The Log Books cover art

The Log Books

The Log Books

Written by: Tash Walker and Adam Zmith
Listen for free

About this listen

Hosts Tash Walker and Adam Zmith speak to LGBTQ+ elders and peers about life in Britain, inspired by volunteers' log books from the helpline Switchboard since 1974.


Each episode features an intimate conversation with an LGBTQ+ person, as they reflect with Adam and Tash on community, family, volunteering for Switchboard, going out for the night, and the huge shift in LGBTQ+ politics and culture since 1974.


Season 4 starts on January 1st 2026 with all-new weekly episodes, marking the release of Tash and Adam's book, The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened, published by Faber & Faber.


WINNER of several awards including Best New Podcast (Gold) at the British Podcast Awards 2020.


An Aunt Nell Production in partnership with Faber.


Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

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

Aunt Nell
Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • A teacher’s reckoning | Episode 2
    Jan 8 2026

    Tash and Adam hear from Ruth Turner, who qualified as a teacher in the 1980s at the height of a destructive public debate over gay and lesbian rights.


    Ruth recalls the chilling effect of Section 28, the law that forbade her from supporting queer students, and helps Tash to reckon with their own experience in school.


    Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.


    Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith

    The voice of the log books: Serena James

    Assistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade

    Engineer: David Pye

    Music: Tom Fosket-Barnes

    Original artwork: Natalie Doto

    Thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.

    Episode transcripts available here.

    Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email hello@switchboard.lgbt or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

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

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Switchboard’s first night | Episode 1
    Jan 1 2026

    Adam and Tash’s first guest is John Lindsay, one of the founders of Switchboard, the national LGBTQIA+ helpline.


    John takes us back to the first night in the phoneroom in 1974, when a ragtag gang of queers listened out for that first phone call.

    Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.


    Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith

    The voice of the log books: Serena James

    Assistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade

    Engineer: David Pye

    Music: Tom Fosket-Barnes

    Original artwork: Natalie Doto

    Thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.

    Episode transcripts available here.

    Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email hello@switchboard.lgbt or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

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

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • All-new season, all-new interviews
    Dec 18 2025

    The UK’s best LGBTQ+ history podcast is BACK. After three groundbreaking seasons from 2019-22, featuring the unique archives at Switchboard, winning a string of awards, we’re returning with a new season.


    We are Adam Zmith and Tash Walker, hosts and producers, and your guides into queer memories and countless, essential stories.


    The all-new season of The Log Books will feature intimate interviews we’ve done as research for our book, which will be published by Faber on January 29th 2026.


    We thought: we can’t fit everything into the book, so let’s bring back the podcast!


    THE LOG BOOKS season 4 is produced by Aunt Nell in partnership with Faber Books.


    New episodes from January 1st. Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss them!

    Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.


    Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith

    The voice of the log books: Serena James

    Assistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade

    Engineer: David Pye

    Music: Tom Fosket-Barnes

    Original artwork: Natalie Doto

    Thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.

    Episode transcripts available here.

    Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email hello@switchboard.lgbt or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks.

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

    Show More Show Less
    1 min
No reviews yet