Best Durham University Podcasts (2025)

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052 - Pit Pony David Myers - Classroom to Student Support Officer at Durham University - Part 1 1:08:10

8d ago1:08:10

1:08:10

Former maths teacher David Myers joins us for a gripping two-part conversation about his journey in and out of the classroom - and everything in between. In this first episode, we follow David from the early days of creative teaching and academic passion, through a toxic shift in school culture, the loss of professional autonomy, and the impact of …

1
Will Butler formerly of Arcade Fire on his play set in a recording studio 42:23

16h ago42:23

42:23

Stereophonic is a play about the creative process, power dynamics and fraught personal relationships of a 1970s rock band. It won a Tony and many other awards on Broadway. Now Stereophonic has come to the West End. Playwright David Adjmi and Will Butler, sometime of Arcade Fire, who has written the music, discuss their own artistic process as they …

1
Classic: An ex-atheist faces off with an ex-Christian 59:43

10h ago59:43

59:43

Holly Ordway is the Cardinal Francis George Professor of Faith and Culture at the Word on Fire Institute and a Visiting Professor of Apologetics at Houston Christian University. She holds a PhD in English and serves as a subject editor for the Journal of Inklings Studies. A regular guest on The CS Lewis Podcast, Holly has a deep passion for explori…

1
055 - Pit Pony Jeanette Thompson-Wessen - Classroom to ADHD Nutritionist - Part 2 59:17

1d ago59:17

59:17

In Part 2 of our conversation with Jeannette Thompson-Wessen, the story turns even darker. After being shouted at while pregnant, ignored during risk assessments, and breaking down in front of students, Jeannette was left utterly broken. She describes a period of severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and the moment a school chose to send a parental…

1
054 - Pit Pony Jeanette Thompson-Wessen - Classroom to ADHD Nutritionist - Part 1 45:44

1d ago45:44

45:44

In this powerful first part of our conversation with Jeannette Thompson-Wessen, we hear how a passionate, dedicated food technology teacher went from being earmarked for leadership to being bullied, ignored and broken. After returning from maternity leave, the praise disappeared, the support vanished, and the treatment became so toxic it pushed her…

1
Alison Steadman live from Hay Festival 42:23

22h ago42:23

42:23

Live from the Hay Festival, Alison Steadman talks to Samira about her career, from Abigail's Party to Gavin and Stacey. Laura Bates and Gwyneth Lewis discuss Arthurian Legends and The Mabinogion. Hisham Matar champions the Egyptian Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz. And transatlantic husband and wife country duo Outpost Drive perform on stage. Presente…

1
Is the natural world evidence of design, or the result of random processes? Rachel G Jordan vs Michael Shermer hosted by Andy Kind 1:11:42

4d ago1:11:42

1:11:42

In this episode of Premier Unbelievable? comedian and host Andy Kind welcomes marine biologist and Christian author Rachel G. Jordan, author of If the Ocean has a Soul, and sceptic science-historian Dr Michael Shermer, founder of Skeptic Magazine and author of The Moral Arc, for a dynamic conversation exploring whether nature reveals divine purpose…

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S5E2: Dr. Jörg Matthias Determann ~ Author of Islam, Science Fiction and Extraterrestrial Life 1:27:32

5d ago1:27:32

1:27:32

Send us a text Dr. Determann is the author of Islam, Science Fiction and Extraterrestrial Life: The Culture of Astrobiology in the Muslim World and a professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar. He joins WTUFO to explore intersections between the UAP phenomenon and Islamic thought. Islam, Science Fiction and Extraterrestrial L…

1
Mission Impossible & Benicio Del Toro 42:35

5d ago42:35

42:35

Benicio Del Toro talks about playing a business tycoon in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme. This aesthetically stylised film, by the director who also made The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Budapest Hotel, is reviewed by Tom and critics Larushka Ivan-Zadeh and Rachel Cooke. They also give their verdict on Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckon…

1
Shirley Manson of Garbage 42:18

6d ago42:18

42:18

Frontwoman of Garbage, Shirley Manson talks about the band's latest album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light, which is inspired by contemporary events including the killing of George Floyd in Los Angeles, but which presents an optimistic perspective on a dystopian world. We hear from the winner of the International Booker Prize, which was announc…

1
Musician Rhiannon Giddens on returning to her North Carolina roots after working with Beyoncé 42:26

7d ago42:26

42:26

Musician Rhiannon Giddens on returning to her North Carolina roots after working with Beyoncé. As a huge retrospective of the work of the artist Helen Chadwick opens at The Hepworth Wakefield, art critic Louisa Buck and the exhibition's curator, Laura Smith, discuss why Chadwick should be viewed as the godmother for a golden generation of British c…

1
Classic: Is War ever justified? Just War, Darwinism and Christianity | Michael Ruse vs Nigel Biggar. 1:01:25

7d ago1:01:25

1:01:25

In 2025, as the world is devastated by continuing wars, many are simultaneously commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Returning to this edition of Unbelievable, recorded as marks of Remembrance took place across the world to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1 in 2018, Justin Brierley discussed just war theory, Dar…

1
053 - Pit Pony David Myers - Classroom to Student Support Officer at Durham University - Part 2 56:01

8d ago56:01

56:01

In Part 2 of our conversation with David Myers, we pick up at the point he finally walks away from teaching - and follow what happens next. From exploring tutoring, supply work and student support roles, to landing a new job at Durham University (in the castle, no less), David reflects on rebuilding his confidence, recovering from burnout, and redi…

1
Joanne Harris on the return of Chocolat 42:21

8d ago42:21

42:21

25 years after Joanne Harris introduced readers to the soothing delights of Chocolat, she's released her new book Vianne. It’s the prequel that explains how her heroine found her way into the world of high end French confectionery. A new exhibition at the British Museum sheds light on the provenance of popular images of the Hindu god Ganesha, the B…

1
Do humans have the right to engineer life? Prof. Keith Fox v Dr. Sam McKee 1:26:01

11d ago1:26:01

1:26:01

Should we be tampering with the genetic code of life? What are the ethical and theological implications of engineering artificial organisms?This episode of Unbelievable? explores the cutting-edge world of synthetic biology - from designing artificial microbes to help us live on Mars, to the deeper philosophical and ethical questions about humanity …

1
S5E1: Michael Kelly - Experiencer Researcher 1:35:58

12d ago1:35:58

1:35:58

Send us a text Michael Kelly uses the skills from his philosophy degree and graduate-level teaching assistant work to research reports of encounters with nonhuman beings. He is a research fellow at the Archives of the Impossible, though he appears here entirely in a personal capacity. We discuss the striking data that emerges from experiencer repor…

1
051 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 8 7:54

12d ago7:54

7:54

In todays bonus episode of The Pit Pony Podcast, we bring you another trio of powerful Sliding Doors moments – those life-defining experiences shared by our guests since leaving the classroom. 🎙️ Rachael Daniel reflects on an event, that reminded her not all schools are toxic, and some can still feel like home. 🎙️ Kitty White shares how the simple …

1
Review: Sondheim's final musical Here We Are, The Marching Band, Daniel Kehlmann's The Director 42:31

12d ago42:31

42:31

David Benedict and Viv Groskop review Stephen Sondheim’s final musical, Here We Are, a surreal story of brunch and existential dread; French film about about grassroots music, The Marching Band and Daniel Kehlmann’s new novel, The Director, about a real life German filmmaker navigating the Third Reich. Presenter: Tom SutcliffeProducer: Simon Richar…

1
Ocean with Attenborough, Garden Design, Turning Contemporary Politics into Opera 42:43

13d ago42:43

42:43

Colin Bulfield, Executive Producer of the new film Ocean With Attenborough, talks about working with the celebrated broadcaster and filmmaker Sir David Attenborough on his latest project, an exploration of the vital importance of healthy oceans to our planet which is in cinemas around the country now. Current exhibitions at V&A Dundee and the Briti…

1
Morcheeba perform, Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway 100th anniversary 42:22

14d ago42:22

42:22

Novelist Elif Shafak, artist and writer Edmund de Waal and Professor Rachel Bowlby join Samira to discuss the centenary of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway. As the Semi Finals of Eurovision start tonight in Basel, Switzerland, Paddy O'Connell talks about this year's contest. Four hundred leading British Artists such as Paul McCartney and Kate Bush hav…

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Classic: Can Christianity be true if Christians can't agree on doctrine? Andrew Whyte vs Nabeel Qureshi 1:01:52

15d ago1:01:52

1:01:52

Less than a year after this classic episode aired, Nabeel Qureshi, author of Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, one of the most compelling accounts of a Muslim’s journey to Christianity, announced he had stage IV stomach cancer. He passed away in September 2017. In this unforgettable episode, Nabeel brings his characteristic warmth and clarity as he eng…

1
050 - What do I do if I think I'm being bullied 50:40

15d ago50:40

50:40

In this vital episode of The Pit Pony Podcast, Sharon and Sarah discuss one of the most common - and distressing - questions that surfaces in the Life After Teaching community: What do I do if I think I’m being bullied? Drawing on hundreds of real teacher experiences, they unpack the early warning signs, the subtle shifts in communication and behav…

1
Suzanne Vega sings in the studio, P Diddy trial, Mother Courage in County Durham 42:22

15d ago42:22

42:22

Suzanne Vega has just released her first album of all-new material for nearly a decade. "Flying With Angels" continues her folk-influenced sound and introduces influences of soul as well as a song in tribute to Bob Dylan's "I Want You". She performs in the studio with guitarist Gerry Leonard. Sean Combs aka P Diddy is on trial in New York, charged …

1
Does true freedom exist? Max Jeganathan vs Andrew Copson hosted by Andy Kind 1:15:28

18d ago1:15:28

1:15:28

Is our obsession with personal autonomy leading to fulfilment—or fracture? Max Jeganathan (author of The Freedom Trap) and Andrew Copson (CEO of Humanists UK) explore the purpose, power, and pitfalls of freedom. While Max argues that unexamined individualism breeds anxiety, disconnection, and moral confusion, Andrew defends freedom as a means to ha…

1
S4E13: Dr. Janis Whitlock ~ Developmental Psychologist, Research Scientist Emerita, Visible College Leadership, John Mack Institute Adviser 1:45:50

19d ago1:45:50

1:45:50

Send us a text Dr. Janis Whitlock is a developmental psychologist and research scientist emerita from Cornell University, renowned for her work in adolescent mental health and self-injury recovery. In recent years, she has expanded her scholarly pursuits into the realm of UAP studies. As a member of the leadership team of The Visible College, a vol…

1
049 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 7 9:52

19d ago9:52

9:52

In this special Sliding Doors bonus episode, we bring you three more powerful and deeply personal reflections from teachers who’ve exited the classroom and discovered unexpected joy, freedom, and purpose on the other side. 🎙 Hollie Jones shares the life-saving impact of leaving teaching - how being able to drop everything for her son’s emergency su…

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Review, The Wedding Banquet, Isabel Allende, The Brightening Air 42:34

19d ago42:34

42:34

Authors Matt Cain and Eimear McBride join Tom Sutcliffe to review a new remake of Ang Lee's 1993 classic The Wedding Banquet. They also discuss Isabel Allende's new novel My Name is Emilia del Valle and the play The Brightening Air, on at the Old Vic theatre in London. And the National Gallery is having a re-hang, we speak to Head of the Curatorial…

1
Leni Riefenstahl, Queen Elizabeth Memorial, Keli 42:26

20d ago42:26

42:26

Acclaimed German journalist and film producer Sandra Maischberger talks about her new documentary about Leni Riefenstahl, which re-examines the life and career of the filmmaker and Nazi propagandist who was one of the most controversial women of the 20th century. Art historian and curator Sandy Nairne, a member of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Commi…

1
Hamlet Radiohead mashup, Stoke-on-Trent pottery in crisis 42:23

21d ago42:23

42:23

In the wake of President Trump's proposed film tariffs, Jake Kanter, International Investigations Editor at Deadline, discusses what the impact could be for the British film industry. Last week Moorcroft became the latest heritage ceramic company to close its doors in Stoke-On-Trent. Emma Bridgewater, founder of the eponymous ceramics company, and …

1
Classic: Why I changed my mind about Christian history - Tom Holland v Larry Hurtado 50:40

22d ago50:40

50:40

Back in October 2016, renowned historian Tom Holland penned an article for The New Statesman on why he changed his mind about Christianity. Holland is the author of popular books on ancient empires and says his research made him realise how unique Christianity was in its infancy. In this classic show Holland claims that, despite secular arguments t…

1
048 - Know Your Rights 49:36

22d ago49:36

49:36

This week’s Pit Pony Podcast is a bit different - it’s just Sharon and Sarah, no guest, but lots of honesty, insight and real talk. We’re kicking off a three-part mini-series by tackling one of the biggest foundations of protecting yourself at work: knowing your rights. From understanding the Burgundy Book and STPCD (NB Sarah had a little moment an…

1
A snapshot of culture on VE Day 1945 42:08

22d ago42:08

42:08

To mark the 80th anniversary this week, we explore British culture around VE Day in 1945, reflecting on the music, books, films and theatre that defined the moment and the complex emotional landscape that followed the war’s end. Songwriter and pianist Kate Garner joins us at the piano. Guests: Michael Billington, theatre critic; Ian Christie, film …

1
Ryan Coogler on Sinners, The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz, Book Bans in the US 42:23

25d ago42:23

42:23

US director Ryan Coogler on his supernatural horror film, Sinners. Anne Sebba discusses her new book, The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz, about the orchestra formed in 1943 among the female prisoners at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. And as a new report looking at so-called book banning in the United States is published, we talked to au…

1
Cancer, War and the God Question: why so much suffering? Prof Richard Norman vs Sara Stevenson hosted by Andy Kind 1:15:15

26d ago1:15:15

1:15:15

Why does a good God allow violence and suffering — even in the Bible?In this episode of Premier Unbelievable?, Andy Kind hosts a thought-provoking debate between humanist philosopher Richard Norman and Christian thinker Sara Stevenson. Together, they explore whether divine violence in the Old Testament undermines the credibility of Christianity, an…

1
047 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 6 9:52

26d ago9:52

9:52

In this sixth edition of our beloved Sliding Doors Stories, we bring you three powerful moments from guests who, after leaving the classroom, found clarity, connection and joy in unexpected places. ✨ Katie Stone shares how her relationship with her daughter transformed – and how a trip to New Zealand gave her children a once-in-a-lifetime experienc…

1
S4E12: Chad Wanless and Dave Palachik ~ UAP Researchers, Authors and Field Study Engineers 2:10:23

26d ago2:10:23

2:10:23

Send us a text Chad Wanless is an Engineering Technologist with over 30 years of experience in mechanical design, specializing in optics and lighting technologies. Professor Dave Palachik is a Senior Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technologist, National Director Emeritus of MUFON Canada, and an expert in infrared and electronic security system…

1
Review: John Lennon docs, Tina Fey's The Four Seasons and The Great Gatsby musical 41:51

26d ago41:51

41:51

Critic Kate Maltby and Beatles author Ian Leslie join Tom Sutcliffe to discuss two documentaries about John Lennon remaking his life in New York - Borrowed Time: Lennon's Last Decade and One to One: John & Yoko. They also discuss Tina Fey’s new series The Four Seasons, based on the 1981 film of the same name, which explores the relationships of thr…

1
King James VI & I, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, The Extraordinary Miss Flower 41:59

27d ago41:59

41:59

Jeff Pope on his new series Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, the innocent man who was killed by police on a London tube in 2005, which launches tonight on Disney+. James VI of Scotland & I of England is the subject of a major exhibition at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. We’re joined by the historical writers Lucy Hu…

1
Noddy Holder of Slade, Stephen Rea and Simone de Beauvoir 41:53

28d ago41:53

41:53

In 1975, at the height of their fame, British band Slade made a feature film, Slade in Flame. The film was a critical and commercial failure at the time, but has built up a cult following over the years. Now it's being re-released in cinemas and on DVD. Frontman Noddy Holder and film director Richard Loncraine spoke to Samira Ahmed in studio. With …

1
Classic: Memes, archetypes, and the meaning we live by: Jordan Peterson vs Susan Blackmore 49:29

29d ago49:29

49:29

In this classic edition of Unbelievable? - The Big Conversation we ask: do we need God to make sense of life? In a 2018 debate, Jordan Peterson and Susan Blackmore explore the psychology of belief through the lenses of memes and archetypes. Peterson argues that religious structures underpin even secular life, while Blackmore sees religion as a cult…

1
046 - Sliding Doors - Sharon’s Story 33:44

29d ago33:44

33:44

In this special episode of The Pit Pony Podcast, we’re turning the spotlight inward. For the first time, co-host Sharon Cawley shares her own powerful and deeply personal sliding doors story. More than just about leaving teaching, it’s about the moment Sharon reclaimed control of her life and showed what’s possible when we choose presence over pres…

1
Universal Theme Park, Olivier award-winning play Giant, Two to One 42:18

29d ago42:18

42:18

Mark Rosenblatt on Giant, his Olivier award-winning play starring John Lithgow as Roald Dahl. As Universal Studios announce plans for a major new theme park in Bedfordshire, what does this mean for the UK entertainment industry? Samira is joined by entertainment journalist Ella Baskerville and Gareth Smy from Framestore to discuss its signficance a…

1
Is the Problem of Suffering the strongest argument against God? David Robertson vs Stephen Law hosted by Andy Kind 1:13:54

1M ago1:13:54

1:13:54

Can the reality of suffering disprove a good God? Oxford Philosopher Dr. Stephen Law and Christian minister Rev. David Robertson debate the problem of evil, the evil God hypothesis, and whether suffering is evidence for or against theism. Does Christianity provide a meaningful answer, or does the sheer amount of suffering make belief in God irratio…

1
S4E11: Ralph Blumenthal ~ Investigative Journalist, Author, Professor 1:02:18

1M ago1:02:18

1:02:18

Send us a text Ralph is a distinguished professor, journalist and author with a long and varied career. He's contributed especially significantly to the UFO conversation in recent years with his bombshell reporting and his deep, detailed biography of John Mack, the Harvard psychiatrist who investigated abduction experiences. We discuss the experien…

1
Review: Self Esteem's album A Complicated Woman; RSC's Much Ado About Nothing; Julie Keeps Quiet tennis film 42:30

1M ago42:30

42:30

Journalist Siân Pattenden & critic Stephanie Merritt join Tom to discuss Self Esteem's third album A Complicated Woman, which features collaborations with Nadine Shah and Moonchild Sanelly. Ahead of the release, Self Esteem AKA Rebecca Lucy Taylor showcased the album by staging a five-night theatrical presentation at London's Duke of York theatre. …

1
The ethics of publishing posthumous diaries, Pianist Igor Levit, and Memorials to great women. 42:06

1M ago42:06

42:06

As the journals of the American writer Joan Didion (based on conversations with her psychiatrist) are published, writer and journalist Rachel Cooke and Alan Taylor, editor of actor Alan Rickman's diaries, discuss the challenges, responsibilities and ethics of posthumously publishing the diaries of great writers, artists and actors. Acclaimed German…

1
Dante's Inferno in Jamaica, Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time re-examined, Shakespeare's first theatre 42:32

1M ago42:32

42:32

Jamaica's former poet laureate, Lorna Goodison, on setting Dante's Inferno on the island of her birth; Journalist Joanna Moorhead on Pope Francis' relationship with the arts; Poet and librettist Michael Symmons Roberts on writing a form-breaking book to re-examine French composer Olivier Messiaen's form-breaking masterwork - Quartet for the End of …

1
Classic: Debating the Scandals of Easter: Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection David Instone-Brewer v Bob Price 59:53

1M ago59:53

59:53

Listen to a compelling classic discussion between David Instone-Brewer, a New Testament scholar, and Bob Price, a professor of biblical criticism. This Unbelievable focuses on the scandals surrounding Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, as argued in David's book, 'The Jesus Scandals.' David posits these events based on their embarrassing nature fo…

1
045 - Pit Pony Ilana King - Classroom to Educational Consultant 1:09:40

1M ago1:09:40

1:09:40

In this episode, we’re joined by the unstoppable Ilana King - educational consultant, entrance exam specialist, home educator, and all-round powerhouse. Ilana’s journey is far from typical. After just two years in the classroom, she knew it wasn’t the right fit - and rather than settle, she built something new. Literally. She created her own nurser…

1
JMW Turner: 250th anniversary of Britain's greatest painter 42:24

1M ago42:24

42:24

Mr. Turner director Mike Leigh, art historian Charlotte Mullins and senior curator at Tate Amy Concannon join Tom Sutcliffe to celebrate the life and work of JMW Turner, as we approach the 250th anniversary of his birth. Also in this edition, David Hockney on Turner's skill as an artist, Alvaro Barrington talks about his continuing influence on art…

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