Why does every picture of Shabana Mahmood make her look like she's scheming to kill Paddington?

Most people in the UK weren’t even alive in 1975.

I know I'm biased and all, but Chvrches really are extremely good youtu.be/8ecVwQIUTHA?...

This week’s damned soul is actor, writer, and panto legend Anthony Spargo! As well as giving us the 5 tracks he’ll meet in Hell, Anthony told us about how he got in to panto and how it works, as well as his time inside a #dalek for @bbcdoctorwhoecho.bsky.social Listen podfollow.com/hellish

Great night at Chester’s Books on the Walls, watching former guest @20thcenturymarc.marcburrows.co.uk kick off the tour for his book “Mistletoe and Vinyl”, about the Christmas number one. Catch him on his bookshop tour if you can - it’s a stand up show surrounded by books! What more do you need?

Motion to adopt calling all pro-AI posts ‘slopaganda’.

After chatting about @iamklootclub.bsky.social with Felix White on this week’s episode, Daniel went looking in his special Kloot box and found something undiscovered for TWENTY FIVE years! Listen to us talk about the band - and the five tracks Felix will meet in Hell - at podfollow.com/hellish

Felix White of the Maccabees and Tailenders chooses the five tracks he will meet in Hell! Felix told us about ‘Whatever Will Be, Will Be’, his smart, funny and fresh new memoir. And also about getting caught in a tabloid sting. Listen: podfollow.com/hellish #whateverwillbewillbe

Catherine Tregenna told us about #theonethatgotaway - her drama with versions in English and Welsh. (On iPlayer, with her #torchwood and #doctorwho episodes) Patreons heard about writing #Lewis (pic is a clue to who the artist she will meet in Hell is…) podfollow.com/hellish Patreon.com/hellishpod

The great Julie Hesmondhalgh joins us on the podcast this week, with an honest, funny, open conversation about ego and its impact on creativity.

And as always, my Autumn-Into-Christmas graphic novel SCARENTHOOD about ghost-hunting parents fighting off demons, parental guilt and existential dread is available Signed and sketched for a tenner (Before shipping)! nickrocheart.bigcartel.com/product/scar...

Finally got the shitty AI-generated book marketing spam email that all the proper authors have been getting. Feels like I’ve made it.

After this week’s episode with @louiestowell.bsky.social we scoured the web for a single performance of ‘O Sole Mio’ as good as Alex’s. We couldn’t find one, but we could find TWO - here’s #BryanAdams & #Pavorotti TOGETHER AT LAST Listen to the show podfollow.com/hellish

The joy of podcasts for me is I go into a fugue state and never have any idea what I said afterwards. I'm pretty sure I mentioned Roy Orbison at some point but apart from that? BLANK. And I probably talked about Loki. Enjoy!

Preorder Offer on THE OTHERNAUTS! 25% off which means only £5.99 to secure your spot on the Argo! 🌊🐍♟️🏛️🏺⚡️🔮⚓️🐉 #WPreorder @waterstones.bsky.social @bonnierbooks.bsky.social www.waterstones.com/book/the-oth...

This week Gill German MP told us about the proposed statue of Terry Jones - as the Nude Organist - on the prom in Terry’s birthplace of Colwyn Bay. Donate to the fund here www.gofundme.com/f/terryjones... or buy a T-shirt a-python-on-the-prom.teemill.com (Palin & Gilliam pictured at the launch)

GET THIS LOT INTO YOU! And listen to my episode of Hellish too, had a blast with the boys talking about the songs I'll meet in Hell. Previous guests include Robin Ince, Julia Raeside and Kieron Gillen! Make this your new favourite podcast!

This week we talked to @nickroche.bsky.social about his book #Scarenthood - a funny folk-horror based on Irish myth: Shaun of the Dead vs The Wicker Man, starring adult Goonies. It’s packed with gags like this! Get a signed copy: tinyurl.com/nickscare Listen to the episode: podfollow.com/hellish

It’s Hellish Picture Quiz time! Can you work out four of the songs @nickroche.bsky.social will meet in Hell from these pics? If you’re having trouble then listen to the latest pod for the answers! podfollow.com/hellish

Ha! The best thing? The 'Six' logo was designed by my best friend, who also designed the Scarenthood logo! Tiny, tiny world! (Also, Six and Matt Cardle are in Ireland's top five selling records?!)

Some character design work from Transformers: Last Bot Standing - Old Man Rodimus!

It’s Rob Auton on the pod! Lucky me! Lucky you.

I work in IT, had a manager show me an AI he wanted to deploy. I refused to unless it could successfully play 20 questions and guess an animal correctly. Its been a week and I haven't heard from him since. Try it, it never works.

The first episode of this terrific podcast I can't listen to - 'cos I'm all up in it. I had the most fanboy fun taking part in @hellishpod.com, please give it a listen and let me know what you think! Then burn through their back catalogue!

Chatting to Nick was a JOY. Plus all three of us revealed questionable taste when it comes to a certain type of song…

Comic writer-artist @nickroche.bsky.social picks the 5 tracks he’ll meet in Hell! We talked going from #transformers fandom to Nickelodeon; his folk horror #scarenthood; & getting to do album art for a musical hero. Listen: podfollow.com/hellish Get Scarenthood signed here: tinyurl.com/nickscare

It’s time for Alex’s ridiculously difficult weekly music quiz! Each picture is a clue to one of the five tracks @mollynaylor.bsky.social will meet in Hell. Want the answers? Head to podfollow.com/hellish to listen to the episode!

Winchester Poetry Festival is approaching. online events are so important for accessibility, but they’re also costly to run & we haven’t sold many online tickets yet. Just wanted to shout that our headline events are live-streamed and BSL interpreted! 1/3 www.winchesterpoetryfestival.org/what-s-on

You’ve had a whole day to listen to our episode with @mollynaylor.bsky.social, so no doubt you now want more Molly in your life. So why not try her excellent Making Trouble podcast? This week she talks to Adam Buxton. Go listen, wherever you get your podcasts! shows.acast.com/making-troub...

Writer, podcaster, and self-confessed ‘pie-fingerer’ @mollynaylor.bsky.social gives us the five tracks she’ll meet in Hell! We talked wedding music, directing comedy, flutes in popular music, and the Really Wild Show. Head to podfollow.com/hellish to be taken to the show on your pod app of choice.

100%. If you haven’t seen it, and are in the mood for a Redford, this is the one.

The lady with the birds is Alex’s greatest work yet. I know all the answers and I still don’t know what the bee is for.

We are up for an Independent Podcast Award in the category of ‘The Arts’! This is turning into quite the week for us. We are THRILLED. (Especially as we’re in the company of @folkonfoot.com) independentpodcastawards.com/IPA25/en/pag...

Today we’re thrilled to welcome Alexander Wolfe to Hell! Alexander gives us the five tracks he will meet in Hell, and also talks us through writing music for TV, smelly shoes, his school nickname, and the male mental health crisis. Listen podfollow.com/hellish

It’s a bit galling to hear directors claim that their non political films are actually political because they “broaden empathy.” But empathy towards a man who smashes people’s faces for a living might be different to that of a child being shot at by the IDF.

A useful resource: anthonymoser.github.io/writing/ai/h...

This week @melindasalisbury.com gives us the 5 tracks she’ll meet in Hell! We talked about the terrible job that led to Melinda becoming a bestselling author, why Sweden are good at stuff, and whether or not you can ever really go back. Listen where pods are found or go to podfollow.com/hellish

If you’ve listened to this week’s episode with @jnraeside.bsky.social have heard us talking about the mighty @divinecomedyhq.bsky.social - here’s the result of the only time @danielwhelan.com wrote to someone asking for an autograph. THIS IS NOW TWENTY NINE YEARS OLD.

We are BACK! @jnraeside.bsky.social gives us the 5 tracks she’ll meet in Hell: the music that will torment her in the afterlife! Julia talks about her new paperback, Don’t Make Me Laugh; we coin a new euphemism & we reveal the odd thing Julia had written on her schoolbag. podfollow.com/hellishpod

Want to know who the first guest is without signing up? Don't make me laugh.

We're back on August 18th with a new season. However, Patreon subscribers can hear the extended version of episode one NOW! Head over to patreon.com/hellishpod to sign up, and to find out who we're talking about in this clip!

Okay, deep breath. I need your help. My friend set this up for me because financial stress is making the whole cancer stress a lot worse. www.paypal.com/pools/c/9gAG... If, like me, you don't have money atm, if you have read and enjoyed any of my books, please can you tell people about them?

When’s International Dog Day, that’s what Lola wants to know. #InternationalCatDay

New substack. No paywall. Read Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnets with me clarespoetrycircle.substack.com/p/reading-so...

Remember when 3D TV was going to be the next big thing, and 3D TV channels were launched, and people started buying 3D TVs because it was the norm, and then it all shrivelled because people realised it was a stupid worthless gimmick? AI is the 3D TV of today.

Top Ringo Starr story from the Museum of Swedish Popular Music.

Congratulations, Bloodhound, you are off the artistic roll-call FOREVER.

Currently doing the final editing run on episode 4 of Starship Alexandria, the cosy, nerdy podcast brought to you by @aptshadow.bsky.social and I. I am feeling a little bit nervous about this one going out, truth be told. Previous episodes are here: starshipalexandria.com and all podcast services.

Imagine if airports had one branch of Waterstones in them. Maybe they could get rid of one of the fifteen WH Smith stores they have to make room. Or even better, independent bookstores unique to each airport. But no, for some reason crappy old WH Smith have a monopoly on all travel in the UK.

I love getting these emails from Clare’s Substack, where she takes you through a classic poem. They’re super accessible and make you feel a bit cleverer for having read one. Strong recommend!