

Radio Times Podcast
Radio Times
We’ve all been there – sat in front of the television, flicking through channels, getting increasingly frustrated – there’s so much on, but nothing to watch. TV critics Caroline Frost and Shem Law have you covered. Each Friday, they serve up short, sharp television recommendations to mark your cards for the week ahead. They’ll tell you what to watch – and what to avoid. They watch it all, so you don’t have to. No more asking: what’s on TV tonight? What to watch? Or, what should I watch? Instead, listen to Smart TV for your weekly round-up of TV programmes and film reviews. You’ll find out about the latest series dropping that week, what to binge and what television show will become the next watercooler moment. Radio Times’ journalists Caroline Frost and Shem Law will cover all things terrestrial as well as what’s on the streaming sites – they’ll cover what’s broadcast on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky to NOW, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix and Apple TV. Whether you like Entertainment, Current Affairs, Documentaries, Dramas, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Thrillers, Sports or Radio – they’ll have you covered.If you enjoy our weekly round-up of television reviews, do search for the View From My Sofa podcast which sees Kelly-Anne Taylor sit down with a celebrity guests to talk about their lives through the prism of TV.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 15, 2025 • 24min
Smart TV: Life After Lineker for MoTD
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Hostage, Netflix
Match of the Day, BBC1
Confessions of a Brain Surgeon, BBC2
FROST BITE:
Why Americans still can’t get enough of us Brits, as long as it’s their version
THE ARCHIVE:
Jasper Carrott Night, BBC4
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Aug 8, 2025 • 21min
Smart TV: Led Zeppelin Doc and Ridley
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Ridley, ITV1
Antiques Roadshow (VJ Day Special), BBC1
Becoming Led Zeppelin, Now
FROST BITE:
Why digging into the archives is something we won’t be able to do soon...
THE ARCHIVE:
Shooting the Past, BBC4
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Aug 1, 2025 • 22min
Smart TV: Wednesday and Annika
Caroline Frost chats to Gareth McClean about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Annika , BBC1
Wednesday, Netflix
MasterChef, BBC1
FROST BITE:
When a show moves from TV to YouTube, what we do win and lose?
THE ARCHIVE:
The Newsreader, BBC iPlayer
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Jul 25, 2025 • 21min
Smart TV: The Gone and Bonnie Blue Doc
Caroline Frost chats to Gareth McClean about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
The Gone, BBC2
Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army, BBC2
Bonnie Blue Doc, C4
FROST BITE:
From Gregg Wallace to Christian Horner, when the mighty fall, what happens to the show?
THE ARCHIVE:
Star Trek: Enterprise, SyFy
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Jul 18, 2025 • 20min
Smart TV: Karen Pirie Series 2 and New Keeley Hawes Thriller
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Karen Pirie, ITV1
The Narrow Road to the Deep North, BBC1
The Assassin, Prime
FROST BITE:
From Miss Marple to Superman, how do we decide “the definitive version”?
THE ARCHIVE:
Helen Mirren Night, BBC4
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Jul 11, 2025 • 23min
Smart TV: Bookish and Shark Reality Show
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Bookish, U&Drama
Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, ITV1
The Couple Next Door, C4
FROST BITE:
Bringing the magic of mix tapes to a new generation
THE ARCHIVE:
Miss Marple (again..), BBC iPlayer
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Jul 4, 2025 • 27min
Smart TV: Oasis and Live Aid at 40
Caroline Frost chats to Frances Taylor and David Brown about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Live Aid at 40: When Rock n Roll Took On the World, BBC2
Too Much, Netflix
Supersonic, Channel 4
Not Going Out, BBC1
Jonathan Ross, ITV1
FROST BITE:
Why don’t we love the right female players at Wimbledon?
THE ARCHIVE:
Miss Marple
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Jun 27, 2025 • 24min
Smart TV: Glastonbury and Wimbledon
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Glastonbury, BBC
Wimbledon, BBC
Hill, Sky Documentaries
FROST BITE:
Can we say we’re part of the TV nation if we don’t like watching sport?
THE ARCHIVE:
The Big Match Revisited, ITV4/X
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Jun 20, 2025 • 21min
Smart TV: The Bear and Squid Game
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Survivors, Netflix
The Gilded Age, Amazon Prime
Squid Game, Netflix
The Bear, Disney+
FROST BITE:
It’s hard being a beautiful man - on screen, anyway
THE ARCHIVE:
Z-Cars, Talking Pictures TV
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Jun 13, 2025 • 23min
Smart TV: Outrageous and Noel Edmonds in New Zealand
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Outrageous, U&Drama
Amol Rajan Interviews: Martina Navratilova, BBC2
America’s Veterans: The War Within, ITV1
FROST BITE:
Noel Edmonds takes us on a Kiwi adventure - but why?!
THE ARCHIVE:
Charlie Drake: Drake's Progress
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