
Back in 2019, Youtuber HBomberGuy committed to a completing Donkey Kong 64 to 101% (finding every collectable) while live streaming the whole thing, in what turned out to be one of the biggest charity streams ever seen, raising over $340,000 for the charity Mermaids.
In this episode, gaming journalist and prolific podcaster Laura Kate Dale breaks down the story of a couple of days where not just a lot of money was raised, but where, over one weekend, a space was created for tens of thousands could come together and provide a positive experience supporting trans rights and sharing stories.
We hear from CaseyExplosion, who helped make the stream possible, and the beneficiaries of what turned into a game-changing amount of money for the charity.
All stream footage from @HBomberGuy on YouTube, all in-game audio from Donkey Kong 64, published by Nintendo, developed by Rare and composed by Grant Kirkhope.
This episode was presented by Laura Kate Dale
Produced by Ally McCrae, Ross Semple and Kate Adair
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Apr 9, 2020
20 min

Gaming presenter Frankie Ward (@frankieward) meets some of the biggest names in pro gaming, discussing their careers and and hears the extremes some have gone to in the hunt for gaming greatness. Featuring conversations with Fnatic Founder Sam Matthews, Fernando 'Fer' Alvarenga (MIBR), Raymond 'KaSing' Tsang (EXCEL Esports) and fellow CSGO pro Peter 'Dupreeh' Rasmussen.
Original Pilot Material is a podcast from BBC The Social, giving a platform to the next generation of podcast and audio talent, telling stories and investigating the issues that matter to them the most. This series (our third!) is all about gaming, if you enjoyed this check out some other episodes in this series and other areas of life in our previous two series, and you might just find your new favourite story-teller.
This episode was written and presented by Frankie Ward
Produced by Ally McCrae & Ross Semple & Jordan Middler
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Apr 9, 2020
22 min

Newcastle-based gaming journalist Ben Potter (from TripleJump Podcast) takes over our feed to tell two very different stories of turning a passion for playing games… into actually making the next hit titles. He meets Patrick Fenn (Gearbox) and Chris Bulch (Shame, Intercontinental) to hear about their journeys.
Original Pilot Material is a podcast from BBC The Social, giving a platform to the next generation of podcast and audio talent, telling stories and investigating the issues that matter to them the most. This series (our third!) is all about gaming, if you enjoyed this check out some other episodes in this series and other areas of life in our previous two series, and you might just find your new favourite story-teller.
This episode was written and presented by Ben Potter
Produced by Ally McCrae & Ross Semple & Jordan Middler
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Apr 9, 2020
24 min

When gaming journalist and computer science student Elle Osili-Wood decided on a career change, she had to shout down a surprising amount of dated ideas that gaming makes you less intelligent, it’s dangerously addictive or even that they threatened to make you more violent. In this episode she seeks to dispel those myths, with science and hearing from some start-up projects from around the world proving the positive power of gaming.
With thanks to guests Adam Gazzaley, Matt Omernick (Akili Interactive), Pete Etchells (Bath Spa University), Peter Gray (Boston College) and Shahneila Saeed (UKIE).
Original Pilot Material is a podcast from BBC The Social, giving a platform to the next generation of podcast and audio talent, telling stories and investigating the issues that matter to them the most. This series (our third!) is all about gaming, if you enjoyed this check out some other episodes in this series and other areas of life in our previous two series, and you might just find your new favourite story-teller.
This episode was written and presented by Elle Osili-Wood
Produced by Ally McCrae & Ross Semple & Jordan Middler
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyenthe
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Apr 9, 2020
25 min

BBC The Social's gaming correspondent Jordan Middler investigates why one of gaming's most hotly-discussed and controversial issues isn't considered in the same way as gambling in the UK as he meets other gamers, shares some FIFA experiences of his own and speaks to a lawyer, to get a hold on what's going on.
If you are affected by any issues in this episode, please see more information in the BBC Action Line on Addiction: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1kS7QTDB16PWkywhsXJLzxz/information-and-support-addiction-alcohol-drugs-and-gambling
This episode was written and presented by Jordan Middler
Produced by Ally McCrae & Ross Semple
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Mar 9, 2020
15 min

Fadumo and Lipa present 'I Think She’s Offside', a podcast all about under-represented conversations in sport. In this takeover episode they are joined by sports presenter and model Anita Jones to discuss the women they can’t wait to see smash it at the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and get into everything from podium finishes to periods, and the Paralympics.
00:06 - Who's who?
01:26 - What does the Olympics mean to us?
03:28 - Marion Jones, the rise and fall
04:50 - 50/50 Representation
08:30 - "You can be an Olympian in anything now..."
09:35 - Bouldering "real life Spider men and women"
10:50 - Where would we represent?
12:40 - "Don't sleep on the Paralympics"
15:00 - The powerful stories behind the female athletes
15:56 - Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce
18:00 - "women bleed - get over it"
19:00 - Endometriosis and Olympians
Presented by Fadumo Olow and Lipa Nessa (@sheisoffside) and joined by guest Anita Jones (@AnitaNnekaJones)
Produced by Paul Carlin, Ally McCrae & Ross Semple
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Mar 2, 2020
25 min

Mason and Connor from the South Coast of England present a series called Balls: The Podcast, celebrating and discussing (mostly) UK football through an LGBTQ+ lens. In this takeover episode they explore their own experiences at all levels of the game, take us to a recent lower league FA cup game and catch up with some people and organisations who have and continue to push for an equal football watching experience for all, at a time when sadly the newspaper headlines still ring with stories of homophobic abuse around the beautiful game.
This episode was presented by Connor Moseley and Mason Jordan
Produced by Paul Carlin, Ally McCrae & Ross Semple
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Feb 24, 2020
19 min

Sylvie was diagnosed with arthritis as a child, but always had a desire to pursue sport. A lifelong football fan, she always felt like her condition was holding her back. Sylvie talks to Summer Artman, a member of the England netball team, who also has arthritis, about the different ways in which she deals with her condition but still remains at the top of her game. Feeling inspired and invigorated, Sylvie eventually decides to book a tennis lesson for herself.
This episode was presented by Sylvie Devaney
Produced by Paul Carlin, Ally McCrae, Ross Semple, Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Feb 17, 2020
18 min

Libby is an extreme sports fanatic. Growing up in the skateboarding scene, she was used to seeing all kinds of gnarly injuries, but none of these could’ve prepared her for the day she saw her twin sister knocked unconscious with blood pouring from her head during a skate competition. Both Libby and her sister Pip recount the details of that day in a Kirkcaldy skate park that changed both of their lives forever.
This episode was presented by Libby and Pip Penman.
Produced by Paul Carlin, Ross Semple, Kirsty Drain, Paul McFadyen & Ally McCrae,
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Feb 10, 2020
15 min

Dave loves taking part in physical challenges to raise money for charity. One night in the pub with his mate Joe, they both decided his next big stunt would be running ten marathons in ten days.
Having done little to no training, Dave set off across Ireland to complete the giant 260 mile run across ten days, with his friend Chris running alongside him and Joe capturing the whole thing. The resulting film - Dave Goes West - is a story of pain, glory, bleeding nipples and an unforgettable three-legged goat.
This episode was presented by Joe O'Connor, Dave Cook and Chris Jones.
Produced by Paul Carlin, Ally McCrae & Ross Semple
Senior Producers are Kirsty Drain & Paul McFadyen
Exec Producer is Anthony Browne
Original Pilot Material is a podcast for BBC Sounds from the team behind BBC The Social, the award winning new talent platform from BBC Scotland.
Live in the UK and want to pitch an idea?
[email protected]
Feb 3, 2020
26 min
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