Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - 90: The Jackie Annual and Bathing with Eels

Episode Date: May 6, 2026

In this week’s instalment of Dig It, a shocking music revelation from Jo, an unexpected bath-time companion, and a wholesome (if slightly questionable) trip down memory lane via the Jackie Annual.Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/RvibUFQIM8E 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 Starling and M&S📱 Starling: the bank that helps you organise your money, build great habits and stay in control of your spending. Find out more at starlingbank.com/good-with-money🛍️ Marks & Spencer — M&S have relaunched their Sparks loyalty programme, and it’s better than ever. Earn money into your digital Sparks wallet every time you shop at M&S - across food, fashion, and more. https://www.marksandspencer.com/joinsparks CREDITSExec Producer: Jonathan O’SullivanProducer: Samantha PsykAssistant Producer: Eve JonesTechnical Producer: Oliver GeraghtyVideo Editors: Danny Pape and Jack Whiteside 

Coming up on Diggett. If you had told 16-year-old me that Paul Weller, who was on my wall and who I loved and adored, he's going to send me flowers one day. I would never have believed you. I remember being accidentally caught when a friend came over. There were a few hands in certain places and my granddad walked in. It was like, oh my God. This is so humiliating.

If Beastie Boys did a gardening show, it would look like this. And God damn it, it's so good. I don't like 60's music. I'll be honest with you. That's the kind of thing I don't like. Hang on. The Beatles. Oh no.

Unpopular opinion. No, I don't. Really? None of that. All of that. Right after this. Hello, Joe. Happy May to you and yours.

Hi, happy May to you. I'm very happy. It's May, aren't you? Best month of the year because it's all about flowers and plants and gardens and hope and joy and, oh, all the good stuff. All the good stuff. It's sort of almost officially the beginning of summer, isn't it? I mean, I know it's spring, really. really, but, you know, with climate change and everything, it's sort of become summer for many of us.

I know it's sort of, you know, but the garden has really come to life and everyone's thinking about Chelsea flower show and other flower shows that are happening. And yeah, it is quite an exciting month. I finally planted my fathergills, my tomato seeds and my cosmos. I put them in these. I got these father gills little plug things that you buy in a little box and I've got photos so I can show you. and you basically fill them with water and then you drop the seeds into these tiny little holes,

you put a little plastic lid on and then they start growing and then when you're ready to transfer them you plant them with these little plugs so it makes it quite easy. That's a good idea. They're finally in. Okay, you'll be two days ahead of me.

Not that I'm competitive or anything but you know, we'll see who gets the biggest blooms at the end of all this, who gets them as tomatoes we can have our own little village show. I love that. I'm not competitive, but let's see who gets the big. is blooms. I think I know who's going to win this somehow. By the way, before we talk about anything else, can I just say pigeon in session on your radio show absolutely blew my mind?

How brilliant are this band? They are phenomenal. It was so much fun because on the radio show it's all about having new artists and giving them a platform and getting people to hear. You know, this amazing talent. There are so many cool, great bands around at the moment and musicians and artists. And Pigeon, I didn't really know so much about them, but I knew Frank, who works on my show, had been to see them and said they were great live. We'd been playing a couple of the songs. And then they did this session. And it was just one of the best sessions we've had in years. There was so much energy, so many instruments. They're obviously proper geeks. And they kept talking about all the synths and the sound effects and the instruments they'd got. And then

their singer is a guy called Falae. And he was a real character. Their album is called Outer National. And it's Outer National. Came out on Friday. Just gone. is what he kept saying. But they were really good, weren't they? I'm so glad because you were messaging me while I was doing the show just going, oh my God, I'm going to go and see them in Brighton. I heard their track,

do-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-na-na-na-na-na-ma. That is a terrible way of singing it. But the first time I heard that track, I sent it straight to Woody. It was like, you will love this. And it's just, when you hear it, it's one of those songs that makes you stop whatever you're doing and you just start,

I just start doing sort of mama bass dancing around the place. It makes me so happy. And then you said they were coming on your show. And there are a collective of a lot of musicians who've worked with loads of other bands like Salt and Michael, Kiwanuka. They've been in his band. And I think some of them played with Little Sims and Fally. And they're the most amazing collective.

Are they from Marr? Are they, do they fare from Margate or something they were saying? Yeah, they've gravitated to Margate and Ramsgate because they said it's really creative. And also, you know, the Libertines are there. They've got their studio. They've got the Albion there. So they were able to go and record the album in the Libertine studio. And they were saying on the show that they actually can use the instruments.

So they were using Carl Barat's guitar, I think, when they were recording the album, which is great, isn't it? The band has set this studio, they've left the instruments there. And they've just said, oh, yeah, if you come and use the studio, just help yourself. I mean, don't take it away. Leave them behind. But that's very, very cool. And they were really smart. They were so much fun.

We had the biggest reaction from listeners. There are people blown away who'd never heard them before. So it's worth if people are watching this to go back and listen, it's on BBC Sound. They can listen back to the session. And go and see the band. If you're going to a festival over the summer, chances are they might be there. So look at the line up and see if pigeon are there. Get yourself in the tent.

Get down the front. But thank you, Joe, for honestly, you really, when I hear sessions like that on your show, and I'm like, God damn it, this woman's so good at what she does. And you find such gems and you enlighten our lives. lives with your love of music and these fantastic musicians that you find. And what great energy. So yeah, check out Pigeon. And what's the name of the album again? Outer National. Obviously, that's how he was saying. That's how Fully was saying it. He comes from Africa. He was, yeah, he was talking a lot about his life and living on a war camp when he was very, very young.

Yeah. And the reason that they're called Pigeon is because pigeons are quite sacred in Africa. And they were very important. And so he talks about the whole, the importance of pigeons. because I hate pigeons. I don't know about you. I don't mind them. Really? Oh no, they give me the hebe jibis. I think I'm at Houston a lot

because I get my train to Houston. And there are so many pigeons there and they dive on you. You're walking to get your train and low-flying pigeon kind of takes you out. So I'm always kind of really jittery around pigeons.

But Fally was like, no, no, they're sacred in Africa. They're very, very important. I've always loved pigeons since feed the birds. Tub and so beg. She says it. B-A-H-H-H-H-H.

Gee, bag. Tubbins, tuppens a bag. I don't know why I'm doing that. Stop it. What do you not like? Okay, so pigeons are my pet. Hey, do you know what? Things without legs.

So eels and snakes. It's not that I don't like them, they're just giving me the hebi-jeebies a little bit. Yeah. And so if ever I'm snorkeling and it's like, oh, hang on a minute, that's an eel. There's just something about creatures without legs that freak me out. It's just the way they move. And I remember having to be very brave at a kids party when someone had brought animals to entertain the kids and this little tiny snake wrapped itself around my arm. And I was just looking at the lovely man doing the party going, please take it off my arm.

I'm trying to make calm. I'm trying really hard to be calm in front of the kids and not be like. But yeah, snakes scare me a little bit. My granddad used to, he was a really keen fisherman. So we always had a fridge full of maggots because that would be his fishing bait. And then you'd get home if you'd had a successful day fishing and you go to get in the bath at my grandparents' house because I used to spend a lot of time there. Eels. Eels in the bath. Oh my God, that's like my idea of hell. It's awful. Because also there must be really hard to catch. Because they're just, well, oh. They slither everywhere. I know. But then my grandma would cook them. Honestly. This was, you know, back in the early 70s, I guess. So he'd catch the eels, keep them in the bath. Then grandma would go and get them. She'd cook them and we'd walk into the keats. in the smell of eels. Jellyed eels.

No. When people talk about eels being a delicacy now, I just can't get past the bath. Yeah. There you go. It's making my tummy turn a little bit at the moment. And I'll eat anything, to be honestly. I remember once someone making me some razor clams.

You know, there are razor clams that come up and down out of the sea. And I said to them, I really just would like to say I'd really rather not eat this. Because I don't know why. there's just something about knowing that they make that strange movement where they come up and down and out of the sand. I don't know where they're physically coming up and down or whether the tide's going in and the sand's going down. But I don't know why we even talk about this. It's making me feel sick now.

And I ate the razor clams to be polite. And I'm so ill. Now, I don't know whether that's psychosomatic, but I will never eat razor clams again. I mean, it actually sort of makes me feel like I might throw up into a bin right now. There we go. Please don't take offense, anyone, because I'm sure there's people like they're a lover, Any diggers who might be listening or watching this now, any memories that you've got of your childhood and like bizarre things, whether it was your grandparents who you stayed with like me

or whether it was your parents, just some weird, weird things you'd open the fridge and see. Tripe. Tripe, I was going to say tripe, yes. That and it's stank. Oh, awful. Awful. I love that, though. I think it's going to be hard to top coming home and finding your granddad's eels in the bath.

That's quite spectacular. Also, as I'm imagining it, because of the era, I'm imagining one of those lovely sort of 70s pink baths. It was a white enamel bath. I remember it really clearly because I used to be bathed in that bath as well. Were the eels removed in a bucket before you got in the bath? Or did you have to get in the bathed with the eels? I used to be bathed in eels every day. Eels up inside you.

That's a mighty boosh reference. It is as well. Oh my God. Where is this conversation gone? God, this is an abstract episode. I've no idea. If you're loving Dig It So Far, hit follow or subscribe. That way you'll get brand new episodes as soon as they're out.

Talking of nostalgia, I've spent quite a lot of time at my mum and dads recently because mum had an operation. Finally, she got her operation. Oh, how's she doing? She's doing all right to fix her back. She's, yeah, she, oh my God, I went and picked her up from the hospital and she was like, I feel great. I'm so pleased. I said, well, let's get a wheelchair to get you from your bed down into the car. No, it's okay. I'll walk. And I've spent the past, God, I don't know, two years watching her get more and more stooped over. So she just literally couldn't stand up straight in the last six months. She's been really bent over. and then watching her walk from a hospital bed

down to my car and she was standing upright it was so moving I like a miracle I couldn't believe it and it's what everybody has said when they've seen her like oh my God Christine we haven't seen you stand up right for so long oh I'm so pleased for her so I stayed at my mum and dads and sleeping at your parents' house

after you haven't slept there for like 30 years was quite funny I slept alongside my mum and looked after her for the first night and it was very sweet and very nostalgic so I think that's probably why I'm thinking of eels and my granddad and you can you see funny photos of yourself don't you from the from your childhood when you go to their houses they bring back such memories don't they all those those things it's it's so great i saw a school friend of mine this this week carry carry baggott she was at

school she's she's now carrie hodgson and she was oh she was just so much fun absolutely gorgeous and goofy and daft and i hadn't seen her for so many years and she was in bright and visiting her on and we went and had you know I think we had about an hour and a half to catch up on pretty much 40 years and who's where everyone's gone and what people are doing and you know just talking about our kids and the things that have happened in our lives and stuff and she was exactly the same she bound up and I was like she hasn't changed she's just gorgeous

and we covered everything you know loss and life and so much that you know, you go through in life. And she brought with her a couple of school scrapbooks, which were full of photographs. And I just don't have any photographs of me at school. I think I've got like two. And seeing everyone's faces. And just remembering actually that we had,

I went to convent school. Not much happened. It was quite tame. You know, I wasn't very academic. We did a lot of mucking around. We were taught by nuns. You know, there was. They were, you know, they were quite healthy in days.

But it's funny because you just, because I haven't seen everyone from school for so many years. I've just sort of put it in a little place. I've slightly forgotten about some of the daftness that went down. And it was just joyous to see all our faces and see how young we were and see, and hear what's happened to everybody. And also just looking at things like the fire drill register and being able to pretty much name the entire class in chronological order. You know, in the way, because you just. remember everyone's four names, Angela Kilcoyne and Liz Davis and Sophia Divinsky, like all my

Vicki Jobling, Emma Baxter, the whole crew. We had the Jobling. We had David Jobling at our school. Did you have a David Jobling? I wonder for any, probably no relation, you never know. And there's pictures of us doing dance routines. I'm like, oh my God, even then, what was it? It was always with the performances and the dance routines. I was always putting on plays. Like, right, he wants to be in a Zoe Ball production. What a knob. Honestly, I must have driven everybody for. freaking mad. I saw those photographs because you posted them on Instagram and I thought that exact thing. I thought, God, you were all, you were a born performer right from the very beginning.

You're there and you're performing and I could see Nell in you as well. But you know, you and Nell look very, very similar. Same body shape and just that energy that shines out. And it really, really made me think of Nell. But also I could so see that you were there just loving it, like entertaining everybody, which is what you do now. Carrie and I were laughing because there's us doing a dance routine at the front of the class and then half the class are just carrying on their own thing like, oh, they go again, some other performance we're going to have to endure. You know, and just stupid, ridiculous childish behaviour. And I just would like to apologise to anyone who had to teach me for being such a dick at school.

But years later, you sort of, when you learn about ADHD and all that sort of concentration stuff and focus problems and I've seen it in my own kids, I'm like, oh, right, yeah, that's probably why. That was it. couldn't concentrate and I couldn't write. I found it hard to write things down in huge paragraphs and stuff. But it was a joy to see. And it was quite funny how many people had seen the photographs and thought that they were their own school photographs because they just brought back so many of the memories of those days. And I love those girls. So I'm going to try and meet up with more of them because I've never been to a school reunion. Have you done one? Yeah, I did one a few years

ago. And it was lovely. There were not that many people that I hung around with. I was quite, I went to a local comp and I moved there when I was about 13, which is never a good time. I don't think to start at a new school. So I lived in town, gone to school there, had all my friends and then

we moved up to the countryside, started this at the comp. And I never got over that feeling of being an outsider. I just felt like I was joining and everybody had already made their friendship groups. So I had a very small friendship group who were, like you say about the name, there was Jill Whip, there was Barbara Woodward, there was Lynn Parker, who I loved, who's no longer with us, but God, she was an

amazing character. Sally Wallington, Serilly Richards. You're so right. You remember their son names. Full names. And of course, everyone's got married now and changed their names. So you look and think, oh God, hang on, what did I know you as? And it's quite good when people say, I am now, so and so, but I was. And you're like, yes, Shelley Chapman. But it's funny going back and so. So I went to one reunion and there weren't many people I knew there, but seeing the teachers, I really loved seeing the teachers because there are certain ones that mean so much to you and they have such a big influence on your life and they're very special. There's lots that you don't really remember. But when you actually see them as adults, I mean, you can't get over the, you can never

call them by their first name, can you? They will always be Mr. Warns or Mr. Lomax or Mr. Bonnet or Mr. Pope. I don't want to know their first names. I just want to know them as the teacher that they were. I just want that level of respect and the distance between us all the time, always. But it's really nice to see them and just to say, let them know what an impact they had on your life and how much they meant to you. So I enjoyed seeing the teachers more than anything. They were fun days, so lovely to see Carrie and hopefully get to see some of the other girls soon. 14 to 15, I think is a really lovely age that I feel very nostalgic about. I was thinking of you the other day. I was scooting into work from Houston, pushing myself along on my little scooter, and I had my

sat, headphones on. And I was listening to, I've got this tape. It's not a tape. How old am I? I got a playlist that I put together that used to be a tape.

It was a tape. And it's mainly from, yeah, in my head, mainly from the 70s. And it was things that just made me feel really warm and safe and comforted and fuzzy inside.

And it was the Alessie brothers, O'Lorry, which I know you absolutely love. I was in the sunshine on my scooter. Listen to that song. I listened to it three times in a row. So good.

Bicycle with you. with you in the sun. Oh yeah? I went to the handlebars too soon. But that was perfect on a scooter. Yeah. So yeah, listen to this whole thing and I was thinking of you. What else was on there?

Sad Cafe. Every day hurts. Every day. Every little day. Every little day. Gallagher and Lyle. Just really, really kind of comforting songs. Yeah, the gems.

And it just summed up because there's so much yearning. When you listen to the lyrics and it's all about, you know, a boy desperately desperate. really wanted a girl or vice versa. And I used to sing an emot along to those. But there was no boy in my life. There was no girl in my life. I had no experience of love whatsoever. But I used to really feel it inside. Yeah. Yeah. He's great hearing those songs again, isn't it? And you flashback. And yeah, I used to really, I used to watch like a film where, you know, people fell in love and be yearn for that kind of. We're just hopeless romantics, Joe. That's what it is.

Yeah, I think that's what we are. All hopeless romantic. But when you listen to them now at the age that we are, some time warp thing with time machine goes on and you are back transported to being that young girl again and having those feelings. And it just, I feel really happy when I listen to those songs. It's just a really lovely calm time in my life, I think. And that's why music is so wonderful, isn't it? It's so good. The diggers, I'd love to hear from you diggers if there are songs that do the same to you. So for me, I guess in Zoe, it's that Alessie brothers, O'Lorry. Oh, Laurie. Just a proper happy song. It really is. It takes you to a happy place. Yeah. I watched a little video of two women working this weekend.

You make me feel like dancing comes on by Leo Sayer. And they just start doing a little routine to it. And I was like, yes. And I was sat in the pub at the weekend with The Lodger. And there was a really cool group of youngsters. I mean, they're probably in their 30s. Listen to me. Oh, they were young people sitting next to me.

And they were all talking about finding out what was number one when they were born. and it was properly shocking because it was like, oh my God, that was number one when they were born by that point. I was 35 or whatever it was. And I said, you know, number one when I was born was Voodoo Child by Jimmy Hendrix, which I always thought, come on, that is a great song. And we looked up the lodgers and it was Leo Sayer. You make me feel like dancing. And I was like, that's a tune, man. That's a real good tune.

Do you know number one when you were born, Joe? No. Now I want to look it up. Can I look it up? Yeah, look it up. Can we look it up? I think I have known in the past. Look it up, girl.

Number one, on the day that I was born in the UK, it was the Hollies, I'm alive. I don't actually know that song. I can have to play it now. Oh, that's a disappointing one. I know. Well, you're a cool girl. I feel it should be something really cool. I mean, it's total chance that was born to voodoo child.

I mean, my parents were cool, but not that cool. I don't like 60's music. I'll be honest with you. What? It's the kind of thing I don't like. I really don't. You don't like 60s? music. Beatles in the 60s, not for me. Hang on, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin and... Oh no, unpopular opinion,

no, I don't. Really? And, you know, um, beach boys. My little runaway, my run, run, run, run. No, la la la la la la. Delle. Del Shannon is it? What? I don't like that. Not Buddy Holly, not Elvis Presley. Elvis, I like. Okay. No, just that kind of jingly, jingly, head-shaking kind of 1960s music. I really, I really can't bear it. I really can't bear it. I really can't bear it. it. But there's some really sort of filthy bass and blues from the 60s as well as the jingly-jangly. Well, that's okay. So you won't be taking over sounds of the 60s on BBC Radio too. No, I will not. No. I'm going to leave that to do with the expert, Tony Blackburn. We're going to take a quick break for some ads. But if you're keen to listen to these episodes

early and ad-free, you can subscribe to the potting shed. And if you sign up for a yearly subscription, you get a free Digit tote bag, very cool. And for the father. gills, sow and tell seeds. Just click the link to subscribe in the show notes. Right, time for a break. Digit is brought to you in partnership with Starling, the bank that helps you organise your money, build great habits and stay in control of your spending. Now, we put a call out on our substack and our Instagram and we ask you for your best good with money habits and you have not disappointed. We knew you wouldn't. Some of these are brilliant. Yeah, I really loved looking through what everyone centers. I might pinch some of these ideas actually. And it really does show that being good with

money doesn't mean you've got to be a financial whiz. It's just about little habits you introduce into your life that can make such difference. So we've got this text from Angela who said, my favourite habit is automating everything to come out on the first of the month, including savings contributions. I also love a no spend weekend, genius, hard possibly, but genius, plus buying good quality things that last over the latest fads. Yeah, good quality. You see, you only have to pay once then, don't you, supposedly? No spend weekend. We should give that a go next weekend, Joe. Yeah, might have to. I'd be hopeless. We'd have to be really organised. But it's such a good idea. Lee sent us this. I round up transactions to the nearest pound and add it to this account. It's like a

loose change jar. It can be up to 800 quid a year and really helps me out with Christmas. Brilliant. Such a good idea. We also got this from another Joe who said I use pots to budget for everything at the beginning of the month. So petrol, hair, eyebrows, very important. Christmas holidays, my car and it genuinely really helps me keep right on track. Ah, you guys, excellent work. That budgeting habit actually reminds me, Joe, have you heard of admin nights? Well, no, I haven't. You know, I mean, they fill me with horror, but I am intrigued. Maybe I should know about admin nights.

Tell me. Well, check this out. Instead of dreading all the boring life admin, paying bills, reviewing subscriptions, whatever, you know, there's stack of letters that build up on the kitchen sideboard. Well, you set aside one evening, perhaps twice a year, and you make a night of it. You get some good food in, whack a good place. playlist on, maybe get a couple of mates over and you devote an evening to doing your admin. And if you've got mates around, you can help each other out. People are saying it's a total game

changer. I'm thinking I need to do this with my kids. Although Woody and I try to sort our admin and any bills and stuff like that, because we're both ADHD is we both avoid doing these things. and it could be chaos. But maybe that's what, if we could help each other, maybe something good could come from this. Yeah, no, that's a good idea. I've got a couple of friends who are particularly organized, and I would trust them with my life.

So if I could have either Amy or Elizabeth over, they are really good and making decisions and helping me see clearly. So when it comes to finances and money, it just feels really foggy. I can never actually see with clarity. So, but they can. So maybe I'd have those over.

I'd probably have a bottle of vodka or a bottle of Jack Daniels just to the side. and I'd be really strict. I'd say I'd have to work and do the admin for the first hour and then I'd allow myself a drink. So if you've got that as well as like, you know, that's the carrot, then maybe that would work for me. Sounds like a good idea.

Yeah, you don't want to be necking the whole vodka then doing your admin. No, like, oh, it's all going to be fine. Yeah, a bit of hummus, some dips and Jack Daniels. It's a good idea though, isn't it? Yeah, I think if I did an admin night with my kids, we would need a responsible adult with us. So I'd probably get my mate M in. Be like M, Dell.

Oh, Dell's so organised. I'll get her over. And she'd be like, come on, concentrate. Get this done. Getting a takeaway. It would be amazing actually. Right, I might actually try this. You've actually been working with Stalin for a while.

Yeah, I've been working with them as a brand ambassador. And what I really like about them is how simple they make good banking feel. Being good with money isn't about being an expert. It's just about those little habits that add up to making your business. money work for you? That is so true. Search Starlink to find out more. Good with Money starts here. Should we just talk about the Jackie annual while we're on nostalgia? Come on. We have both been sent a Jackie annual. Yes. The best of Jackie. Is that what's her name on the front? Poor old Leslie Ash. Is that Leslie Ash? It is. She's modeling inside as well. I loved Leslie Ash. Oh, she had a real

rough time, didn't she? Didn't she? She was one of the first people really to acknowledge that she'd had fillers and facial treatments and they went wrong. And she'd had a real tough time with it, didn't she? Yeah. Yeah, poor girl. I've always felt really sorry for it. I hope she's doing all right now. I do too. Anyway, we got sent these Jackie Annials and boy, oh boy, did this take me back. Oh boy, that was another magazine that makes to read.

My guy, my guy, oh boy. Very, very boy centric, all of the things. I was very much la la la la, la looking. Oh, yes. I used to love the adverts for looking. And yeah, the first page I opened up, though, Joe was one of my first crushes, which was Mick Robertson from Magpie. And he had the big curly hair. There he is, look. Yeah.

You can just see him in the corner there with his big curly hair. And I mean, he sort of looks a little bit like Brian May, which was a big vibe. Tommy was the other guy, wasn't he who presented Magpie. He had curly hair also. Tommy Boyd. Tommy Boyd. I liked him. Proper crush. As you look through Jackie, what I'm finding in here is that.

There are so many articles about boys, and it's, that's how to handle him, the Wandering Hands Act. Oh, God. Right, so this is the way boys, the first time you meet him, you'll think he's great, no faults, no nasty habits. In short, you'll think he's just perfect. Once you get to know him better, and you're seeing him on a regular basis, though, you're bound to uncover a few, not so nice things about him. Is this all resonating with everybody? Oh, God. The Wandering Hands Act, if every boyfriend from time to time gets carried away by his friend.

feelings and this can pose problems for his girlfriend. There's only one way to react if your boyfriend tries to go too far physically, too far being quite simply what you regard as too far. So there were morals in this. Okay. The best thing to do is to change the mood abruptly break away, say, stop that and get out of his clutches. Make it clear, you're annoyed. And make it clear right then that you have limits and tell him exactly what they are. A serious talk will call him off wonderfully. So I haven't heard that phrase wandering hands for ages. No, I know. I know it makes we feel a bit creepy. But to be honestly, I was the other way around. I was like, why are there no wandering hands? I wanted wandering hands. I mean, I remember being accidentally caught when a friend

came over, a boy and we were just like, kind of not much was going on, but there were a few hands in certain places and my granddad walked in. It was like, oh my God. Yeah, I just remember being like, that's so embarrassing. And he was so adorable. My granddad, he went, do you think it's time that You should be going now, young man. I was like that. Oh, my God, this is so humiliating. But I fell in love with every boy I ever met. I mean, this was the hopeless romantic, you know,

watched too many movies and listen to too many love songs. I was in love with all of them. It's like, but he's so perfect. He's so amazing. And they were always complete geeks. And they were often quite funny. And I'd stayed friends with a lot of them. But, yeah, I mean, I didn't have to hit any of them with a handbag, let's say.

It took me a long time to even get a snog, to be honest, I didn't get much action. to be honest with you. But did you ever follow the advice from magazines? No, I didn't follow the advice. I did the, I love the pictures, like the picture stories that they had, like when it's all acted out. We could have been in these picture stories.

When you look at them, the haircuts, we were classic girls in the 70s, weren't we? There weren't any good haircuts in the 70s? I don't know what happened to hairdressing. It's quite severe, wasn't it? It was really severe. Yeah. And yeah, it didn't suit everybody. Are you a human dustbin? Can you answer this quiz? Yes, I am. In this also I love.

Some of the celebrities in my Jackie Anul are amazing. Both the guys from the professionals who I was completely in love with. I've got all the Osmans in here. And also, what's the worst Christmas present you've ever had? The worst Christmas present ever given to Kate Bush. The worst of all was a shower set somebody gave me. Do you remember those? it had curtains rails pipes the whole bit as far as i was concerned it was useless you see i really love lying in the bath for ages oh that's so capush isn't it and i've practically never used a shower in my entire life i don't know where it is now stuck in a drawer and forgotten it certainly never got fitted but the photos of the people we loved i mean you know it's all david bowie and elton john and phil linnet amazing rockser and then david cassidy and and the osmans as well there's what

There's a page for us, though, it's our favorite bad guys, and then they've got pictures of all the favorite bad guys. I bet we fancied all of these people. So Mick Jagger, yes, Tick. Clint Eastwood, yes. Kermit, that's you, not me. Yeah, you hate Kermit. Ilina Stasi, the tennis player, definitely fancied him. He was so naughty, wasn't he?

I did used to do all the quizzes. I loved the quizzes so much I'd go through. Could you light his fire? God. Oh, no, this is a good one. How to cope when he says goodbye. The first thing you'll do is cry for him. go ahead and cry. Lock your bedroom door and cry all you want to. Stare at his picture. Talk to yourself

with the thought that you will never see him again. Oh my God. Imagine him kissing his new girl and cry some more. Oh my God. Hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. Do let us know diggers. What were your favorite magazines? Did you answer the quizzes? And did you ever feature in any magazines? Did you write into them? I used to look forward so much every week to getting my magazine, to getting my Jackie and my guy. And, oh boy, it was just something to look forward to. And I'd go up into my bedroom and I'd just go through all the pages and I'd do all the quizzes and I'd read all the stories. I remember at school when we were teenagers, it was very much people reading out the problems from just 17 quite a lot. I'd forgotten about just 17.

You know, the creams and the potions and, you know, how to shave your legs and all that stuff. And I was so, I was just so disinteresting what stuff because I was a complete tomboy. I couldn't do makeup or hair, as you can see from photographs of me at that age. I just sort of disinterested at all of that stuff. But I do remember some very funny conversations about problem pages and stuff like that. Are you a gusher?

Hang on a minute. Hang on a minute. What is this we're reading? Oh, hang on. Are we talking about, oh, no. Oh, I'm on the wrong magazine. I must say that a lot of my male friends have been texting me recently saying,

have you seen this new Netflix show? It's called This is a gardening show with Zach. Is it Galafanakis? I think that's it. Yeah, Zach Galaphanakis. I know. I have trouble with anything with any syllables because I can't spell. Yes, Zach Galaphanakis. Have you watched it? Yeah, I will have watched one episode. It's very cool. I mean, it's the polar opposite of Gardner's World and each has their place and I will watch both of them.

It's really, really cool. The style of the whole program is, it's kind of retro but kind of modern. It's the kind of thing. If Beastie Boys did a gardening show, it would look like. like this. But it's Zach Galaphanacus. And he's obviously, he says he's been gardening all his life. He's really obsessed with nature and with the environment. And that's what this gardening show. As far as I've seen is all about. And he's funny, isn't he? You've seen a bit of it, right? I have. He's so hot. You know, I mean, this is the guy from the Hangover, and you'll all know he's the naughty, troublesome one in The Hangover. And he's a very funny guy and he did this brilliant chat show, which I think is on YouTube. Is it cool between?

two ferns, which is where he absolutely rinses mega Hollywood stars like Brad Pitt, Matthew McConaughey. He just brings up all the things you shouldn't talk about, all the things you're told never to talk about with them. But he can do it because he's hilariously funny and they all know him. And God damn it, it's so good. Because they all try to, they try to keep a straight face, don't they? They're all kind of like, they're a bit wary because they know it's here and they don't, they know something weird is coming. So they try to keep straight face. And then he gets more and more rude,

like not obscene rude, but just kind of offensive rude and just pulls him apart. He brings up all their exes and all their terrible situations that have happened in relationships that, you know, you know if you ever brought up with any of those actors in a sort of interview, you'd be hauled straight out. They'd be like up and out, but he can get away with it. If you've not seen it.

There's a Paul Rudd episode, which is great. It's so good. He's so good. But anyway, so he's made this gardening show. And it's quite, he does this thing with kids at the beginning where he sort of makes gags with the kids and they're just like, you're not funny. It's just not being funny. Which I love about kids anyway because they'll be like, yeah, that's funny.

No, that's not funny. You're not funny at all. But it's quite basic, the gardening in it, to be honest with you. It's a little bit of Sesame Street at times. I was like, this is kind of like the children's, workshop. It's quite basic. He was doing Apple grafting. And I was like, this is, you know, if you watch gardeners world where you're learning so, so much and it's pretty, you know, diverse. And it's, he sort of does one subject per show. It's, it's not that heavy on the gardening or the, all the science, really, all the,

but it's just quite light and fun. And I think he might introduce, you know, like the fact that loads of men are telling me about it. I'm like, oh, yeah, okay, so the boys will all start learning about gardening. Not, you know, I know loads of men who are into gardening, but a lot of my male friends who wouldn't be have watched this show and I'm really finding it, you know, brilliant and fun. It's really lighthearted and he is hot. He is, I am totally crushing on him. I keep watching thinking, my God, he is so hot. There are loads of outtakes that make him really endearing. So many outtakes all the time. They literally film everything and put everything out there. I'm born more, almost everything. And he takes the Mickey out of his crew, doesn't he?

Yeah, so much. It's brilliant. It's a really fun gardening show to watch. But like you say, it's not mega-sophisticated, but it is interesting. You know, he asks the basic questions that we actually really want to know. And he gets the answers from experts. But it's very casual and it's very engaging. And it's a really, it's another show about gardening. You know, we'd bring it on. Come on. We just want more and more. Zach Galafanakis. Is that it? Well done. Did I get it? Yep. Okay. You passed 10 out of 10. Tick. Thanks. Okay, let's move on to sew and tell and Abby's been in touch. She said, after hearing about India finding a doll in the garden of her new house, I wanted to share the items that my husband and I found in our front garden after we moved in. I essentially found three shoes and half a toolbox. If our gardens could talk, I would love to know the story behind this buried collection. Three shoes and toolbox.

Oh, and there they are. Oh, wow. And they really have been buried deep, haven't they? Odd shoes, yeah. None of the shoes match. They are all odd shoes. Big shoes, men's shoes. There's some very rusty pliers.

Do you think if you put them in vinegar, because apparently that's what you should do, put your rusty tools each at the beginning in spring, put your rusty tools into vinegar and it cleans all the... It sounds like a euphemism. It really does, doesn't it? Put your tools in... I'm going to try it. If it works, I'll try it.

I don't mind. Double-dip your rusty tools. But it's, yeah, I wonder if you did dip those in, vinegar, if they would still, you could still use them. Oh, somebody wonderful loved that garden once, didn't they? And yeah. Another thing, Indie's house, this is, it's the constant source of, um, of entertainment and fun.

They've just had carpet laid and they took away a floorboard and beneath it. It's really, it's creepy and I'm going to find photographs. There were loads of cards from a hundred odd years ago. Wow. And it was, someone had put them there and I think it was something to do with the church. And they're really creepy, like photographs of, of young girls and families. And it's very, very, very, very creepy.

And then inscriptions on the back and it's like a roll call of who lived in the village at the time. Why is that hidden? They were hidden under a floorboard. Yeah. I need to find out more facts about it. You've got to give all this to Jude because Jude's a writer, isn't it? Yeah.

And, you know, this, I feel that there's some really spooky tale in this to be told. There's a definite story there. It really, really gives you chills. Oh, God. Abby, thanks for getting on board with that. we'll send you some seeds so you're going to have some gorgeous tomatoes and some flowers as well in your borders, some Father Gill's seeds. That's our little gift to you. So thank you very much indeed, Abby. And any more tales of when you moved into a house and things that you discovered, whether it's under a floorboard or wherever it might be, let us know, send photographs as well. Also, I quite like, I quite like tales of people in houses where things move. You know, because I've heard all those stories of people have lived in places and never really believed in, you know, any. anything spooky and then things in houses move and they move regularly and it's like we're living in the house with someone else. I quite like that stuff. I mean, the only thing I do with this stuff

though, Joe, is like I freak myself out and then it won't be able to stay in the house on my own, which I have to do quite a lot. So maybe don't sell us spooky stories after all. I cannot stop thinking. I've thought so many times about the donkey that appeared by your car after you were on the day that you lost your mom, like the anniversary. I know. Oh, you. Oh, you. It's in your pocket. It's Billy's anniversary this week, and my lovely friend, Beth was saying how she'd, Robin's been following her around. And, you know, Robbins are always a lovely little sign of our lost loved ones.

But yeah, and I sent her a picture of my donkey. I've started keeping him in my pocket. The fact, he just suddenly was there and that was your mum's thing with you. It's just mind-blowing. We'll take all those things that we can get, weren't we? We will. They're just those special little moments of comfort. But I just wanted to mention an amazing charity who I discovered through having seen my school friend, Carrie, another school friend got in touch.

And we were talking and she happens to be working with this brilliant charity. They're called Mind Over Mountains. And they are a charity supporting people who are going through mental health crisis. You know, and it might be anxiety, it might be PTSD, they might be going through grief, they might be dealing with depression. and they're encouraging people to go in walking groups and they go out and walking groups and they'll talk to other people about, you know, stuff that's going on.

And I think this has become more and more widespread, which is such a lovely idea. And they're doing a really wonderful thing through the month of May. They're doing it across May because it's National Walking Month, encouraging more people to get out and walking in nature

and the great benefits for your mental health there. And it is also Mental Health Awareness Week as well. So it started last, week. If you want to jump on board, just check out the charity. Mind Over Mountains. And you don't have to walk 300 kilometres. They're just encouraging you to have a go. And even if you just did 2K, perhaps you're just doing your little daily walk or you're doing your dog walk, you can track how far you do through Go Jauntly, the app. And they're just such a wonderful charity that are really helping people who are struggling with mental health as well. So it's something I just

wanted to mention Mind Over Mountains, check them out. They're brilliant. Joe, what have you got for crate digging? For crate digging? I have, I just want to mention this album by Paul Weller, and it's Weller at the BBC. We both love Paul Weller. He's a very, very important musician of our time. He's incredible when it comes to songwriting, when it comes to politics, when it comes to being articulate through his music. Amazing performer. One of my favorite things on here is a moment that he did on my show and it was covering Billy Eilish, what was I made for. And it was just so gorgeous. You could hear a pin drop when he was performing that.

But it's an amazing collection of all the stuff that he's done. I just wanted to recommend that. So Paul Weller at the BBC. I discovered the jam quite late. I think after the jam were really cool. I discovered the jam. So the first Paul Weller band I was into was the Style Council, who I was obsessed with and absolutely loved.

And then kind of went backwards and was like, oh, he was in the jam. I mean, he's just so cool and his music has changed so much and I always love your interviews with him because the thing is really hard to interview people who you love and admire sometimes and you're thinking, oh gosh, and he doesn't always

love doing interviews but he settles into them more now, doesn't he? I think and he loves talking about his kids and the fact that some of them are making music and they introduce him to music and he's a special guy. We do this thing up close and personal on the show where I just ask stupid questions. But it's a really good device for getting people to open up about their lives

and just to get a bit more of an insight. And so obviously you do that with Paul Weller. And you can just see he's hating every single second. Did you have a cuddly toy when you were a child? What? How dare you ask me something like that? But then he'll open up and he'll tell you. He's definitely softened.

I mean, he doesn't suffer falls gladly, but he's definitely softened. I just really, really love him. And this is a great record. I've got the Style Council. I did an interview with Paul and with Mick Talbot, which is going out in the next couple of weeks. And it was so great. You know when you do an interview and you just know that it's a good chat,

a good conversation. And he, yeah, he talks, they both talk so much about the Star Council and what that band meant to them. And he was saying it was like the happiest time of his life, the music he was most proud of. So that's happening on the radio two show in a couple of weeks time. Also, he forgot to get up to come to the breakfast show once.

I remember this. I think, I think the team who forgot to come in includes Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher and Bill Bailey, which is a pretty good trio, really, of people not to show up. Oh, and Paul Meskell, actually. He's on there as well. Really? Do they all send flowers? Well, Noel Gallagher sent flowers, or his people did, and so did Paul Well, and I got home one day

to the most enormous bouquet of flowers from Paul Weller, my complete idol. and hero and I have that card. And I remember at the time thinking, if you had told 16-year-old me that Paul Weller, who was on my wall and who I loved and adored in Style Council, was going to send me flowers one day, even if they were probably just from his people.

Irrelevant. I would never have believed you. And I was like, it was worth him not turning up for him. Does send me flowers? Amazing. He's such a fan of music, like new music, constantly searching, constantly recommending new artists.

I've had sessions before when I've been at Made of Mail, And he's just turned up because he lives down the road. And he just wants to be there at the Made of El Studios just to experience a band that he's heard about. It's just the most random thing. They'll be like, yeah, poor well is here. Okay, fine, yeah, he knows someone. I sometimes see him drive around London in his mini.

Oh. I remember Chrissy Hind come and on the breakfast show and recommending Aldous Harding. And I love Aldous Harding. So thank you, Chrissy, because I think at the time I'd never heard of them and now absolutely love them. So, yeah, great recommendations from great rock and roll stars.

Woohoo! Win, win. I have one more thing that I need to show that it's been sent to us. So we've been sent some jackets. Rock and Rebellion are a company who make great camouflage jackets. And so we've made us one each. So we can wear this. I actually think they'll be great for gardening, really good for gardening. And maybe when we do the Crosswires Festival, we can, I don't know, roll onto the stage wearing these.

Like him. So Rock and Rebellion. Thank you very much indeed. It's like a shacket on the back in silver. It says, diggers do it better, which I love. Amen, sister. And then we've got another one which just says, in bright orange letters on the back, dig it.

So these are good. I mean, yeah, if we're talking merch, fantastic. Thank you very much to the crew. Yeah, that's great. We get sent lots of goodies, so thank you very much. And if anybody wants to send us any records, you would recommend what you're listening to, strange things you found in houses or gardens, and any show and tell, do get in touch with us.

You can find out how in the show notes, and you never know we might be sending you some seeds to grow in our competitive seed grow. My cosmos are better than your cosmos, Joe Wiley. Well, they are at the moment because I've planted mine and you haven't planted yours yet. But I mean, they are literally just seeds in a pot right now. But yeah, get them planted, girl, because you've got so much time on your hands. I have now.

What are you up to today? Today I am checking in on the mum. And, oh, it's my sister's birthday coming up. Oh, happy birthday, Francis. She'll be 57, 57. And she's, they've just built a garden. They've had a garden built in their home where she lives. and there's going to be a party

and she's got a new summer house because she loves sitting out in the summer house and playing her music surrounded by fairy lights so it's going to be really lovely we're going to hang out with all her gang will you be making her the cake or is that just a cake you make for India? No, I've made it for many of my children

mainly India though so this is a cake that India posted on her Instagram I stole the picture because she's a great photographer and I'm not and it's a cake that my amazing friend Helen Wong who now lives in Canada who I love and miss so much first taught me And I'll tell you what it is.

I will do a film of me making this at some point. Maybe I'll do it for Francis. So what you do, you get some corn flakes, Kellogg's Cornflakes. You crush them up. So you know like the Easter cakes that you make? Yeah. It's a massive version of that. So you then melt some chocolate.

You mix the cornflake and the melted chocolate together. So you make a massive nest. So it's really big. Put it in a bowl as big as you can get. And then you put it in the fridge. Leave it there for a couple of hours. It comes out and it's solid. So it's a big solid nest of chocolate.

cornflakiness. And then just before you're about to give the cake to the person who's celebrating their birthday, you buy all their favourite ice cream, and then you get all your friends and you'll gather around secretly, and you scoop out all the different ice creams, you have to melt it a bit beforehand, and then you just pile them on top, and you do a massive mountain as high as you can possibly go. You get all the sweets that they like, and you get all the cake decorations. So you just throw on Eminems, you throw on M&Ms, you throw on mortisies, you throw on sprinkles, and all that kind of stuff, as high as you possibly can. So then it's just this tower of ice cream and sweets.

And then you stick the candles in and you light the candles and then you just present it to the person. And it's the best birthday cake in the world ever. India loves it. All the kids have loved it. There was one point when India had a birthday party. She was about 14 and I did this and I called out her name and I walked towards her with the cake

and all her friends came running towards me and it came onto me and they knocked it onto me and I was wearing the chocolate ice cream cake because they were so excited and so impatient. Disaster. You just give everybody a spoon. And then you just all dig in and smash it up and smooosh it up and feed your face.

Yeah, you get as many spoons as you need. Throw them all on the table. Everybody grabs a spoon and they dig in and then they eat the ice cream and they break up the chocolate. That looks like it's well cheap, easy to make. Anyone can make it. It doesn't involve flour or baking. Win-win.

It's the easiest cake and the most impressive cake. you can ever make and it brings so much joy. So we had pistachio, we had all kinds of fancy ice cream because that's what India loves. How pistachio ice cream? Best flavour. And how is she 34? How is this little one, 34?

No. My little baby, India. Stop it. She's still my little baby India, even though she's 34. Exactly. Well, happy birthday to France's. I hope she enjoys her gathering in the summer house. It sounds brilliant.

She's got her own minuscule of sound by the sounds of it. She has, yeah. version. All right, take care and I'll see you on Monday. See you Monday. Lots of love diggers. Digit is a Persephonicah production.