Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett’s Parenting Hell podcast continues to be one of my go-to listens and keeps attracting big names. This week it is journalist, writer and broadcaster Amol Rajan talking about what it’s like to have four kids, getting up at 3am to prepare for the Today programme, social mobility, and which are considered the most unpopular accents (spoiler it’s Wolverhampton and the Black Country).
Rajan, formerly the media editor of BBC news, he has been a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 since 2021 and University Challenge on BBC Two since 2023.
He provides his own intro (Josh and Rob dispense with the convention of introducing their guests) describing himself as ‘the best looking Indian in British broadcasting, a man who has got wit, and warmth, extraordinary verve.’
Rob, impressed with the off-the-cuff professionalism, asks: ‘Why did you learn to speak like that? Where’s the training to be a proper presenter’.
Amol replies ‘You’re the person who speaks properly, I’ve studied this very closely. You speak so fluently and cogently’.
Rajan is clearly a fan of Rob and Josh, he has a ‘big passion, obsession’ about understanding social mobility and has made several documentaries about the subject.
Rob describes how, despite the challenges it was easier when he first tried stand up ‘When I started, I was working for like 15 grand a year and able to live in London and that’s how I was a comedian. But you couldn’t do that now’.
Josh picks up the theme ‘There’s an interesting thing that if you look at everyone from our generation…None of them are people who’ve come from wealth, because I think it just gives you a massive extra drive. So if you look at Rob, Romesh, me, Acaster, Pascoe, Katherine Ryan, Joe Lycett..’
Rob continues ‘The other thing about social mobility, it’s a lot easier in comedy and entertainment and sport, because if you’re funny, they laugh, if you score a goal in football there’s an obvious marker.’
Rob, Josh and Amol have clearly scored again with this hugely enjoyable instalment.
You can listen to Amol’s podcast Radical and Parenting Hell wherever you get your podcasts.
