If the first episode is any indication, Clara Amfo (recently freed from BBC broadcasting) and activist Munroe Bergdorf could become your favorite commute companions. The pair are passionate, incisive, and just the right amount of gossipy as they unpack the latest pop culture moments, such as what the loud conversation around Olivia Rodrigo's baby-doll dress reveals about women in music. Our only complaint? Half an hour isn't long enough! Hollie Richardson
Successpod
Podcast veteran Adam Buxton leans into his offbeat instincts in this six-part series exploring what it means to be accomplished in the influencer age. It won't appeal to everyone, but Buxton's fans will surely appreciate songs about losing his hair and his edge, along with frank chats with Guz Khan, Romesh Ranganathan, and more. Hannah J Davies (Audible, all episodes out now)
OnlyFantasy
It would be easy to tap into moral panic, but Leon Neyfakh (Slow Burn, Fiasco) avoids the obvious in this smart series about online sex work. He's joined by comedian and OnlyFans creator Gracie Canaan for a nuanced examination of relationships between X-rated creators and ordinary people, featuring candid revelations from Neyfakh himself. HJD (Widely available, episodes weekly)
Hunting the Suicide Salesman
Six years on, the child abuse investigative series Hunting Warhead remains one of the most accomplished but upsetting podcasts ever released. This follow-up from Canada's CBC sees reporter Daemon Fairless turn his attention to a man who sold lethal chemicals online to suicidal people, and it's as gripping as it is devastating. HJD (Widely available, episodes weekly)
This Is TV Now
Podcasting's pivot to video is in full swing, leading to this meta show about the increasingly blurry lines between the mediums. Magazine founder Dane Cardiel hosts alongside producer Stella Young, who reckons that while change is afoot, video hasn't killed the radio stars just yet. HJD (Widely available, episodes weekly)
