Phill, Jo, and Lily are back for another wide-ranging conversation covering listener mail, cringe-worthy memories, the origin of a surprising word, and a deep dive into their favourite artists and artworks.

In this episode:

📬 Listener Mail

• Ian from France writes in about Episode 1 (favourite films) — correcting the group on Wuthering Heights in French cinemas, Bob Hope's Road Movies co-star (Bing Crosby), and sharing his views on The Singers and French Exit.
• Joe from London recommends I Swear (Netflix) — a BAFTA-winning film about a man with Tourette's — and the Channel 4 documentary Dirty Business, a hard-hitting look at how UK water companies are polluting waterways and beaches.

😳 Cringe Moments

• Joe: Attempting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her dead guinea pig, Giles, before wrapping him in tinfoil for burial.
• Lily: Using phrases taught by a "friend" at a racecourse abroad… which turned out to be extremely offensive suggestions directed at a stranger's entire family.
• Phil: Singing Memory from Cats at a charity fashion show — brilliantly, until "that big note."

🔤 Word of the Episode: Heckle

Joe traces the word back to 14th-century Middle Dutch textile workers, through Scottish political agitators, to the comedy clubs of today. Highlights include a sharp comeback from Jo Brand, a misguided Glastonbury request for Oasis to play "Parklife" (a Blur song), and a possibly apocryphal Churchill quip from the lavatory.

🎨 Favourite Artists

Lily's picks:

• Jan van Eyck – The Virgin with the Chancellor Rolin (c. 14th century): rich iconography, royal colours, and a hidden Paddington Bear.
• Vermeer – Lady Reading a Letter at an Open Window (1657–59): evocative, luminous, and possibly aided by a camera obscura.
• The Scottish Colourists – Ferguson, Hunter, Peploe, and Cadell: vibrant, impressionistic works with a particular focus on the Isle of Iona.

Jo's picks:

• Picasso – From deconstructed bull sketches to Child with a Dove; a celebration of cubism, colour, and artistic evolution.
• David Hockney – His Polaroid works, animated sunrise at Piccadilly Circus, and intimate still-life scenes.
• Vanessa Bell – Sister of Virginia Woolf, co-founder of the Omega Workshops, and painter of the Fifty Famous Women dinner service at Charleston House.
• Honourable mention: the Pre-Raphaelites, the Impressionists, and William Morris (appreciated, not loved).

Phill’s picks:

• Dante Gabriel Rossetti & the Pre-Raphaelites – Introduced through the Athena poster shop; captivated by the lush colours, dramatic hair, and androgynous beauty.
• Edward Hopper – Nighthawks and beyond; foreboding urban scenes full of unspoken tension and narrative.
• Paul Klee – Cubist, surrealist layering and extraordinary colour depth.
• Toulouse-Lautrec – Born nearby in Albi; pioneer of the lithograph, prolific creator despite dying at 36.
• Photography as art – A plea for more recognition, including immersive art exhibitions (Monet currently touring).

🎬 Recommendations

• Lily: Fool Me Once (Prime Video) – directed by Guy Ritchie, starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan & Tom Hardy. Surprisingly great.
• Joe: Seeking listener tips for visits to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Henry Moore Foundation, Elizabeth Frink sites, and Charleston House. Also vowing to finally see Picasso's Guernica in Madrid within six months.
• Phil: Fault Lines by Family Stereo – Blake Watt (son of Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn & Ben Watt) has a new single out, with album The Thread due in July. Find him at familystereo.net.

Got an unusual word for the group? Send it in! And if you've visited the Yorkshire Sculpture Park or Henry Moore Foundation, Joe would love to hear your tips.

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