New Interview Series 'Wodcast' Announces Season One with Tim Rice, Elif Shafak, Stephen Fry, David Larbi & more

Wodcast, a new long-form interview series dedicated to exploring the power and beauty of words – a “Desert Island Discs for words” – on Wednesday launches its first series with Elif Shafak as the inaugural guest.

In 2023, Benjamin Aston began a word of the day (WOD) project on Instagram, which organically grew to an audience of over 1.6 million people. Ben met activist and film producer Mabel Evans, and through a shared love of literature, language and storytelling, they built Wodcast. Bringing together ‘wod’ and ‘podcast’, the interviews will be focused on intimate long-form conversations exploring the words that shape the people who are shaping culture.

Season one guests include Tim Rice, Elif Shafak, Stephen Fry, David Larbi, Professor David Nutt, Waad Al-Kateab, Nick Mulvey, Remi Olayjoyegbe and Hak Baker.

Wodcast is a reminder that the most powerful intelligence arises from our shared experience, from the ineffable thread that connects us all. In a digital world increasingly dominated by algorithms and AI, Wodcast celebrates the living intelligence of the human imagination, the warmth, the wit, and the wonder that no machine can replicate.

Beyond the interview series, they host events across Europe inspired by chosen words, from writing supper clubs to parties and creative gatherings, where guests are invited to engage, respond and bring words to life through collective intelligence.

Mabel Evans said: “Releasing the first episode of the Wodcast feels like reaching the end of a long, meandering river and finding ourselves at the edge of the ocean. Ben and I have spent 9 months immersed in conversations that have inspired, challenged, and shifted the way we see the world. In many ways, this project is autotelic: we began these conversations for ourselves, driven by genuine curiosity and a love of ideas. We share them because we believe there is value in the words and perspectives our guests bring. We hope our listeners find them as thought-provoking and transformative as we have.”

Benjamin Aston said: “On Wednesday 17th June we will release the first episode of the Wodcast with Elif Shafak. The pre-launch liminal state brings a strange comfort. Everything we’ve worked on is pure potential - nobody outside our immediate team has seen it - but we’re confident it’s going to land really well. Just the knowledge that we made something we believe in, and have the courage to find out what the world thinks, is exciting to me.”