Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - 109: Dig It Live: Celeb Guests, 1,000 Diggers & An On-Stage Rave

Episode Date: July 8, 2026

Welcome to our first ever Dig It Live at Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield. What an amazing show! Jo and Zoe were buzzing to meet their beloved Diggers in the flesh - all 1,000 of them. Comedian Sara Pascoe joined them on stage, Gardening with Ish tried to persuade Jo that hanging baskets can be cool and they heard more amazing stories from the audience... including Beverley's biggest lesson in life: always pack your own parachute. Listen or watch now!GET IN TOUCH📧 Email us: [e-mail]📱 Text or Voice Note: 07477 038795💬 Or tap here to send a voice note or message on WhatsApp:⁠ ⁠https://wa.me/447477038795SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by QVC: 🛍️ QVC — Summer gatherings always seem to end up in the garden, so why not make the space feel extra special? Explore My Garden Escape at www.qvcuk.com and use code QDIGIT for £10 off your first order. Minimum spend applies and full terms are on the QVC website.🌿 A big thank you to Birley Moor Garden Centre for their fantastic plants.CREDITSExec Producer: Jonathan O’SullivanProducers: Samantha Psyk & Harriet Thurley  Assistant Producer: Eve JonesTechnical Producer: Oliver GeraghtyVideo Editors: Danny Pape and Jack Whiteside

Live from Sheffield, it's Digit with Joe Wiley and Zoe Ball. So wonderful, welcome everybody to our first ever live Digit show. Thank you because there's someone turned up Joe, yes. Hey Joe, Joe, Joe. It's a couple of men in. A couple of blokes. There's some guys, yeah. Couple of bloke's in.

Just a couple of bloats. Did you come of your own accord or you're dragged here, gents? Yeah, that's the answer. No, he was dragged. Look, this guy, he's definitely dragged. Definitely dragged this man. Oh, brilliant. You'll have a lovely time, I promise.

We won't talk about vagina leishtergen, okay? I promise. We're definitely talking about vagina Easterion, I'm sorry. Everybody should be talking about it. Anyway, fantastic to be here in Sheffield. What a fantastic city. We love it here at the crucible.

Eyes down. Eyes down. So many momentous moments have occurred here, Joe. I know. It's very special to be here. Sheffield is a wonderful city. I mean, amazing music that's come from Sheffield. over the years. Whether it's Arctic monkeys, self-esteem at the moment. Human League.

Yeah. Heaven 17. Richard Hawley. There are so many. I know. Sheppled Lead Mill as well. Has anyone been to Sheppard Leadmill over the park? What an amazing venue. Such a great venue. We've got loads coming up for you. We can't believe it. It's been a year of Digit. Can you believe? Just like, woo. So, a huge celebration today. So, we're in with us every step of the way.

And hopefully you'll be with us to the end of this show. Do you know where the exits are if there is an emergency Okay, should we do it then? What's coming up? What are we going to do? So we have, it's not just us on stage We'll be really delighted to know But we have company on stage

The brilliant Sarah Pasco will be here We chanted her very soon as this I know, I know She is gorgeous, obviously dig it We do love our gardening We love the therapy of it all We love getting outside So we've brought one of our favourites

With us sadly, it's not Monti-Don So I'm sorry, we did ask He was very busy But we have the wonderful gardening with Ish is with us today He's lovely, he's brought his own wheelbarrow Can you believe it? He's literally brought his own wheelbarrow He is going to be trying to convince you and Joe Wiley That hanging baskets are cool

I mean, I'm not alone here right Who doesn't think that baskets are cool, hanging baskets are cool Anyone else? Yeah I mean I go back to the 70s I think in my childhood Fuchsias I just think of fuchsies in hanging baskets Oh god I am never going to have a hanging basket No No hanging baskets in my garden

Unless, unless ish Sh shows us some really cool ones and maybe Also, I'd like to say thank you very much to our sponsors. That's how podcasts work, ladies and gentlemen. The fabulous QVC who have provided our wonderful set. They provided with our lovely set and also want to say thanks to Sarah and Audrey who set it this morning. They're at about 10 minutes.

Yeah, and the whole team of volunteers as well. You've made it that's very beautiful. Obviously, the disco ball and I bought one each from home. This is what we have just hanging around the kitchen all the time. And also the plants, which are beautiful. I mean, look how gorgeous. All the tones kind of go well together. It's Burley Moore Garden Centre.

That is not easy to say. I've said it's so many different ways in rehearsals. But it's Burley Moore Garden Center. Thank you. No more. Should we do it then? Let's do it. Let's do it.

We've been trying to work out if we have an Antenadeck side. Am I on the right side? Yeah, I think you're right. I like that. Right by my side. Stay there. Well, it's time to have a little catch-up, Joe. How was your weekend before coming to Sheffield? Weekend was, it was emotional.

I don't know whether anyone here has had the same kind of weekend. I went to Coco's school and they had the end of year production, the theatre production. It was Oliver. I mean, Oliver, it's going to make you cry at any point, isn't it? But as long as he needs me. I love it. Where is love? And that's why she's.

He's a DJ, ladies for them. Why do we sing on this podcast? I have no idea. Anyway, so I went to see this production. And to see, and if you've got kids in your life, whether it's nieces, nephews, your own children, friends, kids, when you see them and you know them when they're like five, six, seven years old, and then you see them at like 16, 17, and they're performing something,

whether it's sport or they're on stage, it's so emotional. So as we left, there were just so many parents in tears and all the teachers in tears. And it was really emotional. And that carried on to yesterday, and we went to look at a course for Coco who's going to uni in a year's time, and we went to check out a foundation course. And just that whole thing of like, oh my gosh, this is my last one to fly the nest, of course. Again, all the emotions. You could just see all these parents and their kids going, all right, God, this is the next chapter.

So it's been an emotional 24 hours. But beautiful. I mean, amazing. It's just that sense of pride, I think, in the young people, seeing all the promise and the excitement that they have ahead of them. And that's why we love our diggers, because we go through these experiences together, don't we? Them growing up, them leaving the nest, these are the things. You'll feel for me, because while Joe was going through that emotion, I was stuck in the tunnel on a train, five minutes outside of London,

a very hot carriage full of men and pals of women. It's kicked right off. Luckily, lovely Scottish couple next to us found out all about a marriage. He was a third husband. Oh, no. She said he won't be her last. Woman was an absolute icon. They had champagne.

It was all fun. Anyway, I had to go back to London start again, eventually made it here, went to meet everyone for dinner last night, but of course, I forgot at this point, it's hard past 10. What did I do? I had an espresso martini? Did I sleep? Did I hell?

I was dancing around my hotel room to Frankie Knuckles in my pants till about 2.30 in the morning. How's your head today? My head is bad. Yes. I am quite sweaty. Anyway, we have not mentioned... That's just a constant thing, isn't it?

It's really hot in here. It genuinely is. hot. Is it hot in here? Okay, thank you. That sounds like... Not just us. Cue for a song. But anyway, we've not mentioned the big news

of the weekend yesterday. Joe Wiley's birthday. Oh, awesome. Gorgeous. I'm now at the age where I'm going in reverse. So getting younger every single year, yeah, yeah. 52. 51.

How dare you? I wanted to make your cake. It would not have survived the hot carriage. Oh, but... How sweet. She'll be on the street show. Happy birthday show. two, three.

How you're good, aren't you? Thank you so much. We've got you a gift. This is from the Digit team because we know how you love these things. Oh, sick bastards. Well, how could you do this? What the hell? Oh, my God.

Not one, but two. Could we? How could we? Where am I going to put those? By the end of the show. Well, by the way, I've got to ask, Disco, Steve is in the house, Disco, Steve. Joe's lovely husband, he got recognised in Cornwall the other day,

was very exciting. He got recognised before Joe. Now, he always buys you great presents. He bought you those pants that keep farts in. But in case you needed them in the studio when you got to interview big stars and musicians, have you ever used them? No, I haven't. I literally threw them away.

He was like, I've got you like the best present in the world ever. Me and India, my, like, how old was she? 30-year-old daughter at the time. At the end of Christmas, he was like, I've been saying. saving this all day long, just come into this room, we went to a room and he went to a room and he went to a room and he went to these pants and they were special pants that you can, I know, I hate saying the F word. You can't say the F word. She won't say it. She won't say it. Trump in. That's the worst word.

Sorry. Anyway, yeah, worst present ever. But how did he do with the present yesterday? Oh, he brought me this lovely necklace. So he did very, very well. Yeah, so really, really lovely necklossed. Well done. And earrings as well. Drops to disco, Steve. He did very well. Okay dokey. Now, shall we get to know our audience a little? I think I would love to get to know our audience. Because the thing is, over the year of doing Digget, I've got to, I mean, I've known Joe for, what's it about? Quite a few years.

Yeah. But there are things that I've learned about Joe on this podcast with you, guys. I have learnt with you some shocking things about Joe Wiley. It goes both ways, can I just say? It goes both ways. There are some things about Zoe that disgust me that I didn't know before. She's open about it. Seriously.

I discussed myself. sometimes, to be honest with you. But we thought we'd put some of these things that have divided us to, to you guys, and see if, you know, if it's as divisive in our audience. This is something we're going to do called dig it or dump it. I'd like, can you just all acknowledge how we're both desperately need to wear our glasses right now, but we're so vain. We won't put them on. I'm going to put mine on. I'm going to crack first. They've got to cut out. Everyone else. Feel free, put your glasses on. I like it. We're all in this together. You're one step ahead of the game. You can see you now. There's glasses on, madam. Fantastic. Love it.

QR code on the screen. If you take a picture of the QR code, you will be able to vote. So we're going to run through various different topics and we want you to vote, dig it or dump it. You can use your phone vote by scanning this QR code, which I can see you're all doing at the moment. And the first one, okay, I take offense quite easily, can I just say? So be careful how you vote with this one. She's very sensitive. I'm very sensitive. Cottage cheese and pineapple. Cottage cheese and pineapple. Do we dig it or do we dump it? Think carefully before you press the button. Think carefully.

All of you, very carefully. We need some sort of... How's it going? Music. Is music? Is it... Have we done it? Is everyone punched it?

You're all right, madam. You're still trying to work the tech. And it... What the hell? What are you? Goodbye. Hibu. Hodge cheese with pineapple.

It doesn't make... Look at that. That's quite strong, you know. Oh, no. Only 38% with you, girl. God. Dump. What's wrong?

with you. Dumbed. Mortally offended. Mortally offended. Okay. Next up, we have gnomes in your garden. They were allowed at Chelsea

this year for the first time. I think it was the king. The king himself. Not in my garden. Look at that. There's no hesitation. They have been dumped. You are people of taste.

Hands up to anyone who doesn't mind a garden gnome. I don't mind a garden gnome. It's your garden. What you like? There we go. What have we got next, Joe? Okay, so when I'm saying about things that I've learned about Zoe that disgust me, sniffing your partner's armpits. I mean, who in their right mind would enjoy the smell of their partner's armpits? Okay, can I just...

And whoever goes around sniffing them? Can I just put this up? Sir, you look shocked. Honestly, he was like, I was never sure about her and now I know. The Lord Joe was going to come today. He's painting a wall. Anyway, he's been away for a while and he comes back and here he is and I'm like in the armpit. Oh, there he is. I think if you start going off the fun of the smells.

Obviously a new relationship this right? Yeah, we're going to have been together relationship. Will that pass? But I think you love the smells of each other. I'm not talking about bathroom smells necessarily, but just, you know, that lovely smell of a man has done some DIY. Should we, is this the boat? Is this the vote?

Am I alone? Am I alone? Are you complete... Oh, what? You freak. Who was on my side? Thank you. Thank you, madam.

And how is your relationship healthy? You're divorced. Even Disco Steve, when I said about this, he was like, what? Okay, we have a guest coming up now. So, that's hilarious. Oh, brilliant. It is guest time, isn't it? We didn't even get so feral weeing, but yeah, we've done enough of my time.

No, no, no, let's do this. Show of hands. Ferrell Weeing, for it or against it? Who's for Ferrell Weeing? Yes. Oh, again. You just don't know when you get short, do you, ladies? When I need to go, I need to go.

Just cross your legs and hold it. I can't anymore. But that's not good for you, I know. Okay, is it time for our first guest. Yeah, let's bring out. It very much is. Our first guest is a brilliant comedian. She's an award-winning writer.

She's a podcaster. And she is a brilliant. She's definitely one of the sharpest observers of modern life. She's written a number of best-selling books. You'll know her from countless TV appearances where she has been hysterical. Stand-up tours, you might have seen on a stand-up tour, and also panel shows. Undoubtedly, you will have seen on panel shows.

Please give a very warm, dig it, welcome to Sarah Pascoe. I've never seen two such glamorous women in a fake garden. You both look so gorgeous. And you're wearing your lovely cherries. I've dressed as a bush. Just to fit in perfectly strong knitwear Sarah, a strong knitwear. Sarah, you are used to a huge crowd as stage you do. Stand up is something that I would be terrified

I think of doing but you know you see you have to deal with all sorts we were quite nervous before coming out. I think live radio is scarier I've had a few conversations recently yes because you guys have to fill the time all the time at least we most of the time have an idea of what we're going to say I think they're very similar jobs really? Yeah, it sort of starts and you think oh gosh How am we going to get through this? And then you're just coping with it.

And then it's over. And then it's over. Yeah, then it's over. Which also reminds me of something else that happens. But anyway, is this a smutty podcast? I thought we were talking about flowers and stuff. My father would be furious with me, like, Zoe.

But you have actually talked about, you know, hecklers. You deal with hecklers, but that can be a fun part of the show. I think so. I think it's often a door. Like if that's something that makes you nervous, the idea of someone shouting something out, especially something like this. Everyone is here because they adore you.

So if they're shouting out, they're trying to help. Even if it's a negative heckle, because really if someone does shout the worst thing, which is, you know, you're rubbish. Yeah. You're like, you're not very much. This is bad. There's two situations.

Either it is going badly, and you can now address it. Yeah, okay. Elephant in the room. Elephant in the room, let's work out where we fell out. And what did you want to talk about? Or it's going, okay. but that person isn't enjoying it, and the crowd are kind of with you. And so it ends up being, can be a lot of fun,

and people are very impressed when you deal with it. So I'm not saying, please come to my shows and shout out your rubbish to see what fun ensues, but the thing that you're most scared of actually isn't as scary. Do you heckle yourself? Are you good at giving yourself positive? I think, like most people who do comedy in particular, you've got this sort of mixture of arrogance and insecurity. So we really do think that everyone should be looking at us,

and we want to be the centre of attention, but we also hate ourselves. So it's an only fun seesaw. Yes. So yeah, when you sit down to rights, that's where you do the heckling. Who cares what you think? So you heckle yourself, literally. Your career is over.

That kind of stuff, yeah. How did you first get into stand-up? Tell us the story. Well, stand-up was kind of an accident because I wanted to be an actor, and how I became an actor or got into performing. When I was 14, my mum went out for the night, and a girl from school persuaded me, I should have a party.

I really wanted to kiss a boy. any boy. And she said there were loads of boys there, one of them might kiss you. And it was awful, my house got trashed. You know, furniture, the police got called. Someone puked in the rabbit hutch, and the rabbit ate it.

Does the rabbit die? It did die eventually. This was a long time ago. The rabbits don't actually live that long. But my punishment, when my mum came home the next morning, you know, it's still smoky. We stayed up all night, me and my sister to try and tidy it up.

and she's, I really wanted her to hit me actually because I felt so guilty and she didn't, she didn't she made me go to a drama club on Wednesdays and Sundays to keep me off the streets and I think she now wishes she maybe gave me a slap instead she's lived to regret it It's amazing

talking of your mum I was when I asked me about your dad and when I saw who your dad was I remember him in a band Yeah I'm that old So I think we might have a photograph I've got very young parents I should say So my dad was in a pop band in the 70s.

So your dad was in a band called Flintlock. Yes. And he was a singer, right? Yes, he was a singer. He was 17. So it was a very brief pop career. He didn't want to be famous, my dad. So he left that band.

But my mum saw my dad on TV when she was 14. And she was absolutely convinced that she was going to marry him. And then she tracked him down. And she did it. She used to sit outside his house and wait for him. And then she waited until he wasn't in the band anymore. He worked in a shop and he had depression. and she was the only woman still sitting on his lawn

and that's how I was made. That's how I was made. Amazing story. What a brilliant story. But unfortunately me and my sister, we thought that was how you got a boyfriend. So we used to watch Top of the Pops like it was a delicious menu like deciding which are the boy bands.

Which one? Who are your favourites? We love to take that. We love to take that. Yes, yes, absolutely. You have a great demographic. We do, don't we? Excellent music taste.

So we love to all to take that equally. until Robbie left, because then we were like, he split off from the pack, he's weaker. It's more vulnerable. Easy prey, yeah. And then we stopped going to school. He presented the big breakfast for a week, and Cheryl and I stopped going to school. We started going to Stratford to wait by the canal to scream at Robbie Williams. That's amazing.

I was working on the show that week that they were hosting. Yeah, so I probably saw you. You were. One of the girls. We're like, those crazy girls at the gate. That was you, future you. Now, if you had to choose a member of Take That Now, who would it be? I wouldn't choose because I'm such a loyal fan of theirs.

Still, and I love all of their career decisions that they've made. I went to a concert last night. I won't say which one. Was it Harry? Was it Harry? But anyway, I just kept telling people, take that, I had an elephant. Take that, I'd an elephant! There was a whole human as the tale.

Where's the spectacle? Hang on, so were you at Harry's down? last night when he cried and his sister came on stage and she gave that beautiful speech. Did you cry? I left early because I'm an old woman. I left early because I hate the packed tubes. On the way there, the Jubilee line, it's like I was trapped in a sauna with teenagers

singing watermelon sugar. I thought, I'm not having that on the way back as well. So you left early? I'm not Asian. My husband's birthday present. He really wanted to go. My husband's still in his 30s because I've got a younger younger husband. It's like mother. Yeah. And he really wanted to go to Harry Stiles

And I said, if it finishes at half ten, we're leaving at quarter past And that's exactly what we did. Sorry, Harry. Yes, but that was a beautiful moment. And he's worked so hard, and he looked tired. And wasn't it a great show? He looked tired. I would say he looked like someone.

For comics, it's the end of the Edinburgh fringe. You do, you need a couple of days in bed. Yes, to recover. You're just to have some sleep. It's funny, when I was leaving, I went to see it, and I loved it. And afterwards, I was leaving, and this woman said, oh, you know, she was about mine, she went, I've been having terrible thoughts about him. You know, it's like, terrible.

She thinks I could have any of these women. I went, no, I think he looks at and goes, I'm going home to Zoe Kravitz. Also, his whole message is, like, be in the moment. He makes everyone in the stadium, like, take a breath. It feels like so often he's trying to do this in a healthy way. 12 days at Wembley, it's record break, and he's trying to go, I want to actually be a pop star who enjoys this. Yeah.

The whole, because it was pride yesterday. Sorry, I'm going to burst into tears. It's okay. Emotion is welcome here. It was like, it was drag queens. It was all of these gay anthems. it was like everyone should be able to love anyone. And his crowd, you know, young people now

are so different to when I was growing up in Essex. There were all these boys wearing pink cowboy hats. Straight boys with their girlfriends wearing pink fluffy cowboy hats. It's like people like Harry Stiles are amazing. And the fact that those boys can do that now and no one wants to fight them. Yeah. Things have got so much better.

That's for Harry Stiles. But he did look tired. You later on today will be doing your podcast live with Carrie Ad Lloyd Wido's Book Club, which is glory. You do a thing on the show where you ask all your guests their favourite weirdo in fiction. Yes, weirdo in literature.

Mine is Silas Marna. Mrs Smith, my English teacher, because he's such a weird guy, isn't he? But he just turns out of the full great story. I've never read Silas Marna. Is it a book that you'd recommend? I mean. So is this, you're asking to come on my book? You want to be on my podcast.

I am more than happy to discuss any book. I love this as a prank because Carriad's least favorite book because she had to study it at school with Silas Manor. But if I say to her, do you want the good news or the bad news? We've booked Zoe Ball, but you have to read Silas Marna. Who is your favourite weirdo from Fitzger? I love weirdos in literature. I think books make us feel, well, they make us empathise with other people,

but also they make us feel better about ourselves. And I really like Frankenstein. Yeah. I reread it recently for the podcast, and he's a bit like Alan Partridge. You know, he has sort of no self-awareness, and he doesn't know why people don't like him. And when he's justifying the terrible things he's done, it's always just like, it's a bit like when Alan Partridge has a,

and I had the last laugh at Frank Stein, but also I like moon face from the magic faraway tree. Oh, yes. Yes. So it's between those two. Sarah, you're going to be touring soon as well? No, I've just finished. Okay, you just finished. Brilliant, brilliant time.

You're like Harry Styles. No, you're having to rest. Yeah, I do. You're looking a bit tired. Sarah, thank you so much. I deserve that. I deserve that. I deserve that. I deserve it.

I'm a great show. Thank you. Thank you. Is it time for a little bit of gardening? Should we do some gardening? Is it time? Do we have gardening fans here? If you're a gardening fan, yeah.

Okay, we're doing the right thing. This is fine. We have a very special guest. He's one of our favorites. He's here with his own wheelbarrow, which I believe is going to come through. I can hear the wheels turning right now. The wheels are turning. Ladies and gentlemen, will he give it up for gardening, which is...

There's your woman. Guys on your mind. I know. No, no wheelbarrow. That was false advertising, is true to be told. We did about three or four rehearsals through there, and I kept knocking the set over. So they were like, leave the wheelbarrow of the back. Jump the wheelbarrow. Okay, so this is hanging baskets then. You're about to prove that hangar baskets can be cool. Well, I've recently discovered you think the hangar baskets aren't cool.

Yeah, I was, do you know, I was going to say, what they make me think of is fuchs and bagonias. And you've got bologna, let's just move those out of the way. Oh, that's a good start. It is a good start. Oh, that's awkward. Yeah, what is it? Do you think hanging baskets are cool, though? I think hanging baskets are hard work, which is ironic because I'm showing you this.

But what I wanted to try and do here was actually create a hanging basket that is, well, low maintenance. It's not so seasonal that you change you. Because the problem is you do a hangar basket with bologonias, sorry. And then three or four months later, when he gets to winter, all of a sudden, it's kind of a bit me. So what I've decided to do was create something called the Forever Basket, where what we can do is plant things up, leave it, and so long as you water it and feed it, you haven't got to muck about all the time and change things up.

You can have a go at this, too. You're gloving up, and I'll do the, uh, I'll do the, uh, slight blue peter all over again. What color would you like? Um, I need the big ones. I've got the biggest hands in the world. I tell you what everybody, you're right? I've got massive hands.

I've got, what? I've got, what I have. You haven't got big hands, but they have. What a tiny hands. What a touching moment. What I always like to do with Hang Boust is I like to fill them up quite generously with compost. I haven't gone as generous because they did warn me not to trash the stage. Thank you.

Yeah, there's other people in there after. Yeah, I know. And I was like, that's a good hoover, can't they? But I thought the best way to do it first of all is actually just kind of get a few plants. So I've got for like this Karex here, for example, so you get a bit of a grass day. I'm just going to copy what you're doing. Oh, right. Oh, God.

Let's hope I make it rubbish. A little bit of a fur on there. And just trying to, just frankly place it in at the moment to try and create a little bit of an idea of what it's going to look. Can you overfill a basket, or is it best you underfill? So you can and you can't. So what I like to do when it comes to bedding plants, if you want to go for your 1970s vibe with bedding plants, don't ever fill it.

Have a good gap, and then let it start to grow and flourish through. But because these are quite slow-growing variety, I'm a really lucky gardener, I'm so sorry. I'm going here. I love it. Oh, you've really gone for it, yeah. Really good for it. Oh, lovely.

You love that. I like who, Carras, aren't you? I do. Well, these red ones and the black ones you can get, are really, really beautiful, aren't they? I like a little bit of colour mixing in. And it's even like with the fur here, for example, you can add that little bit of height,

so it doesn't look so boring. But what I'd like to recommend here is I've got some furs. Now, when you think of furth-pice, you usually think of things like, like land-eye and you think, well, this is going to be a giant conifer in about three years. But actually, these only grow, so this, for example, Blue Star, only grows about four centimetres a year. So it's fantastic.

So if it does start getting a little bit long after about two, three years, just a little snip, you're back to the beginning. And because it's so slow growing, it doesn't develop a very very small growing. big root base so you can get away with planting them up in a hanging basket. You've really gone for it. I love it. Joe, you look at what else do you want, love?

Well, I'm wondering whether I need a bologna in my basket. By the way, can you tell us where can everyone find you? Because you've got your own gardening program. It's on YouTube. I do. So I have a gardening show called Today in the Garden. The best way to explain it is it's a bit like gardeners world meets top gear together. I was like, what goes right, what goes wrong, as demonstrated here.

Obviously, this is the right pile. But you can find me on social media, not garden as well, you won't find me on there. Not yet, not yet, not yet. But if you are watching, no. So on Instagram, find me as gardening with Ish, and I do kind of daily garden advice tips. And yeah, maybe not live demonstrations in future, but we'll...

No, you've converted me, I think, but I'm not quite sure where I'm supposed to... What I like actually about the joke is I'll talk about planning and getting this advance, and you've gone, do you know what, that in there? I think you're fine because it's hard I'm trying really hard right let's have a round of applause

to see a show of hands for Ishes basket ladies and gentlemen let's see let's measure with a round of applause and you'll be thrilled to know two of you will be taking those home later I hope you've not come on the bus

can re-plan them yourself don't worry let's give it up for gardening with Ish is getting mad. Digit sponsored by QVC. As we started planning our very first live show, one of the things we got most excited about was creating a stage that felt like a proper Digit garden.

Absolutely. We wanted something that was really warm, it was very welcoming and full of inspiration. And that's where my garden escape came in. It's QVC's online destination dedicated to helping people make the most of their outdoor space. And what we love is that it's not just about the products, they are important, but it's also packed with lots of inspiration, some practical ideas and expert advice. So whether you've got a sprawling garden or just a few pots outside your front door, they've got you covered. There are planting tips and guidance from QVC's resident gardening experts, all designed to help you get more from whatever outdoor space you have.

And if you're watching our live podcast and spot something on the stage that catches your eye, don't forget you can use the code QDGEL. Digit for £10 off your first order at QVC UK.com. That's QDigget for £10 off your first order at QVCuk.com. Minimum spend applies and you'll find full terms and conditions on the QVC website. Please welcome back Joe Wiley and Zoe Ball. Hey, did you get a toilet break? Yes. You know, it's wise, isn't it? Sorry, too much. Welcome back. It's so nice to see your faces. And I mean, this is what Digget is.

all about. We didn't know what it was in the very beginning, but it's turned out to be just a reflection of what's going on in our lives. When you get to a certain age or a certain time in your life, it's the struggle, the ridiculous stuff that happens in your life. It's the empathy that we all share together. I think we all understand being part of maybe the sandwich generation, maybe that's you. It's like all the craziness that goes on in our lives and we can laugh about it and we can cry about it and that's what we do on the podcast. And thank you all for being here today. It's just so lovely to see you in the flesh. and you're also cool, looking you're all.

We think diggers everywhere, and you're always, our kind of people, honestly, it's so lovely to see you. It's such a lovely thing where every you are in the supermarket, in the queue at the bank, you know, down the garden centre, people who go past and go, I'm a digger. It's like a little secret society, and it is a really wonderful thing. It's lovely to be here with all of you diggers. Yeah, and dig it is always about you lot.

We couldn't exist without you and all your stories and the stuff that you tell us, and we're really grateful that you share, like, the madness with us. So that's what we're going to carry on doing today. We've got some lovely volunteers who've been very brave, and they're going to share with us their first. I'm never going to get this right. Worst first.

I haven't even got my glasses on. But you do you do. But you see it on. I think, first of all, we've got Susie that I can see you standing there. Hello, Sue. Hi, Susie. Big round of welcome. As we said, very cool people who listen to dig it.

Will you share with, where have you come from, first of all? New Zealand. What? What way? We are on us. Have you come over the weekend? I just thought I'd pop over, no. I always come back for summer to be with my parents.

And my brother, who was learning difficulties. Oh, that's always really important to me to shout up. I know. I come back every summer and I bought the tickets because I listened to your show all the time. And I brought my daughter with me and then obviously this email comes out about your worst first and I thought,

I have to tell the story. Yes. So this story happened 38 years ago when I was 23 and I was going out with this guy called David and we'd done lots of sort of drinking with colleagues, work colleagues but this was a date that he wanted to take me on

and it was to the theatre and it was this theatre. Oh, and poignant. Yeah, so we rock on up and I'm super nervous because the first time I spent my, you know, just alone time with him. So we go down to the bar and as he's getting drinks I said look I'm really sorry but I just need to excuse myself and often went to the bathroom re-grounded myself, came back

and saw David talking to a group of people and I thought oh no I've got to start now talking to other people I don't know this is like really hard so I thought come on big girl pants you can do this so I went up behind him and I went pinched his bottom and went whoa I'm back and he turned round and it wasn't David Absolutely mortified. So all the people around him were just laughing their heads off

and this guy was like, ooh! And I was like, ooh! So I thought, I backed away, back to way, back to way and I thought, oh my going to find David, now we're in a really busy bar. And so I scan in, scanning, apologising, apologising. And there he was stood at the side by a wall with the drinks, bent over double, trying to... Waiting for that, yeah?

No, slopping over the drinks because he was laughing. And he'd witnessed it all and I thought I'd blown the date completely. But anyway, we didn't. All was well because we'd been married for 38 years. You were the woman for him. That's what he's like, that's my girl. I love her. Everyone saw the funny side of it eventually.

That is such a crazy. What a great start-through relationship. So good. Thank you, when you've come over here, thanks for coming to see the show and you're listening all the way in New Zealand. We've got listeners all over the world. It's lovely to feel part of that community. Thank you, Susan.

Is that lovely Beverly? I am, yeah. Hello, Beverly. I love that orange top. Oh, thank you. Gorgeous. Do people call you Bev most of the time in Beverly when you're naughty?

Either. My dad, when he was cross with me, called me Beverly. Yes. I call me Bev most of the time. Excellent. I love it. My dad, when he's crossed with me, calls me something else.

I'm going to go into that. What's your worst first? So I had a mate who was a free-fall parachute jumper, And it'd be in the pub, and it'd be regaling everybody with his stories about he'd done 150 germs, blah, bum, blah, blah. And all the guys in the pub were going, oh, yeah, I'll do that. I'll do that. So then I go, well, if you can do it, I'll do it.

I was terrified of heights. So I arrived in Lincoln, which is very flat. I was the only one that pitched up. I borrowed Stewart's white parachute jumping suit. We did a day and a half of training, and I subsequently found out the paratroopers' take three weeks to jump out of a tower, let lay in the plane. So I get in the plane,

there's no door, hang out with the side, it wasn't a tandem jump, I had jumped solo. On your own way! And I jumped out and my parachute didn't open. What?

So you know he's got all these lines down and they were all hooked over the top of the parachute jump. So I'm spinning and I'm falling fast. miles off target and I landed, do you remember when they used to burn the corn? I landed in a field of burning corn. What? I remember thinking, I'm going to get Stuart's white suit, right? But the big lesson in life was somebody didn't pack my parachute ride because the lines have obviously got to be very straight. Oh my God. Mine were all hooked over the top. So big lesson in life, don't trust anybody to look after your life when it's something serious.

That is a great bit of life advice, isn't it? Jesus, everyone has a tale, and everybody has the story. Have I told you about when I jumped out of a plane with Keith Cheggwin? Let me count the time. I know, sorry. It's one of my three stories. It has been a year of doing Digit,

and we've had so many stories like we've just heard from Susan Beverly, like amazing, ridiculous stories. Favorites? We should discuss some of our favorites. I think some of our favorites. Well, they've been really moving stories. there was of course the kidney transplant story which was where Lindsay had got in touch

and her incredible sister, Lorna, had donated her kidney for Lindsay's husband and she told the story about when they'd had the operation and come round the record that was playing. They were playing Macaumleton Butler and yes was the music that they were doing the surgery to and when he came out of it.

I played it on my radio two show the next day I think after we recorded Digit but it was incredibly moving like selflessness of people It's just unbelievable inspiring. Yeah, and we all cried. I know because my kids walk into the podron that was once a gym, funnily enough, got turned into something else. And they're like, why is there always tissues there?

Because we cry. We cry. We're women, we cry. There's a lot to share. We have a lot of people remembering, like, amazing stories of people losing loved ones and the funerals and the send-offs and celebrations. And again, we cry. Yeah, we do. Planting plants for people we've lost.

And then coming into bloom was a really lovely thing. that we shared. But then there was stuff that makes us laugh. So, I don't know where to start. How about Butlins? Should we start at Butlins? And does anyone remember the story about the lady who dance her coil out at Butlin? Two, Fat boy slip. Fat boy slip. He's very good. He is very good. I mean, normally they're wedged like so hard. They're really hard to get out, but she managed to rape so hard. It flew out. And then the best bit was that then I'm in M&S in the, you know, Peruna section and I'm like oh I caught like that cheesecloth and this woman says it's me Tracy I danced my coil

out and they're like yes in the middle of Eminess and it was such a lovely moment and then I met a daughter at Harry Stiles as like it's me Tracy who danced her coils out daughter and it's yeah those moments that's brighton for you right that is it's a lovely place um there was the the lovely lady who'd sent her son into school and then she'd got a message from the teacher they he'd presented her with a very special bracelet, which was, in fact, her husband's cockering. I mean, endless sex stories, and obviously we want more of these. So if you're here now, you've got your own sex story. Send it to us.

We'll talk about it next week of the pod. But there was the charity shop, the really lovely sweet charity shop, where they've got nice things in the window. It was really lovely. And then there was a lovely at the very front on display so people could walk past the high street and have a look in. There was a lovely sex toy. So secondhand sex toy that you could buy. What was it? It was a vibrator, wasn't it? Inevitably, they're vibrators of some shape.

Lovely lady thought it was a dog toy. Yes. It was very, very good. We had Denise, who went for an interview, and then had gone to the bathroom, and the toilet didn't work, and she was left with the big thing in the toilet, and she was panicking,

and she put it into her handbag. Because what are you going to do in that situation? That's a normal thing to do. and then she'd had to share a taxi with the woman she'd had an interview with and it went on and on and on. That was a classic. That was a classic. Anyone in this room right now done anything similar to that?

I know you're out there. I know you're out there. It's so good. But all those stories and we thank all our diggers. Even if you use a false name when you get in touch, don't worry. We won't shame you. but do keep sharing with us because these are stories that they make us laugh. And the sad stories, we've talked a lot about grief.

Actually, in the merch, Dad, I had a little moment today because there was the, put your steel pants on which is what my mum used to say, and it's on a bag, mommy's on a bag. She'd love it. She would be so chuffed, wouldn't she? She'd be here, she'd be heckling. Yeah, yeah. She'd be saying, don't believe a word that girl says.

But anyway, so keep sharing with us, diggers, because it's a lovely community to be part of. And when we started, we really didn't know what it was going to be. No, not at all. I'm like, what are we doing? What is the podcast? And I think we just kind of muddle through lives, you know, most of us, and you're in a difficult situation sometimes, and you just feel really alone.

If anyone's going through the menopause or perimenopause, you can feel very vulnerable, very fragile and particularly isolated. And hopefully the podcast helps people in that situation as well, just to know that there are people out there feeling the same way. We can share advice, you know, just kind of, we go back to the vaginal estrogen again, part two. Don't look until you try it. But, you know, it's just helping each other out, which is what we're here for. And, you know, with your help, we can all get through this messy stage of our lives together. I heard this really lovely thing this week, actually, in Japan.

They don't call it perimenopause and menopause. They call this time renewal. It's a word called caninky. And I was like, isn't that great? Because although it might not feel like renewal, there's drying out and you're anxious as hell. And you're like, oh, why is my face melting? All these things. actually hopefully afterwards it is renewal ladies is that anyone feeling the renewal yet

yes madam you are feeling renewed great it's coming for us someone said to me the other day that they were like I've never felt better I'm loving this stage of life honestly looked at him and I was like really maybe you'll get there soon I'm entirely sure but anyway it helps to know other people are going through it and getting tips and tricks and all that kind of stuff to navigate our way through is always helpful. And it's not just for women. Like, you know, we have got guys here, and there are blocs who are going through partners who are going through this weird stage of life. And also, it's hard for men. Like, as you get older, there's so much to juggle, isn't

that? Whether it's parents or kids and loneliness, and we discuss all that on the podcast. So, yeah, thank you for anybody who's ever got in touch with us. We really great. Appreciate it. We really love it. Long minute continue. I must thank again the Crucible for hosting us today. doing an amazing job summer holidays here we were going to come on on the goat heads we were told not to but also thank you again to QVC

for our wonderful set and sponsoring it looks amazing doesn't it? It looks so lovely. So thank you to them and also you heard their voices love and respect to Alice Levine Greg James and Dino who runs Persevonica and the whole Persevodica team who put on

the Crossed Wires Festival which is such an epic our podcast here in Shetka we drop on Mondays and Wednesdays thank you to our Digit team put the podcast together who are all hits day

and they are such a brilliant team they're all really young as well and they have to listen to these stories about menopause we've terrified the life out of all of them we've not done great digging we're not done great digging and I haven't got any records with you Joe

but you're here Joe Wiley you are here in the house what do we love as well as gardening we love dancing Yes, we do. Joe Wiley of Radio 2 fame and 90s anthems is in the house. Did you see the video at the Isle of Wight Festival? We have brought the decks.

He did. So, ladies and gentlemen, I want to see you out of your seats, everybody. We're all going to have a dance together. Are you ready to this? Hello, are you going to be dancing? I'm going to go. Okay, are we good to go? Everybody?

Everybody in our house? Come on. Let's shake it out. Here we go. Digit is a Persephonica production.