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00:11Hello and welcome to The One Show. We are live on BBC One and iPlayer with Vernon K.
00:16And of course, Clara Amford. Tonight we're joined by everyone's favourite hard man.
00:21Yes, Danny Dyer is going to be with us.
00:24Also, my Radio 2 pal, Fern Cotton, plus Matt's here with Watchdog.
00:28And this week, he's talking tardiness.
00:30Yeah, we're looking into DVLA delays after some drivers with medical conditions were left waiting months for their licence to
00:38be approved.
00:39And in the week, Royal Mail has announced the price of stamps are going up.
00:42Again, we've been hearing how for some customers, it's failing to deliver.
00:46Plus, scammers are now making their way into your phone via the Calendar app.
00:51We'll tell you how to tackle the scam in just a moment.
00:54Yes, some brilliant advice coming up as always.
00:57And as we mentioned, we are going to be joined by a much-loved actor who is very much at
01:01the top of his game,
01:02having won a BAFTA for his performance in Mr Big Stuff and, of course, bringing us the beloved Freddie Fever
01:07in Dame Jilly Cooper's Rivals.
01:09But tonight, Danny Dyer is going to be talking all about his brand new film, which sees him reunite with
01:14his biggest love, football.
01:15He's sat in the corner and he's absolutely loving it!
01:21Yes, he'll be telling us all about playing a struggling football agent in a high-stakes psychological drama
01:31and why he's got EastEnders to thank for his most challenging role to date.
01:35And also in the corner, loving it, joining Danny on the sofa, is best-selling author, broadcaster and Radio 2's
01:41queen of the 90s,
01:42the lovely Fern Cotton.
01:44Now, she's been looking back on her career so far in a brand new book and is on a mission
01:48to stop worrying about what people think of her.
01:50Yeah, and later in the show, we've got a gorgeous nature film, This Is It,
01:54as wildlife filmmaker Lizzie Daly meets a busy NHS doctor whose connection with local wildlife has had huge benefits on
02:03well-being.
02:04That's not Danny Dyer.
02:05It's an actual otter.
02:07And, of course, we always love to hear from you, so please keep emailing in your scenes of spring to
02:12theoneshow at bbc.co.uk
02:14as we love to feel these screens behind us with all of your beautiful images.
02:18Yeah, it's going to be a fun one tonight.
02:19So a lot's coming up, but first, Matt's in the driver's seat for this week's Watchdog.
02:23Yes, the DVLA has recently reminded drivers they could be fined £1,000
02:28for failing to disclose medical conditions ahead of major changes to its website.
02:33But we've been hearing how its medical department is already struggling to sift through applications.
02:42If you have a serious medical episode, you may have to declare it to the DVLA.
02:47That can lead to your driving licence being revoked temporarily,
02:50after which you'll need to re-apply.
02:54Loads of you have been telling us that the process of getting your licence has taken much longer than expected
03:00and that it's difficult to get answers out of the DVLA,
03:04all of which leaves you feeling stranded.
03:08It should work like this.
03:10When someone re-applies, they provide updated medical information,
03:14which the driver's medical group reviews.
03:17If the driver meets the required standard, a new licence is issued.
03:21It's a crucial part of keeping our roads safe.
03:25But Holly has been waiting months for an update from the DVLA.
03:29She has a medical condition that means she has to re-apply for her licence every year.
03:34I applied for the renewal of my one-year licence in July.
03:39I'm still waiting on a decision at the moment.
03:41There are so many administrative delays that are causing so much stress and anxiety.
03:48I'm still stuck in limbo limb.
03:5017-year-old Josh lives with his mum, Natalie, in Essex.
03:54Josh was diagnosed with epilepsy in May 2024,
03:58something he had to declare when he applied for his provisional licence last October.
04:04Well, the last time I had a seizure was 15 months ago.
04:07And do you feel that you're confident enough to give driving a go now?
04:10Yeah, definitely.
04:11You have to be a year free of all the seizures
04:14and be stable on your medication.
04:16If your doctor's happy with how you're getting on, then, yeah, you can apply.
04:20What did it feel like when the doctors said you're OK to drive now?
04:23It's like a massive relief.
04:25Josh is eager to start driving.
04:28But four months after applying,
04:30the DVLA hasn't told him when he'll receive his licence.
04:34Trying to speak to somebody is a big challenge.
04:38They are constantly telling you that they're experiencing an hour and a half wait times on the telephone.
04:43And, yeah, we've had the line dropped when it's got to the 60th minute.
04:48It's just frustrating.
04:49You kind of feel like you're banging your head against a brick wall
04:52when you're not getting anywhere.
04:53Would you have expected the DVLA to be better equipped
04:56to deal with a case like this?
04:58Absolutely.
04:59Because it's not new.
05:01People have had epilepsy since the beginning of time.
05:05The DVLA sets itself a target
05:08of making a decision on 90% of medical cases within 90 days.
05:13But last year, it failed to meet that target.
05:17And 120,000 drivers were made to wait longer.
05:22And that's causing issues for drivers like Lisa from Guildford.
05:26Back in December 2024, she had her licence taken away
05:29after she suffered a seizure and wasn't able to drive for 12 months.
05:34She reapplied for her licence, but there's still no sign of it.
05:39So, I'm now at this stage, a month past where I should have been driving
05:44and still feeling like I'm actually no closer to getting my licence back.
05:48For me to go to the office, I've got a four-hour-a-day trip
05:51with public transport.
05:53It's also extremely costly.
05:55So, therefore, it's a huge strain.
05:57How long is it going to be now that I've got to keep battling this?
06:01When we wrote to the DVLA, it said it was sorry for the delays
06:04our case has experienced,
06:06explaining that it's currently seeing exceptionally high demand
06:09in applications from people with medical conditions,
06:12and that's impacted processing times.
06:15It added that a new system is being introduced
06:18to help significantly improve the service.
06:22After we wrote to the DVLA, Lisa received an update on her licence.
06:26I have now been issued a licence back.
06:30For five years, I'm ecstatic.
06:32What difference is this going to make to you
06:34and to your family going forward?
06:36It's bringing back my independence.
06:38So, the pressure it's released from me
06:40and the rest of the people around me is absolutely immense.
06:46DVLA, for many people, being able to drive
06:49is the difference between getting to work,
06:52retaining a sense of independence,
06:54and the opposite, staying at home,
06:56anxiously waiting for your decision.
06:58But in the meantime, a little bit of communication wouldn't hurt.
07:03Mike, it really must be quite frustrating
07:05for all those people waiting.
07:07A great result for Lisa, but what about Holly and Josh?
07:09OK, well, we are pleased to say
07:12that since Watchdog got in touch,
07:14the DVLA has now finally issued Holly with their licence.
07:18And look at this, Josh has got his provisional licence
07:20and he's got his L-plates.
07:21Josh, mate, take it easy out there.
07:24Drive safe and all the best with the lessons, Josh.
07:27Now, we're going to move on to Royal Mail.
07:29Despite the hard work of many posties
07:31doing their brilliant work across the UK,
07:34the company's delays have been hitting the headlines again.
07:36Back in October, Ofcom fined the company £21 million
07:41after it missed its annual targets
07:43for both first and second class posts.
07:45And later this month, Royal Mail will appear
07:48before a parliamentary committee to answer questions
07:50after allegations that the company
07:52has been prioritising parcels over letters,
07:56something it denies.
07:57Well, this is interesting.
07:59We've been hearing from some Watchdog viewers
08:00who say that their parcel deliveries
08:03have been just as unreliable.
08:05Clara, tell us about Jane.
08:07So we've got Jane from East Sussex.
08:08So she posted a Christmas present on the 15th of December.
08:11She paid £6.90 for it to be delivered within 24 hours.
08:15So she didn't think anything of it until mid-January
08:17when Jane discovered that the present never actually arrived.
08:21So she visited her local post office
08:22who told her the parcel was still at Gatwick Mail Centre
08:25and likely lost.
08:27She asked them for a refund and compensation
08:29but discovered she had missed the deadline to make the claim.
08:32OK. Jane would like to do a little bit of investigating of her own.
08:36Have a look.
08:36I think somewhere at Gatwick there must be a room
08:41full of parcels that have gone missing
08:44and I feel that somebody ought to go through them all
08:47and get them sent to the right place
08:50because what happens to these parcels?
08:52Do they get thrown away?
08:54Are they still there all these months later?
08:57You know, something ought to be done about it.
09:00Absolutely right, Jane.
09:01Cathy from Surrey had a similar experience, didn't she, Vern?
09:04She did, Matthew.
09:05On the 29th of January, Cathy sent a present to her son in Australia
09:09for his birthday on the 23rd of February.
09:11She paid £32 for international track and signed post
09:14which should be delivered within five to seven working days.
09:17When she checked the tracking link,
09:19the parcel had arrived at Croydon Delivery Office
09:22but it hasn't moved since.
09:24Now, surely with a tracking link,
09:26you would hope that that's going to guarantee you delivery.
09:29Yeah, you'd hope you could track it across the outback.
09:30Yeah.
09:30That would make sense.
09:31It's supposed to give you peace of mind.
09:32We even heard from one watchdog viewer
09:34who ordered a microwave online in August
09:38when Royal Mail failed to deliver.
09:40The seller apologised, shipped another one, which did arrive.
09:43However, six months later, ping,
09:46the original microwave turned up on the doorstep.
09:49That's actually quite unbelievable, but it really did happen.
09:52What did Royal Mail have to say?
09:53OK, Royal Mail apologised for any inconvenience caused.
09:55It said it delivers millions of parcels every day.
09:58The majority arrive on time.
10:01It admits Jane's parcel has been misplaced,
10:03but she's not eligible to make a claim
10:06because she missed the 30-day deadline.
10:08It said the service Cathy paid for at the post office
10:11is actually only suitable for documents, not parcels.
10:14Her item has been identified and it will be returned to her.
10:18Well, at least Cathy will be happy that her son's presence is back.
10:24But, well, you know, still out of pocket, though, I and Jane.
10:26Yeah, they are.
10:27It wasn't the result we were hoping for.
10:29Once again, a royal fail, Royal Mail.
10:31We pushed back.
10:33Today it told us it will consider a goodwill gesture
10:36for Jane and Cathy,
10:37and we will be keeping a very close eye on that.
10:40Here's a question for you both.
10:41How much do you rely on the calendar app on your phones?
10:45Completely.
10:46I wouldn't know what I was doing without it.
10:48I think that's the same for most of us.
10:50Our lives would fall apart.
10:51And that's why a new scam which targets you
10:54within your calendar app is particularly worrying.
10:57It happens by accidentally signing up
10:59to a spam calendar subscription via a dodgy link.
11:03You then receive fake event notifications
11:05which say something like payment needed
11:07or storage full, action required,
11:09in the hope that you then panic, click on the link
11:12and share personal details
11:13or even make a payment.
11:15Just to reassure you,
11:17scammers can't access the rest of your calendar this way.
11:19And the good news is it is really easy to get rid of.
11:23Slightly different depending on the phone that you have,
11:25but for iPhone users, just open the calendar app,
11:29click on the unwanted event notification,
11:31tap unsubscribe from this calendar
11:34at the bottom of the screen,
11:36then tap unsubscribe again,
11:38and it should be gone.
11:40Please take your time when doing this
11:42and don't delete your calendar.
11:44No bad idea.
11:46If that doesn't work,
11:47or if you have a different type of phone,
11:48we put all this information on the One Show website.
11:51And of course,
11:52if you spot something that isn't right
11:54or a company's let you down in any way,
11:56do email watchdog at bbc.co.uk
11:59or tag us at BBC Watchdog on the old socials.
12:03Matt, as always, thank you so very much.
12:06My pleasure.
12:06All right, still to come,
12:07Fern Cotton reflects on her career so far,
12:09plus Danny Dyer on his new one-man film
12:11where he's the only actor on screen for 90 minutes.
12:16Yeah, he's starring in a gripping drama
12:17which sees him play a football agent
12:19hoping to secure a lucrative deal for his client
12:21as both of their careers hang in the balance.
12:24Now, before Danny and Fern join us on the sofa,
12:27let's take a look at one last deal.
12:29Jimmy Banks is back.
12:32In all my years in soccer management,
12:34I have never met such an unprofessional agent.
12:36Well, we call it football here.
12:39Everyone at the price?
12:40Matt Gravish was the top goal scorer
12:43in the Premier League last season.
12:45You're banking on nobody wanting my boy
12:47because of his charging.
12:48You're going to pay him what he's worth.
12:51This is someone who has the power
12:53to decide how the rest of your life unfolds.
12:56Why are you doing this to me?
12:58You know why.
13:00Who are you?
13:05Yes, let's say a proper hello to tonight's guest,
13:07Danny Dyer and Ferd Cotton!
13:08Yay!
13:10Hi, guys.
13:11Yes.
13:11Hi.
13:12Welcome.
13:12I'm sort of stressed out about Jane's parcel.
13:14Where is he?
13:15Well, this is it.
13:17Yeah, we'll find him.
13:18What's up with one of the case?
13:19It'll be on.
13:21We're going to be talking about Danny's new film
13:23in just a moment,
13:23but Fern, please tell us.
13:24This isn't the first time you've met, is it?
13:26You guys have been friends for a long time.
13:27Since the 90s.
13:28We go way back, yeah.
13:29Way to the 90s.
13:30In the 90s.
13:30There we go.
13:31In the 90s.
13:32Well, we met in the 90s, I think.
13:33Yes, very much so.
13:34Late 90s.
13:35Yeah, at a party.
13:36It was a Eurovision party.
13:38It was a Eurovision party.
13:40I am a nerd to the core, as we know,
13:42so I brought a huge tray of cupcakes
13:44and I'd put little European flags
13:45on each of the cupcakes
13:46and I turned up
13:48and Danny and loads of very cool people there
13:50that we all know and love
13:51and I just got the tone very wrong.
13:54God, yeah.
13:54Well, I've never been to a Eurovision party
13:56before that or since.
13:58No, there we go.
13:59There we go.
14:00I killed it off.
14:01No, not because of that.
14:02I mean, the cupcakes.
14:04Were they muffins?
14:05They were little muffins.
14:06Yeah, no, lovely muffins.
14:07There we go.
14:08Strong muffin.
14:08There we go.
14:09Baking game, top tier, Fern Cotton.
14:11Now, Danny, got to talk about your new film.
14:13One last deal.
14:14It's very intense.
14:15There's some dark fiends going on there.
14:16I wouldn't say it's a family film.
14:18So tell us...
14:19Well, technically it is.
14:20There's family members involved.
14:21Let's talk about your character, Jimmy.
14:23Yes.
14:24And the situation that we find him in.
14:25Well, so Jimmy's a football agent.
14:27He's somebody...
14:29Hasn't got many morals about him.
14:32Driven by the dollar.
14:33Been a really bad husband.
14:35Bad father.
14:37Sounds a bit like me to be honest.
14:40No, he...
14:42He's got one last deal he has to do
14:44to try and save himself.
14:45And he represents one player
14:48in the Premier League
14:49who is the top scorer.
14:52And so, yeah, it's about manipulation.
14:54It's about...
14:55I mean, listen, I suppose
14:56I'm the only one in it.
14:58So I'm here to promote it.
15:00And it's me in a room on the phone,
15:02you know, for an hour and a half.
15:03And I'm going to be honest,
15:04if you're into me,
15:05then you'll love it.
15:06If you're not into me,
15:07do not go anywhere near this.
15:09Right.
15:10Because it will wind you up.
15:11People are into you, Danny.
15:12You're all right.
15:13It was a test.
15:14I got offered it.
15:15I read it.
15:16It's like an episode of The Twilight Zone.
15:18It's mental.
15:18This geezer.
15:19It's the worst day of his life.
15:21And I thought, OK,
15:22I'm going to roll the dice
15:23and let's see if I can do it.
15:24Let's see, you know,
15:25only 10 days straight in Dublin,
15:27in Hoth Castle.
15:29And I went a bit crazy doing it.
15:32It was really, really invested.
15:34And I think I'm a bit more method
15:35than I think I am.
15:38So it's a really interesting experience for me.
15:41But the one thing that people love about you, Danny,
15:43is your honesty.
15:44Your brutal honesty about yourself,
15:46about life.
15:47Exactly.
15:47And everyone around you.
15:48But this is,
15:49because you said it's you on your own,
15:51in a room,
15:54120 pages,
15:54which you had to learn.
15:56Yep.
15:57And you kind of,
15:58you kind of say that,
16:00if it wasn't,
16:00not for EastEnders,
16:01but the techniques used in EastEnders.
16:03Certainly helped me.
16:04Certainly helped you learn in all that script.
16:06EastEnders is a discipline where,
16:06you know,
16:07sometimes you're learning 25 pages a day.
16:0925 pages a day.
16:10So I had to draw on that experience.
16:1315 pages a day I was learning.
16:15I had the script in a folder,
16:17sort of symbolic.
16:18And I would rip out the 15,
16:20throw the rest of it away.
16:21And the way you learn it and retain it
16:23is you just break it down page by page.
16:26And then you just join it all together.
16:27But I drilled it, drilled it.
16:28I had two pints of Guinness as I was in Dublin.
16:30Of course.
16:31And that was it.
16:32Only the two.
16:33Drilled it, drilled it, drilled it, drilled it.
16:35Until I thought I've got it.
16:36Nut down, get up, get in the shower.
16:39And then if you run it in the shower
16:40and it's still there.
16:41The following morning.
16:42You know, the following morning.
16:43Then we go.
16:43Then you know you're ready to go.
16:44Got it.
16:45That's your test.
16:46Yeah.
16:46And the go work in the same room,
16:48you know,
16:49just mental,
16:50doing what I had to do.
16:51Go home,
16:52rip out another 15 pages.
16:53I didn't see no one.
16:54Do you know what I mean?
16:55It was a very mad process for me.
16:5710 days,
16:57I couldn't have done an 11th day.
16:59No.
16:59Danny, let me ask you.
17:0015 pages.
17:01How long is that on screen?
17:0315 pages.
17:05Minutes-wise.
17:05What do you reckon?
17:06There's a segment where I'm playing Paul.
17:08Right.
17:09And in the script,
17:10and I'm negotiating with three people on the phone,
17:13and in the script it says,
17:14I'll clear up a pot every ball.
17:16I said, listen,
17:16I said,
17:17I've got a lot on me plate here.
17:19I mean,
17:19is there any chance we could not worry about me potting every ball?
17:22Turns out it was all right.
17:23We cut around it.
17:24And that was,
17:24I would say,
17:25probably about eight minutes of the film.
17:27So that was the longest sort of segment,
17:29yeah.
17:29So some segments are longer than others.
17:31It never really cuts away from me.
17:33We don't do it in one shot.
17:35So it's just me in a room.
17:36And we use every inch of the office,
17:38the space that we're in.
17:39And it's the deterioration of this man.
17:42You know what I mean?
17:42He's cut,
17:43he's started,
17:43he's come out of rehab.
17:44He's doing a 12 step program.
17:46He buckles early.
17:47He starts sucking on that whiskey.
17:49So as soon as it comes on top for him,
17:51no spoiler alert.
17:53So because we've done it in order,
17:55so there was,
17:56you know,
17:56let's say day five,
17:57I had to get up disheveled,
17:59roll me sleeves up
18:00and then just play off me nut all day.
18:02But you don't want to push it too much with drunk acting.
18:04You want to play that you're not drunk.
18:06You know what I mean?
18:06It's a difficult technique.
18:08So,
18:09you know,
18:09it's a lot of emotions.
18:10I've had to draw on all my experience
18:11to get away with this and do this.
18:13I couldn't have done this 20 years ago.
18:14I was a liability.
18:15I'll be straight with you.
18:17No,
18:17I was in Dublin.
18:18This is the honesty that we had.
18:20It would have been five pints.
18:21Well,
18:22no,
18:22I wouldn't,
18:22you know,
18:22I've been out,
18:23you know,
18:23I've been out,
18:24you know,
18:24socialising,
18:25but,
18:25you know,
18:25I realised I had to really,
18:27you know,
18:27behave myself and be grateful for this opportunity.
18:31You know what I mean?
18:31Because acting is just opportunities and getting opportunities.
18:35There's brilliant actors out there that are still waiting for a shot.
18:38And you,
18:38you know,
18:39you only know until you get that shot whether you can do it or not.
18:42So,
18:42you know,
18:42we're all constantly waiting.
18:44Look,
18:44I'm having a good run at the moment.
18:46Well,
18:46I was going to say,
18:46look,
18:47you won a BAFTA for your work in Mr Big Stuff.
18:49Obviously,
18:49rivals,
18:50exactly.
18:51You lick and split those eyebrows,
18:53Danny Dyer.
18:53You lick and split those eyebrows.
18:55Where is it?
18:55Where is it,
18:56where is it?
18:56Where is it?
18:57It's on me,
18:57it's on me mantelpiece.
18:58It's up there with my inside soap awards,
19:00my inside awards.
19:01Exactly.
19:02TV choice,
19:02you've got a couple of them.
19:04Yeah,
19:04no,
19:05like I said,
19:05I don't know,
19:06it's always nice,
19:06I suppose I've got me flowers.
19:07I don't know,
19:08like 48 years of age,
19:09I've never been acknowledged by BAFTA.
19:11And all of a sudden,
19:12I got acknowledged only that,
19:13I won it.
19:13And I think it's comedy performance,
19:15which is,
19:16you know,
19:16the titans that have won that,
19:17you know,
19:18your Coogans and Gervaises and people like that.
19:19It's a tough one to win that.
19:21So,
19:21yeah,
19:21I couldn't believe it.
19:22I'm still not over it,
19:23really.
19:24And then Rivals as well.
19:25Yeah,
19:26Rivals,
19:26yeah.
19:26I mean,
19:27Coming back in May.
19:27Yeah,
19:28we've just finished shooting that.
19:30And I'll tell you something now,
19:31honestly,
19:32this series.
19:32Yeah.
19:33You thought the first one was good.
19:35We really,
19:36really delve into it this time.
19:38Really?
19:38We've only scratched the surface,
19:39honestly.
19:40I just,
19:40I'm so excited for people to see it.
19:42And of course,
19:43in memory of Jilly Cooper,
19:44we lost,
19:45and we've done it justice.
19:47Don't you worry yourself about that.
19:49Oh,
19:49Danny has spoken.
19:51And don't forget,
19:51Danny's film,
19:52One Last Deal is in cinemas on Friday.
19:54You sold that all on your own.
19:56Truly.
19:56Yeah.
19:57Well,
19:57I'm the only one on it,
19:58isn't I?
19:58yeah.
19:58Well done it.
19:59Yeah.
20:00In just a moment,
20:02Fern will be revealing why her people-pleasing days are well and truly over.
20:06But first,
20:06we've got a film that I know Fern is actually very much looking forward to,
20:09because wildlife filmmaker Lizzie Daly is in Gloucestershire to meet a doctor whose passion for nature
20:14has seen him connect with a family of very, very cute creatures.
20:17Get ready for this, Fern.
20:18You've got the otters.
20:19The otters.
20:20Consultant radiologist Dr. Richard Hopkins spends his working week focused on caring for patients
20:27at Cheltenham Hospital.
20:29But when he clocks off, he swaps scans for scenery,
20:34spending hours tracking the secret lives of the local wildlife.
20:38From badu cubs looking for worms, to shorted owls battling crows, and fox cubs playing in the fields.
20:50Today, I'm joining him in his latest wildlife pursuit.
20:54Hi, great to meet you.
20:55How are you?
20:55This is a lovely place to kind of de-stress after a big day.
20:59Yeah, it's so lovely.
21:00Medicine is pressurised, long hours.
21:04I can imagine.
21:05And I think you do need to have some sort of balance in your life.
21:10Connecting with nature is my happy place.
21:14So here, obviously, with this beautiful canal, river flowing behind me, what sort of species are you looking for today?
21:20Well, hopefully otters.
21:22Brilliant, OK.
21:23They're quite difficult to spot, but, you know, huge moments of joy when you do see them.
21:28Yeah.
21:30Richard has been following the antics of a family of otters along the Stroud Canal for the past four years.
21:37There are a number of different families that live here, and there's one family in particular I call the female
21:45otter half-moustache.
21:47OK, this is a half-moustache.
21:49It's got a white area on her upper lip on one side.
21:53Yeah, I can see why she's called that.
21:55But here she is a little bit earlier this year, coming out onto the ice.
22:00On the ice, that's brilliant.
22:03Any other really cool behaviours?
22:05Yes, have a look at this.
22:07Wow, a whole pike.
22:10I don't know how big it was, but it was big.
22:12Much bigger than her.
22:14She dragged it out of the canal, into the bushes, and then spent the next two hours eating it.
22:20And how many sets of cubs has she had over the years?
22:23I've seen her rear four sets of cubs, which would place her six or seven years old, which is quite
22:31old.
22:32What would be really nice is to see her new family.
22:36This stretch of the canal was rejuvenated in 2006 by the Cotswold Canal Trust, and has since become a haven
22:44for wildlife.
22:46We're hoping to spot half-moustache and, fingers crossed, this year's offspring, so that Richard can add to his otter
22:53family album.
22:55He's taking me to a spot where she's been known to hang out.
22:59Oh, yes!
23:00You can see that all the moths have been raised up there.
23:03Look at all the fish bones and scales in the sprain.
23:06You can see what they've been eating.
23:09This is a good sign.
23:11Richard's filmed her here before, snacking on a fish beside the lock.
23:18Otters can eat a kilo of fish a day, spending up to eight hours actively foraging.
23:25Today, though, it seems our otter is hunting out of sight.
23:29So, while half-moustache is a no-show for me today, just two days later, Richard finally got the shots
23:37he was after.
23:38Half-moustache with a large and healthy cub.
23:44Yeah, thanks for that, Lizzie and Richard.
23:46And with the news today, the Bank of England are going to put British wildlife on banknorts.
23:51We should start a campaign, really, to put half-moustache on a tenner.
23:54I back that campaign.
23:55Here for that.
23:56Right now, though, it's time to talk to Fern, who's got a brand-new memoir out.
23:59It's called Likeable.
24:00It's coming out tomorrow, actually.
24:01So, it's got loads of great advice in it.
24:03Big day.
24:04You're very candid in it, talking about your life as a people-pleaser and why, essentially, you're on a mission
24:08to be like,
24:09you know what, don't care what other people think about me.
24:11I'm trying.
24:11I wouldn't say I'm there yet, and I would never want to preach in a book and say this is
24:15how you should do anything.
24:16But I think, certainly in our job, as a presenter, if you're not likeable, you don't have a job.
24:21So, I think I learned that quite early on.
24:23But then I kind of let it seep into lots of other areas of my life.
24:27So, there was a bit of a wake-up call moment where I thought, I need to change something.
24:32I think in your 40s, especially for women, I think you start to just rethink everything.
24:37So, it was definitely the right time to write it.
24:40The book goes through stages of your life, doesn't it, and your career.
24:44Yes.
24:44And we start off with your first ever gig.
24:46Was it Disney Channel or something like that?
24:48Disney Club.
24:48Disney Club, that's it.
24:49Yeah, yeah.
24:50I remember that.
24:51I think it was like 96, and it was a competition they ran to find a new presenter.
24:57And I do not know how, but I somehow blagged my way onto that gig and was working with Reggie.
25:04And it was, yeah, it was the start of me falling in love with presenting and wanting to carve out
25:10that career for myself.
25:11But, yeah, you know, I was just a random school kid who ended up doing this extraordinary job.
25:16Well, this is the thing.
25:17Extraordinary is the word, because you have done the most maddest things throughout your career, have met so many different
25:22types of people.
25:23I mean, let's talk about you going to Vegas to hang out with Paris Hilton.
25:25Went to a Eurovision party with Danny Dyer.
25:27I did.
25:27Of course, of course.
25:28That's where it started.
25:29You know, the Dizzy Heights.
25:31I mean, the book is by no means a complete memoir, all chronological, but there's these little stories I pull
25:36out.
25:36And I was sort of reminiscing about being on Radio 1 and the craziness of that time.
25:41And one particular weekend where I'd literally done the show, flew off to Vegas straight after, filmed this documentary I
25:48was making about Paris Hilton all weekend, no sleep.
25:51And, yeah, there was a bowling alley in her room.
25:53I think there was a goat, but that might be a dream.
25:57And then flew back and went straight back on to Radio 1.
26:00And it was just so fast-paced and bonkers looking back.
26:04And I don't think I ever stopped to go, what am I doing?
26:07Do I want to do this?
26:08What am I saying yes to?
26:09I want to say no.
26:12I think, you know, when you're young, you don't really know about boundaries.
26:15No is a complete sentence.
26:17No is a complete sentence.
26:18I'm definitely flexing a lot more these days.
26:22But, yeah, it was very fun to write those sections of the book.
26:24Because in it, you talk about wanting to please people.
26:27And you briefly touched on it a moment ago, saying that, no, it's changed.
26:30You're not fully, completely there.
26:33But how does that kind of, how does that, what's the exit strategy then?
26:37Where you're kind of like, oh, do you know what?
26:38I don't care.
26:39It's just me.
26:39I don't think I'm ever going to get to, I don't care.
26:42I don't think I'm that sort of person.
26:43I think the goal for me is learning to live with the discomfort of people not always being
26:48pleased with you or not always liking you.
26:50So, in our job, maybe it's somebody doesn't like watching on the telly or in my actual
26:55life, maybe you make a decision that upsets somebody.
26:59You know, you don't want to go around hurting people, of course, but you want to also make
27:03the right decisions for you.
27:04And I think that's what I'm trying to do is learn to live with that discomfort and think,
27:08okay, I've said no, they're a bit upset, but the world hasn't stopped turning.
27:12So, I don't think I'm going to get to, I don't care.
27:15I don't know if anyone gets to that one.
27:17I mentioned you in the book, actually, Danny Dyer.
27:20Right, okay.
27:22It's not the Eurovision.
27:23No, no, it's not that.
27:25Just because I think Danny Dyer is, and I put Carol Vorderman in this camp, okay, you've
27:29got something similar to Carol Vorderman.
27:32Obviously, the maths, the brain.
27:34The brain, the maths, the algebra.
27:36I think people are so attractive when they turn up as themselves and you don't put a show
27:41on, you're not filtering yourself or being something that other people want from you.
27:45You're just being you.
27:46I think Vorderman's like that.
27:48I think you're like that.
27:49There's some other people I mentioned in the book.
27:50Oh, I don't know.
27:51I think you just show up as you and that's why everyone loves you.
27:53Well, I don't think everyone loves me.
27:57Many people love you.
27:58Look on Facebook.
28:01But that's fine.
28:02I think we're living now, and it's important in this book, obviously, because we are living
28:05at a time with social media where people have access to you.
28:08So, you know, back in the day, people didn't like you.
28:09They'd slag you off in their living room.
28:11Now they want to attack you.
28:12Now you know about it.
28:13And so it's really quite, and that's making it, it's more tricky to take.
28:17And I think as we all want to be loved.
28:19Of course we do.
28:20We all want to be liked.
28:21Yeah.
28:21You know what I mean?
28:22But unfortunately, especially at the moment, it's tricky.
28:25It's very divisive.
28:26It is.
28:27But as actors, we're, you know, we're certainly sensitive little souls.
28:30We're always sort of wagging our little tail, sort of, you know, sort of going, please
28:33like me, please like me.
28:34But I think you have to be yourself, really.
28:36I think that, you know, everyone else is taken.
28:39Yes, exactly.
28:40Oscar Wilde.
28:41Yeah.
28:42Good reference.
28:43So, no, I appreciate that.
28:44I really do.
28:44Yeah, you're in it.
28:45I'll send you a copy and highlight that section.
28:47Yeah.
28:48All right.
28:48Thanks, Gagne.
28:48I'll plug it for you.
28:49Fern's book, Likeable, is out tomorrow.
28:52And, of course, you can listen to Radio 2's Sones of the 90s show on BBC Sones.
28:55It's on the app.
28:56There we go.
28:57That is it for tonight.
28:58Thank you so very much to our brilliant guests and, of course, Matt with Watchdog.
29:01Me and Roman are back tomorrow.
29:02And we're going to be joined by Radio 2's Bob Harris, Angela Scanlon, and she'll be talking
29:06all about The Apprentice plus actor David Haig.
29:08It's going to be right on the green sofa.
29:09So, we'll see you tomorrow evening.
29:11Have a great evening.
29:12All the very best.
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