Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - George Fouracres (Part One)

Episode Date: June 16, 2026

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll through Finsbury Park with actor, comedian and Saturday Night Live UK star George Fouracres.George is having quite the moment. His scene-stealing performances on SNLUK have made him one of the breakout comedy stars of the year, with sketches like What Kind of Irish Is Your Grandad? and his take on Kier Starmer becoming instant viral hits. In fact, one of them was even reposted by Donald Trump, which may be one of the more unexpected endorsements in comedy history.On the walk, George chats to Emily about growing up in the Black Country surrounded by a big, close-knit family, how he once considered becoming a priest, and the school production that first made him realise performing might be his future. They also talk about his time at Cambridge, where he became close friends with comedians Pierre Novellie and Phil Wang, and began developing the comedy skills that would eventually take him from Shakespeare to sketch comedy.As well as his television work, George is an acclaimed stage actor who has tackled roles ranging from Hamlet to Falstaff. Emily has even seen him perform at Shakespeare’s Globe and can confirm he’s infuriatingly talented.It’s a funny, warm and joyful conversation with one of the nicest people in comedy. And while George and Emily got on brilliantly, it quickly became apparent that the real love story here was between George and Ray.Follow Emily:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadeanX: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I used to wear a bow tie to go to McDonald's on a Saturday morning. We went to McDonald's for breakfast. I'm obsessed with the bow tie. This week on Walking the Dog, Ray and I went for a stroll in North London's Finsbury Park with actor, comedian, and star of Saturday Night Live UK, The Wonderful George Four Acres. George and I first met by our mutual pal, a comedian Piaennavelli, so I knew George was a fan of this podcast, but what soon became clear was that he was actually a fan of Ray's rather than.

than me. I've never seen a man so overwhelmed by an encounter with the dog. I was basically security at a Taylor Swift meeting greet, but nevertheless, I was thrilled to get to chat with him, and I couldn't have chosen a better time in his life, because it's fair to say, George is having quite the year thanks to his outstanding comic performances on Saturday Night Live UK. He's had virtually the entire country singing the song, What Kind of Irish is Your Granddad? And his Kea Starmer sketches have even been reposted by Donald Trump. I know, but look, at least he recognises a comic genius when he sees one. George and I had the loveliest chat about pretty much everything. His childhood growing up in the black country with a very big, warm extended family, how at one

point he thought he was going to be a priest, and my getting to play bottom in a midsummer night's dream at school turned out to be a life-changing moment for him. We also talked about his time at Cambridge University, where he started to get very involved in comedy and became great pals with comedians Pia Novelli and Phil Wang. George is also an acclaimed stage actor with a very impressive Shakespeare pedigree. He's played everyone from Hamlet to Full Star. I've actually seen him at the Globe, and I can exclusively reveal he was annoyingly brilliant. It turns out there is genuinely nothing this man can't do. He also happens to be one of the sweetest-natured, loveliest, funniest human beings you'll ever meet.

And it was genuinely a total joy to spend time in this man's company, which, funnily enough, is exactly what he said about Ray. No mention of me, but I've made my peace with the fact that I'm merely a witness to the greatest bromance the world has ever seen. I really hope you enjoy our walk. Here's George and Ray Ray. Now, George, I'm going to put Ray's harness on. I don't want you to think I just carry him all the time.

Yeah, it's very like a mid to late 17th century painting where you know, like James the Second or something. This was a gift from the Imperial Court of China. That's the nicest look-alike comparison I've ever had, James II, George. James II, England's less Catholic king. No, do you know, Ray does have something of the historical court about him. He really does. He looks like, he looks a bit like when a medieval person has heard of a dog but not seen one and has then drawn it, but he's come to life as Ray. It's like when they're talking about planes, metal bird in sky. They would say about Ray.

Four legs, four legs nose move. Four legs nose move around and then they made Ray somehow. That would end up being a surname. People in the 21st century still having to have them. that surname. George, what a delight. I know I'm going to love this already. Well, thank you for having me. What's funny is, I have been a fan of this podcast since the beginning. Really? Yeah, and it's all kind of spooky. The number of times, so I lived around here for 10 years. And we should say we're in, we're in, Finnsbury Park, aren't we? We are. And I, the number of times I've walked around this park listening to this podcast. And now here I am. with Will behind us carrying all the equipment.

Yeah, he's going to have more equipment soon. Can you carry Ray's bag? This is Ray's bag. And of course that's his bag. Well, I was sent it and it arrived. I was so excited. It was an Nettiporto van turned up. Yeah, beautiful.

And it said Mewmew. And it was from Catherine Ryan. I thought, she's bought me a bag. It was a bag for Ray. It was a bag of dog. I mean, my bag's from Zara. My dog has a Mumi bag. So I'm so thrilled that you are a fan of the podcast.

Yeah, and you know what's really spooky as well? So my partner recommended me this podcast when it started. And I was like, yes, obviously this is my fate of because I love dogs and I loved your book. And I said to my friend and yours, Pierre Novelli, back in 2019 or whatever it was. Yeah. I was like, oh, I listen this podcast. You'd be so good on this podcast. It's perfect for you.

And he was like, I don't know, man. I don't. I'm not well known enough, man. I don't know. And then he ended up gaining his, gaining much notoriety for then co-presenting Absolute Radio with you and Frank. And Frank. And he's been on this podcast twice. I've made him do it. Yeah. It's all spooky. It's all come. Strangely full circle. Oh, that's such a joy to hear that. And obviously, I'm I feel I discovered you basically. Because everyone knows you now and I'm sick of it. Sick of you being famous. But I'm so thrilled to have you on.

And yes, we should say how we met. We met through Piano Valley. We met through Piano Valley. Who you're sort of one of your best pals. Yeah, he's my best friend. He's been my best friend since we were 18 at university. We both studied Anglo-Sax. I know what you studied, I'm going to say it.

Go on. Because I found a way to remember it. I know it's Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies. Do you know how I remember it? How do you remember? The ANC. And I know it's wrong, but I associate that with Chair because of South Africa.

But they were goodies, weren't they? They were the African National Congress. I don't know enough about it. I think they were okay. They were on the right side. They were anti-apartite. That's good. And so I hope Pierre doesn't mind.

But I think... I'm sure he won't. The ANC, that's how I remember. Actually, before we get into that, we need to discuss your dogless status, which is your only flaw currently. I know and it is a sticking point in my life. And since 2018 I've been gunning for a dog

because I am a big just animal person generally. We grew up with dogs, cats, a minor bird, fish and pigeons. So love animals in all their strange little forms and pets in all the strange little forms. And we do have a cat. This is you in your part. Yes. Who I've met and she's lovely. Yeah, very good. She's decent, decent, decent gal. A good gal. Like a colonel.

Yes, enough said about her. Good gal, decent girl, good family. And we have a cat called Beryl. And I love dogs and I need a dog. I sort of can't be alive without a cat. Yeah. Like a cat to me is like an intravenous drip. Yes. I sort of have to have. And at the most moment because we're in between houses you got that sweet S&L money coming in now upgrades coming I have just bought my first flat and God for God forgive me and my cat is living with my mum she's a boarding school in Wolverhampton because we're living

with some friends at the moment who have two cats and Cheryl and they're my best friends at the moment but I do I really really want a dog Yeah. When I was growing up we had like staff at your bull terriers. Of course you did because you're from the black country. I'm a walking stereotype. So talk me through the whole animals. Let's set the scene.

We're in, is it Willenhall? Yeah, Will and all. It's a little industrial town. Famous for locks and keys. All the, almost at a certain point, all the locks and keys in the world basically were made in this very small town. There are locks and keys in the empire. Empire State building famously were made in my town. Oh look at you, Ray, walking around.

Ray, look at George. Where's George? Come and see a hello. When his tongue comes out, that's brilliant. Ray. It's like a little pink dark. It's awful the way he picks, he's deciding who to go to. Do you like George or will? Oh my God, he's like, it is like Jim Henson Workshop. I know, isn't it?

He's literally like the way he like sits down. Oh, is he making a little noise? Yeah, he makes, he never barked, but he grow out. He makes, he goes like this, he goes, ah. Come on, Ray. Do you want your water, darling? Yeah, what are you snorted at? Snortledy-tortledy.

I'll put his little harness on and he'll walk for a bit. But I have to apologise on his behalf, George, because he's a little tired by this heat, so. Yeah, of course. Yeah, of course. He'll do a little bit of a walk, but we can maybe sit under a tree for a bit if you're... Oh, that would be nice, wouldn't it? Think of that, Ray.

We're going to have to walk on pavements. I know we don't like those, we like soft surfaces, but never mind. Come on, we're going. You know what you like, Ray. That's good. He wants to go on this side of you, George. Sorry. Here we go then.

Come on, Ray. So, George, you walk. Oh, look at him. He's full animatronic. He's a full animatronic. He's literally. someone's got a will is like just has a remote control in that sound sound back come on so we're going back to the origin story which is in will and hall

will and all which I keep insisting on calling it will and hall like Wolf Hall I mean that is correct I when I was doing my when we were like putting together we did like a sort of we had all our like media training and whatnot for SNL and they put together a sort of fact sheet about you and then sent it to you to check and they had put my hometowners because I guess they just heard me say it and then just written it down yeah and not checked it it was they put Willingor which is like W-I-L-L-I-N-O-R-E. Was it like Elsonor? Yeah or Pelinor from like sword in the stone yeah will and Hall and so is you and your mom and your dad me and my dad

are they both librarians they were both librarians they worked on the mobile libraries which I don't even know if they exist anymore mobile libraries and did you have and do you have siblings yeah I have one brother one little brother yeah and then two cousins who I grew up with like they were my brothers so I sort of refer to them all of my brothers usually anecdotally for sake of shorthand because we were always there and we had which I think was just quite normal for where I grew up when I grew up that we all just there was my granddad and my nan and my uncle my dad's baby brother and were they always around at your house yeah and we were always around we lived like two seconds away from each other and we

It was like we just, it was like we just had two houses. Yeah. And my auntie and the mum of my two cousins and her boyfriend, our husband, Paul. And then subsequently Tracy, my uncle's wife. And then their little lad came along when I was about 17. I mean, I have to say, normally when I say, oh, where did you go out? Because you have one brother, Tom, mum and dad. Whereas these black country people?

Yeah. It's like an entire ecosystem. I didn't realise. Yeah, it is. The ecosystem is exactly the right word. I didn't even realise it was like a thing for us until I moved away. Yeah. And then met other black country people.

And I think because we, we don't, like, it's quite rare that you find someone with a very straightforward family. Yeah. So you find yourself having to explain yourself more than you did when you were growing up. So it's a sort of strange novelty. They're having to like, yeah, and then my cousins were all of my brothers because they were in their house and my granddad was there and all his pigeons were in the corner. Don't we through the animals? So we've got some staffies.

We've got Buster, the staffie. Buster. Yeah, he was just the most gorgeous little personality of a dog. and we had him he was my cousin's dog and my auntie's dog we had him from a puppy and he was so tiny

as a puppy and he was brindle like proper like traditional brindle colour staffy and oh god he was amazing and when he was a little puppy we used to like just carry him round

on a pillow like he was some sort of treasure box or something he was so beautiful the emperor's dog the emperous dog I love that I watch that film and then tell me

you had a Minerbird? Minor bird. The absolute scourge of all of our lives. Why? Because it's loud. It learns to imitate voices like a parrot. It's basically like a cheap parrot, basically.

It's like living with a comedian. Yeah, exactly. And just as obnoxious, if you can imagine. And I don't think he ever had a name. He just called him The Baird. He'd be like, oh, the Baird. And he lived in a cat. It's bad, really.

What it was was my nans. My nan was always buying birds to have in the house, because obviously, which I'm sure I'll then get onto, we had the pigeon pen at the bottom of the garden. And the minor bird lived in a cage in the kitchen, and I've still got like embedded in my nervous system. Can we just say it was a different time? It was a different time.

It was a different time. This is early 90s black country we're talking about. It's not, you know, we're not in Creole. channel anymore. But he was my nans and my nann passed away. She was very ill for a long time when I was a little kid and then she passed away and I think my granddad couldn't really bear to get rid of him. And that bird lived for about 20 years. They lived that long. They lived for ages. And we were like, well, you know, from when I was like, so my nans must have had him when I was about six or seven. And I think it died when I was about 25.

So it was like, and it was an adult when she got it. So I don't know how old it was when she got it. I like the idea of a bird being an adult. Yeah. I've never really, yeah. What's your bird? He's an adult. An adult minor, of course.

Can you get pension? We wouldn't get a juvenile. So, and what sort of things do minor birds, do they ever do? They hop around. Do they say, do they repeat embarrassing in appropriate? Yeah. And the funny thing was, and this couldn't have been a more my nan thing, is that she had

she'd had like a sequence of Moyner Birds but she had taken it back to the shop because it wasn't working it wasn't learning any words so she was like well I need like you know exchange it for one that works and then she got one

that had already had an owner so already knew phrases but that were meaningless to us so what sort of thing? So it would say the one it was like good morning chalky no one knows, no one knows.

Like, who's chalking? Why, good morning, chopping. I hope it's not racist. I know, you've got to wonder though, haven't you? You've got a wonder. Like. Even that Jim Davidson, you have a character. Yeah, it could have been Davidson's bird.

Oh my God. That's the title of this episode, Davidson's bird. Imagine if you're found. Please, that's how what we've called his wife. So, so this minor bird, I'm fascinated. Come here. You're looking up at me with pure reverence. Yes, do you want a coffee or a drink or a cold drink?

Oh, you love a coffee or a drink or a cold drink? What do you fancy? Or an ice cream? Oh no, I'm more often ice cream, although that would be idyllic. So the minor bird? Yeah. The minor bird sounds extraordinary. He was a real character. Yeah.

And he would say those things. What are the other things he could say was, Mitchell? Which was my cousin's name, Mitchell. Because he was always in trouble. So it would like, Mitchell, and then the rest of time it would shriek. So we just go like, ah, ah, ah! Just sat again, like living with me.

Yeah. And so did, was your family, I'm interested in the fact that your parents were librarians because I assume, you know, so your grandparents were sort of your classic black country, working class. Well, yeah, on my dad's side, yeah, but my mum was, my mum's from a town called Long Eaton, which is, um, right, in between Nottingham and Darby. Yeah. And she moved to Wolverhampton in the 80s because Margaret Thatcher ruined everyone's lives. Yeah.

So she had to, like all of her family before, she's from a family of economic migrants, just moved to find work. So she ended up in Wolverhampton and met my dad. But yeah, both sets very like absolutely, like my granddad was a bricklayer. Is, well, he's still alive, but he's retired now. a bricklayer and my other granddad worked at the Rolls-Royce factory in Derby. Proper jobs? Yeah, proper jobs, manual work and my uncle, my dad's baby brother, oh look at this, cappuccino.

Thank you darling. Come on then, let's find a tree to sit under. Absolutely. So... My uncle worked with my granddad. He's a bricklayer too and he took over my granddad's van and now he took over my granddad's van. and now his son works with him. So if someone had come up to you and said,

what class are you, George? Unlike because that's something we probably only did in North London. But if someone had come up to you and said, what class are you, George, what would your response have been? We, I suppose back then, we were, we were the sort of the new 90s, lower middle class. Right.

you know working class parents who then have because that's the thing with obviously this is a subject that becomes very pertinent throughout your life when you come from somewhere like the black country and you move away and you go to university and you're socially mobile etc that it was like a sort of brave new world

my friend Liam Williams does an amazing bit of stand-up about his parents about like being middle class, low middle class, there's like an alternative lifestyle choice. Because low middle class gets the worst press, isn't it? You go and get the romance of... But yeah, I think it's quite realistic for a lot of people who grew up in...

Because things like, obviously, like, there's the cultural factor, there's the economic factor and there's a geographical factor. And the black country at the time was like, especially in the 90s was like I suppose that sort of new library era of just things just slightly improving across the board in places like that so that general sense of it's like aspiration exactly and aspiration was like the key word and my parents just that loved just literary people who quite rightly believe

Oh my god, look at these brand new gozzlings over here by the way. Oh, the Ryans. They're like bright yellow. Let's go and see. Oh look, they're almost green, they're so yellow. Is it wrong that I do see a goose and I'm like, I bet that would be delicious. That's a really bad thing to say. Oh, look it. No, do you know what? I have to have, I really, um, oh look, I don't like, I'm always unsettled when there are cars in the house.

Yeah, it really surprises me. Yeah. He did me. I don't know who that was driving that car through the park. But I've got to be honest, I felt he made a bit of a meal of it. He really did, didn't he? I think he was thinking, yep, I'm the guy who's allowed to drive in the park. I'm Finsbury Park Carmen.

Let me through. I like the idea that he's just driving around the park all day, and that efficiently, that's what he's doing. He's just driving into crowds of people with crams and dogs. I mean like, like, just slowly move aside, please, and I'll roughly let you know. And I'll roughly let you know when you're in the right position for me to pass by. I think that he goes off again. I want to know if his wife rings him and says, another busy day? What have you been up to?

So, yeah, so that's interesting what you're saying, because, do you know, I remember saying to my dad, and this really makes me cringe looking back on it, but I feel I'm in a safe space in it. But I said to my dad, I remember, I said, Daddy, what, what class are we? When I said it to my mum, because she was an actor, of course, and she said, darling, we're classless. And a boyfriend of mine later said, I think the darling rather gives it away, doesn't it? And then I said to my dad, which again is so cringed George, looking back on this, but I said, Daddy, can you change your class? Can people change their class?

I'd like an upgrade, please. And he said, which I thought, the certainty with which he said this, he said, no, well, you can't buy your way. out of your class you can educate your way out of your class he was absolutely adamant about yeah but that's an interesting take on it in some ways but it's i think that was absolutely um a well it's worth saying that my mother for instance would never have um i think also the thing what what's interesting i think is that there is a sense that if you are educated yes that you and also it has to be said that this is something that i think is in the mainstream voice, which is predominantly, the mainstream cultural voice, which is predominantly

the idea that when you achieve things and when you become educated, that you don't belong to your class anymore. Yes. That's very interesting, isn't it? It is very interesting. And I mean, the main thing is money. Like money is, that's the brutal part of it. It's money. Yeah. It's access to education. It's access to everything. And that's just money. And that's not changing. That's getting worse, if anything. Like everything is driven by, oh, there's a spider on me, he's gone. A money spider, ironic. Everything is driven by money now and was then as well. But that is the brutal reality of it.

And money is just being sapped out of places. And particularly in the arts and with access and things like that. My parents very much believe that these things didn't belong to. I mean, my dad, I think my mum's maybe a little bit, my mum's a bit more definite perhaps to say the upper classes and the, the monarchy. But my dad was very, you know, angry that people, he's not an angry person, angry that people would suggest that these things belonged to a certain class of people and not to everyone. Things like Shakespeare, things like literature, things like poetry. and he loved them and he was just a very thoughtful teenager really and he and my mother was a son my mother went to university my mother's got a master's degree and that was through

you know she went to a grammar school and things like this and there's just there's a minefield of questions around so much mobility that often skirt around the fact that in a very in a relatively short space of time in our history as a country things have changed so much I think I believe for the worse that we haven't quite caught up with how we change those things to check to give access yeah yeah because my I was and that's why it's interesting that my dad says that of yes he came from a privilege background but he working with people at the BBC who are from working class backgrounds and because

they had they were given support financially they all went to university and yeah my mum got paid to go to university but that just doesn't happen anymore yeah and so what was your the atmosphere in your house like I know you said once George that there's always the sort of piss taker yes in the family 100% was that you or no absolutely not I was categorically not the funny one growing up. Really? No, I was the clever one, which is the worst thing you can be,

because you're then the target. And everyone in my family is funnier than me. Everyone in my family is funnier than me. But they're too busy being like soldiers or building buildings to like dress up as a goblin every Saturday and caper a belt. You know, I used to joke in my show 10 years ago. I was like I'm categorically the most privileged member of my family to have ever lived and this is my job. It's stupid.

But all of them are just incredibly agile, incredibly funny. Look at him making his way through the, like the blades of grass are almost too high for him. He has to like lift his legs up. This is like he's in norm or something. Yeah. Come on, Ray. But it seems like I'm imagining it was a

It was kind of lively fun household Like I think I would have liked your household Yeah it was funny It was funny We were always laughing There was a lot of like sadness and stuff There was a period that was quite difficult For everyone for a few years

Where a lot of people got poorly People died But there is something in Black country culture where you sort of, it's like if you're, things have gone really wrong if you've stopped like doing jokes and like laughing stuff. Like even through like dark times, you know, there's some sort of core. Yeah.

You know, that goes through everything where everyone's trying to, you know, it's sort of, I suppose you could say it's gallows humor. I'm not really sure that's, I'm not really ever sure that's the right word, the right term. I know what you mean, though. So tell me, what were you like as a child, George? Were you, what would your, if you weren't to see a friend, what would the parents say they say? They say, what's that George, four acres like? I was, I think I was very, I was a kind child, which is a strange thing to say about yourself.

But when I look back, I was very sensitive. in good ways and bad ways. I would be devastated if someone was unhappy. If someone else was unhappy, my world would collapse. I couldn't bear it with my friends, with grown-ups. And I just all the time just wanted people to laugh. Like that I think was a very and it's funny because I watched a bunch of old family videos and there's one that's on my second birthday and the there's it was like

my dad and my uncle Graham and my nan and my mum and everyone like sat around with me with birthday again and they're all just chatting because I'm two and I'm like just turned two so like why would I understand what they're chatting about but they're all like chatting about like Jeremy Beedle or something like that and my dad makes my nan laugh at one point talking about Jeremy Beatle and my head snaps to her like you know like a dinosaur sort of scenting prey or something

and then I just try and imitate what they were just talking about because I want to hear the laugh again and I think I was very like that as a kid I was very you know curious I wanted I needed to know how everything worked I needed to know why everything was but I also just I was also just very sad a lot of the time as a little kid. You know, things that made other kids really happy would sometimes make me really sad.

And I was like, even at that age, I was like, this is annoying, isn't it? I wish I could just be normal. You're all right, Ray. You've got your little blank. I'll put you on your little, there's your cooling blanket, darling. He likes that. He's so happy. Instant flop down.

I meant to bring our picnic blanket, but I forgot. Are you okay to go on the grassroom? Let's get in water. Just move these bits of bracken. Yeah, so that must have been tricky, George, because obviously when you're a kid, I know as you've been diagnosed, haven't you, with bipolar? Yes. And I can imagine that's the kind of stuff that must be hard to navigate.

It's hard to navigate anyway, but as a kid when you're just thinking, why do I feel these things? Yes. And I think the diagnosis, I think, helped me understand that I wasn't just, well, ironically enough, which is something that actually can happen, is that I wasn't losing my mind, or that I was just bad at the world. I think a lot of people who are diagnosed with things like that are just like, why isn't this, why can I not just do something like another person without like all just feeling all these feelings and like going, you know, sort of squirrelly? But it's with bipolar disorder, it's difficult to know, doctors, science still is

isn't really sure when it kicks in. And there's some idea that it's your teens or that you always haven't, it's just kind of a bomb waiting to go off. But I always felt like that, or even when I was very small. You know, I remember being in the garden and it was this really like beautiful summer's evening.

I remember, like, I was probably about eight or nine or something and it was like, it was so, beautiful that you couldn't like it looked like a photo or something it was like the sunlight was a certain way everything smelled really nice it was really quiet and I just remember thinking we're all gonna die one day and I was like that was my response at nine to just seeing something really beautiful was like oh we're all we're all gonna die everyone I know and me and I was like that's bad in it and and that's like not even a particular extreme example like just how

I would respond to things and then I just get really stressed because I and feel really guilty because I was like I'm not I'm not feeling things properly like something's not quite right so getting older and getting being diagnosed helped I think understand what you think the people around you so do you think your parents would have been aware but I suppose it's like if you don't know what it is it you it's just that thing in the family where you're conscious that you maybe process things differently and like you say you absorb a lot more of the emotion around you presumably and yeah that intensity of feeling yes and I think um you know the term drama queen was thrown around

quite a lot um and I think that was probably accurate because I you know things that would normally that a kid would normally ignore I sort of fall to my knees like imprecate the heavens and yeah it's that interesting thing where you know I mean I don't have bipolar but I know there was a phrase

my dad would use about me I think I am just a drama queen to be honest yeah it's very different I remember my dad would say would refer to me as emotion in excess of the fact

devastating were you always super clever I mean do you think people would have do you think your parents would have looked at you and thought Oh George is going to go to Cambridge No no I was very interested in things

And I was very enthusiastic About the things I was interested in Yeah overly enthusiastic about the things I was interested in I'd get completely locked into the things I was interested in Yeah To the detriment of everything else I needed to learn Like for instance basic maths

Which I still can't do We think now I'm probably numeric dyslexic which makes a lot of sense because it would be like I would be incredibly good at some things but then almost almost impossibly bad of the things that were just very basic like to to this day I can't I can't subtract numbers I get too confused I'm trying to buy this flat at the moment and I keep my partner keeps being like I've just got an email because you've sent the wrong sums again like yesterday I

added up 430 pounds and 100 pounds and got to 510 pounds. It's like, I don't know how I even, that made perfect sense in my head. You needed a count. Imagine like your mortgage, like mortgage provided being like, sorry you owe us 20 quid. I was like, oh, oh God, then having to do like a 20 quid transfer because I've just got the math so basically wrong.

But yeah, I was always like, You were clever there. I talked to my mum about this and my mum was like, my mum would get indignant with my teachers because they'd be like, George is very eccentric. And my mum would be like, he's not eccentric in that else, he's just normal. I was like, to my mum, I was like, A, that explains a lot.

B, like, I don't think they were having a go. But I was always, it's funny because I got out of my old box of like school reports when I was at primary school and stuff like that. And they all say, every one of them says the same thing, which is George is very eccentric, George is very slow. I was just very slow. I, you know, I was very much sort of like walking around with your hands behind your back, inspecting the flowers sort of kid. Well, funnily, you know, Phil Wang has said about you, he said, George, who's your great friend of yours, obviously a long, and collaborator as well.

And Phil Wang said, George is someone who moves at a glacial pace in real life. but then he absolutely explodes when he gets on stage. Is that fair? I think that's fair. Yeah, that's fair. And I think, yeah, because I don't think of myself moving very slowly, but then I just see other people around me moving a lot quicker and doing things a lot quicker.

So you were maybe, so were you quite sort of, you weren't the sort of full staff character or Norm from Cheers when you were. from Cheers when you were growing up? No, definitely not. I was the Niles from Frasier. Right. So it wasn't like, yay, George's here everyone, you know. No, it was, oh there he is. And I'd sort of walk in wearing like a bow tie or something. Oh, I used to wear a bow tie to go to McDonald's on a Saturday morning. We went to McDonald's for breakfast. I'm obsessed with the bow tie. Why did you wear the bow tie? Because I really, I loved like,

I liked dressing up and I liked looking smart and I would see these particularly on like American cartoons and stuff there would be these characters who were like, they'd be like Dexter from Dexter's lab

or like double D from Ed Ed and Eddie who were like really like they were just like themselves and they were like they'd be like dressed up smart or have a secret laboratory in their bookcase and I was like yeah I want to be like that guy Yeah, so it's the sort of iconography of intellects in a way.

Yes, 100% really pretentious, really pretentious kid. I sort of, I was one of those kids who is like, it comes back to cursory, but wished I needed glasses so that I would have a pair of glasses and look clever. I mean, I was like six, but like subsequently I do need glasses. I'm wearing contact lenses now, but I can't see anything if I don't have my glasses on. That doesn't make you the sort of cool hip extrovert. No, no, not at all. It was not done with any with the intent of how anyone else viewed me It was how I wanted to express it was a hundred percent just how I wanted to express myself

And and I was like sort of James Bond and stuff like that Which like looking back like I do believe you can only really like James Bond if you're six or 58 Anyone who really likes James Bond who's my age, I'm like Has got a problem. Yeah, I'm like, you need to go outside. And like, maybe just talk to someone who's not a straight man. I know what you mean.

I do think there's something old about someone who's 45. And you say, what do you like? And you go, I love James Bond. Yeah. Really? Still? Still? You like the rocket cars, do you?

And it's there you are. I talk to a six-year-old. And also, it's a fun. But also, it's basically saying, I like films with no emotional complex. depth. I like women not to say anything. I really tried to like, I went back. Also, like, this isn't to slag off other people, but I tried to watch a Bond film again, like last year. I was like, you know what? I do you need to just watch a Bond film and like, just like try and unwind and like not really think about what I'm watching.

And there is not one second of a James Bond film that goes by where you don't want to pause the film and go, what is what are you talking about like the idea like oh I thought he was really witty he's like yeah I thought he was really witty when I was eight and now I'm 30 I'm nearly 36 I'm like what what are you talking about like he's like hello like particularly particularly the Roger Moore ones are like camp and like that's the thing I can it sort of feels like Rupall's drag yeah exactly I can't I actually think the Sean Connery ones are more sinister yeah The Sean Connery ones are just bleak, because it's just like him, like, back-handing women, or just, like, strangling someone to death.

I mean, there's no, like, cool deaths in those ones. It's like, oh, he's electrocued. I think Pierre, when we were students, was like, what the hell, man? He, like, electrocutes a guy, and then goes, shocking. He's like, the guy's a psychopath, man. Yeah, you're right, actually. No, all his behaviour, but his response to death, to violent death is always, oh, nice he dropped in. Yeah, exactly, and he's pushed him out a window.

Are you, he's a murderer? It's like, no wonder, like, the state employs him. Like, murder foreign aggressors. Yes. Just, like, strangling them to death. I mean, I'm hoping. But look at his cufflinks. This is going to pop up on Saturday Night Live soon.

I would love that. George's James Bond. Just psycho bond. Well, you've done some James Bond stuff. That has already featured. You've covered James Bond, didn't you? Yeah, we did. Yeah, we Shrek Bond, of course, for Shuteau.

But, yeah, so it's interesting. I love this idea of Little George with his bow tie, who's a little bit sort of feels all the fields. Yes. And actually is probably, you know, it sounds like you were kind of super bright. but it's a weird thing being bright when you're that age because it feels like it's not the currency it is when you're older.

No. Do you know what I mean? It's like when you're old, you think, oh, this is handy. If someone's bright, you think, well, they know how to utilise it and what to do with it. But as a kid, it just feels, all this does is make me feel a bit different. I also didn't understand why. So, as a side note to all of this, I am currently,

there's a lot of crossover between bipolar disorder diagnoses and diagnoses of autism. And I ignorantly, but really firmly assumed that because of our general cultural ignorance about autism, I was like, well, how can I feel so strongly about things when autism is about the absence of feelings, which is a complete misunderstanding and misinterpretation of how autism works. And Pierre's diagnosis and Pierre's research, showing that people with autism and other neurodivergences, which is probably I think been the most helpful words to me in my adult life,

just as an understanding of how brains work and how my brain works, is that they congregate together without even knowing each other's diagnoses or even they may not have diagnoses at all because you're operating on the same software. That's why you're attracted to people as friends. Well, it's interesting when he, I said to Pierre, and I love this when I said a lot of people will say, oh, how come everyone in the entertainment world

has got autism or ADHD? How come, and Pierre always says, yes, isn't it weird? I wonder why all the people at the Star Trek convention. Yeah. Autism. A hundred percent. Train club, how weird.

Yeah, yeah. And we said also, you know, it's that ADHD thing where it's like how strange that you would choose a financially precarious up and down job. Of course, it's exactly why. Those people are in that industry. Of course. And one of the things that really corrected for me

is sort of exploring. So at the moment I'm going through the process of an ASD diagnosis on top of my bipolar diagnosis, which is difficult because there's a lot of, it's more difficult than straightforwardly coming forward and saying, oh, I think I might be autistic,

but I've never been diagnosed with anything before. So it's a long process. It's a long process. But the arrows are pointing very firmly in one direction. Which, again, made a lot of sense of the way I understand things and also just mistakes I make with people. And someone said to me, after one of the performances at the Globe, someone once

said to me, oh, I just don't understand how you do it. And having begun the process of the autism diagnosis, I suddenly went, oh yeah, of course you don't. Because I was like, yeah, because you're operating on a different software. And like the, the, the, the number of times I have seen people who I know to be gregarious, charming, socially agile. Oh, thank you. But, and this maybe is less good, get up to do like a speech at a wedding and be like physically shaking. Yes, yeah. And fumbling, stumbling and fumbling over their words.

And I'm like, but you're like the funds. Like how are you struggling with this? Whereas I like famously can't make eye contact with people when I'm, like, fumbling. talking to them just don't like trying to have a normative conversation with someone I have to put in place things in my head where I'm like remember not to say something too weird that puts them off very early on and try and have a normal conversation with them first yeah but then I can go up and I can just go up and do that and it's like that to me like Pierre describes it as like the second

you're up there doing it it's like all that external noise and all the sort of doubts and all that sort of just goes away and everything makes sense for a minute because in a way you're sort of not yourself anymore that's why i love acting and i love particularly playing people like full staff or like hamlet where you see where you dig deep into things in you but you just aren't you anymore so it's like the best of all worlds and i genuinely just just love it i really love it look i love it like nothing else because for that moment it's like someone's put in the fridge and the light's gone off and everything's cool and dark and I can operate again. I think that's really interesting you say that because I wonder if in that sense performing

in that context fulfills the same function as say, let's say an escape room or a fantasy role playing thing or both of which funnily enough are my literal nightmares. I hate both of those things. But you've found something that sort of does the same thing which is performing which what that does, it takes the tension and the stress out of the unpredictability of normal conversation. So I love that. I kind of thrive on that. Whereas I know for some people that feels, what do I do? Where's the script?

And that's to do with masking as well, isn't it? Yes. Because what if you throw up a weird curdle? Are you joking? Have I said something to offend you? That doesn't happen with Shakespeare. In the same way that it doesn't happen in an escape room. There are rules.

So what I'm saying is if you want to find your lot, go to the globe or go to an escape room. Yeah. Or World of Warcraft. Yeah, exactly. And it's like all of those things that, you know, it's like when we've been re-watching the Star Wars prequels in my house recently, me and my housemates. And they'll have questions about what's going on. And the level of detail that I'm ready to provide to everything that they ask, I is then, I'm like, oh, yeah, there it is again.

And then I have to be like, do you want the short version or the long version, which is something that Pierre also does? Because we both have a thing where we'll be like, oh, I've just suddenly realized I've been talking about swords for a really long time. and I can't remember when they stop looking over there and stop looking at me. Do they want for swords? Yeah, exactly.

And I'm like, do I carry on? Do I say something? Or do I try and change tack? The good thing with me, George, is I will always tell you, I don't want to hear about swords and I hate stones. Yeah, my partner is very good for that as well. You need people like us in your life.

And all my family are also exactly like that. Where have you gone over there, right? Oh, is it so we can get a good look at you? Right. You look like a little woodland. You have a nice sleep, darling. Yeah, you have a kit. So, the point at which

young George in his bowtie is doing rather well, and then you apply to Cambridge, was it sort of, your parents must have been so proud, George. Yeah, they were, they were. That's one of those good moments where it's just straightforward. It's later on in your career where you're trying to explain to your mum and dad what is you doing.

It's like, yeah, I'm doing, it's me and three other guys doing like three minute segments of comedy above a pub for like six years. And they're like, okay, but you're still working at your job at the customer service? Yeah, absolutely. And so with the Cambridge thing, when you sort of arrived there, are you thinking, right, footlights, they're not going to be a comedian or an actor? No, 100% now. What are you going to do at that point?

What's the dream? I turn up and I'm going to be a serious academic. I'm going to just learn. I'm going to learn and I'm going to find my people and everything's all going to make sense. And looking back at that is almost impossible to internalise feeling like that again because of how opposite it turned out to be.

And I very quickly fell out of my depth. What way? I just wasn't clever enough. I went to an independent grammar school. Right. So I had had a wonderful education that really brought out my interest in things. It was such a privileged education that really brought out my passions and interests in things, which I still felt. And I got there and, to be brutally honest, that part of me didn't find a home in my department.

It did eventually, when I was able to specialise more in the things that I was really interested in, But to begin with, I was just out of my depth and I just couldn't keep up. And also on top of that, I hadn't been diagnosed at that point. And I was just really struggling being outside of my... You're outside of... Yeah. And I remember reading... My college was a very, like, was a college that took on people from more, like, normal background, shall we say.

There was a lot of people there. So slightly less Bullington? Yes. No, it couldn't have been less Bullington. It was the newest college in the university. Homerton. Oh, yeah. And it was one of the biggest colleges.

It was a really big intake. And it was much more higher proportion of people from lower middle class and working class backgrounds. And people from state schools and grammar schools. And because I was, to all intents and purposes, a private school boy, because I had gone to an independent grammar school. I remember reading in the prospectus like, we don't have any airs and graces here. And I was like, oh God, I've got so many airs and graces.

I was going to thrive there. That would have been a deal breaker for me. Yeah, exactly. If I'd have read that, I think I'm sorry. I can't wait for the heirs and graces. Because I'd obviously watch Brideshead revisited and stuff like that. And Jeeves and Worcester, you know, safely in my, not to quote the Prime Minister, pebble dash semi in Willenall and thought like, this is it for me.

I'm going to get there. It's going to be. I'm going to be drinking sherrys. I'll be finding the love of my life and we'll be punting down the cam. And you will become best friends with someone called Sebastian. Exactly. It was Sebastian. And then we'll go and spend our summers

in his big house with his recusant Catholic family. And then I got there and I was like, God, oh, everything stinks. Like everyone smells of cereal. and everyone's 18 and doesn't know what they're doing everyone's getting drunk all the time and I can't keep up with these essays

about like Fafnir and Danish archaeology and I... But you did? Because you... Eventually, eventually. But I found my home in the Piaennavelies and the Phil Wangs and Jason, Forbes and we

not even just so I didn't go there with any intention to going anywhere near all the footlight stuff because to be brutally honest I wasn't a fan I didn't like that kind of comedy did you think it was a bit sort of radio four it was yeah exactly like Radio 4 for instance

like that is the liminal space that is occupied between the transition from being working class lower middle class to middle class radio 4 I swear to God is that lynch pin and that did not exist in our world Radio 4 did not exist in our house.

So, after you left Cambridge, you obviously got very involved in, you know, footlights, didn't you? I did. Well, see, the thing is. Well, you got involved specifically with Phil and Jason. I did. And I got involved in the footlights right towards the end of my time. So I was almost sort of an honorary member, really, except it was like the last two months. Not like to clear, he shouldn't lie.

Yeah, you're like, I grilled him so hard about this when he came on. I really was like, when I discovered the theatre there, which is the ADC, and I discovered that like Ian McKellen had, you know, gone there and like Emma Thompson and Derek Jacobit, I wanted to, like, the plays I was doing, I was doing, like, devised theatre with, like, Russian folk tales and, like, bits of old newspaper and stuff like that, and Shakespeare and Marlowe, like, that's what I was really into. But I kept doing, like, the stupid, silly stuff. and then I because I thought the footlightsy stuff wasn't really for me but then I kind of met people my age

who were like were more into the same sort of stuff as me that was like American comedy and American stand-ups and American sitcoms and stuff like that and like weirder stuff like the Mighty Bush and Vic and Bob and all that sort of stuff and shooting stars like Pierre in Tristan introduce me to shooting stars and The Mighty Bouch. In our, like, literally in our first week of knowing each other,

we were just, like, sit in Pierre's room in his college, just watching videos on YouTube with us. He's also, I love him, because he's the only person of his age, I know who's obsessed by, he likes the goons. He loves the goons. And he's the only person who's been impressed, because a lot of the people my parents knew, or our family friends, are meaningless to this generation.

Or is he saying things like, you knew Spike Milligan? You knew Michael Bentine. I'm like, no one else gives a shit about these people. Our big claim to fame for him was our producer of Daphne, mine and Phil and Jason's sketch show, jumping a bit in time here, was Matt Strong, a wonderful producer and lovely guy, and his granddad was Eric Sykes.

Yes. Goon adjacent Eric Sykes. Yeah. And he just look a lot like Matt, so it was really funny. But yeah, I listened to a bit, like Pierre would show me the goons and I'd never heard the goons before. And I was like, that it's so, it's such an insight into his brain and what he finds. But you're so kind. When you say Pierre would show me the goon. That's the point of which I'm sorry, I can't do this.

I love you. I say this with love, but I refuse to do this. I really hope you love part one of this week's Walking the Dog. If you want to hear the second part of our chat, it'll be out on Thursday. So whatever you do, don't miss it. and remember to subscribe so you can join us on our walks every week.