Russell Howard’s Five Brilliant Things

Avalon Television
  • 4.5 (508)
  • Comedy Interviews
  • Updated weekly

Each week Russell sits down with fantastic guests to chat about their Brilliant Things; the items, places and people that make life worth living.

  1. 5 days ago

    Alfie Brown

    One of the most interesting, honest and self-eviscerating comics around at the moment, Alfie Brown brings his happy things to the studio including the city of Liverpool, Love Songs, his own wife and the levelling, life-saving properties of cannabis.  Alfie has been in Edinburgh but if you haven’t been there yet you ain’t going now, but luckily for you his latest hit show ‘The Entertainer’ is touring the UK.  You can find out all the dates and book tickets in a couple of quick clicks by going to alfiebrowntour.com. You can also follow Alfie on Instagram where he’s @alfiebrowncomedian and you can search for his and Jessie’s podcast (which has terrific metrics if you read the data) - just look for ‘Before we Break Up Again’ on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.  Well done for reading the blurb, which is the modern equivalent of DVD extras, in that a huge amount of love and energy goes into them but really we’re only slaving away for a very select bunch of nerds like you. Nerd. Yeah you heard me (but totally thanks for making this worthwhile). Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Alfie Brown

  2. 19 Aug

    Joe Maggio

    Today, the first guest Russell nearly killed. American director Joe Maggio is here, miraculously, after nearly losing his life on Russell’s stag-do some years ago. He’s written a show about the near-fatal mistake of trying to keep up with a feral UK stag-do and it’s at the Edinburgh Festival right now. The brush with death has led to a deeper, more profound love of life for Joe, so his Five Brilliant Things are unusually rich; told with a story-telling flair that betrays his many years creating, teaching and loving films.In many regards this episode shows Five Brilliant Things at its best: a person you may not have heard of but with beautiful takes on slices of life of which you weren’t even previously aware.Edinburghevery day at The Mash House, tickets from edfringe.com. Also follow Joe on Instagram where he's 'thejoemaggio'. That will do I think. Thanks for your attention and please be cautious when playing five-a-side with a bunch of feral louts. x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Joe Maggio

  3. 12 Aug

    Dan Tiernan

    Award-winning stand-up comic Dan Tiernan is here! If you thought you’d heard about torturous writing process before, just wait until you hear Dan’s extraordinary stories. He’s been to some tricky places and come back. He’s also a strong poker player and tells another cracker about winning BIG in a tournament in slightly awkward circumstances. All good things!  Dan’s out there right now with his new show ‘Quartz and All’ and it’s about the crystal madness he talks about in this podcast. If that’s anything to go by it will be a very very entertaining hour of bonkers and heart-felt comedy.  It’s in Edinburgh now, and then after August out on tour across the UK and Ireland. You can get tickets for that, check dates, and watch Dan’s previous special by going HERE.  That’s all for today’s crystal-bathing session, hope your aura is all shiny and new. Thanks for checking in and double thanks for reading to the end of the blurb. I often feel this bit of writing will be read by nobody, but here you are, validating me. I FEEL SEEN.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Dan Tiernan

  4. 5 Aug

    Paddy Young

    Utterly charming, utterly chaotic and singing the praises of cold flannels. The SNL UK star Paddy Young is here, and is the first guest to arrive to the recording with a bottle of milk in hand. Why? It’s all in this delightful hour of chat that includes banned Scrabble words and why you should walk out of more plays and films.  Paddy’s new live show is called ‘Will Sir be Laughing Alone?’ And it’s at the Edinburgh Festival right now.  His Fringe show is at 9pm at Monkey Barrel but that’s all sold out. Check out his extra shows in Edinburgh HERE  at 2.25pm on 10-12 Aug  And his BIG show that we talked about in the podcast is on 14th Aug at Pleasance at 11.15pm.  After that the show will be out on tour. The tour dates are HERE. And you can catch Paddy doing weekend update with Ania on SNL UK this Autumn.  Sayonara dickwads. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Paddy Young

  5. 1 Aug ·  Bonus

    July's Moments of the Month

    It's July's Moments of the Month: no new shows, just a smattering of the best bits of all the shows from the past month. Try some, and if you like it, go back and listen to the whole episode! First up in July it was the Eastenders star turned super-podcaster, Natalie Cassidy. Then it was the comic actor extraordinaire, Peter Serafinowicz. Following Peter was one of the bright lights of comedy, SNL writer Bella Hull. Then we had the choreographer turned comedian Christopher Hall. And we finished off with the mod-comedian turned cosy-crime sensation, Ian Moore. So there we go! That’s a little taste of what July was like. All of those shows are available in full right now, so if you got a taste for it, go and get some more. Thanks as always for listening and there will be a new show, as usual, this coming Wednesday.  Cheerio. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. 29 Jul

    Ian Moore

    Death and Croissants author and comedian Ian Moore is in the studio! The best-selling author of France-based cosy crime novels, Ian has never lost that razor-sharp comedian instinct and gives a belting show that takes in the unbridled pleasure of judging others on how they dress, the simple beauty of a cheese sandwich and the arcane insanity of French bureaucracy. Hard recommend.  Right. Go and listen to the show. Then you’ll see why Ian’s got such an engaging brain and why you should, if you already haven’t, acquire and read his brilliant books. His latest ‘cosy crime’ is called Death and Deja Vu, and his more serious procedural is called ‘A Very French Corpse’. You can get the audiobook of ‘Death and Deja Vu’ by going HERE. You can enjoy the audiobook of ‘A Very French Corpse’ by going HERE.  But basically you can get the whole selection in any good independent bookshop.  Bon. C’est le fin. Merci beaucoup pour votre attention. Alors…oui. A bientôt mes amis. A demain.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Ian Moore

  7. 22 Jul

    Christopher Hall

    He’s danced for Kylie and Shania, he’s a viral sensation, a comedian and a born showman; Christopher Hall  is in the studio. Christopher explains why there’s nothing more liberating than pottering around the shops, enjoying punny names for businesses and the nostalgic taste of a home-made Middlesborough chip.  Christopher has created a brand-new stand-up show! It’s called Pizazz and it will be on at the Edinburgh Fringe this August and then out on tour, starting in Margate on 30th September and finishing in London on 18th November. Tickets are on general release and you can get them HERE.  Get the Edinburgh Fringe tickets by going to edfringe.com. And there we go. I’ve given you all the information you need. I straighten my tie, reach into my pocket and pull out some mysterious looking dust. I throw it at the floor and there is a flash, a poof of smoke and I’m gone. You look around wondering what this magic is, and see me hiding behind the door.  Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Christopher Hall

  8. 15 Jul

    Bella Hull

    Horror gig stories are always fun; Comedian and SNL UK writer Bella Hull serves up some of the best in the business. If art is suffering then Bella is Leonardo da Vinci. Bella is one of the most exciting newer voices on the UK comedy circuit and even a brief listen to this episode demonstrates why: her strong feelings about duvets, pies and the sensation of going downhill are told with panache and genuine enthusiasm.  Bella has created, just for you, a new show and it will be on at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival! It’s called Mad Cow Disease, it’s on at 12:30pm at Monkey Barrel and it’s going to be a hot ticket so booking in advance is advisable. You can get tickets by clicking here.  If you can bear it, then we will be apart for a few days but as always we shall return next week.  How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Producer: Dan Atkinson Line Producer: Daisy Knight Exec Producer: James Taylor Composer: Fat Lady Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Bella Hull
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Each week Russell sits down with fantastic guests to chat about their Brilliant Things; the items, places and people that make life worth living.

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