It’s the first show of series 20 (how does this keep getting commissioned?) and Rich is giving a moving tribute to a wrongly disgraced broadcaster and glad to see what’s making the BBC news headlines. His guest is the reigning Taskmaster champion Ed Gamble. They discuss who is doing the most podcasts, the problem with banofee pie, naughty puppets, why heavy metal is childish, whether Ed’s fiancé is a paid actor, the Proustian memories brought up by gladiators and performing whilst looking at yourself in a sheet of perspex. Plus would being caught in an act of self-love on camera be good or bad for Richard’s career.

It’s November 4th and the world hangs in the balance as they wait to discover if a winner will be declared right away in Taskmaster series 10. Rich is very keen for it to go to court after the upside down fiasco. His guest is comedy genius Nell Scovell. You may not know her name but you will have laughed at her stuff. They chat about playing ping pong with Garry Shandling, Miss Piggy’s Wardrobe Malfunction, giving Homer Simpson 22 hours to live, writing jokes for the President (not that one) and the scripts that got away and how Rich helped a writers’ room to become majority women.

Richard is on TV so much now that it’s actually not funny any more, but his son has come up with an improvement to Star Wars, so that’s something. His guest is comedy scriptwriter and erstwhile drummer Arthur Mathews. They talk about trying to shake off the guilt of a religious upbringing, Dominic Cummings diary, staying in Griff Rhys Jones house, failing to impress Jonathan Miller, Father Ted stamps, the fecundity of 90s comedy and how it took so long to get the Amish meet Bill Grundy on to TV.

Richard is recording on International Men’s Day Eve and he’s excited about what the next day will bring. But don’t worry he’s got lots of porridge so he’s ready for Brexit. His guest is actor and writer Kiell Smith-Bynoe. They chat about eating oysters on a boat with Noel Edmonds, the remarkable chemistry of the couple he’s a part of in Ghosts, being a teenage YouTube sensation, how One Direction do Twitter and surviving the rigours of lockdown.

Richard has seen a ghost (but it’s of someone who isn’t dead) and is worried about one of the victims of the Pompeii earthquake. His guest is internet sensation Alistair Green. They discuss confusing Serena Williams by running around, the confidence of going on Question Time with a half-thought out idea, the genesis of the character videos that have led to Alistair’s success, sexy Ghostbusters and the logistics of getting to a protest with right wing paraphernalia.

Rich is stinging from the snub from Sports Personality of the Year, but at least his acting career is going from weakness to slightly less weakness and his moustache is looking great. His guest is the rabbit-murderer Marek Larwood, inventor of Volfsball and Pooman and semi-professional Guess Who? Player. The pair chat about life on the Isle of Wight, defective pill cutters, the terrible tragedy behind Marek’s Polish name, copying great art in a quarter of an hour, the inventions and ideas spilling out of this potato-headed man and why TV’s loss might be comedy’s gain. Plus how We Are Klang definitely began.

Richard is planning to rewrite a Christmas classic and reflecting on the worst memorial to a human being that he’s ever seen. His guest is the formerly sexy Welshman, Rhod Gilbert. They discuss if their separate virginity losses actuality count, being sick 8 times in 3 sickbags, socially crippling shyness, sharing a cab in 2000, whether you can give the kiss of life to a fish, the earwax taste challenge and Rich condemns Rhod to Hell. Also some Christmas Emergency Questions. Plus the extraordinary tale of what happened after Rhod drank 7 espresso martinis, which might be the funniest story ever told on RHLSTP.

Richard has been admonished by his daughter, but is also fascinated by an old penis-based crime. His guest is comedian Lou Conran. They discuss an amazing case of mistaken identity, their various Press Gang crushes, what it’s like to warm up the audience on Countdown, a disappointing appearance on First Dates, discovering Santa emptying his sack and more ghost stories. Also a spooky break down in communication, but Chris Evans (not that one) manages to save the day, even if he deliberately caused it in order to be the hero. Check out Lou’s new podcast Spit or Swallow in January 2021.

Recording just before Christmas on Plague Island, Richard wonders what kind of UK listeners will be living in when this is broadcast (in a fortnight), but his guest is legendary actor, author, comedian and expired food eating hobbyist Alexei Sayle. They discuss finding a goose with Keith Allen, having one of the top ten comedy shows of 2020 (but how many were there in total?), Alexei’s new online shows involving politics and cycling and an analysis of the film Siesta. Plus whether the left will ever stop fighting itself and think about fighting the right, mortality, the death of ambition and remaining inventive and fresh as a comedian.

Richard has had his mind blown by a Christmas surprise and his theatrical 3-year-old has been unexpectedly philosophical. His guest has had a bad 2021 and a bad day, it's brilliant Catherine Bohart. They discuss the loves that survived and didn't survive 2020, why priests can't marry and if that's a good idea, being the Frankincense King, boiler maintenance, bad therapy, the greatest ever Roast Battle, why drama school didn't work out and what makes a comedian. Plus setting up her own online gig - Check out Gigless here https://www.catherinebohart.com/gigless.

Rich is wondering if the Proclaimers have ever had their bluff called as he wearily starts Lockdown 3. His guest has a first in philosophy and has performed in a monkey suit, it's delightful genius Nina Conti. They discuss which of them is the best ventriloquist, how puppet characters can emerge by magic, turning audience members into dummies, whether all ventriloquists are mad or bad, the influence of the amazing Ken Campbell and why security guards are obsessed with ventriloquism. Plus are humans alone in the universe?

Richard has been flying a kite with his daughter and is hoping she will remember it when he is gone, if he ever dies, which he thinks is unlikely. His guest is the leonine and erudite Alice Fraser. They discuss what it’s like to live in the future, why all their conversations must be podcast, how limitations can lead to comedic invention, using daily in comedy, how the Australian lockdown is going, sexual superpowers and why mind-reading might not be a good one.

Richard is on the eve of surgery and hoped a podcast might take his mind off it all, but his guest, actor and comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub is keen to chat it all through. The pair discuss the ethical issues around Oompa-Loompas, working on the greatest TV show of all time, non-audience comedy and lockdown breakdowns, haunted audiences, forgetful dogs and whether Mary Lynn has ever been in a bad film. Check your bits.