Off The Telly - Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, True Detective and Boarders

Episode Date: March 6, 2024

What are we watching? Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things telly.This week Nat and Jo chat about how Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway is their perfect comfort telly, why the latest series of True Detective isn't for them, and what they love about brand new coming-of-age drama Boarders.In Off the Telly, Natalie and Jo talk about what they can’t stop watching, what they definitely aren’t going to bother with, and what you’re all watching at home. From new shows to comfort telly to guilty pleasures, there’s no judgement here. What’s kept us all glued to our screens this week?Self-confessed TV addicts and stars of two of the biggest shows on our screens, EastEnders and Gavin & Stacey, Natalie and Joanna are the perfect companions to your weekly viewing habits.Get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to 03306 784704.Hosts: Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Richard Morris Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Production Manager: Lucy Bannister Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds.

BBC Sounds. Music, radio, podcasts. Hello. Hello. And welcome to Off The Telly from BBC Sounds. I'm Natalie Cassidy, but you might know me better as Sonia from EastEnders. And I'm Joanna Page, and you might know me better as Stacey from Gavin and Stacey. And just so you know, everybody, that we're going to be talking quite passionately about what we love on the telly

so there is going to be a bit of swearing. Fuck off. Sorry I couldn't help myself. And as always there will be a few spoilers so if you haven't watched the shows we're talking about remember to pause it, carry on watching and come back to us. So tell me, number two. It's gone really, really well, hasn't it?

I know. I can't quite believe that we're doing it again. I think I was so excited with the first episode. Yeah. And there was like such a big build up and we've had such a busy week and we've talked about it so much. I just can't, I mean we've been in the one show, we've done this morning. I'm just quite glad that we've done

this podcast. It's been great and it's been lovely and I'm having a nice time but I'm just glad this podcast has come about because I got to sit next to Billy Crudeup on the one show sofa because it quite clearly made my life. Jo, your face. Your face when they said he was on the show,

when you were in make-up, honestly, her face was so... I was honestly beside myself. You were. I couldn't talk. You know, when we were walking into the studio, and you were, like, really chatty, and you were, like, really cool. Well, no, it was because I've not seen the bloody show. Yeah, well, I couldn't speak.

I couldn't speak. And then, when he sat next to me, I was like, in my head, him. Well, no, it's because I've not seen the bloody show. Yeah, well, I couldn't speak. I couldn't speak. And then when he sat next to me, I was like, in my head, I was thinking, just keep it together. Just keep it together. You're on telly. Just don't make a fool of yourself. And then it was like this like vocal vomit

because I sort of just went, oh, I'll just be mute for a bit. Oh my God, I really loved the last bit that I saw you in when it just made me cry. And then later on, after we'd been talking about his accents and then I said to him, like when there was a vt going on i said um oh well how's your voice been because with each different accent you've got a different placement haven't you in

your mouth and and and he was like yeah you do because when and in my head i was going he thinks he thinks i'm an intelligent actress now you are an intelligent actress may i say keep putting yourself down. And then what else did we do? Oh, we did a quiz. This one is very competitive, listeners. Yeah. The quiz on this morning.

Well, I was quite ashamed, though, because I quite clearly know everything about telly, but I don't know anything at all about geography or the Olympics or history, anything like that. But give me the Emmerdale farm theme tune and i know that emmerdale farm finished 20 years ago and you're calling it emmerdale farm but i love that i love that so has the feedback been good for you what have people been saying it's been really lovely yeah family members have listened and they've really enjoyed it i spoke to my sister-in-law

yesterday my niece texts me and my nieces i'm really close to they've both really enjoyed it i've had loads and loads of you know messages on insta just saying oh you fit you two feel like a couple of friends it's exactly what we wanted i think yeah it is you know they feel like they're just walking around having a chat with some friends yeah which is really what we wanted it's my family loved it yeah my mum can't remember the word podcast, though. And she keeps going, I listen to the iPod. And then she went, I listen to the, what's it called? I listen to the iPad. Brilliant. So she can't remember the word podcast.

And then James, my husband, he absolutely loved it. But he kept saying, oh, the pair of you are great together. She's so dry, isn't she? Nat's just so dry and so funny. She's like really, really witty. And I was like, yeah, she's brilliant, isn't she? So she so what did you think you know that I was good at then what well you said this bit and then that came in with this joke and oh my god it was really funny until in the end I went my god will you just say something about me and he was like I think you're brilliant in it

and I was like well just say it about me oh that's so lovely thanks James Mark said the same he was like oh it's brilliant. Jo's really bubbly. And I think they do it on purpose, don't they? They keep us in our places, you know. Keep our feet on the ground. That's all it is. That's all it is.

We've got some messages here from everyone. Go on, you start. What messages have we got? Oh, lots of people agreeing with us about The Apprentice. Oh, OK. Oh, and also it says, right, some agree with Jo and some with Nat about One Day, but actually there's probably more leaning towards Jo, which I'm quite pleased about.

One Day messages more people agreed with Jo than with Nat. I think, listen, I've seen that out this week. People have really been quite, I can't believe what you said about One Day. I loved it. They've been quite passionate about it. Yeah, not in a rude way, just in a really passionate way. And I've got something to tell you. Hang on, I've got to get something up on my phone.

So I used to work with a lovely lady called Jane Watson and her husband, Nigel Watson, and I kept seeing his name come up at the end of the credits but he was the series producer of One Day so Jane's text me and when I saw her name I thought oh my goodness

I'm mortified because I was slagging it off but I didn't really slag it off that badly I just said at the beginning it was a bit like paint drying but you know I did get on with it I just didn't cry

but Jane put this right hey nat long time no speak how are you me and nige are just listening to your new podcast and loving it we were really interested to hear you and joanna's views on one day which nige was series producer of you're not alone in thinking the first few episodes were slow but glad you stuck with it and i can't believe you didn't cry i had the same reaction to it as joanna tell joe that david nichols said that dexter's doing fine oh oh my gosh that's amazing isn't that amazing i know oh that's really lovely so that was lovely yes i was like oh a little connection there to you know one day which my gosh, I can't believe that. Isn't that lovely?

We've had a lovely message from Gemma who says she's subscribed. Oh, she said she's going to be eagerly anticipating the next episode and she would love to see us both do the Traveller. Well, Gemma, if I can convince Nat to do it, we will be there. She's from Northamptonshire and she's a fellow TV lover. Oh, that's lovely.. Thank you Gemma. Thank you Gemma, but Gem, you won't see me on the Travellerator on Gladiators. Thank you very much.

Got a lovely message here from Claire. She said, I loved the first episode. I'm English but living in Luxembourg and hearing you chat about UK telly made me feel like I was back in the UK having a catch up with friends. How lovely is that? Oh, that's really nice.

She said, Thank you so much, Claire. So today, what we're going to be covering is Ant and Dex Saturday Night Takeaway. Yeah, absolutely. And we're going to be covering Jodie Foster in True Detective. Yes. And then we're going to be doing a fab new show called Borders, which you can catch on BBC Three and also on iPlayer.

Yeah, absolutely. We've got a good one today. We have, haven't we? Oh my God, we'd better get on with it then, haven't we? Let's get on with it. Right, up first, we're going to talk about Anton Deck's Saturday Night Takeaway, which has been going for about the last 20 years. It is prime time, fantastic family Saturday night telly. I absolutely love it. I love that programme so much.

I had a message from our press officer, actually, saying that one of the magazine pieces that we did, I'd missed a question and it was, what makes you cry on the telly? Yeah. And I said, Ant and Dick. It makes me cry every week. Why? How?

The happiest minute of the week. That is nice, mind. That is. I love the happiest minute of the week. And I sit there with the kids and I feel like I'm in the audience. And they give a ticket away and they give a holiday away to someone who really deserves something and it just makes me cry.

Yeah, it is lovely, isn't it? It is. I mean, you don't sound too... Well, I've got to be honest. Be honest with me, Jo, because I'm not getting great vibes. Absolutely, right. I love the show. I really do.

And I've been watching it on and off for 20-odd years. It's 20 years isn't it yeah 20 years but you know what right this week I was really annoyed because they didn't do

the prank on the celebrity I liked I liked all the rest of it but and I was building up I was like oh it's going to come on now after this ab break

oh they're not trailing but it's going to come on so it's got to be someone it's got to be someone and then on like the happiest minute of you know the hour thing

whatever it's called i was waiting for like you know somebody some celeb to come on in a plane or something like that there was nobody there and i had a sinking feeling in my stomach and i thought they're not doing it this week and they didn't do the prank on the celeb and i was gutted well that's my favorite bit and i don't like it right when sometimes they they do certain things and then the next week they don't do it and they don't warn you that they're not going to do it and that annoys me. Right, calm yourself down, right? Because I watch it religiously every week

and they don't do the prank on the celeb every week. Well, they should because it's the best bit. I know what you're saying, but they've got a lot of ideas and they do a lot of different things. And also, are they going to do the murder mystery? No, I don't think they're going to do that things. And also, are they going to do the murder mystery? Because... No, I don't think they're going to do that this season. Well, why not?

I mean, I'm sitting here like I'm producing out of tech. No, we've decided not to do that this season. No, I don't... Maybe they could bring it in later, but I don't know how many there are and I think they would have started it by now. Oh, they probably would have. So I do love the show and I love the boys and I do love the show, but I've

got to be honest, I'm annoyed. I am annoyed. Well, that is fair enough. I hope they do a prank for you next week. I really hope so. But in my eyes, I just, do you not like ring my bell? You can ring my bell. Yes, but I can't remember why. Oh, I remember. I was thinking of like a big church bell then. I couldn't think of it. The doorbell. Yes, but I can't remember why... Oh, I remember. I was thinking of like a big church bell then. I couldn't think of it. The doorbell. Yes, it's the doorbell one, isn't it? But I love the fact, I just love it.

What's really funny is Joni turns to me, my little one, and every week she says, are we going to get a holiday? And I go, no, we're definitely not getting a holiday. Why are we not getting a... And they go, go and find a hoover. And she said, can we go? Can we ring the bell?

She really wants us to get involved. I'm like, no, we've just got to enjoy it on the telly. It's never going to be us. I was actually thinking about it this week that if, like, my neighbour's doorbell thing came up, would I bother putting slippers on or not? Or would I just grab, like, you know, the mop or whatever it was and just belt it?

And I thought, I think I'd just belt it or whatever it was and just belt it? And I thought, I think I just belt it. I think I just go stuff it. I'm going for it. And I'd run without shoes on, slippers on. Would you, I always think about this because of the time it's on, if your Chinese had just turned up, right? Yeah. And it's all hot and you're just getting ready. You're sitting down on the sofa with your food or whatever.

Yes. And that came on. Would you leave the Chinese? Right. First of all, yeah, I would. I would go. But I would have to just lift it up and put it on a higher table because I know the dog would get it. Okay, fine. Well, I don't eat in my lounge.

Don't you? No. Ever? No. Ever? No. Ever? No.

I mean, like, do you ever eat on a tray on your lap? No. Ever? No. Ever? No. I mean, do you ever eat on a tray on your lap? No. Ever? No. Really? My lounge is a shrine. Oh my gosh. So you will never put something on a tray and then go into the living room, sit down and then put on Ant and Dec?

No. Do you have snacks? No. Oh my gosh. Do you have snacks when you. Oh, my God. Do you have snacks when you watch the telly? Well, we do, but we sit in the kids' lounge. Right.

Well, what's the kids' lounge like? Is that like a really lovely lounge, though? Is that like a nice living room lounge? Yeah, it's still a nice lounge. But we sit in there. May I just say, I'm not a posh person with loads of rooms. My dad used to live with us and we had an annex for him. So my dad isn't with us anymore, God rest him.

And I've got now this space, you know, that used to be my dad's and they've got a playroom, a snack, but they've got a telly and whatever. So I don't mind snacks in there, but I wouldn't have a dinner in there, no. Oh, my God. I've got a table to eat at, do you Oh, my God. I've got a table to eat at. Do you know what I mean? I've got a kitchen table. Have you sat in bed and had a meal in bed? Never in my life.

Oh, my God. Unless I've been really ill and maybe I can't get out of bed and then, you know, you have cereal or maybe a fish finger sandwich or something. I watched an entire series of Love Island, incredibly heavily pregnant, and I would sit in bed with this giant lump, bump, and I would have a tray on my lap, like sort of down a bit, so I'd have the bump.

Then I'd have a tray with a full Chinese takeaway on it. I'd have my computer propped up at the end of the Chinese takeaway with headphones in and then that would be me sorted for an evening. That's allowed because you were heavily pregnant. I would do it not pregnant as well. I would do it not pregnant as well, yeah. Okay. Have you ever had a full fry up sitting in bed?

No. Oh my God. It doesn't interest me. I want to eat in the kitchen. I half want to go, oh, my God, you've got to try it. And then I half feel ashamed. No, I just feel I don't want the smell of food in my bedroom and stuff. I mean, that's true.

But, oh, my God. So, what TV show were we talking about? We were talking about Saturday Night Takeaway. Oh, what do you think about the new little Ant and Dec? Oh, they are so funny. I know. What I would say is, if I remember rightly, years ago, they were a little bit more well-behaved.

They were, weren't they? Now, I don't know, I haven't done my research, and I might have a look at it. Were they a little bit older? Yeah I think the other ones were older. Because these are small I mean they're five and six.

That's dinky isn't it? Really dinky. When they come on to chat to big Ant and Dec I'm genuinely shitting myself. Yeah yeah yeah. Because I'm thinking what are they going to say

what are they going to do? What are they going to do? But I thought Olivia Colman was such a sweetheart with them. Yes. Really, really. And Jessie as well. Yeah.

You know what you think? Actually, I bet they've been doing junkets all day long. Yeah. With the same old people. You know what I mean? Bored stiff. Same questions. I bet they thought, oh, this is a breath of fresh air.

Yeah. Nobody, I bet, from like, you you know any of the magazines or newspapers will have gone right then can you do this anagram what is it and then one of them's had to go far that really set my children off they absolutely loved it it was good wasn't it yeah i just you know i just really like i keep going on about it to everybody, but I like the feel-good element of it. For me, it's just good. It's good. I have an hour of just...

It's wholesome and it's about real people getting nice things and it's just fun. It's just like a lovely big blanket around you. And you just feel like, oh, this is what I used to watch when I was younger, when we had Noel's house fun. It's just like a lovely big blanket around you. And you just feel like, oh, this is like what I used to watch when I was younger, when we had like Noel's House Party. Exactly. And those shows, which were kind of like, almost like a massive big board game, compendium type, massive big thing with everything going on. Oh, so that's Ant & Dec.

Let us know what you think of Ant & Dec. If you've got any stories, have you been on there? Well, I know. Have you won a holiday? Has anyone won a holiday or have you won you've got any stories, have you been on there? Well, I know. Have you won a holiday? Has anyone won a holiday or have you won any of the adverts? Have you been on? I'd love to know what it feels like. Yeah, because I think, oh my gosh, where does everybody come from?

Because I've never ever known anybody on, you know, like a TV show. And I think, oh my gosh, how do you apply? And like, what experiences have any of our listeners ever had? WhatsApp us or send us a nice voice note because we haven experiences have any of our listeners ever had whatsapp us or send us a nice voice note because we haven't had any of those yet and we'll let you know the number at the end of the show up next we are talking about true detective on sky atlantic it is a detective series there's been four series so far we We are on the fourth. This one features Jodie Foster. It's a very dark crime

thriller. Now, I was very, very pleased about this because I like some dark drama. Yes. And I'd seen it, you know, trailered and everything, but I was like, oh, I settled down. I knew Jodie Foster was in it. It started and I was like, I felt safe.

Which is quite surprising. Before the credits had even rolled, we had like a severed woman's tongue on the floor. Yes, we did. But aside from that, I felt strangely safe because I was like, this is classy. We've got Jodie. She's flipping brilliant.

Damn me, this is going to be good. I'm excited. You're in. Do you know what I thought of? I thought, I'd love an ox tongue sandwich right now. I didn't really. I tell you what, when thought of? I thought, I'd love an ox tongue sandwich right now. I didn't really. I tell you what, when he bent down, right, to look under that table, I was like, you know when you sort of shield your face,

oh, flipping it, what's going to jump out at him? And after that fella had started the trembling and shaking, that freaked me out. It's that sort of dark drama that freaks me out. Before we go on, Jo, can I read something to you? Yes. This is from one of our listeners. Yes. Hey, just finished the latest True Detective.

What a crock of shit. Never seen such a confusing series. On the last episode didn't even remember what or who was murdered or what they were doing. True rubbish. That's what it should have been called. Hashtag, six hours I won't get back.

They loved it. I tell you what, right, I agree with them. The first two episodes, right, they were good. Well, I don't know if I can ask as good, right. So we had the severed tongue, we had the shaking, and then when I got to the corpsicle, I was like, oh, God, I don't know, I can eat and watch this at the same time.

But I'm still loving it. I was excited when Christopher Eccleston turned up because I absolutely love him. Dove LeCourvin. Dove LeCourvin. I loved her in Goodnight, Sweetheart. It was one of my favourites. Yeah, but... Loved her. But I was quite freaked out when I saw her. I washeart. It was one of my favourites. Yeah, but...

Loved her. But I was quite freaked out when I saw her. I was like, oh, my gosh, I can't believe it's Dervla Kirwan. And while I was watching it, I did, like, jump out because I was thinking, oh, my God, I wonder if Christopher Eccleston and Dervla Kirwan are like, oh, my God, I'm acting with Jodie Foster right now. They must be, right?

Oh, my God, oh, my God. Yeah, they must be. Jodie Foster looks so amazing. She just looks like a human being. Yes, she does. Who's growing old gracefully. Yeah. And I just love, I could watch her all day long. Whatever I thought of the show, I just think she is fantastic.

She's just incredible. She's just so natural and so real. I thought the two female leads were fab. Agreed. Navarro. Oh my God, she's just absolutely incredible. She's played by Kayleigh Reese. I mean, she was just amazing, wasn't she? She was fantastic. And actually, out of all of them, she was sort of up there with Jodie Foster. Oh, completely. Completely. They were on the same level, weren't they?

So I've just finished number two. Okay. Have you just got up to number two? have you just got up to number i've only got up to two right i've done six well and i think i'm just going to right i tell you what listeners as well we would quite like you to whatsapp us to say if you want us to talk about a whole series right because i've watched six episodes of this and i am like i'm dying to talk about it or if you want us to just talk about about you know like the first two episodes and not spoil things for you let us know what you'd like us to do because we genuinely want to know but on this right I'll be damned I'm talking

about the whole ready thing no go on now all right so I invested all the way through and I was like there's going to be a fantastic payoff here I'm with you the whole way I've got to be honest right six episodes they could have fit it into three. I like stuff, right, that's not explained. I don't need, you know, everything to be told to me. But by the time I got to the end,

I was like, I don't know what the hell is going on. I still don't know why there was just a one-eyed polar bear wandering around. I don't know the significance of the one-eyed polar bear cuddly toy. Who is Holden?

Was there a car crash? So there was a car crash. Did her son, her little boy son, die in that? And then, like, who was she? And then she adopted her daughter. But... I'm going to have to finish watching it, I think, because obviously I'm only on two.

I don't know what... I don't only on two. I don't know what... I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened. But I tell you what, episode six, I was absolutely shitting myself. Really? Yeah, there was so much of seeing the dead and all of this, right?

I don't know what the hell happened by the end. I just know that I was terrified in episode six. The payoff for the murder and all of that business, right, wasn't good enough for me. I was kind of like I was expecting a hell of a lot more. I was watching this, right, in Bo's bedroom in the dark and she's got a wardrobe with like a light, a sensor light. Oh, no, no.

I'm not even joking, right. When the seeing the dead bit started, Bo's light inside the wardrobe kept flicking on and then it would go off and then the light would come on again and it would go off. I was so damn terrified at this point, right, that I was like, what's going on?

Why has it started on the seeing the dead bit? So I got up, I turned my phone light on and I went, I opened the door like really quickly because I thought there's going to be someone in there, opened it and then searched around because I thought, right, there's nobody in there. So and then searched around because I thought right there's nobody in there so it's either a ghost or is there a mouse

may I ask one question yeah because if I was watching you do this on the telly yes why haven't you turned the light on yet because she's sleeping

both sleeping oh fine okay right fair do so I'm on my hands and knees on the floor now and I'm searching around the bottom because there's mouse droppings

to see if there's a mouse there's no mouse so I'm like okay there's nobody in the bedroom. I then think, oh, my God, has James locked the doors in the house? So I go downstairs. On your own, you go down? I go down on my own.

He is sleeping in our bed with the other two kids. No, no, no. So I go downstairs. I would not be going downstairs on my own. I'm checking. And I've only got the torch lit as well. My phone thing. I check the front door.

And then I went to the back door. And then I did, like, the patio doors. I was like, OK, everything's locked, but you've now got to come back out. You've got to go back upstairs again. So I go back upstairs again. I've got to do the whole wardrobe again. And I'm like, okay. And then I got back into bed to carry on watching it with the light flicking on and off all the time. It was, it was terrifying. It was really freaky and terrifying at the end, but also I didn't know what had happened so you can't summarize it for me you can't tell me right there's a polar bear and he's got one eye and he keeps turning up i'm assuming now that there's no significance to that he just lives there right now i don't watch stuff like this yeah i'm really you know i find it very distressing yeah so i started to try and watch it

i did two nights in a row when mark had come to bed and i said i need to put this on now because you're here yeah and i just fell asleep oh my god so i did that for two nights in a row and then i woke up and it had gone all the way to where i just fell asleep and left the telly on yeah and i thought this isn't working i can't do this so then i watched it on my phone which i enjoyed much more yes because it wasn't in the evening so i wasn't scared and it took me ages to finish the first episode quite long aren't they oh my god they were they're long i've really i've got a lot to do you know for the show for the pod so and i've sat and i've watched number two and I did actually enjoy it and I like the feel of it.

Yeah. I love the cinematography of it. Brilliant. I think it's like, I love the atmosphere of it. I like the snow. I like that American kind of trailer-y with the lights and I like the music.

It's very, you know, I think HBO are so clever in what they choose to do. So I do like it. I enjoy the relationships between everybody and how even though maybe we're following a crime story, but actually is it almost existential in the way that are we just following human beings and how they live?

Which I quite like as well. Listeners, what do you think? Do you agree? Send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp. Shall we move on to borders? Yes, let's move on to that. Funny story. Yes. It's not that funny.

It's just a coincidence. don't you find in life you start doing something and it's just weird like things happen it's just strange right yes so we did the one show didn't we Tuesday yes then Mark and I went for dinner so we went over to Langham Hotel and I'd booked this Caribbean you know know, chef in residence, if you like. Yeah. So I've gone over there. We had a lovely meal, cracking meal. And I met the chef, Dom, Dom Taylor, right?

He's come out. He said, how are you? I said, oh, it's lovely to see you. Got a picture. I wanted a picture with him. He wanted a picture with me. Very nice. That was that.

He then, I followed him on Instagram. He then followed me me and he put, then we did this morning, sorry, on the Wednesday morning, where I mentioned Borders. Yeah. Dom, the chef, messages me, say, oh, in my family chat, in my family WhatsApp group, my brother's well pleased that you've mentioned his show.

So Dom isiel's brother oh my gosh which character does daniel no daniel lawrence taylor has written borders and produced it oh my god no way i thought bloody hell their mum must be proud oh my god that's amazing oh isn't that amazing that's incredible i know if two sons cracking on like that at the moment. Flipping heck. Amazing. She's so proud. Oh, my God, that's amazing.

So that was really, really nice. And then I messaged Daniel and just said, I really am enjoying it. I really, really. So Borders is found, as you say, on iPlayer or BBC Three. Yeah, BBC Three. It's also on, I saw BBC One late at night. Sometimes they chuck stuff on from BBC Three on late at night on one. But this is a six-part series following five underprivileged black students

with huge talent. Yeah. Right, from inner city London. And they have got scholarships to a very, very prestigious St Gilbert's boarding school. Yes. I watched all of it. I couldn't wait to watch the next one. I thought it was really, really funny.

I thought the acting was absolutely brilliant. I thought also the messages and the issues that were covered within the comedy and fun, I thought it was so clever. I loved the music. And being a mum of a 13-year-old, it also petrified me. I know. I just thought, oh, my God. When I started watching it, I thought... I was looking forward to watching it. I thought, right, I bet this is going to be good. But then I thought, oh my god, when I started watching it, I thought I was looking forward to watching it, I thought right

I bet this is going to be good, but then I thought, do you know what right, I wonder if it's going to be very stereotypical of what the underprivileged kids are going to be like what all of the boarding school kids are going to be like you know, is it going to be stereotypical, and it started and I was drawn in straight away

I mean the acting is just fantastic I mean I want to call them kids because they're about like they could be my children i know i know but it's kind of like oh my god they're so young but they're playing kind of good some of them are driving in it yeah because i was panicking going oh my god they're about 14 look at what they're getting up to i've only got a year oh look what they're doing oh no but actually yeah they're 16 17 what they're getting up to. I've only got a year. Oh, look what they're doing. Oh, no. But actually, they're 16, 17, aren't they? Yeah, they must be 16, 17.

17-ish. They've done their GCSEs. Yes. You know, towards the end of it, even Rupert... Yeah, I was feeling sorry for him. And I just think, right, you've got no relationship with your dad. You know, your mum is an arsehole and played by nicky wardley actually who's a lovely lady i did katherine tate show with her years ago and matt on yeah

but yeah yes so even even those complex at the beginning really annoying characters who beat someone up and pissed on them on the floor it Oh, my God, it's awful. The writer has made me come round to the fact that they're all actually going through something. Yeah, they are. All of them are. It's really well-rounded, all of the characters. And I loved going back to where their home was and them ringing up the nan or talking to their little brother. Yes.

Do you know what I mean? I just liked the fact that they were torn between this kind of world that they didn't know about, very scared of this world they didn't know about, but also wanting to make their family at home proud. Yeah. And I really felt that. And, you know, that made me cry a few times.

I did wonder about watching it with Eliza. Really? I did, yeah. And I do think it's something that she should watch. But I don't know if she's a little bit young. How old is she? She's 13. She'll be 14 in September.

Oh, my God, there's a bit of the sex stuff. There's a bit of the sex. When I saw the man's head between the legs, I thought, I can't watch that with her. You can't watch that with her you can't watch out with her but yeah because I would say that that is very good to watch with her I think it's thought provoking

and it opens conversation and I think it's very important Leah played by Jodie Campbell she was great wasn't she I love that tenacity and that bravery and when they stood in front of that picture, it really made me think about everything.

And it just made me go, actually, I'll never know how that feels because I'm not black. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And I thought, I wonder how that really does feel. And I can't ever know how that feels, but I think it's very thought-provoking and very, very important that we can watch something like that

and realise that there are paintings everywhere with slaves in it. Yeah. I would not even notice that, and that's not for any other reason other than that maybe I wouldn't because it's not in my heritage and not in my history. So I loved it. I really loved it and I hope it comes back and I am going to get Eliza to watch it.

What I might say is, Eliza, you watch it. I just won't watch it with you. Yeah, that's a good idea. And I think she'll really, really enjoy it. Let us know what you think of Borders. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Let us know if you would like your kids to watch it. Let us know your thoughts and let us know if you would like your kids to watch it let us know

your thoughts and let us know if it sparked any conversation in your house right so well that's enough for this week then i can't believe that i tell you what like that just went by really fast i feel like we've been talking for about five minutes yeah i mean and we've just had a good chat about what we've watched on the telly i mean it's just like it's just gone so fast. Oh, well, thank you so much for today again, everybody, for listening. Please let us know what you're thinking. Do you agree with me? Do you agree with Jo?

Send us a WhatsApp or a voice note and hopefully we can read them out next week. And the number is 03, I should do a zero, shouldn't I? Because that's more professional. Do what you like. Yeah, 03306 784 704. And I will do that again. 03306 784 704. I like doing that.

That was very good. Well, what shall we watch next week then? Well, we have had some listeners recommend a programme called Alice and Jack. So I think that we should do Alice and Jack. Brilliant. So we'll not do Alice and Jack, but watch the series. Not actually have. Would you call it a foursome or a doublesome? It's not a twosome.

That's two, isn't it? A foursome. You have a quadruple. A quadruple. What would you call it? No, a thruple. A thruple is with... No, a thruple is if you're in a couple. A thruple is What would you call a threesome? A threple is with... No, a threple is if you're in a couple.

A threple is if you're in a threesome. What is it? No, a threple is a... A couple and another one. It's a threple. Oh, God, it is, isn't it? Because it's couple and then a one. What's a threesome?

None of you know each other. No, that's just not... You're not in a couple with them. You're just sort of inviting someone in for a bit of naughty time. But are you being invited... If you're being invited in, you're going in with a couple, though, aren't you? You are, but that's just for, you know... So, as a throuple, if there's three of you in a relationship... So, it's like you, James, and Bob lives with you as well.

Yeah. You're in a proper relationship. So, that is a proper throuple. Yeah. So, a threesome is basically a couple, but one person gets invited in. Yeah. But it's gets invited in. Yeah. But it's only for sex. Yeah, I think that's right.

I believe that's right. So this week we've been watching Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which you can watch on ITV and ITVX. Yep. We've been watching True Detective this week, which you can watch on Sky Atlantic. And then we've also been watching Borders, and you can get all X on iPlayer.

Oh, Jo, I've loved this today. You've been listening to Off the Telly, guys, and we really, really hope you've enjoyed it. Hope you've enjoyed it, and you can listen on BBC Sounds next Wednesday. Off the Telly is hosted by Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page. The producer is Georgia Keating. The commissioning editor is Rhian Roberts. And it's a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.

I think the power of the show was crazy back then. The X Factor promised to turn ordinary people into pop stars. We stood there behind the doors when 16 million people are about to watch you go on stage and Simon just stood next to you like, good luck girls, good luck. I'm Chi-Chi Zundu. For years I was a BBC showbiz journalist who covered every twist and turn. I want to go behind the scenes to find out from staff and contestants what it was like. You don't just want average people. You wanted, you know, it was so bad. They were comical. I feel like I was humiliated just for the entertainment. Did the show ever come back and they said to me, Sam, will you come on and do it again?

I'd be like, what time do you want me? Over six episodes, I'm looking back at the good and the bad of one of Britain's biggest TV shows. For BBC Radio 4, this is Offstage, Inside the X Factor. Listen on BBC Sounds.