Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting Hell - S13 EP20: A Couple of Vanilla Dudes

Episode Date: September 25, 2026

More adventures in parenting (and life) from Rob and Josh... This episode we go through some more of the listener playground / workplace sh*ggers emails and stories. 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: Hello@lockdownparenting.co.uk Follow us on instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@parentinghell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parenting Hell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a Spotify Podcast, new video episodes available everywhere every Tuesday and Friday. A 'Keep It Light Media' Production  Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: hello@keepitlightmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Where some see heroes and others see egos. Bloomberg sees the era of billionaire athletes. While others follow the noise, we follow the money. Learn more at Bloomberg.com. This episode is presented by Tu-E. Look, you've got to love a family holiday, Josh. Oh, you've got to love it. Who wouldn't love it, Rob?
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Starting point is 00:00:55 Love it. Get more from your holiday book now and discover the Tui-Smise. Miles Reward Club at 2E.com. Atoll and Abta protected. Hello, you're listening to Parenting Hell with... Baby, can you say Rob Beckett? Oh. Can you say Josh Whittacom?
Starting point is 00:01:21 Ultrasound heartbeat. Well, you tried. Yeah, oh, that is good. That's a twist. There we go. It's a bit different. We've not had that before. Okay, I want to know how they've done this, though.
Starting point is 00:01:32 Hi, Rob and Josh. I'm hoping this will work. It did. this is our minus three month old currently unnamed baby as you can tell from the baby's accent we live in bedford I was at the infamous Josh Bedford show last year infamous Josh Bedford show last year what happened at Bedford
Starting point is 00:01:47 it was my first tour show and it um no it was my first warm up and it was like a Monday night in Bedford and it was just feral there was just like drunks and heckling oh really I thought it went well but I would say I learned zero about the tour fair enough and then in the in the
Starting point is 00:02:05 break I got locked out of the dressing room because I've forgotten the code to get back in. And so I had to stand outside the dressing room, which was also the toy look here. Oh, with the audience? With the audience. How's I not know about this? Did you tell me? Yeah, but it was, what was it? It wasn't last year. It was like three years ago, yeah.
Starting point is 00:02:22 Listen to the podcast on the start, but only just venturing into parenthood. The pod has been wonderful all the years, the years. And I suspect I will start from the beginning again during some of the long nights ahead, uh, from Robin and Baby, currently minus one month. P.S. loved strictly. They sent out half midnight last night. Lovely. Can I ask a question?
Starting point is 00:02:40 Do you think she's gone to the ultrasound and then gone, do you mind if I just record this? Maybe. Or do they not get videos now? And she's just recorded the sound from the baby's heartbeat. Because obviously first you'd go, could we check everything's, you know, fine with the baby before I record this photo? But I also, while I'm here, I know, I know NHS time is, you know, vital. But could I just record this slightly amusing video? I always find babies' heartbeats go way too fast.
Starting point is 00:03:13 I've got well panicked when I was the old person. The fuck's going on there? Babies are running. Is it running? I tell what I've noticed the other day. I don't know if I've, I don't think it's like a grouchy old man, but I was like, oh, I couldn't believe. Basically, there was a kid that was counting to like a hundred. and they were young.
Starting point is 00:03:32 So it was like, you know, when your kid counts and you're impressed by it and like, oh, aren't they doing well? It was like, one, two, three. And I remember when my kid was at age, and I'd be like, oh my God, isn't she so clever? Look what she's, you know, thinking that and be really proud. I was in a cafe.
Starting point is 00:03:50 And I was like, shut that fucking kid up. That's how I felt. And I felt really bad. Because for the kid and the parents, it was cute because she's young. But I was just like, God, it's painful, isn't it, if it's not your kid? Yeah, it's really, yeah. And, you know, I just, and the kid was cute and counting really well, but I was just like, God.
Starting point is 00:04:13 You don't care if they're counting well or not, really, do you rock? No, that stage in the game. I just say, get a bit older, it's the least of your worries and he can give a shit. Exactly. They'll get there. Three, four. And I was like, I hope this kid's thick and stop soon, because I can't, I can't get 200 here. Josh, it is that time of year.
Starting point is 00:04:34 It's the favourite of the listeners. Playground Shuggers, here we go. We've let these build. I'm actually too excited to start because I love it so much, Josh. You know, you don't want Christmas to start? Because you're so excited about Christmas. Here we go. Hi, Rob, Josh and sexy Michael.
Starting point is 00:04:51 I swear Michael puts these in. What is it of his voice that makes people just go mad for it? Have you been told you a sexy before doing this podcast, Michael? No, never. quite the opposite. Okay. I work as a registered nurse in a small community. A few...
Starting point is 00:05:07 Oh, I bet she's got good tea. I work as a registered nurse in a small community. A few years ago now, I was looking after a gentleman who had recently had a cardiac arrest. As part of his rehab, he was wearing a halter device, which is connected to screens that cardiac nurses monitor externally. If they see anything abnormal, they contact the wall for the patient to be checked over.
Starting point is 00:05:29 So is this like he wears in his day-to-day life? Sorry, say this again. I'm struggling to get my... It's a very medical start to the show, really, hasn't it? It's been quite... I think he's in hospital and he's got a halter device, which is connected to screens. No idea, but I just said it confidently, hoping you'd know.
Starting point is 00:05:45 Right. I'll Google it. So that's like tracking his heartbeat and all that kind of stuff. Yeah, so I think basically, if they're in the office and that beeps goes off, yeah, so you're basically a small portable device that continually checks your... your heart electrical activity. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:01 If they see anything abnormal, they contact the wall for the patient to be checked over. Oh my God. The telemetry phone is red. What the fuck's the telemetry phone? Sounds like a Russian thing, a Russian spy would say.
Starting point is 00:06:13 A smartphone or mobile device used to collect, transmit, and monitor, remote sensor data. It's just a little alert. The telemetry phone is red and it rang once on a busy shift. And it rang one.
Starting point is 00:06:26 Right. The telemetry phone is red and rang once I love that we were like, we can't wait to get into these. We can't do more. Oh, fuck, I might just turn it off. The telemetry faded red, and it rang one busy shift I was on. I immediately stopped what I was doing to answer. I was informed that the patient was in dangerous heart rhythm.
Starting point is 00:06:42 Here we go. Myself and colleague raced to the other side of the wall, expecting to find him having another cardiac arrest. They flung the door open. Instead, we found him hospital gown ripped open. His girlfriend bent over the bar from sink, and they were going full frottle doggy style. We had politely asked him to stop
Starting point is 00:07:07 and ask him if he was experiencing chest pain while we hid our mortification. I will add his girlfriend was a good 30 years younger. Blimey. And to make that worse, a few months prior, we had nursed his dying wife as she passed away. No. No.
Starting point is 00:07:24 You've made that up. No, it's there. Oh, my word. I'd probably shoot that's there. Oh, my word. Jesus Christ. Fucking... Wow.
Starting point is 00:07:34 Wow. In a way... In a hospital. Fad play to him for, you know, enjoying the last of his time on earth. Yeah, but not in the hospital. Not over the sink. Over the sink. Not over the sink.
Starting point is 00:07:49 Doggy style over the sink. It's not many doggy style, is it? Dogs don't put their paws up on a sink. That's not doggy style. Was she drinking from the tap like a dog? How low is his sink? Yeah. They're like a dog.
Starting point is 00:08:04 Someone's got to tell her that it's not a doggy style. I don't know what the name for it is, but that's just from behind stood up, isn't it? Yeah. Okay, do you want to do one or should I do it? Do you want to take the turns? You carry on. Yeah, fair enough. You're all puffed out.
Starting point is 00:08:20 You're doing such a good job. I can barely read. I'll do the next one. Let's take turns. One each. I love the latest playground Shaggers Valentine's special. one of the best yet. Sadly, I don't have any Playground Shaggers stories.
Starting point is 00:08:35 Oh, whoa, wait, wait. This is the hospital one. No, it's not. There's another hospital one. Oh, my God. This is a medical special. Playground Shaggers medical special. It started with the heartbeat.
Starting point is 00:08:47 Okay. I thought it was the same email. Right. Sadly, I don't have any playground shaggers stories, but as a nurse of 18 years now, I have plenty of tales of hospital shaggers. Hospital Shaggers, yes, please. What a great spin-off.
Starting point is 00:08:59 What a great spin-off. It's the playground Grand Shaggers Hospital Shaggers special. A long time ago when I worked in a small community hospital, the plumbing was awful because the building was Victorian. So we're always having the plumbers out to fix things. During one such time, myself and a few other nurses started noticing our receptionist, Janet, not a real name for obvious reasons, would go missing from a desk on a regular basis, which was a bit inconvenient when patients and staff needed help.
Starting point is 00:09:28 Janet was in her 40s with two children, if I remember correctly, but a hundred. husband was a twat and they were divorcing. Still, imagine our surprise when we discovered 47-year-old Janet was having regular shagging sessions with one of the 20-something-year-old plumbing apprentices. I thought he meant 20 builders. Oh. 20, what, 20, over 20 plumbers.
Starting point is 00:09:54 Fair play to Janet. She's going to need a new you, Ben, for 20 plumbers. 20 plumbers show up. Janice like... I could barely get one to come. Oh, that is good stuff, Rob. Do you know what? It's not bad. Not bad. It's good.
Starting point is 00:10:11 One of the 20th-something plumbers apprentice, only a few of us noticed found out. So after chatting to Janice, who self-confessed to a bit of a midlife crisis... Janice or Janet? Janet, sorry. We made a pact to cover for her because she was actually a lovely lady
Starting point is 00:10:25 just having a hard time. Oh, bless her. Thanks all an on. Oh, I just... Imagine I just having to sit there and go, yeah, I'm shagging them. But I feel sad. Okay, Janet, but can you stop fucking them at work? You know, lots of people go divorces.
Starting point is 00:10:41 They don't bring it into the workplace, you know, apart from Pep Guadiole. There we go. A shagga gets in touch. Oh. Dear Rob and Josh, definitely keep this anon. This is what we've been looking for. This is what we've been building towards an actual shagger coming clean. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:10:57 I'm not a playground shagga, but I work in a local GP surgery. Every time you do a playground shagga special, I find myself wondering if I'm going to hear a story about me. Oh my word. Oh, imagine that shame and guilt hanging over you. Trying to keep this as an on as possible. So they've tried to beat them. They've thought the best way to deal with this.
Starting point is 00:11:23 Is to bring it up yourself? Yeah. A decade ago, I'd a short-lived affair with another parent of my children's school. Let's call him Adam. We live in a small town and we were in the same friendship group for about five years before the affair began. It didn't last long before our partners found out and it all blew up. Oh my God.
Starting point is 00:11:43 So the parents are in a friendship group. Yeah. As we started to untangle our lives, my ex and Adam started to spend more time together and you can see where this ended up. I'm not sure if we're living a real life episode of Wif Swap, but I'm now happily living with Adam whilst our ex is. also live together. Oh, right. Okay. Hang on.
Starting point is 00:12:05 I'm confused. So. Does she mean to interrupt my ex and Adam X? Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's written this wrong. Yeah, yeah. So my ex and Adams is X starts to spend more time together. So now I am with Adam whilst our exes live together.
Starting point is 00:12:19 Also, it's a bit pointed this. I am now happily living with Adam whilst our exes also live together. There's an implication she thinks they're not happy. Do you know what I mean? I'd love it. to say it all ended on good terms. Oh no. But sadly, the damage Adam and I did was too great for that.
Starting point is 00:12:40 Do you know what? Fair play. I often this happens and how many other parenting hell listers, no families where the same has happened. Can't wait for the next playground. Shagga's special. Now, this woman, I feel, has been born without the feeling of shame and guilt. No, there's a bit of guilt there. Well, she's
Starting point is 00:12:59 gone an on, to be fair to her. She's gone anon, but I still think there's a bit of glee in that message. Do you? Can't wait for the next special. I think I, in her position, wouldn't be listening to the playground, showing a special because I'd be too worried. I'd love to hear from the ex. I'd say we don't know enough details.
Starting point is 00:13:23 But I always stand by this. If you're not happy, just break up with them, then find someone. No good comes from the hedge in your bets, trying to find someone else a fair type thing. Well, it does too much damage. You do find yourself in a Jaden Sanchez situation where he's without a club at the moment, Rob. Maybe him and Rahim Sterling should get together.
Starting point is 00:13:46 Start a new team. Right. Do we soon another one or do you want to do this next one? I'll do the next one. I'll do the next one. One on one off, just like Janet with the plumbers. I thought that deserved more. Yeah, I did.
Starting point is 00:13:59 I was just trying to find the one that I hadn't read. Sorry. It's all right. I'm a joking. Because it started, please keep me on for obvious reasons. I thought this was the one I just read. You'd read. So I worked in a very small primary school,
Starting point is 00:14:12 30 kids in total in a small town in the northern territory of Australia. Okay. Because it's a small school, it's incredibly common for the parents and teachers to be mates outside of school, have each other's personal phone numbers, meet at the pub for work,
Starting point is 00:14:26 after work for community drinks, etc. One of the teachers I worked with was good friends with a set of parents. The dad would frequently message her about his kids. However, the messages started to get a bit flirty. How do you go from, oh, sorry, my daughter's forgot a swimming kit this week. I hope you've not forgot yours. How do you make that job?
Starting point is 00:14:52 I'd love to know what's the intermediary chat? Yeah, I don't know. I don't know because I don't text the teacher anyway. So it's difficult. Hi, my daughter's got a doctor's appointment this week. Nice tips, by the way. But just so you know, if you're just going straight in on flirties, nice tips, one of the things you do, Rob, because I think...
Starting point is 00:15:13 No, no, I wouldn't be that coy. I'd go over something a bit bolder. I'd like to be a bit nuance of my chat up techniques. This is wild. Oddly enough, also... Cracking ass in those trousers. Is it Harvest Festival next week? I mean, that does sound.
Starting point is 00:15:36 Like, you know. Yeah. Come around, bring your cans. Come all you, faithful. Don't know what that means. It's coming up. Yeah. It's just come at the end of the day.
Starting point is 00:15:53 Yeah. It's just come, isn't it? Oddly enough, also completely normal. This is wild. I once had a dad super like my Tinder. Oh. About 10 seconds after handing over his child at drop off. Oh.
Starting point is 00:16:06 Okay, so that's the way in, is it? But if he's single... Yeah. I think if you're single and he's single and you're super-liked Tinder, that's... I mean, it gets messy, doesn't it? Ideally, don't try and have sex with your daughter's teacher
Starting point is 00:16:18 or son's teachers. Anyway, the messages continue to get more flirty, and eventually my friend was invited to the pub for a drink with the parents. So this is the teacher, yeah? Yeah. The one who's had a Tinder profile super-liked? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:31 No, no, no, that was just an aside. Okay. So this is, to recap, one of the teachers I worked with, was good friends with a set of parents. The dad would frequently message her about his kids. However, the messages started to get a bit flirty. Yeah, then I did all the harvest estal stuff. Then the messages continued to get more flirty.
Starting point is 00:16:45 Eventually, my friend was invited to the pub for a drink with the parents. They got plastered and then agreed to a threesome. Okay, so the parent... Two parents, one teacher, one small town. They walked home together. my friend lived a few streets behind their street. Okay. They were all in the pool together, kissing.
Starting point is 00:17:13 Where's the kids? I don't know. They're all in the pool together kissing. When suddenly the wife announced that actually she was really tired and could they maybe reschedule the threesome for another night? She's bottled it. The drink's worn off. You can't reschedule a threesome.
Starting point is 00:17:29 It's either on or it's not. You definitely can't. Have we got babysit? We've got the threesome book for next week. Maybe if you're a regular into it Right, they start to get out of the pool My friend thought this was the end of it Let's go back to this
Starting point is 00:17:43 Could they do it another night My friend thought that this was the end of it And started to get out of the pool When the husband pulled her back in And started kissing her again The wife was in bed by this point She's fucking fast the wife, isn't she? It's kind of bad headache that
Starting point is 00:17:57 They started touching each other And then started having full-blown sex Full-blown sex Why is it so full-blown sex? Why is it so funny when you say it like that? They stopped to get out of the pool And went to the granny flat where they started again After he went straight to bed with his wife
Starting point is 00:18:13 And told my friend to leave before the kids saw her Oh my God So the kids were there when they were shagging in the pool That's mental That's insane Imagine coming down to see your mum and dad And teacher shagging in the pool It's all been resolved now
Starting point is 00:18:28 They're all friends again But it definitely still awkward At school pickup time Especially awkward When my friend was asked by the mum to tutor her child after school. Oh, God. Did they reschedule the threesome, was it?
Starting point is 00:18:39 Just never? No, she just shagged the husband. She just shagged the husband and went home. But I wonder whether that was the plan. Do you know what I mean? Whether that's what the couple wanted. She likes that, but then just like let and get on with it. Yeah, that's what she's into.
Starting point is 00:18:55 Because she's gone to bed very fast, and she hasn't gone to check that the husband's following. Yeah, because they've not, yeah. Well, people are into this kind of stuff, Josh. We're just so vanilla. We aren't. Just so vanilla. Just a little vanilla, dude.
Starting point is 00:19:10 You've read the reviews of this podcast. I love the podcast. Don't have kids myself. Who reviews a podcast? How can you possibly review what we do? Do you know what I mean? How do you review art? You can't.
Starting point is 00:19:24 It's a feeling we create. You can't review emotion and connection. Review the wind. Try and review the wind. Review a sunrise. Review a sunset. You cannot. You cannot.
Starting point is 00:19:39 You simply cannot. We are life. Review life. Two men bearing their souls. Bearing their ass. And you're trying to put a score on that. You're trying to score two men's ids. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:19:54 Oh, I've got three stars for being me, have I? Boo. Hi, guys. Your playground shaggers episode. reminded me of a story I've never actually told. Even though I was right in the middle of it, please keep me anonymous. When I was 17, I worked at a small restaurant
Starting point is 00:20:17 in the east of England. That's where I met... You don't hear the east of England much, do you? What does that mean? Like Norwich. Because it's either... North East or East Anglia. Yeah. No one says the East of England. Lincoln.
Starting point is 00:20:31 Are they talking about Lincoln? It better come up in this... It better be important that it's in the East of England because there's no need to... Because they've both gone too vague for it to be useful. Yeah. I think it's Lincoln way. Lincoln's east of England.
Starting point is 00:20:45 Yeah. So I'm picturing this in Lincoln, which is a lovely city. Oh, 17. That's where I met a 20-year-old chef. Let's call him, Reese. We got him well and had a summer romance. However, I then broke his heart when I left for university, which he did not take well.
Starting point is 00:20:58 Instead of healing like a normal person, he emotionally dived into the arms of one of our managers. Let's call her Susan. Susan was in her late 30s, married with four kids. She took it upon herself to look after him. People quickly suspected there was more going on, but nobody had proof. Her husband, let's call him Harrison, was also a head chef at the same restaurant.
Starting point is 00:21:23 So yes, husband, wife and toy boy were all working the same Friday night service. Oh no. Fast for a couple months. It was a big old service. But fancying some dessert. Two spoonful. I thought, literally not making any sense. No.
Starting point is 00:21:39 I gave up. No, what's on the specials board? Oh, there you go, yeah. Fast-water a couple of months, and I come home for summer after uni and go back to the restaurant. Rees starts flirting with me, so I think, okay, maybe nothing happened with Susan.
Starting point is 00:21:51 It was all rumours. However, one shift, we realised they'd both been missing a while. The other manager, also in the gossip, logs into the CCTV, and there they are in the back of the kitchen, getting it on. Amazing. At that exact moment, Harrison, Susan's husband,
Starting point is 00:22:05 walks in and asks what we're all staring at and we have to show him. Everything exploded. Susan and Harrison split. Susan and Reese, the toy boy, got together officially. Harrison, the ex quits his job. They even had a baby boy.
Starting point is 00:22:21 So she's up to five kids. For a moment, it looked like a chaotic but wholesome ending. However, we then find out Harrison, the now ex-husband couldn't find a new place to live. Susan, Reese and Harrison have created. a bed roter. No. What? Yes.
Starting point is 00:22:41 What? They have a schedule. They all are in the house together. No. They took turns sleeping in the bed with Susan and the new baby. One week, Harrison, one week, Reese. No, that's... Madness.
Starting point is 00:22:57 But that can't be because they couldn't find new accommodation. Well, it's like a custody arrangement in here, but for the mattress, a few... A few years later, a Susan, Besides, Reese is too immature. Shocking, considering she met him when he was 10 years younger and not old enough to buy alcohol in America and she already had four kids. I think this Anon still had a soft spot for Reese and he's been ruined by this Susan. Unsurprisingly, after the breakup, Susan and Reese both leave the restaurant and they don't have, so they don't have to work together.
Starting point is 00:23:27 And the strangest part is I accidentally set the whole chain of events in motion. Oh my word. I love the podcast, never stop. Love from Anon. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Also, she was probably thinking, I broke up with Reese,
Starting point is 00:23:38 I'll go back, shagging for the summer, go back to uni, a bit of fun, jobs are good, and little does she know, she's got a kid with the manager? Absolutely wild. Right, let's do another one. Hi, Rob, Josh and Sexy Michael,
Starting point is 00:23:50 I only discovered you when I was on baby number two, but you've been a constant companion on the night shift to the baby who, at nearly one year old, is still often up every 20 minutes. Oh my God. I don't know what I would have done without you. I wanted to send in a story
Starting point is 00:24:05 about some top shaggers. What's slightly unique about these shaggers? Yeah. Is that they were, in fact, friends of my grand. Oh, old shaggers? We're talking top elderly shaggers, if you will. Lovely. Vintage.
Starting point is 00:24:19 Yeah. To go back to the start of the story, when my grand was 80 and couldn't do her own gardening anymore, she hired a sprightly young gardener who was a mere 69 years old. I bet he was, dirty bastard. These sexiest of all.
Starting point is 00:24:36 all of the ages, Rob. Sucking on her wharvers, giving her the eye. How old am I? I guess. What number's going through you? What number's going through your mind? 69, not for the moment, but you're correct. Let me have a look at your peonies first.
Starting point is 00:24:52 Yeah, we'll pop down my wheelbar and we'll get on with it. Let me just finish laying this turf. You dirty old bitch. Sorry, I've got carried away. We'll call him Will. The news about Will's excellent gardening skills must have spread quickly because soon he was gardening for all the local old ladies. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:25:13 My mum, sisters and me all made the hilarious jokes about him tending the old ladies' gardens and thought no more of it. The thing is that Will kept being quite suggestive with my grand. He was quite often mentioned there was just an 11-year age gap between them. When she went on holiday with her friend Brenda, he bought them both roses and picked them up at the airport. Oh, that's quite nice. What I haven't yet yet mentioned about Will.
Starting point is 00:25:41 This is a person who's in charge of narrative, Rob. Oh, come on. Was that he was, in fact, married. Love it. There's no halt a device telemetry red phone in this email. This person's on top. Yeah, which we all knew. Who wrote this, John Grisham?
Starting point is 00:25:59 So he was married, but was still trying to try it on with my grand. So imagine a shock when one day my grand called my mum to tell her that Brenda had asked her to urgently go over and see her. Brendan, Brenda, revealed to my grand that she'd been having an affair with Will and his wife had found out. Oh, at 80, you don't... I know it sounds bad, but I would really like a photo
Starting point is 00:26:21 of all the people involved. I just can't imagine anyone moving. No. Oh, right, no. No, but just to understand it, because 69 and 80, like, you can get people that sit in a chair all day. Well, I don't know if Brenda's 80.
Starting point is 00:26:34 We only know the grand's 80. We don't know how Brenda's 80. Yes, this shows their age. Brenda and Will had had an exchange of, in quotes, steamy letters. Sent by pigeon. And his wife had found them one day while looking for her hairbrush. After being thrown out by his wife, Will moved in with Brenda.
Starting point is 00:26:56 One day, his ex-wife cornered my grand in the ladies section of John Lewis. This is like some sort of Richard Osmond, old people argument. It is, isn't it? Well, it is very well plotted to ask if she'd known about the affair. My sweet innocent ground had indeed not known, but reflected that perhaps she shouldn't have taken them at their word when she showed up at Brenda's house to find a semi-naked will, only to be told he had to garden his underwear due to medical issue
Starting point is 00:27:25 as sweating too much. Come on. No, he's not gardening his pants. That is mental. He's the anti-Prince-A-Prince-Hen-Sweding too much. She later said, She thought if she'd shown any interest, she thinks he would have picked up on her too.
Starting point is 00:27:41 I can all say that. Yeah. Put your money where your mouth is, Nan. Yeah. Giving it all that smack talk. Bit of hush for the sad bit. Oh. Fast forward a couple of years and Will became ill and sadly died.
Starting point is 00:27:55 However, because he still hadn't divorced his wife due to the shame of divorce in the elderly community, he had two funerals. One where his ex-wife was the chief mourner and one where Brenda was. Which one was the body in? Does he send through the crematorium twice? I'd double-cooked chips.
Starting point is 00:28:24 Could you kind of... God, I bet he's sweated in that fucking... I know this is quite a weird question. Could you, like, half do him? Like, could you... Because this is his first of two funerals. I mean, Will and Brenda's families are out there, and they may well be listeners.
Starting point is 00:28:40 Please keep me anonymous, it says that. Yeah, lovely. Lovely stuff. This is just be called Shaggers is. I know. I haven't seen any playground action. Hey guys, apart from the Aussies. Back listening to the pod after a long hiatus.
Starting point is 00:28:55 What? Well, let it hear this out. Life divorce and kids got in the way. Fair enough. You're going through a divorce. Yeah. Two men complaining about their pretty cushy family lives. Yeah, so my ex-husband, a keen gardener named.
Starting point is 00:29:11 Sweaty will. Anyway, trying to catch up on 2024 episode, so it may take some time. Listening to the playground shaggar stories, I had to email in with my playground shagga story. So after breaking up with my kid's dad after a long time together, I was going through quite a lot of emotions.
Starting point is 00:29:29 Around a year after we broke up, my friend suggested going on the apps. So one morning, I checked my dating app and realized I drunkly matched with a guy I realized I recognized, I recognised. I looked at his location and sure enough, it was my area. It was one of the dads from school, not just any dad, but the one dad I'd always joke with
Starting point is 00:29:50 the mum friends that he was the only hot dad in school. However, I had no idea he was single. We'd always seen him and his partner at drop off and pick up. Our sons were in the same class in primary school and were due to leave the school in a few months. So I messaged him, I asked him the situation and he explained they'd split up and asked me if I wanted to go for coffee that day. After discussing it with a few mum friends,
Starting point is 00:30:13 they said go a meeting, find the gossip, but under no circumstances, do anything. She's going to do something. A few hours later, I was meeting Hot Dad locally for a coffee. He suggested a walk and explained about his situation. He said he told his wife he no longer wanted to be with her on Friday. This was Monday. Yes, we'd waited a whole two days before heading out on a day.
Starting point is 00:30:35 That is mental. We walked and talked. about our situations and it felt more supportive than anything. He is very flirty and obviously was not used to dating. He was very handsy and even kissed me, which I was very shocked at. After this, we only met for one more coffee again, but it was all very PG. We mostly spoke about divorce and how the kids were coping. We texted occasionally and stayed in touch. Speed forward to the last week of the school and all the levers parties and assemblies for our boys. We kept bumping into each other and he texted to ask if everyone to go for a drink one Friday.
Starting point is 00:31:06 I agreed and arranged to meet locally. On the Friday, it was a heat wave. I was sat in my garden and decided I couldn't be bothered to get on a bus and go and meet this guy, so he suggested he'd come to mind and have a few beers in the garden. He agreed and arrived an hour later. We were sat in the garden, enjoying a drink and catching up. His phone started to ring.
Starting point is 00:31:25 It was his ex. He didn't answer. She phoned again. I told him to answer as it could be an emergency with his son. He answered. I could hear him talking and mentioned the bar at the end of my road. I thought, that's a bit strange. He got off the call and said, I need to go.
Starting point is 00:31:39 She thinks I'm at that bar. Then he left immediately. I was sitting shock in the guard and wondering if he was actually separated or whether he lied. Then the doorbell rings. I thought, oh, I bet he's back. I answered the door. Oh, no. And in any stender's classic ending, she was stood there.
Starting point is 00:31:57 She started shouting at me asking why her ex was there telling me it was disgusting. I said, we're just friends and whatever is going on with them. there's nothing to do with me and probably shut the door. Turns out she was tracking his phone and was waiting outside when he left. Oh no. So far as to say,
Starting point is 00:32:14 he is divorced now, so it wasn't lying. We've seen each other a few times since, but nothing serious. Keep it sexy relatable. There you go. I just think. That's a lot of drama,
Starting point is 00:32:23 that. I just think, it's so difficult. If you're going to get confronted on your doorstep, you might as well, you know, you know, let someone have a guy. You've had all the ass with out of any of the fun.
Starting point is 00:32:35 your divorce that's fine he's separated she's allowed to meet other people sounds like a lot of asshole that how would you we've done this before but I think if we were single now and we were dating and you can't go with anyone from school I'm not going on an app the thought of someone I know
Starting point is 00:32:54 being on the app and seeing me on the app is too painful would you go someone famous or non-famous if you had to remarry non-famous so that I had all the power I like to go so much more famous. Adele. Yeah, I'd love to be like a kept man,
Starting point is 00:33:19 just follow her around while she sang. I used to be a comedian, yeah. I'd just be getting on a private jet with golf clubs. Wherever we land, I've got to have a round and go watch the show. Well, like Lion Adela D'L Ray marrying that guy that's a crocodile tour guide. That's she? Yeah. She just met him on a crocodile tour.
Starting point is 00:33:40 Got on. Would you enjoy that life, Rob? So if I'm married to Adele in this situation. So, yeah, this isn't about Adele. This is about a famous potter. Someone like a famous female life is like a Bill. Taylor Swift. Adele.
Starting point is 00:33:55 Yeah, I'm going to, right, whatever. Someone who's got a hundred, you know, person entourage who had trouble in the world. I couldn't do the Taylor's. No, but I couldn't. No, I'm not the entourage. I'm the love of their life. No, Rob.
Starting point is 00:34:10 But when they're going to sound check, you're kind of queuing up in the refreshments area, talking to the sound man. To be fair, and the sound man's thinking this fucking freeloading, absolutely. Do you know what, I might just go on the end of sheer and tour and it'll be less busy backstage.
Starting point is 00:34:30 No, I know, I don't think I could be with someone like Taylor Swift that is like that big of a megastar in that way. where, like, Adele is a megastar, obviously, but she is very much on or off. Yeah, she's private. She's private and hidden. I mean, she'll probably love to marry me and I just talk about our week on here.
Starting point is 00:34:49 She spent her entire life building towards secrecy, and I'm just that big. Yeah, so pop down B&M, she got loads of grief for selfies. We're off of the world tour. She's in Munich for six months, so I'm just going to hammer all the golf courses around there, maybe doing the Munich comedy store.
Starting point is 00:35:07 imagine it would be such a weird life if you were because you'd never see your friends. I mean, you could just not go on the tour, but if it was like, we tour together. And because you'd know, like, the management would be very watchful of you because they'd be worried you were an influence on her. And a liability. And a liability. So who's going to look after Rob? He's going to be in Vegas for three months. Oh God, it would be awful
Starting point is 00:35:38 And you'd think you were friends With all of the crew And the crew would all be laughing behind your back Daniel Craig's over there How good was that Bond song? She smashed it And then you'd get ahead of yourself, Rob And you go
Starting point is 00:35:55 I'd be like Yoko Ono doing backing vacu You reckon I can do five at the top I, Dale, I've got a spoon here I've got a spoon and a dream Let me bang that while you're singing Do mind if I open? do a type five at the top. Adele, can you bring Alan Carter come on the tour? I'm lonely.
Starting point is 00:36:16 Ironically, I'm having to listen to your songs to sort of wallow in it. Would you watch the show every night? I suppose you'd have to. I think I'll go start and end. Start an end in it. Crap them on, crap them off. But then you'd be worried because you'd think, is the guys at the side of the stage, are they going to tell her that? Don't tell her I've gone, all right. What's she paying you out?
Starting point is 00:36:41 I'll give you a 50 quid. What's that? She gives you a end of tour, massive, okay. I'll just that much. Tough gig nine nights in a row and it. It's all these all ballads. When does she do a dance, Rita? No, no dance.
Starting point is 00:36:57 No, no dance. Okay. I get distracted from the light on your phone. That's just going to go on Instagram. But if I'm sorry about that, Josh. I'm like, can we move to record? Still at the gig. Well, he's fought.
Starting point is 00:37:16 He's 11 up on the gig. What I've been up to this week? Absolutely nothing. Same, same. Same, same. Do you find it annoying when you go to the MGM casino? And the crew PA is late. Oh, strictly, Josh.
Starting point is 00:37:30 I've not managed to play golf this week. By the way, I'm getting worse at golf. That's a separate conversation. I wasn't running at 119th the other day. I'm sorry I'm going to She's on ground and I'm still at the back waving
Starting point is 00:37:46 Get me on the sofa Yeah but I used to do the sofa before I was with you What do you don't want me there with her I've got a story about shit myself And the monkey's chasing me in Malaysia Oh Josh Another Shagger gets in touch
Starting point is 00:38:06 Hello I'm one of the playground shaggers Just thought I'd write in With a playground shagger story From the other side It's not as exciting as some I've heard on here, but I don't think you've had one
Starting point is 00:38:19 from the other side before, so here goes. Me and my partner met in the school playground. Our children are in the same class every morning we got talking. We had a good laugh on sports day, etc. Now for the details.
Starting point is 00:38:30 His relationship was over. He was sleeping on the sofa and unsure what to do. No, that doesn't mean your relationship's over. No. The relationship over means you've got your own flat and you're divorced. Not in the same room. Been there, mate.
Starting point is 00:38:42 Relationship's still hot as cold. Yeah. He's essentially, Michael Carrick at the moment. He's still the manager, but he's on the, he's on the sofa. Save it. Save the football stuff. He was straight put on the sofa and unsure what to do. My relationship was okay, but my feelings for him was something I couldn't ignore. Okay. I was honest with my partner at the time and said, I've strong feelings, but I am confused. As I did love my current partner, what I thought I did. Now, I'm sorry. That is just,
Starting point is 00:39:09 you are, you just gutless, just leave. So none of this, I think I've got feelings with someone. As soon as that said, fuck off its own. over. Don't you think? I think anyone, this is unfair because some people have come through these things. But at the bare minimum. Yeah, but Josh, have they? Have they? Or they just tell themselves that and then it all goes shits up in about 10 years still. Have they gone through these things? At the bare minimum, it is exposing some fault lines that exist. I was honest to my partner at time. I said I have strong feelings, but I'm confused as I did love my current partner. Well, I thought I did. You didn't. You've lied to yourself. A few moments went by of us having a quick five-minute
Starting point is 00:39:49 conversation on the school run. We decided to go for coffee and actually talk. Yes, an actual coffee, not an innuendo. We talked, it's very defensive, isn't it, this shagger? We talked and figured we both had strong feelings for each other. Again, I told my partner this, and they were fine with it as it was just a coffee with a friend. Well, no, it wasn't just a coffee of a friend. If I go for a coffee with you, Josh, I don't tell you I've got strong feelings for you. No, exactly. that's a coffee with someone that you fancy that you're confessing feelings to.
Starting point is 00:40:19 I think a cop... There's a lot of coffees going on, isn't there? When it was time to leave, it was gut wrenching, borderline pathetic even. We barely knew each other, yet leaving felt like a punch to the stomach. After a few weeks, we tried to be friends and pretend feelings weren't there,
Starting point is 00:40:34 but we couldn't ignore it anymore. If lover first sight was real, then it was. Yeah, fair enough. We took a leap of faith, I left my partner, he moved out, and we got together. It has been the best three years of our lives, currently planning our wedding.
Starting point is 00:40:46 However, the school playground clique didn't see it that way. The rumour was that we were sleeping together for months to a year, arranging meetups at each other's homes, while we both worked full-time, he had kids in the house, etc. None of the other parents talked to us anymore. They'll move away and give us dirty looks. We never did anything until we got together. We are aware that it moved fast,
Starting point is 00:41:08 but both of us were single and we got together. I think there's crossover there. But I don't think you should be, it's difficult, isn't it? Because, right, here's a thing, like, if you're friends with a couple, if you're friends with both of them. Yeah. And they split up in bad circumstances, even if one misbehaved, I don't think if I'm friends with both of them,
Starting point is 00:41:34 I'm going to just blacklist someone. Well, no. Do you know what I mean? Essentially. If we've, if I've got a friend, who has misbehaved. This is my genuine feeling. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:41:46 I'm not going to go, you had an affair. I'm never going to speak to you again. No. Do you know what I mean? But also, the way I look at it, this is, for the people at the school gates, you were with your partner, and the other couple were still living together
Starting point is 00:42:02 when you were meeting up on secret coffees, confessing feelings. I think I'd feel more hurt if Lou was meeting up with a guy she really, really liked, but, you know, and behind my back, because I know she's told her partner, but I'm meeting with a friend is different to doing this.
Starting point is 00:42:18 I would find that more upsetting than if Lou got really drunk on a night out and snog someone in a drunken mistake. If you're both with someone and living with someone, it's going to look bad. From them, the outside, they weren't divorced or separated. Anyway, none of the other parents talked to us anymore. They all move away and give us dirty looks. We never did a thing until we got together.
Starting point is 00:42:38 We were aware that it moved fast, but both of us were single and we got together. but then that's a bit of a grey area. I think you can't start going for that coffee to confess your feelings to someone is a date. It's not just meeting for coffee with a friend. You're going on a date. You're confessing feelings.
Starting point is 00:42:54 Personally, I think really, if you've got kids in the house, you can't be dating other people until you've all got your own space and the children had time to process everything personally. I may be wrong. Stuff goes on, but I think have a bit of self-control. Chill the fuck out. Oh, not a single person's... asked either of us what actually happened,
Starting point is 00:43:12 just playground gossip. I don't think they should be extra, from the playground. I think that's wild. Since then it turns out, two people out of the playground click have been caught cheating on their partners. Maybe don't judge until your home is in order.
Starting point is 00:43:25 It feels like a big disgusting of Roman orgy this school. Well, a great episode of playground shaggers. Loads more shaggers. Lovely to hear from the shaggers. There you go. Another playground shaggers. Please send him more.
Starting point is 00:43:37 We'll do another special later in the year. See you next time, Josh. See you next time, Rob. See you next time.

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