Tony Slattery's Rambling Club

Would you believe it? This week, Tony Slattery's enchanted bingo machine has escaped the Presidential Shed and rolled all the way to New Brighton for a very special live edition of Tony Slattery's Rambling Club.

Joining Allan and Paul are TWO guest Presidents: Roland Rivron, actor, comedian, musician and one of Britain's great raconteurs, and fellow adventurer James Payton, actor, broadcaster and writer, whose encyclopaedic knowledge of theatre and television is matched only by his willingness to follow the conversation absolutely anywhere.
With Sir Stephen Fry once again guiding proceedings, it's time to pull on your gloves and see where the bingo machine takes us...

First up is 443 – Dictionaries of Standard French. One member of the Club admits to cheating in their GCSE French exam... and still failing. Along the way, an outbreak of jazz drumming prompts an unexpected cheer from the audience before everyone reluctantly accepts that foreign languages may not be the group's strongest suit.

Next comes 872 – Latin Dramatic Poetry and Drama. We begin by enthusiastically preparing to slit a goat's throat before discovering that this isn't actually what "Latin drama" means at all. Thankfully, the conversation soon wanders into much more familiar territory... namely the curious etiquette of urinating in your own trousers.

Finally, 351 – Public Administration somehow leads us to Russian meerkats, inquisitive ferrets and an important discussion about what should—and definitely shouldn't—go down your trousers. How did we get there? That's the joy of a free-associating ramble.

And then it's back to the Presidential Shed... assuming anyone can remember the way.

Presented by Paul Carmichael & Allan Lear

Music composed and performed by Michael Livesley & Andy Frizell

The voice of Pwfthhh- Michael Livesley
www.michaellivesley.com

Series Producers- Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson

Producers- Alan Dyebing & Stuart Morris

Series Executive Producer- Mark Strickson

Join the rambling club and receive your club membership card, badges, exclusive content and access to early release episodes, an exclusive extra podcast you won't hear anywhere else and exclusive club-only perks!
www.patreon.com/SlatteryLive

Official Website- www.tonyslattery.com
Twitter/X: @SlatteryLive
Instagram: tony_slattery_official
BlueSky: @ramblingclub

Paul's Twitter: @PaulCarmichaelV
Paul's Bluesky: @paulcarmichaeluk

© Fanfaronade Productions 2026
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you believe it? This week's guest President is Michael Greco; actor, football fanatic and forever remembered by millions as EastEnders' charismatic Beppe di Marco. Tony's enchanted bingo machine is on particularly fine form this week, sending our ramblers on a journey that encompasses dreams, Italy, criminal law and one or two stories that were probably never meant to be told.

So pull on your gloves and join us for another ramble as Sir Stephen Fry's reassuringly omniscient voice guides us through three entirely unpredictable destinations.

Our first stop is 135 – Dreams. Michael has one recurring dream that sounds like heaven for any football fan: pulling on the famous blue shirt of Chelsea. Sadly, the dream rarely goes according to plan. Football has always been a huge part of Michael's life and, remarkably, he even played against the legendary Diego Maradona at Old Trafford in front of 75,000 people. But how did life steer him towards the Guildford School of Acting instead? Along the way we discover how a performance by a certain Tony Slattery inspired him to pursue acting, and the unforgettable feeling of receiving that first pay cheque. We also explore how EastEnders unexpectedly brought Michael into contact with an Oscar-winning director, his latest project alongside the phenomenal 50 Cent, and whether theatre, television or film truly feels like home. His recent appearance in Twelve Angry Men may just provide the answer.

Our next destination is 479 – Other Italic Languages, which turns out to be wonderfully apt. With parents and grandparents from Italy, Michael reflects warmly on his family's heritage and his regret that he no longer speaks Italian as fluently as he once did. The conversation becomes a celebration of family, identity and the Mediterranean way of life. From Sicily and sunshine to olive oil, walking, fresh food and abandoning the dreaded beige diet, our ramblers happily embrace everything that makes Italian culture so enduringly appealing. We also discover how the discipline instilled during Michael's training at the Guildford School of Acting continues to shape his professional and personal life—and why, on occasion, being spat at on stage can actually be a compliment to everyone's craftsmanship.
Finally, Tony's bingo machine delivers

345 – Criminal Law. We begin with some of Britain's more gloriously absurd laws, including the curious prohibition on handling salmon under suspicious circumstances. Before long, however, the conversation turns to policing of a rather different kind, as Michael reflects on playing Detective Beppe di Marco in EastEnders. Would he ever consider returning? Along the way Michael shares memories of working alongside television legends Barbara Windsor and Mike Reid, talks about his time as a professional poker player, and reveals that, impressive though his career has been, his greatest achievement has nothing to do with acting at all. For Michael Greco, nothing comes close to being a father to his two sons.
Then it's back to the Presidential shed, where Chelsea are apparently winning the league, the olive oil is flowing freely, and nobody is brave enough to pick up a suspicious salmon.

Presented by Paul Carmichael & Allan Lear

Music composed and performed by Michael Livesley & Andy Frizell

The voice of Pwfthhh- Michael Livesley
www.michaellivesley.com

Series Producers- Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson

Producers- Alan Dyebing & Stuart Morris

Series Executive Producer- Mark Strickson

Join the rambling club and receive your club membership card, badges, exclusive content and access to early release episodes, an exclusive extra podcast you won't hear anywhere else and exclusive club-only perks!
www.patreon.com/SlatteryLive

Official Website- www.tonyslattery.com
Twitter/X: @SlatteryLive
Instagram: tony_slattery_official
BlueSky: @ramblingclub

Michael's Instagram: thegrecs

Paul's Twitter: @PaulCarmichaelV
Paul's Bluesky: @paulcarmichaeluk

© Fanfaronade Productions 2026
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you believe it? This week's guest President is Thorsten Nickel, actor, martial artist and one of those performers whose career has taken him to some truly unexpected places. Born in Germany before forging a career in Hong Kong action cinema, Thorsten has shared the screen with the likes of Jackie Chan in the movie spectacular Thunderbolt and built a remarkable life that spans continents, cultures and more than a few spectacular fight scenes.

So pull on your gloves and join us for another ramble as President Nickel guides us through three destinations selected entirely at random by Tony's enchanted bingo machine. As ever, the reassuringly omniscient voice of Sir Stephen Fry keeps watch while the rest of us happily lose our way.

Our first destination is 005: Computer Programming. Was the world really better before the internet? Are our ramblers simply becoming unapologetic Luddites? Before long we're discussing artificial intelligence, deepfakes and whether we can trust anything we see on a screen anymore. Fortunately, Thorsten is able to steer us back towards happier digital memories, recalling his involvement in the 1995 video game Jackie Chan in Fists of Fire, created during his years working in Hong Kong alongside one of cinema's greatest action stars. Computers, it seems, aren't all bad after all.

Next, the machine offers 355: Military Science. Paul and Allan confess that, as thoroughly artistic souls, military matters are somewhat beyond their expertise. Luckily, President Nickel knows rather more. Before embarking on his acting career, Thorsten completed his national service with the German Air Force, serving in a rocket defence battalion. It's a world far removed from film sets and television studios, and provides a fascinating glimpse into a chapter of his life that eventually led him from Germany to London, and ultimately to the Hong Kong film industry.

Our third and final destination is 393: Death Customs. Every culture has its own rituals surrounding life, death and remembrance, and what begins as a conversation about tradition soon develops into something altogether more thoughtful. Together the ramblers reflect on grief, memory, faith and the nature of God, proving once again that the most unexpected numbers often lead to the most rewarding conversations.
And then it's back to the Presidential shed, where the bingo machine is behaving itself for once, nobody has challenged Jackie Chan to a fight, and artificial intelligence has, mercifully, failed to replace the kettle.

Presented by Paul Carmichael & Allan Lear

Music composed and performed by Michael Livesley & Andy Frizell

The voice of Pwfthhh- Michael Livesley
www.michaellivesley.com

Series Producers- Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson

Producers- Alan Dyebing & Stuart Morris

Series Executive Producer- Mark Strickson

Join the rambling club and receive your club membership card, badges, exclusive content and access to early release episodes, an exclusive extra podcast you won't hear anywhere else and exclusive club-only perks!
www.patreon.com/SlatteryLive

Official Website- www.tonyslattery.com
Twitter/X: @SlatteryLive
Instagram: tony_slattery_official
BlueSky: @ramblingclub

Paul's Twitter: @PaulCarmichaelV
Paul's Bluesky: @paulcarmichaeluk

© Fanfaronade Productions 2026
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you believe it? This week’s guest President is the wonderful Karen Ford — actor, writer and director, perhaps best remembered by millions as art teacher Miss Booth in Grange Hill, but with a career that has embraced theatre, television and film in equal measure. As ever, Tony’s enchanted bingo machine has no idea who our guest is… and somehow knows exactly where to take us.

So pull on your wellies and join us for another ramble as President Ford guides us through three destinations selected entirely at random. Above it all, the reassuringly omniscient voice of Sir Stephen Fry keeps watch while the rest of us wander happily off the beaten track.

Our first destination is 819: Not Used (818 – Writings, Miscellaneous). A gift for any actor. Karen takes us back to childhood, when her father first introduced her to Shakespeare through Charles and Mary Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare, igniting a lifelong love of the Bard. We follow that thread through one of her earliest roles as Juliet, discussing how actors discover character, what separates a good script from a great one, and why precious rehearsal time has become such a rarity in modern television. Fond memories of the legendary Acton Hilton rehearsal rooms follow before we arrive in the present day with Karen’s acclaimed new play, All of Them Dead (TICKET LINK BELOW!), and ask the question that concerns everyone who loves live performance: how do we restore theatre to the heart of our cultural life?

Next, the bingo machine presents 922: Travel and Geography of Europe. Naturally, we leave Europe almost immediately. Instead, we head for Japan, where Karen toured with Macbeth, before one delightfully tenuous conversational leap lands us at the White House. Somehow, this becomes the gateway to Britain’s most famous comprehensive school: Grange Hill. Karen reflects on seven memorable years playing Miss Booth, revisiting the programme’s groundbreaking storylines, including Zammo Maguire’s heroin addiction and the unforgettable “Just Say No” campaign. We also celebrate the joy—and occasional unpredictability—of working alongside young actors, remember the magnificent Michael Sheard as the fearsome Mr Bronson, and lament the passing of the days when television brought the entire nation together around a shared story.

Our third and final destination is 132: Not Assigned (133 – Parapsychology). Theatre has always been rich in myths, rituals and superstitions. Never utter the name of the Scottish play. Never whistle backstage. And whatever you do, don’t leave knitting needles in the wings. Karen shares some of the rituals that have accompanied her throughout her career, before reflecting on a life spent performing across stage and screen. Is it possible to choose a favourite medium after such a varied and distinguished career? The answer, as with so much in the Rambling Club, proves rather more interesting than the question itself.

And then it’s back to the Presidential shed, where the props have all been accounted for, nobody has tempted fate backstage, and the bingo machine is already plotting next week’s adventure.

TICKETS TO KAREN'S SHOW----> www.linktr.ee/everybodypanic

Presented by Paul Carmichael & Allan Lear

Music composed and performed by Michael Livesley & Andy Frizell

The voice of Pwfthhh- Michael Livesley
www.michaellivesley.com

Series Producers- Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson

Producers- Alan Dyebing & Stuart Morris

Series Executive Producer- Mark Strickson

Join the rambling club and receive your club membership card, badges, exclusive content and access to early release episodes, an exclusive extra podcast you won't hear anywhere else and exclusive club-only perks!
www.patreon.com/SlatteryLive

Official Website- www.tonyslattery.com
Twitter/X: @SlatteryLive
Instagram: tony_slattery_official
BlueSky: @ramblingclub

Paul's Twitter: @PaulCarmichaelV
Paul's Bluesky: @paulcarmichaeluk

© Fanfaronade Productions 2026
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you believe it? This week's guest President is the marvellously inquisitive Robin Ince — comedian, broadcaster, author and co-host of the hugely successful The Infinite Monkey Cage. Robin returns to the Presidential shed armed with an insatiable curiosity and the sort of mind that delights in asking impossible questions before wandering happily off in search of even stranger answers.
So pull on your gloves and join us for another ramble as President Ince guides us through three destinations selected entirely at random by Tony's enchanted bingo machine. Above it all, the reassuringly omniscient voice of Sir Stephen Fry keeps watch while the rest of us attempt to keep pace.

Our first destination is 121: Epistemology – The Theory of Knowledge. A gentle way to begin. Should we spend our lives theorising about knowledge, or simply acquire it for the sheer joy of doing so? Before long we're blagging our way through a wine tasting, discovering why Coca-Cola appears to light up the brain in extraordinary ways, and pondering how something can be both a myth and simultaneously true. William Blake joins the conversation, as does the surprising revelation that horse riding may be considerably more dangerous than recreational drugs... and, under the right circumstances, can even persuade you to resign from your job.

Next, the machine presents 464: Not Assigned (Formerly Spanish Dictionaries and Grammar). Remarkably, none of the ramblers have ever been to Spain... until two of them suddenly remember that they have. This happy confusion allows us to revisit the gloriously ill-fated BBC soap Eldorado before wandering into tales of a cathedral whose architect met an unfortunate end at the hands of his own creation. Along the way we ask whether Christianity owes more than a passing debt to hallucinogenic mushrooms, leaf through The Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, and somehow uncover Franz Kafka's alleged collection of pornography.

Our third and final stop is 417: Dialectology and Historical Linguistics. Wilfred Pickles gets the ball rolling before we discover why modern American English may actually be closer to Elizabethan speech than many realise. We also learn why people from Tokyo often think everyone in Britain sounds like Chaucer, and finally tackle one of civilisation's great unanswered questions: precisely how much money does it take for your chicken to become a fish?
And then it's back to the Presidential shed, where the dictionary remains open, the bingo machine insists it knew exactly what it was doing all along, and knowledge—useful or otherwise—has once again increased considerably.

Presented by Paul Carmichael & Allan Lear

Music composed and performed by Michael Livesley & Andy Frizell

The voice of Pwfthhh- Michael Livesley
www.michaellivesley.com

Series Producers- Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson

Producers- Alan Dyebing & Stuart Morris

Series Executive Producer- Mark Strickson

Join the rambling club and receive your club membership card, badges, exclusive content and access to early release episodes, an exclusive extra podcast you won't hear anywhere else and exclusive club-only perks!
www.patreon.com/SlatteryLive

Official Website- www.tonyslattery.com
Twitter/X: @SlatteryLive
Instagram: tony_slattery_official
BlueSky: @ramblingclub

Paul's Twitter: @PaulCarmichaelV
Paul's Bluesky: @paulcarmichaeluk

© Fanfaronade Productions 2026
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.