Join journalist and serial house sharer, Alice Wilkinson as she dives into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century - a house share.
Based on Alice’s debut book How to Stay Sane in a House Share - a friendly and informed guide to house sharing - Playing House goes deep into flat sharing journeys to capture the hilarity, the intimacy, connection, the friction, the insect invasions, dodgy landlords, sex with your flatmates, mid century furniture addictions and everything in between. Ultimately, how do you keep it together when you’re living together?
Gary Grimes is a fellow serial house sharer, having lived in seven house shares and with over twenty housemates. In this live recording, he reflects on the dramas that have unfolded over the years - including lost friendships - and how, in his later house sharing years, he’s choosing to live with people he doesn’t know, rather than friends.
Gary Grimes is an arts & culture writer mostly covering music, photography and celebrity topics for publications including W Magazine, Rolling Stone, The Independent, The Economist, The Face, Interview, Dazed, The i, NYLON, Observer, Attitude, Wallpaper* and more.
Alice Wilkinson is an award winning journalist and author of How to Stay Sane in a Houseshare - an essential deep-dive into shared living. Join Alice as she jumps into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century- a house share and ultimately asks, how do you keep it together when you're living together?
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is a friendly and informed guide to house sharing you have been waiting for. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts such as Professor Dunbar, 'The Millennial Therapist' Sara Kuburic and more to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares to help create a more harmonious home.
Gary is @gary_is_hip on Instagram
@gary_is_hip on Twitter
Read her journalism here
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is out now. Alice Wilkinson is @alicewilkinsonwrites on Instagram and writes Substack newsletter Addressing, exploring house sharing, home and belonging.
This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media.
27 Feb 2025
Playing House with Alice Garnett
Gen-Z journalist Alice Garnett talks about how we create a home from a house share, the excitement and uncertainty of young adulthood and how house shares can be a supportive space when you’re struggling with your mental health.
Alice Garnett is also a columnist for Prospect Magazine's 'Young Life' column, where she writes about her sex life in London, her generation's obsession with star-signs and the problems with house shares. Her Substack, The Vanity Cabinet explores everything from situationships to sex in the suburbs.
Alice Wilkinson is an award winning journalist and author of How to Stay Sane in a House share - an essential deep-dive into shared living. Every week, join Alice as she jumps into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century - a house share and ultimately asks, how do you keep it together when you're living together?
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is a friendly and informed guide to house sharing you have been waiting for. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts such as Professor Dunbar, 'The Millennial Therapist' Sara Kubric and more to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares to help create a more harmonious home.
Alice is @itsalicegarnett on Instagram and writes The Vanity Cabinet on Substack
Alice and I chatted about this article: I went looking for love in a Spanish supermarket with an upside-down pineapple – everyone’s doing it
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is available to order now. Alice Wilkinson is @alicewilkinsonwrites on Instagram and writes Substack newsletter Addressing, exploring house sharing, home and belonging.
This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media.
20 Feb 2025
Playing House with Nicole Vassell
Culture reporter Nicole Vassell delves into how we protect friendships, the challenges of living together, the unique bonds that form in house shares and why it’s important to always pick your battles.
Nicole is a culture reporter and reviewer, specialising in TV and theatre. She’s written for the independent Metro, Glamour, The Mirror, New Statesman and HuffPost. In her own words: a chief procrastinator, occasional showoff and South London gal.
Alice Wilkinson is an award winning journalist and author of How to Stay Sane in a House share - an essential deep-dive into shared living. Every week, join Alice as she jumps into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century- a house share and ultimately asks, how do you keep it together when you're living together?
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is a friendly and informed guide to house sharing you have been waiting for. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts such as Professor Dunbar, 'The Millennial Therapist' Sara Kubric and more to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares to help create a more harmonious home.
Nicole is @nicolevassell on Instagram
Read her journalism at nicolevassell.com
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is available to order now. Alice Wilkinson is @alicewilkinsonwrites on Instagram and writes Substack newsletter Addressing, exploring house sharing, home and belonging.
This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media.
13 Feb 2025
Playing House with Annie Lord
Vogue’s dating columnist and cult journalist, Annie Lord joins Alice to chat about modern dating, navigating one night stands in house shares, relationships, sex, boundaries and whether hooking up with your housemate is ever a good idea.
Annie also writes for VICE, the Sunday Times, Guardian and many more. Her first book, Notes on Heartbreak is a love story told in reverse, starting with a devastating break-up - and is out now.
Alice Wilkinson is an award winning journalist and author of How to Stay Sane in a Houseshare - an essential deep-dive into shared living. Every week, join Alice as she jumps into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century - a house share and ultimately asks, how do you keep it together when you're living together?
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is a friendly and informed guide to house sharing you have been waiting for. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts such as Professor Dunbar, 'The Millennial Therapist' Sara Kubric and more to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares to help create a more harmonious home.
Annie is @annielord8 on Instagram. Read her Vogue dating columns here. Her book Notes on Heartbreak is available now.
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is available to order now. Alice Wilkinson is @alicewilkinsonwrites on Instagram and writes Substack newsletter Addressing, exploring house sharing, home and belonging.
This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media.
6 Feb 2025
Playing House with Christopher Hall
Comedian, dancer, performer and social media sensation Christopher Hall chats about house sharing with his sister, what kind of housemate he thinks he is, the months he spent living in close quarters on a cruise ship and how he feigns excitement over the big house clean.
His online sketches featuring ’Background Singers’ with his sister Elizabeth, ‘Your Cat’ and ’The Millennial’ have over 12 million likes, 50 million views and spawned collaborations with the likes of Kylie Minogue, Shania Twain, The Jonas Brothers, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, JoJo, Delta Goodrem and Olly Alexander.
Alice Wilkinson is an award winning journalist and author of How to Stay Sane in a Houseshare - an essential deep-dive into shared living. Every week, join Alice as she jumps into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century - a house share and ultimately asks, how do you keep it together when you're living together?
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is a friendly and informed guide to house sharing you have been waiting for. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts such as Professor Dunbar, 'The Millennial Therapist' Sara Kubric and more to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares to help create a more harmonious home.
Chris is @chrxstopher.hall on Instagram and @chrxstopherhall on TikTok.
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is available to order now. Alice Wilkinson is @alicewilkinsonwrites on Instagram and writes Substack newsletter Addressing, exploring house sharing, home and belonging.
This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media.
30 Jan 2025
Playing House with Moya Lothian-McLean
Journalist Moya Lothian-McLean chats about the audacity of landlords putting rents up when they’ve been ghosting you, how we ‘homemake’ and ‘nest’ in house shares and the tricky business of knowing when it’s time to leave.
Moya was previously the politics editor at gal-dem, she specialises in amplifying under-reported stories and marginalised voices. Moya has published writing on the BBC, Huck Magazine, The Guardian, Audio Always, Broccoli Content, VICE and i-D.
Alice Wilkinson is an award winning journalist and author of How to Stay Sane in a House Share - an essential deep-dive into shared living. Every week, join Alice as she jumps into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century - a house share and ultimately asks, how do you keep it together when you're living together?
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is a friendly and informed guide to house sharing you have been waiting for. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts such as Professor Dunbar, 'The Millennial Therapist' Sara Kubric and more to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares to help create a more harmonious home.
Moya is @moya_lm on Instagram. Visit her website to read more of her journalism
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is available to order now. Alice Wilkinson is @alicewilkinsonwrites on Instagram and writes Substack newsletter Addressing, exploring house sharing, home and belonging.
This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media.
22 Jan 2025
Playing House with Daisy Buchanan
Daisy Buchanan is an award-winning journalist, author and broadcaster. In this episode she chats about the house shares that don’t live up to expectations and how our living experiences can be deeply intertwined with our job opportunities and romantic relationships.
Daisy’s books include the novels Insatiable, Careering and Limelight and her latest non-fiction book Read Yourself Happy – about how books can ease your anxiety - is out in February 2025.
Alice Wilkinson is an award winning journalist and author of How to Stay Sane in a Houseshare - an essential deep-dive into shared living. Every week, join Alice as she jumps into the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most complex living set ups of the 21st century - a house share and ultimately asks, how do you keep it together when you're living together?
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is a friendly and informed guide to house sharing you have been waiting for. From how to choose the right housemate to navigating conflict when it (inevitably) arises, Alice draws on interviews with experts such as Professor Dunbar, 'The Millennial Therapist' Sara Kubric and more to explore the anxieties that run the lives of young professionals living in house shares to help create a more harmonious home.
Daisy is @thedaisybee on instagram
The book we chat about in this episode is Careering and is available to buy here
Daisy’s latest book Read Yourself Happy is available to order now
How to Stay Sane in a House Share is available to order now. Alice Wilkinson is @alicewilkinsonwrites on Instagram and writes Substack newsletter Addressing, exploring house sharing, home and belonging.
This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
322,499
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
15
Social presence
94
YouTube
86
Engagement
0
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