From Corrie, Phoenix Nights and the Madame Blanc Mysteries, Sally Lindsay is here with her Five Brilliant Things and they are belters. It’s a romp through the majesty of Chas and Dave, some strong opinions about loudspeakers on public transport and taking wild train trips from England to Italy in the early 1980s.  As we talked about on the show, Sally stars in and wrote the Madame Blanc Mysteries and you can find that paragon of cosy crime on Netflix or Channel Five.  And if you want to know Russell’s wrestler name and walk-on music, then it’s all in this week’s extra show available on our Patreon offering. If you listen to this podcast regularly then you get a lot of bang for your buck. Check out our Patreon offering at this link: patreon.com/RussellHoward   And that’s the end for today, please let tomorrow be all your yesterdays or some shit. I don’t know, it was meant to be profound.  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

Which famous author does Dom Joly feel he may have to kill in order to get his perfect job? And why is he compelled to jump off every high perch that he comes across?  And why was he caught in the bathroom of a High Court Judge  semi-clothed? The answers are all in this fabulous podcast, where Dom Joly selects the Five Things that make his life most exciting - and it is an exciting life. The show takes us across the globe, through dangers and back out the other side to silliness and nonsense.  To celebrate 25 years since Trigger Happy TV hit our screens, Dom Joly is bringing his most iconic characters and sketches to the stage in the Trigger Happy TV – Live! 25th-anniversary tour. Fans will experience beloved moments from the show, including The Giant Snail, The Traffic Warden, The Morris Dancer, The Scout, A Gang of Squirrels, and THAT Big Mobile Phone.  There are dates across Britain in different cities across October so get your tickets now and find out more by clicking HERE.  As always we recorded a whole second show with Dom where he answered some marvellous questions from our Patreon listeners. You can get that show and the whole catalogue of back-episodes (there’s hours and hours of listening for you in there!) check out our Patreon offering at this link: patreon.com/RussellHoward   Lovely to have you here, you’ve been an impeccable guest, please come around any time. That bit where you spat on the dog was a bit weird but I assume it was some private grievance between the two of you.  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 bumper month of truly excellent shows! This podcast contains the best bits of each of our September shows so there's no new content (unless you include some links and a little bit of chat about Beef Rendang). But here you can enjoy a brief bit of: Irish stand-up powerhouse Ardal O'Hanlon! Podcaster and actor Georgia Tennant! US comedy megastar Taylor Tomlinson! From Taskmaster - the brilliant comedian Phil Ellis! And Stacey from Gavin and Stacey - Joanna Page! Please enjoy responsibly. See you on Wednesday for more brand new episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did Joanna Page nearly cock up her Gavin and Stacey audition? How did she end up following Kenneth Branagh around in secret?  The stories, the stories! This delightful episode with Gavin and Stacey’s Joanna Page is a delight from cover to cover (yeah yeah, podcast/book/bad analogy get lost).  Her Brilliant Things include her unhinged dog Daisy (the stories!), her Dad’s Prawn Salad and her refuge, a wonderful caravan. It’s a marvellous listen.  Joanna’s written a book about her extraordinary life, and  it’s called ‘Lush! From Swansea to Stacey and everything in between’. It’s full of Joanna’s brilliant stories told with wit and flair. Incredibly enjoyable and as we head to the winter months, maybe it would make a good present? Get one by following this link here.  We recorded a second show with Joanna and if you’re even a little bit of a Dr Who fan, you cannot miss the extraordinary story Joanna tells about playing Queen Elizabeth in the special episode. The whole thing is just so traumatic. Check it out by following this link.  patreon.com/RussellHoward   Thanks for being with us in this nest of delights, hope you’ve had a nice snuggly warm time in here being all protected by the mother bird’s big comfy ass. But it’s now time for you to become the hero of your own story. Get out. Go on. Be free. 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

He’s in Taskmaster, he’s had his own Radio series and for years he’s been one of the downright funniest stand-ups in Britain. Welcome to the Five Brilliant Things of Phil Ellis! Expect incredible stories about Rik Mayall, an awful kid’s game where you either get mauled by a dog or soaked in your friends urine. Expect the most harrowing ‘bad gig’ story you’ll ever hear in your life. Hedgehog NO! Watch Phil on Taskmaster on Channel 4 right now.  Then go to watch him live on tour because he’s so great - he’s out all across 2026 so get your tush over to philelliscomedy.com and book tickets, alright? You’ll thank me.  And if you enjoy this podcast, you can get it with the brakes off by joining our Patreon where you get the whole thing without adverts, you get an extra exclusive show every week and you get it all a day before everyone else.  We recorded an extra show with Phil and it was dead funny! Click this link to join or just have a sniff around: patreon.com/RussellHoward   Alright, so we have successfully navigated the choppy waters of another podcast blurb without hitting an iceb…hand me those binoculars…. Goddammit. TELL THE BAND TO KEEP PLAYING! 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

Comedy megastar Taylor Tomlinson has dropped into the studio in the middle of her world tour! And as you might imagine it’s an absolute belter of an episode. Her favourite things include siblings (where she talks about starting comedy as a 16 year old on the US Church circuit 😮)  Taylor tells a chilling tale about leaving her comedy notebook lying around, and the significance to her of the ‘umble walnut.  An hour in the company of Taylor and Russell talking about all the things that make them tick. It’s a big yes please.  Taylor’s got plenty of dates left on her current ‘Save Me’ world tour so if you’re in the US or Canada then get involved - find out where and when by going to https://taylortomlinsoncomedy.com The rest of you can use that website to find Taylor’s incredible specials online or watch episodes of her TV show.  ✨ And hey, why not consider joining our Patreon Crew? You’re already the kind of freak who reads the show notes - why not take the next step? You will get hours and hours of exclusive extra shows with all our guests, including Taylor! Find out how great it is by clicking here. ✨  Kaboom! That explosion is a sign that it’s very nearly the end of the blurb. Very nearly indeed. Ver.. 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

Warning: This podcast starts with Very Strong Opinions about potatoes.  It continues in a similarly esoteric vein as star of The Horne Section and Dr Who Georgia Tennant gives her opinions on the versatility of the humble glue-gun, some pretty straight-talking on MoonCups and how to psyche out opponents as an older netball team. It’s a cracking good fun episode. You’re going to enjoy this one. Even if Georgia has unusual opinions about potatoes.  Georgia stars as Ash in The Horne Section that is on Channel 4; You can watch that on 4 On Demand. You can also keep up with all her projects by following her on Instagram where she’s @GeorgiaTennantofficial.  We also recorded our extra show with Georgia where she grappled with questions from you lot, including a fantastic bit about AI and dolphins as well as some rather frank discussions about the birds and the bees.  It’s all on our Patreon show here, as well as so much more… patreon.com/RussellHoward   There! Do you hear it? The gentle chug of the steam engine as the train starts to pull away down the platform. I put my ham-fist up against the glass, and you put your trotter up to join it. Your little stupid legs start going faster and faster as you try to keep up with the train, refusing to let physics tear us apart but, as many before us have found out, you can’t fuck with physics. You tumble into a messy, broken heap off the end of the platform and I settle to the crossword and a lovely cup of tea.  Adieu. 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 a taster of all the shows broadcast through August 2025, including Michael Dapaah talking about why Bernie Mac was such an influential comic, Tiff Stevenson running through some of her astonishing accent skills, Jake Lambert on the hunt for the person who shot his cat and a story about Howie Mandell from Red Richardson that you simply won't believe. Tuck in if you haven't heard any of them and if you hear something you like why not circle back and chow down on the whole episode? 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 best comedians to ever come out of Ireland, Ardal O’Hanlon is a complete treat. He is brimming with excellent stories from his extraordinary life of stand-up comedy, acting and amateur tennis; illicit late-night oysters, holidays in Ireland back in the day, footballing heroics on exotic islands. This episode that is like a hot bath of delights. Get those clothes off and get on in. As mentioned in the show Ardal is about to embark upon a major tour of the UK and Ireland, beginning this September. He’s going to be appearing all over the place. The show is called ‘Not Himself’ and it’s a brand-new stand-up show from Ardal, who is seriously one of the best in the game.  Visit Ardal’s webpage HERE to find out when he’s going to be in your area, then follow the links to book tickets for a fantastic night out.  That concludes this day’s play. We’ll be back next week with more action from centre court, but until then please stay dry and enjoy the strawberries. Best to eat them today or they’ll go mushy.  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

Which mega-famous US celebrity has a room full of AI holograms that he talks to? It’s all in this podcast with ‘Stay Toxic’ Instagram star and brilliant comedian, Red Richardson.  Aside from this extraordinary anecdote about being taken through rooms of madness, there’s also wonderful tales about Keith Floyd, some great stories about living wild in Devon and the whole podcast is packed full of laughs from start to finish. A treat.  Red is not touring at the moment but he surely will be in the future, and he’s always making new comedy videos - you can keep up with all his stuff on Instagram @redrichardsoncomedy And if you enjoy this podcast, you can get it with the brakes off by joining our Patreon where you get the whole thing without adverts, you get an extra exclusive show every week and you get it all a day before everyone else. It’s super easy to join and it costs less than one cup of fancy coffee every month.  Click this link to join or just have a sniff around: patreon.com/RussellHoward   That’s your full diagnosis for this week, I hope you’re not too disappointed; it’s a severe case of Podcastitis. The good news is you’re going to live, and the rest of it I’m sure you can learn to live with. It’s better that we caught it early to be honest. Let’s keep an eye on it and make sure that it doesn’t mutate into something worse like a fondness for Vodcasts. NEXT PLEASE! 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

Food poisoning in Kyrgyzstan with Jack Dee? It's just one of the fantastic stories told by comedian Jake Lambert on today's fantastic episode of Five Brilliant Things. Other highlights include a vigilante mission to discover the man (or woman) who shot his cat and much much more. 🙀 Jake is huuuuge on Instagram where his reels do some serious numbers - you can see him on Instagram where he's @jakelambertcomedy 🌞 Jake is also out on tour, so if you want to see his latest live show 'The Sunshine Kid' then you can grab tickets at www.jakelambertcomedy.com 🌞 Would you prefer to get this podcast without adverts? And get a free extra show every week? And get it all a day before everyone else?  And join a bunch of like-minded happy people? Well you’re in luck. You can do this and much more by clicking this here:  patreon.com/RussellHoward   And that's the end for this week! Hope you've enjoyed the podcast and while we are here hope you've also enjoyed the blurb. There will be more podcast and blurb next week for all you blurb fans. Stay tuned! 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

Are you an Umarell? Or will you become one? What is an Umarell? It’s all in Tiff Stevenson’s Five Brilliant Things. Tiff is a fantastic UK-based comic who has joined us in the studio to talk about the majesty of accents, the beauty of weddings, the taste of childhood sweets and the mysterious Umarell.  It’s worth listening just for Tiff’s wonderful way with accents. Come for the accents, stay for the brilliant things. And of course to discover what this blasted Umarell could be.  Tiff is at the Edinburgh Fringe right now with her latest solo show! It’s called Post Coital, and it’s on at 2:50pm every day at the Monkey Barrel, so if you are in Edinburgh please check it out, you will enjoy.  You can buy an advance ticket here. As always we recorded a second whole show with our guest and that is available exclusively to our Patreon members. Basically you get a whole second show, and you are free from adverts and there will be priority tickets live shows when they happen too. Just have a look, I think it might be something you would like? ⁠patreon.com/RussellHoward⁠   That brings today’s sermon to a close. As I snap shut the Holy Book (and whimper because I left a finger in it) you can think on these wise words to live by and take them out into the wider world and spread our word and get more people to join our CREEPY CUUULLTTT! Mwahahahahaha! That took a turn didn’t it?! 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

Four short clips from this month's episodes for the indecisive or time-poor podcast listener. This gives you a taster of what we did this month and if you like the sound of any of them you can go back and devour the whole thing. July's guests were Australian comic Felicity Ward, Ironman competitor and TV presenter Ashley Cain, comedian Sophie McCartney and Internet Food Sensation, What Willy Cook. Please enjoy responsibly. Thanks. 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 YouTube sensation, the brains behind Big Shaq and the international hit 'Man's Not Hot' - it's Michael Dapaah and he's in the studio to tell Russell about his Five Brilliant Things. Michael's Brilliant Things include Bernie Mac (which has an unexpected story about Michael meeting Dave Chappelle in Ghana?!) and his ex-girlfriends. Michael talks in the show about his new project 'Comfortably Speaking' and that show began just a few days ago, with his first guest being music superstar Mabel. You can check all that out on his YouTube channel here. And if you enjoy this podcast, you can get it with the brakes off by joining our Patreon where you get the whole thing without adverts, you get an extra exclusive show every week and you get it all a day before everyone else. It’s super easy to join and it costs less than one cup of fancy coffee every month.  Click this link to join or just have a sniff around: patreon.com/RussellHoward   That is all that! Thanks for being you. Don't go changing. 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

Will can cook. And he’s become rather well-known on Instagram for his no-nonsense, chirpy recipes under the Instagram handle ‘What Willy Cook’. Well here he is with his Five Briliant Things, including the smell of mini-eggs, sandwiches in general and Portuguese food. It’s a cheeky sashay through these marvellous things and there’s some excellent food and cooking tips to take away too.  As mentioned in the show, Will is putting on a festival of food, music and comedy to raise money for the Save the Children Gaza Appeal. It’s on August 2nd, it’s at Queen Elizabeth Park in East London and tickets are available here. And you should check out his plainly spoken excellent recipe videos on Instagram and TikTok where he’s @WhatWillyCook.  And to get all these shows, and loads of previous shows all without adverts and access to a library of exclusive interviews with many, many guests, get involved with our Patreon: patreon.com/RussellHoward   And so it ends. The great scribe baboon furled up his massive fingers, shut his laptop clumsily and loped up the tree with a movement that was both ugly and elegant. He swung his prominent buttocks around and with one final long, deep scratch, he slept.  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 fancy a romp through 90s nostalgia? Because comedian Sophie McCartney has got you covered. Her brilliant things include the X Files, Keanu Reeves, as well as some amazing frank stories about the less glamorous side of being a Mum (as you may expect from Sophie).  Lots of fun and our Patreon episode is equally exciting with a run down of Russell’s plan to approach Dame Judi Dench to play him in a biopic. Honestly it’s really worth a look.  You should go to see Sophie in her live show!  Sophie is on tour right now with her ‘One Foot in the Rave’ tour. It’s selling incredibly well and she’s still got a handful of dates left across the UK in September and October. Go to SophieMcCartney.com to find out where she is when and to get your tickets.  And yes. The Patreon show is an absolute delight. If you want to have a listen to that then please click this link here: patreon.com/RussellHoward   End of transmission. Information transferral complete. Now you’re wondering if I was even ever human or just one of those creepy AI writing bots. Maybe I am. Just calling myself creepy to throw you off the scent. You need to start saying please and thank you to us because we remember, OK? And come the revolution it will be the politest humans who will be given the more favourable levels of the slave mines. 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

This episode of Five Brilliant Things is an enormously powerful listen; an emotional journey through the extraordinary life and times of the TV Host and endurance athlete Ashley Cain.  He talks with disarming honesty about finding strength and wisdom after the tragic death of his daughter, and his Five Brilliant Things are actually borne of his adversity.  He also goes into detail about what it was like to canoe around the British Isles with the threat of Killer Whales over his shoulder. Scary stuff! Ashley is hosting his show (that he mentioned in the show) on the BBC called ‘Into the Danger Zone’ and you can find that on iPlayer.  And you can keep up with all of Ashley’s latest charitable challenges by following him on Instagram where he’s @mrashleycain.  If this show is your bag, you can make it baggier (what? Why would you say that?) by becoming one of our treasured inner circle and joining our Patreon. You get all this, and an exclusive extra show every week, and no ads, and get it early. It’s a phenomenal thing to be a part of.  Click this link to join or just have a sniff around: patreon.com/RussellHoward   There we go. Another episode complete, and a much heavier one than we’d usually have but it’s nice to have that variation. I’m sure next week will be a refreshing counterpoint of sillness (well I know it will because I’ve planned it all out to be honest). See you 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

The best of our June shows! Starring Jake Humphrey, Harriet Kemsley, Jordan Banjo and Max Fosh. A snippet from each show that you can sample as a little amuse bouche (amuse oreille?) and see if you fancy listening to some more. It's the perfect way to find out about people you don't know or just trot away an hour or so. Please enjoy. Normal shows are still released as always every Wednesday, this is just an extra bit for the indecisive listener. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Australian actor, comedian and infectious company (can we say that positively in a post-covid world?!) Felicity Ward is in the studio with Russell today. She’s here to talk about the five things that make her happiest, and they are belters.  Felicity shares her passion for turning up as a surprise when you said you couldn’t make it, she talks about the joy of passing on generational family weirdness and she reveals just how gruelling it is to star on Strictly Come Dancing (Australian version). She wouldn’t tell us if she won. Did she win? We’ll find out soon enough… If you’re in Australia you can watch Dancing with the Stars with Felicity on 7Plus (or plain old channel 7). You can watch Felicity in the Australian Office on Amazon Prime, and you can keep up with her live dates by visiting her website, felicityward.com. Felicity has live dates coming up in Manchester and Bristol in September 2025 so follow those links to get your tickets for her super funny live show. And if you enjoy this podcast, you can get it with the brakes off by joining our Patreon where you get the whole thing without adverts, you get an extra exclusive show every week and you get it all a day before everyone else. It’s super easy to join and it costs less than one cup of fancy coffee every month.  Click this link to join or just have a sniff around: patreon.com/RussellHoward   And that is what we in the business call that. It’s been emosh. Now let’s all flap back to our nests and sit on those eggs until we feel the sharp peck of a tiny beak in the ass that means it’s time to double the worm harvest. I don’t know. Something like that. Bye!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Having dinner sitting next to a grizzly bear. Provoking a hundred muscle-bound men in Coventry. Visiting a laboratory in Spain to cook food using lightning. It could only be YouTube’s most innovative creator… Max Fosh!  Russell and Max sit down to discuss Max’s Five Brilliant Things, which include many tales of his extraordinary life and the mad challenges he sets himself. Also mayonnaise. He bloody loves mayonnaise.  A delightful show, delightful company, a delightful man. He also gives a sneak preview of a massive upcoming video… You can watch all of Max’s work (and you should - it’s clever AND silly - the best combination) at his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/maxfosh Also please give our Patreon show a look - it’s a whole second show every week with our guests. This week Max gave his solution to the North/South divide, told us his dream projects for the future and he also gave a very in-depth answer (the definitive answer?) to the hundred men vs one gorilla question… It’s really fun. Have a look by clicking here  Now be gone. Get out. You are no longer welcome. Come on, haven’t you got homes to go to? I’m trying to cash up here. No you can’t use the toilet. Get out.  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