Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast Season 18

Richard is back at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow and don't worry that he forgets about the cool kids at the start - he remembers halfway through and he's here to mend this religiously divided city. His guest is the 'important' writer and pretend truck driver Brian Limmond aka Limmy. They chat about how they might not have anything left to chat about, the fantastic autobiography "Surprisingly down to earth and very funny", feeling like you've missed a day at school, being called out for wiggling, the poetic beauty of Limmy's first walk and the inefficient masturbatory technique that Richard first employed, giving up booze instead of giving up life, stealing cars when high and what the Hell is going on his Twitch channel and if he'll ever do anything else ever again.

Richard is at the huge Theatre Royal in Glasgow and it's the biggest crowd he's ever had at one of his gigs, but he nearly got in a fight on his way here and it's all his pretentious tour manager's fault. His guest is the fierce, outspoken and brilliant Fern Brady. They chat about choosing inappropriate music for You've Been Framed, Shaun Ryder's dodgy veneers, why Fern got the nick name 'hippy' at school, why sexism is worse in the world of comedy than in the world of stripping and what happens if you cut the middle man out of a Human Centipede.

Richard is still in Northampton and reveals how an appearance on RHLSTP can get you on to the front page of a national newspaper. His guest is a man who refused to have cosmetic surgery to get on TV, Steve Mcneil. They discuss his nerd-fascinating book, Hey Listen - the history of video games and some of the surprising stages in the evolution of pinball and Pacman, the compromises required to get Go 8 Bit on to the telly, the genius of Goblin King Rob Sedgebeer, getting married at Bletchley Park, what the Hell Twitch is all about and whether it's a good idea to rescue Jesus. Plus a ghost story that will surely impress the lazy journalists at the Star.

Richard is at the Northampton Deco and amazed by the local news headlines and tourists' Lady Diana disappointments. His guest is Communard turned Communion-giver, the Reverend Richard Coles. They discuss the terrifying streets of Northampton, the Bay City Rollers in a carpet shop, forgetting you had a speed boat, being the only priest to have tried non-recreational drugs, whether it's possible to be a better Christian than Jesus, the post-traumatic stress of HIV, what it's like when the Prime Minister votes for you and inspiring two fictional characters. Richard forgot to ask Richard if he'd ever seen a Holy Ghost and will never forgive himself.

Richard chats with a secretive journalist in his audience before meeting his Boat Race foe, Konnie Huq. They talk about drenched time capsules, small dishwashers, cat name scandals, how she landed a TV job whilst still at school, wrestling for the Olympic torch, chocolate flavoured gametes, Piers Morgan, the unlikelihood of a Blue Peter presenter marrying Britain's angriest man and what they argue about, writing for kids and settling Blockbuster scores and middle-aged forgetfulness.

Richard is at the Cambridge Corn Exchange and starts with a joke he first did in this venue 25 years ago. His guest is standup and daughter of the former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Olga Koch. They talk about St Petersburgh and (inevitably) Rasputin and his cock, having sex with a sea creature, making bad man seem slightly better via stand up, how Richard hopes his penis might survive him (again), a confectionery tribute to an ex, how Chelsea Clinton is probably getting more than she deserves, cutting up strap-ons with a paper slicer. The conversation keeps coming back to genitalia for some reason. I can't imagine what prompted it.

Richard is hoping he will find his way into the Guinness Book of Records, but Norris Macwhirter is not answering his calls. His guest is making a return visit to RHLSTP after 7 and a half years (but will his hair reveal his success?) - it's the amazing Charlie Brooker. The conversation is predictably dark and disgusting incorporating Charlie's fury at a seven year old who makes an amazing living opening boxes, trying to introduce his kids to the Young Ones, what the best pinball machine is, whether having sex with your best friend via computer game is cheating, the complexity of writing a choose your own adventure TV show, being born with an umbilical cord around your neck and how you can kill sperm with urine. Plus the inevitability of nuclear war and whether all people over 45 need to die to save the world. It's good.

Richard is trawling the two days since his last podcast record for stand up material and predictably it isn't gold. But the lack of it being gold, makes it gold. As always. His guest owes everything to her last RHLSTP appearance, it's the multi-talented Rachel Parris. She reveals how all her impro shows are all very carefully scripted and chats about collusion with Debbie Magee, befriending Anna Kendrick on Twitter, the whirlwind year she has when her Mash Report pieces went super viral and whether her 6 weeks old marriage is holding together OK. Plus Richard pitches a new podcast based on regret and Rachel reveals how she was hit by anxiety in the wake of her momentous year. She also gamely defends Leicestershire even though she's not mentioned as a notable resident of her home town on wikipedia.

Richard is back at the Manchester Podcast Festival and rolling out a 20 year old joke about the Magic Bus. His guest this week is actor and comedian Bethany Black. They discuss the no-man's land between regular and Celebrity chase, what it's like to be a huge fan of Doctor Who and getting to be on the show and witness two Time Lords in one Tardis, plus the motivations to become a stand up and how she was too poor to become bankrupt, how she managed to wrestle victory at the end of a terrible year and the smorgasbord of problems that Beth has to draw on for comedy, whether it's got easier or harder to be Trans and how discussing mental illness in her routines is a helpful thing for us all. It's an honest and heart-felt conversation, but will that stop the toilet obsessed trolls? Probably not.

Richard is at the Manchester Podcast Festival and reveals a surprising bit of his father's Mancunian history. His guest is recipient of the British Empire Medal, Janice Connolly aka Barbara Nice. They chat about playing tambourine in a punk band, being discovered by Peter Kay, Simon Cowell's sense of humour and how Janice is the original Fleabag. Plus her work in theatre and why Birmingham isn't that bad (at least compared to Stockport). And a staggering denouement that you might want to check out on video.

Richard is giddy from doing too many podcasts in too short a time, but luckily his guest will bring him down to earth about how tough his life really is - it's the brilliant and wise Sara Pascoe. They discuss audience members going on to be stars, the real way to enjoy Going for Gold, space-docking and whether portable fridges have a freezer, chimney-sweep genitalia and why men wolf-whistle and what they hope to gain from it. Lots of ace chat about empathy, evaluation and porn and being in a lift with Harry Potter. Plus Sara reveals a rumour about Rich that will surely rival the high-backed armchair.

Richard is riding high from another magazine article lauding this podcast, but was the journalist right about the audience. If the maths teacher he picks is anything to go by then they are actually much worse. His guest is thoughtful ginger genius Tim Minchin. They chat about how Tim is the tent poles of this podcast, the devastation of having his film cancelled four years into production, Rich pitches a predictable new musical and they discuss if there is any hope left for humanity.

Richard is back at the Oxford Playhouse and testing out his daughter's jokes. Is she funnier than him yet? Of course she is. His guest is British Quiz Champion, Paul Sinha. In a honest and moving interview, Paul discusses the impact of the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease has had and the turbulence that has inevitably brought and what comedy can be created from this situation. They also chat about his upcoming marriage, his quizzing triumph, the unpleasantness of tabloids and the weirdness of their afternoon quiz obsession, Taskmaster, quizzing and whether Richard will ever be on The Chase. And is that an upward or downward step from Celebrity Mastermind? Also Richard rolls out a very revealing Spice Girls based Emergency Question.

Richard is at the Oxford Playhouse and unsettled by the fact that it's 30 years since he left University and appeared on this stage in Month in the Country. His guest is environmental campaigner and journalist George Monbiot. Is the world screwed? Or can we save it if we all pull together? Why did George deliberately get arrested? Can Extinction Rebellion make a difference? And how can we reform our electoral system? Plus how wolves can change the course of rivers, fortune tellers correctly predicting George's death (almost), being stung by massive hornets and how Thatcher smashed the BBC. An illuminating and terrifying interview.

Richard is back at the Liverpool Playhouse, making his annual proclamation to fight any University lecturer in the vicinity. His guest is screen-writer, author and Olympic ceremony writer, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who may be the most charming and awe inspiring man who has ever lived and also seems to be obsessed with robots (pervert). They chat about art theft, how to keep writing with seven kids, how big breaks can come by chance on coffee breaks, impressing priests in Cannes, the amazing destiny of every Duke of York, why the Amish hate buttons, the killer instinct that led to one of the greatest University Challenge performances of all time, writing one of the best loved (as well as one of the least loved) episodes of Doctor Who, plus the amazing story of how the Queen appeared in the opening ceremony of the Olympics and how the Scum nearly ruined the surprise.A truly illuminating and inspiring chat between one of the greatest writers in the UK and the winner of the Carnegie medal.

Richard is at the Liverpool Playhouse and is impressed by the bravest heckle put down ever attempted in this proud city (with the best sense of humour in the world). His guest is one of the many stars of a showbiz dynasty, Kate Robbins. They discuss Eurovision sabotage, writing the theme tune to one of the most controversial TV shows of all time, meeting Cilla Black whilst dressed as Cilla Black, the rudeness of James Franco, creating Fergie's laugh, an awkward meeting with Michael Barrymore and the mysterious curse that befalls anyone who works with Kate.

RHLSTP returns to the Grand Opera House, York for the second week running. York is the most haunted city in Europe and Richard finds out what percentage of his audience have seen a ghost. The answer might surprise you. His guest is footballing and eating legend, Jon Parkin. They discuss the journeyman sportsman's slightly unconventional training routine, his writing off of a golf buggy (and almost a goalkeeper), shitting in a bath in Magaluf, missing out on starters, how to lie your way out of being late for training, how he became friends with Jilly Cooper, self-inflicted injuries, gambling problems, depression and where he goes next now his playing career is over and if there's any place for a bluff, proud, honest (except when he's not) old-fashioned Yorkshireman in today's game. Would he do anything differently if he had his time over?

Richard is back in York, this time at the Grand Opera House and he's come up with a plan to rescue the magic football bones of Richard III from the thieving Leicester-folk. His guest is York City's second most famous comedian supporter and food-poisoning victim, David Reed. They talk about crap student impro, working with the Twirlywoos, living next door to your parents, why you shouldn't eat at *****, whether rescuing Jesus from the cross would be good or bad for the world, playing a nervous Peter Cook and how many Herring hands you could fit in one Walliams hand.

Richard is back at the Leicester Square Theatre and filling for time as nothing has happened to him in the week that has passed since last week's show. His guest is comedian and project manager Athena Kugblenu. They chat about disposable nappies, inappropriate work emails, podcasting in your kitchen with your baby on your knee, how stereotypes about a continent the size of Africa do not hold up, whether indiscretions mean a left-leaning politician must resign, whether it's culturally appropriate for Richard to kiss his teeth and how stand up and podcasts can level the playing field. Plus some baby talk, just to annoy the people who don't like that.

Richard is back at his spiritual home of the Leicester Square Theatre and has more news about what you shouldn't put up or on your genitalia. His guest is the most well-read man in comedy Robin Ince. They talk mainly about his fabulous book 'I'm a Joke and So Are You' https://www.amazon.co.uk/Im-Joke-Are-You-Comedians/dp/178649258X/ and where comedians get their crazy ideas from. They take in whether childhood trauma leads to a life in comedy, whether comedy calms or aggravates the voices in our heads, wanting to throw babies downstairs, the dangers of looking at the next person up and wishing for what they have and whether it's true that we can't say anything any more.

Rich liked the Newcastle Stand so much last week, he's returned to talk about how squirrels ruined his day and to list the questionable achievements of the city. His guest is surrealist and former clown, Seymour Mace. They discuss what God was thinking when he tested Job, stealing from a gold mine, appearing in a terrible non-zombie zombie film, that you're all want to see now, meeting Arthur Bostrom, the genius and kindness of Bernie Clifton, how being on stage can be the only place a comedian feels happy and how a severed cow can bring you love.

Rich is at the Newcastle Stand and mourns the possible end of Pizza Express but celebrates besting Piers Morgan. His guest is bricklayer turned comedian turned fillum star, Dave Johns. Dave takes us on his remarkable journey from Byker to I, Daniel Blake and beyond sprinkling the show with brilliant anecdotes about his brushes with A listers. Hear how Ken Loach ruined Dave's donkey ride business, how he was tricked by Homer Simpson, how he captured Lee and Herring's jacuzzi discomfort, misused modesty pouches, how he ended up sharing chips with Cindy Crawford and his disastrous gig to cross dressers on a nuclear submarine. A great lesson in how to stay down to earth when success comes knocking, from one of the most popular and most cheeky acts on the UK circuit.

Richard’s house is being haunted by a film star, but he’ll get over it. He’s back at the Exeter Corn Exchange and chatting to the man behind the most employable moustache in the UK, Mike Wozniak. They discuss how many people is too many people for a sketch troupe, children failing to recognise their own parent on TV, the internal voice that attempts to destroy all comedians, why moving to Exeter is not the ideal stand-up career move, how Prevenge was made, local newsletters and sadistic teachers.

Richard is a the Corn Exchange in Exeter, a town famous for the the most comical suicide bomb of all time. And Richard is talking religion with Biblical scholar, Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou. They try to ascertain who wrote the Bible, what `Jesus got up to in the bits that didn’t make it into the book, whether anyone in the Bible actually existed, whether gods have genitalia, if God was married, why Eve was Adam’s second wife, whether being a woman or an atheist is a bigger handicap for a Biblical scholar and why St Paul had the wrong idea about sex during the Apocalypse. Plus the logistics of Noah’s Ark and the craziest bits in the Bible. Check out Francesca’s book “God: An Anatomy”, fully illustrated. Yup, even that bit.

Back to the Winchester Theatre Royal for the second week running and Richard is annoyed at his child’s teacher’s money-making schemes. His guest was also the final guest of the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe run where Richard tried to run the podcast into the ground (dare he do it again?) it’s John Kearns. It’s a giddy and self-indulgent podcast where most of the material is deemed too shoddy or contentious for broadcast, but takes in a possible return for a much-loved comedy hero, the possible return of Top Coppers, the leap of faith required to follow your comedy path, tracing Raymond Briggs, disappointing children at the Science Museum and whether John will be getting a lift home. It’s weird, it’s wonderful and it feels like the birth of an amazing, awkward, intergenerational double act. If you enjoy it half as much as Richard seems to then you should have a good time.

We’re at the Winchester Theatre Royal and Rich is blaming the city for the loss of one of our greatest authors. His guest is the comedy Doogie Howser Ahir Shah. They discuss how politics will have changed between the recording and broadcast of this podcast, the sexiness of evil, Percy Pigs as an antidote to terror, perpetually burning coffee shops, being accused of plagiarism by the UK’s grumpiest comedian, the possibility that Richard is Ahir’s dad and whether a violent uprising is the only hope for the Millennials. Plus the return of some old favourite emergency questions

Richard had so much fun at the Richmond Theatre that he’s come back again. Sure he’s wearing the same clothes, but a week has gone by and that’s plenty of time to do laundry and dry-cleaning. His guest this week is first series of RHLSTP hero Nick Frost. They chat about Nick’s amazing, if rather sad autobiography https://www.amazon.co.uk/Truths-Half-... how his mother took on the boys who bullied Nick (and their mum), a night out with Quentin Tarantino, comeuppance for terrible aeroplane passengers, ghosts, acceptable positioning in a Human Centipede, sharing a single bed with Simon Pegg, punching walls, why Captain Pugwash the movie is unlikely to be made and making a tree famous. It’s a more serious chat than last time, with a remarkable and thoughtful guest who has been through more tragedy than you might have imagined.

Rich has had his lactose tolerant choices mocked at the supermarket again, but he will rise above it as he comes to posh old Richmond Theatre to talk to Sam Wills aka Tape Face. They discuss the bizarre world where a child stalked a clown, how to clip through a tennis racquet, the accidental discovery of the character and who thought it up, the gamble of going on a talent show and how it might have just paid off, living and working in Las Vegas, taking props through airport security and the controversy over the cloning of Tape Face. Plus the best kind of tape to use and instructions on how to apply it to your mouth. Richard realised his Boss Cat error after this recording, but to be fair the audience were given the chance to correct him and failed him, so it’s their fault.

Richard is back in Bristol and surprised at some of the refurb choices apparently made at the SS Great Britain. His guest is the gorgeous force of nature that is Jayde Adams. They chat about the genius of Michael Barrymore, the world of competitive dance. officiating weddings in an inflatable church, Amazon Prime specials, finding comedy in tragedy, working class feminism, why it’s polite to your audience to try and do a good show and how comedians can still shock and surprise. It’s an extraordinary interview from a brilliant comedian in a city that has a lot to be proud about.

Richard is back at the Bristol Old Vic and is just happy to be no longer in Leicester, but what is Bristol famous for? You’ll find out. His guest is legendary Bristol comedian Mark Olver. He discusses how his dad failed to catch a bungee jumper, living with Bristol’s most famous comedians, his move into TV Warm Up and his favourite ever Pointless (non-) player, how he has to carry on performing through vomit, horses and injury, how his birthplace has nothing going for it apart from ice cream and how best to describe the low-point of Richard’s career. A brilliantly entertaining hour from one of Bristol’s most modest sons, with a lot of material that will appeal to people who live within the environs of the city and are particularly interested in the road works of September 2019.

A week has passed, the costume change proves it, but Richard is back at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester and still fuming about the bones that he believes are rightfully his. Never mind, local resident and inexpert quizzer Grace Petrie is here to convince him that Leicester is actually all right, despite all evidence to the contrary. They discuss how she accidentally became a protest singer, how it’s ultimately a good thing that her industry can’t box her up, the universality of teenage angst at school dances, the inspiring Hannah Gadsby, how social media is amazingly not the best place to have discussions about human rights and how to get around swearing on Radio 2.

Richard is at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester and his Yorkshire roots mean he isn’t going to let a bone of contention go. Luckily he has the fabulous Jenny Eclair on hand to take his mind off it. They discuss lines of coke the length of a freezer, how Rich may be responsible for Jenny’s menopause, marrying for tax reasons, the sexiness of Mrs Thatcher, farting in front of your daughter’s boyfriend, the importance of hobbies and whether middle age brings madness.

Richard has returned to the Brighton Theatre Royal for the second consecutive week and is worried that he has let down a squirrel, but he has no time to ponder as his guest is juggler and writer of erotic fiction, Simon Evans. They chat about finding magazines in the woods, how to make a living making juggling balls, whether future technology will allow us to travel into a virtual reality version of our past to have a second go at stuff and right wing comedy. Plus predictions about what will happen with Brexit made back in September. Were they right? And who has survived?

Richard is at the Brighton Theatre Royal and in danger of having a deadly secret revealed unless he stumps up the cash, but is it worth the price he has to pay? Never mind, he can forget all about it for now, as he chats with model turned presenter turned actor turned author turned therapist, Annabel Giles. They discuss teenage rebellion, accidentally becoming a model, behind the scenes at Band Aid, saucy Lady Di, how Annabel managed top avoid a Gotcha, Brightonians on Penny Farthings, eating kangaroo anus, losing everything and battling on. Rich attempts to get some free therapy but is beyond help it seems.

Rich is at the Cambridge Corn Exchange and has had a dream about eating lettuce with Blur and that’s pretty much the most exciting thing that’s happened to him this week. His guests are the most bizarre of things, a double act that like each other, Max and Ivan. They chat about falling asleep whilst acting, organising stag dos, watching yourself toilet, the Spanish equivalent of the Tooth Fairy, what it’s like to be the youngest professional wrestler, Richard’s disappointment at not becoming the new leader of Isis and creating a homage to fifties radio comedy. Plus whilst people of different nations should not be allowed to breed - are we finally able to say that in our brave new world? Their new show is called 'Max & Ivan: Fugitives' and can be found in all the usual places. Click here to open it in your native app https://podfollow.com/maxandivanfugit...