Television Times with Steve Otis Gunn

Stefania Licari trained as a doctor, became a comedian, and has been finding the overlap between those two worlds ever since — which turns out to be richer territory than either profession admits. Stefania Licari is an Italian comedian and NHS doctor based in the UK, known for her Edinburgh Fringe solo shows Medico and Trust Me, I'm a Comedian, which draw on her experiences as a doctor, first-gene...

Dom Joly invented a format, watched it become a global phenomenon, spent years explaining why the American version wasn't quite the same thing, and has since investigated the conspiracy theory that Finland might not exist. Dom Joly is a British comedian, broadcaster, and author best known for Trigger Happy TV, and for a career that has expanded into travel writing and conspiracy theory investigati...

Giles Paley-Phillips runs a film company, writes children's books, produces multiple podcasts, and has found a way to keep ideas flowing that involves an unusual amount of film soundtracks. He also happened to be performing at the same Glastonbury where Steve was watching from the crowd. Giles Paley-Phillips is a British author, screenwriter, and award-winning podcaster, co-founder of film company...

Richard Wiseman has spent his career studying luck, fear, the paranormal, and the strange edges of human behaviour — and is genuinely the most interesting person to sit next to at a dinner party. Professor Richard Wiseman is a British psychologist, author, and magician, holder of the UK's only professorship in the public understanding of psychology, and the author of bestselling books including Th...

Steve Otis Gunn interviews himself about his own Edinburgh Fringe show — and gets considerably more honest than expected. In this solo episode, Steve turns the microphone on himself to explore the inspirations behind his debut Fringe show, Steve Otis Gunn is Uncomfortable — tracing the origins of his comedic voice, the personal experiences that shaped it, and why awkwardness turned out to be the r...

Per Lasson took a day off from filming Season 3 of a Swedish crime drama to have this conversation — and Steve cannot wait to see it! Per Lasson is a Swedish actor known for his compelling performances across theatre, television and film, and for his role in the Swedish crime drama Tunna blå linjen, where he has become a prominent figure in Scandinavian entertainment. What the connections formed d...

Bernie Clifton once flew in a Cold War bomber to a football match, took Oswald the Ostrich up in a microlight for a newspaper stunt, and was featured on Inside No. 9. It's been quite the ride. Bernie Clifton is a British comedian and entertainer with a career spanning decades, beloved for his warmth, wit and prop comedy — including television appearances on 321, Crackerjack, and It's a Royal Knock...

Jarred Christmas has been navigating the comedy industry long enough to know that the only constant is that everything keeps changing — and has built a career on being good enough to keep up with it. Jarred Christmas is a comedian, actor, and writer originally from New Zealand, known for his sharp humour and charismatic personality across stand-up comedy and television. Why evolving as a performer...

Olga Koch left computer science for stand-up, moved to a country that wasn't hers, and has been making the gap between those two worlds funnier than it has any right to be — with some help from badly edited Sex and the City reruns. Olga Koch is a Russian-born comedian, writer, and performer based in London, known for appearances on QI, Mock the Week, and Richard Osman's House of Games, and for her...

Sam Simmons has strong opinions about Come Dine With Me, Celebrity Big Brother, and the global standing of Australian sitcoms — and delivers all of them with the kind of sideways energy that makes everything funnier than it should be. Sam Simmons is an Australian comedian, actor, and writer known for his surreal humour and absurdist style, with a career spanning multiple continents and credits inc...

Mark Trevorrow has been performing as Bob Downe for long enough that the character has had not one but two careers — including an unexpected second life with UK audiences that neither of them saw coming. Mark Trevorrow is an Australian actor, comedian, and writer best known as Bob Downe, and for his role as Darryl in Kath & Kim. A pioneer in early digital television, he continues to perform ac...

Rob Rouse arrived fresh from toe surgery, delivered an entire conversation in his unmistakably chaotic style, and somehow made TK Maxx's pant cages the intellectual centrepiece of the episode. Rob Rouse is a British comedian and actor known for his energetic performances and quick comebacks, with appearances on Upstart Crow and 8 Out of 10 Cats, and as co-host of The Unlikely Weightlifters Podcast...

Derren Brown has spent his career making the impossible seem plausible, and the plausible seem impossible — and has strong feelings about a particular spatula, which is somehow equally interesting. Derren Brown is a master illusionist, mentalist, and bestselling author renowned for performances that blur the line between magic, psychology, and human perception, and for a career spent pushing the b...

Paul Foot has strong feelings about Heinz baked beans, finds genuine comfort in the image of Judy Murray orbiting the Earth, and once had Keith Chegwin turn up in a conversation in a way that's difficult to fully explain. A completely normal episode. Paul Foot is a British comedian and writer renowned for his offbeat and surreal comedic style, with a career spanning stand-up, television, and radio...

Tony P returns for a bonus deep dive into two of the best crime dramas around — and if you haven't finished both series yet, look away now. Tony P is a friend of the podcast and regular cultural sparring partner for Steve, returning for a detailed discussion of Fargo Season 5 and The Tourist Season 2 — spoilers very much included. Fargo Season 5 — the narrative direction, the standout moments, and...

Kaz Vranuch joins Steve for the final part of their in-person conversation — relaxed, wide-ranging, and honest about the parts of a creative life that don't get talked about enough. Kaz Vranuch is a tattoo artist and friend of the podcast known for her unique designs and artistic flair, and for a passion for storytelling that extends well beyond the work itself. The pressures of constant creative...

Kaz Vranuch is back for the third Coffee With Kaz — and the conversation goes exactly where it wants to, which is the whole point. Kaz Vranuch is a tattoo artist and friend of the podcast known for her unique designs and artistic flair, and for being one of the most naturally engaging conversationalists the show has had on. Personal reflections on creativity, modern life, and the things worth payi...

Kaz Vranuch is back for the second Coffee With Kaz — back in the old studio, back into nostalgia, and back into the kind of conversation that goes wherever it feels like going. Kaz Vranuch is a tattoo artist and friend of the podcast known for her unique designs and artistic flair, and for a natural ease in conversation that makes every instalment of this series worth listening to. Nostalgia for a...

The first Coffee With Kaz — recorded in person, no agenda, just two people talking and seeing where it goes. Kaz Vranuch is a tattoo artist and friend of the podcast known for her unique designs and artistic flair, and for a natural ease in conversation that made this series an immediate fixture. Culture, memory, and everyday life — the kind of topics that only come up when nobody's trying to make...

Paul Critoph returns for a bonus mini-episode — cinema etiquette, Christmas films, and the relentless spectacle of Florida theme parks. A properly relaxed listen. Paul Critoph is an actor and regular friend of the podcast, known for his warm, wide-ranging conversations about culture, entertainment, and the things worth arguing about. Why cinema etiquette has collapsed — and who is actually respons...

Janelle Niles brings a perspective to stand-up that the comedy circuit doesn't always represent — and has been building a voice around it that's impossible to ignore. Janelle Niles is an Indigenous Canadian comedian known for her engaging storytelling and for comedy that reflects her cultural background, offering audiences a fresh perspective on contemporary issues. How her Indigenous Canadian ide...

Nicola Mantalios has thoughts on front-row audiences, the pressures faced by female comedians, and surviving a cult. The last one is not a bit. Nicola Mantalios is a British comedian known for her engaging storytelling and candid humour, and a voice built directly from personal experience — including some experiences most people don't have. The nuances of balancing an onstage persona with a more a...

Paul Critoph returns for the first annual TV debrief — a reflective look back at the television landscape of 2023, with plenty of detours along the way. Paul Critoph is an actor and regular friend of the podcast, joining Steve for what would become a yearly tradition — two people who watch a lot of television working out what actually mattered. The standout series of 2023 that earned their reputat...

Eric Potts and Brad Fitt bring decades of pantomime experience to a festive conversation about Christmas entertainment, larger-than-life roles, and why panto endures when everything around it keeps changing. Eric Potts is a veteran actor and writer who has graced stages across the UK with memorable panto performances. Brad Fitt is an actor and writer known for his comedic timing and engaging stage...

Matt Hutchinson and Steve Otis Gunn bumped into each other on the streets of Edinburgh during the 2023 Fringe — and recorded a podcast instead of just saying hello and moving on. Matt Hutchinson is a British writer, comedian, and doctor known for his observational humour, blending comedy with social commentary and bringing a medical background to a uniquely grounded perspective on everyday life. T...