Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe - S11 Ep34 A Buffer Free Life

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

More misadventures in parenting, life, and beyond with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe... Small Business Shout outs: - Arden Forest Honey - The Orienteering Company If you want to get in t...ouch with the show with any correspondence, kids intro audio clips, small business shout outs, and more.... here's how: EMAIL: Hello@lockdownparenting.co.uk Follow us on instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@parentinghell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Parenting Hell is a Spotify Podcast, available everywhere every Tuesday and Friday. Please subscribe and leave a rating and review you filthy street dogs... xx A 'Keep It Light Media' Production  Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: hello@keepitlightmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:02 Hello, I'm Rob Beckett. And I'm Josh Whitickham. Welcome to Parent in Hell, the show in which Josh and I discuss what it's really like to be a parent, which I would say can be a little tricky. So, to make ourselves and hopefully you, feel better about the trials and tribulations of modern-day parenting, each week you'll be chatting to a famous parent about how they're coping. Or hopefully how they're not coping. And we'll also be hearing from you, the listener, with your tips, advice, and of course, tales of parenting wo.
Starting point is 00:00:28 Because let's be honest, there are plenty of times where none of us know what we're doing. Hello, you're listening to Parent in Hell with Cates, can you say Rob Beckett? Rob Beckett. Can you say Josh Whitaker? Josh Whitaker. Good job. Anything else?
Starting point is 00:00:51 No. Nice. No. What did he say no to? Anything else? I'd say the best names we've had for both of us in a long time, that. Yeah, I thought it was very strong, actually. Eight out of ten.
Starting point is 00:01:02 And I also thought, pound for pound, I think the bath might be the might be the most popular location for the intro. You're killing time. You're killing time and they're stuck. And they can't get away from you. They can't get away from you. They're trying to delay bedtime. They're trying to delay bedtime.
Starting point is 00:01:19 They don't freak out that much in the bath compared to say the car, maybe. What do you mean? Well, like, they're often calm in the bath. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, it's calm down time. Yeah. But me and Lou are a bit over the top. So sometimes we're all like, calming them down for bedtime.
Starting point is 00:01:36 and me or Lou will do something mental and one of us will go, why are we doing that? We're making it worse. Well, that's life. We're egging them on. We're egging them on. How are you, Josh? Well, shall I read the email?
Starting point is 00:01:45 Oh, yeah. Shall I read the fucking email? Sorry. Hello, Rob, Josh, sexy Michael. This is my three-year-old C-C-C-Sacelia, saying your names. C-C is a good name. I think you need to be Cecilia and call her C-C.
Starting point is 00:02:00 If you're just going for C-C-C-off, you sound like an 80s popster. Yeah, C-E-C-C-Peniston you're thinking of is the pop star. You can't put that in the passport, can you? What was the song that C.C. Peniston did? One for Michael and the team. Obviously, she's in the bath, because it's basically the only time she sits still. What we were just saying, we should just read the fucking email. What a waste of all of our times? And Michael's just come back to you with the information. Oh, what was it? Isn't it finally?
Starting point is 00:02:24 Finally, yeah, it is finally. I don't know what this song is. I forget you guys are older than me. Finally, it has happened to me. Oh, yeah, of you know that. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Sorry, apologies. Retract. Retract. I think it must be buried. in your head. Finally. Yeah, definitely. You must have known the name C.C. Peniston was an 80s pop star.
Starting point is 00:02:43 I was thinking Cici's Peniston and then you said CC sounds like an 80s pop star. Yes. That does feel like there's something going on. Maybe. Maybe I'm a witch. Maybe I knew her in my head.
Starting point is 00:02:56 I've never heard that name out now before. You did it with the, what's in there, Andy Goldstein as well, didn't you? Yes, I did do that. What's going on? I don't know. What's happening? You've reached 11.
Starting point is 00:03:06 of time that's where you can communicate using your mind. I'm so tired of speaking. I'm trialing telecommunicate. Not telecommunications. What's it called? Teleconetic. I don't know. I don't know. But we know what you're talking about. I never know what I need to say if I have to think about it. If I don't think, I'll say the right thing.
Starting point is 00:03:24 Exactly. I said Cecee. When I think of Cecee, I think of the blonde woman from first dates, the hostess, waitress. I think she's called Cece. I don't know. The French bloke. And the woman with the red hair. Oh, what's her name? I'm a celebrity once and she was like an 80s star
Starting point is 00:03:41 but I forget what she's called. She was like, Rocco, something? Oh, who worked with Kenny Everett. Yeah, what's her name? Cleo Rochus. Cleo Rochus! Yes, yeah, I thought of her, weirdly. That was in my head.
Starting point is 00:03:54 Anyway, so great to have all the 17, 18-year-olds listening to this show. Too right. I really enjoyed all these references. Are we skewing younger, guys? Oh, you sick, fuck. Oh, that's a show. Skewing Younger sounds perverted.
Starting point is 00:04:07 They're obsessed with it in TV. Not as much they were in the 70s. Am I right? I've been listening to your podcast since she was born. It got me through numerous buggy walks in the dark and rain trying to get her to sleep. Those were the days. Thanks so much for all you do. Listening to the constant panic from Josh Watt really makes me appreciate my constant need from buffer at all times.
Starting point is 00:04:27 That seems a shame. You'll be coming the buffer, the porridge butter boy. I buffered today. I buffered. Again. you don't like buffer. You tried to eat into your buffer. I tried to give myself some buffer on the other side.
Starting point is 00:04:39 Right. Okay, so you were trying to pre-proof the buffer? Because otherwise we're getting dangerously close to school pickup time. Well, what time do you need to leave the house for school pickup time? 3.40. Are you aware? Now, this isn't a dig because I'm a quite relaxed guy. This session...
Starting point is 00:04:56 Are you saying I'm quite a relaxed guy doesn't make you a relaxed guy? Yeah, yeah, but this session... Could I just finish this email that we can get into it? No, no, no, no, no, because this is important. This is important. Otherwise, this is really important, Josh. You're trying to create buffer the other side. This is booked in from 1pm to 4pm.
Starting point is 00:05:10 I know, and I'm happy not to do school pickup, but now I've been given the opportunity. Well, yeah, by creating that buffer. But I'm just saying, but then you haven't really, you've got to leave at 340. So the buffer now, this finishes officially at 3.45. We've never done the 3 hours. That's because you normally speak really fast and run away. Michael? No comment.
Starting point is 00:05:33 Anyway, good. Big Love from St. Neots. It can't be pronounced. Cambridge. Yeah, is that how you pronounce it? Cambs, Cams. And you just write Cambs. C-A-M-B-S.
Starting point is 00:05:41 I was born just down the road in Blackheath. Oh. Becky and Toby and C-C. She's 40 months. 40 months? No idea. Three. Four or three?
Starting point is 00:05:51 A lot. Three in a bit. Yeah, no, we should be done in time to do school run. Oh, that'd be fine. So you're creating a second buffer? Well, how would you have played this, Rob? You're dealt my hand? Well, first of all, you wouldn't have.
Starting point is 00:06:03 to exit her. No, no, no, no. Where did you wake up this? Where were you last night? Where did you wake up this night? I don't want to kiss and tell wrong. You just like to wank and moan. Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:15 Last night, I did a gig in Liverpool. Oh, blimey. Where was you? The Philharmonic. It's nice there, isn't it? It is lovely. You go in there and you think this might not be a good room for comedy. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:26 Because it's so big. Yeah. Like tall. But then it is. Yes, great. Good crowd in Liverpool. Great anecdote. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:42 Don't worry about putting anything funny or interested in that anecdote. Just leave it as ears. Just go fact-based. Behind the cloak. Behind the cloak. Oh, listen to that Robin Josh podcast. It's a really good insights. Apparently the film on it, it's quite big and it's fine to do comedy.
Starting point is 00:06:57 It's only been a comedy venue for 20 years. You know, it's not like you doing a gig at Cheddar Gorge. Just a slightly bigger room. So you woke up in Liverpool. No, you didn't wake up in Liverpool. He gig in Liverpool. No, it's an 8pm. Rob,
Starting point is 00:07:10 annoyingly. Yeah, 8pm's too late, isn't it? Well, they were doing a classical concert in the afternoon.
Starting point is 00:07:15 They were doing them. They had no buffer. Oh, straight into Josh. They'd had to move me half an hour late because they had no buffer. Yeah. I told them.
Starting point is 00:07:22 Look, I live a buffer free life here. You were an advocate for the buffer free. Do you know what would be really fun? We should go on to promote this podcast. Go on Good Morning Britain
Starting point is 00:07:32 and have a debate. You know, when they do it when someone comes on and says like, oh, they love this, I hate that. You hate buffer. I love buffer.
Starting point is 00:07:39 I mean, to be fair, I'm not exactly swimming in buffer. I'm way for thin on buffer. I'm trying to put in more buffer. So if anything, we're kind of meeting in the middle. Do you know what? Quick handshake and they're just telling them about the podcast. No debate needing. I always think that's so tired.
Starting point is 00:07:51 It must be so tiring to hire two people to have opposing views on a breakfast TV show and then just listen to them. And most of the time, they haven't got opposing views. They just want to be on TV. Yeah, exactly. They have to pretend. I had quite a good thing on. It doesn't matter.
Starting point is 00:08:06 Right. It does. If it's coming to your head, it matters. Okay. Allow yourself to express yourself. I was reading a thing about American sport. Yes. Here you go.
Starting point is 00:08:14 You're on board. Yeah, yeah, definitely. And it was something that they'd done. So, you know, like, if a transfer fee, if two people are negotiating on something, right? Yeah, yeah. And then someone gets brought in and they have to go, it's this, that's the middle ground.
Starting point is 00:08:30 Yeah? Yeah. They used to do this thing in American sport. I don't know which one, because I wasn't that interested, where you'd go for the, discussion, both teams, and then you'd both name your price, right? But to stop people going for just a negotiating place, they wouldn't then pick one, a price in the middle. They would pick
Starting point is 00:08:52 the person's price that they felt was most realistic. Oh. It's clever that, isn't it? So it drags you to actually be towards the middle yourself, because you need to be the closest to it, while also in your own favour. Cut the crap, basically. Cut the crap. And what we agree, on is enough buffer, not too much. Enough buffer, not too much. If we both sat down on, good morning, Britain, and we both go, life's difficult, so you're not going to have loads of buffer.
Starting point is 00:09:18 Because sometimes you want buffer, but you just can't create time. You can't create time. Plan for buffer, but except sometimes there won't be buffer. So I went to the Radisson in Birmingham. So you drove from Liverpool last night to Birmingham. The Radisson is attached to the station, or not attached, but more or less next to the station.
Starting point is 00:09:34 Yeah, respect. Absolute home game for me. I've been there two Sundays in a row. Well, this is so weird. I've been at the Leicester Marriott on the M1 two nights in a row. Have you? Two weeks in a row. And I tell you, waking up at the Leicester Marriott on the M1, two weeks in a row on a Monday morning, is fucking depressing.
Starting point is 00:09:50 Yeah. It's really, really depressing. No offense. Lovely hotel. It's great, but just being driven from the north to Leicester on a Sunday. Where were you? I was in Hull. Oh, my word.
Starting point is 00:10:02 Lovely gig, lovely place, just four and a half hours from my house. Fine. So then. I did the 9-12 train, got in at 1144. And we're recording at 1 o'clock. Lovely buffer. What time did you leave your hotel? About 10 to 9.
Starting point is 00:10:21 Buffer, buffer, buffer. I tell you, when I do buffer, Rob, I give myself a lot of buffer for trains or anything. I don't want to get caught in A. If there's a problem, because I've left my toothbrush back in my room and have to go and get it, then I'm not that guy. No, because Ivo Graham has zero buffer for trains. Yeah. I'm not that guy.
Starting point is 00:10:38 I can't be that guy. You'd love to be that guy. I want to be on the platform 10 minutes before the train. I think your lack of buffer is not like I'm a pretty cool guy and I'm like really relaxed and I'll just make it on time. No. Sorry to deliver this news. I feel like your lack of buffer is that you're trying to do too much in a time period
Starting point is 00:10:57 to please everyone else. Sometimes not even yourself. You're a very unselfish guy. So then that can lead to the buffer problem. But you want to turn around in a week. Or is it my desperation to be like in itself desperately selfish? Yeah, I mean, if you're looking at that way, it's really horrible. That's the worst of both.
Starting point is 00:11:14 You're not even selfish getting your own way. You're selfish in a horrible, shallow little rabbit person, but also bend it over to get rogered up the ass every second of every day. Come on, Josh. That's a buffer free life for you. Stand up straight and pull your trousers up and buffer. Do you want some parenting news? I'd quite like to see my children at some point as well.
Starting point is 00:11:35 Yeah, go on give me some because I've not got much. Hamster's still in the freezer? No, that's tipped. That's too long, isn't it? That's too long. So how long that's a week now? So it's a week. But, you know.
Starting point is 00:11:48 You can have to start defrosting it for the party food. I'm probably going to do it after this. I've got my spade. You've got a school run as well, though. So you've got to do it after the school run in the dark? Yeah, I can't do it without the kids. What, dig the hole? Burry the hamster.
Starting point is 00:12:03 Yeah, but I think you could dig the hole and prepare it. Yeah, yeah. I'm not going to have time for that. No, no, fair enough. Just buffer for it. That's too much. That's not enough buffer. Michael,
Starting point is 00:12:12 we might have to get rid of an episode this week because Josh needs more buffer. Yeah. Okay. Well, yeah, so I think if you do it today, that's okay.
Starting point is 00:12:18 I can understand you've got busy. Maybe we should just occasionally do one episode and then we'll put something out that says, use this hour for buffer guys. And it's just an hour of all. But also please listen through it all as well, so we get the download. Yes, we'll have to leave the ads in.
Starting point is 00:12:31 Yes. The buffer hour. The buffer hour. Yeah, the buffer hour. We'll just put out total silence. But every 20 minutes, it'll still go to the ads. Because contractually, we've got to do that. But yeah, as much as we'd rather not, but that's life.
Starting point is 00:12:49 Like I say, Buffer's never perfect. What do you think of that idea, Michael? Would we get in legal trouble? It's quite avant-garde, isn't it? I think that could be quite cool. It might really make a stand in the industry. What do you think, Michael? I think technically we're probably okay from a legal standpoint.
Starting point is 00:13:04 We could call it the rest is buffer. Why don't we do that and just release an hour of silence every week and see what happened? Did you know? that when he was, this would be in the 70s, between the Beatles and death, during John Lennon's solo career. Oh, God. A horrible way to call that period. He put out a record and it got mispressed with silence.
Starting point is 00:13:27 Oh, right. And sent to the reviewers. A reviewer gave it an amazing review saying that, what a statement this is. No. Yeah. That could be us. That could be us. As long as we just don't get murdered.
Starting point is 00:13:40 These guys are saying, isn't podcast? Nothing. Isn't there enough chat? It's time to buffer. Exactly. Not all the time, just a one-off. Exactly. A little quick buffer.
Starting point is 00:13:52 Or when we're busy. I think it's a good time actually, from an artistic point of view, to get everyone to buffer because rob Mr. train and there's no episode. Sorry, God, what's your parents? So you've got to bury the hamster. Went to a birthday. Oh, nice. Okay.
Starting point is 00:14:09 Is it a new school friend? It's my son's friend. Well, you know, classmate. Exeter friend. Exeter friend. We've been to quite a few now. Have you got adult friends yet? Well, we've already got adult friends here.
Starting point is 00:14:22 I just shared a taxi with one of them actually. Oh, who's that? A man called Will. How do you know Will? We just do from before. He's comedian. Will Adamsdale. Edinburgh, you wouldn't really have crossed over with him before our time.
Starting point is 00:14:36 Oh, okay. A bit more alternative kind of guy. He works a lot with Tom Parry, who you know very well. Oh, I know. I've seen him. Yeah. Did he do a character? I think so.
Starting point is 00:14:45 So you shed the caps, so he's your friend, is he? Yeah, he was at the taxi, and then there's Mike Wozniak. He's a 51. He is 51. You're hanging out of older men down there. Do you know what? I don't think I've made friends with anyone younger than me yet. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:14:59 Have I? I don't know. It's weird, isn't it? How old are your friends? I've got a couple of 50s knocking around. Have you got anyone in their 20s? A friend. A friend.
Starting point is 00:15:12 Not really. There's a couple of guys who've been chatting to online. I think Maisie Adam was in her 20s at one point. I've not socialised at all this year because it's been so ridiculous. It depends what a friend is, doesn't it? Like, I'd say 98% of my friendships are done via WhatsApp. Do you know what? I've got a few pals in their 20s that I may message with,
Starting point is 00:15:34 but actually meeting out with a friend. But I'm not meeting up with many friends at the moment. But anyway, so you've got adult friends down there. Have you got any adult friends not from before? not people that you know that move to X-Tor, that they're your friends in. We had a couple tea with a couple who my daughter was playing with, and I'd say we're friends with them. That's nice.
Starting point is 00:15:54 Okay. Are you in messaging? Yep. About art classes and stuff. No spin-off. Because that's the key, the spin-off from the child. I don't want spin-off even with my actual friends. You just don't want to talk to all your friends about your daughters?
Starting point is 00:16:07 No. No. I just don't want to, like... Talk to anyone. I don't want to be invited to dinner. No, okay. By people I like, let alone people I don't. No, very well.
Starting point is 00:16:18 Why don't you want to go for dinner? Because I'm out too much. When I'm not working, I want to be in. Yeah, fair enough. Do you know what I mean? Well, I think we're at very same stages of our jobs at the moment where it's feast or famine where you're away all the time or at home all the time. And I'm in the middle of like, I'm basically away for like 12 days in 14 days.
Starting point is 00:16:37 I'm away overnight over the next two weeks. And it finishes, I'm at home from next Saturday. Yeah. But it's so intense. So yeah, like I say, as soon as I get home, the last thing I want to do is go down the pub or go. Because I'm having to eat out in restaurants or eat out in cafes all the time when I'm just kicking around hole.
Starting point is 00:16:53 So I've got no interest. You know when someone's going? We should go for a drink. At the moment, no. You're a great guy, but I'm not looking for someone at the moment. No. You're happily single. Even the people I've got, I'm not looking for them.
Starting point is 00:17:04 Fair enough. How's your friendship game going? Week, really weak, I'd say. Don't see them at all really. Get quite lonely, actually. I've actually, Lloyd's been coming on tour with me. Lloyd Griffith. Yeah, so he come and do the gigs.
Starting point is 00:17:16 It's been great fun. Like Jimmy Five Bellies with Gaza, just like a kind of hired friend. No, he's doing a slot. Oh, right, he's doing the support slot. Oh, that makes sense. But he's not doing the support. I'll go out first. And he's basically, I'm still doing my whole show,
Starting point is 00:17:28 but he's coming out and doing a little surprise guest slot. Yeah. Which is not much of a surprise now for the people of Bristol next week. When does this go out? But no, he's doing a Lester and a couple of gigs in Bristol. He's not doing all the tour. It's just over these couple of weeks. Well, yeah.
Starting point is 00:17:43 Yeah, so I'm looking to basically get my friendship game up. You can't just pay Lloyd to be your friend forever. I can't just answer someone. Oh, our kids get on at the school. You busy this week. Do you fancy coming to Bristol for a couple of hundred quid maybe to... You don't even have to do the gig. No.
Starting point is 00:17:59 If you could stay round and near me. But then when I get bored of you, go to your room. You'll be able to pick up the vibes. You get a vibe. Yeah, it's very clear. Yeah, if I go and sit in a dressing room and lay down my coat on and shut my eyes, probably go. If I whip my laptop out and put the football on, kick back and chill.
Starting point is 00:18:17 Yeah. That's the kind of guy. But if I whip my laptop out and put something else on, get out fast. Yeah, yeah. It's like, oh, we're on the road. What goes on tour stays on tour. I read an article by someone that said you don't have many proper friends when you're a man in his foot. I disagree.
Starting point is 00:18:35 I agree. I disagree. You're either working or with the kids and your family. And then you like you say, you think, I can't be bothered. Because dads have no mates. I've got loads of mates. They're dying embers. They're all WhatsApp. Give it another 10 years, you won't see anyone. This is a problem. So I need to engage your friends again.
Starting point is 00:18:54 I think we are in an age when people stay in touch more than they ever did before. Yeah, but you're not actually with them. And it's sort of... I don't want to be with them. This is perfect. No, you don't. Human connection with no human connection. Yeah, but we don't in this moment right now, because we're out every night with a thousand, two thousand people in front of us going, love me, love me, listen to me, listen to me. Yeah, and I'm going, guys, chill out. Strange heckle.
Starting point is 00:19:20 So when you're not working so much, and especially in our job, imagine if you did a job where you worked on your own all day, right? Yeah. And didn't see anyone. Yeah. You'd be really lonely. And I think there's a lot lonely people out there, Josh. And I think men of a certain age should try to see their friends more.
Starting point is 00:19:35 Okay. I do. When I was a kid, like, my dad had no mate. No, dads don't have mates, do they? Not like moms. I think I've got more mates than the generation of dads above me because I will see a clip of Wayne Linneker and I'll think of six different people to send it to.
Starting point is 00:19:52 Oh, that's good. Is that friendship? Well, exactly. I mean, is that real friendship? That's not a deep connection with someone where you're hanging out and chatting. It's a bit of fun. It's a bit, oh, love me, I'm Josh. I'm the funny one in this group.
Starting point is 00:20:05 I hope you all like this video. You know, that's coming out again. Yeah, yeah. All right, yeah, fine. when did being liked to become such a fucking crime I'm the same Josh I know
Starting point is 00:20:20 I'm the same what do you think were comedians desperate I know I'm just instinct of it thirsty sad little nutcases oh did they like it did that joke go okay
Starting point is 00:20:29 did they laugh enough awful fucking losers anyway can't change who we are no so I went to a birthday pie that was a bit of a detail
Starting point is 00:20:42 isn't it yes who turned up who turned up who turned up at the birthday party. Right, okay, let me guess. You're never going to guess. Are we playing a game or not? Okay. Elsa. Not far off. Spider-Man.
Starting point is 00:20:55 Moana. Close. Rapunzel. No. Mowri. Who? You know, the rock from, is it called Maori? He's not called Maori. What's he called? Maui. Oh, come on. That's got it.
Starting point is 00:21:08 Maori is his race. Oh, at least I got that right, didn't I? Yeah, he did. Thank God. Fucking minefield, that, isn't it? Anyway, there's a bloke in exeter, Rob, who just goes around, I didn't know this. Well, I'll show you. He just goes around.
Starting point is 00:21:26 He's not like an entertainer. He just drives around like this. What's the name of our group? You're going to send it to me on WhatsApp? Yeah, I will send it to you on WhatsApp because I'm your friend. The name of the group is called Lockdown Dad's Pod still. Yeah, it is. Oh, this is depressing as well.
Starting point is 00:21:40 I'm getting driven from Manchester to a Leicester industrial estate for two. You need to stop staying on these industrial estate? The industrial estate is in town. Just stay in town. No, that's no one's fault but your own. Listen, listen, I'm coming from Manchester because I'm filming up there, and then I've got a gig in Wednesday, on Wednesday in Lester. I've got to be out there until at 12.
Starting point is 00:21:57 So the only thing to do is go to the industrial estate before the gig. No, it's not. It is. What do I do? Book a hotel room the next night and just stay in the hotel. I'm leaving Lester to go to Bristol straight after. So there's no hotel. How much are you going to spend on the industrial estate?
Starting point is 00:22:13 What, Nando's in cinema. I can't go in front of them travel, them spunk-covered salesman fucking wank pits. I can't do it. I can't do it anymore, Josh. I can't go in there at the own. It's mental. I mean, in so many hotels. Why have you chosen industrial estate over the centre of Lester?
Starting point is 00:22:36 Easy parking. Less people. Easy parking. Rob, your life is better than easy parking. It's not. It's not, Josh. It's... How is easy parking
Starting point is 00:22:48 coming into this? I've got a suggestion. How nice is the car you get driven around in? It's quite a nice car. Is it one where the seats are facing each other? One of those? No, it's not a bit of a saloon car, like, but nice one. You just go for a nice lunch?
Starting point is 00:23:03 I'm not paying the man to sit there where I sit behind him for four hours. What do you mean? Well, you suggested that we'd arrive in Lester. We park an industrial estate, and he just sits in the car or I sit behind him. No, he can go and do what he wants. He's not going to have the...
Starting point is 00:23:15 problem with getting recognised like you. Oh, that's what I say. Driving to Industrial Estate, you go and watch a film and I sit in your car. For now, I'm driving him. You're obsessed with an industrial estate. Where else we're going in Leicester? Lester itself. Fuck, Lester itself, no.
Starting point is 00:23:29 Fence, Lester. I don't want to walk around the centre of fucking Lester. No, you're sitting in the car. I'm not sitting in a multi-storey car park in someone else's car while he goes Christmas shopping. There'll be street parking somewhere. I'm not watching Wicked on my own. Best things to do in Lester.
Starting point is 00:23:45 You're not watching Wicked, surely. No, but there's dominating the cinema screeners. Why don't you go on the Lester Scavenger Hunt? Oh, Sam. I don't know. There's a ghost tour. Should we book you a ghost tour? I'll have a wheelie case in a super carrier.
Starting point is 00:24:00 You can leave it in your car. I can't leave in the car because he drops me off. What do you mean? Oh, sorry. It's not my tour manager. No, it's just a taxi car, too Leicester. Oh, the one that Zepetron have paid for. Yeah, production company.
Starting point is 00:24:14 Sorry, yeah, I've gone too specific. You've got really TV there. But the TV production company up working for to get me home, but I'm not going home, I'm going to Leicester. So they're going to put on a car for me
Starting point is 00:24:23 to Leicester. But I have to be at the hotel at 12. It's a two-hour journey. I get to Leicester at two, shows at eight. What am I doing for six hours? On my own, with a wheelie suitcase and a suit bag.
Starting point is 00:24:33 Okay, I've got a better plan. I've got a better plan. Go on. What I would do? By the way, what great buffer I've got. You are swimming in, but sometimes there's too much. I'd rebrand that buffer to afternoon.
Starting point is 00:24:43 Yeah, to a kind of... Whole, afternoon. I'd describe that buffer as an eternal nothingness. Yeah, I'd say it's excessive.
Starting point is 00:24:51 Like floating through space, cut off from your craft. Yeah. Why don't you? I might go and chat to the geese with a wheelchair again if he's on shift.
Starting point is 00:25:02 I'm fucking Alan Bartridge, you? I want to go for a drink. Sorry, mate, I've got to finish my shift at the cinema after. No one. What time's it finished?
Starting point is 00:25:08 He's going to be in six hours. He's not going to believe his eyes. He's not going to believe his eyes. I'll come back and watch a running man again. Just for the banter. Just for the banter. Just to feel something. thing. We had a bit of connection, didn't me, two weeks ago? I thought that Lester's got me in a
Starting point is 00:25:23 fucking show cold and I love Lester. Why don't you, right? You've had enough time in Lester. Oh yeah. Yeah? Well, I've never actually been in it, to be honest. I've just been on the M1. No, because you're obsessed with this fucking industrial estate. I went up and it was dark. I woke up when it was dark looking at the fucking bins out of my room. By the way, nice hotel. Nothing wrong with the hotel. Good that it's using its bins. Good that it's got enough bin storage. There's no rubbish. Yeah, so I like that hotel. Why don't you do this, Rob? Yeah. Stay in Manchester. overnight.
Starting point is 00:25:49 Yeah. Enjoy Manchester. We haven't really been killing thousands of hours. There's a huge Christmas market. Manchester's nice. So leave my bags at the hotel and say, actually, rather than being picked up at 12,
Starting point is 00:26:01 can I be picked up at 4 or whatever, and I go for a walk around Manchester? Yeah. Yeah, I could do that and go shopping maybe. Yeah. Yeah. It wouldn't seem as bleak. And it'll be a Tuesday,
Starting point is 00:26:14 so it'll be a bit like... It'll be fine. It'll be fine. Yeah. Should I do that? Do that. There is a... I go to the David Lloyd gym.
Starting point is 00:26:21 There is a David Lloyd gym at the industry. You should go to the gym. No, but I could go to... That's what I was going to go and do. There'll be a gym in your hotel. Yeah, true. The other thing with hotels, Rob, is you can leave your bags after the checkout.
Starting point is 00:26:33 So you've still got that time back free. Maybe I do that. And then just go straight to the venue and keep morale up. Exactly. But then I think I'm just going to be wandering around in Manchester waiting for a taxi to Leicester. And I don't want to go shop. I don't want to go shop.
Starting point is 00:26:47 No, I know. You don't want to go shop. do any of these things. I don't walk around Manchester alone. I've done nearly 219 hotels this year. All right, yeah. That's an affair for you. That's mental, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:26:59 Yeah, that is mad. That's insane. It can't happen again. No. Lying in the sand. As much as I love hotels. Anyway, well, maybe I think about that because at the moment,
Starting point is 00:27:07 I've looked at the industrial estate in Leicester cinema listings. There's not a lot on. It's wicked or Zootropolis. And I think if I watch Zootropolis alone without my children, I'm going to get into a very dark place. The other thing is you might have more cinema options in Manchester
Starting point is 00:27:20 than on a Leicester industrial estate. You're not wrong. There might be, I'm going to say it, a, why not, a matinee of Jason Manford in Panto? I don't mind it, you know. I don't mind that little single seat at the back. Oh, no, he's not. Yeah, the opera house. Maybe I could do that.
Starting point is 00:27:45 I mean, yeah, again, going to a Pantamomim without my children lead up to Christmas. Would you tell Jason Manford, or is that weirder? Is it weirder to then go, by the way, I saw you when you've been doing six months, I watched you in Panto when I was killing an afternoon in Manchester? I don't know. If I was in a Panto and Jason Manfred was in town, I might pop in the seat. It's a bit mad, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:28:08 It is a bit weird, isn't it? I don't think he would. I think you'd probably just sit in a hotel room quite calmly and enjoy his own mind, which is something I can't do at the moment. No, yeah, fine. Well, let me tell you, have a look at this photo of who turned up. Oh, yeah, sorry. Really went on a tangent there, didn't we?
Starting point is 00:28:23 Oh, Batman! Batman, right? But he does it for charity donation. Do you want to see his vehicle? Is this someone's birthday party? Yeah. Batman's just turned up. He's been asked.
Starting point is 00:28:36 50 pound charity of a donation. Oh, so he turns up dressed as Batman in like a sort of motorbike thing that he's turned into a Batmobile car. He's got a Batmobile, like the two wheels at the front and the one at the back. Yes, like a truck. He's roadworthy. Yeah, it looks amazing. So he just for 50-quit charity donation.
Starting point is 00:28:51 He just like pretends to be Batman for a bit. Apparently he's like a local character. Here he is leaving, Rob. Yeah, he is a local character in Gotham. But he'll drive around. People will spot him driving around dressed as Batman in that. Oh, wow. I mean, it's nice that he's doing that, little charity donation, but yeah, if that's what he likes to do.
Starting point is 00:29:09 Exactly. I'm not paying 50 quid to meet me in Leicester. Ride around in the Batmobile. I'll dress up as Robin. Go for a spin. Rob Beck, it's absolutely. lost the plot. He's dressed as Robin. I'm just trying to kill some time.
Starting point is 00:29:26 Where is he? Well, he's still on the Lester Industrial Estate. Where else could he be? They need to rename that after me for that hours I've done there. How many times have you been to that industrial estate in the last month? Well, at the moment, I'm doing Lester once a week. Right. Either Industrial Estate or M1.
Starting point is 00:29:40 Oh, so at least you're mixing it up. Yeah, do you know what I mean? Also, but I want to stress, I'm a big fan of the Mariet M1 hotel. It's excellent. Some of the ones right on the motorway a dodgy as F. This one's lovely.
Starting point is 00:29:53 Really clean rooms, comfy beds, comfy. So no grief there. It's just the location being far from home. And how much sleep are you getting? Got in at about midnight last night. Thankfully, it wasn't the same guy in reception
Starting point is 00:30:05 because I couldn't look him in the eye if he was checking him two weeks running. Got in about midnight. Fell asleep, about half one. Woke up at six. Oh, no. Never needed a piss more in my life. Oh.
Starting point is 00:30:15 Honestly. How come? I don't know. I just needed a piss so bad. What do you have after the gig, What do you consume after the gig? Normally a bit of a drink of water, normally nothing,
Starting point is 00:30:26 but sometimes if I'm a bit peckish, a protein yogurt. Right, yeah. It was one of them where, this might be too much for the pod, but do you ever really need a wing? You wake up and you have like a completely 100% full erection. Yeah, that's just totally natural.
Starting point is 00:30:39 That's just normal, right? That complete, full, the hardest your dick's ever been. Well, I don't think there's gradations of that, really. No, but it's like, anyway. But then I find it, I don't know if we've discussed this, I find it really hard to wee when I'm,
Starting point is 00:30:51 go into the toilet because you can't stand up because it's directly out. Yeah, yeah. So you stand on the bed and shoot from there, right? No. No, but you sort of have to sit on the toilet and then poke it, aim it down, like push it down. You're not worried it will go into the water or is that just me? I'm all right. The end of it.
Starting point is 00:31:09 Yeah, well, and the middle. A little bit of the base. A little bit of base. If we're going to do the joke, let's do the fucking joke. And a little bit of balls. I'm a bum Anyway, so yeah I think I'm about what's talking about
Starting point is 00:31:24 Yeah Well, actually I might do that And see, I want to see The Bruce Springsteen films I might see if that's only Manchester and do it that way So how is prep for the two birthdays Well, Lou's doing all of it
Starting point is 00:31:34 Like Lou has been amazing I've been away so much And it's ridiculous She's living her book Isn't she at the moment Yeah, if there was ever a time I think you could lose the word default She's just a parent
Starting point is 00:31:44 Yeah, she's basically doing all of it. I just feel a little bit out of control, because I'm bouncing around from so many things. I just feel like I haven't really got a handle on anything, I'm sort of spinning plates. All the gigs are going well and all my work's going well. I just feel like, am I actually doing any of it properly kind of thing, which I am, but it's like, oh my God, we got their birthday, I've got to do some presents for Lou. And it was the 1st of December. So it's the elf on the shelf is back. Are you doing that? No, we're doing advent calendars. So no elfie, shelfy. No. So that came back. And then I feel bad.
Starting point is 00:32:21 because I'm missing out because I'm not like seeing the girl sick because I'm not there and lose having to do it also and then I'm trying to sort of a Christmas present out Josh lose yeah we bleaked it right because I didn't want her the surprise to be ruined full disclosure I can't remember what it was it doesn't matter now you can leave this unbleaped it's a therbody eye mask thing that basically heats up and it's a like a sleeping mask and it's full blackout and it massages your face yeah yeah so I've bought it that sounds great got it from argos and I'm a big fan of argos actually from the And also, I think they're providing a really good service. Got a bit of beef.
Starting point is 00:32:55 Got a bit of beef of them today. And it's feedback that I think they should implement. Great service. Ordered it was the lowest price. Came when it said it was coming. Arrived, not in a box. What do you mean? It was just in the normal box.
Starting point is 00:33:09 No brown carbaled box around it. Oh, so Lou saw it. Just the address stuck on it. So Lou got given a Christmas present by the postman. Oh, no. And Lou was just like, is this my Christmas present? should I just hide it and try and forget about it? Oh no.
Starting point is 00:33:23 You can't deliver anything about a box near Christmas. Very good point. Very good point. So I'll go stick your stuff in boxes, please. So she knows what she's got now. So that's... Are you going to change it? You've got to change it.
Starting point is 00:33:33 You've got to change it, and I? You've got to get something else. I'm going to get something else. Maybe I'll just go shopping in Manchester. She'll be saying no, but you do have to. A million percent. She would know, no, it would be fine. Don't worry about it.
Starting point is 00:33:42 I'll just pretend I know. You can't give someone something they know they've got. So I think I might do that and change my car and go shopping in Manchester. Because they don't have shops in Leicester. Not on the industrial estate anyway. Well, they do a few, but it's not loads. Should I tell you? What's there?
Starting point is 00:33:56 You can tell me if it's worth going. Don't go to the industrial estate, Rob. Just go to Leicester. They'll have a John Lewis. I just quite like it. It's nice and quiet. It doesn't feel like you like it. I don't.
Starting point is 00:34:07 There's a John Lewis in Leicester. The industrial estate I go to is the Meridian Business Park. Oh, my word. It's a great, too fair. It's a lovely parking. It's in a sort of hexagon shape. There's a harvester. There's a David Lloyd.
Starting point is 00:34:20 There's a chickie. A pizza hut, a Frankeembenis, a Hollywood bowl, a Nando's and a Bella Ossalia. Rob, you can't live like this. I am. I know. Well, maybe I should go shopping in Manchester for Lou's Christmas present. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to change it.
Starting point is 00:34:35 You'll feel festive in Manchester. It will feel festive. I'll go shopping and then get something for Lou there because I've got nice shops, haven't they? Yeah. And then get in the car later. They've got all the shops. They've got all the shops.
Starting point is 00:34:44 That's what I'm doing. Okay, you've made me feel better about this, Josh. Good. Well, let's see how it plays out. Oh, God, I don't know what to go. Why not? What do you get a woman that's got everything, right guys? So other things, Rob, parenting-wise.
Starting point is 00:34:58 Got Barry the Hamster. Yep. Batman at the birthday. What I've done, might not be best for you to do this, Rob. Go on. But I've realised in the last bit of the tour, because my kids are like, when you hear, when you're not here, I've made a chart with green ticks and red crosses,
Starting point is 00:35:15 morning and evening for each day. Oh, God. Yeah, I can't put pens of paper on that at the moment. It might be too depressing for you. If I'd done it in November, it would have been... It'd been sent off, big red card. Yeah, it would have been mad. But luckily, December's about 60-40 green to red.
Starting point is 00:35:33 Well, you've finished your tour for the year, so you've still got to go up to London and do bits, but you're not... Got to London tomorrow. But I finished my last one's 13th for December. And then after that, that's... I've got no more sort of like all the other tour dates in the new year in London or near London, so I can just drive there and back.
Starting point is 00:35:48 So it's the last push now. So you're doing a no hotel year apart from Robin Romish? Yeah, trying to when I can, but no tour shows, none of that sort of going away far. So I don't know if this might be boring to people, though, tell me to shut up. That horse has bolted about three or four years ago. Oh, fuck it, yeah, you've come this far. So I basically went up to Newcastle on Thursday, and I did Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Newcastle. Industrial estate?
Starting point is 00:36:10 No industrial estates to be seen. Then Sunday, Lester, stayed over night to this morning. So I'm at home now. I'll see the kids tonight when they're home from school, but then tomorrow, a morning, I got up to Manchester, then I'm doing Manchester, then Leicester, then Bristol, Bristol, and then I'm home Sunday of next week. So I'll be at home one night in two weeks, basically. Why are you staying in Bristol? I don't want to say on here in case I'll get some nutcases. But please tell me you're staying in town.
Starting point is 00:36:39 With any hot chikas, I'll be in the radisson blue. I'll stay in there. Room 69. Yeah, room 69 for any hot chikas out there. Where am I hot chikas at? He's going to be some poor bloke in the Radisson Blu at Room 69, getting a string of knocks on the door from people saying gobble, gobble. At Medcan, we know that life's greatest moments are built on a foundation of good health, from the big milestones to the quiet winds. That's why our annual health assessment offers a physician-led, full-body checkup that provides a clear picture of your health today,
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Starting point is 00:37:55 enjoy your own with Corona Serro, zero percent alcohol and a source of vitamin D. Corona Serro, the official non-alcoholic beer of Milano Cortina 2026. Yeah, I feel better about that, actually. If I go to Manchester, then I've been productive
Starting point is 00:38:12 because I'm getting something done for Lou. That'd be nice. Get a nice present. She deserves it. Oh, my daughter, I put it on Instagram. My daughter wrote a letter to Netflix. All right, yeah. Have you seen it?
Starting point is 00:38:21 No. She wrote this, Dear Netflix, Why are you taking away, Happy Gilmore? It's so good. and it's one of my favourite films. Here's a few reasons why.
Starting point is 00:38:30 It's why you should keep it. It's great. It's my dad's favorite. I didn't know this new story. Sorry. Happy Gilmore, basically, after a while, they go leaving net, because they buy it for about a year, don't they? It tells you it's leaving.
Starting point is 00:38:41 Yeah. So she said, it's good. It's my dad's favorite. You can't get rid of the first one because no one will understand the second one. Clever. I don't know if you've seen Happy Gilmore, but you can get your head around the second. I hope I'll convince you to keep Happy Gilmore,
Starting point is 00:38:55 yours sincerely. and then her name in age seven. Amazing. I've tagged Adam Sandler in nothing yet. Oh, for fuck sake. Absolutely. He's been living a different world, don't they? He's probably in an industrial estate outside San Diego.
Starting point is 00:39:07 Yeah, probably playing B-ball. Yeah. Shooting some hoops. Yeah, exactly. Have you got much festive stuff playing, though, for the kids? So you know to Elf on the shelf, just normal events? So we are going out for Christmas dinner. Oh, are you?
Starting point is 00:39:18 Yeah. You don't have to say the place, but is it like a restaurant-type place or someone's house. Redison Blue in Bristol for any of. For any hot chikasers, fancy some stuff in. Yeah, so we're going out because we just thought it'd be nice. Yeah, also as well, you're not fully in-in.
Starting point is 00:39:38 Do you know what I mean? You're still getting. It's not our kitchen, Rob. It's not our kitchen. Are you getting your kitchen done? Yeah. Oh, are you? Are you done?
Starting point is 00:39:45 Yeah. Another new kitchen? Well, yeah. Yeah, no, fine. Just absolutely. That's fine. Yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:39:53 Something for you to look forward to the new year. Well, 2027 by the time it's finished. I know how you do, kitchen. So you've got much work to do on it, then you've got to get the kitchen down. The rest is cosmetic. Yeah, apart from the whole kitchen. No, everything's being done. Everything's being done?
Starting point is 00:40:10 But cosmetic. But cosmetic. You're not knocking any walls or building apart from the kitchen. Oh, that's good. Yeah. How does it feel, though, doing the last kitchen so soon after not moving? It feels like that was about 10 years ago. So it's all right, actually.
Starting point is 00:40:25 You've added value. You've added value. Yeah, exactly. So that'd be nice. going on and who you having dinner with? Rose's parents. Oh, nice. Are they nearby?
Starting point is 00:40:33 They're not nearby, are they? No, so Rose's mum and her dad, they're not together, but they get on very well, and his partner and our kids, obviously. Yeah, that's nice when they can do that because... It makes you feel confident about you and Lou in 10 years. No. Well, because I've got half-brothers, haven't I?
Starting point is 00:40:49 Yeah. So we're a blended family. I do material about this in my show. We're blended. We thought it was to be broken home. You're broken. But we're broken. blended and stuff like that and that wasn't always the easiest transition between
Starting point is 00:41:03 without me saying too much so I think that is nice when you can do that and it's all good yes so that's what we're doing because that's our plans Christmas day we've got quite a lot Christmas stuff the old Lapland UK oh you guys up we're doing that yeah always good the old Lapland UK well so I'll lose doing Panto but I'm not going to that well you're catching the Jason Man for one next week yeah obviously I'll be I'll be I'll be watching anyway in man in manny well night so apparently the one in Newcastle supposed to be amazing. Which one's Lou going to?
Starting point is 00:41:32 She's going to one at Bromley. So she's not going to the Palladium one that's got that mad cast. No, no, no. Let's have a see what one. Are you not going to an exit or one? No, because we're really tight on nights and we're doing quite a lot of stuff.
Starting point is 00:41:47 So Panto. You can overbook yourself, can't you slightly? Well, you've got Samantha Womack and Sue Pollard. Who's Samantha Womac? Samantha Janus. So she's married to something called Womack? She's changed her name, so that's what I'm guessing. It looks like someone's AI to the poster.
Starting point is 00:42:00 Oh, yeah, Samantha Janus. I used to love Samantha Janice in what was actually not going out. Game on. Game on. Is that where he didn't leave his flat? Yeah. That was a great series, would it? Yeah, that was good.
Starting point is 00:42:11 What happened to him? Because it was amazing in it, the main character, weren't he? Which one? The one that wouldn't go out? It was a bit like an early peep show almost, wouldn't it? Yeah, it was good that. I thought it was brilliant. It was directed by John Stroud.
Starting point is 00:42:23 Samantha Janus. We all know that. Matthew Cottle, Ben Chaplin, Neil Stewart. He used to love Game On. So yeah, we've got Samantha Wimack, Sue Pollard in... She'll be great, Sue Pollard's brilliant, she'll be great. I don't think there is a big Exeter Panto. You haven't really got a big theatre, have you, as such, like a traditional one?
Starting point is 00:42:39 No, because you do the uni what is the big venue. Did you do Westerns Yoville? That's Yovil, though, isn't it? Yeah, don't talk to me about that one. Plymouth. That's the industrial estate venue. Of course, it's where you live and breathe. It's where you live and breathe.
Starting point is 00:42:54 So he's Robin Hood. Manford's Robin Hood. Plymouth. I've got Shane Ritchie. Oh, go to that. It'll be unbelievable. That might be quite good, actually. Brian Connolly's the best one, I think. He's amazing. When I see that, right, I think, what the fuck is Shane Richie's Christmas like?
Starting point is 00:43:10 I look at a date. But then if he lives nearby, it's, oh, we don't live by, doesn't it? Because of Plymouth, that's what I mean. He might have grown up kids, though. Yeah, I think he probably does. But, Rob, he's doing 1pm and 5.30 on Christmas Eve and 1pm and 5.30 on boxing day. So is Manford. He's got Christmas Day off. But he lives in Manchester. True. So it'll be 20.
Starting point is 00:43:29 You could leave his house probably about midday, half 11, do the one o'clock. Yeah. I mean, you could work, if you lived, like,
Starting point is 00:43:35 I could do the Bromley Churchill one and it wouldn't really impact me too much. Cut too, Rob. You'd be going fucking mental. Hang on. Right, so what day is it today, Josh?
Starting point is 00:43:43 It's the first. Fucking hell. I can't even go and see Manford. He's not on today. Oh, no. It would have been perfect. On the 10th,
Starting point is 00:43:51 he's doing 2.30 and it's, all the tickets available. Would you have gone? Yeah, deffo, because he's me mate and also he's Robin Hood. He's doing all of it. Oh yeah, that would have been good.
Starting point is 00:44:00 Where'd you sit, though? As a solo man at a panto, where'd you sit? As a solo famous man. Yeah, yeah, let's just add. But then I think you get away with it, Rob, because everyone's going to presume you're there as a friend of Jason Manford. Oh, you had to see Jason.
Starting point is 00:44:14 I go, who? Who? No, no, no. Do you know what I'll be mental. If I went to see it and I didn't message Jason Manford or say, can I come and say hello to you backstage? if I just bought a ticket and watched it and didn't go and speak to him,
Starting point is 00:44:30 that if I'm Manford, I'm worried about that. You know what I mean? So when are you messaging him before? I would now go, Manford, Jason, I'm in Manchester on Wednesday. He's so Manchunian. Even half his name's fucking Manchester, isn't it? I'd say, I'm in town.
Starting point is 00:44:47 I've got a kill an afternoon. I might come and watch you do Panto at 2.30. Any chance to sort of me a ticket? No worries, if not. But if you fancy, drink before or after, let me know. Although not after because I'm going... Yeah, but not after me, unless you want to have a drink at the Chiquito, Leicester Meridian Business Park.
Starting point is 00:45:00 I don't think you'd have time, Rob. You're not getting to Leicester from Manchester at 4.30s. This is depressing. I just googled Lester Panto. Yeah, there we go. And it's in the room armin. Oh, great line up here. Richie Anderson, Suzanne Shaw and Jared Christmas.
Starting point is 00:45:15 Have you ever done a tour show on a Panto set? Yes. It's really weird. It's really weird. It's really difficult. Could you try and reference it? What's weird is before you come on, because you know they've come in.
Starting point is 00:45:26 into the room. Yeah. And they've thought, fucking hell, this is a bit weird that he's decided to pay all this money for this huge set, like a gingerbread house.
Starting point is 00:45:38 Just for one gig in Leicester. What the fuck is this show going to be? So I might be doing that tonight. They'd have told you. Well, this is what happened to before, though, when I did it? I thought,
Starting point is 00:45:47 oh, it'd be great, wouldn't it if I sort of like go up and start doing the gig from, like, the tower? No, it doesn't start until December the 12th. I thought it would be great if I go up to the tower and do the gig out of the balcony, like we're like the princess with you sing.
Starting point is 00:45:58 Anyway, I tried it once and I was doing the gig and I went up there and it took me ages to get up there. Then when I got up there, I'm just like, I'm just stood up here and it's not funnier. And I had to basically, I had to go, oh, this wasn't a very good idea, what did it? And then just, like, all you could hear
Starting point is 00:46:11 was me walking down the stairs in silence. Oh, man, I once did one where it wasn't even a pantote. It was, I don't know what the play was, but it was a full working kitchen. With different entrances. There's dinner there? You know when you have, you know when you have like a kind of farce where they're going out in the L. So there was like four different entrances to stage that.
Starting point is 00:46:36 Did you try and do banter going through the doors? Yeah, I was working the tap. I was pouring some of a glass of water. I knew what I was fucking doing. That's Sunday brunch. Yeah. Right. Should we do some small business, Josh?
Starting point is 00:46:45 I enjoyed catching up with you actually. I felt good. Yeah. Do you feel a bit cleared of your Lester Groundhog Day? Do you know what? It's fine. Everything's fine. It's just I can see the finish line, but it's still.
Starting point is 00:46:55 quite far away. I've got eight more tour shows. I've got a few more TV bits. And it's just that, like, I can't sort of... You know, like, when you're like the end that gets near Christmas when you work in an office, you're like, the last couple of days, no one does any work.
Starting point is 00:47:09 But when you're on stage on your own, you're like, I do still have to do this gig properly or otherwise they're going to be really angry, you know what I mean? But no, I feel excited about the last few. And I've only got four more not. This week, when I get back home from Bristol, I don't have to stay overnight anywhere else
Starting point is 00:47:22 until end of January. Nice. I need to be at home with the kids, really. Well, the good thing, Rob, is this small business shower will help you. Okay. Do you get hay fever? No, the industrial estate is pretty grey, actually, a lot of building. Because what you're meant to do with hay fever is get local honey.
Starting point is 00:47:37 Did you know that? Oh, right. Yeah, I didn't know that. So is this a shoutout for local honey? Well, it's based in the Midlands where you spend a lot of your life, Rob. Do you know what? I'll get a big spoonful of that at the M1, Marriott. I would like to suggest my husband's honey business for a, oh, this is good.
Starting point is 00:47:52 SBSO. We haven't called it. Oh, SBSO? Yeah. SBSO on pH with R.B. and J. Dubs. Yeah. Based in the Midlands. Something to help with Josh's porridge addiction
Starting point is 00:48:02 and to make that gobble, gobble, all the more tasty. He is Arden Forest Honey, A.R.D.E.N. Single-handedly produces some of the... Well, not single-handedly. Could to give the B some credit here, haven't you? They've got six hands, aren't they? If this is him single-handedly producing it, I'm not sure about it. He's rubbing his guts all over some pollen
Starting point is 00:48:23 and taking it back to his hive. No, he is Arden Forest Honey and single-handedly produces some of the most awarded honey in the county and some help from me when I'm not being a paramedic and the in-laws doing the labelling and deliveries. His Instagram is Arden-Foresthoney and his website is Ardenforesthoney.com.com. We would love a shout out to bring a little joy and to try to make the fact he is none existent in our house from March to October more worthwhile. While we managed having a teenager with all the attitude, a four-year-old about to start primary school, with all the emotions and a very free-spirited two-year-old at home. Thank you so, so, so much. Thank you for genuinely being so relatable,
Starting point is 00:49:03 making this parenting care seem a little more manageable, being able to see the funny side of things we have needed it. Esme Browning. Lovely. Okay, good luck with your honey, mate. Here we go. Here's another one. Hello, I wanted to shout out my mum's small business. Looking for a fun and educational way to get kids outdoors. Orienteering is the answer.
Starting point is 00:49:21 Oh, yeah. My mum provides schools with orientering maps, permanent markers and teacher training. Orienteering not only boosts map reading skills, builds confidence, teamwork and get students moving, but also supports the curriculum with bespoke schemes of work linking in with PE, geography, maths, science and languages. For any teachers or PTA members listening, developing orientering in schools is also a great way to spend sports premium funding and the excellent resources my mum provides make the delivery of orientering in schools as convicting. as possible for the teacher, reducing planning and preparation time to virtually nothing. I don't know if that's AI or LinkedIn that, but that was fucking well, corporate. I'm like, I thought like I've got real job saying that.
Starting point is 00:50:03 My mum provides orientering packages for schools from KS1 to KS4, but can also provide maps and markers for almost any area such as parks, nature reserves or visitor attractions. She is based in the northwest but travels across the UK. Website is theorientering company.com. Facebook, The Orientering Company. Love the podcast, as does my mum. Keep up the good work. Lily and Mum, Michelle.
Starting point is 00:50:28 Good luck with the Orienteering. There we go, Josh. Another episode. Brilliant. Full of buffer, full of fun. Great advice from you. Let's keep your own. File on.
Starting point is 00:50:38 See you next week. Bye. Or Friday. Depends where this goes out. Yeah, we won't know. Michael can just edit in the right word. Hello, parenting hell listeners. Recognise that voice?
Starting point is 00:50:56 Yes. It's Josh Riddickam here. I have got a new podcast, Josh Whitakam's Museum of Pop Culture. And I'm going to say it, I'm about 85% sure you're going to love it. Here are the reasons why. Number one, I'm confident if you're listening now, you don't hate me and possibly think I'm funny. Number two, I'm confident if you're listening now, you like podcasts. Number three, I'm confident if you're listening to me and Rob, you prefer pop culture to people talking about things, let's be honest, boring things like history,
Starting point is 00:51:28 economics or politics. I know I do, and that is why I made this podcast. I will. I wanted a show that tells the stories I love from popular culture in the way other podcasts do for drier topics. See above. Basically, I wanted a podcast that realized Millie Vanilli were more interesting than Elizabeth I first. Join me as I give the definitive, or at least the funniest, takes on Mr. Blobby. When Ghost Watch convinced BBC viewers, ghosts were real, when a band burned a million pounds for a laugh. The Spice Girls, a truly catastrophic Spider-Man musical with music from You Too, and David Hasselhoff, Baywatch, and his part in the fall of the the Berlin Wall. All of them are real, by the way. Either you know what these things are and you're
Starting point is 00:52:07 about to learn far more about them than you ever realised you wanted to, or you don't, and you're about to be introduced to some of the maddest things in modern or ancient history. Stiffnecks will learn, lose next will laugh. New episodes available every Wednesday and Saturday. Perfect to fill those gaps between your weekly doses of parenting hell. So go on, you might as well listen, subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcast now. Museum of Pop Culture with me, Josh Whitakum, Available everywhere from the 1st of January.

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