Blood on the Dance Floor is a six-part podcast series that tells the story of the murder of a gay police officer in Northern Ireland in 1997. The presenter, Jordan Dunbar, paints a vivid picture of the late Darren Bradshaw’s life. Bradshaw loved school and had dreams of pursuing a career in theatre but, to everyone’s surprise, he instead decided to join the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).
During the 1980s and 90s, homosexuality was legal but not accepted in Northern Irish society, and the series lays out the double life that many gay people, including Bradshaw, were forced to lead. The only club of choice for the LGBTQ+ community at the time was the Parliament in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, the only club that advertised itself as a gay bar.
The third episode of the podcast series, “Glitter in the Chips,” takes a detour from the main story to explain why the Parliament was special. This amusing episode includes hilarious tales of how they decided to install cages in the club, which people were willing to pay to go into and dance, but they needed a ladder to get up. However, the fun and laughter take a darker turn in the following episode when Bradshaw was murdered on May 9, 1997.
As Dunbar charts the events leading up to Bradshaw’s death, it becomes increasingly obvious that his Belfast and Dunbar’s Belfast are not the same. He becomes angry at the sense of unfairness that Bradshaw died on the cusp of all the changes happening in Belfast at the time. The series provides a thought-provoking commentary on the LGBTQ+ community’s struggles during the 1980s and 90s, but it also highlights the changes that have occurred in Northern Ireland since then.
Rylan: How To Be A Man is a compelling 10-part podcast series that addresses toxic masculinity and how to be a man in 2023. Hosted by former reality TV star Rylan Clark, the series features guests, including Strictly winner Hamza Yassin, boxer Amir Khan, and Jake Daniels, the first active male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay.
Clark hosted a podcast series last year called Ry-union, which focused on blasts from the past. In his new series, he tackles the difficult subject of toxic masculinity and encourages listeners to redefine what it means to be a man. Clark’s series provides a voice for people who have struggled with the pressures of traditional gender roles and offers a refreshing perspective on masculinity.
Believe in Magic is a seven-part podcast series hosted by Jamie Bartlett, the presenter of the popular podcast The Missing Cryptoqueen. The series tells the story of a children’s charity that was shut down in 2020 amid allegations of financial irregularities. The charity had the support of One Direction and Megan Bhari, a seriously ill child, as its face.
Like last year’s brilliant and shocking series Sympathy Pains, Believe in Magic is a long, complex story that deserves attention. Bartlett expertly navigates through the twists and turns of the charity’s story, charting its rise to success and eventual downfall. The series provides an important commentary on the importance of transparency and accountability in charity work, highlighting the crucial role of investigative journalism in uncovering wrongdoings.
In conclusion, the three podcasts discussed above provide a captivating and thought-provoking commentary on various social issues. Blood on the Dance Floor highlights the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community in Northern Ireland during the 1980s and 90s, while Rylan: How To Be A Man challenges traditional gender roles and toxic masculinity. Believe in Magic, on the other hand, underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in charity work. Each of these podcast series is a must-listen for anyone looking to expand their understanding of these topics.
