A new Manchester-based live podcast experience has launched with support from students at UA92, giving aspiring media professionals the opportunity to gain hands-on experience producing a live-streamed event alongside industry practitioners.
Think Deepa Live, a new immersive podcast created by broadcaster and producer Deepa Parekh, debuted at The Dome in Manchester with actress Chelsee Healey and unbeaten professional boxer Abdul Khan as its first guests.
Unlike traditional live podcasts, the event combines celebrity interviews, audience participation, guided reflection and immersive storytelling, with attendees encouraged to become active participants in the conversation rather than passive listeners.
READ MORE: Delivery app joins the football fun with Cole’d Palmer branded ice gimmick
The launch event was streamed live to YouTube through a production partnership with UA92, allowing students to work across multiple aspects of a professional live broadcast, from camera operation and production support through to live-stream delivery and event content creation.
The collaboration forms part of a wider commitment from Think Deepa to help create meaningful pathways into the media and creative industries by providing students with real-world production experience.
Parekh said: “The media industry talks a lot about creating opportunities for young people, but it’s important that we create real experiences too. Through our partnership with UA92, students weren’t simply observing a production, they were actively involved in bringing it to life.
“Think Deepa Live is designed to create meaningful conversations around mindset, resilience and personal growth, but it’s also become a platform where emerging creative talent can gain confidence, develop practical skills and experience the realities of working in live media production.”
The launch event saw Healey discuss life in the public eye, motherhood, entrepreneurship and personal resilience, while Khan shared lessons from his unbeaten boxing career and experiences of overcoming adversity.
The event was produced in a theatre-in-the-round format and designed as a phone-free environment, with audiences taking part in guided reflection, journalling and interactive experiences throughout the evening.
The launch marks the first in an initial three-event Manchester series, with future guests from television, sport and business expected to join later this year.
Think Deepa has generated more than one million views across social media and podcast platforms and has featured guests including Usain Bolt, Jermain Defoe, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Chelcee Grimes, Nadine Merabi, Davinia Taylor, Scott Thomas and Nedum Onuoha.
The next Think Deepa Live events will take place in July, September and November.
