Podcasts by The High Low
A weekly conversation between writers Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes, that covers highbrow and lowbrow culture.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Further podcasts by Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton
Podcast on the topic Gesellschaft und Kultur
All episodes
THE HIGH LOW FINALE from 2020-12-02T02:39:17
It’s here! Expect many tears, intense nostalgia, beautiful letters from our listeners and a big ole dose of DJ CJ to celebrate the last four glorious years of The High Low.
Book ...
Listen
An Author Special with Graham Norton - And Some News from 2020-11-24T23:45
We are so thrilled to have the one and only Graham Norton on today's episode, talking all about his new novel, Home Stretch, his favourite celebrities to interview on his chat show, and the weir...
Listen
Maggi's Mary Wollstonecraft, Princess Diana and A Plunge Into The Christmas Ads from 2020-11-17T23:45
Brace yourself: Emily in Paris is back for a second series. More importantly: the Christmas ads have dropped! We discuss some of them, and why a great Christmas ad doesn't actually.... have to h...
Listen
Election Gaffes, Celebrity Truth-Tellers & The Undoing from 2020-11-10T23:45
What a week to be alive! We discuss some of the many ridiculous things that have happened, mainly on the television, during this last monumental week, plus the riveting revelating that...
Listen
No Nut November, National Sandwich Day, and an Author Special with Otegha Uwagba on Whites from 2020-11-03T23:35
Are you familiar with No Nut November? Move over Movember, there's a slightly queasy new internet challenge in town. Also today, we discuss whether a burger is a sandwich, the concerni...
Listen
The Southern Charm of Matthew McConaughey; Free School Meals; & The Web Server That Slows Down Information Overload from 2020-10-28T09:00
From a naturally green puppy called Pistachio, to a charming and surprising memoir by Matthew McConaughey, this week is your usual mixed bag -- including discussion of the government's...
Listen
Cow Hugging, Daddy by Emma Cline & An Exclusive Clip from Joan & Jericha from 2020-10-20T22:00
Today we discuss a love story in Venice, the new "wellness" trend of cow hugging, Matt Hancock's personal app (???) and listeners tell us what they think makes "a good deed". And some things we'...
Listen
Progressive Penguins, Emily in Paris, & What Makes A Good Deed? from 2020-10-13T22:01
We continue our conversation about sharing grief in the aftermath of a still birth or miscarriage, with a special contribution from the grief psychotherapist Julia Samuel MBE. We also ...
Listen
Grief Around Miscarriage, The Social Dilemma & The Phrases Dying Out With Gen Z from 2020-10-06T23:04:17
We discuss Chrissy Teigen's social media posts about the death of her baby Jack, and the judgement around public grief. Also today, we dissect a list of words and phrases facing expiration (40% ...
Listen
Pandemic friendships, and how to mend a broken heart from 2020-09-29T21:33:18
This year has seen even our closest friendships turn into long-distance ones; what is the impact - and the thought spirals - of your A-list friends becoming peripheral specks in your v...
Listen
A Plunge Into The Body Politics and Choice Feminism of An Instagram Age from 2020-09-22T22:51:52
Doll's Polls is back, with a strange fact about what heterosexual women most look for, in a man. A handsome face? A tight tush? Nope -- quite frankly, you'll never guess....
Listen
The Joy of A Buffet, Zadie Smith's Lockdown Essays & Ofcom's Diversity Problem from 2020-09-15T21:01:10
In today's episode we discuss news of the telly: decade-defining reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, is ending after 20 seasons; US soap The Bold & The Beautiful are using dummies...
Listen
Revising Our Thoughts on Gwyneth Paltrow, Dettol's Dubious 'Back To Work' Ads & The Best of Garage (Sort Of) from 2020-09-08T01:01:10
We reminisce over garage music (without being entirely sure what officially defines a garage track), discuss the dicey new Dettol ad that's got everyone's knickers in a twist and why we bot...
Listen
Selling Sunset, Gendered Care Work & How Often Do YOU Clear Out Your Pants Drawer? from 2020-09-01T21:29:29
We back! And it's the old mixed bag of content: from grubby gussets to bathroom-heavy mansions in WeHo, via a revisitation of our noughties book shelves. Links below, you know what to do.
Wiley’s Anti-Semitism, Kiley Reid’s Such A Fun Age & An Author Special w/ Nesrine Malik from 2020-07-28T23:14:31
It’s our last episode of the season - and boy, do we have a bumper episode for you. In this week’s show we discuss what Twitter’s failure to suspend Wiley says about our failure to combat anti-s...
Listen
Lockdown Sexscapades & Friendship in Old Age from 2020-07-21T22:08:02
We dig further into the cultural conversation around parenting, courtesy of masses of feedback from our listeners on last week's ep and a thoughtful piece on same-sex parenting. Also today:...
Listen
A Deep Dive Into The Child-Free Vs Motherhood Dialogue from 2020-07-14T21:15
Today we discuss how motherhood and child-free women are culturally discussed and pitted against one another, referencing podcasts, a journalistic series and Emma Gannon's new novel, Olive, alon...
Listen
On Why We Shouldn't Look For Relatability in Celebs & An Interview with Adam Kay about Dear NHS from 2020-07-07T21:21:34
The pubs have opened; but why is the beauty sector still in lockdown? Also today, we discuss the slew of videos of children interrupting their parents during a pandemic, a new book about love an...
Listen
The Glastonbury That Never Was; & Ruby Tandoh on The Art of Quitting from 2020-06-30T21:00:51
Wishing you were at Glastonbury? Get stuck into Zing Tseng's piece, instead. Ruby Tandoh reads us an excerpt of her beautiful piece on quitting, and we discuss why quitting is not just a physica...
Listen
The Madness of 2020 Can Be Summed Up In Lynx Africa's Marmite Edition from 2020-06-23T22:14:49
Mmmm get that yeasty pong. Today we recall the wisdom of Zadie Smith, chat more about the jaw-dropping drama that is Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You, discuss Naoise Dolan's piece on how autism...
Listen
Lockdown Sex, I May Destroy You, and Rhik Samadder's I Never Said I Loved You from 2020-06-16T22:30:46
In today's episode, we discuss the findings on Sex In Lockdown: Keep Shagging And Carry On; the astounding work that is Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You and in light of JK Rowling's comments la...
Listen
After The Hashtags from 2020-06-09T22:00
We discuss online vs offline behaviour, when it comes to social change; and why historical progress has long relied on the removal of monuments. Also today, tons of podcast recommendations, an h...
Listen
Anti-Racism Resources & An Author Special with Candice Brathwaite from 2020-06-02T21:18:58
This week’s episode is focused on the resources we can access to educate ourselves on racism. These lists are not exhaustive but may provide a starting point. We also interview the creator of Ma...
Listen
Why Moments of Insanity Are Part of Keeping Sane; And The Worrying Increase in Lockdown Mullets from 2020-05-26T21:30
Did you know there is a word in German for 'social distancing whilst wearing swimming pool noodles as a hat'? We're sceptical, but charmed.
As the heaviness weighs on many of you,...
Listen
'Seksbuddies', Robert Pattinson's pasta & information overload from 2020-05-19T21:30
It's a pot noodle of an episode this week. From our favourite pandemic stories around the globe - selected especially to cheer you up - to a bunch of recommendations, a deep-dive ...
Listen
Cottagecore, Covidism & Other Lockdown Theories; Plus, An Author Special with Samantha Irby from 2020-05-12T22:09:32
Today we discuss the surprising lockdown sales boom, an animal fact and a few new pandemic lifestyle theories. Just another episode of The High Low, then.
We also ring up Samatha Irby ...
Listen
Are Your Book Shelves A Reflection of Your Character - Or Your Curiosity? from 2020-05-05T22:27:47
This week we discuss what your books on your bookshelf say about you, the new lockdown lingo (are you drinking furlough merlot?), whether lockdown telly might have reached its apex, and the conc...
Listen
The Micro-Trends of Lockdown & The Wonder That Is The Quarantucci from 2020-04-28T23:09:32
Thank you for bearing with us. We weren't able to bring you an episode last week for personal reasons, but we will try and make it up to you today - starting with a BIG apology to Lizz...
Listen
An Author Special with Holly Bourne & The Problem With Tiger King from 2020-04-14T21:46:19
It's Week 4 of lockdown and we hope all you cats and kittens are doing okay. Sorry - blame Carole Baskin. We've been watching Tiger King and eesh, do we feel icky. We discuss why that ...
Listen
An Extra Easter Treat & The Return of Ask The High Low from 2020-04-10T23:01
It's been a rough few weeks so we thought we'd bring you an extra episode for the long Easter weekend. Lots more culture reccs and more thoughts on lockdown life (with a belated shout out t...
Listen
A Bumper Back To School Special from 2020-04-07T23:03:20
What a time to be alive. It feels like we've all aged a decade since our last episode under 4 months ago.
Today we discuss lockdown life - what we're wearing; eating; meme-ing - and re...
Listen
A Christmas Special with Joan and Jericha from 2019-12-17T23:30
Oodles of cracker jokes, festive Dolls polls, jolly songs and weird Christmas facts; and Dolly pays a snowy visit to everyone’s favourite filthy agony aunts, Joan and Jericha for their first EVE...
Listen
Does A Slogan Tee Have The Power To Offend? from 2019-12-10T23:44:25
The High Low has launched merch! Roll up, roll up: berets, sweaters, t-shirts, tote bags and notepads are on sale at Listen
Why Mental Health Is Nothing To Do With Wellness, with Author Bella Mackie from 2019-12-03T23:35:47
We talk perineum sunning, Christmas tree erection, global idioms and polygraphs. And we host the journalist and author of Jog On: How Running Saved My Life and The Jog On Journal, Bella Mackie, ...
Listen
What Women Want: The Rise and Fall of Victoria's Secret from 2019-11-25T23:30:51
This week we discuss the party leaders Question Time, the tragic murder of Grace Millane (and what we have learned and still need to learn about BDSM), the incredible documentary that is For Sam...
Listen
What Was He Thinking? Prince Andrew's Car Crash Interview from 2019-11-20T00:02:23
Dolly goes wild for Rod's railway, whilst Pandora decides to spend her upcoming maternity leave at the world's first vagina museum. Plus: Gregg's diet donut, the cassette tape revival and Nan Go...
Listen
Megan Phelps-Roper On Leaving The Westboro Baptist Church, AKA 'America's Most Hated Family' from 2019-11-12T23:44:35
We talk about rapper T.I.'s incredibly creepy confession that he gets his teenager daughter's hymen checked every year, what 'shitposting' really means and Emma Watson's re-naming of singledom a...
Listen
Obama on Wokeness & Our Love for Modern Love <3 from 2019-11-05T01:03:40
This week we discuss Snapchat dysmorphia, the data-collection of period-tracking apps and why Dolly wants to shag Autumn. Also today we discuss Obama's speech-gone-viral on wokeness - which...
Listen
Soft Ghosting, Driving Lessons & An Author Special with Louise Callaghan on The Zookeeper That Defied ISIS from 2019-10-31T00:17:45
We've got facts about sloths, sea turtles and rats that drive cars. We also discuss the new terms we've learned this week - 'soft ghosting' and 'gradualism' - and Harvey Weinstein's appearance a...
Listen
It's An Omnishambles! Our Fave New Words To Be Added To The OED from 2019-10-22T22:35:39
We discuss Extinction Rebellion, Meghan and Harry's African tour documentary for ITV and Deborah Orr, the brilliant journalist who sadly died this week.
And it's our favouri...
Listen
We've Only Gone And Done It: A Deep-Dive Into Wagatha Christie from 2019-10-15T21:00
The chicken nugget Reddit scandal and our favourite polls from the week including what is no longer selling in shops (drones and suspenders) and what not to say on a date.
And of cours...
Listen
Prince Harry's Letter To The Tabloids; & Do Brits Spend Money On Being Polite? from 2019-10-07T23:35:15
It's a big week for the food chains: Pizza Express - every millennial's favourite nostalgic restaurant - is in chronic debt; and Rory Stewart has pledged allegiance to Pret. We talk loos and why...
Listen
An Author Special With Drag Queen Amrou Al-Kadhi from 2019-10-01T23:33:47
Greta Thunberg gave an emotional speech at the UN Climate Summit in NYC, Sally Challen did her first video interview about emotional abuse and coercive control to Sky News since she was cleared ...
Listen
Digital Etiquette (& Why We Need It); & Male Vs Female Vanity from 2019-09-24T00:07:23
It’s a riot of celebrity news this week: Madonna, J-Lo and Brad n Leo’s sarnie dates. Whole gang’s here. Plus: Mark Ronson’s sapiosexuality, Fleabag’s Emmy sweep, Thomas Cook’s crash and Justin ...
Listen
She Said; Once Upon A Time In Hollywood; & The Personal Essay That 'Broke' The Internet from 2019-09-17T22:57:30
It's always good to start with a jolly, and this time we've found a woman who wore a dinosaur costume to her sister's wedding. Also today, we play a clip from Chanel Miller, the "Emily Doe" of t...
Listen
An Author Special on Being The Other Mother with Comedian Jen Brister from 2019-09-10T22:32:09
Dolly's found an emotional support horse called Flirty; Pandora is in love with a Twitter thread about what it was really like to work in HMV. And - gird your loins - Thatcher Wine has done his ...
Listen
A Bumper Back To School Book Special from 2019-09-03T22:56:05
Hello High Lowers! Sharpen your pencils, the heat wave is over and a new school term is upon us. We cover some of the news stories of the summer plus our favourite bonkers surveys, including a s...
Listen
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s Style Guide; & On Young People Not Watching The News on TV from 2019-07-29T23:36:10
Have you survived the heat wave? HAVE YOU? This week, Dolly discovers a woman who loves a chandelier, Jared O’Mara resigns after assault charges and his press chief sensationally quit via Jared’...
Listen
Instagram's Proposed Removal of The 'Like' Counter; & Why Are We So Obsessed With Other People's Process? from 2019-07-23T21:42:52
Ding dong the BoJo's in. Duuuuuude.
This week: curry seagull; the controversial Cats trailer; and why Ireland's 8th amendment might have been repealed - but is far from what has ...
Listen
An Author Special with The One, The Only, The National Treasure: David Nicholls from 2019-07-15T21:30:45
Westminster rules in favour of gay marriage and abortion rights in Northern Ireland, former EDL leader Tommy Robinson is sentenced to 9 months in prison (and banned from YouTube), a man dressed ...
Listen
Meghan & Harry's Godparent Privacy Furore; And What Makes A True Eccentric? from 2019-07-09T22:46:06
Glasto's been and gone and the USA won the Women's World Cup - as the crowd began chanting "equal pay, equal pay."
This week we cover the latest royal storm in a bone-china teacu...
Listen
Debunking Wellness Myths with Is Butter A Carb? Authors, Rosie Saunt & Helen West from 2019-07-02T22:30
We're recording this in advance, so no news update this week but a bunch of reccs and an author special!
Do you swear by your daily turmeric latte? Are you a celery juice fanatic? From...
Listen
*EPISODE 100* Why Do Brits Hate Other Brits Abroad? & The Influencer Engagement #Sponcon Furore from 2019-06-25T22:45
‘Twas the week of Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds’ sofa row, the ‘tube pusher’ is charged with attempted murder and the president of Colombia warns against the hypocrisy of the “woke who do coke”....
Listen
An Author Special with anti-FGM Campaigner Nimko Ali on What We’re Told Not To Talk About from 2019-06-19T00:00
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has undertaken her 3rd hunger strike (joined by husband Richard) and ship captain Pia Klemp, who rescued drowning migrants, faces 20 years in prison. On the other end o...
Listen
Pride Month; & the Complex Conundrum of Euthanasia from 2019-06-11T21:30
*Apologies for some slight sound issues this week*
Dolly's lost her passport and Michael Gove's nose is feeling regretful. We talk Sally Challen, humpback whales and w...
Listen
Should Celebrities Be Involved In Prison Reform?; & The Lunacy of Hen/Stag Season from 2019-06-04T22:15
There's been a garden gnome heist and Trump's on his state visit (those are inter-connected stories, naturally.) Love Island is back - but is there any actual body diversity?
<... Listen
What The Moby-Natalie Portman Row Reveals About Entitlement & Truth-Telling; & Are Women Without Children Happier? from 2019-05-28T22:00
Dolly talks bird-feeding and rabid Game of Thrones fans who want to re-make the ending; Pandora ponders what Spice Girl merch to get her hands on; and we discuss Oxbridge's first appointment of ...
Listen
Alabama's Abortion Ban; & The Trouble with Uber's New 'Silence' Mode from 2019-05-21T22:03:28
Grumpy Cat has died and we came last (again) in Eurovision. This week Dolly's down a Doris Day content-hole and Pandora's bewitched by the Instagram account @90sanxiety.
We discus...
Listen
The concept of ‘workism’ & Bryony Gordon on mental health in teen girls from 2019-05-14T23:51:05
Pandora’s listened to a podcast on ‘workism’ - the idea that work is now the cornerstone of your identity - and it’s changed her life; meanwhile, Dolly’s tits deep in Doris Day nostalgia.
An Author Special with Rosie Price on the effects of trauma on the mind and body from 2019-05-07T22:30:12
The new royal baby, the Caster Semenya furore, the 'hogspital' and the proposed raise to the minimum wage - oh, and 86% of people have revealed that they are disappointed by the Mona Lisa. Sorry...
Listen
A Bumper Spring Book Special from 2019-04-30T23:30:58
Welcome back to the summer term, High Lowers! We recap some news and bring you a boat load of televisual, podcast and - mainly - book recommendations. Plus, Dolly falls for the ultimate whale ho...
Listen
An Author Special About Navigating and Embracing Failure with Elizabeth Day from 2019-03-27T01:01:33
We discuss Lorraine Kelly’s “performative construct”, Dolly’s piece about I’m In Trouble syndrome and what we don’t know - and need to know - about women in prison, rehabilita...
Listen
An Interview With Director Dan Reed About Leaving Neverland from 2019-03-20T07:57:43
We ring up director Dan Reed to discuss his sensational documentary, Leaving Neverland, which is all anyone else is talking about. We deep-dive into the allegations against Michael Jackson - so ...
Listen
An author special with Fatima Bhutto on radicalism & what the West doesn’t understand about ISIS from 2019-03-11T07:00
*** PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded several days before it was announced that Shamima Begum's baby had died, which is why it is not discussed in this episode ***...
Listen
A LIVE episode on Emma Thompson’s Open Letter & Discovering Self-Discipline from 2019-03-04T07:00
We’re live from Pandora jewellery’s flagship store in London on Friday 1st March, in partnership with Ovacome for Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Aaaand this week we bring you Emma Thompson’s op...
Listen
Separating the Intrinsic from the Extrinsic; & An Author Special with Candice Carty-Williams from 2019-02-26T23:39:42
The High Low turns TWO this week! Excuse us while we wallow in (the admittedly shallow) nostalgia of it all.
This week we discuss the Oscars; the ongoing case of Shamima Begum’s citize...
Listen
The Complicated Case of Shamima Begum; & Why The ‘Tortured Artist’ Debate Should Be Retired from 2019-02-19T22:29:31
*** PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded about 8 hours before it was announced that Shamima Begum had been denied entry back to the UK and was stripped of her British citizenship.*...
Listen
Valentine's Day, Liam Neeson's Race Row & A Most Literary Liar from 2019-02-12T23:06:28
We couldn't not discuss Liam Neeson's race row and The New Yorker long-read setting the publishing world alight: about best-selling novelist Dan Mallory, aka AJ Finn, who buil...
Listen
Fyre Festival, Sex Education & A Bumper Book Chat from 2019-02-05T23:50:06
We’re back! Have you missed us? Dolly’s tits-deep in her Everything I Know About Love tour (buy tickets here: faneproductions.com/...
Listen
A Pretty Daft End to 2018 from 2018-12-29T07:00
It’s our favourite time of year: Betwixtmas. We hope you’re face-planted on the sofa, whilst we waltz down your ears with this end of year episode. Dolly devises a very silly quiz which *sort* o...
Listen
A Jolly Christmas Special from 2018-12-21T14:04:12
It’s Chriiiiiiiistmas! From cracker jokes to festive songs; Yuletide readings and actual Christmas cards from the ACTUAL ye olde mail bag; a host of Christmas surveys unpicked and the ultimate q...
Listen
Why We Should Be Cautious Of Banning Songs; & The Internet’s Abuse Against Women from 2018-12-12T00:10
It was the week of Knickers (the cow too big for the abattoir), a Guardian long-read about poo (much to Dolly’s dismay) and Ada Hegerberg, the Norwegian Ballon d’Or winner who coo...
Listen
A LIVE Episode on 'Emotional Labour' - The New Gas-Lighting? - & How We Discuss Our Bodies on Social Media from 2018-12-03T00:10
We're back at Google's Curiosity Rooms to celebrate the launch of their Google Pixel 3 phone and we're still not over Baby Shark. On the agenda today: the zeitgeisty new buzz-phrase 'emotional l...
Listen
M&S Undiesgate; Lena Dunham's Bare-All Interview; & The Missionary Killed By A Tribe from 2018-11-28T00:10
The Baby Shark ear-worm; Joanna Lumley saying the word 'waz'; and the Chinese man who got so drunk on Black Friday (aka Single's Day in China) he bought a salamander and a tiny Thai pig. Oh, it'...
Listen
The Curious Case of Mrs Hinch; & Comedy's Diversity Issue from 2018-11-21T00:11:45
It was the week of the BBC's 100 Women of the Year list, Hockney's record-breaking art sale and the story of Deke Duncan, a radio jockey playing to an audience of one (Dolly's spirit animal.) Listen
Collins Word of The Year; Iceland's Banned Xmas Ad; & Why Do 46% of Men Remove Their Body Hair? from 2018-11-13T21:31:15
It's World Kindness Day & Dolly has a beautiful poem to kick us off, whilst Pandora has a new Spotify suggestion for everyone who went nutty for French Chill.
46% of men remove t...
Listen
A Deep-Dive Into The Epidemic of Anxiety, with Author Olivia Sudjic from 2018-11-07T16:00:05
From Prince George memes (@garyjanetti) to vegan abuse (last week journalist William Sitwell was sacked from the Waitrose Food magazine, for his jokes about killing vegans) via the healthiest/ u...
Listen
We Talk Mini Skirts; Philip Green; & The Role of Injunctions in Modern Society from 2018-10-30T21:43:39
Since we’ve been gone, Apple has added cream cheese to its emoji bagel after furious complaints (we discuss what we have on OUR bagels and spoiler alert: it’s not cream cheese, Apple); Urban Out...
Listen
An Author Special with Lindsey Hilsum, On Marie Colvin and War Journalism from 2018-10-24T23:01
By the time she died in Syria, in 2012, Marie Colvin was one of the world’s most renowned and courageous war correspondents. Recognised for her trademark eye patch - the consequence of a grenade...
Listen
Why 1/3 of Gen Z Don’t Drink; & How Feelings Took Over The World from 2018-10-16T22:15:39
Everyone’s talking about Kanye’s nutty meeting with Trump in The Oval Office last week; whilst Melania, in her most frank televised interview yet, described herself as the most bullied person in...
Listen
Strictly’s Scandal, Johnny Depp’s GQ Cover & The Nothingburger from 2018-10-10T22:39:27
It’s our favourite time of year: The OED have released their new admissions. Are you feeling bongga? Or are you - whisper it - just a nothingburger?
W...
Listen
On Brett Kavanaugh; & Why Women Can’t (And Don’t Want To) Have It All from 2018-10-03T22:39:50
Hello October! It’s Dolly’s favourite month of the year. If she were reincarnated, says Pandora, it would be as a knee-high boot.
This week we discuss MeToo’s infighting - as Asi...
Listen
An Author Special with The Guilty Feminist creator and host, Deborah Frances-White from 2018-09-27T02:47:33
New Zealand PM Jacinda Arden made history when she took baby Neve to the UN Assembly in NYC this week; meanwhile, Trump made world leaders laugh out loud with his address (“that’s not what I was...
Listen
Carrie Symonds & ‘the scarlet woman’; & the end of Big Brother from 2018-09-19T22:00
The High Low inbox was full of people asking us to cover the media coverage of Carrie Symonds, the former Tory comms director accused of having an affair with Boris Johnson. We discuss the ‘scar...
Listen
Serena Williams & Kirstie Allsopp: Why Women Aren’t Allowed To Get Angry from 2018-09-12T21:02:10
Roxanne Pallett has been cast (and since left) Celebrity Island since our last record (exploitative, much?) and Hurricane Florence is heading towards the USA. Meanwhile, 2 more people have attem...
Listen
A Bumper Back to School Book Special & Thoughts on the Roxanne Pallet Assault Allegations from 2018-09-05T23:31:46
We’re back! We wish we were still on the sun lounger, but here we are, at your disposal - with a giant book chat of what we have enjoyed in the last month.
Also today, we discuss the s...
Listen
Is "hey guys" anti-feminist?; & why we are better people than our worst joke from 2018-08-01T22:06:03
Jeremy Hunt forgot his wife's nationality; someone tried to book 6 hotel rooms at The High Low (us neither); & Dolly smashed a glass of wine all over CJ's recording equipment. Hola August: t...
Listen
On Plane Bae; and Teaching Children About Mental Health from 2018-07-25T22:30
We might be a little delayed - much like a Ryanair flight - but we got there in the end. Yup, that’s a pun; we’re talking about Plane Bae. Unfolding like a modern meet-cute, the tweet story of a...
Listen
An Author Special with Yomi Adegoke & Elizabeth Uviebinené of Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible from 2018-07-18T22:00
The POTUS hit the UK for his week of ridicule: the balloon; the march; the press conference and *that* video gone viral of Trump barging in front of the Queen. Meanwhile, Dolly discovers a new m...
Listen
Trump’s Baby Balloon; & Why ‘Natural’ Beauty Is A Damaging Stereotype from 2018-07-12T22:46:37
There’s a ton of cabinet reshuffles this week and baby Trump - all 6-foot helium-filled malevolence - is flying over London. Is the balloon a meaningful protest; or is it a childish blimp that c...
Listen
The Dangers of Self-Deprecation; & A Deep-Dive Into ‘Nanette’ from 2018-07-04T22:56:35
It’s the week that England broke their penalty curse; Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne broke up; Roman Polanski (yup, he who is wanted for statutory rape) sat FROW at Miu Miu; and let’s not forget! Th...
Listen
Fame, Fortune and Phone Sex, with Actor and Memoirist, Gabourey Sidibe from 2018-06-28T00:11:31
In today's episode, we discuss that jacket worn by Melania Trump whilst visiting an immigrant children's camp in Texas; Lionel Shriver's follow-up to her anti-diversity rant;&...
Listen
Clemmie Hooper on Misogyny on Social Media; & The World Cup from 2018-06-21T00:56:24
We speak to Clemmie Hooper - aka the midwife and influencer Mother of Daughters, who recently suspended her Instagram account after the trolling got too much - about why men and women are not eq...
Listen
The Curious Tale of Anna Delvey & Love Island’s Body Problem from 2018-06-10T23:00:42
It’s a live podcast brought to you from the Möet & Chandon Summer House, in London! This week we are discussing the story gone viral, of party-girl-fraud, Anna Delvey. Are we living through ...
Listen
Greer’s Fall From Grace; Issa Rae on Kanye; & SATC's 20 Yr Anniversary from 2018-06-07T22:30:40
What does a trailblazer owe us? That’s a question we’re pondering this week, as we discuss actor Issa Rae’s spicy monologue on Kanye West - who many believe is betraying his black identity, in s...
Listen
Domestic is Not A Dirty Word: An Author Special With The Great American Novelist, Meg Wolitzer from 2018-05-30T23:04:51
It’s National Biscuit Day! One of (but not the only) favourite days in Dolly’s calendar. We discuss the huge response to our segment on Ireland’s abortion referendum (they repealed!) and issue s...
Listen
Ireland’s abortion referendum; and a deep-dive into the royal wedding from 2018-05-23T23:02:06
This week, we discuss why Ireland’s proposed repeal of the 8th amendment on 25th May, is so important. We learn about Ireland’s history (from the brutal 'symphysiotomy’ procedure, to the ab...
Listen
A Live Episode with Google on Georgina Chapman’s Interview About Ex-Husband, Harvey Weinstein; & Cannes Selfie Ban from 2018-05-14T06:00
It’s another live episode, recorded at The Old Selfridges Hotel in collaboration with Google Pixel 2. Dolly’s hungover, Pandora’s no longer pregnant - so some things have changed since our last ...
Listen
The Rachel Divide; & Dissecting The Met Gala from 2018-05-09T22:29:03
It’s a week of controversy: Rachel Dolezal, the white woman who says she’s black, is back in the public eye thanks to a Netflix documentary, The Rachel Divide. What trauma led to her fraudulent ...
Listen
Kanye’s Basic Tweets; and an Author Special with Trans Activist and Writer, Juno Dawson from 2018-05-02T22:13:39
Amber Rudd’s resignation; Mary Beard’s sparkly sneaks; Kanye’s ‘basic Plato’ tweets - oh and the news that beer goggles really DO exist. Yup, it’s just another week at The High Low.
Th...
Listen
The Duchess of Cambridge’s Problematic Post-Partum Money Shot; & Is Millie Bobby Brown Too Young for Time’s 100 list? from 2018-04-25T22:03:32
The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to another baby prince, but all anyone’s talking about is that bouncy blow dry, that red dress and those&n...
Listen
Crediting your sources in the internet age & why we all love to hate Coachella from 2018-04-18T22:12:42
Some excellent e-mails on voice notes in The High Low mailbag this week - turns out The HL listeners are more than a little bit obsessed with voice notes. On this week’s agenda: a butt-load of a...
Listen
Loneliness in the young & why we should all be a bit more like Neville Southall from 2018-04-12T07:35:06
Well, THANK YOU High Lowers - last week’s episode pushed us over 2 million downloads and up to No.3 on the iTunes podcast charts. The mailbag was also bulging this week: some helpful kind correc...
Listen
The Farcical Arc of The Weightloss Reality Star; And The Travesty That is the Ulster Rugby Rape Case from 2018-04-04T22:02:18
The High Low is back! Where did those 6 weeks go? Dolly’s been on a nationwide book tour; Pandora’s birthed a tiny dictator. We round-up all the articles, programmes and podcasts we’ve been enjo...
Listen
Feminism, #MeToo and Clapham's Sticky Carpets: The High Low Meets Oscar-Nominated Margot Robbie from 2018-02-19T22:30
The High Low is going on maternity leave - or maturity leave, as Pandora accidentally e-mailed someone this week - for 6 weeks, so we’ve decided to go out with a bang, with an interview with the...
Listen
Quincy Jones; SATC Feuds; & Author Laura Freeman on how reading cured her anorexia from 2018-02-14T22:30
An explosive Quincy Jones interview via Vulture; an even more explosive Sex and The City row via Kim Cattrall (just try and get Dolly to shut up about it); and some fun Valentine’s Day facts for...
Listen
Food snobbery; the Suffragettes & Kylie Jenner’s secret pregnancy from 2018-02-07T22:27:04
Your usual mixed bag this week: Cheddar Man, Nutella fights and Lady Doritos.
It’s the 100 year anniversary of the Suffragettes! We deliver to you some facts and a round-up of this wee...
Listen
Women’s unconscious bias towards other women; and Kim Kardashian’s cultural appropriation from 2018-01-31T23:16:40
Kim Kardashian is making all kinds of headlines this week; not because her new baby boy, Chicago, arrived via surrogacy - but because she’s sharing dozens of pics of herself in the nuddy with wh...
Listen
The UK’s New Minister for Loneliness; And Are We Children Until The Age of 25? from 2018-01-24T23:02:21
First thing’s first: 1 in 4 women are still skipping their smear test - please don’t be one of them. Dolly talks to Kate Sanger from Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust who emphasises the importance of s...
Listen
An Author Special With ‘Lullaby’ Novelist, Leila Slimani (& Some Thoughts On The Babe.Net Piece Gone Viral) from 2018-01-17T22:37:10
Episode 43 is a pretty exciting one for The High Low - a bit of a pinch-me moment, if you will. One minute we were begging Faber & Faber for an advance copy of French novelist Leila Slimani’...
Listen
#TimesUp - Can The Red Carpet Be A Harbinger Of Social Change? And Toadmeister’s Titty-Tweets from 2018-01-10T22:33:21
Hello, you stable geniuses! (Or as the pedants may prefer, genii.)
The Golden Globes happened on Sunday night in Hollywood and The High Low has many a point to discuss:
Dry January & 'New Year, New Me'; And The Pregnancy Glow Myth from 2018-01-04T22:40:22
Happy 2018! It's the first High Low episode of the year. We've got some books, shows, podcasts and articles to recommend to you, a Queens impression from Pandora (that's the suburb in New York, ...
Listen
The Highs & Lows of 2017 - with Journalist & Author, Stu Heritage from 2017-12-27T23:00:05
Happy New Year High Lowers! 2017 has been the year of covfefe, Dr Robert Kelly and of course the birth of yours truly. We have friend of The High Low’s and Guardian journalist Stu Heritage on to...
Listen
The High Low Christmas Special from 2017-12-20T23:30
It’s a festive episode with a special High Low nativity play; written by professional screenwriter (as you will be able to tell) Dolly - and sponsored by frankincense and myrrh.
...
Listen
What 'Cat Person' Tells Us About Female Pleasure. Plus Which Social Media Platform Is The Most Dangerous? from 2017-12-13T22:56:14
Pandora's been moving house and Dolly's been hosting Pretendmas (don't ask; she'll tell you all about it anyway) but there are still plenty of water cooler topics to discuss this week.
... Listen
On 'Women Spreading'; And The Start of Silly Season from 2017-12-06T23:56:33
It’s December, which means that silly season is officially upon us. Thank goodness, then, for Alabama student Kelsey who dressed up as a Christmas tree - for every single lecture. Oh, and the sc...
Listen
Corporate Egg-Freezing - And Whether Taylor Swift Is A Billboard for Trumpian Values from 2017-11-29T23:00:57
Thank you to everyone who enjoyed our special episode with Tina Brown last week - we had a huge response. We miss her already <3
This week in the Tina-free studio, we discuss whethe...
Listen
A Special Episode with Iconic Editor Tina Brown - Creator of High Low Journalism & Our Podcast Patron Saint from 2017-11-23T02:00
Welcome to our favourite *ever* episode of The High Low - as we try not to fangirl the fuck out.
For those of you with short memories, the High Low is named in homage to iconic ed...
Listen
The App That ‘Strips’ Women of Their Make-up; and Boris Johnson’s Comments on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from 2017-11-15T23:00
No singing this week courtesy of Louis Theroux, but three different accents from Pandora in compensation.
This week on The High Low, we discuss Boris Johnson’s buffoonery - and w...
Listen
Arranged vs Forced Marriages & Kevin Spacey’s Netflix Exit from 2017-11-08T22:00:02
After some disruption to the schedule (namely two live recordings in a row and an author special, whilst Dolly’s enjoyed monsoon season in Thailand and practiced wellness with a monk) The High L...
Listen
An Author Special on The Internet (and The Universe) with Jim Chapman from 2017-11-02T16:10:40
Vlogger Jim Chapman is YouTube royalty. But what happened when “the guy from the internet" turned his hand to a book? We chat animal facts (did you know that a group of baboons is called a flang...
Listen
A Live Episode with Google on #MeToo - and Suing The Entire Kardashian Family from 2017-10-23T00:00
It’s another live episode! (Normal recording will resume soon.) We’re at The Curiosity Rooms, in collaboration with Google and Selfridges, talking about the #MeToo hashtag and - because it’s cal...
Listen
Was James Corden Wrong To Joke About Harvey Weinstein?; And Are YOU Suffering From Culture Overload? from 2017-10-17T22:10:32
It’s our first ever live podcast! This week The High Low is brought to you live from tibits, a vegetarian restaurant in Mayfair, where we recorded the episode on Monday 16th October. Thanks to ever...
Listen
A Deep-Dive Into The Fall Of Hollywood’s Ultimate Sex Predator, Harvey Weinstein from 2017-10-11T22:43:27
It’s been a great week for sexism. Swedish model and artist Arvida Bystrom was threatened with rape, after she appeared in an Adidas advert with hairy legs; a senior writer at Vice’s women’s chann...
Listen
Ding Dong The Hef Is Dead - The Legacy of Playboy; And The Death Of The Celebrity Interview from 2017-10-03T21:49:17
In the wake of pyjama-clad Hugh Hefner’s demise, we discuss the legacy of Playboy and its nuances - and why viewing an empire created 64 years ago solely through the lense of modern feminism can be...
Listen
Is Monogamy Dead? An Author Special with Comedian Rosie Wilby from 2017-09-27T21:00
The High Low is on holiday this week, so we have recorded an author special for you - because we're nice like that. Is Monogamy Dead? by British comedian Rosie Wilby came out in August 2017 and fro...
Listen
The Handbag’s Tale and why effective protests needn’t be violent from 2017-09-20T21:15:28
Twas the week that Margaret Atwood took her handbag to the Emmys - sorry, Margaret Atwood’s handbag took Margaret Atwood to the Emmys - and whilst some people are focusing on Issa Rae’s commentary,...
Listen
On speaking out against Woody Allen; and why women are still judged by appearance in the workplace from 2017-09-14T00:00
The High Low is a quarter of a century old (sort of) and to celebrate we have a ton of great reading recommendations for you - scroll down to see our favourite pieces of the week, including a pi...
Listen
L'Oreal's Race Row & The Danger With Safe Spaces from 2017-09-06T21:27:29
Dennis Rodman's strange new friendship with North Korea's dictator Kim Jong Un; a deep-dive into the archive via Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg's interview with Ali G; and a most unfortunate stor...
Listen
That Taylor Swift Song & Macron's €8,000 Make-Up Habit from 2017-08-30T22:50
It’s Dolly’s birthday today! And as if in celebration, The High Low has hit half a million downloads. Listen to Pandora sing happy birthday to Dolly and the two discuss Hilary Mantel’s epic piece o...
Listen
Zadie Smith On Beauty & Trolling The McCanns from 2017-08-23T22:38:23
It's a new episode of The High Low and we've got a bunch of things to recommend watching, listening to and reading covering everything from Indian Partition to an online black drugs market to male ...
Listen
The Response to Charlottesville & The Curious Tale of Chloe Ayling from 2017-08-16T22:27:37
The High Low is BACK after a week's hiatus in which Dolly went to Majorca, boggled at its lack of scene and read a bunch of books. Meanwhile Pandora's got summer flu and wants Dolly to update the G...
Listen
The Travesty of Princess Diana's Leaked Tapes & The Legacy of Celebrity Big Brother from 2017-08-02T22:34:21
It's Episode 20, a milestone of sorts - and Tesco are now paying your tampon tax. Hurrah! Go buy your 'pax from there -- and other supermarkets, we hope you follow their example.This week Dolly and...
Listen
The BBC Pay Gap, To The Bone & R Kelly's Alleged Sex Crime from 2017-07-25T23:33:32
After a break last week, it's a (bumper) episode 19 of The High Low. Of course, we're talking about the incendiary gender pay gap revealed at the BBC and the wider question of the value of each and...
Listen
A Pop-Culture special feat. Rob Kardashian with author Elizabeth Day from 2017-07-11T22:59:28
It's our second author special this week, with journalist and author, Elizabeth Day. Elizabeth's brilliant 4th book, The Party, comes out on 13th July and has whiffs of the Patrick Melrose novels, ...
Listen
Serena Williams vs. John McEnroe & Celebs vs. Trolls from 2017-07-05T23:09:22
In Episode 17 of The High Low, we discuss celebrities quitting Twitter (and why Pandora wants to set up a foundation called The RSPS - the Royal Society for the Protection of Stars) specifically Ed...
Listen
Corbyn’s Glasto & Why We Should All Strive To Be Average from 2017-06-27T23:03:15
JezCo took to the stage at Glasto, 7% of Americans think that chocolate milk comes from brown cows, Louis Tomlinson admitted he was the most ‘average’ of 1D, and 95 tower blocks in the UK have fail...
Listen
The Rise of the ‘Silver Splitter’ - and Pandora’s Best Bum Facts from 2017-06-20T22:44:22
Grenfell Tower is an unthinkable national tragedy; with many questions still unanswered, victims missing and families displaced. We discuss the aftermath of the most tragic residential fire since W...
Listen
An Author Special with Reni Eddo-Lodge & the return of the Nokia 3310 from 2017-06-13T23:14:14
It's our first ever author special with Reni Eddo-Lodge, whose phenomenal book Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race was published earlier this month. We talk to Reni about race rela...
Listen
On Belly Bulges and Privilege (and Not The General Election) from 2017-06-08T21:49:32
It’s General Election week, but there’ll be no talk of #GE2017 here (firstly, it’s already over.) Instead, we discuss Prince William’s revelatory interview with GQ - and Princess Diana’s relationsh...
Listen
In The Wake Of A Tragedy, The Media Response and What We Can Do As Individuals from 2017-05-24T22:58:23
There is no way we could create Episode 12 without addressing the horrifying terrorist attack in Manchester. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Please do donate at ht...
Listen
National Sandwich Week and the Rise of the Divorce Selfie from 2017-05-16T23:04:11
Ever heard of Avocado Hand? Wondering what Labour's new budget looks like? You'll be needing The Top 10, then. Also in today's episode: Netflix's weekend proposed price surge, National Sandwich Wee...
Listen
President Macron, Eurovision and our brand new segment: The Top Line from 2017-05-09T22:45:45
E is for Eurovision, Emmanuel Macron and Edwina Sheeran on The High Low this week. Plus Frankie Dettori does dressage.
See Listen
Simon Danczuk, The Met Ball and Celebrity Crowdsourcing from 2017-05-02T22:11:25
It's a brand new High Low, where caption is queen. There's an abundance of your e-mails, plus antiquing and Alisha's Attic.
The Girls Finale, Tim Farron and Prince Harry's Best Move Yet from 2017-04-20T22:56:09
The Jack Whitehalls of podcasting are back with tales of Berlin and Orkney, Larry David's daughter and the Genny Elec.
See Listen
Saffiyah Khan, Tamagotchis and That Pepsi Ad from 2017-04-11T22:51:09
After a fortnight of frolicking, Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton return to talk Kendall Jenner, Barry Manilow and living that Nickelodeon life.
S...
Listen
On Legsit and Love Actually from 2017-03-28T23:22:46
Much for Pandora and Dolly to discuss this week! Including Princess Tiaamii, Millie Bobby Brown and how to poach a good quince.
International Woman's Day and the Perils of Unpaid Internships from 2017-03-09T23:31:15
Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton discuss some thorny issues in the world of pop culture. Plus the real reason Nicole Kidman can't clap.
See Listen
Girls, Gaffes and the Duality of Language from 2017-02-28T23:15:53
Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton are back! The High Low is a new weekly pop-culture podcast. Episode 1 examines Lena Dunham's latest, office banter and of course, the Oscars.E-mail thehighlowshow@g...
Listen