Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

Episodes page 1 of 6

1. A Big Talk about Small Talk 🗣️ (with Ray Addam) Improve your Speaking Skills in English [1007]

   20 Oct 2026 · 2 h 14 min

   Small talk is not just a pointless way to fill silence in social situations, it is an opportunity to make great social connections, build your network and just have an interesting conversation with someone new, but how…

2. 9 True Ghost Stories & Unexplained Mysteries from Listeners 👀🕯️ LEPster Writing Competition [1006]

   13 Oct 2026 · 1 h 35 min

   Listen to a selection of 9 fascinating stories written by listeners, one of which will win the competition which I launched earlier this year. Finally, the wait is over and the creepy story competition episode is here.…

3. Sir David Attenborough 🌍 Britain's #1 National Treasure [1005]

   7 Oct 2026 · 1 h 36 min

   This episode is a celebration of a living-legend of British life & culture - Sir David Attenborough, who is best known for making documentaries on the BBC about the natural world. Listen as I give an overview of his…

4. Luke’s Improvised Storytelling: Jurassic Park 🦖 [1004] Listen & Learn English

   28 Sep 2026 · 2 h 06 min

   Retelling the story of your favourite film, or book, can be a great way to practise your speaking skills in English. It can help you focus on narrative tenses, vocabulary recall and spoken fluency, while having fun…

5. Testing My Friends on English Grammar / Irregular Verbs with Amber & Paul 🎯 [1003]

   22 Sep 2026 · 2 h 39 min

   Following a challenge from the comment section, I decided to see if it was possible to make an entire episode with my friends Amber and Paul based on the table of irregular verbs. This is the result. I decided to test…

6. Neuroscience & Learning English 🧠 11 Surprising Facts [1002]

   14 Sep 2026 · 1 h 29 min

   This episode is full of fascinating science-backed insights into how the brain processes language. I read an article, and then explain various conclusions about the best way to learn English, with a lot of practical…

7. Real English Learning Stories from Around the World 🌏 Listener Comments & Questions [1001]

   3 Sep 2026 · 2 h 45 min

   LEP is back after a summer break, and in this episode you can hear messages and questions from listeners, including stories of English learning, and testimonials from LEPsters who have made a significant improvement to…

8. Episode 1000! 🎉

   12 Aug 2026 · 3 h 37 min

   Here it is, finally! The long-awaited episode 1000. It has taken me weeks to finish this. If you listen, you will understand why it has taken so long! This is a celebration of this podcast after 17 years and 1000…

9. Sherlock Holmes & The Adventure of the Man with the Twisted Lip 🕵 [999]

   29 Jul 2026 · 3 h 15 min

   Back by popular demand, here is another Sherlock Holmes mystery for episode 999. How will Watson deal with his mini-mission to an opium den, before joining Holmes on one of his most singular cases so far, attempting to…

10. Rambling in the Countryside 🏡 (feat. my daughter) [998]

    21 Jul 2026 · 58 min

    Some podcast housekeeping is necessary in this episode, as I talk about current LEP news, moving into a house in the countryside, sketchy plans for episode 1000, an update on the scary story competition, final thoughts…

11. WORLD CUP RAMBLE #4 ⚽️ FIFA 2026 England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 vs Argentina 🇦🇷 and more... (with Zdenek) [BONUS]

    16 Jul 2026 · 2 h 06 min

    Recorded the day after Argentina beat England in the semi-final 😭 here is World Cup Ramble #4. Zdenek joins me again as we discuss as many talking points as possible, including what on earth happened yesterday, the…

12. Funny Childhood Memories & Stories ⚡️👦 (with Martin) [997]

    13 Jul 2026 · 1 h 48 min

    Martin returns with a set of questions about childhood, sparking a funny conversation full of stories from school, family holidays, getting into trouble, and formative years of Luke growing up both in urban West London…

13. WORLD CUP RAMBLE 3 ⚽️ FIFA 2026 with Fred [BONUS]

    8 Jul 2026 · 1 h 15 min

    Here is the third World Cup ramble, covering the events of the last 16, predicting the outcomes of the quarter finals and beyond, and discussing the various issues, talking points and controversies. Is the World Cup…

14. Debating Skills in English 🗣️ (with Ray Addam) [996]

    6 Jul 2026 · 2 h 32 min

    Win any argument in English with these incredible debating skills. Ray Addam joins me for a discussion about the art of debating, including various strategies you can use to help you win arguments, disagreements and…

15. WORLD CUP RAMBLE #2 ⚽️ FIFA 2026 with Zdenek [BONUS]

    30 Jun 2026 · 2 h 10 min

    Here is the next bonus football rambling episode on LEP. The group stage of FIFA World Cup 2026 is over and teams are now being eliminated in the round of 32. In this episode, which is roughly the same length as the…

16. How to talk about HEATWAVES like a (sweaty) British man 🥵 [995]

    26 Jun 2026 · 1 h 48 min

    There has been an awful heatwave in Europe recently, with really high temperatures and a humid, sticky atmosphere. In this episode I ramble about the conditions, explore vocabulary with the words "hot" and "heat" and…

17. London Accents & Study Tips with Patricio Languages 🗣️🇬🇧 [994]

    22 Jun 2026 · 1 h 31 min

    What are the different English accents you can hear if you visit London? In this episode I am talking to Patricio from the YouTube channel Patricio Languages, who makes videos about diverse English accents from around…

18. Music, Marketing & Memories with Jez Booker 🥁 [993]

    15 Jun 2026 · 2 h 03 min

    In this episode I am reconnecting with an old friend after over 25 years of not seeing each other. Jez Booker is from Solihull in the West Midlands and I first met him at 6th form college, where we became friends and…

19. Vietnam Travelling Diary 🇻🇳 [992]

    8 Jun 2026 · 3 h 08 min

    In 2009 I did a solo travelling experience around Vietnam, and I wrote a diary while I was there. In this episode, over 16 years later, I read out the diary, follow my descriptions of each part of my trip, explore how…

20. [BONUS] FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 PREVIEW MEGARAMBLE ⚽

    4 Jun 2026 · 1 h 51 min

    A bonus mid-week episode previewing the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America. I'll be talking about all the teams, the favourites, the underdogs, the wild cards, the dark horse teams, England's chances, plus various…

21. Coffee, Cats & Conversation ☕️ Kate Billington’s 900-Day Streak in Taiwan [991]

    1 Jun 2026 · 1 h 41 min

    [991] A conversation with English teacher / comedian / cake maker Kate Billington, talking about her academic qualifications, cutting edge subtitling technology for theatres, questions of teaching English including…

22. RAMBLEMAN: Into the Ramble-zone 🌀 [990]

    25 May 2026 · 3 h 42 min

    An epic rambling episode packed with British humour, listener emails, anecdotes, English teaching, thoughts about AI, parenting, podcasting, language learning, YouTube comments, animals listening to LEP, British…

23. Crazy Questions with my daughter 👧✨ [989]

    17 May 2026 · 1 h 04 min

    In this episode of Luke’s English Podcast, I chat with my 8-year-old daughter as we answer a series of absurd questions, including funny Would You Rather...? questions, imaginative What if...?questions, food questions,…

24. Is the AI Bubble Bursting? 🤖🫧 (Technology & Discussion) with James [988]

    10 May 2026 · 1 h 47 min

    [988] In this episode of Luke’s English Podcast, Luke and James discuss artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, the AI bubble, generative AI, AGI, automation, job displacement, tech startups, Silicon Valley culture, deep…

25. Insane Facts 🤯 True or False? with Amber & Paul [987]

    4 May 2026 · 2 h 11 min

    [987] British English listening practice at a natural speed with surprising facts and lots of humour. Pod-pals Amber & Paul join me for an outlandish and outrageous "true or false" quiz 📝. Can Amber and Paul decide if…

26. The Bad Room 👞 (Learn English with a Short Story) [986]

    27 Apr 2026 · 1 h 05 min

    Another short story on LEP to entertain you and help you learn some more English words and expressions. This one is a creepy tale about a room in a house with a strange, fatal attraction. People can't stop themselves…

27. 10 Questions about Food 🍲 with Martin [985]

    20 Apr 2026 · 1 h 33 min

    A funny British English conversation about food, cooking & eating habits, with my friend Martin. Why is British food a bit of a joke? Do French people have the right to criticise British cuisine? What is marmite, and…

28. Paranormal Experiences 👻📘 with Anna Brooke [984]

    13 Apr 2026 · 1 h 19 min

    [984] English listening practice in the form of an authentic conversation about ghosts and the paranormal. Returning guest Anna Brooke returns to talk about her latest book "Death by Chocolate" which is inspired by…

29. English Language Haiku Master John Stevenson ✍️ (Interview) [983]

    6 Apr 2026 · 1 h 32 min

    Practise your listening in English with a fascinating conversation with a writer of haiku poetry in English. John Stevenson is one of the world's leading English language haiku poets, and in this episode I had the…

30. Haiku in English 2 🍂✍️ [982]

    30 Mar 2026 · 1 h 12 min

    Haiku poems communicate a lot of ideas, thoughts and feelings into just a few simple words. They can be moving, humourous or meditative, and reading haiku in English allows you to learn vocabulary in a very interesting…

31. Is the glass half empty, or half full? 🥃 (Vocabulary & Discussion) [981]

    23 Mar 2026 · 1 h 41 min

    In this episode I discuss optimism and pessimism, what forms our outlook on life, which is healthier, how we talk about optimism and pessimism in English and which perspective helps you learn English more effectively.…

32. Room 101🚪with Charlie Baxter 🇬🇧 Funny British English Listening Practice [980]

    16 Mar 2026 · 1 h 29 min

    Practise listening to British English conversation and enjoy some complaining, ranting and funny anecdotes in this episode based on the concept of a popular BBC TV chat show. My guest is Charlie Baxter from The British…

33. The Lumber Room (Learn English with a Short Story) [979]

    9 Mar 2026 · 1 h 54 min

    Time to learn English with another short story on Luke's English Podcast. Listen to the story and my comments, then learn vocabulary as I break down the text line by line and teach you English in context. This time it…

34. My Dad talks about his life [978]

    2 Mar 2026 · 1 h 33 min

    Following my chat with my mum last week, now it's my dad's turn! In this episode my plan was to ask my dad lots of questions about his life, and to listen to him talking about the various choices he has made, and…

35. My Mum talks about her life [977]

    22 Feb 2026 · 1 h 11 min

    [977] Recently I visited my parents at their home, and while I was there I took the time to record conversations with them both. This first one is with my mum. I asked her questions about her life story, our family…

36. RAMBLEMANIA 🗣️ 3+ Hours of English Listening & Learning with Luke [976]

    16 Feb 2026 · 3 h 34 min

    Here's an epic rambling episode in which I talk about learning English with BBC Radio and TV 📻 vocabulary expressions with the word 'thumb' 👍 the story of how I became a taxi driver on the streets of Paris 🚖 the…

37. How to write well in English ✍️ (with Fabio Cerpelloni) [975]

    9 Feb 2026 · 1 h 20 min

    What skills are involved in being a good writer? What makes a good piece of writing? How is writing different to speaking? What are the challenges faced by learners of English who want to write well, and what are some…

38. Haiku in English 📖 🍃 [974]

    2 Feb 2026 · 1 h 47 min

    [974] In this episode I read out lots of haiku poems, explain their meaning, discuss what they make me think and feel, and use them to teach you some vocabulary. The haikus I read include some traditional Japanese ones…

39. Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb 👍🔪 (Learn English with a Short Story) [973]

    26 Jan 2026 · 1 h 35 min

    Back by popular demand, here is another Sherlock Holmes short story on LEP. This one tells the suspenseful tale of a young engineer 👷 who accepts a well-paid but mysterious job. In classic horror movie style, he…

40. Identity, Mindset, Accents & Learning English with Multilingual Actor Ivan Doan [972]

    19 Jan 2026 · 1 h 38 min

    [972] I talk with multilingual actor Ivan Doan about his multicultural background, his learning of languages and his work as an actor. Ivan shares his insights and experiences of learning English, dealing with…

41. [Part 2] 9 Science-based Life Hacks to Improve your English Learning Potential in 2026 🧠 [971]

    12 Jan 2026 · 2 h 00 min

    [971] Part 2 of 2. Here is the continuation of last week's episode about changes you can make to your lifestyle, mindset and habits in order to become a better learner of English in 2026. Each of these tips is backed…

42. [Part 1] 9 Science-based Life Hacks to Improve your English Learning Potential in 2026 🧠 [970]

    5 Jan 2026 · 1 h 33 min

    [970] Part 1 of 2. An English podcast about simple habits you can introduce in your life, to be in top condition for learning English all year long. This is all backed up by scientific research into how our brains…

43. WORLD NEWS QUIZ 2025 🌍 with Stephen from SEND7 Podcast [969]

    29 Dec 2025 · 2 h 02 min

    [969] It's time for the annual World News Quiz with 20 questions about some of the curious news stories of 2025. Stephen Devincenzi from the SEND7 podcast is the quizmaster. Can you I improve on my poor performance…

44. The Words of the Year 2025 📖 with Amber & Paul [968]

    25 Dec 2025 · 1 h 47 min

    [968] The Collins Dictionary Words of the Year is a list of 10 words which capture the cultural zeitgeist - the spirit of the times that we are living in now. These are new words, picked by Collins, which reflect big…

45. Robbing the Louvre 👑 Escaping to Nigeria 🏃♂️ with Amber & Paul [967] Catching Up #16

    22 Dec 2025 · 1 h 20 min

    [967] A conversation in the podcastle with my pals Amber & Paul. In this one we chat about Paul's ambitious international marathon plans (what is he running from exactly?) what Amber knows about the famous robbery of…

46. The Ramble Before Christmas 🎄 [966] Listen & Learn English with Luke

    15 Dec 2025 · 2 h 55 min

    [966] Here is a super-long seasonal rambling episode, which you can listen to while wrapping presents, finishing some last-minute gift shopping, or (if you don't celebrate Christmas) just doing whatever you normally do…

47. The Kit-Bag (Learn English with a Short Story) [965]

    8 Dec 2025 · 1 h 51 min

    [965] It is traditional to tell a scary story at Christmas time, so here is one for this year's festive season. The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood is a classic scary tale which will give you a chill, while you stay cosy…

48. A Cosy Rambling Episode at Home [964]

    1 Dec 2025 · 1 h 10 min

    In this audio-only episode today you can join me at home as I potter around, and take time to relax while recording a rambling episode for you to enjoy. Enjoy the sounds of street noise outside, and my attempts to find…

49. Talking Therapy, Mental Health & Counselling with Emma Camara Ortega [963]

    24 Nov 2025 · 1 h 25 min

    [963] Emma Camara Ortega and I worked together as English teachers years ago, but since then Emma has become a licensed counsellor and therapist - helping people with their mental health. In this episode, Emma talks to…

50. The Door in the Wall 🚪 (Learn English with a Short Story) [962]

    17 Nov 2025 · 2 h 00 min

    [962] Time for another short story on LEP. This one is about a man who has a wondrous experience as a child, which then haunts him for the rest of his adult life. Listen as I read the story to you, and then ramble…