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Unlikely Friends

Unlikely Friends

Global

ComedySociety & Culture

Welcome to Unlikely Friends, A brand new podcast from BAFTA winning comedian Leigh Francis, Spice Girl turned radio host Emma Bunton, Damage frontman Jade Jones, and Jill Francis - where anything can (and probably will) happen! Each week, they’ll be taking questions, topics and conundrums from listeners, diving headfirst into whatever you want to hear about. Nothing is off limits. From parenthood and fame to 90s fashion and cold wedding buffets, the conversation is driven solely by you brilliant lot! Unlikely Friends is all about laid-back chats that are funny, honest, insightful, and sometimes surprisingly deep - with a few shocking revelations and celebrity guests along the way. You can watch or listen to full episodes of Unlikely Friends on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts every Monday & Thursday. 💌 Get in touch at unlikelyfriends@global.com 📱 Follow on socials: @unlikelypodfriends For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells Executive Producer: Adem Waterman Senior Producer: Ben Tulloh Creative Video Content Producer: Samson Falodun

Episodes

Anxiety, Indecisiveness &  Horrible Toes with Robbie Williams

Anxiety, Indecisiveness & Horrible Toes with Robbie Williams

Everyone's favourite 90s heartthrob, Robbie Williams is asking the Unlikely Friends the questions and in this episode we find out who has the most disgusting feet as the gang discuss what they'd change about themselves. Emma Bunton reveals why she may start wearing heels again, Leigh Francis reveals why his ginger hair will always remain cool and Jade Jones and Jill Francis open up their internal anxiety and how they cope in new situations. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple?
26min•Mar 16, 2026
Our Honest BRITs Reaction: Back to Its Best or Staged?

Our Honest BRITs Reaction: Back to Its Best or Staged?

Leigh tells us about a lovely day out with his daughter at the Prince Charles Cinema before grabbing pizza at Rudy's Pizza Napoletana. Then it’s straight into the Brit Awards chat — was Sombr’s big moment staged? to the on-stage antics of host Jack Whitehall - And why was this year’s BRITs actually… brilliant? Plus, Emma Bunton tells us about her trip to Iceland, the gang discuss whether they’d go to space like Katy Perry, and somehow the conversation ends up on chakras.
36min•Mar 12, 2026
What is the SEXIEST accent going?

What is the SEXIEST accent going?

Haway Unlikely Friends, how’s it gannin’? Today on the bonus celebrity edition of Unlikely Friends The lovely Laura Smyth squeezes into the pineapple to ask about dad gags and accents.
20min•Mar 9, 2026
When Emma Accidentally Auditioned for America’s Next Top Model

When Emma Accidentally Auditioned for America’s Next Top Model

The Pineapple throws up auditions, providing us with an amazing story of Emma's time in LAand Leigh kicks off Me Me Me by bringing in some of Michael Hutchence’s clothing.. Get involved! Email us at unlikelyfriends@global.com or follow us on socials @UnlikelyPodFriends. 🎙️
40min•Mar 5, 2026
Sniffing Out Liars & Public Speaking Nightmares

Sniffing Out Liars & Public Speaking Nightmares

Which member of the gang can sniff out a liar the best? Who has witnessed the best wedding speech and why was Emma Bunton's mum taking her to the Old Bailey court for her family days out? Plus Jade Jones has reached peak 'dad taxi' phase of parenting. Everyone's favourite Judge, Rob Rinder, is asking the Unlikely Friends the questions in this weeks episode. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple?
21min•Mar 2, 2026
Emma's Fishing Reveal and Leigh's Big Fall

Emma's Fishing Reveal and Leigh's Big Fall

This week on Unlikely Friends, Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis are fresh from a wholesome Sunday well spent together — and yes, it involved a very serious roast dinner. The gang recap their trip to a friend’s house for a feast of epic proportions, debating whose desserts stole the show (let’s just say Emma and James may have edged ahead of Jill and Leigh in the kitchen stakes). There’s chat about comfort food, competitive cooking, and why a proper Sunday roast can fix almost anything. Almost. Because the weather? Bleak. The kind that makes you question your entire existence while doom-scrolling Instagram from under a blanket. The foursome get honest about grey skies, low energy, and those cosy-but-slightly-melancholy days where not much happens… and yet somehow everything gets discussed. Things take a wonderfully weird turn when Leigh opens up about his intrusive thoughts and “cute aggression” — that overwhelming urge to squish something adorable — leading to a surprisingly relatable (and slightly chaotic) conversation about brains, impulses and animals. And just when you think it couldn’t get more unexpected… we’re off to the water. Fishing stories surface, lines are cast, and Emma drops a genuinely shocking revelation about her fishing past that nobody saw coming. From roast potatoes to rogue impulses and secret fishing lives — it’s another beautifully unpredictable week with four very unlikely friends.
34min•Feb 26, 2026
Hitting the Club the Night Before You Give Birth?!

Hitting the Club the Night Before You Give Birth?!

It’s a celeb double whammy today! Johnny Vaughan and Howard from Take That are asking the questions, and they take us on a nostalgic trip back to the 90s to reminisce about old TV shows. Plus, Jill and Leigh share the story of being in the clurrrb before their child was born. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple?
28min•Feb 23, 2026
The Weirdest Places We've Got Stuck!

The Weirdest Places We've Got Stuck!

Jill and Leigh had a scare this week as a pizza pick up turned into a hairy car incident, whilst Emma share how Geri Halliwell got stuck on a roundabout! Plus Jade Jones reveals the time he could have died whilst trapped in a lift with floor collapsing beneath him. And did you ever think you’d find the Spice Girls in a cupboard with Louie Spence? Us neither but it happened! Also if you're a foodie lover, you may hate these weird food combinations that they reveal they love. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple?
35min•Feb 19, 2026
Introducing: Up To Speed

Introducing: Up To Speed

Unlikely Friends listeners, if you love gossip, scandal and rivalries - we’ve got a podcast we think you’ll love! Step inside sport’s greatest soap opera, Formula One, with a brand-new podcast Up To Speed. Hosted by Drive to Survive star Will Buxton, racing driver-turned-broadcaster Naomi Schiff, 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, and F1 content creator Jolie Sharpe. Expect razor-sharp reaction, behind-the-scenes insight, blockbuster interviews and answers to the questions you’ve always wanted to ask! With their deep knowledge, expert analysis and infectious love for racing, Will, Naomi, DC & Jolie dive into the stories that matter - on and off the track. It’s fast-paced, unfiltered and full of the gossip that keeps the paddock buzzing. They’ll react to the weekend's race drama every Monday. On Thursday they’ll deep dive into the biggest stories of the week.
1min•Feb 18, 2026
Losing patience, Fighting Pigs And Taking A Cheeseburger To The Face - With Take That!

Losing patience, Fighting Pigs And Taking A Cheeseburger To The Face - With Take That!

Does Emma Bunton have road rage? Why does Jade Jones HATE'S people who can't say words correctly and is the podcast about to end the happy marriage of Jill Francis and Leigh Francis? Take That are asking the questions in this week’s celebrity episode of Unlikely Friends and Gary Barlow wants to know what really gets on their nerves! Which leads to a hilarious story of Emma getting hit in the face from a white van driver with a CHEESEBURGER Plus Mark Owen also has an animal themed question where Leigh is convinced he'd be able to fight a pig and maybe Jade has been fooled by A.I AGAIN? Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple?
21min•Feb 16, 2026
Celebrity Mix-Ups - Jade Jones Got MISTAKEN For WHO?

Celebrity Mix-Ups - Jade Jones Got MISTAKEN For WHO?

This week on Unlikely Friends, Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis kick things by singing a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jade. Who is definitely NOT 50. This week, the pineapple took them under the sea, who’s been scuba diving? Definitely not Emma. Plus how did Jade get mistaken for Vin Diesel! And today there’s a special game of Who’s That Age Again, but who will become the outright winner and be crowned champion? Another birthday, no cake, guessing games and holiday stories - this episode has it all. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple?
34min•Feb 12, 2026
What's The WORST SPICE GIRLS SONG!?

What's The WORST SPICE GIRLS SONG!?

Presenter Chris Moyles is asking the questions in this week’s celebrity episode of Unlikely Friends and he wants to know the inside scoop on the Spice Girls and what their WORST song is? And he puts Leigh Francis vs Keith Lemon to the test. Plus Jade shares the secrets to being in a music video and why you have to sing in double speed when the cameras are rolling. So, what's the worst Spice Girls song? Over to you Emma Bunton 😬 Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple?
16min•Feb 9, 2026
IKEA Shopping Trips, Funeral Songs and Parenthood!

IKEA Shopping Trips, Funeral Songs and Parenthood!

This week on Unlikely Friends, Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis kick things by talking about Emma’s big birthday. How long is too long for birthday celebrations? A week? A month? A year? Leigh also went to a toy fair on his own, and had his very own Pretty Woman moment. The pineapple took a slightly morbid turn, with a discussion about funeral songs. Grease megamix, anyone? And another question led to the guys talking about the joys of being a parent, and the expectations vs the reality of free lifts to the pub when your kid learns to drive. Spoiler alert, it’s not very many. Plus, they’re put on the spot about their last text message. Death, birthdays, toy fairs and children – this episode has it all 🍍 Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com
37min•Feb 5, 2026
Katie Price's A.I Only Fans Twin! With Rick Astley

Katie Price's A.I Only Fans Twin! With Rick Astley

Is A.I about to ruin the music industry for good? And what would the Spice Girls have been with A.I if it was around in the 90s!? Emma Bunton, Jade Jones, Leigh Francis and Jill Francis discuss the impact it's going to have on our future, including Katie Price's A.I Only Fans twin as 80s legend Rick Astley (A.K.A Jill's super crush) asks the questions. And the Unlikely Friends discuss what their favourte books are...with Jade revealing an astonish fact about his reading habits. But what's really better - the book or the film? Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com
20min•Feb 2, 2026
Is it posh to have owned an Atari?

Is it posh to have owned an Atari?

This week on Unlikely Friends, Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis kick things off with a surprisingly passionate debate about biscuits, before stumbling into a genuine mystery: a missing bin from the Francis household. Who took it? Why would anyone steal a bin? And what does it say about society? After cracking open the pineapple, the conversation turns nostalgic as the group reminisce about computers, old tech and Atari consoles — leading to one very important question: does owning an Atari growing up mean you were posh? From there, it’s a joyful dive into The Big Breakfast, sharing their love for Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan, before landing on an undeniable truth of adulthood: schools should absolutely warn you how long it takes to buy a sofa. Just when things couldn’t get more Unlikely Friends, the pineapple gets philosophical — posing questions about “now or then”, familiarity, and the oddly comforting (or unsettling) smell of your own. Biscuits, bins, nostalgia and big thoughts — Leigh, Emma, Jade and Jill in another anything-can-happen episode of Unlikely Friends. 🍍
36min•Jan 29, 2026
Nuts, Spice Girls Dolls & Heated Rivalry with Rob Beckett

Nuts, Spice Girls Dolls & Heated Rivalry with Rob Beckett

How did ITV's Loose Women scar Jade Jones from do TV interviews for years? How on earth did Leigh Francis realise he was allergic to cat Urine? And What's Emma Bunton's favourite bit of Spice Girls merchandise? Comedian Rob Beckett is asking the question in this weeks celebrity episode of Unlikely Friends and he wants to know everything from heated rivalries to opinions on nuts (as you do). Plus Jill Francis share how her tolerance is getting lower with each passing day! Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com
21min•Jan 26, 2026
EMMA BUNTON'S 50th BIRTHDAY EPISODE!

EMMA BUNTON'S 50th BIRTHDAY EPISODE!

Well this week, it couldn’t be anything else but a dedication to the great Emma Bunton. Leigh Francis has, of course, made her a card, and the studio is decked out with balloons — including a “50” balloon… which must be a mistake, right? The pineapple doesn't seem to do birthdays, as it spat out crabs and hotels — and needless to say, good conversation still reigns strong. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com
31min•Jan 22, 2026
What No One Tells You About Becoming a Parent!

What No One Tells You About Becoming a Parent!

How hard is it to become a new mum? In this episode of Unlikely Friends, Judi Love sparks an honest and hilarious conversation as the group opens up about the realities of parenthood, fame, and life-changing moments. Emma Bunton delivers a refreshingly candid take on motherhood, revealing just how painful breastfeeding can be - and why no one ever warns you. Leigh Francis admits the overwhelming fear he felt the first time he held his newborn, offering a raw and relatable glimpse into new-parent anxiety. Plus Jade Jones, who shares the brilliant story of being signed to his record label at just 15 years old (with champagne in hand), and Jill Francis takes listeners on a nostalgic journey back to the most cherished moment of her life. You can see fabulous Judi Love on tour across the UK in 2026. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com
21min•Jan 19, 2026
How to beat the January blues

How to beat the January blues

It’s the first episode back after Christmas and the January blues are in full swing! 🥶 Emma Bunton, Leigh Francis, Jade Jones and Jill Francis reunite to swap festive stories — from Emma and Jade’s magical trip to Disneyland Paris to Jill and Leigh’s chilly seaside escape in Whitby. Plus, the Pineapple drops this week’s topic: Extreme Sports 🏂 — including the dramatic reason Emma swore she’d never ski again… Festive chaos, travel tales and post-Christmas reality checks — this episode is packed with laughs, stories and a touch of January madness. 🍍🎙️
41min•Jan 15, 2026
Strippers "R" Us with Stephen Mulhern

Strippers "R" Us with Stephen Mulhern

TV starlet Stephen Mulhern is putting the topics to the Unlikely Friends in this hilarious episode of the podcast...and it all gets very sexual! The important questions include what TV shows they'd love to host with Leigh Francis wanting to bring back Art Attack, Emma Bunton putting her best Judith Charmers on for Wish You Were Here and Jill wants to go cruising (it's not like it seems). Meanwhile Jade Jones is thinking hard about where he wants to go on holiday and the gang mourn the loss of MTV as it comes off our television screens for good and what it means for the music industry. Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. 💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com
19min•Jan 12, 2026
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