Russell Howard’s Five Brilliant Things
Episodes
Sean McLoughlin
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
He’s often called the Comic’s Comic, he’s a really excellent stand-up and his Five Things are a fantastically esoteric collection ranging from M...
Mike Rice
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The acerbic, charming Irish stand-up is here with his Five Brilliant Things and tales from an extraordinary career, spanning from the milking sheds of...
March's Moments of the Month
04 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hello there! Welcome to March’s Moments of the Month. In case you’re new here, this is a compilation show with a little snifter of each guest w...
Dara O Briain
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The hugely acclaimed Irish Stand-up and host of Mock the Week gives a fascinating and funny hour of anecdotes. Travel with Dara on debating tours of I...
Andrew Mensah
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Andrew Mensah joins us with tales of playing Padel with Wayne Rooney, the economics of Air Force One Trainers and why there’s nothing bette...
Ben Shephard
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most popular faces from British TV is here; from This Morning, from Tipping Point and so much more it’s Ben Shephard! What comes throu...
Pierre Novellie
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Pierre is a formidable stand-up comedian and it’s a pleasure to take this wander around the corners of his fascinating brain. This fun and fascinati...
February's Moments of the Month
07 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our best of February's shows, with a little snippet of each of the four shows we slung into the world across the last month. This show ...
Shane Todd
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You want strong opinions about bananas? You’ve come to the right place. Northern Irish powerhouse comedian Shane Todd has flown in to give Russell h...
Stevie Martin
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is a cracking episode with a cracking comedian. The Taskmaster star Stevie Martin speaks with completely unguarded honesty about her favourite th...
Harry Enfield
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A true icon of British TV Comedy - it’s Harry Enfield! It’s no exaggeration to say that he redefined a whole generation of comedy in this country,...
Amy Gledhill
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week we have the winner of the 2024 Edinburgh Best Show! One of Britain’s fastest rising comics is with us; it’s the fabulous Amy Gledhill an...
January's Moments of the Month
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From our January shows, here's a little taster of each episode so you can get a flavour of the things we got up to with our wonderful guests: Comedia...
Charlie Higson
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
British Sketch Comedy Royalty in the studio. One of the core cast of the iconic Fast Show is here and his name is Charlie Higson! He lays out the Five...
Dan Snow
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Fascinating, delightful company. That’s what Historian Dan Snow is. I suppose the skill of any historian worth their salt is to use that historical ...
Tom Rosenthal
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Rosenthal is a comedian with a deep interest in all things: His Brilliant Things include The Danish Gambit, The Golden Ratio and Trip Reports. Thi...
Daniel Foxx
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why is it the ruder the waiter, the more it gets Daniel Foxx excited? The laconic comedian is here to explain the beauty of surly service, the simple ...
Bridget Christie
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Superb comedian Bridget Christie is here. She’s won the Edinburgh Award, she’s been nominated for oodles of comedy prizes, she’s written and per...
December's Moments of the Month
03 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From our December shows, here's a little taster of each episode so you can get a flavour of the things we got up to with our wonderful guests: Docto...
Rory Sutherland
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marketing expert and thinker-outside-the-box, Rory Sutherland is here with his Five Brilliant Things and they all begin with the letter C: Consumerism...
Russell's Best Bits of 2025
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Christmas! This week Russell looks back over all of the shows from 2025 and picks his favourite moments from 52 x 5 Brilliant Things (So…quick...
Ross Noble
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of Britain’s most mercurial and naturally talented stand-ups of all time, Ross Noble sits down with Russell to explain how he went from a school...
Ania Magliano
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ania Magliano loves gossip, and she’s here to share some CHOICE cuts of the stuff. From Taskmaster, Stand-up Ania is in the studio and she’s runni...
Adam Kay
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Doctor, author, comedian, musician Adam Kay tells Russell about the things that he’s discovered that are brilliant. It’s a laugh-out-loud funny sh...
November's Moments of the Month
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello, here's a round up of the best bits from the last month of shows, featuring the fantastic comic Kerry Godliman (she's so funny), wine expert Tom...
Mo Amer
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Palestinian-American stand-up sensation Mo Amer is here! He’s on a tour of Europe, he’s in the UK for a couple of days and he came into the studio...
Susie Dent
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Countdown's Dictionary Corner it’s Susie Dent! Susie is here with her Five Brilliant Things and they are as fascinating and vocabulary-expan...
Tom Gilbey
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wine Wine Wine! Tom Gilbey is one of the UK’s top wine experts and he also talks about it like a normal person! This podcast takes us through the th...
Kerry Godliman
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
She’s the star of Whitstable Pearl, AfterLife and Taskmaster. She’s a phenomenal stand-up comedian and she’s Kerry Godliman, here to tell Russel...
October's Moments of the Month
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's all the best bits from October's shows! A tasting plate of the shows we've already broadcast this month and if you've been too busy to listen to ...
Pete Firman
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You know Pete Firman. He’s charming. He’s northern and he pops up on your Instagram or TikTok with fantastic magic tricks, illusions and comedy. P...
Horatio Gould
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the hit podcast Fin vs History, it’s the nascent comedy superstar Horatio Gould! He’s here to explain why Men need to start doing more B...
Nick Mohammed
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Star of Celebrity Traitors, and Ted Lasso, and Slow Horses…Nick Mohammed is here revealing the five things that make him happiest. What happened ...
Sally Lindsay
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Corrie, Phoenix Nights and the Madame Blanc Mysteries, Sally Lindsay is here with her Five Brilliant Things and they are belters. It’s a romp ...
Dom Joly
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Which famous author does Dom Joly feel he may have to kill in order to get his perfect job? And why is he compelled to jump off every high perch that...
September's Moments of the Month
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A bumper month of truly excellent shows! This podcast contains the best bits of each of our September shows so there's no new content (unless you incl...
Joanna Page
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Joanna Page nearly cock up her Gavin and Stacey audition? How did she end up following Kenneth Branagh around in secret? The stories, the s...
Phil Ellis
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
He’s in Taskmaster, he’s had his own Radio series and for years he’s been one of the downright funniest stand-ups in Britain. Welcome to the Fiv...
Taylor Tomlinson
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedy megastar Taylor Tomlinson has dropped into the studio in the middle of her world tour! And as you might imagine it’s an absolute belter of an...
Georgia Tennant
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Warning: This podcast starts with Very Strong Opinions about potatoes. It continues in a similarly esoteric vein as star of The Horne Section and...
August's Moments of the Month
30 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's a taster of all the shows broadcast through August 2025, including Michael Dapaah talking about why Bernie Mac was such an influential comic, Tif...
Ardal O'Hanlon
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the best comedians to ever come out of Ireland, Ardal O’Hanlon is a complete treat. He is brimming with excellent stories from his extraordin...
Red Richardson
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Which mega-famous US celebrity has a room full of AI holograms that he talks to? It’s all in this podcast with ‘Stay Toxic’ Instagram star and b...
Jake Lambert
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Food poisoning in Kyrgyzstan with Jack Dee? It's just one of the fantastic stories told by comedian Jake Lambert on today's fantastic episode of Five ...
Tiff Stevenson
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you an Umarell? Or will you become one? What is an Umarell? It’s all in Tiff Stevenson’s Five Brilliant Things. Tiff is a fantastic UK-base...
July's Moments of the Month
02 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Four short clips from this month's episodes for the indecisive or time-poor podcast listener. This gives you a taster of what we did this month and if...
Michael Dapaah
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The YouTube sensation, the brains behind Big Shaq and the international hit 'Man's Not Hot' - it's Michael Dapaah and he's in the studio to tell Russe...
What Willy Cook
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Will can cook. And he’s become rather well-known on Instagram for his no-nonsense, chirpy recipes under the Instagram handle ‘What Willy Cook’. ...
Sophie McCartney
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you fancy a romp through 90s nostalgia? Because comedian Sophie McCartney has got you covered. Her brilliant things include the X Files, Keanu Reev...
Ashley Cain
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of Five Brilliant Things is an enormously powerful listen; an emotional journey through the extraordinary life and times of the TV Host a...
June's Moments of the Month
05 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The best of our June shows! Starring Jake Humphrey, Harriet Kemsley, Jordan Banjo and Max Fosh. A snippet from each show that you can sample as a l...
Felicity Ward
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Australian actor, comedian and infectious company (can we say that positively in a post-covid world?!) Felicity Ward is in the studio with Russell tod...
Max Fosh
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Having dinner sitting next to a grizzly bear. Provoking a hundred muscle-bound men in Coventry. Visiting a laboratory in Spain to cook food using ligh...
Jordan Banjo
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
JORDAN BANJO Jordan Banjo, from the Diversity street dance group, from I’m a Celeb, from Kiss FM is in the studio and his Five Brilliant Things a...
Harriet Kemsley
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Last One Laughing it’s comedian Harriet Kemsley, who is great company and with some surprising stories; her youth flying in World War Two Fight...
May's Moments of the Month
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to May's moments of the month; a show where we round up the highlights of all the episodes of the past month so you can have a nibble at all o...
Jake Humphrey
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the F1 anchor cope when David Coulthard was so hungover he’s got a bucket between his legs just out of shot? When he was hosting the footbal...
Adam Buxton
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Buxton, the OG, the Podfather, king of all things Pod is here and he’s not just brought Five Brilliant Things - he’s also brought a load of n...
Jordan Stephens
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Rizzle Kicks it’s the fabulous Jordan Stephens, and his brilliant things are brilliantly wide-ranging. What’s the greatest ever TV show in...
Jeff Innocent
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff, AKA Racist Grandad by the internet, is in the studio and his Five Brilliant Things are a wonderful trip across a rich and colourful life. In ca...
Kae Kurd
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the rudest thing a therapist can do during a session? Kae Kurd found out and tells a belter of a story in this episode all about it. This q...
Emma Gannon
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Russell gets his tarot reading live on the podcast! The guest this week is Emma Gannon, the the Sunday Times bestselling author judge for the prestigi...
Tom Kerridge
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did Tom Kerridge save a chef’s life by putting him in a gigantic fridge? It’s quite possible. But why? It’s all in today’s culinary chinwag. ...
Alex Horne
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the Taskmaster’s Assistant, Alex Horne! And he’s here to tell his Brilliant things and as you would probably expect it’s a complete delig...
Spencer Matthews
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s it like to be hunted by the son of a murderous Libyan dictator? Spoiler: it’s not a Brilliant Thing, but it is an incredible story from thi...
Nina Conti
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nina Conti, ventriloquist supreme, her with the monkey, is in the studio (no monkey) and chooses some incredible brilliant things (the density of an a...
Jay Rayner
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you go from being a young sex columnist to a nationally acclaimed restaurant reviewer? Food writer, broadcaster, jazz pianist and egg fanatic J...
Rose Ayling-Ellis
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What family game is Rose Ayling-Ellis banned from playing in her own home? Find out in the first ever podcast appearance by the actor and Strictly Com...
Daniel Sloss
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is Russell a Paladin, a Warlock or a Rogue? Scottish comedy powerhouse Daniel Sloss introduces Russell to his world of D & D with his customary passio...
JaackMaate
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you become a Habbo Hotel Scammer? And why did Russell ask a bunch of young men which of them was going to pleasure him in the street? Podcas...
Rachel Riley
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hear Rachel Riley's plan for pay-as-you-go giant adult prams! You'll find this and all your other must-know insights into Britain's most well-known ma...
Dave Gorman
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Gorman! The man, the legend, the maker of the most epic comedy shows of the past thirty years. How could you miss this? Dave is interested in ...
Vittorio Angelone
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Northern Irish Comedian is in the studio with some outstanding Brilliant Things. If you’ve never experienced Minstrels and Popcorn, if you’ve ...
Troy Deeney
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Insider tips on how to take the perfect penalty? We got ‘em. Genuinely fascinating insights from a man with a better record than many others. Troy D...
William Hanson
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Etiquette expert William Hanson is with us, and he’s had enough of being asked the correct way to touch yourself under the table. Do you want to fin...
Andy Zaltzman
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can Russell convince Andy to go to a Water Park? And can Andy convince Russell to visit an Ancient Greek Citadel? It’s a tussle for the ages. Thi...
Jessie Cave
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is something wonderful about this episode. Jessie has been through a lot. She’s taken more life thrown at her than most other people could han...
Al Murray
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Would you expect to find the Pub Landlord chowing down in a Wagamama? Neither would we but it’s exactly where he’ll be. Al Murray tells Russell wh...
Suzi Ruffell
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You want rollerskating telephone operators? We got ‘em. You want arguments about how many gears a decent bike should have? It’s all here in this e...
Vogue Williams
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From a town planner, to dressing as a burger, to conquering the world of podcasts, Vogue Williams strides across this podcast like a Colossus, taking ...
Cariad Lloyd
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I tell you what’s fun to listen to: someone who loves cake, talking passionately about cake. Griefcast’s Cariad Lloyd sits with Russell and waxes ...
Alain de Botton
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You want wisdom? Here’s five bucketfuls of Wisdom poured into your ears. Britain’s top philosopher Alain de Botton sits down with Russell and, w...
Sara Pascoe
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Robbie Williams leave Sara a voicemail out of the blue? Sara actually plays Russell the voicemail live on the podcast. The moment when Sara wa...
Joe Marler
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does Rugby's hardest man have a dog with the least hard name? It's all in this barnstorming show with England Rugby Union Prop Joe Marler, who announc...
Giovanna Fletcher
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 - everythin...
Adam Rowe
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 wi...
David Baddiel
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 rea...
James Bay
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Allan 'Seapa' Mustafa
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Michelle Wolf
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
US Comedy superstar Michelle Wolf is with us! And as well as effortlessly funny, Michelle is a wonderful big bag of fascinating contradictions. She'...
Stephen Merchant
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Ashley Roberts
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Secrets from the Pussycat Dolls tour bus! And more! Comin’ atcha in Russell’s absolutely delightful chat with Ashley Roberts. Find out what lif...
Adam Hills
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Wo...
David O'Doherty LIVE from the Edinburgh Festival
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Ed...
Linford Christie
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did Linford Christie take part in the Dad’s race at his kids’s school sports day? Russell and Linford discuss what it’s like to be bloody qui...
48. Matt Forde
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is this simultaneously the most uplifting and heart-rending episode we've done to date? Matt Forde is Britain's foremost political comedian. Un...
47. Jason Byrne LIVE from the Edinburgh Festival
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Live from the Edinburgh Festival! Irish story-telling powerhouse and ignorer-of-the-basic-format Jason Byrne is with Russell and a packed out audience...
46. Larry Dean LIVE from the Fringe
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Live from the Edinburgh Festival! Recorded in front of a beautiful audience at the Fringe, Russell goes through the Wonderbox of the exquisite Scottis...
45. Tom Grennan
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the link between Tom Grennan and Peter Andre? It’s all in this fantastic episode of Wonderbox with British musical superstar, Tom Grennan. ...
44. Zach Zucker
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The world’s most exciting clown opens his Wonderbox, sort-of. Either you know who Zach Zucker is and you love his work, or you’re going to soon; ...