Elis James says global fame for Wales link-up feature is 'bonkers'

Elis James says the global attention on his Wales-linking radio feature has been surprising, after The New York Times and Italian press covered it.

Comedian Elis James says the global success of a weekly radio feature that tries to connect him with people from Wales has taken him by surprise. The BBC presenter said the attention around The Cymru Connection, which appears on the Radio 5 Live show and podcast he co-hosts with John Robins, has grown far beyond anything he expected.

Every week, James tests the stereotype that people from Wales somehow all know each other in a 60-second segment with a stranger. Last month, The New York Times featured him on its front cover, which he described as

"bonkers"

"It has taken me by surprise, the Italian press has covered it as well. It's very strange," he told BBC Wales at the National Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire on Wednesday.

In a country of more than three million people, it may seem impossible that James can find a common connection with anyone. But in the often highly-stressful game, he has 60 seconds to ask callers a series of questions, with the aim of naming someone they both know.

The idea was inspired by a Welshman living in Japan, who called in to the show in 2024. He was from Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, and James has previously said the conversation was

"derailed"

as he named about 20 people from the seaside town, with the caller knowing about 18 of them.

Comedian Elis James has 60 seconds to find a mutual connection to random callers from Wales each week

John Robins wearing a black hoodie smiling with his arm around Elis James, wearing a green shirt and glasses, who also smiles. You can see the blue panelled walls of the podcast recording studio behind them — Image caption, Elis James (right) has worked with co-presenter John Robins for more than a decade

James, who was born in Pembrokeshire and brought up in Carmarthen, said the New York Times journalist from Brooklyn found it hard to believe it was possible to find a connection between people in Wales just by asking where they went to school.

"I did it at the Swansea Arena and she [the journalist] was at the gig, I did three in a minute and just her mind was exploding,"

he said.

"The Irish do it, I don't think its unique to Wales,"

James added.

"A lot of smaller countries tend to do it. The success of it has taken me by surprise."

But while Welsh people think that mutual connection is

"normal"

, the comedian said people's surprise at a successful result was the key to why they find it entertaining.

"You could have a row here of 15 people and I'd try and connect with everyone of them. I love it,"

he added.

Elis James (right) has worked with co-presenter John Robins for more than a decade

Can we find our own Cymru Connection?

A festival in Wales may seem like the perfect location for me and Elis James to Cymru Connect.

"Walking around the [Eisteddfod] Maes I could Cymru Connect with everyone probably, that's how we are as a nation,"

he said.

With nearly 50% success rate on connecting, and a year on from finding a mutual connection with my colleague Elinor Rice at BBC Wales, it was my turn to put it to the test.

Elinor and I have the same name, we're the same age and we come from fairly similar areas. The only difference is I speak Welsh, so will this be a deterrent to James?

The clock starts, and we have 60 seconds and go.

Age and school? 30 and Ysgol Llanhari, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, I reply.

He then, like usual, asks where I'm from. Do I know Matt Rees, the comedian from Maesteg? Nope.

He then goes further down the M4 and asks about a couple in Pencoed, near Bridgend. Again, that's a fail.

But then, within 30 seconds, he gets it.