Compiled by Grace Gollasch and Tess Connery
Turia Pitt puts in Hard Work every week in season three
If you’re looking for your next dose of inspo, look no further than Turia Pitt is Hard Work. The podcast is back with new episodes on LiSTNR, and season three officially kicked off on July 26.
This season, listeners will be getting double the Hard Work with the podcast now dropping weekly instead of fortnightly.
Podcast Week’s Tess Connery spoke to Turia Pitt ahead of the season three launch.
The move to weekly podcasts will see new episodes released every Tuesday. Pitt says that there were multiple reasons for the decision.
“To start with, it’s a process that I enjoy. Secondly, the audience really enjoy the interviews that we’re doing, and wanted more of them. Also the guests – we were wanting to interview all these people and trying to find the space for them. I think moving to weekly was a good idea, because it allowed us to do all of those things.
“All of the guests I’ve had have just been really interesting and fascinating people. They’re the kind of people that you’d want to have a chat with, and want to hear what they have to say.”
The first episode back features an interview with Australia’s first female prime minister Julia Gillard – a woman Pitt describes as “bloody extraordinary” – a decade after her famous Misogyny Speech.
“She was one of the nicest, most gracious, most humble, most articulate, most excellent, most all around superstars,” says Pitt. She’s absolutely amazing.”
With a new guest every episode, Pitt says there are certain things she looks out for when searching for people to bring on to Hard Work – and the good news is that she says she never has trouble getting guests.
“They’re people that I’m interested in or curious about, and people who we think have a fascinating story to tell – but are also people that we can learn stuff from.
“After listening to their story, it might inspire you, or it might change your mind on things, or may reframe how you see your challenging times – it might give you a strategy that you can use for the next time that you’re going through something tough. If the guests can do all of those things, it’s a good fit.”
In another goal kicked for the podcast, Turia Pitt is Hard Work has made its debut in the Australian Top 150 Podcast Ranker in June.
“It feels good, but we’ve got a bit to go, “ says Pitt. “Next time, it’s Top 100, and then we’ll just keep going from there.”
Earlier this year, Pitt was one of the contestants to take the plunge and head into Lord Alan Sugar’s boardroom on Celebrity Apprentice. Looking back at her time on the show, she says that “a whirlwind is definitely one way to describe it!”
“It was reality TV, so I always feel ridiculous saying that I learned stuff from that, but I did. It made me a bit more brave and more forthright, and better able to advocate for myself. I made a lot of great mates and got to raise a lot of money for charity.
“I don’t know if I’d be super keen to do it again, but I’m definitely grateful for the experience.”
[Listen to Turia Pitt is Hard Work here]
Acast welcomes Zoe Marshall and her podcast The Deep
Acast Creator Network has welcomed Zoe Marshall to its creator network.
The independent podcast company will now host, monetise and distribute her lauded human-interest podcast, The Deep.
The Deep is a place for thought-provoking conversations that help us explore who we are when no one is looking, from terminal parents to sex workers, extremists and drug addicts.
Cracked wide open by her past trauma, grief and abuse, Marshall holds the space for others to share their fascinating stories and perspectives as the host.
Marshall, who is the wife of NRL great Benji Marshall, said: “Since I can remember, people feel very comfortable sharing their secrets with me, those things they’ve never told a soul.
“It’s a privilege hearing these stories and it’s important to me that this trust extends to how the podcast is distributed and represented. That is why I decided to partner with Acast. Maintaining complete creative control and working with like-minded people is the way forward,” she added.
The Deep will benefit from Acast’s innovative range of monetisation options, including fan-supported revenue streams through Acast+ subscriptions. Fans of The Deep can subscribe to The Deeper to access exclusive bonus episodes that are too confronting for The Deep. Subscribers will also enjoy ad-free listening and bonus content.
As part of its commitment to the open podcast ecosystem, Acast will make The Deep accessible to listeners on all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Samsung Free, and more.
Acast welcomes Maz Compton as she launches her new podcast Last Drinks
Acast Creator Network has welcomed Maz Compton as she launches her sober-curious podcast, Last Drinks.
Compton’s partnership with Acast has brought the project to life and equipped the radio personality with all the tools necessary to create and host her podcast on her terms.
As a TV and radio host, she has lived her life out loud. From MTV to the dizzying heights of a national radio show, her life on paper was on point, but her relationship with alcohol was way out of whack.
Compton had her last drink on NYE 2014 and wants to share the joy and empowerment sobriety can bring each person by having honest conversations about how to navigate an awesome life without alcohol. She will be reframing our cultural narrative around alcohol with honest conversations about sobriety and sober curiosity.
Compton said of Last Drinks: “Australians have complex emotions around booze. Why do we get offended if our mate passes up having a drink with us? I want to empower people to redefine their relationship with alcohol by sharing my sobriety story as well as talking to others about how they have navigated life without alcohol.
“I’ve worked in broadcast media for decades, but this is the first time I have had complete autonomy over the content I want to share with the world. That’s been made possible by partnering with an independent podcast company like Acast,” she added.
The Nutrition Couch podcast reaches 1 million downloads
The Nutrition Couch podcast, produced by dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell for ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network has hit 1 million downloads in just over 12 months.
Throughout each episode, Leanne and Susie share their experience in working with everyday Australian women to achieve their health and well-being goals.
Each week the podcast covers topical news issues, client case studies, listener diet questions and their most popular episode format – a weekly supermarket produce review where Susie and Leanne break down some of the good and not so good products found in local supermarkets.
Co-host of The Nutrition Couch and Sydney-based dietitian Susie Burrell said, “When we started the show, we wanted to share the experiences we have working with real Australians in helping them to eat better. Our goal is to give our busy listeners practical, user-friendly and evidence-based advice from a range of qualified professionals.”
Fellow Co-host and one of Instagram’s leading dietitians based in Brisbane Leanne Ward added, “I think one of the reasons The Nutrition Couch has been so popular, is that it can be quite difficult to find sources of credible nutrition information.
“There are few regulations controlling who can give out personalised nutrition advice, with influencers, celebrities, or those who have completed a basic online course able to call themselves a nutritionist. Our goal with the podcast is to share professional dietary information in an easy to digest format.”
[Listen to The Nutrition Couch here]
LiSTNR rom-com podcast The Younger Man is available on Spotify for a limited time
LiSTNR rom-com podcast The Younger Man is now available on Spotify for a limited time, following a special distribution agreement.
The Younger Man is based on Zöe Foster Blake’s best-selling book of the same name, which was exclusive to LiSTNR upon its launch, now allows Spotify users access to the new audio rom-com podcast for 30 days from today, 21 July.
The rom-com podcast series utilised LiSTNR’s unique audio-first production skills, and a cast of well-known Australian actors, in order to adapt Foster Blake’s original story to create a new type of audio entertainment for the Australian market.
The Younger Man follows the aftermath of burnt-out businesswoman Abby’s memorable night with a younger man called Marcus and tracks the comedic ups and downs of their relationship trying to overcome their age gap, and the Audio Fiction version adds a few new twists to the story.
Ella Scott Lynch (Amazing Grace, Informer 3838) voices the protagonist Abby, alongside Penny McNamee (Home & Away), Steve Bastoni (Fires, Australian Gangster), Andrea Dimitriades (Clickbait, The Unusual Suspects) and Nicholas Burton (Pieces of Her).
The podcast, which was launched last month, was developed in partnership with LiSTNR, film and TV executive Bob Campbell of Bryden Media, is the first of four of LiSTNR’s audio fiction series.
[Listen to The Younger Man here]
Abbie Chatfield calls out Manly players over refusal to wear pride jersey
Podcaster, radio host, and TV personality Abbie Chatfield has called out the seven NRL players refusing to wear a jersey that showcases the LGBTQIA+ pride flag.
Seven Manly Sea Eagles players have stood down from Thursday night’s game against the Roosters after the club announced the jersey, which features small rainbow stripes, would be worn as a one-off. The players cited ‘religious beliefs’ for their refusal to participate.
On her latest, It’s A Lot podcast episode, Chatfield, who identifies as queer, slammed the players for being “homophobes.”
“I mean, obviously you’re a homophobe because you don’t want the rainbow on your chest.
“You’re so fragile and so insecure in your own self that you can’t handle a slither of rainbow on your chest on your $400,000 a year rugby job… Jesus Christ, go and throw your ball. Get a grip. Ignore the rainbow, it’s okay. It’s alright [sic],” she said.
“Who are you?” Abbie asked, before adding: “If you’re going to be outwardly homophobic in 2022 that you’re so scared of a rainbow stripe on a jersey, maybe you aren’t brave enough to play a sport [sic].”
Chatfield also mentioned the situation on her radio show Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield, saying, “It’s just embarrassing for them, sorry that you are so weak and so fragile, that you can’t handle having a strip of rainbow across your chest and on your neck, to support communities who aren’t included most of the time.”
Megan Pustetto returns to So Dramatic! podcast after one-week hiatus
After a week’s hiatus, Megan Pustetto began her latest episode of So Dramatic! with Megan Pustetto, by explaining why she took an unexpected week off from her bi-weekly podcast.
“I was missing in action, so I apologise for leaving you all high and dry.
“My ‘holiday’ was not planned, which is why I didn’t notify you guys last episode, and I did have so many of you reach out and send some really lovely messages of support, so I really appreciate that so much,” she said.
She explained the reason she took a week off was due to “a lot of hate and threats.”
“There has been a lot of shit, to put mildly, going on behind the scenes over here the last few weeks, and it just took a toll on me.” Pustetto continued, “An energy healing or a freaking exorcism wouldn’t go astray. It has been a little bit chaotic, it has been a lot, there has been a lot of hate, a lot of threats, a lot going on.”
She said backlash and drama were to be expected in her job, but “this was next level drama, even for my standards, even for MAFS standards,” she said.
“I’ve reset, I’ve cooled down, and I’m back better than ever.”
She ended the segment by giving a PSA to listeners about the content of her podcast. “Let us bitch and gossip in peace, and if you don’t like it, f*** off, respectfully.”
[Listen to So Dramatic! with Megan Pustetto here]
