Unlikely Friends – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to Unlikely Friends, the new podcast from Spice Girl Emma Bunton, comedian Leigh Francis (also known as Keith Lemon), Damage frontman Jade Jones and Jill Francis.

It’s a funny, honest and unpredictable show where no topic is off limits - and the best thing is, you, the listeners dictate the conversation.

In this first episode, the gang answer questions pulled from a pineapple that’s named after Emma’s mum. You’ll understand why once you listen! They also reveal how this group of unlikely friends got their name, thanks to the Daily Mail.

Listener Bev from Tyneside asks the first question: What’s the biggest purchase you’ve ever made? Where Leigh admits to buying a costume from Teen Wolf, Michael Hutchence’s jacket from INXS and even a Cavapooshon dog. Jade confesses to spending a lot on vinyl, while Emma and Jill admit to a few boozy regrets that introduce the term “Hanxiety" to the group.

There's chat about menopause, low libido, “upper action” and why Leigh no longer feels anxiety now he’s over 50.

Plus why did Andrew Garfield (yes, Spider-Man) ghost the text messages from them all and which famous Italian singer did Emma Bunton once duet with?

Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music.

💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com

Welcome to Unlikely Friends - A brand new podcast from Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones, and Jill Francis - where anything can (and probably will) happen!

Each week, they’ll be taking topic suggestions and questions from listeners, diving headfirst into whatever you want to hear about. From parenthood and fame to 90s fashion and cold wedding buffets, no subject is off limits.

Unlikely Friends is all about laid-back chats that are funny, honest, insightful, and sometimes surprisingly deep - with a few shocking revelations along the way. Check out full episodes of Unlikely Friends on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. 

💌 Get in touch at unlikelyfriends@global.com

📱 Follow on socials: @unlikelypodfriends

This week, Emma Bunton, Leigh Francis, Jade Jones and Jill Francis are joined by questions from none other than Rita Ora in the first star-studded Celebrity Edition!

The besties spill their most memorable wardrobe malfunctions — from Emma’s tumble in Vegas to Leigh’s suppository disasters to Jade's on stage trouser tear - before diving into their shared love of fancy dress. Expect stories of wild Halloween parties, ridiculous costumes and a few surprises along the way.

Things take a heartfelt turn as they open up about Crohn’s disease and how it’s affected Jill, in an unexpected but honest conversation.

🎧 Tune in to Unlikely Friends on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music for laughs, real talk and a little celebrity sparkle.

This week on Unlikely Friends, Emma Bunton has a fangirl moment with Taylor Swift as they bond over her love of the Spice Girls - and it all leads to a chat about everyone’s very first jobs (spoiler: one involves rotisserie chicken and Jill Francis).

The crew also confess to what they have stole from TV shows and music tours, with one of them involving toilet tissue, Nelson Mandela, and long-lasting guilt that might just warrant a phone call to the police.

Plus, Jade Jones and Leigh Francis open up about their celebrity crushes, the team give their perfect hangover cures and they finally settle one of life’s biggest debates - what is the best kind of potato? 🥔

Tune in for celebrity stories, nostalgic laughs, and the kind of chaos only these Unlikely Friends can deliver.

Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music.

💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com

Singer and actress Glora Estefan asks the Unlikely Friends the questions where she digs into the horrible valentine's Day gifts Jade Jones has bought Emma Bunton.

Plus there's awards chat with Jill Francis revealing her prestigious trophy win and Leigh Francis tells all about Jill's terrible cooking... Crab sticks and salad cream anyone?

Chefs beware, you may be disgusted at this epispde!

Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music.

💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com

🎃 Halloween Special: The Scooby Gang Returns! 👻

In this spooky (and slightly silly) Halloween edition of Unlikely Friends, Leigh Francis (aka Keith Lemon), Emma Bunton (aka Baby Spice), Jade Jones, and Jill Francis are back — and this time, they’ve gone full Scooby-Doo! Dressed as their old alter egos — with Leigh as Scrappy, Jade as Scooby, and the gals as Velma and Daphne — the gang dive into tales that are equal parts eerie and hilarious.

From strange superstitions and spine-tingling premonitions to those haunting recurring dreams we can’t quite shake, the team share their own spooky stories and plenty of laughs along the way. And, to end on a lighter note, they rewind to their teenage bedrooms to reveal which posters once adorned their walls (spoiler: some are very of their time).

Grab your Scooby Snacks and settle in for a frightfully fun episode that proves even the bravest of friends get the chills sometimes.

This week on Unlikely Friends, Leigh Francis, Emma Bunton, Jade Jones and Jill Francis kick things off with a surprisingly passionate debate about biscuits, before stumbling into a genuine mystery: a missing bin from the Francis household. Who took it? Why would anyone steal a bin? And what does it say about society?

After cracking open the pineapple, the conversation turns nostalgic as the group reminisce about computers, old tech and Atari consoles — leading to one very important question: does owning an Atari growing up mean you were posh? From there, it’s a joyful dive into The Big Breakfast, sharing their love for Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan, before landing on an undeniable truth of adulthood: schools should absolutely warn you how long it takes to buy a sofa.

Just when things couldn’t get more Unlikely Friends, the pineapple gets philosophical — posing questions about “now or then”, familiarity, and the oddly comforting (or unsettling) smell of your own.

Biscuits, bins, nostalgia and big thoughts — Leigh, Emma, Jade and Jill in another anything-can-happen episode of Unlikely Friends. 🍍

How did ITV's Loose Women scar Jade Jones from do TV interviews for years? How on earth did Leigh Francis realise he was allergic to cat Urine? And What's Emma Bunton's favourite bit of Spice Girls merchandise?

Comedian Rob Beckett is asking the question in this weeks celebrity episode of Unlikely Friends and he wants to know everything from heated rivalries to opinions on nuts (as you do).

Plus Jill Francis share how her tolerance is getting lower with each passing day!

Subscribe and follow Unlikely Friends wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen on Global Player, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music.

💌 Got a question or topic for the pineapple? Email unlikelyfriends@global.com

Leigh, Emma, Jill and Jade are back to get well and truly into the festive spirit — with tangents, showbiz stories and a healthy dose of chaos along the way.

The gang kick things off with Christmas tree chat, comparing notes on when (and how seriously) everyone decorates. Jade and Emma reveal they made a wholesome trip to a Christmas tree farm to choose the perfect tree — now proudly up and looking sensational, with thanks to Goose Hill Farm.

From trees to trimmings, conversation quickly turns to Bunton’s baubles — and Emma’s ever-growing collection of quirky, slightly questionable Christmas decorations, many of which her mum definitely does not approve of.

Naturally, things then spiral into a nostalgic detour via the MTV Awards, before Jill shares stories from her time working at Selfridges. Leigh rounds things off with a classic showbiz anecdote involving Dermot O’Leary and Johnny Vaughan.

But peace doesn’t last long…

The Pineapple is awakened 🍍 — and it demands chaos. The gang are forced into a deeply questionable game that sees them opening their phones and reading out their texts and notes, revealing things that absolutely should have stayed private.

Festive, funny, and wildly oversharing — just how we like it. 🎅🍍

Bimini Bon Boulash popped in the pineapple and asked some brilliant questions and as a result we're introduced to the drag personas of the Unlikley Friends. All we'll say is you might want to keep an eye out for Caesar Fairlight at your local disco.

Bimini joins us fresh from the Sahara Desert, where they took on a brutal 100km trek for CoppaFeel!, helping raise vital funds and awareness for the breast cancer charity and its life-saving message around early detection.