The Remote Island Mystery: The Surgeon of St Helena

A remote island, a controversial surgeon and a mystery that slowly unravels: The Surgeon of St Helena has all the ingredients of a gripping drama. The series investigates the case of orthopaedic surgeon Sergio Villatoro Bran, whose time treating patients on the tiny Atlantic island of the podcast’s title raised serious questions before his sudden disappearance. The setting is as much a part of the appeal as the story, as listeners are transported to a close-knit community thousands of miles from anywhere, where trust, reputation and power collide.

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Serial

The podcast that kickstarted the true-crime boom remains one of the genre's best. Hosted by Sarah Koenig, the latest iteration, ‘The Last 12 Weeks’, centres on David Wood, who was convicted of murdering women and girls 30 years ago. It primarily follows his lawyers, who have one last chance to argue his innocence and halt his execution.

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The Deep Dive: Missing In The Amazon

Missing In The Amazon has the feel of an international thriller. It follows the disappearance of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira while they were reporting in Brazil’s Amazon region. As it tracks the investigation into what happened, the series grapples with wider issues surrounding environmental crime and the fight to protect the rainforest.

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Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story

The name is famous, and the story behind it is extraordinary. This series traces how Charles Ponzi went from ambitious outsider to one of history’s most notorious fraudsters, examining the psychology behind his scheme and why so many people believed him.

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Heavyweight

Each episode of Heavyweight sees host Jonathan Goldstein helping someone revisit a defining moment from their past. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes heartbreaking, often both. The stories range from lost loves and family feuds to decades-old regrets, all handled with warmth and humour.

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Beautiful Anonymous

Hosted by comedian Chris Gethard, each episode is a one-hour phone conversation with a stranger. Sounds simple, but the resulting stories are often extraordinary, covering everything from unusual careers and life-changing decisions to family secrets and unexpected adventures.

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High Performance

Sport is often the entry point, but this podcast goes much deeper. Hosts Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes speak to elite athletes, business leaders and cultural figures about resilience, mindset and success. Expect thoughtful conversations rather than quick-fire interviews.

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Origin Story: The 85ers

This documentary-style series returns to the beginnings of the US Women’s National Soccer Team before it became one of the most dominant forces in sport. It goes back to 1985, when a group of players created a team with little funding, no blueprint and no guarantee of success. Through interviews and archive material, Origin Story reveals the women who built the foundations of a sporting dynasty.

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The Rest Is Football

Ex-players Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards combine expert analysis with plenty of dressing-room stories and behind-the-scenes insight. While the World Cup battle to bring football home rages on, this is timely.

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Empire

Hosted by historians William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, Empire explores the rise and fall of some of history's most influential civilisations and empires. Accessible enough for casual listeners, but detailed enough to satisfy history obsessives. Empire: The Ottoman Empire. While many history podcasts jump between unrelated topics, Empire works best when treated like a box set. Its latest series takes a deep dive into the Ottoman Empire, exploring its rulers, battles, rivalries and influence across centuries.

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Hardcore History

If you don't mind committing several hours to a single episode, Dan Carlin delivers some of the most immersive history storytelling around. His deep dives into major conflicts and historical turning points can easily fill a day's driving.

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The Louis Theroux Podcast

Nobody asks questions quite like Louis Theroux. His relaxed interviewing style allows guests to open up in unexpected ways, resulting in conversations that feel more like intimate chats than formal interviews. Recent guests in the hot seat include Gary Lineker, Marco Pierre White and Yorgos Lanthimos.

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Fela Kuti: Fear No Man

A richly produced biography of Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti, this series takes a deep dive into how he became one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. It blends music, politics and personal history to tell the story of a man whose work challenged governments, inspired movements and changed global music.

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