Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - S4 Ep 3: Russell Tovey

Episode Date: October 24, 2018

After watching his recent show-stopping Pinter performance in the West End, we invited actor Russell Tovey and his trusty sidekick, French Bulldog Rocky, over for a quiet Friday night in. We talk all things art, ‘bags of gold’, our favourite childhood meals & his never ending love for Rocky …whilst also discovering that he has an even lower Uber rating than Jessie.Produced by Alice Williams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Peloton all-access membership separate. Learn more at onepeloton.ca slash running. Mum, we've done two podcasts in two days. I know. But I'm feeling good about this one. I know because you've done nothing for this one. You always feel good darling when you do nothing. We have a brilliant actor who actually I just saw

in a Pinter play at the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End and he was fantastic kind of show stopping. He is an art collector. Yeah. I love that that's become a thing

that everyone talks about with him. So I'm intrigued. Has he got any of the same ones that you've got? He's got some Emmons. Yeah. That was the first thing he bought, I think, with his History Boys check. And he has been in some really groundbreaking

and important pieces of theatre and film and TV, such as HBO's Looking and The Pass. Was Looking with Jonathan Groff? Yeah. Oh, wow. So I'm really excited to have him. He's called Russell Tovey and everyone kind of knows him because he's been on our screens for years and years and years,

even though he looks about 10. He's quite outspoken too. Is he? Yeah. He is about gay issues, I think. He's got a French bulldog that's coming tonight called Rocky. Rocky. That I think is nearly as famous as him, I swear.

You look on his Instagram and it's just like he's there. I mean, Frenchies are the best to photograph. So we've got Rocky coming too. Probably save him a bit of Bavette, darling. Oh, he'll love that. So what have you cooked? Because I haven't been involved in this. I am about to cook some delicious Bavette steak,

which the wonderful Ginger Pig have given us again. Yeah, thank you very much, Ginger Pig. They are the best butchers ever. And it looks wonderful. And I'm serving it with watercress, broccoli with anchovy vinaigrette, and a celeriac and potato dauphinoise. Oh, yum.

And afterwards is a chocolate and olive oil mousse with raspberries. Yeah, I apologise because I suggested mum put it in wine glasses and it's definitely made it look quite come down with me. Yeah, it does. It's not my style, that. Russell Tovey coming up on Table Manners. Excited. Very excited. Russell Tovey, thank you for coming to Clapham

you're very welcome Clapham is the dream you brought The Rock The Rock yeah The Rock Rocky the French Bulldog who is delicious

he is well he's not Rocky Flintstone oh do you know about Rocky Flintstone no he's Rocky Flintstone the porno writer from my dad wrote

I'm like a dad writer of porno oh yes yes my dad wrote a porno Rocky yes yes my dad wrote a porno Rocky Flintstone yeah I think you could write a sexy thing or two

yeah he has a lot of dirty thoughts yeah does he get his lipstick out sometimes oh mate yeah

he's embarrassing to them he doesn't do it on cue though he's thinking about it now it's peaking is it he's kind of that's his breathing it does move with the breath it it now it's peaking is it that's his breathing it does move

with the breath it's poking it's like the nib anyway thank you so much for being here and thank you Rocky for coming

and being a good boy and sniffing around look at his little face and he's moving his ears does he come everywhere with you yeah everywhere

good everywhere so when you're working what happens you take him with you? Yeah, I crowbar him into most productions. It's sort of my rider now. I feel like I've got grand enough just to say,

right, you want me? My dog's coming with me. What about when you're filming? Do you take him abroad? How do you fly? Does he fly first class? Because you can't have them in economy, can you? No, there's only certain airlines that are flying.

Which airlines? United. So the first time I flew to New York, I flew with him and he was in the hold no there's only certain airlines that are flying which what which airlines united yeah so i first time i flew to new york i flew with him and he was in the hold and we had to fly from heathrow and you had to go via amsterdam lufthansa and get to new york and he was in the hold and he was in his crate and i i'd be there five hours before my flight and he went off then i flew to amsterdam and then they they took him out at amsterdam and they sent me a picture of him like having a wee in the field and I was like great and they said right he's on the plane he's settled he's in his crate he's in the hold cool so we went to New York got to New York go through

customs and I said right I'm I'm picking up my dog and they're like oh you have your dog okay you gotta go over there and they'll bring the dog out to you I was like great speaking of the dog this is that if you hear lots of pattering it's it's rocky's little toenails on mum's wooden floor yes and so i stood by this area where they meant to have the dogs come out and there was like these these four guys sat there and they weren't really doing much in about half hour past and i went hey i'm waiting for my dog to come here there's like oh no you have to go over where the luggage is you wait by the luggage okay great so when i have to luggage luggage comes out i said where's my dog i said oh your dog will come out then the luggage and then you can go so all the luggage come out everybody's luggage come out everybody left

i was there waiting that's not right where's my dog so i walked over to the woman i said where is my my dog my dog's meant to come out here and she was like oh okay and this guy was like i will go look for your dog myself we're great like, great. So he went off. 25 minutes passed. Oh, my God. I stood there. I got to him and I said, hi. She's like, oh, hey.

I said, where's my dog? Has he got my dog? And she's like, hang on. She went, oh, his walkie-talkie doesn't work. I'm like, okay. His walkie-talkie doesn't work. Fine. She got it to work.

Walkie-talkie goes. She goes, okay, I have a gentleman here looking for his dog. He goes, was there a dog on this flight? And she's like, was your dog on this flight? I'm like, yeah, the dog was on this flight. And she goes, dog was on this flight. Yeah, I was like going like,

greater, greater and greater. She goes, yeah, the dog was on this flight. She goes, dog was on this flight. He's like, was the dog in a hold or in the cabin? I'm like, he was in a hold. He's like, they can't find your dog.

They can't find your dog. That's like your baby. And I went, but she said it in such a way, like I'd left my scarf on there or i'd left my phone on there and i was like okay so so what do i do now she's i said what the fuck do i do now we like to be honest yeah oh my god oh my god what the fuck do we do now so i was like shanna and she's like okay so calm down what you need to go do is go to building 24 i'm like do you know what building 24 is she's like i don't know what building 24 is i'm like no so i went right so i went go and get in the car so i

got in the car got in his car with this guy who's picking me up for this job and i went right we need to go building 24 to pick my dog up and he's like i said do you know what it is he said i don't know where it is but my mom works here she'll know so he got on the phone it's like mom's like hey baby he's like where's building 24 he said building 24 i don't know building 24 i'm like so i called up the guy in l in London who was brokering it, and it was like 4 a.m. in the morning, and he picks up the phone, and I said, where the fuck is building 24?

I'm at the airport. I don't know where my dog is. Where's building 24? He's like, I don't know. I don't know where building 24 is. He called a number on the paper. Called the number. This is out of office hours.

Please call back at 9 a.m. in the morning. He'd been in the crate 14 hours at this point. So find building 24. Run into building 24. I run up to he'd been the crate 14 hours at this point so get fine building 24 run into building 24 i run to the guy at the couch and i go oh hey is my dog here yes is he alive i don't know you got to do the paperwork i'm like please tell me he's alive you got to do the paperwork sir fill out all this paperwork he goes he goes okay there's 65 bucks i go give him my credit card he goes no cash or check cash or check yeah i said do you you don't take credit card no so where's the atm you got to go back on the freeway, take off the net and go back out. They came

back through the money in, went round the back. Yep. Grill went up. Rocky's wheeled out in a crate shaking like a leaf. I got to open the door. There's two guys that stood there back and they go, um, they go, you, you won't be able to open that. It's got cable ties around it. I said, it's got cable ties. I said, have you got scissors or a knife? He's going, no, you're not going to use scissors? I said, yeah, I've come off an international flight with fucking scissors in my bag.

I said, where? Give me something. He came over like a bread knife. So I'm hacking away at these cable ties. Got him out. Got him out. He's like a little snake in my arms, shaking. Took him outside.

He took the biggest dump, the biggest wee. I got in the taxi and he sat on my lap. And it was like he'd been through nothing. My heart was like, I wanted to kill myself. That whole thing must have been about two or three hours. It was an hour and 45 minutes. And you'd already had the five hours extra in the beginning of it. I mean.

It was horrific. Horrific. But he was fine. He was like. Do you ever leave him at home? Yeah, yeah, yeah. With a trusted person. I put BBC World Service on. And he just sleeps. Do you ever leave him at home? Yeah, yeah, yeah. With a trusted person. I put BBC World Service on and he just sleeps.

Well, you know what? I was so determined that I crate trained him. I was so thorough with him that I wanted, because I wanted a dog that I could take with me on jobs that was going to be fun to be around and chill. Yeah. And he's chill. And when it comes to, like, he pulls me into the underground.

He loves the subway. He loves buses, cabs. He loves meeting new people. He's just, he's chill. And when it comes to... He pulls me into the underground. He loves the subway. He loves buses, cabs. He loves meeting new people. He's just... He's fine. In about five minutes, he'll finish sniffing around and he'll fall asleep on the floor,

won't you? Does he sleep with you? Yeah. He's under the duvet, head in the pillow. How does that work with a relationship? They just have to deal with it. It just is what it is.

I mean, when it gets... When you get down to, like, sexy time, then the dogs are out of the room. I can't have a dog in there because they're very judgmental. I feel like he's watching me and judging me. He probably thinks you're being attacked. Well, it's not that aggressive, my sex life. I'm sorry, no.

No, but you know how they're very... I'm very sensual. Mum, that's making real assumptions that I'm just like... But I think that they don't understand he sometimes joins joins in Russell

he wants to join him he would jump in and have a little look what's going on there what's that I've not seen that before and you're like get away but yeah he's a dog that likes to be around you wherever you go shower toilet the snoring with the nose I've got so used to it Away. But yeah, he's a dog that likes to be around you wherever you go. Shower, toilet. The snoring with the nose. I've got so used to it.

It's difficult for other people. It's like white noise for you. Well, I bought a white noise machine. You mentioned that, which is amazing. Really? Because it drowns out his snoring. And you zone into the white noise. So he doesn't become your white noise?

No, you have to get white noise. He does, but it does help that is so funny you'd need it though with a Frenchie sleeping with you Frenchie aside I've taken it where I haven't had him with me and the white noise machine is actually brilliant

I might get one you know and does it stop light traffic and everything I don't live in a really busy traffic a bit but I'm sure it would. But you just zone into it. Yeah. And you can do seven-hour cycles. Maybe Hannah, my sister, would share a room with you if she had the white noise on.

You're a bit of a snorer. You're saying you're looking short, but you are. You assumed that I had really aggressive, loud, violent sex. I once asked Alex if I still snored. And he said, no, I didn't. But Hannah says I breathe in a strange way as if I'm about to die. Oh, like a breath rattle. I don't know why I do it.

But apparently I don't snore. Hannah sleeps like she's dead. Hannah sleeps like a corpse. Hannah, who kissed Jonathan Groff You've both kissed the same person Yeah hot Was Jonathan a really good kisser I can imagine

That's what Hannah said too He's very sensitive Also you both had to do sex scenes with him Yeah I've seen Hannah's sex scenes We did like sex So did Hannah Is it awkward doing sex scenes yeah we did we did like sex yeah so did hammer really is it awkward doing sex scenes um is it more awkward doing gay sex scenes than well straight sex what do you mean well i mean

like because no i know exactly what you mean yeah but what do you mean is it more awkward doing a what's it with a woman yeah or i don't know is it easier whoever you're with you have a responsibility for them I feel a responsibility when I'm with anyone with a girl

I want them to feel safe I want them to love that Rocky's like sound backing this making sex noises yeah he's kind of perked up

at the thought of it I want them to feel safe I don't want them to feel like uncomfortable at any point because it's an uncomfortable thing to do this must be so awkward I think feel like uncomfortable at any point because it's an uncomfortable thing to do this must be so awkward

I think as an actress it's harder because they probably want you topless whereas a man you're topless and it's not as dramatic

do you have to wear those little things on your wedding it's like a little bag of gold like the sheriff of Nottingham has and you just tie it all in

mine's a really big bag of gold obviously actually I know it was a big bag of gold. I saw you in your pants last week. Did you? Where? Yeah, at the Pinterplay.

Did you come to the Pinter? Yeah, I did. I came to see Hayley Squires and I didn't realise you were in it and then it was just like, brilliant. Oh, that's cool. I have to say...

Which Pinterplay was it? ...you saw the show in that. Oh, thank you. What Pinterplay? What was it? You were in the collection. I had a cameo in The Lover, but yeah. The Lover, you were very good as the had a cameo in The Lover but yeah

The Lover you were very good as the milkman thank you very much but also I hear that you started calling David Suchet

The Soush that's what he's been known for years Le Soush what did you call him Le Soush Soush no

you guys changed it to like either Soush or The Soush I think it's The Soush and was he Le Soush before yeah but he loves it he's like so he was brilliant to like either Sush or The Sush. I think it's The Sush. And was he Le Sush before? Yeah.

Amazing. But he loves it. He's like so... He was brilliant. I'm obsessed with him. Well, I thought the rapport between you and Le Sush

was really brilliant. Like you, but you were just in, you were so in control. But you were basically naked for a bit. Well, you were kind of in your pants,

weren't you and your bod looked really good i'm sorry you're having cream tonight that's all right cream with a steak yeah is that is that quite is that quite good great it's not weird double cream and steak i love it that's brilliant what's the gratin oh so so but i just have you been have you had to get into shape for that or no I go to the gym all the time. I go to the gym three or four times a week and I always have. And it's my, it's my, I'm sorry.

It's my thing. It's like that. Do you like it? I love it. I have to, but I have to do it. So you feel good if you've exercised. Yeah,

but it's like, I think every time I go to, go to another country, another like town city, I have to find where the gym is. I find the local gallery and I'm sorted. That's my thing. But it's because...

I need it. If I hadn't been in the gym for a week, a couple of weeks, I'd start to feel a bit weird. Do you do kind of a lot of HIIT or are you doing lots of body... No, I've got a trainer. I've had a trainer for years. Oh, you've got a trainer. And it's working different muscle groups each time you go and see him. But I really got thrown into it.

I was, I'll tell you one of the reasons. I wanted to change my casting as an actor because as, when I was younger, I was playing a lot of lovable dickheads.

I was always the kind of embarrassing crush, the lovable dickhead, which I loved them roles. I thrived in them. But I wanted to, I wanted to play the leading man.

I wanted to be the one that was desired and not in an embarrassing way and i was like well how do i do this what do people do they change their bodies and they worked out and then i went i was with an ex and i went to mykonos on holiday and he was as you do and he had a rude awakening it was horrible it was a horrible experience he he's a very he was he's a very good looking man in He had a very good body. And I was out in the other time. I'm like naturally pale. My body at the time was fine. And I felt like I was having to apologize for being with him. So it was a massive insecurity dent.

That's terrible. Yeah, but that was... You're gorgeous. But it's what we all do. Whatever you look like. It's insecurities. It's insecurities were there. And I remember having these feelings.

I was like, shit, I don't want to feel like this. And he had the best holiday ever. Cause everyone was all over him. I had the worst holiday ever because I just felt, I just felt like shit. And I felt like fucking punching above my weight. I can't do this. I know.

But the, but people, it's all in my head. That's very superficial. It is superficial, but the gay world is superficial. Yeah. And when you're going to Mykonos,

it's all about surface. Yeah. Have you been back to Mykonos? I went back again with him and again had the same sort of experience but a bit better because I'd improved but I remember I met this trainer don't say improved so I met this trainer

and this is stuff I've never spoken about actually you're very lucky so I met this trainer and I went and started training with him and I remember the first day I trained with him I was stood in the changing room and I was changing and I caught eyes with this guy

and he looked away and I suddenly felt really guilty that he had to be in the same room as me while I changed and he had to that was how that was how

fucked I'd got my insecurities like body dysmorphia total total and I was like I'm never ever going to feel like this again

so I was determined so that's and I've overcome all that now so if I don't go to gym and I was like I am never ever going to feel like this again so I was determined so that's and I've overcome all that now so if I don't go to gym and I get like chubby or whatever I'll be fine

but that I think I had I was a scrawny little kid were you yeah I was I was a little like lanky little thing

and I was scrawny and then I got beaten up in a train when I was 18 and stabbed in the head and that psychologically fucked me up yeah so that state I was 18 and stabbed in the head and that psychologically fucked me up yeah so that state was it an attack a homophobic attack no no I don't I don't think I was wearing a cardigan maybe I don't think so I think it was just two like smack heads that were

just looking for a fight and I got on a train oh my god and they just followed me up the cab and they were they sat down and I was drinking I'd just come out of a burger chain restaurant Reputable not that reputable but anyway and I had a drink

you can say what it was McDonald's oh my god yeah love it Diet Coke and I was sat there and these two sat in front of me

I was like oh this is dodgy and they went what are you drinking I said oh it's all gone now you see that dinner was all gone I said what are you drinking

I said Diet Coke and he went are you going to cut him or am I he went I see that dinner I was all gone I was drinking I said diet coke and he went are you going to cut him or am I he went I'll cut him passed the knife over and I remember something I was like

oh my god like out of body experience I like went rolled backwards I was like this is fucking horrific so I went oh look it's my auntie

out there I just saw this group of people look my parents age and I stood up and I stood up and I pointed down there and then they just

started laying into me and all I could think was don't fall on the floor because they're going to jump on your head. So I went to these guys next to me. I went, will you help me out? It's two against one here. And they went, leave him alone. Fuck off, mate. All right.

They backed off. So I was just getting decked. And I was going, what do you want? Do you want my phone? Do you want money? I was taking my watch off. I was going, what do you want? They just wanted to be violent.

So then this woman, my parents' age, pulled a chain. And the train stopped. And as it stopped, he slashed my head, which is the scar there. And he went, don't fucking give it. And then they forced the doors open and disappeared. And I went and sat with this woman. And I was like, there was blood everywhere. And I thought it slashed my throat.

I didn't know what happened. And she had sugar sachets. Give me sugar sachets. So she went, do you want to call your mum? I said, yeah. So I called my mum. And I went, mum, mum, open me. sachets so she went do you want to call your mum I said yeah so I called my mum and I went mum mum

I've been beaten up on the train I got stabbed she said where are you I went oh my god the ambulance came on took me to the hospital my parents

I was going to meet my parents to go home in Brentwood in Essex and they'd been at a fancy dress party and my mum was a gypsy and my dad was a cowboy

so when they come and met me at the hospital they were still in full fancy dress costume coming like something out of Gavin and Stacey coming

oh where is he like that and I didn't press charges I didn't do anything because I was so because I thought what's going to happen what are they going to get

nothing and they'll see me again and they'll fucking kill me that's what I thought so that screwed me up so I had this whole I had a massive insecurity of being in crowds

of lads being in pubs lads being in pubs and i i ended up feeling like a victim so you end up so when something like that happens and i've spoke to a bit what's happened to you end up walking around and you you end up bringing that attention on yourself and i would walk around and i'd see lads and i'd end up looking down no but it just it's all in your head it's all stuff you have i don't know what it is and i don't know if that's being gay and growing up

and not wanting to be or feeling like were you out by then I was at college so I came out to myself and my friends when I was probably about 15, 16, 17

I came out to my parents when I was 18 so it was around it was around 16, 17 I was 17 yeah 19 where was I

19 I was 19 yes I was out yeah well I don't think it was a gay thing no right do you know what's a strange thing

and I've recently been seeing a therapist because of a recent breakup and discovering stuff about myself and as

my generation and probably a few generations below me and definitely above me is that when you're gay and you realise as like 4 or 5

that you're thinking about boys and willies and all that sort of stuff you automatically know in your head that it's wrong and it's shameful what do you mean i remember being a kid and thinking about it but knowing instinctively that it wasn't right i couldn't i couldn't talk about it i couldn't be open about it and knowing at four or five already you have that shame that you are you are something that you wasn't right I couldn't I couldn't talk about it I couldn't be open about it and knowing at four or five already you have that shame that you are

you are something that you can't be and trying to hide it as much as possible I'm sure that's true I'm sure that's true and I look and I'm going through this

I'm like yeah absolutely but your parents didn't mind no they're amazing they probably knew anyway but it's the world you're in because it isn't built sure

it wasn't built at that time for me to feel safe enough to go mum dad i like do you want to open the back door does he want to go away i mean i think it's it is very difficult but isn't that isn't that and you live in london which is well i lived in essex then but yeah isn't that sad that as a four or five year old you know you have a feeling of shame you know know, you have these feelings, but you automatically know that they're not, you can't be open about it. So you have this secrecy, which I hope now doesn't. Have you got brothers and sisters? Yeah, I've got another brother.

When I came out, he just thought I was trying to be fashionable. He went, I don't think you're gay, I think you're trying to be fashionable. I was like, well, maybe. Oh man, it's very hard. Yeah, It's horrible And it is, I mean as a parent I think I just want to protect that person Of course

And life is much more tricky out there if you're gay It's not as easy And it's fine if you live in London Because it's cosmopolitan Everyone understands Can you imagine if you live in Scunthorpe And you work in the docks I don't even know if Scunthorpe's in. Can you imagine if you live in Scunthorpe and you work in the docks or something? I don't even know if Scunthorpe's in the docks,

but if you're in that, it must be so hard. But being an actor, surely it felt more... Oh, that's why, yeah. Was that part of the reason you were attracted to acting? That it felt accepting and... Obviously, you're a very talented actor too yeah i don't i don't i feel like i've always felt very kind of safe with being gay because i've been around it since i was like 11 i remember i was 11 i was in a kids tv show and i've i got the biggest

crush on this actor in the show who was like 19 20 at the time really big crush and there was an actress on the show called suzy blake who i owe a lot to, because she stopped filming, because I was in a really bad way, and she took me for a walk on this beach, and she said to me, you might be gay, or you might not be gay, if you are gay, great, if you're not gay, great, and I remember being 11 going like, what does that mean, oh, okay, so it's an option, it's something that can be, alright, alright, and you're in this world, and in this world, she's like, lots of people are like that, oh, wow, and I remember being like, i remember being like oh great okay cool and i went back to filming i was like all right and i've got a crush on this guy but you know that's okay that's fine all right

okay and carried on and i owe her loads for that and experiences like that and my mum was great i had this experience with this guy when i was 13 we was both 13 and i fell in love with my best friend inverted commas we've all been there we've all been, and I fell in love with my best friend, inverted commas. We've all been there. We've all been there. And I was having a hard time. My mum was like, what is wrong with you? And I just said, oh, I've sort of been messing around with this guy, my mate, my best mate. And I don't know what it is.

And she's like, well, you know, if you're gay, you're gay. If you're not, you're not. And then at 13, I was like, all right. And then I didn't really do anything until I was like 18 when I come out. And then at that time, she was like, oh, I always thought about that time you told me that. And I didn't really know you had girlfriends. hadn't had girlfriends and I didn't know if that was something that you know you was or not so you brought up in Essex yeah whereabouts uh Romford originally Romford yeah but Billericay we moved to when I was at 14 15 and what do you

are your parents actors no my parents run a bus coach company in essex it's a shuttle service to gatwick south end heathrow stancid airport not exciting so you didn't want to be a bus driver no i did not no and they asked me to do like my bus test so that they could call me at four in the morning if something broke down on the m25 i was like nope but my brother now manages it and does an amazing job and he brought me all they had like files or paper everywhere and he just got everything so you started going to like young stage school was it like

yeah when I was when I was 10 I went to drama clubs when I was 10 so people saw the potential well you know you were in a TV show

by 11 yeah I was in a kids TV show when I was 11 yeah but my first thing was I was playing a traveller on the bill and to throw a

police officer and say like leave us alone or something like that probably the last time you came to Clapham or Mitcham or something. It was Mitcham, yeah. Because it's always down there.

It's only down there, yeah. It's gone now, isn't it? And then I started auditioning to get on Agent and everything. And that was my sort of route in. So did you finish your education? I went to secondary school. I went to do a BTEC Performing Arts at college. And they didn't invite me back for the second year.

Why? Bloody. Well, I mean, I was... Were you naughty? I was cheeky, but there was... No. No. But there was a time I was in the chorus of Rent, the musical.

Oh, I saw that. It's great. At the college. Oh, no. I saw it at the Roundhouse. You might not have seen our production. I saw it at the Roundhouse. Yeah, amazing.

Yeah, it wasn't that production. And I got a commercial from McDonald's and then I got a short film that was going in the Millennium Dome and I was filming these things and I said, right, I can't be in the chorus of Rent for this one song in this like two hour show

because I've got these jobs. Was it Will You Light My Candle? No, it was Seasons of Love. Okay. It was that one. So they just had like all three years singing Seasons of Love. And they said, okay, we, just call up your agent,

say thanks very much, but you've got this show at college you've got to do. And I was like, I'm not going to do that. And they went, okay, fine. If you take this job and if you leave now, you'll probably never work again. But you were doing a BTEC in drama, so they were being really stupid.

What do you mean? How stupid? And they actually said that to me, and I was like, okay. And at the time I was like, well, I'm going. So I left, and then they didn't invite me back. Did you mean? How stupid? And she said that to me and I was like, okay. And I knew at the time I was like, well, I'm going. So I left and then they didn't invite me back. Did you go to drama school?

No. Just kept on working? I kept on working and then when I was going to go to drama school I started doing plays. So when I was 19 I did The Recruiting Officer

at Chichester and I met Patrick Marber who wrote Closer and Dealer's Choice. Oh, wow. And I did his play and I did that through an actress called Debra Gillette

who I owe a lot to as well. She took me under her wing and that was her partner. They're still together and i did his play and i did that through an actress called deborah gillette who i owe a lot to as well she took me under her wing and that was her partner they're still together and i did his play howard cats at the national theater when i was 19 signed with my now agent i'm still with who i've been with and she was she was a she became a full agent she was an agent assistant so we've all grown together and then started left there and then a year later went back when nick heitner took over the national i did henry fifth his girl friday then we did dark materials the show then we did the history boys so that would have been my time of going to drama school right but i learned my

trade through doing theater and it's a theater training you get a drama school anyway so you're only 12 now yeah i'm 13 just turned 13 thank you now i'm. You're joking. You look about 20. I do not. How does he look? The sound in the background is mum frying. Is it Bavette? I thought we were doing Anglais. It's Anglais, sorry, not Bavette.

What's the difference between Anglais and Bavettes, Jessie? They're a different cut, and I believe Anglais is slightly chewier. Yeah, made that it's more flavorful right where'd you get your meat from ginger pig yeah ginger pig like sought us out for the podcast actually no great relationship not sponsor it but they just like they give us free meat so we So every meal is meat? No. Oh. Do you like cooking? Oh, right. I don't mind it. You've been forced into this role.

It's fun, though. But my mum, yeah. My mum's never been that woman that was like, loved being in the kitchen. She's always kind of resented it. So I've said it before, but I kind of only can imagine what it would be like if she cooked with love. It would be actually phenomenal because she's miserable and

she's only yeah my mum was never a cook and we used to get a dish and if we all responded to it we get that dish every night for like six

weeks and stuff would turn up on the table and I'd be like what's this mum and she'd be like just eat it just eat it don't push it around and it'd

be like fuel so for me for many years I had to retrain myself that I'd be taken to all these fancy restaurants as an actor, like open nights and stuff. And I'd literally eat the food within a minute and a half. And they're like, savour it, Russell. What is that?

And I'm like, it's fuel. It's just fuel. You've just got to force it down. That's so funny. So it's like retraining myself. Rocky's come back. He's smelt the steak. Oh, okay.

Yeah, licking his lips. Oh, okay. All right. Oh, yeah. Do you like your meat quite rare medium medium yes please so okay so you said your mum would cook the same food for like six weeks in a row is that when you'd say it was good but if we responded to something as a family then she'd be like oh great i'm on to a winner i'm gonna keep cooking so what were some of the winners but it's this lamb and potato thing, which appeared like in rotation constantly.

And I'd be like, it's the lamb and thing. Just eat it. It would literally be like, it was just fuel. And the sandwiches of the day, if I said I liked cheese sandwich with pickle, I would have cheese and pickle sandwiches every day for like a year.

So let it rest. Let it breathe. Was she a nervy cook then? No, it isn't her default setting. She's a mum and she wanted to feed her family and look after her husband and her two boys, yes. I get that. But she didn't, it wasn't joyful.

She worked really hard. They were setting up a business when we were kids this bus company Gatwick Flyer Avon Coaches in Essex still running if you've got a

Facebook page and you know that was her priority darling yeah top it up thank you have a good show

tomorrow Russell yeah we've got a show tomorrow I'm doing a talk in the morning about collecting art. Oh, yeah.

Okay, off food for a bit. Yeah. How did you get into art? I got into art because I'm naturally a collector. All my life I've been someone that collects things. Like what? Like when I was a kid, I was into rocks and minerals. For my eighth birthday, my parents took me to the Rock and Mineral Annual Convention. And I sat there with these 50-year-olds.

It was in Collier Row in Essex, in this community center. And my parents sat there with me on my eighth birthday. And there was people there talking about geodes and agate and all these gems and everything. And they must have thought, what the hell is going on? And I used to grow crystals with alum. I was obsessed with all that. So that was something I did. Then I collected coins.

Then my nan gave me a load of stamps. So for a while I collected stamps. And I collected phone cards. Phone cards? Do you not remember phone cards? How old are you? I mean, I'm 34 next week. Do you not remember you had phone cards?

You used to buy a phone card from BT they'd be green and they'd have different pictures on I mean you're not a collector Jessie I do collect art

no you're a hoarder darling oh yeah sorry no but I'm a hoarder I'm a hoarder when I moved house before I moved where I am now I sat at my mum

and I was like mum I hate myself why am I this person she's like I don't know darling you've not got it from me and I just got stuff upon stuff upon stuff and I can't get rid of it that's me I can't get rid of it but I read that the first thing you bought was a Tracey Emin the first

thing well the first piece of like art I bought was an edition by Tracey Emin my parents bought me for my 21st because I met her and I saw the work and I didn't understand that you could actually buy art and I was obsessed when I was at college with the YBAs obsessed some young British artists so like Damien Hirst and Sarch's like

exhibitions of the Sensation exhibition of all their work was just groundbreaking you might have to put him outside Rocky we're having

a really important conversation about art so if you'd like to join then you know otherwise he clearly thinks I'm the most game game? game! go outside go outside and play the book go join than you know otherwise he clearly thinks I'm the most game game

game poor Rocky Rocky's fine he's about to get Bavette or Anglais Anglais Anglais not Bavette

sorry so that was loving the YBA discovering that as a youngster that was incredibly influential to me what made you so

excited about that? Because it's stuff I'd never seen. And it was so sensationalist. And it was so British. At that time, Britain was the art forefront. We were creating the most amazing work that was out there. And it just felt like it went hand in hand with what I was doing creatively it just felt I just found it so exciting and I wanted to be a part of it so my parents

bought me an edition by her by Tracy when I was 21 and then I with my money from the history boys film I went and bought an original drawing and that was what I put my money into and I got like and I was friends with her at the time still friends with her now but and I messaged her I said I want to get this drawing she went okay I can try and get them to give you a little bit of a friend's discount just get a little bit of discount I said great and then the invoice comes through and there was at a time 17.5 tax that goes on top which you forget about and I'm being like what I didn't know I have to pay that you couldn't do it in cash no but did you have somebody that kind of

held your hand at the beginning I had friends so I met a guy when I was probably about eight years ago who I did the podcast

with this morning we just started this podcast where we talk about art it's called Rob Diamond he runs a gallery rival podcast no a friend

I thought that was an intake of breath you were doing no what's the podcast you've done this morning well it's called Talk Art Rival podcast. No. A friend. I thought that was an intake of breath you were doing. No. What's the podcast called? Well, it's called Talk Art. And we're Rob and Russ.

And I met him at Tracey Emin, had a retrospective at the Edinburgh National Gallery, like eight years ago, nine years ago. And I sat down with him and I had my Tracey Emin drawing and he had Tracey Emin drawings and we started geeking off about the titles for our drawings. And I was like, I never thought I'd ever meet anyone my age who was the same he was the same

and then we became really good friends and at the time he was a musician in a band called Tempo Shark but he doesn't do that now and then he now is the director of a gallery

called Carl Friedman Gallery and we sort of learnt loads together and I was suddenly like meeting you know the more you're in the art world the more you meet people and the more you have an understanding and the more you get influenced by and the more people

you more collections you see and the more places you go and the shows you see the more your experience broadens and your taste changes Instagram is an incredible tool for the art world that is they've completely latched on to because the way of hashtagging an artist or a work and getting it out there is huge and your experience of that is completely different now rocky my new best friend rocky no are you a good cook no do you appreciate good food now hell... Hell yes. Okay. The greatest pleasure of growing up, growing up, but I feel like I've grown up in the last two or three years

more than I ever have in my whole life. I've progressed. I actually appreciate a restaurant, good restaurant, good food. That is something that I've discovered very late in life. And I blame my mum. But it's like...

Who do you thank for who's been this person that's made has there been a person or a particular restaurant that in the last two you said the last two years I think it's just appreciation that isn't it lovely to spend money on good food oh my god I'm with you and going out to a good restaurant and having

a really nice meal that I was always someone that was like go down the pub it's shit food you pay for it you tip you go down the pub it's shit food you pay for it you tip you go back next week it's shit food you pay for it you team you just keep going back and it's just like because it's always been fuel it's just like this is what you do and now in the last two years especially in the last year i'm like no i want to go somewhere and have an experience i think being single going on dates and and and dating in a pool of people who are also like-minded and want to experience that, foodies, is brilliant.

Have you been single for a while? Six months I've been single. Okay. Yeah. But you're eating well. Incredibly well. Like the best places. The best places.

And it's become a bit of a thing. I've got a really good friend now who is a complete foodie and knows, follows all the reviews, knows what's going on. And I'm like, where do I go? And she's like, oh, you've got to go here, you've got to go there.

She's amazing. And wherever she's recommended has been brilliant. So where are some of your favourite new finds? So we live in East. There's a restaurant called Brat, which is above the smoking goat.

I can't get in. It's driving me crazy. It's turned up at six o'clock. Really? Yes. That's when I like to eat anyway. Yeah, you sit at the bar. You won't get a table. You can sit just turn up at 6 o'clock really that's when I like to eat anyway yeah you sit at the bar

you won't get a table you sit at the bar have you had the turbot there yes okay fine they just got a Michelin did they when

like the last week oh okay great I've been there three times amazing okay amazing love that

Leroy Leroy L-E-R-O-Y that used to be Ellery yeah well it is Ellery or did L and Leroy break up yes oh. L-E-R-O-Y. That used to be Ellery. Yeah. But it is Ellery. Or did L and Leroy break up?

Yes. Oh shit they did. So this is of the same world. Leroy just got a Michelin too. Shut up. You are like the Michelin prince. So I've been there twice. What else do I like?

But then I go to places that are dog friendly. So my places that I go to, if I find somewhere that's really nice and they accept dogs, it's amazing. So there's a restaurant called Bellinger's really nice and they accept dogs, it's amazing. There's a restaurant called Bellinger's, which is in Islington, Graham. I love it. We turn up there with a dog. They give you like a mat so the dog can sit on the banquette with you. And he loves it.

There's another one called Kipfroll, which is on Camden Passage, which is an Austrian restaurant. They do like schnitzel and stuff like that. You know where Camden Passage is? You know where off Islington High Street yes but opposite the Breakfast Club yeah next to the Elk in the Woods

opposite the Elk in the Woods yes yes yes I like that area opposite that is one called Kipfrel K-I-P-F-E-R-L okay delicious you can sit in the front with your dog

amazing breakfast really fantastic okay that's quite nice so I go there a lot with Rocky so they're places that are like go to

so once you have a dog and you take your dog everywhere, when you find a restaurant that's decent, it's the best. Yeah, absolutely. Taste, tell me what you think. It's really good. It's good, isn't it? Russell just basically fingered the onglet and he's happy. He's happy.

Thank you. Just help yourself, darling. Thank you, darling. Where's the dog gone? He's in the garden. He's happy. Thank you. Just help yourself, darling. Thank you, darling. Where's the dog gone? He's in the garden. He's sniffing. Bless him. I think he was going to have some...

How is it? Meat. Yeah. Heaven. The scrotan is really good. The celeriac is really good. Thank you, darling. Rocky's going to kill Alice, the producer.

He's like, give me the steak. The producer. He's like, give me the steak. I mean, you've done so much travelling. Where is your favourite country to eat? Eat? Yeah. Greece.

Oh! I love Greek food. Love. She got married in Greece. Oh, really? I've got house there. Is it mykonos that you go to no no i'm not gonna go back there don't go back there no bullshit i went to um i worked in corfu for a while i did i did a tv thing in corfu did my family and other animals the original one with

melda stortman was not the original it was before the daryl beforerell's ML Stoughton was mrs. Darrell I was Leslie Darrell so I got really into their big beans there and love love Greek food a lot love love love and I like Italian food I love okay so what is your meal that you would be cooking if I had what for what okay well I mean is it a different thing if it's a romantic one or is it like okay, dinner party. Have you got friends around? Do you do dinner parties? Yeah, I do dinner parties. Do I cook? Probably

not. Do you ask everyone to bring a dish? I've never done that. No, I normally just get a load of takeaway. Oh, okay. Just dish it all up. I love that. Or we'd get a pizza but I'm, for myself, I'm, I can make... Jesse, give him a bit more here. Rocky's losing his shit.

Rocky? What's this? Rocky, darling. What's this? Oh, my God. Rocky, six. Six. Six, four.

Good boy. Oh, good boy. Oh, yes. Living the dream, Rox. So, okay, you do take weight. But what would you do if you were cooking? For myself, I always make myself scrambled eggs every morning done okay have you got a certain way of doing it are you good i'd cook with butter yeah so i've yeah i can do really good scrambled eggs i mean i don't think they're like anyone listens to this to be like you're a

dick no no are yours quite wet because i like mine wet yeah not too wet but they're mid-wet yeah there's a wetness to them they're but they're mid-wet. Yeah. There's a wetness to them. They're not like popcorn. You're not eating popcorn. But I would do, I'm good at like just, I just do basics, chicken and rice and veg. You sound like a footballer. Do I?

I'll have some more of these potatoes. Oh my God, I'm so glad that you're eating. I know, but we're going to have dessert now. What have we got? Well, Jessie. Okay, I'm so glad that you're eating. I know. Well, we're going to have dessert now. What have we got? Well, Jessie. Okay, I apologise. It's gone a bit come down with me. No, no, no, no. The food, the taste is great.

It's chocolate mousse with olive oil. But I've done them in wine glasses because mum was like, what about ramekins? And I was like, no. And it does look a bit come down with me. Love it. And you're going to have to eat with a small spoon, which I hate. How small?

Like a teaspoon. Oh, okay. Mum, I have to say. Yeah. I haven't had chocolate mousse for about 10 years. She's phenomenal. It's retro and brilliant. It's good.

You're making me feel a bit old, darling, a bit retro, because I'd never make chocolate mousse and i'm sorry i'm enjoying the wine glass i am this is next level it was sweet do you feel like you can still walk around and be able to be somewhat anonymous even though yeah you have such a recognizable face and face and you have been in everything. And some really important things. I feel like we need to talk about looking. Which your music was on.

Well, this is how we met actually because Jonathan Groff is a friend and he came to see my show in San Francisco which was like a kind of warm-up show. It was a tiny show. It was amazing, fucking amazing. But San Francisco which was like a kind of warm up show it was a tiny show it was amazing fucking amazing but San Francisco is like my place

and I have a really amazing kind of gay following there and they are and the Americans are so loud which I love that's what I feed off and loyal

and it was just it was a I think it was a good show but anyway it was a pleasure it was a great show and I met you after and you were filming

was it the second series of looking it must have been because after that jonathan was very emphatic to get my song into a quite important scene it was that prom it was like it was a it was a it was a um sorry chocolate it was a gamers we've been at a gamers convention like selling our idea for this app and then afterwards there's this prom where everyone's dressed in like gamers outfits and stuff and we were in suits and we were dancing

so you love me but I will never forget and I'm sure you had a part to play in this but he was so passionate about getting the song into the show and i appreciate that as somebody who that was a big deal for me and for it to be in such a respected show and at such a beautiful moment like i've watched er and wanted to be you know

when you hear that song when someone's died the guy with the glasses who had the bald head do you remember who was married to Elizabeth Anthony Edwards yes do you remember when he died and what song was it that he died to it was bloody Tracy Chapman The Promise

I remember well you look at like Grey's Anatomy Snow Patrol exactly that was like that was incredible that made everything

and for me that became like a really important kind of career moment and also because I have such a big gay following and because looking was so celebrated,

but there was so much frustration, frustration. You did two series. And it didn't get too soon. I think it would be more receipt, better, easier to receive. It just wasn't enough.

You may be there, but just, but people discovering it now, which is wonderful. People are finding it. I think people weren't ready. There was such a weird, we had a weird beginning in that show

because the gay blogosphere took us down, basically. Really? We come out and the gays have been, there's not many gay shows, so it was hotly anticipated and they wanted it to be their show. And it came out, and the way that Andrew Haig works

and the way it was produced is that it's a subtle sensitive real observational kitchen sink show that's about a group of friends that's all it is it's not it's not like everyone wanted the catchphrase everyone wanted jack from will and grace everyone wanted the gay box office they sort of took it down and they said it was boring they hashtagged it before hashtags were everyone it was such a good thing and that spun around but that wasn't the first episode by the third episode they changed their mind and then by the end they were like this is the show we want but by that point they had made this they'd given it its kind of death knell they'd already said that

and so people i'd meet people and they'd be like oh i don't watch that show i'd be like why is it was boring isn't it i'm like no it's not it's like for me personally it's the I feel it's the best thing I've ever done it's the only thing I've ever done where I can watch even though I'm in it as an audience member impartial I see myself but I'm a fan of it and I was devastated and then my agent was like they want to sign you up for five years and I was like sign me up for 10 years I'm absolutely in love with this I love everybody on it it's amazing for 10 years I'm absolutely in love with this I love everybody on it it's amazing

just too serious we finished with a movie so you can never come back now we might be able to but I don't know if the creatives would want to it's heartbreaking when your heart and soul goes into it and people are like no you're not going to want to push and rush back to it

do you know what I mean do you feel because you're gay that you're pushed going to want to push and rush back to it. Do you know what I mean? Do you feel, because you're gay, that you're pushed into speaking out about gay issues a lot? I think if you're in a minority and you become successful, you become, by proxy, an ambassador for that minority, which is something I never set out to do. I've never wanted to be the poster boy. But I have become someone that people

are interested in when it comes to gay issues and I have probably fucked up a few times with things I've said and not really thought about it and now I realise that my voice is an important thing so I have responsibility for that and it can affect things so I have

embraced that now more than I ever thought I would do I never thought it would be something that I would have to consider being an actor just because I'm going that suddenly you have to do it but it does go it does become a thing it is a thing and I'm now very very proud that I can be someone that is, I keep saying reference point, it's like my soundbite, but it is like I can be someone that people use as a reference point when it comes to being out.

I have been all my career and still able to have a career. Does that affect your private life? Like blokes might kind of avoid you because you're a bit yeah it wasn't ever something that i thought about but i've experienced that exactly and i never thought i would and i go on dates now and i sit down on a date and gay guys know everything about me or know a lot about me. I know something about me.

They follow me on Instagram. They've seen something I've done. So I sit down. So it's always unbalanced. So I'll sit down opposite these guys and they will know more about me than I do. So I'm never, ever going to be able to go on a date with someone, you know, unless they've never watched TV in life. I have no idea who I am and I've not met that person yet yet but they haven't already got a preconceived idea of who i am and that again is something that i never was considered because for me doing it for so long

and my mum was always like you don't ever talk about it if someone asks you about your work talk about your work you never boast you never bring it up it's just something you do so that was instilled in me so it's always felt like normal. And an extension of me is me, but I'm always very separate from my work. So I feel like when people then mix me up with my characters or my work or see me as that, then that's always been something that I've...

Recently, I'm sort of struggling with. I had a date with a guy a little while ago and we sat down and I was like, oh yeah, I did this every day. He said, yeah, yeah, because I saw on your Instagram, you posted that. But then you liked this person's picture do you like that because I follow them now because you did that but did you like this I'm a big fan of that person what's he like

and I'm like I gotta go it's a bit like Kathy Bates in misery yeah he said oh that was really good let's do it again I'm like it's good for you yeah I was fucking you just got information yeah can you not be a bit cooler I'm like fucking hell but that's is what it is you know i mean you're you're married you've got kids and that's wonderful but if you were single you want to get married and have kids yeah a hundred percent a million percent i want all of that i want i want my guy i want person that is like my mate and we're a team and we go we go forward and we have a fucking brilliant life that's what i want okay so i feel like i know you a little bit now so i feel like you're a foodie you appreciate her and appreciate you appreciative and and a lover of food and eating out but you wouldn't necessarily call yourself a a cook not at all and i wish i had that instinct i don't have that instinct

my mom's like she thought she was like i thought you'd be like a really good cook because you're very creative and i said i just don't have that persuasion in the kitchen i want i hope it'll come later in life you discover and go oh i can do this so these are my dishes but i just i love a dinner party love a dinner party when someone's like come over for dinner like this tonight when you said this the podcast i was 100 this is the dream so okay so you enjoy okay i can see you enjoy food i saw you definitely wolfed that chocolate mousse down in your mother would not be happy oh no would your mother she'll be proud oh she'd be like eat up

but yeah she was very proud i love an eater quick no was like, don't talk about it. Don't ask me what it is because I'm not going to explain. Just eat it. I love her. Yeah. Ruthless. What would be your, mum doesn't want to call it last supper, last supper. Right. Roast dinner always.

My nan's roast dinner, who's in heaven, but my nan's roast dinner was like heaven. What made it so wonderful? Well, it was my nan. She had like, it was everything it was served on. The made it so wonderful? Well, it was my nan. She had like, it was everything it was served on, the plates, the knives and forks. It had like a whole nostalgia thing. It was just my nan's house,

my nan's cooking, the gravy. Which meat there? Chicken, lamb? Chicken. She'd have a chicken on the bar. Yeah. It would just be like, and the roast potatoes were next level,

like the best roast potatoes you've ever had. Carrots, cabbage, mashed swede. I love mashed swede. Parsnips, honey roasted parsnips. But she would just make... And when I was at college, my nan lived two doors away. So I used to basically get roast dinner every lunchtime. Oh, because she'd make it because she knew you loved it so much.

And I'd have jelly and I'd have cream. I mean, I wasn't completely overweight, but I'd have jelly and cream. But I also love this. Which you serve in these glass bowls, though. When my nan died, my dad said to me, what do you want from nanny's house? I said, a salt and pepper. And I got these little salt and pepper things you'd get from Walworths or something,

and I've still got them. Oh, sweet. So you went straight to Maine, so you wouldn't have a starter? I would have a starter. Someone said to me once, soup and cereal was for pregnant people which isn't the reference to where you are now but they were like he was like i would never order soup or cereal because that's what pregnant people eat or if you're in hospital i'm like right but i used to live on breakfast cereal when i was a kid alex has breakfast cereal after his dinner yeah i'd have it all the time yeah

what's your cereal that you like rocky's just joined us by the way that's not that's not me i'm just that's not russell like getting really excited about special k i mean it's like the best oh you're not joking sorry you're talking about special really okay fruit and fiber yeah that's a treat you'd have cereal as a starter i haven't i don't eat cereal anymore because it's dangerous having it in because i'll just eat that and not eat properly i make this granola whilst I'm pregnant and it's gone in a second. Yeah, amazing. But I would always, if I did a start, I love a prawn cocktail retro. Yeah.

Love a prawn cocktail with avocado in. Oh mate, it's that little snuff. They're like dinosaurs, aren't they? Little baby rhinos. Okay, so. Yes, so if I was in a restaurant and like no you're like you're on death row so oh i'm on death row okay i'm just putting out there i like that okay you think what this question is horrible that if you're on death row i'm just like

entertaining are you going on a desert island for a year and you have your last meal and all you can eat on the island is sand i would have so it's still prawn cocktail or cereal yeah but like really fat prawns okay proper fat prawns right you know not cereal no i wouldn't i wouldn't no i'd boycott not wasting it no and then my main would be like a roast like yeah roast roast cheesecake what kind american simple i don't need any almost lemony one no just the a baked cheesecake yeah no i don't need any. Almost lemony one. No, just the, the, a baked cheesecake. Yeah. No, I don't want any fruit topping.

I want a simple vanilla baked cheesecake, simple as possible, but really moist and fat as fuck. Where do you get it from in New York? From like delis. They just have it there like, it's like a, like a breeze block of cheesecake.

So it's not like a place that you go for it? No, I don't mean, again, I try not to eat that as much. I mean, I love donuts. Krispy Kreme donuts I would eat. Oh, really?

Microwave a Krispy Kreme and it's like... Microwave? 30 seconds? What are you talking about? Not heard of this. What? What filling? Plain ring.

I'm really basic. Jam or... No. No. Just the plain is the best. A vanilla one, yeah. Simple like... I've never ever had Krispy Kremes.

Krispy Kreme donut in a microwave, 30 seconds, bosh. What happens to the frosting bit? It goes a bit like hot. Would you have like cream with that? No. Look, I am vanilla. When it comes to stuff, I'm very vanilla. Keep it simple as a pimple and that's where I'm happy.

I like this. I i like this i feel like everyone knows a little bit more about you now you like they're probably not a lot no um and then okay last question do you think you have good table manners yes and was that something you were brought up no it's something i've learned yes i mean we're very polite family the tovis we're not barbarians but i when i go to a restaurant, the napkin I always lay in my lap. And I always work from the outside in like a pretty woman. Of course. We're very succulent.

That's what I tell my children. So that's like, yes, I think I, and I eat like, I put everything on the fork in the right way. I don't shovel it in. I do it like the other way where you prong it on. Okay. But, you know, as you get fancier in your career, have to like go to fancy places you have to keep that up but in some ways it's quite nice to kind of play against that and just be like i'm anti-establishment

i'm gonna read this however the fuck i want to read it you were hands yeah i haven't done that yet but do do you do you find something very you know you've been on a few dates recently maybe like table manners in other people what puts you off what puts me off is someone else what they're eating and stuff or just how they're eating when people talk with their mouth full that's the basic one but I don't have a major issue with that

unless I don't fancy them I think if you don't find someone attractive the littlest thing will piss you off make you feel like okay this is never going think if you don't find someone attractive, the littlest thing will piss you off and make you feel like, okay, this is never going to work. If you really find someone attractive, if they start talking with their mouth forward, it can be really sexy.

Do you know what I mean? To begin with, but then you start dating them and six months later it's like, stop talking with your mouth forward. It's disgusting. But for the first six months, it's charming, isn't it?

Oh my God. If you fancy someone. Thank you so much for being on Table Manners. I honestly could have you here for the whole evening. East day for the week. Yeah. And Rocky.

Rocky's going to sleep. He's going, are you going to bed, Rocky? Are you taking him out with you now? Yeah, I'm going to go meet a friend.

How did you get here? Did you come on? Tube. You came on the tube? He loves the tube. Do you ever get Ubers? Of course. What's your rating?

Yeah, we need to know your rating. Come on. It's terrifying, isn't it? Hang on, let's have a look. Do you ever get Ubers? Of course. What's your rating? Yeah, we need to know your rating. Come on. It's terrifying, isn't it? Hang on, let's have a look. Do you think you've got a good one? Jess is a shit. Yeah, I should have a good one, but I'm aware of it.

Jess is a shit. Is it? Yeah. Is it? What are you on? You're not below 4.5, are you? Yeah. You are.

And I think I'm a nice girl. Do you always slam the door? No, I don't think I'm a big slammer. If you slam the door, they're always like... I didn't know that. Right, let's go into my rating. So what do I go into? Your trips or help settings, isn't it? No, just go to your name, I don't think I'm a big slammer. If you slam the door, they always like... I didn't know that. Right, let's go into my ratings. What do I go into? Your trips or help settings, isn't it?

No, just go to your name, I think. No, it's just on the left with the little lines. I always give five star. The little lines. 4.38. Shit, Russell. You're crap. Mate, it's because of the dog.

It's because of the dog. Do you ask to have the dog in? I have to ring ahead all the time and be like, I've got a dog. That's it. 4.38? I'm 4.46. I've only been on one trip. Russell.

I love that you were like, oh my God, are you below 4.5? Oh, Jess, this is really embarrassing now. What are you on then? 4.46. Ask me, Russell. I've gone down, actually. What are you on? 4.63.

Still? What do you mean, still? When was the last time did you check it after every trip I get them about 12 times a day I feel like

how am I 4.38 Rocky no Rocky's bringing you down no he's not I don't care bring me down bring me down

on my Uber rating you're bringing him down that's terrible that is a terrible I'm so fucked do you give them tips well that's after you get out?

No, I give tips. Do they rate you after they... I don't know. But I always give a tip now. Well, I always give five star and I'm sorry, like... I wouldn't ever give someone not five star

and I'm super bossy. I don't, I skip that. I don't star really much. It's all bullshit. Maybe you need to... I'm super bossy. Obviously, it's not all bullshit. Russell, you need to change the tune.

Because some people don't pick you up because you're under a certain rating, do they? Yeah, mate, that's maybe why you're having to get the bus Russell I'm not

I'm really I get it I'm like hi how are you good how are you really good thank you and then Rocky snorts and I'm always like is that you

thank you so much for being with me thank you darling and good luck with the podcast it's called Talk Art Talk Art. Talk Art. Mum, that was a fabulous dinner. One of... Oh, was it, darling?

It was a fabulous dinner, fabulous guest. He was great. I am definitely going to... I've got his number now, so I'm going to annoy him and be like, Hi, can we go to... Jessie, I could have had him here for the weekend. I know. It's quite nice having someone on a Friday night.

I mean, maybe not for him, but yeah. Yeah, but it was for us. It was lovely. We don't have a child to get up to in the morning, do we? No. He was so interesting about his work, about his... I mean, he's just such a fantastically committed, successful actor. He was great.

And I think that people, maybe they don't, but people forget how acclaimed and respected and also successful he is like how much incredible theater he's done on the west end broadway yeah brilliant tv like brilliant choices but he's an intelligent actor he's really intelligent actor and i like the sound of his mom i do too get it down it down, yeah. Get it down, yeah. Well, you're a bit like that, darling. I mean, I've never seen somebody finish a chocolate mousse as quickly as Russell. Jessie, I had to cook... It was gone in three sessions.

I had to cook extra meat. No, I think that was me, though. Mum, he did say, like, medium meat. It was still alive, so... Darling, that's how you cook onglet. Well, I'm pregnant, so i'm not supposed to have it like that sorry darling it's got iron in it you'll be all right it was delicious meat what about the celeriac just mum it was it was a meal that worked you had the salt the fat the acid you didn't have

the heat but that's okay it was delicious um but yeah and i think rocky enjoyed it rocky really enjoyed it yeah rocky i think had the most out of everything had the most meat because i was trying to keep him from tip tapping bless him his little rhinoceros um toenails were tip tapping so um we hope that that was okay for you um but we'll forgive russell and rocky for everything because they are. Yeah, they're a pair. They're a pair. Bonnie and Clyde. And yeah, and thank you, Russell, for being such a wonderful guest. He's inspiring about art because he's so passionate and committed. Yeah, and I think it's really exciting that he's doing this podcast.

Yeah. Talk Art. Talk Art, great. Oh, sorry, I'm tired. Tired of keeping you up, darling. I'm tired. Night, night, darling. Night.

Bye. Sorry I'm tired Tired of keeping you up darling I'm tired Night night darling Night Bye The music you've listened to on Table Manners Is by Peter Duffy and Pete Fraser and Table Manners is edited by the wonderful Alice Williams.