Two former Devon broadcasters, Paul Leather and Andy Breare, have ventured into the world of podcasting with their new show, Paul and Andy's Podcast 'Grey Matters'.
Paul, who lives in Kingsbridge with his wife Helen, and Andy who lives in Plymouth with his partner Sally, sat down to discuss their new podcast and how it's become a shared therapy for the two veteran companions.
Their friendship began twelve years ago in the BBC Newsroom, where they 'struck up', an early morning camaraderie. Paul said: "I was doing the early shift as a Travel Reporter for BBC Radio Devon, and Andy was working on Spotlight. It's early in the morning, you strike up a friendship, a bit of banter and camaraderie, and we become friends."
Andy quipped: "What Paul fails to mention is that we struck up a friendship because we were the only two people in the newsroom at that time in the morning. It was five in the morning—Hobson's choice." He laughed, "So it was Paul or nothing."
Speaking about how the idea of the podcast came about, Paul said: "I had just recently left the BBC, Andy had already gone, and we just thought it would be nice to do a podcast where we have a bit of a rant and a bit of a chat and see what happens."
Paul and Andy see their podcast as a space for honest conversations about everything from addiction and mental health to the quirks of everyday life. "Why do people put dog poop bags on the back of their car windows?" Paul mused. "It's these little things that spark our discussions."
Paul highlighted the ease of their collaboration. "We meet every other week and just start talking. There's minimal editing. We keep the 'ands' and 'ums,' and even the jokes at each other's expense. It's all about authenticity."
The 'Grey Matters' podcasts are a maximum of 25 minutes in length, which, from experience, the pair agree is the ideal duration to maintain listener engagement and ensure a natural conversation.
Despite the casual format, they bring a wealth of experience to the table. Andy explained: "We've both worked in radio, so we know the importance of timing and keeping things tight. But at the same time, we want it to feel like a natural conversation."
Paul added: "It's a bit like a game of tennis. We serve, volley, and occasionally, one of us hits a punchline that rounds off the conversation. It's about the chemistry between us."
When asked about their plans for the future, Paul was candid. "We'll probably get bored one day and just have lunch instead of recording. But for now, it's about sharing our thoughts and making each other—and hopefully others—laugh."
Paul concluded with a laugh: "If you don't understand anything about podcasts, you're in good company. Neither do we. But listen to our podcast, and we’ll share with you some of the joys of living in 2024."