7 Epic podcasts hosted by women

What better way to start to the winter months than to snuggle up with a podcast or two? Whilst true crime might lend itself to the season, why not seek out some culture, using your down time to learn about something completely new?

Perhaps you could feel inspired by some of the amazing women hosting shows about the realities of life post 40, the art of saving, or the wonders of the female body. There will be plenty of indoor hours in the day to try them out!

On that note, here’s our take on the best podcasts that every woman—and man, for that matter—should make sure they’ve had a listen to before the year ends. 

Hormonal is a brand new, weekly podcast, hosted by author Rhea Ramjohn and produced by female health app, Clue. The first season aims to solve the mystery of hormones, shedding light on the different ways in which they impact our lives.

With the help of guest experts, Rhea explores and explains how hormones affect everything from skin health, through to stress levels, culture and sports performance, and delves into questions like, what are hormones? And why saying "she’s being hormonal" makes no sense.

This is the kind of podcast that every woman should be listening to—but more-so if you’re looking to find out more about your body, and understand just how much our hormones play a role in our day-to-day lives. Mind-boggling, fascinating stuff. 

Table Manner is a podcast produced by singer Jessie Ware and her mother Lennie, as they tackle the topics of family and food with a weekly celebrity guest.

What makes this podcast unique is that it’s done from Ware’s dinner table—as each guest she hosts also receives a three-course meal. It’s an absolutely delightful listen to snuggle up with across the cold winter months, as well as an adorable exploration of mother-daughter relationships in adult life.

Worth a listen if you want something wholesome, or you’re nostalgic for some family time. Equally worth a listen if you’re into music, as Ware’s guests are often A-list singers and performers.

As far as podcasts go, Encyclopedia Womannica is a relatively new offering that certainly packs a punch. The podcast aims to fill the gaps in our historical knowledge with important female figures from the past.

Host Liz Kaplan was inspired to do this whilst musing on her school history lessons, which she remembered as not really containing women. Encyclopedia Wommanica aims to resolve that issue by teaching listeners about important women who have made an impact on the world—but have not necessarily been recognised for it. 

This pun-derfully named podcast runs in 20-minute episodes which tackle some of the toughest issues facing working women today. Topics include being a professional woman without kids, the difficulty of delegating to colleagues, and even sexual harassment.

The Broad Experience also covers issues such as forgiveness, focus, and ambition in the workplace—so it has its finger on the pulse of both social and emotional issues related to work.

Every working woman (and man) should be tuning in to Ashley Milne-Tyte, reporter and teacher, as she tackles the topic of women at work. 

Fit and Chips is a weekly podcast that looks exclusively at fitness from the perspective of women over 40—from pre-menopause to post-menopause and beyond.

The podcast takes interviews from successful women in the fitness world navigating middle age: you can listen to strength coaches, entrepreneurs and writers discuss things like body positivity, building resilience, strength training and dance.

The podcast is run by Amanda Thebe, a “force of nature” in the world of post-40 fitness, so if you want to get in shape (or just get motivated) then this is the podcast for you. 

Afford Anything is a podcast that offers up an interesting concept: you can afford anything, but not everything. It’s run by Paula Pant as an extension to her book, Escape, and the career she’s built on advising other people on how to make the most of their time, energy and money.

The podcast covers everything from retirement plans to fear to later life success, but it’s always rooted in sound money advice from a woman who completely changed her life by being frugal. A must for both struggling savers or aspiring millionaires!

We couldn't finish this list without taking a moment to toot our own horn. Hosted by Reader's Digest editors Anna Walker and Eva Mackevic, Digested is a monthly podcast that aims to help you navigate the wonders and woes of modern life. 

Each episode, an expert is invited to initiate us into another aspect of modern living, from veganism, reducing your plastic consumption and getting better sleep to ageing joyfully. Give us a listen, and we'd love to hear your feedback. 

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