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Strangers on a Bench

Strangers on a Bench

By: Tom Rosenthal
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Summary

 Have you ever walked past a mysterious stranger on a park bench and wondered about their lives? Tom Rosenthal (singer-songwriter by trade) has spent the past year walking through various parks across the UK and Ireland, approaching random bench-dwellers and asking if he can sit next to them and record their conversation. Every stranger remains anonymous, neither name or place of work is ever revealed (even to Tom himself), leading to greater openness, intimacy, and surprising revelations from the participants.

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

Tom Rosenthal Social Sciences
Episodes
  • EPISODE 87: Charge It To The Game

    EPISODE 87: Charge It To The Game
    May 11 2026

    Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

    This is what happened!


    Produced by Tom Rosenthal

    Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

    Mixed by Mike Woolley

    Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

    Incidental music by Maddie Ashman


    End song : 'Mother Knows Best' by Peter Deaves

    Stream it here : https://ffm.to/motherknowsbest


    Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

    https://ffm.to/soabendsongs


    ————————————————————————————


    Instagram : @strangersonabench

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • EPISODE 86: Talking To Gina

    EPISODE 86: Talking To Gina
    May 4 2026

    Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

    This is what happened!


    Produced by Tom Rosenthal

    Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

    Mixed by Mike Woolley

    Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

    Incidental music by Maddie Ashman


    End song : 'Never Stop Talking' by Genevieve Dawson

    Stream it here : https://ffm.to/neverstoptalking


    Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

    https://ffm.to/soabendsongs


    ————————————————————————————


    Instagram : @strangersonabench

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • EPISODE 85: Where All The Trouble Lies

    EPISODE 85: Where All The Trouble Lies
    Apr 27 2026

    *Content warning : contains one graphic description of violence*. Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

    This is what happened!


    Produced by Tom Rosenthal

    Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

    Mixed by Mike Woolley

    Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

    Incidental music by Maddie Ashman


    End song : 'The Night Before Your Wedding Night' by Matt Maltese

    Stream it here: https://ffm.to/thenightbeforeyourweddingnight


    Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

    https://ffm.to/soabendsongs


    ————————————————————————————


    Instagram : @strangersonabench

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 6 mins
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Great podcast interesting listening to other people’s life and the issues other face each day

Honesty

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This interview resonated in parts with me. It was a raw insight into a strangers life. which was so sad yet insightful and beautiful at the same time. There is magic and the knowledge that you can achieve that magic, if only for a while. I feel that if practised it can be found in parts of every day.

A beautifully empathic interview into someone's life.

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I really look forward to this podcast each week, I found it recently and it is a great delight to listen to!

Great for the people watchers/listeners!

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Personal stories that at times are shared with such bravery and can be so disarmingly honest that it causes listeners some self reflection

Very touching personal stories

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