The Word's weekly podcast (captured here courtesy of Steve Bowbrick) comes to you through the good graces of a legion of friends of the magazine, a few lukewarm tins of an energy drink we happened to have hanging round the office plus two cocoa tins and a piece of string. It has been soberly described by one more than satisfied customer as "one of the very few things you really need in life".

The home team includes Matt Hall, Mark Ellen and David Hepworth (above). Guests have included Andrew Collins, Paul Du Noyer, Supergrass, John Niven, Chris Difford (right), Jude Rogers, Kerry Shale and Robyn Hitchcock. It's listened to by people steering supertankers through the South China Sea, mucking out their wife's horses in the New Forest, reclining in the bath in Glasgow, cramped into a one man tent on the rain-lashed Isle of Skye or crying with laughter while commuting across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. All agree there is nothing quite like it. You can make sure you get it every week by subscribing for free here. If you use iTunes you can subscribe here and access hours of back editions here.

And now it's been joined by a new occasional stream called The Word "Backstage" in which we talk to people in the entertainment industry about the way they work and the way that is changing. You can subscribe to that here, or via iTunes here. And it makes our lives easier if you also join the Facebook group and even leave feedback on iTunes if you've enjoyed the experience.

This week's podcast: