Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting Hell - S12 EP36: Jessica Hynes

Episode Date: May 8, 2026

Joining us this episode to discuss the highs and lows of parenting (and life) is the actress, writer and director - Jessica Hynes. We chat parenting - Jessica has three kids, the first of which she had during the first wave of hit shows in her amazing career - including the iconic 'Spaced' and 'The Royal Family'. And we find out about her fnatastic new Channel 4 show 'Patience'. Enjoy!! 'Patience' is available to stream and watch now on Channel 4. www.channel4.com/programmes/patience Parenting Hell is available to watch on Spotify every Tuesday and Friday. Please subscribe and leave a rating and review you filthy street dogs... xxx 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 Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] A 'Keep It Light Media' Production  (Copyright 2026) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Pizza Express. Now serving up AfterSchool Club, a selection of Pizza Express favourites for just £5 each. Available 3 to 5 Monday to Friday. It's a tasty way to reclaim those family moments that's kind on the wallet too. Oh, Rob, also, you get the after-school meltdowns, don't you? They do.

They're hungry, they're tired, one wants to sit in the front, one wants to choose the music. Or, oh, you've brought the wrong snack, or you get home and they want to watch different things on TV. Josh, when the kids come out of school, and like they just throw their bags at you, say I'm hungry, arguing of each other about who sits wearing the car. Oh my word.

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Hello, you're listening to Parenting Hell with... Can you see Rob? Rob. Beckett. Beckett. Can you say Josh? Josh. Whittickham?

Great. Well done. Swansea. Lester. There you go. Lion bastard. My two-year-old daughter, Ania, uh,

doing the intro. I've been waiting patiently until she was old enough to say, and I think she gave it a very good go. Solid. Ryan and Anya from Lester. He may be from Swansea originally. Yeah. Do you want to, do you want some,

physical comedy, Rob. Yeah, come on. Give it to me. So I'd lost, these are my reserved glasses. Yeah, nice, total shelf. I really like them, but one of the things has fallen off.

Okay. But you can't see it, so it's fine. Makes you look bookish and too busy with literacy to literature. That's it. To be bothered by looks. I don't think it's quite charming.

You look like a sort of Mark Darcy kind character. Okay, right, good. So it's because I lost my main glasses. Yeah. Well, obviously, you don't know where. Where? Right, so then this morning, put these on, went downstairs.

Got dressed, just put on some old trousers. Old trousers, yeah? You know, like trousers from the floor from a few days. Oh, so trousers you wore before? Yeah, yeah, trousers from the floor, yeah. So did you just put trousers on the floor that you've worn before? Well, there's a bit of a problem at a moment because our builders are doing, my wardrobes are behind a dust sheet because my builders are building a whole.

all in the room. My wardrobes were in. Got you. Normally I put my old trousers on like a chair. Yeah, well, things are all a bit. No, I'm not criticising you. But basically, on a floor trousers. I put my old trousers on.

I haven't worn them for, say, three days. Okay. Put them back on. Yeah. Downstairs, I'd make a cup of tea. Put my hands in my pocket, unthinkingly. Just get my glasses out of my pocket. There we go.

Put them on top of my glasses without thinking. That's lovely. Didn't even think. I did that. And they actually fit quite well on. They do, don't they? So you got double... So you got double glasses?

I put on double glasses. When I picked them out to the pocket, I wasn't even thinking, oh, there are my glasses. I just was like... Out of... Out of... Boom. Straight on, double glasses.

Straight on, double glasses. At least you found them. Yeah. Good, I've got two pairs of glasses. So when do you reckon you took them off, like, late at night? Yes, because I'm sleeping on the floor... Where your trousers are. I wonder they're on the floor.

Well, I haven't got a bed... side table. So I used to put them on the bedside table. I haven't got a floor side table. So I used to put them on the bedside table. Yeah. But now they're always getting lost because I'm like taking them off and then putting them in my pocket or something because I'm like, where should I put these?

That's safe. It's safe. Because I don't want to just leave them on the floor. No, because that's dangerous. So you want to leave them on the floor hidden inside a trouser? Exactly. Perfect. In a room that the builders are in.

Exactly. What's your timeline for? sleeping in a bed? About eight hours a night, ideally. Yes, obviously. About three to four months. Time of recording.

And is that because the building work or the kids... Building work in my daughters and my son's room at the moment. Right, okay. So at the moment you're all just... You're basically, as a family,

moving from room to room and your son and wife are in the bed and you and your daughter on the floor. Yeah. How does she feel about sleep on the floor? She went in the bed the other day. With Rose and your son? No, with Rose.

She was like, I've got to have a go. And so where's your son on the floor were you? Do you know what? I think Rose went on the floor. Rose went on the floor and she's like, this is awful. And I was like, yeah. Just you've got to sleep. Is it worth, while the building is getting on,

just buying a cheap double bed or single bed mattresses that you can put in around the side that says the floor becomes beds? We are on mattresses. You are actual proper mattresses? No, not proper mattresses. No, what mattresses are? Maybe we should just buy a bed. I just think, but if you've got space,

Why don't you just buy another bed and just accept that you now live in, charling the chocolate factory. Why don't we buy one of the beds? Why don't we think about the beds that are by a bed that's going to be used in one of the other rooms, one they're ready? Yeah, and then you just move it. Yeah. I think you can't.

Good idea. No wonder you feel tired. Yeah, just accept it and go, right, we're all in the same room for the next four months. We do renovations. And then once the building works done, we can try and get the kids back in their rooms. This is just going on the floor. Sorry, I thought of us. I'm sorry, yeah.

You can't sleep on the floor. This is Jessica Hines. There you go. Jessica Hines, welcome to the show. Thank you. Can I start with some huge praise? Yes. Always.

Because it's rare that we have someone on who I remember just being incredible, like when I was into comedy. before I did comedy. Oh. So, you being Cheryl in the Royal Family, which was the first time I really came across you, I think.

Would that be... Well, I think that was kind of almost simultaneous to space. I think it was almost the same year, in fact. Was it? What a year. What a year. And those two things were so...

I had my first child as far. No way. And that's why he brought it up because he's so good at linking stuff back to parenting hell. So you had your first child as everything just broke in one kind of.

of... Yes, that's correct. Wow. And what was that like? I think you can imagine what that was like. Would you like the coffee table near you to put your tea down? Oh, that's very kind. I don't mind holding it.

No, because I put it in front of you and then Josh came in and moved it back. He did, didn't he? No, no, that is okay? Yes. They can share it, you guys. Yeah, I'll just keep mine on the floor. Yeah. Keep this class system in order.

I think they were both kind of filmed at the same time, but they're not sure which one came out first. And were you pregnant in either of them? No. No. No. So how old would you have been at that point? I was just 25. Just 25?

Yeah. And so your whole life just changes in one kind of year. Yeah. I mean, I did, I think I was already, you know, I mean, I did kind of pack. I'd already packed in quite a lot anyway. Yeah. You know. 25's quite young though.

Sort of like in the world of acting TV to have a child and also two massive shows at that point that really launched you into sort of like popular culture. So was it? Yeah. How did that year feel at the time? Well, it felt like I was just packing a lot in. Yeah. Packing a lot in.

But, you know. So when you come to the second series of Space, are you doing that one with a small, you're writing it and recording it? Yeah. We wrote nearby, which was lovely. Simon came over and we had a little office. It was nearby so I could come back and forth while I was writing. So is that the perfect, as an actor writes,

Is that the perfect job of writing job with a newborn baby? Because being on set and early starts, is a bit more logistics all over the place. Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't necessarily say that, but it's definitely of the process. During the process, it's definitely, you know, easier, I would say, because it's less intense and obviously there's less early morning. Yeah.

So how many kids have you got on, what are their ages now? They're three. They're all grown up. They're not really kids anymore. They're all adults. So does that mean I'm not technically a parent anymore? parent? That's that, yeah, that's how old...

Do you want to go? When do I, can I reinvent myself now? As a non-parent. You can reinvent yourself as a non-parent. I've really done it. I've done a great job. So if you... It's a time to just hang up my, you know, lectures.

If they were here now, how would you introduce them then if you don't want to be the parent, if you're not a parent anymore, they are... My mates. They're my children, I'm adorable children. And are they all moved out? Yeah, pretty much. The thing is I think, you know, like, we were all together a lot, but yeah, they have. Yeah.

Yeah. Do you feel nostalgic when you think back to those times, those early times? Well, I do say, I mean, your kids, the ages that your kids are, yours are 10 and 8, aren't they? What's a 10 and 8? 10 and 8, yeah. 10 and 8 and yours are 8 and 4. Yeah. It must be really annoying when people say, which I'm sure they do, oh my God, just enjoy it.

Enjoy it. Enjoy it. And you're thinking, what are you talking about? Like, how are you? Which is you want to make. Exactly. That's where you're doing this podcast. But it's actually, it's so, you know, yes, enjoy it.

And, you know, if there's one thing I would say is do go back to the place that they, that is the most simplest, nicest place to go on holiday. Yes. You don't need anything fancy. Literally just a different place. That's easy. And you know where everything is. They eat the pasta in that restaurant.

You know, there's no steps to the beach. He's got it. Thank you. Rob's got it. There's only one thing I do well on that's holidays. Do you, Rob, oh, I can, oh, I love hearing about family holidays. Yeah, I do. We go hard on holidays and experiences over things more so, I'd say us.

That is so good. And do you tend to go back? The main experience is repeatedly going on rides in Florida, but it's still an experience. Is that where you go back? Do you regularly go back to the same place? We regularly go back there to do the ride. The kids love all the rides at like Universal and Disney. We know them all.

We know them all stuff. and then we go to, there's a few different results that we go to where we've been to before that are really good so we're very comfortable going back then the kids love it and we love it and we know that if we go there we're going to relax straight away. Yeah. When I was a kid we used to go to the same place

every year. Nice. Where was that? Pembrokeshire in West Wales. And Pembrokeshire's lovely. But I think I, because we went every year I think I've actually got more fond nostalgic memories of that place because it felt like we're going, than if we'd dotted around and you go, oh yeah, we went

On that holiday, going to the same place actually makes it almost more vivid in a way. Absolutely. Because you kind of, they almost merge. And when everyone's talking about it, everyone's like, was that the time that, oh, no, no. Yeah, what year was that? And was I, was I eight or was I five? Yeah, totally. And I do think going back and going back to the same place is such a good shout.

Yeah. I do. That's the only thing. That's the only, I would never ever give parent advice to anyone, ever. but like that is something that I do tentatively suggest and they go yeah we've got that worked out well we always used to go to this place at one point you don't need to be specific

no I'll give you the address this is where we will be no it's just this gorgeous we used to rent these gorgeous little holiday cottage just down in Cornwall that's it and it lovely fields little creek and it was the most beautiful place run by people who was so friendly and welcoming and lovely and you know and yeah

we went there to the point where at one point one of the kids was like do we own this? It was like no we do not if only because it was just

this beautiful really simple place and you get there and you can just run out the car run out in the fields and then everyone disappears

and comes back with loads of stories and goes oh god so that's happened and then they're down there and they're in the river and I don't know if we can get it back

again but I need some crisps I need some more I need something to drink And that's like the best, the best, the best. So I wish we'd done that more, the most simple, simple things. Have you gone back since they've grown up? Oh, yeah, yeah, we've gone.

Oh, that's nice. The saddest. Anyway, we'll be there. Just as you know our dates. Obviously, we'll be at the same place. So just let us know if you need picking up for the station. Oh, we'll get you from Newcastle and bring you down. Exactly.

If any of your uni friends want to come. Yes, exactly. but that was kind of magical as well because we kind of know the people who actually do own the places and that's sweet so build a relationship with their own. Are they near sort of having families alone or they very much sort of mid-20s sort of living their life?

Oh, still in their 20s living their lives, yeah. But that, I mean, for me, I mean, that's like, yeah, then they could potentially be near having families if they want to do. But I think they're the years where they go missing the most for parents. Yeah. Because when they do have kids, that's when they gravitate back to sort of home, normality, advice or childcare. But that 20s is a bit of, they're off.

Yeah. Do you, did you both gravitate back to, like? So I've just moved back to Devon. Back into your parents' house. I've just moved back to my parents. My wife's just divorced. How's that going? How's that going?

She's, okay, right. Good. No, we, we, we, you need the help, Josh. You need help. He's not wanting to be a parent thing's comfortable. No, so I moved away when I was 18. I grew up in Devon, went to Manchester and then came to London for like 20 years. But then we were just finding where we lived in London too much with the kids.

So we moved back to Devon, but not exactly where I grew up. It's not like the, and so they're going to the same school. Back in to the same? No. Okay. Yeah. But yeah, I never, ever, ever thought that would happen. Did you ever, ever think that you were going to have children? No. There you go.

Did you? Yeah, I always wanted a family and kids. Yeah. Did you? I did. I do love babies. I've always loved babies. You know, and obviously,

that's, that's, that's, that's, it's not, it's not a total game game. I mean,

you know, it's not a total prerequisite, but it does help. Yeah, I do love babies. To the point there, that I would often, like,

make friends with babies, like other people's babies. Oh, would you? Yeah, in the queue, oh, in the queue, in crying on an aeroplane.

Oh, really? You offered to hold. Oh, I would offer, always offer to hold. Really? I would hover around, you know if they're there by the loose just rocking the baby i'll just kind of go what's your success rate on the yes from that offer to hold or is it well in some cases maybe perhaps i should have

waited for a yes because you've clucked like the pipe i'm just joking of course i've waited for a yes but yeah no i mean surprisingly but then it becomes almost a case of them not wanting to be rude because of the pleading look in my eyes they think she really really wants to hold this baby maybe maybe i I should just let her hold it. But my children will now say, if they see a baby, they're like, Mom, just leave the baby. Leave the baby. Don't touch the baby.

Just don't approach the baby. Don't look at the baby. You know, and I'm like, come on. So would you take your seat, not if the seatbelt Simon's on, but if you were seated on a plane. Seated on a plane. I gravitate towards the crying baby sound yet. Wow.

Yeah, I do. You ask me to move closer. I just hover around. I just have a feeling of like maybe they need, especially on a long haul. And do they ever go? Are you, but you're... Never, no, no, never, never.

Of course they don't. No, and also, you're on a long-haul flight of people from everywhere, you know, of course they're dead. I do try to... Or maybe they're secretly going, oh, I think I'm... Yeah, maybe they're inside. Cheryl from the Royal Family. But also, as well, you don't want to ask that

if the baby's asleep at that point. Yeah. Instead of a conversation with a person holding the baby. You'd never wrestle a sleeping baby away from a contented mother, no. I do try and, like, if someone's got a baby that's kicking off, I don't really off, but I do sort of like smile at them and sort of give like a hug, you know, or like you're doing well,

you know, that kind of thing, it's so hard. I do, I do, I do as well. So, brutal. Oh, it is brutal, yeah. So were you, when, with your ones, obviously, were you obsessed with them at the baby age as well? And then did you find it hard when they got older? Or is it more since they've grown up that babies for you have become even more

enticcated? I always love babies and I still love babies. And I mean, you know, I like, I like, I do like kids in general anyway. So, so, you know, I enjoyed all. the fun aspect of being a parent. Yeah. I, could I just correct that when I said I didn't want,

I never imagined myself I'm kids. Oh, he's been worried for five minutes about that. She might be listening. She might be listening. By the time we came to have kids, that was we were planning on having kids. Yeah. But I didn't think you'd have them when you're growing up.

When I, in my 20s, I was like, why would I do that? Yeah, it seems so like, what? Yeah. I understand. Really? Like what you just thought

That would never be me kind of thing Yeah, because I just thought I just didn't see the... I was just too selfish. Oh, just young. Just young. And when you're a child... And both of the same thing often.

Like children, you know, are not gonna... No. They're not, you know, I mean, they might want to play and maybe you like the idea of having a baby. But the reality of it is obviously that comes with maturity, doesn't it? Like engaging with the reality of it.

were like 25 and you had a kid and you're part of that kind of generation of comedy actors and stuff I don't know a huge amount about them but I think we've had Nick Frost on here and stuff their kids are they've had their kids later

than you. Was it, were you living quite a different life to everyone else? Yes. You could say that. Yes. Once the baby came. Absolutely yes. Yeah. And what about when they said they were tired in meetings

during the day. How did you feel about that? What, my babies, which I brought to the meetings. No, or, oh no, or there. I mean, no, I don't, I just, you know, I think I was so exhausted, I didn't even have the mental capacity to even judge at that point. I mean, I was just like, just trying to kind of, you know, just do my best.

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And it's going to shock you. Go on. We know how beautiful it is. We know the people are great. Oh, it's glorious. I'm into the food. Are you? Talk to me. You don't think of it straight away.

But when I was in Glasgow Edinburgh, yeah, they do all the Scottish stuff, obviously. However, they also do the curry. Like nowhere else I've been. I'd say it's the foodiest country in the UK. It's so good in Scotland. I think about this a lot. I went to Loch Ness. How serene I felt on the edge of Loch Ness.

Yeah. I love the Highlands, Rob. It's beautiful. It's beautiful, Rob. Pick a home base and explore from there. Deep dive into the local food scene, explore striking landscapes and discover deep history around every corner. It's easy to get to, easy to navigate and full of warm people

who'll make you feel right at home. Start planning your own Scottish holiday today at Expedia.com. at UK slash visit Scotland. Do you, with parenting, I can imagine you just being a very brilliant doting mother. Good. Hold that. Keep that. I never want to, you know, disavow you of that. No, no, that's fine. Of that perfect image of me. I'd like to. Yeah, yeah. I'd like to lean into that. You could, you could, you could, you could, you could, you could, you could, you could elaborate on that.

Okay. So there's a baby. Yeah. Oh, I love this. It's difficult to get to sleep, but you don't mind. It's like a kind of, like an advert for a bank about getting your first mortgage when the couple's really happy. You know that advert? Yeah, I do. And you've never needed to tell your kids off or raise your voice ever, have you.

That's famously known about you. This is my next question. I'm trying to place what you're like with a kind of moody teenager. Well, I guess, you know, like, I mean, but I'm. That doesn't still apply. Am I not perfect in that fantasy as well? No, I'm just asking you. Can we not just stall that fantasy over?

Should I be... Should I be really... Should I be moving the doting mother idea the whole way through? Please do. Please feel free to do that. Please feel free to do that. Well, did you have any moments where you was acting as the character of a mum that would maybe get annoyed of a moody teenager?

You'd have to go method in that moment. Well, I mean, I guess you guys are just about to go into this phase, right? Yeah. You know, yeah. I mean, what I would say is, is, you know, that there is, there is a lot to be said for the continuing parenting through teens. What I would say is that boundaries are, you know, that need to be explained and laid down. And they get, they test them, don't they? Well, yeah, because they're not fully adult yet.

And that's right that they should and that they should be able to. So the best, you know, the best, you know, the best. thing I ever read about teens is that when you're laying down the boundaries and the rules, there may be sometimes seem a bit like extreme. What you're doing is you, and you're

going, listen, this is non-negotiable. This is non-negotiable. That is a rule. That is a thing. We're not going to discuss it further. And you're being really firm about it and very sure about it. What you're doing is not necessarily preventing them from doing it should they decide

to do it against your will. what you're giving them is a really solid cast iron excuse to not do it if there's a little part of them that like I don't really want to do that but I just feel very peer pressured and under pressure so what you're giving them then is like oh my man would be actually my parents would kill me yeah yeah oh I'm getting so much trouble if I did that and so yeah no it's just not worth me you know even bothering so the more you can sell that as a reality to them then the more they can sell that as a reality to people who might be pressuring them to doing something that they don't want to do.

Because the fact is you can't watch them all the time once they start to have freedom and advocate for themselves. But you can give them the strength to say, do you know what, I just can't. I'm so sorry. Because, oh, you know what he's like? You know what she's like? She's bloody terrifying, right? So it's kind of good to be that a bit with all the love in the world. It's a balance, right?

I could imagine you have been quite sort of it would be quite impactful if you were sort of like not angry but upset and was like firm because you're so playful your whole thing your work is play that's your personalities you like to play and have fun and be

sort of silly and approachable and stuff but if you turn and go no I'm not happy with that I imagine that quite impact impactful well you know I mean I guess you need to be able to

you know be convincing yeah you mean what you say but you know there's a there's there's there's there's there's there's by no means you know yeah because i'm going to really struggle with it Josh because if we have to like do you struggle with it one of my daughters is something that wasn't really okay we sort of like had to tell her that that's not okay and explain it and we did it quite not firmly aggressive but like I wasn't being fun dad and I can't do that because of this and she was like oh hold on what's happening she was like oh good I feel but it doesn't matter we make people make

mistakes and do you know anyway she went I need to go to toilet she went okay go to toilet we'll finish chat when you come back and then as she went like me and it was basically burst into laughter because it wasn't a massively serious thing she had to do but it felt we were cosplaying as actual adults because it was like it felt so unnatural and I was like I'm kind of like and strunk because I knew I had to do it because you can't sort of just laugh everything off things that need to be yeah well there's going to come a time Rob yeah when she's going to be able to say you're just cosplaying as actual And you have to be ready for that is all I'm going to say.

Okay, yeah. That's true. Well, they can read. And it's going to come very, very, very soon. It is because they'll say, you're only saying that because you want me to do that. They're so smart and quick and I'm so tired. It's not a fair fight. No.

Absolutely. No. Were you amazing at stories, imaginative play, all those kinds of things. I mean, that's a load of questions ago. I am amazing. I did love telling stories. Yeah, were you properly selling it? Oh, yeah, I used to love, I mean, I made a whole story, which, you know, layer.

Yeah, just make it all up. I loved it. Oh, yeah, we did, oh, yeah, we, oh, yeah, we used to do, like, shadow puppets and all of that. Did you? Yeah, we love, I loved it. I mean, that's the best thing, right? Having fun like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know, yeah, I loved it all that. It's the silly games, isn't it, where... Yeah, when you get a chance to, it's just the best, yeah. And after a long day filming, Yes. You're happy to come home and perform a bit more. Well, it depends. A lot of acting is waiting around.

Oh, it is, isn't it? It really is. But it depends. I mean, the thing is, the reality probably is that, like, you know, I mean, if there's a willing audience, it doesn't matter what time it is. Oh, another story, you said, that song. You know, probably more than any other role I might be probably, like, yeah, the The parts, the hardcore parts, like the, you know, the real kind of slog of domesticity, like the pile of laundry and the this and that, you know, that's, I would rock, I would perform a, you know,

an extended shadow puppet show over that any day, but who wouldn't? I feel like you are so, well, going to be so good at it. We're going to be so excited to be like a grandparent. Stop, I knew what you're going to say. It's just, I can feel it coming through. It's at a fire burning in you. that is electric. No pressure, guys.

No pressure. Literally, nose at the window. I thought I'd pop in. Matching anirats. Oh, come on. Straight down to Cornwall. Now we do own it here because there's more of us. Oh, but you know, whatever happens happens.

I'm happy with whatever. Let me tell you a story. Anyway, a la la. What would you like to be called? Have you got a name that you've thought about? Do you know what? I'm really, I don't approve of that. I think when a grandparent picks their name, I'm like,

I think it's a bit more. So just let them pick. You know, call me Guma or whatever. And you're like, okay. I think, I don't, whatever it is Guma. You wouldn't want to be calling her Guma. That's like a, that's the name for a. I know.

It just popped out in my head. I know, I know, I know. I know. That it just popped out. I have seen it. I have seen the soprano. Yeah. You'll call but. No, but, you know, no, I'm thinking it's got to be up to, and the children literally might be able to say, granny.

They might not want to call it. Exactly. I want to be called. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. I think you just have to let it happen naturally. They might want to call you, Jessica. You know, who knows?

Exactly. We do seem to have got to an age in time where there is a real, very few people are called granny now. Yeah. It's every family seems to just have a different word. Nanny or nan. Well, no, or just like, like a what, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, Gumar or... Memor.

We can't... Numar. Guma. I'll tell you what, that's it now. It is. Guma. Manny Guma. We are Sopranos fans.

We'd all be in on the joke. It'll be fine. Talking of TV crime. Yeah. Oh. Oh. Hello. There he goes.

He run a waste management company. He wasn't a criminal. That's correct. That's correct. But, right. So, I hadn't seen patience. But in preparation for this, because I don't watch TV, really.

Don't you? Are you too busy parenting? No, I watch loads. I work in the evening or my kids. Do you know, I don't get to watch much TV. He reads books and panics. Does he? He reads books and get up for the...

Yeah. But... He's too busy recording a podcast and promoting a podcast. On the way up I watched an episode. It's good. It's really... Three things that I like. Okay.

York. Love York. Crime. I love crime. Great. Autism. I'm interested in autism. Yeah.

It's a big three for me. It's got all three. I'll tell you what, if you had to tell me what those three were going to be, I don't think I want to guess those three. Also, you can't say to the star of a show, the favourite thing of paint is where it's set. No, no, no, no, no. But I'm saying what?

It's very, very much featured. I would have gone, I love you in it. No, no, no, but we take that as red. We take that as red. I know, but you still have to say it. I've had a lot of people saying, oh, she's very grumpy, isn't she? Not very nice, is she? I know, but that's all part of it.

It's weird that, isn't it? When people go like, oh, you're grumpy. But that's the character. But they're sort of almost They're upset. Yeah, they're upset that you're being a bit stern in it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think you've got it in you.

I have. I have. For people who haven't seen it, give us the elevator pitch. It is a murder show. Yeah. Around a young woman who works in the criminal records office called Patients, who has a preternatural skill, a solving crime, because she works in the criminal records office,

and she can see links between all the cases. Yeah. So she is absolutely brilliant and kind of starts to work on the murders with the team, the detective team, which is me as Di Frankie Manorow, Nathan Welsh as DS Jake Hunter. Yeah. And other brilliant actors who are in it. And basically she kind of joins us and helps us solve the crime.

So it's also about her life because she is, She is on the spectrum in the show. She is in real life and she is in the show. And so it's about her also, I think what other people are really connecting with is watching this lovely young, confident woman who's really interested in solving crime and interested in the world, also navigating life as a young woman, also, you know, 22, 23, I think her character is.

And so there's been a real connect with actually just enjoying a young woman actually doing something quite wholesome. solving murders, but also trying to navigate the world. And also showing the benefits of her being on the spectrum where sometimes, you know, actually showing it in real terms of what that skill set can give you as opposed to the challenges of it, which sometimes dominate the message.

I mean, there is an aspect of that. She's very different from her character. They're totally two different people. But, yeah, Patience is a really brilliant, interesting young female character. It's a really lovely lead. And the shows are great fun. and they're also genuinely all ages. So you can sit down and watch it with a 12 year old

who is a little bit into crime. Yeah. But it's not too brutal. No. No. I mean there's there's sort of, you know, there's definitely there's murder in it. Yeah. But there's not a lot of gore. Yeah. We're talking we're talking Rob closer to Richard Osman than Scarface. I would say that's true. Yeah. I would say that's true.

You know what I mean? Yeah. One thing I really like about it is that I'm getting a different kind of response. So I'm quite used to living in a small town and having people ignore me and not, you know, pay me any mind. And now, since doing this show, which has been so popular, I mean, it's been the first season, which I wasn't in. So I can't, I can't claim any responsibility for that. The show was a hit in the first season, which I wasn't in.

And then now I'm in the second season. It's kept its audience and people love it. That's good, yeah. But now I'm getting a different, I'm experiencing, like, I was just walking the dog the other day. And there was somebody who I always see walking the dog who's kind of like speed. up next to me and I might nod at her and you can tell when someone will almost frequently give you the I'm not impressed with you face which happens frequently you know yeah okay whatever

maybe on the two I'm not impressed with you moving on and this woman who had often given me that face and I was like do you know what that's totally valid I get that you know whatever we're sort of kind of kind of scuttling up with her dog kind of kind of catch up with me to to sort of peer around. And I was thinking, I think she's coming to say something. She wants to engage with me. And she was just like, patience. And like, as if to say, now you're in something.

Yeah. Yeah. Now I'm right now. Now you're somebody. Now you're somebody I can smile in a knowing, hello kind of way. I didn't like that thing where you mocked the Olympics. I didn't like that. Didn't you?

No, no. I was being her. I was being her. Oh, you were being her. I was being her. I should really, you did. Okay, good.

Even if I didn't. I wouldn't have somebody around with it. That's a mad interview in technique, isn't it? That's great. That's a bit like mine. I should have got that. That's even more reason why I should have got it. Oh, so you actually thought he was being serious.

I thought he was being serious in that moment. I thought he was playing. I thought he was throwing a wild card in. A little num chuck. A little comedy num chuck in there and going, what are you going to do with that? So I'd been like, what am I going to do? That's some sort of power play.

Yeah, yeah. You could make jokes, very Josh. You can make jokes about murder or about, you know. But you can't make jokes about the Olympics, not our beloved Olympics. Yeah, exactly. But you're not doing that. I'm not doing that. I'm not doing that.

He was playing the part of that lady that now respect. Yes, the lady who now respects you. But that's really nice. You're whole new audience. Yeah, and, and, you know, on messages and people. Have your kids watched it? One has, yes. Do you like them to watch it?

I have, I feel no, like if they want to and they do, it's lovely. and I love it because all my kids have really a very interesting and critical in a very intelligent way. So like she was like... They say stuff like, I don't like that Olympics though. She said, mum, I love it. I could watch another 20.

And then she obviously gave me... She qualified it. You're a bit moody. She qualified it. I won't go into that. But getting a thumbs up from her felt fantastic. Because she's discerning

and she watches a lot of TV. But you told her to watch it. Oh, absolutely not. No, no. No. So she just... I would never do that. I would never do that. Maybe I should do that more because people go, oh, you, it's like, well, if they want to watch something, they'll watch it. I'm going to sit

them down and say, me, let's watch me. Yeah, let's watch Frankie Monroe solve another case of patience. No, I wouldn't, I wouldn't do that.