Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Bonnie Langford

Episode Date: May 23, 2022

This week Emily went for a walk around Chiswick House and Gardens with Bonnie Langford and her maltipoo, Poppy. They chatted about her incredible theatre career, her stint working with two Doctors in Doctor Who, and her current tour – ‘Anything Goes’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh, Raymond's got left behind. Is he allowed a treat? Oh, yes. Oh, look at his fair. So when I said treat, he literally looked at me. He's smiling. Look at that. He's like, yeah, I'll have a treat.

This week on Walking the Dog, Raymond and I popped over to Chiswick House and Gardens in West London to meet legendary actor, singer, dancer. I'm going to go full on national treasure, Bonnie Langford. Bonnie brought along her beautiful multi-pooh, Poppy, who of course had a pink bow on her collar. Lankford's not messing about on the style front

and we had the loveliest chat. Bonnie is currently on tour in the musical Anything Goes but she decided to spend one of her precious days off meeting Raymond because Bonnie loves dogs. There was an awful lot to chat to Bonnie about because she's been working professionally since she was six years old when she appeared on the 1970s talent show

Opportunity Knox. But she told me she was actually quite a quiet kid rather than a noisy extrovert who just observed a lot, got on with the job and kind of never lost herself in show business. We chatted about her role as Violet Elizabeth in the TV show Just William and her incredible theatre career, appearing in everything from Cats when she was just 16 to 42nd Street in Chicago.

We also talked about her stint working with not one, but two doctors in Doctor Who, her role in Eastenders, and the brilliant time she had appearing on the masked dancer. Bonnie also talked about her friend Lena Zabaroni, who also became a hugely famous child star at the same time. but very sadly suffered from anorexia and lost her life eventually at just 35. And it was obviously something that had a huge impact on Bonnie, and she spoke about it very movingly.

I absolutely adored Bonnie. She's so warm and friendly and authentic. And I have a hunch you will totally fall in love with her too. I'm also very excited to go and catch her in Anything Goes, which is on tour right now. It comes to London's Barbican Theatre on June the 25th until September. So if you want to book tickets, head to Anything Goes Musical.com. and I highly recommend you do.

I'm going to stop talking now and hand over to the woman herself. Here's Fabulous Bonnie, and Poppy and Raymond. Let's follow Bonnie. Oh, okay. And other things I've always wanted to say in my life. It's follow Bonnie.

You don't want to follow me. I'll lead you down the garden. Shall we go through the sort of shadier parts? Would you be alright with that, Bonnie? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's lots of places to be. go and this is the busiest so let's leave it it's so lovely here isn't it does

Raymond go off lead he does good come on in hey wait a minute wait a minute now there's something over here that she went and put her face in a minute ago which wasn't very nice so don't do that again pops come on this way should we go this way down it come on Raymond call on Raymond that's it oh yes he does like to take his time doesn't he? Bonnie he's so slow look at him. Well it's a new place. Yeah. He's got a lot to find out. Poppy no no no no no. I don't know what she's found there but it doesn't look very holes. What's Poppy got Raymond? Come on you, come on you. Come on jeez don't be like Poppy Raymond she's a very bad influence. Oh I think he likes Poppy. Oh

Poppy's quite a tease. Oh she's terrible. She's just when if dogs come up out the way, out the If dogs come up and, you know, do the sniffing thing, she puts her legs in an attitude. She puts her leg up like an arabesque. And it's like, yeah, it's like, yes, I'm just helping you out there. It's all right. I mean, of course Bonnie Langford's dog does an arabess. Yeah, of course my dog doesn't her abet, doesn't it?

I need to properly introduce you. I'm so thrilled to have this woman on my podcast. I've been a fan for my entire lifetime. I'm with the multi-talented, very wonderful ray of sunshine. Bonnie Langford. Oh, thank you, thank you. I'll come here more often. Well, tell us where we are first and then I want you to introduce me formally to your dog.

Okay, we are in Chiswick House and Gardens which is in West London and it's a beautiful landscaped garden and house, literally in the heart of the Chiswick area and we come here quite often myself and my lovely little poppy who is a multi-pooh which is a cross between a Maltese and a miniature poodle and she, oh she's rolling in fox poo, poppy. Normally she's really well behaved but that is naughty. Talk me through her pink boat, Bonnie. Oh well that's only because she gets groomed down the road. Yeah.

Fabulous groomers. Costs a fortune. They do. It costs more than my head. I spend more on my dog's hair than mine, do you? Oh yeah. Ridiculous. But they do a fabulous job and she goes to her for like three and a half hours.

It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. And then she, if we go left here, she, she, yeah. So every time she goes, they put a different bow on her colour and she's just got that because she has a pink bow today. Were you always a sort of fan of dogs? Did you have dogs growing up? No, I did not. I didn't really have any animals. I only had a hamster briefly, which my sister bought me. And then promptly the next week it had eight different, eight babies.

My mother was absolutely distraught and we had, oh and I had a tortoise. I loved my tortoise actually. But no, not really a doggy family particularly or an animal family particularly. But I did have a dog at one point in my life, but she was old and she passed away just before my daughter, Beebe, was born. So that's 21 years ago. But the lockdown, you know, I kind of thought that my daughter would love. She's always said she would love a dog and wanted a dog. wanted a dog and you know the world that we live in and the life that we live

can be so erratic that I just felt I couldn't do that properly you know I think the worst thing in the world is to well it's traveling you're on tour yeah and the worst thing is to get you know take on an animal and then leave it behind you think no I can't do that but yes lockdown had its moments of life is too short yeah when are we gonna do this if not now so we did it was one of those mad days are going, oh, let's just get a dog. And so we did. And you know what?

She is just a joy. I love her to bits. She's got, she smiles. Normally with guests, it's fairly straightforward. You're just like, oh yeah, and then you did this, and then your career. And it's like, with Morning Lankton's like 50 different careers because you're the hardest, working, busiest woman in show business.

And tell me how it all started, because it started essentially when you were, was it three months old? Well, sort of. Well, I mean, you can't really say that, but yes. So my, I do like the fact, and I probably should find out more, the fact that my great aunt was a dancer and trained in London to be a dancer and changed her name from Gladys Galore to Daphne Delahel because she trained alongside Nina Devalois and Alicia Markover, who was actually Alice Marks,

amongst all that kind of group. And she became a professional ballet dancer. And she toured the world, came back to London and opened a school. And my mother, her niece, basically took it over. And my mother still teaches. So when I never knew my great aunt. Sadly she passed away when I think I was 10 days old. so I never knew her. But yeah she was one of three sisters and they I I really should find out this story more but I believe that she showed potential

and her family moved down to London so that she could train which I find extraordinary in those times particularly with girls who were not necessarily considered to be the type of you know people that you would move house for but they obviously did and wanted her to have her best shot and she did So when I was born, my sisters, I have two older sisters, and they are 10 and 8 years older than me. And at that point, my eldest sister was just about to go to the Royal Ballet School at White Lodge in Richmond Park. So there was a lot of training. My other sister was at another theatre school called Arts Educational.

Arts Ed, it's no nose now. And so, you know, there was dance training. training schooling my mother had a big school and that was my life so when I when I was born or when I was Jew that was when she normally did her yearly show to show the parents how her children were getting on she used to hire Richmond Theatre because it was the local theatre so she used to hire Richmond Theatre in West London and she had to delay this show from July to October because I was born in July and

So she carried me on at the end of the show when they did it in October, instead of a bouquet of flowers. So that's the three months old, literally being carried on. And apparently I smiled. You know, babies, they look at lights, don't they? You know, you see a light. Everyone's smiling at you. A bonnie-Langford baby looks at lights.

Well, you know, most babies do, I think. So, and what was your family environment like? Was your dad in, was he not a musical type? No, really. Well, he tried to play the piano. but he used to do this very heavy breathing when he played the piano and we used to take the Mickey out of him. You know when you do when you don't know where the next note is and you go, so we used to call it, oh gosh, he's heavy breathing again.

So I mean, bless him, he mercilessly teased by three girls. I mean the poor man, he must have had a terrible time. He adored it. He was a wonderful, wonderful man. The absolute rock. Adored motor racing, driving, all those things. And basically he ended up just really picking us up and taking us up and taking him. everywhere but he would always be there. What was his job? He was he ran a leather goods company so

I mean he was a very creative man I think in another day and age he would have been a fantastic teacher but he ended up having to take over the family business as such and run this leather goods company he and it was it was all specialised at leather goods so some of the things they used to make were the red boxes for the ministers at the House of Commons things like that it was all very specialised and he ran it out of a building actually and Wonsworth Road which he now rents out well my father's passed but he's now rented out to Gordon Ramsey for his prep kitchens so I was living in America for a while about 10 years ago and I was living in a little sort of suburb of New York and my mother came over to visit and I

said oh you know Gordon's doing one of his restaurants his kitchen nightmare restaurants in this little town in Richwood and I said should we drive by so we drove by and I saw him walking down the street so I parked up and I went Gordon he went oh hello what are you doing here because he recognised me and I said I said I just wanted to introduce you to my mother because you rent your kitchens of from her building and he went oh do I owe you money that's the first thing you said do I owe you money no actually strangely enough you don't oh Raymond's got behind. Is he allowed a treat?

Oh, yes. Oh, look at his fair. So when I said treat, he literally looked at me. He's smiling. Look at that. He's like, yeah, I'll have a treat. Okay, sit down, Raymond, good boy. Sit down, Poppy. Come and sit. Good girl. Did you say thank you to Bonnie? You're worse than me. So, because your mum was a teacher and obviously discipline, goes hand in hand with dancing, particularly that kind of dancing. and so was it quite a there were rules and you know love and boundaries essentially yeah my parents were old-fashioned and you know but very um for all the madness that there often was there was a great sense of calm and a huge sense of love and and also that it was training to learn your skills and your craft and and opportunities came along that were literally that it wasn't oh this is your start of your career it was it was always that'd be

nice how lovely what a lovely opportunity that'll be a nice experience and that was it that there was a in many respects a wonderful sense of naivety about everything and I think that's been a wonderful benefit for me because and I often wonder so with doing that sort of the shows that I did for my mum which I only did till I was about seven or eight. My initial introduction to theatre and stage was surrounded by love. Because, you know, I was carried on and loved. My two sisters, if I then went in my first show, I think it was about 18 months or something,

and they would hold my hands either side. And I'd just walk on and point my toe or something and everyone would go, but it was very protected. my two sisters, as I say, held my hands. It's strange actually because although it was, they were sort of the sisters and me, we were sort of separate in some respects because of the age difference. We're still very close, very close. But my daughter's an only child and she was saying the other day that she hates being on her own,

I quite like being on my own, which is strange, isn't it? I think you just have that sense of someone's... There's a sort of presence even when they're absent. When you grow up with siblings, I think. You know, you're just... But as I say, you know, most of it, I was sort of separate, really, because of just through age, you just don't have the same things in common. And your career as well, because we should talk about it.

I mean, you were pretty young when you started. What was your, your first big break? Was it Opportunity Knocked? I think Opportunity Knox, but that was only because someone who was involved in my mother's shows. actually he was an older guy who was brought in to dance with my sister because it was mainly all girls at this dance at school and she was a beautiful dancer obviously and he came to dance anyway he worked his proper job was working in a wardrobe

he was a fantastic costume designer yeah with um at thames television which was based in teddington at the time which is only a couple of cover of Terran's over. And he filled in a form for me to go on the programme. So, yeah, and that happened by complete default. And my parents took me up

to Chelsea Barracks, where these auditions were being held, and it was absolutely carnage. And how old were you, Goni? Six. Six. And we should say, in case anyone doesn't know, but Opportunity Knox was, it was huge. I mean, it was the biggest

Britain's Got Talent, basically, it was Britain's Got Talent. But I don't think, I mean, yes, people would go on it and, you know, professionals would go on it in order to get an opportunity literally to be seen. That was the whole point of it. It was a platform to take them out of maybe the circuit of summer season pantos, summer season pantos, summer season pantos, summer season pantos, summer season pantos, working men's clubs, you know, and it launched a tremendous amount of light entertainment particularly. But also it had that element of anybody could go on it. So I remember the week that I was on it, there was a group of Amdrams were doing the finale of Hello Dolly, all in their period costume. Because I remember them vividly, because there were all these people dressed up in these very strange outfits.

And they were so nervous. And I just sat in a corner. It was a very, very quiet child. I never said boo to a goose. But I watched everything. I just loved just watching. watching people. And you were kind of a triple threat really, weren't you?

Because you did it all. You weren't, you could sing, you could dance, you could act. Did you have one thing at that stage that you thought I'm passionate about singing, for example, which was... No, I never thought about anything. Didn't you do it? I didn't sit there going, oh, this is my career, I need to sit down. I was six. I didn't think about anything.

I just liked doing it. I do remember going into the studio at Thames and the director said, saying, you know, if you think about it and you remember the camera, big camera, there's huge great things, with the red light on you'll be seeing your friends at home, you'll be looking at them and they'll see you. I thought, that was fascinating. It was just fascinating. I had no fear. I just thought, that's lovely, I've never been anywhere like this before. And it was considered that considered that kind of an experience. It was just something nice to do on a Saturday afternoon. And in those days you didn't do that thing that they do now which is

always going to change my life I'll buy my mother a house and blah blah blah. I don't think about that. Six years old and you don't. I mean quite frankly you might have that for whatever the prizes they give you but nothing else nothing else at all. I mean they life's not like that really People think you go on TV or on the stage and money's just pouring in like some kind of fountain. It's not. It just doesn't. We're freelance. There are wonderful things you can get as lovely bonuses and some people, yes, okay, movie stars.

But the general, sort of the likes of me, we have to do the old elbow grease to make the bills, you know, especially in theatre. Then obviously I remember you in Just William, which you got that part and that became so woven into. I know. The only thing I regret about that is that I didn't wear a wig. Really? Because, well, Richmore Crompton, who wrote the books that the series was literally lifted from. I mean, it was beautifully adapted and made. It was made by almost pretty much the same team that shot upstairs downstairs. So it had that feel to it.

It was wonderfully period, wonderfully calm. It was only meant to be a Sunday afternoon children's programme, which indeed it was, and it's never been repeated. But, yeah, the only thing I regret about it is that Richmoremore Crompton describes Violet Elizabeth as having short blonde curly hair, which I wish I'd had, you know, I wish I'd worn a wig. Because I couldn't then, you know, the director said, oh, be all right if we just use your hair,

because it's just perfect for the part and wigs on kids is not usually great the best idea because I was very late to the auditions for that because they had been looking for six-year-olds which is why it was only written for a couple of episodes and how old and you I was 12 I was very it was like really I'm playing a six-year-old I'm kidding but I went my father took me to the audition for that at London Studios and I had to go into this office and they were all the casting director and the director and the producer were all sitting around the table. They were very sweet. It was around a round table and they said would I read this scene which they had given me before

and I'm glad they had because it was really hard to decipher because it was all, Violus Elizabeth has a lisp and it was written with the lisp. So it was instead of writing something like six, it was written, T. H-I-T-H-I-T-H and it was quite hard to sort of work out. Anyway, I started reading this scene and they all started creasing up with laughter. And I thought, have I done something wrong? What has happened? They were all just killing themselves. They were howling.

And I was like, what have I done? They were doing it wrong. They were just very charming and I got the job. Because I thought Violet Elizabeth was hilarious. She was Diana Dawes' daughter, for God's sake. You know, Diana Dawes played my mother. It was such a brilliant comic creation of yours. But I think...

Yeah, but people didn't see us comedy. They thought I was real. Which was a kind of compliment, but at the same time was like, oh. And still, even now sometimes, now my phrase, when people go, oh, scream and scream or something, I go, oh, showing your age. Because it's never been repeated. Where's Raymond? Oh, God.

I think we should re-christ in this podcast. Where's Raymond? Where's Raymond? He's having a fantastic time. What do you think is wrong with him, Bonnie? No, he's lovely. There's nothing wrong with him. Because look, he's leaving his scent and he's smelling and he's...

Look, this is an absolute collidoscope of smells and sounds and experiences for him. We have no concept of how much dogs can smell. I mean, 100 million times more than we can. But I can see that's really interesting what you say. I can see how just that becomes so woven into the fabric of... who people think you are when you play an iconic character like that. Because I didn't wear a wig, I couldn't take her off. And I have got red curly hair.

And, I mean, I know I had ringlets, which was a bit much. But, you know. You know, an experience like that, playing a character that became almost a cartoon version of you, that had nothing to do with you, as we know, as a character. It became so huge. The fact that you stayed... See, I didn't really know that. I never used to read the papers.

I was only 12. I didn't bother with that. And I was at theatre school. By then I was at Italia Conti. I had to gone to Artshead. And prior to that as well, I'd been to America for a year with Angela Lansbury in a show called Gypsy. At the age of 10, I was on Broadway. And it was quite life-changing, because apart from anything else, in those days, you know, we're talking in the early 70s. Yeah, we had influences from America, but nothing like we have now. So it was a completely eye-opening different world. And it brought me out of my shell, actually. But when I came back to England, having been on Broadway for the best part of a year,

my school, which was Arts Ed, which is a theatre school where you would think they were like-minded people, my, the head teachers told my friends to not mention it, not mention that I'd been to America because I would get big-headed. And the opposite happened because I started to think I'd done something wrong. Why didn't anyone want to talk to me? And I had a lot of quite sort of, had people in my class that were, well, hopefully wanting to go into the business, but also, yeah, I had Vicky Russell, Ken Russell's daughter. Beryl Brambridge's daughter was in there. She's my best friend, Kelly Hunter.

And we were studying America. And I did this whole project in America just to sort of make it education. And when it came to, teacher said, you know, has anybody been across to the United States? And I put my hand up, I was the only one that was ignored. And I started to feel really ashamed of what I'd done. Why don't they want to know the places I've seen and the things that I've done? You know, can I not share? Not in a big-headed way, I would never do that.

So I started to not want to go to school, quite frankly, which was very unlike me. Anyway, I went to Italia Conti, and that's when I did Just With was when I was there and I'm really glad because they really celebrated that you were doing things but along with everyone else who were also doing things I mean when I was there most of my class were in Grange Hill so it was just a case of oh you're filming today okay so you have to do your schoolwork instead of your dance stuff and we'll give you the homework and great well done brilliant nobody was different oh he's hot it's all right but he's not super for a minute then and let them cool down

yeah good idea Let me give him some water. So Poppy's called Poppy because we got her on August 14th, which was the date, not the actual day, but the date that my father passed. And he used to forget, because there were three of us, he would forget our names and he'd just go, as my sister's a Shreda Petrina and I'm Bonnie, but I was Bonnita, but Bonn. And he'd go, Chedpet Bonn, whatever your name is Poppy. And he'd just go, Poppy, Poppy, where are you? So this one's called Poppy because of my father.

How lovely. Raymond, do you want some water? One of the funniest stories you tell, Bonnie Langford was seven, appearing in a musical production of Gone with the Wind. And this is how level-headed this woman is. There was a remark made by someone quite high profile about you, which was a... Noel Coward, yes.

So I was in this huge show, it was a massive production of Gone with the Wind. I've gone with the wind. And of course, being an epic book, it was also an epic show and rather too long. And there's two versions of this story. So it involves a horse because of the many things and the huge effects that were on stage, including an entire steam engine, the burning of Atlanta, and a shire horse called Charlie, who came from the whipped bread brewery, which was round the corner in the barbican.

And in fact, when I do anything goes, I'm going to be around the corner from where Charlie used to live. And then in the second act, this cute seven-year-old kid playing five. Always played younger. Until now, and anything goes, I'm playing much older. Anyway, so Charlie was brought to the theatre every night and performed beautifully. But on the first night, I believe we were on a little bit earlier, which was probably the problem. But I like to say he got rather nervous. And when he went on stage, he left little steamy packages, and the stage manager had to come on with a shovel and scooped them up.

before we can continue. Anyway, the show went on and on and on and on and on. And eventually, in the second act, there was a cute kid singing a song with Brett Butler and Prissy. It was a very cute number. And after all the darkness of the show, it was a light relief. Anyway, Noel Coward, being his usual self, after the show, there was a party,

and the producer went to him and said, What did you think of the show? And he said, well, my dear, you can solve two problems at once, shove the child up the horse's ass. and that was all me. That was me. He's talking about me. There is a cleaner version which is well my dear you can solve the problem by cutting the second act and the child's throat. And that was me as well and of course I knew nothing about it. I knew nothing about it and then when I was about 14 I was doing some charity gig somewhere and Derek Nimmo was introducing me

and he's told this story and I was at first I'd heard of it when I was 14 I turned to my mother who was in the wing because she was my chaperone and I went, is that true? And she went, yes, I'm afraid it was. We didn't like to tell you. Get on the stage. Okay. I went on and sang something like, you know, tomorrow or something. But I know.

Sometimes I'm like, what? Hey-ho, I'm still here, aren't I? He also said this other thing, which is try hard, do your best and never listen to anything anyone says about you, so I don't. Well, that looks like a little poppy as well. Louise, hi Louise, you're all right, done. She looks like Poppy. She does.

Is it a multi-pooh? It's a he? Yes. Is he a multi-poo? He is. So Louise does puppy training and Poppy and I went there when we were young. She often walks in Gunnersbury. She walks this amazing Afghan who's just called Boris, who is just hilarious.

Hello you. This is Emily and Sarah. We're just doing a podcast for The Times. It's frightfully posh, isn't it? It's called Walking the Dog. What's your business called? Walkies and Waggettails. Yeah.

As, recommended by Bonnie Langford. Yeah, no, very wonderful. Pops is doing really well and now she's absolutely fine at the theatre. When I first took her in to Anything Goes, the first day I was at Bristol and my dressing room was right near the stage as well and she was banging on the door and they actually had to put a wedge in the door to stop it banging because she'd hear it and I was thinking, oh how am I going to make this happen? It's just not going to work. Second day, absolutely fine. I'm absolutely fine.

We need to let you go now because I'll keep you all day but one question. How do I stop my dog stopping? How frequently would you say boarding? It's every 30 seconds, isn't it, to smell everything? I just like to smell everything. So loves smelling then. You start using it as a reward. Oh.

So if you are, so if you know there's something coming up that he would love to smell, then you say, go on, go sniff. and you start using it as a reward and then you can probably get further and then you just have to pick the bits that are really going to be really good rewards and then say goes from there. What brilliant advice. Oh Raymond that's what we're going to do now. It's lovely to meet you. It's nice to see you. Thanks Louise.

Thank you. Oh, that's nice, Bonnie. Yeah. It's such a friendly place. You meet people all the time. So let's take things. So at this point, making the transition into because you, again, unusually some might say it wasn't this period in your life you successfully made

that transition into being a performer as an adult didn't you yeah but I think you know luck plays a huge part I think you have to have a great work ethic whatever you do and also at the same time always be ready just be a hundred percent you know life is a hundred percent preparation or 99 percent preparation and one percent luck and that's the whole point you when the luck comes you've got to be ready for it so Yeah, I've always worked at what I do, which I like. But not all the time.

No, not all the time. And I went through a phase. So I was very lucky because I, at 16, got into the original cast of Cats, which was very lucky because I then sort of weathered that time through being West End shows and being part of that kind of network, if you know what I mean. You know, I was there, I was out there, I was going to open auditions and doing all that, but I was sort of in that world. And also it became the dance craze, the whole kind of fitness, Jane Fonda dance craze thing.

I did a TV show with Wayne Sleep because we were in cats together. So, you know, there is that you have got to be in the right place at the right time. But also you have to be reliable, professional. You have to know, people are not going to pay you to do something if you're not going to turn up. You can't have those dramas, it costs money. And you know, you need to do your best, but also you're being employed to do your best, so do it. Yes, we're all human, but there is this weird thing about show people who do have this amazing resilience and ability to keep going, keep going. Because you strike me very much as someone who's, you send us, yeah, I'll give that a go.

Oh, absolutely. I'll give that a go. you don't have a fear of leaving your comfort zone necessarily. No, I don't. That's true. I used to. I was very stuck in my ways and kept doing it. And I think when I got to about 27, 28 or maybe, yeah, maybe, yeah, about 26, 27.

I was very stuck in my ways. I was doing 42nd Street. I kept thinking it would make me happy and it didn't. And I was seeing all these little kids coming and seeing the show and it all being about tap dancing to make you happy in your life and all that thing. And you think, nah, it's not doing it anymore. Because I didn't have anything else particularly to go home to. I didn't feel that I'd got the rest of my life in a place that was balanced. And I was expecting my work to fix things.

And it doesn't. I was really tired. Yeah, my body was exhausted. And it needed, my brain and my body needed to stop. But I was too scared to stop. It's frightening to stop sometimes, isn't it? You don't know what's going to come up at you. But you can deal with it all.

And I also moved out from home. I'd kept, you know, at pace with my parents because I was touring a lot anyway. And it was that case of, well, why buy somewhere? I wish I had bought more property when I was younger. I was, you know, doing well, and I should have done that. But it was part of that whole emotional cycle of if I buy somewhere away from home, it means I've moved out. And my sister's moving out from my family.

I remember being a very traumatic experience, particularly for my mother, and I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to upset them. And I loved my parents so much, and I didn't want to do that. But it was really necessary. You really have to, there is a point when you do have to, you know, fly away. And so during 42nd Street, I did buy a flat and I did move away. And I was late, you know, I was 26, 27. And I, you know, I didn't quite know what to do.

And I just used to sit in my flat and watch the jelly. Eat Hagenar's ice cream and stuff like that and think, well, I don't really know that I'm very happy here. And I was still boring. I remember going out with, I remember going out with a group of friends. And I went to see a show and they said, oh, we're all going to go to Chinese afterwards. Come with us. And I went, oh, no, I've got to go home to do my ironing.

And I meant it. I meant it. I mean, how sad is that? And they went, oh, for goodness sake, what the heck are you doing? and I went, no, I want to go home. And I did, I went home and I did my ironing. I mean, sad person. Sad person.

But I think the people that go home and do their ironing and say, no, I won't have the next drink. Those are the people that tend to be quite successful, I think. Maybe. You never had problems with addictions or alcohol or anything like that, did you? No, no. I always thought I'd be one of the, you know, 1% that got something that would then have a terrible effect.

I'm, yeah, I know. I think what was your addiction maybe? Work was my addiction at that point probably. And, you know, yeah. And just finding that moment, because I love, you know, that wonderful moment when you are probably more so on stage than on TV or film,

because it is that moment when, you know, no one can turn around and say cut or show stop particularly, although they do. But, you know, you can't say, oh, hang on a minute, I'll just do that again. It's happening in that moment. with those people sitting in an auditorium together there is something very magical about that and I had that moment when I was doing my dress run for

42nd Street so I went into 46th Street again when it was at Drury Lane about four four or five years ago I can't remember down yeah and it was brilliant because I was playing the Dorothy Brock the older woman character and the diva who breaks her ankle at the end of of the first act. Sorry, spoiler a lot. And anyway, so I'd come straight out of East Enders. So it was completely the polar opposites

of what I've been doing, both you know, as far as routine was concerned, but also here I was. You know, I'd come from Albert Square. Very dark, very traumatic, actually, the story I'd just done. And then suddenly I was round tap dancing and

sparkles and sequins and done music and Broadway and all this. It was like, good grief. fallen in some kind of parallel universe here. I went into the show. I had two weeks to learn it, went straight in it. And I had my, what they call your put-in dress rehearsal, where everybody comes in, thankfully,

and you do a dress rehearsal, but it's only you that's the new person. So it's really quite pressured. Although I do tend to like those situations because I think, well, everyone else knows what they're doing. And I just say, look, if I'm in the wrong place, push me over. Just tell me what to do. Anyway, so I was standing there on the stage. and it was the beginning of the number, 42nd Street.

It's a completely empty stage. You're in a spotlight on your own. It's a very quiet moment, although the orchestra then comes in and plays its glorious music. And I stood there, and my life flushed before me, literally flushed before me. I got very emotional because I thought,

I started at seven years old. I made my entrance in exactly the same place as I made my entrance for Dorothy Brock. And I stood there on my own, and I thought, you know, you know when you sort of see like a fast forward movie? And that was my life. And I thought, I'm still here and I like it. And I like it more than I did when I was doing 42nd Street before.

So I sort of thought, gosh, I've weathered that storm. No, my life's not perfect. Whose is? But I thought, no, I am in the place where I belong. I am in the place where I'm. Why do you think you like it more this time around? I'm not so scared of having to be perfect. I still want to be my best and do the best I can.

I think I owe that to myself and to the audience and to anyone. You know, when you've had that many people come up to you, like you said, oh, I remember you on Jasriere and I mean, that's ridiculous. I'm sort of somewhere in your memory bank. That's such a privilege. You've never left my memory bank. Stop, that's weird. Now you're still, now you're talking me.

But you know what I mean? You think all the things that, you know, I'm, I just think that's a privilege to think that's something you've done. And equally, if I had been phoning it in on a performance, I would be ashamed that I would perhaps be remembered for that because I think that's so utterly disrespectful. You know, I might not be the best in the world. I might not be perfect. At least I've tried my best. I need to ask you about Doctor Who. Because you were the doctor's assistant. I was.

Two doctors assistants. Two doctors. Yeah, I covered, for one point, until Billy Piper came into it later on, I was the only one who was part of a sort of a regeneration and was part of two doctors series. So I was the sixth and seventh. I always say that with a slight question mark because I'm never quite sure. I'm, yeah, six and seventh. No, I am sure about that.

I find Dr. Roo fans aren't remotely pedantic about details. No, no, not at all. They won't tell you anything about anything. They won't tell you what door you came out of and which corridor you went down to. No, no. They won't tell you which monster you talk to and why. No, nothing like that. They're really not concerned with detail.

Wrong. Was it fun to film that, Bonnie? Did you enjoy working on it? It was. I was very naive going into it, to be honest, and did not know of the detail and the intensity with which the Doctor Who fans follow the program, which has got more over the years as well. But you know what?

When you think of all the work you do and Doctor Who is the gift that keeps on giving and what I'm pleased about, I'm really pleased about because when I did it, it was part of the sort of wobbly set slightly dodgy monsters. It had a charm. I'm not going to say it didn't have a charm, but it was very low-key, very low budget

and going through a difficult period of its life. It was going through its transition, let's say. And I was brought into it. and ignorantly didn't really know anything much about it. I'd never watched the program when I was young because I heard the music and used to fly behind the sofa like so many kids. And then I was probably doing matinees of shows and things,

which sounds very theatrical. But yeah, it was not my thing. But I went into it because I thought it was different. You know, oh, that's something I haven't done before. Let's do that. And I joined the show when it was literally being taken off by Michael Grade, who then became my boss when I was doing 42nd Street and is delightful.

But he didn't understand the value of it. And I don't think I did either at the time. Because literally, I mean, look, it's over 50 years now. And it is a wonderful institution. I'm so glad it has been revived and sort of given the budget, the credit, the creatives that it deserves. But I did the show, I did it for two years, and then went off, did something else. I didn't like to do anything for too long. And I always thought I was

probably pretty awful in it, so I never watched it, because I don't like watching myself anyway. Do you know? No. And I'd come, you know, at that point, I was, you know, this is the problem with trying to be earnest and doing your best too much, because sometimes you try and look for things in characters that are just not there. And so I would act and try and be this, you know, give it that bit extra when we shot and to be honest I should have just stood in the back and said but doctor look at this moment oh goddie oh look Bonnie don't to describe what we've just seen so we've just seen he said Bernard isn't he? Is he said Bernard or is he I don't know what he is Newfoundland Newfoundland oh he's gorgeous he is Nana the Peter Pan dog oh look there's another one

that's even bigger that comes in here as well actually. He's gorgeous. I love those dogs. The only thing is... I don't like the dribble. I don't like the dribble. And also, is it a bit like getting into bed with a man? Not that's a...

That's a very hairy man. You're discussing. I don't know what men you go out with. But hey... But men dribble, yeah. That's true. But it's just the limbs. If that was cuddling up into my back, it would basically feel like I had a short, hairy man in my...

man in my bed and maybe that's not so bad but you know hey-ho I don't know what you're into Emily I mean you know yeah that I think you'd be pushed out of bed by that actually can you imagine jump up on the bed oh hey do you let Poppy on the I do so do I didn't I didn't for a year I was such a good person I she was crate trained she was fantastic and then I don't know why something happened and she started banging on her crate and wouldn't stop and wouldn't stop and then I relented. It's time, Ronnie Langford. I need to talk to you about a very exciting development because you have joined us here, very kindly, because you're a busy woman.

You're on tour at the moment. I am. And you're in anything, I mean, I'm telling you what you're doing right now. Yeah. I'm like your PA. Thank you very much. I need one. You're currently starring in Anything Goes.

I am. Which is so exciting. But you know what? It's a lovely show. It's what I call a blue sky show. It's a this kind of day show with barely a cloud in the sky. It's a show that was on last year at the Barbican, and we're going back to the Barbican for the summer, which is very exciting.

But one of the things I love about anything goes is it's classy, it's big, it's tap dancing sailors, the phenomenal music and lyrics of Cole Porter, which are utterly glorious. and also it's definitely it's what I call old school musical comedy if you took the music out it would be a Marx Brothers film

or a farce a rae cooney farce I mean it's it's bonkers it's all about misunderstandings it's all about love it's all about life making choices for you and that sometimes you have to do

what you need not what you want and it all turns out happy ever after in the end. It's set on an ocean liner in 1934 which was when it was first produced and it's six days sailing from New York to Southampton and the people the characters that are on there and all the madness that happens and the way by the time they get to land in Southampton they've had three weddings. No funerals as Simon Callow is very pleased to hear about because I play opposite the gorgeous Simon Callow and it's just about weddings no funerals in

this show it's uplifting it's healing 15 piece orchestra playing fantastic music it's live to have people coming into a theatre again and just enjoying themselves and laughing just laughing laughing and then just having this beautiful music so I took it because I thought it would be healing for me as as well as to be out there in amongst people doing my job, best I can. I haven't toured for quite some time because of, you know, I'm a home body a bit, but it is good. It does bring you together more as a company when you're away because obviously when you're at home, everyone wants to just quickly get on the tube and go home.

So yes, you do connect a bit more and it's just uplifting. I think having had the last couple of the years, that we've had. I mean you know it was it was written for a period after the crash to get people back to Broadway anyway. I was going to say it feels like quite timely because there's parallels there aren't there? Oh yeah yeah absolutely it's one of my favourite musicals anyway I just love it yeah it's just as you say you come out of that musical just smiling and feeling you do it's just literally it's an opportunity to switch off your phone get away from the sofa be engaged in what's happening at that moment allow your permission to laugh and feel joyous and listen to that music and cry. I mean, you know,

you've got, I get a kick out of you. It's delightful, it's delicious, it's the lovely. You know, you say these, every single song comes up and you go, oh, that one's in it, that one's in it. You know, it is, it is, it is a glorious score. It's a clean, healing, blue sky show. We're going to come and see it. Good. Everyone should go and see it. Thank you. Yeah. And you were, I want to ask us What's what about, you mentioned your daughter? Bihanna.

Biana, I call her Bibi. She's called Bibi. She's lovely. She's doing fantastically. You know, I think that the pandemic was very difficult for young people, particularly those that were due to sort of graduate during the pandemic and all that. It was tricky. It's hard to sort of get back going again, but it will pass.

Is she going to go into the business, do you think? She wants to. She wants to, but she knows the pitfalls. Yeah. And she's got to do it because she wants to and needs to rather than, oh, I might as well. You can't do this business just because you feel like it at that minute. You have to do it because nothing else quite ticks all the boxes for you. And it's interesting, I've got a friend who's sort of in this business and she said with her kids,

she said, look, I'd never discourage them. No. But I would never actively push them because my feeling is that you shouldn't have to push someone. If anything, there's so many barriers in this business that they need to be comfortable not getting any encouragement at all. Do you agree with that? Yes, that's a really sensible way of putting it. Yes, you don't discourage them, but you say, yeah, you know, I'll be there when it's tough. And if you can't weather that storm and you don't want to put up with that, because it can be, you know, we're all freelance, but we're marketing ourselves, really.

and even though you're playing a role or, you know, even if you're a celebrity or whatever, you're still sort of, there's an element of putting on that front of house sort of attitude, it can really kick you where it hurts at times and that's fine. You know, but no one said life was going to be easy. It's real and that's when you actually, it's how you get up from being kicked that it's when you grow the most.

I was really moved, Bonnie. I saw, it was a while ago now, but I saw you on a documentary talking about Lena Zavrani, who was obviously a friend of yours and contemporary and... Cunty's, we were great friends, great friends. Because we had that connection. We knew what was expected of us. We knew what we did.

And not very many kids did at that age at that time. No, when you're in a large situation, you know, or a kind of a pressured, when there is an expectancy from you, both of us rather enjoyed that. And together we had sort of an unspoken understanding of how you navigate those situations. I was very moved when I heard, because she obviously lost her life

and had terribly suffered from anorexia. But you have always said you wanted to, celebrate her talent. Absolutely. I really understand that and I just want to say I'm really sorry lost your friend because that must have been very traumatic just because I wonder if there was a sense that in some way she uniquely, you had that bond, you uniquely understood where each other had come from and what it was that experience was like. Yeah. I mean fun enough I was talking to, so I was in Edinburgh last week and my dresser was a dancer, former dancer, we were chatting and she, they have just produced a play about Lena which she went to see and it was

interesting because my take on it I said did they make London the big bad wolf and all the people that were in London and she went oh yeah they did a bit and I said you see that's not how I saw it at all you know I think the difficulty that Lena I used to talk about was the fact that she couldn't let her family down she was like this sort of shining light in the family and felt that sense of responsibility. And not just by family, I mean the entire town of Rossi. And that it was difficult for them to understand that

although she came to London, she adapted to London. It changed her life because she was away from her very small community. And you know kids adapt, kids adjust very quickly. But she then became something different within her home. And the expectancy of that, I think, weighed heavily on her. And to let go of that was scary because she might then just be normal. She was never going to be normal. She had this incredible talent.

And I wish she'd understood that bit more. And the way she was able to interpret songs, very maturely that was a talent that no one would ever have taken away and there was far less understanding about eating disorders then oh gosh yes

but then again I was in a world of ballet dancers so that that was around everywhere you know ballet dancers just lived on an apple and that was it that was you know it was considered normal I knew it wasn't and I didn't do that I don't know why

why do you didn't do that I don't know why I didn't do that I mean, I'm fussy as hell about food. But I'm not, I never got to that point. I was too thin at one point, definitely. Were you? Yeah. Oh yeah, definitely. But, you know, I kind of, yeah, I didn't go there fully, at least, that's for sure.

But I did understand her need to hold on to something that she felt was her safe place, which, of course, then became the, for once. something that was actually... You know, the thing that doesn't get said, and this is the same I think about people like Judy Garland, is the fun. She was such fun. She was not this tragic creature.

She was fun. She was determined. She was feisty. She was so determined. She was determined to have that operation. I said to her, I said, that's too much. Really? You want to go there?

Absolutely, that's what's going to fix me. I'm going to have this operation. I'm going to get rid of this dark thing in my head. It's going to go, and I'm going to be fine. the operation was a... A lobotomy? Yeah. I mean, you know, but you know, I can imagine she absolutely was very, very determined to get this done

and that she thought that was going to sort her. And I, you know, I had a phone call 7 o'clock in the morning from someone from the press and I had no idea that she'd gone and they, you know, and my first reaction was I didn't think she'd take her life. I didn't think she'd do that. And she didn't. She didn't. She was doing it to live.

Happier. But, you know, I just was sad that she didn't get remembered for this amazing, amazing talent, this voice and this interpretation of how to literally immerse yourself in a song so deeply. You know, if you ever watch, she doesn't. does this version of Going Nowhere, Neil Sardarka song, which is a beautiful song anyway. She's tiny, tiny, tiny. And it's on YouTube. And it's just incredible. It's incredible how she sings it.

I've got a new fan. You have. You've got a new fan. You've got a new family. We need to briefly also mention you were in the Masked Dancer. Oh, yes. We can follow you a video. I do The Masked Dancer.

It was the maddest show, I think, I've ever done. Was it quite liberating having them off? Well, it's, I found it quite a psychological experiment in some respects, and at first I didn't like it at all. Because, you know, one of the things, especially after having basically been stuck at home for two years, the one thing you want to do is get out and talk to people and share, and of course you couldn't. First, we had to lie completely about doing the show.

And secondly, I couldn't even talk to anyone when I was there. I had no idea that Tams in Althwaite was on it. had no idea that Louis Rednapp was on it. They had no idea that Christopher Dean was on it. They didn't know anybody, and these are all friends of mine. And that we were all standing together, and it's like, I didn't know it, it's not you. And in some respects, it would have been nice to have gone,

is this as mad as I think it is? But anyway, the fun part was, was in some respects not being guest and constantly hiding. And I love the fact that out of the four finalists, three of us were over 50 and then there was a certain part of me that thought oh isn't that awful because actually if they'd known it was us and we were over 50 we wouldn't even be in the show probably that crossed my mind yeah I don't know I mean I I love doing mass dance so it was great fun I loved the fact so they

they but I wasn't doing the style that I would normally do either so I couldn't they were making me do this sort of your flexible one I know oh my God making me do these different um uh dance routines and then I worked with my choreographer was a guy called Claudermar who works mainly with Little Mix and he was fantastic and made me do all this stuff and Randall and Haley and so you have this little team around you about maybe five people who know that's you and that's all you talk to and you have to go before it's all it's all in code and you get driven in you get picked up and then 10 minutes before you get to the venue you have to put on a sweatshirt that says don't speak to me

which I often wear when I'm dog walking actually. Do I say, funny, what a confession. I don't, Jonathan's given me one of those. Have you gone on a lot? And I really bought today, it was too hot. I thought, I know. But I like wearing it because people do think, I'd better not go, me, just in case I don't want to talk.

I do, I wear my, don't speak to me, when I'm on a dog walk and I really can't be doing with talking to everyone. Don't speak to me. And then you've got the balaclava and a visor and gloves and sock. and sock. I mean it's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. The very first show, I didn't even realise they were actually recording it, and the very first routine, I was doing it, and I was just in hysterics. I thought it was the most bizarre thing ever, and I could not stop laughing at myself. I was like, what am I doing? I've got a squirrel head on me, which I can't really

move in. Blaming great tail like a rucksack. And I'm doing all this kind of like Taylor Swift funky dancing and I what am I doing what is this and I'm puppy she always goes in that shop she's so naughty are you a people pleaser probably yeah yeah I think so I've got better at it I've got better at it you know I think it was I come from that generation of always be nice always people like puppy like boundaries are you okay how do you set boundaries you find it difficult or you I do find it difficult but I do put my drawbridge up quite a lot. Yes.

It's the going home and being private. I love being friends of people. I love talking to people, but I do know that there are certain places I stop. Are you one of those people though that you have, you know some people it's like, only push me so far, and now you've gone too far. Oh, I have a red mist. Oh, I have a red mist.

Oh, yes. I have a red mist. It's usually about sort of people who are uncalmers. or unjust or just plain rude. I will, yeah, yeah. And there is, there are two forms of my anger. One is shouty, but the worst one is the quiet. Oh, that doesn't happen very often. But that quiet, steely anger, anger, oh, that can, that can be quite potent. Are you good at confronting? I bet you're quite doing. No, I don't like confrontation. I hate confrontation. Do you avoid it? Yeah.

I will always try to put things right in a nice way or what have you. But there are times and I'll turn around and go, and the other day somebody said something to me and they went, oh, could you do this? I went, no. And it was great, I was quite proud of myself because I just went, no, I can't. I'm not going to.

And they were like, oh, I went, I'm sorry, I can't control that. Too bad. You have to go to somebody else. And I was like, whoo, oh, you're going. Come on, you're getting there, you're getting there, starting to, should we go through here? Yeah. I find that sometimes. I think it's really good to, I just sometimes flex the muscle.

Yeah. Because I, specific, I always think. But then afterwards, do you turn around and go, oh, actually, I didn't really mean that. I know, at times when I do. I don't like to feel like comfortable. I send an email, I'll send an email saying, no, I can't do that. And then I'll send a follow up saying, I mean, what I mean by that? I don't want you to think I'm not cooperative.

I know. Well, we have to leave the door slightly open. Yes. I think that's the thing. You have to, you cannot burn all your bridges. You have to be able to have integrity, but you have to give people the opportunity. Oh, hopefully.

What I was admiring you, is it Bedlington? Yeah, it's a Bedlington. What is this one? He's an imperial shih Tzu. You are incredibly. He's very, look, look like something out of Star Wars. The Bedling... Poppy's doing an arabesque to be rather free with herself.

with herself. Oh, the Bedlington's taking a shine to Poppy. Yeah. Not so keen on my I noticed, none taken Bedlington. Gorgeous colouring. Oh, there's two Bedlington. Oh, there's two Bedlington's. What are the...

What are the names? No. Hello, is this Morty or Vincent. Hey Vinny. Vincent, hello. Oh, Vinny. You're right. This is amazing looking.

Bye. Bye. Nice to meet. Are you a perfectionist? Yes, I can be. I can be. That's quite common with dancers. Yeah.

Well yeah, I mean, you're expected to be able to do this, that and the other. You can't, you're not supposed to turn around and go, I can't. You have to go, well, I mean, look, I did dancing on ice. I never skated before in my life, didn't have any other training. And I just thought, well, I need to do this because I'd always said to my daughter, give everything, you'd go, give it a go. And so I had to prove that, didn't I? But there are other things I wouldn't do.

And I do like to go home, you see, the reason I did dancing on ice was because I didn't have to stay anywhere with anybody else. I'm not very good in groups of people. You know? Well, when it all gets a bit lairy or when it's a bit show busy and kicks off, I can't be doing that. Because also people are very good at playing to the camera and I don't like that after a while. I understand it. It's a TV show that there is a certain need to be less than boring to make a TV show. interesting but not to the point being where you are fake to the core I don't want to do that if I'm playing a part that's what's fine but if I'm having to be me or a

representation of me then it has to have certain integrity that probably that probably goes back to you know where you started because from a very young age you were turning up doing the job but it wasn't anything you know there boundaries for you do you know what you mean that you were like like this is me on stage well I went home and then you went home yeah maybe it's also because when I was when I left gypsy so I did Gypsy in London with Angela Lansbury when I was eight can I just say imagine being able to say that yeah it was pretty amazing it was pretty amazing it was amazing to think that I was in the room with those people and

that was you know I treasure those those memories and but it at that time children were restricted to only performing 40 performances a year under the age of 12. And I did my six weeks, it was basically six weeks of Gypsy in the beginning. And I went home July 14th and I woke up still crying because I couldn't understand why I was leaving this show. I was about to be on school holiday. Why was I leaving? I loved doing it so much. I didn't want to leave. Blah blah, blah. And I was very upset and my parents said to me, look, if you're going to be a like this when you do shows and they finish, you can't do this anymore because you can't let it affect you like that. To be upset to leave is fine, but to be mortified and to be absolutely

bereft, it's not healthy. I just remember that now. Yeah, so maybe that's why I'm good at going he's done, I'm on to the next. Do you know what's fascinating is that I had Aller Jones on this podcast. Oh, I love Allard. I used to do interviews with Allard when he was young. and yeah you know we've all come from that same school I think people to start. He told a similar story to you and that fascinates me and he told me virtually the same story that he'd come back from performing I don't know the Royal Albert Hall or whatever it was and he felt overwhelmed and he didn't understand what it was was just it is overwhelming yeah and when you're an adult you understand why you think of course I'm overwhelmed there were 2,000 people

there and it's sort of unnatural to be in that and he said he came home he was in the car He said, I'll never forget it. I was in this yellow car with a zebra-skin seat covers going back to Wales. And he said, I was sobbing, like uncontrollably. And his parents said, you have to move on. You did that performance and you enjoyed it. But this is a lovely thing you've done. I think, see, Alid's weather at the storm, there's a...

I think those that do, generally, there is something that was very levelling about their... upbringing, there was a strong foundation. It's also, I think, a life lesson that you must feel your emotions, but then you must let them go. And if you hold onto them too much, then you can get into a place of hysteria. And it becomes a habit as well. You know, we have to learn how to deal with things, because life will throw all sorts of stuff at us. And generally it's those people who go, okay, right, now what do I do? If you think about it too much, you start going down a spiral and you get down to a, you know,

it's hard to get out of that. And it's hard to go, right, how am I going to cope with this situation? Because we are all always going to be in situations that we find hard to deal with. And Poppy just seen a squirrel. I've just seen. Squirrel. Listen to those birds. They're not frightened with baking noise.

Oh no, not at all. So here there's these, generally there's this wonderful herons. There's one there. There's one there. There they go. Bonnie look. They're amazing. So we named them. There's four of them. There's Keith, Darren, Gloria and Sharon. Which one's like? Is that key? I think that might be Keith. Oh, it looks like a Keith to me. Yeah, that's Keith, isn't it? Do you have a dog boys, Bonnie? I do. Yes. Go on. Oh, you have to have a dog voice. You have to have a...

Hello. Hello, Poppy. Hello Poppy. Hello, Poppy. You're right, my Baba. Way, way, way, way. Way, way, good boy. I mean, you have to, don't you? I mean, you say we're back to.

I think there's people think we've absolutely lost. Oh, bonnie. Oh, yeah. Bonnie, I've so loved our walk together. So have I. And I've loved meeting Poppy. I've loved meeting you. I loved meeting you and I love meeting Raymond.

And so often I walk around the park and I love looking at the sky and everything, but I don't talk to anyone. So it's really lovely to chat, really lovely to chat. Well it's been an absolute thrill and you're everything I hoped you would be in more. And I'm so excited to come and see you in anything, Joe. We are coming. Oh, a little snort. A little snort there. We had a little snort. Do you love it when they do that half-eye?

There's some special places behind her shoulders, Poppy's shoulders, that she literally, her eyes go back into her head and then she just can't help it yawn. You know what I found as well with having a dog is that those times when you get into a habit of saying things to yourself, like, oh that's so stupid or why do I do that? What am I doing? When you have a dog, because you're being loving to the dog, it's actually feeding your own soul. So when you're like, oh, lovely rub your tummy and all those things that you say, I think actually it has a really positive, effect on you, you say you're nicer to yourself because you're being nicer to your dog. No, I think dogs do encourage you to want to be a better person. Yep, utterly. Oh, Bonnie, we've loved meeting you.

Bye-bye. Bye, Raymond. I really hope you enjoyed listening to that. And do remember to rate, review and subscribe on iTunes.