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

Episode Date: November 11, 2025

This week Emily and Ray take an East London stroll with the wonderful George Northwood, one of the most influential hairstylists in the world, joined by his two beautiful whippets, Willow and Mochi.George’s client list reads like a roll call of modern icons, from Alexa Chung to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Julianne Moore, Claudia Winkleman and Gwyneth Paltrow. But beyond the star names, he’s credited with redefining modern hairdressing, tearing up the rulebook of rigid blow-dries to create a more effortless, natural look that changed how we think about beautiful hair.He talks to Emily about discovering his love of hairdressing through his mobile hairdresser Nan, the highs of working with some of the world’s biggest names, and his decision to begin a surrogacy journey as a single parent, a moving and heartfelt chapter of his life.George has also built an incredible business, with three London salons and his own haircare range, Undone. To explore the world of George Northwood or book an appointment, visit georgenorthwood.com.It’s a warm, fascinating and uplifting conversation with one of Britain’s most creative and down-to-earth talents, and a man who, crucially, welcomes dogs into all his salons.Follow Emily:Instagram: @emilyrebeccadeanX: @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.

You know, for well, they're not called multi-shit. And I won't have it. A multi-s and a shitsu? What's that then? It's not called. A multi-shit. This week on Walking the Dog, Ray and I went for an East London stroll

with one of the most influential hairstylists in the world, the very wonderful George Northwood. And he brought along his two beautiful whippets, Willow and Mochi. He's famous for his roster of high-profile clients, like Alexa Chung, Megan Duchess of Sussex, And we may as well throw in Julianne Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow while we're at it, but he's also had a huge impact on modern hairdressing.

Because when George first came on the scene, hairdressing was dominated by sort of rigid blow drys. And he basically ripped up the rulebook and introduced this completely new kind of natural undone look that went on to completely change our idea of what beautiful hair should look like. He's also the most unaffected, down-to-earth celebrity hair. hairdresser you'll ever meet. And he actively welcomes dogs into his three London salons. So what is not to love about this man? George and I had the loveliest chat about his passion for

hairdressing, which started pretty young, thanks to his mobile hairdresser nan. We also talked about some of the incredible show business highlights of his career. Yes, I am aware that's a terrible pun. Let's gloss over it. Oops, I've done it again. George is such an interesting and lovely man to spend time with. And on this walk, he also opened up to me about his decision to enter into surrogacy as a single parent. And it was really moving to hear all about this new journey he's embarking on. He's also been quietly growing his business into an entire hair empire. He now has three salons in London and a hair care range called Undone. So if you want to buy those or experience some of the George Northwood Salon Magic yourself, go to george northward.com.

Ray and I absolutely loved our walk with George, and I know you will too. So without further ado, here's George and Willow and Mochi and Ray Ray. Raymond. Raymond. Raymond's doing a poo. We. I mean, what an opener, George Northwood. A man of your class.

Come on, Ray. Come on. Can you keep up with the girls? They're quite leggy, my girls. How dare you? Oh, I'm sorry, they are. They're quite long-legged. Do you know?

Racing dogs. Even your dogs are supermodel-tastic. They are good girls though, look at them. They're a real pair of stunners, aren't they? Thank you, thank you. Hello, my love you. She loved your breakfast. She's taken a real shine to me.

She has. Let's get past here, past the public toilets. Yeah. Which may I say, I used earlier and they're very fine. They've had a glow up. We're in, of course, Pavilion Cafe, but this is Victoria Park, isn't it? Yes, it is. which is in Hackney?

Is this Hackney? Yeah, I think it's Hackney, maybe Tower Hamlets. Maybe part of its Hackney and part of its Tower Hamlets. I live down there towards my land. I've done a few. Look, there's a man outside. There's a man loitering outside of my car, Will. What's he doing?

No. Oh, no, we're going to see a theft. I, yes, Josh Whittaker lives around here. Oh, really? Yes, there's a lot of select. This is a real celebrity hotspot. Oh, I love it. I'm so happy here.

Do you? I think last time we did this, I lived maybe in Queens Park. You were Queens Park. And what prompted the move? I just never really felt like Queens Park was, I never felt like my forever place. Really? There was always something, yeah, the park itself isn't, you can't have the dog off the lead and that's a huge thing for me.

And I don't know, just got more friends over this side. And I moved here towards the end of lockdown. And you've got a salon, not far from here. from here. I've got salon in Shoreditch. Yeah. And it's just felt like home immediately. It felt like almost forever home. I can be here for like, I can get to, I go to like Ramsgate at the weekends a lot and I can get there in an hour and 20 from here. It's just so perfect. Do you know, I can tell I'm getting old because transport links are becoming a priority for me. Don't you think? Yeah, totally. Like I look at places and I think, oh, I used to love, I used to love Brighton and I do, but now I think

nightmare to get to. Yeah, yeah. Although not bad from here. Not bad. Train is good. Driving I've heard isn't easy to Brighton. Do you know what's interesting, George? People look at your dogs and they give an approving nod like, um, fine specimens. People look at my dog and they go, Ah, Raymond. You've been a fan of Ray's ever since I got him. Yeah, I'm obsessed. I mean, all dogs that come in the salon get a hello from me, more than the people really. I'm so as I'm more dog than human. Let's hope that changes when the baby arrives. Yeah, I mean, we're very, very dog friendly in the salon

and I love all our little four-legged friends that come in. Well, we should say, I first met you, I actually first met you. You've not long opened your salon. Yes. Your first salon in Wells Street, in London. And I was then working at a fashion man. called in style I was deputy editor there and I've come along to get a hair cut

from you and I remember I think I was writing a feature and I called it what this man knows what women want and I always remember you cut my hair for me and I heard all about you all my sort of fashion friends had gone to you and there was this big mythology around George Northwood George Northwood did you get in with George Northwood and you know I as soon as you cut my hair I think The thing that really struck me when I walked into that salon was, this is unlike, I've been to a lot of fancy, schmancy, high-end salons before. It was unlike any experience I've ever had

because I felt so relaxed and I didn't feel intimidated. Do you know what I mean? Yes, yes. And thank you for saying that because that's something I've really always strived to achieve. I always wanted the salons to feel, salon then, now salons, wanted them to feel very inclusive I didn't want there to be a pretentious vibe I want it to felt very

warm and friendly and that's a huge compliment so thank you because that's kind of one of my goals of you know if you think what does what does this business look like and that's definitely part of it yeah I just

I remember when I was pretty young I must have been a student I think and a wealthy friend of mine, I won't name it, I'll tell you afterwards, took me into a very famous, you know, named salon. And I always remember this woman looked at me, this hairdresser. And I was a student. I couldn't afford to get my hair done regularly, even though I had nice hair back there. And she said, right, basically, your hair's totally out of condition. It's a frizzy mess. And you'd either have

to chop it. I mean, and I remember just, I felt welling up, the humiliation. And, I always thought from that day onwards I thought I don't ever want to go somewhere where I made to feel bad because my hair's not up to standard or something. Whereas I just, it's so accepting and lovely in your salon and yeah, I remember you said to me, I said, what are you going to do with me, George? You said, I'm going to make you look French. Did I really? And you did. That does sound like something I'd say. Yeah, you did.

Oh, thank you. Oh, well, great. And you loved it, because you've come back ever since. I won't go anywhere else. Oh, thank you. I love that. I made back then. It's one of the longest relationships I've ever had.

Yeah, right. Is my relationship with the George Northwood Salon. Oh, well, we love having you in, and we love having Raymond in. So you're both very welcome. So since then, since you last came on this podcast, I want to say, when were you last on, George? I think it was about five years ago. It was definitely pre-co.

There's like BC and AC before COVID and after COVID, isn't there? It was definitely BC. And you had back then, you had Willow maybe? I think I just had Willow, didn't I? You just had Willow? Yeah. Because you very sadly, you had a French bulldog. I had a French bulldog before Willow.

Yeah, well remembered. And you very sadly had to deal with pet loss, didn't you? Oh, yeah. He had, you know, he was overbred. Was it? Yeah, couldn't breathe properly. It was just, he had two massive surgeries. And in the end, it was his spine that went out and got the better of him.

But, yeah, it was just so many health issues. What drew me to a whip it after because I thought, okay, what's the opposite to a Frenchie? And that's why I got Willow, who is still, you know, goes from strength to strength. she's a complete squirrel assassin so this time of year she's on a lead both they both are because they're off leads now you wouldn't get my attention because they're just they're just here there and everywhere yeah look at the prey drive she's just I really but do you know what's lovely they've been very lovely with Ray they haven't gone for Ray yeah so do you think that's just they're quite intelligent Whippets and the Whippets worked out oh this is one of

Dad's friends maybe potentially but she Willow's always been like that I brought Willow up to be that. Mocky, this is my new one that I've just rehomed. She's actually on Doggy Prozac because of her reactivity. Look at the shaking. The shaking means that she's seen a squirrel and look, look, she's shaking, yeah. So Mocky's on Doggy Prozac? Moky's on Doggy Prozac because I got her, I lost Mimi in March and I got, I found myself re-homing a dog pretty quickly because I heard dogs have delayed grief. And what happened with Mimi? Tell me. Oh, it was just awful. Honestly, I'm still grieving now.

It's just the loss of a pet, a dog in particular in my cat, you know, is she was only two. Was she a whipet? She was a whipit. She'd always had health issues in the sense that she was the only survivor from her litter. She had some congenital issues like a bent tail. Her feet were kind of internally rotated, her two front. paws she had some tummy issue there was always something wrong right um but you know those all those things made her extra special in the end i can't tell you what really happened because they don't autopsy

dogs i mean i'm sure i could i could pay someone to do that but um i mean you know it's not what you do but they think it it was sepsis um she was a scavenger but um yeah i mean it was just awful i took her. She wasn't herself. She went off her food on the Monday. I took her to the vets on the Tuesday or Wednesday. They said bring her back Friday. She seemed to perk up. We went to Ramsgate. I took her to the vet. I had a vets in Ramsgate anyway. Took her to the vet Saturday morning and they said your dog is really sick. She went to hospital, died on the Sunday. I mean, it was just, honestly, heartbroken is an understatement. I don't. I the grief and loss and yeah it was just so sad and just so sudden as well yeah um i still find

myself you know it still hits me now really yeah it's just oh george it's so tough isn't it it's our pets are it's the one thing you get this unconditional love from dogs and it's just they'll break your heart once and that's when they die and it's just so sad and i think I think also, and I think, I hope, anyway, things are changing a bit in that I don't think people, I feel we weren't ever allowed to express sorrow when pets died. It was almost that sense of, oh well, it's only a dog. Do you know what I mean? And I do feel now that people understand that pets are part of your family. You know, in my case, they are my family.

Yeah. And because I don't have any surviving family. And it's like, I understand that, you know, there will come a time when none of us live forever and that includes animals. But I think you have to respect that mourning process because you are losing something you love very much. Absolutely. I mean, I actually wrote a substack on this and there was a YouTube video that someone sent me that explains pet loss grief. and it's just, you know, they're these little things that kind of, that they are your world, that you are their world, and they look at you in the eyes, and, you know, of course you're going to,

I mean, and it's quite normal. People can grieve for dogs, their dogs, more than they can for family members, because of the relationship that you have with them is so, like Willow's like my soulmate. We went through lockdown together. You know, the thought of her not being around is just, God, just the thought of it.

I know it's going to happen. I know. Look at them. Do you know what? It's so lovely that Willow and Mocky have got each other. Yes. Because isn't it interesting? How did you know that was going to work?

Because it might not have worked, George. It might not have worked. And the reason I did it, it was a knee-jerk, impulsive reaction to get. I found myself, I think it was Paris Fashion Week, and I found myself on dog eating home. I mean, knowing you probably. Doggy re-home sites. I was away and I kind of knew what are you doing, George. You've just lost a dog, baby coming.

This is your ideal opportunity to have one dog, you know. But I just felt I missed our third wheel, me and Willow. And I thought I've got this, ideally this year before a baby should arrive. So I can get another dog and settle them in. So I just found myself looking for dog. I couldn't do the puppy thing again. It was too, you know, I wasn't in a position to be able to take a puppy. on and I wanted to give another dog a home so Mocky found me and it just worked I knew

that she came from like a big family with like and there was like 11 dogs it was a breeder and it just felt right the breeder was being very conscious that she went to a home preferably with another whip here I was gonna say because I've noticed they seem really sort of simpatico yes the whippets like are the whippets they do it's very sweet how Yeah, but they always have each other now, regardless of what happens. And I didn't want Willow to not have a friend. And also with what goes on with me, sometimes to travel for work and all the rest of it. Dynamics change in the household. You know, they've got each other now. And it's like Lady in the Tram. I've never seen anything so cute in all my life. They're so cute. Well, I want to say, you've been on this podcast before. Yeah. So do go back. and listen to George's first go on this podcast where we talk in some detail about your start

in hairdressing, in your Charlton and all that. We do. We'll touch on it briefly, because I don't want to go back through it all. I want this to be more of a catch-up about how you are now. But we did your story about getting into hairdressing. You obviously grew up in Luton. I did. And you were inspired by your nan, who was a mobile hairdresser.

God, well remembered. I can never forget this story because it was the smell of the perm lotion. Yes, it was. That would be an autobiography title. Yes, it would. It would. And you got inspired to start playing with friends' hair, and you would do the hair for your sort of just, you know, local girls and things. People that lived in the street.

I lived in a little cul-de-sac in Luton, and, you know, we all just played out on our bikes and built dens and stuff, and I just started doing their hair. I turned my parents loft into a salon and back then it was just about perming hair so I became obsessed with making hair curly but you didn't use actual perming solution no it was with water so I would just set I would just basically wet hair yeah curl it and then let it dry and take it and it was just this obsession about creating curls in the hair yeah I want only now it's more

about waves isn't it but it's still the same sort of thing would you know what we all wanted to look it was things like it was a bit later that it was like Mariah Carey Whitney Houston That whole look. It was that dirty dancing, what's her name? Jennifer Gray. Yes. It was that look.

It was that look. I remember going to a guy. Kind of Carrie Bradshaw, first series, Sex and the City almost, isn't it? It's that vibe. I remember going to Trevor Sorby, if you remember, back in Covent Garden. And there was an amazingly cool guy called Jaffer. And I said, Jaffer, I want you to give me a perm. And I had, I didn't realize it at the time, George,

But I had this very thick, silky, naturally ebony hair and he was going, I don't want to touch it. I don't want to touch it. Because he knew. He knew that the perm was, you know, it was a waste of my hair, and I shouldn't be touching it. And I made him, and he was right. Everyone's hair was pretty frazzled then.

That was the problem. We weren't big on quality back then. No, and also a lot of people were colouring their hair and perming it, and both together was just wrecking the hair. It was just frizzy and, yeah. So one thing that interested me last time we spoke, George, and I thought it was great that you sort of acknowledged this, was back then there was a part of you,

even though it was clear you were passionate about this, you were interested in it, probably something you kind of knew you would be good at. But there was a part of you that sort of felt, well, I don't know if I can do hairdressing, because isn't that a bit sort of camp or something? Yes. And I hate that you had to feel like that.

yeah but it's great that guys would be less likely to feel like that now yeah I didn't want to and it comes back to why I wanted the salon to feel an inclusive place is that I've been I've grown up in that minority of not feeling like I belong and it's a horrible place to be and a way to feel and I hate the idea of someone walking to the salon and feeling like they don't belong because that's my life before I came out and got confidence and worked on myself So yeah, and I think I was so concerned with how others would perceive me because I had this deep, deep shame inside about how I felt, which was different and attracted to the same sex, which wasn't the norm, which then was such a big deal, that I felt I have to do everything that kind of masks my sexuality. So anything kind of remotely, you know, which label me as potentially feminine, gay, I'd kind of just shy. away from. I mean, the fact that I went to drama school or drama college, I mean, God,

but I suppose it was just the lesser, yeah. But then also I can see why you were drawn to that because that would give you a creative licence to behave in a non-overtly masculine way. Do you know what I mean? Yes, that's very true. And I did enjoy it. I loved all the amateur dramatics and performing arts at school. It was like my thing. Like I was so into it. But then it seemed. as soon as I got to college and it was, oh, who wants to really be serious about this, I realised I wasn't that into it. And it was very competitive. And so, yeah. You flirted with hotel management. I did. I can see that that came in useful in terms of how you set up the salon, but I'm going to be honest. I'm glad you didn't run a hotel. It would

have been a creative waste. God, yeah. I feel it's such brutal hours. Take my hat off to anyone in the hospitality industry because it is hard work and long. hours um so a shout out for any one but it came it's funny how you look back and you think oh that was sort of useful yeah because people often pray what do they praise you as well as at haircuts obviously but one thing people always sing like is the atmosphere yes yeah and that's really important to me the atmosphere is really an environment and um yeah a feeling of inclusivity and belonging and all of that is just so important so yeah and then i'm i'm like to think we've got a really happy team. Until I come in with Ray. No, I'm always very well

received there. You ended up going into hairdressing. We're all very grateful that you did. And you were working at, I think this is so interesting this part of your origin story. It's a real lesson to be learnt from this because you were working, I think it was when you were at Hershey Shons, which is a snazzy London salon. Yes. And no one wanted to do the models hair, because you didn't really get paid for that. Explain how that works the model haircut, George, in case anyone doesn't understand. Basically, a lot of salons have agreements with model agencies where the models come in, and, you know, it's just good to be, you know, it's good to have these girls coming in the salon or boys.

And, I mean, back then it wasn't even, they'll post it on social media because social media didn't even exist. But now we have a relationship with model agencies in our salon and they come in and they have their hair done and we get great content from it. And that's kind of just, you know, it's great to see them post it. But back then it wasn't even that. It was just more good to be seen, good to be doing. And also it was a good chance to do, because you don't get to do these kind of cool, funky cuts on everyone. Because people don't want that. But on these models, you can really experiment and do different stuff.

So you got to take risks. and the model's got a free hair cut. Yes. And so everyone was happy? Everyone was winning, yeah. But a lot of people would think, oh, I'm not getting paid for this and I can't be bothered. And it's really interesting that you never thought that, did you?

No, I flipped it on its head and thought, well, let's go for it. Let's be the one that does all these models because if my name gets around these modelling agency is the guy to do the hair or, you know, again, it's about building relationships, being building relationships with the model agencies. And it served me very well. Well, it did because two of the models,

who weren't as well known at the time, they were less than their models. And they turned out to be, George. Oh, one was Alexa Chung and one was Rosie Huntington Whiteley. Which was just crazy. Like, I think Rosie was 15, and I think Alexa was maybe 20, maybe a bit, maybe Rosie was 16, maybe Alexa was 21.

So did you give them free haircuts? Yes. Both of them. I know. And just, for one of a better words, sort of locked them in as being clients. And then Rosie sort of blew up as a model and, you know, a very successful one, rightly so. And Alexa then that sort of blew up as a TV presenter on T4. She was a model, Alexa, and very successful at that as well. know and Alexa just became this kind of moment and this it girl and then her we cut that bob at the same time that she went into TV and it just became her sort of moment it was just

that that Alexa effect Rosie moved to New York and Alexa kind of became this London girl that everyone wanted her look like and people would write about it and I just had like so many girls coming in the salon wanting to look like Alexa. It was just, it was quite funny. It was just back to back. I think I was doing up to 18 clients a day. And so did you start to realise? I mean, it's a really interesting lesson that, isn't it? That actually, there must have been people thinking, and probably thinking out, why didn't I do those fucking models? Right. Well, also, it's just, it's a story that I use when I'm, you know, we've just done

all our stuff appraisals. And if we're in conversation and it's like, I have to, have given example of how I've kind of put myself out on the put myself out there you know that's an that's an example I will do because there's still people don't always tend to think big picture they're just very much like say like these models are free what am I going to get from this now and it's like well no zoom out on that and just think okay what could this potentially bring and I'm just someone that's sooner be doing something than nothing right so I'm not going to sitting the staff room just doing the chat when I can just be go upstairs doing a model's hair and you know so but then I think probably you had a sense of maybe bigger things lay ahead for you

I mean I know that's what I wanted so yeah maybe that's just a drive I've always had a drive in me again probably from feeling less than with my sexuality growing up made me think that I need to prove something to the world and it's you know thank god you know i i had that because it's driven me to be very successful but i'm less it's funny the more i've accepted myself for who i am and grown up into myself the less i am dependent defined by that if you get what i mean it definitely means less to me now right i love it but it's not my means to happiness yeah yes it's interesting it's one of the nicer things isn't it about not being so young anymore is is not everything doesn't rest on where I am in this big sort of chart of how we're all doing.

Do you know what I mean? What's he doing? What's she doing? And which social media feeds into that a lot, you know, everyone's looking at what everyone's doing. It's really healthy to say, oh, I'm glad, you know, I think it's a great moment. And you must have had this in hairdressing when you see another hairdresser of doing something amazing or getting something. And when you get to the point when you can say, and this all comes from, you. within, you know, to get a point where you can say, I'm genuinely pleased for them. Yeah. And that sort of insecure voice doesn't come up, doesn't rise up in you saying,

but what does this say about me? There's not enough of the cake to go around for all of us. Yeah, there is. There is. There is. Yeah. That just takes time, doesn't it, I think, like you say, in a bit of age. So with those girls going on to become,

both so huge in their respective fields that led to you starting to get presumably people calling up that salon saying oh actually can I have George Northwood yes is that a good feeling it's great I mean it was it was great that and combined with developing relationships with journalists yeah that would write about me it just kind of created that it was like a two-party pronged thing because there was the celebrity thing and working with these celebrities on the up and then there was all these it girls and then there was journalists writing about me because again this is pre-social media so you were reliant upon journalists writing about you and that signature

the signature look which you've become very famous for this is an education for my producer will absolutely yes but the signature look you became very famous for was the george northward undone look. Yes. And it sort of changed hair. Because prior to that, I feel, and they'll forgive me for saying this, those wonderful girls, but it was a bit more sort of girls allowed, towsal, teased, you know, that blow-dried, very done look was in. Yes, it was very done, yes. And then when you came in with people like Alexa, it was about this sort of effortless call, wasn't it? Yes, it was. that yeah yeah and it had a huge impact i think on fashion and style i'm even aware of it now that that was a big change yeah i think you were sort of part of it thank you and it always

evolves like now i would say it's kind of going more done again is it in a more undone way it's not going back to really done and polish but it's it's kind of like yeah i'm i find i'm doing hair on a more polished, undone way now. Oh, good, okay. Oh, that's going to suit me. Yeah. Because I do have Republicans... Well, yours is quite polished and undone today, I think.

Do you know, it's the best thing you've ever said to me, George Northwood. And Raymond's too, obviously. Sometimes, I have to be careful it doesn't get to what I call Republican wife. We don't want that. I know what you mean. Do you know what I mean? You want to be careful. It's that balancing act, isn't it?

Yeah, I wouldn't mind one of these houses here, look. Oh, I can see you in one of those. Yeah. overlooking the park. It's a classic East London villa. Yeah, I think that is the house I probably won. Really? I mean, that would be lucky, wouldn't it? Oh, I can see that happening for you. I can definitely see it. I'd love Victoria Park on my, I mean, it is on my doorstep, kind of, but it's metaphorically now, and that's literally on my doorstep, isn't listen? Do a few more of those, uh, Winneth Paltrow, Bob's. Yeah. Um, oh, you did

Gwyneth, didn't you? I did. That came through, that came from doing Rosie and Elizabeth Soltzman actually. Yeah. And Julianne Moore? Yes, that came probably similar. They shared the same publicist, Gwyneth. And you never get nervous. You've always said that, haven't you, that you don't go into it thinking, oh my God, it's Gwyneth Paltry.

You just think, well, this is a haircut and I have to do a good job. Yeah, I do my best. I mean, I do get, I get, I tend to right side. nerves if I've got them and I feel yeah I'll I just kind of keep it in check yeah okay I'm no good to anyone if I'm too nervous all I can do is my best anyway you know well we talked as well though you couldn't say much about it before but you obviously it emerged I found that along with the rest of the world afterwards after the fact but you famously did Megan Duchess of Sussex yeah

for her evening. It was her evening updo. Yes, it was a evening look. When they drove off, it was a very cool getaway in the sort of James Bond's court. It's fabulous, isn't it? And she had her hair in this, it wasn't a sheenot. It was a messy bun. It was a, like that kind of moment with Megan

was just all about the messy bun. And I'd been kind of working with her, in the run up to the wedding. And the kind of messy bun had already become quite a thing. And yeah, that was kind of a bit of. moment as well this this kind of messy bun what about when you first got that call george did you get a call soon we've just had a call from like was it her people had got in touch yes um yes it was it was actually through my friend ross bar he i've been to ross a very

lovely acupunctur yeah he he kind of we were at dinner we were for dinner at ida because when i used to live in queen's park we're very near if you know idda if you know you know it's to sit in Italian on Kilburn Lane and I think it was in dinner or maybe he texts me after dinner and he says I may have got you that I may have kind of someone might be contacting you about doing Megan's hair he sort of said like yeah I've kind of like and so I was kind of what I thought oh god really and he says yeah he says I kind of spoke and I've sort of mentioned your name and yeah and then I did get the message and then I just went over to, it was in Kensington Palace at that time.

The little cottage they were living there. The little cottage. How weird, what do you do, George? You don't just ring the dark. It was just like, yeah, we just kind of, yeah, met. And it was really lovely, actually. We gelled straight away. It was quite surreal.

But yeah. And then instantly, because it was just straight into engagements. She didn't have a London hairdresser, but she had a ton of engagements. It was just like, okay, can you do this, can you do... And, you know, just twice a week there'd be something, I would say, on average. And you're not being able to tell... You can't tell anyone about this, because...

And you wouldn't, because you're discreet and that's part of your thing. Yes. That's... Ray. Ray, you devil. Do you know what that's called, George? Stubborn Shih Tzu. My friend's got a multi-shitz. Is that right?

Maltese and a Shih Tzu combined. They're not called multi-shit. George, you know, full well, they're not called multi-sits. And I won't have it. A Maltese and a Shih Tzu, what's that then? It's not called. A multi-shit. No, George.

Hey, Raymond. Hello, Boo-Boo. You want to walk with me, don't you? Come on, Ray. Come on, Maltyshit. Oh, you do Buh-Boo. Sorry, the doggy voice is really annoying. So, yeah, I did all that.

I couldn't talk. about it until the wedding when it was announced and then that was announced and then I think we were photographed on I was photographed on tour coming out of the airport in Australia as part of like the entourage yeah and then it was just so then everyone knew that I was doing all the hair on the tour and that must be exciting going on tour long hours I was I have to say it was incredible I mean we three weeks we were away and it It was Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. I did the Australia tour.

I did those three, and it was a long time to be away. It was just kind of before my 40th birthday, I think. It was a long time to be away and it was a full-on schedule for them anyway, you know. I think there was like 46 looks or something over three weeks. And do you have to speak with those royal tours when you're doing a prominent royal like that? Do you have to speak to the dressers and the dressers in the day? jewellery people and you know to set and you know the sort of social secretaries to say this wouldn't be appropriate or no you get sort of I got like there was like a book of all the

different looks and then you just because I kind of understood what Megan was wanting and we were we'd already worked together a fair bit we kind of just I was mentally prepared of all the looks before we went and then we just kind of organically did it as we went along each time I'd see her, we'd say, let's do this, let's do that. And we'd kind of, we'd already knew what worked and what didn't. And I think what was nice is that she was bringing that element of slightly undone hair to royalty. And it was becoming an accept, because, you know, before that, no one would be undone at all of being royal. It was so dumb, you know.

But, yeah. No, it used to be, that's true. actually and especially I think the fact that was very significant that her on her wedding day you know for the certainly for the leaving do which I love that hairdo you did for the leaving do that hairstyle but it felt it felt like a sort of new era in some ways yeah you know it felt great it was nice now you must miss them because they're what they've moved now so they've moved yes and yeah I and I believe it I haven't even been too to California since COVID, so I haven't even been that way.

Well, what an incredible chapter in your life. Oh, we did, I did the Invictus Games in, not the one just gone, the one. So that was somewhere, where was that in Europe? So I've seen them since in Europe, but that was quite a few years ago now. Yeah. Funny, isn't it? It's just, and you know, it's what an incredible experience to have, like to look back, I've got a lot of sort of souvenirs.

or bits from it and articles and stuff just like it's quite a historic thing to have been involved in, you know? It's amazing. And I think one thing that's interesting about you is I think you always seem like a very calm presence and I think I wonder if that's a pretty important quality especially as a hairdresser doing

high profile people for big events like that. Yes. I think... Your energy is kind of a big part of it. You don't want too many big people. Personalities in a room. I don't think you do. I mean, I've got a big personality, but I know when to rain it in and when I can adapt to the situation in hand, you know? Do you think you do that automatically? So if you meet a client and you think, okay, they're a big extrovert. They're what I call an Oliver Hardy as opposed to a stand laurel. I'm going to let them shine. Do you do that automatically? Yeah, yeah, very much. If someone's, if there's a big personality going on, I will retreat naturally anyway.

because I just don't think the room needs it. Or I can't, I don't, yeah. But, yeah, and I can, if I need to entertain, you know, hold court. But it's the intimacy of your job I find fascinating. Because you do. As we all know, it is a big cliche, but it's a cliche because it's true, that you do end up telling hairdressers the most extraordinary things. Yes.

And there's a truss thing there, isn't it? isn't there? Yes. I feel that's a sort of, it's like the Hippocratic Oath in a way, similar to doctor, you know. I feel with my hairdresser, it's really weird, I've never had to ask, but I just assume that's in the vault. I think if I tell you this, you won't say anything, but now I don't know that sometimes. I would trust you, and I think it's in the vault, but then I've heard some terrible gossips as well. Yeah, I mean, there's something as well. Someone said, I read somewhere that there's something about having your head touched and relaxes you in a way that makes you open up. So there's something as well physically in having your hair played with or head touched. Sweet, aren't they? Has a relaxing effect and said, oh, I'm going to tell you everything.

So maybe you're under some kind of spell that when you leave, When you leave, you're like, why did I tell him that? You're basically Paul McKenna. You're messing with our head, George Northwood. Have you ever made anyone cry, George? I have, yes. Oh, I need to hear about this. I have.

I was working... Where was I? I left Hersherson. I was working in Josh Wood for a bit, and I did classic client. We spoke about it. I went, I took it, I lobbed it off. to sort of a mid-length, she didn't, she just freaked out and just started crying.

It was awful. What did you say? Sorry. It was just awful. I mean, I can't remember if I got Siza happy, which is very rare, or she just kind of, I'm very careful to check in with someone's emotional state before I do something, anything drastic. Why? If someone comes in and says, oh, can you come? cut it all off. I'm like, I've recently been through a breakup? Yes. Maybe not today, maybe next time. No, I just, I'm a bit careful. I'm really in touch with people's emotional side. I've got that level of emotional intelligence where I can tune in as to what's really going on. But maybe, I don't think I got scissor happy. Maybe, sometimes you do. Sometimes you're just in this zone and you just go a bit shorter than you, I'll be honest. Sometimes you just go shorter than you thought you had. It dries and it

shoots up or there's this moment between consultations starting the haircut where you have this amnesia but very very rare but i'm just being honest but i don't and sometimes clients think they want it short you cut it and then they like freak out and they don't actually want what they ask for yeah that's hard yeah i think it's um it's a weird thing isn't it that um panic that goes through you Oh, it's the worst. It's horrible. It must be horrible for you. The idea of someone going home and not feeling good about themselves is everything that I don't set out to achieve.

So it's just a horrible feeling. I'll have like a crap evening and not a great night's sleep. Really? Yeah. If someone's not happy? Yeah. Much to my own detriment, probably a chronic people pleaser most of my life, you know? But I do sometimes think, you know what's weird?

I think it's very helpful to watch another client when I'm sitting in the chair as a customer. I remember once seeing another customer kind of saying, another client saying, I don't like it, I don't like it, it's too blonde, it's never been this bond before. And really slightly freaking out, the hairdresser. And do you know what? It was quite, it was quite changed me

that moment because I saw the degree to which she was freaking out and the fuss that was being caused and the mounting hysteria and I didn't judge her because I think I've probably been that person I may not have reacted quite like that but I may have felt that and I thought I'm never ever going to react like that because it's awful yeah and you've kind of caused a scene there's a way of saying well look you know what next can't do anything now or if that person could do anything there's a way of communicating that thing is there anything you can do with the glass or put some no lights on it but it was the drama and it i can't never forget it i thought seeing someone said the best way to control your temper is seeing someone else be angry yeah and that did make me think

if you lose your shit over a haircut i think you need to start maybe having a word with yourself yeah i mean colour in particular because it's colour that can be rectified It's not quite the same as a, a cut can be, you know, but... They're hair pieces. 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.