Bloomin’ Legends with Johnny Vaughan & Gavin Woods

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods unpack the jaw-dropping tale of Reg Spiers - the Aussie athlete who mailed himself across the world in a wooden box and somehow lived to tell the tale.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

📦 The Man Who Posted Himself Home – Why Reg climbed into a crate and shipped himself 10,000 miles

✈️ Smuggling, Sweat & Survival – How he survived airports, baggage holds, and border checks

🏃 From Javelins to Jail Time – His rise as a top athlete and his descent into international crime

🤯 One of the Wildest Rides in History – How Reg became a cult legend for all the wrong (and right) reasons

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Reg Spiers a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just a lunatic in a luggage hold?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us an email: bloominlegends@global.com

Send us your legendary stories whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers, and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods charge into the fiery legacy of Boudica—the warrior queen who led a brutal rebellion against the Roman Empire and almost brought it to its knees.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🔥 Britannia’s Badass Queen – How Boudica rose from royal wife to ruthless war leader

⚔️ Revenge of the Iceni – The Roman injustice that sparked a rebellion soaked in blood

🏛️ Sacking Roman Cities – How she torched Londinium and terrified the empire

🗡️ Heroic Stand or Hopeless Cause? – The final battle that sealed her fate - and her legend

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Boudica a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just a rebel queen out for revenge?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us an email: bloominlegends@global.com

Send us your legendary stories - whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods chart the epic rags-to-riches rise of Andrew Carnegie - the penniless Scottish immigrant who built an American steel empire, gave away his fortune, and helped invent the modern billionaire playbook.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

💰 From Bobbin Boy to Steel Tycoon - How a dirt-poor kid became one of the richest men in history

🏭 The Ruthless Rise - His cutthroat business tactics and the dark side of his steel success

📚 Philanthropy Overload - Why he gave away 90% of his fortune, and what he expected in return

🧠 Guilt, Ego, or Genius? – Was he changing the world... or just cleaning his conscience?

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Andrew Carnegie a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just a steel-hearted capitalist with a soft spot for libraries?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories - whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers - and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods dive into the fearless and ferocious reign of Njinga of Ndongo—the warrior queen who outsmarted the Portuguese, ruled two kingdoms, and flipped gender norms on their head centuries before it was even a conversation.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

👑 Born to Rule, Built to Fight – How Njinga went from princess to military mastermind and monarch

⚔️ Beating Back the Colonisers – Her ruthless tactics and slick diplomacy that kept the Portuguese on their toes

🧠 Power Moves & Political Genius – How she turned alliances, religion, and even identity into weapons of war

🔥 A Legacy That Still Slaps – Why Njinga is remembered as one of the most powerful women in African history

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Njinga of Ndongo a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just a clever queen playing the game?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories—whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods explore the epic life of Christopher Lee - the horror movie icon whose real-life adventures make even Dracula look tame. From Nazi hunting to heavy metal albums, this guy did it all.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🦇 The Prince of Darkness on Screen – How Lee became cinema’s most chilling Dracula and horror royalty

🗡️ The Real-Life Action Hero – His insane wartime service, secret missions, and Nazi-hunting days

🧙 From Middle-earth to the Death Star – The roles that made him a fantasy and sci-fi legend

🎸 Metal, Magic & Multilingual Madness – Why Christopher Lee’s life was cooler than any movie he ever starred in

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Christopher Lee a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just an eccentric actor with a flair for drama?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories—whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods set sail into the outrageous life of Jack Ward—the English sailor-turned-pirate who went rogue, terrorized the Mediterranean, and pulled off one of the strangest transformations in pirate history.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🏴‍☠️ From Navy Man to Notorious Pirate – How Jack Ward abandoned England and became the most feared corsair on the seas

⚔️ A Life of Raiding, Drinking & Outlaws – The wild exploits that made him legendary (and wanted by nearly everyone)

🕌 The Pirate Who Became a Muslim Prince – How he shocked the world by converting to Islam and ruling in North Africa

🎭 The Inspiration for Captain Jack Sparrow? – Why some say he was the real-life model for the iconic pirate

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Jack Ward a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just a drunken rogue who got lucky?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories—whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods take aim at the story of Simo Häyhä—the deadliest sniper in history, a Finnish farmer who became the Soviet Union’s worst nightmare during World War II.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

❄️ The White Death – How a quiet farmer with an old rifle racked up over 500 kills in the freezing Finnish winter

🎯 Sniping Without a Scope – Why Häyhä refused to use one and how it made him even deadlier

🔥 Outnumbered but Unstoppable – How he fought against an invading Soviet army with sheer skill and ice-cold precision

💀 Surviving the Impossible – The brutal injury that should have ended his story—but didn’t

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Simo Häyhä a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just Finland’s frostiest sharpshooter?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories—whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods dive into the extraordinary life of Josephine Baker — the trailblazing performer, war hero, and civil rights icon who defied all odds and became a global sensation.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

✨ From St. Louis to Stardom – How Josephine became the toast of Paris and revolutionised entertainment

🕵️ Spy, Fighter, Hero – Her secret role in World War II, smuggling messages for the French Resistance

✊ Civil Rights Champion – How she risked everything to fight for racial equality in the U.S.

🎭 The Legacy of a Legend – Why Josephine Baker remains an icon of courage, talent, and defiance

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Josephine Baker a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just a jazz-age rebel with a cause?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories—whether epic, absurd, or downright bonkers—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all episodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor: Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends, the podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods unravel the insane life of Grigori Rasputin—the Siberian peasant-turned-mystic who mesmerized Russian royalty, dodged death multiple times, and inspired a disco hit.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

⚡ Rasputin’s Wild Origins – From a wandering Siberian peasant to a feared mystic

💀 His Infamous Assassination – Poisoned, shot, beaten, drowned… yet he STILL wouldn’t die

🏰 How He Seduced the Russian Royal Court – And why the Tsarina thought he was sent by God

🎶 The Boney M Factor – How Rasputin became a disco legend centuries later

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Rasputin a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just Russia’s weirdest cult leader?

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories—whether epic, absurd, or just downright bonkers—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!

Get in touch with your Bloomin' Legendary stories - @BloominLegends on Tik Tok & Instagram.

Listen now to all epsiodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or go to www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer, Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor, Chris Lander

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends, where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unexpected real-life stories.

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods reveal the shocking truth about Hedy Lamarr—not just a Hollywood bombshell, but a genius inventor whose work led to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Yes, really.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🎭 Was Hedy Lamarr a Spy? – The rumors, the truth, and the Hollywood secrets

💡 Her Nazi-linked ex-husband – The arms dealer who tried to control her

🎬 From Hollywood Starlet to Secret Genius – Hedy’s unusual rise to fame

📡 The Invention That Changed the World – How Hedy’s frequency-hopping tech became the foundation of modern wireless communication

🎖️ Why the U.S. Military Ignored Her Invention (at first)

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Is Hedy Lamarr a true Bloomin’ Legend? (Spoiler: Hell yes.)

Join the Conversation!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram – @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary stories—whether brilliant, bonkers, or downright bizarre—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help spread the legend of Bloomin’ Legends!

Listen now to all epsiodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or go to www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer, Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor, Chris Lander

Welcome to Bloomin' Legends, the podcast where we dive deep into the wildest, most legendary stories of real-life heroes, villains, and everything in between.

In this premiere episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods kick things off with the insane true story of Hugh Glass, the frontiersman whose near-superhuman survival inspired The Revenant. Expect bear attacks, pirate life, Native American encounters, and a 200-mile crawl for revenge—only for it to end in a way Hollywood could never have predicted.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🔹 The brutal grizzly bear attack that should have killed him

🔹 How Glass survived with a broken leg and a punctured throat

🔹 The 200-mile crawl that defied all odds

🔹 Why his revenge quest didn’t go as planned

🔹 The surprising real ending to the story

Bloomin' Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Is Hugh Glass a true Blumen Legend? Or just the world’s unluckiest frontiersman?

Join the Conversation!

🎙️ Have your own Bloomin' Legend moment? We want to hear it!

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends

📩 Send us your legendary survival stories, epic fails, or just bonkers tales—and we’ll decide if they’re Bloomin' Legendary or not!

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help more people discover these legendary stories!

Listen now to all epsiodes on Global Player.

Download Global Player from your app store or go to www.globalplayer.com

This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer, Chris Janes

Commissioning Editor, Chris Lander

Welcome to Bloomin' Legends - the history lessons you never had at school, but wish you did!

Each episode British broadcasting legend Johnny Vaughan and his Radio X co-host Gavin Woods step into some of history’s biggest stories, scandals and sagas, homing in on the hilarious characters and icons at the very centre of them, and how they etched themselves in the history books forever.

New Episodes every Monday, kicking off on 17th March with 3 Bloomin' Legendary episodes!

Get in touch with your Bloomin' Legendary stories - @BloominLegends on Tik Tok & Instagram.