Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - 75: Manosphere Meltdowns and How Your Garden Can Make You Happy

Episode Date: March 18, 2026

Zoe & Jo have a frank and honest conversation about how Louis Theroux’s Inside The Manosphere documentary made them feel (spoiler: not good). But thankfully, the amazing gardener AND firefighter Jonny Hincks - aka @gardenwithjonny - stops by to discuss how we can all make ourselves happier by getting green-fingered. Plus, there’s a bumper crate digging featuring Harry Styles, Joshua Idehen, the HELP(2) album, the Peaky Blinders soundtrack, James Blake…and more! Jonny’s book Garden Yourself Happy is out now - you can order it here: https://lnk.to/GardenYourselfHappy  Follow Jonny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gardenwithjonny/ 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 SPONSORSThis episode is brought to you by Visit Scotland & Trip Advisor and Ancient & Brave✨ VisitScotland & TripAdvisor – Dreaming of a spring escape? Scotland is full of breathtaking places to explore, from the wild Atlantic beaches of the Outer Hebrides to peaceful riverside walks in Perthshire. You could spend your days wandering coastal paths, discovering castle gardens, and enjoying brilliant local food along the way. Whether it’s a windswept walk to clear your head or a cosy stay in the countryside, there’s so much to see. Start planning your own Scottish adventure at https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/scotlandCREDITSExec Producer: Jonathan O’SullivanProducer: Samantha PsykAssistant Producer: Eve JonesTechnical Producer: Oliver GeraghtyVideo Editors: Cameron Laird and Jack Whiteside

Coming up on Dig It. This is just our reaction, the horror of watching the Louis Through documentary and just not knowing how you deal with it and what we're facing. I want to watch documentaries shining a light on people doing good because there are so many people out there who love people who look after people. Me, my escape is my garden. I come home after a hard shift at work and I'm straight outside. and it's just like a relief.

All of that's right after this. Let's see. If I move the snowblower into the bathroom, move the skis and Christmas decorations into the dining room, will that give me room for the lawnmower, kayak and kids' bikes? As the seasons change, so do your storage needs. So how do you make space for the new season ahead?

It's easy with Access Storage. Access Storage has convenient locations near you with flexible and affordable storage solutions, to store all your winter year until next year. Try four weeks free today. Visit access storage.ca. The Bell Air Direct app includes crash assist, which detects an accident the moment it happens

and even offers you emergency assistance at the tap of a button. Okay, but what if I don't have an accident? Well, just keep on, keeping on. Bell Air Direct, insurance, simplified. Conditions apply. Hello, my friends. Welcome to another week of digging in and digging it and all that kind of stuff.

How you doing? I am doing great. You look gorgeous. I'm loving you all in. cream, Joe. You look just really fresh. Like a member of a boy band. Is that what you're saying? Oh, right. That's what I feel like. I'm probably singing the wrong words too blue there. Sorry. No, you don't look like that. Thank you. You look great. You look really springlike and fresh and fabulous. And we must compliment ourselves more. Loving the fact that Gillian Anderson has become the, I mean, we love Gillian Anderson. I mean, just Gillian Anderson.

Very much. Very much. A member of her fan club as our. all of us. But she's become the compliments manager of Marks and Spencer's giving out more compliments, which I think we all need. So there we go. There's my one to you from me. Sorry, is that her actual role? I saw photographs of her and promoting stuff for Marks and Spencers, but I didn't know what it was all about. I think she's become their compliments manager, apparently. If you're going to be complimented by anyone, let it be by Gillian Anderson. How fantastic. My friends went to see that guy. Is he called Troy Hawke, the comedian who would greet people and he sort of wears a smoking jacket. Have you ever seen that guy?

No, I do not. No, I'm bad with comedians. He's a comedian. I think he's on tour at the moment. My friends had gone to see him in Worthing the other night. And he just, he's sort of known for stopping people and complimenting people. He's like a character from another era. But they said his show is so funny and fabulous.

and there's a lot more to it than there'll be someone out there will go, we know who you're talking about, Zoe. Does anyone know who I'm talking about? This is like me talking about Married at First Sight, Australia, isn't it? You talk about these things and then it's just like this void, tumbleweed. Nobody else comes back at you and you're like, oh, it's literally just me. It's just me. Someone somewhere will.

I mentioned last week that India and Alex had moved out after living with us for, I don't know. I actually have no idea, eight months or so. And they are very active people with bikes and loads of cookery equipment and lots of camera equipment. And our house just became this very, very full house. And so that's now all gone. And this week has actually been, it's been all right because I was worried how I'd be. And obviously, I miss them being around. And I miss the conversation and getting ready for bed at night and taking our makeup off together.

But it feels like this week has been a real reset. I've had some new carpets fitted. Nice. Which is lovely. And so when you have carpets fitted, you have to have it. empty rooms. When you empty the rooms, you see what the room can be like and then you don't want to put anything back again. So everywhere's quite bare at the moment. And I find it quite calming for myself. When everything's like in its place and quite bare, I feel much better

inside. Like my head has more clarity. I feel calmer. So it's been, it's been a good week. I feel I feel calm as I'm talking to you today. Well, that's good. Yeah, because sometimes you'd be worried about them going again because you get that emptiness feeling, which I think as parents, we have that And the kids come back. Then they stay for ages, eat out of house and home, and you love having them there. Then they go again and you're thinking, oh, but actually you're reclaiming your space, having some calm. The lovely smell of new carpets. I love that smell.

Oh, I know. I know. I really love that smell. Although then I have to put loads of rugs down because I'm worried that everyone's going to walk. And, oh, me, I'm going to spill things on the new carpets. But yeah, I'm glad you seem like you have an air of calm about you're dressed as though you have an air of calm. about you. I like it. Yeah. Now, last week I was, there was a lot of emotional turmoil and I was just trying to contain everything and keep it all in. And I feel like I've faced up to it.

I've been emotional in my head. And now, and also, I think I said last week, I'm just so happy for them that they've got their own place. And it's, they've been sending me photographs of their floors being sanded. And I remember myself when Steve and I got our floor sanded, how exciting it is. And just that whole thing of setting up your new home and a new life. It's just, it's amazing. And now I feel like I've got my house and my new life in the house. And it's actually all right. because I think I was really scared. I was really worried about how it was going to be. And it's okay.

So if that's my mess. That's one thing I would say to other diggers now. The anticipation is so much worse than the reality. It always is with everything, with anything, whether it's work or life. But it's all right. Indy keeps popping in to saying hi and that's lovely. Can I say thank you very much to the lovely people at, I've basically had a mountain of mulch. delivered and this very lovely man arrived in a lorry on his own and he said I'm just going to leave

this here on the pavement outside I was like you can't leave that on the pavement outside because the council will come and this huge is it a ton bag a ton bag of mulch yeah ton bags yeah and oh my goodness me it's huge but he blessed this guy we managed to pull it together onto the sort of front port of the house. And then at some point, I've got to do some up and down stairs because my house is, is my garden, you have to go down and then back up. I've realised now how hard it was when the guys did my garden, when Henry and the guys did my garden, they had to go up and down these stairs with all the stuff that goes into

them. And so I'm going to be carrying mulch up and down. But I've said to my neighbour, Rebecca, I've said to friends of mine, if anyone needs some mulch, if I think I've got a little bit too much. But I'm very excited about fingers crossed, a close. clear day at the weekend when I can get mulching. Isn't that? I never realised I would be so excited about mulch.

Isn't that ridiculous? But it makes everything look so great because it's so dark that everything pops against it. So the green and the yellow of the daffodils and it's really, oh, yeah, you just know you're doing a really good thing. Yeah. And we had such a dry year last year that I just, those borders need, I've got little borders and I've got some pots and they need feeding for those lovely plants in case it's a really dry summer again. So yes, thank you for my mulch. Oh, it's so nice to get going, isn't it? I got my robots going, the lawnmower.

I saw your little lawnmower friend. Honestly, it's made such a difference. It's only been on for about a week, maybe 10 days, but the garden looks amazing. I have Karen who comes and treats it all the time. She's a big digger and she's wonderful. So I posted this thing and everyone's going, how is your garden so green? And I, well, this is before the dry summer and the drought kick. So enjoy it while it's here.

But honestly, the robots are amazing. A lot of people message and we're asking questions about it. And what happens is the robots go and they just nibble the grass. So they just are constantly going. I mean, you can set them for how long you want. But we have ours going all day. And so it's just nibbling the top of the grass all the time. So you don't get grass cuttings. That's what lots of people are asking. So you don't have piles of grass cuttings that you have to find somewhere to put. You're not aware. And I didn't really get much thatch last year either. People have asked about that as well, which is where it dries. So that didn't really happen. So don't worry about the grass cuttings. That doesn't happen. My make that I've got is Cress. I love it. They're really wonderful. They're very helpful. We've got a field opposite us, which is a different thing altogether because the grass has already grown and it's really damp. So the lawnmower there, the robot is not doing so well. So that's my next mission. Too much for the robots. Yeah. Do the robots have names? No, I need to name them. Because Wally is one of my favourite robots. Again, in the same way that I like puppets, I also like robots from films fiction. And I saw your little robot and I thought, does that robot have a name?

Because we've got Nemo and Django and soon to be new pup. Exciting. But I feel like your robot needs a name. If people can let us know, show notes, just please send suggestions for great names for my robots. There are two of them. One is little and one is big. That would be wonderful. Thank you.

So cute. If you are loving Digit, you can make it a regular thing. It's dead easy. All you have to do is hit follow or subscribe wherever you will. watch or listen, and that way you will get new episodes as soon as they're out. You'll be completely up to date. I slept so badly last night. I had the worst nightmare all night long. You know when you wake up and you feel just ravaged in the morning? And do you know the reason why I had, I woke up feeling like that? Louie through inside the manosphere. Do you know what? This is so weird.

I watched that before I went to sleep. I had a horrific nightmare last night that I got trapped in with my kids And you know when you have to wake yourself up out of a nightmare? Because you are so distressed. And I watched Louis Theroux the Manusphere last night inside the Manusphere, Louis Theroux's latest documentary, and had a horrendous dream as well. How weird is that? Yeah. It's got inside us. Yeah.

I was also being kidnapped. I'd been kidnapped with Coco by this horrendous man and he wouldn't let us out of the room. And I was trying to plead with him. I was trying to reason with him. I was scared he was going to harm us. And again, like you, I had to wake myself up because it is, it's incredibly disturbing. If people haven't seen it yet, watch it because we all need to be aware of what is going on. I don't know, though. This is my thing. I'm like, do you want to watch that? I was actually so angry after, it was angry that I had to watch it and angry that, you know,

that it was sort of being made in a way because I'm a bit like, do you know what? We are so, we are fed constantly at the moment, this horror from the world. world at the hands of, you know, some despicable people, despicable men who are greedy and, you know, just terrible and have done terrible things, continue to get away with doing terrible things and then go off and do more terrible things around the world. And now I'm finding that quite overwhelming at the moment because sometimes you're like, when will this end? And will ever just, will justice ever be done for so many different people? people. And then there's this and then there's this documentary about these, these men. And I just,

I woke up this morning, partly because of the dream and then partly this morning just felt so angry and also totally thoroughly depressed. My task, I went on the school run like this. I felt really scared and disturbed by it because of what you were just saying, that there are these men who are ruling the world that I feel like we are powerless. We have very little, well, I don't know what we can do. We can't change. change these huge global, this conflict that's going on. The protests just do absolutely nothing. You can make yourself feel heard, which is very, very important. But when it comes to actually stopping, changing the future, I don't know what you can do. And then you watch something like

this inside the monosphere and it's a window into a type of person, men, who have this fixation with power. They are very misogynistic. They have such low regard for women. They are full of testosterone. And there are these different influences who are just constantly live streaming. They are influencing lots and lots of young boys coming up and they are getting them to behave in terrible ways. So you get to see them beating people up. I mean, you don't actually see the violence that's going on, but you're aware of it. And it's just the rage that is inside these guys and the fury and the violence that they're inflicting on other people. And you just think, how are we going to get through to those people? If those people, those men saw my children,

and my boys, your child, other people who are much more aware, more liberal, more feminine, just nice, peace-loving guys, they will just be beaten to a pulp. That was my thing was just like, what the hell? My kids don't sound a chance. This generation don't sound a chance. If these people are growing up and there are this massive army of idiots who are influencing a lot of people, because they are very stupid. Yeah, I find it quite depressing sometimes when you sort of see someone make a documentary here.

And I thought, well, I'm watching this. because we're going to talk about it because otherwise I wouldn't have watched it. And I love Louis Thru and I think he makes great documentaries. But actually right now, I want to watch documentaries shining a light on people doing good because there are so many people out there who have good hearts who love people who look after people. I want to watch a documentary about the incredible people working in care, the incredible journalists, you know, braving their lives to try and bring us to the truth. from what's going on out there, you know. And I am so proud to know so many kind, good young men. You know, my son, his friends, a lot of the young people that I work with, people in the

community who are out there, you know, in the face of adversity, fighting the fight to do good and spread love and be accepting of people no matter what, you know, where you come from, you know, what's your family history is. I know so many people who have had to fight to get, you know, out of poverty or out of some really difficult situation to live a better life. And there are so many good people out there. And it's like, I'd rather watch documentaries right now about people doing good who would give us hope that, you know, because there's something. I was really chuffed that Matt Haig put up this comment last night. Matt Haig, the author, he said, shout out to all the positive YouTubers who help my son and millions of other young men not become toxic douchebags. And it's like, yeah, let's shine a light on the people who are doing good. But isn't it important? It's important to be aware. I mean, with adolescence, I think that was my first introduction to the word manosphere. I'd never even heard of it.

I had no idea. And that was Jack Thorne kind of pointing that out. And I remember interviewing him and he was saying, Joe, it is so much worse than you can. possibly think of. It's just, you know, my research, everything, people I met, what is going on is just terrifying. It's very frightening. And also with, I think it's a generational thing because with my older children, they don't know anyone who is part of the manosphere or have any connection with it whatsoever. But my younger child does. There are people in her year and there are people in years below and she says that she's very aware of it at school and people who are

avidly following the likes of the TikTokers and the influences who are in the Manusphere documentary that Lue Thru is made. And that's what's really alarming because then they're affecting, you know, they're voting ultimately and they're getting governments in. And it's frightening that those people are actually having an influence and an impact in the world in which we're going to be living. So I want to be aware of it. I agree with what you're saying. But obviously, we're seeing that in politics. We really are, you know, and you're seeing it with with people who promote hate, you know, politically and and who are sort of anti-women or are racist or homophobic, you know, and there is so much around. And we are, you know, you see it in our own, in our own

country. And it is really, really frightening. I suppose watching the documentary, because I probably wouldn't have watched it if we weren't going to discuss it, watching it, you know, there are, I was watching trying to understand. And I guess Louis Thru was. trying to find out was there, were there things that have happened to these men when they were young that have influenced who they've become in that way? And I guess that was sort of touched upon. But I just sort of find it unforgivable because actually, you know, you need to educate yourself. And like you say, Jack Thorne, I guess, making something like adolescence, it's like, you know, there is another way. There is another way. It's so terrifying, isn't it?

because you think in a way humanity takes leaps and bounds in a positive direction. And then yet we go back and comparisons now. It doesn't feel very positive at the moment. To what our grandparents went through and what our great-grandparents fought for, for freedom and for, you know, people to live in a safe place. And it feels like we're going drastically backwards at the moment. There's so much emphasis on money and status. oh my God the whole bodybuilding thing it's just kind of oh trying to build yourself up but i guess what you do

see in this documentary is then total hypocrisy you know i saw a couple of these guys saying things that would just so and also crazy you're like what you actually believe that thing that you've just said out loud and that's where louis is is very good i guess he just steps back and lets them speak and sometimes you're like oh my goodness me i think the thing i found so sad about it was, you know, a couple of these people out and about is seeing young men, who you don't see the young boys, they're pixelated, fist bumping. You're like going, oh, it's you, brilliant. And that's where you see their influence. That's why it's worrying. That's what's disturbed me so much. Yeah. Because they're like 12, 13,

14 year old boys who are just thinking, this is who I aspire to. I want to be like them. And they don't know how, like, misguided those individuals are. I would be really interested because like, say, teaching is invaluable, of course, educating young boys from a very, very early age and girls that there is a different way of life and to be a better human. But are there any people watching now who are parents who have experienced this? They've seen their children, their sons turning to something that they hadn't anticipated, that they hadn't brought them up to be this particular way.

I'd be really fascinating because you do see one of the guys there whose mum really challenges him and he's just a little boy in the end. He's just like his mum's telling him off and you just see him reduced to being a small boy. But I would be really interested to know if anyone's got another take on this on their children growing up and being exposed to the manosphere when they've seen them change. That would be fascinating. So please do get in touch. Show notes is where you head to and just tell us what it's like for you. If you've had to deal with your son in a particular way, if you try to educate them, if you feel like you've lost hope, if things have gone completely wrong.

It would be really fascinating. be nice to have a conversation about it because this is just our reaction, the horror of watching the Louis through documentary and just not knowing how you deal with it and what we're facing. Let's see, if I move the snowblower into the bathroom, move the skis and Christmas decorations into the dining room, will that give me room for the lawnmower, kayak and kids' bikes? As the seasons change, so do your storage needs. So how do you make space for the new season ahead? It's easy with Access Storage.

Access Storage has convenient locations near you with flexible and affordable storage solutions to store all your winter year until next year. Try four weeks free today. Visit AccessStorage.cai. The Bell Air Direct app includes crash assist, which detects an accident the moment it happens and even offers you emergency assistance at the tap of a button. Okay, but what if I don't have an accident?

Well, just keep on keeping on. Bell Air Direct, insurance simplified. Conditions apply. So we are delighted to be joined today by the amazing Johnny Hinks, better known by his 1.8 million Instagram followers as Garden with Johnny. He's a man of so many talents, to be honest with you, as well as being a self-taught gardener. He's also a firefighter. His social is just full of practical tips, advice, positive vibes, and here to tell us all about his brand new book, Garden Yourself Happy. Welcome Johnny. Johnny Hinks. Johnny! In real life. Woo-hoo!

How are you? Hey, everybody. I am fantastic. Thank you. Thank you so much for inviting me. Oh, it's lovely to have you here. Oh, God, we're drinking you in. Yes.

Honestly, you bring so much joy to dig it. And thank you very much for doing videos for us because we love you. I thoroughly enjoy making the videos for you guys. We can tell you do, actually, because they're always hilariously funny. And Joe and I, having tried to make videos ourselves, not being. particularly masterful when it comes to socials ourselves. Takes me like two hours to cut a very short reel together. I realise how much work goes into them, Johnny,

and I appreciate them even more. But congratulations to you because it's out. It's here. Look, we can smell it. How is that for you? Garden yourself happy. You put this together with a lot of love. How does it feel to have it out there?

It's overwhelming. Like the amount of work and effort I put into it last year, like behind the scenes as well, because it was kind of like I was doing it on top of firefighting. I was doing it on top of looking after the family. I was doing it on top of social media gardening. I was quietly tapping away till silly o'clock in the morning writing this book. And now I can tell people and show everyone that it's here. It's out.

And, you know, it's amazing. It's amazing. If I looked back when I was back at school to say I was going to be an author, I'd like no chance. But here we are. But look at what you've achieved. Will you tell people, tell all our diggers what they get from your book, what you wanted them to know, what you're giving them? So garden yourself happy is all to do with basically mental health and in your garden and the well-being that gardening can give you. Yes, it's got hints and tips.

It's got seasonal jobs. what to do in spring, summer, autumn and winter. It's got how to prune, lawn care, it's got mulching, everything to do with gardening, what you need to get yourself started. However, it is more personal. It's my experiences from all of them things. And it's all of my mistakes that I've made through the years of gardening. And I am telling you how you can correct them by using my mistakes as examples. And it's, I'm trying to in the book make it as though I'm talking to you as a friend, rather than all this gardening jargon where it could be quite intimidating gardening for the first time. But I am trying to come across as a friend, like a little, little arm around your shoulder.

Come on, let's go. Let's go into the garden. The amount of joy that it brings me is just incredible. And I talk a lot about that in the book. I talk about my own personal experience, how I got into gardening. I talk about things I've never mentioned before on social media as well. So some things very, very personal about myself, which I, God, writing them moments were it was hard. It was like opening up doors that I'd closed years and years ago. So that itself was an emotional roller coaster for me. So I'll talk about that in there as well.

And I also touch you a little bit about social media as well and how I got into social media and how you can incorporate your garden. And if you are interested about making your own social media with gardening as well, I give you my hints and tips about editing hooks and what equipment I use and things like that as well. So it is all in this book. All of that crammed into this tiny little book. It's amazing.

I think it's so great that you share about, you know, how the garden has been so good for you and your mental health. I mean, you're a fireman, Johnny. You know, even sort of, you know, away from everything that you've gone through in your life, I imagine just, you know, that job being a fireman. I think we all have collectively, for all fire people, fire men and fire women, we have so much love and respect for everybody who gets involved and takes on that role because you do such incredible, important work.

And I'm imagining that must be pretty stressful. Yeah, let's not forget all emergency services. We all go through it as well. So any frontline emergency services, we all go through it. It's a highly stressful job. And unfortunately, we do see sometimes some horrific things. And for me, my escape is my garden. I come home after a hard shift at work and I'm straight outside.

And it's just like a relief of just standing outside in nature, in my garden. And I look around. I look at my garden. I was like, I did that. I did that. I've grown that. And it's just such a nice feeling after a hard day at work. You mentioned mistakes and things that you've done in the garden that haven't particularly

worked. And you're open about that. You're transparent in the book. And I know, I know all our diggers will be going, God, no, we've made those mistakes. But gardening is about making mistakes. and you know, God knows, you have to have patience, don't you? Because you make your mistake and you have to wait a whole year to put it right. So talk us through some of your great mistakes that we can learn from and not make those mistakes ourselves.

Okay, so first of all, I love my lawn, don't I? I am obsessed with lawn care. I am known as the lawn guy, okay? I don't mind that. I love that. So I remember when I was just getting into lawn care and I was reading, reading fertilizer for lawn. And I was thinking, oh, right, okay, I'm going to. put loads of this fertilizer down so that I'm going to get a nice lush green lawn. And I basically

scorched the whole of my lawn and it was brown for probably four months. And I was like, right, I know not to do that again. So I have learned the hard way, okay? And I actually talk about that mistake that I made in the book as well. You know, when I first started out gardening, putting plants in the wrong position, you know, plants like certain amounts of sun, you know, Some plants like it boggy, some plants like it dry, and it's just trial and ever. Yeah. And it's all part of the process of gardening. That everyone makes mistakes, and it is intimidating when you first start.

But what people need to know and understand is it's okay to make a mistake. It's absolutely fine. Just try again. Okay. I would class myself as a good gardener now, okay? I still make mistakes. I do. And I'm sure other gardeners out there who are experiencing,

who are qualified, who are, you know, they do this as a full-time job. They will still make mistakes as well. And it just happens. And sometimes you could do everything right and that plant still decides to die. Yeah. I know because we've got no control over the climate or what summer we're going to have. Exactly. What's going to happen?

All the pests that come. The other wild lives that want to eat things. I have a right problem. I can't grow lupins. And the reason why I can't grow lupings, I have a nightmare with white, white aphids. They just attack my loopings every year. And I try every year.

I've tried it in pots, tried it in the ground. They just get attacked. And I just think, this is my garden. This is what happens to my garden. I can't have lupins. Fair enough.

Yeah, you have to accept it, don't you? I think it's that thing, Johnny, isn't it? Not to be scared. Try not to be too scared because it's just plants and it's just nature and it's just outdoors.

Exactly. Give it a go. And also sometimes that thing in the garden, you think you might like a certain plant. And then it doesn't do too well. And then there are other plants that I've not necessarily been that interested in. I'm like, what is that beautiful plant?

It's done so well. It's so happy. And then you're sort of learning about your own plants within your garden. Then you can divide them and share them with people or they'll, you know, because it can seem so expensive gardening sometimes when you're starting out. And you're thinking, God, I bought all these plants and spent all this money. And it's just this tiny little plot. But they will.

grow and they will spread and you can divide them and you can share them and people can bring you other plants. Have you got any of the other firemen into getting out in their gardens? Yeah, so they all make fun of me, all of them on station. Of course they do. They all make fun of my social media. They all make fun on the fact that I love flowers, right? But individually, they'll message me saying, oh, what plants this? Oh, Johnny, my grass isn't doing very well. what am I doing? I'm like, you all make foot of me in front of everyone else. You don't, don't, I've got evidence now.

I've got evidence now. So yes, they are all getting into gardening and I love that. Brilliant. And what's going on in the garden view at the moment? What are the jobs that you're going to be doing? So I am watching the weather like a hawk, okay? So at the minute, my, my hellebores are looking absolutely fantastic. And as you can see here, like look at, look how stunning my hellebores look.

Oh, I love them. So, they're just suddenly, you turn around and they're so tall suddenly, aren't they? They're like,

where have you been hiding? These are the hellebores currently as we speak. I took these photos yesterday in my garden and look how beautiful that they are. And they're brilliant

for, you know, early bees coming out as well. So they're brilliant. And my crocus are just going over actually now. They were fantastic last week and it's just, it's like all of a sudden

they're gone and then the helibals are here. Yeah. So, yeah, they are looking fantastic at a minute so I'm keeping an eye on them. Salviors don't touch now because it's still too cold. Penceman, we can cut those back.

Don't say that. I've just cut that. Don't panic too much. I'm sure you'll be fine, though, okay? Oh, Lord. It's very warm down south in the, on the close. It's not actually at the moment. It's freezing. Look, if you are on shore, just wait until the weather starts improving a little bit.

I got carried away on Sunday. There was a moment when there was blue sky. It was literally, I've probably about three-quarters of an hour and I went out and I got over-excited seeing the new growth underneath the salviors but I should have just left them. It's really exciting isn't it? Oh, I know. For some reason, cutting back Pensterman and Salvio is one of my favorite things to do. So satisfying. And now also you can take it down really, really quite low that I think when I was like five years ago or when I've started gardening, I used to just trim the tops and I think that's

absolutely fine. But no, you go low and then you'll get really nice, thick, bushy, healthy plants. How low can you go? I'm so boring. We're not boring. This is not boring. Look how excited we both are. Johnny, look what are due to us is brilliant.

What do you two like the most about gardening? I think, Johnny, like you, losing myself there. It is just the, I cannot believe, and we cannot ever underestimate the power of gardening and how good it is for you. I've just worked on this show. Dr. Michael Mosley had this brilliant podcast and radio show and a television show where he talks about just one thing. It's just one thing you could do in your life to, you know, help with various different health ideas.

And obviously, sadly, we lost Michael. And they've made a new show of Just One Thing with Clive Myrie and Roman Kemp. And one of the films that I made for it was about gardening and how good that is for your health. And that is what I love about it most is it doesn't matter if I'm out there for two, three minutes, half an hour. I just sometimes when I'm, you know, and the world is quite overwhelming at the moment, just like get out in the garden for a minute. You know, the kid's driving mad or anything like let's go work things. Just get outside with my little clue. Don't take back the salvia too soon. But I just get out there. And whether it's tidying up, sweeping up or just sitting on a bench with a cup

of coffee and watching the birds and all the insects and being excited that the bees are out and on the hellebors, the calming effect that has and the actual physical effect, it's amazing that they've actually found, you know, putting your hands, not necessarily in gloves, into soil is so good for you. That has a chemical reaction on your body. You know, it's incredible, isn't it? And that's what I love about gardening, I think, the most. I love that.

I really like making everywhere look lovely. That's what I do it. I love creating stuff. No, but I mean, genuinely, I love flowers. Like you, Johnny, I love flowers. I love the different textures. I love the colors. And I like kind of painting.

It's like my garden is a palette. It's a painting that I'm putting together. I love that. So I like assembling all the pots, putting amazing pelagoniums with fantastic scents and colors and leaf structures. I like just painting a picture in the garden. That's what I really, really enjoy. I do.

I love weeding. I love getting on top of my ground elder, which is just beginning to poke his head above the soil. And there is nothing more satisfying than getting a bit of ground elder and actually getting the whole route out. That feeling, when you hold it up and you're like, there, you're out, and then there's loads more underneath. But I love a bit of weeding.

But more than anything, I just like making everywhere look really beautiful. And standing back and looking at what you've created. Exactly. Yeah, exactly that. And enjoying that. I also love in the book that you talk about, you know, influences on your life and your grandma and the incredible tulips because, you know, your family are Dutch and that the tulips and that influence.

And there's a great chapter in here about gardening with the kids as well. Getting the kids out in the garden and getting them involved. Getting the next generation. Yeah. Getting the next generation involved. These are the next gardeners. These are the next people who are going to inspire other generations into nature and well-being and, you know, saving the planet. Literally, I know if we put all of our gardens together and we all gardens together as in as a country, as, you know, as a world.

the amount of space that we can, you know, create habitats for nature. And, you know, it's just incredible. And this is why it's so important to try and pass this down to the younger generations and trying to get them into gardening. Congratulations on the book, Johnny. Johnny, you are wonderful. The energy you spread. And it's so brilliant to read a little bit about, you know, who you are and why you got

into gardening in this book. It is glorious. Thank you for spreading the joy in the garden and this book. Just, you know, and you really will garden yourself happy. Just reading that book. It's such a great reads, Johnny. Congratulations to you. Keep spreading the love.

And thank you very much for having me. It's been an absolute pleasure. Oh, thank you, Johnny. Take care. Bye, bye, guys. Bye. Shall we dig in the crate, Joe? Let's.

I have four delights to share with you this week. I mean, to be honestly, we've kind of touched upon. I've really been enjoying Harry Stiles album. I have been loving this. I think he's done such a great job. There were a few reviews that was saying, oh, there's not enough bangers, la, la, la, la, la. But I think I was listening to Miranda Sawyer talk about him on her podcast.

And she was just saying, look, look at what has happened in his life. He's been this incredible big pop star. You know, he lost his friend. He's taken some time out after an extraordinary tour and some extraordinary albums. And he's gone and lived a bit of a life and had time for himself. and his family and his friends. And so this album is reflective of that.

And I think it's just gorgeous. I particularly love Side 2. I'm saying Side 2 because I'm old school and I play records and I flip them over. Because on Side 2 there's just a couple of... I really love the song Pop, Coming Up Roses and Carla's song. And he did mention his friend Carla when he did his one night in Manchester gig. And it's a really lovely story that he was sitting with his mate Carla and she had just discovered Paul Simon. And he said, oh my goodness me, have you heard Bridge Over Troubled Water?

And she hadn't. And so he played it to her. And that's reflected in the lyrics. And he just talks about how wonderful it was to see someone hear a piece of music that was so moving for the first time. And then he played her Kathy's song. And I just love those stories sometimes behind, you know, songs. We look so much into the lyrics, don't we, of the greatest artists. I think that was the amazing thing about watching all the Beatles documentaries is that you think,

oh, well, this means that. And then you realize Paul and John sometimes just made it up. Sometimes it just made it up. Just because it fitted. Because it fitted in. So, you know, and everyone's desperately sort of dissecting Harry's lyrics. Is this about Olivia Wild? Is this about Liam?

Is this? But I just think, Bravo, Harry, I love this album. I'm really enjoying it. Yeah, I read the reviews and people were being quite. iffy about it. And the first time I heard it, it just feels like, and it sounds incredibly derogatory to say this, but it's really good background music because it's an entire album of a really lovely sound. Like it goes up and it goes down and it just feels really lush. So if you are cooking in the kitchen, you stick that on and you'll be really happy and it's very

well produced, so it feels good as well. If you've got a party coming up, you've got friends coming around, just have it on in the background. And it just feels lovely. So I don't mean it to be derogatory. I was having a treatment the other day and they were playing that in the backgrounds and it was really, really nice to listen to. And that is absolutely fine. It doesn't have to be like 12 tracks that are all, you know, light and shade and this one's a bang on. This means that. It's just a really great vibe. There's some really good beats in it as well. There's some real, like, which really appealed to the raver, the raver in anyone. But also the raver who sometimes likes to just to have a gin and tonic on a Friday night and dance around the kitchen on her own.

Yeah. Sophisticated, Raven. And yes, now we are discussing Harry Stiles again on the podcast, but you've been discussing him too, and I know you love him. Someone else, I love and adore, whose album finally came out last week and he is just, he is the man spreading joy at the moment. Joshua I dare him. I hope I've said his name right. His album, I know you're hurting. Everyone is hurting. everyone is trying, you have got to try, has finally come out. I first heard his track, Mum does The Washing. I mean, he's a poet and it's sort of spoken words to music. You introduced me to Anthony Smarik, who is sort of on a similar vibe, the fantastic beats

and a spoken word that really means a lot to you. Well, Joshua's lyrics are incredible. He works with Ludwig, who does the music. He's the beats man. they are an incredible team. And Joshua got in touch and he sent me his poetry book and I loved it. And I've loved all the music he's released. Well, finally his album is out.

He's a joyous performer. I heard him talking to Lauren on Six Music. He just spreads joy. His lyrics are wonderful. They give hope. And there are disco bangers in here. There are lyrics that will really make you stop and think. And this is the kind of love you needed in your life.

right now. So Joshua, and he sent me his album. So thank you, Joshua, and thanks to the guys at Resident Records, who have also saved me a copy of both Harry and Joshua's albums. So that is an absolute gem. Do if you need some joy and hope and dancing in your life, get this album. And finally, Joe, and I know you've been playing lots of the tracks on your show last week you were playing. We mentioned this the other day, Help, War Child, is help to an album. And you're probably more, you know, you can probably tell us more about some of the amazing musicians who feature on this album because you've been playing some of the tracks out on your show on the radio. I've been playing it all across this week. There are so many gems. I'm so jealous that you've

got a really good record shop near you because I just, I physically cannot get to a record shop to buy records. I live in the middle of nowhere and I'm so busy. It's really difficult. Look at the list. You've got Art Tip Monkeys and the last dinner party. That track is fantastic. Arlo Parks, English teacher. Depeche, Moe. King Cruel. I love the Cameron Winter track. Foles, so good. Olivia Rodrigo doing the Book of Love. I mean, you could read them all out. They're all so good. Yeah, produced by James Ford, who is obviously an incredible producer. The Wet Leg track is really excellent as well. It's called Obvious. It's so very good. You've named all the other tracks.

There's so many more. Do you want to do your bit, as you mentioned. Yeah. But it's look at it. It's a double album. So you're getting a lot of great tunes, fantastic artists. for your buck. Also, if you get this, there's a little single as well. The Acrease, which is Acreus from Oasis that comes with it. And of course,

if you're buying this album, you're helping out a brilliant charity who are doing some amazing work that is so important right now because of the situation across the world war child, a brilliant charity helping children affected by war all over

and the aftermath of war as well. So it's, you know, it's just joyous. getting great music and you're helping out as well. You're doing a little bit. If there is one album you buy this year, make it that record, I think, and you will not be disappointed. It just spans every kind of musical genre. It's so good. The quality is so high. A peeky blinders soundtrack is really good as well. Obviously, that film's come out. And it's been Anthony Genn. I don't know whether you know Anthony. Yes, I remember. And he used to play with Pulp. Yeah, yeah. He was the guy

and I always say this and I bet he hates me for it. But he's streaked at Glass for one time. That's my first encounter with him. Anyway, he's put together the peeky blinders track. He's the musical advisor or supervisor and it's really wonderful. There's this new reworking of Nick Cave, Red Hand, and also there's a really beautiful song that Grian, Grian has been very involved in the Peaky Blinders, Grimm from Fontaine's DC. So Peeky Blinders soundtrack is great. James Blake's new album, Trying Times is, as you'd expect, haunting and melodic and absolutely exquisite. So I would recommend that. I don't have the physical copy here, but I've been playing on my radio show. It's great. Blake's trying times.

It's a really, really great time for music at the moment. There are so many great artists coming through. There's an artist called Paris Paloma, who's been supporting Florence and Machine recently. She's like one to look out for for the future. She's a great, great name. Holly Humberstone has got a new album coming out not until April, but she's, she did session for me this week and her voice is wonderful and she's very smart. Yeah, but honestly, bleachers have got new music coming out.

I couldn't be more excited at the moment about all the music. that's coming our way, it's a really, really thrilling time for new music. And also established artists coming out. There's loads of creativity. I know. So, yeah, I will end it there because I'm bold. Yeah, it is. And music.

Can I just mention a book? Yeah. I mean, you know, I love a bit of camp. I love this woman, Liza Minnelli. What a woman, she has a book out. It's called Kids, Wait Till You Hear This, as told to her friend, Michael Feinstein. and it is so good. Her life.

She talks about dating Martin Scorsese. She talks about her marriages, you know, and what went wrong in them and how she just loves love. And, you know, her mom and her relationship with her mom and really trying to look after her mom and the effect that that had on her life. But the name, oh, the names in this, it's just glorious. And she's been doing a couple of interviews recently, so you've seen that you may have seen on socials. clips of Liza talking at the moment. I will never forget being in the studio next to Steve Wright one day. And she'd popped in to talk to Ritey. And we were just noses at the glass. And she came through and like waved at us all. And we were like, Liza. And her interview with Ritey, of course,

was so much fun. What a woman. It is a great book. You will just love it. So I'll send it to you after I've read it, Joe, if you fancy it. Oh, thank you. I saw Barbara Streisand sent her birthday wishes to Liza and there was a really great picture of the pair of them. I was like, what a freaking amazing female double acts they are. What a double acts. Like amazing friends. God, it was such a lovely picture. I know. I've just, I just want to mention this because I have now got my Rachel Jackson necklace, my disco ball, which is all the proceeds going to choose love. You mentioned yours last week and they've sent me one. And so I just wanted to urge people, if you, like Zoe said, if you want to contribute in any way, if you're just thinking, how can I raise money, how can

and what can I do, then this is the disco ball. Hope people can see it. It's really beautiful. It's very, very cool. And money's going towards Choose Love. So thank you for sending me this. Choose Love, the charity that Harry Stiles is supporting on these dates that he's been doing as well. So yeah.

Yeah, helping people who are displaced and doing everything they can to make this world a better place, which is what we need to be doing right now. Oh, do you know what? I had moments during this episode where I felt a bit angry about the world. but then Johnny came and we talked about gardening and we were totally redeemed and then we talked about, you know, glorious music that's out there and spring and hope. It's been lovely talking to you. I'm glad that we're leaving on a hopeful note. Yes, good, always.

It's a good place to be. And I think that's what dig it can be sometimes. We can come here. We can offload. We can have a little rant, but we can remember the good in the world that surrounds us. And do get in touch with this if you'd like to talk about Johnny or anything else that we've talked about today. And we would really love to hear your thoughts on the, on the. you know, the matters raised by inside the manosphere, Louis Theroux's film.

Yeah. And if you've, if you've, you know, had experience of that with your own boys or with people you know, do let's know, do get in touch. And also, if anything absolutely ridiculous has happened to you. A very, very funny thing has happened that you just, you just have to let us know. We want to know. We'll tell everybody else because we love telling your stupid stories. You can't stupid stories.

You can always. Your funny stories, hilarious stories. Because people keep saying that to us. They're like, oh, my God, I really love to get. because of the funny stories that people keep sharing. More of those, please. More of those, please. If you want to remain anonymous,

or you can just invent a name for yourself, if you don't want anyone to know who you are, by the way, as well. We're happy to keep you anonymous. Yeah, head to show notes. It's all there. Take care, lovely. See you next time for digging. Bye, darling.

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