Stephen Mangan

0:00You know how everything's a subscription now? music, movies, even socks. I swear of it. To continue this ad, please upgrade to premium plus platinum. Uh, what? No, anyway, Blue Apron. This is a pay-per-listen ad. Please confirm your billing. Oh, that's annoying. At least with the new Blue Apron, there's no subscription needed. Get delicious meals delivered without the weekly plan. Wait, no subscription? Keep the flavor. Ditch the subscription. Get 20 % off your first two orders with code APRON20. Terms and conditions apply. Visit blueapron.com slash terms for more. The market's uncertain. revenues tied and hiring on hold that's why results driven companies are using upwork to keep work moving go to upwork.com today and start hiring proven freelance talent fast no bulky overhead no rigid long-term contracts just the right expert right when you need them work smarter and faster with upwork go to upwork.com now and find your freelance expert that's upwork.com Post a job for free and get started today.

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1:40OCD. I've lived with OCD my entire life, and people throw the term around like it's no big deal. But OCD is severe, often debilitating. It's a mental health condition that involves unrelented, unwanted thoughts that can make you question your character, your beliefs, even your safety. General therapy can help with some things, but for OCD, it can actually make things worse. That's why I want to tell you about NoCD. NoCD is the world's largest treatment provider for OCD and is covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans. Their licensed therapists specialize in ERP, the most effective treatment for OCD.

2:20If you think you might be struggling with OCD, go to NOCD.com to book a free 15-minute call. They are here to help.

2:34Hello and welcome to Table Mellors. I'm Jessie Ware and we have reached the final episode of Season 17. How are you, Mom? I'm okay, darling. you're cooking today yeah i'm a bit relaxed good had a nice weekend haven't we yeah we had a my youngest's fourth fourth birthday made an incredibly moist cake the cake was the moistest cake i've ever eaten i think um did you notice yesterday every sandwich and every piece of cake let's bring it back to you for a second shall we your sandwiches were incredible you do make an incredible finger sandwich. I don't know why I do that. They were bouncy, they were delicious.

3:13People were shoving two in at a time. It was amazing. Yeah. But look, the cake, that was a good recipe, wasn't it? Was it BBC Good Food? Yeah. It was just a quick, easy chocolate cake. It was great. And then my son requested whipped cream, well, cream and salted caramel. And I thought, God, you don't know how good you've got it, mate, but it was actually a really good combo. It was delicious. Anyway, so we did that. So I'm slightly fatigued. However, I did prep this food yesterday. We have the brilliant Stephen Mangan, who we've wanted for years to come on. I've got such a crush on him. I do too.

3:47I find him so attractive. Okay, we'll hold it down. I think I find Nathan attractive. Really? Yeah. Did you watch the split Barcelona? No, I think he was wrong, do you see, by Hannah. She always had one foot out the door. For people that don't know who Stephen Mangan is, where have you been? he's been in the Green Wing he plays in Noel Coward plays he's a very good presenter I've watched his two TV shows Fortune Hotel and Portrait Artist but you see I loved him on the confessional what's the confessional? it's on Radio 4 where you have to make two confessions that you've never confessed before what were his confessions?

4:29not him, he interviews people and they confess I'm going to ask him his confession now because no one's asked him that Stephen Mangan has been on your screens on the stages now also does game shows he's an author of children's books and his sister illustrated his children's book is it about the fart that changed the universe Stephen Mangan is coming on we've been on the Sunday brunch together twice really bizarrely he has got the best head of hair on a man that I've seen in a long time it is a mop I am in charge of the food it's been really hot in London so I decided to do a barbecue but I mean I'm cheating because I like my gas barbecue it's Thomasina Myers recipe that was in the Guardian it's lamb burgers that you do with ancho chili flakes you do with ground coriander cumin seeds and garlic I forgot to put rosemary in there but you kind of do that all in the pestle and mortar with onion and a bit of olive oil and you make lamb patty burgers and we're going to do them on the barbecue and then in ciabatta rolls with this delicious yogurt dip that's yogurt cottage cheese jalapenos garlic and mint so it's kind of fiery but deliciously minty it's really good and then you've got some chili jam so if you want a bit of sweetness to counteract it just it's going to be And gherkins and onions, delicious.

6:03And then just with a salad that I haven't made yet. Fabulous. And then you've made... That's Stephen Mangan. Dubai chocolate. I can't wait to try it. Well, I think... Have you tried it? No. I think that I should have made just two rather than making four. I didn't want it to be thick. But I think I should have put more filling in. But we'll just have a taste and see what it's like. Great. Stephen Mangan coming up on Table Manners.

6:45Stephen Mangan, thank you so much for coming on. My pleasure. You've just been for a run. Yeah, I've been for a run this morning. In a very blazing heat, I ran all the way up a hill and then down again the other side. Are you training for something? I do run a lot I ran the marathon a few weeks ago why that's two good responses one was ooh I'm sort of you know impressed and Lenny you were like why why because it's for which charity it's for no charity you selfish bastard you did it for yourself you selfish bastard I did donate money but I didn't do any sponsorship because I do a lot of those I do run I do about five or six a year and you can't ask people five or six times a year you can well I just write a check myself.

7:28All your fans would send, I'd have sent money in. I'm a fan, yeah. Really? Yeah, definitely. So how was the, because it was hot this year, right? Yeah, it was hot. How was it for you? It was great. It was great. I followed a pacer. So he. What do you mean? Well, so there's. Oh, you have someone running with you? At the start, there are people holding up signs saying three and a half hours, three hours 40, three hours 50. And you pick the time you want to finish in and they will run the race at exactly that pace. so you don't have to worry about am I going too quick am I going too slow um is that cheating no it's not cheating you're still running it they're not running it they're not carrying you it just makes you you know are they are they obviously like seasoned runners then they know how to do their run so they're doing marathons all the time yeah we run they can obviously run way quicker than the time they are you know doing the pacing for so I followed the three hour and You have to pay them?

8:21No, no, they're just provided by the, you know. The only trouble is, there's a gaggle of people who are following them and who will shove you out of the way to make sure that they stay close to their pacer. So I run a little bit in front of the pacer and keep looking over my shoulder to make sure I haven't disappeared into the distance. But I did that, I followed him and I stuck with him until about the last half a mile. And then you sprinted. And then I left him, gave him a dead leg and ran off. No, then I just dropped back and I was so hard. So what's your time? 3.56 and 22 seconds. Under four hours.

8:52Yeah. It's not bad for an old bloke. Is that every time? Do you get better and better each time? No, you don't. Last, no. I mean, I ran it when I was 30, way quicker. And then I ran it a couple of years ago, trying to show off to my children and, you know, be a good example about doing exercise. And, you know, it's never too late and you can do all these things. But I got so overexcited in the first half of the race. I basically limped. I walked the second half and they were waiting for me at mile 25 and I hobbled over to them, you know, supposed to be the big hero. I hobbled over to them, gave them a hug, started crying and hobbled off again.

9:27People seem to cry a lot when they run marathons. You cry a lot because you're... What is it? It's like having an emotional enema. Oh, okay. You literally, it destroys all your emotional defences. The first year I did it, you crossed the line. Remember they used to give you that silver foil blanket thing? I was like, the silver foil blanket. Were you trying to wipe your nose with it? Then they gave me a cheese sandwich. And I was like, cheese sandwich? I was so emotional about everything. Because you are just exhausted. How many have you done this year? I've done one marathon and about three half marathons.

9:58And how many have you done in your whole life? I've done not that many marathons. Only four marathons. But I want to do one every year now. That's the plan. Okay. How are you going to go and do Tokyo and Boston? I'd like that. I'd like that. Yeah, my friend does that. Really? And it's really fun. Yeah. Because you go on holiday too. Bit of a trip. Chicago's fun. Yes. New York's great New York Paris, Dublin Chicago's quite flat I think isn't it quite possibly because it's quite flat around that lake I'd do Amsterdam I'd do the flattest would you very flat too many temptations along the way unfortunately should we get you into doing it should we not I think it is too late for that congratulations thanks yeah I loved it I loved it so how long did you run for today an hour a little an hour a little cheeky 10k cheeky up and down no how many how many k I did about it was about 10 and a half k I'm so jealous of you it's great, it's hot today though and then do you feel you can eat everything you want that's the problem, I do eat everything I want and it's not good but you'd need to to be able to have the energy the danger bit is after you've been training for a marathon you've been running 5-6 times a week and then you do the marathon and then you can't run for a bit because your body needs a rest but you carry on eating the same amount that you were before that's the danger and you carb up You carb up, yeah.

11:15What was your meal the night before the marathon? Pasta, pasta, yeah. I had some pasta. How did I cook it? Maybe with a ragu, like a meat kind of something or other. I can't remember. Are you a good cook? No. Is your wife? Yeah, she's great. Right. Thank God for that. I know, she's really good. What did you have for breakfast today? What did I have for breakfast? I had a bowl of Greek yogurt with some blueberries and strawberries and some granola. And you ran 10K on that. Yeah, and I haven't anything else since. Oh my God, I'll get the burgers on. I'll get the burgers on. He's starving. Whilst I get them on, you can ask Stephen anything.

11:50Was it wonderful filming in Grenada? Yes. We've been. Have you? I don't need to ask about this. Have you? Have you? Did you take this gig just so you could go to the Grenada every year? Of course. Yeah. Okay, fine. I mean, what? How is that even a question? It's a gorgeous play. It's amazing. No, in fact, you know, the second series is, yeah, be out in August. Fortune Hotel. Fortune Hotel. So it's an ITV show. It's, yeah, there's ten pairs who all get a suitcase. One suitcase has a quarter of a million pounds in it. And they have to try and hang on to that case and not get the early checkout card, not be thrown out.

12:29It's a lot of fun. And we film the first series in Grenada, and then we film the second series in exactly the same place. But I think if it goes again, we'll go to other parts of the world. Fun. Yeah. Why, though? It's beautiful. Well, the thing is, you know, we do all those challenges. You know, we're on speedboats and yachts and they're running up hills. And you need different places. You need different places. You run out of... And is that place really called the Fortune Hotel? No. No, what's it called? It's called Silver Sands. That's right. Yeah. Where did you stay? Oh, God. We were in, like, a cheaper place.

13:00We were in a cheaper place. We stayed in, like, the main... not far from the airport. Right. And I stayed in two places. It was like an all-inclusive thing. We went with some friends and it was fun. But I can smell the spice when you land there. You can smell that cinnamon. It's the best. And the nutmeg. And the nutmeg. And it's just so delicious. And it's not very, has it got more spoiled? I don't think so. Because Georgetown was kind of very understated. Yeah. No, it's not flash or it's not, it doesn't have the big money players staying there. So it's not like some of those Caribbean, I mean, it's the only Caribbean island I've ever been to, so I've not...

13:39Oh, yeah. It's not somewhere I've ever gone or had aspirations to. It's kind of quite low-key, isn't it? Very low-key, very friendly, very relaxed. Yeah. Everyone we met was a treat, and we were there for a month. Did all the family come out? No. You were so mean. I know. What, you went during school term time? It was, well, I mean, I didn't arrange the timing of it, but it did fall during school term. And I have to say, the hardest work I did on that job was finding somewhere to FaceTime my wife that didn't have a rum shack or a palm tree behind me. To make her so jealous. I had to do a lot in cupboards.

14:14But, you know, we were working six days a week, 12 hours a day. We're not kind of... Very hard work. Yeah, very. Your warmth is lovely on it. Oh, thank you. Because it doesn't bring out... Those sort of games don't bring out the best of humanity, do they? Well, in some ways, I'm the worst person in the world to host something like that because I don't like people not getting on. And I don't like people being upset. And I don't like people being too confrontational. Yeah, wrong gig. It's the wrong gig because whenever anyone would be upset or start to get emotional, I would want to sort of make it okay.

14:47But, of course, that stuff makes really good television. Yeah, I know. So, you know, I have to sort of sometimes sit on my hands and let it unfold. It was well done and that was great. Well, you know, you get to know them well and you really want them to do well. You do. But did you have a favourite that you want to win? Yes. Oh, my goodness. Who is it? I can't say. No, I can't. I can't. I like the two girls from Wigan. Yes. They were at the cleaning company. It's really well cast, isn't it? Yeah. And when they're doing all their tasks, are you lying on the sunbed? No, it depends what the task is.

15:23I mean, often I'm on the beach as they're, you know. Tough, yeah. It's very warm and I'm trying not to sweat through, you know. That must be hard, yeah. That's basically my job, is not to look sweaty. Because you can't look too much like you're on holiday. No. You have to look like you're a host of a competition. You have to look like you're mean business of some sort. Who approached you to do it? Is it because you're so good at Portrait Artist of the Year? I love you on that. It was the guy who runs ITV, Kevin Ligo, who I knew back when I did Green Wing, he used to run the production company that made it.

15:57and I think he thought of me and sort of there was an approach yeah and I'm just always curious about stuff that are sort of things I haven't done I'm always up for trying something new um I've never done anything like that and you know as you said the fact that you spend a month in the Caribbean to film it doesn't in November which is not a month anyone goes oh it's an awful wait till November in Britain no no unless it's your birthday unless it's your birthday it's a pretty grim mum yeah it is a grim mum but how would you describe yourself steven are you an actor a tv host uh an author i describe you as cilla black cilla black yeah you do everything do you sing do i sing i do sing a bit yeah but not you know not kind of but you've just been in are you still in the theater at the moment no finished in april no i missed that yeah we did a play a three-hander Yeah.

16:49Nick Walker, Erin Doherty, playing about a thruple. A thruple. Oh, my God. How was that? Yeah. It was really good. Did you have any ideas? It didn't. I mean, you know, we had quite a few thruples coming to see it. Oh, really? Oh, yeah. They write in fan mail. They would come and tell us what we got right, which was quite a lot, apparently, and what we didn't get right. What did you get wrong? When you say we, you didn't write the thing. I didn't write it, no. I mean, it's about the idea that, you know, it's called unicorn because a single woman or a single person looking to join a pre-existing couple, they're called unicorns.

17:26Is that what they're called? They're called unicorns because they're quite rare. I didn't know that. And, you know, it's obviously not just about the sex. It's also about a long-term relationship. And we had people coming who'd been together in a three for 35 years. So peculiar. Yeah. We had three women and then we had two women and a bloke. I've heard there's fours and fives out there as well so they just meet different needs in relationships but was it hard because you were starring opposite your screen wife Nicola Walker who was Hannah from the split the BBC, how many series did we have like three three series and a special it was too few in my book and can I just tell you, I'm still in love with Nathan Are you?

18:15No, I went off him in Barcelona. Did you with the earring? Yeah, and I was like, no, Jessie, he was so wronged by Hannah. My husband has an earring, actually. But he has had it since he was 19. But he can probably pull it off in a way that Nathan just can't. Nathan couldn't. No way. I was so upset about the earring. I tried so hard to get the earring taken out. I was upset about your earlobe. They didn't actually pierce it. No, thank God. No. But that was another tough gig a month in Barcelona. Tell me that. I've had a really jammy year. Will there be another one? No, I think that's probably it.

18:47Playing opposite Nicola, you know, your on-screen wife. Yeah. And obviously the characters are different to Nathan and Hannah. Yeah. Was it hard to, I mean, you're actors, so possibly not, but to find a different rapport? Was that quite thrilling to do it with somebody that you've worked opposite? Yeah, because the stuff we're talking about and doing is so different. I mean there's a lot of the play had a lot of us each other telling what telling each other what we'd like to do to each other in bed which you couldn't imagine happening on the split it was quite racy at the play in places maybe this is what Hannah and Nathan needed a unicorn and also we had Erin Dockty who was so brilliant in adolescence wow isn't she fantastic and the crown she was fantastic great in the crown yeah so yeah a totally different sort of vibe but just great to work with someone I know that well because sometimes as an actor you're like Stephen meet Sarah, you and Sarah we're married for 15 years action, and you're like oh hello, nice to meet you and then you're trying to fake this intimacy whereas Nicola and I know each other really well.

19:52Before I feed you we just need to start at the beginning, who was around the dinner table where did you grow up and what were you eating? Okay, so we grew up in North London I grew up in the suburb, I mean I was born in Ponder's End which is near Edmonton okay um norman tebbit who just died was from ponders end and jesse wallace the three we're the three the only three i know about okay and then we moved from there when i was four to enfield my parents were irish they'd come over in the 60s um dad worked on the building sites mum worked in in bars had me they got married when their mum was 21 dad was 24 had me a year later and I got two younger sisters.

20:35So, yeah, there was the five of us, my Irish parents, and we'd sit the three women on one side and the two men on the other for some reason, which meant there was a little gap between me and Dad on the bench because there was a bench, three of them, and a bench, the two of us, and I would always be reading a book, all through meals, always. I'd always had my head in a book when I was a kid. God, I wish my kids had their heads in a book. I know, but it feels a bit rude to me, you know, sitting there at the table. But my understanding is you were the golden boy. because you were the only boy and you came from this Irish Catholic family and you were treated like a prince.

21:08I mean, a bit. I can't deny that. That is true. Yeah. Absolute prince. Yeah. How do I know? There's a lot of pressure with that as well. Yeah. There's a lot of pressure with that to succeed and achieve and not to muck up because you feel like letting everybody down because you're the one who's supposed to be, you know, getting things right. Yeah. And did you? I mean, you know, sometimes. Academically, I did all right. I got a scholarship to a posh boarding school. Why did you go to boarding school? My sisters went to the local state school. OK. And I got a scholarship to a boarding school. I wanted to go to a boarding school because I'd read too much Ena Blyton.

21:45OK. And I thought it was going to be really good fun. Was it a Catholic boarding school? No, it wasn't. What was it? It was a Church of England boarding school. You were allowed to go? Yeah, I know. I think Mum cried for a month when I left. What were you eating around the dinner table before you went to boarding school? Before I went to Bournemouth. So mum was a good cook. But we would have, in my memory, we had quite a sort of regular rota of dishes. Oh, the same thing every Monday? Yeah. Well, we'd always have a roast on Sunday. Which roast? Well, quite often beef. Oh. Because I think that was kind of seen as, you know, you sort of made it, if you were managing to buy beef.

22:22Well cooked or rare? Well, too well cooked for me and dad. We liked it, you know, barely, very pink. But my sisters wouldn't go for that. So I think they were pretty good, though. It wasn't sort of burnt to death. Yorkshire's? Yes, Yorkshire's, roast, veg, the whole shebang. Can your mum make a good roast? My mum made a fantastic roast. Dessert? Yes, there'd normally be some sort of, she'd make a crumble or an apple tart or, yeah, something like that. So she was a good cook? She was a good cook, a really good cook. And then Monday, we used to have this thing, and in my memory we had it every Monday, but it can't be true, called Victorian Diable, which was this leftover beef recipe that she'd come across.

23:09And I can't really remember what was in it, but I just remember the name, Victorian Diable. So something to do with the devil. Yeah. So is it spicy? Yeah, sort of. I don't really. It's some sort of grave sauce that went on the beef, and I didn't really like it. Okay. we used to have fish most Fridays. Yeah, you would. You would. We had what we called our favourite dinner. Our favourite dinner was a shepherd's pie. Was it? Yeah, a cottage pie. Cottage or shepherd. Cottage. So that's with beef. More beef. Yeah. So we'd have that. She always had a hole in the middle. The mash would have a hole. I don't know why.

23:44But forked the mash, put it in the grill at the end so it would get crispy on top. Yeah. But with a central hole for some reason. I don't know why. Okay. steak. I mean, quite a lot of beef now I'm thinking about it. Do you still eat a lot of meat? Well, my youngest, Jack, who's nine, is half boy, half meat. Half meat, yeah. It's all he eats is meat. So you have steak a lot? We're having it tonight. Are you? Yeah. Do you like it? I do, but we don't have it a lot because we obviously... Do you barbecue? I have a barbecue. I don't really barbecue, no. No? I should do tonight. Yeah, you should. Yeah, if you have a bit of steak, it'd be nice.

24:20Yeah, that's true. When you went to boarding school, what was the food like there? Horrendous. Horrendous. You'd also sit on these long tables with maybe 30 boys on them, long benches. Yeah. Like very, very Hogwarts, very kind of Harry Potter. And then the person at the end, the prefect, would dish out and you'd pass it down and down and down. And the youngest boys would sit at the far end. Yeah. So they got very little. Yeah. It was sort of saved for the big boys at the top. Where were you sitting? Well, I mean, obviously, as I moved through the school, it changed. Oh, thanks. But I hated boarding school.

24:50I hate the first two years. I was so miserable. Why didn't you leave? Because I couldn't tell my parents that I hated it because it had been my idea and they were upset. And they were proud you got a scholarship. Exactly. I didn't want to sort of make me a failure. I've listened to the confessional a lot. Oh, yeah. Did you ever do any of your own confessional? No. Tell me one.

25:12I love Marion Keys. Did you like that one? Wasn't that great? She said she has no sense of direction and someone asked her the way in Ireland and she wanted to show off. So she said, well, you go down there, you turn right, you turn left. She had no idea where she was sending them. And she said she thinks they're still travelling. It was terribly funny. So tell me one confession. OK, I don't know. I mean, when I was very young, Dad found a matchbox in the spare room with all the matches had been lit and put back into the box. so there was a big stewards inquiry about who had done it and we were all in a lot of trouble and the wooden spoon may have come out and I never cracked but it was me oh my god who got the spoon it's terrible isn't it I'm still guilty about that now we all did are you poor sisters do they know they do know now isn't that awful That is terrible.

26:15I know. You're looking at me in a very different way now. No, I'm not. Are you disappointed in me? No, I'm not disappointed. I'm thinking, how clever you are, really, to manage to get away with it. I mean, if I'd been a... Yeah. Did you... Where did you meet your wife? I met my wife. She was introduced to us by Michelle Gomez, who was in Greenwing. OK. Who played these sort of mad Scottish... I don't know what her job was in that. But Michelle knew Louise and we were at a Film 4 party. Yeah. Because Louise was in a Channel 4 show about nurses called No Angels. Oh, I remember that. You remember that?

26:54Yeah. She was one of the four nurses. And I was in a Channel 4 show about doctors called Greenwing at the same time. And Film 4 at a party, so all the Channel 4 people who were in shows at the time were invited. and we met in Leicester Square, in number one Leicester Square at the party. And that night was also the same night as the Comic Relief Party, so I was going on to the Comic Relief Thank You Party. Did you take her with? So I took Louise with. And that was it? Well, but I'd never got her details, so I had to do two or three months of detective work to try and get her number and eventually realised we'd been in the same film together, the lowest-grossing film in British history.

27:33Oh, OK. It made£94 at the British box office. Oh, my God. And we were both in it. It's called Offending Angels, and it starred Andrew Lincoln. Oh, I love him. Yeah, he's an old friend of mine. He's been a zombie for a long time. You can have two if you need. It was made for, you know, very little money. Okay, Mum, can I just say... What? Thank you. So this is like a jalapeno, yoghurt, a mint dressing that you're supposed to have with it. Right. Right. It's a Tom Messina Myers thing. And then also some chili jam. Pull that on the burger. Yeah, have a bit of that or dip, whatever you want. A bit of chili jam she recommends, radishes and avocados.

28:14So like fill your boots.

28:25The market's uncertain. Revenue's tied and hiring on hold. That's why results-driven companies are using Upwork to keep work moving. Go to Upwork.com today and start hiring proven freelance talent fast. No bulky overhead. No rigid long-term contracts. Just the right expert right when you need them. Work smarter and faster with Upwork. Go to Upwork.com now and find your freelance expert. That's U-P-W-O-R-K.com. Post a job for free and get started today. If you're a smoker or vapor ready to make a change, you really only need one good reason. But with Zinn Nicotine Pouches, you'll discover many good reasons.

29:05Zinn is America's number one nicotine pouch brand. Plus, Zinn offers a robust rewards program. There are lots of options when it comes to nicotine satisfaction. But there's only one Zinn. Check out Zinn.com slash find to find Zinn at a store near you. Warning, this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. There's the part of me that everyone sees. I'm Howie Mandel, the comedian. Apparently, I know what funny is. Funny bought me a house, but I also know what isn't funny. OCD. I've lived with OCD my entire life, and people throw the term around like it's no big deal. But OCD is severe, often debilitating.

29:45It's a mental health condition that involves unrelented, unwanted thoughts that can make you question your character, your beliefs, even your safety. General therapy can help with some things, but for OCD, it can actually make things worse. That's why I want to tell you about NoCD. NoCD is the world's largest treatment provider for OCD and is covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans. Their licensed therapists specialize in ERP, the most effective treatment for OCD. If you think you might be struggling with OCD, go to NOCD.com to book a free 15-minute call. They are here to help.

30:30That's great. Is it? Well, she's great. Absolutely gorgeous. Delicious. Oh, God, it is spicy. It's quite spicy, isn't it? I like spice. Are you not massively a spice fan? No. Sorry. Did you go to Wimbledon this year? No. I went, I was in the Royal Box about five or six years ago. And then before that, I was invited by Five Live. And they said, if you come, we'll give you tentacle tickets. But we just need to do an interview with you during the day. I was like, of course, that sounds great. so we got there Murray was playing that day I remember and about an hour into the play the producer came up to me and said we're really sorry but we had a look at the schedule and it's so packed I just don't think we're going to get to answer your interview I was like great, absolutely Pimms, champagne and then four hours later they came back and said we actually can fit you in if you want to come with me now how was that interview?

31:26I had to stagger up and I don't make any sense Needless to say, you haven't been invited back. What's your favourite sort of food besides steak? I mean, I'll eat anything. I love Japanese food at the moment. Oh, really? It's just so clean and, you know, tasty. Have you been to Japan? No, my son's going this summer. I'm really jealous. He's got a friend out there. So he's going for, you know, 10 days because his friend's half Japanese. On his own? Well, him and another mate are meeting. How old are they? 17. Oh, they're big boys. Yeah. That's exciting. That's really exciting. So I'll eat that Thai food, Italian, French.

32:07Yeah, I mean, almost anything. I mean, Ireland is not known for its cuisine, is it really? Not really. No. I'm Irish too. Oh, are you? You've got your passport. Yeah. Me too. Great, isn't it? I love it. Have you been to Ireland recently? I'm going in a couple of weeks. Apparently they always say when they look at your passport, welcome home. Do they? That's what Alex told me. You like that touch, don't you, Mum? Now, last supper, Stephen. Yeah. Starter, main, pud, drink of choice. Okay. I think I'd go for oysters to start with. Love an oyster with some champagne. Okay. Yeah. How are you having your oyster?

32:49Maybe some blinis with caviar on them. Okay. How many things am I allowed? Whatever you want. Right. I think some oysters, smaller ones. I prefer not too big, not like you're swallowing an arm muscle. Are you going for the vinaigrette or just lemon? Lemon, yeah. But with a champagne or with a puits Montrachet or something like that, some really nice white wine. Where's your most memorable oyster? That's a really good question, my most memorable oyster. I've had a lot of good oysters in Ireland. Oh, is that? Where do I get them? Yeah, Galway Bay and all around there. So they're very fresh. And my parents are from coastal villages, so there's a lot of seafood arriving in small boats.

33:39Oysters with Guinness is good. Oh. That's nice. A good Guinness. Yeah. But oysters are always fun because they're normally the start of a meal, so they've got this kind of celebratory, anticipatory feel to them, don't they? Do you like eating out? I would eat three meals a day out. Okay, so that's our starter. Yeah. Okay, main course. Main course. I'm going for the meal that I most enjoy having with my kids, which is we have a roast chicken. When we do a roast, it tends to be chicken, unlike my parents. So I would go for the roast chicken. Then my wife does the chicken. I do the roast potatoes and the veg.

34:19She does the gravy. Team effort. It's such a classic, comforting. Yeah, thank you What's your pudding that you usually do with your roast? We don't tend to do puddings At the moment But if I was eating a pudding I like a crumble or an apple tart Are you on a health kick at the moment? I just I mean, I'm trying not to You know, I'm trying to look after myself Have you got a sweet tooth? Yeah, terrible sweet tooth So almost just not having anything is much easier It's much easier, I got terrible I will eat chocolate bags a bit if I'm left alone with it. What kind of chocolate? Any chocolate, apart from American chocolate, which is not chocolate.

35:02And shouldn't be allowed to be called chocolate. It's crap, isn't it? That Hershey's is so disappointing. It's so wrong. It is crap. So it's a roast. And what are your sides that you're having? What are the trimmings that you're having? Leeks. Buttered leeks. Buttered leeks, not in a white sauce? No. Buttered leeks. Buttered leeks, just butter in a pan. Yeah.

35:28Yeah, some green beans. Sprouts if they're done well, but it's very hard. It's definitely stuffing. Love stuffing. Oh, my God, the stuffing. We fire the stuffing in our house. We can't make enough stuffing. Do you make your own? Yes, Louise does, yeah.

35:50And... Would you have your... A salad? Yorkshire's with chicken. No. No. No. Some people do. I know, and I can see why. Apparently they've got to be four inches tall to be a proper Yorkshire pudding. Oh, really? They don't count unless they're four inches tall. Mine's clearly just... I mean, I don't know whose... Mine, yours were never... Biscuits. Were they really flat? No, they were pancake. Yeah, pancake. It was soft. I loved it. It was soft. Never really were. It was like having... I got better... A Dutch baby. Yeah. they should be like a they should be like a sort of a very modern chair but the thing is about Yorkshire's it's to get the gravy in isn't it yeah soaks up that gravy so you could have it with the chicken you could, it just somehow feels wrong yeah I know I agree they've got a tie in with beef haven't they yeah I agree and what's that sauce you have with beef?

36:45horseradish I always associate them with horseradish For me, it's the best roast. Beef? Yeah. Yeah, definitely. If it's done well. The trouble is, we can't have beef in our house because I like it bloody and they like it cooked to death. Yeah. So we always have a problem. Yeah. So we've got Maine. Would you have a different drink for that? Yeah, I'd have a red wine. Which one? Yeah, even though it's chicken. I'd have a Barolo. I don't think I've ever tried Barolo, but everyone talks about it. we'll get you a bottle of Barolo yeah thanks mate and three straws cheers Simon, cheers Tim we'll do a little thing, perfect so okay Barolo gorgeous, sounds amazing pudding where are we going, are we going for the crumble or are we going to go off piste oh god there are so many great puddings panna cotta which flavour I mean, I had a passion fruit one the other day, which was fantastic.

37:49So you just put the passion fruit on top. Just a little bit on top. A coolie. Yeah. Is it still called a coolie, or is that very, like, retro? No, I think it is. It's not the same coolie as what. Where were you? I was at the Park restaurant in. Oh, that's what Chris does all the time. A Jeremy King restaurant in Queensway. Yeah. I like panna cotta. I like an eaten mess. I like any sort of crumble I like an apple tart Would you like a dessert trolley for your pudding? A dessert trolley is good We were talking about this last week Why don't we get dessert trolley anymore? I don't know because then you choose Because you don't know what you're going to get You see the whites of the pudding's eyes Yes, whites of the pudding's eyes I think we should campaign to bring them back Affogato is a very good pudding I was going to do an affogato today were you?

38:44we could still do it is there time? mum's made Dubai chocolate I've tried for the first time ever I've never had Dubai chocolate boom it's got Gaddafi pastry and pistachio I think you're saying Gaddafi but I didn't use that I used shredded wheat you know what I fancy an affogato too I'm going to try and find You just need an espresso and some white Yes I know mum I'm going to go and get the espresso thing out But I may have to zhuzh the beans Okay Do you want anything else On this table No that was great That potato salad was delicious What are you doing next Besides Fortune Hotel and your book Acting wise Acting-wise.

39:39Any new TV series? No, I mean, the latest thing I did was a new quiz show or a game show for ITV called Password. We did a series two years ago with Alan Carr and Daisy May Cooper. Yeah. And we brought it back. And they didn't quite get the format they were right the first time. Was this the one where you had to, like, Alan did this game show? He was trying to guess him and Daisy. I hosted it, and him and Daisy were the team captains. so now we've brought it back we've changed slightly tweaked the game and it works so much better and alan was too busy so we've got revolving team captains uh so we did 12 episodes of that last week great yeah it's good it's really good fun did you create the idea no it's actually american show it's huge in america jimmy fallon does it in america oh wow yeah it's been going for like 20 30 years over there but it's never really been worked you know done over here so how exciting Yeah, it's good.

40:38But give your fans some acting, Stephen, please. Well, I did the play. I was away in Barcelona. I was away doing Fortune Hotel. The Fortune Hotel, if it happens again, won't be till next year. And so I want to be at home. And I also want to be at home not doing a play. So I was offered a couple of plays. And I said, no, I think this autumn I'm going to be writing. because I've been asked to write a couple of films, I've got another book to write, and I've got another film idea. So I've got three films and a book, and I reckon that'll keep me busy till Christmas. And that means I'll be at home and see my children.

41:21Well, I think you've seen quite enough of me in the evening for a while. No, never, never, Stephen. I mean, you know, I've been on telly a lot. I think it's time to give people a rest. Have your kids asked you to be at home too? Or are they not fussed when you go off? I've not asked, but I think I need to be. yeah I understand that does Louise work? she does yeah we've got a production company so hence the film and she's an actor as well hence one of the films yes but plays are really hard on family life because you are not there six nights of the week they go to school in the morning you're gone by the time they come back from school they're in bed by the time you go back from work you just don't see them you see them on Sunday and I have a radio show on a Sunday and also you're sort of knackered.

42:09So I want to see more of my children because they're going to be growing up and gone soon. I mean, Harry's 17, Frank's 14. It's not going to be long. We haven't got many years with them left. Are they clever? They're pretty clever, yeah. They are, yeah. Do they want to be actors? I think so. Oh, Jesus. Maybe, who knows? Do you think they're good? Yeah, I do, but we all know that's not enough. Yeah. The one thing I haven't ever done is encourage them to be child actors. I just didn't want them to do that. But, you know, it works for some people. I wanted to know, what would we, if we came round to yours for dinner, I mean, apart from maybe the roast, what would you be cooking us?

42:56You can't cook. I can't cook. Your wife, what would Louise be cooking? Louise would probably do, depends how many people are over, but we like to do like a vast array of dishes and everyone can just... You say we like you did any of them. Well, I mean, I will be heavily involved. I will put a lot of work in, but it's not necessarily the creative running the show work. Now, I don't sit there, you know, the big cigar going, where's my dinner? But you open bottles. I open bottles and I set things up and I do the washing up. You go to the shop if she's forgotten her ingredients. All that stuff, yeah.

43:27And I mix and chop and peel and whatever. Okay. Yeah, I mean, I'll do that. I'm the sort of hired... She doesn't mind delegating that to you. He's sous chef He's sous chef Yeah Are you ready for something sweet? Yes Okay great And I can eat it with impunity Having done my run this morning Yeah you can And I'll try and sort out This Dubai chocolate Oh wow I'm terrified it's not worked But let's see It's chocolate anyway So you don't care do you? I'm in You're in Yeah Wow look at that That looks really shit But I think Do you need more coffee in there? No that's great Okay cool What do you think?

44:05Really nice. It's got pistachio in this shredded kind of stuff. It's pistachio cream. But it's the first time I've done it, so I don't know if I've done it properly. What's it called? Dubai chocolate? Yeah. So it's basically pistachio with shredded wheat. Thank you. Apogato. Yeah. How do you love an Apogato? Isn't it great? Also, because vanilla ice cream is the best ice cream flavour. Yeah. Well, I think Hagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream is the greatest vanilla ice cream. I love vanilla ice cream. Jessie, can you try? No. I'm going for it.

44:47Nice, but I can't taste the pistachio. It's all pistachio in the middle. I love you. Yeah? I can't taste fucking pistachio. More pistachio than next time. Less shredded wheat? But delicious. What is always in your fridge? what's always in our fridge um there is always um well apart from the obvious stuff yeah there's always kombucha in our fridge i like a kombucha um there is quite a lot of berries yeah um greek yogurt uh a lot of quite a lot of cheese quite a lot of parmesan because when my boys eat gnocchi or pasta get through handfuls of parmesan what's always in the fridge that's going off there's always too many cucumbers or you know soggy cucumbers celery wrapped in silver foil yeah or bags of you know leaves that have just been there too long sad leaves yeah sad leaves Oh, that was a bit more pistachio, Uma I just need to do it again But I know I can do it now And those little moulds work Before we let you go Can you give us a nostalgic taste That can transport you back somewhere Okay, I think it has to be A biscuit, a Kimberley biscuit Kimberley?

46:19What's a Kimberley biscuit? I've heard of it Which are, I mean they're They're not good, put it that way But they do take me back to Ireland you get them in tins. My grandmother used to send them over. They're kind of two brown discs over a sort of synthetic white filling. That's like an Oreo. Yeah, but they're light brown. They're soft. They're not crunchy like an Oreo. Yeah, they're like vanilla creams or something. They're crumbly and they're a kind of tan colour. Exactly. And they are not good, but they instantly take me back to Ireland in the 1970s. A happy memory? Yeah. Oh, very happy memory.

47:00So you live in Primrose Hill? Yes, moved there in 92. My mum died in 1991. I'm sorry. And me and my sister, so I moved out. Did she die young? 45. Oh, my God, Stephen. Yeah, really young. Terrible. She would have been 80 in May. In fact, we had a birthday party for her. But, you know, it's ridiculous that she only would have just turned 80 all those years. She'd be 34 years ago she died. Ridiculous. And how long did you, is your dad still alive? No, dad died at 63. Oh, shit. Yeah, he died in 2005. Gosh, what was it? Cancer, both of them, yeah. Shit. Yeah. Just unlucky. I mean, dad's one of nine, and he was the only, he was the sixth of nine.

47:42And they'd all made old bones. And the rest of them were all fine. Yeah. But, you know, it's life. Are you close to your sisters? Yeah, yeah. That's good, isn't it? Yeah. Well, I mean, I work with Anita. She illustrates the books. Oh, of course. Yes, of course. Yeah. so how is it working with your sibling and your family? because we have our really clearly defined roles you know I write it you know it's my story I think of the characters that I write the whole thing and then I give it to her and she illustrates it and I can't draw at all even though I present a show about painting on sky she's very good she's really good yeah so she does what she does and I do what I do and we don't it's not like I'm going give me that pen I could do a better and I've spent the whole all the books are just trying to make her laugh basically or I mean she told me she found that she told me that horses are notoriously difficult to draw so I wrote a whole book about reindeer just because I'm her older brother and that's the whole point of being an older brother is to be annoying why did you decide on Primo's Hill?

48:49because it's fab because you saw that Oasis were hanging around there then it was that era in 92 my mom died in 91 and then a year later I moved out of home because I'd just finished university when she died I took a year out to look after her and sort of take her to hospital she was six months from when she was diagnosed to when she died and I applied to go to RADA and during that you know just after because I was like I was supposed to be a lawyer I'd done a law degree thought I don't want to do that anymore um and I kind of never wanted to do it really i wanted to be an actor but i didn't have the guts to do it so i and then i moved into town so going to rada i moved i shared a flat in chalk farm with a friend of mine um actually the three of us in a two-bedroom flat we used to rotate we'd take a month each you'd have a month in the living room and then you'd get a bedroom for a two month stop yeah they want me you know 22 whatever you could do that then that's brilliant so yeah so you slept on the sofa for a month and then you got a room are you rotated rotated but that's right next to primrose hill and then my sister and me uh my youngest sister and i bought a place mum left us a little bit of money we bought a flat um and i've been there ever since were you into oasis though were you like this primrose hill i need to be where i mean it was have you been to see them no i couldn't go i'm not i'm not so no that wasn't the reason why yeah okay you won't uh but no i i yeah i mean it was It was a great place to be when I was at drama school and when I was a young actor.

50:22It's a great place to be when you're single and it's a great place to have a family. And I just can't leave. I've just been there so long. Yeah, it's changed a lot. A lot of the sort of more arty people have gone. And there's more, you know, bankers and lawyers. Has Odette's gone? Odette's wine bar? No, Odette's are still there. Yeah, because I remember the original owner of that. Because he came from Manchester. His name was Brian Classic. Yes. And he used to drive a sports car. Right. Yeah. but David Bailey used to always be in there and he was a friend of an old boyfriend well he lived on the same road I'm on now David Bailey yeah yeah it was full of people like that Fiona Shaw was there and Alan Bennett was around the corner and it was all that kind of how exciting for you as like a young actor yeah totally to be surrounded by some amazing people to go to the menu yeah I love that I love them yeah they're all so grumpy the waiters are yeah what do you want they are grumpy they are and then when I did started doing portrait artist of the year with Joan Bakewell she lives in does she?

51:27she lives in the square Chalcott Square and I went around for a cup of tea with her and she was saying it's not been the same since Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes I was like I can't compete with that yeah did your mum know that you were going to pursue acting? she didn't no the last she knew I was going to be a lawyer okay yeah Would that make her happy? That I was an actor? Yeah, because she was the one who used to take me, we used to go to plays together. I used to go to theatre. She was the one who got me into all of that, reading. She had a real artistic kind of hunger. She was a really bright woman, no education.

52:02She left school at 14, and the schooling she got was pretty rubbish. But she just loved books, she loved theatre. So she enthused me with all that stuff, so she'd have absolutely loved it, yeah. I mean you're pretty spoiled in Primrose Hill for good spots to eat at but is there any places that you would recommend to anyone that are in London or Ireland that people should be going or do you want to keep them to yourself I'd really want to keep them to myself but then I don't think I know anywhere that's particularly I mean I like you know anywhere you go in where you feel that they care about what they're doing and I sort of whatever cuisine it is I mean the trouble is now we are so inundated with chains that i would just urge people to go and eat the places that are family run and you know have a bit of individuality to them but um yeah but i mean yeah you do have good spots we do we have a good cafe around the corner called sam's cafe which is good uh it's very laid back very you know they they also don't try and have a menu It's 16 pages long.

53:09It's like one sheet of stuff. That's good. I go there quite a lot. You like to stay within your postcode. Yeah. The thing is, when you're working, if you're filming, food is all laid on for you. So you don't tend to have to wander the streets looking for something. So when you're writing, do you nip out for a bite just to move about? I do, just to get out and to see people, real people. I write on the top floor of the house. I'll take up a tray full of snacks and drinks, coffees, kombuchas, waters, just vast amounts of stuff. You look after yourself. Yeah, I do. Huge. And I just sit there for the first hour and just eat.

53:51And then once I've eaten everything, I can then start writing. You're like an end of the world-er, but like when you're starting a new book. It's pathetic. I keep saying to myself, I just pace it out, the blueberries, the almonds, just keep it and then just shuffle them all into my gob. I'm a bit like that in the studio where I used to just feed everyone. and I'd be like, right, everyone needs a biscuit now. Should we like, everyone, like, is anyone like craving a smoothie? It was just so I could get it because I just feel that I need to have something in my gob. I don't know, whilst I'm thinking, I don't know.

54:19Do you have a good art collection? Have you been inspired since presenting? Lou and I don't have very similar tastes, is the problem. So I'm always sending her pictures and going, do you like this? No. What about this? No. And I sort of know what she likes. So we do have some stuff, but I'd love more. Has anyone done your portrait? I've had a few sort of fan portraits done, but I've never had an artist do that. Yeah, you've not sat for them. I don't want to either, having sat, watching. Yeah. I mean, I love seeing people's reaction when they get their portraits revealed to them. Who's the last celebrity you had who's sat?

54:57Who's the last celebrity that sat? Self-esteem did it, didn't you, or not? Self-esteem did it. Well, we've just filmed a new series, so I'm probably not allowed to say who sat. I don't know. No, well, I mean, okay. So we have, I mean, we also speak from Youngblood to... Oh, Youngblood, we've had him on the podcast. Have you? My friend, actually, from watching the show, commissioned an artist that I don't think won to do a portrait of their kids. Oh, right. And it's so beautiful. Oh, great. Yeah. Well, do you know what? It's an amazing showcase, isn't it? It's so hard for artists to get their work seen.

55:32So even if someone doesn't win, people like that, they'll look them up on the internet and commission their work. Can I say, you're very easy to get secrets out of. I don't know if it's just a skill of mine, but I say, oh, go on, tell us. You don't know me. I don't care. You're the biggest gossip. Well, I'm not telling you anything that interesting. No, I feel like he's been quite observed, actually. I would have liked a little bit more, to be honest. When you were out there, I heard all about his affairs. No, I didn't. Stop, Mum! I'm teasing. The confessional was shit. No. He'd already said it to his siblings.

56:08Yeah, that's true. Are you going to do another series of that? I hope so, but I've not heard. I loved it. It was good, wasn't it? It was so good. What's so interesting is what people chose. Yes. You know, and what... Who's your favourite? Marianne was very good. She was so good. Anthony Horowitz was very good. Yeah, I heard him. Did you get that one, him talking about actually all his family going to his grandmother's grave and dancing on it? Yeah. She was so horrible. She was so horrible. They literally were dancing. On her grave. They were full of joy, like she's dead, she's dead. Ding dong, the witch is dead.

56:37And he's Jewish. You wouldn't do that. So he didn't have to wait very long then. Yeah.

56:46Yeah, no, he's brilliant. His was great. Who else did we have that was good? I mean, what was interesting was a lot of the younger people, younger comedians or writers would say, oh you know I I did a poo in my pants and when I was five at school but then the old like Joan Baker came on and said you know the thing she was most ashamed about is not standing up for women when they were getting sort of sexually abused in the 60s and the BBC you know and you know it was part of that culture's bum slapping and ass pinching and all that stuff and that she feels she should have taken more of a stand against it but you know so that's quite a heavy thing to bring to the table.

57:27But speaking of poo, can we talk about farts for a second? Yes. Your book. Finally. Farts. Yeah. The fart that saved the universe. How does the fart save the universe? Well, you need to read the book, but it does. One of your children's books. It's to do with the Big Bang and it's to do with some very advanced physics. Okay, amazing. Yeah. But a fart does actually save the entire universe and all of us in it. Thank God. That started off as a World Book Day book. A World Book Day asked us to write a book and they wanted us, they specifically asked for a fart book. You were like, let's go. We're the people.

58:05So we did the Father Broke World Book Day and we enjoyed that story so much that the fart that saved the universe is kind of what happens next. It's a sort of story continuing. It's a trilogy. Could it be a trilogy? I think I've farted out now, to be honest. Do you think girls like farts as much as boys? Some, but not all. Not at the same. No, I mean, The look on your face, it doesn't look like you do. No, it's perfect for my son, who is interested in the universe and farts. Do you know what? Really, tick, tick. I love writing so much. I love reading so much when I was eight, nine, ten. And I know kids have many more distractions now.

58:41It's much harder, much more difficult to get them to read because there's screens and there's tablets and there's TVs. So it's sort of clickbait, really. You're trying to give them a title that they think, oh that could be funny and maybe the kids who don't normally pick up books will read it and I always hope give us three or four pages and hopefully we'll get you and you'll want to read the rest of the story do your boys read? yeah they do but I read because I can't give up to Jack I'm still reading to him oh sweet what are you reading at the moment? well I'll tell you what I'm not allowed to do is do many voices oh why?

59:14I mean I thought this would be the great thing son of an actor yes you know the one thing he would say in later life my dad Dad did this incredible read. You can't stand it. Stop doing... Just read it, Dad, is the note. I'm the same. I take it really seriously. I put on all the accents. And they always want my monosyllabic husband to do it. And then the witch came in. Hello, Raffi. I'm doing all of that. Yeah. No, just read it, Dad. Oh, my God. So upsetting. I'm the same as you. And, like, Sam has not got the performance technique that I've got. And it really annoys me. You can't sell a book. Yeah.

59:47Yeah, terrible. Well, apparently we can't either. I know. There you go. everyone's a critic Stephen Mangum thank you so much for coming on the podcast thank you I'll probably see you on Sunday brunch in six months yeah hopefully

1:00:12hello everyone so you may know Table Manners is brought to you in partnership with Hendrix Gin at the moment the perfect accompaniment to summer hosting occasions. Last week, Hendrix was kind enough to gift us a hamper, so we hosted a little unplanned get-together right here in our garden. We've just finished a podcast recording, so we're having a little drink, a spontaneous drink. My husband's even joined us. I'm so happy to be outside. This is their first event outside, isn't it? I feel like this is really celebrating the sun today. I wonder how many people on that aeroplane are having a Hendrix and tonic right now.

1:00:48Sam, it's our go-to, isn't it, when we board a flight? It's the start of a holiday. It really is. The holiday hasn't started until we get on that plane and we order the Hendrix and tonic. So, around the garden table, we have producer Alice. Hello. Hello, Al. And we've got Sam. Hello, everybody. In my merch. Thank you. Shall I make a couple more gin and tonics? Yes, please, Lenny. We've got Luca on socials. We've got Tully. Hi. And we are all going to enjoy Hendrix Gin and Tonics after actually a really gorgeous podcast. Have a taste of that, babes. It does taste incredible. I had a sip. It's delicious, isn't it?

1:01:24Do you like it with a cucumber, Sam? I do like it with a cucumber. I don't usually make it with a cucumber, but I enjoy it with a cucumber. Hendrix is known for always having it with a cucumber. And before we get into it, these are Hendrix Gin and Tonics made with all the delicious ingredients Hendrix gave us in our hamper last week, including their signature gin infused with rose and cucumber. Guys, are you getting that rose? Are you getting that cucumber? I love rose. That's actually really nice. Cheers, everyone. Happy summer. It's really refreshing. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. That is a perfectly made G &T, though.

1:01:59It is a perfect... I've never had one tasting like that before, to be honest. So, last week, Hendrix asked us a question, and we'd love for everyone's take on it around this table. What makes for a great summer? Alice? Well, it's obviously sunshine. Yeah. Getting together with friends. I love sitting outside a pub garden. Do you? On a light evening with the sun shining. I love a pub, but I wouldn't say that's the start of summer. Cut grass for me. The smell of cut grass. Nothing can beat that. Reminds me of playing football in the garden, in the parks. Absolutely love it. Tully? It's all about a holiday.

1:02:29Holiday. It's all about a holiday. I've just come back from Seville, though, and it was 45 degrees. What's your most memorable summer, Al? Probably finishing school at like 18. Did you go on holiday? Went on holiday, went to Tenerife with my girlfriend. I went to Malta. Did you? I know. Not the most obvious choice for an 18-year-old. Yeah, just that weeks rolling ahead of you with nothing planned. I know. And like, you're not really knowing what you're going to do after that and just the absolute freedom. Oh, yeah. Crikey, I went to Ibiza. Did you? Good for you. And I met that fellow, that Swedish.

1:03:01Bjorn. Bjorn. Shifts, yeah. Alice already knows about Bjorns. Yeah, Bjorn Shifts, yeah. Mum's talked about him so many times in the air. We have a Swede. And Tully, what's a really special summer for you? Trips to the south of France. Really? That's my nostalgic, just being on the beach in France. It's literally the best place on earth. It really is. I know you think Greece is, but south of France needs a shout out. Yeah, absolutely. Sam, do we have any plans to make this summer special? Always, Jessica. I've got an itinerary, haven't I, babe? You've always got an itinerary, but we always go to Greece.

1:03:32I'd say that's one of the highlights of my summer. Pretty much every year we go to the same place, and it is absolutely gorgeous. and we often drink Hendrix gin. Yeah. Love it. Luca, what is an essential component for summer? Do you know what, for me, it's just being spontaneous. Oh, yeah. Do you know what I mean? Friends call up, let's go there, let's go. I'm doing it this weekend. My friend said, let's go to a festival, love a day festival, off I go. I love that. A spontaneous picnic. That's surely the best thing ever. Come on. Picky tea, go to the shops, get it all. Picky tea. Yes. And then all back to yours after the picnic when it starts to rain.

1:04:06Yes. For a Hendrix and tonic. Yes. A rose infused. Well, thank you so much to Hendrix for facilitating our little get-together. It really is the perfect accompaniment to summer hosting occasions. And guys, we should do this more often. Cheers, everyone. Cheers. Cheers. Happy summer. Happy summer. Happy summer. Next time you've got friends over, offer them a curiously refreshing, easy-to-make Hendrix and tonic or Hendrix spritz. It tastes like no other gin because it's made like no other gin. Host refreshingly with Hendrix gin. Please drink responsibly. Drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.

1:04:45Well, are you still in love, Mum? They say don't meet your heroes, but I have, and I'm still in love. Great. Fantastic. Thank you so much to Stephen for coming on, eating the food. He kind of does everything. I know. Silla Black, Mum. Silla Black, he is. And that is the end of this season. Well, I think that was a fitting end. We will be back in the autumn for a new season, season 18 of Table Manners. Season 18. But in the summer, we are going to help you listen to some of the archive episodes. Oh my God, archive, you know. Look at us. We have an archive, like Farrah and Ball. A catalogue, a back catalogue.

1:05:24A back catalogue. Second helpings will be all yours this summer with some of our favourite moments on the podcast and favourite guests. Thank you so much to everyone who's listened this season and who carries on listening to us. We're so lucky to have so many of you wanting to tune in and to hear about what we're cooking and who we're chatting to. And thank you to all the guests who have been on this season. You've been fantastic. We're so lucky to have you. And we couldn't do it without you. No, it's just been a wonderful, wonderful season. The best. Thank you so much for listening. And we'll see you in the autumn.

1:05:58Yeah, we will. We'll be back.

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