The Tooney & Russo Show - Behind The Scenes: Tooney & Russo's Inner Circle

Episode Date: June 20, 2025

Join Vick as she uncovers heartfelt video messages from the people who’ve shaped Ella Toone and Alessia Russo’s careers and lives. Expect an emotional rollercoaster - from touching family moments, including Alessia’s dad Mario, to a powerful dose of brotherly love.Millie Turner shares a behind-the-scenes look at life in a footballer’s house share and reveals why certain personalities click in the dressing room. Plus, Alessia opens up about why Mary Earps is her go-to for advice, while Tooney dives into why loyalty means everything to her.Don’t miss this exclusive look at the bonds that fuel football’s biggest stars!

BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. I'd say my friendship with them is, well, they actually gang up on me a lot, I'd say. So that's that. So, so loving. We've talked so highly of Millie on this podcast. She's told about four half stories in that whole thing. So that's Mill million for you. Hello and welcome to another episode of the Tooney and Russo show with me, Vic Hope.

I'm here with two of football's most famous friends, Ella Toon and Alessia Russo. Is that a little dance? I'm not sure. That was nice. That was the first time I'd seen that. It's just what started to happen. You were particularly cosy today. Yeah, I went for comfort this year. Yeah, I think we've gone very different. I'm dressed for summer and Les is dressed for winter.

Yeah, but both in knits. And I'm also stretched out. But we're comfy, that's all that matters, with our new groovy chick pillows. They do feel quite nostalgic, don't they? We've got these pillows, they're sort of like a lilac and a pink. Yeah.

Les has got her shoes off, She's stretched out over Toonie. Just looks, it just looks cozy and comfy and gorgeous. Just having a catch up now. Yeah, that's what we're doing. Well, this podcast is all about getting to know you a little bit better on and off the pitch, what makes you tick and also what brings you joy and happiness and the things that you love, the people that you love. And I thought it would be really nice to talk about your support networks this episode.

And I've been doing quite a lot of digging. I wanted to get in touch with the people who know you the best to find out a little bit more about you from their perspectives. So I've got some video messages for you. From lots of friends and family. I don't know where you got mine from because no one likes to talk on camera out of my lot. So these are all from the people who are close to you in your life that you cherish, that you love, who know you, who can give me and the listeners a bit more insight into what you like. So the first one is for you Les.

Yep. And it's from your brother, Gio. He loves it. Yeah, he does. He thinks he's an influencer. Although Alessia is my sister, I technically consider her way more than that. We're definitely best friends. I talk to her all the time

about all sorts of different things. And we give each other so much support, always on the phone. It's really nice. There's definitely more there than just a general brotherly sisterly bond. I'm going to cry. A specific memory that comes to mind when, I think back to the start, is when me and Les used to be on the trampolines as kids after school and we just used to have about

ten footballs on the trampoline around the net and we just used to absolutely smash each other. Well, she used to give it a good go, but we just used to tackle each other and smash balls at each other. And I take full credit for that being now why she likes to get stuck in on the pitch. Hey. Aw, bless him. He's so cute.

Me and Jill used to do that too. Did you? Yeah. You were just like, I could cry. Aw, that's really sweet. He's so cute. Yeah, he is nice. Is he younger, older than you?

He's older. He is, well, he's just turned 30. Me and both my brothers get on so well. So, yeah, it's nice to hear. We're not normally sentimental like that with each other. Only every now and again. So, it's nice to hear. Bless him. He's sort of taking credit for your career there. Yeah, I'm not sure about that. Both of them try and do that. I think it was more down to mum and dad, but he did, he was actually decent to be fair, but he liked going out and partying more than he liked football, so that didn't stay around for too long, but no, he's great. When he says that you were on the trampoline and you're smashing 10 footballs at you, does that mean one of you is bouncing and the other one is kicking balls at you? Or is it more

a case of they're just like on there and they're bouncing up and down with you? Yeah, they're kind of just bouncing up and down with, like as we were jumping. And then you whacked it. It was good when like it would bounce up in the air and you could catch it on the volley. And it was going straight in my face. It was pretty brutal to be fair.

It is, but if you run a trampoline with someone else and they time the bounce just wrong, you know when it went, and you go, oh. Yeah, like that. I hate that. But yeah, no, it was fun. And then we used to like use, you know the trampoline had like the pillars around it.

You used to put two of them together and that was your girl and that was upset. Oh my God, me and Joe did that as well. It's good that you mentioned your brother, Joe. Because. Oh wow. He's never spoken in front of camera ever, so I can't even... I've somehow managed to get him to do the impossible then. Hi Ella.

Hello Ella. Me and Ella did this when we were little. He's so laid back. Do you remember what? Yeah. You're in it already. Hi, it's Joe. Ella's little brother here. I grew up with her my whole life. I'm as young as I can remember. She stuck me in the middle of the net and just volleyed the ball at me. And then when I was sick of that, she'd beat me at table tennis as well until I bit all the balls and we couldn't play that

either. I think we used to whine each other up when we were younger just because we were competitive like our dad was. I think we get on a lot better now though because she's out the house. So we don't have to see each other as much. But yeah, she's such a supportive sister. She always invites me round for tea even though she can't cook. She just chops a salad. Finally! Point proven! Yeah, the highlight of my week is always going and watching her play. Such a down to earth person. But I still think I'd beat her at table tennis. I think we need a rematch.

Aww, that's really cute. I've never heard him talk like that. He's delivered to be fair. This is my favourite line. I've grown up with him my whole life. Obviously. Or I bit the table tennis person. Was he actually biting them like an apple? We had like a games room in the cellar, so we had like darts, table tennis, like the table tennis table turned into,

when you took the table tennis table off, it was a pool table. Yeah. That's a great idea. Anyway, we used to play table tennis, and every time I'd beat him, he'd like bite the table tennis ball, and then pop it, and we couldn't play anymore.

Yeah, so mum and dad used to go mad at us for always fighting and that, but yeah, that was really nice. You would never ever do something like that. That was really, really nice. That was so sweet. Were you quite competitive then with him right from the beginning? Oh yeah, massively. I think we definitely get that from dad, like I said, like just so competitive, wants to win at everything. So yeah, we definitely are both like that. He's a lot more chilled now. As you can tell, he's just very laid back. I bet he read that video a hundred times.

Can I just say his smile here is so sweet. And hearing him say that the highlight of his week is going to Watch You Play. I know, that's lovely. When he turns up, when he's not hungover. Yeah. Yeah. He does like to go out every weekend, but yeah, it's nice that he's always been supportive.

Like he said, I just used to shove him in the net and boot balls at him. So yeah, I'll give him a bit of credit for it. Does he still play football? He doesn't now. He's obsessed with the gym. He's at the gym every night. He's started to get into a five aside again now. I think he'll start playing again next season.

I hope he does because I like going watching him as well. But yeah, he's massive on his gym and likes to do a bit of jujitsu and that. But yeah, hopefully he starts playing again so I can go and watch him. You've both got brothers who are similar in age to you. And I know as well, cause I've got three and we're pretty close in age, they're

my best friends. How good is it having that ready-made friendship? It's just a bond for life. Yeah, they understand you more than anyone, don't they? Yeah, and they know every experience that you've been through as a kid till an adult. So yeah, it's just the best. And even when they're like, it's your brother and you're like, oh, come on, it's just the best. And even when they're like, you know, it's your brother and you're like, oh, come on, he's too hungover or he's like, he's gonna be like,

not wanting to speak to camera or whatever. He actually does deliver because that support is actually always there. That love is unconditional. Yeah, and it's weird because you never, you know it's there, but they never show it to them. But it is there. Like, I'm not show it to them. Like, but it is a cool brother.

Like, I'm not, I'm not going to do an interview. So that's massive. Like to hear that from him is really nice. And yeah, I know he would have been panicking, sending that like over thinking about it, but I think he did all right. He did a really nice job. Do you find that your brothers are people that you can turn to? You can talk to if you're struggling.

Yeah, for sure. I think again, it just goes back to them knowing you for such a long time through the good times and the bad times. So yeah, I think I'd always go to my brothers as well. Yeah, I think like when we were younger, we used to fight all the time. But like you said, we're much closer now than we were

when we were younger, we used to just be that brother and sister that used to be each other. But now, and after everything that we've been through as a family, like we've gotten really close and yeah, I know that I can always go to him and he can always come to me as well. So yeah, it's nice that you always have that person. Yeah, it's true.

We used to do WWF. We used to like fully make a wrestling ring. Yeah. And we'd be tagged. WWF, do you mean? Well, it was WWF and then, oh my God, I'm too old. I'm too, this is the show my age. I thought WWF was that wonderful thing. It is, it's the World Wildlife Fund.

That's why they had to change their name because they were going to get sued by the pandas. But I remember watching WWF. So it was WWF and then it was WWE. Right. And we used to like set up a full on wrestling room. Royal Rumble. Royal Rumble. Oh yeah, the Royal Rumble.

And we'd tag team and we'd like use a lot of force. And I remember, cause I'm the oldest, I remember the day when all of a sudden my brother started getting bigger than me. Yeah. I was like, oh. Yeah. I don't know if we can do this anymore.

Yeah, I don't wanna play anymore, yeah. That was like me and Joe, like we used to beat each other up, but I was always like the one who beat him up, you know what I mean? Now he's absolutely massive, so I wouldn't. It wouldn't be right. Yeah, he is.

It wouldn't be right. I think you're gonna like this next one. So this is from a friend of yours, Tunie. This is from Shona. Oh, God. We've been best friends for well over 10 years now. We met playing out on the same estate when we were little kids. I couldn't even tell you how old we were.

And then we've sort of just been inseparable since. I think that we're so close because we've just always been by each other's sides through thick and thin, through all the good times, the bad times. I think my favourite memory of Elle is we were walking home from school when we were still about 15 and she stunk. She loves her story. Like she really, really, really stunk of sweat and we couldn't figure out why. We hadn't she had on a pee that day so she hadn't done anything sweaty. She had showered in the morning.

I smelled her and it was like the worst smell thing I've ever smelled. It turns out that Elle didn't know that after you'd showered or just in general you should put deodorant on so at 15 she had should put deodorant on so at 15 she had never worn deodorant in her life and it doesn't even sound funny but it's funny because it's Ella who's got the common sense. Like the girl rings me to ask me what she should put the oven on or how long she should cut something in the FI4. Sorry Elle. Yeah nice one Shona. Killed me. I think she gave a very fair representation of you. Yeah, I do ring Shona for a lot. Like whenever I ring her, she's like, what do you want now?

And I'm like, how do I do this? How do I put this? Or how do I make this chicken? Do I just put it in the oven? Like, honestly, everything I would ring Shona for. Yeah, I remember when I was around. Did I not know you the other day about how to put flowers in a vase? No.

Yeah. No, how do you think? What did I say? About the food, the plant food. Oh yeah, okay, fair enough. You don't want to overfeed or underfeed, I guess. But yeah, you do struggle with things like that. Yeah, I do, yeah.

Well, that's why I've got my friends, yeah. But you rang Shona that time, when I was around, to help you with your makeup, and she was like, now get the fluffy brush out the bag. Shona's the one who, if I'm going out, I will always ask her to do my makeup. I really like how she does it. And hair, she's good at hair, yeah.

But she's like the first person that I would ask. But they're all really good at it, but anyway. This one time she was busy, so she was like, I'll talk you through it on FaceTime. And she was like, right now do this, now get this. A full tutorial. You did a good job though. So what does Shona do? Shona work, well Shona's on maternity leave now. She's just had a baby boy called Roma.

So yeah, she's a new mom. You know, if you could ask me what any of my mates do, I wouldn't actually have a clue. No, it's the same. It's funny because yeah. You know, if you could ask me what any of my mates do, I wouldn't actually have a clue. You know what it's the same. It's funny because, yeah. I don't know what they do. But when you're together, you're not talking about work properly. No. You're just talking about life.

Exactly. Like, I'm quite lucky that I've had a friend group, like, there's been the six of us in it and we've been so close since we were really, really little. And yeah, I think we're lucky that we've never had a fall out and we've always got on and all our families are really close as well, which is nice. So yeah, I'm lucky that I've got someone like Shona and the rest of the girls in my life. It's funny, isn't it? Because like you've grown up together and you've had similar upbringings, probably like your family and friends and everything,

but somehow Shona knows what to do with that chicken in the air fryer. And you just, we all have different things that we can do. Because what I will say is Shona sent us a lot of messages, many of them no sound. So we had to... Miles off it. Whereas, you know, you're an absolute wizards making sure that you've got sound on your videos. So like, exactly, we're all good at different things. And that's what friends are for. Like, you're changing, aren't you? Honestly, my mates are mad. Like, when I get like different bits and bobs, you know, sent

from people and whatever, I know it's things, but I can treat them and, you know, give them things because they, I don't think they know how much they've helped me in my career and my life and just being there through everything. And sometimes I can be really moody and snappy and whatever and they just let it brush them by. They just know who I am. And it's funny because they're like,

when they come to games and they see girls shouting for me and people wearing toon shirts, they're like, why would anyone want games and they see like girls shouting for me and you know, people wearing toon shirts, they're like, why would anyone want to be your friend? Like, you're horrible. It's just like, they just don't get it. They just see me for who I am and who I've always been and it's nice to have them because it keeps you grounded as well.

You remember your roots and where you grew up and yeah, so yeah, I'm lucky to have all the people in my life, but yeah, the girls especially. It's so special to have all these different parts of yourself, different parts of your life and be able to keep all of them alive. And sometimes it's almost like growing a garden of different flowers. Like sometimes you'll probably tend to some parts of your life more than others. But those people are always there.

And, you know, we're all good at different things. We all have different things to give each other. And that's what makes it really beautiful. We're not the same, but we can be mates with people who are completely different to us. I love that. Yeah, I like that too. I think in football is where you really meet people that you probably wouldn't meet. I'm really good friends with Millie Turner, but I know that if I would have met Millie out of football, we just wouldn't have got on, if that makes sense. Cause she's so different. Football really brings you together.

Yeah. It makes you meet people that you probably wouldn't have met or been friends with in school or whatever. But it's nice that you can be so different to people, but you just match. Yeah. That's just the most perfect segue because the next video I've got, it's from Millie Turner.

Oh, here she is. Someone who's been a part of both of your lives, your former housemate, your Man United colleague. So she sent this video. So my earliest memories were when Alessia first came to United and we all lived in a playhouse and I was gonna live with Alessia. So Toonie came around on the first day and yeah,

me and Alessia found out that we had quite a lot in common. I'm sure Alessia can explain more about that. And yeah, she made me and Toonie carry up a hundred suitcases up to her room. And then we had this ring doorbell then we had this ring doorbell we had this ring doorbell on the door and yeah we caught a few people doing some stuff on the ring doorbell so I'm sure the girls can explain some more stuff about that too whatever they want and yeah well we just had a great time

but I'd say my friendship with them is, well, they actually gang up on me a lot, I'd say. So that's that. That's that. So, so loving. We've talked so highly of Millie on this podcast. Oh, for God's sake. They actually gang up on me.

So yeah. Yeah, that's that. She told about four half stories in that whole thing. That's a million for you. Yeah. She gets distracted. She's so distracted. Yeah.

And that is when sometimes I do get a little bit mad at her, but she's a shining light, isn't she? Yeah. She's a ray of sunshine. Like everyone wants to be around her because she's so positive. Yeah, she lights up a room when she's in the shade. Yeah, she does, she definitely does.

I need you to finish the half stories then, tell me about the Ringed Doorbell, like what did you see? Do you not think she's talking about the squirrel? You old squirrel. I just do mad things to the doorbell, like I just pretend that I was being a squirrel and like dancing and stuff. What was your, what were you called? Raccoon. Raccoon to the doorbell. Like I just pretend that I was being a squirrel and like dance and stuff. What was your, what were you called?

Raccoon. Raccoon. Raccoon. I just, I had this dressing gown really comfy but it has ears on it and it looked like a bit of a animal. So I would just go to the doorbell. We also used to catch that person that used to walk their pheasant up and down the road.

Pheasant or ferret. Ferret. Oh, okay. I was going to say ferret. Yeah. I mean, they're both pretty. I know, but can you imagine a pheasant on her lead? True. It was a strange area to live in. Yeah. And then we also had like little maggots in our bin and stuff that got caught on the

ring doorbell. So she is right. A lot of stuff got caught on the doorbell. What did you feel you did have in common? Because you said it took you a while or maybe she's someone that you wouldn't have gravitated towards outside of football. It's funny because I already knew Les, like we were really close anyway, but I knew that she was moving in with Millie. So Millie was like, Tooni, please come around. Please come around when she gets here from the airport.

I'm really nervous. And I was like, Millie, honestly, you will get on so easy with her, like, but I think they wanted me to break the awkwardness a little bit, so I went around. It's tough when you move in with someone straight away, because that's like going from not knowing someone to then living on top of, like, living together.

I mean, I couldn't have had a part, like, other than Toonie, which I knew, going to live with someone that I didn't know, I couldn't have had to put like, other than Toonie, which I knew going to live with someone that I didn't know, I couldn't have had anyone better than Millie. I think we just got on straight away. It was just so easy. Like, we're both so laid back. And she said we're into the same things. Like, we bonded over country music, war films, like we just hit it off really. And yeah And she's just such a lovely person. So you can't not get on with her.

Apart from each other, who would you say your closest friends in football? Good question. Other than Toonie, my other three closest mates are probably, um, Lota. I mean, I've been through a lot with her and obviously still with her at Arsenal. And then Martha Harris, like we mentioned before, and Kirsty Smith, we were like a little group at United. And Mary, we're really close too.

Yeah. And when you're playing, what makes you gravitate towards someone in particular? I think I gravitate towards people that make me laugh. And that's you, Toonie. Yep. Yeah, yeah, that's me. That's you, Toonie.

You, Martha. Martha, yeah. Like, I think I gravitate towards good people. Like, as in like, people who I know will always have my back, no matter what, they're the people that I gravitate to, good people. And people who just want to have fun. Like, let's say that I'm really close with Marth as well, Mary, and then we've got like, you know, Katie Zell and Millie Turner,

people like that who we've been through a lot with. One of my closest mates is Abby McManus. I used to play with her at City and United as well. So we're really close. She's my mum's, one of my mum's favourite people as well. So yeah, just good, down-to-earth people, I think. Is loyalty something that you value and life can change so much, that sort of continuity and that constant?

Yeah, for sure. I think we always say it a lot that you're obviously friends in football, but it's the friends that when you move away and, I went to live in America and Tanya was over here, or like I was down in London and you're up in Manchester. I think that the friends that you know are your real friends are the ones that you speak to when you're not just work colleagues. And I think with all of my close friends, that's the case. Like I speak to you and Marv pretty much every day

and Smudge and Mary, I'll get a 25 minute voice note from her every few weeks. I've still got a walk and a few voice notes of Mary. No, she's nice, when you catch up with Mary, it's like you've spoke to her yesterday, but you have a nice long chat, which is lovely. But yeah, I just think it's that connect, I think you know as well straight away

that you're gonna be friends for a long time, well for life. You've got friends for different things as well, don't you, so there's some people you know as well straight away that you're going to be friends for a long time, well for life. You've got friends for different things as well, don't you? So there's some people you know you can turn to when you need a laugh, like other people who if you're feeling down, they'll pick you up. They know you so well that they can be that support because they know what to say and how to help. Who do you call or message who would really get it, who'd really get what it feels like

after a big win or a really tough loss? You. Yeah. Then sometimes when you have a loss or you feel a bit down in football or whatever, that's when I would text that. Yeah, I would lean on you to. Yeah, because that's a person who understands and understands you the most as well. And you in that environment, you know what I mean?

Like your family and everything are obviously amazing, but they think that they know what it's like in a football environment and my family say it all the time, oh, you've got the best job in the world and we do, like we seriously do, but they don't actually get it. Whereas like, you know what I'm like day to day in the environment, I know what you're like, I know what works for you, what doesn't.

And yeah, so it's nice to have that inside of you, that someone that actually knows exactly what you mean or what you feel. I think going back to the loyalty and the things like that as well, it's like in football, you obviously wanna do really well, but I get a buzz out of seeing Les do well. Like, I really love Les scoring a goal

or getting to the Champs League final, like, doing, you know, whatever she's doing with her appearances and stuff like that. I'm like, good, go on, Les. Like, I'm buzzing for you. And that's when you know who your real mates are, the ones who, when you have your success, they're as happy as you are

when you're succeeding at something. So yeah, I know that I've definitely got them people who, when I'm doing something well, they're absolutely buzzing for me. And who do you turn to for advice? Like if you have a dilemma, is there anyone who's just a real rock who gets it, who can really help?

I like to just go to everyone. Yeah. I tell everyone all my business, everyone knows everything. Yeah, like second, third, fourth. Yeah. What do you think? What do you think? I'm asking every mate.

We're in a poll. Yeah, I need advice from every mate, definitely. But yeah, I would obviously always go to less, but sometimes I like, even though my mates don't really understand football, they try and they love it and they love watching, sometimes just offloading to someone like that and listening to what they have to say

in a way that isn't actually to do with football, it makes you realize different things, so having them as well. But I think I would always go to Abby McManus for advice. She's been in the game, she's done it, she's away from the game, she knows what that's like as well. But I think I would always go to Abby McManus for advice. She's been in the game, she's done it, she's away from the game, she knows what that's like as well. So yeah, I've definitely got people I can get good advice from. Yeah, I mean, a lot of my stuff is geared towards you, but I'd also go to Mary for a lot of things.

Yeah, she's a good person. Yeah, she also gets it, understands your point of view and she's like really, really honest too, which is good. I'm honest with Toonie always, but part of me is always like, if she wants to do something, I'll take her side. I'm on board with whatever she wants to do. Mary will give you like a really like, very well balanced piece of advice, give you pros and cons of both and she's just very good at it. Yeah, she is good at it. She's like an older sister.

Now, someone who really understands you away from football, Les, is your dad. And so- I'm glad Noah will come. Here's how he sees his role in his relationship with you as a father. This is going to be cute. So we've had an amazing journey with Alessia so far, and she relationship with you as a father. This is gonna be cute. So we've had an amazing journey with Alessia so far, and she's made us all very proud. From grassroots level up to international level,

playing for England at Wembley in the European Championship final, and then going on to play in a World Cup final in Sydney. Special memories, special times. But it hasn't all been plain sailing. There's been some tough times, like in the life of any athlete, moving away from home, going to live in the States,

to go to college. That was a big move, big change to our family life. And then of course injuries, seeing your daughter go through pain was very tough. But despite all the accolades and the awards that she's won, the best thing for us as parents is when we get approached by other professional people or members of the public, telling us how wonderful our daughter is

and what a lovely human being she is. That makes us extremely proud. And as this is a Toonie and Alessia Russo podcast, it's only right that I should also say that Nick, Ella's dad, was one of my best friends in football. We met many years ago when the girls were playing at England Youth together, and we were fortunate enough to travel around Europe,

watching them play, mulling over every minute of every game that we watched our daughters play and I've got some fantastic memories of those times. I know that Nick's values and the qualities that he taught Ella will hold her in good stead and guide her through her career and off the pitch as well. And I know that Nick's watching from above and he's missed by sorely missed by everybody that knew him. Oh my god. I didn't know you were a dad. Yeah, brilliant dad. Well done.

I was like, oh this is my big bump pod. Now we I am crying. Yeah, brilliant, Dad. Well done. I was like, are you all this is going to be a fun part? Now we're all crying. Are you going to be having a good time? Oh, I know it was all good until then. No, that's so nice. Bless him. Yeah, bless him. Yeah, and they were really close, weren't they?

My favourite story that my dad tells about Nick is that one time they'd left Nick and Nick was like, I'm gonna go back to my hotel now like I'm gonna get an early night whatever so mom and dad were like all right like make sure you get home okay whatever so he left and mom and dad were still there for a little bit and mom and dad left maybe about an hour after so they they had a car they had while they were over there so they started driving home and on their drive home, they saw Nick walking the other way. They thought, what the hell is Nick doing here? They pulled over and said, Nick, what are you doing? You know,

I'm just going back to my hotel. Dad went, your hotel's that way. It obviously gone. Looking for his hotel. It'd walk around in circles. And gone the complete wrong way. This is why I am the way I am. Yeah. Like everyone's like, what, you don't know how to run a bag, you don't know how to do that. Well, my dad didn't know how to get from A to B.

Yeah. Yeah, like it's funny because mum worked in a school so she could never really get time off to come away. She always did when she could, but dad always had to go out on his own, but it's a good job he had Mario and that or else. I don't think he'd ever would have got home from them places. Like they would,

Ellie Roebuck's dad would take my dad's passport off him when he landed, keep hold of the passport until he was flying home, because he wasn't, he couldn't be trusted. It's this image of the two dad versions of the two of you. Yeah. Just coming about. He's the same, yeah.

I love that. Yeah. Les, when Ella's dad passed away, you went straight up to spend some time with her. What did you do in that time? How did you spend it? We didn't really do a lot, did we? Well, I got some food, didn't we?

Shock. Yeah. Food it. Yeah. Food, yeah. I think... It's on the way to my heart. From being like living together to then not and being so far away down in London was hard anyway. And then when something obviously as heavy as that happens, like all I wanted to do was be there. Whether she wanted me there or not, I didn't really care. Like I just wanted to be there to sit with her, to cry with her, to

eat with her, to try and make her laugh, to help with like anything like cleaning. Not like cleaning house. Whatever she needed. If she needed it. Yeah, I would have felt. You went and seen Mama's world. Yeah, we went and saw Karen and I think, yeah, it's just so hard being away from someone at a time like that, that, yeah, as soon as I could, I wanted to go and see her. And I know that Tune, you would drop anything to come and help me as well if I ever needed her. So big or small, if

I needed her to come to my 26th birthday party, she was there in a heartbeat. I'd probably want to come and clean your house. When you hear someone like your dad speaking the way he did about how proud he is of you, how supportive he is of your friend, because you've got that shared experience and you've got that love that goes back, I feel like it resonates for everyone. No matter if you've been through the same thing as you guys or not, whether you play football or not, whether you've got a dad or not, there's someone in your life who has hopefully been there for you.

So that's why it's quite like, I don't know your dad, but it made me cry to hear that. And you know that. Yeah, exactly. So you know how much it means't know, yeah, exactly. So you know how much it means and how important it is to have those people. I think for Mario, he's seen me since I was 10, 12. What, we're 25 now.

So it's like, he's been on that journey as well. He's seen us both go through so much. And yeah, I'm Alessia's best mate. So for him, it's like, I've got another daughter. Do I've got another daughter you know I mean that's definitely how my mum and dad see life so yeah yeah it's nice that he would have spent all that time with dad and had all their memories just like me and less of our memories as well so yeah it's nice to hear something like that. We've had a bit of everything, I think, on this point. Yeah, I haven't been in pride.

I've had tears, highs and lows. But we've had the laughs as well, and we found out about the ingredients of a good friendship, both in football, but also just in life in general. Found out that Les, your brother, takes full credit for your career. Yeah, he seems to think so, doesn't he? And all the little drops of precious time and love and wisdom that your dads have

given you, so I think we do, we need to lie down. Thank you for joining us. Thanks for watching the Toonie and Russo Show with me, Vic Ho. You can tune in on BBC Sounds or on YouTube if you want to watch as well as listen. And we will see you next time. Bye! of a super horse. It must have been terrifying. Of course it was. How we got through all that going on? An ill-advised errand changing F1 forever. It will haunt the people involved for as long as they live. A trillion dollar takeover which never took off.

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