Best Learn English With Films Podcasts (2025)

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Dog Days: Chapter 3 - The Shining Palace of the Sun 35:08

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1h ago35:08

35:08

In today's episode of Dog Days, Kit Marlowe finally arrives at work, where he finds the entire company of The Theatre, under Ned Alleyne, awaiting the arrival of his new script: Tamburlaine The Great Part 2. Yet Kit is unwilling to part with his pages until he gets paid. Which is why we find him outside of the Earl of Oxford's rooms, negotiating wi…

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Dog Days: Chapter 2 - Lord Of My Fortune 23:24

28m ago23:24

23:24

On today's episode, we pick up right where yesterday's chapter left off - with Kit Marlowe cracked over the back of the head with a club and bundled into a pure black covered carriage. The person waiting within is cool and calm, despite the summer heat. Old, dying, yet phenomenally powerful, Sir Francis Walsingham is Queen Elizabeth's Secretary of …

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114 Cousin Joey Returns 32:52

10h ago32:52

32:52

Tonight, CEP's favorite mechanic returns to discuss: Pipes vs hoses on cars - ease of manufacture vs ease of repair BMW iDrive va Mercedes voice COMAND vs Lexus touchpads vs Audi confusion Rather than have one universal EV charging adapter, of course the industry has come up with several, with the ensuing sub-industry of adapters Robotaxis: Who's l…

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E52 Learning English Abroad? The HONEST Truth About Immersion Trips... 19:29

3h ago19:29

19:29

Improve your English listening with this advanced-level story. Oliver shares the real experience of studying a language abroad - the good, the bad, and the sweaty. What happens when you go abroad to learn a language? Does immersion really work? In this episode, I talk about my time in Montpellier: the grammar lessons, the teachers, the pros and con…

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Dog Days: Chapter 1 - Like Summer’s Vapours 37:15

24m ago37:15

37:15

As long heralded, and under the influence of the Canis Dog Star, we warmly present the first installment of our Bonus Series project for August 2025! Set in 1589, Dog Days follows young English playwright, poet, spy and bounder Christopher 'Kit' Marlowe who, when we meet him, is fast asleep and drenched with sweat in his newly-acquired rooms in Nor…

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August Update: IT'S HOT DOG SUMMER!!! 1:17:21

25m ago1:17:21

1:17:21

Well hello, hey, and hi there - we're currently at Black Shuck Festival in Suffolk doing a whole bunch of Three Ravens-related stuff, but, as it has been over a month since the end of Series 6, we thought that today, on Lammas Day, we might release this little update episode about what's been going on with us. To sweeten the deal, we have included …

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Are we witnessing the death of international law? 34:40

34m ago34:40

34:40

A growing number of scholars and lawyers are losing faith in the current system. Others say the law is not to blame, but the states that are supposed to uphold it By Linda Kinstler. Read by Rachel Handshaw. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

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'Snow White and Rose Red' and 'Toads and Diamonds' 21:08

7h ago21:08

21:08

For the final Lang Fairy Tales episode of this 'between series break' we have another double bill for you! We begin with Snow White and Rose Red. And if you thought the recent Disney adaptation missed the mark compared to the original, you need to check out the original and imagine how different and brilliant a film they could have made. Then it's …

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From the archive: Bicycle graveyards: why do so many bikes end up underwater? 29:57

1d ago29:57

29:57

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: every year, thousands of bikes are tossed into rivers, ponds, lakes and canals. What’s behind this mass drowning? By Jody Rosen. Read by Masud Milas. Help support our independent journalism …

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Technology in Everyday Life [Part 1] 👨‍💻 The Choices We Make / Topic Discussion & Vocabulary 1:54:15

3d ago1:54:15

1:54:15

This episode is all about choices we have to make relating to technology in our everyday lives. I'll be discussing contemporary tech-related issues such as privacy vs. convenience, data sharing, digital, detox, online behaviour, digital legacy, tech addiction, tech for children. It includes loads of vocabulary and will give you the chance not only …

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Hansel and Gretel 19:24

3d ago19:24

19:24

Come inside, children! Today, to start a new week with a bang, we present an all-time Hall of Fame fairytale: Hansel and Gretel. If you listened to Little Thumb last week, note how this time it's the father who is sympathetic instead of the mother; also, while 'Little Thumb' encountered a masculine flesh-eating other, this week it's a feminine one.…

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Poison in the water: the town with the world’s worst case of forever chemicals contamination 38:15

3d ago38:15

38:15

When a small Swedish town discovered their drinking water contained extremely high levels of Pfas, they had no idea what it would mean for their health and their children’s future. By Marta Zaraska. Read by Myanna Buring. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

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The Forty Thieves 22:02

5d ago22:02

22:02

And for our final Lang Fairy Tale of the week, we warmly recommend The Forty Thieves. It's a story that starts with two brothers, then becomes a spiral of theft, depression, chalk drawings, and cold blooded murder. Say what you like about Ali Baba, but Morgiana is the real hero here! If you are unfamiliar with the Lang Fairy Tales, these seminal co…

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‘A relentless, destructive energy’: inside the trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon 1:02:41

6d ago1:02:41

1:02:41

How did the daughter of an aristocrat end up at the Old Bailey with her partner, charged with killing their two-week-old baby? By Sophie Elmhirst. Read by Serena Manteghi. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

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673: Ignomometer 3:22:34

7d ago3:22:34

3:22:34

Episode 673: 14 years! Year 15 starts now! As a treat, Andrew talks to the German scientists about their favorite 1925 German author. We learn about the "enneagram. We look into our first childhood homes as they are now. Listening and reacting to some old episodes. We learn about the voodoo practitioners of the PGH city council and how the Mayor co…

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Little Thumb 22:49

7d ago22:49

22:49

People know him by many names, but, according to Nora Lang, he was called Little Thumb - and he was a clever chap! Settle in for a legend of terrible parents (though a more sympathetic mother) along with an Ogre, his wife, and his daughters, and the anticipated consumption of human flesh... If you are unfamiliar with the Lang Fairy Tales, these sem…

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From the archive: how two BBC journalists risked their jobs to reveal the truth about Jimmy Savile 46:13

8d ago46:13

46:13

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: listening to the women who alleged abuse, and fighting to get their stories heard, helped change the treatment of victims by the media and the justice system By Poppy Sebag-Montefiore. Read …

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Funny English Errors, Corrected ✍️ [945] 59:01

10d ago59:01

59:01

Sometimes it is fine to laugh at the mistakes that we make in English (I do it in French) and so in this episode let's look at some English errors that are unintentionally hilarious. I will correct the errors, explain what is funny, and there is a lot of vocabulary to learn in the process. PDF available with vocabulary list and memory questions. 📄 …

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The Master Cat; or 'Puss in Boots' and The History of Whittington 28:22

10d ago28:22

28:22

A new week begins with a double-bill of Lang Fairy Tales - both pretty cat-focused. The Master Cat; or Puss in Boots introduces us to a frankly psychopathic, murderous, criminal mastermind of a feline, before The History of Whittington is much more about swapping cats for more valuable things, domestic violence, and the apparent honesty of English …

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The curse of Toumaï: an ancient skull, a disputed femur and a bitter feud over humanity’s origins 58:27

10d ago58:27

58:27

When fossilised remains were discovered in the Djurab desert in 2001, they were hailed as radically rewriting the history of our species. But not everyone was convinced – and the bitter argument that followed has consumed the lives of scholars ever since By Scott Sayare. Read by Bert Seymour. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.c…

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672: Enthusiastronaut 2:07:40

12d ago2:07:40

2:07:40

Episode 672: Andrew loves to see James T. Kirk choppin' wood! We're talking Star Trek movies. Our 15 year anniversary is coming. What is "Jappalachia"? Our favorite movie milk scenes. CNN fakes war reporting. Is OJ innocent? Brett thinks so. Eleven hours filling a database. Puke throws a shovel at a groundhog, hilarity ensues.…

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Beauty And The Beast 43:34

12d ago43:34

43:34

To cap off this momentous week, we have another Lang Fairy Tale for your listening pleasure: Beauty and the Beast - a tale of a quite emo monster, a young woman who has wonderful dreams, and rather greedy siblings. Comparing and contrasting to East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and The Wonderful Sheep, it seems a key message we should be taking …

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113 The Cash Grab Cycle of Waste 33:13

13d ago33:13

33:13

Tonight on CEP! Apprentice Palmer brings his uncanny technical sense of smell to help me thrash some articles. (He's the guy who's been manning the fort so I can go on the book tour!) We read several articles on the same topic: The Windows 10-11 End of Support, or what could be the greatest Cash Grab I've ever seen. People are under the impression …

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Horse racing and erotica: how I survived the fickle world of freelance writing 31:03

13d ago31:03

31:03

Gabrielle Drolet had always dreamed of being a writer. But when disability closed down most of her opportunities, a strange career began By Gabrielle Drolet. Read by Kate Handford. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

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The Terrible Head 23:31

14d ago23:31

23:31

OUR FIRST EVER BOOK, THREE RAVENS FOLK TALES, IS PUBLISHED TODAY!!! Also, we have a new Lang Fairy Tale for you to enjoy. It is called The Terrible Head and it's part Oedipus, part Perseus, part Hercules, and involves the throwing of quoits. Not sure what quoits are? Not a problem - it doesn't really matter anyway... If you are unfamiliar with the …

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Secrets of the Thames Part 2 of 2: The Shadwell Shams 1:27:00

19d ago1:27:00

1:27:00

As promised, here is the second of our two-part double-bill of special episodes made with the help and support of London Museum Docklands, all about the new 'Secrets of the Thames' exhibition. Today, with the basics now under our hats, we plunge below the waterline and scavenge away at some of what we know about the history of London, care of the c…

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From the archive: The sludge king: how one man turned an industrial wasteland into his own El Dorado 50:53

15d ago50:53

50:53

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: when a Romanian businessman returned to his hometown and found a city blighted by mining waste, he hatched a plan to restore it to its former glory. He became a local hero, but now prosecuto…

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Secrets of the Thames Part 1 of 2: Harry Lambeth's Teeth 1:23:24

16d ago1:23:24

1:23:24

And now for something completely different! Today we bring you the first of a two-part double-bill of special episodes made with the help and support of London Museum Docklands, all about the new 'Secrets of the Thames' exhibition. In this first installment we chat about some key terms, such as 'Foreshore' and 'Mudlarking,' while digging into the s…

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Listen & Learn English with Luke 🎧 This is SOMETHING! [944] 2:30:20

17d ago2:30:20

2:30:20

In this episode I take you on a big rambling journey through all sorts of English-learning goodness (and nonsense). We start by pondering what makes a good podcast title — is it clever, clickbait, or just clear? I reveal a monumental tectonic shift in the way I am titling my episodes. Then it’s into the Grammar Zone, with an in-depth look at Englis…

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The Wonderful Sheep 37:12

17d ago37:12

37:12

We're starting this week strong, with a Lang Fairy Tale called The Wonderful Sheep which starts out like King Lear, and then, all of a sudden, a woman falls in love with a sheep. Be assured - it all stays perfectly PG-rated. But then that ending... crikey! If you are unfamiliar with the Lang Fairy Tales, these seminal collections were assembled bet…

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Sold to the Trump family: one of the last undeveloped islands in the Mediterranean 17:09

17d ago17:09

17:09

Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner have spent more than $1bn on an Albanian island that will be a luxury resort – once the unexploded ordnance has been removed By Marzio Mian. Read by Mo Ayoub For more on US politics and the Trump family check out Politics Weekly America. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpo…

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671: Children Molested Thomas Jefferson 2:02:58

19d ago2:02:58

2:02:58

Episode 671: We report! Can you read Old English? What even is, Old English? Can AI translate cats? Andrew dreams about Puke. It's a sad dream. How many miles are in a snake mile? Why do women get to sleep more? Interrupting business calls for unnecessary dinner plans. Is Trump more famous than Jesus? A new conspiracy by Andrew. Political attack ad…

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Aladdin And The Wonderful Lamp 31:58

19d ago31:58

31:58

Feel that sizzling summer heat? Well, it might just be blowing off today's Lang Fairy Tale, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. Fair warning though, it's not all that much like the Disney version. For example, there are two evil sorcerers out to undo Aladdin in this telling. Plus he's a Peeping Tom who seems to get his mother to do everything for him. …

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How does woke start winning again? 34:27

23d ago34:27

34:27

British progressives have suffered major setbacks in recent years, in both public opinion and court rulings. Was a backlash inevitable, and are new tactics needed? By Gaby Hinsliff. Read by Carlyss Peer. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

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E51 Can You Compete with Someone You Love? (The Results Are In!) 23:50

21d ago23:50

23:50

In this episode, we explore a subtle, often unspoken kind of rivalry - the sort that happens not in sports or business, but in close relationships. What does it mean to compete with someone you care about? Can it help you grow, or does it just create tension? Oliver and César share the story of their two-year French-learning journey, but things qui…

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E50 Fifty Episodes Later: Do Anniversaries Really Matter? - Advanced English 17:59

21d ago17:59

17:59

In this special 50th episode of English and Beyond, Oliver and César reflect on one year of podcasting, what anniversaries really mean, and why they could often forget their own. From the challenges of staying consistent to the little victories along the way, we talk about how far we’ve come - and whether anniversaries are worth celebrating at all.…

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The Water-Lily And The Gold Spinners 21:14

21d ago21:14

21:14

Our Lang Fairy Tale for this episode is The Water-Lily and the Gold Spinners, which is a story about a prince who transforms himself into a crab, three cursed princesses, and a wicked witch whose love of cake proves her undoing... Also featuring that apparently famous hero 'The Wizard of Finland.' Whoever he is! If you are unfamiliar with the Lang …

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112 Likes, Lies, and Livestreams w/Billy Swan 32:25

25d ago32:25

32:25

Tonight on CEP! A blast from Marc's past emerges to talk about his new bookS! Author Billy Swan discusses "Junior's Tale", his comfort story of self-discovery. He also published a book of group-activity short mysteries "Quick Cases for Clever Minds" that actually bring people TOGETHER! While he used AI to assist him in writing the short mysteries, …

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From the archive: The death of the department store 33:54

22d ago33:54

33:54

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: the closure of John Lewis’s store in Sheffield after almost 60 years was a bitter blow. As debate rages over what to do with the huge empty site, the city is becoming a test case for where B…

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943. Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of SILVER BLAZE 🐎 (Learn English with a Short Story) 2:20:39

27d ago2:20:39

2:20:39

Time for another Sherlock Holmes mystery story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on the podcast, because: Why not? I have adapted the text into modern English this time. A champion racehorse 🐎 has gone missing, and its trainer violently murdered. Only Sherlock Holmes can find the solution 🕵️. Listen to the events, follow my summaries and simply enjoy anoth…