Russell Howard’s Five Brilliant Things

Award-winning stand-up comic Dan Tiernan is here! If you thought you’d heard about torturous writing process before, just wait until you hear Dan’s extraordinary stories. He’s been to some tricky places and come back. He’s also a strong poker player and tells another cracker about winning BIG in a tournament in slightly awkward circumstances. All good things!  Dan’s out there right now with his new show ‘Quartz and All’ and it’s about the crystal madness he talks about in this podcast. If that’s anything to go by it will be a very very entertaining hour of bonkers and heart-felt comedy.  It’s in Edinburgh now, and then after August out on tour across the UK and Ireland. You can get tickets for that, check dates, and watch Dan’s previous special by going HERE.  That’s all for today’s crystal-bathing session, hope your aura is all shiny and new. Thanks for checking in and double thanks for reading to the end of the blurb. I often feel this bit of writing will be read by nobody, but here you are, validating me. I FEEL SEEN.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Utterly charming, utterly chaotic and singing the praises of cold flannels. The SNL UK star Paddy Young is here, and is the first guest to arrive to the recording with a bottle of milk in hand. Why? It’s all in this delightful hour of chat that includes banned Scrabble words and why you should walk out of more plays and films.  Paddy’s new live show is called ‘Will Sir be Laughing Alone?’ And it’s at the Edinburgh Festival right now.  His Fringe show is at 9pm at Monkey Barrel but that’s all sold out. Check out his extra shows in Edinburgh HERE  at 2.25pm on 10-12 Aug  And his BIG show that we talked about in the podcast is on 14th Aug at Pleasance at 11.15pm.  After that the show will be out on tour. The tour dates are HERE. And you can catch Paddy doing weekend update with Ania on SNL UK this Autumn.  Sayonara dickwads. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Death and Croissants author and comedian Ian Moore is in the studio! The best-selling author of France-based cosy crime novels, Ian has never lost that razor-sharp comedian instinct and gives a belting show that takes in the unbridled pleasure of judging others on how they dress, the simple beauty of a cheese sandwich and the arcane insanity of French bureaucracy. Hard recommend.  Right. Go and listen to the show. Then you’ll see why Ian’s got such an engaging brain and why you should, if you already haven’t, acquire and read his brilliant books. His latest ‘cosy crime’ is called Death and Deja Vu, and his more serious procedural is called ‘A Very French Corpse’. You can get the audiobook of ‘Death and Deja Vu’ by going HERE. You can enjoy the audiobook of ‘A Very French Corpse’ by going HERE.  But basically you can get the whole selection in any good independent bookshop.  Bon. C’est le fin. Merci beaucoup pour votre attention. Alors…oui. A bientôt mes amis. A demain.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He’s danced for Kylie and Shania, he’s a viral sensation, a comedian and a born showman; Christopher Hall  is in the studio. Christopher explains why there’s nothing more liberating than pottering around the shops, enjoying punny names for businesses and the nostalgic taste of a home-made Middlesborough chip.  Christopher has created a brand-new stand-up show! It’s called Pizazz and it will be on at the Edinburgh Fringe this August and then out on tour, starting in Margate on 30th September and finishing in London on 18th November. Tickets are on general release and you can get them HERE.  Get the Edinburgh Fringe tickets by going to edfringe.com. And there we go. I’ve given you all the information you need. I straighten my tie, reach into my pocket and pull out some mysterious looking dust. I throw it at the floor and there is a flash, a poof of smoke and I’m gone. You look around wondering what this magic is, and see me hiding behind the door.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Horror gig stories are always fun; Comedian and SNL UK writer Bella Hull serves up some of the best in the business. If art is suffering then Bella is Leonardo da Vinci. Bella is one of the most exciting newer voices on the UK comedy circuit and even a brief listen to this episode demonstrates why: her strong feelings about duvets, pies and the sensation of going downhill are told with panache and genuine enthusiasm.  Bella has created, just for you, a new show and it will be on at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival! It’s called Mad Cow Disease, it’s on at 12:30pm at Monkey Barrel and it’s going to be a hot ticket so booking in advance is advisable. You can get tickets by clicking here.  If you can bear it, then we will be apart for a few days but as always we shall return next week.  How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian and Actor Peter Serafinowicz takes an hour out of his hectic filming schedule to sit down and explain why we should listen to the Oh-Sees, why the Bionic Commando soundtrack was so groundbreaking and he gives us the most iconic death noise in video-game history.  If you want to see Peter, get onto Netflix and watch Million Dollar Secret which he hosts. If you want to be Peter, then get Elden Ring and you can experience (as recreated on the podcast) his effort noises. Also watch out for him in the upcoming Elden Ring film! Exciting stuff.  This blurb was produced with a huge number of effort noises that it’s extremely fortunate you didn’t hear because it sounded like someone struggling with a particularly stubborn turd.  Bye bye you weird blurb reading person. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello there! Welcome to June's Moments of the Month. In case you’re new here, this is a compilation show with a little snippet of each guest we’ve enjoyed this month, so you can get a flavour. Then if you like the taste of any of them you can double-back and listen to the whole episode. It’s a good way to discover someone you would never have thought of clicking on before.  First in studio in June was the lead singer and creative force behind Kasabian... Serge Pizzorno After that we were visited by the superb stand-up Sindhu Vee with incredible stories about her formidable mother. Stand-up and acting icon Aziz Ansari was over from America so he popped in to see us next... And finally the SNL break-out star and internet comedy titan Al Nash was in with some very traditional British cosiness. And teeth. So there we go! That’s a little taste of what June was like. All of those shows are available in full right now, so if you got a taste for it, go and get some more. Thanks as always for listening and there will be a new show, as usual, this coming Wednesday.  Byeeee! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lovely chat with a lovely guest: Natalie talks about her time behind the scenes on Eastenders (and her prodigious ability to nap on command), her more recent time spent working with the care system and sharing memes that people have made out of her own face! There’s  loads to enjoy, please dive in and have a great time.  We talked about it on the show - Nat has her podcast ‘Life with Nat’ alongside her closest friends and family, so if you want to hang out with Nat more long-term, you absolutely can. Visit https://lifewithnatpod.komi.io/ and get involved. This blurb has been passed by the official blurb approval committee with a safety rating of B minus.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AL NASH From SNL UK and your favourite online viral sketches, it’s comic and actor Al Nash!  Al popped in to chat to Russell about why there’s nothing quite as enjoyable as a School Fair, the simple delight of the ‘umble crumpet and and extraordinary story about the time his flat was raided by the police. Yeah! You did’t see that one coming did you? The chat also goes into fascinating detail of how they made that first season of SNL UK and what it’s like to forge a career as an online sketch comedian. You can watch Al’s online stuff at https://www.alnashcomedy.co.uk (and you should: they are really fast silly sketches that properly nail the online culture at the moment). He will also feature in season two of SNL UK which will be on Sky this autumn, but you’ll see it in chunks on your online feed because nobody subscribes to Sky for the comedy. The football pays for everything else innit.  Thank you for your enduring love. It’s requited in a slightly creepy way. See you next week, space ranger!  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He’s only one of the biggest comics in the whole of the US! You know him from Parks and Rec, his own brilliant Netflix show Master of None and most recently from his incredible turn on SNL as Kash Patel.  He’s here in the studio with his Five Brilliant Things which show a real meticulous, thoughtful side to him: whether it’s Martinis, Espressos or the feeling of real pen on paper, Aziz is here for the tactile experiences. It’s a funny and warm show that you will definitely enjoy. 🎟️  We talked about it in the pod - Aziz is coming to the Royal Albert Hall! He’s bringing his latest show Hypothetical for one very special night. It’s on Saturday 11th July and you can get your tickets by going to https://www.azizansari.com and following the links 🎟️ Pleasure to have you here! Until next time amigo x Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian and Actor Sindhu Vee is in the studio and she’s brought stories galore! Her Five Things serve as catalysts to some of the funniest and most excellent stories we’ve had on the show in some time.  From ‘the ability to cry on demand’ to Free Bibles and Fake Hotdogs, this is a tremendous show. Hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making it.  You should go to see Sindhu live, and you can! Sindhu is out on tour with her smash hit show ’SWANKY’.  🎟️  There are a handful of European dates in the coming few days, then from September Sindhu is taking the show to theatres up and down the UK, with dates all the way through to April 2027. Many dates have already sold out so if you’re planning to buy then get on it! Check out https://sindhuvee.com/live/ for dates and tickets.  🎟️ Thanks for your presence here, you are always welcome. Even down here at the bottom of the blurb. There’s only the credits to go now. You’re like the last person in the cinema. There’s an usher waiting to clear up the popcorn. Better go now.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Why are you still here!? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Serge from Kasabian and Russell sit down and discuss the creative process, what it means to be an artist in the digital age, how to age gracefully and how to make the perfect egg. There’s something utterly engaging about listening to artists from the top of different fields discussing the similarities and differences between the ways they work and this show is no exception. Get involved, get inspired and maybe discover some songwriting and comedy writing secrets.  And as we said in the show, Kasabian are playing a massive gig this summer at Finsbury Park in London. It’s on July 4th, it’s going to be a packed line-up and it’s going to be unmissable. Tickets from Ticketmaster through this link. And Kasabian’s new Album ‘Act III’ is coming out on July 17th - you can pre-order copies of that at https://www.kasabian.co.uk  🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ Lovely! That’s it! Tidy job. Thanks. Bye!  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there! It's all the best bits from our May shows, all tied up with a fancy bow for your enjoyment! You will find in this pick n mix episode: Satirist and comedian Cody Dahler doing an impeccable Ed Miliband impression. Comedian Jess Fostekew taking us through the glorious triumph that is BEANS. Comedian Josh Pugh standing for the Italian National Anthem despite having no Italian heritage or affiliation. And finally some unmissable stories from comedian Rhys James. It's all in here, if you like one go back and enjoy the whole thing. We're back next Wednesday with another new guest but until then... Bye! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you want to show Rhys James a good time? All you need to do is take him to a hotel gym with Harry Styles, under the influence of general anaesthetic. At least…that’s what we have taken away from this fantastically breezy, genial show with the Mock the Week star (well…two of them really). Rhys’s Five Things include being rendered senseless, having that first pint after a sporting endeavour and the enigmatic Harry Styles.  As you can tell from the show you just listened to (or are about to consume?) Rhys is an expert comedian, and he’s got a new show on the road from September this year. It’s called ‘Chop Logic’ and you can find out all the dates and buy those tickets by going to https://rhysjames.co.uk. The show will also be at the Pleasance Courtyard in Edinburgh for 14 nights if you happen to be there.  🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ Thank you for stopping by for your annual blurb check-up. Your results are through and we’re pleased to tell you that you’ve come through another year in perfect health. Your stamina, your curiosity and your thirst for banality are unmatched by anyone else who’s had their blurb check this year. Congratulations and here’s to another year of the same.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The brilliant comedian Josh Pugh lays out his favourite things and they are quintesentially British: Greggs! Garden Centres! The…Italian…National…Anthem? Josh brings his trademark authenticity and easy charm to this fabulous hour of chat that celebrates some of the simplest pleasures in life (and the rousing pomp of a certain nation’s patriotic ditty).  Josh is a fantastic live comedian with some of the best jokes and ideas out there - and his latest tour ‘Ha Ha Yeah Sound’ is hitting the theatres of the UK from September 2026. You can find out the exact dates and buy tickets by going to Josh’s website: https://joshpughcomic.com 🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ Thanks for stopping by again, your custom at the bottom of the blurb is very much appreciated. May we spend many long hours in future down here in the bowels of the blurb just quietly enjoying the mossy silence. They don’t know what they are missing.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian, power-lifter, soccer mom, bean fanatic… Jess Fostekew is all these things and more.  In this funny, fun and fascinating episode there’s laughing and learning…Why you should never wear gloves in the gym, why y’all need to be eating more beans, and why hugging, within certain parameters, could be the best thing you can do for your wellbeing…  Keep up with Jess by following her on Instagram HERE. There’s also like, one date left for her ‘Iconic Breath’ tour so you can check that out and buy tickets HERE. You never know there may be an extension so click it anyway.  🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ That’s all you’re getting for today, blurban explorers. Well done for getting this far into the blurb without triggering any of the alarms, you’ve been very astute and taken just the right amount of risks. You’re welcome to take some photos but remember leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories. x Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did Cody go from working for Matt Hancock to being one of the sharpest satirists online? And what has it all got to do with a pub in Cyprus? It’s all in this delightful podcast with comedian and writer Cody Dahler who takes you on a ride through the hills of Cyprus to Spanish Music Festivals and a recommendation of the book that changed Cody’s life (love a good book recommendation!) And while we’re on the subject of book recommendations, one of the hottest upcoming books is The State of This!: A Thicky Thicky Dumb Dumb's Guide to British Politics. It’s Cody’s debut book  it explores the most pertinent political head-scratchers affecting us all: Why are people voting for Reform UK?; why did we Brexit?; what is the House of Lords and is everyone in there an arsehole?; why are our rivers full of shit?; what's to stop us becoming like America?; why do our PMs change so often; and why do we use a lettuce to measure their success? You can pre-order it at your local independent bookshop or online HERE. 🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ AND THAT’S RECESS FOR THE BLURB. ORDER! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there! It's all the best bits from our April shows, wrapped up in a convenient bundle for your pleasure! Gasp at Dara O Briain's secret life as a nightclub dancer. Oooo at Mike Rice's Dairy Farming History Be amazed at Janine Harouni's story of squeaking thighs Pick your jaw off the floor after listening to Sean McLoughlin wax lyrical about Star Trek: The Next Generation And be wowed by Jamie Hutchinson's love of Rolls of Honour. It's all in here, if you like one go back and enjoy the whole thing. We're back next Wednesday with another new guest but until then... Bye! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamie Hutchinson, the voice of Manchester, the wildly popular comedian is with us and it’s a fantastic romp through the most intense made-up games, the frenzy of horse-racing commentary and the simple pleasure of answering obscure quiz questions with your mates.  There’s also a top tip for comedy writing in there towards the end. Genuinely useful… 🎤 Jamie is on tour RIGHT NOW! His latest show has had rave reviews and it’s called ‘Can My Mate Come, He’s Sound’. Quite a few of the dates are sold out but there’s still stuff left for Autumn - anyway have a look, buy tickets and all that at https://jamiehcomedian.com  🎤 🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ 🏇🏻 And as the blurb enters the final furlong it’s neck and neck between a good sign-off paragraph and a disappointing sign-off paragraph and it really couldn’t be closer up on the inside comes an offensive sign-off paragraph but a disappointing sign-off paragraph wins it by a nose.  🏇🏻 Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blisteringly talented comedian Janine Harouni is in the studio this week picking out the things that make her happy which include nerds, digital clocks… and a great story about how to get her thighs to stop squeaking in front of Robert Pattinson. It’s all in here, so please enjoy at your leisure!   Janine’s current tour is called ‘This is What you Waited For’ and we waited a bit too long to promote this one because there’s only a handful of dates left: Birmingham on May 8th and Manchester on May 22nd, but hey - if you’re in those places then get yourself a ticket from https://www.janineharouni.com 🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ That’s the end of this week’s feast of comedy. We dab away the jokes from the corners of our mouths with a fancy napkin and we scrape back our chairs to retire to the smoking lounge where we light up fat cigars and talk about grown-up stuff.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Go to https://surfshark.com/russell or use code RUSSELL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He’s often called the Comic’s Comic, he’s a really excellent stand-up and his Five Things are a fantastically esoteric collection ranging from Moshing to Ice Hockey to Star Trek.  Sean hosts his very own late-night talk show, but for free and on YouTube starring one of the funniest comics from the UK and World circuits. It’s called ‘The Sean McTalk Show’ and it’s frankly criminal that you can get this without paying, it’s extremely good indeed - check it out through this link. 🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ You’ve been everything you promised to be and more, so keep on doing all those good things. Thanks babe.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Go to https://surfshark.com/russell or use code RUSSELL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The acerbic, charming Irish stand-up is here with his Five Brilliant Things and tales from an extraordinary career, spanning from the milking sheds of Ireland to travelling the world performing to thousands, via regular visits to a shed to hang out with a tiny mystic man. Mike’s touring! We talked about it on the podcast and we weren’t lying. It’s Mike’s most accomplished solo comedy show to date and if you like what you hear you’ll love his live show. Find out those Irish and UK dates by going to https://www.mikericecomedy.com 🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ You’ve been impeccable, we’ve been impeccable, let’s never forget this. Thanks for being here and most importantly reading to the end.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello there! Welcome to March’s Moments of the Month. In case you’re new here, this is a compilation show with a little snifter of each guest we’ve enjoyed this month, so you can get a flavour. Then if you like the taste of any of them you can double-back and listen to the whole episode. It’s a good way to discover someone you would never have thought of clicking on before.  First in studio in November was the brilliant Northern Irish stand-up Shane Todd. After that we were visited by another superb stand-up Pierre Novellie, who told us about the big skies of Africa… Ben Shephard, he of Tipping Point and many other shows, was next…and he told us of the glory of bubbles. And finally the South-East London comic Andrew Mensah popped in with tales of playing Padel with Wayne Rooney. So there we go! That’s a little taste of what March was like. All of those shows are available in full right now, so if you got a taste for it, go and get some more. Thanks as always for listening and there will be a new show, as usual, this coming Wednesday.  Byeeee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hugely acclaimed Irish Stand-up and host of Mock the Week gives a fascinating and funny hour of anecdotes. Travel with Dara on debating tours of Ireland, stand in a field with him doing astral photography and hear Dara’s trick for finding his own personal nightclub dance floor.   Dara has some date left for his smash show ‘Re:Creation’. It helps if you’re Scandinavian, as many of the dates are in that neck of the woods however there are some England and Ireland dates at the end of 2026 too.  You can get those tickets, and do everything you ever wanted to do that’s Dara-adjacent by going to https://daraobriain.com 🎟️ And please do go to see Russell while he’s on tour with his latest show that’s busting out some rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ Thanks for coming, please respect our neighbours when you leave. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian Andrew Mensah joins us with tales of playing Padel with Wayne Rooney, the economics of Air Force One Trainers and why there’s nothing better than sitting down for a game of Articulate.  There’s also a fascinating insight into the way British society interfaces with its cultural landscape; Andrew’s account of how he managed to move from the gang culture of his childhood to become well-loved fixture on the comedy circuit is the kind of thing you don’t hear often.  Andrew is always gigging around the UK. You can keep up to date with everything at https://andrewmensahcomedy.com Andrew hosts his hugely popular weekly comedy podcast ‘We Saw That’ alongside Gbemi Oladipo. They record live shows at the Top Secret Comedy Club in London then that becomes the podcast. You can listen/watch for free, or get tickets to see the live recordings by following this link.  🎟️ YOU WANT MORE LIVE COMEDY? Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is well underway with rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ It’s the end of this week’s show so please get out there and enjoy the sunshine. You may be out there already, in which case get your eyes off this phone and look up - but not directly at the sun, obviously - and have a marvellous day. Byeeeeeee.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the most popular faces from British TV is here; from This Morning, from Tipping Point and so much more it’s Ben Shephard!  What comes through in this ebullient show is Ben’s love for life and thirst for experiences (and thirst for drinks with bubbles in them).  Ben takes us on a trip on the back of a motorbike through the London traffic, lifts the lid on how you go about doing a Men’s Health cover-shoot and forces Russell to try on a cardigan.  And as we spoke about on the show, Ben (alongside Joel Dommett) are on a journey launching their new skincare brand. You can follow their progress by listening to their podcast ‘The Business Men’.  You can take the skincare questionnaire by clicking here. 🎭 Also keep an eye out for Ben’s live show with Kammy - they are touring UK venues doing a few select shows over 2026. Find out more and book tickets by clicking here. 🎭 🎟️ YOU WANT MORE LIVE COMEDY? Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is well underway with rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ Thanks for your continued ears and eyeballs. They are appreciated very much, please keep them inside your head.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pierre is a formidable stand-up comedian and it’s a pleasure to take this wander around the corners of his fascinating brain. This fun and fascinating episode of Five Brilliant Things takes in the majesty of beef, the efficiency of Grahame Greene, the mystery of thunder and finally why you must go out, find a child, and make it watch you read a book. Curious? You should be; all is revealed within Pierre’s episode here.  🎭 Pierre’s out on tour and you should experience him raw (by which I mean live, but raw sounded so much more exciting).   Pierre  will be touring across the UK and Ireland throughout 2026 with his critically acclaimed show, ‘You Sit There, I’ll Stand Here’ – all dates and tickets available at www.pierrenovellie.com 🎭 🎟️ And of course, Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is well underway with rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ And there we go! The desolate end of the blurb. It’s just you and me now. Like the last two Wildebeest on the savannah, we watch each other warily, both realising simultaneously that although we are in terrible danger having strayed so far from the herd, there is also beauty in the vast silence of the savannah. I close my eyes to fully appreciate this existential moment, and you take advantage and run like hell. I become dinner for a pride of lions. Fair enough. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to our best of February's shows, with a little snippet of each of the four shows we slung into the world across the last month. This show features Charlie Higson talking about the wonders of the Voyager Space Probe... Comedian and podcaster Amy Gledhill eulogising about some of the most Northern sandwiches you could imagine... Comedy legend Harry Enfield on the utility and beauty of the 'umble wig... and Taskmaster's Stevie Martin on why she covets other people's sofas. This is just a taster and all full episodes are available wherever you found this one. Back with a new full episode next Wednesday. Until then! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You want strong opinions about bananas? You’ve come to the right place. Northern Irish powerhouse comedian Shane Todd has flown in to give Russell his Five Brilliant Things, and bananas are right out of the traps. Even the hardest of hearts will be turned by his impassioned defence of the bendy yellow berry. Shane also make the case for simply pottering around, keeping sock drawers in check and he lets himself off the leash when he gets talking about Irish boybands. It’s all here and it’s flying without wings.  🎭 SHANE’S OFF ON TOUR! His latest massive tour is called ‘Hold Me Back’ and it’s going all over the UK, Ireland and the World throughout 2026. Get tickets and see this remarkable young comic at his best - https://www.shanetoddcomedy.com 🎭 🎟️ YOU WANT MORE LIVE COMEDY? Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is well underway with rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ And so the blurb endeth. What are you still doing here staring at a screen? The weather has changed! You should be out there frolicking in the buff, shocking bus stops full of unsuspecting people with your magnificent buttocks. Go!  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a cracking episode with a cracking comedian. The Taskmaster star Stevie Martin speaks with completely unguarded honesty about her favourite things which leads to not one but several introspective spirals! What is it about chonky penne, pyrex jugs and interior design that could lead to a live-on-air existential episode? Get your bobbles in your ears, press play and find out. It’s lots of fun.  🎭 You should go to see Stevie live! Stevie extended has her critically acclaimed and sold-out debut UK tour, Clout, for the second time to 100 dates with more shows added in Autumn 2026. Stevie kicks off her 2026 tour dates with an already sold-out performance at The Glee Birmingham on Tuesday 3rd March, with the tour now running till October. Full dates and tickets: https://steviemartin.com/🎭 🎟️ YOU WANT MORE LIVE COMEDY? Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is well underway with rave reviews: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ And here ends your weekly recommended dose of blurb reading. I know it feels hard-going but you’ll start to see the benefits someday soon. You’ll have a frontal-lobe that’s so large people will start to avoid you in the street and make babies cry. That’s what you wanted, right? RIGHT? Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A true icon of British TV Comedy - it’s Harry Enfield! It’s no exaggeration to say that he redefined a whole generation of comedy in this country, with his jokes and catchphrases reaching millions every week.  Harry sits down with Russell to explain his brilliant things and also give a candid insight into how they created those iconic characters and sketches - a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the biggest hitting comedy of the last fifty years was formed.  🎭 Harry is off on tour around the UK with his new show ‘Harry Enfield and No Chums’! From the meteoric rise of Loadsamoney, a Thatcherite Visionary, to the fury of Kevin the Teenager, Harry will reflect on 40 years of arsing about in comedy and bring some of his favourite characters vividly back to life on stage. You can find out the dates and get tickets by following this link. 🎭 🎟️ YOU WANT MORE LIVE COMEDY? Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is starting its grand journey across the UK: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ There we are! A classic episode for the ages. Dunno if you’re reading this before or after listening, but either way thanks for being one of the weirdos that reads to the end. You know it’s just you and me at this point, right? Only two of us. But at least we have each other. Xxx Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we have the winner of the 2024 Edinburgh Best Show! One of Britain’s fastest rising comics is with us; it’s the fabulous Amy Gledhill and this is an absolute banger of an episode.  Hull’s most exciting product since the White Phone Box explains why cheap white bread is better than all your fancy Italian nonsense, how working in a dungeon gave her existential dread and why she enjoys spending her free time singing about tapeworms and listening to hairdryers.  🎫 Amy is putting the finishing touches to her brand new tour ‘Thanks for Having Me’. Tickets are about to go on sale, and may well even be there by the time you read this. Check and re-check https://amygledhill.co.uk/live-dates to find out the dates and get the tickets. 🎫 📻 Also get into those podcasts - Amy is on Northern News with Ian Smith, and on Single Ladies in your Area with Harriet - get either of them by searching for them on your podcast app. Both are freely available with many episodes to catch up on. What a treat! 📻 🎟️ YOU WANT MORE LIVE COMEDY? Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is starting its grand journey across the UK: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ Thanks for being here, thanks for being you, but now it’s time for you to leave. Bye! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From our January shows, here's a little taster of each episode so you can get a flavour of the things we got up to with our wonderful guests: Comedian and star of ‘The Change’ on C4, Bridget Christie Comic and social media sensation Daniel Foxx Actor and stand-up Tom Rosenthal And the endlessly fascinating historian, Dan Snow. If you hear anything you like, circle back and enjoy the whole episode - they are all there waiting for you to listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

British Sketch Comedy Royalty in the studio. One of the core cast of the iconic Fast Show is here and his name is Charlie Higson! He lays out the Five Things that make life interesting - get ready for a delightful journey through James Bond, what is and isn’t included on the Golden Record that we yeeted into space. How did Charlie go from being a Punk Band frontman to a decorator to a comedian… and a best selling James Bond author? What a life.  📖 Charlie has just released his latest book; it’s an History of Britain’s Kings and Queens; but less funny hats and pageantry and more treachery, incest and murder.  It’s called ‘Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee’ and it’s also illustrated by Jim Moir, who you probably know better as Vic Reeves. Anyway it’s fascinating and funny and it’s available from bookshops or online now, or you can just follow this link 📖 🎟️ YOU WANT LIVE COMEDY? Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is starting its grand journey across the UK: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ And like the Voyager Space Probe, this blurb continues its endless journey into the void long past the point where anyone can receive it, and long past the point where anyone cares about it. Just bibbling its way aimlessly into the darkness, without purpose, getting slowly smaller and further away. 🛸 Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fascinating, delightful company. That’s what Historian Dan Snow is. I suppose the skill of any historian worth their salt is to use that historical knowledge and make it relevant today, and this endlessly interesting podcast does exactly that. Dan’s passions go way beyond history, drawing in sailing tall ships, democracy and most importantly of all, his greatest passion beyond all other things: GHERKINS. 📖 Dan’s treatment of history is available to us all through History Hit: A series of podcasts and documentaries about all different periods of history, arranged into clever and neat topics and original angles. You can explore the whole catalogue through that link, or you can search for ‘History Hit’ on your podcast app to find all the many channels they run. This writer listens to them. It’s good stuff.  📖 🎟️ The Good Ship Russell Howard has set sail! Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’ is starting its grand journey across the UK: Don’t miss this fantastic show of all brand-new material. Find out more at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk 🎟️ And here we are. At the end of the history of this particular blurb. We have seen empires (sentences) rise and fall yet we have endured like some kind of literary Roman Empire. But we all know how that ended. 😬 Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Rosenthal is a comedian with a deep interest in all things: His Brilliant Things include The Danish Gambit, The Golden Ratio and Trip Reports. This is a repeatedly fascinating conversation where Tom is completely unguarded and enthusiastic in his descriptions of these corners of humanity. He also conjures, from nowhere, the most outstanding improvised acid trip you’ll ever hear. It’s well worth your time.  We talked about it on the show; Tom’s latest show is out on tour. It’s called ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am’.  You can find out when Tom is near you, and get your hands on those tickets by going to https://tomrosenthal.net Also there are still a handful of tickets left for Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk Well played, you have acquitted yourself throughout reading this blurb with great dignity. It speaks volumes of your character that you’ve made it this far and are still willing to read this guff. Have a special sticker.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is it the ruder the waiter, the more it gets Daniel Foxx excited? The laconic comedian is here to explain the beauty of surly service, the simple serenity brought by a scented candle, and you’ll experience some of the worst ASMR in podcast history.  Russell also relates the time Louis Theroux gyrated aggressively at him. That’s worth the admission fee alone.  Daniel’s latest tour ‘How Lovely’ is about to hit UK theatres, so to get yourself a whole evening of this very funny comic please check out where the tour is near you and book tickets - you can find it all HERE. Also there are still a handful of tickets left for Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk And we said in the show we’d link in the show notes to the comedian/chef George Egg’s cookbook, which can be found HERE, and very good it is too. That’s it for today, thanks for popping in, hope you’ve enjoyed the tea and biscuits. Thank you for taking off your shoes at the door and putting on the ceremonial slippers, shin-pads and fez. You looked radiant.  Until next time. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Superb comedian Bridget Christie is here. She’s won the Edinburgh Award, she’s been nominated for oodles of comedy prizes, she’s written and performed in two series of her own show ‘The Change’ for Channel 4 and now she sits down with us to reveal her Five Brilliant Things.  It’s as thoughtful and funny as you would imagine from a comic as good as Bridget, including why empathy is disappearing, why we underestimate water and driving a motorbike through London at night. Zoom zoom.  Bridget has written a brand new full length show, and as anyone who’s seen her before can tell you it will be thought-provoking, fascinating and definitely very funny. It’s called ‘Jacket Potato Pizza’ (full explanation on the Patreon show as to why it’s called that). It’s touring the UK across 2026 and you can find out the dates and book tickets by going here.  You can also watch both series of Bridget’s series ‘The Change’ on the Channel 4 player.  There’s a whole second show’s worth of Bridget on our Patreon which also means you get the main show without adverts and everything a day early; Check out our Patreon offering at this link: patreon.com/RussellHoward   Also there are still a handful of tickets left for Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk I think it’s appropriate to say Happy New Year. Whatever you wish for over the next twelve months I hope it comes to you, but in appropriate amounts. If you want custard but end up drowning in a surfeit of custard that would be a tragedy (albeit a deliciously ironic and vanilla-y one).  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From our December shows, here's a little taster of each episode so you can get a flavour of the things we got up to with our wonderful guests: Doctor/Writer Adam Kay Taskmaster star and stand-up Ania Magliano Stand-up comedy legend Ross Noble and one of the most fascinating people in Britain, Rory Sutherland. If you hear anything you like, circle back and enjoy the whole episode - they are all there waiting for you to listen. Happy New Year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marketing expert and thinker-outside-the-box, Rory Sutherland is here with his Five Brilliant Things and they all begin with the letter C: Consumerism, Contradictions, Cars, Commuter Towns, Cornbread and the Commonwealth.  You’ll notice that’s more than five things, which typifies this episode. The ideas and conversation flowing out of Rory and Russell was abundant and it’s one of the most densely packed interesting shows we’ve made in ages.  If you are sparked off by the way Rory thinks then you can get a real schooling in unconventional thinking by enrolling on Rory’s Masters Course. It’s a distance learning course with Rory himself that teaches you new ways to approach problems and think in a creative and unexpected fashion. Follow this link to find out more and enrol.  Also there are still a handful of tickets left for Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Christmas! This week Russell looks back over all of the shows from 2025 and picks his favourite moments from 52 x 5 Brilliant Things (So…quick bit of maths…that’s…260 Brilliant Things). We’ll be back in a week with a brand new show and loads of super-exciting guests in the new year.  On our Patreon show something a bit special this week - Russell and Dan sit down and talk about how they made the TV show Good News. For anyone who enjoyed that show, it’s a real treat and an insight into what went on behind the scenes… ⁠patreon.com/RussellHoward⁠   Also there are still a handful of tickets left for Russell’s brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk Thank you for listening, you lovely lot. X Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of Britain’s most mercurial and naturally talented stand-ups of all time, Ross Noble sits down with Russell to explain how he went from a school drop-out with a couple of circus skills to one of the greatest stand-ups Britain’s ever produced. He also goes into detail about Cuttlefish.  Ross is in the middle of his latest live tour, called ‘Cranium of Curiosities’. It’s a full show of brand-new stand-up and it is going to all those UK theatres, then to Australia with dates all through 2026. Find out the specifics and book your tickets by going to https://www.rossnoble.com/#/shows And Russell has just released a whole load of extra dates for his brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk And if you’re a fan of the show you can experience every element of it, and be rid of adverts forever by joining our perfectly formed Patreon Crew. You will get an extra show every week, get it all early and we’ve got a very special surprise planned for Xmas for fans of Russell and Good News… patreon.com/RussellHoward   That is all of the everything for this week, thanks for tuning in and we look forward to spending more time with you next week. Nearly Xmas now!!! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ania Magliano loves gossip, and she’s here to share some CHOICE cuts of the stuff. From Taskmaster, Stand-up Ania is in the studio and she’s running us through her favourite things which takes us on a journey through some unashamedly indulgent birthday parties, the perils of being bold with your hair and some fascinating chat about writing process and generating comedy ideas. Oh, and did I mention the excellent gossip?! Ania is about to embark upon her next UK tour (well - she’s going to have Christmas first, then go go go!) and she’s travelling across the whole of the UK and Ireland. The show is called ‘Peach Fuzz’ and if you like what you hear of Ania on this show then get y’self tickets! All the information and dates and tickets are available at https://aniamagliano.com. And Russell has just released a whole load of extra dates for his brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk And if you’re a fan of the show you can experience every element of it, and be rid of adverts forever by joining our perfectly formed Patreon Crew. You will get an extra show every week, get it all early and we’ve got a very special surprise planned for Xmas for fans of Russell and Good News… patreon.com/RussellHoward   So long and thanks for all the fish.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Doctor, author, comedian, musician Adam Kay tells Russell about the things that he’s discovered that are brilliant. It’s a laugh-out-loud funny show that begins with a tale of conception, takes what it feels like to be spied on by Ben Wishaw, and by the end we are all getting acquainted with the inside of Adam’s nostrils.  As spoken about in the show, Adam has published his first novel that is a thriller with plenty of laughs and tension. It’s called A Particularly Nasty Case and it’s available right now - get it for a Christmas present!  For younger family members (or friends??!) Dexter Proctor is Adam’s story about a fantastic 10 year old doctor. And there’s also the poo-tastic puzzle book. All of the books can be found HERE and if you buy them through that link a small donation goes to the Lullaby Trust, supporting families of bereaved babies and young children. Adam is also doing a series of live dates in Ireland and Northern Ireland at the beginning of 2026. Should be a lot of fun and you can find out more about those here.   And Russell has just released a whole load of extra dates for his brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk If you’re looking to join the Patreon crew we’d love to have you as part of the inner circle. There’s a whole extra show with Adam and Russell and it’s available now, alongside so many other benefits. Check out how you can join here: patreon.com/RussellHoward   Are we feeling festive yet or is it too early? Trick question, it’s too early. No trees before mid-December please. Byee! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, here's a round up of the best bits from the last month of shows, featuring the fantastic comic Kerry Godliman (she's so funny), wine expert Tom Gilbey with a great story about Iron Maiden, dictionary corner's Susie Dent and the American-Palestinian comic Mo Amer. If you hear something you like you can double-back and take in the whole episode if you like! Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Palestinian-American stand-up sensation Mo Amer is here! He’s on a tour of Europe, he’s in the UK for a couple of days and he came into the studio to tell us all about his Five Brilliant Things and he did not disappoint.  Mo has an easy Texas charm coupled with seriously funny bones. His relationship between his American upbringing and Middle-Eastern heritage is fascinating and you can see that in the things he chose for the show: Coffee, bidets, air-travel… and he tells an epic story about a night out with Dave Chappelle… And if you’re not a Mo fan but we’ve turned your head with this podcast, then there’s a whole lot more to enjoy - most of it is on Netflix. His narrative show ‘Mo’ is a work of genius, and his stand-up shows are excellent too. But that sitcom…boy it’s good. You can find your way to all of Mo’s recorded stuff and find out what he’s up to live by going to his website - https://moamer.com And Russell has just released a whole load of extra dates for his brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk For this week’s Patreon we’ve done something a little different; in summer Russ went to Montreal and recorded a special live show of Five Brilliant Things with the incredible Australian comic Celia Pacquola.  That show is very very funny and it’s available exclusively on our Patreon. Check out how you can join here: patreon.com/RussellHoward   That’s all for this week. I hope you stay warm in this inhospitable squall rolling in off the coast. Hunker down, get cosy and binge podcasts. That’s my advice.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Countdown's Dictionary Corner it’s Susie Dent!  Susie is here with her Five Brilliant Things and they are as fascinating and vocabulary-expanding as you might hope; but it’s not all words, Susie also tells us about her special relationship with a rock. Is it Dwayne Johnson? You’ll have to listen to the show to find out! Alongside these revelations Russell and Susie luxuriate in some of the far corners of words and meanings; if you’re even remotely interested in finding out some new language-based tidbits then you won’t be disappointed in here. And with Christmas fast approaching, here’s some gift ideas for friends and relatives of any age: Susie’s brand new books!  For the younger members of the family Susie’s book ‘The Roots We Share’: Susie has searched far and wide to unearth words and phrases - old, new, and long-forgotten - that celebrate harmony, unity, and the universal languages that connect people across the world. That book can be found HERE. And for older readers, Susie’s just released ‘Words for Life’. From wabbit to dust bunnies, and from the strange history of arse to the best ways to describe moonlight, Words for Life offers a full year’s supply of verbal vitamins guaranteed to brighten and boost every day. Here you will learn of the Mother-in-Law’s Dream as well as the Yuleshard, and discover expressions that can fix (or at least nail) the problems of modern life, whether dealing with unrequited love or unsatisfactory politicians, eating a whole packet of biscuits or forgetting someone’s name. Grab yours from HERE.  And Russell has just released a whole load of extra dates for his brand new tour show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. There are shows across the whole UK in 2026: You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk  We also recorded a second show with Susie for our Patreon listeners; there’s a clip at the end of the episode and for fans of the podcast so please have a listen. If you’ve already had a listen and you’re here to find out more…click the link here for ad-free shows, early access and a special extra show just for you every week - have a look! patreon.com/RussellHoward   Please enjoy the multitudinous gratifications contained within this audio chronicle of lexicography. I fly!  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wine Wine Wine! Tom Gilbey is one of the UK’s top wine experts and he also talks about it like a normal person! This podcast takes us through the things that makes a wine buff happy (some of them are, and I don’t want to spoil things, wine-related). Russell does a live wine-tasting of some rock and roll wine.  Tom takes us through his marathon that he ran while drinking wine every mile (!), the beauty of a good pen and there are some really good tips for buying wine in a supermarket.   Tom has a book and it’s just come out now! It’s called THIRSTY and it’s about wine (of course)! It’s full of the same no-nonsense advice and tips that you got in this podcast: how to read the label, how to choose in a restaurant and how to talk about it without sounding like a twat.  It’s available now from this link or pop into a lovely independent bookshop.  Might I suggest it could make an excellent Christmas present for that relative you don’t know very well but enjoys a glass of wine? Also you should follow Tom on Instagram where he’s @tomgilbeywine. And Russell has just released a whole load of extra dates brand new show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk  We also recorded a second show with Tom for our Patreon listeners; there’s a clip at the end of the episode and for fans of the podcast it’s genuinely an excellent extra to get involved with.  Honestly if you like the show it’s a super-good deal giving you ad-free shows, early access and a special extra show just for you every week - have a look! patreon.com/RussellHoward   Thank you so much for joining us in this giant snifter of podcastery. Hope you’ve enjoyed the nose, legs and body on this beast.  x Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She’s the star of Whitstable Pearl, AfterLife and Taskmaster. She’s a phenomenal stand-up comedian and she’s Kerry Godliman, here to tell Russell about the things that make life worth living and it’s a nostalgic romp through Portobello Market, living off-grid in India and how to parent without being a beg.  Loads of fun, really great funny episode; this is a big ‘recommended’ sticker.  Kerry is touring her latest show right now! It’s called Bandwidth and you can find out when she’s near you and buy tickets by going to https://kerrygodliman.com. She’s a superb live comic and it will be an excellent night out.  Let’s not forget Russell! Russell is also touring in 2026 with his brand new show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’. You can book tickets at https://www.russell-howard.co.uk  We also recorded a second show with Kerry for our Patreon listeners; there’s a clip at the end of the episode and for fans of the podcast it’s genuinely an excellent extra to get involved with.  Honestly if you like the show it’s a super-good deal giving you ad-free shows, early access and a special extra show just for you every week - have a look! patreon.com/RussellHoward   And that’s the end of all that. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it although I doubt that very much because I’m on a cocktail of highly illegal and incredibly strong drugs.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's all the best bits from October's shows! A tasting plate of the shows we've already broadcast this month and if you've been too busy to listen to the whole shows this is a way to get a morsel and who knows... maybe head back and listen to the whole thing if you like the sound of it. Featuring Dom Joly, Sally Lindsay, Nick Mohammed, Horatio Gould and Pete Firman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices