Second Helpings - Rob Brydon

Jessie Ware (0:03)

Hello, and welcome to Second Helpings, our final installment for you, before we're back with you for more Table Manners Season 19 So we're going to finish with Rob Brydon, who came on the podcast in December 2021

Lennie Ware (0:18)

It was another season finale, and he kept it a secret what happened in Gavin and Stacey on that fishing trip. I was desperate to find out, but will we ever really find out what went on?

Jessie Ware (0:31)

You made spiced Spatchcock chicken, bejeweled rice, pecan pie, and he was midway through a huge UK tour. It was his memoir, but through music. It was also really special to have Rob on, because obviously him and Steve Coogan did The Trip, which was my inspiration on creating Table Manners. So thanks, Rob. We spoke to Rob about growing up in Wales, eating his grandma's custard tarts, his heroes, Uncle Bryn, Uncle Bryn, The Trip, and life with five children. Rob Brydon coming up on Table Manners, Second Helpings.

We have Rob Brydon here. Thank you so much. You are, you came in, I told you that I'd been using a whip today, and I feel very inappropriate about that, but that's another conversation, and we're so thrilled to have you.

Rob Brydon (1:22)

Well, thank you for having me. I've been looking forward to this, because I listened, I've heard three of those. You've done a lot.

I can't hear every one of them, but I loved them. And as I was listening to them, I thought, oh, I'm going to be doing this.

Lennie Ware (1:37)

How sweet.

Jessie Ware (1:39)

Who told you to listen to them?

Rob Brydon (1:41)

Well, you want the honest answer? Your PR. Yeah, because they do. We love a good PR. But let me, I'll give you the honest truth, right? Is that you do stuff to promote what you're doing. So I'm promoting a tour. So you're looking at your phone, you're looking at the phone, what am I doing? Oh, I'm going to do Table Manners. Oh, I've heard of that. I've heard of Table Manners. Yes, I've heard of it, but I've never heard it. And then I would be flicking to my diary and I would see Clapham of an evening. And I went, oh boy, I'm going to Clapham, and food, I've got to eat.

So I thought, well, I'm going to, so I was on tour. So I listened to it. And I went, the first one was Stanley Tucci, and I love Stanley Tucci. He's lovely. Who doesn't? And I really liked it. And then I listened to the Schwimmer one, David Schwimmer, and then the Tom Jones one. So by the end, I went from, oh, I've got to go to Clapham, to, ooh, I'm going to Clapham.

SPEAKER_4 (2:31)

Oh, good.

Rob Brydon (2:32)

It was a journey.

Jessie Ware (2:34)

Where do you usually reside?

Rob Brydon (2:36)

Well, not in Clapham.

SPEAKER_4 (2:37)

Where?

Rob Brydon (2:38)

Strawberry Hill, in between Twickenham and Teddington.

Lennie Ware (2:41)

Lovely.

Rob Brydon (2:41)

Yeah, it's nice.

SPEAKER_4 (2:42)

It's lovely, though.

Rob Brydon (2:43)

Not far from here, but just in terms of getting here, you know, it's that classic London thing of, it takes forever.

Jessie Ware (2:50)

So, tell us about the tour. Are you halfway through?

Rob Brydon (2:54)

Quarter of a week? I don't know, maybe a quarter. It's a tour with a band, and it's sort of, it's very old-fashioned. We just did Two Nights at the Palladium in London, and one of the reviews said, it's hard to imagine any show more suited to the London Palladium.

Because, well, it is a compliment, but because it is an old-fashioned, you know, sort of one-man variety show, in that I tell stories, I sing songs. Some of them are serious, some of them are funny. It's an incredibly talented band.

Lennie Ware (3:25)

Did you start as a comedian, an actor or a singer?

Rob Brydon (3:29)

Well, I went to drama school, so you'd say, well, you're gonna be an actor, but it was always comedy that I wanted to do.

And then I left drama school early because I got offered a job as a DJ on the radio in Wales. So I did that.

Jessie Ware (3:45)

You have a beautiful voice.

Rob Brydon (3:47)

You have got gorgeous voice.

Jessie Ware (3:49)

I mean, our listeners are, it's purring into their ears.

Rob Brydon (3:51)

I know. You and Tom.

Well, exactly.

SPEAKER_4 (3:55)

That's right.

Rob Brydon (3:56)

Yeah, he's a bit, yeah. It was 1949, quarter to six on the 2nd of June. It was a full moon. What a memory that man has.