Hard Lines is the Roast Battle UK podcast hosted by Drew Stearne and two-time UK champion Shalaka Kurup. From battle breakdowns and live reports to joke-writing theory and backstage chaos, each episode dives into what makes Roast Battle work. Smart, filthy, and surprisingly analytical, it’s for comedy fans, future battlers, and anyone who wants to get inside the craft of insult comedy.
Drew and Shalaka break down a veteran Roast Battle UK clash between Lee Hudson and Jonathan Kogan.
Lee brings clean, efficient, professional joke writing. Jonathan brings darker ideas, strong concepts and a slightly chaotic stage presence. The result is a 4-0 win for Lee, but Drew and Shalaka ask whether it was really that one-sided, why some clever jokes do not fully land, and how consistency can beat individual big swings.
Follow the podcast: @hardlinespodDrew: @drewtellsjokesShalaka: @shalakakurupTickets for Roast Battle UK: roastbattle.co.uk/tickets
25 Jul 2026
We Bombed At Our Own Thing
Drew and Shalaka break down their own Roast Battle against each other, which turns out to be a perfect example of how hard this format actually is.
They get into clever jokes that died, old references, inside jokes, audience energy, self-policing, family boundaries, Rubik’s Cube trauma, Coco Pops, deep fried Mars bars, and why sometimes the best lesson in roast battle is admitting that the audience did not laugh.
Follow the podcast: @hardlinespodDrew: @drewtellsjokesShalaka: @shalakakurupTickets for Roast Battle UK: roastbattle.co.uk/tickets
15 Jun 2026
Best Comeback Ever
Drew and Shalaka finish breaking down Drew vs Patrick Brusnahan, a Roast Battle UK clash where Drew’s written jokes keep landing, but Patrick’s comebacks and stage presence threaten to steal the whole thing.
Part two gets into the Blanca from Street Fighter joke, self-roasting, pizza delivery, the comeback that changes the battle, and a judging section that leaves Drew, Shalaka, Patrick and even some of the judges wondering whether the right person won.
Follow the podcast: @hardlinespod Drew: @drewtellsjokes Shalaka: @shalakakurup Tickets for Roast Battle UK: roastbattle.co.uk/tickets
8 Jun 2026
When Charm Beats Joke Writing: Fat Jokes, Gay Jokes and Co-Writing
Drew and Shalaka break down part one of Drew vs Patrick Brusnahan, a Roast Battle UK clash that raises one of the biggest questions in insult comedy: what matters more, the writing or the performance?
They talk about joke anxiety, co-writing, slurs, boundaries, fat jokes, gay jokes, real-time editing, and why Patrick’s throwaway asides and crowd work keep landing even when the written jokes do not always add up. Part two continues next week.
Follow the podcast: @hardlinespod Drew: @drewtellsjokes Shalaka: @shalakakurup Tickets for Roast Battle UK: roastbattle.co.uk/tickets
19 May 2026
Fat Phobic Or Racist?
Drew and Shalaka break down a razor-close Roast Battle UK clash between Patrick Brusnahan and Joshua Bethania.
Patrick brings dark, mean, tightly written jokes, while Joshua counters with surreal one-liners, deep research and a level of specificity only he could pull off. The battle goes all the way to an audience vote, leading to a full discussion about judging, consistency, crowd memory, going first vs going second, and why the room does not always reward the technically best battler.
Follow the podcast: @hardlinespodDrew: @drewtellsjokesShalaka: @shalakakurupTickets for Roast Battle UK: roastbattle.co.uk/tickets
11 May 2026
I Got Ambushed By A Rubik’s Cube
Drew and Shalaka break down Drew’s Roast Battle against Aziz Vora, a battle that starts with mansplaining, dad jokes and questionable fashion insults before descending into the nerdiest possible chaos: a live Rubik’s Cube challenge on stage.
It is a full breakdown of joke structure, judging, crowd momentum, prop comedy, battle tactics and what happens when your own “interesting fact” comes back to absolutely ruin your evening.
Follow the podcast: @hardlinespod Drew: @drewtellsjokes Shalaka: @shalakakurup Tickets for Roast Battle UK: roastbattle.co.uk/tickets
2 May 2026
Meth Messiah vs Creepy Fairy
Drew Stearne and Shalaka Kurup break down one of the strangest Roast Battle UK clashes they’ve covered yet: Peter Baisley vs Holly Ludlow. It is weird, theatrical, unpredictable, and a great example of how character, performance and chaos can matter just as much as the jokes themselves.
24 Apr 2026
Do We Secretly Hate Everyone?
Drew Stearne and Shalaka Kurup get into the psychology of roast battle: mean thoughts, joke files, friendship, consent, and why the best roast battles come from respect rather than real hostility.
17 Apr 2026
Virgin Roasters. Absolute Killers.
In this episode of Hard Lines, Drew Stearne and Shalaka Kurup break down a surprisingly strong battle between first-time Roast Battle competitors Rich and Luke. They get into callbacks, brevity, consistency, stage presence, and why one ridiculous sound-effect joke becomes the standout moment of the whole battle.
13 Apr 2026
Inside the Drunkest Show in Comedy
This week on Hard Lines, Drew Stearne and Shalaka Kurup are joined by Roast Battle UK host Mark Cram. They talk about how Roast Battle works, what makes a great audience, the difference between hosting and battling, the strange little culture around the show, and why funny always matters more than just being offensive.
3 Apr 2026
This Battle Was So Good People Stole Jokes From It
Drew Stearne and Shalaka Kurup break down a classic Roast Battle UK clash between Shalaka and Helen Kay. They get into the writing, the callbacks, the stereotypes, the comebacks, and why this battle still stands out as one of the best. Plus: joke theft, mic technique, and what makes a battle truly work.
27 Mar 2026
Insulting Women, The Right Way
In this episode of Hard Lines, Drew Stearne and Shalaka Kurup get into one of the trickiest parts of insult comedy: whether writing for women is different, what male battlers can and cannot get away with, and why audience reactions change depending on who is saying the joke.
They talk about misogyny, double standards, lazy stereotypes, originality, and the strange line between a joke that feels sharp and one that just feels needlessly mean. It’s a funny, honest look at the extra complications that come with gender in roast battle, and why writing against women can feel like a very different challenge on stage.
Follow us on Instagram:@hardlinespod@drewtellsjokes@shalakakurup
Get tickets for Roast Battle UK:roastbattle.co.uk/tickets
20 Mar 2026
How To Roast A White Guy
In this episode Drew and Shalaka break down James Mileham vs Adam Riley in one of the best battles in recent history. Delve into the genius of their joke writing and the expertise (or otherwise) in which it's performed.
11 Mar 2026
How to Insult Someone You Like
How do you roast someone you genuinely like without crossing the line? In episode 1 of Hard Lines, Drew Stearne and Shalaka Kurup break down Luke Hall vs Steph Aritone from the 2024 Roast Battle UK tournament, exploring why the clash works so well. It’s a funny, filthy and surprisingly thoughtful look at joke writing, timing, crowd reaction, and the strange chemistry that makes great roast battles possible.
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