David and Lisa Campbell are inviting listeners into the world of Jane Austen with their brand new podcast Into the Austenverse, launching September 22.
The couple, who share a love for Austen’s timeless work, will explore her novels and the many adaptations, remakes and cultural moments inspired by them.
David, a well-known TV host, and Lisa, a leading theatrical casting agent, told Nine that the idea came about after a passionate discussion about Netflix’s new Pride and Prejudice.
“David asked me what my opinion was of ‘ginger Darcy’ and… I had a lot to say,” Lisa said.
“I think there really needs to be the acceptance of hot, ginger men. And I think Jack Lowden is going to be spectacular.”
“After about 25 minutes of not pausing for breath, you (David) looked at me and said, ‘This is a podcast.'”
“With Into The Austenverse, we get to bring those perspectives together, dive into the books and the adaptations and have some fun along the way,” David said. “It’s the perfect mix of pop culture and classic literature, and we can’t wait to share it with listeners.”
Lisa said, “We’ve been looking at the Emmas, that’s been so interesting to see the differences in the telling of the story. Not just in the sense that they were made by different humans, but how they were told in 1995 versus in 2023.”
The podcast also coincides with the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth and the upcoming Netflix remake of Pride and Prejudice, starring Jack Lowden, Olivia Colman and Emma Corrin.
Other new adaptations in the works include The Other Bennet Sister, Longbourn, and the French film Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, which is making waves at international festivals.
“For Lisa, Austen is a lifelong passion,” David said. “For me, she’s been a cultural icon whose influence I’ve seen pop up everywhere, though I’d not read her work until recently.”
Lisa also shared how impactful Austen’s work continues to be. “It’s so exciting for us to see what it says about the culture of those times, as well as the version of the story 250 years ago.”
Listeners can tune in to Into the Austenverse on all major podcast platforms and YouTube, with new episodes released weekly. The podcast is produced by Luckiest Productions and hosted on the Nova Podcasts platform.
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