That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - A 'Cold Feet' cast reunion

Episode Date: March 10, 2026

Are the rumours true? Is Cold Feet coming back? Gaby brought Jimmy Nesbitt, Fay Ripley, John Thomson and Cel Spellman together to find out... They sat down at The Frog restaurant in Covent Garden, London, ahead of a charity lunch (for Children With Cancer) to discuss the show, their friendship and whether there could be....possibly...another series on the horizon!

Love that we're starting this podcast with Faye telling Jimmy it's like being with my auntie Dawn. Why is a cold feet reunion with these gorgeous people like being with your auntie? Well, I love my auntie. That's the first thing to emphasise. Because he's being an old woman, basically. He's just worrying about his shirt.

I was worried about my shirt. And then I realised we're not actually being filmed, aren't we? Oh, are you being filmed? Oh, are we? Over there. Oh, yes. Sorry. What's wrong with your shirt?

No, I just worry. I just, I'm at the stage where I'm not sure about the button kind of ratio to neck. I mean, do you see what I've had to deal with for 25 years? It's a bit Forrest Gump if you do it, I, too, like it. Yeah, yeah, that's better. You've got the... You're low, you're low shirt. I am, yeah, but I'm slight...

I've gone for the Tony Sopranos slight exposure of the undershirt. Vest? Vest. I'm going vest. Yeah, vest. I'm going vest. Your Irish, singlet. Kel?

Yes. He's just gone. Full open. We covered all the bases. Yeah, I like that. And that's what we do here, you know. I like that. Okay, so we're going to start this by the news that came out at the end of last year. We have to get this news out. Jimmy also has laughed at me when I said this. I'm going to start with Faye, because not that I don't know all of you really well, but somehow I seem to trust Faye slightly more. Right. Faye, Faye. Is the news true that 2026, sees the comeback of Coalfeed.

First of all, let's deal with your trust issues with the others and the fact you trust me. Like the nation, you're right to trust me, okay? So first of all, we can just sort of stop the recording after this answer. No, we can't. I'm going to be honest, I don't think 2026 is going to bring a comeback because we haven't heard any. thing about that other than from John, which will come to. I think John's very keen to get that

ball rolling, aren't you, John? We'll come to that. But I think that maybe 2027, when this podcast goes out and then there's a riot in Trafalgar Square because it hasn't started yet, then, then that will bring on the show. But it's all over the internet that it's coming back and it's going to be the next generational thing with being the sandwich generation, coping with older parents, coping with being grandparents. Now, you mentioned, John,

I have to go to JT about this. John. So my realisation of a suggestion of a return from the show was from my Nets, which is a street group, Winston Road, with my neighbours, and I just got loads of messages, congratulations,

which I didn't know what for? What have I done? You know, why? And then can you put some context into this please? They went, Cole Feet coming back, I went, well, I've heard nothing. And it was Robert that sussed it. It was a rejigged piece of like a legitimate TV guide type thing

saying back for series nine in 26, Robert went, we've done series nine. We've done it. Robert said we've, so it was rehash. It was a rehash. Okay, that's your story. That's my version of events. That's your version.

Jimmy? No, I was hugely congratulated by people, the thing is I probably just thought it was until it wasn't. But that's not to say I wouldn't love it. I mean, you know, honestly, I would... I mean, just the very fact that people responded in the way they did

suggest to me that there's no reason why it shouldn't come back. And also because, you know, it was away for all those years and then it came back and it was just fun again. And it was when it came back that you realized, well, it was good fun of me. Obviously, there were, you know,

it was very different time and we did it the first time and the second time. But at its core, it was fun, and I'd love it to come back. And now, to Cal. I'm kind of properly hearing of this, now. And I'm very excited by you. I was kind of thinking, we're on it.

But no, I think maybe my mum had mentioned it to me, and I said, well, it's the first time I've heard it, but things do come in threes. So that's, I'm hoping, at some point further down the line. Three's the magic number. Do you know what I mean? Yes. So it was finished on an uneven number, not like normal series.

So the first was five series. You do six normally. You do a set of six. And the last one was three. The last one was four. What I do think is, okay, can try and cut through the noise, is the people that still watch telly,

as we talk about it, is what we're talking about here, Colfie, on the actual telly, not on your phone or wherever, that generation still watch the telly. I just have to point out that my elder daughter, who is 23, she loves, loves, loves, loves cold feet. And when I told her that I'd read that, she cheered and she messaged her friends

who were all the same age. I agree. Some young people come up to me in the street. So, yes, good. Excellent. Thank you, Gary. More than just the old people. But the point is, I think that it would have an audience.

I actually do. And I think because it's the kind of, you know, people, it's look forward to it telly. Also, we're quite near death, so we should probably get on with it. Well, I don't know. Not care. But it is, isn't it wonderful, though, to be a part of a show that, you know, all those years later, as you said, how many years it started, that people are still love it and still want more and still talking about it, Jimmy.

Yeah. I mean, it's funny, I was thinking on the way in here today, you know, what we would be talking about and I was thinking, what I really remember most is the, it was fun, you know, I mean, apart from being fun for an audience, it was really great, it was just magic, you know, when we first got together and we hadn't done an awful lot of work at that stage. I think Helen was one. Well, John was well known on the comedy scene and all that. But I hadn't done an odd, like, you know, I'd been a villain in Boon, Lovejoy, Soldier, Soldier.

And I played a similar role, actually. Kind of a twinkly-eyed, but quite dangerous character. But I remember when it came along and we had auditioned for it and got it, just right from the off, it was just brilliant fun. And that seemed to translate to the audience. And that continued for years. And, you know, when people still come up to me,

you know, it's a long time. time ago and people come up and they talk fondly about it and I think that's why the idea of it being resurrected would be great and it's the why in the album of my memory it's still you know one of the most looming and large kind of prints really how wonderful do you feel the same John absolutely yeah yeah but one thing I'll say is that that that thing of between the last series and the new one happening I am constantly stopped and asked when's it coming back it's not going go away people there's an appetite for it and as far as I'm concerned on a business kind of model level, you should

supply on demand, really. So, I mean, I don't know what they're doing. So... Can you call Mike Bullen for us all, please? Well, I've already teased the idea of, because I've done the success of Gavin and Stacey and their reunited Christmas special, it would be better to

test the water with a Christmas special to see what kind of viewing figures to get with us. I wish you'd seen Kel's face when you said that. Do you agree? Always with you, John. Thank you. I think it would be a kind of like... benchmark test to see what the actual, or are we deluded?

No, but also, you've been back on tour with the far show, which is... Massive. Sales out. Totally sold out. Totally sold out. Yeah, your nostalgia is a huge seller. And people want nostalgia. Exactly, exactly. And quality nostalgia at that. I mean, you know, just any old tap, but this is just quality show, you know, so... But the other stuff that you do away from Coalfeed, it's interesting that people always go back. And obviously, this is a Coalfeed reunion and this is amazing, in the Frog, restaurant which we'll talk about that in a minute but people do love things that they loved they

do hold them in their heart which is special and kell i mean you are younger than everybody else for you do you get the same reaction from from your mates as well about coffee yeah and only echoing kind of what what the guys have said it um it is amazing to still feel so much love and appreciation for the show and kind of echoing what jimmy said especially why i came and came into it in its second incarnation, it was amazing to feel how special the show was for these guys, how fun it was, and the four series we did really was like, same for me, it's such a special, special and formative time as well. And I do think it is a testament to the show to these guys and to the writing that it still holds up and still does hold that special place in people's heart.

How old were you when you joined it? I would have been, I think, 19, May. Yeah, 19, 20, yeah. Yeah, I think, yeah, 19, I think I was probably 19 when I did the, yeah, with Jimmy, we did almost like a kind of bit of a screen test and chemistry test. So, yeah, maybe 19. And now I'm 30. So. How was the pilot? 297, I think. So I was 28 when I started.

That's so weird, because I'm 28 now. So it's weird the way the maths works. No, I know. I'm 33. Every birthday. Just stick to it. Find a number and stick to it. Find a number and stick to it.

That's what I said. So, Kel, I just want to talk apart from coffee. Can we have some more radio from you? Oh, thanks, Gabby. Fantastic on the radio. Sunday afternoons we used to meet on the stairs. We did indeed a broadcasting house. Yes.

You were loving it, but you were so good on the radio. And you are very passionate about radio. You have music. It's definitely something that would, I'm so open to going back to, you know, for the right opportunity came up. And I loved my show. I also, because I'd never thought about doing radio and then had the chance to really delve into the world

and find this real love and passion for it as a medium because it's so, so special radio. And I always think with radio, it's funny that how much, you know, entertainment's changed in television and film, the one thing that has stayed a constant since its incarnation is radio. And I think it does, it means, you know, a lot to a lot of people. And, yeah, it's something I would love maybe to come back to if the right opportunity presented itself.

But it was grateful. But you want to put your acting hat on. Yeah, that's kind of the focus on the energy kind of for the last little bit. So we'll see, though. You never know. Good. Please do some more. You're fantastic on the radio.

JT. After the success of the fast show, are we going to see more plays of you? Did you see it? I did. I want to see him in Belfast. It was brilliant. He was absolutely brilliant. And honestly, because the other thing is to touch back on the co-feet when it started and all that.

Because the thing is like between the... the series of like those 15 years 14 years we didn't really see each other or not and I think a lot of that was because we had seen so much of each other for five years like really intense you have to understand we all went through quite a lot I mean you know Manchester was evolving

we were evolving life was kind of evolving but also your private lives there's a lot going on in your private lives it was very public as well but also but the kind of the the collision between us and the show was quite interesting the storylines that were covered and all that you know it was an awful a lot of people we changed a lot during the show in a way the same way our audiences did you know

you people you kind of so i think when it came to its natural first end you spend a bit of time away together and then when we got back together i was certainly nervous when we did the read-through for the second uh time right i just thought what's it going to be like getting into the room together and actually honestly i swear to god and within a boat it just very very quickly it kind of like any tension has disappeared and we get back into it but then Having then finished that, again, I haven't seen them much since that finished. And to go and see John in Belfast. And he walked on and it was just, oh God, there he is.

You know, I mean, there's that out pal, you know. And he was just so brilliant. It's funny. It's a kind of, the glue of Coffey is quite interesting, I think, over the years, you know. He came to the Paladium, didn't you? With the whole family. I have to say, I was so proud. Oh, my God.

No, I paid double. I paid double. because John just wanted to cream a little bit off the top of me bringing my actual family. It was worth every penny though, John, because it was, as Jimmy rightly says, when you see your pal, you see your pal, and it's just, it's so gorgeous

and you hear everyone else laughing. And by the way, I was watching on that night, John, a few things went wrong, I think, with some props and things. It was so much better for it. I mean, I wanted more. It can go, all the wigs and be it, But you came off stage, backstage to all of us,

and you went, oh, this went wrong and this went wrong. And we were just saying, we didn't notice. It was really funny. Didn't realise we were sleeping. It was brilliant. It was absolutely brilliant. It was sensational. Yeah.

I loved it. Because I gave up stand-up solo a long time ago, because I just, I've served my apprenticeship and beyond with that, because there's so many factors can go wrong aside from your material, and you've only yourself to blame at the end of the moment. there's nothing worth driving home alone with your thoughts

after dying. No one wants that. After dying, on stage. You mean when the audience don't like? Yeah, you've been like silence and you've just like

and you've leave the venue. And then suddenly the podcast just turned. But he didn't want that and I just thought I missed live. I missed that kind of live thing because I don't really do a lot of theatre because my youngest daughter, she's just

turning 16 and I've always turned down tours. and West End because that time's precious and I'm not prepared to have that time away from her because a big one's grown up and moved here now but she's my priority

and then once she's 18 I can maybe pick and choose more what I do live wise but this was a golden opportunity and the Palladium sold out and stand innovations most nights wow that I can't I mean that's real bucket list of

but you were really funny and it was so lovely I mean we're lucky because we worked together for three years have, yes. For three years on talking pictures. But, and that was where you suddenly were funny and you did all your, you're back to doing all that.

Yes, but Lee Mac was on the pilot and I thought, I need to go back to the boy for. I've never seen anyone so fast. Oh my God, what a wits. Unbelievable. Oh, my God, I'm not talking. Lee. I thought, I'm going to have to.

I'm not that funny. Hold on. Ready for full kept you for three years. No, it did. When we did the pilot, I had an existential crisis. But your impressions. Oh, I love your impressions. Yes.

We had Alison McGowan and Ronnie Ancona and you, and your impression, please just make me happy and do one. Go on. I don't know you want. Do anyone. You can be anybody. In a fun pack show, would you meet and greet the wonderful Barbara Dixon? Do Jimmy Nesbitt?

I was the worst of times. It's the worst of times. I don't mind not failing this today. That's out my head. idea of fun. Can you do him? I have to say, this is where it's like on set. When you're on a night shoot,

you feel like you've got no life, you just go, you just fire names at John. I don't mind. And he likes it. I don't know, I like it. Get the monkey out of the cage, go on. So were you going to do some tours? You will when you'll come,

you'll do some live tours. Because it sells out, we're on a role, really, with the fast show, particularly. Are you doing more? Well, there's no reason why we shouldn't because there's venues we've not done. Okay. But on the back of it, and the response I've had,

I'm thinking of, like, creating my own kind of show, but involving everything I can do. So drumming, singing. You do the drumming? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just a bit of drumming now. All right.

There's a parody also. Right, right, right, left, right. Can we all try. What is it? Right, left, right. Right, right. Right, right. Right, right.

Right. Oh, no. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right, left, right, left.

Say that again. Right, left, right, right, right, left, right, left. And then you get so. I mean, yeah. It's actually not bad. Do you don't listen, I work with him for three years. How many times you think you tried to teach me with paradigil and I can't remember it?

Oh, yeah, all right, all right. That's easy. That's very good. That's very good. Now, all the, with everything else, we have to talk about, we have to talk about your food. It would be remiss if we didn't. I mean, did you feed the...

Did you look after them all and take them the food all the time? Absolutely not. But you did sometimes. Did I? I mean, when it was suddenly revealed, sorry, I know that you're talking about it. No, no. But when it was suddenly, it was like one of the great revelations when all of a sudden this person emerged,

this incredible kind of domestic goddess, you know, I mean, astonishing. And then when the books came out and all that, I mean, it's just incredible. Many, many strings to her bow, this one. And also, when you did the show, you know, you did the kind of the agony show. No matter, what would you call it? Oh, presenting, the talk show, I did that years ago.

Look, one has to, as an actor, have other strings to our bows. Let's put it that way. That cooking string is a hefty, mighty good cooking string. The thing about the cooking string is it's just, all that is, is just putting the focus on something I love. Essentially, all I want to do is cook for people. I have to do a bit of acting in between but whoever will have it.

I'm actually in a dilemma at the moment because I'm at a crossroads in my life which is where people are leaving my home. So I'm now having to find strangers to cook for essentially because I haven't got enough family members. There you go. Very charitable. You can sort of...

Funnel is not good at soup. That was the one of them. I don't like soup. I don't like soup. I don't like soup. Well, you shouldn't serve it in a basket. Soup in a basket was a mistake, though. Isn't that amazing, though, Jimmy knows that you don't like the...

No, no, well. So, we all know each other really well. 25 years, maybe more, I don't know, you know, including Kale, because we were all there for fundamental parts of each other's life. The good and the bad, let's be absolutely clear. True. I mean, so much so that when I was pregnant with my real life first, child, I was filming at the end scene of Cold Feet first set.

They then had to give me a child the same age because I'd had a real child in my belly. There's a proper biological reasons for storylines. And all the detail of all of life is all played out behind the scene as well as on camera. So it's a big deal. The show has been a big deal for us. But there's a very sweet thing going back to it, as we've said, is that other people's lives, you know, basically other people have got divorced at the same time as some of our cast members. And I, you know, it's like people go, oh, I, you know, I went through this

trauma, let's say, or I had my baby at the same time as you, or I had that medical condition that you were playing out or whatever it is. So I think that's where a lot of the sort of, that's where the detailed life comes from. So yes, we know each other really, really well. And like, of friends, you don't have to see each other all the time to then pick up exactly where you left off. Like, I will be able to pick up with these guys and know that they are all dickheads. Immediately. Like, it doesn't take me any time to remember that. I know.

But it's also so true, I mean, I've, you know, the way you talk about people can opt to you. I mean, the amount of men that have come up to me over the years and go, I'm all so really charming and handsome. Jimmy, I'm so please you never disappoint. You just. And humble. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it was in the first lot of Colfeet or whatever.

We were in Belfast together. Neither of us can remember what it was, but we were doing a TV show, some strange TV show. It's not the first time I said, I can't remember why I was in Belfast. I can't even remember I was in Belfast. And then since then over the years, the way you talk about Colfitte is just with so much love.

But also, when you walked in, I had to say, can you have some more Harlan Coben? but it there is a I love it when you play when you surprise people with the characters you play and when I interviewed you about the Harlan Coburn all that time ago you were saying you like to do things

that surprise people do you still feel like that? I mean again CoFoot was I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you without CoFit there's no question about that you know and you're just you hope that you can still kind of get away with it a bit and that you still have different sort of things to do

and you just get on with I mean, that's the privilege of the job, that you just hope that your next job is your first job and that you can still get on with things, you know? Well, please carry on getting on with it. Now, we're here for a charity today, for Children with Cancer. Anybody would like to talk about the charity?

I can just say that, you know, it's in the title. This is an easy one to give your time to. We all work with different charities, but some phone calls that go, can you step in and can you do something for this? for this. It's just a no-brainer. This is obviously at the heart of life, basically. It's children. They're not well. Why wouldn't we do anything we can to help? And I would think that anyone listening would feel the same. It's an amazing charity. They do unbelievable things for unbelievable people.

Thank you very much. Also, we're here at The Frog. Now, we're going to get George in. Let's get George. Johnny. George. He's going to talk us through this. The food. Where's that? Or hey. Here we go. Here's George. George. Hello, George. What an entrance. That's so nice.

Yes, George. Everybody, George is here. Okay, so tell us about the frog and what these guys who've never experienced this extraordinary place because you've got all sorts. I mean, they're world famous. Come on. Come on. We're excited to have you here. It's going to be great.

Adam's gutted he can't be here. Recently, we've just got a new mission star. in our restaurant in Cornwall, which is amazing. We just have to, we have to give it right there we go. So Adam is based in Ugly Butterfly, which is our restaurant down there at the moment. He still pops back, but it's important that with that new star, and it's only the fourth star they have in Cornwall now.

So it's amazing. He needs to protect that as much as we can now on the new opening. But Frog, we've been here 10 years next year, which is wild for any fine dining restaurant in London anyway, but it's central Covent Garden. That never existed when we first moved to Covent Garden. So we're thrilled and next year full of celebration. But effectively, the restaurant is all about redefining British.

So when we say that, it's about, you know, everyone around the world knows us for roast beef and fish and chips. We do more than that. You know, we do do that as well very nicely. But here is all about redefining British. So thinking about the farmers, the fishermen, the growers around the country, utilising British ingredients as much as physically possible, but just doing something more interesting with it,

making something beautiful out of humble British ingredients and then showcasing we're in the West End, so we must have theatre in the frog, as you'll see today for the lunch. It's going to be excited. But also your waste, as it feels very passionate, about zero waste and about reusing things that most people don't use,

and he doesn't throw away the peel, and it's all of that, isn't it? Yeah, 100%. I mean, sort of the motto over the last few years has been sustainable British luxury because we should be intrinsically working sustainably in hospitality as much as possible. As Gabby said, utilising every part of every,

whether that is appealing, whether that even is a bone at the moment in the frog. We take the bones, we infuse them into vodka, we make martinis out of that, oyster shells, everything that can be used that's normally thrown away. It's really important in Adam's philosophy that we think about that in every move that we make. And I think what we've been doing is educating a series of chefs in front of house over the years to then spread that throughout the industry if they do move on from us. And I think if you see our name on a CV, I want people to think, well, they're going to know what they're doing with everything.

To think about costing, but also to think about the environment as well and make something interesting and fun. And the supply chain, presumably, where it's all coming from. Can I say, everything you're saying is the sexiest thing that I have heard in so long.

I want to kiss you, but I'm happily married. I'm going to say I'm happily married, but it's so good to hear because it's also, and I am aware of this, it is so hard to do what you're doing and stay open, simple as that, and do it as well as you're doing it.

So congratulations. It's a big deal. It's a really big deal. For us, it's about adapting. It's so much doom and gloom in the world. That's why I love your Instagram, Gabby, I have to say. So much positivity. And as a group, you'll never see us be negative about anything,

regardless about what's going on in the industry, in the world. We're here to inspire, educate and motivate. And they're the three key words that we use. use whether it's in the kitchen, front of house, bars, and more recently, chocolate shop around the corner as well. So lots going on and we're very passionate about what we do. That's fantastic. The other thing is, I mean, we'll all be very excited about this. Another thing that, you know, really connected us. I mean, particularly, you know, John and me, that'd be right throughout four feet, we were a wild big footies, weren't we? I mean, we're just...

We would try and go to nice, trust all the time. But we used to love it, and that we were afforded that opportunity. I mean, it wasn't all just, you know... Why do I not trust you two? Oh no, it's true. We're... You know, we were, we were being serious. We're being serious. Oh, we were mad. We were mad for going out all the time. Yeah, fine dining and looking, searching out restaurants online. Yeah, genuinely.

I've always been like that, though. Always. Yeah, massive foodie, huge. Oh, well, you're going to enjoy it. Good luck. Massive foodies, chef and Kel, who's a cook. And, Kel, you're passionate about the environment and wildlife and all of that. So hearing all of that is...

Yeah, and I love it because I think, as you say, it's easy for a lot of people to feel doing. and gloom and just bury the head in the sand, but when you've got an example of you guys showing that it can be done, it just means there's no excuse, you know, for other restaurants or in whatever industry it is for businesses to follow suit, you know? And I think anyone that's leading the way, or being a shining example is something we need more of.

And as you say, I think it will, it can't help but have a ripple effect because people can't say, well, you can't do that. You go, well, the frog are, you know, so. It's cool, cool. Very impressive. Thank you. Yeah. He's good.

When he talks, like that, I think that's my boy. That's your boy. That's your boy. I really do you know, well, it's so lovely. Thank you very much, George. It's so lovely to get you guys together because you can see the friendship shining through and you can feel... Well, it helps on screen.

If we're made in real life, you know, if you fall out if actors off screen and then you've got to try and act with them, it's hard. And also, we won't have to see someone for another five years. Well, not if the press... No, not if they bring the show... No, come on, Mike Bullen. Listen to this, write it quickly.

Write it because we all need it. We actually do need, all jokes aside, because of all the awful news and everything that's going on, we need to be able to disappear into a world that we trust, we like, we understand, we know, we care about, that makes us laugh, that makes us cry. And that's what cold feed has always done. So please, can we have some more? Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.