That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - James Bye

Episode Date: April 7, 2025

James Bye (who played Martin Fowler in Eastenders) joins Gaby for a natter about all things joy. James (and his wife, Victoria) chat to Gaby about the live Eastenders episode, his character's death and playing Mr Darcy on stage. They also tell us about their exciting new project; building their own house! (they've never done it before, so any tips are welcome) Remember you can watch all our episodes on our YouTube page - including our Friday 'Show n Tell' nuggets of joy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I cannot tell you how delighted I am to welcome Mr and Mrs. Bye. Hello. Now, Victoria, it's not that I don't love you. Okay. We've just met it, and I'd love you. Yes. I love Martin. My partner's not there anymore.

Okay, right. Here's the thing. I've never missed an episode of EastEnders. Even though I'm 33, it's been going 40 years. So I'm not really... I started watching at minus 7. But congratulations on the most extraordinary episode, I think, will go down in history of EastEnders.

Thank you, yeah. It was very special. And for me, it was something that I just felt truly honored to be a part of, regardless of the outcome. You know, it was an amazing episode and a proper team effort. So, yeah, I think you're right. I think it will be something that EastEnders will be proud of forever. It was a hell of an episode.

Oh, it's there in the handful of episodes that people will talk about for years and years and years and never ever forget about. Yeah. And we had no idea. So I was on morning live and after the first bit where I, live on air, I kept saying, no, they can't. He can't. Please no, please no, please no.

And I was saying that. I got so many messages. People say, don't worry, we're on your side. He's got to survive. Obviously, Victoria, you knew all about this and you all had to keep quiet. And as you know, Dave, I've got friends who were in the show.

None of them told me. If I'd known about that, I would have come outside and I would have gone on strike and sit down strike. I was so upset. I cried. Yeah.

I did cry. And the reaction seems to be, you know, across the... People have to take time off work. There were like self-help groups and we've got pictures of people having memorial services for him. It was huge.

Yeah, it was huge. But listen, the Silver Island is, it was an amazing story. You don't get that sort of reaction unless there's, you know, some form of sacrifice. And obviously, it's something that I was happy to do. It's something that we agreed, you know, the producers. Yeah, yeah, I'd known. And it was, you know, I was super excited about doing it. And obviously, to get to do those final scenes with Lacey, obviously, like my bestest friend on the show.

And we've been through so much as, you know, on screen, off screen. it was just the right time and it was the right story and I think it was I mean like you say the reaction sort of says it all really and I think because it was live like you said even though we knew I think both of us still couldn't believe it was actually happening

Did you watch it? Well so I was on set with him so I was it was just crazy You were actually there And I still couldn't believe it was happening I asked the show and I was like listen And after everything, you know, after this live episode, like, I need Victoria neat, like, near me.

The minute it's cut, I need to know that she's near me. Which was a sacrifice because it was actually our son's birthday as well. Bless him, by the time that went out, he would have been in bed anyway. Which one? Yes, so many. Which was it? It was our six months. But, yeah.

And you've put so much into it, you just knew you were going to be emotional. Yeah, no. And listen, anything like that, I mean, that's something. that I'll probably never get to do again in that sort of On that scale On that scale So I knew that

When you're James Bond It would be Well there was a petition There was a petition going around Doctor Who James Bond We just talked about this Mr Darcy

Like got that one You got that one Which we will talk about Yeah you're right There won't be anything of that Like that again No so it was absolutely I was adamant

And they were brilliant And I said look I need Victoria there And they were like Do you want it to be on the floor And I was like That might be bit too much, you know, because it was a tiny little studio that we were in.

Just me, Lacey, the, obviously, the essays and the guest artists. Sorry, supporting artists, yeah. And then we obviously had the crew, and it was a tiny little studio. And I just thought it would probably be a bit much for Victoria. Do you know what I mean? I was in a little caravan outside, just waiting. Yeah. That's all your life, which we'll talk about in the moment.

Exactly. We do. You know caravans very well. We do. So you were just outside and a caravan. Just outside. And then the security said to me, do you want to go in? And I said, no, I don't think he wants me right there to watch him

because it was such a raw moment. And because it was live, the added pressure. Were you nervous as well? Oh, my God, I was terrified. And I knew what was happening. And I wasn't even doing anything. I was just sat backstage drinking a glass of Prosecco to calm my nerves. Oh, I love that.

But yeah, I was terrified for him. Were you nervous or you just went with it? Oh, yes. It's funny when you're in that situation because there's that fight or flight kicks in at a certain point. So we'd rehearsed it for a couple of weeks. So Lacey and I knew like how amazing, not how amazing it was, because I don't mean like that,

but it was written beautifully by Lauren Clee. It was directed incredibly by Lance Neesha. So we sort of knew that all we had to do is say the lines in the right order. And the audience would go, you know, it would be, it would have an effect. We didn't quite know the effect. So leading up to it, we were nervous. But I think we sort of, like I know her inside out. I know what she'd just come back from having.

She just come. She was, I think, five weeks. something like that, so she had a baby, and we'd shot all the stuff while she was heavily pregnant, you know, with the Vic falling down on us. So we'd been through a lot leading up to it, and it was that moment where we sort of, and on our help, you know, we held each other's hands throughout the whole life and it was very much like a team effort, you know, almost like from the beginning, like when I first joined, I had to, um, screen test with lace and Julia Crampsey, who was the casting director at the time, put us in a room and like cleverly

went, well, just leave you for a second while we just sort some scripts out. We were in there for 45 minutes, the two of us just chatting, chat and chatting before we even did a screen test. So I felt like I knew her straight away. And she's a huge part of our life. Yeah, she's one of the, she's, Hugo's, funny enough, his godmother and her chickens as well. Oh yeah, exactly. She gives us, she brings me the eggs in and the, yeah, the spring onions. She keeps us fed. Yeah, the lovely spring onions. Massive, ridiculous. I wonder what she puts in that soil because there, I've never seen spring onions like it. And another career waiting for her as a farmer. Yeah. But no, she's lovely and they've been part of our lives

for so long. So I think for her, I mean, when it was funny because at the end, James, you were quite together. You weren't tearful. But when me and Lacey saw each other, we both just burst out. Well, the hilarious thing was, Victoria walked in. And course, like, as you rightly said, you don't know the reaction when you're doing it live.

You just like, well, we've done it. No one messed up. Everything sort of seemed to go to plan. And then Victoria watched it. I looked at Victoria and she was just deadpan, like, complete. And I was like, oh, it couldn't have been that good then because, you know, I thought you'd be emotional. And I've turned around and I've talked to one of the crew or whatever

And then I've looked back in Lacey and Victoria are just hugging And I've never seen two women cry with such intensity And I was like, you know, it's a little bit of it as much as I didn't want to see It's trying to hold it together for you when I walked in like Okay, just smile, it all went well And then I saw Lacey and just couldn't stop But you must have felt emotional after that then Yeah, yeah, of course, yeah, because it was like,

It was almost like as much as I didn't want to see my wife in tears I was there was sort of a moment of relief I was like, oh, few, so it did hit. Yeah, and then obviously then it was an emotional night. I don't know. We put a lot of stuff on Instagram of like the party after where, you know, and I sort of used that as my leaving do as well, so everyone turned up. And it was a really nice evening, but I got to like hug all the Martin's wives and James's wife.

I think I had you, Nat, Louisa, Lacey, all just like in a big huddle. He has many wives. But lovely, lovely girls. I mean, you know. Just incredible, all of them. But you, what worked so well, actually, the, the story. line that you had throughout just was never, it didn't, it never hit. And you thought, why are they doing that? Just that's a huge compliment to you as the character because you were very, very, very much loved.

But also the way, I mean, you've got, you know, Lacey and Natalie, two people I know, I mean, Natalie, I know very well. Just, hello, going to play. It's not going to work. No, it's not. It's really not. It's such a giggle. Well, Dom Trouble Collins, obviously, we know, Don, we know, Dom, Don, very well. And he was the one who, you know, facilitated that relationship. And I remember the next exec coming in going, that was a masterstroke putting, yeah, Stacey and Martin together. Because you'd never normally have seen them together. Like from previous, you know, you know, when James Alexander used to play, I don't think they really have much to do together. You were the Ross and Rachel.

Yeah, that's how we used to, that's how late and I used to call it, like, the Ross and Rachel of EastEnders. I was so wanted you to be back. I was so, I know, that's why I just couldn't believe it. happening. It was like, oh, they're going to get back together. They're going to get back together. They're going to... I know. It was just...

And I kept thinking it's going to be a show. Do you watch it now? We tune in when we can, but like, to be honest, with four kids, you know, two dogs and we're fighting Netflix, Disney Plus, you know, all the others. It's also weird because obviously it's the funeral and everything at the moment, which is really

hard to watch because we can't really bring ourselves to watch the end of Martin. Oh, I know. We sort of said goodbye to him. and then to watch it all play out on screen and see everybody don't watch it. Well, I find it super weird because obviously like, you know, the art department of message music going,

can you send us any pictures of me, not Martin of James? And I'm like, well, that's just, I don't, that's odd. You're going to put pictures of me like cut Victoria and the kids out and just have me like in the show on top of the coffee. Oh, that's so weird. So I was like, you must have pictures of hello. I know.

They've got enough pictures of you. There's enough pictures of been stood in front of that fruit and veg store to laugh. Yeah, no, exactly. So, yeah, I think that sort of hit a chord, and I was like, you know what, I don't think we've watched. You've done it. You've left. We've done the hard bit. And Lacey message me most days, like,

with pictures of her on set crying, even now. And I'm like, but. Do you know, it's going to go with you forever in the same way that, obviously, Angie's character and then seeing her on the 40th, seeing Anita Dobson, that flawed me as well. That's made me cry. Oh, yeah. Oh, that's lovely, lovely Angie.

But, but, but. It will stay with you and actually celebrate that because you did, you were, you really were brilliant. You were so loved and, well, Dom Treadwell Collins, as you know, is a very dear friend. I love him dearly and I'm very pleased you brought you on board as I'm sure you all are. But now you're on to the next thing. So, that's it. And there are more doffs. I only gave you four there and there are nine.

Until the shower scene, like from Dallas when he comes back in 20 years. No, you can't. No, no, they've done it by Cindy. We definitely can't do that. I've done my time. No. I've loved it every minute. Like I say, we thank the people that got us involved.

But I've done my time. You really have. You really have. And I feel like I did everything I needed to do on that show. And did strictly during it as well. I did strictly, which obviously you wouldn't have ever got that opportunity. Had I not and met some amazing people. But like you say, we move on to the next chapter.

Mr. Darcy. You know, what the hell? What the hell am I doing? Well, you wouldn't have. I mean, I think he's all right, you know. I know. It's your favourite book though, isn't it? Yeah.

After Matilda. I mean, who doesn't fancy Mr. Dawson? Everybody. Come on. He's like the ultimate sexy man. So you're going on tour. So it's May to September, you're on tour. Yeah, so we're at the mill.

The mill at Sonning, which I... But the whole time? Yes. Are you not moving? And then we move. Yes. Yes. Sorry, no, sorry.

Few. All right. Okay. Well, it is, Gabby. I'm trying to get my head around for myself. So I'm at the mill for two months. That's right. Yeah, and then you have a bit of a break. A little break. And then we go on tour and we're at places like Richmond and Guildford and Cardiff and Windsor.

Gorgeous, gorgeous theatres. You know what I mean? We're very, very lucky that. And you'll play Mr. Darcy. And I'm Mr. Darcy. And all I keep getting asked is, am I going to come on with a wet shirt? Wet shirt. I think, you know, I'd take my water pistol with me. Maybe we would do that. How are you going to do all of this?

with 4,000 children as well and living, let's just, this caravan thing. Yes. Just, okay. So, alongside the fact that you did, the live east enders, that's now gone. The alongside the fact that you are going to be, one day, going to be James Bond and Doctor Who, that's lovely.

Obviously. Why not? And you are Mr. Darcy, which is fantastic. I'm so looking forward to seeing that. But you're living in a caravan and making a house. You're building a house. Making a house. You're out of paper.

We just thought this year It's something we've wanted to do for a long time And because we knew this year was going to be our year for change That's what we kept calling it We're like Everything's changed He's like he's been trying to talk me out of this for months I was like this is it

This is what we've been waiting for Let's build our own house You know you're going to have a bit of time off A bit of time off That's not much He's very handy with a hammer and a screwdriver You're building that not yourself Well so the dream is

For me to do as the majority of the work. Obviously there are things like legally and like building regulations that I can't do. Yeah, I mean, we've seen you on Instagram and you're both of you and your joint account, but I didn't think you'd actually build a

real house. We're going for it, Gabby. We just thought, you know what? Funnily enough, my parents built their own house. James' parents built their own house. James' sister was conceived in a caravan. I'm sure she wouldn't want me to say that as she was. No, it's true, yeah. And so we decided, do know what?

For us, it's such a precious childhood memory and we want the boys to have that same thing knowing that their parents and them have created something. It might not be, you know, the most 30. It's probably not the wisest decision for us to do in terms of our mental health. Yeah. At this precise time,

because obviously I'm about to go and do a play and we're all going to somehow live in a caravan. I'm not convinced that's the right call, but that's what we're going to try and do. Camping's fun. But what is interesting is, building your house now is not as boring as it used to be. Like, you know,

there's so many different options, so many different avenues that you can go in. And I think that's sort of what we want to explore really. And we're going to document the whole thing and we're going to put it on and we've got a YouTube channel. We're going to... This should be on telly. I'm sorry. This should be on telly. Everybody would watch this.

Oh, for goodness sake. If anybody's listening, they should put it on television. I'm not sure we want to put... I'm only joking. You know, but genuinely there is something like really interesting, like even just us researching us for ourselves. Yeah. We're like, wow, it's completely changed. Even the foundations of a house no longer have to be on those concrete cement.

Yeah. There are other ways of keeping your house, you know. I've watched Grand Designs a few times. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Well, that's it. What a really nice, the big things that they keep the trains. What are they called?

Those big. Pylon things. No, no, the big, the big box things. No, the big box things. The big box things. You know what I mean? I know what you're on about the containing. Thank you very much.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, no, but you say that and it's absolutely true, like, because obviously part of it will be, you know, affordable, you know, trying to do it affordably. We don't want to be going and spending millions of pounds because we haven't got millions of pounds. But, you know, we want to be able to do something that's also sustainable. You know, we're looking at getting animals.

Yeah, we're going to have, you know, rainwater gullies and solar power. Good. And we're going to be little bit of things. right. I think every house has this. And we're going to final it in. I keep saying it's... You're going to use that for your water.

Yeah, exactly. And then love the idea of sewing panels. We've got to come on our roof. Love it. And we're going to have a little vegetable patch, get some chickens and just try and live like... You got Stacy. You can...

That's it. She'll give you the eggs. She can teach us. Yeah, that's it. And then, you know, we'll be growing mega leaks. Yeah, no, yeah. So, so that's... Oh, who knows?

We've never done it before. So it could take... Yeah. We thought the idea of living in a cabin. caravan over the summer would be fun. We'd camp out every night. We'll have like barbecues and then... Where do you live? I mean, this is the UK we're talking about. I love your fantasy of having barbecues and being outside. Yeah, I'm definitely a glass hospital. Victoria is more. James is the realist. James is the realist. You say negative. I am a realist. You are. You say to me,

well, you can build it, babe. Okay. I have pain. Okay, here's a thing. I want to know. You say caravan. Now you do have, I'm jokingly say four. You've got four boys. Two blind dogs. Two of you and the dogs. Yes. How big is your caravan?

So yeah. Well, we've not actually got it yet. So that's very much in the plan. It's in the process. So at the moment we're packing up. We're selling our house. Yeah. We're looking for land.

And once we find the land, then it will be go. Go time. So hopefully this is all time well with my tour so that I won't be here. No. So we're hoping. By the end of the summer, we'll be in our caravan, ready for our... And you're talking about static caravan. You're not taking the caravan on tour with you?

No, I mean, we're not... Yeah, no, it will be very much a... No, goodness, no, I wouldn't survive. The kids need to be away from me while. I mean, we don't really know the caravan market that well. Can you get, like, you can get all right caravan, I don't have a caravan. I don't know any... That's why we're here, Gabby.

We thought we were going to... Yeah, I know. Me and caravats, we're like that. But no, isn't it? You just get... You can get them all sorts of size. But you don't mean you're going to be slopping it around. No, it's not going to be like one of those old ones from the 80s

on the tourer. I thought that's what you meant. Jeremy Clarkson would just take it all with me on tour. That's like I thought you meant. I think this could be a thing, you know. Imagine the Royal Bath is a pull up outside with the caravan. We're just going to plod it up here for the week. Yeah, just like lowering the dogs out to do the business on the doorstep.

But this is really, I mean, I'm sort of, I'm joking around with you, but I mean, it's a huge project. But how exciting. Yeah, and now's the right sort of time, isn't it? I just think it's going to be an adventure and something that the kids will hopefully remember. You know, we may have to turn to the bottle to get us through it. No, I think it'll be fun and, you know.

Have you always been like this? You're just a ray of society, aren't you? Victoria is back. Yeah, I think I do see the positive and everything, which I think winds James up. It does. No, it doesn't. I'm incredibly lucky, you know, because I'm natural. not like that. I am definitely like,

what is the limit that we can go to? What is the ceiling? You're like my husband and we're skipping in the street. Exactly. But Victoria doesn't have a ceiling. So where I've reached my limit, I'm like, right, baby, that's that. She'll go, what are you talking about? And, you know, but listen, if it wasn't Victoria, we wouldn't be living in the house where we are. And now, you know, we wouldn't have moved.

We moved from London to Manchester, back from Manchester to London. But we just, we sort of, Victoria gets in itchy foot and then. These visions and then things happen. So where is, where are you thinking? Are you back down in the south? In the south? Yeah. You're going to build?

Because the kids are at school, we don't want to disrupt that at the moment. And my mum and my dad moved down from up north to be with us. Randomly in a caravan. Lovely. It runs in the family. They moved a caravan on our front drive. We would let them live with us, but they were like, no, we want our own space. So they live there while they were house hunting, and so they live down here now.

Surely they can all help, both families can help you because they've built houses? Can you just get everybody involved? Well, that's the plan. Both my uncles, one of them's a carpenter, the other one. Oh, you didn't say that bit. Yeah. No, no, no. We got people in the now.

But they're both sort of semi-retired, so neither of them really want to be that involved. We are going to be pulling some favours, and I'm going to do scatter cushions. Yeah. That's it. That's all you're giving to the whole house. I'll put it a dot a few candles about it.

I love that you're doing this, and I love the way that you look at life. But, I mean, obviously, the acting side, you're not going to stop doing that. No, no, no, no. I mean, you know, I left Descenders with very much like, let's not stop. not chapter two, but, you know, let's go back to, you know,

and I trained obviously on the stage, you know, at drama school and stuff. So to go back to that for me is like a bit of a blessing. We can't wait to, I don't know, I feel quite comfortable in that sort of arena. Telly was all new to me. And then we'll just see what happens from there, really, you know. And James Bond? I mean, I have read online that everybody's putting your name forward for James Bond. Yeah, I think it's between me and Tom Hardy.

So we're saying, no, I don't. Henry Cavill. Yeah. James Bar. Yes, I see it. So me, this is a little story for you. So me and Henry Cavill, when I left drama school, we went up. We were the last two, this is what I was told at the time.

But his first thing, or one of his first things he did was called the House of the Tudors. Do you remember that? Yes, I do. And we went up for the same part for that. Wow. So you're one step removed from me. And Henry, I might as well be Superman. Oh, yeah.

Superman, Fruit and Vegman, Simple. At the time, genuinely, I was gutted because I was perfect for that role. I was like, I thought my audition was great. And then I found out who got it. And I saw Henry on screen in the show. And I was like, well, no one's got a chance against him. He's not, you have. You shouldn't be allowed to act.

No, no, no, no. So will you be, all jokes aside, are you going to just go for everything? Or you're not going to just say, okay, it's theatre time, it's TV time, it's film time. We're in, you know, like this industry is the reason I'm part of it is, you just don't know what's going to happen. Like my mom and dad, it stresses them out because they're like, well, what have you got coming up? I'm like, well, nothing at the minute.

But that's exciting. Exactly. And then 24 hours later, I ring him and go, I'm doing a play by the way. And they're like, why didn't you tell us? I'm like, because I've just found out. And there is, don't get me wrong. It's not for everyone because there's no security. And fortunately, we've got, you know, like Victoria's doing really well.

And she's got potentially a book. Yeah. Oh, how exciting. We're having. So, yeah, I mean, we... Yeah, so we've got, you know, we've got stuff going on. And I think it's, like you say, it's exciting. Oh, I think I take it as that.

I mean, I'm really one of those people. Because it's the same industry. And when you're working, there is nothing greater than the job you're doing. Yeah. And when you're not, it's the worst job in the world. Yeah, exactly. But you have to go through those things. Yeah.

And you obviously passionately love what you do, don't you? Yeah. Well, I mean, I'm very lucky to, to, you know, have been paid. to do this job because I remember as a kid when I found that you could actually get paid to do it I was like what you know I used to spend my youth imitating mimicking, you know, Rick Mayle and Aid Edmondson in Ottoman.

Yeah, can you still do that? No, I don't think so. I mean, he was on the show. I mean, Aid Emerson, I got to meet him and that was, you know, I was like... He wrote, James had a poster of Bottom that he loved and he took it in for Aid to sign for him and we had this vision of having it up in our house and language on it.

I think he does it deliberately. You surprise me. You surprise me. So yeah, now our children can all read that it very much had to stay in James' dressing room over the year. I love that. You've still got it in the house. Yeah, absolutely, yeah, of course. So you two, now, the thing,

it's very funny when I was looking up about reading about you two, it says everywhere they met and four years later they were married. It's really, yeah. It was a whirlwind, honestly. We met randomly. well this is sort of part of the next thing. Oh, so the next? You know, we brought something for you.

Oh, that's for the next. Okay, oh, don't say. We won't give it away. I'll save that for Friday's episode. But yes, but once we'd met, which we'll fill you in on later, it was a real world when we were living together within six months, weren't we? And we were so young, but at the time we felt so old. I think we were 22.

Yeah, just for babies really. And a perfect example of Victoria, in the glass half full. She was like, let's buy a house. And I was like, oh, whoa, whoa, let's meet with his parents first. I mean, like, what, anyway, and then six months later, we're living in a flat and battersy. Yeah. Like, I was like, how have you managed for that?

And I went on my first ever holiday with a girlfriend on my own. Like, I'd never done that because I was never really, you know, I was from bathing sex. So I don't know, something about that, I just didn't, I was never like flighty. Do you know what I mean? I was just like, oh, I'm quite happy at home. I was like, no, come on, let's go on holiday and you booked us a flight to. to skiathos, didn't we, went to

skiathos, just the two of us. And I was like, oh wow, this is, this is all new to me. And then, yeah, like, and then we... And then it was, yeah, it was just really fast whirlwind and then I convinced him to move up north where I'm from. But then it was sort of over to him because I'm like, well, let's get married. And, you know, you have to ask me at some point.

So I, you know, screenshoted the pictures of the ring that I wanted and really... It took him forever. I set up some perfect moments. You did, you did not. No, hang on, hang on. It didn't take me. I love that.

So no, shush. Go on, you go. You set up moment. I was literally like, there was one moment. We were outside the pub. It was snowing. There were carol singers. And I'm like, this is the time.

Let's go. And he's like. You said that to me. Pretty much. No. Yeah. You said something like, this would be such a beautiful moment to get. And the hilarious thing was, is I already had the ring. Yeah.

The ring was back at our house. Did you know? I know. I mean, I sort of had an inkling it was going to happen at some point. So I just kept sitting the moments up thinking, just run home, do this now. But then when it actually happened, we, well, you tried about four times, didn't you? Yeah. I tried one time.

We were on holiday. And so Victoria loves being near the water. So anything on water, I think we will probably retire near the coast, hopefully when we're older. Don't ever retire. Well, you know, when the kids have gone. But so we'd gone on holiday and I'd found this guy and I was like, right, I'd hired a boat. And we were going to take Victoria out on the sea. post, you know, really super romantic.

And then Victoria got, and when I say severe, severe food poisoning to the point where she didn't not leave the apartment, she didn't leave the bathroom for three or four days. I know, it was awful. And I had to run out. And we were running out of time and the holiday had to run out to this guy and trying get my money about, which I think I got half foot back. He took a deposit. Anyway, and then so we ended up having to go home, didn't we?

It had to bring the ring all the way home. Did you know that that was? Oh, my word. So this was before the moment that Victoria was talking about Christmas. So you still had the ring in the cupboard for about six months, didn't you, waiting? And you hadn't seen the ring? I hadn't seen the ring. I don't know how.

And the worst thing was when we'd gone through security, he'd had the ring in his pocket and they'd pass it down. They must have seen it on the scanner, but knew that they couldn't say, what's that in your pocket. Yeah, there's a few of those moments. And then obviously, because I was so adamant that I wanted to do it by water or on water. Because we, you know, we talk about it so much. You have to have a little theme, don't you? You had to have a bit of the theme. So it did take months.

And obviously at the time, I wasn't acting that much. I wasn't earning all that money. I was scaffolded in full time to sort of pay the mortgage and stuff. And then we always go away every year to Scotland. So I've been doing it since I was a kid. And we've inherited that and we've taken all kids now. And then I was like, that's the moment to do it. Because Locke Lomondon, I don't you've ever been.

Yeah, it's beautiful. I mean, it is. Lovely. You know, people just don't appreciate how gorgeous Scotland. but I mean in particularly Lottloman did and when we went it was the coldest it's ever been like the snow was like a fun no two feet

deep when all the trees were like you know when it's so cold that the trees like look like they've got leaves on they're just white or it's all gone it's all frosty and I was like I've got to have to do this now but it was like minus four or something so anyway I took it to it and I had this picnic basket and I was like which is so uncharacteristic of me and I thought you'd cotton on

but I had this big trench coat on and I said well come on let's go for a little picnic in the snow and stuff and he just goes along with it like okay so I walked down I found this really remote little part right by the lock like swans were swimming around I mean it was you know like you couldn't have asked for a better moment

and then I like pulled my jacket off and I had a suit and tie on and I got goosebumps yeah and then I and then so I mean I felt like it was worth the weight and then yeah I got down on my knee and and proposed did you say yes before he asked I mean, I was so ready. I was so annoyed that I hadn't had my nails done, though. You know, when you're like, honestly, they were chipped and not.

Oh, you're so lovely. All the times that I'd set up, and then this moment I just wasn't expecting it, which was the best way. Do you know what? You two not only should have your own show about building your house, but why aren't you two hosting a show about other people? Make it happen. No, but other people's homes. Yeah. Because that would be great.

You've done homes under the hammer. The hammer? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was a really nice thing because obviously they knew I'm into my DIY and I did scaffolding and I got asked to do it and I was like, okay. It was like, it felt like quite. You could do some more? I thought, obviously at the moment with the play.

You can't. Yeah, but I'd love to. But you two together. Me and Victoria take over. I mean, we have lived in some houses. Well, we worked out, didn't we? I think we've lived in nine. Yeah, quite a few.

We've moved house nine times. And how long have you been together now? Well, actually, coming up to 20 years. Nearly 20 years. And you've had nine properties and you're now building your tent. Exactly. Exactly. We'll stop at 10.

Hopefully this will be the... Oh, how wonderful. The forever home now. Do you know what? I really, I would watch this because you're both so delightful. There should be, you know, be more Victoria, I think should be a... Oh, I would love that. I would love to step back in there.

Victoria is actually the star, really. Oh, bless you. No, two of you together, but I love your attitude to life. More people like you. Break a leg I won't say GL but break a leg with the play And when it is announced that you're James Bond

Of course you'll let me Yeah that would be great And you Just a good luck with everything In your book Yes I know my book Hopefully will be coming out And I'm just doing more writing

Which is great Which is what I love Storytelling Just getting lost in the imagination And Well you are a writer You went to you know That's what you do

Yeah, that's what I do. That's your job. I just like telling stories, really, and just making everything just, you know, make believe. It's a lovely place. But you have a magical way of looking at life. And I think that, you know, that absolutely is what writers need. That sort of, you have obviously a vivid imagination.

You planned all the engagements and everything. I love it. You two have got to have your own TV show. Thank you, Gabby. Let's talk. Let's see who I could get you in touch with. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. It's been lovely to meet you.

Thank you.