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There’s a great mix of podcast picks in this week’s column.

1. Doing It Anyway

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTubeGenre:Self-help and careers

Whether you’re wondering how to ask for a promotion, navigating difficult colleagues, or stepping into leadership for the first time, the Doing It Anyway podcast is packed with practical, expert-backed advice you can apply straight away.

In this week’s episode, host and British-Swiss journalist and broadcaster Katty Kay sits down with organisational psychologist and best-selling author Adam Grant to unpack some of the biggest challenges we face at work. From people-pleasing and imposter syndrome to confidence and career progression, they explore the qualities that genuinely help you get ahead.

Grant shares advice on how to project both confidence and competence at every stage of your career, from your first job through to leadership. The conversation also delves into their own experiences of being fired, how to give and receive feedback effectively, and what research and real-world case studies reveal about resilience and professional growth.

Throughout the episode, Kay asks the questions many of us, especially women, grapple with as we build our careers. Her thoughtful follow-up questions uncover fresh perspectives and practical takeaways.

If you’re feeling stuck, looking for motivation, or want to rethink the way you approach your career, Doing It Anyway is well worth a listen.

(By Camilla Foster)

2. Bad Blood: The Diary Of A Cancer

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Health and wellbeing

(Bad Blood: The Diary Of CML/PA)

In Bad Blood: The Diary Of A Cancer, host and broadcaster Jamie East takes listeners on a deeply personal journey across the first 11 days of his diagnosis with leukaemia.

The four-part podcast series features everything from real-time conversations with his doctors, early symptoms, receiving the phone call, to starting treatment, what it means to become a patient, and processing how to break the news to his nearest and dearest.

In the first episode,  East, who is best known for co-presenting Big Brother’s spin-off Bit On The Side, opens up about the moment everything changed – recorded around the time of his initial diagnosis and revisited one year on.

Bad Blood: The Diary Of A Cancer is a poignant, informative and transparent listen, which champions the Holy Moly creator’s mission to empower his listeners to take charge of their health, and trust their instincts.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

3. The Imperfects

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre:Society

The Imperfects is a “funny-ish mental health podcast” hosted by the founder of The Resilience Project, Hugh van Cuylenburg, his good friend Ryan Shelton, and only one of their brothers, Josh van Cuylenburg.

In each episode, they speak to a variety of people who open up about their own struggles and imperfections, or expertly pass on their wisdom on the subject matter of perfection.

This week – which is an episode featuring no guests, similar to the Patreon members extension of the podcast, A Little More Imperfects – the hosts discuss The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan, and why they are challenging themselves to change their relationship with their smartphones.

It was interesting listening to the hosts discuss the impact smartphones can have on parenting, and whether we will be disappointed with our global use of the device in the future.

The Imperfects is a podcast for anyone looking for valuable lessons they can apply to their own imperfect life.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

4. Pretty Scary with Clair Buckley

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre:True crime

(Pretty Scary with Clair Buckley/PA)

Scottish actress Clair Buckley is no stranger to podcasts, being one half of the hugely successful The Buckleys – the other half being her Inbetweeners actor husband, James.

Their humorous, warts-and-all take on life, marriage and family has won them millions of fans, so it’s no surprise that Buckley has decided to expand her podcast portfolio with this new series, Pretty Scary.

Taking a completely different tack to her other podcast, Pretty Scary examines true crimes, delving into the finer details of mysterious real-life encounters from around the world.

This week, Buckley narrates the story of a phone scammer pretending to be a police officer with the sole purpose of persuading restaurant workers to do all manner of unspeakable acts.

If that wasn’t bad enough, this wasn’t just one isolated incident… over the course of a decade, dozens of businesses across America received very similar calls from a man posing as a police officer. What follows is a disturbing tale of coercion, bringing into question just how far you would go if you trusted the person on the other end of the phone.

For those of us into true-crime mysteries, Pretty Scary is the perfect way to satisfy your craving from the safety of your own home… just remember to lock the door!

(By Rachel Howard)

Spotlight on…

5. Mystic Mates

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre:Culture and society

Mystic Mates is a new astrology podcast hosted by best friends Helen George and Yvette Robinson.

For over 20 years, George and Robinson have turned to the mystic to find calm and direction in the chaotic moments life often brings. Now, they are inviting listeners into those conversations, exploring everything from relationships, motherhood and grief to intuition and spirituality.

On this week’s episode, the co-hosts set out to answer if amethyst crystals prevent a hangover – and it doesn’t go to plan.

Recently, George also had a change in relationship status, so Robinson offers to pull a three-card spread to see what’s in store.

If you are looking for a podcast that explores the best stories of the best readings (good and bad), crystal energy, and astrological life choices, then give Mystic Mates a listen.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)