The Island of Brilliant!
by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Nadia Shireen
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Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
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Total monthly reach
Estimated from 1 chart position in 1 market.
By chart position
- 🇭🇰HK · Books#192500 to 3K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
250 to 1.5K🎙 ~2x weekly·40 episodes·Last published 1mo ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
500 to 3K🇭🇰100% - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
150 to 900
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Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
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—
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 12 epsHosts
Recent guests
Recent episodes
Jack Meggitt-Phillips
Aug 3, 2026
49m 36s
Our new Laureate!
Jul 7, 2026
44m 11s
Chris Riddell
Jun 6, 2026
59m 15s
Patience Agbabi
May 6, 2026
50m 37s
Angie Thomas
Apr 2, 2026
49m 58s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/3/26 | Jack Meggitt-Phillips | What's that coming over the dune, is it a monster? It is, a grizzly slimy sea monster, and look who it's vomited up onto the otherwise spotless sand on the Island of Brilliant seafront! Jack Meggitt-Phillips, the wunderkind author of the glorious 'The Beast And The Bethany' series, as well as a brand spanking new adaptation of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde. A shame he didn't bring a mop to clean up the vomit, but high tide should see to that. Emily Drabble of Booktrust recommends the best of the latest crop of books for August reading pleasure - and the Ukulele Uff Trio treat us to a dollop of blue skies and musical sunshine. Emily recommends: Squid Bits - That’s A Nice Hat by Jess Bradley. DFB Worm’s Big Dig by Tom Inn-Disbury - Anderson A Sister like you, Sarah Hagger-Holt - Usborn They sent a Cat to Saturn by Valerie Bloom and Ken Wilson Max - Otter Barry Lotta & Lola Pudding NOW Please by Lauren Child - Simon and Schuster | 49m 36s | ||||||
| 7/7/26 | Children's Laureatevulnerable children+3 | Patrice Lawrence | — | — | Children's LaureatePatrice Lawrence+5 | — | 44m 11s | ||
| 6/6/26 | interviewchildren's literature+3 | Chris Riddell | Goth GirlThe Edge Chronicles+1 | — | Chris RiddellGoth Girl+5 | — | 59m 15s | ||
| 5/6/26 | danceliterature+3 | Patience Agbabi | Wonderland | Colwyn Bay | Patience AgbabiWonderland+3 | — | 50m 37s | ||
| 4/2/26 | writingliterature+3 | Angie Thomas | The Hate U GiveTheBook of Anansi | — | Angie ThomasThe Hate U Give+3 | — | 49m 58s | ||
| 3/11/26 | cartooningstorytelling+3 | Ramzee | Jaffa CakeCheat Book series | — | RamzeeCheat Book series+3 | — | 54m 28s | ||
| 2/5/26 | audiobookreading challenge+3 | Frank Cottrell Boyce | BooktrustThree Men In A Boat | — | Three Men In A Boataudiobook+7 | — | 21m 38s | ||
| 1/13/26 | readingchallenges+3 | — | — | — | National Year of Readingreading challenges+3 | — | 50m 05s | ||
| 12/11/25 | educationinspiration+3 | Phil Tite | — | — | Phil Titeeducation+5 | — | 55m 52s | ||
| 11/6/25 | poetrychildren's literature+3 | Michael Rosen | — | — | Michael Rosenpoetry party+3 | — | 54m 44s | ||
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| 10/2/25 | children's literaturewriting+3 | Phil Earle | — | — | Phil Earlechildren's books+3 | — | 57m 35s | ||
| 9/7/25 | spooky talesvampires+3 | Emma Carroll | Dracula and Daughters | — | Emma Carrollvampires+5 | — | 57m 22s | ||
| 8/1/25 | quizzingchildren's books+3 | Adeola Sokunbi | Destiny Ink | Staffordshire | quizchildren's literature+3 | — | 41m 46s | ||
| 7/4/25 | Pari Thomson | Frank and Nadia have been busy knocking down some of the pre-fab buildings they've had delivered and hiding the plans for the cross-island superhighway they were so keen on - because the fabulous Pari Thomson, creator of the magical botanical paradise Greenwild - is heading shorewards on her lily-pad for a visit. No surprise that this series of eco-thrillers has been a massive success, they're exciting enough to even distract Frank from his one-man campaign to make poets read aloud better. No surprise either that Nadia is finally ready for some time alone. | 49m 51s | ||||||
| 6/1/25 | Ranger Hamza | Ranger Hamza is in the house! Or would be if we had one. Frank and Nadia are all aflutter as Hamza comes in to land on the Island in the clutches of Assassin, the might Golden Eagle who lives round the corner from him in his Scottish home. Never takes the bins out but nobody dares mention it. With tales of pine marten poo, the superpower that is his dyslexia, and of course serious snack chat hamza offers something for everyone, and such is the enormity of his charm, intelligence and wit that two landlubbers who go by the names of Annabel and Lydia swim all the way out to the island to ask him some questions. Nadia and Frank might learn some proper interviewing techniques from them if they weren't too busy with their peurile Pogue pranks. | 1h 05m 17s | ||||||
| 5/11/25 | Charlie Higson | It's the one, it's the only... Charlie Higson!! Nadia's got a bit of a face on when she realises who's come to join her and Frank on the island, given that they've just created a book together, as this means breaking one of the island's golden rules - but soon she's ripping up said rule book (it's very thin) and eating it with glee as Charlie charms one and all with tales from his glorious career as a children's writer. If that's not enough, there are reflections on music and (semi?) quavers, and a race to the best James Bond dog pun, though all involved have to hang their heads in shame for missing Octopuppy. | 1h 11m 58s | ||||||
| 4/1/25 | Jennifer Killick | Well we're all delighted that the plague that beset the island last month has now vanished thanks to the diligent isolating from Nadia and Frank - though perhaps they were just not talking, it's hard to tell sometimes. The island is once again open to visitors and what a treat to see Her Highness of Horror Jennifer Killick emerging from the earth's crust to marvel at Frank's Deadwood puns and chat about why she's so drawn to filling her readers with fear. In geo-political news Frank and Nadia rebuff President Trump's recent declaration of interest in the island and its chocolate reserves. The island is NOT up for grabs, Donny boy. | 49m 21s | ||||||
| 2/1/25 | Patrice Lawrence | She’s won the prizes as well as the love of her adoring readers for her brilliant books - including 'Orangeboy', 'Eight Pieces of Silva' and 'Rat' - but the wonder that is Patrice Lawrence has never, until now, been able to show off her true skill… the ability to freeze large bodies of water. And aren’t we the lucky ones, as it means she’s been able to pay a visit and tell Nadia and Frank all about her writing, her rage and her tip top taste in doughnuts. Now that Patrice’s new book, ‘People Like Stars’ is set to hit the shelves, she’s glad of the chance of just a little bit of peace beside the fire before the tidal wave of adulation surely coming her way hits the shore. | 55m 48s | ||||||
| 1/1/25 | By the fireside | Our two reluctant beachcombers have retired from the chilly sands to the cosy warmth of their makeshift hut for a wintery fireside chat about the hither, whither and thither of the Island of Brilliant's past, present and future. Expect insight, illumination, Count Duckula impressions and literary pyjama anecdotes as Nadia and Frank set their tiny island corner of the world to rights. And relax.... | 42m 50s | ||||||
| 12/1/24 | Axel Scheffler | The King of illustration Axel Scheffler arrives on the island with a sackful of Lebkukchen, for December is upon us and even Frank has allowed a degree of festive cheer onto the Brilliant shores. Nadia's so excited about the prospect of Axel's arrival she's even prepared some absolute zinger questions - unfortunately she did so in collaboration with Terry the famously duplicitous crab, who just might have sold her a pup or two. Oh well, ende gut alles gut, as they say in Germany; when you have the man responsible for the look of that monster with the terrible teeth and terrible claws - as well as countless other characters in too many books to count - you know you're in for a fabulous episode. | 1h 02m 49s | ||||||
| 11/1/24 | Lauren Child | We will never, not ever, have a more splendid visitor to the island than the genius and former children's laureate Lauren Child - though the word 'visitor' might not necessarily be the most accurate in her case. Lauren is of course the creator of Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean, Ruby Redford - a cast of characters the like of which any writer would give their left nib to have come up with. Nadia and Frank are so engrossed in what she has to say about her relationship with the people in her books that they almost forget (almost) that they manage to win a prize for previous island musings - many thanks to to the Independent Podcast Awards for making their jabberings the best indie books podcast of the year! Toot toot!! | 1h 01m 43s | ||||||
| 10/1/24 | Louie Stowell | Frank has been desperate to start up a whole new mythology for the island with stories featuring various characters he's modelled out of seaweed and goggly eyes, so Nadia's relief was positively palpable when Louie Stowell turned up, courtesy of a feathery Loki, with enough Norse tales to sate Frank's ravenous appetite, at least for a little while. They chat about the wild success of Louie's Loki books, the brilliant ways myths can be retold (cue Frank's Elmer Fudd impression) and roll the Sisyphean rock of Katherine Rundell's snackaggedon back up the hill. | 47m 37s | ||||||
| 9/1/24 | Chris Haughton & Spellow Library | A very special, dare we say unmissable, episode in lots of ways. Not only does Chris Haughton, the genius behind such books as 'Shh!', 'A Bit Lost' and 'Don't Worry, Little Crab' join us on the island and prove himself to be the most charming and brilliant of guests, Frank also shares a letter he was sent after the devastating arson attack on Liverpool's Spellow Library during the riots. It's a letter that is both the story of a life and a testament to the enormous power of public spaces and their capacity to offer a beacon of light in the darkness. We also hear from Alex McCormick, the woman who set up the Go Fund Me page that she hoped would raise £500.00 to help restore Spellow Lane. At the time of writing it has already raised £250,000. And in case that's not enough, Frank and Nadia get into it over which Simpsons character they most closely resemble. They've been on the island too long, some might say... | 1h 01m 40s | ||||||
| 7/31/24 | Festival of Brilliant, with Steven Lenton | How do you turn an island into a festival? This month's episode is recorded partly on the island and partly at the magical location that is Biddulph Old Hall in the Staffordshire Moorlands, which played host and provided a magnificent backdrop to the inaugural Festival of Brilliant, staged by the mighty Outside Arts organisation. Moorlands lad Steven Lenton came along with vital local patisserie expertise and charmed the audience with his Swanee whistle playing and tip-top question answering. The Ukelele Uff Trio were even persuaded to come ashore for the first time in years to play along live. If you weren't able to come along in person, here's the next best thing (though you really did miss out on some excellent chips). | 39m 33s | ||||||
| 7/20/24 | Jonny Vegas' Favourite Character | Nadia and Frank continue in their efforts to work out who their own favourite character from children's books is by asking other people who theirs is in the hope it'll give them inspiration. Fat chance, it takes them three hours to decide which side of their hammocks to get out of in the morning - but still, you never know. Today it's the turn of Jonny Vegas to recall his happy childhood days at Thatto Heath public library, pestering the librarians for new books featuring... well you'll just have to use your noggin and have a listen to find out. | 4m 08s | ||||||
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Chart history for The Island of Brilliant!
Peaked at #192 in HK, currently #192 in HK.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK | — | #192 | #192 | — |
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.