Russell Howard’s Five Brilliant Things

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 af...

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 t...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 promot...

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...

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...

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 Nov...

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...

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-love...

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 Healt...

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...

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 'u...

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...

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 fu...

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...

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 spen...

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...

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… an...

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: GH...

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 wort...

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’...