Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Harry Trevaldwyn (Part One)

Episode Date: July 14, 2025

This week on Walking The Dog, Emily and Raymond are taking an early morning stroll London’s Clissold Park with the actor, comedian and writer Harry Trevaldwyn!Harry’s career started when he started posting sketches on social media - including our favourite character ’Smug Mum’ and he has now entered his Hollywood era - staring in The Bubble, Ten Percent and most recently How To Train Your Dragon and My Oxford Year. It was an absolute delight spending the morning with Harry - we discussed everything from his idyllic childhood surrounded by cousins in Oxfordshire, his childhood dog who miraculously survived crossing the A420 (twice!) and how he found his passion for performing. Follow @harrytrevaldwyn on Instagram How To Train Your Dragon is out now in cinemas - you can watch the trailer here!My Oxford Year is out on Netflix on 1st August - set a reminder to watch it on Netflix here! Get your copy of The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King here!Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When was it obvious, Harry, that you had a sort of performing talent? That sounds like you're saying code for gay. When was it obvious that you had theatrical tendencies? This week on Walking the Dog, Ray and I met up with the fabulously talented actor, writer, an all-round comedy genius, Harry Trevaldwyn, in North London's Clissold Park. Now, as it's been so hot recently, we asked Harry if he'd be okay to meet us super early in the morning while it was still cool enough for Ray to venture out. And because Harry is famously one of the nicest men in show business, he not only agreed, he also turned up

carrying iced coffees and insisted on carrying Ray around like a spoilt prince. That's Ray I'm talking about, by the way, not Harry. So I had a strong feeling we were going to fall hard for this man and I wasn't wrong. Harry is currently enjoying a bit of a moment as an actor and a lot of that is entirely down to him being very proactive during the pandemic and posting a series of comic videos online which went viral and got the attention of people like Judaputau who cast him in his film The Bubble and he also nabbed a big role in the British remake of the French series Call My Agent 10%. He's now officially stepped into his full-blown Hollywood era. He's currently starring in the box office blockbuster How to Train Your Dragon and it's such a charming, visually stunning film and

Harry is just brilliant in it as tough nut. So do go and see that in cinemas now. You can also see him in the forthcoming Netflix movie, My Oxford Year, directed by the amazingly talented man who brought us the in-betweeners, Ian Morris. It's a very funny and also incredibly moving love story about an American student who falls in love with the British man while she's studying at Oxford. Harry plays her friend and fellow student Charlie

and he honestly lights up the screen every time he's on. It's an absolute joy. performance he gives. It's also one of those films that manages to be hilariously funny and heartbreakingly moving all at once. So do give it a watch on Netflix when it lands on August 1st. I have to say, Harry is honestly one of the loveliest, funniest and most sweet-natured souls I've ever had on this podcast. Spending time with him just feels like you're being bathed in sunshine. In fact, I was so taken with him, I've genuinely insisted he becomes our best friend now. And I'm afraid, Ray simply won't take no for an answer.

I really think you're going to love our chat, so I'll stop talking now and hand over to the wonderful man himself. Here's Harry and Ray Ray. Let's head for the shade. I think important. Harry Trevoldwin. Did I get it right? You nailed it.

You really did. You can't see, but I'm grinning gleefully because it's rare, but you absolutely nailed it. Well, there's no excuse, because you do spell it out for next. on your Instagram. I do do that, but I still have people messaging me telling me that I am pronouncing it wrong, which feels, I'm normally, I'm just like, you're probably right, but you're probably right, but it's basically just me and my brother that have it as a last name. So I think surely, like, I guess we get to say, but they say I should be Travaldwin.

Trevaldwin is, I think, yeah. It sounds more Transylvanian. And that has been what I've been going for my entire career, so that's, that was the key in. Would you be terribly annoyed if we stopped at the coffee hut? No, my gosh, please. Sorry, I would have asked you what you wanted, but then I didn't have enough hands. Well, you stopped off on the way here. I did, I did.

At my cousin's cafe. So it made me feel like I was in a TV show. And I'm wearing their merch. It really feels like this is a sponsored ad. Which is so chic. I think so as well. Well, we'll stop here and get a quick coffee if you don't mind. Because you got to go to your cousin's coffee shop.

I know. And so you should be able to, and this is your cousin I've heard. Wouldn't it be disappointing if it wasn't? Yeah. But I actually, I'd leave straight away. Straight away I'd go. It's no good. And we should say we're in Clissold Park.

I love this park. It's really nice. You know what's so silly is that it is about half an hour walk from me? Because I thought you were South London. I was. I was until the beginning of this year. And I made the move. but this is like about half an hour's walk away from me.

It's a very sweet dog, isn't it? Shunky monkey, my God, what a haircut. That's you? Yeah, it's like Chunky monkey and the dog. Oh, hello. I know from Susie Ruffles podcast that you normally go by M. Is that better? Do you try M or Emily?

I go by Emily, but I do love M. Okay, what would you rather? From you, because I really get quite good vibes about you. Oh, great. Imagine you're like, and it's Misty. No, well, I don't like them. It's Emily. Oh, really?

Oh, God. Okay, so now people can go back through the podcast and see who you've liked. Also, it would be devastating if you know, like, say Emily is fine. I just, I'd kind of wish you would be my friend. And then... Oh, soul. When I... As soon as I hear an M, I think, oh, it's my kind of person.

But it's, I also, like, I have the same thing, I think, when... You're welcome to, but, like, a lot of my old friends call me hair. And it just, it feels just like, just like gentle and I don't know. Do you associate, particularly with our names, which are quite traditional, sort of minor members of the royal family? Yes, yeah, yeah. I feel I'm being told off when someone says, Emily, do you feel like with Harry? No, because I feel like M is a more organic shortening from Emily.

Right, than has. Than has. It has is always, I feel like most people just say Harry. Well, what about Megan? Megan Sussex. Yeah. She says H. Yeah, maybe I should do that.

Or maybe I should just go to Prince Harry. Take that while it's available. H does feel a little considered. I always feel like I'm in Gossip Girl whenever I sign emails with H. And I have started doing that because I think it feels a little bit glamorous. Well, when I messaged Ian Morris,

the director of your new film, which we will be discussing because I loved it. When I messaged Ian Morris about you, and I bet this happens to you a lot, I love you, but it was a long name. So I just went to. Harry Tee and I quite liked Harry Tee and he seemed comfortable with Harry Tee. I actually remember the first time that I ever did any sort of like publicity for

something and it was in America and the fear that I saw in people's eyes when my last name came in and so I remember I was like there and they I remember the first person going like so we're here with this and they said everyone's full name and they came to me and they're and then Harry and they just like sort of like gave up which I actually did respect rather than giving you to go. But it's the same time as every time I get cold called, you can always feel they're like, is this Harry? And they're like, you're probably fine.

And they give up. So it's actually a great, it's a great doctoring process. It's quite weird though. In the, you know, in some ways it gives you, admittedly, you know, we're speaking from a very privileged perspective, but it gives you an insight into just that lack of respect for years that people had. So of immigrants' names where you're going to have to shorten your name or change it because I can't be bothered to learn how to pronounce it.

Totally. I think it's completely that. And I think even you can see that, even like not so recently with like big, big actors where people would just like kind of like not really learn their names. Yeah. It's so weird. Or give like a shortening or like a angle sized version of it. Could I have an iced coffee please?

Do you do ice coffee? Oh. Oh no, I get panic when I get asked. What shall I have, has? Go for it. Do you want, do you want like a... I don't want salted caramel in it, doesn't it? You know what you want.

Oh, do you want to salt a caramel iced coffee? I want a child's milkshade. Do you want to hear what's so sad? I thought when I first went to university. So it's going to be iced latte with salty caramel? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, that sounds good. Yeah. Yeah, go on. When I was first at university, my, like, very sweetly, my mum's like getting getting into university present. I remember I was such a brand on the way that I was worried we were going to be late and she had obviously planned the surprise that we were going to go by John Lewis and pick up a little like nispresso machine. Oh no. And I remember thinking like this is going to be such an amazing way to make friends at university. Everyone else was like obviously binge drinking and I had this little

nespresso stand with a little mini syrup so I was like would you like to come to my room? Can I get you a vanilla latte? And it kind of it kind of worked but I think it almost be used to me to something. my pods and then it was over. That's the thing. I've always liked the concept of coffee a little more than I've liked the actual coffee. I forced myself to like it because I love to swear of it. Oh yeah, that's fine.

Yes, I forced myself to like it as well. Did he used to do it? Sophisticated. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I liked, I think I liked, it was that kind of New York culture, Carrie Bradshaw thing that got me into it. It was like the idea of it so much more than the actual thing. 100%.

Here we go. This is a much shade here. Oh this is lovely. Where would you like to be said next to your opposite? Ooh! Oh, first bit is. You know what? Only 30 feet gone. We're in Clissol Park, Harry. Mm-hmm.

And we've got a group of women doing lunges at the moment. Ladies who lunge. Yeah. You've arrived dogless today. I have. You don't currently have any animals? Well, you know what? My family has lots of animals.

I don't have any myself. So we were. We're a big dog family. So we've got, like, my mum has two dogs. And, like, my cousin has dogs that I sometimes take for a walk. But I don't have a dog myself. But I think that will change hopefully soon. But I just, I don't know.

It's so tricky because I think, but also because I live by myself. And so if I'm, like, a way for work, I'd love to have, like, a dog that you can, like, bring on set. But I kind of feel like you have... You need to get to the Barbara Streisand stage. You need to be Zendaya or Barbara Streisand. And I'm just like a one... step away. It's so tricky. And then I come in with my Great Dane and I'm like,

ruddy. My friend at the moment is working with a great day and it's, I've also worked with set dogs and that's always great, like it's in dogs on set and that's very exciting. Yeah, that's a real bonus. So tell me about the dogs, it was Oxfordshire that you grew up in, is that right? Yeah. And it's you, your mum and my brother, your brother. Yeah. And what dogs did you have, did you have, did you have dogs growing up? So we basically we had a period so we had a dog when I was very little called Pip who was a Jack Russell and That's like the dog that I remember from like being very young and I like Jack Russell's they're quite noisy sometimes They're very noisy and I think it was like it was one of those ones where

Pip was very good with us and very bad with everyone else including like ducks Like just like it ran it um Pip ran across the 840 20 twice survive it's miraculous and then we had a brief period of cats for my sins did you? That was because of a stepfather who liked cats and then we went back to dogs and we refocused

and then we got a Labrador called Cosmo and now we've got two Labradoodles called Otto and Sid who are very sweet. The Labradoodles they're quite big but they're big dogs they are big dogs but I think for me they kind of don't look

They almost, especially them, they're like big Labradoodles as well. They almost look like miniature Irish wolfhounds. Yes. But I do quite like, I like, I like, I like big dogs. Do you like a big dog? I quite like it for when I'm home. I like big dogs and I cannot like. Yes, and I've always said that.

I've always got a record with that. But I quite like it when you're on the sofa and you've got like a big dog that you can put your arm round. Almost like having George Clooney on the sofa. And that's what I always get very bashful. And I say like, I love your tequila brand. And then it's great. It's wonderful.

George Clooney. Have you always had dogs? No. So I never had dogs because I grew up in a sort of, my parents were slightly, they were performers and they were slightly bohemian and artie. And it wasn't really a place. I always associated dogs with people who had Volvo estates and paid their bills and had normal cocoa pops of breakfast and not canopays from the dinner party from the night before. Sorry, that's so glamorous. I think you would have quite liked that. Yeah, I would have absolutely loved it, but I would have felt like such a square. I was like, so what time's bedtime?

I'd love it to be specific. But that's so... But anyway, that meant it wasn't... My dad had an art show with a presenter called Joan Bakewell. My dad was the first man on colour TV, which is weird. And they would just have... But anyway, this isn't about me, and I can tell you all one of these people. No, but that is...

Sorry, the best thing I've ever heard to be the first person on colour TV. But no one was watching Harry, so no one gave a shit. But that's so interesting, that tells me a lot, that you've immediately taken it on to me because you're very generous and empathetic and you're curious about people as well. I hope so. I think so.

I think also I... But I think, yeah, I find... For that reason, I often find interviews quite tricky. Yeah. Because I find... Me too. But it just feels like, you're like, trust me, I've been waiting for someone to ask.

Because it feels, because I just, it always feels, I'm always hyper aware, like, in any sort of, like, party setting if you're talking too much about yourself. And it always kind of feels like that. Does it? Or something. But also, yeah, I don't know. So I also, I suppose I know, I know all about me. So. Whenever I read about you, people regularly talk about you as being the nicest, easiest person to get along with concert.

That's so, no. That is honestly, that is like, if that could be my, like, thing to take away for my career. That's so lovely. Because I hope so, but also like, because I also love being on sets. I think it's very easy for me to be nice because I'm so happy to be there. Like, especially if you're like in every day, like I really love to be in the like nuts and the bolts of the things. So like, especially if you get like a rehearsal process and you're really involved right from the beginning, you know everyone that works there. That's the best thing I think for me.

I actually think it's much harder when you go in for a day and you're suddenly like, oh, there's brand new people and you've got to make an impression just for one day to do this one scene. You never get over being the new kid. No, definitely not. Yeah, also because I think it's so, I think it is so much harder. I think I was really, really lucky that my first TV job was, I was a series regular.

So I never did, like, I've done it now, but to start, which I think was so lucky because it really meant that I could kind of like build up my confidence slowly. Whereas I think if you just go in for one day, let's say you're doing like doctors or something like that and you're just going for one day and you're trying to make an impression in that one day.

Oh, and some of them will try to make an impression. Oh, but it'd be me like lingering at the camera. They're like, and exit. And I'm like, amazing. Craning my neck and exit. You're like, and zing it. And this is how my character exits. He's always had her crack in his neck.

I remember my mom, she was in action. She was in the, when she was in the bill, and even her age and wrong off and went, oh, your mother was so over the top. I mean, she had like three lines. You know, she had like a small lines, or she'd be it in Bless the Hawk, she was so raw and trained.

Yeah. From that. rep generation where you would go, excuse me, what time is it? And you'd be like, no, that's how I talk now. That's what my dream is to do. Is it Transatlantic? That like, hey, listen, someone's called up. Toot squeat, you hear?

We got a big cheese to sell. Hutt. I actually went to see such a good show, which was so this. Last night at Soho Theater, I went with some friends to see The Screen Test by BB Cave. And it was so funny. It was basically like an actor. in the 30s who's never made it. Yes, my goddaughter, Honey worked on that.

Oh, so you know, okay, is this Honey Kinney? Yeah, she's my goddaughter. I met her for the first time the day, and she's really good friends with my friend Lizzie. I'm not, I was with her last night. I'm so glad I knew you. See that. Oh, I'm so.

So, let's go back to your childhood. Please. So you're in Oxfordshire. Is it a sort of idyllic, traditional country, Oxfordshire upbringing? Yeah, you know what? Kind of, I think I was so lucky that I grew up in a very little village and all my cousins lived in the same village and we had like my

mum had really really close friends so it felt it felt like we grew up in a completely different like era like decades before the one I actually grew up in which sounds like a bit so amazing it was it quite sort of being and blightened sort of it was just like we would literally just like wonder to each other's houses so I'd always be like it would like be dinner at like my aunties or our friend Fiona's or friend Sue's and we would listen and it was yeah it was and then there was a pub that was in the middle of the village that we lived really close to it was like the hub of everything so everyone would always to be honest though it is one of those things that

whenever I remember childhood it's always a sunny day do you know when you like kind of think back and you're like yes it was an endless summer but I just those are the days that I like really remember and just like yeah after school watching Simpsons then having like yeah like suffer with our fam yeah it was it was really I was very very lucky was your mom a single parent yeah it was it's it's a tricky so she she married um and got divorced quite young, as in when I was quite young. She was at an age, she was an adult age. But she was a single mum for a long time.

But she was amazing. She started a catering business. She's always been a very go-getter, very organised, very... Really? Yeah, like a really, like, intelligent and really business savvy. And such a useful person to have, especially when I like start having to do more grown up things now, like anything to do with tax or accountancy. I don't necessarily have like a dad to ring up, but she's so good at all that.

So it's been really wonderful. But we've had, but also my mum's now with a wonderful partner now. Oh, that's good. But yeah, but mostly it was me, my mum and my brother, but we had such a big family. So aunts, uncles, cousins and they all lived five minutes away. So I always felt like I was part of a very big family. So it's all that takes a village thing, which is really nice. which is so I've yeah I've been thinking more and more about that that's

obviously when that phrase it takes the village obviously was from I could the past but like deep the past I was like beyond those but when it did obviously like you and now I think it's so alien that people expect an entire like one person to be their entire village that like you just can't do that no I really I like that and I think I have a lot of time for men raised by single moms because they're gay no there is that there is that you know my mother the actress blessed her who didn't get much work she won't the aunts found her crying she'd had a few drinks we said what's wrong mom she said it's just

my greatest tragedy that I never had a gay son oh fabulous that's so great I mean not fabulous for me and my sister sure sure sure sure she was literally crying because we weren't gay sons hey you've got a gay son energy to you I think you could do it I gay son, yeah, you've got Raymond, perfect. So, why are you straight? No, no, no, sir. Far too she. No, sir, or if not, like, a powerful ally.

Like, almost too much, almost too supportive. Raymond's the powerful ally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That'll be your next, Y, A, but... Yeah, oh my God, does. It's like, Roman being like, like, love is love, actually. And people are like, we're just walking, it's fine, Roman. It could be cool.

So you're, I'm liking the sound of your mum, like strong woman. Did she bring you up to be, was she hot on manners? Was she? We never missed a day of school. I remember that was the thing I was so jealous of my auntie. My cousins got the day off school if they had, they just kept on saying they had growing pains, which was so vague, but they kind of realised that if we say we've got growing pains, then we'll get the day off school. I would go to school like flu-ridden and like collapse.

my mom was like, maybe you get the afternoon or, but also because she was working, so she was like, I can't look after you. But yeah, very big on, but so was my, so my grandma was like the matriarch of our family and she was, she was best person, like best person. So, like there was always like a place at the table for like people that would like wander in. Christmas's were always huge because she was like a big hoster. We'd do Sunday lunch at hers every Sunday. And we like, she was like so warm, so loving, but like very big on manners, politeness. you would clear up. It was that kind of thing.

And then there was huge arguments over who cleared up amongst the cousins, but not in front of grandma. The cousins with permanent growing. I'm obsessing with constant growing pains. I sort of don't want to know any of their names. And you don't need to me. But let me tell you, they've all grown. They're all grown now.

I like them as the cousins. They sound a bit sinister. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like all of them like perfectly blonde holding her hands. They're like, the cousins are here. Actually, a family of brunette. sort of Nicole Kidman horror film. Yes, yeah, yeah.

Imagine if that now was my job. I was like, Nicole Ikeman is my aunt. It's her children. So what were you like, Harry, as a kid? I imagine you're very charming and personable. So were you always someone who found it easy to get along with people? Was that always a thing that you had, you know? I think I built up a false narrative of what I was like when I was younger

because I think all my favourite characters in books and in terms, and in TV shows we're always saying like, oh, I was such a shy child. And I think my mum over heard me the other day being like, no, I was a really shy child. And she was like, no, you are not. So I think I was actually, I think I was very, I was very confident,

but I was quite, a bit of alone. Like, as in I think I, because I think I wasn't into the same sort of games that all the boys wanted to play. All my friends, I'd love to play, like, pretend games. Or, like, imagination games. I do a lot of reading. But I think I was also, like, I think,

I was lucky that I was in like a really small school that was very, I always felt like very, like safe there to kind of like do what I wanted to do. Right. So it never felt, it never felt too much like, oh, boys do this and girls do this. So I could play horses and I could do like, um, like, yeah, pretend games. But I think I was, I think I was quite weird. I was quite a weird child. But.

And what way were you weird? I think I was just, I was like very. I don't know, like into specific things. Like I was really in, I remember there's a video that I feel sums it up quite a lot where there's like my mum like, we've got so much of our childhood. She loved being like the like the Regina George's mum character with the camcorder. We've got so much of it on footage. I remember there's this one piece of footage that she's got which is like filming in our garden

and it's like my brother and some of the village boys playing football and she like pans around, goes all the way round, all the way round, all the ways round and there's me and I was like translucently pale that you can see every vein and it's me just like standing in the corner being like it's my turn to play with the binoculars and so I think it's like a bit of that I thought I was the um which actually I've now led into the sentence which I sort of but I thought I was um I thought it was the second coming of Jesus Christ at one point I got really into the Bible which was my family were not religious but I got given the children's Bible for Christmas we're now being I will say passed by This is ever so sweet.

Every child in London is laughing us. It seems like it's going on. No, it doesn't end. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not, we're not kidding when we say it like we can see quite deep into the distance and there are still children. And they're all sitting in this field. Do you kids want to be in a podcast?

No, it's still going. That is more children than I've ever seen. It must be the whole school, Harry. It must be every school. Where are they going to see? it, that's the question. Oh no, they're leaving. Oh, okay, they've split up.

They're voting with their feet. Oof, there's a rule way to. And they sitting in, that feels looking ominous to me. Yeah, I think that I think sports day. So basically, if you can hear these kids in the background, Harry and I have selected a spot to record this podcast in Clisshold Park right next to the school sports field. Yeah, yeah, because we want to get involved.

in the trickle jump and that's why. So you might hear, do you want us to move? I think so. It's such a shame. They've... Don't children ruin everything. Children will do this, Harry. When was it obvious, Harry, that you had a sort of performing talent? That sounds like you're saying code for gay. When was that obvious that you had theatrical tendencies? I tell you what, he's such a little performer, Art Harry. Oh, he's very dramatic. It's very funny seeing.

It seems to be hanging out with a lot of performers. Yes, yeah, yeah. A friend of Dorothy, for sure. I would say, I didn't mean that, but I so wish I had, because it's rather brilliant. It's probably the same answer for both. Yeah. I loved, you know what, I think, I genuinely think it started. I loved playing imagination.

I was talking about this with my friend Elliot actually last night, that I was, because I had younger cousins, I could carry on playing like pretend games. These bloody cousins again. I know these bloody, bloody cousins. But I could carry on playing like pretend games with them for so long. Yes. Because then I'd have, then the one would grow up, be too old for it.

And I'd be like, right, onto the younger one. It's like, this is the game. I'm the chosen one. Let's go. But I think, I think I love doing school plays. It was, it was kind of that. I remember doing a school production of the BFG. And that was like the first time that I remember making people laugh.

and yeah it is sad in a way that I like I got applause and I was like okay I'll do that love that idea but I remember yeah I just loving it and then I um carried on doing it at school and I also always loved right so those were like the two things I loved I loved doing short stories and I love doing like plays and acting and so you were always again I'm going to sound like a 1950s mom giving a euphemism for her gay son. You're always very creative. It's like a read through of my school report or like a casting breakdown I get. Harry's very creative. So I'm getting this picture of little Harry and I really like little Harry. I like him too. He's a sweet little guy. I think your mum must have been so pleased when

she had you. I hope so. I think it's a relief when you have nice, human beings. Well, because I've done, I've done so much, I did it, oh my gosh, I think I'll be moved. It's like that beginning of that MGM2 song. Sorry, that's feedback for the podcast. They love it. Oh, they love it.

Is that what they do now? Yeah, they're happier now than they used to be. Haven't they got growing pains or something to be getting on with? They're celebrating them. Who here's got growing pains? Yeah. Minnie Harry, who I've fallen in love with already, did you feel, did you feel confident? Did you feel secure in who you were?

Did you feel comfortable with being gay when you were young? Definitely not. I think that was something that I, that's the thing that I feel like, I think very sorry for Little Harry Ford because I think it was, I don't know, it's just I didn't know any gay people growing up. It was bizarre. Like I think back and I think also, I then went. went to a secondary school which wasn't as supportive. And so I was like in my very like sheltered little school.

And then, yeah, and then and then obviously I got bullied for being gay before I had like figured out myself. And I think that's really, really tricky when you're told something about yourself and it's said as an insult before you've discovered it yourself. And I think so for ages I like, I really like compartmentalise that part of myself. It was only when I was at uni. So I actually came out quite late. And it was only when I was at uni.

And this was Bristol. Bristol. Yeah, yeah. And that's where I really, like, found my, like, my people. And I think felt safe enough and comfortable enough to kind of, like, open up those things that I'd kept very barrier. And even, like, I genuinely myself, like, didn't think that I was gay. And it was only when you, like, I kind of relax a little bit. And you're not in, like, fight or flight constantly.

Yeah. But I was then like, oh, okay, this is who I am. and so that was really special and also I was really lucky that I got to do it with a friend was coming out at the same time and so we would meet up in my room and have like a bottle of red wine and talk about what our lives were going to look like

that we'd like unlocked this huge sector of our lives that we hadn't really looked at before it all strikes me I don't know I sort of feel why should you have to in such you know what I mean it does quite I do question it a bit now that I think heterosexual have to say mom and dad just say

you know I like having, I wouldn't have said, I'd like having sex with men. Yeah. Can I have more wheat of vibes? Well, another one who said, what a terrible, this is white. Yeah, yeah. You're like, oh, there you are. I know what you mean. I think it's tricky.

I think in a perfect world, nobody would have to come out. But because we're not in that perfect world, I actually think coming out is a really important process for a lot of people. Right. Because it's about claiming something about yourself. And it's your identity as well. And you're right, actually, Harry, because I think what a lot of people don't understand, particularly, I think, you know, the generation before me, like boomers and stuff like that, is that that sounds very dismissive, sorry.

But I'm just thinking particularly of, I suppose, there was that disconnect with people not understanding that it, how much a part of your identity it was. It wasn't just a sexual preference. Yeah, totally. Totally. And I think, well, I think it's anything. It's like any part of yourself that you feel that you can't access, it then becomes like completely. surrounded in shame and then it becomes something really much darker and it should and it should just be I don't know I also think this sounds like I'm doing a segue to talk about my book but I'm really not but I think one of the reasons I love

your book can I say oh do you oh that makes me very happy I love your book but I think one of the reasons that I really wanted to write it is I kind of wanted to like reclaim that almost like reclaim a memory that I never had and what it would be like to figure out love in a completely completely safe way when I was at, if I was like, so the character of the book patch is out like from the beginning and very confident. He's really out. He comes out four times. Yeah, yeah, he's too. He's like, I'm going to say two out. Um, and it's like he should have more shame. Is it like chronically online? He's chronically. Yeah, yeah, he's chronically. That's actually, I'm going to

steal that because that's actually very brilliant. Um, yeah, he's chronic. He is chronically out. Um, chronically proud. Raymond's there like, yes, yes, yes. It's wonderful, them together, my goodness. It's a powerhouse. But yes, but it is, it's like, I think it's such a, I think at school you're able to figure out love and figure out like these big emotions in like this small environment of school. And obviously, you know, I'm talking about it in quite an idealistic way.

Lots of people don't have positive experiences of that. But I remember just hearing about my friend's stories about coming out and I'm so jealous of, oh sorry, my friend's experience of love. my friends experience of love at school and being so jealous of them because they were just like ridiculous and dramatic. And I was so scared. And so like, so I didn't have any of those. And so I think also for a lot of queer people, you then figure out being gay, sometimes not in the safest of environments because you're doing it covertly or you're doing it. I don't know.

And I think, which I think is a real. And sometimes you can be really lucky with that. But sometimes you cannot be. And I can see, you know, it's interesting, isn't it, how I suppose. also because it almost feels like relatively sort of recently that you're allowed to see people as part of queer culture I suppose being sexual and allowed you know how up until when I was growing up certainly it was I did that you would see get men who we knew were sort of gay but there was they had to be a sexual somehow do you

know what I mean I totally I find it so fascinating because I it is like there was a step and I think like don't talk about you You know, you can hint to be in camp. But it would have to be in such a palatable ace. It would almost like, oh, you can be gay, but in a sexless way. Yeah. It would have to be like, oh, you can be. I don't refer to having a partner.

And I think the whole, like, gay best friend trope really, obviously, like, added into that. It's like, oh, you're supplementary to a love story, but you don't get one yourself. You're saying kind of like an arch line here or that. And it is it. So I think it is so interesting. Or you would have deviance. Like, there was no in between. You would either have, like, sexless assistance.

or you would have like deviant, like deviant sex addicts, like you couldn't really have a somewhere in between. And I think that's... Sounds like my dating history. Yeah, you're like, it's one or the other. Choose your own adventure. Yeah, it's so, I think it's so fascinating. And I think that's, yeah, what's lovely is that you are kind of seeing more and more

with, hopefully with everything. Obviously, there's still so much way to go. But I think you're seeing more and more variants of each thing rather than it being like, you can be a stock character. I want to get back to when you first got into acting because you left Bristol and you've done a bit of student drama theatre.

Student drama theatre, that's even a thing. I nodded, I've just made it up. Student drama theatre. It sounds like, you know, when you're translating, when you do a cheat, a duo-lingo cheat and you Google it, we've all done it, babe. You're like, hello friends, my name is near Oxford. I have several cousins who all have brothers.

My name is Pierre. I'm doing student drummer theatre. Yeah, yeah, perfect. And I love that you let that go. That says a lot about you. You don't pick up on that. Go, you're an articulate old high. Oh, no, it's because I can promise if you listen back to the transcript,

I've done like 10 times worse, three times already. Well, that's not going to happen. Hey! So, after you'd graduated, had you sort of decided then, Harry, I'm going to be an actor. You didn't want to be a stand-up, interestingly, because you find that quite frightening, even though you've got such funny bones naturally. Does the idea of stand-up not appeal? Does it feel too exposing somehow? You know what? It's not that it doesn't appeal, because I've also, I really, I love seeing it.

I've got so much respect for it. And not to be like, blah, blah, blah. And a lot of people have been like, oh, you should do it. And I think for some reason, I really enjoyed doing sketches, like on my phone, because that felt very, like, it kind of felt like, it kind of felt like. like I was like practicing writing a little bit as well and also but for some reason like I think part of what I really love about acting is kind of like like being part of a team I think and I think also firstly just stand up sounds terrifying like really really terrifying and I just think I never quite quite had the guts to do it and I think also I was already doing so many

thing. Hello, that's the park rain, oh no, it's the rubbish truck. That's the Hackney, Hackney, Council. I thought it was the Park Ranger, because I've got a bit of a thing for a Park Ranger. Imagine if it was the Park Ranger and there were actually just like, near do wells in cages, it would like littered. And this was their, like, their shaming walk. Imagine if the Park Ranger was like taking, like a penitentiary.

Yeah. Yeah. And there's someone ringing a bell behind, like, shame. They're shaking the bars. It's like, what did you do? Like I spit my gum out. Shane. Shane. I saw someone do that the other day. It was so sad. Just like walking along and then just like, without a thought, just like spitting their gum onto the ground. It made me so sad. Do you know what? The Trouwold wouldn't ever have tolerated that.

My grandma would have had a word to say about that. I would tell you. No, sorry. But yes, but yeah, sound up was never. I, I, I, but acting was very much. Did you, did you make a conscious decision you felt I can do this I'm going to give it a go it's so funny I think I did have like quite a like I think in so many ways I'm not I'm not very confident in lots of things but for some reason I had this I think which you kind of have to when you're doing anything that's gods and like not in your favour I did kind of have a belief that it would work out or just you know what I think it was more like there's nothing that I want to do more than this at the moment and the moment

that changes I will stop doing it and I still believe that. But at that moment, I was like, this is exactly what I want to do. And I wasn't sure exactly, I think also what was quite, what I'm actually quite grateful for is that it really did not come quickly and it didn't come easily. Well, you got this part in a Timothy Shalame film. Yes.

The King was it, but it was a small part. Now, presumably, you must have got that part and thought, hello. Should I hear what's so fun? Literally, I was like, God, it's amazing to be. It's amazing to be at the end of the road. today at age 21 my goodness I wasn't even trying I think it was like 23 or something yeah it was yeah I was so I thought that was but the thing for ages I was like I was like I just want to get an agent like I couldn't under I was just like that's all like

like I thought that was the end goal and obviously it's that classic thing isn't it where the goalpost keep on moving but for so long it was that and then I got an agent got that part and then nothing and then that agent left like stopped being an agent um so I was like back not exactly good for yourself confidence. No, no, no, I was like, they've quit. It's like my driving instructor, like, stop drive. I was like, right. That doesn't feel amazing.

But yeah, and so then I was like back at square one. Did you meet Shalame? I did, but only very briefly. He kept himself to himself, Shalm. No, I kept myself, I was like, Timothy, stop. I'm trying to say, size, what can I do for you? And you were yap, yap, yap way in my ear. I actually had such, I will say,

It's such like an entirely humiliating experience on that because I had to say Sires, what can you do for you? And then I had to ride a horse, which I've obviously said, I was like, yeah, I'm very good at that. What's your line again? Sires, what can I do for you? Sires? Sires, yeah.

You went in with Sires. Sires, what can I help? Tell me how you did it. So imagine with the table read. So I'm on a, well, obviously I wasn't at the table read. Okay, so at the table read, I'm at home in my flat in Brickson, just sort of being like, soon we're going to. Sorry, we've got a problem.

We're at the table read out yet. Well, the guy who said, Syias. I came in character in a helmet, break, for it, says, what can I do for you? Do you know what? That would stress me out having one line in a big film. No, it's the hardest thing. It's like, show you the hardest acting in the entire world is when they say,

okay, no, you just walk past. And you're like, how do you walk? And suddenly, like, I'll walk in a way that no human has ever walked before. It's so much easier doing, like, a long scene than it is doing like, Hey, by the way, how you doing? It's so hard. I don't like it. No, I don't like him.

Sires, you see, have you ever seen, I don't know if you ever saw it, but Lisa Cudrow did a very underrated joke called The Comeback. You know it's coming back. The comeback is coming back. Genuinely, it's so exciting. I knew he'd be a come. Oh, do you know that it's coming? It's coming back. It's been renewed. Season 3 is coming.

And if you haven't seen the comeback, you really must. It's so brilliant, isn't it? And I think it's Michael Patrick King, maybe, no, I've got that wrong. I don't know. I think it is the Sex and the City guy. Is it? Yeah. It feels very.

Quite different humour, though. It's too good, I know, but it is. Sorry. Lisa Kudrow, there's this line. What's brilliant is she has to nail this line for this sort of sitcom. And you just see her. It's so brilliantly edited. There's like 50 shots of her going to the fridge and get cake out and going,

I don't need to see that. And then she tries at a different moment, I don't need to see that. And that sums up exactly what you've just said that. Totally where you'll overthink. you're like one tight, like, so what is it, size? Saiz, what can? I do for you.

And then it would be like, size, we're going to do for you. It would be like everything. How did you go in the end? I think I went, you know what? I just went earthy. I went grounded. I said, size, what can I do for you?

On a horse, though, so it was made more. But I like that because you've kept it simple, classic. But if you looked at some of the outtakes, he'd be like, wow. Wellza. He's gone big. So it didn't, after size, what can I do for you? Which I'm renaming that film.

Thank you. And I suggest they do too. Yeah. Be brave. The limo didn't arrive. No, I actually went, it was so, I went literally, the bits in between. So I was in Budapest for like a week, which is really nice because I was needed for an afternoon. So it was great to be there for a week.

I was like, and in such like a lovely hotel. So I had the best time. But I literally was temping at a place. Did that. Not just any place. No, I was actually temping, which I was so funny. I was attempting as a course advisor at a school for interior design. I have never, I knew nothing about interior design.

So hang on. I'm ringing. Yeah. Yeah. Hello, I wonder if you can help me. Hi, yeah, how can I help? Salas, what can you do for me? I had a question about, I'm interested in doing a course in interior design.

Could you help me? Yeah, absolutely. And then what I would do is I'd be on the laptop. I'd go to the person that was next to me. I was like, well, I just do. And they'd say this one. I'd be like, and then I'd just go bold as brass, I was like, I think you should do the MA in textiles.

I once had to do, on my late third day, I had to do an interview for someone who wanted to enter the school because they didn't have enough people. And it was just me and this person, I'd been there for three days, knew nothing about interior design. And they were like, and so I was just like, who's your favourite interior designer? And they said someone obviously really, and I was like, and then they said someone and And I was like, alright. So a bit obvious.

Actually, like, a tour around the school, I had never been to the school. So just, like, kept on opening, like, random cupboards and being, like, amazing. I think it's great. I think all actors should do jobs like that. I agree. It was so, I, even as I was there, I was like, anecdotally, this is. Of course. And it's also, you know what we're so nice?

It was also when I was, like, first listening to, did you ever listen to Dear Joan and Jericho? Oh, yeah. I remember, like, I was just at my desk listening to that the entire time. but yes I did that Did you also work for some sort of dating agency? Yeah I worked for Chappi which was like a gay dating agency Oh I love the sound of Chappi

Is it like quite a traditional You know what it was It was, what was it? It's not bears at Chappi You don't get bears at Chappi No and that's a shame I think that was actually what they were missing out on I can't remember what their USP was now

But it was basically I can't even remember. I basically, truly... I'd answer the phone at Chappi. I'm just going to call Chappi. I wouldn't be anywhere near the phone. I was doing the waitress orders. I wasn't trusted in the phone, no way. But I will say the only reason I left there is because they went, like, they stopped as a company. Because they, it was the jammiest job. Was it pre-grinder then, Chappie? It was at the same time. It was more of a dating. So it was more like, it was more dating. But I was basically for like a program.

euphemisms now. Exactly. It was love. It was quick love. Yeah, it was a week, because I was just like, temping for a company that used Chappie rather than working for Chappi itself. But it was really nice. It was like, you know what, I actually really love, I loved being needed somewhere, being in an office.

Yeah. It was pretty low stakes what I was doing, so I could do a lot of like my own work when I was there, which was pretty nice. And also, I suspect, I don't know, on some level as well. I think it's nice to feel you were saying, you were saying, you were saying, you were saying just when you were growing up and stuff, not feeling you had your people around you. Yeah, yeah. That must have been quite nice.

It was really nice. Yeah, it was really lovely actually. It was also, I also just like... The kids are back by the way, everyone. And they've followed us. And they've actually, they've multiplied. There's more... They followed us.

But what was so interesting, I remember, so yeah, I think that was a big part of moving to London. I wanted to find like, I had lots of queer friends, but I also was like interested in the queer community. I mean, one of the things, which was the best things I ever... Well, you're gonna find it at Chapie. Yeah, my goodness. Actually, you know what? Not that much. The people I were working with were mostly straight women. But those are my people. Those are my people.

But I remember joining Soho Theatre Drag Lab. And it was like this like course that you did on Saturdays about like learning about drag. And I wasn't even like interested in being like a drag performer myself. I was just so fascinated in it and I wanted to learn more about it. And also love. I've always loved Soho Theatre. And it was just amazing. And then I remember like the last day of the show was was on pride. And it was just so lovely like meeting all these.

queer people learning about drag and then doing your own kind of performance at the end. It was great. I loved it. I loved it. I want to talk about something which I find really interesting, which was your move, if you like, into acting. You were an example of someone who sort of put yourself out there a bit on social media. And I feel that so, you obviously were so talented, but it's hard to get seen sometimes, isn't it? And I feel social media that was an example. of social media really working in a good way you know for actors to have agency and say here's my show real totally I think I think to be honest I was also I was

quite lucky in a way so I remember that I wanted to do it for so much long for ages before I actually did it but I was so scared of being embarrassed I remember that being the real thing especially because I was like obviously the only people that followed me were my friends and family when you first put that first video out that where you're trying to do like a funny thing It's the most, it's like when, did you ever have it when your parents would be like, oh, wait, if you can't, like, do, if you can't perform in front of your family, then have you performed? And you're like, no, this is so much worse to do it in front of like the table of your family,

rather than doing like in a stage full of, so it felt like that. And I remember one of my best friends row, I remember uploading a video. And then we went straight to the cinema because we had to put our phones off. So I was like, otherwise I just won't do it. So I uploaded it, went, um, we watched a film. I can't remember what film we watched. And just so that I had done it and then distracted myself. And it got obviously like, you know, like 14 likes or something like that.

But I'd done it and I was really proud because I remember just being like, I'm the only person that's getting my way of this. And I think that I can do it. And also I think I can get better at it. And that's something that I really loved. I loved getting better at it. And it's a way which you often don't get as an actor of getting consistent feedback on your work.

Totally. And really immediate feedback. Yeah. And I think also what I loved so much was learning how to edit. I found that really satisfying because I feel that aided writing quite a lot because it's all about rhythms and about when things come. And I loved getting better at editing. The Allies back. Yes, thank you so much.

He's like, and he was like, I'm sorry, a queer storyteller, thanks. Finally. Bloody finally. But yes, I loved it. And also I think I was quite lucky that I was one in the earlyish wave of doing it. So it was, it felt new were. I think there are so many challenging people, but there's so many people out there. I think, you know...

I don't know if it's that you're earlyish, to be honest, Harry. I think you're quite self-deprecating, and I think your work always stood out. That's very nice. That's very nice. And also, I think I got a lot better at it. I think that was a really nice thing. Because there's a difference, and we can all do that. There's a difference between putting on a sort of, you know, joke shop wig. And, you know, we've all seen people doing that.

What time do you call this? It's some six-four, you know? And actually, that's fine, but that's different. but I felt certainly when you were posting this character Smug Mum who really took off to the extent that people like Olivia Williams who you later work with and had a bottom cart who are watching it just I think you just nail something um oh got some musical accompaniment some gentle soul 80 soul there was once this person jimiroquay i believe he's listening to a little bit problematic jimiroquine nowadays

and that's why he's gonna go straight in that jail um I was there was once this place that is I used to cycle to one of the places that I worked, that I'd attempt. And for some reason, I've always ended up cycling at the same time as this person who had this big speaker who'd always play classical music, and it was the nicest thing to cycle in alongside him while he was like, da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. It was so nice. Look, we've got a little doggy coming to see us, Harry. What's this little one?

Hi. Ray, do you want to say hello? Oh, not an ally. Another homophobic dog. Hey. Ray, do you want to say hello to this doggy? What is this again, Harry? Is this a cavapoo or something? I have no idea.

I'm going to ask, doesn't we even get a blowout? I'm glad you asked that. No, he doesn't. It really is. But it's quite impressive hair, isn't it? Shih Tzu's a known for their hair. Like, voluminous. He gets a groom.

Sure. That you can tell. But you know, he's not. about Harry. Oh do you know it's a pleasure what's your dog called? It's Lottie. Oh lovely. Lottie's very cute. What is Lottie? What is Lottie a poodle? Oh, copa poo. That makes sense. Lottie wants to say hello to my dog Raymond. Hi. I can see that. I didn't know why she was so curious. Oh yeah, Raymond was hidden behind. She wouldn't care about us but Raymond is another story.

Oh, she's got such a kind face, don't you, Lottie? Yes. Bye, Lottie. Bye. We're going to have to use that thing to get rid of Lottie that's a very posh man. My family knew once would say, you know, the posh euphemism. Instead of saying, can you leave, he'd say, right, I think we're all very tired. Nice.

I think we're going to have to do that on Lottie. Right, I think we're probably chucked out now, Lottie. How's everyone getting home? That's the pub. That's the pub version. It's like, how's everyone getting home then? Or like, what are you doing for the rest of the week? 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.