Cymru Connection: Is Elis James linked to everyone in Wales?

James and Robins have worked together for more than a decade – firstly on XFM and now for the BBC – but have been friends for much longer.

“It’s quite an interesting thing to observe because it’s obviously a very natural interaction for Welsh people,” said Robins, from Bristol.

“I watch Elis connecting thinking ‘is this really happening every week?’ and it is. It’s on national radio.”

But why is it happening?

Dr Martin Graff, a psychologist at the University of South Wales, believes “we all want to meet people who have a degree of familiarity to ourselves”.

“In Wales there’s three million of us – we’re a fairly exclusive club. Therefore when we meet someone Welsh it’s kind of thrilling.

“From an evolutionary angle, meeting someone who is familiar makes them more predictable.

“If people’s behaviour is more predictable we feel safer in their company.”

Born and bred in Bridgend, I couldn’t finish my interview without putting James to the test – could he find a Cymru Connection with me?

Robins, who acts as adjudicator, declared in advance that mutual BBC colleagues did not count.

Despite that, after roughly 45 seconds, James managed to name somebody he knew who was in the year above me at school.

Job done – our very own Cymru Connection.