Walking The Dog with Emily Dean

We’re in Hyde Park today with our old pal the comedian, presenter and actor Josh Widdicombe! Josh and Ray have a bit of backstory - the pretty much fell in love when Josh last appeared on the podcast in 2019. We were thrilled to go on another walk with him - because we have a LOT to catch up on…We find out what Josh thinks will be featured on his obituary, the effect of growing up in a very isolated place, and how life has changed thanks to his podcast Parenting Hell which he co-hosts with Rob Beckett. Josh will be touring the UK with his new show Not My Cup of Tea across 2025 and 2026. Extra dates have been added due to phenomenal demand - so head to https://www.joshwiddicombe.com/ to get your tickets now!Listen to Emily and Ray’s first walk with Josh from February 2019Josh’s book Watching Neighbours Twice a Day...: How ’90s TV (Almost) Prepared Me For Life is available now!You can watch Josh on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, which will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day!Parenting Hell with Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett is available on all podcast platformsFollow @Josh_Widdicombe on InstagramFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

Welcome back to the second part of our conversation with musical powerhouse Marisha Wallace.Marisha tells us all about her interpretations of the iconic roles of Ado Annie in Oklahoma and Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. She tells us about finding out she was nominated for an Olivier Award in the Celebrity Big Brother house. Marisha also speaks candidly about being a victim of a cruel financial scam, and how she has moved forward from that low point.We spoke to Marisha on the day it was announced she will be taking over the role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret from January 2025. Marisha explains what it means to be a black woman playing that iconic role, and how hard she has worked to get to this point. On 11th March - Marisha is returning to the Adelphi Theatre for her biggest ever headline show. It's going to be an absolutely spectacular evening of music - and you can find out more information and get your tickets here!Marisha will be playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret from 28th January 2025 - get your tickets here!Marisha is also currently playing The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood at The London Palladium - get your tickets here!Follow @marishawallace on InstagramFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

Today we’re joined by the two-time Olivier Award nominated singer and actress Marisha Wallace!Marisha has the most incredible, powerful voice - so we spoke to her at home in order to preserve her precious instrument from the bad weather!Growing up on a hog farm in North Carolina, Marisha is no stranger to dogs... she tells us all about her favourite ever dog - a boxer called Chaos (who had a matching personality!) After starting singing at the age of five in the church - Marisha tells us about how she learned to use her talent as currency, before finding out she needed vocal surgery at the age of 17. Marisha's big break came in the US tour of Book of Mormon - before getting the call to make her West End debut playing Effy White in Dreamgirls, with only five days notice…On 11th March - Marisha is returning to the Adelphi Theatre for her biggest ever headline show. It's going to be an absolutely spectacular evening of music - and you can find out more information and get your tickets here!Marisha will be playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret from 28th January 2025 - get your tickets here!Marisha is also currently playing The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood at The London Palladium - get your tickets here!Follow @marishawallace on InstagramFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

We’re in Battersea Park with Lloyd Griffith! Lloyd tells us about his recent experience of having a hair transplant, his love for hi-vis and the importance of being ready to appear on TV as a comic. He also tells us the story of auditioning for a part in Return To Paradise - the second spin-off series of long-running crime series Death In Paradise - and what it was like to move to Australia to film the series. All six episodes of Return to Paradise are now available on BBC iPlayer, with the series airing weekly on BBC One from 8pm every Friday! Follow @lloydgriffith on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

Join Emily and Ray with comedian, actor, presenter and singer Lloyd Griffith - in his spiritual home, London’s Battersea Park! Lloyd tells us all about growing up in Grimsby with his mum and sister and then how is life changed when he got a scholarship to St James’ Choir School. Lloyd reveals what it's like to walk into a room knowing you can sing, being known for being ‘Diane’s son’ in Grimsby, and his search for this comedic voice. All six episodes of Return to Paradise are now available on BBC iPlayer, with the series airing weekly on BBC One from 8pm every Friday! Follow @lloydgriffith on InstagramFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

We’re back with the brilliant Luke Evans in St James’s Park! And guess what... he’s still carrying Raymond!Luke tells us how he went from being a jobbing actor to a Hollywood movie star - and he tells us an extraordinary story about one of the ways he made money when he needed it… We chat about how it felt to have his sexuality under scrutiny again after he broke through to stardom and what happened after left his religion. And, of course, we chat about Beauty and The Beast. Luke also treated us to a couple of bars of Gaston… much to the surprise and delight of the general public in St James’s Park!You can get your copy of Luke’s brilliant book Boy From The Valleys here!Follow @TheRealLukeEvans on Instagram Keep up with all things Luke at lukeevansofficial.com Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

This week, we’re in London’s St James’s Park with Luke Evans!Raymond and Luke pretty much fell in love with each other from the moment they met - Ray spent the entire walk cradled in Luke’s arms… lucky Raymond, eh?! Growing up, Luke had a collection of cats and an aviary of birds with his parents, who were Jehovah’s Witnesses. He opens up about how that affected his childhood, and how it feels to have written about it in his autobiography. He tells us how he came to terms with his sexuality in a religion which had no tolerance for homosexuality, and his rather brilliant grandma! You can get your copy of Luke’s brilliant book Boy From The Valleys here!Follow @TheRealLukeEvans on Instagram Keep up with all things Luke at lukeevansofficial.com Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett 

We’re back at home with Cherry Healey and her beautiful cat House Party!Cherry tells us all about how her brilliant career as a documentary maker started thanks to a conversation by a fridge at a house party, how she felt after throwing up on TV and how she navigated complicated feelings about losing her dad. We also find out all about series nine of Inside The Factory - with her new co-presenter Paddy McGuinness. You can watch their Christmas special over the festive period - and catch the new series on BBC One in early 2025. You can buy your copy of Cherry’s brilliant book Letters To My Fanny hereFollow @cherryhealey on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett