It’s part two of our bumper double Christmas Special! True ‘heads’ will remember us chatting to TV producer Adam Tandy on episode 1 of Shift Run Stop, an astonishing 12 years ago. Well, he’s back with tales of his adventures in the intervening years, including making The Detectorists, Inside Number 9 and the recent League of Gentlemen episodes. On …

We have a special treat for you this year. A two-parter! Think of it as two halves of a glorious cracker, two stockings on a fireplace, two brussels sprouts rolling slowly under the fridge. In this episode we get to know comedian, writer, presenter and geek songstress Helen Arney of The Festival of the Spoken Nerd. Geek holidays, live music, BBC Mi…

You climbed into your hosts' laps and, in a small voice, politely asked for an episode that will make this dreary Christmas temporarily more fun. Well, ask and you shall receive! Ho ho ho! No need for social distancing in the SRS grotto. The gifts have been sanitised, the Amazons have been Primed, even the weird lap thing is well-established. But o…

Isolation continues, but we continue to defy the microbe by finding fresh ways to connect with you across the airwaves. This time we take to live-streaming service Twitch for a special interactive episode of Shift Run Stop. Obviously it's not live now, but don't worry if you missed it: next time you're washing your hands just shout any questions or…

It's been a long time, but like your geek guardian angels or an unwanted announcement from a Government official, Leila and Roo can always be relied upon to emerge at times of crisis to interrupt your day. Whether you're staying in at home or staying in at home, this special isolation edition of Shift Run Stop is for you. No pandemic can stop us (t…

The ice is retreating, finally. To celebrate Aslan's return, your hosts gather in a pub at a noisy train station on one of the snackiest times of the year, with chocolate animal parts, questionable caramel, and a surprisingly tricky Easter-themed movie quiz, specially created for Roo, by Leila and Lee. With only a gossamer thread linking most of th…

What’s that I hear? Is it sleigh bells in the distance? Well, clear the snow off the roof and put a sherry out for Leila and Roo, and a carrot out for Lee, because another Shift Run Stop Christmas Special is about to land, and we’re ready to force some goodies down your ear chimney. For the first time since, let’s face it, last year’s Christmas spe…

Yes, OK, it's been a little while. Alright a big while. Other podcasts have come and gone. World leaders have come and gone. But wait patiently enough, resist the urge to unsubscribe on iTunes, and when you least expect it there we suddenly are, streaking across your downloads like "dirty snowball" Halley's Comet, grit, chocolate wrappers and the s…

Yes, alright, it's been a while, but we're back with an earnest pledge to try to produce at least two shows this year. There are snacks, sickness and surprises, and Lee joins us again, of course. There's talk of fatherhood, films and the Marvel universe, a Minority Report from physicist Alby Reid, a real life field trip to Tim Hunkin's wonderful ne…

Your hosts gather outside, once again, to take in the park's field sports and open-air cocktail artists. There's a field trip to the seaside, far too many sweets, an effervescent revival, and nothing short of a miracle as we carefully manage to avoid spoilers while chatting about recent geek movie releases. Here's one to try "at home" without looki…

It's Shift Run Stop al fresco season again so your hosts meet in a park to come clean about their geeky hobbies. Chat covers public lock-picking, 8-bit graphics, DIY effects pedals, Hack Circus and the meditative power of geekiness. Our resident Charlie Bucket, Lee stops by with some Wonka bars and edible pebbles, while fresh from her second Hack C…

The first episode of Red Dwarf; the first episode of Shift Run Stop since Roo became a dad, and the first outdoor recording of the year. Your hosts have watched a bit too much Red Dwarf over the years: finally an opportunity to share our knowledge and opinions. Stick on your H, pour yourself a lager and line up Red Dwarf episode 1. Links: The Red D…

Christmas comes around quickly in "Shift Run Stop years", and here we are again, just five episodes later, with holiday snackfood and 45 minutes of talking about, around and over an early episode of The X Files. Crackers! You won't believe your mince pies! It's time for films, games, festive chain cafes, and partially melted snowmen to a backdrop o…

With All Hallows' Eve nearly upon us, it's time for the yearly testing of seasonal spooky snacks. We learned that there are a lot of them. We also talk about Hack Circus, Iceland, Tom Cruise, costumes, listener correspondence and lots more besides. Links: Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Hack Circus | Buy a ta…

It's back to school time, and as the summer draws to a close, chat turns to our memories of school days. How is it possible your hosts both know the same playground games and rhymes despite growing up in different parts of the country? Do you know them too? Did your school have a haunted tower? Elsewhere, on a hot, noisy London roundabout, Roo and …

Your hosts Roo and Leila are joined by treat-spert Lee for unusual snacks in Parliament Square. Chocolate melts and and baked goods become uncomfortably sticky under our scrutiny and the hot British sunshine. Big news: Roo finally prepares to grow up. Hark: is that the sound of wedding bells in Leila's future? Plus: Big Ben, bum bags, hairdressers,…

The beards theme continues in #67, an acoustically-diverse episode mixing cafe atmos, Other Podcasts, and a section recorded in a stairwell on a telephone. We chat to professional hacker (it's even on their business card) Nat Buckley about everything from Happenstance to Alarum to their hair and amazing dad. Digital Willy Wonka Lee Maguire returns …

What does a beard sound like? How do you pronounce 'Gif'? Which is the worst episode of the X Files? What's the political significance of Tab Clear? Which major US interactive festival do none of your hosts want to go to, ever? Find out in this brand new, hairier than average episode of Shift Run Stop. Warning: contains traces of puppy. Roo's newsl…

Ho ho ho! Were you good boys and girls this year? Hush your lips! Obviously you were, hence this wonderful present. This year Lee Maguire joins us, and, like Magi of geek, the three of us bear anecdotes of obscure science fiction references and unexpected short-lived celebrity. The snacks don't disappoint, either. If you want to munch along at home…

Trick or treat? It's that time of year again, a time for celebrating all things spooky and autumnal, and sitting in silence in the living room with the lights off until they stop ringing the doorbell. You're never alone with us though. As the soundtrack for your hallowe'en, we've made you a very different kind of episode – an episode in which your …

Share our pleasure chatting about magic, coincidences and games with the fascinating Dave Gorman, then feel our pain as a tarry soft drink promotes the question: "What IS 'malt' anyway?" Yes, it's like a trip back in time to the early days of the show, as once again we find ourselves hijacking someone else's office without asking, scouring the loca…

We were slumbering, as usual, in our misty Shift Run Stop cryo-pods, when through the liquid nitrogen we heard it: the unmistakable call of a Raspberry Pi in the wild. So here we are again, temporarily reanimated for a very special and rare chat with credit-card sized computer creator, Eben Upton. As Eben reflects on a trajectory that began with wr…

After a bit of a break, Shift Run Stop is back in your ears – on an occasional basis, at least. This month, we meet Ed Jefferson, aka Ben from @shippamspaste, Danny O'Brien (from episode 34) tells us about the life of an Englishman in New York and Lee Maguire is back with Snack Time. We also work through a backlog of snacks sent in by listeners whe…

Yes, we are back! Well, for a one-off Christmas special at least. As it's been so long, and you've been waiting so patiently, we've tried to make sure this episode is bursting at the seams. Put your feet up (yes, even if you're driving, it's Christmas!) and join us as we chat to journalist and psychopath-spotter Jon Ronson, his son comics expert Jo…

It's the end-of-the-year show you've been waiting for. Spam-baiting humorist Neil Forsyth reveals how he winds up cyber crooks, and we track down the bootleg of our live spot on London's recent Radio Roundabout where, lest auld acquaintance Rhodri Marsden be forgot, we interview him. All that washed down with a cup of kindness from snacks expert Le…

Happy Christmas or otherwise holidays! As you've been good this year, we've made you a very special extra-long holly-decked episode, featuring music, festive snacks and the glorious comedian Joanna Neary who tells us about everything from performing in Time Trumpet to her remarkable gloves. We're really pleased with this episode. Hope you like it t…

A modern nerd legend for you this week, as we chat to John Graham-Cumming about his new project, Plan 28, which aims to "finish Babbage's work" by raising the cash to build an Analytical Engine from original plans. John has previously successfully petitioned the Government to formally apologise for the treatment of Alan Turing, and is the author of…

You know when you're on the train, and you think "Oh there's Jigsaw, just getting on at this stop. Hi Jigsaw!" You know. Usually happens the day after you watched all the Saw films in a row, like this week's guest Sarah Dobbs did recently. Luckily, she's a horror fan... she's also a journalist, and the editor of new feminist pop culture magazine re…

We chat to a games-creator this week, the talented Minkette, and hear about some of her extraordinary projects - which range from mindbending ARGs to a radio-transmitted theatre production on the Tube. All that plus Kinect hacking, real world point-and-clicks, and Rockband with Grannie in this foil-fresh square of your Shift Run Stop advent calenda…

Artist, designer, writer, and man of extraordinary imagination Dominic Wilcox calls in for a chat about his latest creations which include bread lampshades and helium-powered crisp packets. We also find out what Leila would've tweeted had she still been on Twitter, and Roo starts feeling festive at the South Bank's Christmas fair. Oh, and you remem…

Leila went to R3PLAY, the enormous retro-gaming event in Blackpool, and has returned armed with interviews with loads of people, including Sensible Soccer creator John Hare, Adam from the National Museum of Computing, and retro computing enthusiast off-the-telly Iain Lee. Back at Shift Run Stop Towers, our snackfood correspondent Dave Green takes u…

We welcome another ridiculously talented guest this week, in the form of acclaimed screen actor Andy Nyman. The horror aficionado joined us on his only night off from the West End hit Ghost Stories, which he wrote and stars in - though you might also remember his turn as the deliciously aggressive Patrick in Charlie Brooker's zombie satire Dead Set…

It's all bionic legs, bananas and biplanes this week, as we meet the exuberant comedian Helen Keen, creator of acclaimed stand-up show and soon-to-be Radio 4 series "It IS rocket science". There's big news from Roo, inane comments about time travel from Leila, and your hosts finally get some decent food in them, via some very tasty cheese supplied …

Yes, we've reached episode 50. When we started a year ago we didn't really know what the show would be like, or how sustainable it could be, so we're pleased to have made it this far. Thanks for sticking with it (would a hug be inappropriate?) In this one-off, one-for-the-fans, where-are-they-now geekstravaganza, excellent early guest Alice Bartlet…

Rhianna knows games. We meet the famous "narrative paramedic" behind Heavenly Sword, the Overlord series, Mirror's Edge and lots more - and discover it all began with Leisure Suit Larry. But that's not all! Your hosts discuss the great "Inventing the 21st Century" exhibition at the British Library over a beer somewhere, while back at Shift Run Stop…

Robert Schifreen and Stephen Gold hacked into the Post Office/BT's Viewdata system 'Prestel' back in the 80s, gaining access to thousands of mailboxes (including Prince Philip's). It was the first high profile hacking case in the UK, and resulted in the passing of the Computer Misuse Act. We reminisce with Robert about the good old days of computer…

Special episode this week - two guests, several locations and lots of meaty snacks. We went to the annual London games conference Playful and Skype-interviewed very funny former Games Master host-turned farmer Dominik Diamond on stage - hear the best bits in this episode. Games consultant and former editor of Edge magazine, Margaret Robertson was a…

A return to video games chat this week, and who better to put our endless questions about narrative and puzzles to than friendly games maker Hayden Scott-Baron ("Docky"). Hayden is the man behind hit iPhone physics game Tumbledrop, and much of what you like about RollerCoaster Tycoon. He's a comic artist, too, so we exploited his talent to bring yo…

This week as we talk to Simon Hickson, or to give him his full name: SIMON OUT OF TREVOR AND SIMON. He has one of those voices, and he uses it great effect in this nostalgic episode, revealing which of their characters were banned from Going Live, the thing that links Trev to Mad Men, and what really happened when Five Star were on. To be honest, w…

Kev Cecil, Kev Cecil. Rings a bell, doesn't it? You've definitely come across Kev's work, because he's written for everything. Black Books, Little Britain, Armstrong and Miller, Katy Brand, Harry & Paul, Armando Iannucci... wherever you go, there he is, often teaming up with writing partner Andy Riley. Most recently, the pair co-created the three-p…

Kim Plowright is an inspiration. She turns up in all the best projects like a digital Bill Murray, and instantly makes everything a million times better. This week we learn why Hypercard games were so weird, how to voice a Numbers Station, and what it was like sharing a school with our Dave, who returns this week armed with a few snacks that should…

Elizabeth Sparrow is President of the Chartered Institute for I.T. In this week's fun-packed episode, we find out about being in charge of geeks, use the phrase 'digital native', and ask our guest whether kids should be forced to use Facebook. We also get the scoop on a film competition you can enter - with real prize money. And be warned, you migh…

We chat to Alex Bellos this week. You must have seen his popular maths book (illustrated by SRS guest Andy Riley); Alex's Adventures in Numberland is everywhere at the moment. But is maths really that interesting? How many loaves of bread does it take to change a bell curve? What's 'God's Number' and is it cheaper if you ring after 6pm? Alex comput…

This week's guest is a prolific game designer. So prolific, in fact, that if you like games you probably already have something he's created in your house. So it was an honour to talk to Reiner Knizia about German board games, the iPhone market, whether German telly really is rubbish, and lots more. And your hosts play a game of their own this week…

Denise Wilton, co-founder of B3ta and creative director at Moo, joins us this week to discuss creativity, community, Chris Morris, Commodore PETs, cross stitch, corpses, Community Chests and cheating. Meanwhile, your hosts become angry and confused about popular culture and Leila badly wants to believe something Roo still can't bring himself to sto…

Magicians are massive geeks and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Ali Cook's lonely adolescence in this enchanting episode. Your hosts also find a moment on a park bench to discuss the toaster/Kryten overlap in Red Dwarf and share details of the idiotically simple video games they've been wasting their brains, time and 21st century computing powe…

Film-maker Ivo Gormley drops in this week to tell us about his new projects, as well as the ones he's probably best known for - Us Now and the brilliant new documentary about live gaming, Playmakers. He's an inspirational and interesting chap - why not follow him on Twitter? We also enjoy some unusually tasty snacks with regular guest Dave and talk…

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock tells us how to make a telescope, where you can launch a satellite, and why people STILL haven't gone back to the moon, in this week's show. Maggie leads the optical instruments group at Astrium and communicates big ideas in an accessible way through her own company Science Innovation Ltd. She must be the most enthusiastic s…

Meet the esteemed computer scientist, academic and Bletchley Park campaigner Dr Sue Black, and find out how she fell in love with the birthplace of British computing, and why the 1980s classroom BBC Micro is more dangerous than you think. Elsewhere, your hosts discuss everything from the 'Hide and Seek' live gaming event that took place at London's…

It was only a matter of time before we had this Original Internet Celeb on the show. Danny O'Brien is of course Dave's former partner in crime from the world-famous geek newsletter NTK. He's been involved with the EFF, the ORG and loads of other stuff in recent years but has never forgotten his early internet roots. Now a long-term resident of Cali…