Tales of transition, queer joy and more to mark Transgender Awareness Week

Figures from Charlie Craggs to Mika Onyx celebrate the full spectrum of the trans experience in a new Anthem Talks series. Plus: five of the best podcasts about recent history

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What are the pods that never let you down? So much focus is on the hottest new show, but – as I reflected on this week while plunging myself back into the BBC’s Food Programme – so often what listeners really appreciate are the old faithfuls. No matter how many new discoveries you devour, those shows that make you smile, or knock you sideways – that’s the kind of podcast that’s a real treasure.

Hopefully, one of the shows we’re covering this week might eventually become your go-to for a great time. We’ve got a celebration of Transgender Awareness Week, a hilarious dating show and the latest star-packed Sherlock podcast, featuring Helen Mirren and Dominic Monaghan. They’re joined by a look at five of the best podcasts on recent history – bound to be something there for you. If not, may I suggest the Food Programme?

Alexi Duggins
Deputy TV editor

Picks of the week

Anthems Talks: Transgender Awareness Week
Widely available, new episodes daily from Monday
The excellent manifesto-setting series switches to one-on-one intimate discussions for its collection of five episodes celebrating Transgender Awareness Week. Sex Education’s Felix Mufti and West End actor Mika Onyx talk trans stories on screen and stage (“I do not want to tell another trans sob story,” says Mufti), while activists Charlie Craggs and Kenny Ethan Jones chat about surgery and queer joy spaces such as Pussy Palace. Hollie Richardson

28 Dates Later With Grace Campbell
Widely available, episodes twice weekly
If you’ve ever tapped the dating apps, you need Grace Campbell to make you feel better about your love life. In this new series, she samples the worst types out there, including a sugar daddy and a couple looking for a lucky third. The post-date debrief with her coupled-up best friend is gold. Hannah Verdier

Username Resurgent
Audible, all episodes out now
This audio take on Joe Sugg’s hit young adult graphic novels boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Ruth Wilson, India Amarteifio and Sean Delaney. The story of a 16-year-old girl starting a true crime podcast to investigate her brother’s disappearance has enough intrigue to appeal to all ages. HV

ODB: A Son Unique
Widely available, episodes weekly
The story of Wu-Tang Clan is a complex one and Ol’ Dirty Bastard (pictured above) was a pivotal part of the collective. While it might be convenient to see him as a Grammy stage-invading clown, film-maker Khalik Allah’s excellent podcast investigates the real ODB, starting with the incredible story about him saving a little girl’s life. HV

Moriarty: The Silent Order
Audible, all episodes out now
The blockbuster retelling of Sherlock Holmes’s legend returns, picking up the story six months after Moriarty (Dominic Monaghan) nearly died at the hands of Holmes – and he’s now off to New York to track down his love interest. Helen Mirren comes in strong as new enemy Lady Milverton, but will Holmes and Moriarty make up to defeat her and other baddies causing trouble in the world? HV

There’s a podcast for that

This week, Ammar Kalia chooses five of the best podcasts on recent history, from a look at the downfall of Elizabeth Holmes, the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, to a deep dive into the impact of reality TV

Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV
Guardian journalist Sirin Kale and the High Low’s Pandora Sykes team up (with their remarkably similar voices) to unpack the 21st century phenomenon of reality television in this 10-part series. From the birth of Big Brother to the tragedy and controversies of Love Island, Kale and Sykes comprehensively assess how beaming the (often scripted) lives of others into our living rooms has had adverse affects both on how we view celebrity and how those celebrities are able to cope with their newfound fame. As Big Brother returns for yet another British rebootthis is essential listening.

The Trojan Horse Affair
Serial’s podcast about the 2014 investigation into the alleged plot to infiltrate Birmingham’s schools with radical Islamic ideas is as much an exposé of Britain’s troubled relationship with Islam as it is a fascinating insight into the workings of investigative journalism. Hosted by veteran Brian Reed and newcomer Hamza Syed, the series follows Syed’s personal connection to the story and his determination to uncover the hoax that captivated the media and the British government. Five years in the making, Syed takes us deep into tracking down sources while Reed provides insights and guidance.

Finding Q: My Journey into QAnon
One of the biggest sources of American radicalism in recent years, the conspiracy-led movement QAnon went on to play a key part in the 6 January riots at Washington DC’s Capitol. This entertaining series sees journalist Nicky Woolf try to embed himself into the movement and discover its appeal, as well as trace the insidious lies QAnon members propagate. Other notable January 6 series include the comprehensive Assault on America, which investigates the key players in the riots, as well as their methods, while the BBC’s The Coming Storm analyses why the mob thought they were right.

The Dropout
Heralded by Forbes as the world’s youngest self-made billionaire in 2014, biotech entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes has since had a mighty downfall – one that has seen her currently imprisoned on charges of defrauding investors. This riveting series from economic and technology correspondent Rebecca Jarvis follows the investigation into her blood-testing company Theranos and features interviews from those who worked in its labs, as well as testimony from Holmes’ deposition and a mini-series on her 2021 court case. The podcast is now a TV series starring Amanda Seyfried, and bonus episodes tackle the challenges of her Emmy-winning performance.

Unread
With Britney Spears in the news again as fans speculated on whether she is still somehow tied to the widely condemned conservatorship, this deeply moving 2021 podcast from Chris Stedman takes a personal look at the #FreeBritney movement to grant her autonomy. Playing as a eulogy of sorts to Stedman’s friend and fellow Britney fanatic Alex, the series investigates the stan culture that led to protests against her conservatorship.

Why not try …

• Host Janice Llamoca goes on a Y2K-filled journey back in time in Party Crews: The Untold Story.
  

• The second season of The Lazarus Heist begins at an ATM, possibly near you. Imagine a massive heist on cashpoints, taking place in 28 countries, on the same day, all at the same time.

• Culture critic Rachel Brodsky and film-maker Aviv Rubinstien join forces for In Sync, a historiography celebrating your favourite music moments in TV and film.