Elis James and John Robins

BBC Radio 5 Live
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Jan 30, 2026 • 55min

#510 - It’s Not A Drawer, Creosote i Bumry and The Spirit of Shelford

Chelsea Dickinson, travel writer and co-host of Podcast Passports, shares practical holiday-booking tips. She breaks down timing tricks, airport and connection hacks, and using free cancellation and alerts to save money. There are lively chats about group planning, flexible searches across Europe, and whether business class is ever worth it.
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Jan 27, 2026 • 59min

#509 - Cognitive Incline, Watching Swans In Watford and The World’s Rarest Goose

“Caernarfon Heritage Steam Train, why must you forsake me?” Now that’s a taste of what to expect on this episode. The next step in Elis’s English language stand up return has hit the buffers as he plays a room which isn’t Europe’s best gig. Just how can he produce laughs from wealth managers when Llanfairfechan Community Centre is some of the best stuff in his arsenal? Fear not however, because the bit about a big table in a miners’ institute is always ready to go in emergencies. But it’s not all anxiety dreams, as we take a journey into the forest mind via John’s new mantra for life. There’s also one of our greatest jingles ever and a game which Elis hates, thus meaning great aural enjoyment for yourselves.Want to get in touch? Your go-to’s are elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk on email and 07974 293022 on WhatsApp, which is like text messages but also works on internet only SIM packages.
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Jan 23, 2026 • 1h 6min

#508 - Megabed, Five Salmon and Evidence of Beavers

John has had a nice time. So join us on a journey as Britain’s most normal man goes on holiday to Scotland. Now, we’ve been here before, and we can promise that this time it involves far less emotionally intense visits to various Celtic car parks. Elis’s return to English language stand up also continues apace. It’s going so well that he’s going to play a room where the average age is about 22 and specialises in clowning. How does he play this? We also receive more info on the great Dame Caroline Harriet Haslett. Can you recommend any other types of salmon? If you can, then email elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp in on 07974 293022
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Jan 20, 2026 • 1h 20min

#507 - A Rice Mouse, Digital Fruit and Josh Widdicombe

It’s a definition bumper pack show today as we cram as much goodness as we possibly can into a single podcast episode. Think of us as one of those fruit shots; it’s pure podcasting distilled into a single hit.The main ingredient is friend of the show Josh Widdicombe, who pops by to talk all things pop culture. He’s adding a new wing to his podcast empire and Elis and John have suggestions. Josh also provides a boots-on-the-ground review of Elis’s recent return to standup, and lifts the lid on his lofty ambitions.Widdicombe aside, John returns to a simpler time, a more fruit-game-based time. But he ain’t slicing, no, no. This time, he’s merging.And the fun doesn't stop there as Elis attempts to arrest the Cymru Connection slide by asking a caller if they've ever bought baguettes in Cardiff. It’s vintage stuff.Send in your thoughts and feelings to elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp 07974 293 022.
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Jan 16, 2026 • 1h 3min

#506 - Well Well Well Well Well

Who’s that unrecognisable figure sat across from John!? He looks full of beans, he looks young and vibrant. Why, it’s Circuit Elis! And he’s so back.After playing the country’s most bafflingly playable gig, Elis’s mood and confidence are at an all time high. He’s perfected his opening gambit, he’s got the country’s best bullet-pointed set. That is until John bursts his bubble…John on the other hand talks us through his miracle morning that comes complete with its own (and very on brand) acronym. He also describes how he’s recently boarded the porridge train, before sending a listener to the sin bin for challenging the autonomy of the UK plug.You know what they say; if you come for Dame Caroline Harriet Haslett DBE’s Type G UK plug, you best not miss.Send in your plug eulogies to elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp them to 07974 293 022 (preferable using a plugged in appliance).
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Jan 13, 2026 • 1h 3min

#505 - Head House, The Malzeard Option and Deep Blue John

Today’s show is one of peaks and troughs as everyone experiences their ups and downs. John puts forward a very questionable defence against a hypothetical crime, and Elis rails at scoring badly on an intelligence test.On the flip side, the state of John’s brain receives numerous plaudits, and Elis tells an Oscar-worthy joke. It’s classic light and shade.Elsewhere, Dave takes the team down memory lane by invoking Project Spice, as the boys taste a variety of hot chilli sauces that are guaranteed to blow their heads off. Elis attempts to kick-start the Cymru Connection, we learn about JohnTech (‘mainly tech stuff’), and Elis gets blindsided by a historical meeting with a bloke on holiday who kept saying that Sheffield was massive.Emails and WhatsApps to elisandjohn@bb.co.uk and 07974 293022 respectively please.
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Jan 9, 2026 • 55min

#504 - Re: Hell, Quezzies and The Cancellation Tapes

2026 is a big year for Johnny JR as he sets his sights on winning the London Marathon. And with Dave lacing up his cheating shoes to pound the P of London’s streets as well, the team have quezzies.Luckily today’s episode features a man who is more than capable of answering said quezzies: friend of the show and running guru Ben Parkes. It’s his job to help John hack the London Marathon. Godspeed Ben.But fear not, it’s not all running chat. Elis has been on the TV, John is (like Meatloaf) out of hell, and there’s a cornucopia of call centre celeb stories to read.Keep your ears peeled for some fine Mad Daddery featuring ancient ONS maps, and the team imagine how John would fare on I’m A Celebrity.Reader of this description, send us an email! The address is elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk and the WhatsApp is 07974 293 022.
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7 snips
Jan 6, 2026 • 1h 7min

#503 - Succulent PBs, Bless Warwick and 8 Billion Johns

The hosts discuss transformative New Year resolutions, including potential cosmetic surgery and a wild 28-point plan for world domination. They dive into curious anecdotes about eye surgery fears and praise for Warwick services snacks. John shares multiple running personal bests and they comically riff on PBs in religious tales. A nostalgic look at Christmas mishaps leads to debates on films versus books. The duo wraps up with a lively quiz and some humorous attempts at celebrity impressions!
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Jan 2, 2026 • 1h 15min

#502 - Cheating Shoes, A 46% Complaint Ratio and New Year Old John

It may be a new year, but it’s an old John we find on today’s podcast. An attempted new year’s resolution meant the odd tear was shed, and now he’s in hell. But it’s not all bad, because he does have the cleanest crotch in show business thanks to a hand sanitiser mishap.Spirits get lifted by a visit from our in-house statistician, our very own Andy Zaltzman, Statman Ross. He reveals that John’s Made Up Game stats are akin to those of Roger Federer, and there’s confirmation that Elis can certainly go down as one of the big 4 MUG winners of his generation. An aural heat map is drawn up of Elis’s connecting hotspots, and some geographical blind spots present themselves.Elsewhere there are celeb call centre tales, and Dave sheds light on his brief stint as a professional Mario Kart racer.Do you have some correspondence to lift John out of hell? Send them to elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 07974 293 022.
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Dec 30, 2025 • 1h 4min

#501 - The Best of 2025

2025 brought memorable car mishaps and heartfelt farewells, especially for a beloved Volkswagen Golf. Tim Key's film premiere created awkward moments, while Producer Dave faced alarm chaos that led to a hilarious meltdown. The thrilling Made Up Game had everyone racing against time, and James Acaster's cheeky take on hotel spending added spice. Elis's Cymru Connection shone brightly, despite comedic rants, and a listener's cringe-worthy tale about oil turned into a show classic. The trio reminisced warmly about their tour, setting the stage for future antics in 2026.

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