McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
Widely available, episodes weekly from Wednesday.
Paul Muldoon, the poet, has had enviable access to Paul McCartney, as the two collaborated on a book about lyrics, so their podcast is delightful and detailed. McCartney proves he's a hell of a storyteller as he describes the characters he's created, revealing that the US audience thought Penny Lane was about selling puppies. With a massive back catalogue, there's plenty of material to explore, from Back in the USSR to Eleanor Rigby and Live and Let Die. Nadiya Hussain admits her love of Minstrels, Milton Keynes and instant mashed potato topped with cheesy tomato soup as this Guardian podcast with Grace Dent returns for series five. The lively fun is always lively, with plenty of lively culinary chatter. The fifth season of this podcast, inspired by the hit Netflix series, is hosted by sex therapist Cate Campbell and her inquisitive son Diggory. They grapple with questions about sex and relationships and begin with 'the ick' - when you are suddenly turned completely off by someone. The fact that they are mother and son certainly doesn't stop them getting into the nitty gritty. BBC Sounds, episodes weekly on Thursdays from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
This week Charlie Lindlar chooses five of the best podcasts on contemporary masculinity, from tips on fatherhood with a good dollop of humour to sharing experiences of trauma and how to persevere.
How can I be a man?
What does it mean to be a man? Rylan Clark, the host of this fascinating podcast about modern masculinity, believes X Factor hopeful turned presenter Rylan Clark. In his curious quest to answer the question, the charming everyman presenter meets men from boxer Amir Khan to the young gay footballer Jake Daniels and the transgender journalist Freddy McConnell for their take. He sees each one immediately, hitting its stride from the jump.
At first glance, Brett McKay, the founder of The Art of Manliness, is the antithesis of our last host - his online bio says he enjoys barbell lifting, hiking, and burgers - yet it has the same spirit: how do we become the best men we can be? McKay's approach is more practical and less spiritual than Rylan's, with gruff episodes on why men fight, which fitness supplements work and how to throw a networking event. Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's parenting hell.
The opinions of lesser hosts on how much of a raw deal it is to be a dad can be cringey. These two successful comedians took on the prickly topic of fatherhood with humour, panache, and a healthy dose of not taking themselves too seriously. Seven seasons later, the pair are still producing one of the finest podcasts - let alone parenting podcasts - out there. A stunning ability to go both low-brow and high, and extracting persuasive advice from their celebrity friends.
James Barr and Dan Hudson on the No. 1 LGBTQ+ podcast asks whether straight and gay men are all that different, and ponder what is driving increased homophobia and hate in the headlines. While the podcast, which has more than 300 episodes since its inception in 2016 - naturally concentrates on LGBTQ+ issues such as being gay in the Middle East or the surge of heteronormativity, no episode is inaccessible to a listener pressing play for the first time. Stories of men: Beneath the surface
As a result, podcasts on male stories of perseverance frequently focus on the business mindedness, survivalism, or what it is like to be in a military training camp in the woods. Stories of Men dare to focus instead on male experiences of trauma, and how these experiences shape the people we become - and aspire to be. The host, Alex Melia, meets a variety of men, in episodes that may be as short as 15 minutes, to hear the lessons they have learned from enduring the tough stuff. While the show explores deep themes like family estrangement or why men avoid the doctor, Melia is not afraid to throw in curveballs like a recent episode on why queer men struggle with the hypermasculine space that is the barbershop.