It's season 22 melon-farmers and we're back at the Leicester Square Theatre where we belong and Rich has had no sleep and may not be his son's real (or at least only) father. His guests are the hosts of the fabulous Nobody Panic podcast (and soon to be a book) Tessa Coates and Stevie Martin. They talk about meeting someone in the flesh for the first time after a year of working together, dishwasher etiquette, one night stands, the ethics of having sex with your consenting self, homophobic dolphins, the multi-tasking required to be a modern day comedian, the excitement of developing a project in the US, past lives, unused driving gloves and much more.

Richard is shedding body parts in his dreams, but making the most of the first class medical treatment that comes from having the Big C in your Big T. His guest is comedy legend and parrot joke expert Barry Cryer. Barry reminisces about the many stars he's worked with over the 60+years of his incredible career including Bob Hope, Graham Chapman, Kenny Everett and basically any big name comedian you can think of. Plus Morecambe and Wise's views on Monty Python, what it was like doing comedy in between nude tableaux, Tony Hancock's ashes, the delight of getting a birthday joke from Uncle Baz, the joy of spoonerisms and some first rate swearing from the 86 year old honorary gay man with the perfect smokescreen. Absolute class.

After four years Richard has noticed a hubristic plaque at his local cricket pitch and is gunning for North Herts District Council - they will regret crossing him. His guest is a return of the number 1 RHLSTP guest and number 2 human being (after Michael Palin) Bob Mortimer. There's so much fun including the benefits of coiling like a snake, the mystery of the tiny sink, retractable genitalia, the magic of having your heart touched, the wisdom that comes from a brush with death, an emergency joke book, why Bob is a fish who has been put back in the water, Bob's part in Jarvis Cocker's showdown with Michael Jackson and the Hells Angel Farmer who shagged his way to making Bob a comedian. And so much more.

Richard is concerned about a doppelgänger who is out there somewhere claiming to be him (and whether it might be him) and why the fraud has such a paucity of ambition and his son has some unexpected good news. His guests are Ian and Barry from the Parapod podcast and MOVIE! They chat about how to turn a podcast into a feature film, the alternate universe where the script of a Disney film is slightly different, how foolish Barry sold a money making idea for 10p and how he met his own doppleganger in a wood and why Tenable makes Richard feel sick. Plus how to ruin your chances of being on TV. And it all ends with a huge scrotal surprise.

Richard has seen a middle aged man score a major triumph over two trainee baristas over the absence of a plate. His guest this week also expects crockery in coffee shops, it's David Mitchell. They discuss the cruel and ever speeding passage of time, how to revolutionise body swap comedies, obituary photos, how David turned out to be right about Upstart Crow and how Covid disrupted his first West End run, why David won't be appearing on Taskmaster and how Richard was spared embarrassment when having his balls scanned. It's got everything.

Richard's son is a chip off the old block, though Richard is upset that Lego has introduced things that are chips instead of blocks. His guest is University fraud Tim Key. The pair compare garments before Richard suggests a radical rebrand for the actor/comedian, teases out the story of how Tim got into the Cambridge Footlights, and how Tim's poet character developed. Plus a fascinating discussion on what it is like to work alongside your childhood comedy hero (not Richard as it turns out), how Tim physically injured Richard and his inspirational gift to make up for it, who is the fastest over long distances and whether snow is frozen water.

Richard had written an actual joke and been dreaming of tiny animal attacks, plus performing music in quite an unusual way. His guest it arguably a more accomplished musician - it's the impossibly cool and talented Louise Wener. They discuss the similarities of their experiences of school and the 90s, what it's like to appear on Top of the Pops (and the impossibility of both of them getting on the show), writing your own reviews, the sexism of the music industry, stealing Blur's cheese and why being a rock star is better the second time around.

Richard's daughter has written a story to rival the Men of Phise and Rich has come up with a new sitcom idea. His guests are his 1990s comedy rivals Adam and Joe. Find out how Song Wars nearly caused awkwardness for Joe, whether the documentary voice over man will be in Attack the Block 2, whether a 1990s parody of how rubbish the internet is stands up today, boarding school bullying and comedy revenge, who was the best 1990s mainly forgotten double act and is it possible to still be friends after 40 years of knowing each other. Plus where you can see Lee and Herring nude and what part did Richard fail to get in the Sex Pistols TV series?

Richard has been teaching his kid wrong information, for a payoff that will take years to come and he finally has his hands on a copy of Would You Rather? His guest is inspirational comedian/podcaster/actor/author/role model Katherine Ryan. They discuss why audacity is a good thing, why we should all find our childhood sweetheart and marry them, trying to recapture the funniness of yourself as a child, being a baby genius, getting knocked back by Stephen Hawking, honesty in comedy and whether you can tell if you have long Covid when you have a baby in the house.

Richard has been tossing logs and that's literally it for this week, so he talks to his audience for the first time in ages. His guest is author and comedian Shaparak �Shappi� Khorsandi. They discuss why she has chosen to use her birth name, the responsibilities of being a dog owner, the life of Emma Hamilton, I'm a Celebrity, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe of 2021, the moon on a stick, why Shaparak's comedy is better now that she has been diagnosed with ADHD and what happens if you don't know you are writing a book for 12 year olds.

Richard can't stop thinking about a man he walked past 30 years ago but is somehow walking taller. His guest can answer the question �Are you Dave Gorman?� in the affirmative, as he is Dave Gorman. They talk about moving to Bournemouth being newsworthy, how to become a crossword millionaire, how Ted Rogered the cryptic crossword, whether logs are sentient, why Covid was a positive (as long as you ignore the negatives), how an Ian Dury song provided the key to Dave's stand up, the shortest lived street performance career, scary Coventry Jesus and the pair try to work out when the last time they will ever be mentioned or thought of might occur (hello people of 2521).

Richard is excited by the upcoming film Wonka and has some other ideas for origin story films. His guest is the Sidesplitting Phil Wang. They discuss how straddling two cultures can give you a humorous perspective on both, but leave you feeling rejected by both, 1970s television and how harshly we should judge it, racist nursery rhymes, Richard's Asian hair, John Lewis's 150 year old gametes, what box Phil needs to tick on the ethnicity questionnaire, how to get away with pooing yourself at school and why comedians are often introverts.

Rich has had what he thought might be the most middle class accident, but he is wrong. His guest is a listener who has won a competition to be on the show, the Dorian Grey of morning TV, Ben Shephard. They discuss how science proves Ben a better singer than a West End star, whether there's a man with a broom behind the Tipping Point machine, revenge as a dish served very cold, why Rich was fired from morning television, how Ben's charity work found him at Buckingham Palace and what Richard had to do for the same invitation, feeling up Julie Walters, plus a classic emergency question and Ben turning the tables and asking some stuff about testicles that he might not do on morning telly,

Richard wonders if the man who wrote the Grange Hill theme might have been hoodwinking us all along. His guest is the formidable Dragon, Deborah Meaden. Rich is hoping he can get an investment of at least £50 million and pitches some ideas, whilst they also discuss being thrown into Murder in Successville, being parodied by Harry and Paul, ethical business, whether the Dragons are friends, where Meaden can save Cheddar caves and how Richard has become an (arguably more successful) business owner than Deborah. Plus what it's like to be a child prodigy who turns their back on their skill, what Rich missed out on at Butlins Minehead and why a Dragon should never back time travel.

Richard has an idea that will revolutionise football and is having to explain to his daughter why history killed all the famous women. His guest is academic and broadcaster Emma Dabiri. They talk about growing up as almost the only black person in Ireland, why white people don't like being told what to do next, Richard's �All Lives Matter� conundrum, what's happened to the ugly TV academics, how whiteness and blackness are a relatively modern invention, why we need to destroy capitalism and Emma answers some of Phoebe Herring's Would You Rather questions.

Richard is in giddy mood as he meets a member of the audience. His guest is living legend and national treasure Miriam Margolyes. They discuss Arnold Schwarzenegger's farting revenge, King Edward VII's weighing chair, the sexism of the boys in the Cambridge Footlights, how Miriam's father's life was spared by a diamond, an unusual approach to dealing with a sex pest, some strong opinions about the current government, making a soft porn tape, appearing in a Beckett play despite not liking it, starring in an American sitcom and why a lesbian ended up giving so many blow jobs. It's a stone cold classic RHLSTP from one of our greatest actors. You will love it.

Richard has been having car trouble and is worried that his son might have been damaged on his watch. His guest is the actor and podcaster Margaret Cabourn-Smith. They discuss the time they appeared in a long short film together, the glamour of working for Disney, the terrible foot secret of Dan Tetsell, whether you should risk putting your children into show business, the dynamics of the double acts and the lottery of TV commissions, the power of the crush (check out Margaret's new podcast) , working with Dawn French and Rich once again forgets to google King Stephen before a show.

It's a New Year (for you, though Richard is just pretending) and Rich looks back on his weird and unsettling 2021, but definitely sees the positives in it all. Will this year be better than the last one or will the years just continue top get worse and worse until we all die? His guest is the king of the clowns and circuit legend, Chris Lynam, who you might know from his firework up the bum routine, but who has a whole lot more to him than that. They chat about what Chris remembers of the early alternative comedy scene, working with Ken Campbell, Malcolm Hardee overestimating how easy it is to light fireworks in your buttocks, what destroyed the spirit of alternative comedy, who destroyed the rainforest of Zimbabwe and how Chris nearly became impaled on a bed of nails. Plus the times that his perilous appearing act actually spilled over into real danger, the heart and soul of the clown and how Chris has managed to maintain the same level of madness without turning any more mad.

Wow, what's this, a remote RHLSTP whilst we're still allowed (at the time of recording) to go outside. We're filling a little gap in our schedule with some remote pods, this one from the 6th January at 11am LA time with too gorgeous comedy behemoth Peter Baynham. The old flatmates discuss bad chat up lines, the freedom of podcasting, the brilliant Brain Cigar https://audioboom.com/channels/5053035, why it's probably a good thing that Richard didn't work on Ron's Gone Wrong, where Peter was when Rudi G was undoing his pants, the Sliding Doors moments that made Peter's career and saved Rich's children's lives and what might have been if Peter hadn't stolen some photocopier paper in the early 90s and where Fist of Fun might go next.

Richard has got Covid 19 - always late to the party - but nothing can stop him podcasting and so this remote recording carries on regardless (with social distancing of 100 miles, which the NHS has determined is fairly safe). His guest is comedian and author Laura Lexx. They discuss the genesis of her hilarious new book, Klopp Actually (Buy here- https://www.lauralexx.co.uk/klopp-actually), how lockdown prompted creative ways of working, whether Somerset should change its name, Perkin Warbeck, appearing in Panto and the worst thing to have in your mouth. Will this be the last RHLSTP ever? And who will host the show if it is. It's all sorted out in the podcast and so this should be considered a last will and testament.

Richard is still isolating, and has had to reluctantly welcome a new son-in-law into his life. His guest is actor, director and musician Laura Jean Marsh. They chat about leaving home at 16 to be in a band, how Laura Jean's experiences in the music scene inspired her to write, direct and star in the feature film, Giddy Stratospheres, how she persuaded Richard to take a part in the movie, how the Hell you get something like this off the ground during lockdown and how taking a punt can lead to all kinds of opportunities. Plus is it too soon to be nostalgic about 2007 and a horrifying emergency question about back lips and some stuff about Scooby Doo. An inspiring chat for anyone who hopes to get a creative project off the ground. You can watch Giddy Stratospheres for free on Amazon Prime (if you are an Amazon Prime member) or rent from all the usual places.

In another Covid hit remote show, Richard is wondering if Boris Johnson will still be PM by the time this podcast is released (of course he will) and worried about new developments in his daughter’s new relationship. His guest is the actually not political comedian and writer Grainne Maguire. They talk about Grainne’s very entertaining new podcast, The Way They Were https://podcasts.apple.com/mt/podcast..., the power of discussing your worst moments, doing stand up for Gerry Adams, terrible things to say on a first date, trying to give a motivational speech to public school kids, a ghostly hangover cure, meeting Seth Meyers and why Grainne tweeted her menstrual cycle to Enda Kenny.

Richard has some bad news about Scooby Doo, but some good news about Emergency Questions getting mixed up with Scottish seamen. It’s another TransAtlantic remote podcast, with a return from thoughtful comedy genius David Cross. They chat about poor political predictions, the pain of 18 months away from stand up, David’s new special “I’m From The Future”, the rapid return to health of Bob Odenkirk, getting owl talon marks on your head, whether it’s funny when anti-vaxxers die of Covid and not wanting to repeat the mistakes of your father. A fascinating chat, going into some serious depth about the mindset of a comedian.

Richard is back live at the Phoenix and has become a bit obsessed with the comedy writers who created the Tory party's worst comedy character - his guest is a man who doesn't eat enough vitamin C, Ahir Shah. They discuss topical issues that may be out of date when this podcast airs, where the Corona virus might have originated, making comedy out of the lockdown experience, the poshest hotel in Swansea, the wonder of sperm.

Richard is back at the Phoenix and wondering how future robots will judge him for the way he thinks about the robots of today. His guest is my dear Mark Watson. They discuss forgetting about working with Peter Andre, how judging yourself by the achievements of your contemporaries is maybe not the healthiest way to behave, what it's like to be let go by your management, whether death is necessary to make life worthwhile, whether it would be cool to be cryogenically frozen, what you would do if you were a billionaire, what it would be like to be so successful that all your TV ideas got made and how technology brings us closer together and isn't all bad.

Richard is in Bristol at the Slapstick Festival and starts by paying tribute to a fallen comedy hero (and the third guest to fall to the curse of RHLSTP). His guest is actor, impressionist and astronomer Jon Culshaw. They discuss Queen Victoria's everlasting fire, how a receptionist set Jon on course to his comedy career, getting through to Tony Blair on a prank call, chasing solar eclipses, portraying David Bowie in a serious drama, whether it's ever possible to get to know the person behind the impressions, Bill Dare's bottom, playing a Thunderbird, the joy of Tom Baker and what it's like to interview someone when you are being them (and why that has to become a podcast). Plus the remarkable skill required to become an impressionist of Culshaw's standard.

Richard has headed to Leicester, the home of his enemies, but is here with the offer of an exchange, plus he has a scheme to get infinite free paper. His guest is cuckoo clock reviewer Joz Norris. They discuss acceptable name abbreviations, Mr Fruit Salad, what would happen if everyone in the world blinked at the same time, unusual lockdown flatmates, the unpredictable genius of Ed Aczel, what you would do if you could pupate, ball scanning modesty screens and how Joz's name might live forever.

Richard is back at the Y Theatre in Leicester and you won't believe what experts in the Leicester Mercury have discovered. His guest is actor and singer, Rebecca Wheatley. They chat about Menopause the Musical 2, why it's great to talk about women's issues and why an audience of women are like chickens, why Charlie from Casualty looks over people's shoulders, being blown up by Al Murray, a visit from beyond the grave and the magic of panto