Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh - Season 7 Episode 33 - video Dailymotion

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Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh - Season 7 Episode 33

Transcript

00:00:00Threw up the sash, the moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

00:00:05Gave a lustre of midday to objects below

00:00:08When what to my wandering eyes did appear

00:00:11But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer

00:00:16A visit from St Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore

00:00:19The perfect Christmas poem

00:00:21Isn't that right, Satu?

00:00:23Too busy eating.

00:00:24Well, we're honoured you've found time to come anyway

00:00:26Even if you're starving.

00:00:27Do you find us okay?

00:00:29Yes, and it's a pretty straightforward journey isn't it

00:00:31From the North Pole to Hampshire

00:00:33It's not?

00:00:34Oh well, you know best

00:00:36You're also very hungry

00:00:38It's time for Love Your Weekend

00:00:59The first Sunday of December

00:01:17Time for the Christmas lights

00:01:19There we are

00:01:20The month that signals the start of winter

00:01:23Snow falls sometimes

00:01:25Wildfowl fill the waterways

00:01:27And the light sits low

00:01:29Creating those multi-hued sunsets over frosty hills, farmland and mountains

00:01:34It's a festive month too

00:01:36It's a festive month too

00:01:37When twinkling Christmas lights like ours fill Britain's villages and towns

00:01:41And we're feeling festive on the show today

00:01:43Coming up, a woman who really is a sport

00:01:46From saddling up to galloping over the airwaves

00:01:49To taking on those traitors

00:01:51She's done it all

00:01:52Claire Balding

00:01:53Currently making waves in literary circles

00:01:56Here with her latest page turner

00:01:58Just in time for Christmas

00:02:00And from Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof

00:02:03To Horace van der Gelder in the London revival of Hello Dolly

00:02:06Andy Nyman's back on the West End stage

00:02:09This time in the revival of Mel Brooks' The Producers

00:02:12Leslie Joseph channels her inner Meryl Streep

00:02:15As she goes out of Africa on a safari with a difference

00:02:19And wreath making made simple with his seasonal seven

00:02:23Florist Simon Lycett with the key ingredients

00:02:26To make your own piece of festive magic for the front door

00:02:30And looking back on a busy year capturing the royal family at home and abroad

00:02:34Photographer Chris Jackson escapes the press pack

00:02:37To share his personal favourite images of royalty

00:02:46We have the tree, the tinsel and we have the tipples

00:02:49Let's get the party started

00:02:51Welcome Claire Balding and Mr Producer himself

00:02:54Star of The Producers

00:02:57Fresh from the West End stage

00:02:59Andy Nyman, welcome to you both

00:03:01Hi, good morning

00:03:02Good morning

00:03:04You can tell now, we've gone into Christmas mode already

00:03:06I know

00:03:07Not too early for you

00:03:08I mean, do you indulge yourself at Christmas, Andy?

00:03:11Can you do that?

00:03:12I love it, I love it

00:03:13I get the double whammy

00:03:14I do a bit of Chanukah as well

00:03:15Yeah

00:03:16So do a bit of Chanukah

00:03:17Bit of Christmas

00:03:18Didn't have a tree when we were growing up

00:03:19So could not wait when I'd moved away to have a tree

00:03:23So yeah, I love it all

00:03:25Do the Chanukah candles, Christmas, Christmas lunch

00:03:27It's great

00:03:28Claire, are you the same or is the bit of humbug attached or not at all?

00:03:30Oh no, I love it

00:03:31Oh, I love it

00:03:32I ordered this thing the other day, right

00:03:33It's so tacky

00:03:34It's a Santa Claus that climbs up like a metal rope, thrilled with it

00:03:39And in the garden I put a big blow up penguin

00:03:43Because obviously that's very Christmassy

00:03:45Is the Santa climbing an indoor thing or an outdoor?

00:03:48It's an indoor thing

00:03:49Right

00:03:50Oh my god, it was £15, best £15.99 ever spent

00:03:53It's fabulous and it plays almost like a cowboy music

00:03:57Because, you know

00:03:58Is it the one that does it when you're speaking, when it hears a noise?

00:04:01No, no, no

00:04:02You've got to turn it on

00:04:03No, is there one when you speak?

00:04:05I think so

00:04:06I don't think I'm

00:04:07Yeah, you'd be pulling the batteries out of that 35 seconds

00:04:10I might have to

00:04:11The only trouble is the cats are very, well one of them is very scared of the Father Christmas

00:04:15Oh

00:04:16Yes

00:04:17With my grandchildren it's the elf on the shelf

00:04:19That moves around

00:04:20Oh

00:04:21There's an elf and overnight

00:04:22He or she, not gender specific

00:04:24They come down in the morning and the elf has moved

00:04:27It's quite amazing

00:04:29Wow

00:04:30We're all looking thinking, where's the elf gone?

00:04:31Oh, it's up there, you know

00:04:33Oh, it's quite fun, isn't it?

00:04:34Yeah, it's lovely

00:04:35And I quite like the Norad Santa tracker

00:04:38Oh, it's fantastic

00:04:39Love that, love that

00:04:40Yeah, fantastic and accurate

00:04:43Very

00:04:44It wasn't when they first brought it out, now it's bulls-on

00:04:46No, but now, so it's very good for world geography

00:04:48Yes

00:04:49There you go

00:04:50And time zones

00:04:51Yeah

00:04:52Super important

00:04:53Love all that, love the food too, particularly Brussels sprouts

00:04:56I'm a big fan of Brussels sprouts

00:04:57Oh, yes

00:04:58The thing about Brussels sprouts, you love them or loathe them

00:05:00Yes

00:05:01I love them, my daughter loves them and my granddaughter loves them

00:05:03And we sort of fight the rest of the family

00:05:04Yes, we are having sprouts

00:05:05See, this is probably the programme to embarrass myself on by declaring it was only about ten years ago I first saw how Brussels sprouts grew

00:05:14I had no idea that's what it was like when I first saw it I thought it was something from space, I could not believe it

00:05:23There have been gardening programmes on television for many years now, you have no excuse for not knowing what

00:05:28I am so, Alan, maya culpa, I am so sorry

00:05:32You know that carrots and potatoes both come out the ground

00:05:34No they don't

00:05:35They do

00:05:36They do

00:05:37Yes, I've seen them

00:05:38What about parsnips?

00:05:39You can't blow your mind

00:05:41Look, two masters of their craft here, you Claire and Andy as well

00:05:46Inspirations, people, your heroes when you were, you know, not when you were growing up but when you've been doing your job

00:05:52Who do you regard as your hero?

00:05:54Terry Wogan was a, I mean, watching him and the way he was off camera, off mic as well, I think there is a lot and we've talked about this and I, you know, I hold Alan in huge regard

00:06:05But not just because of what you are on screen but I think there's a code of behaviour, a standard of behaviour and I do think that's important

00:06:12So if studio managers, floor managers like you, you're in and so I will always ask the floor manager, is so-and-so good to work with and then you get your proper answer

00:06:21Yeah, yeah, so Terry, what about you Andy? Heroes in theatre?

00:06:25Well, the big thing for me when I was a boy, I sort of knew I wanted to act and then I went to see Jaws at the pictures and saw Richard Dreyfuss on screen

00:06:36And that was, that really brought home for me how important representation is because there I was, little curly haired Jewish kid wearing glasses

00:06:43And there he came onto the screen, little curly haired Jewish guy with glasses and I thought you don't have to look like Steve McQueen or Robert Redford

00:06:51You don't have to be a god to do that, you can look kind of normal and so that was an epiphany for me and that really stayed with me actually and always has

00:07:00So then I've had many people that I sort of look at their careers and think, oh my goodness, you know, you'd love to be like that

00:07:07But that's always been a thing for me. Have you ever met any of your heroes? I've met quite a lot of them

00:07:12Yeah, yeah, and none have ever disappointed, including yourself

00:07:16Oh, stop it. No, that's, I mean, it's such a relief because that thing about when you do always

00:07:20You've always admired somebody and, you know, we're lucky enough to get to meet a lot of people

00:07:24Very, very few of them, to be fair, let you down, but when they do, oh, the disappointment

00:07:29But when they're great and when they're even better than you expect them to be

00:07:33Helen Mirren, right, is somebody I have had the pleasure of meeting

00:07:36My god, she's knockout and so much fun and so naughty

00:07:39Yeah, and I love that, you get like Celia Imry who I was doing Traces with

00:07:43Celia's someone who probably shouldn't eat Brussels sprouts

00:07:46She doesn't eat them

00:07:48She's terrific fun and again has got that naughty side to her that is, it makes it so much more enjoyable

00:07:54Now, you, I know, Clare, have acting aspirations

00:07:58The reason I know you have acting aspirations is from this particular clip I'm going to show you now

00:08:04This is Clare Balding acting

00:08:11Joe Calzani! Joe Calzani!

00:08:14Hello, Joe

00:08:15Hey, how you doing?

00:08:16What say you and I engage in some sexual sparring?

00:08:20Ding, ding, round one

00:08:22Bash, bash, boom, bash, bang, bang, boom

00:08:28Oh my, so, so sorry, Miss Balding

00:08:30So sorry

00:08:32Sorry

00:08:33What an I'm weird

00:08:34It's impossible to be carried around famous people

00:08:37I know, I know

00:08:38I just got my bum in Clare Balding's face

00:08:40Could we keep that quiet?

00:08:42I was expecting rather more than that

00:08:45I was hoping for something sort of Stanislavski-esque

00:08:49Sorry, yeah

00:08:50It was just a bum

00:08:51I didn't have any dialogue there, it's harder without dialogue there

00:08:53I would agree

00:08:54And I'm, here's the truth

00:08:56Thank you

00:08:57That was a very truthful, cold stare

00:08:59Thank you

00:09:00Yes, that's what I worked on

00:09:01Yeah, and a good fringe bounce as well

00:09:03Well, there's always the good fringe bounce

00:09:05I can provide that any time

00:09:07Any time it's needed

00:09:09I have a few times appeared as versions of myself

00:09:13Because it's never quite you, is it?

00:09:15It's, oh, I remember working with Victoria Wood once

00:09:17And doing a bit in one of her sketches

00:09:19And she wrote me a very sweet note afterwards

00:09:21And said, thank you for coming on

00:09:23Because it's like playing you, but not

00:09:26And it is, it's just that little bit

00:09:28Yes

00:09:29Extra, I suppose

00:09:30But you've done quite a bit of it

00:09:31I remember you in W1A

00:09:33I enjoyed, I enjoyed playing

00:09:34Coming up and down an escalator

00:09:35Well, and my father said to me

00:09:37You were so horrid to that boy in reception

00:09:39And I said, Dad, I was acting

00:09:40No, but you were really not very nice to me

00:09:42Dad, seriously, I was acting

00:09:44I had dialogue and everything in that

00:09:46That's quite a compliment, though

00:09:48Thank you

00:09:49I got name checked in it

00:09:50But that was it

00:09:51Yes, were you put up for

00:09:53Britain's Tastiest Village?

00:09:54Britain's Tastiest Village

00:09:55But haven't we both been offered that show, actually?

00:09:57In real life

00:09:58No, you were, were you?

00:10:00No, I wasn't

00:10:01Fine, okay

00:10:03Well, much more from Clara and Andy

00:10:05Coming up a little bit later on

00:10:07Regulars to the show will know

00:10:09This is the moment

00:10:10We invite our guests to partake

00:10:12Of a cornucopia of delicacies

00:10:14We have cucumber sandwiches

00:10:16We have, you know

00:10:17Probably the first mince pies you're going to see

00:10:18And some Christmas cake

00:10:19And all sorts

00:10:20I do tuck in

00:10:21Fondant fancies a go-go here

00:10:23Still ahead

00:10:24Impressing your guests

00:10:25With the newest wines on the market

00:10:27Wine expert Tony Oshoba

00:10:29Has her festive hit list

00:10:31Of the latest releases

00:10:32To try this Christmas

00:10:33Which will clearly go down well

00:10:34With these mince pies

00:10:36There's even a new fizz

00:10:37Would you believe

00:10:38And bringing their reindeer farm

00:10:40To Manor Farm

00:10:41I'll be meeting the Cotswolds couple

00:10:43Who've created a winter wonderland

00:10:45Where it's Christmas

00:10:46All year round

00:10:47Wrap up warm gang

00:10:48We're journeying north

00:10:49Well, not quite north

00:10:51Just over there actually

00:10:53In Paddock 2

00:10:54But it's north

00:10:55It's going to be brilliant

00:10:57Fondant fancy anybody

00:10:59Or a grape

00:11:00A grape

00:11:01A grape

00:11:02Have a grape

00:11:03Cheese and grapes

00:11:04Cheese and grapes

00:11:05Lovely

00:11:06I'm grabbing a grape

00:11:07Can I eat the fig?

00:11:08Of course you can eat the fig

00:11:09From idyllic woodlands

00:11:24To coastal villages

00:11:26To chocolate box cottages

00:11:28Nestled deep in hillsides

00:11:30And secret hideaways

00:11:31Oh, the romance of the British countryside

00:11:34Coming up

00:11:35With a career that spanned a slew

00:11:37Of shrewdly inhabited parts

00:11:39In Hollywood films

00:11:40Wicked

00:11:41Peaky blinders

00:11:42On the box

00:11:43And on stage

00:11:44Too numerous to mention

00:11:45Andy Nyman

00:11:46Back on the boards

00:11:47This time

00:11:48In the revival of Mel Brooks

00:11:50Outrageously funny

00:11:51The producers

00:11:53Now surely

00:11:54There is no better way

00:11:56To signal the arrival of Christmas

00:11:58In our homes

00:11:59Than by

00:12:00Hanging a wreath

00:12:01On the front door

00:12:02The tradition began in northern Europe

00:12:04In the 16th century

00:12:05Would you believe

00:12:06When locals would

00:12:07Prune their evergreen trees

00:12:08To create

00:12:09Early incarnations

00:12:10Of the Christmas tree

00:12:11They'd then

00:12:12Weave the offcuts

00:12:13Into wreaths

00:12:15An early form

00:12:16Of German recycling

00:12:17Well, keen to embrace

00:12:19That no waste philosophy today

00:12:20Here to show us

00:12:21How to create

00:12:22A Christmas wreath

00:12:23Using just

00:12:24Seven seasonal pieces

00:12:25Of winter foliage

00:12:26Welcome back

00:12:27Florist extraordinaire

00:12:29Simon Lycett

00:12:30Weaving away

00:12:31Weaving away

00:12:32I am

00:12:33I'm

00:12:34Struggling and wrestling

00:12:35With the dogwood

00:12:36As you do

00:12:37It's a gorgeous colour

00:12:38Isn't it?

00:12:39Yeah, it's a lovely colour

00:12:40Because it's quite flexible

00:12:41At this time

00:12:42It's what you need

00:12:43Is something

00:12:44To make a Christmas wreath

00:12:45You need a base

00:12:46Of some sort

00:12:47Yeah

00:12:48It can sometimes be a wire

00:12:49Coat hanger

00:12:50From the dry cleaners

00:12:51What works really well

00:12:52And is super sustainable

00:12:53Is something like this

00:12:54Which is just to use

00:12:55Some twigs that you've pruned

00:12:57That have got nice sap

00:12:58Supplety to them

00:12:59And then just create yourself

00:13:01A wreath like this

00:13:02You see just like

00:13:03He does that

00:13:04And says

00:13:05And there you are

00:13:06Ladies and gentlemen

00:13:07It's done

00:13:08The base of a wreath

00:13:09Actually it wouldn't with you

00:13:10It would be half an hour

00:13:11And you're done

00:13:12The rest of us

00:13:13It would be a couple of hours

00:13:14But it does look good

00:13:15Doesn't it?

00:13:16It's a gorgeous thing

00:13:17Even if you don't want to put

00:13:18Many more decorations on it

00:13:19You've started off

00:13:20With a really pretty base

00:13:21The secret for this one

00:13:22Is to make sure

00:13:23You use nice

00:13:24Supple branches

00:13:25With some sap

00:13:26Still in them

00:13:27So that they're lovely

00:13:28And bendy

00:13:29Otherwise they'll crack

00:13:30And break

00:13:31And if you want to

00:13:32Just anchor it occasionally

00:13:33With a bit of twine

00:13:34That's also fine

00:13:35Right you've got

00:13:36Another one here then

00:13:37This is more

00:13:38This is your

00:13:39Luxy high end wreath

00:13:40This is how we

00:13:41Make all our wreaths

00:13:42At Lysart Towers

00:13:43And it gives you

00:13:45A gorgeous base

00:13:46Because it's a wire frame

00:13:47That you can buy

00:13:48From your local florists

00:13:50And then it's using

00:13:51Some sphagnum moss

00:13:53Which I know

00:13:54Is a bit controversial

00:13:55It is isn't it?

00:13:57It's always difficult

00:13:58Because you know

00:13:59Sphagnum moss

00:14:00Is from Moreland

00:14:01Trying to conserve our

00:14:02Moreland

00:14:03Yes

00:14:04It's sold

00:14:05A lot of garden centres

00:14:06Sell it in bags to line

00:14:07Hanging baskets

00:14:08And things

00:14:09If your lawn's like mine

00:14:10You can probably rake

00:14:11Well actually

00:14:12Your lawn won't be anything like mine

00:14:13No it is

00:14:14You see I'm organic

00:14:15So I have lots of moss in my lawn

00:14:16So if you get your wire tooth rake out

00:14:17And pull the moss out of your lawn

00:14:19Just as easy to use that

00:14:20Isn't it really?

00:14:21Yes it is

00:14:22And it's really

00:14:23You're doing the lawn a favour as well

00:14:24Yes

00:14:25We're going to bind it all over

00:14:26And then we end up with one like this

00:14:28Right

00:14:29Well you can reuse this year after year

00:14:31Because you can soak it again

00:14:32Exactly

00:14:33Yes

00:14:34So once you've done it

00:14:35You are being sustainable

00:14:36By just making sure you're using the same stuff

00:14:37You're being sustainable for a good two or three years

00:14:40Before it becomes a bit brittle

00:14:41Yeah

00:14:42And then it can be composted again

00:14:43So it's a good complete circle

00:14:46To create a gorgeous circle

00:14:48So if you've got one that you did last year

00:14:49Soak it well

00:14:50Yes

00:14:51Before you put it together

00:14:52Exactly

00:14:53And this becomes our lovely base

00:14:54For adding all our gorgeous foliage

00:14:56Right well you'll be back a little bit later

00:14:58Now that we've done the bottom half

00:14:59You'll be back later with the top

00:15:00Which shows the full blown Christmas wreath

00:15:09Now the Cotswolds may not be the first place

00:15:11You'd expect to find a herd of reindeer

00:15:13But thanks to one couple's love of the festive season

00:15:16That's exactly what you'll discover on their farm in Sirencester

00:15:19Building on their already successful Christmas tree business

00:15:23They've been rearing reindeer for over 15 years

00:15:26And now have one of the largest permanent herds in the UK

00:15:29With the worldwide reindeer population at risk due to global warming

00:15:33Farms like theirs go some way to protecting and preserving the species

00:15:38Well taking a break from their busiest time of year

00:15:41Welcome Andrew Woodward and Clare Ward

00:15:43Ably assisted by Anne holding on to one or two

00:15:47And just a few of their herd of reindeer

00:15:50Lovely to see you again

00:15:51You were on the programme a few years ago

00:15:52And it's nice to see the herd is still going strong

00:15:55How old is your oldest reindeer now then Andrew?

00:15:58You'll remember Satu came to see you a few years ago

00:16:02Yes I do

00:16:03And she is now 22 and a half years old

00:16:05Which is a ripe old age for a reindeer

00:16:07So how long can they live?

00:16:08Erm, we don't know

00:16:11We're off the chart now

00:16:13Well let me know

00:16:1522 and a half

00:16:16Now I notice the antlers here

00:16:17Satu's antlers are quite felty

00:16:19Whereas the other reindeer's antlers

00:16:21They're quite naked and quite sharp

00:16:22And I'm rather worried about you dodging out of the way

00:16:26Yeah well having reindeer and particularly feeding them

00:16:29Is always a bit of a contact sport

00:16:32It's just something that you have to accept as part of the job

00:16:34You learn to duck quite readily

00:16:36Yeah or get your face out of the way

00:16:38No, when it comes to antlers, male and female Claire

00:16:41They both have antlers

00:16:42Yeah

00:16:43They both have antlers

00:16:44Erm, the males will lose

00:16:46Both lose them every year

00:16:47Yeah

00:16:48So the males will lose them around Christmas time

00:16:50Yeah

00:16:51Er, the females if they're not pregnant

00:16:53It's January

00:16:54Erm, and if they are pregnant

00:16:55They hang on till May

00:16:56Because they always, erm, carve in May

00:16:59The first week of May

00:17:00Now this is rather upsetting

00:17:01Because Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer

00:17:03Who's out at Christmas then

00:17:04It's probably Rudolfina

00:17:05Yes

00:17:06So the females will have them at Christmas

00:17:07Which is why these are females here

00:17:09Yes

00:17:10But the males lose them that quickly

00:17:11Yes

00:17:12Because as soon as they're after the rut

00:17:14Which is the mating season

00:17:15Yeah, in autumn

00:17:16Erm, their testosterone drops

00:17:18And that is the trigger to lose their antlers

00:17:20Right, oh dear

00:17:21Yeah

00:17:22The ignominy of it all

00:17:23Now we've talked about the grown up mums here

00:17:25What about these two here?

00:17:27Right, this is Chunky

00:17:29Now she's eight years old

00:17:30Chunky and she's only got one antler, so

00:17:32Yeah, well she's just lost it

00:17:34So because she's had a calf

00:17:36Yeah

00:17:37She now doesn't need them

00:17:38Yeah

00:17:39So she's lost it

00:17:40It's already starting to grow

00:17:41Because it's like a cartoon bump

00:17:43So they grow quite quickly

00:17:44Yeah, up to an inch a day

00:17:45Wow

00:17:46I know, it's incredible

00:17:47And this is little May

00:17:49Who was born on 1st of May

00:17:50Goodness me

00:17:51So

00:17:52Now look at her

00:17:53She's just got two single ones

00:17:54I know

00:17:55They've become more elaborate as they age

00:17:56Yes

00:17:57Yeah

00:17:58I mean that's a glorious set there

00:17:59Yeah

00:18:00Isn't it?

00:18:01Our males antlers are as big as me

00:18:03So I can stand in the middle of them

00:18:04So

00:18:05So how do you go about acquiring reindeer?

00:18:08They're not in the shops

00:18:09No, no, no

00:18:10Well we bought our first reindeer in this country

00:18:15Yeah

00:18:16But when we wanted to get some more we actually investigated and went up to the reindeer farm up north which is the right at the top of Finland

00:18:25And we actually bought 10 calves from Nassami because they love their animals

00:18:30Getting them home must have been quite interesting

00:18:32Yeah

00:18:33Yes it was

00:18:34Getting them home was fun

00:18:35How did you do it?

00:18:363,000 miles door to door

00:18:37We jumped in our Land Rover and trailer and drove

00:18:40Are you serious?

00:18:41Obviously

00:18:42Yeah

00:18:43We cleared it with Defra

00:18:44And they said yeah, go do it

00:18:46And so we drove 400 miles north of the Arctic Circle in December

00:18:51Yeah

00:18:52One of the dumbest things I have ever done

00:18:54But you know

00:18:55It was quite spectacular

00:18:57It was

00:18:58Yeah

00:18:59It was

00:19:00You know the care of the animals made it a real serious journey

00:19:03The last 1,000 miles was on ice

00:19:06Oof

00:19:07But

00:19:09You know if you're kitted out for it

00:19:11Yeah

00:19:12You've still got the ice tyres

00:19:13So

00:19:14And we brought back 12 lovely reindeer calves

00:19:18Of which Chunky was one of them

00:19:20Yeah

00:19:21And the rest we bred at home

00:19:22It must be wonderful for kids to come and actually see reindeer

00:19:25Yes

00:19:26Yeah

00:19:27It's lovely to see their faces

00:19:28It's lovely to see the wonder of people seeing something that they wouldn't normally see

00:19:35And let's not overlook the fact that the reindeer love it

00:19:38Yeah

00:19:39They do

00:19:40Are they social?

00:19:41Yeah

00:19:42Yeah

00:19:43Reindeer are like the most shallow humans you could ever wish to meet

00:19:46While ever you've got something that they want

00:19:49Then you're number one priority

00:19:52I'm afraid as soon as you don't have that you're not even worth looking at

00:19:55It's been lovely to meet you again chaps

00:19:57Sorry

00:19:58Ladies

00:19:59Thank you both very much indeed

00:20:01I mean it's just

00:20:02It really wouldn't be Christmas without seeing reindeer

00:20:04They're such noble beasts aren't they

00:20:06They are

00:20:07When they stand there with their heads up like that

00:20:08I do think they're special

00:20:09Yeah

00:20:10They're wonderful animals yeah

00:20:11Bless you

00:20:12Andrew, Clare

00:20:13And thank you very much indeed for holding on to that one over there

00:20:16Mischief, Chunky, Satu and May

00:20:18Thank you very much and a very Merry Christmas to you

00:20:21Merry Christmas to you too

00:20:22And Merry Christmas

00:20:23Still to come

00:20:24Opening up is Archives to celebrate life with the Royal Family

00:20:28Photographer Chris Jackson shares the stories behind his most newsworthy images from the Royal Beat

00:20:33And it's the Laugh Out Loud musical

00:20:36With the original Broadway production winning a record breaking 12 Tony Awards

00:20:40And this revival proves why

00:20:42Andy Nyman taking on the role of the beleaguered anti-hero Max Bialystok in Mel Brooks' hoot of a production The Producers

00:20:51I'll be back with Andy for a hoot of a chat right after this

00:20:55Welcome back to Love Your Weekend

00:21:10Tis the season to be jolly

00:21:12And he always is

00:21:1312 months of the year in fact Simon Lycett here with the decorations that really do embody the spirit of Christmas

00:21:19Leslie Joseph hanging out with the big boys and not for the first time

00:21:23And getting the party started in style wine expert Tony Osoba has you covered with the finest new British wines to try this festive season

00:21:32Now as the late great James Stewart said

00:21:35The great thing about the movies is you're giving people little tiny pieces of time that they never forget

00:21:41Which brings me on to this Mel Brooks classic

00:21:44A scheming producer and his mousy accountant in a cinematic triumph

00:21:49Which has now been turned into a West End masterpiece

00:21:52And if you go and see this you'll be in for a moment you will never forget

00:22:22The Producers is on at the Garrick Theatre in London

00:22:40I went last week and I wept with laughter

00:22:44And the man who is at the heart of it all Andy Nyman

00:22:47Barely a moment off stage

00:22:49I know

00:22:50Last night

00:22:51I just I don't know how you have the energy to get through it

00:22:55Packed audience standing ovations

00:22:57I saw it years ago on Broadway and then in London again when I came back here

00:23:00But this it's even I don't know even funnier than ever

00:23:04It's funny isn't it because I too saw it then

00:23:06It was one of the first shows we took our kids to on Broadway

00:23:09So they'd have been 7 and 10 I think

00:23:12And it was incredible it was this giant spectacle

00:23:16And what's amazing is here we are 26 years later

00:23:21And this is the first time Mel Brooks has allowed a new version of it

00:23:25The show's not been rewritten but it's been redesigned

00:23:29And it's really stripped back and gone back to the sort of dirty truth of what the film is

00:23:35And because the world has changed around Mel Brooks' amazing writing

00:23:41It feels so new, essential, outrageous, daring

00:23:48It is outrageous because when you saw it it was always

00:23:50I mean to do a song this is about a musical which they discover

00:23:54One producer who inveigles another accountant to become a producer

00:23:58They've discovered or the accountant discovers that if you put on a flop

00:24:01You can make far more money by keeping your investment than if you put on a hit

00:24:05So they try and find a script which is a guaranteed flop

00:24:08And they put it on and it's an outrageously amazing hit

00:24:11With songs like Springtime for Hitler and Germany, Winter for Poland and France

00:24:16It was pretty outrageous when it was nowadays with the sensitivities around nowadays

00:24:21Well that's what's amazing is

00:24:23That's why you're in the audience going

00:24:24Gosh, we are laughing at this

00:24:27But somehow it's essential to do that

00:24:30It really is and that's Mel Brooks' genius

00:24:32Is that he uses satire as a weapon in the best way

00:24:37Because underneath it he's also incredibly kind

00:24:41Because for all of the fun it pokes at everybody within the show

00:24:47There's a real sweetness there that's about this friendship between two men

00:24:51But you feel in the first two or three minutes, five minutes

00:24:56This sense of, can we laugh at that?

00:25:01And then within about 15 minutes you realise for the audience

00:25:06All bets are off and it's just gales of laughter

00:25:11And joy, it is a very, very joyous show

00:25:15The music is so fun

00:25:16And it's humanity poking fun at itself really isn't it?

00:25:19It really, really is, yeah

00:25:22How on earth do you stay fresh?

00:25:25I mean you're doing, how many performances a week?

00:25:27Eight, eight shows a week

00:25:28Eight shows a week

00:25:29And you are never off, it's energetic

00:25:32This is what I'm surprised that you can sit here without being asleep

00:25:35I really am

00:25:36What's your secret? How do you do it?

00:25:38I take care of myself, is the first thing

00:25:41And I eat well and I exercise

00:25:44But the biggest thing is, and it sounds schmaltzy to say it

00:25:47I just adore what I do

00:25:49I've always loved it, I love the lifestyle of it

00:25:52I love it, I love every aspect, both the highs and the lows of being an actor

00:26:00And because I do lots of other things, I write and direct and stuff as well

00:26:03Just being in show business, I really love it

00:26:05I've never taken it for granted

00:26:07It started its life at the Monea Chonkrat flagship

00:26:09Yes

00:26:10As did a completely different musical

00:26:13Whereas the producers' is all about humour and hilarity

00:26:16Poignancy, heart and love are at the core of Fiddler on the Roof

00:26:22To live from Fiddler on the Roof

00:26:41That was a production, you did that performance in Covent Garden

00:26:43It wasn't the one

00:26:44Yeah, that was at West End Line

00:26:46So you're in front of 25,000 people there

00:26:49Again, heavily based on the Jewish tradition

00:26:52That one there

00:26:53I have to tell you, and I haven't told you before

00:26:55Alice and I came and saw Fiddler

00:26:58I'd been in it as an amateur years and years ago

00:27:00And to see one or two other productions

00:27:01We came and saw it at the Monea Chonkrat flagship

00:27:03And decided that we would see no other productions

00:27:05We're never going to it again

00:27:07Because it was just the definitive

00:27:10Quite a small theatre

00:27:12You felt included

00:27:13You were within the village of Anatevka

00:27:15And your performance as the father

00:27:17Because we were so close

00:27:18Yes

00:27:19Which is not always comfortable in theatre

00:27:20But in Fiddler on the Roof

00:27:22Oh my goodness me, you felt drawn in

00:27:24Terribly, terribly moving

00:27:26I mean, I can't hear Sunrise, Sunset without weeping

00:27:28Yeah, of course

00:27:29That's very kind of view

00:27:30And from your point of view, being Jewish

00:27:32I mean, the humour of Jewishness in the producers

00:27:34But there, the poignancy and tragedy of the Jewish faith

00:27:39And those pogroms that were going on in Russia

00:27:41I mean, a completely different part of you to draw on

00:27:45It really was

00:27:46And it was, look, it's an honour to have done it

00:27:49It's the first time in my career

00:27:51Where I was cast in a role

00:27:53Before a director or anyone else was on board

00:27:56And so, when they said

00:27:58I think Sir Trevor Nunn is going to direct it

00:28:00I mean, oh, gosh, okay

00:28:03So Trevor and I got together

00:28:05And he said to me, you know

00:28:07What do you think this show is?

00:28:10And it was very important to me

00:28:13Firstly, that I felt that I could honour my grandparents

00:28:17My great-grandparents

00:28:18Because it's fundamentally their story

00:28:20But the play that was then written around that

00:28:25You know, is so honest about marriage

00:28:29About parenthood

00:28:31About people, immigrant families living under stress

00:28:37With threat of having to leave

00:28:39And it was very important to me

00:28:40That I think one of the things

00:28:42Which is so lovely to hear

00:28:43That made it so truthful for you

00:28:45And so resonant

00:28:47Is that

00:28:48You just tell the truth of those people

00:28:50And then the Jewishness

00:28:51That's just

00:28:52It's in the fabric of what it is

00:28:54You don't have to make it about that

00:28:56Well, it worked

00:28:57I can tell you why

00:28:58What intriguing

00:28:59Which I didn't know about you

00:29:00Was this fascination with ghost stories

00:29:02And the paranormal

00:29:04And so

00:29:05And you've written this

00:29:06Like ghost stories

00:29:07Shall I have a peep?

00:29:08Let's have a look

00:29:09Oh, yes

00:29:10Here's a bit of ghost stories

00:29:12You okay?

00:29:14Yeah

00:29:21Okay

00:29:24So

00:29:26Who else is up here with us

00:29:28In the upstairs room?

00:29:30No one, this is just us

00:29:32No, sorry, in the top bedroom

00:29:33My brother's old room

00:29:34Right, your brother, so is he still living at home?

00:29:36What, Mr Perfect?

00:29:37What, Mr Perfect?

00:29:38No, he's 25 and married

00:29:40He's got a flat

00:29:41There's no one here, it's just us

00:29:46Sorry, I was just up there

00:29:47There's nobody here

00:29:48I'm telling you there's nobody here

00:29:49Do you wanna go and look?

00:30:04No

00:30:05Fine then

00:30:06Fine then

00:30:09The stillness day

00:30:10See, adding to the horror of it all

00:30:12What is it about the horror genre that attracts you so much?

00:30:15I mean, it's all about, you know, suggestion really, isn't it?

00:30:20Yeah

00:30:21Jeremy Dyson and I wrote the play

00:30:23And directed the play

00:30:24And I starred as Goodman in it

00:30:25And then we did the same on film

00:30:27We met when we were 15 at a Jewish summer camp

00:30:30And decided

00:30:31Because generally you get sent to those things

00:30:33To try and find a wife

00:30:35That's what your parent's hoping for

00:30:37That's what your parent's hoping for

00:30:38I found Jeremy

00:30:39But

00:30:40It was also at the same time as the video nasty boom happened in the 80s

00:30:46Which I was obsessed with

00:30:47Still am

00:30:48So Jeremy and I

00:30:51Later years decided we wanted to write together

00:30:54Yeah

00:30:55And there's something so fascinating about ghost stories

00:30:59And particularly within the history of Britain

00:31:02And how it sits

00:31:03And here we are in this lovely cosy, you know, cottage out in the countryside

00:31:09And there is something unquestionably unnerving about the silence, the emptiness

00:31:18And there's a city boy

00:31:19And there's a city boy

00:31:20Well

00:31:21It's lovely

00:31:22It is lovely

00:31:23It is lovely

00:31:24But

00:31:25It is also the world of M.R. James

00:31:28And Christmas ghost stories

00:31:31Yes

00:31:32Well diversity is clearly the key in your life

00:31:35The variety of things you do

00:31:37Including

00:31:38Wicked

00:31:39Elphaba

00:31:40Elphaba

00:31:41Elphaba Throp

00:31:44This is my younger sister Nessa Rose

00:31:46As you can see she's a perfectly acceptable colour

00:31:51Stop making a spectacle of yourself

00:31:55I was trying to be nice

00:31:56You're so nice and good

00:31:57And correct

00:31:58Did I do something bad?

00:31:59No

00:32:00How did that come across?

00:32:01I don't see colours

00:32:03My precious little girl

00:32:04Father

00:32:07A parting gift

00:32:08A parting gift

00:32:15Mother's jeweled shoes

00:32:18So they can all see how beautiful you are right down to your toes

00:32:24Thank you

00:32:26Thank you so much, I love them

00:32:28Let me put them with your boxers

00:32:30Of course

00:32:34Suitably suited and booted there, incredible costumes and sets

00:32:37I mean

00:32:38Like being in your own fairytale

00:32:39In all my years

00:32:40I have never

00:32:41Been involved with anything of that scale

00:32:43I've done big things

00:32:44Yeah

00:32:45But that is like

00:32:46Nothing else

00:32:47That set was extraordinary

00:32:50Is that intimidating rather than helpful to an actor?

00:32:52I don't find it intimidating

00:32:53Because I just sort of roll with it and think

00:32:56I mean when you first walk on you realise

00:32:58Holy cow

00:33:00This is something

00:33:02But ultimately it's just the same thing

00:33:03You've just got to do the work

00:33:04Do your bit

00:33:05But honestly Alan it was mind blowing

00:33:06Let alone the talent of the cast

00:33:08Yeah

00:33:09Who were just fabulous

00:33:11But then it also boils down to the truth of the script

00:33:14That is a father who loves one daughter and not the other

00:33:16It's heartbreaking

00:33:18You know and to see that play

00:33:20I think that's one of the reasons it touched so many people

00:33:23You know the songs are brilliant

00:33:24The truth of the story is brilliant

00:33:26And to have done it as two films just means it opens out and can breathe

00:33:29Thank you for so much pleasure over the years

00:33:32Nice of me to get the chance to say

00:33:33It's so lovely

00:33:34Thank you so much

00:33:35See you again in whatever you do

00:33:36Thank you

00:33:37Thank you Andy

00:33:39Now the natural world in close at night may unnerve Andy

00:33:42But we tend to love it

00:33:44We're turning our attention to the wonderful vistas that you've been capturing

00:33:47It's time for Walk on the Wild Side

00:33:50Your dose of nature sorted

00:33:54Walk on the Wild Side on Love Your Weekend

00:33:57Sponsored by WWF

00:33:59We are opening the sun

00:34:02We are opening the sun

00:34:11Amor bouffs

00:34:15We are opening the sun

00:34:17We will see the sun

00:34:22We will see the sun

00:34:24Through our land

00:36:56And let the mind games begin.

00:36:58Celebrity traitor star Claire Balding talks traitors and faithfuls and being banished by her fellow players.

00:37:05As she says, she was glad not to be murdered.

00:37:08Every cloud, eh?

00:37:08Before that, it's time for your voice of nature.

00:37:12Here's Amanda Redmond and the snow fairy by Claude Mackay.

00:37:16Throughout the afternoon, I watched them there, snow fairies falling, falling from the sky, whirling fantastic in the misty air, contending fierce for space supremacy.

00:37:37And they flew down a mightier force at night, as though in heaven there was revolt and riot.

00:37:45And they, frail things, had taken panic flight down to the calm earth, seeking peace and quiet.

00:37:52I went to bed and rose early dawn, to see them huddled together in a heap, each merged into the other upon the lawn, worn out by the sharp struggle, fast asleep.

00:38:07The sun shone brightly on them half the day.

00:38:11By night, they stealthily had stolen away.

00:38:23Ah, thank you, Amanda.

00:38:25The fairy in our Christmassy programme.

00:38:27Time now to pick up where we left off in our wreath-making masterclass from our festive florist, Simon Lycett.

00:38:34So we've tackled the bases, and now on to the exciting part of the decoration.

00:38:38So we're doing two, we're doing a rustic wreath.

00:38:40We are, using all the goodies you get from the garden.

00:38:42Yeah, just nip out there, snip everything off.

00:38:45So you've got on there, you've got ivy.

00:38:47So that's my base.

00:38:48There's our dogwood base.

00:38:50And then I'm just taking little handfuls of whatever's around and about.

00:38:54I love all the different conifers, the evergreens.

00:38:57You really want to choose something that's not going to wilt if you're hanging it inside.

00:39:01Outside, you've got a bit more leeway because the moisture in the air will sustain things.

00:39:05It's cooler, yeah.

00:39:06So we continue on around, and then we end up with one that looks like that.

00:39:11This is fabulous, largely beautiful.

00:39:12It's gorgeous, isn't it?

00:39:14Isn't it gorgeous?

00:39:14And smells wonderful.

00:39:15Yeah.

00:39:15So now we've got our base.

00:39:18I've, again, raided the garden for things.

00:39:20You know, I'm lucky in London the hydrangeas really aren't affected by the cold, wet weather.

00:39:25And so I've got these lovely stems which I've just mounted onto a stub wire.

00:39:28Yeah, that's neat.

00:39:29So it's much more pliable.

00:39:31You can stick it in with that.

00:39:32It just means that you can secure anything, and you push the wire in at the front, it comes back on the base, and then you just push it back in on itself, which stops it being a nasty, scratchy thing on your door.

00:39:44On your paintwork.

00:39:45Yes, exactly.

00:39:46It anchors it as well.

00:39:47Exactly.

00:39:47They're lovely.

00:39:48I love these, when you get this bicoloured effect on these hydrangeas.

00:39:51I mean, it's wonderful, isn't it?

00:39:52The sort of, the pink and the green, the sort of colder weather seems to burnish them, doesn't it?

00:39:56And it doesn't matter how hard you wish it or try it, you can't influence it.

00:40:01It's purely nature doing its thing.

00:40:04You get what you're given.

00:40:04Yes.

00:40:05Rose hips.

00:40:06And lovely to put things like rose hips in because they add some colour, they're totally organic and sustainable.

00:40:12I mean, they also feed the birds, which is wonderful.

00:40:15And you can find all sorts of berries, whatever is in the garden, do some foraging and find some lovely things, a bit of bartering with neighbours as to what they've got.

00:40:23So you're doing that all the way around.

00:40:25You can either go all the way around or you can choose to just do smaller areas of it.

00:40:30It really depends.

00:40:31You'll be amazed how many materials it uses.

00:40:33It eats stuff.

00:40:34Yeah.

00:40:35So it's really a case of pacing your design.

00:40:38We're talking about seven, though, and you have only got seven.

00:40:40And then, oh, is this the pièce de résistance?

00:40:42Then my little fin...

00:40:43I've never seen a bow as big as that.

00:40:45I made a bow out of some trails of ivy.

00:40:47Yeah.

00:40:47And I thought I would just whack that in at the bottom there, you see.

00:40:52Yeah.

00:40:52And again, I'm just securing it using my stub wire.

00:40:59And the stub wires you can get from your local flask.

00:41:02Oh, that's these, isn't it, the things here?

00:41:04The joy of them is that it does mean you can secure things relatively easily.

00:41:09You just attach your bow in at the base.

00:41:14Just give it a good, secure wire.

00:41:18You know, you can take your time at home.

00:41:21You just set yourself an evening or an afternoon to do this.

00:41:24It's a really lovely thing to do.

00:41:25Perhaps with a friend.

00:41:27Yeah.

00:41:27A couple of you having a little go at it.

00:41:29And then, at the very end, you've got your hook.

00:41:33I know this is where my duty comes in now.

00:41:35To hang it on.

00:41:36I'm nervous now.

00:41:36It doesn't fall apart.

00:41:38Right, there's my hook.

00:41:39Go around the front.

00:41:40And you can see it in all its glory.

00:41:42If that goes in there.

00:41:45There we are.

00:41:47Isn't that amazing?

00:41:48Beautiful.

00:41:50Lovely.

00:41:50A rustic wreath.

00:41:51Yes.

00:41:51Now, you're talking about a luxe, as you said, falling over a hay bale.

00:41:54You're talking about a luxe version as well.

00:41:58So, when you left me with my mossy base, I then bound some of this lovely blue pine on.

00:42:04Now, if you're buying one of these non-drop trees, you often need to trim a few branches from the bottom.

00:42:09These are perfect to use.

00:42:11And you can see how there was my base.

00:42:13Yeah.

00:42:13And I've bound it all over with the lovely blue pine, which is non-drop and smells yummy.

00:42:19And then I end up with one like this.

00:42:22And I've just been adding in.

00:42:23Oh, you've got twigs with lichen on it.

00:42:25Aren't they just joyous?

00:42:26It's a blue spruce, this, isn't it, actually?

00:42:28Yeah.

00:42:28And look at this lichen twig.

00:42:30So, this comes down from Scotland for me, from suppliers.

00:42:33Yeah.

00:42:33And it is just, it's the biggest treat for us to get hold of.

00:42:37I love it.

00:42:38And these long pine cones.

00:42:39And then pine cones, again, mounted on the stub wire.

00:42:42And it's a bit hard on the hands mounting the cones initially, but each year when you've finished with your wreath, you can undo them, remove them, store them with them on their wires.

00:42:53Dry.

00:42:54Somewhere dry.

00:42:55And preferably vermin free, so that when you go back to the box next year, they're still intact and already wired and good to go.

00:43:03The mice haven't been in there.

00:43:04And I thread them in, so I go in from the front, just sort of lifting up some of the pine so that they don't sit on top, they sort of nestle inside.

00:43:13Yeah, and they're sticking out a bit.

00:43:14And then on the reverse, my wire gets pushed in again so I'm not scratchy on the paintwork.

00:43:20You've then got walnuts.

00:43:22Yes, these I love.

00:43:24They're a bit fiddly and we do use the glue gun just to anchor them.

00:43:27But again, they'll last for years if you keep them somewhere free from vermin.

00:43:32Yeah, yeah.

00:43:33And these I thread in at the front and the back.

00:43:37I mean, you can use chestnuts, baubles, there's all sorts of things.

00:43:40You can just do a little cluster of them, join together, twisty twisty, snip them off, bend it on itself so that you're adding in a big handful of them on one wire.

00:43:55And then you've got succulents, you've got Echeverias.

00:43:59Aren't they a lovely, gorgeous, glaucus grey with the pine colour.

00:44:03You see, so this is just a rosette whipped off, as you can see.

00:44:07And when you do that to an Echeveria, it will then often, from the stalk that's left, it'll sprout and give you more of these rosettes.

00:44:15Wonderfully succulent.

00:44:16And then some little sticks of cinnamon which smell divine.

00:44:19Gorgeous, don't they?

00:44:20And you can buy decorative cinnamon that isn't for eating, so just be aware.

00:44:25Oh, right.

00:44:26Yes, it's normally less expensive, longer sticks, but you shouldn't use it in your mulled wine.

00:44:31Right.

00:44:31And then there's a finale.

00:44:33Yeah.

00:44:33A beautiful bow.

00:44:35Now this, don't you love it, your son's got in a store at Christmas, don't you?

00:44:38And the assistants have been doing this since September.

00:44:41And you watch the deafness with which they turn it around, tired, and you think, I wish I could do that.

00:44:45And you know when they get home, they're never going to bother to do it on the Christmas presents, because they'll be doing it all day in the shop.

00:44:49They just don't want to do it at home.

00:44:52But I'm sure you do, Simon.

00:44:54I generally do have a door wreath, and I normally, because I'm a bit of a control freak, I normally give door wreaths to all my neighbours so that I know they've got a nice one.

00:45:04Don't lower the tone of the area with something nasty.

00:45:07I'm very good.

00:45:08Right.

00:45:09Give that a little trim off, and then just anchor it with a wire, and then pop that in, just as a little finale.

00:45:26And there we are.

00:45:27Look at that.

00:45:27Go on, then.

00:45:28It's got to be done, hasn't it?

00:45:30Isn't that wonderful?

00:45:31Would you look at that, created before your very eyes, a luxurious, along with the rustic, door wreath.

00:45:40Pay your money, take your choice.

00:45:41Simon, you're a star as ever.

00:45:43Thank you very much indeed.

00:45:44Merry Christmas.

00:45:45And you.

00:45:45Now, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas here at Love Your Weekend without a visit to one of the UK's wildlife parks and zoos to see how the animals in their care get to celebrate the season like the rest of us.

00:46:02This year, the honour goes to Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire, home to more than 75 species of exotic and endangered animals.

00:46:11Our resident natural history guru willingly took up the challenge.

00:46:16Well, she still had all the gear and the gap in her panto schedule, so it was a no-brainer, really.

00:46:21Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the world premiere of Leslie Joseph in A Very Safari Christmas.

00:46:32Where is he?

00:46:43I've been walking for miles, and there he is, Bob, the ranger.

00:46:51Hello, Bob.

00:46:52Hi.

00:46:53Safari time.

00:46:54Let's go.

00:46:54Let's go for it.

00:47:02Bob and I are taking Christmas presents for the lions, and I've got meat and partridge in here, and I'm going to not stay and see them eat it.

00:47:12I'm going to get back in the Land Rover.

00:47:18Are we actually going to be this close?

00:47:20So it might be worth actually putting the window up?

00:47:24Oh, it's terrifying.

00:47:28Oh, my God, it's huge.

00:47:29It's really weird is part of you wants to open the door almost to stroke them.

00:47:34It's a weird sort of primeval feeling that...

00:47:38So you want to do it, but you don't really want to do it, do you?

00:47:42One just went over to another one, and they have a really loud growl.

00:47:46It's just a warning growl, you know, it's just siblings having a bit of a rivalry.

00:47:51I've never been this close to something so dangerous.

00:47:55Any closer?

00:47:56No closer.

00:47:58No closer, but you're always safe with the ranger, Bob.

00:48:01Oh, my God.

00:48:03So how many in the Pride, and how many acres do they have here?

00:48:06So there's eight in the Pride here, and they roam in 34 acres, which is huge.

00:48:13So the lion's ripped the Christmas presents.

00:48:16It's just a little bit of mental stimulation.

00:48:18Kojo, he's weighing it at 350 kilos.

00:48:23It really is the most peculiar feeling.

00:48:26It's scary, and wonderful, and awesome.

00:48:29Right, I'm going to open my eyes.

00:48:41Where are we?

00:48:42Okay.

00:48:42Well, if you pan around here...

00:48:44Oh, goodness, giraffes, they're beautiful.

00:48:47So what you're going to do is grab a bit of button and squash, they'll love that.

00:48:53I've never seen such a long tongue in my life.

00:48:55I tell you what, I...

00:48:56There you go.

00:48:59And then Freya's coming across.

00:49:03Come on, Freya.

00:49:04Freya?

00:49:05Right, Kimmy, you've had enough.

00:49:07Bob, they're eating our wreath.

00:49:09Oh, no, they've turned it over.

00:49:12So we're obviously quite high up to feed them.

00:49:14How tall do they actually get?

00:49:16So probably around 14 plus feet.

00:49:18It's interesting, the barrels are there, but they can't just get their food.

00:49:22They've got to find food.

00:49:23So it's a bit like living in the wild.

00:49:25It's not just presented on a plate.

00:49:27Oh, they're all surrounding me now, fighting over the wreath.

00:49:31It's my Christmas present.

00:49:38So I'm sitting here in the meerkat enclosure,

00:49:42stuffing this straw with live crickets and mealworm.

00:49:47And this is going to be their Christmas present.

00:49:49So shall we put them down and go now?

00:49:50Okay, go and open the door.

00:49:52Don't call up my arm.

00:49:53Do not...

00:49:54Shh.

00:49:56Come on.

00:49:57Come on, what's this?

00:49:58Oh, they're adorable.

00:49:59Come on.

00:49:59Come on, up you come.

00:50:00Up you come.

00:50:01Up you come.

00:50:01Yeah, yeah.

00:50:02Come on.

00:50:03Oh, look.

00:50:04No, no, don't put the live ones on me.

00:50:07They are absolutely adorable.

00:50:09This one's trying to dig into my coat.

00:50:13Oh, surrounded by meerkats.

00:50:16Oh, they're so...

00:50:17I thought they were much bigger than this.

00:50:19So where are meerkats from?

00:50:20So these generally originate from Southern Africa.

00:50:23And do they like it over here in the cold?

00:50:25Oh, yeah, they're fine because we have heating compartments.

00:50:28So they all look now, they're sunbathing, look.

00:50:33They're on sentry duty.

00:50:35Oh, are they?

00:50:36Oh, look, it's gone.

00:50:37It's gone.

00:50:38I'm now in the monkey enclosure, so I'm going to put this carrot nose on one of these mashed

00:50:45potato snowmen, and then we're going to feed them.

00:50:47What sort of monkeys are these?

00:50:49So these are barbie apes, the barbie macaques.

00:50:51And do they exist in a family?

00:50:53Yeah, there is.

00:50:54So we've got five family groups here, and obviously the boss, his name is Belinga.

00:50:58He's 22.

00:50:59It was his family came down first.

00:51:01And then if there's anything left, the next family in the rankings comes down, and that's

00:51:06how it works.

00:51:07He's eating everything.

00:51:08He's not leaving anything.

00:51:10Oh, my God, they've taken the whole snowmen.

00:51:12Oh, they really must think Christmas is here.

00:51:14I have had the best Christmas present ever.

00:51:19Happy Christmas to all of you.

00:51:21Mwah!

00:51:22Oh, thanks, Leslie, and everyone at Woburn Safari Park for putting up with her.

00:51:27No, she's no bother, really.

00:51:28Coming up, keen to branch out from the Blue Nun this Christmas, look no further.

00:51:33Tony Osober's here with a wine list packed with new whites, reds, and rosés to uncork

00:51:39on the big day.

00:51:40And he's the man with the access all areas past to the royal family.

00:51:44We go behind the lens with the royal photographer, Chris Jackson, to discover the stories behind

00:51:49the most iconic images of 2025.

00:51:53Join me with Chris and his remarkable royal archive right after this.

00:52:10Welcome back to Love Your Weekend, this chilly Sunday morning.

00:52:13Coming up, she's the First Lady of Wimbledon and former flat jockey with an impressive pedigree.

00:52:18Claire Balding on why she enjoys the sporting life.

00:52:21Oh, she's got a new book, too.

00:52:23But first, my next guest is someone who's truly witnessed history up close, documenting

00:52:28unforgettable moments and intimate scenes featuring the royal family that have appeared in news

00:52:34outlets worldwide.

00:52:36A trusted royal photographer.

00:52:38He offers a unique perspective on what's been another eventful year for the family, both

00:52:43at home and abroad.

00:52:45Here with his personal standout images of recent years and to share special memories of Christmas's

00:52:51past with the Windsors.

00:52:52Welcome, Chris Jackson.

00:52:54Chris, lovely to see you.

00:52:54And what a display of your work.

00:52:57Well, I'm very lucky to be surrounded by my pictures.

00:53:01How long have you been a trusted royal photographer?

00:53:03Well, I've been doing the job, I suppose, for over 20 years now.

00:53:07Coming up to 23 years with Getty Images.

00:53:09So I'm knocking on a little bit, but it's fantastic.

00:53:12I'm so lucky to do this job.

00:53:14It's a huge privilege, really, to kind of have a front row seat to some of these incredible

00:53:17historic moments.

00:53:19What was it like when you were first introduced to this circle?

00:53:22I mean, they would have to get to know you.

00:53:23You know, you would have to get to know them.

00:53:25It must have been quite daunting at the very beginning.

00:53:27I think it really is an organic process.

00:53:30These things take a lot of time over the years.

00:53:32You get to know everyone within that kind of circle and you build up those relationships

00:53:36over time.

00:53:37And I think, you know, I've been lucky enough to travel all around the world with the royal

00:53:41family, with the king and the queen.

00:53:42And it's time, really, that kind of helps you in this role and helps you sort of build

00:53:48up a knowledge of the nuances and the way that things work.

00:53:50And for them to build up trust in you, because they're going to be very guarded if they think

00:53:54what's he going to show.

00:53:55So there's obviously an understanding between the photographer and the subject as to when

00:54:01you can take a photograph and when you didn't there, you know.

00:54:06And you get to know those, presumably.

00:54:07Yeah, I think that's really important.

00:54:09And of course, taking the photo is an important part of the job, but like you say, not taking

00:54:13the photo can be, you know, you have to be sensitive to these moments.

00:54:16We're surrounded by some special photographs here.

00:54:20The one behind me is, I mean, now if that isn't an inside photograph, there is no such

00:54:24thing as it, behind the newly crowned king and queen on the day they came onto the balcony

00:54:31at Buckingham Palace.

00:54:32I mean, that was an incredible moment.

00:54:34I've been lucky enough to photograph the king and the queen for the last 20 years and to be

00:54:37there for that moment.

00:54:38And I will never forget the kind of the cheers of the crowd.

00:54:42And I was really conscious of not getting in the picture of some of my colleagues on the

00:54:46Queen Victoria Memorial.

00:54:47Yes, absolutely.

00:54:48I was ducking down and like trying to get the picture but not appear.

00:54:51Yeah, there's a danger of you photo bombing their pictures.

00:54:54Exactly, exactly.

00:54:55But, you know, and there's another great moment actually when the red arrows kind of whizz overhead.

00:54:59So that was a slightly lower perspective.

00:55:01But, you know, it was a huge privilege to be there.

00:55:04And I suppose that's the epitome of front row seats.

00:55:06There are obvious posed moments here.

00:55:09You know, the balcony at Buckingham Palace here.

00:55:11We are looking the other way, looking back into it.

00:55:13The photograph there of the king and queen, which looks glorious.

00:55:17But then the candid ones where they're doing something and totally in the moment and in the zone.

00:55:21And you're snapping them.

00:55:23And that's lovely.

00:55:24I mean, Prince William down here.

00:55:26I think that's one of the most wonderful things about photographing the royal family.

00:55:29You can't necessarily control what's going on in front of you.

00:55:32And for me, I love that because, of course, controlling a portrait is one thing.

00:55:37And that's lovely.

00:55:38But that anticipation of not knowing what you're going to get next, this picture of Prince Louis and George, of course, and Charlotte on the balcony.

00:55:45I just love not knowing that that moment's going to happen and then capturing it and seeing it on the back of the camera.

00:55:50Do you work on a very fast one of those?

00:55:53So you've got lots going on within the space of a second.

00:55:56There's several shots in there.

00:55:58Yeah, we work with the benefits of digital cameras that we have these days.

00:56:01But it's almost like sketching out a picture.

00:56:03So you have the benefit of taking lots of pictures if you need to.

00:56:06But it's very much choosing that moment and kind of sketching that particular moment out.

00:56:11And, you know, this is a particularly lovely moment where Louis is waving to the crowd.

00:56:15The crowd's cheering.

00:56:17He's waving.

00:56:17They're cheering.

00:56:18And just capturing all the expressions of the royals around the family around him was lovely.

00:56:23So, yeah, it does benefit you having that ability to take a good few photos quickly.

00:56:28There's one here which is particularly lovely.

00:56:29And that is the king looking up and laughing at the rain.

00:56:32Now, I've been with him when it started to rain.

00:56:35And everybody else says, oh, dear, it's raining.

00:56:37And he just looks up and says, it's a blessing.

00:56:39You know, and that for me sums up the king.

00:56:42He's a good gardener, you see.

00:56:43And he knows that we need rain or things won't grow.

00:56:46Yeah, that was in Jersey.

00:56:47And, you know, rain can be an absolute curse for a photographer with all your equipment.

00:56:52But at the same time, you know that if a storm's coming and I saw that one coming across the bay, big black clouds.

00:56:59And it was, I mean, the raindrops were huge.

00:57:02But it was a lovely moment because that moment, it started tipping it down.

00:57:06All the kind of cub scouts and beavers, poor kids were kind of traipsing past, absolutely soaked.

00:57:12But that moment it started, the king looked up to the heavens and it was that exact moment then.

00:57:17And so, you know, you've got to be ready for those.

00:57:20You also have a very close understanding and knowledge of what Robert Aardman famously calls, what lots of people call, soft power.

00:57:28You see the effect that the arrival of the king, the queen, the prince and princess of Wales, princess royal and Tim Lawrence.

00:57:35You see the reaction of people when they go into a room or they go to an occasion.

00:57:41Spreading stardust in a way lifts people's lives.

00:57:44And I think sometimes it's really underestimated what good they can do just by making people feel special.

00:57:52I think that's spot on.

00:57:53And seeing the reaction that the royal family have around the world, seeing the crowds on a walkabout, seeing the excitement that people have.

00:58:00I remember the king's first visit as king to Germany and seeing the crowds gathered in the square in Hamburg.

00:58:07You know, everyone wanted to meet him.

00:58:08When you're following through the generations, I mean, over your shoulder there, the late queen with her soldiers trooping past, intriguing to, from your point of view, to be really on site at the moment of transition, where everybody was rather nervous, wondering how it would happen.

00:58:24And it seemed to happen almost completely seamlessly.

00:58:27It just moved from Elizabeth II to King Charles III.

00:58:31I think everybody was relieved that that was the case.

00:58:35But to be there at that moment, I think also must have been special.

00:58:39Yeah, I mean, to a photograph of Queen Elizabeth was a huge privilege and I'll never forget.

00:58:43I mean, it's a cliche, but the presence she had, absolutely iconic.

00:58:48And I'm so lucky that I had the opportunity.

00:58:51But the moment of her passing, I was in Windsor and I will never forget, you know, the announcement being made and everyone looking at their phones and looking up at the Round Tower,

00:59:01that iconic part of the place that she lived for so many years, an incredible rainbow developing at that exact moment.

00:59:07And it did, it just felt like an incredibly powerful moment and, you know, I'll never forget the week following and the journey that her body made as it came down from Scotland and all the ceremony and the emotion and even, you know, feeling a little bit of it myself, having photographed her for so long.

00:59:24Yes, you see, that must happen to you as well.

00:59:26When you're in work mode, when you're doing all of these, but at the same time, there must be moments where they really do catch you unawares and raise your emotions.

00:59:37Does that happen as well?

00:59:38I know you've got to control it, but you must nevertheless find that there are.

00:59:41Yeah, I mean, a mix of emotions.

00:59:44You know, the great thing about photographing the royal family is the happy moments you get to capture.

00:59:48And that's, again, I've used it a lot, but a huge privilege, you know, photographing the Princess of Wales with her children.

00:59:55Babies at the Lindo Wing, a day of celebration for the whole country and the whole world.

01:00:01And to be right at the forefront of that, you know, I'll never take that for granted.

01:00:05And then obviously more poignant moments, more sombre moments, funerals, the Duke of Edmund's funeral, for example, during COVID with that kind of pared down ceremony.

01:00:15That was so powerful.

01:00:16So powerful.

01:00:17And I was right next to the door as the coffin came out.

01:00:22And I just never forget being aware that I was there.

01:00:26And it felt like, because there was so few people, it just felt so powerful.

01:00:32There are so many.

01:00:33Do we get a chance to see them in a book?

01:00:35Are they only going to be in one place?

01:00:36Well, thanks for asking.

01:00:37I do have a book coming out in March in 2026 called Modern Majesty.

01:00:42And it's, you know, I absolutely, it's my fourth book and I love doing books because it's an opportunity to talk about some of the stories behind the pictures.

01:00:50With the transition from Elizabeth II to King Charles III, have you felt a change in mood, a different kind of mood?

01:00:56Does it feel different to you now as a royal photographer than the way it felt with the late Queen?

01:01:00Well, of course, you know, there's been challenges in recent years, wellness challenges.

01:01:07And I think that sort of transition was a challenging period.

01:01:10But seeing how the King and Princess Catherine have bounced back from those incredibly difficult times has been incredible.

01:01:18And I mean, even keeping up with the King today is very hard work.

01:01:23He's working left, right and centre with so many different engagements.

01:01:27I don't know he keeps it all in his head.

01:01:29No, I don't know.

01:01:29I don't know.

01:01:30And Christmas, a special time for the royals.

01:01:33It means you've got to be there and give your Christmas up a bit, doesn't it, really?

01:01:37Exactly, exactly.

01:01:37You know, it's a very special time for the royal family.

01:01:40And there's a number of different events around Christmas, which, you know, I remember from past years.

01:01:44And, you know, it's all about coming together, all about giving back.

01:01:47And I suppose, you know, the Queen's event at Clarence House with Helen Douglas and Roald Dahl, marvellous children's charity, is always a fantastic one to photograph.

01:01:58And it's very poignant.

01:01:59But, you know, it's amazing what happens around this period for the royal family.

01:02:03Thanks very much indeed, Chris.

01:02:04I look forward to the book.

01:02:06Thank you, Alan.

01:02:06I appreciate that.

01:02:07Now, the thing I like about Leslie Joseph is her joie de vie, her raison d'être, her ooh-la-la and any other French expressions you'd like to pin on her.

01:02:17Today, she's out doing even herself.

01:02:19First, we saw her on safari with a whole host of animals.

01:02:22Now, she's returned to her horticultural roots, showing off her knowledge of mistletoe.

01:02:28A wonderful and whimsical good morning to you, Alan.

01:02:32Today, we go down the garden path to meet an evergreen so popular, Sir Cliff even sang a song about it.

01:02:42Christmas time, mistletoe and wine.

01:02:46Now, that's what I call an evergreen.

01:02:49Step forward, the magnificent mistletoe.

01:02:53The humble mistletoe, or viscom album to its scientific friends, is a semi-parasitic evergreen,

01:03:00smothered in translucent white berries that decorates our landscape from winter to spring.

01:03:06Oh, mistletoe, if you weren't highly poisonous, I could just kiss you.

01:03:13Mistletoe is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are produced on separate plants.

01:03:19Oh, how fancy.

01:03:23Berries are naturally spread from one tree to another by birds, especially thrushes and blackcaps,

01:03:29who just can't help themselves.

01:03:31When a bird discards the seed, the gluey pulp around the seed hardens and firmly attaches the seed to a tree branch.

01:03:40As the new mistletoe plant grows, the roots penetrate the bark and start to take water and nutrients from the tree.

01:03:50In Greek mythology, local heroes were granted passage to the underworld with mistletoe,

01:03:55and during the Middle Ages, mistletoe was associated with fertility and vitality.

01:04:02Nowadays, it's known for puckering up after a couple of mulled wines.

01:04:07Oh, I adore the evolution of seasonal sophistication.

01:04:12That's it for this week, darling viewers.

01:04:15And we'll be down the garden path again soon.

01:04:18Until then, may you have a sensational Sunday.

01:04:23Over to you, Alan.

01:04:24Well, we like to keep her busy. Thank you, Leslie.

01:04:27A fun fact, the name mistletoe actually comes from the Anglo-Saxon words for dung twig,

01:04:34because birds spread the seeds, having eaten the berries, in their droppings.

01:04:38I just dropped that one in. Rather like a bird.

01:04:41Coming up, she's first out the paddock and always finishing first with a stellar career in broadcasting.

01:04:46And when she isn't plotting in the traitor's castle,

01:04:49Claire Balding is busy penning her very first adult novel,

01:04:53which she says she owes all to the late Dame Julie Cooper.

01:04:57I'll see you with the ever-faithful Claire Balding right after this.

01:05:02There'll be no traitors here, Claire.

01:05:04Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

01:05:20Still ahead, a Pinot Noir with notes of cola and a cheeky new Chardonnay.

01:05:25Why is it? Wine's always known as cheeky.

01:05:27Wine connoisseur Tony Osober bleeds new life into your Christmas wine list in today's Best of British.

01:05:34Now, it's the series that's had the nation hooked,

01:05:37and it's never been more dramatic thanks to its first-ever spin-off series,

01:05:42packed with the celebrity cast who haven't held back in delivering jaw-dropping twists,

01:05:47furious wars of words and ruthless gameplay.

01:05:50And with suspicions rising, strategies starting to unravel and meltdowns becoming more frequent,

01:05:57I'm surprised my next guest is still smiling. Cue the evidence.

01:06:01You have received the most votes. You are banished from the castle.

01:06:06Before you leave us, please reveal, are you a faithful or are you a traitor?

01:06:13I came in with only one strategy, which was to be nice to absolutely everyone,

01:06:17and I have had the best time, and I love all of you.

01:06:20I am, and I have been from the start, a faithful.

01:06:36What did that moment feel like when you start, the lovely pauses there,

01:06:45where everybody's wondering, is she, isn't she, is she a traitor, is she a faithful?

01:06:48I mean, you must have thought, am I going to shock them or will they know?

01:06:53I was quite emotional, to be honest, because it came as such a shock.

01:06:57I hadn't seen that coming at all.

01:06:59What, that they'd think you were a traitor?

01:07:00Yeah, and it sort of came out of nowhere, and I regret not, I regret being a bit polite.

01:07:05I was a bit polite at the round table, and I shouldn't have been,

01:07:08I should have defended myself more robustly.

01:07:12But it's such a hard, like, you want to be forward enough, not too forward,

01:07:18loud enough, not too loud.

01:07:20I think pitching how you play yourself, as it were, for everybody there,

01:07:25was the hardest thing to do, must have been.

01:07:28Yeah, but I think I wasn't ruthless enough.

01:07:32Funnily enough, my nickname for Ruth was Ruthless, because she was.

01:07:36I mean, she was much, and if she could have, if we could have stuck together for longer,

01:07:41she'd have really gone for it, and I'd have been right there with her.

01:07:44But I wasn't, I suddenly was on my own, I'm like, ah!

01:07:48And everyone's suspicious of you, which isn't a nice feeling, Alan.

01:07:51But hey, look, I'm still here, it's all all right.

01:07:54You're still here, it's all okay.

01:07:55I'm friends with a lot of them, it's fine.

01:07:57I've survived.

01:07:59It had the nation gripped.

01:08:01I mean, 11 million watching the last show.

01:08:04But it struck me that all of you on there, I've seen some comments since from people who came out,

01:08:08whether they were traitors or whether they were faithfuls.

01:08:10I don't know that I should have done that.

01:08:13It was very exposing, it was very revealing.

01:08:16It was very intense.

01:08:16Did you know it would be that intense and that revealing when you went in?

01:08:20No, I thought we'd have a jolly week away or a couple of weeks away, Alan.

01:08:23I thought it'd be really fun.

01:08:24I thought we'd get to hang out with each other and make friends.

01:08:28No, I didn't realise.

01:08:29But I love the game and I love the show, and that's why I wanted to do it.

01:08:32Yeah.

01:08:32And there were some terrific people with whom I made proper friendships

01:08:36and had really good chats with people.

01:08:39And it's just that feeling when something suddenly is turned against you.

01:08:42I think there are lots of layers to it,

01:08:44and I genuinely think there's quite a lot going on that is reflected in real life.

01:08:50Like, it's not just a game on the telly.

01:08:53So I think it's interesting that, you know, the levels with which people approach it,

01:08:59but also what you reflect on and how you come out of it and what's important.

01:09:05Like, I think it's really important to stick up for people if they're not...

01:09:09If something's being said that isn't fair or isn't...

01:09:11And I understand, I do understand the concept of the game

01:09:14and I do understand that, you know, I'm not an idiot,

01:09:17I'm not completely naive,

01:09:18but I'm really pleased that Ruth and I particularly bonded

01:09:23and I felt very...

01:09:25You know, we were a team together

01:09:27and if that team had been able to get bigger,

01:09:30I think we'd have had more of an impact.

01:09:32But we've stayed in touch.

01:09:33Charlotte, I adore.

01:09:34Celia Imri, obviously, is just terrific.

01:09:36It's just such a shame about her flatulence.

01:09:38I know.

01:09:38But there we are.

01:09:40You just...

01:09:40I think, Celia, Celia, you're such a fine actress

01:09:42and you know darn well that in your Times obituary

01:09:45they're going to mention you breaking wind on Traces.

01:09:48But the lovely thing about Celia and I think probably...

01:09:51She probably doesn't care.

01:09:52Exactly.

01:09:53And I think what we've all learned and maybe, you know,

01:09:55something I did need to learn is

01:09:57you can't take yourself too seriously.

01:09:59Honestly, you can't, Alan.

01:10:00Would you advise other presenters to do it?

01:10:03Oh, God, I mean, it's an amazing experience.

01:10:04And, you know, I'm a great believer in finding things

01:10:07to be able to talk to every generation about

01:10:09and sport is really good for that.

01:10:11Animals are really good for that.

01:10:12I watch Love Island so that I can talk to teenagers.

01:10:15Now I don't have to watch Love Island anymore

01:10:16because I've done Celebrity Traitors

01:10:18and I can talk to them about that.

01:10:20And they have strong views and that's really interesting.

01:10:24So, no, I mean, gosh, it's a lovely experience.

01:10:26It's an amazing thing to be in that castle.

01:10:29You know, it's pretty iconic.

01:10:31Did you guess any of the traitors?

01:10:32Yes.

01:10:33Did you?

01:10:34Who did you get?

01:10:34Yes, well, Alan, really early on.

01:10:36Yeah.

01:10:37Because I just thought, opportunity, he was with Paloma, therefore.

01:10:41Not that he would, but just from a...

01:10:44So why did he get away with it?

01:10:45Because, listen, the greatest shield of all, Alan, humour.

01:10:49It is the greatest shield of all.

01:10:51He could... I mean, he's great company

01:10:53and I thought he and Cat, I thought, played that role so well.

01:10:57Whatever else it was, it was a hugely social and sociable experience.

01:11:01You've since gone from that, well, he'd done it before,

01:11:04but the thing you're talking about now is solitude

01:11:07because writing is a solitary occupation.

01:11:10First novel, Pastures New.

01:11:11We've read your memoirs, great fun, very enjoyable

01:11:14about growing up with all kinds of animals, horses particularly.

01:11:18But here, I always...

01:11:20I don't know what I'm out of my office,

01:11:20you look at it and you think,

01:11:21but there's nothing there except my imagination

01:11:24in that inch of paper.

01:11:25Well, you know.

01:11:26Did you enjoy the fiction,

01:11:27the fact that it was made up, doing that?

01:11:29I did, and you and I have talked about writing

01:11:33because, obviously, you write fiction as well.

01:11:35When you create those characters,

01:11:37you really get to like them.

01:11:39I wanted to write characters that were warm

01:11:42and friendly and full of love

01:11:44and I wanted to write about kindness

01:11:46and, actually, even more, I guess,

01:11:48in having done Celebrity Traces

01:11:50and, as you say, so much of that,

01:11:52your trust in people is undermined

01:11:54because you're forced to be suspicious.

01:11:56In this book, I wanted the heart of it

01:11:58to be about trust and love

01:12:00and particularly reflecting rural friendship

01:12:03and how much people go out of their way

01:12:06to help each other in a practical sense.

01:12:08I wanted to write about farming

01:12:10and the difficulty of farming,

01:12:12the reality of farming.

01:12:12This is about a woman who has gifted a farm in Wales

01:12:15and she doesn't know who to buy or anything.

01:12:16She goes out there.

01:12:17Total life-changing experience.

01:12:19And it's about her getting to know who she is, really.

01:12:22And taking on responsibility,

01:12:24which is something she has always avoided and eschewed

01:12:26and thought that success was a life without responsibility.

01:12:31But if you make that decision,

01:12:33there's quite a lot else that you can't do

01:12:34if you don't take responsibility.

01:12:36So it's about Alex and how she changes,

01:12:39but it's about that friendship network

01:12:40and it's also about who she falls in love with.

01:12:44One of the hardest things, it seems to me,

01:12:46certainly I find it hardest,

01:12:47is writing evil and badness authentically.

01:12:51It's, I think, quite difficult

01:12:52because it can very easily become pantomimic.

01:12:54Did you find, because it's not within your character,

01:12:58that doing the nasty bits of work

01:13:00was actually harder to write than the nice ones?

01:13:03Or was it rather fun being nasty?

01:13:05It was quite fun creating Leighton,

01:13:07who's a really nasty character.

01:13:09And there's something that he does

01:13:11with his physical presence

01:13:12that is very overpowering.

01:13:15And I know that to be true.

01:13:18And my editor said, when I first, you know, wrote it,

01:13:22said, oh, do you think you've overdone this a bit?

01:13:24And then actually various things happened

01:13:26with various men.

01:13:28Oh.

01:13:29In the public eye.

01:13:31And she went, oh, no, you haven't overdone it.

01:13:32You've underplayed it.

01:13:33You're kind of ahead of the curve.

01:13:35It's like, yeah.

01:13:36So that wasn't difficult to create him.

01:13:39And I needed someone upon whom, you know,

01:13:44who creates a threat, actually.

01:13:46And you want your readers to be surprising and elegant.

01:13:48You want to surprise yourself, I think, when you're writing.

01:13:50And if it's all going too sweet,

01:13:51oh, it's a lob of spanner in the works.

01:13:53Yeah.

01:13:53But there's great humour in some of that.

01:13:56I mean, you know, I love sending up a character

01:13:59who's based, you know, loosely on maybe a few people I know.

01:14:02So there's elements of maybe three or four different people.

01:14:04And then put it in the mix, exaggerate it a bit,

01:14:07and this cake rises of a character

01:14:09who's completely their own person.

01:14:12So that's been really joyful to me.

01:14:14So the first of many then now, presumably, this is it.

01:14:17It definitely needs a sequel.

01:14:19And encouraged by Julie Cooper.

01:14:21Yes.

01:14:21To write fiction.

01:14:22As you were as well.

01:14:23Absolutely, yeah.

01:14:24What an amazing positive force she was.

01:14:26She was.

01:14:26I mean, what a brilliant person.

01:14:28You know, really encouraging

01:14:30and such an energetic life force as well.

01:14:32You know, whenever she loved to go to the races

01:14:34and whenever I saw her at the races,

01:14:35she was just so full of, you know, energy.

01:14:39I loved her.

01:14:39But you see, when you talk about your career,

01:14:41it is astonishing, isn't it?

01:14:42You know, you're a great rider

01:14:44and you managed to make that transition from sport

01:14:48into commentary, which you're adept at,

01:14:51you know, 2012 Olympics,

01:14:53particularly the sort of A high spot.

01:14:55And there's clearly a chance to continue the enjoyment,

01:14:59not just from a spectatorial point of view,

01:15:01but from helping other people to understand it.

01:15:03And clearly that is a life force for you,

01:15:04whether it's horse racing or tennis,

01:15:06because Wimbledon was not easy to take over

01:15:08from lovely Sue Barker.

01:15:09Oh, gosh, but Sue was so supportive

01:15:11and that really mattered.

01:15:12That really helped.

01:15:13And I think using that example,

01:15:16I have made sure,

01:15:18I've tried to be really supportive

01:15:20to anyone coming up into the industry.

01:15:24And there's so many women now working

01:15:26within sports commentary and reporting

01:15:28and presenting from when I started,

01:15:30when I was literally about five.

01:15:32And it's really, really encouraging to see that.

01:15:35And I love that, obviously,

01:15:37the coverage of women's sport has improved so much

01:15:39and there's so much more of it.

01:15:40What a year for women's team sport

01:15:42with, obviously, both the Red Roses

01:15:45winning the Rugby Union World Cup

01:15:46and the Lionesses winning the Euros again

01:15:48and all of that.

01:15:49And to go as an experience live,

01:15:50it's such a lovely atmosphere.

01:15:52Oh, and the sound of the crowds

01:15:53as a woman's match is wonderful.

01:15:55I love the variety of what I do.

01:15:57I really enjoy being able to do different things

01:16:00for different broadcasters

01:16:01with different production companies

01:16:02on subjects that stimulate me

01:16:05that I want to know about.

01:16:06So whether it's, you know,

01:16:08rivers or presenting crafts and dogs

01:16:10or whether it's...

01:16:10Or doing ramblings,

01:16:11which I've done with you,

01:16:12the radio program,

01:16:13which is a wonderful walk.

01:16:14We walk together on Tennyson Down

01:16:15on the Isle of Wight.

01:16:16We did, it was lovely.

01:16:17And Winter Olympics I've got next year,

01:16:19so that'll be fun in Italy.

01:16:20Oh, I see.

01:16:20You get all the plum jobs.

01:16:22You also become a national treasure

01:16:24and if you want proof of the fact

01:16:25that you've become a national treasure...

01:16:26No, no, no, no, don't deny it.

01:16:27Look at this.

01:16:28This is what happens in Bake Off.

01:16:29When you become a national treasure.

01:16:31So, Greg,

01:16:38tell us all about Claire Balding.

01:16:42So, this is my doppelganger.

01:16:44She's been made out of two different biscuits.

01:16:46I think you should send it to her.

01:16:47I think she might call the police.

01:16:50It's a very nice biscuit.

01:16:52I think you've done a great job with the flavour.

01:16:54More importantly, it's baked well.

01:16:55Thanks.

01:16:56Thanks very much, Greg.

01:16:57Thanks a lot.

01:16:58If Claire Balding is watching...

01:17:00I'm sorry about that.

01:17:03Well, you may deny it being a national treasure,

01:17:04but you're certainly a national biscuit.

01:17:06I'm a national...

01:17:07I am a biscuit.

01:17:08I'm thrilled.

01:17:08Do you ever think you'd be turned into a biscuit?

01:17:09No, and I love Greg

01:17:11and we've always had this joke

01:17:13that we look like we could be brother and sister,

01:17:14which I find quite flattering.

01:17:15I'm thrilled with that.

01:17:17He's such a lovely guy

01:17:18and he's...

01:17:19Yeah, I think he's...

01:17:21I'm very thrilled

01:17:22that he thought I was worthy of a biscuit.

01:17:24You'll stay for a tipple or two.

01:17:25I'd love to.

01:17:26You don't have to mix anything.

01:17:27We do it all for you.

01:17:28All right.

01:17:29And before the tipples,

01:17:30time to de-stress your Sunday even more

01:17:32in today's Ode to Joy.

01:17:34we do it all for you.

01:17:35We do it all for you.

01:17:35We will be regular.

01:17:36We will be normal again.

01:19:07That was Waverley Abbey, just outside Farnham in Surrey, courtesy of John Parsons, and set to a violin sonata by Beethoven.

01:19:34Lovely images.

01:19:35Coming up, standing by to uncork the British wine classics of the future.

01:19:40Wine expert Tony Osoba with the latest new wines to hit the market.

01:19:45My guests seem keen to give them a try already.

01:19:48I'll be back with Tony, Andy and Claire right after this.

01:19:51Welcome back to Love Your Weekend.

01:20:06Now, Christmas is a time for celebrating cherished customs, particularly when it comes to the festive food and drink we enjoy.

01:20:13But maybe this is the year to branch out a little.

01:20:16As the reputation of British wines continues to improve, there's an emerging array of options to explore,

01:20:22some of which may well become established Christmas favourites in the years to come.

01:20:26Here to reveal her pick of the newest wines on the market, worthy of a place on the festive table.

01:20:32Welcome back, wine expert Tony Osoba.

01:20:35So, worthy of a place in the pantheon of our favourite Christmas winestone.

01:20:39Yes, that's right.

01:20:40And thank you so much for having me.

01:20:41We've got an array of festive drinks today, perfect for the Christmas season.

01:20:46So, first up, we've got a sparkling jasmine tea from Sight Show.

01:20:49Oh.

01:20:50To have a taste.

01:20:51Jasmine tea.

01:20:51Yes.

01:20:52This is an alcohol-free option as well.

01:20:54It smells lovely.

01:20:55Oh, it smells like tea, doesn't it?

01:20:57That smells like a jasmine candle, really.

01:20:59Yeah, it does.

01:20:59That is really nice.

01:21:00It's nice, isn't it?

01:21:01So, it's really fragrant.

01:21:02You'll definitely get notes of jasmine because it's a jasmine tea.

01:21:05But you'll also get notes of apple, lychee and a bit of vanilla as well.

01:21:09Oh, I like it.

01:21:09So, when you have your fizz on Christmas morning, you know, and that means I'm tipsy by 12,

01:21:15straight to my head, I can have this instead.

01:21:17Yeah, it's guilt-free and it's great for the tea lovers and the bubbly lovers.

01:21:21Both of those drinks in one delicious drink here.

01:21:23So, where's it from, this one?

01:21:25So, this one is from Shropshire.

01:21:26So, Chinese tea leaves but made with Shropshire spring water in Shropshire.

01:21:30So, they carbonate it and add a little bit of grape juice for a bit of sweetness.

01:21:33I really love that.

01:21:33It's really lovely.

01:21:34Andy, you approve?

01:21:36I think that's absolutely lovely.

01:21:37I'm not really much of a drinker and that is delicious.

01:21:41Yeah, and I think it stands up really well alongside like a champagne in its own right

01:21:44because it's so complex and refreshing as well.

01:21:47It's lovely.

01:21:48So, next up, we have a Chardonnay.

01:21:51So, this is the Roman Road Chardonnay by Simpsons.

01:21:54And I know a lot of people say that they don't like Chardonnays

01:21:57but I feel as though this one really challenges that idea.

01:22:00So, have a taste and see what you think.

01:22:01Do you think it's Chardonnay they don't like, Tony?

01:22:03Or over-oaked Chardonnay?

01:22:05Yeah.

01:22:05That's such a difference.

01:22:06I don't mind it.

01:22:06It's not over-oaked.

01:22:07Yeah.

01:22:08Exactly.

01:22:08So, this is really slightly oaked and it's more similar to a Chablis in Star Wars than like a California and heavily oaked Chardonnay.

01:22:15Oh, that is nice.

01:22:16So, it's really nice, isn't it?

01:22:17You'll get notes of orange peel, of honeysuckle.

01:22:20Rooty.

01:22:20Yeah, a little bit of butterscotch as well, perhaps.

01:22:23I can't lie.

01:22:24I'm getting butterscotch.

01:22:24If you're not getting butterscotch, it's rather nice.

01:22:26If you dig deeper, you might find it.

01:22:28I'm definitely thinking butterscotch now.

01:22:30I like the idea of thinking butterscotch.

01:22:31But this one's great for a roast dinner.

01:22:34So, this will go really nicely with your roast potatoes and your Yorkshire pudding as well because it will really balance out the flavours in a really lovely way.

01:22:41So, I love this one.

01:22:42Great for your Christmas dinner.

01:22:43So, from where?

01:22:44This one is from Canterbury.

01:22:46So, it's from Kent.

01:22:47And it's actually made with soils that are similar to the Champagne region.

01:22:51So, really similar to a Chablis in style or a white Burgundy.

01:22:54We do seem to be able to make the French cross, don't we?

01:22:57We're able to make really good lime.

01:23:00Definitely rivaling.

01:23:01Tastings, they win prizes.

01:23:03That's got a delicacy to it, doesn't it?

01:23:05I like it.

01:23:06I think that this often happens with wine.

01:23:08The more sips you have, the better it gets.

01:23:11Oh, I really like that.

01:23:12Two out of two so far, Tony.

01:23:14Lovely.

01:23:15So, next up, we have a sparkling rosé from Greyfriars.

01:23:20Oh, great.

01:23:21So, it is quite a pale rosé but it still gives you all the notes that you'd get from a nice crisp and dry rosé.

01:23:27Looks lovely, doesn't it?

01:23:28It does.

01:23:29In a coupe.

01:23:30It's glorious, isn't it?

01:23:30The old champagne glass.

01:23:32Yeah.

01:23:32Which is the way you're meant to serve champagne, isn't it?

01:23:35So, you can get plenty of bubbles up your nose.

01:23:38Exactly.

01:23:38Oh, that's interesting.

01:23:39It really is.

01:23:40So, you'll get notes of strawberry here, raspberry, a little bit of cranberry as well, which is why I say it pairs really nicely with your turkey and your cranberry sauce.

01:23:48It works really well.

01:23:49I like that a lot.

01:23:50Yeah, it's lovely.

01:23:51And a hint of butterscotch.

01:23:53I'm kidding.

01:23:53You're kidding.

01:23:54You're kidding.

01:23:55You're kidding.

01:23:55I really like this one because I feel as though people think that rosé is just for the summer months, but this just shows you can have it in the winter months as it will go really well with your Christmas dinner.

01:24:05So, a challenger there for you.

01:24:07And did you like that one?

01:24:08I do like that.

01:24:09Yeah, yeah, yeah.

01:24:09More or less than the previous one, the Chardonnay.

01:24:12If I'm honest, my favourite so far is the tea.

01:24:14Is the tea.

01:24:15Yeah.

01:24:15I thought that was really lovely.

01:24:16Yeah, I thought that was lovely too.

01:24:17So, now we're actually moving over to Essex slash Cambridge.

01:24:22So, this one, this is our Pinot Noir.

01:24:25It's made from grapes grown in Essex, but the wine itself is made in a winery in a windmill in Cambridge, which is really interesting.

01:24:33Wow, romantic.

01:24:33Yeah, so this is our Gutter and Stars Pinot Noir.

01:24:37Gutter and Stars.

01:24:39So, yeah, it's a little nod to an Oscar Wilde quote, which is something along the lines of, we're all in the gutter, but some of us are looking to the stars.

01:24:45So, looking beyond hardship is what this one's all about.

01:24:49I like that.

01:24:49But this one has a really unique note that I've never come across in a wine before, and that is a cola soft drink.

01:24:56So, cola.

01:24:56And I think it works really well.

01:24:58See if you can pick that up.

01:25:01I do, actually.

01:25:02I honestly can get a bit of that.

01:25:04Yeah, yeah, definitely.

01:25:05I agree, I can too.

01:25:06Yeah.

01:25:07Yeah, and it works really well, and it's nicely balanced with, like, cherry, with a bit of raspberry as well, with your darker fruits, but it's still really nice and light and juicy.

01:25:15Sometimes I find Pinot Noirs are too strong on the top, and this isn't, it's quite gentle, isn't it?

01:25:19So delicate, it's delicious.

01:25:20Yeah.

01:25:20And what's great about this one is you can actually have it chilled.

01:25:23So, if your fridge space is at a premium in the Christmas, in the build-up to Christmas, which it likely is, you just pop it outside on your doorstep for 10 to 15 minutes, and that will chill it down really nicely, so you can have it at the perfect temperature.

01:25:35It's very warming.

01:25:36It is, it's lovely.

01:25:36And I think this is one of those drinks that I'd sit there, have a glass of it, and suddenly come up with all my best ideas.

01:25:42And I'd be really fascinating and funny.

01:25:44Yeah.

01:25:45Have it?

01:25:45See, three sips of that, I'd be asleep.

01:25:47Oh.

01:25:48In the gutter.

01:25:49Yeah, exactly.

01:25:50Looking at the start.

01:25:52Yeah, yeah, yeah.

01:25:53Because I'd be fooling myself that I was a start.

01:25:55Do you think the following morning it would be one of those, it seemed such a good idea yesterday, yesterday, in the cold light of day.

01:26:05They should put that on the label, shouldn't they?

01:26:07Like an index that the hangover it may give you.

01:26:11A date rating.

01:26:11Hangover level.

01:26:12Yeah, yeah.

01:26:13But it is quite a nice and light one, nice to have on a special occasion, that's for sure.

01:26:16Yeah.

01:26:17I love that.

01:26:17Last one.

01:26:18So, yes, so finally we have this fortified wine.

01:26:21So this is from Langham's, and they're based in Dorset, and this is actually a limited edition.

01:26:25So sweeter wines are a bit rarer in England, but this is a collaboration between Langham's Wine Estate and Capriolus Gin Distillery, and it is so delicious.

01:26:35It's sweeter, it's fortified, so it's nice and strong.

01:26:38Has that got ginger or something in it?

01:26:39It's really, you might get ginger notes, you'll also get orchard fruit notes as well.

01:26:42I was expecting something floral, like a, you know, like a Sauternal.

01:26:46Like a dessert wine, like a Sauternal.

01:26:47Yeah, exactly, but it's not.

01:26:48No.

01:26:48It's really nice, really complex.

01:26:50It's quite thick as well, isn't it?

01:26:51Yeah, it's quite full-bodied, exactly.

01:26:53Yeah.

01:26:53You're right.

01:26:53And this is great for the sweet wine lovers, but I think it's also great if you don't like sweet wine,

01:26:58because it's really well-balanced with acidity.

01:27:00I wouldn't call that a sweet wine.

01:27:01It's delicious.

01:27:02Say that again.

01:27:06It's cleared out the avenues.

01:27:09Yeah.

01:27:09I've not tasted anything like that before.

01:27:12It's an amazing mixture of citrus and alcohol.

01:27:16Yeah.

01:27:16There's a hint of sherry in there.

01:27:18You might get those notes because it's fortified, yeah, so it is quite strong, but it's delicious.

01:27:22This would be great with your cheeses or great with your dessert as well, so well-deserved.

01:27:26And it's a very nice box.

01:27:28Yes, it is, and the bottle's beautiful as well, yes.

01:27:30Yeah.

01:27:30That's right.

01:27:31Five useful Christmas presents.

01:27:33The funny thing is, I think all three of us were really taken with the tea, yeah, the jasmine tea.

01:27:39Yeah, there's definitely something for everyone, so, yeah.

01:27:42But that is very lovely, although probably because I am such a lightweight, I cannot imagine drinking that whole glass of that.

01:27:48Just sip it slowly.

01:27:49Over the course of ten minutes.

01:27:53Yes, very good, yeah.

01:27:55I'm going to go back to the rose, because I really liked that, and I don't want that sat there.

01:27:59Okay.

01:27:59I don't want it to go to waste.

01:28:01I don't want it to go to waste.

01:28:03I'm going to have them all.

01:28:04Christmassy and kind of celebratory, and we can toast your success, Alan.

01:28:09Bless you.

01:28:09And your good heart.

01:28:11Thank you so much.

01:28:12Cheers for that.

01:28:1315 quid, we said.

01:28:14Thanks, yeah, about that.

01:28:15Just pay me in one.

01:28:18That's it for today's show.

01:28:19Well, thanks to all my guests, to Claire, Andy, and, of course, to Tony, providing us with such delightful refreshment.

01:28:25Joining me next week, the rock star turned farmer, Alex James.

01:28:29Corrie's Reverend Billy, actor Daniel Brockelbank.

01:28:32Leslie Joseph will be here, and we've donkeys and pygmy goats.

01:28:35Of course we do.

01:28:36What's not to love?

01:28:37Up next, Fletcher's Farm.

01:28:39But I'll leave you now with some profound words from Cary Grant.

01:28:42Simplicity, to me, has always been the essence of good taste.

01:28:47Oh, Cary, if only it were that simple.

01:28:49Till the next time.

01:28:50Cheers.

01:28:51Cheers.

01:28:52Cheers.

01:28:52Cheers, Tony.

01:28:53Cheers.

01:28:54Cheers.

01:28:55Cheers.

01:28:56Cheers.

01:28:57Cheers.

01:28:58Cheers.

01:28:59Cheers.

Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh - Season 7 Episode 33

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