
Have you ever walked past a mysterious stranger on a park bench and wondered about their lives? Tom Rosenthal (singer-songwriter by trade) has spent the past year walking through various parks across the UK and Ireland, approaching random bench-dwellers and asking if he can sit next to them and record their conversation. Every stranger remains anonymous, neither name or place of work is ever revea... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 84 | Founded | 2 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | DocumentarySociety & Culture | |||

*Content warning - suicide*. Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.
This is what happened!
Produced by Tom Rosenthal
Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti
Mixed by Mike ... more
Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.
This is what happened!
Produced by Tom Rosenthal
Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti
Mixed by Mike Woolley
Theme tune by Tom Ro... more
Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.
This is what happened!
Produced by Tom Rosenthal
Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti
Mixed by Mike Woolley
Theme tune by Tom Ro... more
Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.
This is what happened!
Produced by Tom Rosenthal
Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti
Mixed by Mike Woolley
Theme tune by Tom Ro... more
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I have been listening to this podcast for a long time now and absolutely love it, so many interesting people and I love the style of chat, very casual and calm, keep up the good work and vibes
This is still my favourite podcast - it’s wonderful, insightful, heartwarming, and thought provoking. This is the highlight of my podcast listening week!! It also makes me now want to go to Cornwall (I’m in Australia) to the mussel shop and ask for the rude shout lady (ep 82) - I have never wanted to meet a stranger so much!
This is now my favourite podcast - I am up to episode 8. I usually listen to lots of news/politics podcasts and this is the perfect antidote to so much bad news. People can be so interesting and thoughtful. Tom asks great questions that encourage the stranger on the bench to share their stories, thoughts and feelings and I just find it very calming, reassuring and life affirming to hear them.
I just discovered these podcasts today, and listened to seven one after the other.
They are so entertaining; being funny, sad, poignant, thought provoking and entertaining.
Thank for doing these Tom, and the pleasure I’m deriving from them 👍
It is so lovely to hear such a wide range of viewpoints and life experiences. Everyone should listen to this to learn empathy and look outside the box of their own experience.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #32 | |
Apple Podcasts | #196 | |
Spotify | #39 | |
Spotify | #172 | |
Apple Podcasts | #89 | |
Apple Podcasts | #3 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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On bench-based conversations, intimate chats unfold between a singer-songwriter host and a rotating cast of strangers who share life stories, vulnerabilities, and moments of grace. Episodes blend themes of grief, identity, resilience, spirituality, and everyday joy, often concluding with a musical moment that echoes the guest's narrative. The format emphasizes listening, curiosity, and human connection, making it a comforting, boundary-preaked space where ordinary people reveal extraordinary truths. A standout aspect is how the host creates space for honesty without sensationalism, and how music punctuates each episode to heighten emotional resonance.
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Strangers on a Bench. 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 Strangers on a Bench and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
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Strangers on a Bench launched 2 years ago and published 84 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Strangers on a Bench include:
1. Guest (name not identified)
2. Unnamed Kite Enthusiast
3. Unnamed female guest
4. Unnamed Campaigner
5. Unnamed guest
6. Unnamed Dutch Man
7. Unnamed Male Guest
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