Unexplained (podcast)
| Unexplained | |
|---|---|
 Unexplained podcast logo | |
| Genre | Non-Fiction, Horror, Sci-Fi, Documentary |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Creative team | |
| Created by | Richard MacLean Smith |
| Written by | Richard MacLean Smith, Diane Hope, Emma Dibdin, Neil McRobert, James Conor Paterson, Ella MacLeod |
| Cast and voices | |
| Hosted by | Richard MacLean Smith |
| Music | |
| Theme music composed by | Richard MacLean Smith |
| Production | |
| Length | 25-45 minutes |
| Publication | |
| Provider | iHeart |
| Related | |
| Website | www.unexplainedpodcast.com |
Unexplained is a British narrative podcast created and hosted by writer and musician Richard MacLean Smith. The series investigates unexplained mysteries, folklore, and paranormal phenomena. Unexplained was created in 2016 and received the iTunes "Best of 2016" award.[1]
Content
Episodes of Unexplained run between 25 and 35 minutes. Each episode focuses on a single mystery or closely related set of events, drawing on historical records, eyewitness accounts, folklore, and academic research.[2]
Reception
In a feature for The Guardian, critic Hannah Verdier noted the show's exploration of paranormal cases such as the Pontefract Poltergeist and time slips in Liverpool, and its ability to unsettle the imagination with open-ended narratives.[3]
The Financial Times referred to Unexplained as “a grisly treat,” highlighting its investigations into enigmatic phenomena that resist easy explanation.[4]
In 2021, The New York Times praised Unexplained for its weekly focus on “logic‑defying” events and its atmospheric storytelling, noting that host Richard MacLean Smith “resists the urge to ham it up”, while delivering eerie episodes ranging from paranormal claims to historical mysteries.[5]
Unexplained has been recommended by critics for listeners interested in paranormal and unexplained phenomena.[6]
Richard MacLean Smith is the creator and host of Unexplained. In addition to this series, he created and produced the podcast series Rescue for Sony Music Entertainment, a collaboration with the UK production company Something Else.[7] He co-wrote the Audible audio drama Temporal, starring Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar, created by Julian Simpson (along with Rebecca Boey and Nosa Giedion),[8] and co-wrote the podcast series Crowley, also created by Julian Simpson, which explores the life of Aleister Crowley. MacLean Smith is represented by UTA and Curtis Brown.
Adaptations
In 2018, Richard MacLean Smith published Unexplained: Real-Life Supernatural Stories for Uncertain Times:
- MacLean Smith, Richard (2018). Unexplained: Supernatural Stories for Uncertain Times. Scepter. ISBN 9781473671126.
Related Podcasts
In 2019, MacLean Smith released the choose-your-own-adventure style horror podcast The Forest, inspired by the Russian folkloric character Baba Yaga.[9][10]
In 2020, MacLean Smith created the COVID-19 pandemic horror podcast The Fountain Road Files, a found-audio drama charting one man's experience living in a haunted house during lockdown.[11][12]
See also
References
- ^ iTunes Podcast Team (UK), iTunes Podcast Team (UK) (10 December 2016). "Best of 2016". Apple iTunes Store (UK).
- ^ Arciszewski, Sebastian (2025-03-13). "Unexplained Podcast Review". Find That Pod. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ^ Verdier, Hannah (2017-01-24). "Is Unexplained the world's spookiest podcast?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ "Podcasts: the strange case of the skull in the wych elm". ft.com. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ Dibdin, Emma (November 23, 2021). "Unsolved mystery Podcasts". The New York Times.
- ^ Mulson, Jen (2025-11-24). "Pikes Pick: 'Unexplained' podcast features eerie, paranormal, mystery stories". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ Entertainment, Sony Music (2023-10-03). "Sony Music Entertainment announces Rescue, a new podcast about the world's most astonishing rescue stories". podnews.net. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ Temporal Audiobook by Julian Simpson, Richard MacLean Smith, Bec Boey, Nosa Igbinedion
- ^ "The Forest". shows.acast.com. 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ "2023 Japan's Suicide Forest & Richard McLean Smith -host of the Unexplained". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ^ "THE FOUNTAIN ROAD FILES". THE FOUNTAIN ROAD FILES. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ "Very Scary Podcasts to Listen to in the Dark". celadonbooks.com. Retrieved 2026-02-09.