Russell Howard’s Five Brilliant Things

Welcome to Five Brilliant Things, or as it used to be known, Wonderbox. 

Like a latter-day Reginald Dwight we’ve had a wee name change - everything else is the same show that you know and love. 

And this week, the irrepressible Giovanna Fletcher is in the studio to explain the beauty of silent discos (Russell disagrees), the majesty of a dibber and some top tips for dropping your guts on a mountain. 

It’s a brilliant chat that bobs along at a lick, taking in Giovanna’s writing career, her performing and getting into the practical challenges of trekking across the Himalayas.

Giovanna can be found weekly on her Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, and she’ll be appearing across the UK in the upcoming stage production of The Girl on the Train. 

🥾 But probably most importantly, she’s in the Himalayas right now trekking to raise money for the awesome Breast Cancer Charity, CoppaFeel!  🥾

For more information about CoppaFeel! and how you can support this challenge and donate to the CoppaTrek! head to the following link - https://coppatrek-himalayas.coppafeel.org/ - to help CoppaFeel! ensure everyone has the best possible chance of surviving breast cancer.  

And for those of you wondering why a podcast would change its name… you’d be surprised if you call your podcast something as suggestive as ‘Wonderbox’ just how much attention you get from spambots. 

So unless ‘Brilliant Thing’ has become some kind of new euphemism we haven’t heard of then we should be safe for the time being. It’s Wonderbox. But now it’s called Five Brilliant Things. And we will return next week with another fabulous guest.

Goodbye! 

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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Russell sits down with Liverpool stand-up legend Adam Rowe, resident at the famous Hot Water Comedy Clubs and host of the ‘Have a Word’ Podcast with Dan Nightingale. 

Adam and Russell talk over the finer points of Liverpool the city, the football club (if you’re a Man Utd fan you can forward over that bit). Adam talks costumes, and we find out whether he finds a blow-up dinosaur costume or a banana costume more sexually attractive. 

There’s also a great bit of advice for a way of driving that makes you look sexy. So if you’re on the hunt for tips on how to get sexy (and we could all do with a bit more of that. Look at you now, sitting there, crisps in hand, reading show notes for a podcast. I mean who does that?) then this is the episode for you. 

📺 Adam’s stand-up specials are all available for you to watch FOR FREE on that there YouTube, and his latest one is out THIS FRIDAY! Here’s a link to the Have a Word Youtube channel to make that all a bit easier for you. No thanks necessary. 📺

🎤Aaand of course, like all stand-ups Adam is best eaten in a live setting, so you can get all the details of where he is when by going to his website https://www.adamrowe.co.uk/  🎤

🚴‍♂️ Adam’s off on his charity bike ride in aid of the Baby Hospice Zoe’s Place. If you’d like to sponsor Adam and donate to that brilliant cause then please go to https://cycle4zoes.enthuse.com/pf/adam-rowe 🚴‍♂️

Russell is in various parts of the world doing his tour show, and occasionally popping back to the UK to try out some new bits in smaller clubs. Often found at Top Secret Comedy Club in London. Find out his dates and get some trinkets if that’s your thing at Russell-howard.co.uk

We go. We come back again same time week on from now. Egg Man say bye bye. 

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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David Baddiel has a story to tell about his upbringing and it’s… one of the most incredible stories you’ll hear in a long time. You may have read about it in his book, or seen his show, but if not then get involved in this Wonderbox and you’ll never look at a golf club in the same way ever again.

David takes Russell through a blow-by-blow account of a family life that was let’s say unusual, and he doesn’t spare any details. 

It’s funny, it’s astonishing, it’s just a fascinating hour in the company of a brilliant brain, telling a hell of a story. 

For more things David, his website is a great start-point for watching things, buying books, all that fun: https://www.davidbaddiel.com/

And the book that we chat about in the podcast, it’s called My Family: The Memoir, and you can get that at your local independent bookshop. I read it and recommend so much. It flies by. 

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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How awkward is it to play a surprise set for the England Football Team when they’ve just finished training? James Bay did just this and told us all about it on this week’s podcast! 

James and Russell talk about tight silver trousers, they get into how to write a song and Russell tells what he believes to be the greatest joke he’s ever written. It’s a thoroughly relaxed, intimate chat with plenty of tales from a life on the road as a musician.

As James revealed on the podcast he has a new album out called ‘Changes All The Time’ and it’s absolutley chock full of beautiful songs. Get it by going to https://www.jamesbay.com - obviously you can get it on Spotify but if you buy one for real then you can support the artist, which I know you care about really. Imagine having the death of music on your hands. Who would want that? Not you. I know you don’t want that. 

Also please keep an eye out on Russell’s website russell-howard.co.uk for all his latest dates. He’s in all kinds of different places, like if you’re reading this on they day this podcast comes out then he’s in Galway, but if you’ve waited until Thursday then he’s no longer in Galway. You can see how there’s a limit to how much hand-holding I can provide for you. It’s time to fly the nest and find your own gig details. Be brave, you can do this.

Until next week, when there will be more inane spewing into the void, take it easy and don’t climb trees in the rain if you’ve got slippy shoes.

Producer: Dan Atkinson

Line Producer: Daisy Knight

Exec Producer: James Taylor

Composer: Fat Lady Music

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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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices