Jon Richardson and the Futurenauts
Keep It Light Media
Comedian and professional worrier Jon Richardson doesn’t sleep much at night. The questions he is asking himself in the small, dark hours see to that. Are we going to run out of food? Is it already too late to stop climate change? Should I start learning Mandarin? Are killer death robots from the future already among us? Will my kids grow up to see a real tiger or giraffe? Why hasn’t anyone yet made an intelligent hairbrush? Oh they have? As you were…
Playing on his own paranoia Jon will discuss his fears with guarded optimists Ed Gillespie and Mark Stevenson aka ‘The Futurenauts’. Authors, futurists and provocateurs, to ease Jon’s angst Ed and Mark take him on adventures through the futures we need that already exist today.
Get in touch with the show - hello@jonandthefuturenauts.com
Playing on his own paranoia Jon will discuss his fears with guarded optimists Ed Gillespie and Mark Stevenson aka ‘The Futurenauts’. Authors, futurists and provocateurs, to ease Jon’s angst Ed and Mark take him on adventures through the futures we need that already exist today.
Get in touch with the show - hello@jonandthefuturenauts.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 23, 2025 • 47min
S06 EP4: The Most Wonderful Tim of the Year
Join a festive celebration with witty banter about holiday mishaps and spontaneous family gatherings. Sir Tim Smit advocates for children's dreams and envisions a more beautiful, positive society. He discusses the Eden Project's transformative impact and proposes innovative solutions for climate and migration challenges. The conversation touches on entrepreneurship in Britain, the stigma of failure, and the evolving gift culture. Finally, they reflect on the hopeful moments of 2025, inspiring community actions and festive cheer.
Dec 16, 2025 • 34min
S06 EP3: Laying down some firehose - with Kresse Wesling
Jon and the Futurenauts get into some serious upcycling adventures with the phenomenal Moose-inspired Kresse, self-declared ‘waste addict, co-founder of fire-hose-to-designer-luxury-goods brand ‘Elvis & Kresse’ and now also a regenerative farmer. In the process we learn about backward design, money as lubricant, and the earthy joys of ‘humanure’. And… is Mark coming round to Ed’s poetry?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 snips
Nov 28, 2025 • 41min
S06 EP2: They think it’s all Clover!
Clover Hogan, founder of Force of Nature and a prominent climate activist, shares her compelling journey from Australia to driving youth-led sustainability. She discusses transforming eco-anxiety into collective action and the emotional toll of being trolled by Elon Musk. The conversation dives into the importance of collective movements over individual guilt and how spiritual practices help sustain activism. Clover also teases her upcoming book, addressing apathy and the need for systemic change. Plus, the hosts engage in some light-hearted banter about quirky consumer trends.
Nov 14, 2025 • 30min
S06 EP1: Back To The Pub
Join pioneering ethical entrepreneur Geetie Singh-Watson, founder of one of the UK's first organic pubs, as she shares her journey from a commune upbringing to revolutionizing the pub industry. She dives into the importance of fair pay and community engagement in hospitality. Geetie critiques supermarkets for misleading consumers and highlights the benefits of local sourcing for both food quality and the rural economy. With humor, she even contemplates what it takes to rename a pub—while raising eyebrows about a potential rebrand for Jon's pub!
Mar 15, 2024 • 41min
S5 EP12: “Gardening, ball-gigs and going live”
Exploration of gardening for the climate crisis and discussions on celebs in Vegas. Banter about upcoming festival slot and podcasting schedules. Hints at musical reflections, Futurenauts announcements, and rebooting democracy. Adventures in Australia and Scotland, navigating ADHD, and discussion on series 6 and Quantum Pig album.
5 snips
Dec 27, 2023 • 49min
S5 EP11: Festive Fecking Special
The hosts discuss their contrasting views on a Christmas song, their love for the new Peter Gabriel album, concerns about Elon Musk, acquisitions and ethical practices, older celebrities having babies, emails and a celebrity quiz, forgotten animals of Christmas, and their plans for the holiday.
Dec 20, 2023 • 1h 2min
S5 EP10: The Future with John Elkington
With special guest the ‘Godfather of Sustainability’ John Elkington the boys dig into the nitty gritty of what it feels like to write your first paper on climate change back in 1978, why we need not to dismiss ‘blowing up pipelines’ and the horrors of pecha kucha…Get in touch with the show with any questions or topics you'd like us to discuss;Hello@jonandthefuturenauts.comTWITTER: @JANDTHEF Thanks,Jon, Ed, and Mark.A 'Keep it Light Media' ProductionAll enquiries: hello@keepitlightmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 13, 2023 • 50min
S5 EP9: Future of Pets
Veteran vet Jen Gale and Justine Shotton join the hosts to explore the future of pets. They discuss the environmental sustainability of pet ownership, the mental health benefits of having pets, and the challenges of responsible decision-making. The chapter also covers the impact of outdoor cats on wildlife and the relationship dynamics with AI or robot pets.
Dec 6, 2023 • 36min
S5 EP8: The Rest is Ed
Insurance industry doom loops, cat-trained humans and Mark’s poetry debut all feature in a listener feedback special with that potty-mouthed dirty little moron and the other two…Get in touch with the show with any questions or topics you'd like us to discuss;Hello@jonandthefuturenauts.comTWITTER: @JANDTHEF Thanks,Jon, Ed, and Mark.A 'Keep it Light Media' ProductionAll enquiries: hello@keepitlightmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 29, 2023 • 1h 5min
S5 EP7: Future of Bananas
This podcast explores the future of bananas, including their cultivation, biodiversity, and carbon footprint. It also delves into the dark history of big banana business and the efforts to bring back diversity in our diets. The hosts discuss the challenges of taking care of house plants and propose unique ideas like a regenerative music festival. The podcast concludes with a heartfelt poem about the sweetness and longing for the banana tree.
