5 podcasts that get real about love, sex, and relationships

Life is difficult as is, but when you throw complicated emotions like love into the mix, things get trickier. While romantic relationships might be one of the most fulfilling ones, they’re equally messy—be it looking out for red flags, making the right move, or sorting out dating issues. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned dating app connoisseur or have just started seeing someone, we all could do with relationship tips, tricks, and advice. Enter: podcasts revolving around these themes that are on a mission to lend us a helping hand. Scroll ahead for the best ones out there. 

Sometimes Funny Always Awkward with Maddy MacRae and Grace Hore

Maddy MacRae, who’s an actor and content creator most well-known for her rib-tickling and relatable skits on daily life issues, hosts this equally hilarious podcast with her friend Grace Hore. Her mantra: “life is messy, let’s laugh about it!” In this unfiltered podcast, the duo discusses everything from beige flags (a milder version of red flags pointing to incompatibility), why first dates suck, dating nicknames, to faking orgasms. In a segment called “Tell me About It”, they throw the floor open to their listeners and share some of their embarrassing experiences.

Modern Love by New York Times

If you’re a hopeless romantic, then this podcast, which is adapted from the extremely popular dating column of the same name in the New York Times, is for you. A good starting point if you’re just getting into dating podcasts (or even podcasts in general), it narrates the stories of romantic relationships of real people that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, and will give you renewed hope that there is love out there. Hosted by editors Daniel Jones and Miya Lee, it releases an episode every week, featuring celebrity narrators, usually followed by a chat with the author. Such is its popularity that it has even been made into an Amazon TV series, starring Anne Hathaway among others. 

Dating Kinda Sucks by Sarah G and Adam Avitable

Let’s be honest, dating is not the picture-perfect experience popular culture paints it to be—it is messy, it is complicated, and a lot of times, it is awkward. Instead of sharing a romanticised perspective on relationships, 'Dating Kinda Sucks' stays true to its name and presents an honest, real, and hilarious view. With blogger and self-proclaimed ‘serial dater’ Sarah G, and comedian and author Adam Heath Avitable, leading the show, expect to delve into the nitty-gritty of relationships with plenty of humour. Each episode of the podcast, which launched in 2018, and can be streamed on Apple or Spotify, dives into a topic related to interpersonal relationships, dating, sex, red flags, and more with the duo shamelessly sharing their own experiences. 

Third Wheel by Natasha Ratti Kapoor and Archit Agarwal

While this is not strictly a dating podcast, it does cover the themes of relationships and romance through the personal experiences of the hosts Natasha Ratti Kapoor and Archit Agarwal. With both being in creative fields, they discuss about how that has a bearing on the many facets of their relationship. Stream episodes that span from details about how Agarwal proposed to Kapoor (it’s every bit as swoon-worthy as you’re imagining!) and their compatibility according to an online quiz, to how their first date actually went. Tune into the podcast on Apple or Spotify. 

Sex with Emily 

If you’ve got a sex-related question, chances are you’ll get the answer when tuning in to Emily Morse’s popular podcast. With a PhD in human sexuality, she covers a host of topics both in and out of the bedroom—from sex tips to relationship advice. Started in 2005, it remains one of the longest-running podcasts in the genre, and for good reason—the engaging format has both guests and listener submissions and instantly pulls you in. The podcast has a new episode every three days and is available to stream on both Apple and Spotify. 

Lead image: Still from Friends with Benefits