Off The Telly - “I’d never heard of Wagatha Christie”

Episode Date: November 27, 2024

Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things on and off the telly. This week Nat reveals she completely missed the Wagatha Christie phenomenon when it was all kicking off, and they catch up about the latest series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.What they can’t stop watching, what they definitely aren’t going to bother with, new releases and comforting classics – TV is timeless and no telly is out of bounds. As well as having a natter about what’s on TV, they share backstage goss from the world of telly, whilst also cracking up about the more humbling moments in their lives. 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 see what’s occurring on and off the telly. Timecodes for shows discussed this week are:7:48 - Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama (Channel 4) 21:48 - RuPaul’s Drag Race UK (BBC iPlayer)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: Pete Strauss Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Production Co-ordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.

Please remember there may be a little bit of casual swearing and a few spoilers, possibly. Maybe not this week, actually. Maybe not this week. Unless you were under a rock when Rebecca Vardy and Colleen Rooney had a to-do. Oh, my goodness. Well, I loved watching that. Well, before that, welcome to the podcast.

Welcome to Off the Telly. Off the Telly. We've had quite a good bit of telly this week. We're watching RuPaul's Drag Race UK on BBC Three and iPlayer and Vardy v Rooney, a courtroom drama on Channel 4. We were going to watch Yellowstone, but the first episode was an hour and a half long, so we thought we'd leave it for when we've both got a bit more time. Yeah, and we got upset about the bit with the horse. We did.

Oh, it started like that. And I was like, oh, come on. I'm not sure if I can cope with it. It's Christmas, for God's sake. Christmas is coming. It was very, very miserable. Windy afternoon. Not my bum.

Just windy outside. But it was a miserable old windy afternoon. And I thought, I can't cope with this. I couldn't. It happened with the flipping horse. I was like, oh, for goodness sake, come on now. So we stuck on a little bit of Vardy and Rooney she just right up yes oh my gosh I really well I've now really started like getting into I'm a celeb yes and I've obviously never really heard Colleen talk or chat or because she hasn't been like that has she

she's very um very very Very, very private person. Very private. And I do have to say, she's lovely, isn't she? Isn't she a lovely lady? She seems pretty strong as well. She's got this silent strength to her. Classy. Was it nine stars that she got in the challenge?

I think so. Classy is what she is. And she knew what was going on, didn't she? She did. When she went back to the other camp that they were in, I found I'm doing this all the time. What's that? She's, yeah, when I'm looking for the word, I keep doing that.

You look like the... I'm twisting something. You look like Adam's family, the thing. The hand thing. Yeah. It's like, what am I twisting? I don't know what I'm... I'm finding the word, but I don't know what I'm... I'm finding the word,

but I don't know what I'm twisting to get to the word. What is that all about? Twisting my melons, man. It's like a jazz hand, which is now 47 and a bit tired, so it's gone a bit like that. I'm twisting something. Twisting my patience, Jo.

That's what you're doing. No, you're right. She went into that camp, didn't she? She went into the junkyard. She absolutely knew immediately. She knew. She could see that they weren't broken and hungry and tired. They were looking too good.

Yeah, it's been good. GK Barry, I love. She's lovely, isn't she? I just think she's really funny. She's a hun. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. She's such a hun. I went back it before, but I'll say it again. She's such a hun. I went back, right, and I watched the opening first show,

because I've now gone, right, I'm letting the kids watch all of it, and we all sat down, right, and we watched it from the first episode. And the fact, right, I love her, that she's in a white, tight jumpsuit, and her hair is, like, all really, really long. I long i gotta be careful because of my attire so i'm gonna get my trousers wet do i then she ends up just completely and utterly in the water what i thought was right they're in australia how can they guarantee that in that massive big it's not a stream it's not a lake it's a river isn't it whatever they're in in australia in that opening episode how do they know there's no crocodiles

in there they know they check it all don't they how on earth because they are because they're insured up to the eyeballs

it's all safe but what do they get scuba divers because that's all I was thinking right have they got scuba divers who are lined up and then they're swimming

all the way through because how can you tell that there is not a crocodile because I was like there's got to be a crocodile somewhere I don't know but I think

if you go on there you've got to trust it, haven't you? All week, Eliza really had a go at me, you know. Why? Because it was the eating challenge. So it was when... With Maura. Yeah, with Maura and Rev Rich. And she does make me laugh when she keeps swearing,

saying, sorry, father. It really makes me laugh. And it's because of her Irish accent. Every time she has to go, sorry, father. father i know because it sounds quite holy doesn't it yes coming from ireland i don't know why that is but it just does um but when that was happening i said oh eliza i couldn't do this as if i was being really serious no i said i can't yeah this won't i can't do this i said it's degrading actually yeah i feel, it's degrading, actually. Yeah. I feel like it's degrading. And she said, that's the most ridiculous thing. Do you know how much money they earn?

And I said, no, I know what you're saying, Eliza. I said, but it's the gagging and eyes watering and nearly being sick on the telly. I thought, would you do that, really? Well, when I was watching, I was thinking as well, right, that, you know, in the olden series of it, in the olden days. In the olden ones. Yeah in the old days in the old ones

yeah you sometimes would go all the way through without having to do an eating challenge it was just a few of them you know it's like oh my god if you ended up and it was the one eating challenge wasn't it now from the get-go on episode one they all had to add down those things it just seems like if you do that show you've got to eat something you've got to eat something i'm new i couldn't do it i could Reverend didn't mind, though. The Reverend didn't mind. I was laughing, though. Did you see him with his eyes rolling backwards?

Oh, don't bless him. But he was just, he put that whole snout in, didn't he? How did he do it? That was massive, that snout. It was absolutely huge. And I tell you what, we can't stop chanting in our house now, chicken bum sticks. The worst thing I could have done was let the kids sit and watch

chicken bum sticks well i'm just driving them mad because i'm like where's your homework get it in your bag they're like if you keep going on it's the only time of year that i can do it and it is my favorite but colleen she's got a quiet stillness yeah she's absolutely solid and it doesn't seem like anything phases her or frightens her. I like her. I like her a lot. I think she can make the final. Yeah, I think so. Easy peasy.

Definitely. Poor Barry needed his specs, didn't he? Oh, yes. Bless his heart. What do you think about Dean? I like him. Mm-hmm. I like him.

He's all right. I just think he, you know think he's getting a bit tired. He's getting a bit ratty. Yeah. When he didn't wake up with Tyrone and Tyrone said, are you going to get up and help with the wood? Tyrone, you can tell I like it. It's so awful.

But the first week's fine. But now it gets interesting because they're going to start getting ratty. They are. They're going to start missing home. They get tired. And this is where it becomes interesting. Horrible, aren't I? But that is true. But the way that he was like, you need to give me some time before I wake up. Are you going to help

me? He's like, oh, no, don't. Fair enough, I'll go. And then he really went for him, didn't he? He did, didn't he? But I was watching him do that challenge where he had to put his head into the things and do that thing with his tongue, right? And I was like, oh, for goodness sake. So, oh, when he had to first of all put the gloves on to do it. And I thought, oh, he's so dramatic.

He is dramatic. You know, that's ridiculous. I could put my head, I could do that. But then he got to the one with the spiders and he put his head in. On his head. And I literally couldn't even, I mean, like now talking about it makes me want to shiver. I couldn't even look at it. And I thought, my God, if I'd have put my head through, I just, I would have screamed.

I just would have screamed and I'd have started like fitting in the box and I just, I would have had to get out of there. So I thought, my God, good on you. No, it's brilliant. Brilliant telly. Boring myself, keep saying it, but it's going to get very interesting now, this week and beyond.

Also, we put a clip out of me doing my impression of Morgana Robinson's impression of me. It all gets very complicated. And she shared it on her page. Aww. So thanks ever so much, Morgana. I love it. I love it.

Oh, my God. You do a really good impression. I know. Of someone doing an impression of Sonia. I know. Well, it's not Sonia. No, it's not. It's me, really.

Yeah. It's all very complicated. It's just too much. It's too much. But it's very nice she saw it, so I'm pleased that she thinks it was an honour. So, what do you think about Vardy vs Rooney, a courtroom drama, which you can catch on Channel 4?

Well, I really enjoyed it. I love that courtroom drama anyway, in anything. You know, I really, really enjoy... Some people find it boring. I talk to people and they don't like it, but I could sit and just watch that. I think it's brilliant. Yeah.

Michael Sheen. He was incredible. He was brilliant, wasn't he? Really good. So, so good. What did you think about Vardy and Rooney? I love them both. I love them.

What I couldn't believe, right, I started watching and Rebecca Vardy, the actress playing her, Natalia Tenner, started watching and I thought, oh my God, I recognise your name and your face, but it can't be you. So then I Googled her. Yeah. She's Tonks in Harry Potter. Really?

Yes. And so, you know, the one who's got like wild hair and is all just a bit wild, a witch, she plays her. Right. And she's done like loads of stuff. And I thought, oh my God, she looks completely different. I wouldn't even have known it was her. I was kind of a bit like, no, that's not her.

I think it's because they are so famous. Yeah. But now. Yes. The characters they're playing are so now. Yeah, can you imagine having to do that? That's what I was thinking. But I loved it.

I loved it. I loved her voice. I've never heard Rebecca Vardy speak. And I loved her voice. You know, thebecca vardy speak and i loved her voice you know the actress doing her i just loved her actor her voice her demeanor i liked her demeanor and also i loved the one playing colleen yeah i thought she's brilliant i think she had the kindness and warmth that we're seeing now in the jungle she did didn't she yeah and even though colleen you know must have so much money and house and whatever, you could see that she's come from a normal life. And I think she probably, aside from all of that, leads, well, she probably doesn't lead a normal life, but you can see she's very normal. I agree. And can I let you into a secret?

You know, I said at the beginning, unless you'd been under a rock, you'd know the outcome. I didn't know the outcome of that. You didn't know the outcome? No. You didn't know the outcome? No. I didn't follow any of the story when it was out. Yeah? I'd never heard of Waggath of Christie. You'd never heard of Waggath of Christie?

No. Oh, my God, where have you been? I said to Mark, what were we doing in 2019? God, what were you doing? I don't know. Genuinely, I thought, this is really worrying. I don't remember any of it. Oh, my God, it? I don't know. Genuinely, I thought this is really worrying. I don't remember any of it. Oh my God, it was huge.

I know. Because she put the thing on the internet. Well, it just went boof. It went mental. I must have been really busy doing something else. Yeah, you must have actually basically been having a life and not on your phone. So good on you.

Funnily enough, in 2019, where are we now? 2024. Yeah, I wasn't really on Instagram at all then. Yeah. I only started Instagram just after COVID. That's true, actually, because I wasn't really. So I wasn't really on anything like that. So that just shows you that I missed a huge part of popular culture.

Oh, my God. But imagine that, because it was Rebecca Vardy who called to have the case. I know. Wasn't it? That backfired. God, that backfired because it was Rebecca Vardy who called to have the case done. I know. Wasn't it? That backfired. God, that backfired just slightly, didn't it? And they think 1.5 million it cost her for that case. I loved it.

I loved watching it. I loved the actor who played Wayne Rooney. I just loved the whole thing. And Jamie Vardy. God, he was very good, wasn't he? If you thought that I was selling stories on you yeah

would you would you confront me about it right if I wouldn't have done the whole thing of just doing stories making sure it's only you

who gets to see them I wouldn't have done all of that I probably would just sit down with you and go look I'm feeling a bit weird

this something feels a bit odd are you selling stories and then if you were no no I'm not or whatever I think Something feels a bit odd. Are you selling stories? And then if you went, no, no, I'm not or whatever, I think I'd be able to sort of sense. No, Jo, as if I'd do that and then it'd turn up in the Daily Mail and it said, Jo ate 12 curly whirly. Oh, no, you've said it on here, though.

But, yeah, but if something, I don't think I would do that. I'd slowly kind of withdraw and I'd either mute you or I'd make sure you just couldn't see the stuff i do that i confront you and then i'd go oh god i've still got my suspicions and i'd make sure what about you with me what would you do i think it was a genius to do what she did what a great idea god it was so good what a great idea because you don't know that you're the only one seeing it you don't do you that's great oh my god can you imagine going through all know that you're the only one seeing it. You don't, do you? That's great. Oh, my God. Can you imagine going through all of that and then the stuff coming up

and it just saying one view. Seen by one. And seen by one and then it ends up in the paper. Yeah, I know. Well, I really enjoyed it. So if you haven't seen any of the Vardy Rooney story and you would like to catch up with it because now you're watching Rooney on the telly, lovely Colleen.

Yeah. That's how I thought it'd be really good for us to watch because we're getting to know Colleen now. And the drama's really, really good. Really worth a watch. Good courtroom drama. Brilliant. Gritty drama.

And I loved Michael Sheen. Talking of Michael Sheen. Yeah. I just wanted to mention Mr. Sheen. Yes. Joni's decided to do Annie in the kitchen and spray that all over the kitchen floor with a duster, doing It's a Hard Knock Life. So when I came home the other day,

I nearly broke my back because the floor was like a blooming ice rink. Oh, my God. Have you had that yet? God, no. No, I've not. Well, we've not had like polish put down there but the amount of cereal and goodness only knows what that's down there with the kids play-doh all of that

sort of stuff honestly i was skidding across that floor like montel on saturday jamie's gone home oh my god i can't believe win went and then jamie went the week after i feel really sad about that but she was good she was good and and Jamie's had a brilliant time. He's loved every minute of it, so bless him. It is what it is now. Did you see Michelle crying? I know. That was just so sad.

It must be incredibly difficult, mustn't it? You know, to be... Because I imagine when you're on it, it's huge in your life. It takes over your whole life. It does. And then it's ripped away from you. Yeah, and that's what I said to him. I said, don't be disheartened now this week

because it's very odd. Yeah. It's full on and then you just stop. Yeah. It's like your bereavement. It is, isn't it? You know, it's like, oh God. I said, so you come on.

You'll be all right. Get on with other stuff. Eat your chips. Try and look after yourself this week. He'll be all right. Bless his heart. He's all right. I'm checking in with him.

Auntie Nat's checking in. I liked it right after he danced that Claudia said to him him what people don't know is that you've been working non-stop and he's done this all this yes and then you've done this dance yeah yeah yeah because you don't even really think i mean i just was watching him just assuming that this is all he's doing i know he's really really busy really really busy and actually i think he's so busy this week yeah that he kind of went i don't know how I would have done it. So everything works out for a reason. Who are you going for now?

Who do you want to win? Chris. Oh, I like Chris. I'm going for Pete. I've just gone, you know what, right? I just like him. I'll tell you what, you could be in there. Sarah's brilliant also.

They're all brilliant. Montel's quick step was fantastic. What about Sarah? I mean, her her dance it was the rumba jesus she was strong she was like what can i just say something is it really bad but when i watch her i get a bit depressed why because she's older than i oh i know what you mean and i just go you're incredible and when i'm that age i'm gonna look like a pile of shit I know she was doing one bit and she was lying on her back

on the floor and it's when she like extended her leg did you see the leg and I just I was like oh my god that leg

you look incredible she's incredible she is incredible and I like watching you know the behind the scenes stuff when you see them in rehearsals

and she's always got like a little cropped up but you get to see her abs she's ripped the figure she's got to be in her 50s or am I being rude no I think she's always got like a little crop top but you get to see her abs she's ripped I mean she looks amazing she's got to be in her 50s or am I being rude no I think she's early 50s

wow and she just looks amazing yeah she is rocking life and when she was doing that rumba I mean I didn't look like that as a seven year old I didn't I've never looked like that never

never looked like that I've never looked like that no never anyway I know it's not about the looks but we are appreciating Sarah Hadland and her body. Unbelievable.

Amazing, amazing. But yeah, I think I'm going for Pete. Just because he's cute and sweet. Yeah, why not? I mean, the shock on his face is priceless every week. So if he gets through just for the shock factor, he can't believe he's there. Oh my God, what did you think of the Sambathon?

Is that the first time they've done anything like that? I don't really, I find it all a little bit chaotic. Me too. And I find it a bit unfair because... Well, it is, isn't it? I know that they're all looking. I know they're all looking out onto the floor. But are you really looking at everyone?

Because have they done that before? They have done a thon. They've done some sort of thon. They have. But why are they doing a thon? Is it for anything? Well, it's just for points, really. It bumps up the points. So whoever goes first gets the lowest amount of points I have. But why are they doing a thon? Is it for anything? Well, it's just for points, really.

It bumps up the points. So whoever goes first gets the lowest amount of points and whoever stays on the floor gets more. And where do those points go? Onto the scoreboard that week. That's not really very fair, is it? Well, spicing things up a bit, aren't they? I don't like that. I don't like any form of change.

And so I don't like that. I don't like it. I don't like change. Just stick to what you've been doing for all the last few years. I don't like that. I don't like it. I don't like change. Just stick to what you've been doing for all the last few years. I don't like change. Musical week next week. Oh my God.

So that'll be good. I wonder what they'll do. What would you do? What would you do for musical week? Musicals. I'd probably do Any Fools and Horses, the musical. I bet you would. Yeah.

You would. I would. Oh. I don't know what I'd do. I don't know what I do. I don't know what I do. Well, moving on then. Shall we see what our listeners are saying? Yes.

Yeah? We've got a voice note here from a listener for you, Jo. Have a listen to this. Just had to message you, Jo, because I love a snowball. My other half bought me a four-pack of snowballs the other day as they got them in for christmas and i've polished a lot off a little treat each night monday tuesday wednesday thursday all gone uh sadly but i love this time of year when the snowballs are on the shelves and my other half picks them up little christmas treat i'm completely with you on the snowballs.

So I must be a hun. Oh. Can't beat a snowball. I know the four pack she's talking about. I just don't. Little glass bottles. Oh, I love them. Little ping of the metal lid that comes off.

But can I offer you some advice? You're finished by Thursday. Buy yourself a large bottle of Advocat. Get yourself some lemonade. It's not the same. It's got to be the pre-done bottles, right? Because when I first met James, I was like, oh my God, we've got to get snowballs for Christmas.

And it's the ones that my dad's always got me and it's the pre-prepared ones in the glass bottle. I know the ones you mean. I do know. And then James, with his posh ways, was like, we need to get Advocar. Yes. And lime and lemon and whatever else you put with it.

A few glace cherries. Oh yeah. And I was like, what? No, we've never done that. No, we've never done that. No, we've never done that in my house. Do you pour that into a glass? And then do you have ice in there? No, no.

No, no, I don't. Because we've had them ice cold in the fridge. Okay. Or outside. And then we go like that. And then I pour it completely upside down. So then you get all of the stuff coming. Yeah, and the foam.

And then, oh my God, it takes me about two things and they've just gone. Because I just love how ice cold they are. I'm going to get some of those tomorrow. I'm not joking, right? As we're talking now, I'm just thinking as soon as this is done, right, on my way home, I'm going to get some snowballs.

I'm going to get some tomorrow. I'm going to get some snowballs in. I've gone so full on Christmas, right? And do you know, I was going to send you a message the other day because you know I was obsessed with the Box of Delights? Yes.

That was, I think it was on the BBC years ago and it's my like Christmas thing. The BBC, I think it was on the BBC years ago. And it's my Christmas thing. The BBC. I think it's going to be on iPlayer. No. They're not bringing it back. They're not redoing it. No.

They're just replaying the old one. And I nearly went hysterical. That might be down to you. My God. Can you imagine if it was? Can you believe it? That would be amazing. And then loads of people were saying that they were fans of it.

Then they were interviewing the little boy from it. And I just thought, oh, my God, this is amazing. were saying about that they were fans of it. Then they were interviewing the little boy, you know, from it. And I just thought, oh, my God, this is amazing. Because I've got my old DVD of it, but I've got nothing to play it on now. Fair enough. And now if it's going to be online, I can watch it. That's great. Oh, my God, I'm so excited. It's nearly Christmas time.

That's good, isn't it? Well, keeping on theme with inappropriate things that our children have said from TV shows, which has been a recurring theme in most of our episodes, have a listen to this. Okay. Hi Nat and Jo. It's Ali here and I'm talking the dog as always. I've now caught up, I think, on all the old episodes, thoroughly enjoying the podcast. It's really good. I just wanted to tie together a couple of things quite nicely, I think, that you were talking about. You were speaking about Home Alone and also in a previous episode about your children watching inappropriate things. When my nephew, he was only about three, I think, when he very first watched Home Alone.

And my sister had taken her children all out to Pizza Hut and they were having a lovely time. And the waitress was really besotted with my nephew. He was only three and he was so cute. He was really cute. And at the end of the night, she said to him, you've been really good, haven't you? And he looked at her straight in the eyes and he said to her, I wouldn't let you sleep in my room if you were something that was growing off my ass. Well, my sister was slightly surprised. The waitress was even more surprised. But apparently, it's a line very similar to that that is spoken in home alone i think by the rotten brother you know the brother that's always picking on him that was a lesson oh my god that's so embarrassing brilliant though what's eliza and joni has anything been inappropriately said lately not really eliza's getting a bit old now and she'll

say things like i know why you want me to go to bed, you know, because you want your own time together. I'm like, that's disgusting. And then Mark just looks at each other and she's like, yeah, yeah, I know what you get up to every night. What I want to say is eat bloody wishes. I know. I think it was Noah the other day, right?

Or was it Beau? One of them. And I was saying something about the minivan. And they went, well, I don't have a mini, so let's call it the willy van. And we were like, we don't have to call it the willy van. What were the bum bum chicken wings? And the willy van.

The willy van and bum sticks. It's all good fun. Oh, God. It is. It's all good fun. But the stuff that children just come out with, just hilarious. It is funny.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Oh, my God. I went through a stage fright of obsessively watching that, and it's been a while now since I've watched it again. But I watched the latest, the semi-final episode of season six of the UK one. Oh, my God. It was hilarious.

It's just brilliant. Do you know what? I can't. It's obviously six seasons, like you say, and they do specials and they do UK with this and that. But when you think about how successful it's been. It's incredible. And it's so brilliant that it is that successful.

Yeah. Do you know what I mean? And I just think it's such brilliant that it is that successful. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? And I just think it's such a platform for creative people who want to be known and show their talent and skill. Yes. And it is a craft. It's a massive, massive craft. And I do sit back and I think, I'm so pleased it's this successful

and that's where it should be. When I was watching it, I just thought, oh, my God, this has now got, like, you know, Drag Race UK, Drag Race the original, you know, in America, Drag Race Canada. It's everywhere. Of course. And it's amazing.

I mean, I was watching this one, and it was for the final bit where they come and, you know, do their catwalk and their outfit for the final bit. And I think it was Marmalade. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. She came along. I love the name. Just the names think it was Marmalade. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. She came along. I love the name.

Just the names. The names are just incredible. I'd love to know how they come up with their names. Yeah. Marmalade, she was sort of like a gramophone, you know, record player thing like that. And her makeup was just exquisite. She looked like some 1920s movie star with this blonde hair.

And just her features were incredible and then she was in this it was it was vinyl the theme yeah and she just had sort of like this it was all gold and she was just so streamlined and she had like this long golden sort of needle for the record player and I just thought oh my god she looks incredible so creative and they said where did you get that from and she said I made it all myself. And you think, my God, it's so, the level that they've got to get to. That's what I was going to say to you. They've got to perform, sing, act, and then they make their outfits themselves. It's incredible what they do.

I love it. You know, after they've done, you know, a task or they've done, you know, the final bit. Yeah. And then you see them peeling away the layers. I know. And the wig comes off and then the makeup comes off. I know.

It's fascinating. It is amazing. And you just see the way that they can just sculpt themselves just incredible there was one um because they were doing the episode where they've got to roast do the roast yeah yeah yeah which i couldn't think of anything more terrifying in my life it was so funny and you've got alan car there who was just brilliant well and then siobhan sweeney you know from um dairy girls yes you know um mother superior yeah she was just... Brilliant. Well, and then Siobhan Sweeney, you know, from Dairy Girl. Yes. She plays, you know, Mother Superior. Yeah. She was just hilarious. Graham Norton's hilarious as well.

He's so good. They have some amazing... You know, I did that. Oh, my God, what? When? Well, you won't believe when. Trust me, my luck. Oh, my God.

I think I'm going to be telling you this. Covid times. I was at home, wasn't I? Oh, no. I was at home. That's so depressing because you just want to be there. I just want to be. You really want to be there, don't you?

What did you say? What did you have to judge? What were you doing? No, I had to do this thing, which was kind of an acting thing, but they were in a pub, so it was EastEnders sort of themed, and it was all kind of like my bottle was in the fridge or something. I can't quite remember now. Oh, my God.

But it was like, say it angry, say it was like say it angry say it sexy say it oh and it was all it was really good fun oh i had to do it from home oh do you think that they would ever have us on the panel is it like a double act because when i was watching i was i had any double x on no i don't think they have but we could go on in you know like um nat and joe in respect of our podcast and go on as Nat and Jo because that would be fun. Because when I was watching it and I was listening to Siobhan Sweeney,

I genuinely was thinking, what would I wear if I was on the panel? You could go. I was thinking you could go to town. You could go to town, yeah. I've got a really lovely blue sequined trouser suit. Oh, nice. And I think I'd go something like that.

Yeah. I thought I'd go in something quite wild. And I'd wear loads of makeup. Me too. I'd do false lashes, the works. Yeah, yeah. Really. And like a really big, amazing hairdo.

Because I never do that. No, neither do I. You have to have hair pieces. Yeah. Go for it. Well, they had to do the roast. And I thought if I was sitting there now and they said to me, right, you've got to go off and write something now

and come back in to take the mick out of everybody and basically do, you know, like five minutes of stand-up, taking the mick out of everyone, I'd absolutely and utterly die. Do it to me now. Have a go. I just, honestly, it's my worst nightmare. I can't even think of anything awful to say. Have a go. For starters, I'd be upset, right, because I don't want to make fun of anybody

and I don't want to make fun of anybody and say horrible things because it is a roast, that is the point. And secondly, I couldn't think on my feet and come up with any gags. I genuinely couldn't do it. Oh, I don't believe that. Well, what would you say if you had to do a roast? I did Stand Up To Cancer for Channel 4. Yeah.

And it was live and there was a little roast between myself and Prue from the Bake Off. How? What did you have to say do you know something again because it was live telly and i was petrified it was about half 11 at night yeah i would have to look at it up look it up and find it because i can't remember something beforehand did you have to come up with it no no no they they helped me and you know i could have a look at it and have what have you but i, I think the standing and thinking on your feet, I do think, you know, they probably get a little bit of time to write it.

Yeah, they do. They were writing it. But still, some of them were like, well, you know, I can't, I can't write something. This is. They can be quite disrespectful. Yeah. Were they disrespectful in this?

No, the thing is, right, a Michelle Visage said, you've got to get, you know, you don't cross the line. That's what I mean. Of just being mean and nasty. And being rude. Yeah. So I feel that. So you've got to get you know you don't cross the line that's what I mean of just being mean and nasty and being rude yeah so I feel that so you've got to get

the you know it's about being nasty and being whatever but it's got to be fun but it's got to be fun and never cross the line and be nasty because one of them

like did sort of cross the line a bit with Michelle and she was a bit like oh no no because they started being a bit too person and a bit too

and it was kind of like oh no no that's not funny anymore that'd be me I'd be going you with your big nose and your goggly eyes and i know i'm dead up saying something just horrible yeah just yeah but they have a bit of time to prepare for it but one of them was like this isn't what i do i like coming on taking off my clothes putting on something else marching up

and down doing a bit of dancing i can sing don't ask me to do any gags or jokes well i suppose that you know there's an art it's an art form isn't it stand up comedy the comedy side of things and thinking on your feet so if you are used to just the entertainment the dancing side of stuff Yeah

I can get that It's like someone saying to me go and do ten minutes of stand up Oh god I couldn't think of anything worse I'd love to be able to do it though Oh I'd be terrified I'd be terrified but I would like to try

But what's amazing about this show right is that I haven't seen it now for a while and i haven't not tired no it's not tired you put it on and it's just like oh my god rupaul i just love the bit which comes on at the end and i just loved hearing the music and i just felt safe and homely because i was kind of like oh god i've been here before i knew this is i love the music it's this bit now and it was still really good fun it was still making me laugh, and it was still really good fun. It was still making me laugh out loud. It was still making me go, oh, my God, and cringe over bits.

And then RuPaul started threatening down. It just looks incredible. Incredible. I caught one the other day and they came on, who was it that came on? Just a really famous drag artist, you know, and she came on and she looked absolutely insane. And all the, you know, all the competitors could not believe it

that's really they were so starstruck and then they had to start it was a junkyard thing that to make stuff out of whatever again like just create something suddenly it's drag race but it's a sewing bee as well and they're all designing stuff you think my god it must be so stressful because yeah it isn't just drag race it is like suddenly oh my god you've got to rustle up a whole big outfit I do like it when it is more fun because some of it the behind the scenes it can get a little bit bitchy can't it? It can it's all who's where and we've

got to do this and it's quite competitive and then some of them the last one that I watched right was incredibly moving because you had them all and they'd all taken their wigs and their makeup and everything off and then they sat around talking about their experiences of growing up and how alienated that they'd felt

and they had nobody to talk to and how difficult, you know, lots of them were saying about how incredibly difficult their lives have been and that they couldn't come out and they couldn't be accepted. Jesus, it was so moving.

Just thought that show's got it all. It's just got heart and comedy and it's just so lovely. And that's what I was saying, really, tying it up nicely, going back to the beginning. Yeah. The people that are on there now showing their stories and are saying how hard it is, please God, now kids have got that to watch.

Yeah. And they'll be fine. Yeah. Do you see what I mean? Yeah. And I love it at the end when she says and if you can't if you can't love yourself well what's the phrase that she says now and if you can't love yourself how in the hell are you gonna love someone else i love it and every time she says that i go yeah come on yeah i love. So Series 6 is on at the moment and it is the final this week.

So that's brilliant. And you can watch all RuPaul's Drag Race UK on BBC iPlayer. Enjoy, ladies. Before we go, we've got time to hear a recommendation from a listener. Have a listen to this. Hello, ladies. It's Becky hear a recommendation from a listener. Have a listen to this. Hello, ladies. It's Becky from Cambridgeshire here. And I just want to say firstly, I absolutely love your pod.

It just keeps me going at work. It's great. And secondly, Brassic. I've not heard a single person mention it. I've not heard you girls mention it. But I think you'd absolutely love it. It makes me laugh. it makes me cringe but it's amazing joe gilgan that is the starring role and ryan sampson is absolutely hilarious um loved him in plebs and um

the one that he did with Danny Dyer. It's lost me, the name. But absolutely fantastic. Can't believe nobody else has mentioned Brassic. I think there's series six that's just been on. It's on Sky. Definitely think it's worth a watch. Thank you so much.

I've never seen Brassic. I've never seen it. And the other day I was going to put it on because I thought this is something I've never, ever watched. And I wonder what it's like because everyone raves about it. We should do it. We should because it's right up my street. It's a bit of comedy.

Lovely. Let's do Brassic. All right. And also, thank you to everybody who's answered our call out for voice notes about period dramas. Really looking forward to that. That'd be good. I'm going to say, I'm looking forward to you talking about more than me.

Because I don't watch many period dramas. I haven't seen a period drama in ages. I shall rack my brains, but I'm looking forward to all of the voice notes because that's what the episode's for. Oh, I love it. I love listening to our listeners. So do I.

Can't wait. Please do keep sending us voice notes on WhatsApp about anything we've discussed on the pod or anything you'd like us to say about the telly. The number is 03306 784 704. And we will see you and listen to you and I hope you listen to us as well very soon. Absolutely. We're off to buy some snowballs

and remember the bonus episode is out on Friday, guys. Thanks so much for listening. Speak to you soon. Absolutely. We're off to buy some snowballs. And remember, the bonus episode is out on Friday, guys. Thanks so much for listening. Speak to you soon. 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. Hello, this is Marion Keyes. And this is Tara Flynn. Thank you. Cats. Dogs. Dentists. Pockets. Or the lack of. Anything really. And apply our worldly wisdom in a way which we hope will help. But also hopefully entertain. Join us why don't you? Search up Now You're Asking on BBC Sounds. Thanking you.