Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting Hell - S11 EP11: Barry Hearn

Episode Date: September 11, 2025

Joining us this episode to discuss the highs and lows of parenting (and life) is Barry Hearn OBE, the legendary sports promoter and founder and President of Matchroom Sport. 'Mathcroom: The Greatest Showmen' - all episodes will be available globally on Netflix from Wednesday 17th September 2025 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 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] Follow us on instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@parentinghell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A 'Keep It Light Media' Production  Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There you are, pushing your newborn baby in a stroller through the park. The first time out of the house in weeks. You have your Starbucks, venty, because, you know, sleep deprivation. You meet your best friend, she asks you how it's going, you immediately begin to laugh, then cry, then laugh cry, that's totally normal, right? She smiles, you hug, there's no one else you'd rather share this with. You know, three and a half hour sleep is more than enough. Starbucks, it's never just coffee.

Summer's here, and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days, delivered with Uber Eats. What do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well-groom lawn delivered, but you can get a chicken parmesan delivered. A cabana? That's a no, but a banana, that's a yes. A nice tan, sorry, nope. But a box fan, happily yes. A day of sunshine? No. A box of fine wines? Yes. Uber Eats can definitely get you that.

Get almost, almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol and select markets. Product availability may vary by Regency app for details. Bank more oncours when you switch to a Scotia Bank banking package. Learn more at scotiabank.com slash banking packages. Conditions apply. Scotia Bank, you're richer than you think. Hello, I'm Rob Beckett. And I'm Josh Whitickham.

Welcome to Parents 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 woe.

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... Daniels say, Rob Beckett. Rob Beckett. and Josh Whittickham Lovely And Grace, can you say

Rob Beckett And Josh Wittickham Lovely There we go That was good Jolly little fella Hi Rob and Josh This is my son

Soon to be four-year-old son Daniel and his two-year-old sister Grace Both speech and hearing difficulties Which makes life a little extra fun This Friday marks exactly four years of me Listening to your podcast How does she know that? well, I was introduced to parenting hell by another mum while we were in the

NICU ward as Daniel was born eight weeks early. Definitely been some stressful times, but you two genuinely put a smile on my face when I needed it the most. Can't wait to see you guys on tour. Rob in London next February, Josh in Exeter this year. Thank you for all the last, for honesty, and for being so wonderfully sexy and relatable. Love you from Lucy. Not love you.

Love from Lucy. I've put that in. I miss right. I only love with you. 467 months from Taunton. I had speech problems growing up. They look at me now. So I don't know if that's a positive or negative for you.

Let Lucy take that as you was. It's either feast or famine for you, isn't it, Rob? And I think I might have hearing issues. Because I just talk over everyone. It can't just be sort of... Ego. Ego. I don't know it's ego.

I'd be talking anyway. I'd talk to myself. If you're in solitary confinement, would you be talking? Oh, I'd fucking go mad, rubbing shit on the walls. headbutt in the floor. I'd be all over the place, solitary confinement, I think. It depends when I went in. You know what I mean? If I'd gone in and I've been really busy, I think I'd quite like it for a few days. Is it dark? It's not dark, is it? That's the whole. Yeah, no. In Shawshank, that's just dark. But it's not, it's lit. Yeah, but it's not

lit like a cosy front room in IKEA. Do I mean? Sorry, guys, but this lighting's very harsh. Could we get some lamps in here? Because this is, you know. Lou loves harsh lighting. Does she? Lou has every light on. Every light in the house on. when she doesn't like being in the dark and especially being on her own and I sit down and I feel like I'm about to having fucking appendix out the light is just like

so intense can't we do the light in a bit and I feel like you know don't want to be like stereotypical but that's normally in a relationship the wife's the relationship is one into cushions and lighting that's more me

exactly you love lighting you've always been well let Rob is there a delay in this I think there's a delay yeah there's a delay where are you in a hotel your new house because we haven't got the internet yet

I'm sorry it looks like the shittiest hotel I've ever seen I thought it was one of your backrooms that need decorating that's fucking horrible this place I thought it was a shit spare room that needs decorating upstairs they make people pay for that Michael booked me into this because the more expensive one pulled out on the what happened Michael that was mad

so I basically got a phone call last night saying there was a glitch in their booking system and they overbooked despite the fact that they had availability on both their website and booking.com and I checked during the phone call And, you know, if we want to put brands on blast, I would love to put... No, let's not, because I use that brand quite a lot. So I do need to keep in their good books.

You might need to stick a rocket up there, Josh. Well, I've got the internet as of today. So this is the one and only. Yeah, very quick. Should we go without pictures because we're on a delay? Yeah, this is bad, isn't it? This is a bad one today, Josh. This is a bad one today, Rob.

We've got Barry Hearn, though, and he is full of beans. So we're in safe hands. I think if it was just us now, for an hour, we'll be in trouble. I can't see you, I can't really hear you, you're exhausted, because you've just moved house. I've had two hours, three hours sleep because I was in Sheffield last night. However, the shows in Sheffield went well, and guess what else happened, Josh, which is exciting.

What? I met the lead singer of Melbourne. Oh, here we go. Here we go. Basically, after we mentioned Melbourne, and you told me that Joe Carnow, he's a history teacher now, because he's asking what happened to Melbourne. Was he the singer?

This is bad. I think so. Yeah, yeah, yeah. but they all had anorax and long air when I was young and I was so shit-placed and when I met him I didn't want to go like so remind me again what bit did you do

so this is the one that we got told about is the history teacher, came to see you in Sheffield yes also he's got a brother that was in the band as well so it's all looks similar it's very difficult anyway he had beef with you

why? Well he said you tell Anne Whittaker oh here we go he still got the wit you tell Anne Whittacom that we came first than Art Tick Monkeys came second. And he did, you know, put his hands up,

admit Art Tick Monkeys may have achieved slightly more. Do you know what? Fair play. But I'd find that more painful. It's actually worse. It's a situation to be in. You're the moral victors. Well, imagine if we started a new podcast called the Diary of a Chief Exec.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. And then it just blew Bartlett out of the water. Yeah, well, I'm sorry to Milburn for that, but I'm glad that we're giving them, you know, the coverage. So can you talk to me? How did he meet you? Email, the parent-in-help email address and said, Hello, I am Milburn, which I thought was quite funny.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then Michael forwarded it on to me, and I sent him an email on the subject was, I am Rob Beckett. Oh, yeah, here we go. And then I said, come to the show. He came to the show, came for a drink after a couple of mates. So great. Absolutely great guy. You're saying there's still a demand for Milburn,

but it's just so expensive for bands to talk. And they were livid with me when they said, so how many people have you got working on the tour? I was like, well, Mike does the sound, and Matt drove me here. That is incredible. So I had a new tour manager because Nick double booked himself. We're very lucky. Yeah, we are very lucky.

But yeah, he said they did Doncast a Valley Bowl last year and stuff like that. So there's still a following, but it's hard to make enough money to make it worthwhile. If you like, they know, you've got to have crew, all the techies, instruments, lorries. Oh, my Lord. But yeah, anyway, so that was fun. It was nice to meet him. It's a good guy. Fair play.

I'm delighted we're bringing people together. Yeah, and also he's like, I loved him, and I still do. I love Melbourne. Is there anyone else who want to mention that you might want to meet backstage on tour, Rob? Lucy Pinder. Yeah, of course. Keeney Hazel, Jennifer Ellison, Caprice, and Melinda Messenger. She saw a UFO last week.

Oh, Melinda? Yeah, it was in the news. She saw a UFO in Wales. Sorry. She was on holiday in Wales. I presume. Actually, I don't know if she's like she might live in Wales. That's such a presumption. You're pushing you luck going to Wales in September and it has to

turn, in it. Good point. She was in Wales and she Instagrammed about a UFO. Oh, lovely. I only saw the headline, to be honest Rob, I didn't dig deep. Well, I've done my Wales geeks, I'm afraid, so they'll have to come to me. There we go. See him in Buxton. Anyway, John, should we get Barry Hearn on? Should we ask him if he's seen a UFO?

Do you want to place your bets? Yeah, I'll ask him. Yeah. He'll be the kind of person and goes, what are you talking about? Or, yes, I do. I've actually been abducted in that one. Tried to sign him. Well, we'll see. He's an accountant originally, and he's very into numbers.

So I think he might go. The probability is there has to be something out there. I've done the maths. He's a numbers guy. That's it, numbers first, business second. There you go. Anyway, right, here's Barry Earn. Welcome to the show Barry Hearn.

Me and Josh have wanted this for quite a long time, Bazar. It might be the first son and father that we've had separately on. It was thinking that the other day. I've been fortunate up to be inducted into four Hall of Fame around the world in different vaults. Nice. And Eddie must surely soon be up for Boxing Hall of Fame. And I think then again,

we will be the first father and son ever to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. So same sort of thing. We are constantly together creating records. Yeah. This is slightly more prestigious. Yeah, this is more prestigious than that. Nothing can be as big as this show, boy.

It's Permanent Hill. You own a couple of those sports. Do you pick who's in the Hall of? of fame? Yeah, absolutely, mate. Listen, there's no point in having the cards if you don't deal them yourself. Now, before we started, Barry, you said, how did parenting in hell come about? Come on, tell me. I'm engrossed. So basically, when lockdown happened, me and Josh were on tours, couldn't tour, stuck at home with our kids, driving us mad. We were messing each other about it, making each other laugh. And we said, why don't we do a podcast talking

about how hard it is? Because we had no money coming in. So he thought we might as well try and do something. It started off as lockdown parent in hell and it went well and then we dropped the lockdown bit, called it parent in hell and it's a podcast where we chat about us bringing up our kids and having a career whilst we talk to famous people that have got kids and we listen about their journey. Well, that's it in a nutshell. Well, that's good because that's the most important part of your whole life without doubt. Yeah. Yeah. So everything else is insignificant, completely insignificant other than family. So I'm proud to be on parents in hell, I haven't been through it myself

and thank God I'm too old to go through it again. So tell us how old are your kids, Barry? It is 47 now, I think. God, he looks good for it, doesn't he? Katie's coming up for 49. Yeah. I can't believe it when you worry. Because you worry about kids throughout your whole life, don't it?

I worry about Eddie getting on a plane last night. He's in Mexico or something. He's everywhere. And you still worry about him, just as if they're three or four years old. It's weird, isn't it? And so when they were young, if you kind of, I mean, I might be wrong at this, but I picture kind of the Barry Hearn explosioners, early 80s with Snooker and then boxing and stuff. Your kids were already around at that point, though. Yeah.

Well, obviously, they're coming up for 50, effectively. So they was born in the 70s. What were you up to at that point? Well, I was grafting. I mean, I done okay. I mean, I'd become a chairman of a snooker company because I work for an investment company as finance director, and we'd, bought a chain of snook halls. I wasn't involved in ownership. I was an employee, you know, but I was probably the only person amongst that company that could actually

handle snook halls, if that makes sense. They were the type of place in those days. If mum knew you was going in a snooker, you'd get a clip around the ear of, you know? But I loved it because it was like my everyday people. I just loved normal people. And things were good, but obviously destined to get better, thank goodness. So what were the rules with the kids? So, like, what you were just, at that point, an accountant working in a company, and then you moved on to getting this new calls and stuff. And you went from, you know, Ronford, Councilor Estate, accountant super quick. And then, you know, you run basically major sport all around the world.

When you had your, you found out she was pregnant, how much money we're talking in the bank? How confident are you? How panicked are you? Because we see you as this bulletproof, bury her now. But was there ever a time when you were like, you know, this might be art? I think the whole idea of having children scared. had the shit out me to be perfectly honest with you because we had a few years i mean we you've got remember old school i've been with my wife she was 16 and i was 18 and obviously we both counsellors we both come from nothing and we was a unit you know a partnership as you do you know

she was my most important rock that i sort of tied my boat to but then my boat sailed all over the place and i'm sure i wasn't the easiest person to live with and then along after about five years of marriage along came a kid and cry you know just blew my mind out was you 23 no i got married when i was 22 so i was 27 when i had my first kid but i wasn't ready for it i don't think because susan was quite bad with the first one she was in hospital with it a long time came out of the daughter she came out fine but then the second one you get a bit blazee well i've done this already you know another kid no problem i mean and i remember the water's broke and i absolutely honestly I've got plenty of bottle for lots of different things

and those things don't throw me. When those waters broke, mate, I was in bits and I drove her like crazy to Epin Hospital and the relief when I dropped her off with someone else to look after was immense. And in those days, it wasn't the same as today because you were probably hands-on. I was never, ever remotely hands-on

because we weren't expected. You know, I was born at home in my house and the men weren't allowed upstairs because the women were doing their thing. So I've shot off to Ronford Snooker where I'm playing Crunchy Worn And I've never beaten Crunchy And it was for 50 quid

And I wanted these 50 quid And halfway through the game The phone went in the billiardall And they said Mr Earn Your Wice in final stages of labour And I went It's one all And you're nervous

On the other end went What's that got to do with anything Well I don't understand I said look I'm playing this geeseer for 50 quid It's one all I'll be as quick as I can Anyway, and I'm thinking my mindset was

Last time she was 24 hours in labour She can't just be one hour in labour Two hours, that's how it works, second time I've got a bit of time Anyway, I've put her lovely pink down the roll boys She's a bit proud of me now Stop talking about a conception Jumped in the car

Zoomed up to Epping Run out There she is on a trolley And I'm like, I'm here And she's looked at me and said You bastard, where have you been I had him 20 minutes ago No, never, ever forgiven me for that.

And quite rightly, too. Your business doesn't move in a straight line. Some days bring growth, others bring challenges. But what if you or a partner needs to step away? When the unexpected happens, count on Canada Life's flexible life and health insurance to help your business keep working even when you can't. Don't let life's challenges stand in the way of your success. Protect what you've built today.

Visit canadalif.com slash business protection to learn more. Canada Life, insurance, investments, advice. Reading, playing, learning. Stellist lenses do more than just correct your child's vision. They slow down the progression of myopia. So your child can continue to discover all the world has to offer

through their own eyes. Light the path to a brighter future with stellar lenses for myopia control. Learn more at slur.com. your family eye care professional for SLOR Stellis Lenses at your child's next visit and what about when it's grandkids as well because you've got grandkids i've got four grandchildren now i've got to eddie's got two daughters who are beautiful miss worlds my daughter's got two twin boys who are nine and just getting to that stage where they like fishing with me and they like to play golf and they're like you know your life's complete i've got to tell you the best days i don't know how old yours are i'm getting

and they're both young. Yeah, seven and four, mine. You have such a world coming to you. It is so joyous every second. And you will create memories that you will take with you to your deathbed. I mean, I remember the first time I opened the batting with Eddie when he was about, I think he was the 13, and there was quite a big fast bowler. And I looked at him and I said, son, you know, I think I'll better take the first over.

But I was walking out proud, it's me and my boy against, you know, I blocked the first over. And at the end of the over, Eddie walked down the square to me and he went, you do know your absolute shit, don't you? When you go out with kids, you know, I made my first 100 playing cricket. I was always a bowler, but every bowler wants to be a bachelor. I made my first 100 when I was in my 40s. And I woke Eddie up and I gave him a 20 minute lecturing on, in life, you never give up. You never, ever give up.

You work, you work, you take. point on the chin, you wipe yourself down, and you go again. And today, I made my first hundred. And he's like, can I go sleep, Dad? Can I go sleep, dad? Can I go sleep? Yeah, of course. Three days later, he came in, he went, thanks for that chat the other night. I think I know what you mean. I said, what has opened a door to your brain? He said, I made 117 against middle sex a day. I wanted to kill him, you know. But the joy of having them around, and one day, I don't know if you're boys or girls, you two. I've got two girls. I've got one of each. Right. Walking down the aisle with your daughter is the greatest experience you will ever have in your life.

It's tough not to cry your eyes out. I've got to tell you, boys, you better have a stiff one before you go in there because you're going to need it. I'll be a mess. You're my daughter. You know, the boys, you're wanting to be that. I always wanted Eddie to be, you know, swashbuckling, cricketer, sportsmen. I want to even in business as well. I wanted to be aggressive. I wanted to be really. I thought I had the work ethic. that kills people. No one can live with me. I found someone who can, and it's in his DNA. He's all over the world, and he's running a business, and he's got dreams and aspirations for himself and his family

in the same way that I had from a different background. Because in the new Netflix documentary is Matron, the Greatest Showman, and it's mainly about you and Eddie's relationship, really, and then the business around it and all the people that work in it. And you famously call him your project that you designed. It's always been my project. You see, when you build something, Like if you built a house, you built a house that you want to live in, don't you?

You know, it's selfish. I know he was always going to go his own way if he was as good as I think he was, which he did. But I still had to give him the values that I thought were important because, you know, we had this scenario with him where, I mean, I don't dislike anybody, but when I was growing up, I never liked the rich kids very much because it was jealousy, really. They had things that I wanted and that we couldn't afford. and you put your back up a bit

and then all of a sudden when Eddie was 16 I'm looking to him and thinking this is one of the rich kids that I didn't like and Eddie's got too much trap you know arrives to school in a limo and all it and gives it large and over the top and that was that wonderful occasion which I know you boys know about where

I just said to him I'm not sure I'm going to like you my project wasn't turning out too good get your gear he was you know it was a decent heavyweight as a young I said, we'll go down the gym. I said, I need to find out what you're really like. Because what I'm seeing, I don't necessarily like so much. My wife was going mental.

So we'll have a proper fight. And how old was here at this point, Barry? He was 16. I was about 47, 48. But his story is that you brought that forward because he was getting so big. No, no, I did say to him when you're 18, I'm going to do it. But then I didn't like him at 16, and he was getting such a lump. I thought I better do it early.

But there wasn't any Holt-Bard. How many rounds was it? Three. Three, two, many rounds. But he dropped me twice in the second round. We never had the third round. He got me of body shots, which I thought was cheating. Getting it in the face is not so bad.

And really hurts in the body. And he's a big, you know, he's six, five, six or something. It's huge, isn't he? It's huge, yeah. I mean, he works out. But from that day, I left happier than he did because I knew I'd found out what I needed to find out. This kid's all right.

He took a couple of real heavy digs, early doors, and he didn't go down, he didn't cry, he didn't get upset. He dusted himself when he came again, which is all you can ask for in life. You know, life full of inevitable disappointments to have the recovery rate is important to go again and again. You two are walking illustrations of that. I mean, now you're superstars.

You're all over the bloody place. I can't turn on the televaccy, none of you. But it wasn't always like that. No. What people don't see, they don't see the sacrifice. they don't see what you have to go through. And I knew what Eddie was going to have to go through because he was always going to be Barry Earned, Sun, Silver Spoon, whatever.

And people with jealousy would always have that reply to him. So he's going to be under the kosh. So you better be ready for it and you better be resilient and you better be ready to go again. And that's what I found out he was capable of and he hasn't let me down since. Do you think your daughter was under less pressure because of a different gender?

No, no, no. But obviously she runs. I mean, obviously she runs all my TV platforms around the world. She's ex-Sky. She was the first woman producer of Premiership Football on Sky. She's in her own way. But she's not a salesman. She's not bullshit like me and Eddie.

You know, she's an academic. She's more like her mother. And the most important thing in her life, which forever will be treasured, is the fact she's got two young children. You know, she turned out to be a really nice person. She's probably my most senior person on our Matron Foundation, which looks after lots of different things in a quiet way

and she's perfect for that role when we did the Netflix documentary the three people that refused to go on it were my wife, no surprise there Katie and my daughter-in-law Chloe they all said too intrusive we want to keep our life as private as we can and we respected their wishes

Eddie and I looked at it and said this is an opportunity for a company that's been hugely successful to get even more noticed and PR and awareness created around the world, which is why we went with Netflix because of their global exposure. I've watched all of it.

And it's incredible documentary because I know I'm a massive boxing fan and darts and snooker and everything you do and you've blown it up now to this like billion dollar company. So I sort of knew it all, but then the way it's been produced, it means if you don't know anything about the sport

or don't know about you and Eddie, it's almost like a really good reality show but there's no fake structured stuff because the worlds of darts, snooker and boxing is so mental anyway. Yeah, it's interesting because you are my prime customer, Rob, aren't you really? Absolutely.

I mean, boxing snooka darts before, you know. I had you when I said hello. I find it interesting in a way clever people. You know, we spend a long time with that Netflix documentary. Do we want to do it? Do we want that intrusioning? Because it was like a year, year and a half where you're mic'd up nearly all the time.

Did it affect the way you reacted? No. Initially, for a little bit of time, you think they're there. but it's amazing how quickly it passes where you don't even know they're there even when they're there you know so you get into but we also took a decision

I mean it was a split decision on the board to do it at all because of the intrusive nature and what we all said is if we're going to do this we have to do it completely transparently we have to be honest with it

so we're not going to have rehearsals before we film things like that you know just going to be us because when we talk about projects and things like that, it is like a succession style. Succession was loosely based on the Murdox. And this is a little bit of the story of the old Rayer Giza

that's come into his sell-by-date. That's to pass the baton to young people who may not necessarily agree with what the old Giza did, even if they're wrong. And that has to be natural. And the most pleasing part of it was, I didn't feel any of it was, I've watched the whole lot.

And I won't say I enjoy it every second, but it didn't come across fake. It came across that it doesn't. And we are a strange family built on very competitive DNA. And that competition runs into our personal life, our private life and even our business life. We are one of the great losers. We will have disasters and brush ourselves down and go again. Because this in our nature that we don't get beat. We might lose the old battle, but we're never, ever going to lose it.

the war. Was there ever a point when you thought, why are we fucking doing this? Was there like... But that's the best bits probably, isn't it? I remember going on one night. I jumped in the bath and I went, oh, oh, and I put my hand there.

I thought I was still miced up. And then you look back and you go, why did I do it? Why did I do that? It was just so natural. Yeah, I mean, there's lots of things I would change to make me look better or saying better or, you know,

but then you think, that's not really me. The whole point is for people that don't know, I'm nowhere near as famous as Eddie, I mean, Eddie's a brand more than the personality. But for people that didn't come across us, here we are. And the great thing about us, and I love this, is, I mean, we have been somehow the other successful, really successful. If you ever set yourself a target, we've smashed that.

And you know what? We don't give a flying whatnot, do we? And I think you two would understand that, because if you don't have that attitude, then you're not yourself. Yeah. And if you're not yourself, what you're trying to sell is not real, and therefore it doesn't survive the test of time. And it would apply to you to as any characters,

you're both characters, but the fact that somehow or the other with your limited ability, both of you have been successful, that's more of a miracle than even naturally. I always say that. Everyone goes, what's your ambitions? I've been, I've overachieved already. I've done now.

I don't need to. Such a good attitude. you to have. You know, what's your ambitions? I'll tell everyone to ask me, where do you want to go from now? You know, you've got the company to this value. You're going to do that. I said, I just want to be the best I can be. And would you ever walk away, Barry? Yeah, of course. Nothing is final in life, is it? The only thing final is death. I'm doing a right good job at cheating it at the moment. I don't know how long I've got. I keep playing with art tax and things like that. But so what? If you can't do nothing about it, I don't ever worry a

second about anything because I'm a fatalist and I believe the man upstairs will just say, oh, you, up here. But whilst I'm waiting for that, I'm not going to let it affect my life at all. I'm going to do what I want to do when I want to do it all the bloody time. And I've earned the right and anyone who don't like it can do one. There's an amazing moment in the documentary and it's not a spoiler because it's very public about, you know, matrim's sold bits and stuff like that. There's a moment where Eddie's been working on a deal with Turkey Alashik, who runs the money from Saudi Arabia and he's putting all these boxing events and you've not really had much dealing with that. You've let Eddie crack on with it. And there's a moment where Eddie swapped seats

of view ringside at Ben Eubank, the kids fighting at Tottenham Stadium and 30 years before you'd put their dads on in that stadium. And now your son, while you watch their son, puts you next to one the most powerful people in the world who is desperate and wants to buy the company you started coming from nothing in Romford to now sat in Tottenham Stadium. And what I found amazing was, because obviously you're very charismatic and you laugh and joke and stuff like that, but you're obviously, you know, such a whipsmart business person. But when you sat with him and you go, no, Eddie runs all the business up. You can just see you laser it in. And we, as a viewer, got to see Barry Earn actually at work, not telling us about his work, but at work,

which is such an amazing insight. I found it's so inspiring to see someone that's gone on that journey to get to there and it's now negotiating. When you talk about parents in hell, I don't even know

if you too, well, I understand this. My business is like a child. Okay. And when we talk about parents in hell, it applies to business as well. This business has been my life as well as my two kids and my wife and my family.

So when we talk about selling stakes in it, looking after it, custodian of my business which is my life and I'm responsible not just for myself because I'm okay there's very little can earn me other than death but when I'm talking about a business I'm talking about people I employ that have done a fantastic job for me which you'll see that in the documentary but there's a lot of them but more importantly I talk about the thousands tens of thousands under thousands of sportsmen and women around the world that have ability that I never had that I'm in awe of and I want to do well and I want to grow and I want to be you know as much

as I like making a load of money because it's a game each year I try to earn more than I did last year it's just a game doesn't affect me at all because I'm happy just going fishing with a can of worms it don't make no difference I'm happy where I am I'm in a plateau but what I do love to see is all of a sudden Luke little are coming from nowhere and earning millions of pounds and spreading the gospel around the world, you can do it. Don't matter who you are. Don't matter where you come from. Don't matter what your mum and dad did.

It's down to you, son, or girl, whatever. And that's the feeling I had when I started business is, this is just down to me. And I like that challenge. And frankly, you've got to be prepared to take a few slaps along the way. Not every crowd you entertain will like you. As someone who's observed all these sports people, whether a dance, snooker, boxing,

Do you think there is a type of parenting? Do parents often are the same type or does it not have that much effect? It varies. I mean, some parents go from living their life through their son. In other words, he's achieving more than I did. And in a way, that's quite restrictive.

Not necessarily pleasant. Other people go exactly the opposite way and say nothing to do with me and just leave it to a local trainer or whatever. Yeah. And other people become an integral part of it without taking away the power and the pleasure of the individual for his achievements, for the sacrifices they're making.

You know, I always think someone like Steve Davis, his dad, for example, you know, it was absolutely there every moment of every day, coaching, talking. But when all the fanfare came about and everyone was slapping ass on the back, he was not to be seen. Yeah. It wasn't his role. And people like that, I respect a lot. just like a promoter or manager, like we've used athletes where you can see that the parent's

involvement's actually a little bit toxic and takes away and drains the athlete. How do you manage that? I never used to manage it at all. Well, now I just tell them the truth. Listen, you know, you're not good for your son's career or your daughter's career. You've got back off. And if they don't like it, I've always got the pleasure known I told the truth, which is what I would always do. So I don't really take into account. I'm not brutal about it. But most times, You know, you see it a lot in football where so many managers or agents are the dad. I mean, maybe they're the best in the world. I don't know, but I want the best in the world for everything that we're associated with.

And it's not necessarily me because I'm not the best in the world. At my moments where I have good ideas, but I have a team of people that, interestingly, have all come through Matrum and you'll see on the documentary from 15, 16 years of age, 18, 19 years, 20 years of age. there are today the senior management of Matron. We don't bring in outside as we train our own and we've got a whole range of hits that have learned the hard way. I'm going, I don't make too many comparisons

between our business, but if you haven't done, they always say, especially in a comedy business, if you haven't done the Northern Circuit or something like that, you haven't died in Oldham. Yeah.

Then you're never going to be ready for the palladium or whatever. You know, that's a thing about experience. Yeah, that's true. And it's like when people join Matron, they think, oh, we're the biggest company in the world, most exciting. They got the shittiest job for two or three years where they're watching to end this TV programs to make sure no one swears, writing down the music for the music credits, you know, doing the really cups of tea stuff. Well, Frank Smith, who's like, you know, head of boxing, started out of 15 doing teas and coffees and worked his way up. And he only got in because he was cheeky to Eddie at a charity do where he was getting people to paying for a raffle.

and he said, you've got a Bentley out of the front, you should be paying more than 20 quid, and then Eddie did and took him on board. Like, oh, you obviously see talent in young people. You see talent in people, and it comes from different ways. I mean, you know, you don't want the same type of talent. You need a variation of people in your business. And I've got a mixture of the, you know,

when I say cheeky chapies or whatever. Yeah. I always say to my senior ball when I talk to him is, just show me enough street. I want some street in you. I don't want Harvard. I don't want university degrees necessarily although I appreciate they're tough to get so good well done I need commitment and passion I need to see a sparkle in your eye much more than a sparkling

your pen yeah I don't want to know that you know what happened about the Greek invasion of wherever I want to know can you get out on that street and sell and produce and create and you make sure that no one gets in your way are you capable of that so I need commitment more than anything else. And sometimes, I mean, we've had people that joined us, and early doors have said, have I really got to work this late every night? It's the moment they say,

we say, look, let's just terminate now, because it's never going to change. Some people are destined to be nurses and vickers and doctors, priests. That's a calling. We're destined to be showmen. And this Netflix documentary, I think, captures that, is it really is, sadly, as my wife would say, the reason why we exist.

We can't do what you guys do. We can't be the front man. It's not good enough to do what you do. I hate having to admit that to you too. What we can do is make sure that you get, I'm not saying you particularly, I'm sure you've got agents or whatever, we can make sure you get the most money.

We can commercialise you. We can spread your image. We can do things. and create stuff around you that's beyond most people's comprehension. You know, I took Steve Davis, one of the most boring people in the world and made him into a superstar.

Why? Because I just said he was boring. And people call, oh, that's original. In the age of narrative, don't we? Where we have to be storytellers. We're not just putting on a show. We're telling a story, which means inevitably expand the criteria for the characters, make people involved with them.

So in darts, you say, Why is it every day outspayers got a nickname and an entry team? It's part of the process. Why did Nazim Hamid come in on a floating carpet? NewBank came in on a Harley Davidson. It's part and part of the process of telling the story which makes people interested enough to follow it and then subsequently either watch it on TV

or buy a ticket to come and see it. Game over. What would you say, Barry, to like a young kid like from a run for council estate to try and make it like you did is it like what advice would you give to a young kid I say the same to kids all the time all over the country be the best you can be

don't leave anything on the floor don't leave anything on the table I said to my son the other day Eddie oh you know I love you I said but if I ever ever see you walk past a 10 pound note on the floor I'll cut you out of my will

and you said I would expect nothing less perfect My project, my son, my project, is a statement of my real success in this world. And great thing about it is the benefit is you don't fear death at all. Because as far as you're concerned, and this will be the case for you two, you live on through your children, through the values you've given them, the creation of where you are, because they are really your projects,

just to you two haven't gotten balls to mention it. And what's your situation with your grandkids in the sense of... I am Bazar. I am Bazar the all-conquering. Are you as harsh with them as like Eddie and Katie with the sport and stuff like that? Because Eddie away said you never let them win. On January the 2nd, this year is one of the big sporting occasions of the world. It's massive. One of my grandchildren will be playing me at golf.

Right. Level to the death. level. No freebies, no gimmies, nothing. He's nine. Why that date? Why that date? Because we're on holiday together and we fix it in advance. And the psyching out starts now. He sends me little stories all the time. Bazar, I'm coming for you. I'm coming for you. He's nine. His dad was a golf pro, a club pro, but a scratch golfer. And this kid is, is it in 50 golf balls every day before he goes to school? or things like that. He's got a lovely swing and he might beat me at nine

but I would die rather than give him a shot. You know that we used to play table tennis with the kids all the time with Eddie's two girls. They used to be in tears, Bazza, you don't give us a point. You don't get, we've never, I said, I'm never ever going to give you anything

because when you do win a point, when you do one day which you will beat me, you will have earned it and that will give you a different feeling in your body than someone who's giving you something because if you're waiting in life for people to give you you might have a long wait. What we don't do in the home family, we don't wait for people to give us things. We go out and create things. It's amazing life lesson, but it's so funny that they're seven

when you're selling of this. Say he beats you on January the 2nd. When he sinks that part, how are you going to react? I will be proud of him and I'll be happy of him as long as I can look in the mirror myself and say, I did the best I can do. My ability is limited. I ran marathon all over the world, I never won one of them, but I did the best I can do. And that's all I ask. That's just common sense. It's reasonable, isn't it? We all want to be scoring the hat trick at Wembley.

A very small percentage of people will ever play at Wembley, let alone score the hat trick. So we always want to be the best we can. I'm still playing cricket for the Essex over 70s. I'm tough to get out. I'm tough to get out because I'm not there just to have a game. I'm there making a statement. I'm still competitive at my age, come and kill me. me if you want me. But you've got to come. I love it. I think every day means there's new challenges.

Every morning I wake up and I'm excited. My heart rate goes up. What's today? Well, I'm talking to you too is one of the low points in the day, but you know. At least it gets rid of one of the contractual obligations from Netflix, sir? Yes, ticks boxes. But if I'm going to talk to anyone, I've loved spend more time of you two because you've got a bit more idea about where I come from and working class people. How did your wife deal with you being so competitive with the kids? Did she understand your thought process or did you think you were being too harsh? Yeah, my wife is old school. She knows that you can't just be soft with people because then they build up.

And we're more concerned about it. I don't think this world's not a particularly nice place. And there's a lot of jealousy out there. There's a lot of bad people. And you've got to make sure you can stand up for yourself. And it's going to be tough. It's tough in the real world. And in a way, you don't want your kids to live in a real world.

But then they've got to be prepared to live in a real world. You know, it's that balance. where you want to give too much but then the danger is you spoil them and that may spoil their life and I was always very worried about that with Eddie and Katie but then they worked out both of them

and I think you know what it's in their genes they're going to be okay and hopefully my grandchildren will be the same and their children and my job is done to make sure that they're secure which was the whole reason I started working the first place I can survive on nothing I mean I'm just saying but

you want some security for yourself and your family don't you and that's the most important do you do with your family at the weekend if you're relaxing with the grandkids then would you are you playing games and stuff like that or i can't imagine you just putting your feet up well we go fishing i mean i've got a little lake we go fishing i took my two youngest boys i gave them their first all-nighter for carp we stayed in my little hut talk to me about the all-nighter what's that all night all night's go you go there in the afternoon you fish until it's dark or you can fish through the dark fishermen will understand and all-night is when you you fish all night you know it's

pretty basic. When you have a bit of breakfast. What's the fun bit about fishing at night compared to just doing about eight hours in the day? You can't see what the bloody hell you're doing when you've got fish. That's more fun. It's a surprise. Well, we tend to sort of go up to a certain time and then I secretly turn off everything and get them to have a couple of hours, Kipp.

Yeah. And then we start up again at dawn at 5 o'clock in the morning. Oh, bless them. I'm watching kids' faces. When you see a kid's face when they caught a fish, it's just, you must take your, I don't know, I was yours. I've never been fishing ever. I don't mean either. Rob, you haven't been fishing?

I've never fished in my life. That's so off-brand, Rob. Rob, next year, one way or another, you are in Sports Stars Challenge on ITV fishing. You don't get any money as a charity do. You will catch fish and it will change your life. It's unbelievable. What is it that changes your life about it, Barry?

It's just the mental space. Yeah. I mean, we don't get time sometimes. Pressure doesn't worry me, and work doesn't worry me, as you know. But I don't get time. time where there is nothing going around my head. I go fishing. I take a notebook and every now and again I go, write that down. And I go back to it afterwards. Most of my big events or most of my good sporting events or different things have been created while I've been fishing

when there's no text, no uncles, no grief, no aggravation, just me and the fish. And by the way, it's called fishing. It's not called catching. If you catch, that's abundance. But fishing allows you to understand your environment. It teaches children concentration because you don't get them straight away. You've got to be patient. And it teaches them that you've got to pay a little price in some way for achieving any objective. And fishing does that for me.

And it would do it for everybody else. I remember I took AJ fishing once. He'd never been fishing before. And he got about, I know, five pound carp on. And I'm sure he'll forgive me for saying, he's like a little baby. Oh, what do I do? What do I do? I said, AJ, this monster geyser that smashes people to bits

and you are petrified of a fishing who weighs five pounds. You said it saved you, fishing. How did it save you? Because there's plenty of times when things go bad and there's plenty of times when you have to keep things to yourself and you compartmentalise your problems and you don't let it affect your life, but it will one day. But the release for me is just going away and just thinking.

Is it almost your therapy? would you call it? No, it is a therapy. People don't understand that you have to concentrate, you have to give a little bit, but you're also quite at peace with the world. It taught me that. I went to Iceland a few days ago,

no, two weeks ago. It was like an SAS training camp. I mean, I've never been so tired in my life. I caught one fish, a 16 pound salmon on the fly, and it took half an hour to bring it in as it rushed from one fjord to the next. And it was just the greatest sensation of feeling that you can't even describe the pleasure. And I had three days there where I was, I mean, I'm 77 boys, I was battered.

I was battered. You know, I was nearly crying, I can't tell you how old I felt. But I had half an hour, but even now, I think we should all have little compartments in our brain that we can turn on off and on. Yeah. All the shit people, we put in a bad compartment. have a visit, all the good people in the other ones, and the good feelings and the bad feelings. And if you can have

memories, and children are a big part of those memories, when you do have a bad day, just sit still quietly on your own and just think of something good. So the last thought you have at night, every night when I go to bed, my last thought is I'm padded up

and I'm walking out to the crux. And there's a geyser waiting to bolt to me, and I take my guard which this season has changed from middle and leg to middle. Don't ask me why. And before he bowled the first ball, I'm asleep.

Wow. His perfect contentment. I've yet to face a ball in my dreams. I think of all the people we've interviewed, you're the only one that smiled throughout, just total. Why would you? I have the greatest life.

I mean, I don't know why I've been chosen, why I've been blessed. All I'm going to say is, thanks a lot, mate. Because it hasn't been wasted on me. I'm appreciative. I love my. life. I mean, the fact that every day there's an event somewhere that I've got something to look forward to and I'm thinking, oh, what starts this week? English Open at Brentwood.

Oh, blind me. Next week, another European tour darts event. Oh, this Saturday coming big fight in Ireland. Oh, calm. You imagine having a life like a little kid where every day is Christmas, you've got Barry Hearn. Every day in my life is Christmas. What do you think of Steve Day David's music career, Barry. Dreadful, I can't stand it. But he's my mate, so I won't ever knock it. Do you know what it does? Music to Steve Davis is fishing to Barry Hearn.

Really? Or save his life as well. No one wants to watch it. I'll listen to it. You don't care because you're in your own world. And my world is perfect. And the world we really live in is not perfect. But my world is perfect because it's Barry Hearn's world.

In Barry Hearn's world, do you ever get down and then you go to fishing to process it or do you never feel down? I never feel down. No. No, because every day's an opportunity and every hour is something to change. And also, I'm not going to give anyone

the pleasure of getting me down. I get things that frustrate me and things that annoy me, like a little spark. I've never been a moody person. I'd rather sort it out straight away. Yeah. I'm not going to have things hanged.

I'm not going to have baggage. I can't change certain things in life. I understand it. But walking your daughter down the aisle, did you get emotional? Would that make your emotional, that kind of stuff? Oh, man. Listen, I'll cry out a glassy movie, me.

I mean, I'm a soft touch. So, yeah, so you can't. It's not like sometimes these sort of, if I could categorize you as a hard-nosed business person, it'd feel like they don't engage with it at all, but it feels like you're fully engaged the whole time, feeling it all. I think the thing is, and it's good news for you two guys, because it's your business. But we should all laugh a bit more, shouldn't we? Yes, yeah.

I mean, at the end of the day, when it does come, you know, I mean, I'm going through a stage at the moment where every week I'm, I'm hearing about a friend or someone I've known as past. Yeah. Because just the age, you know, you're going to miss people, but you've got to realize that is the journey we're on. So once you've accepted that, then the job then is just to make the most enjoyment

out of the journey you're on, isn't it? Yeah. Or is it to waste your whole life and just sit there, moody and feeling shit? That's where I've been going wrong. That's where I've been going wrong. You needed this chat, Josh. I just want to enjoy my day.

Yeah. And I enjoy every day. And if I don't, I stop what I'm doing, I'll do something else because I'm not here to waste my time. I don't have time to waste. And I think I've had that attitude my whole life. And it's good. It makes me more productive.

This is a bit of a curveball. Do you believe in aliens? Yes. I'm a mathematician. There's no mathematical reason why we should be so different. There are trillions, if not more, stork, out there. I agree. And it is impossible to believe that we are the only,

universe that endures life of some description. I'm not saying they look like us. I'm not saying they look like, you know, what comes out on a TV show. That's exactly what Josh said, because before we did this, we were chatting about something and there was a newspaper report about UFOs, and we said, we've got Barry Earn coming up. I wonder if he believes in UFOs. Oh, I just believe in the mathematical certainty of life. I said you're an accountant.

You'll believe in the statistics. Now, Josh, absolutely. Absolutely doubt it. I hate being so predictable, boys. Just a boring chartered accountant. Final question, Barry. We always ask everyone. And what's one thing about your wife

that she does as a parent that you're in awe of and you think she's amazing? I couldn't have had kids about her. And what's the one thing she does that's slightly annoys you? And if she was to listen, she'd go, you might have a point there.

The one thing she does is honesty. She is absolutely black and white honest. Most of our difficult decisions in a family. I'll discuss a dinner. And we had that great one where after 19 years of owning Lake Norian, I said, I've got an opportunity to get out. It's like an escape as well from lower league football.

In 19 years, it's a sentence. You don't get time off a good behavior. I said, what do you think? You know, we've got an offer to go. I've done my time. Eddie said, you know what, Dad, when you win away from home, there's nothing quite like it, is it? I said, all right.

That's one that says, Katie said, Dad, we love you, but don't die and leave this club around our neck. I said, right, that's the cell. And Susan was sitting at the end, eating her dinner. She just looked up and she went, get rid. That was it. Two words. But the one thing, nothing upsets me when you've been over 55 years.

I've been with that woman. She was 16 and I was 18. She's seen the best and the worst. But I find, she says I am superficial. because I love everything about me and my life and every day is wonderful and all that and she's a bit more like her glass is half empty you know she'll do something really really well

she loves horses and she has you know she'll win a race somewhere and I'll go it's fantastic she goes well it wasn't really a big race you know that's awful stuff I'm like with me maybe her world is right for her but for me maybe that's why it works and you've been together 55 years Well, I mean, we're totally different, obviously, you can imagine. I don't think she particularly likes me, but she's bright.

Barry, it's been a joy. Thank you so much. Always good to talk to you to you. On Netflix, I think 17th for September, it's out, the greatest showman, the match room. It's really good. Even if you're not into sport, and it's an amazing sort of reality show on top of that. So, yeah, it's really good. And we've got to get Susan on it for series two, surely.

You've got no chance, mate. Really? She bred the winner of the Ascot Gold Cup a couple of years ago and everyone come rushing over because she's a small breeder to talk to her and she just went,

nope, I don't talk. He talks and she said, he talks and she just walked off. He's never going to spend any time with you to, mate. You've got no chance. Perfect ending, Barry. Thank you.

What a character. They don't make him like Barry Ehrone anymore. I'm desperate to find that he's lying out by I genuinely think he believes it all. What you see is what you get or what you're here. Right, see you like, mate.