- 22 hours ago
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00:07You're peddling me arse off!
00:10I'm surprised at you.
00:11I thought you'd be fitter than this.
00:13I just don't like it.
00:15Full gas!
00:16Big push!
00:17Big push!
00:18Have you seen me?
00:28This is Will.
00:29This is terrifying! Slow down!
00:32And this is Ralph.
00:34I feel like a powerful badass.
00:36We've been mates for 20-odd years.
00:38Come here, let's have a snuggle.
00:40We might look like middle-aged blokes.
00:43Yeah, this is great fun.
00:44But really, we're just a pair of massive...
00:49...noisy...
00:53...kids...
00:53Where have you got that cake from?
00:55So what will it take for us to grow up?
00:57I really tried!
00:59...embrace modern life...
01:00Should've gone for some supple nails, like mine.
01:03...and become better...
01:04...let it one, we found a survivor...
01:07...maturer...
01:08...men.
01:09Look at these tides, there's something wrong with these.
01:25...yes!
01:26нес Raadden
01:27We are young, I love green
01:29You're in us?
01:30Keep our teeth...
01:31Nice and clean!
01:32No you'd see our friends.
01:34See the sights.
01:36Feel all right!
01:37Do you mean you do, like I don't clean my teeth?
01:39Ha ha ha!
01:44You know, I still have dreams sometimes, I'm late for school.
01:47Have you ever had them?
01:48Or you go to school and you're naked.
01:50No.
01:52That shows you you're still mentally scarred.
01:54Mentally scarred.
01:55Why do you still have dreams of being at school?
01:59Are you your age in your dreams?
02:00Oh, no, I'm going to school tomorrow.
02:01Then wake up and go, yes, I'm 49.
02:04I haven't got school.
02:13I feel like when you get older, when you get to be an adult,
02:15the stuff that you just used to just have the unbridled fun of just playing
02:19and doing stuff that you used to do as a kid, you just stop doing.
02:22But why?
02:23Who actually makes these rules to go, you're too old to do that now?
02:27People who don't find farts funny.
02:29Oh, come on, man.
02:31It's like, you're disgusting.
02:32It's like, they're there.
02:33They're there to be funny.
02:35You wouldn't sound like that if they weren't supposed to be funny.
02:38You know what I'm saying?
02:40They smell bad so deaf people can appreciate them.
02:43So they've got a use.
02:48Oh, well, these are the days and this is the life.
02:53There'll always be something on your mind.
02:56When I was younger, I used to love after eights.
02:59This one day, walking to the shop at lunchtime,
03:02saw a fiver on the floor.
03:03And a fiver, when I was 12 or 13, was like, oh, put my foot on it,
03:07look around, picked it up.
03:09Do you know what I did?
03:10Bought myself a full box of after eights.
03:13Oh, my God, the luxury.
03:14Just for me.
03:15The luxury.
03:16Just for me.
03:16Did you tell anyone?
03:17No, I told no one.
03:18I hid them in my room.
03:19And every time I found, I would just go back and just squirrel three or four down.
03:22Why?
03:22Three or four?
03:23Well, yeah, but...
03:23That would have been too much for me.
03:24Yeah, but I didn't want them to run out.
03:26Do you know what I mean?
03:26It kept going back.
03:27It was magical.
03:28I used to eat sugar sandwiches, crisp sandwiches, anything I could get away with when my parents
03:32were clear.
03:33And then you're an adult and no one can tell you not to, but you don't.
03:36Today, we're going to be doing something that's a bit like that.
03:41I'm going to take you to a place where you can eat as much as you want, right?
03:45And not only that, they encourage you to try and eat more.
03:49What's the idea of this?
03:50Just to sort of be like the joy and playfulness of when we were kids and the dreams that we
03:56had as kids.
03:56Is it still in there?
03:56And the kind of excitement of that kind of thing.
03:59Can we sort of recapture that?
04:00Yeah, yeah, let's just go and see, you know what I mean?
04:02And also, I've got a child that still lives in me, right?
04:06So let's go and see if he wants to eat a load of stuff.
04:09I don't know.
04:10It's like a challenge, I suppose.
04:13I don't feel very up for this one.
04:16The fact I've seen you have to force yourself to eat just so you can try and put on
04:20weight because you burn that many calories.
04:22Mate, honestly, it's ridiculous.
04:24I'm naturally built like a greyhound.
04:29We've come to Polo Bar in central London.
04:32Established in 1959, it's a 24-hour cafe whose speciality is competitive eating challenges.
04:40It's frequented by some of the UK's best competitive eaters and hosted by maitre d' Valerie.
04:47What sort of challenges do you do?
04:49We do a pancake challenge.
04:52Just eat as much as you can or is it the speed?
04:54If you can do it in under 15 minutes, then we give the pancakes free of charge and a bottle
04:59of Prosecco.
05:00Well, you do know I like things for free.
05:02Yeah, you do like things for free.
05:04What is the record?
05:05Four minutes and four seconds.
05:07For how many pancakes?
05:08I'm not going to tell you that.
05:10This is going to be good.
05:11Aw.
05:11With the challenge laid down, it was time for the kitchen to bring out the pancakes.
05:17Oh, no.
05:20Oh, no.
05:21Look how much cream's there.
05:22Who's eating mine in four minutes?
05:23You are joking me.
05:29Who's eating that in four minutes?
05:31I thought it'd be like four or five pancakes.
05:34Where do you even start?
05:36Oh, my God.
05:37I don't want to do it, Will.
05:39Ready to go.
05:40The timer's on.
05:41Good luck.
05:42Our 15-minute countdown starts now.
05:46Let's get involved.
05:52What?
05:52What's he doing?
05:53He's eating, mate.
05:54I'm just going to take one off and just daintily...
05:56We've only got a spoon.
05:58Oh, God, it's dense.
06:00It's my cake.
06:03I'm going to have one pancake at a time.
06:07How has someone done this in four minutes?
06:10Oh, God.
06:11I'm stuck in already.
06:12I really am.
06:16It's dry, isn't it?
06:17It's dry.
06:18I'm changing technique.
06:19What are you doing now?
06:20Ralph.
06:23That didn't work, did it?
06:24Ice and sugar went up my nose.
06:30He's got me disqualified.
06:31He's spitting it out.
06:32Ice and sugar went right away.
06:34I'm right.
06:35Ah.
06:36Ah.
06:47I've gone too quick.
06:49All the fruit club is on, too.
06:51Yeah.
06:52I was worried about the fruit, because I'm definitely going to finish a pancake.
06:54She'd be...
06:58I remember when you were dreaming of this as a kid.
07:01When days are gone.
07:04You might be doing the actions, but there's nothing on that spoon.
07:07I mean, this is awful.
07:16It was time for one final push.
07:19Keep going.
07:20You're nearly there.
07:21Push to the end.
07:22Yeah, I will, yeah.
07:23Get all that cream in your dog.
07:25Just fucking carve a bit off and then hide it round the back.
07:37It's the cream it's making me...
07:41Don't...
07:42Don't...
07:43Can't be sick.
07:56I'll stop it.
07:58Oh, no, we didn't do it.
08:00Oh, fuck, we nearly made it.
08:01You didn't finish the fruit.
08:03I was so close.
08:04Oh, Valerie, this is awful.
08:06You tried.
08:07It was a reasonable attempt.
08:10Valerie, that was awful, Valerie.
08:12Valerie, that's not nice at all.
08:14I did more than I thought I would.
08:15Look at that.
08:16Ugh.
08:17Nah.
08:30Oh, that wasn't fun at all.
08:33Ugh.
08:35Ugh.
08:38I feel sick.
08:39My stomach is so awful.
08:42There's something bubbling up, and I don't know which way it's going to come out.
08:45Both.
08:46Top or bottom.
08:46It could be both.
08:48Just in equilibrium.
08:49I don't think this is something Imodium can fix.
08:52No.
08:52I don't think I've got the pills to stop this happening.
08:55What's going to happen?
08:56I don't know.
08:57I don't know.
09:10I don't think I've got the pills to stop this happening.
09:29Yeah.
09:29Pulled me neck then, dancing like that.
09:31Did you really?
09:31Yeah, pulled on me bleeding neck.
09:33You have?
09:34Pissy now.
09:35I can't even have a car party anymore.
09:37Shite.
09:41I think it's very easy to go, wasn't childhood fantastic?
09:43Wasn't it great?
09:44Wasn't it great?
09:45And look at it kind of with like rose-tinted glasses.
09:47Yeah, school wasn't great.
09:48I wasn't fellas.
09:48Well, that's my point.
09:50I mean, like childhood was, I felt like a lot of pressure to kind of succeed and do well
09:55and stuff.
09:55And I think a lot of that was about school.
09:58And I know that you struggled with school.
10:00I still have a good attention span and I wanted to make everyone laugh.
10:03Yeah.
10:03So teachers didn't like me and I didn't like them because, you know, they sort of give up
10:08on me and told me I'd be shit and whatever else.
10:10And that's why I have no confidence in it now or if I'm writing or anything.
10:14Well, you don't, do you?
10:15I've heard you say many a time over the years, all that thick as fuck me, I just said, you're
10:20not the liar.
10:21No, I'm not.
10:21I don't think you're not.
10:22I just don't like certain things.
10:24It's like to sit there and write things out, even read things.
10:29There's something that switches off and it's because of school.
10:31And I think it's because I lost my confidence.
10:35The idea today, my friend, is to sort of see if we can confront some of those ghosts of
10:42the past and those barriers that are in our heads.
10:44Just kind of maybe reclaim some of that and take it forward.
10:49So we're going back to school.
10:51What, we're going to sit with kids?
10:52Yeah.
10:53Wait, the lesson?
10:53Mm-hmm.
10:54And do what?
10:55Um, creative writing.
10:57I'm serious.
11:00Honestly, my stomach just went, oh no.
11:04School's out.
11:07Forever.
11:14We've come to the charter school, North Dulwich, to join year 10 drama students taking part
11:19in a creative writing class run by author, Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovenz.
11:24He runs specialist workshops designed to get even the most reluctant of pupils writing.
11:30Hello.
11:31Hello, guys.
11:31How's it going, all right?
11:32Hiya.
11:33Will.
11:33Ralph.
11:34Ralph.
11:34All right.
11:35Oh, wow.
11:40You've got to put your jumper on.
11:41Well, hiya.
11:42Got to be part of it.
11:44What's it like having two extremely old men come and sit in your classroom?
11:48Is it a bit weird?
11:49A little bit confusing.
11:50Yeah, yeah.
11:51Meeting the kids was a strange one because I think, I don't know what Will thought, but
11:56I was like strangely nervous.
11:58Are you a Liverpool fan?
12:00Yeah.
12:02Well, I'm next to a Liverpool fan, are you?
12:04Oh, you've had a mare.
12:05I've had a nightmare.
12:06What did you use it for?
12:07Man United.
12:08Because I'm a United fan, you just won the league, I'm going to be getting stick all day.
12:11Yeah.
12:11They've got a Liverpool penalty case, look.
12:14That's class.
12:16Seriously, mate.
12:17It's not my name at that.
12:18It was interesting today.
12:21Seeing 14-year-old lads and looking at them, remembering what I was like at that age.
12:27Girls are quite important when you're your age.
12:29Did you get any?
12:30No.
12:30Girls?
12:32That's the important question.
12:34What about getting your mates to go and tell a girl that you fancied her?
12:37Do you still do that?
12:38That's like primary school stuff.
12:40Primary school?
12:41Really?
12:41This is interesting.
12:43Okay.
12:43That was my teenage years.
12:45So what happens now?
12:46What happens now?
12:47I should try myself and then I fail him.
12:50He's nodding.
12:51I feel like we need to talk to the expert here.
12:53This has got a game.
12:55What's happening?
12:55What is it?
12:56What's the levels?
12:57No, you just find someone.
12:58You start talking to them and then we'll just see what happens from there.
13:02What happens if they're like, oh, you've misread this?
13:05It's just raps.
13:08I still think I'm like one of the kids.
13:10But I have to remind myself, you're 49, mate.
13:13And you're walking in trying to be one of the lads.
13:15Hey, what's the girls like?
13:18Shut up, mate.
13:18Leave it.
13:21Yes, yes, boys.
13:22How are we doing?
13:23You okay?
13:25Are you good?
13:26Hello, hello, hello.
13:28Were we standing up?
13:29We used to stand up when the teacher come out.
13:31What school did you go to?
13:33One that showed respect.
13:34Oh, right.
13:35When the teacher walked in, it suddenly took me right back to being a kid and just going,
13:40oh, no, no, we've got to listen.
13:44And I'm not good at that.
13:45Boys, it's a real honour, a real pleasure to be here with you guys this afternoon.
13:49My name's Ashley Hickson-Lovance.
13:51I'm a poet, I'm a writer, I'm a former teacher.
13:53And I just want to get you guys writing.
13:54Okay?
13:55I'm a real believer that creative writing, lived experience is really important when telling
13:59really engaging stories.
14:01When you say writing, that's like writing on writing.
14:05Yeah, I mean, like...
14:06No, because I just don't like writing.
14:09Do you know the problem I've had with writing all my life is I mix up my capitals when we're
14:13joined up.
14:14Don't worry about that.
14:15Yeah, mate.
14:15You do your own thing.
14:16It looks like...
14:16You do your own thing, right?
14:17The great thing about creative writing is that you make your own rules.
14:20Right.
14:20So don't worry too much about spelling, grammar, behaviour.
14:25Sound good?
14:25Yeah.
14:26Got a pen?
14:27Have I got a pen?
14:28Yeah.
14:28No.
14:29Typical.
14:30Right, I need three volunteers.
14:32I need three volunteers to do a little free write.
14:34Shane, I want you to launch that die at me.
14:36Oh, it says a man.
14:39So, on the very top of your notebook, I want you to put this down.
14:42Launch it.
14:43Oh, a man is angry.
14:46Okay, I want you to start thinking already.
14:48Who is this man?
14:50Decent.
14:51Okay, a man is angry on an island.
14:54We're going to do this activity in pairs.
14:56We're going to write for six minutes.
14:58Mate, I'm sorry.
15:00You've got me in.
15:01I'm the worst person.
15:02You need to help me out here, mate.
15:03Seriously.
15:04I've got dyslexia.
15:05So have I.
15:07You're older.
15:08I've got dyslexia.
15:09Okay.
15:10This is going to be good, isn't it?
15:13To make this good?
15:14Yeah.
15:15A man...
15:16A man called Jan.
15:19He's angry.
15:20Why is he angry?
15:21Because he's a Man U fan.
15:22Okay.
15:23He fucked with everything.
15:24I like the sun between his toes and the breeze and the smell of the sea.
15:28He's been on a beach before, right?
15:30What do you think?
15:31All right.
15:31I was next to the lad, Will.
15:33He was good as gold.
15:34He was really intelligent, articulate.
15:36Will's trying to take everything seriously.
15:38Actors going, Man United are rubbish.
15:40I just want to see his writing with the un-capitals.
15:43With the capitals.
15:44I'm concentrating.
15:46I've not seen this in a long time.
15:47No, I'm concentrating.
15:48When I concentrate, look there, look.
15:50Capital G for Jeff.
15:51Oh, that's correct.
15:52With a man.
15:53With two capital Fs.
15:54Capital Fs.
15:55I told you.
15:58Yeah.
15:59Do you want me to write it?
16:00A bit late now.
16:02All right.
16:03Good.
16:03Finish off that line you were working on.
16:04From then on, he survived being a long-life Liverpool fan.
16:07And they won the league.
16:10Superb.
16:11Gentlemen, you did fantastically there.
16:13It's just a free write.
16:14Just to get us warmed up.
16:16It was a blank notebook before.
16:17And these guys are smashed.
16:19They're on two pages now.
16:20Two pages of absolute waffle.
16:22That's just to get us warmed up.
16:24We're now going to move on to our next writing activities.
16:27I Come From is a very popular form of list poetry.
16:30Food is a great place to start.
16:32I come from Jerk Chicken.
16:34I come from Morley's.
16:36Morley's is the best.
16:37Is that Morley's is the best chicken shop?
16:39Chicken shops.
16:40Just all of them.
16:40All of them.
16:41I want the food, drink.
16:43I want TV shows that you grew up with.
16:45But then I want deep lines like this.
16:47I come from heartbreak.
16:48I come from love.
16:49I come from a family of grafters.
16:51I'm going to put some music on.
16:53What do we do?
16:54Not that hard.
16:55It takes a while for my brain to kick in to what I'm going to write.
16:59I can't just write.
17:00It has to be right for me to write something that is weird and my brain works.
17:06I've wrote nothing.
17:07Once I start, I'm fine.
17:08Whereabouts?
17:08Where's your ends?
17:09Where were you raised?
17:11Uh, council estate in Stockport.
17:13Okay, that's a great start.
17:14What was the name of the council estate?
17:17Wood girl.
17:17I moved.
17:18What the first one?
17:19I come from, be as specific as possible.
17:21Tell me the name of the estate.
17:23Yeah?
17:23Well, Shakespeare Road was where I was born.
17:26Perfect.
17:26I come from being born in Shakespeare Road.
17:29I come from a council estate.
17:31Okay, yeah, okay.
17:32I'm on it.
17:32All right, sweet.
17:33You're smashing it.
17:34Trust me.
17:36Every little detail counts.
17:38My brain just goes too fast.
17:40Then I write something that's not even supposed to be there.
17:43Fantastic.
17:43Right, let me get your pens ready.
17:45Get your pens for me.
17:46Put it in front of you like that.
17:47Get your pens.
17:47Put it in front of you like that.
17:48Good.
17:48Decent, decent, decent.
17:49And when I say three, two, one, you're going to mic drop it onto the table.
17:52Three, two, one.
17:53I love that sound.
17:54Superb.
17:56Superb.
17:57I'm looking for some volunteers to just read a little bit.
18:00Round of applause for Will, please.
18:01Woo!
18:03What's it called, my guy?
18:04I come from...
18:05Decent.
18:06Oh, man.
18:07Sweet.
18:08I come from a place which I could dream.
18:10Friends down the road I always want to meet.
18:12Bunty, the shopkeeper, letting me off that one pee.
18:15Frits down in Catford, the guy you would always see.
18:17I come from choc ices, 25p ice cream.
18:20I come from bangers and mash, pasta and noodles.
18:23I come from one parent egging me on.
18:26I come from my brothers, sharing those choc ices.
18:29Now they're 90p.
18:31I come from that thick smell on the tube, northern line.
18:33I loved it.
18:34I come from everywhere I know at once.
18:36I come from not knowing where I am, but knowing where I'll be.
18:40Oh, wow.
18:42I thought some of the stuff the young lads came up with was fascinating.
18:46Would they ever talk like that amongst themselves,
18:48or have they been able to express a sentiment and a feeling
18:51that they've never really tapped into, apart from privately?
18:55I thought it was amazing, actually.
18:57Wow.
18:58Yes, do this.
18:59Let's go, let's go, let's go.
19:02No pressure, mate, but these are really good.
19:05How clever is everyone here?
19:07They're all really good and expressive.
19:09It was weird going, oh, I hope the teacher likes this.
19:12I'm 45 years old.
19:14Okay.
19:16Mine's called Berry Was a Shithole, but I loved it.
19:20Best title so far?
19:22That's where I'm from, Berry.
19:23I come from green landscapes, beautiful but brutal.
19:28Grey skies and wet, misty windows.
19:30Market day every Saturday.
19:32Bits of meat I didn't recognise.
19:34Black puddings floating in an urn like turds in a bucket.
19:37Smelling the same, too.
19:39I come from turmoil, arguments, fights and silences.
19:42From dreams of escape to landing in a different world.
19:45But I also come from love and sacrifice.
19:48Really open.
19:51Thank you so much.
19:53Round of applause for my guy, Hector, please.
19:55Go on, Hector.
19:57Go on, mate.
19:57Yes, yes, Hector.
19:59I come from a family of Scoutsers.
20:02I come from a broken family.
20:04I come from hating my new supporters.
20:06I come from a family with dyslexia.
20:09I come from a rollercoaster of emotions,
20:11never knowing where I might end up.
20:13Oh, ho.
20:14Go on, mate.
20:17I put nothing to battle in a film in mine.
20:19If I'd have known that, I'd give you loads.
20:22Shall we get Will up to read a little bit of his?
20:24Yeah, go on, Will.
20:25Let's do it, let's do it.
20:28I haven't got as much as everybody else, but I'll have a go.
20:32I come from a house.
20:33Cheers!
20:35Come on, Will.
20:36You got this, my guy.
20:37You got this.
20:37You got this.
20:38Jesus.
20:39You're so nervous.
20:42You'd think, right, I've been on stages in front of thousands of people.
20:46I've been on TV all my life.
20:47But standing in front of a classroom of 14-year-olds was harder.
20:52OK.
20:54I come from a road called Shakespeare Road.
20:58I come from a place that I called home on a council estate full of characters.
21:03I come from playing hide-and-seek in the woods.
21:06I come from chippy tea on a Thursday.
21:10I come from getting clothes from a jumble sale.
21:13I come from the love of the big family.
21:15I come from seeing struggle.
21:18I come from hope for more.
21:20Oh, ho.
21:25Gorgeous.
21:26Gorgeous.
21:27Ah, you were like, I didn't do right.
21:28I didn't write marks.
21:29You've only just poured your heart out.
21:31Just standing up in front of the class has never been a good thing for me.
21:35They used to do it to embarrass me sometimes because, do you want to come and show your work?
21:39As if to say, look how shitty he is.
21:43Knowing that I'd struggle.
21:45That's actually kind of beautiful.
21:46Is it?
21:47Yeah.
21:48Yeah, mate.
21:49I'm impressed.
21:50Cheers.
21:51Thanks, mate.
21:52From two wrong-uns, we make right, don't we?
21:54Yeah.
21:55Go on, lad.
21:57Does he come from a broken home?
21:59No.
22:00He's made up?
22:01Yeah.
22:06I mean, he's sat next to each other, seriously.
22:10Brilliant.
22:11Gentlemen, that was superb.
22:12Round of applause to everybody.
22:13Round of applause, round of applause, round of applause.
22:15Keep writing.
22:16Keep writing.
22:17So proud of all of you.
22:19Okay?
22:19Go enjoy the rest of your afternoons.
22:21Will and Ralph, please stay in behind.
22:24Grab some words.
22:24Sounds familiar.
22:27It was just very sort of safe and open and, like, no prizes, no winners, no losers.
22:36Just the very act of doing the task was the reward in itself.
22:43Bloody proud of both of you, but especially you, Will.
22:45All right?
22:46You got up there.
22:47You hated school.
22:48Look at you.
22:48You stood at the front and you read about your upbringing.
22:51Bloody well done.
22:52Thanks.
22:53And also, you didn't make me sit at the back of the class with headphones on, like my school did.
22:57I don't know that Will's going to walk away from here and go, oh, that's great.
23:00School's great now.
23:01It would have been great.
23:03But I hope that a small part of him feels like if it had been like this for him, he
23:08might
23:08have had a different experience.
23:10Do you know, I thought you were amazing on what you did.
23:12And I'm glad people like you exist, so people like me don't have to exist anymore.
23:17The word clever gets used a lot.
23:21What is clever?
23:23I'm very good at certain things and I'm not very good at some things.
23:27So, I'd rather be the underdog, put it that way, in a situation.
23:31I'd rather people think, it's all right, he's not very clever.
23:35It's all right, he doesn't.
23:36Because they won't see me coming.
23:38Let's go.
23:39Cheers.
23:40Let's get out of it.
23:40Let's go to some of our football.
23:41Let's get out of school.
23:43I'll see you on the playground.
24:01Now, if I'm really honest, I'd say I probably do feel a little bit more confident now about writing.
24:07Really?
24:08Just because it made me feel like it doesn't have to be perfect.
24:12It doesn't have to be looking perfect.
24:15It's actually putting a pen on the paper.
24:16Yeah, but that's pretty amazing that you've got that thought.
24:18No, we'll see.
24:19We'll go see.
24:21If you were in charge of the curriculum, what would you change?
24:23What would you change?
24:24Yeah, or what do you think is important?
24:25Do you know what I think they should teach?
24:26What?
24:27Mortgages.
24:28About how to understand mortgages.
24:30I could not agree more.
24:32I didn't have a clue.
24:33Mortgages.
24:34Do you know what they should teach?
24:35What?
24:35Do you know what they should teach?
24:36How to make a fucking bed.
24:39Will, I can't do it.
24:40That's what the army's for.
24:41I can't.
24:41You can't make a bed.
24:42I can't do it.
24:43You don't make your bed in the morning.
24:45I try, but I can't do it.
24:47Well, some of you have not got plausible thumbs.
24:49No, look.
24:50How could you not grab a sheet and pull it over the covers?
24:52First of all, I'd like to know what you think a plausible thumb is.
24:55Well, one that you can use to grab a sheet and pull it over the bits in bed.
24:58It's not hard.
24:59I think you mean opposable.
25:01I suppose I meant it.
25:01I don't think plausible is remotely what you meant.
25:05I think both of my thumbs are entirely plausible.
25:07I don't think there's any reason to suggest they might be false or made up.
25:12They should teach.
25:12Hey, look at my plausible thumbs.
25:14They should teach in school what plausible means.
25:16What plausible means.
25:30OK, this is a good day today.
25:32I'm taking you to Cheddar Gorge.
25:35OK.
25:35To meet a guy called Luke.
25:37This guy cycled from Bristol to Beijing.
25:43Why?
25:44Some of you have always dreamt of doing there.
25:46So he's really inspirational, you know what I mean?
25:49I mean, someone's kicked him into life and he's gone, I want to do that.
25:53Also, he's going to pull us through our paces, right?
25:55See how we get on.
25:57Do you like cycling?
25:58I don't love cycling like I don't love swimming.
26:01Like, as long as it's not too hard.
26:04In 2020, Luke Grenfell Shaw fulfilled his childhood dream of cycling from Bristol to Beijing.
26:11Now a professional athlete and motivational speaker,
26:14today he is motivating us up the famous Cheddar Gorge.
26:17A popular five-kilometre cycling route with inclines of up to 16%.
26:22It is featured as a leg in the Tour de Britain.
26:27Luke.
26:28All right.
26:29What's up, mate?
26:31How you doing?
26:32Yes, he's Ralph.
26:33Hi, mate.
26:33Hey, how you doing?
26:34First question's first.
26:35How did you get past putting this gear on?
26:37I've only had it on three minutes.
26:39It feels like a wetsuit.
26:40It's awful.
26:41And I've got like a tenor lady thing under here.
26:43Yeah.
26:43Is that for saddle?
26:44Well, yeah, that's meant to be for the saddle,
26:46but it's meant to actually kind of like make things more comfortable.
26:48But I like the colours and it sort of, you know, it goes with this.
26:51Yeah.
26:52So, you know, that's quite nice.
26:53Did I think I look good in this?
26:55No, I don't think I look good.
26:56It doesn't hide anything.
26:59It's literally like a morning Johnny.
27:01I can see a tandem bike, so we're cycling together.
27:03Oh, behave.
27:05So, I did my cycle from Bristol to Beijing on a tandem.
27:08I think it's harder riding a tandem.
27:10It's harder?
27:10It's harder.
27:11Why?
27:12Surely four legs are better than two.
27:13Shogging's half is difficult.
27:14You've got double the weight.
27:15It might be like 25% easier, but if you don't like pedal together,
27:20and if the balance starts going, and you wobble from side to side on the road...
27:25Does it matter who's at the front or the back?
27:27Does it matter?
27:28Is that between us?
27:28Well, who's the control freak?
27:31I'll go at the front.
27:32Yeah, yeah.
27:32Let's see how we go on.
27:33And if it's not working, if you drop any bombs, we'll swap in.
27:37Wait, do we have to set off at the same time?
27:39Yeah, and then basically what I would do,
27:41you'd say, like, three, two, one, go.
27:43Why is it going to the left?
27:44Because I'm holding it here to the left.
27:45Yeah.
27:46Because our left leg is on the floor.
27:48I'm on the floor.
27:49Right, well, get there and stop trying to do this.
27:51It's awkward.
27:55There we go.
27:59How's that?
27:59How's my arm sitting for me?
28:00Get it out of me face.
28:01Look at that.
28:03Look at that little arch that I've got going on there.
28:05No, no, I need to steer.
28:06I can't have this.
28:07I can't have you getting too tall.
28:07Stop trying to steer.
28:08It's awful.
28:09What happens if I do this?
28:10Ralph, fuck off.
28:11Seriously, it's awful.
28:14You're doing quite a good job.
28:15I don't know why Ralph was up front.
28:18I honestly don't know.
28:19I think Ralph looked at the lesser of two evils and thought,
28:23at least I'm not looking up Will's arse.
28:26That's all I've got.
28:28That shitty ring thing.
28:29I've got to tell you, are you knackered?
28:32Let it roll for a bit.
28:34We're going to attempt to stop.
28:35Here we go.
28:35How do we do this?
28:36Stop and then put your left leg down.
28:38There you go.
28:39Oh, perfect.
28:41Right.
28:41Natural.
28:42Already, me knackers are killing.
28:44I've never ridden a tandem before.
28:45I've only seen them in passing.
28:48It was heavy, clunky, cumbersome and flat on its feet.
28:59Just like Will.
29:00What's it like on the front?
29:01I don't love being on the front.
29:02Do you want to try it?
29:03Try being on the front.
29:04I'll be going on the front.
29:08Right, you ready?
29:09Yeah.
29:09You count me off.
29:09Three.
29:10Three, two, one, go.
29:13That is the smoothest ride I've ever seen a tandem go.
29:17Oh, I like it.
29:18Now, he's been on front.
29:20It ain't weird being on back.
29:22He's honestly not realised yet.
29:24He was halfway around the car park before he actually realised.
29:27Shuntering away to himself.
29:29Ralph.
29:30He's talking to me.
29:31Ralph.
29:33You fucking idiot.
29:34You're not even on it.
29:36I've been talking to you.
29:37You're trying to squeeze a fart out.
29:38You're trying to squeeze a fart out on everything.
29:40It's not easy to get off on your own, I'll tell you that.
29:43After two laps of the car park, it was time to take on Cheddar Gorge.
29:48So, you've just got a little short ride up here.
29:50Nice little short climb.
29:52It'll be lovely.
29:53Let's go.
29:54Go.
29:54Go on, Ralph.
29:59Are you even pedalling?
30:00Yes, I am, dickhead.
30:01I'm pedalling.
30:07I'm not going to lie to you, Luke.
30:08I'm knackered already.
30:08We're almost there.
30:10You're a lying bastard, Luke.
30:13Oh, you're out of the sand-up.
30:15Will, get up.
30:16No, I'm just keeping it straight.
30:17That's all you said.
30:18Keep it straight.
30:19I said sit in the middle.
30:21I am standing in the middle.
30:22Okay, well then stand in the middle when we have to get up.
30:24You know, the communication was a bit off in the beginning.
30:27It was just hard.
30:28It was hot.
30:29It was uphill.
30:30And tandem doesn't make it easier because there's two of you on it.
30:34I'm looking at a lot of hill.
30:38And I'm not liking it.
30:39Are you hearing it?
30:40Who goes up fucking hill?
30:42Stay in the middle.
30:43You're wobbling.
30:44Look at these two old people going past us.
30:46Electric, you're cheating gets.
30:48If you're on electric bikes, I let them know.
30:50You're on electric bikes.
30:51Thank you, ladies.
30:53My arse is killing me.
30:55This is good teamwork, to be fair, guys.
30:57That's good, Ralph.
30:58You just started pedalling then.
31:00I've been carrying the weight.
31:02You ballbag.
31:04You've been not pedalling.
31:06You have not been pedalling.
31:07Of course I've been pedalling your tats.
31:19I'm pulling over here, Will.
31:20Are you?
31:21Yep.
31:22Right, Ralph's pulling over.
31:28Different fitness to football, isn't it?
31:31I'm surprised at you.
31:33I thought you'd be fitter than this.
31:34I just don't like it.
31:36It's not that I can't do it.
31:38I just don't want to.
31:39It's rubbish.
31:41It's the worst thing I've ever done in my life.
31:43You know, I've been through some stuff,
31:44but on my deathbed, that will be the saddest thing
31:48that ever happened to me.
31:49Yes, we had a little stop for a little rest.
31:52It was, er...
31:53It wasn't...
31:54Listen, it's not a high point.
31:56I love negative, Ralph.
31:58It's usually me.
32:00Not being funny, but I had one guy who was 17
32:02who hadn't ridden a bike in three years
32:05and he did last longer than...
32:07What, on the tandem?
32:08On the tandem.
32:11Were you a little bit tired?
32:14No, it was the fucking morning.
32:16I slept like a baby last night.
32:18I'm not being tired.
32:19It's about being shite.
32:21We've got to accomplish it.
32:23Now we don't.
32:23He drove to Beijing from Bristol.
32:26I know, but he's not.
32:29You ready?
32:30Three, two, one, go.
32:34Yep.
32:34Got it, Ralph.
32:35Hold on.
32:35Hold on.
32:35Very good.
32:37Cool, Gax.
32:40Big push.
32:41Big push.
32:42Have you seen me, though?
32:43The incline was like that.
32:45You can do that, guys.
32:46You can do anything.
32:47You're almost there.
32:48I'm not over here.
32:50I have to stop.
32:56It's made me really, really think about what my brain is like.
33:00If it's explosive or there's a game to it
33:02or there's a puzzle to solve or whatever,
33:04I'm in, I'll just keep going, I'll still do this.
33:06But just the incessant grind of just going,
33:10keep pedaling, keep pedaling, keep pedaling.
33:13Why?
33:13Because eventually we'll get there.
33:14When?
33:25I just don't see the point.
33:30Listen, the whole point about Hill is
33:32once you go up,
33:34sure, you've got to go back down.
33:36That's what I'm hoping.
33:37Ralph,
33:38he's like a child who spits his dummy out.
33:40It's hard to convince him everything's all right.
33:42Three, two, one, go.
33:46But we got there in the end,
33:47we found his dummy,
33:47put it back in and away we went.
33:49The demon's speed.
33:54Come on.
33:56Come on.
33:57Making awesome progress here.
33:59Good stuff.
34:00You guys are working well together now.
34:02It's really good.
34:03Next time can make it easier and have square wheels.
34:05There were a couple of times on that last leg
34:08where I suddenly felt like just a little bit of power
34:10come through the pedals,
34:11like a little surge through the pedals
34:12because Willard increased his pedalling.
34:14And so once we kind of got into more sync,
34:16it was a lot better.
34:18One more corner to go.
34:20Yes, Ralph.
34:21It does beg the question,
34:22what was he doing before?
34:24Slay those demons.
34:28Are we pulling there?
34:29Yeah, I think just up ahead.
34:31To the right.
34:31Just on the right side.
34:33We finally made it to the finish line.
34:35Nice.
34:39But Luke had one more hill for us to climb.
34:42What's up there?
34:43It's a good view.
34:44Oh, is it?
34:44That's why we've come all this way.
34:45Oh, you see, I love a view.
34:48Well, thank you for that.
34:48That feels much better.
34:49Tandem walking.
34:50There you go.
34:50I found the new skill.
34:51Oh, look at that.
34:52Oh, it's so much better.
34:54And suddenly it's like,
34:56ah, that's what we're here for.
34:59Sometimes it takes a bit of effort
35:01to get something as beautiful as that.
35:03So it was worth it.
35:09You've killed Ralph.
35:10He's out, isn't he?
35:11I've been trying to do that for about 25 years.
35:14Right, Luke.
35:15I'm not being funny.
35:17Why do you do this?
35:18For me, I think there's a big feeling
35:20of like kind of freedom on the bike
35:22and kind of just like think about stuff
35:24and enjoy the nature.
35:26There must have been a point
35:27where something's changing your mind
35:30for you to go,
35:30I enjoy cycling.
35:32Now I'm going to cycle
35:33from Bristol to Beijing.
35:35So yeah, when I was 24,
35:36I just graduated from university
35:38and I was like,
35:39right, I'm about to start my job,
35:41get on the career ladder.
35:43And before I kind of went and did all that,
35:45I was like, I'm going to have a final adventure.
35:47I'm going to go to Russia.
35:48And when I was out there,
35:49I'd got this like aching left shoulder
35:53and eventually I went and saw a doctor.
35:57I took my top off and I turned around
35:59and the doctor said,
36:02Bonjour moi.
36:03Which means like, oh my God.
36:05Really?
36:06Yeah.
36:07What was it?
36:07So we didn't really know what it was,
36:09but suddenly I realised it was serious.
36:12So 48 hours later,
36:14I was back in the UK,
36:16had a biopsy,
36:17needle sticking to my back.
36:18And then three weeks after that,
36:21went to the doctors
36:22and they said,
36:23Luke, you've got cancer.
36:25Oh, wow.
36:28But then the doctors said,
36:30Luke, it's super rare,
36:33it's super aggressive
36:35and it's already spread to your lungs.
36:37Oh, shit.
36:39And basically they're like,
36:41you know,
36:41this isn't really one of the treatable cancers.
36:44Like, we're going to give you some chemotherapy
36:46and that might buy you some time.
36:48How much time did they give you?
36:52Months.
36:53Jesus Christ.
36:54Oh, man.
36:56Wow.
36:57At 24 years old?
36:58Yeah.
36:59What did your head do at that point?
37:01It just didn't make sense.
37:02You know, like,
37:03you work hard,
37:05you get a reward.
37:07You know,
37:08like a month beforehand,
37:09I'd just run my first ever,
37:10like, 50k race.
37:12And I was like,
37:13I'm, you know,
37:14I'm 24 years old,
37:15I'm invincible,
37:16I'm super fit.
37:18How do you even compute that?
37:20Did your mindset then go from,
37:23do I just be with my loved ones
37:25or do I go and try and do things
37:28that I've always wanted to do?
37:30I kind of thought,
37:31well, if I've only got,
37:32you know,
37:32three months left to live,
37:35don't I want to try and make this,
37:37like,
37:37the best three months of my life?
37:39Since I was about 14 or 15,
37:40I'd had this dream of, like,
37:41cycling around the world.
37:43But I was like,
37:45I should probably do that
37:45after university.
37:47And after university,
37:47I was like,
37:48I should probably get a job.
37:49And, you know,
37:50probably after that,
37:50I'd be like,
37:51I should buy a house, family.
37:53And so literally on the day
37:54that I was diagnosed,
37:55even in that, like,
37:56hit of grief and, like,
37:59horror and, like, sadness,
38:00I was like,
38:02if I do somehow get through my treatment,
38:04I want to cycle around the world.
38:07And that's,
38:08that's what kicked it off.
38:09Like,
38:10the other thing that happened
38:11at the same time
38:12during my first round of chemotherapy
38:14is my brother was in the Lake District,
38:17sort of doing some big,
38:19kind of open game with his friends
38:21and he ended up falling.
38:23And he died.
38:25Oh, my God.
38:27Jesus.
38:30So...
38:31Your brother died?
38:32Yeah, he died.
38:33Yeah, he died.
38:34Yeah, John died.
38:38When he told us
38:39that his brother had passed away,
38:42Ralph went really quiet at that point
38:43and I could see
38:45that it hit him.
38:49Yeah, it was quite,
38:50it was quite a shock to me
38:53when he said that.
38:54Losing his brother
38:56and his brother
38:58falling
38:58were the chances.
39:00I didn't want to be like,
39:01oh, yo, bro,
39:02same-sies, you know?
39:05I feel like, for me,
39:06the reason I feel
39:06it's so important
39:07to talk about John
39:08is because most of the time
39:10people would be looking
39:12at me
39:12and the situation
39:13that I was in
39:14and saying, like,
39:15it's OK for him
39:16to go after his dream
39:17because he's got terminal cancer.
39:20But
39:21they wouldn't apply it
39:22to themselves.
39:23Yeah.
39:23And then you just,
39:24I think about
39:25what happened to John
39:26and anyone would have thought
39:27it would be him
39:27sitting here today
39:29talking about me.
39:31So it's like,
39:32none of us know.
39:33None of us know.
39:35Me and him
39:36have both lost siblings
39:37and it does remind you
39:39of the pain.
39:41It's indescribable.
39:43Do you think
39:44cancer
39:46made you look at life
39:47through different eyes?
39:51Cancer has been
39:52a kind of strange blessing
39:54in my life
39:54which is very easy
39:56for me to say
39:56because I'm still alive
39:57and for so many people
39:58it just kills them
39:59and it just could have killed me.
40:01But
40:02the difference in perspective
40:04it's given me
40:06the attitude
40:07that's just like,
40:08you know,
40:09fuck it,
40:10I'm going to go for my dreams
40:12but I've done things
40:13that I otherwise
40:13just wouldn't
40:14I wouldn't have the guts.
40:15to do
40:16you know,
40:17made my own
40:18documentary
40:19about this cycle ride
40:20and writing a book
40:21and
40:21yeah,
40:22I'm now a professional athlete
40:23and none of those
40:24are things that I
40:25would have
40:26dared to dream of
40:27if I hadn't gone down
40:29this very different path.
40:31Where are you now
40:32with your cancer?
40:33so I'm still in remission
40:36but, you know,
40:38I got diagnosed
40:39seven years ago
40:41but
40:43we just never expected
40:44to get to this point
40:45so for me
40:46it was like
40:46this amazing opportunity
40:48not just show that
40:49I could do it
40:50but like show that
40:51actually
40:51lots of people
40:52with cancer
40:53can live
40:54more actively
40:55more adventurously
40:57more optimistically
40:58than
40:59than you might think
41:00I guess
41:05you hear the phrase
41:06people say
41:06live each day
41:07as if it's your last
41:08and it's a very
41:10trite
41:10and often
41:11trotted out phrase
41:13but there was
41:14definitely
41:15there was definitely
41:16a period for you
41:16when you were
41:17you were literally
41:18doing that
41:18it feels like
41:20you've carried
41:20that ethos through
41:21into how you're
41:22now living your life
41:23like the
41:24the way I
41:25thought about it
41:26is you know
41:27like if I was
41:28to die tomorrow
41:29would I be happy
41:30with how I've
41:31lived today?
41:32that was the kind
41:33of question
41:33I'd ask myself
41:34I think
41:35if I die tomorrow
41:36would I be happy
41:37with the way
41:37I've lived today?
41:38not would I be happy
41:39with my life
41:40but if I die tomorrow
41:41would I be happy
41:42with the way
41:42I live today
41:43there's an urgency
41:44and a presence
41:44to that
41:45which I think
41:46is possibly
41:48the greatest
41:49maxim I've ever
41:50heard by which
41:51to live a life
41:51I agree
41:57Luke it's been
41:58an absolute pleasure
41:59thanks so much
42:00what a man
42:01fantastic to meet you
42:02mate
42:02hey
42:03come on
42:05let's go get some
42:05cheese
42:07ring piece
42:11this is lovely
42:13this is more
42:13a bit of me
42:18slow down
42:21let's just
42:22take it easy
42:23enjoy the view
42:26well we went
42:27miles
42:28I know we did
42:29uphill
42:30I did have a
42:31kind of a moment
42:32about like
42:33changing my life
42:34I have
42:35I have been
42:36meaning for so
42:36long
42:39to sell my
42:39bike
42:40and finally
42:42I am getting
42:42rid of it
42:48pretty amazing
42:49guy wasn't he
42:50yeah
42:51Jesus
42:51man
42:52unbelievable
42:53do you know
42:54what I liked
42:54though
42:55about him
42:55he was very
42:59sort of matter
42:59of fact about it
43:00do the things
43:01that you've
43:01always wanted to
43:01do don't wait
43:02to live your
43:02dreams and do
43:03things that
43:03scare
43:03100%
43:04100%
43:05what we do
43:06next
43:06we have to
43:07go in
43:07and we have
43:08to go for
43:08something proper
43:09scary
43:09putting ourselves
43:10right on the
43:11line
43:15fear
43:19fear
43:23I'm
43:24moving
43:25out
43:25now
43:28getting
43:29out of
43:30the
43:30darkness
43:33my
43:34life
43:35shines
43:35on
43:36my
43:37life
43:37shines
43:38on
43:40my
43:42life
43:42shines
43:43on
43:44my
43:44life
43:45life
43:45shines
43:45on
43:46my
43:47life
43:47life
43:48on
43:49my
43:50life
43:50life
43:50have
43:51to
43:51night
43:52month
43:56.
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