Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - DIG IN: “I Danced My Coil Out At Butlin’s!”

Episode Date: October 13, 2025

This week, Jo and Zoe are in hysterics over a listener story that might just top them all - Tracy’s coil made an unscheduled exit after a weekend rave at Butlins. There's plenty of gossip (the good kind), friendship dilemmas and tall-girl truths. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE SUBSTACK Stay up to date with Dig It — new updates every Friday straight to your inbox. 👉 https://digitpod.substack.com/subscribe 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/447477038795⁠⁠ GET EARLY AND AD-FREE EPISODES Become a member of The Potting Shed for early and ad-free episodes and bonus content 👉⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://digit.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠ SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS This episode is brought to you by QVC. ✨QVC - Click below to discover QVC’s range of menopause products and support. And don’t forget to use the code QDIG10 for £10 off your first purchase (minimum spends apply, see QVC website for full terms and conditions) - https://www.qvcuk.com/content/menopause-your-way.html?cid=PR-PR-Digit&e22=Digit CREDITS Exec Producer: Jonathan O’Sullivan Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Technical Producers: Oliver Geraghty Video Editors: Connor Berry and Jack Whiteside Dig It is a Persephonica production

Coming up on Diggets. I always felt so giant as a girl who was 5'10. I was taller than lots of people in my class. When you're tall, you can't vanish in a crowd. People always spot you. I suddenly found myself in the sun, I think it was, and they were talking about my third nipple. How can I have never heard that story before?

All of that right after this. At Harrison Healthcare, we know that lasting health starts with personalized care. We're not just a clinic. We're your partner in prevention, helping you achieve your health and longevity goals. Our expert team combines evidence-based medicine with the compassionate, unhurried care you and your family deserve today and for many years to come.

When it comes to your health, you shouldn't settle for anything less than exceptional. Visit harrisonhealthcare.ca.ca.com slash Toronto. Happy Monday, Joe. Happy Monday. How you doing? How was your weekend? Weekend was lovely. I am thoroughly enjoying the autumn months. I have decided fires, cozy jumpers, family and friends.

How was yours, darling? It was good, thank you. It was busy. It was hectic as they tend to be. But I was lying in bed last night, as you do, late at night, 11 o'clock at night on my phone, going through Instagram, doing a bit of doom scrolling, as disco calls it, always calls it doom scrolling, which kind of irks me for some reason. I don't know why, because I'm not looking for doom. But anyway, I found a really, really lovely comment from one of our diggers. and they just said that they, the Sunday night feelings have been made so much better

by knowing they've got digging to listen to on the Monday morning that it really helped with their mental health and they really look forward to Monday mornings because we're here. And I thought what an incredibly positive, wonderful thing it is that the podcast is for people. If that has that effect on people's lives, I am so happy we're doing this. Yeah. Even if that's one person who's happy. Yay!

That makes me really happy as well. Also, I think we need an alternative word to doom scrolling. because I know, you know, hands up, I spend way too much time on my phone and I do sometimes think, read a book, so go and tidy out those boxes downstairs, do the shopping list. There's so many things I could be doing. But I do find lots of really inspiring, hopeful things when I'm scrolling sometimes. And so I feel like we need an alternative word to do scrolling.

So if anyone has any suggestions, please let us know. Yes, we would love that. Should we dig in? Yeah, come on then. So this is an email from Louise who said, I absolutely love gossip. I'm very good at keeping a secret. And I don't usually spread gossip myself, but I love hearing it. Whether it's office gossip, stories about people I don't know, or just weekend catch-ups with friends.

It always makes me feel connected and entertained. And I've even read that enjoying gossip can mean your intelligence. I'll admit I'm jealous of you both because I imagine working in the media must mean you hear the best gossip. I don't want you to name names or get anyone in trouble, but could you share anonymously a juicy or funny story that you've heard over the years, even something from decades ago? I just think that gossip is fun and I'd like to know if you agree or if you ever feel guilty

about enjoying it. I love a good gossip. Joe. As you know, who doesn't really? I mean, I think it goes back to chatting over the garden fence, doesn't it? I was going to say that. You know, I always think of Les Dawson and Corey and stuff. How good old, good old, well, you never guess what she's.

He's done a number 10. Have you heard about Beryl and Stan? You know, it's kind of what we do as humans. I quite like the fact that when I'd hear gossip about people, I'd be thinking, thank God, it's not just me who gets into trouble or does the wrong thing. But yeah, we do hear a lot of great industry gossip though, don't we? We do. I think you're absolutely right. I think it is, it's kind of storytelling and it's entertainment and it's just taken us away from the drudgery of our lives, isn't it? You've got a really boring. day and you see somebody and they've got a great bit of gossip, a real nugget, then it just, it just takes you out of what's going on at the moment. So we love it because it's scandalising. It's like a dopamine hit. It's like a little bit of a hit of like, oh my God, that's really fascinating. And it's also storytelling. It's just like learning what's going on in people's lives. And if someone is a really great gossip, then you just sit there hanging on there every word,

listening to the way they're telling the story. And you go away feeling a little bit better about yourself because it's not you in that scenario. I mean, it's, I don't. know what it says about human nature, that it makes us, like, paints us in a particularly good light because, oh God, it just makes me think of all the gossip that appeared in those, like, in Heat magazine and in the showbiz pages of the sun and the star. And you read those things, you're momentarily entertained, but then you feel a bit dirty and sick afterwards because you realize that you're getting a hit of dopamine out of someone else's misfortune. And I really dislike that very much indeed. I don't like that at all. And I'm glad that's kind of died down.

but it's there on the internet now, isn't it? I know. I think the most frustrating thing about gossip is when someone tells you they've got some gossip, but then they won't tell you about who it's about. And you're left to guess. Because often, you know, there've been quite a few stories in the papers recently

about so and so and so got off with so and so. You're like, we'll never know who these people are. It's really frustrating. And thank goodness, because they will be protected because actually is it anyone else's business at the end of the day. You know, and it's not always easy, you know, when you are, when you are the subject of the gossip, it's not great. But I remember, you know,

I've had people call me and gone, have you heard? And I've said, have I heard what? And then they said, well, you've obviously not heard then because if you had heard, you would know what I'm talking about. And then they've gone and I'm like, what? And then I've heard. I'm like, oh my God, that's amazing gossip. You know, I used to work on Strictly and I loved, there was always gossip on strictly who was getting on and who wasn't getting on and, you know, whether people were falling in love or da-da-da-da-da. And I loved, I really loved the strictly gossip, but I know my friends always really loved. They were like, oh, you know, what so-and-so like as a dance teacher and, you know, is so-and-so lovely. And you must get that where you get asked about people you've met over

the years and what they really like. And yeah, genuinely, people are just people and it's just the job they do, and most of the people you meet are really adorable and lovely, and it's just their job. I always get asked, who's the most difficult band that you've ever interviewed? Who's the worst celebrity you've ever met? I'm like, as if I'm ever going to say that? And genuinely, everybody's nice. You know, maybe back in the day you had some stroppy indie bands, but now really everybody's working super hard to have a great public profile, but also genuinely, they're really happy that they've got the job that they're doing, so they're really grateful and they're really lovely. Any celebrity that comes on the show, they want to be there and they want to talk about

their record of their show that they're doing. And they're really nice. We never get horrible people coming in anymore. So I feel quite bad that I can't give you any bad gossip. Sometimes there are people who have a really bad reputation for being, you know, unpleasant. And I always think that like my friends who are crew in telly, if people are nice to runners and crew and hair and makeup teams, you can always tell that they're good folks. when people get a little bit high and mighty and a rude, you know, everyone can have a bad day, but sometimes you hear about people just treating people really badly

and it's like, oh yeah. And I might not see it firsthand. People say, well, they're not like that with you because you've got to interview them. So they're not like that with you. I'm like, oh, I've only ever seen them being lovely. And then occasionally you're like, oh, there it is. Oh, there it is.

Bit of a side. The thing I find tricky though now is I'm always slightly concerned about what people will go through being the subject of gossip. Because actually, there's gossip you can have, there's harmless gossip, and then there's gossip that can be really harmful to people. You know, it can be incorrect. You can have the wrong facts. You know, it can really affect people's well-being. And sometimes I find it really hard. Interestingly, I was sort of looking at the stuff about, you know, Nicole Kidman getting divorced from Keith Urban. and suddenly everybody's digging and,

what is this the moment that it happened? And is he writing this song for another woman? And she's had such a bad time. And you just think, they are humans and they have kids and they're good people. And we're really good at judging other people, aren't we? And being very like, oh, well, she did that and she did this. But actually, sometimes you have to stop and have a good look at yourself

because, you know, my behaviour hasn't always been great. I've not behaved brilliantly all the time. And I've made terrible mistakes and I've really hurt people. And so sometimes I look at stuff like that and think, oh, just let them be. It's difficult enough going through stuff like that, yet alone having to do it in the public eye. Although, do you know what, if someone called me right now and went, well, guess what? I'd want to know. I don't want to know.

I think, like you said, it just deflects from what's going on in our lives. It's just like, oh, that's going on their lives. Let's focus on that. Let's not think about my life. The best bit of gossip I heard about myself was, and I told this on the radio, I was on radio one, I had a mole on my chest and I got it removed, the doctor. said, oh no, it could be dodgy, let's get it removed. And they removed it. And I told the story on air. And when I got the results back, the doctor said, oh, actually, it was a third nipple. It

wasn't a mole at all. It was a third nipple. I suddenly found myself in the day, in the sun, I think it was on like page whatever, three, possibly not, page five of the sun. And they were calling me scaramanga because scaramanga had three nipples. And all of a sudden, I was a scaramanga of Radio one, talking about my third nipple. How can I have never heard that story before? Oh my God, there'll be a clipping somewhere my mother-in-law, I reckon. Brilliant.

But that kind of gossip is fine. I'm all right with that. I think Lily Allen, I'm going to spread awful gossip now. I think Lily Allen had a third nipple as well. So it's a thing. It's a thing that can happen, but it was hilarious to suddenly find yourself in the tabloids having three nipples. That is brilliant. Who'd have thought?

I'm trying to think if I could think of any sort of scandalous gossip I heard about myself or I'm like, that didn't happen. I've had quite a lot of people say to me, oh, you had a thing with my friend. And I'm like, who's your friend? And then they tell me, and I'm like, where are they from? I've never been to that place. I've never met that person.

There's absolutely no way. There's another Zoe Ball who's from Essex, I think. And I'm like, this Zoe Ball has got me into a lot of trouble because, you know, how amazing to have someone else to blame it on? Yeah, exactly. I'm like, that's the other Zoe Ball. Yes. Right.

I've also had it the other way around where people, People have said, oh yeah, and you had that thing with that guy. I'm like, no, I didn't happen. That's outrageous. That's outrageous. And then a few weeks later, I think, oh, God, yeah, that did happen, actually. So, yeah. It just wasn't very memorable.

You don't want to be reminded. If you're loving Digit, make sure you hit the follow on Apple or Spotify. It means that you'll never miss an episode and they'll download to your phone as soon as they're out. We've had a text from Anonymous. My question is about friendship and believing I'm willing. worthy of it. Last Friday, I went to Joe's 90s Anthem's Night in Bradford. It was amazing. I saw the photos that it kicked right off. I went with a group of gym friends I've known for about 12 to 18 months, most of whom were friends before I joined. They're such a varied, hilarious bunch, and I've had

some of my best nights out with them since becoming a mum nine years ago. But here's the problem. I really struggled to believe they actually want me there. I've always lacked confidence, and at 40, I still default to feeling inferior. Less funny, less interesting, less experienced. Sometimes it makes me withdraw for fear of being a tag-along. How do I trust that I'm truly welcome in the group and not just invited out of politeness? Am I the only one who feels like this? Oh, I'm really sad to hear that you feel like that, but I'm not at all surprised because I think there's a lot of people feel like this.

in life. Don't you think look at the evidence, the fact that they still invite you along and they want you to be there. That is your proof. You have a place in their heart and they want you to be part of their gang. Otherwise, if they don't invite you, then, you know, that would be a good sign that they don't actually like you. But they want you to be there. I think everybody feels like this. I think you're in a large group and we've talked a lot about social anxiety and about how people dread certain situations and how you feel nervous and, you know, it stresses you out, going out for an evening, going for breakfast with a bunch of friends. But I think also everybody has a role within a group.

You know, I have a bunch of friends, and we all have very different personalities. And I know the way we all behave in a social situation, there are those who like to chat a little bit more. There are those who like to listen. But every single person there has a valuable quality that contributes to that group. And we're all vital components, and we're what makes that group tick. You know, it's why we all love each other so very much and want to be with each other and go and have breakfast together. And you just have a position, and that's fine. You're absolutely valid.

and you are loved for the person that you are and you're invited along to things because of who you are and what you contribute. Absolutely. Can I just say in those situations? I am always one of the quiet ones. I'm never the one who's dominating the conversation. And you can come away from moments like that and think, oh, I've got nothing to add to the conversation

and I'm not that interesting and I haven't got much to say and da-da-da-da-da. But, you know, your friends love you because they love you. They don't expect you to be anything other than you. This is, you know, but I totally, get those feelings because I think we all have a bit of that. And this is where sometimes trying to do some little positive thinking of trying to retrain your brain as to how your brain

thinks about yourself. I think I might have mentioned this before that a therapist once told me to sort of say to yourself, well, you turn that around. So if you're doing a job that you're a bit scared about, you go, oh, I'm really worried, it's all going to go wrong, da-da-da-da. But what if it didn't go wrong, what? And so I think here with these, with this situation, you'd be like, but what if these people do really love me and they do actually think I'm really fun and we go out and we have a really good time. So it's almost like trying to retrain your brain because we do think the terrible things about ourselves. We give ourselves such a hard time. We, you know, we're terrible like our looks about our personality, stuff like that. But actually, you should probably

big yourself off. It's a good thing. It's like, I'm all right. I'm here. I'm healthy. I'm fun. I've got some really lovely friends. We went out. We had a really good time instead of thinking about the negative things about yourself, trying to think about the positive things, because you're obviously wonderful and you know, and you're a mum and, you know, it can be a tricky time. 40s, 50s can be quite a tricky time, I think, for a lot of us, you know, and also each part of your life, there are parts where you can believe in yourself sometimes and there are other times where you just desperately pick yourself apart, but don't not feel alone with these feelings. Lovely Anonymous, who sent this message, because you're not alone. I think a lot of people have

these feelings. Every single member of that group, who came to my nighties anthems, will have had moments of self-doubt before they went out. They'd be thinking, oh my God, I'm wearing the wrong stuff. Yeah. Oh, I don't know how I feel tonight. I don't know. Have I got the energy to dance? Oh, dear.

I don't think anybody likes me. But a group of friends needs all different types of personalities to function to work. Absolutely. Everyone has a role. And that's why you want to hang with each other. Also, when it's a group of new friends, like you've just been saying anonymous, it's quite interesting because you can just keep talking about your history and bringing new things to the party. Yeah, I love that when there's new people who haven't heard your

six stories. Yes. It's quite a relief, isn't it? I know. I had that when I work with my team, sometimes my young team, and I'd tell them stories and they'd be like, that's such a brilliant story. And I'd think, God, it is actually a really good story. It's a really good story. But everyone else I know has heard it so many times. I'm like, yes, yes, that time. Da-da-da-da-da. So it's really lovely meeting new friends to share those stories with. If you have hard related to the story in the chat that we've just been having and you've got your own tips or any advice that you could share just to make someone feel a little bit better if they're preparing to go out for the night, then we would love to hear. If you could just tell us all the details are in the show notes of how to get in touch with us. We're going to take a quick break for some ads. If you'd like these episodes ad free, then why not become a subscriber to the potting shed and you will.

You'll get longer episodes, bonus content and access to our members chat room where we can share tips. And also early access to live shows. But most importantly, you'll be supporting. the show. To subscribe, head to digitpod.com.uk. Or tap the link in the show notes. This episode of Digit is brought to you by QVC. So I thought I was ready for perimenopause, but it still caught me off guard. The anxiety, especially really not me for six. Mine was brain fog. That was definitely one. Also, my emotions were all over the place. I really struggled and I had no idea what would actually help. That's why QBC's menopause your way is brilliant. It's a total different approach offering advice, real stories and products to guide you through

perimenopause, menopause and beyond. And it's so practical. They've got really helpful search tools on their website like Shop by Symptom, which means you can find exactly what resonates with your personal journey. So whether it's hot flushes, sleep, hair care or even sexual wellness, you can find both curated products and expert advice to support with your symptoms. From things like pelvic floor trainers and supplements for joint care to moisturisers for changing skin and even long wear makeup. It's all there in one supportive space. And expert content too,

guided meditations, best sleep practices and protein-packed recipes. It's not just products, it's reassurance. So you feel prepared, not scared. To explore more, search menopause at QVC UK.com. And don't forget to use the code, Q-Dig 10 for 10 pounds off your first purchase over 30 pounds. That's Q-D-D-I-G-10 for 10 pounds of your first order over 30 pounds. For full terms, visit the QVC website. So last week we spoke about the pain of having the coil fitted and also removed. And Tracy sent us a voice note.

Hi, Joe. Hi, Zoe. I was just sat here listening to the episode this afternoon. I had to laugh when you were both talking about the coil. I had one fitted and it was in for five years. It did the job but it never really felt comfortable. The time was coming for me to have it out and I was dreading it. I was about to ring the doctors to arrange removal when I went to the fat boy slim all back to minehead weekend with my friends and family.

I danced all weekend like a lunatic and on the Monday when I got home I was having a shower and thought, ooh, what's that? And the wires were there and next thing it was out. Oh my God. I danced the coil out over the weekend. But when eventually I got around to telling the doctor I didn't need it out after all, I danced it out at a rave weekend at Butlin's. The doctor was in hysterics. So, so funny.

Oh, my God. That's so great. I can't wait to tell Norm, Tracy. I think that's going to be going on a poster for the next All Back to Minehead, which is in a couple of weekends. I think it's happening. Oh, my lord. I danced out my coil. That's going on the front page of one of those weekend magazines.

And that is such a great story. I wish there were more things you could dance out. Oh, God, I think they probably are. Has anyone danced out there, baby? Has anyone got to that point in their pregnancy where the baby's taken too long to come out? And they just go and have a little rave at home and out pops the baby.

I don't know. It's probably not medically advisable, that kind of behaviour. But I bet it's happened. We also spoke about scam voice notes. Elizabeth commented this. We have a family secret word, guarded very closely.

I had a call from someone pretending to be my son, what? Who had dropped and broken his phone, something he would absolutely have done in the past. Very convincing, however, they could not give me the secret word. I knew instantly it wasn't my son. They are very clever. I did have this conversation with a family member, and there is a phrase that our family used quite a lot,

and I did say to everybody, just keep that family phrase, which of course I want to tell you now. I know. I'm like, don't tell the secret phrase. Quite a lot of people were saying how they could tell that it wasn't us in the AI generated voices because it was quite monotone. But so many people were absolutely blown away, weren't they completely, that they'd managed to fake our voices. It was so spooky.

I think also it's something really good to remember because you get calls a lot. You get calls saying, oh, we're just calling you about this, that and the other. And if you are remotely suspicious, and I think we should always be suspicious now. I hate that we have to be suspicious now. I don't like it at all. I know. I just... But it is happening more and more.

Also, you just have to see the massive scams that are going on with, you know, where they're holding companies to ransom, you know, for huge amounts of money. So if it's happening with huge big companies, it is totally happening to individuals. So just be careful. Stay safe, people. On a different thing entirely. We're talking about things put in places that they shouldn't. That's Lord.

Joanne has been in touch. Hello, Zoe and Joe. I'm really loving your podcast. I'm a bit behind. I'm catching up. But going back to the one about things crawling into your nose reminded me of a story of my lovely neighbours. And their four-year-old had got a bead stuck up her nose.

So they took her up to the hospital in Ashford, up the motorway, where they removed the bead. And then on the way home, they were halfway home, almost home, actually. She suddenly piped up from behind and said, mom why didn't they take the other one out just so that might make you smile anyway bye oh no oh no what a disaster that's hilarious oh that's so cute that the whole time through all of that but also had anyone not checked yes i know you would have thought they'd shone a torch up the nostrils wouldn't you let's just check the other one and also how was she able to breathe bless i know

that's so cute over the weekend my sister called me like extraordinarily early in the morning, like half seven on a Saturday morning. And when she does that, I know that there's something wrong. So when I spoke to her, she's obsessed with watches. And she has a battery operated watch, a digital watch, which has to function, has to tell the right time. Like, if it doesn't, then all hell breaks loose. Oh, no. So her watch battery had run out and she was really, really distressed about it.

And when I say distress, she just goes on and on about it. And she will phone everybody on the hour, every hour. So Sarah, her lovely carer, made this great, expedition with Francis to go to a massive shopping centre. This is on a Saturday. This is like a really, really hectic time to go and get a watch battery. And they went all around this massive shopping centre, could not find the right battery at all at all at all. And Francis is getting very, very stressed about it. And in the end, they had to admit defeat, got into the car. And Sarah was like, oh, well, we'll have to go and get you another watch another time. And Francis just

went, oh, it's okay. I'll get the one from my bedside drawer. So Sarah had gone out to look for this battery or even buy a new one. watch and Francis just went, no, it's okay, I've got another one in my drawer. I can just have that instead. Sarah was like, oh my God, my whole day looking for this watch or battery. Oh, don't worry about it. I've got another one. It's fine. Francis, you could have told us at the time. The best. We've had a lovely comment from Andrea. Hi, good morning, Zoe and Joe. My name is Andrea and I live in Elgin in Scotland and listen to your podcast every week. Absolutely love all the topics that you discuss with a special interest in the gardening.

I'm fairly new to gardening following on from a divorce and having my own garden to deal with now. So lots of trial and error and successes. And yeah, I love hearing all about your garden successes and mishaps and tips. I just wanted to come on and say that I thoroughly enjoyed the latest episode when Joe, you spoke about watching which Kathleen the Sundance Kid. with your dad and that Robert Redford's death evoked such a memory. I was exactly the same.

I remember watching it with my late dad on many, many an occasion. And hearing you speak about it, it's just amazing how these memories can just surface. And we can be right back there to being our young teenage cells. So thank you for bringing that memory to my mind. And hearing my dad actually singing, raindrops keep falling on your head. Loving the podcast, ladies,

and keep up the good work, you brighten, many a dull car journey on my way to and from work. Bye. Oh, God, Andrea, thank you so much. What a gorgeous message. I know, those lovely moments that you have with your family members

that you just cherish. And they're, oh, I don't know, they're in the mine palace, aren't they? They really are. They're just these little tiny boxes that you open. I remember reminding me of my granddad, I'd paint your wagon. We used to sit and watch Westerns all the time and he had this lovely rotund stomach and my head used to like bounce up and down on his stomach and we'd watch

Westerns and Paint Your Wagon was a favourite. Oh my God. And the soundtrack to that, I think we've talked about this before, Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin. It's funny, isn't it? You just hear these little pieces of music or a film or a moment and suddenly you are right back there. It's so powerful. It can be so powerful memory like that, can't it? And thank goodness because those memories are so treasured and they're wonderful to revisit, you know, especially memories of those that aren't with this anymore. So, Andrea, and good luck with your new garden. And I hope that you're getting through the divorce okay and that your new garden can be such a positive place for you, new adventures for you. If you want to get in touch like Andrea did, we honestly genuinely

love hearing from you, your stories and just hearing your voices. So if you would like to do that and send us a voice message or a text with the WhatsApp number, it's all in the show notes. That's how you find out what to do. We've had a text from Lewis. You both seem quite tall. Do you believe a woman being the same height or slightly taller than their male partner deems them as weak? No. Where's your height an issue growing up? Do you have a preference for height when dating men? Be honest, Lewis. I'm five foot ten, although I'm shrinking. I was five at ten. I think I'm now five foot nine as everything dries out. And I feel quite short now because all the kids are so tall around me that I think, God, I don't

feel so tall anymore. Joe, what high to you? Well, I've always been five foot six, but last time I got measured I was five foot five. So I'm doing the same thing. Oh, how rude when she said I was five five. I'm sure I'm not. I'm like trying to stand up really tall. No, you're definitely five five.

So I think I'm not as tall as people think. I think I've always had people coming in on the show. And they're like, oh, you're smaller than I thought you were. And I think it's because I've, I've always had swimmer's shoulders. Whenever people have seen me, they're like, oh, Rod Stewart. Were you a swimmer? Yeah, I was actually. Yeah, swimmer's shoulders.

Those shoulders now have got ripped tendons. So thank you very much to do for all the swimming. That's what happens to swimmers. Well, the thing is, I have, I think I've generally dated men who are taller than me. But I love that women date men that are short of them. I'm thinking immediately of Devinia. Michael and lovely Michael she's dating. I've got a fabulous friend, my friend Snow, Tom, her husband is shorter than her. I think you've just, you know, you love who you love. Exactly.

And I love seeing, you know, you think about Jamie Cullum and Sophie Dull, Sophie Dull, so tall. I think you love who you love. And this whole thing of, you know, I think it's that thing is it with dating apps. I want someone who's this and that and has this and that. It's like, you just never know. Don't let, if you're going on dating apps, you know, because I'm sure you sure people do fear-bond dating apps about their height and then you turn up and think, hang on a minute, you're not that height. But you've just got to see past all that stuff, haven't you? I don't know. I mean, that's the ideal, I guess. But I think when I was younger, I always wanted to date men who were taller because I always felt so giant as a girl who was 5 foot 10. I was

taller than lots of people in my class and one of the tallest. And so sometimes I felt sort of bit cumbersome and a bit, you know, oh, you can't, you can't, when you're tall, you can't vanish in a crowd, people always spot you. So did you used to hunch down? Did you, did it affect you physically the way you held yourself? Yeah, I mean, I do. I do sort of, you know, and sometimes you have to, because a lot of my friends are a lot shorter than me and like, if you're in a crowd, you're like, what, sorry, because you're missing all the conversation. But now the kids are all so tall. I'm sort of constantly standing up to try and hear them all. So I think there was a time in my life where I wanted to just date men who were taller than me because it made me feel safe and

they were really strong and that they'd sort of protect me and look after me. But these days I'm like, ah, I love who you love, you know? Yeah, absolutely. And nothing to do with weakness at all. That's honestly Lewis. No, definitely not weakness. We have a mutual friend who works at the BBC called Philippa and Philippa is really tall and she's so elegant. and graceful and beautiful. And I went to Chelsea Flower Show with her a few years ago. And just walking around the place

with her for a few hours, I could not believe how everybody made everything about her height. And it was such an eye-opener. I was like, oh my God, Philippa, what is it like for you on a daily basis?

This is it. This is obviously your reality. That people just always had to comment about it. And I'm sure she just wanted no one to make any comment whatsoever. But the crowning glory of that day was that someone came up and said they wanted her to model for them.

I think it was to be sculpted. It was something extraordinary this artist. Fantastic. Amazing woman just came up and was like, oh my God, you are so stunning. Please can I have your number? But it was really eye-opening

just to see what it must be like if you are a tall person. I've got, Jude is really tall and people comment about his height all the time and he said when he goes to gigs, but people always make a comment and he feels very self-conscious about being in the audience

and he will always stand further back because he doesn't want to be in people's way. How lovely of him to do that? I sometimes feel like that when I go to the theatre because you're packed in so tightly in the theatre and I always think oh, shall I just slump down a bit?

Because I have to do that when I get my roots painted as my kids once said, Mummy, why do you get your hair painted black at the end? So it's actually the other way round. But because, you know, the hairdressers have to do the bit on the top and I'm always like, do you want to slide down?

Do you want to slide down in the chair? Because I'm so, so tall. So I do tend to do that in the theatre because I think I'm a real fidget as well, you might have noticed. And I'm always really aware. that my massive head is going to be right in someone's way. Yeah, it's terrible, isn't it, when you have to make yourself less. You've got to make yourself less than what you are or where people,

there we go. I often comment if people are really, I think, wow, aren't you? But I usually say something like, you're fantastically tall. You look fabulous. Yeah. So yeah, maybe I'll be more aware of that. Maybe I shouldn't comment if people are really, really tall because they probably feel self-conscious enough. There you go, Lewis, there's your answer. And that's it for today's episode. But if you want even more questions and answers become a member of the potting shed and then you'll get longer episodes so more chat more to discuss all that kind of stuff and remember if you have any questions or comments or things you'd love to share with us we'd love to hear from you details on how to subscribe to the potting shared and how to get in touch are in the show notes and we'll see you on wednesday see you

on wednesday dig it is a percyphonica production