189: The Good Listening To Show with Chris Grimes - Episode 189189: The Good Listening To Show with Chris Grimes - Episode 189
UK Health Radio Podcast
Chris Grimes chats with Neil Bett about comedy, tennis, family and legacy, sharing how humour and persistence have shaped his life and work. The conversation blends light-hearted stories with reflections on grief, kindness and recording meaningful life stories for loved ones.
37:25•10 Oct 2026
Chris Grimes on Kindness, Comedy and Staying on the Bus
Episode Overview
- Simple routines like weekly tennis can offer a grounding, joyful space that supports mental wellbeing.
- Humour and silliness can sit alongside sadness, giving a healthy outlet for emotion during difficult times.
- Recording a loved one’s story and voice can become a treasured legacy for family, especially as health declines.
- Staying persistent in creative work – "stay on the bus" – allows your own style and projects to mature over years.
- Being present, "be where your feet are", helps reduce overthinking and supports emotional resilience.
“"Everybody has an interesting story to tell, provided you give them the courtesy of a damn good listening to."”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? Here, the focus is on creative recovery, emotional resilience and the gentle art of turning life's plot twists into something meaningful. Actor Neil Bett takes the interviewer’s chair and chats with UK Health Radio presenter Chris Grimes about "the story-behind-the-story" of his life, work and comedy.
You’ll hear how simple joys like tennis, ping pong and good food have supported Chris through stressful times, with his regular Saturday matches becoming a kind of informal mental health ritual. There’s plenty of humour, from "sanitising your balls" during pandemic tennis to an ill‑fated £2,000 extra‑large wheelie bin for a comedy character that never quite landed. Amid the laughs, the conversation turns to kindness and legacy.
Chris recalls guest Brendan O’Hay saying, "What I love about your show is you've curated an oasis of kindness," a line that neatly sums up the tone of The Good Listening To Show. Chris shares how his improvisation background and "yes and" mindset feed into his coaching work and into his special project, Legacy Life Reflections, where he records people’s stories for their families.
The recording he made of his father in his 80s, before ill health set in, is described as deeply precious, especially the chance to still hear his dad’s voice. You’ll also hear about grief, ageing, and supporting his mum after his father’s death, all interwoven with light-hearted anecdotes, carrot cake debates and comedy hero worship (particularly Michael Palin).
Chris keeps returning to a simple bit of advice for his younger self and for anyone feeling stuck: "Stay on the bus," keep going, and let your own style emerge over time. If you’re interested in how humour, kindness and storytelling can help you rebuild a life, this conversation might spark a question of your own: what’s *your* story?
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