All good things must come to an end..

Over the last few months I’ve gone back and listened to the Collings and Herrin Podcast from the beginning. The Collings and Herrin Podcast started back in February 2008, and lasted 167 episodes until November 2011. Its stars, Andrew Collins and Richard Herring started out by rifling through the news on the day of recording. As well as covering the big news of the day, they would look at strange and obscure stories.

Each episode is a time capsule crammed with news and opinion from the day it was recorded. It was mostly recorded on Garageband on a Mac Book in Richard’s loft. It was very rough and ready, however most episodes feel like you’re listening to two very close friends, chatting over a pint. During the run, it grew to have a large following, and was downloaded thousands of times each week.

I was very late to the party – I can’t remember exactly when I joined. I’d listened to a few of the older episodes before, but I’d set myself a mission to listen to each one, in order. It’s been a fantastic journey. I’d been dreading the very last episode. When I heard it in 2011, it felt horrible. The ‘mates down the pub’ fun had faded. It was like listening to your parents pretending they hadn’t argued after a MASSIVE argument.

The ‘argument’ seemed to stem from Andrew taking a job at BBC 6 Music without bringing Richard with him. The podcast was born from the pair working on 6 Music, Richard was a regular guest on Andrew’s show. During the podcast’s run they worked together as a double act on the station while Adam and Joe were away. Adam and Joe returned, Collings and Herrin left. Then in 2011 Andrew was invited back (to partner with Josie Long) and Richard wasn’t. The duo stopped recording their podcast.

It wasn’t until this year that the pair reunited on RHLSTP – Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast. Andrew was a guest, and in some respects, it was almost like 5 years hadn’t passed. There were a few swipes from both sides, but it was clear they had a lot of admiration and respect for each other.

There were a few episodes that weren’t brilliant, however, so many of them are. There’s no editing (aside from a few libelous lines removed), it’s unprepared and off the cuff. They just recorded and uploaded, not intros or outros, no beds or jingles. Polish isn’t required, the content didn’t need it. Sure it was infantile in places, there were a LOT of bumming references, however, they were fantastic at what they do.

I would love for the Collings and Herrin Podcast to return. Hear their joint take on the world as it is today. In a time full of negativity and despair, a cheeky, unedited look at the news could be brilliant. Perhaps though, it could be like ‘rebooting’ the TV show Porridge, a nice idea, however it just doesn’t work. I’ve got a funny feeling we’ll never know. I can’t see them producing more.

If they don’t, the episode of RHLSTP with Andrew felt like a decent conclusion. I can’t deny I felt a little choked as Richard described what good friends they’d been as the show concluded. No matter what, we’ll always have those 167 episodes from 2008-2011. Give them a listen if you haven’t, there are days of entertainment there. I’m going to miss Andrew’s Mr Bean voice, and Richard’s desperation to anally violate Collings.

Thanks for all the podcasts guys – all good things must come to an end.

Update – Chris Evans, (not that one, or that one) has caved to my request of making one of the Collings and Herrin CDs available as a download – it’s a bargain at £5 – get it from Go Faster Stripe. Go buy it!!