Name: Olly Mann interviews Charlie Higson on LBC 97.3 by OllyMann
Duration: 7 min 12 s
Description: Olly Mann interviews children's author and Fast Show star Charlie Higson about scaring kids, writing sketch comedy and the controversy around 'Citizen Khan'

Today’s questioneers want to know whether to hide bawdy home decor when kids visit, how one comes to own a cemetery, why cities are full of artist-decorated animals, whether you can eat slugs, what to do with three unwanted sets of boules, and what the most ordered item is from the enormous menu at Cheesecake Factory.

For more information about this episode, and pics of the very special furniture we mention, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode409.

Got questions for us to answer? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com, OR - thanks to Adam of SocialComms.uk who has revived our phone number - you can call 0208 123 5877. Next episode will be in your podfeed 25 September 2025.

Become a patron at patreon.com/answermethis to help with the continuing existence of AMT, and to get an ad-free version of the episode, plus bonus material culled from the show, and our live video question-answering session Petty Problems - you can catch up on previous editions too.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER.

AMT409: Nude Furniture, Cheesecake Factory and Eating Slugs

AMT410: Unwanted Tattoos, Cherry Wine and Sexy Old Men

AMT411: Sperm Donation, Snake Charming and Open Top Bus Parades

AMT412’s questioneers want to know why Innocent smoothies wear little woolly hats, how to increase someone’s spice tolerance, whether someone making you a mixtape is definitely a sign of romantic interest, and what to do about similarly-named strangers using your email address.

For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode412.

Got questions for us to answer, or feedback about an episode? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com, or you can call 0208 123 5877 like the old days. AMT413 will be in your podfeed 24 December 2025, and halfway through the month you’ll get an episode of our new feature Answer Us Back in your podfeed, full of your own contributions to AMT questions recent and ancient.

Become a patron at patreon.com/answermethis to help with the continuing existence of AMT. All tiers get an ad-free version of the episode, plus bonus material each month, and our live video question-answering session Petty Problems which is next happening 18 January 2026; but spend a bit more and you get access to an RSS feed with ALL the AMT stuff EVER, including our entire back catalogue, our six themed albums, the retro AMTs, and every Bit of Crapp from the AMT App. 

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER.

Thanks to Naked Wines for sponsoring AMT, and for providing bottles straight from world-class winemakers, cutting out the middleman, delivered to your door. Head to nakedwines.co.uk/answer to get a £30 voucher on your first 6 pack, including free delivery.

AMT412: Widow’s Peaks, Mixtapes and Garlic

Answer Us Back: Naughty Elves and Same-names

How do you tell your parents you’ve been married for several years? Is bell-ringing a sport? What should you wear on a TV quiz show? How rich/soggy is Mr Darcy? And what species is a Womble? AMT413 questioneers want to know all these things and more.

For more information about this episode, visit answermethispodcast.com/episode413, and let us know your weird snack preferences too. 

Got questions for us to answer, or feedback about an episode? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com, or you can call 0208 123 5877 like the old days. AMT414 will be in your podfeed 29 January 2026, and paying patrons also get a fresh edition of our video livestream question-answering session Petty Problems on 16 January.

So become a patron at patreon.com/answermethis and you not only get to watch all the Petty Problemses, you also receive an ad-free version of the episode, plus bonus material each month, and if you sign up at one of the higher tiers, you get access to an RSS feed with ALL the AMT stuff EVER, including our entire back catalogue, our six themed albums, the retro AMTs, and every Bit of Crapp from the AMT App. Cor! AND you’re helping with the continuing existence of AMT through 2026.

Also, if you want to check out our other podcasts that we mention at the end of this episode: Olly's daily history show ⁠Today in History with the Retrospectors⁠ is ⁠at podlink.com/retrospectors , and you'll find Helen's Pride and Prejudice re-caps in the archive of ⁠Veronica Mars Investigations⁠ at https://pod.link/1475687979

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER.



AMT413: Secret marriage, wet Mr Darcy and transparent pie

This month, questioneers want to know about songs for the year 2000, what the deal is with wax seals, why we say “The butler did it!” when the butler never did it, and how to shirk unwanted company at rowdy retiree lunch club.

For more information about this episode, head to answermethispodcast.com/episode414
Got questions for us to answer, or feedback about an episode? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com, or you can call 0208 123 5877 like the old days. AMT415 will be in your podfeed 26 Febuary 2026, with an episode of Answer Us Back mid-Feb; paying patrons at patreon.com/answermethis also get a batch of Bonus Bits, plus the Petty Problems back catalogue, AND an ad-free version of AMT414. (Sign up at one of the higher tiers to get access to an RSS feed with ALL the AMT stuff EVER, including our entire back catalogue, our six themed albums, the retro AMTs, and every Bit of Crapp from the AMT App!)

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER.


AMT414: Wax Seals, Y2K Songs, and the Butler Doing It

Hello! Welcome to this month's edition of Answer Us Back, full of your feedback on AMTs old and new. Today:
In response to AMT413's question about unusual food combos, Dan writes in about his sauerkraut spaghetti, which still doesn't seem that deviant. 
The Toby Carvery's appearance in AMT403 was very illuminating for listeners outside of the Toby Carvery-producing regions, including Eric in Oregon, who in return teaches us about the Toby Carvery gold card.
In AMT413 we identified what species Wombles are. Amy and her sister are preparing to go on a Wombles-themed holiday in six different locations. 
AMT361 prompted a fond memory in Sarah from Leeds of skipping to school with her dad, awww.
AMT206, featuring quite reluctant pod-guest Jackie Mason, is making Katie from Halifax, Nova Scotia feel better about her own awkward workplace atmosphere. Erm, you’re welcome, Katie?
If you’ve been storing thoughts about AMTs 1-414, send them to us for future episodes of Answer Us Back. And as always, send in your questions, in voicenote or written form to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. All new AMT415 will be in your podfeed 26 February. 

And keep AMT going by signing up at patreon.com/answermethis, where highest tier gets access to our ENTIRE back catalogue, including the paywalled episodes, the special albums, the Bonus Bits of Crapp on the AMT App (RIP) and all the Retro AMT episodes.


Answer Us Back: Tobermory Carvermory

This month, questioneers want to know what Zambonis are up to on ice hockey rinks, what Wee Willie Winkie is up to running through the town, why not many sandwiches go by their initials, how to reassure a spouse about their upcoming voluntary kidney donation, and whether Jimi Hendrix unleashed green parakeets across southeast England.
 
For more information about this episode, head to answermethispodcast.com/episode415.

Got questions for us to answer, or feedback about an episode old or new? Send them in writing or as a voice note to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com, or you can call 0208 123 5877 like the old days. 

AMT416 will be in your podfeed 26 March 2026, with an episode of Answer Us Back mid-month; paying patrons at patreon.com/answermethis also get a batch of Bonus Bits, plus the Petty Problems back catalogue, AND an ad-free version of AMT415. If you sign up at one of the higher Patreon tiers, you get access to an RSS feed with ALL the AMT stuff EVER, including our entire back catalogue, our six themed albums, the retro AMTs, and every Bit of Crapp from the AMT App. 

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, the all in one platform for creating and running your online empire. Go to squarespace.com/answer, have a play around during the two-week free trial, and when you're ready to launch, get a 10% discount on your first purchase of a website or domain with the code ANSWER.


AMT415: BLTs, Zambonis and the Wingdings Conspiracy

Hello! Welcome to this month's edition of Answer Us Back, full of your feedback on AMTs old and new. Today:
Helen's going to watch ice hockey this weekend, i.e. she'll get to see zambonis in action, per AMT415.
Olly got sleb-spotted when out for breakfast (hi Simon!).
Pete in Bloomington, Indiana, wants to know whether Kyle from Bloomington, Indiana, is still stealing olives from the olive bars of Bloomington, Indiana, like he was back in AMT305 in 2014. Well, Kyle, are you? ARE YOU???
Provoked by AMT402's discussion of proposals via book dedications, Emma in Canada has a real life example from her own parents of a proposal via printed text, in their case the local tabloid newspaper.
David from Glasgow heard us talking about the radio pip pip pips in AMT406 and explains how they use them in his work on cargo ships.
Amy has a tip for Olly, to end his despair from AMT402 about all the little plastic bottles containing his cholesterol-reducing Benecol.
We get a bit verklempt as Ricardito reminisces about what AMT meant to his late partner Stephen - including an excellent prank in AMT303.

And along the way we learn about Olly's greatest technological fear and pragmatic marriage proposal, and Helen's parents' pugnacious proposal. 

If you’ve been amassing thoughts about AMTs 1-415, send them to us for future episodes of Answer Us Back. And as always, send in your questions, in voicenote or written form to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com. All new AMT416 will be in your podfeed 26 March. 

29 March is the next edition of our video livestream Petty Problems, so send us your unserious concerns and queries for that. To watch it and all the previous ones, sign up to patreonise the show at patreon.com/answermethis, where highest tier gets access to our ENTIRE back catalogue, including the paywalled episodes, the special albums, the Bonus Bits of Crapp on the AMT App, and all the Retro AMT episodes with our commentary reflecting upon them years later. AND by supporting the show on Patreon, you’re helping to fund new AMT.

AUB 2026-03

Olly Mann interviews children's author and Fast Show star Charlie Higson about scaring kids, writing sketch comedy and the controversy around 'Citizen Khan'

Olly Mann interviews Charlie Higson on LBC 97.3

OllyMann

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