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The Sheffield culture guide written by in-the-know locals

Sheffield's Crossed Wires Festival brings some of the UK's top names in podcasting from your headphones to the stage for one weekend.

The festival returns for its third – and biggest – year in July 2026.

Expect another incredible lineup of live podcast recordings across comedy, current affairs, culture and more, at venues including Sheffield City Hall and the Crucible. Plus food pop-ups, after parties and fringe events.

Led by creative director Greg James, the programme for Crossed Wires 2026 includes:

  • British Scandal
  • The Blindboy Podcast
  • Get A Grip with Angela Scanlon & Vicky Pattison
  • Uncanny Cold Cases
  • Bad Chat with Alice Levine and Greg James (+ friends)
  • The Elis and John Show
  • Psychology of your 20s
  • That Boxing Show with Johnny Nelson and Andy Nicholson
  • Bold Politics with Zack Polanski
  • The Screen Rot Podcast
  • If I Speak with Ash Sarkar & Moya Lothian McLean
  • All My Friends Indie Disco after party

Already sold out are:

  • Dig It with Jo Whiley & Zoe Ball
  • How to Fail with Elizabeth Day
  • Sara & Cariad's Weirdos Book Club
  • Northern News with Amy Gledhill and Ian Smith
  • Nick Cope's Family Show
  • Story Shed
  • Fun Kids Science Weekly
  • I'm ADHD No You're Not

The BBC Sounds stage will bring the BBC’s signature storytelling and household names to the old Cole Brothers building, for free. And new for 2026, BBC Radio 4 will take over the Montgomery.

If I Speak with Ash Sarkar & Moya Lothian McLean

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