Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - Stephen Mangan

Episode Date: July 23, 2025

It’s the final episode of Series 17 and we’re bidding adieu with actor, presenter and author, the gorgeous Stephen Mangan! Fresh from filming his latest series in Grenada, Stephen joined us for a BBQ lunch. We heard about his process when writing children’s books, choosing to go to boarding school as a child, his recent stint in the West End in a play about thrupples, how he plans to run a marathon every year for the rest of his life, and mum manages to get him to tell us his confession - a la his Radio 4 series ‘The Confessional’. Thank you Stephen for being a fabulous series finale! Stephen’s new series of ‘The Fortune Hotel’ starts on the 6th August on ITV1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Table Manners. I'm Jessie Ware and we have reached the final episode of Season 17. How are you mum? I'm okay darling. You're cooking today. Yeah. I'm a bit relaxed. Good. Had a nice weekend, haven't we? Yeah, we had my youngest's...

Fourth birthday. Fourth birthday. Made an incredibly moist cake. The cake was the moistest cake I've ever eaten I think. Did you notice yesterday every sandwich and every piece of cake went... Let's bring it back to you for a second shall we? Your sandwiches were incredible, you do make an incredible finger sandwich. I don't know why I do that. They were bouncy, they were delicious. People were shoving two in at a time. It was amazing.

Yeah but look the cake that was a good recipe wasn't it? It was a BBC good food. Yeah it was just a quick easy chocolate cake. It was great and then my son requested whipped cream well cream and salted caramel and I thought god you you don't know how good you've got it mate but it was actually a really good combo. It's delicious. Anyway so we did that so I'm slightly fatigued however I did prep this food yesterday. We have the brilliant Stephen Mangan who we've wanted for years to come on. Just have got such a crush on him. I do too. I find him so attractive.

Okay well hold it down. But I think I find Nathan attractive. Really? Yeah. Did you watch the split Barcelona? I was, no I think he was wrong do you see by Hannah. She was, she always had one foot out the door. For people that don't know who Stephen Mangan is, where have you been? He's been in the Green Wing. He plays Noel Coward plays. He's a very good presenter. I've watched his two tv shows,

He's a very good presenter. I've watched his two TV shows, Fortune Hotel and Portrait Artists. But you see I loved him on the confessional. What's the confessional? It's on Radio 4 where you have to make two confessions that you've never confessed before. What were his confessions? Not him, he interviews people and they confess. I'm gonna ask him his confession now because no one's asked him that. Stephen Mangan has been on your screens on the stages now also does game shows. He's an author of children's books. His sister illustrated his children's book. Is it about the fart that changed the universe? Stephen Mangan is coming on. We've been on the Sunday brunch together twice, really bizarrely. He has got the best head of hair

on a man that I've seen in a long time. It is a mop. I am in charge of the food. It's been really hot in London. So I decided to do a barbecue, but I mean, I'm cheating, because I like my gas barbecue. It's Thomasina Meyer's recipe that was in The Guardian.

It's lamb burgers that you do with ancho chili flakes, you do with ground coriander, cumin seeds and garlic. I forgot to put rosemary in there, but you kind of do that all in the pestle and mortar with onion and a bit of olive oil and you make lamb patty burgers and we're going to do them on the barbecue. And then inch batter rolls with this

delicious yogurt dip that's yogurt cottage cheese jalapenos garlic and mint so it's kind of fiery but deliciously minty. It would be if it's tomasina. It's really good and then you've got some chili jam so if you want a bit of sweetness to counteract it just it's gonna be good and then done a potato salad with dill mayonnaise and gherkins and onions delicious and then just with a salad that I haven't made yet. Fabulous. And then you've made That's Stephen Mangan. Dubai chocolate. I can't wait to try it.

Well, I think... Have you tried it? No, I think that I should have made just two rather than making four. I didn't want it to be thick but I think I should put more filling in but we'll just have a taste and see what it's like. Great. Steven Mangan coming up on Table Mothers. Stephen Mangan, thank you so much for coming on. My pleasure. You've just been for a run.

Yeah, I've been for a run this morning. In a very blazing heat, I ran all the way up a hill and then down again the other side. Are you training for something? I do run a lot. I ran the marathon a few weeks ago. Why? That's two good responses. One was, ooh, I'm sort of, you know, impressed. And Lenny, you were like, why? Why?

Because it's really... Who for? Which charity? It's for no charity. You selfish bastard. You did it for yourself. You selfish bastard. You did it for yourself. You selfish bastard. I did donate money but I didn't do any sponsorship because I do a lot of those. I do about five or six a year and you can't ask people five or six times a year. You think you can. Well I just write

a cheque myself. All your fans would send, I'd have sent money in. I'm a fan. Really? Yeah definitely. So how was the, because it was hot this year, right? Yeah, it was hot. How was it for you? It was great. It was great. I followed a pacer. So he... What do you mean a pacer? Oh, you have someone running with you? At the start, there are people holding up signs saying three and a half hours, three hours forty, three hours fifty. And you pick the time you want to finish in and they will run the race at exactly that pace. So you don't have to worry about, am I going too quick, am I going too slow?

Is that cheating? No, it's not cheating, you're still running it. They're not running it, they're not carrying you. It just makes you know that. Are they obviously like seasoned runners then? Oh my God, they are amazing. That they know how to do their run at that time. So they're doing marathons all the time.

Yeah, they can obviously run way quicker than the time they are doing the pacing for. So I followed the three hour and 55 minute... Do you have to pay them? No, no, they're just provided by the... The only trouble is there's a gaggle of people who are following them and who will shove you out of the way to make sure that they stay close to their pacer. So I run a little bit in front of the pacer and keep looking over my shoulder to make

sure I haven't disappeared into the distance but I did that I followed him and I stuck with him until about the last half a mile and then you sprinted and then I left him for dead, gave him a dead leg and ran off no then I am I just dropped back and I was so hot. So what's your time? 356 and 22 seconds. Under four hours. Yeah it's not bad for an old bloke. Is that every time? Do you get better and better each time? No, you don't. Last, no, I ran it when I was 30 way quicker and then I ran it a couple of years ago trying to show off to my children and you know be a good example about doing exercise and you know it's never too late and you can do all these things but I got so overexcited in the first half of the race, I basically limped. I walked the second half and they were waiting for me

at mile 25 and I hobbled over to them. You know, supposed to be the big hero. I hobbled over to them, gave them a hug, started crying and hobbled up again. People seem to cry a lot when they run marathons. You cry a lot because... What is it? It's like having an emotional enema. Oh, OK. You literally... it destroys all your emotional defenses.

The first year I did it, you crossed the line. Remember they used to give you that silver foil blanket. I was like, the silver foil. Were you trying to wipe your nose with it? I don't know. Then they gave you me a cheese sandwich and I was like, cheese sandwich? I was so emotional about everything

because you are just exhausted. How many have you done this year? I've done one marathon and about three half marathons. And how many have you done this year? I've done one marathon and about three half marathons. And how many have you done in your whole life? I've done not that many marathons, only four marathons but I want to do one every year now. That's the plan. Okay. How are you going to go and do Tokyo and Boston and... I'd like that. Yeah my friend does that and it's really fun because you go on holiday too. Bit of a trip. Chicago's fun. Yes. New York's great.

New York, Paris, Dublin. Yeah. Chicago's quite flat, I think, isn't it? Quite possibly because it's quite flat around the lake, isn't it? Yeah, I do Amsterdam though. I do the flattest. Very flat.

Too many temptations along the way, unfortunately. Should we get you into doing it? Should we not? I think it is too late for that. Congratulations. Thanks, yeah, I loved it. I love it. So how long did you run for today? An hour. A little, an hour. Little cheeky 10k? Cheeky up and down.

No, how many, how many k's? I did about, I was about 10 and a half k. Oh, I'm so jealous of you. Yeah. It's great. It's hot today though. And then do you feel you can eat everything you want? That's the problem. I do eat everything I want. Well that's good. And it's not good. But you'd need to, you'd need to. Yeah. To be able That's the problem. I do eat everything I want. That's good. It's not good. But you need to. Yeah. You need to.

Yeah. To be able to have the energy. The danger bit is after you've been training for a marathon, you've been running five, six times a week and then you do the marathon and then you can't run for a bit because your body needs a rest but you carry on eating the same amount that you worked before. Okay, fine. That's the danger. And you carb up?

You carb up, yeah. Yeah. What was your meal the night before the marathon? Pasta, pasta, yeah. I had some pasta. What did I, how did I cook it? Maybe with a ragu, like a meat kind of something or other. Are you, are you a good cook? I can't remember.

No. Is your wife? Yeah, she's great. Right. Yeah. Thank God for that. I know, she's really good. What did you have for breakfast today?

What did I have for breakfast? I had a bowl of Greek yogurt with some blueberries and strawberries and some granola. And you've run 10k on that? Yeah, and I haven't had anything else since. Oh my god, I'll get the burgers on. Okay, right, whilst I get them on, you can ask Steven anything. Was it wonderful filming in Grenada? Yes.

We've been. Have you? No, I need to ask about been. Have you? Have you? Have you? Did you take this gig just so you could go to the Grenada every year? Of course. Yeah, okay fine. I mean what? How is that even a question? It's a gorgeous place. It's amazing. No, in fact, you know, the second series is, yeah, B.O.S. is very, well, out in August. Fortune Hotel. Fortune Hotel, so it's an ITV show. It's, yeah, there's 10 pairs who all get a suitcase, one suitcase that's a quarter of a million pounds in it,

and they have to try and hang on to that case and not get the early checkout card, not be thrown out. It's a lot of fun. And we film the first series in Grenada, and then we film the second series in exactly the same place. But I think if it goes again, we'll go to other parts of the world, yeah.

Fun. Yeah. Why though? It's beautiful. Well, the thing is, you know, we do all those challenges. You know, we're on speedboats and yachts and they're running up hills. And you need different places. You need different places. You run out of... And is that place really called the Fortune Hotel?

No. No, what's it called? It's called Silver Sands. That's right. Yeah. Where did you stay? Oh God. We were in a cheaper place. We stayed in like the main, not far from the airport.

And I stayed in two places. It was like an all-inclusive thing. We went with some friends and it was fun. But I can smell the spice when you land there. You can smell that cinnamon. It's the best. And the nutmeg. And the nutmeg. And it's just so delicious. And it's not very, has it got more spoiled? I don't think so. Because Georgetown was kind of very understated. Yeah. No, it's not flash or it's not, it doesn't have the big money players staying there.

No. So it's not like some of those Caribbean. I mean, it's the only Caribbean island I've ever been to. So I've not, I don't, I don't think I've done, it's not somewhere I've ever gone. Yeah. Or had aspirations to go. It's kind of quite low key, isn't it? Very low key, very friendly, very relaxed.

Everyone we met was a treat. And we were there for a month. Did all the family come out? No. You're so mean. I know. What, you went during school term? It was. You were so mean. I know. What, you went during school term? It was, well, I mean, I didn't arrange the timing of it, but it did fall during school

term. I have to say the hardest work I did on that job was finding somewhere to FaceTime my wife that didn't have a rum shack or a palm tree behind me. To make us so generous. I had to do a lot in cupboards. But you know, we were working six days a week, 12 hours a day. We're not kind of... very hard work. Yeah, Barry.

You're very... your warmth is lovely on it. Oh, thank you. Because it doesn't bring out... those sort of games don't bring out the best of humanity, do they, always? Well, I'm... in some ways, I'm the worst person in the world to host something like that because I just... I don't like people not getting on. And I don't like people being upset., I don't like people not getting on. And I don't like people being upset.

And I don't like people being too confrontational. Yeah, wrong gig. It's the wrong gig, because whenever anyone would be upset or start to get emotional, I would want to sort of make it okay, but of course that stuff makes really good television. Yeah, I know. So, you know, I have to sort of sometimes sit on my hands

and let it unfold in front of me. You're always well done, and that was great. Well, you know, you get to know them sometimes sit on my hands and let it unfold. You're always well done and that was great. Well, I'm always, you know, you get to know them well and you really want them to do well. You do. You're really invested. But did you have a favourite that you want to win? Yes. Oh my goodness.

Who is it? I'm not, I can't say. No, I can't. I can't. I like the two girls from Wigan. Yes. They were at the cleaning company. Yeah.

Yeah, you smell the pies. It's really well cast, isn't it? Yeah. And when they're doing all their tasks, are you lying on the sunbed? No, it depends what the task is. I mean, often I'm on the beach as they're, you know... Tough, yeah. It's very warm and I'm trying not to sweat through, you know. That must be hard, yeah. That's basically my job is not to look sweaty. Because you can't look too much like you're on holiday. No. You have to look like you're a host of a competition. You have to look like you mean business of some sort.

Yeah. Who approached you to do it? Is it because you're so good at portrait artists of the year? I love you on that. Do you know what? It was the guy who runs ITV, Kevin Ligo, who I knew back when I did Greenwing, he used to run the production company and made it.

And I think he thought of me and sort of, there was an approach. Yeah, and I'm just always curious about stuff that I sort of things I haven't done. I'm always up for trying something new. I've never done anything like that. And you know, as you said, the fact that you spend a month in the Caribbean to film it doesn't, in November,

which is not a month anyone goes. It's an awful month. I can't wait till November in Britain. No, unless it's your birthday. Unless it's your birthday, it's a pretty grim month. Yeah, it is a grim month. But how would you describe yourself, Stephen? Are you an actor, a TV host, an author? I'd describe you as Scylla Black.

Scylla Black? Yeah, you do everything. Do you sing? Do I sing? I do sing a bit, yeah, but not, you know, not to your kind of... Scylla Black, Scy Black. Silla Black. Yeah. You do everything. Do you sing? Do I sing? I do sing a bit, yeah. But not, you know, not to your kind of. Silla Black. Silla.

Ask Stephen. Are you still in the theatre at the moment? No, finished in April. No, I missed that. Yeah, did a run. We did a play, a three-hander. Yeah. Nikola Walker, Aaron Doherty, playing,

we had us play about a throuple. A throuple. A throuple. Oh my God. How was that? Yeah, it was really good. Did you have any ideas? It didn't, I mean, I, you know, we had quite a few throuples coming to see it.

Oh really? Oh yeah. Were they right in fan mail? They would come and tell us what we got right, which was quite a lot apparently, and what we didn't get right. What did you get wrong? When you say we, you didn't write the thing.

I didn't write it, no. I mean, it's about the idea that, you know,? When you say we, you didn't write the thing. I didn't write it, no. I mean, it's about the idea that, you know, it was called unicorn because a single woman or a single person looking to join a pre-existing couple, they're called unicorns. Is that what they're called? They're called unicorns, because they're quite rare. I didn't know that.

And, you know, it's obviously not just about the sex, it's also about a long-term relationship. And we had people coming who'd been together in a three for 35 years. So peculiar. Yeah, we had three women and then we had two women and a bloke. I've heard there's fours and fives out there as well. So they just meet different needs in relationships. Yeah.

But was it hard because you were starring opposite your... Scream wife. Scream wife. Nicola Walker. Nicola Walker, who was Hannah, from the split, the BBC, how many series did we have? Like three? Three series in a special.

Yeah, fantastic. There were too few in my book. And can I just tell you, I'm still in love with Nathan. Are you? Even with the earring. I went off him in Barcelona. Did you with the earring? Yeah, and I was like no Jesse he was so wronged by Hannah. My husband has an earring actually But he has had it since he was 19. But he can probably pull it off in a way that Nathan just can't. Nathan couldn't. No way. I was so upset about the earring. I tried so hard to get the earring taken out. I was upset about your earring.

They didn't actually pierce it. No, thank God. No. But that was another tough gig a month in Barcelona. Oh. Tell me that. I've had a really jammy year. Will it be another one? No, I think that's probably it.

Playing opposite Nicola, you know, your on-screen wife. Yeah. And obviously the characters are different to Nathan and Hannah. Yeah. Was it hard to, I mean you're actors so possibly not, but to find a different rapport? Was that quite thrilling to do it with somebody that you've worked opposite? Yeah because the stuff we're talking about and doing is so different. I mean there's a lot of, the play had a lot of us each other telling what, telling each other what we'd like to do to each other in bed right which you couldn't imagine happening on the split it was quite it was quite racy at the

play in places maybe this is what hannah and nathan needed a unicorn and also we had erin talk to you so brilliant adolescence wow isn't she fantastic and the crown she was fantastic she was great in the crown yeah so, and a totally different sort of vibe, but just great to work with someone I know that well. Because sometimes as an actor, you're like, Steven, meet Sarah. You and Sarah have been married for 15 years. Right, action.

And you're like, oh, hello, nice to meet you. And then you're trying to fake this intimacy. Whereas Nicola and I know each other really well. Before I feed you, we just need to start at the beginning. Who was around the dinner table? Where did you grow up and what were you eating? Okay, so we grew up in North London. I grew up up in the suburb.

I mean, I was born in Ponder's End, which is near Edmonton. Okay. Norman Tebbe, who just died, was from Ponder's End. And Jesse Wallace, we're the three, the only three I know about. Okay. And we moved from there when I was four to Enfield.

My parents were Irish, they'd come over in the 60s. Dad worked on the building sites, mum worked in bars. Had me, they got married when the mum was 21, dad was 24, had me a year later. And I got two younger sisters. So yeah, there was the five of us, my Irish parents, and we'd sit the three women on one side and the two men on the other for some

reason which meant there was a little gap between me and dad on the bench because there's bench three of them and the bench the two of us and I would always be reading a book all through meals, always. I'd always had my head in a book when I was a kid. God, I wish my kids had their heads in the book. I know, but it feels a bit rude to me, you know, sitting there at the table reading. My understanding is you were the golden boy because you were the only boy and you came from this Irish Catholic family and you were treated like a prince. I mean a bit, I can't deny that. That is true, yeah. Yeah, absolute prince.

Yeah. Yeah. How do I know this? There's a lot of pressure Yeah, absolute print. Yeah. Yeah. How do I know? There's a lot of pressure with that as well. Yeah. There's a lot of pressure with that to succeed and achieve and not to muck up because you feel like letting everybody down because you're the one who's supposed to be,

you know, getting things right. Yeah, and did you? I mean, you know, sometimes academically I did all right. I got a scholarship to a posh boarding school. My sisters went to the local state school. OK. And I got a scholarship to a boarding school. I wanted to go to a boarding school because I'd read too much Ina Blyton.

OK. And I thought it was going to be really good fun. Is it a Catholic boarding school? No, it wasn't. What was it? It was a Church of England boarding school. And you were allowed to go? Yeah, I know. I think mum cried for a month when I left.

What were you eating around the dinner table before you went to boarding school. And you were allowed to go. Yeah, I know. I think mum cried for a month when I left. What were you eating around the dinner table before you went to boarding school? Before I went to boarding school. So mum was a good cook. But we would have, in my memory, we had quite a sort of regular rota of dishes. The same thing every month? Yeah.

Well, we'd always have a roast on Sunday. Which roast? Well, quite often beef. Oh, because I think that was kind of seen as, you know, you'd sort of made it if you could manage to buy beef. Well cooked or rare? Well, too well cooked for me and dad. We liked it, you know, barely. Pink, yeah. Very pink. But my sisters wouldn't go for that. So I think it was, they were pretty

good though. It wasn't, it wasn't sort of burnt to death. Yorkshire's? Yes, Yorkshire's roast veg, the whole shebang. Can your mum make a good roast? My mum made a fantastic roast. Yeah. Dessert? Yes, there'd normally be some sort of, she'd make a crumble or an apple tart or yeah, something like that. Yeah. So she was a good cook. She was good cook, really good cook. And then Monday, we used to have this thing, and in my memory, we had it every Monday, but it can't be true, called Victorian Diabla,

which was this leftover beef recipe that she'd come across. And I can't really remember what it was in it, but I just remember the name, Victorian Diabla. Diabla, so it's something to do with the devil. Yeah. So is it spicy? Yeah, sort of, I don't really, it's some sort of grave sauce that went on the name, Victorian Diablo. Diablo, so it's something to do with the devil. Yeah. So is it spicy? Yeah, sort of.

I don't really, it's some sort of grave sauce that went on the beef and I didn't really like it, but. Okay. We used to have fish most Fridays. Yeah, you would? We would. We had what we called our favorite dinner. Our favorite dinner was a shepherd's pie.

Was it? Yeah, or cottage pie. Cottage or shepherd's? Cottage, so that's with beef. More beef. Yeah it? Yeah, cottage pie. Cottage or shepherd? Cottage. So that's with beef. More beef. Yeah. So we'd have that.

She always had a hole in the middle. The mash would have a hole. I don't know why, but the forked the mash, put it in the grill at the end so it would get crispy on top. Yeah. But with a central hole for some reason.

I don't know why. Okay. Steak. We've got a lot of beef now I'm thinking about it. Do you still eat a lot of meat? Well my youngest Jack who's nine is half boy half meat. Yeah, it's all he eats. So you have steak a lot? We're having it tonight. Are you? Yeah. Do you like it? I do but we don't have it a lot because we obviously... Do you barbecue? I have a barbecue, I don't really barbecue, no. We should do tonight. Yeah, we should.

If you're hungry for steak, that'd be nice. Yeah, that's true. When you went to boarding school, what was the food like there? Horrendous. Horrendous. You'd also sit on these long tables with maybe 30 boys on them, long benches, like very Hogwarts, very kind of Harry Potter. And then the person at the end, the prefect, would dish out and you'd pass it down and down and down

and the youngest boys would sit at the far end. So they got very little. It was sort of saved for the big boys at the top. Where were you sitting? Well, I mean, obviously as I moved through the school, it changed. Oh, thank you. But I hated boarding school. I hate the first two years, I was so miserable.

Why didn't you leave? Because I just couldn't tell my parents that I hated it because it had been my idea. Because they were so my idea and they were upset. And they were proud you got a scholarship. Yeah exactly I didn't want to sort of make be a failure. Can I listen to the confessional a lot? Oh yeah. Did you ever do any of your own confessional? No. Tell me one. I love Marion Keyes. Did you like that one? Wasn't that great? She said she has no sense of direction and someone asked her the way in Ireland and she wanted to show off.

So she said, well, you go down there, you turn right, you turn left. She had no idea where she was sending them. And she said she thinks they're still travelling. It was terribly funny. That's one. So tell me one confession. Okay, I don't know. I can't. I mean when I was very young, Dad found a matchbox in the spare room with all the matches had been lit and put back into the box. So there was a big stewards inquiry about who had done it and we were all in a lot of trouble

and the wooden spoon may have come out and I never cracked but it was me. Oh my god who got the spoon? It's terrible isn't it? I'm still guilty about that now. We all did. And your poor sisters? Yes. Do they know? Yes they do. They do know now. Isn't that awful? That is terrible. I know. You're looking at me in a very different know now. They do. Isn't that awful? That is terrible. I know. You're looking at me in a very different way now. No I'm not. Are you disappointed in me?

No I'm not disappointed. I'm thinking how clever you are really to manage to get away with it. If I'd been a... yeah. Where did you meet your wife? I met my wife. She was introduced to us by Michelle Gomez who was in Greenwing. OK. Who plays these sort of mad Scottish, I don't

know what her job was in that, she was so, but Michelle knew Louise and we were at a Film Four party. Yeah. Because Louise was in a Channel Four show about nurses called No Angels. Oh I remember that. You remember that? Yeah. She was one of the four nurses and I was in a Channel 4 show about doctors called Greenwing at the same time and filmed for a party. So all the Channel 4 people who were in shows at the time were invited. And we met in Leicester Square, in number one,

Leicester Square at the party. And that night was also the same night as the comic relief party. So I was going on to the comic relief thank you party. Did you take a whiff? So I took Louise with. And that night was also the same night as the comic relief party, so I was going on to the comic relief thank you party. Did you take her with? So I took Louise with. And that was it? Well, I'd never got her details, and so I had to do two or three months of kind of detective work to try and get her number. And eventually realised we'd been in the same film together. The lowest grossing film in British history. Oh, okay. It made £94 at the box office. We were both in it. It's called Offending Angels and it starred Andrew Lincoln.

Oh I love him. Yeah he's an old friend of mine. He's been a zombie for a long time. You can have two if you need. It was made for very little money. Okay, Mum, can I just say? What? Thank you. So this is like a jalapeno, yogurt, a mint dressing that you're supposed to have with it. Right. It's a Tom and Tina Meyers thing.

And then also some chili jam. You pour that on the burger? Yeah, have a bit of that or dip whatever you want. A bit of chili jam she recommends, radishes and avocados. So like fill your boots. That's great. Well she's great. Absolutely gorgeous. Delicious. Oh god it is spicy. It's quite spicy isn't it? I like spice. Are you not massively a spice fan? No. Sorry. Did you go to Wimbledon this year? No. I went um, I was in the Royal Box about five or six years ago

And then before that I was invited by Five Live And they said if you come we'll give you tentacle tickets, but we just need to do an interview with you during the day I was like, of course, that sounds great. So we got there, Murray was playing that day I remember and about an hour into the play the producer came up to me and said we're really sorry but we had a look at the schedule and it's so packed. I just don't think we're going to get time for your interview. I was like great, absolutely, Pims, Champagne and then four hours later they came back and said we're actually can fit you in if you want to come with me now. How was that interview? I just staggered I mean I don't make any sense whatsoever. Needless to say you haven't been invited back.

What's your favorite sort of food besides steak? I mean I'll eat anything I love Japanese food at the moment. Oh really? It's just so clean and you know tasty. Have you been to Japan? No my son's going this summer. I'm really jealous. He's got a friend out there so he's going for you know 10 days because his friend's half Japanese. On his own? Well he's him and another mate are meeting.

How old are they? 17. Oh they're big boys. Yeah. That's exciting. That's really exciting. So I'll eat that Thai food, Italian, French, yeah I mean almost anything. I mean I come, Ireland is not known for its cuisine is it really? Not really. No. I'm Irish too. How are you? We've got your passport. Yeah. Me too. Great, isn't it? I love it. Have you been to Ireland recently?

I'm going in a couple of weeks. Apparently they always say when they look at your passport, welcome home. Do they? That's what Alex told me. You like that touch, don't you, mum? Now, last supper, Steven. Yeah.

Starter, main, hood, drink of choice. Okay, I think I'd go for oysters to start with. Love an oyster with some champagne. Okay. Yeah. How are you having your oyster? Maybe some blinis with caviar on them. Okay. Am I, how many things am I allowed? Whatever you want. Right. I think some some some oysters, smaller ones, I prefer them not too big, not like you're swallowing an arm muscle. Are you going for the vinaigrette or just lemon? Lemon. Yeah. But with a champagne or with a puy Montrechaun or something like that, some really nice white wine. Where's your most memorable oyster? That's a really good question, my most memorable oyster. I've had a lot of good oysters in Ireland. Oh, is that where do they get them?

Yeah, Galway Bay and all around there. So they're very fresh and my parents are from coastal villages so there's a lot of seafood arriving in small boats. Oysters with Guinness is good. Oh, that's nice. A seafood arriving in small boats. Oysters with Guinness is good. Oh. That's nice. A good Guinness. Yeah. But oysters are always fun because they're normally the start of a meal,

so they've got this kind of celebratory, anticipatory feel to them, don't they? Do you like eating out? I love, I would eat three meals a day out. Okay, so that's our starter. Yeah. Okay, main course. Main course. I'm going for the the meal that I most enjoy having with my kids which is we have a roast chicken. When we do a roast it tends to be chicken unlike my parents.

So I would go for the the roast chicken then my wife does the chicken I do the roast potatoes and the veg, she does the gravy. It's such a classic comforting. What's your pudding that you usually do with your roast? We don't tend to do puddings at the moment but if I was eating a pudding, I like your old school, I like a crumble or an apple tart or... Are you on a health kick at the moment? I just... I mean I'm trying not to, you know, I'm trying to look after myself. Yeah. Yeah. Have you got a sweet tooth? Yeah, terrible sweet tooth. Okay, so almost just not having anything is much easier. It's much easier. I got terrible... I will eat chocolate bags a bit if I'm

left alone with it. What kind of chocolate? Any chocolate apart from American chocolate which is not chocolate and shouldn't be allowed to be called chocolate. It's crap isn't it? That Hershey's is so disappointing. So wrong. It is crap. So it's a roast and what are your sides that you're having? What are the trimmings that you're having? Leeks, buttered leeks. Buttered leeks, not in a white sauce? No. Buttered leeks. Buttered leeks, just butter in a pan.

Yeah. Yeah, some green beans. Sprouts if they're done well, but it's very hard. Stuffing? It's definitely stuffing. Love stuffing. Oh my God, the stuffing, we're fired with stuffing in our house. We can't make enough stuffing. Do you make your own? Yes, Louise does yeah. And would you have Yorkshire's

with chicken? No. No. Some people do. I know and I can see why. Apparently they've got to be four inches tall to be a proper Yorkshire pudding. Oh really? They don't count unless they're four inches tall. Mine's clearly just... Mine and yours were never... Biscuits. Well they're really flat. No they were pancake. Yeah, pancake. It was soft. I loved it. It was soft. Never really were. It was like having... I got better. A Dutch baby. Yeah, it should be like a You know modern chairs, yeah But the thing is about Yorkshire's it's to get the gravy in isn't yeah. Yeah, it's just a yes It's that soaks up that crazy. So you could have it with the chicken you could yeah, it just somehow feels wrong

Yeah, I know I agree. This is the idea and they've got a tie-in with beef. Haven't they? Yeah, it just somehow feels wrong. Yeah, I know I agree. It's this they're tied in and they've got a tie-in with beef haven't they? Yeah, I agree and What's that sauce you have with beef? Horse radish. Horse radish. I always associate them with horse radish. It is for me It's the best roast. Beef. Yeah Yeah, definitely. If it's done well. The trouble is we can't have beef in our house because I like it bloody and they like it Yeah, cooked to death. Yeah. So we always have a problem. Yeah. So we've got Maine. Would you have a different drink for that?

Yeah, I'd have a red wine. Which one? Well, yeah, even though it's chicken. I'd have a Barolo. I don't think I've ever tried Barolo, but everyone talks about it. We'll get you a bottle of Barolo. Yeah, thanks mate. Yeah thanks mate. Yeah and three straws. Cheers Simon, cheers Tim we'll do a little thing perfect. So okay Barolo

gorgeous sounds amazing. Pudding where are we going? We going for the crumble or are we going for the crumble or we gonna go off-piste? There are so many great puddings. Panna cotta. Which flavour? I mean I had a passion fruit one the other day which was fantastic. So you just put the passion fruit on top? Is it still called a coulee or is that very like retro? No I think it is. It's not the same coulee as what... Where were you? I was at the Park restaurant in... Oh that's where Chris is all the time. Jeremy King restaurant in Queensway. Yeah. I like panna cotta, I like an eaten mess. I like a any sort of crumble, I like an apple tart. Would you like a dessert trolley for your pudding?

A dessert trolley is good. We were talking about this last week. Yeah, why don't we get dessert trolley's anymore? I don't know because then you choose. Yeah. Because you don't know what you're going to get, do you? You see the whites of the pudding's eyes? Yes, whites of the pudding's eyes. Yeah. I think we should campaign to bring them back. Affogato is a very good pudding. Oh it's dead easy. I was going to do an affogato today. Were you? Yeah. We could still do it. Is there time? Well yeah, mum's made Dubai chocolate. Oh wow. Well I've tried for the first time ever and it might be a bit of an effort. I've never had Dubai chocolate. Boom. I know. It's like, it's got codaffy pastry and pistachio. Yeah.

I think you're saying codaffy like it's the fucking... Codaffy. Dictator. Codaffy, but I didn't use that, I used the shredded wheat. Oh. You know what? Shredded wheat? I fancy an affogato too.

Do you? I'm going to try and find... You just need an espresso and some white... Yes I know mum. I'm going to go and get my espresso thing out. But I may have to shooch the beans. Okay. Shooch the beans.

Do you want anything else on this table? Er, no that was great. That potato salad was delicious. Wasn't it? What are you doing next, besides Fortune Hotel and your book? Acting wise. Acting wise. Acting wise. Any new TV series?

No, I mean the latest thing I did was a new quiz show or a game show for ITV called Password. We did a series two years ago with Alan Carr and Daisy Mae Cooper. Yeah. And we brought it back and they didn't quite get the format right the first time. Was this the one where you had to like, Alan did this game show? He was trying to guess him and Daisy with the, I hosted it and him and Daisy were the team captains. So now we brought it back, we slightly tweaked the game and it works so much better and Alan was too busy so we've got revolving team captains.

So we did 12 episodes of that last week. Great. Yeah, it's good. And did you create the idea? No, it's actually an American show that's huge in America. Jimmy Fallon does it in America. Oh, wow. Yeah, it's been going for like 20, 30 years over there. But it's never really been done over here. How exciting. Yeah, it's good. But give your fans some acting, Stephen, please? Well, I did the play I was away in Barcelona, I was away doing Fortune Hotel. The Fortune Hotel, if it happens again, won't be

till next year. And so I want to be at home and I also want to be home not doing a play so I was offered a couple of plays and I said no I think this autumn I'm gonna be writing because I've been asked to write a couple of films I've got another book to write and I've got another film idea so I've got three films in a book and I reckon that'll keep me busy till Christmas and I'll means I'll be at home and see my children Well, I think you've seen quite enough of me Never Steven. I mean

You know I've been on telly a lot. I think it's time to get people have your kids asked you to be at home, too Well, they not fussing you know, because I don't but I think I need to be. Yeah, I understand that. Yeah. Does Louise work? She does, yeah. We've got a production company and she works that. Okay. So hence the film.

And she's an actor as well. So hence, well yeah, the film, yes, hence one of the films, yes. But I've, plays are really hard on Family Life because you are not there six nights of the week. You're basically, you know, they go to school in the morning, you're gone by the time they come back from school, they're in bed by the time you go back from work, you just don't see them. You see them on Sunday,

and I have a radio show on a Sunday, and also you're sort of knackered. So I want to see more of my children because they're gonna be growing up and gone soon. I mean, Harry's 17, Frank's 14, you know, it's not gonna be long. We haven't got many years with them left. So... Are they clever?

They're pretty clever, yeah. They are, yeah. Do they want to be actors? I think so. Oh Jesus. Yeah. Maybe, who knows? I mean, it changes weekly. Do you think they're good? Yeah, I do, but you know, we all know that's not enough. The one thing I haven't ever done is encourage them to be child actors.

I just didn't want them to do that but you know it works with some people. I wanted to know what would we, if we came round to yours for dinner, Yeah. What, I mean apart from maybe the roast, what would you be cooking us? You can't cook. I can't cook. What would Louise be cooking? Louise would probably do,

depends how many people are over, but we like to do like a vast array of dishes and everyone can just. You say we like you did any of them. Well, I mean, I will be heavily involved. I will put a lot of work in, but it's not necessarily the creative running the show. Okay.

Now I don't sit there, you know, the big cigar going, where's my dinner? But you open bottles. I open bottles and I set things up and I do the washing up and I do the- Go to the shop if she's forgotten her ingredients. All that stuff, yeah. Yeah, and I mix and chop and peel and whatever.

Okay. Yeah, I mean, I'll do that. I'm the sort of hired- She doesn't mind delegating that to you. He's sous chef. He's sous chef, yeah. Sous chef, yeah. Are you ready for something sweet?

Yes. Okay, great. And I can eat it with impunity, having done Sous chef, yeah. Are you ready for something sweet? Yes. Okay, great. And I can eat it with impunity, having done my run this morning. Yeah, you can. And I'll try and sort out this Dubai chocolate. Are you missing it out? Oh, wow. I'm terrified it's not worked, but let's see.

It's chocolate anyway, so you don't care, do you? I'm in. You're in. Yeah. Wow, look at that! That looks really shit, but I think, do you need more coffee in that? No, that's great. What do you think? Really nice. It's kind of, it's got pistachio in the shredded kind of stuff. So it's pistachio, but it's the first time I've done it so I don't know if it,

I've done it properly. What's it called? Do chocolate? Yeah. So it's basically pistachio with shredded wheat. Thank you. Apagato. Do you love an apagato? Isn't it great? Also because vanilla ice cream is the best ice cream flavour. Yeah. I think Harkin-Dazs vanilla ice cream is the greatest vanilla ice cream. I love vanilla ice cream.

Jessie, can you try? No. I love vanilla ice cream. Jessie can you try? No. I'm going for it. Nice but I can't taste the pistachio. It's all pistachio in the middle. I love you. Yeah?

I can't taste fucking pistachio. More pistachio than next time. Less shredded wheat, but delicious. What is always in your fridge? What's always in our fridge? There is always, well, apart from the obvious stuff. Yeah.

There's always kombucha in our fridge. I like it kombucha. There is quite a lot of berries. Yeah Greek yogurt A lot of quite a lot of cheese quite a lot of parmesan because when my boys eat Nokia or pasta. Yeah get through Handfuls of parmesan. What's always in the fridge that's going off handfuls of parmesan. What's always in the fridge that's going off? There's always too many cucumbers or you know yeah soggy cucumbers. Celery and wrapped in silver foil. Yeah. And it's got

bags of you know leaves that have just been there too long. Sad leaves. Yeah sad leaves. Oh that was a bit more pistachio in my mouth. I just need to do it again but I know I can do it now and those little moulds work. Before we let you go, can you give us a nostalgic taste that can transport you back somewhere? Okay I think it has to be a biscuit, a Kimberly biscuit. Kimberly. What's a Kimberly biscuit? I've heard of it. Which are, I mean, they're not good, put it that way,

but they do take me back to Ireland. You get them in tins. My grandma used to send them over. They're kind of two brown discs over a sort of synthetic white filling. That's like an Oreo. It's like an Oreo. Yeah, but they're light brown.

They're kind of, and they're soft. They're not crunchy like an Oreo. Yeah, they're like vanilla creams or something. They're crumbly. Yeah. And they're a kind of tan colour. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And they are not good, but they instantly take me back to Ireland in the 1970s.

A happy memory? Yeah. Oh, very happy memory. So you live in Primrose Hill? Yes, moved there in 92. My mum died in 1991. I'm sorry. And me and my sister, so I moved out. She died young.

45. Oh, shit. My God, Stephen. Yeah, really young, terrible. She would have been 80 in May. In fact, we had a birthday party for her. But you know, it's ridiculous that she only would have just turned 80 all those years. I mean, 34 years ago she died.

Ridiculous. And how long did your, is your dad still alive? No, dad died at 63. Oh, shit. Yeah, he died in 2005. Gosh, what was it? Something... Cancer, both of them, yeah.

Shit. Yeah. Just unlucky. I mean, dad's one of nine and he was the only, he was the sixth of nine. And they'd all made old bones. And the rest of them yeah yeah just unlucky I mean dad dad's one of nine and he was the only was the sixth nine and they'd all made and the rest of them are all fine yeah are you close to your sister yeah yeah that's good isn't it well I mean at work with Anita she illustrates the books yeah so how is it working with your it and your family? It's great because we have our really clearly defined roles.

You know, I write it, you know, it's my story. I think of the characters, that are there, write the whole thing, and then I give it to her, and she illustrates it, and I can't draw at all, even though I present a show about painting on Sky. Is she very good? She's really good, yeah. So she does what she does, and I do what I do.

And we don't, it's not like I'm going, give me that pen, I could do it better. And I've spent the whole, all the books are just trying to make her laugh basically. Or, I mean, she told me she found, that she told me that horses are notoriously difficult to draw. So I wrote a whole book about reindeer. Just because.

I'm her older brother and that's the whole point of being an older brother is to be annoying. Why did you decide on Primrose Hills? Because it's fab! Because you saw the Oasis were hanging around. It was that era? In 92, my mum died in 91 and then a year later I moved out of home because I'd just finished university when she died. I took a year out to look after her and sort of take it at hospital, six months from when she was diagnosed to when she died. And I applied to go to RADA and during that, you know, just after because I was like, I was supposed to be a lawyer, I'd done a law degree, thought I don't want to do that anymore. And I kind of never wanted to do it really.

I wanted to be an actor, but I didn't have the guts to do it. So I, and then I moved into town. So I was going to Rada. I moved, I shared a flat in Chalk Farm with a friend of mine. Actually, the three of us in a two bedroom flat, we used to rotate, we'd take a month each. You'd have a month in the living room and you'd a bedroom for a two months yeah the one you know 22 whatever

you could do that then yeah so you slept on the sofa for a month and then you go room are you rotated rotated but that's right next to Primrose Hill and then my sister and me my youngest sister and I bought a place mum left us a little bit of money we bought a flat and I've been there ever since. Were you into Oasis though? Were you like, this Primrose Hill, I need to be where? I mean it was... Have you been to see them? No.

I couldn't get to... I'm not... So no, that wasn't the reason why. Yeah. Okay, you won't. But no, I... yeah, I mean it was a great place to be when I was at drama school and when I was a young actor. It's a great place Yeah but no I yeah I mean it was it was a great place to be when I was a drama school and when I was a young actor it's great place to be when you're single and it's a great place to have a family and

I just can't leave I've just been there so long. It's gorgeous. Yeah it's changed a lot a lot of the sort of more arty people have gone and there's more you know bankers and lawyers. Has Edets gone? Edets wine bar? No Edets is still there. Yeah because I remember the original owner of that because he came from Manchester, his name was Brian Classic. Yes. And he used to drive a sports car. Right. Yeah, but David Bailey used to always be in there. Yeah. And he was a friend of an old boyfriend. Well, he lived on Cliftham Road. I'm on now David Bailey. Yeah, it was full of people like that. Fiona Shaw was there and Alan Bennett was around the corner

and it was all that kind of. How exciting for you as like a young actor. Yeah, totally. To be surrounded by some amazing people. To go to the menu. Yeah. I love that. I love them.

They're all so grumpy. The waiters are, yeah, what do you want? They are grumpy, Joe. They are. And then when I started doing Portrait Artist of the Year with Joan Bakewell, she lives in... Does she? She lives in the square, Chalcot Square. And I went round for a cup of tea with her and she was saying, it's not been the same since Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes.

I was like, I can't compete with that. Yeah. Did your mum know that you were going to pursue acting? She didn't. No, the last she knew I was going to be a lawyer. Okay. Yeah. Would that make her happy? That I was an actor? Yeah, because she was the one who used to take me, we used to go to plays together. Oh, you used to go to the theatre.

She was the one who got me into all of that reading. And she had a real artistic kind of hunger you know she really bright woman terrible no education she left school at 14 and the schooling she got was pretty rubbish but she just had she just loved books she loved theatre she loved so she took well you know enthuse me with all that stuff so she'd have absolutely loved it yeah. I mean you're pretty spoiled in Primrose Hill for good spots to eat at but is there any places that you would recommend to anyone? That are in London or Ireland that people should be going or do you want to keep them to yourself?

I'd really want to keep them to myself, but then I don't think I know anywhere this particularly. I mean I like You know anywhere you go in where you feel they care about what they're doing, and sort of whatever cuisine it is. I mean, the trouble is now we are so inundated with chains that I would just urge people to go and eat at places that are family run and, you know, have a bit of individuality to them. Yeah. But I mean, yeah, you do have good spots in Primrose Hill.

We do. We have a good cafe in the Primrose Hill. We do. We have a good cafe around the corner called Sam's Cafe, which is good. It's very laid back, very, you know, they also don't try and have a menu that's 16 pages long. It's like one sheet of stuff. And, you know, that's good. I go there quite a lot. You like to stay within your postcode.

Yeah. I mean, the thing is when you're working... Yeah. If you're filming, food is all sort of laid on for you. So you don't tend to have to wander the streets looking for something to eat. So when you're writing... Yeah. Do you nip out for a bite just to make it... Yeah.

...to move about? I do. Just to get out and to see people. Yeah. Real people. But I'll go... I'll write on the top floor of the house, I will take up a tray full of snacks and drinks, coffees, kombuchas, waters, just vast amounts of stuff. You look after yourself. Yeah, I do, huge. And I just sit there for the first hour and just eat. And then once I've eaten everything,

I can then start writing. You're like an end of the worlder, but like when you're starting a new book. It's pathetic, I keep saying to myself, I'm gonna just pace it out, the blueberries, the almonds, just keep it and then just shuffle it all into my gob. I'm a bit like that in the studio where I used to like just feed everyone.

I'd be like, right, everyone needs a biscuit now. Should we like, is anyone like craving a smoothie? It was just so I could get it because I just feel that I need to have something in my gob whilst I'm thinking, I don't know. Do you have a good art collection? Have you been inspired since presenting? Lou and I don't have very similar tastes,

is the problem. Oh. So I'm always sending her pictures and going, do you like this? No. What about this? No. Okay. And I sort of know what she likes. So we do have some stuff, but I'd love more. Has anyone done your portrait? I've had a few sort of fan portraits done,

but I've never had an artist do one. You've not sat for them. And I don't want to either, having sat watching. Yeah. I mean, I love seeing people's reaction when they get their portraits revealed to them. Who was the last celebrity you had who sat? Who was the last celebrity that sat?

Self-esteem did it, didn't you? Or not? Self-esteem did it. Well, we've just filmed a new series, so I'm probably not allowed to say who sat. No. Well, I mean, OK. So we have... I mean, we also speak from Youngblood to... Oh, Youngblood. We've had him on the podcast. Have you?

My friend, actually actually from watching the show commissioned an artist that I don't think won to do a portrait of their kids. Oh, right. And it's so beautiful. Oh, great. Yeah. Well, do you know what?

It's an amazing showcase, isn't it? It's so hard for artists to get their work seen. So even if someone doesn't win, people like that, they'll look and look them up on the internet and commission their work. Can I say you're very easy to get secrets out of. Oh am I? I don't know if it's just a skill of mine but I say oh go on tell us we won't tell.

You don't know me. I don't care. I don't give you the biggest gossip. I don't mind. Well I'm not telling you anything that interesting am I? No I feel like he's been quite reserved actually. He hasn't been like me. I would have liked a little bit more to be honest.

When you were out there I heard all about his affairs and no I didn not. Stop mum! I'm teasing. The confessional was shit. No. He'd already said it to his sister, his siblings. Yeah that's true. Are you going to do another series of that? I hope so but I've not heard. I loved it. It was good wasn't it? It was so good. What was so interesting is what people chose yes you know and what. Who's your favorite? Marianne was very good. She was so interesting is what people chose. Yes. You know, and what... Who's your favourite? Marianne was very good. She was so good. Antoni Horowitz was very good. Yeah, I heard him.

Did you hear that one? Him talking about actually all his family going to his grandmother's grave and dancing on it. Yeah. She was so horrible. She was so horrible. They literally were dancing. On her grave.

They were full of joy, like, she's dead, she's dead. Ding dong the witch is dead. And he's Jewish. You wouldn't do that. So he didn't have to wait very long then. Yeah. Yeah, no, he's brilliant. His was great.

Who else do we have that was good? I mean, what was interesting was a lot of the younger people, younger comedians or writers would say, oh, you know, I did that poo in my pants when I was five at school. But then the old, like Joan Baker came on and said, you know, the thing she was most ashamed about is not standing up for women

when they were getting sort of sexually abused in the 60s in the BBC, you know, and, you know, it was part of that culture is bum slapping and arse pinching and all that stuff. And that she feels she should have taken more of a stand against it but you know so that's quite a heavy thing to bring to the table. But speaking of poo, yeah can we talk about farts for a second? Yes, yes. Your book? Finally, farts, yeah the fart that saved the universe. How does the fart save the universe?

Well, you need to read the book, but it does. One of your children's books. It's to do with the Big Bang and it's to do with some very advanced physics. Okay, amazing. Yeah, but a fart does actually save the entire universe and all of us in it. Thank God.

That started off as a World Book Day book. A World Book Day asked us to write a book and they wanted us, they specifically asked for a fart book. You were like, let's go. We're the people. So we did The Fart that Broke World Book Day and we enjoyed that story so much. The Fart that Saved the Universe is kind of what happens next. It's a sort of the story continuing. So could it be a trilogy? I think I've farted out now to be honest. Do you think girls like farts as much as boys? Some but not all. Not all. No, I mean you definitely look on your face it doesn't look like you do. No it's like perfect for my son who is interested in like the universe and farts.

Do you know what? Really tick tick. I love writing so much, I love reading so much when I was eight, nine, ten and I know kids have many more distractions now. It's much harder, much more difficult to get them to read because there's screens and there's tablets and there's TVs. So it's sort of clickbait really. You're trying to give them a title that they think, oh, that could be funny. And maybe the kids who don't normally pick up books will read it. And I always hope, give us three or four pages and hopefully we'll get you and you'll want to read the rest of the story. Do your boys read? Yeah they do but I read because I can't give up the to Jack I'm still reading to him. Oh sweet. What are you reading at the moment? Well I'll tell you what I'm not allowed to do is do many voices. Oh why? I mean I thought

this would be the great thing. I thought I would want, yes. The one thing you would say in later life, my dad did this incredible read, he can't stand it. Stop doing, just read it dad is the note. I'm the same, I take it really seriously. I put on all the accents and they always want my monosyllabic husband to do it. And then the witch came in, hello, I'm doing all of that. Yeah.

No, just read it dad. Oh my God. So upsetting. I'm the same as you. And. No, just read it dad. Oh my god. So upsetting. I'm the same as you. And like Sam has not got the performance technique that I've got and it really annoys me. Just can't sell a book. Yeah. Yeah, terrible.

Well apparently we can't either. I know, there you go. Everyone's a critic. Stephen Mange, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. Thank you. I'll probably see you on Sunday brunch in six months. Yeah, hopefully. Hello, everyone. So you may know Table Man is brought to you in partnership with Hendrix Gin at the moment, the perfect accompaniment to summer hosting occasions.

Last week Hendrix was kind enough to gift us a hamper so we hosted a little unplanned get together right here in our garden. We've just finished a podcast recording so we're having a little drink, a spontaneous drink my husband's even joined us. I'm so happy to be outside, this is our first event outside isn't it? I feel like this is really celebrating the Sun today. I wonder how many people on that aeroplane are having a Hendrix and tonic right now. Sam it's our go-to isn't it when we board a flight? It's the start of a holiday. It really is! The holiday hasn't started until we get on that plane and we order a Hendrix and tonic.

So around the garden table we have producer Alice. Hello. Hello Al and we've got Sam. Hello everybody. In my merch thank you. Shall I make a couple more gin and tonics? Yes please Lenny. We've got Luca on socials, we've got Tully and we are all gonna enjoy Hendrix gin and tonics after actually a really gorgeous podcast. Have a taste of that babes. It does taste incredible I had a sip. It's delicious isn't it? Do you like it with the cucumber Sam? I do like it with the cucumber I've not actually I don't usually make it with cucumber but I enjoy it. Hendrix is known for always having it with a cucumber. And before we get into it these are Hendrix gin and tonics made with all the delicious ingredients Hendrix gave us in our hamper last week, including their signature gin infused with rose and

cucumber. Guys, are you getting that? Rose, are you getting that cucumber? I love rose. That's actually really nice. Cheers, everyone. Happy summer. It's really refreshing.

Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. That is a perfectly made G&T though. I've never had one tasting like that before to be honest. So last week Hendrix asked us a question and we'd love for everyone's take on it around this table. What makes for a great summer?

Alice? Well it's obviously sunshine, getting together with friends. I love sitting outside a pub garden. Do you? On a light evening with the sun shining. I love a pub but I wouldn't say that's the start of summer. Cut grass for me. The smell of cut grass, nothing can beat that. It reminds me of playing football in the garden, in the parks.

I absolutely love it. Tully? It's all about a holiday. Holiday! It's all about a holiday. I've just come back from Seville though and it was 45 degrees. Woo! What's your most memorable summer, Al?

Probably finishing school at like 18. Did you go on holiday? Went on holiday, went to Tenerife with my girlfriend. I went to Malta. Did you? I know, not the most obvious choice for an 18 year old. Yeah, just that weeks rolling ahead of you with nothing planned. I know.

And like you're not really knowing what you're going to do after that and just the absolute freedom. Oh yeah. I went to Ibiza. Did you? Yeah. Good for you. And I met that fellow, that Swedish. Bjorn. Bjorn. Shifts Oh yeah. I went to Ibiza. Did you? Yeah. Good for you. I met that fellow, that Swedish. Bjorn. Bjorn. Alis already knows about Bjorn. Yeah, Bjorn Schiff. Mum's talked about him so

many times. We have a Swede. Tully, what's a really special summer for you? Trips to the south of France. Really? That's my nostalgic, just being on the beach in France. It's just, it's literally the best place on earth. It really is. I know you think Greece is, but South of France needs a shout out. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, welcome to South of France. Sam, do we have any plans to make this summer special?

Always, Jessica. I've got an itinerary, haven't I, babe? You've always got an itinerary, but we always go to Greece. So I'd say that's one of the highlights of my summer, pretty much every year. We go to the same place and it is absolutely gorgeous. And we often drink Hendrick gin. Yeah, love it. Luca, what is an essential component to the summer? Do you know what for me it's just being spontaneous. Oh yeah. Do you know what I mean? Friends call up, let's go there, let's go. I'm doing it this weekend, my friend said

let's go to a festival, love a day festival, off I go. I love that. A spontaneous picnic. That's surely the best thing ever. Come on. Picky tea. Go to the shops. Pick it all. Yes. And then all back to yours after the picnic when it starts to rain. Yes.

For a Hendrix and Tonic. Yes. A rose infused. Well, thank you so much to Hendrix for facilitating our little get together. It really is the perfect accompaniment to summer hosting occasions. And guys, we should do this more often. Cheers, everyone. Cheers.

Happy summer. Next time you've got friends over, offer them a curiously refreshing, easy-to-make Hendrix and tonic or Hendrix spritz. It tastes like no other gin because it's made like no other gin. Host refreshingly with Hendrix gin. Please drink responsibly. www.drinkaware.co.uk for the facts. Well, are you still in love, Mum?

They say don't meet your heroes, but I have and I'm still in love. Great. Fantastic. Thank you so much to Stephen for coming on, eating the food. Kind of does everything. I know, Cilla Black, mum. Cilla Black, he is. And that is the end of this season. Well, I think that was a fitting end.

We will be back in the autumn for a new season, season 18 of Table Manners. Season 18. But in the summer, we are gonna help you listen to some of the archive episodes. Oh my God, archive, you know, look at us. We have an archive like Farron Ball. A catalog, a back catalog.

A back catalog. Second helpings will be all yours this summer with some of our favourite moments on the podcast and favourite guests. Thank you so much to everyone who's listening this season and who carries on listening to us. We're so lucky to have so many of you wanting to tune in and to hear about what we're cooking and who we're chatting to and thank you to all the guests who have been on this season that you've been fantastic. We're so lucky to have you and we couldn't do it without you. No, it's just been a wonderful, wonderful season. The best. Thank you so much for

listening and we'll see you in the autumn. Yeah we will, we'll be back.