Listener sentiment
Listeners are overwhelmingly positive about Older & Wider, with many describing it as a weekly ritual that feels like catching up with two funny, candid friends. Reviewers consistently praise the warm, authentic chemistry between Jenny Eclair and Judith Holder, the laugh-out-loud humor, and the way the show speaks directly to women navigating middle age and beyond — covering grandchildren, aging parents, menopause, book and TV recommendations, and the beloved running coleslaw debates. A large portion of the audience self-identifies as "OWLs" and reports a genuine sense of community, with several saying the podcast saw them through lockdown and remains an essential listen years later. The addition of producer Daisy to the mix has been warmly received. The most persistent criticism, recurring across multiple years of reviews, centers on Judith Holder's loud, sometimes forced-sounding laughter, which some listeners find distracting — especially on headphones. A smaller but recurring cluster of complaints flags excessive or overly scripted advertising, uneven audio quality, and the hosts talking over one another. A handful of longer-term listeners feel the show has at times drifted toward grandchildren updates and personal minutiae at the expense of sharper comedy, and a few bristle at off-the-cuff political or health commentary. Despite these critiques, the overall sentiment is strongly favorable, with a fiercely loyal following that treats the podcast as an indispensable weekly fixture.
Apple4.7 · 366
Summary generated Aug 29, 2026