Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - Second Helpings - Rob Brydon

Episode Date: September 9, 2026

What a belter of a guest for our Second Helpings finale! The wonderful, charming and funny Rob Brydon came to see us midway through his huge UK tour back in 2021; he popped over to mum’s for some spatchcock chicken, pecan pie (we recorded this episode on thanksgiving), a right old gossip and sing song. We spoke about Rob growing up in Wales, eating his grandma’s custard tarts, his comedy heroes, favourite food spots in London, ‘The Trip’, ‘mucus’ topping ‘moist’ as the worst word & life with 5 children! We end the episode with the biggest sing song we’ve ever had; mum’s favourite way to spend an evening!Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Second Helping's, our final instalment for you, before we're back with you for more Tablemanners, Season 19. So we're going to finish with Rob Ryden, who came on the podcast in December 2021. It was another season finale. And he kept it a secret what happened in Gavin and Stacey on that fishing trip. I was desperate to find out, will we ever really find out what went on? You made Spiced Spakshkock chicken, bejewald rice, pecan pie. And he was midway through a huge UK tour.

It was his memoir but through music. It was also really special to have Rob on because obviously him and Steve Coogan did the trip, which was my inspiration on creating table manners. So thanks Rob. We spoke to Rob about growing up in Wales, eating his grandma's custard tarts, his heroes. Uncle Bryn.

Uncle Bryn the trip and life with five children Rob Bryden coming up on table and a second helping We have Rob Bryden here Thank you so much You are You came in

I told you that I'd been using a whip today And I feel very inappropriate about that But that's another conversation And we're so thrilled to have you Well thank you for having me I've been looking forward to this Because I listened

I've heard three Of those You've done a lot I can't hear every one of them but I love them and as I was listening to them I thought oh I'm going to be doing this yeah how sweet

who told you to listen to them well you want the honest answer yeah yeah because they you know we love a good deal but let me I'll give you the honest the honest truth right is that you do stuff to promote what you're doing so I'm promoting your tour so you look in your phone

you look at the right what am I doing oh I'm going to do table manners I've heard of that I've heard of table manners yes I've heard of it but I never heard it and then I would be flicking to my diary and I would see Clapham of an evening. And I went, oh, God, boy, I'm going to clapham. Food, I've got to eat. Oh, yeah.

So I thought, well, I'm going to, so I was on tour. So I listened to it. And I went, the first one was Stanley Tucci. And I love Stanley Tucci. Who doesn't? And I really liked it. And then I listened to the swimmer one, David Schummer. And then the Tom Jones one.

So by the end, I went from, oh, I've got to go to Clapham to, ooh, I'm going to clap. Oh, good. It was a journey. Where do you usually reside? Well, not in Clapham. Where? Strawberry Hill in between Twickenham and Teddington. Lovely.

Yeah, it's nice. It's lovely there. Not far from here, but just in terms of getting here, you know, it's that classic London thing of it takes forever. So tell us about the tour. Are you halfway through? Quarter of a half? I don't know, maybe a quarter. It's a tour with a band and it's sort of, it's very old-fashioned.

We just did two nights at the Palladium in London and one of the reviews said it's hard to imagine any show more suited to the London Palladium. Oh wow. Because it is an old-fashioned you know sort of one-man variety show in that I tell stories, I sing songs,

some of them are serious, some of them are funny. It's an incredibly talented band. Did you start as a comedian, an actor or a singer? Well, I went to drama school, so you'd say, well, you're going to be an actor, but it was always comedy that I wanted to do. And then I left drama school early because I could offer a job as a DJ on the radio in Wales. So I did that. You do have a beautiful voice.

Thank you very much. I mean, no listeners are it's purring into there. You and Tom. Well, exactly. That's right. It was 1949. quarter to six on the second of June. It was a full moon.

What a memory that man has. I know. It's astonishing, isn't it? Wow. When he arrived, it was really funny because I thought I'd do something Welsh for him, like a home-cooked meal. So I don't think lamb shanks,

someone really disappointed. I thought it was going to get a Jewish meal. Oh, really? And then when he brought out the put, flipping it. Oh, no, chocolate. He doesn't eat chocolate. No, he loves it.

He loves chocolate. What did I do? I did. I think I did one of my best, my roulette or something. I think you did a beautiful passion fruit roulette with lemon curd. Oh. But old Tom just wanted a square of chocolate. So he'd have chocolate, because I would have thought,

because I find chocolate, I'm avoiding chocolate while I'm singing. Don't you find it creates, I'm going to introduce an unwelcome word here. What? Mucous. Oh, my God. Nobody wants that. That's worth some moist. We had, we had, no, moist can have lovely connotation.

We had Rick Asli on and we talked about moist a lot. He said he was once, because I'd done a moist cake. Why wouldn't you? And he said, God, moist. He said, God, it's a bad word, isn't it? I was like, yeah, it's not a very nice word, is it? And then he said something like, yeah, I once, he said he was in the gig. He was playing.

And it was like, it was really going well. And he went, are you moist? No. What, did he mean, did he mean sweaty and stuff? I don't know what he meant. Oh, it was raining. And he's never forgotten it. And the regret of our.

asking a room full of kind of very middle-aged women if they were moist. Oh my God. Yeah, but I would say of moist and mucus, I would say, as I say, moist can have a positive connotation. Yeah, it can have a positive effect. Of course it can. Things are looking up, whereas, whereas mucus has no redeeming qualities.

I need to speak to you about the trip, because I have to say, it did kind of inspire this podcast. Really? Did it? Initially, I told me that done. No, but I, I, well, more, I was so jealous of you going out to wonderful dinners. And I thought, I want to do that. Oh, really?

But I'm not a comedian and I'm not Steve Coogan or, you know, Rob. And so it started at a point where I was like, God, wouldn't it be nice just like chat and restaurants? I mean, you don't just do that. It's a beautiful thing that you do, but you do eat good food. And I wanted in on it. And I thought, well, I can get good dins at Mum's house. So I thought, well, sod it. We'll do something like that.

But who thought of that idea? Michael Winterbottom. He's the director and he writes the whole story and, you know, a fair bit of the dialogue as well. And then Steve and I sort of colour it in and invent stuff. But the meals that you like, there are always lunches. And it looks like when you watch it as if you're just eaves dropping on us. But of course you're not.

It's constructed. And with the lunches, we eat every course three. three times. Oh, wow. So we have a starter and we shoot whatever we're going to shoot. Then we got, okay, cut, bring in another starter. We start again. And then we'll cut and then they bring in another starter.

You're just trying to make me feel less jealous, aren't you? Well, because that's the reality of it. And then three mains and three puddings. So which has been your most cherished meal out of those kind of, you know, multiple starters maids and puts? Italy, Italy, particularly when we got down to the Amalfi Coast. And especially on Capri, there's this very fancy hotel called the Capri Palace, I believe. And it's twinned with a restaurant called Il Riccio, which is the one that you see in the trip when we're on Capri.

But it was also the environment. It was, I've been back with my wife and the weather wasn't as good. When we were there in the early summer, it was perfect. But you're gazing at Steve Coogan. Now, I wouldn't mind gazing at Stephen. But did you kind of look at Steve? And you thought, I'd really like my wife to be right now. She actually, she, oddly enough, she did come out for that weekend as well.

And then we went back out. I took her back. It was her birthday in the September. But the weather had kind of turned. So that was, that was one of the meals that I really remember. But, you know, the truth is, because we are improvising a lot of stuff, I'm not really thinking too much about the food because I'm thinking, what am I going to say next? You know, and we're trying to be funny.

Right, yeah. So I almost remember the meals we had in the evening off camera more than the ones we did on camera. Do you find it hard being funny? Or do you just give that impression? No, I just wonder, because we're doing two nights at the London Pladeum. Good for you. But I'm just, I am relying on the guess being funny, not me. No, no, all you've got to do is just be yourself.

Is that what you think? That's what sold out the first one already, Mum. Exactly. Thank God, darling. Well, you've got a cast iron formula format, so just don't change. Just be yourself. Do you think we should add Jesse singing a song? No. Just to keep things going. No, because that's not in the format.

I think people like to join in. I'm hoping that we're going to have islands in the stream altogether at the end. I think it's almost inevitable. I think it is too. I think there's a horrible sense of impending doom. And I think it's shaped like islands in the stream. Well, I know that you do a guys and dolls cover. Yeah.

Yes, that's right. Which one do you do? Well, two actually. I do all of sit down and you're rocking the boat. Wow. Wow. That's a... That's a big song.

That's a big song. Showstopper. And then a bit of I've never been in love before. Because I tell the story about being at school. It's where I met Ruth Jones, because she was at the same school, you see. Ness. Nessas. I should explain to people.

And you never married her. No, she was never married together. I'm not too. Oh, right. Sorry. What, I never married Ruth in real life. No, well, I always say she was. She's like the sister I never wanted.

No, Ruth is probably my closest female friend, I would say. I've known her for, well, since I was about 14. And we were both in guys and dolls. Who was she? She was Miss Adelaide. Oh, Jessie was Miss Adelaide. Were you? Were you?

Were you? Were you? Were you? It's a great part, isn't it? Well, yeah, I was only at school as well. And I played Skymaster's under. Oh, my God. The Handsome Sky. No, not of course at all. You know, I say this.

in the show, I say, no, it's a bit of a shock, you know, what was Uncle Brin doing playing the Marlon Brando role? But, but I played that part. And in fact, my wife went to an all-girls school and they did Guys and Dolls, and she played Sky Masterson as well. Oh, so we both, when we first met, the day we met, we had a single, we did, we sang in the back of a taxi because we'd both played this same role. Were you drunk? Yes. I love that. Yeah. Was it your first dance? No, no. It wasn't Jack Johnson. Better together. Oh, good. That reminds me of going travelling in Thailand. Does it? And wearing a lot of fishermen trousers. Fishman's pants. Yeah. Yeah. It was very popular then. Oh, I love, yeah. It's a lovely song. It is lovely. So, Rob, where did you grow up?

I grew up in South Wales. I could listen to your voice. Oh, no. It's his gorgeous. And you're like five as well as well. No, no. I, both of my wives, Lenny. because I've known the heartbreak of divorce. Oh, right. What do you say, polygamous? Yes, I'm not saying. I'm going to announce it on your show. I am a polygaman, man, man.

Yes, both my wives have been and remain English. Okay. Yeah. I mean, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against. Can I just say something very personal? Oh, God, what? Is Uncle Bryn's supposed to be gay in governance? I've always wondered.

Or just a bit androgynous? No. Well, there's a part of me that doesn't want to say anything because I think it should be in the mind of the audience, you know. I think because obviously they've written it, well, it's not ambiguous, is it? I mean, I'd be surprised if he wasn't. Okay. But I wonder perhaps that he's... Because I have no gay doll whatsoever.

But I wonder if he's just never acted on it. I mean, they've never said to me, you know. It's just what's there in the script. But, I mean, you know, the way he gazes at Larry Lamb, you know, at Mick instead. I'd gaze at Larry Lam, to be honest. Well, he's a lovely looking boy. But they've never sort of nailed it on their head. But I think it's for the audience, you know, to decide for themselves rather than...

Just might be just not interested. What's that? Is that asexual? Or is that liking it from everyone? I can't never remember. No, asexual is someone who's not fussed. Not fussed. I wanted to know about whales and who was cooking in your family and were you cooking and were you a fussy eater?

No, it would have been mum but I've been thinking about this obviously in advance of coming. Thank you for prepping. Well, yes, yes, it deserves a little bit of prep. and we were, I, very limited palette as a child. Very limited palette. I mean, oh, I won't say embarrassingly so, but when I went to drama school when I was about 19. Which drama school?

The Welsh College Music and Drama in Cardiff. Were your family kind of actors and musicians? No. Were they shocked when you chose that? No, because I'd always been a bit of a performer and, no, they were always very encouraging. And as a parent now, I find that more remarkable than ever. Because most people that go into this line of work do not succeed.

It's true. It could be concerning, although the other side of that is, it's great to do something that you have a passion for. How many kids do you? Five. Do your kids, any of them, want to go in this direction? The youngest seems to have a performing bent. and eldest is involved in the business but not as a performer

but then the others how old are you oldest I go 27 25 25 22 13 thank you Lenny I like you look in your late 40s were you quite young when you had kids my first one yeah married to 27

I sound like Tom now it was October the 6 yeah I married a 27. First child, my daughter, Katie, when I was 29. And then... So I'm working it out now. Yeah, well, she's 27.

So 27, 25. Girl, boy, girl, boy. So you're in your 50s? I'm 56. Very good, fetal. handsome, great... Good hair. Top it.

Do you want a third wife, Rob? A third English wife? Why not? So, so what was your mother cooking? Well, it was... As I think back, it was very... very, I mean, I don't want to offend my mum, but it was, my memory of it is pretty plain. Don't worry, some people only had frozen food.

We've had, some people that just had frozen food. I think that's what people had then. But also, you probably wanted that. Well, it might not have done. You didn't know. No, I certainly wasn't adventurous when it came to food. I wasn't adventurous when it came to textures. I can remember at school they had semolina or what you call it rice pudding.

or what you call it, rice pudding. And I remember thinking... Frog spawn stuff. Exactly. But I do remember there was a kid who ate spaghetti hoops or something. And I remember thinking that was a step too far. That was exotic. On toast or off toast.

I think possibly on toast. So we were meat and potatoes. Steak for a treat. Yeah. Fillet steak for a treat. Fish on a... My memory is the window in the... kitchen getting very steamed up when it was fish night. So it was it was very

an adventurous very nice food. My my maternal grandmother would make a stew and would also make Welsh cakes. My paternal grandmother would make egg custard tart and when she came for lunch and you know we'd have a normal Sunday lunch and she would bring this is when I was very young, egg custard tart to have afterwards and she and I would talk about... A bit of a nutmeg on the top? Yeah, yeah.

And I always remember she would talk about having seen that week's Benny Hill and wasn't he funny. And she used to use the word comical. Oh, it was comical. Wasn't it comical? Did you, did you model your comedy on any particular person?

Yes. I can't say Benny. I don't feel like it's... Well, I know, but the thing is now, you see, we are in 2021. But this was 1972, 73. It was a different climate. I'm not going to get into a defence of Benny Hill, but he was not without his skills. Let's just say that, right?

So, yes, I would watch all sorts of people. I always had a very wide taste in comedy. So from the very popular stuff like Bruce Forsyth, watching what he did, and then the slightly more trendy stuff like Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Barry Humphreys has always been a huge sort of hero of mine. But loads, loads of comedians. It's harder for me to find a comedian I don't like than one that I do.

Do you think comedy's harder now because of all the kind of restrictions and woke and things? I don't say that in a pejorative way. No, but you see what I'm with Dave Chappelle. Yeah, but you can get yourself into a big hole by saying something that would have been totally acceptable when you started. doubt, and now isn't. I think there are new challenges with it. I think there are some comedians, frankly, who don't care. So I can't imagine a Ricky Javees or a whoever worrying about it.

And you wonder as well how much these Twitter storms actually affect anything. I mean, if someone were to lose their job as a result of it, you'd say, well, it has. but a lot of these things, she used to blow up and then and then go. I've never been particularly controversial. Controversial in my comedy. Are you political? No, I've always been very wishy-washy. Have I got news for you?

Only once, I didn't enjoy it. Didn't you? No. Why? Was it intimidating? No, but I was hosting it. It's not my world. I think you've got to know what your strengths are.

And topical, political stuff, because it's not all. politics in that show but that's not where my strengths lie so i didn't enjoy it so i mean and please forgive me if you've already done one would you go and do musicals would i i would the reason i haven't done them is because of never stopping having children in the last you know how many years how old's the youngest 10 okay so i've done theater runs i did i did a play at the old vick play at the Garrick and a play at the Pinter. So I've done a few runs of plays. But as you know, it takes over your life.

You are out every night of the week. Sunday you collapse. So it's very hard on, if you're a family person, you have young children. Basically, I have to wait until my kids are teenagers until I do a musical theatre job. Well, I think that I did a, I think the last play I did was at the Old Vic, and it was about education.

I played the teacher and all the other. The other meant to be the students. Which play was it? It was called Future Conditional, directed by Matthew Warchus at the Old Vic. What was that? It was the first one of Matthew's tenure as the head of the Old Vic. When was it? I'm not very, I don't have that memory.

I don't know. I'm going to say five years ago, maybe, something like that. And all the other, they were young, these actors, all in their early 20s. And we'd be in the wings before we go on. And they'd say, so what did you do after this? show last night Rob I go I went home I went home oh we we went off to this so-and-so place and then we ended up in this salsa bar and then after that we and I said well no no I went home and I went to bed that's about it for me really because you have to I find now and you get older you've got to conserve

that that energy and I want so the answer to your question I definitely want to and I will do a musical. This tour is my way of getting around that because I can pace it exactly as I want to. So I do two, maybe three shows a week. Maybe one, two, day off, another one, two days off another one, another one, so that I can be at home back or four. Mum, I'm a bit hungry. Darling, it's coming. Is it ready? What are we having? I've no idea what we're having. She's pulled out. I hope it's nice.

I've done a spiced chicken with bedeweled rice. Let's see if that works. Don't you find that the Vajal has rather diminished the word bedeweled? Yes. Because the minute you said bejeweled, that's where my mind went. You thought of a fanny. No, honestly. Good God.

No, what are you lying? There's nothing I can do about it if that's the way. It goes straight down there. Well, but you're because of the only way as this is. I'm really looking forward to time. into that. Okay, shush. And then I've done, I've done carrots roasted in Rasmute.

Oh God, now I'm thinking phallic images, mum, stop, stop, enough, enough. And I've done a pecan pie because it's Thanksgiving today. Oh, lovely. Lovely. Because I am very jealous. I'm very jealous of the Americans, not so much about what Thanksgiving stands for, but the fact that they get to have turkey twice. Yeah, they get the excuse to have the occasion and get together.

You know, it's a bit of a variation. You don't get big presents, though, on Thanksgiving, do? No, but it brings everyone together. Yeah, it does. I quite like that. Love it. Is your wife a good cook? Brilliant.

She's a brilliant cook and she can bake. Yeah, she's terrific. So what's your favourite dish by her? There's one thing she does, and I want to say this is the favourite, but it's great, and it's a quiche. Kishes seem a bit uninspired. No, I love it. And it's basil and feta cheese. Does that sound?

No, it sounds fabulous. That's delicious. but she can kind of make anything she's one of those people who can... Does she make it up or does she follow... She can do that, yes, she does both. I see, I can't do that. She can make it up, she can see what's left

and go and stick it all together and she can bake an hour 13-year-old bakes as well. He's got into that, so he'll make blondies and things like that. Yeah, and I, as a result I mean, I was never a cook. Did you not bake in lockdown?

I tried something. I had a go at... Oh yeah, she said close, I'd tell them about... I tried cooking a nijella thing, which was something to do with crispy chicken, and I just cremated it. It was an absolute disaster.

The kids were appalled by it. I want to know, where was your first date with your wife? Well, it was that, oh, the first, when we actually went out, because we actually sort of went, we went on a date the day we met, because I met her at these awards. Yeah. And I had, which were a lunchtime awards. And I had tickets for this, for this advanced screen.

of Oceans 11. Oh, wow, with George Cleaning. You were going to compete with him. Yes. Are you mad? So you were like, hey, why don't we get out of this day? I was, I was drunk. And I'd seen her, you see, in this reception.

I said, oh, who's that? And so I'm talking to her then. And I thought, and this screening was about half six or something, you see. So we were now in the American bar and we're having drinks and there's a crowd of us and I'm talking to her quietly. And I say, look, hey, you want to go with me? I got these tickets for Ocean's 11. and it's not out yet.

She said, oh, I saw it last week. Oh, my God. But nonetheless, I persuaded her. And it was in the taxi that we,

I think that's when it emerged that we both played Sky. I don't know how it came up. I love that. And then we went and watched this film and... Did you make out in the cinema? Oh, sorry.

Thank God that went off then. We might have kissed in the taxi. We might have. We might not. Who knows? I love it. I don't think we'll ever know for sure. I, you know, you've eaten at some amazing places and you've, but anywhere local that you

really, really love or any London places that, you know, you could live without. I like, well, I just happened to be at Scots today. That's always great. When I was in the theatre, I used to like going to Shikis after the show because it feels like you're part of that theatre life. Yeah. Is that like the new Joe Allen's then? Yeah, I suppose you could say that, yeah.

I mean, that's where, because it was round, we were at the Garrick, so that's where I would go. I like it there. Where else? There are nice places out near us. There's one is St. Margaret's, I don't know if it's still there. I think, was it called Brula? Oh, it's a nice one.

There's one in, just before we get to Richmond, so they call it East Twifilum, called Achena. Achaena. We've gone there quite a bit. But all that kind of stuff has been, has gone, isn't it, really? A good part. A part. At Marble Hill, that pub on the...

Yeah, on the crown, is it? Yeah, that's a nice pub. Yes, yes, we've been there. Do you eat out a lot, no? I think Richmond's nice. Richmond's lovely, gaucho. Yeah, it's great on the river. During lockdown, they were.

would do, they would do stuff outdoors. So, you know, you'd go for your huge walk on a Sunday with another family. And in that crisp bed at the feel of a ski resort, you know, you'd be queuing up for your food. And that was, that was kind of nice. No, there's loads of nice places. Do you still have family in Wales? Yeah, yeah, mum and dad in Port Albert. Oh, great.

We didn't actually speak about, yeah, so Porto, Porto. Yeah. Well, some people were Pat Albert. I've always said Port Talbot. That's not where Michael Sheen did. Yes, yes, yes. Oh, he doesn't live there now, but he's from exactly the same place. His parents go to the same church as my parents.

And did you go to the same church? No, no. I'm older than him by about, I don't know, eight years, something like that, maybe. And he, I'd never knew. I've only known him as an adult. I didn't know him when I was a kid. But I heard of him because he was in youth theatre. But he was in a different youth theatre, different county.

Right. Because I'd moved schools, blah, blah, blah. I feel like the Welsh are like Jews in the sense that like... I agree with you. I've said that before. I've said that many... Yes, many times. It's like when you meet one, you're like, hey. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

We say show on. Absolutely. No, I've said that many times. I've always feel an affinity with Jews. I always do. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. It's very interesting. So, okay, we're about to eat.

Oh, is that the bejewed? It's not bedjewed yet, though, is it? It's just cooking, darling. It's not for jazzled yet. No, no. Let's put that the jazz or thought out of our minds. Okay, well, whilst mum bejews her rice, please tell us what your last supper would be. Oh, okay.

Well, I think, yeah, because you don't, you're not going to go healthy, are you? What's the point? What's the point? What's the point? I would go for, oh, I watched that Netflix documentary about veganism and went vegan for about a week. Was that the one about the athlete? Yes. We all did.

I know, everybody did. I didn't. Well, I, so I would probably have a rib-eye salt crust steak. For starter. Oh, sorry. No, I thought that's fond. I liked it. No, not for starter.

I would, okay, for starter, I would, oh, it's so hard, isn't it? I mean. Have a few small plates, you know. Okay. Well, I love scallops. Okay. Were they good scallops today? Are they scollops?

I can never remember. I don't know. Skones, scone, scone. Scallops. I say scolops. Okay. I don't know. Oh, they were good.

They were lovely. Yeah, very nice indeed. What did they come with? In shells with some sort of juice of something. Was it like a buttery lemurie? Yeah, exactly. And they just do it well. I probably, see, I like, I like the most simple starters.

The old Palmer ham and melon. I mean, I like it too. No one's going to be impressed by my sophisticated. But I like that. And when it works, and it's the spot and refreshes and, yeah. So that would be, oh, I tell you what they could have on the table as well.

Here we go. They could have some, what do they call it when they do something with cauliflower? cauliflower popcorn, do they call it that? Oh, you're into the cauliflower popcorn. You like that? Yeah, I really like it. It's lovely.

Wherever you had one that you like? At the mitre. Oh, they tell you a nice place near us, the mitre on the river at Hampton Court. Okay. That's where we, I was trying to know we've been somewhere recently. We went there quite a bit over the summer. I'm just trying to decide whether to tell you this story or not

I want to hear it now it shows me in a very poor light I took my wife there for her birthday so you can see where it's going can you with Capri first of all right and then we're suddenly we're in Hampton Court no there's a lovely restaurant there and it's on the river and I'd been there a few days before

with some of my older kids for one of their birthdays and I'd noticed a boat come, a big fancy boat coming up and some people getting on it and I thought, right.

So I arranged that at the end of the meal this boat would come and would whisk us off back down to where we live which is down the river. Yeah, lovely. So the boat comes

and she knows something's up because I'm making little gestures to the staff and everything. And then I'll tell it anyway. So we get up to go and someone comes over and says, oh hello, can I say

I'm a big fan and I love yourself? Can I have a, photo. I said, yeah, okay, fine. So we do that. And then someone else from another table then comes on, can I say, yeah. You didn't miss the boat? No, no, no, no, no, it's better than that. So they said, so I'm stood there like this. Oh, thanks very much.

You know, it's lovely and she's just stood there. And then as we leave, everybody applauds me as I leave. It's her birthday. The whole restaurant is applauding as we walked down the steps. Oh, God. How did you feel about it? Did you feel really great about it? I thought it was hilarious. And how did she feel about it? Oh, she was laughing. I mean, she was

joking about it, but it's hilarious. Does it happen quite a lot? Because I feel like you're quite an approachable man. Not spontaneous rounds of applause. I won't pretend that's happening all the time, no. But yes, people come up all the time, yes. But there is that feeling that you are approachable, so therefore I feel like probably people approach you more than maybe they would Yes. Whoever else. Yes. Yeah. Another comedian or actor. Yeah. And how do your family find that? Nine times out of ten, it's fine. Yeah. One, in a while it'll be not the right moment and you'll think.

And how do you behave in that moment? Well, I try and be nice. I'm sure you could find someone who says, well, he wasn't nice when I approached him. But I tried to be nice, you know, because why wouldn't you try to be nice? So you were mentioning the main course being that. Well, hang on. So, okay, so I'd have a salt, a ribeye steak. And I probably have some potato dough fin noir.

I love that. Mum did Dofinoirs the other night and I said I bet you Rob Ryden would like that She's giving you

Vajal's rice And people probably ate that More than They were just mad It's a real treat Isn't it? But I'd also like though As well as those

As well as that There's I'd like just some Just some chips But lovely chips Thrice cooked Well not necessarily We go to an area of France near Carcassonne and a lot of, what's the Languedoc

area, which is you've got on that one there. Right. And a lot of the restaurants you go to there do their chips the same way, which is, all I can say is they're quite brown. That's, that's the only way I can describe them. Right. So not like these fancy thrice cooked like little little egg or ricks. wide or thin? Irregular shapes which is nice Yeah lovely And different sizes

They're delicious I have some of those as well And then I'd want some sort of greenery On there I might have Well I'd use what I'd have I can't eat mushrooms Because it affects my skin

So I'd have mushrooms Because presumably I'm going to die imminently Yes with this meal? Either, yeah. Or you're going somewhere and nobody's going to see your bad skin. Oh.

So it's like either way, you basically, you're going to die. Does it hurt you? But you've said it's my last, did you say it's my last? Supper or before you go to Desert Island or Death Row, it's up to you. It's upset a lot of listeners

when we said it was death row mill. So we've kind of given the option. All right. Well, if there was no more living, I'd have some lovely mushrooms. So you like mushrooms? Yes. And how does it affect your skin?

Well, it gives me horrible kind of, you know, big horrible spots. Oh, really? It's to do with... When I was a teenager, very bad acne, had tons of antibiotics, because in those days, they would just send them out. And as a result, I've been told, I don't digest yeasty fungal things, you see.

And also citrus I often react to, but mushrooms in particular, you see. You haven't got any of that. Lovely. So I would probably... probably have some of those and then for pudding. Oh, oh, probably something chocolatey because mucus wouldn't be a concern.

Oh, the words come back. Oh. Can't stand there. Shall I put it over here to serve? Yeah, sure. Oh, look at that. A spatch cock. I was about to say the word spatchcock.

Yeah. But given that we've already had moist and be jazz, I wondered whether it was wise. Oh, geez. Mama, I wonder whether that could have a sprinkling of herbs just to really... Darling, it's not supposed to. You're an affectionist.

There's no way. There's no way I'd suggest anything else to that. Jessie, how much have you cooked of this? Yeah, I know. Jesse. Ah, we got so far before you said it. Do you go to Panto? Yeah, I have done.

The Richmond Panto's always great, isn't it? Anton Dubek is doing it this year. Oh! I love him! Who doesn't? Who doesn't love Anton? I mean, are you a strictly fan? Yes, yes, yes, we watch strictly.

So I think we may go... I'll tell you a funny story about Pantaman. Here we go. Finally he comes up with a funny story. Good. I did a charity event, and I was with Jerry Hall. She was at Richmond Pantan. That's part of the story.

Well, stop spoiling the bank time, mother. Sorry, I was just trying to commune with him. She says, I'm going to be in Richmond, in Pantown. a man, you must come to the opening night. I said, and that's Jerry Hall. I said, yes, of course. So we go, and we're sitting up in the circle. How'd you know her?

Because I was at a... Because he's fabulous, duh. I was at, I'm an ambassador for the Princess Trust, and I think she is, and we were at a lunch, and they were, I'll tell you the story, they were auctioning off a round of golf with me. and at one point she's I do and at one point she stood up

and she said she said she's not like golf you not like golf you hate golfers it's just about golfing I have a problem no you are well I'm going to say prejudice

I think I am a bit I'm calling you out for prejudice I know all right well you need to take a long hard look at yourself I do I probably do it's an unappealing quality in another wise

very appealing package So, and we're at this thing, and they're bidding for this, you know, to play golf with me. Well, yeah, so at some point she stands up, she goes, I'll carry for Rob. So I had the... That was going that badly, well, yeah, it was. Well, genuinely, no, seriously, I think that's why she did it. Because who would want to play golf for me? So we go and we do this thing, and she, she caddied and she walked the course with me.

And it was great, you know. Which golf course did you be? Whizley. Oh, no, I don't belong there. This was, they arranged it, you see. Okay. So we're going around the golf course, right? So this is.

And she's caddying. Yes, and she's lovely, right? She's vivacious and lovely. She's gorgeous. She's gorgeous, but she's also not just, look. She's very appealing. She was lovely. Anyway, she says, I'm going to be in paying the man.

You must come. So I said, okay, lovely. So we go, and here's the story. We're sat behind Mick Jagger. He went. Yes, because. He had a good view. Because they're all, you know, they all get on, don't they?

I know, la-di-da. So she plays the baddie. So she's on, they're going, I'm evil, I'm bad. And he's there going, boo. His, boo. It's behind you. It's behind you. And then in the interval, I went.

You've got the voice, exactly. And then in the interval, I went to the Lou and I came back. And he was in the queue for ice cream or something. And he saw him in him. And he went, oh, some good jokes, Rob. Oh God. As if to say, I'll talk to him about, you know, about comedy. Did you get hecklers?

Oh, not in a nasty way. Joe Brand, if you listen to her. I mean, she came on and she said she used to have the most, she was horrendous. Oh, I had, when I was starting out, I was doing an open mic spot. That's where you go on for no money and you're allowed five minutes maybe, okay? Terrified. Yes, so the audience don't know you.

You're totally unknown. The expectation is that you won't be very good. and I was at a place up in Greenwich called Up the Creek, famously tough. Famously tough place. Is it still there? Of Creek, it was Crete Road, don't know. That's where a soft place that needs to take the children. The guy has died Malcolm Hardy, who was a well-known guy, that ran it.

So I go on, I'm doing whimsical observations about Wales, and I'm getting nothing. And at one point, somebody in the audience goes, be-ha-ha-ha-ha-sheet noise right. Oh, my God. And I go, I just carry on. And then someone else goes, Beah. Oh, that's like our cat. No, get that.

Now, when we clap, we've got two cats. And Biscuit is the badm. But when we clap, he just thinks, so I'm doing well. He says, well, thank you, my darling. You're very kind. Try it again. So if you clap when he's near food, he won't come down. But yours, that's good.

So come on sheep. So as one person does sheep, another one does sheep, another one, another one. And before long, the whole room is doing sheep noises. That is terrifying. Terrifying. Did you want to cry? Yes, and I carried on. And I remember when I drove back home from that gig, it's a long way because we lived then in sort of in Mortlake, East Sheen.

And I remember thinking, well, that's it. It's all over. And I was doing okay. I was making a living as a voiceover artist. This was in the 90s, mid-90s. So I was, you know, we're doing quite well. But I remember thinking, it's all over. And my thought was, don't spend any more money.

That was my thought. Just in case. Just hold on to it because you're going to need it. But the next morning I woke up and I thought, right, I'll show you, buggers and I'll go back. And I did go back and I certainly didn't raise the roof, but they didn't. Didn't you shoot noises? Can I just point something out?

Often when people come on this podcast, they end up doing duets with Jesse like Kylie Meneuve. Did you join with Kylie? Yeah, it's out now. She's good. She's very good. Do you want to do a duet? Of course. What would be our song?

I'm not saying, no, we're not going to sing now. No, but what would be? We're going to put one out professionally. What's it going to be? Listen, we could do. Your voice is good. Which was that? You do, see I'm too old for you.

No, it isn't. Sorry that it had to end this way. No reason to pretend. We knew it had to end someday. What's the chorus? Well, it's going to be me and you, Lanny. Yeah, I think it will. You must know this.

Too much too late, too late to ever try again. I don't know, I like it. Johnny Mathis and somebody else. No, you, no. Johnny Mathis, was it Peebo Bryson? I don't think it was. That's the first song that came to my mind. Well, I mean.

Where is the love? Remember that one? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I do. Or Jessie, you could suggest a song from the last 50 years, maybe. No, Donnie Hathaway and Roberta Flann. That's right, yes, yes, yes, yes. Love, you said you give to me.

Or, okay, what about, what about, let's come bang up to date. Shadows falling, baby, I stand alone. Oh, now you're talking. Out in the street, everybody you meet got a heart of your own. You want to be a hero. Making a crime to be lonely or sad. Ain't ought to be illegal You've got a reason for living

You're very good You do everything With the love with building I think I'm a lot We used to put in Barbara We used to put the frigging tree up to that Guilty was my big We're guilty

Our love will climb any mountain near Or far We are gotta have Yeah, I love it Gorgeous Have you ever met Barbara? No, nor Barry. No, Barry.

I'd rather meet Barry. That sounds like, well. Oh, Barry. You said that very well. I met Robin, Gibb, because he was on, like, because the beaches wrote Ireland's in the stream, so... Of course. Robin did back in both...

Bitches wrote it! I can realise that! Yeah, now think about it again. Oh my God, but I thought it's a country. Maybe when I met you, there was peace unknown. I said I to get you with the fire to... Yeah. So Robin did backing vocals and he was in the video. So I got to meet him, which is really good. And we did top of the pop singing that and oasis were on it and take that. Did you feel bloody rock and roll?

It was something. And I said to him as we were about to do it, I said, oh, I'm quite nervous, Robin. And he said, do you know what I do when I'm nervous? I said, no. He said, I turn what if into so what. I love that. Oh, that's such a good motto. Have you gone on to open mic nights since and thought that's the wise words. Who would like some pecan pie? Me? I, for one, would love some of your pecan pie. Jess, would you get a little jug out? What if I eat the whole pecan pie?

So what if I eat the whole pecan pie? Just get a little jug, darling. Now, can I ask, will it be sufficiently moist? Rob, do you cook? No, I've flirted with cooking over the years. years. It's something I'd like to do. And when I do it, I enjoy it in a kind of therapeutic way. Do you? I like the beginning. Yeah, because I'm not, if I had to do it all the time, but I think if you can treat yourself to just doing it now and again, I love the beginning, middle

and end nature of it. Do you barbecue? Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm Mr. Barbecue, but that doesn't count. Yeah, yeah. We, we, um, gas or a cold? Gas. But I actually went to, I went to a day-long course. It was given to me as a Christmas present once at the Weber Academy in, uh, The Webber Academy. And if that doesn't give me a free new barbecue, the thing does. I know, Jessie, that is such a weapon. It's a good thing. We've all got Webber.

It's a day long. Yeah, it's great fun. It's really enjoyable. And I switched to gas after that because we were always charcoal and a little snobby, if I'm being very honest. The Webber, have you got the spirit? The small one. No, it's got a big. Oh, you've got a big one.

I got a big one. Yeah. And the general opinion at home is. that I've got better. Really, since the academy? Well, no, since lockdown, because we did more of it in the lockdown. The difference is I take a bit of a chance now as to whether or not it's done. As opposed to cremating it, I'll air on the other side so that there's a lot more flight.

It is always. It's always done, but I don't overdo it in the way I used to. Have you got a meat thermometer? I don't need it. I've asked for, oh. I go on instinct. Do you do like the poking of the finger? He's an instinctive meat.

I'm an instinctive. You can tell I've had a drink, I'm starting to get, I'm having to pull myself back from certain jokes. Oh, no, carry on. I'm waiting for them. I am with the barbecue as I, no.

Yes, so I've got better at it anyway. And my wife says, oh, you've got better. You've got better because there's more flavour. Yes, I do. Yes, I do. When you graduated from the Weber Academy, what do they? give you as a symbol of your graduation.

I think they basically try to sell you stuff is what happens. They say, well, you're so good, Mr. Briden. Would you like to buy this? They don't give you a hat and tongs. They might. It's a few years ago. They might have done. But seriously, they taught you, for example, the importance of cooking with the lid on.

And all the stuff you can do with indirect heat. So as opposed to just, you know, you put it on the side. You put the thing at the other side and you have the heat down at that end. So it's just like an oven, really. Yeah. But also chocolate pudding. done. Oh what?

You're kidding me. No, seriously, in the barbecue. Have you done it since? Yes. Once. Does anyone want a bit more ice cream? I'm done, mum. Oh, no, no, I mustn't.

I, I, I'm like landscaping my garden and... So the children can't use it. But I, my landscaping designer... Alice knows where I was going with that. Nobody else does. Oh, what, let me hear. Okay, yeah, bejewled rice, landscape. Got it.

I look, Radman, so Alice could Whereas you two were, you know, blissfully underwear. I wanted to talk about my, my, my, my layout. I think it's completely like that. Look, if you want to talk about your layout, please don't let me stop you.

It's Christmas. I think you probably could get diabetes after that. I really love pecan pie. Good. So thank you, mum. Thank you for dinner. It's too sweet. Well, you could, it was sweet, but, you know, in moderation.

Yeah. So. Anyway, back to your layout. What is your karaoke song, Rob? We ask everyone. My karaoke song, oh, probably Delilah. Oh, God's sake. God you sing that in this show.

You really don't like. I really stick to that. I don't know. Bloody now. You look, why go elsewhere? Should we just have one chorus of it? Oh, no, hang on. No, I'd rather sing something.

Okay, go on, sing something. Well, we've already sung a bit. No, I'd like another one. Guilty is a great album. Don't you love that album? Oh, yeah. I'm a mind of information. I'm a stranger to the cost.

Been watching you, watching me, baby. A room in you high. A room with a view. It's having a home. Is that the one that's got a woman in love? Yeah. It's a ride out of girl. What does he go?

Life is a moment in time. When the dream is on. It's a lonely A place I kiss the morning Goodbye I stumble and fall But I give you it all

I am We're very low now And I'll do anything To get you into my world And hold you within It's a right I defend Beautiful vibrato

Over and over You're in too soon You're in too soon Oh that's me In too soon Anyway, okay Well Rob Bryden It's been an absolute pleasure

Oh my pleasure Losing my voice for my tour with you And talking to you about Honestly you're just lovely And thank you very very much for doing Thank you for having me So that was Rob Biden What's a fabulous guest

Second Helping There was a lot of singing Yes Talk to duet. Yeah. Yeah, we still need to release our duet, Rob. Also, Rob has his first children's book coming out in September, The Cat in the Cubber.

No doubt it will be a hoot and brilliant. So please go and get it. Thank you to everyone for listening to Second Helpings. It's always fabulous to go through old episodes. And shout out to producer Alice for getting this all together. Jessie, do you think everyone's got a ticket for your show? I don't know. Well, they haven't got long now, have they?

No. I'm going on tour very, very soon. Hence, I'm banking a few Epps before I go. Yes. Yeah, come see me around the world. America, I start with you first. Europe, you're next. And then we finish in the UK.

Thank you for listening. We are so excited to start the new season of Table Manors. Very, very soon. And we can't wait to give you a whole new feast of guests and memories. Lots of fun. Feasting.