The Best Podcasts To Listen To, According To The Handbook Team
Podcasts are everywhere in 2025- and because they’re all the rage, it can be hard to know where to begin or what to branch out and listen to when looking forward something new. With so many out there, we’ve decided to put together a list of some of the team’s favourite podcasts we’re currently listening to. From motivational ones that can help you self-improve to chatty pop-culture shows that make you feel connected – here’s what we think you should be listening to:
Diary of a CEO
Steven Bartlettt’s Diary of a CEO is another mega podcast with a large and loyal following. Businessman Bartlett, who has since become a Dragon on Dragon’s Den, focuses on stories of success, greatness, and business management. While entrepreneurs and those from the business world like Richard Branson, Will Ahmed and Mary Portas have appeared, Diary of a CEO has also featured celeb guests like Gary Neville, Lewis Capaldi, Jimmy Carr and Piers Morgan.
I am a loyal Diary of a CEO fan. I really admire Steven Bartlett’s ‘1%’ approach he undertakes with every guest and meticulous approach to research. He’s committed to having guests who are usually the top experts in the field, and Steven’s a great interviewer, which results in a long but amazing conversation.
Imogen, Graphic Designer
Shameless
Australian pop culture podcast Shameless began in 2018 and has since racked up 500 episodes. Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews are your guides in a show self-described as “for smart people who love dumb stuff.” Celebrity news and social media trends are usually what’s covered, but Shameless also touches on serious issues, too, in a very listenable way.
The hosts, Zara and Michelle, chat about pop culture in a clever but funny way, and also delve into timely, topical news. I finish each episode feeling that bit smarter and lighter. I’ve also recommended this show to multiple people, and they’re now obsessed, too.
Natasha, Digital Editor
New Chapters With Isabel Webster
Journalist Isabel Webster hosts this recently launched podcast, which focuses on interviews with individuals who inspire. There are stories of reinvention and self-growth, and overcoming life challenges, which she hopes will help empower and uplift others to find success in life. Guests so far include Amanda Wakeley OBE, Vivi et Margot founder Charlotte Reiss, and co-founder of Sipsmith Gin, Sam Galsworthy.
I am loving award-winning broadcaster Isabel Webster’s newly launched podcast, Webster’s podcast offers an intimate look into the lives of individuals who have navigated significant life changes, providing listeners with inspiring narratives of courage and reinvention.
Elly, Founder & CEO
Big Food Energy
Hosted by food journalist Smitha Menon, Big Food Energy is a podcast that’s all about food and celebrating the culinary landscape of India. The podcast is full of insightful conversations from a host who truly believes in the “unapologetic rise of dosa as a global icon.” Funny, insightful, and full of interesting stories from India’s most loved and respected chefs and restaurateurs, this is a podcast for anyone who loves food, featuring fun chats with legendary food and drink entrepreneurs from India and around the world.
As someone who has been writing about food for almost two years, I’ve found the best thing I can do for myself is to learn from people who know more about food than I do – and Smitha Menon’s podcast Big Food Energy is full of incredible insights, trends and forecasts from someone who really knows her stuff. I’m sadly always hungry after I listen to her episodes!
Andrea, Contributing Food, Culture & Lifestyle Editor
The Girls Bathroom
Hosted by Sophia and Cinzia (life-long besties who host a YouTube channel), The Girls Bathroom podcast features girl chat and gossip, where the two hosts help out their audience with their dilemmas, chat about relationships, boy drama and lots more.
I love The Girls Bathroom because it feels like a warm chat with friends — real, honest, and a reminder that we’re all figuring it out together. Meeting Sophia and Cinzia in real life only confirmed it — they were so friendly, genuine, and full of the same love and energy you feel through every episode.
Beth, Social Media Assistant
Do You F*cking Mind?
Do You Fucking Mind? – sometimes abbreviated to DYFM?- is hosted by bestselling author and neuroscientist Alexis Fernandez. It’s a self-help podcast backed by Fernandez’s research in neuroscience and fitness, which advocates harnessing a range of tools to improve yourself and your brain. In Fernandez’s words, you can achieve a “2.0 self”.
Alexis Fernandez mixes brain science with real talk on self worth, habits, and mindset in a way that actually makes sense. It’s smart, fiery, and the kind of tough love that genuinely motivates you to be better!
The Rest Is Entertainment
Pointless star and author Richard Osman and Guardian columnist Marina Hyde sit down to discuss all things TV, film and general pop culture in The Rest is Entertainment. The two delve into “what’s hot and what’s not” in the entertainment world, from reality shows like the latest series of The Traitors to the latest blockbusters. Names like documentary maker Adam Curtis and Harry Potter director Chris Columbus have been interviewed, and the show sometimes branches out into topics like social issues and royal affairs.
As someone who writes about TV & Film myself, I often list to The Rest Is Entertainment to keep up with pop culture and get new insights. But it’s far from a show only for journalists and entertainment wonks – anyone can listen and have a good time, as well as impressing friends with their informed Oscar predictions.
Rufus, Contributing Entertainment Writer
