Jamie Redknapp: Becoming a Dad AGAIN at 49, Coached By My Dad & Flirting With Romesh's Mum...

21:38Romesh Ranganathan:So how do you feel about complimenting other men on how good they look? I like the fact now that men can compliment each other. Yeah. That can say, well done. Yeah. You look good. You look like, today, if I say to you, you look so fucking sexy today. It's a bit early. You look edible. Yeah. I'll fucking, do you know what I mean? I'll lick you, do you know what I mean, if I could. You look like a delicious snack. Do you know what I mean? I'll fucking run my tongue all over you if I could, if he gave me permission. You look so fucking good. Jesus Christ, I'm sitting here and my fucking loins are stirring.

22:14Romesh Ranganathan:Do you know what I mean? Just looking at you. I'm quite aroused now. But no, I... Are you... We love Big Tom. Is that too much? We're a bit much. What about Big Tom? Do you guys have... Because Big Tom is obviously one of our best mates. We love Big Tom. Do you compliment Big Tom much? Because I think that's something you probably need to do more. No, I do compliment big Tom, and he's actually worked very, very hard on getting himself in shape. The other thing that I think that I happily do with Tom and the conversation we often have, and it's a conversation that's something that you're very good at, actually, is just telling each other how much we love each other.

22:50Romesh Ranganathan:It's like being supportive and stuff. I think that is something that probably men didn't used to do as much, but I feel like you only ever do it really, traditionally, it's only when you're pissed, right? you would go I fucking love you mate you're the best but whereas now I think you know I'll say I'll probably I think every time we finish the podcast I'll say the time I love you but I actually say it to my mates normally when I say like if I'm on the phone to me you're like listen mate love you I'll see you soon yeah yeah that's nice I think it is nice to feel you know because there is to feel loved yeah I tell my mum I speak to my mum every day and my dad I tell them I love them when I speak to them do you every day yeah I do without a fail my boys they don't quite say I want more I love you back from my two older boys.

23:33Yeah, right. Do you get that from your kids?

23:35Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, but I force it really. Right. You know, I won't let the conversation end. Yeah. Yeah. So I go, I love you. Anything else to say? Yeah. I go, I love you. And then they go, I just said, I love you. Yeah. And then I will leave the house after them if I need to. Do you know what I mean? It has to be reciprocated. Same with Lisa. Yeah. You know, I followed her to, you know, I've gone to wherever she is with her mates. Really? Yeah, just surprised them. I said, I love you, bitch. my next question is, and you can give your opinion on this, and like you all know better than I do, but when you're being celebrated by a team or when a team signs you up, it's an amazing thing.

24:11Romesh Ranganathan:But the accusation is always leveled at footballers. As soon as they don't want a kid anymore, there's no aftercare. You know, you're just thrown aside. Is that a fair thing to say? Yeah, and I've already had that discussion with Bo because I said to him, excuse me, you've got to get an education as well at the back of this. You know, they do now. They'll do A-levels, they'll do a B-tech and then you can set yourself up because if he doesn't make it here as a footballer, which is very difficult and he's under no illusions how tough it is, then you have an opportunity maybe to go to an American university and maybe try and get in the MLS.

24:43There's so many other different pathways and football can just open so many doors for you and that's really what we've discussed because there's no point me just saying, right, you're going to... Because I was all in. I didn't... I was probably unique that... Is it fair to say you didn't have any backup qualifications? I mean, zero. I didn't even... Honestly, I'm an... And I'm embarrassed to say it, but I'm really lucky that I've done okay. I didn't do, I didn't even take my GCSEs at the time, O-levels. Because, I mean, I turned up for my English exam, my cookery stuff. You know, I thought that was what I was, a pineapple upside down pudding.

25:13You know, and even then I messed that up. Mrs. Bonar was like.

25:18Romesh Ranganathan:What's Jamie getting out at his desk? I know. She was lovely, Mrs. Bonar. Anybody need any help with their English paper? You got a hob.

25:27Honestly, Rob. So that was it. But everyone knew. The school knew. I had two great sports teachers, Mr. Broadwell, Mr. Jackson. They would just say to me, look, just come on the pitch. They knew what I wanted to do. And don't get me wrong, it isn't right. But a lot of kids, funny enough, what I've tended to see now with a lot of good, young, talented footballers, and there'll be a couple at Man City, a couple at Choke, they're actually homeschooled now. Right. Because their parents have seen talent and they're going to go, right, rather than do your general, you know, going to school and mixing with other kids, which I think is quite a dangerous thing.

26:00You're just going to stay at home. You're going to do your academics in the morning, football in the afternoon, and they're going to get taught by their parents, which is fine. And it works because a lot of these kids are sensational footballers, but there's also that other side of it where that aspect of mixing with people. That's a big part of being a footballer, a human being. So that was really what I did. I used to go into training with my dad, or my dad would go to drop me at school and he'd go, do you want to come training with me? And I'd go, of course I do. you know so I'd just take my school stuff off I'd go to training and I'd join in with the first team at 11, 12 years old Did your mum know about this?

26:33No because we'd put the school stuff back on you know back on so when I'd drive him back dad would say look put your school gear back on and I'd walk back in how was school today? Yeah brilliant mum went really well Yeah Made pineapple upside down coke again Getting really good at it I'm still good at it now honestly that's what you should have brought out now instead of the smorgasbord but no I was so yeah look don't get me wrong I wouldn't advise it, but it worked for me. I was lucky.

26:58Romesh Ranganathan:But, Jay, you were shit hot, right? So, your dad must have known he is probably going to be a footballer, right? If you're playing at that level. Anything could have happened. I was very fortunate that things went my way. I was playing the first team at 16, which is young. And I was sort of getting that kind of exposure at an early age, being around people. I was very fortunate growing up as a kid when we lived in the US there was always Bobby Moore was there so Jeff Hurst and heroes of mine so I got an understanding of what it was like to be around football footballers and I thought this is all I want to do I don't know how it worked with you the first time you go up you know what I want to get on stage and make people laugh I just want to be on a football pitch and play football I mean listen mate when I started doing comedy obviously I was getting distracted by girls and so many opportunities there, do you know what I mean?

27:55Romesh Ranganathan:To just like, I could have been, you know, I could have thrown away my comedy career just by becoming a shagger. It was so hard, do you know what I mean? It was sacrifice. Yeah, you know, it was sacrifice. Mum would go, look, this is your cousin. And I'd go, fuck, I could go that way.

28:14Lucky that my cousin was Frank, so I didn't go that way. That was a little bit odd, you know?

28:19Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. But this, well, just off the back, you're talking about playing football at the level you did, one thing I want to ask you, Soccer Aid. Because I think, even though we love Premier League football, I don't think people realise how good you have to be to be a Premier League footballer, right? And then when you watch Soccer Aid, some of the celebs do something like sort of decent and then people go... He could have been a pro. Yeah. What do you think when you hear people say that? No, but look, I think Soccer Aid is... It's bullshit, isn't it? Yeah. It's really... Because obviously now with the way that football...

28:54And you've got to remember, you're playing against players that are getting really old. You can hardly run anymore. But you still see the quality, don't you? And I love watching soccer. Dad still does it now. I did it and I loved it. But I had a knee replacement two years ago, so I've stopped doing it.

29:11Romesh Ranganathan:All of them say that they shut themselves. First of all, the two observations a lot of them make is, one, the pitch is loads bigger than you ever thought it was going to be when you first step on. And two, the crowd, it's like, I know you always say to me about stand-up, it must be nerve-wracking getting up in front of all those people. But you are getting up in front of all those people, like more people, right? Because you've got 60 ,000 people or whatever. Does that ever get, did that, I mean, for them, they're doing it for the first time or they might, you know, they're doing it a couple of years.

29:40Romesh Ranganathan:But you were doing it every time. Do you get nervous every time about the crowd? I used to get really nervous, yeah. I was a very, you know, I would, I was just so desperate to do well. you know that was really and I used to admire so I'd sit next to Robbie Fowler and Robbie was I'd put Robbie in the genius category and he'd be sitting there I could picture him now like it's like the dress room was like in a corner with a bench and he'd just put his feet across and he'd be reading the programme up until about 20 to 3 at 3 o 'clock kick off and I should just think I'd love to be like that Read literature Yeah I was just reading this yeah but it was like I just wanted to you know do so well and you know my granddad he should travel up from London every game.

30:21And I just want to just be amazing for him. And my dad was probably managing at Bournemouth and I couldn't wait to get on the phone after telling him I'd done well and make him proud.

30:29Romesh Ranganathan:What was he like? Would he be encouraging or was he harsh? My dad? Yeah. No, he was good. I have to be honest. He was pretty incredible, my dad. He'd have a, you know, there would be a few things. I'd always know where he was sitting in the match and we would almost have this, it was almost like sign language where if he was watching me, I would know I don't know why I cared more what he said at half time or before as I was walking in maybe what the manager did and that's no disrespect because obviously I respect my managers but if it was good and people would always be watching him he may be just like rubbing his hands together which meant like brilliant you know it was just a thumbs up and there'd be sometimes if I wasn't doing enough he'd do like come on you've got to run run more you know what I mean or things like that or maybe if I'd missed a tackle or something he'd give me that one you know so there was just like that and you know More often than not, but he was never, he was just a great, I've got to go with him, a great dad.

31:22He never really, you know, he never said anything that was harsh. He would always just be totally honest with me. So I just valued his opinion.

31:28Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, I had a similar thing with my dad where my dad used to come to all my gigs when I started out. But I remember once I did my first, I got booked, you get booked in for a weekend, right, where you're doing like the Thursday, Friday, that's like you're starting to make it on the circuit, they're putting you in on the line-up. And I remember I got booked in at Comedia, which is like a big club in Brighton. It's like really hard to get in. You've got to do your open spot and trial and all that. And so my dad came to watch me and I thought I'd had a good gig. Like it went well. And then when I came off, my dad said to me, the guy that was on last was much better than you.

32:01Romesh Ranganathan:If you want to make it, you're going to have to, first thing you've got to do is get as good as that guy. I remember it really hurt at the time, but it's better that than he just like pumped me up. Do you know what I mean? And then I think I've smashed it. And then, do you know what I mean? I don't mind that. Yeah, yeah. I don't mind that. There was a couple of times in my career when my dad was like, when I was younger, I remember playing against this kid. And it was at Bournemouth Stadium, I was about 15, and the kid got the better of me. And Danny Alsop, I'll never forget it. Nice boy. He ended up sort of going, did okay in his career.

32:33Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. And then I was like, he said to me after, he was better than you. He wanted it more than you, and he sort of did the aspects of the game that he did better. And I was like, okay. And then I played against him about a year later, and I thought, I'll prove you, you know, I'll show you. And I did. And so I think that honesty is something that's almost gone out of life now. You're really scared to tell your kids or tell people. Yeah. Actually, that's not good enough. Yeah. There's nothing wrong with that. As long as you say it in the right way. Yeah, I don't think I've ever said... Was your dad funny?

32:59Did he get comedy?

33:01Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, he was really funny. I think probably most of... My mum's really funny, obviously. But I think a lot of the sarcastic, dry humour, that came from my dad. So my dad got comedy. but he was like he combined being very supportive of being really harsh about when he thought I wasn't you know like he thought he wasn't funny enough or whatever how did that make you feel when he said that to be honest it was gutting at the time like you don't want to walk off a gig and have the first thing that your dad says to you be that you need to step it up but actually it then meant that I've had because I'd come off stage with my mum and she'd go oh my god amazing you should be world famous you know and that's really nice to hear but it's not useful feedback whereas like my dad would be like you know more honest yeah you stood out because you weren't as you know like he'd just be straight up with me right and and i would that made you better yeah because then you just go i've got i've got a graph but then as i'm having this conversation with you now i don't think i've ever said that to my kids i've been like i just pump them up but like you want but now i'm thinking sometimes i need to go that was shit i know i mean that's probably too no i know i listen i i there are times when i'm like okay how do i sort of broach this with with bow with the football and i'll go you know sat and i'll wait for him to come out and i'm like do i just go yeah yeah well done today mate if he didn't do well or if he didn't do the right things or there's certain things i can help him with and i didn't say that that's i'm not really going to help his career yeah so there and and because the dangerous thing is when a parent that doesn't really understand football or been involved and they start telling that you should do this you should do that then that becomes a difficult one but yeah I like to think I've got an understanding especially he plays the same position as me but it's like anything there's a way of saying it yeah I don't think people or kids are as resilient as maybe as used to getting that kind of yeah straightforward criticism as what we were I think it's a different type of coaching for me so it's like you know they'll tell me about an interaction they had with a teacher whatever and I just put an arm around them and go it would have been funny for you to call him a nonce.

35:01Romesh Ranganathan:Do you know what I mean? Just like really getting there early. Do you know what I mean? His face is a bit puffy digging on that. He recently had a divorce so you could like really take him out of that. Finish him. That's your finisher. Tomorrow morning is knocking. Stock your fridge now. How about a creamy mocha frappuccino drink or a sweet vanilla? Smooth caramel maybe or a white chocolate mocha. Whichever you choose, delicious coffee awaits. Find Starbucks frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries. If you've ever blasted synth beats from your boom box or burn CDs for your besties, this one's for you.

35:36Romesh Ranganathan:As people get older, much like their music tastes, their health needs change. AG1 is the simple daily health drink designed to deliver over 75 essential daily nutrients and pre and probiotics to support energy, digestion and mood. So you can make the most out of every decade and dance break. Learn more at drinkag1.com. So listen, we need to talk about the... I was about to say the elephant in the room There's about seven of them League of Their Own Bit sad, isn't it? As I'm talking to you now We're about to go and record the last series It's a weird situation where Rather than you do the series And then afterwards The channel don't call you And then you discover it's not being...

36:16Romesh Ranganathan:It's being cancelled We've been told This is the last... Well, everyone's decided it's the last series, right? Yeah How do you feel about that? we've done 20 series in the modern day of doing anything is remarkable. So I actually, I wasn't surprised to a certain extent because of, you know, the way that things change and TV moves on. But I look back and that is purely from selfish point of view that I, I was lucky that I had a football career and I played for England and did everything I ever wanted to do. And when I retired at 31, I thought to myself, right, what's next? and that's terrifying.

36:56But I'm thinking to myself, what's next? So I was going to get into, like my dad always felt like getting some management. Right. Subconsciously, I'd watch my dad be a football manager and go through like the highs and the lows and the emotion was horrendous at times. You know, and I'd, like mum would, if they'd lost it, she'd say, just be careful what you say. I was normally good because I got it. My brother would always put his foot in it. He was always the one that would say the stupid thing and wind my dad out. So I didn't want to do management. Then, Why not? Because I just subconsciously watched my dad go through this high and low.

37:29And also thought to myself, I like what I like. I want to be around my kids. I want to play golf. I want to just.

37:35Romesh Ranganathan:You're going for one high pressure thing to then take on another really high pressure thing. I only wanted to be a footballer. Yeah. So when people think, oh, you've got to be. No, but they're two different entities. Like one, you play and you go out on the pitch. The second, you're in control of all of these players. Yeah. And I was coming to a time where it was becoming more and more difficult. Footballers and agents and managers. and managers were having almost less say than ever because people would go above you, speak to the chairman, next thing the manager gets a sack. You lose five games on the spin.

38:00I mean, you know what you're like when you've Arteta, if he's having a bad run, you're Arteta out. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you know, you're the worst. I'm all over the place. Yeah. No, you're up and down. So I thought to myself, I don't want to be a manager. I just didn't want to do it. I had no interest at all. So I got into the media and I started working at Sky and that went really well for me. And lucky enough, I look at, okay, that's another career. but another career that's natural progression, I guess, if you're not a footballer, you go into punditry or to management.

38:28Romesh Ranganathan:Did you know that you were going to be good at it? No, not at all. Because some people, some footballers, if they have a great career, it almost goes against them as a pundit, right? Yeah, because they can't understand. Yeah, they can't analyse it because they're just like, why don't you just do that? Why don't you do that? Yeah, exactly. I've had certain managers like that. Glenn Hoddle was a genius and he couldn't understand why people just couldn't flick the ball over their head and take it with a left foot, flick it over your head again and then volley in the top corner. Well, that's simple, right?

38:53But it's not. And so I went down that route, Rom, and then I got asked to do League of the Rhone. And I was like, that's a really nerve-wracking thing to do with amazing comedians and Freddie Flintoff and, you know, just retired. And I thought, okay, let's do it. You know, James was doing what he was doing and then different comedians come up and then did a series. And I didn't really say a lot. I was a bit like a, I was mute. I've got to be able to say turn my mic off at times because I had nothing to say. I was a bit like, I was shy. I was nerve wracking. It was nerve wracking. But listen,

39:24Romesh Ranganathan:it's not with you. It's not always about what you're saying, is it? It's like, look. I know, but this can get you in trouble, Ron. So, joking aside. I know, mate. It's a problem I know all too well. But no, so I did, so I got into League of Their Own and I was like, but it's been so good for me because it actually, in a football community or in a dressing room, I'm super, I always felt I had something to say. I was Liverpool captain and things. So that made you like a, you know, you've got obviously a bit of a voice. Yeah. Happy to communicate with people and different aspects and not just on the pitch off it.

40:00But league of their own, live cameras was nerve wracking. I found it so difficult to start with. But then as it went on and I got to, you know, I know you come on and obviously Jack and we had that chemistry that you can't really teach. And I look back and think I was so lucky to do it. And I'm still certain. We won a couple of BAFTAs along the way. I've made great friends, like spending time with you and Freddie, Jack, John Bishop, James Corden, like people that I respect so much in different industries. And I've been part of it. And it's brought me out as it's made me so much more confident in terms of talking to people, you know, with comedy and timing and things like that.

40:37My dad's got amazing comedic timing. You know, he could be a comedian. And I'm not like that, but I understand the value of comedy and laughing. and some of the things that we do, I remember we went on the road trip, some of the ideas that we had with, I remember the rabbit, the chocolate rabbit thing. I said, let's make something happen here. And then you decided to smash it on my head as hard as you could. And you added your comedy to it. Pretty route one. Yeah, it was an open goal. It was an open goal. But no, I've been very fortunate. And I've loved League of Their Own.

41:08Romesh Ranganathan:If you watched the early series of League of Their Own, you're right. Not that you were mute, but you aren't what you are now. Do you know what I mean? because now, I'm not just saying this, as a host, I treat you as a comic. Do you know what I mean? I know if I throw something to you, you'll always come up with something. Do you know what I mean? I mean, look, when I first started as a regular on the Red Team, first of all, I was shitting it because everybody loved Jack so much. Yeah, and then I was just like, oh my God. But luckily... Yeah, I was devastated when Jack left, to be honest. Cheers, mate.

41:41Romesh Ranganathan:But like... I loved it. You come on, it was seamless. No, but then we had... They were tough shoes. That must have been... When you think about it, they were tough shoes to fill because Jack, like you, they all... He's amazing. Jack's amazing, right? So then when I came on, I was like... And then obviously, you see people going, oh my God, how's this going to be? And then we had... I mean, we did have... Early on, we had a couple of set pieces that didn't go that well. I don't know if you remember when we tried to do the telepathic thing, like the mind reader thing with each other, really early on, where I said I could read your mind.

42:13Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. and then that played to silence for quite a long time did it yeah and then Freddie went how do you think that went Rom no yeah he's just a man you need when something like that happens no but I you know what mate I straight away you and I got on well yeah because you knew like we have and that's why I think it's it works because I'm not I can give a bit of stiff I don't mind getting it you know I mean I'll always set myself up you're good at that because you're not precious do you know what I mean yeah no exactly I don't understand why you would be you know I have a great laugh doing these things and you're like as much as anything that's why we're sitting here now we're mates you know and that's really that's why we got on so well yeah I was desperate to be the host on it but obviously they chose no listen you hosted it man and it was like it was wicked like you were able to read the autocue and all that I've never honestly though that was no that bit was so tough because I always expect you guys were going to hammer me do you remember but Dina Asher is it yeah Dina Asher Smith of come out with a beauty, didn't she?

43:13When I said about, you know, what do you have for pre-match? And then she said, I'll just have Coke. And that was it. Do you remember? Yeah, I do remember. I was like, anyway, you took that on to another level.

43:23Romesh Ranganathan:But no, it's... Do you reckon you're going to be... We're doing it in Manchester. Are you like, do you feel like it's a shame we couldn't do more or it's good that we're done and we've had a good run and that's it? What I mean is, say for example, if they took it to another channel, would you want to still do it? Look, I am... You know me, mate. I'm very loyal. Very loyal. I'm Sky till I die. Unless they sack me.

43:50I've always, to be honest, I've always worked for Sky. I've done little bits and pieces elsewhere, but I've always been on League of Their Own, which is Sky. And I think loyalty goes a long way in life. That's just me. Everybody has their own view. I was at Liverpool for 11 years. You know, I like to feel that that's just how I am. I've always been like that. And I like what I like doing. And I don't like change that much. You're like Mel and Sue on Bake Off. Exactly. And that's what you're going to do and I'm Sue.

44:13Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. I have had some of the best times ever doing this show. Like the road trips and doing, you know, going away with you and Jack going to America. Like unbelievable times. I'm so lucky to think that I've had sort of almost three careers in my life. You know, so that tells you, and that comes with a bit of hard work as well, because everything we do, we don't just go on League of the Own and it's all like, oh, we tell, you know, we all think about what we're going to say. You know, there's a little bit of, obviously, you know, you sort of know. You're prepping. Yeah. You've got to prep. It's like anything.

44:41You don't just turn up and play football on a Saturday and think, oh, it's going to be all right. When you do something well, it's because you trained hard and worked hard in the week. If you do your punditry, it's because you know you've done a little bit of work. You've done a bit of, you know, you don't just turn up and start talking about a player and say, oh, who's he? I don't know who he is.

44:55Romesh Ranganathan:You know, when you do stand-up, like not so much now because I'm on tour, but like when you do mixed build gigs, if another comedian does well, like you're happy for him, but it's a bit annoying. No, you're gutted. Because you want to be the one that rips it. do you know what I mean out of everybody when you're doing punditry is there a little bit of that where like if somebody says some like amazing quotable thing you're just like shit yeah I actually quite like to just copy it I just nick it often just wait to go the following week you know people have forgotten you know what I mean and then I forget now because of social media no one forgets but in the olden days you used to be able to do that one but no I think the guys I work with are brilliant yeah I've gone great with Micah you know Gary Neville Jamie Carragher Roy Keane is brilliant at what he does.

45:42Even Graham Sooners. I saw Graham last week. I went to Wimbledon last week and I saw Graham Sooners there. You said, I get him with Micah, I get him with Gary.

45:50Romesh Ranganathan:Roy Keane's brilliant at what he does. No, I love Roy. No, yeah, yeah. No, I do. I think Roy's a genius. He is a genius. Mate, he's a genius. I'm just helping you out. No, I love Roy. Genuinely. Roy's also there. I didn't know that I would like Roy as much as I do. Yeah. I don't think anybody did because obviously as an Arsenal fan, I hated him. Of course. Do you know what I mean? But he's very, he's funny and he's intelligent and he understands the game. Yeah, exactly. And Roy's got that thing, I'd almost say like my dad, that he'd just say what he likes. Yeah, yeah. Get away with it. Whereas anyone else said it, I mean, they'd be done, cancelled.

46:24Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. Why do you still look so good? Because like a lot of footballers, they have to like work really, really hard on, you know, not on their looks, but they have to work really hard physically and that keeps them in good nick. and then a lot of them let themselves go. Why have you not let yourself go? You're what, 57, 58 now, right? 52 now. 52, sorry. It's five, six years, yeah. Right, you're 52 now. Why do you still look so good? I'm vain. Right. I'm vain. I like to stay fit. I like to look... A lot of it comes from my mum. My mum's very... She's always... Like, every pretty fit, she comes from my dad.

47:01My mum's always trained. Your mum looks great. She looks amazing. She looks so good. She does Pilates, she trains. obviously my mum's getting older now but she still really cares about herself her weight how she looks and I think I've inherited a lot of that so I always I try to look good I've always loved fashion I love clothes so yeah I'm not going to lie I'm pretty vain I like to I try to look my best and I can

47:24Romesh Ranganathan:I know we take the piss out of you on League but what are you genuinely doing to stop yourself aging? Real talk Real talk Real talk We're not on League of Their Own now Real talk Right now I'm full on ice bath sauna. Right. And I'm like, and I actually feel like an, you know, there's, you know, like when. So what does that mean? I feel like an, I actually mean, ice bath, like I would call me an ice bath, ice bath wanker. Right. Because you know, like you're so many people, how long can you do? Yeah. How cold is it? How long can you do? Well, I like the science behind it. Like you listen to sort of, everyone's talks about it now, don't they?

48:01Tom Davis is big into it. Is he into it, Tom?

48:04Romesh Ranganathan:He's big into it, yeah. So that's what I'm saying. And it does. So every morning I've got a nice bath and I get in for three minutes because I think that's what they tell you is the science. And mine, I have it below three degrees. Okay. And it's not fun, but I actually think it's good for my brain because I just feel better doing it. And it's like that mental aspect of it, of just trying to do it. I haven't had a drink now in 18 months. How come? Is that from Venice, though? A little bit. and just purely I just felt and I've never I've never had like a bad relationship with alcohol I've always suffered terrible hangovers so that tells you alcohol doesn't agree with me but I had my 50th and you got messed up messed up because Martin Too Smooth yeah I told you that he DJed at your birthday party I know and I loved it and he said you got fucked up I did like you were do you know what I mean and I teary hammered hammered off my nuts but that actually and that was my birth and I had all my mates there.

49:04You didn't come, did you? Why didn't you come again?

49:07Romesh Ranganathan:Because I was broad. That's right. I was filming, yeah. I would have loved to be there. Yeah, it was a great night. But do you know what, Rom? But I had, so it was 25th of June, my birthday, and my son and I played in the family, the father-son tournament at Queenwood, which is my golf club. Had a great day. We played lovely, didn't win. So we had a couple of beers there. Then we get back home, and it's about three, four o 'clock. My mum and dad turned up. Charlie, my son's 20. He's excited. Beautiful weather, great summer's day, having a few more drinks. And I'd just forgotten to eat. So then I'm having a few more tequilas.

49:41And we went to this restaurant called Los Mochi. It was a brilliant Mexican restaurant in sort of Notting Hillway. And we just hired out the restaurant. And everyone was coming. I was so excited to see everyone. And then by the time we sort of got to the club, which was opposite, I was in a mess. You know, it really hit me. and the next day I woke up horrendous my two boys I remember walking home with them and I thought that's it I'm going to stop drinking that feeling of not memorising anything that had happened was just horrendous for me so I thought I'm going to stop I love a glass of wine and I'm not a big I'm not a drinker maybe I'll be able to binge and I thought I'm going to see how I go and that went one month two months six months and I don't necessarily feel that much better for it but I just feel that I'm so pleased you don't ever get the fear now no because I hate that feeling I hate that feeling of like the next day.

50:32And some of my friends and people have done, you know, they've had like real problems with alcohol or drugs or whatever. And I think fair, because I didn't, but even stopping, like you'll see people have a nice glass, I fancy that. But it's a really tough thing to do, but not for me, because I didn't have that relationship. But I just felt I'm going to stop and I want to wake up every morning when I see Rafa. I don't want to feel like, oh, I feel like rubbish today. I want to get up earlier than him and, you know, be as healthy as possible. Because I think as you get older... I wish I was not drunk when I played.

51:05Yeah. Because I think that part of it... Do you reckon it affected your game? We all did it wrong.

51:10Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, yeah. But some of the players I played with could go, like, get smashed. The next day, come in and they just trade. Is there any part of you that thinks it's a bit of a shame it's not like that anymore? Because, you know, everybody's saying there's not characters in the game like there used to be. I'd love it. If I played now and there was no... Like there was no that, because that environment that I was in at Liverpool when I first went there, you get back on the bus after a game and then to just open the fridge and we'd still be drinking cans of beer, you know. Were they hot on the nutrition in that then?

51:38What do you think? You know what I mean? Not really. No, that was like, that was it. You had fish and chips and six beers to watch it now. So that was how it was, Ron. But no, I don't, so that really is a big part of it now. And so not drinking is like, I'm not trying to say I'm doing anything special, but for me it's good because I just feel better for it.

51:54Romesh Ranganathan:So, okay. so you do the ice bath you work out loads I know that yeah I like training I know that you do are you still doing the face gym thing I haven't been to face gym for a while we went to face gym didn't we well we went to face gym for league of their own which is like a what's the best way to describe it it's like a well it's a workout for your face isn't it theoretically it counteracts the gravity yeah I think that nowadays because people talk about what they've had done what they haven't had done like I have tried a bit of Botox before right okay Okay, when? When did you do it? Like a couple of years ago.

52:27But I felt, and I look back at something, like it looks weird. It looked weird on me. Because you can't. You know. But now, there's other little things. There's like trout sperm, salmon sperm, just to make yourself look a little bit healthy. So have you done salmon sperm? I've done, yeah, and trout sperm. And what's that supposed to do? Don't tell me like you don't know. You know. I don't know. Your skin looks amazing.

52:46Romesh Ranganathan:I don't do trout sperm. No? What is it? Can we look at what is, they don't actually just get a trout, they don't actually take a trout. They don't start wanking trout sperm. No, just get it to the vinegar strokes. Yeah, exactly. Close your eyes. It just makes you skip. But do you know what? Frida's super fit. Everything she does is about looking after yourself. So it's sort of rubbed off a bit of me. So she does that. So how did they apply it then? They inject it. So they just inject this thing into your face? Yeah, exactly. And then did you notice a difference straight away? Not really. No, because do you know what, Rom?

53:16I don't even... I think with men, it's more difficult to say what you've... Like, we know full well. We see, like, there's some famous people that we watch every day that 100 % had hair transplants. Yeah. But they don't want to say it. No. I'm like, why wouldn't you say it? Yeah. Because why shouldn't we be able to say, like, if a woman does something to make herself look better or has, I don't know, like maybe a boob job or something because she feels more comfortable, we go, okay, that's great. But if a man has, like, a hair transplant, we go, oh, he's a hair transplant. So what? If that makes him feel better and if that makes him feel younger and more attractive and just have a real confidence about himself, what's the big deal?

53:56I don't understand why people don't come out and say it. It doesn't make any sense. Listen, right, okay. You've asked me,

54:02Romesh Ranganathan:what have you had done? I've not had anything. Okay. Let's be honest. I'm going to be straight on. I have not had any Botox or anything like that. Actually, but you have got good skin. I'm going to give you that. You've got great skin. Well, I think that's vegan. I think that helps. What I have done in the past that I've denied is I was dyeing my beard for quite a bit and now I've just let that go. Yeah. But that's it. Yeah. Yeah.

54:30Romesh Ranganathan:I didn't have... First of all, didn't you? You directed that. Yeah. What was that? What, what, what? I had his bones cracked. No, no, no, no, no. Hold on. I didn't have my bones cracked. There's like a massage in Korea that's supposed to make you look younger and I had that for the show. For the show I had that. Okay. And like, I didn't notice that much of it. Pardon? It didn't make the edit. Wow. And that's it? I said to them that it was going to be shit. I told you that was shit that bit. But you looked good for it. But what about, okay. But, okay, what would you have done? Have you had any plastic surgery?

55:06I'll ask you a question. Because you've lost a lot of weight. Have you not taken any? You're asking me if I'm on a Zen pick? No, have you tried it? Have you thought about trying it?

55:16Romesh Ranganathan:I have thought about it. I just the truth is I lost weight without doing it and now I'm a bit nervous about what the side effects might be like I just don't I don't know how I feel about it what do you think about it I think it's great I think it's unbelievable because it changes people's lives and it makes someone feel better this is the thing with men we still I like I always think if we take it on 10-15 years time now because I look back to my when I was 16-17 at Liverpool if you'd have walked in with a wash bag I mean they would have questioned your sexuality but nowadays men like carry wash bags and there's hair dryers in the dressing room and rightly so because it makes them feel better when they look men are more interested in how they look and how they feel so someone doing that I'm like great good for you get a hair transplant if you want it get Botox if it makes you feel better and younger you know and try and massage all these things I've got I think it's great okay serious question do you think I should have a butt implant we've talked about it a lot I know I've got a flat arse the flattest arse I've ever seen I think you should.

56:17Romesh Ranganathan:But then people will know that I've had something put into my arse. Yeah, but there's nothing wrong with getting something put into your arse. But what I'm saying is, what are you getting complimented on then? Congratulations on the two sacks of gel they've put into your buttcheek. Lisa then would just grab your arse and just think, how sexy is Romesh right now. Instead, she's just grabbing two pancakes. I know. It would be great for her to have some purchase when she's pegging me.

56:44Romesh Ranganathan:because at the moment she's like it's like a cliff face

56:53Romesh Ranganathan:she actually needs like a rope and some hooks do you remember when you come on we did something didn't we on League of the Roam when they were like bum enhancement pants yeah I wore the TikTok leggings yeah can I tell you something they made no difference no but do you know who was on the show? It was, oh God, she does the ITV football. What's her name? Laura Woods. Laura Woods was on, right?

57:22Romesh Ranganathan:Laura Woods was like, you know, she's really nice, great guest on the show. After she saw me come out in the, you know, I had them pulled up to hit, it was really unattractive. Actually, can we pull it up? She didn't really talk to me the same after that. I think... What, because she was turned on or not? No, no. I think, not that she was attracted to me ever, but I think it really gave her the it to the point where she couldn't really talk to me. Because it was really... Yeah, disgusting. It was disgusting, wasn't it? Yeah. It was disgusting. No, you looked... It was horrible. Yeah. And I had like a cricket...

57:52Romesh Ranganathan:But you put yourself in that, but... I had a cricket box in because I said like my... When I didn't have the box in, it just looked like my testicles were like smeared against my thigh. Yeah, that's horrible, wasn't it? That's one of the worst things in the League of the World when you have to like put all tight stuff on. I know. Oh, fuck off, Jamie. No, like, no, there. Yeah, no, I know. But like, genuinely, whatever you, I've got to say about you, you're just, you're just built to be attractive. Because like, whatever kit they give us, first of all, you know what you're doing a little bit. Sometimes you roll the sleeves up.

58:20Romesh Ranganathan:Well, I do try to stand next to you if I can. But what about, what would you have, what would you have done if you could do anything then? Well, actually, so I've had a lot of people message me going that I could have my eye corrected. But I'm never going to do that. Because I, it's. Is that a thing you can do now? Yeah, I could easily get my eyelid fixed. I could easily get myself straightened up. But I don't want to do that now. Because there's people that have that. And also, it's part of my thing now. Do you know what I mean? And also, what is that? 75 % of my material, gone. But we're not allowed to say anything about it anymore.

58:54Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, so Sky have said, we're not allowed to make jokes about my own anymore. Are you allowed to? Well, I don't even think I'm allowed to, actually. No, you are. No, because they said it's like your disability and you're not allowed to say anything about it. And you're not allowed to, I mean, it never makes you edit, but you're never allowed to call me the P word anymore, are you? What's that? Prick. Penis. Oh, no. No. Stop it. You horrible man. Yeah, are you going to say it again? No.

59:26Stop it. Listen. Hey, what a way to go out on 20. Just drop the mic. Last episode. Yeah, last episode.

59:32Romesh Ranganathan:I just want to say, I just want to say, thanks for watching League of the Road and big up for Romesh, my favourite b***h.

59:44Romesh Ranganathan:And there's been some good ones. Who have we had on? Oh, don't do that to me. So, look, I do want to say this to you genuinely. Speaking to you socially as a mate, I feel like you are at your most comfortable in your own skin period of your life where you're just like, Like, even when I spoke to you about, you know, I feel like whichever way the wind blows, you'd be chill about it. Like, you're happy with, like, Frieda and Rafa and the boys and all that, and it's all working out really, really well. What's next for you? Are you bothered about what's next for you? Do you think, I want to try and get a fourth career?

1:00:18Romesh Ranganathan:Like, what are you thinking, Mike? Do you know what, right? It's funny. I was talking to Freddie over the week, and we were talking to Freddie Flintoff, and he said one of the mistakes he's made is he's always thinking, like, what am I going to do next? I want to do this Nick, I want to do that and I'm the complete opposite I just wait until what I'm doing is finished and then I decide I'm not under any illusions I mean the Sky stuff could end any minute, I've been so fortunate and it's the job I absolutely love, I don't go to Sky and do the punditry ever and think I'm bored of this and I don't care if I'm watching the two bottom teams playing I love it because it's my life, it's my passion anything to do with sport and football I dream about it every day.

1:01:03It's ridiculous. So I don't know. The truth is I've not for one second thought about it. Frida and I often talk about, okay, would we move abroad maybe? But we've got seven kids between us. Two of them, Charlie's not in America anymore, but Frida's oldest daughter's in America and a couple of other kids probably will go there to university or wherever. And I would hate to be away from Bo. And so would we maybe move abroad in time? I don't know. But I'm very lucky. I'm so, I'm always one of those guys that like think, okay, what, what, what have I got? I hate, I'd hate to feel I was searching for something.

1:01:36Right. Because I've got everything I need in my life. You know, I had, you know, when I was, I was single for a while and I, and I, and I lucky enough, I met someone that is just like, she's just changed my life. You know, we, we get on so well to find like a best mate in your life at an age when you're getting, when you're getting older. Like, you know, I was 50 when we met, I don't know, six years ago, something like that. So it's been, I've been so lucky. I think back at my career and the things that I've done and how lucky I've been, genuinely, it's mind-blowing. You know, I've done everything I wanted to do.

1:02:10There's not one thing in my life I think, like, don't get me wrong, like, finishing my career at 31, brew injuries, or 27, I would say, because I pretty much retired then. I got through to 31 just because it was a mercenary point of view, just to get earning money. There was no enjoyment out of it. I have done everything I wanted to do. I don't look back and think, I wish I could have done that. I've had the best laugh ever. All the time we are working with people in different industries. I've had a great life.

1:02:36Romesh Ranganathan:Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you, mate. What an amazing guest. Thank you, Jamie Redknapp. Thank you for having me, Rom. If you've enjoyed this episode of the Romesh Ranganathan Show, make sure you follow wherever you get your podcasts. Apple, Spotify, YouTube, all the big ones. And you can enjoy more great content like this. And in fact, I'll go further to say, even if you didn't enjoy this episode just follow anyway for shits and giggles and on the thursday episode we're going to be taking questions from viewers and listeners oh so that's exciting isn't it's interesting yeah and if you've got an interesting story or a question for my mum and i or even like a family dilemma you'd like us to help you with please do get in touch via our email address podcast at rangaby.com or you can voice note or text on this number 0 7 7 3 1 62 33 55 I'm Ramesh Ranganathan and this has been the Ramesh Ranganathan Show.

1:03:26Romesh Ranganathan:What a narcissist. See you next time. Oh, shut up, Ramesh.