Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh Season 7 Episode 32

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Transcript

00:00:00That's the official start of Advent, so we're setting the festive tone from the get-go with some truly special guests, our Christmas dogs.

00:00:08Like Jesse here, you may recognise from the festive classic Peter Pan, famous for being big droolers.

00:00:15Jesse is a Newfoundland known for their charming personalities and striking appearance, perfect to cuddle up to.

00:00:22But as relaxing as this looks, Jesse, we've got a show to make.

00:00:26Coming up, cats, chart toppers and cocktails.

00:00:31Sounds interesting, sounds irresistible.

00:00:34Come on, Jess, off we go. Time for Love You Weekend. This way.

00:00:56Every part of Britain has its own character.

00:01:15From the Yorkshire Dales to the Welsh Valleys to the Scottish Highlands, wherever you may be in the British countryside, you can be guaranteed incredible scenery, a rich heritage and unique character.

00:01:28You just have to take the time to enjoy it and look.

00:01:31Much like today's show.

00:01:33Coming up, swapping style tips.

00:01:35By the looks of it, Tom Allen and Nigel Havers provide the chat and the charm as they settle into life down on the farm.

00:01:43And turning the soundtrack of the generation into a smash hit musical.

00:01:47Faye Tozer on the enduring legacy of steps and her biggest career challenge to date.

00:01:53Panto with Biggins.

00:01:55Now, do you know your Norway spruce from your Nordman fir?

00:01:59A woman who does.

00:02:00Horticulturist Camilla Bassett-Smith's back with everything you need to know about buying a real Christmas tree.

00:02:06Plus, the heartwarming story of the baby sparrowhawks given a second chance at life.

00:02:12We join Folly Wildlife Rescue as they prepare to be let back into the wild.

00:02:17Not a dry eye in the house with that one.

00:02:19More barnside banter now and who better to bring the charm and the wit.

00:02:29Welcome Tom Allen, Nigel Havers and making her Manor Farm debut, Brave Girl.

00:02:34Faye Tozer.

00:02:37That's on me.

00:02:39Thank you for having me.

00:02:40Now, Advent tomorrow, 1st December tomorrow.

00:02:42Are you Christmas tree up in October types or Christmas tree up on Christmas Eve?

00:02:47Well, funnily enough, I did Room 101.

00:02:49Long time ago and I tried to put Christmas into Room 101.

00:02:52Oh, you beast.

00:02:53Good for you.

00:02:54Oh, okay.

00:02:55Are you Scrooge?

00:02:56Slightly.

00:02:57Bar Humbug.

00:02:58And the idea of Christmas decorations is in sort of end of September.

00:03:02Oh, please.

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

00:03:041st of December.

00:03:05Isn't it funny that I wanted to put Christmas into 101 but now I've changed and I'm happy with Christmas.

00:03:11You're benign in old age now, are you?

00:03:12Yes, exactly.

00:03:13Sorry, let's see New Year's.

00:03:14Yeah.

00:03:15You've found a nice way of saying this, old age.

00:03:17Faye, what about you?

00:03:19No, so my birthday is middle of November so I always need Christmas to happen December because it separates it all.

00:03:26Also, I find, because it's so early now with the decorations and the music in store, I feel like it's over before it's even happened.

00:03:34And I feel like it's kind of, it's lost its sparkle.

00:03:36We've peaked too soon, I feel.

00:03:38Well, my partner, he would put the Christmas decorations up in June and I don't, I don't care for it.

00:03:45I, no, I'd put them up very late, as late as possible really because then you can get into the spirit of actually Christmas when it's there.

00:03:51What is the spirit of Christmas?

00:03:52Well, I, for me, it's eggnog or a mulled cider.

00:03:59Me too.

00:03:59I love a mulled cider.

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

00:04:03Oh, really?

00:04:03Yes, this may be your reward later on.

00:04:05Oh, well, if I'm a good boy.

00:04:07Yes, quite.

00:04:08I'll boot on that.

00:04:09And I'll do it with Tom Sergi.

00:04:11What's particularly lovely today for me here is that, I mean, I do get people here.

00:04:14I mean, I don't want to mention any names of people who have been here in the past, rather sort of slovenly dressed.

00:04:19But I have three people here.

00:04:21Tom Sartorial Flair is second nature.

00:04:24Nigel, you've always been known as dressing well.

00:04:27Here you are in a delightful jacket.

00:04:30Earlier this morning.

00:04:31Yes, I know, it's a shame you couldn't find the collar for the shoe.

00:04:33But there it is, I love the collar.

00:04:36Faye, glorious.

00:04:37Thank you very much.

00:04:38Dressed for the occasion.

00:04:39Yeah, I'm a big fan of vintage and re-loved stuff at the moment.

00:04:44I'm going a bit eco-friendly.

00:04:47And, yeah, that's our thing at the moment.

00:04:49Those boots, they're called...

00:04:51I like those boots.

00:04:52They are, thank you very much.

00:04:53Nigel, steady.

00:04:55Remember your age?

00:04:56They're always like pantomime, though.

00:04:56Do you remember when they had...

00:04:58They used to have a lady play Prince Charming.

00:05:00They did, yes.

00:05:01And she used to say, yes.

00:05:03Oh, very...

00:05:04Do you remember the line?

00:05:05Yes, I do.

00:05:05Go on.

00:05:06Let's save that.

00:05:0742 miles and no sign of Dick.

00:05:10No, it's true, Dick Whittington.

00:05:13I know what you meant.

00:05:14And the Prince's balls get bigger every year.

00:05:16They do indeed.

00:05:18Oni swa ki mali ponce, I would say.

00:05:20Evil be to him who thinks evil of it.

00:05:23Anyway, there we are.

00:05:24So, moving swiftly on to Thomas.

00:05:27But in a jumper to Dad.

00:05:29Well, thank you for noticing.

00:05:31I just thought I'd go a little bit cash since we're in a barn.

00:05:34But you know I'm really enjoying this car.

00:05:36When I thought I'd bring back cravats.

00:05:37Are they in yet?

00:05:38They come back round.

00:05:39I just think of cravat.

00:05:40I just thought that was a bit sort of David Niven of me.

00:05:43Very nearly in.

00:05:44Do you think?

00:05:45But it keeps the breeze off the neck.

00:05:47Well, I do get very cold around the Adam's Apple.

00:05:51So, I do like to keep my apples warm.

00:05:53And I nearly wore a waistcoat, actually.

00:05:56But then I thought you sometimes wear a waistcoat.

00:05:58And then we'll look like Mumford and Sally.

00:06:01Waistcoats and gilets.

00:06:02I've got gilets with sleeves, eh?

00:06:03That's amazing.

00:06:04It's not really a gilet.

00:06:05That's just a coat.

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

00:06:07I do like tweed.

00:06:08I think it's not supportive.

00:06:09Oh, I like a tweed.

00:06:11English or Irish.

00:06:11Indoors.

00:06:12It's for the benefit when you go out.

00:06:13No, I will.

00:06:14I'll have another one on, then.

00:06:16Layered.

00:06:16No, I'm arty outside.

00:06:18It's lovely finding things in common.

00:06:21It's sartore elegance between you.

00:06:22But also, three Agatha Christie fans.

00:06:26Yes.

00:06:26Now, Tom, you're a great Miss Marple fan.

00:06:30Yes.

00:06:30I like particularly the adaptation of Miss Marple

00:06:33when Joan Hickson performed.

00:06:34Well, that's the definitive.

00:06:36I always think the definitive.

00:06:36And I think Agatha Christie wanted

00:06:38Joan Hickson to play Miss Marple.

00:06:40And I actually met her once

00:06:42when she was a younger actress

00:06:43and said,

00:06:44you will be a good Miss Marple.

00:06:46I like that the story.

00:06:47There you go.

00:06:48I mean, how wonderful.

00:06:49And I sort of see myself now

00:06:50more and more as I get older

00:06:51being more like Miss Marple.

00:06:53I basically, you know,

00:06:54spend a lot of time

00:06:54going around garden centres

00:06:55and sitting down quietly

00:06:58solving murders.

00:06:59I'm basically living the life

00:07:00of an 87-year-old woman.

00:07:01Do you know, it's funny.

00:07:02Something came to mind

00:07:03that Miss Marple.

00:07:05When I walked in.

00:07:05When you walked in.

00:07:06You're my Agatha.

00:07:07Faye, what do you work with

00:07:11David Suchet?

00:07:12Well, that's my connection, I guess.

00:07:13Yeah, I was really, really lucky

00:07:15to work with Sir David Suchet

00:07:18two years ago at Bristol

00:07:20for the Panto.

00:07:22And it's the only Panto

00:07:23I think he's ever going to do.

00:07:24And he was Captain Hook.

00:07:26And he was the most delightful.

00:07:28But I grew up on Poirot.

00:07:29You know, just the music.

00:07:31Can you hear the music?

00:07:32The saxophone.

00:07:34Exactly.

00:07:35Just gorgeous.

00:07:36Now, the man sitting on your right

00:07:38left for me, Nigel.

00:07:41You must have done umpteen

00:07:43Chris, Agatha Christie's on the box.

00:07:46No doubt with all the Miss Marples.

00:07:47I think I should have.

00:07:48I remember just talking of Captain Hook.

00:07:50I played Captain Hook in a panto

00:07:52years and years ago.

00:07:54And I forgot.

00:07:55I came on halfway through

00:07:57and I forgot the hook.

00:07:59So I went,

00:08:00a miracle.

00:08:02It's all I could think of.

00:08:04Ta-da!

00:08:07Well, he was an old Etonian.

00:08:09So well-schooled in improvisation.

00:08:14But Agatha Christie,

00:08:15the whole story of her life

00:08:17is so fascinating, isn't it?

00:08:20She's a mystery herself,

00:08:22in a ways.

00:08:23But I mean,

00:08:23she must be the most famous writer ever.

00:08:28I think she is.

00:08:28Apart from Shakespeare.

00:08:29Yes.

00:08:30I mean, she's up there, isn't she?

00:08:31And still selling.

00:08:33Every, you know,

00:08:34mystery is still in print.

00:08:35And I remember reading the books

00:08:37when I was a kid

00:08:38and absolutely loving them.

00:08:41And The Mousetrap has been running

00:08:42for over 70 years.

00:08:43I'm still in that theatre.

00:08:45It's incredible.

00:08:46No, I can't say it

00:08:47because it spoils the whole thing

00:08:48as a giveaway.

00:08:49Well, no, don't tell us

00:08:50because I haven't been yet.

00:08:52Have you not?

00:08:52Who done it?

00:08:52No, I'm saving it all.

00:08:53You just get going.

00:08:57Is that my length of life

00:08:58or the play's length of life?

00:09:00My favourite thing about The Mousetrap

00:09:01as well is that

00:09:02when you walk past the photographs,

00:09:03apparently, I think,

00:09:04there's a thing

00:09:05where they have to do

00:09:05the same poses

00:09:06as they did the original,

00:09:07like, 50s production.

00:09:09So they're all slightly

00:09:09melodramatic,

00:09:10kind of like in the...

00:09:12Unless there's a...

00:09:13Americans want to see it

00:09:16when they come to London.

00:09:17So if they get a taxi

00:09:18and they don't tip properly,

00:09:19the cab driver says,

00:09:20right, the...

00:09:21did it.

00:09:23Is that true?

00:09:24Is that what they do?

00:09:25Spoiler alert.

00:09:26If my memory serves me right,

00:09:28Richard Attenborough

00:09:28was in the first cast.

00:09:29He was.

00:09:30And he...

00:09:31They didn't do very well

00:09:32to start with,

00:09:32so they asked the cast

00:09:34to take a reduction

00:09:35in their fee.

00:09:37To keep it on.

00:09:37To keep it going.

00:09:38And he said,

00:09:39I'll do that

00:09:40if I have a...

00:09:41can have a percentage

00:09:42of the run of the play.

00:09:43No!

00:09:44Oh, really?

00:09:45That was a choice.

00:09:45And they said, fine.

00:09:46That's like Alec Guinness

00:09:47and Star Wars.

00:09:48Alec Guinness took...

00:09:49Would he take 1%

00:09:50instead of a fee

00:09:51or something?

00:09:51And something to do

00:09:52with the merch,

00:09:53was it as well?

00:09:53Yeah, there was something.

00:09:55Wow.

00:09:55Made up for life.

00:09:56So if anybody wants

00:09:57to do the sequel

00:09:58for Star Wars,

00:09:58you have four people here

00:09:59who will take half a percentage.

00:10:02I'll take a quarter.

00:10:03A quarter.

00:10:04Much more from Faye,

00:10:06Marjol,

00:10:07and Tom coming up.

00:10:08I think,

00:10:08as you realise,

00:10:09you're in for a good

00:10:09morning of conversation.

00:10:11Now, help yourself

00:10:12to our amuse-bouche

00:10:13of delicacies here.

00:10:14Still ahead,

00:10:15Leslie Joseph's got herself

00:10:16in all hot and bothered

00:10:17about the squirrel

00:10:18in today's

00:10:19Down the Garden path.

00:10:20She doesn't get out much.

00:10:22I do worry about her.

00:10:23And Santa Paws

00:10:24is coming to town.

00:10:26Sorry, I couldn't resist.

00:10:27Yvette Bollou-Esser

00:10:28is here with the dog breeds

00:10:29we associate

00:10:30with the most wonderful

00:10:31time of the year.

00:10:32And rocking around

00:10:33the Christmas tree,

00:10:34quite literally,

00:10:36our singing horticulturist

00:10:37Camilla Bassett-Smith

00:10:38is standing by

00:10:38with her pick

00:10:39of the finest

00:10:40festive trees

00:10:41for your home.

00:10:42I'll be back

00:10:42with Camilla

00:10:43and her rather fine

00:10:44collection of spruces.

00:10:46You don't get that

00:10:47on this morning,

00:10:48do you?

00:10:48Right after this.

00:10:49Tom,

00:10:50toasted tea cake?

00:10:51Please don't call me that.

00:10:52With December

00:11:09just around the corner,

00:11:10there's a certain allure

00:11:12to the British countryside

00:11:13in the winter months

00:11:15with literacy lovers

00:11:16flocking to the Pennine Moors

00:11:18to evoke the mood

00:11:19of Wuthering Heights

00:11:20while the country's

00:11:21coastline is especially

00:11:22dramatic and enchanting

00:11:24on a stormy day.

00:11:26I think of Lime Regis

00:11:27and Jane Austen.

00:11:28Equally enchanting,

00:11:29a man who spent

00:11:30much of the mid-90s

00:11:31standing up

00:11:32and making people laugh

00:11:33after starring

00:11:35in his youth

00:11:35with Stephen Fry,

00:11:37Tom Allen

00:11:37on how his love

00:11:38of theatricality

00:11:39led to his

00:11:40sartorial taste

00:11:41in clothing

00:11:42and from a classic

00:11:43rum punch

00:11:44to a mulled cider.

00:11:46It's party time

00:11:47in the man-at-arms,

00:11:49Tom Sergi

00:11:49serving up cocktails,

00:11:50punchbowl style.

00:11:53Ladles of festive cheer

00:11:54to suit every taste.

00:11:56Now to really get us

00:11:57into the festive spirit,

00:11:58we're turning our attention

00:11:59to some classic

00:12:00Christmas greenery.

00:12:02Those seasonal plants

00:12:03that come into their own

00:12:04at this time of year.

00:12:06Without these

00:12:06horticultural delights,

00:12:08there'd be no Christmas traditions

00:12:09like decorating the tree,

00:12:11hanging your wreaths

00:12:12or kissing under the mistletoe.

00:12:14Here to celebrate the plants

00:12:15that make Christmas

00:12:16truly magical,

00:12:17welcome horticulturist

00:12:18Camilla Bassett-Smith

00:12:20with two trees.

00:12:21Indeed, yes.

00:12:22And a Christmas pudding

00:12:23on my head.

00:12:23I know.

00:12:24No sixpence underneath it.

00:12:25It's hard to miss that one.

00:12:26No sixpence in there.

00:12:27Nor the moment.

00:12:28But it's the time of year,

00:12:30isn't it,

00:12:30when we make perhaps

00:12:31the most important decision

00:12:32about our interior design

00:12:33over Christmas

00:12:34and that is

00:12:35what tree to have.

00:12:36And that's the traditional one,

00:12:37isn't it?

00:12:38It is.

00:12:38The good old Norway spruce

00:12:39that Prince Albert championed.

00:12:41And I still love it.

00:12:43I mean,

00:12:43it's kind of,

00:12:43it's been around

00:12:44for such a long time,

00:12:45hasn't it?

00:12:46Good shape,

00:12:47really nice scent.

00:12:48And actually,

00:12:49the scent of a Christmas tree

00:12:50has been voted

00:12:51one of our top scents

00:12:52alongside the ocean

00:12:53and cut grass.

00:12:55So,

00:12:55the good old Norway spruce,

00:12:57but it has a bit of a problem.

00:12:59Well, it drops.

00:13:00It does.

00:13:00The trouble is,

00:13:00it's because we bring

00:13:01Christmas trees in earlier

00:13:02and earlier.

00:13:02Yes.

00:13:03If you don't bring it

00:13:03until Christmas Eve,

00:13:04it will see you

00:13:05through the festive tree.

00:13:06That's it.

00:13:06In a couple of weeks,

00:13:06it's probably okay.

00:13:08Quite sharp needles there.

00:13:10And, of course,

00:13:11the Norway spruce

00:13:11is the one that we have

00:13:12in Trafalgar Square in London.

00:13:14They're about a 60-year-old tree.

00:13:15And they are a good shape,

00:13:17aren't they?

00:13:18But, yeah,

00:13:19I love the Norway spruce.

00:13:21But this is a bit

00:13:21more sophisticated.

00:13:22It is, isn't it?

00:13:23This is the blue spruce.

00:13:25And it's the state tree

00:13:26of Colorado, actually.

00:13:27But isn't it gorgeous?

00:13:29And it has...

00:13:30It shows how tonal you can get.

00:13:31You've got one ball blank on.

00:13:33I have.

00:13:33It's not whether you're a minimalist.

00:13:34I know, very minimalist.

00:13:34You're pointing up the fact

00:13:35that you can do these kind of...

00:13:37I'm never quite sure.

00:13:38You know,

00:13:38I do like a sort of tonal Christmas tree

00:13:41or tasteful.

00:13:42But better than that,

00:13:42I love the one that's got things

00:13:43that the kids may...

00:13:44That's it.

00:13:45It's the memories, isn't it?

00:13:46It's a little bit of everything.

00:13:47And I have that.

00:13:47And sometimes you can have

00:13:48two trees, maybe,

00:13:49and have one somewhere else

00:13:50that's tonal.

00:13:51One in the posh room.

00:13:52That's it, yeah.

00:13:53And then one that's just

00:13:54full of everything.

00:13:55But these blues and greys on there.

00:13:57But quite sharp needles.

00:13:58That's the only thing with these.

00:13:59They look beautiful.

00:14:00But pungens in its Latin name

00:14:03means quite sharp and spiny.

00:14:05But it does look really good.

00:14:06And in the garden,

00:14:07as well as a garden tree,

00:14:09you get that...

00:14:09It's another shade of green, really.

00:14:11And it's slightly slower growing.

00:14:12It is.

00:14:13Yes, yeah.

00:14:13And if you buy them in a pot,

00:14:15you can plant them out.

00:14:16But be careful.

00:14:16I mean, you see a lot of people

00:14:17who plant them out

00:14:17right outside the front window

00:14:19in a small house.

00:14:20And within a few years,

00:14:21you can't see out.

00:14:22That's one thing I love

00:14:23about the Norway spruce.

00:14:24If you walk around anywhere,

00:14:25any town,

00:14:26you see so many of these

00:14:28in particular, don't you,

00:14:29from years ago

00:14:30that have just grown

00:14:31and grown and grown.

00:14:31And it's a little peek

00:14:32into people's memories.

00:14:33Thanks, Camilla.

00:14:34And we'll be seeing you later on

00:14:36with more seasonal plants.

00:14:38Indeed you will.

00:14:44Now, it's hardly surprising

00:14:45that dogs,

00:14:46as Britain's favourite pets,

00:14:48play a significant part

00:14:49in our Christmas festivities,

00:14:51whether due to a breed's connection

00:14:52to colder climates

00:14:53or an appearance

00:14:54as a beloved character

00:14:56in our favourite festive films.

00:14:58Some dogs have become

00:15:00intrinsically linked

00:15:01to this time of year.

00:15:02So today,

00:15:03we're celebrating those dogs

00:15:04in our Christmas canine special.

00:15:07Here to guide us through

00:15:08is our manor farm vet,

00:15:10Bolo Esu.

00:15:11Bolo, lovely to have you

00:15:12with us again.

00:15:13And so many dogs

00:15:14are associated with Christmas,

00:15:15as I say,

00:15:15either on screen

00:15:16or because of the nature

00:15:18of the beast, really.

00:15:19Exactly.

00:15:19And their geographic location

00:15:20as well.

00:15:21Yeah.

00:15:21Hopefully you can introduce some.

00:15:22Well, first up,

00:15:23we've got Tony

00:15:24and Ooni.

00:15:26Now, Ooni is

00:15:26a Finnish laphund.

00:15:29Now, that's a new one on me,

00:15:30a Finnish laphund.

00:15:32So what's the association

00:15:33here with Christmas?

00:15:34Geographic location there,

00:15:35so Finnish laphund,

00:15:36Lapland,

00:15:37Finland.

00:15:39You thought I'd have spotted

00:15:39that one,

00:15:40wouldn't you, really?

00:15:41It was close,

00:15:41we tried to give you a hint.

00:15:42It did, really.

00:15:43Tony, tell us about Ooni.

00:15:45Ooni's a two-year-old

00:15:47female Finnish laphund.

00:15:48So does she get

00:15:49many Christmas engagements?

00:15:50She does,

00:15:51and she's always

00:15:52trying to do her PR bit

00:15:53out in the park,

00:15:54telling all the kids

00:15:55that she's looking

00:15:55after Santa's reindeer

00:15:56for them

00:15:57and ready for Christmas.

00:15:59Now, as a breed then,

00:16:00Bollu,

00:16:00temperament?

00:16:01A lovely personality.

00:16:02A lovely personality.

00:16:03Say no more.

00:16:05I mean,

00:16:05there's history there

00:16:06with the reindeers,

00:16:06so rounding up reindeers,

00:16:07but also helping the reindeers

00:16:08out,

00:16:09outdoor sleeping as well,

00:16:10in Finland as well,

00:16:11so like as a herd dog.

00:16:13So a hardy dog too.

00:16:14Yeah.

00:16:15They're one of the few breeds

00:16:16in Finland that are allowed

00:16:17and licensed to sleep

00:16:18outside in the snow.

00:16:20Really?

00:16:20Yeah.

00:16:21Just beautiful personalities.

00:16:22They're great dogs,

00:16:23they've got that spitz,

00:16:23and I think they've got

00:16:24a lot of character to them,

00:16:25so they've got that

00:16:26kind of characteristic.

00:16:27Their spectacles

00:16:27make them look very cute.

00:16:29They've got that teddy bear look

00:16:30because they are a spitz breed

00:16:32with the pointy ears.

00:16:33Very lovely.

00:16:34And the curved tail,

00:16:35but lovely cuddly pets.

00:16:36Demanding of exercise?

00:16:38They like a good hour a day.

00:16:40They will take a lot more,

00:16:41but anything less than that

00:16:42is probably not enough.

00:16:43We can see what you mean

00:16:44about the spectacles now.

00:16:45You can see the spectacles now.

00:16:46Yeah.

00:16:47Flesh, Tony,

00:16:47thank you very much indeed.

00:16:48Thank you very much.

00:16:49Nice to meet you, Uni.

00:16:50Off you go

00:16:51with your Christmas duties now,

00:16:52right?

00:16:53Now the next one,

00:16:54I mean,

00:16:55I remember seeing comic strips

00:16:56as a boy,

00:16:58and this particular dog

00:16:58always had a little cask

00:17:00of brandy underneath it.

00:17:01I've never met one yet

00:17:02that does.

00:17:03Kay is here

00:17:04with Leisha,

00:17:06the St. Bernard.

00:17:07Yes.

00:17:07Now this is a dog,

00:17:09is this a dog

00:17:09or is it a horse?

00:17:10Exactly.

00:17:12So our giant breed dogs

00:17:13are part of the Molasa breeds,

00:17:15so they're like the huge

00:17:16giant breed dogs

00:17:17and rescue dogs.

00:17:18Yeah.

00:17:18Our connection to Christmas,

00:17:19well,

00:17:20we've got multiple connections,

00:17:21whether it's the snow

00:17:22and the cuddly nature of them.

00:17:24We've got Santa's helper.

00:17:25Santa's helper,

00:17:26yes.

00:17:26Santa's helper,

00:17:27also was a St. Bernard

00:17:28as well.

00:17:29And, you know,

00:17:30that casket that you mentioned

00:17:31is when they used

00:17:32to rescue people,

00:17:33they'd carry around

00:17:34the brandy mythically

00:17:35because I think

00:17:36if somebody's cold,

00:17:37the last thing

00:17:37you want to do

00:17:37is give them brandy.

00:17:38You're such a killjoy,

00:17:41really, aren't you?

00:17:42In terms of their temperament,

00:17:43then,

00:17:43are they quite docile?

00:17:44They've got a lovely temperament,

00:17:46very loving,

00:17:48they understand,

00:17:49they know when you feel down.

00:17:50Yeah.

00:17:51She will come

00:17:51and put her head on you.

00:17:53Bless her.

00:17:53Yeah.

00:17:54Now,

00:17:54if you're thinking about

00:17:55a St. Bernard then

00:17:55from a vet's point of view,

00:17:56I mean,

00:17:57there are things

00:17:58that they obviously need.

00:18:00Huge dog.

00:18:00We have to be used

00:18:01to having this dog

00:18:02occupy a lot of space

00:18:03in your house.

00:18:04I think,

00:18:04obviously,

00:18:04the drooling nature of them,

00:18:05that's something

00:18:06that people need to

00:18:07take into consideration.

00:18:08They are quite drooly dogs,

00:18:09but they're such

00:18:09lovable family dogs.

00:18:11But it's their joints,

00:18:12so arthritis,

00:18:13things like that

00:18:14can get to them.

00:18:14And they're a lot bigger,

00:18:16so they don't live

00:18:16for as long

00:18:17as maybe our smaller dogs.

00:18:18So those are things

00:18:18to consider.

00:18:19But they're amazing companions.

00:18:21Well,

00:18:21it's lovely.

00:18:22Kay and Leisha,

00:18:22thank you for being with us.

00:18:24I'm only disappointed,

00:18:25Kay,

00:18:25that Leisha didn't have

00:18:26the brandy.

00:18:27There we are.

00:18:27Maybe next time.

00:18:29I like the way

00:18:29she's got a bib

00:18:30for a drool.

00:18:31That's very,

00:18:32very sensible,

00:18:33isn't it?

00:18:33Oh,

00:18:33more in-comers now.

00:18:35Teagan and Oakley.

00:18:36Now,

00:18:36Oakley is an American

00:18:39Cocker Spaniel.

00:18:40Teagan,

00:18:40welcome to you.

00:18:42Welcome to Oakley.

00:18:43What a lovely name

00:18:44for a dog.

00:18:44Tell us about

00:18:45the American Cocker Spaniel,

00:18:46then.

00:18:46What's the association

00:18:47here with Christmas?

00:18:47Okay,

00:18:48this is a little bit

00:18:48of a connection,

00:18:49right?

00:18:49So we've got

00:18:50our favourite characters,

00:18:51Disney.

00:18:52We've got Lady and the Tramp.

00:18:53Ah.

00:18:54And it starts

00:18:55on Christmas Day.

00:18:56Right.

00:18:56So Lady is an American

00:18:58Cocker Spaniel.

00:18:58Exactly.

00:18:59But how do they differ

00:19:00from normal Cockers?

00:19:00The English Cocker Spaniel.

00:19:01So when the English Cockers

00:19:02came to America,

00:19:03they slowly started to diverge.

00:19:05And we've got our Cockers,

00:19:06Americans here,

00:19:07have a shorter face

00:19:08and a more dome-shaped muzzle.

00:19:10And then we've also got

00:19:11that long coat,

00:19:12the long, luscious coat,

00:19:14the fluffy looks

00:19:15and the curls.

00:19:16It makes them really beautiful,

00:19:17whereas our English Cockers

00:19:17are a bit more springy

00:19:18and used to working

00:19:19in the fields.

00:19:20So tell us about Oakley.

00:19:21How old is he?

00:19:22So he's just turned two,

00:19:24so he's still quite young.

00:19:25Does he ever eat spaghetti?

00:19:27Like Lady and the Tramp?

00:19:28No, I'm afraid he doesn't.

00:19:29No.

00:19:30No spaghetti?

00:19:31No spaghetti, no.

00:19:32But grooming here

00:19:33is a big thing,

00:19:34presumably,

00:19:35with that coat.

00:19:36Yes.

00:19:36We bath him once a week,

00:19:38but he has to be brushed

00:19:39every day

00:19:40to contain all the mats

00:19:42as well.

00:19:42Yeah, they do.

00:19:43Well, they're quite

00:19:44loads long as well,

00:19:45aren't they, Bollos?

00:19:45So I mean,

00:19:45you're going to be picking up

00:19:46burrs and things like that.

00:19:47Well, American Cocker

00:19:48is similar to the show Cocker

00:19:50with that long, luscious look

00:19:51and it's just a lot of brushing,

00:19:52a lot of grooming,

00:19:53looking after them.

00:19:54Look, we get to see now

00:19:55these glorious,

00:19:56the legs,

00:19:57pop him on the floor

00:19:58just so we can see

00:19:59the length of the hair

00:20:01on the legs.

00:20:01It's like walking

00:20:03through a skirt.

00:20:03He looks like Dougal

00:20:04from The Magic Roundabout.

00:20:05No legs visible.

00:20:06Yeah, yeah.

00:20:07Bless him.

00:20:08Bless you.

00:20:09Thank you, too.

00:20:09And thank you, Oakley,

00:20:10very much indeed.

00:20:12He looks like his legs now

00:20:12as he walks off.

00:20:13You see how he walks?

00:20:14Go, well, watch it.

00:20:15Look at that.

00:20:16Just a ripple, really.

00:20:18Wonderful.

00:20:18Like a crinoline, really.

00:20:20Alison, next with Jesse

00:20:21who's a Newfoundland.

00:20:23Now, look at this for us.

00:20:24Another large dog

00:20:25with another bib.

00:20:26We've got another dribbler here.

00:20:27Oh, it's going to be

00:20:28a big kiss on you.

00:20:30The Newfoundland, then,

00:20:32of Christmas.

00:20:33So, our Christmas connection

00:20:34is Jay and Barry

00:20:36and Peter Pan.

00:20:38Of course, Nana.

00:20:39Now, did Barry have Newfoundlands?

00:20:41I believe so, yes.

00:20:42And walk around

00:20:42Keddington Gardens

00:20:43with Newfoundlands as well.

00:20:44So, the adventures there

00:20:45led us to Peter Pan,

00:20:46the inspiration for Peter Pan

00:20:47and here we have

00:20:48our connection.

00:20:49Here we have.

00:20:50So, Peter Pan is a favourite,

00:20:51I presume, Alison, with you.

00:20:52I'll be a flay.

00:20:53Yeah.

00:20:53I'll be a flay.

00:20:54Is she a good baby minder,

00:20:55then, as Nana wasn't?

00:20:57She absolutely loves children.

00:21:00She loves the attention

00:21:02that she gets,

00:21:03which has led me

00:21:04to do a lot of therapy work

00:21:06with her

00:21:06and she goes into school

00:21:08once a week

00:21:09and listens to the children read.

00:21:10So, she spends time

00:21:11with the children

00:21:12and she goes into a hospice

00:21:14and she'll be going

00:21:16to a care home as well.

00:21:18Let's talk about exercise

00:21:19and things like that again.

00:21:19Another big dog ball.

00:21:21Yeah.

00:21:21So, exercise is regular.

00:21:23You want to make sure

00:21:23you're looking after their joints

00:21:24because, as they are big breeds,

00:21:25we are scared of things

00:21:26like arthritis,

00:21:27but it happens.

00:21:28It's just making sure

00:21:28you're looking after

00:21:29their joints properly,

00:21:30feeding them appropriately.

00:21:31they go through so much food.

00:21:33So much food.

00:21:35Not so much now.

00:21:36It's the first year,

00:21:38two years of their life.

00:21:39You have to feed them

00:21:40to help them grow.

00:21:41Grow, yeah.

00:21:42And now she's easing off.

00:21:43But, obviously,

00:21:44when she's working,

00:21:45she does a lot of work as well

00:21:47in the water.

00:21:47So, exercising,

00:21:48we swim her every week.

00:21:50This is a big-time commitment,

00:21:51isn't it?

00:21:52Yes.

00:21:52It's a lot.

00:21:53Bless you, Alison.

00:21:54Lovely to meet you both.

00:21:55Thank you very much.

00:21:56Thank you very much.

00:21:57Go and pull your cart.

00:21:58We'll find you a Christmas tree.

00:21:59Now, next,

00:22:01and the connection here

00:22:03is obvious

00:22:04between this next dog,

00:22:06Donna and Pippa.

00:22:07And Pippa is a Dalmatian.

00:22:09She's the 102nd of our Dalmatians.

00:22:12Slightly liver-spotted here

00:22:14rather than black.

00:22:15So, we've got the normal

00:22:16black and white Dalmatians

00:22:17that we have

00:22:17and then we have the liver,

00:22:18which is that brown colour.

00:22:20And with the brown

00:22:21or liver Dalmatians,

00:22:22you get that lovely

00:22:23almond-coloured eyes as well.

00:22:24And they're so beautiful.

00:22:25They're so beautiful.

00:22:26I love them.

00:22:27They just look gorgeous.

00:22:28Now, Donna,

00:22:28they have a reputation

00:22:29for being very highly strong.

00:22:31So, when it comes to Pippa,

00:22:32I mean,

00:22:33she's quite inquisitive.

00:22:35Yeah, she is.

00:22:36Yeah, she's a good gal, actually.

00:22:37She's quite calm

00:22:39in her nature

00:22:40and her temperament, actually,

00:22:41which is very unlike Dalmatians.

00:22:43Sometimes they can be

00:22:44a bit hyper

00:22:45and over...

00:22:46The first Dalmatian

00:22:47we've had on this show

00:22:47was actually sat still.

00:22:49At least 15 seconds,

00:22:50Pippa,

00:22:51you're doing really well.

00:22:52When you see your arm

00:22:53and eyes are...

00:22:53Such an elegant

00:22:55carriage, really.

00:22:56Again, as a family dog,

00:22:59high-spirited,

00:23:00but OK with children?

00:23:01Yeah, she's brilliant

00:23:02with children, actually.

00:23:03Yeah, she's really good.

00:23:05She absolutely loves

00:23:06the energy that they bring as well.

00:23:07Yeah.

00:23:08Wonderful.

00:23:08And from your point of view

00:23:09as a vet?

00:23:09I think the key is

00:23:10early exposure.

00:23:11So, when you have them

00:23:13really young,

00:23:13you want to expose them

00:23:14to a lot of noise,

00:23:15a lot of sounds,

00:23:15a lot of different people

00:23:16so that they can get used

00:23:17to that kind of energy around.

00:23:18And then they can be

00:23:19a perfect family dog.

00:23:20It's when they're not

00:23:21necessarily used

00:23:22to all the different sounds,

00:23:22different people,

00:23:23different interactions,

00:23:24as they get older,

00:23:25all their energy turns

00:23:26into a bit more

00:23:26destructive chaos.

00:23:28So, you want to expose

00:23:29them to a lot of energy,

00:23:30exercise them well,

00:23:30and then you get

00:23:31a perfect family companion.

00:23:32Lovely.

00:23:33Wonderful to meet you all.

00:23:34Thank you, Bolo.

00:23:35And thank you to all

00:23:36our dogs and their owners.

00:23:38And feeling Christmassy now.

00:23:39Christmas in the kennels.

00:23:41Still to come,

00:23:42we catch up

00:23:43with the emergency team

00:23:44that specialises

00:23:45in wildlife casualties,

00:23:47like the orphan sparrowhawks

00:23:48in need of a helping hand.

00:23:50And to a man

00:23:50who's more than

00:23:51a little bit marvellous,

00:23:53for the last 20 years,

00:23:55he's served laughter

00:23:56and for the last eight years,

00:23:57served insults

00:23:58to amateur bakers.

00:23:59Tom Allen talks

00:24:00razor-sharp quips

00:24:02and caustic put-downs.

00:24:03I'll do that with Tom

00:24:04right after this.

00:24:05MUSIC

00:24:05Welcome back

00:24:20to Love Your Weekend.

00:24:22Coming up,

00:24:22cocktails by the bowl.

00:24:24It must be Christmas.

00:24:25Tom Surgeon

00:24:26breathes new life

00:24:27into the classic party punch.

00:24:29Retro cocktails

00:24:30given a modern twist.

00:24:32And from top of the pops

00:24:34to top of the bill,

00:24:35she's the pop star

00:24:36turned West End headliner.

00:24:38Faye Tozer

00:24:39on her passion

00:24:40for song and dance

00:24:41and turning 25 years

00:24:43of steps

00:24:44into a smash-hit musical.

00:24:46An early Christmas treat

00:24:47now for all you

00:24:48musical fans out there.

00:24:49And believe me,

00:24:50this is one that really

00:24:51needs to be seen

00:24:52to be believed.

00:24:53I give you

00:24:54Tom Allen

00:24:55and Michael Sheen

00:24:56and their performance

00:24:56of Aladdin's

00:24:57A Whole New World.

00:25:02I can show you

00:25:04the world

00:25:05shining, shimmering,

00:25:08splendid.

00:25:10Tell me, princess,

00:25:12now when will you

00:25:14let your heart decide.

00:25:17A whole new world.

00:25:21A new fantastic

00:25:23toy, don't you?

00:25:25No one to tell us

00:25:27no,

00:25:27or when to go,

00:25:29or say we're

00:25:31in a whole new world.

00:25:33A dazzling place

00:25:38I never knew

00:25:39but now from way up here

00:25:42it's crystal clear

00:25:44that now I'm in

00:25:47a whole new world

00:25:49with you.

00:25:50I've only seen Jasmine

00:25:59looking so lovely

00:26:00in turquoise.

00:26:01Some of the notes

00:26:02were actually in tune.

00:26:03Well, I've never seen

00:26:04Jasmine looking so bearded,

00:26:05actually.

00:26:05No, quite.

00:26:06She might have had a shave

00:26:07before she came on.

00:26:08You should have done something.

00:26:08Come on, tell us,

00:26:09how do you and Michael Sheen

00:26:10continue doing that?

00:26:11I haven't seen that

00:26:12for a long time,

00:26:13let me tell you, Alan.

00:26:13I haven't seen that full stop.

00:26:14We all look a lot younger.

00:26:15That was a really fun show

00:26:17that I was part of

00:26:19called There's Something

00:26:19About Movies

00:26:20hosted by Alan Carr

00:26:21that was on Sky

00:26:23and we had a good run

00:26:25of doing bonkers

00:26:27sketches like that

00:26:28and we had so much fun.

00:26:28Jennifer Saunders,

00:26:29Michael Sheen

00:26:29were there

00:26:31and it was ridiculous

00:26:32and we reenacted

00:26:34various moments

00:26:35from movies

00:26:35as well as doing

00:26:36a quiz around it.

00:26:36We had so much fun

00:26:38doing it.

00:26:38There was one scene

00:26:39where Alan and I

00:26:40reenacted The Godfather

00:26:41if you can imagine

00:26:42a more butch environment.

00:26:46Clearly the joy for you

00:26:47a lot of the time

00:26:48is the people

00:26:49with whom you're working.

00:26:50I mean,

00:26:50they're working there

00:26:51with Michael Sheen

00:26:51in front of them

00:26:52looking on

00:26:53the likes of Alan Carr.

00:26:56I'm going to show you

00:26:56a clip now

00:26:57which is a long,

00:26:58long time ago

00:26:59when you were working

00:27:00with somebody

00:27:00quite well known.

00:27:01You were very young.

00:27:02Alan, this is very terrifying

00:27:03the way you do this.

00:27:04It's a bit like

00:27:05This Is Your Life.

00:27:05It's like This Is Your Life

00:27:06but with fewer people.

00:27:08It is.

00:27:09Just you and me.

00:27:10There's no one

00:27:10behind that screen.

00:27:11I don't want you to worry.

00:27:12Nobody's looking.

00:27:13Nobody's looking.

00:27:14Alan, people watch this

00:27:15programme, let me tell you.

00:27:16This is Tom Allen

00:27:18in Tom Brown's

00:27:19School Days.

00:27:20Oh!

00:27:27Sit down, gentlemen.

00:27:29Mr Smith's unwell, sir.

00:27:30I'm taking the third

00:27:31for Greek.

00:27:32I'm well aware

00:27:33that Mr Smith is unwell

00:27:34and I've just come

00:27:35from his house.

00:27:36Go on.

00:27:36Paul!

00:27:47Sir?

00:27:48I believe you have

00:27:49a passage of Xenophon.

00:27:51A blink and you miss it,

00:27:53Rowell.

00:27:54But nevertheless,

00:27:55making your presence

00:27:56probably the amount

00:27:57of internal angst

00:27:58that was going on

00:27:59there in that brief

00:28:00walk past.

00:28:01Impressive, isn't it?

00:28:01I think it was mainly

00:28:03because I had hair.

00:28:04I think I was still

00:28:05holding on to it.

00:28:06How old were you then?

00:28:07I think I must have

00:28:08been a teenager then,

00:28:08late teens, I think.

00:28:09Yeah.

00:28:10I wanted to be an actor

00:28:13at that time.

00:28:15Well, you were an actor.

00:28:16Well, I was of sorts.

00:28:17Stephen Fry.

00:28:18I mean, yes,

00:28:19the bouffant hair.

00:28:20I feel like I look like,

00:28:21do you remember Ivy

00:28:22from Coronation Street?

00:28:23I doubt can I forget.

00:28:24Ivy Tilsley.

00:28:25Ivy Tilsley and Don, yes.

00:28:27I feel like I look

00:28:28more like her

00:28:29than anybody else.

00:28:30Have Corrie never

00:28:31approached you?

00:28:32Well, no,

00:28:32but hopefully today,

00:28:33after today,

00:28:34they will be straight

00:28:35on the phone.

00:28:35I'd love to go

00:28:36down those cobbles.

00:28:37Yes, I know.

00:28:37You will, Oscar,

00:28:38you will.

00:28:39Yeah, it's my dream.

00:28:40But the stand-up

00:28:41then came after the acting.

00:28:42But you see,

00:28:43I always think that stand-up

00:28:44is the bravest,

00:28:45bravest thing to do,

00:28:46to do it and to do it well.

00:28:47But does it take you

00:28:49a while to find...

00:28:49Well, I wish I knew.

00:28:51No, come on, come on.

00:28:52Does it take you a while

00:28:54to work out

00:28:54who you are as a stand-up?

00:28:56Does that make sense?

00:28:57What your style of stand-up is?

00:28:59Because you could go up there

00:28:59and do what your friends

00:29:00think is quite funny

00:29:01and it could absolutely

00:29:02die the death.

00:29:03Yes, that does happen.

00:29:05I can't deny.

00:29:06Yeah, I spent about

00:29:0712 or 13 years

00:29:08doing the circuit,

00:29:09having exactly that experience,

00:29:10actually.

00:29:11And I think the thing

00:29:12with stand-up is

00:29:13you just learn

00:29:15to introduce yourself

00:29:15to people

00:29:16and then once they sort of

00:29:17feel they know you,

00:29:18then you can take them

00:29:19on whatever flights

00:29:20of fancy you like.

00:29:21There's a...

00:29:21You know, WS Gilbert

00:29:22of Gilbert and Sullivan fame

00:29:23said,

00:29:24an accepted wit

00:29:26is only to say

00:29:27pass the mustard

00:29:28and they fall about laughing.

00:29:29Oh, yes.

00:29:29And it is something

00:29:30to do with expectation,

00:29:32isn't it?

00:29:32Yes.

00:29:32I mean, we know you're funny,

00:29:33so you can say, you know,

00:29:34rubbish and there we are.

00:29:35Well, that's...

00:29:36I mean, that's the stage

00:29:37I like to think I'm in now,

00:29:38speaking a load of rubbish.

00:29:39But you've since taken the risk.

00:29:42You're now doing it

00:29:43on paper.

00:29:43I mean, you've now written

00:29:44your first novel.

00:29:45Well, you know,

00:29:46that's the main reason

00:29:46I'm actually here.

00:29:47It's not for the interview,

00:29:48but it's actually

00:29:48to ask your advice.

00:29:49You're not here

00:29:50to plug something.

00:29:51No, I don't want to plug it.

00:29:52I just want to talk to you,

00:29:53Alan, about writing novels.

00:29:55Well, it's called

00:29:55Common Decency,

00:29:56which I think is rather...

00:29:57I thought you might like it.

00:29:58Neat title.

00:29:59Well, it's about suburbia

00:30:00because I grew up in suburbia.

00:30:02I live in suburbia now.

00:30:03And I think it's that place

00:30:04that always gets overlooked.

00:30:05People zoom through it

00:30:07on their way

00:30:07to the centre of town

00:30:09or they zoom out of it

00:30:10or they don't want

00:30:11to sort of celebrate it

00:30:12because it's sort of seen

00:30:12as a bit boring.

00:30:14And I wanted to write

00:30:15a book about,

00:30:16well, actually,

00:30:16sometimes the biggest dramas

00:30:18happen in the most mundane scenarios.

00:30:20And even the most

00:30:21sort of everyday things

00:30:23can be actually very dramatic

00:30:24to the people they affect.

00:30:25Extraordinary things

00:30:26happening to ordinary people.

00:30:27That's it.

00:30:28Yeah, that's the much

00:30:29more relevant way of putting it.

00:30:30Did you...

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

00:30:32I'm a writer.

00:30:33Of course, he's been doing it

00:30:34for 27 years.

00:30:35Did you enjoy the process?

00:30:39No.

00:30:40You didn't.

00:30:40No, I did.

00:30:41Well, also, it's solitary,

00:30:43you see.

00:30:43You're on your own.

00:30:44Yes.

00:30:45You know, it is

00:30:46the hardest thing

00:30:47I've ever done.

00:30:48I'm very, very proud of it

00:30:49now it's done.

00:30:50But writing it was intense.

00:30:52I think it is fatiguing.

00:30:53It's exhausting in a way.

00:30:54Obviously, it's not exhausting

00:30:55like, I don't know,

00:30:56digging a road

00:30:56or going down a mine,

00:30:58both of which are things

00:30:59I've done.

00:31:01In a former life.

00:31:01In a former life

00:31:03when I was dressed

00:31:03as a Victorian.

00:31:05And the thing is,

00:31:07it's tiring in a different way.

00:31:08I think because

00:31:09the natural procrastinator

00:31:11wants to go,

00:31:12no, have a break,

00:31:13go on,

00:31:14go for a walk,

00:31:15go and have a drink.

00:31:16Go and tidy your sock drawer.

00:31:17Go and tidy...

00:31:17Yeah, anything.

00:31:18I mean, the house.

00:31:19I could have built an entire...

00:31:20I could have built this barn

00:31:21in the time

00:31:22when I was supposed

00:31:24to be writing the novel.

00:31:25But once I got into it,

00:31:26there's like a meditation to it.

00:31:27And then suddenly

00:31:28you're in the world of it.

00:31:28You know the people you're with.

00:31:30And they do speak to you.

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

00:31:32No, they do.

00:31:33I mean, when you're on a row,

00:31:35it's like taking dictation.

00:31:37Yes.

00:31:37I think if you're listening

00:31:37to the voice,

00:31:38you're writing down a conversation

00:31:39and you don't know

00:31:40where it's coming from.

00:31:41Yes, absolutely.

00:31:42It may well be rubbish.

00:31:42I don't know.

00:31:43But that's how it strives.

00:31:45No, I don't mean yours.

00:31:46It might be.

00:31:47I mean, I'm speaking

00:31:48from personal experience here.

00:31:49And I think to myself,

00:31:50this might be rubbish,

00:31:51but they're saying it.

00:31:51So it's their rubbish.

00:31:52And I'm writing it down.

00:31:53Yes, it's been

00:31:54an extraordinary journey.

00:31:55And I think you,

00:31:56if I may quote Alan Bennett,

00:31:59you don't write about yourself.

00:32:01You find yourself

00:32:02in your writing.

00:32:03So you kind of get,

00:32:04people have said to me like,

00:32:05oh, have you written,

00:32:05is one of the characters you?

00:32:07And I kind of go,

00:32:08well, they're all a bit me.

00:32:09They're all parts of my personality,

00:32:11which if you read it,

00:32:11you'll be horrified by.

00:32:12Now, apart from being worried

00:32:13that you're also becoming a novelist,

00:32:15you're making a living

00:32:16out of gardening now.

00:32:17It's nothing sacred.

00:32:18I feel like I'm very much

00:32:20coming here.

00:32:21This is great.

00:32:21I'm all for acolytes

00:32:23and disciples.

00:32:24Keep going.

00:32:25Keep doing it.

00:32:26When did you come to gardening?

00:32:28Well, I used to watch

00:32:28this programme called

00:32:29Ground Force.

00:32:30I don't know if you've ever seen it.

00:32:31Oh, hang on.

00:32:31It rings a faint and distant bell.

00:32:33No, well,

00:32:34I think what I came to realise

00:32:36was gardening

00:32:37is something that I've

00:32:39always wanted to do.

00:32:40And I've realised,

00:32:41when I started having a go at it,

00:32:43I loved it.

00:32:44But you're doing a podcast

00:32:44about it now with friends.

00:32:46I'm doing a podcast.

00:32:47Dragging people into my garden.

00:32:49It's called pottering.

00:32:50And it's the idea of pottering

00:32:52about just doing a bit in the garden.

00:32:53And it can be a lot

00:32:53or it can be a little bit.

00:32:54Look, you will pull in an audience

00:32:56that would think

00:32:57I'm just a boring old...

00:32:58No, no, that's not true.

00:33:01The more people we get

00:33:02who are like you

00:33:02reaching a different audience,

00:33:04that's good for gardening.

00:33:05Well, I just think

00:33:05it's good for the mind.

00:33:07I think gardening as well

00:33:08is very important at the moment

00:33:10because it sits

00:33:10in amongst a lot of topics

00:33:12being talked about,

00:33:13whether it's climate change

00:33:14or whether it's mental health

00:33:15or whether it's

00:33:16about getting off your screen

00:33:17and just being in the moment

00:33:19and it's a mindfulness.

00:33:19And I think it's very...

00:33:21I think it's important

00:33:22for everybody to do it.

00:33:23I'm not very good at it.

00:33:24As I said, quite a lot of things die.

00:33:26And I did try propagating,

00:33:27which I just thought

00:33:28was just chopping a bit off

00:33:29and shoving it in some mud.

00:33:31Yeah, they all died.

00:33:32Yes, you are in the very early stages

00:33:34of gardening at the moment,

00:33:35but we'll try to keep working.

00:33:37Let's show you on form.

00:33:39Oh, gosh.

00:33:40What have you dug up here?

00:33:41Yeah, we dug up,

00:33:42would I lie to you?

00:33:43Look at this.

00:33:43Show me what your left hook is.

00:33:48That's good.

00:33:50You look slightly like

00:33:52you're holding some cards

00:33:53in a game of whist.

00:33:56Hey, Tom, Tom,

00:33:57do you want to stand up

00:33:58and take the stage?

00:33:59Yes, I would love to.

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

00:34:01I would love your hands, actually.

00:34:02Or the sports man in the room.

00:34:05All right.

00:34:05What if...

00:34:06I'll take it, babe.

00:34:10No, I...

00:34:11I meant you go.

00:34:12Look at the difference

00:34:14in those two men standing up.

00:34:16Incredible.

00:34:18No, no, I don't.

00:34:20Oh, hang on.

00:34:21Is it too late to put a bell?

00:34:25Can I get a left hook?

00:34:26Yes, that's right.

00:34:28Okay.

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

00:34:41Very brave.

00:34:41Was it fun?

00:34:42I mean, it is astonishing.

00:34:45That program just...

00:34:46I know, the things they make you do.

00:34:47I don't think I've ever watched it back, actually.

00:34:50I was thinking,

00:34:50what on earth am I doing?

00:34:51But I've been doing...

00:34:53I do the boxing training.

00:34:54I don't get hit in the face.

00:34:55It won't surprise you to know.

00:34:56But I do the boxing training.

00:34:59I've been doing it about five years.

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

00:35:02And...

00:35:03Keeping you in trim.

00:35:04No, well, I'm watching back

00:35:05on all these clips.

00:35:06I go, oh, gosh,

00:35:06I was thin then.

00:35:08Less thin there.

00:35:09But in that one,

00:35:11I was thin.

00:35:11But I was...

00:35:13When you're doing it,

00:35:15I mean,

00:35:16as I say,

00:35:16I don't punch anybody

00:35:17and they don't punch me.

00:35:18I just pay a man to hit his hands.

00:35:20But with the gloves on

00:35:21and when he's got the pads on,

00:35:23it's got a great sound.

00:35:24Yeah, you feel as though you're really...

00:35:25Yeah.

00:35:26And working out all those, you know...

00:35:28Oh, yes.

00:35:30...grievances.

00:35:30Absolutely.

00:35:31Well, it beats just being rude

00:35:32to people on Bake Off.

00:35:33Well, exactly.

00:35:34It's so much...

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

00:35:39But, yes,

00:35:40no less incisive.

00:35:41But, yes,

00:35:42it's a great form of exercise.

00:35:43Are you positive about humanity?

00:35:45Do you like folk?

00:35:46I thought you meant us in the music.

00:35:48No.

00:35:48And I do like folk.

00:35:49I like music,

00:35:50but I also like folk as in people.

00:35:53And it's now queer as folk.

00:35:54But the...

00:35:55Yeah, the fact is,

00:35:57as I say,

00:35:58I think we're becoming...

00:35:58I don't know the technology.

00:36:00I don't know if it's bringing us together

00:36:01as I'd like it to.

00:36:02Yeah.

00:36:02So I think any opportunity

00:36:03to show people being amongst one another

00:36:05is a good thing.

00:36:06It's an important thing.

00:36:07So if I can help to do that,

00:36:09then I think I'm doing something...

00:36:10You can help to do that

00:36:11and you can help keep us laughing.

00:36:12Well, it's a lot of pressure.

00:36:14Bless your heart.

00:36:15It's just a lot...

00:36:15And people at home might not realise, Alan,

00:36:17you put a heated blanket here.

00:36:18Oh, you do.

00:36:19Because this barn can get very cold.

00:36:20And I thought...

00:36:22I thought after a little while

00:36:23that I maybe had wet myself.

00:36:25So I'm glad that I realised...

00:36:28I'm happy to be the person

00:36:28to reassure you that you haven't.

00:36:30I know.

00:36:31It's such a reassurance.

00:36:32Yes, but it's why I keep a distance

00:36:34between you and me

00:36:34because I never know

00:36:35that one day maybe you will.

00:36:36Maybe I will.

00:36:37Thank you very much, Tom.

00:36:38Thank you, Alan, for having me.

00:36:40Always a delight.

00:36:40You're welcome.

00:36:40Well, it's lovely to be in your barn.

00:36:42We say barn or shed.

00:36:43Oh, please.

00:36:44I do have a barn.

00:36:45I do beg your pardon.

00:36:46Shh.

00:36:47You should have a barn dance.

00:36:48If you like.

00:36:49We're dressed for it.

00:36:51Well, that's been rambling

00:36:52with Tom Allen, really.

00:36:54Now...

00:36:55That would be a good show.

00:36:56I present that with you.

00:36:57Oh, there you are.

00:36:57Oh, here we go.

00:36:58They say television's dead.

00:36:59Nothing you won't do.

00:37:00Not with you and me.

00:37:01Thank you, Tom.

00:37:02Now, over the weeks,

00:37:03you've been treating us

00:37:04to some spectacular photography

00:37:05from magical winter walking trails

00:37:08to overwintering birds

00:37:09and frozen waterfalls.

00:37:11So if heading outdoors doesn't appeal,

00:37:13just enjoy it

00:37:14from the comfort of your own home.

00:37:17It's time for your pictures

00:37:18in today's Walk on the Wild Side.

00:37:22Your dose of nature, sorted.

00:37:25Walk on the Wild Side

00:37:26on Love Your Weekend.

00:37:28Sponsored by WWF.

00:37:31Sponsored by WWF.

00:38:01Sponsored by WWF.

00:38:31...

00:38:33...

00:39:01Do you find that as moving as I do?

00:39:04More wonderful shots capturing the British hours at its best

00:39:07and set to Oliver Ledbury's glorious role of honour.

00:39:10Please do keep sending them in.

00:39:12Coming up, from hanging out with the Stones,

00:39:15seduction lessons from a screen legend

00:39:16and dinners with Princess Diana.

00:39:19He knows how to name drop.

00:39:20The charmer himself, Nigel Havers,

00:39:22sharing stories from his decades in show business,

00:39:25including his acting career and behind-the-scenes gossip.

00:39:28And paying homage to the festive flora

00:39:30we couldn't celebrate Christmas without.

00:39:32Camilla Bassett-Smith gets creative with the seasonal plants

00:39:35that say Christmas is coming.

00:39:36The holly and the ivy and plenty more, too.

00:39:39And I return with Camilla right after this.

00:39:55Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

00:39:57Coming up, the band that truly cornered the market in break-up bangers.

00:40:02Deeper Shade of Blue, One for Sorrow, Tragedy.

00:40:06Faitoza on turning Step's biggest heartbreak hits

00:40:09into a brand-new jukebox musical.

00:40:12Oh, she seems to have brought her horse, too.

00:40:15And bringing Punch to the man-of-arms.

00:40:17He looks like such a placid boy.

00:40:19Tom Sergi serves up the knock-out party punch bowls

00:40:22that'll kick-start your festive shindigs in style.

00:40:25Now, earlier, she was getting us into the festive spirit,

00:40:29extolling the virtues of classic Christmas trees.

00:40:32And she's not finished yet.

00:40:33Continuing her horticultural celebration of Christmas greenery.

00:40:37Welcome back, Camilla.

00:40:38With more trees.

00:40:39Yes, they keep on coming, don't they?

00:40:40They're breeding.

00:40:41So much choice.

00:40:42Now, this one, we spoke about spruce trees earlier.

00:40:45We've moved on to firs,

00:40:46and I think there's no denying that this one,

00:40:48the Nordmann fir,

00:40:50is the most beautiful shape, isn't it?

00:40:51It hangs onto its needles far better also than Norway spruce, doesn't it?

00:40:55Yeah, it really does.

00:40:56And I think now probably this country's most popular Christmas tree.

00:40:58For good reason.

00:40:59Also very strong branches.

00:41:01So if you're hanging baubles,

00:41:02and you get some really big baubles, don't you?

00:41:04It really will take it.

00:41:06But a great, great tree.

00:41:08Actually named after a botanist at the Botanical Gardens in Ukraine.

00:41:12Uh-huh.

00:41:12Takes its name from that.

00:41:13But this is the tree of choice, isn't it?

00:41:15And I think you often have a Nordmann.

00:41:17Yeah, out of all of them,

00:41:18the Nordmann for me is the best one to do.

00:41:21There's your Nordmann.

00:41:22And this one here,

00:41:22which looks like that, you know, grey spruce we had earlier.

00:41:26But again, this is a,

00:41:27you can tell this is a grey fir,

00:41:29because it's got the flat needles.

00:41:31It's lovely to feel.

00:41:32It's a noble fir.

00:41:33And that's the great thing, actually,

00:41:34very child-friendly in a home, aren't they?

00:41:36Because they don't,

00:41:37no poorly fingers from these ones.

00:41:39It's a bit more expensive.

00:41:40Yes.

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

00:41:42That's it.

00:41:42But a great option.

00:41:43I mean, just so much choice.

00:41:44The noble fir.

00:41:45Yes.

00:41:45Well named.

00:41:46It does look it, doesn't it?

00:41:47It does.

00:41:47But you've got other things as well.

00:41:48Our Christmas greenery.

00:41:49Wouldn't be complete without holly, would it?

00:41:51It wouldn't.

00:41:51Now, holly,

00:41:52I mean,

00:41:53we've been celebrating Christmas with holly for so many years,

00:41:56but it goes back,

00:41:56it predates Christmas, really,

00:41:57for the winter celebrations of Saturnalia

00:41:59and people celebrating the solstice,

00:42:02because the Druids believed

00:42:03that holly was the last plant

00:42:04that the sun would desert.

00:42:06It's supposed to protect you

00:42:08from evil spirits and goblins.

00:42:10No one wants a goblin on Christmas Eve.

00:42:11Oh, no.

00:42:12No, not taking Father Christmas's mince pie

00:42:14and anything,

00:42:15and it doesn't have to happen.

00:42:16But hollies are such good garden plants as well

00:42:19for bringing into the house,

00:42:20but growing in this form of standard,

00:42:23which,

00:42:23these are great either side of a front door, aren't they?

00:42:25Yeah.

00:42:25But you've got this gorgeous variegation,

00:42:26you said this one, Golden King.

00:42:27And this one?

00:42:28And Blue Maid, this one,

00:42:29which berries very profusely as well.

00:42:32So they have a very good crop of berries on these.

00:42:34Quite a new introduction, Blue Maid, I think.

00:42:35It's a bit much to say it's blue.

00:42:37The leaves are very, very dark green.

00:42:38They are.

00:42:39You wouldn't call them blue, would you?

00:42:40If you don't kind of squint your eyes a little bit,

00:42:41put a few blue baubles on them.

00:42:42But the stems, actually,

00:42:43they're quite blue.

00:42:44I suppose maybe that's what the blue is for.

00:42:46They are.

00:42:46But very good,

00:42:47and also good for wildlife as well,

00:42:48you've got those berries.

00:42:49So they look good all year round, don't they?

00:42:51And then indoors.

00:42:52Yes.

00:42:52Now, this is called holly.

00:42:53It's Streptocarpus holly,

00:42:55which is a brand new introduction.

00:42:57It's the first ever Streptocarpus houseplant

00:43:00to flower at Christmas time,

00:43:01because normally they come into flower,

00:43:03which is just getting into spring,

00:43:04and then they flower through the year.

00:43:06But this one has got a head start,

00:43:07and it's a gorgeous kind of clarity colour, really, isn't it?

00:43:10It is.

00:43:11It's really strong, a strong deep green.

00:43:12And also more compact than the usual ones,

00:43:14with slightly smaller leaves.

00:43:15Yeah, they're shorter, aren't they?

00:43:16I always think they look like cow's tongues.

00:43:18This is more of a dog's tongue or something.

00:43:20A small cat.

00:43:21And probably a better bet than a poinsettia, actually.

00:43:24It's going to flower for much longer

00:43:25and be easier to keep.

00:43:26And also, if you bought a poinsettia

00:43:28from a cold street display,

00:43:30remember, they're natives of Mexico.

00:43:32They're chilled at that point.

00:43:34You probably won't see it until you get them home,

00:43:35then the leaves start going black and falling off.

00:43:37So if you are buying a poinsettia,

00:43:38and they're very popular,

00:43:39always buy them from somewhere warm,

00:43:41where they've been kept,

00:43:41preferably a nursery or a garden.

00:43:43Taken care of.

00:43:44And then these beauties.

00:43:45I just want to know.

00:43:46We've had a little bit of a shower, haven't we?

00:43:47But they won't mind it,

00:43:48because the Christmas cactus quite likes it humid,

00:43:50likes a bit of a shower.

00:43:52And I love this colour, Alan.

00:43:54Look at this peach with the pink in it.

00:43:56Yeah.

00:43:56But they're actually,

00:43:58they're called Christmas cactus.

00:43:59More of a succulent, really, aren't they?

00:44:00Yeah.

00:44:00Those succulent leaves.

00:44:01And they're epiphytes.

00:44:02In the wild, they grow up trees,

00:44:03not as parasites,

00:44:04but just clinging on

00:44:05and absorbing the moisture from the atmosphere.

00:44:08Now, you've got a little trough here.

00:44:09Yes, I have indeed.

00:44:10A Christmas trough.

00:44:10A Christmas trough,

00:44:11because it's something fun to do

00:44:12at this time of year with little ones.

00:44:14Make sure you've got drainage,

00:44:16because that's the key thing, isn't it?

00:44:17Especially in winter,

00:44:17when it's going full of water.

00:44:18Yeah, exactly.

00:44:18So much rain.

00:44:19So this has got drainage in the bottom.

00:44:20We've got a multi-purpose compost

00:44:22that we've popped in

00:44:23and a selection of festive plants as well.

00:44:26Now, in the centre,

00:44:27I adore this plant, Alan,

00:44:28and I think it looks quite Christmas tree-like.

00:44:30I love it,

00:44:31and I love saying its name,

00:44:32which is very euphonious.

00:44:34Cyedopitis verticillata.

00:44:36It's a beautiful...

00:44:36It's very good for checking

00:44:37that you've got your dentures in place.

00:44:39It is, it is.

00:44:39It's pretty ancient, isn't it, historically?

00:44:42It's one of its kind,

00:44:43a bit like the ginkgo.

00:44:44Yeah.

00:44:45Thought to be quite a sacred tree,

00:44:48but it's got these beautiful whorls.

00:44:49Its other name is the Japanese umbrella pine.

00:44:53So these lovely umbrella-like ends to it.

00:44:56Shall I put you a...

00:44:57Popping him in the centre there.

00:44:58Shall I put you a hellebore in this end?

00:45:00Yeah.

00:45:01Christmas rose.

00:45:02Yes, this is Christmas carol, this one.

00:45:04And thinking about with any planter,

00:45:06about creating with this,

00:45:08quite a formal planter,

00:45:09that sense of height in the middle

00:45:12and then symmetry either side,

00:45:15which works really well.

00:45:17And these beautiful white flowers,

00:45:18snow-white flowers, aren't they?

00:45:21Pop some soil in the back there.

00:45:23Look at that.

00:45:24That's basically all you need.

00:45:24Shall I tuck a heuchera in the front?

00:45:26We've got a heuchera.

00:45:28This one is silver gumdrop.

00:45:29Silver gumdrop.

00:45:30And I love just that silver frosting on the leaf.

00:45:34But underneath, you've got this plum colour.

00:45:36You can probably get it in there.

00:45:37As well.

00:45:37If you turn it in there,

00:45:38we can get compost around it when they're warm.

00:45:40There you go.

00:45:41Yes.

00:45:41And then finally...

00:45:42Oh, you've got more to get in?

00:45:43I have.

00:45:44All right.

00:45:44Because I'd love a little bit of ivy.

00:45:45Because at Christmas,

00:45:47ivy goes with holly, doesn't it?

00:45:48And it's...

00:45:48Do you want this corner?

00:45:49I've just got a gap here.

00:45:50I'm going to put him in a corner.

00:45:50There you go.

00:45:50He's been in there a long time.

00:45:51But ivy, of course, is such a protective plant.

00:45:55It's brilliant in wreaths or planters.

00:45:57And actually, Westminster Abbey have ivy on wooden carvings there.

00:46:01So it's very much a part of protecting and Christmas and this time of year.

00:46:06That's a really wonderful scheme.

00:46:08Lovely.

00:46:08A bit of purple, a lot of white, a bit of green.

00:46:11Well done.

00:46:11Thanks, Camilla.

00:46:12Lovely.

00:46:12Pleasure.

00:46:13Time now for one of our regular check-ins with Folly Wildlife Rescue,

00:46:22an animal hospital in West Kent that provides specialist care

00:46:26for a range of native wildlife species in need.

00:46:29They've recently taken in a variety of different bird species,

00:46:33so we pay them a visit to see how their newest arrivals were getting on.

00:46:37We have quite a few special guests here at the hospital at the moment,

00:46:45which include three juvenile sparrowhawks

00:46:48and quite a few housemartins and swallows

00:46:50that are all growing up, ready to become adults.

00:46:54So they all come in, as I say, as white little fluffy chicks.

00:46:57Incredibly cute, especially the sparrowhawks.

00:46:59So when we're feeding the baby chicks,

00:47:01one of our priorities is ensuring that they don't imprint on us.

00:47:04Do we cover our face fully so that they can't recognise us

00:47:06as individuals or as humans,

00:47:08as well as using fish chip with some tweezers in its mouth

00:47:12to feed them with,

00:47:13and they begin to associate that with feeding rather than us.

00:47:18So they're really restless in here at the moment.

00:47:20It's their first time being outside.

00:47:23It didn't quite go as we expected,

00:47:25but they were a little more calm,

00:47:27a little bit more nervous than we thought they would be.

00:47:31But once they were out, they were right out flying around.

00:47:34They've given all of their branches a good go

00:47:37and they're trying to balance on them.

00:47:39They're a little bit wobbly at the minute,

00:47:40but they'll work it out eventually.

00:47:42And it's just all about building up their strength

00:47:44and their flight skills ready for release.

00:47:47Feather condition's really vital

00:47:49when looking for any bird's release,

00:47:51especially birds with prey.

00:47:52It's really important that their primary feathers,

00:47:54which they use to fly,

00:47:55are completely in perfect condition.

00:47:57If you're in a woodland area,

00:47:59that's their natural habitat.

00:48:01They prefer those areas.

00:48:02It's easier for them to perch

00:48:03while they're waiting to ambush the prey,

00:48:05and then they'll swoop in really low and fast.

00:48:07All of our babies, because they're juveniles,

00:48:10we have no idea whether they're boys or girls.

00:48:12You won't ever find out

00:48:13because by the time they get their adult colours,

00:48:15they'll be out in the wild living their best lives.

00:48:18So our migratory species are a lot more demanding.

00:48:23We feed them every 30 minutes

00:48:25and then that progresses as they get older,

00:48:28whereas birds of prey,

00:48:29we can feed them four times a day.

00:48:32Swallows and house martens are very similar in stature.

00:48:35They're two little small birds.

00:48:37The easiest way you can tell them apart

00:48:39is that swallows have kind of like a brown chin

00:48:41and their wings tend to be a lot longer

00:48:44and they're kind of like bluey grey.

00:48:45House martens, they're a lot smaller.

00:48:49They have, they look like mini penguins almost

00:48:50because, you know, they're white fluffy chests,

00:48:53pure black backs,

00:48:54and you'll find them in open fields

00:48:56kind of hunting, sweeping low.

00:48:59So here we've got some mealworms and waxworms

00:49:02and they've had some crickets earlier,

00:49:03so this is like a little bit of a pudding for them.

00:49:06And these guys will be released somewhere near to the coast

00:49:09so that they get a little bit of a head start.

00:49:11They'll then be on the wing

00:49:12all the way through till they reach Africa.

00:49:14It's just amazing that something so little

00:49:17couldn't sustain and sleep and eat

00:49:19for such a long time.

00:49:21These guys have come out lucky

00:49:23and landed on the right claw or talon.

00:49:30I think this is probably a good place

00:49:33to release the spare walks.

00:49:36A golf course may not seem like the most logical choice.

00:49:40The Neville golf course here

00:49:41have such a big rewilding scheme.

00:49:43They're wanting to introduce lots of new species

00:49:45to the area.

00:49:48There's lots of nice open greenways,

00:49:50which is a good hunting ground for them.

00:49:52There's lots of tree cover nearby

00:49:54where they can sit and wait in ambush of their prey.

00:49:57We know there's farmland not too far away

00:49:59and there's also urban density

00:50:01that have lots of their prey.

00:50:04Look at him go!

00:50:06He found that thermal quickly, didn't he?

00:50:11There he goes.

00:50:12So we've just released our second sparrowhawk of the three.

00:50:15He's just flown up into these trees up here.

00:50:18He's given himself a little bit of a preem,

00:50:20making sure his feathers are in good condition

00:50:21before he takes off.

00:50:22At the same time, down by the coast,

00:50:25our swallows and house martens

00:50:26are starting their adventure to Africa,

00:50:29their long migration.

00:50:31It's really magical

00:50:32to see them released and out in the wild.

00:50:35It's amazing.

00:50:35Thanks again to all the team there.

00:50:43Sterling work, as always.

00:50:45Coming up, not all punch bowls are created equally,

00:50:48especially when he's doing the pouring.

00:50:50Drinks expert Tom Serges

00:50:52mixing up the measures with British-made spirits

00:50:54to create the perfect punch bowls for the party season.

00:50:58And celebrating those pop classics

00:51:01with the iconic dance moves,

00:51:02steps Faye Tozer on turning the band's smash hits

00:51:06into a smash hit musical.

00:51:09I'll see you with Faye in 5, 6, 7, 8.

00:51:27Welcome back to Love Your Weekend,

00:51:29this chilly Sunday morning.

00:51:30Coming up,

00:51:31Havers announces new UK tour.

00:51:34Nigel Havers returns to the stage

00:51:36with witty anecdotes,

00:51:38genteel rip-up E,

00:51:39and charm personified

00:51:41as he takes to the stage

00:51:42for an evening of showbiz recollections.

00:51:45And he has quite a few of them, believe me.

00:51:47Well, he's been doing it a long while, hasn't he?

00:51:49Sorry.

00:51:50But first,

00:51:51my next guest made her name

00:51:52as one-fifth of the pop band

00:51:55of the late 90s and early noughties.

00:51:57Their back catalogue of infectious hit singles

00:52:00has now been turned into a romp of a jukebox musical.

00:52:04It's no wonder the show's got them dancing in the aisles

00:52:06when it's packed with sing-along feel-good tunes like these.

00:52:11Tragedy

00:52:12When the feeling's gone

00:52:14And you can't go on

00:52:15It's tragedy

00:52:15When the morning cries

00:52:17And you don't know why it's not too bad

00:52:20With no one to like it

00:52:22You're going nowhere

00:52:24I know you're somewhere else right now

00:52:29Loving someone else, no doubt

00:52:33And I want the sorrow

00:52:36And it's too, too bad

00:52:39But I'm a deeper shade of blue

00:52:45And there's nothing I can do

00:52:49You're so far, far away

00:52:54They've become such a part of everybody's lives

00:52:59Even old grandfathers like me, you know, you remember

00:53:01Tragedy and whatnot

00:53:03Faye, it's lovely to have you with us

00:53:05And particularly when you think of things like that

00:53:07I always find myself wondering

00:53:09The first day you ever heard that song

00:53:12Well, lots of them there

00:53:14You know, 5, 6, 7, 8

00:53:15But tragedy played to you

00:53:17You're going to be singing this

00:53:19I mean

00:53:19For the rest of your life

00:53:20Yeah, for the rest of your life

00:53:22A, did you mind

00:53:23And B, do you remember that moment

00:53:24Oh my goodness

00:53:25I mean, that was just like my life flashing before me

00:53:28We had no idea

00:53:305, 6, 7, 8 was the first song that we ever had out

00:53:34Back in 1997

00:53:35And we would have no idea

00:53:38That we'd still be here like 27 years later

00:53:42Yeah, still going

00:53:43Yeah, it's amazing

00:53:44Amazing

00:53:45But tragedy, we can all do that first move anyway

00:53:48That first move, everybody

00:53:49Yeah, still doing it

00:53:50I always do it like that

00:53:51Oh, no, it's this one

00:53:52Yes, of course

00:53:52That's a bit scared

00:53:53Absolutely

00:53:53But let's go that way

00:53:54Yeah

00:53:54My grandchildren were so impressed

00:53:56Faye is teaching me kids

00:53:58How to do tragedy properly

00:53:59You'll be pleased to know now

00:54:01And now we've got this musical

00:54:03This jukebox musical

00:54:04Here and Now

00:54:05Which is based on all your songs

00:54:07Not you in it though

00:54:09And not your story as a group

00:54:11No

00:54:11But it utilises all the songs

00:54:13Yeah

00:54:13Rather like, you know, at Mamma Mia

00:54:15Absolutely

00:54:16So we actually went to see Mamma Mia

00:54:18Years and years and years ago

00:54:19As a group

00:54:20When we first came out

00:54:21And we said

00:54:22Oh gosh, you know

00:54:23Our music would really lend itself to a musical

00:54:25Like, fast forward to around eight years ago

00:54:29We changed our management

00:54:31And we said

00:54:32We really want to go ahead with this

00:54:33We really want to do a musical

00:54:34Because it would be a huge stamp

00:54:35A huge legacy

00:54:36For Steps and our music

00:54:38And it's taken about eight years

00:54:40To actually come into fruition

00:54:41Yeah

00:54:42We ended up with an incredible writer

00:54:44Shaw Kinchner

00:54:45We've got Matt Cole, choreographer

00:54:47Who is an award winning

00:54:48You know, we've got an amazing team behind us

00:54:50And we've been able to create

00:54:51This really, really British

00:54:54Down to earth

00:54:55Heartfelt story

00:54:57With our incredible hits

00:54:59I'm allowed to say that

00:55:00Aren't we?

00:55:00Of course you are

00:55:01Nobody's going to deny that

00:55:02Well, last year you were in Liverpool

00:55:04Now, this coming week

00:55:05You're in Brighton

00:55:06Well, the show is in Brighton

00:55:07You're not there

00:55:08But the show is

00:55:09That's right

00:55:09But it did strike me there

00:55:10There are similarities with ABBA

00:55:12In terms of sort of orchestration

00:55:14Aren't there, really?

00:55:14Very much so

00:55:15And I think Pete Waterman

00:55:17Back in the early days

00:55:18You know, wanted to make a point of that

00:55:19He used to call us

00:55:20ABBA on speed

00:55:21But it was definitely

00:55:24Because of the blend of our voices

00:55:26And we totally own that

00:55:29Absolutely

00:55:29It's lovely

00:55:31This long after those initials

00:55:33You say, in 1997

00:55:35The fact that you are still together

00:55:37That you're still speaking to one another

00:55:38Yeah, what's happening every day

00:55:39Well, it's quite rare

00:55:40Rare nowadays

00:55:41I mean, there's so many fallouts

00:55:42And whatnot

00:55:43It's rather nice to hear

00:55:45Of a group that are still sort of

00:55:47Yeah, I mean

00:55:48In speaking terms

00:55:48And seeing it going on

00:55:49The initial split

00:55:50Obviously, there was a big gap in between

00:55:51Where we didn't speak

00:55:53Because it was quite a tricky ending

00:55:54But that's well documented

00:55:55And we're still water under the bridge now

00:55:57But actually

00:55:58You're growing up now

00:55:59Well, yeah

00:56:00And there's more important things

00:56:01You know, we're all parents

00:56:02You know, we all want to do things

00:56:04Outside of these things

00:56:05And celebrate each other for that

00:56:06And support each other for that

00:56:07And we're together

00:56:08Because we choose to be now

00:56:10Not because we're being asked to be

00:56:12And that's really amazing

00:56:13Is Glastonbury still a dream?

00:56:16Ah, well, that would be bucket list

00:56:19It really would

00:56:20But Elton John only got asked recently

00:56:23So there's still time yet

00:56:25Oh, dear, yeah

00:56:25I would love to though

00:56:26Glastonbury would be a dream

00:56:28Well, you've sung with some interesting people

00:56:30I mean, we've got a bit of footage you here

00:56:32You singing with Russell Watson

00:56:34So he's Faye Tozer and Russell Watson

00:56:37In duet

00:56:37Why do anything

00:56:40If you just let me in your life

00:56:43Whatever it takes

00:56:46I won't make the same mistake

00:56:50It's a life that I'm looking for you

00:56:56And it doesn't matter what I feel for you

00:57:03He wasn't paying you any attention

00:57:20I think I was really rude

00:57:21And you're singing so beautifully

00:57:23Where were you when you were doing that?

00:57:25Oh, gosh

00:57:26So I went on tour with Russell

00:57:27And we did

00:57:28We went on the QE2

00:57:30For this amazing trip towards New Zealand

00:57:33And that video was actually shot in Tahiti

00:57:36The outside charts

00:57:38That was part of our tour

00:57:39And we ended up in New Zealand

00:57:40And played to the biggest audience I've ever played to

00:57:43And it's 140,000 people

00:57:45My knees were knocking

00:57:47What does it fit?

00:57:48When you're standing in front

00:57:49It gets you in concert

00:57:50We had the most incredible orchestra behind us

00:57:52And I was just like a featured artist with him

00:57:54Got to do one of my own songs

00:57:56As well as working with him

00:57:57And Hayley Westrum was on there as well

00:58:01It was just magical

00:58:02Lovely

00:58:03Knees knocking

00:58:04Do you get nervous?

00:58:05Yes, absolutely

00:58:06But if you don't get nervous

00:58:07I feel like

00:58:08You're not shot

00:58:08Yeah, but also

00:58:10It's because you want to do a good job, isn't it?

00:58:12I think

00:58:12Yeah

00:58:13Well, you've done various jobs

00:58:15Various different ones

00:58:16I mean, playing Cruella de Vil

00:58:17In 101 Dalmation

00:58:19It's quite a different bit of acting involved as well

00:58:20And nice to play somebody nasty

00:58:23Yeah

00:58:23I'm an animal lover

00:58:27Doodle-doo

00:58:28Love animals

00:58:30Doodle-doo

00:58:31Love them here and here and here and here

00:58:34I like my creature comforts near

00:58:37Whoops!

00:58:38Was that a crocodile tear?

00:58:40Let's start with the shoe

00:58:42Always start with the shoe

00:58:43It lets you know just what to do

00:58:46If you're serving looks

00:58:48With all the feels

00:58:50It's got to be

00:58:51Kitten heels

00:58:52Let's cut to the calf

00:58:54Skin the calf

00:58:56Look at that leg

00:58:57Bevel, darling

00:58:59You don't want something

00:59:00That doesn't look right

00:59:02You want skin tight

00:59:03And when I say skin tight

00:59:05I mean skin!

00:59:07In a very appropriate leopard skin

00:59:09You've always loved musicals I think

00:59:14I have

00:59:15I actually was auditioning for musicals when I did the Steps audition

00:59:20I wanted to go into musicals, that was my thing

00:59:22I didn't realise that I'd end up in the pop industry

00:59:25And I've been really lucky since 2004

00:59:29I did my first musical, Tell Me on a Sunday, Bill Kenwright production

00:59:34Yes

00:59:34And then after that I think I've now been in the musical theatre world as my other day job

00:59:39For about 20 years now

00:59:41And had some incredible roles, incredible shows and worked with incredible people

00:59:45And you're doing Panto this year as well, are you in Birmingham?

00:59:47I am, I am

00:59:48We're at the Birmingham Hippodrome

00:59:50Yeah

00:59:50And we are doing Robin Hood

00:59:53So I'm, I usually play like the evil queen

00:59:56So this is a different part for me

00:59:58But I'm with the lovely Biggins

01:00:00And also Gok Wan, who I've never worked with before

01:00:03Good heavens above

01:00:04Two pantomime stalwarts there

01:00:06It's going to be a noisy show

01:00:07So who are you playing in Robin Hood?

01:00:09So I'm Maid Marian

01:00:09Well of course, if you're not a wicked queen

01:00:12Oh well she's lovely, you can give her a bit of

01:00:14I think it's going to be very tongue-in-cheek, fun jokes

01:00:18Yeah, and setting it all up for everybody else

01:00:20So it'll be really fun

01:00:21Well I'll be talking to Nigel about Panto as well

01:00:22Because it is the season isn't it

01:00:24To be in Panto

01:00:25Yeah

01:00:26And darn hard work

01:00:27Yes

01:00:27I mean it's, for most people it's two shows a day, six days a week

01:00:31And it's our graft

01:00:32And I think you have to be a certain type of person

01:00:35To want to do that and come back and do it every year

01:00:38But we always have a really, really great time

01:00:40And it's dark outside, it's a bit dingy

01:00:43So I'm like, roll me in glitter and I'm happy

01:00:45And you live in the country, you're living up in the North East

01:00:48So it's lovely to meet someone who's not down here in London

01:00:52Or in the city, but way up there

01:00:54And you're a country girl then really, you're not on the countryside

01:00:56I think I am at heart

01:00:58Yeah

01:00:58I really am, I really enjoy my downtime being outside

01:01:02I'm a big fan of, so I'm about an hour from the lakes

01:01:05Which is amazing

01:01:06And just walking and hiking is a real tonic for me these days

01:01:12I love doubling in the garden as well

01:01:13It gives me a lot of, I think it's a lovely contrast

01:01:17When your life is so busy and so hectic

01:01:19And just getting down to a bit of normality

01:01:22And a space to breathe

01:01:24We'll be getting you and Tom Allen on gardeners question time

01:01:26Oh lovely, top tips all round, yes please

01:01:29Thank you Faye, you're very welcome

01:01:31Well we're heading down the garden path now

01:01:34With a secretive and deceptive and suspicious little creature

01:01:38Especially where acorns are concerned

01:01:40Here's Leslie Joseph

01:01:41And everything you need to know about the acrobatic grey squirrel

01:01:45A very good morning to you Alan

01:01:49And a delicious and delectable good morning to you, dear viewer

01:01:53Today we go down the garden path to meet the grey squirrel

01:01:58Native to North America

01:02:01Grey squirrels were first introduced to the UK in the 19th century

01:02:05The species has spread rapidly

01:02:07And there are now an estimated 2.7 million grey squirrels across the nation

01:02:13Unfortunately, the introduction of grey squirrels has had a disastrous impact

01:02:19On the UK's only native squirrel species, the red squirrel

01:02:24This makes the grey squirrel considered somewhat of a pest

01:02:28The grey squirrel can be found in woods, gardens and parks across the land

01:02:32Frequently helping themselves to acorns, hazelnuts

01:02:35And even a cheeky nibble on the occasional pine cone

01:02:38When it comes to stashing supplies

01:02:40The grey squirrel will collect food in the autumn

01:02:43And bury their treasures underground

01:02:45Ready to be eaten in winter when food is scarce

01:02:48With a silver grey coat and a brownish face and feet

01:02:51The most striking feature of the grey squirrel

01:02:54Is of course their characteristically bushy tail

01:02:57That helps keep balance when climbing trees

01:03:00When it comes to home life

01:03:02Grey squirrels make a rough nest called a dray

01:03:05Out of twigs, leaves and strips of bark

01:03:08High up in the trees, grey squirrels are renowned for their agility

01:03:12Addict climbing and cunning craftiness

01:03:15They can crack open bird feeders with ease

01:03:18And run along tightrope like washing lines to get to their nutty prize

01:03:23On the matter of movement

01:03:25Grey squirrels have double jointed ankles

01:03:28Allowing their feet to face both forwards and backwards

01:03:33A perfect adaption for tree climbing

01:03:36Well dear viewer

01:03:37That just about wraps up another visit down the garden path

01:03:41Over to you Alan

01:03:43Thank you Leslie

01:03:45And did you know

01:03:46Squirrels have four large front teeth

01:03:48That carry on growing throughout their lives

01:03:51That's to prevent them wearing down

01:03:52While they're munching away on nuts, seeds and other woody items

01:03:56Fancy, there you are

01:03:58Coming up from jumping hurdles in chariots of fire

01:04:01To taking a passage to India

01:04:03To cornering the market in greasy cads

01:04:06Dubious charmers and lovable tops

01:04:09Nigel Havers takes to the road for a brand new tour

01:04:12And he's in panto too as I said

01:04:15Playing Keeper of the Privy

01:04:16That well known role

01:04:18I'll be back with Nigel right after this

01:04:20Welcome back to Love Your Weekend

01:04:35Still ahead

01:04:35The drinks your party guests can serve themselves

01:04:38Tom Sergi gets creative with the hassle-free cocktail punch bowls

01:04:42That'll keep them coming back for more

01:04:45But first described as an entertaining irreverent look at ageing

01:04:49Second chances, friendship and love in later life

01:04:52Proving that it really is never too late

01:04:54Just ask Anita Dobson and Nigel Havers

01:04:57I love you Cynthia

01:04:59You can finish me

01:05:01You ready?

01:05:07It had to be you

01:05:14It had to be you

01:05:17I wandered around

01:05:21And finally found

01:05:23There's somebody who

01:05:25Could make me be true

01:05:28And could make me be blue

01:05:32I'll even be glad

01:05:36Just to be sad

01:05:37Thinking of you

01:05:39Well Tom Allen was rubbish

01:05:40But you were really there quite good

01:05:42I thought

01:05:43No

01:05:43Too late

01:05:44I've not seen that

01:05:45So it comes as a bit of a shock

01:05:47It does

01:05:48Now

01:05:48It's part of

01:05:50A new play for today

01:05:51Yes

01:05:51That lovely series we had many many years ago

01:05:53And they suddenly brought them back

01:05:54Yes

01:05:55You and Anita Dobson

01:05:55In this story about older people

01:05:59Tell us a bit about the plot

01:06:01Well I'm in an older person's sort of home

01:06:05Accommodation

01:06:06Accommodation

01:06:06And she turns up

01:06:09And we're old flames from way back

01:06:11And she is very disappointed to see me

01:06:13Oh

01:06:14Because of the way it ended

01:06:15And it ended in a way that she thought was wrong

01:06:18And in fact it was a mistake

01:06:20And I won't spoil it

01:06:22But it's rather cute and lovely

01:06:24And I did enjoy doing it

01:06:26Yeah

01:06:26I'd never worked with Anita

01:06:27But she was fantastic

01:06:29She's a delight

01:06:29She really is

01:06:30She sat where you're sitting several times

01:06:32Yeah

01:06:32As an interviewee

01:06:33She's absolutely delightful

01:06:35She is just incredible

01:06:36And play for today

01:06:38Kickstarted many people's careers

01:06:40As you probably know

01:06:41Including mine in a way

01:06:43Because I did a couple

01:06:44And it was at a time when

01:06:46You could go to the BBC

01:06:47And say I've got this idea

01:06:49And they'd say

01:06:50Well let's do it

01:06:51And it would be done

01:06:52And it was quality drama

01:06:53Yeah but it was done very quickly

01:06:55No one interfering

01:06:57Didn't cost much money

01:06:58Didn't get paid very much

01:06:59But at least you got something done

01:07:00And on the telly

01:07:02And that's I think

01:07:03A very good idea

01:07:04To revive

01:07:05And that's the plan

01:07:07You started in things like that

01:07:09And it's been wonderful

01:07:10Watching you develop

01:07:11And seeing you now

01:07:13Playing older men

01:07:15Yes

01:07:15Near your own age

01:07:17Was there a moment

01:07:17When you thought

01:07:18I've moved on

01:07:19I'm not that young bounder anymore

01:07:21Just now actually

01:07:22Just now

01:07:23Just watching that clip

01:07:25I thought

01:07:26Oh it's happened

01:07:27I'm in an old people's accommodation

01:07:29It's finally happened

01:07:31Yeah

01:07:32But I'm not

01:07:32I mean so what

01:07:33Oh but they are such cracking roles

01:07:35They are

01:07:36And one in particular

01:07:37Which must have been

01:07:38Really intriguing

01:07:40And in a way hard to play

01:07:42Playing your grandfather

01:07:43Because most of your family

01:07:44Have been in law

01:07:45Your father was

01:07:46Attorney General

01:07:46And you know

01:07:48Great legal roles

01:07:50Within government

01:07:51Sir Michael Havers

01:07:52Your brother is in that

01:07:54You the actor in the family

01:07:56And then to play this role

01:07:57Which is your grandfather

01:07:59In Cruel Love

01:08:00Ruth Ellis

01:08:09The jury has convicted you of murder

01:08:13In my view

01:08:15It was the only verdict possible

01:08:17You will be taken hence

01:08:21To the prison

01:08:22In which you were last confined

01:08:24And from there

01:08:25To a place of execution

01:08:28Where you will suffer death

01:08:32By hanging

01:08:33And thereafter

01:08:35Your body buried

01:08:36Within the precincts

01:08:37Of the prison

01:08:38And may the Lord

01:08:40Have mercy on your soul

01:08:42Amen

01:08:43Thanks

01:08:46Ruth Ellis

01:09:02The last woman

01:09:03To be hanged

01:09:04In Britain

01:09:04And sentenced to death

01:09:06Unwillingly

01:09:07By your grandfather

01:09:09Because she would not say

01:09:10She hadn't intended

01:09:12To kill

01:09:12A lover

01:09:13Absolutely correct

01:09:14You knew your grandfather

01:09:15I mean what a thing

01:09:16To have to go through

01:09:17I know

01:09:18From Ruth Ellis' point of view

01:09:19But also from your grandfather's point

01:09:20Indeed

01:09:21And he did speak about it

01:09:22And he was mortified by it

01:09:24And as you know

01:09:25During the trial

01:09:26He kept saying

01:09:27But you didn't

01:09:28Intend to kill

01:09:29Oh yes I did

01:09:30She said

01:09:31At every turn

01:09:32So there was nothing

01:09:33He could do

01:09:34He sent a letter

01:09:35To the home secretary

01:09:36At the time

01:09:37Asking him to

01:09:38Spare her

01:09:40Commute sentence

01:09:40Yes

01:09:41And he refused

01:09:42And

01:09:43He then decided

01:09:46To pay

01:09:47For her son's education

01:09:49Which he did

01:09:50Gracious me

01:09:51Yeah

01:09:51Playing your grandfather

01:09:53Then in that role

01:09:54Was that hard

01:09:54Unless it's a facile question

01:09:56Really

01:09:56But it must have been

01:09:57Very hard

01:09:58To do that role

01:09:59Actually

01:09:59Channeling him in a way

01:10:00I'm glad they asked me

01:10:01And I said

01:10:02No

01:10:02I have one reservation

01:10:04I think I'm a little too young

01:10:05To play him

01:10:06And they said

01:10:06Actually you're ten years old

01:10:07Oh dear

01:10:10But it was

01:10:11Back to the age thing

01:10:12Nigel

01:10:13Yes

01:10:13Back to the age thing

01:10:13Every word I say

01:10:15Is the words that he spoke

01:10:17Goodness

01:10:17So I had to get them

01:10:19Absolutely dead right

01:10:20But

01:10:20Yeah

01:10:20I was

01:10:21I adored my grandfather

01:10:23So it was something

01:10:24For me to do it

01:10:25On a lighter note

01:10:26You're still touring

01:10:27With your one month show

01:10:28I think

01:10:28Or are you going to tour

01:10:29Again with it

01:10:30I'm going to go out

01:10:31I had such a good time

01:10:32Doing it

01:10:32And I realised

01:10:33You know

01:10:34I couldn't work out

01:10:35Why I wanted to do it

01:10:36People had asked me

01:10:37And I kept saying

01:10:38Really am I

01:10:39Back to the age thing

01:10:40Am I

01:10:41I'm too young

01:10:42To do this

01:10:42And I decided

01:10:44I wasn't

01:10:44But

01:10:44I remember Dawn French

01:10:46Who's a great friend of mine

01:10:47She rang me one night

01:10:49I was in a play

01:10:49Just about to go on stage

01:10:50And she rang

01:10:51And said

01:10:52I'm just about to go on stage

01:10:53And I'm so nervous

01:10:53I'm doing my one woman show

01:10:55And I don't know why I'm doing it

01:10:56Why am I putting myself through this

01:10:58And I said

01:10:59Dawn it's very very simple

01:11:00You're doing it because

01:11:01You have a huge ego

01:11:02And she said

01:11:04And she said

01:11:04Oh you're right

01:11:05Oh now I understand

01:11:07Thank you

01:11:07And I found myself on stage

01:11:10On the first night

01:11:11I was doing this

01:11:11And I said

01:11:13Why am I doing this

01:11:14And I realised

01:11:14It's because I have a huge ego

01:11:16Well that's

01:11:17Noel Coward

01:11:18When he was once being interviewed

01:11:19The interview said

01:11:20I'm terribly sorry

01:11:21To keep asking you about yourself

01:11:23And Coward said

01:11:23No no it's my favourite subject

01:11:24Became mine

01:11:26Yes

01:11:27I got Judy Dench

01:11:29To do the introduction

01:11:30And you hear her voice saying

01:11:31Ladies and gentlemen

01:11:32Here's someone

01:11:33Who needs no introduction

01:11:34And then you hear me saying

01:11:36But if I don't need an introduction

01:11:37Why are you introducing me

01:11:38She says

01:11:39You're right

01:11:40Okay

01:11:40Here's Nigel Havers

01:11:41And so she kicks me off

01:11:43And I run on stage

01:11:45In slow motion

01:11:46To the music of Chariots of Fire

01:11:48And it sort of kicks off

01:11:49And I had an idea

01:11:52But I didn't have a script

01:11:53It just sort of

01:11:54Happens

01:11:55There's enough

01:11:56That you've done

01:11:57Nigel

01:11:58Over the years

01:11:58And the variety of it

01:11:59As well

01:11:59From comedy

01:12:00To heavy drama

01:12:01There's another popular drama

01:12:03Which you have been in

01:12:04Downton Abbey

01:12:05Oh yes

01:12:06Now Julian Fellows

01:12:07Is a great friend of mine

01:12:08And we were

01:12:09A bunch of actors

01:12:10All growing up together

01:12:11And whenever we went

01:12:12To the pub

01:12:13To have a drink

01:12:13Julian would always sit

01:12:14At the table over there

01:12:15Writing

01:12:15I'm writing

01:12:16I'm just doing

01:12:17Writing

01:12:17We thought

01:12:18He's never going to

01:12:19Get any job writing

01:12:20He's never going to

01:12:22Get anywhere

01:12:22Come on Julian

01:12:23You're never going to

01:12:23Get anywhere writing

01:12:24So that was

01:12:26And then came Gosford Park

01:12:28And then came the Oscar

01:12:28Yeah and came the Oscar

01:12:30So when he said

01:12:31Would you play this part

01:12:32Yeah

01:12:32A cad

01:12:33Oh that'll be novel

01:12:35That'll be fine

01:12:36I've never done that before

01:12:37Here you are then

01:12:39The cad

01:12:40And Downton Abbey

01:12:41Well what shall we talk about

01:12:43Hatton

01:12:46Shall we discuss

01:12:48Why you never go there now

01:12:49Or La Chorle

01:12:51Or what about

01:12:53Hepworth House

01:12:54In Groveny Square

01:12:55I spent so many

01:12:56Happy evenings there

01:12:57With your father

01:12:58In hot pursuit

01:12:59I see it's time

01:13:04For some honesty

01:13:05A change is as good

01:13:06As a rest

01:13:07I think you know

01:13:10That Hatton's gone

01:13:11So has Lock Earl

01:13:13And Hepworth House

01:13:16Has so many mortgages

01:13:18I uh

01:13:20I could only sell it

01:13:21At a loss

01:13:21So my spies

01:13:22Tell me

01:13:23So you want

01:13:23Rosamund

01:13:24Or rather

01:13:25The fortune

01:13:26Of the late

01:13:27Mr Painswick

01:13:28To come to the rescue

01:13:30My feelings

01:13:31For Lady Rosamund

01:13:31Are sincere

01:13:32I admire her

01:13:34Immensely

01:13:35I do not doubt it

01:13:36My only fear

01:13:37Is that you admire

01:13:38Her money

01:13:39More

01:13:40Lady Rosamund

01:13:41Is too young

01:13:41To be alone

01:13:42And you'll concede

01:13:44That there are many

01:13:45Varieties

01:13:46Of happy marriage

01:13:48Maybe

01:13:49But they are all

01:13:52Based on honesty

01:13:53I insist

01:13:55You tell the truth

01:13:57About your circumstances

01:13:58To Rosamund

01:13:59After that

01:14:01It's up to her

01:14:03Dowager Countess Grantham

01:14:05A force to be reckoned with

01:14:07Those short sharp putdowns

01:14:08And one liners

01:14:09Maggie Smith

01:14:10A force to be reckoned with

01:14:11But a delight

01:14:12To play opposites

01:14:13I would think

01:14:13Oh I knew her

01:14:14Well

01:14:15So I had fun with her

01:14:17You know

01:14:18I saw her not

01:14:18Long before she died

01:14:20Actually

01:14:20And I said

01:14:21Maggie you're looking wonderful

01:14:22And she said to me

01:14:23You're clutching at straws darling

01:14:25Very Maggie

01:14:28She was quite a wonderful person

01:14:30You did get the part in the end

01:14:31I did get the part in the end

01:14:32But a far cry from Panto

01:14:34I mean it's ten

01:14:35Ten years you've been doing

01:14:36The London Palladium Panto now

01:14:38With Julian Clary

01:14:39And it is

01:14:40It's hilarious

01:14:42Last year

01:14:42I was the poster boy

01:14:43For assisted dying

01:14:44What are you this year

01:14:49I can't dare tell you

01:14:52What I am this year

01:14:53Something to do with the privy

01:14:55Yes

01:14:55I'm keeper of the privy

01:14:57Actually

01:14:57Oh right

01:14:57The purse bit's been dropped

01:14:59Just keep the privy

01:15:01I keep the loose clean

01:15:02Does

01:15:02How much sort of adalibing goes on

01:15:06In the evening

01:15:06Well it's funny you should ask that

01:15:08Because

01:15:08Once you've strapped it down

01:15:10We try and keep it

01:15:11Yeah

01:15:12Because there's so many cues involved

01:15:14But Julian can't obviously resist

01:15:16So it does

01:15:17It does move around

01:15:18Especially with me

01:15:19Especially with you

01:15:20It's clearly huge fun

01:15:22It is huge fun

01:15:23But I do

01:15:24What a wonderful life

01:15:25I've had the most amazingly good time

01:15:27Don't tell everybody

01:15:28No no

01:15:28I've had a very hard

01:15:29Difficult life

01:15:30Yes

01:15:31Well we can tell that

01:15:32From your features

01:15:33Just like you Alan

01:15:34Yes

01:15:34Just like me

01:15:35Yes

01:15:36And I'm not giving up the spade either

01:15:38Because you never know

01:15:38When you're going to need it again

01:15:39No

01:15:40And I love a bit of spade work myself

01:15:41Good

01:15:42I'm a keen keen gardener

01:15:43I'm glad

01:15:44Glad this place is full of them today

01:15:46Really

01:15:46You and Tom Allen

01:15:47Yeah

01:15:47Together

01:15:48Lovely to talk to you

01:15:49Lovely to talk to you

01:15:50You'll say for a light libation

01:15:51At the end will you

01:15:52Have I ever said no

01:15:53No

01:15:54Unfortunately not

01:15:55No

01:15:55Before

01:15:57It's dreadful

01:15:59Brings up the worst in me

01:16:00Before the libations

01:16:02Time to de-stress your Sunday even more

01:16:04With today's

01:16:05Ode to Joy

01:16:19Or

01:16:32ORGAN PLAYS

01:17:02ORGAN PLAYS

01:17:32ORGAN PLAYS

01:18:02ORGAN PLAYS

01:18:06Come one, come all, it's the return of the 1970s Punchbowl.

01:18:09Remember them?

01:18:10No wonder Tom Sergis already got a cue for me.

01:18:13I'll be back with the other Tom, Faye and Nigel

01:18:16to sample his communal cocktails right after this.

01:18:33Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

01:18:35Best of British time and with the Christmas party season in full swing

01:18:38our diaries easily fill up with invites to office do's

01:18:42and festive mingles and jingles and with family and friends.

01:18:46But if you're playing host this year

01:18:48perhaps a hassle-free approach to bartending is what's called for

01:18:51with the return of the classic 1970s Punchbowl.

01:18:55Dangerous.

01:18:56Not only are they cost-effective

01:18:58but they also mean you can escape from behind the drinks trolley

01:19:01and enjoy the evening yourself.

01:19:02Here with his very own batch-made cocktails

01:19:05using the finest British spirits.

01:19:07Welcome back.

01:19:08Tom Sergis with an array of goldfish bowls.

01:19:11Thank you, Alan.

01:19:11I know.

01:19:12Look at this.

01:19:13I brought them from home.

01:19:14It's all mine.

01:19:15It's not.

01:19:16It's not.

01:19:17There's poor fish.

01:19:18There's poor fish.

01:19:18I know.

01:19:19Absolute travesty.

01:19:21Do you know, this is one of my favourite segments we've done.

01:19:23I think Punch is exactly the time of year for it.

01:19:26We think of Punch first and foremost as being this very summery kind of,

01:19:30you know, Caribbean island kind of influence thing.

01:19:33And actually, these are incredibly British drinks.

01:19:36These were almost definitely invented in India

01:19:39while the Brits were out there in the 1600s.

01:19:41And so they have a 400-year history.

01:19:43And their arrival in the Caribbean arrives with the Brits.

01:19:46And so there's this real kind of British, I suppose, sort of heritage to these drinks

01:19:51that then transcend and move all over the world

01:19:53and then get these brilliant, unique characters from the cultures that they meet along the way.

01:19:57So we're going to explore that a bit.

01:19:59First off, we're going to do something outrageous.

01:20:02And I think my favourite of the lot, it's a beautiful thing.

01:20:05It's the Chatham Artillery Punch.

01:20:07It is this situation over here.

01:20:09I've been to Chatham and let me tell you, you can easily get punched there.

01:20:13So this is different Chatham, you see.

01:20:15So this comes from Georgia, out in America.

01:20:18And in 1885, Chatham Artillery Punch was invented.

01:20:21It is a combination of cognac, very, very lovely rum, bourbon,

01:20:28and topped up, crucially, all that else is in it, a bit of lemon juice and sugar,

01:20:32topped up with the brilliant Westwell Wiccan Foy English sparkling wine,

01:20:37giving it a bit of verve and zest.

01:20:39This is delicious.

01:20:40Isn't it amazing?

01:20:41That's all that's in it.

01:20:42Very tasty.

01:20:43And then what's on top?

01:20:44What have we got?

01:20:44A little bit of grated nutmeg.

01:20:46Ah.

01:20:46If you want to, yeah, that's the key thing.

01:20:48I just thought that was a bit of hay that's going on the ceiling.

01:20:51It's really refreshing.

01:20:53There's a lot going on in this, isn't there?

01:20:55There is a lot going on.

01:20:56I can taste a little bit.

01:20:56It's very complex, isn't it?

01:20:58Mouth party.

01:20:59Delicious.

01:20:59Yeah.

01:21:00And you would never suspect that it's almost entirely meat spirits.

01:21:04And the reason for that is you get this amazing freshness.

01:21:06Oh, I think I would.

01:21:07I was going to say, I think I'm about to.

01:21:10It's a sort of heart starter, isn't it?

01:21:12Yeah.

01:21:13Full stopper, one or the other.

01:21:15Yes.

01:21:15Or as my father would call it a phlegm cutter.

01:21:17Oh, and Faye, you like this as well.

01:21:22I do.

01:21:23I think it's really refreshing, though, as well.

01:21:25It's got this tartness, this kind of moorish little tartness to it.

01:21:28Yeah.

01:21:28It's beautiful.

01:21:29Oh, it's gorgeous.

01:21:30And as you say, once they're in the bowl, it's just sort of pour away.

01:21:33Free from the bowl, isn't it?

01:21:35Dive.

01:21:36Right, right.

01:21:36Yeah, it's lovely, that one.

01:21:37Oh, this one's warm.

01:21:39Yeah, this one is warm.

01:21:40And I thought what we'd do here is we'd do a sort of lovely mould cider.

01:21:43And the idea is these are drinks that are there to be served as a sharing drink.

01:21:48They're there to be ladled out in kind of generous kind of quantities to people.

01:21:52And our mould drinks and our culture of that here at this time of year is amazing.

01:21:56So I'm saying people should get into mould earlier in the year.

01:21:58Don't wait till kind of absolutely Christmas and into New Year.

01:22:01Get in it now.

01:22:02Have it.

01:22:02It smells delicious.

01:22:03This is just lovely.

01:22:05So this is Celtic Marshes cider.

01:22:07They're a seventh generation Herefordshire cider farm that is all grown on one estate.

01:22:13And this is their orange version.

01:22:15It's absolutely stunning.

01:22:16It's wonderfully gentle.

01:22:18Yeah.

01:22:19But delicious.

01:22:20Is it just the cider?

01:22:21That's it?

01:22:21So what I've done, I've actually tuned that up very slightly.

01:22:24I've thrown a little bit of a ginger vodka in there as well.

01:22:28Which I think they're quite, what I love about mould drinks is you can hide, like all good punches, you can hide quite a lot of booze in them.

01:22:37So it's a bit of a party starter.

01:22:39A bit of ginger to go alongside the orange and cinnamon.

01:22:42And you like a vodka, don't you?

01:22:43That's so good.

01:22:44That's particularly nice.

01:22:46Come on.

01:22:47Very nice things.

01:22:48Ginger's good for your throat as well.

01:22:49So that's a good excuse to pop it.

01:22:51Exactly.

01:22:51So pop that in as well.

01:22:53Before you go on.

01:22:53Yeah.

01:22:54A little tipple before you go on.

01:22:56Now, as ever, we're going to have a non-alcoholic version of these amazing punches.

01:23:01And I'm fascinated.

01:23:03I'm fascinated by the non-alcoholic world.

01:23:05Wow.

01:23:06And we've got, what I've done here is I've created layers and layers and layers of lots of different, really lovely, gently bitter, gently vinegar-based, some of them.

01:23:14Different non-alcoholic drinks made in England.

01:23:16Things like Bativo and that sort of thing.

01:23:18But I've also layered it very heavily with this.

01:23:21This is three spirit and it's called Cherry Love Social.

01:23:25And it is a mood-boosting, functional spirit.

01:23:28So it's got Damiana, which is an aphrodisiac.

01:23:31It's got all sorts of kind of different things going on.

01:23:34I know.

01:23:35Come on.

01:23:36It's meant to sort of give you a sensation.

01:23:39It's great.

01:23:39No alcohol.

01:23:40No alcohol.

01:23:41No maraschinos.

01:23:42No alcohol.

01:23:43No alcohol at all.

01:23:44But in layering it up with lots of different drinks and then topping it with a little bit of ginger beer, what it does is it gives you a sensation that should give you a little warmth and a little tension, a little texture like an alcoholic drink.

01:23:54If you'd said there was something alcoholic in there, I would have believed you because it's got a bit of edge to it, doesn't it?

01:23:59It's not too sickly.

01:23:59At the end of the day, I have to say, it hasn't got any alcohol in it.

01:24:05It's not so interesting.

01:24:07It actually tastes a little bit herby and medicinal.

01:24:11Yes, there definitely is that.

01:24:13100%.

01:24:14Three down, two to go.

01:24:15Now, this time of year, we get into that funny old season where we start drinking lovely warm drinks but that are sort of filled with milk and eggs and there's this tradition of the eggnog and all these spiced rum-based sort of rich drinks.

01:24:31And this is a little take on that.

01:24:33This is the Black Lines Oat Nog.

01:24:36It is oat milk.

01:24:37It is beautiful rum made in Devon, cinnamon, a little bit of spice to it, and it is a dairy-free, egg-free alternative.

01:24:45Oat Nog.

01:24:46Oat Nog.

01:24:47Oat Nog.

01:24:48Come on, everybody's happy.

01:24:49Now, it doesn't have the sweetness you expect.

01:24:52No, actually.

01:24:53It does use to that yellowy one, aren't you?

01:24:55Yeah, yeah.

01:24:55Avocado.

01:24:56Avocado.

01:24:57Yes.

01:24:57I quite like it.

01:24:58Have you got an avocado?

01:24:59We like a bit of avocado.

01:25:00After this, we can have a cup of avocado.

01:25:01Oh, we can make a snowball.

01:25:03Oh, I'd like a snowball, Alan.

01:25:04Yeah, that one.

01:25:06It's good, isn't it?

01:25:07Yeah, it's really nice.

01:25:08Refreshing.

01:25:08Yes, yeah.

01:25:09What's the alcohol?

01:25:10So, this is Devon-based, really high-quality rum, blended with oat.

01:25:15You know, literally oat milk, kind of oat cream.

01:25:17And then little bits of different sort of spices, cinnamons and a bit of nutmeg, lay it in.

01:25:22I think it's beautiful.

01:25:23That's really nice.

01:25:24Have you added anything to this?

01:25:25I've added nothing to this.

01:25:27So, this is straight out of that bottle.

01:25:29It's delicious, isn't it?

01:25:30It's delicious.

01:25:31It has a...

01:25:31You know, because if you start going into creamy drinks, which will be nameless, they're very Moorish, but they're quite sickly.

01:25:38Oh, I'll at least say.

01:25:39But this isn't.

01:25:40It's much more milky than creamy, which is good.

01:25:42You can have litres and litres of this.

01:25:44I would like to have that.

01:25:46I actually really like that.

01:25:47So, then we get to the market garden.

01:25:49Finally.

01:25:49Faye likes that one.

01:25:50I do, I do.

01:25:51I'm so pleased, mate.

01:25:52Yeah.

01:25:52This looks like something you entered into Chelsea once.

01:25:55Yeah.

01:25:55Yes, I think I've got a gold medal for this one.

01:25:57So, I've said it before on this show, but a garnish should either be there to elevate the flavour of the drink and give it more aroma, or it should be sort of threatening you, sort of poking you in the eyes.

01:26:05It's definitely threatening you.

01:26:07So, feel free to get the bouquet out of the way if you want to.

01:26:09No.

01:26:09But if you are making drinks for pineapples, use the leaves, for goodness sake.

01:26:13That's the point of it.

01:26:13Ooh.

01:26:14This is...

01:26:15Oh, what's happened, Alan?

01:26:15What's happened?

01:26:16Ooh, I'll just have...

01:26:17Yes, Barbados.

01:26:18Oh, really?

01:26:18Take a slur.

01:26:19It's after that creamy one.

01:26:21Talking of hiding lots of booze in these things, these are the best drinks to absolutely fill with beautiful rums.

01:26:27This is my take on a classic Jamaican or Barbadian-style rum.

01:26:30Oh, that's good.

01:26:31This is based on this beautiful Two Drifters Devon-based rum.

01:26:36Highly, highly, highly sustainable, very, very planet-friendly rum.

01:26:40This is their overproof pineapple.

01:26:42So, this is a spiced rum, and it is, instead of being 42% like most rums, it is 60%.

01:26:47Oh, jeez, now you tell us.

01:26:50That explains it a lot.

01:26:52It's very much an hour, absolutely.

01:26:54I've got to operate heavy machinery later this evening.

01:26:56Yeah, exactly.

01:26:56Not anymore, not anymore.

01:26:57And this is pineapple juice, it is orange juice.

01:27:01You throw in some sort of lovely all-spice, bit of nutmeg to give it that lovely kind of spice to it.

01:27:06And then, crucially, what makes these lovely punches sweet and easy drinking is strawberry syrup.

01:27:12So, you need to get yourself some really sweet strawberry syrup, and that's what gives it that amazing, uplifting...

01:27:17How much of that 50% did you put in this?

01:27:19There's about a bottle and a half in there.

01:27:22There's litres of the stuff in there.

01:27:24Don't worry, there's loads of orange juice.

01:27:26I haven't had plants this evening.

01:27:26But it's got this wonderful funk, The Two Drifters' Rum, as well.

01:27:33It's got this lovely, herbaceous, lovely rolling kind of spice to it.

01:27:37It's delicious.

01:27:38It is.

01:27:39Cremolet.

01:27:39Absolutely astonished.

01:27:42There you go.

01:27:42Come on.

01:27:43And you're looking here at four people who are really glad that they didn't have all this before they talked to Kevin.

01:27:49It might have gone a completely different direction.

01:27:51Imagine the secrets we would have revealed, Alan.

01:27:53It did.

01:27:53Dash.

01:27:54Why did I do it the wrong way round?

01:27:55They're the most wonderful punches I've ever had in my life.

01:27:59Nigel.

01:27:59Correct.

01:28:00They really are.

01:28:00They are.

01:28:01They are.

01:28:01Delicious.

01:28:02Tom, you're a star.

01:28:03If only we all have the time and the patience to do what you've done.

01:28:06Hey, well, look, you know, it keeps me in a job, doesn't it?

01:28:08That's all right.

01:28:09That's fine.

01:28:09You're safe.

01:28:10Somebody's got to do it.

01:28:11Gracious to me.

01:28:12That's it for today's show.

01:28:13Thank goodness, you might say.

01:28:15Thanks to all my guests.

01:28:16To Faye, Tom, Nigel, and, of course, the other Tom.

01:28:19Joining me next week, Claire Balding and the man currently wowing audiences every night in Melbrook's The Producers, Andy Nyman.

01:28:26And he is wowing.

01:28:27I saw it last week.

01:28:29Tear down each cheek.

01:28:31So funny.

01:28:32Oh, we've got reindeer, too.

01:28:33Nearly forgot.

01:28:34Up next, Fletcher's Farm.

01:28:36But I'll leave you now with these words from Mae West.

01:28:39I'll try anything once.

01:28:41Twice if I like it.

01:28:43Three times just to make sure.

01:28:45I think she was on to something.

01:28:47Till the next time from all of us.

01:28:48Cheers.

01:28:49Cheers.

01:28:50Cheers.

01:28:54Nigel, you're absolutely right.

01:28:56That is the best punch I have.

01:28:58Ever.

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