Best Antony Rotunno Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 63: Axel Rudakubana, The Southport Attack & The Media (Part 2 of 2) 1:08:15

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6h ago1:08:15

1:08:15

We conclude our latest follow-up episodes on Axel Rudakubana and his darkest of deeds on a summer’s day in Southport last July. In this part Antony looks at apparent ‘events’ involving Rudakubana - and the media coverage of them in a world awash with rumours and agendas - since his sentencing hearing in January and the award of a 52-year minimum te…

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You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) – Nick Frater 47:19

5h ago47:19

47:19

Send us a text Tim is joined by songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Nick Frater for a deep dive into the wonderfully strange "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)." They trace the song's bizarre journey from a playful 1967 jam session to its eventual release as the B-side to "Let It Be" in 1970. The discussion covers the track's suite-…

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Episode 62: Axel Rudakubana, The Southport Attack & The Media (Part 1 of 2) 1:11:36

1d ago1:11:36

1:11:36

Following on from episode 57, we delve further into the dark world of Axel Rudakubana and the horrific attack(s) he perpetrated in sunny Southport last July. This time, Antony provides more details of the sometimes bizarre events surrounding the attack (without dwelling on the gory details), and also the media framing of the killer and the handling…

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Holiday Hell 🔥 Serious Sandcastles 🏰 & AI Inbreeding 🤖 with Amber & Paul [954] 56:39

3d ago56:39

56:39

The Pod-Pals are back on the podcast for another catching up session! Recorded just after the summer holidays, there is talk of Paul's hatred of the beach 🏖️, the English tradition of building epic sandcastles 🏰, other famous people with our names (including an "evil" teacherluke 👿) and what AI gets completely wrong about us 🤦. PDF transcript avail…

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A game of “Would You Rather?” with my daughter 👧 [953] 1:20:55

11d ago1:20:55

1:20:55

My 7-year-old daughter joins me again as co-host in this fun episode. We play "Would you rather?", a conversation game in which we ask each other ridiculous questions about various hypothetical situations. Enjoy listening to another cute and funny chat with my daughter, which covers topics such as food, world peace, wealth, fame, success and Inspec…

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I’ve Got a Feeling – Tom Cox 47:43

13d ago47:43

47:43

Send us a text Tim welcomes author Tom Cox for a joyful deep-dive into the rooftop rocker I’ve Got a Feeling. They trace Tom’s earliest Fab Four memories (Paperback Writer on the rug, Yellow Submarine with his Liverpudlian nan), his love of that mid-’60s psychedelic sweet spot, and why McCartney’s work ethic and versatility shine here. Together the…

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The Trip to Norway 🇳🇴 Learn Vocabulary in Context [952] 1:27:46

18d ago1:27:46

1:27:46

A description of my recent family holiday to Norway 🇳🇴 including rambling about how I can't stand beach holidays 🏖️, chasing my son around different international airports 🏃, visiting Oslo ⛴️, Bergen 🏠, fjords 🚤 and mountains 🏔️. Edward Munch's The Scream 😱, staying in a cabin with no hot water, shower or washing machine, swimming in a freezing lak…

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Episode 37: Duel (1971) 1:04:13

23d ago1:04:13

1:04:13

This time round we present our second Steven Spielberg filmand one that was very much a forerunner to (and inspiration for) the more famous ‘Jaws’, as an ordinary man is forced to find inner resources and transcend his limitations in order to defeat a seemingly unstoppable force that can’t be reasoned with. By kind permission of Julian Charles of T…

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Questions of English & Listener Comments 🙋Bits & Bobs 4 [951] 1:21:41

23d ago1:21:41

1:21:41

Dealing with some questions from listeners about pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, namely how to know when 'd is had or would (in writing and pronunciation), the curious origins of the word podcast and a vocabulary lesson about the word cast including various collocations and phrases which include this morpheme (that means a part of a word, no…

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The Flatmate from Japan Returns🚶‍♂️Travelling Tales & More [950] 1:45:07

1M ago1:45:07

1:45:07

Peter, my old flatmate from Japan, is back on the podcast after his previous appearance 11 years ago! We chat about travelling experiences, teaching English in Malaysia and Japan, dealing with jet lag and culture shock, doing stand-up comedy abroad, and some of the funny, strange, and even weird experiences we’ve had while travelling. A relaxed, wi…

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Let’s Take a C1 Grammar Test 📋 and critique it [949] 2:06:15

1M ago2:06:15

2:06:15

In this episode I take a typical multiple choice grammar test that you can find online, explain the answer to each question and give mini grammar lessons along the way. I also discuss what makes a good test of your English, and what good and bad level tests do. Learn more about grammar, and about how to check your language level. 📄 Get the episode …

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Episode 61: 50 Reasons To Stay Alive (Part 2 of 2) 1:48:50

1M ago1:48:50

1:48:50

After our journey in part 1 into anxiety and depression, we follow Matt Haig’s recovery, as detailed in his fine book ‘Reasons To Stay Alive’, and talk about all the great stuff in life, both big and small, with a little help from some of Antony’s friends and family -thanks again to all contributors- as he approaches his half century (hence the tit…

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Workplace Scenarios 👷 Role Plays for Practical English [948] 1:00:59

1M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

In this fun and practical episode I dive into realistic workplace English through improvised role-play conversations. Designed to help you boost your vocabulary, listening skills, and confidence in professional settings, this episode features six humorous and educational role-play scenarios in workplaces like a factory, office, supermarket, and a s…

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Episode 112: Birth of the Beatles (Part 2 of 2) 1:25:21

2M ago1:25:21

1:25:21

We complete our look at ‘Birth of the Beatles’, the 1979 biopic which holds a unique place as the only one of its kind made while all 4 Beatles were still alive. The timeline goes somewhat awry but we go from the boys having departed Hamburg in late-1960 to the tragic death of one of their band members and then the arrival in the story of their wel…

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Technology in Everyday Life [Part 2] 👨‍💻 The Choices We Make / Topic Discussion & Vocabulary [947] 1:27:28

2M ago1:27:28

1:27:28

This episode is all about choices we have to make relating to technology in our everyday lives, and the vocabulary of technology today. This episode focuses on issues such as information quality & fact checking, digital sustainability, AI and automation, security, surveillance and privacy, tech company ethics, & tech and well-being. All important t…

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

2M 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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Episode 60: 50 Reasons To Stay Alive (Part 1 of 2) 1:08:58

2M ago1:08:58

1:08:58

We present the first of two episodes in the lead-up to Antony’s upcoming milestone birthday. The main part of this episode features extracts from the first two sections of Matt Haig’s excellent and popular 2015 book ‘Reasons To Stay Alive’. This profound, readable and sometimes humorous book details Haig’s recovery from ‘a sustained bout of anxiety…

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

2M 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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Episode 111: Birth of the Beatles (Part 1 of 2) 1:13:40

2M ago1:13:40

1:13:40

Following our last exploration of a biopic of dubious quality, Antony flies solo this time to explore another one which, despite having some sense of time and place, is also somewhat lacking and to some extent unintentionally comedic. ‘Birth of the Beatles’, which came out in 1979, will always hold a unique place as the only Beatles biopic made whi…

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

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

3M 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…

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942. The ASMR Zen School of English ☁️🧘 Learn English and Relax 1:28:56

3M ago1:28:56

1:28:56

Improve your English and reduce stress with this unique ASMR-style episode ☁️ 🧘. Join me for a relaxing, meditative journey featuring calm background music, softly spoken English, vocabulary for peace and tranquillity, some grammar practice, and gentle humour. Designed to help you learn English naturally while calming your mind, this episode is ide…

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Episode 36- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 5 of 5 48:00

3M ago48:00

48:00

And so we say goodbye as Charles Foster Kane faces the final curtain… Antony wraps up Citizen Kane’s final scenes, discusses the critical response to the film and its multi-decade legacy, and the final words -13 minutes of them- are given to the man himself, Orson Welles, aided by Huw Wheldon and Dick Cavett If you’ve listened through this series (…

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941. The Man Who Could Work Miracles ✨ (Learn English with a Short Story) 2:03:04

3M ago2:03:04

2:03:04

Learn English with a short story on LEP. In this episode I am reading "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" by HG Wells (adapted into modern English). First you can listen to the story, then I summarise it again in my own words, discuss my interpretations of its meaning, explain how you can use stories like this to improve your English, and teach some …

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Episode 35- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 4 of 5 46:08

3M ago46:08

46:08

Antony continues a scene-by-scene analysis of Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane. As we enter the second half of the film, things are still going reasonably well with Charles Foster Kane, but the slow descent into despair and emptiness will soon begin with the famous ‘breakfast table montage’. As you listen to this and/or watch the film, it’s worth asking …

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940. Our favourite things to do in London 🇬🇧 (Part 2) 1:49:26

4M ago1:49:26

1:49:26

Here is the second part of this double episode all about great things to see and do while in London 🇬🇧. Listen to my friends and family talking about the city 🏙️, learn some fascinating bits of history 🔥, get inside tips 🗺️ and learn some vocabulary in the process. 📄 Get the episode PDF with transcript, recommendation summaries & vocabulary list 👉 …

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939. Our favourite things to do in London 🇬🇧 (Part 1) 1:32:01

4M ago1:32:01

1:32:01

Here is part 1 of a double episode about London 🇬🇧 and great things you can see and do there 🎡. Listen to my friends and family describing their favourite things to do in the city 🍻, get some travel tips 🏙️, get a mini history lesson 🏛️, and learn some vocabulary in the process. 📄 Get the episode PDF with transcript, recommendation summaries & voca…

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938. Film Club: Monty Python’s Life of Brian (with Antony Rotunno) 1:58:39

4M ago1:58:39

1:58:39

A return to Luke's Film Club with a conversation about one of the funniest and most controversial films of all time, also voted one of the UK's favourite films. Antony and I discuss the film's writing, production, story, famous scenes, deeper meanings and acting by the various members of the Monty Python team. Transcript available. 📄 Get the PDF tr…

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Episode 110- John & Yoko: A Love Story and more... with David 'Ghosty' Wills (Part 2 of 2) 1:29:49

4M ago1:29:49

1:29:49

Ghosty joins Antony once again to wrap up our dissection of ‘John & Yoko: A Love Story’, and there is also some discussion of two other presentations from 1985. ‘John Lennon: A Journey In The Life’ is a ‘cheap and cheerful’ trawl through the Lennon story, with another Liverpudlian Bernard Hill portraying our hero in John’s own words, and ‘John Lenn…

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937. A Birthday Ramble / The Spinning Wheel of Random Questions 1:40:56

4M ago1:40:56

1:40:56

It's my birthday 🥳 so join me for a relaxed and light-hearted ramble, first with some comments about recent episodes and other podcast housekeeping, and then a series of talking points with the Spinning Wheel of Random Questions ☸️ including bits about how being an English teacher affects my social interactions 💬, the infamous ice-cream wars of Ice…

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936. How AI can Boost your English with Podcasts ✨🎧 (feat. Alastair Budge) 2:04:22

4M ago2:04:22

2:04:22

In this episode, I’m joined by Alastair Budge from Leonardo English to explore how you can use AI tools like ChatGPT to boost your English, especially when combined with podcasts. We go through specific, practical ways to actively engage with podcast content using AI — improving your listening, vocabulary, grammar, writing, and even speaking. Alast…

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Episode 34- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 3 of 5 53:06

4M ago53:06

53:06

Our continuing journey into the world of Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane finds Antony beginning a scene-by-scene analysis, starting with the film’s Gothic horror opening,possibly the best-known final word of a character in any film, and then the sudden and jarring segue into the newsreel obituary of the world-famous Charles Foster Kane. We try to make …

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935. Terrible Traffic Jams & Self-Driving Cars 🚗 (Topic & Vocabulary) 1:42:22

5M ago1:42:22

1:42:22

This episode is all about the exciting topic of driving, getting stuck in traffic jams, the future of our roads and how self-driving cars might be the solution. What is so annoying about traffic jams? Why do they even happen in the first place? Have you seen your first self-driving car yet? Will they solve our driving problems, or not? The episode …

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934. Sign Language is Fascinating 👋 with Siobhan Dodd 1:24:47

5M ago1:24:47

1:24:47

Have you ever wondered about sign language, how it works and if it is similar to other languages like English? In this conversation I speak to Siobhan Dodd who is a sign language interpreter between English and BSL (British Sign Language). Siobhan is an enthusiastic and entertaining guest and we have a great chat about the nature of sign language, …

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Episode 59- The Self-Help Delusion-: A Manifesto For Genuine Change (Part 2 of 2) 55:47

5M ago55:47

55:47

We conclude our conversation with Peter Seal, the author of ‘The Self-Help Delusion: A Manifesto For Genuine Change’, a self-development book that seeks to help the reader evolve their way of thinking and inspire real and long-lasting life changes. Once again, Antony and Peter discuss a range of topics, this time including anger/fear, hypnosis, NLP…

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933. The Best Expressions in English are from Shakespeare ✍️ Learn English Vocabulary 1:29:48

5M ago1:29:48

1:29:48

Hello! In this episode I focus on English expressions and idioms that originated in the works of William Shakespeare and are still used in modern everyday language. Notice the expressions in various contexts, fully understand their meanings and use, explore their origins in Shakespeare's work, and gain valuable lessons about how to learn new vocabu…

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#9 Dream – Alan G Parker 41:58

5M ago41:58

41:58

Send us a text Tim welcomes documentary filmmaker Alan G Parker for a deep dive into John Lennon’s ethereal 1974 solo classic #9 Dream. They discuss the song’s dream-like production, Lennon’s lifelong fascination with the number nine, and the curious whispers that still intrigue fans. Alan also shares stories from his forthcoming feature documentar…

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Episode 109- John & Yoko: A Love Story with David 'Ghosty' Wills (Part 1 of 2) 1:22:57

5M ago1:22:57

1:22:57

We’re happy to welcome back David ‘Ghosty’ Wills to discuss John & Yoko: A Love Story, a 1985 biopic starring Mark McGann and Kim Miyori that was very dear to our hearts, at least until we rewatched it! We discuss some of the better scenes and also the unintentional comedy and ‘TV movie tropes’ of others. We cover about two thirds of the film here,…

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932. What is so great about Shakespeare? 🎭 (with Mum & Dad) 1:30:06

5M ago1:30:06

1:30:06

In this episode I talk to my parents about the topic of William Shakespeare. We discuss the enduring appeal and significance of William Shakespeare's work, biographical details of his life, the key themes in Shakespeare’s plays, and the impact of his language on modern English. We try to explain the qualities that make Shakespeare great, using exam…

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Episode 33- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 2 of 5 47:37

5M ago47:37

47:37

We continue our multi-part series on Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane, finishing our prelude to the main film by looking at the shooting, storytelling, special effects, editing and sound/music. We also detail its commercial performance and the pushback from William Randolph Hearst. In Part 3, Antony will begin going scene by scene through the film We ho…

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Episode 58: The Self-Help Delusion- A Manifesto For Genuine Change (Part 1 of 2) 54:39

5M ago54:39

54:39

After entering dark territory with the previous episode, we return to lighter material with the first of a two-part conversation with Antony’s friend Peter Seal, the author of ‘The Self-Help Delusion: A Manifesto For Genuine Change’, which is a self-development book that seeks to help the reader evolve their way of thinking and inspire real and lon…

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931. Overcoming Fears 😰 with Zdenek 1:40:23

5M ago1:40:23

1:40:23

This episode features a conversation with Zdenek about fears and anxieties experienced in everyday life. We explore common fears such as driving, flying, culture shock, language learning and public speaking, plus vocabulary we use to talk about the subject. Listen for stories of Luke's fear of Paris cafes, airport anxiety, Luke's dramatic scooter r…

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Yellow Submarine — Grant McPhee 46:17

6M ago46:17

46:17

Send us a text Tim chats with film director and writer Grant McPhee about the Beatles song Yellow Submarine. They talk about the song’s fun sound, its strange mix of ideas, and the way it has grown into a song for all ages. Find out more about Grant McPhee and his work Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/grantmcphee.bsky.social X (Twitter): https://x…

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930. Can I eat my cat? 😿 Weird Google Questions, Answered (Topics + Vocabulary) 1:36:45

6M ago1:36:45

1:36:45

This episode is about the bizarre and funny questions that people input into Google. I explore and answer some of these questions, explaining some vocabulary. The result is an engaging and intellectually light-hearted discussion involving the usual mix of rambling, and English teaching. The episode covers a range of topics, from personal health, se…

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Episode 32: Citizen Kane (1941) Part 1 of 5 47:18

6M ago47:18

47:18

Following on from Film Gold’s Orson Welles special last time round, Antony this time tackles head-on, with another multi-parter, the grandaddy of American films, Citizen Kane. The first two parts look at the background and the making of the film before we go scene-by-scene through the film in later parts. This time round, Antony intros this deep di…

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929. Sarah Donnelly: The Only American In Paris 🇺🇸🇫🇷 US vs UK Accent Quiz 1:21:20

6M ago1:21:20

1:21:20

Sarah Donnelly comes back onto LEP to catch up and to tell us about her stand-up special, now available to watch on YouTube, and to do a British English vs American English pronunciation quiz. Sarah’s show is called The Only American in Paris and we discuss some of the themes of the show - the real experience of being a US citizen living in Paris, …

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928. The Abduction 🛸 (Learn English with a Short Story) 1:52:12

6M ago1:52:12

1:52:12

Learn English with another short story on Luke's English Podcast. This one is about a learner of English who has an extraordinary experience. Listen to me tell the story, and summarise it, then explain plenty of natural, commonly occurring, up-to-date English vocabulary. Episode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2025/03/24/928-the-abduction-learn-en…

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She's Leaving Home — Phil Lecomber 45:27

6M ago45:27

45:27

Send us a text Tim chats with author Phil Lecomber about the Beatles’ unique song “She’s Leaving Home”. They share memories of the band, discuss the song’s dramatic musical style, and explore its rich story. Phil also talks about his new book, Midnight Streets, set in the 1920s in London Soho, and how real voices and working-class tales shape his w…

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Two of Us — Ian Leslie 41:00

6M ago41:00

41:00

Send us a text Tim Tucker chats with writer and author Ian Leslie, author of John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs, about the Beatles’ song “Two of Us” and the deep bond between Lennon & McCartney. They talk about the song’s shift from a hard rocker to a gentle, heartfelt tune, and explore how the music they made spoke for them when words fell short. …

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927. Walk & Talk: Medieval Museum ⛫🦄 (with Amber, Paul & Kyle) 1:35:54

6M ago1:35:54

1:35:54

Finally, it's here - the medieval museum episode with Amber & Paul. Join us as we visit the museum of the middle ages in Paris. Learn about the history of the middle ages, find out about some of the art and artefacts from that period, including some fantastic symbolic tapestries, sculptures and weapons, and have fun with a few jokes along the way. …