The Log Books – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

The Log Books

Tash Walker and Adam Zmith

History

Society & Culture

Frequency: 1 episode/36d. Total Eps: 68

We’re Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, and EVERY WEEK we get together to talk about history, politics, art and LGBTQ+ life.

From us ageing millennials nattering on, to interviews with exciting people doing amazing things, The Log Books contain… the stories of our lives.

WINNER of several awards including Best New Podcast (Gold) at the British Podcast Awards 2020.

An Aunt Nell Production.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read moreCollapse

Site

RSS

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

No recent rankings available

Spotify

No recent rankings available

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.

See all

https://www.thelogbooks.org
37 shares
https://www.thelogbooks.org/
35 shares
http://www.tomfoskettbarnes.com/
35 shares

http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks
138 shares
https://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks
1 share

https://www.instagram.com/nataliedoto
35 shares
https://www.instagram.com/auntnell_
8 shares
https://www.instagram.com/michellemangal
1 share

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

See all

RSS feed quality

Excellent

Score global : 94%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Year

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

See all

The new life (and again) | Episode 4

Season 4 · Episode 4

Thursday, January 22, 2026 • Duration 42:23

Tash and Adam hear from Anson Mackay, who left a tiny, remote town in Scotland to embrace a gay identity, and then later another queer identity altogether.

Anson reflects with trusting candour on their experiences through the 80s and 90s, and how people feel compelled to explore their gender even before the right words have arrived.

Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.

Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith

The voice of the log books: Serena James

Assistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade

Engineer: David Pye

Music: Tom Fosket-Barnes

Original artwork: Natalie Doto

Thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.

Episode transcripts available here.

Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email hello@switchboard.lgbt or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read moreCollapse

Queer family solidarity | Episode 3

Season 4 · Episode 3

Thursday, January 15, 2026 • Duration 31:13

Adam and Tash are joined in this episode by Diana James, who discovered herself as a dyke in the 80s and joined Switchboard as its first trans volunteer.

Diana discusses what she learnt as she handled phone calls from distressed queer people, and how the older and younger generations need to support each other.

Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.

Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith

The voice of the log books: Serena James

Assistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade

Engineer: David Pye

Music: Tom Fosket-Barnes

Original artwork: Natalie Doto

Thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.

Episode transcripts available here.

Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email hello@switchboard.lgbt or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read moreCollapse

“Not suitably dressed” | Episode 9

Season 3 · Episode 9

Monday, January 3, 2022 • Duration 01:02:50

Rubber? Feet? Piss? Flogging? Role play? What’s your kink? In this episode Tash and Adam listen to dozens of dirty stories from the LGBTQI+ community in the 90s. From the publicly funded multi-gender kink night at the London Lesbian and Gay Centre to people wearing nappies and S&M dykes — this episode is raw, sexy, hilarious... and you’ll never be the same again. We also speak to Alex (the DJ Kiwi) from Crossbreed and Matt Skully about running kinky events and club nights today.

Content warning: extreme sex practices and state homophobia

Transcript here.

The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read moreCollapse

“Interested and willing” | Episode 8

Season 3 · Episode 8

Monday, December 27, 2021 • Duration 01:06:48

In the 90s more and more lesbians called Switchboard to ask where they could get hold of sperm. All sorts of LGBTQI+ people in the period sought to make families outside of conventional methods and constraints. In this episode, Tash and Adam hear stories from the people who pioneered queer family-making. We also catch-up with some folks who have their own experiences and opinions on what queer family means to them today.

Content warning: homophobia

Transcript here.

For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:

NHS info: having a baby if you’re LGBT+

Stonewall: parenting rights

COTS: Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy

PACT: Parents and Children Together

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

“The inability of others to understand” | Episode 7

Season 3 · Episode 7

Monday, December 20, 2021 • Duration 50:21

There is still so much work to be done in making sure LGBTQI+ people with disabilities have what they need, but the 90s saw a definite shift in the right direction. Legal change, growing awareness, and a place at the front of the Pride march. In this episode, Tash and Adam hear from queer disability rights campaigners and, of course, Switchboard volunteers about handling calls about intersecting identities. They also catch up with Erin Ekins about the experience of being queer and neurodivergent today.

Content warning: archaic language around disability.

Transcript here.

For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:

Para Pride: Pride. In. Everyone.

Regard: Supporting Disabled LGBTQ people

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Needs support and reassurance” | Episode 6

Season 3 · Episode 6

Monday, December 13, 2021 • Duration 54:25

Understanding and awareness of various gender identities grew from 1992 to 2003, and more and more trans people called Switchboard for support. This episode offers a fascinating insight into how the LGBTQI+ community evolved over the period, and how trans people grew stronger in asserting their identities. Essential listening for anyone interested in the recent history of gender and queer identity. Tash and Adam also hear from Steph Fuller, the general manager of Switchboard, about the nature of calls about gender identity today.

Content warning: archaic language around transgender identities, transphobia, and stories of negative medical experiences.

Transcript here.

For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:

Mermaids

London Friend

Gendered Intelligence

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

“They do mean us harm” | Episode 5

Season 3 · Episode 5

Monday, December 6, 2021 • Duration 52:08

On April 30th 1999, the Admiral Duncan gay pub in Soho was bombed by a homophobic Nazi. The attack followed a series of calls to Switchboard threatening violence. In this episode, Adam, Tash and volunteers at the helpline tell the story of the bombing from the phone room, as volunteers rushed to support the LGBTQI+ community. We also hear from John Sizzle, who runs The Glory pub in east London, on creating safer queer spaces today.

Content warning: homophobic language, and stories of hate crime and violence.

Transcript here.

For more information about the bombing, we recommend the Netflix documentary Nail Bomber: Manhunt

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read moreCollapse

“How refreshing” | Episode 4

Season 3 · Episode 4

Monday, November 29, 2021 • Duration 55:09

Remember how you felt when you first saw the lesbian kiss on Brookside? Or *those* scenes in Queer As Folk?

This episode is a tour through the landmark television moments for queer people from 1992 to 2003. Taking in Hayley in Coronation Street and even the calls to Switchboard following a gay storyline on Peak Practice, Tash, Adam and contributors discuss the importance of TV representation, with a few laughs along the way. We also feature a conversation between producers Stella Merz (Gentleman Jack) and Katie Carpenter (Flowers, The Bisexual, Landscapers) about their experience as queer women in the TV industry today, compared to the 90s.

Content warning: archaic language around transgender identities.

Transcript here.

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Not an easy call at all” | Episode 3

Season 3 · Episode 3

Monday, November 22, 2021 • Duration 34:09

Because Switchboard is set up to support people around matters of sexuality, volunteers sometimes take difficult calls from paedophiles and those who have been the victims of abuse. In this episode, Tash and Adam hear from Switchboard volunteers in the 90s about taking those calls, and how they supported people in these awful situations. This episode also features an interview with Oliver, a Switchboard volunteer today reflecting on taking difficult calls.

Content warning: paedophilia, rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, suicide, and archaic language around transgender identities.

Transcript here.

For support around the themes in this episode, take a look at:

Childline

GALOP

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The little darlings” | Episode 2

Season 3 · Episode 2

Monday, November 15, 2021 • Duration 52:41

In the 90s, if two men had sex and one was under 21, both could be imprisoned, while straight people could legally have sex at age 16. This inequality could not last, and that’s thanks to campaigners such as Hugo Greenhalgh and Euan Sutherland, supported by Stonewall. This is the story of their campaign to equalise the law, and of the Switchboard volunteers who helped. Tash and Adam also hear from Phil Samba, from Prepster and the Love Tank, about his work on campaigning around queer sex today.

Content warning: homophobic language.

TV clips from Age of Dissent, directed by Will Parry.

Transcript here.

For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:

Stonewall

Prepster

The Love Tank

Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes

Artwork by Natalie Doto

https://www.thelogbooks.org

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.