Off The Telly - "My Danny Dyer crush has gone through the roof"

Episode Date: November 6, 2024

Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things on and off the telly. This week Nat and Jo catch up on two shows everyone seems to be talking about - Rivals and Ludwig. One they describe as a "romping good show" and the other as "the new Jonathan Creek", tune in to find out which one is which. Plus Nat chats about watching Strictly on Saturday live in the studio for Icons week.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:14:45 - Rivals (Disney+) 27:00 - Ludwig (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.

Just be prepared because we probably are going to be swearing a bit and there will be some spoilers, but not big ones. We won't spoil a lot. We don't, do we? We don't get enough time to go through a whole series, so you're fine. How are you, sweetheart? I'm very good, although I've got a really sore arm. Yeah. But, oh, it's terrible. And now, although I've got a really sore arm. Yeah.

But, oh, it's terrible. And now, if I lift my arm... It's killing you. It's really killing me, and am I just going to go into osteoarthritis, or this is going to be the thing that eventually kills me or something? I think you need to go and check it out. I'm sure when you are perimenopausal, menopausal, there's a thing about the arm.

I'm telling you, I've heard it. I've heard it on something. Because I've only got the pain in my right arm. I'm telling you, I've heard it. I've heard it on something. Because I've only got the pain in my right arm. I'm sure it's one arm. I'm not making it up. But I heard it on a podcast somewhere, I'm telling you. Well, it's so painful and I've had enough of it. Because it all starts somewhere.

Yeah. It can be in the back and then you're overcompensating somewhere. So bad. Anyway, aside from that, I'm fine. What about you? That's good. No, I'm all right. Yeah, absolutely fine.

Thank you very much. So I was very excited to see you on Strictly in the audience. Yeah, yeah. It was really, really lovely to go. Yeah. That's the first time I've ever been in the audience. Oh, my God. And I have had quite a lot of friends who have been in it,

you know, from EastEnders especially. You know, it can be quite a long evening, can't it? I went on the first episode, so it was when nobody gets voted out. So, you know, I got to basically see, like, one show. And so that was fine. But you were there now when they're starting to get voted out and it's a lot, lot longer, isn't it? It is, it is.

But it was really lovely to see Jamie dance. He did so, so well. I loved his hair. I loved him as George Michael. He made a good George Michael, didn't he? I thought he looked good. Yeah. I think he was underscored.

Yeah, I think so as well. But it's all about the journey. It's fine. He's been quite highly scored the last couple of weeks, so you can't stay up there. Yeah. It's good to, you know, be a little bit scared. Yeah, it is, it is. It is. Be a little bit scared. Yeah, it is.

It is. Not sit on your laurels and stuff. And feel, yeah, it is good to be a bit scared. But I gave Wyn a great big hug from you. Oh, good. Saw him. He was great. I had a lovely chat with Chris.

Oh, yes. That was really good. And I said to him, Chris, I was trying to do your talk show throughout the whole summer, but I was too busy. And now you've done this and everybody loves you. You're going to have everyone wanting to do it and I'm never going to get on there. So just so you know, I have wanted to do it, but I have been busy. Yes. So I was pleased to meet Chris.

Yes. So that was very good. But no, we thoroughly enjoyed it. And me and Mark went and it was good. Yes, I saw Mark in the audience. I did, yeah. Was it good seeing icons week? It was because I've never done it before.

So I felt quite lucky. Yeah. And I thought Sarah. What did you think of Sarah? Oh my God, I was literally going to say Sarah. She was brilliant. What was she like in real life watching her do that jump in the beginning? She was really brilliant.

Really brilliant. And she ran over actually and gave me a big hug. And I've never met her before. So I was quite starstruck because I loved her in Miranda and all of that. Because you know what I'm like with my comedy. But yeah, she was really gorgeous. Everyone's really nice. Everyone just seems really good.

They're all really enjoying it. It's just a lovely show, isn't it? Yeah, it is. Claudia was tinkling about on her high heels looking fabulous. Her and Tess are good at what they do. They are so good. Yeah, it is. Claudia was tinkling about on her high heels, looking fabulous. Her and Tess are good at what they do. They are so good. They make it look effortless, don't they? They're unbelievable.

And when you're in the studio and you're watching it and you see them going from this bit to that bit, and what I loved when I went to see it was just watching them when the camera's not on. Yeah. And they're chatting away and they're all relaxed and then, you know, they go and then do their bit and I love all that.

It's all exciting, isn't it? It is. It is really exciting. Did it bring back good memories or were you just like, oh, my God? I think it's changed so much to when I did it. It almost feels like a different show. Yeah. Because when I did it, you've got to remember that's 15 years ago now.

Oh, my God. So, I know. But when I did it, it it was I'm so old but when I did it there was no kind of there was no Halloween night no movie night no icons

no it was just very much traditional ballroom Latin Blackpool was still in place that was sort of it so it feels like

a very different show yeah because now there's just like themes all the time yeah it's just you know they've made a lot more of it which is feels like a very different show yeah because now there's just like themes all the time yeah it's just you know it's just they've made a lot more of it which is brilliant because everyone loves it oh my gosh and amy is not in it anymore now i know poor thing because she's just oh so so happy that she was back i know and she's so wonderful and just such such a lovely woman

absolutely and i just think she's been through so much to then have this happen where she can't complete the competition is a real shame for her but reading her message oh she seems you know she's wishing jb all the luck in the world and lauren is amazing she is she's incredible so i think for jb he'll be fine as much as it's sad and amy will be there cheering them on and helping out, I'm sure. Yeah. But get well, Amy. Get well soon. Bless her.

So what about Halloween? Did you go out trick-or-treating? We did go trick-or-treating. Yes, we did. It was a very long evening. Yeah. I had all the family over, so I had all the great nieces and nephews over.

How many is that? Well, it's not that many, but obviously with the nieces and the mums and the dads and the nans and the... Do you know what I mean? Yeah, did you cook for everyone? Yeah, I did a chilli. Oh, my God. I did chilli with wedges. Yeah.

Potato wedges or rice. Some had both. Yeah. Sour cream. God. Grated cheese on the table. A few jalapenos. That sounds both. Yeah. Sour cream. God. Grated cheese on the table. A few jalapenos. That sounds nice. Yeah.

Eva invited round a load of the girls. Oh, yeah. So I took round, in the end we took around eight children trick-or-treating. Yeah. And we were out for three hours pounding the pavement. Fuck, where did you go? First of all, we came out of the house and we walked all the way down the lane

and it's literally, we're on a country, it's pitch black. Yeah. So we had all Atlantans, we had torches. The torch went as soon as we left. So James spent most of the time walking along and hitting the torch on the ground. Yeah.

And surprisingly, it did work. Went up to the first little pub and had a little drink and then they had like a little party thing there. Then we went over because there was a really, really good house with loads of ghosts and everything outside. And we were telling lots of like ghost stories, terrifying the children. I was loving it because I'd taken it upon myself to dress up as a werewolf. So I had this werewolf head and I was really pleased, right?

I'd done makeup. I saw it. Can you believe it? You look really good. I did that with a sponge and it looked like I actually I saw it can you believe it you look really good I did that with a sponge and it looked like I'd had a full on beard you did well

I looked like I had whiskers I looked quite manly I was quite pleased with myself yeah you looked hot actually do you think I looked hot yeah really I'm quite pleased well I genuinely was

actually literally hot because I had to keep taking the weirwolf years off because it was like a full on hat yeah then we walked all the way down did all of the laying

trick or treating and loads of people were dressed up and stuff i'm talking like adults and i didn't do any i just put a black dress on did you yeah i was like i had like black jumper i had my um jeans and boots and then i had like this lumberjacky sort of shirt because i felt that that's what a werewolf would wear. I understand that. Do you? I really do, because I think your werewolf would also probably wear big kind of caterpillar boots as well. That's what I was wearing. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, like big boots, like sort of lumberjack werewolf.

Yeah. Yeah. And then we went out walking for three hours, and it was only when I was halfway around that I realized I was full-on trick-or-treating because I had Bo's bag because she was in the pram she wasn't really feeling it she'd been sleeping quite a lot that day and she'd woken up and she was in a bit of a mood she didn't want to dress up as in well she was going to dress up as Peppa Pig and um and then she didn't want to until we were in the local pub and that's when she decided that she did want

to dress up as Peppa Pig. Right. But I was carrying her bag around and then I was going up and then putting stuff in her bag and then taking sweets for myself as well. And then I'd been going around for an hour and a half and then I thought, oh, my God, I am trick-or-treating. It was so much fun.

Very, very good. My nephew, Dominic, who's got Amelia, who's three, he kind of went, oh, yeah, I'll come and what have you, and they ended up sort of having this huge mask on that I've got with a's three he kind of went oh yeah I'll come and what have you and they ended up sort of having this huge mask on that I've got with a big beard and kind of a mask and he was jumping out behind cars and when the little ones were going up to the doors knocking on the

front doors he was hiding behind the car and scaring them I said you can't do that but he really ended up getting into the spirit of things and enjoying himself it was very good It was very good. It was very good fun. You know, when we had the girls back to the house. Yeah.

So we put everybody to bed now and they were all sleeping downstairs in the living room. And then we went to bed, you know, quite late. And they didn't tell us until the next morning. But the girls were sleeping downstairs and the boys were sleeping upstairs. About four o'clock in the morning, right, apparently, they all went downstairs and the girls went into the kitchen.

They all put rollerboots on and they were going around the kitchen. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What boys? Kit just had a friend round. Oh. Yeah, and Noah was upstairs as well. So the boys came down. Right.

Because they came down because they were going to do like a midnight feast type thing. Fine. Saw that the girls were in the kitchen because the girls had just gone into the kitchen. They all put on their roller boots because we got a few pairs of roller boots. But on the roller boots, they were all roller skating around the kitchen, four o'clock in the morning.

I didn't even hear them. Did they go in the lounge, Jo? No, they didn't. With the boots on? No, they didn't. Oh, okay. So, yeah, Halloween was good. Yeah.

It was busy, but good. Before you know it, it's firework night. Have you bought any fireworks? No, because the local school does something Saturday evening. So we're just going to walk over there and do that. Yeah, we're going to do something with the school on Friday. Yeah. Oh, I'm not going to let any fireworks off this year

because Lola, she's been having a terrible time. Oh, why? Because she gets really nervous. Well, of course. Oh, I thought you meant she was probably, but you're just talking about the scaring. Yeah, it's the bangs. It's hard for pets, isn't it?

It is. It's really, really hard. Because Bess is quite relaxed about it. And she's, you know, she's just really relaxed about it. But Lola, she's been having a terrible time. It's like, I think they're even louder this year. She's been having a really, really bad time. I just feel like they go on

for a longer period, don't they? They start earlier and they end later. Yeah. Yeah, they do. They do. Talking of Halloween, Jo,

you know the haunting of Hill House that one of our listeners recommended last week? The thing on Netflix? It wasn't for me at all. I'm there with you. I watched the trailer, I went,

fuck this for a laugh I'm not doing this I did more than you What did you How much did you get? Oh my god I put it on It was a couple of days

Before Halloween Yeah Mark was sat On his phone Or iPad or whatever I said Mark I've just got to put this show on He said that is the worst thing

You could ever do Why are you doing that? I said I've just got to For the pod Because Joe likes This sort of stuff. I just need to have a look at it. He's like, all right. So we put it on.

Starts off, what does it start off with? A fucking child in a bed. Why do they, why do I want, I don't want to watch children scared in bed. Yeah. It's fucking weird. What happened in it? Well, it's just her going, I'm scared, Daddy.

I'm so scared. And him going, don't worry, sweetheart. It's nothing, you know. And off he goes. Yeah. And then the brother's next to her and he's asleep. And it's huge. It's a cavernous bedroom.

It's really, really old. And I was like this next to Mark, sort of hiding. He said, you go away. He said, I'm not watching this. And I said, no, but I just got to look at what you're doing. He said, you go away. He said, I'm not watching this. And I said, no, but I've just got to look at what you're doing. He said, please, you're really annoying me now. And then something else come on, and it was some woman talking about her dead husband

who'd been hung upside down from a car in a crash, and I've seen him in the night, and the horn was blowing and the blood was dripping, and I thought, fuck this for a game of soldiers. I'm turning it off. Well, I thought, right, okay, we've we gotta watch this now because i forced nat to watch it and uh i thought oh i'm gonna put the trailer on to see what it's like first of all and then i got as far in the trailer yeah like someone's lying in bed and then there's and then she she opens her

eyes and then there's just a body of a girl just like so she's like lying in the bed like that and there's just a body of a girl floating in the air just above her like that just looking at her and i that's it i just don't know how anyone can sit down and go do you know what let's get some biscuits have a cup of tea should we watch that haunted house on the hill number five this will be relaxing tonight i don't understand i always could watch things like that and i loved scaring myself but i think I am so damn busy now right that I just don't have the time to scare myself because I don't have the joy of going oh and then cuddling onto James and being like oh I'm really scared and then going up the stairs and he's

protecting me because I'm really frightened and whatever I don't have the time because I'm up and down those bloody stairs with biscuits and milk then they want cereal then i'm like you know walking down into the kitchen i've got time to put the lights on so i can't i can't i just i don't have the time to be frightened anymore that's right the other night i'm sure i heard something coming up the stairs though oh my god are you serious no but it's all these i can't watch these programs because it mucks around my head yeah i was in bed and it was quiet and you know you can sometimes hear the heating coming on yes i always that really petrifies bed and it was quiet and you know you can sometimes see the heating coming yes i always that really petrifies me and then i remember and i'm like it's the radiator it's

the boiler it's fine yeah but this really was footsteps footsteps footsteps footsteps footsteps so i don't know who that was up and down the stairs do you have an animal it could have been lily because laura my nanny was staying over that night yeah but what i did is i laid there and what i do is i lay there and then i think of all the scenarios in my head yeah and then i get so upset and then i just sort of slam mark poor mark woke up and i said i just think there's someone out there yeah and he gets up and he's like what you're talking about there's no one here there's no one. Laura's in bed. The dog's up here. Yeah. So maybe it's just a ghost.

Maybe it is a ghost. Or is it my imagination because of that programme? No, I'd say it's probably a ghost. I don't even want to think about that now. I'm thinking about it now. I'll be thinking about that all the way home. Yeah. And I'm getting in late.

Yeah. So now I'm panicked. It's now making me think about watching Luther because I want to watch Luther, but I'm just thinking about the person under the bed. Oh, but luther's different god well when either one of us could get through it because it was just i just can't do it it's too frightening no so the two shows we've been watching a lot of this week are two that everyone seems to be talking about right now ludwig on bbc iplayer and rivals on disney plus i have done the whole of rivals have you oh i love it i'm we are up to we've done six we've got no i did seven yeah mark was exhausted

he fell asleep and i was really annoyed because we've watched them all all together love it yeah um but he needs to now do seven on his own. Yes. So I said to him, whilst we're recording this maybe, why don't you just watch that one and then we can do eight? But it's been a very great week of telly. Oh, my God, it's been so good. I watched, like, the first two episodes.

Yeah. And then I stayed up until it was about half past four in the morning and I just did all the rest. You've not done that. I've done that in ages. Ages. Ages. I stayed up until it was about half past four in the morning and I just did all the rest because I was like I can't just cause I've done that in ages oh my god I love it I love it I love it it's amazing you know why I love it

I can't describe what genre it is I know that sounds really but people are like what's it like and actually I can't tell you what it's like because it's very original and that's why I love it and it's funny it's made you what it's like because it's very original. Yeah. And that's why I love it. And it's funny.

It's made me laugh. It's made me cry. I know. It's really serious. It's got it all in there. It's fabulous. Brilliant. It's really fabulous.

Absolutely brilliant. So congratulations to all of the people that have made it. I text Dominic Treadwell-Collins, who was my boss at EastEnders a few years ago. And I said, Dom, I absolutely love it. Me and Mark are loving it. And he said, thank you so much. But, yeah, very, very clever. The casting is brilliant.

It's fab. They're so good. Danny's so good in it. I know I'm biased. No, but this has just made my Danny Dyer crush just shoot through the roof. Wonderful. Freddie and Katherine Parkinson. Isn't she brilliant? I don't think I've ever wanted a couple to end up together so much in my life.

Do you know what I love about it? As much as you've got loads of tits and arse and bonking and shagging and all of that, for me the most, which is brilliant, it's fantastic and fun and sexy to watch, so it's brilliant, but I feel like the most powerful relationship are the two that aren't bonking. Yeah, completely. And it just shows you...

Oh, so lovely. You know, just life in general, you know, you can get excited about all this stuff, but the simple looking at each other and saying, actually, we're married and we can't do that is so powerful. Oh, my God, it really is. Oh, my God, and Rupert Campbell Black, right? I really fancy him. do that yeah it's so powerful oh my god it really is oh my god and rupert campbell black right i really fancy him yeah i mean when he's in his white shirt and he's with a horse yeah and he's

got his breeches and he's got his boots and he's not gonna lie to you i thought you might oh my god is he's just so attractive and he is just such a shit as well but the thing is he's redeeming himself he's got this heart and with and I think what they've done that he is a very lonely man and he loves his animals and he's in the bath with his dogs and his horses so

immediately he kind of is redeemable because he's such an animal lover have you seen that? yes I've seen that and he's talking about his dogs and he says, no, I've never been in love and I just want to go and just mend him. Yeah, although him and Taggett,

I don't know how it ends, obviously. I'm not going to say. But I'm a little bit, I do feel like she's too young. She's 20. Yeah, I just wanted to steer clear of him because he has got a lot of past. I just think she can do better,

but I think they're so attracted to each other, aren't they? Oh my got a lot of past. Yeah. I just think she can do better but they do, I think they're, you know, they're so attracted to each other, aren't they? Oh my God, they so are. Yeah.

And Declan's told him to stay away. Yeah. I mean, you know, after, well, I mean,

he's just so awful in the dinner party. Now, let's just talk quickly about his wife because again, that's very sad. Victoria Smurfett,

right? They're amazing. She is fab. She's brilliant. She's incredible. Absolutely brilliant, yeah. She's so,

like, flamboyant and sexual. She's an actress. But she's not working anymore because she's been dragged away from London. And she's in the Cotswolds now. She's frustrated. And the thing is, he's a workaholic. He's not paying her any attention.

And she's so damn frustrated. And my heart breaks for her. Yeah. You really feel it, though, don't you? I mean, my heart is breaking for her. I. You really feel it though, don't you? I mean, my heart is breaking for her. I'm going to say, yeah, I do. But they have shagged quite a few times. So all this, I'm not getting any attention.

They've been shagging quite a lot. They have shagged a lot. So she keeps saying I have no attention for you and I'm thinking, well, hang on a minute. Declan has shagged her a lot. Declan is nice. But he is a workaholic. Yeah, but it's going to work for them because she spends too much fucking money.

Because she's frustrated because she hasn't got anything else in her life. She hasn't got a career anymore now because she's whisked away to the Cotswolds. I'm on right move all the damn time since watching this now. Oh, my God. I just want to live there. I love Declan's house and the drive. Oh, Jesus Christ, Jo, you're going to need to win the lottery to get a house like that in the Cotswolds.

But didn't you really feel it for Declan's wife? I mean, I think Victoria Smurfett's being incredible. Yeah, she's amazing. It's heartbreaking when she's talking about being older. Yes. And her age. And she says, I was beautiful. Yeah, yeah.

And he says, you still are. I know. It's so layered. It's so funny. And her age. And she says, I was beautiful. Yeah, yeah. And he says, you still are. I know. It's so layered. It's so funny. It's heartbreaking. It's really, really good. I mean, we haven't even, I could talk about this all night. But I mean, we haven't even mentioned David Tennant.

So that just shows you. Yeah. You know what I mean? One of the top billers we've not even mentioned because it's just so good. Because there's just too much to talk about because it's just incredible. Really, really good. The show has just got it all.

Fab story. Yeah. Brilliant acting. The cast are just superb. And it's so well shot. It is. And like you say, the location of it all. But the fashion's amazing.

All the colours are great. The music's great. They've really got the 80s Emily Attack. Oh. She's just brilliant. Well. Anyway, full stop. But she looks incredible.

Yeah, she does. She looks so full on 80s. Really brilliant. But she's just so good. Claire Rushbrock, who's playing Lady Monica Baddingham, David Tennant's wife. Fantastic. Oh, she's so damn good.

She's so good. She's brilliant. Romping good show. It is. I loved it. I can't wait for a second series. Nafessa Williams, who plays Cameron Cook. Yeah, oh.

She's a powerhouse. She's incredible. So good. It's one of those shows, you know, for me, we've watched a lot of telly. You know, doing this show, doing this pod, we've watched a lot of telly. But it isn't often I watch something and I feel really excited to be an actress again. Yeah. You know, you watch something and think, oh.

Yes. One day, maybe. Yeah. I could do a role. Yeah. In something like this at some point. Mm. Because actually all the people that are in there.

Yes. You just never know. Yeah. You never know with what we're doing. You go, well, you never know one day. Yeah. Oh, it would be so much fun to be in that wouldn't it i finished the first series and i thought i can't wait for a second one i just you know when you miss a program because you've loved it so much i just thought oh

god i just i want to sit down and watch another episode i just i need to watch another episode i just want to carry on being in their world yeah Yeah. Well, I'm pleased I've got one left. Oh, you lucky thing. I've got one left. But that's good for me. You know what I'm like with the shows? Yes. Getting them finished.

Yeah. So I must have really liked it. Yeah. Because I've rattled through it quickly. It just reminds me of when I used to be younger and I used to read all of Jackie Collins' books. I went through a huge phase just reading all the Jackie Collins. And I've read a couple of Jilly Co the Jackie Collins. And I've read a couple

of Jilly Coopers as well. And before coming here today to the podcast, I was in a bookshop and I picked up one of Jilly Coopers' ones called Tackle. And I started reading the back

and it started saying about Rupert Campbell Black. And obviously, what's happened, a few series on and stuff. No! Is that right? Yeah. Oh, I didn't know that it was kind of a... Oh, yeah few series on and stuff. No, is that right? Yeah, yeah.

Oh, I didn't know that it was kind of a... Oh, yeah, because I looked and I thought, oh, I just want to start reading all of them now. Oh, that is really good. Yeah. I'm excited about that. Oh, that is really good. And did you see Julie Cooper's cameo in it?

No, where? Yeah, you know when Katherine Parkinson goes to meet with her agent, who's played by Felicity Kennedy, doesn't she? And they're sitting there eating. Yes, I did see that. Very special. But oh, Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones and Katherine Parkinson, those two together, what a pairing.

Just adorable. So lovely. The whole thing, oh my God, I just want to watch it. Just want to watch more of it. She's in everything at the moment, Katherine Parkinson, isn't she? She is. She is. She's really good, though.

She is. Because I love her in Here We Go. Yeah. And there's a third series of that, I see, being made at the moment. Yeah, they just started filming it, didn't they? So, yeah, she's very good, isn't she? She's brilliant. Brilliant.

Brilliant. Shall we have a little dip into what our listeners have been saying? We have got a voice note here from a listener about you, Jo. Oh, God. There we go. Just wanted to let you know, I don't know if you've ever watched Only Connect. Don't know if it came up on the... Have you done quiz shows? I think you did one on quiz... Anyway.

Only Connect was on tonight and Joanna was one of the clues. Thought you might like to know. I've got it on my phone, right? Because I was watching Only Connect with Victoria Corrin Mitchell and I was sitting in the kitchen and then all of a sudden I heard Joanna Page and I was like oh my god, what's that? And then suddenly I got a text

message from Chris Gurnham, the director of Gavin and Stacey, saying oh my god I've just heard you on Only And then suddenly I got a text message from Chris Gurnham, the director of Gavin and Stacey, saying, oh my God, I've just heard you on Only Connect. And then I got a text message from Julia, who's the director of this thing I've done with Wynne on the sea. And she said, oh, I was just watching you. And then my mother said this to me, which I'm going to show you. Because I was really excited about it. I can't believe this.

Look at this, right? That is brilliant. I was so excited. That is really, really good. I was so excited. That is really, really good. I was so excited. My agent messaged me last week to say that I was a question on Tipping Point. Yeah. Which was, Natalie Cassidy plays Sonia in EastEnders.

What musical instrument is she famous for playing? But that's not as good as being on Only Connect. Oh, it's just as good. No, it's not. It is. No, that is really good. I think it's very exciting being on any quiz. You've come up trumps there.

I was very excited about that. I'm really, really proud of you. It's a very, very posh, brilliant quiz. I was very excited. You'll be on University Challenge next. Well, you never know. We might be an answer on University Challenge. Well, we've got another voice note for you, Nat,

from a parent whose child has watched a show that's not strictly age appropriate. OK. Let's have a listen. My son, many years ago, I let him watch I'm a Celeb, get me out of here. He would have been about eight years old, so not really appropriate. It was, I think, Joe Swash that done the song Olly, Olly, Olly, Tits and a Trolley.

Well, my young son memorised every single word of that song, went into school and sang it back proudly to his teacher. I then had a message regarding it in the communication book about inappropriate songs and watching them, letting them watch inappropriate things on TV. Not my finest hour. Look back at it now and find it very, very funny. But at the time, I was absolutely horrified. Oh, my God. Well, I have to say, Joe Swash and I both come from Islington, so I know the song off by heart as well, and it is

Olly, olly, olly, tits on the trolley, balls in the biscuit tin, sitting on your arse with... No, sitting on the grass with your fingers up your arse, playing with your ding-a-ling-a-ling. Oh, my God! I have fond memories of the song. Why is it a song from Islington? I don't know.

It's not. It isn't a song from Islington. Yeah. But I just remember singing that at Annasher, the drama school we used to go to when we were little. So, you know, it's only a bit of fun. It's not the end of the world, but can you imagine getting... I love the fact that the book that they come home with

is called The Communication Book. Yeah. Mortified. You'd be mortified, wouldn't you? You would be mortified, wouldn't you? You would be mortified. Well, you were talking about Victoria Cone Mitchell. Oh, yeah. Shall we get on to her hubby?

Yes. Well, metaphorically speaking, not literally. Oh, no, let's, no. As much as I like David Mitchell, no, I wouldn't do that. Yeah. Well, no, let's just stop there. We've got one of our lovely listeners who is absolutely loving Ludwig you have got to watch Ludwig if you haven't watched it it's absolutely amazing it's got David Mitchell in it um really oh well a couple

of times I couldn't sleep at night because I was trying to think how did that happen what's going to happen next it was so exciting. The series has just finished. It used to be on every Wednesday, but it's on iPlayer. You've got to watch it. Is it Ludwig or Ludwig? Or Ludwig or Lidvig? I've been saying Ludwig, Ludwig, Ludwig, Ludwig. When you think about it, right?

I thought it was Ludwig. Yeah. Because I thought it was like a German thing because of the composer. Yeah, but I've been saying Ludwig. I think it's Ludwig.? I thought it was Ludwig. Yeah. Because I thought it was like a German thing because of the composer. Yeah, but I've been saying Ludwig. I think it's Ludwig. Oh, maybe it's Ludwig. Ludwig. What do we think of it?

I think it's the new, cosy... Yes. Jonathan Creek-ish, lovely mystery. It is. Murder mystery. It's replaced my Midsomer Murders thing, right? Yeah. Because I was building three IKEA cupboards

for the kids' storage the other day, right? I was doing them all on my own. I had the two dogs with me. They were on the sofa. I was on the floor. I was building. Bo was just like pottering around. And I put it on and I just went

through a load of them. I've not got to the end end yet. I don't know how much you've seen of it. Yeah, I've only seen two. Right. I not got to the end end yet I don't know how much you've seen yeah I've only seen two right I think I've got to about I don't know five or six or something okay fine yeah and I was like oh my god this just like breezed by and I like it because I can potter and do something else while I'm listening and I do even though people are falling off you know blinking building sites and you know people are being stabbed and there's all sorts going on. I feel like I can sit there quite cosily and build some IKEA furniture and have a little glass of sherry while I'm doing it and enjoy myself and have some nibbles going.

Yeah, I think it's warm. It's really clever. I think people like watching clever people. That's how I feel. I like watching geniuses and it's a university challenge or you watch Sherlock Holmes. And I think to see him as he's puzzle solving and he's just so bright and the way he solves these mysteries and puzzles,

I thought number two, which I finished last night, is so clever that it was a spot the difference almost. Oh, my God, that one, right? I was sitting there and, you know, when Sophie Willard, she's in it as well. From Alma's Not Normal. Yeah, and she's brilliant, isn't she? But, you know, when she's sitting at the desk and he's saying,

can you go forward? Can you go back? Can you go forward? Can you go back? And then she says, oh, I've got better things to do with my time. You sit down and do it. You know, he's clicking can you go forward can you go back can you go forward can you go back and then she says oh I've got better things to do with my time you sit down and do it

you know he's clicking backwards and forwards all the time like that and he says something is different I rewound it right so many times and then kept pressing pause

and then play and then pause and then play I did it right for a good 10 minutes trying to spot what was wrong and then I came to the conclusion

there was blood on the carpet right blood on the rug but I don't think there was it's just that it sort of went into yeah but I was like there was blood on the carpet. Right. Blood on the rug. But I don't think there was. It's just that it sort of went into... Yeah. But I was like, there's blood on the rug. Because I searched.

I covered every single bit. Because I was like, I am going to solve this. But I just think that is so clever. Yes. To do it like a spot the difference. And then when he does the logic puzzle with the crosses. And, you know, there's a lot going on in it. Well, I like it.

So you've got that thread all the way through. You've got that whole thread, haven't you? Yeah. Of what's happened to his brother and the husband. Like, what's a lot going on in it. Well, I like it. So you've got that thread all the way through. You've got that whole thread, haven't you, of what's happened to his brother and the husband, like what's happened to him. And I'm holding on all the way through for that because I can't wait to find out what has gone on. And then, on top of that, you've got then the murder mystery to solve each week,

which is something different each week. And Anna Maxwell-Martin is just amazing. I love her. She's brilliant. I love her. She's incredible, isn't she? Yeah, I love her hair. I'm liking her costume and what she's wearing.

Yeah, she's very clever. And she'll say a line, but she'll say it in a way that you just would not have thought of playing it. I think she's an incredible actress. So do I. I love watching her. So do I. So do you think you're going to continue with Ludwig?

Definitely something that we'll put on. Mark loves it. Mm-hm. And I saw this week that it's definitely been commissioned for a series two. So, yeah, I mean, I think this is going to run and run and run. I think it will as well. It's been a very good week, TV-wise, hasn't it? Really, really good.

I wonder what we're going to do next week. I don't know. I've gone back to my old habits now of just watching stuff through the night, felt like shit the next morning I couldn't do it Jo I've got a bloody baby to look after I really couldn't do it Good luck to you

What are we going to do next week? Well I don't know yet, we'll have a think about it What have we got recommended? I don't know, let's see what Lucy says I've just finished watching Nobody Wants This on Netflix. You have to try it. I've binge-watched it in a day, basically. I never do that.

It's made me laugh out loud. It's brilliant. Really think you should both give it a watch. What was she doing? Cleaning her shoes or something? Doing the voice note. I think so. There was wrestling going on

yeah polishing something or yeah that I've heard lots of people recommending that what was it

nobody wants this yeah we'll have a little look we'll do that oh my god I've been doing my hun research Jane Macdonald

is a hun isn't she yes she is I used to live well stay well live for a period of time in Jane Macdonald's house in Wakefield.

Well, please hold the thought. I will hold my Jane Macdonald, yeah, huns. I was living in Jane Macdonald's house at one time. I've slept in her bed. So please, listeners, send us all of your voice notes, all your WhatsApps about your favourite huns, plus anything we've discussed on the pod or anything you'd like to say about the telly the number is 0 3 3 0 6 7 8 4 7 0 4 i cannot wait i'm starting to know what a blinking hun is now i'm so excited did you follow the instagram account yes i'm following them i've looked at videos of hands brilliant sonia is so a hun a Han. Sonia when I bride to my dress is Han Central.

It is a Han. You're my Han. You're my Han. And I'll see you next week. See you next week, Han. Bye, Han. 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, I'm India Axon and I just want to quickly talk to you about witches. In this series from BBC Radio 4, simply titled Witch, I'm going to explore the meaning of the word today. It is a twisting, turning rabbit warren of a world full of forgotten connections to land and to power, lost graves, stolen words and indelible marks on the world.

Because the story of the witch is actually the story of us all. Come and find out why on Witch with me, India Rackerson. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.