Pete Doherty Show: Josh Pugh on Their Musical Comedy Adventure

Pete Doherty Show pairs the Libertines frontman with comedian Josh Pugh for a lively Margate series packed with music, guests, chaos, and plenty of laughs.

The strangest creative partnerships are often the most entertaining. Put Pete Doherty, Josh Pugh, a seaside town, a few musicians, one very enthusiastic grandmother, and a possibly unfortunate breakfast challenge in the same production—and you have The Pete Doherty Show.

A Seaside Show With Music at Its Heart

The new YouTube series brings together Doherty and comedian Josh Pugh for a loose, lively tour through Margate, a place deeply connected to The Libertines’ world. The pair explore the town, meet local people, interview guests from music, comedy, television, and the arts, and make plenty of room for live performances.

The first episode features music from GANS, while the guest list includes Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods, EastEnders favorite Natalie Cassidy, Richard Bacon, Ivo Graham, Jamali Maddix, and other unexpected names. There is even an attempt to recreate Doherty’s famously oversized “big breakfast” from The Dalby Café. Frankly, that sounds like the sort of culinary challenge that should come with a warning label.

The duo had been teasing the project for months before the first episode was scheduled to arrive on Sunday, September 13. Doherty described the format with a wink:

“It’s a musical and comedy adventure, that we’d like you all to join us for. We thought if the world needs anything right now, it needs another podcast.” — Pete Doherty

Although it is presented as a YouTube show, the series has the unpredictable energy of a podcast, a road trip, and a small music festival rolled into one.

How Pete Doherty and Josh Pugh First Connected

The partnership began with a simple goal: Doherty wanted to meet Pugh. The idea of making a show was not immediately appealing to him, but producers had been discussing a project that could bring them together.

Doherty explained that the promised guest list helped persuade him. The catch? Many of those guests mysteriously disappeared on the first day of filming.

Pugh was quick to point out that the guests they eventually secured were not exactly the names they had originally been promised. Still, both men agreed that the final lineup turned out to be excellent.

One absent guest became a running joke: Harry Shearer, known for his work in The Simpsons and Spinal Tap. Doherty had expected him to appear and admitted that the disappointment left him feeling nervous and slightly grumpy about the whole experiment.

His solution was typically Doherty: if the show failed, he could say he had warned everyone. If it succeeded, his dry lack of confidence might become part of the charm.

Pugh, meanwhile, took a more relaxed view. Since anyone can upload a video to YouTube, he argued, the project could not really be a traditional flop. The pair were also self-producing, meaning any future would ultimately be in their own hands.

Why Josh Pugh Was the Right Partner

Doherty first encountered Pugh’s comedy through short skits played on tour buses. During those long early-morning stretches when nobody quite knows whether to sleep or keep talking, Pugh’s videos became a source of entertainment.

Doherty remembered one sketch about a gaffer and was also amused by the story that Pugh had played international football for a partially sighted men’s national team. To Doherty, Pugh seemed to combine physical comedy, strong timing, and a slightly unexpected personal history.

Pugh said the invitation was exciting, though he was not sure the show would ever become real. Like so many entertainment projects, it had been “bubbling” for a while, surrounded by conversations and plans but not yet safely on camera.

There was also pressure. With Doherty’s name attached, Pugh felt the show had to be good. Fortunately, he found Doherty easy to work with—professional, generous, and capable of keeping the chaos moving without letting it swallow the production.

The pair’s chemistry comes from that contrast. Doherty brings instinct and mischief; Pugh brings a comedian’s ability to notice the absurdity of any situation. Together, they make the uncertainty feel like part of the format.

Margate, Dogs, Swimming, and a Very Small Gig

The show was filmed across Margate and London, with the team also spending time at The Albion Rooms. Doherty and Pugh worked together for several days, moving between locations rather than remaining boxed inside a traditional studio.

Doherty recalled swimming with the dogs, wandering through Margate, and organizing a last-minute combination gig and stand-up show. The filming coincided with a heatwave, and the pair watched the first World Cup game at The Albion Rooms.

For Doherty, the setting mattered. It was also his first time back in Margate for a while, making the shoot feel less like a standard television assignment and more like a return to familiar ground.

Pugh agreed that the atmosphere shaped the show. They were not simply sitting in a London room asking prepared questions. They were outside, moving around, meeting people, playing music, and letting the day dictate what happened next.

That spirit is central to The Pete Doherty Show. The title may sound grand, but the actual experience appears deliberately loose: a conversation can turn into a performance, a guest can become part of the joke, and a carefully planned segment can collapse because somebody misunderstood a talent.

The Point Was to Let Pete Be Pete

Pugh arrived as a fan of Doherty’s music, including The Libertines, Babyshambles, and Doherty’s solo work. He had not expected Doherty to keep playing songs at him during filming, but those moments became part of the fun—especially when Carl Barât joined them.

Rather than interrogating Doherty about every chapter of his life, Pugh wanted viewers to see him enjoying himself. That meant following him through Margate, watching him play music, go to football, and interact with guests.

Pugh said he tried to balance being a fan with keeping the production moving. It is a tricky line: too much admiration and the interview becomes stiff; too much professionalism and the spontaneity disappears. His approach was to stay present and let the conversations develop naturally.

He also praised Doherty’s instincts as an entertainer. Sometimes, Pugh said, Doherty only needed to give someone a particular look before it became obvious that he should be allowed to continue with whatever bit was forming in his head.

Meet Nana, the Show’s Unpredictable Researcher

One of the show’s most memorable supporting players is Doherty’s grandmother, affectionately known as Nana. Pugh described her as warm, funny, generous, and exactly the sort of person who makes guests feel comfortable.

She also researches the guests, although the assignment becomes difficult when the guest list keeps changing at the last minute. Her research is enthusiastic rather than infallible, which creates some of the show’s funniest moments.

Doherty recalled her asking comedian Ivo Graham when he first realized he was funny. Graham reportedly found the question so funny that he burst out laughing.

Nana also works with the mental health charity TONIC and has a habit of arriving with unusual gifts, many of them hotel freebies such as soaps and ear cleaners. Her collection has become a source of presents for other people.

Her research occasionally goes spectacularly wrong. The team planned an episode around Natalie Cassidy’s supposed trumpet skills, only to discover that the instrument had been part of her EastEnders storyline—not a real-life talent. One more dream jam session quietly evaporated.

A Guest List Built on Curiosity

The eventual guest list was shaped largely by availability, though Doherty and Pugh also wanted people who intrigued at least one of them. The guests came from music, acting, and comedy, giving the series a broad creative range.

Jason Williamson stood out for Doherty because there were questions he had wanted to ask him for some time. Natalie Cassidy impressed him with her down-to-earth personality after years of intense television exposure and demanding filming schedules.

The comedians brought very different energies. Ivo Graham’s routines draw heavily on personal material, including relationships, family, social discomfort, class, and his experiences connected to Eton. Doherty was interested in how much of that material was literal and how much was shaped by the exaggeration that comedy allows.

Jamali Maddix represented a contrasting style: fearless, outspoken, and willing to place himself in confrontational situations. Doherty felt the show captured a particularly strong range of British creative voices.

Carl Barât Arrives—and Brings a Boot Mishap

Carl Barât was never really going to stay away. According to Doherty, Barât approached him shortly before filming and casually asked who he would be interviewing. Once he heard the list, Barât made sure his old friend understood that leaving him out was not an option.

His appearance became one of the show’s major highlights. Pugh was not sure what it would be like to have both Libertines members together, but Barât brought a mixture of history, humor, and musical chemistry.

Doherty wanted viewers to see Barât relaxed, something he felt did not happen often enough. Barât had recently returned from a large writing session in the United States with several musicians and had come back with a collection of new songs.

He was also preparing to launch a tequila brand and intended to bring a sample. Unfortunately, the bottle spilled inside his boot and bag. The only remaining way to sample it was to lick it from the boot—a moment Doherty called an accidental comic masterpiece.

The boot itself was one of Barât’s own designs: a Cuban-heeled Chelsea boot called “Dandy in the Underworld.” Pugh observed that Barât had managed to promote two products at once. Accidental? Perhaps. Effective? Absolutely.

Could the Show Return for a Second Season?

Both men sounded open to another season. Doherty’s answer was an enthusiastic “bring it on,” while Pugh pointed out that filming took only a handful of days—the longer process belongs to the editing team.

Their dream guest list still includes Harry Shearer, although Doherty joked that another cancellation would result in an ultimatum. A future French edition was also floated, with names such as Eric Cantona, Emmanuel Macron, Eddie Izzard, Carla Bruni, and Nicolas Sarkozy mentioned during the conversation.

Pugh had a busy schedule of his own, including a September tour, a sitcom waiting for release, and work on its next series. He also spoke about spending time with his wife and children while continuing to develop new comic ideas.

The pair even considered taking the show on the road. Since the format already includes music and live performance, a stage version would not be a huge leap. Pugh joked that Doherty’s desire for an American visa could potentially take the whole operation as far as Broadway.

What Comes Next for Pete Doherty and Josh Pugh

The first episode was planned to arrive on YouTube on Sunday, September 13, followed by weekly episodes. Beyond the series, Babyshambles were scheduled to release Live At KOKO on October 9, while Pugh’s UK tour was set to begin in late September and continue into November.

The charm of The Pete Doherty Show lies in its refusal to behave like a polished celebrity interview program. It is musical, comic, occasionally chaotic, and powered by the simple pleasure of putting interesting people in a room—or on a Margate street—and seeing what happens.

FAQ

• What is The Pete Doherty Show? It is a YouTube series hosted by Pete Doherty and comedian Josh Pugh, combining interviews, music, comedy, local exploration, and performances.
• Where was the show filmed? The series was filmed mainly in Margate, with additional time spent in London and at The Albion Rooms.
• Who appears in the first episodes? Guests include Jason Williamson, Natalie Cassidy, Richard Bacon, Ivo Graham, Jamali Maddix, Carl Barât, and musical guest GANS.
• What role does Nana play? Nana helps research guests and appears as a warm, funny, and occasionally inaccurate contributor whose questions and gifts create memorable moments.
• Could there be a second season or live version? Doherty and Pugh expressed enthusiasm for a second season and suggested that the music-and-comedy format could potentially work on the road.

If the world of Doherty, Barât, and wonderfully scruffy musical history belongs on your wall, browse our favorite album cover posters for a tasteful way to keep that feeling close.