Bloomin' Legends with Johnny Vaughan & Gavin Woods

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where Johnny Vaughan and Gavin “The Woodman” Woods uncover the wildest, boldest, and most unbelievable true stories from history.
In this episode, the boys follow the astonishing lives of Maria and Varvara Rasputin, the daughters of the most notorious mystic in history. When their father, Grigori Rasputin, was murdered, their world collapsed overnight. Once surrounded by royalty and privilege, the sisters were suddenly hunted, exiled, and forced to survive in a world that hated their name.
While Varvara disappeared into a quiet life far from the spotlight, Maria embraced chaos, becoming a dancer, memoirist, and even a lion tamer in an American circus. From Imperial Russia to revolutionary terror, European exile, and the bright lights of the United States, their lives were every bit as extraordinary as their father’s legend.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
👨‍👧 Growing Up Rasputin – Life inside Russia’s most infamous household
🔥 After the Murder – How the sisters survived the collapse of Imperial Russia
🎪 From Royalty to Circus – Maria Rasputin’s unbelievable reinvention
🌍 Two Sisters, Two Fates – Why their lives took radically different paths
Bloomin’ Legend or Not?
At the end of the episode, we ask: Were Rasputin’s daughters Bloomin’ Legends in their own right, or simply survivors of history’s strangest legacy?
🎥 Watch the full episode now on the Bloomin’ Legends YouTube channel!
Join the Conversation!
📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends
📩 Got your own legendary story, epic, absurd or just plain bonkers?
Send it to [email protected] and we’ll decide if it’s Bloomin’ Legendary or not!
👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate & review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!
Listen to all episodes on Global Player, download from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com
This is a Global Original Podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where Johnny Vaughan and Gavin “The Woodman” Woods uncover the wildest, boldest, and most unbelievable true stories from history.
In this episode, the boys set sail with Sir Francis Drake, England’s most famous sea dog. To the English, he was a national hero, a knight of the realm, and the man who helped defeat the Spanish Armada. To the Spanish, he was nothing more than a pirate, a ruthless raider who stole their gold and burned their ports.
From becoming the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, to leading daring naval attacks and playing bowls as the Armada approached, Drake lived a life balanced between bravery, brutality, and outrageous luck.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
🏴‍☠️ From Nobody to Sea Dog – How Drake rose from humble beginnings
🌍 Around the World – The voyage that made him a global legend
🔥 Terror of the Spanish Empire – Raids, riches, and revenge
🎳 The Armada Moment – Why Drake supposedly finished his game before battle
Bloomin’ Legend or Not?
At the end of the episode, we ask: Was Sir Francis Drake a true Bloomin’ Legend, or history’s most successful state-sponsored pirate?
🎥 Watch the full episode now on the Bloomin’ Legends YouTube channel!
Join the Conversation!
📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends
📩 Got your own legendary story, epic, absurd or just plain bonkers?
Send it to [email protected] and we’ll decide if it’s Bloomin’ Legendary or not!
👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate & review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!
Listen to all episodes on Global Player, download from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com
This is a Global Original Podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends for 2026! The podcast where Johnny Vaughan and Gavin “The Woodman” Woods uncover the wildest, boldest, and most unbelievable true stories from history.
In this episode, the boys march straight into ancient Rome to tackle Julius Caesar, general, politician, dictator… and the man whose ambition reshaped the ancient world. From conquering Gaul and crossing the Rubicon to ruling Rome and meeting a bloody end on the Senate floor, Caesar’s life was packed with power plays, betrayals, and world-changing decisions.
Loved by the people, feared by the elite, and murdered by his closest allies, Caesar didn’t just rise to the top, he tore the system apart on the way there.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
⚔️ The Making of a Conqueror – How Caesar became Rome’s greatest general
🌍 Gaul, Glory & Gold – The campaigns that made him unstoppable
🚶 Crossing the Rubicon – The moment that guaranteed civil war
🗡️ Et Tu, Brute? – The assassination that ended a republic
Bloomin’ Legend or Not?
At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Julius Caesar a true Bloomin’ Legend — or history’s most dangerous ego?
🎥 Watch the full episode now on the Bloomin’ Legends YouTube channel!
Join the Conversation!
📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends
📩 Got your own legendary story, epic, absurd or just plain bonkers?
Send it to [email protected] and we’ll decide if it’s Bloomin’ Legendary or not!
👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate & review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!
Listen to all episodes on Global Player, download from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com
This is a Global Original Podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where Johnny Vaughan and Gavin “The Woodman” Woods uncover the wildest, boldest, and most unbelievable true stories from history.
In this special New Year episode, Johnny and Gav finally reveal the winner of the first ever Bloomin’ Legend of the Year 2025. After a year packed with warrior queens, mad adventurers, fearless fighters and outrageous eccentrics, it all comes down to one final decision.
The boys revisit the standout legends, relive the most ridiculous moments, and do what they do best, passionately disagree, before crowning the ultimate Bloomin’ Legend from your votes! Expect, big laughs, questionable logic, and a decision that might just split opinion.
This is history’s hall of fame… Bloomin’ Legends style.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
🏆 Legend of the Year Explained – How the very first Bloomin’ Legend of the Year works
🔥 The Shortlist – Revisiting the biggest, boldest characters of 2025
🗣️ Johnny vs Gav – Strong opinions, wild tangents and plenty of chaos
👑 The Big Reveal – One legend crowned above all others
🎥 Watch the full episode now on the Bloomin’ Legends YouTube channel!
Join the Conversation!
📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @BloominLegends
📩 Got your own legendary story, epic, absurd or just plain bonkers?
Send it to [email protected] and we’ll decide if it’s Bloomin’ Legendary or not!
👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate & review to help more people discover Bloomin’ Legends!
Listen to all episodes on Global Player, download from your app store or visit www.globalplayer.com
This is a Global Original Podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

This is We Can Be Weirdos, the podcast believes everyone (no matter how rational they might think they are) harbours a little bit of batshit, and that is no bad thing.
Today we go through the batshit beliefs of Adam Riches, the award-winning comedian and actor known for his wild characters and brilliantly unhinged live shows. You’ll have seen him popping up in Detectorists, Horrible Histories, and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown doing his beloved Sean Bean character.
We’ll dive into Adam’s thoughts on time travel, the superstitions entertainers and athletes seem to share, and a bizarre beach encounter he still can’t explain.