The Variety Show

Studio:Channel84

🎙️ The Variety Show from Studio:Channel84 🚨 Rude. Fun. Unfiltered. Hosted by Rob & Tom, this chaotic duo dives deep into all things pop culture — from 🎬 movies & 🎧 music to 🎮 gaming, 🍼 parenting, and everything in between. 🕹️ Expect: 🍔 Hilarious taste tests 🧠 Quirky quizzes 🔥 Spirited debates 💥 Nostalgia overload 😵‍💫 Moments that’ll make you ask: “How did we get here?” 📅 New episodes drop every other Monday — perfect for your start-of-the-week scroll. 👀 Formerly known as The Channel 84 Variety Show, it’s still the same madness you love — just leveled up. ✅ Add it to your podcast lineup. 😂 Stay entertained. 🔊 Press play.

  1. Spice Girls vs Bono: One Must Die

    4 DAYS AGO

    Spice Girls vs Bono: One Must Die

    Episode 79 of The Variety Show from Studio:Channel84 is what happens when nostalgia, snacks, and absolute nonsense collide. The long-running cap gun saga finally gets its “satisfactory ending” — involving a suspiciously realistic cheap plastic gun, Russian/Ukrainian caps, and the discovery that modern versions are somehow louder, smokier, and more likely to explode the toy itself. Along the way, Rob and Tom question safety warnings, childhood chaos, and whether anyone actually followed the rules in the 90s. From there, things take a hard turn into music — specifically Peter Gabriel. From the brilliance of Sledgehammer and Solsbury Hill to the baffling lyrics of The Book of Love, the debate quickly becomes: how did we get here? Then it’s time for the Snack Sack — featuring Korean Pepero sticks, a bizarre chocolate “Cornetto” knock-off with unexpected flavours, and an aggressively sweet strawberry goo snack that nearly ends the episode via sugar overload. Ratings are handed out, regrets are shared, and sleep is officially cancelled. The chaos continues with a brand new game segment built around links. The main event? The Shopping Centre Challenge. Rob and Tom build their dream shopping centres using A–Z shops — from Blockbuster, Woolworths and Toys R Us to Greggs, Nando’s and Safeway. It quickly spirals into nostalgia, arguments, and the harsh reality that one of these fictional shopping centres would absolutely go bankrupt. Finally, in Was It Best Left in the 90s?, two 1997 charity songs go head-to-head — and only one survives. Spoiler: Bono never stood a chance. It’s rude, chaotic, nostalgic, and exactly what you expect. #nostalgia #90s #snacks #shopping #music

    1hr 22min
  2. The Snack Sack Disaster: Chocolate Chicken

    12 APR

    The Snack Sack Disaster: Chocolate Chicken

    This week on The Variety Show from Studio:Channel84, things start weird and somehow get even stranger. The episode opens with an unexpected Peppa Pig monologue that turns into a full-blown character assassination of Daddy Pig, Peppa, and the entire family dynamic. It’s not the Peppa Pig take you were expecting. From there the chaos continues with The Chipmunk Challenge, introducing a brand new game called Mouth Trap. The rules sound simple: explain a word without using the obvious clues. In reality it quickly turns into a frantic guessing game involving Minecraft, Mario, Alien, spaghetti, and classic playground games. Tom and Rob attempt to beat the Chipmunk at her own game — with varying levels of competence. Then comes the Snack Sack, and this might be one of the strangest taste tests we’ve ever done. First up are two imported drinks: a jasmine peach soda that tastes suspiciously medicinal, followed by a Chinese lime soda that somehow becomes one of the best drinks ever tried on the show, earning an instant perfect score. But the real disaster arrives with a snack called Crispy Cluck — a chocolate treat designed to look like fried chicken. It sounds ridiculous. It looks ridiculous. And once opened… it somehow manages to be even worse than expected. As if that wasn’t enough, the conversation veers into 90s music nostalgia, with Jive Bunny’s rock-and-roll mega mix battling Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic” for survival. Along the way, a revelation about The Beautiful South’s “Don’t Marry Her” proves the radio version most people grew up hearing isn’t actually the real lyric. Also featuring: cap gun nostalgia, Apple Watch sleep scores that make no sense, spam emails that refuse to stop arriving, and the ongoing mystery of why our podcast seems to be blocked in Russia. It’s rude, chaotic, nostalgic and completely unfiltered — exactly how The Variety Show likes it. E-mail: podcasts@channel84.co.uk (Both hosts) tj@thevarietyshow.co.uk (TJ) rob@untitledscifishow.co.uk (Rob) Main Site: https:.//channel84.co.uk #PeppaPig #AlanisMorissette #90sMusic #SnackTasteTest #BeautifulSouth

    1hr 17min
  3. Misheard Lyrics & Dangerous Childhoods

    29 MAR

    Misheard Lyrics & Dangerous Childhoods

    In this episode of The Variety Show, Rob and Tom dive head-first into the chaos of misheard song lyrics, questionable 90s nostalgia, and the kind of dangerous childhood experiments that would absolutely get you arrested today. It starts with a nostalgic trip down memory lane with cap bombs — those plastic missile-shaped toys loaded with paper caps that produced a satisfyingly loud bang and that unforgettable sulphur smell. Of course, that innocent nostalgia quickly escalates into stories of childhood creativity involving firecrackers from France, homemade explosive experiments, and a mysterious series of exploding dog bins in St Albans. Then the show takes a turn into one of the strangest corners of pop culture: lyrics that nobody can actually understand. Rob challenges Tom with a quiz featuring songs from Blur, Green Day, Nirvana, System of a Down, Gorillaz, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Barenaked Ladies, proving that half the music we’ve sung along to for decades might as well be complete gibberish unless you’ve read the lyrics sheet. Naturally, this leads to a rant about the internet’s obsession with fake “misheard lyrics” like “we built this city on sausage rolls” — because apparently the internet thinks everyone hears songs about processed meat. There’s also a chaotic Snack Sack segment featuring a bizarre giant peelable mango gummy, suspicious Galaxy Flutes, and surprisingly brilliant maple bacon waffle crisps from Aldi. One snack scores a rare top rating… another absolutely does not. Elsewhere, the episode veers into classic 90s pop culture, including Billy Piper’s early pop career, the tragedy of animated classics like The Land Before Time, and the discovery of a genuinely disturbing banned Tweenies episode parodying Jimmy Savile. It’s nostalgic, slightly unhinged, occasionally educational, and proof that the 90s were a much less supervised time to grow up. New episodes of The Variety Show drop every two weeks from Studio:Channel84. #MisheardLyrics #90sMusic #90sNostalgia #RetroToys #SnackReview

    1hr 14min
  4. Alan Ritchsons Love Eggs

    16 MAR

    Alan Ritchsons Love Eggs

    Episode 76 of The Variety Show is here and it might be the strangest mix of topics we’ve had in a while. Tom and Rob start with movies, including the Netflix sci-fi action film War Machine, which unexpectedly turns into a full appreciation segment for Alan Ritchson. There’s also a chat about the different eras of Spider-Man films, why Andrew Garfield might be underrated, and how modern blockbuster movies compare to the classics we grew up with. Gaming chaos follows as the lads talk about introducing kids to video games. From the early disasters of Minecraft parenting to the surprisingly perfect starter game Goat Simulator 3, they discuss how modern kids jump straight into huge open-world games like Spider-Man 2 when we all started with a joystick and one button. Then comes the Chipmunk Challenge — a quiz of badly described films that somehow manages to confuse two grown men who claim to love movies. Expect terrible clues, wild guesses, and the realisation that some films sound completely unhinged when described badly. The food segment returns with a seasonal classic as Rob tries a Cadbury Creme Egg for the first time ever. The result? Let’s just say the sweetness causes immediate regret. Finally, the Snack Sack returns with a drinks special featuring Sprite Lemon & Lime Tea, Coca-Cola Cherry Float, and Pepsi Max Tropical. One of them is surprisingly brilliant. One is deeply confusing. One is absolutely awful. Add in a rant about the so-called worst songs of the 90s, a nostalgic discussion about Easter eggs, and plenty of completely unnecessary Alan Ritchson jokes… and you’ve got Episode 76. Rude. Fun. Unfiltered. #WarMachine #UKComedyPodcast #PopCulturePodcast #SnackSack #AlanRitchson

    1hr 24min
  5. Creme Eggs & Coping Stones

    16 FEB

    Creme Eggs & Coping Stones

    This week on The Variety Show, it’s Cream Eggs & Coping Stones — and yes, it’s exactly as unhinged as it sounds. Rob drills into his wall and discovers a soggy brickwork nightmare thanks to porous coping stones (because nothing says fun like unexpected water damage). Meanwhile, Tom discovers his robot vacuum has been secretly sabotaging him with a “Do Not Disturb” mode that basically means “Do Not Clean.” We dive into The Snack Sack Taste Test featuring: 🍫 Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cream Eggs 🍫 Milky Bar Crunch 🍫 Questionable hazelnut wafers Spoiler: not everything deserves a comeback. Then it’s full throttle into 2026 movie trailer reactions — including Super Mario Galaxy, Mortal Kombat 2, Project Hail Mary, Masters of the Universe, Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, and more. Are we hyped? Are we worried? Are we just old? And finally… we revisit a late 90s girl band hit in Was It Best Left in the 90s? Let’s just say… Ireland deserved better. Builders. Bots. Bangers. Rude. Fun. Unfiltered. 🎧 New episodes every other week from Studio:Channel84. #Podcast #MovieTrailers #90sNostalgia #SnackReview #PopCulture Social Details Now open - Reddit!! The Variety Show on Reddit - https://reddit.com/r/TheVarietyShow Find us on: Twitter - @_VarietyShowPod BlueSky - @TheVarietyShow.channel84.co.uk Instagram / Threads - _VarietyShowPod TikTok - varietyshowpod Facebook you can find us with Studio:Channel84. We are part of the Studio:Channel84 network and are featured on their site https://channel84.co.uk. Finally, why not e-mail us: TJ tj@channel84.co.uk Rob rob@channel84.co.uk Both Hosts podcasts@channel84.co.uk Music Intro created by the amazing Ryan at Geeky Brummie https://geekybrummie.com

    1hr 21min
  6. 24 Deaths and a Children’s Theme Tune

    2 FEB

    24 Deaths and a Children’s Theme Tune

    We’re recording Episode 73 of The Variety Show LIVE, and it’s an absolute rollercoaster of nostalgia, snacks, questionable adverts, and childhood trauma. This episode starts with the usual nonsense before Tom absolutely loses it over a baffling Wickes “Proud as a Peacock” advert, followed by a full-blown Guess the Company, Guess the Slogan quiz featuring iconic campaigns from Gillette, Toys R Us, Pot Noodle, Xbox, Milky Way, Barclaycard, the National Lottery, and more. There’s also a Snack Sack taste test, where things go from pleasantly surprising to deeply regrettable thanks to maple mochi, Neapolitan Kit Kats, and cheeseburger crisps that probably shouldn’t exist. Then… we descend into darkness. The main discussion takes a hard look at The Animals of Farthing Wood, breaking down why it may be one of the most traumatising children’s TV shows ever broadcast. We dig into the 24 on-screen and implied deaths, revisit the most disturbing moments, and ask the important question: how did this air after school? Expect bad adverts, great slogans, terrible snacks, dead cartoon animals, and live reactions throughout. 📺 Recorded live as it happened — chaos included. YouTube Live Stream Version: https://youtube.com/live/AdxXr83reXA?feature=share #TheVarietyShow #PodcastLive #90sNostalgia #AnimalsOfFarthingWood #UKComedyPodcast FitQuest You can join FitQuest for free (and minimal data) here: https://fitquest.support-me.co.uk. Social Details Now open - Reddit!! The Variety Show on Reddit - https://reddit.com/r/TheVarietyShow Find us on: Twitter - @_VarietyShowPod BlueSky - @TheVarietyShow.channel84.co.uk Instagram / Threads - _VarietyShowPod TikTok - varietyshowpod Facebook you can find us with Studio:Channel84. We are part of the Studio:Channel84 network and are featured on their site https://channel84.co.uk. Finally, why not e-mail us: TJ tj@channel84.co.uk Rob rob@channel84.co.uk Both Hosts podcasts@channel84.co.uk Music Intro created by the amazing Ryan at Geeky Brummie https://geekybrummie.com

    1hr 13min
  7. Fancy a Choc Dick?

    19 JAN

    Fancy a Choc Dick?

    It finally happened. One innocent snack chat. One unfortunate Freudian slip. And suddenly Rob has offered the nation a Choc Dick. In Episode 72 of The Variety Show, Tom and Rob return for another round of nostalgic nonsense, snack-based investigations and passionate rants that spiral wildly out of control. There’s a new season taste test format, a deep dive into modern Lego ruining childhoods, questionable chocolate scoring systems, a Journey Through Middle-Earth fitness challenge, and a snack so good it accidentally gets renamed forever. Expect: 🍫 A legendary Choc Dip slip-up 🧱 A furious Lego rant 🏃 FitQuest step challenges and VR workouts 🎶 Retro chart nonsense from the year 2000 🎄 Christmas aftermath chaos 😏 And far too many things being dipped into sacks It’s chaotic. It’s nostalgic. It’s filthy. And it’s absolutely on brand. Listen now and find out why Choc Dip will never be called Choc Dip again. #TheVarietyShow #Podcast #ComedyPodcast #SnackTest #Nostalgia FitQuest You can join FitQuest for free (and minimal data) here: https://fitquest.support-me.co.uk. Social Details Now open - Reddit!! The Variety Show on Reddit - https://reddit.com/r/TheVarietyShow Find us on: Twitter - @_VarietyShowPod BlueSky - @TheVarietyShow.channel84.co.uk Instagram / Threads - _VarietyShowPod TikTok - varietyshowpod Facebook you can find us with Studio:Channel84. We are part of the Studio:Channel84 network and are featured on their site https://channel84.co.uk. Finally, why not e-mail us: TJ tj@channel84.co.uk Rob rob@channel84.co.uk Both Hosts podcasts@channel84.co.uk Music Intro created by the amazing Ryan at Geeky Brummie https://geekybrummie.com

    1hr 20min

About

🎙️ The Variety Show from Studio:Channel84 🚨 Rude. Fun. Unfiltered. Hosted by Rob & Tom, this chaotic duo dives deep into all things pop culture — from 🎬 movies & 🎧 music to 🎮 gaming, 🍼 parenting, and everything in between. 🕹️ Expect: 🍔 Hilarious taste tests 🧠 Quirky quizzes 🔥 Spirited debates 💥 Nostalgia overload 😵‍💫 Moments that’ll make you ask: “How did we get here?” 📅 New episodes drop every other Monday — perfect for your start-of-the-week scroll. 👀 Formerly known as The Channel 84 Variety Show, it’s still the same madness you love — just leveled up. ✅ Add it to your podcast lineup. 😂 Stay entertained. 🔊 Press play.