How do you go from a kid hanging around the DJ booth in Eurodiscos in Prague to creating one of Britain’s most iconic sitcoms of all time? 

Seapa is here to take Russell through his Wonderbox, including the dreaded call centres he worked in where he met the other People Just Do Nothing stars, and the perfect Banh-Mi Sandwich. 

Lots of fun. Really funny episode with proper energy, fascinating stories and some excellent digressions. 

Keep up with Allan on Instagram here.

Watch him as Andy Peacock on iPlayer here. Series two landed earlier this year and funny it is too. 

Russell is in various countries doing his smash hit tour show. Check out the latest information about where Russell is by going to russell-howard.co.uk

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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US Comedy superstar Michelle Wolf is with us! 

And as well as effortlessly funny, Michelle is a wonderful big bag of fascinating contradictions. She's a glamorous comedy star who runs ultramarathons and attends Paris Fashion Week.

She also can't think of anything better than getting a hot Wigan-style pie in her hands and face. Seriously mate. You haven't heard love until you've heard Michelle Wolf talk about pies. 

It's an absolute romp of an episode; a globe-trotting special covering Michelle's adopted home of Barcelona, her worries for the future of America (seems legit) and a good twenty-minute ode to the British Pie. 

Now listen and listen good.

If you get the chance to see Michelle live, you've got to take it. One of the very best comedians on the planet, and some of the most insightful and funny material out there. She's written some of your favourite jokes of other big comics. 

So have a wander through her website, and find out when she's in your country then go see her live. You'll hunt me down and thank me for the  tip off. 

Russell is doin' the do in Canada. He's speakin' the speak in Scandanavia. By which I mean performing his tour show. That's all coming up in the next few months. So get yourself some plane tickets and make a holiday of it. Tickets and dates are all here.

It's guaranteed to be both cheaper and funnier than Oasis.

If you're here next week then we'll be here next week.

Slay.

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Why did a young Stephen Merchant sneak a boat onto a Devon beach under cover of darkness? It's all in this absolutely spankingly good podcast episode where Russell and Stephen sit down in a Bristol-born meeting of titans!

Stephen is as brilliant as always, taking us through some less-covered areas of his life, talking through hilarious old family holidays, his experiences trash-talking with strangers in online chess and he also gives some incredible insights into his creative process.

This is an hour of your time that you'll find entertaining AND nourishing.

Stephen is now a huge Hollywood star isn't he, so if you want to see more of him he'll be in a-list films. He's in the next season of The Walking Dead!

His comedy 'The Outlaws' is on BBC iPlayer and the latest series is up there now. Get over and have a look and enjoy because it's an excellent piece of work.

Russell is out touring all sorts of places and countries over the next year, so have a look at russell-howard.co.uk for details especially if you live somewhere weird like Berlin. Not specifically Berlin. It's only weird to me because I've never been. But it's on the list. Berlin's not weird, that's a bad example. Jupiter would be weird but there aren't any dates programmed in there (watch this space, martians...).

BYE BYE

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Secrets from the Pussycat Dolls tour bus! And more! Comin’ atcha in Russell’s absolutely delightful chat with Ashley Roberts. 

Find out what life is like being a pop mega-star, what kind of mischief happened backstage and an alternative, let’s call it unconventional, use for a burrito. 

You can hear more of Ashley by getting out your digital radio (or analog? Did they turn off the signal yet?) for she is on Heart FM every week. Ashley is a showbiz correspondent on the Heart FM’s breakfast show, and presenter on Heart 00’s every Saturday, 4-7pm.

You can also catch he as the host of Netflix’s series ‘Dance Monsters’.

Russell is out on tour, doing massive gigs at the end of the 2024 show, and doing smaller gigs working up material for whatever comes next…keep up to date with Russell’s movements (professional movements not bowel movements) at Russell-Howard.co.uk

That’s all for this episode of show notes. 

We should probably leave you on a cliffhanger but that’s not really the style of the…hang on…there’s somebody at the door…oh God. Oh no. Not you…But I thought you were deeeaaaaddddd!

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Host of the Last Leg, Australian comedy royalty Adam Hills joins Russell in the studio this week for a warm and optimistic journey through Adam’s Wonderbox. 

There’s some fascinating and funny stories from Adam’s childhood, about his Dad who worked on Qantas airlines ✈️, about those hot evenings on Australian balconies 🌅, and about sharing a bath with twenty two other grown men in Warrington singing drinking songs 🤪🍻.

Adam has been away from live comedy for a while, concentrating on the Last Leg and his new-found responsibilities to Rugby League 🏉 (more about that on this pod). 

The best way to keep up with everything Adam is doing, which includes oodles of charity work, sport representation as well as gigs and shows - Facebook is his medium. Check out his latest here. 

Russell is in various countries doing his smash hit tour show. Check out the latest information about where Russell is by going to russell-howard.co.uk

TTFN!

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Did Linford Christie take part in the Dad’s race at his kids’s school sports day?

Russell and Linford discuss what it’s like to be bloody quick, what it’s like to win an Olympic gold medal, and why Linford used to growl like a tiger at his competitors on the starting blocks.

It’s a really interesting and intimate chat with a British legend, seeing a side to him that we rarely get to see.

It’s really worth watching the documentary all about Linford’s career and life. It’s called simply ‘Linford’, which is on BBC iPlayer, or if you’re abroad it’s on iPlayer with a VPN (wink wink). It really tells the story well, with fascinating insights and at times it gets pretty emotional.

You don’t need me to give you a link to iPlayer. If you can’t find that with a search engine then you deserve to have your internet taken away from you.

Russell is back out on the road doing all sorts of bits and bobs, with Canada coming up, also Sweden, Norway…check out his movements at Russell-howard.co.uk

That’s all for this week. I’m off for a quick 13 minute nap. That’s the golden number apparently for efficient napping. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Goodbye for now, old friend.

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Never knew David O’Doherty used to be an underground DJ? 

It’s all here. Russell and David sit down in front of a live studio audience at the Edinburgh Fringe (yes, it was a few weeks ago but we recorded a few, OK!?) to discuss David’s DJ hinterland. Also there is when a 13 year old David offered to cycle around Ireland as a newspaper think-piece, and he tells Russell about hanging out with Taika Waititi. 

This episode bounces along with more energy than a demented space-hopper, with a huge amount of laughs and fascinating stories from David’s wonderful brain. 

You wanna get more David? You can gets you more David for HE IS ON TOUR!

His Edinburgh show was brilliant (as always). It’s called Ready Steady David O’Doherty. You could get tickets from Ticketmaster, but those guys are firmly on the naughty step at the moment. 

Better off - use this link HERE to go to David’s personal website and get linked directly to the theatres. It’ll probably save you some dollar too, but don’t quote me on that because I haven’t checked and it goes way beyond the call of duty for me to check all those theatre prices, cross-check with the Goliaths and then work out the difference all to save you 50p. I mean I like you, but we’ve got to have some boundaries. 

Russell is packing his moose-repellent spray for his is touring in Canada in mere moments. This September, if you’re Canadian, heck even if you’re not but you happen to be there, check out the dates HERE - in one of the last opportunities to see his latest smash hit tour show live. 

We shall see you, hear you and smell you next week. So long cowboy/girl/child/baby.

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Is this simultaneously the most uplifting and heart-rending episode we've done to date? 

Matt Forde is Britain's foremost political comedian. Until the end of last year he seemed unstoppable, then from nowhere was diagnosed with a rare condition that saw him having to go through life-saving surgery. 

His story is astonishing and it's told with such verve, such humour and humanity that it's required listening. Make a little bit of time to consume this one properly because it will touch every part of your heart. And make you laugh a lot too. 

Matt is now well on the road to recovery...and on the road! He's touring his show 'End of an Era' around the UK. It summarises the last few years of British politics taking in Truss, Sunak and having a good poke at the current Labour Party as well. I saw it in Edinburgh and it's well worth your time. Proper good stuff. 

Find out where, when, how and why Matt is by going to

🎟️  https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows  🎟️

See you next week for more delicious Wonderbox.

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Live from the Edinburgh Festival! Irish story-telling powerhouse and ignorer-of-the-basic-format Jason Byrne is with Russell and a packed out audience at the Fringe.

Jason is famous for his sprawling, gregarious, infectious irrepressible comedy and this podcast is no different. Who cares that he ignored the idea of the Wonderbox completely? It was a huge slice of fun.

Stories of rural Irish madness abound. I’d mention specifics here but you wouldn’t believe me. Get it in your ears because it’s a crazy old bunch of stories!

Jason’s at the Fringe (I mean - when is he not?) doing his show, which is called ‘No Show’. It’s on every day at Assembly Main Hall (a lovely room) at 8:40pm until the end of the Fringe. Check it - LINK.

It’s then getting the full tour treatment, Jason will be barrelling into a town near you with this show No Show. All dem tickets, all dem dates, all dem deets, all dem be here.

Ta ta x

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Live from the Edinburgh Festival! Recorded in front of a beautiful audience at the Fringe, Russell goes through the Wonderbox of the exquisite Scottish stand-up, Larry Dean!

This podcast goes from the serenity of the hills of Bhutan, to tender intergenerational moments of true connection, to a terrifying home-made nightmare of a sex doll. 

If you’re a regular listener, you’ll notice that the live audience really adds a bit of spice to the occasion, and despite our afternoon time-slot, the show really goes the extra mile. It’s a bit filthier, a bit funnier. Get in there.

Larry continues to perform his show Dodger until the end of the Fringe.

It’s on every day at Monkey Barrel at 8:30pm and one can acquire tickets here.

For those of you who refuse to be blackmailed by Edinburgh tenancy companies and wait for the best shows to come to you, well you’re in luck. Larry will be touring the show around the UK in the months after August.

Visit larrydeancomedy.com for all the information and to get yo tickets.

In other news…

Canucks and Scandos, get ready for some Russell stand-up shows flying at you like a rocket (a rocket full of mad good comedy show). Find out what the hell I’m talking about HERE. But only click if you’re in Canada or Scandinavia. The link is rigged to blow your phone up in your hand if you’re not geolocated in one of those spots. I might be bluffing. But do you really want to take that risk?

Enough blither. Until next time, padawan.

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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What’s the link between Tom Grennan and Peter Andre? It’s all in this fantastic episode of Wonderbox with British musical superstar, Tom Grennan.

Tom talks about early life, how he made it, his surprising background in physical theatre (!) and what it’s like to play Glastonbury in front of thousands.

It’s an amazing insight into the life of someone living his music superstar dream.

And you know what’s the perfect chaser to this podcast? Go to see Tom this Saturday!

Tom’s playing a massive outdoor gig alongside Blossoms (and others) at Gunnersbury Park in North London on Saturday August 10th. Tickets can be acquired from Ticketmaster HERE.

Russell’s out on tour again soon doing those Canadian and Scandinavian dates, so if you live in those exceptionally beautiful places then get all your information and buy your tickets from russellhoward.co.uk

Barring some kind of unimaginable freak act of God like a lightening strike, we’ll be back next week with more wonderful Wonderbox.

Don’t forget to brush for the full two minutes.

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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