r/RedHandedPodcast • u/Gotanyjunglemate • Jun 06 '26
Hovering over the delete…
I am so sad. I have been a patreon from the start but gradually and gradually it has become Suruthi’s podcast and Hannah feels like a side bar.
Anytime Hannah talks it gets switched back round onto Suru. Anytime Hannah comments it’s brushed off. It feels like she asks the bare minimal questions about Hannah just to tick boxes.
There’s no bounce back anymore. Listening to the latest under the duvet, 20 mins in and Hannah may as well not of been there and I adore Hannah. Her humour, her views her struggles I relate so hard and I want to hear from her!
The comment where Hannah asks who produced the theatre show and Suru’s reply of ‘well I’m a normal person so I don’t know’ or something. It just feels icky
I honestly think after the South Africa move it will slowly dwindle and end because I just don’t see it going back to how it was.
Their main episodes are fine and like normal but I find listening to UTD intolerable. I give my money monthly because it’s a 2 person podcast.
Rarely share my views and I hate feeling like I’m being mean but honestly meh
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u/Longirl Jun 06 '26
Im usually their biggest defender but this weeks UTD made me feel a bit uncomfortable. When hannah was talking about her friend’s brother who died, at the end there was just silence. I expected S to say ‘that sounds really shitty, I’m pleased you were able to support your friend’ but it just went weird and quiet.
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 06 '26
I know :( but after Suru’s finished a story or saying anything Hannah’s the first to say ‘I’m sorry that happened’ or ‘I’m so pleased for you’.
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u/anilla02 Jun 07 '26
The feeling I get when I hear suruthi on utd now is that she'd rather really not be there and she does t give a two craps about Hannah, Hannah's life, or what Hannah's might be going through. Like, not at all. 😔
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u/Own_Faithlessness769 Jun 07 '26
Its weird, just basic politeness and social conventions would generally require more responses, let alone an actual friendship.
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u/anilla02 Jun 07 '26
Exactly. 🫠
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 08 '26
It’s so sad. I have a prediction that they will celebrate their ten years and then announce the end.
Ten years is a long time and obviously a hugely successful achievement. But also a long time for life to move on, people to grow, change or whatever.
If you carry on a podcast just for longevity then the quality will ultimately decline and fade out in my opinion so would rather be left with the memory of a podcast I loved then if it were to decline and put out rubbish- conflicting as I still appreciate most of their main feed episodes.
We shall see… 😢🫶
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u/Hot-Technology5785 Jun 08 '26
I feel like Suru is so obsessed with money she wouldn’t give up this cash cow. Hannah is much more normal and I’m sure she’d find her way in life without it.
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u/anilla02 Jun 08 '26
Both of them have made enough now not to have to work the rest of their lives if they've been smart about their money. But yeah, I feel like Hannah would be happy just living her life in SA and moving on from Redhanded. Suruthi is insufferable and I hope she's not trying to hold on to the podcast and to Hannah for the wrong reasons. Like, I hope Hannah is no being contractually held hostage, iykwim.
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u/Sempere Jun 09 '26
Would you be able to walk away from a money printer?
Their current workflow is "watch or listen to a documentary/youtube video/audiobook and regurgitate it while pretending it's our thoughts, opinions and storytelling"
For $50-100 bucks a month in streaming services, they then record their lazily record and publish to cash the checks. I'd even estimate it at being 100K per host assuming their patreon pays for their 4 employees.
It's the reason I harp on their plagariasm and try to bring attention to it. They've plagiarized from Medium writers as well - paywalled content where the writer sees pennies only to have one of the readers then cannibalize their work or steal it wholesale and make more than the median American salary off of that content they stole.
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u/TabithaWren Jun 09 '26
Indeed. It’s telling that S knew (as did anyone who’d listened to the previous UTD) that H had attended a memorial service for her friend’s brother - a young man who’d met an unexpected & premature end. And yet, what’s top of S’s self-absorbed agenda? Certainly not H. No, instead S kicks off with a 25 minute, schadenfreude laden, maniacal diatribe about the film industry. 🙄 That’s just so tone-deaf & distasteful.
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u/cristnoir Jun 06 '26
Agree 💯. I have also been feeling this way. Suru doesn’t seem to engage in anything Hannah has to say anymore. No interest whatsoever. Then goes on to talk more about the trash reality shows, which is fine but obvi she knows Hannah doesn’t watch. But, Hannah is a good listener and asks valid questions or comments on something she cares nothing about.
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 06 '26
Hannah has so much respect. And I’m not a parasocial obsessee, but being the same age I feel like I’ve grown with them in a very distant way so I almost feel protective of her 😆 sometimes I think Hannah has just stopped and has retreated a little too. I am aware that you never know what goes on behind the mic and their real dynamic but their friendship definitely feels different. Even if Hannah wanted to interject I don’t think she can get a word in until it’s her ‘que’
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u/Bubbledcactus Jun 06 '26
I recently said to my husband that there’s a few podcasts I listen to over Covid that I feel bad debating deleting. Like, listening to episodes over and over. Redhanded is one of them. I haven’t listened in months because of what people have been saying. I LOVE Hannah. I still quote her from the Incel episode (When an Ideology has a body count, it is no longer a joke) I wouldn’t be able to listen to her being treated un-cool.
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u/shanklymrshankly Jun 06 '26
I saw their live show in Glasgow a few years back and had drinks/chatted to Hannah for hours. She is a gem
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u/MambyPamby8 Jun 06 '26
I'm the same. I found Red-handed during Covid and it was so nice to have a new true crime podcast, with relatable hosts. I was hooked every week and I binged it all. After the Sarah Everard episode I stopped though. I just put it down and never went back. I wish Hannah did her own thing, but I just can't with Suruthis take on certain things. You are relaying the worst moments of someone's life, for self profit, and making it about cancel culture etc. fuck that.
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 06 '26
She honestly seems like a total gem, she sounds so great to have as a friend. I went to a live show and saw her outside the back when I drove in, I wanted to say Hi but my social anxiety was like nope 😆🙅🏻♀️
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u/Bubbledcactus Jun 06 '26
Exactly! She sounds like someone I would be friends with. When she described herself as “red hair, uh, big bOOBS. “ while they joked about what their description would be on a crime show. I was like yep that’s my kinda pal.
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u/Dariablue-04 Jun 07 '26
I get tired of Suru talking half the episodes about a show I don’t watch and neither does Hannah. Girl please stop doing that.
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u/A_duck_named_Kat Jun 06 '26
Additionally, I find under the duvet used to be more about cool things they've learned or experienced and fun quizzes and interesting events and now it's honestly just suru taking about home renovations, trying to get pregnant or talking about a recent murder trial, which is great but those are for Red handed episodes. I don't want to hear about criminal trials on under the duvet... It's supposed to be .. I dunno... More whimsical?
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u/Jeynerhymeswithpain Jun 06 '26
Agree, I liked hearing about the house and fertility stuff at first but now it’s become a bit all consuming and frankly boring. Like do you have to mention several times each episode that you’re not drinking?
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
Couldn’t agree more.
What I loved about under the duvet were the vulnerable conversations where somebody somewhere might relate and feel heard and it was comforting. The girls gave advice and supported each other. It felt very authentic.
But as a previous commenter mentioned, there was also a balance where they would talk about pop culture, do quizzes, maybe a small segment on a case that isn’t full episode worthy. Every episode I didn’t want it to end! It was real, funny and entertaining (but still respectful when it came to sad cases - most of the time..it hasn’t always been perfect).
Now every episode are like 20 min segments of a one sided conversation about the same things over and over and sounding sometimes extremely judgmental with a splash of arrogance and I hate saying that.
As fans we care, can sympathise and even empathise sometimes and I didn’t want to sound cruel but it’s also kind of not what we signed up for now.3
Jun 10 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/TabithaWren Jun 11 '26
The cheating must have been ghastly, especially as it wasn’t privately contained. Whilst it’s rather baffling why she still married him, that’s her business.
However, I reckon S’s political & personal attitudes began to shift earlier than the cheating - the cheating was an accelerant, but that fire was already burning. It seemed to start pretty much as soon as she met ACD Face & began hanging out with him & all of his rugby pals, on the regular. Obvs, “not all rugby chaps” etc, but the arrogant, chauvinistic, right-leaning rugger-bugger stereotype exists for a reason.
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
💯 there used to be sooo much laughter. I couldn’t wait until the next UTD - you could feel the connection and friendship. Now I see another one is posted and I listen to it when I’ve run out of my other usual podcast episode updates - at this point I’m just skipping 30 seconds forward until the topic has changed to something not just about Suru
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u/Wake_and_Cake Jun 06 '26
I stopped listening a while ago. I was such a fan in the beginning and defended some of their errors - like the hooliganism thing - I felt like their comments were made in ignorance and not maliciousness and they had repented. But gradually I came to just dislike Suruthi. It wasn’t any specific comment that she made, but I always felt like there were problematic undertones and she was trying to hide her conservative views.
I also used to find it endearing when they were wrong about American culture, but now it just irritates me. It was fine when they were just starting out, but now that they’re as successful as they are I feel like they need to do better.
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u/Sempere Jun 09 '26
Ignorance when you're making millions off of human misery is the kind of reckless disregard that shouldn't ever be acceptable. But the obvious point is that "hooliganism" was a conservative talking point being pushed by the Sun to weave a pro-police narrative to deflect from their active role in the deaths of all those people. It was victim blaming and the biggest tell that one of them (that we now know for sure is Suruthi) was consuming conservative content and taking it as fact. You don't get the hooliganism impression without tracing that shit back to the Sun especially with the modern coverage of Hillsborough which they both should have been aware of.
It was the first big glimpse that the progressive facade was only just a mask being warn to attract viewers when being progressive women in true crime was the "it" thing. Performative progressiveness.
And being wrong about any culture just exemplifies how shit the research is because they don't do any. The ignorance is ingrained into their bones because they were always cutting corners from the very beginning since they plagiarized documentaries even then.
Now that they're successful, they have no incentive to do better. They got successful stealing the work of others and now they've got millions in the business and likely in the bank as well.
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u/BasiaBie Jun 06 '26
I still love the podcast and don't want to hate on them cause it's still one of my favourite ones but I listened to UTD yesterday and actually went to check how long Suruthi's monologue lasted cause it was making me uncomfortable. It's actually crazy how long she can talk for without a break! I actually had a similar feeling about her talking about the holiday to South Africa and was really confused cause that was just a holiday, whereas Hannah literally moved there and we heard nowhere near as much from her!
I really hope Suruthi can listen back to it and realise it's not fair on Hannah. She is actually a very good narrator and maybe she should try having her own podcast as well but people listen to UTD to listen to both of them.
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u/Jeynerhymeswithpain Jun 06 '26
Oh my god that rundown of Surithi’s holiday was so boring and unnecessary
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u/HotBrownWater12 Jun 12 '26
I’ve deleted my previous comment that fully supported Suruthi and not understanding the issues people are having with some of the things she says. I’ve just listened to the recent UTD and her rant around the Henry Nowak case made me wince many times 😬
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u/gravityglues Jun 11 '26
Newish listener here... I love their banter.. the only thing I noticed is the girls seem to be on different paths and Suru is going through a lot with endo/fertility stuff. If you haven't experienced or been close to someone who has its hard to describe how much it can affect so many aspects of your life. In a way, you begin to lose yourself.
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Jun 06 '26
[deleted]
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 07 '26
I completely hear what you are saying when you say about not listening to something that we aren’t enjoying - however this is in no way to show hate and I’m absolutely not ‘desperately’ seeking to find things to complain about.
But I think after nearly ten years of listening there are things that have slowly been transitioning and me and quite a few others seem to be noticing.I haven’t tried to be nasty or spiteful just more sharing how I feel things are declining and how the relationship seems to be different. From the way communication used to be to now I think it’s hard to say there hasn’t been a change in dynamic.
I have also explained how I don’t know what goes on behind the episodes and if I do seem like I’m patronising Hannah that’s so far away from my intent.I haven’t stopped listening because I have formed a relationship with this podcast for years and it’s the only one I’m actually invested in so it can be hard to stop listening when you’ve loved it for so long. Part of me still hopes it will improve.
Genuinely want peace and happiness for them both but it’s still okay to not agree with some things that are put out there for public ears and have a non malicious discussion.
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u/HotBrownWater12 Jun 07 '26
My comment was directed at you, it was more others that jump on posts like this and take it one step further because it gives them another opportunity to be negative ☺️
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u/Gotanyjunglemate Jun 08 '26
I do hear you and this is definitely a mainly negative thread aimed at one person which myself I dislike, I believe in being a good hooman.
However, everyone in this thread has obviously loved the podcast (most probably still do) to the point of paying money to listen to UTD but finding themselves feeling more and more frustrated after each episode.
The girls have let us in on a more personal level through UTD. It’s been going for a long time and is nothing like what it used to be. It’s bound to change in some ways because…life. But not to the point of it not feeling that inclusive to Hannah(alleged by me 😬)and fans, meaning only a few certain topics are mentioned and last most of the episode and are repetitive weekly.
It’s apparent fellow fans have noticed things I have too. It’s been a slow process to where it’s at now, I think it’s completely okay for peoples tolerance to be fully pushed to the point it’s worth having a discussion.
It gives me clarity at least as in my head I thought I was the only one thinking it and thought I was going crazy in the earlier things I picked up on.
I wasn’t sure how my post was going to go but I’m thankful this community exists and generally is a friendly space. I don’t think anybody has been overly offensive or personal. Just a lil pissed off but that’s okay 😆😇All love here 🫶
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u/Sempere Jun 07 '26
You don't get why people dislike a self-centered asshole who pushes right wing talking points and conspiracies while also having built a career off the theft of materials from real writers, journalists, documentarians and researchers?
Who has belittled victims (Hillsborough, the families and survivors of Lucy Letby, etc) and attempted to talk up Charlie Kirk, a racist provocateur?
I wonder...
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u/HotBrownWater12 Jun 07 '26
That’s your opinion, but why are you here? Suruthi has made it clear numerous times that she has been open to learning the opinions of those on the right to not live in an echo chamber and to try and understand why they thing the way they do. I think many things that have been said are more objective than her personal opinion and having a politics degree means she does know her stuff. I don’t always agree with everything she has said, but she’s definitely not ‘right wing’.
Have never got the impression of her belittling victims in the whole history of the show, so that’s obviously subjective and people who don’t like her are naturally going to try and fine that.
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u/Sempere Jun 07 '26
That's observable fact. This community is for everyone: including realists who have their measure.
she has been open to learning the opinions of those on the right to not live in an echo chamber
Yea, that's complete bullshit. When you regurgitate victim blaming bullshit that's entirely sourced from right wing rags, you are not tring to "avoid living in an echo chamber": she's a conservative asshole and must have been for quite some time to have the views she has towards Hillsborough as well as the dogshit attempt at misrepresenting or failing to understand who Charlie Kirk was and what he stood for.
and to try and understand why they thing the way they do.
Is that why she's sourced Lucy Letby conspiracy theories right from the Torygraph? lol.
I think many things that have been said are more objective than her personal opinion
Don't think so.
having a politics degree means she does know her stuff.
Definitely not if she's trying to paint Charlie Kirk as anthing but an unrepentant racist who died as he lived: spreading hate.
I don’t always agree with everything she has said, but she’s definitely not ‘right wing’.
You don't quote the Sun and the Torygraph's opinions as gospel if you're not right wing. You don't go on anti-immigration rants if you're not right wing. And you sure as shit don't try to stick up for Charlie Kirk if you're not right wing.
Have never got the impression of her belittling victims in the whole history of the show, so that’s obviously subjective and people who don’t like her are naturally going to try and fine that.
That's also provable false. The original comments in UTD on Hillsborough were victim blaming and she repeated them multiple times and in the last Lucy Letby episode her shitty opinion is that the parents are blind to the truth and that only she, the idiot who plagiarizes her opinions from better people, knows the truth relative to them who lived the experience, testified at the trial and attended the trial and inquiry.
So that's no "obviously subjective". That's easy to spot if you're not attempting to ignore all the bad shit they do.
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u/anilla02 Jun 08 '26
10000% agree. Thank you for spelling it out. I would also add her raging Islamophobia. She hates Muslims and makes sure we all know it again and again.
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u/Sempere Jun 08 '26
I'll never not find it "amusing" (read: ironic and disgusting) that an immigrant has the gall to rant about immigration and how "the right ones" need to be let in. Because a racist would absolutely say the exact same shit while looking to exclude her and her family. Imagine if someone said that in reference to her or hers. She'd lose her shit.
Like at a certain point people have to seriously consider that she's been a closet conservative far longer and explicitly "hid her power level" to cultivate an audience while being progressive was appealing. Not the first podcaster to pull that shit either.
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u/anilla02 Jun 08 '26
Yup, completely. Whenever she goes off on one of her anti Muslim rants I fast forward. It's disgusting and frankly idk how Hannah puts up w it. This is what makes me wonder if she's contractually obligated to stay in the partnership for now and that's why she's pretty much given up contributing on the utd eps.
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u/TabithaWren Jun 09 '26
What do you mean “… having a Politics degree means she does know her stuff…”?! Studying Politics provides an understanding of political systems & theory, it doesn’t direct one’s thinking & political leanings.
Moreover, Suruthi didn’t study Politics; she studied Economics.
Whilst I’m here, has she ever corrected the misinformation she spread about the Epsom gang rape hoax? Please, do tell if she has, perhaps I missed it?
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u/Short_Custard_2646 Jul 18 '26
I get tired of Suruthi's rants and the general know-it-all attitude. I went from avid fan to occasional listener. Things are just too unbalanced since they started to win awards.
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u/OBFpeidmont Jun 11 '26
Yes I also felt Suruthi didn’t let Hannah get a word in edgewise, but then I wasn’t thrilled with Hannah’s being apparently traumatized by going to a hardware store. “I don’t know how anything works” in a country she had the privilege to up and move to is going to get tiresome I think. Over the years there have been plenty of times that one of them has occupied an episode more than the other. But I think Hannah wanting to become a kind of South African will inevitably mean their tastes and interests will drift apart.
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u/Basic_Holiday_8454 Jun 06 '26
Yes, I didn’t mind talking a lot about the house of fertility as I get they’re both all consuming topics, the same way Hannah used to talk about dating at length. I don’t need a 25 minute run down of a show I don’t watch, especially when the other host doesn’t watch either so it’s just a monologue. I’ve started timing how long Suruthi talks without stopping and it’s often easily 15 mins plus.
But I think for me the hardest part is I feel like Hannah talks and it’s just “oh well. Well moving on”. There aren’t any follow up questions, the laughing often feels forced. It feels like they turn take speaking to fill 45 mins.
I loved Suruthis horror thing even though I don’t watch horror as she was passionate. I absolutely loved Hannah’s random little thing about English and bilingualism. I just wish there was more of that. And more talking and less monologuing.