Walking The Dog with Emily Dean

Emily and Raymond are on Hampstead Heath with Bella Mackie and her labrador, Barney (who we can all agree is a bit of a national treasure) Bella tells us about her love story with Greg James and how a childhood obsession with Victorian true crime started her on the journey to writing her million-selling first novel How To Kill Your Family. We also chat about being direct - and whether that can be considered as a compliment and unfortunately, one of Barney’s toys meets a watery grave…Listen to Emily and Ray’s first walk with Barney (and Greg James) from September 2022 hereFollow Bella on Instagram @mackie_bellaBella’s new novel What A Way To Go is a gloriously funny and dark story about dysfunctional families in the shiny but cruel world of the extremely wealthy - you can get your copy here!Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

Join Emily, Mabel, Isla, Luna, Inca and Nala for the second part of our walk with James Middleton in Berkshire!James tells us about how his dog Ella helped him in the hardest time of his life and how she also led him to meet his wife Alizée. We also chat about that time which we all dread - losing a pet. James tells us how he coped with losing his beloved Ella and the gifts that she gave him throughout her life. … and we got to meet James’ tractor! To be honest, we never wanted to leave the farm! As a content warning, this podcast contains discussion of suicidal feelings. If you need support with you mental heath you can find support and resources with Samaritans and Mind. Follow James on Instagram @jmidy James' brilliant new book about the dog who changed his life is out now. Buy your copy of Meet Ella here!Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

We’re in Berkshire this week with the brilliant James Middleton and five of his dogs: Mabel, Isla, Luna, Inca and Nala. James *actually* has six dogs - but Zulu is currently staying with James’ parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, because Mabel is in season. But we had a lovely time with the fabulous five!We met on Bucklebury Farm - which is run by James’ family - and it was animal heaven. We met sheep, ginea pigs and even a friendly beehive at one point! James tells us about his lifelong pining for a dog - and then his unconventional decision to get a cocker spaniel called Ella while he was studying at Edinburgh University - and then how she went on to change his life immessurably. He also tells us the story of doing a reading at his sister Catherine’s wedding to Prince William - and how Ella helped him to overcome his anxiety. Follow James on Instagram @jmidy James' brilliant new book about the dog who changed his life is out now. Buy your copy of Meet Ella here!Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

Yorkshire’s Pontefract Racecourse is the backdrop today for Emily and Ray’s walk with the brilliant Ed Balls. Ed tells us about how his wife, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, encouraged him to go on Strictly Come Dancing - and the piece of advice that changed his atttiude towards the show.We also find out how he came to host a podast with his former political opponent George Osborne - we discover if they are friends, and whether or not George would be invited over to the Balls-Cooper household for lasagne. Political Currency is availble on all podcast platforms!Follow Ed on instagram @edballsYou can buy your copy of Ed’s brilliant book Appetite: a memoir in recipes of family and food here!Thank you to Handpicked Hotels for hosting us at their dog friendly hotel Wood Hall during our trip to Yorkshire. Raymond was throughly spoiled and he loved his mini break! Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

We’ve taken a trip to West Yorkshire this week to meet broadcaster and former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls for a stroll around the beautiful Pontefract Racecourse. Ed doesn't have a dog at the moment - but he's very much a dog person. He tells us how he was replaced by a dog when he went to university, and a dog has helped his family cope with his mother’s dementia. We also find out about Ed’s experience at Harvard (once he had worked out where it was located on a map) and whether he cried when he lost his seat in the 2015 General Election. Political Currency is availble on all podcast platforms!Follow Ed on instagram @edballsYou can buy your copy of Ed’s brilliant book Appetite: a memoir in recipes of family and food here! Thank you to Handpicked Hotels for hosting us at their dog friendly hotel Wood Hall during our trip to Yorkshire. Raymond was throughly spoiled and he loved his mini break! Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

We’re in Buckinghamshire with Gabby Logan and her dogs Milo, Maggie and Maverick! In this part of the chat, Gabby tells us about her career as a rhythmic gymnast, reluctantly competing in the Rose of Tralee - and she reminds us of some of her pre-Kenny romances. Gabby also tells us about her brilliant podcast The Midpoint - and how the podcast has helped her to navigate this point in her life, and some of the lessons she has learned from her guests.Listen to Emily and Ray's first walk with Gabby from April 2017Follow Gabby on Instagram @gabbyloganGabby’s podcasts The Midpoint and The Sports Agents are available wherever you get your podcasts!You can get your copy Gabby's autobiography of The First Half here!You can get your copy of The Midpoint Plan hereFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

Joining us on our dog walk this week is legendary broadcaster Gabby Logan!We met Gabby at home in Buckinghamshire and we then took a lovely walk around the woods with her three dogs Milo, Maggie and Maverick. Maverick is a new addition to the Logan household since Gabby was last on the podcast - he’s an absolutely delightful standard poodle, who is VERY enthusiastic about catching tennis balls. Gabby tells us about growing up in a family whose love language was sport and how being the daughter of a professional footballer in the 1980s wasn’t as glamorous as it might be today. We also chat about how Gabby has dealt with tragedies in her life and how she stays calm when life is chaotic. She also tells us a rather brilliant story about an incident with George Clooney and a moth-eaten coat… Listen to Emily and Ray's first walk with Gabby from April 2017Follow Gabby on Instagram @gabbyloganGabby’s podcasts The Midpoint and The Sports Agents are available wherever you get your podcasts!You can get your copy Gabby's autobiography of The First Half here!You can get your copy of The Midpoint Plan hereFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

Join Raymond, Emily, Janette and Lyra for the second part of our walk around London’s Burgess Park! Janette tells us about some of the challenges of Strictly Come Dancing and how devastated she felt about being voted out on her first series. She also reveals what happened when she got the call to present It Takes Two…We also chat about Janette’s brilliant new book Tiny Dancer, Big World. Janette tells us about how Covid gave her a passion for wellbeing - and how writing the book with her sister helped her to share some of the lessons she has learned in life with the world. Tiny Dancer, Big World: How to find fulfilment from the inside out - is out now. You can buy your copy here!Follow Janette on Instagram @JManaraFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett