Welcome to the Pretend Room, a place where Mitchell and Webb get to discuss the making of some of their funniest sketches from Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping.
In the very first .. show full overview
Welcome to the Pretend Room, a place where Mitchell and Webb get to discuss the making of some of their funniest sketches from Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping.
In the very first episode, David Mitchell and Robert Webb look back at “How Is This A Step Forward?” and the legendary suitcase ad sketch while spiraling into conversations about toilets, exploding dogs, the Amish, fax machines, Peugeot adverts, and why modern technology is ruining everyone’s brains.
It starts as a discussion about comedy writing and somehow turns into one of the most ridiculous conversations imaginable. Exactly as intended.
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where Mitchell and Webb attempt to discuss their old sketches before immediately derailing into road rage, death rays, therapy, YouTube communities, .. show full overview
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where Mitchell and Webb attempt to discuss their old sketches before immediately derailing into road rage, death rays, therapy, YouTube communities, internet arguments about scones, and why everyone online seems furious all the time.
In Episode 2, David Mitchell and Robert Webb revisit the “Death Ray” and “Therapist” sketches while questioning modern internet culture, fake outrage, and whether “like and subscribe” counts as an actual human interaction. It starts as comedy analysis and slowly collapses into existential frustration.
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0x3 Pretend Room 03 We Might Have Libelled Someone Episode overview
Air date
May 20, 2026
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where David Mitchell and Robert Webb somehow begin discussing prestige dramas about Prince Andrew and end up debating national toilet paper habits in .. show full overview
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where David Mitchell and Robert Webb somehow begin discussing prestige dramas about Prince Andrew and end up debating national toilet paper habits in disturbing detail.
The pair unpack the inspiration behind their Prince Andrew sketch, joke about Hollywood’s obsession with remakes and recycled ideas, and spiral into one of the strangest conversations imaginable about wiping techniques, French bidets, and whether entire countries “scrunch.”
It starts as a conversation about comedy sketches and somehow turns into a breakdown of British toilet culture. Naturally.
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where David Mitchell and Robert Webb somehow begin discussing airport security and end up proposing that cavity searches should be performed by people .. show full overview
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where David Mitchell and Robert Webb somehow begin discussing airport security and end up proposing that cavity searches should be performed by people wearing jingly boater hats.
The pair unpack the inspiration behind their airport security sketches, the baffling inconsistency of tray and belt rules, and why the uniform makes security staff feel entitled rather than helpful. Then they turn to the Sweary Aussie Drame Part 1 sketch, revealing that the Australian word for a certain expletive carries no force down under and can even be used affectionately towards royalty. Prince Philip would have loved it.
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss two classic sketches: Hot Seat and Hot Seat's Little Stool.
Along the way, they talk about London Underground .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss two classic sketches: Hot Seat and Hot Seat's Little Stool.
Along the way, they talk about London Underground announcements, satire becoming reality, and even how a real TV company is developing a game show based on musical chairs after they had already created Hot Seat.
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss the second Sweary Aussies sketch, the Word Cloud sketch, literary spoilers, Wuthering Heights, and why some comedy .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss the second Sweary Aussies sketch, the Word Cloud sketch, literary spoilers, Wuthering Heights, and why some comedy works best when nobody tries to “target” an audience. The conversation jumps from Penguin Classics introductions to bleeped swearing, BBC market research meetings, pointless word clouds, and the internet’s strange love of traffic.
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0x8 Pretend Room 08 You Can't Criticise The Government Episode overview
Air date
Jun 24, 2026
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to talk through two sketches touching on climate anxiety, political panic, war, adaptation, and one bizarre idea involving .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to talk through two sketches touching on climate anxiety, political panic, war, adaptation, and one bizarre idea involving politicians trying to solve climate change by stopping masturbation. Along the way, Robert admits he still doesn’t fully understand the logic of one sketch, while David digs into why climate messaging can fail when it ignores how much people actually enjoy the things causing emissions.
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where David Mitchell and Robert Webb somehow begin discussing a washing machine porn sketch and end up debating the practicalities of owning white .. show full overview
Welcome back to the Pretend Room, where David Mitchell and Robert Webb somehow begin discussing a washing machine porn sketch and end up debating the practicalities of owning white goods, the strange brand extensions of Peugeot and Samsung, and whether Scotty from Star Trek could operate a keyboard.
The two unpack the inspiration behind their washing machine and therapist sketches, admit they are not handy with tools, and spiral into a bizarre conversation about replacing broken appliances, flushing toilets with unknown water sources, and why a mobile phone shouldn't double as a washing machine.
David and Robert sit in the pretend room discussing two sketches the joy of steam and stab the pirate. They talk about 1980s TV nostalgia Joan Hickson Marple and Poirot. They reminisce .. show full overview
David and Robert sit in the pretend room discussing two sketches the joy of steam and stab the pirate. They talk about 1980s TV nostalgia Joan Hickson Marple and Poirot. They reminisce about dangerous 80s playgrounds and board games that fired ball bearings at loved ones. Then, they offer style tips for passport photos and advice on residual payments and tax regimes. They also discuss Christmas presents misery memoirs and end with a call to action.
Mitchell and Webb are back in the Pretend Room to revisit Branboozle, Middle Aged Man Island, and the bizarre mystery of what bran actually is.
They debate what makes a dad joke, .. show full overview
Mitchell and Webb are back in the Pretend Room to revisit Branboozle, Middle Aged Man Island, and the bizarre mystery of what bran actually is.
They debate what makes a dad joke, attempt to reconstruct a ghost teacher gag, and somehow end on one final unexpected punchline.
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0x11 Pretend Room 11 Did Shakespeare Sound More American Than British? Episode overview
Air date
Jul 15, 2026
David Mitchell and Robert Webb unpack the ideas behind their Puritans and Accord With Our Values sketches in this episode of the Pretend Room. They discuss using the Puritans to explore .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb unpack the ideas behind their Puritans and Accord With Our Values sketches in this episode of the Pretend Room. They discuss using the Puritans to explore cancel culture and purity spirals, why American and British accents developed differently, and the theory that Shakespeare may have sounded closer to a modern American.
The conversation then turns to social pressure to publicly take a stand and the famous idea that evil triumphs when good people do nothing. Mitchell and Webb question whether people acting with complete confidence and terrible judgment might be a much bigger problem.
Subscribe, like the video and turn on notifications, although apparently that might be unnecessarily stressful.
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0x12 Pretend Room 12 The Peep Show Question People Won't Stop Asking Episode overview
Air date
Jul 22, 2026
David Mitchell and Robert Webb revisit Sweary Aussies 3 and reveal the surprisingly precise writing behind the recurring sketch, including its hidden three act structure and the .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb revisit Sweary Aussies 3 and reveal the surprisingly precise writing behind the recurring sketch, including its hidden three act structure and the character specific swear words assigned to each performer.
They also explain the inspiration behind The Foundation, why some comedy mysteries are better left unanswered, and how an eerie 1980s children’s drama helped spark the original idea.
The conversation then takes a turn into middle age, Hampshire’s Got Talent, awkward calls to action, and the YouTube button they think should exist.
David Mitchell and Robert Webb revisit their E.M. Forster sketches in another unpredictable episode of Pretend Room. What begins as a conversation about Forster quickly spirals into .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb revisit their E.M. Forster sketches in another unpredictable episode of Pretend Room. What begins as a conversation about Forster quickly spirals into Carry On films, favorite adaptations of A Room with a View and Maurice, the reality of writing comedy, unbearably warm Edwardian clothing, Scott of the Antarctic and the surprisingly long life of the phrase “don’t touch that dial.”
Along the way, Mitchell and Webb share memories from filming, debate whether writing is really that difficult and repeatedly attempt to finish the video without getting distracted again.
David Mitchell and Robert Webb revisit the outrageously inappropriate Foley Artist sketch and explain why it was unusually difficult to film without laughing. They also discuss the .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb revisit the outrageously inappropriate Foley Artist sketch and explain why it was unusually difficult to film without laughing. They also discuss the character’s unsettling eating habits, how behind-the-scenes documentaries can ruin the magic of television, whether wildlife footage is worth the effort and how words such as “like” and “sanction” have changed over time.
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0x15 Pretend Room 15 All the Possible Stories Ever Written Episode overview
Air date
Aug 12, 2026
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to unpack Matrix the Play and the Horror Film Promo. Along the way, they reveal the actor impression behind the Matrix sketch, .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to unpack Matrix the Play and the Horror Film Promo. Along the way, they reveal the actor impression behind the Matrix sketch, discuss why actors struggling to perform simple tasks will always be funny and question whether modern culture has completely run out of new stories.
The conversation inevitably drifts into Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell, spoilers, serious sitcom moments and David’s brutally specific criticism of Between the Covers. They eventually return to the sketches to explain why pretending to be sick can be comedy gold, provided it is done with a little class.
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0x16 Pretend Room 16 Do Some, All or No Dogs Go To Heaven? Episode overview
Air date
Aug 19, 2026
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss their cult sketch, but the conversation quickly spirals far beyond cults. They debate religion as an answer to “the .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss their cult sketch, but the conversation quickly spirals far beyond cults. They debate religion as an answer to “the void,” complain about terrible church hymns, question the appeal of spending eternity with your grandmother and wonder whether dogs, wasps and every other dead animal are waiting for you in heaven.
It’s a typically wandering Mitchell and Webb conversation that somehow ends with piles of dead wasps, unwanted ambrosia and the important reminder that you don’t actually have to watch.
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0x17 Pretend Room 17 What Will Be Our Last Words? Episode overview
Air date
Aug 26, 2026
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss the Last Words sketch and the second Middle Aged Man Island sketch.
They debate whether anyone should actually .. show full overview
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to the Pretend Room to discuss the Last Words sketch and the second Middle Aged Man Island sketch.
They debate whether anyone should actually plan their final words, what technically counts as a “last noise,” Queen Elizabeth II’s final days and somehow the differences between the Church of England and Church of Scotland. Then things turn to the serious problems facing middle-aged men everywhere: changing light bulbs, finding replacements and smoke alarms that refuse to stop beeping.
Extras are not tracked
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