Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford is a narrative history podcast from Pushkin Industries, in which Harford tells true stories of human error, catastrophe and fiasco. The feed lists 233 episodes since 2019, released every Friday at about 40 minutes. Estimated downloads are 25,000 to 80,000 per episode, implying a $450 to $2,000 rate per episode. Episodes mix Halloween specials with guest conversations.
A weekly, polished history show with 4,863 Apple ratings and network backing
- Fresh episode every Friday, so campaigns get a predictable weekly slot.
- Apple Podcasts rating of 4.7 from 4,863 ratings points to a committed listener base.
- Pushkin Industries production and Harford's Financial Times and BBC credentials suit premium and educational brands.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- narrative, solo storytelling, guest conversation
- Tone
- curious, wry
- Language
- English
- Production
- Studio production
- Typical length
- 38 to 45 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- Pushkin Industries
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed titles or description; Pushkin Industries is named as the network and offers partner content through partnerships@pushkin.fm.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Titles such as The Doors of Death: The Herald of Free Enterprise and Arsenic and Lace: The Trial of the Yorkshire Witch cover deaths and disasters, though the feed is not flagged explicit.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.pushkin.fm/ |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1484511465 |
| RSS feed | www.omnycontent.com/d/playlist/e73c998e-6e60-432… |
Benchmark score: 100 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| A Tale of Blood and Ashes: The Exeter Vampires | Halloween Season | 2026-10-16 | 38 min |
| When Aliens Landed in Wiltshire | Halloween Season | 2026-10-09 | 38 min |
| The Mummy's Curse (Halloween Classic) | 2026-10-02 | 38 min |
| When Muhammad Ali Met Henry’s Hammer | 2026-09-25 | 41 min |
| How a Broken Arm Improved my French - with David Epstein | 2026-09-18 | 43 min |
| Talent, Time and Money: The Curse of General Magic | 2026-09-11 | 39 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 3 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “The Data Detective”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, and hilarious fiascos. They'll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. New episodes every…
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About Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford is a narrative history podcast produced by Pushkin Industries. According to the feed description, Tim Harford, who it credits as a Financial Times and BBC contributor and author of The Data Detective, tells true stories of human error, catastrophe and fiasco, with new episodes every Friday.
The feed lists 233 episodes since October 2019 with a median length of about 40 minutes. Recent titles range from The Boston Molasses Disaster to Evel Knievel Faces the Abyss, plus Halloween specials and guest conversations. Apple Podcasts shows a 4.7 average from 4,863 ratings. Starbooked estimates 25,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode, with moderate confidence because podcasts do not publish numbers.
No sponsors appear in the feed, though the Pushkin website offers partner content through its partnerships team. At Starbooked's rate of $18 to $25 per 1,000 downloads, a host-read mid-roll would be $450 to $2,000 per episode. It suits book, finance, software and education brands reaching curious adult listeners.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
How much does Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford charge for a podcast sponsorship?
The show publishes no rates. Starbooked estimates $450 to $2,000 per host-read mid-roll, based on 25,000 to 80,000 estimated downloads per episode. As a Pushkin Industries show, actual network pricing may differ.
What is Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford about?
It is a weekly narrative podcast of true stories about human error, tragic catastrophes and hilarious fiascos, told by Tim Harford. Episodes cover topics from the Boston molasses disaster to Evel Knievel.
How do I contact Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80, and boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked. Pushkin's website also lists partnerships@pushkin.fm for partner content.
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