From Michelle Obama to Gwyneth Paltrow: 10 of the best celebrity podcasts that cover everything from wellness to work

Expect candid chats with some of the world’s most famous leaders and stars

While you or I can't invite former president Barack Obama round for a cup of mint tea to quiz him about his incredible life, his wife, former first lady Michelle, certainly can, and that's exactly what she did for the first episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast.

In recent years, the celebrity podcast has become the place for the world’s most influential stars to get their famous friends (or spouses) to unbutton, spill secrets and share opinions, not to mention offer advice on everything from dating to body image.

Here are 10 of our favourite all-star podcasts to download.

1. Michelle Obama, ‘The Michelle Obama Podcast’

What's it about? The hour-long podcasts, which are available exclusively on Spotify, focus on news, social and community stories happening around the world.

"My hope is that this series can be a place to explore meaningful topics together and sort through so many of the questions we're all trying to answer in our own lives," the formerfirst lady told Spotify.

Notable guests: Former president Barack Obama (obviously!), talk show host Conan O'Brien, and author and Washington Post journalist Michele Norris.

2. Anna Faris, ‘Anna Faris is Unqualified’

What's it about? The Mom actress – and ex-wife of Jurassic World star Chris Pratt – takes on the complicated world of dating in her chatty, informal podcast, in which celebrity guests are given hypothetical dating situations and asked to offer their advice.

“I started this podcast with zero qualifications, only curiosity, the desire to connect, and a genuine interest in your life and your stories,” she says on her website.

Notable guests: Paris Hilton, Eva Longoria, Josh Hutcherson, Padma Lakshmi and Seth Rogen.

3. Dax Shepard, ‘Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard’

What's it about? The comic actor and husband of Frozen star Kristen Bell, with whom he has two children, is the host of one of the most popular celebrity podcasts. Happy to delve into his own life experiences, the Bless This Mess actor says on his website: "I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly attractive."

Notable guests: Aly Raisman, Sofia Coppola, Bill Gates, Tom Brady and Sean Penn.

4. Jameela Jamil, ‘I Weigh with Jameela Jamil’

What's it about? The British actress and activist, and star of Netflix show The Good Place, tackles a subject close to her heart in her podcast: weight and body image. Having started the hashtag #iweigh on Instagram, encouraging her followers to measure their worth in achievements rather than the number on the bathroom scales, she told Stylist: "I'm so polarising on Twitter. I think it's hard to ever get a gauge of what I'm actually like … It's nice to have more than 280 characters to have a proper conversation."

Notable guests: Reese Witherspoon and Demi Lovato.

5. Gwyneth Paltrow, ‘The Goop Podcast’

What's it about? Hosted by Oscar-winning Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress, along with the company's chief commercial officer, Elise Loehnen, discuss the wide-ranging subject of wellness. From mental to physical health, marriage and relationships, dealing with trauma and learning to apologise properly, the pair welcome expert guests each week.

Notable guests: Oprah Winfrey, Cameron Diaz, Laura Wasser and Ambassador Susan Rice.

6. Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson, ‘Sibling Revelry’

What's it about? The actor siblings and children of Hollywood great, Goldie Hawn, discuss all things family in their podcast, with a focus on the relationships between siblings.

"We had a childhood that I think a lot of people would look at and think it was the best childhood," the Almost Famous actress told Grazia. "And in retrospect, I look back and think we had a wonderful upbringing. But like any other family dynamic, at some point you have to accept the fact that yes on the outside everything looks great but there's always going to be something."

Notable guests: Kourtney Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, Elle and Dakota Fanning, and Danica Patrick and Brooke Selman.

7. Alec Baldwin, ‘Here’s The Thing’

What's it about? The 30 Rock actor and father-of-six uses his impressive Hollywood and political connections to showcase what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to work.

“Alec pursues great conversations in unexpected places to find out what motivates his guests, how they feel about what they do and what keeps them up at night,” says his podcast website.

Notable guests: Chris Rock, Michael Douglas, Anjelica Huston and James Caan.

8. Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, ‘Office Ladies’

What's it about? The stars of the US version of The Office, Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) and Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin), who just so happen to be best friends in real life, teamed up to create a podcast that's perfect for fans. Each episode breaks down an episode of the TV show, which ran for nine season from March 2005 to March 2013, providing insights "only two people who were there can tell you".

Notable guests: Rainn Wilson, Paul Feig, John Krasinski and Mindy Kaling.

9. Amy Schumer, ‘3 Girls, 1 Keith’

What's it about? The American actress and stand-up comedienne has teamed up with her three friends, Rachel Feinstein, Bridget Everett and Keith Robinson, for a podcast in which they discuss pop culture and comedy.

“I know that everybody feels like you can only take in so much news. We’re all just trying to do the right thing and stay home and not go completely insane,” Feinstein told Spotify of the podcast’s ethos. “So, I feel like it has to be a balance between taking in enough information so that you know whether you’re supposed to wipe down cardboard or not, and staying calm and entertained.”

Notable guests: Quentin Tarantino, David Byrne, Jerry Seinfeld and Harley Pasternak.

10. Oprah Winfrey, ‘Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations’

What's it about? Promising to "light you up, guide you through life's big questions and help bring you one step closer to your best self", the most well-connected person in Hollywood opens up her vast contacts book to interview "thought-leaders, best-selling authors, spiritual luminaries, as well as health and wellness experts". Expect plenty of Winfrey's signature uplifting messages.

Notable guests: Beyonce, David Letterman, Rihanna, John Legend and Deepak Chopra.

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Read more: 

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Michelle Obama launching a podcast on Spotify: It's a place to 'open up and be vulnerable'

Soon, you won't find Joe Rogan's podcast on most apps, and it won't be on YouTube either

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