Christian Talbot on Do You Remember the First Time?

"A friend of mine said I should do a podcast on being Irish," says Christian Talbot. "All about potato crisps, Guinness and stuff. I thought: 'That sounds horrendous.'"

Podcasts are so suited to stand-ups that it has become a crowded market. And so it is natural Talbot wanted to discuss ideas that may capture people's interest before buying a USB mic and booking a studio.

"I said, 'Well, everyone is interested in love and sex.' And this friend didn't think anyone would want to hear about that."

A couple of weeks later Talbot recorded the first episode of Do You Remember the First Time? with comedian Adam Bloom. Despite what his unenthusiastic friend thought, the confessional nature of a stand-up makes for a captivating take on a universal topic. In under half an hour, Bloom discussed feelings of longing which emerge before adolescence, losing his virginity in his teens and the heartbreak of divorce as an adult.

"I stopped at one point," says Talbot. "I said, 'Are you sure you're okay saying this?' But he was fine. Actually, everybody I've interviewed so far has said they've really enjoyed talking about it."

Although each guest brings a another texture: "It's good to have a different jumping off point with each guest and that has given us a different podcast each time. With Sarah Bennetto it became about online dating. She was showing me messages on her phone – some of which are absolutely horrific. With Fern Brady she didn't want to talk too much about love, but she was very, very happy to talk about sex."

However, in the first couple of recordings Talbot felt there was a female voice missing: "I don't mean in the sense of female guests because I knew the podcasts with Sarah and Fern were coming up. But I asked Rosie Holt to join me as co-host and it's much better. She comes up with questions that I wouldn't even think of and also she can ask some things that if I did might make me sound like a dirty old man!"

Still, everyone has a unique sexual history. It'd be easy to imagine an episode taking very individual turns – is Talbot prepared it may go in directions he hadn't anticipated?

"Yes, I am. It's not something that I want to have a mission statement about but I want to visit the whole spectrum of sexuality. I don't want to do it in a way where there is an agenda. I want it to be conversational and for us not to talk about sex like it's an issue."

Talbot arrives at Glasgow Comedy Festival in March to preview a new Fringe format show he and Mary Bourke have been working on titled I Want an Irish Passport. But hang on, is this all about Guinness and stuff then? Talbot reminds us of a previous show title – Shite at Being Irish – which suggests a slightly different perspective. 

As for the podcast, it may too make some live appearances at the Fringe in August if Talbot and Holt can find the right setting. "I'm hoping Bob Slayer will have the odd hour free on the BlundaBus."

The top deck of a double decker certainly makes an appropriate backdrop for a chat about teenage fumblings. "Exactly! But it's a really great space to record in and it's initimate.” He adds that this will help encourage guests to talk naturally about love and sex as "the most normal thing in the world."