There’s nothing worse than a sportsman sustaining an injury before a big event. Months of preparation hang in the balance, opportunities of a lifetime potentially lost forever… and just like Gareth Bale ahead of the upcoming World Cup there were questions about whether John would be able to present today’s show after sustaining an injury to his calf. But you know John… he’s able to power through ANYTHING, and fresh from a long bath he rolled back the months and presented the show from home - wit...
Nov 11, 2022•2 hr 3 min
Every once in a while Elis and John will pull a topic out of thin air that causes the text console to explode; and their ability to engage the nation is something they take pride in. However, today it was the turn of listener Ian to grab the nation's attention with his submission to Petty Parliament… and what a topic it was (caution: you WILL have your own opinion on it). We speak to an Unsung Hero who plays a very important role in the world of Strictly Come Dancing, there’s a Made Up Game that...
Nov 04, 2022•2 hr 1 min
It feels like a lifetime since Elis, John and Producer Dave were all in the same room together, but fresh from their respective trips away (stag do and golf do) not only were they returning to the studio… They were also returning to give YOU a lesson in how live radio should be: fast, loose, and with off-the-cuff quizzes. After Elis’s shocking revelation that he doesn’t wash his face the guys chat to a skin doctor about whether a change of routine is needed, John throws Elis under the bus when t...
Oct 28, 2022•2 hr 2 min
Elis and John are both taking a much deserved break from their regular slot this week. No, they aren’t heading to a couples retreat in Bali to “find themselves”; Elis is going on a stag do and John is off to play golf. So, like the dedicated broadcasters they are, the guys reconvened on a crisp Sunday morning to ensure that no one has to go a week without their usual fix of affable broadcasting. As well as all the usual fun there was a calamitous performance in a Made Up Game, Elis tells a joke ...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 44 min
Due to #factors Elis and John didn’t present a live show today; but not ones to let you, the listener, miss out on their weekly dose of chat they decided to record a bonus episode. It’s laid back, it’s loosey goosey, it’s chilled, it’s a jam. Producer Dave reveals that he didn’t invite John on a special lash, Elis steps behind the microphone after a challenging week, John shares that he’s off for a walk with the SWC and to celebrate National Album Day the guys speak to the artist who designed th...
Oct 14, 2022•1 hr 18 min
Today Elis returned from his end of summer break feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, and sat down on a seat that had been kept suitably warm by Ivo Graham. Not one to rest on his laurels he was ready to raise the temperature of that seat even more by jumping head first into some riveting topics of conversation. Yes, Elis James and John Robins were able to prove once again that they know exactly what the country want to talk about by pulling not one but TWO topics of conversation out of thin air t...
Oct 07, 2022•2 hr 13 min
With Elis James spending this Friday sunning himself in Wales it was down to John to choose a suitable co-host to take his place. It was a drawn out process featuring seven preliminary rounds of auditioning, two auditions in front of a live audience and an arm wrestle. The victor, and sharing the airwaves with John this week, was none other than Ivo Graham; and boy did he relish the opportunity. Making his first appearance as an official co-host, Ivo really embraced the cut and thrust nature of ...
Sep 30, 2022•2 hr 3 min
If you surveyed 100 residents of the United Kingdom and asked them what it is exactly that they want from a radio show (similar to RAJAR: radio's primary source of audience data) they'd probably list the following: a discussion with an ethical hacker, a feature where two grown men try to estimate the weight of a welly based on feel alone, and regular reminders of how much one of the presenters needs a nap. Following on from the aforementioned survey a panel of creatives would probably gather and...
Sep 24, 2022•2 hr 11 min
On Friday 9th September John Robins was due to go away, which meant he, Elis and Producer Dave spent the evening of Monday 5th September pre-recording a show so that you the listener didn't miss out on any content. However, after the sad news that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away on Thursday 8th the BBC decided that having Elis and John on air less than 24 hours later might have been a bit too jovial given the circumstances. We didn't want this show to go the same way as the oft spoken of "Pub...
Sep 22, 2022•1 hr 48 min
This afternoon Elis and John returned to the airwaves of BBC 5 Live and proved once more that there is no form of broadcasting that they can’t turn their hand to. Agonisingly conscious of the sage ‘tone’ advice from Adrian Chiles ringing in their ears they repaid 5 Live’s trust with some top level radio (and even threw in the odd anecdote for good measure). Elis shares that his house is falling apart, John tells the guys about his current eating routine, our Unsung Hero critiques Producer Dave’s...
Sep 16, 2022•1 hr 52 min
Oh it’s nice to be back home isn’t it? The guys had a fun time away from each other but nothing beats the feeling of breathing the same air, nodding at the same winks and having a go at Producer Dave for not Backing Britain in person. Yes, today saw Elis, John and Dave reunited for the first time in what felt like months (when it was, in fact, only one month), and they put on a show deserving of the 2-4pm slot on a national BBC radio station. Giddy, and with a sense of excitement (Elis) and leth...
Sep 02, 2022•2 hr 10 min
John is almost at the end of his Fringe run, which meant that today’s show was the last from his now-beloved Edinburgh studio. But did he shed a tear in memory of his extended break up north coming to its climax? Absolutely not, because it means from next week he, Elis and Producer Dave will be reunited in London; live from the epicentre of radio. It’s safe to say this show had it all: there was a surprise new feature from Elis, Producer Dave introduced a smashing clip-based Made Up Game, Alison...
Aug 26, 2022•2 hr 4 min
This week’s show was one for the triangulation fans amongst you. Elis, John and Producer Dave presented the show from London, Edinburgh and Salford respectively; thus creating a scalene triangle that spanned the length of the nation, full to the brim of ideas, features, guests, and even a little bit of light ribbing. The guys were joined by the wonderful Thanyia Moore to chat about her debut Edinburgh show, there was a discussion around the emergence of certain accents, Elis interrupted one of J...
Aug 19, 2022•1 hr 54 min
Elis may be the kind of person that constantly has content at the forefront of his mind and body, but even he sometimes has to put other life events first. So in order to enable him to go on holiday to celebrate Isy’s birthday, this week's show was specially pre-recorded at 8.30pm on a Monday evening (ironically interrupting Producer Dave’s holiday in Portugal). Poet and comedian extraordinaire Rob Auton pops round John’s Edinburgh flat to perform some specially curated poetry and chat about his...
Aug 12, 2022•1 hr 44 min
Och aye the noo! John Robins is up in Edinburgh for the Fringe throughout the whole of August, so for today's show he joined Elis and Producer Dave live from Scotland via an ISDN line (think tin can and string but more advanced). To celebrate the fact he’s currently staying in the centre of the comedy universe John invited comedic royalty Richard Herring along to talk about things he takes too seriously, as well as asking him to propose a law to Petty Parliament. Elsewhere, Elis tells us about h...
Aug 05, 2022•2 hr 5 min
After an extended break away from each other, Elis and John returned to the airwaves of 5 Live this afternoon and reaffirmed that when they’re in the same room together they create unstoppable radio. As a side note, John will be in Edinburgh from next week so they’re going to be broadcasting from separate locations for the next month. In a show that could only be described as “a radio version of Sgt Pepper” the guys spoke to an interior design master about the rise in glass toilet doors, a Commo...
Jul 29, 2022•2 hr
With Elis holidaying in Bedford, Lou Sanders was once again parachuted in to keep Johnny JR in check, and what a job she did. Amongst the fun, we were given rare access to the heart of the Lionesses den, as footballing legend Ellen White joined us to discuss England’s chances of going all the way in Euro 2022. She also told Lou who her best friend was. Elsewhere, this week’s Made Up Game was criminally good, Mystic Megan joined us from Wales, and we were treated to some pretty graphic DIY surger...
Jul 22, 2022•1 hr 58 min
For the past few weeks sport has dominated the airwaves at 5 Live, so Elis James and John Robins got to take a much-needed break from their usual broadcasting schedule. And you know their favourite way to relax? That's right: by creating content for you to enjoy in place of their regular podcast. In the final episode of this three-part series Elis, John and Producer Dave embark on the journey of a lifetime to a place that none of them have ever visited. So far they've been to somewhere hot, they...
Jul 15, 2022•58 min
As part of The Podcast Show Live 2022 Elis and John were let off the leash in a matinee for the ages at the Islington Assembly Hall, taking to the stage in front of a capacity crowd of roughly 400 PCDs (and a handful of people who had been dragged along for the day). There was poetry, prose and properly professional responses to the question of "Can you show me your squatting technique?". Not ones to stick to the rulebook the guys took some of their regular features and tweaked them to make the ...
Jul 12, 2022•1 hr 35 min
For the next few weeks sport is dominating the airwaves at 5 Live, so Elis James and John Robins get to take a much needed break from their usual broadcasting schedule. And you know their favourite way to relax? That's right: by creating content for you to enjoy in place of their regular podcast. In the second episode of this three part series Elis, John and Producer Dave are being whisked away to a location that 2/3 of them have already been to. In amongst the hustle and bustle of their new rec...
Jul 08, 2022•1 hr 2 min
He’s navigated his way around the Emerald Isle, but now it’s time for John Robins to pilot his beloved compact SUV to pastures new. Will there be golf? Yes. Will there be wind? Just a bit. Will there be pints? Of course. It’s time for him to swap limericks for lochs and set sail for the next destination in his journey of self (and content) discovery: Scotland. John’s holiday is about to come to an end, but before heading to his home in rural Buckinghamshire there’s just time for him to take a vi...
Jul 05, 2022•42 min
He's navigated his way around the Emerald Isle, but now it's time for John Robins to pilot his beloved compact SUV to pastures new. Will there be golf? Yes. Will there be wind? Just a bit. Will there be pints? Of course. It's time for him to swap limericks for lochs and set sail for the next destination in his journey of self (and content) discovery: Scotland. This episode sees John take on the seemingly impossible task of walking all the way around Loch Lomond, he gets recognised walking along ...
Jul 05, 2022•36 min
He’s navigated his way around the Emerald Isle, but now it’s time for John Robins to pilot his beloved compact SUV to pastures new. Will there be golf? Yes. Will there be wind? Just a bit. Will there be pints? Of course. It’s time for him to swap limericks for lochs and set sail for the next destination in his journey of self (and content) discovery: Scotland. The first part of John's trip around Scotland sees him taking in some breathtaking scenery: the Ayrshire coast, the Firth Of Clyde and a ...
Jul 05, 2022•29 min
For the next few weeks sport is dominating the airwaves at 5 Live, so Elis James and John Robins get to take a much needed break from their usual broadcasting schedule. And you know their favourite way to relax? That's right: by creating content for you to enjoy in place of their regular podcast. This special three part series sees Elis, John and Producer Dave being dropped into a random holiday location before delving into some of the hottest topics around (if you're a journalist at one of the ...
Jul 01, 2022•42 min
They say that if you give a man a fish you can feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and you can feed him for a lifetime. But what happens if you give two radio presenters 11 different screens in a single studio? I’ll tell you what happens: they'll produce radio that’s exciting and groundbreaking in equal measure, and that’s something you just can’t teach. To get us into the mood for festival season Elis and John speak to a Glastonbury Unsung Hero, John flexes his geographical muscles in a...
Jun 24, 2022•1 hr 54 min
To celebrate entering his fifth decade John Robins decided to undertake the trip of a lifetime. He packed up his beloved compact SUV (the make and model of which will definitely become clear) with a bag of golf clubs, a microphone and a sense of adventure and left rural Buckinghamshire for his destination: Ireland. He went in search of answers, but ended up finding something much more important: content. It’s the final part of John’s windy journey around Ireland, and in this episode he explores ...
Jun 21, 2022•24 min
To celebrate entering his fifth decade John Robins decided to undertake the trip of a lifetime. He packed up his beloved compact SUV (the make and model of which will definitely become clear) with a bag of golf clubs, a microphone and a sense of adventure and left rural Buckinghamshire for his destination: Ireland. He went in search of answers, but ended up finding something much more important: content. With the wind in his sails (often being picked up by his microphone) John celebrates his fir...
Jun 21, 2022•25 min
To celebrate entering his fifth decade John Robins decided to undertake the trip of a lifetime. He packed up his beloved compact SUV (the make and model of which will definitely become clear) with a bag of golf clubs, a microphone and a sense of adventure and left rural Buckinghamshire for his destination: Ireland. He went in search of answers, but ended up finding something much more important: content. In the first episode of this three part series John makes the long journey up the M6, takes ...
Jun 21, 2022•32 min
With the people of London basking in some of the best weather we’ve seen this year Elis and John raised the temperature even more with some red hot broadcasting that certainly left Producer Dave sweating at times. But like a perfectly balanced see-saw they were able to level out the sweltering heat with some of the coolest anecdotes out there (most notably one involving Elis playing Nirvana on an electric guitar). As well as all the usual fun Elis shares a scripted intro that can almost be class...
Jun 17, 2022•2 hr
If you were to ask John Robins to describe today’s show he’d probably call it a whole load of foxtrot, uniform, November (or for those that detest the phonetic alphabet: fun). The nods and winks were working like a charm and the chemistry between radio’s most dynamic duo was at an all time high; and even a controversial Made Up Game wasn’t going to change that! We caught up with resident statistician Ross to commemorate a 5 Live milestone, Elis gave us an update on his housing situation, John de...
Jun 10, 2022•1 hr 51 min
