Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Josh Widdicombe (Part Two)

Episode Date: December 19, 2024

Join us for the second half of our walk with Josh Widdicombe!Josh tells us about changing as a person and how he tried to heal his toxic relationship with work. We also find out how Parenting Hell makes him feel a little like a Kardashian… and how sharing more about himself has made him a better comedian. We also find out how Josh is getting on getting ready for his appearance on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special - you can watch him on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day! Josh will be touring the UK with his new show Not My Cup of Tea across 2025 and 2026. Extra dates have been added due to phenomenal demand - so head to https://www.joshwiddicombe.com/ to get your tickets now!Listen to Emily and Ray’s first walk with Josh from February 2019Josh’s book Watching Neighbours Twice a Day...: How ’90s TV (Almost) Prepared Me For Life is available now!Parenting Hell with Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett is available on all podcast platformsFollow @Josh_Widdicombe on InstagramFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Really hope you enjoy part two of Walking the Dog with the fabulous Josh Whitacom. Do treat yourself to part one if you haven't already. And if you want even more of a Josh fix, you can also go back into the archives and listen to Josh's very first guest appearance on the Walking the Dog podcast. Just a quick reminder too that Josh has now announced his upcoming tour, not my cup of tea. Raymond and I can't wait because this man is honestly such a joy to see live. But he's also annoyingly popular. So do get in early and book your tickets now at josh whittakerum.com.

Thanks so much for listening to Walking the Dog. And I'd also love it if you gave us a like and a follow, so you don't miss an episode. I'm going to shut up now and hand over to the wonderful man himself. Here's Josh and Ray Ray. You don't seem to have changed a lot, Josh. Oh no, I have a lot, actually. Have you?

Yeah. Go on now. How? I've just calmed down a hell of a lot. But I think a lot of the stuff was internal. Say more, what do you mean? Come on. So I think I was just incredibly intense about work and life. And it was too much.

And so I've had to calm that down. I took it all very seriously. Internally. Do you think this is a post-lockdown change then? Yeah, but I don't think it was related to lockdown. I... Was it having two kids or something? No, it was just working, working, working and then kind of burning out and going,

oh, I can't carry on like this. You see, Rob had a similar thing. Yeah, he did. He told me about that and I really thought it was brave that he spoke up about that because... That must have been helpful that you had him to chat to about it as well. He's much more wise than anyone realises. Yeah, he is, isn't he? Yeah, he's...

He's very... I would say, describe Rob as very emotionally literate. Yes, if not just general literate. He is very emotionally literate and he's... He's very zen. There's someone who's not emotionally literate. What was that sound? Well, there was a bite coming straight towards Raymond and I got really upset. Do you worry with Raymond like crossing?

Have you got a lead? Yeah. What's your view on leads? But I want his soul to sing openly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was it a conscious thing then? Did you just wait? No, I just completely burned out, and I started having lots of panic attacks and stuff.

Oh, I'm sorry about that, for it. Yeah, but that's a horrible feeling, isn't it? Yeah, but it was good. Because it had to hit a breaking point. Yeah. And so I've basically changed a lot about stuff, the way I approach all these things. What have you changed? I've just totally changed my relationship with work.

It'd become quite toxic, I think. Yeah. And it'd become kind of obsessed with working as hard as humanly possible for the fear it will go away. So I suppose the thing I was talking about about university and doing what was needed to stay comfortable. And this is at Manchester. That was at Manchester 20 years ago or whatever. I think that need just continued but built and built and built and snowballed until I kind of got to the position where I thought, if I'm not working with every moment, then it's all going to go away. Yeah.

Which is not ideal way to live. You can just walk into their house. We've reached Kensington Palace. I wonder if they maybe opened it. They can't live in here, can they? I'm so uninterested in the Royals. They seem pretty obsessed to tell me. I'm so uninterested.

Really? They live here? No, but what I mean is that I don't know any of this stuff. I didn't know that was Kensington Palace. I've got an incredible ability to retain information I'm interested in and totally not managed to retain anything I'm not interested in. I like all the people working on the door who look. Look like nutcracker's sweet people. Is he got a real beard or is that a Christmas thing?

Well, like to... I've got a theory about you, Emily. Go on. That I've just come up with. I love a theory about me. That it's so nice holding Ray that you actually take any excuse possible to pick him up. 100%.

Because it's actually more pleasant to walk holding him than not. So any opportunity, you're like, Oh, sorry, I've got to pick you up. Also, that's true, Josh, but there is something else going on here. Yeah. Which is that I want to make him very fearful of the world so he'll never leave me. He's not going to leave you as a dog. You never know.

He's not looking for a better owner. He's a podcast star. He does have a good life. Yeah. Kensington Palace, here we go. See how much it costs to get into it? Endington Palace. 22 pounds.

Oh, is it? 22 pounds. Okay. No, thanks. No, I don't fancy it. No. You can put him down now, Joe. I don't want to.

Loving it. Do you? Yeah. I don't know why, but it reminds me of, you know, like, when someone carry around a ghetto blaster in the late 80s. Do you know what I mean? Like, kind of... He's a security blanket, isn't he?

Yeah. Can you still say ghetto blaster? I think it's a little. okay. That's what we called it then. Yeah. So that's interesting that you feel you've kind of got a better handle on work now. Yeah, definitely. Parenting hell is obviously hugely successful as we were saying and you've done these, I bet you never thought it was going to get to the stage where you were playing the O2 with it. He'd be clinically unwell, wouldn't you? He'd be mentally unwell, if you thought, let's start this and try and play the O2. How do you feel though, Josh, about, you know, I was saying,

when I met up with you, I kind of know everything that's happened to you this week, because I listen to your podcast and it's like, I think, oh, right, he's done Lapland, and then he had that whole thing with the inhaler, the asthma inhaler. I mean, I literally know everything about you. So how does that feel? Is that something which you had to sort of adjust to? That's like Kardashians element to him. That's one of the main things. Yeah, we do kind of say we're a bit like the Kardashians, me and Rob. Um, it's a lot. Um, it's a lot of, it's, it's a lot of, it's, one of the main things that I think maybe has helped me actually change who I am is that I always approached comedy in this weird way. There's loads of worms on this. Sorry, have I got ADHD?

We all have, haven't we in comedy? But I imagine a comedian being slightly neurodivergent. Sorry. But that was mad that I brought the worms. I'd always been really not committing any of myself to comedy. I didn't like talking about my personal life or my family. When I had kids, I was like, I'm not going to be one of those comedians that talks about their kids. As if that's a thing. There's not even really... And they were all defence mechanisms, I think, because I didn't want to share who I was.

And then we did the podcast, which was obviously not... not deeply thought through, we just started doing it. And then it got deeper and deeper. And then you're like, oh, wait a minute, I'm much funnier. And people respond to me much more when I actually share who I am. And my neuroses and my worries and all these things are the funniest things about me. And so that totally changed my relationship with comedy. but it also allowed me to engage with all these things much more.

So I know there's like all these jokes about podcasts being, or podcasts being like therapy and stuff. But that really, I think, came along at the right time and had a big impact on me, maybe. I can't even remember what the question was. Sorry, I've just babbled on there. We don't really do questions though, do? We just have conversations. And I would say that it's interesting, you're right, people will say, oh, podcasts are like therapy. And I think, no, podcasts just reflect that we've become a little bit more evolved. Whereas old interview styles, everything used to be completely fake.

So someone would go on to a radio show or something. Hi, how are you? Tell us about the new single. Whereas now that feels ridiculous. It feels so old-fashioned. I'm like the biggest fan of what podcasts is. done to comedy and entertainment. And that's not just because of parenting out, although that's helpful. Yeah.

But I think it's totally transformed. And it's killed various things. Or certainly put... I don't think there'll ever be beyond the two that exist now, Norton and Jonathan. I don't think there'll be another chat show on British TV that is a success because I just don't

if you want to see Michael Sheen be interviewed you can listen to him talk for an hour on parenting how well yeah but like or on off-menu and you'll get to know these people so much better and it's social media as well

it's just totally changed the relationship between people in the public eye I think that's why award ceremonies aren't as popular as they once were. So like when I was a kid, I used to watch the British Comedy Awards every year and I loved it. It's terrifying to think that when you were watching it, I was probably there. You were probably there? Were you there for the Julian Clary moment? Oh yeah. I was there. Incredible.

But what I loved about that was all these people that I'd only get to see on television. You'd see a bit of them as themselves or, you know, with the, while it was work, it was like, Right. And I think that's a lot of award ceremonies like that, right? And I think to them and chat shows and even panel shows, I think, now feel too planned. Yeah. It all feels too planned. It all feels like I'd much rather actually go have a, not so much much a punchline,

a desperate chase for the punchline, but actually get to know the comedians and, there's a companionship to it. So when someone listens to, I think, one of the first comedy ones that did it was like John Robbins and Ellis James, when their fans are so into them because it's a different relationship. It's a much deeper relationship.

So I think it's a great thing, and I think it really, I think it's a very positive thing for culture in that sense. Is that bullshit? And for you, it sounds like as well. Definitely. Definitely. It helps you and, you know, talking about things,

is how you process them, isn't it? A lot of just saying that to you then, that's not a theory that I've sat down and pondered and gone, I'm going to say that to Emily. I'm kind of thinking that through as I say it. Yeah. And that's what is so good about, you know, podcast. Because they're conversations rather than set pieces.

But can I tell you, I've noticed, actually I have noticed a change in you. Just from the last time you did this, which was, what, five years ago? I think you're much more comfortable talking about your feelings now? Totally. A million percent. Yeah. And I would have, I think, I don't know, I'd be interested to listen to it back. I've done the work.

You've done the work. But I think a lot of the things I'd have been talking about to you five years ago would have been. things that I wanted to put out there about myself. Not even consciously, but this is who I think I am, so I'll put that out about myself. I'm probably still doing that. And in five years I'll look back on this and go, oh God.

Turns out podcasts were the worst thing in the world. But do you know, like, yeah, I think a lot of it was projection. And do you think Rob has been a part of that journey, if you like? I hate to say it, but yes. Really? Yeah. Why? Because... Because he's...

He's an incredibly different person to me, Rob, and that's why it works. How? Everything about our tastes. Like, I am... You know, you could literally build up a column and it'd be strictly or I'm a celebrity. Blur or AISIS. BBC One or ITV. Although, you know, if you were to like build up that we are the opposite side of those things.

Premier League versus lower league. I prefer lower league football. He prefers the Premier League. All those kind of things. So we're really different in that sense. But he, and that's why it works. But he's incredibly, I think we've, A, both gone on the same similar journey. And he's just, he's very zen and understands and he's wise about those things,

far beyond what people realise what's the imagine you know when the students really the teacher appears and that teacher's Rob Beckett what a life but that is a bit like that yeah but I think I don't know

so he's been a massive influence on you yeah I love that yeah I don't think I don't I wonder whether he'd know that I don't think he'd like to why not maybe he would Like someone else yesterday was saying I was talking about someone who works in comedy

Just like someone you would they not like a famous person like someone who works behind the scenes And I I said how they meditate don't they and mutual friends like yeah because Rob Beckett got them into it And it's like he's he's a calming influence No Not the whole time. Hello. What's your doggy called? Her name is Mooh because her markings are like the cows.

Oh yeah, Mooh. She's got in training, is that like learner plates on a car? Yeah, exactly. Like provisional license. Provisional license. I love that. It's a really good idea. Yes.

But some dogs, some people never bother to train their dogs and they don't have the manners to tell you. Yes, exactly. So she's not there yet, but she's in progress. Lovely to meet you, Moomoo. Nice to meet you. Isn't that nice, Josh? Do you know I sponsor the training of a guide dog? Let's go home.

And get this. Ed Gamble's got a sponsors of a guide dog and it turns out it's the same guide dog because I think it's a pyramid scheme. I think he might have told me this Ed when he came on the book on. I think he had just as much beef about it. We've both got the same picture of the same dog on our fridges. Do you keep getting pictures, updates every year?

And then suddenly it's like, hang on. They're not called updates. They're called pup dates. Not my work. The work of the guide dog. Brought to you by the people who invented poor seco for dogs, I imagine. So Josh, you are, I mean, I've got to be honest, I was a bit stunned. When I heard that you were going to be a contestant on, it's the sort of, um,

The Christmas special. The Christmas special of Strictly come dancing. I wasn't the only one who was stunned because a lot of people were surprised. Who's been stunned? Well, I know that you... Have you spoken to Frank? No, do you know, I think he would quite like that you're doing it because he loves Strictly. I think he was excited and happy that you were doing it.

The reason that he won't is that, you know, as he says, Frank don't dance. And it's because... It's like why he won't do the wheel. Why won't you do the wheel? And we all love the wheel. Who doesn't love the wheel? I'm obsessed with the wheel. I love it when you're on.

When you're on the wheel, I think, oh, come on my friends. I get really excited. I love Jonathan's on it as well. I feel really proud of him because he gets the answers right. But I know, Frank and I, all we talk about is the wheel. We adore the wheel. And yet he said, I can't do it. Why not?

He finds the, he said, I just, he just, he just, he just, he just. He's just... He's just... Famously, Frank. Maybe he's been traumatised. I think so. But he just said he'd be embarrassed. Yeah, I'm mortified on the wheel.

So here's two things that happened before... Strictly. Strictly. One, I did the wheel. And so, I don't think this is... I hope this isn't breaking a TV o'-murter, but they have to record... Because the cameraman can't run around on all eight of you at the same time.

Yeah. They have to record... some kind of stock dancing before the show. This is the wheel? The wheel. At the start, you do a bit of dancing, so they've got it in the bag. Okay. Just as like safety.

Yeah. And that I found horrific. Then Michael comes out, and he said something like, production said, Josh was by far the most awkward person, and I thought, fuck in hell, I'm in trouble here. And then I went to watch the Masked Singer be recorded, because I know Joel very well and my daughter's a huge fan of Joel

all right and the Masked Singer do you know Stuart Holden who does the warm-up who's just like the best warm-up in like light entertainment and he did like I don't know what it was but say it was it wasn't the YMCA but something like that and all the audience had to get up and dance

I think it was Saturday Night by Wigfield Jonathan Ross was sat on the panel and he said to me all I could see looking at the audience was how much more awkward you were than every single other person than that I'm so sorry No but in an awful way in a joke

And I'm thinking maybe strictly is a mistake At this stage I haven't done a lesson But you'd agreed No I could have backed out probably at that point. I don't think I signed anything until probably a few lessons in, actually, you know, that takes a while of those things, doesn't it? Yeah. So it's all part of like, you know, trying to change who I am a bit. Do something that really scares you. Do something

that feels really unnatural. It's the Christmas special, so it's a one-off. As Ivo Graham said to me, The Cowards Compromise. I love her. And I was like, it's my daughter's absolute favourite show in the world. She's seven. It's a really good age for me to do it. She's probably not going to want me to do it in three years. What's the worst that could happen?

So I had the Zoom and I was like, if I'm going to do it, I want to be as big and silly as possible. So I asked, I said, I want Karen. as my dancer because she's the best. Can you ask? So you get a dancer for Christmas. You can't ask on the normal series. It's not like a dog. You have to keep alive.

For Christmas, they have to have been eliminated from the main show, obviously. So it's the first dance to eliminate for the main show, if that makes sense. Yeah, I get it. Oh, so you get the ones who've been knocked back. Well, Karen was with Paul Merson. Karen is one of my favourites, I have to say.

She's amazing. She's long been one of my favourites. And on the day one, she said, like, who are your favourite people that have done Strictly? And I said, Tony Adams. I loved Tony Adams. I just think the best people on Strictly... Come out a strider cannon. Ideally, in some Red Sequin waistcoat.

Yeah, idea... But like Merson and Adams, who obviously your fans of both of them deeply, they're everything I think the best Strictly moments are. Do you know what I mean? And so that's what I wanted to do. I'm so excited for you, Josh. And I bet you haven't regretted it at all, have you? No, it's...

I won't reveal, but I will say it's fabulous. Yeah. Do you know what? I haven't regretted it at all. I've had the best time. I'm the fittest I've ever been. It's mental. You look good, actually.

Yeah, because I've been dancing and you can eat whatever you like. Chris Ramsey said this to me. I was texting him about it. He said, He was like 13 weeks. I don't think I could handle that. But I've absolutely loved it. And I think I've got a distinct, you know,

I'm not going to win, obviously, but I've got a distinct advantage in that I think, it's fair to say, everyone thinks I'll be shit. And I think that's fair enough, because I think I'll be, I thought I'd be shit. But Robber said he was surprised by, it was a strange compliment. But you take what you can get.

He said, I'm surprised, but he's really not as bad as I thought. He's actually not shit. Yeah. What's lovely is that I feel like you're proud of it. I'm incredibly proud of it. It's weird, isn't it? Why am I proud? And do you know what?

Can I be honest with you? Yeah. You know, when you get those celebrities and they talk about the magic of Strictly, you think, fucking how bore off. I've become one of those. So obviously Bill Bailey, is the king of comedians on Strictly. Do you think he maybe changed it for comics?

I think he totally changed it for comics. Because Bill, it was very sort of, that sounds like he had a lot of credibility. Huge amount of credibility. I love Bill Bailey. We had him on, and we had him, he's on the last leg quite a lot. Yeah. Obviously. And we had him on with Rose Ealing Ellis, you know.

Yes. And it was when she just started Strictly. And we said to him on the show, like what tips would you give her? And I remember he was quite kind of serious about it. And he was like, just enjoy it. It's an incredible experience. And it's a total, in terms of, you know, television that you can do. It's just a gift to be allowed to do it.

And I thought, fuck it, now, mate. What a load of bullshit. What a load of total crap. And now I'm like, every word of that. Oh, God. It's like you've gone, oh, actually, this is. Santologists have got a point. Maybe I will give some more money to climb the ladder.

Beeson Level 7. Yeah, exactly. I'm going to send. Do you know what? I'm really happy for you, Josh. I don't know what's happened, but it's like, yeah, I wonder if Rob Beckett has unlocked some little part. I feel like he's unlocked some little part of your soul.

I think he has. He's like a spiritual being, genuinely. Yeah. Like, which is mad when you consider what, that's the wrong word. I was going to say, what, his reputation is with the public. Because he's not like he's got back, but like who you imagine him to be. Assumptions and preconceptions people might have. Do you know what it reminds me of?

This morning I was thinking about Tony Mortimer from East 17. Because my friend put up on Instagram a picture of them with Tony Mortimer. They bumped into him in a pub. Yeah. And I said, I was like, I messaged him. Oh my God, he's like, I think he's one of the, I think Tony Morton was a totally underrated songwriter. He wrote all of these 17 songs.

And he wrote hit after hit after hit. I think people just think, oh, he's just a working class bloke. He couldn't think in that way. He couldn't be like that. And I think Rob has the same thing. people, I think it's a snobbishness towards these people. Yeah. But it's not like Rob's putting it out there that kind of stuff and people are discounting it.

Obviously Rob is Rob, he's still, but there is a, you know, there's a presumption that working class people can't think like that, I think. Well, Frank's often said that, you know, that he still gets it, that people will say, what are you doing at the opera? Yeah, no, exactly. And you can either make your piece with that or attempt to just do just do a poetry podcast to really prove your point, can't you?

It's funny that thing with you were saying what Rob looks like and what people... You know, that was one of the things when I first met Rob and I was like, oh, I hope you took that the right way, but you know when you blurt things out? And I remember when I said, I said, oh, you know what you look like? It's always... There's always a pause

after that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And you say that to anyone. It's risky, isn't it? And I said, you look like a member of the Kennedy family as drawn by the Simpsi. Johnson's Illustrator. Yeah. But he took it really well. Yeah.

And I thought, I like you. Yeah. He's a really good egg. But you know what? You're a really good egg. I think all of the comedians that I've come up with are really a nice generation of people. Do you? Yeah, I really do.

There's a group. If you consider the group of my age group who are like, on TV who came up with me that they'll all have done this podcast so there's me Rob, Rom, presumably has done this No he hasn't, he's the elusive

He's the elusive. We're going to have to get it, he's the only one He doesn't like to work Acaster Yeah And then you've got like Catherine, Sarah And all these people Nish are really just They're not

Bell-ends Which goes, I don't know why that is Well I think Nice up I think you're An interesting example of someone Who And this brings us back to what we were saying

At the beginning Like you've gone into I feel you're doing strictly Which is the biggest show on TV Yeah I sort of feel People do shows like that for two reasons And I feel you're doing it

For quite a pure reason Yeah I am Which is you don't need it it. The tour's on sale. No. But you don't need it, Josh, is what I'm saying. And what's really interesting is the way I watch you when we're walking around this park and you get a lot of attention and it's really nice seeing people's reaction because they look really, they smile, they look really happy when they see you.

And I can see that it's not built into your perception of yourself. Do you know what I mean? I don't think it is. Do I sound a bit like I'm interviewing you for the wicked? You know what I mean? And I'm so glad that we have shared this space together. God, I love those. Oh, Josh!

Oh, wow, look at that dog. So will these... Will you explain what's happened? Another... Is it another... Oh, look, there's two. There's two. Two Shih Tzu's?

Can you explain? Can I explain the two shih Tzu's in a... In a, what, like a baby, in a crib? Yeah, I'm going to get a Pram-Ferot before you judge. Are you? Okay, fine. Oh my word. Look at that. Can I ask, what's he called this dog?

Piquinese. Oh, Piquinese. What's the name? Tiger. Tiger. Hello, tiger. What do you think of tiger, Josh? He's more...

Tiger? I like it. I love him. I love these dogs. Yeah, Tiger, what are you doing? You're taking a photo currently and they're both stood because there's no cycling sign. They're both attacking each other on the word no. I don't think they get on very well.

No, they don't like each other. That's been a disaster, Josh. I'm a bit embarrassed now. We need to move away. Bye, lovely to meet you, aren't you, Tiger? Was it? So Pekingese, so this shows how little I know about dogs. So these are, are they Chinese Shih Tzu?

Or are they? Yeah. So Shih Tzu's were originally, they were kept by the emperor in China. And it was punishable by death to own one outside the palace. Oh, my God. They're very holy dogs. If they brought that law in here, would you stand by, Ray? Well, no, I'd have to marry a random royal.

And as we know, you can just wander into Kensington Palace. Yeah. Josh, honestly, I feel like this is... I've had a lovely time. Have you enjoyed it? Yeah. You're a thoroughly nice man, Josh Whitakerne. I try.

You really are? But you're a thoroughly nice lady. Woman? No, I like lady. Hillswood 1960s. What was the one that's an early bird? But I didn't mean it at a woman. You have liked that.

Josh, thank you so much. We've come back to the point we started. That's very efficient. Yeah, we did it on purpose. Thank you so much. No, thank you. I don't feel we need to plug anything of yours because you're one of the most successful men in British comedy now.

Yeah. And it couldn't have happened to a nicer man. Oh, thank you. Say I'm on tour. Josh, we haven't really discussed this talk about. No, I don't. I don't want to discuss it. Why not?

Because there's nothing to say with the tour. People go, what's the tour about? What's the blah, blah, blah, blah. It's impossible to promo. And it's, but it's called... It's called, not my cup of tea. That's fine. We don't need to say anything more.

Okay. If you've got to this point of the podcast... I just think. I have a very high listen through, may I say. I just, yeah, when people try and on. It's like that old interview style, isn't it? I'd rather just chat. It's more fun.

But I will end by saying your last talk, which I think I watched it. It was it Amazon Prime or Netflix? It's gone a bit much. Sky maybe. Sky maybe. There's a brilliant line, which you put in it, which is a bit of observational comedy you make,

about parks, which I love, and the closing time. Oh, yeah. And how they always say, This park closes at dusk. And as you pointed out, what is this like 17th century Britain? It's too vague, isn't it? Yeah.

Too vague. Oh, look. God, do you have to do a lot of grooming? How dare you? None of your business. Oh, okay. We're talking about Ray now. Josh, will you say goodbye to Ray?

Goodbye, Ray. I'll miss you. Such a bony head. Again, enough with the personal. comments. Sorry. I really hope you enjoyed that episode of Walking the Dog. We'd love it if you subscribed and do join us next time on Walking the Dog wherever you get your podcasts.