Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - 92: Zoe’s Strictly News, GCSE Stress and Work Blunders

Episode Date: May 12, 2026

Zoe shares the news on Strictly, Jo reveals her elocution lesson past, and a Melanie C typo that will haunt a graphic designer forever. Watch or listen now.Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/oRX-iVyZO-M 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: 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🧠 Alzheimer's Society — Every three minutes, someone in the UK develops dementia. Find out more at www.alzheimers.org.uk 🌍 VisitScotland — Make the most of festival season in Scotland, from the vibrant energy of Glasgow’s TRNSMT Festival to the community spirit of the Orkney Folk Festival and the soulful sounds of Edinburgh’s Jazz & Blues Festival. Start planning your spring escape at www.tripadvisor.co.uk/scotlandCREDITSExec Producer: Jonathan O’SullivanProducer: Harriet ThurleyAssistant Producer: Eve JonesTechnical Producer: Oliver GeraghtyVideo Editors: Danny Pape and Jack Whiteside 

Coming up on Digit. Well, I can tell you that I didn't get it. But it's okay, Joe. I have worked through the seven stages of grief stroke rejection. But do you know what? We're in safe hands. Our new hosts are going to be fabulous. I had elocution lessons and I had...

Sorry? What? Did you go to finishing school? I didn't go to finishing school. No. By the way, can we just have a little laugh about how the comments... My inadvertent rage baiting, which I'd never even heard. Conversation.

Oh my God. I didn't know what rage baiting was. And then I went to the kids. I was like, I think I might have inadvertently done some rage baiting. All of that's right after this. Digit is sponsored by Starling, the bank that helps you organize your money, build great habits and stay in control of your spending. We talk a lot on this show about how a great garden starts with a bit of a plan and the right environment. Well, money is the same.

It's not just about what you have. It's about being intentional with it. How we choose to spend, save and plan. That's what really shapes the way we live. That is so true. Being good with money isn't about being perfect. It's about building a relationship with your finances that actually works for you and your life. And that's what Starling is all about. They believe that with the right tools, anyone can grow those healthy habits. One habit I found so helpful is separating your spending. It's that peace of mind of knowing exactly what's for the bills, what's for the bills, what's. for the fun stuff and what's actually left over. And that's the tool that Starling offers in their app. They call it Spaces. It's basically a pot of money sitting within your Starling current accounts, kept separate from your main balance, so you're never dipping into the wrong pot by accident. I desperately need one for the garden. Anyone who knows me knows my plant budget can get, well, a little out of hand. Exactly. And you can even create free virtual debit cards linked to each space. So you can only ever spend what you've planned to, making life that little bit easier. Search Starling to find out more. Good With Money starts here.

Hello, Joe, my friend. Hi, Zoe. Hi, hi, hi, hi. How are you? Because let's go there. Let's do this thing. Should we go there? Has been a massive, great, big elephants, mammoth in the room that we haven't been talking about for the past few weeks. And I think now is the time to talk about it. I think we can now, can't we? Tell us what's going on with Strickley for us. Well, I can tell you that I didn't get it. And I, But it's okay, Joe. I have worked through the seven stages of grief stroke rejection over the last couple of days.

No, I didn't get it. But I tell you what, if who I think has got it, I mean, obviously the papers seem to have got wind of certain things. Yeah. I don't think they've got the full story yet. And I don't think the BBC have confirmed everything just as of yet. But do you know what? We're in safe hands. and your new host, our new hosts are going to be fabulous.

So I'm so thrilled for them. And hopefully it's a later day, we'll be able to talk about them in more detail. But at this point, I'd already be the one to say the wrong thing. And you know what? I was so chuffed to even be in the mix. You know, there were some pretty amazing people who didn't even make it into the mix. So I made it in the mix and I had a really fun time having one last little play at a show. that I love and adore.

And it's, it's, I'm so thrilled for the gang of got it. You are so kind and generous, Zoe Ball. You're so kind and generous. Honestly, there is not a bad bone in your body, I don't think. Because it, because it must have been very gruelling. You know, you've had so much attention. And I think I said this to you in private. You should take comfort and solace, I think,

from all the polls that people have been doing of the public. And the public are like, we want Zoe. So to know that in your heart that you have been the public, the popular choice. for this job that people really, really trusted you and they love you, and they would be quite happy if you have been the strictly host. Of course, whoever does it will be great and we will love them. But, you know, you have people's hearts. And so that, I hope, is a comfort to you. Oh, I think there were a lot of people that had hearts. And I think for all the comments you read,

every one, there's always positive comments for every single person. There's also really negative comments for every person because it's such a, it's going to be a really highly scrutinized situation. And I think the, the, the, new host will be so relieved when it's out there and then everyone can just talk about the show and who's going to be the celebrities this year. And, you know, then they can sort of settle into that because I think there's been so many eyes on this whole process and it's been quite a long process. So I think everyone's quite relieved now that a decision has been made and the right decision that's been made. And well done to the team for making it. And again, my mum always used to say,

you know, what's for you will come your way. And I'm really grateful that I got, you know, I got to do the show, have an amazing time with Ian, you know, when TVs were still black and white. That's how long ago it was. But also I've got 10 years on it takes too. Yeah. Of having so much fun. And you know, I'm a massive fan. So I will now be able to wear my PJs.

I won't have to go to Turkey for the facelift Joe, which I'd book the flights. Oh, God. Do you mean we've got to look at this? Like, week after week after it, this is as good as it gets. I might carry on with getting the teeth done, but I'm definitely not going to do the facelift now. So, you know, I'm saving myself some money and I will be taking all my sequin garments from the cupboards to the local charity shops. So if anyone needs some sequins, they're coming your way. But I just want to say thanks to the team for including me in the process in the first place.

And what a relief for everybody that it is now done? Does it feel a bit of a relief that it's over? because it has been the most unnatural process, I think, that you've gone through you and lots of other people. And the pressure has been crazy. But it's like anyone, when you go for a job, it's for any job and, you know, any job you go for whenever there's an interview process and there's a whole process of doing it,

it's really quite overwhelming as an adult to go through a process like that. And it's really hard, isn't it, not to feel sort of all the feelings that you'd feel when you don't get a job. So it's, I think there'll be lots of people will be, yeah, I've been through that with the job. And sometimes when you get it, you're like, array. So it has been, yeah, it's been a lot. I guess you then have to recalibrate, don't you? Because in your head, there's one part of you that's thinking, okay, so this is what the next year is going to be like.

And then, but it could happen. It could happen. But now it's not happening. So I guess you dust yourself down and you have a little jiggle. And then you think, right, okay, so what is my year going to be like? And maybe that's quite freeing and quite exciting. Yeah, absolutely. I think, yeah, you just want to know what you're doing over the next few months, don't you?

And I think that's been the thing for everybody. Everybody's been slightly on hold of, oh, you know, can I do that tour? Can I do that show? Can I also do this? So I think everybody who's been through the process will be relieved now to know. And I think everyone's the same. You know, everyone will be, you know, chuffed to have been included. But we are in safe hands.

Okay. If what I have figured out with my Jessica Fletcher investigations, we are in safe hands and the show is going to be brilliant. If you're loving Dig It So Far, hit follow or subscribe and that way you'll get brand new episodes as soon as they're out. Having spent quite a lot of time at my parents because my mum had her operation and so I've had a couple of sleepovers at mum and dad's house, which is such a weird thing. I don't know if any other diggers have done this when you go and stay over in either your children. childhood bedroom or the place where your parents live now and there are just all these photographs, random photographs all over the place of yourself as a child and you just tap into their world. But television is so important in terms of comfort because as you get older,

your world gets smaller. There are less people, you know, friends die off. You have less lip, the fact is, so that there are less people that come pop in and visit and you can't get out the house so much. So I've really noticed with mum and dad how quiz shows, afternoon quiz shows, and David Dickinson, my dad is obsessed with David Dickinson. And what is, what is it called? Is it bargain? Bargain hunters? Whatever he does in the morning. Anyway, every time I've been over there, my dad is watching David Dickinson. But it's really important. You know, that is such comfort. We watch that. We watch lingo tipping point, big fan of tipping point, Ben Shepard. That is such a good show. Isn't it bonkers that that show is basically based on the fair

ground game, the arcade game of the coins falling down? But I, yeah, how well do you do on the questions, Joe? Well, not too bad. I'm not putting myself forward for celebrity tipping point or anything like that. But I do really like that TV show. And yeah, it just really struck me that when you're older or you can't get out of the house for whatever reason, that television is such a massive, massive comfort. And we talk quite often about these high-octane things,

whether it's the pit or the bear. But actually it's the small little programs. It's the soaps. They watch Emmerdale every single night. My sister is obsessed with Emmerdale and just seeing those people. in their lives every night following those storylines, it's really important, really important.

So all kinds of TV are quite medicinal at times. Yeah, you do see why the quiz shows are really popular as well. Because, you know, and I think they're really fun to play along with, you know, when you're sitting at home. I mean, if there's a quiz shows on when any, the family are right, I quite like that sort of competitiveness amongst the family of, ooh, I mean, if you ever get a question right on Only Connect, of Victoria Corrin and University Challenge. It's like next level. I mean, that's obviously not me.

I'm much more tipping point. No, that's Jude. Whenever we play, it's just like, I need to have it. I need to get a question right. And he quite often does when it comes to Mastermind or Only Connect. And University Challenge, he's obsessed with it. But the rest of us are all sitting there like, like literally eight. What? I don't remember any of this. Actually, this end at the moment, it's, oh, and I must give a huge shout. out to anyone doing GCSEs and A levels at the moment. Nell started her last week. She didn't have the greatest experience with the first one because there was a bit of a drama in the exam room. And yeah, she came out and was really upset about how it had gone.

And anyway, she's off again this week. And it's so, it's really, I really feel for the kids going through it. GCSEs in particular because there's so many subjects that the kids have got to be across. It's like, you know, it's a lot for them, isn't it? It really is a lot. And I feel there's so much more pressure on them now than there ever was when I was young. I mean, I hated exams and I wasn't very good at them. And I sort of understand a bit more now about why, you know, because we're a whole family of ADHD is.

And it does bring focus issues. and writing issues along with it. So I'm so proud of her. She's working so hard. But she does get overwhelmed with it at times. And my heart nearly broke for her when she had a bad first exam. Because I think, oh gosh, that sort of sets the mood, doesn't it?

So she's had a couple more this week. And she's doing great. And I cannot wait for her to get through and finish. And it's just trying to bolster them and encourage them and let them know that it's not be able. and end all, but revising is really good and, oh, it's really hard to look after them during it. Yeah, a lot of stress. And then you have to wait for the results to come out as well. And then once those results happen, which is an extremely stressful day, you never think or

talk about HCSEs again. That's the bizarre thing. It has to get to a certain point, get you into your college or your sixth form or whatever work experience. But it really doesn't, you know, those sciences probably won't play a part in your life again if you're not a scientist. exams don't suit everybody, do they? That pressure of sitting in those conditions and remembering it. And also the fact that so many kids have to retake English and maths because people, you know, and some people just aren't, they're not suited to those subjects. So it's also a big shout out to all the tutors and the teachers and the school teams who are supporting the kids through this at the moment.

Because, yeah, it's quite an intense time for them all and the families and the moms and dads and uncles. and the brothers and sisters who are all who are all helping. And Nell, I'm really proud of you. And I can't wait for this to be over for her. It's like the countdown. The countdown to Wolf Alice at the Eden Project, which is that the end? That is the end. And then we've got Harry Stiles.

And there's loads of other great things happening, slightly terrified about the summer because it's going to be all festivals. And my girl is suddenly going to be free. But yeah, we've got to get to that point first. Yeah. Okay, good luck now. Good luck now. Oh, it's giving me anxiety, just worrying about her, you know, I just want her to be okay.

It's sort of, and also teenagers, they don't love to be told, do they? They don't really, you know. Oh, I have no idea what you mean. I don't, I have no independent. So you're trying to work out the best way to support without being full on or without saying the wrong thing. It's really tricky at times. And because I'd found that lovely donkey from, you know, it had been that kind of mum thing, which I've been carrying around. I gave her a little token, a little talisman, which is a, is Charlie Brown giving Snoopy a hug.

And I'm just like, keep that in your pocket. Keep that in your pocket. And just, you know, remember how loved you are. And it's not all about this. So yeah. You will succeed. Yeah. Yes.

People get there somehow despite, despite exams, quite often despite exams. Yeah, I did terrible exams. And I've always managed to work and got by. And I keep sort of saying to her, look at me. But then I'm also, but also don't look at me. Don't let me be your example. So I don't know whether you saw this story about Melanie C. Her new album has got this, there's an error on it, which if I was Melanie C, I'd be furious and mortified.

But there's a spelling error. I mean, it's only tiny spelling error on the spine of the vinyl. So instead of saying Melanie C, it says melanine C. And somebody, some eagle-eyed person out there has noticed this and pointed it out. Oh, no. So, I mean, because I'm quite a pedant when it comes to spelling. I don't know where it comes from. I think maybe my parents.

Because I had elocution lessons and I had... Sorry? What? Did you go to finishing school? I didn't go to finishing school. No, my mum's best friend, who was a drama teacher. I guess I was a student of hers. I don't know if she was trying out, but I used to go to elocution lessons.

So I could learn how to speak properly and pronounce and enunciate will be singing. So that just stays within you. If that is in there at any point, I really, really really. I'm quite a stickler for saying things properly. I really don't like it when people pronounce things wrong or get their words in a jumble. Oh my God. How do you work with me? I don't know.

I'm so, I have never mastered the English language. I tolerate you. I tolerate you. I have real spelling. I have spelling issues. You know, I'm not very good at spelling and I am not particularly great at grammar and maybe I need to. Maybe that's why you're so good on the radio. because you had elocution lessons.

I mean, I can barely say that word. Maybe that's what I need to do, Joe, is go and have some elocution lessons. Yeah, yeah. It was all very my fair lady. But can you imagine being the person responsible for this gaff on Melanie C's record? Like the person who realized it was down to them that they'd messed up, that they'd got melanine C instead of Melanie C. Oh, God.

Oh, no, that's terrible. But also, surely everyone else has to check it. And this is what happens, isn't it? Sometimes you scan check and then, you know, yeah, someone is in real big trouble, aren't they? Whoops a Daisy. The Digit crew are now asking what our most memorable work blunders are. So if we've ever messed up or done anything stupid or anything wrong. I do remember the first time Shirley Ballas came on It Takes 2 and I was a bit nervous to meet her and I went, ladies and gentlemen, Shirley Bassie.

Oh, no. Like, oh my God. Because that's my dyslexic brain. That's my brain confusing. Those names are so similar. And that's my brain confusing the letters. God, I'm dying for you. God, it was awful.

And she looked really unimpressed. And I think also I'd called her Dame Shirley. And I think that threw me because it was like I was trying to be like a big her up. And then I. So then I was like Dame Shirley, Buzzy. Whoops. But I've done. loads of those things. It's awful. You just want the ground to swallow you up. I did a gig once in my early

days of doing some DJ sets and I remember having the dance floor in front of me and from dancing along and I just went, oh my God, Pizza Express, you are on fire because it was a corporate gig for Pizza Express and then everyone started booing and they were like, woo! And I went, pizza hut, pizza hut is who undo the gig for, oh my God. So I got the wrong pizza That is quite bad. We'll take a quick break now for some ads. But if you're keen to listen to these episodes early and ad free, you can subscribe to the Potting Shed. Yearly subscriptions get a free Digit tote bag, which is very, very cool, and also some Fobbergills, sew and tells seeds.

Hello podcast listener. Hello, you. It's me, Greg James. And me, Alice Levine. Now, look, I know that you're very much enjoying this podcast that you're listening. to. And we're sorry to interrupt. We really are. And it genuinely might not be our place to say, but is it time to try something new? We would like to steal you for our new podcast. It's called Bad Chat. And it sounds a bit like this.

This one goes out to the walkers and the talkers and the late night. Stalkers. Maybe not that one. Alice is my best friend. I am not Alice's best friend. Do you know that horses' legs are their fingers? That is a bit of bad chat. For me, Greg James. and me famously Alice Levine. Listen, wherever you get your podcasts. We should talk about our gardens because it's the month of Chelsea and it's the month where gardens just look splendid.

I spent the entire weekend because I had bought so many plants and it was just so overwhelming. They all had to go into pots or parts of the garden and literally I was getting up so early and working right through until 8 o'clock at night in a frenzy trying to get everything in the grounding time. I must have bought 400 sweet peas. I don't, I kind of overordered by mistake, but I've been running out of pots to put them in, but everything is looking amazing. The roses are out to come out. The aliums are all out. I realise I've got a purple garden. It's purple and green. Everything in my garden is purple. But God, I love it. It's so nice. But I'm knackered. I'm so exhausted from gardening. I'm not surprised. I got all my stuff in probably the week before. And, you know, with sort of a bit further south, so the aliums have come up. The Napeters all opening.

The salvias are starting to flower. The Kamassias are up, all very blue and purple. And then luckily I was thinking, God, it's just green and purple. But my lovely Olivia Rose opened this weekend. And they smell beautiful. And yeah, and I was, I'm waiting for some of the whites to start opening and come up so that you get a few different colors coming through. But you know what I did? just sat in the garden, reading a book, sitting amongst the birds, looking at the beautiful flowers

and felt so that rare moment as a gardener when you can just sit and enjoy it. I mean, there's loads that needs doing. And I am slightly worried about the lack of rain. Yeah. Because I do worry about how it's all going to cope. But, you know, and my hydrangeas are starting to open and, oh, it's just heaven, isn't it? It just makes you so happy. It really does.

I'm waiting. I've got a day off tomorrow when I haven't got to do my... our radio show and I'm just going to be in the garden. Steve tried to put in some work bits for me and I just sent him a message back going, I'm sorry, but on that day I'll be mostly gardening. Do not put anything in for me to do. That is all I'm going to be doing. I might go to the gym, but ultimately it will be gardening because I do want to get to that point where I can just enjoy the garden because otherwise it's just tremendous hard work. All hard work. Yeah. But now I've got goose as well. So I've got my gardening dog, which is obviously really, really helpful. Not at all. Because all he does is

just dig up everything that I put in the garden. He's so keen to be by my side all the while. So it's really lovely. I was trying to put in my more sweet peas. I was putting in my potatoes. I was doing raspberries, beetroo, all that kind of stuff in the vegetable garden. And as fast as I'm putting them in,

he's just going, and literally flying, digging everything out. So I don't know what we do about that. Oh, he's so cute with his big paws. Yeah. I have to do a thing if I sit down and then I go, where I then have to go around the garden and pick up the cat poo, the squirrel poo and the fox poo

there's a fox cub living underneath my lovely neighbour's shed and he comes to play in the garden at night and so there's all the different types of poo so I have to then go around and then you have to sometimes you're like where is that I've got to find it

I wish there was something useful you could do with it I'm just please don't send suggestions no I'm sure there's some people who would suggest I don't think it's fit for anything at all it's just disgusting but I have got a dog poo bin down the road so I trundle it down to the bin. Oh, good girl. How is he, by the way? Is he settling in all right?

Yeah, I feel like we've turned a corner. We've had two nights with no wheeze in the kitchen when we open up the kitchen in the morning, which is... Bravo, that boy. It sounds small, but it's massive. And Django and Goose were playing on Friday night. They were actually having a tug of wall with a toy. And again, that was seismic, absolutely seismic, because Django so far has just completely

ignored him. As much as Goose wants to play, I tell you what, I went to see sheep detectives with Coco and Joe, her boyfriend. It's really good. It's so sweet. It's so lovely. Hugh Jackman's in it. And then the voice cast is fantastic. Brett Goldstein is two rams. You've got Brian Cranston in there. There's Patrick Stewart.

Really iconic voices. But there is a creature called the Winter Lamb who wants to be accepted and the flock find it hard to accept him. And I'm watching this film. And all I could think of was my dog goose who just wants to be accepted by Django. So by the end of the film, I was in piece of. and Coco and Joe were looking at me like, Mom, pull yourself together.

What is going on? But it is that story of being desperate to be accepted and to be loved and that's what the film is all about. But it's beautifully done. There's a hapless police detective in it. And I don't know the actor's name, but he's the hap... Nicholas Braun. Who's in Succession.

The guy from Succession. Yeah. And he is so fantastic. He's so good to watch and he plays it so well. But yeah, I can't recommend it highly enough. If you want a gentle film that looks beautiful. then sheep detective, unlikely as it seems, is a really good watch for Sunday evening. It's lovely. Nellie watched Project Hail Mary and I was checking in with her dad just seeing how she was after

her first exam because it had been a bit emotional. And he said she sobbed uncontrollably for the whole second half of the film and at the end of it went, I didn't think Ryan Gosling in a pile of rocks could make me cry this much. So I'm like, oh my God, I don't know if I'll be able to handle it. but it sounds very cute. I got her a little sticker of the little rock robot to stick on her books. You need that release sometimes, I think. You do. When there's a lot going on.

And I cry when I'm tired. I've always said this. And I just said to Cocoa, I was like, I'm just really, really tired. And there's been a lot going on with mom and Francis. And it's just,

it's just good to cry sometimes. And also. It's good to let it out, isn't it? Crying and gardening, go hand in hand, I think, and mental health.

Because this week is mental health awareness. We wanted to share this. really lovely video and it's from Lee Johnson, aka the beardy gardener who we love. And it's all about how the garden can become a place of calm from all the stuff, all the stuff that's going on. Hello Joe and hello Zoe. Spring is here. The weather's warming up and now there's lots to do outside in nature in the garden to help us connect and feel better inside. Now is a brilliant time to get out there and start foraging. I've just moved house and I've got lots of of areas to explore and there's lots of stuff to eat as well. I've made some dandelion honey.

I've been picking these things which are called naval walt or pennywort and you can just eat them raw. It tastes like a pea. Absolutely delicious. It's a great way to connect with the world around us. Lots of us like to garden with gloves on. Obviously it's vitally important when you've got things like roses or brambles but sometimes take those gloves off. I think we have a fear of getting messy in the modern world. I certainly feel that when I'm working with children and young people. I always make sure that they take the gloves off and get their hands in the soil and in the dirt, touching plants, touching leaves. It's a form of grounding and it can connect you to the present moment. When I'm having a bit of a rough day and I need to sort of refocus and calm my mind a bit,

I like to sow seeds and now is a perfect time to sow things like vegetables, beetroot, carrots, peas, that sort of thing. We can grow them directly now and it's really calming. It gives your mind something to focus on to think about. You can sit in the greenhouse or in the kitchen for a couple of hours and sew your seeds. It's a really productive thing to do and just helps reset. It's really, really tempting when we're outside on a walk or in nature to want to take our phone to take pictures of the landscapes we see. But actually the next time maybe you go out for a walk, leave your phone behind, see how that feels. You'll look more.

You'll be less worried or anxious about who might ring or call you. And we need to get back to that as humans. We need to be less digitally connected sometimes. It's better for us, it's better for our heads. And I think if you're going to do anything, spend five, ten minutes outside with a cup of tea without your phone. The other thing I'd say is just be like a child again. Lay on the grass.

Collect sticks and snap them in half and pick flowers and rub them. I used to do that a lot as a kid. I used to pick from hedgerows and people's front gardens on the way to school. But actually, it connects you again and it uses your senses. It uses your senses of smell and touch and sight. And I think we lose that as adults. So one of my biggest tips is be more like a child in the garden.

Well, I hope that's given you both some reasons to get outside in the garden or in nature to have some calm and mindful moments. See you soon. Oh, Lee. He's so wonderful, isn't he? He really is, and he's always been sort of, you know, very honest about his own struggles with mental health and the things that have helped him.

And do you know what I want to do today, Joe, after watching Lee do that? I want to go and find a hill to roll down. I think it's one of my favorite things to do. I was working on a garden show a couple of years ago, and I turned around and my lovely friend Heather and Lisa, who do my hair and makeup, were rolling down a hill.

And I was just like, that just looks like so much fun. I think it's a bit more painful as an adult because there's more to hurt like your dicky hip and, you know, your body. But it's so true. And I learned actually working on another show that there is something in soil that when you get your hands into it, it actually, you know, I don't know what it is. it's the nutrients in it or something actually in the soil is really good for your body. If you could see my fingers, my nails now. Yeah. Because I'm filthy.

Yeah, I've been doing lots of tying, whether it's sweet peas or tying Climatus. And you can't do that with gloves. So I've had my hands bare, ungloved for the most of the weekend. But I've got, my nails are in such a state. I've got so much soil underneath my nails. I can't get it out. I've been trying to try. It's good for you though.

And also barefoot. I'm always walking barefoot on the grass and on the ground that we've got. And my hard skin. I just feel such a state. I feel so unglomerous, but I feel like a proper gardener because I've got really hard skin on my heels and dirt under my nails. But I think that's a sign that you've been working hard, you know? It's always been the sign of work as people with very soft hands, often the creative types. Yes.

You know, people who work hard for a living and build things and make things. Obviously, their hands can tell the tail. Yeah. But yeah, if you're a true gardener, you're going to have cuts and bruises and dirt on your finger nails. There's so many scratches. I know. And it's so wonderful. So, yeah, thank you so much to Lee.

He's got a fabulous project at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. If you're going, you should check it out. He's co-designed the classroom garden, which reimagines what a classroom could be, aims to get people thinking differently about how children connect with nature, especially in the education system. Good luck with that, Lee. You'll be building as we speak. It's really great seeing all the pictures coming up of all.

the builds at Chelsea and we're actually going to be there aren't we Joe we're popping to Chelsea with dig it we are going to be there we're going to be there next week which people all our diggers will be able to see and to hear us talking about everything that's going on at Chelsea our favorite things that are there so it's just wildly exciting it's the glastonbury of gardening isn't it that's what we always say I can't I cannot wait cannot wait just to steal be inspired and steal lots of ideas to put into our own garden it's just lovely meeting the growers and meeting the amazing, you know, teams who put those gardens together. It's just the best place for inspiration and it's such a positive event.

If you, you know, if you join the RHS actually and you get easier access to tickets as well, but also even if you can't get to Chelsea, there's so many fabulous flower festivals across the UK in this coming months. So, you know, do find out where some of those are happening because I think it was the Mawven Flower Show. Yeah. this weekend. I really love going to see all the vegetables and the, you know, like all the vegetable growers. Yeah.

And there's an amazing guy who grows mushrooms and, you know, just, they're lovely going, see the roses family. And yeah, they're just, all the people there are fab. They really are. I just want to mention the National Garden Scheme as well because they, there are so many open gardens and they've all begun already. So there are people who've been working really hard in their gardens and they want to share it with everybody else.

and you can go to a village and inevitably there will be tea and cakes, but you can just wander around from garden to garden, the people who've chosen to open their gardens. And again, really knowledgeable people there. You can get inspired. You can just enjoy looking at other people's planting their gardens and being outside. It's really, really sociable.

So you can get the National Garden Scheme Handbook. You can look it up and you can find out where there is that's open near you and have just a super lovely afternoon wandering around people's gardens. I can't get enough of that. I always think it's really good if you're just starting out as well. If you look at some of the gardens in your area, you can see what does well in the soil near you, in the condition, the climate conditions near you. And it is just such a lovely, it's so inspiring, isn't it? And such a lovely.

And you're out in nature. Sometimes you look and think, I can't possibly get my garden this good. But, you know, I look at my garden, I think a year ago that was AstroTurf. Yeah. And now out there, it is so full of life. It's quite amazing what you can do, no matter how smaller space you have. Great digging then. And one album that I just want to draw people's attention to is from Kneecap.

And it's called Fenian. And there's a song on there called Irish Goodbye, which Kay Tempest has guested on. And it's the story, it's from Mowgliap talking about his mother, who took her own life many years ago. And he spoke on Instagram about it. It's worth looking up and just reading the whole text. But it's him talking about how. he'd lived in anger, I guess, some resentment for many, many years and then saw some footage of his mum when she was really happy and how it changed everything.

And this story, this song is a story of the acceptance and the loving his mother again. It's really beautiful. It's very, very powerful. And then otherwise, I've been listening to Tameen Parlor because they did some shows last week. And they are such a great band. I couldn't go because I was doing the radio show, but Cass, my son went. And we've heard nothing but Tame in Parlor all over the weekend. for the weekend.

Duolipa turned up on stage and sang with Kevin. And yeah, we would live stream that through Cass's phone. But I love Tame Impala, not as much as Cass because he absolutely loves them. But we've heard a lot of Tame Impala and they're a great, great band. What about you? Well, I went out and got my pigeon album.

Thank you, Joe, for bringing Pigeon into my life. Yes. I love this album and the energy of all these guys. So thank you for bringing them into my life. And I've mentioned her before, but I absolutely love Aldous Harding. And thank you so much to Chrissy Hyde of The Pretenders for bringing Aldous Harding into my life. The album is finally out. It is just glorious.

I've had it on all weekend. And it's called Last Train on the Island. It's not called Last Train on the Island. That's Last Train to Clarksville by the Monkeys. I'm getting confused. But we don't like the monkeys because that's 60s music, Joe. No, do not. Train on the island is the name.

of the record Elders Harding. By the way, can we just have a little laugh about how the comments... My inadvertent rage baiting, which I'd never even heard... Oh my God, I didn't know what rage baiting was and then I went to the kids, I was like, I think I might have inadvertently done some rage baiting

because I'm getting so much hate, so much hate on social media. This is a conversation we had about you not liking jingly, jangly 60s music. Which was the essence of it. Which was the essence of what you didn't like. And then our... I've rage baited because in the list, I was like, what?

You don't like Buddy Holly, who died in 1959? So yes, I have been saying actually, but did have hits posthumously after he died in the early 60s. But I appreciate he was a 1950s artist. And also I mentioned Led Zeppelin, who did meet and get together in 1968 and brought one album out in the 60s. The rest, of course, were in the 70s and the 80s. Fine, accepted. But oh my gosh, people are so angry. People are very angry, aren't they?

A lot of angry men who said some hilarious things about us, some pretty massively offensive things about us. So much. But how we laughed. We couldn't even understand, could we? We're like, these aren't diggers. These aren't people who have listened to the whole conversation. That's often the thing I find with social media is people, like, see a clip. They get so angry. And you're like, if you heard the entire conversation, it would make more sense.

But, yeah, that was quite a funny thing to wish. It was like, wow. And excuse me for having an opinion for actually saying, I don't like stuff. It's fine. We can all like stuff and we can all not like stuff. We can live together harmoniously. It's okay. You don't have to angrily attack people.

Yeah, personally and say that they're despicable. Oh, God. So angry. There is a lot of Beatles stuff that I really do love. I mean, my son is called Jude after Hey Jude. There's a long winding road. There is something. There is so much beautiful and amazing Beatles music.

So I wasn't saying, I hate the Beatles. just want to clear that up. Can I just say there's loads of artists from the 60s I love like Aretha Franklin and Motown and all kinds of music. And I just happened to brilliantly list people that weren't from the 60s and now I'm told I'm a complete imbecile

and don't deserve to breathe. Well, thank you very much for your opinion. Do you know what I wanted to do after some of those comments? I wanted to just post that amazing sketch with the fabulous Ellie Taylor when she was on the MASH report. And the whole report was, women have told everyone they can just

fuck off. And she just goes on about all the different reasons for which women would like to tell people to fuck off, which is having a baby too young, having a baby too old, getting old, looking old, not looking old enough, like all the different reasons. And it just made me laugh because it was really hard not to just write back. And by the way, fuck off. Sorry. No. No, initially I didn't I didn't care. And then after a while, it becomes a bit of an onslaught in the end.

And you're like, oh, God, right. So you've never liked me and you hold me responsible for everything that's wrong about music. Yeah, the downfall of society. Yeah, that's quite a big thing, burden to bear. I'm really, oh dear, maybe I shouldn't be broadcasting on the radio or doing a podcast or even existing or breathing. You know, you do start to get a little bit antsy at times. And then you just go, no, hang on, get a grip and get a grip perspective and fuck off. also please can I mention Gemma Coral's incredible book, Anxiety Land, which she sent me a copy of.

And these are the most fabulous sketches and cartoons that she draws based on her own experiences. But it is really funny. It's also really moving. And if you know anyone who has issues or lives with anxiety, this is such a great book. It will make you smile and it will make you hold your heart. So Gemma, thank you. I'm a huge fan. And it's, I know this, don't take this wrong way.

It's going by the Lou. All the best books in this house eventually end up by the loo in the downstairs because that's where people seem to spend most time. And it's, yeah, it's an absolute gem. I'll be buying this for quite a few friends of mine who also have a lot of anxiety. So Gemma, thank you very much. Excellent crate ticking. Good, good.

Oh, did we mention Casey Musgraves? I forgot about that. Middle of Nowhere. Really nice album. Really, really nice album. We've just been listening to it. And I'm really enjoying it. She sings beautifully and she's got a great sense of humor.

So I know. A great session on the show. Thank you. Yeah. I think the diggers will like her a lot. I think I think you'll like this album. So yeah, worth mentioning her as well. Wow, we covered a lot. But then we always cover a lot. So hopefully some of it was useful to diggers who are who are listening or watching. However, they take out our podcast. We've got obviously Chelsea around the corner. So this week, I've been mainly thinking what to wear to Chelsea and getting excited for it. What about you? I will be mainly seeing my girl, hoping she gets through GCSEs this week. And, Yeah, I've got some quite exciting things going on this week.

And then, yes, like you, I will be texting you, Joe, going, what are you going to wear? What are you going to wear to Chelsea on this day? What are you wearing to Chelsea on that day? I'm wearing a trainer. I'm wearing a flat. I'm wearing a dress. Depends on the weather. People always look fabulous at Chelsea, don't they? Yeah, but it can.

There can often be a chill in the air. We'll find out. See you what Chelsea. See you at Chelsea. Digit is a Persefonica production.