YES YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT …
THE ESSEX PODCAST FESTIVAL IS BACK!!!
We’re delighted to announce the return of The Essex Podcast Festival, taking place across Chelmsford city centre, Essex from 18–26 February 2026. Now in its second year, the festival brings together an exciting mix of live podcast recordings, interactive events and city-wide activations designed to celebrate the power and creativity of audio storytelling.
Across multiple venues in Chelmsford City Centre, audiences can experience an eclectic programme of shows covering everything from music and culture to the paranormal, books, comedy and more. Expect a line-up of fantastic guests, including some of the UK’s and Essex’s most established podcasters, alongside fresh new voices making their mark on the scene.
At its heart, the festival’s mission is to position Essex as one of the UK’s leading podcasting communities. By showcasing outstanding local talent and creating opportunities for emerging creators, the Essex Podcast Festival aims to inspire a new generation of locally produced podcasts and provide a platform for stories shaped by the people of the county.
Beyond the live shows, visitors can enjoy a vibrant mix of podcast trails, immersive experiences and creative pop-ups that bring the podcast world to life throughout the city.
Sign up to the mailing list to be the first to hear about tickets, special events, competitions and more.
YES YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT …
THE PODCAST
IS BACK!!!
We’re delighted to announce the return of The Essex Podcast Festival, taking place across Chelmsford city centre from 18–26 February 2026. Now in its second year, the festival brings together an exciting mix of live podcast recordings, interactive events and city-wide activations designed to celebrate the power and creativity of audio storytelling.
Across multiple venues, audiences can experience an eclectic programme of shows covering everything from music and culture to the paranormal, books, comedy and more. Expect a line-up of fantastic guests, including some of the UK’s and Essex’s most established podcasters, alongside fresh new voices making their mark on the scene.
At its heart, the festival’s mission is to position Essex as one of the UK’s leading podcasting communities. By showcasing outstanding local talent and creating opportunities for emerging creators, the Essex Podcast Festival aims to inspire a new generation of locally produced podcasts and provide a platform for stories shaped by the people of the county.
Beyond the live shows, visitors can enjoy a vibrant mix of podcast trails, immersive experiences and creative pop-ups that bring the podcast world to life throughout the city.
Sign up to the mailing list to be the first to hear about tickets, special events, competitions and more.
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GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
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GIVE THE GIFT OF A PODCAST
☆ GET YOUR TICKETS HERE ☆ GIVE THE GIFT OF A PODCAST
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Join the 'Podfather', Richard Herring, as he brings his award-winning podcast RHLSTP to Chelmsford Theatre for a live edition packed with sharp, hilarious and unfiltered conversation with special guests.
Expect big laughs, surprises and the kind of too-wild-for-broadcast moments that have made RHLSTP a must-see for comedy and podcast fans alike.
Vittorio Angelone is an Italian-Irish comedian raised in Belfast who has quickly become one of the most exciting voices in stand-up comedy.Vittorio’s sharp, thoughtful stand-up and online sketches have earned him a huge following, racking up millions of views across social media and podcasts. He has already completed two sell-out world tours and has supported some of the biggest names in comedy, including Russell Howard, Jason Manford, Adam Rowe, Shane Todd, Sam Morril, Michael Che and Ivo Graham.
A fast-rising talent not to be missed.
RHLSTP with RICHARD HERRING
ARE YOU CREATIVE? with special guest STEVE LAMACQ
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Are You Creative? is a podcast hosted by Sangita and Nick that celebrates creativity in all its forms. Through relaxed and insightful conversations, the show explores the journeys, careers and creative processes of inspiring Essex-based creatives.
Join them at Patch for a very special live podcast recording, staged in front of an audience, featuring Colchester-based music broadcasting legend Steve Lamacq.
Steve Lamacq is one of the UK’s most influential music broadcasters, widely respected for championing new and emerging talent. During his time at BBC Radio 1, through iconic shows such as The Evening Session and Lamacq Live, he helped launch the careers of bands including Coldplay, Muse and Bloc Party, becoming a defining voice of the Britpop era.
Now a presenter on BBC Radio 6 Music, Steve continues to support grassroots and independent music, alongside his work on BBC Radio 2 documentaries. He is Chair of LIVE, the UK’s live music industry body, co-host of The Price of Music Podcast, and author of Going Deaf for a Living. Awarded an MBE in the 2025 New Year Honours, Steve remains a passionate advocate for music, venues and new artists.
Expect an engaging evening of conversation, insight and inspiration, celebrating creativity, music and the stories behind Steve's illustrious career.
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Step into Chelmsford Studio Theatre for a special live podcast double bill featuring the award-winning fiction podcast Broken Veil and the acclaimed Eerie Essex. Prepare for an evening of eerie tales, dark secrets and supernatural strangeness that blurs the line between reality and the unknown.
BROKEN VEIL & EERIE ESSEX
Live Podcast Double-Header at
Radio City Social
Join us at Radio City Social for a fantastic live podcast double-header, with both shows recorded on stage in front of a live audience for one unmissable evening of music conversation and insight.
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Hosted by Alex Morse and Ben Bell, The Drum Social Podcast celebrates drumming culture with warmth, humour and insight. This live recording brings their signature banter and in-depth discussion to the stage, exploring drums, drummers and the wider music world through interviews, stories, playlists and plenty of rhythm-fuelled cha
Special guest: Rob Rolfe (Enter Shikari)A night of live, on-stage podcast recordings celebrating metal, drumming and grassroots music — not to be missed.
THE DRUM SOCIAL
IN THE ABYSS
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In The Abyss is a weekly metal podcast that dives headfirst into the world of heavy music. Expect no-holds-barred conversation, passionate opinions and plenty of riffs, all delivered with the atmosphere of a great chat “over a few pints.” Recorded live on stage, the hosts cover everything from album reviews and scene news to interviews with bands, artists and industry figures, with a strong focus on supporting grassroots and underground metal alongside classic and contemporary releases.
Special guests: Gareth Kelly (Music Venue Trust / Gurt) and Jasper Harmer (Beyond Extinction
Live Podcast Double-Header at Radio City Social
Join us at Radio City Social for a fantastic live podcast double-header, with both shows recorded on stage in front of a live audience for one unmissable evening of music conversation and insight.
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Hosted by Alex Morse and Ben Bell, The Drum Social Podcast celebrates drumming culture with warmth, humour and insight. This live recording brings their signature banter and in-depth discussion to the stage, exploring drums, drummers and the wider music world through interviews, stories, playlists and plenty of rhythm-fuelled cha
Special guest: Rob Rolfe (Enter Shikari)A night of live, on-stage podcast recordings celebrating metal, drumming and grassroots music — not to be missed.
THE DRUM SOCIAL
IN THE ABYSS
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In The Abyss is a weekly metal podcast that dives headfirst into the world of heavy music. Expect no-holds-barred conversation, passionate opinions and plenty of riffs, all delivered with the atmosphere of a great chat “over a few pints.” Recorded live on stage, the hosts cover everything from album reviews and scene news to interviews with bands, artists and industry figures, with a strong focus on supporting grassroots and underground metal alongside classic and contemporary releases.
Special guests: Gareth Kelly (Music Venue Trust / Gurt) and Jasper Harmer (Beyond Extinction
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We’re excited to bring an incredible line-up of locally produced podcasts from Chelmsford and across Essex to the Club Café for a jam-packed afternoon of podcasting shenanigans. The line-up includes NGDA, The Sisterhood, Zero Pucks Given, and I Don’t Know How To Be Trans, with even more local podcasters to be announced soon.
THE DRUM SOCIAL
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Join us for the first-ever live episode of Bookwandering, the podcast where author and journalist Anna James explores the children’s and YA books that shape us as readers and writers.
For this special live recording at Waterstones, Anna is joined by Alice Slater to discuss Melvin Burgess’s seminal 1996 YA novel Junk — a book that left a lasting impact on a generation of readers. Together, they’ll explore why Junk remains so powerful, how it influenced their own reading lives, and its legacy within young adult fiction.
Alice Slater is a former bookseller and the bestselling author of Death of a Bookseller and Let the Bad Times Roll.
Anna James is a literary journalist and a New York Times bestselling author of ten books for young people.Expect an engaging, thoughtful conversation about books, reading, writing and the stories that stay with us — perfect for readers, writers and lovers of YA literature.
BOOKWANDERING
MAN ABOUT COUNTRY
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James Lawrence, AKA Man About Country, is a storyteller, adventurer and history lover who has spent over five years leading walks through some of Britain’s most fascinating places. Now teamed up with Essex Podcast Festival, he’s bringing Chelmsford city centre’s incredible stories to life, from ancient history to the modern day, through an immersive trail featuring mini podcast facts at each stop, told by James himself.
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We’re excited to bring an incredible line-up of locally produced podcasts from Chelmsford and across Essex to the Club Café for a jam-packed afternoon of podcasting shenanigans. The line-up includes NGDA, The Sisterhood, Zero Pucks Given, and I Don’t Know How To Be Trans, with even more local podcasters to be announced soon.
THE DRUM SOCIAL
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Join us for the first-ever live episode of Bookwandering, the podcast where author and journalist Anna James explores the children’s and YA books that shape us as readers and writers.
For this special live recording at Waterstones, Anna is joined by Alice Slater to discuss Melvin Burgess’s seminal 1996 YA novel Junk — a book that left a lasting impact on a generation of readers. Together, they’ll explore why Junk remains so powerful, how it influenced their own reading lives, and its legacy within young adult fiction.
Alice Slater is a former bookseller and the bestselling author of Death of a Bookseller and Let the Bad Times Roll.
Anna James is a literary journalist and a New York Times bestselling author of ten books for young people.Expect an engaging, thoughtful conversation about books, reading, writing and the stories that stay with us — perfect for readers, writers and lovers of YA literature.
BOOKWANDERING
MAN ABOUT COUNTRY
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James Lawrence, AKA Man About Country, is a storyteller, adventurer and history lover who has spent over five years leading walks through some of Britain’s most fascinating places. Now teamed up with Essex Podcast Festival, he’s bringing Chelmsford city centre’s incredible stories to life, from ancient history to the modern day, through an immersive trail featuring mini podcast facts at each stop, told by James himself.
A LITTLE SNEAKY PEAK OF LAST YEAR’S PODCAST FESTIVAL
A LITTLE SNEAKY PEAK OF LAST YEARS
PODCAST FESTIVAL
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Start 2026 with a laugh and create new memories with your nearest and dearest!