Middlesbrough conversations with room for banter and resolutions
RBTV talks to people around Middlesbrough, from Andy Preston reflecting on four years as mayor to an Aaron Lythe conversation about Teesside's DIY creative corner and a town centre people are avoiding. It also makes room for a 100th-episode catch-up with the 100 Horrors crew, a three-year-old guest and a solo episode on new-year habits.
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RBTV is a conversational interview podcast, and the place it keeps coming back to is Middlesbrough. Its conversations with Andy Preston and Aaron Lythe both turn on the town, and they are worth hearing together. 'Andy Preston Part one. RBTV #44' comes with a short spoken introduction that explains the setup. The show first spoke to Preston roughly four years earlier, when he was on the campaign trail to be mayor, and this return visit looks back on his four years in the job. Preston is blunt about rumours: how they gain traction, how people who don't believe them still stir them up for political reasons, and how much that hurts. 'I'm not a saint, but I'm pretty honest,' he says. His closing plans are small ones: get fitter, maybe box again, maybe learn the piano. 'Andy Preston Pt. 2' exists because Preston sent a message the next day asking to say more about local councils. The second conversation looks ahead. It lists offices on Albert Road, Bloom restaurant, new bars, a cinema, a food hall and what is happening in Captain Cook Square. Preston argues that AI and working from home will never stop people wanting to be entertained in groups. He adds that a town's turnaround is most fragile near its beginning. 'Aaron Lythe PT.2 - Play Middlesbrough' looks at the same town from street level. It covers Teesside's creative corner growing from very DIY to still DIY, rising council tax, and people choosing to go somewhere off the beaten track instead of into the town centre. One speaker can think of a hundred interesting people in Teesside but hardly any local podcasts, apart from a friend's football one. The conversation ends on gratitude and the line that 'we all stand on the shoulders of giants'. Not everything here is civic. '100 Horrors special!!' brings in the crew behind another podcast to mark its 100th episode. The talk drifts into mishaps at school, a DVD one of them only wished they owned, and being harassed by people from Iowa. 'Hazel 2024' hands the microphone to a three-year-old, who names tigers, elephants and Spider-Man among her favourites. The host also works solo. 'New year, new you? Maybe just!' recommends writing goals down on paper and aiming to be just 1% better instead of perfect in January, because small habits compound. The advice comes from years of thinking about food and fuelling for jiu-jitsu and competitions. The episode also owns up to a Christmas of chocolate, mince pies, beer and whiskey. For the town, start with the Andy Preston pair. To hear the host alone, try the new-year episode, and for easy laughs, '100 Horrors special!!'.
Made for: Suits a listener with a connection to Middlesbrough or Teesside who wants local figures talking candidly about the town's politics, regeneration and creative life, and who also enjoys the looser episodes in between.
What sets it apart: Middlesbrough anchors the feed. A mayor looking back on his time in office and a conversation about Teesside's creative scene sit alongside a 100th-episode catch-up with another podcast and a chat with a three-year-old, so local politics and plain silliness get the same relaxed treatment.
RBTV is a podcast, I interview creatives, do solo film reviews and loads more. If I find somebody interesting, I'll interview them. I tend to have guests on involved in the music industry, Mixed Martial Arts, Tattooing, and everything in-between.If you want to be a pid sub, hit the link below, but I'll do everything in my power to avoid putting out subscriber only episodes. https://anchor.fm/rick-baker8/subscribeThis podcast is sponsored by Reap Jiu Jitsu. Please consider checking us out!
Rick guesses the episode number before a film commentary; if that makes you grin, pull up a chair.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A warm Teesside conversation about changing town centres, alternative spaces, and the people who keep local culture moving.
Middlesbrough's changing town centre gives the episode its frame, as the guest links lost shops with online shopping, the economy, council tax rates, and the businesses left trying to pull people in without steady footfall.
A hopeful, grounded look at Middlesbrough's investment story and the fragile early steps behind urban change.
Andy Preston Pt. 2 frames Middlesbrough as a town edging toward an investment turning point, moving from fitness and boxing plans into Albert Road offices, the Boho buildings, and leisure projects clustered around the centre.
Andy Preston reflects on visibility, rumours, and the private strain of public accountability.
Andy Preston's four years as Middlesbrough Mayor give the episode its clearest thread: what public office asks of a person once the speeches and decisions spill into ordinary life.
A loose milestone chat where live-show stress, classroom sickness, and horror-film affection crowd the same table.
RBTV's 100 Horrors special treats a milestone interview as a relaxed, affectionate look at the labor and oddness behind the podcast. The group look back on reaching their 100th episode, a live show that seemed to arrive suddenly, the strain of organizing it, and the less…
A loose live conversation turns an omitted story into the night's sharpest joke.
The live conversation between Phil and Rick Sumo keeps drifting from the book toward the old days, and that tug gives the episode its shape. There is embarrassment around the project, affection for the people who showed up, and a steady pull back to the Corn House and the…
Serialized pulp radio drama: Red Panda battles android-army supervillain Captain Clockwork in 1930s Toronto.
Mike Muncer and a different guest dissect two horror films per episode, by subgenre.
Joe Lipsett and Trace Thurman find queer subtext in everything from Anaconda to The Mummy.
["Aaron Lythe's RBTV conversation links Play Middlesbrough, Reap, and a Teesside podcast scene that started six years ago at 10 Feet Tall Studios.", "He says early media was just a screen grab and now TikTok, poster art, and captions can push a Devo booking to 30,000 views and a two-day sellout.", "The episode circles around how to keep Reap, music bingo, quizzes, and Play aligned with his own taste while avoiding bad bets like overbuying surf stock.", "He also argues that Middlesbrough needs alternative places outside the town centre, especially with council support thin and weekend operating costs rising."]
A father interviews his three-year-old daughter Hazel about her age, favorite animals, TV shows, and daily activities.
RBTV’s Andy Preston Pt.
Andy Preston says four years as Middlesbrough Mayor exposed a council culture that can 'frustrate it, delay it, tie you in knots' even when the mayor is elected.
RBTV's `100 Horrors special!!` celebrates the podcast's 100th episode and a live show that drew about 60 people.
["Phil Saunders and Rick Baker turn RBTV's live show into a Sumo and Empire history lesson, built around a printed draft that Claire read for eight hours and called \"fucking brilliant\".", "Phil says the book started as a lockdown project, grew into 107,000 words, and cost about \u00a31,500 just to proofread.", "He revisits Middlesbrough club culture through the Corner House, the Empire, free hats, pizza runs, and the crowds that treated Sumo as more than a night out.", "The sharpest argument is that Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and niche online music changed how people dressed, listened, and attached themselves to club nights."]
RBTV records a four-hour car journey with Tyler Logan and Nolan while travelling to see Joe Rogan in London, moving from jiu-jitsu injuries to horror films.
RBTV #39 follows photographer and videographer Eddie Maynard from his mother’s wedding photography and teenage metalcore gigs at Liberties to nightclub work and later festival and wedding photography.
RBTV returns after approximately two years away, with the speakers discussing why COVID-era Zoom interviews lacked the appeal of in-person formats such as Hot Ones.
RBTV #37 reunites the host with Lee Flanagan three years after an earlier conversation about ambition, identity, and Bespoke Financial Group.
RBTV's Christmas special puts Rick, Doug, and Pi through questions about films, food, music, drinking, presents, spending, and skateboarding.
RBTV watches The Dare with screenwriter Johnny Grant, who comments on the film's scenes, performances, reshoots, and release versions.
RBTV #34 pairs host Rick with Phil Saunders, a former Ten Feet Tall and Sumo colleague, to discuss Phil's book about Wraiths and Rick's planned Sumo history.
RBTV episode 33 pairs host commentary with tattoo artist Sonny Joe Williamson’s first full listen to The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds.
RBTV #30 - Spin, Ice Cube: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted is the host’s explanation of RBTV’s return after a hiatus and its shift toward record-focused discussions.
RBTV #29 follows Ritchy Allaway at Auxiliary Gallery as he prepares a four-show exhibition built around light, smoke, space, and the sublime.
RBTV #28 pairs Adam Long with the host for a conversation that begins with Domino’s pizza and expands into podcasting, food reviews, marketing, and online identity.
RBTV #27 with Natalie Morguette examines Netflix’s The Dirt and argues that the Mötley Crüe biopic turns a dark band history into a sanitized party film.
RBTV #26 features Andy Preston explaining why he decided to stand for mayor of Middlesbrough despite family and workload concerns.
Aaron Lyth explains how Sad For Life Records grew from garage jams with Sam after they met while working at Head of Steam in Norton.
RBTV hosts Mike Lewis and Mike Leng recap Polaris 9 from London’s Indigo at the O2 after covering the event’s social-media channels and traveling home by train.
RBTV host interviews actress Jessica Daley about musical theatre, teaching singing, auditions, and the instability of performing work.
RBTV Episode 21 visits Four Daggers Tattoo, where Sonny and Reggie discuss opening a small studio after years of apprenticeship, management, and tattooing.
RBTV #20 - The mission with Doug follows Doug's plan to document a return to MMA training and a possible fight while addressing his mental health.
RBTV #19 follows Josh, owner of Off The Ground in Millsborough Town, Setna, from the coffee shop's keys in August 2016 to its opening in March 2017.
RBTV’s Jamie Bradley interview traces his years touring with Hey Alaska, including sleeping in vans, driving from Leeds and Stockton, and learning that touring was not nonstop partying.
RBTV Episode 17 follows James Woodhouse from abandoned plans for product design and computer programming to music technology, filmmaking, and technical management at Middlesbrough Town Hall.
RBTV Episode 16 pairs host Rick with tattoo artist and Star Wars collector Paul Watson-Sith for a May 4 discussion of the franchise's films, canon, fandom, and merchandise.
Abbey TV's Episode 15 pairs Alex Garland's Annihilation, starring Natalie Portman, with Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 Russian film Stalker.
RBTV Episode 14 brings the host together with Matt, Rob, and Johnny from Darlington Steam American Football Club, three musicians connected through earlier bands.
RBTV Episode 12 features Ricky speaking with Lee Flanagan about leadership, self-employment, ambition, and the influence of Teesside identity on business.
RBTV Episode 11 features Jamie Taylor, head coach at Stealth BJJ North East, discussing his path from karate in 1999 to jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling, and MMA.
RBTV hosts discuss the Oscars, comparing nominated films including Darkest Hour, Get Out, Lady Bird, Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and The Shape of Water.
Matt Benyon explains how Polaris evolved from a UK submission-only grappling event into a recurring promotion with weight-class belts and UFC feedback.
RBTV Episode 8 features Ritchy and Luke recalling tours that included sleeping in converted vans, drinking cheap Tesco lager, and improvising hygiene routines at venues.
RBTV’s Reggie and Dave watch The Room while commenting on Tommy Wiseau’s acting, dialogue, sex scenes, soundtrack, budget, and continuity.
RBTV Episode 6 features Chad discussing China Lane, Cape Cod, songwriting, and music production with the host.
RBTV Episode 5 features Tom Corrigill and Dougie Fresh discussing Tom’s route from a 2003-2004 rugby academy through Redcar BJJ, MFA, and amateur MMA.
RBTV Episode 4: Tea & Cake with Carli follows Carly's eight-year tea-house journey, from opening at 22 to building a larger business in Middlesbrough.
RBTV Episode 3 features Rick Baker and Phil Saunders discussing phone habits, parenthood, tattoos, films, and music careers.
RBTV’s second episode features tattoo artist Reggie Brees discussing seasonal demand at Skin and Needles, including September student traffic and summer body-consciousness.
RBTV’s first episode features statistician and pro MMA fighter Chris Douglas explaining how analytical thinking and composure shaped his early fights.