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Private Passions

BBC Radio 3
Music
Beethoven
Classical Music
Bach
Forensic Science
Christmas
Scottish Heritage
Death and Dying
Poetry
Dvorak
Schubert
Writing
Opera
Glasgow
Fungi
Colum Mccann
Benjamin Britten
Lemony Snicket
Mozart
Chopin

Guests from all walks of life discuss their musical passions and talk about the influence music has had on their lives.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes501Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicPersonal JournalsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Private Passions

Latest Episodes

The writer Simon Barnes has two very public passions - sport and the natural world. He wrote about both for The Times for 30 years, covering seven Olympic Games and six World Cup finals, while also delivering columns on short-eared owls, mountain har... more

Margaret Busby is a publisher and editor who's helped change our literary landscape. She's been lauded by the writer Zadie Smith as the cheerleader, instigator, organiser, defender and celebrator of black arts, something she's done for nearly 60 year... more

The historian Michael Wood has shared his enthusiasms and expertise with television viewers and readers around the world for almost five decades.

He’s brought us complex individuals such as Alexander the Great, pivotal conflicts such as the Trojan W... more

James Aldred is an Emmy award-winning documentary wildlife cameraman and filmmaker who has collaborated with David Attenborough on projects such Planet Earth, The Life of Mammals and Our Planet. He often finds himself suspended from ropes or on platf... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Simon Barnes
Journalist and author
The Times (former)
Episode: Simon Barnes, journalist
Margaret Busby
Publisher and editor who co-founded Allison and Busby; editor of Daughters of Africa and New Daughters of Africa
Allison and Busby; Daughters of Africa
Episode: Margaret Busby, publisher and editor
Michael Wood
Historian and documentary filmmaker
Independent historian and presenter
Episode: Michael Wood, historian
Ijeoma Uchegbu
Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience and founder of NanoMerix
University College London; Wolfson College Cambridge; NanoMerix
Episode: Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, chemist
Rachel Eliza Griffiths
Poet and novelist
Author
Episode: Rachel Eliza Griffiths, poet and novelist
Francis Spufford
Writer of Golden Hill, Light Perpetual, Nonesuch
Author
Episode: Francis Spufford, writer
Sir Ian Blatchford
Director and Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group
Science Museum Group
Episode: Sir Ian Blatchford, Science Museum director
George Saunders
Writer
Episode: George Saunders, writer
Penny Woolcock
Filmmaker and opera director
Independent
Episode: Penny Woolcock, film director

Host

Gillian Moore
Host of the program on BBC platforms

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 345 ratings
  • Deborah J. Orr

    This program sparks a joy for both the music and hearing the biographical experiences of well known people. The chosen musical selections hold great meaning as they are linked to moments in time. It is as though we too become inheritors of the musical memory through the significance of the connection. The presenter, Michael Berkeley, is marvelously knowledgeable in many different kinds of music making this one of my favorite podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Not everyone has a nickname!
    United States4 months ago
  • Private Passions

    I chanced upon this show & was so pleased to hear cultured people speak about the musical works associated with their various inspirations. I so appreciate that I am listening to the great classical works, I can note them to replay for myself. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kinley Webb
    United States8 months ago
  • One of my favorite podcasts!

    Has helped me get through a rough patch

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BjornLouserson
    United Statesa year ago
  • Engaging, warm, interesting

    A wonderful podcast. I’ve been introduced to music that was new to me, which I’ve loved. Please keep the episodes coming!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ElleJay’80
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Can’t download less recent podcasts☹️

    I really enjoyed my first podcast listen in this series, which was an interview with Sue Black. So I tried to listen to earlier ones and no luck. It says it’s a temporary problem but is it? Very frustrating!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DrSalC
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host's warm, attentive interview style and deep musical knowledge.
Fans highlight intimate conversations and wide musical range as strengths.
Feedback notes occasional download issues but overall high appreciation for content and guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#56
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#174
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#207
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#7
Ireland/Music
Apple Podcasts
#109
New Zealand/Music
Apple Podcasts
#153
Hong Kong/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

George Saunders, writer
Q: Why did you choose difficult, unlovable characters like the oil tycoon in Vigil?
He views such characters as a way to explore redemption, power, and whether someone can change later in life, using them to test moral and narrative boundaries.
George Saunders, writer
Q: What role does music play in your writing process?
Music serves as inspiration and a way to access emotional depth; he sees music as a force that can spark new ideas, challenge his writing habits, and help him convey presence and honesty in his prose.
George Saunders, writer
Q: How did your early writing life influence your later novels and short stories?
He describes balancing a demanding engineering career with writing, using work-time as a crucible to craft funny, compact stories that explored capitalistic pressures, which later evolved into a broader, more serious literary voice.
Peter Hamlyn, neurosurgeon
Q: What do you think causes sudden cardiac death in athletes?
It is commonly due to arrhythmias, but the exact cause is still uncertain, and it poses significant challenges for resuscitation.
Peter Hamlyn, neurosurgeon
Q: On a more serious note, how do you think it could help diagnose problems in your field?
AI could make neurological specialists out of non-specialists, and it could make neurologists better by offering more diagnostic possibilities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Private Passions

What is Private Passions about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, music-centric interview series where guests from diverse fields discuss their lifelong musical passions and how those sounds shaped their work and worldview. Episodes weave personal memories with cultural and intellectual explorations, spanning classical, jazz, world music, cinema scores, and historical context. Noteworthy moments often center on how music anchors identity, fuels creativity, and even informs leadership and science. The show stands out for its intimate, emotionally intelligent conversations and a welcoming, exploratory atmosphere that helps listeners discover new music through meaningful storytelling.

Where can I find podcast stats for Private Passions?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Private Passions. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Private Passions and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Private Passions get?

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What are the audience demographics for Private Passions?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Private Passions, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Private Passions have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Private Passions has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Private Passions?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Private Passions:

1. This Cultural Life
2. Great Lives
3. Last Word
4. Front Row
5. Desert Island Discs

How many episodes of Private Passions are there?

Private Passions launched 13 years ago and published 501 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Private Passions?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Private Passions?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Private Passions from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Private Passions?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Private Passions. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Private Passions?

Recent guests on Private Passions include:

1. Simon Barnes
2. Margaret Busby
3. Michael Wood
4. Ijeoma Uchegbu
5. Rachel Eliza Griffiths
6. Francis Spufford
7. Sir Ian Blatchford
8. George Saunders

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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