Unlikely Friends

Global Player Originals

Welcome to Unlikely Friends, A brand new podcast from BAFTA winning comedian Leigh Francis, Spice Girl turned radio host Emma Bunton, Damage frontman Jade Jones, and Jill Francis - where anything can (and probably will) happen! Each week, they’ll be taking questions, topics and conundrums from listeners, diving headfirst into whatever you want to hear about. Nothing is off limits. From parenthood and fame to 90s fashion and cold wedding buffets, the conversation is driven solely by you brilliant lot! Unlikely Friends is all about laid-back chats that are funny, honest, insightful, and sometimes surprisingly deep - with a few shocking revelations and celebrity guests along the way. You can watch or listen to full episodes of Unlikely Friends on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts every Monday & Thursday. 💌 Get in touch at unlikelyfriends@global.com 📱 Follow on socials: @unlikelypodfriends Unlikely Friends is a Global Production For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells Executive Producer: Adem Waterman Senior Producer: Ben Tulloh Creative Video Content Producer: Samson Falodun

  1. 2d ago

    Celebs Reincarnated!

    Not one but two celebrity guests are asking the gang the questions! Fred Sirieix from First Dates & television royalty Holly Willoughby are putting the unlikely friends through their paces. Should Eurotrash make its long awaited return to British TV and who should host, plus who would Leigh Francis, Jill Francis, Emma Bunton and Jade Jones like to come back as if they were reincarnated. Plus, WHY DOES BARBRA STREISAND HAVE A SHOPPING MALL UNDER HER HOUSE! Catch up with your four favourite mats Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jill Francis and Jade Jones. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    16 min

  2. 5d ago

    The Ultimate board games & game shows

    The unlikely Friends return with all the fun of board games - including a heated debate on what edition of monopoly is the best. And whilst they’re on about games, they reminisce about good old Saturday night TV and game shows! Plus Leigh Francis reveals why Joey Essex is never embarrassed to ask silly questions and how he’s zoned out of important business meetings and even fallen asleep in them! Catch up with your four favourite mats Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jill Francis and Jade Jones. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    35 min

  3. Jun 18

    Where would you run away too?

    “Along with Holly Willoughby you're the most competitive person I know...” Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis are back on Unlikely Friends, asking who in the group is the most competitive and why some people simply cannot bear to lose. This week, the friends talk competitiveness, from Emma’s fitness group to surprisingly intense sports chat, including apple shooting and the lengths people will go to when there is a game to be won. And then our guest Shaun Ryder joins Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis on Unlikely Friends, stepping into the guest seat as the show’s first celebrity questioner with a very bold opener about breakdowns, disappearing and where the gang would hide. This week, Madchester legend Shaun asks the friends what they would do if they had a complete breakdown. Jill already has a plan involving giving away all her toys before heading to a lovely island to recover, Jade loves the idea of getting rid of his phone and living off the land, while Emma has the most wholesome answer of all: she would just go to her mum. Leigh, meanwhile, cannot imagine having a breakdown, although he does remember a work meltdown at the Yorkshire Evening News, where he stormed out of the office and told them they could keep their job. Also in this episode, the friends ask who in the group is the most competitive and why some people simply cannot bear to lose. From Emma’s fitness group to surprisingly intense sports chat, including apple shooting, the gang discuss the lengths people will go to when there is a game to be won. Then Davina McCall returns with another question: what lie were you told as a child that traumatised you when you found out it wasn’t true? Emma remembers being told the car would not drive unless she had her seatbelt on, Jade shares the story of being told he was found on the doorstep, and Leigh uncovers some scandalous Wikipedia libel. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    18 min

  4. Jun 15

    Medical Check Ups and World Cup Fever

    “How can I relax? You’re about to stick a finger up my bumhole.” Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis are back on Unlikely Friends for a medical and embarrassing bodies special, with screenings, check-ups, intimate injuries and some very honest conversations about looking after yourself. First though, Leigh, Jade and Jill reveal their brand new obsession: racquetball. The gang talk about why they love it so much, and why Pauline remains the undisputed champion, even in her 70s. Emma also talks World Cup, including her Heart Radio sweepstake, while Leigh reflects on the less glamorous side of football and the negativity that can come with such a fiercely supported sport. Then things take a more personal turn. A chat about dreams leads to Jade’s lack of dreams and his upcoming well-man check-up, Emma shares her surprise at changes around breast checks, and Leigh tells the story of an intimate injury that forced him to get checked for testicular cancer, only to discover it was something known as a “bag of worms.” Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    41 min

  5. Jun 11

    Eastenders Rream Roles and Our First Kisses!

    “What happens at Sylvia Young Drama School stays at Sylvia Young Drama School.” Emma Bunton, Leigh Francis, Jade Jones and Jill Francis are joined by EastEnders star Kelly Bright on Unlikely Friends, as she hops out of the pineapple with questions about Albert Square, dream soap roles and Emma’s mysterious first kiss. This week, Kelly asks the gang which EastEnders character they would most like to play, or what they would want to do if they ever appeared in EastEnders. Jade reveals his own surprising connection to the soap, with his family hailing from the real square that Albert Square is based on. Then Kelly really brings the tea, revealing that she knows who Emma’s first kiss was. Sadly, she refuses to name names, and Emma cannot help much either, because she can’t remember. The rest of the gang spill their own first-kiss stories, while Emma shares where and how hers happened, even if the mystery person remains unnamed. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    19 min

  6. Jun 8

    Tom Hanks, an Unlikely Holiday and Sunbathing Spice Girls

    “I can eat what I want, watch what I want… some sort of Housewives of somewhere…” Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis are back from holiday on Unlikely Friends, showing off their glorious tans and catching up on sun, food, films and questionable wellness advice. This week, the friends compare holiday tans, although if you are listening rather than watching, you will just have to trust that everyone is looking bronzed. Jill shares how badly she ate while she was away, Leigh explains why he was the only one not eating properly, and the conversation takes a very Unlikely Friends turn when Jill brings some highly questionable information about sunning your perineum. Also in this episode: films the gang have seen, the films they are excited about, why Toy Story 5 is already on the watchlist, and how you might be able to get a certificate from Leigh.q Then Pauline the Pineapple throws up the question: what do you wish you had known when you were 19? It leads to a surprisingly honest chat about youth, confidence, advice, and whether anyone at 19 is actually willing to listen anyway. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    28 min

  7. Jun 4

    The Biggest Argument We Ever Had

    “Oh, it definitely was a full-blown argument...” Ruby Wax joins Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis on Unlikely Friends, asking the questions and getting straight under the skin with a brilliantly awkward one: which celebrities have the gang most annoyed? This week, Leigh has plenty to say as he looks back on some of the run-ins he had while making his biggest TV shows. But the conversation soon lands on the biggest celebrity he may have ever really annoyed: Emma Bunton. The friends revisit an argument that once got so heated they ended up sitting in separate rooms not talking, all sparked by a debate about Emma and Jade not being married at the time. Thankfully, they have all moved on. Probably. The gang talk about friendship, arguing, debating properly, and why it should be possible to disagree with your mates without falling out. Ruby’s second question is just as good: which celebrity would you most like to interview? Jade throws in a curveball with Emily Blunt, Jill picks Emma Stone and Cam from Modern Family, and Emma looks back on interviewing some true icons, including Taylor Swift and Mariah Carey. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    22 min

  8. Jun 1

    The Secrets Behind the “Wannabe” Video

    "I do one dance move in the video, that all the girls take the piss out of me for now..." Emma Bunton shares behind-the-scenes stories from the iconic Spice Girls Wannabe music video on Unlikely Friends, as Leigh Francis, Jade Jones and Jill Francis hear all about filming at St Pancras Hotel before it became the landmark fans know today. This week, Emma reveals Easter eggs, behind-the-scenes details and unreleased stories from one of the most famous music videos in British pop culture. There’s also a roast dinner from Emma, more decorating updates from Jade, and a catch-up on Leigh and Emma’s recent trips to Leeds, including Emma visiting Mel B for a TV show she absolutely cannot talk about. The conversation then takes a more reflective turn after a kind listener letter about a limited edition Spider-Man postcard from 2002, which was destroyed before publication because it featured an image of the Twin Towers. It leads the friends to discuss where they were when they heard the news of 9/11, and how moments like that stay with you. Also in this episode: the gang talk about what made them think they would work well together, and Leigh rounds things off with a classic Unlikely Friends detour into aliens in the desert. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

    35 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to Unlikely Friends, A brand new podcast from BAFTA winning comedian Leigh Francis, Spice Girl turned radio host Emma Bunton, Damage frontman Jade Jones, and Jill Francis - where anything can (and probably will) happen! Each week, they’ll be taking questions, topics and conundrums from listeners, diving headfirst into whatever you want to hear about. Nothing is off limits. From parenthood and fame to 90s fashion and cold wedding buffets, the conversation is driven solely by you brilliant lot! Unlikely Friends is all about laid-back chats that are funny, honest, insightful, and sometimes surprisingly deep - with a few shocking revelations and celebrity guests along the way. You can watch or listen to full episodes of Unlikely Friends on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts every Monday & Thursday. 💌 Get in touch at unlikelyfriends@global.com 📱 Follow on socials: @unlikelypodfriends Unlikely Friends is a Global Production For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells Executive Producer: Adem Waterman Senior Producer: Ben Tulloh Creative Video Content Producer: Samson Falodun

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