Shows
The Big Smoke Variety Show‘It’s Like Ice Cream’ with Balloon Pilot Robin BatchelorWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!
This week, we’re taking to the skies — and far beyond — with a celebration of whimsical, surprising, and deeply human modes of travel.
First up, we pop to our local, where the ceiling’s low but our questions are sky-high. This week’s Pub Quiz? A History of Basket Cases.
Then, Kevin meets legendary hot air balloon pilot Robin Batchelor to explore the history, his daring exploits, and the sheer joy of ballooning. From flying presidents and movie stars, to championing the heritage of flight in all its gl...2025-07-241h 08The Big Smoke Variety ShowQueer as Folklore with Sacha CowardWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!
This week, we’re celebrating Pride from every angle—through folklore, resistance, and the hidden treasures history leaves behind.
First, Kevin sits down with Sunday Times bestselling author Sacha Coward to explore Queer as Folklore—a book that traces the hidden queer history in myths, monsters, and stories we’ve told for centuries. From the otherworldly deep sea in The Little Mermaid, to the far away aliens in Star Trek, Sacha reveals how folklore has always been a home for the in-between, the beautiful, and the feared.
In our...2025-07-101h 20The Big Smoke Variety ShowBorders, Politics, and the State of the WorldWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!
This week, we’re tracing lines—political, personal, and poetic—as we examine how borders, behaviours, and the body shape our place in the world.
First, Kevin speaks with political journalist and bestselling author Jonn Elledge, whose book A History of the World in 47 Borders explores how the lines drawn through history continue to define our present. From colonial maps to the Canada–US border, Jonn unpacks the strange power of straight lines—and what they reveal about war, power, and human invention.
Then, in our Parish Noti...2025-06-261h 08The Big Smoke Variety ShowThe Most Romantic Job in the WorldWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!
This week, we’re packing our bags and setting off on a whirlwind journey — from London to Malawi to Canada… and then… a mystery location?!
First up, we’re joined by travel writer, photographer and community chronicler Helena Smith, whose work with Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Bradt Guides has taken her from London’s lesser-known footpaths to the sun-drenched hills of rural Malawi. With Helena, we explore how walking with purpose and travelling with care can open new ways of seeing — even in places we thought we knew.
T...2025-05-291h 13The Big Smoke Variety ShowReligion, Rituals, and RubbishWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! This week, we’re digging through the layers of history, ritual, and relics to uncover the surprising ways we make meaning and find home.
First up, we’re joined by Dr. Andrew Irving, Director of the Groningen Centre for Religion and Heritage, who takes us on a journey through the sacred and the forgotten. From medieval manuscripts to the relics we toss aside, he shares how ancient rituals shape our sense of connection and community. Andrew also spent time studying ancient codices in the Vatican Library, where he witnessed firsthand how...2025-05-151h 15The Big Smoke Variety ShowHook, Hamilton, Hamlet: Olivier Award winner Giles Terera's unpredictable journeyWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! This episode tips its hat to the dramatic and the delightfully ridiculous—from lost boys and duels at dawn to Shakespearean skulls and Victorian umbrella stands.
We kick things off with Stump the Room, where we dare you to unravel a set of stage-worthy questions spanning Hook, Hamilton, and Hamlet. From blink-and-you-miss-it cameos to the real-life rulebook behind duels, this quiz blends pop culture with classical flair. Play along and see if you can outsmart your friends.
Then it’s curtain up on a very special guest: Giles Tere...2025-05-011h 11The Big Smoke Variety ShowThe Anti-Anxiety ToolkitToday’s episode really leans into the “variety” part of our podcast's name. From Canadian headlines to ancient Roman bone dice, it’s a buffet of the bizarre, the beautiful, and the quietly profound.
First up, it’s back to the Great White North for another round of Maple Leaf, or Make Believe?—the quiz that challenges you to separate true Canadian news stories from sweet, syrupy fakes. One of these headlines is legit. The rest? Pure, unfiltered nonsense. Can you spot the truth?
Then, we slow things down with our first guest: yoga and meditation t...2025-04-171h 06The Big Smoke Variety ShowOpera is Like BoxingWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In today’s episode, we step into the ring… or rather, the opera house. And trust us, by the end, you’ll see they might just be the same thing.
First up, we kick things off with a Looney Tunes twist in Stump the Room: Bugs Bunny Meets Opera Edition. Can you tell your Wagnerian heroines from your Saturday morning demons?
Then, our host Kevin Bennett is joined by Thomas Guthrie - opera director, writer, composer, and founder of the charity Music and Theatre for All. Kevin challenges Tom to...2025-04-031h 05The Big Smoke Variety ShowThe CNN of the GhettoWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In today’s episode, ‘The CNN of the Ghetto’, we explore the rhythms that shape our lives, both natural and self-made.
First up, we welcome MoYah - Afro-fusion rapper, activist, and educator, who blends music with advocacy, using hip-hop as a tool for storytelling, community, and change. From his roots in Mozambique to his career-defining role as Portugal’s first refugee semi-finalist in Festival da Canção, MoYah shares how rap became his language of resistance, identity, and empowerment.
Then, it’s the return of Rishi Rian with his poetic Pa...2025-03-201h 06The Big Smoke Variety ShowThe Shoe in the Wall: Patrick Grant on why 'Less' is moreWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In today's episode, ‘The Shoe in the Wall: Patrick Grant on why 'Less' is more’, we’re unpicking the threads of fashion, identity, and the objects we bring into our lives, starting with the clothes on our backs.
Joining us is none other than Patrick Grant - clothier, sustainability advocate, and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee. Patrick takes us on a journey through the history of clothing, the fight for quality over fast fashion, and why what we wear matters more than we think. He also reignited the legacy...2025-03-071h 13The Big Smoke Variety ShowOde to the AuraculousWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! This episode is an ode to the auraculous, as we delve into the extraordinary world of sound with writer and journalist Caspar Henderson, author of ‘A Book of Noises: Notes on the Auraculous’.
Caspar invites us to tune the dial of our minds and truly listen to the hidden harmonies of nature, the mysteries of music, and the profound ways sound shapes our world. We explore the bizarre and beautiful: from whistling to bears and singing birds, to the first musical instruments and the resonance of ancient spaces. What is soun...2025-02-211h 11The Big Smoke Variety ShowChristmas Cheese and Reindeer GamesWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In this festive episode, ‘Christmas Cheese and Reindeer Games’, we bring you a brilliant mix of holiday cheer, mouth-watering cheese, and heartwarming stories in support of the Babylon Migrants Project, a community interest company that empowers young refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants through creative activities.
Cheese consultant and author Emma Young leads a fascinating cheese tasting, featuring Maasdam, Taleggio, Brillat Savarin, Stilton, and Grana Padano. Emma shares delightful trivia, pro tips, and stories from her life as an international cheese consultant.
Actors Adam Cunis and Hollie Hales perform an e...2024-12-201h 28The Big Smoke Variety ShowThe Three Pillars: Comedy, Conversation & CommunityWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! Today’s episode, ‘The Three Pillars: Comedy, Conversation & Community’, is a special global journey celebrating the heart of what makes our show unique. Join us as we take a closer look at our show’s core themes with incredible guests from around the world.
Our first stop is Vancouver, Canada, where we meet Aidan Parker, a writer, filmmaker, and award-winning member of the Canadian improv community. Aidan shares his passion for comedy and leads Kevin through some engaging improvisation exercises that you can play along with at home. Aidan shows us how c...2024-11-291h 33The Big Smoke Variety ShowThe Better Part of ValourWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! Today’s episode, “The Better Part of Valour”, takes us into the unexpected world of Ukrainian cricket—a story of courage, community, and resilience in the face of war. Our guest, Jonathan Campion, journalist and author of 'Getting Out: The Ukrainian Cricket Team’s Last Stand on the Front Lines of War', shares his first-hand account of Ukraine’s quirky cricket history and how its players became unlikely heroes during Russia’s 2022 invasion. It’s a story that proves bravery can emerge in the most surprising places.
In addition to Jonathan’s inspi...2024-11-151h 07The Big Smoke Variety ShowA Fatal ExitWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! Today’s episode, “A Fatal Exit”, delves into the spooky lore of the Tower of London and its iconic ravens, just in time for Halloween!
Our guest is none other than former Ravenmaster and current Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London Christopher Skaife, author of The Ravenmaster — named ‘London book of the year’ by the Evening Standard. Join us as Chris recounts his years caring for these extraordinary birds, weaving humour and history with eerie legends of life in the Tower. Discover why legend insists that, should the ravens ever leave...2024-10-311h 34The Big Smoke Variety ShowThe Freestyle MindWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In this episode, “The Freestyle Mind”, we dive into how we can harness our thoughts to find stillness, flow, creativity, and inspiration in the midst of modern chaos.
First up, we have Arti Lal, a seasoned meditation teacher and co-ordinator of the Inner Space Meditation Centre in Covent Garden. For over 35 years, Arti has been inspiring individuals to make space for quiet reflection and mindfulness. She leads us in a guided meditation, helping us explore how to find calm amidst the noise of daily life.
Next, joining us is K...2024-10-181h 06The Big Smoke Variety ShowStone Aged WisdomWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In this episode, “Stone Aged Wisdom”, we’re stepping back in time to explore how ancient skills and wisdom can still connect us to our modern world. How could learning to start a fire or forage for food be relevant in the digital age?
We’re thrilled to welcome Memma the Cavewoman, aka Sarah Day. Memma is a Bushcraft instructor, experimental archaeologist, and ancient technologist with over 13 years of experience. She’s worked with TV survivalist Ray Mears’ company Woodlore Ltd, teaching outdoor skills and sharing her passion for prehistory. From finding...2024-10-0459 minThe Big Smoke Variety ShowHeroes or Vandals?Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In this episode, “Heroes or Vandals?”, we’re taking you deep into the world of graffiti, urban art, and creative expression. Right now it seems there's a new Banksy popping up on every corner, so our timing couldn't be better!
Featuring in this episode is Madeleine Pelling, cultural historian and co-host of History Hit’s After Dark. She’ll be discussing her new book 'Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of Eighteenth-Century Britain', offering a fresh look at how graffiti has shaped the course of history. Alongside her, we we...2024-09-201h 04The Big Smoke Variety ShowChange in Muddy WatersWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In this episode, "Change in Muddy Waters", we bring together two remarkable guests for an evening of historical discovery, refugee empowerment, and personal journeys.
First, we dive into the world of Sean Clark, a licensed mudlark with a passion for uncovering the hidden stories of 17th-century London. Sean has spent years along the banks of the Thames, discovering unique and historical artifacts that once belonged to the city’s long-forgotten inhabitants. Sean shares his mudlarking adventures, bringing along some precious objects and revealing the untold stories of the lives that sli...2024-09-0648 minThe Big Smoke Variety ShowWild City, Ghost TownWelcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! In this episode, "Wild City, Ghost Town", we bring together two outstanding guests for an unforgettable evening of urban wildlife, poetry, and community activism.
We welcome Florence Wilkinson, writer, filmmaker, and co-founder of the birdsong recognition app Warblr. Florence will share insights from her acclaimed book Wild City: Encounters with Urban Wildlife, exploring the hidden natural world of cities and the fascinating stories that lie within.
And, we dive into the captivating world of Nigerian-born poet Fuad Busoir, a rising star in the poetry scene. Winner of UniSlam 2024...2024-09-0652 minThe Big Smoke Variety ShowTrailer - The Big Smoke hosted by Kevin BennettWelcome to The Big Smoke variety show! A live recorded podcast filled with comedy, conversation and community. Join us every fortnight for a gathering of fun-filled performances, insightful interviews and all sorts of ways to connect with those around us.
Find us on Instagram: @thebigsmokevariety
2024-09-0301 min