HeyJaredSideways
Best-selling author Matthew Syed explores the ideas that shape our lives with stories of seeing the world differently.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 8
- Latest publication
- Sep 9, 2026
- Audience
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 22, 2026
Latest episodes
Know It All (opens the original)
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From being told to stand in a dustbin in primary school because he struggled to spell, to earning 16 graduate degrees from some of the world's most prestigious universities, Benjamin Bolger's extraordinary journey is one of academia's most unconventional success stories. In this series finale of Sideways, Matthew Syed follows Benjamin's remarkable path to explore what it really means to pursue knowledge. Does an insatiable curiosity lead to a life well lived? And how can a lifetime of informatio
Never Again Landfill (opens the original)
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Historian and leather and kink activist Vi Johnson likes to be called Mama Vi. At 75, within her community, she’s become a fiercely protective figure, looking after not only the people who make it what it is, but also its culture and history. As a leader of a community that has long existed at the margins, she has witnessed many attempts to erase its history; some obvious, others far more insidious. Driven by ignorance, by hate, or even by the impulse to hide parts of themselves. For our 100th e
The Stranger (opens the original)
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Everything fell apart for 17-year-old Ben West on the night his brother took his own life. In the years since, Ben has become a remarkable mental health campaigner. From fleeting online encounters to acts of unexpected kindness, he credits strangers with helping him navigate grief and driving forward a campaign that has gone on to influence national policy. In this episode, Matthew Syed considers the power in all of us to help people we have never met. If you are suffering distress or despair, d
Stolen Notes (opens the original)
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It’s a cold morning in Euston Station in London and professional violinist Min Kym is about to get on a train to Manchester to play a concert. With her is her 300 year old, £1.2 million Stradivarius, one of the most valuable and precious types of violin in the world. More than that, this is Min’s Strad - it fits just right for her, it’s her constant companion across the world, it’s a relationship, a love. Until… it disappears. Matthew Syed considers what we value and why. With musician and compo
Good Vibes Only (opens the original)
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At some point in our lives, all of us will face difficult news. That was the case for Canadian academic Kate Bowler. She was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, at just 35. When the news hits, the support she receives is overwhelmingly positive. But as well intentioned as those responses are, Kate becomes trapped in a role she doesn’t want to play. Matthew Syed asks why we reach for positivity so quickly in the face of suffering and where that instinct comes from. With contributions from Kat
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