The Absolute Peach Podcast

"The Absolute Peach" (or TAP) is a Podcast Awards-nominated and iTunes featured British Internet radio show created and hosted by Ben Young and Joseph Gallagher.
The show was nominated for the Comedy Award in both the 2009 and 2010 Podcast Awards and finished among the top ten shows in the Comedy category.
TAP releases pre-recorded shows every Friday as part of a series. The first episode of Series 1 was originally released in January 2007, and the podcast is currently in its eighth series. The Absolute Peach also broadcasts live online once every two weeks. Both pre-recorded and live shows are available to download via iTunes , RSS subscription , or by direct download from the show’s website.
Hosts discuss a variety of topics from world news and entertainment headlines to the latest viral videos circling the Internet.
TAP is an iTunes Featured Podcast in the Comedy category and also appears in the Staff Favorites section.
Host Ben Young is promoter for The Absolute Peach and has appeared on Bournemouth radio station Hope FM and Belfast radio station Feile FM to endorse the podcast.
The Absolute Peach Podcast reaches listeners worldwide and its fan base ranges in age. In a recent informal survey conducted on the show’s Facebook page, it was suggested that the youngest listener to the show is 11 and the oldest is 65. It is uncertain, however, what the profile of a "typical" TAP listener is.
Hosts
Ben
Ben is a co-founder, host and producer of The Absolute Peach. Though he appears to be the more strait-laced of the two main hosts, he is also known for his dry wit. He is the only voice on the show which can provide the viewpoint of a married man.
Joe
Joe is a co-founder and co-host of The Absolute Peach. Though he is considered a regular part of the show, he has been known to miss the recording of an episode or two due to overindulgence from the night before. His bohemian lifestyle is a frequent topic of conversation and he adds a culinary flavor to the show with his segment 'Joe Cuisine'.
Regular Guest Hosts
Since the latter half of Series 5, Ben and Joe are often joined by guest hosts.
Beasley
Beasley, a.k.a. Kriss Bennett, a.k.a. One Boiled Egg first appeared on the show in Episode 14 of Series 5. A self-proclaimed arrogant sort, Kriss is often affectionately referred to as Your Lord Beasley. This title has earned him his own segment called Beasley Knows Best.
Michael
Michael Wilson first appeared in Episode 21 of Series 5 and became something of a regular in Series 6. Since the end of Series 6 however, Michael has not appeared on the show.
Bungle
Bungle is Ben's friend. Being a male nurse, he offers a very different viewpoint on the show as the only person without a tech or computer background. Bungle's first official appearance on the show was in Episode 6 of Series 6: "Films & Farming".
The Show
Shows are typically 1 hour in length. They begin with a variety of TAP theme songs, some of which are written by the fans themselves. Hosts discuss the lighter side of world news headlines, entertainment industry gossip and Internet fads. To close out the show, hosts invite listeners to take part in Facebook, Twitter and TAP website surveys, share their stories and opinions via e-mail and join their online fan club called TAPAS. Fans can also take part in the show's discussion forums and watch videos on the show’s YouTube channel.
Live Shows
Live shows take place occasionally and are broadcast online on The Absolute Peach website. During the live show, fans can call or Skype into the studio and interact with the hosts. Peach followers can also click the TAP website feedback button and send a message directly to Ben, Joe and their guests, or they can sign into the website chat room and converse with other fans of the show.
Regular Segments
The show has a collection of recurring segments.
Chav Watch
A chav has been defined by TAP hosts as a rowdy and raucous person, typically male, seen commonly on the English streets begging for money from passers-by, as chavs are generally unemployed. Once in the possession of this money, however, it is usually squandered away by purchasing alcohol, fake designer watches or a family size bucket of KFC. The hosts come in contact with chavs on a fairly regular basis and have a wealth of stories to share regarding this caste of society.
News Watch
News Watch touches on almost every subject imaginable and is a chance for the hosts to share their views and opinions on the latest serious headline news or the most frivolous entertainment gossip. Past topics have included Justin Bieber, male girdles and the use of one man’s Vietnam training to fend off a rabid fox.
Joe Cuisine
Joe Cuisine is host Joe Gallagher’s chance to show off his culinary skills. Joe doesn’t aim to create any new dishes, he simply looks to combine two food items which are already good on their own and bring them together in one dish. Former feasts have included coffee rice, chocolate tea chili and the two egg special.
Beasley Knows Best
As Beasley is self-proclaimed arrogant lord of all, fans are encouraged to query him for advice. For example, when one fan asked how they might get rid of a house guest who was overstaying their welcome, Beasley suggested that the host set their house on fire to guarantee their guest’s hasty exit.
Map of Shame
Occasionally one of the hosts will recount an event in their lives which is deserving of a pin on their Map of Shame. This will typically be something they have done which is shameful, embarrassing or generally worthy of ridicule by his fellow hosts. In some episodes there is also a variation of the segment called Celebrity Map of Shame.
Write the Peach
Write the Peach is an opportunity for TAP fans to create a short script written in the hosts’ characters which the hosts will in turn read out on the podcast. This is a chance for fans to demonstrate their knowledge of the show’s segments as well as their familiarity with the hosts’ true personalities.
Mini Shows
To tide listeners over during a break between podcast recordings, and also to give new listeners a taste of what a typical TAP episode is like, Ben and Joe have recorded a handful of fifteen-minute mini-shows. Recent topics have included marriage, music and movies. These brief discussions give fans a bit more insight into the hosts’ daily lifestyle and favorite pastimes.
The Absolute Peach Absolute Segments (TAPAS)
TAPAS is an exclusive fan club created to provide listeners with bonus content and merchandise. Fans are asked to make a small monthly donation which is used to offset the show’s expenses. In return, TAP followers receive unreleased audio, bonus shows, wallpapers, photos and videos available exclusively through TAPAS. TAPAS subscribers receive an extra show every Friday called "Aftertastes". These shows are often promoted in the normal podcast that is recorded directly before it.
The Absolute iPhone App
The Absolute App is a free iPhone and iPod Touch application available through the iTunes App Store.
Features of the application include streaming of the latest full length episodes, a live news feed and an integrated feedback system linking listeners’ e-mail, phone and Skype accounts for participation in live shows.
The Absolute Meet
In May 2010, The Absolute Peach conducted their first meet-up of show hosts and listeners (called The Absolute Meet) in London, England. The evening began with a few pints at The Lamb and Flag pub before moving on to an Italian dinner and an intoxicated rendition of the song Pants on the Ground by host Beasley. Due to the great success of the first meet-up, a second one is currently scheduled for August 2010. This meet-up will take place at Bournemouth Beach and has, therefore, been entitled The Absolute Beach.

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