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Unlikely Friends

Unlikely Friends

By: Global
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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 Unlikely Friends is a Global Production 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 FalodunCopyright 2026 Global Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Celebs Reincarnated!
    Jun 25 2026

    Not one but two celebrity guests are asking the gang the questions!

    Fred Sirieix from First Dates & television royalty Holly Willoughby are putting the unlikely friends through their paces.

    Should Eurotrash make its long awaited return to British TV and who should host, plus who would Leigh Francis, Jill Francis, Emma Bunton and Jade Jones like to come back as if they were reincarnated. Plus, WHY DOES BARBRA STREISAND HAVE A SHOPPING MALL UNDER HER HOUSE!

    Catch up with your four favourite mats Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jill Francis and Jade Jones. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

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    16 mins
  • The Ultimate board games & game shows
    Jun 22 2026

    The unlikely Friends return with all the fun of board games - including a heated debate on what edition of monopoly is the best. And whilst they’re on about games, they reminisce about good old Saturday night TV and game shows!

    Plus Leigh Francis reveals why Joey Essex is never embarrassed to ask silly questions and how he’s zoned out of important business meetings and even fallen asleep in them!

    Catch up with your four favourite mats Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jill Francis and Jade Jones. Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

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    35 mins
  • Where would you run away too?
    Jun 18 2026

    “Along with Holly Willoughby you're the most competitive person I know...”

    Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis are back on Unlikely Friends, asking who in the group is the most competitive and why some people simply cannot bear to lose.

    This week, the friends talk competitiveness, from Emma’s fitness group to surprisingly intense sports chat, including apple shooting and the lengths people will go to when there is a game to be won.

    And then our guest Shaun Ryder joins Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis on Unlikely Friends, stepping into the guest seat as the show’s first celebrity questioner with a very bold opener about breakdowns, disappearing and where the gang would hide.

    This week, Madchester legend Shaun asks the friends what they would do if they had a complete breakdown. Jill already has a plan involving giving away all her toys before heading to a lovely island to recover, Jade loves the idea of getting rid of his phone and living off the land, while Emma has the most wholesome answer of all: she would just go to her mum.

    Leigh, meanwhile, cannot imagine having a breakdown, although he does remember a work meltdown at the Yorkshire Evening News, where he stormed out of the office and told them they could keep their job.

    Also in this episode, the friends ask who in the group is the most competitive and why some people simply cannot bear to lose. From Emma’s fitness group to surprisingly intense sports chat, including apple shooting, the gang discuss the lengths people will go to when there is a game to be won.

    Then Davina McCall returns with another question: what lie were you told as a child that traumatised you when you found out it wasn’t true? Emma remembers being told the car would not drive unless she had her seatbelt on, Jade shares the story of being told he was found on the doorstep, and Leigh uncovers some scandalous Wikipedia libel.

    Unlikely Friends is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Tell your Mum, don’t tell the Council.

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    18 mins
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