Ed Gamble & Matthew Crosby on Radio X

Episode 344 – Stevie Martin / Andy Zaltzman / Flo & Joan / NDAs

Date: January 25, 2026
Podcast Length: ~60 minutes

Episode Overview

In this lively and irreverent Sunday morning episode, Ed Gamble and Matthew Crosby (Crunch & Crumble) bring four high-calibre comedic guests into the Radio X studio: Stevie Martin, Andy Zaltzman, and musical comedy duo Flo & Joan. The show zig-zags through surreal anecdotes about club toilets, failed press statements, NDAs, and ongoing riffs on food, bodily functions, and forgotten acting credits, all delivered in the pair’s signature blend of quick wit and chaotic banter.

Listeners can expect hilarious exchanges, unconventional interviews, and a bevy of memorable tangents. The tone is relaxed and mischievous, with frequent callbacks, running jokes, and a commitment to topicality (if not always to coherence).

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Opening Banter & Listener Emails

[00:15-05:37]

• Ed and Matthew open with playful introductions.

• They read two listener emails:

  • Katie from Brighton reminisces about “Chupa Chup toilet men” and club toilet attendants, leading to a riff about gendered experiences and the bizarre rhymes sung by bathroom attendants.
    • Quote: “Freshen up your [bleep] for your boyfriend…” – Matthew ([01:45])
    • Ed: “Can I just say one thing? You freshen up for yourself, girl.” ([02:41])
  • Caroline confesses she never thought she’d use talcum powder: “Now, at 55 and having no desire to look or feel sexy, I’m slapping it all over the place.”
    • Matthew echoes support: “You go, girl.” ([04:43])

• The trio (with producer Vin) riff on childhood habits, ageing, and cross-stitching:

  • “Life’s a circle.” – Ed ([05:27])
  • “This show is an absolutely delicious circle full of wonderful scoops.” – Matthew ([05:28])

2. Satirical Press Statement & NDAs

[05:42-10:43]

• Ed delivers a satirical “statement” parodying celebrity press releases, referencing fake drama (Matthew cancelling Ed’s wedding dress, inappropriate dancing, etc.).
  • Ed: “Matthew hijacked my first dance with my wife...he danced very inappropriately on me.” ([06:34])
• Mock-serious discussion of NDAs (especially regarding “The Traitors” TV show).
  • “I’m on one NDA for the next decade relating to all the series...” – Ed ([09:07])
  • “You’re constantly beebing bargoed.” – Matthew ([09:43])
  • “I cannot talk to you about any BBC talent anytime.” – Ed ([09:48])

3. Food Riffs: Kings of Leon, Fish Finger Wraps & Cassette Tapes

[11:01-13:22]

• The Kings of Leon = “largely a ceremonial position” ([10:50]) – running joke.
• Loss and return of Leon’s “fish finger wrap,” discussing cult food items post-pandemic.
  • “If you’re not buying the fish finger wrap, you can’t complain they got rid of the fish finger wrap.” – Ed ([11:28])
• Discovery of Howard Stern mix tapes in their “cutting-edge” Radio X studio.

4. Guest 1: Stevie Martin Interview

[13:43-26:30]

• Introduction and Tour Promotion

  • Stevie’s Zoom background is of Ed & Matthew’s old press shot (“You looked so orange.” – Stevie, [14:59]).
  • Discussion of her tour “Clout” and playing two nights at the Bloomsbury Theatre.
    • “Fester can sell out Bloomsbury.” – Stevie ([16:00])

• Comedy Writing and Joke Density

  • “It’s got like 5,000 jokes in it... I dare you, even if you don’t like the show, you’ll laugh three times.” – Stevie ([16:27])
  • Ed: “Stevie genuinely has up there with the most amount of jokes in shows…I think your debut Edinburgh show was just like bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.” ([16:44])

• Dreams, Childhood Fears & Vomiting

  • Family stories: Matthew shares his daughter’s “bum hole and Grinch” nightmare ([18:34]).
  • Stevie’s worst dream: “The Two Bettys…even now…my dad will be like, ‘Was it the Two Bettys?’” ([19:19])
  • Ed’s nightmare: “A cartoon bull flying over people and burning them to death…woke up and threw up.” ([19:37])
  • Discussion of irrational food aversions and vomiting stories, including Stevie’s dog eating something gross on tour (“I threw up on her.” – Stevie, [21:19])

• ‘Pooh Bet’ TV Show Pitch

  • Ed and Matthew pitch a show where contestants must guess who is pooing, “a bit like Naked Attraction” ([22:07]).
    • Stevie: “I think you would always be able to tell. So I think the game is flawed.” ([22:24])
  • Ed recounts a bizarre Airbnb with a toilet next to the bed ([22:58]).

5. Toilet Riffs & Chupa Chups

[24:33-26:26]

• Short ongoing segment: Beatles names transformed with “poo” puns (“Pooh McCartney,” “John Len-poo”).
• Matthew inquires if Stevie’s ever eaten a Chupa Chup from the bogs (“No.” – Stevie, [24:57]).

6. Guest 2: Andy Zaltzman Interview

[28:25-35:40]

• Taskmaster and Stand-up

  • Banter about not winning “Champion of Champions” (“It would have been ostentatious to then win champion of champions.” – Andy, [28:41])

• Political Comedy & Living in Changing Times

  • “I dream of living in a world where things just stayed the same for a couple of hundred years…hone those routines down.” – Andy ([29:20])
  • “There’s years where…about four things happen in the entire world and you think, what a blissful time…” – Andy ([29:33])

• Time Travel & Historical Sporting Events

  • Discussing which year Andy would travel to – usually for a famous cricket match ([30:26]).
  • “Most of [the years] are centred around sporting events I’d like to have seen.” – Andy ([31:25])

• Have You Ever Seen a Cricketer in a Curry House?

  • Andy recounts eating with the England team, but more “in a hotel restaurant than a curry house” ([33:16]).
  • Speculation about which cricketer would eat the spiciest curry, with in-jokes about NDAs ([33:40]).

• Embarrassment and Absurd Courtroom Scenarios

  • “When you’re being tried for multiple instances of commercial fraud, that might get a bit embarrassing.” – Andy ([37:50])

• Audience Questions

  • Andy asks, “Who writes your questions?” (Answer: Listeners and Stuart Laws, comedian).

7. Guest 3: Flo & Joan Interview

[39:16-49:12]

• On-Stage Self-Doubt and Collaboration

  • Initial modesty about being the “headline” guests.
  • Matthew: “You’ve got to back yourself, girls. You’re brilliant.” ([39:53])
  • Rosie: “We’ve had a chat about being more positive…” ([39:55])
  • Jokes about channeling Jane McDonald and the concept for a “British Hacks”-style cruise ship musical drama.

• Upcoming Tour 'With Feeling'

  • Uncertain about the show's content; director Tom Parry hasn’t replied to plan meetings ([42:10]).
  • Unique approach: using The Feeling’s setlist as show inspiration (“Let’s use their set list and we’ll write our own songs to [it].” – Nicola, [43:12]).
  • Anxiety about potential legal issues (“After this goes out we might not have a show anymore.” – Rosie, [44:21])

• Stars In Their Eyes Fantasy

  • Flo & Joan joke about going as Michael and Janet Jackson, “One boob out, one glove on.” ([46:11])

• Things They Don’t Really Understand

  • “I don’t know what yeast is.” – Rosie ([47:33])
  • Further discussion on the mystery of yeast and electricity.
  • “Our bodies ain't making bread.” – Nicola ([47:59])

8. Loose Ends & Running Jokes

[49:27-51:37]

• Listener email: Matthew discovers he was paid for acting work he didn’t do; proposes to pay the money back.
  • “I’m going to pay him the full amount. I think it’s only right that I do.” – Matthew ([50:44])

9. Wrap-up: TV Tangents & Self-Deprecation

[52:31-end]

• Ed and Matthew joke about pre-recording and navigating embargoes for “The Traitors” finale.
• Extended chat about spin-off podcasts, TV and streaming habits, and their waning listenership due to TV projects (like "Uncloaked").
• Amusing confusion about sexuality in TV shows, why old film techniques for sex scenes are preferable (“Eyes across a bar, then they’re in bed smoking… cut to the moon.”).
• Final recommendations and closing pleasantries.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Chupa Chup Bathroom Attendants

• “Freshen up your [bleep] for your boyfriend…” – Matthew, reminiscing about old nightclub attendants ([01:45])
• “Can I just say one thing? You freshen up for yourself, girl.” – Matthew ([02:41])

On NDAs and The Traitors

• “I’m on one NDA for the next decade relating to all the series…” – Ed ([09:07])
• “You’re constantly beebing bargoed.” – Matthew ([09:43])

Pitching 'Pooh Bet'

• “A bit like Naked Attraction…some of them are pooing, some aren’t.” – Ed ([22:07])
• “You want to be a pooer or a contestant?” – Ed ([22:27])

Dream Logic

• “She said, oh, you looked up my bum hole and saw the Grinch.” – Matthew, on his daughter’s bad dream ([18:34])
• “The Two Bettys…even now…my dad will be like, ‘Was it the Two Bettys?’” – Stevie ([19:19])

Taking the Piss Out of Themselves

• “You’ve got to back yourself, girls. You’re brilliant.” – Matthew ([39:53])
• “We’ve had a chat about being more positive…” – Rosie ([39:55])
• “I don’t know why, Matthew, but you’ve said a lot of awful things on this show that make me feel sick. I don’t know why the phrase ‘you got to back yourself, girls’ has made me more upset than anything you’ve ever…” – Ed ([40:04])

Absurdist Highbrow/Lowbrow Mix & Self-Referencing

• “Life’s a circle.” – Ed ([05:27])
• “What if you look further into your remittances and you owe him like 25 grand?” – Ed ([51:23])

Important Timestamps

• 00:15-05:37: Listener emails, toilet attendants, talc, nostalgia
• 05:42-10:43: Press statement parody, NDAs, The Traitors
• 13:43-26:30: Stevie Martin interview: tour, dreams, ‘Pooh Bet’
• 28:25-35:40: Andy Zaltzman interview: Taskmaster, time travel, cricket/curry
• 39:16-49:12: Flo & Joan interview: tour, inspiration, legal jeopary, yeast
• 49:27-51:37: Matthew’s mistaken pay; ethics & repayments
• 52:31-end: Closing banter; TV discussion; meta-podcasting

Tone & Final Thoughts

This episode encapsulates Ed & Matthew's trademark style—equal parts absurd and self-deprecating, quick with wordplay but always maintaining a welcoming, laddish energy. The show feels gleefully tangential, making the audience feel part of an in-joke-laden club, especially when recurring topics (that Chupa Chup!) keep popping up. Guests are given freedom to riff, resulting in both genuine insight into their creative processes and plenty of unpredictable, oddball side-conversations.

Memorable for its warmth, relentless silliness, and complete lack of broadcasting discipline—in the best possible way.