Pick of the podcasts: Business Wars, United Zingdom, Lifers with Ed Gamble

When we think of wars it’s usually the one with guns, tanks and men looking grim in trenches.

Modern war is very different though, and not just because it’s usually conducted at 25,000ft by a bunker-busting drone.

Often battles are conducted not by countries, but another type of powerful entity which sometimes act like nations – big corporations.

These organisations wage war on each other just like any rivals with borders. Their goal isn’t territory or a political gain – it’s the content of your wallet or purse.

And they’re desperate to beat their enemies at all costs.

Think of companies which have gone head-to-head over the past few decades, such as Nike v Adidas, Sony v Nintendo, Netflix v Blockbuster, Marvel v DC, and eBay v Paypal.

Business Wars looks at some of the most cutthroat battles, and the results can be interesting or, when multi-million dollar corporations go bust, quite delicious.

The podcast, by Wondery, gives you the unauthorised, real story of what drives these companies and their leaders, inventors, investors and executives to new heights… and lows.

If it still sounds a bit dry and dusty, don’t be put off.

One of the miniseries deals with the bitter battle between camp spandex soap opera pedlars the World Wrestling Federation, and their plucky rivals, World Championship Wrestling.

The outcome was more up in the air than a moonsaulting wrestler diving off the top buckle – and the outcome was in doubt for a while.

There’s also a look at how a giant video shop was taken on by a small rental company.

These days there aren’t any Blockbusters on the high street, while the smaller company – Netflix – well, you know what happened there.

Apple Podcasts

United Zingdom (BBC Sounds)

Journalist Zing Tsjeng is originally from Singapore but lives right here in the UK. She can apply for a British passport. But she already has one from Singapore, and she can’t have both. It’s got her thinking – what does it mean to be British? She’s off on a trip around the UK to find out.Zing travels to Cardiff to meet a Welsh-language expert, a proud Essex councillor, and a Birmingham drag star – to name a few.

Lifers With Ed Gamble (Spotify)

Ed Gamble is a middle-class comedian best known for his podcast Off Menu, a foodie-cum-interview series.Ed, though, has a secret – away from his posh dinner parties and avocado salads, he’s a metalhead. That means he’s into heavy metal music and, in this series Ed explores his love for the genre with a series of interviews.Ed’s interview with Midlands metal legend Brian Tatler kicks the series off – check it out.