Personal Life and Future Plans

And we're live from the living room as Doug eyes up the match they spread. He's reaching for the buuffalo wing. Perfect Hang on, what's this? Oh, he's good for a Cat of Pepsi too. Inredible What to finish Sensational combination. Look at the delight on his face. There's no doubt about it. It just tastes better. Match days deserve Pepsi. Food deserves Pepsi. Grab a pack of Pepsi Zero Sugar for today's match It's poetry in motion Mornings have a rhythm You can hear it Feel it And at Quaker, we fuel it with one hundred percent full gray oes and a good source of fiber in every bowl, helping you turn that rhythm into your soundtrack for a great day. Fuel to start whatever's next Quaker, official sponsor of FVA World Cup twenty six. Hello my friends, welcome to Five Brilliant Things, where I talk to fascinating people about their favourite things. My guest today is an actor who is best known for a long running stint as Sona on East Eenders and is now forging a new path with her popular podcast Life With Nat. It's Natie Cassidy and here are her fiveive Brilliant thingsings Natalie, lovely to meet you. Lovely to see you. How are you? Yeah, I'm good, thank you. I like your cap. Well, unfortunately, I look like a boiled egg today. No. No, why is that? I do. I look like a boiled egg, M but the thing is I can't have my hair down because of the pollen U because it sticks to my hair and then I can't breathe so my hair has to be scraped away. Wow. And I haven't really got any makeup on for you so I do look like a bit of a bald egg today. I apologise. So I wasn't aware of that. So is that just you Or if anyone suffers from hayfe. You should scrape your hair back, yeah because a pollen sticks to it But I'm about it's really boring. Did you know that Well, yeah, as a fellow sufferer, yeah, there are certain things you can do to make it easier Fresh pillow cases every night. That's blown my mind. shut all the window. Well I'm just thinking of anyone now, like if you're like if you're really into like heavy metal and you go to a festival in the summer, And you've also got hay fever. It must be a because you want to be swishing your head I'm telling you finished. Absolutely finished. Wow. Yeah. But that's probably loged something that I should know out of my head forever and yet I'll never forget that. No But something think's going to fall really important that I need is gone., it's gone. Anyways, well let's move on from Plland which is clearly a nightmare for you? Yes. So what is your first brilliant thing? Well actually, shall we actually start with High fever tablets I know it's very dull, but I don't think I'd be able to survive through the months of April to September, October without Pay fever things Bight drops, no sprays. Flexopheronadine sometometimes steroids. Wow. Yeah. So it so as soon as summer comes along r comes along. Sring comes cl for you. And I think I can't wait for the clocks to go back in October. W That's so annoying I'm a winter person. you Yeah well on that note, wouldould you ever think about moving to Scandinavia? whether it's more wintery Yeah It's like a cold place. It's probably a good idea for me, but I'm not sure what I'd do over there so. I think work would dry up quite quickly. What's the snag? Wh do you podcast? Possibly, but it's with all my family. You'd have to I don't think they're going to come. Yes. We're very close in knit and I'd miss everyone. Yes. We all live about ten minutes away from each other. Right. So I don't think that's option I'm afraid. Un unless you kind of did like an edge shar put everyone in one sort of bit. That would be good, but I think we have to be multi millionaires to do that R.. That is the problem. Okay, so presumably the When you pop a pill or you have a steroid, does that then make it manageable? It's manageable iss Yeah. Yeah. This is turned into a doctors appointment. It's a bit dull, isn't it? It's not it's not dull. It's the eye drops, it's the nose spray, it's the tablets, ass if you miss one, it's going to bed, remembering to wash everything off, rememember to take a tablet. so when you wake up in the morning, your eyes aren't stuck together. It genuinely is a full time job and people try when I talk about it wherever I talk about it. They'll say, have you tried this, have you've tried that, I've done everything, I've tried injections, I've It just is you know, I'm just a highly allergic person. So what is it just streaming? the e The eyes get stuck together. ye, really, really red, really, really itchy, bloodshot No can't really breathe well, I mean, I already breathe like a pug because my mum and dad bless them. I should have probably had ad and nooids outt and stuff. I always say that I've got a permanent cold I always have done. but this just sort of exacerbates that for a few months. So what is that feeling like when we hit Oh, it's beautiful. That's the best thing ever. I can't wait for it. So as soon as leaves start falling off trees you It's absolutely brilliant. Fantastic. My handbag is going to be lighter I'm not going to be rattling L that candle Yeah, Isn't that funny? P those c Where most people kind of get excited when The sun comes. Yeah I do love the summer, but I try through in the summer't love you. doesn't love me Myother half sight, Ohh let's go and sit in the garden and I'm like Really do want to sit in the garden and enjoy a glass of wine, but unfortunately, is it that bad? I mean, I do, but I suffer for it pain in the It is a pain in the ar. And you go. There's nothing. listen, I do everything I can. Maybe there's a miracle of some sort that I haven't discovered yet, but yeah Adam Kay, the doctor was on this show he's a big sufferer and I can't remember what it was, but he said one thing changed his life for hay fever. So that is still available that show I shouldall seek it out. I'm going to do that on the way home. listen to that. Okay.. this But this' really matter. Of course. Yeahah, I just like it's so interesting but it was like I felt like a dog watching bilingual parents then. that you suddenly started speaking in Spanish and I was like, well hopefully one for more phrow try out at me in a second. difficult to not do that antihistamine. If you have like a pun generating brain, just creates. I can imagine Aunt histamine, you can just see this scratchy old aunties. You know what I mean? That's certain word. just kind like. So okay. so these pills enable you to to kindind of get by. get by and live life. wondrous things. Wrou wonder Let's give praise to those. Have you ever been approached by any companies to kind of You know, do kind of like adverts? No. Have you done adverts? I can't remember I don't think I've ever seen you on one And yet I feel like I've seen you, you know, I guess everyone must feel like that with you where I feel like I've known you since you were You've known meince so I was ten. Yeah, It's funny you know on your c you know everyone's like, Oh And I think even if you haven't watched these tenders, I suppose over that time Tellies are just on, aren't they? especially back in the nineties. They were just on and It is weird, you know, Pe feel like they've grown up with me, but in a really lovely way. Absolutely. in a nice way. Well I guess you don't know it any other way, but you've been famous, you know, and particularly kind of nineties E standards. huge, huge, millions and millions and millions. What is it like to grow up in that level of phone I know you don't know. I don't know any different to that and I think that's quite a gift. Do you enj Do you enjoy it Bye I donon't care either way. Right. Fame for me fallen into but I've kept it. I suppose what I say is I was in the right place at the right time, went to An Asheran Isington just down the road actually and I was there, working class kids, went to normal school. Sott picked up from there And then I fell into this industry and I stayed within that job. So yes, it's luck, but also I go actually to be involved with somewhone for thirty two years. You've got have a little bit of talent and you've got to be kind to people and have a you certain professionalism about you. So I feel that I've my spurs, if you like. in industry. You seem a very kind person instantly. You kindind. Kind. Yeahah, yeah. I feel like a kind person. I haven't got a side to me, Russ so. I can't My biggest problem, I suppose with the stuff that we're into the egos that you meet and I find it really difficult. Yeah, which is I suppose why I quite like sitting at home doing my podcast from my spare room with all my family. Yeah, yeah. That sort of ts me family in the spare room Oh, actually it's only three seats in there. It's quite small. But yeah, it's usually maximum of three people on the pod. arere the family on rotation? They are on rotation. Are they? They're on rotation. Who appears more and who appears less So funny story, I suppose, when we first started There was a night where I was really stuck I said I don't know what I'm going to do. And my other half marked my fiancee He's not a He's a bit introvert, I would say. And you know he's quite shy until you get to know him. he's not someone who loves to chat And I said you've got to come do this with me. He said, I can't do. I really can't. I said, please you have to. And we called it sccraping the Barrel, the episode. And that has now stuck and I would say that is one of the most sort of popular ones, which is and he loves it and we love it. And actually after week or whatever we're doing, it's quite nice to sit down and actually talk to each other at home. because it doesn't happen much with two kids and jobs andes. So it's actually quite nice. It's like a little bit of therapy to sit down and have a chat. And how are your kids? I've got Eliza who is fifteen Nearly sixteen and Jony is nine. be nearly ten. See you're in it. We're in it, but we're out of that kind of a mad toddler, feral selfish stage, I'd say, where we werere sort of ono the The hell of the sort of teenag years. Yeah. it's every I guess every stage is new and exciting and different It must be quite nice to just go into a spare room and have a chat with your partner. It is quite nice. Yeah. interruptions. Yeah slightly way that everyone else is gonna to listen to it. Yeah. Do you ever dit bits out and go we can't We're not over I have to say that it's more The mundane things in life, if you like, we have a good chat, it's quite dry, depends really what's been going on with the week and I have a lot of listener interaction. I have a what's up number which actually good but it is the ban of my life because you know people message me on my phone And I could up to them So that's quite a lot of work throughout the week. theiz. yeah. I'll play their voice notesing because I love radio I kind of make it sound a bit like a radio show, obviously it isn't live. but I'll ring people up, play their voice notes in. But I've never wanted, you know, with the children even, I love talking about the kids Elas is now fifteen I would never talk about her business. She, you know, she's her own person. and I think you have to just be wary of other people, do you know what I mean? Whever whatever pod you're doing, whoever you're talking about I think you have to yeah, be really wary and I don't want to wear all my dirty laundry. I'm happy to show some of my family life, but I think there are things that you should keep private. and sell your soul. Agreed Not everything is for sale. Eactly. What is your next brilliant thing moving on from these magical tablets? Okay, I am going to go for naps. Okay For May napping is my superpower. Right I love napping. M impressive place you've ever fallen asleep I have I can fall asleep anywhere. I would say probably the most impressive which happens on a regular basis would be the East Eers Green room with sofas, many, many people walking out, lots of people shouting, doing lines. Ohy it's a coffee, whatever and I'd just be on. So lines you mean As in learning lines. Gotcha learning lines, sharing lines with each other U flat out on a sof. That's impressive.srow my heads off. but I mean I can I' so confident because Pz you have to trust the people around. people aren't taking a photo of you, slackeda or as sleep. Absolutely. Do you think they have? Oh, they definitely have.''. If I was working with you and we were mates,, it'd be all over the All the time. Thatounds hundreds of photosundreds. No it was just like Yeah, yeah, exactly. My pud like breathing as I told you about But yeah, like three hours I'm talking. Oh in. I mean, when I say a nap ye, I could sleep for sort one to four. Now the reason I nap, I do blame Eenders for the napping. Be in that job, you get a lot of breaks throughout the day. Right. So I've always been able to nap. It's a great Also it's a really useful way of spending the time because that if you're kind of conserving your energy for when you need to go, it's perfect. Yeah But you know what I mean? is? It's a bit lazy,ough is' it? No, I think well then when you're working, you're like, Oh, I'm feeling good because you you able to sleep at night? Yes. So you're getting eight hours at night And then you're picking up another three during the day. Easy. Easy. But yeah, I've missed since leaving Eastenders, I have missed the naps. Yes. but I do try and schedule a naping every now and again. Right. But I can even do a twenty past two G gott to pick Jony up at three Set an alarm twenty five minutes bang out and you can just that's impress it good I wonder where that comes from. I don't know, and I think it is really important and I think you find a lot of people you can read lots of articles and people say, The Mediterranean life, you know, why do people live longer in the Mediterranean You know one mentions the siesta. I mention Oivine and what they're eating and the sun Everyone's napping, man. M Yeah. I think that's important to your system because your body repairs itself when we sleep. How old are you? I'm forty three. Do you look very good on it? Thank you so much. Do you mind if I ask No personal question. askk what you like. Have you ever had Botox? I've never in my life had Because I was looking at your skin then thinkingking you are wrinkle free. No, you I just say you know ain't that bad at all. But just so you know, I move my face. which. Yeah. But I wonder if I' never a botox. I wonder if that's why you're restoring why your skin looks so good. What the old naps Mbe I think it's genetic. My m had nice skin. Oh did she? o. My n did as well. Fine, fair enough. I go to bed in makeup. People like what do you do? I'm like Fuckle Yeah. had a glass of wine every night. That's the aner. to sleep. What do I do? Fuckle?. Yeah, sadly, but it's refreshingly candid Yeah, I wonder. I wonder if that is Yeah, maybe. might be help. And I do have to say I do now have a little look at some oils or a few lotions. you know you get to this sort of forty threeree and you think should start doing something. So sometimes I start a little routine and I Tuesday Yeah. It's funny How were you, Dany were napper? Love it. D veryer good. but u You got to get it right. I can't do the long ones. Optimizing your nap So the British map researchers in nineteen ninety six found out the BNR yeah found out the best nap is a short one immediately after caffeine. I know I've heard all that. Youave heard all this? Espresso twenty five minutes. twenty. twenty and then up and then up and it's seven to eight hours after waking up is the best time to have it The only person I know that in our family that naps is my brother is he's sensational. Is he? It's what's known in the game as a Dan nap but he is that that classic is completely He's sort of asleep but also awake but snoring Oh snoring you go Are you snoring? No, I'm not. Right and it's instantly back. So he's obviously having very, very very very light sleep. Good s you got good skin No terrible. Oh No Now he looks like a pickled onion, my brother.ow.s He's a lot like DiCaprio looks like now. You know what I mean? So he's kind of like really handsome and then one day, bang onion Did you have a celebrity crush as a young person Gary Linier Wow, Which was a weird one. Oh Massive Gona family.t They didn't heart think it. Well, congratulations.iserations. No good. But So you were what a weird ph very you For non football fans, you basically had a crush on the enemy. Crush on the enemy. I don't know. Weird What a weird crush Gary Lenker is a very specific crush. Yeah. But But again, do you like Chrisp? Handsome man? Love Chrisp. it might be that It might have been that. Maybe that was back in the day, I don't know if he was on the old Walker' trail, but he's always been on them It's been on them for a long time, right? In the late nineties, directly? Def and Oh ye, yeah. So maybe it was that. Possibly. But Gary Linaker is a very have you met him? I think I've met Gary in the passing, can't quite remember. again, not, you know, I'm going back a long time now. It's when I was young and stupid But bet you fancicy it Yeah I had a real crush on him ye. And The other crush I had actually probably my My biggest crush was Dodger from Oliver Twist. The original? You know, the Oliver musical. That was my biggest crush, Dodger. Yeah. Yeah A that boy Boy wasn't he? He's a classic bad boy. Yeah ye. Cheeky chappy. Cheeky chappy. Yeah. goodood at singing. Yeah. Yeah, the original one of What a film name is. Great film is it Yeah. It's kind of one of those, isn't it? It sort of It's on at Christmas a lot. You just great. If it's on Tley, you'd have to leave it on.n whole f. Yeah, deffinitely. Great film. Wh was yours, Russell our early crush? Yeah, Wh who was your crush? Probably Darryl Hannah from Spllash. Oh okay. Yeah. I think that was the first time I remember thinking, Ohh, she's I'm feeling something here. So that would have been nineteen eighty nine I think. I was a nine year old boy. M. Yeah, mermaids Very, very specific. So mermaids and lineaka Um you know? Tails and ears? Exactly. Do do you ever kind of ch your sleep, so you know what No, I haven't. I was going to buy one of those fitness rings Oh an aura. an aura or there's another one actually. Oh that it's called Zoop or something like that. It a human or something. I I feel it again. It's one of those things. it's nice to be aware of steps and sleep and what's going on a bit. Because you're doing it so much, it would be really fascinating just to kind of see As soon as it's one of those things you never think you would get into it. And then as soon as you have any kind of like stats about your sleep. Yeah it's really interesting because you're like, Ohh wow, I'm dreaming a lot or you know I'm not drinking at the minute and you really notice how much better you s sleep. Yeah yeah. then The annoying thing is sometimes you need the stats to convince yourself that you've slept Yes, I understand're like, I didn'tle very well, and then you look at your phone and you go, No, I did. That's good. And I'm better for it. But ye And then sometimes I feelelt like we werere all obsessed, aren't we with stats. and is it a good thing? Yeah Is it a good thing that we know everything about everything? Do you have a hamet I Haven't got a hamet?. Presumably for a professional napper. Yeah, hamet would be great in the garden actually. I have looked at them. I' looked just don't know where to put it. and also the hay fever thing is off c. Being outside for a couple of hours is not great. Do you It's sofa for me lounge. Always a blanket. Yeah ly Is there a specific thing you'd have on Telly as you fall as? I'd have something like a snooker that kind of low calm greatreat to Napo sn come Iish an a brilliant thing The next thing is one of the most important things in my life and that is mayonnaise. I've comeone for mayonnaise because I don't think there's a better condiment. Wow Okay. u Fine. What what is What would you have mayonnaise with I suppose my favourite thing would be kind of breaded chicken Oh, kind of a you know, Schitzo or Millanisey where you have breaded veal? Yeah, yeah salads and wedges Ill have a pizza and I'll have mayonnaise with a pizza. Yeah I never have mayonnaise with a roast or anything like I'm not mad.. But I just love mayonnaise, a burger with mayonnaise, chips, mayonnaise I think I could look like cate Mus if I didn't like ro mayonnaise. But what is I think so. But what is the and will you see any other suces? W you? Yeah, no, I don't. I enjoy lots of sources, but when given the question are I five things mayayonnaise is a staple thing. So you would definitely you would choose mayo over tomato sauce. It a hundred percent Even for a chip is it d? Yes, al You youiew at QP Hm What'suing?'ve just done that, don't know? that's Japese one they' Japan. But M markxs at the moment. It's been around for a long time. It's just starting to get in all the sheelves here. it's this kind of thicker, more yellowy mayayonnaise. It's very very.s veryy good. Is that a bit of you? Yeah, yeah. It's very, very good. Are you a helllman's girl? I can go anywhere really But I like the sort of, you know, the like the full fat or do you like full fat and I kind of like the, you know, three ingredient only. It's nice to know what's in there. What are the ingredients? So you've got egg yolks. Egg yolks, vinegar I to forgot. And just olive oil, isn't it? That's it And that's it. Yeah. And some are made with avocado oil or what have you. Yeah yeah and that is shocking actually that I don't I should make my own. And that's something it's so easing it' something I don't do. that's laziness. I I'd like to make my own. I love cooking so I should do that really. It's appalling that I don't. Yeah, but it it's kind of it's Is something It's been perfected and now it sits in your fridge, it's fine. Sould keep it in your fridge? Y way. Yeah of course. These animals that keep your sauces in the cupboard. It's wriild, isn't it? It's unbelievable. Be there's no sauce in the cupboard. wasn' once open But there's not something quite nice about cold sauce with a hot chip, for example, it's that kind of lovely. And A your kids into mayo much? Really? Hate it. You feella? Noope, Mark's not really bothered, notot massive. This' be quite good about that actually it means that no one's getting their fingers into. Yeah I know the bottle. Yeah. I know that I'm the only one really using it, so I can't run out. I never go to the fridge at at all. Exact. Like the ketchup might be empty, you know I guess that's one of the benefits about being a Maholic that you know nobody else is getting near it because that would kill you. Imagine that if everyone else was D deeply into mayonnaise. That'd be hard. And you were like open the fridge. It's Liz's Nicke. Yeah ooy isn't it? Back against the wall,ould you have salad cream. No, it's f it's I like don I like saling't No no, I like it, but I wouldn't choose it. You know food food. I'll eat any I'll give you any lovely. I like any sweet sauce, chili sauces I'll try anything. Yeah, but I have to, you know, if mayonnaise isn't there certain things like your roast chicken or What's what is the difference between salad cream and mayo? Oh, it's a massive difference. just No there is yeah, I mean it's much more sour But what's the frav? I can't remember. Is it it's more pinkly th now? Yeah, it feels like there's a lot more vinegar Yeah We're about to find out It's got more sugar in it. more sugar mustard. Yeah Mard. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. feels completely unknown outside the UK. Talk to anyone outide the UK about it. they don't know. It also feels it feels a very eighties sauce. It just doesn't seem to exist anymore. Like in the way that like at a family barbecue in the eighties, it was there. Oh, I've got one One's in the fridge? Really? Yeah, because my nephew Jackie likes it Yeah,'s please everyone. It's a horrible name. salad cream H Yeah. Mayonnaise is romantic. And why What is French? I remember itainans Sallu Cram. Yeah, right. CQam was so of get isn't that? Yeah. I had to know very East Endest condiment It does feel a lot. It does a bit. ye No I don't know. I I mean, listen, it's yours to put it in. I don't mind mayonnaise, but I like it as a little I am If I had to choose I would be a tomato sauce guy. above it. Yeah, yeah. mix the two in What would be your dream food to have with it? L you said is it a sh? It would be some yeah, it would be a lovely chicken breaded chicken with some wedges and a nice salad. That for me is perfect. And you said you're a foodie? Yes. Do you like You like cooking for others or do you like being cooked for Both Yeah I like both I love going to restaurants, love being cooked for I'm not really bothered though, about going to sort of if we go into somewhere abg standard, I'd rather be at home. I'd rather cook myself So and then if you're going somewhere Wh you can't cook what you're getting. Yes It where I like to go. Yeah my wife's graam was the same as that.. Yeah. We went out for a meal and they offered bread at the beginning of the meal and she went, No, thank you, L, I can have bread at home. And she didn't see the point off having food out that she could eat in. I kind of get it. I do too. Yeah. It something very you kind of go, you know, she's right actually. like What is the point of having food that, you know, I completely agree with you. But it meant you had to eat it just using her ans. That was the only der. But Jon, it was like I liked it. I liked the spirit of it What would be your um You're kind of dream mal for somebody or to have cooked for you. So I would go roast dinner all the time. My Sunday roast is my favourite thing. start really early. Id just love a Sunday for that. Yes. another rason really well this The summer is annoying Be I feel like doing a proper roast. who wants a roast on it? You be want a barbecue, don't you? want you want the salad, you want the stuff.. But for me, that whole Sunday There's a bit of a religion in my house where it's peeling, prepping, sorting out the gravy, you know, all of that and for people to come over and have that roast dinner, I would never ever go to a pub for a roast dinner Really? No I would never eat it. I'd go to the pub on a Sunday, but I would never eat it roasting it out. Isn't that interesting? Just so and is that you'd have all your family over? Yeah family would come over. Yeah great. Yeah, they'd all come over orr just us, you know, it doesn't matter. I will always do that's under. You a chicken, your beef, you All of it Not massive on lamb I don't really like a leeg of lm So I would imagine then, given that your ability with a Sunday roast, I bet you cook a Cracking Christmas dinner I do. Yeah. I think yeah, look at that. it was inst For somebody that feels very self effacing. actually confidence there. Yeahah. Yeah, there's deep confidence. You know what you're doing. Yeah. Yeah. And are you Are you a multiple meat girl or are you just having your turkey? large usually a huge turkey and So we have a cu of beef? No, then boxingough would be like a rip of beef or something No, always always turkey on Christmas Day. And do you cook or does your mum cook No, I lost my mum. was well, I was nineteen at the time. so it's been a long timeh. I'm really sorry I didn't. Oh don't be stupid. Yes, so own my dad. my dad went five years ago because he lived with me and I cared for him up to the end. So now I'm very comfortable about talking about these things. So yeah, I suppose in terms of family I've taken over that patteron Yes, and I have done for a very long time. And do you have brothers and sisters? So I've got two brothers, Tony and David. Tony is on the pod with me. he's a builder and Tony talks episodes so we have a little chat So I have Tony and I have David as well, but they're fifteen and eighteen years older than me Right. So again, both David loves to cook Yeah but I think being the woman Yeah My house is kind of the heart, the hub of the family. Yeah And people come to me which I love. Yeah. ye But yeah, I was going to say you have really you have very maternal energy. Oh bless you. Yeah. Yeah, well yeah, I do. I love looking after people. Yeah. I've definitely you Yeah, I don't know, it's kind of coming off you in spades. Oh. I would like I've got a problem this year though. You got a problem. A little problem. It's a lovely problem to have. But I've decided to do Panto. Okay. for the first time in about years Right. So the problem you're referring to is Christmas. Christmas Dinner. Okay. So I'm not gonna I'm gonna let other people help me. Where are you doing the panto Dunstable o which is driveable for from me. otherwise I wouldn't have done it. Yeah, I was going to say. So I'm going gonna get home. It's quite a night actually, lovely little shed joint. It's not too arduous. Great But yeah I'm playing Wickki Queen But but Christmas is going to be very different because you're working and you're busy, you know and So it'll be interesting to see what we do because Christmas is going to be very different, but I'm looking forward to it. Oh no, you're not. Oh. Very good. I'm friends with Brian Connolly. love. You like him man. Yeah, he's a force of nature inn't. He's fantastic. He is a. He played Sona's fake dad. And we work together for two years? Yeah. He's great. But he loves a Panto. Oh, he's amazing. He's the king of Pantom. I saw him at South E. He's absolutely amazing. Well it's his show, isn't it? The whole thing is him? He kind of he writes them E. He kind of changed everything around yeah, but he's Absolutely amazing. yeah. But he can't speak highly enough of pantomimes and the kind of Well, it's an art form and I think it's looked down upon And everyone sort of thinks it but it's, you know, really making a comeback and I think it's very important for kids, especially. I remember that being my first theatrical experience So if you have a nice time, you're gonna enjoy the art. it's very important. I think also for like working class families Yeah, it's always going to be the entry point for kids D defeinitely too theatre, isn't it? Do you know what I mean? Of course you're not gonna go Let's go to the national I' was just gonna to say I just popp down to the Oivia Yeah. You're going to do it, areureopar presresumably did you have that feeling when you watched Panama for the first time of going, o I would like to do this. No, not I don't think so I just remember going to Saddler's wells And again, I was very, very young, but I might have even been in E standenders by then. Really? You know, at ten or what have you? I don't know if we went before We' were a family that went out a lot. So where did the Because you know, a ten to land such a big role. Yeah. you when did the kind of love of acting start? Aain, it didn't really. It just went along to this club went to an a show and it was kind of a pound for two hours after school. my mate went Yeah and I went and I first is quite And I just did my thing and Anna was really lovely and She thought I had a bit of comic time and what have you. said she put me forward for the Eenders thing And that was it I can't say to you that o, I loved it, you know It's amazing I wanted to act all the time. It wasn't the case. But the usual, I did the main part in the school play. I played a B called But Bessse and a diser weird beef thing and enjoyed that. And then I got a little part in at the Royal Shakespeare Company playing a little urching and that was throughout our summer when I was nine. The Beggars Up Pro is called by John Gay was very posh, but I played little lurchin Yeah, so weirdly it did come to me all of these little jobs, but it was never kind of a dream. It just sort of happened You're really grounded, aren't you? Yeah Given that you've been famous. not mad famous for so long. What are you attributing I think of family that aren't within the business. Yeah. I've never had anyone push me into I've never had a desperate need to be famous. so I've often found not not won't mention any names and I'm not I am generalizing here, but I find that if you find somebody who say I don't know fourteen, fifteen, sixteen are desperate to be famous or they go to a stage sc and they want to be famous. They want to be when they do get it That's really hard, I think because that's all they've wanted. So the kind of delusions of grandeur can step in. Yeah ye. Wh for me it's always just been a job, you know my brothers are an amazing hadad an amazing career in a bank. fantastic, veryy proud of him. My brother was aQS and now he'sah got his own building company. Everybody in my family, all my nieces and nephews do really, really well. O's in fashion, one's done recruitment. you know, the other I've got a niece who went to Cambridge and got a first in music and nowced does lore and I'm like a shit one compared to all my family members. so You know, it's just jobs, isn't it? It's very obvious listening to you that you care and are interested about other people Oh, absolutely. yeah, of course. Yeah Yeah. but not absolutely. And that's what I mean because not everyone is. No. Iticularly makes a good act todayough, right show an interest in other people means that you're actively watching what other people are doing and how they behave and how they react. Yeah, I mean that's a really interesting point as well because I hate saying this because it put me out of work, but I u When people say, Oh when are you going to act again? Obviously I'm doing the panti. but since leaving Eastenders, I've not been there for fifteen months now I do really enjoy being myself And I've done my documentaries out at the moment, caring together went back to school and I did a health and social care You know, level three And that was amazing because as you said, I love talking to people, I in care homes, talking to nurses. just absolute it was brilliant. So When people say about acting, I think I love I do love it But it's only because that's all I've done What was the documentary about? It was about caring and I went back to school for the first time. Obviously, I left school at sixteen In E standnder since ten I did what I needed to do, but then at sixteen because you didn't have to stay in education at that point until eighteen right now.. And I just had my full time job. I was Sa and carried on. So education when it went out the window And was the caring did the caring documentary come F looking after your dad. Yeah, from looking after my dad. and also my nan lived with me all my life So yeah, I've just been around that I've got a paunch on for elderly care. Yes. But this was Yeah, it was a very nice thing to do because it started from birth up to palliative care And I loved all of it. What did you learn I learnt so much. I'll tell you about the first thing I learned is that I really hope people watch it and realize it collologges are really nice. and they can be really good places because I think there's a lot of pressure put on people who get to Uni and they see college as a fail. and actually they're wonderful places with great opportunity for people that aren't getting those straight lines. You know, it doesn't matter. there's places for everybody. Yeah, absolutely. ye. And in terms of It's just anybody within care The level of empathy that I have is just mine but no wonder It is the way it is. ye. They're not doing they're never doing it for money. Absolutely. It's a real calling, isn't it? when you see people Um, and if you've been in a situation where you access to that skill, you realize that everyone along the chain that they are so perfectly placed because that's You know, you meet somebody, you meet a nurse or you meet a midwife or youet somebody and they're so They couldn't be more perfect. Everything about them from their face to their body, their're just it feels like they were created to Um, put their hand on the back of somebody else. Yeah ny isn't? It's really funny. And I guess that can be nurtured, but it probably can't be taught. I don't think it can taught. Funny, isn't it? It' sitting in a classroom With seventeen year olds And again old may forty two, you know, last year I started this thought I feel I like my right old bag coming into just these incredible teenagers One of the girls Tilly, seventeen She'd been a home carer for her m mom. Her mum had MS and she was paralyysed from the neck down. So she'd been caring for home since she was four Y she wants to go into, It's wild, isn't it? So I think if you have been a part of it, you want you've watched people help you throughout your life. peopleeople come into your home how important it is. So a lot of people with lived experience go into that sector It It's amazing. I find those I find those young carers they're so inspirational and But again, they know nothing else. So there's no They're just j about it. They're just like, well, that's the it is. So there's various charities as well that give them respite I'm telling that's my next when you said what have you learnt?, the amount of charities that I've seen throughout this series and that we highlight, thank God. The volunteer, I mean One thing going into the care set, you think well that's amazing. than the volunteers There's just no words for what you say. Yeah. It's incredible. It's really and it's It's really good to do documentaries about things like this because I think in a sort of an age of nationalism and jingoism. Yeah that where were we're having sort of ideas fostered upon us of like this is what it means to be British and blah blah, blah very often quite divisive things thingsings like Yeah. H.h It is such a unifying thing When you see it or you've been lucky enough to receive it, that you realize that transcends race anything sex and anything everything goes out of the window. Yeah, because you realize The importance of seeing somebody look after someone you love. Yeah. It's extraordinary. I completely agree with you. And I think people are watching it And they're going they come away from it and I'm getting messages or whatever, you know, And they're just saying, o There is good in the world Yeah it's just quite a nice thing to watch R Absolutely. It's really slow. it's not sexy, it's not glamorous. It's very real. P are That was really nice. Everyone's doing a good job. Yeah Oh that nice. Well, and it's I guess the thing is is that It's not an Like you say, it's not an easy to sell because there isn't kind of like murk and horror and it's just It's very, very Well, it's BBC daytime, right? So you know, it' just is what it is, but it's going down really well and I'm really pleased. G It's very me. I'm pleased that we got to make it.es because again, there's no egos, there's no heirs or graces, it's just Meeting really good people. Yeah great Starting or growing your own business can be intimidating and lonely at times. 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The prriceline app. It's got hotel deals, flight deals, rental car deals, all of those deals in a bundle, deals, game day deals, concert trip deals. No one deals more deals than priceline Bold your horses, there's more. The app let you filter hotels by neighborhood, vibe, star level, and amenities, like pools and spas and beachfronts. Wait, I'm not done. Stop cutting me off. I slide What is your next brilliant thing The next brilliant thing but I love Instagram for many reasons. I think that we can be really down on social media. but as I'm talking now as an adult, me using it because I do have my qualms about kid choos it, I hate it. But for me, my daughter has Instagram now, obviously she'll be sixteen in. September She didn't have a phone at all until she was in year eight of secondary school which was very, very hard to do hard task. U I think we're all addicted to our phones We have to be Because it's very, very difficult not to be because everything's on there, right? Not just social media, we're booking holidays, we're paying bills, we're talking to people emailing all the time. But I've found that memes, kind of funny memes, mother and daughter memes. What's a mother and daughter? So for instance, there'll be, I knew you're going to say this I'm trying to think of something for you. So they'll be they'll be like a frog with a headband on sort of sat on a bed And then it will say you know, when your mum tells you to clean your room again. Just really silly, silly things. Y. And I'll send that over to my Elliizah, you know, I'll send it over And it's just lovely. It just forms that kind of little cool bond. Yes. withithout being too deep or getting into things, I feel like it really connects us because we're just Laughter is the best thing, right? as you well know. Yeah. So it makes us laugh or I say I've just pissed myself with what you've sent me on. And I think those little memes can be really positive to create little bonds between people.. And I find myself sat to see you rolling up U maimes and just like maimes. Yeah, yeah. I'm not a scroller, I don't doom scroll for long But if I see a funny meme, I can be there for a good half an hour trying to find the next funny one Well, you're right though, isn't it? It's kind of like those little kind of trinkets then used in sort of family whats out groups like this is like Uncle Tony or this is my daughter, whatever it may be. Yeah That's definitely a wonderful thing. I think so. It just connects people. and I do think we have to remember the positives of things. Yes, yes. , you seem a very positive person Again, where do you think that comes from I don't know. I' I'm a Torian Well I'm a very grounded person. What' about that I'm just very glass half full. Yeah. J againain, I think it's easy for me to sit here and be positive I've had work since I was ten years old. I don't have to worry about money or anything like that. I've been very, very lucky And then when I say that people go, I know, but you did lose mum when you were nineteen and you ha' think got your dad anymore. You know, there are certain things like, Oh yeah, no that's true. So we all get certain things in life, don't we But I just think you have to be positive Okay, it's quite niche thing, isn't it? It's quite sorry. it's a bit of a cliche, but genuinely, you know, you think there were so many people worse off than you. Yes You know, people are ill, people haven't got a lot more going on, you know, how can you not be positive what is your most used meme do you think probablyroably a funny one to my daughter in which there's a I don't know, monkey or something, lay on a bed. so the monkey's alive on the bed. and then Mummy monkey comes in and puts all of her clothes down on the bed and it's like when your mum's just washed all and I and your clothes. Yes. Mum walks out and then the monkey justrow knocks them off the bed.. That because that happens on a regular basis in my house. I don't know why I bother fold up the cl. I don't know why I just don't take them up to and just chuck them at her Yeah because they end up on the floor The there's one I saw the other day it was it's a video not a meme. Yeah. but it and it's that nice feeling when you send it I send it to my wife knowing certainty that she would enjoy it. Yeah. And it was dogs reacting to the word walk And it's probably about twelve of them and it's just. you know when you just go There's I know I've hit the bull's eye here V good. that's what's exciting. It's when someone's made the perfect cake for you and you get to go I willll have that cake. Yeah I' will give that cake to somebody else. Yeah, that's excellent. It's very good. It's funny This is what phones are used for. What Natie is saying before about phones being a force for good. All we hear about is bullying and trolling and things like that. which do happen. Of course. But I remember we were writing a thing for the show This a couple of years back and we looked into what the most scent emojis are in the world and the heart, hart eyes, kisses, these outrank everything else by far. like the most traffic is people sending love and things to make people feel well And so there's a lot of good happens through that. Yeah, like se in the memes that you're talking about No, I completely agree. Do you have any have you done any research into memes then? No very hard to research them. They're just a foralce for good and they're so individual. One thing someone finds funny, another one doesn't, but it's just that It's like the grease that makes everyone days feel fun Yes.one shitty bits of their day. and it's just lovely to get a picture of a dog reacting to the word walk. Now here Here, Natie is a good question if I do so so myself. Are you a meme I'm ame. I was going gonna say a lot of memes you've been acting since you were ten, you must have pulled various faces. There's loads of memes with me. They do a lot of What Sonya are you today? They'll be one to ten. I mean there's ten Sonyas. Yeah. sad, happy, absolutely grief stricken, exhausted, you know Have this great. Have you ever used any of those Sona memes All my family The family with stuff, ye. That's so funny. Usually the best one is Morgana, lovely Morgana Robinson, when she pretended to be me and her one is regularly on the family chat where it's the Iye roll and the. That'm so funny. Just doing this now. Yeah What a great thing that must be for your brothers. What ammunition? you know what I mean? so lovely Is it the final one now? ere is the final one?ight? What is this? So that we could have sort of yeah, if we're covering so much I could have come up with something ' great a little bit better, but yeah, I would say cookbooks, Russell. Yes I probably own over one hundred and fifty cookbooks. U I just think there' really lovely things to p like just beautiful things I don't cook out of them enough. But I feel that they hold such potential. They hold such potential. and I feel that when the children are, you know, when I haven't got the children within my care and I'm rushing around and I'm being with them all the time I can picture myself spending days in the kitchen cooking. Okay, great. Yeah. radio on.. What's your radio choice? Oh, depends really. I'll beC in the morning at James O' Ryan I like a little bit BBC radio too on a Saturday. Radio turn in the afternoon, a bit of radio four, a little bit of gardener's questionsight all it depends, really. Yeah I am quite it depends The podcast? Yeah. What Do you have a favorite cookbook Nigel Slater's Christmas Chronicles is my favorite Beautifully written I love Nigel Slade. When do you stop thumbing through that? Oh I could do it any day. Yeahah. Ites doesn't matter. Yeah. I mean, it is weird when it's baking baking. But I can pick that up anyim. In fact, all of his kitchen diaries are spectacular So you you striss you've read them. Oh yeah, well they are, but he is, you know, a real writer. It's not just recipes, it's written beautifully. I Highly recommend to anyone. That's interesting. Really lovely to pick up and read as a book At the moment, I'm reading Stany Tuch's Taste. Yes. That's a fantastic autobiography, but again, it's filled with recipes and food and it's brilliant, yeah. Have you ever done any cooker shows you say? I did cooking with the stars last year and I won it. Of course ye. So that was excellent any of the bake offs I did doub did celebrity Bakeoff Christmas special The year before last That's horrendous. It's hard' it. You really pressure. It's a lot of pressure in that tent, especially when it's again thirty eight degrees in August with your Christmas jump on, is too much for me. Yeah ye Who did you do it with? Why has that person got aay fever?? So I stat together that's weird. Who did you do it with was it was an East Enders soap special. Okay So it was made in Gaffne, lovely Sobne Galati. Yeah, sort of a real mix of all the soapies. You back yourself to beat Gaffney, weren't you? Oh, yeah, no I did,t. He did well though. Did did well Gaffers, yeah. he did. Yeah It't stuck me as a baker He gave it a go. Did he? Yeah Yeah, and I was dreadful when I did it just. I just made loads and loads of gingerbread and ye. Yeah, it was I loved it though. I love being in the tent. suuper fan of any again, I watch all the cooking shows. sort of my favourite thing to watch. Do you Do you look at internet recipes? Sometimes yeah. Yeah Because I know what you mean, though, there's something we've got loads of recipe books in our house Yeah. But now increasly when I cook I would go online. Yeah, I try I agree I do do that But I will stop myself and go and get five books I have a flick through what we're going to do. Y. I try and do that. Yeah, I think the idea of doing that is It's so funny with all my kind of cookbooks, they're all kind of thumbed or I'll go yeah, I'm gonna to cook them. Yeah ye, yeah, yeah me too. And then just not never got around to it. I know what you mean. It's funny, isn't it? There's lovely books about. I don't think Jamie O' have a books she can't beat. Yeah, they're pretty. They are really good, simple Yep. I think they're brilliant. thoseose seven ways like they're really really handy. I also like and I can't remember the I can't remember the chef's name, which she's awful but the roasting tin You got those The roasting tin so it's all just one in one place you know One tins or meals, they're really good Um But yeah, I've got bundles. and I suppose Mrs. Beatons was my mum's. That's very special. And then you have a book called The Cookery Year. Wh that's a nice ones. So The cookery cook in spring, much cooker. Yeah, but it's very, very old, but that was my momum's and I've got that as well. So they're special ones. This is beaten only twenty seven when she died W imagine being being this old woman, don't you? But she was That's really funny. Yeah, it just feels like a very old no world, doesnn't it? O syphilis as well. Wow. So you know What a life? Latio Gosh. So I've taken a different turn No, no, but that is really interesting. I thought she would be in her eighties or something for you. That's very funny. And syphilis. Yeah. Wowsers Isn't that and presumably not sexy in anyay. And yet I imagine Ngel and Lawson, no syphilis. and Do we know that? We don't know don't know we don't know No Do you know what's really good codobbook? I've got. DaviS Smith's cheat. I haven't got the cheat. I've got a lot of deelia Delia's Christmas book. I always do a Christmas deelia pudding. I do. Christmas pudding is That cheap one is fantastic because it's all it's basically you know, if you want to Cook something nice but make it really qu quick And it's very rare to have somebody like who' genuinely a good cook kind of go Yeahah, just c the corners do Yeah. Yeah that good There's something and the recipes are decent. There's it's a West African Peanut stew in there. It is delicious. Sounds good. kind ofright weirdly spicy, but kind of pan. kindind of thicky. it sounds a bit like a masamang, that kind of texture that sort of heavy. Great Yeah. it's reallyound good. O most frustrated I cooked it Fipper, this is delicious. My wife just J not it. didn't This is not her It's not her styl of spoice. heartbreaking. could she not have lied? She couldn't like it but she's funny, but't whyy is it up can put a few in the phrase for yourself though when she's not around? Well, this is it Yeah. Be then you can enjoy it can't you? But she we' got very different so Indian spies h I love she's not keen on, but yet she could have kind of like Wabi or buuffalo Buffalo's spice L far F hotter than I can have. It's really interesting.ike how can you have that and yet not go above a corner I' kind of interested in the way people react to spices. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Are you a spicy person? Yeah I am ye. What would be your currier choice? It's a hard one And do you cook them at home I was with the wonderful Tony Singh when I did Cooking with the Stars.ice And so everything was Indian, all the spicices And his flavourors were so amazing. So yeah, I've really learnt about herbs and spices and marinades. It was excellent. so I can now cook Excellent sort of curry. Okay dolls and. Really Yeahah, I can cook a good curry. G good dll works, don't it? Oh it's lovely. Chicken biryani with a good dll. I love a dll. againain I know it's a bit like the picky bit, you see So if I do an Indian I want some pakoras, I want a doll I want some awka lady fingers. Tarly. I want bits. Yeah Tarly and the vegetable tari was one of the first things that I cooked on Cooking with the Stars and it was a storm. Yeah, with you know, I did lots of different little bitits and pieces. So you could cook a pakora. Look at that. L again. Yeah I would't know it in usingsing the right bits and pieces. I'd have to have a little look at the Tony's emails because he sent me all the recipes so I can do them again. But yeah, I will be doing that soon because Mark said you have you did that program ke practicing and we had the best food. Where's all that gone now? And I saw Tony at Saturday Kitchen the other week and I said, please send me all the recipes, marks, you know wantanting some more food and he did bless him. So yeah, I need to get back on ending trail of cooking because it's great. Isn't Saturday Kitchen one of the greatest shows in the world? The shown in world? Honestly. Hmered by half eleven. It's so but it's one of those things as well. It's so thatpart. But it's such a weird privilege And it's not something you can share with everybody because so few people who live in this country get to do it. Yeah. Honestly, you get to do a show where you have like three insane dishes cooked for you by incredible chef then it's thiss wine pairings for a guy that knows everything about wine and then they get you then What's your favorite food ever and we'll just make it for you on top of that Be you never get hell. like It's the Oh my. It's a great show today do. so much. And it's such a love lovely P people that run it and everything just everyone's really friendly there. It's lovely It's lovely. Yeah. Teberton Mad, but I love it. Mad is fuck, but lovely. really good energy. Yeah. Yeah, it's I love. I love doing it so much. There's that weird thing. I would never watch it. it's not been being disparraaging. I just I' normally doing stuff on a Saturday., I know what you mean. When I do it It's a great show. It's a happy place. Okay, and do you have other cookery books you're looking forward to to buy? Do you get loads at Christmas? Is that like a that must be an easy Christmas gift for you? Yeah, Yes, it is. I think cocktail books are kind of the history of gin or Yeah, I do get quite a lot of sort food and drink books, but I could never have enough. I really couldn't. I love it You left school at sixteen Yes. But you clearly are interested like in lots of things. I am a bit of an auto diad act. I was thinking that then because it was just like even like that the history of Je, you just you Yeah, I wouldn't sound brilliant you know, Jack of Alltres Master of None. I'm interested in lots of different things. but yeah I am I'm a very My mind is open. Yeah. So people when up People are like, what did you do today? I So I went to the tate and I whichich mument I love art,'m not saying I'm brilliant at it, but that's my favourite day. if I've dropped the kids to school You know, for me to get on a train on my own He nice coffee go to the tate, wander around on my own, you'll go and see a little exhibition somewhere. haveave lunch on my own in somewhere really nice That for me is sort of a real treat. I'm very happy. you know, I'm confident enough to do that on my own. Yeah What does your partner do Mark's cameraman. Is he? Yeah I met money spenders. Nice Sorry I'm across the Vic you know, across the The beer pumps? Yeah. Oh he's quite handsome and with all due respect, come on you know well as I do, you know, the TV cameraman can be a little bit older maybe, a little bit ropey looking shouldould we say, loveove you all, brother. I love you all. Yeah. But yeah, he' true. He stuck stuck out like a sore thumb, I thought whoo is he? Yeah And me being as confident as I am, obviously said hello and we got talking and We hit off straight away immediately. So it's brilliant. We've been together now for over twelve years. Nice. 's And you know it's love because he's seen you fucking sleep Absolutely he's walked into the honestly he's walked into the grain rail Absly, exactly. Yeah That's it now. There's nothing to hide. And so at least your fiance when you get married? I don't know. We don't know. It's the freelance life, isn't it? It's just sorting it out Yeah, but for me I would You're not working in the East then. No, I know that we can do it now.. It's a lot of money as well, onn it? It' children, there's more to buy, you want to go on holiday. So actually we get married a want a really nice holiday this year. That isue everything. Well, what you could do is you could have the holiday you could have the wedding abroad Yes, but then I think that's a lot for people. It is. It's a lot for people. Presents, flights, outfits. It's a good day though. It's what I would say. It's kind of D You won't mind me saying but you got married when your kids were slightly older Yeah and it's a great day. We absolutely when I want to. And like you said the children are older and they really enjoy it. Yeah It's it's just a very, I don't know, I loved my wedding room and it's very nice to be in a room and know with deep certainty that everyone loves you. Yeah. and that you love them. Do know what I mean? those It's kind of like what I do all the time. Well, yeah, interestingly. I don't really surround myself with anyone else Yeah, and but not everyone does and it's but it's quite Okay, you get to do what you do normally but you have a You have a dress? Yeah. I about that. Yeah. I that.. God, I really enjoyed that. lovely conversation, Nataly, lovely meet. So nice to see you. Ladies and gentlemen, the wonderful Nathy Casty. Thanks for having me What a lovely lady. Brilliant. You were right when you said she's so comfortable being herself. just. Yeah