Walking The Dog with Emily Dean

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll (and a sit down) in Stratford with the brilliantly funny Stevie Martin, joined by her adorable half-schnauzer, half-poodle, Piper.Stevie arrived armed with treats and even a reindeer coat for Ray, instantly winning him over. When Ray unexpectedly launched into a dramatic reverse sneezing episode, Stevie calmly stepped into action, proving herself not only a comedy star but a bona fide dog guardian angel.Emily chats to Stevie about growing up in Cheshire, her time at Durham University where she met Ed Gamble and Nish Kumar, and her early career as a journalist. They also talk about her sister Gina Martin, whose campaigning led to upskirting being made illegal in the UK. Stevie reflects on her own path into comedy, which has seen her rack up over 45 million views online and appear on shows including Taskmaster and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.Her debut live show Clout was so popular it’s been extended for a second time, running from March 3rd to October. Tickets are selling fast and available at https://steviemartin.com.It’s a warm, hilarious and big-hearted walk with one of the most exciting names in British comedy right now. Ray adored both Stevie and Piper, and Emily may or may not have tried to secure a lifelong friendship.Follow Emily:Instagram X Walking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful Marjolein Robertson, the conversation continues with more stories and reflections from one of the most distinctive voices in stand-up.If you haven’t already, catch up on part one. And if you’d like to see Marjolein live, tickets and dates are available at https://marjoleinrobertson.com.Follow Emily:Instagram X Walking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

This week Emily and Ray take a Regent’s Park stroll with award-winning comedian Marjolein Robertson.Marjolein has become one of the most distinctive voices in British comedy, blending sharp humour with rich storytelling inspired by her Shetland upbringing and Dutch heritage. She chats to Emily about growing up on a small farm in Shetland, working as a town planner, moving to Amsterdam, and the unexpected path that eventually led her into stand-up.They also talk about her ADHD diagnosis and how it helped her better understand her life and creativity. Along the way, Emily and Ray discover a truly unforgettable laugh, one that almost rivals the local geese.Tickets and dates for her new show Lein (the final part of a trilogy derived from her own name) are available at https://marjoleinrobertson.com.It’s a warm, funny and quietly magical conversation with a unique comic voice that Emily and Ray absolutely adored.Follow Emily:Instagram X Walking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful Mark Simmons, the conversation continues with more laughs, moving reflections and stories from one of the sharpest joke writers in stand-up.If you haven’t already, do catch up on part one. And if you’d like to see Mark live, he’s currently on tour with his show Jest to Impress. Tickets and dates are available at https://marksimmons.co.uk.Follow Emily:InstagramX Walking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll in Stratford with comedian Mark Simmons, widely regarded as one of the sharpest one-liner comics around.Mark chats to Emily about growing up in Canterbury, his time working in a gym, and the spontaneous decision to try stand-up comedy that ended up changing his life. Since then, he’s picked up the prestigious Joke of the Fringe Award at the Edinburgh Festival, appeared on Mock the Week, and supported the likes of Rob Beckett, Seann Walsh and Rob Brydon on tour.It was a rainy walk, made all the more memorable by Mark insisting on carrying Emily’s handbag the entire time, a small gesture that said a lot. The conversation also turns to their mutual friend, comedian Gareth Richards, with a moving and heartfelt moment as they remember him together.Mark is currently touring his show Jest to Impress, and you can book tickets at https://marksimmons.co.uk. You can also listen to his podcast Jokes with Mark Simmons.It’s a funny, thoughtful and genuinely lovely walk with a brilliant comic and an even better human.Follow Emily:InstagramXWalking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful Lucia Keskin, the star and creator of the award-winning comedy series Things You Should Have Done, the conversation continues with more warmth, honesty and laughs.If you haven’t already, make sure to catch part one. And do yourself a favour and watch series two of Things You Should Have Done, now streaming on BBC iPlayer. It really is a thing of total joy.Follow Emily:InstagramXWalking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll with the brilliantly talented comedy actor and writer Lucia Keskin, best known to many as Chi, the star and creator of the BAFTA-winning BBC series Things You Should Have Done.Emily first discovered Chi through the show and was instantly blown away by its originality and warmth. Series two is out now on BBC iPlayer, and Lucia talks about creating the series, growing up in Margate with her mum and hands-on grandparents, and why she considers herself a bit of an old soul. They also chat about Chi’s journey into comedy, including how a video of her opening her GCSE results helped kickstart her career online.Lucia also speaks movingly about losing her beloved Pomeranian last year, and how spending time with Ray brought unexpected joy. There’s a gentle discussion of pet loss in this episode, so just a heads up for listeners.It’s a funny, heartfelt and wonderfully open conversation with one of the most exciting voices in British comedy right now. Ray fell completely in love with Chi, and may already be planning a move.Follow Emily:Instagram XWalking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful Flo and Joan, sisters Nicola and Rosie Dempsey, the conversation continues with more laughs and sibling stories.If you haven’t already, make sure to catch part one. And don’t miss Flo and Joan live on tour with Flo and Joan with Feeling, kicking off in September. Tickets and dates are available at https://floandjoan.com.Follow Emily:InstagramXWalking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll with musical comedy duo Flo and Joan, aka sisters Nicola and Rosie Dempsey.They chat about growing up in Portsmouth in a vicarage, what it’s really like performing together as sisters (including a little sibling disagreement), and the viral video they made back in 2016 that helped launch their comedy career, leading to appearances on Live at the Apollo and the Royal Variety Performance.Flo and Joan also talk about their critically acclaimed live shows, and the good news is they’re heading back out on tour later this year with Flo and Joan with Feeling, kicking off in September. Tickets and dates are available at https://floandjoan.com.It’s a warm, funny and family-feeling walk with two brilliantly talented performers who instantly won over Ray, leaving Emily feeling slightly surplus to requirements (at least until it was time to pick up the poo).Follow Emily:InstagramX Walking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett