I Love You, Byeee: Rambles on DIY TV, Rockstars, Kids and Mums: Rambles on DIY TV, Rockstars, Kids and Mums

by Adam Buxton, Mudlark (publisher)

In I Love You, Byeee, the follow-up memoir to the bestselling Ramble Book, Adam Buxton reminisces with hilarious and heartwarming candour about the highs and lows of working with Joe Cornish and revolutionising the worlds of DIY TV and podcasting in the process. He shares over-the-top anecdotes about hanging out with notorious rock 'n’ roll hellraisers like Travis and Radiohead. With humour and heartbreaking poignancy he writes about the challenges of parenting, losing his mother and the drug hell that caused him to nearly die in the arms of a comedy legend. He also tells about arguing with his wife, getting instructions on edginess from Louis Theroux, going on Bake Off and much more that you didn’t ask for but definitely need.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography, Humor, Memoir, Autobiography, Comedy

Audible Audio

First published May 22, 2025

Reviews

[Grace Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

one of my top ten favourite middle aged men

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

like a stranger stopping you at a bus stop and oversharing, but in a good way!

[Chris Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a prime target for A. Buckles’ recently published book, I Love You, Byeee – I’ve been a fan of his TV, radio and podcast work for as long as it’s been around. He’s always has the power to make me laugh, especially when reunited with Joe Cornish, his comedy partner. But it’s Adam’s talent for self-observation that lifts this book above a simple by-the-numbers memoir: he writes with great feeling and awareness of the inner struggles he’s faced that many of us might prefer to keep quiet. Like Adam, I’m someone who can “live in my head” a little too much, which perhaps threatens to tip over into neurosis. But this is neither self-serving or self-indulgent: it’s a thorough, wise insight into a young man navigating the complexity of a creative career with his best friend – and of an older man reflecting on his life in the wake of his mum’s death.

The audiobook, as you’d expect from a master of the audio medium is an absolute treat. You won’t be disappointed.

[Jo Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Ramble Book but gave it a stingy score because it barely mentioned anything about the making of the Adam and Joe show or Song Wars. Fortunately, it was just being saved for a second memoir! If I take anything away from this book, it's that Adam did *not* make the Toytanic film, that was all Joe's work and he's quite jealous... but I appreciated his embarrassed confessions to being rather over-anxious and keen to be liked, which were way too relatable (as was his understanding that Wayne's World is a valuable career guide). An endearing read, with a salutary warning not to take drugs in case you faint on a train and have to be rescued by Sean Lock.

[Jake Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the last chapter with the letter to his mum, very emosh

[Eric Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a far more rambling book than Ramblebook was a rambling book. Still, did a few very big laughs (at least two in public), got nostalgic, thought about my mum, and cried. Well worth it.

[Sarah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. As with Ramble Book, the audiobook format matches Adam’s podcast style perfectly. A wonderful listen - genuine, heartfelt and funny, with lots of fabulous wordplay.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, though a touch self indulgent - I could do without chapters of hanging about with Travis and Radiohead. But Buckles' jolliness shines through, and you get someone who pours everything into everything he does.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book, definitely the best way to get the most out of this - I loved all the jingles and bonus audio bits. It's really interesting hearing Adam go really deep and really personal on his career and his family - and while a pun is never far away, he puts it all out there in terms of 'being real' too. The amount of detail he goes into about the making of the Adam & Joe show challenged even a nerd like me, so be warned; there are some pretty niche deep dives here.

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned/the content of this book made me feel…

…that the content doesn’t have to be perfect when you appreciate the story and honesty. Was it repetitious and oddly chaptered - kind of! But it was also someone telling snapshots of his life with reflections (both happy and sad), humour, and even audiobook extras and a chum! Made me smile which is all I ask for many books

[David Pursglove · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a lifelong Adam and Joe fan and was highly anticipating the release of Buckles' next book! I absolutely loved the insight into his TV and radio career, which wasn't the main focus of Ramble Book. The nostalgia triggered the 'member berries in my brain and brought back so many good memories.

What I wasn’t expecting but was fully delighted by, was how emotionally moved I was by the chapters about his mum. Adam writes in such a relatable way that it made me reflect on my own relationship with my parents. What a joy! Thank you very much!

You're going down pom-pom!

[James Cary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Buckles writing about himself and his world and his past. This book is another helping of that, with stuff about his TV career, and he’s so honest about all of it. I listened to the audiobook which has a ton of extra rambles and sub rambles and extra stuff.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Adam Buxton you'll like this book.

[Matt Melia · Rating 5 out of 5]

a fantastic follow up to Ramblebook, did the audio again as it's a great all round package. really funny, engaging and poignant

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun book from Buckles. Much more Adam & Joe Show and XFM stuff in this one, which I enjoyed as a big fan of both at the time.

[Lawrence Bricher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook and once again hugely enjoyed it. Buckles writes/reads really succinctly and honestly, and reveals a lot of his personal life and thoughts, much like a more genteel Karl Ove Knausgaard

[Selena · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've read Ramble Book, which reflects a lot on Adam Buxton's dad and David Bowie, then this follow-up evens it up by paying tribute to his mum and a relatively small amount of Bowie chat. It starts with the ill-fated GBBO appearance and the infamous Alien pie but soon goes into plenty of detail about the joys and tensions of his work with Joe Cornish. This includes Takeover TV, The Adam and Joe Show, Radio 6 Music and their first forays into podcasts. There are more entries in the very relatable Argument Log with Wife (my wiiiiffee). I only know Buckles through his own podcast, and the book is enjoyable as any of these, plus there's bonus audio material with the audiobook, jingles, extra content and a discussion with Joe at the end.

But 5 stars, mainly for showing us Buckles being self-deprecating, at times moving, and worrying as much as the rest of us. Plus, introducing me to Pierce Brosnan's spectacular delivery of the line “Then maybe you shouldn’t be living heeeeeeere!” as Mark Taffin in the 1988 film, Taffin, a movie I still know nothing about.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old Buckles. I do so hope Taskmaster sees sense very soon, worra lorra laughs that would be.

[Hannah Ariff · Rating 5 out of 5]

[audiobook] another rambly wander thru Buxton’s life. I love you buckles, but you crazy! Throw some stuff away!

[Gerdien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, highly enjoyable, be it for Adam Buxton fans mostly (ans those of the Adam and Joe show). His writing style is deceptively easygoing and "rambly"", which makes it easy to read or listen to. The audiobook contains a lot of great extra's.

[Angharad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit self indulgent (esp the Bowie bonus chapter) and treads familiar ground for the Adam Buxton heads among us. But it was interesting to hear his perspective on work with many years hindsight.

I remember enjoying Ramble Book more than this.

[Scott Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed Adam Buxton’s Ramble Book, and I think I might have even enjoyed 'I Love You, Byeee' even more!

Not only are these books a fascinating insight into his media career; more importantly, they are books about friendship, family, and growing older. Both of these books were incredibly poignant. I think there is a huge amount of heart in them.

I would very much like to see Mr. Buxton write an original book, as I think his writing is not only funny but also emotional. I hope he considers this a new career path.

Last thing I will add is that I listened to this on Audible, and it was narrated by Adam Buxton himself. He did an excellent job.

Review by Scott Lee Evans
Author of The Time Diary
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Diary.....

The Time Diary is a British sci fi comedy adventure about the terrible misfortunes of discovering time travel. The hapless gang at the center of the story not only find themselves in a mess of tangled timelines, absurd moral dilemmas, universe altering decisions, and ruined relationships, but they also learn the true meaning of self loathing. Are you actually a good person, or have you just never been given the chance to be an utter bar steward?

If you’re a fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Red Dwarf, or Black Mirror, and enjoy cringey British humour, roguish misfits, and the occasional dollop of heart (not too much, mind, they are Brits, after all), then this might just be the next book for you.

[Emma Creasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really one for die-hard fans of Dr Buckles; not just podcast listeners but those who followed his TV and radio career with Joe Cornish, memories of which make up a core part of this book. I didn't see or hear the various evolutions of the Adam and Joe Show and, from some of the (numerous) details in this book, am glad I didn't - pranking humour is not my sort of thing - but if you were a fan then there's much to enjoy.

It's a memoir, so of course it must involve the author talking about himself, but sometimes I do find his lengthy and often angst-ridden self-introspections a bit much. The reason I like the podcast is that, as it's an interview programme, it necessarily involves someone else - I think I like Adam better when he's focusing outside himself, while using his personal experiences as a contrast against those of his guest.

In response to Adam's question 'Do I talk about my parents too much?' the answer is, yes, yes you do, Adam, but it might help other people who are dealing with feelings of grief and regret around their parents. For those like me who don't, it's educational to understand how other people feel.

Since I am a 'podcat', and feel this is the medium where AB shines, it was always going to be the audiobook version for me, with its additional jingles, bonus bits and extra podcast with Cornballs at the end.

[Motherbooker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5:

A lot of people seemed to be disappointed that Adam Buxton's first book didn't mention Joe Cornish enough. Clearly they didn't care about his heartfelt exploration of grief following the death of his father. Instead, they wanted more references to Song Wars and jingles.

Thankfully, there's plenty here about Buxton's early career, The Adam and Joe Show, their radio show, and more. It also touches on his relationship with his mother, who passed away during the pandemic, though this thread doesn’t feel as central or cohesive as the tribute to his father in the previous book.

I Love You, Byeee feels more like a collection of loosely connected anecdotes than a structured memoir. This works alright as an audiobook thanks to Buxton’s easy-going narration. As a long-time fan, much of the material felt familiar, and some of it veers into fan service. Still, it’s charming, funny, and very “Adam,” even if it didn’t hit quite as hard for me as Ramble Book. The heartfelt letter at the end is a real highlight but the rest of book feels less personal.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Adam Buxton is great, I used to listen to The Adam & Joe Show podcast on my way to school back in the day, and he's one of those celebrities who feel like he's a part of the family. I hate to say it, I wasn't a fan of his first book, so it gives me great pleasure in being able to say that I loved this book.

I felt that gripes I had with the first one were elements of the 6 Music show, Bug and his podcast were adapted into the book, like the "Arguments with Wife Log", which didn't translate well on paper for me. Plus, the long list of pop culture references took me out of his writing. With this book, a lot of that is streamlined and toned down, I feel this one works better for it and allows us to get to know the man behind the microphone (and the pink Brompton) better.

I thought the narrative was cohesive, humorous and sentimental. I took a lot away from this book, mainly questioning how much we should truly allow ourselves to live in the past, and I couldn't recommend it more highly.

[Barnaby Haszard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Buxton niche is narrow but inspires great devotion, I think because of his incessant curiosity and neurotic relatability. Here is a man who has made a career in the arts by reading and watching widely, giving stuff a go, and forming audience connections by following his own nose and highlighting what he finds most interesting. I write this as someone who never saw The Adam and Joe Show and only heard about Buxton through his now A-list podcast (entry point: interview with Paul Thomas Anderson, episode 63a), and now I'm sufficiently invested in his life that I've now listened to two rambling audiobooks that, above all else, collapse the gap between the youthful indiscretion of your 20s and the mortal awareness of your 50s. He's never particularly deep or illuminating, but he is nearly always entertaining and willing to nudge boundaries, especially his own.

[Alexander Sarychkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big Buckles fan. And a lot of this book was very interesting, like the charting of his early days in British TV, and the exploration of his relationship with Joe.

However, the way it's been put together left a lot to be desired. For example, the jumping around in chronology meant that there was a fair bit of repetition of content - I must have read 10 times, in various locations in the book that Adam got Garageband to make music, that Louis Therouxy helped from America, that they almost didn't make a S4 of Adam and Joe Show. It felt like whoever was editing failed to consider how all this read in the chronology of the book - I felt like as you reached the end, you were essentially reading repeats of info you'd gained earlier.

So that is my only bugbear. And I still love Buckles.

[Don Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buckles is back with his second memoir, this time delving much further into his relationship with Joe and their shows together and some of the strains that work put on their friendship.
He also goes into detail about his relationship with his mother and her passing in 2020.
I did this one on audible, and as it was with the last one, the audio version includes jingles and cuts from his shows in place of transcripts.
I really good listen if, like me, you spent many Friday nights in your teens watching The Adam and Joe Show. If you live in the UK, you may have also listened to their radio shows, but I never did as I'm not even sure you could get those stations in Ireland back then.
One for the fans, I would say.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable for any fan of Adam's and his podcast. This is a continuation of Adam's life story from Ramble Book which covers his early life. This second book addresses his life from his early twenties and onwards including his work with Joe Cornish on the Adam and Joe show, other TV opportunities, his connections to the music industry and the path that led him to establishing his podcast. Adam also discussed his family life and the death of both his parents. As you would expect from Adam, there are plenty of amusing anecdotes and ramblings, plus some thoughtful reflections on life and his relationships. The bonus podcast with Joe C is a strong finish.

[Ross Maclean · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent companion to Ramble Book that doesn’t feel remotely unnecessary, delving further into explorations of grief and acceptance while also giving a précis of a career in comedy plagued by self-doubt. As a fan of the work, the details from behind the scenes of its production are endlessly fascinating and insightful. The contemporary emotional through-line told in back-and-forth chapters on recent losses and realisations coupled with a chronological career assessment works really well. There’s an emotional honesty about Adam Buxton’s writing that perfectly balances the profound with a puerility that’s true to (some of) his work and I wouldn’t have it any other way.