Walking The Dog with Emily Dean

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful George Fouracres, the conversation becomes a little more personal as George talks openly about his bipolar diagnosis and the impact it's had on his life and career.

He also shares the brilliant story of finding out he'd landed a role on Saturday Night Live UK, a moment that should have been one of the biggest of his career. Instead, his attention was largely focused elsewhere, on a cordless vacuum cleaner he'd recently bought and was extremely excited about collecting!

It's a funny, honest and surprisingly moving second half that offers a glimpse into the person behind one of comedy's breakout stars.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one. And do give us a like and a follow so you can catch us every week.

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 through Finsbury Park with actor, comedian and Saturday Night Live UK star George Fouracres.

George is having quite the moment. His scene-stealing performances on SNLUK have made him one of the breakout comedy stars of the year, with sketches like What Kind of Irish Is Your Grandad? and his take on Kier Starmer becoming instant viral hits. In fact, one of them was even reposted by Donald Trump, which may be one of the more unexpected endorsements in comedy history.

On the walk, George chats to Emily about growing up in the Black Country surrounded by a big, close-knit family, how he once considered becoming a priest, and the school production that first made him realise performing might be his future. They also talk about his time at Cambridge, where he became close friends with comedians Pierre Novellie and Phil Wang, and began developing the comedy skills that would eventually take him from Shakespeare to sketch comedy.

As well as his television work, George is an acclaimed stage actor who has tackled roles ranging from Hamlet to Falstaff. Emily has even seen him perform at Shakespeare’s Globe and can confirm he’s infuriatingly talented.

It’s a funny, warm and joyful conversation with one of the nicest people in comedy. And while George and Emily got on brilliantly, it quickly became apparent that the real love story here was between George and 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 the wonderful Catherine Bohart, the conversation dives deeper into anxiety, overthinking and the idea of "borrowing trouble" from the future. Catherine talks candidly about OCD, the way she navigates uncertainty, and why some of our biggest worries often never come to pass.

There’s also plenty more laughter along the way, including Catherine’s observations on relationships, comedy and the strange business of turning your life into stand-up material.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one. And if you’d like to see Catherine live, her new show Borrowing Trouble is coming to Soho Theatre before touring the UK and Ireland. Tickets are available at https://www.catherinebohart.com.

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 an East London stroll through Victoria Park with comedian Catherine Bohart.

You’ll probably know Catherine from shows including QI, Live at the Apollo, Roast Battle and Last One Laughing Ireland, but on this walk she chats to Emily about the experiences that shaped her long before she stepped onto a stage. From growing up in Dublin to having a father who was training to be a priest when he met her mother, Catherine shares the stories behind her fascinating upbringing and the path that eventually led her into comedy.

Emily and Catherine also discuss Catherine's experience of living with OCD, the challenges of turning your personal life into stand-up material, and the emotional aftermath that can sometimes come with sharing so much of yourself on stage.

They also talk about Catherine's brand new show, Borrowing Trouble, named after a phrase her father uses to describe worrying about things that may never happen. The show comes to London's Soho Theatre from September 21st to October 3rd before touring the UK and Ireland. Tickets are available at https://www.catherinebohart.com.

It’s a funny, thoughtful and deeply honest conversation with one of comedy’s sharpest voices. And after spending most of the walk being carried around like royalty, Ray has officially decided Catherine is his new favourite human.

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 Sir Ed Davey, the conversation turns to the state of modern politics, from the rise of populism to the challenges posed by figures like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage, and what Ed believes the future of British politics might look like.

Away from the political arena, Emily also gets to know the man behind the headlines, discussing everything from his taste in music and comedy to the moments and influences that have shaped him away from Westminster.

If you haven’t already, do catch up on part one. And if you'd like to learn more about Ed's story, his book Why I Care: And Why Care Matters is available now in paperback.

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 (slightly blustery) stroll with a very special guest: Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats.

What starts as a walk with a politician quickly becomes something much more personal, as Ed opens up about the experiences that have shaped his life. He talks candidly about losing his father to cancer when he was just four years old, helping to care for his mother through her own illness before losing her as a teenager, and how those experiences led to a lifelong passion for supporting carers.

Emily and Ed also chat about his time at Oxford, the surprising moment MI6 tried to recruit him as a spy, and life today with his wife Emily and their son John, who has severe disabilities. These themes are explored in his book Why I Care: And Why Care Matters, which is now available in paperback.

Away from Westminster, Emily discovers a very different side to Ed, including his love of ABBA and Adele, and a willingness to let her scroll through his playlist.

It’s a thoughtful, moving and surprisingly relaxed conversation that offers a rare glimpse behind the public image of one of Britain’s leading politicians. And yes, Ray managed to secure a cuddle from Sir Ed, which he has since described as a major diplomatic victory.

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 Christopher Hall, the conversation turns to the realities of internet fame, performing live after going viral, and the joy and chaos of creating comedy with his sister Elizabeth. There’s also plenty more pop nostalgia, musical theatre chat and general silliness along the way.

If you haven’t already, do catch up on part one. And if you’d like to see Christopher live, his show Pizazz will be at the Edinburgh Festival from August 5th to 31st before touring across the UK later this year. Tickets and dates are available at https://mickperrin.com.

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 comedian, choreographer and social media phenomenon Christopher Hall.

Christopher first found a huge audience online through his brilliantly funny background singers sketches with his sister Elizabeth, lovingly parodying the gloriously overcommitted backing vocalists secretly desperate to become the star of the show. The videos have now racked up more than 50 million views and led to collaborations with the likes of Shania Twain and Sophie Ellis Bextor.

On the walk, Christopher chats to Emily about his childhood obsession with 90s pop music, growing up as a young gay man, and how attending musical theatre college gave him a real sense of confidence and belonging. They also talk about his years performing on cruise ships, the realities of building an online following, and working creatively with his sister, with whom he co-hosts the podcast Stay Hydrated.

Christopher’s live show Pizazz heads to the Edinburgh Festival from August 5th to 31st before touring the UK later this year. Tickets and dates are available at https://mickperrin.com.

It’s a joyful, funny and wonderfully heartfelt conversation with someone who radiates warmth and charisma, and who quickly discovers he and Ray share a deep emotional connection via S Club 7.

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 Victoria Pendleton, the conversation turns to fear, resilience and the mindset shifts that helped Victoria navigate life after elite sport.

Emily and Victoria also talk more about her brilliant new book The Fear Opportunity, which explores how doing things that scare us, even in small ways, can lead to a richer and more fulfilling life. Emily found it hugely inspiring, and highly recommends giving it a read.

If you haven’t already, do catch up on part one. And be sure to order your copy of The Fear Opportunity, out 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 stroll with Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton.

Victoria was in London for the recording, meaning her beloved Belgian Malinois, Valor, stayed back home in the West Country, but the conversation quickly turns to dogs, including the Rhodesian Ridgeback Victoria met while appearing on The Dog House.

Emily chats to Victoria about her extraordinary life and career, from growing up in Bedfordshire with a cycling-mad dad, to becoming one of Britain’s most successful Olympians. Victoria speaks candidly about the pressure of elite sport, the impact it had on her mental health, and the importance therapy has played in her life. She also opens up movingly about the loss of her twin brother Alex to brain cancer and how she’s learned to live alongside grief.

Since retiring from cycling, Victoria has continued to seek out huge challenges, from training as a jockey for the Cheltenham Festival to attempting to climb Mount Everest. Her new book The Fear Opportunity explores how embracing fear and stepping outside our comfort zones can change our lives for the better. It’s out on May 21st and available to order now.

It’s an incredibly open, thoughtful and inspiring walk with someone who has achieved remarkable things, but speaks about life with huge honesty and warmth. And yes, Ray was completely adored.

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.