Meet the Podcaster: Myf Warhurst

Broadcaster Myf Warhurst has launched a new entertainment podcast The Moment with Myf Warhurst, offering smart, funny and deeply relatable perspectives on the stories and cultural moments women want to know about.

The podcast tackles everything from high art to reality TV, music and books to relationships and mental health, with expert guests and creatives joining to share their insights.

We sat down with the Queen of Culture to chat about her first solo podcast.

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Acast: Congratulations on the launch of your new show, Myf! As one of Australia’s most beloved broadcasters – known for your time on triple J, Spicks and Specks and of course as the voice of Aunt Trixie and Indy's Mum on Bluey – you’ve been behind the mic for nearly 30 years. What inspired the move from traditional broadcasting to podcasting at this point in your career? 

Myf: Thank you! I’m super chuffed! I’ve done podcasting before (Bang On with my dear friend Zan Rowe), but I’ve never made a podcast on my own, and I’m so excited to see where this takes me. There’s a real freedom in podcasting, as there aren’t any set rules, so it’s a space where I can play around with the format, share the things I’m interested in and delve more into my authentic self with an audience who have chosen to listen to me. It’s also a huge challenge to start something from scratch, which is exciting.  I feel like podcasting is the future, as it’s a natural place for new ideas and growth, both personally and professionally. In terms of my own listening habits, podcasting has almost completely replaced radio for me, so it’s a space I definitely want to be hanging out in. And I love that people are joining me. 

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Acast: For those who haven’t tuned in yet, what’s The Moment with Myf Warhurst all about? What kind of stories or cultural moments are you diving into? 

Myf: It’s quick bites of all the cultural moments that I think you need to know about and what these moments mean for the culture more broadly. I’ll also dive deeper into topics and talk to folk who can expand our knowledge, and chat with people who I think are having a moment themselves. Basically, The Moment is full of things I love to do, and I’m loving doing it! I’m also chronically online, so at least I now have the excuse that it’s for ‘work’ purposes. Thus far the show moments have swung wildly from analysing the ramifications of the Jimmy Kimmel sacking and how that moment could change content making in the future, to sharing my favourite fashion updates from Paris Fashion week (or “farshun”, as I like to call it), and talking to TV icons like Rosie O’Donnell while she was in town. It’s wild! 

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Acast: How does the podcasting experience compare to your work on TV and radio? Is it freeing, more intimate – or just a new kind of chaos?

Myf: Even though I’ve been in TV and radio for an eternity,  I’ve never presented a podcast directly to screen before, from my house, without a co-host, so it’s amazing to still be challenged with new things at this stage in my career. So I’m still learning, and I feel like the format is a chance to lean into really being myself, showing the world even more of who I am. That is extremely freeing and hugely exciting, and it’s exactly what I needed at this stage in my career. 

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Acast: Your guest list has already ranged from psychologists to viral internet sensations – what drew you to those particular voices? What’s been the most unexpected or surprising moment from those conversations so far?

Myf: I love talking to people who can bring their expertise and expand on topics that are in the cultural zeitgeist, or folk who simply share their experiences to give us all greater insight and offer different perspectives. I didn’t expect to find the subject of a global meme that took her to very dark places, to be so willing to share tips on surviving a global pile on. I didn’t expect that Tim Ross and I talking about getting old would go down so well with the audience (I’ll definitely look into Zimmerframe sponsorship now, lol) and I certainly didn’t expect to be having such a great time putting something new together every day. It doesn’t feel at all like work! 

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Acast: What kind of feedback have you received from listeners so far? Any responses that have stuck with you?

Myf: I’ve had so many messages it’s been a bit overwhelming. It’s so lovely to hear that people have missed me on the airwaves and that they are happy to have me back in their ears (and in their eyes too, with the added video element).  I’m glad about this because I’ve missed making things for people too. There’s nothing quite like the relationship that you can have with your podcast audience, and I’m so lucky that people trust me and have come on board quickly. I’m very grateful to them for that. 

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‍Acast: You’ve mentioned wanting to tackle conversations that matter to women – from perimenopause to mental health and beyond. Why do you think it’s important to shine a spotlight on these topics right now?

Myf: I had a realisation that changed me a few years ago. When I was initially asked to host an ABC science doco on Menopause, I didn’t want to, mostly because of my own internalised shame about aging and my body. Thing is, at that time, I knew nothing about peri-menopause or menopause, and realised if I knew nothing, loads of other women would be in the same boat. I’ve always thought my job in life is to either help people or entertain in some way, and I knew me doing the doco could really help, I just needed to release my own shame around it all. So I worked on that, we made the doco, and the response we got was huge. Knowledge is power, so from here on in, I always aim to share it freely. 

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Quick-fire round

• One word to describe The Moment with Myf Warhurst? Momentous! 
• Dream podcast guest? Dolly Parton
• The one thing that’s always in your fridge? Champagne
• Go-to takeaway order? Pizza, extra cheese
• Most-used app on your phone? The torch, lol
• First thing you do when you wake up? Resist the urge to look at my phone for at least half an hour, as apparently that’s good for you and I try my best, I really do!
• Your ultimate comfort binge-watch? Grand Designs. I love the security of knowing that in every single episode the weather will be horrible, the money will run out, the couple will have a baby and despite all of the obstacles, they’ll love the house in the end. It’s like a warm, comforting blanket. 
• The last thing you panic-bought online? A rug from Temu that smelled frighteningly chemical, but looked great. Sadly it must be kept far away from any naked flames.
• Signature drink of choice? Champagne 
• What’s the most ridiculous or chaotic thing you’ve done in the name of podcast research. It’s not quite research, but when I was imagining the vibe of The Moment, I set to creating a mood board. The look and the sound had to suit a business lady from the 80s with shoulder pads and a perm. So I put a call out on Facebook for anyone in my area with an 80s house to get in touch. I ended up visiting loads of incredible houses for ‘work purposes’ and I got to stickybeak to my heart’s content, which is one of my favourite activities. Win/win.
• Which is more intimidatingEach 20-minute episode – available in audio and video format – unpacks ‘the moment’ of the week, diving deeper than the headlines to deliver quick cultural analysis.or launching a new podcast? Both were terrifying, and exhilarating, but at least the podcast doesn’t require bungee jumping out of a helicopter or eating animal offal (bull’s penis, anyone?)…yet. So I’ll go with I’m A Celeb.