Two Mr Ps in a Pod(Cast)

Lee and Adam are back for Episode 264, Season 10 Episode 7, with the October half term getting ever closer and the next run of the Let That Be A Lesson live tour just around the corner. After a quick update on the upcoming shows, the pair catch up on what's been happening over the past week, including Adam's birthday celebrations and a memorable trip to London.

The conversation turns to birthdays, getting older and how differently we celebrate as adults. Adam reflects on how birthdays change once you've got children of your own, before sharing some highlights from his recent celebrations. Naturally, Lee isn't about to let him get away without a bit of brotherly banter.

This week's big listener thread is all about the stingiest people you've ever encountered. Lee and Adam work through a collection of stories about people taking saving money to extraordinary lengths, debating where the line sits between being sensible with your money and being downright tight. There's also a discussion about the value of time, everyday spending habits and whether some people take being frugal just a little too far.

With Halloween approaching, Lee and Adam also get into a debate about how much the occasion has changed over the years. From childhood memories to the increasingly elaborate celebrations we see today, the pair discuss whether Halloween has become too commercialised and why some people embrace it while others would happily give the whole thing a miss.

Then it's back to school for another collection of unforgettable parents' evening stories and EYFS home visits. Teachers and school staff share the awkward conversations, unexpected encounters, unusual requests and situations that nobody could possibly prepare you for. As always, Lee and Adam are left wondering how some of these things actually happen in real life.

Finally, the relationship icks make a welcome return after proving such a popular topic in previous episodes. Adam has another selection of submissions for Lee to judge, as they debate which behaviours are genuine dealbreakers and which are simply harmless quirks. It's another brilliantly ridiculous conversation that proves sometimes the smallest things can give someone the biggest ick.

​📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

Lee and Adam are back for Episode 263, Season 10 Episode 6, and this week they have finally made it to a professional space. The pair are recording in the Manchester Podcast Studio courtesy of the team at TeachMate, taking in the proper setup after eight years of podcasting. With the Let That Be A Lesson tour's October run getting ever closer, excitement is also building for the upcoming live show in London on the 26th.

The conversation kicks off with a look at Artificial Intelligence in the school community. While Lee and Adam discuss how platforms like TeachMate are helping ease teacher workloads, they have plenty of laughs about the less successful uses of AI. Adam then puts Lee through the blind ranking challenge, attempting to order the absolute worst things a teacher can hear at the end of the school day. The dread of forgotten twilight staff meetings, late child pickups, unexpected requests from SLT, and the terrifying "we've had the call" for an Ofsted inspection all go head-to-head as Lee tries to decide what truly deserves the number one spot.

The pair also dive into a hilarious discussion about the most insane and easily disprovable lies people have ever told with complete confidence. From primary school children claiming they invented Facebook or Pokémon, to adults trying to pass off their mates' celebrity encounters as their own, listeners share brilliant stories of people doubling down on the most ridiculous fibs.

Finally, it's time for a brilliant collection of EYFS home visit stories from Early Years staff. Lee and Adam work their way through the awkward living room setups, aggressive pets, fully inflated adult dolls, and the completely surreal offer of some homemade breastmilk scones that prove home visits can be one of the most unpredictable parts of the job.

​

​📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

Lee and Adam are back for Episode 262, Season 10 Episode 5, and this week they're recording virtually for the first time this series. Lee checks in from a Premier Inn in Grimsby, there's a look back at the podcast's lockdown recording days, and the pair give an update on the upcoming Let That Be A Lesson live shows as the October run gets ever closer.

The nostalgia levels are high this week as Lee and Adam take a trip back to the glory days of the British nightclub. With the UK's nightlife scene changing dramatically, they reminisce about the sticky floors, cheap drinks, questionable venues and legendary local clubs that provided a rite of passage for anyone growing up in the 90s and early 2000s.

Adam then puts Lee through a slightly different challenge as they attempt to decide which everyday behaviours are the most annoying. Bad manners, a complete lack of self awareness, irritating public habits and those little things people do that instantly wind you up all go head to head as Lee tries to decide what really takes the biscuit.

The conversation inevitably leads to the types of people and behaviours that drive Lee and Adam mad, including those who always have to go one better, people who dominate every conversation and the importance of sometimes being able to simply admit that you don't know something. As always, a few personal grievances manage to find their way into the discussion too.

Finally, it's time for a brilliant collection of parents' evening stories from teachers and school staff. Lee and Adam work their way through the awkward conversations, unusual requests, unexpected encounters and completely surreal situations that prove parents' evening can be one of the most unpredictable nights in the school calendar.

​📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

Lee and Adam are back for Episode 261, Season 10 Episode 4, as the countdown to the October half term and the next run of live shows continues. After a quick tour update, they get straight into this week's blind ranking as Adam attempts to rank some of the nation's favourite crisp brands without knowing what's coming next.

The conversation then takes an unexpected turn into food, health and some of the habits Lee has been trying to change recently. There's also time for Lee and Adam to answer some listener questions, covering everything from football and teaching abroad to career choices, classroom superpowers and the advice they've been very happy to ignore.

​

This week's big listener thread is all about those painfully embarrassing moments that never quite leave you. Lee and Adam work their way through a brilliant collection of awkward encounters, misunderstandings, public disasters and moments that still make people cringe years after they happened. Then it's back into the classroom for some of the funniest and most unexpected things teachers have witnessed while working in schools. As ever, the stories prove that children have an incredible ability to say or do something completely unexpected at exactly the right, or wrong, moment. The second half of the episode is dedicated to ultimate teaching fails, with listeners sharing those occasions when lessons, trips, observations and everyday school life have gone spectacularly off plan. Lee and Adam discuss the moments where teachers have had to think on their feet, recover from disaster and somehow carry on as though everything is completely under control.

Finally, the teaching fails continue with some truly unforgettable moments from across the profession. From the pressures of parents' evenings and inspections to classroom mishaps and unfortunate slips of the tongue, it's another reminder that however carefully you plan your day in school, there's always something waiting to completely derail it.

📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

Lee and Adam are back for Episode 260, Season 10 Episode 3, with another hour of teacher stories, questionable conversations and absolute chaos. They kick things off with a reminder about the next leg of the Let That Be A Lesson live tour before discussing why teenagers seem to find absolutely everything cringe and whether growing up in a world where every embarrassing moment can be filmed has made young people more afraid of putting themselves out there.

This week's blind ranking puts Adam through eight painfully awkward everyday situations. From waving back at someone who wasn't actually waving at you and going in for a hug when they offer a handshake, to accidentally liking a seven year old Instagram post and farting in a completely silent room, the pair decide which moments would make them want the ground to swallow them up. The relationship "icks" are back after last week's discussion went down a storm, and somehow they've got even more ridiculous.

Things then turn to the strangest lunches people have ever witnessed their colleagues eating at work. Naturally, this also leads Lee and Adam into a detailed discussion about their own questionable eating habits and the unwritten rules about what foods are acceptable at different times of day. Teacher tired returns with yet more evidence that working in education can completely scramble your brain. That's before the episode moves into some brilliantly awkward school moments involving Ofsted, parents' evening, unfortunate typos and children saying exactly what they shouldn't at exactly the wrong moment.

Finally, Lee and Adam finish with another collection of stories that perfectly capture why working in schools is unlike any other job.

​📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

We sit down with the director of Bad Apples, the dark comedy starring Saoirse Ronan, to talk classroom chaos, good intentions and some very bad decisions. From working with Saoirse and a lively cast of young actors to Ofsted pressures and the vital role of support staff, they explore the real school experiences behind the film’s outrageous premise, and ask what it would take to make education work for every child.

Bad Apples is in UK cinemas September 18th.

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

Lee and Adam are back for Episode 259, Season 10 Episode 2, as everyone settles into the first full week of the new academic year. They kick things off by reflecting on their special screening of Bad Apples in Manchester, where more than 70 teachers and school staff joined them for the film, popcorn and a post screening Q&A. Lee also shares his rather surreal trip to Twickenham, where he found himself putting Prem rugby players through their paces with some school themed questions.

The pair then dive into some of the worst INSET and staff training stories ever sent into the podcast. Lee and Adam ask what actually makes CPD useful and why so much wellbeing training completely misses the point. This week's blind ranking throws Lee and Adam straight back into the playgrounds of the 1990s. There are also some absolutely brutal pupil burns and one of the more questionable classroom Google searches we've ever heard. The conversation then turns to relationship "icks" and the best advice teachers have ever received, the pair share genuinely useful teacher tips around relationships, workload, work life balance, behaviour and some simple classroom hacks that might actually make the year a little easier.

Finally, the first full week back appears to have already taken its toll as listeners share their finest examples of "teacher tired". The episode finishes on a much more wholesome note with a brilliant story about a teacher helping a nervous pupil find her confidence, reminding us all why those special teacher moments make the chaos worthwhile.

​📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

Season 10 is here! Lee and Adam are back for Episode 258 with a special back to school episode, recorded for the first time from Podcast Studios Manchester - podcaststudiomanchester.uk. After catching up on their summers, the pair are ready to help everyone face the start of another school year with plenty of laughs, questionable stories and the usual teacher chaos.

First up, Lee and Adam discover possibly the most ridiculous classroom idea yet: a designated farting area known as the "Gas Station". They debate whether any teacher would be brave enough to introduce one, how quickly pupils would turn it into a competition and whether it is only a matter of time before Ofsted starts inspecting schools' fart corners.

The first blind ranking of Season 10 is all about those little things that come with going back to school in September. From seeing your teacher bestie and catching up on the summer gossip to fresh whiteboard pens, new exercise books, meeting new staff and that all important free lunch on INSET day, Lee has to decide what really makes the return to school worthwhile.

There are plenty more back to school confessions and memories, including the niche things teachers love and hate about September, questionable INSET days and the playground rumours everyone somehow believed growing up. Lee and Adam also get onto teachers spending their own money on classroom supplies, the joy of getting back into a routine and all those strange little things that signal the start of another academic year.

Things then take a surprisingly wholesome turn as Lee and Adam share some incredible "full circle" moments sent in by teachers. From former pupils becoming teachers themselves to ex students returning years later to thank the person who believed in them, the stories are a brilliant reminder that teachers often have no idea just how much of an impact they are having at the time. Some of these genuinely hit Lee and Adam right in the feels.

And, of course, it wouldn't be Two Mr Ps in a Podcast without finishing with an absolute teaching disaster. One NQT feels so guilty about not marking a pupil's book that, rather than simply admitting it, she turns off the classroom lights and hides underneath her desk. Unfortunately, the pupil comes looking for her, discovers her hiding place and forces her to come up with one of the most ridiculous excuses imaginable. Welcome back to school, everyone!

📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

This week, Lee and Adam are joined by Charlie Burley, better known as the Teachers Health Coach, for an honest and practical conversation about teacher wellbeing, burnout and what schools can do to better support their staff. Charlie shares the personal story that led him from primary teaching into coaching, following his own experience of chronic stress, anxiety and a panic attack in the classroom.

The discussion explores why wellbeing has become such a major issue across education, looking at the biggest contributing factors including workload, increasing pupil needs, funding pressures, parental expectations and the growing demands placed on schools. Charlie also shares the latest findings from his wellbeing white paper and explains why, despite small signs of progress, there is still a long way to go.

Lee and Charlie debate why many school wellbeing initiatives miss the mark, discussing everything from compulsory team-building activities to token gestures such as cakes and "hug in a mug" style initiatives. Instead, they argue that meaningful wellbeing comes from long term cultural change rather than one off events or tick box exercises.

Charlie introduces his practical "Six Cs" framework for improving wellbeing in schools, covering connection, care, capacity, clarity, competency and contribution. They discuss how school leaders can make realistic improvements even within the constraints of funding, staffing and accountability, while also recognising that creating a healthy culture is everyone's responsibility.

The conversation also tackles Ofsted, accountability and the wider education system. Lee and Charlie discuss whether the current inspection model is fundamentally damaging staff wellbeing, why so much teacher workload feels disconnected from improving learning, and what lessons England could learn from education systems around the world.

Finally, Charlie shares practical advice for teachers looking after their own wellbeing outside school. From rebuilding an identity beyond teaching and setting healthier boundaries, to managing social media, slowing down in everyday life and making time for hobbies again, this episode is packed with realistic, actionable ideas for anyone working in education.

📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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

*This week, Lee and Adam are joined by Dave Robertson MP, a former physics teacher, trade union activist and now Member of Parliament. Dave shares his journey from the classroom to Westminster, explaining how a career in teaching, followed by years supporting teachers through the union movement, ultimately led him into politics and why he believes more teachers should have a voice in Parliament.*

*The conversation explores what life as an MP is really like*, from the realities of working in Westminster and representing constituents to how the skills developed in teaching have proved invaluable in politics. Dave also explains why teachers often make excellent politicians, thanks to their ability to communicate, adapt quickly and solve problems under pressure.

*Education quickly takes centre stage*, as Lee, Adam and Dave discuss funding pressures, academy trusts and why he believes stronger accountability is needed for multi academy trusts. They debate leadership pay, school budgets, teacher workload and why supporting teachers should remain at the heart of any education reform.

*The trio also tackle some of the biggest challenges facing schools today*, including SEND reform, inclusion, Education, Health and Care Plans, and the ongoing struggle to secure sufficient funding. Dave shares his thoughts on the government's proposed reforms, why inclusion benefits every child, and the importance of ensuring ambition is matched with investment.

*Ofsted and school accountability come under the spotlight*, with an honest discussion about the impact inspections have on teachers, whether the current system is fit for purpose and what meaningful reform could look like. Lee, Adam and Dave debate the balance between supporting school improvement and providing parents with useful information, while reflecting on why so many teachers have lost confidence in the inspection process.

*Finally, the conversation broadens to politics, public debate and the challenges of modern democracy.* Dave reflects on navigating social media, dealing with online abuse, listening to opposing viewpoints and why respectful disagreement is becoming increasingly difficult. He also shares insights into the parliamentary petitions process and why better conversations, rather than louder arguments, are essential if politics is to rebuild trust with the public.

📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

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