Test Match Special - View from the Boundary: Luke Kempner

Episode Date: June 28, 2026

Jonathan Agnew is joined by comedian, actor, and impressionist Luke Kempner at Trent Bridge. Kempner has just finished a West End run and World tour playing the iconic Master of the House Thenardier in the musical Les Misérables. Kempner tells Aggers how he was introduced to cricket by his TMS loving Nan, he shares the story of his most embarrassing batting experience and of course there are plenty of impressions including Henry Blofeld, Geoff Boycott, Richie Benaud, Jim Maxwell, Jeremy Coney and Aggers himself.

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We've been looking forward to this. It's a comedian, actor, impressionist. First came to prominence with his range of sporting impressions and a comedy show based on Downton Abbey. He's at his own ITV sketch show is featured on programmes like Spitting Image, the cult comedy Murder in Successful. He's a great cricket fan who during lockdown recreated the 2005 ashes with the voices of the TMS team, jumping forward to hearing. But in recent years he's fulfilled a lifetime ambition playing one of the musical theatre's most iconic roles in the West End. in the West End and on a world tour. There we go. One of the great tunes

from Le Miserables, the Master of the House, performed by Luke Kempner. And it's lovely to welcome you here, Luke. Thank you very much, Ayes. What a great tune that is. Oh, listen, you never get bored of the songs of Le Miz. They're just marvellous. And it was wonderful to be in it. And I think I did it 1,500 times. And I never got bored of the music. You know, there's so many great hits. You see, he's a bit young for that role. Well, do you know what, Agers, I'm the youngest,

ever to have played Tenardier, the tender age of 34. But I did it for about three years. And yeah, it was absolutely fantastic. But, you know, look, they gave me a bit of grey in the beard, a bit longer hair, and of course I'm a wonderful actor, so I could pull it off, you know. It's quite a character.

Does he only appear in the second half? No, no, no. So he's in the first half. He's got him and his wife, Madame Tenardier. Right. And then they sing Master of the House where he sort of stolen Cosette, the child. Of course.

Which Valjean comes to buy off him. And, of course, it was Sasha Baron Cohen in the movie. And then in the second half, he comes back because he's in the sewers. Of course. And he witnesses some things in the sewers. Nasty. I don't know why I'm not giving spoilers. It's been on for 40 years.

We haven't seen it now. It's a fantastic. Well, more of that in a second. No, tell us about the World Tour, actually, because that, you know, was it Delhi and China? Yes, so we went, I was in Japan and China. I mean, you're saying in English, presumably. Yes, yes, we do. Break into Mandarin.

Yeah, yeah. They have subtitles, though. They do have subtitles in China. So, yeah, did it in Japan and China. and then finished off I was in Dublin in front of 7,000 people, which was just incredible. But what was great was when we were in China, it was over the Winter Ashes series.

So what was marvellous, it was actually at the correct time zone. And at one point, I was feeding information to some of the ensemble who were cricket fans. So my friends, Gettie Stringer and Michael Bergen, who were both in the cast, and I had to sort of walk along this big bridge. I didn't realise my mic was on.

So I was about to go on stage, and I sort of walked, and I went, England lost another wicket. and then it came booming out. I don't think the Chinese understood what I was thinking. I'm not sure watching it would have put you in a great good mood for good. No, no, it didn't.

But, you know, it lay miserable, and the cricket didn't make me less miserable, to be honest with it. How is it? I mean, it's been a funny old morning, isn't it? Yeah. You've been studying it closely? Absolutely. Well, I was in a recording studio all day yesterday, and I was with Rufus Jones and Phil Dunster, and we had it on. So we were sort of following it all,

we're feeling very, very positive by the end of the day. but then yeah today I was not expecting that but the picture seems to have sort of you know sort of been an up and down bounce is that how you would say? Definitely and the last half hour it's really big to one or two strange things why is it the comedians like cricket

I was saying to you earlier I think if you chose the professions that most likely to come on here for this slot they're comedians actually we've really gone through so many I don't know what it is that attracts it I wonder if it's because test cricket especially you can sort of sit there

and chat and make each other laugh. And maybe that's quite suited to the comedian, really. But you're right. I mean, there's so many of my comedian friends, you know, sort of Tom Rosenthal and, you know, and Robbie Bremner. And Timkie. Andy Zaltman.

Oh, yeah, sorry, Andy Zaltzman. I must mention he's my friend as well. So Andy Zaltzman, yeah, no, yeah, all huge cricket fans. It's glorious. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, I have, I did out one of your dismissals. Because it's unwise, Luke, to really send too much detail

and the notes that you have fun. And so to confess on these notes that you were once a victim stumped off the bowling of Alex Hartley. Yes. I just don't think you should have gone there. No, no, okay, Agers, right. I heard this.

I had the earpiece in. And I heard Alex Hartley going, yeah, yeah, I got him out, yeah, I bowed him out, yeah. Great ball. And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Hartley, because she's made the mistake of posting the footage. Right?

Now, it was a stumping, as you correctly said, by Harry Judd. I'm not sure about the legality of the stumpy. But that's the thing. Now, should I have danced down the wicket first ball to Alex Hartley? Well, it's tempting. Probably not. You knew it's going to be pretty slow. I don't know.

There was a lot of flight to it, and I thought, I can get to that. I couldn't. And it went straight through me to Harry Judd, who whipped the bails off. Very disappointed. I didn't know. But then when Alex Hartley posted the footage on our social media later that day, yes, I slowed it down. It was all the ground.

It's not connected. The ball's on the ground. So, and he knows, you can see in Harry Judd's face, he looks disappointed. I've had a text from him because I said, look, I'm not sure about this. I said, I'm just about to interview somebody who... This is exciting for me. Well, the inglorious, the embarrassment, I think I might have said. I'm actually being stumped Judd bold heartily.

Yeah, yeah. And he knew who it was. Did he? And he said, it should have been referred. I could still be there now. It could be 450 not out. I should be there. And I knew...

I didn't know at the time, but I did know it when I got home and sent it to about 17,000 people to say that I was wrongly dismissed. It didn't call you back, did he? No. And Alex didn't say, no, no, no, that's... I blame Judd in all of this. Because I think you can see it in his face.

When you watch the video, he sort of goes, there's a side eye of, I've got away with that one. I think so, and the tone of that message. Really? I think left it very clear. I think he was robbed. He's been thinking about that for a year. And to be honest, good for him.

Good for him they can admit it now. Yeah, yeah. I mean, if it's, yeah, if it's been eating away. The guilt. Exactly. I mean, I definitely replayed it in my head, but most of the times

I replayed it in my head, I didn't go down the wicket. I stayed and waited. It was quite an ugly shot, wasn't it? Yeah, it was. I mean, you're trying to hit

partly for six, which is fair enough. Is that a sort of level of cricket that you tend to play? Listen, I played from the age of 14 to 20 my friends, Phil and Alex, they got me involved when they were marvellous players.

My friend, Phil, was a fantastic player. And we played at a holly cricket club. Right. From the age of 14 to 20. I mean, they were there from the age of 20. I think. And it was brilliant. I made all my best friends there and it was marvellous. And I really wanted to be Shane Warren. So I decided I wanted to bowl leg spin.

Yeah. Which they told me, you know this is the hardest type of bowling to bowl? And I was like, no, no, I can do it. So I really, really tried and I had a couple of days where I bowled well. Right. I got four for 35 one day. Did you? Yeah. That's brilliant. And I once got a, it was a New Zealand youth player out, I mean on the boundary.

You know, he hoofed me to the boundary. What a child? No, no. Yeah, it was a five-year-old. But, you know, it was a short boundary. It was a cult's game. I think he must have been sort of, you know, 1718. Oh, okay.

And then I was on a hat-trick. The next ball. I'd tell you, it was ball of the century stuff. Yeah. And then I, I'd have yips from four years on after that. Oh, that's a shame, though. But then I opened the batting for a while. Yeah.

Because Phil, my friend Phil said to me, he said, look, I'm going to open with you. He said, because you can block quite a while. And he said, in every ball you face is a bonus. Right. And that day, I got 23. off 64 balls. Right. And to this day,

we still talk about that famous Kempler innings. Yeah. What sort of length match was it? Was it a quick 10 overs the side or something? No, no, no, no.

I think it was a 30 over match. Oh, that's all right then. During youth cricket week. Yeah. And I'm one most improved player that year. Wow. So, you know, 2004. Your career was on there.

Oh, I mean, and now here I'm in the TMS box. So finally, you know, it's been recognised my ability. Are you a, you're a, you're a, Test cricket man, or you kind of bring all... Huge test cricket man. And to be honest with you, my nan introduced me into test cricket. My nan who I lost this year in February,

is a wonderful woman. She sounds... I've read your notes, your copious notes. But she sounds an extraordinary lady. She is an extraordinary lady. She was one of the first recognised women to get a degree from Cambridge in fine art. She played cricket for Cambridge,

the women's team. And she introduced me to TMS, because she'd seen the great Dodd Bradman play, and she'd always used to go down to Derbyshire and sketch the players and things like that. And she introduced me to TMS. And actually, you know, that was the reason I got into cricket in the first place,

but she hated any other version of the game other than test cricket or county cricket. So, yeah, it's always been test match cricket. But so then there'd only been, I guess, what 50 overs, was an alternative was there really? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Can you remember, she sort of sit you down? Yeah.

And say, right, Luke, this is, I'll just go put this radio on now, settle back and listen. Was it sort of like that? It was, and I can remember the chair. She, because she'd always lived in the, the same house my entire life. And I remember her putting the radio on. And she actually complained to TMS when it changed to digital.

And someone very kindly wrote back to her and said, well, yeah, sorry, but that is what it is. But I got her a digital radio. But she first interested me to blow us, to Henry Blowfeld. And I always used to do this impression of Henry Blowfeld. Because it was such a marvellous voice, so different to mine. And what I really enjoyed about him is he would explain absolutely nothing that was going on in the game.

It would be merely buses and gasometers from the Oval and I thoroughly enjoyed it whenever I would do this voice so she was one of the first impressions I did and of course it was TMS so it was marvellous It's very good, I see you later everyone Thank you very much I had Henry in my headphones for many years And you're right about the description

I mean I do add on, you can use this line if you like Okay That he brought the game of cricket to life didn't he? Yes Like no one else really It wasn't always the same game the rest of us are watching. But he brought it to life.

But it was just marvellous because it was such a unique voice. And I think you know, as a kid listening to it, it was always a big radio fan and still am, you know, I would always you know, even if I'm watching it on telly, I'd try and like to sync up the radio so I can listen to TMS and watch the cricket. But yes, he was, he would always explain, you know, everything

that was going on and you did feel like you were sort of there with him. And yes, I mean you might not know the score, but you'd certainly know what was going on around the ground. Oh, no, that's, that's, that, so I suppose you'd have been after Brian Johnson, I suppose. Yes.

That was another obvious voice. But my mum told me sort of all about these characters, and she would give it the famous voice. That was a Rory Bremner impersonation. Oh, really? Oh, yes. Rory would pop in in my early days, and he'd be able to do, yes, he'd do Henry,

and he'd do Brian Johnston. And Ritchie, of course, Richie Mennon. Yeah, I know Ritchie Mennow, of course, you know. Well, last night, you know, we actually got to 22 for two, of two, you know, and we do, of course, Mr. Grouchie Benno, and it would have been one of the first ones that I watched during that 2005 Aschie series, which would have been on the television at that point for me. Channel 4, of course.

And, no, absolutely delighted with Richie Bennet. But what I did, I used to love, there was a brilliant series called The Twelfth Man. Yes, absolutely. I had CDs. I can't remember. Billy Birmingham. And he would do this great, I would love to. I thought he could do it these days.

Yes, there were some troubling things like that said. But I would love to bring back that series. But, you know, you'd have Henry Blofeld there in the morning, you know, a very good morning. Morning, marvelous. And I think you know, you'd always have yourself in there as well, Agers. And I don't know. Well, if you can impersonate me, Luke, then you have beaten Rory. Okay.

Because he can't do it. And I'm going to just go, let's before you have a go in this. Oh, God, this is tense. In front of Agas. What do you look for for, you know, when you are going to do somebody? Okay. What are you looking for? Because, I mean, I've got a very dull voice.

No. But there's no manner. Well, I don't think there is. Perhaps there is. Okay. But there doesn't seem to be any... You know, I mean Henry's got an obvious style. Yes, yes.

All of these people have got mannerism. Yes. I just don't... I think my voice is a bit too kind of... No, you're doing yourself a disservice there, I guess. You know, because... I say, okay, so the first time I remember hearing your voice, it was when I was playing a marvellous game.

It was Brianara cricket in 1999. And, of course, you were the commentator on Brianara cricket. Three days I spent at a studio, don't... absolutely marvelous, but I used to play the game, and if you hit a boundary that went over, you know, for a six, you would always say the same thing. And you would always say, it was, it was absolutely fantastic. And you would have to say the same thing. We used to do this, me and my friends, and you would say, caught by the person in row M. And I've always said this. And it was the way, it was the way you said, caught by the person in row M. And

that little row laugh on there. But of course, in those days, you'd probably, you'd probably didn't have many variations. So that would come out quite a lot. But there was one other one because I was quite rubbish at the game. My friend Alex would beat me constantly. And I remember playing it and I would always hit up in the air. In the air and caught. But there was one time where I went in the air and he went,

and safe. And I was like, ah! And he went out. I was, ah, no. So I got fooled by it. So you haunted me from 1999. I think it was Alan Butcher's grandchildren on tour somewhere. came running up to me at the airport.

I didn't know they were his children actually. Grand-grandchildren. They're running up. Please, Jonathan, would you just say, do you just say something? I said, what? Would you please say, and there it goes, bounces once twice and over the boundary.

Oh, lovely. And so I said, well, yes, bounces once twice. And they ran off punching the air, yes. Yes. Oh, the days I sat in that, you arrive in the morning. Yes. And there was like a, this paper about two feet high.

Right, okay. Of scripts. These stock phrases. scripts and names because you had to go Kempner? Kempner. I love it! Oh, this is glorious.

Every possible... Oh, and then somebody... It was early days and somehow, it's very clever. Yes. They managed to kind of stitch it together. But you haven't actually done a proper impersonation yet, though. Well, no, that's sort of it, really. Is that it?

It's a bit. It's caught by the person in Roe at M. So that's all I can say, I guess. I'm sure the listeners will be enjoying it at home. And I'm sure they'll be writing in saying how marvelous it was. might be involved. I really say mild. Anyway, so 2005, yes.

Was that the series for you then? Yes. I mean, I did watch some series going up to that, but that 2005 series, you know, where it just, the whole town, I went to see the parade and it was just... Oh, did you? You were there? Yeah, yeah. What a day that was.

Oh, my word, I was in Trafalgar Square with my friends, and it was, you know, just... It was when cricket transcended across, you know, other people who didn't even like cricket, suddenly were into cricket. And, you know, we were watching Freddie Flintoff stumbling on. And it was just, it was just everything about it. And the summer, and it was, oh, it was marvelous.

I will watch that series forevermore, you know, it was just great. I interviewed Freddy that day. It was, um, it was one of those. Troubles on. Well, it was live. I'd think if it had been recorded, it probably wouldn't have ever gone out on air. Okay, okay. We got on the bus.

Oh, really? Yeah, I was on the bus. And my mic was connected, like, radio-wise, to a helicopter. and so occasionally we'd lose the signal. Right, okay. I'll be off. Anyway, the media chap said, Agos said you can interview whoever you want.

Right. On our way to Trafalgar Square, but you're not interviewing Andrew Flint on. I said, he's man of the series. Yeah. I hadn't seen him at this stage. Okay, okay. Did he have the glasses on?

Well, it was rather like, you know, when somebody gets bundled into court? Yeah, he did look like that. Yeah, he was sort of bundled onto the bus. Okay, yeah. Security people, and he couldn't really, and a blanket probably. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And then he saw him and thought, oh, okay. But you can't not interview man of this. Oh, my word. I know. But it was just somehow the atmosphere, and being on that bus, when it turned into Trafalgar Square, the beautiful sunny day.

Oh, it was phenomenal. A cricket was just ready to go then, wasn't it? I know. It was just ready to go. It was just on a kind of a launch pad. It did so much, so much for cricket. It did, and it frustrates me sort of to this day, you know, when I hear anyone talk about test cricket,

you know, dying or anything. like that because I turned up today and I have friends of mine that aren't into cricket and I just think God if you could just come and just witness a day where you get to sit and have a lovely chat with your friends but then you get to watch the game and you see the skill you see how fast it is in real life

and just you know the toiling and what great about it and people say oh it's so long it's so long I'm like I know but that's the tension that it builds no other sport can do it look what's happened today completely no one expected this today and can change in a heartbeat and I just I love it you know there's a picture

my wife's got of me of it's all right There's a picture of my house got me. And I am in a hot tub. Oh, dear. No, it's right. I've got swimming trunks on. Right. But I'm sitting in a hot tub, but I'm listening to TMS.

And we were on holiday in Italy. And my wife just took this picture of me and I'm just listening to that. And she's like, oh, I got this picture for you because this is your happy place. And it really is, honestly, lying back listening to TMA, if England are doing well or not, it's just that, it's just such a beautiful soundtrack in the background. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio. Step inside the Range Rover sport and experience refinement in every detail. With features like cabin air purification and active noise cancellation, every drive feels composed and considered.

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Or is he just the king of the attention economy? Find out on good bad billionaire. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. So tell me about then, in lockdown, you recreated that series. Yes. With our commentary. Yes, so basically I would start, I had this game, Cricket 19, which is a game on the PlayStation, and then basically people could subscribe to watch me playing it whilst commentating.

So they would subscribe in, and I called it Twitch Match Special, right? So this, and you can't get me legality because I don't do it anymore. So, but basically I would always, I would always open with Jerusalem, me singing Jerusalem, right? And then, and it was a recreated 2005 Ashes series. And I always start with Aggers and, you know, obviously bring in Jeffrey Boy, well, it's very nice to be here. wonderful day and I don't like Luke doing impressing me because he's too modern it'd be like my auntie annie being on tic-tok he's not right so we'd sort of do that and then and then half an hour in always at the changeover i would uh i would bring in jim maxwell you know would of course would always

go straight to the shipping forecast and we would always enjoy that side of it and then sometimes i'd bring in jeremy coney now of course he wouldn't be right for the ashes but he would always have that great intensity and it's a very niche impression that you probably wouldn't hear very many times, but yes, it is one as I do. That might be the best so far. I've got to be honest. Listen, I have never had a chance

to do my Jeremy Coney impression, and when I text my mate saying, you're not going to believe this. They've asked me to do Vuefen a boundary. You've got to do you, Jeremy Cohn. No, I think that's the best. Oh, we'll think that little lingering breath at the end. It's very nice.

And I had to do him once when I was playing a sheep. I was on spitting image. We were doing a sketch about Jacinda Arden, And they said, Luke, you've got to play a sheep. Yes, he was the prime minister. And I think it was called super socialistic Jucinda, I'm atrocious or something. And they said to me, he said,

Luke, you've got to play a sheep. Can you do a New Zealand accent? And I said, well, look, I can do Jeremy Coney. And they said, who? And I said, well, you'll have to hear it. And listen, it's on there to this day. You know. So the New Zealand Prime Minister has actually got a man's...

No, no. She's Jeremy Coney. No, no. She was played by Jess Robinson. But I was one of the sheep that was sort of around Jacinda, Oh, Jacinda, I'll turn. It's me, Jeremy.

So, yeah. I mean, that, you know, I doubt that's, I don't, I think I'm probably the only person to have that in the locker, maybe. I don't know. Were you an absolute pain at school? I'm asking that, because... You're finding me a pain, aren't you? No, not yet. It's okay.

If I was a teacher, I probably were, because I was at school with a chap called Robbie Robbotton. Okay. He sounds like a naughty one. It was a naughty one. He was brilliant at impersonating the teachers. Yes. which you do regularly, and they, you know, they got fed up of it in the end. I mean, I can see you being the same somehow.

Yes, I mean, there might be some of that that's true. I mean, I did have a teacher called Miss West, who was the science teacher. You know, she used to speak like this, right? And I would do impressions of her at the back of the class. And at one time, she shouted and said, ah, looked, and got sent out. I used to get sent out, but the thing is the teachers did used to find me a little bit funny. So even my parents get brought in And they were saying, look, Luke, the trouble is he's disturbing the other people

But, you know, I used to make people laugh. I was bringing morale, you know, and then I've ended up doing that job that I was sent out for. So it turns out, you know, that I was doing the right thing. Yeah. So it's just something that you could do. Yeah. Because it's a very niche area, isn't it? Impersonations and difficult and confidence.

I mean, I'm thinking of something, you know, the impressionists that we've known over the years who perhaps have lost that confidence a bit. Yes. It's a funny one. You know, there's obviously ones that you find that you enjoy doing more than others. I mean, I remember when I first did Andy Murray. And I remember just, you know, listening to him

and he was obviously like a similar age to me. And I remember just doing this voice to my friends. And they were like, you've got to put this like on YouTube or something like that. And I said, I don't like the internet. And so, you know, and eventually then I started putting these videos online. And that's when I did my downtown Abbey impressions. Everyone from Mr Carson

Jim Carter who's a big cricket fan He is, we had him the other day Yeah, oh dear, it was marvellous And it was sort of do all these impressions And I put them on YouTube and Stephen Frye tweeted about it And said, splendid display of downtonry And that kind of got me going really Because that was when Stephen Fry was like Mr Twitter

And my phone just exploded And I went from being a musical theatre boy To doing comedy and impressions And some people paying me for it So you know, it was good How do you judge that you've got it right or that it needs work? Because people, people get polite and say, oh, that's awfully good. Yes.

And actually, is that what you've been doing? Who was that? Who was that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Have you got some very honest friends or are you very, you know, do, are you very hard on yourself? And you listen back, actually, I've got to work on that. It's true. How do you do it?

I think you know, I think you know when you've not quite got it yet, you know. But the thing is, you know, that when I do them sort of in front of audiences or, you know, because I'll go out to a, you know, try stand-up and try impressions within that stand-up. You know, and I'm, you know, if I'm trying like an Alan Carr and it's sort of there, it's, I don't know if it's quite, and then I go, oh, no, I know. If I can add a little bit of something, you know, maybe add his laugh, you know. You know, and then you've found these things. And if I know, if I can freestyle it, you know, I could sit here for half an hour and talk like him,

and it would be fine, you know, and it's sort of the same, someone like Michael McIntyre, you know, we were sort of talking about, you know, a big cricket fan, of course, You know, and you know, as soon as you hear that little bit of gruff in there, and I know that I couldn't do that. We like that, don't me? We enjoy that, don't we? And you find those little phrases, and that's when you know you're sort of there in the voice. So you need the phrase?

You need something. It is. But it's a bit caught by the person in Ro M. You know, it's once you found it, you know, you can keep repeating that phrase. And, you know, with Andy Murray, oh, you know, I knew that I was fine that music and I was on it, you know. Yeah. And so you do listen back to yourself. You are.

Yeah. And do you try it out on other, on friends, colleagues? Yes, well, I mean, I sort of like, it's more, I will, because my poor wife doesn't need to hear me doing. No. Well, how do you practice? You're upstairs into a room like someone blowing an instrument and just go and do it. Honestly, it is.

I've got an office and I sort of walk around my office. And there's some days when I'm talking like Billy Connolly and my wife's saying, what's that in there? You know, and she's just hearing me try these new voices out. And especially when, you know, like when Donald Trump came on the scene, you know, I knew that I had to get him. Don't worry, I'm not going to say anything inappropriate. but I knew that I had to find him

and he would to find my version of him and isn't it great, it's wonderful, you know, find these things and it's just, I had to just, what's great is actually even headphones like this that where you can hear yourself back a little bit really helps because you're sort of checking yourself all the time. Yes.

And it's always just things that I've listened to constantly, you know, that's why things like TMS or snooker commentary or things like that, you know, you just sort of learn the sound. Yes, I'll tag them up to, hang it, just got you got some, let's go as headphones out. This is the difference, isn't there? So you do quick fire. as well. And that must be...

Okay. That's challenging, isn't it, to go from voice to voice to voice to voice? Yes, I suppose it is, but I sort of... I really enjoy the, you know, the idea that you can go in between them. You know, you know, you said you're doing someone like Boris, you know, but I'm always thinking a hit, you know, and I will be thinking, you know, where am I going to go next? And I know that I'm going to go, you know, street as someone like, you know, like, blivers, or I'm going to go to Haggers or I'm going, you know, Michael Varn, even, you know, so I know where I'm going, you know. What about this one? Ah, this is a bit of pressure. I think, I think that of all the many impersonations have had so far, Jeremy,

I think Luke's impersonation of you was the best. I don't know how to talk now. Yeah. Really? I can't tell you how much I'm sweating, Jeremy. But it is so nice to see you. It's a huge honour to meet you, of course. And I suspect you'll be thinking this doesn't sound anything like you,

but the laughs would argue. Maybe a brother. Yeah, yeah. A slightly less attractive brother, I'll take there. Nice to meet you. Tell him what role you played as Jeremy Coney. Well, I was doing a show called Spitting Image, which is a show where we were doing impressions,

and we were doing a sketch about Jacinda Arden, and they said we needed a sheep from New Zealand. And you thought of me. And I said, I could do Jeremy Coney's voice back to. So there you are forever. You've been a sheep on Spitnibage. Oh, well, I made it at last. But did you have to listen for ages?

Jeremy, you can go again now. If I think, I'm not sure which one's going to go. But that was good, though, wasn't it? Very good. Oh, thank you, Jeremy. I feel like I'm an absolute fever dream here. Pleasure to meet you, my man. Wow.

That is the litmus test. How do you get the idea? I mean, that Downton show. Yes. How did you get the idea? It's just such a brilliant concept and mad, obviously. Yeah. There's all the Downton cast.

It's Downton Abbey. but there's a problem because we always know that township is always skint isn't it so what are they going to do while they're going to go on reality shows X factor of God it's going to say strictly how do you what sort of mind comes up with with

it's worrying really I guess but I think the thing is you know even like the last show I did which was called gritty police drama the one-man musical and that you know and it was all you know it had a you know Ted Hastings like the battle but I thought you know I pick on things that I feel like we all love. So like the gritty police drummer, we all love it. But if I can put that

in a mad place. So it's like, you know, you can have Ted Heistings, but also you can have Di Louis Theroux. And then you've got Louis Theroux who's going, you know, is this weird? Is this weird to ask if this is weird? Am I okay? Is this okay? I'm not okay. But you're putting him, suddenly he's a detective. And then, and it's putting him in those situations that I find so amusing, or them going onto Clarkson's farm and them finding out if they're sort of doing any illegal activity and things like. And it's, it's, I just love our most favorite people and I'm always celebrating them. You know, I hope that that sort of comes across is that, you know, all impressions I do, I have to find something I enjoy about it. Even with Donald Trump, you know,

you're finding something you enjoy and then putting them into a mad situation, which I find a music. Yeah. So are you a singer? Are you an impressionist? Are you a comedian? I mean, you know, you've got so many strings to your boat. I think the main thing we've established is I'm not a cricketer. Well, there's evidence that would support that claim. But also, but I would, I think the thing is, is I spent some time going, should I be doing more musical theatre? Should I be doing, should I be doing this?

And I thought, you know what, just do all the things that you enjoy doing. I love being silly. I love make people laugh. I love singing. I love acting and showing off in general. But, you know, I just, it's sort of kind of wherever the work is really, you know. So, like, I sort of don't pigeonhole myself. No.

And was there a break? I mean, was there a, like, I know with down, Obviously, you had Stephen Frye. But to go from being the wag at school at the back of the class, to actually doing it professionally, that's quite a big leap, isn't it? So how do that happen? I think getting into Les Mis was the big sort of break, you know, because that happened to me and I sort of, I was about 20.

And then when I got into that... You played that part? I played Marius when I was... Oh, Marius. Yes. Oh, right. Michael Ball. I was empty chairs and empty tables.

Yes. You know, I don't know if that's ever been sung on for you from the boundary. I don't think it has. He's the good-looking chap who goes around. Yes. Yes. And I think I'm the first to ever go from playing Marius to playing Tenardier, even if it was sort of 18 years apart.

And, yeah, so, you know, I started that, and that was kind of my big break. And then from then on, sort of having the confidence to get out there. And then I just started writing these impressions and writing that Downton Abbey show, which then toured around the world. And I always feel, I mean, I don't know how you feel, but I always feel like it's a series of different breaks

that, you know, that get you to doing lots of, different things. And now, you know, I might look in three weeks time ago, I've got nothing on that week. And then suddenly a phone call, it would be someone you spoke, you know, worked with seven years ago, do you want to be in this project and stuff? So I feel like you sort of, you have a series of breaks that gets you, gets you to working constantly. And stand up?

Yes. Is your sister? Yes, she is, yeah. I mean, what, your parents? Are they, are they completely bonkers? I don't know if that, you know, brother and sister, both stand-up community. Having to entertain each other, I think there's a lot of time. My mum's a horse riding instructor, so I don't know where that came from. But, yeah,

Me and my sister, Suez Kempner, you know, she's a stand-up as well. And we just were fascinated with comedy. You know, we watched, you know, the Marks Brothers from an early age, and Blackadder and Python. And my sister would show me, because my sister's three years older than me, so she would always show me stuff that she'd been watching. So I would always, you know, and then things like the office coming around, and it was just constantly surrounded by comedy.

And stand-up for me was when I first saw Alan Davis, who I know you had on here. Yes, we have. And he, you know, first time I saw him on video, and it was, you know, I was quite young. So it was a little bit naughty, but I just, he was an Arsenal fan, I'm an Arsenal fan, he sort of had that same sort of upbringing. I just, I, and I just fell in love with it.

And I do, and I think being on stage and making people laugh is absolutely the golden ticket. Yes. Have you ever had a bad experience? Only the thousand, I would say. No, I was on view from the boundary ones. No, it was, no, I've had a few. I mean, often there's sort of corpority sort of gigs where you're presenting, you know, and it's like a football.

do and they go on, you know, and you've got to be on at half-11 at night, and then they go, oh, it's 12 o'clock, you still like to go on and everyone's talking. Yeah, that's tough. You know, they can be tough. But any, any gig that doesn't go well, you know, I always think there's a chance to learn from it, you know. So, like, it's, you know, there's been some stinkers, but that's okay. If you can pick yourself up afterwards. Well, that's, I always remember Mark Steele, you know, who said,

Mark Steele. And he always said to me, he said, if you can come back after you've had a bad gig, that's what makes you a comedian. And I think he's right. You know, if you can come back after a baggie, coming back after you've nailed it, easy, you know. Any other shows that you want to do, I mean, they seem to be fixated on Les Mis.

Yeah, I know. I've done a lot. I've done things like Le Mayer's and South Pacific and Avenue Q. You know, but there's shows that, you know, Oliver's on it. I'd love to do Fagin one day. Right. You know, the producers, I'd love to do something in the producers, and Matilda.

I'd love to play Mrs. Trunchbull in Matilda and things like that. So there's lots of shows I'd love to do, yeah. And do you apply for these? And then people come to you and say how that coming to doubt? That sort of happens. You know, certainly with Les Miers, they saw me on House of Games with Richard Osmond and I'd be talking about, showing off about Le Miers. And they said, oh, you know, we'd like to, you know, come in and do you want to come in and play to Nardia?

So I was like, yeah. But like, you know, yeah, you audition and when the roles become available and when I'm available and yeah, and then you can make it work. Well, Luke's been lovely having you on. Oh, I've loved it. I'm looking forward to this afternoon. Have you got any thoughts? What's going to happen here? I was sort of hoping that we might see Ben Stokes do something very, very special today.

But I feel like we might see Harry Brooke go berserk towards the end of the day. And I think that would be pretty fascinating. That would be good. Actually, he's played really well today, isn't he? Yeah. You know, I think one of the frustrations of the ashes, go back to your experience of watching that from China, was that he just kind of gave his wicked away too often.

He's got so much talent. Well, it's sort of that thing that Vorni said, you know, less basball, more sensible ball, you know. And it's a patient ball. And I feel like we need to see that a bit more. So you can't help yourself. Can you? I can't. I was talking to Luke then? No, almost. Almost. You know. Actually, I'm very sad.

No. You know, so I, even his first two or three balls today, you were saying, oh, okay, you know, he is taking it a little bit, you know, sensibly. But I'd quite like to see some big shots from him as well. And that's what's great about test cricket, you see it all. Yeah, they'll come. Luke, lovely to have you

on. Thank you so much. I just a message a little, there's a Michael Heel, I say, good afternoon, everyone. I'm in the middle of sorting your house out. It's being painted. I've had TMS on. I've really enjoyed the piece with, at lunch. It made me smile because, ironically, my twin brother

and I still play the old Brian Lara cricket game. Oh, no. Back at university, Agger's line from the game, McGrath steaming in. It was constantly shouted around our student house. And hearing all that again, brought back some brilliant memory. Oh, that's lovely. But Roe M.

I've forgotten about Roe M. Can you get it in today? I'll be listening. That would be great. And Harry Brooke does it. I told it. Harry Brooke could do it into that stand on there. Yes. Row M. Someone's got a cat. it the pressure's on.

Luke, thanks for coming. Thank you so much. Love it to met. Thank you. Great entertainment. Thank you so much. Luke Kempner, look out for him all over the place.

Five lights four. My favourite World Cup moment? It's the first World Cup I properly remember watching. Argentina 78. The ticker tape, Mario Kempes, Ari Hahn's scoring goals from miles out

and always one of my favorite World Cup moments. Archie Gemmels great goal for Scotland against the Dutch. What makes the World Cup such a special tournament is the atmosphere, the colour, it is a meeting of the nations, and of people who love football.

The People World Cup 2026. Listen on BBC Sounds. On the open road, conditions change. Your composure doesn't have to. But technologies like terrain response to and clear sight ground view, range rover sport brings confidence and control the challenging conditions. Explore more at range rover.ca. How did a boycott Jimmy become a billionaire from

posting videos. On Good Bad Billionaire, we're going to find out how the world's most popular YouTuber, Mr Beast, made his fortune. He's buried himself in a coffin for days. Counted to 100,000 on camera. And even recreated Squid Games, all in an attempt to go viral on the internet. But it all started when he gave a homeless man $10,000. So is he a philanthropist reshaping capitalism? Or is he just the king of the attention economy? Find out on Good Bad Billionaire. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you.