Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Konnie Huq

Episode Date: August 5, 2019

Emily goes for a walk with TV presenter Konnie Huq in her local Ealing park - they chat about the Bangladesh culture her parents grew up in, her early start in television aged just 16, her years as Blue Peter’s longest serving female presenter and meeting her husband Charlie Brooker. Konnie also tells Emily all about writing her first children’s book, Cookie and the Most Annoying Boy in the World out on August 8th.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you think people think you're strange because you sort of compare everything that cyclist? Why was she announcing? There's a cyclist going past, we're just getting Ray, ray out the way you're like, you've got some weird disease like you think you're a sports commentator. You're putting your hand in your handbag? You're itching your nose now. This week on Walking the Dog, I took my dog Raymond for a stroll with a very wonderful Connie Huck, who full disclosure is a very good pal of mine. That's why I'm I'm a bit unprofessional and keep calling her con throughout.

I wouldn't do that with everyone. I wouldn't call Barack Obama Barry. Actually, let's face it, I totally would. Anyway, Connie is, as you're here, just a total delight. Her birth name is Connock, which means gold in Sanskrit. And that's very appropriate because I think she emanates a sort of warm glow. We talked about her childhood in Ealing with her three sisters, her degree from Cambridge, getting the gig at Blue Peter,

and also the time when she met her husband, Charlie Brooker, a Black Mirror of fame, and just knowing he was the man she was going to have a family with. It's so romantic, I love it. Connie has also just written a children's book called Cookie and the Most Annoying Boy in the World, and it's absolutely brilliant. It's really funny. It's about friendship and feeling different, and the importance of not trying to just be like everyone else.

It says it's for 8 to 12-year-olds on the back, but I couldn't put it down. and I'm definitely a little over her age range so I really recommend it. It's the kind of book you just wish you'd had growing up. The book is published on August 8th but you can pre-order it on Amazon and you should. I really hope you enjoy our chat

if you do rate, review and subscribe. Here's Connie. He looks really wet, Con. Oh, little Rayway, but he doesn't mind the rain, does he? Well, he just seems quite happy. Well, he's not doing the sort of cowering or whimpering thing that some, you know, rain haters might do in such conditions. He's not a shaky dog, which is important to me.

I know, yeah, he's got confidence. He's only tiny, but he's got confidence. He holds himself with sort of poise for something of his shape. It's hard to hold yourself with poise when you're kind of like, when you're sort of like a wig on legs. I'm leaving. I've been here five minutes. No, it's such a cute look. I'd much rather be that.

than many other dogs. Kahn, can you see what's happening? Oh yeah, we're having a toilet moment. Can I just say? You're so prepared, you're so good. I don't think I'm organized enough for dogs. I'm not even organized enough for children. You've got all the kit.

Look how. Em's now getting out the technical pooper scoop a bag. It's actually just a polythene bag, but. Look how tiny his clothes are. Oh, look how well you did that. Come on, Ray. Oh, he's over there. He's doing more, no?

Korn. Yes. When you and I get together. Yeah, we can't stop talking. We sort of don't stop talking. I know, and that's why I've decided to rein myself in because I don't know if that's good for everyone to hear my verbal diatriress. Because the thing is, this is about you.

So I want, I'm not going to say as much as you. Oh no, this is terrible. This is one of your lowest rated podcast. I need to introduce you properly and formally. Don't you have to do a professional thing? We're just talking. You didn't go, hello. Hello, and welcome to Walking the Dog.

this week with me, Emily Dean. You didn't, you just, you just went into it. But only I'm not, with her, Emily Dean. I'm Emily Dean and I'm with a very wonderful, lovely friend of mine, Connie Huck. Do you say that to all the podcasties? No. I know you don't, because I don't actually. I'm thrilled to be doing this.

Oh, I'm thrilled. And we're doing it, we'll get to this. Oh, look all those strapping, strapping sporty, types over there. How are you doing, Conor? I don't know where we are, by the way. This is like being in Central Park, New York suddenly. Careful.

They've all got like, look, they're doing basketball or something. Look at this, it's very sporty. This is my local park where people are very sporty. Can we say what part of London we're in? Can we also say that it's pissing down with rain? So in this part of London, people are sporty, even in torrential downpour. We can say, let's say it.

We're in Leafy Ealing. And the Queen of the suburbs in the west of London. And we're with Raymond, my dog, because you don't have a dog. I don't, but Raymond's like a surrogate dog to me. What do you say? Your kids love. Oh, they do. They love Ray.

In fact, can I just say, did my son not coin the term Ray Ray, which is the preferred choice of name? He did. He did. Huxi. You got Kovie and Huxi. And Charlie Rooker, your husband, who I adore. But the problem is Charlie gets, Charlie's a real catastrophist. Oh, yeah.

So this is why I think, and you can correct me if I'm wrong. I will. This is why I think it would be tricky having a dog because when I've brought Ray Ray over, Charlie was sometimes saying, is you going to be okay over there? Is that going to be okay? It's a bit sunny.

I feel he worries so much that Raymond's going to die every minute. Is that a fair assessment? I mean, he does that with our children as well, really. So, yeah, I'd say that's a fair assessment. Oh, can I just say Ray looks so cute now that his coat is wet. because he's all straggily and Ray's coat is a long shaggy coat so Conner I want to talk me through

Tom Manor because this is where you grew up isn't it? Yes so I grew up in Ealing and then I've moved back to Ealing and I was Charlie was like when we were looking for where to go next for the family home yeah you know I was like oh no isn't that regressive

isn't it like those American films where they move back to the small town or they go back to the small town they don't move back they're not as sad as me go back to the small town they grew up in and it's like all really insular and so I fought it at first and indeed in my first week

yeah in my first week of coming back to Ealing I bumped into my chemistry teacher in Ealing Broadway and I thought oh no this is the shape of things to come especially because she predicted me a much lower grade in my predicted grades I'm still bitter and twisted about this for

university entry but then my head of six on John Sargent's wife changed that that's just a coincidence it's Was that you all had a six on John Sargent's wife? Yeah. You just casually throw that in. She just casually changed my... She'll go in there.

Are we in to get it rainy? On the whole scenario of walking the dog, we're just doing tea. We've chosen. Tea with the dog. Can we rename this episode? Look, calm. I have to come in. Take shelter.

Look, even the cafe has its doors open. There's someone hanging out the door. Come with us, real. It's okay. Welcoming all the wet people inside. Okay. Take shelter. Can't watch my order. Hot chocolate tea.

They will do a mocker, I reckon. If they don't, let's go. I'll just have what you're having. I'll have a tea if they don't. So we've got Ray here in between us, Con. What are you having in? Cappuccino, because I'm a grown-up. Fancy. A mocker's grown up, isn't it?

Look at Ray. I didn't go straight hot chocolate. I'm going to dry him off. He's happy. Just so people are aware, we were walking and it was getting so rainy. we've decided to come into the cafe in Connie's local park. We're overlooking the tennis courts. It's raining.

Connie's got an animal. We're on a decked terrace. And taught me. So this was your area I was saying. You've moved to a child. For your husband and your kids. But you grew up. I feel I know a bit about your childhood.

And when I first got to know you, I got you wrong, I think. You got me all wrong. Did you hate me at first? Were you like, oh, there's an awful conny hug? No, but I think I made a very little. lazy assumption, which is that you came from a sort of affluent family. Your dad was probably a surgeon or an accountant. Do you know what I mean? Which was lazy and wrong. You thought, rich Asian girl. Well, I think I thought, because I knew you've gone to private school and I'm

interested for you to talk a bit about how you grew up, because it wasn't like that really, was it? No, well, my dad wasn't a surgeon. He was actually, so he came over in the 60s. My mum and dad because my mum wasn't even really she didn't have she had primary sort of maybe a bit of secondary education but my dad actually went to university so he became a recruit on prudential you know potential of hoban oh yeah so he came over to be an actuary but then like myself he gets bored of things he was a trainee actuary so he opened an indian restaurant on brewer street Yeah And but you know

Having your own business He had to work hard And they So they sent all of us Children to private school And that was three That's you, your sister Rupert Yeah

Who's also my local MP Weird I know How weird We moved here Can I say before she was the MP We didn't move in for You know

Benefits, nepotism None of that And actually it was really weird When she was standing Because we'd get leaflets Through the letterbox with her face on. And the kids would be like,

Auntie's faces come through the letters. It was confusing. And, you know, people put those signboards outside the house with her name on. It was all a bit weird. And then, yes, my eldest sister,

who's nine years older than me, who lives not far from this park, actually. We're actually in her hood. She's an architect by profession, but a housewife. She's an architect in theory, but in practice. But you're really quite achievers,

you girls, aren't you? In the different fields. Because our parents came over in the same. is to give us a good education. That was it. And we were reminded of that really. Sort of, you know, they, you know, in the school holidays

when everyone else is playing around, they tried to make us do like, let's revision guides and stuff like that. Not that we really did, because we were able to get. And they were first generation. They were from Bangladesh. They'd come over. Yeah, yeah.

But we weren't the rich kids at the private school. We were like the poor kids at the private school because all the money was just paying our fees, if you see what I mean. But they were quite aspirational. I remember they'd walk the carpet and curtains from selfridges. But like I think it was on the higher purchase, I don't know. But you know, things like, you know, if you came to our house, you might not realize that the weather.

I mean, we weren't the poor kids. Obviously, they had a bit of money to be able to send us to private school. But we were assisted places. So, and did you have that sense? I didn't go on the scheme trip then. No, I didn't either. We didn't go on the scheme. We didn't.

We were the poor kids in the private school. That's kind of how, like, we're quite a way. I think that's why we bonded. Yeah. I think also that's... We were surrounded by Sloaney girls flicking their hair, and we were trying to pretend to be them, weren't we? The less privileged girl in the private school.

Like, they all had detached houses. Mine was ended up terrace. Was it a semi? Yeah. I like to call it a semi, yeah. I mean, we always talk about this. But we had quite a big plot because we were cornerplot. So our garden went around the side, which was a semi.

brilliant. When I interviewed Nahal, Athanayaka, he made a really interesting point about that, just that his sense that his parents, similarly he felt that there'd almost been a sense of them not following their passions in a way. You know, it wasn't like they had that sense of this is the job I've wanted to do all my life, but they did, they worked so that their kids could be in a position to do that. Do you think that was two of your parents? Definitely, definitely. I I mean the whole thing of coming over here, because, you know, they didn't particularly want to leave their family behind and all of that stuff. And it wasn't cheap to fly back to Bangladesh, especially not in those days.

And it wasn't, you know, common. Airplane flight wasn't what it is now. But anyway. And did they have an arranged marriage comp? Yeah. They would have totally been arranged. Like when my mum was in her teens, late teams maybe though, because I remember, I don't know if I remember this or I just know this legendary story, but like of my dad saying, you know, this is the photo that I saw of your mum when I first was showing your mum. Isn't that weird? I love that. I think, but I don't know whether I've made up in my head because I could, you know, do you know how memories get sort of hazy? Like, so the other day, I'm just going off on a tangent, me and Emily often go off on tangent. Our babysitter was saying that she had a head injury right and she's forgotten part of her teens. But not.

all of her teens, part of her teens. And I said, well, which bits have you forgotten? How does that work? And she said, for instance, there's a whole family holiday they went on that she has no recollection. But then she says, but then she's been told about it and in a weird way, and it's true. Like when I'm thinking of memories from when I was a teenager,

I'm so, how real are those memories? This is probably, young people that are listening won't relate to this. And how much is sort of reconstructed, because I know, sort of, I've got photos and I've got stupid letters that I used to write, yes, people wrote letters back in those archaic times. That's what people say is that actually there's no such thing.

That's why with the truth, it's your perception at the time. And then I suppose you store it away. Well, the only thing that exists is the now. Even us walking with Ray Ray, Ray from the entrance, that's kind of gone, isn't it? Oh, I love it. I'm so philosophical. It's really. Tell me about that.

I love the picture. Your dad had a picture. Well, no, we had this photo album. We had this photo album. But that would have been a few. But with photos that looked, sort of. of like they had been paid for and like they were sort of more studio-fied of sort of people in Bangladesh in all their refinery with their back straight sitting up you know and and it was like

there were these photos in this photo album of sort of my parents sort of looking youthful and all their family and they're all sort of made up nicely and you know that sort of prized possession family photo album did your mom ever talk about that did she ever say about the marriage being arranged or did you grow up thinking that you were going to do that or did you just think now I'm going to do that? I remember quite vividly that when I grew up it was sort of thought that when I grew up I will marry someone that's from Bangladesh and that there'll be Muslim and then as I grew up you know grow old and I was cool with that and then you know you sort of goes. Everyone, London with Charlie Brooker. I was like well and then I was like I remember having these. Look you're cut you're fast forwarding my story that I remember vividly right so then at I remember thinking I'm going to get married when I'm 24. I was friends with this girl at school. And she, you know, they had a tennis court in their back garden.

Sorry, I didn't have a tennis court though. I had a rusty swing in my background. Anyway, that's not why I was friends of her. That made it sound like, that's my friend of her. They all had tennis courts in their back garden. But the point being, you're not listening to the point, the point being that she had a load of sisters. She had three sisters.

And they all sort of seem to, I remember have these like funny, charming boyfriends, you know, we were like in those days, probably this is when I was about, I don't know, 10 or something. But they could all play tennis really well. Yeah, yeah. And they all got married at 24, it seemed. And then they had babies and like we'd babysit, the babies sometimes, like when we were a bit older. Yeah. Not at the age of 10.

But I think, you know, and I remember hanging out with her family made me feel quite grown up. And they'd like take us to a restaurant and stuff like that. And like she was my best friend for quite a while actually in my younger years. But anyway, so her sister's set the benchmark that I was going to get married at 24. So and then slowly this Muslim Bengali man was like, okay, well then maybe he'll just be Muslim. And I used to like all those Levi's models, do you know, in the Athena, in the Athena posters. And like when they have the... Did you have a lick?

Yeah. So do you remember the man and the baby in the Athenian? in the Athena poster You know Yeah the black and white poster Of the man with the baby And then there was The Volkswagen Beta

With the couple drinking their coffee No I remember when we hadn't Not long after the first met each other You wouldn't get the girl with the tennis Two conversations you want to me in him I'm really embarrassed because I know this is embarrassing about I tell you I had a real crush on when I was younger

It was the man in the easy Like a Sunday morning out Oh I know! I know Oh my gosh Halifax, cash card And he was sort of in an apartment He had a coffee and a newspaper Yeah, he did, he woke up on a Sunday morning, he used his Halifax cash card to draw out money. Which was so chic.

Yeah, so your idea if you don't, so sorry, you were saying about the parents. Oh yes, so then I revised it. Right, so because I wanted to marry those, those, you know, one of those men. I was very young and naive. The sort of Levi's out. Yes. Then I was like, well, I could marry a Muslim, right? And he'd just have to be like either a really fair-skinned one or like, he'd have to be from the Middle East.

And then that's fine because my parents would be cool. with me marrying Muslim, but he'd look just like a tanned, one of those tanned Levi's ad men. But do you think as well, that's awful? No, because I don't think that's... That's me wanting to fit in with the Sloan girls that click their hair. I think what it's about, and I think that might be different now, is you having, there being a real lack of role models and high profile people for you to look at. I didn't see Athena posters with Asian men on them. You still don't today, really. That's the thing. And I think there was just nobody...

The pinups were not Asian, were they? So that's why they made me racist against my own people. Now I'm joking. No, but, it's not racism. It's quite interesting. I'm trying to dig out of this. And I think that's true. I think it's because there was a real lack of...

What's really weird? Is that so the opposite of my type now? Like that sort of male model, handsome type, just makes me think of Zoolander or something. Do you know what I mean? Anyone good looking? I just think, oh, you don't have a good personality. I'm not sure.

Any good-looking people listening. Sorry, good-looking people out there. We're just trying to justify our ugliness. But the thing is, it's true. It's really weird to do such a sort of you time. Because that was the pinnacle when I was growing up. And did your parents, did you get the sense of... Oh, I haven't finished my story.

Go on, come on. So then I revised it to that. Then I revised it to... Then I sort of got into sort of... You know, then I got older and I sort of into sort of indie music. Yeah, yeah. Long-sleeve t-shirts that said James on it or whatever. And I won a James limited edition signed watch from Capitol Radio.

That's the only thing I've ever won in my whole life. I had to slip that in. Anyway, so basically then, when I was sort of realised actually there's models that's really uncalled, then I was like, I'll marry someone and I'll convert them. So, you know, slowly I'm moving with goalposts here. That's interesting. And then by the time I eventually got married, my parents were so desperate for me to get married. I think anyone would have fit the bill. They were literally like, what?

She's already in her 30s and she's not married? What? She's already in her, you know, they didn't want me to not get married. Like in terms of culturally conventional? So as I said, the benchmarks move as time moves along. So my eldest sister, she actually met her own husband, but it was at a family do. And she got married at 24. Can you believe it? And what about Rupert? Because that was the done thing back then. So he wasn't from Bangladesh And he was what we call Ismaili Muslim

Which is kind of like Muslims What's that from? Well, it's people that Do you know the Aga Khan? Yeah, yeah So that's the Aga Khan's branch Got it, okay When you were growing up

Because you sort of play this down a bit Oh yeah, tell me Tell me what I play down But you were very academic You see, you know what? This is true. I'm not playing it down, Emily. I'm good at, I'm quite a good blagger and a bluffer. You got an economics degree from CambridgeCon. You know what? I did a third of... The producer actually laughed at your attempt to be self-deprecating. You can't blag.

You know what? Shall I teach you anyone that wants to flag a Cambridge economics degree? What were your A-levels, Connie? I'm going to tell you how to do this. This is good. Connie, what were your A-levels? This is a good life hack. Tell me your A-levels. Physics, chemistry and maths. But did you blag it then? Blag that maths, A-level. You know what? I was originally doing maths and further maths. And I know this is going to sound like, how's that bagging? Did you grab the further maths? The thing is, the further maths is so mental that you do maths in your first year. And then I dropped the further maths.

But the maths seems easy compared to the further maths, which is just like what the hell is. Now you told me you dropped the further maths. I totally agree that you must have plagued it. No, you know what? Well, what I was saying is I'm a good crammer. You're a good retainer. You retain information. your attention is good.

In the short, like for two minutes. Yeah. So I have to cram before the exam. I can't be doing it throughout the year and then go into an exam and do well. Because my short-term memory is good enough, which is works for stuff like, you know, so you've got an exam. It works for tell you. An exam brain, as it were.

Yeah, I guess so. Yeah. But then I dump it in the waste paper baskets two seconds after that. Yeah. But anyway, so I'll tell you how I did the degree in economics. One third of my mark was a dissertation, right? And I did terribly in the actual economics bit. And the dissertation is actually socio-economics,

which is kind of just like sociology. And I got a high first in the dissertation and did dreadfully in the rest of the exam. And the dissertation was all smoke and mirrors. I sort of presented it really well, like this postmodern dissertation. And this is when the internet was new, and I put an internetography.

You know, everyone puts the bibliography. I put on this internetography, discography, and with musical references and popular culture references and newspaperography. I made it like this truly post-modern dissertation. It was all smoke and mirrors. And the high fuss pulled up my mark for the rest of the economics that I flunked down. I know, but you consistently, and your sisters as well, I get the impression that you were sort of high achievers really, you know.

You've all done incredibly well. I think my middle sister, she's probably, my middle sister's probably the cleverest. My eldest sister is really clever and really intelligent, but quite lazy. Right. And then me. Well, about you? Have you got a strong work ethic? Are you?

I have if I enjoy it. Right. If not, if I like what I'm doing, yeah. So you must have, so you. If I'm not that into it, I'm a bit. Otherwise, it's still raining? Is it raining? We could wonder.

notice. So I wanted to get that line in because it is quite romantic here, sort of. There's lots of greenery in like little terracotta pots. That was so perfectly timed. Could you go down here? She would go down here. So you got a sense, you know, when you were, I get this sense. I want to talk about your book and we'll get on to that.

Yeah. We'll just written there your very first book called Cookie. Yes. And the reason I'm bringing it up now rather than at the end, which is normally what you do. You bring up a plug. Oh yeah, and by the way, you've... Have you got any for projects coming up soon? You're appearing on celebrity...

Whatever. Celebrity... Celebrity pickup dog poo next week. But no, this is relevant because it's a kids book. Mm. Which I actually think adults would enjoy as well. Adults would enjoy to these kids. It's quite funny, isn't it?

I'm a woman in my 40s. It's not going to be specific. And I whizzed through it. I was laughing. Have you finished it? Oh yeah. Oh wow. I love it. You haven't got it like last night. This is good. It's brilliant. It told me quite a lot about your childhood. Well yeah, it does. Because I felt it was quite autobiographical. So growing up, like I know we've sort of had this

conversation, I always sort of felt like it didn't quite fit in anywhere. Why do you think that was? So I wasn't this lonely girls flicking their hair. But then I wasn't sort of, you know, if I ever went to a library to, I don't know, get. a book about a brown person. It would be about someone that lived in the village of Bangladesh and picked a mango for their mum or something, you know. And there were only three books in the international section back then anyway. And I couldn't relate to that either because I didn't go and pick a mango from my mum and from the tree in the village. And so basically, I guess, you know, diversity and inclusivity is, you know, has come on leaps and bounds. I mean,

I'm not even kidding. But I, in the book, there is like, I'm like, I'm Her mum wears a sari. I've done these little comic strips, cartini strips, haven't I? My mum wore a sari, and I remember thinking, you know, I grew up in West London in Ealing, but I do remember thinking, oh, Mom, can't you just like trousers when you pick me up from school? I mean, how terrible is that?

Racist me, but it was society that made me that way. Or even stuff like, you know, if I had someone coming over back to Our House on a play date or something, I'd think, oh, are you going to eat? you know, can't we just have, I mean, we did have fish fingers of babies, don't get me wrong, but, you know, there weren't even extractor fans in those days, you know. You know, but people did, well, I mean, going back more, you know. So that they can conceal their culture.

In the 70s, yeah. No, but in the 70s, sort of there was more racism. I mean, I was born in 75, obviously, but, and I was born in Ealing, so it's not like I'm born, you know, in a sort of ghettoy area. Yeah, yeah. But, you know, okay, here's the point. When my nephew, who's now in his 20, so this isn't even really recently, was seven, his favourite food was sushi. And my jaw nearly hit the floor.

Because I remember as kids, you'll remember this. You don't eat fish in the form of fish fingers. But things were so different now. And in terms of multiculturalism, you can just go to a high street and eat, you know, Wagamamas or Chiquitos or Nando's or, I don't know, what's another food thing? Yeah, just a general sense of... Yeah, Italian Pizza Express, there we go. So when you ended up going to university, did that feel, did you get that sense of...

Because that must have been, there must have been so much happiness in your family, your parents must have been proud. Did you think, wow, I'm going to Cambridge? My elder sister had been there, so she probably got the initial wow. But I still got a wow, but not... Like, that was the wow.

She was the wow. and then I was just following in her footsteps. But prior to that, we should say you'd already started your TV career. So this is a weird thing. The whole TV thing, we, so me and my sisters saw an advert in Time Out magazine for open auditions, right? And we were in this girl school. And, you know, and this is like, this looked like a fun day out. So we went to these.

How old were you then? I was 16 and it was for 18 to 25 year olds. but we were just going for a fun day out and I was only going because they were going you know so we all went on the tube this is like one of those terrible X-factor stories and they say well I know you've come along to keep your friend company

but I'm afraid you're the one we want to walk with the recording well that's probably why I got the job because I wasn't out to get the job I was just there to see who like Levi's model you weren't to there still for it you see that's why I dropped the further maths then this is all tying up now because I ended up getting this job

which I couldn't do. I was full time in school. So you mean you got the presenter job for the... So I kept getting callbacks from this audition and thinking, yeah, I'll never get that. And then I ended up getting it. But they couldn't choose between me and another girl. Well, you're not scared, Korn? Or did you just...

Well, no, I didn't think I'd be able to do it because I was doing my A-levels. But then, do you know what happened? This is weird. They got me a pager. No, a bleeper. Not even a pager. Pages are the ones that have writing on of the message.

They weren't mobile phones back then. And if they were, they would have been the size of a suitcase. This is what, 93? So basically, I job shared with another girl and how weird is this? This is my first presenting job. Charlie Booker, my husband, did his first presenting job with the same girl, who we're both friends with today. Who is that?

Who's a lovely, amazing lady, Gia Milenevich? Yes, and me and Charlie both did our first presenting gig with the rather fabulous gybs. Those dogs look a bit big. Do you think I should pick Ray Ray up? No, let's stay in this. I like those dogs, but I just think... going to take you on a romantic style. Sorry, Way, but they're too big. Look at those. They're like horses.

You want to cross the bridge over a river. Oh, I'd love that. Yeah. So go on. So then, so then you did that at 16 and then. Hang on. Was that the water out? No, go on. Because I'm just looking for this secret entrance to where the, where I'm a doctor. Also, I'm going to point out here, and I know Connie won't mind this. Yeah, go on. But people might have, people might have come to this by now. But I was diagnosed with ADHD and... Were you? Yeah.

Oh, I've probably got that, haven't I? Yeah. Okay. As someone who has it, I start to know... You know, the first person who told me I had, it was Lee Mack. And then I was interested in this because he's got it. It's quite common in people who do sort of create... But people in the creative industries.

I'm choking on my mocker. Do you see? Wow, that was ADHD. Sorry. No, but I don't. think of it. It's a bad thing. You're talking to someone. That's why I'm friends with you. Why is it, ADHD? Because I explained

that I'm choking on my mock-up because there's a weird spluttering noise. Because your thoughts work, like you open different tabs on your browser. And that's what I do. And I think that's why we get on. You know how Charlie always says when we're sitting there together? We had to make a list once.

Oh yeah. I think of the unfinished conversations so that we could finish them all. That's true. How on. So what I thought made me, was just me being an interest person is actually... But that does make you an interesting person. It's degrees of it, isn't it? I think everyone who does some sort of performing has a bit of a degree of it. Okay. Because your mind has to think a bit like that. Yeah, yeah. Because you've got to juggle loads of balls, especially if you're a presenter. I hear you. Do you see? Yeah. So tell me about the...

So basically, yes, so I got a bleeper and I'd go and interview like, take that and East 17 in my free periods. How cool is that? Then every Thursday after school, I'd go and record my studio links yeah and do you remember Gaz Top? Do you remember Gaz Top? He was the other presenter so me Gia and Gaz Top. You must have been so excited. You're not turning right here this isn't the secret pathway to the brook. So we go here. Anyway no well yes I mean that sort of was quite cool they took me to America to interview PM Dawn I know and I was just the square Asian girl at the school. Well your parents okay over there. I did wear my coolest closed for that um I

I wanted to take you to the magical bridge over troubled water. I think it's down there. Oh, is it? We can go down that way. We can go down that way. We can go across the grass because the big dogs have gone and Ray likes the grass. So then you... So suddenly, on my Ucker form, I had TV presenting.

So I think that's the only reason I got into Cambridge. Seriously. What other person has science A levels and TV presenting? What did you get in your A levels, by the way? I've got two A's and a B, not Cambridge. Which grades? No, it was back then. Three A's came well.

It was back then because A levels were hard. Anyway. Yeah, there is that. So tell me, so after that, so you, at that point you must have, when you were at university, were you still doing presenting and stuff? So that's why I wasn't. So I was going to do engineering, right? And then I thought, oh, this presenting lock is good fun and it pays nice money.

I'm going to do that instead, which is why then I switched from, like, I didn't do engineering. I did economics. because I just needed a degree to have a degree. But with my A levels, I couldn't really get onto an English course or something because it's all science. So economics was the default choice to have a degree. And in the meantime, the executive producer of the show I had done. So I did other bits and pieces of presenting throughout uni, little bits and pieces.

But then after university, the executive producer of the show that I'd done with Gia became the head of children's, channel 5. So I did their broom cupboard thing which is called milkshake. Oh yeah. Blue Peter, I want to come to that because that was obviously, that's what most people are listening to this. I mean, when I've been out with you, people, it's really interesting the sort of response you get because I think people feel real affection for you because it's that sense, if you were on telly, you were the longest serving female presenter of Blue Peter. Because if it ain't broke, don't fix it, And it is the best job in the world. And when you got that audition, how did you find out about that audition?

This would have been, you'd graduated a few years. So I just graduated, no, just the year before. So I was fresh out of uni, started on Channel 5. And then they said, it's this, yeah. Come on, Ray. To see if it still exists. Okay, well, let's go for a little explore. Yeah, we're going down a little path now.

It says even golf club, visitors in New York. members welcome weddings parties and conferences weddings bommets of us and funerals emily dean and conny huck available to compare um yes so basically what is amazing about blue peter is that it's full of sort of young people yeah it's like a sort of university of television and i remember you know it was on five days a week at times in fact oh do you want to just get ray out the way sorry we've just got a cyclist coming I think people think you're strange because you sort of compare everything that cyclist. Why was she announcing?

There's a cyclist going past. We're just getting Ray, Ray out the way you're like you've got some weird disease like you think you're a sports commentator. Okay, just... I'm so glad I'm not friends with that woman. You just go around telling her friends what's happening all the time. You're putting your hand in your handbag. I'm itching your nose now. Going for a subtle side nose pick that just looks like you're going for an itch.

And why is that tree sprayed like that? I know, it's got to get... Oh, that's to warn cyclists. Oh, that's clever. I see, because it's a bit of overhanging. They might clunk their head on it. So go on. Yeah, so basically...

So when I got the job on Blue Peter, I was pretty much fresh out of uni, but a very short stint on Channel 5. And it was on five times a week at one point as well. So that's Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Thursday, on BBC 1. and then Tuesday and Thursday on the CVC channel So that's a lot of air time to fill

Yeah So I always say things that I did in my Blue Peter years It's like dog years or something It's not like a normal year Because time just flew past Literally I flew to so many different countries You know, you meet, I don't know From Prime Ministers to sort of road sweepers

You know Tony Blair We recorded a birthday message for your friends He did! Tony Blair recorded Yes, that's right It was my friend's birthday and we went into Downing Street and you have to give your cameras up and your phones up.

But I took the SIM card out and took my camera in and I said, well, you record a birthday message for my phone? He's like, oh yes, yes, that's fine. Hello, happy birthday, love Tony Blair.

And like, it was really funny. He just did it. And he signed her a birthday card as well. I did say to him, I've taken the SIM card out. And actually, it was when he was about to leave, actually, I did that. And everyone was like,

when's he going to hand over to Gordon? When is he going to hand over to Gordon? And then we were briefed, like, don't ask him about, when he's going to leave and hand over to Gordon, you know, it's when he did stuff like Little Britain and he was sort of doing a bit of a farewell tour type thing. And I said, and I was about to leave the future, I said, Prime Minister, having been at the helm of a great British institution for the best part of a decade since 1997, do you think the time has now finally come and then I went

for me to leave Blue Peter? And he was such a good story. No, no, Connie, I think you're doing a great job. You know, I can see people sort of twitching. And then I put the... That was a really morsey cool. I love that. I just thought, well, it's really weird, but I know this sounds like, I'm going to sound like a right, I can't say wanker. What can I say? Can I say wanker?

Okay, I'm going to sound like a right wanker, but. You're not on the computer anymore. You can say wanker. I don't know the protocol. You're not a big swearer, though. I'm not very swearing. You don't smoke, you don't drink, you don't do drugs. What do?

You do in the words of adamant. No. No, you swear occasionally. That's what I do. But can we edit that out? Because I don't want people to know. I'm the best person, aren't you just wouldn't suspect me? So, wedding bombings was funerals and contract killings.

Get in touch. So basically, me, J.K. Rowling wrote out her first book, and Tony Burke came into power. Yeah. 97. And then we all went out at the same time as well. What I mean is, so she was one of my first interviews. Hey, listen.

Yeah. I want to know, do you think Michael Parkinson used to do that? Hey, listen. You have to rein me in. You have to rein me in. But after you left Blue Peter, though, Con, did you get, did you feel, because you decided to leave, didn't you? And you ushered the program. So you had the little bit of a skirmish.

You didn't have a skirmish, but the program had the, got into a little bit of trouble. Yes, yes, yes. With, can you explain what happened with Blue Peter? We'll have to talk about that, aren't we? We can talk about this. There was a whole thing about lying in telly and editing things. And RDAF, a TV production company, he had made a documentary about the Queen.

And they edited this bit where she comes into a room, I think, and made her look like she was storming out and got into a lot of trouble. And then suddenly there's a whole big thing about, you know, have you ever been on a programme that's lied? People getting called in. There's a bit of a witch hunt. Yeah.

There's a bit of a witch hunt. And basically, there had been a competition on Blue Peter to name a cat. And... The sort of Blue Peter cat, yeah. Yeah, the Blue Peter cat. And the name given to the cat was socks. But apparently, Cookie got more votes, the name Cookie. And so this is a source of contention.

And so then we had to do an apology live on air. Did you have to do the apology? Were you quite nervous doing that? No. What did you say? Can you remember? I can't quite remember what I say. Well, I love it that you've called your book Cookie.

I know. And actually, it's really weird because people have asked me if it's to do with that. It's nothing to do with that. Because I was nickname Connie, my name was Connock, and it's spelled Canak. Is it Canack Asha? It's my second name. I love that. So it's Connick, though, but it was from the Sanskrit for Gold, which is Karnok, K-A-W-N-A-W-K,

but said at the right speed. that's more like Connock but it looks more like Canac sort of if you take the W's out and so it was spelt weird and I used to cringe every time there was register of a new year at primary school when when they go Canack and then I'd sort of embarrassingly put my hand up and then go is it actually pronounced Connock because it's from the Sanskrit that's got lost in translation and anyway it was too confusing for everyone well so I became Connie so I couldn't make cookie Connie yeah and she She's not really me.

She's really annoying compared to me that character. I mean, she's a... Oh no, I kind of love her. She is so hot-headed, isn't she? But anyway, so that's why I caught her cooking. Which is my friends, you know. Yeah, that's where I wanted to bring you. This is like a Monet painting.

It is very pretty. There's golfing going on. It's absolutely beautiful here. We're on a little bridge. It's a bit of a poo-stick's bridge. It's a poo-sticks bridge. It's so lovely here. So you're asking about the lies.

Yeah. So I met Princess Anne at some do. Oh yeah. And then she said to me. me, well, you know, I knew all about lies in telly before anyone else because she did filming. She said, I did the filming with Valerie Singleton where we went on safari in Africa for two weeks, didn't see a bloody thing. Then I watched it on TV and some lion cubs were being born, which was hilarious. I mean, can I say that? I can say that now, can't I? And I was laughing.

She's really funny. Is she? Yeah, I said, do you know of all the royals? I think she's the one I didn't get on with? I mean, not that they're bothered particularly. Come, I'm really loving this. It's beautiful. Should we go back the other way? Yeah. Oh, look, come, there's a little graveyard here. Tiny little graveyard.

It's actually really pretty. I don't mind graveyards, you know. How are you with them? Me? Yeah. Oh, I don't mind graveyards. I love a good graveyard. There's one right next to my kids' primary school.

And I often sit in it if I get to pick up. Because we're both, neither of us and got our parents anymore. Oh, yeah, we're both orphans. We're not really orphans, aren't we? really well is there a sort of definition of orphan that means that if you're a bit older in adulthood yeah well i once wrote about this because i said it's weird when you say to people you're an orphan as an adult people laugh and they don't mean it horribly but it feels like you should have this of red perm and have like it is a bit tomorrow isn't it

we love you mrs hannigan yeah you can't i don't know if you can really call yourself an orphan if you by anti-aging moisturizing cream. However, I did still get that sense of, when my parents died, of, oh God, it feels really strange, you know, it's that connection to the past has gone. But

so, I want to, so you left Blue Peter and you carried on having a successful career, you did extra factor, which I loved when you did that. I loved it really funny. But you made it different. You added something Do you know what? I gave them Skype calls. They never had Skype calls. And a friend of mine from uni had gone to work for Skype and we broke at that deal. So we had those Skype calls. That was the first time though, I think I watched you. And having seen you before, and we weren't friends then, but I thought, oh God, she's really funny and she's sort of knowing and bright and smart.

But I don't think people, I don't know if people get the sarcasm sometimes because they may be. I think you were ahead of your time oddly and I do. I think it was a bit too straightforward then in route one. Yes. Do you know what you mean? I think you were a bit, this is no offence to anyone involved an X factor. But I think you were just a bit, you were doing something a bit bright and interesting because you were slightly taking the piss out of it in the way that they would probably want you to now. The thing about that extra factor was Simon decided to keep the artist's story. They weren't. allowed on the show. Yeah. Which kind of meant we had no content.

Which is why we had to feel they only did that that series. But you're doing what you do, which is you are so self-deprecating. You always think of reasons of, oh, well, that happened because of this. And it's like, no, maybe you're just quite good. Oh, I love you. Oh, Emily. Go on. So tell me about meeting Charlie.

You'd met him before. You'd met him in Edinburgh or did you meet him? We very first met at Edinburgh TV Festival, yes. And did you think, oh, I really fancy him? No. No. If you'd said to me that I'm going to marry Charlie Booker, I would be like, no way. But we really got on.

But I was seeing someone else then in those days. But we just got on really well. And then often Charlie would want me to do sketches and skits and things for screenwipe. But Blue Peter were very strange. strict with me. They didn't let me do anything. You see, if you work on other things on CBBC, they're not as strict, whereas Blue Peter are very much, you know,

cleaner than clean and whiter than white. So, we were just friends for a long time, and then weirdly, when we did get together, I guess, when you're already friends with someone, you don't have to do all that sort of dating stuff. They say... It's so nice, isn't it? You can do the stealth dating.

You can sort of check them out and think, oh, I wonder what you'd be like. But you don't have to put your cards on. the table. You don't have to... But who broke cover out of you and Charlie? No so should I tell you how it happened? Yeah. So I remember the death between Christmas and New Year where everyone's sort of at home and there's nothing to do and the sort of telly's a bit shonky. I call it the featureless haze. Yeah the featureless haze. We're in the featureless haze and I remember he rang and you know we'd speak every cell phone and catch up but we weren't

like really good friends where I'd be like okay I'll call you in the next few days or whatever. We were chatting. And I remember we're chatting on the phone. And suddenly it was like 2 a.m. in the morning and we'd been chatting. And, you know, other calls were on coming through on call waiting. But I thought, if I hang up, then I can't just say, I'll ring you back in two seconds. Because we're not like, we've done our chat now. You know, it's not like somewhere I'll just ring you back.

You know, this is in the days when people spoke on landlines. Anyway, so I just thought, oh, that's weird. We were chatting till the early hours. is there something in that? And then, like, then nothing. Nothing, like months went past or whatever. Or, you know, we used to go to those BBC talent dues often together because we were good party partners to hang out because we had fun.

Or, you know, if we were both invited to something. It's a nice way to get to know someone, though. And did you? Yeah, I remember actually being a BAFTA games thing with Jonathan and Jane. They didn't know. Oh, but you were together? No. But we were all on a table.

Which is how Connie and I met was through our mutual friends, Jonathan Ross and Jane Goldman. So did you, who was the first one to say, oh, I've got feelings? I'm catching feelings, as I believe the you'd say. No, it didn't even happen like that. I'm going to tell you how it happened. Then I remember, okay, so remember that conversation

where I was like, oh, it's that weird? We were chatting for ages, and I was not picking up other people's call waitings, and I didn't want to get off the phone. And then, you know, same thing, going back to being friends. Months later, I remember I got Skype, and I was filming in Hawaii,

or somewhere really amazing. and I think he called us and he had Skype so I was like hey I'm going to try out Skype and then we were chatting for ages and I was like look look I'm in Hawaii or whatever I was saying Jack Oswald's adrenaline junkie so I didn't you know

and I think they I can't remember but I had time to kill and anyway and then again we were just having this chat and it was like hey is there something weird in that because like we're chatting for ages again anyway and then like where you think oh maybe Maybe there's a frisson behind the scenes and then nothing.

But, you know, all this time we're just friends. And then I remember that I was single. And this is probably the first time when we were both single. Because you know how it's time. Anyway. And so then when we actually sort of got together, I was like, oh my God, I know I'm going to marry you. So like we only just snogged or something.

And then I was like, oh my God, it's like Kaiser Sozek. You just knew. It all fell into place. And then we did that thing of being so inseparable. You know that thing. But it was really weird because we had been friends all that time, but not necessarily good friends. And then we just met up this one time.

One thing I love, though, when you got together, and you told me this, and I know Charlie said it publicly, and I think I really respected you for this, because I think women are encouraged a lot, or were in our day, less so now, is a healthy change. In our day, I think you were encouraged to keep your cards close to your chest,

don't tell men what you want, sort of calm them into a commitment. And what I love is that I think it was a very feminist thing you did. True feminism, not just wearing a t-shirt, because what you did was actually say, look, I'm in my 30s, I kind of want to know what your plans are.

And I love that you did that. Charlie sort of wasn't in the market to have children. He didn't think that was his bag and stuff like that. He was a bit, was he in a sort of space invaders? Kind of. He's still kind of this. But hey, that's another story. So I did, you know, I was like, yeah, this is good and this is great.

But I know that I want to have kids and I want to get married. So are you in or are you now? And how many months in were you then? Oh, I think I pretty much said it from the get-go. Because I thought I don't want to waste time, you know. And even if people need time. to realise that is. So like you're on the scene you said that. Oh no probably after we, now after we first snogged yeah then we were just inseparable after that. So I made it quite clear because I don't

want to waste time. I haven't got time to waste on you deciding what you want out of life. No thanks. I was really inspired when I heard that because I think of all the times if I'm totally honest that I've done what my generation of women were told to do, which is play the game, keep quiet, make him think it's his idea, all this stuff. And I think actually, you're right. I wish, so many times in my past, I wish I'd just ask the question.

And actually, when you ask someone that question, if they even hesitate, you know, the answer. Did you mean? It's like, I think that's, I love that you did that. I love that you just asked him. And he said, yes. I sort of told him. No, I did ask him.

You're right. I mean, but it sounds like I just asked him like, hey, shall we? I don't know. It's just kind of clear. No, I think you were just, it's about not being frightened to ask, to state what you want. Yeah. And that's what I mean. Hey, this is what I want. Are you in or are you out? Yeah. Because I've got bigger fish to fly you out. That's what women should be encouraged to do, I think, you know.

I think you're right. And then you had Kovi and Huxley. Yes, indeed. That way round. Who are beautiful. And I adore. and they're such sweet, interesting. They're very funny.

Funny little boys. I mean, they are both real sort of, yeah, jokers in their own way, I guess. They remind me. He has completely got Charlie's sense of humour. Really, which is the sort of... I don't know, just sort of seeing things in an abstract, funny way that's spot on. Yeah. He's good like that, you know, and he's quite surreal sometimes,

but in a really intuitive way. And Huxley's funny too, and they like making up jokes. Kobe made up a joke when he was really young, which I really like. And he said, what did the man do when he saw his, what did the man say when he saw his God? Oh my God. I thought that was quite good for a two-year-old or whatever. Oh, I love this. Well, I know you've got loads of this.

I want to talk about the book. Oh, yeah. So I, you started, this was, I got, I, you started writing the book. I remember you talking about writing the book. And then you said, I don't want to do anything. And I respected you for this. You said, because you could have just, let's be honest, release something with your name.

You know, because you're a name and a brand and people associate you. I'm sure that, you know, with kids and it would have sold well. And there is a part of me, well, actually, you could have easily just said, oh, yeah, fine, put my name on that thing. Do you know what I mean? And remember you saying to me, I want to do this properly or not at all?

Yeah, I mean, I think. been asked to write a kids book ever since I've left Blue Peter. And back in those days, because I left Blue Peter like a while ago now, you know, it was sort of a bit naft to sort of, I don't know, bring out a makeup range and then have a clothing range and then do kids books and, you know, just do things other than what you're doing. And now I'm in a film and but now... Sorry, Ray's just met Popsie. Everyone does everything.

Ray's having a flirt with another dog. Pops! Go, go, go. Come on Ray, Ray, let Popsie go. Yeah, so go on with the book. So you've been asked to do that and you thought, no, I want to do it properly. I didn't just want to write a book for the sake of writing a book, because you're right, it's easy to put your name to anything.

But remember what I said about how books didn't necessarily represent me? And I wasn't, you know, growing up, I don't know, I felt like a bit of an outsider. Other, yeah. And we're all minorities in this massive, amazing majority. whether you're a minority because I don't know, you like the t-shirt you're wearing and no one else likes it or because you're a train spotter or something.

There's always situations where you don't quite fit in with everyone else. And some of those minorities will mean more and some of those will mean less, but we've all felt it. And so this kid in this book is an outsider. But it doesn't matter that she's from Bangladesh. He's into learning, you know,

but not into learning. It sounds so geeky and square, but actually it should be cool because knowledge is cool. So she likes sort of long, funny words and her humour is funny. And there is this TV presenter, but she's a bit naff. And there is someone that's like the cool, fashionable kid, but she's a bit naff, and it's sort of putting stereotypes on their head.

So actually it's cooler to have knowledge and know the long words because you can be really funny and witty. And she sees the absurd in everyday life. And, you know, there's this character with her Instagram account and her followers and stuff. And it's kind of trying to, my parents came over. to give us a good education from a society in which sort of being a scientist is revered. And like, they wanted me to go into council since you're engineering or whatever, you know.

And actually they came to a place where sort of being famous is revered. And the amount of times that I interviewed kids on Blue Peter. And I was like, what do you want to do when you go out? And they're like, I want to be famous. And they don't know what for. They just want to be famous. And it's kind of trying, you know, we've got a real dearth of people in STEM professions. It's trying to just sort of challenge preconceived notion.

Because she's passionate about science, the character. Well, she's into science, because she's like, without science, we wouldn't have had any progress. We'd be cavemen. But I think I love that, con, because I agree with you. It's this disease of wanting to be rather than do. I want to be someone. I don't want to do this. When is enough enough?

You know, you'll always be able to, you get the iPhone 1,000, but you're happy for one. And then the iPhone 2,000 comes out. And then the 3,000. So you're just keeping up with the Joneses at the whole time to have more fashionable clothes. to be more famous or to be more rich or to be more powerful or whatever it is when really all you can want to do is be happy in life but people would still rather be the unhappy rich person

than the penniless happy person but the penniless happy person is one really do you think as well and I'm always interested because I think there's a part of your life which is sometimes for example you'll go over to LA because Charlie obviously as I'm sure most people know he creates black mirror which you've You've written one of my favorite episodes.

Can I say, my favorite episode? Do you feel when you go over to there, and there's sort of like partners, do you know what to mean, which isn't what you are, but there's that red carpet. It's like rubbish in a way, which you have to do. It's work, isn't it? And I sort of love that you're standing there, and you've got a degree in economics from Cambridge,

and you've achieved all this stuff, and you've written this brilliant book, And I think, you're just sort of thinking, right, okay, I'll do this because I'm going through the motions and I have to do it. But it's not, you know, we're talking about that fame thing. That's just not some, that's not a car. It's never been a currency for you, has it that? You've always said, oh, I hate people that dress up in like a fancy clothes. I've seen you going to a black tie thing.

And you once got a dress then to you. And it was in a plastic bag. And you went, oh, I'll wear this. And you look stunning when it was on the red carpet. Bless you for saying that. You know what the thing is? I just want to be comfortable and happy. And I don't necessarily think lots of people are made happy

by wearing those clothes and doing that thing. And whereas I just always feel like, I feel like I'm sort of in a costume almost. And that's the thing. I don't know. I think society makes you feel like you have to have the million pound dress to wear on the red carpet. But actually, you know, so I did, I compared this rally

for climate change in London. in Parliament Square and it was right before the BAFTAs and I was like there's no point going home from Parliament Square to come back to the BAFTAs and like so I just switched my trainers to heels I was wearing these sort of black long trousers

and I had this like glittery top but I just put a sort of netty jumper over it to compare the climate change rally and then added earrings and heels and went across the bridge to the BAFTAs and people don't really notice really but then if you're told people you're doing that. They'd be like, oh, you can't, do you know what I mean?

And you think actually what you did, you can't go from a climate, look how you'd spent your day doing something you care about as opposed to sitting in their hairdresser's chair for three hours with the makeup off. Do you know what to me? And there's nothing wrong with that. And also, but I think people worry that people go, your hair's messy or whatever. Yeah, but you've got naturally good hair. I'm not having this. Also, also, it's like we judge people too much on looks in general and we shouldn't really. you know, because it makes this keeping up with the Joneses Society where you feel you have to have the immaculate show home house

and the immaculate clothes and that just breeds people wanting the next up, next upmanship, next upmanship. And actually, I'm all about bringing standards down because I don't want that judgment on everyone. It's a big thing, you know, there's bigger frustration, really. And you know. And the discrepancy between the haves and the have-nots and all of that stuff. People need what they call in Sweden, lagom, just the right amount.

And we've got climate change on our doorstep and all this stuff. And if people just had just the right amount and were happy with that, and everything else was judges, oh, you've got 20 pairs of trainers, that's a bit much. Or whatever, like you'd judge if someone came in the Gold Rolls-Royce. You'd go, that's a bit much. I think Jimmy Tarbott was bad. Would you ever move to L.A. you guys or anything? No.

Why not? Just not you. I can't see you in L.A. I see you in Ealing. I see me in Ealing. You know, I couldn't even ever move to like Notting. your gate or something so I'm never going to make it to LA you know I just I'm too I'd like to be surrounded by sort of people that are normal because there's no judgment when I come out in my stained clothes now because I've got this picture of me going around in stained clothes now I don't know how

this became a running thing but you and Charlie are normal because you've got a beautiful house and you've got but you're not living in a gated community in Brentwood which a lot of people in his position would be and your position. We didn't do that thing of sort of ripping everything out and redoing it because it just feels like a waste. I know people that rip out a fitted kitchen that only got fitted five years ago that's still amazing and you're like, why are you doing that? There's people that are starving. Yeah.

I do really feel that thing of like people are quite happy to shell out 50 quid on an Uber or on another top that they don't need. But then if you go, look, can you give 50 quid to these refugees and it's like, oh, 50 quid's a lot of money. Yeah. But that's not there for. We only do what makes us happy, and that top makes them happy. Bonnie. And those trainers make them happy.

But because of how my parents wouldn't let me ever leave food on my plate and how I did this Blue Peter filming so early on, and my parents came from a village where, you know, I could have been that person in the village, you know, in Bangladesh, sort of without all these things. Can I ask you one final question, which I like? Because if your parents were back here, If you could have them, someone asked me, who would you go for a dog walk with in one of those questionnaires recently?

And at first I said Barack Obama, and then I said, actually, my family, I'd like to bring them back for one day just so they could meet Ray and I could say, I'm happy, it's okay. So they would know that. Do you think if your mom and dad were back? Because if it's a day, it's just too sad that I have to send them back to death now. I know it sounds awful. I couldn't, I just, they know I'm happy. I've always been happy. Yeah.

I think they know. I'd have to commit since I didn't come with them but then I'd have to kill my kids and my husband and bring us all and then I'm taking them away from the world to inflict them to live with my parents they might not like that it's too complicated

this weird thing that you've just thrown in front of me I couldn't do that I hug you and say goodbye now I love you Emily too I love you Emily too I love you Connie Hart I really hope you enjoyed listening to that and do remember to rate review

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