Podcasts about South Wales

Last October, a Senedd by-election took place in Caerphilly, South Wales. As long as the seat had existed, for over 100 years, it had belonged to Labour.But that night, Welsh Labour fell to third place. Reform galloped into second. And after fighting in 18 elections since the 1980s, Plaid Cymru's Lindsay Whittle took first place with almost 50 per cent of the vote.Is this a stark demonstration of how politics in Wales is changing? Plaid Cymru leader Rhun Ap Iorwerth joins Megan Kenyon.SAVE £££ THIS CHRISTMAS:⭐️ Gift big ideas, bold politics, and proper journalism from just £2LISTEN AD-FREE:

Just good old music knowledge for Lewis in South Wales & Karen in Beautiful Bude.

This week's podcast is presented by Jacqueline and Stephen. We hear from: · Witherspoon, who comments on George's steps towards making amends; · Leigh from Cookham, who has been thinking about the CCTV; · Love Jazzer's Singing, who thinks this may be the best week ever on The Archers; · Leigh again, feeling happy that Amber's pregnancy wasn't unplanned; · Glyn, who is making comparisons between triangles; · Lakey Hill Liminal, who brings a therapist's perspective to the Fallon/Harrison relationship; · Ros from South Wales, who has some questions about the Horrobin family; · Jacquieline in Christchurch who has been enjoying several relationships in Ambridge this week; · Globe-trotting Richard, who is puzzled by some business issues; · and finally Claire from Clapham, who has thoughts about Emma, Amber, Chelsea and Brad; And we have an email from Chris in Indiana.As usual we'll hear a roundup of the Dumteedum Facebook group, this week from Witherspoon, and the Tweets of the Week from Theo, plus the roundup of this Week in Ambridge, from Suey.Please call into the show using this link:www.speakpipe.com/dumteedum Or send us a voicenote via WhatsApp on: +44 7770 764 896 (07770 764 896 if in the UK) – Open the WhatsApp app, key in the number and click on the microphone icon. Or email us at dumteedum@mail.com How to leave a review on Apple podcasts: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/podcasts/pod5facd9d70/mac ***** Details about the Academic Archers Conference and how to buy tickets: https://www.academicarchers.net/new-page-1 ***** The new Patreon feed for Dumteedum is at www.patreon.com/DumteedumPodcast and the subscription rate is £5.00 per calendar month plus VAT. ***** Also Sprach Zarathustra licence Creative Commons ► Attribution 3.0 Unported ► CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..."You are free to use, remix, transform, and build upon the materialfor any purpose, even commercially. You must give appropriate credit." Conducted byPhilip Milman ► https://pmmusic.pro/ Funded ByLudwig ► / ludwigahgren Schlatt ► / jschlattlive COMPOSED BY / @officialphilman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A study led by the University of Oxford shows a 20-fold rise in the proportion of women over 25 using ADHD medication in the UK. The study looked at 5 countries - Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK - showing use has more than tripled in 13 years - the UK having the highest relative increase. To unpick this, Anita Rani is joined by Amanda Kirby, former chair of the ADHD foundation and Emeritus Professor of neurodevelopmental disorders at the University of South Wales and Kat Brown, author of It's Not a Bloody Trend, who was diagnosed with ADHD aged 37 and uses medication.The Oscar nominations are out and to celebrate we revisit our recent interviews with nominees, Hamnet director Chloe Zhao and Kate Hudson, who's up for best actress for her film Song Sung Blue. Author Claire Lynch discusses her debut novel, A Family Matter, which recently won the Nero Book Award's prize for debut fiction. Having spent her career teaching literature in universities, the author of non-fiction book Small: On Motherhoods, was inspired by her discovery that 90% of lesbian mothers in 1980s' divorce cases lost legal custody of their children. The novel alternates between 1982 and the present day and explores love and loss, intimacy and injustice, custody and care.Miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy is common. But clinical NHS practices for disposal of pregnancy tissue following an early stage miscarriage can sometimes appear to be at odds with some women's wishes and are not conducive to inclusive care. That's according to a new study published in Social Science and Medicine and reported in the British Medical Journal. Susie Kilshaw, Professor of Medical Anthropology at University College London, spent nearly two years observing miscarriage care inside one of England's NHS Foundation Trusts and interviewing women about their experiences. Susie explains how she found that the choices available often didn't match what women want.Can video games be used for good? From reducing our environmental impact to fundraising for access to education for all, Jude Ower from not-for-profit gaming platform PlanetPlay has spent the last two decades creating initiatives to do just that. Jude has now been named by the Aurora awards as one of ten women to watch, who are shifting the dial in the gaming industry. She joins Anita in the studio.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed!We're back for 2026! And our first subject is the life story of one of the most prominent Welsh historians of the 20th century; Gwyn “Alf” Williams. We'll trace his life from beginnings in South Wales to the beaches of Normandy in WWII, right through to his time at York University and rise to national prominence on TV.Elsewhere, what are your great sleep walking or talking escapades? Can you beat anything we've shared in this episode? If yes, you know what to do: hello@ohwhatatime.comAND THIS THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY! The comedy history podcast that has spent as much time talking about the invention of custard as it has the industrial revolution is here with its first ever live show! The subject will be: the history of London. We'd love to see you there.It's Thursday 15th January at the Underbelly Boulevard in London's Soho.

We're back for 2026! And our first subject is the life story of one of the most prominent Welsh historians of the 20th century; Gwyn “Alf” Williams. We'll trace his life from beginnings in South Wales to the beaches of Normandy in WWII, right through to his time at York University and rise to national prominence on TV.Elsewhere, what are your great sleep walking or talking escapades? Can you beat anything we've shared in this episode? If yes, you know what to do: hello@ohwhatatime.comAND THIS THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY! The comedy history podcast that has spent as much time talking about the invention of custard as it has the industrial revolution is here with its first ever live show! The subject will be: the history of London. We'd love to see you there.It's Thursday 15th January at the Underbelly Boulevard in London's Soho.

On this episode of The Nonsense Podcast, we're joined once again by Justin Woolwine of the ILWPod (I Love Wrestling Podcast)  @ILWPOD2024  We kick things off with a wild Kelly Fact that leaves everyone speechless: the Mari Lwyd, a South Wales tradition involving a mounted horse skull on a pole used in rhyming rap battles to bring good luck in the new year. Justin immediately embraces the chaos, joking that headless horses and rap battles sound like the perfect way to ring in the year, while FNBob wonders if Vikings were the original battle rappers thanks to their own tradition of flyting.From there, we dive straight into wrestling. FNBob asks Justin about his recent interview with Santino Marella, how it came together, and what it's like landing legends. The conversation shifts to John Cena's retirement, where Justin sees it as a warrior falling on his own sword, while FNBob is just happy we got one last meme.That leads into shared love for Macho Man Randy Savage, including Justin revealing he found out about Macho Man's death on his birthday — right after opening a Macho Man action figure. From there, the episode turns more personal as Justin breaks down his journey into content creation, from filming backyard wrestling on trampolines as a kid to balancing real life while growing a successful wrestling podcast.Of course, no episode is complete without FNBob dunking on Bret Hart, some stories about old-school discipline, and wrapping things up with Justin reflecting on the growth of ILWPod — including interviewing the Hardy Boyz, getting Jeff Hardy to talk, and his goal of finally earning that YouTube Play Button.A relaxed, funny, and insightful conversation between podcast hosts who genuinely love wrestling and content creation.

It's Christmas Eve so what better time than now to send over a lovely midweek episode. This week I sat down with Martin Ellard, a photographer form South Wales who is a listener to the show and was kind enough to send me a couple of zines he made of work. They're fascinating and I couldn't pass up the chance to talk to him about them. So here's me chatting with Martin. More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you'll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I'm interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

This week's podcast I chat with flytying guru, Davy Wotton. He tells us of how his SLF dubbing came about and the process of making it in the early days in his kitchen in South Wales back in the day. He now lives in Arkensas and spends most of his time guiding on the White River. We talk of the early days back in the 70's fishing the reservoirs, his love of loughstyle fishing and all things flytying.A great listen, enjoy!

The major changes needed to make farming profitable - we hear from Baroness Batters on her long awaited review.Charcuterie is often a favourite over the festive season, which means this is a busy time of year for Lizzie and Andrew Baker in Ammanford in South Wales. They rear rare breed pigs on their farm and have a charcuterie and smoking business too.We've been taking a look at historic rural buildings this week, their cultural value and how to preserve them, and this morning we're heading to Northern Ireland. When a local community group began the restoration of an old corn mill, in County Fermanagh, it sparked interest in a number of old mill stones long abandoned on local farms. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

On this episode of More Rosebud we meet the celebrated biographer, journalist and writer Roger Lewis, "a bundle of nerves and rage and disappointment". Roger is the author of several acclaimed biographies, including Erotic Vagrancy, about Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. In this extremely funny and fascinating episode, Roger tells Gyles about his childhood in South Wales, he was the precocious eldest son of an affluent family of butchers and farmers. He talks about his university days, how he studied under John Bayley, and how he became a writer. Woven through this life story are interesting discussions of memory and recollection, and of the self and identity, and of what it means to reconstruct someone's life into a biography. This episode is well worth your time, and Roger's unstinting honesty as he talks about himself and others will stop you in your tracks and make you laugh. Enjoy this.At the end of this episode Gyles and Harriet have an exciting announcement about the Rosebud Family, the new subscription service we're launching in the new year 2026. More details coming soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's podcast is presented by Stephen and Jacqueline. We hear from: · Jade in Australia, who wants to know about Oliver's past; · Amber Rage in Ambridge, who has some thoughts and predictions about the 75th Anniversary of The Archers;· Juliet, a first-time caller-innerer, who is wondering what has happened to Marky; · Globe-Trotting Richard who has a plot prediction about George and Alice; · Leigh from Cookham, who doesn't know whether she's coming or going with George; · Ros from South Wales who wonders why George isn't plucking they turkeys; · Witherspoon, who would like to have George in his office in the village hall to give him a full diagnosis; · And finally Love Jazzer's Singing, who is feeling sad for Brad; And we have an email from Chris in Michigan. As usual we'll hear a roundup of the Dumteedum Facebook group, this week from Michelle, and the Tweets of the Week from Theo, plus the round up of this Week in Ambridge, from Suey. Please call into the show using this link:www.speakpipe.com/dumteedum Or send us a voicenote via WhatsApp on: +44 7770 764 896 (07770 764 896 if in the UK) – Open the WhatsApp app, key in the number and click on the microphone icon. Or email us at dumteedum@mail.com How to leave a review on Apple podcasts: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/podcasts/pod5facd9d70/mac ***** The new Patreon feed for Dumteedum is at www.patreon.com/DumteedumPodcast and the subscription rate is £5.00 per calendar month plus VAT. ***** Also Sprach Zarathustra licence Creative Commons ► Attribution 3.0 Unported ► CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..."You are free to use, remix, transform, and build upon the materialfor any purpose, even commercially. You must give appropriate credit." Conducted byPhilip Milman ► https://pmmusic.pro/ Funded ByLudwig ► / ludwigahgren Schlatt ► / jschlattlive COMPOSED BY / @officialphilman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's look ahead to some festive theatre shows coming up in south Wales this month. Hywel Davies has been catching up with audio describer Michelle Perez.

James And The Cold Gun is an emerging rock band from the UK, described as "South Wales' Loudest", and they are set to perform in Central Illinois on December 4, 2025. Whether you live in Central IL or not, James And The Cold Gun are a band that should be on your music radar as they have a hard-driving, straight up rock n roll sound. Frontman James Joseph joined Episode 218 ahead of the show to talk about trying to eat right on tour, his connections to 90's rock legends, and even Christmas music.  You can follow James And The Cold Gun on Bandcamp, their website for merch and tour dates, and even stream them on your favorite app. Thanks to James, the entire band, and WWCT FM for setting up this interview. Tickets for the Dec 4 concert can be found on WWCT's website.

Carl was born in Carmarthen, and raised in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK. His formative years were spent in a religious atmosphere but lacking the tangible presence and power of God. He has written a new book to challenge readers to Unleash the Warrior Within.

EVEN MORE about this episode!What happens when a Lancet-published physician steps beyond the limits of orthodox medicine and into the mystical? In this episode, Dr. Anona Blackwell joins me, Julie Ryan, to explore the surprising ways science and spirituality intertwine. From telepathy and clairvoyance to the unexpected spiritual awakening sparked by menopause, Anona shares stories that challenge conventional thinking and illuminate her path as a modern-day Welsh “hedge witch.”We dive into the ancient art of dowsing, where intuition becomes a practical tool—even helping locate a lost Jack Russell in South Wales. Anona also recounts touching and humorous moments from her childhood spirit encounters to her unforgettable meetings with King Charles, revealing the gentle overlap between the mystical and the mainstream.Our conversation culminates in a profound exploration of energy healing, past lives, and the spiritual blueprint that persists beyond death. With love, humor, and wisdom woven throughout, this episode bridges Sweet Home Alabama and Wales—inviting you to expand your understanding of holistic health, soul purpose, and the unseen forces guiding us all.Guest Biography:Dr. Anona Blackwell is a Lancet-published academic physician and leading authority in genitourinary medicine whose lifelong curiosity about the universe has led her to explore the intersection of science and spirituality. Raised on a small holding in rural Wales, she rose from humble beginnings to spearhead research that transformed women's health care in the UK, all while privately investigating anomalous phenomena, energy healing, and her own innate psychic abilities. Her memoir, From Medic to Mystic, chronicles her journey from orthodox-trained doctor to unapologetic mystic, sharing compelling evidence from her clinical and personal life—telepathy, clairvoyance, NDEs, life after death, the power of prayer—and encouraging others to speak openly about their extraordinary experiences.Episode Chapters:(00:00) - Spirituality and Science Blend(14:22) - Dowsing and Pendulums in Finding(17:37) - Childhood Spirit Friend and Royal Encounter(23:58) - Encounters With Prince Charles(28:45) - Healing Past Lives and Energy Blocks(38:23) - Healing and Spirituality in Medicine(47:14) - Connecting With Spirit and Angels➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Español YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Português YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Deutsch YouTube➡️Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan Français YouTube✏️Ask Julie a Question!

Today on The Natural Birth Podcast we have VickyVicky is a stay at home mama from South Wales, UK.She's a former midwife who had a deep rooted fear of entering into the maternity care system and actually never did after she completed her studies.Today she supports women on their journey back to health through Ayurvedic lifestyle coaching and Nutritional Therapy. She caters for women's wellness retreats and run workshops on natural health and breast massage. She has a passion for helping women reconnect with the wisdom they already carry, to feel empowered, thrive, and truly take ownership of their well-being. When becoming pregnant herself she felt that the only way to achieve a natural birth was to relearn what birth is supposed to look like in the wild. Her pregnancy was spent developing her intuition, facing her fears and was guided by a deep trust in nature and the wisdom of the body. She decided to freebirth her baby at home. Equipped with both the scientific evidence and her intuition behind her, she knew it was not only safe, but the right path for her. She had a small space to navigate, living in a self built tiny house, which she solved by having the water birth she had dreamed about in a bell tent in the woods  on Halloween morning. It was magical. Curious about Vicky? Find her on Instagram @nurturedbynature_uk Want to work with Anna or join The Sacred Birth Worker Mentorship?Find Anna's Website, about her Mentorship & How to Work with Her, as well as all Links & Resources she mentions in the episode here:www.sacredbirthinternational.com/links-podcast

I'm delighted to speak with Dr Alan McKay in this week's episode. Alan is an HCPC sport psychologist, researcher, and practitioner. He completed his PhD in sport psychology with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and is currently working as a senior research assistant at the FAW Centre for Football Research, housed at the University of South Wales. In this role he helps to produce multidisciplinary, world-leading, applied performance science research to enhance the performance of Welsh athletes and organisations. Alan also works within elite level sport at both Welsh Triathlon and in his own company Mindframe Performance, where he has supported athletes competing at both the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In this episode Alan and I discuss behaviour-based approaches to mental toughness in sport.

Producers and multi-instrumentalists Cate Le Bon, from Wales, and Ouri, who was born in French Guiana, joined Marjorie Hache to discuss their new albums and how much – or how little – location shapes their work. Ouri has just moved back to Paris after spending the past decade in Montreal. She recently released the electro acoustic pop gem “Daisy Cutter”. Cate Le Bon has relocated to South Wales after the end of a relationship, though her 7th album, “Michelangelo Dying”, was produced in Hydra, Cardiff and Joshua Tree. 

Frankie James opens up about her journey from the South Wales valleys to becoming one of the UK's most respected event founders. She shares how she went from door-to-door sales to launching the Great British Entrepreneur Awards with her dad, growing it into a movement that's been called the Grammys of entrepreneurship. Frankie also reveals the risks behind Ideas Fest, known as “Glastonbury for business,” and the moments that nearly broke her before it all came good.This is the eventful life of Mrs Frankie JamesYouTube: Dodge WoodallInstagram: @Dodge.WoodallWebsite: DodgeWoodall.comTikTok: @DodgeWoodall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of That Peter Crouch Podcast, Pete, Chris, and Steve are joined by two of football's most iconic gaffers — Tony Pulis and Mick McCarthy. Between them, they've seen it all: Premier League survival battles, international tournaments, and the changing face of English football. The lads dig deep into what it really means to be a manager — from adapting your tactics to your players, to dealing with the press, to that gut-wrenching moment when you know “the game's gone.”Tony opens up about his no-nonsense days at Stoke, why long grass was a tactical weapon, and the dark art of winning ugly. Mick recalls his highs with Ireland, his time at Wolves, and the unforgettable press conference moment that went viral for all the wrong reasons. Together, they share hilarious behind-the-scenes stories, harsh truths about modern football, and surprisingly tender reflections on what they miss — and don't miss — about life in the dugout.It's a masterclass in management, packed with wisdom, wit, and a few classic gaffer blow-ups. Strap in for old-school honesty and some brilliant football nostalgia — and let us know in the comments… has the game really gone?Chumbawamba 00:00 – Intro chaos: Zoom setup and the “reverse Planet Earth” start00:12 – Chris's story from the Wicked premiere with Ariana Grande00:07:50 – The lads debrief Sids' FA Cup draw00:12:59 – Mick & Tony join the show — “Two legendary managers in the room”00:15:20 – Respect between rival managers and the old-school pos match wine00:17:00 – McCarthy tells the story of losing a Sids to Fulham — “I told him to f*** off!”00:20:00 – Growing up in South Wales and fighting to make it in football00:23:00 – Tony's tactical evolution: from Stoke's long throws to Palace's flair00:30:00 – The philosophy debate: tactics vs adapting to players00:33:00 – Managing upwards and the modern football hierarchy00:36:00 – Sids asks: “When did the game go?” (VAR, grass length, overprotection)00:43:00 – Mick & Tony on VAR killing the emotion of football00:49:00 – Viral fame: Mick McCarthy's “it can!” meme00:53:00 – “Never slate your players”: The golden rule of press conferences00:55:00 – Would they ever return to management?01:00:00 - GW12 predictionsFollow our Clips page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLNBLB3xr3LyiyAkhZEtiAA For more Peter Crouch: Twitter - https://twitter.com/petercrouch Therapy Crouch - https://www.youtube.com/@thetherapycrouch For more Chris Stark Twitter - https://twitter.com/Chris_StarkInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisstark/For more Steve Sidwell Twitter - https://twitter.com/sjsidwell Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stevesidwell14 #PeterCrouch #ThatPeterCrouchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we are learning from Zulfia Abawe. Zulfia is a lecturer in Global Business and Cohort Lead in the MBA Global Program at the Faculty of Business and Creative Industries at the University of South Wales (Zulfia Abawe — University of South Wales). Holding three post-graduate degrees, including a Masters in Public Policy, LLM in Human Rights, and a PhD in Law and Democracy, she has extensive experience in political and legal analysis, with a particular focus on Afghanistan's legal pluralism and political institutions. Her PhD dissertation examined Afghanistan's legal pluralism from a gendered perspective and its reflection, or lack of, in the 2004 Afghan constitution. Currently, she is exploring relationality and decoloniality as an analytical and theoretical framework to study foreign interventions in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021, emphasizing decoloniality, local practices and decolonial knowledge production in legal and political developments. Let's get started... In this conversation with Zulfia Abawe, I learned: 00:00 Intro - how to pronounce Afghanistan and the decolonization of the IDGs 03:40 - Explaining the work that Zulfia does at the University of Wales 04:30 The research work of Zulfia on international relations, decoloniality, relationality, and foreign interventions in Afghanistan. 05:20 Looking at colonisation not only from a North-South or East-West perspective. 09:15 The symbolic elements of the various accents and how they form me. 11:00 Afghanistan is called the graveyard of empires. 13:20 Challenging the victim-savior approach from the Western world towards Afghanistan. 16:05 You have to get as much education as possible, and books are your best friends - her mother always reminded her. 19:18 Bring in your lived experiences, especially in the era of AI. 23:50 We hoped that access to more information would make people smarter, but it often works in the opposite direction, and critical thinking is lacking. 30:25 The definition of leadership by Northouse misses the non-human relationships. 34:55 Acquiring knowledge by taking time to think about the question. 38:45 Going in and experiencing the similarities by being a part of the culture. 41:05 Decolonisation is the process of reflecting and questioning the things that I need to change within myself. 42:35 Knowledge is produced by the mind, the soul, the heart and desire. (Plato) 45:20 Using intuition from your own experiences and the lived experiences of your forefathers in your decision-making. 46:00 Looking for explanations of intuitive capabilities in the work of Jung and Frankl. 56:40 The intention behind the question and stepping onto the cultural island. 59:45 Zulfia is looking for co-authors for the book she is writing on foreign interventions—both military and non-military—from a gendered perspective and micro-resistance. More about Zulfia Abawe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zulfia-abawe-ph-d-16861819/ https://zulfiaabawe.blogspot.com Resources we mention: Learn more about Afghanistan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan A connecting perspective on colonization – Rukmini Iyer Peter Guy Northouse - Leadership theory and practice Book Sophie's World - Wikipedia - Jostein Gaarder Dan Ariely - Wikipedia - Dan Ariely: Misbelief (website) Thinking, Fast and Slow - Wikipedia - Daniel Kahneman (Dutch book review) Predictably Irrational - Wikipedia - Dan Ariely Intuitions -- do we have good intuitions? (YouTube) Carl Gustav Jung - Wikipedia Man's Search for Meaning - Wikipedia - Viktor Frankl (Dutch book review) Socratic questioning - Wikipedia - (Dutch book review on Leer denken als Socrates – Donald Robertson #boekencast afl 127) The union for working animals - Vakbond voor dieren Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory - Wikipedia - The 6 dimensions model of national culture by Geert Hofstede

Mass Movement Presents… Thronk!In which the taller half of the middle-aged crew hangs and chats to the guys from Newport punk heroes Thronk! about the South Wales scene, AI in Punk, Thronkfest, Punk Rock influences and much, much more.Grab a ticket for Thronkfest here https://thronk.bigcartel.com/ Tune in, turn it up, and geek out.  This one's a doozy..

As the number of bird flu cases across the country rises, DEFRA has announced bird keepers across England must house all poultry and captive birds if they keep more than 50 birds. Avian influenza is just one of the animal disease threats raised in a new report by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee. It says the government would not be ready for a serious national disease outbreak like BSE or foot and mouth because resources have been focused on tackling ongoing outbreaks of avian influenza and bluetongue.All week we're taking a closer look at the start of the farming process; seeds. Most farmers buy seeds of some kind whether it's growing a crop for us to eat, or grass seed for pasture, or wildflower mixes for pollinators. However growing crops to produce the seeds that farmers plant, is just as important. We visit a farmer in South Wales who's diversified and now supplies other farmers with wildflower and grass seed mixes.Plant scientists have mapped the genome of oats. Academics at the University of Aberystwyth say it will help plant breeders develop varieties better suited to cope with disease and climate change.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

For this episode — the first to feature RBP's editorial co-ordinator William Pike — we're joined by Melody Maker legend Simon Price for a discussion of his career, his championing of Manic Street Preachers, and Radiohead's first tour since 2018. Beginning in the South Wales town of Barry, we hear about Simon's boyhood, his formative pop passions and the first of his distinctive sartorial metamorphoses. He recalls his late '80s move to London and the years at Melody Maker that took in his first interviews with fellow Welshmen the Manics and his integral involvement in the Neo-glam sub-genre known as Romo. Our guest's review of the first Radiohead album provides the cue for clips from Amy Linden's 1997 audio interview with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood. We hear Thom talking about the just-released OK Computer and about his beef with Melody Maker itself: this prompts a general discussion of the band's standing as they prepare for the first date of their European tour. After reflecting on the 13 years he spent reviewing gigs for the Independent on Sunday, Simon discusses the gestation of 2021's Curepedia, the "Cure A-Z" he assembled for White Rabbit books. We conclude the episode with tributes to jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette and keyboardist David Ball, phlegmatic foil to Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond. Many thanks to special guest Simon Price. Curepedia: An A–Z of the Cure is published by White Rabbit and available from all good bookshops. Pieces discussed: Articles, interviews and reviews from Simon Price, Manic Street Preachers: Drags to Riches, Radiohead: Pablo Honey, Radiohead audio (1997), Jack DeJohnette: More Than One Way, Soft Cell: Cell Division and The Tainted Life of Soft Cell

Welcome dear listeners to our Halloween special – this Special is a bit different to our usual format, because this is the first time ever that we have conducted an interview with a witness. In this episode, Steve travels to South Wales to meet Rachel who regales her story of obsession, addiction, possession – and ultimately power.In this second part, Rachel talks to Steve about the vice-like grip the Ouija board held in her formative years, and of the legacy it spun as well as the strange power she has within. Join us as we delve into the frightening moments manifested … across the board of years … Do you have an interesting story which you'd be willing to share with the show? If so, your story could feature in our end of season Listeners' Stories episodes – or a Dear Steve. Please get in touch with the show via our new Haunted UK Podcast Website, or email us at contactus@hauntedukpodcast.com, marking the subject as Listener Story or Dear Steve. All stories are treated with the utmost privacy and respect – if you wish to remain anonymous – that's no problem at all.  Please check out our  Haunted UK Podcast Patreon page or Ko-fi  to support the show and gain access to reams of bonus content such as our exclusive series ‘Tour Haunts' and the back catalogue of the extended interview series ‘Talk Haunts'– PLUS an EXTRA  episode a month (!!)Also available are early ad-free episodes and lots more. Thank you so much for supporting us here at Haunted UK Podcast – we can't wait for you to listen – and join our growing community! We're waiting for your stories ...  You can support us and follow us for updates at: Patreon: Haunted UK Podcast PatreonKo-fi: https://ko-fi.com/hauntedukpodcastWebsite: https://hauntedukpodcast.com/Instagram: Haunted UK PodcastFacebook: FacebookTwitter/X: @hauntedukpodTik-Tok: Tik-TokThis episode was: Written and presented by: Steve Holloway Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio. Follow the studio on Instagram . For further details on mixing, mastering and recording services, please email pinkflamingo.musicproductions@hotmail.com Script edited and co-produced by: Marie Waller.For more information on Marie's copywriting, editing and proofreading services, please contact Marie at mariewaller.proofreading@gmail.com You can also find Marie on Instagram and Substack.  Voice talent: Martha Cassidy and Isla Carr.If supernatural fiction is also your style, please check out our recently launched sister podcast Haunted UK Fiction. For further details and updates, you can follow the show on Instagram.  If you're an established or budding writer, and you have a well-curated supernatural-themed fictional story – we would love to hear from you – please submit your work for consideration at  hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com.Thank you again for listening to and supporting the Haunted UK Podcast – so until the next episode ... take care … and stay safe.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/haunted-uk-podcast--6759967/support.

We've curated a special 10-minute version of the podcast for those in a hurry. Here you can listen to the full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/aviva-ceo-transforming-insurance-navigating-climate/id1614211565?i=1000733980682&l=nbIn this episode of In Good Company, Nicolai Tangen sits down with Dame Amanda Blanc, CEO of Aviva, Britain's largest insurer, to unpack a remarkable corporate turnaround. Since becoming CEO during the pandemic, Amanda has refocused Aviva's portfolio, sold off non-core businesses, and made the landmark acquisition of Direct Line. She explains how AI is reshaping insurance, why climate change is a defining challenge for the industry, and what it takes to restore investor confidence after years of challenges. Beyond business, Amanda shares her views on leadership, execution, and building resilience, as well as her advocacy for gender balance in finance. From growing up in the Rhondda Valley of South Wales to being appointed a Dame and leading Britain's largest insurer, her story is one of decisive leadership and determination. Tune in for an insightful conversation! In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New full episodes every Wednesday, and don't miss our Highlight episodes every Friday. The production team for this episode includes Isabelle Karlsson and PLAN-B's Niklas Figenschau Johansen, Sebastian Langvik-Hansen and Pål Huuse. Background research was conducted by Une Solheim. Watch the episode on YouTube: Norges Bank Investment Management - YouTubeWant to learn more about the fund? The fund | Norges Bank Investment Management (nbim.no)Follow Nicolai Tangen on LinkedIn: Nicolai Tangen | LinkedInFollow NBIM on LinkedIn: Norges Bank Investment Management: Administrator for bedriftsside | LinkedInFollow NBIM on Instagram: Explore Norges Bank Investment Management on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/bluemoon Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! ========== Progress in the League Cup followed a set-back in the Premier League. David Mooney is joined by Manchester City fan Ciaran Murray and, from The Guardian, Will Unwin to discuss the victory at Swansea and the defeat at Aston Villa. It's time to talk about creativity... Erling Haaland is the focal point, but when he isn't in the team is there really so much of a problem, given three different players found the net in South Wales? But when he is in the team, is there a way to create more opportunities for some of the other players? With Bournemouth and Borussia Dortmund to come, we hear from Cherries fan and journalist Robert Santonna before Sunday's game. Plus, Stefan Buckzo from The Yellow Wall Podcast drops in to explain how things have started in the Bundesliga for City's Champions League opposition. And, in honour of Omar Marmoush's near-post thwack... What's the best near-post smashed City goal? ========== To get more podcasts or to listen without the ads, join our Patreon. It's just £2 per month for all the extra content and you can get a 7-day free trial first: https://www.patreon.com/BlueMoonPodcast And why not gift a Patreon subscription to a friend or family member? More details: https://www.patreon.com/BlueMoonPodcast/gift

Welcome dear listeners to our Halloween special – this Special is a bit different to our usual format, because this is the first time ever that we have conducted an interview with a witness. In this episode, Steve travels to South Wales to meet Rachel who regales her story of obsession, addiction, possession – and ultimately power.In this first part, Rachel talks to Steve about the eerie encounters that shaped her childhood, and which led her to a Ouija board and down a path she would never have wanted to take – a path, a board, which would hold much power over her … across the years …Do you have an interesting story which you'd be willing to share with the show? If so, your story could feature in our end of season Listeners' Stories episodes – or a Dear Steve. Please get in touch with the show via our new Haunted UK Podcast Website, or email us at contactus@hauntedukpodcast.com, marking the subject as Listener Story or Dear Steve. All stories are treated with the utmost privacy and respect – if you wish to remain anonymous – that's no problem at all.  Please check out our  Haunted UK Podcast Patreon page or Ko-fi  to support the show and gain access to reams of bonus content such as our exclusive series ‘Tour Haunts' and the back catalogue of the extended interview series ‘Talk Haunts'– PLUS an EXTRA  episode a month (!!)Also available are early ad-free episodes and lots more. Thank you so much for supporting us here at Haunted UK Podcast – we can't wait for you to listen – and join our growing community!We're waiting for your stories ... You can support us and follow us for updates at: Patreon: Haunted UK Podcast PatreonKo-fi: https://ko-fi.com/hauntedukpodcastWebsite: https://hauntedukpodcast.com/Instagram: Haunted UK PodcastFacebook: FacebookTwitter/X: @hauntedukpodTik-Tok: Tik-TokThis episode was: Written and presented by: Steve Holloway Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio. Follow the studio on Instagram . For further details on mixing, mastering and recording services, please email pinkflamingo.musicproductions@hotmail.com Script edited and co-produced by: Marie Waller.For more information on Marie's copywriting, editing and proofreading services, please contact Marie at mariewaller.proofreading@gmail.com You can also find Marie on Instagram and Substack.  Voice talent: Martha Cassidy and Isla Carr.If supernatural fiction is also your style, please check out our recently launched sister podcast Haunted UK Fiction. For further details and updates, you can follow the show on Instagram.  If you're an established or budding writer, and you have a well-curated supernatural-themed fictional story – we would love to hear from you – please submit your work for consideration at  hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com.Thank you again for listening to and supporting the Haunted UK Podcast – so until the next episode ... take care … and stay safe.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/haunted-uk-podcast--6759967/support.

Join us as we gear up for Saturday's home clash with Swansea City, hearing from Nathan Jones.Thanks to our sponsors PSF Steel Ltd for making this show possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of In Good Company, Nicolai Tangen sits down with Dame Amanda Blanc, CEO of Aviva, Britain's largest insurer, to unpack a remarkable corporate turnaround. Since becoming CEO during the pandemic, Amanda has refocused Aviva's portfolio, sold off non-core businesses, and made the landmark acquisition of Direct Line. She explains how AI is reshaping insurance, why climate change is a defining challenge for the industry, and what it takes to restore investor confidence after years of challenges. Beyond business, Amanda shares her views on leadership, execution, and building resilience, as well as her advocacy for gender balance in finance. From growing up in the Rhondda Valley of South Wales to being appointed a Dame and leading Britain's largest insurer, her story is one of decisive leadership and determination. Tune in for an insightful conversation! In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New full episodes every Wednesday, and don't miss our Highlight episodes every Friday. The production team for this episode includes Isabelle Karlsson and PLAN-B's Niklas Figenschau Johansen, Sebastian Langvik-Hansen and Pål Huuse. Background research was conducted by Une Solheim. Watch the episode on YouTube: Norges Bank Investment Management - YouTubeWant to learn more about the fund? The fund | Norges Bank Investment Management (nbim.no)Follow Nicolai Tangen on LinkedIn: Nicolai Tangen | LinkedInFollow NBIM on LinkedIn: Norges Bank Investment Management: Administrator for bedriftsside | LinkedInFollow NBIM on Instagram: Explore Norges Bank Investment Management on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm really happy to be talking today with Holly from South Wales, who I first spoke to two years ago. We talk in depth about Holly's experiences of accompanying her children through burnout and emotional distress. We talk about how unschooling can offer us the time and space to do this in a far more compassionate way than our society preaches, and how as adults we are often programmed to just keep rushing and pushing through. Holly shares how her own recent experiences also offered her a deeper understanding of her children. And, we talk about the importance of community and support to help us through the challenging times.You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

Today's topic centers around a book written by my guest, Dr. Margo Lowy. She has researched and written about maternal ambivalence, including how to understand it and why it remains a taboo subject. We will discuss destigmatizing uncomfortable feelings and normalize the understanding that motherhood is not “all or nothing.” We'll cover the darker emotions of anger, guilt, and resentment, and we'll refute the myth of “the perfect mother” and recognize that motherhood can be viewed in different ways. Join us to learn more! Dr. Margo Lowy is a psychotherapist specializing in mothering. She is the author of Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments and Bitter Truths of Motherhood and her previous book, The Maternal Experience: Encounters with Ambivalence and Love. Dr. Lowy earned her doctorate from the University of South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and she has spoken on maternal ambivalence at universities and in media interviews worldwide. She is a columnist for Psychology Today, a member of PEN America, and a former advisor to the founder of the Australian Jewish Fertility Network (AJFN). As a mom of three adult children, she makes her home in NYC with her husband.  Show Highlights: Understanding maternal ambivalence and ALL the associated emotions Motherhood, at its essence, involves complicated feelings. Unrealistic expectations of mothers In motherhood, we ONLY learn by making mistakes and repairing them. Mothering means we make mistakes and learn from them. Perfection is an impossible, rigid goal; we need humor and laughter in motherhood. Children seeing us encounter challenges and NOT being perfect Importance of discernment in social media messages Finding your team and community Emulating our mothers vs. finding our own mothering style  When it's hard to give yourself a pat on the back Understanding the value of difficult emotions Indicators of maternal ambivalence An example of advocating for YOUR motherhood journey Dr. Lowy's practical advice to mothers Resources: Connect with Dr. Margo Lowy  Website, Instagram Dr. Lowy's Books  Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments and Bitter Truths of Motherhood The Maternal Experience: Encounters with Ambivalence and Love Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visitcdph.ca.gov. Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773.  There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be more supportive in offering services. You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms. Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/for information on the grief course.  Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!  If you are a California resident seeking a therapist in perinatal mental health, please email me about openings for private pay clients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick and John have posted eight Hallmarked Man conversations since its publication last month and, as interesting as their back-and-forth talks have been, South Wales to American Fly Over Country, Lake to Shed, much of the best theorizing and interpreting of Strike 8 has been happening in the comment threads beneath those posts and in email messaging with John. Determined that these insights wouldn't be lost or invisible to Serious Strikers, they chose ten of the most challenging for a fun introduction to the fandom conversations readers not privy to the backchannel moderators network or who neglect the comment threads are missing.In addition, Nick shares the credible speculation that Rowling's weeklong absence from tweeting has been because she is on her Samsara yacht in the South Pacific, circling Bora Bora, believe it or don't. John quizzes Nick, too, about the election in South Wales, Caerphilly to be exact, and the reason the results in that dependably Labour area have the UK buzzing (and why Strike readers might expect the populist party victories will color Strikes 9 and 10).A quick ‘table of contents' for their hasty review, then, followed by links and transcripts! Enjoy — and, yes, have at in the comment threads, please, the locus of Strike fandom conversations.* Ed Shardlow: Gorilla Ryan* Vicky: Boxes and Plush Toys* Sandra Hope: Traditional Symbolism* Justin Clavet: Only Fans Gaffe (Ed Shardlow -- ‘Not Proven' error)* Bora Bora* Justin Clavet: On Manhood* Ed Shardlow: Ickabog Parallel Book Theory* Sandra Hope: Hallmarked Man as Rowling's ‘Greatest Hits' allusion collection* LC - Dorothy Sayers* Kathleen O'Connor -- Alternative Incest* Caerphilly elections -- UK meaning* Ring Composition ProjectPromised Links and Transcripts:* Ed Shardlow's ‘Gorilla Ryan' TheoryThe Ryan the Gorilla theory came to me at the point in the book where Robin has an epiphany following an impulse to look up the meaning of a name. I think this was the Jolanda-Violet realisation, but I thought she'd suddenly realised the full extent of Ryan's dark side, with the significance being the previously noted meaning of his name “Sea King” suggesting a connection between him and Wade King.That theory seemed very flimsy at first, but on further examination it might have some mileage. There are some notable differences between the attack in the Land Rover and the previous ones. Although we imagine the attacker wearing a gorilla mask, there's no mention of it, and in fact it says she can see his face. Also the Land Rover attacker makes no demands that she, “Stop” or, “Leave it”. She hits Wade with the pepper spray, which of course, would be difficult for Ryan to cover up, but she didn't inflict any such injuries on the gorilla attacker. Wade clearly intends to hurt her, whereas the other attacks had no physical violence and look very much like they were just intended to scare her.1) It's hinted that Branfoot knows about Robin's rape, and she says it's on the internet, but we never get any indication that King or Griffiths know about it. Strike and Robin never consider that the attacker might be someone who knows about it because they're close to Robin. That seems like an oversight.2) The gorilla attacker never refers to a specific case. Murphy may be scaring her into quitting the job and getting away from Strike, whereas a suspect would want her to stop investigating their specific case.3) The police don't take the rubber gorilla and dagger for DNA testing. That's pretty strange, unless there's someone on the inside blocking the investigation.There's a bit of an issue with the guy in the green jacket, who presumably Robin can see isn't Ryan when he's on the industrial estate and outside her flat. Presumably that was Wade.So, there would need to be some explanation for how or why Murphy is wearing the same jacket when he accosts her with the ceremonial dagger. But that's not insurmountable.Murphy would have been very surprised to encounter Matthew (sic, he means ‘Martin' -ed.), who he knows from Masham, outside Robin's flat. The narrative very much prompts us to think there's something going on with Murphy, but then we put this down to his work issues and associated relapse, but perhaps that blinds us (and Robin) to another possibility. And if it is the case, then Strike hasn't just let Robin go to dinner with his romantic rival, but she's heading into mortal danger. Were his instincts subconsciously alerting him to the threat? Did he leave it too late to shout, “Brake!” again?Nicola Reed's Objection to ‘Gorilla Ryan' (Sandy Hope, too)Kathleen O'Connor's Cogent Counterpoint to John's Incredulity about No One Noticing How Short Faux-Wright was in the Ramsay Silver footageVicky on the Interpretation of Robin's “Stuffed Toy” DreamBrenna Hill asks ‘Why is the New Ellacott Puppy Named Betty?'Sandra Hope Jumpstarts Conversation about Traditional Symbolism in Hallmarked Man* Masonic Orb Pendant for sale on Etsy ($795)* Jacob's Ladder Mosaic in Masonic Hall, London (Alamy)* The Bohun Swan (‘Chained Swan') (Wikipedia)Justin Clavet: The ‘Only Fans' Gaffe· I commented on the Hogwarts Professor gaffes pillar [Placeholder, ed.] post about the OnlyFans error - that the OnlyFans website was launched in November 2016, but in the book, the murdered Sofia is said to be a prolific OnlyFans poster before her disappearance in June of that same year. The OnlyFans account is only a small point in this large plot, but one that is repeatedly referred to, and Sofia's OnlyFans account is what ultimately brought her to the attention of her killer. For such a meticulous plotter and, as John would say, “OCD” author as Rowling is, does this real-world chronological impossibility give you pause? What other big historical error like this can be found in her books?· Did you notice that the interview with the pornstar occurs in chapter 69? I think Rowling was having a bit of (structural) fun and winking at the observant reader with that one.* Justin Clavet's 3 September ‘Gaffes' posting about ‘Only Fans'The reference to OnlyFans in chapter 33 (p. 269) felt anachronistic to me, as I don't remember ever hearing about the website before the pandemic era. And sure enough, according to Wikipedia (citing a New York Times article), the website didn't launch until November 2016. Therefore, Sofia – who was murdered in June 2016 – could not have been a prolific OnlyFans poster. Sofia's supposed OnlyFans account is referenced several further times throughout the book. Based on data from Google Trends, it seems incredibly unlikely that Strike and Robin would have readily known what OnlyFans was in late 2016/early 2017. So Where is Bora Bora?The Caerphilly 2025 Election: Victories for Left and Right Wing Populist Parties* 2025 Caerphilly Bi-Election (Wikipedia!)* UK's Ruling Labour Suffer Crushing Defeat Against Political Insurgents at Ballot Box (Breitbart)Justin Clavet ‘On Manhood in Hallmarked Man'The biggest thing that struck me in this book was the persistent themes of manhood woven throughout: the responsibilities, relationships, and hardships of men. * The central crime is linked with a secretive fraternal organization. * It opens with the death of Strike's father figure Ted, a “proper man” (p. 38), by whose maxims Strike is newly resolved to live. * We learn that Ted would've murdered (or been murdered by) his father Trevik if he hadn't left home and joined the army (p. 39), just like Strike would have come to blows (or worse) with his step-father Whittaker if he hadn't left home and joined the army. * While he loses the man he called his dad, he has a real meeting with his natural father for the first time. Rokeby shares that, in Strike, he had produced a proper man” (p. 747). * Strike celebrates not having fathered a child (while Robin is distraught in the wake of her own lost child, and devastated that the option to be a mother may no longer be hers to choose).* Richard de Leon says that his brother Danny was made the way he is because of his father's mistreatment. * Strike is bewildered that Danny (who integrates his brother's Christian name into his porn name, Dick de Lion) and Richard could be so close and share so much with each other, contrasting this with his own relationship with Al. * Leda and Rena are both shown to have suffered because of the absence of their more stable brothers. * Strike observes that “men are seen as disposable in certain contexts” (pp. 107f).* Wardle, who is shown to be a caring and dedicated father to his young child, opens up to Strike about his depression and his marriage troubles. * Strike reflects on the shallow friendships he has with other men, and later sees how this kind of friendship can be toxic with the wrong personalities (in Powell, Pratt, and Jones, p. 860). * Strike fears Wardle may be at risk of suicide. Niall is found to have committed suicide after his brother in arms was horrifically executed by Islamist combatants. The public can't be bothered to care about the tragic loss of this man who heroically put his life on the line for his country - preferring instead to lend their attention to the spectacle of another man, Branfoot, who went to extreme lengths to indulge his basest and most perverse desires (p. 873).Like many events in this book, this theme - with characters showing genuine concern and thoughtful consideration of complex men's issues - is a mirror image of one presented in Troubled Blood with the character of Carl Oakden and his cynical men's rights grift.This barely scratches the surface of the notes that I took on this theme, which I saw running deep through the whole book. I wondered if I was just seeing this in the text because of my own perspective as a man, or if it really was there. Indeed, you could find hints of this theme in each of the preceding seven books. But the structural clues left me convinced it was intentional. And when I watched this video (https://robert-galbraith.com/robert-galbraith-discusses-the-case-in-the-hallmarked-man/) the day after finishing the book, there was no doubt.Justin Clavet on the Hallmarked Man Dedication and Rokeby's Gratitude· I connected the book's dedication to Sean and Nadine Harris with Rokeby's statement on p. 748, “Not everyone's got a mate called Leo ‘oo stops ‘em livin' rough” and that he attributes his artistic and financial success to his friend's generosity and charity.Ed Shardlow on The Ickabog as Hallmarked Man's Parallel BookConscious of the links between the first 7 books of the series and the Potter books, and with three books purportedly remaining in the series, I was primed to see a connection between The Hallmarked Man and one of Casual Vacancy, Christmas Pig or the Ickabog. I didn't have any predisposition to it being any of those. Even if Rowling is taking them in some sort of chronological order, there's reason to believe the orders of conception, writing and publishing may differ.At the end of Part One, I thought the Ickabog looked like the best fit based on the fact that the central mystery of who the body in the vault was has a certain similarity to the mystery of the Ickabog itself and whether it was real or a myth. The importance of the truth and the damage done by lies are fundamental to the Ickabog story, and I thought from the start those were major themes in THM.The other correspondences I've spotted:* The police, in various guises, like the royal guard play an important part, largely inept, self-serving, and perpetrators of miscarriages of justice.* The aristocrats - Lord Branfoot, Lady Jenson, Dino Longcaster - lie and deceive to protect their own interests, causing untold damage in the process.* There's terrorism, and terrorism being used to spread fear and division.* Ultimately Rupert and Decima, two sexes but one entity, produce an offspring that may have been defective or corrupted by the state of the world he was born into, but seems to have emerged happy and healthy. Daisy Dovetail having persuaded Rupert the Ickabog that humanity was worth making compromises for.* The main antagonist traps a woman in his house. I thought their names were Esmeralda and Sapphire, but it's Lady Eslanda not Esmeralda… But apparently Eslanda can mean emerald, or VIOLET, or truth… So Eslanda corresponds to both Sapphire and Jolanda!* We visit a feudal state* Ben Liddell – the soldier killed in an incident in a land where there shouldn't have been any military conflict happening and it being covered up by the government* Sandra Hope: The Footprint!Ed Shardlow, I can't wait for your show on the parallels between THM and the Ickabog!!! I just finished rereading both of them and I'm losing my mind! Omg, the footprint: “The Flaw in the Plan (ch32) is that the footprint is hopping (not so much terrifying as ludicrously funny) and Strike noting that the bearer of the footprint in the vault has a limp!! Please let this conversation happen soon!!Sandra Hope: Strike 8 as a ‘Rowling's Greatest Hits Album' of Allusions:Allusions that took my breath away:* Ectopic pregnancy- TB* Schadenfreude- CC* “So many babies”- not just born, but what they're born into- Ickabog borndings* Human trafficking ring- RG* Woman buried in/under concrete- TB* Staged murder involving mutilation- Silkworm* Violent attacks & subsequent PTSD- a Rowling theme in every book, but especially CE & LW* DNA testing & fatherhood- CV, TB* Guys trying to find right time to ask a potential partner a question- GOF lol* Valentine's Day mishaps- CS, TB* Behavior of abandoned mothers-Silkworm (& HBP), specifically Merope, Leonora, Decima (also Leda)* Journalism as a weapon- GOF, OOP, Silkworm, RG* Potential ill usage of mirrors- SSNot a complete list by any means lolLC – Dorothy Sayers Connection?I don't know if there is anything in my seeing parallels between Cormoran and Robin and Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vance (Dorothy Sayers): Peter and Harriet had a very long acquaintance before they finally got engaged, with lots of twists and turns. Peter goes deep undercover in an ad agency in one novel; the feel of it was very similar to Robin going deep undercover in Lethal White. Also, the Sayers novel “Five Red Herrings” also features five men--in this case, five men who could have been the murderer (instead of the victim). Sayers also had very intricate plots that were puzzles--and was a Dante scholar. I believe Jo has mentioned that she admired Sayers. I don't know if these are just interesting parallels that Jo is having fun with or not, but they certainly seem to be more than coincidences. Thanks!Kathleen O'Connor – Alternative Incest Big Twist IdeasI'm impressed by your arguments that we will see some shocking twists – in addition to the shocking twist that Rokeby is actually, in his old age, a good father to his mature son, Cormoran, and not at all the image-focused a*****e we have seen through Strike's eyes up to now. I don't think, however, we will find that Rokeby is not Strike's father. That revelation would dilute Strike's growth in terms of his realizations that he has been mistaken about many things that he has taken for granted in his life. Instead, I think instead we will see a continuation of Robeby's rehabilitation until eventually, like Snape, Rokeby makes some kind of big sacrifice to aid Cormoran or someone/something else important to Cormoran. Also, even though Strike does not physically resemble Rokeby, he does resemble Prudence: * “Seeing them face to face, Robin spotted her partner's resemblance to Jonny Rokeby for the first time. He and his half-sister shared the same defined jaw, the same spacing of the eyes. She wondered – she who had three brothers, all of the same parentage – what it felt like, to make a first acquaintance with a blood relative in your forties. But there was something more there than a faint physical resemblance between brother and sister: they appeared, already, to have established an unspoken understanding.” - The Running Grave And: * “In youth, Strike knew, Rokeby had been exactly as tall as his oldest son, though he was now a little shorter.” - The Hallmarked Man Maybe the big twist and incest plot is connected to either Switch or Whittaker. As we learn from Wikipedia in Career of Evil, Jeff Whittaker never knew who his father was. A strong possibility could be that Patricia Whittaker's own father, Sir Randolph, had gotten her pregnant with Jeff. In that case, keeping that secret – as well as simply keeping the baby away from Leda – could have been the motive for a Whittaker family member to have killed Leda. An even bigger twist might be that Leda did commit suicide, using exactly the method of Krystal Weedon, after she realized that she was Whittaker's sister. Would it be possible for Trevik to have met up with Patricia Whitaker in London and gotten her pregnant? Regardless of the incest angle, I do think we might find that Leda, whose life choices have not allowed her to develop the strength or discipline to face hard truths, may have committed suicide rather than cope with some kind of guilt (maybe she found out what happened to Lucy?). There are multiple examples that foreshadow these possibilities – off the top of my head, there are “naughty boy” wealthy aristos (Freddy Chiswell, Alexander Graves, Will Edensor, Jago Ross) who might parallel Sir Randolph or Jeff Whittaker, and multiple characters who confuse suicide with sacrifice or who simply cannot face what they have done (Cherie Gittins, Krystal Weedon, Yasmin Weatherhead). Rhiannon Winn and Ellie Fancourt both commit suicide because they cannot cope with the shame they feel as a result of others' cruelty.Also, I can think of two points that support your idea that we will find out some bad things about Ted. Number one, the revelations that Dumbledore was extremely flawed are crucial to Harry's story. In fact, I suggest that writing characters who are not merely “gray” but who are simultaneously really good and really bad is a “golden thread” of Rowling's work. And, number two, we hear multiple times that Ted taught Strike, “There's no pride in having what you never worked for” while Rokeby says “I don't wanna die wivvout knowin' ya. You fink I 'aven't got the right to be proud, maybe, but I am. I'm proud of ya.” I don't think it is an accident that Rowling sets up this opposition, and I also think she wants us to admire Rokey's desire to know his son. Get full access to Hogwarts Professor at hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Michael Sheen is an award-winning actor.After finding his love for the stage with the West Glamorgan Youth theatre as a teenager, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He spent the 1990s making a name for himself as a stage actor, shining in the classics from Romeo and Juliet to Peer Gynt as well as in 20th century masterpieces such as Look Back in Anger and Amadeus, receiving several Olivier Award nominations along the way.A relocation to the US in the early 2000s with his then partner, the actress Kate Beckinsale, and their young daughter Lily prompted a move into films. His breakthrough came in 2003 when he portrayed Tony Blair in a Stephen Frears film called The Deal. It was the beginning of what became an unlikely specialism: morphing into real people from recent history: Kenneth Williams, David Frost, Brian Clough, Chris Tarrant, and Prince Andrew – with two more outings as Tony Blair thrown in for good measure.Michael was born in Newport, South Wales, in February 1969, the eldest of two children to Meyrick and Irene. He grew up in Port Talbot from the age of eight and considers it his hometown. His first love was football, and he was spotted as youngster by an Arsenal talent scout to play for their youth team. His parents decided against moving the family to London and he turned to acting instead and graduated from RADA in 1991.Alongside the classic dramas, his range extends to appearing in fantasy and science fiction films such as The Twilight Saga and Tron: Legacy. Michael has said that the most meaningful project to him was a modern restaging of the passion play in Port Talbot in 2011, which involved the participation of a thousand local people, because it opened his eyes to the difficulties many of them were experiencing. He has since used his own money to fund the 2019 Homeless World Cup in Cardiff and set up an organisation which supports community groups. Michael lives in Wales with his partner, the actress Anna Lundberg, and their two young daughters. DISC ONE: Vienna - Ultravox DISC TWO: The Ecstasy Of Gold - Ennio Morricone DISC THREE: Desire - Talk Talk DISC FOUR: Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones DISC FIVE: Ready for Drowning - Manic Street Preachers DISC SIX: Passion - Peter Gabriel DISC SEVEN: Dark Secret - Lau DISC EIGHT: Oh Yeah - Yello BOOK CHOICE: The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell LUXURY ITEM: A football CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Vienna - Ultravox Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah TaylorThere are more than 2000 programmes in our archive available for you to listen to. We have cast away other notable actors including Sir Anthony Hopkins and some of the people Michael has played including Kenneth Williams, Chris Tarrant and Tony Blair. You can find all those episodes and more by searching BBC Sounds.

Fifth straight Championship defeat, 23rd in the table and that all too familiar feeling of disappointment. It can't go on like this for Norwich City, can it? It can. A 2-1 loss to out-of-form Swansea has piled the pressure on those in charge at Norwich City ahead of Mark Attanasio's state visit to Norfolk this weekend, with the owner set to speak directly to supporters. Join Connor Southwell and Paddy Davitt as they reflect on the loss of South Wales and the sad state of affairs that has engulfed the Canaries. ** Picture: Focus Images Ltd *** You can also hear the Pink Un Podcast on Norwich's Community radio station, Future Radio 107.8FM. *** To get in touch with the podcast now and in future, send any comments and questions into the crew with an email to norfolksport@archant.co.uk or get in touch with us @pinkun on Twitter, where our direct messages are open. And if you're interested in sponsoring the pod, or placing an advert in one of our shows, email connor.southwell@newsquest.co.uk ALSO FIND US AT THE FOLLOWING: Subscribe: pinkun.com/podcast Twitter: twitter.com/pinkun Facebook: fb.me/thepinkun Instagram: instagram.com/the_pinkun Find more details on how you can sign up to Pink Un + here: https://www.pinkun.com/pinkunplus/ #ncfc #norwichcity #podcast

After 14 attempts, Lindsay Whittle has won the Caerphilly seat in South Wales for Plaid Cymru. Reform came in second with over a third of the vote, and Labour trailed in third with 11%. A devastating loss for the party.Harry Clarke-Ezzidio is joined by Ben Walker in Caerphilly Leisure Centre.LISTEN AD-FREE:

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/bluemoon Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! ========== A pair of 2-0 wins for Manchester City this week and David Mooney is joined by City fan Richard Burns and football commentator for the Premier League, the BBC and others Conor McNamara to review the victories against Everton and Villarreal. With Aston Villa and Swansea coming up, we hear from Frankie from All Villa No Filler to see how things are going at Villa Park. Plus we catch up with Swans fans Alex and Sam ahead of the trip to South Wales. Also, what does it mean to be a City fan in 2025? The most-successful era has come just a stone's throw away from the worst ever period, so how does that affect or influence the fan experience? Then there's a whole host of other factors that are laid at fans' doors, like ownership, sportswashing, 115, "how can we compete with this?", plastic fans, oil club... How do you navigate that? We speak to Dom Farrell about his new book that examines the City fan experience. ========== If you'd like to buy Dom's book, here is the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glory-Days-Waifs-Strays-Manchester/dp/1785909681  And, if you'd like to come to the launch party, you can get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/manchester-city-book-launch-with-author-dom-farrell-tickets-1731067432289  ========== To get more podcasts or to listen without the ads, join our Patreon. It's just £2 per month for all the extra content and you can get a 7-day free trial first: https://www.patreon.com/BlueMoonPodcast And why not gift a Patreon subscription to a friend or family member? More details: https://www.patreon.com/BlueMoonPodcast/gift

In 2011, I made the hardest decision of my life. I left the Royal Marines. On paper, it looked simple  come home, be with my kids, be the dad who's present, not the one watching from a distance. But the emotional reality was anything but simple. I wasn't just leaving a job. I was leaving an identity. The Marines had shaped everything  my purpose, my mindset, my belonging. And when that went, so did my sense of who I was. That drive home from South Wales was four hours of silence, tears, and questions I couldn't answer. Was I walking away from everything I'd built? Or finally stepping into who I was meant to become? This episode is about those moments  the ones that break you open, that strip away the old identity so you can meet the next version of yourself. It's about the loneliness, the fear, the doubt… and how they're not signs of failure, but signals that you're evolving. Because the truth is, uncertainty builds capability. Every next level of your life will demand a version of you that you haven't met yet. And sometimes, the hardest decisions aren't wrong — they just demand courage before they deliver clarity. If you're at that crossroads right now, this episode will hit deep. Listen in, reflect, and remember — your next level isn't built in comfort. It's built in courage.

Aneurin Bevan's commitment to social justice led to the creation of the National Health Service in 1948 – one of the most ambitious social reforms in British history. He was an MP who stuck to his principles in the face of serious opposition, but was not without criticism in both his professional and personal life. Speaking to Lauren Good, Nye Davies charts Bevan's journey from the coalfields of South Wales to the corridors of Westminster. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's podcast is presented by Stephen and Jacqueline. We hear from: · Claire from Clapham, who isn't sure that the current arrangements at Home Farm are going to work out; · Ros in South Wales, who asks for a reminder about how long Mick has known George; · Witherspoon, who wonders how George and Amber will get on now that they can actually spend time together; · Tracy from California - back after a long absence from our ears - who feels she has been spending a lot of time with people she just doesn't like; · Lakey Hill Liminal, a first-time caller-innerer - hurrah! who is wondering where the future lies for Chris and Fallon; · And finally David from Carmarthenshire, who spotted something possibly untoward in Mick's behaviour; And we have emails from Gillian in London, from Laura, from Chris in Florida and from loyal listener Purple Pumpkin. As usual we'll hear a roundup of the Dumteedum Facebook group, this week from Jacquieline, and the Tweets of the Week from Theo, plus the round up of this Week in Ambridge, from Suey. Please call into the show using this link:www.speakpipe.com/dumteedum Or send us a voicenote via WhatsApp on: +44 7770 764 896 (07770 764 896 if in the UK) – Open the WhatsApp app, key in the number and click on the microphone icon. Or email us at dumteedum@mail.com How to leave a review on Apple podcasts: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/podcasts/pod5facd9d70/mac ***** The new Patreon feed for Dumteedum is at www.patreon.com/DumteedumPodcast and the subscription rate is £5.00 per calendar month plus VAT. And don't forget to cancel your existing Patreon subscription if you have one, as we will continue to put the podcast out on that feed through February to give Patreons time to transfer over. ***** Also Sprach Zarathustra licence Creative Commons ► Attribution 3.0 Unported ► CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..."You are free to use, remix, transform, and build upon the materialfor any purpose, even commercially. You must give appropriate credit." Conducted byPhilip Milman ► https://pmmusic.pro/ Funded ByLudwig ► / ludwigahgren Schlatt ► / jschlattlive COMPOSED BY / @officialphilman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A classic old South Wales legend today as Calan Gaeaf is just around the corner. In 1890 the Morfa Pit disaster sent echoes of death all around the industrial towns of Glamorgan and soon tales of a ghostly hound seen just before the disaster started to spread. I have its tale just for you at the Firepit at the heart of the forest.Enjoy my friendswww.welshstoryteller.comwww.pareon.com/owenstaton7www.ko-fi.com/owenstatonOwen x

Wednesday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Keyne; a Fifth Century holy woman, one of the 24 children of King Brychan of Brecknock, Wales; after refusing several offers of marriage, she became a hermitess on the banks of the Severn River in Somersetshire, England; she lived there for several years and traveled much, and was then persuaded by her nephew, St. Cadoc, to return to Wales; she founded numerous churches in South Wales, Cornwall, and perhaps Somerset Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/8/25 Gospel: Luke 11:1-4

Hear from Marti Cifuentes ahead of Leicester City's trip to South Wales to face Swansea.

For Fox Sake Podcast presents The Preview. Rob Hayes is joined by Tom Strangward to preview Saturday's trip to South Wales to face Swansea City. Who leads the line? Is there a better midfield pairing in The Championship than Winks and James? Can City find a way to win after four successive draws? #LCFC #LeicesterCity #swanseacity #leicester #swansea_city #championship #ThePreview #Football #podcast #forfoxsake #efl #eflchampionship

Moldova's pro-EU president, Maia Sandu, has cast her ballot in the country's parliamentary election, urging voters to join her because the country's future is "in danger". Ms Sandu, police, and prosecutors say vote buying and disinformation are unprecedented in scale and linked directly to Russia. Moscow denies accusations of interference. Pro-Kremlin opposition parties have also dismissed talk of Russian meddling; they claim the government is making the case in advance for annulling the vote, should the liberal governing party (the PAS) lose its majority.Also in the programme: With drones increasingly used in offensive military operations, how can you defend against them? Also today, the cricket clash between India and Pakistan; and why Elvis Presley is big in South Wales.(Photo: Moldovan President Maia Sandu votes at a polling station during the country's parliamentary election in Chisinau, Moldova, September 28, 2025. Reuters/Vladislav Culiomza)

In this episode of Men of Influence, host Tim Holloway welcomes Mark Tregilgas, known as "Tregs," a 45-year-old fitness coach from South Wales, UK, with nearly 18 years in the industry. As the owner of 30 Plus Men's Fitness, Tregs shares his journey from a nightlife event promoter to finding his calling as a personal trainer after a pivotal 10k run. Inspired by his active parents, he transitioned into fitness at 27, coaching men both online and in-person to optimize their health and energy. Tregs emphasizes that physical fitness enhances confidence, energy, and presence, enabling men to influence others positively by "vibrating differently" and embracing life's challenges without fear of judgment.Tregs outlines a foundational approach to health, starting with sleep, hydration, and daily steps before layering in nutrition (high-protein, calorie-deficit diets) and training. He stresses consistency over quick fixes, warning against reliance on trends like weight loss injections without addressing mindset and environment. Drawing from Atomic Habits by James Clear, Tregs advocates for identity change through small, consistent wins, proving to yourself daily who you want to become. His non-negotiable habits; nighttime tea for sleep, 2-3 liters of water, and 15,000 steps; drive his personal excellence, and he encourages men to start these simple practices immediately for lasting impact.Key Takeaways:Fitness Fuels Influence: A healthy body boosts energy and confidence, enhancing how you show up and influence others in all areas of life.Foundation First: Prioritize sleep, hydration, and daily steps as the base of a healthy lifestyle before adding nutrition and training.Consistency Over Quick Fixes: Sustainable change comes from boring, consistent habits, not short-term challenges or extreme diets.Identity Through Habits: Small daily wins shape your identity, proving to yourself you're disciplined and capable of change.Actionable Step: Start today by drinking 2-3 liters of water, aiming for 7,000-10,000 steps, and creating a nighttime routine for better sleep.“The magic is in the journey; who you become through consistent habits, not just the end result.” - Mark TregilgasLearn more about Tim through the following links:FacebookPodcasting group

Throwbacks are where I re-release old episodes from the archives. So don't worry if you have heard it already, as 'New episodes' will continue to come out on Sundays. To get some of the old episodes heard.~~~In this episode we stay within the United Kingdom, and first we meet Gareth in South Wales. Gareth's strange encounter occurred in Abertillery in the Welsh Valleys in 1981, when he witnessed with a couple of friends a bright, blinding light and a figure upon a ridge. Then we head over the Welsh border to Paul in Cambridgeshire, Paul will be sharing his UFO encounters that began in 1978 when he witnessed a cigar-shaped object and several other sightings he experienced up to present day. Paul has also had a few interesting paranormal events happen in his life, and notable a couple which almost certainly saved his life.More information on this episode on the podcast website:https://ufochroniclespodcast.com/ep-157-a-visit-to-the-valleys-dont-be-afraid/Want to share your encounter on the show?Email: UFOChronicles@gmail.comOr Fill out Guest Form:https://forms.gle/uGQ8PTVRkcjy4nxS7Podcast Merchandise:https://www.teepublic.com/user/ufo-chronicles-podcastHelp Support UFO CHRONICLES by becoming a Patron:https://patreon.com/UFOChroniclespodcastX: https://twitter.com/UFOchronpodcastThank you for listening!Please leave a review if you enjoy the show.Like share and subscribe it really helps me when people share the show on social media, it means we can reach more people and more witnesses and without your amazing support, it wouldn't be possible.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ufo-chronicles-podcast--3395068/support.

John Batchelor is the host of the Friends of History Debating Society. He broadcasts from New England, where he is currently entering autumn, contrasting with Jeremy Zakis's springtime in New South Wales. He refers to Jeremy Zakisas his "good mate." Batchelor often guides the conversation with Jeremy Zakis, asking about: The emergence of venomous snakes in springtime, referring to this period as "the first act of the thriller." He asks about snake catchers' procedures and the questions asked at clinics regarding snake bites. He also raises a personal experience of hitting something in overgrown grass, pondering if it could have been a snake if he were in Australia. Batchelor notes that discussing springtime with Jeremy is "far more interesting" than preparing his own garden for winter's colder days. He also discusses python sightings, specifically mentioning a photograph of two pythons battling on a library roof on the Sunshine Coast, questioning if such an event is ordinary for an urban area. He emphasizes that he is in New England, in the "northern temperate zone," while Jeremy Zakis is in the "southern temperate zone."

The story this week comes from a small town in South Wales. It is a story about trust misplaced, lives shattered, and the devastating cost of chasing a dream that was never real. Find out more about me and the UK True Crime Podcasthttps://uktruecrime.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.