by Jo Burke
Real Folk - Inspiring life stories. Jo chinwags with guests from diverse backgrounds and delves into their lives so far. Guests include actors, adventurers, comedians, dancers, artists, singers, filmmakers, foster carers, authors, entrepreneurs, linguists and more. Who would we be without our stories? Sharing, listening and learning about our experiences is the essence of being human.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
8/25/2020
See how your podcast performs across key metrics
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Unlock comprehensive insights including:
See how your show performs across every key metric
High authority scores make your podcast more attractive to industry leaders and influencers who want to appear on credible shows.
Sponsors look for podcasts with proven authority and engagement. Your score demonstrates your podcast's value to potential partners.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses helps you make data-driven decisions to expand your listener base effectively.
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
December 11, 2025
<p>Jo chews the Christmas fat with author, critic, comic and musician, <a href="https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/">Marc Burrows</a>. Jo delves deeper into what inspired Marc's latest book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Story-Christmas-No-Mistletoe-Vinyl/dp/0857162853">The Story of the Christmas No.1 - Mistletoe and Vinyl</a>. Listen up for some festive music facts. Find out why <a href="https://www.instagram.com/simoncowell/?hl=en">Simon Cowell</a> makes the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEY1ejsweY4DgMwOVJeEaBA">X Factor</a> winner a Christmas No.1, why <a href="https://www.thebeatles.com/">The Beatles</a> are to blame for everything and who tried to ban Christmas. </p><p>He writes, mostly about music and film, for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk">The Guardian</a>, <a href="https://observer.co.uk/">The Observer,</a> <a href="https://thequietus.com/">The Quietus</a>, the <a href="https://inews.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOoouyhiEDak4hyRxDKG7ffBzj3ZMw3BMBcjXtQiG_vNE2ThB0qH4">i Paper</a>, <a href="https://www.musicomh.com/">Music OMH</a>, <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/">the New Statesmen </a>and Hey U Guys among many others. His biography of the brilliant, <a href="https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/">Sir Terry Pratchett</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Terry-Pratchett-Marc-Burrows/dp/1526765500">The Magic of Terry Pratchett</a> was published in 2020 to considerable acclaim, winning the Locus Award for best non fiction in 2021. Also check out his book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/London-Boys-Bowie-Bolan-Teenage/dp/1399008439">The London Boys:</a> <a href="https://www.davidbowie.com/">Bowie</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Bolan">Bolan</a> and the 60s Teenage Dream. <a href="https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/s/shop">Buy Marc's marvellous books here.</a></p><p>He has a background in stand up comedy and has performed several runs of his one-man shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as around the country.</p><p>He plays bass in the cult Victoriana punk band The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing.</p><p>Enjoying Real Folk? Why not listen and subscribe to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joburkeinsta/">Jo's</a> other podcast, <a href="https://utterburke.transistor.fm/">Utter Burke</a>, also available FREE wherever you listen.</p>
October 2, 2025
<p>Jo is feeling autumnal so pull up a chair grab a cuppa and join her for a cosy natter with tv, stage and voice actor, <a href="https://clairestorey.com/about/">Claire Storey.</a> You may recognise her from the long running, award winning, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer">BBC</a> series <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0118t80">Call the Midwife</a>. Claire has also popped up on your tv screens in almost all our beloved soaps including <a href="https://www.itv.com/emmerdale">Emmerdale</a>, <a href="https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet">Coronation Street</a>, <a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/hollyoaks">Holly Oaks</a> and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mh9v">Doctors</a>. Find out how she became an actor, why everyone thinks she's a Northerner and all about her sensational, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/clairestoreyaudio/?hl=en">self-penned</a>, one woman show about the fabulously flamboyant painter <a href="https://www.npg.org.uk/schools-hub/gluck-by-gluck">Gluck</a> <a href="https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/magazine-gluck-brighton-museum-art-gallery-diana-souhami">(Hannah Gluckenstein)</a>.<br> <br><a href="https://www.instagram.com/claire_storey_actor/?hl=en">Follow Claire here.</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/joburkeinsta/">Jo's</a> other podcast, <a href="https://utterburke.transistor.fm/">Utter Burke</a>, is also available FREE wherever you listen.</p>
August 28, 2025
<p>Jo's back with a bang, after a summer hiatus, with the multi-talented, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@sarahcallaghancomedian">Sarah Callaghan</a> who was named a <a href="https://www.timeout.com/">Time Out</a> One to Watch. Tune in for a frank and inspiring chat about comedy, performance poetry, her experience on<strong> </strong><a href="https://www.sky.com/watch/series/5787670d-0e12-4adf-ba54-26c2a5acac17"><strong>BAFTA Award-winning spoken word series Life & Rhymes on Sky Arts </strong></a><strong>- </strong>Hosted by <a href="https://benjaminzephaniah.com/">Benjamin Zephaniah</a> featuring <a href="https://www.kaetempest.com/">Kae Tempest</a>, <a href="https://www.berkavitch.com/">John Berkavitch</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/adayahenry/?hl=en">Adaya Henry</a> and everything in between. Including her critically acclaimed stand-up shows that achieved sell out runs at the <a href="https://www.edfringe.com/">Edinburgh Fringe</a>/<a href="https://sohotheatre.com/">Soho Theatre</a>, living and moving to Australia, finding her soulmate, mental health and taking time out to breathe. </p><p><strong>Real Folk First</strong> - Sarah also performs one of her poems 'Proceed without Certainty' and shares how her band '<a href="https://www.instagram.com/_thefreethinkers/?hl=en">The Free Thinkers' </a>was formed. Listen to <a href="https://youtu.be/nTSqT2TKpSU?si=_7yD-A64Teaf_9n0"><strong>Soft Life</strong></a> the other performance piece Sarah mentions.</p><p>Watch Sarah's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZX4AP7mRl4">comedy</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hv0vT9zFVM&t=11s">performance poetry</a> and follow on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scallaghan1/?hl=en">Instagram</a>. Her poetry can also be found in the new book from two-time <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetimesbooks/">Sunday Times</a> bestselling poet, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hussainmanawer/?hl=en-gb">Hussain Manawer</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wanted-Quit-Too-Stories-Heart/dp/1399705806">I WANTED TO QUIT TOO</a>.</p><p><br><a href="https://www.instagram.com/joburkeinsta/">Jo's</a> other podcast, <a href="https://utterburke.transistor.fm/">Utter Burke</a>, is also available FREE wherever you listen.</p>
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Real Folk - Inspiring life stories.
Jo chinwags with guests from diverse backgrounds and delves into their lives so far. Guests include actors, adventurers, comedians, dancers, artists, singers, filmmakers, foster carers, authors, entrepreneurs, linguists and more.
Who would we be without our stories? Sharing, listening and learning about our experiences is the essence of being human.
This podcast updates weekly.
This podcast is available on 7 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.