Continuing their forays into the world of entertainment, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have signed a deal with Spotify to host and produce podcasts that highlight “different perspectives and voices”.
The announcement comes after Harry and Meghan agreed a deal with Netflix to make TV programmes for the streaming service.
Whether you’re excited about the prospect of an audio series fronted by the royal couple or not, if you’re an avid podcast listener you’ll know how addictive these digital offerings can be.
Here are some things you’ll be able to empathise with if you’re a true pod-aholic…
1. Podcasts cheer you up
Feeling down? Stressed at work? The wonderful thing about podcasts is you have to concentrate on them, meaning they take your mind off your worries, whether it’s the non-stop hilarity of Dear Joan and Jericha or the thought-provoking interviews on Fresh Air.
2. But they can also make you cry
A moving story on This American Life or Terrible, Thanks For Asking can leave you in floods of tears, but that’s not a bad thing. Just like with sad movies and songs, sometime you need a good cry.
3. You’ve got your favourite genres
Some people only listen to comedy podcasts. Others are all about true crime. Or celeb gossip. Or current affairs. There are so many different genres and you know exactly what you like.
4. You’re always on the hunt for new favourites
As much as you love your staples, you never stop looking for your next obsession. You might have started out with classics like 2014 mega hit Serial season one, but now you’re all about the niche offerings.
5. You feel like the hosts are your friends
With long-running series you get to know so much about the hosts that you feel like they’re your friends. Fans of Stuff You Should Know‘s Josh and Chuck or My Favourite Murder‘s Karen and Georgia will know what we mean.
6. You love discussing episodes
“OMG have you started listening to Real Dictators yet?!” you excitedly text your bestie after a binge of the grisly history podcast. “It’s so good!” The only thing more fun than listening to podcasts is discussing them with your friends.
7. You’re gutted when a series ends
It’s bad enough when a gripping true crime or LOL-some comedy series finishes, but when a podcast ends completely, like The High Low did, you feel bereft.
8. You enjoy long journeys more
Long haul flights, train rides and car journeys are a delight when you’ve just discovered an awesome new podcast and you’ve got years of archived episodes to get through.
9. You can’t leave the house without headphones
Keys, mobile, headphones. That’s the checklist every time you walk out the front door, because god forbid you should be left alone with your thoughts for even five minutes. You also become obsessed with charging your bluetooth headphones, lest the battery dies midway through an episode.
10. You hate it when your show is interrupted
Whether it’s your partner coming home so you have to press pause, or a technical glitch that means your episode hasn’t downloaded to your iPad in its entirety, interruptions are extremely frustrating.
11. You won’t stop going on about your favourites
There’s something so satisfying about hearing back from a friend that they loved a podcast you recommended, which is why you are evangelical about your favourite shows. In fact, you worry that you might have become a bit of a bore for how much you go on about My Dad Wrote A Porno.
12. You can’t remember when you last read a book
Podcasts have officially taken over from books as your relaxing pastime of choice, especially since you discovered the joy of engrossing fictional series like Homecoming.
13. You’ve thought about starting your own podcast
After the hundreds, if not thousands, or hours of podcasts you’ve listened to, you reckon you’d be a pretty nifty host yourself. You’ve even got an idea for what’s sure to be a smash hit show, but you daren’t tell anyone in case they steal your idea. Maybe you should get in touch with Harry and Meghan to see if they’ll commission you…
