Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh S07E32

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00:00:00Hello and welcome on a crisp winter's morning here in the heart of Hampshire.

00:00:04Today marks the official start of Advent, so we're setting the festive tone from the get-go

00:00:09with some truly special guests, our Christmas dogs.

00:00:13Like Jessie here, you may recognise from the festive classic Peter Pan.

00:00:17Famous for being big droolers, Jessie is a Newfoundland known for their charming personalities

00:00:23and striking appearance, perfect to cuddle up to.

00:00:27But as relaxing as this looks, Jessie, we've got a show to make.

00:00:32Coming up, cats, chart toppers and cocktails.

00:00:36Sounds interesting, sounds irresistible.

00:00:38Come on, Jessie, off we go. Time for Love You Weekend. This way.

00:00:57Every part of Britain has its own character, from the Yorkshire Dales to the Welsh Valleys

00:01:23to the Scottish Highlands, wherever you may be in the British countryside.

00:01:28You can be guaranteed incredible scenery, a rich heritage and unique character.

00:01:33You just have to take the time to enjoy it and look.

00:01:36Much like today's show.

00:01:38Coming up, swapping style tips.

00:01:40By the looks of it, Tom Allen and Nigel Havers provide the chat and the charm

00:01:45as they settle into life down on the farm.

00:01:48And turning the soundtrack of the generation into a smash hit musical.

00:01:52Faye Tozer on the enduring legacy of steps and her biggest career challenge to date.

00:01:58Panto with Biggins.

00:02:00Now, do you know your Norway spruce from your Nordman fir?

00:02:04A woman who does.

00:02:05Horticulturist Camilla Bassett-Smith's back with everything you need to know

00:02:09about buying a real Christmas tree.

00:02:11Plus, the heartwarming story of the baby sparrowhawks given a second chance at life.

00:02:17We join Folly Wildlife Rescue as they prepare to be let back into the wild.

00:02:22Not a dry eye in the house with that one.

00:02:29More barnside banter now and who better to bring the charm and the wit.

00:02:34Welcome Tom Allen and Nigel Havers and making her Manor Farm debut,

00:02:38Brave Girl, Faye Tozer.

00:02:42Well done, me.

00:02:43Thank you for having me.

00:02:45Advent tomorrow, 1st of December tomorrow.

00:02:47Are you Christmas tree up in October types or Christmas tree up on Christmas Eve?

00:02:52Well, funnily enough, I did Room 101 a long time ago and I tried to put Christmas into Room 101.

00:02:57Oh, you beast.

00:02:58Oh, good for you.

00:02:59Oh, okay.

00:03:00Are you Scrooge Humbug?

00:03:01Slightly.

00:03:02Bar Humbug.

00:03:03And the idea of Christmas decorations is in sort of end of September.

00:03:07Oh, please.

00:03:08Oh, I'm with you there.

00:03:091st of December.

00:03:10Isn't it funny that I wanted to put Christmas into 101,

00:03:12but now I've changed and I'm happy with Christmas.

00:03:16You're benign in old age now, aren't you?

00:03:17Yes, exactly that.

00:03:18Sorry, see New Year's.

00:03:19You've got to find a nice way of saying this, old age.

00:03:23Faye, what about you?

00:03:24No, so my birthday is middle of November,

00:03:27so I always need Christmas to happen December because it separates it all.

00:03:31Also, I find, because it's so early now with the decorations and the music in store,

00:03:36I feel like it's over before it's even happened

00:03:39and I feel like it's kind of lost its sparkle.

00:03:41We've peaked too soon, I feel.

00:03:43My partner, he would put the Christmas decorations up in June

00:03:47and I don't care for it.

00:03:50No, I'd put them up very late, as late as possible, really,

00:03:53because then you can get into the spirit of actually Christmas when it's there.

00:03:56What is the spirit of Christmas?

00:03:58Well, for me, it's eggnog or a mulled cider.

00:04:04Me too.

00:04:04I love a mulled cider.

00:04:05Well, I think you might be pleasantly surprised later on in the show.

00:04:08Oh, really?

00:04:08Yes, this may be your reward later on.

00:04:10Oh, well, if I'm a good boy.

00:04:12Yes, quite, I'll boot on that.

00:04:14And I'll do it with Tom Sergi.

00:04:16What's particularly lovely today for me here is that, I mean, I do get people here.

00:04:19I mean, I don't want to mention any names of people who have been here in the past,

00:04:21rather sort of slovenly dressed.

00:04:24But I have three people here.

00:04:26To whom sartorial flair is second nature.

00:04:29Nigel, you've always been known as dressing well.

00:04:32Here you are in a delightful jacket.

00:04:35Earlier this morning.

00:04:36Yes, and it's a shame you couldn't find the collar for the shoe.

00:04:38I love the collar.

00:04:41Faye, glorious.

00:04:42Thank you very much.

00:04:43Dress for the occasion.

00:04:45I'm a big fan of vintage and re-loved stuff at the moment.

00:04:49I'm going a bit eco-friendly.

00:04:51And, yeah, that's our thing at the moment.

00:04:54Those boots, they're called...

00:04:56I like those boots.

00:04:57They are.

00:04:58Thank you very much.

00:04:58Nigel, steady.

00:04:59Sorry.

00:05:00Remember your age?

00:05:00They're always like pantomime, though.

00:05:01Do you remember when they used to have a lady play Prince Charming?

00:05:05They did.

00:05:06And she used to say, yes.

00:05:08Oh, very young.

00:05:09Do you remember the line?

00:05:10Yes, I do.

00:05:10But with that, we let's say that.

00:05:1342 miles and no sign of dick.

00:05:15No, it's true, Dick Whittington.

00:05:18I know what you meant.

00:05:19And the prince's balls get bigger every year.

00:05:21They do indeed.

00:05:23Oni soit qui mali pence, I would say.

00:05:25Evil be to him who thinks evil of it.

00:05:28Anyway, there we are.

00:05:30So, moving swiftly on to Tom Allen.

00:05:32But in a jumper to Dad.

00:05:34I've never seen you in a jumper.

00:05:35Well, thank you for noticing.

00:05:36I just thought I'd go a little bit cash since we're in a barn.

00:05:39You know, I'm really enjoying the scar.

00:05:41When I thought I'd bring back cravats.

00:05:42Are they in yet?

00:05:43They're all back round.

00:05:44I just think of cravat.

00:05:45I just thought that was a bit sort of David Niven of me.

00:05:48Very nearly in.

00:05:49Do you think?

00:05:50But it keeps the breeze off the neck, as I'm sure.

00:05:52Well, I do get very cold around the Adam's apple.

00:05:56So, I do like to keep my apples warm.

00:05:58And I nearly wore a waistcoat, actually.

00:06:01But then I thought, you sometimes wear a waistcoat.

00:06:02And then we'll look like Mumford and Sam.

00:06:04I don't know.

00:06:06Waistcoats and gilets.

00:06:07I've got gilets with sleeves, eh?

00:06:08That's amazing.

00:06:09It's not really a gilet.

00:06:10That's just a coat.

00:06:11It is a coat, yes.

00:06:12I do like tweed.

00:06:13I think it's rather supportive.

00:06:14Oh, I like a tweed, yeah.

00:06:15English-Irish.

00:06:16Indoors, you're going to show the benefit when you go out.

00:06:18Oh, well, I'll have another one on, then.

00:06:21Lay it.

00:06:21No, I'm arty outside.

00:06:23It's lovely finding things in common.

00:06:26It's sartore elegance between you.

00:06:27But also, three Agatha Christie fans.

00:06:30Ah.

00:06:31Yes.

00:06:31Now, Tom, you're a great Miss Marple fan.

00:06:35Yes.

00:06:35I like particularly the adaptation of Miss Marple

00:06:38when Joan Hickson performed that.

00:06:39Well, that's the definitive.

00:06:40I always think the definitive.

00:06:41And I think Agatha Christie wanted

00:06:43Joan Hickson to play Miss Marple.

00:06:45And she met her once when she was a younger actress

00:06:48and said, you will be a good Miss Marple.

00:06:51Ah, is that the story?

00:06:52There you go.

00:06:53I mean, how wonderful.

00:06:54And I sort of see myself now more and more as I get older

00:06:56being more like Miss Marple.

00:06:58I basically, you know, spend a lot of time

00:06:59going around garden centres

00:07:00and sitting down quietly solving murders.

00:07:04I'm basically living the life of an 87-year-old woman.

00:07:06Do you know, it's funny.

00:07:07Something came to mind.

00:07:08Miss Marple.

00:07:09When I walked in.

00:07:10When you walked in.

00:07:11You're my Agatha.

00:07:12Faye, what do you work with David Suchet?

00:07:17Well, that's my connection, I guess.

00:07:18Yeah, I was really, really lucky to work with Sir David Suchet

00:07:23two years ago at Bristol for the Panto.

00:07:27And it was the only Panto I think he's ever going to do.

00:07:29And he was Captain Hook.

00:07:31And he was the most delightful.

00:07:33But I grew up on Poirot.

00:07:34You know, just the music.

00:07:36Can you hear the music?

00:07:37The saxophone.

00:07:37Exactly.

00:07:40Just gorgeous.

00:07:41Now, the man sitting on your right, left for me, Nigel,

00:07:46you must have done umpteen Chris, Agatha Christie's on the box,

00:07:50no doubt, with all the Miss Marples.

00:07:53I remember just talking of Captain Hook,

00:07:55I played Captain Hook in a Panto years and years ago

00:07:58and I forgot, I came on halfway through,

00:08:02and I forgot the whole thing.

00:08:04So I went, a miracle.

00:08:07That's all I could think of.

00:08:09Ta-da!

00:08:12Well, he was an old Etonian.

00:08:16Well-schooled in improvisation.

00:08:19But Agatha Christie, the whole story of her life

00:08:22is so fascinating, isn't it?

00:08:24She's a mystery herself, in a few ways.

00:08:28But, I mean, she must be the most famous writer ever.

00:08:33I think she is.

00:08:33Apart from Shakespeare.

00:08:34Yes.

00:08:35I mean, she's up there, isn't she?

00:08:36And still selling every mystery, still in print.

00:08:40And I remember reading the books when I was a kid

00:08:43and absolutely loving them.

00:08:45And The Mousetrap has been running for over 70 years.

00:08:48And still in that theatre, it's incredible.

00:08:51No, I can't say it, because it spoils the whole thing as a giveaway.

00:08:54No, don't tell us, because I haven't been yet.

00:08:56Have you not?

00:08:57Who done it?

00:08:57No, I'm saving you time.

00:08:58Get going.

00:09:02Is that my length of life or the play's length of life?

00:09:05My favourite thing about The Mousetrap, as well,

00:09:06is when you walk past the photographs,

00:09:08apparently I think there's a thing where they have to do the same poses.

00:09:11They did the original, like, 50s production,

00:09:14so they're all slightly melodramatic, kind of...

00:09:16I love that.

00:09:17Unless I...

00:09:18Americans, what we're going to see it when they come to London,

00:09:21see if they get a taxi and they don't tip properly,

00:09:24the cab driver says,

00:09:25right, the...

00:09:26Did it.

00:09:28Is that true?

00:09:29Is that what they do?

00:09:30Spoiler alert.

00:09:31If my memory serves me right,

00:09:32Richard Attenborough was in the first cast.

00:09:34He was.

00:09:34Yeah.

00:09:35And he...

00:09:36They didn't do very well to start with,

00:09:37so they had a...

00:09:38They asked the cast to take a reduction in their fee.

00:09:42To keep it on.

00:09:42Yes.

00:09:43To keep it going.

00:09:43Yeah.

00:09:43And he said,

00:09:44I'll do that if I have a...

00:09:46Can have a percentage of the run of the play.

00:09:48No!

00:09:48Yeah.

00:09:49Oh.

00:09:49Really?

00:09:50That was a choice.

00:09:50And they said, fine.

00:09:51That's like Alec Guinness and Star Wars.

00:09:53Alec Guinness took...

00:09:54Well, did he take 1% instead of a fee or something?

00:09:56And something to do with the merch, was it as well?

00:09:58Yeah.

00:09:58Yeah, there was something.

00:09:59Wow.

00:10:00Made up for life.

00:10:01So if anybody wants to do the sequel for Star Wars,

00:10:03you have four people here who will take half a percentage.

00:10:05Yeah.

00:10:07I'll take a quarter.

00:10:08A quarter.

00:10:09Much more from Faye, Nigel and Tom coming up,

00:10:13I think, as you realise you're in for a good morning of conversation.

00:10:16Now, help yourself to our amuse-bouche of delicacies here.

00:10:19Still ahead, Leslie Joseph's got herself in all hot and bothered about.

00:10:23A squirrel in today's Down the Garden path.

00:10:25She doesn't get out much.

00:10:27I do worry about her.

00:10:28And Santa Paws is coming to town.

00:10:31Sorry, I couldn't resist.

00:10:32Yvette Bolluesa is here with the dog breeds

00:10:34we associate with the most wonderful time of the year.

00:10:37And rocking around the Christmas tree, quite literally,

00:10:40our singing horticulturist Camilla Bassett-Smith

00:10:42is standing by with her pick of the finest festive trees for your home.

00:10:47I'll be back with Camilla and her rather fine collection of spruces.

00:10:51You don't get that on this morning, do you?

00:10:53Right after this.

00:10:54Tom, toasted tea cake?

00:10:56Please don't call me that.

00:10:57No, you are.

00:10:57Oh, no.

00:10:58With December just around the corner,

00:11:15there's a certain allure to the British countryside in the winter months,

00:11:19with literacy lovers flocking to the Pennine Moors

00:11:23to evoke the mood of Wuthering Heights,

00:11:25while the country's coastline is especially dramatic and enchanting

00:11:29on a stormy day.

00:11:31Think of Lyme Regis and Jane Austen.

00:11:33Equally enchanting,

00:11:34a man who spent much of the mid-90s

00:11:36standing up and making people laugh,

00:11:39after starring in his youth with Stephen Fry,

00:11:42Tom Allen on how his love of theatricality

00:11:44led to his sartorial taste in clothing.

00:11:47And from a classic rum punch to a mulled cider.

00:11:51It's party time in the man-at-arms.

00:11:54Tom Sergi is serving up cocktails punch bowl style.

00:11:58Ladles of festive cheer to suit every taste.

00:12:01Now, to really get us into the festive spirit,

00:12:03we're turning our attention to some classic Christmas greenery.

00:12:07Those seasonal plants that come into their own at this time of year.

00:12:11Without these horticultural delights,

00:12:13there'd be no Christmas traditions like decorating the tree,

00:12:16hanging your wreaths, or kissing under the mistletoe.

00:12:19Here to celebrate the plants that make Christmas truly magical,

00:12:22welcome horticulturist Camilla Bassett-Smith.

00:12:25With two trees.

00:12:26Indeed, yes.

00:12:27And a Christmas pudding on my head.

00:12:28I know.

00:12:29No sixpence underneath it.

00:12:30Hard to miss that one.

00:12:31No sixpence in there.

00:12:32More of a moment.

00:12:33But it's the time of year, isn't it,

00:12:35when we make perhaps the most important decision

00:12:37about our interior design over Christmas,

00:12:39and that is what tree to have.

00:12:41And that's the traditional one, isn't it?

00:12:43It is, the good old Norway spruce that Prince Albert championed.

00:12:46And I still love it.

00:12:48I mean, it's kind of, it's been around for such a long time, hasn't it?

00:12:51Good shape, really nice scent.

00:12:53And actually, the scent of a Christmas tree

00:12:55has been voted one of our top scents

00:12:56alongside the ocean and cut grass.

00:13:00So, the good old Norway spruce.

00:13:02But, it has a bit of a problem, doesn't it?

00:13:04Well, it drops.

00:13:05It does.

00:13:05The trouble is, it's because we bring Christmas trees in earlier and earlier.

00:13:07Yes.

00:13:08If you don't bring it in until Christmas Eve,

00:13:09it will see you through the festive period.

00:13:10That's it.

00:13:11In a couple of weeks, it's probably okay.

00:13:13Quite sharp needles there.

00:13:15And, of course, the Norway spruce is the one

00:13:16that we have in Trafalgar Square in London.

00:13:19They're about a 60-year-old tree.

00:13:20And they are a good shape, aren't they?

00:13:23But, yeah, I love the Norway spruce.

00:13:26But this is a bit more sophisticated.

00:13:27It is, isn't it?

00:13:28This is the blue spruce.

00:13:30And it's the state tree of Colorado, actually.

00:13:32But, isn't it gorgeous?

00:13:34And it has...

00:13:35Well, it shows how tonal you can get.

00:13:36You've got one ball blanket on it.

00:13:37It's not whether you're a minimalist.

00:13:39I know, very minimalist.

00:13:39You're pointing up the fact that you can do these kind of...

00:13:42I'm never quite sure, you know.

00:13:43I do like a sort of tonal Christmas tree, all tasteful.

00:13:46But, better than that, I love the one that's got things that the kids made

00:13:49when they were little.

00:13:49That's it.

00:13:49It's the memories, isn't it?

00:13:51It's a little bit of everything.

00:13:52And I have that.

00:13:52And sometimes you can have two trees, maybe,

00:13:54and have one somewhere else that's tonal.

00:13:56One in the posh room.

00:13:57That's it, yeah.

00:13:58And then one that's just full of everything.

00:14:00But these blues and greys on there.

00:14:02But quite sharp needles.

00:14:03That's the only thing with these.

00:14:04They look beautiful.

00:14:06But pungens, in its Latin name, means quite sharp and spiny.

00:14:10But it does look really good.

00:14:11And in the garden, as well as a garden tree,

00:14:13you get that...

00:14:14It's another shade of green, really, isn't it?

00:14:16And it's slightly slower growing, this winter.

00:14:17It is, yes, yeah.

00:14:18And if you buy them in a pot, you can plant them out.

00:14:21But be careful.

00:14:21I mean, you see a lot of people plant them out right outside the front window

00:14:24in a small house.

00:14:25And within a few years, you can't see out.

00:14:27That's one thing I love about the Norway spruce.

00:14:29If you walk around anywhere, any town,

00:14:31you see so many of these in particular, don't you,

00:14:34from years ago, that have just grown and grown and grown.

00:14:36And it's a little peek into people's memories.

00:14:38Thanks, Camilla.

00:14:39And we'll be seeing you later on with more seasonal plants.

00:14:43Indeed you will.

00:14:43Now, it's hardly surprising that dogs, as Britain's favourite pets,

00:14:53play a significant part in our Christmas festivities,

00:14:56whether due to a breed's connection to colder climates

00:14:58or an appearance as a beloved character in our favourite festive films.

00:15:03Some dogs have become intrinsically linked to this time of year.

00:15:07So, today, we're celebrating those dogs in our Christmas canine special.

00:15:12Here to guide us through is our manor farm vet, Bolo Esu.

00:15:16Bolo, lovely to have you with us again.

00:15:18And so many dogs are associated with Christmas,

00:15:20as I say, either on screen or because of the nature of the beast, really.

00:15:24Exactly.

00:15:24And their geographic location as well.

00:15:26Yeah.

00:15:26Hopefully you can introduce some.

00:15:27Well, first up, we've got Toni and Unni.

00:15:30Now, Unni is a Finnish laphund.

00:15:34Now, that's a new one on me, a Finnish laphund.

00:15:37So, what's the association here with Christmas?

00:15:39Geographic location there.

00:15:40So, Finnish laphund, Lapland, Finland.

00:15:43You thought I'd have spotted that one, wouldn't you, really?

00:15:46It was close.

00:15:46We tried to give you a hint.

00:15:47You did, really.

00:15:48Toni, tell us about Unni.

00:15:50Unni is a two-year-old female Finnish laphund.

00:15:53So, does she get many Christmas engagements?

00:15:55She does, and she's always trying to do her PR bit out in the park,

00:15:59telling all the kids that she's looking after Santa's reindeer for them.

00:16:02Oh, wonderful.

00:16:03And ready for Christmas.

00:16:04Now, as a breed then, Bollu, temperament?

00:16:06A lovely personality.

00:16:07A lovely personality.

00:16:08I mean, there's history there with the reindeers,

00:16:11surrounding up reindeers,

00:16:12but also helping the reindeers out,

00:16:14outdoor sleeping as well, in Finland as well,

00:16:16so, like, as a herd dog.

00:16:18So, a hardy dog, too.

00:16:19Yeah.

00:16:20They're one of the few breeds in Finland

00:16:21that are allowed and licensed to sleep outside in the snow.

00:16:25Really?

00:16:25Yeah, and just beautiful personalities.

00:16:27They're great dogs.

00:16:28They've got that spitz,

00:16:28and I think they've got a lot of character to them,

00:16:30so they've got that kind of characteristic.

00:16:31Their spectacles make them look very cute.

00:16:34They've got that teddy bear look,

00:16:35because they are a spitz breed,

00:16:37with the pointy ears.

00:16:38Very cuddly.

00:16:39And the curved tail, but lovely, cuddly pets.

00:16:41Demanding of exercise?

00:16:43They like a good hour a day.

00:16:44They will take a lot more,

00:16:46but anything less than that is probably not enough.

00:16:48We can see what you mean about the spectacles now.

00:16:50You can see the spectacles now.

00:16:52Flash, Toni, thank you very much indeed.

00:16:53Thank you very much.

00:16:54Nice to have met you, Unie.

00:16:55Off you go with your Christmas duties now, right?

00:16:58Now, the next one,

00:16:59I mean, I remember seeing comic strips as a boy,

00:17:02and this particular dog always had

00:17:04a little cask of brandy underneath it.

00:17:07I've never met one yet that does.

00:17:08Kay is here with Leesha, the St. Bernard.

00:17:12Now, this is a dog.

00:17:14Is this a dog, or is it a horse?

00:17:15Exactly.

00:17:17So, our giant breed dogs are part of the Molasa breeds,

00:17:20so they're like the huge giant breed dogs and rescue dogs.

00:17:23Our connection to Christmas, well, we've got multiple connections,

00:17:26whether it's the snow and the cuddly nature of them.

00:17:29We've got Santa's helper.

00:17:30Santa's helper, yes.

00:17:31Santa's helper.

00:17:32Also, it was a St. Bernard as well.

00:17:34And, you know, that casket that you mentioned,

00:17:37when they used to rescue people,

00:17:38they'd carry around the brandy mythically,

00:17:40because I think if somebody's cold,

00:17:41the last thing you want to do is give them brandy.

00:17:44You're such a killjoy, really, aren't you?

00:17:47In terms of their temperament, then, are they quite docile?

00:17:49They've got a lovely temperament.

00:17:51Very loving.

00:17:52They understand.

00:17:54They know when you feel down.

00:17:55Yeah.

00:17:56She will come and put her head on you.

00:17:58Bless her.

00:17:58Yeah.

00:17:58Now, if you're thinking about St. Bernard, then,

00:18:00from a vet's point of view, Balu,

00:18:01I mean, there are things that they obviously need.

00:18:05Huge dog.

00:18:05We have to be used to having this dog

00:18:07occupy a lot of space in your house.

00:18:09I think, obviously, the drooling nature of them,

00:18:10that's something that people need to take into consideration.

00:18:13They are quite drooly dogs,

00:18:14but they're such lovable family dogs.

00:18:16But it's their joints, so arthritis,

00:18:18things like that can get to them.

00:18:19And they're a lot bigger,

00:18:21so they don't live for as long as maybe our smaller dogs.

00:18:23So those are things to consider.

00:18:24But they're amazing companions.

00:18:26Well, it's lovely.

00:18:27Kay and Leisha, thank you for being with us.

00:18:28I'm only disappointed, Kay,

00:18:30that Leisha didn't have the brandy.

00:18:31There we are.

00:18:32Maybe next time.

00:18:33I like the way she's got a bib for a drool.

00:18:36That's very, very sensible, isn't it?

00:18:38Oh, more in-comers now.

00:18:40Tegan and Oakley.

00:18:41Now, Oakley is an American Cocker Spaniel.

00:18:45Tegan, welcome to you.

00:18:47Welcome to Oakley.

00:18:48What'll it have been known for a dog?

00:18:49Tell us about the American Cocker Spaniel, then.

00:18:51What's the association here with Christmas?

00:18:52OK, this is a little bit of a connection, right?

00:18:54So we've got our favourite characters, Disney.

00:18:56We've got Lady and the Tramp.

00:18:58Ah.

00:18:59And it starts on Christmas Day.

00:19:01Right.

00:19:01So Lady is an American Cocker Spaniel.

00:19:03Exactly.

00:19:04But how do they differ from normal Cockers?

00:19:05The English Cocker Spaniel.

00:19:06So when the English Cockers came to America,

00:19:08they slowly started to diverge.

00:19:10And we've got our Cockers, Americans here,

00:19:12have a shorter face

00:19:13and a more dome-shaped muzzle.

00:19:14And then we've also got that long coat,

00:19:17the long, luscious coat,

00:19:19the fluffy locks and the curls.

00:19:20It makes them really beautiful,

00:19:22whereas our English Cockers are a bit more springy

00:19:23and used to working in the fields.

00:19:25So Tegan, tell us about Oakley.

00:19:26How old is he?

00:19:27So he's just turned two,

00:19:29so he's still quite young.

00:19:30Does he ever eat spaghetti?

00:19:32Like Lady and the Tramp?

00:19:33No, I'm afraid he doesn't.

00:19:34No.

00:19:35No spaghetti?

00:19:36No spaghetti, no.

00:19:37But grooming here is a big thing, presumably,

00:19:39with that coat.

00:19:41Yes.

00:19:41We barf him once a week,

00:19:43but he has to be brushed every day

00:19:45to contain all the mats as well.

00:19:47Yeah.

00:19:48Well, they're quite low-slung as well, aren't they, Bollos?

00:19:50So you're going to be picking up burrs and things like that.

00:19:52Well, American Cocker is similar to the Show Cocker

00:19:54with that long, luscious lock,

00:19:56and it's just a lot of brushing,

00:19:57a lot of grooming, looking after them.

00:19:59Look, we get to see now these glorious legs.

00:20:02Pop him on the floor,

00:20:03just so we can see the length of the hair on the legs.

00:20:06It's like walking through a skirt.

00:20:08He looks like Dougal from The Magic Roundabout.

00:20:10Yeah.

00:20:10No legs visible.

00:20:11Just, just...

00:20:13Bless him.

00:20:13Bless you.

00:20:14Thank you, and thank you, Oakley,

00:20:15very much indeed.

00:20:16Thank you very much.

00:20:16You're not going to see his legs now

00:20:17as he walks up.

00:20:18You'll see how he walks.

00:20:19Go, we'll watch it.

00:20:20Look at that.

00:20:21Just a ripple, really.

00:20:22Wonderful.

00:20:23Like a crinoline, really.

00:20:25Alison, next, with Jesse,

00:20:27who's a Newfoundland.

00:20:28Now, look at this for us.

00:20:29Another large dog with another bib.

00:20:31We've got another dribbler here.

00:20:32Oh, there's going to be a big kiss on him.

00:20:35The Newfoundland, then, of Christmas.

00:20:37So, our Christmas connection is

00:20:39Jay and Barry and Peter Pan.

00:20:43Of course, Nana.

00:20:44Now, did Barry have Newfoundlands?

00:20:46I believe so, yes.

00:20:47And walking around Kensington Gardens

00:20:48with Newfoundlands as well.

00:20:49So, the adventures there

00:20:50led us to Peter Pan,

00:20:51the inspiration for Peter Pan,

00:20:52and here we have our connection.

00:20:54Here we have.

00:20:55So, Peter Pan is a favourite,

00:20:56I presume, Alison, with you.

00:20:57Obviously.

00:20:57Is she a good baby-minder, then,

00:21:01as Nana wasn't?

00:21:02She absolutely loves children.

00:21:05She loves the attention that she gets,

00:21:08which has led me to do a lot of therapy work with her,

00:21:12and she goes into school once a week

00:21:14and listens to the children read.

00:21:15So, she spends time with the children,

00:21:17and she goes into a hospice,

00:21:20and she'll be going to a care home as well.

00:21:23Let's talk about exercise and things like that again.

00:21:24Another big dog ball.

00:21:26Yeah.

00:21:26So, exercise is regular.

00:21:28You want to make sure you're looking after their joints,

00:21:29because as they are big breeds,

00:21:30we are scared of things like arthritis,

00:21:32but it happens.

00:21:33It's just making sure you're looking after their joints properly,

00:21:35feeding them appropriately.

00:21:36They go through so much food.

00:21:39So much food.

00:21:40Not so much now.

00:21:41It's the first year, two years of their life,

00:21:44you have to feed them to help them grow.

00:21:46Grow, yeah.

00:21:47And now she's easing off.

00:21:48But obviously, when she's working,

00:21:49she does a lot of work as well in the water.

00:21:52So, exercising, we swim her every week.

00:21:55This is a big-time commitment, isn't it?

00:21:57Yes.

00:21:57It's a lot.

00:21:58Bless you, Alison.

00:21:59Lovely to meet you both.

00:22:00Thank you very much.

00:22:01Thank you very much.

00:22:02Go and pull your cart.

00:22:03We'll find you at Christmas tree.

00:22:05Can we, Christmas tree?

00:22:05Now, next, and the connection here is obvious

00:22:09between this next dog, Donna and Pippa.

00:22:12And Pippa is a Dalmatian.

00:22:14She's the 102nd of our Dalmatians.

00:22:17Slightly liver-spotted here rather than black.

00:22:20So, we've got the normal black and white Dalmatians

00:22:22that we have.

00:22:22And then we have the liver, which is that brown colour.

00:22:25And with the brown or liver Dalmatians,

00:22:27you get that lovely almond-coloured eyes as well.

00:22:29And they're so beautiful.

00:22:30They're so beautiful.

00:22:31I love them.

00:22:32They just look gorgeous.

00:22:33Now, Donna, they have a reputation

00:22:34for being very highly strong.

00:22:36So, when it comes to Pippa, I mean,

00:22:38she's quite inquisitive.

00:22:40Yeah, she is.

00:22:41Yeah, she's a good gal, actually.

00:22:42She's quite calm in her nature

00:22:44and her temperament, actually,

00:22:46which is very unlike Dalmatians.

00:22:48Sometimes they can be a bit hyper and over.

00:22:51The first Dalmatian we've had on this show

00:22:52is actually sat still.

00:22:54Yeah.

00:22:54At least 15 seconds.

00:22:55Pippa, you're doing really well.

00:22:57When you see your arm and eyes are such an elegant carriage.

00:23:01Yeah, she is.

00:23:01Really elegant.

00:23:02Yeah.

00:23:02Again, as a family dog, high-spirited,

00:23:05but OK with children?

00:23:06Yeah, she's brilliant with children, actually.

00:23:08Yeah, she's really good.

00:23:09She absolutely loves the energy that they bring, as well.

00:23:12Yeah.

00:23:13Wonderful.

00:23:13And from your point of view, Zyvette?

00:23:14I think the key is early exposure.

00:23:16So, when you have them really young,

00:23:18you want to expose them to a lot of noise,

00:23:20a lot of sounds, and a lot of different people

00:23:21so that they can get used to that kind of energy around.

00:23:23And then they can be a perfect family dog.

00:23:25It's when they're not necessarily used

00:23:27to all the different sounds, different people,

00:23:28different interactions, that as they get older,

00:23:30all that energy turns into a bit more destructive chaos.

00:23:33So, you want to expose them to a lot of energy,

00:23:34exercise them well,

00:23:35and then you get a perfect family companion.

00:23:37Lovely.

00:23:38Wonderful to meet you all.

00:23:39Thank you, Bolo,

00:23:40and thank you to all our dogs and their owners.

00:23:43And, uh, feeling Christmassy now.

00:23:44Christmas in the kennels.

00:23:46Still to come,

00:23:47we catch up with the emergency team

00:23:49that specialises in wildlife casualties,

00:23:52like the orphaned sparrowhawks,

00:23:53in the developing hand.

00:23:55And to a man who's more than a little bit marvellous.

00:23:58For the last 20 years,

00:24:00he's served laughter,

00:24:01and for the last eight years,

00:24:02served insults to amateur bakers.

00:24:04Tom Allen talks razor-sharp quips

00:24:06and caustic put-downs.

00:24:08I'll do that with Tom,

00:24:09right after this.

00:24:10Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

00:24:26Coming up,

00:24:27cocktails by the bowl.

00:24:29It must be Christmas.

00:24:30Tom Sergi breathes new life

00:24:32into the classic party punch.

00:24:34Retro cocktails given a modern twist.

00:24:37And from top of the pops to top of the bill,

00:24:40she's the pop star-turned-West End headliner.

00:24:43Faye Tozer on her passion for song and dance

00:24:46and turning 25 years of steps

00:24:49into a smash-hit musical.

00:24:51An early Christmas treat now

00:24:52for all you musical fans out there.

00:24:54And believe me,

00:24:55this is one that really needs to be seen

00:24:57to be believed.

00:24:58I give you Tom Allen and Michael Sheen

00:25:01and their performance of Aladdin's

00:25:02A Whole New World.

00:25:03I can show you the world

00:25:10Shining, shimmering, splendid

00:25:14Tell me, princess,

00:25:17now when live you will

00:25:19Let your heart decide

00:25:22A whole new world

00:25:24A new fantastic point of view

00:25:29No one to tell us no

00:25:32Or where to go

00:25:34Or say we're lonely

00:25:36A whole new world

00:25:40A dazzling place I never knew

00:25:44But now from way up here

00:25:47It's crystal clear

00:25:49That now I'm in a whole new world

00:25:53With you

00:25:55I've only seen Jasmine looking so lovely in turquoise

00:26:06Some of the notes were actually in tune, weren't they?

00:26:08Well, I've never seen Jasmine looking so bearded, actually.

00:26:10No, quite.

00:26:11She might have had a shave before she came on.

00:26:12You should have done that.

00:26:13Come on, tell us, how do you and Michael Sheen come to be doing that?

00:26:16I haven't seen that for a long time, let me tell you, Alan.

00:26:18I haven't seen that full stop.

00:26:19We all look a lot younger.

00:26:20That was a really fun show

00:26:22that I was part of

00:26:24called There's Something About Movies

00:26:25hosted by Alan Carr

00:26:26that was on Sky

00:26:27and we had a good run of doing bonkers sketches like that

00:26:32and we had so much fun.

00:26:33Jennifer Saunders, Michael Sheen were there

00:26:36and it was ridiculous

00:26:37and we re-enacted various moments from movies

00:26:40as well as doing a quiz around it.

00:26:41We had so much fun doing it.

00:26:43There was one scene where Alan and I re-enacted The Godfather

00:26:46if you can imagine a more butch environment.

00:26:51Clearly the joy for you a lot of the time

00:26:53is the people with whom you're working.

00:26:55I mean, they're working there with Michael Sheen

00:26:56in front of them looking on the likes of Alan Carr.

00:27:00I'm going to show you a clip now

00:27:02which is a long, long time ago

00:27:04when you were working with somebody quite well known.

00:27:06You were very young.

00:27:07Alan, this is very terrifying the way you do this.

00:27:09It's a bit like This Is Your Life.

00:27:10It's like This Is Your Life but with fewer people.

00:27:13This is.

00:27:14Just you and me.

00:27:15There's no one behind that screen.

00:27:16I don't want you to worry, nobody's looking.

00:27:18Nobody's looking.

00:27:18They are Alan.

00:27:19People watch this programme, let me tell you.

00:27:21This is Tom Alan in Tom Brown's School.

00:27:25Oh.

00:27:33Oh.

00:27:34Mr Smith's unwell, sir. I'm taking the third for Greek.

00:27:37I'm well aware that Mr Smith is unwell and I've just come from his house.

00:27:41Go on.

00:27:51Paul!

00:27:52Sir?

00:27:53I believe you have a passage of Xenophon.

00:27:56A blink and you miss it, Rowell.

00:27:58But nevertheless, the amount...

00:28:00The amount of internal angst that was going on there in that brief walk past.

00:28:05Impressive, isn't it?

00:28:07I think it was mainly because I had hair.

00:28:09I think I was still holding on to it.

00:28:11How old were you then?

00:28:12I think I must have been a teenager then, late teens, I think.

00:28:15I wanted to be an actor at that time.

00:28:20Well, you were an actor.

00:28:21Well, I was of sorts.

00:28:22With Stephen Fry.

00:28:23I mean, yes, the bouffant hair.

00:28:25I feel like I look like...

00:28:26Do you remember Ivy from Coronation Street?

00:28:28How can I forget Ivy Tilsley?

00:28:30Ivy Tilsley and Don, yes.

00:28:32I feel like I look more like her than anybody else.

00:28:34Have Corrie never approached you?

00:28:36Well, no, but hopefully today, after today,

00:28:38they will be straight on the phone.

00:28:40I'd love to go down those cobbles.

00:28:41Yes, I know.

00:28:42You will, Oscar, you will.

00:28:43Yes, my dream.

00:28:44But the stand-up then came after the acting.

00:28:47But you see, I always think that stand-up is the bravest, bravest thing to do,

00:28:50to do it and to do it well.

00:28:52But does it take you a while to find...

00:28:54Well, I wish I knew.

00:28:55No, come on, come on.

00:28:57Does it take you a while to work out who you are as a stand-up?

00:29:01Does that make sense?

00:29:02Oh, sure.

00:29:03What your style of stand-up is?

00:29:04Because you could go up there and do what your friends think is quite funny

00:29:06and it could absolutely die the death.

00:29:08Yes, that does happen.

00:29:10I can't deny.

00:29:11Yeah, I spent about 12 or 13 years doing the circuit,

00:29:13having exactly that experience, actually.

00:29:15And I think the thing with stand-up is you just learn to introduce yourself to people

00:29:21and then once they sort of feel they know you,

00:29:23then you can take them on whatever flights of fancy you like.

00:29:26You know, W.S. Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame said,

00:29:29an accepted wit is only to say, pass the mustard and they fall about laughing.

00:29:34Oh, yes.

00:29:35And it is something to do with expectation, isn't it?

00:29:37Yes.

00:29:38I mean, we know you're funny, so you can say, you know, rubbish and there we are.

00:29:40Well, I mean, that's the stage I like to think I'm in now,

00:29:43speaking a load of rubbish.

00:29:45But you've since taken the risk. You're now doing it on paper.

00:29:48I mean, you've now written your first novel.

00:29:50Well, you know, that's the main reason I'm actually here.

00:29:52It's not for the interview, but it's actually to ask your advice.

00:29:54You're not here to plug something.

00:29:56No, I don't want to plug it. I just want to talk to you, Alan.

00:29:58OK.

00:29:59About writing novels.

00:30:00It's called Common Decency, which I think is rather...

00:30:02I thought you might like it.

00:30:03Neat title.

00:30:04Well, it's about suburbia.

00:30:05Yeah.

00:30:06Because I grew up in suburbia. I live in suburbia now.

00:30:08And I think it's that place that always gets overlooked.

00:30:10People zoom through it on their way to the centre of town

00:30:13or they zoom out of it or they don't want to sort of celebrate it

00:30:16because it's sort of seen as a bit boring.

00:30:18And I wanted to write a book about, well, actually,

00:30:21sometimes the biggest dramas happen in the most mundane scenarios.

00:30:24And even the most sort of everyday things

00:30:27can be actually very dramatic to the people they affect.

00:30:29Extraordinary things happening to ordinary people.

00:30:31That's it. That's the much more eloquent way of putting it.

00:30:34Gosh, you're very good.

00:30:35Did you...

00:30:36I'm a writer, you see.

00:30:38Of course, he's been doing it for 27 years.

00:30:42Did you enjoy the process?

00:30:43No.

00:30:44You didn't.

00:30:45No, I did.

00:30:46Well, also, it's solitary, you see.

00:30:47You're on your own.

00:30:48Well, yes.

00:30:49Yes.

00:30:50You know, it is the hardest thing I've ever done.

00:30:52I'm very, very proud of it now it's done.

00:30:54But writing it was intense.

00:30:56I think it is fatiguing.

00:30:57It's exhausting in a way.

00:30:58Obviously, it's not exhausting like, I don't know,

00:31:00digging a road or going down a mine,

00:31:02both of which are things I've done.

00:31:04In a form of life.

00:31:06Yes, in a form of life when I was dressed as a Victorian.

00:31:09And the thing is, it's tiring in a different way.

00:31:13I think because the natural procrastinator wants to go,

00:31:16no, have a break, go on, go for a walk, go and have a drink.

00:31:20Go and tidy your sock drawer.

00:31:21Yeah, anything.

00:31:22I mean, the house.

00:31:23I could have built an entire, I could have built this barn

00:31:26at the time when I was supposed to be writing the novel.

00:31:29But once I got into it, there's like a meditation to it.

00:31:32And then suddenly you're in the world of it,

00:31:33you know the people you're with.

00:31:34And they do speak to you.

00:31:35I know that people say that.

00:31:37No, they do.

00:31:38I mean, when you're on a row, it's like taking dictation.

00:31:41Yes.

00:31:42I think if you're listening to the voice,

00:31:43you're writing down a conversation

00:31:44and you don't know where it's coming from.

00:31:45Yes, absolutely.

00:31:46It may well be rubbish.

00:31:47I don't know.

00:31:48But that's how it strives.

00:31:49No, I don't mean yours might be.

00:31:51I mean, I'm speaking from personal experience here.

00:31:54And I think to myself that this might be rubbish,

00:31:55but they're saying it so it's their rubbish.

00:31:57Absolutely.

00:31:58Yes, it's been an extraordinary journey.

00:32:00And I think you, if I may quote Alan Bennett,

00:32:04you don't write about yourself, you find yourself in your writing.

00:32:07So you kind of get, people have said to me like,

00:32:09oh, have you written, is one of the characters you?

00:32:11And I kind of go, well, they're all a bit me.

00:32:13They're all parts of my personality, which if you read it,

00:32:15you'll be horrified by.

00:32:16Now, apart from being worried that you're also becoming a novelist,

00:32:19you're making a living out of gardening now.

00:32:21It's nothing sacred.

00:32:22Again, I feel like I'm very much coming here.

00:32:25This is great.

00:32:26I'm all for acolytes and disciples.

00:32:28Keep going.

00:32:29Keep doing it.

00:32:30When did you come to gardening?

00:32:32Well, I used to watch this programme called Ground Force.

00:32:34I don't know if you've ever seen it.

00:32:35Oh, hang on.

00:32:36It rings a faint and distant bell.

00:32:38No, well, I think what I came to realise was gardening

00:32:42is something that I've always wanted to do

00:32:45and I realised, when I started having a go at it, I loved it.

00:32:48But you're doing a podcast about it now with friends.

00:32:51I'm doing a podcast.

00:32:52Dragging people into my garden.

00:32:54It's called pottering.

00:32:55And it's the idea of pottering about just doing a bit in the garden.

00:32:58It can be a lot or it can be a little bit.

00:32:59Look, you will pull in an audience.

00:33:01They would think I'm just a boring old, you know.

00:33:03No.

00:33:04No, that's not true.

00:33:05True.

00:33:06The more people we get who are like you, reaching a different audience,

00:33:08that's good for gardening.

00:33:10Well, I just think it's good for the mind.

00:33:11I think gardening as well is very important at the moment

00:33:14because it sits in amongst a lot of topics being talked about,

00:33:17whether it's climate change or whether it's mental health

00:33:20or whether it's about getting off your screen

00:33:22and just being in the moment and it's a mindfulness.

00:33:25And I think it's important for everybody to do it.

00:33:28I'm not very good at it.

00:33:29As I said, quite a lot of things die and I did try propagating,

00:33:32which I just thought was just chopping a bit off

00:33:34and shoving it in some mud.

00:33:35Yeah.

00:33:36They all died.

00:33:37Yes, you are in the very early stages of gardening at the moment,

00:33:40but we'll try to keep working.

00:33:42Let's show you on form.

00:33:44Oh, gosh.

00:33:45What have you dug up here?

00:33:46We've dug up, would I lie to you?

00:33:48Look at this.

00:33:49Show me what your left hook is.

00:33:53That's good.

00:33:56You look slightly like you're holding some cards in a game of whist.

00:34:01Hey, Tom.

00:34:02Do you want to stand up and take the stage?

00:34:04Yes, I would.

00:34:05Would you like my little hands up?

00:34:06I would love your hands actually.

00:34:07Or the sportsman in the room.

00:34:09All right.

00:34:10What if...

00:34:11Come on, David.

00:34:15No, I...

00:34:16I meant you go.

00:34:18Look at the difference in those two men standing up.

00:34:20Incredible.

00:34:22No, no, I don't know.

00:34:24Oh, hang on.

00:34:25Is it too late to put a bet on?

00:34:30Can I get a left hook?

00:34:31I can't.

00:34:32OK.

00:34:33I can hear the slack from here.

00:34:45Very brave.

00:34:46Was it fun?

00:34:47I mean, it is astonishing.

00:34:49That programme just...

00:34:50It's hilarious to be on, isn't it?

00:34:52I don't think I've ever watched it back, actually.

00:34:54I was thinking, what on earth am I doing?

00:34:56But I've been doing...

00:34:57I do the boxing training.

00:34:58I don't get hit in the face.

00:35:00It won't surprise you to know.

00:35:01But I do the boxing training.

00:35:04I've been doing it about five years.

00:35:05I think it's great exercise.

00:35:07And...

00:35:08Keeping you in trim.

00:35:09No, well, I'm watching back on all these clips.

00:35:10I go, oh, gosh, I was thin then.

00:35:12Less thin there.

00:35:14But in that one, I was thin.

00:35:16But I was...

00:35:18When you're doing it,

00:35:20I mean, as I say, I don't punch anybody

00:35:22and they don't punch me.

00:35:23I just pay a man to hit his hands.

00:35:25But with the gloves on and when he's got the pads on,

00:35:27it's got a great sound.

00:35:29Yeah, you feel as though you're really...

00:35:30Yeah.

00:35:31And working out all those, you know...

00:35:33Oh, yes.

00:35:34Grievances.

00:35:35Absolutely.

00:35:36Well, it beats just being rude to people on Bake Off, doesn't it?

00:35:38Well, exactly.

00:35:39It's so much more affronting than that.

00:35:43But, yes, no less incisive.

00:35:45But, yes, it's a great form of exercise.

00:35:48Are you positive about humanity?

00:35:49Do you like folk?

00:35:51I thought you meant as in the music.

00:35:52No.

00:35:53No.

00:35:54And I do like folk music, but I also like folk as in people.

00:35:57And it's not queer as folk.

00:35:59But the fact is, as I say, I think we're becoming...

00:36:03I don't know the technology.

00:36:04I don't know if it's bringing us together as I'd like it to.

00:36:06Yeah.

00:36:07So I think any opportunity to show people being amongst one another is a good thing.

00:36:11It's an important thing.

00:36:12So if I can help to do that, then I think I'm doing something...

00:36:15You can help to do that.

00:36:16You can help keep us laughing.

00:36:17Well, it's a lot of pressure.

00:36:19Bless your heart.

00:36:20And people at home might not realise, Alan, you put a heated blanket here.

00:36:23Oh, you do.

00:36:24Because this barn can get very cold.

00:36:25And I thought after a little while that I maybe had wet myself.

00:36:30So I'm glad that I realised...

00:36:32I'm happy to be the person to reassure you that you haven't.

00:36:35I know.

00:36:36It's such a reassurance.

00:36:37Yes, but it's why I keep a distance between you and me.

00:36:39Because I never know that one day maybe you will.

00:36:41Maybe I will.

00:36:42Thank you very much, Tom.

00:36:43Thank you, Alan, for having me.

00:36:44Always a delight.

00:36:45You're welcome.

00:36:46Well, it's lovely to be in your barn.

00:36:47We say barn or shed.

00:36:48Oh, please.

00:36:49It's a barn.

00:36:50I do beg your pardon.

00:36:51Shh.

00:36:52You could have a barn dance.

00:36:53If you like.

00:36:54We're dressed for it.

00:36:55Well, that's been rambling with Tom Allen, really.

00:36:59That would be a good show.

00:37:00I present that with you.

00:37:01Oh, there you are.

00:37:02Oh, here we go.

00:37:03They say television's dead.

00:37:04Nothing he won't do.

00:37:05Not with you and me.

00:37:06Thank you, Tom.

00:37:07Now, over the weeks, you've been treating us to some spectacular photography,

00:37:10from magical winter walking trails to overwintering birds and frozen waterfalls.

00:37:15So, if heading outdoors doesn't appeal, just enjoy it from the comfort of your own home.

00:37:21It's time for your pictures in today's Walk on the Wild Side.

00:37:25Walk on the Wild Side on Love Your Weekend, sponsored by WWF.

00:37:32Walk on the Wild Side on Love Your Weekend, sponsored by WWF.

00:37:33Walk on the Wild Side on Love Your Weekend, sponsored by WWF.

00:37:35The Wild Side on Love Your Weekend, sponsored by WWF.

00:37:39ised by WWF.

00:39:12Set to Oliver Ledbury's glorious roll of honour.

00:39:15Please do keep sending them in.

00:39:17Coming up from hanging out with the Stones, seduction lessons from a screen legend and

00:39:22dinners with Princess Diana.

00:39:23He knows how to name drop.

00:39:25The charmer himself, Nigel Havers, sharing stories from his decades in show business, including

00:39:30his acting career and behind-the-scenes gossip.

00:39:33And paying homage to the festive flora we couldn't celebrate Christmas without, Camilla Bassett-Smith

00:39:38gets creative with the seasonal plants that say Christmas is coming.

00:39:41The holly and the ivy and plenty more, too, when I return with Camilla right after this.

00:39:46Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

00:40:02Coming up, the band that truly cornered the market in break-up bangers.

00:40:07Deeper Shade of Blue, One for Sorrow, Tragedy.

00:40:11Faye Tozer on turning Step's biggest heartbreak hits into a brand new jukebox musical.

00:40:17Oh, she seems to have brought her horse, too.

00:40:20And bringing punch to the manor arms.

00:40:22And he looks like such a placid boy.

00:40:24Tom Sergi serves up the knockout party punch bowls that'll kick-start your festive shindigs

00:40:29in style.

00:40:31Now, earlier, she was getting us into the festive spirit, extolling the virtues of classic Christmas

00:40:36trees.

00:40:37And she's not finished yet.

00:40:38Continuing her horticultural celebration of Christmas greenery.

00:40:42Welcome back, Camilla, with more trees.

00:40:44Yes, they keep on coming, don't they?

00:40:45They're breeding.

00:40:46So much choice.

00:40:47Now, this one, we spoke about spruce trees earlier.

00:40:50We've moved on to firs, and I think there's no denying that this one, the Nordmann fir,

00:40:55is the most beautiful shape, isn't it?

00:40:56It hangs onto its needles far better also than Norway spruce, doesn't it?

00:41:00Yeah, it really does.

00:41:00And I think now probably this country's most popular Christmas tree, for good reason.

00:41:04Also very strong branches.

00:41:06So if you're hanging baubles, and you get some really big baubles, don't you?

00:41:09It really will take it.

00:41:11But a great, great tree.

00:41:13Actually named after a botanist at the Botanical Gardens in Ukraine.

00:41:16Takes its name from that.

00:41:18But this is the tree of choice, isn't it?

00:41:20And I think you often have a Nordmann.

00:41:21Yeah, out of all of them, the Nordmann, for me, is the best one to do.

00:41:26There's your Nordmann, and this one here, which looks like that, you know, grey spruce you had earlier.

00:41:31But again, this is a, you can tell this is a grey fir, because it's got the flat needles.

00:41:35It's lovely to feel.

00:41:36It's a noble fir.

00:41:38And that's the great thing, actually, very child-friendly in a home, aren't they?

00:41:41Because they don't, no poorly fingers from these ones.

00:41:44It's a bit more expensive.

00:41:45Yes.

00:41:45That's the thing.

00:41:46And they do go up in price.

00:41:47That's it.

00:41:47But a great option.

00:41:48I mean, just so much choice, isn't it?

00:41:49The noble fir.

00:41:50Well named.

00:41:51It does look it, doesn't it?

00:41:52It does.

00:41:52But you've got other things as well.

00:41:53Our Christmas greenery.

00:41:54It wouldn't be complete without holly, would it?

00:41:56It wouldn't.

00:41:56Now, holly, I mean, we've been celebrating Christmas with holly for so many years, but

00:42:01it goes back, it predates Christmas, really, for the winter celebrations of Saturnalia and

00:42:05people celebrating the solstice, because the Druids believed that holly was the last plant

00:42:09that the sun would desert.

00:42:11It's supposed to protect you from evil spirits and goblins.

00:42:14No one wants a goblin on Christmas Eve.

00:42:16Oh, no.

00:42:17No, not taking Father Christmas's mince pie and anything, and it doesn't have to happen.

00:42:21But hollies are such good garden plants as well for bringing into the house, but growing

00:42:25in this form of standard, which, these are great either side of the front door, aren't

00:42:29they?

00:42:29Yeah.

00:42:30But you've got this gorgeous variegation, you said this one, Golden King.

00:42:32And this one?

00:42:33And Blue Maid, this one, which berries very profusely as well, so they have a very good

00:42:37crop of berries on these.

00:42:39Quite a new introduction, Blue Maid, I think.

00:42:40It's a bit much to say it's blue.

00:42:42The leaves are very, very dark green.

00:42:43They are.

00:42:44But you wouldn't call them blue, would you?

00:42:44If you can kind of squint your eyes a little bit, put a few blue baubles on them.

00:42:47But the stems, actually, they're quite blue.

00:42:49I suppose maybe that's what the blue is for.

00:42:51They are, but very good, and also good for wildlife as well, you've got those berries.

00:42:54So they look good all year round, don't they?

00:42:56And then indoors.

00:42:57Yes.

00:42:57Now, this is called holly.

00:42:58It's Streptocarpus holly, which is a brand new introduction.

00:43:02It's the first ever Streptocarpus houseplant to flower at Christmas time, because normally

00:43:07they come into flower, which is just getting into spring, and then they flower through

00:43:10the year.

00:43:11But this one has got a head start, and it's a gorgeous kind of clarity colour, really,

00:43:15isn't it?

00:43:15It is.

00:43:16It's really strong, a strong deep-print.

00:43:17And also more compact than the usual ones, with slightly smaller leaves.

00:43:20Yeah, they're shorter, aren't they?

00:43:21I always think they look like cow's tongues.

00:43:23This is more of a dog's tongue or something.

00:43:25A small cat.

00:43:27And probably a better bet than a poncettia, actually.

00:43:29It's going to flower for much longer and be easier to keep.

00:43:31And also, if you bought a poncettia from a cold street display, remember they're natives

00:43:35of Mexico, they're chilled at that point.

00:43:39You probably won't see it until you get them home, then the leaves start being black and

00:43:41falling off.

00:43:42So if you are buying a poncettia, and they're very popular, always buy them from somewhere

00:43:45warm, preferably a nursery or a garden center.

00:43:48And then these beauties.

00:43:50We've had a little bit of a shower, haven't we?

00:43:52But they won't mind it, because the Christmas cactus quite likes it humid, likes a bit of

00:43:56a shower.

00:43:57And I love this colour, Alan.

00:43:59Look at this peach with the pink in it.

00:44:01Yeah.

00:44:01But they're actually, they're called Christmas cactus.

00:44:04More of a succulent, really, aren't they?

00:44:05Yeah.

00:44:05Those succulent leaves.

00:44:06And they're epiphytes.

00:44:07In the wild, they grow up trees.

00:44:08Not as parasites, but just clinging on and absorbing the moisture from the atmosphere.

00:44:12Now you've got a little trough here, a Christmas trough.

00:44:15A Christmas trough, because it's something fun to do at this time of year with little

00:44:19ones.

00:44:19Make sure you've got drainage, because that's the key thing, isn't it?

00:44:22Especially in winter when it's going through the water.

00:44:23Yeah, exactly.

00:44:23So much rain.

00:44:24So this has got drainage in the bottom.

00:44:25We've got a multi-purpose compost that we've popped in, and a selection of festive plants

00:44:30as well.

00:44:31Now in the center, I adore this plant, Alan, and I think it looks quite Christmas tree-like.

00:44:35I love it, and I love saying its name, which is very euphonious.

00:44:39Cyedopetis verticillata.

00:44:41It's very good for checking that you've got your dentures in place.

00:44:44It is, it is.

00:44:44It's pretty ancient, isn't it, historically?

00:44:46It is.

00:44:47It's one of its kind, a bit like the ginkgo.

00:44:49Yeah.

00:44:50Thought to be quite a sacred tree, but it's got these beautiful whorls.

00:44:54Its other name is the Japanese umbrella pine, so these lovely umbrella-like ends to it.

00:45:01Shall I put you a...

00:45:01Popping him in the center there.

00:45:03Shall I put you a hellebore in this end?

00:45:05Yeah.

00:45:06Christmas rose.

00:45:07Yes, this is Christmas carol, this one.

00:45:08I'm thinking about, with any planter, about creating, with this, quite a formal planter,

00:45:15that sense of height in the middle, and then symmetry either side, which works really well.

00:45:22And these beautiful white flowers, snow-white flowers, aren't they?

00:45:25Pop some soil in the back there.

00:45:28Look at that, that's basically all you need.

00:45:29Shall I tuck a heuchera in the front?

00:45:31We've got a heuchera.

00:45:32This one is silver gumdrop.

00:45:34Silver gumdrop.

00:45:35And I love just that silver frosting on the leaf.

00:45:39But underneath, you've got this plum colour.

00:45:40You can probably get that in there.

00:45:42As well.

00:45:42If you tuck that in there, we can get compost around it when they're all gone.

00:45:45Oh, you've got more to get in.

00:45:48I have, because I'd love a little bit of ivy, because at Christmas, ivy goes with holly,

00:45:53doesn't it?

00:45:53Do you want this corner?

00:45:54I've just got a gap here.

00:45:55I'm going to put him in a corner.

00:45:55There you go.

00:45:55He's been in there a long time.

00:45:57But ivy, of course, is such a protective plant.

00:46:00It's brilliant in wreaths or planters.

00:46:02And actually, Westminster Abbey have ivy on wooden carvings there.

00:46:06So it's very much a part of protecting and Christmas and this time of year.

00:46:11That's a really wonderful scheme.

00:46:13Lovely.

00:46:13Bit of purple, a lot of white, a bit of green.

00:46:16Well done.

00:46:16Thanks, Camilla.

00:46:17Lovely.

00:46:17Pleasure.

00:46:23Time now for one of our regular check-ins with Folly Wildlife Rescue, an animal hospital

00:46:28in West Kent that provides specialist care for a range of native wildlife species in need.

00:46:34They've recently taken in a variety of different bird species, so we pay them a visit to see

00:46:39how their newest arrivals were getting on.

00:46:46We have quite a few special guests here at the hospital at the moment, which include three

00:46:51juvenile sparrowhawks and quite a few housemartins and swallows that are all growing up, ready

00:46:57to become adults.

00:46:59So they all come in, as I say, as white little fluffy chicks, incredibly cute, especially the

00:47:04sparrowhawks.

00:47:04So when we're feeding the baby chicks, one of our priorities is ensuring that they don't

00:47:08imprint on us, to cover our face fully so that they can't recognise us as individuals

00:47:12or as humans, as well as using this chick with some tweezers in its mouth to feed them

00:47:17with, and they begin to associate that with feeding rather than us.

00:47:23So they're really restless in here at the moment.

00:47:25It's their first time being outside.

00:47:27It didn't quite go as we expected, but they were a little more calm, a little bit more

00:47:32nervous than we thought they would be.

00:47:33But once they were out, they were right out flying around.

00:47:39They've given all of their branches a good go, and they're trying to balance on them.

00:47:44They're a little bit wobbly at the minute, but they'll work it out eventually, and it's

00:47:47just all about building up their strength and their flight skills ready for release.

00:47:53Feather condition is really vital when looking for any bird's release, especially birds of

00:47:56prey.

00:47:57It's really important that their primary feathers, which they use to flight, are completely in

00:48:01perfect condition.

00:48:02If you're in a woodland area, that's their natural habitat.

00:48:06They prefer those areas.

00:48:07It's easier for them to perch while they're waiting to ambush the prey, and then they'll

00:48:10swoop in really low and fast.

00:48:13All of our babies, because they're juveniles, we have no idea whether they're boys or girls.

00:48:17We won't ever find out because by the time they get their adult colours, they'll be out

00:48:21in the wild, living their best lives.

00:48:24So our migratory species are a lot more demanding.

00:48:28We feed them every 30 minutes, and then that progresses as they get older.

00:48:32Whereas birds of prey, we can feed them four times a day.

00:48:37Swallows and housemartins are very similar in stature.

00:48:40They're two little small birds.

00:48:42The easiest way you can tell them apart is that swallows have kind of like a brown chin,

00:48:47and their wings tend to be a lot longer, and they're kind of like bluey grey.

00:48:51Housemartins, they're a lot smaller.

00:48:54They have, they look like mini penguins almost, because you know, they're white fluffy chests,

00:48:58pure black backs.

00:48:59And you'll find them in open fields, kind of hunting, sweeping low.

00:49:04So here we've got some millworms and waxworms.

00:49:07They've had some crickets earlier, so this is like a little bit of a pudding for them.

00:49:11And these guys will be released somewhere near to the coast, so that they get a little bit of a head start.

00:49:16They'll then be on the wing all the way through till they reach Africa.

00:49:19It's just amazing that something so little couldn't sustain and sleep and eat for such a long time.

00:49:25These guys have come out lucky and landed on the right claw or talon.

00:49:31I think this is probably a good place to release the spare walks.

00:49:40A golf course may not seem like the most logical choice.

00:49:44The Neville golf course here have such a big rewilding scheme.

00:49:48They're wanting to introduce lots of new species to the area.

00:49:51There's lots of nice open greenways, which is a good hunting ground for them.

00:49:57There's lots of tree cover nearby where they can sit and wait and ambush of their prey.

00:50:01We know there's farmland not too far away.

00:50:04And there's also urban density that have lots of their prey.

00:50:08We've just released our second sparrowhawk of the three.

00:50:20He's just flown up into these trees up here.

00:50:22He's given himself a little bit of a preem, making sure his feathers are in good condition

00:50:26before he takes off.

00:50:28At the same time, down by the coast, our swallows and house martens are starting their adventure

00:50:33to Africa, their long migration.

00:50:36It's really magical to see them release them out in the wild, it's amazing.

00:50:45Thanks again to all the team there.

00:50:47Sterling work, as always.

00:50:50Coming up, not all punch bowls are created equally, especially when he's doing the pouring.

00:50:55Drinks expert Tom Serges mixing up the measures with British-made spirits to create the perfect

00:51:01punch bowls for the party season.

00:51:04And celebrating those pop classics with the iconic dance moves, steps Faye Tozer on turning

00:51:10the band's smash hits into a smash hit musical.

00:51:13I'll see you with Faye in five, six, seven, eight.

00:51:19Welcome back to Love Your Weekend, this chilly Sunday morning.

00:51:35Coming up, Havers announces new UK tour.

00:51:39Nigel Havers returns to the stage with witty anecdotes.

00:51:43Brent Hill rip-up E and charm personified as he takes to the stage for an evening of showbiz

00:51:48recollections.

00:51:49And he has quite a few of them, believe me.

00:51:52Well, he's been doing it a long while, hasn't he?

00:51:54Sorry.

00:51:55My next guest.

00:51:56My next guest made her name as one-fifth of the pop band of the late 90s and early noughties.

00:52:02Their back catalogue of infectious hit singles has now been turned into a romp of a jukebox

00:52:08musical.

00:52:09It's no wonder the show's got them dancing in the aisles when it's packed with sing-along

00:52:13feel-good tunes like these.

00:52:16Tragedy, when the feeling's gone and you can't go on, it's tragedy, when the morning

00:52:22rises and you don't know why it's hard to bear, but no one through like you, you're going

00:52:32nowhere.

00:52:33They've become such a part of the pop band, they've become such a part of the pop band.

00:53:01They've become such a part of everybody's lives, even old grandfathers like me, you

00:53:06know.

00:53:07Tragedy.

00:53:08Faye, it's lovely to have you with us, particularly when you think of things like that, I always

00:53:13find myself wondering, the first day you ever heard that song, well, lots of them there,

00:53:19you know, five, six, seven, eight, but tragedy played to you, you're going to be singing this.

00:53:24I mean...

00:53:25For the rest of your life.

00:53:26Yeah, for the rest of your life.

00:53:27A, did you mind and B, do you remember that moment?

00:53:29Oh my goodness.

00:53:30I mean, that was just like my life flashing before me.

00:53:33Yeah.

00:53:34We had no idea.

00:53:35Five, six, seven, eight was the first song that we ever had out back in 1997 and we would

00:53:42have no idea that we'd still be here like 27 years later.

00:53:46Year long, yeah.

00:53:47Yeah, still going.

00:53:48Yes.

00:53:49Amazing.

00:53:50But tragedy, we can all do that first move anyway.

00:53:52That's the move, everybody.

00:53:53Yeah.

00:53:54All right, I'm doing it wrong.

00:53:55Still doing it.

00:53:56I always do it like that.

00:53:57Oh, no, it's this one.

00:53:58Yes, of course.

00:53:59That's a bit scared.

00:54:00Absolutely.

00:54:01We'll have to go that way.

00:54:02Yeah.

00:54:03Try to dig properly.

00:54:04You'll be pleased to know now.

00:54:05Stop it.

00:54:06And now we've got this musical, this jukebox musical here and now which is based on all

00:54:11your songs.

00:54:12Not you in it though and not your story as a group.

00:54:15No.

00:54:16But it utilises all sorts.

00:54:17Yeah.

00:54:18Rather like, you know, at Mamma Mia.

00:54:20Absolutely.

00:54:21So we actually went to see Mamma Mia years and years and years ago as a group when we

00:54:25first came out.

00:54:26And we said, oh gosh, you know, our music would really lend itself to a musical.

00:54:30Like, fast forward to around eight years ago, we changed our management and we said,

00:54:36we really want to go ahead with this, we really want to do a musical because it would

00:54:39be a huge stamp, a huge legacy for Steps and our music.

00:54:43And it's taken about eight years to actually come into fruition.

00:54:46Yeah.

00:54:47We ended up with an incredible writer, Shaw Kinchner.

00:54:50We've got Matt Cole, choreographer, who is an award winning.

00:54:53You know, we've got an amazing team behind us and we've been able to create this really,

00:54:57really British, down to earth, heartfelt story with our incredible hits.

00:55:04I'm allowed to say that, aren't we?

00:55:05Of course you are.

00:55:06Nobody's going to deny that.

00:55:07Well, last year you were in Liverpool.

00:55:09Now, this coming week you're in Brighton.

00:55:10That's right.

00:55:11Well, the show is in Brighton.

00:55:12You're not there, but the show is.

00:55:13That's right.

00:55:14But it did strike me there.

00:55:15There are similarities with ABBA in terms of sort of orchestration, aren't there really?

00:55:19Very much so.

00:55:20And I think Pete Waterman back in the early days, you know, wanted to make a point of that.

00:55:24He used to call us ABBA on speed.

00:55:26But it was definitely because of the blend of our voices, the boy girl thing.

00:55:31So, yeah.

00:55:32And we totally own that.

00:55:33Absolutely.

00:55:34It's lovely, this long after those initials, you say, in 1997, the fact that you are still

00:55:41together, that you're still speaking to one another.

00:55:42Yeah.

00:55:43What's happening every day.

00:55:44Well, it's quite rare nowadays.

00:55:45I mean, there's so many fall outs and whatnot.

00:55:47It's rather nice to hear of a group that are still sort of in speaking terms and seeing

00:55:52it going on.

00:55:53The initial split, obviously, there was a big gap in between where we didn't speak

00:55:57because it was quite a tricky ending, but that's well documented and it's all water under

00:56:01the bridge now.

00:56:02You're growing up now.

00:56:03Well, yeah.

00:56:04And there's more important things, you know, we're all parents, you know, we all want to

00:56:08do things outside of these things and celebrate each other for that and support each other

00:56:12for that.

00:56:13And we're together because we choose to be now, not because we're being asked to be.

00:56:17And that's really amazing.

00:56:18Is Glastonbury still a dream?

00:56:20Ah, well, that would be bucket list.

00:56:23It really would.

00:56:24But Elton John only got asked recently, so there's still time yet.

00:56:29Oh dear, yeah.

00:56:30Would love to, though.

00:56:31Glastonbury would be a dream.

00:56:32Well, you've sung with some interesting people.

00:56:35I mean, we've got a bit of footage of you here.

00:56:37You singing with Russell Watson.

00:56:39So here's Fay Tozer and Russell Watson in duet.

00:56:42Why do anything if you just let me in your life?

00:56:48Whatever it takes, I won't make the same mistakes.

00:56:55All of my life.

00:56:56All of my life.

00:56:57All of my life.

00:56:58All of my life.

00:57:02All of my life.

00:57:03All of my life.

00:57:04I've been searching for someone like you.

00:57:23He wasn't paying you any attention.

00:57:24I think I was really rude.

00:57:26He was singing so beautifully.

00:57:28Where were you when you were doing that?

00:57:30Gosh, so I went on tour with Russell and we went on the QE2 for this amazing trip towards New Zealand and that video was actually shot in Tahiti, the outside charts.

00:57:43That was part of our tour and we ended up in New Zealand and played to the biggest audience I've ever played to and it's 140,000 people.

00:57:50My knees were knocking.

00:57:52What does it fit?

00:57:53When you're standing in front of it, that's him.

00:57:54Yeah.

00:57:55He had the most incredible orchestra behind us and I was just like a featured artist with him.

00:57:59Got to do one of my own songs as well as working with him.

00:58:02And Hayley Weston was on there as well.

00:58:05It was just magical.

00:58:06Lovely.

00:58:07Lucky me.

00:58:08Knees knocking.

00:58:09Do you get nervous?

00:58:10Yes, absolutely.

00:58:11But if you don't get nervous, I feel like it's all...

00:58:13You're not shot.

00:58:14Yeah, but also it's because you want to do a good job, isn't it?

00:58:16I think.

00:58:17Yeah.

00:58:18Well, you've done various jobs, various different ones.

00:58:20I mean, playing Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmation, it's quite a different bit of acting.

00:58:25And nice to play somebody nasty.

00:58:27Yeah.

00:58:28I'm an animal lover, doodle-doo, love animals.

00:58:34Doodle-doo, love them here and here and here and here.

00:58:39I like my creature comfort sneer.

00:58:42Whoops!

00:58:43Was that a crocodile tear?

00:58:45Let's start with the shoe, always start with the shoe.

00:58:48It lets you know just what to do.

00:58:51If you're serving looks with all the feels, it's got to be kitten heels.

00:58:57Let's cut to the calf, skin the calf.

00:59:00Look at that leg, bevel darling.

00:59:03You don't want something that doesn't look right.

00:59:06You want skin tight, and when I say skin tight, I mean skin!

00:59:12In a very appropriate leopard skin coat there Cruella de Vil.

00:59:16Yes, you've got them in though.

00:59:17You've always loved musicals, I think, haven't you?

00:59:19I have.

00:59:20I actually was auditioning for musicals when I did the Steps audition.

00:59:25I wanted to go into musicals, that was my thing.

00:59:27I didn't realise that I'd end up in the pop industry.

00:59:30And I've been really lucky since 2004.

00:59:33I did my first musical, Tell Me on a Sunday, Bill Kenwright production.

00:59:38Yes.

00:59:39And then after that, I think I've now been in the musical theatre world

00:59:42as my other day job for about 20 years now,

00:59:45and had some incredible roles, incredible shows,

00:59:48and worked with incredible people.

00:59:49And you're doing panto this year as well, are you in Birmingham?

00:59:51I am.

00:59:52I am.

00:59:53We're at the Birmingham Hippodrome, and we are doing Robin Hood.

00:59:58So I usually play the Evil Queen, so this is a different part for me,

01:00:03but I'm with the lovely Biggins, and also Gok Wan,

01:00:06who I've never worked with before.

01:00:08Good heavens above.

01:00:09Two pantomimed stalwarts there.

01:00:11It's going to be a noisy show.

01:00:12So who are you playing in Robin Hood?

01:00:13So I'm Maid Marian.

01:00:14Well, of course, if you're not a wicked queen.

01:00:16Yes, of course.

01:00:17Oh, well, she's lovely.

01:00:18You can give her a bit of...

01:00:19I think it's going to be very tongue-in-cheek, fun jokes.

01:00:22Yeah.

01:00:23Just setting it all up for everybody else.

01:00:24So it'll be really fun.

01:00:25Well, I'll be talking to Nigel about panto as well,

01:00:27because it is the season, isn't it, to be in panto.

01:00:30Yeah.

01:00:31And darn hard work.

01:00:32Yes.

01:00:33I mean, for most people, it's two shows a day, six days a week.

01:00:36And it's a graft.

01:00:37And I think you have to be a certain type of person

01:00:40to want to do that and come back and do it every year.

01:00:42But we always have a really, really great time.

01:00:45And it's dark outside.

01:00:46It's a bit dingy.

01:00:47So I'm like, roll me in glitter and I'm happy.

01:00:50And you live in the country.

01:00:51You're living up in the North East.

01:00:52Yeah.

01:00:53So it's lovely to meet someone who's not down here in London,

01:00:56or not in the city, but way up there.

01:00:58And you're a country girl, then, really.

01:01:00You're on the countryside.

01:01:01I think I am at heart.

01:01:02Yeah.

01:01:03I really am.

01:01:04I really enjoy my downtime being outside.

01:01:07I'm a big fan of...

01:01:08So I'm about an hour from the lakes, which is amazing.

01:01:11And just walking and hiking is a real tonic for me these days.

01:01:16I love doubling in the garden as well.

01:01:18It gives me a lot of...

01:01:19I think it's just a lovely contrast when your life is so busy and so hectic

01:01:24and just getting down to a bit of normality and a space to breathe.

01:01:28We'll be getting you and Tom Allen on gardeners question time before we know where we are.

01:01:31Oh lovely.

01:01:32Top tips all round.

01:01:33Yes please.

01:01:34Thank you, Faye.

01:01:35You're very welcome.

01:01:36Well, we're heading down the garden path now with a secretive and deceptive

01:01:41and suspicious little creature, especially where acorns are concerned.

01:01:45Here's Leslie Joseph and everything you need to know about the acrobatic grey squirrel.

01:01:52A very good morning to you, Alan.

01:01:54And a delicious and delectable good morning to you, dear viewer.

01:01:58Today we go down the garden path to meet the grey squirrel.

01:02:03Native to North America, grey squirrels were first introduced to the UK in the 19th century.

01:02:10The species has spread rapidly and there are now an estimated 2.7 million grey squirrels across the nation.

01:02:18Unfortunately, the introduction of grey squirrels has had a disastrous impact

01:02:24on the UK's only native squirrel species, the red squirrel.

01:02:29This makes the grey squirrel considered somewhat of a pest.

01:02:32The grey squirrel can be found in woods, gardens and parks across the land,

01:02:36frequently helping themselves to acorns, hazelnuts and even a cheeky nibble on the occasional pine cone.

01:02:42When it comes to stashing supplies, the grey squirrel will collect food in the autumn

01:02:47and bury their treasures underground, ready to be eaten in winter when food is scarce.

01:02:52With a silver grey coat and a brownish face and feet.

01:02:56The most striking feature of the grey squirrel is, of course, their characteristically bushy tail

01:03:02that helps keep balance when climbing trees.

01:03:05When it comes to home life, grey squirrels make a rough nest called a dray out of twigs, leaves and strips of bark high up in the trees.

01:03:14Grey squirrels are renowned for their agility, adept climbing and cunning craftiness.

01:03:20They can crack open bird feeders with ease and run along tightrope like washing lines to get to their nutty prize.

01:03:28On the matter of movement, grey squirrels have double-jointed ankles,

01:03:33allowing their feet to face both forwards and backwards, a perfect adaption for tree climbing.

01:03:40Well, dear viewer, that just about wraps up another visit down the garden path.

01:03:46Over to you, Helen.

01:03:49Thank you, Leslie. And did you know, squirrels have four large front teeth that carry on growing throughout their lives.

01:03:55That's to prevent them wearing down while they're munching away on nuts, seeds and other woody items.

01:04:01Fancy. There you are.

01:04:02Coming up, from jumping hurdles in Chariots of Fire, to taking a passage to India, to cornering the market in greasy cads, dubious charmers and lovable toffs,

01:04:13Nigel Havers takes to the road for a brand new tour.

01:04:17And he's in panto too, as I said, playing Keeper of the Privy, that well-known role.

01:04:22I'll be back with Nigel right after this.

01:04:31Welcome back to Love Your Weekend. Still ahead, the drinks your party guests can serve themselves.

01:04:43Tom Sergi gets creative with the hassle-free cocktail punch bowls that'll keep them coming back for more.

01:04:49But first described as an entertaining, irreverent look at ageing, second chances, friendship and love in later life.

01:04:56Proving that it really is never too late.

01:04:59Just ask Anita Dobson and Nigel Havers.

01:05:02We love you, Cynthia. You can be with me.

01:05:06You ready?

01:05:11It had to be you.

01:05:18Fantastic.

01:05:20It had to be you.

01:05:21I wandered around and finally found there's somebody who

01:05:30Could make me be true.

01:05:34And could make me be blue.

01:05:39And even be glad just to be sad, thinking of you.

01:05:44Well, Tom Allen was rubbish, but you were really there quite good, I thought, in no way.

01:05:49I have not seen that.

01:05:50So it comes as a bit of a shock.

01:05:51It does.

01:05:52Now, it's part of a new play for today.

01:05:55Yes.

01:05:56That lovely series we had many, many years ago and they suddenly brought them back.

01:05:58Yes.

01:05:59You and Anita Dobson.

01:06:00In this story about older people, tell us a bit about the plot.

01:06:06Well, I'm in an older person's sort of home.

01:06:10Accommodation.

01:06:11Accommodation.

01:06:12And she turns up and we were old flames from way back.

01:06:15And she is very disappointed to see me because of the way it ended.

01:06:20And it ended in a way that she thought was wrong.

01:06:23And in fact, it was a mistake.

01:06:25And I won't spoil it, but it's rather cute and lovely.

01:06:29And I did enjoy doing it.

01:06:30Yeah.

01:06:31I'd never worked with Anita, but she was fantastic.

01:06:33She's a delight.

01:06:34She really is.

01:06:35She sat where you're sitting several times.

01:06:37Yeah.

01:06:38As an interviewee, she's absolutely delightful.

01:06:40She is just incredible.

01:06:41And Play for Today started, kick-started many people's careers, as you probably know, including

01:06:47mine in a way, because I did a couple.

01:06:49And it was at a time when, you know, you could go to the BBC and say, I've got this idea.

01:06:54And they'd say, well, let's do it.

01:06:56And it would be done.

01:06:57And it was quality drama.

01:06:58Yeah.

01:06:59But it was done very quickly.

01:07:00No one interfering.

01:07:01Didn't cost much money.

01:07:02Didn't get paid very much.

01:07:03But at least you got something done on the telly.

01:07:07And that's, I think, a very good idea to revive.

01:07:10And that's the plan.

01:07:12You started in things like that.

01:07:14And it's been wonderful watching you develop and seeing you now playing older men.

01:07:19Yes.

01:07:20Near your own age.

01:07:21Was there a moment when you thought, I've moved on.

01:07:24I'm not that young bounder anymore.

01:07:26Just now, actually.

01:07:27Just watching that clip, I thought, oh, it's happened.

01:07:32I'm in an old people's accommodation.

01:07:34It's finally happened.

01:07:36Yeah.

01:07:37But I'm not, I mean, so what?

01:07:38Oh, but they are such cracking roles.

01:07:39Yeah.

01:07:40They are.

01:07:41And one in particular, which must have been really intriguing and in a way hard to play.

01:07:47Playing your grandfather, because most of your family have been in law.

01:07:50Your father was attorney general and, you know, great legal roles within government, Sir Michael Havers.

01:07:57Your brother is in that.

01:07:59You, the actor in the family.

01:08:01And then to play this role, which is your grandfather in Cruel Love.

01:08:05Ruth Ellis, the jury has convicted you of murder.

01:08:18In my view, it was the only verdict possible.

01:08:22You will be taken hence to the prison in which you were last confined, and from there to a place of execution, where you will suffer death by hanging.

01:08:39And thereafter, your body buried within the precincts of the prison.

01:08:44And may the Lord have mercy on your soul.

01:08:47Amen.

01:08:50Thanks.

01:09:06Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain.

01:09:09And sentenced to death unwillingly by your grandfather, because she would not say she hadn't intended to kill a lover.

01:09:18Absolutely correct.

01:09:19I mean, you knew your grandfather.

01:09:20I mean, what a thing to have to go through.

01:09:22I know.

01:09:23From Ruth Ellis's point of view, but also from your grandfather's point of view.

01:09:25Indeed.

01:09:26And he did speak about it, and he was mortified by it.

01:09:29And, as you know, during the trial, he kept saying, but you didn't intend to kill.

01:09:34Oh, yes, I did, she said, at every turn.

01:09:37So there was nothing he could do.

01:09:39He sent a letter to the Home Secretary at the time, asking him to spare her.

01:09:44Commute sentence.

01:09:45Yes.

01:09:46And he refused.

01:09:47And he then decided to pay for her son's education.

01:09:54Which he did.

01:09:55Gracious me.

01:09:56Yeah.

01:09:57Playing your grandfather, then, in that role, was that hard?

01:09:59That was a facile question, really.

01:10:01But it must have been very hard to do that role.

01:10:03It actually...

01:10:04Channeling him, in a way.

01:10:05I'm glad they asked me.

01:10:06And I said, no.

01:10:07I have one reservation.

01:10:08I think I'm a little too young to play him.

01:10:10And they said, actually, you're ten years old.

01:10:12Oh, dear.

01:10:15But it was...

01:10:16Back to the age thing, Nigel.

01:10:17Yes, back to the age thing.

01:10:18Every word I say is the words that he spoke.

01:10:21Goodness.

01:10:22So I had to get them absolutely dead right.

01:10:24Yeah.

01:10:25But I was...

01:10:26I adored my grandfather, so it was quite something for me to do it.

01:10:30On a lighter note, you're still touring with your one-month show, I think.

01:10:33Or are you going to tour again with it?

01:10:34I am.

01:10:35I'm going to go on.

01:10:36I had such a good time doing it.

01:10:37And I realised, you know, I couldn't work out why I wanted to do it.

01:10:41But people had asked me, and I kept saying, really?

01:10:44Am I back to the age thing?

01:10:45Am I...

01:10:46I'm too young to do this.

01:10:47And then I decided I wasn't.

01:10:49I remember Dawn French, who's a great friend of mine.

01:10:52She rang me one night.

01:10:53I was in a play just about to go on stage.

01:10:55And she rang and said,

01:10:56I'm just about to go on stage and I'm so nervous.

01:10:58I'm doing my one-woman show and I don't know why I'm doing it.

01:11:01Why am I putting myself through this?

01:11:03And I said, Dawn, it's very, very simple.

01:11:05You're doing it because you have a huge ego.

01:11:08And she said, oh, you're right.

01:11:10Oh, now I understand.

01:11:12Thank you, John.

01:11:13And I found myself on stage on the first night I was doing this.

01:11:16And I said, why am I doing this?

01:11:18And I realised it was because I have a huge ego.

01:11:21Well, that's Noel Coward.

01:11:22When he was once being interviewed, the interview said,

01:11:24I'm terribly sorry to keep asking you about yourself.

01:11:27And Coward said, no, no, it's my favourite subject.

01:11:29It became mine.

01:11:31Yes.

01:11:32I got Judy Dench to do the introduction and you hear her voice saying,

01:11:36ladies and gentlemen, here's someone who needs no introduction.

01:11:39And then you hear me saying, but if I don't need an introduction,

01:11:41why are you introducing me?

01:11:43She says, you're right.

01:11:44OK.

01:11:45Here's Nigel Havers.

01:11:46And she kicks me off.

01:11:48And I run on stage in slow motion to the music of Chariots of Fire.

01:11:52And it sort of kicks off.

01:11:54And I had an idea, but I didn't have a script.

01:11:58He just sort of patterns.

01:12:00There's enough that you've done, Nigel, over the years.

01:12:03And the variety of it as well, from comedy to heavy drama.

01:12:06Yeah.

01:12:07There's another popular drama which you have been in, Downton Abbey.

01:12:10Oh, yes.

01:12:11Now, Julian Fellows is a great friend of mine.

01:12:13And we were a bunch of actors all growing up together.

01:12:16And whenever we went to the pub to have a drink,

01:12:18Julian would always sit on the table over there writing.

01:12:20I'm writing.

01:12:21I'm just doing writing.

01:12:22We thought, he's never going to get any job writing.

01:12:25He's never going to get anywhere.

01:12:27Come on, Julian.

01:12:28You're never going to get anywhere writing.

01:12:29So that was very clever.

01:12:31And then came Gosford Park and then came the Oscar.

01:12:33Yeah, and came the Oscar.

01:12:34So when he said, would you play this part?

01:12:36Yeah.

01:12:37A cad.

01:12:38He said, oh, that'll be novel.

01:12:40That'll be fine.

01:12:41I've never done that before.

01:12:43Here you are, then.

01:12:44The cad and Downton Abbey.

01:12:46Well, what shall we talk about?

01:12:48Hatton?

01:12:50Shall we discuss why you never go there now?

01:12:54Or Lock Earl?

01:12:56Or what about Hepworth House in Grover Square?

01:12:59I spent so many happy evenings there with your father in hot pursuit.

01:13:05I see it's time for some honesty.

01:13:10A change is as good as a rest.

01:13:13I think you know that Hatton's gone.

01:13:16So has Lock Earl.

01:13:19And Hepworth House has so many mortgages.

01:13:23I, er...

01:13:24I could only sell it at a loss.

01:13:26So my spies tell me.

01:13:27So you want Rosamond, or rather the fortune of the late Mr Painswick, to come to the rescue?

01:13:34My feelings for Lady Rosamond are sincere.

01:13:37I admire her immensely.

01:13:39I do not doubt it.

01:13:41My only fear is that you admire her money more.

01:13:44Lady Rosamond is too young to be alone.

01:13:47And you'll concede that there are many varieties of happy marriage.

01:13:53Maybe.

01:13:54But they are all based on honesty.

01:13:58I insist you tell the truth about your circumstances to Rosamond.

01:14:04After that, it's up to her.

01:14:08Dowager Countess Grantham, a force to be reckoned with.

01:14:11Those short, sharp put-downs and one-liners.

01:14:14Maggie Smith, a force to be reckoned with.

01:14:16But a delight to play opposites, I would think.

01:14:18Oh, I knew her well.

01:14:20So I had fun with her.

01:14:22You know, I saw her not long before she died, actually.

01:14:25And I said, Maggie, you're looking wonderful.

01:14:27And she said to me, you're clutching at straws, darling.

01:14:32Very Maggie.

01:14:33She was quite a wonderful person.

01:14:35You did get the part in the end.

01:14:36I did get the part in the end, yes.

01:14:37But a far cry from Panto.

01:14:38I mean, it's ten years you've been doing the Lund Palladium Panto now,

01:14:43with Julian Clary.

01:14:44And it is...

01:14:45It's hilarious.

01:14:46Last year, I was the poster boy for assisted dying.

01:14:53What are you this year?

01:14:54I can't tell you what I am this year.

01:14:58Something to do with the privy.

01:15:00Yes, I'm keeper of the privy, actually.

01:15:01Oh, right.

01:15:02The purse bit's been dropped.

01:15:04Oh, yes, totally.

01:15:05Just keeper of the privy.

01:15:06Just keep the loo's clean.

01:15:07Does...

01:15:08How much sort of adalibing goes on in the evening?

01:15:11Well, it's funny you should ask that, because...

01:15:13Once you've strapped it down, we try and keep it.

01:15:16Yeah.

01:15:17Because there's so many cues involved.

01:15:19But Julian can't, obviously, resist.

01:15:21So it does move around.

01:15:23Especially with me.

01:15:24Especially with you.

01:15:25It's clearly huge fun.

01:15:27It is huge fun.

01:15:28But I do...

01:15:29What a wonderful life.

01:15:30I've had the most amazingly good time.

01:15:31Don't tell everybody.

01:15:32No, no.

01:15:33I've had a very hard, difficult life.

01:15:35Yes.

01:15:36Well, we can tell that from your features.

01:15:37Just like you, Alan.

01:15:38Yes.

01:15:39Just like me.

01:15:40Yes.

01:15:41And I'm not giving up the spade, either.

01:15:42No.

01:15:43Because you never know when you're going to need it again, do you?

01:15:44No.

01:15:45And I love a bit of spade work myself.

01:15:46Good.

01:15:47I'm a keen, keen gardener.

01:15:48I'm glad.

01:15:49I'm glad this place is full of them today, really.

01:15:51You and Tom Allen together.

01:15:52Yeah.

01:15:53Lovely to talk to you.

01:15:54Lovely to talk to you.

01:15:55You'll say for a light libation at the end, will you?

01:15:57Have I ever said no?

01:15:58No.

01:15:59Unfortunately not.

01:16:00No.

01:16:01Before.

01:16:02It's dreadful.

01:16:03Brings up the worst in me.

01:16:05Before the libations, time to de-stress your Sunday even more with today's Ode to Joy.

01:16:11The End

01:16:16The End

01:16:20The End

01:16:21The End

01:16:24The End

01:16:25ORGAN PLAYS

01:16:55ORGAN PLAYS

01:17:25ORGAN PLAYS

01:17:55ORGAN PLAYS

01:18:00That was New Mills in Derbyshire, fabulous county,

01:18:04courtesy of Andy from Drone UK

01:18:05and set to one of my favourite overtures,

01:18:08The Silken Ladder by Rossini.

01:18:11Come one, come all, it's the return of the 1970s punch bowl.

01:18:14Remember them?

01:18:15No wonder Tom Surge has already got a cue for me.

01:18:18I'll be back with the other Tom, Faye and Nigel to sample his communal cocktails right after this.

01:18:23Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

01:18:40Best of British time and with the Christmas party season in full swing,

01:18:43our diaries easily fill up with invites to office stews and festive mingles and jingles

01:18:49and with family and friends.

01:18:51But if you're playing host this year, perhaps a hassle-free approach to bartending is what's called for

01:18:56with the return of the classic 1970s punch bowl.

01:19:00Dangerous.

01:19:01Not only are they cost-effective, but they also mean you can escape from behind the drinks trolley

01:19:06and enjoy the evening yourself.

01:19:08Here with his very own batch-made cocktails using the finest British spirits.

01:19:12Welcome back.

01:19:13Tom Surgey with an array of goldfish bowls.

01:19:15Thank you, Alan.

01:19:16I know.

01:19:17Look at this.

01:19:18I brought them from home.

01:19:19It's all mine.

01:19:20It's not.

01:19:21It's not.

01:19:22There's poor fish.

01:19:23There's poor fish.

01:19:23I know.

01:19:24It's an absolute travesty.

01:19:26Do you know, this is one of my favourite segments we've done.

01:19:28I think punch is exactly the time of year for it.

01:19:31We think of punch, first and foremost, as being this very summery kind of, you know,

01:19:35Caribbean island kind of influence thing.

01:19:38And actually, these are incredibly British drinks.

01:19:41These were almost definitely invented in India.

01:19:44While the Brits were out there in the 1600s.

01:19:46And so they have a 400-year history.

01:19:48And their arrival in the Caribbean arrives with the Brits.

01:19:51And so there's this real kind of British, I suppose, sort of heritage to these drinks

01:19:56that then transcend and move all over the world.

01:19:58And then get these brilliant, unique characters from the cultures that they meet along the way.

01:20:02So we're going to explore that a bit.

01:20:04First off, we're going to do something outrageous.

01:20:07And I think my favourite of the lot, it's a beautiful thing.

01:20:10It's the Chatham Artillery Punch.

01:20:12It is this situation over here.

01:20:14I've been to Chatham.

01:20:15And let me tell you, you can easily get punched there.

01:20:18So this is different Chatham, you see.

01:20:20So this, this comes from Georgia, out in America.

01:20:23And in 1885, Chatham Artillery Punch was invented.

01:20:26It is a combination of cognac, very, very lovely rum, bourbon,

01:20:33and topped up, crucially, all that else is in it, a bit of lemon juice and sugar,

01:20:37topped up with the brilliant Westwell Wiccan Foy English sparkling wine,

01:20:42giving it a bit of verve and zest.

01:20:44This is delicious.

01:20:45Isn't it amazing?

01:20:45That's all that's in it.

01:20:46That's all that's in it.

01:20:47Very tasty.

01:20:47And then what's on top?

01:20:49What have we got?

01:20:49A little bit of grated nutmeg.

01:20:51Ah.

01:20:51If you want to, yeah, that's the key thing.

01:20:53Oh, I just thought that was a bit of hay that fell on the ceiling.

01:20:56It's really refreshing.

01:20:58There's a lot going on in this, isn't there?

01:21:00There is a lot going on.

01:21:01I can taste all of it.

01:21:01And it's one, it's very complex, isn't it?

01:21:03Mouth-partied.

01:21:04Delicious.

01:21:04Yeah.

01:21:05And you would never suspect that it's almost entirely neat spirits.

01:21:09And the reason for that is you get this amazing freshness.

01:21:11Oh, I think I would.

01:21:12I was going to say, I think I'm about to.

01:21:15It's just sort of a heart starter, isn't it?

01:21:17Yeah.

01:21:18Full stopper, one or the other.

01:21:20Yes.

01:21:20Or as my father would call it, a phlegm cutter.

01:21:26Faye, you like this as well.

01:21:27I do.

01:21:27I think it's really refreshing, though, as well.

01:21:30It's got this tartness, this kind of moorish little tartness to it.

01:21:33Yeah.

01:21:33Beautiful.

01:21:34Oh, it's gorgeous.

01:21:35And as you say, once they're in the bowl, it's just sort of pouring away.

01:21:38It's all right, isn't it?

01:21:40Diving.

01:21:41Lovely, that one.

01:21:42Oh, this one's warm.

01:21:44Yeah, this one is warm.

01:21:45And I thought what we'd do here is we'd do a sort of lovely mould cider.

01:21:48And the idea is these are drinks that are there to be served as a sharing drink.

01:21:53They're there to be ladled out in kind of generous kind of quantities to people.

01:21:57And our mould drinks and our culture of that here at this time of year is amazing.

01:22:01So I'm saying people should get into mould earlier in the year.

01:22:03Don't wait till kind of absolutely Christmas and into New Year.

01:22:06Get in it now.

01:22:07Have it.

01:22:07Smells delicious.

01:22:08This is just lovely.

01:22:10So this is Celtic Marshes cider.

01:22:12They're a seventh generation Herefordshire cider farm that is all grown on one estate.

01:22:17And this is their orange version.

01:22:20It's absolutely stunning.

01:22:21It's wonderfully gentle.

01:22:23Yeah.

01:22:24But delicious.

01:22:25Is it just the cider?

01:22:26That's it?

01:22:26So what I've done, I've actually tuned that up very slightly.

01:22:29I've thrown a little bit of a ginger vodka in there as well.

01:22:33Which I think they're quite, what I love about mould drinks is you can hide, like all good

01:22:40bunches, you can hide quite a lot of booze in them.

01:22:42So it's a bit of a party starter.

01:22:43A bit of ginger to go alongside the orange and cinnamon.

01:22:47And you like a vodka, don't you?

01:22:48That's so good.

01:22:49That's particularly nice.

01:22:50Come on.

01:22:52Very nice things.

01:22:53Ginger's good for your throat as well.

01:22:54So that's a good excuse to pop in.

01:22:56And you're a singer, so you do.

01:22:56Exactly.

01:22:56So pop that in as well.

01:22:58Before you go on.

01:22:58Yeah.

01:22:59A little tipple before you go on.

01:23:01Now, as ever, we're going to have a non-alcoholic version of these amazing punches.

01:23:06And I'm fascinated by the non-alcoholic world.

01:23:10And we've got, what I've done here is I've created layers and layers and layers of lots

01:23:14of different, really lovely, gently bitter, gently vinegar-based, some of them, different

01:23:19non-alcoholic drinks made in England, things like Bativo and that sort of thing.

01:23:23But I've also layered it very heavily with this.

01:23:26This is Three Spirit and it's called Cherry Love Social.

01:23:30And it is a mood-boosting, functional spirit.

01:23:33So it's got Damiana, which is an aphrodisiac.

01:23:36It's got all sorts of kind of different things going on.

01:23:39I know.

01:23:40Come on.

01:23:41It meant to sort of give you a sensation.

01:23:44It's great.

01:23:44No alcohol.

01:23:45And maraschinos.

01:23:46No alcohol at all.

01:23:49But in layering it up with lots of different drinks and then topping it with a little bit

01:23:52of ginger beer, what it does is it gives you a sensation that should give you a little

01:23:56warmth and a little tension, a little texture, like an alcoholic drink.

01:23:59If you'd said there was something alcoholic in there, I would have believed you because

01:24:02it's got a bit of edge to it, doesn't it?

01:24:04It's not too sickly.

01:24:05At the end of the day, I have to say, it hasn't got any alcohol in it.

01:24:10It's not so interesting.

01:24:12It actually tastes a little bit herby and medicinal.

01:24:16Yes, there definitely is that.

01:24:18100%.

01:24:19Three down, two to go.

01:24:21Now, this time of year we get into that funny old season where we start drinking lovely warm

01:24:27drinks but that are sort of filled with milk and eggs and there's this tradition of the

01:24:31eggnog and all these spiced rum-based sort of rich drinks.

01:24:36And this is a little take on that.

01:24:38This is the Black Lines Oat Nog.

01:24:41It is oat milk.

01:24:42It is beautiful rum made in Devon, cinnamon, a little bit of spice to it and it is a dairy-free,

01:24:49egg-free alternative.

01:24:50Oat Nog.

01:24:51Oat Nog.

01:24:52Oat Nog.

01:24:53Come on, everybody's happy.

01:24:54Now, it doesn't have the sweetness you expect.

01:24:57No, actually.

01:24:58You're used to that yellowy one, aren't you?

01:25:00Yeah, yeah.

01:25:00Avocado.

01:25:01Avocado.

01:25:02Yes.

01:25:02I quite like it.

01:25:03Have you got an avocado?

01:25:03We like a bit of avocado.

01:25:05After this, we can have a cup of avocado.

01:25:06Or we can make a snowball.

01:25:08Oh, I like a snowball, Alan.

01:25:09Yeah, that's good.

01:25:10It's good, isn't it?

01:25:12Yeah, it's really nice.

01:25:13Refreshing.

01:25:13Yes.

01:25:14Funnily enough.

01:25:14What's the alcohols?

01:25:15So this is Devon-based, really high-quality rum blended with oat, you know, literally oat milk,

01:25:21kind of oat cream, and then little bits of different sort of spices, cinnamons and a bit of nutmeg,

01:25:26layered in.

01:25:27I think it's beautiful.

01:25:28That's really nice.

01:25:29Have you added anything to this?

01:25:30I've added nothing to this.

01:25:32So this is straight out of that bottle.

01:25:34It's delicious, isn't it?

01:25:35It's delicious.

01:25:35It has a, you know, because if you start going into creamy drinks, which will be nameless,

01:25:41they're very Moorish, but they're quite sickly.

01:25:43Oh, I'll say.

01:25:43You've had a couple.

01:25:44But this isn't.

01:25:45It's much more milky than creamy, which is good.

01:25:47You can have litres and litres of this.

01:25:49I would like to have that.

01:25:51I actually really like that.

01:25:52So then we get to the Market Garden.

01:25:54Finally.

01:25:54Faye likes that one.

01:25:55I do, I do.

01:25:56This looks like something you entered into Chelsea once, Alan.

01:26:00Yeah.

01:26:00Yes, I think I've got a gold medal for this one.

01:26:03So I've said it before on this show, but a garnish should either be there to elevate the flavour of the drink

01:26:07and give it more aroma, or it should be sort of threatening you, sort of poking you in the eye.

01:26:11So feel free to get the bouquet out of the way if you want to.

01:26:15But if you are making drinks for pineapples, use the leaves, for goodness sake.

01:26:18That's the point of it.

01:26:18Ooh.

01:26:19This is...

01:26:20What's happened, Alan?

01:26:20What's happened?

01:26:21Ooh, I'll just have...

01:26:22Barbados.

01:26:22Oh, really?

01:26:23Take a slump.

01:26:24It's after that creamy one.

01:26:25Talking of hiding lots of booze in these things, these are the best drinks to absolutely fill with beautiful rums.

01:26:32This is my take on a classic Jamaican or Barbadian-style rum.

01:26:35Oh, that's good.

01:26:36This is based on this beautiful Two Drifters Devon-based rum.

01:26:40Highly, highly, highly sustainable, very, very planet-friendly rum.

01:26:44This is their Overproof Pineapple.

01:26:47So this is a spiced rum, and it is, instead of being 42% like most rums, it is 60%.

01:26:52Oh, jeez, now you tell us.

01:26:54And that explains it a lot.

01:26:57It's so loud.

01:26:58It's very much a lot.

01:26:59Absolutely.

01:26:59I've got to operate heavy machinery later this evening.

01:27:00Yeah, exactly.

01:27:01Not anymore, not anymore.

01:27:03And this is pineapple juice.

01:27:05It is orange juice.

01:27:06You throw in some sort of lovely all-spice, bit of nutmeg to give it that lovely kind of spice to it.

01:27:11And then crucially, what makes these lovely punches sweet and easy drinking is strawberry syrup.

01:27:16So you need to get yourself some really sweet strawberry syrup.

01:27:19And that's what gives it that amazing uplifting.

01:27:22How much of that 60% did you put in there?

01:27:24There's about a bottle and a half in there.

01:27:26Oh, there's litres of the stuff in there.

01:27:29Don't worry, there's loads of orange juice.

01:27:31But it's got this wonderful funk, The Two Drifters' Rum, as well.

01:27:38It's got this lovely, herbaceous, lovely rolling kind of spice to it.

01:27:42It's delicious.

01:27:43It is.

01:27:44Absolutely astonishing.

01:27:46There you go.

01:27:47Come on.

01:27:48And you're looking here at four people who are really glad that they didn't have all this before they talked together in the show.

01:27:54So it might have gone a completely different direction.

01:27:56It might have been the secrets we would have revealed, Alan.

01:27:58It did.

01:27:58Dash.

01:27:59Why did I do it the wrong way round?

01:28:01They're the most wonderful punches I've ever had in my life.

01:28:04Nigel.

01:28:04Correct.

01:28:05They really are.

01:28:05They are.

01:28:06They're delicious.

01:28:07Tom, you're a star.

01:28:08Yes, you are.

01:28:09If only we all had the time and the patience to do what you've done.

01:28:11Hey, well, look, you know, it keeps me in a job, doesn't it?

01:28:13That's all right.

01:28:14That's fine.

01:28:14You're safe here.

01:28:15Somebody's got to do it.

01:28:16Gracious me.

01:28:16That's it for today's show.

01:28:18Thank goodness, you might say.

01:28:20Thanks to all my guests, to Faye, Tom, Nigel, and, of course, the other Tom.

01:28:24Joining me next week, Claire Balding and the man currently wowing audiences every night in Melbrook's The Producers, Andy Nyman.

01:28:31And he is wowing.

01:28:32I saw it last week.

01:28:34Tear down each cheek.

01:28:36So funny.

01:28:37Oh, we've got reindeer, too.

01:28:38Nearly forgot.

01:28:39Up next, Fletcher's Farm.

01:28:41But I'll leave you now with these words from Mae West.

01:28:44I'll try anything once.

01:28:45Twice, if I like it.

01:28:48Three times, just to make sure.

01:28:50I think she was on to something.

01:28:52Till the next time, from all of us, cheers.

01:28:54Cheers.

01:28:55Cheers.

01:28:59Nigel, you're absolutely right.

01:29:01That is the best punch I have ever had.

01:29:04All right.

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