S12 EP8: John Bishop

31:18And they've become like that now. Oh, really? Yeah. and so Laura said tell me your side of the story because the script was very much written from the man's side yeah so Laura said tell me your side so Melanie told her everything that went on and there's bits in this that come from that there's one scene so her chipping in has got in oh definitely she should have got a credit only child they know how to get that but the you know the head lice scene which every parent knows that scene that happened where we got a message off to school saying there's head lice you've got to check the parents and the kids.

31:52So we had to check each other's, and in that intimacy, when we were apart. And so she told that, Laura then goes back to New York, and Bradley Cooper said, tell me everything that Melanie said, and then took it and put it into the script. Oh, it's incredible. So Melanie feels a great affinity to Laura. And also, Laura's movements, everything in there, I can just see. And what do your kids make of it? It's really odd because, as I say, as a family, we've gone through all kinds of stages. And I think this is the right time for this film because as a family, we're able to watch it for what it is.

32:38Whereas, you know, like you two, the benefit that you've got is you're you while your kids are little. Yeah. So they'll only ever know you as this. They'll only ever know you as someone who's famous, who's someone who stops for pictures, someone who's a, that's all they'll ever know. My kids were becoming teenagers as I was becoming famous. So in my head. So they were getting here at school when your dad was appearing on stuff. So from the outside, like I don't think this happens anymore, but if someone said to me, name someone who's had that gig, that overnight thing that happened, I'd say that the people I'd reach for are the comedy roadshows of you and Kevin Bridges.

33:20and Flanagan as well I think and there was in my head and I think this is probably totally you know much more two dimensional to living it you were I think in Manchester and you got heckled and you dealt with it brilliantly and then you smashed it and it was like a life changing moment is that I mean talk about sequel but is that I felt like you went from that straight onto like arenas immediately in my head that was a like you don't really get that anymore it's much more slow growing for people, I think. Yeah. Because TV's not as monocultural. Is that what happened? I'd tell you what happened in a way that yous will understand because I'd done the Edinburgh Festival and I'd done, I think, three festivals.

34:08The first two of them, I was still working. So I would take two weeks leave and then I would base myself in Edinburgh for a month and I would see all the Scottish transplant units and I would... Which was only Glasgow and Edinburgh, but I was waiting with the rep up there. Not any of the transplants in Glasgow? No, no. They do them in Edinburgh. But the... And I would literally... I do... The first time I was up there, I was doing the cellar in the... Couryard. The couryard. Yeah, 50 seater, isn't it? Tiny, tiny. and I was on some stupid Sunday quarter past 10 or something like that, half 11 at night, whatever it was, it was a shite time, no one came.

34:55And I remember my mates coming to me, and they'd never been to Edinburgh Festival, and they'd come, and you know they hadn't been, because they all got dressed up for the night. And they'd come, and I've got like nine people in the room and three of my mates at the back, and two people are from Norway, and you're struggling through it. And then one of my mates is going, hey, tell them about our stag doing Amsterdam. That's not open. None of this is open. But I just had this love. I'm sort of getting somewhere. And then what happened? We made the decision that I should give it a go and go full time.

35:32I was given the option to give it a go, go full time. And at the time, the agent that I was with asked me if I would go support somebody. And I said, yeah, I'll go and do support. if I can put flyers on their seats at the venues and I'll come back and do a smaller venue in the same town six months later. And they said, let's be honest, that's not really going to work, is it? And I went, you're my agent? I've just left me job. And you don't think I can... So I left them. So I left me job and left me agent within two minutes. What's Melanie saying about... Because at this point, obviously, you're only money still, you're doing the job and you've got back together.

36:07What I said to Melanie, I sat her down and I said, look, I said, if I don't... I'm at a point. All right, I'll tell you the bigger story. So the bigger story is Liverpool get into the Champions League final. And we can really date this now. 2005. Istanbul. Yeah, Istanbul. Of course it is. It's a John Bishop story. Of course. And I've got a ticket for the final. I've got a ticket for the final, but there's also the International Immunology Congress of Transplantation. Absolutely, yeah. You don't need to tell us that. Of course, yeah. And when is that happening? Seattle. Seattle, yeah. Why do you need to ask that?

36:42It's a tough double. He said it biannually, doesn't he? So I'm there and I've said to my boss, obviously I can't do the conference. I've got a ticket. And he went, for what? I said, for the final. He said, well, you've got to go. He said, because, you know, not only is the, there's the medical conference going on. He said, but there's a marketing meeting. You've got to go and present our marketing plan to our company, who's Japanese, to the Japanese because they're coming over. But, it's the final. He went, but it's your mortgage what are you going to do he said it's your job he said no one else can do it you've got to do it so I thought alright then so I gave up my ticket nah what yeah I go to Seattle and I'm in Seattle and the meeting the big pivotal marketing meeting got moved the day forward so all of a sudden I'm like the reason I'm here is gone but it's physically impossible to get to Istanbul but what I can do is if I walk out the meeting straight away get in the taxi get to the airport I can possibly get to England on time.

37:42Yeah, yeah. Because I'm in Seattle. To be in Liverpool for it. Yes. There's no way I'm going to get to see this in Seattle at three o 'clock in the morning or whatever. So I thought that's what I did. Please tell me a Japanese liver man gets you on a private jet. So I then go, fly, get back. I walk into my house. I literally have been traveling about 22 hours or something. I walk into my house. All my mates have gone. So they've sent all of their kids to our house and their wives. Yeah. So they're at our house. I'm the only one interested in the football there's little girls doing car wheels in front of the telly I'm jet lagged I'm trying to watch the match half time we're getting beat 3-0 I think obviously this is the right decision this is what I need to do because you're happy I've avoided a spanking in his terrible camera job I've done what I was meant to do and I am I am the person I've always thought to be the responsible thing at the end honest to God I was so pissed off I was so pissed off my mates for those who don't know Liverpool win yeah we win Liverpool Liverpool pull it back to two the most glorious night in the history of the club the greatest the greatest game of football of all time of all time of all time so they win on penalties and so and I'm I'm watching this and I'm like oh my god and then my mates who were at the match they for anyone who's at Istanbul knows they couldn't get out they couldn't get out so they were all at the airport loads of delays so they're up all hours I've got jet lags so I'm literally walking the streets at four o 'clock in the morning talking to me mates on the phone and I was so depressed like honestly Melanie if you ever talk to Melanie about it I was honestly I went into like a clinical depression and it was like I was so pissed off for months and she just went she went what's wrong and I said fuck I should have been and she said but that's the life that you've picked and I'm like you're right that's right you're right so two three months later I handed him my notice and I said I'm going to go and be a comedian I never ever want to be told I can't do this again now obviously I've been doing stand up for about six years so I knew I had a chance but I wasn't sure it'd bring to him and we had kids we had the mortgage we got back together it was a big step and it's not a step I couldn't have done without her and I just said to her listen I promise you I will make you enough money and she could have said how because I was getting 250 quid for a weekend at the Frog and Bucky, you know.

40:14There's no comparison. But she just believed in me. So you actually needed to get... So if you'd been doing the clubs, would you have gone back to... If you'd have got to a point where you'd gone, I'm not going to get out of the clubs here. Well, no. So what happened... Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I started doing these sportsman's dinners midweek so you get like 500 quid or something, 700 quid. that I did that would be Andy and then you're doing the clubs at the weekend and I thought you know like everyone I'm going to write a sitcom I'm going to write this I'm going to write that and I was trying and trying and trying and then I'd left my agent so I had no agent so for the first 18 months I had no agent I put my own tour on so I was going round I remember this is honest to God I fucked the tour I can't even remember the venue now but it was in Oldham there was a pub in Oldham that used to stand up and I managed to get them to give me like a night on a Wednesday or something, room above a pub about 40 people and I said to Melanie look this is the only thing I'll build up a tour, I'll build up a bit of a following and I was doing alright in Liverpool I was doing the small room at the Lowry 550 or something in Manchester and that was selling out but everywhere it was hard to make and I remember leaving our house and getting in the car and my phone ringing and it was the fella from the pub this venue and he said lad don't come tonight, we've not sold any tickets.

41:37And I went, I said, well, I'd left. I said, look, maybe someone will turn up. I said, I'll come because maybe someone will turn up. He said, no, no, we're going to use the room for Pilates.

41:52Very progressive. Exactly. So I literally, I remember sitting in the car thinking, I can't walk back in the house. Because that's like the biggest affair. How was Pilates? Yeah, it did me back a load of work. So anyway, so I had all of that going on. And then one thing leads to another. And again, I've got to tell you this story because it is a lovely story. And again, it fits into the world of stand-up and the twist and change. The agent that I left was yours. Oh, yeah. Off the cab. Yeah. So I was off the cab. Danny was looking after me. He was brilliant. but it was Joe who said to me look I'm not sure that you can put flyers on a seat the act that you're supposed to put won't be happy with that so I kind of left because I didn't think they had faith in me but the truth of the matter is they tried to get me going so when I was working Addison who you will know and people will not know but he was like the godfather of comedy he really he was the executive producer of Jonathan Ross he did live at the Apollo Lee Evans Michael Alan he was the godfather but you know you know what it's like you sign with an agency you never get to see him and when I was with them and I was still working I got asked to do the warm up for Jonathan Ross biggest show on telly at the time and it was a Thursday and I go yeah of course I'll do the warm up and Danny's going this would be great because all the exefs on telly will come and watch and we've got Madonna on this week and all that stuff but every now and again I had a boss who'd say look I need a presentation for Friday or I'd need this and he'd tell me on the Wednesday so I was phone up going I can't do that and then he's going this is the Jonathan Russia you can't pull out of it and I was going yeah but these graphs aren't going to draw themselves are they and he's going and he said look Addison wants to speak to you I went so that's like Kaiser Sosa wants to speak to you so this mystical man who heads comedy in the UK apparently and he wants to speak to me and I'm like, oh my God, okay, fine.

44:02This is, this is the, so he said, I said, I'm in London anyway next week. He said, come meet him in the office. So come into the office and I'm in my suit because I'm working anyway. So I'm, I'm there and I'm with Danny and the door opens and this fella comes in in a plum coloured suit, this like purple suit, this geezer and he just comes right up to me and he says, oh, it's scarce. Danny says, you've got a job. Give up your fucking job and I'll get you the money.

44:32and I said mate it's not as easy as that he said why would you earn 25 grand I said no he said 35 grand I said no he said 45 grand I said no he said 55 grand I said no he said keep your fucking job and walk down I don't know what happened oh amazing keep your fucking job and walk down

45:01and so so that was it so then what happened what happened then you move on a couple of years I've started this little tour that was going nowhere but I had sold I sold out the small room at the Lowry and Jason Manford said look my agent wants to come and meet you and I went I just don't know what I can do with an agent so anyways she phoned me up and said can I come and see you and she comes to the Lowry and I've sold out this year I'll go and do two hours and I get the standard ovation and all that stuff and she's going how come no one knows who you are? Like how are you selling 550 tickets? So she said can I represent you?

45:38And in the end that all developed into something so she ends up representing me and then she says look I've got this Michael McIntyre comedy road show they're going to do this show it's in Manchester and I said yeah but Addison makes it you know Addison yeah your old agent my old agent she said no it's fine Addison still loves you he'll be fine you'll be honest so I get booked on it so I'm stood and this is this is a really testament to him as a man I'm stood at the catering truck and we were the first recording we were the first show in Manchester and so no one knew it was going to be a success obviously Michael's a brilliant comedian and he had a big following but it was basically all the people who couldn't get booked on live at the Apollo that they were put on the road show and every now and again they'd have like an Apollo act as the headline but the rest of us were the people that they were testing out and the show that I did Sarah Milligan was the headline act Jason Manford was on it I was on it and Mick Ferry was on it so I'm stuck by the catering truck and he comes bouncing over Addison and he goes oh it's scarce if I fucking told you I'd get you on telly I went mate I said you you haven't got me on telly I said you got me on a show that you don't know if anyone's going to watch I said this could be crap this I said you've put me on telly when you booked me on live at the Apollo he went alright if you're any good I'll put you on it I said alright so I'm backstage what was I 42 something like that and I'm taking a breath and I suddenly thought this is it like this this is BBC One Saturday night and if this goes well I've got a chance but if it doesn't go well there won't be another chance I just know there won't be because I'd already been told Lisa had already done the phone call round to say why does no one book them on the panel shows or anything and she sat me down this is all she sat me down and she said I've spoke to all the people who do the booking she said there's three reasons that they've told me that they're not booking you on the shows one is you're too old to come across as a young actor as a new actor you're in your 40s number two your accent makes you sound he said your accent makes you sound aggressive on panel shows I don't have you seen Frankie yeah I said number three he said you don't look funny so I'm like I can't do anything about any of them so I'm stood there thinking well this is it so I go out and I literally I had you know you're thinking of jokes I've done all this and I've done all that and I'd literally done the recycling awards about two weeks before and I told the story in the recycling awards about this about having a water trance about this about having a you know getting a new fridge and all that stuff and I go on and I want to tell a little bit of this story because it's a decent gag and then I get heckled because I'm in Manchester I'm only scouting from Manchester and I respond to the heckle and it goes well and the gig goes well halfway through the gig halfway through it Addison phoned Lisa, my agent and booked me on live at the Apollo which was brilliant now the timing of things when you talk about the overnight success I've been doing stand-up for six years I'd been full-time then for about, well, six years when I left my job and I'd been full-time then for probably two years.

49:01So it was eight years in from my first gig. He booked me on Michael's show. We recorded that in May. I think that went out in July. The Live at the Apollo was recorded about the October. That went out in November. And what I did is I did different material in both. And then he booked me on the Jonathan Ross show. So he booked me on the three biggest shows and I did the Jonathan Ross show in the February. And as you say, I don't think this really happens anymore now. I'd started, I was on tour doing art centres about 400 and 500 and then we were putting bigger and bigger venues on and then we thought we'd push it a little bit because I was going on Jonathan Ross.

49:41The weekend before, I'd been selling round about 700 tickets a week. I did Jonathan Ross, I sold 22 ,000 tickets. Wow. and you go fuck things are different now yeah and because you know you've got it so once you get in front of them they'll come again and it built and built yeah but that and what I will always say he could have said no yeah you know he was the executive producer yeah your old agent you've left him he could have just gone what's he to me and he was brilliant God bless him and so what was that like for your family like when you that like you kind of said like they're teenagers and suddenly you're a superstar.

50:24It's hard to be. Within a year, really. I know. And I also, I remember, you know, we did things like you go to an airport and I remember telling my youngest lad off, Daniel, and it was so wrong because people would say, oh, can I have a picture? And Daniel would go, yeah, I'll take it for you. And I'm going, don't do that. You know, don't. And then people would say, oh, can I take a picture of the kids? And I'm going, no, no, you can't do that. So in the end, we would go separate. Melanie would walk with the kids and I'd meet them at the plane. And just sort of shuffle through with your head down.

50:58Shuffle through all that. And that's fine. That's a very, very small price to pay. But that was one of the family changes. And also my kids were going into teenage years. And I don't think it was always easy. I think if we're being honest, for them, Daniel was the youngest and he's the more exuberant like me. So he bounced with it. but for Joe and Luke they were going into teenage years different personalities and also my kids grew up in Manchester so they don't even sound like me they sound like they've been adopted so so it's well when you're a teenager you just want to be left alone you don't need your dad to be one of the most famous people in the country I know people looking at you and all that stuff so and again these were things that perhaps I was trying to say look at the good side without realising that for them as a family, it wasn't as easy.

51:52Well, I think to be so successful like you've been and deal with all that stuff, you've got to be so focused and so like switched on and just like, this is what we're doing. I've got to do that. Plough on. But then the negatives that it can spill over into when you need to be more gentle in family. And you know as well yourselves, I mean, you know, having something like this is great. You can control your own destiny. But most of the things that you do in showbiz, you see no control over. No. You know, you put a tool. Just waiting the whole time for approval, either from the audience or the channels, and waiting for the offer of this show or that.

52:24Exactly. You're always waiting for someone to give you the job. You're always thinking, if I don't take it now, it won't happen again. You're always thinking, that's always good, but will you come back to the next one? There's always this apprehension that it's going to go. So make the most of it while you can. And whilst you're trying to do that, I think there's times I should have been at home when I wasn't. When would that have been, just work commitments? I think when Joe was sort of adjusting and stuff like that, I think around that, I just think there's times where I just thought, well, I'm going to go from one tour to the next tour, and I just think I could have been a bit more present.

53:10I was there, that old phrase, you know, you're there, but you're not always present. Yeah, but also you've got that fear of, well, if I don't do this tour. If I don't do this, like we're talking, and again, because I took such a big gamble. And so I know that if this ends, you know, and I'm not coming to it as a 23-year-old lad with me mates having a laugh. I'm looking at this thinking, Jesus, I've got to do that gig because that'll pay the mortgage. I've got to do this, I've got to do that. One question, did you get to go and watch Liverpool win the Champions League when they beat Tottenham? Yeah.

53:42And was you there? Completely different experience. I was there with my wife, full corporate. Of course I was. How did you feel? Because it must have been a moment for you. Was that the first time they won after? Did they win the weekend? That was the first time they won, wasn't it? So did you go to the final you lost? Yeah. They lost three finals. But going there and being at the first one after Istanbul and you got there, before you knew what the result was going to be, it must have been a moment in your life to go, this was what it was all for, to have total autonomy in my life, to go I can do what I want when I want I've been to the others I went to Athens afterwards I went to Kiev you know what I mean I've been there went to Basel if that was funny went to Basel rented a plane I thought I've made it I'm going to take my brother I'm going to take my son I'm going to take my cousin I'm going to take his lads I'm going to take my nephew and there's enough for us and they were charging loads of money because Liverpool were playing were playing and no no not Seville No Valencia Yeah Seville Seville So we were playing Seville In the final But it was in Basel But you couldn't get to Basel You had to get to some Little French fucking place And go over there So I read This is so funny You know what you think You're the only big bollocks I said listen We're not going to mess about I'm going to get a plate We're fucking getting a plate So and so You know We're going to this final So I rent this plane And someone said Look you can get a jet But it's mad money You don't have to It's only Basel we've got these turbo prop planes with the great wider body more comfortable right so we get at the we're at the sort of bit in Liverpool where everyone's flying off and we're waiting for our car to take us to the plane I'm coming towards this plane I'm fucking looking and I'm thinking that doesn't look like I'm looking at the picture it's not the same colour I thought it must have painted I got on the plane and I swear to God sat down in the plane I thought it's fucking it's not as plush as I thought it had ashtrays in the season that's how old the playing was fucking it was the only playing in the world with Ashmer he was like he got there he managed to get to Basel conked out he couldn't get back so he was dazed to get back the whole Johnny honest to God the whole Johnny big bollocks thing was so funny but they're they're the bits where you think I'm I'm going to keep that now you know what I mean I'm going to enjoy these moments because Because success is a very, you can look at success in monetary terms, but it's not the money that you get, it's the time that you can have back.

56:19Yes, it enables you to be there more. And so now, with your kids growing up, what's it like? Do you see much? How much are they in your lives? Because they are grown-ups.

56:38well at the moment one thing I'll say to you and I said this on tour but it is true that when your kids your kids leave home it's a big change and you have this empty nesting syndrome and that you won't even be able to conceive that but when that happens and your kids leave home move really? yeah move just move just move and don't tell them because if you don't they come back and I've literally got two at home now two children living at home whose combined age is 59 and I keep going what are they doing here why are they still here but on another side of things it's lovely because we're closer than we ever were before.

57:33We sort of manoeuvre this world in a different way because we're all more used to it. And there's a little bit now where you go, okay, this is the pressure's off. You know what I mean? Because when someone's a man, that's who they're going to be. When someone's a child, you keep on looking. You probably look at your kids and think, maybe the Olympics.

57:58What's this one going to do? What's he going to be like? I mean, astronauts, is that asking too much? Whereas when they're 32 and they've got a beard and they're in your kitchen, you think, no, that's not happening. Just a bloke. No, no, bro. So you know who they are and they know who you are. And I'm not going to go to all that naff. You know, we become friends. You're still, they're not your friends. Yeah. Because, honest to God, I'll go out with my mates and we'll go on the piss and I'm not bothered how to get home. You know what I mean? You go out with your kids and they say, I'm going to go out somewhere else with me.

58:32So you go, well, text me. Melanie's going, text me. You go, oh, I'm going, like, he's older than the taxi driver who's taking him. But it's still something that leaves you. That never leaves you. John, the film is so good. But you know what? This thing about the film, and I know we spoke about so many other things. I just want people to go to see the film because it sounds a little bit mad, but I think if we'd have seen this film when we were at that stage in our relationship, we probably would never have split up. Oh. But then there'd be no film. And then I wouldn't be a comedian. You know what I mean?

59:11I'd still be doing grass. So what you're doing is trying to stop new comedians. I'd say I'd cut the mark out. John, the final question we ask everyone this. What's the one thing Melanie does as a parent that you look at her and go, oh my God, I'm so lucky we've got kids together. You're incredible. and that's the one thing she does as a parent that annoys you still slightly but you've never mentioned it but if she was listening she'd go he's got a point First of all there's not a man she'll say he's got a point One thing as a parent she has sort of she talks to them in a way that I can't you know what I mean she has little pet names for them and she can hold them she can put her arms around them and I see her do it and I do it and it's a bit like what I do with me dad it's like pat pat you know what I mean and I know that and I know we're getting better at it but she has this real softness and their children always will be yeah aw that's too sweet to sort of do the bad bit yeah no the bad bit is she lets the fuckers come home

1:00:30I saw you at the Royal Lab a whole years ago it's probably about 15 years ago I think it was a poster that was orange I don't know what tour that was it was a big orange poster sunshine sunshine yeah and like you got a stand in ovation it was amazing but what was so lovely was Melanie was in like a few seats away and she just laughed and loved every moment of it it wasn't that roll your eyes obviously fuck you it was just like oh and just absolutely like adored you on stage she may not have shown it to you I know but you know what I'll be honest with you Rob and this came to me on the last tour because the last tour I did was celebrating 25 years and it was the first time I'd ever really spoke on tour about because it was almost, the film was coming out and I thought I'll get my side of the story in before the film comes out but I also planned the tour not knowing the film would be out this year and I just wanted to put the record straight and celebrate the 25 years and it was when I was talking about it and I was talking about when we started to stitch things back together and we started going to release and started having some counselling and what have you and I said I said something, she laughed and it was her laughter and it's like you'll be the same you used as one person you can be in a room of 10 ,000 but if there's one person's laughter is equal to 10 ,000 and making her laugh is still the best thing I can do.

1:01:56Because you know when you've done it properly as well. Yeah. Because sometimes... When they bend. When they go, ah! Yeah! It's the bend. What I like is how annoyed Lewis that I've managed to achieve it after. He's like, oh, you fucker! How do I let him get that one? Yeah, yeah. No, but it is. It's such a... I think we're very, very lucky to do the jobs that we do. Oh, it's an amazing story and amazing film. John, thank you so much. It's been amazing. No, thanks for that. Thanks, John. You know why I'm glad that message didn't send? Because this felt like the right time for it to happen. Imagine, as I come on that message, you said, what's going on?

1:02:28I'd go, nah, I can't tell you.

1:02:33That was John Bishop. Loved John Bishop. Loved him. He's so charismatic. He's sexy. He's so sexy, isn't he? Do you know what? I actually think he's one of those people that's getting sexier as he gets older. If a guy can have swept back hair and look good at that age, and you're, you know... Well, fingers crossed I can continue this swept back vibe. Then they look good. Do you know what I mean? I think the thing with hair as you get older, John Bishop's got, oh, he's got nice longer hair. Any longer and he's got long hair, then that's why we're in. No. So you look like a nan that's just had a blow dry.

1:03:06And I'm not against it. I think an old lady should feel good about herself. I didn't feel you were going to say blow drop. An old nan having a blow drop. Oh, that's a weird analogy. Go and see John Bishop's film. Is this thing on? Is this thing on? see you later that's what I say when I get a blow I don't say anything because I don't get blowjobs

1:03:26hello

1:03:30Parenting Hell listeners recognise that voice yes it's Josh Whittacombe here

1:03:37I have got a new podcast Josh Whittacombe's Museum of Pop Culture and I'm going to say it I'm about 85 % sure you're going to love it here are the reasons why. Number one, I'm confident if you're listening now, you don't hate me and possibly think I'm funny. Number two, I'm confident if you're listening now, you like podcasts. Number three, I'm confident if you're listening to me and Rob, you prefer pop culture to people talking about things, let's be honest, boring things like history, economics, or politics. I know I do. And that is why I made this podcast. I wanted a show that tells the stories I love from popular culture in the way other podcasts do for drier topics.

1:04:15See above. Basically, I wanted a podcast that realised Milli Vanilli were more interesting than Elizabeth I. Join me as I give the definitive, or at least the funniest, takes on Mr Blobby. When Ghostwatch convinced BBC viewers ghosts were real. When a band burned a million pounds for a laugh. The Spice Girls, a truly catastrophic Spider-Man musical with music from U2. And David Hasselhoff, Baywatch, and his part in The Fall of the Berlin Wall. All of them are real, by the way. Either you know what these things are and you're about to learn far more about them than you ever realised you wanted to, or you don't, and you're about to be introduced to some of the maddest things in modern or ancient history.

1:04:53Stiffnecks will learn, loose necks will laugh. New episodes available every Wednesday and Saturday, perfect to fill those gaps between your weekly doses of parenting hell. So go on, you might as well listen, subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts now. Museum of Pop Culture with me, Josh Whittacombe, Available everywhere on the 1st of January.