Jo chews the Christmas fat with author, critic, comic and musician, Marc Burrows. Jo delves deeper into what inspired Marc's latest book The Story of the Christmas No.1 - Mistletoe and Vinyl. Listen up for some festive music facts. Find out why Simon Cowell makes the X Factor winner a Christmas No.1,  why The Beatles are to blame for everything and who tried to ban Christmas. 

He writes, mostly about music and film, for The Guardian, The Observer, The Quietus, the i Paper, Music OMH, the New Statesmen and Hey U Guys among many others. His biography of the brilliant, Sir Terry Pratchett, The Magic of Terry Pratchett was published in 2020 to considerable acclaim, winning the Locus Award for best non fiction in 2021. Also check out his book The London Boys: Bowie, Bolan and the 60s Teenage Dream. Buy Marc's marvellous books here.

He has a background in stand up comedy and has performed several runs of his one-man shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as around the country.

He plays bass in the cult Victoriana punk band The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing.

Enjoying Real Folk? Why not listen and subscribe to Jo's other podcast, Utter Burke, also available FREE wherever you listen.

Jo is feeling autumnal so pull up a chair grab a cuppa and join her for a cosy natter with tv, stage and voice actor, Claire Storey. You may recognise her from the long running, award winning, BBC series Call the Midwife.  Claire has also popped up on your tv screens in almost all our beloved soaps including Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Holly Oaks and Doctors. Find out how she became an actor, why everyone thinks she's a Northerner and all about her sensational, self-penned, one woman show about the fabulously flamboyant painter Gluck (Hannah Gluckenstein).

Follow Claire here.

Jo's other podcast, Utter Burke, is also available FREE wherever you listen.

Jo's back with a bang, after a summer hiatus, with the multi-talented, Sarah Callaghan who was named a Time Out One to Watch. Tune in for a frank and inspiring chat about comedy, performance poetry, her experience on BAFTA Award-winning spoken word series Life & Rhymes on Sky Arts - Hosted by Benjamin Zephaniah featuring Kae Tempest, John Berkavitch and Adaya Henry and everything in between. Including her critically acclaimed stand-up shows that achieved sell out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe/Soho Theatre, living and moving to Australia, finding her soulmate, mental health and taking time out to breathe. She is currently supporting Jason Manford on tour.

Real Folk First - Sarah also performs one of her poems 'Proceed without Certainty' and shares how her band 'The Free Thinkers' was formed. Listen to Soft Life the other performance piece Sarah mentions.

Watch Sarah's comedy and performance poetry and follow on Instagram. Her poetry can also be found in the new book from two-time Sunday Times bestselling poet, Hussain Manawer, I WANTED TO QUIT TOO.

Jo's other podcast, Utter Burke, is also available FREE wherever you listen.

Jo sets the world to rights with super talented, award-winning comedian, actor and singer, Sooz Kempner.  You may recognise Sooz from her hugely successful appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe, this year is her eleventh show. She's created tons of character comedy sketches that have gone viral and starred as Doom from The Dr Who spin-off, Doom's Day. Tune in to find out what makes Sooz tick, her thoughts on comedy, aging, SNL and why her latest show is called, Sooz Kempner is Ugly. 

Follow Sooz on Twitch, Instagram, YouTube and Bluesky  Have a listen to her podcast, Mystery on the Rocks, with Chris Stokes and Masud Milas.

Jo's other podcast, Utter Burke, is also available FREE wherever you listen. 

Funny, heartbreaking and inspirational in equal measure, this is a Real Folk to remember... Jo takes a deep dive into the background of stand-up comedian and writer, Josephine Lacey, creator of the hit five star comedy show, 'Autism Mama', 'The straight-talking comic’s debut hour is cheerfully rude and glowing with maternal love, as she describes parenting a son with autism.' The Guardian.   

Trigger warning:  Josephine's story covers her abusive childhood, a sexual assault and consequent PTSD. If you or someone you know needs help contact: National Domestic Abuse Helpline

Have a listen and gain some significant life lessons from her unique story, go see her amazing show in Wales, Brighton, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and The Soho Theatre London. Follow her on instagram here.

Share this FREE podcast with anyone who you think may benefit.
Jo's second podcast, Utter Burke, is also available FREE wherever you listen. 

Jo catches up with Sophie Haydock, Sunday Times and Guardian journalist, author of The Flames 'One of the finest historical authors of 2022', The Times. Her latest book, Madame Matisse, is released on 6th March 2025. Sophie delicately weaves fact and fiction to flesh out the stories surrounding the women that inspired Egon Schiele and Henri Mattise.  Find out more about her passion for art, storytelling and why she wanted to spotlight, the often omitted, stories of women in the 20th Century.  You will be surprised to learn which Hollywood actor follows her work, her favourite muddy hobby and why she's off to the North Pole. Follow her work here: @egonschieleswomen and www.sophie-haydock.com

If, like Jo, you have always been intrigued by the stories that surround the Titanic tragedy, you should definitely tune in to discover more about Dan Parkes debut book, Titanic Legacy: The Captain, the Daughter and the Spy.  More twists and turns than a twisty turny thing. Jo 'dives' in to Dan's DOP work, his drone training and what triggered his lifelong obsession with the Titanic. If you loved the hugely success Titanic film starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio this book will knock your socks off.

Dan's DOP work can be found here and his production company is Dan Park Productions. To purchase signed and numbered copies of Dan's book click here:

Jo's other podcast, Utter Burke, is also available FREE wherever you listen. 

Jo catches up with fellow actor, comedian and writer, Ben Rufus Green. On our TV screens Ben played 'David Cockfield' in both series of, Joe Wilkinson's, hilarious family comedy 'The Cockfields'. He most recently starred in Scottish BAFTA Award winning 'Dinosaur' Ashley Storrie's,  new comedy show. Also in 2024 he starred in his first feature film 'Seize Them!' starring comedy legends, Nick Frost, Jessica Hynes and Nicola Coughlan from Derry Girl and Bridgerton. This year (2025) his second feature film 'Deep Cover' will be released, starring Orlando Bloom and you can see him pop up in 'Sister Boniface' too.

Jo and Ben discuss their passion for comedy, acting and writing. Find out how Ben got started in the industry, what writing projects he is working on and his weekly 'Washing Up Club' streamed on Twitch. He also shares some tips he picked up from working with likes of Nigel Havers, the late great, Bobby Ball and Susannah Fielding, who also stars in 'The Cockfields' and played Alan Partridge's co-host Jennie in 'This Time with Alan Partridge'.  What a year he's had!

Check out Ben's website here
Watch Ben's 'Washing Up Club' on twitch here.

Jo's other podcast, Utter Burke, is also available FREE wherever you listen. 

It's the start of a New Year. What are your personal, career or business plans/goals/challenges for 2025? 

Grab a cuppa and join Jo and the marvellous, Mel Larsen, International Coach & Consultant who has been helping entrepreneurs for over three decades to joyfully trust their vision. Her work has taken her around the world, including Russia, The Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, and across Europe.

Mel shares how her childhood experiences and her phenomenal mum, perfectly primed her for her career as a consultant and led her to build a 6-figure business and become the founder of not one, but three, community-led festivals. 

As discussed in the show, below is the link to FutureSeed (a one day online workshop that runs in the first week of every year)and Mel's website:

https://www.dreamprojectcoach.com/futureseed/

Mel also kindly invited listeners to use the code: VIPSpecial to receive a £10 discount. See you there!

TikTok Pun Guy, Darren Walsh, chats to Jo about his comedy career, the fact he is absolutely NOT the other Darren Walsh, a famous animator who created Angry Kid, plus insider info on how Darren creates his viral Tik Tok Puns on the Street. You can catch Darren's latest show 'Do You Like Puns?' at Leicester Comedy Festival in Feb, Glasgow in March, London's Leicester Square Theatre in April, Brighton and Chesham in May and Hasting in June. For show tickets and to subscribe to his mailing list visit here.

Jo's other podcast, Utter Burke, is also available FREE wherever you listen.