Strangers on a Bench

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Documentary
**Strangers on a Bench**

Have you ever walked past a mysterious stranger on a park bench and wondered about their lives? Tom Rosenthal (singer-songwriter by trade) has spent the past year walking through various parks across the UK and Ireland, approaching random bench-dwellers and asking if he can sit next to them and record their conversation. Every stranger remains anonymous, neither name or place of work is ever revealed (even to Tom himself), leading to greater openness, intimacy, and surprising revelations from the participants.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

EPISODE 100: Don't Ever Stop Dreaming Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

***ANNOUNCEMENT***

After 100 episodes of 'Strangers on a Break' it feels the right time to take a break.

I can't say when it will return but I very much hope it will do one day.

I've written more about this on an instagram post that you can find here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Db-JDbFDESZ/?img_index=1

Thank you so much for listening and see you on a bench one day!

Tom x

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Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Don't Ever Stop Dreaming' by Tom Rosenthal, featuring Rachel Kitchlew on the harp.

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/donteverstopdreaming

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 99: Everyone Deserves To Have Secrets Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Textbook Kisses' by AK Patterson

Stream it here :

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 98: Realistically I Should Be Dead Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

*Content warning : this episode contains references to suicide and drug use.,

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Never Say Die' by Ye Vagabonds

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/neversaydie-soab

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 97: Seeing Stars in Sea Glass Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Rainbow of The Night' by Bethany Reeves & The Solis Choir

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/rainbowofthenight

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 96: You and I Are So Different Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Where I'm Supposed To Be' by Lail Arad & JF Robitaille

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/whereimsupposedtobe

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 95: Periscopes and Bagels Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Leave a Trace' by Yeemz

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/leaveatracesoab

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 94: The Most Surreal Meeting Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Something Sweet' by Yoshika Colwell

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/somethingsweetsoab

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 93: Branches Don't Grow Straight Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Rings of a Tree' by Tagore Chayne

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/ringsofatree

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 92: Stand By Me Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'You Come Around' by Calÿpso

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/youcomearoundsoab

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 91: Lads, Crying, and David Attenborough Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.

This is what happened!

Produced by Tom Rosenthal

Edited by Rose De Larrabeiti

Mixed by Mike Woolley

Theme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton

Incidental music by Maddie Ashman

End song : 'Tynemouthing' by Jes Lowe

Stream it here : https://ffm.to/tynemouthing

Listen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :

https://ffm.to/soabendsongs

————————————————————————————

Instagram : @strangersonabench

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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