Best Hotbed Collective Podcasts (2024)

1
S3 Kangaroo Massacres: Australia's Dirty Secret 48:41

2+ y ago48:41

48:41

Guests Kate McIntyre Clere and Mick McIntyre come on the show to discuss a difficult topic – the commercial killing of wild kangaroos and their joeys. Kate and Mick are an Aussie filmmaking duo with Second Nature Films. Back in 2018, they released a shocking and damning expose about Australia's secretive kangaroo killings – the largest land slaught…

1
S3 Giving Haven to Animals Most in Need 45:29

2+ y ago45:29

45:29

If you've ever thought about rescuing and providing sanctuary to an animal in need, this episode is for you! Guests Kate Tsyrklevich and Hope Hilman run Heartwood Haven, a popular microsanctuary for farmed animals in Gig Harbor, Washington, USA. Pigs and roosters are their preferred rescues. Many of the hundreds they've saved come from appalling co…

1
S3 The Land Stand of the Mountain Caribou with David Moskowitz 42:38

2+ y ago42:38

42:38

In British Columbia, Canada, an elusive animal has been adapting to co-exist with the world's largest remaining inland temperate rainforest since the last ice age. They're the gentle and beautiful mountain caribou, and our guest this week is perhaps their loudest defender. David Moskowitz, renowned nature photographer, wildlife biologist and tracke…

1
S3 A New Global Vision for Whales and Dolphins with Sue Fisher 47:48

2+ y ago47:48

47:48

From grassroots to policy, we want to follow up on last week's popular podcast by introducing listeners to another amazing ambassador for the oceans – Sue Fisher, of Portland, Oregon. Sue is interim marine policy director (international) for the Animal Welfare Institute. She's been advocating for greater protections for cetaceans through the Intern…

1
S3 Ocean Love and Activism with Peggy Oki 1:01:14

2+ y ago1:01:14

1:01:14

Environmental artist, activist and teacher. Free-spirited surfer and voice for her beloved whales and dolphins, whom she's dubbed The Cetacean Nation. Oh, and skateboarding sensation on the famous Zephr ("Z-Boys") competition team from the mid-1970s in California. She's the one and only Peggy Oki, and we're thrilled to have her on the show in this …

1
S3 Ratifying Animal Sentience with Claire Bass 52:34

2+ y ago52:34

52:34

In November 2021, the United Kingdom recognized crabs, lobsters, octopus and other decapod crustaceans and cephalopod invertebrates as sentient beings. The animals were added to the UK's new Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, which will protect them for the first time when the bill becomes law in early 2022. Expanding our awareness to more species is…

1
S3 The Weight of Empathy with Lucas Spiegel 45:32

2+ y ago45:32

45:32

We're so happy to release the first episode of Sentient Planet – Season 3! Today’s guest is the vegan writer, photographer and lover of all creatures – Lucas Spiegel. Lucas quit his job as an architect in North America to spend nearly two years traveling the world, working on animal sanctuaries as he explored cultures and what it would take to live…

1
S2 What is Sentience with Roshi Susan Murphy 53:51

3y ago53:51

53:51

What is sentience? If we're to ask the question directly, perhaps a good place to seek an answer is with a great teacher. This week, it's our honor to welcome and share the Earth wisdom of the joyful Dr. Susan Murphy. Susan is a Roshi, a learned teacher in the tradition of Zen Buddhism. She is the founding and resident teacher of the Zen Open Circl…

1
S2 For the Love of Moon Bears with Jill Robinson 47:55

3y ago47:55

47:55

Jill Robinson first encountered a captive Moon Bear in 1993. The experience, which she recounts in our interview, changed her life. It also sparked the beginning of the end of the horrific bear bile industry. Moon Bears are Asian Black Bears. They are called Moon Bears in reference to the trademark white fur crescent that appears across their necks…

1
S2 An Icon for Our Sentient Planet with Mark Stoop 40:40

3y ago40:40

40:40

What a treat to introduce the Dutch nature photographer and our far-flung team member, Mark Stoop. Mark lives in Singapore, where he works as a marketing director and indulges his passion for photographing the biodiverse animals who live around him. Birds and reptiles hold a special place in Mark's heart. Indeed, it was his beautiful photo of a cur…

1
S2 Bonus Episode: "The Face" with Dany Celermajer 10:18

3y ago10:18

10:18

This bonus episode, exclusive to Sentient Planet listeners, accompanies our Season 2 episode, "Living Through Fire with Danielle Celermajer." Dany reads "The Face," a short chapter from Summertime: Reflections on a Vanishing Future (Penguin Books Australia 2021). Her brave and unflinching account of animal sentience beseeches us to wake up and face…

1
S2 Living Through Fire with Danielle Celermajer 55:07

3y ago55:07

55:07

This week's guest is the profound Australian author, Professor Danielle Celermajer. Dany is a philosopher, the director of the Multispecies Justice Project at the University of Sydney, and the author of Summertime: Reflections on a Vanishing Future (Penguin Books Australia 2021). Dany started writing Summertime in situ during the peak of the Black …

1
S2 Communicating Animal Sentience with Carl Safina 56:41

3y ago56:41

56:41

On the topic of non-human animal sentience, Carl Safina is one of the most experienced observers and gifted communicators in the world. The renowned ecologist turned bestselling author has penned 10 books about our human relationship to nature and her myriad species. For example, in Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, …

1
S2 Bonus Episode: A Prayer for All Beings with Jo McArthur 2:08

3y ago2:08

2:08

This bonus episode, exclusive to Sentient Planet listeners, accompanies our Season 2 episode "The Long Road to Liberation with Jo-Anne McArthur." Jo talks about the award-winning photo collection, "HIDDEN: Animals in the Anthropocene," and she reads a short and ancient Buddhist prayer for the liberation of all animals, including we humans. Photo co…

1
S2 The Long Road to Liberation with Jo-Anne McArthur 59:09

3y ago59:09

59:09

We're honored to launch Season 2 with this guest, the acclaimed animal photojournalist, author, humane educator and founder of We Animals Media, Jo-Anne McArthur. Perhaps no human has done more to bring the suffering of our animal kin into the light. For more than 20 years, across more than 60 countries, Jo has documented the truth of what happens …

1
Rivers Are Life with Amy Souers Kober 42:23

3y ago42:23

42:23

In our last episode for Season 1, Amy Souers Kober, of American Rivers, talks about the rising global movement to restore free-flowing river ecosystems, upon which so much sentient life depends. We discuss the benefits of removing the thousands of dams that still crisscross North America. Right now, there is a groundswell of support to breach four …

1
Koala Crusader with Cate Faehrmann 38:57

3y ago38:57

38:57

How are koalas faring after the great climate fires that bore down on Australia in 2019-20? One of the best people to ask is Cate Faehrmann, Member of Parliament for the New South Wales Greens Party. Also an environmental activist, Cate chaired a recent parliamentary inquiry into the status of koalas in New South Wales, where the population is quic…

1
The Custodians of Creation with Tyson Yunkaporta 56:35

3y ago56:35

56:35

This week, we switch hemispheres and head Down Under for an out-of-the-ordinary conversation with the Australian indigenous writer, academic and traditional wood carver Tyson Yunkaporta. Tyson reflects on the dominant global order behind our current crises and the havoc it's wreaking upon animals and all life. We're caught up in an unstoppable race…

1
Bonus Episode: Researcher Ken Balcomb Talks Orca 46:31

3y ago46:31

46:31

For those who can't get enough of "podfather" Ken Balcomb – and those new to his lifetime of dedication to the Southern Resident Orca (SRO) – here's the additional interview we promised. Listen to Ken describe the staggering natural beauty that drew him to North America's Pacific Northwest, his first orca sighting 45 years ago, and what it's been l…

1
Mapping the Salish Sea with Stefan Freelan 31:17

3y ago31:17

31:17

This week, we step back from the Southern Resident Orca to discover more about their watery home through the eyes of a mapmaker. Stefan Freelan is the cartographer from Western Washington University who created the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin map, aiding a decades-long campaign to bring an official name (and purpose) to an entire ecosystem. To d…

1
Podfather: One Man's Journey to Save the Southern Resident Orca 28:34

3y ago28:34

28:34

This week's episode is from the field! Susan interviews whale researcher Ken Balcomb. The interview takes place at Ken's Big Salmon Ranch property on the beautiful Elwha River, acquired to preserve a key salmon-spawning habitat that is vital to feeding J, K and L pods. Calls to Action: For more stories, photos and videos about the individual whales…

1
A Writer's Connection to the Salish Sea with Rena Priest 36:14

3y ago36:14

36:14

Rena Priest is an award-winning poet and writer, a National Geographic Explorer and a member of the Lummi Nation. In April, she was named Washington State Poet Laureate - the first time Washington has awarded this role to an indigenous poet. Today, we discuss Rena’s calling to write about the Southern Resident Orca, whom the Lummi consider their "r…

1
Bonus Episode: Poet Rena Priest Reads "Words of Encouragement" 2:01

3y ago2:01

2:01

Congratulations to Rena Priest, named Washington's Poet Laureate in April 2021. She is the first indigenous poet to hold this prestigious position in Washington state. "Words of Encouragement" appears in For Love of Orcas: An Anthology, published in 2019 by Wandering Aengus Press. Photo: The Whale Sanctuary Project.…

1
Bringing Her Home: The Lummi Claim to a Captive Orca 36:31

3y ago36:31

36:31

In honor of Earth Day, we dedicate the first ever Sentient Planet audio documentary to Sk'aliCh'elh-tenaut (also known as Tokitae and Lolita) – a wild Southern Resident orca confined to a tank in the Miami Seaquarium for the past 50 years – and to her indigenous relatives, who are working tirelessly to bring her home. This is their story. May human…

1
Understanding Environmental Grief with Dr. Kriss Kevorkian 32:09

3y ago32:09

32:09

Witnessing the decline of species and habitat in this time of mass extinction is deeply painful. In 2001, thanatologist Dr. Kriss Kevorkian gave a name to what many of us are feeling – environmental (and ecological) grief. In our first Sentient Planet guest interview, Kriss talks about her journey from a love of whales to working in death and dying…

1
Season 1 Introduction 5:07

3y ago5:07

5:07

A short conversation with the creators of Sentient Planet about the podcast's intention and what to expect in Season 1. Music (with great thanks): "Galaxies" by Stellardrone.By Susan Woodward

1
Hello! First Episodes Land On Earth Day 2021 0:30

3y ago0:30

0:30

A new podcast about our kinship with animals. Our first episodes land on Earth Day, April 22. Music: "The Spaces Between" by Scott Buckley.By Susan Woodward

1
Is your libido on lockdown? with Dr Karen Gurney 23:28

3+ y ago23:28

23:28

Have you been at it like rabbits in Lockdown 3 or have you found sex is the last thing on your mind? Anniki Sommerville and Lisa Williams discuss the trials of lockdown love, why Anniki wants a chin-lift, sexy new TV – from Lover's Rock to Bridgerton – and the now-legendary BBC dildo appearance. There's also a guest spot from Dr Karen Gurney, who o…

1
Do Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism?, with Professor Kristen R Ghodsee 42:00

4y ago42:00

42:00

Good sex starts with doing the recycling, Anniki Sommerville and Lisa Williams have always maintained. To develop this thought, they discuss what socialist ideals – more free childcare, laundry and food services - would lead them to having better sex, prompted by Lisa reading Professor Kristen R Ghodsee’s book Why Women Have Better Sex Under Social…

1
Normal People, Extraordinary Times, with Dr Karen Gurney 39:36

4y ago39:36

39:36

Anniki Sommerville and Lisa Williams record a special socially-distanced episode to talk about the lives under lockdown, the BBC Three adaptation of Sally Rooney's Normal People, and how they're feeling about their lockdown looks. There's also a guest spot by Dr Karen Gurney, giving advice on living such at close quarters with your partner, why thi…

1
I'm Too Old For This Sh*t, with Dr Philippa Kaye 45:58

4y ago45:58

45:58

The Hotbed welcomes its first-ever co-host: Karen Arthur of #WearYourHappy to talk about menopause, mental health and things we’re too old to care about any more. Lisa also interviews Dr Philippa Kaye about what the perimenopause is, what treatment there is for menopause symptoms, and how female pleasure is important for women of all ages. Recorded…

1
Book special: More Orgasms Please and Motherwhelmed 29:01

4y ago29:01

29:01

The Hotbed Collective's book More Orgasms Please: Why Female Pleasure Matters is out in pretty paperback now: Anniki Sommerville and Lisa Williams talk about how they wrote it and why they wrote it, give their tips on getting a book published and their thoughts on why female pleasure matters. Anniki's novel Motherwhelmed is also out and she talks a…

1
Get Lippy, with Dr Anita Mitra aka Gynae Geek 42:16

4y ago42:16

42:16

Anniki Sommerville and Lisa Williams talk about vulvas: cervical screenings, gynae cancer, thrush and nicknames for ‘vulva’. They set up a folk duo and do an impromptu song about incontinence, while Lisa interviews the ever-calm and ever-clever Dr Anita Mitra, AKA Gynae Geek about The Eve Appeal's Get Lippy campaign, and gynae conditions, the taboo…

1
All About Desire, with Dr Karen Gurney and Kelly Ford 38:22

4y ago38:22

38:22

At a special live show of The Hotbed, recorded live at Soho Radio pre-lockdown, Hotbed favourite Dr Karen is here to explain why everything you believed about desire is WRONG! We talk about the 237 reasons we have sex, what (and who!) makes us feel sexy, how contraception can mess with your mood, why you should get listening to some audio porn, and…

1
The Rampant Rabbit, with Jacqueline Gold 35:35

4y ago35:35

35:35

Jacqueline Gold CBE is the chief executive of Ann Summers and estimated to be the UK’s 16th richest woman. She talks to Cherry Healey and Anniki Sommerville about the sex toy made famous by Sex in the City, how she turned the chain around to make it more welcoming for women, and her experience of sex and body image after cancer. This episode is kin…

1
Before You Say You're Leaving, with Cat Sims 26:51

4y ago26:51

26:51

Cherry Healey and Anniki Sommerville are back with the first episode of the sixth series! Recorded in COVID-19 free times, this is stress-free listening that may be particularly appropriate now we’re living in lockdown. If you’re in a long-term relationship and struggle sometimes, you will love listening to their interview with Cat Sims, the blogge…

1
The Hotbed Season 6 Trailer - Starts Wednesday April 15th 0:55

4y ago0:55

0:55

The Hotbed Collective are back with series six of their hit podcast The Hotbed. Life is weird but stick in your headphones and listen to Lisa Williams, Cherry Healey and Anniki Sommerville discuss topics such as sex shops, perimenopause and marriage counselling with a variety of brilliant guests. This series is kindly sponsored by Mooncup, the orig…

1
The Hotbed Season Finale LIVE from Camp Bestival 40:30

5y ago40:30

40:30

In this the finale episode in the series, ‘The Hotbed’ trio are reunited: with Lisa, Anniki and Cherry taking on Camp Bestival in a special LIVE podcast also starring Carrie Anne AKA @mre.soeur and Kate from @lesbemums. They discuss why relationships are so hard after kids, how communication can be reduced to who defrosted what for dinner and the i…

1
The Fit Feminist, with Shona Vertue 33:42

5y ago33:42

33:42

Cherry Healey talks to ‘the fit feminist’ Shona Vertue about the many reasons to be fit and strong (none of which are to look a certain way), they talk about Cherry has been doing her pelvic floor squeezes all wrong until now, and Shona answers some listeners’ questions about diastasis recti and getting into fitness at an older age. In the studio, …

1
I'm In My Sexual Prime, with Tova Leigh 39:09

5y ago39:09

39:09

Hotbedder-at-large Cherry Healey is back in the fold for this episode, which centres on sex and ageing, and what that can mean for a relationship, the stairpile and your orgasm rate. She interviews comedian Tova Leigh about the midlife crisis which led to her rediscovering her sexuality, confidence and personality, and about how, when your partner …

1
How are your hormones? 35:52

5y ago35:52

35:52

We have a juicy chat with sex educator, YouTuber and all-round good egg Hannah Witton about hormones, sex education and masturbation, in which we reveal orgasm tips, what we’d wished our parents has taught us about sex, and why talking about sex is important work. Hannah’s book The Hormone Diaries is out now, as is our book More Orgasms Please: Why…

1
Beach Body Ready, with Natalie Lee/Style Me Sunday 35:47

5y ago35:47

35:47

How do we resist the pressure to get 'beach body ready' as summer holiday season approaches? Lisa Williams quizzes Natalie Lee, AKA Style Me Sunday, about how to be a warrior woman on the beach and by the pool, how being a midwife helped her become body positive, and how body positivity compares to body neutrality. They also discuss their favourite…

1
Position of the Fortnight with Lisa Smosarski 36:36

5y ago36:36

36:36

In this week's episode The Hotbed talk frankly about what they’ve been up to since season 4 ended (for a start they’ve got a BOOK coming out called ‘More Orgasms Please,’). They also discuss Love Island, and what their favourite sexual position is (as an ode to More magazine’s 'Position of The Fortnight') . Anniki interviews the lovely Lisa Smosars…

1
None of My Best Friends Are Trans 43:35

5y ago43:35

43:35

*Trigger warning: This episode makes references to self-harm and suicide** To round off the fourth series we interview a MAN for the first time on the podcast! Buck Angel is an LA-based activist who is known in the trans community as ’Tranpa’ because he enjoys teaching and preaching about self-acceptance and love. He tells Lisa Williams about his j…

1
How Not to Hate Your Partner After Kids with Jancee Dunn 36:04

5y ago36:04

36:04

In this episode Anniki and Lisa discuss what happens to your relationship after you have kids. Why is it that we often get locked into the same arguments and are there any strategies to break free? Why do some new mothers resent their partner when they try to help and then hate them when they don’t? They also discuss the joys of Lidl and why it's o…

1
I Wanna Know What Self-Love Is 57:26

5y ago57:26

57:26

Our lives are getting increasingly stressful and the overwhelm is real, so how do we carve out time for self-love and what does it look like? For this special live episode, recorded at White City House, we explore self-love in all its forms. Co-hosts Lisa Williams and Anniki Sommerville haven’t had much time for self-love recently, hear about their…

1
Only an Actual Movie Star, with Rose McGowan 41:45

5y ago41:45

41:45

*Trigger warning: This episode contains mild references to consent* Anniki Sommerville and Lisa Williams were over the moon to host Charmed and Grindhouse star Rose McGowan in the Hotbed. She talks about the male gaze, the #MeToo the movement, growing up in a cult and her book Brave, her frank evisceration of what she calls ‘the cult of Hollywood’.…

1
Help, my vulva is broken! With Clemmie Hooper 42:00

5+ y ago42:00

42:00

The Hotbed Collective kicks off the fourth series of the Hotbed podcast by talking to midwife and Instagram star Clemmie Hooper, aka Mother of Daughters. We interview her about the wonderful world of vulvas, body knowledge, post-birth recovery and how Clemmie herself manages to get her leg over despite having four kids in the house. Anniki is parti…

1
It's the Moist Wonderful Time of the Year 45:29

5+ y ago45:29

45:29

Why do women have such rubbish words to describe their sex drive, rude bits and nice things that can be done to us? We talk to poet Hollie McNish about why sexy words are often super-cringe and what we can do about it (Oxford English Dictionary, are you listening?). We also talk about the orgasm gap, how only 20% of women can orgasm via intercourse…

1
I Took The Cat, with Rebecca Humphries 54:49

5+ y ago54:49

54:49

Rebecca Humphries hit the headlines when her then-partner Seann Walsh was papped snogging his Strictly Come Dancing partner Katya Jones. Rather than sell her story, she released a powerful statement on Twitter, reframing herself not as a victim, but as a woman strong enough to leave - taking the cat with her. She talks to Lisa Williams and Anniki S…

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