Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting Hell - Now That's What I Call Parenting Hell... Volume 13

Episode Date: August 23, 2024

As we take a very short break during the summer holidays - here’s a selection of some of our favourite chats about (mostly) parenting misadventures with previous guests…  See you on Tuesday 3rd September for Series 9!! Episode Playlist: S6 EP10 - Cariad Lloyd S6 EP44 - Scott Bennett S6 EP18 - Tom Daley S7 EP24 - Dame Jessica Enis If you want to get in touch with the show with any correspondence, kids intro audio clips, small business shout outs, and more.... here's how: EMAIL: [e-mail] INSTAGRAM: @parentinghell Parenting Hell is a Spotify Podcast, available free everywhere every Tuesday and Friday.  Join the mailing list to be first to hear about live show dates and tickets, Parenting Hell merch and any other exciting news... MAILING LIST: parentinghellpodcast.mailchimpsites.com A 'Keep It Light Media' Production  Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, I'm Rob Beckett. And I'm Josh Willicombe. Welcome to Parenting 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 we'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 woe. Because let's be honest, there are plenty of times when none of us know what we're doing. Own each step with Peloton. From their pop runs to walk-and-talks, you define what it means to be a runner.

Whatever your level, embrace it. Journey starts when you say so. If you've got five minutes or 50, Peloton Tread has workouts you can work in. Or bring your classes with you for outdoor runs, walks and hikes led by expert instructors on the Peloton app. Call yourself a runner. Peloton all access membership separate. Learn more at onepeloton.ca. Hello, I'm Rob Beckett and I'm Josh Whitacombe. And you're listening to Now That's What I Call

Parenting Hell. Cariad Lloyd, hello. Hello. How many children have you got, Cariad? I have two, two children. I'm trying not to swear too early. No swear away. Oh, I've got two of the fuckers because this morning was just- How old are they? So I'm right in the swear too early. I swear away. I've got two of the fuckers cuz this morning So I'm right in the midst of it, I suppose you'd say six and about to turn three. Oh, yeah Yes bad morning then Wasn't actually that bad but at one point my daughter She's playing a new game called post post box where we have to write each other notes and she puts chairs everywhere and that's everyone's post box and you have to write.

But obviously, trying to get ready, it's quite stressful. She was like, mommy, you haven't left me a note. And I said, I'll just get dressed. Mommy, you haven't left me a note. I'm just going to, I'm just going to literally put clothes on. And she went, I've left you a note. I was like, okay, I'll read my note. And it just was a sad face.

And it said, you know, in child's not proper spelling. Will you play with me tick box? No, and then sad face and I said look I'm really sorry. Just give me a sec. Give me a sec and she said there's another no and then she'd just done a really unhappy face No, I'm sorry cuz her we're trying to get her brother out to nursery and he's much more reliability So I was like just give me a second and she was lying on the sofa night Like she does real drama so he's lying on the. Just looking at the window like a 1920s era It's like just nothing is good. She said there's another note and I looked and it just said mummy you don't love me That was it. Oh my god

Should get a job at Royal Mail I'm on strike deal with it. It makes you feel better Oh. I was like... You should get a job at Royal Mail. That's how they treat their workers. Oh, mate. Exactly. I'm on strike. Deal with it. It makes you feel better. They do that to me and my wife as well. The eldest, who's seven now, will write things like, You make me sad.

I hate you. And draw the sad crying face. Yeah, that's what she does, the sad face. Yeah. Did we do that? I don't remember doing that. I did not do that. No.

My mum would have gone, well, yeah, I don't because of your behaviour today. I feel like there's more pen and paper available in my house than there was in my house growing up. It feels like pen and paper, there's loads of it. We're like, because I think there's always printer paper. But when we were growing up, there wasn't printer paper. Yes, that's what she does, grabs the bloody printer paper. Yeah. Although my dad worked from home and we did have a lot of I used to steal the fax paper To date myself and him, but I was always told off because you think it was like you couldn't Amazon a new ream

Yeah, like don't worry babes Amazon a new ream for tomorrow. It'd be like this expensive and we'll have to go to the shop Exactly. I think they've got too much access to pen and paper kids these days Too much access. Yeah, and then the small one I left him alone for two minutes and he drew all over the wood and floor as well. The other thing I left this morning. I don't want to, like, I suppose I've complained enough on this show that I can have something that's gone my way. Okay.

I've not had, touch wood. Careful, careful, what are you about to say? Touch the fucking up. What are you about to say? They just sleep the night through. My daughter didn't draw on walls. No, no, my daughter didn't. And everyone seems have had no my son is doing it. This is the thing Yeah, is it is your youngest? He's 18 months. Have I dodged it?

May this is no this will happen to me my daughter. I'd say don't draw on the walls. She's the oldest one She go, okay, and then he's just like hey And now he's about 10 3 he's now things. I think there's still time for your child to draw on a wall at 18 months. Yeah, there's time, Josh. He didn't draw on the walls at 18 months, he started in the last six months. Kerrid, are they drawing on your blue walls or white?

Have you got white walls? We've got white down the corridor. Is that where they do it? He just, tell you what, small corridor, he got two pens in either hand, just straight down either side of the wall, just wow. Oh my God. Yeah, and then this morning he just went on the wood. I think it's wall just wow. Oh my god. And then this morning

he just went on the wood. I think it's the white wall. Yes. You've got very different color walls Josh in your house. That's true. Have you got any white? No, Rose wants to change the color of our corridor because it's too dark. So do you think she's creating basically a canvas? We've got a lot of white walls and they look at that as big paper. It's big paper. It's just big paper. Big farmer, big paper. The other thing you can do, which we did do in lockdown actually, was you know, those IKEA roll of paper. Yeah, they're fun.

And then we stuck that to the wall, like both sides. We just covered it halfway and then they just went nuts until they were bored. And I haven't done that for a while. And I thought I need to do the old paper on the side of the wall for a bit. Or have you taught them to draw on the wall? I think you're teasing them to the wall there. Lay that for a while. And I thought I need to do the old paper on the side of the wall for a bit. Or have you taught them to draw on the wall? I think you're teasing them to the wall there. Lay that on the floor. Oh no, they like it.

Are you mad? Or in the garden in the summer? Yeah, we don't have a garden. So that thing's like sticking on the wall become quite like that's the most excitement or like drawing on the outside small balcony with chalk. What do you want to do chalk? Chalk is a... Chalk is good, isn't it? Yeah, chalk's a winner, isn't it? At least it washes off as well with the chalk. What do you want to do chalk? Chalk is a... Chalk is good isn't it? Yeah

chalk's a winner isn't it? At least it washes off as well with the chalk so. My daughter came home from her friend's house on Sunday and she had just an A with a circle around it on her head like she's kind of branded. Anarchist sign. Yeah like an anarchist sign. Where is she? What was she meeting? She's mates with Swampy's kids, they live in East London. World-trendy. Swampy works in media now. It's East London, isn't it, mate? But yeah, I just couldn't tell. I had no idea looking at the ink. It could have been... Blood. Oh, permanent, yeah, Sharpie.

A pen, it could have been a Sharpie. And you're just like, if this is a Sharpie, what the fuck happens here now? Is it an Avengers, eh, or something? I don't think they're into the Avengers. You're being kind and she's joined the anarchists. She's an anarchist. That's what's happened. No, tell you what it was.

She explained it that she and her friend were the patients in the hospital and her other friends were the nurses or the doctors. They're labeling the patients, do not go near. Yeah, it's a bit traumatic, that doctors. So, labelling the patients, do not go near. Yeah, it's a bit traumatic, that sounds. Deep, deep drama. Yeah, she seemed quite happy with it. They'd also drawn like an X on her hand.

Are you sure they're her friends? Mate, she's going down to Proto. She's striking next week. That's what this is about. And then they just punch her in the nose and it bleeds. And then they have to help her because they're the doctors. And then they have to help her because they're the doctors. So how do you stop a three-year-old drawing on your walls, Karen? Or you just... Can you tell off a three-year-old like that?

Well, I don't know if you do, but I spend my life being like, Oh, don't... Don't... OK, don't, no, no, no, no. Don't worry, just go, just leave the room. Because he looks like an angel. I don't mean this, I know everyone says this, but he's got blonde curly hair. He looks like, to be fair, a very, like, Eurocentric version of an angel.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I know a hospital he could get a job in. And he just looks at me like, like today with the pens, he was like, oh, I done that drawing. And then you can't really shower that, can you? So I just sound like a twat. What do we say? Pens are for paper, aren't they? Pens are for paper and the floor is not paper.

But he's not saying it. I'm saying it. Like pens are for paper. Do you believe it as you say it? No. The thing is with him, he's such a liability. Honestly, he's a rogue, he's a cat, he's absolute bastard. You have to constantly say stuff to him over and over again. Like, did you, like you hear me?

Where your listening is, where your listening is. And he can be three rooms away and you'll be like, oh, you know, for his birthday we need to sort out the cake. And he's like, yeah, I want chocolate cake. And you're like, you fucker, like, I follow you around being like, did you hear me? You need to put your shoes on, you need to sort out the cake and he's like, yeah, I want chocolate cake I'm like you fucker like I follow you rambing like did you hear me? You need to put shoes on you to be sure nothing So he's really my daughter's much more argumentative Which would you take over the options? I quite like the argumentative because at least you know, they're listening

So do you say put your shoes on she's like, I don't want to and I'm not going to and you feel like okay We can have a conversation like you're engaged with me. Where's him. You're like, I don't know if he knows I'm here Like is he awake? What's happening? It's just like complete but I'm not with TV. Oh god. Yeah, my daughter's watching TV It's fucking insane. Yeah, how close I can beat her and she isn't hearing me I can't believe this is happening, how she can tune in on it. And I believe she's doing it.

I don't believe she's playing me. No, I think they genuinely can't hear you at points. And also depends what you're competing with as well. We say so much shit to them. Yes, exactly. Brush your teeth, shoes on upstairs, every time you're on it, what do you want to eat? I'm surprised they don't just scream at us,

fuck off, leave me alone. They do, they draw on the floor and go this is my way of saying fuck you, you've fucking given it all that all morning. So all they write you notes and say you don't love me. Yeah it's just difficult isn't it when, I mean it's a stupid thing to say but when two kids are very different you're constantly having to re-evaluate your parenting because you're like well this worked for six years and now it doesn't. So you're like, oh shit, what do I have to do with you? Like, I've got to think about it. Fuck off.

Do they play together? Do they get on well? They get on really well. Yeah, I'm lucky. They get on really well. Maybe this is a lockdown thing. They had a lot of time together. He was born five days before the lockdown.

Wow. Oh my word. Yes. Oh, word. Yes. Oh talk us through that for a couple of months then. Well I listened to this show a lot actually, I found it quite helpful that beginning bit when I was like... But not the later episodes. Okay.

Sure, okay, whatever. Yeah. I was fine then, yeah I was fine. The early ones really, I don't know, they had the, you know, freshness of them. Yeah, yeah, sure. Okay, whatever, it's difficult to cut out of them, okay? Yeah, difficult, it's difficult. No, she was about three-ish when the lockdown happened.

And I was pregnant when it all began. No, sorry, when it was like sort of the January. It was like, oh, what's this? And then he had to be elected C-section because he was so massive. Like he is also a giant, a giant cherub. You need to imagine a giant drunk cherub. How big was he? He was nearly 10 pounds.

Oh, mama. And I'm, you've met me. I'm not at all big person. I'm a met me. I'm not a tall, big person. I'm a small person. Yeah, you're not a 10 pound carrier, Carrie. I don't tell you that. No, I'm not. My body was not made.

You meet some people, you go, you can handle that. She can take a 10 pounder, but not you, Carrie. They made me go in for scans every single week because they refused to believe I didn't have gestational diabetes. They kept saying, who tested you? This can't be right. They said, he's so big. He's so big. This is mad. He's a freak. Yeah. And then the last scan, she went, what's your plans? I was like, don't worry. I'm going

to have a lecture. She was like, I, I have to say, I, I have to strongly advise you not to try and do this naturally. Naturally, but also I was like, no, don't worry. She was like, God, thank God, because that, yeah, you can't, no one should. All right, good luck. Okay. But yeah. So it's vaginally the correct term, not naturally. Because naturally sounds like, so I've had two C-sections and naturally makes it sound like, well, you did it the weird way, didn't you? The freaky way, not naturally. Because naturally sounds like, so I've had two C sections and naturally makes it sound

like, well, you did it the weird way, didn't you? The freaky way, not natural. So you're supposed to say vaginally or C section. But they all say to you, did you have it naturally? And you're like, no, I had it with the evil of science. I do apologize. I just find, I don't know why, but maybe it's because I'm immature, but just starting the word vaginally is very- I know, it's not great, is it? You've got to get to the innally so quick. If you want a doctor to say vaginally,

like vag is such a terrible word. But like, as long as you get the- I don't like it, but I equally don't want someone to constantly say to me, oh, you didn't have it naturally. Cause then you're like, well, I, aliens didn't come down and take me away. It was like, did you have it naturally? Or did the magic of science save your life?

Would be a better way. Yes. Oh, that's nice. That's a nice way that's nice yeah maybe we don't need to make vaginal natural birth yeah vaginally we need to change c-sections make some magic i think vagin need to read yeah i get the message but i think it's not great it's a tough first syllable it's a tough first syllable you keep saying rob yeah sorry i don't like saying badge. I keep saying badge. Sorry, this is very childish. Can I ask a question? Is your husband big? Yes, he's six foot four. Right. That makes sense. But they literally don't care. Come on, look at him. I kept saying he'd come to scandal. I'd be well, I mean, it's not surprising. And they'd go, yeah, we only take your height and weight into consideration.

And I was like, this isn't a virgin birth. I didn't do this by myself. Like, look at the size of him. Honestly, you scan every week. They were like, oh, yeah, maybe that's why, because he's quite big. And I was like, yeah, think. So it was massive. I do find that happens sometimes, like happens in our family, where Lou's mum

will always go, oh, my God,, your daughters they look so much like and she'll list like her children and her family A little bit like my brother did when he was Whatever you want Teresa whatever you want, I know I had friends do that to me as well when my daughter was young. They'd go, she just looks like your husband. And I'd be like, it's a bit like me. No, nothing of you. Can't see it. Absolutely can't see it. And you're going, wow, I feel shit when you say that. I feel really shit.

Well, what I used to get is, when they were badly behaved, they'd go, oh, there's a bit of the dad coming out now. Oh, so they don't look like me when they're a prick, it's my fault? Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. I've got loads of ADHD in my family, so when they're like really hype, everyone's like, oh, well, we know where that's from. Oh, great, thanks guys. I'm the same with depression, though. In my family.

What mental health problem are you bringing to the table? Yeah, what damage have I put into their body, DNA-wise, before the world even had an attempt at them? It's not fair, is it? Because in the olden days, you wouldnen days you wouldn't know you just be like oh they're a bit boisterous Nothing to do with me, but now you're like oh no we've all been diagnosed Oh he just likes a drink He's jolly And then he does get sad doesn't he? He gets a bit sad when he's had too much

He shouldn't have too much that sort of So what was your sub on the percentile thing because I love that word as well It's the only word you ever hear with babies, the percentile. 99. 99 percentile. 99 percentile. Whoa, the big one. The big one.

And then 95th for weight. Really? Yeah. And he's still, you have to go in there too, you know, to get like measured. And the woman was like, oh, I have to, I have to keep rolling out my paper because you have to lie him down to measure them. So, oh, a lot of, he's so. He's three and a half years older than him.

He's nearly as tall as her. They wear the same size shoes. So that's my brother Joe. He's like six foot three, six foot four, but also just like a big guy, big shoulders, big arms, big hands. Just big. When my mum took him, when he was about two to the doctors to measure him and they measure their head, they're high.

She tried to measure his head. I was like, oh, the graph's not big enough. My mom was like, okay, well I can't make his head smaller so you have to get a bigger bit of April. You're gonna have to work it. So I think he was like the hundred and fifth. Oh my god. He has got a giant head. Yeah that's what I've had. What's funny about having a giant one, it makes everyone really happy. Like nurses are mid-wifes, they love you. Oh he's a lovely big one. Always a big one, isn't he? He's good. When he had his injections, they went they don't cry big ones. They don't cry, they're lovely. And it's such a tune.

Oh, is it true? Because their thighs are so fat. So when they put the needle in, it's just they don't really notice it happening as much. Because obviously thin ones, it's like it's more painful. Yeah. And obviously they're worried. Obviously, it's horrible if your baby's underweight is stressful. Whereas if you're overweight, they literally would take one look at him and go, oh, he's fine, isn't he? Oh, big strong boy.

Yeah, big strong boy. He's a big strong boy. Big strong lad. And I'd be like, what would you say if he was a girl? Would you be like stressing? Big girl, big strong girl. Oh, big girl. Oh, big girl. Yeah. Welcome to the podcast, Scott Bennett. Thank you very much, Scott.

Thank you. Thank you for having me. It's an early one, isn't it? It is. I was just saying before we got started, when this came through and it said 9am, I was like, what the fuck is wrong with these guys? Do you know what? I genuinely thought that you two were in Australia. That was the only thing that made sense to me. I thought, well, they're in Australia. It'll be like 10 o'clock at night there. We're all rock and roll comics. And they were like, no, it's genuinely, we're going out before the end

of GB News. That's what we're doing. Not GB News. Dil Rai is still discussing politics. This is a thing for anyone else, but for parents, nine o'clock is like, no, that makes complete sense. You've been up three hours. This is how you get to the top of podcasting, mate. You start early. We're doing 16 episodes today.

We will be working till 10 p.m. Not many people know that me and Rob record all of Parenting Hell for a year in the space of a week. And then we just have 51 weeks off. Well we have you now we've just done a few a few acts in Hong Kong and then we're gonna wait for LA to go live and then we'll be doing all the LA guys. It was a 24-hour process. This is a worse contract than working for Amazon. I do sometimes think you know Rob you've got a job that you love and you get to pick your hours.

Why the fuck are you doing this at 9am? Well, the mad thing is, is I said to you that my kids are on holiday. They're in bed. They've just hit full student mode. So they're not even awake your kids? No, my seven year old doesn't surface till 10. It's just, yeah, just comes down like, you know, like a student. Well, it's been great to have you on Scott, but I think we have to end it there.

I don't think I can handle a full episode of your daughter waking up. What time is she going to bed? I don't know. Well, I think I don't know what time she's going to bed. Whatever question you're answering, then how old or what time she goes to bed. He said, don't know. Can I just say it's gone a bit lax this week? Right. Right. OK. We've sort of it's drifted. Yeah. To be fair, it's gone a bit lax this week. Right, right. Okay. We've sort of, it's drifted. Yeah, to be fair, it's only Thursday.

It's not like week four of the summer holidays. I know. Well, the problem was is that they've started sleeping. My eldest tends to look after the youngest in the morning, so she'll sort of get her breakfast for us, because the eldest is 12. And me and Gemma were laid next week to the last week. It was like a Sunday. And I was like, my God, it's like half 10. And we could hear him downstairs. And she was like, Oh,

this is brilliant. This in it. They're looking after each other. I was like, well, it's not it's neglect in it. It's just bad parenting. It's just bad parenting, mate. It's shaking near the eldest boiling pans. Yeah. Boiling pans at 8am going for for fuck's sake two more hours until she's down for breakfast fully laid out table Livy, so what time do they go bed at the moment? Don't panic. I'm not from the council youngest I know it does feel like I'm being judged now. I would say 10 for the youngest Let's rain it back When you're filling in how much alcohol units you do with the doctor? Let's go for what's acceptable. Halfway between the truth and acceptable.

Yeah, what are the units for 15 pints Friday and Saturday? How many units is that, doc? If you were a doctor, I'd say seven, but... Seven p... No, they're never going to bed at seven. Ten p.m. I think ten p.m. is a bit late, but it's Easter holidays. I think you can be let off.

And also, you've got a 12-year-old, so it's very difficult to get the youngest to do what the eldest was doing when they were seven. Yeah and they sort of squirrel away and I put up, I mean this is my life at the moment, I put up some LED lights in her bedroom the other day, my oldest. Now this is the thing apparently, you can control them with a phone so what I've done is I've combined keeping her awake with a device. So it's perfect parenting. So she has to turn her lights off with her phone, which is really good. That's excellent. I think they say that don't they? It's a good way to calm down before bed, to be in charge of a lighting rig from your phone at 12. To be a roadie for pink floyd before you nod off. That's what I was doing the other day was putting lights up in the bedroom. I don't know

if you get this Scott, but I get a slight lockdown flashbacks when the kids are off school. Definitely. You know, like when they're off over Easter and you're not on holiday or you're not doing anything fun that day, you're sort of in the house looking at each other. I start getting panicked after going to check the news in case we're not allowed the nan round. I think Gemma gets a bit annoyed with me because I'm one of those people that I feel like I need a plan for the day. I don't know if you guys are like that, but I feel like we have to have you talking to two guys that will organize the podcast At 9 a.m. I think yeah, no, I mean certainly didn't need a plan when we gave you one. Did you you live it?

But I mean, it's just like the idea of like we need to be doing something We've got to get out at some point get on the bikes or just I just had the idea of I can see in the shed These bikes I got I'm just paying it's like, like you know you drive a car off the forecourt it's like those bikes are losing value on an hourly rate. Well I feel like that but it is hard to try and get them in the park it's so wet and cold yeah like even now it's like it's a bit slippery and it's a bit cut they don't want to ride a bike in this we get about two weeks a year where it's bike riding weather for kids really. Yeah and I think Gemma always thinks I'm going through this checklist of

how to be a perfect parent, but I'm just like, it's three o'clock and we haven't moved. It's not normal. But to be fair, they've only been up for two hours. They've only just finished breakfast Scott. Well, breakfast just goes into dinner. That's what we do. It just, every meal just, you know, can't go out now. It's's even in mealtime. I mean you do a podcast with your wife Gemma. Where are you now? They looks like you're in a garden shed Is this your own podcast booth and you also do a podcast with Gemma that's filmed in the house You've got proper stuff up. You've got foam on the ceiling Yeah, so what happened was when I quit my job, my proper job, Gemma said,

What was that? I was a product designer, so I had like a career in everything. Oh yeah, of course. Yeah. And I should know that because you told us that when you did the live shows of us, Scott. It's all right. Glad I made an impact. And so when I quit my job, Gemma said, well, you'll need a place to write. So I came home from work the week I'd quit. And this was in the garden. She'd had this shed put in. What? It's like a gift. It's like you've quit your job. A gift. Oh that's nice. I mean you

say a gift. And now you can't work in the house. Yeah it's not a gift is it? It's quite a passive aggressive gift isn't it? Exactly she's put me in a kennel Josh is what she's doing. Yeah, literal dog house. I couldn't get any further away, I'm so far away from the house that the Wi-Fi cuts out. Oh no! Oh my! So I've had the internet put in, I've had it all insulated. And in lockdown, obviously, this is where I did most of the Zoom gigs that we did. Yeah, of course. Right, yeah.

What are you doing heating wise, Scott? I'm putting on oil. Oil heaters, do I? Oil heaters, yeah. It feels apocalyptic, if I'm being honest. I feel like one of those people in America that, you know, live off roadkill and stuff like that. But yeah, we started doing a podcast after the lockdown. And then someone said to me the other day, which is an interesting and I've never considered,

doing a podcast with your wife is great. You know what I mean? You get, you know, opposing views, you get the truth regularly, you get honesty. But the problem is now we're sort of in a contract to stay together. Yes. Yeah. I know. I don't know. I think people are listening more if you were going through a messy divorce. You met up every week to have a chat. Yeah, I think so. On Patreon. I won't be surprised if someone does that. They do a fake divorce for listeners. Yeah. Do you imagine that week one who gets the kids little teaser trailer? Oh my word. Actually it sounds quite bleak. I don't know if it was a popular one, you know, people would probably go to, can you go to divorces?

Is that like one of the core things that you're allowed to go to? Really? What, sitting and watching? I don't know. That can't be true. That's sick, Josh. You sick fuck. Josh, you're just shuffling in.

Rob. I'll judge you, Josh, and then I'd be texting you every five minutes going, what's happened? What does he want? What's she getting? How's it going? So yeah, we do that. But we found actually, it sounds weird to say this, but it does give us a chance to chat properly. It might only be like two hours a week, but the kids are at school and you feel like you actually reconnect as a couple. It's really weird. It is weird and it's quite nice actually.

So what about holidays? When you go on holiday do you still do the podcast or is that a break? Well we try and record in advance actually. But we have, it's really weird because I sort of said to Gemma, our time together is really bizarre. Like the other day we went mattress shopping and we'd made a point, have you ever bought a new mattress recently? Not, no I don't think I've ever bought a mattress. What are you sleeping on? Have you never? Do you know what? I've never bought a mattress.

What are you talking about? I've never bought a mattress. You must have. No, I haven't. Well, what are you sleeping on? Well, I used to be in rented accommodation. Right. Oh.

So that would be furnished when I was in my 20s and my late teens. And then my first house. Thinking about that, that is sleeping on a mattress that's been through numbers of people. I did it as well, but looking back now, I know it needs must, but. I mean, imagine what's happening in a hotel bed. I've been in it every night. Oh don't, I mean, hotels lots, don't talk about that. Yeah, I think worse things have happened on hotel beds than on student mattresses.

Maybe not. Or can I just say the reason I've never bought a mattress? I don't believe Rob's ever bought a mattress either. Yeah, me and Lou, me and Lou have bought- Because the first place I bought was with Rose, and so Rose ordered a mattress. No, but I went, me and Lou have been to a shop to try mattresses to buy one together.

Oh, you pervs. That's what you did! Guess what's happened on those mattresses before, Rob. What I would say is don't get memory foam, you pervs. That's what you do! Guess what's happened on those mattresses before, Rob. What I would say is don't get memory foam, you lose perches. Well, so you've done the thing of laying. That's the weird thing when you see other couples laying with their shoes on, on beds, two in the afternoon. Yeah, have you never done that, Josh, then, actually?

No. Rose just picks it. No wonder you're not sleeping. You don't know what you're in. I'm sleeping really well. We've got a mattress. I should say you should get a mattress topper. That is an absolute game changer. Have you got one of them? Yes, we've got one

It's good stuff. Sorry Scott. We were getting bad backs So we just thought we need to sort the mattress out But but yeah, it was that weird moment sort of two o'clock in the afternoon They say never go shopping when you're hungry. I think never do mattress shopping when you're tired Next to Gemma and we were sort of going like, I could go now. Two o'clock in the afternoon in dreams. Just go. Yeah. I think being a parent with young kids, every mattress is fine. It's hard to judge.

Yeah. This is the thing. She was like, what do you think of this one? I was like, they're all great. We're laying down. We're on our own. It's all great. Can you just leave us? I just want 20 minutes in dreams on a Sunday afternoon. Well, I think this is one of my business plans that I'm never gonna do, is I don't want a hotel room, but sometimes I just want a bed for an hour. You can find them in town.

I'm so with you on that. It's when they kick you out of a hotel at like midday Yeah, and you just wandering like a zombie. Yeah, I just want to lay down Yeah, I think that's a comedian problem I don't know No, so the people aren't killing five hours in Norwich to do a gig for 20 minutes at nine o'clock We don't know but say you're meeting your friends for dinner So you finish work at five and you meet your friends for dinner at seven and you think I might just go for a lie down at Josh's mattress emporium. Do you know Rob, because what happens

is you end up having three pints on your own. Yeah exactly. Do you know once, this was a low moment, I was hung over and I was going to Plymouth match and I misjudged how long it would take to get to Paddington and I was brutally hung over and I had an hour to kill at Paddington at 9am on a Saturday morning and I paid £5 for the shower so that I could just lie on the floor for 45 minutes. Shower? What shower? That sounds like the bleakest thing you in the fetal position. You know you can pay a fiver for a shower at Paddington, they've got showers. I didn't know that. Yeah you can pay a fiver and I was just, I could just lie on the floor in private here.

That is amazing. I can imagine you just curled up with a little bottle of RADOX you have to bring in to put the illusion that you needed a shower. It's a cover story. Welcome to the podcast. Is it Sir Tom Daley? You must have some sort of OBE, MBE, Olympic winner. I'm an Obi-Wan Kenobi, me.

Are you? You're an OBE? Yeah. Well done. Well, welcome. Thank you. Sounds weird to say, to be honest, but there we go. You'll be a Sir one day, won't you? You'll definitely be a Sir one day, Tom.

Oh, I don't know about that. Maybe. Maybe one day. Who did you get it off? I got it off of Prince Charles at the time in, I don't know, August last year. We went to Windsor Castle. Oh, nice. day. Oh, nice. And you get a plus one plus two. How many can you get in? Because they were still a little bit like Covid strict. I just had a plus one. So me and my husband went down and then we had a lovely lunch afterwards. And obviously on the high street on Windsor, they must have all of the people

that go and get their awards must go in for lunch. Because when we got there, like give you a glass of champagne. I was like, how do you know? It's like oh it's the world's day everybody's year and I'm like alright okay but it was it was quite cool but yeah. Who got one on the day you got one because I imagine it's like oh my god they're getting one this is such an honour then you turn a corner and go they've got one. Exactly to be honest I'm just gonna sound a bit bad I can't even remember who else was there it was such a whirlwind I feel like Professor Chris Wisse was there. Yeah, I think I buy that.

Yeah, so did he get knighted? I think he must have got knighted. I don't know. Something like that. I know you have to pay for the pictures like you've just come off a roller coaster. Do you? Yeah, you do. Yeah, you do have to pay for the pictures and the video. Yeah. No.

Yeah, they're like, you're not allowed to take your phone in, no pictures inside, because we're going to take them for you and charge you. Yeah. Graduation, how much for a video of getting your OBE? Oh, you don't get video. Oh, exactly. to take your phone and no pictures inside because we're gonna take them for you and charge you. Yeah. At graduation, how much for a video of getting your OBE? Oh, you don't get video. Oh, exactly, just first of all. I was just lucky that they posted it on the Royal Family Instagram, so that's ideal.

I can take that. That's free for me. How much was it? Can you remember how much it was at school photos this is? I think it's like 250 quid. I mean, that Winsor Castle must be a steep upkeep I must say but apparently you have to keep chipping in. Wow. So Tom we're not just here to talk about your visits to the Royal family

also about your own family. So what you set up at home you've got one son is that correct? Yes I do four and a half years. So yeah. At school or next year? Yeah at school so he's at school right now So yeah, that's why there's like some kind of quiet in the house at least so is he enjoying school? He loves school I think the nice thing about it is that he's but he can be quite shy sometimes But I think school is to sort of like make new friends and be able to have to do that and also the independence of being Else I learned to read and yeah right things and starting to understand the way that, you know, each sign actually means something.

It's not just gibberish written on like, you know, symbols on a sign. So, yeah. Yeah. We'll take him to Wales and he starts getting double. I still struggle with that. He's like, what's going on? A raft! A raft!

Have you taken him to the pool? Oh yeah, he can swim, which is nice. Because I think for me it's not just about learning to swim, it's about like that water safety. Yeah. If he ever got in trouble. That was the main reason why I started in the pool, is because I lived in Plymouth, which was right by the water.

So if I ever fell in, I could float on my back on the surface or do whatever I needed to do. And then you became the world's best at falling in. You're the ultimate one falling in. I know you became the world's best at falling in. You're the ultimate one falling in. I know, and then the world's best at fancy falling. I know, got a little bit fancier, and then like before you knew it, here I am. Oh, but you're two Devon boys.

Yeah. Yeah. This is it. I'm from Dartmoor, you're from Plymouth. Yeah. I'd say you're the most famous person from Devon now. Do you think that's true? I know, so what about Sir Francis Drake? Oh yeah, but we can't get him on the pod, so. Oh. Yeah, that's true? I don't know, so what about Sir Francis Drake? Oh yeah, but we can't get him on the pod, so...

Yeah, that's true. It's you or Dawn French, I think, the big two. Plymouth girl. Let's talk to you about your son. How did a role split with you and your husband with your son? You know, it's funny, because especially when I was like, travelling so much with training and diving and things like that, I would be away for quite a lot of time. So there was not necessarily the most even of balances in that. But when we're both home, I like to cook. So I've

always done all of the food and all of that. And I'm also being an athlete, I was very much the one who was like recording, especially in the first couple of weeks, you start like almost like writing a training program, really, of like all the food, the like how many times he's peed, how many times he's pooed, all of that stuff. And it's all of the things I never thought I'd be writing down in a little book. There I was doing it anyway. So as an athlete, you kind of approached parenting kind of almost subconsciously like a training program. Yeah, I think it was mainly because it was like you read so many books and you hear about

what you should be doing, what you shouldn't be doing, how's best to like interact with someone. And it's just like so crazy chaotic all the time. I just felt like there was that way of being able to have some kind of, I guess control because you feel so out of control in those first few weeks that you're like, what is this human being alien that you're holding? How all of a sudden now I am like the prime carer. They are completely dependent on what I do,

what I say, and how we act with them. For me, it just allowed me to like take some kind of stuff out of my head and just put it onto paper so I didn't have to think about it anymore. Yeah. So it was a bit of control. It's like if you're logging it, you're doing something rather than just thinking about it and getting stressed. Yeah, exactly. Did you find it quite stressful then when he was little?

Yeah. I mean, the biggest stress thing for me was sleeping at night and then looking at him, and he was so peaceful and it looks like, oh my gosh, is he breathing? And I know every parent does that. To the point where I was like, oh my gosh, he's too still. And I used to like wake him up. Oh, one sec, my daughter's calling. I'll be back in a sec. This is absolute classic. You carry on. Josh's daughter's off. He's scurrying out the room, his daughter's off sick. But yeah, I've done that before, you wake them up to see if they're okay.

And then they're awake all night and you're like, why did I do that? Yeah, it is scary though, when you first become a parent, you don't know, like no matter how many books you read, no matter what you think you know about what your child is going to be like, you just never know what's going to happen and what turns going to happen next. And I remember so many people giving me advice on this, you should do this or you should try this and this is how you should do it. And I was just like, and when people ask me what the biggest piece of advice that you could give to any other parent and I'm like,

do not listen to any other parent's advice because like they don't know the kids. That's for me, one of the things I had to learn and come to terms with for short. Yeah, it's a bit like, you know, what you need to do with kids is, it's the same as going, do you know what you need to do with people? Yeah, no, exactly. You know what you need to do with adults? You're like, well, no, you don't,

because you've not met that adult. You don't know what the situation is. You don't know the full story. Exactly, everyone's different. Did you always want kids? Was that something that was always, or was you just focused on the diving and then that was something you thought about

when you were getting nearer the end of your career? You're only 28. I mean, you could probably still go again, couldn't you? Yeah, I could go again. I am the granddad in diving, to be honest. I am like one of the oldest. I swear you started about six. Yeah, I started when I was seven. So I did it for a very long time. But you know, being a, yeah, I've always wanted to be a parent. I remember when I was like 16, 17 years old, when I used to go away traveling for competitions, I used to see kids clothes and be like, I'm

going to get that for my future kid. Like I just knew that I wanted to be a parent. And then when I met Lance, yeah, in the first week that we dated, I just straight up asked him, I was like, can you see yourself getting married? And he was like, yes. And then I was like, OK, can you imagine yourself having kids? And he was like, yeah, sure. Like, I want kids. And then we named our children in that first week.

Wow. So you went full steam first day. Yeah, literally, we broke every children in that first week. Wow, so you went full steep first date. Yeah, literally, we broke every single rule of dating possible. Like we just went straight for it, names, and Robbie Ray is here now. So like we stuck with the same name. Wow. That's so good.

How long between then and having the kid? Five years, six years. Yeah, of course, it's not like you sort of like decided then, you know, had a child straight away. It's not like you sort of like decided then, you know, had a child straight away. It's like there was a bit of time between them. But I do think that's a good thing in like dating, just being honest and totally yourself straight off the bat.

It does cut out that six months of pretending to be someone else. We've all done. Exactly. Cause it's like, you know, Lance was like my first ever long-term relationship really. And like for me, I was like, if I'm going to invest my time in a relationship, because you know, with training, I didn't

really have much time at all. So if I was going to invest in something else, I actually want to know that I'm going to get the outcome that I want. Again, it's very athlete mindset. Like I'd like to know the time, what am I doing? Where am I going? I was like writing down things, you know, what did he say on that day? Like, okay, yeah, I've got this. So for me, it's like, I'm learning more and more about myself as I go. I'm like writing down things, you know, what did he say on that day? Like, okay, yeah, I've got this. So for me, it's like, I'm learning more and more about myself as I go, I'm like, I am actually like a really controlling, I like to be in control.

I'm a real control freak, and that's the thing I found most difficult, I'd say, apart from the sleep about when we first had kids, was you've just got to surrender that control. Yeah. Have you learned to do that? Yeah, massively. I think you just have to get to a point where you're like, okay, whatever happens, for me, the big thing was having a disaster of a house when they come home. And it's like a tornado

has hit the place and you've got all of this like train stuff everywhere, Lego everywhere. Everything is like all... And I think that was the hardest bit for me was because again, I like to have everything like tidy and put in its place and now it's just, yeah, it's chaos all the time and you kind of get used to it and you kind of have to let go of that or else you become so obsessed with it. And also you realize that you don't have time

to worry about all those little things anymore. You just have to, I feel like the first six weeks in particular is like survival mode. Really, yeah. Oh, six weeks in particular is like survival mode. Really? Yeah. Oh, six weeks, you're being very, very kind. I'd say the first six months was survival mode for me. True. I still feel like I'm in survival mode sometimes, to be honest. And was it surrogacy you were lanced in? Yes. Yes.

And then, excuse my novelty, but so did you get Robbie Ray like immediately, sort of you're there for the birth and stuff like that? Is that is that how it is? Yeah, exactly. We're there from the birth and there's lots of different ways with surrogacy how it works in terms of the UK versus the US and what laws are there are around it and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, we were there.

We were present for birth and I had first skin skin contact, which was absolutely incredible, you know, because we would obviously always going to need help to have a kid because, you know she's asked us not to name her for lots of reasons. Of course. But she is the most special human being on the planet and she has made our dream of having a family come true and it really takes a special kind of human being to be so selfless to do that and you know she's now like a friend for life. I mean we speak all the time.

Robbie calls her her tummy buddy. So they're tummy buddies. It's really sweet. And he also speaks with her kids as well. Yeah, it's a very magical thing. This the whole journey is very special. Yeah. And how much are you in contact during the pregnancy and stuff? Whole time? Yeah, I mean, we text all the time. And especially like, you know, every day, we would also come to the appointments and you know, if we couldn't be there in person because she lives in

America, we would dial in on zoom or on FaceTime or whatever. And so we were like in constant communication the whole time and we used to send little voice notes as well. And she had these like earbuds that she could put on her tummy so that the baby could in theory hear through like stuff which is really sweet. Oh it's amazing. And so did you have to do the first few weeks in a hotel in America or? So we have a place in America because Lance, my husband is American and the laws are much safer for surrogate and for us in the US so. Yeah it's a bit slow the UK with that kind of legislation, isn't it? It's a bit more tricky.

Yeah, it's slightly trickier to do here. Everybody knows exactly where they stand, which is important to have that clarity. And, you know, the surrogate is always in control of everything, which is very important. And it's just it's also one of those things that you realize the importance of having everything out on the table and being able to have those open conversations. And you know, in the US as well, in California, it's again, the UK laws is that the surrogate can use her eggs as well. Whereas in the US and California anyway, you have to use an egg donor.

So it's not the surrogate's eggs. So it's a very complicated, obviously, thing. Yeah. One of my best friends, his husband's Brazilian, and they were looking into surrogacy, and they were chatting about it. And it can be quite costly and all, you know, there's millions of different ways to do things. And then they say, obviously, you get the egg doughnut, and then you can either, you know, choose one of the parents to use the sperm, or you can just sort of put it all sort of

in and you don't know. And it's sort of a bit of a lottery. But my mate's like basically Irish, the most pale skin with dark hair. And he's very much dark a Brazilian husband. I was like it wouldn't be a surprise. It would be a bit obvious. Yeah exactly. Welcome to the podcast, Dame Jessica Ennis Hill. We're very excited to have you. Dame Jess, can I call you Dame Jess? You can call me Dame Jess yeah I like it.

Our first Dame. I've never seen Rob so nervous to talk to someone. Well I'm talking to a member of the British Empire. Yeah yeah yeah. It's a royal family you know. Royal family, the royal family. So we're also very excited because you are a listener of the podcast as well, which always makes it more fun because you understand that. How bad it is. Yeah, yeah. I understand the dynamics. I understand the dynamics. So Jess, how many kids have you got and how old are they?

So I've got two kids. One has just turned six. So that's my daughter Liv and then my Reggie, was nine in the summer. So yeah, kind of big kids now, actually. I still think they're like little dinky things, but they've changed so much. I know yours is similar age, Rob, but yeah, when they get to that age,

they just, I don't know, they mature so much. They get very independent, don't they? Yeah. I can't believe your son's nine. I know that sounds weird, but I can't believe your son's nine, because obviously, because you had your son during your career. Yeah. I can't believe your son's not. I know that sounds weird, but I can't believe your son's nine because obviously, because you had your son during your career. Yeah. I can vividly remember you having a child. Well, not vividly remember you having a child. Where was it Josh? You freak. It's a little bit worrying.

Yeah. No, I vividly, and it doesn't feel like that long ago, but obviously nine. Yeah. Yeah, I know. I had him, I obviously had him in 2014, but yeah, I had him and then I came back to my career and yeah, it seems like five minutes ago, but actually it was, yeah, a very long time ago now. We did want to talk about that. What was that like resuming being an athlete after you'd had a child?

Do you know, I was just so naive. Like you have no idea what it's like to become a parent. And although I was like, so excited, you know, you're kind of like all the unknowns and you think that you have this like plan in your head of how it's all gonna like work out. And I think being an athlete as well, you're so structured in what you do and everything's organized, everything's planned, you've got deadlines, like it's so structured that I almost thought that when I had my son, he was just going to like slot into that like routine and

Oh yeah, big time. You know, like you're a bit of a control freak, like you just think that everything is going to be similar but actually it was just, it was the biggest shock. You know, becoming a parent for the first time, but also then trying to get back into training, trying to get back into competition, trying to get everyone around me to buy into the idea that I was actually going to come back. Like I was still going to-

Did people not believe you? Yeah, I think quite a lot of people doubted what I was trying to do. And definitely people like within my like team as well. They were like, you know, you sure you want to come back? You know, things are going to change quite a bit. And I was like, yeah, they're going to change,

but I'm going to come back. It's fine. I'll take a few months off and then I'll just get back to normal. So when did you have your, when in 2014? So I had him July 2014. Right. So in 2012, you'd won the gold medal at London. So then were you trying for the baby

in between the middle of the Olympics then? Or was it just a happy accident? Or was it a bit more relaxed? Or were you trying to slip it in, almost scheduling the pregnancy? Yeah, so it wasn't really like a scheduled and planned per se. It was a little bit of a surprise planned shot. Yeah, very small on the plan.

Because a lot of athletes do, they plan it in and, you know, in the right times that they come back for the Olympics and stuff. But it wasn't necessarily like that for us. And I remember like going to my coach, like obviously finding out I was pregnant, obviously really happy, we both were. And then I had to go and tell like my team and I was so nervous, like to tell my coach that,

because he'd had all this plan, like he was like, right, you're gonna do the come off games in 2014 and then World's Olympics, like he had this plan. And they're planning their schedules around it as well because it's sort of a long-term thing, yeah. Yeah, their whole life is, you know, when you support an athlete, their whole life is around you performing.

And I remember going to his house and just being like, okay, so I've got something to tell you. I was so nervous. I was like, sit down. I was like, well, so I'm pregnant. And he was just so shocked that he didn't know what to say. He just kind of sat there. And then he got his laptop out and he started looking at dates. He didn't even say congratulations. He was literally, he was just in such a fluster, like what dates, when's he going to be born, when's she going to be born, you know, like what's going to happen.

And I was just sat there like, okay, congratulations, you know, anything like that would be nice. Oh man. But yeah, it was a big shock to the whole team, but obviously a great shock. How many months after did you do your first training session? So I kind of like went back into training gradually. So I went on the bike for a bit, you know, I kind of got a set up in my garage where I could do like some exercises and stuff. So I wasn't like traveling to and from the track all the time.

And then I didn't really start, I'd say probably like eight to 10 weeks after I had him I started doing you know gentle exercise but I didn't start like hurdling or high jumping again at that time or anything like that. But yeah it was very much like a gradual build up like back into training. And did you find your body had changed you know after because I find women after they have children their body does sort of change shape and the hormones are different and things like that. Did, because as an athlete, everything's so fine tuned down to what you're eating and how your body reacts. Did you find that there were certain things that you couldn't do as well or you could even do better after anything? Did you notice that? Or was

it pretty much once you'd got over the initial impact of the birth, you were, it was the same or was it different at all? No, no, completely different. Really? Yeah, completely different. I am, you know, everyone that has a baby a few months after you like look down, you're like, oh, like, why do I not look the way I used to look? And obviously I had like, I was totally ripped. Like I had a massive six pack.

I don't mean to brag, but I had a six pack and, you know, really kind of strong. And then obviously your body changes so much. And it's amazing how much your body just transforms and you can carry your baby. And it changes in an incredible way. But, yeah, when I got back to training, I was definitely not the athlete that I was before. My body had changed. like mentally I'd changed

massively, like your priorities all changed, you know. Yeah, did it feel like it mattered less in a way? Yeah, I think you just have like a greater perspective. So I felt like, whereas before I'd had Reggie, everything was like very much, it's about me, it's about how I train, it's about how I can be the best. And then once you have your baby, it's like, much, it's about me, it's about how I train, it's about how I can be the best. And then once you have your baby, it's like, well, actually none of that really matters that much. And it's how do I be the best mom? And yeah, how can I do all those things really well? And it's about your child, isn't it?

So you change like completely. And I think that transition from athlete to mother, it's like, is like huge. Yeah, because it's not even just like the time where like, you know, obviously your partner can have the baby look after the baby. And even if you did less of it, your partner does more of it. There is a direct impact on the body as such, you know, and was you slower and then in your running and stuff like that, even when you was back to full fitness or Did it, was you slower and then in your running and stuff like that, even when you was back to full fitness or was there anything in particular you noticed

that you couldn't do as well? Or was it just in general with your motivation? No, I felt that obviously, because it was after the Olympics, so I'd had like this huge high, like the pinnacle of my career, like winning a home Olympics. And, you know, once I went back into training after that,

I was like, what am I training for? Like, this is hard. And then I went back into training after that, I was like, what am I training for? This is hard. And then I had my son. I've already got a middle. Winning in Rio, how much does that matter? Once you've won in London, that's the one. It doesn't matter. I've got my gold mailbox now.

That's the main thing. Exactly. I've got my gold mailbox now, that's the main thing. Exactly, exactly. But after having Reggie, it gave me a new sense of motivation. But yeah, my body had changed so much. I couldn't run as fast as I used to. Like I was in training, I'd be at the front of the pack, beating my training buddies. And just like I always had this like next gear

that I could go to, I was really confident in that. Whereas after I'd had him, I was like, oh man, like I can't even get to the top of the hills and hill runs and yeah, I was just really, really struggling. And that's like quite a mental like impact as well when you're at the back of the group in training, but you're Olympic champion and everyone's expecting you to beat them. It's tough, it's mentally really, really challenging.

And you're doing that along with all the stuff that you do when you've got a new kid as well. So you're sleepless nights and was he a good sleeper? Do you know what, looking back, I'd say he was like a typical average baby, he's like sleeping-wise, like he slept, he was like up a lot at the beginning, I was like feeding through the night and stuff, but he then got into a bit of a rhythm where he'd sleep for like four hours,

and that's like a dream, isn't it? You know, to have like four or five hours of like, It's mad, a four hour sleep. Like that is an absolute, you're winning that. My sister-in-law's got a newborn and I overheard Lou chatting to her mom about it and going, yeah, well, last night she got two hours in a row.

I'm like, oh, brilliant, great news. And I was like, dude, fuck it up. That's been celebrated. I cannot even, I don't know how you do it. Like I can't take myself back to those days. Like, you know, being up all through the night and then I'd have to get up and train in the morning and then you're back at lunch.

And like, it was just crazy, but I don't know. You just do it, don't you? When you're in the thick of it. I suppose as well, you had, you would have been at like the most, you know, you were the poster girl really of the Olympics and you was on all the advertising, all your stuff with Adidas as well. So not only have you won the gold, you're in your sort of like opportunities are flying at you, whether it's brands and stuff like that. And then you're at sort of home with the baby and then trying to juggle training and

you're sort of, it must be quite frustrating because you want to make the most of those opportunities. Did you, did you find it quite conflicting? I found it challenging because it's still like for athletes, like female athletes, it's still like a massive gray area, like having kids in your career and stepping away from it and then coming back. Like with sponsors and everything, it's still very, there's not like a maternity package. It's not like the standard way.

So if you're not there performing, then you're not, you know, your deals stop and it's really dependent on on who like what companies you work with. And I was super fortunate, like obviously working with Adidas for years. They were fantastic. Yeah, they just freeze my contract and then you know, just carry on pick it where you left off essentially. Whereas for a lot of athletes, you know, you step off the track

for a period of time, like a season, and you know, you lose a lot of money and a lot of, yeah, a lot of deals. But that happened with an injury as well. Yeah, so being injured, yeah, there's like, you have like a bonus reduction and obviously you're not competing, so you're not priced money. Oh my god. And it's so unfair just like, just genetically, where like men won't have that, like they can have a family and their body won't be impacted at all. But it's almost like coming back from a serious injury, isn't it, going through labour and being pregnant and giving birth. It's mad, having that in the middle of your career.

Yeah, and it's the whole like, how do you go through your pregnancy? And then like say, how's your birth? Like, you know, you have no idea how that's gonna pan out. And then it's like, how do you recover from that? How do you get back? And yeah, I mean, there's so many challenges, but equally like in the same way, it's probably one of my like proudest achievements ever, you know, being able to have them and come back

and then win a world championships and then win a silver medal at the Olympics again was pretty special. Can I ask a sensitive question here Jess, do you think if you'd had your child three years later you would have got gold in Brazil? Does that ever cross your mind? of mind at night Jess when you're wiping his bum? It's a very good question. And do you know what, in all honesty, I, at that stage, I wouldn't have done it any other way. Like I had the best of both worlds. Did he come to Brazil? So he came, so like the whole team, the GB team goes out and does like a training camp before the Olympics. And I opted to go and do like a training camp just with my small team in Barcelona and my husband came out and Reggie came out so I was

able to spend that time preparing with him and then I went on to Rio by myself. That was expensive because he would have been over two then you would have to pay for a seat to get him to Brazil. know what? The most stressful part of that was the journey that my husband had to take with him to Barcelona. Cause he was like two and obviously like two year olds on flights are not fun. And I remember just meeting my husband at the airport, like so excited to see them.

And he was just like sweating. He was sweating. He looked so stressed and red. He had like the reddest face. And I was like, what happened? And he was like, I'll tell you what happened. He didn't want to let go of his bunny on the flight. He wanted to shut the windows.

And obviously you can't not like, yeah, the kind of slider things. And he just totally lost his shit. And he, Andy was like, my husband was like, it was the most stressful thing he's ever done, even to this day, he's like, that Barcelona flight. When you're at the Olympics, was there part of you going, I'm getting a lovely sleep here. This is a real, I mean, it's meant to be stressful being at the Olympics, but I'll be honest, it's the most chilled out I've been in three years. Well, to be honest, like, my husband's always like, you know, that holiday you had in Rio.

It's the most stressful environment ever. But yeah, I mean, yeah, I had full night's sleep, so it was a little bit of a holiday. You can't be getting up with a kid the night before you're competing in the Olympics. No. Oh my gosh, no. I mean, you need full sleep, yeah. For two days of competition, you need your rest.

And if you aren't, you know, happily married with kids, Josh wanted to know this, is the Olympic Village the complete fuckfest we all imagine it is? Is it like the Love Island after party? All I say, through the last leg we've done a lot of work at the Paralympics and there's a lot of chat that is basically freshers week at the, in the Paralympic village. I mean, I wouldn't know essentially. Obviously.

I've gone so you wouldn't, Dame Jessica. Obviously you wouldn't. But yeah, I mean, there's a lot that goes on in the village. There's a lot that goes on. And there's just so many different types of people and athletes. And you know, you're training so hard, like all the time, and you can never let yourself like go or switch off. And then you put everyone into that environment together.

And then I'm sure, you know, like, like you know the swimmers finish quite early on in the schedule so they're all like really excited and then athletics finishes a little bit later so there is like this whole sexual vibe going on, everyone is just so like buzzing. Everyone's either like buzzing because they've won or they're sad. Oh so everyone's fit. Yeah exactly, everyone's like new proathletic and everyone's either like buzzing because they've won or they're sad. Also, everyone's fit. Yeah, exactly. Everyone's fit. Everyone's like new prosthetic and everyone's either like

buzzing like you say because they've done so well or they've like, you know, totally fucked up. Yeah, and then want to celebrate. So, yeah. That's it for this special Best Of episode. I'm Natalie Cassidy and I've been wanting to do a podcast of my own for a very long time and here it is. I'm going to be talking each week to family, friends, most importantly you. I want to talk about the issues that are bothering me, things that make me smile and how we get through that washing basket without

having a nervous breakdown. This is a podcast for the general public, for the normal people. So get on board, become part of my community, and let's have a laugh. Hello, it's me, Jessica Knappett, and here, here, here, here, brand new podcast alert. I've got a new show for you. It's called Perfect Day. And yeah yeah you've figured out the premise already haven't you because you're so smart and because it's obvious. Every Thursday I interview a guest about what constitutes their perfect day so if you like hopes and dreams fantasies and sweet memories. You're gonna love this stuff.

Ah, we have got so many lovely, funny, nice people on. Your Ramesh Ranganathan's, your Dolly Alderton's, your Jamali Maddox's, Arabella Wears, she's doing it. Don't worry about the quality of the guest. Just worry about when you're gonna listen to it. Or don't worry about when you're gonna listen to it. Just actually listen to it. See you soon.

Jess Knapp here, signing off, wishing you a perfect day. B-O-F-U-C-T-Y-E-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-