Off The Telly - What shall we watch? Comfort Telly

Episode Date: May 3, 2024

What are we watching? Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things telly.In this bonus episode they hear from listeners about their favourite comfort telly which includes Detectorists, Only Fools and Horses and a good old period drama. Plus we find out more from Joanna about her favourite Gavin & Stacey scene and Natalie reveals one of her favourite EastEnders characters.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.Get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to 03306 784704.Hosts: Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Richard Morris Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Unit Manager: Lucy Bannister Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.

Well hello and welcome to Off The Telly What Shall We Watch? This is so exciting It is This is our first extra episode where we spend a bit more time hearing from you lot at home and find out what you've been watching Yes So this is a little bonus Isn't it lovely? We can hear their voices spend a bit more time hearing from you lot at home and find out what you've been watching. Yes.

So this is a little bonus, isn't it lovely? We can hear their voices. They can tell us what they've been watching, what they love. We'll have loads more things to watch after this. Thank you so much for sending all these in. Yes. Absolutely brilliant. All of your voice notes, your messages, your favourite comfort telly.

Yeah, lovely comfort watching. There's nothing better than a comfort watch, is there? Something that you can just watch over and over and over. Isn't it funny that there are some things like that? Yeah. That you go, oh God, I've seen this a million times. Doesn't matter. Just put it on again and you just feel all happy and safe, don't you?

It's the safety, I think, and the nostalgia of it all. Absolutely love it. Right, let's hear some of them, shall we? Yes, come on, let's go for it. Hello, Natalie and Jo. Absolutely love your podcast. It's Claire from Stamford Bridge near York here. And I wanted to let you know about my two favourite comfort watches.

The first one is Dinner Ladies by the late, great Victoria Wood. Oh, yes. I could probably quote you a million lines from that one and the other one is detectorists which is toby jones and oh i can't remember the man's name very tall chap anyway he's fabulous and he writes it and it's absolutely brilliant so both of those for comfort watches so huddle yourself in on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy take care bye oh thank you so much Mackenzie Crook is who you are thinking of love the detectorists well do you know I'm going to have to watch it I'm Jessica I'm gonna have to sit down settle down get my glass of

sherry my jigsaw catch up with the dog get the fire on and sit down and watch it I think you should yeah I remember I was in drama school with Maxine Peake and Dinner Ladies was one of the first things she did, I think, after leaving drama school. Wow. I just remember being really excited, like, oh, my God, Max is on the telly, I can't believe it. What a thing to go straight into.

Yes. With Victoria Wood. God, can you imagine? I loved Victoria Wood. Me too. Wasn't she incredible? I loved her songs. Amazing.

What was the one? Hit me on the bottom with your woman's weekly. That's it. On the piano. She was so talented, wasn't she? I really used to love Acorn Antiques. Oh, my. Two soups.

Mrs. Overall. Amazing. Julie Walters. Like that. Oh, God. Oh, thank you so much, Claire. They are brilliant comfort watches really really good yeah it's lovely let's hear another one hello it's amy from doncaster just listened to the

latest episode absolutely loving it feels like i'm listening to two friends talking about tv currently um my comfort show is gavin and stacy obviously and ted lasso i just love to be keely and all her fantastic clothes um 100 recommend it if you want a quick and easy um comfort show but you don't have to be into football if you don't like it it is is still a great watch. Keep up the good work. Loving the pod. Oh, thank you, Amy. What a lovely message. Oh, thank you so much, Amy. That was really lovely.

Do you know I've never seen any of... Is it Ted Lasso? Ted Lasso. Never seen a minute of it. I'll tell you a story, though. What? I was once... I remember chatting to my agent years ago

and it coming up and I was sort of name-checked for Ted Lasso. Yes. But I couldn't do it, you know, work and what have you. But, yeah, I had a bit of an interest. Oh, is she around to be in an ep of Ted Lasso? But it never happened. I never know, right, whether or not to say Ted Lasso or Ted...

Naturally and instinctively, I want to say Ted Lasso. Like a lasso, like a cowboy. Yes, I know what you mean. But it's only one O. Well, it's lasso with two O's. Yeah. Are you sure? I don't think it is.

I think cowboy and western lasso is spelt exactly the same way. Really? Yeah. So in my mind, I don't think I've watched it, even though everybody raves about it and says it's just wonderful. Because in my mind, I think I've just got country and Western ideas. Yeah, it's just never appealed to me. But loads of people.

Hannah Waddingham's in it, isn't she? Isn't she just amazing? Maybe that's one we could have a little look at. Do you know what? We probably should, shouldn't we? Because Hannah Waddingham, I mean, she's just flipping incredible, isn't she? She's brilliant, isn't she? God, she's so good.

She was in the Marks and Spencer's advert at Christmas. flipping incredible, isn't she? She's brilliant, isn't she? God, she's so good. She was in the Marks and Spencer's advert at Christmas. She was, wasn't she? She's in sex education as well. She's been in some really good things. Really good things. And I loved her Hannah Waddingham and Friends at Christmas. She did a big sing song, didn't she? Extravaganza.

Yes. Oh, and thank you for saying that you like Gavin and Stacey. Do you know, right, it's... It is one of my comfort watches, Jo. Do you know, there's... is one of my comfort watches, Jo. Do you know, there's like, I've only ever seen it once. So like the first, well the first, actually all of the series,

I've only ever seen each episode once. I've never ever gone back and watched it again. And so it's only... Really? Yeah, so say I'm just like flicking through stuff, suddenly an episode will come up and I'll be like, oh my God, I completely forgot about that

because I've only ever seen each thing just once. I've never ever sat down and watched it all the way through. Christmas specials I've seen a few times now because the kids like watching them. I can understand it though because you were in it.

You don't... Yeah, you're not going to sit down. Do you watch your stuff? No, not really. We'd be pretty sad if we did that, wouldn't we? Yeah, keep repeating ourselves and watching ourselves on the telly.

What a pair. I've seen every episode of Gavin and Stacey at least 12 times. It is true when you put it like that. But it is comfort telly, it really is, Jo. It does, it makes me feel safe. Yeah. Gives me a good laugh when I need it. I saw a bit of the hen party when I was flicking through one night

and I'd completely forgotten about that. That has to be one of my most favourite ever days of filming. Really? Because they got a real-life stripper in. Have I ever told you this? No, go on. They got a real-life stripper in for Stacey's hen party. We were all dressed up as schoolgirls for starters,

so there was, like, mild hysteria going on. Yeah. And then they got this fella in and his stripper name was toy boy and he had this black leather although i don't think it was i think it was pleather thong on with in little crystals the um letters tb for toy boy and then i just remember um chris gurn and the director saying right let's just do a mark out like a walkthrough of what you think you know what you would normally do you know if this was a girl's like hen do so he said okay so I always remember he put on Tom

Jones's sex bomb he turned around and jumped and leapt in the air and just landed on my lap and started like humping my lap I was in utter hysteria at this point right and then he stood in front of me and he whipped his trousers off and I just remember there was like this black thorn so close because I was sitting down to my face. And then in one move, he went and the whole shebang came off. The whole lot came off. I was enjoying myself. I couldn't stop laughing, but I was in shock. And then they went, cut.

And I remember thinking there's something wrong. There's something wrong. I don't know what it is, but there's something wrong. There's something wrong. I don't know what it is, but there's something wrong. What do you mean, something wrong? Well, then he said, I've got to go off to the toilets to get myself ready again. I was going to say, this was only a walkthrough. The really professional producer, Lindsay,

came right up to me before they shouted action. She whispered in my ear ear he's got an elastic band wrapped around it and then ran off and then went action so I was just waiting just thinking an elastic band an elastic band then I got to the bit and he whipped it off and he had he had an elastic so he'd gone off to the toilet to get himself pumped up and then he tied an elastic band around it and all I could remember seeing was just the elastic band. And then that was it. Then it was gone.

I was quite shocked. I was like, Jesus Christ, there's an elastic band. So that's what they get up to then? That's what they apparently do. Tie a knot in it? Tie a knot in it. Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree. Yeah. Oh, my goodness me.

Well, you never thought the bonus episode would contain this much material. There you go. So when you've got... Keep listening. Your comfort telly and your thoughts of safety and security. That's what I'll think about. You think of licking an elastic band. Let's hear another one.

Hi, Jo and Nat. Absolutely love the pod. Keep it coming. Love the recommendations and the voice notes especially. Sending you a quick one on Comfort TV. For me, it has to be Only Fools and Horses. It just feels like a massive hug when I'm watching it and reminds me of being a kid when my mum used to go to work

and my sister and I were at home with my dad on the sofa watching it and reminds me of being a kid when my mum used to go to work and my sister and I were at home with my dad on the sofa watching it and just having a proper giggle so it's not always it's not aged well necessarily in some parts but that aside just kind of taking it with the spirit that it was made in I absolutely love it and couldn't recommend it highly enough keep it coming ladies loving the pod oh Oh, thank you. Thank you. Do you remember the episode where they took Rodney to Spain and he had to go as a child?

Stop it. With the roller skates. Del's on the balcony and he comes in with a skateboard. He comes in with a board, doesn't he? Yes, just completely deadpan. Deadpan. He says, I can't remember what he says, but he goes, well, you were second when I saw you.

I came last or something. And Dale says, you were second when I saw you. He says, I fell off. Oh, my God. I love it. I mean, I know what she's saying about it not ageing well, but do you know what? Like you say, in the spirit, it was made when it was made.

Yeah. For me, there's nothing better. Yeah, just so many classic episodes. Isn't that incredible to be in something where you can just pick out episode after episode after episode, just classic moments. Yeah, absolutely brilliant. When the music comes on, the title is right,

it reminds me of sitting with my mum and dad. Yeah, and trying to remember all of the words to the title song. Yeah. We went to the musical, have you seen the musical? No, is it good? It was really good. Was it? Yeah, really good. Did they manage went to the musical. Have you seen the musical? No, is it good? It was really good. Was it? Yeah, really good.

Did they manage to capture the characters in the whole? What's the music like? It's really good. God. My kids love the music. We put it on, you know, at home all the time

and they sing it, they love it. Isn't it funny that they weren't going to have Dave Adjacent, that they originally wanted that other fella who ended up being in it.

So he played Slater. Yes, and he's much bigger. I can't imagine him. Can you as Doughboy? No. He's a great actor, isn't he? He is good, isn't he? What's his bloody name?

Jim Broadbent. Is it Jim Broadbent? No, it's not Jim Broadbent. Is it Jim Broadbent? It is Jim Broadbent. It's Jim Broadbent, yeah. No way. It is Slater.

Oh my God, I didn't know it was Jim Broadbent. Jim Broadbent. It's Jim Broadbent, yeah. No way. It is. Slater. Oh, my God, I didn't know it was Jim Broadbent. Jim Broadbent. Good God. Amazing. Wow. Yeah. Thank you so much for that message. It was lovely, but we didn't catch your name,

so please leave your name so we can thank you. Shall we have another one? Yes. Yeah. Hi, Jo and Natalie. Heard your plea about what your comfort shows are. And for me, it's period dramas. So there's an old series, Anna's Green Gables from the 80s,

that I will re-watch again and again. Love Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. Obviously that's brilliant. And now I love Going Back to Downton Abbey. So any of those three are good for any kind of period drama. Just find it really easy to watch. You know what's going to happen. It's great.

Easy to watch. Yeah, Mrs Elizabeth. Bye. Oh, love your show, by the way. Love your podcast. Oh, thank you so much. Thank you. I used to watch Anne of Green Gables in the 80s as well.

Did you? I didn't. Oh, God, I loved it. I thought she was just fantastic. You know, I put the TV on at a weekend and Anne of Green Gables would always be on. And I loved it. And do you think that was then?

Because I was born in 83. Oh, right. Well, I was born in 77, so it must have been, God knows, midway through the 80s. And it was all about Anne and she was just feisty and she was just... I was thinking, because they've remade it now

and they've got a modern version, but I was thinking about putting on the old version for my children now, for my daughter. Oh, really? Yeah. Although I think she might have passed that now. Well, you've done period dramas, haven't you? Yes.

Well, that's how I first met James. We did David Copperfield together. And he didn't think I was Welsh because I played Dora Spenlow, who marries David. And, oh, I had this gorgeous dog called Chip in it and it was a little pug and I remember it nearly took my finger off once and they gave me a bit of sausage to hold in my hand the little thing it just came in like that

and it was hilarious because I just remember there was a bit where David and Dora had to sit on the sofa together and he's like professing his love for her and and then we were supposed to kiss and this pug was sitting on my lap and all you could hear was it's breathing just like and it just sounded like this dirty old man behind the sofa or something like we've got to get rid of the dog but yeah it was just and then James when he first met me um just didn't expect me to be Welsh he thought I was going to be English. Yeah. And he said he

didn't think that he had a chance, a hope in hell with me because I'm too posh and then he met me and I was really Welsh and he thought she's the same as me. I have got a hope. She's a bit of a goer. So am I. She's a bit of a rough from Swansea. I think we'll be fine there.

Do you know I've never seen Downton Abbey? Neither have I. Haven't you? Not an episode. No, haven't at all. Just haven't. Just missed it. But thank you, Elizabeth, very much.

Do we have any more voice notes? Oh, yeah. Oh, come on then. Hello, ladies. I am leaving you a message about your request for comfort watches. And I think for me, it's got to be anything Christmassy. Any Christmas episodes of anything, like just any TV that's got a Christmas episode,

just anything Christmassy for me. Even if I've watched it a million times, I know exactly what's happening what's gonna happen it's just that's quite nice that's comforting to know that it's not something new that i've got to concentrate on um and i've got to think about it's just something um that is chewing gum for the eyes but it's got sparkly twinkly bits in it thank you so much what a lovely lovely, lovely message. Yeah.

But I'd say I'm very much the same. Anything Christmassy. Put it on the telly. I love it. Yeah, but you'll watch... Nigella on a barge in Amsterdam at Christmas time. Do you think that lady means that she's like you in terms of she wants to watch anything Christmassy at any time of the year?

I don't know because I was thinking that as I was listening. I was thinking, is she the same and it's anything Christmassy all the time? I think she is. Because I am there. But if not, if it's at Christmastime, anything... No, I think it's got to be anything Christmassy. I think me and her are a kindred spirit.

I do, and I think it is all year round. Yeah. Take me to Jamie's home. His, like, Georgian-looking manor at Christmastime. I'll watch it in August. No, I won't. We are so... So different different i love it so much and you see what jewels is wearing no i want to do that i want to do that in december mary berry show me the trifle and your kitchen at the same time

and your aga show me it in blink in july and i want to see that. I want to see it in end of October, earliest. I want to see it and I want to see it a lot. And I want it on repeat from October to December the 26th. And then I'm over. More on that when we get on to Christmas and what's going on. Have you ever seen the children's show? And it must have been on the BBC, I think. The Box of Delights.

No. Box of delights no box of delights if any of you listeners out there have watched box of delights please let me know that is my comfort tally i have to say something to you yes all these that program you've just shown me the front of that yeah no wonder you like all these true crimes and thrillers that's what you've been brought up on. It looks really scary. Yeah. I want to watch that on my own of an evening. Oh, brilliant. Shall we have another voice note? Yes.

Hi, ladies. So, actually, one of my favourite things for comfort, watching television, is actually going back in time, watching classic EastEnders or classic Emmerdale. And I'm not just saying that because of Natalie, it is actually what I tend to watch, because it reminds me of a time when I was sat at my grandma's with a cup of tea or a cup of Horlicks or something.

And as soon as, like, the end music comes on, I know that I've got 20 minutes and it's bedtime or something. So thank you from rachel shuttleworth in yorkshire oh oh rachel what a lovely message did rachel send us a voice note last week about baby reindeer maybe yeah rachel if you did let us know it definitely we had a rachel last week it's lovely to get a regular voice noter to let us know but i know what she means but even for me rachel you know when if that comes on it's a different color the thames and everything it's a light light blue with a gray so the tonally it's changed but whenever i see that

and the music's slightly different it takes me straight back to being ten again. Oh, my God, yes. And I watch it and go, oh, look at all the people. And I just remember my times on the square and working with these people. Things I've forgotten, you know. God. Because we're 40 next Feb. Wow.

Yeah. I mean, 40 years. Yeah, it's 40. It's 40 next year, so. Wow. And there's something about thinking about your nans i remember going up to my nans house you know yeah and that's the snooker being on yes so whenever i was the snooker wasn't it whenever i hear the yeah that really reminds me of my

childhood yeah snooker do you have a favorite episode of EastEnders? A favourite ep? Yeah. A favourite ep or a favourite storyline or a favourite person that you worked with? Oh, June Brown was my favourite. Dot Cotton. Favourite episode that I've been in would be the two-handed episode that me and her did that was just us. Yeah.

So that was amazing. And I learnt so much from her. She was brilliant. Just fantastic. So that's it from us and our first extra episode of Off the Telly, What Shall We Watch? We've got another call out for you. Will you please send us in some voice notes about what your guilty watches are?

All of your guilty pleasure watches. There's no judgment here. We love hearing your voices voices so please do keep sending them in and let us know what you love to sit down and watch when you just want to have a cutch. Oh lovely guilty pleasure or something you like to watch on your own for various reasons.

Yes. Thanks again for listening and we'll be back next Wednesday with our usual episode on BBC Sounds. See you soon. 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. your health and life. So which will you try? Maybe playing a musical instrument

to boost your brain power, or a spoonful of olive oil to help your heart. How about doing some volunteering to improve your immune system? So to benefit your brain and body in ways you might not expect, here's just one thing you can do right now. Subscribe to the podcast on BBC Sounds.