High Anxiety Pod

Broadcaster Richard Bacon catches up with us from his home in LA as he relaxes in what seems to be a rather nice situation for isolation.He talks us through his stella street of famous neighbours and recounts how only 18 months ago he was in a medically induced coma for double pneumonia. Throughout this conversation his son hacks at his newly baked loaf of sourdough.A typically surreal and genuinely fun podcast with someone that we, at @highanxietypod, are big fans of.

Actress Leslie Ash (Quadrophenia, Men Behaving Badly, Holby City) joins Chris & Leon to talk about how she is dealing with isolation. Having had her fair share of trauma (she was hospitalised and bedridden for 3 months with the superbug MSSA) she is not as anxious as some about her time in lock down.She gives us a little peek into her life with footballer Lee Chapman as she tells us that she misses the pub the most, has resorted to cutting Lee's hair and enjoys the weekends with a couple of bottles of Merlot.She is also setting up a business that helps new authors get their worked aired as well as making charitable donations to out of work actors and the NHS. An all round British Icon and good egg.

Stand up comic, author and screen writer, the brilliant Shappi Khorsandi joins Chris & Leon for a lovely blather in what is approaching the end of the second month of lockdown.We talk about the trials of looking after kids as a single mum, how the tiniest of things can cause emotional breakdowns and how the sense of community has grown stronger as the lockdown progresses.Shappi reveals what it was like to be photographed by David Bailey as well as opening up about her creative choices, her frustrations with stand up and the draw she feels to writing.

Made In Chelsea star, Candy Kittens business owner, TV presenter and all round top bloke, Jamie joins Chris & Leon on a phone call from his mum's house in the Cotswolds.Holed up with is Mum and his girlfriend, Jamie shares what life in isolation is like for him. There is some revealing insight into the pressures of fame and how this time can sometimes be pause for rest and recuperation as well as to reconsider life's priorities.. There is also some less revealing insight when Jamie tells us how he shat his pants on the way back from the supermarket.Jamie's Isolation Accents definitely aren't the worst on record but they're certainly the funniest.

We only went and got top class actor Stephen Graham (Snatch, Boardwalk Empire, The Irishman, Gangs Of New York, The Virtues).Isolating at home with his wife and kids, he admits that after a gruelling few years of success and being away form home, he is valuing the time with his family.From letting his son cut his hair to meditation and his love for Liverpool FC, Stephen talks about his home life as well as touching upon some of his work.His Mind Yer Coronas is first class and his Isolation accents are... well.. just listen.Chris lets slip that he is learning the theremin... look it up.

For this episode of the Corona Special High Anxiety Pods we welcome photographer, magazine owner and cultural icon Rankin.Holed up in his home in the Suffolk, Rankin tells us what it's like for a creative that NEEDS to take photos of people and not being able to do that. He explains the guilt of feeling helpless in the current climate as well as his worries about how his business will survive the pandemic.There are also some top drawer laughs on the way as he falls at the first fence when it comes to Isolation Accents... If you don't believe how bad someone can be at accents just take a listen.

Chris & Leon chat to writer, actor and comedian Isy Suttie about how she is dealing with her isolation madness, re-drafting her new novel, reading in the bath, boiling eggs, childcare and some truly exception accents... as well as some proper crap ones.We cover collective acts of communal kindness and comedy Corona Virus songs as well as some book recommendations.Leon tells Chris off for taking too long in the loo.

Leon & Chris chat to singer songwriter David Ford. With seven albums penned in the last 15 years he is man that values craft over commercial and music over business. Having been voted 'Album Of the Year' twice in the Sunday Times and Word Magazine, the Guardian called him 'one of  Britain's best.'We catch up with him as in isolation at home with his wife and young daughter. He freely admits that his life in isolation is not unusual. He spends most of his time writing music alone and has shunned conventional ways of making and releasing his work.We talk about how he views modern music, writing for one of the world's biggest artists, over coming his demons and some good old fashioned Mind Yer Coronas.With a mixture of chat as well as some of his most loved tracks this is the point where Chris and Leon think they are DJs.

Chris & Leon call on the legendary Rich Hall to see how he is dealing with isolation, and you guessed it... he's not over the moon or overly concerned (even though his wife has the virus.) We find out that he is home schooling the kids with lessons in basketball and US legal history and he is absolutely horrific at regional accents. Truly awful. He also has a solution for how to prevent further pandemics. In other news, Leon has cut his own hair and Chris karate kicks pedestrian crossing buttons.

If High Anxiety had a home it would be during a world pandemic. Welcome to our home, take your shoes off, don't touch us and have a listen.Jumping on the isolation bandwagon, Chris & Leon spark up some transatlantic chats and phone some of our previous guests, seeing as everyone has a bit of time on their hands.This episode we phone in to the Ranganathan household as Romesh tells us about his cancelled tour, the pressure of isolation on his marriage as some career ending efforts at regional accents.WARNING: the sound is dodgy at best (in places) because 1. We don't know what we're doing. 2. We're completely under prepared.

This week Radio 4's John Finnemore (The Souvenir Programme, Cabin Pressure) lies comfortably back on the High Anxiety couch with Chris & Leon. John explains to us the problems he's had with insomnia throughout his life and the processes by which he tries to combat it.Tom Jones' nut bag comes up in conversation as does twitter followers, Leon's supposed friendship with Terence Stamp and the job security (or lack of) being a writer.Please sit back and relax to some proper Radio 4, high brow, incredibly sophisticated podcasting.@highanxietypod

A bumper podcast episode this week! Not only recorded in LA, not only do we go in seriously deep in the anxiety stakes but we do it with a bona fide American icon...This week's star guest is Alexandra Paul; actor (actress...she prefers it anyway and her christian name could be confusing) star of Baywatch, numerous movies, health coach, vegan, eco-warrior and model.Even though she is clean-living,  we get down and dirty as she generously opens up about eating disorders, addictions, anxieties, activism and the #MeToo movement.  Leon's fears of coming across as some kind of misogynistic producer in his hotel room are quickly dissipated.It's one of our favourite episodes to date with the added bonus that she is actually a big fan of our podcast and we don't have many...Enjoy this one and spread the word!

Chris & Leon manage to catch up with Patrick in his LA home that he shares with his wife Cat Deeley and their two young kids.For anyone that is interested in stand up, fame, ambition and contentment then this episode for you. Patrick talks with a great honesty about where he is at now in his career and his life. We touch on being a comedian in the US, the dynamic of arena comedy, the skill of using a laugh and a story that is 'out of this world'. That's the sort of terrible pun that would get us a job writing on Love Island, which interestingly Patrick used to host.His Envelope of Hate is so bang on the money anyone would think we'd released this episode with some sort of strategy. There is also a good game of Celebrity Play You Cards Right which we hope might become a feature.

Welcome back faithful angst riddled followers. It took a while but finally a new 5 episode season of the High Anxiety Pod is back. We'll release a new episode every fortnight to make you feel like there is more content than there actually is.Chris & Leon's first guest is a favourite of ours and I suspect yours.... ROMESH RANGANATHAN!!! He took time out to come and play with Chris & Leon and open up about his success, his own self doubt, his life on the road, his Misadventures and his demand for sugar free Red Bull and bananas.It's an honest chat that shows him to be exactly the man you see on the telly; lovable, cynical, honest and gently insulting. The regular Envelope Of Hate is back (tricky one to guess this week) as well as an excellent season opener for Mind Yer Toes.As always, ignore our twitter handle @highanxietypod, everyone else does unless you want to say hi and just listen to us guff on instead. Like & Subscribe if you can. The more you do, the more chance there is of nailing more top guests like Romesh and more chat.Big Love, Chris & Leon@cheekymunki @leonbutlerwrite @romeshranga

It’s the end of Season two and what better way to finish than with BBC 6 Music DJ and all round professional curmudgeon Shaun Keaveny.To switch it up a bit we also brought in Alex Carter to add to the laugh salad, friend of the pod and also the occasional punch bag for Mr K.It’s a cracking episode with some good Hate Envelopes as well as a in depth look into value and capacity of travel bags. The North Face Borealis was voted best. Sorry to kill that buzz.Listening to Shaun talk about his email inbox is about as anxiety inducing as it gets so strap in and enjoy.Muchos love Chris & Leon

The legendary Rich Hall is this week’s High Anxiety guest. From Saturday Night Live with Eddie Murphy and Billy Crystal through the Carson show, Letterman and turning down a role on Seinfeld, Rich Hall is the comedian’s comedian. His latest achievements are a string of critically acclaimed BBC4 documentaries about US culture and history.With nearly 40 years in the business he shares his love of running everyday, avoiding stress, staying current and his eagerness to continue his success.We talk Johnny Cash, Andrew Dice Clay, Wheeler Walker, Ton Waits and BBC4.The Envelope of Hate this week is not only brilliant but dripping with clues.In other news, Leon reveals himself to be the world's only subscriber of Deezer. This episode was recorded before his big move to Tidal which he announced last week.Listen right to the end of the episode as Chris and Leon fumble through an announcement of sorts that is not only badly delivered but completely unorganised.

Rapper, Comedian, Writer, Actor Ben Bailey Smith aka Doc Brown is this week's gift to you.His soporific, gentle tone is like an aural massage popped, intermittently, by Leon and Chris. Ben is a fantastic guest with a smart angle on life as well as a huge creative output. He talks about his stand up career, how much he gives of himself to ‘show business’, his work with Ricky Gervais and some fresh views on rap and literacy. We play some of his most recent album Stemma and chat through the maze that is fame, money and and ambition. Chris says he hates kids before massively backtracking and Leon reveals himself to be the only subscriber of the music streaming service Tidal.This week’s Mind Yer Toes is one of the best. He forgot he met Kayne and that’s not even the story….!!!Take this gift of a podcast and share it amongst your friends like a chatty virus. If you want, you can also send some love to @highanxietypod

Amber is our first American guest on High Anxiety. She is a comedian and the author of the brilliant book Sober Stick Figure - we've even added a link so you can have a look at it https://g.co/kgs/qKg6ru Get the book and read it. It's the insanely funny story about Amber's struggle with alcohol. Yup, it's hilarious and about alcoholism.Amber is brilliantly candid about her addiction, her whirlwind romance with her new husband,  the pointlessness of social media and the hypocrisy of really wanting to be popular on social media. Thankfully Amber has a following of 64,000 followers; hopefully some of them will give us a leg up.There is a top quality Envelope Of Hate this week with a clanger of a clue given away almost instantly. We also lay into noisy eaters, dating apps and trying to be funny when you're happy and in love. Follow us on @anxietypod and be sure to show some love to @AmberTozer She was on Marc Maron's WTF! FFS... Pffft.

Brimming with anxiety this week is Steve Mackintosh (Lock Stock, Luther, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, Memphis Belle). Steve is an actor with an insanely long CV (or Resumé for our Stateside friends.)Steve has been in the biz since he was a carefree, young nipper. He got married in his early 20s and managed to run a successful acting career alongside bringing up two kids with his wife. He takes us through his life’s quibbles and thoughts; the anxieties of acting, making the right job choices, voices overs, getting recognised, hating social media.Steve is also a great focus on High Anxiety as we chat about pure happiness, getting older and staying ‘cool’. He proves his cool credentials by playing us some crazy music he made on an OP1, which to all intents and purposes is a plastic box that beeps. You’ll hear…There is some great old man chat in there, some good decluttering stories; Leon boxes all his CDs and Chris reveals he never throws away his underwear.If that isn’t enough to make you want to listen then we cannot help.

Actor, Musician and Dad - Rhashan Stone (Apple Tree Yard, Strike Back, The A Word, Agatha Raisin) joins Chris and Leon for Episode 6 of High Anxiety Pod. Rhashan talks about his anxiety as a black teenager in Norfolk in the 80s, his passion for music and authenticity and his shunning of any sort of social media.Less important things that we chat about are famous people's penis size and the use of the word 'panties'. If you listen right to the end of the podcast you get little treat...It was our first recording almost a year ago so forgive the format being all over the place. We are getting there, we promise...