

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

Jul 21, 2023 • 16min
Smart TV: A Devilish Returning Drama and Barbieheimer
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this weekShow notes:The Power of Parker, BBC OneGood Omens, Amazon PrimeDavid Bowie Night, BBC FourA Year on Planet Earth, ITV1Films of the Week:Oppenheimer, in cinemasBarbie, in cinemas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 18, 2023 • 50min
Katie Piper on making documentaries, changing TV and learning lessons in America's prisons
To launch this new series, we welcome the presenter and author, Katie Piper onto the Radio Times sofa. In 2008, Katie was the victim of an acid attack, which left her with life-changing injuries – her experience was documented in the BAFTA-nominated film, Katie: My Beautiful Face. Following its success, she signed an exclusivity deal with C4 that saw her go on to establish herself as one of our leading television presenters. In this episode, we discuss diversity within the media and how she has dealt with adversity. Plus, we talk about Katie Piper’s Jailhouse Mums, her powerful and poignant new documentary which sees Katie travel the USA meeting women who are pregnant or who have given birth behind bars. Stream for free all episodes of Katie Piper’s Jailhouse Mums on UKTV Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 14, 2023 • 17min
Smart TV: Women's World Cup Fever and Wonderful Dramas
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this weekShow notes:Women’s World Cup, BBC and ITVBad Sisters, Apple TVWorld On Fire, BBC OneYellowstone, Channel 5/ ParamountFifteen-Love, Amazon PrimeFilm of the Week:Rocketman, C4From the archive:Foyle's War, ITVXSAS: Rogue Heros, BBC iPlayerThe Camomile Lawn, C4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 7, 2023 • 19min
Smart TV: A Multitude of Mysteries and a Feast of Factual
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this weekShow notes:A Spy Amongst Friends, ITVThe Afterparty, Apple TV+Bill Bailey’s Master Crafters, Sky ArtsBoris Becker: Game, Set and Match, ITVXKatie Piper’s Jailhouse Mums, WThe Summer I Turned Pretty, Amazon PrimeFilm of the Week:Brooklyn, BBC1From the archive:An Englishman Abroad, BBC Four/iPlayer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 30, 2023 • 19min
Smart TV: Wimbledon Preview, Wham! Documentary, and New Idris Elba Drama: Hijack
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this week:Show notes:Wimbledon, BBCWham!, NetflixEllie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family, ITV1Hijack, Apple TV+And Just Like That, NOW/Sky ComedyFilm of the Week:A Star is Born, BBC iPlayerFrom the archive:Portrait of an Artist: George Michael, Amazon Prime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 23, 2023 • 16min
Smart TV: Glastonbury highlights including Elton John, Lizzo and Lewis Capaldi
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this weekShow notes:Glastonbury (All weekend), BBC channels and onlineThe Repair Shop: Michael Rosen, BBC1Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change, BBC1 Sid James: Comedy Icon, Channel 5Glenda Jackson: This Cultural Life, BBC iPlayerFilm of the Week:Matilda, NetflixFrom the archive:Break Point, Netflix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 16, 2023 • 18min
Smart TV: David Tennant’s Hattrick Staged, Litvinenko and There She Goes
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this weekShow notes:Litvinenko, ITVThere She Goes, BBC TwoStaged, BBC One Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland, BBC iPlayer Windrush: Portraits of a Generation, BBC TwoAnd Just Like That, Sky Comedy / NOW Film of the Week:Harry Potter Films, NetflixFrom the archive:The Secret She Keeps, BBC iPlayerThe Escape Artist, Amazon Prime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 10, 2023 • 4min
The Screen Test - We Need You!
Take part in the Screen Test and be a part of the most far-ranging and important viewer survey ever undertaken in the UK. The Screen Test is a project being led by a team of researchers at the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, in partnership with Radio Times, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives. With such a varied range of options as to how we watch, listen and stream media, we want to understand more about how people today are engaging with television and audio in all its different forms, what their experience is like, the reasons for the choices they make, their perceptions of the benefits and other consequences of consuming the content they choose. Equally, we want to know how a viewer’s or listener’s personality, values and background impact on their experience. The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time. The results will be announced in September as part of Radio Times’ centenary celebrations at the BFI Southbank. Visit thescreentest.org to find out more. The survey closes on the 30th of June 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9, 2023 • 18min
Smart TV: The return of Black Mirror, The Full Monty and Blackadder
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this weekShow notes:Black Mirror, NetflixBest Interests, BBC OneThe Full Monty, Disney+Sarah Beeny vs Cancer, Channel 4Our Planet II, NetflixBlackadder: the Lost Pilot, GoldFilm of the Week:Titanic, Channel FourFrom the archive:The Capture, BBC iPlayer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 2, 2023 • 20min
Smart TV Episode 61
Caroline Frost chats to Kelly-Anne Taylor about the best things coming up on the box this week.Show notes Spy in the Ocean, BBC1Davina McCall’s Pill Revolution, 9pmAvatar: the Way of the Water, Disney+Pride, BBC3Love Island, ITV2Annika, BBC1Gods of Tennis, BBC2Prince Night, BBC2From the archive Sex and The City, NOW TV Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices