Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Cherry Healey (Part Two)

Episode Date: November 21, 2024

We’re back at home with Cherry Healey and her beautiful cat House Party!Cherry tells us all about how her brilliant career as a documentary maker started thanks to a conversation by a fridge at a house party, how she felt after throwing up on TV and how she navigated complicated feelings about losing her dad. We also find out all about series nine of Inside The Factory - with her new co-presenter Paddy McGuinness. You can watch their Christmas special over the festive period - and catch the new series on BBC One in early 2025. You can buy your copy of Cherry’s brilliant book Letters To My Fanny hereFollow @cherryhealey on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Really hope you enjoy part two of Walking the Dog with Cherry Healy. Do go back and give Part 1 a listen if you haven't already. Thanks so much for listening to us, by the way. And I'd also love it if you gave us a like and follow so you don't miss an episode. Here's Cherry and Ray Ray. It was so interesting what happened because you ended up working in marketing, didn't you? Yeah. And...

I've done your research. This is amazing. Well, you've always said that's how you can be spontaneously. and enjoy the conversation. How do you know that? God, damn it. Do you have CCTV in my house? That's so funny.

That's literally my motto. Be overly prepared and then you can relax. And that's why I'm enjoying it and I'm loving talking to. This is amazing. God, shock. Yeah, but you can't interview Cherry Healy. It's like, you know. This is amazing.

No, you listen, don't. On Wikipedia, I'm married to a man called Rory Allen, who is a footballer. He's a premier elite footballer. The amount of. professional interviews I get where they're like, what's it like being a wag? And I go, you've literally Wikipediaed me 20 seconds before this interview, which I don't mind. I know people are busy. But I always go, it's great.

I love it. I love having a footballer husband. It's my favourite. I was interested when you worked in marketing. And I can see how that would have appealed because we were kind of sold this sort of sex in the city idea of, you know, we all went into these jobs thinking, that's what I went. I thought, oh, I'll get to wear nice clothes and have cocktails with my friends. That's sort of the sole reason. I'm not saying it's the sole reason.

Did you do that? Yeah, I started working in magazines and for the same reason, it was because I thought, oh, I had, I used to call it it the movie crane shot of how I would look. So I'd see myself sitting at the bar with a friend, with the sex and the city music. Is that, and I didn't think about it's actually quite boring. Was that a bit like you? 100% without a shadow of a doubt. I went to drama school.

I was going to be a drama therapist slash teacher because I really cared about helping people explore their feelings. And then I realized that everyone in the future was really broke and had no money. And I thought, well, I need to earn money. I need to earn money. So I scrapped that. So I went and worked in marketing exactly for that reason.

And then I realized that you're really busy. It's really boring. And you still don't get paid anything. So I had no money for clothes or to go and have brunch with my friends. also my friends were busy. So we could never meet up. The only thing we did do, we had like a weekly dinner where we bought a big baguette, a roast chicken and a pot of hummus,

and we used to eat it with our hands. There was no glamour in it at all. We used to meet at my friend's house. We used to eat the chicken and the bread and the hummus, like with our, like, animals. So it was the most opposite. It couldn't be, but we did chat lots and that was magic. But I had the, I had no money. So I had the weirdest clothes.

I once bought a pair of, I knew that, you know, knee-hous. boots were in. I couldn't afford any new shoes. So I found a pair of, I found a pair of, like, secondhand boots in this, in a secondhand shop, in a tariff shop that came up to the middle of my thigh. I looked like puss in boots and I wore them with a really tiny little kind of kilted short because it was in. I looked like a pirate. I looked ridiculous and people laughed and went, oh my God, what these boots because I'd walked you, but you know that thing where you get the aerial view. I'd walked into work that day going, dun dun, dun,

look at me in my high boots, look at me. I didn't know I looked like a pirate. I looked like a more than. With, you know, your TV career was literally, as you said earlier, it was you at a party, wasn't it? And you found out, oh, was it a sense of, maybe I should do this.

I didn't really even know this was an option. It was like a light bulb moment going off. When I was at a party, I wasn't even supposed to be that, but I ended up there. I spoke to someone by the fridge and he was like, oh, I'm a director at the BBC because it was just down the road from the BBC

and I went, you do what? I was like, you're my age? He went, yeah, I'm a director at the BBC. I was like, well, you can't, that's not a real job. No one really does that. Who really does that? That's a fictional job that people don't do. He went, no, this is how I did it.

I went, oh my God, oh my God, it's everything. So I love tech, I really like, like techy things and practical things. And I love people. and it was perfect. It was perfect. So we all like jump in a car and go and film something and then come back and edit it and that's the job.

He was like, yeah, that's the job. I was like, oh my God. It's like everything I've ever wanted. So I quit my job. No, I didn't. I spent about a month writing to every single production company in London and going to visit them like a stalker, like a stalker. And then I got work experience and I asked my parents if I could move home,

which felt good. And then, yeah, so I quit my job, moved home, lived off 50 pounds a week, which I got from working Starbucks at the weekend, ate bagels every single day, cycle to work. It's the best two years ever. And I just worked, like, I was the first one in, I was the last one out, I reorganised every cupboard. All I had was my organisation skills. That's all I had to offer. I didn't know anything about telly. So I was in every weekend. I had meetings with as many people as I could. I was the keenest being in all the land and it was the funnest two years ever. I just knew I was like once the BBC let me in the front door, there was nowhere I was ever

leaving. That was it. Yeah. It was amazing. I was very, very focused and ambitious. I didn't even, and I love boys. I didn't even, like, I wasn't even interested in anything to do with that. You spent a period of time, I love this detail about you. You sent out blue Peter badges, didn't Yeah, my gosh, you are. This is the most insane interview I've ever had. I've never had these kind of questions ever. Yes, I was in the correspondent team in Blue Peter. I feel like we should be best friends.

You know everything about me. But I love that you ended up doing that. But I really get the sense that if you are given this opportunity, it is what you make of it, isn't it? And some people, I can really see that in you, that you would be the kind of person. You know, someone once said to me, when I was doing work experience,

50 quid a week, you know, it was like it was some bit of times. And someone would say, I got a really good piece of advice, but I sort of knew this anyway, which was, if someone asked you, you know, you'll get the big coffee order and the flapjacks or whatever, the toast,

and said, never come back and say, oh, sorry they didn't have that. Right. And I thought, because it's about empathy, and it's putting yourself in that other person's position. If I'm sitting there and that person might have a meeting, you know, just never come back and say, I couldn't do it. Right. Make a call.

Even if it's just buying coffee, like think, well, I'll get another coffee or I'll go to another show. Right. I'll get three different sandwiches. So that the one, at least they've got an option. Because you don't know, that person might be breastfeeding and that's the only sustenance they have all day. That person is going meeting to meeting to meeting. All you've got, when you're at that particular level, you've only got your yes. and so I used to just say yes to everything

and the wildest one was when I would say yes to everything so every team wanted me on the team because I never said no I mean the amount of times that you'd they'd walk away and you go oh my God how am I going to do this but you always found a way

and one Friday evening I was working on this children's TV show someone came up to me and said oh my God we need a giant plastic rat for this game for tomorrow and I went I'll get one. I'll get one. Because I'm the person who says I'll do it.

I'll make it work. Anyway, so I spent the rest of the evening until about two in the morning, running around Camden, and all the goth shops and clubs and like S&M weird things, trying to find a big plastic rat. And I found a big plastic rat.

Huge, huge big plastic rat. And I said, can I borrow it? It's for the BBC. And they said, yeah, I took it back on Monday. It was amazing. You can imagine. You know how a cat brings a rat for its owner

I was like I found a giant rat It's a new take on I carried an autumn Helen That's your version It is I carried a giant rat

From a weird S&M shop Not that S&M is weird It's just the shop was weird You know Peace to all So when you're at that stage In your career

All you've got is making people's lives easier Yeah That's all you've got And if you can't find The Brownie Get them

Eight different other options But like you say you don't know what they're going through and your job is to make their life easier. After that, this friend got a taster tape together for you, which you ended up getting a meeting and, you know, pitching yourself as a kind of authored, I don't know, if you were consciously pitching yourself

as that at the time where you was an immersive documentary maker, you were more just look, I'd like to, you know, be. No, it was very, very, very purposeful, Was it? Was it? So, yeah, so Dawn Porter had been making immersive journalistic pieces for BBC 3, which had done really well. And then she left to Channel 4, and BBC 3 were like,

we still want an immersive journalist. So my friend was like, great, let's do a tape and send it to them straight away. So that's what we did. I never thought anything would happen off the back of it. But I went to his office in Soho and I ate pizza and we drank Prosecco, and he asked me a little questions like, what do you think of fat people? And I was like, oh! So just really controversial questions.

You put me on the spot and I just said words. and they sent it to BBC 3, but he also sent one to Channel 4, and he played them against each other, which was terrifying, but he's that guy. He's, he has a huge production company now in LA,

because he's that guy. Anyway, so BBC 3 came back and said, yes, we'd like to commission a documentary about alcohol. We want you to go and interview women about why they drink alcohol, the youngest person, the oldest person. And because my dad was an alcoholic,

I was like, yes, I have a vested interest in people's relationship with alcohol. So it was really a gift because I didn't think I ever told them that my dad was an alcoholic. So I don't think they realized quite how into the subject I was. But yeah, I just, and I went and got really drunk with a bunch of odd ladies. I threw up on telly because I drank too much vodka and dark coat. That was an interesting telling my incredibly posh mom. But they're all so proud of me.

I mean, I was so worried about it at the time, but they couldn't be more supportive. But at the time, I thought, God, they're all going to disown me. How was your dad about that, Cherry? Was that part of the conversation, really. Right. Yeah, like, I was worried about my mind. Do you know, so again, what an interesting question.

I don't remember ever telling him when you're an addict, you don't have lots of mental time for other people. because you're so involved in your desperateness. And it's such an awful place to be and I have every sympathy for people who are going through addiction. But I think when you're in really acute addiction, you don't have lots of brain space for other people. And I think that's what happens when you're a child

of someone struggling with a lot of addiction is you're not really a feature in their mental journey. So I wouldn't have like really considered my dad in that question. You lost him not that long ago, didn't you, your dad? I lost him about, gosh, I want to say three years ago, four years ago. And I'm so sad that he had such an uncomfortable death. I'm really sad. I'm sad that he had a really tricky life.

And I think that he didn't live his life as he should have. You know, my mom is amazing. And, you know, we all really loved him despite, you know, the challenges he had. And he did some quite wild things. And we always forgave him afterwards. Yeah. But he just couldn't forgive himself. So he never really had peace.

And his death was very unpeaceful. So I was sad for him. I was sad to witness the lack of peace. Yeah. But I wasn't, I didn't, oh, this is so awful, but it's, it's just true. And it's just how I feel. I wouldn't say I miss him because we just didn't have that kind of relationship. I was, I'm happy that he's at peace now.

I think he's essentially a really good man. that was struggling with something that he just couldn't win. He couldn't win against it. It was too strong. But he was, you know, there were lots of flashes of really, like, wonderfulness. And when he was on a good form, he was a life and sold a party. He just had lots of challenges.

I think he would have had a different path nowadays because we know about addiction. You know, poor thing. In those days, addiction had so much shame around it, whereas you can talk about it now, whereas you couldn't in those days. So he couldn't get the help that he needed. He just tried to do.

deal with it himself. He did go to rehab throughout his life and lots of people helped us with that. But he just never, he never quite won the battle. By the way, I just wanted to say, I think it's really great that you've said that. Even though I know that's painful for you, I feel it's possible to miss someone and be sad. Or it's possible to be sad that someone's gone, but not be dishonest about your emotions. Exactly. Let me show you... I know that people won't know to see this, but let me just show you a picture of him

that's right here. This is a pen he gave me before he died. It's my last thing he gave me. And do you know what's hilarious about it? Because, unfortunately, it's a very fancy pen. Okay? And the name of the pen and the brand of the pen,

and I just don't think he realised the irony of when he gave it to me. The brand is called cross. and I have it. I have it on my because it's so funny because he was always so cross and the last present he gave me is a pen that says cross on it

and I just, there's something like really hilariously comedic and ironic about the fact that was his last gift to me was a pen that says cross and this is a picture of my dad and he's really glamorous he was very suave

he was a bit like Austin Powers James Bond he had Aston Martins that he couldn't afford and we could at the time but he spent all his money beautiful dresser, very elegant, that's my mom. For people listening, she's just a mega babe.

And he's just a very, he was a very elegant man, he always dressed beautifully, beautiful, beautiful suits. So, you know, like you say, and I keep that picture with the pen that says cross because it makes me laugh. And I keep it really visible because just like you said, I don't think I've ever really thought about that, but you're right. I think my affection for him grows

because when he was alive, that every family do, you never knew what mood he was in. And it was hard to love him. He made it very hard to love him, especially in the last like 15, 20 years. And now it's easier to love him because I remember those parties where he was really fun and he was always lovely, and this is a thing.

You know when people go, oh, they could never have been like that. They were so fun at the party. Oh, he could never have been like that. always lovely when he came into work. So like, right. So my dad was like when he was the life and soul of every party, my friends all loved it and they thought he was like Mr. Wonderful. And I think a lot of people thought he was Mr. Wonderful. But when you're five, you're tiptoeing, you're walking on eggshells constantly. It's, you know, it's a different story. But I love him more now than when

he was alive because I see that he was struggling. He didn't, you know what the other thing is. He never left us. He really tried. He could have just walked out the door and gone, fuck this, I'm going to go and drink myself to death. But he really tried to be the man he should have been. If it hadn't been for the evil alcohol monster who got him, he really did give it a go.

And I have a lot of respect for him for that. Because he could have just left and he never did. He tried to fight the beast. It was just too much. You know Lord of the Rings? Like when I watch that, I feel really, I get really, really emotional because there's lots of scenes in that where I feel like I'm watching my dad fight addiction. But he just couldn't win. It was just too powerful.

So yeah. Yeah, I love him. I love him very much. But it's easier to love him now than it used to be. We are here. And I, what we're told off if I don't mention the reason that we're here, one of the reasons we're here is to talk about, inside the factory, which I'm genuinely such a huge fan of. I love that show. How great is that show. I just love that show so much. I mean, in TV, there's so many programs where it's morally questionable.

You go to bed and know, you're like, oh, God, I don't know if it's all right that I'm making the show. This is not that show. The show is beautiful. It's like, I feel like it's the legacy that I will leave of me saying, wow, and everyone knowing how many cups of tea that we make in a year. And that's, I feel like there's something, it's very innocent and beautiful. Yeah. I like the show. And it's a bit of a game changer because since, in fact, the T one, since I saw that, I now leave my bag in for five minutes. Yeah, baby, five a minute.

I think it's even six. Was it six? Well, it's a ridiculously long time. But it's what I love about that show and you've been presenting it. We're coming up to series nine now, aren't we? And you've been, you've done eight series with Greg Wallace. Now it's Penny McGuinness. And what I love about that is, I suppose it connects to what we were saying earlier.

I think there's a responsibility to know how you end up. We're big consumers, aren't we now? And it's like, how is that chocolate made? Well, this is fascinating. Because once you know what goes into the production, you think a bit more maybe about what you're buying. Yeah, I also think there's this idea that, just because it's successful and big and they make it en masse that it's really evil and everyone

there is a goblin like counting their money. But the reality is that, yeah, that company is doing really well because they made something great that everyone loves. And okay, it's not a kale salad, like it's a bickie. Who doesn't want a bickie? Or who doesn't want a packet of crisps? I'm sorry, but if you want to get into my heart and soul, pour me a glass wine, bowl of crisps, let's have a chat. That is how to win me over. Okay, so look, yeah, I eat hell. a lot of the time, but I also, I don't want to live in a world where we don't have crisps. So how do we make that? Like, what's the passion, the love, farmers?

You know, it all starts from farmers. So again, like we see these great big companies and people think, oh, these evil companies. It starts with Jeff, the farmer. He's back. He's back. He's back. He's back. Jeff, going out at 4 in the morning and taking a moisture measurement for the corn or the wheat

or whatever it is the barley so that you can harvest it so that it's perfect so that it doesn't get mouldy so that it can be transport to the factory and then the person in the factory carefully tests it all so it's like it's really a feat of loving care and engineering it isn't this great big um corporate goblin it's jeff and susan being really careful about their work and a lot of people really love what they do you know, I went to a chutney factory a couple of years ago I mean everyone there had worked there for 30 years

because they loved it and it was like in the nicest factory and everyone was chirpy and jolly and their breakout room was gorgeous and had like a waffle iron and like you know so again not all factories are singing and dancing and fairies some are really tough

but yeah I think knowing where your food comes from is really important and I definitely appreciate. When I put a crisp in my mouth, I know that that potato has been, you know, brought up from the land at four in the morning by Jeff. It's not, you know, that's a real potato.

We're very good at farming in this country, and we're very lucky. We have a really good fertile ground to grow things. We're very good at growing things. There's something very comforting about that show. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, and you're obviously part of that. It feels reassuring.

It's like getting into a warm bar, which you did once for that show. I did. We got into, that was a temperature thing. It was the bath bomb, I think. Was it bath bomb? God, you are on another level. You are like, it's like being interviewed, but on crack. I mean, it's just exceptional.

So yes, I took a pill that had this thermometer in it, and then they measured my internal temperature. And so, yeah, it was really interesting. well done good memory that was a really cool day I love the sciencey ones the sciencey ones I love those ones you're back aren't you with a new series and so paddy McGuinness yeah oh did they have to do a chemistry test or did you just say yes as soon as they mentioned it how did it no they didn't they absolutely should have they should have I mean they were so lucky that he and I absolutely adore each other no so they did a pilot with him they did a kind of they took him to a factory just to see and I you know I spoke

the exec about this guy, guy called Michael, who's the most amazing TV exec on the planet. And he said, Paddy, you know, they kind of thought of a few people. And they said, they did it with Paddy and, like, within the first and second, they'll look, she other went, it's him. It's him. I think they did it in a sweet fact, when you walked in, and he was like, oh, my God, do-da-d-da-da-da-da-do. Like, so funny, so lovely, chatting to everyone, but really cares about who works.

there. Paddy is one of the nicest human beings. We are so lucky to be on the planet at the same time as him. He's such a cool, kind, courteous person. He's kind and thoughtful to everyone on the team. He's funny to be with. But you know what he's also, which is really not, doesn't always happen. He's also like really nice to hang out with and really interested in other people. It's also like ask other people questions. He's really interested to do it. He's really interested in in other people as human beings. Sounds like someone I know. Right.

Sounds like you. God. He's cool. He's really fun. He's really funny. And what's also really interesting working with him is that they'll give him the script and he'll read it. And honestly, quick as a flash, he'll go, yeah, love that.

But this is how we can do this differently. And I think that's why he's in like the league that he is. He cares. Yeah. And he's really good at his job. And when he makes edit suggestions, they work. A bit of a dream team. I'm loving this.

We'll see because the first one hasn't been out yet. So I don't know when this is going to air, but the first Christmas episode would be out on the 22nd of December, I think. And then 7th of January is when the full series kicks off. So it will slightly be for the public to decide. But watching Paddy move around the factory and talk to everyone with such interest and respect, we couldn't have asked for a better person. I feel like he's got the vibe of the show,

which is respect for how things are made, who's making them and how they're made. Like he gets that process. And there's a real knack to chatting to people, I think. And it's something even when you did your very first shows, your early documentaries, I remember being really struck by how natural and at ease you've always been with people.

And bear in mind, this was a time, this was pre sort of social media explosion. when people hadn't really mastered that art of just being themselves on camera. Most people that were on camera, there was an element of, hi, I'm here to talk about, and you never had that. You were just, it was you. There was an intimacy to your style and your energy, which I loved and I still do.

Is that something you learn, your ease around people, Cherry. Where does that come from, do you think? Such an interesting question. I think I do feel easy. Every so often I get moments of anxiety. Like my boyfriend knows that every so often he's like, you're such a confident person, but every so often I'll just get anxiety,

and I need him by my side, I need him. But like it's just, you know, it's silly. But mainly I do feel really, I love people. I love people. And I feel like, I feel really happy, like walking around the streets in London, like being surrounded by people. It makes me feel like, mm.

And it's like going into a bakery and there's all, like, sorts of delicious donuts everywhere. Like, that's how I feel. Like lockdown was fucking horrendous. I hated it. I hated it. There were days after lockdown finished when I would just walk into London and just cry and like silently because I just missed everyone. Like I missed everyone.

I don't even know who you are and I just missed people. And I wonder slightly whether it's like a boarding school thing. Like I was so happy. and there was just people everywhere you looked you're just constantly surrounded by people you know you just loved it

I think also my perception of the world is that most people are really really good people and if they're not it's because they're struggling with some shit you don't know about so I

and some people are Bellens but they're Bellens because they are struggling with shit you don't know about I just don't think people are born Bellens there's no born Bellens and I can be a bell end

And it's because I'm dealing with that Because I'm, when I'm a knobhead I, it's because I'm struggling with something. So I think I generally feel happy In people's company, I think. But you're very authentic and you've always been open. That's always been your house style. And I think that's infectious

Because there's kind of an honour in that, you know? It's like if you open up, you show me yours, I'll show you my pain. You know. I agree. I think that's, I think if I, I mean, at the beginning, I didn't think about it ever because you just do what you do. But I think, having kind of analysed it over the years, I think, I think there's a, you know, when you walk into room and you, you sense different people's power and energy, it's that hypervigilance. And I kind of, you assess, you, without noticing, without realizing, you assess people and where they are in the hierarchy and where, you know, because you can feel where people place themselves in their, submission or not. And I think because of my dad, I'm quite good at placing myself in that

hierarchy without even realizing that I do it. And then I think that's exactly what I do. Again, I did it subconsciously, but I think I see it now where I'll offer, you know, when a cat lies on the grass, like, or a dog, they lie on the floor and they show you their belly. They're like, I mean no harm. I think I do that. conversationally. I don't mean to, but I think I do. I go, here's something really ridiculous about myself. Like, I don't know, I did a fake tan last night, so my bed sheets just covered in brown fake tan. Do you know what I mean? I think I reduce my power to make. But again, I've never done it consciously, but I think that's probably because of my dad. So like,

don't hurt me because I'm, I mean you no harm. And everyone can then open up because it's like, I'm a ridiculous mess. So whatever you've got to tell me, don't worry, because I got you. Yeah, it's you're kind of also neutralising yourself as a threat in any way. Yeah, I think so. I think a lot of people do that. I think it's a...

I think women do it particularly as well. I agree. Absolutely. And you write about this. And I really recommend people get this, but you can get it from Amazon. It's called Letters to My Family. And it's so brilliant.

It's about feminism really, which isn't, shouldn't even be core feminism. It's just how women should be and should be treated. It's about learning to love yourself as you are. And your femininity is not, you know, you don't need to be six foot and weigh six stone to be a woman. You can run around and be loud and ambitious and sporty and different shapes. and that's you're just as much of a woman as any other woman. I need to ask you before I let you go and I do need to let you go, even though I basically want to move in now.

Babe, I'm settled in. I'm settled in. I need to ask about SAS. Are you tough enough? Oh my God. That's so man. I honestly. I mean, I watch it and it's awful because all I'm doing, I do something awful when I watch it, Cherry,

which is I get so comfy. I get my most comfy. pajamas and like a hot chocolate and I make sure I've got a nice blanket and raised next to me. Oh, I'm going to feel really smug at how awful their lives are for the next hour. You know those like Instagram memes where he goes, My Toxic Traitors? That's the other way. My toxic traitors, I watch SAS while being as comfortable, as snug as a bug in a rug with a hot chocolate.

I totally get that, by the way. I've watched it. I mean, it's one of my favorite shows. Me and my daughter absolutely love that show. I watch that show every single year and every single year I watch it and I go, what are they what are they thinking?

Well I sip my incredibly cold French burgundy and eat my kettle chip. You're built different, aren't you? Because you were hardcore on that show. It was made, I was made to do that show. I was made to do that show in the interview where they do the mirror interview and they took the hood off

and normally you get a big telling of what they said to me was you need to stop taking this so seriously. That's what they said. They went, you need to calm down. This is SAS instructors. This is SAS instructors saying to me, you've got to chill.

But if you think about it, I've got three brothers, really good at sport, physically really fair, I'm as strong as a fucking old, I'm ripped, and I went to boarding school and really organised.

And I'm such an overly intense, hypervigilant person who hates being told off. So every single day, I'm ready for war. I wake up, my bed is made, I go to the gym, my house is immaculate. I'm ready for the zombie apocalypse. Every day, babes.

I got scissors, sell a tape. I mean, you know what I mean? My house is ready. My house is ready. I just, I was born to do the show. Yeah, you're comfortable in institutions, aren't you? Yeah, and I just got my shit together. I sensed you didn't have an issue with the authority.

which a lot of people, that's the thing that really breaks them. You know, notably we won't go into it, but one person who left off to about 12 minutes. Yeah, I think you can tell a lot about people from that show. My friends, I watched it with my friends when it came out. My girlfriends from 40th school all came to my house to watch it, and it was fucking hilarious. Because in the interview where they pull the head off,

and they're going, you are way too intense as a person. And my friends pissed their, pants. They were like, yep, yippee-doo. Because I mean, they, they knew exactly how I'd be when I was like, every button was done up. But you turned up, you were like the first in the queue, yes, sir, no sir, three bags, like so annoyingly over-enthusiastic and over-keen about everything. And so they laughed all the way through it. So when the DS told me off for being too much, and in the interview, I think I say, that's not the first time someone said that to me. And so they were all, it was a really special moment actually.

These girls I've known since I was 10, all looked at me and went, yep. What did you learn? Because didn't you say something about how it had, it made you reframe. There was someone you were dating at the time and you thought, what am I doing? Yeah, I was in a really unhappy relationship. I've been dating someone for about a year and they just mocked me about completely. And I've really lost a part of my self-confidence. I've really lost a part of who I was.

I should have exited that relationship a long time ago, but it was one of those ones where it was like death by a thousand paper cuts and I just, you know, I was almost in a bit of a trance like when you're really into someone, you're really infatuated with someone you put up with you put up with. So then when I left and this situation continued, I thought, this is ridiculous, I've just been drowned in a helicopter,

are you fucking kidding me? I'm not putting up with this rubbish. So I broke up with that person. I mean, don't get me right. was wildly heartbroken, but it was the right thing to do. I was like, I can't, I've trekked, I've carried a fuel tank up a hill for four hours in minus 12. I'm not, I'm not putting up with this. So it does change you. Yeah. And you've met someone nice now, haven't you?

Oh, he's just heaven. He's heaven. So I stopped dating after that. I thought I just need a break. So I stopped dating. And then in January last year, I just went online dating. And there he was. It was the first person that was on there.

And he was just like everything I could ever have asked for. So yeah. And he used to be wonderful. And we're about to celebrate our one year anniversary, which is really exciting. Congratulations. And he gets on what you've got two, you've got the best names. Of course, like ridiculous names. I mean, come on.

Yeah, it's Coco and Bear. Oh, so sweet. And they're so great. And he's got, so Justin, he's my boyfriend, he's got four kids who are like the nicest. I mean, I seriously. It's the Brady Bunch. It's the blended family from heaven. When we went on a holiday and summer's eight of us, like just going to Starbucks was like a hundred quid.

It was like his kids are the nicest kids. You could ever, ever, I've won the lottery in terms of that. Like they are so sweet and thoughtful and kind and interesting and I really love them. They're really special people. So yeah, I hope, you know, you never know what's going to happen. It's difficult. It's difficult when you're growing up joining forces. You know, we don't live super close to each other.

We've both got loads of stuff going on. We've both got loads of commitment. but we've got family and friends, but we're both really, really want to make it work. So we'll see. I hope it works, but I'm, you know, 43, I know that that doesn't always, love isn't always enough. But we really, really love each other. So it's all the bits, all the rest, the recipe is ready to be cooked. Oh, well, Terry, I'm so happy, but I'm mainly just so thrilled to have got to chat to you

because I've long really admired the work that you do, but honestly, on. Honestly, I really feel there is some, I don't know what it is. It's like there's a slight magnetic energy around you. You're so, because I think it's because you can't sort of fake that, you know, when someone's pretending to be interested and there's a special quality that you have. It's funny because I find these interviews wonderful and it's really fun. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and don't get me wrong, course I like to talk about myself.

But it's weird to talk about yourself over an hour and not have like, shared that air time. And like, there's so many questions I have to ask you and want to know about you. And I really, really hope that we get to hang out after this so we can kind of have a normal conversation where we get to do. But I can't even tell you the kind of questions I sometimes get from like a professional journalist where I'm like, do you know anything about which I don't care. You know, again, like people are busy. But your questions have been amazing. You're such an incredible interviewer. I feel very, very lucky to be on your podcast. I think I'm actually going to cry

And I bit in love with your Ewok Look at him I really hope you're okay Oh God I just Okay we have to hang out Because I need to hug that face He's got very main coon energy He's such a sweetie

I've got friends who only like cats And Ray is the only dog they'll tolerate Because he's a real old-fashioned gent You know, I love that And I imagine he's very sort of of yeah he's like a Victorian gent in a top hat. Like good day children. He's so sweet.

Do you know what? My dream, one of the two, you know I've always wanted a dog, but I just can't. And I've always wanted to live by the sea. And I've always wanted a really alpha boyfriend that's really sensitive and sweet, which doesn't exist. And now I've got this incredibly thoughtful alpha man

who's like really in his masculine energy and super like into fitness. just really treats me like a princess, like takes me out for dinner and, like, buys me flowers and it's just magical. It's like, I'm just, like, crazy in love with him. He treats me like, like, he makes me feel really like feminine and it's magical.

I love that. He's got a dog that's got gentleman energy. And so now I kind of have a dog. And it's this, but a dog called Bert. And Bert, but kind of has this, he's the most, he's been trained beautifully. So he walks to heal, he sits. He doesn't, he comes to hang out with my cats,

doesn't bark at them, doesn't chase them. He's lovely, lovely energy, but he's got gentleman energy like Raymond. And he sits in a majestic way and just kind of looks out to the sea. And Justin lives by the sea. It's really magnificent. But the main thing is like, I kind of have a dog now. So he was here at my house the other day. And I've got a dog pottering around the house.

And it's kind of, I can't, it's spiritual. When I see Bert walking around my house, I'm like, oh my God. Oh my God. Oh, my God. I've got a dog. There's a dog in my house. Oh my God. It's so, I can't tell you how exciting it is to have a dog in the house. I'm like, what? How did that happen? One minute, I'm a single mum of two with two cats and now I've got like this huge gang and a dog. Life can be funny like that. Cherry, it's been an absolute pleasure to be continued, definitely, because we would love to get to know you more.

Thank you so much. I hope everyone watches the new series of Inside the Factory. I will be. Raymond and I will be gripped. Please, will you say goodbye to Raymond? I love you, Raymond. Healing vibes, totally 100% well. Get better. You're the best. I love you.

I can't wait to give you a little squeeze. Oh, look at those paws. I really hope you enjoyed that episode of Walking the Dog. We'd love it if you subscribed. And do join us next time on Walking the Dog wherever you get your podcasts.