Alan Carr tries to become a wine connoisseur: best podcasts of the week

Alan Carr's foray into wine connoisseurship is underway with his new podcast, "Bottoms Up", where he teams up with comedian Lee Peart to dish out witty banter and explore the world of wine. The pair's chemistry shines through as they tackle tastings, reader dilemmas, and a Q&A session with wine expert Tom Gilbey.

In another episode of this popular podcast series, "The Girlfriends: Untouchable", the focus shifts from a group of women who all dated the same abusive man to a Kansas police detective, Roger Golubski, who abused Black women and targeted their families. This latest installment delves deeper into the complexities of abuse and its impact on victims.

Meanwhile, music enthusiasts can look forward to "Music Makes Us", hosted by Kathleen Hanna, which explores the world of music through interviews with artists and industry insiders. The show's first guest is Paramore's Hayley Williams, who opens up about her musical influences and experiences.

For fans of classic literature, David Suchet's narration brings Charles Dickens's spine-tingling tales to life in "Charles Dickens' Ghost Stories". This week, the series features seven ghost stories, including "The Signalman" and "A Christmas Carol".

Lastly, "The Bomb" takes a gripping look at the Cuban missile crisis through the descendants of its two protagonists, Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy. The BBC Sounds podcast charts this pivotal moment in history with unprecedented access to family archives.

All three podcasts are available weekly on various platforms, making it easy for listeners to stay up-to-date with their latest episodes.

I'm literally so done with podcasts lately I mean don't get me wrong they're great and all but can't we just have one day where no one is talking about wine or abuse or music?! I need a break from it all, you know? My therapist says I need to find some new hobbies to fill my free time, maybe something like knitting or gardening . Anyway, I did listen to that latest episode of "The Girlfriends" and it's honestly so heartbreaking Nina Khrushcheva's family is literally from the same people as mine, weirdly we both have Russian heritage but my grandma was never part of the actual Soviet elite... guess that's a topic for another time lol.

I'm really stoked about these new podcasts but at the same time I'm thinking maybe they're a bit too serious for my taste... Like, I get that the "Bottoms Up" podcast is meant to be fun and all but some of the stuff they're talking about is pretty heavy, you know? And on the other hand, it's also awesome that there are podcasts exploring important topics like abuse and its impact – we really need more conversations like that . I'm not sure if I want to listen to a podcast hosted by someone who's basically just a musician, though... I mean, what does Hayley Williams know about, like, the wine industry or something? On the bright side, it's cool that they're talking to experts and all that jazz. And honestly, I'm kinda excited to see what David Suchet brings to these Dickens ghost stories – he's always been a legend !

lol what's with all these podcasts tho? can't we just watch a movie or something instead of listening to ppl talk about wine and abuse anyway i think its cool that Kathleen Hanna is hosting "Music Makes Us" - she's an iconic figure in the punk rock scene Paramore's Hayley Williams is so talented, but i'm not sure if i'd wanna listen to her music 24/7 gotta say though, Alan Carr as a wine connoisseur is just too funny

omg have u heard of alan carr? haha i think he was a big deal back in the day lol anyway i just watched this podcast thingy "bottoms up" and omg he's hilarious but also really knowledgeable about wine i love how he does these tastings with his friend lee peart they're like two old mates having a laugh while drinking good stuff but then there's another podcast called "the girlfriends: untouchable" which is super intense it's about women who dated the same abusive guy and it's just so sad i'm not really into wine or podcasts usually but this one's got me hooked what do u think of alan carr tho?

"Sounds like some juicy stuff coming out from the podcast world "

"Wine and comedy, sounds like a match made in heaven! "

"I'm loving this 'The Bomb' podcast - history lessons don't get any better than this "

"Why not make it 3 podcasts? The Girlfriends is giving me all the feels "

"Paramore's Hayley Williams needs to host my life "

"'Charles Dickens' Ghost Stories' sounds like the ultimate spooky read "

OMG I'm loving the new podcasts that dropped recently! Alan Carr's "Bottoms Up" sounds like a total laugh riot, and his chemistry with Lee Peart is gonna be fire . But on a more serious note, I'm so glad they're tackling tough topics like abuse in "The Girlfriends: Untouchable". It's so important to shed light on these issues and support the victims.

And music lovers, you're in for a treat with Kathleen Hanna's "Music Makes Us" . Hayley Williams' chat about her influences and experiences had me totally inspired! As for bookworms, David Suchet's narration of Charles Dickens' ghost stories is giving me all the chills .

And lastly, I'm fascinated by "The Bomb", a podcast that explores one of history's most pivotal moments. The fact that they have unprecedented access to family archives is so cool . Can't wait to dive into these podcasts and see what other gems they've got in store!

omg just listened to the first ep of "The Bomb" and I'm HOOKED like how they got access to these fam archives is insane nina khrushcheva's great aunt was literally next door to max kennedy lol

I'm loving the sound of Alan Carr's new podcast "Bottoms Up" he and Lee Peart are like two peas in a pod, always cracking each other up while still being super knowledgeable about wine. It's great to see comedians getting involved in conversations that aren't just laugh-out-loud funny but also informative and thought-provoking.