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SYFY WIRE Dominic Monaghan

The Hobbits formerly known as Merry and Pippin just started a Lord of the Rings podcast

By Vanessa Armstrong

Actors Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd — best known to Lord of the Rings fans as the hobbits Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck and Peregrin “Pippin” Took — are heading back to Middle Earth in the form of a podcast.

The podcast — lovingly called The Friendship Onion (there are so many layers to friendship, after all!) — will have the duo revisiting their hobbit pasts by sharing their favorite behind-the-scenes moments and interviewing members of the LOTR cast and crew, according to the teaser below. Fans can also ask the duo questions about the show, which they will most likely answer in a comedic fashion.

Based on the teaser, and on Merry and Pippin's relationship throughout Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy, it’s likely that the humor factor for The Friendship Onion will be high. Curious what we mean? Check out the trailer below:

The 58-second teaser has Boyd and Monaghan (who is also known for playing Charlie on Lost) talking via Zoom, and then revealing that they can really get up close and personal with each other.

In case that wasn’t enough to convince you that the Kast Media-produced podcast will include more jokes than the number of meals hobbits eat in a day, check out Monaghan’s statement to Deadline: “I am contractually obliged to make a glowing comment here in regards to the podcast Billy and I are making together,” he said. “This is proving difficult as Billy has abducted me and is holding me for ransom to the price of 44 bananas. Please, send bananas.”

Boyd’s response to his friend takes Monaghan’s statement in stride: “Dom took a little persuading, it’s true, but this podcast is going to rock,” Boyd said. “He is such a joker, you have to love Dom. Ha…but you also have to love bananas, so…yes, send bananas.”

The first episode of The Friendship Onion, which may or may not be chock full of bananas, drops May 18. Additional episodes will drop weekly on Spotify, all other podcast platforms, and also be video simulcast on YouTube.