Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting Hell - S12 EP3: The Wheels Have Come Off

Episode Date: January 13, 2026

More misadventures in parenting, life, and beyond with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe... this week Rob and Josh discuss Josh's upcoming cover shoot for Runners Weekly. You can listen to Josh's new podcast ⁠ 'Museum of Pop Culture'⁠ wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes released twice a week. Parenting Hell is a Spotify Podcast, available everywhere every Tuesday and Friday. Please subscribe and leave a rating and review you filthy street dogs... 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

Hello, you're listening to Parenting Hell with... Oh, fuck, I fucked it out. You make it look easier than it is. You know what, Rob, you know what? It's difficult, isn't it? Playing our phone into a microphone. Why don't you say the intro and I'll press a button this time because it's been said direct.

It's impossible to do both. Yeah. Hello, and welcome to Parenting Hell with... Wild. Can you say Rob Beckett? Rob Bantic. Can you say Josh Whittickham? A bus Winklebe.

There we go. That's wild. Sent in by Joel Domit. Very iconic voice, doesn't he? Because he's basically messaged me direct and got on. What's that nepotism of friends? He's not nepotism because he's not my son. Jobs for the boys, isn't it?

What's that called? Bullendum Club. What's that sort of where it's like? It's not what you know, it's who you know. That kind of. I don't know what the phrase is. There's a word for it. Anyway, that's him and his son.

But it's actually quite a good one. It is. We did come. We did come. I haven't seen, John. old son, but he must be one good looking baby. Really weird. Sorry.

Really weird. Really weird. Really. Yeah. Really. I tell you what, I saw him a masked singer the other day, Joel. He is so perfect for that show. Yeah. So full of energy and also like really funny, but also he'll wear mental outfits. Were you watching it for a reason, Rob? What?

Mark Singer. Just. You were very busy last year, weren't you? Yeah. Just. Just have a little look. Were you? Okay. A lot of people have been saying I'm one of them.

Which one? Don't know. I don't think it's been on yet. But apparently, I got people in TV were asking me if I was doing Mars singer. Okay. And I can't possibly say. I've told them I'll do it, but as long as I only have to do one song and I'll get guest immediately and I can go home. I got asked whether I would be interested in doing it, not by them, by someone. And I said, I refused to do a TV show where I'm not on screen for 90.

percent of it. Oh. He didn't stop me doing all those panel shows. Hey, come on, Rob. When you're just laughing. I'm not spending a whole time dressed up as a fucking koala. Why don't you've got a face like yours? Why deprive the world, eh?

Exactly, Rob. No, it's all about screen time, Rob. How are you? How are the kids back to school? All excited? They are, Rob, but they're more excited about your list of things. Oh, you want this is a thing. I haven't said,

And last week I said I'm, I've got, so I've basically, Rob, got 10 days to look ready for the cover of a magazine shoot. Yeah, what magazine shoot you're doing? A little magazine, Rob. Yeah. Called Runner's World. Runners World! Oh, boy. You have to be in, you have to look good for that.

Yeah, I'm worried. It's annoying that it's come so soon after Christmas. Yeah, because I'm going to go, I'm going to just. gym and run after this. Because most covers, if you're on the front cover of something, it's like, don't put as much pressure on your body. You know, you are who you are. You're a dad in his 40s.

You've got kids. But if you're doing one specifically for a fitness-based magazine. It's not idea. But running isn't easy. I'm not doing what, you know, that Ben Shepard bent out. Are you topless? No, I'm not top. Why would I be topless on Runner's World magazine?

Are you bottomless? So what you got where you're going to get your legs out? Yeah, I'm happy. You're going to be a running vest. No, I don't wear. A pro-running vest. Are you wearing what you wear to run for the cover? Yeah, I think so.

And what you're wearing? A t-shirt and shorts. Sox and trainers. I don't wear my watch. Take my watch off to run, not to sleep. Do you take your watch off to run? Yeah. Probably the only time you fucking need it.

3 a.m. asleep. Get the old watch on just in case. For lack times. So we touched it last week. I, because I wanted to get sort of Gary Barlow fit for 40, but I'm on it now. Harold 45, isn't it? That's, you know, in your own. So I started running, so I always hated running.

And I've run 5Ks before on treadmills and stuff, but I don't like running outside. I get very self-conscious. Yeah. However, I've started doing couch to 5K with Steve Kram. Sorry for what? Is it 181? Steve Kram? Well, you get a selection of...

I've got a podcast for you, if that's the kind of reference you like. No, well, you get a select, it's a BBC pop app where you get selection of different people. So one was Ella Toon, the footballer, but he's got a very calm in voice. I know him from watching the athletics and he was in the Olympics. And I thought, why not be told how to run by an actual runner? I worry about my running technique. Right.

I can't breathe properly when I run. And everyone says it's all about the breath. I can't, I don't know when to breathe in. I don't know when to breathe out. About the breath. I hadn't even been told it's about the breath. no one that told me it's about the breath. I was told you've got to have a straight back and breathe properly,

and it'll help. You can't run with a straight back. Who are you, Michael Johnson? Like, he was the only person who's ever run with a straight back? Well, that's what I thought. I was told him to run with a straight back. Or maybe. Someone on TikTok told me.

You should say be straight back? Am I right? How much running are you doing to be in runners' world? Oh, when do I take off the spikes? That's more the question, Rob. Your carpet's fucked. Could I be honest, right? Please.

Amanda, my beloved PR, a wonderful woman. She said to me, do you want to do Runner's World magazine for Prime Home? Sorry, can I stop? I love this. This is my crack cocaine of talking to other comedians and people that have to do PR. So right, go on. She said, do you want to do Runner's World? I said, yeah, why not?

I'll do Runner's World. How much they pay in 5K? Oh, here we go. Oh, there we go. For the record, you never get paid. You don't get paid. It's just a running joke. It's just a running joke.

Yeah, yeah. So she said, do you want to do Runners World? I said, yeah, you don't need to ask me twice. That's a bit, you know, that's a nice little interview. I go running, fine. So you have to run with them and they interview while you're running? No, no, no. I'm interviewed at the photo shoot.

It's also for the Runners World podcast because it's 21st century. Right. So it's used for both. Anyway, I just thought, oh, it was. be one of those nice little articles in Runner's World. About a dad who's juggling, dad life, work life, a bit of running, yeah, yeah, yeah. It'll be like, it'll probably be that back page one,

or it'll be, you know. But the people that buy Runners World, don't give a fuck about a part-time runner. They want to know how that to get their times down and carb loading. No, but Rob, anyway. What's your P.B? What's my PB? Is that one of your questions?

Yeah, well, I don't know. I'm done it yet. Well, it will be. Yeah, yeah, of course. What is your PB? About 7K. About what speed? Oh, I don't know my speeds.

I don't, I don't cover them. You must know, oh, you got your watch off, no idea. Exactly, Rob. It's just me and my music. So you don't know how fast you've run it, you can run a 5K? Well, maybe I'll go and check after this. No, but for someone that's about to be interviewed. I do it, I do it.

I do it on 10 on the running machine. So that is 5Ks, that's half an hour. Half an hour, okay. So on the treadmill, it's 10 kilometers an hour. Yeah. Definitely kilometres or miles? Kilometers an hour. Right, so you're doing half an hour?

Yeah. Cool. That's all right, isn't it? Yes, good. No, I don't know. I mean, I think that's fine. I don't know. I'm not a runner.

Does Steve Cramm make you worry about as much as you're making me worry? Well, no, no, no, not at all. No, I'm not trying to make you worry. But Steve Cram's fully aware that I'm going from couch to K, where you're going from K to interview about running. Well, this is what happened, right? You're the front cover of runners as well. That's what happened, wrong.

I agreed. Amanda said, do you want to do this? I'll be fun. And then a week later, she emails and she goes, so is mid-January which day is good for the front cover photo shoot? And I was like, what? I had no idea. Right.

I'm going to see what else has done the front page of Runners world. But I can tell you who's done it. Your friend of mine, Ramesh. Fucking hell, he will get, he gets anywhere, him. Isn't he? But at least he had a fucking marathon. Fucking, true. He did, he did do the.

marathon twice. Yeah. Yeah, that is fair. I wouldn't call you a runner. Wow, Rob. Runners' world would like to disagree. Fair enough. Do you think it'll sell many tickets? I don't know. I feel like the front page of runners' world, there's no offence to run as well whatsoever, okay, is for people that are really into running. Yeah. And it's like, oh, they love the magazine. It's a passion project. This, you just, you are, can I ask. Can I says about it. I think it's great. You've got a passion and energy and a verve for 2026 that's intoxicating. Exactly, Rob. You're getting me, I'm now thinking, I want to do runners world now as well. Yeah, I think you, do you know what? I'm sure they'd have you. They'll take any old shit,

it turns out. To be fair, I'm still walking in between runs with Steve Cram and couch to Yeah, yeah. Well, you could do it with Steve Cram. You could do a double photo shoot. The man that got me from the couch to the K. Rob Beckett finally meets Steve Cram face to face. No, but I want him running alongside me. Oh, yeah. Whisper in my ear. Yeah.

I've got some good headphones for running. Oh, this is such a middle-aged, sad podcast. Fuck. I don't know. I mentioned how kids. We're still boring. We've got some headphones that aren't in the ears. They're bone conductor so that you can hear the outside so you don't get run over.

That's good. That's good. That's what I've got. Okay. So are they hot on the ears? Because I feel tired of my ears. What is wrong with you, like a basset-out? How are your ears?

Why can't you have anything on your ears? You just makes me tired. They're not on your ears. They're above your ears. They're not in the ear. What's they just, what do you mean a bone conductor? What does that mean? I don't know, but they're not in my ears and I can hear it.

I can't. They're not, look, Josh, I tell this once I say again, they're in me, they're on me ears, not in me ears. They're near me ears. What are they called? Shocks. I've paid for this. It's not an advert. Yeah.

Oh, Rob, I'm talking of that. S-H-H-K-Z. S-H phones. I'll tell you what they are. Yeah. Maybe I'll get some. Because also, once you're putting in years, if you get sweaty, then they stop sometimes. Would you wear them if you weren't running?

You could. It's quite good for like a dog walk or something, if you still need to be hearing what's going on. Do you wear the ones that have got the thing behind your head? So they're like a necklace, right? Yeah. They're good. Okay. Next question, Rob.

I've been, because we're boring middle age men. Yeah. Both in our 40s. Both in our 40s now. We're on the downward spiral. I'm thinking of getting an electric car. And you know this because I've texted you for advice. And the problem is, Rob,

yeah. Your advice has been different to most other people's advice. So I've got to go against everyone or I've got to go against you. Who are the other people? Can you name them? People with electric cars. People that already have them and they're in deep. They're in deep.

Yeah. Yeah. So you've been talking, you've been asked about. Timeshire in Spain, you've gone to people that were also bullied into buying the Timeshire. This is my advice on electric cars are. It's a bit of a nightmare if your job takes you all over the country like ours does. I never drive. Fair enough. But this is what I'm saying for me. We've got a little electric car that's a run around to do the school run of the shops because the range isn't that far. And then also if you get caught short, it's a ball lake trying to charge

it for long journeys. So for my tour, I've got, I've leased a bigger petrol car. But also I would get hybrid if that was an option because then I always know that I can just put some picture in the car and get there whatever's going on rather than worrying about cables, accounts, if there's one on the way and having kids in the car. But I don't, if I'm going to buy a new car, I want to sell our car. We don't need two cars. Only one of us can drive. Yeah. Well, exactly. But they do what you want to do. Go pick. Oh, Rob, but you said if you get up about life. You know, you've got your new kitchen installed in Hackney because you're going to stay there for 10 years.

I don't know what to do, Rob. I'm lost. Who are the other people? Can you say their names? Yeah, my friend Claire. She's got an electric Volvo. Okay. Well, if you're only going to stay local, get one. But for me, sometimes I drive myself to gigs when I'm doing new material or I've got a corporate that's near that.

I do do that. Well, you just, like, for example, if you just want to get down to, you know, if you're going to Bullmouth or Brighton to do a gig and it's a little. hour and a half drive there and back and you don't want to do the train. And if you're going to, you will eventually want to be driving to them from London at some point. You're not always going to get the train with the kids. I don't know about that. Oh, wrong. But I don't, I think if it's your main car, you don't want to have an electric because it can

stop you doing things. Let's see how it plays out. Decider you go for me or Claire, it's up to you. Oh, God. We've all got to make decisions, haven't we? I don't like it. Oh, Cat Burns. I embarrass myself with Cat Burns.

Did you? From the traitors? My kids love Cat Burns now. I listen to her music all the time. Yeah. Where did you see her? No, I did it on the internet. Oh, no. So I went to message her on Instagram because it allowed me to message her.

Was she following you? Cat Burns on now in Capitals because that's what my kids keep shouting. So I wrote that. Does she follow you? I thought she did. I don't think she does. Let's have a look. But, no, she wasn't at the time.

No, she doesn't follow me and still doesn't follow me. So she's not keen. Anyway, so I went to write, I just want cat burns on all the time and then was going to write, my kids love you and keep shouting at me. Oh, I know what you've done here.

I know what you've done here, Rob. Kids love you. I wanted to say, just put cat burns on now. Can I just, can I just guess what's happened? Yeah, go on. You can only send one message

to a blue-ticked person that doesn't follow you. And then I couldn't follow it up. So I've texted her, I just want cat burns on, exclamation mark in capitals because then i was going to write my kids keep shouting this absolutely like you especially you know and stuff like that no oh no um so then absolutely nothing back then she did a story which allowed me to reply so i thought oh oh oh no

embarrassing oh mortifying cat i tried to send you a dm but i sent it before i finished writing so i look mental this is sad this is sad my kids love you and keep shouting at me, just put Cat Burns on when they're picking music for the car. Oh God, this is amazing. She did reply, oh, Rob, that makes me so happy. Ha, ha. How old are they? Yeah. I've said 8 and 10.

Radio silence. Fair enough. Fair enough. She did come back to me, but yeah, but I put that in my list because she hadn't for two days. Oh, cat burns. Did you ever find out if she'd seen the original message? Yeah, she must have.

Oh, yeah, she would have because when she saw the second one. Yeah, but Trades is so big. She must be absolutely inundated. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This episode, Josh, is brought to you by my friend and yours, the Apple Watch. Let's have a look. Actually got one on.

There you go. It's actually mine that. He loves the product. He loves the product so good he bought himself. What? The little will. It feels like I'm a DJ mixing. Oh, very nice.

Now, Josh, have you set yourself any new resolutions? Yes, I have. Yes, I'm trying to get trim again. Like... Trim. Yeah, like when I did strictly. Do you remember how trim I was then? You're strictly, buddy.

When you did strictly for a week and a half of the Christmas special. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, when I was trimmed for a week and a half. Well, did you know, the thing is about New Year's resolutions, Josh. Have you heard about Quitters Day? No, tell me about Quitter's Day. Well, basically, Quitter's day is the second Friday in January. Yeah.

That's when most people give up. Oh, that's a bit sad, isn't it? It is sad, isn't it? So what can we do about it? Apple Watch. Go on. Tell me. This little bad, I'm on a fitness journey.

Yeah. By the time I'm 40, I want a six-pack. You're already 40. Yeah, I know. So I've got a year to go. So I've got time. Yeah, yeah, fine. This little fella's going to get me there.

Okay, tell me how. Activity rings. Oh, yeah, what's that mean? Tells me what I'm doing. Walking. Sleeping. I clicked outdoor football. They told me how many calories I burnt, how much running I was doing.

Oh, that's nice. It didn't tell me how good my goals were, but, you know, it's a different kind of tech. It's got a little trainer. I went for a run. He goes, well done. You've done the kilometer. That's nice. Keep going.

This is your beating. You need that, don't you? Because it gets lonely. Very lonely on the road. only pounding the pavements. Sounded the pavements, yeah. That is a mind-blowing amount of helpful features. It means you have no excuse not to be fit by the end of 40.

Quit quitting with Apple Watch, Josh. Exactly. Search Apple Watch Series 11 to find out more. Other things on my list. Oh, another boomer, like, I feel like a boomer. I keep sending weird messages to people on TikTok. When I'm on TikTok, sometimes... Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Is this a preemptive strike on a news story that's coming out? No, no, but it's like... It's just going to random people. And some people I know, some people don't know where, as I'm swiping up, sometimes it just goes message sent to. And it's always a completely different person. And I don't know how I've sent it. And I just, I'm like a man on a phone.

Oh, you're old. I'm getting old. Do you know what you've sent them? Oh, God. So I've said, they ever reply? Some people are going, was this for me? Why have you sent that? Why have you sent that?

Oh, my God. I sent a video about someone complaining that crap game somewhere. somewhere, oh, it's a Milton Keyn Stadium that's half empty and someone going, oh, it's not a charity game. I don't even like the video. I was swiping away from it. I'm just saying this one, Luke, for no reason whatsoever. I sent a video to a woman I don't know,

and it's a video of a man saying, nobody knows how to go from this to this. And it's a few photos of him as like a roadman holding loads of cash. So he was obviously some sort of criminal. And then it's a scan of a baby. And you just send that to someone you don't know. Yeah, it says nobody knows how odd it is.

It's going from this to this. Been one of the hardest battles staying on track for our son, but it'll all be worth it when he's here. And I've sent it to a woman I don't even know, and she's just gone slightly confused by this one, so I've ignored that. It's literally happening every other, it's like non-stop. I sent Lloyd Griffith a video which is...

At least you know him. Yeah, anyone want a Christmas popcorn bucket. There's loads of leftover Christmas popcorn buckets. It's a Disney that they're trying to sell cheap. Lloyd don't care about that. I don't even care about that. Your algorithms are giving you some weird shit. Yeah, mate, I've done this twice now to my nephew.

One was a rat running across the Everton football pitch. He don't even like football. And the other one was Megan, you know, Harry and Megan, her laughing at a catwalk model. And someone's saying, that's a bit out of order. Again, my nephew's 26, didn't, couldn't give a shit. And I just, I said, sorry, I've done that twice now in a row, when you're worse than granddad.

So what are you doing? Is it your swipe? It's the way I'm swiping, I think. Are you swiping it onto something? Although my mum's been reposting stuff on Instagram, right? And I don't think she knows she's doing it. And it's like AI videos that are obviously fake, but she thinks it's real. Oh, no.

Oh, the list, what other things on the list? So the question, again, I know this is second. second week of January, my kids keep asking questions about Santa, and it's very, very difficult to... Oh, yeah, yeah. But, like, I'm getting questioned, like, forensically, like, I'm in an IT being caught. The oldest one does, I think, and the youngest one's very suspicious. But it's...

What's your plan for next year? Well, it's difficult, because you just sort of... I just sort of go, yeah, well, I think, you know, he's coming, and I believe, But what's the alternative? I just go, yeah, he's fucking fake, all right? Yeah, you win. Well done. Congratulations.

So I don't know what the thing is to do. Don't clip that bit up. Oh, the other granddad, I think. So they've got a catchphrase, apparently. My kids say that I've got a catchphrase. Let's know if you've got any catchphrases at parents. If they're messing about or not, listening or being, their behaviour is not great.

I say, but it's not really bad, but it's like veering that way. I go, girls, you're starting to be a little bit naughty now. Yeah. And they just crack up now because they apparently, I'll say it all the time. Does that defuse the situation? It does now a bit when they know that I'm not keen on what's going on. Yes. They're like, they're like created awareness.

And also it's quite funny because they laugh. Yeah, I do. I'm starting to get annoyed. That's similar. You say I'm starting to get annoyed now. I'm starting to get annoyed with this. Okay. Because my daughter got a two-wheel scooter.

That's what she wanted for Christmas. She keeps going up and down the hallway. And he's for outside, but it's very difficult if you've bought someone a two-wheel scooter in the middle of fucking frosty January. It's the absolute death trap out there at the moment. Yeah. To say, could you go out in the garden and scoot in sub-zero temperatures? On ice. On ice.

Yeah. But I'll say, can you not scoot? She says, but it's too tempting. Oh, indoors. Yeah, indoors. And to be honest, I am weak. I am weak. I've realised that.

She said to Rose, she said, we always ask Daddy because your answers aren't as helpful for children. Hang on, your daughter says this. Yeah, she said to Rose, when she was like, when they're asking if they can do something, she said. Yeah. we always ask daddy because if we ask you it's not as helpful for children meaning it's not as helpful for children such a aggy way like passive aggressive yeah so what you're too weak I'm too weak yeah when was the last time you said no um yeah that's an interesting question isn't it like no we're stopping well I say it a lot I've what then pushed it through

your iPads away from you I'm taking the scooter away no we're stopping that now no I do do that. I do do that. I do turn the telly off now. Yeah, yeah, I do do that. I get annoyed at bedtime. I'm getting annoyed now. Is that what you say? You're getting annoyed at you. It's stringed out. No, no, I, it's string out bedtime.

I've decided to come up with a new way of doing it, but I think it's too complicated. Your new bedtime routine? My new bedtime punishment shows. Where is everyone sleeping at the moment? Yeah, yeah. We won't go into that our room. All four of them in your room? Yeah.

All four of you. you in that room. Yeah. And Beryl. Well, in the morning, Beryl comes in because she wants feeding. She'll meow over my head. You need a morning piss.

Yeah, needs a morning piss straight in my mouth. What time does she? Oh, he's reassured. He can get on with his day now. She's part of the family. So all four, so where's my water anyway?

She's drunk. Where's everyone lying in the room? So who's in the big bed? Rose and my son at the moment. And where are you? On the floor on a mattress with my daughter. And you share the mattress have heard that on the floor

No, there's two mattresses So you've got a mattress each on the floor Big fucking room Good job, be removed Yeah, exactly And then do they start in the bedroom? Yeah, we've got it Rob, we've lost me off.

The wheels have come off here So everyone's going to bed in your bedroom Yeah Right, and then The wheels have come off, Rob. Right, so no, what, you're not even putting them into bed Their own bedroom

and they're coming in the night. No, we've given up. Right, so talk us from your bedtime at the moment then. Well, I'm going to see what they are. Because they've been going to bed so late during the Christmas holidays. It's mad. I agree with that.

Especially when we was on holiday, it was just basically go for dinner, come back, let's all go to bed. They can have their kindles. They all go to bed at the same time. Yeah. We got the kids got Kindles for Christmas and their birthdays and they're amazing.

The colour Kindle, and they can read all their books or especially if they've got like, you know, like Daira Wimpy Kid or Lottie Brooks. It's a bit nicer for them to look at than just black and white. Anyway, Kay. Yes, nice. So, yeah.

So what's your plan? I tell you why it is, Rob. It's a combination. Weakness. Of weakness. On my part. Is it more your part than Rose? Is Rose?

Or Rose is all right. She's in the bed. So you've been on a mattress for the last two weeks? No, the last three months. Fuck. You've never slept in your new house in the bed? Yeah. got a couple of weeks under our belt, but then I kept going on tour.

And when I'd go on tour, it would kind of reset. All the routine changes. Well, also, it was much easier for Rose to put them both to bed in the same room. Yeah. So, what, her room? Yeah. Yeah. Do they go bed at the same time then, if it's not Christmas?

Yeah, they both go to bed. So we should be taking them up at half, seven, for eight o'clock, as if that ever fucking happens. Rose now has got into a thing where she likes to go to bed. when they do at about half, half nine over Christmas or ten over Christmas. They were knackered on their first day back at school, but there's no way around it really. Yeah. So then, this is my theory,

because my problem is I don't mind them going to bed, so they should be going to bed at half seven, getting into bed at eight. That's my theory. Yeah. I'm now implementing a fine situation. Fine, like a football club. So they go up at half seven.

Yeah. Every minute after eight that they get into bed is a minute earlier they go up the next day. But I think it's too complicated. Yeah. Even saying that to you, it took a while to understand what you were saying. Have you told this to them yet? Yeah, they didn't really understand what I was saying. I'd surely start with, are they going to go to?

You need to go in your own bedroom. Yeah. Problem is I'm about to go back out on tour. So the issue here is we and I've got, we've got the same lifestyle of you guys have got. There is no routine. No. Apart from their school, everything else is an absolute mess. Shambles.

Yeah. Every single night's different. It's always a different person taking them to school or picking them up. Sometimes it's me every day for a week. Sometimes I don't do it for two weeks. And then other, you know, and there's always different things going on at weekends and stuff. So it's hard for them to get into that routine. but is the plan to then put them into bed their own beds.

Yes. But then the problem is if they're going to come in anyway, at least if they are in bed at half nine in your bed. A bit of a crimping it. Also, we're going to, we're having the house redone. Something for you're going to. Fucking hell,

you are glutton for punishment, you aren't you? My life is punishment, Rob. It feels like... Life is pain. Life is ducca. But you... So that's going to push them back into our room. So basically, we're looking at about...

I feel like... We did this last year. Autumn 2026 for when I get my bed back. Why don't you just sleep in one of their rooms? Because I like to be surrounded by my family in the same way I like to be around the stinky kittens. I just like, fucking hell, that was a loud gulp.

The stinky kittens got me. That's not going to drive you to the video content to see what he was drinking. They're nothing. The stinky kittens. They sound like a punk band. So where the kittens are going to go? Are they just in that room?

They're just, they stand. Well, they'll be, they're coming out this week. Oh, so at the moment, they're in their own room where Beryl's got the run of the house. They're in the adjustment room. They're in a kind of, I suppose, like a reassuring quarantine room. And then they're going to be introduced to the house. And then they're going to be introduced to the garden. Right.

Yeah. I don't, house cat, people that have house cats, I think it's quite strange. Well, let's see. Trust your cat. I'd happily just have a room cat. My dream now is when. I'm older. You don't like them going outside? I'm just going to maybe retire

to a one room house with 12 cats and it's going to stink and I'm just going to lie there and go this is heaven. Right. So what's happening tonight when they come back from school? Is this the first night of it? Have you got to the new system? We're going in town to

this is a phrase I've never heard. My daughter needs to refresh her pencil case. Refresh? Yeah. New term I'm refreshing my pencil case. She said that? Yeah. Okay.

I like it. So we're going to go to smiggle to refresh her pencil case and then we're going to go to Shoe, which is next door, because my son's grown out of his shoes after one term, which is annoying. But, you know, that's life. That is life. It's life. I didn't tell about this. Did you know that there's, I've got a Beatles fact. And I don't know if you know, you probably will know.

I can't believe. Do you know about the... No, do you know about the sneaky swear word in Hey Jude? I didn't know about the sneaky swear word in Hey Jude. You don't expect more of Paul McCartney than that. You did know about it? I didn't know. You didn't know about it?

Tell you what, Rob. This is amazing. I can't believe. If you like Pop Culture Facts Rob, I've got podcast for you. So if you go to get your phone up now. Yeah. Go to Hey Jude. On Spotify.

Wherever. Love him. Hey Jude, basically at 258 in that song. While you're on spot. Spotify. Why not watch us in video? You can see my... I'm going to wear a different football shirt each week. Yeah. Oh, oh my God. Don't have to pay him.

Get rid of it. The most expensive song of all. I'm wearing my three bean salad podcast merchandise, which is a picture of Mike Wozniak Dog drawn by Henry Packer. So you're promoting another podcast? Well, I'm not. I'm just, you know, I bought this for 35 million. I'm wearing a... Maybe in the comments, people can guess what the shirt is.

Oh, yes, please. It's at Italy, 1990. I think six. I'm not going out of the Euros in the group stage then. Right. Michael, don't include this because it'll be too expensive for us. What is it, 256? 250.

Basically, before you do it, Paul McCartney, because the listeners can do it at home, Paul McCartney plays a note wrong and goes, fucking hell. And it really made John Lennon laugh. so he left it in because it made him laugh. Oh yeah! Yeah. That is included.

Yeah. It's good at it. A bit much for my tastes. But you impressed that I gave your Beatles. That is great. I didn't know that. That is fascinating. I, oh, I love those guys.

Do you know when they were writing, Hey Jude, Paul McCartney said, I don't really like this lyric. The movement you need is in your shoulder. John Lennon said, that's the best bit. And I still don't know what it means, really. What is it? In what songs that? He says. It's in Hey, Jude.

The point, how's it go? The best. Movement you need is in your shoulder. Or however it goes. I don't know. I don't sing very often when it's not Christmas. But yeah. Is that because they wave their arms like that? I don't understand. I don't understand. I enjoyed that Beatles fact. More of them if you've got any. Now, Josh, how's your, this is middle of January year.

What are we doing differently about this year? What's your approach? Well, I've come into it with real positivity. Parenting-wise, I just want to soak up every moment because time slips through your fingers. Oh, that you stand. So this is what happens. I come in negative, you come in positive, you'll slowly drain. Well, I'm so positive about my life at the moment that I feel sad about it being over.

I feel like, I don't know if you are actually positive or you're putting on a friend. front because there's loads going on. No, there's not loads going on. There is that's going on. You're getting your house renovated. You've not slept in your own bed for three months and you've got another job you've started, which is a new podcast. But this is the thing, right?

A podcast is less work than a TV job. So it looks like you've got lots on. But the truth is, I'd much rather do this, which I'm my own boss. I'd have another podcast. Like me and Michael, it's sort of three-way thing. Yeah, you're right, three ways, yeah. But three ways. I'd much rather do another podcast and do that and this and not have to go up to London

and do it all from home and do it when I can do it. I think the future is podcasting. But if you've got any TV work, I am around. Or if not, I'll do photoshoots for Runner's World. If not, I'll do photoshoots for Runner's World. I really am a jack of all trades. Where are they doing the photo shoot? studio.

Where? In Exeter, they're coming to me. Oh, that's nice. Yeah, yeah. Run as well, don't it? They like to move. They like to travel. So my approach to running, and this is what I'm going to say to runners world, Rob.

Tell me whether this is the wrong thing to say. Colin. Is that I had a brief period. I love running. Because it's... You don't love running. No one loves it. No, I do.

Do you love it? Yeah, since I stopped drinking, I, I've, I don't... I've, the thudding adrenaline and the music in my ears has replaced something, right? And I love running and I'm sad when my runs are over, right? You run further than. You've only gone seven. But I've only got so much time, right? But I was like, maybe I should do a marathon.

And then I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no. Stop trying to make running into a thing that is your release. Stop it being a challenge. Make it something you love become work. Exactly. Because I've already done that with comedy, yeah. And your pop culture podcast. Yeah, I'm parenting.

And of course, ripping the news to shreds on Channel 4 every Friday night. That bloody, well, that used to be my hobby, but now it's a bloody job, isn't it? I love, you know me, Rob. Can't get enough of the news. Have you got last leg? Is that going on? Is that stop now? End of the month.

So you finish in January? No, no, no, no. Start at the beginning of February, end of January. Oh, you go again. It's on all the time, isn't it? No, well, this is the thing, Rob. We do two series a year. But because they do a gap in between,

it's like they haven't... The gap in between is in the middle of the year, but that does mean that it goes on to the next year, so it's like two series... Yeah, two series in a row, basically. And then how long do you do it for from Feb? Ten weeks, I think. Right.

Eight weeks. I don't know. Okay. And when are you going skiing as well? Because I want to talk more about the skiing trip. Yeah, I am going skiing in February. Yeah. I'm a bit nervous about that. Because Rose can ski.

Who do you think has got the best job here? Rose can ski, so she's going to go skiing in the mornings. And I'm going to take the two kids to our three-way lesson. My instinct would be to let Rose go for a ski. And you have a private lesson on your own because you're not going to be able to concentrate because you're going to be worried about the kids, but you don't even know what you're doing yet.

No. I'd argue the best person to go... I imagine I'll pick it up as a natural. Yeah, probably, knowing you. Yeah. But wouldn't it be better for the kids to go into like a kids club lesson with some other kids? Well, apparently that's not what's happening.

Right. Or wouldn't it be better for Rose to go with the kids because she could already ski, then you could go off with your own lessons. She doesn't need the lesson. No, no, not for her to get the lesson, but for her to be someone that can help the kids. Yeah, well, we haven't.

I suppose the teacher's going to help. I don't really know, Rob. I'm, I'll be honest. I haven't engaged. I think it'd be better to send the kids to a kid's skis. Could I think kids respond better to a teacher when the parents aren't there? So I think rows go skiing. The kids go for a lesson.

We're a really fun instructor. And then you go off. No, but I think it's hard enough to learn to ski anyway. But the worry about watching your kids learn while you're learning is of quite a stressful situation. Yes. Where if you're getting more confident on your own and having... This is the thing I wonder about skiing.

Yeah. Is it really a holiday? No. Well, it is for people without children that can ski. Yeah. For Rose, it's going to have a fucking great week. Yeah. Is it a holiday?

That's the big question. You know. Is it going to be a relaxing half-term break? No. So it's in the middle of the last leg series. So I'm going to have to do a couple of Zoom calls on the Wednesday and Thursday as well. Get some meta glasses. And then I'm flying back on the Friday morning to do the last leg.

So it is going to be a tight little experience. So how long are you there for? Six days. I think it would be better for the children to have lessons with an instructor and you go off separately, potentially. It's too late now because they're really excited about having lessons with me. Fair enough. I'm sure it'll be great then.

Are you sure? I, I, I, what? This is no life. I'm sleeping on the floor. My cat's pissing on. my co and my bed. We had to get rid of the bed because it's, how do you

wash a mattress? That's game over for the whole fucking mattress. Filed out under puffer jacket. The happiest room I'm in is one that stinks of shit and wet kitten food. I've got too many podcasts. Sorry, I feel like I brought you down within two weeks. I was really

approaching 2026. I'm on the front of Runner's World magazine and I'm not a runner. The whole thing, what's going on. You can ski as well next. It's like March issue, by the way. Don't go out and look for it now. How old's your youngest now?

He's five in May. Right. Okay, cool. I think skiing is a really fun holiday if everyone involved can ski. Yeah. But the problem with skiing is you have to learn at some point normally on the holiday.

You're going to have to carry so much equipment. I think it would be a better idea. Six skis. Is there any possibility to take the kids to like a snow dome place? What, except a snow dome? Is there one? No,

of course not, Rob. No, okay. But there are some in the country. Milnequins. Yeah, go to Milon Keynes.

But you don't know. It's a long way. My electric car's not going to get me there, is it? Well, you know, or it won't get the skis in the boot if you get a little one. Would it be worth trying to go for a couple of less? There's a snow dome, 155 miles.

Cardiff? Cardiff Cardiff Snowdome To be fair You can just find a hill Yeah to be honest Cardiff Snow

It might be helpful That they've got a bit of an idea And had a couple of lessons Oh Rob I'm not sure this looks good Well it doesn't I'm going to send you a picture of Cardiff No disrespect to it

The city Just a high street I like Ardiff, just to be clear. And I'm looking forward to my upcoming tour date. No, that's a dry ski slope. Yeah, look at that, Rob. There's some tyres at the bottom. There must be a dry ski slope in Exeter.

There's a dry ski slope in Plymouth. But I went there when I was seven and it was just bristles. You're just skiing on bristles. Exeter ski club. There you go. Is it a ski club? What's that? Yeah.

Clifton Hill, Exeter. What the fuck's this? Oh, yeah, look. Yeah, that'll be perfect. I'll take them down there. In the heart of the city? It's not a city. It's not a city.

It is a city. It is a, take the cathedral away. Tell me it's a city. Give me a high street shop and I'll tell you whether we've got it. E-Tam. Don't know what that is. That's an old one. Evans.

One soon. All right, fine. But a high street shop's not a city. Bromley's got that. Bromley's not a city. What makes a city? Well, big buildings? We've got big buildings.

Have you seen Exeter 6th Form College? It's 20 floors. Where's the financial centre of Exeter? Where's the financial centre? There's an out west on the high street. I'm maybe, yeah, I don't know. I'm not a skier, but all I'm, it's a lot of hassle. But I'm sure it'll be good.

It's going to be. fun. It's going to be a fun episode. Yeah. There's lots to look forward to for listeners this year. Yeah. We've got there. Yeah. Go on. What would you be looking forward to most as a listener? You've got my house being redone. You've got my attempts to get off the floor.

We've got your attempts to get into shape like Howard Donald. We've got the knowledge that you're going to go back on tour. It's going to be just as stressful and you're going to be crying on a bike by the middle of summer. All right. Okay. Let's get the show. We've got your innovation. We've got your skiing trip. we are going to go on a little road trip through Europe me and Lou and the girls in the summer so that's something to talk about

and okay, how about I do a way in every week with you? Oh my word, what's this turning into? Yeah, yeah. Do you know what? I've got to hit it hard in the next 10 days because of this Runner's World magazine. I don't think it's going to make much difference.

I'm going to do 100 press ups after this. What, the post office? What can look? Yes, I'm currently 94 kilograms. Okay. And I need to lose some of that way. What are you aiming for? 85.

85. Okay. Let's see how like that goes, Gary. I was at 98, about 18 months ago when I really tried exercising. If you're looking to really hit exercise, can I suggest come March that there is a magazine that you're going to enjoy? I'm going to try me to go topless on is men's health's listening I'll go topless on men's health

will you yeah if they give me a trainer if they give you a trainer would you want to look like Ben Shepard yeah of course you would what stupid question he looks at his body just his head

yeah yeah okay the thing is though it's finding the time I'm always busy to do that's why I'm going to try and do a bit of running because you can do that anywhere there's no excuse us You can do get the spikes on and just go.

That's what I do. Do you want a correspondence, a bit of correspondence, Michael, if there's anything else to chat about, Josh? You know, you're worried I'm approaching 2026 too hard. Yeah. I've put a gig in tomorrow night. What? What?

New material. Why? Well, this is my theory. You're in the middle of a tour. You've got a tour. that works. Yeah, yeah,

this is my theory. Hear me out. Yeah. Okay. So, this might sound mad, right? But,

yeah? Yeah. So. You're right? Yeah, I'm fine. Okay. Yeah. Have you had a rest?

Yeah, I've had so much rest. Have you? Yeah, have you slept? Yeah. Oh, Rob, have I slept?

No, I've got a rest of sex syndrome. We've discussed that. we didn't actually properly discuss it so I've spoken to a doctor off the record I just know her she's one of the mums at school yeah

said take magnesium we discussed it oh yeah you did yeah sorry more and more you wake up your legs just um fidgety and aches it stopped it then well also I'm doing stretches before bed and that helps yeah it'd be probably quite helpful to go in your own bed as well wouldn't it she also said when did it happen I said it's happened over Christmas when I

and it's like, where you've totally changed your diet and stopped exercising, it'll be that. Yeah, okay. Anyway, but don't tell runners' world that, by the way. Do I like running? Mate, I've got rest of his leg. Can't stop me. Everywhere.

Road runner. So, my theory is, right? I do all my warm-ups for my tour. Always be comedy in Kennington. I try a little bit of there. When it comes to getting the next tour together, I don't want to have to travel up to London all the time just to try new material. Yeah, of course.

You need a local new material venue, yes. And combined with I've got day stuff in London this week and I've got the evenings free and I don't want to just spend the evening in my hotel room. So I was like, why don't I, rather than pressure myself into now I'm writing a new tour, if I've ever got a free evening in London, just do the odd gig here and there for three years. And then it'll just creep up on me. Just have a day off. I just have a night off.

You're traveling up to London. You're going to meet a mate. Go to the cinema. I haven't got any mates. Read a book. You have got mates. I don't want to read a book in a hotel room. It's too bleak.

I've got a new bit about little toenails that I want to throw out. I thought you were going to say that you're doing a gig locally to then to see what it's like. It's because I'm in London for three nights. Yeah. Yeah, but why don't you wait until? until you need new material. Because I've got a new bit about... Yeah, but you want to do it.

I want to try it out. Yeah, but you'll... Can't you try it out on your tour show? No, people have paid money. Yeah, but they won't notice. If it's a good bit, it'll survive. It's not a good bit. That's why I'm trying it out.

Okay. But if you've got the energy to do it and you want to do it, go for it, mate. Well, let's see how it goes in February. But I think my instinct would be, why not... Jarrod Christmas runs really good things in Frone. Fron. It's miles away. It's not.

Yeah, but it's for X-Y. Not with an electric car, it's not. You're not miles away from everything. Not with an electric car, Rob. Are you worried that if you start doing the gigs to all these country bumpkins that live near you? They're not going to understand. It's not a proper city like London. Oh, no, Frome is miles away from you actually.

Yeah, yeah, exactly, yeah. God, exit is fucking miles away, isn't it? I thought it's near Bath and heck Bristol, it ain't, is it? No, it's not, no. Jesus Christ. You've really fucked off. Oh, get this, Rob. It's an hour and 45 minute drive to Frome.

Michael, I asked Michael for the address of our new studios. Why have you gone that far? So far. The train is quick, isn't it? Yeah. The train is quick. That's why I'm not driving to London. No.

Sorry, so you asked Michael for the address of the new studio for the interview ones. Yeah. It's next to my daughter's old school. so I didn't need to leave London at all. Workplaces next to the school. Same road. I was like, why do I recognise that road name? It's next to the fucking school.

No, you did need to leave. I'm going to look weird, Rob. If we finish, I pick up a drop off time, why is the old dad from the school hanging out here? It's mental. That is a bit annoying, isn't it, for you? It's not ideal. No.

I think you need to set, why don't you just set up a new club next door? I'm hot footing it to a gig. straight after. Don't overwork. No, I'm not going to overwork. I'm not going to overwork. I haven't got much on in January. It sounds like you do.

I know, but I'm playing it up because I'm a laugh. Well, let's do small business shoutouts. Yeah, I think you're better off finding a little local venue near Exeter to do warm-ups. Well, I'm doing Exeter Comedy Festival. Yeah, also as well, you need to do is find a little 100-seat of room and just do Josh Whitaker work in progress is. Oh, God, I don't remember my name above the door. I just want to turn up and people be surprised.

I'm there and then I do 20 minutes of underwhelming material and we never talk about it again. Hey, Rob, Josh and Michael. I'm a huge fan of your pod. I recently saw Josh in Bedford, also known as the hottest gig of all time. It was very hot. For our first night out after having our second baby

and it was pure joy. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'd love a shout out. I enjoyed it as well. You're pathetic. It's the one where I'd given Karen Hauer from Strictly comps and they put her front row centre and it really did put me off my game.

I'd love a shout out for a little project I've started while on maternity leave. A new mum's singing group called Sling and Sing. Nice name. I recently read an article about how singing can seriously support mum's mental health. Some people don't believe that. Some people think that Carol's singing is problematic.

I've added that. Reducing stress and anxiety and building community and confidence. There was nothing like it in my local area, so I decided to set one up myself. The aim is to help to connect mum, sing together and then finish with some cake and chat. Lovely. Tuesdays at 2 o'clock, sing and sling. There we go. Message Becky.

It's got a phone number on this. Should I read that out? Probably not. No. So Google sing and sling if you're in the podcast. as bar, Hertfordshire area, and you could go to that when it's on. Hi Rob and Josh. We're two sisters who left our careers to run a family mushroom business around our young kids, Kaylee Brothers, mushrooms. We first started growing mushrooms for ourselves.

Is this what I think it is when they say mushrooms? I think it's normal mushrooms. I don't think it's drunk. Okay, okay, okay, fine. When we moved to a more plant-based dire and it quickly spiraled into a full-blown business, we now grow fresh mushrooms in West Sussex and we we make grow your own kits so families can enjoy the magic at home too, Lions Main, King Oysters, Chitake, all the good ones. Our kits make brilliant Christmas gifts and are ideal for adding homegrown mushrooms to your Christmas lasagna. Did you have one? No, we ate out at Christmas.

I was going to talk about that. Bullocks too long now. I'll bring it up next year. Michael, put that in the notes next December. We'd love to offer your listeners 10% off with Code Gobble. gobble 10. Find us on Instagram, cayleybrothers.com. UK, C-A-L-E-Y-brothers.com.

We've listened since day one. Parenting doesn't get easier, just different. Thanks for the laughs. Jody and Lorraine, Kaylee Brothers mushrooms. There we go. There we go. Thank you very much. Oh, well, thank you very much. I'll see you next time, Josh. Hello, parenting hell listeners.

Recognise that voice? Yes, it's Josh Rulikam here. I have got a new podcast, Josh Whitickham's Museum of Pop Culture. And I'm going to say it, I'm about 85% sure you're going to love it. Here are the reasons why. Number one, I'm confident if you're listening now, you don't hate me, and possibly think I'm funny. Number two, I'm confident if you're listening now, you like podcasts. Number three, I'm confident if you're listening to me and Rob, you prefer pop culture to people talking about things, let's be honest, boring things like history, economics or politics. I know I do, and that is why I made this podcast.

I wanted a show that tells the stories I love from popular culture in the way other podcasts do for drier topics. See above. Basically, I wanted a podcast that realized Millie Vanilli were more interesting than Elizabeth I first. Join me as I give the definitive, or at least the funniest, takes on Mr. Blobby. When Ghost Watch convinced BBC viewers, ghosts were real, when a band burned a million pounds for a laugh. The Spice Girls, a truly catastrophic Spider-Man musical with music from you too,

and David Haslehurst, Baywatch, and his part in the fall of the Berlin Wall. All of them are real, by the way. Either you know what these things are, and you're about to learn far more about them than you ever realised you wanted to, or you don't, and you're about to be introduced to some of the maddest things in modern or ancient history. Stiff next will learn, lose next will laugh. New episodes available every Wednesday and Saturday. Perfect to fill those gaps between your weekly doses of parenting hell.

So go on, you might as well listen, subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcast now. Museum of Pop Culture with me, Josh Whitacom, available everywhere from the 1st of January.