Wodcast

About Wodcast

Every conversation begins with a single word. Wodcast (Word Of the Day, cast) is a fortnightly video podcast hosted by Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans. Each episode opens with a word of the day, and every guest brings a word of their own. We approach the word slowly until it shows us how much it holds; about love, grief, freedom, belonging, faith, joy, and what it means to be human. Our guests are writers, poets, musicians, scientists and activists. Season one welcomed Stephen Fry, Sir Tim Rice, Elif Shafak, Waad Al-Kateab, Nick Mulvey, Hak Baker, David Larbi, Professor David Nutt and Remi Olajoyegbe. New episodes every other Wednesday. Between episodes, join us on Substack for word reflections, writing prompts and Wodcast Live events: wodcast.substack.com Unearthing Wisdom through Words.

Publisher

Into the Words

Category

arts · society & culture · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Jun 2026

Latest episode

4 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

7 of 13 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   4 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT

   E10 - Professor Sarah Ogilvie | The Secret Life of Words

   Host [Host Name] interviews Professor Sarah Ogilvie, exploring the secret lives of words and the forgotten people who built the Oxford English Dictionary.

2. 

   21 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What Does It Mean to Be Human? | Season One Bonus Episode

   Host Sarah Ogilvie, Professor of Language and Lexicography at the University of Oxford, interviews Season One guests to explore diverse perspectives on the meaning of being human.

3. 

   7 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   E9 - There Is No Perfect Word | with Stephen Fry

   Host Stephen Fry and host [Host Name] explore the inherent imperfections of language and the profound ways words shape our understanding and thought.

4. 

   23 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   E8 - The Words Behind the Songs | with Tim Rice

   Host of Wodcast interviews celebrated lyricist Sir Tim Rice about the craft, storytelling, and lasting power of words in songwriting.

5. 

   9 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   E7 - What Does Freedom Really Mean? | with Waad Al-Kateab

   Host of Wodcast interviews journalist, filmmaker, and activist Waad Al-Kateab about the profound meaning of freedom, home, and language through her lived experiences.

6. 

   26 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   E6 - What If Surrender Is a Form of Creation? | with Nick Mulvey

   Host Mabel and guest Nick Mulvey, musician and songwriter, explore how surrender fuels creation and the power of yielding in life and art.

7. 

   12 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   E5 - Isumataq: Where wisdom reveals itself | with Remi Olajoyegbe

   Host Mabel and guest Remi Olajoyegbe, founder and coach, explore how embracing vulnerability and new language leads to wholeness and authentic leadership.

8. 

   29 Jul 2026

   E4 - The Courage to Be Frequently Happy | with David Larbi

   Host Mabel and guest David Larbi, poet and author of "Frequently Happy," explore the courage required for authentic joy and emotional wellbeing.

9. 

   15 Jul 2026

   E3 - Can You Make Empathy Illegal? | with Professor David Nutt

   Host Mabel and Ben interview Professor David Nutt, exploring how language shapes consciousness, perception, and public policy, offering insights into the power of words.

10. 

    1 Jul 2026

    E2 - Why Romance Needs to Come Back | with Hak Baker

    Musician Hak Baker joins hosts Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans to explore romance, brotherhood, and personal transformation through confronting fears and building community.

11. 

    17 Jun 2026

    E1 - When Faith and Doubt Hold Hands | with Elif Shafak

    Bestselling novelist Elif Shafak joins hosts Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans to explore the interplay of faith, doubt, language, and storytelling, offering insights into inner democracy and finding wisdom in a noisy world.

12. 

    12 Jun 2026

    Season One with Stephen Fry, Elif Shafak & More

    Host Stephen Fry and guests Elif Shafak, Hak Baker, and Professor David Nutt explore life-shaping words and influential stories in this interview series.

13. 

    6 Jun 2026

    Welcome to the Wodcast with Mabel Evans & Benjamin Aston

    Host Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans explore the profound impact of words on our lives and perspectives in this insightful interview.

Inside a recent episode

E10 - Professor Sarah Ogilvie | The Secret Life of Words

Published 4 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So your synchronic dictionary gives you a snapshot of language at a moment in time. So that's your smaller dictionaries like your pocket or your concise. But a diachronic dictionary is something that is a dictionary that gives you the life of a word and it shows you how the word has behaved across time. […]

Who has been a guest on Wodcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Sarah Ogilvie
• Elif Shafak
• Hak Baker
• David Nutt
• David Larbi

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

29 ratings

Contact Wodcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Wodcast