Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (RHLSTP)

#450 Am “I” Bovvered? - Richard is now wax free, but contemplating a career change, His guest is actor, writer, stand up and phenomenon Catherine Tate. They discuss whether Catherine and Tom Cruise are friends now, crying in Twickenham station, how Mcfly were the launchpad for Lauren, whether Noel Edmonds is a monster, doing sketches with war criminals and Brexiteers, not being...

RETRO RHLSTP #60 - You've Got Mail - We’ve been recommissioned again for an amazing 19th series and Richard is exhausted from his final attempt to let the world know when International Men’s Day is and what are you talking about? He always wears a suit. There’s nothing unusual going on. His guest is just some guy from some old sketch show and the first Knight (that says Ni) on the podcast, Sir Mic...

#4 Falsifying your Teste-ment with Dr Anna Ploszajski - Richard’s Odd-Ball Odyssey continues as he heads to another doctor who will give him the results of his full body scan. Will he be declared fully fit and be sent home? Seems unlikely. He has a question he’d love to ask (clue in the title of the podcast) and is presented with some decisions, most notably, would he like to wear a falsie? You wi...

#449 Podcast Teeth - Richard risks some Jingle/Mingle material, topical at time of recording, but hopefully nostalgic by the time the podcast comes out. Plus good news for those of you who come to live recordings - he’s clearing out his garage, so you might get presents! His guest is Welsh sex-mountain Mike Bubbins. They discuss whether croissants should be wrapped, the power of the moustache...

Six Foot Penis Man or Tiny Man? Rich is back with another compilation of some of the best answers to the most popular emergency questions - watch out Channel 5! This week he’s asking if comedians and celebrities would prefer to date a man who was a six foot tall penis or a man who, instead of having a penis has a tiny man down there. It produces some surprising answers from guests including Kather...

RHLSTP Book Club 60 - Harold Richard goes all transatlantic to chat to legendary US stand up, Steven Wright about his extraordinary novel, Harold. The chat includes allusions to the Venerable Bede, how the novel started on Twitter and was written on a phone, deciding to write a book that takes place in a day entirely inside a seven-year-old’s head, whether anachronisms matter in a book like this,...

#448 Scrambled Egg Pan - Richard is at Hanger Farm Arts Centre in Totton - where? But at least he’s not in New Milton. His guest is ex-Fringe flat mate, actor and occasional woman, Colin Hoult. They talk about being the top guy for Kwik Fit training films, how a depressed Herring broke the dreams of a young double act, how to play Piers Morgan, acting alongside your heroes, addressing your ow...

RETRO RHLSTP #59 Lembit Opik Catfish - Richard meets a nuclear physicist impersonator and has a friend who will never be any more than that. This week’s guest is disgraceful self-toucher Joel Dommett. They chat about the gamble of going into the jungle, the pitfalls of the modern dating scene, running a super marathon with the runs, being defeated at Pointless by someone who doesn’t understand the...

RHLSTP Book Club 59 - Sex Bomb. Rich chats to comedian Sadia Azmat about her memoir about being a horny Muslim (though much more than that). How important is it that publishing and comedy are representative of the population? Why did Sadia identify with the ugly sisters in Cinderella? Does feminism risk excluding diverse voices and experience? Why wearing the hajib was an act of reb...

#447 A Walking Hate Crime - Richard returns to Forest Arts Centre in New Milton, the scene of personal and professional disaster in an attempt to finally win over the citizens of this Hampshire town. His guest is pharmacist turned comedian, Ola Labib. They discuss self-medication, whether Portsmouth is better than Southampton, the work Ola has done to raise funds for and awaren...

RETRO RHLSTP #58 Fist of Fun - Richard is still bugging last week’s audience about Lego Batman - it’s amazing they keep coming back. His guest is Gillian Pieface, or as she is sometimes known Julian Clary. They chat about how the Universe lets you know it’s time for a break, psychic teeth, burning pianos, perverted monks, the inability to escape innuendo, living next door to hyenas, having a head...

RHLSTP Book Club 58 - Because I Don't Know What You Mean And What You Don't. Richard chats to comedian Josie Long about her book of short stories with the long title. They discuss the pros and cons (that might also be pros) about this format, how it’s fun not to have to be funny, whether it’s better for art to exist in the moment or be available for many years after creati...

#446 Hi di Hi - Richard is doing more topical jokes that will be slightly out of date at time of broadcast but a valuable resource for the people of the future. His guest is comedian, author and potato hat wearer Jenny Eclair. They chat about the Bay City Rollers, the portrait of Les Gray, how cystitis ruined the bingo, the sexual allure of Greg Davies, childish comedians coping with the deva...

RETRO RHLSTP #57 Chicken Plucker -  Rich’s diet continues to go well, but will he be in his 2015 suit by the end of the series? The anticipation is killing us all I know. His guest this week is the sweet-looking, foul-mouthed Rosie Jones. They chat about her meteoric rise to stand up success, how pacing affects comedic impact and can save you having to write too much stuff, what it’s like to...

RHLSTP Book Club 57 - The Magic Hour. Richard chats to screenwriter, author and Fist of Fun alumnus, David Wolstencroft about his first book for children The Magic Hour. They chat about how hidden Edinburgh inspired this book, what you would do with an extra hour a day, combining Scottish myth with Newtonian physics, creating a sense of dread but also funny footnotes, how female scientis...

#445 The Drug Rats of Porthcawl - Richard is delighted to be back for series 27 of RHLSTP and to be within the short-lived window where he can do topical stand up material. It’s going to be the last time in a while, though there’s talk of a RHLSTP tour! Hie guest is dancer turned comedian turned actor and writer Thanyia Moore. They chat about the lost Tango ads, why she wrote a stand up...

RHLSTP Book Club 56 - Emotional Ignorance. Richard talks to Dr Dean Burnett about why his book about emotions turned out differently than he had initially planned, why emotions may have evolved, the ancient connection between smell and memory, the three different types of tears, what we would be without emotion, why writing about a traumatic experience can be the...

#444 Sploshing - Richard has some stand up material topical to the week of 20th March 2023 and is cross about the Edinburgh Fringe again. His guest is Taskmaster and Mastermind Champion, Sophie Duker. They talk about the weird and wonderful chemistry between Alex Horne and Sophie, whether kids Taskmaster will crush the souls of the participants, Richard’s jealousy at pansexuality and a revela...

RETRO RHLSTP #56 Not My Cup Of Tea -  Fired up by his first TV recording in 23 years, Richard decides to work harder on his opening monologue, but is surprised to find how little he’s actually done, but at least there’s one in the eye for Kettle Crisps and luckily his guests are radio and podcast sensations John Robins and Elis James. They discuss pant retirement etiquette, being in a double...

RHLSTP Book Club 55 - Breath. Richard takes a break from the usual riff-raff to talk to the actual Mayor of London and one of the world’s funniest politicians (low bar) Sadiq Kahn. They discuss the talking points from his new book Breathe about the efforts he has made to improve the air quality of our capital city: his personal reasons for getting interested and the moving and tragic sto...

#443 Blew Peter - Richard has not drunk alcohol for 27 months, but should he go back to his drunken (and more amusing ways). As is now traditional his final guest of the series is a member of the Ellis family, it’s the brilliant Janet Ellis. They discuss day time drinking with John Thaw and Dennis Waterman, the irritatingly slow speed of K9 from Doctor Who and the embarrassing googlewhack that hap...

RHLSTP Book Club 54 - Colditz. Richard talks to acclaimed historian Ben Macintyre about his fabulous book about the true story of Colditz - beyond the Boy’s Own stuff we grew up and incorporating boredom, propaganda spreading wasps and homosexuality. It’s Richard’s favourite book of 2022 (now out in paperback) telling the story of some of the more famous inhabitants of the castle like Pa...

#442 Hungover Mastermind - Richard is basking in the possibly short-lived approval of one of his kids and is trying to make money off the ideas of the other one. His guest is Mock the Week favourite, Rhys James. They discuss the tallest building in Swindon, the worst place in Hertfordshire, writing right wing and left wing material on the same subject, what Richard said about Rhys&n...

RHLSTP Book Club 53 - The Debutante. It’s a transatlantic podcast this week as Richard chats to fantastic author and journalist Jon Ronson, in a typically unlikely location in New York. They are chatting about his new Audible audiobook/podcast Debutante, a deep dive into the extraordinary life of Carol Howe, the former debutante who became a Neo-Nazi and then an informant and then… well who c...

#441 Back of the Head With a Plastic Cup - Richard has been having weird dreams, but don’t try and interpret anything from them. His guest is singer, actor, presenter and legend Graham “Suggs” McPherson. They chat about how Madness might just be the defining band of the 80s, how their songs can make you travel in time, the brilliant social document of their book/documentary “Before We Was We”, the...