Welcome 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 glory, Robin offers a delightful conversation packed with storytelling, adventure, and just the right amount of hot air.

After all those airborne antics, it’s time for our Parish Notices. This week, we explore modes of travel that don’t just move you — they connect you. From float planes to rickshaw rides, penny-farthings to tall ships, Kevin shares some of the most unique ways people around the world move with meaning — and what they reveal about our need for each other.

Feeling queasy from all that movement? Better book in with our resident GP… Dr. Quack returns with another historical deep-dive into medical madness. This week’s treatments include urine mouthwash, mouse-based wart remedies, and the slightly overzealous use of a hot poker. You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll be glad you live in the modern age.

And don’t miss our Victorian Parlour Game of the week — Catch the Sausage — a competitive meat-based spectacle that’s perfect for your next summer BBQ.

Want more?

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Don’t forget to follow the show, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend who needs a little lift.

Until next time — float free, travel weird, and we’ll see you soon in The Big Smoke.

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Links

British Balloon Museum and Library

British Balloon and Airship Club

Harbour Air seaplanes

Rickshaw article

Penny Farthing article

Cutty Sark the historic tea clipper

Clipper Stad Amsterdam

Dr. Quack’s historical medical procedures

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:30) Pub Quiz: A History of Basket Cases

(02:30) Interview with Robin Batchelor

(45:02) Parish Notices

(53:28) Dr. Quack

(1:02:46) Victorian Parlour Game: Catch the Sausage

(1:05:06) Pub Quiz Answers

(1:07:13) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Assistant Produced by Adam Wright

Original music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Dr. Quack written and performed by Jolyon Coy

The British Balloon Museum and Library is generously supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund

Welcome 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 Parish Notices, we look beyond our borders at the state of LGBTQ+ rights around the world—where Pride is both celebration and defiance. From Malawi to Thailand, East Timor to Washington DC, we spotlight the brave acts of visibility that remind us: connection can outshine ignorance. Kevin also shares a personal reflection on The Laramie Project and the true story of Matthew Shepard—an example of how stories, spoken aloud and repeated, can echo outward to help create a better world.

Then, fan favourite Sean Clark the Mudlark returns with a treasure plucked from the River Thames just in time for Pride: a gleaming copper farthing from the reign of King James I—Britain’s first openly queer monarch. Four hundred years later, his story re-surfaces.

Sign up for our free newsletter at thebigsmokevariety.com.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the show with a friend, or leave a quick review—it really helps us grow.

Until next time—stay proud, stay curious, and we’ll see you soon in The Big Smoke.

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Links

Queer as Folklore Book

Thailand Marriage Equality Article

Budapest Pride Article

Australians Cancel Travel to USA Article

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Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(1:30) Sacha Coward Interview

(1:03:15) Parish Notices

(1:06:56) Reflections on The Laramie Project

(1:15:52) Sean Clark the Mudlark’s Latest Find

(1:20:08) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Assistant Produced by Adam Wright

Original music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Welcome 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 Notices, we unplug from the algorithm and ask: how are people breaking digital habits to reconnect with the real world? From phone-free hikes to London’s rapidly growing Offline Club, we share ideas—and stories—from those reclaiming their attention, one notification at a time.

Next up, it’s a new Neuro Nugget from our in-house brain-whisperer Archie. This week, he explores interoception—the science of feeling your own body—and how tuning into your heartbeat, breath, or muscle tension might be the key to emotional wellbeing.

And finally, poet Nehassaiu deGannes returns with three mesmerising pieces. Through memory and the rhythm of water, she draws us into deeper stillness—rooted in history, and the ground we stand on.

For a peek behind the scenes and more info on our fantastic guests, sign up for our free Periodical at thebigsmokevariety.com.

Thanks for listening. We’ll see you soon—in The Big Smoke!

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Links

Jonn Elledge in The New Statesman

Jonn Elledge's Substack Newsletter

‘A History of the World in 47 Borders’

Guardian - Phone Detox Article

Business Insider - Phone Free Trek Article

Economic Times - London 'Offline' Nights Article

The Offline Club

Learn more about Archie's work

Nehassaiu's Book of Poetry

Maple Leaf Answer

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Chapters

(00:00) A note from Kevin

(1:29) Intro – Today’s Episode

(2:57) Maple Leaf or Make Believe

(4:16) Jonn Elledge Interview

(49:26) Parish Notices

(54:32) Archie’s Neuro Nugget

(56:29) Nehassaiu deGannes Poetry

(1:06:29) Maple Leaf or Make Believe Answer

(1:07:39) Outro

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Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Assistant Produced by Adam Wright

Original music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins

Thank you to Kieron, Maddie & Andy for their contributions