Best Shtick Podcasts (2026)

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KWP Xmas Gladiators: Leaning Into The Shtick 44:32

Play Pause

6d ago44:32

44:32

AJ is joined by Asha, Mark and Martin to pick apart the festive celeb version of our favourite lycra-clad athletics-based show!Featuring:Viper’s Bedtime StoryA furry STD public information announcementGive Hammer a hot glue gun!Sam’s thirsty Gladiator collectionAJ’s report from Gladiators Live!Show Links:CBeebies Bedtime Stories https://www.bbc.co.…

1
KWP Potcast S1 E1: Reclining Astarion Ladle 39:45

2h ago39:45

39:45

AJ is joined by Ariadne, Ellie, Ewan and newcomer Vikki to spin the potter’s wheel of hot takes on the UK’s favourite clay-based light entertainment show!Featuring: Keith’s stunt doubleSanta’s flat-roof pubCeramicist good egg statistical analysisWe hate the new theme tune!Biscuity Bill, the Spriggy WeirdoIP-violating Baldur’s Gate potteryShow links…

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KBP Xmas Specials: Psychopaths, Perverts, and Scandinavians 58:09

3h ago58:09

58:09

AJ is joined by Asha and Jo to tuck into the Christmas and New Year specials of the UK’s favourite baking-based light entertainment program, plus a little foray into Junior Bake Off!Featuring:Three old podcasters have never seen Peep Show Pie definition DiscourseOlivia Coleman fangirlingMary Poppins’ Pearly Queen EraThe Gingerbread Workout planShow…

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What Is A Midlife Crisis? 37:18

19h ago37:18

37:18

Send Fletch a text! The itch isn’t a meltdown. It’s a message. We kick off Season 6 of The Mango Times by naming the midlife feeling many of us carry but rarely say out loud. Therapist and fellow motocycler Chris Oneth joins me to unpack what people casually call a “midlife crisis”—where it comes from, why it shows up, and why it might be less abou…

1
Hall of Fame: Britain's First Black Sports Star 3:27

1d ago3:27

3:27

After demolishing and rebuilding Halls of Fame through the ages, our guest Habib Hajallie has chosen his own nominee for the Trapped History Hall of Fame: the great Bill Richmond, an African-American born into slavery who by the early 19th century had become Britain's first Black sports star. Bill was the terror of the boxing ring, winning 17 of 19…

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The Mango Times Podcast Season 6 Trailer 2:40

5d ago2:40

2:40

Send Fletch a text! Happy New Year and Welcome to Season 6 of The Mango Times Podcast. This year’s theme is Adventure at Midlife — the journey of waking up, rethinking life, laughing more, exploring deeper, and discovering that the second half might be the best half. Join Fletch for conversations, stories, road notes, porch wisdom, and a few surpri…

1
KWP TM Champion of Champions: xxPodcastLover69xx 33:18

5d ago33:18

33:18

AJ is joined by Asha, Mark and finally Martin once more (yay!) to pick apart the festive championship of the UK’s favourite task-based chaos gremlin show!Featuring:A Sam Campbell standup reviewMySpace username analysisA Teletubbies reboot ideaNa’vi logisticsBuy Ellie’s Strictly/Eurovision things! https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/totallyflagulousSupport…

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Party (and Panic) Like It's 1999 with Ross Benes 1:08:34

8d ago1:08:34

1:08:34

Ross Benes is the author of the book 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times. Together we revisit what popular culture was like at the turn of the millennium and how things like Juggalos, professional wrestling, boy band rivalries, nü-metal, Jerry Springer, teen movies, the tech bubble, and the fear of the end…

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Halls of Fame: Art and Celebrity from Ludwig I to Donald Trump 48:03

8d ago48:03

48:03

We’re proud of our own Hall of Fame here at Trapped History, but what are they and where did the idea come from? As we celebrate our three-year anniversary, join Oswin, Carla and MK for a very special episode in the company of award-winning British artist Habib Hajallie. His very own artwork, A British Hall of Fame, speaks to the past, present and …

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Pilgrimage: A Christmas Trapped History Special 4:22

12d ago4:22

4:22

This holiday season, we've got a meditative and, we hope, nourishing bonus for you – as Michaela Strachan remembers taking part in the BBC series "Pilgrimage". She is also remembering her friends and family and on the hike through the Welsh hills, she was walking hand-in-hand with grief. But the healing power of nature is truly something to behold.…

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We Three Things Epilogue: Ewan’s Final Thoughts. 4:44

14d ago4:44

4:44

Ewan sits down to think about why we have been sharing our stories, our memories, and our creativity as we prepare for Christmas Day.Featuring:Our rule of thumb.There's only one more pod 'til Christmas.Walking around on the rug and making fists with your toes. The story on TV and the story on the podcast.Show Links:Muppet Christmas Carol https://ww…

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Mango Bite #4: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas 7:33

15d ago7:33

7:33

Send Fletch a text! It’s the final Mango Bite — and the final show of the season. As a little gift for your Christmas week, I reached back out to all of the guests from 2025 (plus a few new A.I. friends) and brought everyone together for a reunion reading of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Also… happy 95th birthday to PopPop. 🎄 ⸻ Guest Informatio…

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Mall Santas pt. 2 with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About' 1:38:54

15d ago1:38:54

1:38:54

In part two of our two-part series, I show Sarah a more radical side of the American Mall Santa. I tell her stories of how, in some cases, the character transformed into a symbol of societal change and guerrilla protest, from the ladies who had to take his bearded place during WWII, to the Black Santa revolutionaries of the Civil Rights Movement, t…

1
Hall of Fame: Ending Animal Cruelty one Bear at a Time 4:52

15d ago4:52

4:52

Michaela Strachan's nominee for the Trapped History Hall of Fame is one of the most selfless people we have heard of – Jill Robinson, who has dedicated her life to saving bears from the cruelty of the bear bile industry in China and across Asia. It is a story rooted in horror but also in love. And Jill's life bears witness to our capacity for both.…

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We Three Things, With Milly: When You Are Tired Of Pratchett, You Are Tired Of Life. 26:42

16d ago26:42

26:42

Ewan is joined by Milly and her three things that hold the spirit of Christmas, from two Christmas trees, through an accidentally Christmas classic song, to the majesty of Billy Wilder.Featuring:The meditative power of decoratingA pun that took forty years for Ewan to spotThe Bishop’s Wife finishes secondPeople playing roles or people playing peopl…

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We Three Things, With AJ: Come For The Viral Sheep, Stay For The Queer Agriculture. 26:23

18d ago26:23

26:23

Ewan is joined by AJ as they share three things that make Christmas unique and personal, from Norway’s traditional dig at Denmark, through David Rodigan’s Order of Distinction, to Tom Jones’ Selfridges side hustle.Featuring:The General Manager Of ChaosRead The Broons, have chocolates, that’s your day!George Lazenby’s Christmas filmMonty Python in r…

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We Three Things, With Steven: Don’t Mess With My Magazine 26:05

20d ago26:05

26:05

Ewan is joined by Steven as he shares three things that make his Christmas fabulous, from ten hours of Ingmar Bergman, through an old-fashioned bonus disc, to Rula Lenska’s stair acting.Featuring:Who is Paul Forward?The ritual of drawing circlesA festive tyrantSwedish Das BootBonus discs in a pre-streaming worldStaying free of spoilersParts and Rec…

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Mango Bite #3: Pipe Smoking. Ritual Over Rush. 6:39

23d ago6:39

6:39

Send Fletch a text! For the month of December, The Mango Times podcast is taking a breather while I gear up for Season 6. In the meantime, I’m sharing weekly Mango Bites — small, meaningful moments pulled from the early days of the show. So… what if the draw isn’t the nicotine, but the quiet? In this focused Mango Bite, I revisit pipe smoking as a …

1
Mall Santas pt. 1 with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About' 1:25:48

25d ago1:25:48

1:25:48

For this two-part holiday special, I tell Sarah Marshall all about the history of the American mall Santa Claus from the 1800s into the present day. For part one, we will learn about the eccentric men who created the look and vibe of the department store Kris Kringle, mass producing a jolly army of Santa proxies to whom kids could disclose their he…

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The Pride of the Peaks: Michaela Strachan on the Woman who Fought for Nature 55:49

22d ago55:49

55:49

We have a wonderful season opener for you – as wildlife TV legend Michaela Strachan joins Trapped History to help us tell the tale of the woman who fought for nature. Her name was a bit of a mouthful – Ethel Haythornthwaite – but we know her as the defender of Britain’s National Parks and the Green Belt. She even has nearly 100 hills named after he…

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Keep Knitting 34:26

28d ago34:26

34:26

Ellie is joined by AJ, Asha and Ewan to compare Game of Wool and The Marvellous Miniature Workshop, to see if we can work out how we can fix our underwhelming yarn-based light entertainment show.Featuring:The long spectre of Love ProductionsA Holger conspiracyReithian miniaturesStop commercialising everything challengeIn praise of ASMR long watches…

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We Three Things, with Dudepoints: A Very Exorcist Christmas 25:55

25d ago25:55

25:55

Ewan and Dudepoints share three things that shout Christmas to Dude; from the 1940s woman who had it all, through Netflix Norway’s cliffhanger, to hard-to-find Canadian compilation albums. Featuring:Peanuts versus Aled Jones.Arthur Miller’s The Death Of A Snowman.Cutting close to the Hayes-ian Frown.The castle that really, honestly, is in Scotland.…

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We Three Things, With Asha: A Piece Ah Porkageddon 25:08

30d ago25:08

25:08

Ewan is joined by Asha as she shares what makes her Christmas special, from the festive feeling of The Lion The Witch, and The Wardrobe, through the household rituals that include the Nine Lessons and Carols, to a classic Christmas from Trinidad and Tobago.Featuring:The secret about the ‘We Three Things…’ final episode.A pause for six-seven.The piz…

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Mango Bite #2: Kindness Always Wins! 5:54

30d ago5:54

5:54

Send Fletch a text! For the month of December, The Mango Times podcast is taking a breather while I gear up for Season 6. In the meantime, I’m sharing weekly Mango Bites — small, meaningful moments pulled from the early days of the show. For the second week, this Mango Bite comes from Episode 13 where I sat down with my favorite guest, my wife Kend…

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Three or More Is a Riot with Jelani Cobb 35:55

29d ago35:55

35:55

Jelani Cobb is the Dean of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism and the author of the new book Three or More Is a Riot: Notes on How We Got Here: 2012-2025 which he is here to talk with me about today. Since the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement over a decade ago, Jelani has been reporting on the most consequential events from the fr…

1
Season 6 Taster: Beer, Sex, Rice and Freedom – the Very Best of Trapped History 9:44

30d ago9:44

9:44

We're delighted – chuffed even – to welcome you to Season 6. Trapped History is out of nappies and toddling all over the place (we're three years old this Christmas), clutching two international awards and a host of fabulous guests as we go! So here's a quick taster of some of the stories you're going to be hearing over the next few months. Sit bac…

1
We Three Things, With Mark: Make Sure To Update The Firmware 25:35

1M ago25:35

25:35

Ewan is joined by Mark as he shares three things that make his Christmas, from his choice of Christmas Carol, bringing Christmas to He-Man’s Eternia, and the first race for the Christmas number one.Featuring:Opening up the 8-bit world.What replaced the AA Christmas Day battery hunt?Playing Christmas Carol on the hard level.Skeletor’s existential ho…

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We Three Things, With Ariadne: The Tropical Gourmet Of Wensleydale 26:05

1M ago26:05

26:05

Ewan is joined by Ariadne as she shares three things that make Christmas memorable, from the annual ritual of Animal Crossing, through the delights of drawing food, to watching Wallace and Gromit in Zimbabwe. Featuring:The changing nature of Christmas food.Pork-Pork or Pork-Beef? The great Pigs In Blankets debate.A reindeer called Jingle.Penetratin…

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We Three Things, with Ellie: We're Number 17 On Your 'Christmas Podcasts' List 23:06

1M ago23:06

23:06

Ewan is joined by Ellie to share three things that make Christmas special; from Sami Sleigh Rides and filling a house with Nick Lowe, to Pappy’s seasonal quizzes and finding art that speaks to you, this is how Ellie celebrates Christmas.Featuring:Fixed camera and ASMR delights.Why is this not on iPlayer anymore?Explaining Quality Street to the worl…

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Mango Bite #1: One Hundred Day Challenge 5:41

1M ago5:41

5:41

Send Fletch a text! For the month of December, The Mango Times podcast is taking a breather while I gear up for Season 6. In the meantime, I’m sharing weekly Mango Bites — small, meaningful moments pulled from the early days of the show. This first Mango Bite comes from way back in Season 1, Episode 4 — a conversation with my friend James Estes abo…

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show with 'This Ends At Prom' 1:28:06

1M ago1:28:06

1:28:06

In honor of my favorite movie's 50th anniversary, I wanted to share an episode about The Rocky Horror Picture Show with all of you unconventional conventionalists, one that I recently recorded with my friends BJ and Harmony Colangelo for their fantastic coming-of-age film podcast, This Ends at Prom. Subscribe to This Ends At Prom wherever you get y…

1
Listen Now: American Scandal | The West Memphis Three 8:02

1M ago8:02

8:02

On May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys were brutally murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas. The tiny local police department launches an investigation but finds little physical evidence to lead them to a suspect. Eventually, outside pressure pushes them to charge someone with the killings, whether or not the evidence supports their conclusions. America…

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THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE (rewind) 53:33

1M ago53:33

53:33

Brace yourselves, we are marching along with the Macy's Parade to learn about the chaos energy that has always animated this cultural institution, from its explosive balloon disasters to its surprisingly unruly origins. Become a Patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on ⁠⁠…

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KWP TM S2 E10: Costa Cucumber 1:05:03

2M ago1:05:03

1:05:03

AJ is joined by Asha, Ewan, Mark and Steven to pick apart the final of the UK’s favourite task-based chaos gremlin show – and award the Podmaster grand prize!Featuring:The lost Taskmaster Eastenders episodeA new sporting Caledonian appliance ideaSanjeev’s Cupboard Of Doomed FateBritish folk horror subversionCrossing the podcast streamsAJ’s final un…

1
30th Anniversary Celebration 37:03

2M ago37:03

37:03

Send Fletch a text! It all started in Hoopa, California. A tiny motel, a dial-up connection, and a young guy who thought it might be fun to write down a few stories from his life on the Trinity River. That set off a 30-year chain reaction: a monthly family update grew into a website, a blog with running bits, and eventually a podcast that found an …

1
The Devil We Know with Sarah Marshall 1:28:44

2M ago1:28:44

1:28:44

Sarah Marshall of You're Wrong About joins me to wade back into the tall tales that devil-spawned the friendship we have today. In honor of her brand new podcast miniseries from the CBC called The Devil You Know about the past, present and future of the Satanic Panic, we 'll check out some never-before-heard satanic cult source material from ⁠newsp…

1
KWP TM S2 E9: Nice Arse, Sweet Arms 55:37

2M ago55:37

55:37

AJ is joined by Asha, Ewan and Mark to pick apart the penultimate episode of the UK’s favourite task-based chaos gremlin show!Featuring:Inter-podcast cat v dog conflictSpot the festive film referenceThe Curse of MantzoukasAn unsettling amount of poo and wee chatMermaid dad jokesShow links:Grave leasing https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEurope/comments/op…

1
KBP S1 E10: It's So Prue-Prue 55:23

2M ago55:23

55:23

CW: conversations on disordered eating, child lossAJ is joined by Asha and Jo to ride the chaotic merry-go-round that is the final of the UK’s favourite cake-based reality show!Featuring:A passionate defence of airing cupboardsThe Louvre heist of citric acid swapsAn apology to DenmarkMadeleine towers for your bathroomA Keep Baking end credits seque…

1
Disneyland’s Disastrous Opening Day with Riley Swedelius-Smith and Miranda Zickler 1:17:32

2M ago1:17:32

1:17:32

Our associate producer (and my brother) Riley Swedelius-Smith is here to tell our producer Miranda Zickler and me about the chaotic opening day of The Happiest Place on Earth way back in 1955. We’ll learn about the many quirks of Walt Disney, the events that unfolded as he tried to build his ludicrous dream, and how everything went down when it was…

1
KWP TM S2 E8: Mah! 53:49

2M ago53:49

53:49

AJ is joined by Asha, Ewan, Mark and Steven to pick apart the UK’s favourite task-based chaos gremlin show!Featuring:A cautionary Shakin’ Stevens taleSanjeev’s long loo vendettaA new window cleaning ideaThe potted Blue Peter scandal historyAnimal Penis Facts!Accessibility in tasksShow links:Hedgehog road safety https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI4Ye…

1
KBP S1 E9: Predominantly Brick And Chocolate 57:29

2M ago57:29

57:29

AJ is joined by Asha and Jo to discuss the semifinal of the UK’s favourite baking-based reality show!Featuring:Stop filming in the summer challengeH&S updateGo off, Aaron kingJo’s Rant CornerA plea for more hands-off hostsA Marxist reading of GBBOShow links:Allegra McEvedy on Step Up To The Plate https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0007lkj/step…

1
Season Five, Season Finale 19:55

2M ago19:55

19:55

Send Fletch a text! The spark came back. After years of stop‑start attempts, grief, and a creative blackout, we rebuilt a season anchored in adventure—small, daily acts of courage and a few big ones too. From a solo motorcycle ride to Montana to quiet porch conversations with Pop, this year was about sticking with the craft, telling better stories,…

1
Bot Farms and the Troll Toll with Perry Carpenter 1:14:14

2M ago1:14:14

1:14:14

Have you ever wondered if the person you are arguing with in a social media comment section is really a person at all? Perry Carpenter is a cybersecurity expert, author of FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions, and host of The Faik Files podcast. I asked Perry to explain the phenomeno…

1
KWP TM S2 E6&7: Casio, Destroyer of Worlds 1:08:29

2M ago1:08:29

1:08:29

AJ is joined by Asha, Ewan, Mark and Steven to pick apart the UK’s favourite task-based chaos gremlin show!Featuring:VHS store nostalgiaSanjeev’s Philosophy CornerSouthbound motorway grumblesA biblical analysis of 63Monster Munch flavours divide the podGeordie Ocean’s 11Show links:Bambi horror film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_J2-GafTSQ The Pi…

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BLOODY MARY 1:03:21

2M ago1:03:21

1:03:21

Bloody Mary...Bloody Mary...Bloody Mary...For our Halloween special, we are going to trace the history of the slumber party ritual known as Bloody Mary in which a young summoner stands in the dark in front of a mirror to call up a dangerous, blood-soaked witch-woman. By looking at the Victorian era occult divination games of girls, the many cemeter…

1
KBP S1 E8: A Trifle It Is Not 42:21

2M ago42:21

42:21

AJ is joined by Asha and Jo to lightly singe the wobbly exterior of the UK’s favourite baking-based reality show!Featuring:The Yeasty Boy Memorial MassA charcoal public health announcementCharting the Tom Toryboy GraphWhen is a freestanding trifle a cake?Crushed almond-based mindfulnessShow links:That GBBO Squirrel https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/…

1
Yes, And. 44:58

3M ago44:58

44:58

Send Fletch a text! Did you ever wish you were a little braver, a little sillier, and a lot more present? On this episode, Fletch is joined in the studio by Isaac Gross and Tara Rico from ModPlayers Improv for a conversation about adventure, creativity, and the fine art of being silly. Together they talk about saying yes, and, taking risks, creatin…

1
Spontaneous Human Combustion with Sarah Marshall of 'You're Wrong About' 1:42:08

3M ago1:42:08

1:42:08

Sarah Marshall is here to teach me about the confounding phenomenon of Spontaneous Human Combustion in which a person is found almost totally incinerated with no explanation, seeming to have burst into flames from within. From the Victorian era to the modern day, we will look at historical cases and modern explanations to try to separate fact from …

1
KBP S1 E7: That's Not A Sieve, THIS Is A Sieve 42:35

3M ago42:35

42:35

AJ is joined by Asha and Jo to crumble the delicate outer shell of the UK’s favourite baking-based reality show!Featuring:Inexplicable rhubarb grudgesIain the GBBO LoremasterJasmine be more edgy challengeSieve-based cozzi livsA new technical challenge suggestionTom Schadenfreude HourShow links:Hollywood handshake stats https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/…

1
KWP TM S2 E5: Michael Palin's Vaginal Rubicon 50:51

3M ago50:51

50:51

AJ is joined by Ewan and Mark to awkwardly examine the UK’s favourite task-based chaos gremlin show! Featuring:Artisanal SFXSanjeev’s secret word countThe Sidi Mystery solved!Reverse psychology parents evening tipsOur anatid Messiah Show links:Grange Hill on Freesat https://www.oldtimereview.co.uk/grange-hill-coming-to-thats-tv/ Gareth Southall’s T…