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The Socially Distant Sports Bar
267: Show Me The Arian (Pt 1)
🎙 The Socially Distant Sports Bar – Episode 267: Show Me The Arian
Elis James (Elis & John, Oh What A Time), Mike Bubbins (Mammoth), and Steff Garrero are back with another round of tangents, top-tier clips, niche nostalgia, and barely connected sporting brilliance.
“Like a sports podcast, if the sport was optional.”
🎟️ We’re Going on Tour in 2026!
Yes – we’re taking this beautiful nonsense on the road.
Tickets are on general sale now – grab yours at 👉 distantpod.com/live
📍 Tour Dates:
- Fri 20 March 2026 – Cardiff, New Theatre
- Sat 21 March 2026 – Cardiff, New Theatre
- Tue 7 April 2026 – London, Hackney Empire
- Wed 8 April 2026 – London, Hackney Empire
- Fri 24 April 2026 – Carmarthen, Lyric Theatre
✨ This Week’s Episode – Here’s What’s In Store
📌 PART 1 (OUT WEDNESDAY)
- Elis: Paul Tonkinson vs the Marathon des Sables – a brutal ultra marathon and one comedian’s epic run
- 🔗 Watch on Instagram
- ❤️ Support Paul’s fundraiser
- Mike: Leinster, Levelled Up – a powerful bit of rugby content
- 🔗 Watch on Instagram
- Steff: Josh Tarling – a deep dive into one of the most exciting British cyclists around
- 🔗 Short feature
- 🔗 Team GB profile
- 🔗 Race footage
📌 PART 2 (OUT FRIDAY)
- Elis Documentary: Giant Killers – Newport County
- 🔗 Watch on YouTube
- Mike Book: George’s Fateful D-Day by David Brayley – a powerful story of sport and WWII
- 🔗 Get the book
📌 PART 3 – PATREON EXCLUSIVE
👉 Join us at patreon.com/distantpod for bonus content, early access, spin-offs, and the usual delightful chaos.
- Steff: EastEnders FC – fictional football, but real drama
- 🔗 Watch on Instagram
- Elis: Liverpool v Auxerre, 1992 – a perfect Anfield comeback in the UEFA Cup
- 🔗 Watch on YouTube
- Mike: Jaxson Dart
- 🔗 Watch on Instagram
💡 Want Even More?
🎧 Patreon – early access, bonus content, and spin-offs like Michael Owen’s Movie Club and Hoffi Pod
🚀 Wondery+ – early episodes every Tuesday and ad-free listening
🎉 Another week of great clips, obscure sports, and complete nonsense – only on The Socially Distant Sports Bar.
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
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697. Darllen a Rhedeg (pt 2)
39:54||Ep. 697A weekly mix of sporting brilliance, nostalgia and complete nonsense.🎧 PART 2 (Early & Ad-Free)Mike Documentary:Final Siren: Inside the AFLhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0GHP5F7Q3/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_rElis Book:Austerity Britain — David Kynastonhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Austerity-Britain-1945-1951-Tales-Jerusalem/dp/0747599238AND Alternative Wales https://www.alternativewales.com/shop
696. Darllen a Rhedeg (pt 1)
01:07:50||Ep. 696This week on The Socially Distant Sports Bar, Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero bring you another batch of sporting clips, chaos and commentary — from world-class brilliance to complete nonsense.🎧 PART 1Elis: Tadej Pogacar is the greatesthttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DWOPjUeieCR/?igsh=aXh4ZmhqNHNsb3pshttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DWLtnkrAaEF/?igsh=MWp6NzQ4bW8xNDR5aw==Steff: Harry Styleshttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DUsge_gDACm/?igsh=MWppZ2ltdGVqcXdvdA==Mike: Every Sports Dochttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DVnFBqAk2Yx/?igsh=N3RyNjVmNDE2cXIx
695. Searching: Pint Size
09:34||Ep. 695Welcome 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 228: It’s Kissing Time
693. Night One at The New Theatre (Pt 2)
52:24||Ep. 693Night One at The New Theatre (Pt 2)Part 2 of our LIVE Cardiff show — and the crowd (and hosts) are a few drinks deeper…https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-liveFeaturing:Steff: Hull KR crowdhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DU85KI8DsbY/?igsh=MWlqMzJ3eG9xdWFkZA==Steff: Perfect for Runninghttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/DkRc0SIdO0kElis: High Jumphttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DVrDTyAjio4/?igsh=Y3liMWRsMzEyMGYz👉 For Part 3 (Q&A), subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
692. Night One at The New Theatre (Pt 1)
45:22||Ep. 692Night One at The New Theatre (Pt 1)Elis James – the king of Welsh podcasting – joins forces with TV’s Tony Mammoth, Mike Bubbins, and ARIA award-winning producer Steff Garrero for a LIVE episode of The Socially Distant Sports Bar, recorded at the New Theatre in Cardiff in front of a sold-out crowd.🚨 LAST REMAINING LIVE DATES 🚨London's Hackney Empire TONIGHT is the ONLY show left — and tickets are almost gone.https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-liveThis is Part 1 — the first half of the show, with:Mike: Golfhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DVedLLGksz8/?igsh=cDk5a25ieDg4Mm91Elis: Sir Alechttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DV7J6eOgsQf/?igsh=MWlsNTJlNnFyZWxyeQ%3D%3DMike: Karmahttps://youtube.com/shorts/bIXPZwGUgW4?si=Jk3u2KnMWNK0mYnE👉 Want the full episode (including Part 3 Q&A)?Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
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