Walking The Dog with Emily Dean

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with Nick Knowles, Nick takes us behind the scenes of DIY SOS and explains just how much work, care and love goes into creating the transformations we see on screen.

He talks about the people and communities at the heart of the programme, why the show has remained so important to him after 26 years, and what it’s like being there when months of planning and hard graft finally come together.

Nick also opens up about the less straightforward side of being a familiar face, from dealing with press attention to the strange ways fame can affect your everyday life.

If you haven’t already, catch up on part one of Emily’s walk with Nick. And you can see the current series of DIY SOS on Tuesdays at 8pm on BBC One.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll with Nick Knowles, who has been at the helm of DIY SOS for an incredible 26 years, or, as Emily prefers to call it, Time for My Weekly Cry.

Nick grew up on a council estate in West London, left school at 16 and spent the next few years doing just about every job imaginable. He tells Emily how he eventually blagged his way into television with the help of some questionably acquired BBC letterhead, beginning a broadcasting career that has made him one of the most recognisable faces on British TV.

There are stories from a remarkably adventure-packed life, from working with David Attenborough and orangutans to chatting with Prince Harry at Buckingham Palace, plus the fabulous revelation that Nick once owned a pair of chinchillas. He also looks back on his adventures in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

And, of course, they delve into DIY SOS, the extraordinary people Nick has met through the programme and the communities who come together to transform the lives of families going through incredibly difficult times. The current series airs Tuesdays at 8pm on BBC One.

It’s a candid, entertaining and occasionally unexpected stroll with a man who has accumulated more stories than most, all delivered, appropriately enough, while wearing a cowboy hat. Now Emily just needs to persuade him to find a tiny high-vis for Ray.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with Caitlin Moran and Luna, Caitlin turns her attention to something many of us could probably use a little more of right now: hope.

Her new book, How to Be Hopeful, grew out of a search for ways to feel more optimistic about the world without simply ignoring everything that’s wrong with it. Caitlin shares some of what she discovered along the way, and why seemingly small things - nature, community, getting outside and, inevitably, dogs - can make a surprisingly big difference.

There’s also more from Caitlin on her life, family and extraordinary career, as the conversation ranges from the deeply thoughtful to the gloriously silly.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one. Caitlin’s new book, How to Be Hopeful, is available to buy now.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray take a North London stroll with columnist and bestselling author Caitlin Moran and her adorable cockapoo, Luna.

Caitlin chats about her extraordinary childhood growing up as the eldest of eight children on a council estate in Wolverhampton, largely educating herself through books from her local library, and the remarkable start to her career which saw her become a published novelist and award-winning journalist while she was still in her teens.

She’s since become one of Britain’s most celebrated writers, from her hugely popular column in The Times to the million-selling How to Be a Woman and a string of bestselling books. Caitlin talks about that journey and what she’s learned from a life spent writing about everything from feminism and family to culture, politics and the everyday absurdities of being human.

Her new book, How to Be Hopeful, sees Caitlin searching for ways to find a little more peace and optimism in a sometimes overwhelmingly gloomy world. From putting down the headphones and making space for wildlife to the strangely addictive pleasure of litter picking and, naturally, spending more time with dogs, it’s full of small, practical ways to bring a little more hope into everyday life. How to Be Hopeful is available now.

You can also hear Caitlin alongside gardening expert Adam Frost on their podcast Outsiding, celebrating the joys of getting outside and spending time in nature.

It’s a wonderfully candid, funny and uplifting walk with Caitlin and Luna – although Caitlin’s extremely generous approach to dog treats means Ray may have fallen in love just a little bit harder than Emily did.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of Emily and Ray’s chat with the wonderful Harriet Kemsley, Harriet opens up about motherhood and how having her daughter gave her a sense of self-worth and confidence she’d never really experienced before. It’s a beautifully honest and moving conversation about how becoming a parent changed the way she sees herself.

Harriet also talks about her rise through comedy, her experience appearing on Last One Laughing, and her podcast Single Ladies In Your Area.

Plus, there’s more on Harriet’s brand new stand-up show, Floozy, which heads out on tour this autumn with dates across the country through to February. You can book tickets now at HarrietKemsley.com.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one for more from Harriet, Sunny and, of course, Ray-Ray.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray head to South London to meet the brilliantly funny Harriet Kemsley and her beautiful Cavapoo, Sunny.

With torrential rain putting a stop to the planned walk, Harriet welcomes Emily and Ray into her home instead, where things get off to a slightly chaotic start when a questionable-looking cashew milk coffee leads Emily to secretly send a photo to ChatGPT to check it’s safe to drink.

Once the coffee situation is resolved, Harriet chats about growing up on a farm, studying drama in New York and eventually overcoming her shyness to try stand-up comedy. It turned out to be a very good decision, with Harriet going on to appear in shows including Last One Laughing, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Would I Lie to You?, alongside building a hugely successful career as a live comedian.

Her brand new stand-up show, Floozy, heads out on tour this autumn, with dates across the country through to February. You can book tickets now at HarrietKemsley.com.

Harriet and Sunny can also be seen in the new TV series Wagging Rights, alongside Rhod Gilbert, Sara Pascoe, Kae Curd and Vicky Pattison, as they attempt to train their dogs and compete for canine bragging rights. You can catch the series on U & Dave and stream it for free on U.

It’s a wonderfully funny and chaotic chat with someone Emily describes as a human serotonin boost. And despite one small toileting incident on the living room floor, Sunny proves himself to be an absolute gent.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the fabulous Shazia Mirza, there’s plenty more from one of Britain’s most distinctive and brilliantly funny comedians, as Shazia reflects on her life, career and the experiences that have shaped her comedy.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one, where Shazia talks about growing up in Birmingham, secretly pursuing stand-up while working as a science teacher, and the special role Emily’s late mum played in encouraging her at the very beginning of her comedy career.

Shazia will be heading out on tour next year with a brand new show, 'Prude', so keep an eye on her Instagram, @TheShaziaMirza, for tour dates, tickets and all the latest details.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll with the fabulous comedian Shazia Mirza.

Emily and Shazia actually go back a long way, as when Shazia first decided to pursue comedy, she took performance lessons with Emily’s late mum, an acting teacher who became a great friend and source of encouragement. This is Shazia’s first meeting with Ray, though, and despite admitting she’s usually a little nervous around dogs, it isn’t long before he’s won her over and been officially declared Britain’s first halal dog.

Shazia talks about growing up in Birmingham in a strict household with strong academic expectations, studying biochemistry at university and becoming a science teacher, before eventually realising that what she really wanted to do was stand-up. She began performing comedy in secret, and within just a few years found herself appearing on the hugely influential American programme 60 Minutes as the world’s only female Muslim stand-up comedian.

Since then, Shazia has become a fixture of British comedy, appearing on shows including Have I Got News for You, QI and Would I Lie to You?, as well as memorably reducing Hugh Jackman to hysterics on The Jonathan Ross Show.

It’s a funny, fascinating and at times very moving walk, particularly as Shazia remembers the support Emily’s mum gave her at the very beginning of her career. Shazia will be touring again next year, so follow her on Instagram at @TheShaziaMirza for details of upcoming shows.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful Fay Ripley and Apple, Fay looks back on the huge success of Cold Feet and the incredibly difficult decision she made to walk away from the show at the height of its popularity.

She also tells Emily the story of how she met her husband, actor Daniel Lapaine, recalls a rather unpleasant encounter with a very famous actress, and reveals why her friendship with David Baddiel has reached the level where he feels perfectly comfortable popping round to her house for a poo.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll across North London’s Parliament Hill with the wonderful Fay Ripley and her very smartly dressed dog, Apple, who arrived wearing a bow tie especially for the occasion.

Fay chats about her childhood growing up in Surrey, her brilliantly named dad Beverly and the three attempts it took before she finally got into drama school. She also looks back on some of the more unusual jobs she had before acting took off, including working in a tanning salon and, rather wonderfully, as a clown.

They talk about the role that changed everything, playing Jenny in Cold Feet, and how Fay dealt with suddenly becoming incredibly famous. There’s also the story of meeting her husband, actor Daniel Lapaine, and the rather surreal occasion when Fay found herself giving acting advice to Robert De Niro.

And away from acting, Fay talks about her other great passion, food. She’s written three bestselling cookery books and shares how cooking became another important part of her career.

It’s a wonderfully funny and unfiltered walk with one of Britain’s best-loved actors, featuring two extremely handsome dogs, some refreshingly candid thoughts on fame and a passing child who makes the grave mistake of complimenting Ray without extending the same courtesy to Apple.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.