Bleep blorp, does not compute! This week, we risk infuriating our future overlords by naming and shaming the World's Worst Robots. We are joined by the implausibly handsome Rob Taylor-Hastings, actor and co-host of the podcast Roboteers Standby. He educates us about the history of Robot Wars and the magical geeky gladiators who engage in robot combat. Meanwhile, Barry stays in a hotel staffed by annoying machines and Ben looks at some terrifying attempts at real-life deep fakes.
THE THIRD FOOT - MADAME TUSSAUDS (BONUS EPISODE)
Come listeners! Join us in the snaking queue into the uncanny valley! Ben and Barry are a bit glassy-eyed in this month's bonus Patreon episode, as we venture into Madame Tussauds. Yes, there's no apostrophe. No, we're not happy about it either. Voted the World's Worst Tourist Attraction in our episode with playwright Camilla Whitehill, we're back for more torture in this chamber of horrors. We take a look at the real woman behind the name, learn how the models are actually made and examine the dubious presence of Hitler among the smiling famous faces.
131B - BEST OF THE WORST OF THE BEST 6
It's a Ben-and-Barry duo episode, another chance to delve back into the archives and revisit past shows. This week we flip the record on episodes 26 to 30, finding the very BEST in the subjects we covered back then. And boy, does that prove tricky when picking the Best Serial Killer... alongside that, we also look at drivers, musical duos, horror films and aliens. The whole thing has a bit of an aquatic feel, with appearances by both Jaws and space whales, while there are also chats on stunt drivers, the iconic sitcom 'Alf' and Lennon and McCartney. Yes, Ben's at it again with his Beatles agenda!
095 - SCHALK BEZUIDENHOUT - WORLD'S WORST GIG
Testing, one two one two, is this thing on…? We’re met by a mix of cricket sounds, flying bottles and scathing reviews this week as we perform the World’s Worst Gig. We have the company of South African comic Schalk Bezuidenhout who shares a first-person tale of steakhouses, strippers and stand-up. Ben takes us to the worst Beatles gig ever (those of you playing the Ben/Beatles drinking game, down it) and Barry goes to the not-so-genteel theatres of Covent Garden.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @shalkiebez
Visit www.worstfootforwardpodcast.com for all previous episodes and you can now donate to us on Patreon if you’d like to support Ben’s new baby and Barry’s crippling trivia addiction: https://www.patreon.com/WorstFootForward
090 - ANDREW SHAFFER - WORLD'S WORST FAN FICTION
Let your imaginations run wild - this week we are reading the World's Worst Fan Fiction. Our guest is Andrew Shaffer, New York Times best-selling author and fan fiction parody writer extraordinaire. He tells us about the genesis of 50 Shades Of Grey among thousands of other Twilight fan fiction tales, while Ben talks about sex and Barry dives back in time to some of the earliest fan fiction stories around. It's a very saucy episode - if there isn't slash fiction written about us after this one, then you're all clearly made of wood!
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @8thcirclepress
Visit www.worstfootforwardpodcast.com for all previous episodes and you can now donate to us on Patreon if you’d like to support Ben’s new baby and Barry’s crippling trivia addiction: https://www.patreon.com/WorstFootForward
088 - HELEN MCCARTHY - WORLD'S WORST CULT
The Church of the Holy Worst Foot holds the secret to eternal satisfaction you've been looking for all your life. Available for a low low lifetime subscription fee of several million pounds! This week, we are joined by host of That's A Cult?, Helen McCarthy, to discuss the World's Worst Cults. There are Japanese foot-readers, Indian bike-worshippers, Quebecois masochists, militant nudists and The Crown Prince of Hell himself. Just another day in the compound then...
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @thatsacult@helenlmccarthy
Visit www.worstfootforwardpodcast.com for all previous episodes and you can now donate to us on Patreon if you’d like to support Ben’s new baby and Barry’s crippling trivia addiction: www.patreon.com/WorstFootForward
082 - OSCAR TOEMAN - WORLD'S WORST RESIGNATION
This week we are stepping down, shaking golden handshakes and leaving with our heads held high. Theatre director Oscar Toeman will guide Ben and Barry through the awkward history of the world’s worst resignations. Ben explores Ferdinand Marcos’ attempts to cling to power, Barry tells of a British peer who revealed his affairs a bit prematurely and Oscar sticks his head under the toilet cubicle doors in the old Wembley stadium to witness an England manager’s demise.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @OscarT216
075 - TRISTAN BERNAYS - WORLD'S WORST SEX SCENE
Warning guys. This week's episode is SERIOUSLY SEXY. Stick on some mood music, dim the lights, burn some incense and relax as we lather on the baby-oil in the company of playwright Tristan Bernays. This week's orgy of awful is all about the World's Worst Sex Scene and there are some - literal - bangers in here for you. There are appearances by the Marquis de Sade and Morrissey, we take a trip to the brothels of Pompeii and we discover that men will have sex with literally anything - even picnic tables. Genuinely, if you are a bit squeamish, there are some very rude bits in the show. However, if you like that sort of thing, then lay back and let rip!
074 - PAUL DUNCAN MCGARRITY - WORLD'S WORST KNIGHT
Arise, ye noble listeners of Worst Foot Forward - sorry about accidentally slicing your heads off. Never mind, be of good cheer as Squires McStay and Van der Velde are joined by Sir Paul Duncan McGarrity, erstwhile archaeologist and comedian. Their quest: to venture forth in search of the World’s Worst Knight. Along the way they may face such dangers as Communist dictators with knighthoods, Queen Elizabeth I’s least favourite favourite, and a man armed with the most ridiculous weapon of all: a wasp gun.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde@PaulDuncanMcG
Visit www.worstfootforwardpodcast.com for all previous episodes and you can now donate to us on Patreon if you’d like to join the World's Worst Family and support Ben’s new baby and Barry’s crippling trivia addiction: www.patreon.com/WorstFootForward
073 - LYDIA MIZON - WORLD'S WORST QUIZ CONTESTANT
A podcast featuring a champion of the BBC's hardest quiz talking to two idiots about the World's Worst Quiz Contestant.
Buzz!
What is Worst Foot Forward's 73rd Episode?
Correct, and well done for putting your answer in the form of a question. We have Lydia Mizon as our guest, captain of the Escapologists, the winners of series 13 of 'Only Connect'. We interrogate loveable losers from shows as diverse as Mastermind, Pointless and The Weakest Link, we question the infamous Major Ingram and his Millionaire conspirators, and we ask just what exactly a multiple-murderer is doing on Bullseye.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @LydiaMizon
072 - CAMILLA WHITEHILL - WORLD'S WORST TOURIST ATTRACTION
Pop on your camera, get in line and prepare your finest gawking faces as we show you around our episode about the worst tourist attractions in the world.
We're joined by playwright and screenwriter Camilla Whitehill to share stories of Japanese hemorrhoid shrines, islands full of snakes and dead bodies and the strange modern fetishisation of sugar-covered chocolate.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @camillavalerie_
069 - JONNY SINGER - WORLD'S WORST SPORTING RULE
We're all offside and committing fouls after a false-start to Worst Foot Forward this week, throwing every bit of dissent we possibly can at the umpires as they outline the World's Worst Sporting Rules. With us we have Jonny Singer who, as an employee of the Marylebone Cricket Club or MCC, is one of the arbiters of the laws of cricket. He comes to us with plenty of full on mid-off silliness about lost balls. Barry talks about the Grand National that never was and when football would never end. And Ben has a complicated story involving goals in extra-time counting double and teams trying to score deliberate own-goals.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @Jonny_Singer@podnose
066 - JAMEY STEGMAIER - WORLD'S WORST GAME
It’s all fun and games this week on Worst Foot Forward as Ben and Barry welcome Jamey Stegmaier to talk about the World’s Worst Game. Jamey is the founder of Stonemaier Games (https://www.stonemaiergames.com) and in the last decade he has created some of the highest-rated board games in the world such as Scythe and Viticulture. We cast our eyes on a few board games including a plethora of Monopolies, a few drinking games including one which enraged a pope, and a few sexy games whose players range from modern American college kids to repressed Edwardian gentlefolk.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @jameystegmaier @podnose
064 - TULIP SIDDIQ MP - WORLD'S WORST FASHION ACCESSORY
Handbags and glad-rags time, as Ben and Barry record an episode in the Houses of Parliament in London, no less! And joining them is a dedicated follower of fashion and Labour Party Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Kilburn, Tulip Siddiq. Taking time from her busy schedule, Tulip's love of style is on full display as she confesses to past - and present fashion faux pas. Meanwhile Barry tries to insert a dog into a muff and Ben does his utmost to gross everyone out with invasive jewellery and lizards.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @TulipSiddiq @podnose
056b - THE WORLD'S WORST 'BEST OF 2017' EPISODE
This week on Worst Foot Forward we are celebrating joining Podnose, the UK’s leading independent entertainment podcasting network. To mark this, we’re looking back over our first year (and a bit) of trivial silliness and awful achievements. We’ve picked out some of our favourite facts and fripperies from episodes 1 to 53, featuring some of our very best guests and very worst worsts, including understudy dogs, delicious seagull wine, Sexy Pac-Man and #goatballs. If you’re a longtime listener or are tuning in for the very first time, this should give you a good idea of the sort of nonsense we peddle week in, week out. Wooden spoons at the ready? Dig in.
Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @benvandervelde @podnose