That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Laura Checkley

Episode Date: June 25, 2024

Actor Laura Checkley joins Gaby to talk about the joy of playing Terri "down the Dave" in King Gary. Laura also talks about her love of cleaning, how she swapped football for dancing and ended up at The Brits School, and why it's good to be a little scared of a job sometimes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Checkley, first of all, apart from the fact that I've wanted you to come on this podcast a long time, I have to apologise for being late because I was late. And then you've just told me that you're always late. Your friends always say you're late everywhere. I'm late everywhere. I'm either really early or I'm always late. And actually, I'm not late to work, so I can do it. Okay.

And I have every intention of getting there on time. I don't take the piss for my friends. but I do, I think, I can get ready in 10 minutes. I know I can. I do my makeup on the train. Yeah. That eliminates 15 minutes. Because I start hoovering.

I'm about to get in the shower and I go, I'll just hoover there. Yeah, I just find something else to do. And then suddenly I'm late. I mean, my wife despairs of me. No, why? I'd like somebody who wants to hoover all the time. I love hoovering. I love cleaning.

I nearly brought a Kircher in today as my object of joy. Oh, my God. Well, do that later. I can't be asked to carry that. It's so funny. You and Stacey Solomon, she loves that as well. Oh, yeah, she's really into it. Yeah, I do love a clean.

My mum, I grew up, my mum was very, very, very clean. And my stepdad was in the army, so, yeah. Oh, so polished boots? Oh, yeah. Well, you like that then as a child? I used to, my best friends would always laugh at me because if I had a little mark on my trainers, I'd sort of lick my finger and, you know, I'd get off the mark.

I'm obsessed with cleanliness. But that's kind of, I've kind of chilled out a bit of late about it. covered in mud or something. Huge day down. My trainers? You might not approve, but there we go. You just mentioned your wife. You've only just got married.

The wedding photos were stunning. How was the big day? It was... You know, Gabby, when I was growing up, I didn't think I'd be able to get married, so I always sort of thought that was something that was never going to happen for me. So I was a big old mess on the day.

I've got to say, because Claire's 10 years younger than me. So it's sort of slightly different, of queer. And I, yeah, I just grew up thinking it wouldn't happen. So I was an absolute mess. Did you always know that you were gay? No, it took me a while. Oh, right, okay.

I knew I was gay when I saw that kiss on Brookside. Do you remember Anna Frail and Nicola? Oh, my God, was that it? Yeah, I was like, oh, why am I? Why do I feel a flutter in my tummy? Oh, my word? Yeah, yeah. That's a lot of people say that.

Yeah, well, it was the only, you know, you've got to see it to be it, haven't you? And you don't, I didn't have anything. I didn't even know, I didn't know any gay men. I, yeah, and part from when I started going dancing and performing, I met, you know, a few gay guys along the way. But other than that, I had no reference. I didn't see anyone like me. So it took me ages to, and I grew up in a really working class background. We didn't really know anyone that was gay.

So, yeah. But did you even, because you said you never imagined you're getting married. Do you mean only marrying a woman or do you mean ever getting married when you were little? Marrying a woman, because I didn't really start thinking about that sort of stuff until I was in my teens. I was a bit of a late bloomer. I was still climbing trees at 14. And now I see my nieces and all their mate, my mate's kids. And I'm like, I said to my mate who I grew up with them, Ellie, I was like,

what were you doing at 14? She's like, we were climbing trees still. There were no phones. I was playing football, you know, obsessed. But yeah, I didn't. And also when I did start thinking about marriage, I just thought, well, that's not legal. So it's not a possibility for people like me. It's not awful that it's so recent.

But I'm so delighted it's happened. Yeah. It was the most incredible day. And I think if you're on, if you're like going, or shall I get married, shall I not do it? It was incredible to have all those people that you love. There was something really magical about watching a few of my celebrity mates talk to my auntie Irene or my auntie Chris across the way. And just loads of people from different parts of your life just coming together. It's this, it's a crazy old day, isn't it?

It's quite trippy. But it's, it was magical. And we both of us are really romantic. Well, I met her briefly the other day. You did, yeah. It's lovely. Yeah. She's sunshine.

She's like, she's... So are you. Yeah, she's more than me. I can be a bit of a pessimist, but she's like... Really? Yeah, yeah, she's always sunny side up where I'm like, well, I don't know. Oh, there's Terry. There she is.

Terry came out for a moment. Yeah. I knew it was going to happen. She's desperate. Ed's giving us that look from behind the glass. He's nodding away. So you say your showbiz mates and your aunties and things. Yeah.

What do your family make of your life now? I mean you're in massive shows. Yeah, it's taken a while. It's been a sort of steady climb, I guess. I don't really think of it as a massive... I feel like I'm just a job in actor that's been on a couple of brilliant shows. But I think they're all really proud.

But I'm from a very, very down to her family. So we don't really talk about it much. My mum got more excited that... I was on a clip on Gogglebox the other night, apparently. I love that. She got more excited at that. than me land in a lead in a BBC One sitcom. She'll go, you've been on Goggle box.

You know, my niece was texting me. But yeah, I think they're proud. And they all seem proud. They always message me after they've seen me on stuff. But, yeah, they're pretty cool about it. I love that they message you when they see you. Yeah. That just, that's family, isn't it?

That's friends. Instead of saying, oh, who did you meet? And all of that, which I can't bear it when they're not my real friends. say, oh, who did you interview? They'll just go, how was work? Yeah. Which should I like? Yeah, my mum sort of loses track really.

And my stepdad's like, what are you doing now? It sort of got to that stage where it's like, they see it as a job for me. I like that. But I think, you know, like my mum was, you know, especially when King Gary came along and screw, whereas, you know, sort of a lead character, I think that was, I think that was pretty exciting for them. But my mum underplays everything. Well done, love. Tap on the back.

That's all I get. So how did all of it come about then? So, listen, I was playing football. I lived in Hounslow. Football was your thing? It was, yeah. I thought I was going to do football. But my mate on my estate, we were kicking the football about one day.

And she said, there's a dance school around the corner. Do you want to go? And I went, yeah, go on then, all right? And I was always a bit of show off. I was always impersonating people. My mum said right from two, I'd be impersonating people. Yeah. But I used to do Maggie Thatcher at the top of the stairs for my nan.

Can you still do her? Can I? Oh, Dennis and I. Is that good? That's frightening. Let's not have her in here. Let's not, please. Blimey.

Yeah, so we went round and it happened to be Bonnie Langford's mum's dance school. And that's where I met my best friends who were still my best friend, Scarlett Strallon, who's Big West End Wendy and my friend Ellie,

who was on the telly. They were sort of working kids and I sort of arrived at this place I went, oh, she's a bit famous. Oh, I'll stick about here. My mate lasted a week and I stayed. Did you enjoy dance? Yeah, it was just sort of a way in.

But back then you didn't really have drama clubs. Not really, not where I grew up. It was like a dance school and we just did shows. You didn't learn the technique. It was like, get out there, tits and teeth. It was all that. Who cares what's happening in the feet. Just perform up the top.

And Babette Langford was, God, you know, really strict. Like, learned how to perform there. It was really old school. And Bonnie used to come in and teach us. is a really good friend of mine. Yeah. And I said that you were coming on. She's glorious.

We were on Sunday Brant recently together and it was like a full circle moment. It was really lovely. But yeah, like that's where I learnt to perform. And then of course, Babette sort of said, what are you doing next, where you're going? There's this place called the Brits School,

which is free because my parents didn't have any money. So we looked into the Brits School and off I went there. And your parents just went, yeah, go on, do it all. Did they not find it? Always really supportive. I love that. I think they just liked that I wanted to get, you know, get off the streets and do something, yeah. But it cost my mum a small fortune doing those shows, all these glitzy costumes, you know, like 50 costumes a show at Babes.

It was like, full on. And then you'd get the odd little job. We did pantos. My first ever job was with Silla Black at Piccadilly Theatre. We were played the kids, you know, the babes. And that's where I learned to perform and fight to be noticed, you know. Was it really a fight? Yeah, yeah, it was.

You wanted to be in the best. team. You wanted to be in Scarlet's team because if you're in Scarlet's team, we're in the best pant-o. And that's how it went. And she's now my greatest friend. She sang at my wedding, actually, which was always a big dream of mine. But yeah, and then went to Brits school and then

the Brits school said, what about drama school? And luckily, I got a scholarship. We were under a Labour government then, so there were scholarships galore. I mean, God knows what I'd have done now because I think it's really frightening for working-class kids. There's no inn. And that's what it is.

It's the grassroots stuff. Like how do you get in and it's so important? And also sustaining. The arts are vitally important. I think we all now realise, I mean over COVID as well and since, that actually that's what churns out money that brings money into this country, but also the amount of kids that it helps. Yeah.

And I think it aids the other classes. If a kid gets to perform and has some sort of outlet at school, I'm just talking about primary school, senior school level, where they just get to go and do drama and have an hour, outlet and do something with their emotions, you know, shout, who. I think it helps with the other lessons. I used to teach for years. I was going to say, do you still teach now?

I don't anymore, which is, I sort of threatened to go back every now and again. There's a drama school I worked out for 10 years on and off. They're always asking me to go back. And I did go back recently and directed Chicago, which was really good fun. But I haven't needed to, which is amazing. But I think you're a real giver. I can imagine you that kids would absolutely love you to teach them. Because you're very passionate about your background.

And making it to where you are. Yeah, I think it's important to give back, isn't it? That's sounding sort of wanky. But I think, yeah, I love it. I love seeing students that I've taught in the past. I love seeing them sore and following their light. It's so great. And then sometimes they'll end up in a job with you.

And that's the... Has that happened? Yeah, yeah. I did a Panto at the National in lockdown, actually. We only did about five shows and closed. But yeah, there was two students in that, and I was like beside myself, but also worried at the same time. I thought, well, you better be good here, law. You've been teaching over years.

Yeah, yeah, that's mad. But that's only happened in theatre. I don't think I've worked with anyone in tell you yet. No, no. But it'll happen, though. It'll happen. So I obviously want to go to King Gowery. Honestly, I know, say this to you every time I see you.

but Terry should have her own show. Well, I'd love that. Will it ever happen? I don't know. It'd feel weird without the others. No, but Tom could be in it. He could be in it. He could just...

He can write it. It'll be working away. I mean, you know I want more King Gary. It makes me properly, properly laugh. Yeah, well, we all wanted more King Gary, you know, is the truth. And I think, I'd never say never. We always talk about doing a special. Tom's really busy at the moment.

as is everyone else. You know, Camille's super busy. But we all loved that show so much. We were a proper family and everyone was working class on it. It was glorious. It was just kind of, yeah, all those people understood that world and it's really important. But you also exaggerated that world so brilliantly. Yeah, it's a fine line because you kind of go,

I don't want to be caricature and I don't want to. But I think when you meet those sort of working class women like Terry, they exist. They're very animated. My mum's very animated. And I think as long as you find, if it's rooted in truth, you can go as far as you like, I think. But it was never cruel. No, no.

Oh, no, it's always done with love. And that's the whole point because we were all from a working class background. And they were kind of working class people that had done good for themselves, which is kind of what we are. Oh, they were lovely. So it always came from a place of love. And, yeah, and Terry's like... Was she written for you? Yeah, she was, yeah.

She was? Yeah, yeah. So I did a job. Tell me that conversation. How did that happen? So I met Tom and James. James is the writer and director as well, co-writer with Tom. I auditioned for them for this pilot that never went anywhere. We filmed the pilot. And then they were working on this other series called Action Team. And they couldn't find this character, Monica.

They just couldn't find the right person for it. And when I did the pilot with them, they went, ah, that's what we need in this character. Would you come and play Monica? We'll rejig it for you. And I said, oh my God, of course. and that was like the beginning of our relationship really. And then I remember being in Bulgaria, a shooting action team, which was like a spoofy kind of MI5 thing.

And Tom said, I really want us to do a sitcom play husband and wife. I can just imagine a sat in bed and, you know, I want to do like a real sort of family sitcom. I said, I'd love to. I'd love that. I'd love that. So then you kind of take that with a pinch of salt and then they came back and said, we've written it. But I remember they took me to dinner and said,

oh, so action teams, it hasn't got a second series, but we're going to do a pilot, King Gary. But I remember they pushed me in the room because no one really knew who I was. I mean, really, it could have easily gone to someone like, you know, Sheridan Smith or whoever, you know, a name. So in that commission read, I knew I had to really pull it out of the bag. And were you Terry then?

Did you do the Terry that we saw on screen? Yeah, I just knew who she was. And they wrote it for me. So it was never not me, but I did have to kind of sort of get in there and just prove my worth a little bit. So that fighter from being a child was there again? Yeah, yeah. And, you know, it's terrifying those moments

because you're like, it's now, law. It's that, you know, those moments, they come along in your career and you go, it's now, grab it. And you're terrified, but you go, just fucking get it, go on. Sorry, my last way, sorry. Yeah, it's fine.

So, yeah, I'm always terrified, but I've got that brilliant fight and that I think that comes from fighting for my place as a kid, you know. I don't know, being working class, all those things. You know, sorry, I harp on about being working class. No, no, no, no, why? Don't apologise. Don't apologise for anything that you're saying. And also it's really important because other people can watch you and say, oh, it can happen for me. Yeah, I think it's really important.

And of course, you know, I'm coming from a very privileged place now, and I understand that. But I'm very, this is what my podcast is about. It's about it never really leaves you. I don't, just because I've, you know, I'm comfortable now financially, hopefully. I'm always terrified I'm going to lose on my money. Why would you look? No. Well, okay.

Yeah, but that's the working class thing, isn't it? I think if you've never been without, you don't really understand what it is to be without. But once you have, it's always that. It's always in you and it's things that I talk, cover all the time about. Working, working. I was teaching still when I was doing King Gary. I went back and I was teaching because I was so terrified. I thought, well, this is the one break you get.

And you've got to keep working. Keep the money coming and keep money. You know, that's always the ethic that I've had. Yeah. So were you with, biskint ever again? So were you two together? Then were you doing King Gary? Who? You and your wife?

When did... Yes, yes, I was, yeah. Right, okay. So she was all... She must have been so excited for you then about that as well. Yeah. It's a really weird moment, King Gary, because it was my dream,

just to be a lead in a BBC sitcom or a primetime sitcom. And when that happens, it's kind of scary because you go, where now? Yeah, of course. I understand that fear. Yeah. There's a lot of fear. Being a freelancer in the art,

there's a lot of fear. Yeah, I've learnt to let go of that a bit more now And I think being married and being happy And work's coming in so you kind of go If it happens for long enough you kind of go Oh, I think it's happening now I'm a job in actor, I can sit back a bit now You don't understand how good you are

And that's why I've fallen for you such a huge Does anyone think they're good? I don't know Some people that I've interviewed Are aware of what they're Yeah, I suppose they are a bit Sometimes in my career I've interviewed some people

who are sort of aware that they're good. Yeah, I mean, people tell and you go, oh, well, I must be good, and people employ you again. But I don't ever sit there and enjoy what I've done. Do you not to watch me? Do you not enjoy Terry? Occasionally, the moments, yeah. But all I'll do is, all I'll do is I'll just pick the floors all the time.

Oh, no. That was rubbish, Lord, that was rubbish. Leave, please just be Terry. What I loved, my favourite thing, when I first met you, and I just say, Dan the Dave, I just, honestly, it's, I don't know why, but you know when you just get a trigger thing, when you talk about going to David Lloyd and call it Down the Dave.

Down the Dave, yeah. It's just the way you say it. We're going down the dive, babe. It's just... See you down the dive. Terry just used to go down the day for a vina, though, and hang about. I know. And then, weirdly, at the end of lockdown, so we binge-watched it as a family, I think I told you.

And at the end of lockdown, a friend said, oh, come to David Lloyd. they've got an outside pool. So the four of us went, and all four of us in the car, going, go down Dave, go down Dave. But then everything about it, I mean, I was hysterical. I don't know what the pool people might there, and they were all doing selfies in the pool of themselves. And I kept laughing.

My husband kept going, stop it, what you're doing? There are people like Terry and Gary. No, but I wasn't laughing at them. I was laughing at the fact that in my head, Terry was about to walk in. Yeah, about to mince around the pool with a cocky tea and her, and, you know. Oh my God.

Yeah, she was just brilliant. She was great, great fun, like an alter ego that I never knew existed. And she's an amalgamation of all the characters I've kind of been working on over the years. But, yeah, I got to do it all with her. I got to sing and pratt about and dance. And in that pool, the Dave pool,

I had to do that, I don't know if you remember, I had to do like a somersault dive. And we did that in one take. Did you? Yeah, yeah. Very impressed. Yeah, pressure was on. We only had about 10 minutes left and they went.

It would be great if you'd get us in one law. And I did, yeah. Yeah, that's the dance. Brilliant. So from there, I mean, please, can you tell Big Tom as I was thinking because that's what he is on. Yeah, Big Tom. Big Tom D, yeah.

He's not small. He is. Oh, he's huge. You get a crook neck doing scenes with him. I did the most embarrassing. Like when I first met you and I mean, oh my God. I really did get excited. because I love the show.

But also when I met Tom, you know, when you just, I just stood there and looking up, I'm not small, when I wear heels, I'm six foot. But I'm sort of looking at him and went, I love you. I know. It was so embarrassing.

And I'm now embarrassed ever since. I think he's used to that. A lot of people do that around Tom. He's just glorious. You do just melt when you're with him. He's a big teddy bear. And he's a great guy. He's a great.

And I've got, you know, I'll always be thankful to him and Tom, James, because they, kick-started it. I was working, but they, I mean, they had faith and they really pushed for me. Well, send them my love. Will you say thank you to them? And that's really weird, but say thank you to them because I loved it so much. We all do. But I do want Terry to have her own show. I think, you know, never say never I'd love to do travels with Terry. Oh my God, I'd love to do travels. But also that, but also, which I said this morning at breakfast, with my younger daughter

who was quoting the show back, she's 17, that I would love to see. Terry doing one of the leader debates. I'd love to see her interviewing politicians. Yeah. That'd be fun wouldn't it? Yes. Yeah. What would she ask them? God, that's a really good question.

Yeah, I'll just put you on the spot. First of all, she'd say what do you like to drink? I think she'd ask that. I don't know. God, I don't think Terry's hugely political. No, but that's why. She'd be asking them human questions. She'd probably ask about their ale.

Where do they, you know, how much was it? What does the wife do? I mean, just really inane, mundane questions. I want to see that. I can't think for anything. No, no, no. I just want to see. I want to see travels with Terry.

I'd love travels with Terry. That'd be hilarious. Her trying loads of food. She's never tried before. Tea time with Terry. Giving it a go, but it's making it feel a bit gippy, you know what I mean? Yeah, and I've got it all.

Tea time with Terry. Tea time and Terry, yeah. She'd be good on, like, loose swimming or something, wouldn't she? Can you imagine they wouldn't know what had happened. Right, let's talk about screws because that was a massive, massive show as well for you. Yeah, and drama, you know.

Yeah, and it was great that it came after a brilliant comedic character that you absolutely nailed into a drama that everyone was talking about. Yeah, I think it's really important for me to do other things. I love, my heart will always lie with comedy, but when my agent who's incredible

she was just like I think this is the next move we get you in a big drama so people know you can do it I think when I did Terry I had to fight a bit to sort of be taken seriously you've probably covered this before where people do a lot of comedy but there are those that think

oh you can't do it all and I just... Oh you do musicals you can't do anything else oh you do comedy can't do anything else really bad you can do it all and I don't think they do that so much in America, they let everyone sort of go, yeah, we can do it all. But here it's like, you know, stay in your lane.

So, yeah, so it came along. And I was, I never forget, it was the day we were filming the wedding for King Gary, which is one of my favourite moments in King Gary. That's fantastic. And I got the call to say, you've got the job as a Jackie. Yeah, so they called me and said, you've got the job then. So I finished King Gary and I'd begged and begged Claire for a puppy. And I said, I finished King Gary.

I'll have tons of time to train it. So we got this puppy and then I got screwed. And then I had to leave a week later and go to Glasgow for like four or five months. And it was an incredible job. And it proved to me that I can do it as well. Because I was really acting opposite Nina Sasanja and brilliant Stephen White and Jamie Leodonnell. Incredible cast of people. And I, yeah, I was scared.

I thought, oh, God, can I do this? It's quite good. It's quite good being scared sometimes. Oh, always. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it was brilliant and they trusted me with some really sensitive storylines and the set was incredible. I wish everyone could go and see it. It's like three stories high and you can walk from top to bottom and there's loads of real working cells and the walls come out and the joy of having that set was that they could just pull out the walls and swing the cameras around because in a real prison cell it's tiny. It's really teeny tiny. Have you been in a real prison cell?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. For what you were arrested for something No, no Oh, I thought that's what you were trying to tell No, I'd just been into some prisons Ed behind the glass Sort of looked over his glasses Oh, right, okay

Revelation time Although actually I have been in a cell Really when I was a teenager Me and my mates got arrested for trespassing And we got thrown in a cell Where did you go? My mate worked in these offices And we'd all been drinking

And I think we were like Some of us were 16 Some of 17 And he was like, oh, I'm cleaning these offices. I got a Saturday job. And he just let us all in. And we all just went in. And of course, the police bowled up.

We all got thrown in a cell together. And then our mum's picked us up one by one. And you just see her with them arrive and go, why are you being able to? What did your mum say? My mum was away on holiday. And I was staying with my mate, Amanda, who was with us, her mum arrived.

What did her mum say? Well, she was just like really quiet. You know, that's worse, isn't it? And she just looked at us through the rearview mirror and went, I'm really disappointed. And I said, are you going to tell my mum? And she went, she went, of course I am. So what did your mum say when she got back?

I was working as a chambermaid and I had to go to work that Saturday and she picked me up from work and they sat quietly. She went, we know by the way, and you're grounded for two months. Two months? She said, I can't, I just cannot believe you. And she said, if this continues, we will take you out of the Brits school. And I was like, oh, yeah.

And that was... And then you end up. working on screws. I know. I know. It's brilliant. I've always had like quite a morbid fascination with prisons. My nan lived around the back of Wormwood Scrubs and I used to play football on the Scrubs and I just used to think wow what is in there? Wormwood Scrubs is like so yeah and I used to watch cell block prison cell block H with my nan and then you know watch bad girls and I've always been obsessed with it

I think most people are aren't they? Bad girls they should bring back with you in it. I'd love that. I am your agent. I old comedy partner. Victoria Bush was in that So I used to be in a double act years ago. Yes, I know. And she was in, yeah, she played Tina from the kitchens. Oh my word. Yeah. They should bring that back.

Yeah, I nearly got bad girls actually. It was out of me and someone else who got it for the, is it Snowball, that character? I can't remember who played it now. Oh, my word. Yeah. So I nearly got in it. Yeah, nearly. Oh, I'm so pleased.

I nearly ended up in EastEnders a few times and all. So you said that to me before because I've never missed an episode in my, the whole time that's been on. Have you never missed an episode in EastEnders? Never. Never. Do they still do that? Omnibus on a Sunday? No. No. What a show? You can watch it on I Player. You can tell

I work for the BBC. You can catch up on iPlayer. But I can see you in that as well. Have you ever had that? No, never had that call. No, never had that call. No. I know people who have, but no, I've never had that call. Would you do it? Depends where I'm at what I'm doing. Right now, no. So what you're doing? Can you say what you're doing now?

I'm doing two jobs. I can't really talk about them though. It's really boring. No, no, no. I get that. And one is for the BBC. Is it? Yeah, yeah. Can I ask if it's the comedy hand or the straight acting? You absolutely can. Both of them are comedy hand. So she's doing a comedy again.

Oh, yes. Yeah. One of them is more comedy than the other. The other's quite a drama, but my character's funny in it. So she's mad. She's doing two jobs at the same time? Yeah, although, yeah, I'm sort of finishing this other one, then sort of starting this other.

I've just to read through it. Yeah. And when do they come out, do you know? Have you any idea? It'll be next year. But I've got a show coming out called Dope Girls. which is the new BBC period drama. And I'm playing a posh character in that.

I've never played a posh character. But I hear you're excellent. But it's on the BBC Dope Girls post-World War I drama. What else can I say? Do I sound posh enough? Yes, you do. Really posh. You do.

I go really pot. Oh, my word. I love the fact that you're so busy. Do you still live in fear then about the next job? Are you alright about it? I'm letting go now. I'm letting go. Because I've had like four years.

You said earlier. I'm not, yeah. And also, I'll. just go back to teaching if I have to. It'll never, you know, I can't sit still. It's why I do the podcast. It's why I write as well. Let's talk about the podcast then. So who went to who for, who said, come on, let's do this. I mean, Hannah and I have always just always having a moan about working class issues. But we wanted to do something positive. And I went to her and I was like, I really want to do a podcast and I think you'd be brilliant on it. I mean, she's a director.

She's not an actor or anything. But she's very funny. She's really funny. She actually married. Claire and I and she was who it was like a stand-up routine it's really funny she married you yes oh yeah she did a course

she did a what'd you call it I mean she wasn't officiated but it was anyway she put it all together and it was brilliant I mean we got married in the registry office first but it was brilliant

and it was really funny and really personal and brilliant and touching all those things yeah so we had a little chat and then I was like listen we can shout out to some producers

and see if we can get someone and then we just sort of them started to put the show together going what do we want to, what would we like to hear? And it was we wanted to put out positive stories and inspiring stories. So we just interview working class guests, all their roots were working class. And we tried to do a variety of people, sports people,

done a couple of MPs and a lot of comedians. See? You do talk to MPs? That's why I like the idea of Terry. Yeah, we got Jess Phillips, yeah. And she was great. A big coup? That was, yeah. We both were very nervous.

We're still after Cathy Birx. Kathy, if you're out there. Oh, she's fantastic. Yeah, of course. She's, her and we're after Danny Dyer as well. Although I think I can get to Danny. Well, Danny's going to be the rivals that comes out later this year with Disney. Oh, yes, yeah.

That's the thing that he's doing. Yeah, he's really busy. Yeah, always. I'm sure you can get to Danny. Yeah, no, I know people who know Danny. Of course you do. And I've met Danny, I've met Danny, so yeah. Of course you do.

That's so weird, it takes me back to EastEnders. Suddenly you just went all the way back there. So for you, all of these, I'm so pleased you're doing more comedies. Not that you're a great straight actress, but I love you in comedy. You've got funny bones. It's where I saw. It's where I feel comfy. And I'm so pleased for you and Claire.

And it was so lovely to meet her the other day. And as you say, she is Humour Sunshine. She's got that smile. And it was a real joy to meet her. And I just thought, ah, I can see. You two are absolutely. Right for one another, aren't you? Yeah, I mean, she's changed my life because, yeah.

She's, yeah, she's an incredible human being, very talented as well. And I'm hugely lucky. Yeah. So she. I think you're... Yeah, she's really lucky. No, I think you're fantastic. Yeah, no, we make a good team.

Thank you. Bless you. Thank you. Thank you for coming on.