RHLSTP with Richard Herring

#353 It Was The 90s! - Richard has been tossing logs and that’s literally it for this week, so he talks to his audience for the first time in ages. His guest is author and comedian Shaparak “Shappi” Khorsandi. They discuss why she has chosen to use her birth name, the responsibilities of being a dog owner, the life of Emma Hamilton, I’m a Celebrity, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe of 2021, the moon on a stick, why ...

Book Club #132 - Cafe Chaos -  Richard interviews award winning children’s author Catherine Wilkins who has made the long journey into his annexe (who knows what he gets up to in there) to talk about her new eighth book Cafe Chaos - My Life is Not a Piece of Cake! They chat about where she got the inspiration for the situation and the characters, Richard’s modest and realistic hopes for the success of the s...

#552 The Mouse With Cumin In Its Eyes - Richard is very impressed with the thoroughness of Hitchin bins and as used to being the rudest person in any room as he is, he may have met his match in this week’s guest Poppy Hillstead. Not for those of a sensitive disposition. They discuss her brilliant new podcast, Brainwash Me and the unusual diet of the man who inspired it, which of the pair will kill the other and how on the ston...

#352 For Sport - Richard has been teaching his kid wrong information, for a payoff that will take years to come and he finally has his hands on a copy of Would You Rather? His guest is inspirational comedian/podcaster/actor/author/role model Katherine Ryan. They discuss why audacity is a good thing, why we should all find our childhood sweetheart and marry them, trying to recapture the funniness of yourself as a child, be...

Book Club #131 - The Leopard In My House - Rich talks to comedian and fellow cancer survivor Mark Steel about his absolutely brilliant book The Leopard In My House. They chat about the unlikely friendships that have come about because of his cancer, the terrific responses from other comedians, why the NHS should be treasured, the friends we have lost to the disease, why Mark now laughs at people with road rage, the d...

#551 Human Dodecapede - Richard has a new notebook and is making jokes that were topical in November 2024 (and probably still are) and has met one of his sporting heroes, for whom Rich is an unlikely hero. His guest this week is cricket statistician Andy Zaltzman. They talk about what it is to be a Taskmaster Champion, who might have had the most awkward introduction to their team on the show and the power of dressing like a s...

#351 T n T - Richard’s daughter has written a story to rival the Men of Phise and Rich has come up with a new sitcom idea. His guests are his 1990s comedy rivals Adam and Joe. Find out how Song Wars nearly caused awkwardness for Joe, whether the documentary voice over man will be in Attack the Block 2, whether a 1990s parody of how rubbish the internet is stands up today, boarding school bullying and comedy revenge, who was the bes...

Book Club #130 -  Picnic on Craggy Island - Richard talks to ex radio and TV producer and now successful novelist Lissa Evans about her fab book of reminiscences about working on Father Ted. They discuss what it is that a producer actually does (which is an awful lot as it turns out), how Lissa went from fan girl to producing the second and third series of this iconic series, the perfection of the cast...

#550 Julian Clary’s Glittery Balls - Rich pays tribute to a former guest who we have very sadly lost, but is trying to look on the bright side too and get some laughs as is only right at the death of a comedian. His guest is alive at time of recording, Nish Kumar. They talk about the new Tory leader (at time of recording) and how they compare with the sexiness of previous head honchos, how much we should tax billiona...

#350 Docking - Richard had written an actual joke and been dreaming of tiny animal attacks, plus performing music in quite an unusual way. His guest it arguably a more accomplished musician - it’s the impossibly cool and talented Louise Wener. 

They discuss the similarities of their experiences of school and the 90s, what it’s like to appear on Top of the Pops (and the impossibility of both of them getting on the show), wri...

Book Club #129 - A Voyage Around The Queen - Richard talks to journalist Craig Brown about his fantastic biography of Queen Elizabeth II, A Voyage Around the Queen. They discuss his glorious tangential approach to biography which he’s already used to great effect in books on Princess Margaret and the Beatles, how the Queen in an alternate universe might have been a more anonymous figure, how she had been there throug...

#549 Noleros - Richard has taken on a huge personal challenge for charity that might affect his ability to do his job (so what was the excuse before?). His guest is crossword compiler (though we never mention that) Dave Gorman. They talk about a jacket potato based autobiography, who the Queen is, how trying to save the planet could help terrorists, why he’s returned to Modern Life is Goodish after 7 years ad the rea...

Book Club #128 - Don’t Make Me Laugh - Richard talks to journalist Julia Raeside about her debut novel Don’t Make Me Laugh about the dark side of the comedy industry and the coercive vampiric narcissists who can inhabit it. It’s a lively chat about how comedy attracts emotionally stunted performers and emotionally vulnerable fans and the grey areas that can be created and exploited within that, the changes that ...

#547 The Higher the Hair - Rich has had a bit of trouble getting to the theatre tonight as if he didn’t have enough to put up with being roasted by his kids. But he’s here and ready to give as good as he gets with the fabulous and wise Milton Jones. They chat about bat boxes, falling off stage, turning 60, Sting’s pulling power, what it would be like to be handsome, Tricorn hats, reverse engineering puns. Piers Morga...

Book Club #127 - The Centrist Dad Handbook - Rich chats to Nico Tatarowicz about the book he cowrote with Jason Hazeley, The Centrist Dad’s Handbook. What is a Centrist Dad? Is it essentially just Rich? Why is this a stereotype that seems both fair and ripe for the picking? Is it really so bad to be someone who compromises and what does it have to say about the state of masculinity in general? Would it be possible to do a...

This very special episode is brought to you in paid partnership with Cancer Research UK. At the end of last year, myself, Matt Forde and Mark Steel sat down to have a frank, raw, funny and open conversation about something that has affected us all - cancer. We were later joined by Dr Sam Godfrey, the Science Engagement Lead at Cancer Research UK, who gave us invaluable insight into the incredible work Cancer Research...

#547 Armadillo - Richard is lonely enough to consider taking up cycling, but is he prepared to cycle 47 miles to end up where he started? His guest is posho stand up Ivo Graham. They discuss the biscuity temptations of writers’ rooms, a dangerously unfocused attitude towards Wordle, disastrous appearances on the Weakest Link, how you can’t really dine out forever on a 15 year old competition win, coming last in Taskm...

Book Club #126 - Munichs - Richard dials up Japan to talk to one of his favourite writers David Peace about his book about the Munich Air Disaster, Munichs. They talk about how David’s father made him want to cover this harrowing story, after his funnier books about Brian Clough and Bill Shankly, the delicate balance of combining history and imagination to create this relentless and mesmerising novel, the brilliance of Christo...

#546 Smash or Pass? Richard is considering becoming a sex worker, but there’s a line he will not cross. His guest is hilarious newcomer Chelsea Birkby. They chat about what it's like to do support in big theatres (and in your home town), making a gimmick of unusual physical features, the blurred area between objectification and flattery, being made to dress up as a baby by a Frenchman, whether Chelsea is bipolar or not, i...