“Death Podcasts You Should Listen To”

Article for Funeral Service Journal, April 2020

You’re too tired to read. You’re too distracted to watch TV. You don’t have the energy for conversation. But you’d like a little company. May I suggest a podcast?

Podcasts came into my life out of necessity five years ago. I started experiencing insomnia and was searching for a distraction at 3.00am. Switching on the light to read my book was considered anti-social. Fumbling under the duvet to select a podcast, was not.

At that time, choosing a podcast was really quite simple. Now, with more than one million online, it’s far more challenging. Podcasting is like blogging. Just because you’ve “always wanted to write” doesn’t mean you have anything to say.

So where do you start? The simplest way is put your favourite hobby into Google and add the word ‘podcast’. Fly fishing, yoga, quantum mechanics, you name it, there’ll be at least one podcast or more likely 50.

Best podcasts about death and dying

But what about those of us with an interest in death? I’m going to offer a few suggestions, with a quick caveat. I’ve chosen small, independent podcasts as I like their authenticity. They may be small on production values, but they’re big on heart.

First up, Undertaking the Podcast, a show hosted by two American funeral directors, who discuss topical issues with fellow industry professionals. Expect the unexpected. How do you handle the parents of children who’ve taken their lives? How do you transition from funeral director to stand-up comic? Why do I think you’ll like it? It’s companionable, open-hearted moving, and often funny, simple as that.

What about your clients? It is well known that grief is isolating and people don’t know what to say. Why not recommend a good podcast instead? Grief Out Loud tackles the experience of young people and grief, a topic that is often neglected. Parents don’t know what to say, kids don’t know what to think. The host, Jana DeCristofaro, is compassionate and unsentimental. Expect a thoughtful conversation without the gush.

Talking about grief and loss

Closer to home, we have our own award-winning podcaster, Cariad Lloyd. Her podcast series Griefcast has brought her international acclaim and deservedly so. In a nutshell, Lloyd interviews her fellow comedians about their experiences of grief and loss; a simple but surprisingly revealing premise. It’s cheerier than it sounds and yet often very moving. A gentle listen with a nice cup of tea.

If you want more recommendations, get in touch. Or wait until next month, where I’ll be sharing a few more gems I’ve discovered under the duvet.

Georgie Vestey produces the podcast Dead Honest. Listen to her interview with funeral director, Andy Holter from CPJ Field in Dying to Meet You.