Best Catflap Podcasts (2025)

1
If there's no fish, there's no fishing, with Robin Philpott 28:20

2d ago28:20

28:20

If you are a person who lives in the UK, and you like standing in, or nearby, rivers, there’s a good chance you will have heard of Farlows. It is one of the great outdoors companies of the UK, a place for all fishermen and women to obsess over rods and reels while they tell themselves that they would catch way more fish if they could just buy a bit…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Drop Dead Fred 53:40

6d ago53:40

53:40

"Dog poo, dog poo, lovely lovely dog poo.” Move over, Harvey the rabbit. Get to buggery, Tyler Durden. This week Talking Bottom delves into Rik's foray into Hollywood, playing the world's best imaginary friend. He's violent, sweary, flicks snot into drinks and sinks houseboats. It's Drop Dead Fred! We chat about Rik as a film star, the psychology o…

1
What the hedge can tell us about the countryside, with Richard Negus 36:36

9d ago36:36

36:36

Hedges are fascinating because they are like buildings. They are pretty much everywhere in rural England, Scotland and Wales, and yet do we ever really stop and think about what they are and what they do? One man who thinks a lot about what they are and what they do is Richard Negus, a professional hedgelayer and writer from Suffolk. His recent boo…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Richard Dangerous and Dreamytime Escort 54:47

13d ago54:47

54:47

“The Comic Strip Presents…Mr Jolly Lives Next Door was the prototype… that was really the pilot for Bottom.” Peter Richardson summed it up perfectly in our chat with him. Our new podcast puts Rik Mayall’s role starring alongside the legendary Peter Cook as Mr Jolly’s neighbouring business owner “Dreamytime Escort” under the microscope, along with a…

1
Ken Follett on Stonehenge, building cathedrals, and the glaring flaw in Shakespeare's greatest soliloquy 38:18

16d ago38:18

38:18

Ken Follett is a man who doesn’t really need much introduction, but introduce him I will anyway. Thirty-eight books written. 197 million copies sold in 80 countries and in 40 languages. Very popular across the world — and even in China and Brazil, according to the man himself. • Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts • Listen to Country L…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman 54:12

20d ago54:12

54:12

"You see, in the good old days, you were poor, you got ill, and you died!" After playing a series squalid losers, Rik finally poured all that charisma, sex appeal and Machiavellian cunning into Tory MP Alan B'Stard; money and power-obsessed serial adulterer and possessor of the largest majority in the House of Commons. Talking Bottom chats about on…

1
The finest wines available to humanity, and how to buy them, with Beth Pearce 29:28

23d ago29:28

29:28

You would be forgiven that a trip to space might be one of the hardest things that a human being could do. But, it might actually be becoming a Master of Wine (MW). After all, more people have been to space than there are MWs. One such master of the grape is Beth Pearce, the head of buying at Flint Wines, who took some time from her very busy sched…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Lord Flashheart in Blackadder 34:37

27d ago34:37

34:37

"WOOF!!!” Following a brief appearance as "Mad Gerald" in the first Blackadder series, Rik returned in series two and four/forth as heroic, sexy, brave, top-level shagger Lord Flashheart. The character appeared in other similar guises in Blackadder Back and Forth as Robin Hood and then later in the Bombardier beer adverts. Talking Bottom get to gri…

1
Levison Wood: Trekking the Nile, near-death experiences and why nothing beats a cup of tea and a piece of toast 29:33

1M ago29:33

29:33

'There was a time when I couldn't walk down the King's Road without being mobbed,' chuckles Levison Wood. This is no brag, though: it's said with the bemusement of a man who was catapulted to fame after his plan to trek the length of the River Nile made him into an unlikely celebrity alongside today's crop of modern explorers. • Listen to Country L…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Richie Rich in Filthy, Rich and Catflap 49:08

1M ago49:08

49:08

Following the success of The Young Ones Rik, Nigel and Ade were reunited as a disgusting trio in Filthy, Rich & Catflap. Penned by Ben Elton, the sitcom mirrored the group's own entry into the world of light entertainment - and lampooned their own success with sharp-tongued satire that sadly only lasted one series. Richie Rich is a talentless, egot…

1
Bruce Hodgson: Artichoke's founder on catflaps, carpentry and the future of crafts 32:12

1M ago32:12

32:12

What do catflaps and some of the finest carpentry in the land have in common? Bruce Hodgson, that’s what. The man who founded Artichoke is our guest on the Country Life Podcast this week, talking us through the history of the brand, as well as his own personal journey as a craftsman, and what the future holds for heritage crafts. Bruce’s journey to…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Colin Grigson in Bad New and More Bad News 48:03

1M ago48:03

48:03

The hair... the tight trousers...the stepping in dogshit wearing just a sock on his foot... Bad News and More Bad News are two of "The Comic Strip Presents..." jewels in the crown, with Rik's Colin Grigson definitely a legend in his own mind. Talking Bottom dive into the character, his memorable moments and what makes Rik's performance so special. …

1
The truth about P.G. Wodehouse: Robert Daws on playing England's greatest comic writer 36:20

1M ago36:20

36:20

Anyone who loves P.G. Wodehouse knows Jeeves and Wooster, Blandings Castle and the Oldest Member golf stories. But what of the man himself? His early life as a sensation on Broadway? His extraordinary seven-days-a-week work ethic? The truth about his attempts to flee the Nazis, scuppered by an unreliable car, before he was interned and pressured in…

1
The Book Launch! (Also The Edinburgh Festival Fringe live show) 13:05

2M ago13:05

13:05

A quick one (ooh err) about our recent book launch in Hammer-smith, where we were joined at Rik's memorial bench by Godfather of alternative comedy, Producer Paul Jackson and Bottom actor legends Lee Cornes (Dick Head) and Roger Sloman (Mr Harrison), plus Bottom fans (including two who came all the way from The Netherlands!) and assorted press! Tha…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Rick / Rick the Poet 1:21:55

2M ago1:21:55

1:21:55

Once in every lifetime comes... one of Rik Mayall's most enduring and iconic characters. Starting life on stage reading crap poems and getting angry with the audience on shows like "Boom Boom, Out go the Lights" before graduating to student life in a sitcom that redefined the genre in "The Young Ones," for many, Rick is the character they picture w…

1
What it's like to come face-to-face with a great white shark, by Dan Abbott of Netflix's All The Sharks 32:27

2M ago32:27

32:27

How do you come to a point in your life when you find yourself swimming with great white sharks? And how can it be that when you do, you find that moment 'completely normal'? Dan Abbott — aka Shark Man Dan — answered these and many more questions when he joined us on the Country Life Podcast at the beginning of 2025. In the six months or so since t…

1
The Many Faces of Rik Mayall: Talking Bottom on Kevin Turvey 1:01:19

2M ago1:01:19

1:01:19

It's a new series! Most actors are fortunate if they have just one role people love them for. Rik embodied so many iconic and memorable characters that people adore. Kicking things off is a look at one of his early incarnations - self-styled "Investigative Journalist" and son of Redditch, Kevin Turvey in "A Kick up the Eighties" and "The Man Behind…

1
Marcus Janssen: Chelsea Lifejackets, bagging a 'MacNab' and recognising the best of the British countryside 33:13

2M ago33:13

33:13

'We still see people out wearing colours which we know for a fact we haven't produced in 15 or 20 years,' chuckles Marcus Janssen, head of Schöffel, as he speaks about the company's gilets — the 'Chelsea Lifejackets' — to James Fisher on this week's edition of the Country Life Podcast. Marcus took over at Schöffel after a career as a countryside jo…

1
Talking Bottom meets Podcasto Catflappo! 1:13:24

2M ago1:13:24

1:13:24

“That was quite a LOCK IN, wasn’t it??” A short while ago our great mate Jeffers @PodcastoCatflappo asked to interview us about the writing process behind ‘Talking Bottom: A Guide to the Cult Sitcom’ and what Bottom fans can expect to uncover when flicking through its weighty folds. Listen to our sickeningly lovely chat with the top bloke that is J…

1
Corinne Fowler: Exploring the hidden history of the British countryside, one walk at a time 30:04

2M ago30:04

30:04

Corinne Fowler has never been one to shy away from straight talking. The Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at the University of Leicester made headlines for weeks back in 2020 after co-authoring a report for the National Trust on how the history and creation of many of our great houses are bound up with the history of slavery, conquest and colo…

1
Talking Bottom LIVE - at The Rik Mayall Comedy Festival with special guest Ed Bye 1:13:43

2M ago1:13:43

1:13:43

Talking Bottom is BACK and LIVE - and what better place to do our FIRST EVER live show than at the innagural Rik Mayall Comedy Festival in Rik's old home town of Droitwich? We were joined by legendary Bottom director and Producer Ed Bye at the Norbury Theatre on the very stage upon which Rik first ever performed and where he used to operate the lig…

1
Steve Backshall on sharks, idyllic childhoods and getting his fingertips eaten by piranhas 24:40

2M ago24:40

24:40

The adventurer, broadcaster, scientist and writer Steve Backshall has been a fixture on TV screens in Britain for nearly three decades — and we're absolutely thrilled that he joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast. • Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts • Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify • Listen to Country Life podcas…

1
Hannah Bourne-Taylor: Saving swifts, naked protests and the bird that nested in my hair 26:04

3M ago26:04

26:04

‘I thought, okay, well it worked for Lady Godiva, didn’t it? This whole naked stuff? So let me give that a try. I felt like it was the only option.’ Just as it worked for Lady Godiva, so it has for Hannah Bourne-Taylor, the campaigner, naturalist and writer who has spent years fighting for change to help Britain’s bird population — and particularly…

1
Simon Armitage: "I've tried getting AI to write poems — and they've all been reassuringly awful" 30:01

3M ago30:01

30:01

Poet, author, musician and Yorkshireman, Simon Armitage has been Britain's Poet Laureate since 2019 — so we're thrilled that he joined James Fisher on the latest edition of the Country Life Podcast. From the surprising details of what he does — or, more accurately, doesn't — have to do as part of his role, to the primary school teacher who didn't e…

1
Poppy Okotcha: The model-turned-gardener who swapped the catwalk for the vegetable patch 25:11

3M ago25:11

25:11

Amid the birdsong, the snores of a dog, and the purrs of a cat, sits Poppy Okotcha. The horticulturist and author joined the Country Life Podcast this week to discuss all things gardening and, specifically, its restorative effects on not only nature but people. • Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts • Listen to Country Life podcast on S…

1
Talking Bottom with Talking Bottom 1:14:49

3M ago1:14:49

1:14:49

The team from Talking Bottom (Mat Brooks, Angela Pearson and Paul Tanter) chat about the writing of their upcoming book 'Talking Bottom: A Guide to the Cult Sitcom'. Years in the making, the book releases on 3 July 2025 and is available for preorder ... and their podcast will be coming back for a fresh season of eps! And if you're quick, you can ca…

1
What you absolutely must see at the Chelsea Flower Show 2025, from the King's new rose to the 'perfect' garden 34:11

3M ago34:11

34:11

The Chelsea Flower Show is one of the high points of the summer: a celebration of plants, gardens and creativity, as well as an unbeatable opportunity to rub shoulders with those who share the passion for making the most of this gorgeous time of year in England. This year, Country Life has its own presence at the show, at stand PW210, and we're thr…

1
Tony Juniper: Saving the world, breeding budgies and why the King is 'the most influential environmentalist of all time' 31:28

4M ago31:28

31:28

When it comes to England’s environment and our landscape, few people in the country are as important as Tony Juniper. Since 2019, he has been the chairman of Natural England, the public body for ensuring that the country’s natural environment is protected and enhanced. Not a small job, as we are sure you’ll agree. He is also a recognised authority …

1
Louis D. Hall: Crossing the Alps, sailing the Atlantic in a glorified bathtub and bringing sanity to how we live with horses 32:00

4M ago32:00

32:00

Most people have friends who text them about going to the pub. If you're Louis D. Hall, you've got friends who'll text you about crossing a mountain range, sailing the Atlantic or coming face to face with remote tribes. All in a normal day (or week's) work for Louis. Most recently, he's trekked on horseback from Italy to Cape Finisterre in Spain, i…

1
THE BOOK & The Rik Mayall Comedy Festival 24:16

4M ago24:16

24:16

This ep sees an update on our book, Talking Bottom: A Guide to The Cult Sitcom, snatched (ooh errr) from the jaws of defeat to be published on July 3rd. We wang on about why it took f*cking aaaages and how book backers can get their grubby hands on the book on July 3rd while others wait for their postman to unload his sack. We also chat about our u…

1
George Monbiot: 'Farmers need stability and security... Instead, they're contending with chaos' 41:05

4M ago41:05

41:05

For four four decades, George Monbiot has been one of Britain's strongest voices speaking out on the environment. After starting his career with the BBC, Monbiot is now best known for his books and his weekly column in The Guardian, winning a reputation as a tireless and passionate advocate for the natural world, as well as making plenty of enemies…

1
Polly Highton - a chat with the Checkout Girl 39:45

4M ago39:45

39:45

A chat with Polly Highton, known to fans of Filthy Rich & Catflap as 'the Checkout Girl' in episode three's amazing supermarket scene. Polly shares her memories of the role, plus her earlier appearance on Happy Families with Ade and Jennifer Saunders. We also chat about her career in the biz, starting from her 1970s uni days to her recent work in T…

1
Slapstick Festival 50:31

4M ago50:31

50:31

Talking Bottom returns with a visit to the 2025 Slapstick Festival in Bristol, where Ange and Mat attended "That's Really Heavy, Man: The Comic Incarnations of Nigel Planer" (Nigel Planer in Conversation with Robin Ince) and "Rik! The Anarchic Genius of Rik Mayall" (Ben Elton and Nigel Planer, chaired by Robin Ince). The pair regale Paul with stori…

1
Vintage tractors and memories of summers past, with Oliver Godfrey 27:00

4M ago27:00

27:00

Everyone has their passions. I, for example, enjoy collecting football shirts. Other people like stamps. Some people like vintage tractors. Oliver Godfrey, from Cheffins, is very good at auctioning them. It is important to understand people and their passions. So we asked Oliver to join the Country Life Podcast, to talk us through the slightly nich…

1
Melissa Harrison: The accidental nature writer who became an accidental nature app developer 31:12

5M ago31:12

31:12

The nature writer, children's author and journalist Melissa Harrison joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to talk about her life, her career, and how she found herself creating a smartphone app to help people connect with nature. • Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts • Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify • Listen to Cou…

1
The remarkable history of Britain and its animals, with Karen Jones 28:00

5M ago28:00

28:00

The animals we share Britain with mean far more to us than we realise. Beyond the obvious companionship, food and farming, they are a part of our folklore, our language and intertwined with our lives. Karen Jones, professor of environmental and cultural history at the University of Kent, has long been fascinated by the creatures that populate our i…

1
Chloe Dalton: The woman who swapped top-level geopolitics to rescue a baby hare, and had her life changed forever 36:05

5M ago36:05

36:05

Before lockdown changed life in Britain in early 2020, Chloe Dalton led an almost overwhelmingly metropolitan existence. A foreign policy expert, her comfort zone was in the corridors of power, around Whitehall and Westminster, a person who — in her own words — was ‘addicted to the adrenaline’ of flying around the world playing a key role in the de…

1
The I to Q of Filthy Rich & Catflap 1:08:28

5M ago1:08:28

1:08:28

Part 2 of the 'A to Z of Filthy Rich & Catflap' covers the letters I to Q. Listen in to discover why L is for Lavatory, and P is for Priz! Here's the full list: I is for Ivor Whopper J is for the Judge ... John Wells K is for Ketchup L is for Lavatory M is for Milkmen N is for the Noles! O is for Ooer Sounds a Bit Rude P is for Priz Q is for Queer…

1
The photographer on a 15-year quest to find the most incredible doors in London, with Cath Harries 30:31

5M ago30:31

30:31

It's almost two decades since photographer Cath Harries set out to work on a book documenting London's finest pubs. As she walked the streets of the capital, however, she found herself wondering about a new project: London's most extraordinary doors. The idea took hold, and she found herself embarking upon a project which would take a decade and a …

1
Britain's whale boom and and the predator that's far scarier than a great white shark with Dan Abbott, aka Shark Man Dan 32:15

5M ago32:15

32:15

Wildlife cinematographer Dan Abbott has travelled the world documenting marine life from the peaceful turtles of the Mediterranean to the iconic great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. More recently, though, Dan has hit the headlines for the videos he has shared of the colonies of whales who have made the British coast a regular stop in r…

1
The timeless elegance of English country house style, with Guy Goodfellow and Steven Rodel 34:33

6M ago34:33

34:33

Guy Goodfellow and his Creative Director Steven Rodel have carved out a reputation as two of the finest interior designers working in Britain today. We're thrilled, then, that they were able to join us for the Country Life Podcast, to discuss the unique qualities of British design, the country house look, and what it feels like to see your cushions…

1
Eleanor Doughty: The secret lives of the aristocracy in Britain 34:41

6M ago34:41

34:41

After starting her career writing about student life, Eleanor began to write about Britain's great country houses, and — more importantly — the people who live in them. Over a decade later she has travelled to over 150 of the finest country piles in Britain, interviewing their owners to discover the ups and downs of their lives. Listen to the Count…

1
Patrick Galbraith: Dukes, drug dealers, nudists, and the truth about access to Britain's countryside 27:42

6M ago27:42

27:42

Should we have a right to roam? It's something that we've talked about a fair bit at Country Life in recent times — not least with our articles from opposing sides of the argument from Alexander Darwall and Lewis Winks. Rather than just listen and read, Patrick the author and journalist Patrick Galbraith decided to travel the length and breadth of …

1
Gareth Dennis: The truth about HS2 that you never knew until it was too late 37:29

6M ago37:29

37:29

HS2: blot on the landscape? Or the greatest missed opportunity in a generation? What if the future of transport in Britain wasn't about electric cars and extra runways at Heathrow, but a 200-year-old technology of the past? That's the argument made by Gareth Dennis, the engineer, writer, policy adviser and podcaster who has made a name for himself …

1
Tim Reading from All Things Rik And Ade 31:05

6M ago31:05

31:05

A chat with the meme-master from All Things Rik And Ade, Tim Reading. His posts are a hit with fans of Rik Mayall & Ade Edmondson worldwide, but what are Tim's personal favourite moments from his comedy heroes? Jeffers decided to find out, and asked him the hard questions (and don't say oo-er).By Jeffers

1
The best places to visit in 2025 and hunting for the Ark of the Covenant, with Lonely Planet's Tom Hall 39:06

7M ago39:06

39:06

It’s an annoying thing to have to write down, because in my head it felt like it was only yesterday, but it’s been 10 years since I finished university, packed a big rucksack, and went to go and see the world. Lots of people had gap years. We all knew that there were only two essential items that you needed. Some rehydration tablets and a Lonely Pl…

1
Marina Gibson: The angler extraordinaire on salmon fishing, conservation and bagpipes on the Tay 40:17

7M ago40:17

40:17

We are back. Thank you all for bearing with us while we get our ducks in a row for another year of the Country Life Podcast. If it’s even possible, it’s going to be better than last year, that we can guarantee. Our first guest for 2025 is the legendary Marina Gibson, angler extraordinaire, who was more than happy to indulge me in lots of fishing re…

1
Dinner Party deep-dive 1:31:37

8M ago1:31:37

1:31:37

A deep dive into ep 3 of Filthy Rich & Catflap (aka Dinner Party) with tons of new info! Cut scenes, missing sub-plots, heaps of triv, and answers to long-standing questions, like: How much meat was in Eddie's trousers? Who were those mysterious people in that hole in the wall after the oven exploded? Who threw the cabbage at Richie's head in the p…

1
Mushroom gin, Lego houses, and Dull Men (and women), with James May 29:37

8M ago29:37

29:37

Like all serious journalists, James May used to work for Country Life writing about cars. It didn't go very well, but thankfully he bounced back and went on to present Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and many other TV shows including his latest, James May and The Dull Men. He's also been busy making his own gin. James Gin started off as something to pass…

1
Terence Blacker's books with Neil and The Young Ones 44:16

9M ago44:16

44:16

Terence Blacker, the editor of 'Bachelor Boys: The Young Ones Book' and co-author of 'Neil's Book of the Dead' shares the story of how those books were created, plus his own experiences as an author and latterly a singer-songwriter! Here's a link to Terence on X (Twitter) and a link to his website. It's a good old natter about how it was working wi…

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