Crossed Wires 2026 Kicks Off with Star-Studded Opening Days in Sheffield
The Crossed Wires Podcast Festival—now in its third year—got off to a spectacular start last weekend as tens of thousands of podcast enthusiasts descended on Sheffield for the UK’s biggest celebration of audio storytelling and comedy. Over four days of live shows spanning iconic venues across the city’s cultural heart, the festival showcased some of the industry’s biggest names, exclusive audio moments, and unforgettable on-stage surprises.
Bad Chat Debuts with Unexpected On-Stage Pitch
The festival opened with creative powerhouses Greg James and Alice Levine headlining day one with the first-ever live show of their new Bad Chat podcast to a sold-out crowd at Sheffield City Hall. What began as a tongue-in-cheek discussion about a movie concept—involving snooker legend John Virgo’s ghost helping an up-and-coming player win a championship—quickly turned into something far more theatrical.
Alice decided to call Greg’s bluff by arranging an impromptu pitch meeting with two esteemed members of Warp Films, the production company behind Adolescence, Dead Man’s Shoes, and This is England. The pitch took an unexpected turn when Greg found himself in a real-time text and voice note exchange with award-winning actor Stephen Graham, who is now pencilled in for the lead role—with one hilarious condition.
In a voice note played to the delighted audience, Stephen (alongside his wife Hannah) responded with: “Uh yes, sounds great to me, I’ll start practicing. One condition though, I’m the one who gets to sing,” before delivering an impromptu rendition of “Snooker Loopy” by Chas and Dave. As shown in the screenshot below, the backstage communication between James and Graham became the stuff of podcast legend—a spontaneous moment that perfectly encapsulates the magic of live audio events.
An Impressive Lineup of BBC and Independent Talent
Dead Ringers, the multi-award-winning BBC Radio 4 topical satire show, opened the festival with a sold-out performance featuring long-standing cast members Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, and Duncan Wisbey, who delivered hilarious impersonations of fellow festival performers Chris Mason and Danny Robins.
The BBC Fringe programming kicked off Friday with Sara Cox hosting a special live edition of Radio 2 Book Club, featuring bestselling author Lisa Jewell discussing her new novel It Could Have Been Her and its real-life inspiration. Simultaneously, Anita Rani and Nuala McGovern live-streamed a special edition of Woman’s Hour from the BBC Radio 4 stage, later followed by the first-ever live recording of The Woman’s Hour: Guide to Life.
Comedy, Charity, and Unexpected Moments
Friday evening brought laughs and surprises across multiple venues. Jaack Maate’s Happy Hour had City Hall howling with a surprise rendition of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” by Alfie Indra, before pivoting to audience confessions that left the crowd gasping.
Over at Memorial Hall, Vicky Pattison and Angela Scanlon‘s show Get a Grip; Bras Off combined comedy with charity, asking audience members to donate old bras for the Against Breast Cancer charity. The pair discussed modern womanhood with their signature chemistry, set against their iconic living-room aesthetic—as captured in the image below from their energetic performance.
Rising Stars and Niche Audio Content
The festival also spotlighted emerging talent and specialist podcasts. Jemma Sbeg, the Psychology of your 20s podcasting phenomenon, took the Playhouse Theatre stage to discuss her incredible journey from recording in her Subaru on an iPhone to seeing her episodes featured on Netflix, while debunking psychology myths that have gone viral on social media.
Jacob Hawley and Jake Farrell of Screen Rot brought pal Jack Dean on stage for a hilarious dive into the weirdest corners of the internet, while Inside the Traitors: Uncloaked featured Series 4 favourites Harriet Tyce and Matty Hyndman reflecting on their time in the castle with BBC Radio 1 presenter and Series 3 Traitor Minah Shannon.
News-focused programming featured Chris Mason and Faisal Islam hosting a special edition of Newscast, while Top Comment with Marianna Spring and Rachel Connolly explored the latest social media trends and misinformation. Stand-up comedy specialists brought acts from Aurie Styla, Ayo Adenekan, Dan Tiernan, Kyrah Gray, Chris Cantrill, and Emer Maguire.
The festival continues with programming spanning medical podcasting, regional content, and beyond—cementing Crossed Wires as an essential gathering for podcast professionals, creators, and listeners alike. With stellar performances from household names and emerging talent, the event underscores the podcast industry’s continued growth and creative vitality.
For those interested in connecting with talented podcast professionals—from producers and editors to audio engineers—platforms like Podwires continue to serve as essential marketplaces where creators can find the expertise needed to bring their audio visions to life.
Source: Podwires Newsletter
