IOS Podcast app always freezing

Since IOS 11, using the Podcast app has become a real nightmare. It is always freezing after launching, and it takes about one or two minutes before one can use it. In the beginning I thought it could happen because my phone is an older model (iPhone 5S), but another user with an iPhone 7+ had the same issue on IOS 10. Apparently, she solved the problem by reinstalling the app, so I tried, but after using the app for a while, it is the same as before. This problem is so annoying that I don't listen to podcasts anymore. It is also not the only malfunction of the app, the continuous reading option doesn't work, it stops after each episode, instead of playing the next one. Right now the IOS version I have on my 5S is 11.2.6, and I am subscribing at about 20 podcasts. I already sent a message to the Apple Feedback. If you are also experiencing this issue, please reply to this post, so Apple will be aware about it.

This is the link to the previous post which is closed now

Podcasts app lag and freeze