Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting Hell - S8 EP48: Oti Mabuse

Episode Date: June 21, 2024

Joining us this episode to discuss the highs and lows of parenting (and life) is the brilliant dancer and presenter - Oti Mabuse. Parenting Hell is a Spotify Podcast, available everywhere every Tuesday and Friday. Please leave a rating and review you filthy street dogs... xxx If you want to get in touch with the show here's how: EMAIL: [e-mail] INSTAGRAM: @parentinghell MAILING LIST: parentinghellpodcast.mailchimpsites.com  A 'Keep It Light Media' Production  Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, I'm Rob Beckett. Hello, I'm Josh Whiticum. Welcome to Parenting Hell, the show in which Josh and I discuss what it's really like to be a parent, which I would say can be a little tricky. So to make ourselves and hopefully you feel better about the trials and tribulations of modern day parenting, each week we'll be chatting to a famous parent about how they're coping. Or hopefully how they're not coping. And we'll also be hearing from you, the listener, with advice and of course tales of parenting woe. Because let's be

honest there are plenty of times where none of us know what we're doing. Hello you're listening to Can you say Josh Widdeking? Josh Widdeking. Ha ha ha. Can you say Rob Beckett? Rob Beckett. Rob Beckett. Amazing. That kid sound drunk. That is amazing. Hello, Sexy and Relatable Slacks.

Oh. This is my two and a half year old son Jack finding it hilarious hilarious saying your names He's called Jambo in the Jack Jambo Jack Jack. Yeah, it does not mention in the email but is mentioned in the subject. So Jack or Jambo Originally from Lancashire. We now live in Kenya. They're from Lancashire We moved here from Hackney near the park where Josh had the standoff with the squirrel, don't you remember that?

For a six month adventure while I was on maternity leave, as my husband works remotely. That was two years ago with no plans to return yet. And we're now expecting baby number three in November. Wow. Well, no, because Jambo, the spoken word Jambo was once used as a greeting among traders of the Swahili coast of South East Africa, similar to the English word Hello. So I don't know if she's saying he's called Jambo. She just said, Oh, is it? Is she saying hello from Kenya? So what did she write? Jambo from

Kenya? Yes. I think that's Hello from Kenya. Um, how are you? Not too bad, actually. Pretty good today. I'm sorry about them. Just shaking. It's just my protein shake. Oh, yeah. Yeah. today. Oh sorry about that, I'm just shaking, it's just my protein shake. Oh yeah. Yeah, it's just my protein shake, yeah. More about fitness, isn't it? Is it Oatie? Oatie. Bit of fun. Right, because we've got Oatie Mabuse. Oh no, it's not Oatie, it's um, it's weird with protein shakes because they're sort of like, you have to have them to like fill you up and increase your protein intake because that's healthy and it makes you lose weight. We don't have to. But um, I've gone for um, white chocolate and peanut butter flavour.

So I don't know if that's really... It doesn't really feel like I'm committing to the health kick if I'm drinking white chocolate and peanut butter, do you know what I mean? Yeah. No, I'm all good. I'm a... How's the dyslexia? Still going?

Dyslexia, still going, still going strong. Got sent a report. Oh yeah? And I'm starting to do I actually didn't stand up about the dyslexia thing getting diagnosed and my reaction to it and stuff like that. And this is getting quite a big laugh when they send you basically a 25 page written report. Now,

don't want to start beef with the old dyslexics. After a recent diagnosis, I don't want to be like this might be a villain story where I turn against the guys. Yeah. However, if you've just told someone that they struggled to retain and take in information, is it like a fully typed 25 page? Oh, yeah, I've got even looked I opened it and immediately closed it. Yeah, who's read it and she's gonna highlight it for me and give it to me. What they should do, Rob, is they should send you 25 pages of just random letters on pages

to really freak you out. Really fuck me up. Oh God, it's got worse. Oh no. But no, yes, all good. But cracking on with that. Good, good. Lovely reaction to that.

Oh yeah, thank you for all your very kind words and nice messages people have sent in about that kind of thing. Also, thank you to all the other people that said I described number of ADHD symptoms. But let's, let's take one one thing at a time. I want to be the old diagnosis gig. I love them all. I could get addicted to being diagnosed. Thank you to everyone. Every time I have a guest on the

podcast, they like, are blown away by how much people engage with them after it and how pleased they are. So thank you for being nice to one. I'm very supportive to everyone that we have on and the small businesses. Yeah, because as much as we love doing this, and you know, it's our faces on the picture and all that, but without you guys listening, this wouldn't happen. And you're

like, honestly, though, because it is mad, actually, it seems a little bit too self reflective. But like, there are a lot of you listening, you know, without being Christ, and we really appreciate it and stuff. But don't underestimate, you know, the impact you can have on these people that have got tours or new books coming out and stuff like that. And especially all the small businesses we give shout outs to, it does make a massive difference. So thank you to

everyone that does follow and bias things from people or go and watch his people stuff. So thank you very much for all of your feedback. And we try and get back to everyone, but it is difficult. We do need to do a bit more cross. I've got correspondence lined up. Shall we do a bit now? Shall we just do a bit now?

Let's do a bloody bit now. Let's turn the light back on you guys. Sleep over advice, Josh. Here we go. Oh yeah, go on. Also, please send in more playground shaggers. Everyone loves the playground shagger stuff. Just to be clear, if you haven't listened back, that is parents shagging each other.

Oh, yes, yes, of course. That's not a feature that was really divided. The nation is going to get us cancelled. Yeah, yeah, that is not, you know, we don't want stories of that kind of stuff. Let's keep that separate. But yeah, parents shagging other parents or teachers at the school gates. Absolutely top, top class stuff or even the caretaker anyone shag the caretaker anyone been taken to a

broom cupboard and had the keys rattling behind them. Let us know. Yeah. It's weird though dinner lady, but if you were called a dinner man, you'd sound like a shit superhero. It's dinner though, dinner lady, but if you were called a dinner man, you'd sound like a shit superhero. It's dinner man. He comes out, fish fingers and waffles. Our dinner ladies were proper.

Our dinner ladies at school were like, if you cast them in a drama, you'd go, this is too much. Can I guess? What? One absolute unit and then one that could get blown over in a slight breeze. Yeah, they were so old and they'd all call us my lover. My lover? No way. Yes, that's my lover.

Yeah. And there was one who was called Barbara Scarrett. Yeah, that name would get rejected in a writer's room. Yeah, you can't's called Barbara Scarrett. She's called Barbara Scarrett. And she says, my lover. And she'd say that you'd come through and there'd be tills. And then Barbara Scarrett was in free in charge of free school dinners.

But she would also be able to do your money if she didn't have someone doing free school dinners at the time. Right. OK. And she'd alwaysners at the time. Right, okay. And she'd always shout the same thing all lunchtime, which was, write through please now, come on, I can take your money, my lover. She'd always say, I can take your money. I can take it. Write through please now, come on, and I can still hear it. Oh, yeah, dinner lady stories. Send in your dinner lady stories.

We were supposed to turn the spotlight back on the audience, but we just did our own story again. I know. Sorry. You just got when you've got anecdotes like that burning a hole. I know. Exactly. When the scarlet wants to come out to play, the scarlet comes out to play, my lover. What did you the food we had at school? Sorry. Was fucking unacceptable.

Oh, mate. I swear, one of ours was he's toasty, but the bread had been deep fried as well as fried and scotch and with cheese in it. Yeah. And we'd have pudding, you'd have like, like, what would you get at McDonald's? That kind of banana fritter thing. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, just deep fried. Deep fried. And just a cone of chips. Cone of chips or just chocolate or- Or sponge cake with little hundreds and thousands on it and then a custard. If I ate now, I'd be like, I can only, I might have to have a- It's fucking mental. A tin of custard each.

How cheap was custard when you were kids? They like I was going off. Quick, get in quick. Fuck it out. This is sleepover advice from one of my time Rob. Let's do this one from Louise. Different Louise. Hello, Rob and Josh. I have just listened to your episode about your children going on sleepovers. I feel your pain, Josh. My daughter always desperately wanted to go on sleepovers. I feel your pain Josh, my daughter always desperately wanted to go on sleepovers but just couldn't bring herself to stay. She's 13 now but can't manage sleepovers due to her need in her own bed and time on her own. Your daughter sounds like she got used to you holding her but this could

be resolved by sending her to sleepovers with a weighted blanket. Don't use it at home, keep it for sleepovers or when she needs to sleep alone. Because of the heaviness It will give her the feeling of being held I hope this helps give it a try. That's nice. I'd like a weighted blanket Rob I think some of this advice is aimed at you more so than your child When roses away get yourself a little weighted blanket Oh God last night because roses away at the moment

Also humble brag from Louise. Sorry. Cornwall. Yeah. Louise said, I didn't like this actually. Just turn me off Louise a little bit. Give it a try. Keep being sexy, funny, relatable. As you get me through a 10k run twice a week, no one likes a fucking show off Louise. Keep it to yourself Louise. I'm just trying to choke. I'm just trying to choke down a white chocolate and peanut butter shake, even though I put on half a kilo last week because of Ron, because of my fucking ankle. Sorry, Karen, Josh. Life's difficult for some people. Some people get this, Rob, grew up without Sky TV.

Oh, Rishi, Rishi, shut up. Stop talking, Rishi. Oti Mabusi, absolute national treasure, legend. Absolutely love her. Oh, yes, she was a good one. Love Oti. Please welcome to the Love Oti. Please welcome to the show, Oti Mabuse. Oti, we've been wanting you on for ages. We finally made it happen.

Thank you. Oh no, thank you for having me. You've been wanting me for ages. Oh my God, I love you. Yeah, we have for us as well. Cause you know, you've recently had a baby. So when we see people that we've met in the industry that are fun, that we really like, and they have a baby like So when we see people that we've met in the industry that are fun,

that we really like and they have a baby like this is great. Yeah, this is a perfect guest. Finally, finally, I think all the funness has disappeared because I'm so overstimulated. So make jokes about funny and internet. I've met you a few times and you are a really lively, energetic, positive person. That is the opposite of how I was for the first kind of year of having a baby. Have you managed to bring your personality into motherhood? I have. I have to, first of all, because I'm one of those parents who's like a no-screen parents, so I don't let her on any screens.

So it's basically me every day trying to get her to nap and entertain her. Right. So I dance, just entertain her on singing and she's laughing at me, but I'm actually spending all time just trying to entertain her. So I have to be on it. I think also as a mom, you kind of just take that super mom role on anyway. And dads, my husband, why would you do that? And I'm like, just do it. So how old your daughter is? Oh, she's seven months tomorrow. Oh, wow. Seven months. She was born premature. Was it six weeks premature?

Yes. So do you do that thing where you go, well, actually she's only six months because she has to. So it's called like a corrected age. So it's six months now. The milestones that she'll be reaching are over four months old. Yes, of course. So like roles, she'll do that now. And so they have a little bit of developmental delays until they get to about two, three, and then they catch up. And then it levels out, right.

Usually, premature kids are also quite small, but my daughter has caught up way too much. She's like, oh really? Yeah, she's just like, yeah, I'm here. She loves the food. So how much did she weigh when she was first born? She weighed 1.5 kilograms. What's that, three pounds?

Yeah. Blimey. Oh my gosh. Yeah. But she's caught up. Now she's 8.5. A kilogram, she's not pounds. I was like, I wouldn't say that's caught up. A kilogram. A seven month, eight pounder.

Eight kilos. Right, I got you. And you're dancing for her. Can you feel she's got it in the genes yet? Because obviously she's from a dance royalty. I'm dancing for her, but I don't want her to be a dancer. I'm just doing it for entertainment purposes. I want her to be like, this is the career that I want you to go into.

So if she starts dancing, I'll be like, no, we're going to math class. And you said you're a no screen parent. So obviously she's still quite young. When is the screen allowed or is it never? Or are you going to see how it goes? I think I just want to stimulate her imagination for a little bit, for her to develop her own thoughts,

for her to develop her own way of thinking, to see colors in real life and then be more fascinating than the colors that she sees on screen. Yeah. So like two more years of. So about two, fair enough. Oh yeah, so it's not like a no screen forever

just as she's little. No, just until she can find other things more entertaining than television. I don't just want to feed her that and then do my own thing. I kind of just want to be with her. Yeah. I think that I don't know want to feed her that and then do my own thing. I kind of just want to be with her. Yeah. I don't know what her dad is doing.

Her dad might be making her watch. He might be watching EastEnders with her and I'm like, no, he's kidding. So how are you juggling the workload then? Cause you're back into work and you're working full time. How are you splitting the parenting with dad? What's the setup? Yeah, so we do it just the two of us really and we don't have a nanny So we kind of plan two weeks where he's working. I'm at home if I'm at home, then he's working

So at the moment I'm at the watermill and I'm there for about seven weeks Yeah, it's an hour and a half drive and that's the theater. You're not doing shift on the moon So when I'm home then he then can go to work or I just travel every day so that she can stay home Right. It's really really hard But for some reason we just try to do it this way and then over the weekends when we're in the dog school There are loads of dance moms there around and they all just want to take care of herself. That's free childcare for us.

Oh, you just pass her around. Yes, yes. They all love to take care of herself. We just leave them with the moms. And so with like, when you're working, because that's straight back in, are you enjoying being back to work? Yeah, I mean, I went back after eight weeks.

Oh, wow. So that's two considering she's premature. Yeah, but we have to, let's just all be honest. When we say we're working, it's a completely different aspect to real people who are working, who are service. So for me to say, oh, I'm going to work is me to get my hair done, my makeup done,

be put in a pretty dress and then tell people how much I love them for an hour and then go back to my baby. And she was with me the whole time. So she was right there with me with my husband, but she was always with me. And I think as a new mom, you can be so much into your own child that you forget to sometimes come out and breathe for air. And I found that just that one day or two days a week of actually separating a little bit. I got to get myself a little bit of space of air.

I felt like myself back again. And then once I leave the environment, I can go back and I'm looking forward to being with my baby. I miss my baby. I want to play with her. So I got the best of both worlds and I was able to manage it also because my dad, my, my dad, my husband is a really good dad. Your dad, your dad. Horrible Freudian slip there.

That's awful. My dad was also there actually taking care. So I had my mom over helping and then I had my dad over helping. Then I had his mom and his dad. Oh, so you got the support. Oh wow. Yeah, for the last two months.

And then I was like, get out of my house. Well, I've read somewhere that you want as many children as you can possibly have. Is that taken out of context or do you just want a massive family? No, I want as many children as I can possibly afford. They're not cheap, okay. I know, but dancing on ice pays well. You could have about 10.

No, also I love traveling. I love being on holiday and I figure if there's three of them, there's more them than there is us. I can't get a hold on that, you know, when we're flying, let's say we're flying, I don't want to mention any airlines, but if we're flying and there are not enough seats, I don't want one of us to be separate from the kids. So it has to make sense. How many bedrooms in the house can you get? Hotel rooms, stuff like that.

The car, now must I get a mommy van? I want a mommy van, I'm quite cool event, I'm quite cool mom, I'm a cool mom, I'm a mom lover. I don't think cool moms call themselves cool moms. Yes, they definitely do. Hey, I don't know if you know, but I'm a pretty cool dad. We're very cool, we're cool. It's just logistics like that. Yes. Like traveling, holiday. If they say I want to be into sports, I want to do aviation, I want to be in space,

I must be able to afford them being able to reach their dreams as well. So can I do that with form? I don't think so. I'm not rich. But maybe three or two or one. Maybe that's what I'm thinking. Yeah. Also as well, and not just in money terms,

I think is what you could afford to give your own time and care to. That's, I'd say more important than the money and the access to things is, can you actually be a mom and a dad with all of them equally? Because it must be hard if there's five or six kids in the house, you know, people do do it,

but I don't think I've got the bandwidth to get all six of them. Do you know what I mean? You've got other things you want to do, Rob. You want to be on TikTok. He wants to host a blaster. He can't do that. Exactly.

Also as well, imagine the USB cables for the iPad. The charging. The charging before holiday. I run out of plug sockets. That's the thing. And also the arguments. When they all get into arguments and then this one is shouting and this one wants this one,

you're constantly a mediator. So although people do do it, my mom is one of five. So they did it. Yeah. And that's me like, how many siblings have you got? I've got two.

Two. One sister, but Mutsi is 10 years older than me. Oh, is she? Yeah. By the time I was born, she could actually help my mom out. Yeah. But my other sister is seven years,

so they have like two, three years in between them, so they used to fight for things. I don't want that struggle. No. Did you feel a bit outside it then, being the youngest? They would fight and you were like sport baby, was that how it was or not? It was more like I would just watch the things

that they would fight for and they would always make me the judge, to be like, who's right in this situation? So I always felt empowered. Oh right, okay. And then 20 years later, she's judging you on live television, she's scoring you.

Oh God. Payback, for the payback for saying she's not the Beyonce of the family, yeah. What was it like when your sister was the judge? Was that a weird situation? No, not at all, because we had done it in Germany before. So I came from strictly Germany. That's where I saw me.

And she was already a judge 10 years before I started in Germany. So she's been doing it for years. And when we did it, we were very aware that, listen, you're not judging me, you're judging the pro, but you're just judging how well I make the pro. And I'm not those kinds of pros or I wasn't that kind of pros that that is in denial. I know the level of my celeb. So if somebody says it's a six, I probably agree. Yeah. My job is just not to take that personally, but to get them to a 10. So even if you scored us low, it was like, okay, fine.

Understandable, let me just work. Is your greatest achievement on that show getting Bill Bailey such high scores? And tour ticket sales, by the way. I know. You should be on a cut of that. His career since. You got him back in arenas.

I think my greatest achievement was getting someone who everyone thought couldn't do it. Yeah. Because I didn't do it, he did it. I just motivated him and I was there to facilitate, but just getting him to see himself in a different light. One thought I was this comedian, jokey jokey old guy, I can actually do this.

That was for me, was like, that's for me the biggest transformation. When he walked in, though, and they gone, you're a bill Bailey. You must have fought for fuck's sake. Him. Fucking. Oh, wow. I had one the year before with Calvert. Right. Oh, so you're like, this is my punishment. Yeah. You know that once once you're in the final, the next year, they kind of rotate it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're most likely to go out before week five. So I was like, OK, fine. I'm so competitive. I am so competitive. If you say that to me, I'm like, I'm going to show you. It's not going to happen. Yeah.

And I was so glad that, like you guys know as comedians you're just as competitive yeah that energy of like we're gonna do it we did it so he's just thought bill would they just assume he's an older guy they knew they knew he was good because he's musical right Deuces knew because they send them through tests they do auditions where they get a group of them together and then they just teach them a group number. Oh God. So what, my worst nightmare? Yeah, he was fun, he loved to dance, he was making the group laugh, but he also wasn't,

he wasn't like a clown, he wasn't a class clown. He could sit on his own and think about things and he was asking them about the history of stuff. He was asking them personal questions, So they knew that he was intelligent. Yeah. And he knew music, because he plays all the instruments. Yeah.

They really, really did love him. So from the get-go, they were like, look, it's Bill Bailey, he's fun, but you will love him because he's super intelligent, he's inquisitive like you, and you'll have good conversation and a good... Yeah, they knew that he could dance a bit as well then from the beginning.

Like move, yeah, move. Move, yeah, but you really polished him up. So it's all you really. I have to because it's not all me. It's really not all me. She never does it on their own. No one ever does it on their own. He worked.

The one thing that you have to do when you're on this show is invest your time. And it's a big sacrifice. But like you say, he's in arenas now. it's a big sacrifice, but like you say, he's in arenas now. It's a big sacrifice. So once you say, okay, I'm just sacrificing three months. What is three months really? It's three months of giving my best from beginning to end.

And you reap what you sow. So how do you deal with someone that's only really doing it for a bit of money and a bit of fame, and they're not into their dancing? They're making excuses not to come to training and stuff like that, do you just accept it? Or do you try and motivate them? I accepted, I mean, I didn't have a celeb like that,

who was like, I don't wanna train that much. And that was my peak of competitiveness. And then I be like, okay, cool, I'm gonna go to the spa and we're gonna play for two days, I'll give you my best for two hours, you give me your best for two hours and then go home. And how did they do? They did well.

I've never been out before Blackpool. So that is like. I reckon I could work that out for information. It's a male that did well. Yeah, I've never been out before Blackpool. Well, actually, the last time I was out before Blackpool, but before that never. But he did really, really, really, really well.

Yeah, but when they know you're leaving, they won't put you through to Blackpool. Do you know what I mean? If they've got an idea that you're gonna leave after that series, you are screwed. They are, the big old strictly BBC boot comes down, no chance, she's got ITV, there's no way she makes Blackpool.

I don't get all tens. Are we chucking in minus threes just to keep you out? But they all did well and I think it's difficult when your level of ambition is not the same as the person who's coming because for me as a professional dancer I always found that this was the goal right for all professionals whether you're competing or you're doing shows on ships or you're dancing at gigs, strictly as a dancer is our goal. And celebs, it's their step up. So they give as much as where they want to end up.

If it's like, I gain nothing from this, then they don't have to give a lot. Then you have to, as a professional, adjust your ambition level to match theirs. That's the only thing that causes the less frustration. And you say you're quite a kind of, well, not quite, you say you're a very competitive person. It's not like you, Josh, don't even pretend like that.

I know, I know, I know. I remember you beating me in Blockbusters. Yeah, you're asking me like, you're like, I'm, oh, there's old beef. Is it old beef? No, it's not old beef. You got time on Blockbusters, Mama Boosay. Well, she had her and Stacey Dooley.

I was on my own. I mean, no offence to Stacey Dooley, but it's hardly like she stood there with like, you know, Professor Brian Cox. She did really well, Stacey. She bloody won. So what, it was Oti and Stacey together against you? I think so, wasn't it?

Yeah. Yes, it was. She's so clever, Stacey, as well. She is. She thrashed me. And for you, nobody knew you were like baby Einstein. Baby Einstein. Well, not Einstein-y enough. But my question is, are you going to be a competitive mom?

Ooh, that I can't. That is my limit. That is my limit. I think, do you know what? I'm a very competitive auntie. Right. So my nieces are into football, swimming, gymnastics, and I'm constantly like, let's go, let's go, let's go. And I feel like with my daughter, I'm like the nice parent. I'm like, so you think your personality is going to completely change when you're dealing with your own child? That's your partner.

So you're really competitive and you're competitive with all the other children in your life, but the one in your house, you'll just, you won't be. Okay. I know. And I'm scared that she'll just one day say to me, I don't think this work thing is for me. I don't want to work. I don't want to do anything that for me. I don't want to work. I don't want to do anything.

That is like I'm genuinely scared. She's a YouTuber because, listen, I've tried filming my own content. It's a lot of work. It's an art. YouTube is an art. It's just a skill. Big up, Angry Ginge. You're a director. You're a manager. You're a producer. You're an editor. You're the interterritor.

Everything is one person. But if she said, I just want to sit at home and be and live, that would be my biggest, biggest worry. Don't panic. She's seven months. She doing a lot of that at the moment. And you're going, she's not doing any work. She's just sitting around and making me dance and make her laugh. So get up and go. It's just milk and rolls.

Rolling, rolling. That's it. This is worse than that guy I had who I got to Blackpool, but he was only doing two hours a day. All right, I'm gonna go through his old partners and work that out while you're chatting. You can, you can. Well, I can, I literally can, I'm doing it right now. I can do it.

I can do it. I can actually do it. Is part of your competitive thing, because you are 10 years younger than Mozi and you've gone into the same thing, right? That's a big thing for two siblings to do, right? Oh, three, actually. Three. My sister did strictly South Africa as well. Oh, really? Yeah. So all three of us were part of some sort of strictly. And were you ever on it at the same, were you in South Africa or did you go straight to Germany? I went straight to Germany in the UK, Muti's done in Germany and UK,

and my other sister just South Africa. But I think all three of us, actually all five of us, the whole family is extremely competitive. Yeah. And it stems from not even just dancing. Dancing is the one thing that we actually do as a family that brings us together, that we motivate each other, we do TikToks, it's fun,

we're not competing in that way. And Scrabble is not Scrabble for us. Scrabble for us is like the gladiators. We're taking all our instrument. This is war. Like Christmas games are so intense. We don't play them anymore because somebody loses. We don't talk to each other for three days.

Like sports, whose team are you in? Someone is Arsenal. someone is United, somebody else is Chelsea, like everything else is competitive. So where's that come from, do you think? Are your parents competitive? 100%. Like it comes from my mom pushing. And was she competitive with you or just her nieces and nephews?

No, with other moms. With other moms? And work, my dad as well was a lawyer. I mean, law is whether you win or lose. So then you have to be quite competitive. And he always used to tell us stories about how he always wanted to be the first in class, first in class, number one in everything

and achieve everything. So I think it genuinely does stem from our parents and for them teaching us that competitiveness doesn't mean I hate you or you hate me, it just means we're driving innovation. If you're trying to outdo somebody else, you just always constantly have to not even think out of the box, you just have to remove the box and think. That was what my parents always used to say, try your best in your own ways, by being the best. By going, I want to innovate by doing Rappers Delight, holding a newspaper with Bill Bailey. That's what I want to do.

There is no box. But honestly, it was Bill's idea. Bill submitted a whole list of songs and things that he really loved and wanted to dance to. And that was his whole idea. And he didn't want to do like the cliche hip hop. And they were like, oh, let's style it out.

So all of that was was built. Oh, my God. I would be off if I did. I'd be so against my will. I'd look like I've been taken hostage. Strange hostage situation where they made you do the false cry. Look at Chris Ramsey. Chris was amazing and I think Chris was one of those people who were like, I don't know

why I'm here. I don't know how I'm here. I know why he's there. Ticket sales. He's got a tour on the go. That's just before the podcast really took off. He's in arenas. Yeah, but he came across so well.

Yeah, he's came across so well. Yeah, he's a lovely bloke, Chris. He's never danced before and you could see it and he was still pushing. Even though he doubted himself, he was still quite positive throughout the whole. So, Rob, you never know. Wow, all roads lead to the dance floor

or the jungle in this game. I think I'm probably heading to the dance floor and Rob's heading to the jungle. I think we both know our duty. We'll do it a year apart each just to boost the podcast. So we need a... Can I just ask one thing on it? And then is if I'm really, really bad, if I really throw myself into it,

if I've got nothing to offer, but I really throw myself into it, how far can you get with no talent at all? I mean, let's take away the talent it also has to do with your own fan base. Yeah it's a housewife choice this guy. You know what I mean it's about your fan base because strictly on its own as a show irrespective of judges presenters or dancers has its own core fan base as well yeah and that core fan base either love you or they reject you. Yeah. It has a lot also do with your own personality, how likable you come across, how relatable.

This is all sounding bad. So if people can feel anything, even if it's emotion, even if it's angry towards you, even if it's sadness, even if it's pity, they can feel something for you. The pity vote. Yeah. They will be like, oh, bless him, he's so nervous, he's can feel something for you the pity vote. Yeah I see me so nervous. He's so shy I think that's what you do Josh If you're sweating and getting all upset and panicking clapping your hands together, they'll be like poor fucker They might let's not vote him through I mean this on his show he was so so nervous He couldn't even hear Claudia asking questions

when he was so nervous and so funny about it and so genuinely honest about it. Housewives just loved him. They really, really loved him. Yeah, I think he's a good person. I think that whatever you are comes across. Do you know what I mean? So if you're a good person, it'll come through.

But yeah, I think you just have to try your best. But I think I'd struggle so much that I'd get too stressed. I think kangaroo bo to try your best, but I think I'd struggle so much that I'd get too stressed. I think kangaroo ball looks best for me. Oti, how's your sleep? Oh, don't do that. You know what? She is such a great sleeper, right? She can sleep at nine and then wake up again at nine.

Wow. Oh, my word. For like a month, right? She was doing that for a long time. And then I did an Instagram post. I was like, can you just let me celebrate myself? Because sometimes I feel like on Instagram, when you talk about positive things, it makes other people upset because they have the same thing. And I think I jinxed myself. Now she's like, I'm going to wake up at 2am, I'm going to wake up at 5am.

I mean, we worked hard on the sleeping routine. We really, really worked hard. And so for the last two days, she's just been showing me flames, but I'm going to get her back into it. I have my whole routine and now I'm going to get her back into it. Talk us through the routine. What's the routine? Oh, it's basically sticking to my schedule and doing what I say, even for my husband. Let's say she wakes up at 8 30, then I give her immediately her morning feed and I don't play overlay. So I don't over-stimulate her because I know she'll be in bed at 9 30 again. And then she'll nap for two hours. And then that's what's from 11, 11.30, I'll play with her when she wakes up

instead of feeding her. We'll play, we'll play. And then when she gets hungry, I feed her. Then I know she's back in bed by 1.30, maybe two. Is this 8.30 at night? No, in the morning. 8.30 in the morning, right, okay, cool. Wakes up, goes to bed 9.30, wakes up 11.30.

Yeah. Goes to bed one. Okay. Plays, sleeps again at about three, 3.30. This feels like too much sleep, this. And she's sleeping at night as well. It is like non-stop sleeping. Yeah.

You forget, Rob, with kids that are really young, because she's also essentially four months or essentially five months. Yes, of course. So it's just a lot of sleeping and gurgling and yeah. And a lot of sleeping. And then she wakes up for like two hours, and then from three,

she'll stay a little bit up until about six. Then I slow down. I start to do the bed, then the bath, then I'm not playing as much anymore, it's more rocking. Then I give her her last feed at about seven, then again, she's just up, either I'm dancing or I'm rocking. And then about 8.30, nine, she's up.

And then she was, then just sleeping till like 8.39, but recently she keeps waking up. At two a.m. and playing and looking at us, I go, shh. Well, that's the thing, because as they get older, they need less sleep and stuff like that, but it's working out where to trim it back.

Yeah. Whether it's in the day or going to bed later or earlier or whatever, so, oh God. That's it. Yeah, that is a beautiful routine, that 12 hours, nine till nine. If I overstimulate her during the day, if it's too much, if it's just too much, then she won't sleep at night. Like if it's too much if she's too much then she won't sleep at night

I give it too much energy because listen if she's too excited then she won't sleep at night But I do want her to get tired and sleep I have to find that balance. Yeah, and when you're away working is your husband on the exact same? Schedule regime Schedules a better word than regime. You've chosen a better- It's a German side of me, my regime. Yes.

The schedule. He had to learn it because I think it's difficult a lot of times for dads. A lot of the stuff for us, it might come a little bit natural for some women, not all women, but he had to learn it. So I had to sit him down and he's got it on his phone. And I had to tell him what to do and when to do it.

But playtime and all that, that's all up to him. How how he plays, how he plays with them. Yeah. But it's the timings. Yeah. The schedules, the schedules, the schedule, the regimes, the regime, guys. We don't move from that. And so when she's not asleep or when she is asleep, we panic a little bit, but yeah, we stick to the schedule. And he's really good, he's with her now. So she's got to go down for a sleep again soon,

isn't she? Yeah. And does she get to sleep at those times? Cause I used to find we'd try and do a schedule and then my daughter would just go, well, I'm not going to sleep now. And suddenly it's over. No, she goes to bed.

Tied her out as well. The thing about keeping it quiet, that's the really, because if you hear something, she's up. So I'm also teaching her right now to start sleeping in her own room. So during the day she naps in her own room, which is dark and it's quiet and that's the only thing. But she goes down fine then for a nap if you put her in.

This is why I brag, do you see? You guys are like fuck, I brag about it. You know what happens, I jinx myself. So now I really have to be humble and swallow this joy. I got an angel. I think it's fair though because it's like, you normally just hear the horror stories, but then, you know,

and it makes people feel better if they're having a bad time. But then if they're an expectant parent's assistant, it's like, oh, you can have one that just sleeps. Yeah. Because I think though, when people go, oh, I've got one that sleeps, you can either go like, oh, maybe that's because of what I'm doing, or you might just be lucky

because you've got one that sleeps kind of thing. So it can go either way, but I think people beat themselves up going, well, maybe it's because I've not got that schedule, but then that schedule may not work for another baby. It's a bit of a lottery where, you know, one of my daughters will sleep fine, the other one still wakes up at night and wants some calming down.

It's just a bit of a lottery. But if you've got a schedule that works. Yeah, I think also it is the child, and with parenting, that's why I really try not to give advice to other parents as well. That's the worst thing, because I hate getting unsolicited advice. Just shut up, I didn't ask you. But I think I don't advise other parents because every single child is so individual. Every single parent and circumstance is also so individual. You have to do what works for you. This works for us because

I work a certain period and then my husband doesn't. And but if we were both working at the same time, it would be completely different. Yeah. What did your husband do? He's a dancer as well. Yeah. So the hours a bit more flexy. Yes. So he would start working from about three o'clock until 10 in the evening, where I would be done by then. And as someone who's spent your whole kind of voice, I don't know when you started dancing

but presumably since six or whatever you've been kind of physically dancing, how was pregnancy for you? Because presumably that's the first time you've had to ease up on dancing and stuff like that. How did it work with dancing? I did it, you know, I didn't ease up and I think with the next baby I definitely was up and will be taking nine months off. I didn't ease up at all. And I loved being pregnant. I think as a woman, especially in the public eye, you get so what I get trolled so much about weight gain. You know, people knew me when I was 24 and I was dancing on Strictly and I was super,

super, super skinny. And obviously through the years I left and then you put on weight and and you end up on another show. So I got trolled a lot for my weight. And when I felt pregnant, my body became something else. It became this beautiful instrument that created life. The size of my boobs and the size of my hips and the size of my bum were there now for a purpose. And I love that feeling. I love the feeling that I need to stick my belly in all the time.

I love what human being inside there. And so that process of how I felt about myself kind of made the whole period really nice, but I didn't enjoy the waking up exhausted. Like I'm like, I feel like I just ran a marathon and I just woke up. All of that was just a lot. And the hormones, the crying, the watching like your dog run really fast and being like, like it's running fast. You can't control how you feel That I found really, really stimulating.

Like, I was like, this is a lot. And my husband as well, because he's so used to me being like, OK, let's go. Let's do this. Let's do this. But pregnancy, I was like, no, I just want to sit here and do nothing. And he'd be like, what? This is not you. And I'm like, yeah, but it's the same. There's nothing. And it was a lot. And so were you dancing how close to the birth?

I mean, I'm strictly still choreographed on the show. So my number came out on that Saturday and then I gave birth on like the Wednesday and I was still doing dance classes. I was still teaching. I think I was, where was I coming from? I think I was watching the Rugby World Cup and we won and I might've celebrated.

I was still very much active, I was still teaching, I was still dancing, I was doing dance classes, I was in the dance classes until the very end. Oh wow. And you say we won the Rugby World Cup. We did. Yeah, no, I don't deny that you did. It happened.

won the Rugby World Cup? We did. Yeah, no, I don't deny that you did. It happened. Is your child gonna be British, brought up in Britain? That's a big, big question, wow. So she is born here. Yeah, so is your husband from here or is he? No, he's Romanian.

He's Romanian. It's a real mix here, okay. Yeah. A real, real mix of cultures and languages. I think I'm very proud of who I am and I know the country's history and I think South Africa has a real rich history of language, of dance. And I'm going to teach her all of it. And we go to South Africa like twice a year and I want her to learn my language. I also want her to learn my husband's culture.

She needs to learn about the Euro 96 team that dyed all their hair yellow, that kind of stuff. And Petrescu. She needs to know that Romania went against South Africa in the rugby and lost 41-0. She needs to know all of these things. But I never want her to wonder where she came from and to wonder where her parents come from,

especially being mixed race, because I want her to get the best of both worlds. And now being from this country as well, I want her to know that she is British. Yeah. Yeah. Influences from South Africa and Romania, because that's where her parents are from. And so which rugby team do you think she'll support?

The one that wins. Romania. The one that wins. That's the beauty of it. But if she's into like football or swimming, like South Africa still, but I would let her if she wants. If she's an athlete, she can essentially represent three countries.

She has a choice. Yeah. Yeah. And so you do speak German, then? Yeah, four countries. Sorry, she has four countries. Yes. So what's the Germany connection? Me and my husband, we met and we lived and we still live in Germany as well and work.

Right. OK. So you've got German citizenship as well? Yes. So Germany, Germany and behind me and my sister of course, Right, okay, so you've got German citizenship as well? Yes, so German, Romanian. Blimey. And my sister of course, Moti lives there and her family's there, they speak full German, I was just there, so that's another language and culture. How are you going to go about the languages for your daughter then in the house?

Like for her to learn, have you got rules in the house? You speak this one or that one or how are you going to do it? I speak English to her and my language, which is Suana, so I speak to her and her dad also speaks to English and Romanian because we want her to speak English. We don't want her to be like three and not know how to talk to other kids. Yeah, but they can pick up different languages, right? At the start, if you're just saying them all, their brain is able to process all the different languages, aren't they? 100%. My niece, Mutsi's baby is so intelligent, she speaks four languages and she's five. Wow! Fluently. What fours she got then? She's got English which Mutsi was speaking to her in,

then her dad is Ukrainian and they speak Russian so she speaks with him only Russian, then she's German because they live in Germany and they work there and Suanna. Oh my God. Wow. And he's so intelligent that she can speak to her dad in Russian, talk to him, answer him, and then immediately answer my sister in English and then talk to her school teacher in German. Like that, bam, bam, bam.

She's gonna have to work at the UN. Bam. Only one in there with a headset on. What do you want, family? What do you want? Anywhere. I'll take it. So it is possible because in South Africa we speak also multiple languages. We have 11 official languages and all together, like I can speak about five languages all together. So it is possible. I think if you start them early, everybody says to start with two. But I think just talk, communicate with them and whatever they catch on, that's what they catch

on to. And are we all right to talk to you about the premature birth and like what happened there? Yeah. And so was that a total surprise or was there anything that kind of built up to it? Yeah, we were there was no build up because it was so spontaneous. We were on our way to do shopping literally just right here by the shops and our house. And my water broke. Bam. Just like that out of nowhere. And luckily I was from the shopping. I was on the way to do my 30 week check with my doctor anyway.

And I was like, I think my water broke. And then she was like, come to the hospital and we'll check. So they snuck me in the hospital, like in the background and they all checked. And they were like, well, your water's broken, but you can still have the baby until labor comes in. That's when the baby will come out. But you can still carry on without the water because essentially it's just her pee. You just have to try and replenish it with water and do more checkups. And I stayed in the hospital they checked me in for about two days and then the day they were going to release me they're like okay tomorrow you can go home so at 2 p.m. you can go home. At midnight that night labor started. Oh really? Yeah and I know

everything sounds traumatic or maybe I'm just in denial of how traumatic it is but I loved labor like labor for me it was so amazing I found it very powerful I had just done my list you know that list of saying this is what I want this is what I want this is what I don't want and I just done that so it felt like okay fine I'd done everything that I needed to do until that point, really. And when it happened, I was singing. I was in a lot of pain, but I was singing.

Like, I felt every little bit of it. And I think I felt very empowered in that moment. Amazing. Did you have any pain relief or any drugs or anything? Absolutely. That's why I was singing. I was living my best West End dream. I had gas and air, I was on gas and air and I was like, let it go, let it go.

So that whole process, I have honestly the best memory of it. And even through the whole trauma of having a premature baby. And then when she was born, she couldn't breathe on her own. Oh, no. It's that process, though, of how she came onto this earth was a very, very joyful one, one that I'm like very, very happy to talk about. And was there any worry throughout? Oh, they were really, really positive about it.

I think they don't want to worry you as doctors. Their goal is to keep the mom very calm, and especially because I don't know the process. I don't know what to expect. I don't know the steps of how things are going to turn out. They were just very calm. You don't know what to expect. Babies react completely different.

So when she came out, usually they say babies don't cry. And she came out and she was screaming, screaming, and then it stopped. And then they were like, okay, we gotta go. But not at any point did they go, but now we got to like, there was no panic. They were very calm. They spoke me through everything. My husband went into them in the other room where they got her incubated and they gave her all the tubes that she needed to get. They took me to a separate room where they spoke to me and they helped me give her milk and so all of it was very calm. The whole process was very calm. The doctor and the midwives we were laughing. It was very joyous and then they were like okay you haven't seen an incubator so just prepare yourself that it might not

be what you think it will be. Yeah. That was the first moment where we went, oh, okay. Yeah. This is different. This is different. The consultant came in and just said she needs to stay in the hospital for a while. She needs to be able to stop breathing on her own. She needs to be able to start eating on her own. If she has jaundice, they need to get that under control. So all of those things, they were talking us through them. And there was someone every day there to keep having conversations with us about the process and her progress and how she was doing.

And they were like, this is the best hospital for things like that to happen. And also being in an incubator is the best way for her to survive. Yeah. And they don't give you a time limit because usually they're like, oh yeah, you're going to stay here really, really long, like months and months. But her progress was so good that she was really excelling really fast. How long was she in for then in the incubator?

Just a week week but then she still needed the breathing tube, she still needed the feeding tube and then after two weeks she didn't need the breathing tube anymore and then we were still feeding her until five weeks, we were still feeding her, no four weeks and then the last two weeks it was just trying to get her to feed and not be overwhelmed and learn because the whole feeding, the jaw, the sucking, they learn four weeks and then the last two weeks it was just trying to get her to feed and not be overwhelmed and learn because the whole feeding, the jaw, the sucking, they learn that in the tummy and so when they're not in the tummy you need to manually teach them how to do that so the last two weeks was

teaching her how to feed and then we went home. So was you in the hospital the whole time with her then for those six weeks? Yeah. Blimey. Wow. Blimey. Yeah, it's a lot. It's a lot. I mean, I cannot give enough praise for the midwives that are there because you're not dealing with term babies. Every baby that you're dealing with is premature there and they've either got jaundice or they need to be fed and they wake up all night or they're in pain or and they're a little bit small, you know? So I think the NICU team of midwives and nurses are just so amazing. They were really, really, really great, especially with us as well.

And so was that lots of other parents there that are in similar positions and stuff and were you hanging out? How does that work? Yeah, yeah, we were actually. It's not really bad, but we were because it can be very emotional and exhausting, you know? I mean, you guys know the first couple of months are very tiring.

Yeah. Imagine not being at home. You need to drive to the hospital. You need to spend your day there. And then you drive home, leaving your child at the hospital every night. It's very emotional. And with the women that were there, we're still very close. We have a WhatsApp group. They become your support system as well as your partner. But you're there pumping together. You're there crying together.

You're there telling each other's progresses. You become a very tight knit group because you understand what the other person is going through. Yeah. You're giving advice about milk production because some women in Poland do it differently to other women from Nigeria, to other women from South Africa, to other women from Britain.

So this coming together of different women from different countries, we were able to come together and create a good community. And again, you're on a schedule, so every child is on a schedule. So we had our little lunch schedules where we would talk things out and if one was crying, we would comfort the other one. That's good. And the other one had to leave because they left at different times. We would do little goodbye ceremonies and a little party. So with the moms, they become a big, big part

of it. You become a massive support system for each other. That's amazing. It's amazing to hear it. Thanks for talking about it, because obviously it must've been a stressful time. Yeah, I think one of my things is I'm one of those delusional people who deny stress. So I think the process afterwards,

it took me a couple of months to be like, oh my God, that was traumatic. But it becomes your norm, doesn't it? It becomes your everyday, doesn't it? Quite quickly that you get into a groove and I mean, obviously you've been chucked into like a lunch room with these other mums and dads that their kids are on incubators and some are leaving next week, some aren't going to leave for three months and all that and stuff and you're all comforting each other and they're obviously worried about their kids.

But how long into that lunch did one of them go, are you the woman off Strickland? Because it's like, obviously the main concern's the baby. But then after an hour of talking about the babies and their progress. Tell us, which was the dancer that only did two hours a day? Actually, the whole team knew, because as you know, like the NHS and Strictly are like one thing, everyone in the NHS loves Strictly. So when I walked in, I had also just come from filming something.

I looked like Oti off of the television. So my doctor had to be like, we need to all remain calm. This is a very sensitive situation. She's not here as someone from television. All right. So my doctor had to be like, we need to all remain calm. This is a very sensitive situation. She's not here as someone from television. She's here as a mom who's going through something. Yes, she has got six inch heels on, her hair done and a glitter dress, but that's because she's come from work.

A leopard print dress with red lips and like my wig was like eight inches long. And they were like, yes, she is going through something. She might not look like it. And so everyone knew who I was, but they just remained calm. Yeah. And they treated me like a normal person and it never got out because we went through it.

And then I only announced nine weeks later. They were amazing. UCLA, they were really amazing because they knew who I was. And we would have talks about Strictly because Strictly was on. Yeah, of course amazing you see LH They were really amazing because they knew who I was and we would have talks about strictly because strictly was on yeah Of course. Yeah Yeah, we're having conversations about it. They were telling me who's their favorite which dance They like me and the team and the nurses we knew but the moms not exactly Yeah, once I left hospital and we started following each other on socials

And then I did my first week on dancing and ice where they were like, bloody hell girl, you got to tell them. Then the conversation started happening. But also I know it's a podcast, people don't see, but I look, I look quite rough in real life. I am a catfish of myself. I am a catfish of myself. Yeah. Make me like a whole other person. So when you see me in real life, you're like, this can't be her.

It just cannot. How can she be doing Joe this from last week? And she is like a baby sick on her jumper. And like, that's not the glamorous OT that we know. So I think they would have doubted themselves a little bit like who is she? Yeah, but no, it never came up only afterwards. Oh, that's not the glamorous OT that we know. So I think they would have doubted themselves a little bit like who is she? But no, it never came up, only afterwards. Oh, that's lovely though that you had that experience separate from that. Yeah. And it really helped. It allowed me to just be me. Yeah, of course. Then that was the same Paul. OT has been amazing. Thanks so much. Thanks so much.

Really, really good interview. We always finish on the same question. The one thing that your husband, your partner does, annoys you parenting-wise, that you think if he listened to this, hopefully he'll take that on, because that is annoying. And also the thing that he does that makes you go, oh, what an incredible dad. I'm so lucky that he's the father of my child.

Okay. You can pick which one you go with first. Let's start with the lovely one, because you know, we always start positive. Ha. He is the most incredible dad. Which one you go with first? I'll start with the lovely one because, you know, we always start positive. He is the most incredible dad. And I think because he's Romanian and the Romanian men are well known for being kind of in their children's lives.

It's a community thing. It's a cultural thing. The man has as much responsibility as the woman. So he's very much involved in everything. He doesn't get overwhelmed. He's so lovely. He loves her. He loves to play with her. But if he would just do what I say, he would just, there's a thing that he does when he falls asleep he does when he falls asleep and he gets deep sleep and not hear her when she's crying. That is like, I am going to kick you out of this house. That's Lou's biggest thing with me. I just don't hear it though, I am asleep. I'm not lying. Oh, come on. I'm sure he's not lying. But also when she cries, he was just like,

yeah, yeah, yeah, that's normal. No, it's not normal. He's just like, he's telling you. He's telling you. It's not right. So he's just, he's so calm. But it's that calmness that is like, oh my gosh, you're doing my head in. I think that's a fair one. It's a fair point. Especially if he's hearing it and still not going in. Yeah, he's like, I'm like, no, your snores

can't be louder than her cries. That's like, we can't do that. We need to change that. So I got like this camera and every time she moves, it goes through and it wakes him up. All right. Oti, you're choreographing a show at the moment at the Watermill.

Theatre. Theatre, theatre. Quickly tell us about that and where people can get tickets for that. Yes, so you can get the tickets from the watermilltheatre.com. The musical is called Barnum and is basically the story about the greatest showman. And it's called P.T. Barnum, the guy who created circus and the world of circus.

And this one is really special because we actually build a circus inside of the theater. And why the water mill is special because it's singing, dancing, acting, but they also play instruments at the same time and on this one they're adding circus acts. Oh wow. So they're doing five skills, which is not easy. I learned how to juggle and I got so again, so upset because I couldn't do it. They are brilliant minds and the whole production is coming together. It's directed by Jonathan Oak Boyle and he's doing an amazing, amazing job. Oh, brilliant. Well, good luck with it. Thank you.

That's July the 2nd, September the 8th. Yes, July the 2nd, September the 8th. I should remember that. You should remember that. Oh no, it's all right. That's part of our job. Thanks so much, Oti. Thank you. thank you so much for having me and good luck. I hope you guys sleep as well. Cheers, thank you. Now we're all right now. We're battling through. Cheers, Oti.

Bye. Oti Mabusi. I love Oti. She's so much fun, isn't she? Yeah, she's so good, isn't she? She's brilliant. So positive. Do you know what?

The first time I met her she was Johnny Peacock the Paralympians dance partner on Strictly and so obviously we know Johnny Peacock on Last Leg so we got him on. I didn't really watch Strictly at that stage because it was pre-kid. It was that being an absolute legend on the source weren't you? Yeah too bloody right. That was four pints going home and crying. Exactly. Six p.m. on a Saturday night. Bit late for me, mate. She came on. You have to book the person and their dance partner

when they're on, strictly at the same time. They can never pick. Yeah, of course. I didn't know who she was, and she was just so good and so funny. And you know when you're like, oh, this person's just like a star straight away. So likeable, isn't she? Yeah. And her sister's great as well. Look at that, what a family. What a family. Go and see Barnum at the Watermill Theatre. See you on Tuesday. Bye, see you then.

Mum? What is it? Are we there yet? Hello there, it's me, Harry Hill, with some exciting news. I've got a brand new podcast. It's called Are We There Yet? And it's the world's first family-friendly podcast that's designed to get you from A to B. Join me, my son Gary. Hello. Sarah the AI Bot. Hello, Harry. As we delve into the childhood memories of a motley crew of comedians, celebrities and cultural icons. Is it on now, Daddy? Yes, Gary, it is. I'll be there... yet.

Welcome to Making Friends with Chantal Nash. It's me, Chantal Nash, comedian, writer, mom of two, crock lover and now, podcaster. Right guys, I'm going to be honest, making friends as an adult, it's hard. And maintaining friendships as an adult, even harder. I can't be the only one who's not replying to texts and not finding time to meet up and grappling with the question, are we even still friends? So I've decided to do something about it. Each week I'll be joined by a woman that I would love to be friends with.

Women from the worlds of science, music, art, entertainment, politics and beyond. We'll talk all things friendship wins, friendship fails, friendship challenges and hopefully a lot of friendship advice, all in the hope of forming the perfect girl crew. And that crew needs you. So join me and my guest every Wednesday for Making Friends with Chantel Nash. You can listen to Making Friends wherever you get your podcasts.