Life with Nat - EP103: Nat's Chats #2

Episode Date: April 2, 2025

Nat's back out solo, but is she ever alone when all you lovely listeners are there to chat? This pod gets off to the races! Enjoy x Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view INSTA: @natcass1 We're also on Facebook now too: https://www.facebook.com/lifewithnatpod A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] SHOW INFO: Life with Nat - it’s me! Natalie Cassidy and I’ll be chatting away to family, friends and most importantly YOU. I want to pick people's brains on the subjects that I care about- whether that’s where all the odd socks go, weight and food or kids on phones. Each week I will be letting you into my life as i chat about my week, share my thoughts on the mundane happenings as well as the serious. I have grown up in the public eye and have never changed because of it. Life with Nat is the podcast for proper people. Come join the community. ♥️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by FX's Dying for Sex on Disney+. Based on the podcast of the same name, Dying for Sex tells the story of Molly, who is diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Determined to feel everything she can before she can't feel anything, she decides to leave her unhappy marriage to explore her sexuality with some encouragement from her best friend Nikki. FX's Dying for Sex, streaming April 4th only on Disney+. Sign up now at DisneyPlus.com.

Well, hello everybody. Here she is again doing a solo pod. I suppose Monday's was a little bit solo, but you know, I had a few calls, Auntie Linnie was in there. And today, although I'm on my own, I am going to be phoning some people. I thought we're nearing a year of the pod. And there are some listeners who message me regularly and I get back to as many as I can as you know, but there's a few that I really message quite often, or they like to message me. So I thought we'd give them a tinkle and we'll have a chat about what's happened throughout the year really and how we've changed and what's happened.

So I thought that'd be quite nice. I'm at home, it's quiet, Joni's at school, Eliza's in bed. I've said it before and I'll say it again, don't wake up the teenagers, leave them to sleep. They are developing their brains and it's really important. I always remember my mum coming in with a Hoover banging on the door, do you want a cup of tea? Do you want any biscuits? And I used to think, oh, leave me to sleep. So I'm leaving Eliza to sleep. She could pop in at any moment, which would be a bonus, but we'll see what happens. I actually left my car at the station last night. It was really stupid. Do you ever do those things where you forget what you're doing throughout the day?

So I went into town, into Soho, to film my Off the Telepod record, and it's filmed. So I did that, but I dropped my car to the station to then get the train. And then I forgot that I was going out for dinner with a lovely friend called Mads. And obviously had a couple of glasses of wine and then couldn't get into the car to drive it home. So it was up at the school. So a big shout out and thank you to my friend, Abby. Abigail took me to the station this morning and she's actually getting on a flight. And I said, I don't really want you to miss the flight dropping me to the station because we've got a lot of road works going on. Anyone in the Harlow area will know that.

Bit of a nightmare. But anyway, she did. She dropped me to the station and I picked up the car and now I'm home again. So thanks to her. It's nice to have a lovely pool of friends isn't it? You can't beat good friends even if you need a quick lift or if you want a quick chat or you want to sound them out about something and it's lovely having those local base friends to help you. Not that she is a mini cab but it was quite nice. I've had a really, really busy week. You might have seen me on Saturday Kitchen which was really lovely.

I'll tell you something, that Olly Wines, he's a lovely bloke. What a lovely guy. I've actually texted him because I got his number and said, I'm not going to leave you alone. I want you to tell me about what wines to buy. And I've just had a message come up on the computer from Samantha. Sorry to digress. Saying I hope you're not April Fools in me. I'm filming this on April Fools Day. Saying, I hope you're not April Fool's in me. I'm filming this on April Fool's Day. No, I am going to ring you, Samantha. She's the one who sounds like Alice from the Vicar of Dibley.

And I've always wanted her to be my friend. So I'm going to give her a ring. I digress. What was I talking about? I do this all the time. Start on one thing, finish on another. Olly Wines. So I said, we need to do a pod. I need to get him on here and we need to do wine tasting. Got to do that for the summer.

Some rosé, some whites. I think it's a cracking idea. Get Elves and Roro on there. Be lovely. So I am going to get Olly over. But he was gorgeous, as was Matt Tebbott and Jeremy from Crovardis was on. I was with a really lovely bunch of people. And the winner of Great British Menu was on there and she was amazing and she made a panna cotta, lemon and thyme, bits of honeycomb and fresh rhubarb. It was delicious. My mouth's watering now thinking about it. Because I'm not really a sweet person. I'm not a chocolate lover. I don't have a chocolate bar. I won't have a muffin I won't have a slice of cake. Thank God in this house because Mark doesn't stop baking them But I do love a lemon something. I love a lemon posse

Is it posse or posse? I love a panna cotta. I love a mousse. Give me a raspberry mousse any day of the week. I'm happy. Something light. Something to cleanse the palate. So anyway, I did Saturday Kitchen.

That was lovely. I did This Morning last week. And this is all the buildup to my new show, What's the Big Deal? Britain's Best Buysyers out on Channel 4 8 o'clock tomorrow night. I've got to give it a plug. I've plugged it everywhere else but I really can't wait for you to let me know what you think of it and see if you like any of the items on the show and obviously I'm embarrassing myself quite a lot on there because that's what I do so hopefully you'll find it quite

humorous and a bit of a laugh. Eight o'clock tomorrow night, so have a look at it. And you can also stream it on four. Listen to me. I went into Soho actually to do all the adverts for Channel 4. And I did feel really grown up because I had a little screen and it was sort of a little trailer. And then you saw the Channel 4 come up with the green background. And there I was saying, what's the big deal tonight at eight on channel four? And it made me feel quite, oh, quite excited. So let me know what you think of it.

Right, I'm gonna give Bex a call because Bex and I obviously chat quite a lot and she sent me a really lovely voice note this morning which I'm going to play you before I ring her. Morning love, just checking in really and I suddenly realized it's probably a bit windy and I don't want to be like one of those voice notes that you can't actually hear any of it like the other day with the sirens. Yeah just checking in, love to the Mother's Day ep. I had a really nice day and you know what? I was just with my two boys, my husband and my son and it was lovely. We went for a nice meal. It was just us, we just had a really nice day because you're right, there's pressure to

do all the things. It's a lot isn't it? Anyway I hope you're really well. Things are really good in my end. A few changes coming. Right I'm going to stop it there. I'm just going to ring her because we can talk to her about the changes. So here we go. Hello love. All right. How are you doing? I'm all right, you? Yeah I've just played half your voice note on the pod and I thought well what am I doing

that for? I'm ringing you now. Well and then you were like oh, I'll speed that one up. It wasn't as windy as the sirens, you'll be pleased to know. Honestly, sometimes I do have and that made me laugh the other day because I think that's so me sometimes. And I've played them back and I thought, no one's got a open hell of hearing this. Yeah, there's absolutely no way you can decipher a message in the middle of London on the tube. It's not going to work. So I was just saying how it's been so lovely meeting certain people.

I know we've not met, but you know, through the pod, I do feel we keep in touch and live a parallel life. We do. So you've had your eyebrows topped up as well this week. Yeah, I had my little six months top up. They're good, aren't they? Yeah, I kind of... Yeah, it was sort of quite life-changing I think when I had that done.

Probably about four years ago now, I reckon. I reckon mine was about that, but because of EastEnders, I couldn't keep them up. I had a very pink hue that I used to fill in. Yeah. And now... Now you can go all out. I can go all out but they're flaking now. Oh yeah and what about when they itch? Hmm. They say to put coconut oil on it but I try and not put anything on them at all. Yeah my lady gives me

this little sachet of stuff that's got all different stuff in but yeah I'm at the flaky stage. I was a bit worried about Saturday kitchen because I did that at the weekend and I thought I can't go on there with... You're a bit falling off in your food. Exactly flaking it up with Matt Teber. I thought this is going to be embarrassing but they did hold out for Saturday so it was quite good. Oh good you've got nothing on for the next couple of days then? I'm at home actually no I'm just babysitting baby James this afternoon for El's Bells and tomorrow I'm having a Eliza and Mummy day, we're going out. Oh that'll be nice. It'll be lovely, she's on holiday, she's in bed, she's relaxing and tomorrow we're

going to get on the train and we're going to go out, we're going to do some shopping. I just feel like that's really the only time she wants to be with me, I'm not going to lie when we go shopping. like that's really the only time she wants to be with me I'm not gonna lie when we go shopping. Sometimes just nice not to have a day where you've got to be anywhere at a certain time just yes see where the day kind of takes you and just yeah and it's gonna be lovely whatever you know yeah nice and the weather's great this week isn't it I know I know we mustn't get too complacent about this thing. That is true, that is true. You know Easter holidays next week it will probably rain. Yeah that's true, always the way. So over the year you said you're making some

changes so we've both made quite a lot of changes this year. Yeah. And I think what you said about where we were a year ago is so interesting to talk about. Yeah, because you know, obviously your first ever thing was what one thing would you change, wasn't it? You know, that's what I first replied to and how we first started talking. Yeah. And you know, mine was obviously around food and feeling good about yourself and all that stuff, which has been such a huge thing in my life, my relationship with food for the whole of my life, really.

And I'm in a good place with that, but even more so... I was at earlier this year. Anyway, basically, I started to have hypnotherapy. Right. Honestly, it's changed my life, because what it's made me realise is actually I was okay and I was beating myself up about stuff that I didn't need to. So what was the hypnotherapy for? Well, the hypnotherapist that I saw, she obviously does everything but she's also a therapist

so it's not just hypnotherapy. A session with her is an hour chatting, and then at the end, let's do a little bit of hypnosis just to try and install some stuff about what we've talked about, that kind of thing. So it was around food and predominantly it was around weight loss, but the lady in question is actually a nutritionist as well.

So she's in a really good place to advise people on eating whole, clean food, you know, that's what we're, you know, not processed food, which is a, you know, quite a big passion of mine anyway. But one of the things that came out a lot was this sort of feeling of being unfulfilled. You know, I'm at that point where my son has started high school,

they don't need you quite as much anymore. Me and my husband run our own business. It's not full time necessarily for me. I have some capacity basically. And kind of in that position where you think, I don't really, I still don't know what I wanna do when I grow up. Do you know what I mean?

I feel like I've always just done jobs and not ever done anything that I was really passionate about. Completely understand that, yeah. So I'm in a really, and someone actually made me think, don't think of this negatively, think of this as a really positive thing because you're in a really good position where you could do something you were passionate about, which a lot of people don't get that opportunity. Absolutely, yeah.

So anyway, seeing my therapist, that sounds cool, doesn't it? It is cool actually. Seeing my therapist, two or three weeks ago she said, have you thought anymore about what you want to do? And I said, oh I don't know. And she went, you know everything we've talked about regarding food, you know, unprocessing your life, all that stuff. She went, you know all this.

She went, the first time you came to see me I told you, you're already 85% of the way there. You know everything that I talked to you about, you already know. Right. And you actually tell me stuff. So anyway, this has just sort of evolved some ideas in my head about what I could do and one of the things that I would really like to do is to help other people learn how to cook food from scratch. This is exciting. Yes, you know, whether that be single mums, teenagers. Yep. Students. And with my love of cooking, just to, you know, so basically I've signed up to do a nutrition course,

just a basic one, because I think you can't really tell people what to do if you don't have any sort of qualification. No it's good to yeah absolutely get some something behind your name. So I started that which is you know great that's given me you know I'm doing that in some of my time but I'm also gonna obviously start up a brand on Instagram and start to post stuff. Oh this this is brilliant. This is brilliant. Well, I'll share it all. Yeah, that's great love, thank you. But I just feel, you know, when you just think, oh, something's clicked and I feel like I've got stuff

that I can take in whatever direction I want it to go. And you feel excited by it. And I feel excited. That's the thing. And the few friends that I've spoken to about it, because I haven't really spoken to a lot of people about it, but they've all gone, oh my God, yes, I'll help you. You're going to be brilliant at this.

Yeah. And then they don't just go, oh, that's a load of rubbish. There's definitely a place for it. It's not about, oh God, I want to make millions of pounds. I want people to be educated. It's more that. Yeah. Oh, that's great. That's brilliant. Yeah. So I just feel, and like I said to you this morning, in a year, I wouldn't have imagined a year ago that I would be in a position where I felt like I could share stuff with other people. Do you know what I mean? I completely agree. I mean, for me, a year ago when I started this with nervous trepidation,

thinking, oh, who's going to listen to it, whatever. Building this sort of community, this family, where everyone can get together and chat about stuff, it has made me grow as a person. I feel more confident in myself, even now being able to do these solo pods and just ringing people. I was just going to say, you would never have dreamt of doing a solo pod then a year ago.

Never, and I feel more confident. And I think leaving EastEnders is, again, it's such a big thing to do for me. Of course it is. That's your comfort blanket, isn't it? That's all you've ever known. Yeah, but even going on this morning last week, for instance, I sort of- Which you look beautiful on, by the way. Thank you, Bex.

But yeah, I think being able to get my hair done, it sounds, you know, just to be able to be me and be how I wanna be. But then to go and sit on that sofa, usually I'm so nervous on those shows and I feel really, I might not come across, but I really, it's hard for me to do. And I don't know what clicked last week.

I was just sat chatting to Ben and Kat. I felt really grown up. Grown up. Because you feel confident in what you're doing, you're doing things that you want to do. Like you say, it's an adventure, isn't it? And you're excited about it.

And I'm talking about a show that I've filmed that I'm excited for people to see. And it just feels... And it's different. Yeah, it's different. And again, it's because I think it excites me that I feel really passionate about it. Not that I'd... Listen, I love Descenders, but I think you can get very comfortable in one place. Of course.

And then it becomes a little stale. So I think it's just that excitement again. And I had an interview the other day with someone for Sonya's leaving stuff, because she leaves on telly next week, so I've done some press. And I was saying, I think it's very good for soap to rest characters. I think you can get tired. I think the character can be tired. Sonya's had a long, old time of it. She's been very busy of late. She's had a lot. She's been through a lot.

She's been through the mill. Give her a rest. Yeah, let her go and get her eyebrows done. Let her have some hair extensions. Yeah. So that's been really good. It has been really good. It's exciting. You're in a position where you must be getting things offered.

You're like, oh yeah, oh no, I'm not going to do that. But yeah, I'd like to do that. Yeah, it has been, there's been loads going on recently and loads of bits and pieces. And I'm editing the book. So I'm, you know, there's a team of people around me doing that, but it's so lovely to sort of see that You know chapter by chapter piecing it together and thinking I can't believe I've done this I genuinely can't believe it but you have and you're doing it, you know And and I think for me a lot of that was what I don't want to look back in another 10 years and think, I had all them opportunities and I just carried on plotting and doing the same thing every day.

This is it. And also time goes so quickly. It does. And I know we talk about that and we go, oh, I can't believe it, we're in April. But we actually are. We're in April. It feels like Christmas a minute ago. Yeah. And we can't waste time. No. No, we've just got to grab these things. Grab things, do things. We've got to do that. Yeah. We need to meet up soon though. That'd be

really good. At some stage. Yeah. We need to have a think about that and how to do that. But we will do it. Yeah, that'd be brilliant. And I'll keep you posted about things this thing. Oh, please, please do. Send me the staff, tell me what you're doing. How long's the course going to take do you think? It's only a short level two so it says you can do it between five to ten weeks so I'm going to knock it out and get it done. Brilliant. Before the year gets really busy and then go from there and I'm starting to sort of, you know, get some content and stuff, get some pictures taken of bits that I'm doing in the kitchen. Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's great. Just starting to build stuff before I kind of launch anything.

But yeah, that's brilliant. Well, then what we can do, once you've got everything sorted, your name, whatever, we can maybe, you know, do a full pod on it. Nutrition, health, get some people's questions about food. That'd be brilliant. I'd love to do that with you. Yeah, I'd appreciate that. That would be great, get some people's questions about food. That would be brilliant. I'd love to do that with you. Yeah, I'd appreciate that. That would be great. Thanks, love. That's all right. And the other thing I was going to say is how is the marathon fundraising

going? Oh, really good. My husband's a scout leader as well. So we did a big quiz in the local town hall the other weekend with splitting the cost between the scouts and his fund and we raised over £2,000. Oh, well done. Brilliant. That was obviously a massive chunk and he's already, so he's pretty much there to be fair. Fantastic.

He had a bit of an injury last week where Simon had to go and see the physio but I think he's sorted him out and he's back training again now. He had to have a few days off the training which is always a bit frustrating. Yeah, my nephew Dom, he's doing it. He's running for mind and he did his massive 30k last week. Don't tell me it's some record time. I mean it's ridiculous. Honestly, I don't know what it was. 342, no sorry, 247 or something. I was like, what? Wow. And I said, how are you feeling? He said, I nearly stopped and I also cried. And I said, that's amazing. And yeah, brilliant. I'm actually down there on the day. So yeah, same. So there you go.

Maybe we can hook up on that day. I mean, it's a busy, busy day. The charity that he's running for is Cosmic. Amazing. They do intensive care at St Mary's and stuff. So yeah. Well, there we go. For anybody who wants to Cosmic or Mind Charities, close to people that we know running. So donate. Yes.

Oh, all right. Bec, so nice to talk to you as always. And you. All right, babe. Have a lovely day. Talk to you soon. Good luck with the flakes, yeah? Good luck with the flakes.

See you later. Bye, love. See you, bye, bye. Good luck with the flakes. Yeah. Good luck with the flakes. See you later. Bye love. See you. Bye. Bye. Ah, she's great. For everyone running the marathon, which is coming up, I wish you all the luck in the

world. It is a complete journey. And I know that is a little bit piss poor for me, but it is. From when you start becoming obsessed with it to then coming up to the final few weeks before you're doing it I know how you're feeling and I've got such respect for you and it is just absolutely amazing I've had a message here from Alice Samantha I'm entering some country roads I may not have signal until 1050 then I'll have Wi-Fi again. Let me text her, no problem.

Try you then. That's all good. I'm going to give Claire a ring. Lovely Claire Elliott from Swanley. Messages me all the time. Mark grew up in that area and knows where she goes and when I say to her, oh Mark's railway, she knows all the places he knows so it's quite funny. But I'm gonna give Claire a call and see what she's up to because she's lovely. Let's give her a tingle. Hello? Hello? Hello Claire. Hi Nat, how are you? Oh I'm alright, how are you? Yeah not bad, not bad. I'm just sitting in the park watching the ducks. There she is again. What bench is it again? Is it Linda's bench?

Yeah I'm on Linda's bench today. It's lovely because it's right under a really nice tree which is just starting to sort of come out in all its greenery and it's probably one of the most sturdiest benches as well because you know our benches can disintegrate over time so this is that's an interesting listen it's an interesting conversation to start with Claire I didn't think we'd be talking about disintegrating benches I mean how well Swanley Park needs to up its game if they're disintegrating some of my parks are all right I can sit on any bench well I think you can sit on any bench but you know when you look and you think

oh is my weight gonna give on that? I was saying to the listeners that because we're on the pod now I was saying I was saying how lovely it is because you all say things about Swanly Park. I'll show Mark and Mark will be like oh I know exactly that where that duck pond is. I used to do this and that. And it's quite a funny link, you know? Yeah, it's really weird. It's really strange knowing that he was sort of a local because you do feel sort of a little bit of a fondness for that. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. It's really strange. It's like, oh, yeah, because in my job as well, sometimes I have people that live near me. So it's like, oh, we could be neighbors. Have you ever been over the park? Would you go here? And yeah, you just sort of feel a bit of an affinity with people when you come across,

you know, people in your life like that. I know what you mean. I really do. And he's been, he was going to that park from really little. And then he started with the steam engines over there. I think he was 10 when he fired up his first engine over there. So yeah, he's got a lot of history over there and his lovely dad, God rest his soul. So it is really nice hearing from you and I always say, oh Claire from Swanley's text. Oh! I loved the card you got. I loved your Mother's Day card. Oh, wasn't it brilliant? I was absolutely cracking up. Let's tell the listeners what it was. So it's a card of Nessa and it says,

if truth be told, you're a cracking mum, have a tidy Mother's Day. Wasn't quite good. I'm not very good at the accent. You're probably better than me. You have to read it in her accent. As soon as I saw it, I just read it. You do it. You do it. Oh, I can't do it. I cannot do her. All right, so now I'm terrible at it. It'll be better than mine, Jesus. You can always do it better in your head. We need Elia.

El's bells is the one who can do it. She's brilliant at it. Oh. Yeah, she can read it out. But no, I was really touched because I didn't, he's away and I thought, he's not very good at communication, typical boy. Yes.

And I thought, I probably won't get anything, it's fine, he's busy, he's a bit stressed doing what he's doing. But he must have had a nudge from Mum because I came home from work yesterday and there was this envelope and I thought, well it's Sunday, we don't usually get post on Sunday. And I saw it was a trapped one, a trapped envelope and I opened it and I was just laughing so much and I was really touched. I was like, oh, that's such a massive thing for him to think about. It is, and he's thought of you. I love a card. I just, I really do. The kids obviously made me some cards and Eliza brought me one that said,

Alexa, tell my mum she's amazing. So that was very nice because we always use the Alexa. And there's a little bit of thought behind things is nice, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. And we really do love Gavin and Stacey. I mean, he quotes it to me all the time. Yeah. Exactly what he's talking about. Oh, it's brilliant. I'll have to get Joe to do you a voice note or something for him. Oh, yeah. Next time I'm with her. Yeah, no, she will. She'd love that. But I was talking to Bex

a minute ago, another regular listener, and I was just thinking how lovely and special it is that I know that you're just my listener, but you message so much that I do feel like you're a friend. Oh, that's really sweet. And I do think it's so nice that it's been a good nearly a year now and you've kept that up and you've got your own life, your own family, but you still find time to message me. So I do thank you for that, Claire own family, but you still find time to message me. So I do thank you for that, Claire. Oh, thank you.

That's really sweet. Well, I feel that social media has just opened people up, hasn't it really? And I remember on your pod, you were talking to, on your other pod, I think, with Jo, you were talking to Patsy Palmer and saying about the 90s, you know, like, and I remember that, I remember that whole paparazzi

on the news, all in the magazine. Yeah. I mean, I was born in the 70s, so in the 90s, I was really kind of in that following you, you know, the people you love and going to the different hotels. And not that I did that, but I'm aware of that's what happened.

And I think now having social media, everyone is so touchable. Yes. Do you know what I mean? You're so accessible. And I think, well, you've got your own personal life. You choose to put out there what you want to put out there with you and your family and your family life.

But when you're advertising something you're doing in your career, how can people not support you in that? It's like, I'm doing this. And it's like, right, well, okay, well, let's bolster you and let's support you in that. And let's make this work for this and it's like, right, well, okay, well, let's bolster you and let's support you in that and let's make this work for you. And I think that's part of it, isn't it?

I know it is, but there's no need, it's true, but there's no need for you to do that. So that's why I feel, I genuinely mean it. When I get all my messages, people will say, you've cheered me up for the day, or I've got one here. Look, hi Nat, it's Kate from near Farnham. Sorry. I just wanted to reach out and say a massive thank you for all the episodes, but especially ep 97, Reeve Flowers and Planting. I've had a mentally challenging start to the week and I wanted to listen to the next episode whilst

I went for a walk and it was so lovely. It made me refocus and relax, so thank you. So that is just, again, whenever I get a message that someone has enjoyed the pod and it's made their day a little bit better, I feel like I've done my job. Yeah, it's just a way of uplifting people, isn't it? You've got this whole interconnected community and you don't have to meet everyone and you don't have to know everyone, but just to know you've got that community there or you can tap into that pod and know that that's going to make you feel better about your day. And I used to do that Claire with Chatterbix or Parenting Hell or a bit of Stephen Bartlett, whatever I would listen but to think now people listen to mine it's just a dream come true.

I know that sounds a bit wanky but it is, It's a dream come true. I can't help it. No, I know what you mean. It's just like you want to do something for people. And I think in the world of the state it is. And that people are, you know, life is harder. I think life is genuinely harder. We're trying to navigate things we've never navigated before in terms of, you know, the digital age and social media and bringing up kids in such an accessible world. Yeah. And I think just having that little bit of community to say, no, you know what, we're all in this together. of the digital age and social media and bringing up kids in such an accessible world. Yeah. And I think just having that little bit of community to say,

no, you know what, we're all in this together. And that's really cheered me up. It's just another way of getting a little bit of emotional and mental support. I think so because we can turn something on, be it a television program or a pod. And what I love about it is you can go, I'm not on my own. They feel like that as well. And that's what I hope to do. I like to be normal as you know,

and I like to say how it is. So I hope people listen for that reason. I don't wanna sit here and talk about, I don't know, just things that aren't accessible really. Cause I've got a very good life and I'm very grateful, but no one wants to hear about how many holidays you're going on. You know, it's nice to mention every now and again.

No, do you know what I mean though? Or what posh restaurants you're going to. Or, you know, people have got it hard. People have it tough at times. So that's why I want those mundane subjects, you know, like the queueing, like when I started, I feel like I need to get that back a little bit. You know, those subjects about the, you know, the trolleyuing, like when I started. I feel like I need to get that back a little bit, you know, those subjects about the trolley tokens

and the queuing. And I think people like talking about everyday stuff. Yeah, just the mundane things that irritate. Yeah. Don't really, yeah. But do you remember that program a few years ago? I mean, it was a good few years ago, and it was called Grumpy Old Women. No. Do you ever remember that? Oh, years ago? I mean, it was a good few years ago, and it was called Grumpy Old Women.

No. Do you ever remember that? Oh, it had Jenny Aclair on it. I mean, it will be on YouTube. I love Jenny Aclair. They had a Grumpy Old Women series and they had a Grumpy Old Men series, and it was literally celebrities and people in the public eye

just talking about everyday things that irritated them. Right. And it was brilliant, because all they were doing were moaning but it was so funny because you could so relate to what they were talking about. Yeah, absolutely. But yeah, it was and obviously Jenny Eclair, she's hilarious. Oh, she is hilarious. She's brilliant, isn't she? Yeah. Jenny Eclair, does she do new swimming still? Oh, I don't know. I don't watch new swimming. I'm not a daytime teleperson.

No, I get it. I understand. I'm going on there again soon 11th of April but I don't do it often but it's nice to keep your hand in you know it's a nice nice show to do but I'm like you daytime telly for me it reminds me of being ill yeah so if you know if you're in bed it reminds me of having the flu or something I don't have the telly on all day long. Yeah, no I don't. I'm barely in to be fair.

No. And if I am in and I do think, oh I'm just going to, I just need a bit of an afternoon doing nothing. I'll put Netflix on or a series that I want to watch rather than go onto mainstream telly. Yeah, I understand. I do. I rarely do that. And if there is something on mainstream telly I want to watch I record it so I can forward through the ads.

Do you know what something else I don't know if you agree with me I hope I don't get into trouble saying this I don't think I will I'm allowed an opinion but when I watch Lorraine this morning I was on this morning last week it's a great show Kat and Ben Ben are lovely, but there ain't half a lot of competitions. Oh, I wouldn't know, I don't know. There's quite a lot of win £100,000, phone this number, win this, you can win this, you can win this, and I think, I don't know, I don't know if it's a little bit much at times. Yeah, and also those telephone numbers are premium.

Yes, well that's how they make the money, you see. Yeah, exactly. But I just feel like for the audience that are at home, do they need that all morning? It's a little bit like gambling that isn't it? Yeah, I suppose it is. You can be addicted to TV competitions. Yeah, I'm not sure about it. Oh that'll be in the Daily Mail next week. I've slagged off all the competitions. Won't get work anymore for ITV, it'd be terrible. But no, I just think, I just watched the other day it was on and I thought, it was on for a reason. I can't, I think someone was on that I knew and I was watching and I thought,

bloomin' hell, I've seen that sort of, you can win this about four times within the hour. And I just think it's quite a lot for people, you know? Yeah, yeah. And I think that's the difference, isn't it? Like when we were younger, when we were kids, daytime telly would be on when we was ill we'd be on the sofa we'd have our Lucas we'd have our Lucas aid what am I excited that's it and you'd sit and you'd watch the telly but they would actually be thinking about it there wouldn't be that many competitions with them no I don't think there was but anyway hey ho who am I to judge um and people obviously win and they're very happy you see them all on there so it's fair enough.

Again, I'm not a gambler. I'm not a gambler though. I'm not someone who gambles really. I've been to one casino I think and I didn't know really what I was doing. I never sort of play slot machines in the pub. It just doesn't really interest me which is probably a good thing because if I get hit up with something. Yeah, well there you go. Well Claire. You hit up with something. I've never been that way.

Yeah. Well, there you go. Well, Claire. You like the races though? Have you ever had a day at the races? I have never had a day at the races. I'll tell you what I have done. I did go to the dogs, Walthamstow Dogs, and I really enjoyed that.

That was years ago. Yeah. But I would love to go to the races. And obviously Mark films a lot of the races. Oh. So I do need to go. Yeah. I mean, because it's not just about the betting on the horses it's the day it's the you know being with your friends having a drink yeah I know a lot of people won't do it you'll probably get a lot of texts now you shouldn't race

horses it's not kind but you know it does happen you're never gonna stop it but I really quite like a day at the races. Yeah. Just to sort of have something different to go and do. Yeah, well, I always like a day out. I do like a different day out, I do. Claire, I'm going to go, Elia's phoned me three times, I don't know what she wants, so I'm going to have to answer her.

All right? Okay, well, I'll let you go. I'm sure we'll chat again. We will, thanks, Claire. Oh, and you, darling. All right, keep in touch. Keep doing what you're doing. Thanks, Claire. Take care you darling. Alright keep in touch. Thanks Claire. See you love. Bye. Bye. Babes. Yeah I'm just doing the pod, you're on the pod.

Oh excellent. Alright babe? Who are you doing the pod with? Me and my own. Oh lovely. I've just had a little chat with Bex, one of the listeners, and lovely Claire Elliott from Swanley. And we've just had a little catch up really, it's really nice and I said to Claire, I've got to go, Elliot's phoned me three times. No, that's not true, don't exaggerate now. No, it was an exaggeration, I think it was only twice. Is everything okay? Have you had your appointment? Yeah, just wondering what we're, yeah, just now, I'm just wondering what we're doing. Well, Eliza's still in the land of the dead. Yeah, just now. I'm just wondering what we're doing. Well, Eliza's still in the land of the dead. Wow.

So I need to give her a nudge. And I'll be probably finishing this within the next 10 to 15 minutes. So should I give you a call back then? Yeah, I just want to know if I need to get moving. Just be nice to get out for a walk. I'm very- Lovely.

I would love to do that. So why don't you get yourself moving and we'll definitely do that. Do you want to stay local? Well call me back. I will call you back Angel. Before you go though, just very quickly, I wanted to tell the story about the barbecue. What barbecue?

When I cooked us a barbecue and I didn't put the grill on, so all the charcoal fell through. Yeah, no, the charcoal was at the bottom of the barbecue. It had, it wasn't sitting on anything. So you cooked it with, I don't know, sort of air, smoke. We had to put it in the oven, didn't we? You wanted to eat at 6.30. I think it was 9.30. We ate.

Yeah. Really good, really good stuff. Anyway, thanks for that. It was quite a long time. Right, love you. I'll phone you in a little while. Love you, bye. Bye. Yeah, we had a barbecue and I said to Mark,

right darling, I'm gonna do some lamb cubes and chicken cubes and I wanted to do, right darling, I'm going to do some lamb cubes and chicken cubes and I wanted to do sort of a Turkish vibe. So I bought some flatbreads, hummus, zikki, that sort of thing. Lovely. Earlier did a lovely Greek salad. There we go. So Mark has talked me through how to use the barbecue in great detail in a very simple manner in a step-by-step form. F**k it. I forgot to put the lower grill. I've got one of those large circular barbecues. Coal, fine. I can light the bags of coal. Good at that. But I'd forgotten to put the bottom grill on. So the charcoal was sitting at the very, very bottom. And I thought, this isn't getting very hot.

Me and Jack kept going out. I said, it's not getting hot enough. So we cooked it a little bit through and then we put it in the oven. So that was a bit of a shame. But now, next time when I do a barbecue, I know that I'm going to be shit hot. I know it's going to be good. Because the barbecue, the coals and everything were brilliant. They were just in the wrong place. They were just low. Let me know your barbecue stories. Am I the only one who's ever done that? I do make myself sound useless. I'm not useless. I'm just lazy. And if I don't

know how to do something, I'd rather not do it. However, barbecuing this year, I am going to get involved with. I am going to do some. Might even have one tomorrow. Who knows? Right, I'm going to give Samantha a little call. Hello. Hello love. Hello darling, how are you? Oh hello love, how are you?

Oh I'm so excited to speak to you. At last we speak. Do you know what? I had the weirdest dream. Go on. You know on your birthday, I had a dream. Oh, I had a dream. Oh, I had a dream. Oh, I had a dream. Oh, I had a dream. Oh, I had a dream Hello love, how are you? Oh I'm so excited to speak to you.

Do you know what, I had the weirdest dream. Go on. You know on your pod, was it last week or was it, what day are we on? Yeah, last week you've done the whole dream thing. And then I had this dream that I was out with you, Maria and El's Bells. And literally I woke up and I was like, this is is so exciting I've had a night out with them and then you actually want to speak to me honestly what a day. What was we doing in the dream where did we go? Oh we were on a brunch babe we were absolutely loving life. Oh wow that's good. Yeah it was great

honestly what a dream. That is brilliant. And then I woke up and it was Monday morning and I had to go to work. Oh I've just seen you know I've just looked at your WhatsApp picture. Can I just say that picture, how beautiful you look. She's got... She's sporting a two-piece suit with a beautiful hat on. Thank you. Oh, it's beautiful. Oh, that's me and my husband.

We went to Cheltenham races. Oh, lovely. So that was a couple of weeks ago. Yeah, it's been a lovely time. So, oh, thank you. That's very kind. That is so weird. Again, the universe is telling me to go to the races because I've just spoken

to another listener, Claire, and we ended up talking about horse racing. And now you've just mentioned it. Oh, definitely. You've got to go. And Ascot's amazing. I don't know if you've ever been to Ascot, but that's amazing. But Cheltenham's a whole different vibe. Really? Fantastic. I go every year. So come along with me next year. It'll be great. Oh, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. with me next year, it'll be great. Mark usually films that, you know.

Does he? He does a lot of ITV horse racing, yeah. So he does a lot of the racing. Oh, okay. So maybe we could do something where I could go up with him. Oh, definitely. I tell you what, if you're there, I'll literally be there waving, NAAA! NAAA! It's Alice from The Curator of Dibs! I can't help it. I know, I hope you don't be, I hope you're not offended by that, but your voice is just...

Oh, don't you be silly. Of course I'm not offended. I bloody loved it. Literally now, every time I send you a voice note, I think I've got to say exactly who I am. I'm not a smith anymore. I'm bloody Alice. You are my Alice. You are my Alice. I am indeed, my love. Why are you not at work anyway on this sort of weekday afternoon? I am at work. I am at work. Oh, you are?

Basically, so I live in Bristol, but I sell retirement homes and one of my sites is sort of Worcester Way. Oh, okay. But my work are very kind that they allow me to leave at sort of nine o'clock, but with all the traffic and stuff I do get there a bit later. So I am at work, I have been working since eight o'clock at home so we're all good. Oh bless you, bless you. So what are you doing this weekend? Tell me about, I mean we've

been speaking, how long ago was it when you first got in touch with Pod? Oh god, do you know what it was a really weird one because I started listening to your Off the Telepod first of all, but that was the first podcast I ever got into. I've never really been a podcast person, but because of all my driving, someone said to me, you need to get into podcasts because it was just, you know, listening to music. It's just not really the same thing, is it? I used to be sort of a BBC radio too, like loved all of that. But I just needed something else to get into. So started with your off the telly and then your life with Nat come up. And I was like, all right, I'm going to start this one.

And then, but I think I, well, this was amazing. I don't know. I sent a voice note on this a long time ago, but I sort of, I think I must have started it at about maybe like episode 20. Yeah. So it kept coming up on like, obviously my notifications that I've got another one, I've got another one every, you know, couple of, every twice a week, isn't it? Yeah. That they were coming up. And then I completely caught up, what I thought caught up with everything and then I found another 20. I was so excited Literally, it was like starting life all over again. I was like this is amazing. I've got 20 more to go

This is brilliant. And now the thing is, you know now I've completely caught up So today driving up I was on another I was going back to the Nats nieces or Auntie Lillie, they're my faves. Sorry Mark, I do love you as well but the girls are my faves. Don't apologize. He don't mind. But he don't mind, does he? No, he won't mind. Yeah, so I've started going back now, so really weirdly I'm there like listening to you and

then I had a little pop-up text message from you. I was like, never! There you go. This is just too exciting. Honestly, bloody paper day. I can't thank you enough for your energy. You're so joyful and the messages you send me. Oh, thank you, darling. But I do appreciate it. You know that, don't you? And that's why I wanted to just say thank you.

Oh, I know you do. You're such a down-to-earth person. Honestly, it's like, you know, I know like lots of people say it, but I think that is the really nice thing with podcasts. You know, like I've got loads of friends, but I'm an only child and you know, not lots of family. And then like when I'm like in the car and stuff, I do spend a lot of time on my end, which I'm, you know, I'm an only child, I'm a loner, I like a bit of me time. But when I'm in the car and like, you know, you're on the pod or, you know, the girls

are all on there. It really is like being in a car full of mates and it's just lush. My husband laughs at me when I send a voice message. He's like, can't you mate? I'm like, she bloody is. She absolutely is. You can tell it now. You can say we've had a proper conversation. Oh mate, wait. Shove that in your pipe and smoke it mate. Absolutely, absolutely. I'm like really happy today so we are mates now.

That's great. Oh well listen Samantha, I just wanted to say thank you and I wanted to talk to me best mate Alice and now I've done it. Oh we are besties my darling, I love it. Absolutely brilliant. I hope you have a brilliant rest of the day. Thank you so much for calling and have a good work of the day. Thank you so much for calling. That's all right, my love. And good work on the pods, my darling. Thank you. It's absolutely amazing. Thanks so much.

We all love you. Thank you, darling. And we'll speak soon, yeah? We'll speak soon. Absolutely. All right. Take care, sweetheart. Bye, love. Bye, babe. Bye. Bye. Bye. I just love her voice. Just absolutely love it.

Vicka Redibley was one of my favourite sitcoms and I just feel like I am talking to Alice. Yeah, she's done mine that, does she? She was alright with that. Bless her. All I want to do now is play a couple of messages. We've got a lovely message here from Amy. I'm sure you're bound to talk about this on the pod at some point, probably tomorrow. But why enough has one hour difference basically given my three year old some sort of weird jet lag. It's half past eight on a Sunday evening on Mother's Day and he's running around with pencils and pens saying that he needs to do his work so that he cannot go to bed. He's normally asleep by quarter past seven, half past seven on a not so good day. And yet here we are on

what is supposed to be nice, calming, relaxing day for the mums and he is causing chaos. And that big bump was my cat jumping off of the window sill. Happy Mother's Day. Amy, I'm with you. The evening on Saturday, Joni didn't go to bed till about half nine. But I didn't mind it. It was all right. And I tried to do that so she'd stay in bed a bit longer. She did, I think she got up about half six-ish, which isn't bad because she'd been getting up at 20 past five. I haven't got a blind in her bedroom yet. Old Jobber needs to come round and do the blind. Michael, Mike his name is, excuse me, his name's Jobber. Or Beaver or something. Badger, can't remember.

One of Jack's friends. Anyway, I haven't got a blind up so it's bright sunshine and the birds are very loud so she's been getting up at 20 past 5. It has changed to 20 past 6 which I'm very happy about. But yeah, whenever there's a clock change you feel a bit discombobulated and you sounded a bit fed up but come on, he had a job to do. He wanted to do his pens you can't can't fight him for that. Hi Anette felt compelled to message after listening to this morning's Mother's Day pod as someone who at the age of 34 and about to get married is really conflicted about having children

the ending of the pod with the girls being so lovely to you really made me feel like that is one of the big things I would miss out on not becoming a mum and it made me a bit teary in a good way. I don't think the pressure on 30s women around having kids and the biological clock piece has been spoken about a lot. Thanks again for everything you do. The pod is fab. I haven't got your name I'm so sorry but I think that's a fantastic subject. I am all for people who decide that they don't want to have children. I think it's brilliant. I think it's really brave. I think you're not having children for the sake of having children

because everyone else is doing it. And good for you. And yes, it was lovely hearing the children on the pod, but they're not always like that. So it is hard work and they are gorgeous and I am absolutely so pleased that I am a mum. But if you feel in your heart or in your gut that you and your husband don't want children, just enjoy your life. Don't feel bad about it. And I think it is a really good pod subject, but I want to try and find somebody who has decided not to have children, who's maybe a little bit older.

And also, for single people that haven't found anyone yet and who would like children and how they get spoken to. That's another big thing. Oh, have you not got a boyfriend yet? Oh, you're going to have kids? Oh, what are you doing? I think it's very rude and presumptuous when people feel that they can just shoot questions at people when they don't know the situation. Oh, you've rolled me up. But yeah, it's great. And we will do that. I promise you. Hi Nat, Charlie from Chigwell here. Just want to say, listen to your first solo podcast today. And I know you was hesitant about doing it, but you took to it like a pro. It was absolutely brilliant. It's great how you got the listeners involved and just had a great discussion with everybody

and I hope that you keep it as a continuing episode going forward. Absolutely love your Scraping the Barrel episodes, they're fantastic. I've been listening to your podcast since day one and I listen every week. Also listen to your Off the Tele podcast with Joe which is absolutely fantastic as well. I just want to say it's brilliant and I hope you continue to carry on releasing fantastic episodes. Good luck with everything since you've left EastEnders. I'm looking forward to reading your book when that's released later on in the year and looking forward to seeing what else you come up with going forward. Thanks for everything, it's great to listen to you and keep up the great work. Thank you so much Charlie, such a lovely message and yes these are going to become a regular

fixture. I hope you've all enjoyed today's pod. Keep well, keep happy, enjoy the sunshine while we've got it and I'll speak to you on Monday. Cheers!