Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - S16 Ep 34: Rita Ora

Episode Date: June 5, 2024

Ask & you shall receive… we’re serving you up a glorious ep this week with Rita Ora! A few days before we both took to the stage at Mighty Hoopla festival on the weekend, we sat down with Rita for a long overdue breakfast catch up. We learned that Rita splits her time between New Zealand and the UK, all about her favourite Kosovan food, the story of her wedding with her husband (and mums favourite) Taika Waititi, her entrepreneurial empire, her rigorous health & supplements routine, and how she likes to hang out in Hobbit houses back in New Zealand! One meal wasn’t enough, Rita we must do part 2 soon, thank you for popping over to join us in Clapham! Rita’s’ brand new track ‘Ask & You Shall Receive’ is available everywhere now!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Tobey Manners. I'm here in mum's kitchen. It's a pretty miserable cold morning. Not as bad as it has been darling. It's not raining which is a miracle. That's true. Yeah. We're recording this and it's half term and I have been in Dorset and I've had... Your face is looking very rested and not'm not tired. Something else. No, rested. I had a good facial yesterday. Okay, but you've had good sleep probably. Don't know about that. How do you tell your in-laws?

They don't listen to this, it's fine. How do you tell your darling in-laws, who I do love, that I don't want to sleep on a futon anymore? It's so painful. Buy a mattress. Do you think I could just buy a mattress? Because me and Sam get into that bed and we're like... I've got a spare mattress upstairs.

OK, fine. But I've eaten well in Dorset. Shout out to The Anchor in Seatown in Bridport. It was such a good lunch. I've been going there for years and then I saw that Thomasina Myers had gone maybe a couple of summers ago. And the food is just unbelievable.

That must be the reason that accommodation in Bridport is so expensive, that everyone's going there for the food and just unbelievable that must be the reason that accommodation in bridport is so expensive that you everyone's going there for the food and putting the cost up jesse 400 quid for two nights in july it's the place to be apparently it's the notting hill on sea that's what someone told me speaking of notting hill our next guest yeah is from labrador grove oh yeah she is a superstar yeah she does everything yeah from fashion design to drinks to hair products to most importantly singing and um we've got her on here she got her wellies ready i don't know how long we've got with her because this girl works like a horse

is that what you say a dog works like a dog darling works like a dog yeah um and it's Rita Ora she's coming on the podcast she's wanted to come on this for ages I remember we spoke to each other years ago and she was like can I come on can I bring my mum and I was like yeah sure I don't think she's bringing her gorgeous mum is she bringing her gorgeous husband oh stop mum you need to hold it down when you meet her okay we're recording this two three days before we're about to both perform at mighty hoopla in brockwell park on sunday so um are you welly ready lenny i'm not wearing wellies i bloody well i'm i've ordered mine from aster you're gonna be going on leopard print shut up little short leopard print wellies oh my god a little short one yeah what are you wearing on top lenny

black all in one and a white jacket will you get on stage with me maybe what's on the menu well it's very early in the morning to so we could fit in with her and so it's picky bits as you would call them oh you know what shout out to jane mcDonald, who has a Radio 2 show now. Called Picky Bits. Called Picky Tea. Picky Tea. She asks everybody what they like for their picky tea. It's brilliant.

Okay, so I've got Picky Bits breakfast. I've done a chopped salad with those little lovely baby cucumbers that taste so nice. I've got some feta, some prosciutto. Yeah. And I've done some avocado cut up. So I've really cut things up today. That's it. And put them on nice plates. and you're doing jammy eggs

yes I am but I have just done them and they have not peeled how I like them to peel and I don't know what it is I think impatience I think there's a science I don't know whether they because they came straight from the fridge I did the popping of the membrane and all that shit

so if you want to write to me at hello at tablemannerspodcast.com, you can let me know. When you were away, I made dippy eggs for your children because I got distracted. They weren't very dippy. And your son, I thought...

Lost his shit. Yeah. Geoffrey. Yeah. Anyway, Rita Ora coming up on Table Manners. up on table. Rita Ora is already gassing the heck in with me. It's so nice to see you.

Wait, do we need to wait for your mum? Mum's just going to come up. Yeah, you're right. You're polite. You're a good... Jessie would just get on with it. Oh, Jessie's just like, sorry, I actually can join in halfway through. I'm aware. I'm aware that you have like a 14 hour day today.

Oh, you're so cute. Which is kind of usual for you. I'm alright though, to be honest, because I'm sort of used to it. Did you sleep yesterday? I couldn't sleep.

Oh, babes. You know when you know you have so much on, you can't actually like rest your head. And is it, is it because you've got the song coming out? Tomorrow. Yeah.

Which is very good, and we shall talk about this in a minute when mum has joined us. I think mum's starting a breast-tree going on over there. We're doing Yeah, she's... Do you want me to help you? No, nothing. Are you sure? Because I'm pretty good at helping. I'm sure you are.

Well, I'd like to think I am. Is your bedroom tidy, Rita, at your mum's house? It's like an organised mess. Okay, got it. You know, it's like She doesn't really go Into our Oh you have a cat This is Prince

Prince Hi We have a Bengal You're mad I know they're mad But he's like 79 I don't think he's ever gonna die Poor Bruno

His name's Bruno Bruno's such a good name Hi Prince Are you an animal person, Rita? Yeah, I love animals. It's because I can't have any, but they calm me the fuck down. They're so calming.

Don't you think? Can't you have like a companion dog that you go on the aeroplanes with? No. Oh, yeah. What do they call them? Companion. Emotional support.

Do you let your cat on the table? Don't let him on the table. Don't let him on the table, don't let him on the chairs, don't let him anywhere. You don't talk to your cat? She's talked to him, but he's got to need him. I mean, I don't know. I've never grown up with animals, really, so then when I gave my cat to my parents,

because obviously I've done a lot of sort of adopting and then not being able to look after them because it's just our schedule as musicians, as you know, it's like you're never in one place really so I give my pets away where do you live actually Rita I'm half in New Zealand now which is with the gorgeous tiger yeah I wanted him to do this with me because I am a huge fan are you you? I saw him do... It's a little Kathy Bates misery, so just watch. Yeah, a bit of Kathy Bates, yeah. Oh, that's a nice bit.

He did Letters Live. Oh, yeah, he does. He did do that. And he was fantastic and made me laugh so much. And I was very jealous when you married him. I just want to put that out there because I think he's so... She thought she had it down. Interested.

No, I didn't... Sorry. I didn't think I had a chance chance but i was jealous that you got him because he's so really happy for her i was happy you know a lot of people wasn't that happy you know you're not the only person that he's fabulous you know what's funny a lot of people have called me being like i'm very jealous of you yeah well i think it's just because like you see it's kind of what he's like is what he's like like he really makes me laugh and he's just so amazing do you just laugh all the time all the time it's just really nice to be able to just be with someone that you know makes you feel like it's not a job

and it feels sort of like an existence rather than uh not that my past relationships felt like jobs but they just felt like I was responsible to do things in the relationship. It was almost like, do you want to go and have dinner? It was like just making an effort that you, I feel like relationships, you just don't have to think really about them. They should just happen. And this one just really happens. It's really nice.

It's just natural. Is he coming to Mighty Hoopla? Yes. Oh, God my are you coming keep him away no no no he's no he's got i've got i've got leopard print welly boots for that what for taika or for glim for not not taika for the gaze or taika i don't have to give him a for the mud i'll give him an update and i'll let him know that you're around and he's gonna love it are you kidding he loves attention he's a leo but back to you yes so growing up yeah who was around the dinner table and what were you eating oh

everything i mean first of all our delicacy in in albania and how we sort of like function it's very heavy it's like pastries and cheeses and um it's definitely more kind of pies and soury less sweet stuff um so there was always food on the table even just snacks whether it's like bowls of nuts or just something is always there to just be eaten which is amazing so we you were born in Kosovo I was born in Kosovo and I moved to London in 1990 and we lived in West London our whole lives I think before we found our real family home which was in West London like Labrador Grove we kind of stayed around El Skor area and then we found a really amazing house in Labrador Grove and that's sort of where I grew up in West London, yeah.

Were there lots of Kosovans that you were friends with there, or was it that you kind of moved over as just your family and you didn't know you were starting again? I love, first of all, before I answer this question, I love this show so much. Okay. Do you? I always, and I think I told you this.

You've been asking to do it for a while. I have. And we wanted you. Can I really just come and hang out with you and your mum because I just love the idea of chatting around the table and eating and relaxing and me and my mum are like exactly the same do you argue with your mum yeah but just like light on but you love each other it's never like borderline no abusive or aggressive it's passionate you get it out yeah it's done and then it's done and then you eat and then you act like nothing's happened yeah and then And then you just eat, and it's like, dinner's ready!

And you're like, okay. And then it just kind of... Are you a loud family? We're pretty loud, aren't we? Yes. We're loud. When Jessie brought her husband into the family, he thought we were arguing all the time.

And your daughter thinks we argue, just when we're debating. Yeah, she puts her hands over her ears. We're just talking loudly. It's heated. It's a heated debate. Yeah. We're the same. We're just passionate Yeah, she puts her hands over her head. We're just talking loudly. It's heated. It's a heated debate. Yeah. We're the same. We're just passionate people.

I think from the Balkans, Eastern Europeans, we just, I think, communicate differently. We're just very sort of like direct. So what was a memorable dish that your mum or your dad made? Well, we had pita,

which is like basically a spinach pie. It's like seven. I actually wanted to bring some but my mum had it for breakfast and it was the one piece left and i was like i can't believe i told you i was doing this and i wanted to bring some food and anyway but like span a copy to it's a bit like baklav but like but with spinach in with spinach and like cheese and goat cheese so it's like a spinach pie it's just my favorite dish didn't you make a dish on louis through were you making something that's what it was it was that yeah yes that's a famous

sort of dish i personally love like stuffed peppers with um mince meat and like rice and that's a big one for our family you just stuff the peppers with a lot of mince meat and if you don't want rice everything i see in the drawer I put on the spices like everything everything every pepper every I mean I can't tell you I don't really have rules I feel like for me the more the merrier yeah I feel like Rita you've never had rules to be fair so it kind of works for that in the kitchen I think for me I just like you know flavors flavor I like a lot of flavour. You sounded New Zealand then.

Flavour's flavour. Oh, no. How is that? Are you kind of, because I hear that that means you're... A lot of people are telling me that. No, but I think apparently it means you're an empathetic person. You've got to stop me because I really don't want to have... I mean, I love them to death, but I like my accent. No, but I can imagine you're married to...

You know, you hear that and... No, it was only a little tinge of it. Well, thank you. Every time I do it, please catch me out. Please catch me out. Oh, my God. Really? Is it bad?

Oh, no. OK. No, no. I love it. I think that I'm just around them all the time now. You know, it's half of my family and his kids go to school in New Zealand. And so, yeah, we're always there a lot. Where do you live?

Is it Auckland? Auckland. We have a place literally on the water. It's really nice. Auckland's beautiful. I feel like New Zealand is obviously so far. But if you make an effort to get there... It's gorgeous.

It's a game changer. Have you been, Jess? I've been over 10 years ago when I did a festival called Laneway. Yeah. And I was there for a very short time, but I adored it. Isn't it? I mean, I like Australia too. I like that side of the, yeah, I like it.

Me too. You're very popular there. Yeah. I mean, I've done The Voice there obviously for a few years. And so I've been there like a big big chunk out of my year I haven't done it now I mean I didn't do it last year no but yeah it's it's it's like a home away from home for me I had really like Australia and then obviously that's where I met my husband and a lot of things you met him there yes where it was in Sydney I was doing the

voice and he was filming Thor Ragnarok and it just yeah that's just where we kind of clicked did you get set up i wouldn't say set up but we definitely met through a friend innocently like he was doing a barbecue my husband loves to just cook he loves to meet he's a meaty person so he just puts all the meat and it's just meats and salads and things like that he's incredible at steak and things and so he had a barbecue and a friend of ours uh kind of we had in mutual was like hey my friend's having a barbecue do you want to come with me and i was like okay if he's okay with it it's at his house personal house blah blah we get there and that's where we met and then we became friends

did you fancy him straight away no well I fancied him but I just didn't think it was a thing where he fancied me because I thought

I was just too crazy for him too much for him I don't know the film world I think is just different to the music world pop stars and musicians I think are a bit more wild

I thought but then I got to know him and he's just more wild than anyone I've ever met I need to know him and he's just more wild than anyone I've ever met I need to know does he have a gas barbecue or does he do you know charcoal charcoal always he loves the real smoky feeling and the flavor and the smell he prefers charcoal but if there's gas he'll make it work work. Because I thought Down Under, everyone had a gas one because they were barbecuing all the time

and therefore they were like, well, just do it. But no, you do the whole effort, you guys. Yeah, but if you go down Down Under, when you go even further in New Zealand, I think there's a real difference. Their cultures are actually really different. So, you know, the Maori culture, which is where Taika's from, they actually make like an oven like in the ground.

I don't want to explain it wrong but it's very much like natural you know you put the fire the coal and everything and you actually it's called a i think it's called a boil up okay it's it's delicious i mean it's the first time i had it but i mean you throw meat in there vegetables in there it's it's actually just like a huge stew. I think it's kind of how you explain it. But it's just smoky. Everything's smoky. The vegetables, the meat, the everything. And you leave it under the ground for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours.

I know it's delicious. It sounds amazing. He's also a little bit Jewish, isn't he? A little bit. Yes. Oh my God, no, see, this is what I'm talking about. Kathy Bates. Yes, he is.

Is it his father or his mother his mom's jewish yes oh so he's a he's a jew oh you do like him yes yes he's half jewish and half maori yes enough about fucking taika mom it's sorry i was wondering if he cooked jewish food for her no but um i do understand like being from a mixed culture it's interesting because you know when i moved here from um kosovo you know coming into the uk it was just amazing because it's such a mixing pot so on portobello market which is kind of where i hung out all the time the food stalls are just all over the world you've got german you've got chinese i mean it's amazing just kind of the german you go to a school there

the German stool is so good the bratwurst yes on a Saturday so good the sausages are to die for aren't they so good

I know that place further up speaking of food are we going to eat because now I'm starving okay yes yes fabulous

now we've got kind of we kind of got a few instructions just quite healthy oh good oh my gosh high protein just to let you all know i'm not like the crazy stricty person but i do like a bit of a healthy and i appreciate that so we've got we've got we've got gravlax you guys have some prosciutto

what is it i don't know we've got some uh jammy eggs that were actually a real bugger to peel so you basically and then some salad so who makes the food because i've always wanted to ask well if we were having something more exotic i probably would but it's breakfast time so oh my goodness can i this is i'd also wanted to see how real this all was and it really is you guys really just do it's Some bobs, so it's very much up to you. Thank you. What do you take? So you've got bits and bobs, but I think it will give you something. This is a bit like an Albanian breakfast. Is it?

A bit picky. Yeah. But do you know what my mum would add to this dish? What? A petejanitsa, which is basically like French toast. But it's not like with the sweetness of it. It's just the egginess of it. I love an eggy bread. I know. There's nothing like with the sweetness of it it's just the egginess of it I love an eggy bread I know

there's nothing like it is there have you ever tried doing an eggy bread with challah bread you know you know the kind of knotted Jewish bread oh yeah yeah yeah

it's very nice and then we have this thing called ayvar which is like almost like a spiced spread oh it's so nice red spice yeah it's delicious

it's just this is actually what we would do for breakfast well just help yourself salt and pepper help yourself. Salt and pepper. Help yourself.

Take what you want. And I'm going to... How exciting. How exciting. How exciting, mate. So, okay, we're going to talk about the single. Oh, yay. We got to listen to it last night. Did you?

It's gorgeous. It's really gorgeous. Oh, thank you. It's very... I mean, we all know that you got married and you're very happy and in love. Yeah. But I really feel like that song celebrates...

I mean, yeah, I presume it's about your husband. You know? Or you just... You're like... I did my last album really inspired by my relationship. Yeah. And with this record, I wanted to kind of get out of the idea of always being inspired by it.

Yeah. It's a bit annoying. Yeah. You know. Yeah. I wanted to try and find a bit of inspiration that sometimes isn't that deep. Babe, I hear you. And I can relate for everybody, not just maybe.

Yeah. Your situation. And I think obviously me as a music fan i like it being like well this came from that moment where i did this and i did that but sometimes yes please what oil and some lemon actually oh yes come on let's can i take some of this yum guys can i just say the fasting thing is hell on earth. It's really hard. And anyone that's like, oh, it's so easy.

I just think that you never get over the feeling of hunger. Can I just say, suck it up, Risa. I am. I mean, it's been pretty good, like, for sleep, though. Has it? Are you a bad sleeper? Mm. But, babe, I think that's potentially because you're

like what what time zone are you in now i have so much to do i feel like i have so much to do but it's the same with you i mean you're a mum and i'm not even a mum i mean babe you were i think that i work too hard and then i see your bloody instagram and i say jesus christ that girl doesn't stop but you know what's crazy and respect you that's how you work you've always been like this I see your bloody Instagram and I say, Jesus Christ, that girl doesn't stop. But you know what's crazy? And respect you. That's how you work. You've always been like this. You've always been a grafter.

I have, yeah. I mean, I was just having that conversation the other day. I just don't know how to do it any other way, to be honest. So the single's coming out. So the single, it's called Ask and You Shall Receive. Yes. Which, honestly, it's not- I thought you'd gone born again, babe.

Yes. I literally wanted to feel like it's not that deep. I wanted a really happy, fun summer anthem that everyone, if you think about my music over this sort of decade, it's always been for me about uplifting people and having that ability to just like feel good. And I think anyone that's been to my shows knows that you

know you're there to have a party really and um I I love doing that I love making people feel good make people dance and Asking Chelsea felt like the right thing at the right time and it was you know written by Ray who I love dearly and that whole story of hers and everything that she's kind of done is so inspiring and it feels so so relevant for us now in the music industry to be able to just like prove that you know you can do things in such different formats nowadays and um it just is like a 360 because I I you know she supported me on tour you know I used to always ask her to come and pop out on my shows actually like for radio on big weekend and things when you know, I used to always ask her to come and pop out on my shows actually like for radio on big weekend and things when, you know, she was kind of still trying to be an artist at that point. And I was like, you need to come out on stage with me. And she just was really kind of like

grateful and there and happy. And so it was like a 360 moment. And so all of those little things really, really connected to me. And yeah, it just happened and it came and it felt great it feels really really happy and and organic and the visuals I think I'm feeding you guys a bit more of kind of darkness a bit more not so perfect because it's kind of leading into the entrepreneurial world i mean obviously you've got prospero tequila is it prospero i thought it was a bit early to bring that not for jesse excuse me not for jesse do i drink tequila no you would do you if it was the alcohol does she fuck it's only yeah i remember from watching you do have a good glass of wine yes gorgeous yeah so so you know you've been doing business for a while you did tequila yeah you're

doing hair you are you going to expand it into more beauty because then it would make sense that you do an eyebrow serum an eyelash serum then it goes into cosmetics i've had offers and like aura beauty which is kind of makes sense because aura and everything and it's just i think for me about the right time you know the right partners the right product i don't want to rush anything um i'm just still in such a great headspace of putting out music and keeping that as the focus right now. I think that's just my priority. I did a lot of TV last year,

and I wanted to really just come back to where it all started and hone in my roots and put out some songs for the summer. Are you going to do The Voice here again? No. No. But you do The Masked Singer? I have done it now for a few years, right? Right. Yeah. I think it feels like something I can't

stay away from. I just love Davina. I love Jonathan. Yeah. You know, we're family now. Yeah. It looks like you have so much fun. I love Mo. I do it in the States now. The only problem is it's filmed the same time. Oh, babe. So you're back and forth. So it's like LA, London for a day and then i'm back

to la do you have to manage this is the thing it's hell but i manage it's just mindset do you like airplane food i love me too i love it i make a whole thing out of it i love it really i absolutely like the airplane i'll eat it so i enjoy it. I mean, I take everything. Like, you know, would you like a glass of champagne? Yeah. As soon as you get there. And I hate champagne.

I'm like, yeah. Would you like nuts? Yeah. And the plane takes off and I'm like, can I get some wine and some crisps? And then they're like,

okay, I'm ready to order. Okay, cool. I'll do the starter, the middle. I mean, I make it a whole thing. I love it. I mean, you must fly on every every different thing what's the best what's the best catering airline wise yeah i mean i'm honestly not just

saying this but air new zealand have really good food they're good the wine was fabulous isn't it well i mean new zealand wine is great i went to the best winery in new zealand actually you guys need what's it called? I can't remember, but. Well, that's unhelpful. I know, I know, but I'll send it. I'll text you it. It's so yummy. I was wasted.

But I keep on seeing you hanging out in Hobbit's houses. I mean, because I'm a tourist. I can't go to a place and not like go to the like famous touristy places. Are you a big Lord of the Rings fan? Now I am. I can see you keep on frequenting the Hobbit hole. So, no, no, no. I obviously know about the franchise,

but I wanted to go and see... I wanted to go see it. Everything in New Zealand is so small because there's not that many of them. It's a very small population. And so Taika's friends actually helped build the set. And so his name's Ron. He was like, can you go and see it?

It took two years for 12 days of filming isn't that insane wow come on but I can imagine that two years for 12 days yeah but that's important

but it's now lived on and now it's kind of there you go there you go last supper oh yeah starter

main pud drink of choice you know for me I'm a big picker. So, like, this is my ideal breakfast. Okay, great.

So, for, I would say starters, it'd be, like, salads, a bit of cold things like meats and cheeses, vegetables, cold, not really cooked vegetables. I like things feeling a bit raw. Like, I don't know why. I just, maybe that's just how I grew up. So, that would be my like starter yeah and then my dinner would honestly like because i just love food so much it'd probably be just like a really good great juicy burger like an amazing burger like really well cooked juicy meat with like cheese and pickles and like a brioche bread

okay where are you getting this burger like where is the best burger you've ever eaten does taika cook them he makes good burgers yeah you know i've been on a burger hunt for a really long time can i offer you one up to you? Go on, yeah. In Australia. Really? And Sydney. Oh. No, Melbourne, sorry. Okay. Sorry, Melbourne.

Gimlet. Okay. In like centre bit of, Melbournians, whatever you're called, I'm apologising now. But they do a late night burger. It's on the menu. It's a vibe.

They do really good dirty martinis. Ooh. But the burger was sensational so next time you're filming I don't know where you film where do you film

in Sydney okay that's unhelpful but you know what Melbourne if you're there but you know what's really good too and easy

a Shake Shack they're really good I've never had one you know what they're really easy great are they in London the ones in America

I think are better I've never had a London Shake Shack but a London Shake Shack. But a good Shake Shack is good. Where do you stand on In-N-Out? I love In-N-Out. I do think it's a bit overpaid. I don't know if that's because we're English.

What did you eat after the Met? What didn't I eat? It was everything in sight. Pizza, fries, burgers. If I had a choice in life, I would just eat like burgers for the rest of my life. With chips? With chips.

Yeah. I've definitely introduced blue cheese into the burger world, which I never used to do before. I think blue cheese is gorgeous. I think it's nice in the burger. I never used to. Very nice. And a good sweet potato

fry rather than a fry. Really? Oh, really? Is that disappointing? I don't know. I just kind of feel like they promise so much and then they don't deliver. You can't keep them crisp. I agree a little bit. You have to dip them in flour. You think you're doing the right thing by choosing the sweet potato fry, but

you may as well just have the fry. I like the courgette fries that they have in just have the fry i think courgette fries that they have in yeah you know the courgette fries they have in what's it burger or is it honest burger or do they oh honest is good burgers this is good yeah they have courgette you know what also is good the electric has good burgers on portobello i want to i want to know you used to work at size i did yeah i can so imagine you being a cool trainer girl. I still am. Hot, cool trainer girl.

I was actually talking about it yesterday. I've got my Rita. But these are my Rita for Primark clogs. Aren't they nice? Are you doing another collaboration with them? Oh, yeah. I'm in bed with them. They're my best friends.

I mean, honestly. They look very comfy. I have to just give a quick shout out to Primark. Because I have to tell you something, like not even like because I work with them. They were such a massive staple for me growing up. That's my bag. Is this your bag?

I designed that bag. I absolutely love it. Can I just hold it? Oh my God. This was not rehearsed, guys. No. Did you not know this is Rita or Primark? See?

This is why I love it. Well, shouldn't you be making it a bit more known that it's your bloody bag rita wait where's my logo oh that's what it was i didn't want to put my logo there's no logo well no it's on the label it's okay because i wanted the product to really like be its thing i didn't want people to just buy it because it's retail or i wanted people to actually like the design of it which you did i love it this was um just inspired for easy living. That's the only thing I do now,

because I don't know if it's because I've turned 30, but I just do things to be easy in life now, like easy living. That's so funny that you didn't know that. That is really funny. Anyway, this is Primark, too. My favourite thing. That's great.

So yeah, shout out to them. Is that Primark? Yeah, and this. Oh my goodness. Oh babe, you're a full Primani girl today. Yeah, because can I tell you, it's a staple point. I grew up really going to them for school, babe, you're a full Primani girl today. Yeah, because can I tell you, like, it's a staple point. Like, I grew up really going to them for school uniform, underwear. When my mum had breast cancer, they had a really great breast cancer kind of collection for women that have had surgery.

And it was just always a big thing in my life and something that I always depended on. It was like a trusting friend, you know. Anyway, and then when I got into business with them, I think everybody was like, oh, makes sense. Because I just wanted to just do things that I felt like I wanted to see when I was kind of going shopping there. Like high fashion stuff, but you can afford it.

And it's just been doing really well because I think people see the authentic story behind it and it's the truth. And that was kind of why I love meshing and blending with them. It felt like going home, I guess. How many bags are you travelling with at the moment, Rita? I don't even want to know what your luggage allowance is when you fly.

I actually have to like pre-call the airline to just like buy extra luggage. Oh my God, you're like J-Lo. Is that what she does? I think more. I don't know if she calls. Victoria Beckham has a full trolley doesn't she well that's 20 gonna be rita but what i've been trying to do is like leave things at friends houses so i don't have to travel oh my god you're that person you're that

gal and they're like fucking reeta's left another another bag i'm that person i've left a suitcase at like three of my friends houses and they're like this is actually taking up too much space you need to come and get it. Have you got your own house here still? Yeah, I have my own house here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'm staying at my mum's because it's under renovation at the moment.

Yeah. It's nice staying with your mum. It's really cute and my husband's coming for the weekend so it's going to be like my parents and my husband all in the same house. Have you got a big enough bed for it? Have you got a single bed in there?

It's like a small double bed. God bless. I know don't i've never done that before actually had my husband there with my parents have you done that yeah i mean i've been with sam since i was 18 so just my mom though but like yeah but when the first time you kind of like had that sleepover and the parents were in the house like what are we talking about sex here well i'm for him staying the night i can't remember what are we talking about I'm talking about

like what is allowed you know you're a married woman I know but still it's the thing of like what Jesus why don't you just

book a hotel room for the night I don't know if you want to have sex with your husband just book a hotel room Jessica this is what

we're discussing the important shit he was talking about the first time you brought Sam and he stayed here. Yeah, I'm sure you were very... You were chill about it.

But did you guys, like, have dinner and then it was like, okay, goodnight. Babe, you're acting like you're, like, an Amish gal. Jesse, Sam virtually lived here. Yeah. Oh, that's nice. But you, I think it's going to go okay. I hope so.

I guess I've just never never i've never been a married woman like living in the house you know having my partner stay in the house with my parents it just feels isn't that better than a rando like yeah exactly that would never have been allowed no no no but i do believe in the idea of like still i don't know i guess it's just a kid so you never really like it always is weird i guess or maybe just for me making each other a night time tea at the end of the night well we're just gonna go to bed that night then what's it like being a stepmother oh i love it you do yeah it just feels really cool because it's like i'm i'm just the fairy godmother that doesn't actually really have any responsibilities yeah and you yeah well it's the same as being a grandmother to be honest you just give chocolate

you give whatever they want i break all the rules yeah i buy them anything they want yeah of course it's the best we absolutely we haven't we haven't got your dessert oh sorry or your drink oh yeah well negronis oh nice i always i love negronis um i have Have you tried a Negroni with tequila in? Yes. Mezcal. And apparently it's really delicious. That's how I make it, because I drink tequila, so I do a tequila Negroni. It's really yummy.

Hold on, tell me how you make that. Okay, well, I don't really make them. I just order them. Okay. But if I was to make one, I have done them over Christmas, but they're not exactly perfect. The ingredients? It's just kind of, for me, I just do like a bit of Aperol, tequila, and a tiny bit of mousse. Campari?

And Campari. And it's delicious. Yeah, it's very strong. That must be quite bitter. It is, but it's strong. And what do you put in? Do you put orange in? Yeah, I mean, I guess the Campari has a bit of that, doesn't it? And is there any water added? Like fizzy water? No, but I do add do add a bit of water like the ice just because it's a bit strong for me

oh what no i what anyone any wine no because i went to this thing last weekend and they made a cocktail with elderflower vodka and white wine like it's all mixed up yeah it was really delicious you know i went to a flea market the other day and they were making like day drinks and they were putting rose water with like cbd and like mushroom you must have been in los angeles yeah yeah and like mushroom adapt adaption was it nice is that what they call them when did you have one um adaptogens i don't know. Mushroom adaptogens. And I had one and it was great.

It was like alcohol, but still feeling like I was being healthy. How did you feel after? Great. I mean, it wasn't like psychedelic mushrooms. Okay. It was like ashwagandha and turkey's tail. It's all these herbs that are supposed to help your brain. Lion's mane. Have you ever heard of all of this? that's a mushroom yes i saw a kombucha with that the other day yeah so they're all supposed to be really good for you um and i've been putting

them in my coffee actually and they've been great what supplements do you take which supplements should i be taking i take everything everyone's that is going to listen to this is probably gonna think i'm crazy but i just don't have time to like get sick so I'm I'm like vitamin c every single day the sort of the liquid ones 2000 milligrams and then I have mushroom extracts in my coffee collagen in my coffee I do hydration in my water a liter of water a day and I do that in the morning before I sort of eat anything and then I have a broth I love broth so I do ginger in the morning before I sort of eat anything. And then I have a broth. I love broth. So I do ginger broth with turmeric and then a side of like, I don't know, protein or something.

God, it's like being on a health phone. I know. People think I'm insane, but it's because it kind of keeps me going. But then for dinner, I have anything like bread, dessert, steak, fries, ketchup. I'll do everything. So I have like a massive meal for dinner. And then I go to sleep and I do that all again. I mean, I'm with you on all the...

I mean, I kind of take the supplements and I'm just hoping they're working. NAD? NAD. Tell me about NAD. Because I was thinking about doing NAD. It's good. I mean, I just... I'm not a scientist from what I read.

It's really good for your red blood vessels and oxygen and things like that and keeps you really energized okay iron i do that a lot turmeric i'm actually pretty boring you know how people think i'm sort of this like crazy party person i do like to party now but i have to plan it yeah so we all do do we are we going to party on sunday evening yeah but i have a show on. Yes, we all do. Do we? Are we going to party on Sunday evening? Yeah, but I have a show on Monday in Amsterdam. That's, I know, unfortunate.

I know, so I have to leave at 9am. We have to be the person that's like mouthing at the party so we don't sing. Otherwise you lose your voice. Yeah, it's so hard

to party after a show when you have a show the next day. Do you? No. It's work. You never party. Oh.

Oh, excuse me. My new thing is, sorry. Sorry. Pudding. You've got a sweet tooth. Oh, can I also add a cacio e pepe to the dinner? Yeah, absolutely. Where do you get your cacio e pepe?

I just went to one place down the road in Goulburn yesterday, actually, for my dinner. I had cacio e pepe i just went to one place down the road in goulburn yesterday actually for my dinner i had cacio e pepe with a negroni so yeah that's on the list that cacio e pepe at chikari's on port billow road is to die for and then my pudding or a sticky topping or a panna cotta um i am a sweet tooth like i will have anything a cheesecake almond croissant not cheese i'd rather have cheese and a big glass of water you've seen it yeah but i like that to start can you still speak albanian yeah yeah so say good morning everyone in albania miramin jazz it's lovely isn't it not an Amir is good night. Nartin Amir.

Some people don't really say lovely. It's definitely a bit more punchy than other languages, so it's nice that you're calling it lovely. I actually learnt it all at home. My parents only spoke Albanian in the house. Do they still do that? Not as much anymore, but growing up... When Taika comes, they won't be talking Albanian to you

when they think he's a bit rude or anything. No, not at all. He actually learned the language, bless him. He's so good, not fluently, but he kind of knows the key words and he tries to talk to them in Albanian and it makes my heart melt. It's so adorable. My mum loves him even more.

I love him more. What's I love you in Albanian? Te duashom. Oh, that's nice. Te duashom. Yeah. Rita, it's been so lovely having you. Iian? Te dua shom. Oh, that's a nice... Te dua shom. Yeah. Rita, it's been so lovely having you. I don't really want this to end.

Me neither. I'm going to ask you a quick fire round. Favourite place to go, unless this is going to mean that everyone goes there. New Zealand, LA, London. Your favourite food spots. Oh. No, sorry, New Zealand.

Auckland. Sorry, Auckland, Los Angeles, London. For food? Food. Oh, Auckland does do good food. food spots oh no sorry new zealand auckland sorry auckland los angeles london for food food ah auckland does do good food i mean everything is just fresh the wine the meat everything is delicious restaurant which restaurant oh my goodness it's hard i mean i don't want to offend them because i know them now. You know the owners. Hold on. Where do you go most often near your house? I'm going to change the territory just so I don't... Okay, fine.

Okay, let's stick to London and let's do George's Fish and Chips. Where's that? George's is on the corner of Goldman and Portobello. To die for. What's your order? I mean sausage and batter and chips. Sausage and... OBS, what? The fish and chip shop you're getting? I mean sausage and batter and chips. OBS. Sausage. OBS.

What, at the fish and chip shop you're getting OBS? I don't think it is OBS actually. OBS at the fish and chip shop you're going to get sausage and batter. What condiments? Just ketchup? Ketchup,

a bit of barbecue and lots of vinegar. Okay, so that's George's. LA. Not fast. I think you made the same face. I'm not that fast. Are you?

It's not a food hotspot, I don't think. I mean, if anything, it's that sushi place that Nobu did before. Oh, Matsuhisa. It's got very good sushi. Do you like sushi? I like it when I'm kind of trying to not eat unhealthy, you know, good sashimi. I don't get it, really. Do you like ceviche?

Yeah. I love ceviche. Yeah, I do too. That's easy toimi. I don't get it, really. Do you like ceviche? Yeah. I love ceviche. Yeah, I do too. That's easy to make. My mouth is watering thinking about it. That's good. So are we going to choose one in Auckland or are you too worried because you're a new resident there? She's a newbie, yeah.

You need to keep everyone happy. I think so, just for now. Have you got a New Zealand passport yet? I don't, no, no, British. Just British? Yeah. And not Albanian? I actually, no, I yet? I don't, no, no, British. Just British? Yeah. And not Albanian? I actually, no, I mean, I haven't left, I've been here since the beginning.

Okay, so you're just British. Yeah, yeah, I don't, I've just also had a, this is my home, you know, this is kind of where I've grown up, where I live, and where I kind of want to live. Where did you get married? Actually, we got married in LA. And where did you go? At home. At home. And where did you go on honeymoon?

It was really cute. It was not a lot of people. It felt really nice. It's just us kids were there and we actually found somebody that, it's called Weddings on the Go. Weddings on the Go. I'm obsessed with the idea of you Googling,

like, quick wedding on the go. Wedding on the Go. It's like takeaway wedding. Yeah, that's what it was. She came to the house and did the job and we were married. Oh my god, I love you. And I think I was like number 17 in her day. She was not ready to stay.

She was just like, hurry up, you're married, but you're done, bye, see you later. Can you open the gate? I was like, I'm the bride. Okay, thanks. And what was the reception? We didn't have one it was just all at home

and then that was it and then we just went out and had drinks I love that and then honeymoon we didn't have one we went straight back to work

really have you had one no thinking about it no she needs a honeymoon I think I need a honeymoon you fucking need a bloody year

you need a sabbatical I love you I will You fucking need a bloody year. You need a sabbatical though. I love you. I will eventually. Last question. A nostalgic taste or smell that can transport you back somewhere? Oh, pancakes. But not the American thick pancakes. Almost like the crepe-like pancakes.

Those are the pancakes my mum made growing up. And what did you have on them? Lemon and sugar? No, it was actually a mix of sweet and savoury. So I would have lemon and sugar or jam. And then I would have like that red aivar sort of sauce with a side of like white cheese. And so it'd be more of like a salty dish.

But they were thin. They weren't like thick pancakes. They were like crepe-y type pancakes. That sounds delicious. And she'd make them from scratch. There of like a salty dish. But they were thin. They weren't like thick pancakes. They were like crepe-y type pancakes. That sounds delicious. And she'd make them from scratch. There was like no saluting. I mean, she'd do it all, the batter and everything. And it's the best.

The best. Maybe you should get your mum to make that for dinners tonight. You know, everyone says their mum is their favourite cook. Is she your favourite? But she really is my favourite. Is your mum your favourite? Not really. Jessie's very critical.

Jessie always. I love your cooking. We all do. Really? The nation. Have I started something? No. No.

I love it. I can cook. She can cook. Yeah. Oh, I can imagine. She can whip things up as well. Like,

I'll never forget. Yeah. And my sister's about to have a baby, but like she, and she, and I was like, let mum at the kitchen. Because I remember there was this one night,

I think it was the first baby that I had. And I was so tired. And mum just made this like delicious slow cooked lamb kind of, pearl barley. I think it was an Ottolenghi thing. But I just remember it feeling so nourishing. And like she'd made it. And it was like the smells of her cooking. And me like, she'd made it, and it was, like, the smells of her cooking

and me, like, trying to work out how to, like, look after a baby. And I very much appreciated it. Was it a pressure cooker that you used? No. No. Do you put it just... I have got a pressure cooker. Have you got a...

I'm new to the pressure life, and I love it. Have you got an air fryer? I just got one as well last year. And how are you finding this? I love it. I think it's so good for the stepkids. Like, I literally put everything in the air fryer and they love it. I mean

again because I just give them whatever they want. If they want fish fingers or whatever I'm like yeah. And so then I just put everything in the air fryer. Do you like karaoke? Yeah. I love it but Jessie hates it. She says that singers don't generally like it. I mean I wouldn't go and

sing seriously on what would be your selection I mean, I wouldn't go and sing seriously on Advocate. Of course you would. What would be your selection? But then I can't not sing seriously when you have the mic and then I'm like, all right, fine, I'll just sing it. So which song would you sing? Well, Dancing Queen.

I'm actually going to sing that on Sunday. That's going to go down. But I'm doing like a slow, lovely kind of version of it. Oh, that sounds fun. ABBA is just always like my fave. Have you seen the Abba thing? No, I haven't actually had time. Oh, I know.

Oh my God. I love it. It's so good. It's amazing. It's amazing. It's amazing. You think they're there. No way.

You do. You actually can't believe they're not there. It's weird. You'll love it. I love that. Did you guys go together? We all went, didn't we? It was fantastic.

That was really good. You'd love it. I love you guys. R? We all went, didn't we? It was fantastic. That was really good. You'd love it. I love you guys. Riti, you're fabulous. But you really made my day, because I love this show, and I always laugh when I watch you guys. Thank you, babe.

The quick little arguments you have in between the interviews really make me laugh. We've been really well behaved today. I wouldn't say arguments, I would say debates. I think we've been really quiet. We've really held back. Maybe I've just over-talked. No, you haven't. No, no, no you haven't I'll see you guys on Sunday

also if you don't have any space to be out on her stage I'll come and go you always have a spot on my head thanks Brisa, I love you guys thank you for having me Thank you. Yay! Mum, didn't I tell you you'd love me to work?

Absolutely adorable. And she even offered up her husband to you on Sunday at Hoopla. That is the best thing about the whole podcast today, that I'm going to meet him. I love Rita. She is incredibly generous and sweet, and she is very open. Very warm.

She was really enjoying herself. Good. I think the picky bits worked. Picky bits was perfect. She was thrilled. Well mum she loves you i love her maybe you'll be modeling in the next rita or a primark campaign i don't know what are the rita or fans called rita bots i think i'm a rita bot now you're a rita bot yeah thank you so much to rita aura her new single asking you shall receive is out now this is coming out after but maybe you enjoyed her show at Hoopla and uh she's just a busy bee doing everything I just don't know

how it would be to move around so much you wouldn't know where you're waking up do you know what I mean it's like when we got back from LA Jessie I woke up one day and I thought I was in Benny's house in Malibu and went the wrong way to the loo from my bedroom. And can you imagine what she's like? She wouldn't know where she is. I'm surprised she doesn't have bumps in her neck or some passes on her head, Mum. I know. She's never in one

place for very long, is she? Maybe we all need to start having lion's mane and turmeric broths. I can see you doing that right up your street, Mum. Anyway, we will see you next week. But thank you so much, Rita. The new single, Asking You Shall Receive, is out now.

And let us know if you saw us at Hoopla at the weekend. Thanks.