The best podcasts for Bringing Joy to Your Life

I was first bitten by the bug in the early 2000s. Even today I can picture myself stepping foot in the long since demolished hospital radio studio with 15 copies of Mull of Kintyre on vinyl abandoned in a corner. Since those days bringing joy to a small audience in a corner of Fife, radio and podcasts have been a big part of my life. Whether producing or consuming content, my view is that you should try to bring joy or at least make people think a bit. Opening the mic is like stepping on stage - say something insightful or entertaining. Many years, many stations and many formats later, it's what I do in any podcast I produce and it's what I look for in a good podcast. Hopefully this shortlist is a chance to bring you on that journey with me. My world has expanded a lot since those early days. Technology and even local politics makes up a big part of what I do and what I am. This strange mix does mean we will be visiting a few podcasts you probably don't normally see together! Purely and simply the world needs a bit more joy in it. True crime podcasts have their place but when you're working long shifts or enduring a long commute, hearing about the gritty reality every day does take its toll. On the other extreme, hearing every radio station flip to a "late night love" format on your late drive home doesn't exactly excite either. You need that late night, light hearted chat format. Heck, it's something I used to produce on a few small volunteer radio stations across the UK. Somewhere with a friendly voice and a small community to interact with. I still remember the Ice Man and someone else that compared me to Tiger Tim on Radio Clyde many years later! This has driven me over the years to look for podcasts that take a tongue in cheek approach to the content they tackle. I'd rather hear a down-to-earth discussion than an overly produced soundscape. Bet you do too!

A Wee Natter is simply that, a wee natter about the not-so-important issues of the day. Sounds simple but it's not. If you're not finishing an episode with a smile on your face or saying "I've never thought of it that way before", I've not done my job. The podcast is a chance for you to join the small community I've built with my wife. It's not been running long but we've been "on air" together since 2010. Despite that we've touched on defending your home against spiders, and the best mince pies on offer. All with regular audience interaction. Admittedly a bit like the old days of radio and sending letters in the hope the radio DJ would read them out in the next episode but it's an experience I wouldn't want you to miss out on!

I must sound like a stuck record by now but it's the Ronseal of playlists - does what it says on the tin. Every show in this list is light hearted and brings a bit of joy to my world. I can only hope it does the same for your as well!