Off The Telly - “I got my feet out for an airing”

Episode Date: June 19, 2024

What are we watching? Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things telly.This week they chat about Stephen Merchant’s comedy thriller The Outlaws on BBC iPlayer, a new comedy drama series called Queenie on Channel 4 and a new fave comfort watch - Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour on BBC iPlayer.In Off the Telly, Natalie and Joanna 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 and Stacey, Natalie and Joanna are the perfect companions to your weekly viewing habits.Timecodes for shows discussed this week are:9:16 - The Outlaws 16:57 - Queenie 26:58 - Rob and Rylan’s Grand TourGet 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 Unit Manager: Lucy Bannister Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.

BBC Sounds. Music, radio, podcasts. Hello and welcome to Off The Telly from BBC Sounds. I'm Natalie Cassidy. And I'm Joanna Page. And this is the podcast where we catch up about the telly we've been watching in the last week. There could be some swearing and some spoilers within this show. Yes. Please don't be offended. It's just the way we are. It is. How are you, Jo? I'm very well, thank you. I'm glad to see the sun is now shining a bit. Oh, it's lovely,

isn't it? It is. It's about bloody time. Well, it is. We had the fire on the other day. I had the heating on. Oh, my. I saw on one of your social media things you were saying you put a jumper on. Not just any jumper. Oh, God. A large mohair winter jumper. It's been so cold.

I got my feet out for an airing and suddenly it's like back on with the trainers. What is going on? Hang on a minute. Have you got your sandals on today? Yes, but you know these sandals, right? I was debating about whether or not to wear them today because they really smell. Because I wore these practically every day last year and I took them on holiday.

And they've been in the sea. And so they've had salt water, they've had the lot and they stink. And they make my feet really smell. And like the other day, the kids were sitting next to me and they just went, oh my God, what's that smell? And then they said stop right there the kids were sitting next to you yeah and could smell your feet you wear shoes indoors no oh no i come in and we all take our shoes off but the thing was the sandals had made my feet stink and i was sitting next to them on the sofa. Let me smell them. Right, do they smell?

Oh, God! Oh, my God, do they smell bad? They smell like salt and vinegar crisps. They do smell. That's not the worst. They've smelt worse. They've smelt worse. And they said, what's that smell?

I'd go, it's my feet. So coming in today, I was a bit like, oh, God. Oh, I don't know, because we're in a small room. No, no, there's plenty of room between us. Yeah, and then I thought, you know what, stuff it. If anybody can handle it, Nat can. I can. I eat my own toenails.

It's all good. Well, I bite my own toenails. I'll bite them and then I'll bite them off and then I spit them on the floor in the bathroom. Oh, lovely. I eat them on there. I knew we were kindred spirits. Do you know my mother-in-law told me that, you know when you have a baby

and their nails grow really sharp and like really quickly. You should bite them. Yeah, you should bite them and swallow them because it's an old wives' tale that if you don't and you just cut their fingernails and leave them or put them in the bin, witches will come and take the fingernails and then curse your baby or something. Yeah, so I told all my children that I had to eat all of their fingernails and I did. I ate them all.

Lovely. Oh dear. Right, shall we get on to some messages from the listeners? Yes, come on then, let's have a look. Right, here we go. So many of you have got in touch about Inside No. 9 after we covered it the other week, right? Have you watched the finale yet, Jo?

No, I haven't. Have you? No, neither have I. Oh, my God, that makes me feel like a pang of sadness because it's like it's over. I am really excited about it. God, it's got to be a good one. Can you imagine the pressure of that, though, writing the finale of it? Because it's got to be a good one. Can you imagine the pressure of that, though? Writing the finale of it.

Because it's got to be a good one. I know, but I feel like they won't have the pressure. They'll just go, you know, pop up to wherever and have a coffee and be like, oh, should we do the finale? And it'll be written in 20 minutes. If it's not really, really damn well dark, I'm going to be disappointed. Of course you are.

There's got to be something awful happening. Well, it might just be comedic and light, Jo. It might. It might be. It might be. I hope it's not it might just be comedic and light Jo It might, it might be, it might be I hope it's not You'll be really upset Yes Jo do you remember when you recommended

That our listeners should watch The Harrowing Yes I do Let's have a listen to this voice note from Jo Hi Jo and Nat This is Jo from Penrith This will be a miracle if you get this Because this is the first voice note I've ever done So I've had to Google to find out how to do it but I'm loving the show

and I just had to ring in just to say yes Joe I have seen the harrowing I watched it a couple months ago and I still can't get it out my head so look at get it out my eyes can't unsee it it's the most horrific thing I've ever seen and I was watching Taskmaster the other day and I can't unsee it. It's the most horrific thing I've ever seen. And I was watching Taskmaster the other day and I can't look at Steve Pemberton now because the guy just freaks me out. But I do love Inside Number Nine. I'm so glad that someone else has seen The Harrowing

and can know and feel what I feel. Because it's still, it's imprinted in my mind. With all due respect to Jo, thank you for your voice note, Jo, but all I can hear is it's imprinted in my brain. Yeah. It's imprinted within my eyes. Yeah.

Why do I want that? You can't unsee it because you've got to appreciate it because I think it's the worst one they've done. But why do I want to appreciate the worst thing that I could watch in my eyes? Because you have to see it because it's horrible. No, I don't want to. It's a really good episode. It's a really good episode it's a good episode it's a good episode you have to if you don't i'm gonna make you watch it anyway

the old bullying joe's come out tonight you've got to see it you've got to i know but then i can't unsee it by the sounds of it i can still see it now and i must have seen it years ago years yeah years and years ago you've got to see it you've got to well we've also had loads of you get in touch to say you love clarkson's farm just as much as we do including this voice note from carol hi joanna it's carol from cheltenham so glad you talked about clarkson's farm this week as we actually visited um on the day the podcast went out uh we queued for about an hour to get into the shop um but it's well worth a visit if you just want to see the beautiful countryside if you are in and around Chipping Norton.

I did have to have a wee in a field and I did sting my bum on a stinging nettle, but it was a beautiful view, so it didn't matter. I just want to say straight away, thank you, Carol. Thank you, Carol. And was the perfect view, was it the field or was it your bum? Because she said it was the perfect view. I think the sting in the bum whilst she was being stung on the arse the view helped it yes and i'm sure diddly squat farm is beautiful do you know i think it was last year me and james went away for about two days down to like this spa thing for my birthday

yeah and on the way there it was near Clarkson's farm and I haven't had any time away from the kids and so we were like oh my god you know we're going away for like two nights oh you know it's just it's just brilliant and everything and my mum kept saying on the drive down don't because I was thinking I just want to get down there I want to get into a swimming pool and I just basically just want to lie there eat and have a sex marathon yeah well not even a sex marathon why not basically because i'm knackered but there's no kids there you've got to enjoy yourself yeah but me enjoying myself would be turning up right having a swim sitting in the spa having a massage right and then going back

right not even going to the restaurant ordering room service so i don't have to put any makeup on or clothes read my book or watch some telly have my feet rubbed and then go out cold that that would be that is my perfect spa weekend that I would just like to say that that is not James's perfect weekend spa trip no poor bastard finally we've got one more voice note to listen to before we crack on and this one is from emily lovely hello um my name is emily um i've started listening to the podcast a couple of weeks ago um and this is just gonna sound so bizarre but i'm absolutely loving the podcast um i feel like i'm listening like i feel like i'm enjoying conversation with like my mom um unfortunately my mom passed away last year um so it literally just feels like i'm i'm having a

conversation with her so i just every time i listen i just get so like heartwarming because all the opinions that you have is basically really really similar to what she'd have and obviously we usually speak about different tv shows um so yeah just absolutely loving the podcast oh emily that's so lovely i'll tell tell you what, Emily, we are here for you and you listen to us whenever you want. That does also mean we're really bloody boring, doesn't it? Let's be honest. If we remind you of your lovely, lovely mum,

it means we're boring mums. And that's what we are and we're bloody proud of it, Emily. Yes, yes. Oh, that's really, really lovely. And we hope you're okay. Yeah, hope you're okay. And we're sending you lots of love, Emily. Yes, yes. Oh, that's really, really lovely. And we hope you're okay. Yeah, hope you're okay. And we're sending you lots of love. Yeah.

And I hope you carry on listening to us. Yes. And we'll always be here for a little chat. We will. Let's get into the shows that we're going to be covering this week. Right, we've been watching The Outlaws on BBC One on iPlayer, Queenie on Channel 4 and Rob and Rylaws on BBC One on iPlayer, Queenie on Channel 4 and Rob and Ryland's Grand Tour on iPlayer. Oh, I think it's going to be a good one today. Me too.

Let's talk telly. So let's start with The Outlaws. Yes. We've had quite a few of you get in touch to recommend the show to us, including voice note that karen sent in hi joe and nat this is karen from bristol i want to recommend outlaws to you on bbci player the third series has just dropped um but you have to start from the beginning and watch all of them um it's written and stars steven merchant and the rest of the cast are brilliant too it's just so funny um these strangers are brought together by uh carrying out their community service um and it was just a brilliant watch um so yeah hope you enjoy it oh well loads of people have been recommending this haven't they and I feel like it's been going for a while now and I just completely missed the boat I heard that it was on and I've seen it

advertised loads of times well I've totally missed it as well and then we've obviously doing it for this and I thought well I can't jump into series three well that's what I did well I can't do that I'm series bloody three what's happened well it's stupid isn't it I thought right put it on so from what I gather it's a load of different people who've committed, you know, lots of different crimes. I think some serious, some not so serious. Absolutely, yes. And they've all been put together for community service. And then they've got the community service officer who's played by Jessica Gunning.

There we are. From Baby Reindeer. She's like the officer and she's sort of, you know, taking, I was going to say overtaking. No, overseas. Overseas, that's the right word. So I just thought, all right, come on, let's just get straight into it and put on series three, episode one.

I did about five minutes and thought, well, this is bloody ridiculous. I don't know who the hell anybody is. What's going on? So what happened within that? Well. Was there a lot of in jokes and sort of relationships that had already been made?

Well, it started and it was quite, yeah. Oh my gosh, yes. They're still doing their like community service and stuff. was quite, yeah, oh my gosh, yes. They're still doing their like community service and stuff. Hang on, hang on, hang on. Stop. So the community service that these guys have been doing

since series one. Yeah. Are they still fucking doing the same community service? Yeah, they're still the same people. Although Christopher Walken isn't there. So I think he's now gone. Well, mind you, I don't know

because I lost five minutes. Well, the last minute I saw Christopher Walken, he was paint stripping. Yes. He was fixing a little door up with his daughter. Yes. And I feel like he was one of the best ones in it.

I thought he was going to start off as a huge kind of old sort of gangster type. Yes. Really kind of bad behaved and he was going to be really bad. But from what I've seen of Series 1, I think he has been in for a long time, his old hat, and wants to kind of learn and be kind.

But who am I to judge? I'm early days. I stopped watching that episode because I thought, well, this is flipping ridiculous. I don't know what's going on. So then I went back and I put on Series 1, Episode 1,

and I've started watching that, but I couldn't get over the fact that Christopher Walken was there and I think he's amazing. Yeah, amazing. And all I could started watching that, but I couldn't get over the fact that Christopher Walken was there and I think he's amazing. Yeah, amazing. And all I could think of was, can you imagine being Jessica Gunning and then having to get up and do your monologues

where you're in front of everybody and you're saying, do this, do that. And oh my God, Christopher Walken is there and he's watching me do this. That's all I could think about. You know, if I was acting in that, I'd be like, oh my God. But so far from what I've seen,'m enjoying it i like the characters um i'm interested in what's going to happen

um each one of them you're seeing you know their stories are unfolding some of the crimes you know appear to be serious i'm not so serious i really really like the relationships between different people i like the different generations different races and who is within this community service team yes so the relationship that really caught my attention was rani's and ben at the beginning so you have rani who's from this professional family who really wanted her to do well in her exams and absolutely she's in her bedroom and they're quizzing her she goes to oxbridge in oxford yeah and she's doing so well. And you see this sort of clippet of her shoplifting.

Yes. So that's how she's got there. Yes. And you know that. Yeah. And then Gamba, who plays Ben, is obviously a little bit of a wide boy, but he's there, you know, and his local community, you can tell he's mixed up with wrong people but he's a good person yeah and you

see them connect very very early on ronnie and ben and i just think rianne and gamba play it beautifully they've really captured me yeah and i think that's quite a big thing to do when you have christopher walken god and you have jessica there yes and i thought actually i'm interested in you too and i thought well that's great isn't it thought, actually, I'm interested in you two. And I thought, well, that's great, isn't it? Yes. Yes, it really is. Because, I mean, you'd be very excited being in something with him,

but then also, yeah, holding your own alongside him. And the fact that I just love the fact that what we do is an equal playing ground. It is, isn't it? It is. I just love it. It doesn't matter if you're 90 or you're nine. Yeah. You can steal the show if you work hard.

And I like that. And it's funny as an actor, because I bet he would feel sort of, because I mean, no matter how famous you are or how much you've done or every beginning of every job is always still the same, isn't it? Of course. So I bet him coming over here to film and then, you know, starting on a new job, I bet he you know quite nervous and like oh my god it's all new people and everything absolutely I also don't think that anybody can blow a whistle

like Jessica Ganeng she's just like though I like the way that right in the beginning when she said right this is your job this is what you're doing get to work and instead of just going with a whistle she sort of does a and I love the way that she like does a little toot thing what would your son think of that whistle as i was doing that right i was really suddenly thought about noah um well i think that like that right on a whistle um he wouldn't be impressed because he would probably just do the full-on whistle this is what i'm saying yeah yeah he would just do the full-on whistle himself have you got any evidence of that no? No because I haven't recorded it Right I am going to have to record it At some point

No pressure but could we just get some evidence Because I swear to God we've never heard anything like that before in your life This is why I need

to hear it if you don't mind Yeah And I suppose we should have a quick chat about Stephen Merchant because the guy's directed, executive

produced it directed it written it I mean flipping it Can you imagine doing that? Doing the whole shebang Absolutely amazing and I love you know I do love Stephen Merchant written it. I mean, flipping it. Can you imagine doing that? Doing the whole shebang?

Absolutely amazing. And I love, you know, I do love Stephen Merchant. Do you think he really is six foot seven? Yes. Can you imagine that? What do you think he's doing? Pretending? But can you imagine?

Do you think he's got some stilettos on? I'm five foot one and a half. Yeah. And he's six foot seven. Do you think I'd just come up to like his waist? Or do you think I'd come up a bit higher? I was going to be quite rude then, but yeah, I think the waist. He's so tall.

Very tall. But I'm looking forward to watching the rest of it. I think it's going to be good. And I like it because it's light and it's funny. But then also from seeing what I saw at the beginning of series three I was kind of a bit like oh my god this looks quite serious. People say it's funny and light but like as I said to you the relationship that I'm really liking he's really good and he wants to protect his sister but he's getting himself into more shit to protect her. Yeah. And you just think about, you know, society and culture

and where people end up. And sometimes they can't help but being where they are. Yes. And it's really, as much as it's light and as much as it's funny, I think it's got some good stuff in it to watch. Yeah, some good, serious themes and stories in it. No, I think it's great and I think it's worth a watch. Yeah, I think so as well.

I'm definitely going to carry on with that one. Absolutely brilliant. So you can watch that and catch up with it on BBC iPlayer. So, oh, we're on to Queenie. Oh. I liked this. So it's about a young woman and she's sort of,

she's mid-twenties and first episode starts and it's, oh my God, it's really good. Because she's, and she ends up sort of splitting up with her boyfriend in the first step. So she turns up to work, she's disillusioned. She's trying to pitch ideas because she wants to start writing and, you know, writing articles and everything, doesn't she?

But they're just kind of like, no, no, you should be doing social media. That's what you should be doing. She's not happy with it. It starts when she's having a gynaecological examination, isn't it? It sure does. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen a show before which starts with someone having a gynaecological examination. No, I mean, I first, you know, it came on and it started

and then it's kind of her voiceover in it. Yeah. And I thought, oh, hang on a minute. Is this all a little bit, oh, what was the programme? Fleabag. Mental thought. Fleabag, yeah. And I thought it started and I thought, oh, is this all a bit fleabaggy?

Yeah, I thought the same. I'm not sure. But actually, I'm not saying that I didn't like Fleabag, but I actually think I will really, really continue to watch this. Me too. And I think for me, the reason I want to watch it, it's because it's a culture that I don't know. Yeah.

So when they're doing each other's hair and the family and the eating, it's like I'm going into something that I don't know because I don't really go into jamaican houses jamaican environments yeah yeah i have friends and what have you but i feel like i'm immersed within the music within the culture they're eating and they're in the kitchen it reminds me very much of italian you know my italian kind of family where you're eating all the stuff and they're cooking the pasta i love the i was like oh my god i just want to go there and i just wanted to feed me kind of family where you're eating all the stuff and they're cooking the pasta. I loved Queenie's grandmother. I loved the- I was like, oh my God, I just want to go there and I just want her to feed me and look after me.

Absolutely. It's that family orientated kind of love and all of that. I kind of just sat there and thought, well, I know Italians are like that. I know Spanish are like that. And it's very, very go around on a Sunday, have a big meal, share, you're all together. And I thought, I do that, but I think that's because my mum used to do it years and years ago when I was little, roast on a Sunday, you know, you'd have the family around.

I did think, oh, I feel a bit boring being English. Yeah, yeah. Well, me being Welsh and living in England, my family are all like in Swansea, so I can't even do that. And it made me feel like a bit sad. Do you know what I mean? That community. Yeah, yeah.

That kind of getting your aunts, your grandmums. And we are very, because my sister and I was Italian, so I do feel that all my nieces are older and all of that. So I do feel we do have that kind of, if one comes around, there's 11 of us. Oh, my God. Wow. You know what I mean?

Yes. And there's great nieces, great nephews. But it's getting further and further away just because everyone's so bloody busy all the time. Yes. But I loved this show for that family feel and i feel and and what was really weird about this is i felt this sort of massive connection to family yeah and she don't even fucking talk to her mum yet i know she hasn't she hasn't spoken to her mum and i really found

that odd because yeah you'd think that would be the closest person to her. So that's really interesting. Yeah. And then her ways with men is really interesting. Yes. Because obviously she's having the problems with her partner. Yeah. But in a way, she's obviously been quite a modern, you know what I mean? Yeah.

Sleeping around, doing what you want. Yeah. I just found it really refreshing. Yeah. And I am 41 and boring. You're not boring. But, you know, you just go, well. Yes, yeah.

And I just thought, well, this is kind of today's world and I'm really enjoying watching that. Yeah. And I really loved the music. I loved, like, the opening title sequence. I've downloaded the whole. Have you? After about 15 minutes, Queenie soundtrack.

Yeah. It's really good, isn't it? Really, really good. And I really loved it I loved just you know when she's going somewhere whatever you know when it's like

the flashes and stuff in between scenes and I love the music I love the way it was shot I just liked you know just seeing her with her family but her with her friends

and Dionne Brown who plays Queenie I thought she was brilliant I thought she was brilliant I just love listening to her voice I love just. She's just like, there isn't, you know, this sort of looking at the camera and talking and anything

being manic or she's just like, it's just chatting and she's so easy to listen to. But then all of the experiences you kind of watch and you're like, Jesus Christ, you know, I remember that is kind of what it was like. But I mean, when I was younger, there wasn't any, you know, internet dating or anything like that. But you know, when you're lying there and you're having like a gynecological examination and they're talking to you about stuff and it's all just so flipping surreal and bizarre yeah and then she ends up you know they're trying to find her coil and then they end up saying oh you've had like a miscarriage but then the way that everybody's coming in and standing there looking at the screen and and you're just like a piece of meat that's right and I think practically every single woman

has experienced you know that lying there for an exam and then you're you know you're treated like you are a piece of meat and everything and then going from that onto her job

and she's made to feel worthless there and just rubbish and then that scene when she's around the dinner table with her boyfriend and his family and the grandmother

who comes out with just the most racist shit oh my just the most racist oh my god the most racist stuff and oh you know oh i can't are you to have lovely babies and you know and she's sitting there and she's taking it and taking it and taking and we've i think people i'm not classing any of you know like our experiences as having you know like racist experiences like that but i think that you know loads of different people have been in a situation where someone is saying stuff to you and you take it and you take it and you take it and in your head you're going through all the things that you could say just to shut them up on the spot and you never ever do and in the scene yeah she does it she just comes out and she just

says something and the reaction afterwards and the it's a great one. And then when she gets up to leave. What does she say? She says something like, well, you won't be around anyone when they're born because you'll be dead. Yeah. I mean, it's just good because she says it. Yeah. But I love it because she gets up to go and then she bangs into something and it's all just messy. It's not like getting up and slickly saying something and then going.

And it's real. But also what I loved is the conversation after that with her and her boyfriend. Again, I think it's a brilliant, brilliant actor, and John Pointing who plays the boyfriend. What I loved at the bus stop was, you know, it's a conversation that no one has. Yeah. So it's a conversation that I find uncomfortable. Yeah. That you would probably find uncomfortable.

But you've got a nan of a generation. Yes. Who talks in a certain manner. Yeah. She's not having a go at the man about what she's doing. Yeah. She's saying to the fucking bloke who's her age, you're putting up with that.

Yes. You need to teach a nan or you need to tell your nan. Yeah. And I think that's what it was about. Yes. I feel like when I'm watching it, I'm learning. Yeah. I'm not only learning, but I'm enjoying it. I really, really like it. Yes. I just, I feel like when I'm watching it, I'm learning. Yeah. I'm not only learning, but I'm enjoying it.

I really, really like it. Yeah. And I'm going to enjoy carrying on watching the rest of it. Yeah, me too. I wonder what mistakes she's going to make and I wonder what her friends are doing. Yeah. I really like it and her family and everything. And when her grandmother was washing her back in the bath.

Oh, yeah. And I loved that. Yeah. And is she going to be given a chance to write? I think so. Can I add something else into this story? Tilly Keeper, who plays her friend at work. Oh, yes.

You know, the young girl. Yes, I do. The very kind of middle class. Yes. Or posh, I suppose. A bit quirky. A bit quirky, white girl, you know. Yeah.

She was in EastEnders with me. Was she? Who did she play? Yeah, she played Louise Mitchell. Oh! And I'm very proud of her for that part because she's a lovely, lovely girl and she's a great little actress

and I was very, very pleased to see her in it. Oh, my God. Well, I saw her last in the last series of You. Yes. Yeah, and she was in that and she played like a small little rich girl you know one of the gang that he was with and everything and so i saw her in this was like oh i really like her she's got lovely quality to her isn't nice quality and yeah i just hope she does really

really well the last thing i said to her before she left eastenders and this is true i said tilly all i can envision you in is a gold lame dress on gra Norton's sofa and she went oh Natalie honestly and I said Tilly that's how I see you just on Graham Norton's sofa in a very tight long gold kind of lame cocktail dress

and I think you'll be doing a film or you'll be you'll be doing something A-list and you'll be on Graham Norton's sofa and I still see her there at some point. I think she's doing brilliantly well. I hope when she goes on his show, she is wearing, she remembers that, and she is wearing a gold lamé. Oh, my God, because that would be so sweet.

Yeah, it would. But, yeah, I love Queenie. I think it's really good. I love all of the actors in it. I think it's brilliant. I love what's happening so far. And as each episode ends, I just want to put the next one on straight away because I just want to know

what's happening to Queenie. And I hope she dumps that boyfriend. Well, she's kind of. They're on a break. But I hope she... Oh, I know. But also she's got to get rid of the Uber driving pretend Uber driver who's married. Oh, God. She has to. She can't stick around with him. No, but it's safe, isn't it? Someone she knows. It's like a mate. Oh, God. But you still wouldn't want to. No. I know. Oh, God, she has to. She can't stick around with him. No, but it's safe, isn't it? Someone she knows. It's like a mate.

Oh, God, but you still wouldn't want to. He's horrible. No, I know. Oh, God. The old destroyer. The old destroyer. Oh, God. It's so good.

And Laura Whitmore popping up to do the candy card. I know. I like that. I quite liked her Irish accent, which is like her normal accent. I was going to say, she's Irish, isn't she? I thought she did a very good Irish accent. But the hard she was, was completely perfect for the exam, wasn't it? No, very, very good.

You can watch Queenie on Channel 4. Brilliant. Oh, I want to be best friends with Robin Ryland. Robin Ryland's Grand Tour. Now, we've had loads of you at home recommending it and I can honestly see why. It started right and I didn't think it was going to be what it was like. I kind of just assumed, oh, it's going to be the pair of them

and they're just going to be probably out drinking wine in Italy. And it's not. For starters, the way that it's shot, it's just so flipping beautiful. It is beautiful. And they are hilarious and it's sad and it's meaningful and they chat and then throughout all of that, it's the most beautiful art. And I love the way that it's almost a bit Clarks.

You know, like where Clarkson's things are all drawn? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they draw Venice. Some illustrations, yeah. It's beautiful. They'll draw Venice and then you see the sign there and then we're actually learning something. And they were being taught stuff.

I know Ryland a little. I love him. I like to call him a friend. Yes. How do you know? Oh, my God. I was going to say, were you in the Big Brother house with him? No, I wasn't.

No, you weren't. We text every now and again. How did you become friends with him? No, it's just kind of text. I don't know. You know that odd telly? Yes. Friends.

Yes. And we text. I don't know. You know that odd telly friends? Yes. And we text and we, you know. But I don't call him a proper friend because he's never been around for a roast dinner yet. Yes. So until he does that. Yeah. But we do, we catch up and we talk and what have you. And he's very lovely.

And watching this, you know what's brilliant about Ryland and why he's so successful? He's so real. He's so real. I love the way when he sees a pigeon, he just goes, oh, and it's just like a really weird noise. He just says it straight. He's so open and honest.

He's open, he's honest, and obviously Rob is as well. And I think you can see the vulnerability between them because what I didn't realise with this show, and that's why it's brave, it could all just be like you say, we're going to go and look at some art and we're going to look at the history of the art. We're going to drink lots of wine. And we're just going to talk about these things

and be kind of stiff up a lip. But actually, this is a relationship where they've both broken up. They're divorcees. Yeah. They've been hurt and they've gone out. Obviously, it's Italian. It's a project. We know that.

But they've gone, right, we're going to bear all. Yeah. I can't believe the way that they're talking and the things that they're saying. I mean, Ryland's snogging a guy. They've gone on dates. And it's lovely. You just go, this is really good. Yeah.

This is really, you just go, this is brilliant. This is really, what is the word I'm looking for? I don't genuinely think I've seen a show like this where you've got two men and they are openly talking about their relationships, their feelings, traumas that they've been through. They're crying. They're upset.

They're then going on dates. They're trying to like, you know, really gee each other on and say, right, come on, we can do this. They're trying new experiences. They're showing the vulnerability. And also through that, like you said, you're learning. I'm actually learning stuff. It's Lord Byron's journey.

It's a grand tour. So you're going, oh, this is good. The grand tour, you know, and Lord Byron. And if you like that sort of thing. See, I love art. For me, this is good, the Grand Tour, you know, and Lord Byron. And if you like that sort of thing. See, I love art. For me, this could not be a better programme. Oh, it's perfect. Because not only am I watching two people who are really entertaining,

you're going on their journey with them and you think, bloody hell, they're friends. And you think, well, I love Rob and I love Ryland, so this is great. Yeah. I'm then going, I'm in my favourite country in the world. Yes. So I'm watching Italy. Yeah. And then I'm kind of in the Duomo or I'm in my favourite country in the world. Yes. So I'm watching Italy. Yeah.

And then I'm kind of in the Duomo or I'm looking at art that's amazing and we're talking about a poet. Yes. It's amazing. It could not be more up my street. I know. It's perfect. I'm really fucking pissed off that I didn't voice it.

Oh, my God. Who did voice it? They did. Oh, they did. Fair enough. They did, didn't they? But it is literally my, it couldn't be more perfect for me. What about when they are sitting, it's very early days and they're sitting

and they're just having a glass of wine together and Ryland starts opening up and saying about when he was going through his divorce and then he got very ill and his mum was having to look after him and he dropped down to about nine stone or something and you think, Jesus Christ. I remember when that happened and he'd suddenly taken a load of time off. That's right. He took a lot of time off. And he was on Radio 2, wasn't he?

That's right. Yeah. And loads of time was going by. And we used to love listening to him. And I remember saying to James, something's going on here. Something's going on. Three till six, couch potatoes. Yeah.

I don't miss it for the world. And I was like, something's happening. This is going on too long. Something's going on with him. And then the fact that he's been so open and so honest talking about what he went through and his experiences. And it's just, he's, and he's just, oh my God, he's such a lovely fella.

And also he kind of plays, he acts a bit, obviously in this essay Rob's really intelligent. Yeah. And Ryland's there and he's like, well, I don't know much about art. Yeah. Okay, he may not knowland's there and he's like, well, I don't know much about art. Yeah. Okay, he may not know about those things and he's learning, but Ryland isn't stupid. No, he's not, is he?

He's a very, very intelligent man, the way he speaks, the way he holds himself. Yes. And where he's got today. God, yes. I think he's a very special man. He is. I think he is lovely.

I remember years ago when we did that last um you know what's it called the last special of gavin and stacy and i think we did a press thing before it started and rylan was comparing it like you know and i just remember being so damn excited because he was there chatting to the press and doing stuff you know talking to us and asking us questions and and i remember being so and he was so flipping lovely what a lovely man isn't a consummate professional as well he is professional he is damn good at what he does amazing and people say so funny people say oh you know you could do a bit of people say this to me right yeah oh you could do a bit of live presenting i say say, do you understand what that job is? Yeah.

That is a craft. Yeah. A real craft. You can't just go and do live presenting. All right, you might be good at it, whatever. But Ryland. He's so good. He's amazing.

And Rob, I don't know much of Rob. You know, I watched him on Strictly. Obviously, we know his other show, his judge show, what have you. He's a lawyer. And he comes across so well and so gentle, so clever. Oh, my God. What about Ryland Wendt to get him dressed up for his date? Yeah.

Oh. So lovely. What a good show. It's a really, really lovely show. And if you haven't seen it, it's feel good. Yeah. And it is informative. And it's funny as well. And it's really, really funny.

It's just one of those shows that you can just sit and watch get your pajamas on yeah you can catch all of this on iPlayer and I really really really ask you to because it's great great great fun brilliant brilliant right so let's hear what the listeners recommend for us to watch now we've got a voice note from Steph here let's hear it hi ladies it's us to watch now. We've got a voice note from Steph here. Let's hear it. Hi, ladies. It's Steph from Liverpool. I had to send you a little voice note to recommend Lost Boys and Fairies on BBC iPlayer. Me and my husband have just watched it together and it is phenomenal telly.

And Nat, I think it might even make you shed a tear or two. Oh, yeah. And just for the record, Jo, I completely agree with you about one day. That was another one that left me in pieces. Anyway, have a great day, girls. Keep doing what you're doing with the podcast. I absolutely love it and look forward to it every week. Bye.

Aw, thank you. Thank you, Steph. Thank you so much. Well, I think maybe we should put that on the list for next week. Yes. Let's put it on the list. I've heard good things about it. Me too. And I've seen the little trailer and it looks pretty special.

Well, I don't really know what it's about, but I've seen it advertised and stuff. Yeah. And so it looks pretty interesting. Let's have a go. Yeah. Thank you, Steph. And one day now, he's off shagging Bridget Jones somewhere, isn't he? Well, there you go.

I'll show this for you, Jo. Well, as always, thank you so much for your messages and voice notes. Now, remember, for the last couple of Eps, we have been asking you to send in voice notes about your favourite tearjerkers. Well, as always, you delivered so many good ones that we're going to be dropping another bonus episode off the telly, What Shall We Watch?

this Friday. So keep an eye out for that because we can't wait. Oh, that'll be absolutely brilliant, won't it? Well, I think that's enough from us this week, Jo. We really love hearing from you guys, so please do keep sending us your messages and voice notes on WhatsApp. It's so important to us. The number is

0-3-3-0-6-7-8-4-7-0-4. This week, we've been watching The Outlaws on BBC iPlayer, Queenie on Channel 4 and Rob and Ryland's Grand Tour on BBC iPlayer. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to look out for What Shall We Watch dropping on Friday and we'll be back with more off The Telly next Wednesday on BBC Sounds. Bye!

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 audio production for BBC Sounds. Hi guys, I'm Ryland and this is How To Be In The Spotlight from BBC Sounds. It's the podcast where together we're going to hear what it's like to be thrust into the public eye by those who've lived to tell the tale. In this podcast, I'm going to be joined by 12 fantastic guests who are going to share how they've learned to navigate the perks,

pressures and pitfalls of fame. People like Daisy Mae Cooper. I'm not good at anything else. Like, it's either this or it's prison. Lee Francis. You know what? I drew a picture of Keith Lemon and a picture of Avid Merriam and framed them and put them up in the kitchen wall.

And I said to Jill, one of them will buy us a house. Jamila Jamil. I couldn't queef without making a headline. It was ridiculous. And many, many more. This is Ryland, how to be in the spotlight. Listen now on BBC Sounds.