Share

The Socially Distant Sports Bar
257: Joe Marler (Pt 1)
🎙️ The Socially Distant Sports Bar – Episode 257
Elis James (Elis & John, Oh What A Time), Mike Bubbins (Mammoth), and Steff Garrero return with another round of top-tier sporting nonsense, barely researched takes, and an absolutely brilliant special guest.
"Like a sports podcast, if the sport was optional."
✨ This Week’s Special Guest – Joe Marler!
England rugby legend Joe Marler steps into the bar for an episode packed with stories, laughs, and unexpected detours. If you loved our guest episodes with Chesney Hawkes, Josh Widdicombe, or Sam Warburton, you’re going to love this one.
Joe’s career speaks for itself:
🏉 95 caps for England and a 2017 British & Irish Lions tour
🏆 Three Six Nations titles and two World Cup Finals
🎖️ Harlequins Hero (2009-2024), with three Premiership titles and a European Challenge Cup
Now that he’s swapped the scrum for the studio, Joe’s got plenty to say – and, as you’d expect, nothing is off-limits!
(📢 Huge thanks to Dave Doodlemoose for the bespoke artwork on every Guest Episode!)
🎙️ Joe’s Got His Own Podcast Too!
Joe’s now deep in the world of podcasting with Joe Marler’s Things People Do, where he dives into the weird, wonderful, and downright bizarre jobs that people do. If you enjoy this episode, you’ll love his pod too!
🎉 THIS WEEK’S SHOW – Don’t Miss It!
Joe’s brought some cracking clips along for the ride:
🥇 Stephen Bradbury’s Gold Medal Miracle – The most ridiculous Olympic win of all time. A lesson in patience… or just dumb luck?
🏅 Jonathan Edwards’ Triple Jump World Record – A world record so good, they had to check the tape twice.
❄️ Things People Do – How to Sh*t in the Arctic – Yes, really. You’ll never complain about a public toilet again.
⚽ The Clip That Didn’t Make It – Cantona Kicks a Fan – One of the wildest moments in football history.
💡 Why Join Patreon?
Want even more chaos, clips, and laughs? Patreon is the best way to support the pod and get extra content every single week:
🔥 Bonus Episodes – At least 30 minutes of exclusive nonsense every week. More clips, more chaos, more laughs.
🎬 Hoffi Pod & Michael Owen’s Movie Club – Immediate access to two of the best bonus pods around.
🎁 Gift Memberships – Give a mate the gift of quality nonsense.
💰 Support the Pod – Every penny helps keep the show running (and funds Mike’s ever-growing collection of ‘70s leisurewear).
🎥 Bonus Podcasts – Only on Patreon!
Want even more laughs? Patreon subscribers get exclusive access to our bonus podcasts, packed with extra nonsense you won’t hear anywhere else.
🍿 Michael Owen’s Movie Club – The lads take on sports films, from all-time classics to absolute disasters. Expect strong opinions, dodgy acting, and a lot of unexpected tangents.
🎧 Hoffi Pod – Elis, Mike, and Steff bring their favourite non-sporting clips to the table, from weird TV moments to niche internet gems.
👉 Join the £8 or £10 Patreon tiers today and unlock hours of extra content every single week! 🚀
🚀 Why Wondery+?
Not into Patreon? No worries – Wondery+ gives you:
🔹 Early access – Listen every Tuesday before anyone else.
🔹 Ad-free episodes – Just the good stuff, no interruptions.
✨ A Legendary Guest, Top-Tier Nonsense, and Sporting Gold – Don’t Miss This One! 🎉
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
More episodes
View all episodes

691. He Has Risen: Pint Size
08:56||Ep. 691Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod. We’ve been back through our archive of episodes and picked out some of our favourite stories, anecdotes, and funny bits.If you’re new to the pod, these are a perfect way to dip your toe in and then dive back into the full episodes from our early days.This is from Episode 211Come and see us LIVE in London on Tuesday and Wednesday https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live
689. Mainland (pt 2)
27:16||Ep. 689Episode 305: MainlandStill gloriously obsessed with sport’s weirdest, funniest and most fascinating moments, Distant Pod continues to documentaries and books that make sport so compelling.🎟️ Hackney tickets - see us live next weekhttps://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live🎤 Mike tour:https://mikebubbins.com/❤️ Tops Off Vic fundraiser:https://www.justgiving.com/page/kelly-bubbins-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=EM&utm_campaign=020🎧 PART 2Steff’s documentary this week is The Track, a deep dive into Bosnia and the luge.https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0G5647BLG/ref=atv_sr_fle_c_sr09b671_1_1_1?sr=1-1&pageTypeIdSource=ASIN&pageTypeId=B0G56Q2S17&qid=1772611735930Mike’s book this week is slightly closer to home — Mike’s Wales Youth Rugby Programme... Bubbs' Sliding Doors moment.🔒 Join Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts for early access, ad-free listening, and Part 3 every week as a bonus episode.
688. Mainland (pt 1)
01:16:27||Ep. 688Episode 305: MainlandThree hundred episodes in and still finding brilliance in the strangest corners of sport, Distant Pod is the weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero bring you the best clips, books and documentaries they’ve found.🎟️ Watch us live in Hackney:https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live🎤 Mike is on tour in 2026:https://mikebubbins.com/❤️ Donate in memory of podcast legend Tops Off Vic:https://www.justgiving.com/page/kelly-bubbins-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=EM&utm_campaign=020🎧 PART 1Mike kicks things off with Tiger vs Boulder, a clip that perfectly captures the unpredictability (and occasional absurdity) of nature meeting sport.https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUTUF39EfBb/?igsh=MXg0NmdidHQzYWprZg=Elis brings a nostalgic gem — “And Ninian Park looks more like the San Siro!”https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ny-Za-ryGukSteff rounds out Part 1 with a pair of clips from Canadahttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DUyT1FQDtoX/?igsh=dzdrZGx3enQycmx6https://www.youtube.com/shorts/naGpZhyJP0s🔒 Subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — plus Part 3 as exclusive bonus content every week.
687. Veg: Pint Size
15:37||Ep. 687Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod. We’ve been back through our archive of episodes and picked out some of our favourite stories, anecdotes, and funny bits.If you’re new to the pod, these are a perfect way to dip your toe in and then dive back into the full episodes from our early days.Come and see us LIVE in London in April https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live
685. The 20% (pt 2)
32:11||Ep. 685Still gloriously obsessed with the brilliance and absurdity of sport, Distant Pod continues to explore the clips, stories and ideas that make sport endlessly fascinating.🎟️ Hackney tickets:https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live🎤 Mike tour:https://mikebubbins.com/❤️ Tops Off Vic fundraiser:https://www.justgiving.com/page/kelly-bubbins-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=EM&utm_campaign=020🎧 PART 2Elis’s documentary pick is Jim Mills: Jacko’s Sporting Almanac, a deep dive into one of sport’s great collectors and chroniclers.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08qggc1?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobileSteff’s book this week is Good Coach, Bad Coach by Simon Harling, exploring what separates effective coaching from the rest — and what really drives performance.https://store.simonharling.blog/🔒 Join Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts for early access, ad-free listening, and Part 3 every week as a bonus episode.
684. The 20% (pt 1)
01:18:10||Ep. 684Three hundred episodes in and still digging up gold from sport’s strangest corners, Distant Pod is the weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero bring you the best clips, books and documentaries they’ve found — from elite performance to absolute chaos.🎟️ Watch us live in Hackney:https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live🎤 Mike is on tour in 2026:https://mikebubbins.com/❤️ Donate in memory of podcast legend Tops Off Vic:https://www.justgiving.com/page/kelly-bubbins-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=EM&utm_campaign=020🎧 PART 1Elis brings a brilliant reality check with real people attempting marathon pace, a reminder of just how extreme elite endurance really is.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SRYtn0j5ccASteff shares a deceptively simple but strangely gripping clip simply titled “Stairs” — one of those bits of internet sport-adjacent content that becomes oddly compelling.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bHT_jZvQDsMike rounds things off with Rhys Carré, showcasing the power and personality of the Welsh rugby star.https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVj19MfDMV5/?igsh=NzUzb2JjY2lqZWp3🔒 Subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — plus Part 3 as exclusive bonus content every week.
683. Philosopher: Pint Size
15:09||Ep. 683Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod. We’ve been back through our archive of episodes and picked out some of our favourite stories, anecdotes, and funny bits.If you’re new to the pod, these are a perfect way to dip your toe in and then dive back into the full episodes from our early days.This is from 193: His Guts Split Open And It Was The King Of SpadesCome and see us LIVE in London in April https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live
681. Sondico Mills & Boons (Pt 2)
35:56||Ep. 681🔒 Subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts for early, ad-free Parts 1 and 2 — plus Part 3 every week as exclusive bonus content.Over 300 episodes deep and still gloriously sidetracked, Distant Pod is where Mike, Elis and Steff explore the brilliance, nostalgia and absurdity of sport through the clips, documentaries and books that caught their attention this week.🎟️ LIVE SHOW UPDATECardiff and Carmarthen are now completely sold out — thank you so much to everyone who’s coming along.The only remaining shows on this run are our two nights at Hackney Empire in London on April 7th and 8th, and there are only a handful of seats left.🎫 Tickets:https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live🎧 PART 2Steff Documentary:The Toughest Tug of War Team in the Worldhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxo3JPdWHXoMike Book (chosen by Elis James):More Than a Shirt — Joey D’Ursohttps://amzn.to/3P81qec
680. Sondico Mills & Boons (Pt 1)
01:03:50||Ep. 680🔒 Subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts for early, ad-free Parts 1 and 2 — plus Part 3 every week as exclusive bonus content.Over 300 episodes in and still discovering sporting brilliance in the strangest corners of the internet, Distant Pod is the weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero bring you the best clips, documentaries and books they’ve found that week. From legendary sporting nostalgia to total nonsense, it’s a fast-moving tour through the world of sport.🎟️ LIVE SHOW UPDATEOur live shows in Cardiff (March 20 & 21) and Carmarthen (April 24) are now completely sold out — thank you so much if you’ve already grabbed tickets.That means the only shows with seats left on this run are our two nights at Hackney Empire in London on April 7th and 8th.And even those are very close to selling out, with only a handful of seats left in the stalls.🎫 Grab tickets here:https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live🎧 PART 1Mike: Newport RFChttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DUA3QPkCINR/?igsh=MzdpMTY5endzMzRnElis: Peter Beardsleyhttps://x.com/sid_lambert/status/2018588358193062387Steff: Is that you Maureen?https://www.instagram.com/reels/DSzyZL3DBEl/