Dying for Sex (podcast)
{{Short description|Podcast}}
{{Infobox podcast
| title = Dying for Sex
| image =
| hosting = Molly Kochan
Nikki Boyer
| language = English
| audio format = MP3
| began = February 12, 2020
| ended = March 11, 2020
| provider = Wondery
| website = {{url|https://wondery.com/shows/dying-for-sex/}}
| italic title = no
| fetchwikidata = ALL
}}
Dying for Sex is a podcast presented by Molly Kochan and Nikki Boyer. Broadcast in early 2020, it features Kochan debriefing her sex life and her terminal cancer journey, and was broadcast after her death. The series won numerous awards including Podcast of the Year at the 2021 Ambies and was adapted for the 2025 TV series Dying for Sex.
History
Molly Kochan was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in 2015 and responded by having cybersex with people on the internet; she left her husband the following year and began having large amounts of sexual liaisons with strangers.{{Cite web |last=Handler |first=Rachel |date=2025-04-04 |title=The Kinkiest Show on TV |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/dying-for-sex-true-story-michelle-williams-real-molly-kochan.html |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Vulture |language=en}} In 2018, having already been on two dates that day, Kochan met with Boyer for lunch, where they developed the idea for a podcast depicting her experiences,{{Cite web |date=2025-03-31 |title=This Is The Heartbreaking True Story Behind 'Dying For Sex', Your New Must-Watch TV Series |url=https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a64337815/dying-for-sex-true-story/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=ELLE |language=en-GB}} with the intent that subsequent series would deal with her cancer and childhood trauma and Boyer's IVF.{{Cite news |last=Watson |first=Cleo |date=2025-04-04 |title=She was diagnosed with terminal cancer. So she slept with as many men as she could |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/dying-for-sex-true-story-molly-kochan-podcast/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} The pair pitched it to TV executives, who understood neither it nor how to promote it; the pair then made ten episodes themselves across three recording sessions,{{Cite web |title=The True Story of 'Dying for Sex': All About Molly Kochan’s Real-Life Cancer Diagnosis and Sexual Self-Discovery |url=https://people.com/dying-for-sex-true-story-11708616 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=People.com |language=en}} which addressed nearly 200 of her encounters{{Cite web |date=2025-04-06 |title=The heartbreaking true story behind new Michelle Williams drama Dying for Sex |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/dying-for-sex-podcast-molly-death-true-story-b2728274.html |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=The Independent |language=en}} but did not give Molly's last name.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-05 |title=Podcast follows terminally ill woman who left her husband to explore sexuality and 'reclaim her body' |url=https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/dying-for-sex-podcast-leave-husband-nikki-boyer-molly-cancer-terminally-ill-a9378256.html |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=The Independent |language=en}}
Production was impacted several times by Kochan's failing health; some recording sessions had to be cancelled because Kochan could not get up from her bathroom floor,{{Cite web |date=2020-03-04 |title=‘Dying for Sex’ podcast follows host Nikki Boyer's best friend, who has terminal cancer, and her sexcapades |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/dying-for-sex-podcast-follows-terminal-cancer-patient-sexcapades |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=New York Post |language=en-US}} part of episode four was recorded in a hospital as Kochan was receiving treatment for thrombi, and her voice became weaker and raspier towards the end of the series. The original plan had been for Boyer to upload the ten episodes to YouTube;{{Cite web |date=2025-04-15 |title='Molly's Death Has Given My Life Purpose': 'Dying For Sex's Nikki On The Story That Changed Her Life |url=https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a64476899/dying-for-sex-molly-nikki/ |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=ELLE |language=en-GB}} however, after Kochan was hospitalised and it became apparent that she would not leave hospital, Kochan and Boyer decided to keep recording from Kochan's hospital bed,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZV47ihrdOo |title=Nikki Boyer: Dying For Sex |date=2024-03-14 |last=No Filter |access-date=2025-04-20 |via=YouTube}} and the final recordings were made while she was in hospice care{{Cite web |last=Carson |first=Lexi |date=2025-04-09 |title=‘Dying for Sex’ Bosses Reveal the Sex Scene They Cut and Why That Death Was So Hard to Write |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/dying-for-sex-molly-death-scene-finale-creators-interview-1236183097/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} on Boyer's phone. After she emailed Hernan Lopez, the then-CEO of Wondery, and then emailed him again, his firm agreed to publish the series themselves. Lopez himself visited Kochan to sign contracts for the series on Valentine's Day 2019; Kochan died shortly afterwards on March 8.
Wondery boiled the podcast down to six episodes, which were published between February{{Cite web |last=Ross |first=Charley |date=2025-02-11 |title=Dying For Sex, the new TV series starring Michelle Williams, has finally dropped a trailer |url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/dying-for-sex-michelle-williams-cast-plot-trailer |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Glamour UK |language=en-GB}} and March 2020.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-05 |title=Podcast follows terminally ill woman who left her husband to explore sexuality and 'reclaim her body' |url=https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/dying-for-sex-podcast-leave-husband-nikki-boyer-molly-cancer-terminally-ill-a9378256.html |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=The Independent |language=en}} The podcast comprised the original ten episodes, Boyer's hospital recordings, Kochan's memoir Screw Cancer: Becoming Whole, and ruminations and journalism conducted by Boyer after Kochan's death. The podcast was listed as one of Apple's Favourite Podcasts of 2020,{{Cite web |last=Knolle |first=Sharon |date=2023-03-07 |title='Dying for Sex' Podcaster Nikki Boyer Launches Audio-First Content Company (Exclusive) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/nikki-boyer-launches-dying-for-media-first-slate-of-podcasts-to-be-distributed-by-lemonada-media-exclusive/ |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}} won Podcast of the Year at the 2021 Ambies,{{Cite web |last=Nordyke |first=Kimberly |date=2021-05-17 |title=Podcast Academy Honors ‘Dying for Sex,’ ‘Wind of Change,’ Marc Maron at Inaugural Ambie Awards |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/podcast-academy-awards-ambies-dying-for-sex-marc-maron-1234954234/ |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} and appeared on multiple 'best sex/relationship' podcast listicles.{{unbulleted list citebundle|1={{Cite web |date=2021-02-02 |title=These 21 Podcasts About Sex Are Required Listening—No Matter Your Tastes |url=https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/sex/a46389/best-sex-podcasts/ |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=Esquire |language=en-US}}|2={{Cite web |last=Longman |first=Molly |title=The Sex & Relationship Podcasts You Need For Your Next Long Walk |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/sex-and-relationship-podcasts |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en-CA}}|3={{Cite web |last=Joho |first=Jess |date=2022-05-14 |title=The 20 best sex, erotica, and relationship podcasts |url=https://mashable.com/article/best-sex-relationships-podcasts |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=Mashable |language=en}}|4={{Cite news |last=Samadder |first=Rhik |date=2021-10-05 |title=From bawdy fun to fantasising with Demi Moore: the best erotic podcasts |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/05/from-bawdy-fun-to-fantasising-with-demi-moore-the-best-erotic-podcasts |access-date=2025-04-20 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}}} In November 2023, it was announced that the podcast would be serialised for a TV series;{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2023-11-30 |title=Michelle Williams To Headline FX Series ‘Dying For Sex’ From Liz Meriwether, Kim Rosenstock & Leslye Headland Based On Podcast |url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/michelle-williams-dying-for-sex-fx-series-liz-meriwether-leslye-headland-podcast-1235644867/ |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} the show was released on April 4, 2025{{Cite web |date=2025-04-04 |title=‘Dying for Sex’ Is Your Next Addictive Weekend Binge—Here’s How to Watch |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a64379318/dying-for-sex-release-dates-times/ |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=ELLE |language=en-US}} and was loosely based on Kochan's experiences.{{Cite web |last=Waxman |first=Olivia B. |date=2025-04-03 |title=The True Story Behind 'Dying for Sex' |url=https://time.com/7274388/dying-for-sex-true-story/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=TIME |language=en}}