badlands stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatan…

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The Shameless Plug #9: Stranger Things Has Happened 43:20

2M ago43:20

43:20

Another month, another issue of Empire, another episode of The Shameless Plug. This time, Chris Hewitt and Nick de Semlyen sit down to talk about how Stranger Things ended up on the cover of the world's biggest movie magazine, and nearly did so upside down. And they also talk about less strange things, including the stories behind the stories of th…

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The 1950s Number Ones #5: Mr. Bean’s Birth to David Caruso’s Birth (ft. Luke Phillips)

2M ago

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You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker. Plus, you’ll get to watch the video version of this episode exclusively: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast On this episode of the 1950s Number …

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Now It's Time For Halloween (ft. guests Edward Berger, Yorgos Lanthimos, Mary Elizabeth Winstead & Maika Monroe) 1:56:15

2M ago1:56:15

1:56:15

It's Halloween, folks, so this week's episode of the Empire Podcast is extra-spooky, with Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Beth Webb get way too invested in a listener question about the horror movie death that they would want for themselves. Just keep repeating: it's only a podcast, it's only a podcast, it's only a podcast. Elsewhere, o…

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Kenny Dalglish & Asif Kapadia on Kenny Dalglish: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 33:11

3M ago33:11

33:11

If you can hear a high-pitched squealing noise in the background of our latest interview special, that's just Chris Hewitt vibrating with excitement. For this podcast puts him in the room with one of his all-time heroes, Liverpool FC icon Kenny Dalglish, who is the eponymous subject of Asif Kapadia's latest documentary, which is out today (October …

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Ep316 The Miseducation Of Lisa Simpson (Guests: Michael Swaim & Abe Epperson of Small Beans) 1:24:21

3M ago1:24:21

1:24:21

Elliot Jay O’Neill & BT Calloway are joined by Michael Swaim & Abe Epperson to review; S.31 E.12 “The Miseducation Of Lisa Simpson” This is a Side Quest Studios Production Huge THANK YOU to our Heroes over at Patreon Grant Prusi // 16_oz_mouse // Philip Wolf // Timothy Burleson // Stephanie // Chris Tar // AlmightyK // Kaleb982 // nickibis // Nick …

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We've Gone And Caught A Sniffle (ft. guests Nia DaCosta, Jeremy Strong, Rebecca Ferguson & Kathryn Bigelow) 1:59:22

3M ago1:59:22

1:59:22

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt struggle with the enunciation of one word in particular (you'll have to listen to find out which). Incredibly, it's not 'Howl-o-ween', which is just one of the many things discussed by Chris and his three colleagues of such lethal cunning, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Ben Travis. They get their teeth in…