The Following Through Podcast

Episoder

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  The Pride Special with Peter Abraham and Madge Hooks 06.07.2026 1t 27min

  In the finale of the third season, Alex and Siobhan present the Pride Special.They are joined by Peter Abraham, a professional BSL interpreter, and comedian Madge Hooks. Peter and Madge discuss their own experiences of being gay, coming out, how attitudes have changed throughout the decades, and the worrying political signs ahead. In Sh*t or Miss, Madge shares a story about suffering the ill-effects of eating some spicy nuts the night before, only find the bathroom door locked as a housemate is in there and not responding to knocks on the wood.  Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Becoming a Boccia Champion and Comedian with Gabby Rolls 22.06.2026 1t 19min

  Rising comedian Gabby Rolls joins Alex and Siobhan in this extended episode that is all about the challenges of becoming a champion in the sport of boccia and doing comedy. Aged 22, she is also the youngest guest so far to appear on the Following Through Podcast. Gabby has cerebral palsy after being deprived of oxygen at birth and is a wheelchair-user. But that hasn't stopped her from launching successful careers in sport and as a comedian.  She describes how watching the London 2012 Paralympic Games inspired her as an eight-year-old, then took up the sport of boccia soon after the Rio games four years later when recovering from hip surgery. Gabby won a bronze medal in her first-ever competition and made her debut for the England boccia team a year later, aged 15.  Winner of Disabled Comedian of the Year 2026, She talks about her experiences as a comedian and wheelchair-user, and how dark humour has helped get her through some difficult times.  In Sh*t or Miss, Gabby tells a story from her experiences in hospital when having an operation aged 12 years after being pumped full of bowel-loosening medication. After having an enema, she thought the worst was over when she was having her meal. But was it?  Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  A Career in Journalism 08.06.2026 1t 6min

  Journalism is a difficult profession to break into, but not so for Alex, who stumbled into it by chance and somehow built a career he still does alongside comedy.  In this episode, Siobhan speaks to Alex about his 18 years of journalism and editorial experience, starting out at a local paper aged 23 with no training or experience, learning on the job in a rural setting under a brutal editor. He recalls some of the articles he wrote, from the trivial about a pigeon to a big national story, as well as attending three or four parish council meetings every month. Lasting just over a year in the role and burnt out, he decided to quit and move to London to pursue comedy, but ended up working regular shifts for a national publication for a couple of years. So, how does Noel Edmonds fit into this? In Sh*t or Miss, Siobhan uses her growing reporter skills to extract another tale. The story involves someone on a coach trip in India with a weakened stomach, saved by a stop in a rural village and the urgent hunt for a toilet. Music is by Rich Shillitoe. Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Becoming a Property Owner 25.05.2026 1t 2min

  In this episode, Alex and Siobhan discuss their very different routes to becoming property owners in opposite parts of London. Alex also recalls some of his house share horror stories and only wanting to buy a flat to avoid living with strangers again with their weird habits. Siobhan explains how she arranged viewings for the majority of properties on sale in Morden, bringing her family and a ladder for second viewings.   In Sh*t or Miss, pro-wrestler Jerry Bakewell tells a tale about an incident in a German night club followed by a kebab. Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Starting a Fermented and Organic Food Business with Keir Boxshall from Wild and Cultured 27.04.2026 1t 3min

  Many dream of turning a hobby into a business, but hesitate to take the leap. In this episode, Alex and Siobhan are joined by Keir Boxshall, founder of Wild and Cultured, who turned his hobby into a thriving business. Keir, who makes organic fermented sauces and condiments, met Siobhan at a food festival in London after his stall caught the attention of her husband. Keir had a high-level role for an international engineering company, but the stress from work was having a negative impact on his health. He started eating more fermented foods to improve his gut health and had been making his own sauces and condiments for years. The pandemic gave him a chance to have a rethink. Encouraged by his partner, he began his company three years ago and turned his hobby into a successful business. And Wild and Cultured was born. Keir sells his unique spin on many well-known sauces and condiments, but uses fermentation techniques and organic ingredients to create live, non-ultra-processed products, which provide healthy bacteria to the gut and support the microbiome, providing positive health benefits.   He explains his business origins, challenges with perfecting recipes, and talks about the importance of a healthy microbiome. For more info, visit: https://wildandcultured.co.uk. And in Sh*t or Miss, Alex provides Keir with a choice of four options from his personal archive. Keir selects a tale entitled Norovirus in the Woods. Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Being a Pro-Wrestler with Jerry Bakewell 13.04.2026 1t 6min

  Pro-wrestler and comedian Jerry Bakewell joins Alex and Siobhan in this episode. As a lifelong wrestling fan, Alex is delighted.  Jerry talks about how he got into wrestling almost 20 years ago, his time training, his first match, why he started wearing a mask, and the clips online that he really wishes weren't available.  He also discusses his infamous Britain's Got Talent audition, what went on behind the scenes, and the hilarious stuff that was cut.  In Sh*t or Miss, Jerry recalls two incidents that took place in a wrestling ring. The second story took place at a wrestling event as part of a festival, where the audience was distracted by a dog show next door. Jerry took a high-impact move, but what were the consequences? Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Joining a Gym 30.03.2026 45min

  After doing nothing fitness-related since 2011, Siobhan has acquired a gym membership after her brother-in-law won it in a raffle and passed it on. She tells Alex all about the programme a trainer has designed for her and the double struggles of fitness and boredom from cardio.  Her initial goal was to not be out of breathe after dancing enthusiastically to Footloose, but Siobhan has now set her sights on becoming a fully fledged gym w*nker. While Alex proudly explains how he has never held a gym membership in his life, but did dabble briefly in gyms as a teenager to play rugby or become a pro-wrestler. In other Alex news, he gives an update on how his flat sale is going and a potential geographical change in the pipeline.  In Sh*t or Miss, there is a tale of a camping trip in the Australian bush from a familiar contributor. What do you do when nature calls, and the nature happens to be full of scary things? Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Living with Autism with Mark Nicholas 16.03.2026 51min

  Autism is the theme for this episode as Alex and Siobhan are joined by comedian Mark Nicholas, who is autistic. The conversation covers when Mark was first diagnosed, his difficulties at school, and how much drama lessons helped him grow in confidence. Mark later started doing stand-up comedy, which has boosted his confidence further, allowing him to meet like-minded people on the circuit and raise awareness of autism through his material. Mark also co-hosts the UnmedOKAYted podcast, where they discuss neurodivergent experiences. Check it out on all podcast platforms.  In Sh*t or Miss, Mark shares a story about overdoing it on caffeine at work and how that and a delayed bus disrupted his afterwork poo routine. But did he make it to the toilet on time? Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Writing Comedy Material 02.03.2026 52min

  Writing new comedy material is the theme for this episode, where Alex and Siobhan discuss how they write – or at least try to. They chat about the inspiration behind established material and other ideas that have not yet quite clicked on stage. Unsurprisingly, Alex talks about squid. And will Siobhan understand what a punchline is by the end of the episode? Plus in Sh*t or Miss, Ben Summers from the Ginger Giggle Club is back for another tale that involves trouble brewing at a quiz followed by an urgent dash to make it to a toilet before a major fall-out, only for the Rumbles of Doom to chime in his car. Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Plans for 2026 16.02.2026 53min

  The anti-lifestyle podcast is back for its third season as comedians Alex Love and Siobhan Dodd catch up about what they've been up to in the last two months. Siobhan has joined a gym, while Alex developed a full-body rash after an allergic reaction to some shampoo. Both poo in some capacity. They discuss their plans for the year ahead, with Edinburgh Fringe featuring prominently for both. Alex also has an update to one of his challenges that Siobhan set in series one, but what challenge could it be? Plus in Sh*t or Miss, which Siobhan called is "Sh*t or Miss Live" despite it being recorded, they are joined by comedian Ben Summers of Ginger Giggle Club. Ben has multiple stories that involve pooing, and he now has a safe place he can tell them. This first tale features a desperate search for a toilet on the way to work for an important meeting. Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Christmas Special 2025 08.12.2025 54min

  Christmas is the theme for the finale of Season 2 of Following Through and the last episode of 2025. To celebrate, Alex and Siobhan are having a Christmas party and recording together in person for the first time. There is also very strong language from the start. This episode is a bit experimental. The tech isn’t quite as smooth as previous episodes. There is some background noise as they’re recording in some sort of fancy cafe in Soho. But they make up for this with the fun they're having while drinking beer and cocktails, and eating cake. They talk about Christmas plans, the traditions, stresses, and joys, as well as looking back on the year that was 2025. And in Sh*t or Miss, Toby Williams is back to contemplate what happened when a teenager felt the rumbles of doom on the school bus home after eating too much cereal. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, dear listener. Following Through will return in 2026. Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Fart Special with Toby Williams 24.11.2025 57min

  Farting is the theme of this episode, as the guest has written a book all about it. Alex and Siobhan are joined by actor, comedian, and now children’s author, Toby Williams. Toby has written and illustrated a children’s book about the beloved bodily function. Titled Fart, Fart, Fart, Fart, FART, Toby explains how his book highlights the objections some parents have to their children using the word and celebrates the freedom to use it. Because, as medical research confirms, suppressing a fart is actually very bad for you. The conversation covers the process of writing and illustrating a children’s book, along with some memorable fart stories from all three. Toby also takes a keen interest in Alex’s stalled project, Ross Kemp: The Musical. The episode begins with Siobhan sharing some big news with Alex regarding this year’s school nativity.  And in Sh*t or Miss, Toby shares a childhood tale of an emergency night poo while trying to avoid soiling his parents’ new hallway carpet on the way to the bathroom. But did he make it?  Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Rebuilding After Life-Changing Injuries with Lizzy Lenco (Part 2) 10.11.2025 1t 3min

  This is part two of the chat with comedian Lizzy Lenco, who has had to adapt to using a wheelchair after suffering life-changing injuries in a road traffic collision almost six years ago. Alex and Siobhan hear about the challenges of getting around the cobbled, hilly streets of Edinburgh in a wheelchair, booked to perform in inaccessible venues, and the sheer frustrations of trying to get to gigs as a disabled person on poorly equipped public transport. Lizzy also details more on the obnoxious and ignorant attitudes of fellow passengers while travelling, and the awkward reactions people have when they see someone in a wheelchair. On a more positive note, Lizzy tells how well she is treated by the heavy metal community and bikers, as well as the performing opportunities she provides to other comedians who use a wheelchair. The episode begins with Alex and Siobhan having a catch-up since the last episode. This includes Siobhan getting very drunk at a hen do in Portugal, and Alex dressing up as a vampire for a Creeper gig at Halloween. The conversation with Lizzy begins at 17.19. In Sh*t or Miss, Lizzy tells a tale of suffering a severe illness while living in Papa New Guinea and consequences in the bowel region. But will she make it to the hospital in time? Before that, Alex introduces a new bite-sized poo feature for the show based on audience submissions. Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Rebuilding After Life-Changing Injuries with Lizzy Lenco (Part 1) 27.10.2025 42min

  Comedians Alex Love and Siobhan Dodd are joined by fellow comic Lizzy Lenco in this episode, which explores the challenges of rebuilding your life after experiencing life-changing injuries. Early one Sunday evening, Lizzy’s life changed forever when she was involved in a serious car crash. After living a fully active life up to this point, she suffered serious injury. Ultimately, she had to adapt to using a wheelchair. We learn about her life and career before the crash, including her achievements of four degrees, getting an MBE, and her work as an archaeologist. And she also tells of her experiences as a user of a wheelchair and the awful attitudes of people on public transport. This is part one. Plus in Sh*t or Miss, Alex tells Siobhan and Lizzy about what happened in Glasgow when a burrito had unintended consequences, and he had a gig later that evening. Did he make it through unscathed? Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Surviving Throat Cancer with Geoff Alderman 13.10.2025 1t 3min

  This topic in this episode is one that affects everyone in some way, and we appreciate that it is a rather sensitive one. We are talking about surviving cancer.  Our guest is comedian Geoff Alderman, who made a cameo appearance in the previous episode. In 2020, Geoff found a golf-ball-sized lump in his neck that turned out to be cancerous. Known for his dark one-liners, Geoff, understandably, doesn’t like to talk about his cancer experience on stage. In this episode, Geoff shares his story about undergoing cancer treatment during the peak of the global pandemic and is now in remission. He also shares the effect radiotherapy and chemo have on your body, including your bowels. Basically, keep a pencil in the bathroom. In Sh*t or Miss, Geoff tells his tale of how eating a green egg on a flight home came back to haunt him while out for a run in Bethnal Green. But did he make it home before disaster struck? To learn more about the different varieties of head and neck cancer, and the symptoms to look out for, visit this site: Head and neck cancer | NHS inform.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Living Through The Pandemic – Ep8 S2 29.09.2025 1t 2min

  This episode takes a nostalgic look at the global pandemic of 2020, with Alex and Siobhan reminiscing about how they spent their respective lockdowns after lifestyles changed overnight. And yes, Tiger King does get mentioned a couple of times.  They start by travelling back in time to March 2020. When it all kicked off, Siobhan was hit by anxiety of the unknown, while Alex was trying to find his way home from New Zealand. The conversation covers how they both spent those crazy couple of years. Siobhan was in South London with a small child and another soon-to-be on the way, with Alex back home in the countryside going for dog walks on those long sunny days that now seem all the more bittersweet. They also talk about their creative projects while they stayed at home.  In Sh*t or Miss, comedian Geoff Alderman makes a cameo appearance to share a terrifying tale of breaking into a psychiatric hospital as a 13 year old to look for a mythological adventure playground, only to be chased by very angry health workers.  Music by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Surviving August: Edinburgh Fringe and School Holidays 15.09.2025 49min

  Alex and Siobhan are back after taking August off for very different reasons. Alex was performing every day at Edinburgh Fringe, while Siobhan had to cope with the school holidays and two young children. Expect very strong language from the start. Edinburgh Fringe was a tough one this year, with Oasis looming over the festival. Before the fringe began, Alex was concerned about his low ticket sales. But how did the run actually go? And does he have anything new to be smug about? Meanwhile, Siobhan talks about the family holiday she went on to Greece. She also discusses the challenges of keeping her kids occupied for six whole weeks and marital disputes around tidying the house. In Sh*t or Miss, we hear about what happened when a fast food meal from a service station caused a potentially disastrous dash through a village during the festive season when everything was closed.  Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Edinburgh Fringe with Catie Wilkins 04.08.2025 1t 8min

  Edinburgh Fringe is the ultimate challenge for any comedian, where agony and ecstasy are intertwined (and not just because of drugs).Once you’ve escaped the clutches of Edinburgh Fringe, why would you go back? Well, that is exactly what the guest in this episode is doing this year – and Alex did last year.Alex and Siobhan speak with comedian Catie Wilkins, who is returning with a show to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time in 12 years.Catie is co-creator of the successful podcast series, Drunk Women Solving Crime, and is also an award-winning children’s author.The discussion covers tales of Edinburgh past, the highs and lows, as well as the challenges of juggling parenting and doing a fringe show.And in Sh*t or Miss, Catie puts her solving crime skills to good use in a tale about the destroyed go-kart of a child in Thailand that goes from bad to worse – in the best possible way.Catie’s show is called We’ll See and is at Stand 2 every day from 1-10 August at 4.45pm. Tickets and more info are here: https://www.thestand.co.uk/fringe/2430/catie-wilkins-well-seeAlex is less sensible and is doing a longer run. How To Win A Pub Quiz 2025 runs from 1-25 August (not 11th) at 11.45am. Tickets and more info are here: https://www.thestand.co.uk/fringe/2427/alex-love-how-to-win-a-pub-quiz-2025Music is by Rich Shillitoe.Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Becoming a British Sign Language Interpreter with Hayley Brown 21.07.2025 1t 6min

  The route to becoming a professional British Sign Language interpreter is a long one with many challenges on the way. It can take more than a decade to get enough experience to turn pro, making it an ideal topic for an episode of Following Through.Alex Love and Siobhan Dodd welcome Hayley Brown to the show. Hayley is a podcaster (her series is called Inadequate Mother) and creates video content that incorporates BSL. She tells her story and unconventional pathway into BSL, being a single mother at the time with no experience of sign language. Hayley and Siobhan (also a pro-BSL interpeter) share their experiences of the effort required to reach a professional standard of BSL.There will also be an accompanying video episode, signed by pro BSL interpreters, Paula Cox and Peter Abraham. Peter shares his story in Sh*t or Miss, involving an emergency in a bookshop. Music is by Rich Shillitoe. Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Being Homeless with David Ferguson 07.07.2025 52min

  Homelessness affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and many millions worldwide. And this is the subject of this episode. Alex Love and Siobhan Dodd speak with comedian David Ferguson from the Believe podcast. He tells the story of how he ended up homeless for more than seven months and shares his experiences. David also explains how, thanks to the support he received, he's turned his life around and gotten things back on track. If you'd like to donate to one of the charities that really helped David in north-east London, visit: www.forestnightshelter.org.ukThis episode also features two of the most different anecdotes involving Kate Moss you are ever likely to hear in quick succession. Plus in Sh*t or Miss, there is a driving story with long delays and a twist. Music is by Rich Shillitoe. Come and like our stuff on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/followingthroughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.