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Walking The Dog with Emily Dean
Rory Cellan-Jones with Sophie from Romania (Part One)
This week - we’re with one of the nation’s most loved dogs, Sophie from Romania - and her fantastic owner, Rory Cellan-Jones.
Rory is a journalist and he is best known for being a BBC News technology correspondent. Rory was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in May 2019 and left the BBC after 40 years in 2021.
Then in December 2022 - Rory and his wife Diane adopted their Romanian rescue dog, Sophie. Rory documented Sophie’s progress settling her new life on social media - and she subsequently grew a huge following, and changed Rory’s life!
In this part of our chat, we discuss Rory’s early life, growing up with a single mother, reconnecting with his father and the experience of welcoming a nervous rescue dog into his family.
Follow @rorycellan on Instagram
You can get your copy of Sophie From Romania here
You can get your copy of Ruskin Park here
You can listen to Movers and Shakers: a podcast about life with Parkinson’s wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow Emily:
Instagram - @emilyrebeccadean
X - @divine_miss_em
Walking The Dog is produced by Faye Lawrence
Music: Rich Jarman
Artwork: Alice Ludlam
Photography: Karla Gowlett
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Tom Rosenthal (Part Two)
45:25|We’re back in Finsbury Park with the hilarious and brilliant comedian, actor and writer Tom Rosenthal! Tom played Johnny Goodman in one of our favourite shows of all time - Friday Night Dinner. We found out what it meant to be part of such a well-loved show, how much he’s like Johnny in real life, and how it felt to be a conduit for public grief after the death of his co-star Paul Ritter. We found out all about Tom’s new show - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am. Tom told us all about his love for Arctic Monkeys’ early discography - and how he’s loosely seen *some* parallels with his own life… you can see the show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 30th July – 24th August (18:15) at Assembly Roxy, Upstairs and then touring across the UK and Ireland – tickets on sale now at www.tomrosenthal.netWe also find out what happened when Tom took his dog Kiki for a tarot reading… Follow @rosengrams on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettTom Rosenthal (Part One)
51:52|Joining us today on Walking The Dog is the fabulous actor, comedian and writer Tom Rosenthal. Tom shot to fame for playing Johnny Goodman in Friday Night Dinner and Marcus Gallo in Plebs - and he is also a critically acclaimed stand up comedian!Tom has a gorgeous Romanian rescue dog called Kiki, who he absolutely adores. She was at home in Bristol with Tom’s girlfriend Gigi and his daughter Simi when we met - but Tom’s affection and connection with her is clear, and we’re already planning a trip to go and see her in person. We met on a blisteringly hot day in June - so we decided to have Raymond sit this one out because his fur and hot weather don’t go well together! Tom told us all about how Kiki helped him through a very tough time and how she’s opened him up emotionally. We find out what impact having a famous dad had on his childhood - and also the most outrageous prank that he ever played…Follow @rosengrams on Instagram Tom will be performing his brand new show, ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am’, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 30th July – 24th August (18:15) at Assembly Roxy, Upstairs and then touring across the UK and Ireland – tickets on sale now at www.tomrosenthal.netFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettReverend Kate Bottley (Part Two)
39:05|Emily and Raymond are in the beautiful town of Retford with Reverend Kate Bottley and her absolutely adorable puppy Tony! Kate tells us all about the experience of being on Gogglebox - the unexpected costs involved in being a part of the show and why she eventually made the decision to leave.While we walked through the beautiful graveyard in Retford, Kate told us about how she feels about funerals - and what the emotional parts of being a reverend have taught her about life. And of course - we had to ask Kate if she thinks dogs get to heaven…. Follow @revkatebottley on Instagram You can buy your copy of Kate’s book Have A Little Faith: Life lessons on love, death and how lasagne always helps - here!You can listen to Kate on Good Morning Sunday - on BBC Radio 2 every Sunday from 6am! Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettReverend Kate Bottley (Part One)
48:32|We’ve taken Raymond on a trip to Nottinghamshire to the beautiful town of Retford to meet the fabulous Reverend Kate Bottley! Kate is a Church of England vicar - as well as being a journalist, broadcast and TV star. The Bottleys are big dog lovers - they’ve had a succession of rescue greyhounds, but they’ve recently adopted a wonderful puppy called Tony (who has a very fitting namesake…) Kate tells us all about the unexpected joy of adopting a ‘dog dog’ and how he’s been settling into his new life. Kate told us all about how she grew up in a non-religious family - and then how a teenage crush led to her discovering religion… She also tells us about being a show off, why she loves graveyards and why she’ll always pick up a ‘karma poo’. Follow @revkatebottley on Instagram You can buy your copy of Kate’s book Have A Little Faith: Life lessons on love, death and how lasagne always helps - here!You can listen to Kate on Good Morning Sunday - on BBC Radio 2 every Sunday from 6am! Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettNaga Munchetty (Part Two)
47:41|The rain has eased off - and we’re in Regent’s Park with the fabulous Naga Munchetty!Naga us about show she experienced excruciating periods from the age of 15 - and how that led her to writing her new book It’s Probably Nothing - where she draws on her own experience of being dismissed, undiagnosed and misdiagnosed to explores the devastating outcome of decades of ingrained medical misogyny. We also find out how Naga deals with criticism, behaviour she won’t stand for on the train - and the *very* usual thing she does between courses at dinner…It’s Probably Nothing: Critical Conversations on the Women's Health Crisis and What We Can Do About It is out now. You can buy your copy here! Follow @tvnaga on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettNaga Munchetty (Part One)
40:10|Join Emily and Raymond on a rainy day in London’s Regent’s Park - with the legendary BBC Breakfast and BBC 5 Live broadcaster Naga Munchetty. Naga revealed to us that, although she is the proud owner of two cats, she is in fact a dog person… although, Raymond’s not quite her size… We found out all about Naga’s childhood in South London as the daughter of two nurses. She tells us how it felt to straddle two cultures as a child, why she won’t apologise for her intelligence and the importance of BBC Breakfast. In Naga’s new book It’s Probably Nothing she draws on her own experience of being dismissed, undiagnosed and misdiagnosed to explores the devastating outcome of decades of ingrained medical misogyny. It’s Probably Nothing: Critical Conversations on the Women's Health Crisis and What We Can Do About It is out now. You can buy your copy here!Follow @tvnaga on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettSuzi Ruffell (Part Two)
41:49|Join Emily and Raymond for the second half our walk with the brilliant comedian (and one of our favourite people on the planet) Suzi Ruffell!We chatted to Suzi about how anxiety goes hand in hand with stand up comedy, her brilliant mum and dad and learning to love the Pet Shop Boys. Suzi’s new book Am I Having Fun Now is a candid, funny and moving memoir. Suzi covers everything from masking anxiety with musical theatre, developing an obsession with Titanic, and struggling to find her groove at school, on stage, and in her love life, to (eventually) coming out, falling in love, and becoming a parent, Suzi lays her life bare with signature wit and style. You can order your copy here!Follow @suziruffellcomedy on Instagram Suzi is on tour from June 2025 across the UK - you can find dates and purchase tickets at https://suziruffell.com/ If you'd like to hear more from Suzi you can listen to her first appearance on Walking The Dog from March 2020 and her second appearance from January 2024.Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettSuzi Ruffell (Part One)
45:33|This week - Ray’s been on a trip to his favourite place - Brighton Beach - to visit one of our favourite people… the comedian Suzi Ruffell! Suzi and Ray get on famously and Suzi’s part of the very exclusive club of people who have appeared on this podcast three times - you can hear her first appearance from March 2020 and her second appearance from January 2024.Despite three appearances on the podcast - Suzi STILL hasn’t got a dog… but we think she may nearly be ready to join the dog ownership club!!We had a huge catch up to find out all about Suzi’s new book Am I Having Fun Now? The book is a candid, funny and often moving memoir. Suzi covers everything from masking anxiety with musical theatre, developing an obsession with Titanic, and struggling to find her groove at school, on stage, and in her love life, to (eventually) coming out, falling in love, and becoming a parent, Suzi lays her life bare with signature wit and style. You can order your copy here! Follow @suziruffellcomedy on Instagram Suzi is on tour from June 2025 across the UK - you can find dates and purchase tickets at https://suziruffell.com/ Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla GowlettTammy Beaumont (Part Two)
30:54|We’re in Epping Forest with the legendary England cricket player, Tammy Beaumont (aka Little Mitts) - and her black Labrador, Indy!In this part of our chat, we discuss some of the barriers faced by young women getting into sport - and what is being done to overcome them. Tammy tells us about some of the incredible places cricket has taken her - including getting her MBE after helping England win the Cricket World Cup in 2017. We have so much brilliant cricket ahead of us - including the India series this summer and the Women’s World Cup next year - so it’s the perfect time to get obsessed with cricket, which thanks to Tammy - we absolutely are! If you want to catch Tammy in action this summer you can get tickets to see her play here - or you can watch all the action on Sky Sports!IT20 & ODI India SeriesThe HundredFollow @tammybeau on Instagram Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett