Transcript

Matthew Crosby (0:02)

This is a Global Player original podcast. Ed Gamble and Matthew Crosby, Radio X. Hello, everybody, and welcome to the podcast of the radio show that Ed Gamble and I like to do on the radio on a Sunday morning. Well, I say we like to do it. I like to do it.

Rhys James (0:20)

You do it. You do it.

Matthew Crosby (0:21)

No, I love doing it. I honestly, Ed doesn't really do it. Ed doesn't do it. That's it. And when he does do it, he doesn't like to do it.

Rhys James (0:27)

No, he doesn't. Yeah. I mean, to be honest, I've not come in with loads of energy this morning.

Matthew Crosby (0:33)

No, you're absolutely.

Rhys James (0:34)

But it's a lot. I'm trying to do a like, for, like, substitution. Do you know? Yeah, yes. I'm bringing what Ed would bring.

Matthew Crosby (0:38)

You're bringing what Ed would bring, which is, let's face it, nothing. No, Ed, of course. Ed, of course, is wonderful. We love having Ed around. But for five weeks he's off and so Rhys James is here. Welcome, Rhys.

Rhys James (0:53)

Thank you.

Matthew Crosby (0:53)

It's great to have you on the show.

Rhys James (0:54)

Great to be here, as always. Always sounds. I never make it sound like. I mean that it's great to be here, but this is as sincere as my voice goes. What's.

Matthew Crosby (1:02)

Is this a problem in your relationship? Would you say that? You know, a sort of lack of, like a lack of sincerity? Not a lack of sincerity, but a lack of being able to convey sincerity.

Rhys James (1:12)

We can't. We're not getting married because we can't. Because it would sound suck. It would be. Yes, I do. Fine. I do. Christ. Come on.

Matthew Crosby (1:22)

Yeah, get on with. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I, Yeah, I think that must be very tricky. At what point when you, you know, when you, when you said to. Your, said to your partner, you know, the first time you said I love

Rhys James (1:32)

you, she said, can you stop emphasizing I in I love you? Well, I love you.

Summary

Ed Gamble & Matthew Crosby on Radio X

Episode 347: Met Office Instagram (with Rhys James)

Date: February 22, 2026
Guests: Rhys James (co-hosting in Ed's absence)
Producer: Vin

Episode Overview

This week, with Ed Gamble on tour in North America, Matthew Crosby is joined by comedian Rhys James for another characteristically loose, tangential and listener-led episode. Jokes about sincerity, vivid dreams, accidental texts, minor road rage, and British comedy culture take centre stage. The show also features the trademark news quiz "Rofle the Week", a review of Saltburn, listener messages, and the usual friendly bickering and British cultural references.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Guest Host: The "Edless" Era

Rhys James steps in for Ed, joking about Ed's lack of energy and fake sincerity.
Banter about Rhys' inability to convey sincerity in relationships (“We can't get married because it would sound so sarcastic. It would be, ‘Yes, I do. Fine, I do. Christ, come on.’” —Rhys, 01:12).

Mock the Week Returns & The Comedy Industry

Listener Email: Recommends the hosts for a returning "Mock the Week" and jokes about Rhys needing "a win".
Rhys reflects on comedic career cycles and chasing the next thing:

“Sometimes actually…in your career you just wait, and the old thing comes back.” —Matthew, 02:46
Satirical exchange about TV moving from BBC to TLC and media “free speech” perceptions:

“We’re unleashed! All the newspapers that hated it when it was on BBC now say, ‘This is brilliant.’” —Rhys, 03:46

Comedic "Skills" & Listener Participation

Cool But Undercredited Talents:
- Listener Tom shares his “T-shirt flick” trick, sparking chat about unremarkable skills (07:10).
- Debates about mispronunciations—a “sandwich” vs. “samwich” vs. “sanger”—moving into affectionate partner digs (“I argue with her because she says bold instead of bald” —Rhys, 08:12).
Who Did You Used to Look Like?:
Childhood celebrity lookalikes, e.g., Bob Hoskins, Gareth Bale, Frankie Cocozza—with a diversion about viral videos and pop culture minutiae (13:21).

Anxiety Dreams, Family Mishaps, and Mobile-Mayhem

Dream chat: Rhys dreams about Matthew’s sketch group, leading to discussion on meaning vs. nonsense of dreams (17:45).
Rhys’s dad “emergency” in Dublin: accidental 999 call leads to mild panic and a family group chat, only to resolve with his dad’s Mark Twain-level comeback:

“Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.” —Rhys quoting his dad, 24:24
Opens listener messages: “Worst thing you’ve accidentally done with your phone?”
- Notable: ‘I pooed on my phone’ & classic misdirected, explicit workplace texts (26:04–29:03).
- Parental accidental insults and full-force “gaslighting” to explain away mis-sent texts (32:07).

Road Rage and Social Farce

Vin’s Road Rage Story:
- Details a cyclist vs. Range Rover altercation culminating in a stand-off:
  
  “Show me I’m a Ding Dong!” —Range Rover driver, via Vin (36:18)
- Riffs on the futility of proving someone’s a “ding dong” and the comedy of escalated aggression (39:00).
Matthew's “gentle beep” misinterpreted by pedestrians, highlighting British passive aggression and social awkwardness (40:03).

TV and Quiz Fun: "Rofle the Week"

News Quiz Concept: Guess if BBC News WhatsApp stories get “more or fewer laughing emojis” than the last.
- Comedy is found in the banality and occasional incongruity of news headlines ("Zero LOLs” for story about gold bars donated to fix Japanese water system! —51:36).
- Banter about why certain stories inexplicably get “LOL” reacts; meta-jokes about the flawed game design (44:58 onwards).

Film Review: Saltburn

Rhys reviews Saltburn—with little preparation, mimicking Ed’s “bring nothing” energy (56:40).
- They praise the absurdity and comedy of the film, zeroing in on infamous scenes and accents (“Good thing I’m a vampire!” and the improvised “making love to a grave”).
- Discussion about critics misreading genre (“It’s really an episode of Hollyoaks, not a period piece about class.” —Rhys, 59:55).

Listener Messages (Throughout)

Rich vein of quirky, personal, and often bathroom-based listener stories.
Running joke: “What are the weirdest things Matthew has ever said?” (57:26).

Comedy Panel Show Stats & Games

Outro Game: Guessing the number of panel appearances by regulars on “Mock the Week”—deep cut for aficionados ("Rob Beckett, 20; Josh Widdicombe, 23; Maisie Adam, 15", etc., 68:45 onwards).

Recommendations ("Beckenham Recs")

TV: Industry Series 4, new Simon Mayhew Archer show with Dawn French (Can You Keep a Secret?), Lisa McGee’s How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.
Book: Slag (“Really good—no pictures, but really good stuff.” —Rhys, 74:57)
Film: Bones and All (Vin recommends, 80:26).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On performing sincerity:

“We can’t get married because it would sound so sarcastic. It would be, ‘Yes, I do. Fine, I do. Christ, come on.’” —Rhys James (01:12)
On TV moving from BBC to TLC:

“We can finally tell it like it is... But every newspaper says, ‘They’re unleashed!’... No, we’re saying the same things.” —Rhys James (03:46)
Mock the Week’s “Free Speech”:

“You’re one of the last bastions of free speech.” —Matthew Crosby (03:48)
Rhys’s dad after the accidental 999 call:

“Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.” —Rhys’s dad via Rhys James (24:24)
On aggressive Range Rover driver:

“Show me I’m a Ding Dong!” —Vin quoting driver (36:18)
On dream analysis:

“Dreams are nonsense cartoons.” —Rhys James (19:05)
On Saltburn reviews:

“Had it received a lot of criticism...because it was being reviewed as an actual period piece about class...and really, it’s an episode of Hollyoaks.” —Rhys James (59:46)
On comedy quiz formats:

“It may not be as formatted as Mock the Week.” —Matthew Crosby (52:28)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00–02:00 | Opening banter: Rhys subbing for Ed, jokes about energy and sincerity
02:23–04:15 | Listener email triggers discussion about Mock the Week, comedy cycles
06:53–09:00 | “Cool but under-credited skills”; sandwich vs. samwich, mispronounced words
17:45–20:23 | Dream analysis and accidental panic after Rhys’s dad’s 999 call
22:31–29:30 | Mobile misadventures: accidental texts and poo-related phone mishaps
33:32–39:19 | Producer Vin’s Brixton road rage episode
40:03–41:26 | Matthew’s “gentle beep” misunderstanding
44:48–54:46 | "Rofle the Week" news quiz segment
56:40–63:45 | Saltburn film review
68:45–72:45 | Mock the Week panel stats guessing game
73:42–81:01 | Recommendations (TV, film, books), extended closing banter

Tone & Language

Playful, rapid-fire banter, loaded with self-deprecating humour and snarky asides.
Tangential, conversational flow with plenty of in-jokes referencing British pop culture, comedy panel shows, and personal quirks.
Regular callbacks and running gags ensure an inclusive “listener family” atmosphere.

For New Listeners

Expect a show that’s more about the journey than the destination—rambling, silly and quick-witted, soaked in British comedy lore, and always ready to take a detour for the sake of a gag or a text-in story. The episode is a patchwork of banter, games, and affectionate mockery, making it equally accessible and rewarding for die-hard fans or anyone craving friendly laughter with a heavy dose of references.

wavePod

Episode 348 – Met Office Instagram (with Rhys James)

Transcript

Summary

Ed Gamble & Matthew Crosby on Radio X

Episode 347: Met Office Instagram (with Rhys James)

Date: February 22, 2026
Guests: Rhys James (co-hosting in Ed's absence)
Producer: Vin

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Guest Host: The "Edless" Era

Mock the Week Returns & The Comedy Industry

Comedic "Skills" & Listener Participation

Anxiety Dreams, Family Mishaps, and Mobile-Mayhem

Road Rage and Social Farce

TV and Quiz Fun: "Rofle the Week"

Film Review: Saltburn

Listener Messages (Throughout)

Comedy Panel Show Stats & Games

Recommendations ("Beckenham Recs")

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Tone & Language

For New Listeners

Episode 348 – Met Office Instagram (with Rhys James)

Transcript

Summary

Ed Gamble & Matthew Crosby on Radio X

Episode 347: Met Office Instagram (with Rhys James)

Date: February 22, 2026 Guests: Rhys James (co-hosting in Ed's absence) Producer: Vin

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Guest Host: The "Edless" Era

Mock the Week Returns & The Comedy Industry

Comedic "Skills" & Listener Participation

Anxiety Dreams, Family Mishaps, and Mobile-Mayhem

Road Rage and Social Farce

TV and Quiz Fun: "Rofle the Week"

Film Review: Saltburn

Listener Messages (Throughout)

Comedy Panel Show Stats & Games

Recommendations ("Beckenham Recs")

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Tone & Language

For New Listeners

Date: February 22, 2026
Guests: Rhys James (co-hosting in Ed's absence)
Producer: Vin