Appearing as part of the BBC Sounds Fringe at Crossed Wires festival 2026
Top Comment investigates the stories blowing up on your feed. This brand new podcast sees BBC correspondent Marianna Spring and investigative journalist Matt Shea join forces to shed light on the darkest corners of the internet. They unpack a range of viral topics from controversial influencers and the clipping economy, to murky crypto operations, prediction markets, and state-backed information warfare.
Every episode, Matt and Marianna step inside the algorithm to expose the inner workings of the most popular platforms, and explain how tech giants are shaping the way we see the world. Whether it's conspiratorial super-sleuths trying to solve a cold case or AI influencers flocking to the event of the year, they help navigate the wild west of TikTok, Reddit, Twitch and beyond. And nothing is off limits - even fact-checking an alleged kidnapper dolphin named Gerald. So, if the things you see when you scroll make you say WTF, then Top Comment has the answers you’re looking for!
Tickets for the BBC Fringe are completely free. You can reserve seats for individual shows. Do note that entry on the day will be first-come, first-served, even with a ticket, so we recommend arriving early to secure your place.
As tickets are free, people often request more than they need, so we have to issue more tickets than there are seats available to allow for this. Entry into the show is on a first come, first served basis, and is not guaranteed.
Good to know
Highlights
- 1 hour
- all ages
- In person
- Doors at 2:30 PM
Location
John Lewis
Burgess Street
Sheffield City Centre S1 2HF
How do you want to get there?
