British…radio?

While I’m the last one to take potshots at British television, there is one problem with the lot of it. You can’t really take it with you. Sure, you can sample a DVD or two on your next flight (provided security hasn’t flung your laptop out the window as a precaution), but what about those times you’re not near a television? And if you’re like me, spending all day looking at a computer screen, you also need to give the ol’ mince pies a rest come the evening.

Which is why I’ve really been getting into the increasing number of audio programs originating from the UK, all of them available as free podcast downloads. Here are a few that have been keeping me tuning in (all available through iTunes):

Silver Street. While the phrase “an Asian EastEnders” hardly does this program justice, I suppose it does get the point across. Each day’s 10-minute episode explores the lives and loves of Indian families in the fictional Silver Hill area of England. This BBC show does a remarkable job of making the non-Indian members of its audience care about the characters and many aspects of their Indian heritage (I’ve been dying to use the term “Nikah” for weeks now) without ever alienating those who don’t know a sari from a salami. Today’s episode ended on a real cliffhanger. Start downloading to find out what happened!

The Archers. Said to be the world’s oldest radio drama, this daily BBC show set in England’s farming country is a little difficult to get too wound up about. But if that’s the case, why do I listen to it every night before I go to sleep? There’s something soothing about each 13-minute episode, like a spot of hot milk on a cold day.

The Bugle. An offering from The Times of London of all places, this weekly look at the headlines is easily the funniest thing I’ve heard coming out of the UK in the last 10 years, and a sterling reminder of what the British do so well. Taking the form of an “audio newspaper for a visual world,” The Bugle finds comic Andy Zaltzman and Daily Show contributor John Oliver offering their insane takes on world events. Headlines being what they are, this is the only way to get the week’s news and still keep a smile on your face.

Friday Night Comedy. This is a true win-win offering from BBC’s Radio Four, wherein subscribing to the feed gets you an episode a week of The News Quiz for eight weeks, followed by an episode a week of The Now Show for another eight weeks. The former is a splendidly written panel game in which British wits of some standing answer questions about the week’s headlines in ways inspired. The Now Show is a sort of variety program that does basically the same thing, only with brief sketches and musical numbers. Check out its Wikipedia page to bring yourself up to speed on some of the running jokes.