Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - Zoe Is back, Oasis and ‘80s Hair

Episode Date: September 17, 2026

It’s all mullets, music and mashed potato this week, as Jo and Zoe share their – and your – iconic 80s looks, head back to the school canteen and give their take on the new Oasis documentary and their 2027 world tour. Plus find out what nickname Zoe was given in school (kids can be so cruel!) and why Hugh Jackman and John Travolta are just like us. GET IN TOUCH📧 Email us: [e-mail]📱 Text or Voice Note: 07477 038795💬 Tap here to send a voice note or message on WhatsApp:⁠ ⁠https://wa.me/447477038795📱Or send us a DM on Instagram @DigItPod SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORSThis episode is brought to you by Starling, Ancient + Brave, Bloom & Wild and Costa Coffee.CREDITSExec Producer: Sam Michell Producer: Harriet ThurleyAssistant Producer: Eve JonesTechnical Producer: Dan Moss & Oliver GeraghtyVideo Editors: Dan Moss and Jack Whiteside  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming up on Dig It. Joe Wiley, you are a 80s hair icon. You have a side platted pony sale. I just had the kind of like 80s mullet for most of my life. I basically looked like a Lego man. Everybody, whether an Oasis fan or not, wanted them to get back together. Somehow those songs just gave people permission at those concerts to show their emotions. Middle-aged men are dealing with an awful lot.

See, I loved school dinners, but should we say at the count of three? Yeah, one, two, three. Spam fritters. All of that right after this. Hey, welcome to all the diggers who are listening and who are watching right now and a massive warm welcome back, Zoe Ball. I missed you. I've missed you, Joe. I've missed you, my friend.

I've had no one to offload to. I was like, I miss my friend. I've got so much to tell her. Did you have a nice time with Anastasia? My gosh, she was brilliant. Yeah, she was. Yeah, she was absolutely fantastic. So lovely, so warm. We got Brody the dog as well. So yeah, she was a great, great co-host. But this is your space. So whatever you need to get off your chest right now is us. And it's all our lovely diggers and we can just share together all the stuff that we're enjoying and that we're not so much enjoying. Yes. So we've gone from Wednesday to Thursday episodes. And it'll take us all a while to get the hang of that as well. So don't worry if you get a bit confused for a bit. That is okay. It's very much back to school vibes at the moment, isn't it? Because the schools have gone back.

Nellie's gone back to college. Lots of people are, you know, packing kids off to uni, which we'll probably talk about as well. I started a new job. Yeah, tell us. Let's start there, shall we? Let's start with the new job. How is it gone? Do you know what?

I am really loving it. It's so scary starting a new job. Everybody will have been through this at some point in their lives. When you're the new girl and you're going in, And, you know, you're following someone brilliant. I was following from Kate Thornton and Kate's doing a new show at the weekends. But it's, you know, people don't always like change. I'm the same.

I like the people I listen to and where they are. And when everything moves around, it can be a little bit discombobulating for everybody. I mean, I know there will be comments. Of course. I try not to read the comments, Joe. I think we've both sort of learn. When it's generally something to do with Digit, I find we have a really lovely, positive, supportive audience. But you know when you're going to something,

someone new, there will be people who don't necessarily choose to listen to you, whatever. So I just know not to read the comments because then they'll get in my head. And occasionally I'll just see someone will say, oh, well, you're being a bit mean. And I'm like, so you know someone is there saying something about not liking you the rest of it. And I, but all I've done is I've seen that someone has responded to that. And I'm like, right, don't go any further. It's just like protecting yourself from that. And I had a really nerve-wracking first show, had a dangerously smooth second show, and then messed everything up on the third show. But you know what it's like, isn't it? We all have good days and we have bad days. And there are days when you're firing on all

cylinders. And then there are days that for no apparent reason, you get everything wrong or you mess up or you're late or you're. And you know what? It evens out. You know, like not everyone is listening. So when you make a mistake, people won't have heard that. But so you have. have to just take it out of your head, throw it away, and then just get just, it all evens out. And you've spoken to some amazing people as well. Hugh Jackman, who is the dream first guest, and he bought cakes. And he's so charming. And he told a great story about nerves. Because I asked him about, you know, he does a lot of stage shows and he'll walk onto huge movie sets. And it's like, Hugh, you know, how a first day nerves for you. And he told this great story about the first

film he ever did. He starred alongside John Travolta. And he went over to Johns. And he went over to Johns. And to, they wanted to run the first couple of days scenes. And he said, wow, do you, you always do this. And John Travolta said, yeah, because the first few days are so nerve-wracking. And so you're like, even John Travolta, your favorite, Joe, gets, it gets nervous and worries. And so does Hugh Jackman. So it's, you know, a little bit of nerves helps with the excitement. It's difficult when you have a job where you have to speak.

And you can't actually get your words out because you're so scared. But I've been well looked after. But I did see, I was looking at the pictures of radio two up in Sterling this weekend. Honestly, it was lovely. It was so, God, it was a weekend of such happiness and joy and so much good energy. All the bands who were playing on stage were really good. Simple Minds wrapped it all up and did this fantastic performance. Everybody's singing long, don't you forget about me.

And everyone was just really grateful to have some lovely music to enjoy. The DJ tent went off. Gary Davis, I think, performed about 400 million times. Ooh, Gary Davis. It was nice. It was really lovely to be with the Radio 2 family. It didn't rain. You were very much missed, but we had a good time. And I'm quite pleased. Yeah. It was a real success. And you got to hang out with Rylan. Because that's the thing, isn't it? The great thing about those events when you all get together is not everyone gets to see each other because you're all doing different hours and different shows. And when you get everyone together, it's like a, it's like a Christmas, isn't it? It's like a family Christmas meal. But with your work colleagues. No, we'd all been working on the Saturday and we went back to the bar and everyone was really tired. And then someone said, oh, should we just have one drink? And of course, one drink turned into quite a lot of drinks.

I think I went to bed quite early. A lot of people didn't go to quite so well because I knew I had a busy day. But just the opportunity to speak to people that I never, ever, ever normally get to speak to, like Rylan and Jeremy Vine. I saw, I left, I left when Jeremy Vine was doing baby Guinnesses with all the golfers who were staying in the hotel as well. And I was like, he's DJing tomorrow at 12 o'clock. God help him. How did he do, by the way, because Jeremy Vine did his first ever DJ set in the DJ tent. This is a big thing. It's something I could never do because I'm too scared to DJ in front of people.

And also, I'm a bit like disco Steve. I changed my mind and I take the record off halfway through, which would be terrible. But he'd never done it before. And you were giving him some advice. I heard you'd say to him a brilliant. Smith's song. I was very worried that he hadn't thought it through properly in terms of the songs he was going to play and the mixing and how he's going to present the whole thing. Obviously, I got that completely wrong because he had thought it through to the nth degree. So he walked out

on stage and he got this kind of inflatable astronaut come rocket outfit on and he's got these bonkers glasses on his like, his weird goggles on as well and he got some bongos. So the sight of Jeremy Vine on stage, that was enough. He didn't even need any music. And I think he just went from there to crazy after that. And everyone was laughing so hard. So he did really, really well. But in all, it was just very nice. And I know when everybody gets together, like, you know, people,

all our diggers will know this feeling. When you have a Christmas party coming up or you've got just a gathering, a big meeting, I'm very, very shy. So when people talk about going to the bar, I'm just thinking, I won't know what to say to anybody. What if I get to sit next to somebody I don't know? And I panic about it. And it was lovely to conquer those nerves.

and actually realized that everybody's a bit nervous and we all just had a drink and relaxed and it was very, very lovely to get to know people on a deeper level. So Vernon having a lovely chat with him and Paddy McGuinness and Edith Bowman was there and Kirsten O'Brien who does the traveler who I've never met before but I've watched on TV. We had some very deep conversations and it was good. So my message would be when you've got a gathering coming up, just set aside those nerves, recognize that everybody else is really nervous and just go for it and ask people questions. questions, in those situations, if you're worried about what to say, get to know people, just ask them how they're feeling, what they've been up to, where they came from. Yeah. And then it all expands and it opens up and it's really lovely.

If you're loving Digit so far, hit follow or subscribe and that way you'll get brand new episodes as soon as they're out. Zoe, like you know, whenever we go anywhere, we get to meet all our lovely diggers, this fantastic community that we've built up, this family. And so being in Sterling, I met so many people. I went to Glasgow for the day. I was getting diggers, giving me shopping recommendations, cafe recommendations. I did a gig. I did my DJ sets. And when I walked out on stage, which again, I'm always a little bit nervous when I

could walk out on stage. And there was this very cool woman down at the very front. And she got a placard that she held out. And I had to put my glasses on and I read it. And she just said, I hate gnomes too. And I was like, you're my girl. You're my girl. That's my girl.

I was really excited in my new job. One of the really lovely ladies said hello to me in The Luz. And she just whispered, by the way, I'm a digger. And it's great. Everywhere we go, we meet our diggers. And you are an amazing community. And girls and boys and young and old diggers, everyone is welcome. And the more people who find us, the better that is, it's great.

When you tell us that your diggers, don't be shy. Just tell us to be proud when you say it. Because they do, they do. They do just go, I'm a digger. Just go, I'm a digger. The head of security there at Sterling was a digger as well. And she was fantastic. And then one of the guys who was helping us out, he was saying how much he loves everything

we talk about, David. He loves the podcast. And it was really nice to hear from blokes who like it as well. So, yeah, don't be shy. Just go, yeah, I love diggers. We need badges, maybe. Tom Cruise has got a film coming out, hasn't he, called Digger. Yes.

You sent the poster of it the other day. And you're like, it's not just us. Tom Cruise. is a digger. I had no idea that film was coming out. And I saw the post and I was like, oh my God, this is a gift from heaven. Oh, Cass is coming in with a coffee for me now.

Oh, Cass. Oh, my God. I've never loved you more than right now, bringing me a cup of coffee because I'm so desperate. But she will love you more than that, you know. And he's brought me in my mug as well, which says always right. So he knows me very well. My son is stuck in Amsterdam.

He went to do a gig. Would he? Yeah, left his passport on the plane. and they can't find his passport. It's gone missing. So he's stuck in Amsterdam, possibly for... Of all places. I know.

It could be worse, couldn't it? He's doing all the museums. He's tackling all the nightlife of Amsterdam. And I'm hoping that maybe he'll get back this week because he's got a gig in Ibitha at the weekend. So if not, I was like, start walking, hon. The stamina of that boy. So Woody is stuck in Amsterdam.

And Nell, bless her. She started a brand new six on college last week. And she did three days. She's loving it, BN1 in Brighton, and she's doing drama. And then she got, I think, Redding Flu is what we're calling it. Because it's not COVID. It's not influenza A or B. And she hasn't got strep throat.

But she has been so poorly. I don't think she's ever had flu before. And she has been rotten. And it felt really bad because I felt great because I got to look after her all weekend. I couldn't wait to get home and just she climbed in my bed. I don't think she's ever been that poorly before. Poor love. And she was like, is it something more serious?

I was like, darling, it's just flu and you've never had it. But I felt really bad because she's like, mom, are you anti-backing? Because I'm so, I've just started a new job. I was like, the last thing I need is to get sick. I can't get sick. So I'd be like giving her a cuddle and she slept next to me. Patting her like that on the back and then wiping like the headboard and the lamp. and every mug and everything with anti-back washing my hands every time.

I was like, should I wear a mask? But anyway, she's still off and I'm sending her loads of love because she's getting really bored. And she's desperate to be at college as well because they're doing some good stuff. But fingers crossed, she'll be well again soon. Oh, God. So you've had lots of parental things going on, you know, worrying about Woody losing his passport and then now going off.

But I took my mum and I don't know whether you remember this. God, I still go to say, mum and dad, isn't that ridiculous? And I took my mum and my sister, Francis, to Centre Parks, last time I spoke to you. And we were heading off there because I just was really keen that they had something to look forward to and I wanted us all to be together. And so, and we had the best, best time. And I just wanted to mention it because the weather was lovely, but it was really nice just to all be together. And all the kids and Steve, they nipped in because you can get day passes to go to Centre

Parks. And they came and they rode the rapids and we did log flumes and we had meals together, pancakes and stuff like that. and it was a really, really nice time. And we went in the Lazy River. Yeah, if you're watching this, there's some photographs of us taking my mum. And we took France as well in the Lazy River with that massive great big rubber ring. We wedged mum inside it and we took her around because she's had her operation on her back

and she's got arthritis everywhere and her ankle is really bad. So mobility is very difficult. And we thought we'd see what it was like in the water and it was just lovely for her to float along. We laughed so hard. It was really, it was so joyful. It was really, really fun. And I wanted to say thank you and let everybody know if you've got someone with any mobility issues, Centre Parks is a brilliant place to go. They have improved so much since the last time I went there.

There was nothing that I could fault them on. They had a little service where you'd phone them up like half an hour beforehand and they'd come out in a bus and they'd load you in and they'd, you know, Francis is in a wheelchair. They drove her wheelchair into the bus. She sat there like the queen. And they helped my mum get in and they drove us to where we needed to be and they'd pick us up and take us back. There were wheelchairs that you could have on the side of the pool. There were trikes that you could get. Mum had a mobility scooter. It was, they thought of absolutely everything. So if you are thinking of a holiday,

and I know it's not the cheapest place to go, but it's worth possibly saving up for and going there because it was just a really good space for us to go to. We played bowling, Temping Bowling with the Bumper's down at. Do you ever play Temping Bowling? With the bumpers. Yeah. We started off with France as having like,

there's a metal guide thing that you put the ball on and then you just push it and it goes down and the bumper's up at the side and so we played a game with her like that and then in the end we all had the bumpers up and we were all using the metal frame because it was easiest. And those photos, you could just feel the joy on everyone. You know, it's so lovely to see you all together and I love that everybody popped in to have some time. And if any diggers have any other places they'd like to recommend, you know, with really good mobility access. do spread the word.

We're happy to share about other places too because it's so important. So well done to Centre Parks. Doing excellent work. Makes me want to go there now. The highlight the whole weekend was Casualty was on on Saturday night and it was the anniversary.

And Charlie was coming back and Francis has her obsessions about people and Charlie has been her main obsession all her life because he's in casualty. And so the fact that he was coming back she lost her mind. We all sat and we watched about three or four hours of casualty on the Saturday night.

And when he came back on, she was like, my friend, Charlie. And we all had to cheer. And oh, my God, it was hilarious. That sounds so brilliant. I might have to look back because I've always loved Charlie and it broke my heart when he left. He looks good. He's always looked good.

He's like, yeah, I had a crush. I'm like Francis. I had a crush on Charlie for a long, long time. Well, he's aged well and he was very wise and everyone there loved him. And they treated him like he was some kind of God coming back into casualty as deserved. It was very, very well done. I've never watched a casualty in my life, but I loved it. We also had a lot of fun doing our own version of the viral 80s trend that everyone has been sharing on social media.

And Bravo to the Digit team who decided to skip the AI bit and actually share our original 80s photos on Instagram. Instead, at Digit Pod, if you don't follow us. And it is definitely a good time to be watching us on YouTube. Because some of the pictures we're going to share now of ourselves and also of our diggers. Joe Wiley, you are a 80s hair icon. I have never seen so many. This photo of you and Francis, which is adorable, you have a side platted pony sale. I mean, God knows.

I mean, where that came from. I have no idea. Actually, I do, because I used to read, in the 80s, everybody, listen to me. You hopefully will know what I'm talking about. Big earrings were a big thing. So I used to have one massive dangly, fairy and leather creation that I'd have dangling down from one ear. And then to balance it out on the other side, I'd have a side platt. So it's kind of all my hair scraped up to the top and then platted and then just kind of hanging from the top of my head to balance out the massive feather creation coming from my ear as well.

Yeah. So that, and then a lovely blue satin shirt. And a satin shirt, which would have been highly flammable, I imagine. Yeah. Was there a lot of hair spray holding that dew into position? I mean, I would have gone up, you know, if anyone had shown a match to me, I would have gone up a lot. Yeah, there was an awful lot of Elnette going on in my hair in the 80s because it wasn't there for everybody. I mean, taught me through your hair as well, because we've got a photograph of you and a lovely, you're a bit younger than me.

I'm a little bit younger, but I just had the kind of like 80s mullet. for most of my life. I don't think I didn't dye my hair blonde until the late 80s. That's when life changed for me. But so I just had the kind of, you know, the bowl haircut fringes that your mum would do in the kitchen

and the slight wings at the side. I mean, it was just disgusting. It's no wonder everyone thought I was a boy for years. Everyone was just like, and I was a tomboy. And I had absolutely zero interest in my looks. I just never, you know, at school, everybody used to do their hair and be fashionable and I was just such a nerd and the photos prove that because I couldn't find any photos with iconic 80s hair to be honest to do but I think

it shows the difference in our ages no because you you've got that kind of adolescent look so you are how old are you now and what's the age difference between us I think so I'm now I'm going to be 56 in a couple of months yeah and I'm it's going to be 62 this year so um I think it's just the difference. I just got into fashion. I was going to off to college and you were still that kind of young adolescent. So you had layers that when you, when you slept and you got up in the morning, it was just kind of quite high on your head.

I know. And the mousey with a slightly red sheen and then this gurney fair. I basically looked like a Lego man for until I was about 18. That's exactly how I looked like a Lego man. But the great thing about this was so many of our diggers shared their throwback picks on Instagram. Oh, they're amazing. These are so. worth a watch.

Should we start off with this one? This is a strong look. So this is, I think you're maybe a nearer my age, Sarah, because you've done some extraordinary things with your hair. So this is a picture of Sarah and she said, this is me,

15 and mad about it. So her hair is cut very tightly across her ears and then just massive, massive, almost back combed over the top of your head. It's like the biggest mohawk you could ever have, I think.

I thought this was one of the most singly impressive hair dude And I think Sarah, had I known you at that age, I would have wanted to be you. I would have looked up to you like the hair hero that you are. It's also the slightly disdainful look. She's giving the side eye of, yeah. So, yeah, I just threw this look together. She looks so good.

There's attitude there from Sarah, but she looks cool. That's how I wanted to make my hair when I was about 16, 17, but it would never do that. Oh, no, we've got the same hair, yeah. And it doesn't hold, doesn't matter how much you back comb it. what an icon. This is why crimpers an elnette to be your friend in the 80s. In the late 80s, if you were into the alternative music scene, then you just crimped your hair to fuck and put loads of elnette on it and then back combed it.

And that kind of would sustain it for about an hour and then it would collapse, like you said. Michelle rocking this classic cut, this is a school photo where you sort of stand in front of the lovely little sheet they'd put behind you. She looks like, she looks so innocent, doesn't she? Like life has not happened to her yet. But Michelle, I feel like a couple of years on from this, everything's going to change. She's holding something in her hand. Is that like a song sheet or a certificate?

I don't know. You can tell the photographer has said, like, hold this scroll just in your hand and then just turn to the left a little bit. Talk your chin and look into the camera. And she's gone, okay, obligingly with quite a straight fringe as well. Yeah, the straight fringe. That's a, just, you know, that's straight across the front, isn't it? but she looks like a little angel. Oh, this is Anisa.

If we're talking attitude, she's got all the attitude. No AI needed here at all. This is me in 1987. This is a lot of, I mean, this is a goth look. There's a lot of backcombing going on there. Yeah, it's slightly ready on the top and then black long. So it's like long sides, then crimped up the top, standing out of it. Yeah.

And the dead giveaway is here. She's standing in front of a Bauhaus poster. So you can see immediately how darn cool she. was in 1987. I was so proud the Bauhaus came from Northampton. I remember it was just like, I can't believe we've got the coolest goth band in the world and they come from my hometown. Paula's been in touch as well. My first passport photograph, 1986, used to get some looks going through passport control in a business suit a few years later. I don't know how he got through passport at all with this look. I mean, Paula, this is such a strong look. She's wearing a yellow polka dot shirt.

But she got the 1980s, you know, obligatory dangly earring, beautiful big glasses. And then look how perfect her quiffed hair is done. I mean, that is sprayed to perfection. That's taken hours, surely, Paula, to put that look together. It's funny, is it? Because it's kind of like very, very modern and contemporary, but also quite old-fashioned in some way. And then Amy sent us a photograph and just said, C&A fashion at its finest.

And she's there in a little lycra pink crop top and leggings as well. And she's got the fringe. She's got the mum cut fringe along the front. Do people, I'm interested to know, actually, do people still cut their kids' hair at home? And are you ever tempted to give your kids the straight across fringe as a parent now? Harriet, who works on Diggett, is saying, yes, she does. I don't think I'd be allowed near either of my kids' hair. I remember cutting the back of Nels and it was so wonky and she was absolutely livid.

Oh, look who's come to see you. Goose has just joined us again, another reason to watch. Hi Goose. He's had a haircut. Talking of haircuts, he's had his first haircut. He looks savage. Can we, should we extend this into, because I've got a family portrait that was taken in the 80s.

This is me and my mum and dad and my sister and we're posing obviously and it's just, it could not be more 80s. My mum looks very glamorous but also quite stern. And my dad's got the glasses that are actually quite fashionable now, but like the kind of rayband shape, but very, very thick as well. And oh my God, we look hilarious. It's so good. It looks like something that would have been used in Back to the Future to hang on the back of a set.

I mean, it could not be more 80s. It's so good. So send in any family portraits that you have and we will celebrate. And it's not just photos we love to see. Do send in photos, send your questions, any dilemmas, any rants you have, and we can answer them or share them on Mondays in Digin. All you have to do is email questions at digippod.co.uk. You can WhatsApp us on 0747-3-8-995 or message us on Instagram.

Give us a follow. You can enjoy some of these incredible 80s pictures. It's at DigitPod on Instagram at DigitPod. Yeah. Wasn't all just CNN, was it? There were other great, great shops we used to go to in the 80s. Miss Selfridge. Miss Chelsea Girl.

Chelsea Girl. Tammy Girl. Oh gosh. Yes. Let the conversations begin. As we're having a little flashback into the 80s, it's been announced this week that school dinners rules are changing. The new story, lentils and chickpeas will be compulsory on school menus.

Deep fried food has been banned. School food standards updated by the government for the first time in over a decade in a bid to tackle childhood obesity. So I guess this is a really good thing that our kids are going to get much healthier food in schools. I immediately thought, oh gosh, the kids are only going to get chips once a week. They're going to be livid. But the idea that the kids are getting more vegetables and more pulses and stuff at school, it's a really good. good thing, but it does make me think about, you know, old school, school dinners. You see, I loved school dinners, Joe, I can't imagine, did you love them or did you hate them?

I love them. Oh, no, no, I really, really look forward to them, hot dinners all the time. And I bet we're both going to say the same thing because you mentioned it before we came on to chat. And I, and my head instantly went there. So should we say it at the count of three? Yeah, one, two, three. Spam fritters. Spam, spam. Spam. Spam. Yeah, spam. Yeah, spam. Yeah, spam. Spam fritters because I once ate 19 spam fritters and they used to call me pig of the year and pass all the school dinners down to me. Well, I just have always hated waste. So if there's any food left, I'd always just finish it up.

We used to get bananas and custard at school, which I loved. You know, and do you remember when the custard would literally be set in the bowl? And there'd be sponge, treacle sponge, loved it, jam sponge, didn't love it as much as treacle sponge, chocolate pudding. Yeah, chocolate pudding was most exciting. Also, occasionally, very, very occasionally, you got the sponge and then it had pink icing and hundreds and thousands on top. And then you had pink custard to go with that. That was like once a year that happened and that was heaven.

The smell of school dinners, it just reminds me of boiled cabbage, the cabbage that has been boiled for about six weeks. And you'd go in and no one would ever wanted it. You're like, no, I don't have the cabbage. Thanks very much. I think kids have so much more awareness. I hope they do of what's healthy for them. Now, I mentioned it's cocoa and I said, chickpeas are going to be composed. She was like, oh, brilliant, that's great.

It's a really good idea. But just rethinking what we're feeding our kids is very, very important. And it's also really, really tasty. Like it's some amazing menus and great food that they'll be able to cook. Do you think schools have adopted the Joe Wiley crazy soup? Oh, I'm just putting it out there. Come on, Jamie Oliver. Get the Joe Wiley.

Vegetables. What is it? suit with rice in and hummus. Do any schools have hummus? I don't know. We never ever have a meal without hummus, I don't think, at home. You eat a lot of hummus, don't you? Yeah, we do. But it'd be good to hear from our diggers about your memories of school dinner. So what did you have? I remember sausages and I just, oh my God, there weren't very many veggie options, but when you get a sausage and it had a lump of gristle in it, what? It was the worst thing in the world. I'd swear to God. It's even the word gristle, which always reminds me of Eric Idol singing, you know, always look on the bright side of life.

Because it's like, life's a piece of gristle when you were. We used to call my grandma Granny Gristle. Where the hell did that come from? Well, she must have loved that. Is it because her food always had gristle in it? Or was it a tender term? It was a tender term. It was like, oh, here's Granny Gristle.

My lovely grandma would be like, hello. But I don't know whether there used to be a character. something that was called Granny Gristle. Where there? God. And if anyone else has ever got, can shed any light on this, please, please do. Who was your pig of the year? Was there someone at your school who always ate everyone else's food?

Do you know, I wore it as a badge of honour. I never took it as an insult because I was, and do you know what? I could eat and eat and eat. I was really tall and very skinny and I could just eat everything. And clearly it was, I don't know whether it was protein or fat, fatty foods.

But yeah, I just eat the goddamn lot. Do you remember they used to serve up the mashed potato in ice cream scoops? Did yours do that? Yes. They were ice cream scoops. You either have one or two dollops. And that's where the lumps were. The lumps in the mashed potato because they didn't bother mashing it properly.

Yeah, I know. Lumpy mashed potato and gristle. Oh, I miss spam fritters. Does anyone still make spam fritters? I'm imagining not. I think you're the chip shop. I think you can still get spam fritters. I always had pineapple fritters or spam fritters when you went to the chip shop.

What was it, pineapple fritters or banana fritters? fritters when he had a Chinese. Yeah. Okay, gardening. Should we talk gardening? Isn't it amazing how quickly everything's coming back to life because we've just had a little bit of rain? Just a little bit of rain. I know certain parts of the country have had more rain and I'm a little bit jealous, but

there's so much more green. The anemones are coming up, but the Japanese anemones have all popped up in the garden at home. Pensemen are coming back again. Salvias are still flourishing. Yeah. Even the roses are blooming again. Yeah, there's that second, third lot of.

roses coming through. It's an interesting time. And slowly the leaves are starting to fall. And my seedoms are looking beautiful because they're all in flower. And then they, it's amazing how sometimes they're white and then there'll be one pink seedom and then they'll all go pink. I think sedums are so underrated because the, God, the variety of colours you can get sedums in.

They're so dramatic. They can be so dramatic. And the leaves are really lush and kind of really tactile. They look amazing. I definitely recommend seedoms in a garden. I'm actually really chuffed that a very nice gardener called Sebastian got in touch with the show. Seb has come and had a look at my garden and he's just helping me do a little bit of editing. I'm going to help move some bits because I've really realised,

especially after such a dry summer, it's like the hydrangeas really need to go because they just can't cope. And there's, you know, I've got a couple of aces that aren't doing great where they are. So he's just going to help me move a few. few bits around. I've got a smoke bush that's got to go in the ground. I've got some roses that need to go in the ground. So he's going to help me edit and bring a little bit more colour into the garden as well. He's recommended some different grasses. So yeah, thanks, Seb, for coming. Wilbur is his number one fan already. He's like, oh, who's this? I like him. If you are into your gardens, diggers, and a lot of you are, we're going to do something about

winter planting because now is the time to get your trees in to get, to do the rearranging like you're doing Zoe and to get new plants in. And so we're going to do that in forthcoming weeks because it's really important, especially changing and adapting the plants we put in so that they survive next year if we have another dry year. So that is to come. But right now, we have the most gorgeous sew and tell, and this is from Jen. Thank you both for inspiring me to tender sapling I got from one of my nursing colleagues earlier in the year. I've discovered the well-being that comes with watching a plant grow, wilt, revive, bud, flower, and produce shiny chilies. Unexpectedly, it has been another way to draw near to my beloved mum who died five years ago. She was my best friend and my

biggest cheerleader, wiser and truer than anyone. She was the most joyful person I knew and she loved her garden. I knew she would delight in me finally discovering the pleasure and comfort in gardening. I feel like a sapling myself wanting to grow. I love this podcast and the connection of the digger community. Love to you both. And that is from Jen. Oh, Jen, thank you. There's a picture of Jen. Picture of Jen. A her amazing. amazing mom. Look at the beautiful smile. And it's funny, those words ring so true, Jen. You know, you're saying about your mom being your biggest cheerleader and being so wise. And I miss that about my mom all the time. I do. I do miss it. It was really weird starting a new job or, you know, the kids now going to college and even Woody being stuck in Amsterdam, all these things that I would share with my mom and that she would know about. My brother Jamie has decided he's applying to the RN. L. I, he lives down by the sea. Oh, wow. Great. He's applying to go in the R&LI. And I was like,

Mom would be so proud of you. And, you know, they're with us. They are with us and they're in your hearts. And you know, I love that I can hear what my mom would say and the things that she would share and the things that would make her laugh and how she would be so proud. And we'd be talking loads about Strictly that's coming up at the moment because she'd be so excited about it. And they are always with you. And yeah, Jen, your mom would be so proud of you with your plant. It's passed on. It really has passed on. I actually met someone when I was in Sterling last week, Helen, she was the mum of a girl who's in a band. Juliet is in a band called Fright Years. And her mum was there and she was a digger. And she was saying how she lost her husband. And she said it really

helps listening to the podcast when we talk about grief and how we feel and what's going on in our lives. And it's been a real help to be part of that community. So we will carry on doing that because it never stops, it never goes away, we're still face those things day in, day out. So I just wanted to mention Helen because she was very cool and very lovely and it was really nice to know that people get things from what we talk about on the show. It's interesting because it would have been Billy's 50th birthday this week. And so, you know, I'm just thinking of him and I've been listening to his records and I think it, you know, speaking to his family and stuff like that. And also, I've been speaking to people who have been going through grief.

you know, losing someone to suicide. And it's, it's that thing of just trying to say to people, you will be okay and you'll carry on and you'll live and their memory will be joyous. And sometimes it'll mow you down. And other times you will be just remember them in the light and the good times. And yeah, it's, it's so good to talk about grief and loss. You know, it's so important because it is something we all go through. And I'm sending those love to Lily's family and all his gorgeous friends in this week. Bless him. He's so missed.

Oh, I'm sure. He looked gorgeous as well. I saw the photographs. I know. Gorgeous boy. Beautiful man and, yeah, how hard life must have been for him. I actually, India had a job the other day and she was, and we were both saying, oh, God, you know, when you've got a big job to do and it's a night before and you're going, I don't want to do. And I went, India, you know what you got to do?

Big steel pants. Big steel pants. Pull them up. Put them on. Put them on. Put them on. got this. Crate digging.

Shall we do some crate digging? Yeah. Off the back of talking about Fright Years, I did this showcase for BBC introducing, which was so wonderful because the bands and the artists who performed there were so talented and just on the cusp of careers. And it was just brilliant to watch them and to see them. So I want to mention Fright Years, who I talked about already,

there's a guy called James Emmanuel who has done stuff with Trevor Nelson, who has supported Nile Rogers, but he's a real character, very soulful. and then an artist called Alice Faye and I think you were aware of Alice Faye but oh my God she, I really, really, really hope she has massive success because she deserves it. She's so old-timey.

She's so like of Etta James era, Doris Day era and she's kind of kooky. When I interviewed her, she was saying how she felt like she never fitted in when she was at school. She was always kind of a little bit weird. But when you see her perform, she's supported Rufus Wainwright in the past

just to give you an idea of what she's like. She is fantastic. So if I'm going to give you one name to remember and to go and listen to, it's Alice Faye with an e. That is my crate digging for you. There's two records I'd really love to share with you. Dexie's Midnight Runner's new album, Love. Oh, it's so wonderful. I really need to go and see them play live.

And also have a favourite band of mine, and actually a real favourite band of Billy's, were Mystery Jets. And they've got a new album called A Hole to See the Sky Through. And I know they're going to do some dates, so I'm going to get to try and get to see them. So they're two newbies that I'm really, really loving. Have you managed to see Don't Look Back in Anger yet, the Oasis documentary? No, I haven't had a spare second for about the past year. You haven't, have you?

When I had the chance to go and see it, I was like, I would love to, except I'm working. So, no, but you have. What's it like? I went to see it at screening because I was talking to Stephen Knight about how he'd, you know, put that together. And you will love it. You'll just love it. It's such a great piece of cinema. to watch the sort of, you know, you could see why they got Stephen Knight involved, you know,

because he bought us Peky Blinders and is writing the new Bond film, which Denny Villeneuve is going to direct some. I'm really excited about that because I think the combination of those two is absolutely killer. But you could see why they got him because he's brought us great family drama to the screen. And Liam and Noel's story is a really great family drama, you know, two working class boys from Manchester. just, you know, they're falling out, it's broke everyone's hearts. And I know that everybody, whether an OASIS fan or not, wanted them to get back together. And then to do those concerts and to see the effect that their music has had,

not only on the fans our age who love them the first time round, but the next generation who've discovered them either through their parents or just through finding music in whatever way they find music. And to see this played out, it is so brilliant. the documentary, it will make you cry. It's so moving. It's also hilariously funny because Liam and Noel have away with words. There's an amazing scene where Liam is talking about Mick Jagger and what he does on stage and it's so, so good. And there's just incredible moments in it where they've set the cameras up in the rehearsal room and Noel rehearses with the band for about

a week before Liam turns up. And it's that moment that Liam turns up and how that happens. And Stephen and said, you know, they're working class lads. They're not going to have a hug and a chat about it. No. They're just going to be like, all right, all right. Carry on. And you see that. And then when it comes to doing the live dates,

you see how much closer and closer and closer they get and how that rift heals and how their music has the effects on the fans all over the world. All over the, it's so brilliant. I urge you to see it. And they're doing it all over again. And they're doing it again. They're doing more dates.

The tour has been announced, yeah. Oasis 27. So it begins in May and Glasgow's 11 dates in Manchester. Wow. 11 dates at Manchester. Yeah. I know. It's insane how loved they are. There'll be people going to every single date if they can get themselves tickets.

And then also doing four at Nebworth Park, the iconic Nebworth Park, so returning there. So, yeah. I mean, God, when they arrived at the Venice Film Festival and they arrived on that boat, it was just such a, it was a fantastic moment in time, wasn't it? They looked so healthy. really love how healthy they look and composed. And then also the relationship between the two of them, how Liam just kept making Noel laugh all the time, little cheekier sides. And they look like they are having, they're the happiest they've ever been, I reckon. I mean, I don't know,

but they look like they are loving it. Time heals all wounds. And I wonder if they have inspired other families to, or anyone has seen that and thought, you know what, I'm going to call my sister. I'm going to call my brother. I'm going to reach out to someone I've not spoken to. You know, a friend you've not spoken to for a long time where stuff, shit's gone down. Somehow those songs just gave people permission at those concerts to show their emotions, all those guys who never, ever normally would cry or hug each other. They're there. And the words that Noel has written and Liam has written just touch them and allow them to cry and to express whatever they are dealing with, you know, and middle-aged men are dealing

with an awful lot and to have a release watching Oasis was really kind of wonderful really wonderful. That's it, I think. We've done. We've covered a lot.

There was a lot to catch up on. Oh my God, we have. Yeah, I know. I'm sure there's loads more we could talk about but we should probably stop. Yes, and we're going to see you Monday for digging.

Don't forget guys. Do get in touch with any photos, tails, anything you want to get off your chest. A good rant. You can find out how to get in touch with us. All the contact details are in the show notes.

Yeah, we will see you on Monday for Diggin, and then don't forget your weekend starts every Thursday when we get together. Love you, Joe. Love you. Nice to see you. Bye. Digit is a Persephonica production.