2025 Creators

Made in China

All Eva knows about the beginning of her story is that she was found by the side of the road in China when she was three days old. Thirteen months later she was adopted by white British parents and migrated to her new home in Essex. Growing up in the UK, Eva felt British. But that’s not how other people always perceived her. For most of her life she just tried to fit in.

In Made in China, Eva explores how has the experience of being a transracial adoptee - born in one culture, raised in another – shaped how she understands herself?

“Making this podcast taught me a lot about self-acceptance. Being given the space to lead something so personal helped me believe in myself more. It was also a process of self-discovery. Writing myself almost like a character, even while speaking in the first person, allowed me to see my experiences from a different perspective. Conversations with the people I interviewed became one of the most rewarding parts of the process as I explored the emotional and psychological nuance of adoption from the adoptee’s perspective. It’s part personal inquiry, part historical curiosity — particularly around China’s One Child Policy. “

Made in China is a Reduced Listening Production with BBC Sounds Audio Lab.

Eva Brookes is a London-based radio presenter and creative. Through audio, writing, and video, her work is rooted in curiosity, meaningful connection, and a deep love of storytelling. With a people-first approach, Eva is inspired by philosophical ideas and by people who think differently and feel deeply.

Click here to listen to Made in China

MF DOOM: Long Island to Leeds

A tribute to the enduring legacy of “your favourite rapper’s favourite rapper”, MF DOOM: Long Island to Leeds explores the surprising circumstances that led to one of the rap world’s most idiosyncratic figures spending his final years in Yorkshire, England.

Over five episodes, BBC 6 Music DJ AFRODEUTSCHE and Adam Batty tell the story of how a New York-based icon of Hip-hop found himself living in relative obscurity in the north of England, with the help of guest appearances from well-known fans and celebrated contemporaries such as Romesh Ranganathan and MC Paul Barman.

“Whenever I tell anyone that MF DOOM was living in my hometown of Leeds when he passed away, their reaction is always one of shock and surprise. I set out to capture that sense in this series. DOOM has been embraced as an adopted son of the city since his passing and I’m really keen to make sure that this chapter of his life, sad in parts as it is, isn't forgotten.”

“Hip hop culture is all about community. Though it often gets a bad rep in third party portrayals, I wanted this show to shed a light on the reality of the culture, which is full of love, nerdiness and meeting kindred spirits. This show brings a disparate bunch of nerds from around the world together - with a shared love of the one and only MF DOOM”.

MF DOOM: Long Island to Leeds is a Persephonica production with BBC Sounds Audio Lab.

Adam Batty is a writer and creative based in the north of England, who is fascinated by the stories that sit on the fringes of popular culture. Having worked in a diverse range of industries in a variety of capacities, Adam finds inspiration in all manner of places, but has a particular affinity for music, cinema and architecture.

Click here to listen to MF DOOM: Long Island to Leeds

Judged - A Mother’s Love

Motherhood can feel full of judgement - sometimes over the smallest decisions, sometimes over high stakes ones that change everything.

In Judged: A Mother’s Love, Katie Bridget Murphy explores three extraordinary stories of mothers facing impossible choices that shaped birth, everyday life, and even death. These decisions didn’t just transform their families; they uncovered hidden truths, challenged laws, and helped changed society itself. The stories include Patrick FitzSymons’ discovery that his life began in secret and his adoption was illegal, the story of Sally Challen who killed her husband following decades of coercive control and the story of US war journalist Jim Foley in Syria, and the experience of his mother Diane, who following his kidnapping, endured the most unimaginable loss but then found hope.

Through powerful testimony and expert insight, this series asks: what happens when motherhood is pushed to its limits?

“I wanted to make this series because I’m drawn to stories that explore the many lengths and breadths of motherhood and the wider human experience. During my time at Audio Lab, I’ve learned so much and it has genuinely been a privilege to work with such a creative and supportive team in both Belfast and London. I am honoured to have been trusted to tell such personal and powerful stories. Making this series has reinforced for me that compassion and deep listening are essential. I’m incredibly grateful to BBC Sounds Audio Lab for this experience.”

Judged - A Mother’s Love is a BBC Audio Northern Ireland production with BBC Sounds Audio Lab.

Katie Bridget Murphy is a writer, filmmaker and creative from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Having worked across documentary, narrative, and audio storytelling, she finds inspiration in the overlooked and the deeply human, with a particular focus on motherhood, identity, and the emotional landscape.

Click here to listen to Judged: A Mother's Love

It’s So Loud In Here!

It’s So Loud In Here! journeys into the neurodivergent mind and discovers the impact of noise in everyday life. From taking the bus into work to going to sleep at night, every sound has an invisible cost.

Hear how overwhelming a quiet office can be, how stressful it is to feel out of control or how having fun can increase your tolerance to noise. Every neurodivergent experience is different, and the impact might not be noticeable, but it’s there. With a host of neurodivergent contributors, the podcast hears what that sounds like.

“The initial idea for this podcast came to me one night when I was struggling to fall asleep, because my mind was so full of thoughts. I realised that how I hear and experience the world was so different from neurotypical people that I wanted them to experience my normal. To know why the smallest things like trying to sleep or hearing the sound of air-conditioning can be difficult and overwhelming. The experience of making It’s So Loud In Here! has been an emotional journey of self-discovery. The more I talked to other neurodivergent people, the more I learnt about myself.”

It’s So Loud In Here! is a BBC Audio North production with BBC Sounds Audio Lab.

Keira Edwards is an autistic journalist with a love of ice hockey, Anime and live-action role playing.

Click here to listen to It's So Loud In Here!