The presenter meets remarkable public figures, starting with a lovely talk with writer-actor Meera Syal. Plus, a vital deep dive into US supreme court justice Neil Gorsuch

When she was 14, Anita Rani wrote to Meera Syal after watching Bhaji on the Beach. In a full circle moment, Meera is Anita’s first guest on a really lovely podcast about “awesome women on the planet right now”. They talk about all sorts, from empty-nest life to Goodness Gracious Me and divorce – which, they say, is still groundbreaking for south Asian women to be open about. Future guests include Gisèle Pelicot and Adjoa Andoh. Hollie Richardson Widely available, episodes weekly from Tuesday 26 May

Since launching in 2017, Slate’s anthology series has covered some of modern America’s most famous characters: Bill Clinton, Tupac, David Duke. Season 11 dissects a slightly more obscure figure. “Wild card” supreme court justice Neil Gorsuch isn’t a household name – but he may well end up changing the US for ever. Rachel Aroesti Widely available, episodes weekly

Bruce Rastetter is a Republican megadonor and Iowa entrepreneur in the carbon capture trade, whose attempts to expand his so-called “clean energy” business into Brazil forms the basis of this new season of the climate crisis-themed podcast. As ever with Drilled, it’s fascinating but maddening stuff. RA Widely available, episodes weekly

When Harvard professor Namwali Serpell’s landmark book on Toni Morrison was published in February, she went on tour to promote it. This series hitches a ride, following Serpell as she travels across the States reading Morrison’s work to audiences and discussing it with the likes of critic Vinson Cunningham and former US poet laureate Tracy K Smith. RA Widely available, episodes weekly

“We’ve done it before: tracking down a notorious crime boss. Can we do it again?” Following their hit investigative series To Catch a Scorpion, journalist Sue Mitchell and ex-soldier Rob Lawrie team up to try to unmask a man who is believed to be responsible for thousands of illegal cross-channel journeys, some where people have died. HR Widely available, episodes weekly

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/25/anita-rani-celebrates-awesome-women-best-podcasts-of-the-week