In short
Delia Smith discusses her catchphrase “Let’s be havin’ you!” and how it became a viral football-fan chant. She also reflects on her meeting with husband Michael Wynne-Jones and her long-term involvement with Norwich City FC.
Guest backgrounds
Delia Smith is a highly successful cookery writer; Michael Wynne-Jones was deputy editor at the magazine where she landed her first cookery column.
Key claims
their bond grew from shared love of food; football’s value is its community; her catchphrase originated when she urged Norwich fans during a losing match against Man City.
Notable examples
she was given a microphone, forgot TV cameras, and the moment sparked widespread fan letters and even early press calls for FA disciplinary action.
Guests
Delia Smith (main guest).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VODelia's First Meeting with Michael
0:24 to 1:10
Discover the story of how Delia Smith met her husband and their shared passion for food.
“Our cast away today is one of our most popular and successful cookery writers Delia Smith.”
Passion for Football and a Viral Moment
1:10 to 2:26
Delve into Delia's love for football and the moment her catchphrase went viral.
“I know the club's about so much more than scores and a balance sheet for you what do you get back from your involvement?”
Impact of the Catchphrase
2:26 to 2:48
Explore the lasting impact of Delia's catchphrase and how fans still remember it.
“The first week there were people in the press saying I should be brought before a disciplinary committee at the FA.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:13Hi, it's Lauren Laverne and this is Desert Island Discs Postcards, a selection of some of our most memorable moments from the thousands of people we've cast away to our imaginary desert island. Our cast away today is one of our most popular and successful cookery writers Delia Smith. Back in 2023 she told me how she first met her husband Michael Wynne-Jones who was deputy editor at the magazine where she just landed her first cookery column. I used to deliver my handwritten copy and Michael used to put it into English. So was it love at first sight for the pair of you? No I don't think so but I mean it was obviously he liked food a lot and I liked food a lot and that was something that drew us together.
0:58Michael also introduced you to football I think which has been another great passion in your life and the two of you have been shareholders since 1996 in Norwich City FC investing heavily over the years I know the club's about so much more than scores and a balance sheet for you what do you get back from your involvement? What does it mean to you? Well I think first and foremost it's a beautiful game so it is a beautiful game it's irritating, it's disappointing you have pain, you have ecstasy. It's all those things. But I think one of the things that's so good about it now in this day and age is its community.
1:40And it's one of the few places where community really does thrive. You're a passionate fan, Delia, and the passion went viral in 2005 when you urged fans to get behind the team who were losing to Man City. I believe the phrase you used was, let's be having you. Tell me about that moment Well I was trying to get somebody to put it on the message board Come on you know where are you Because they were like church mice and we were losing And somebody just gave me the microphone and said say it And I forgot Laura and I just forgot that Sky were there Because you don't know they're there You know what I mean There's always cameras anyway And that's what happened And the moment went viral because people connected with your passion as a fan Yeah, I had letters from football supporters from one end of the country to the other.
2:30It was wonderful. The first week wasn't. The first week there were people in the press saying I should be brought before a disciplinary committee at the FA. Do people still come up and say it to you? Still. I go to weigh matches and they all call out, let's be having you Delia. It's lovely, I love it. Delia Smith on That Catchphrase. You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds. just search for Delia Smith Desert Island Discs.
From the publisher
The cookery writer Delia Smith was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2023.
She fell in love with her husband, the editor Michael Wynn-Jones, over a shared love of food and football and recalls how she came to be known for her catchphrase, "Let's be havin' you!"
You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.
