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EP166 Interview With Mark & Simon From Elinchrom UK I sit down with Mark Cheatham and Simon Burfoot from Elinchrom UK to talk about the two words that matter most when you work with light: accuracy and consistency. We dig into flash vs. continuous, shaping light (not just adding it), why reliable gear shortens your workflow, and Elinchrom's new LED 100 C—including evenly filling big softboxes and that handy internal battery. We also wander into AI: threats, tools, and why authenticity still carries the highest value.   Links: Elinchrom UK store/info: https://elinchrom.co.uk/ LED 100 C product page: https://elinchrom.co.uk/elinchrom-led-100-c Rotalux Deep Octa / strips: https://elinchrom.co.uk/elinchrom-rotalux-deep-octabox-100cm-softbox/ My workshop dates: https://masteringportraitphotography.com/workshops-and-mentoring/ Transcript: Paul: as quite a lot of, you know, I've had a love affair with Elinchrom Lighting for the past 20 something years. In fact, I'm sitting with one of the original secondhand lights I bought from the Flash Center 21 years ago in London. And on top of that, you couldn't ask for a nicer set of guys in the UK to deal with. So I'm sitting here about to talk to Simon and Mark from Elinchrom uk. I'm Paul and this is the Mastering Portrait Photography podcast. Paul: So before we get any further, tell me a little bit about who you are, each of you and the team from Elinchrom UK Mark: After you, Simon. Simon: Thank you very much, mark. Mark: That's fine. Simon: I'm, Simon Burfoot. I have, been in the industry now for longer than I care to think. 35 years almost to the, to the day. Always been in the industry even before I left school because my father was a photographer and a lighting tutor, working for various manufacturers I was always into photography, and when he started the whole lighting journey. I got on it with him, and was learning from a very young age. Did my first wedding at 16 years old. Had a Saturday job which turned into a full-time job in a retail camera shop. By the time I was 18, I was managing my own camera shop, in a little town in the Cotswolds called Cirencester. My dad always told me that to be a photographic rep in the industry, you needed to see it from all angles, to get the experience. So I ended up, working in retail, moving over to a framing company. Finishing off in a prolab, hand printing, wedding photographers pictures, processing E6 and C41, hand correcting big prints for framing for, for customers, which was really interesting and I really enjoyed it. And then ended up working for a company called Leeds Photo Visual, I was a Southwest sales guy for them. Then I moved to KJP before it became, what we know now as Wex, and got all of the customers back that I'd stolen for them for Leeds. And then really sort of started my career progressing through, and then started to work with Elinchrom, on the lighting side. Used Elinchrom way before I started working with them. I like you a bit of a love affair. I'd used lots of different lights and, just loved the quality of the light that the Elinchrom system produced. And that's down to a number of factors that I could bore you with, but it's the quality of the gear, the consistency in terms of color, and exposure. Shooting film was very important to have that consistency because we didn't have Photoshop to help us out afterwards. It was a learning journey, but I, I hit my goal after being a wedding photographer and a portrait photographer in my spare time, working towards getting out on the road, meeting people and being involved in the industry, which I love. And I think it's something that I'm scared of leaving 'cause I dunno anything else. It's a wonderful industry. It has its quirks, its, downfalls at points, but actually it's a really good group of people and everyone kind of, gets on and we all love working with each other. So we're friends rather than colleagues. Paul: I hesitate to ask, given the length of that answer, to cut Simon: You did ask. Mark: I know. Paul: a short story Mark: was wondering if I was gonna get a go. Paul: I was waiting to get to end into the podcast and I was about to sign off. Mark: So, hi Mark Cheatham, sales director for Elinchrom uk this is where it gets a little bit scary because me and Simon have probably known each other for 10 years, yet our journeys in the industry are remarkably similar. I went to college, did photography, left college, went to work at commercial photographers and hand printers. I was a hand printer, mainly black and white, anything from six by four to eight foot by four foot panels, which are horrible when you're deving in a dish. But we did it. Paul: To the generation now, deving in a dish doesn't mean anything. Simon: No, it doesn't. Mark: And, and when you're doing a eight foot by four foot print and you've got it, you're wearing most of the chemistry. You went home stinking every night. I was working in retail. As a Saturday lad and then got promoted from the Saturday lad to the manager and went to run a camera shop in a little town in the Lake District called Kendall. I stayed there for nine years. I left there, went on the road working for a brand called Olympus, where I did 10 years, I moved to Pentax, which became Rico Pentax. I did 10 years there. I've been in the industry all my life. Like Simon, I love the industry. I did go out the industry for 18 months where I went into the wonderful world of high end commercial vr, selling to blue light military, that sort of thing. And then came back. One of the, original members of Elinchrom uk. I don't do as much photography as Simon I take photos every day, probably too many looking at my Apple storage. I do shoot and I like shooting now and again, but I'm not a constant shooter like you guys i'm not a professional shooter, but when you spent 30 odd years in the industry, and part of that, I basically run the, the medium format business for Pentax. So 645D, 645Z. Yeah, it was a great time. I love the industry and, everything about it. So, yeah, that's it Paul: Obviously both of you at some point put your heads together and decided Elinchrom UK was the future. What triggered that and why do you think gimme your sales pitch for Elinchrom for a moment and then we can discuss the various merits. Simon: The sales pitch for Elinchrom is fairly straightforward. It's a nice, affordable system that does exactly what most photographers would like. We sell a lot of our modifiers, so soft boxes and things like that to other users, of Prophoto, Broncolor. Anybody else? Because actually the quality of the light that comes out the front of our diffusion material and our specular surfaces on the soft boxes is, is a lot, lot more superior than, than most. A lot more superior. A lot more Mark: A lot more superior. Paul: more superior. Simon: I'm trying to Paul: Superior. Simon: It's superior. And I think Paul, you'll agree, Paul: it's a lot more, Simon: You've used different manufacturers over the years and, I think the quality of light speaks for itself. As a photographer I want consistency. Beautiful light and the effects that the Elinchrom system gives me, I've tried other soft boxes. If you want a big contrasty, not so kind light, then use a cheaper soft box. If I've got a big tattoo guy full of piercings you're gonna put some contrasty light to create some ambience. Maybe the system for that isn't good enough, but for your standard portrait photographer in a studio, I don't think you can beat the light. Mark: I think the two key words for Elinchrom products are accuracy and consistency. And that's what, as a portrait photographer, you should be striving for, you don't want your equipment to lengthen your workflow or make your job harder in post-production. If you're using Elinchrom lights with Elinchrom soft boxes or Elinchrom modifiers, you know that you're gonna get accuracy and consistency. Which generally makes your job easier. Paul: I think there's a bit that neither of you, I don't think you've quite covered, and it's the bit of the puzzle that makes you want to use whatever is the tool of your trade. I mean, I worked with musicians, I grew up around orchestras. Watching people who utterly adore the instrument that's in their hand. It makes 'em wanna play it. If you own the instrument that you love to play, whether it's a drum kit a trumpet a violin or a piano, you will play it and get the very best out of your talent with it. It's just a joy to pick it up and use it for all the little tiny things I think it's the bit you've missed in your descriptions of it is the utter passion that people that use it have for it. Mark: I think one of the things I learned from my time in retail, which was obviously going back, a long way, even before digital cameras One of the things I learned from retail, I was in retail long before digital cameras, retail was a busier time. People would come and genuinely ask for advice. So yes, someone would come in and what's the best camera for this? Or what's the best camera for that? Honestly there is still no answer to that. All the kit was good then all the kit is good now. You might get four or five different SLRs out. And the one they'd pick at the end was the one that they felt most comfortable with and had the best connection with. When you are using something every day, every other day, however it might be, it becomes part of you. I'm a F1 fan, if you love the world of F1, you know that an F1 car, the driver doesn't sit in an F1 car, they become part of the F1 car. When you are using the same equipment day in, day out, you don't have to think about what button to press, what dial to to turn. You do it. And that, I think that's the difference between using something you genuinely love and get on with and using something because that's what you've got. And maybe that's a difference you genuinely love and get on with Elinchrom lights. So yes, they're given amazing output and I know there's, little things that you'd love to see improved on them, but that's not the light output. Paul: But the thing is, I mean, I've never, I've never heard the F1 analogy, but it's not a bad one. When you talk about these drivers and their cars and you are right, they're sort of symbiotic, so let's talk a little bit about why we use flash. So from the photographers listening who are just setting out, and that's an awful lot of our audience. I think broadly speaking, there are two roads or three roads, if you include available light if you're a portrait photographer. So there's available light. There's continuous light, and then there's strobes flash or whatever you wanna call it. Of course, there's, hybrid modeling and all sorts of things, but those are broadly the three ways that you're gonna light your scene or your subject. Why flash? What is it about that instantaneous pulse of light from a xenon tube that so appealing to photographers? Simon: I think there's a few reasons. The available light is lovely if you can control it, and by that I mean knowing how to use your camera, and control the ambient light. My experience of using available light, if you do it wrong, it can be quite flat and uninteresting. If you've got a bright, hot, sunny day, it can be harder to control than if it's a nice overcast day. But then the overcast day will provide you with some nice soft, flat lighting. Continuous light is obviously got its uses and there's a lot of people out there using it because what they see is what they get. The way I look at continuous light is you are adding to the ambient light, adding more daylight to the daylight you've already got, which isn't a problem, but you need to control that light onto the subject to make the subject look more interesting. So a no shadow, a chin shadow to show that that subject is three dimensional. There are very big limitations with LED because generally it's very unshapable. By that I mean the light is a very linear light. Light travels in straight lines anyway, but with a flash, we can shape the light, and that's why there's different shapes and sizes of modifiers, but it's very difficult to shape correctly -an LED array, the flash for me, gives me creativity. So with my flash, I get a sharper image to start with. I can put the shadows and the light exactly where I want and use the edge of a massive soft box, rather than the center if I'm using a flash gun or a constant light. It allows me to choose how much or how little contrast I put through that light, to create different dynamics in the image. It allows me to be more creative. I can kill the ambient light with flash rather than adding to it. I can change how much ambient I bring into my flash exposure. I've got a lot more control, and I'm not talking about TTL, I'm talking about full manual control of using the modifier, the flash, and me telling the camera what I want it to do, rather than the camera telling me what it thinks is right. Which generally 99% of the time is wrong. It's given me a beautiful, average exposure, but if I wanted to kill the sun behind the subject, well it's not gonna do that. It's gonna give me an average of everything. Whereas Flash will just give me that extra opportunity to be a lot more creative and have a lot more control over my picture. I've got quite a big saying in my workshops. I think a decent flash image is an image where it looks like flash wasn't used. As a flash photographer, Paul, I expect you probably agree with me, anyone can take a flash image. The control of light is important because anybody can light an image, but to light the subject within the image and control the environmental constraints, is the key to it and the most technical part of it. Mark: You've got to take your camera off P for professional to do that. You've got to turn it off p for professional and get it in manual mode. And that gives you the control Paul: Well, you say that, We have to at some point. Address the fact that AI is not just coming, it's sitting here in our studios all the time, and we are only a heartbeat away from P for professional, meaning AI analyzed and creating magic. I don't doubt for a minute. I mean, right now you're right, but not Mark: Well, at some point it will be integrated into the camera Paul: Of course it will. Mark: If you use an iPhone or any other phone, you know, we are using AI as phone photographers, your snapshots. You take your kids, your dogs, whatever they are highly modified images. Paul: Yeah. But in a lot of the modern cameras, there's AI behind the scenes, for instance, on the focusing Mark: Yeah. Paul: While we've, we are on that, we were on that thread. Let's put us back on that thread for a second. What's coming down the line with, all lighting and camera craft with ai. What are you guys seeing that maybe we're not Simon: in terms of flash technology or light technology? Paul: Alright. I mean, so I mean there's, I guess there's two angles, isn't there? What are the lights gonna do that use ai? What are the controllers gonna do, that uses ai, but more importantly, how will it hold its own in a world where I can hit a button and say, I want rebrand lighting on that face. I can do that today. Mark: Yeah. Simon: I'm not sure the lighting industry is anywhere near producing anything that is gonna give what a piece of software can give, because there's a lot more factors involved. There's what size light it is, what position that light is in, how high that light is, how low that light is. And I think the software we've all heard and played with Evoto we were talking about earlier, I was very skeptical and dubious about it to start with as everybody would be. I'm a Photoshop Lightroom user, have been for, many years. And I did some editing, in EEvoto with my five free credits to start with, three edits in, I bought some credits because I thought, actually this is very, very good. I'll never use it for lighting i'd like to think I can get that right myself. However, if somebody gives you a, a very flat image of a family outside and say, well, could you make this better for me? Well, guess what? I can do whatever you like to it. Is it gonna attack the photographer that's trying to earn a living? I think there's always a need for people to take real photographs and family photographs. I think as photographers, we need to embrace it as an aid to speed up our workflow. I don't think it will fully take over the art of photography because it's a different thing. It's not your work. It's a computer generated AI piece of work in my head. Therefore, who's responsible for that image? Who owns the copyright to that image? We deal with photographers all the time who literally point a camera, take a picture and spend three hours editing it and tell everyone that, look at this. The software's really good and it's made you look good. I think AI is capable of doing that to an extent. In five years time, we'll look back at Evoto today and what it's producing and we'll think cracky. That was awful. It's like when you watch a high definition movie from the late 1990s, you look at it and it was amazing at the time, but you look at it now and you think, crikey, look at the quality of it. I dunno if we're that far ahead where we won't get to that point. The quality is there. I mean, how much better can you go than 4K, eight K minus, all that kind of stuff. I'm unsure, but I don't think the AI side of it. Is applicable to flash at this moment in time? I don't know. Mark: I think you're right. To look at the whole, photography in general. If you are a social photographer, family photographer, whatever it might be, you are genuinely capturing that moment in time that can't be replaced. If you are a product photographer, that's a different matter. I think there's more of a threat. I think I might be right in saying. I was looking, I think I saw it on, LinkedIn. There is a fashion brand in the UK at the moment that their entire catalog of clothing has been shot without models. When you look at it on the website, there's models in it. They shoot the clothing on mannequins and then everything else is AI generated they've been developing their own AI platform now for a number of years. Does the person care Who's buying a dress for 30 quid? Probably not, but if you are photographing somebody's wedding, graduation, some, you know, a genuine moment in someone's life, I think it'd be really wrong to use any sort of AI other than a little bit of post-production, which we know is now quite standard for many people in the industry. Paul: Yeah, the curiosity for me is I suspect as an industry, Guess just released a full AI model advert in, Vogue. Declared as AI generated an ai agency created it. Everything about it is ai. There's no real photography involved except in the learning side of it. And that's a logical extension of the fact we've been Photoshopping to such a degree that the end product no longer related to the input. And we've been doing that 25 years. I started on Photoshop version one, whatever that was, 30 years More than 33. So we've kind of worked our way into a corner where the only way out of it is to continue. There's no backtracking now. Mark: Yeah. Paul: I think the damage to the industry though, or the worry for the industry, I think you're both right. I think if you can feel it, touch it, be there, there will always be that importance. In fact, the provenance of authenticity. Is the high value ticket item now, Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: because you, everything else is synthetic, you can trust nothing. We are literally probably months away from 90% of social media being generated by ai. AI is both the consumer and the generator of almost everything online Mark: Absolutely. Paul: Goodness knows where we go. You certainly can't trust anything you read. You can't trust anything you see, so authenticity, face-to-face will become, I think a high value item. Yeah. Mark: Yeah. Paul: I think one problem for us as an industry in terms of what the damage might be is that all those people that photograph nameless products or create books, you know, use photography and then compositing for, let's say a novel that's gone, stock libraries that's gone because they're faceless. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: there doesn't have to be authentic. A designer can type in half a dozen keywords. Into an AI engine and get what he needs. If he doesn't get what he needs, he does it again. All of those photographers who currently own Kit are gonna look around with what do we do now? And so for those of us who specialize in weddings and portraits and family events, our market stands every chance of being diluted, which has the knock on effect of all of us having to keep an eye on AI to stay ahead of all competitors, which has the next knock on effect, that we're all gonna lean into ai, which begs the question, what happens after Because that's what happened in the Photoshop world. You know, I'm kind of, I mean, genuinely cur, and this will be a running theme on the podcast forever, is kind of prodding it and taking barometer readings as to where are we going? Mark: Yeah. I mean, who's more at threat at the moment from this technology? Is it the photographer or is it the retouch? You know, we do forget that there are retouchers That is their, they're not photographers. Paul: I don't forget. They email me 3, 4, 5 times a day. Mark: a Simon: day, Mark: You know, a highly skilled retouch isn't cheap. They've honed their craft for many years using whatever software product they prefer to use. I think they're the ones at risk now more so than the photographer. And I think we sort of lose sight of that. Looking at it from a photographer's point of view, there is a whole industry behind photography that actually is being affected more so than you guys at the moment. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: Yeah, I think there's truth in that, but. It's not really important. Of course, it's really important to all of those people, but this is the digital revolution that we went through as film photographers, and probably what the Daguerreotype generators went through when Fox Tolbert invented the first transfer. Negative. You know, they are, there are always these epochs in our industry and it wipes out entire skillset. You know, I mean, when we went to digital before then, like you, I could dev in a tank. Yeah. You know, and really liked it. I like I see, I suspect I just like the solitude, Mark: the dark, Paul: red light in the dark Mark: yeah. Paul: Nobody will come in. Not now. Go away. Yeah. All that kind of stuff. But of course those skills have gone, has as, have access to the equipment. I think we're there again, this feels like to me a huge transition in the industry and for those who want to keep up, AI is the keeping up whether you like it or not. Mark: Yeah. And if you don't like it, we've seen it, we're in the middle of a massive resurgence in film photography, which is great for the industry, great for the retail industry, great for the film manufacturers, chemical manufacturers, everything. You know, simon, myself, you, you, we, we, our earliest photography, whether we were shooting with flash, natural light, we were film shooters and that planes back. And what digital did, from a camera point of view, is make it easier and more accessible for less skilled people. But it's true. You know, if you shot with a digital camera now that's got a dynamic range of 15 stops, you actually don't even need to have your exposure, that accurate Go and shoot with a slide film that's got dynamic range of less than one stop and see how good you are. It has made it easier. The technology, it will always make it. Easier, but it opens up new doors, it opens up new avenues to skilled people as well as unskilled people. If you want, I'm using the word unskilled again, I'm not being, a blanket phrase, but it's true. You can pick up a digital camera now and get results that same person shooting with a slide film 20 years ago would not get add software to that post-production, everything else. It's an industry that we've seen so many changes in over the 30 odd years that we've been in it, Simon: been Mark: continue Simon: at times. It exciting Mark: The dawn of digital photography to the masses. was amazing. I was working for Olympus at the time when digital really took off and for Olympus it was amazing. They made some amazing products. We did quite well out of it and people started enjoying photography that maybe hadn't enjoyed photography before. You know, people might laugh at, you know, you, you, you're at a wedding, you're shooting a really nice wedding pool and there's always a couple of guests there which have got equipment as good as yours. Better, better than yours. Yeah. Got Simon: jobs and they can afford it. Mark: They've got proper jobs. Their pitches aren't going to be as good as yours. They're the ones laughing at everyone shooting on their phone because they've spent six grand on their new. Camera. But if shooting on a phone gets people into photography and then next year they buy a camera and two years later they upgrade their camera and it gets them into the hobby of photography? That's great for everyone. Hobbyists are as essential, as professional photographers to the industry. In fact, to keep the manufacturers going, probably more so Simon: the hobbyists are a massive part. Even if they go out and spend six or seven or 8,000 pounds on a camera because they think it's gonna make them a better photographer. Who knows in two years time with the AI side, maybe it will. That old saying, Hey Mr, that's a nice camera. I bet it takes great pictures, may become true. We have people on the lighting courses, the workshops we run, the people I train and they're asking me, okay, what sessions are we gonna use? And I'm saying, okay, well we're gonna be a hundred ISO at 125th, F 5.6. Okay, well if I point my camera at the subject, it's telling me, yeah, but you need to put it onto manual. And you see the color drain out their faces. You've got a 6,000 pound camera and you've never taken it off 'P'. Mark: True story. Simon: And we see this all the time. It's like the whole TTL strobe manual flash system. The camera's telling you what it wants to show you, but that maybe is not what you want. There are people out there that will spend a fortune on equipment but actually you could take just as good a picture with a much smaller, cheaper device with an nice bit of glass on the front if you know what you're doing. And that goes back to what Mark was saying about shooting film and slide film and digital today. Paul: I, mean, you know, I don't want this to be an echo chamber, and so what I am really interested in though, is the way that AI will change what flash photography does. I'm curious as to where we are headed in that, specific vertical. How is AI going to help and influence our ability to create great lip photography using flash? Mark: I think, Paul: I love the fact the two guys side and looked at each other. Mark: I, Simon: it's a difficult question to answer. Mark: physical light, Simon: is a difficult question to answer because if you're Mark: talking about the physical delivery of light. Simon: Not gonna change. Mark: Now, The only thing I can even compare it to, if you think about how the light is delivered, is what's the nearest thing? What's gotta change? Modern headlamps on cars, going back to cars again, you know, a modern car are using these LED arrays and they will switch on and switch off different LEDs depending on the conditions in front of them. Anti dazzle, all this sort of stuff. You know, the modern expensive headlamp is an amazing technical piece of kit. It's not just one ball, but it's hundreds in some cases of little arrays. Will that come into flash? I don't know. Will you just be able to put a soft box in front of someone and it will shape the light in the future using a massive array. Right? I dunno it, Simon: there's been many companies tested these arrays, in terms of LED Flash, And I think to be honest, that's probably the nearest it's gonna get to an AI point of view is this LED Flash. Now there's an argument to say, what is flash if I walk into a living room and flick the light on, on off really quickly, is that a flash? Mark: No, that's a folock in Paul: me Mark: turn, big lights off. Paul: Yeah. Mark: So Simon: it, you, you might be able to get these arrays to flush on and off. But LED technology, in terms of how it works, it's quite slow. It's a diode, it takes a while for it to get to its correct brightness and it takes a while for it to turn off. To try and get an LED. To work as a flash. It, it's not an explosion in a gas field tube. It's a a, a lighter emitting diode that is, is coming on and turning off again. Will AI help that? Due to the nature of its design, I don't think it can. Mark: Me and s aren't invented an AI flash anytime soon by the looks of, we're Simon: it's very secret. Mark: We're just putting everyone off Paul, Simon: It's alright. Mark: just so they don't think Simon: Yeah, Mark: Oh, it's gonna be too much hard work and we'll sort it. Paul: It's definitely coming. I don't doubt for a minute that this is all coming because there's no one not looking at anything Simon: that makes perfect sense. Paul: Right now there's an explosion of invention because everybody's trying to find an angle on everything. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: The guys I feel the most for are the guys who spent millions, , on these big LED film backdrop walls. Simon: Yep. Mark: So you can Paul: a car onto a flight sim, rack, and then film the whole lot in front of an LED wall. Well, it was great. And there was a market for people filming those backdrops, and now of course that's all AI generated in the LED, but that's only today's technology. Tomorrow's is, you don't need the LED wall. That's here today. VEO3 and Flow already, I mean, I had to play with one the other day for one of our lighting diagrams and it animated the whole thing. Absolute genius. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: I still generated the original diagram. Mark: Yeah, Paul: Yeah, that's useful. There's some skill in there still for now, but, you gotta face the music that anything that isn't, I can touch it and prod it. AI's gonna do it. Mark: Absolutely. If you've ever seen the series Mandalorian go and watch the making of the Mandalorian and they are using those big LED walls, that is their backdrop. Yeah. And it's amazing how fast they shift from, you know, they can, they don't need to build a set. Yeah. They shift from scene to scene. Paul: Well, aI is now building the scenes. But tomorrow they won't need the LED wall. 'cause AI will put it in behind the actors. Mark: Yeah. Say after Paul: that you won't need the actors because they're being forced to sign away the rights so that AI can be used. And even those that are standing their ground and saying no, well, the actors saying Yes. Are the ones being hired. You know, in the end, AI is gonna touch all of it. And so I mean, it's things like, imagine walking into a studio. Let's ignore the LED thing for a minute, by the way, that's a temporary argument, Simon: I know you're talking about. Paul: about today's, Simon: You're about the. Mark: days Paul: LEDs, Simon: we're in, We're in very, very interesting times and. I'm excited for the future. I'm excited for the new generation of photographers that are coming in to see how they work with what happens. We've gone from fully analog to me selling IMACON drum scanners that were digitizing negatives and all the five four sheet almost a shoot of properties for an estate agent were all digitized on an hassle blood scanner. And then the digital camera comes out and you start using it. It was a Kodak camera, I think the first SLRI used, Paul: Yeah. Simon: and you get the results back and you think, oh my God, it looks like it's come out of a practica MTL five B. Mark: But Simon: then suddenly the technology just changes and changes and changes and suddenly it's running away with itself and where we are today. I mean, I, I didn't like digital to start with. It was too. It was too digital. It was too sharp. It didn't have the feel of film, but do you know what? We get used to it and the files that my digital mirrorless camera provide now and my Fuji GFX medium format are absolutely stunning. But the first thing I do is turn the sharpness down because they are generally over sharp. For a lovely, beautifully lit portrait or whatever that anybody takes, it just needs knocking back a bit. We were speaking about this earlier, I did some comparison edits from what I'd done manually in Photoshop to the Evoto. Do you know what the pre-selected edits are? Great. If you not the slider back from 10 to about six, you're there or thereabouts? More is not always good. Mark: I think when it comes to imagery in our daily lives, the one thing that drives what we expect to see is TV and most people's TVs, everything's turned up to a hundred. The color, the contrast, that was a bit of a shock originally from the film to digital, crossover. Everything went from being relatively natural to way over the top Just getting back to AI and how it's gonna affect people like you and people that we work with day to day. I don't think we should be worried about that. We should be worried about the images we see on the news, not what we're seeing, hanging on people's walls and how they're gonna be affected by ai. That generally does affect everyone's daily life. Paul: Yeah, Mark: Yeah. But what Paul: people now ask me, for instance, I've photographed a couple head shots yesterday, and the one person had not ironed her blouse. And her first question was, can we sort that out in post? So this is the knock on effect people are becoming aware of what's possible. What's that? Nothing. Know, and the, the smooth clothing button in Evoto will get me quite a long way down that road and saves somebody picking up an eye and randomly, it's not me, it's now actually more work for me 'cause I shouldn't have to do it. But, you know, this is my point about the knock on effect. Our worlds are different. So I didn't really intend this to be just a great sort of circular conversation about AI cars and, future technology. It was more, I dunno, we ended up down there anyway. Simon: We went down a rabbit hole. Mark: A Paul: rabbit hole. Yeah Mark: was quite an interesting one. Simon: And I'm sorry if you've wasted your entire journey to work and we Paul: Yeah. Simon: Alright. It wasn't intended to be like that. Paul: I think it's a debate that we need to be having and there needs to be more discussion about it. Certainly for anybody that has a voice in the industry and people are listening to it because right now it might be a toddler of a technology, but it's growing faster than people realize. There is now a point in the written word online where AI is generating more than real people are generating, and AI is learning that. So AI is reading its own output. That's now beginning to happen in imagery and film and music. Simon: Well, even in Google results, you type in anything to a Google search bar. When it comes back to the results, the first section at the top is the AI generated version. And you know what, it's generally Paul: Yep. Simon: good and Paul: turn off all the rest of it now. So it's only ai. Simon: Not quite brave enough for that yet. No, not me. Mark: In terms Paul: of SEO for instance, you now need to tune it for large language models. You need to be giving. Google the LLM information you want it to learn so that you become part of that section on a website. And it, you know, this is where we are and it's happening at such a speed, every day I am learning something new about something else that's arriving. And I think TV and film is probably slightly ahead of the photography industry Mark: Yeah. Paul: The pressures on the costs are so big, Simon: Yes. Paul: Whereas the cost differential, I'm predicting our costs will actually go up, not down. Whereas in TV and film, the cost will come down dramatically. Mark: Absolutely. Simon: They are a horrifically high level anyway. That's Paul: I'm not disputing that, but I watched a demo of some new stuff online recently and they had a talking head and they literally typed in relight that with a kiss light here, hairlight there, Rembrandt variation on the front. And they did it off a flat picture and they can move the lights around as if you are moving lights. Yes. And that's there today. So that's coming our way too. And I still think the people who understand how to see light will have an advantage because you'll know when you've typed these words in that you've got it about right. It doesn't change the fact that it's going to be increasingly synthetic. The moment in the middle of it is real. We may well be asked to relight things, re clothe things that's already happening. Simon: Yeah. Paul: We get, can you just fill in my hairline? That's a fairly common one. Just removing a mole. Or removing two inches round a waist. This, we've been doing that forever. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: And so now it'll be done with keyword generation rather than, photoshop necessarily. Simon: I think you'll always have the people that embrace this, we can't ignore it as you rightly say. It's not going away. It's gonna get bigger, it's gonna feature more in our lives. I think there's gonna be three sets of people. It's gonna be the people like us generally on a daily basis. We're photographers or we're artists. We enjoy what we do. I enjoy correctly lighting somebody with the correct modifier properties to match light quality to get the best look and feel and the ambience of that image. And I enjoy the process of putting that together and then seeing the end result afterwards. I suppose that makes me an artist in, in, in loose terms. I think, you know, as, as, as a photographer, we are artists. You've then got another generation that are finding shortcuts. They're doing some of the job with their camera. They're making their image from an AI point of view. Does that make up an artist? I suppose it still does because they're creating their own art, but they have no interest 'cause they have no enjoyment in making that picture as good as it can be before you even hit the shutter. And then I think you've got other people, and us to an extent where you do what you need to do, you enjoy the process, you look at the images, and then you just finely tune it with a bit of AI or Photoshop retouching so I think there are different sets of people that will use AI to their advantage or completely ignore it. Mark: Yeah. I think you're right. And I think it comes down, I'm going to use another analogy here, you, you know, let's say you enjoy cooking. If you enjoy cooking, you're creating something. What's the alternative? You get a microwave meal. Well, Paul Simon: and Sarah do. Mark: No. Paul: Sarah does. Simon: We can't afford waitress. Mark: You might spend months creating your perfect risotto. You've got it right. You love it. Everyone else loves it. You share it around all your friends. Brilliant. Or you go to Waitrose, you buy one, put it three minutes in the microwave and it's done. That's yer AI I Imagery, isn't it? It's a microwave meal. Paul: There's a lot of microwave meals out there. And not that many people cook their own stuff and certainly not as many as used to. And there's a lesson. Simon: Is, Mark: but also, Simon: things have become easier Mark: there Simon: you go. Mark: I think what we also forget in the photographic industry and take the industry as a whole, and this is something I've experienced in the, in the working for manufacturers in that photography itself is, is a, is a huge hobby. There's lots of hobbyist photographers, but there's actually more people that do photography as part of another hobby, birdwatching, aviation, all that sort of thing. Anything, you know, the photography isn't the hobby, it's the birds that are the hobby, but they take photographs of, it's the planes that are the hobby, but they take photographs. They're the ones that actually keep the industry going and then they expand into other industries. They come on one of our workshops. You know, that's something that we're still and Simon still Absolutely. And yourself, educating photographers to do it right, to practice using the gear the right way, but the theory of it and getting it right. If anything that brings more people into wanting to learn to cook better, Paul: you Mark: have more chefs rather than people using microwave meals. Education's just so important. And when it comes to lighting, I wasn't competent in using flash. I'm still not, but having sat through Simon's course and other people's courses now for hundreds of times, I can light a scene sometimes, people are still gonna be hungry for education. I think some wills, some won't. If you wanna go and get that microwave risotto go and microwave u risotto. But there's always gonna be people that wanna learn how to do it properly, wanna learn from scratch, wanna learn the art of it. Creators and in a creative industry, we've got to embrace those people and bring more people into it and ensure there's more people on that journey of learning and upskilling and trying to do it properly. Um, and yes, if they use whatever technology at whatever stage in their journey, if they're getting enjoyment from it, what's it matter? Paul: Excellent. Mark: What a fine Paul: concluding statement. If they got enjoyment outta it. Yeah. Whatever. Excellent. Thank you, Mark, for your summing up. Simon: In conclusion, Paul: did that just come out your nose? What on earth. Mark: What Paul: what you can't see, dear Listener is the fact that Mark just spat his water everywhere, laughing at Si. It's been an interesting podcast. Anyway, I'm gonna drag this back onto topic for fear of it dissolving into three blokes having a pint. Mark: I think we should go for one. Simon: I think, Paul: I think we should know as well. Having said that with this conversation, maybe not. I was gonna ask you a little bit about, 'cause we've talked about strobes and the beauty of strobes, but of course Elinchrom still is more than that, and you've just launched a new LED light, so I know you like Strobe Simon. Now talk about the continuous light that also Elinchrom is producing. Simon: We have launched the Elinchrom LED 100 C. Those familiar with our Elinchrom One and Three OCF camera Flash system. It's basically a smaller unit, but still uses the OCF adapter. Elinchrom have put a lot of time into this. They've been looking at LED technology for many years, and I've been to the factory in Switzerland and seen different LED arrays being tested. The problem we had with LEDs is every single LED was different and put out a different color temperature. We're now manufacturing LEDs in batches, where they can all be matched. They all come from the same serial number batch. And the different colors of LED as well, 15 years ago, blue LEDs weren't even possible. You couldn't make a blue LED every other color, but not blue for some unknown reason. They've got the colors right now, they've got full RGB spectrum, which is perfectly accurate a 95 or 97 CRI index light. It's a true hundred watts, of light as well. From tosin through to past daylight and fully controllable like the CRO flash system in very accurate nth degrees. The LED array in the front of the, the LEDA hundred is one of the first shapeable, fully shapeable, LED arrays that I've come across and I've looked at lots. By shapeable, I mean you put it into a soft box, of any size and it's not gonna give you a hotspot in the middle, or it's not gonna light the first 12 inches of the middle of the soft box and leave the rest dark. I remember when we got the first LD and Mark got it before me And he said, I've put it onto a 70 centimeter soft box. And he said, I've taken a picture to the front. Look at this. And it was perfectly even from edge to edge. When I got it, I stuck it onto a 1 3 5 centimeter soft box and did the same and was absolutely blown away by how even it was from edge to edge. When I got my light meter out, if you remember what one of those is, uh, it, uh, it gave me a third of a stop different from the center to the outside edge. Now for an LED, that's brilliant. I mean, that's decent for a flash, but for an LED it's generally unheard of. So you can make the LED as big as you like. It's got all the special effects that some of the cheaper Chinese ones have got because people use that kind of thing. Apparently I have no idea what for. But it sits on its own in a market where there are very cheap and cheerful LEDs, that kind of do a job. And very expensive high-end LEDs that do a completely different job for the photographer that's gone hybrid and does a bit of shooting, but does a bit of video work. So, going into a solicitor's or an accountant's office where they want head shots, but also want a bit of talking head video for the MD or the CEO explaining about his company on the website. It's perfect. You can up the ISO and use the modeling lamp in generally the threes, the fives, the ones that we've got, the LEDs are brilliant. But actually the LED 100 will give you all your modifier that you've taken with you, you can use those. It's very small and light, with its own built-in battery and it will give you a very nice low iso. Talking head interview with a lovely big light source. And I've proved the point of how well it works and how nice it is at the price point it sits in. But it is our first journey into it. There will be others come in and there'll be an app control for it. And I think from an LED point of view, you're gonna say, I would say this, but actually it's one of the nicer ones I've used. And when you get yours, you can tell people exactly the same. Paul: Trust me, I will. Simon: Yes. Mark: I think Paul: very excited about it. Mark: I think the beauty of it as well is it's got an inbuilt battery. It'll give you up to 45 minutes on a full charge. You can plug it in and run it off the mains directly through the USB socket as well. But it means it's a truly portable light source. 45 minutes at a hundred watt and it's rated at a hundred watt actual light output. It's seems far in excess of that. When you actually, Simon: we had a photographer the other day who used it and he's used to using sort of 3, 2 50, 300 watt LEDs and he said put them side by side at full power. They were virtually comparable. Paul: That is certainly true, or in my case by lots. Simon: I seem to be surrounded Paul: by Elinchrom kit, Which is all good. So for anybody who's interested in buying one of these things, where'd you get them? How much are they? Simon: The LED itself, the singlehead unit is 499 inc VAT. If you want one with a charger, which sounds ridiculous, but there's always people who say, well, I don't want the charger. You can have one with a charger for 50 quid extra. So 549. The twin kit is just less than a thousand quid with chargers. And it comes in a very nice portable carry bag to, to carry them around in. Um, and, uh, yeah, available from all good photographic retailers, and, Ellen crom.co uk. Paul: Very good. So just to remind you beautiful people listening to this podcast, we only ever feature people and products, at least like this one where I've said, put a sales pitch in because I use it. It's only ever been about what we use here at the studio. I hate the idea of just being a renta-voice. You it. Mark: bought it. Paul: Yeah. That's true. You guys sold it to me. Mark: Yeah, Simon: if I gave you anything you'd tell everyone it was great. So if you buy it, no, I've bought Paul: Yeah. And then became an ambassador for you. As with everything here, I put my money where my mouth is, we will use it. We do use it. I'm really interested in the little LED light because I could have done with that the other night. It would've been perfect for a very particular need. So yes, I can highly recommend Elinchrom Fives and Threes if you're on a different system. The Rotalux, system of modifier is the best on the planet. Quick to set up, quick to take down. More importantly, the light that comes off them is just beautiful, whether it's a Godox, whether it's on a ProPhoto, which it was for me, or whether if you've really got your common sense about you on the front of an Elinchrom. And on that happy note and back to where we started, which is about lighting, I'm gonna say thanks to the guys. They came to the studio to fix a problem but it's always lovely to have them as guests here. Thank you, mark. Thank you Simon. Most importantly, you Elinchrom for creating Kit is just an absolute joy to use. If you've enjoyed the podcast, please head over to all your other episodes. Please subscribe and whatever is your podcast, play of choice, whether it's iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or a other. After you head, if you head across to masteringportraitphotography.com the spiritual home of this, particular, podcast, I will put in the show notes all the little bits of detail and where to get these things. I'll get some links off the guys as to where to look for the kit. Thank you both. I dunno when I'll be seeing you again. I suspect it will be the Convention in January if I know the way these things go. Simon: We're not gonna get invited back, are we? Mark: Probably not. Enough. Paul: And I'm gonna get a mop and clean up that water. You've just sprayed all over the floor. What is going on? Simon: wish we'd video. That was a funny sun Mark: I just didn't expect it and never usually that sort of funny and quick, Simon: It's the funniest thing I've ever seen. Paul: On that happy note, whatever else is going on in your lives, be kind to yourself. Take care.

We're joined by a BAFTA winner for an easy-to-make, extra tasty dinner and a spoonful of dessert.  Suranne Jones' acting credits are a must-watch list of shows including Doctor Foster, Vigil, Gentleman Jack and Coronation Street. Add to that list her new show, Frauds, a heist-driven thriller in which she stars alongside Jodie Whittaker.  On the menu for this episode is seared tuna with braised tomatoes & chickpeas, paired on this occasion with a Telmont Champagne Reserve Brut NV - a special accompaniment and a favourite of Suranne's when she is drinking. This is followed by a perfectly seasonal autumn apple & blackberry crumble.  Suranne's a bad influence in Frauds, but pure joy and excellent vibes around the Dish table, bringing a list of food likes and dislikes that matches, and maybe surpasses, the one brought by Benedict Cumberbatch. We get into the magic of Oldham, the power of Corrie and the appeal of Doctor Foster... and Suranne quickly comes clean that she's a Dish superfan having listened to ALL episodes while on set for her new show. We salute you! You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube and, new for this season, on Spotify.  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish If you want to get in touch with us about anything at all, contact dish@waitrose.co.uk  Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions

Nick and Angela welcome a performer whose surreal comedy has made him one of Britain's most distinctive voices. Mawaan Rizwan's career has been anything but ordinary, taking him from clown school to the Edinburgh Fringe. He created and stars in the surreal BBC comedy Juice, which earned him a BAFTA, and now he joins Nick and Angela to talk about the show's new series. Mawaan likes a vermouth cocktail (when he's feeling fancy), so Nick pours a Sharp Dresser to start.  Mawaan is also a big fan of ramen, so Angela serves a pork and mushroom tantanmen, topped with jammy eggs and spring onions. The dish is paired with a glass of The Dry Dam Riesling, whose acidity and creamy notes balance the richness of the broth. The conversation reflects Mawaan's playful spirit, touching on his passion for Beef Wellington, the time he sculpted Paul Hollywood's cheekbones in brandy snap, and even the unlikely showbiz “beef” he's nursing with Ellie Goulding. He also lets Angela in on his burrata hack for levelling up instant noodles. You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube and, new for this season, on Spotify.  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish If you want to get in touch with us about anything at all, contact dish@waitrose.co.uk  Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome Chat & Excitement for Mawaan 02:26 - Seasonality Segment: Mushrooms  04:42 - Mawaan Rizwan is here!  06:34 - Food Likes & Dislikes 12:38 - Mawaan's Bake Off Experience  15:20 - Today's Dish: Pork & Mushroom Tantanmen  17:38 - From Juice & BAFTA's to Working with Family  26:24 - Fast Food Quiz  27:52 - From Wigs to Clown School  31:20 - End of the Show Question  34:41 - Listener Mentions & Episode Farewell

In this classic episode from the Namaste archive, Cally talks with comedian, writer and political commentator, Geoff Norcott about an eclectic range of things, including: Jeremy Clarkson, Aldi vs. Waitrose, Meghan & Harry, Patreon,  socialism, capitalism, Blue Peter, Question Time, men's mental health, anti-depressants, therapy, grief, the right, the left, class, Russ Abbott, masculinity, disability, feminism, podcasting, belonging, man-whispering and pigeons. Oh, and his new book ‘Where did I go right? How the left lost me' got a few good plugs too. Order it ⁠here⁠ Follow on Instagram ⁠@geoff_norcott⁠ Listen to ⁠What Most People Think⁠⁠The man-whisperer⁠ Matt Forde's The Political Party ⁠podcast⁠ Men's mental health - information & support: ⁠Safeline⁠⁠Mind⁠⁠Samaritans⁠ Order Cally's Book Get tickets for Cally's Tour More about Cally Produced by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions Music by Jake Yapp Cover design by Jaijo Part of the Auddy Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome dear listeners, to our series of ‘Talk Haunts' – a chat that's all scary ... just for you. So, grab a hot chocolate, maybe a tea, pull up a chair … because this is Haunted UK Podcast's Talk Haunts – Exploring the Unknown with Neil Armstrong – writer, author and founder of Enigmazine – a magazine which explores the unknown and investigates the paranormal. Neil has a wealth of experience in the publishing world but alongside this he also brings a lifetime of ghostly encounters and experiences – that need to be heard …Join us as we continue our chat with Neil about his supernatural experiences plus a scary encounter with a poltergeist when he was a child, which has stayed with him throughout his life.GIVEAWAY!! Also, on Patreon right now, you could be in with a chance to win two of Neil Armstrong's fascinating books, Ghostly Encounters and Phenomenon and Time Slip Phenomenon – simply join Patreon as a free member and comment on the pinned post. The prize draw will be drawn on May 19th, 2025.Enigmazine – the magazine which explores the unknown and investigates the paranormal is  available to buy in WH Smiths, Tesco, Waitrose and Asda – you can also subscribe at Enigmazine's website.Presented by Steven Holloway and Marie WallerProduced by Pink Flamingo Home StudiosScript editor: Marie Waller Proofreading The Haunted UK Podcast has teamed up with Northumbria University who are interested in sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is when people wake up and are unable to move and often see vivid experiences. We would particularly like to hear from people who are over eighteen years old and have paranormal experiences during sleep paralysis.We are proud to be a part of this fantastic study, and we'd love for all of you listeners to get involved if you've had any experience with sleep paralysis ... no matter how small.Get in touch using the following links:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ThingsThatBumpEmma.barkus@northumbria.ac.uknick.neave@northumbria.ac.ukcontactus@hauntedukpodcast.com

Nick and Angela welcome a new member to the ‘I Cycled to Dish' club, as Sir Grayson Perry pedals his way to the Dish table. Grayson is one of Britain's most celebrated contemporary artists. A potter, writer, broadcaster and social commentator, he rose to fame in 2003 when he won the Turner Prize, becoming the first ceramicist to receive the honour. He joins Nick and Angela to talk about his new tour, Are You Good?, which asks whether any of us are truly behaving ourselves.  We keep it simple at the start, with an ice-cold Daura Damm gluten-free beer. Grayson loves fresh, crunchy salads, and Angela obliges by serving a smashed cucumber and steak noodle salad. The umami flavours are complemented with a glass of Albert Road Pinot Noir. Between bites, the chat covers Marmite confessions, banana rituals, nostalgia for greasy spoons and Nick's delight at discovering someone who likes a pickled onion as much as he does. We even get to hear about the joys of overtaking men in Lycra while wearing a frock.  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube and, new for this season, on Spotify.  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish If you want to get in touch with us about anything at all, contact dish@waitrose.co.uk  Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions

In this episode of Excitement Talks, Sandra Peat is joined by Matt Darbon, Head of Digital Marketing at Waitrose & Partners, to unpack a remarkable career journey—from stacking shelves at 16 to leading digital transformation at one of the UK's most beloved supermarkets.Matt shares candid insights of how he "fell into" digital marketing during a dog walk, what he learned from working at brands like Virgin Media and the role customer experience plays in shaping strategy at Waitrose.The conversation also explores why AI and emerging technologies aren't replacing fundamentals—they're enhancing them and the emotional power of great marketing, and how fun, trust, and ambition still drive growth.Listen in for a conversation on the real excitement behind digital marketing today.

Ladies and laddies, Rory & Osh in one poddy.That is all.ON THE MENU:Scale Kills Magic: Why The Devonshire Will Never Open A Second SiteWhy Restaurants Must Think About “Cost of Entertainment Hour” + “why skint kids spend loads on video games”The Devonshire Hiring Strategy: Hire people who think like we think… “hiring your mates is an underrated hiring strategy”Broken Fork + Silent Irritants Rule: “Your Job is to ANNIHILATE Silent Irritants”Amazon Primeification of Pulling Pints: “…Marketing spends too much time amplifying positives vs. reducing negatives”What Standing in Queues teaches us about folly of consumer research… “if it's felt not thought, therefore it's not said”How Pub Seating Arrangements can improve Train Journeys… “you still feel seen and welcome if you're leaning on an edge”The Danger of The Internal Four Walls: “Use your eyes like you've never used them before”How to Make Your Pub Busy + Do Things That Don't Scale… “literally walk around your pub or restaurant and buy punters pints”How to create a BRANDQUAKE… “never forget the impact of human to human interactions”The Busy Rule: “If you can't be good when you're busy, you can't be good when you're not busy”Customer Acquisition vs. Customer Retention… “brands spend way to much time on customer acquisition vs. customer retention”Why Estate Agents don't let buyers speak to sellers + “why watering your garden plants increases the chance of selling your house”Waitrose's Inversion Communications Rule… “NEVER FORGET…what you don't do is also a form of communications”Tommy Hilfiger Bullshit Rule: “necessary level of bullshit for a necessary level of expenditure”Silent Irritants vs. Silent Pleasantries: how to use behavioural variability to make your customers incredibly happyDifferentiation requires something incredibly random… Rolls Royce Umbrellas in the car  ==============================================

In these ‘SHORTS' episodes of my podcast, I select my favourite moments from previous episodes. This one comes from episode 182, with Lord Mark Price, former Managing Director of Waitrose, Deputy Chair of the John Lewis Partnership, and UK Trade Minister, who unpacks key insights on happiness at work and the inspiration behind his WorkL initiative. Once you've listened to the ‘SHORT', why not click the link below and tune in to the full episode? Enjoyed The Short? Listen to the full episode here.

Nick and Angela welcome the legendary chat show host who has been on the Dish dream guest list since the very beginning.  It only took eight seasons but we finally have Graham Norton at the Dish Table. The Irish comedian, broadcaster, writer and king of Friday night TV stops by to chat about his new podcast, Wanging On, which he co-hosts with Maria McErlane. The perfectly titled show sees Graham and Maria offer advice to help tackle a wide range of problems; from neighbourly disputes to unruly pets.  Although Graham lives in a vegan household, he is rather partial to a scotch egg which Angela serves as the episode's starter alongside a dirty vodka martini made wet at Graham's request. For the main course, Angela delivers lemon butter trout with roast potatoes & fennel. The trout is paired with a glass of Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc.  Great food is matched by great chat, with Graham telling us about his full throttle food awakening on a French exchange trip and sharing his expert advice on a couple of Dish dilemmas from our audience. We get to learn about the magic of The Graham Norton Show sofa and why Brad Pitt is yet to take a seat on it. An episode we didn't want to end featuring a guest we can't wait to have back.  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube and, new for this season, on Spotify.  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish If you want to get in touch with us about anything at all, contact dish@waitrose.co.uk  Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions

We're back for a new season and are celebrating with two huge stars, who take our Fast Food Quiz VERY seriously. The long wait is over. Dish returns for Season 8 and Nick and Angela welcome two British actors who have conquered Hollywood. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman join us to chat about their new film, The Roses (a reimagination of 1989's War of The Roses) where they play a deeply dysfunctional married couple.  We start with gin and tonics and a modified Hugo Spritz for Olivia, before serving a glass of Terre di Vita Organic Zibibbo Sicilia, paired with our main course of roast spatchcock chicken with coriander, red chilli and charred limes. Angela serves the main with french fries and a side of sprouting broccoli, which she sautéed with soy sauce, sesame oil and salt.  Olivia and Benedict take their seats for a welcome meal along with a drink... or three. We loved spending time in their company, hearing about how they raise each other's acting game and Olivia's on-set superpower! We also get THE most comprehensive list of likes and dislikes from Benedict and find out about his unlikely stint as a sous chef. It's good to be back.  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube and, new for this season, on Spotify.  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish If you want to get in touch with us about anything at all, contact dish@waitrose.co.uk Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions - 00:00 Intro 00:59 We're back!  02:56 It's fennel season! 06:28 Welcome Olivia & Benedict!  07:35 How's life?  09:11 Food likes and dislikes  11:36 G&T or a Hugo Spritz? 12:41 Starry-eyed for Angela's cooking!  12:55 Dinner at the Coleman & Cumberbatch households 17:11 Spatchcock is served!  17:34 Recipe information  18:37 Wine pairing  20:09 Fast Food Quiz! 21:57 Olivia & Benedict's new film: ‘The Roses' 23:22 Life as a chef & Benedict's chef experience!  24:51 Angela's time cheffing at Ramsay's ‘The Aubergine'  26:39 Finally getting to work together  28:24 Drunk acting  28:42 Compliments from other actors  30:35 Getting into character  33:27 Alternative career paths for Olivia & Benedict? 34:59 Life in the spotlight 36:12 Benedict Cumberbatch can shapeshift?! 37:16 Benedict LOVES Halloween!  38:11 Dealing with fame 39:51 End of the Show Question! 41:08 Thank you Olivia & Benedict!

Which country is the highest scoring in Champions League history? What side does Alex Neill manage? Which Prem team have been sponsored by Waitrose? Listen on for all this and more football trivia drivel. Join our Patreon for an extra weekly pod every Friday morning! 40+ episodes in the back catalogue! Patreon.com/CareerWeGoExtraTimeGot a round you'd like us to try? Email: hello@careerwego.comPUB QUIZZES: Dundee, Sep 12careerwegodundee.eventbrite.co.ukLondon, Sep 26careerwegovolley.eventbrite.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Leading the Scale-Up, I sit down with Lord Mark Price — the former Managing Director of Waitrose, Deputy Chair of the John Lewis Partnership, and UK Trade Minister — to explore why happiness might just be the most underrated leadership strategy of our time. With four decades of leadership experience and as the founder of WorkL, Mark has dedicated his career to proving a powerful point: happy employees aren't just nice to have — they're essential for performance. Together, we unpack: What really drives engagement (it's not pay… and it's not ping pong tables) The six drivers of workplace happiness — and how they directly improve performance How Waitrose doubled store count without losing its values Why leaders must stop chasing the ball and start playing their position What to do when values and commercial decisions collide (hint: they don't have to) I also add my own lens as a leadership coach working with scale-up organisations, reflecting on the deep connection between feeling valued and leading effectively. You'll also hear one of the simplest, most powerful boardroom strategies I've ever come across for getting tough decisions right — while keeping the team aligned and engaged.

Steve Caplin says Tesco are trialling tech that knows if avocados are ripe while Waitrose is testing ways of paying for shopping without needing to check out. Chinese scientists have developed houseplants that light up while, in Taiwan, they think lives could be saved if couriers carried defibrillators. Steve's kettle has told him it's time he cleaned it out. A new Kickstarter project will locate objects with RFID tags. And a venture capitalist rues using AI, which maliciously deleted his database and months of work in seconds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Horror and hard rock have long gone hand in grimy hand, and this outing of The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour's After Dark strand harkens back to an historical moment where three chords and hairspray attempted to go mainstream. Because when the lead singer of the world's largest metal band stars in a Tuesday night BBC One drama, you know it's not long before he'll be recognised in Waitrose. Yes, the volume is turned up to eleven as the doors of 1990's The Paradise Club are booted well and truly booted open, as the world's unlikeliest brothers play host to London's least stage-ready band, who perform to unfeasibly small audiences that have never before heard any music. As connoisseurs of loud tunes and questionable television, this is of course PeggyMountPod's perfect cultural fodder... Has the BBC drama department only got one casting director for everything they make? Has the money that would normally spent on extras for the club scenes gone to PRS royalties for a soundtrack that the show's Sanatogen-necking audience might actually recognise? And how much does this podcast owe Bruce Dickinson for repeatedly howling ♫ 'TATTOO-OO-OOED MILLIONA-A-A-A-AIRE' throughout*? Press Play on a shoddily-recorded bootleg that you bought for £2 off the market, and find out... *Absolutely nothing. Blackout's already bought Tattooed Millionaire on at least five different releases, it's more than paid for. The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour is a free podcast from iPorle Media, which holds production copyright. Opinions and recollections expressed are not to be taken as fact. The title and credit music is by Doctor Velvet, with additional accompaniments from Ozzy Bognops. Audio segments from television programmes are presented for review and informational purposes only under fair use, and no ownership of these is claimed or implied by this show. Email enquiries to peggymountpod@gmail.com

Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Waitrose pilots AI-powered smart trolleys in Bracknell, becoming the first UK supermarket to test the technology. Chris and Anne remain skeptical about customer adoption hurdles and question why retailers are first in the water on unproven smart cart solutions. For the full #fastfive episode head here: https://youtu.be/838xKELS_nI #retailnews #retailtech #waitrose #trolley #retailmedia #ecommerce #retailinnovation #omnichannel #customerexperience #retailtrends #aiinretail

The latest data from the CSO suggests that we're jumping between jobs that little bit less than earlier this year. Mark Price used to run one of Britain's biggest supermarkets Waitrose before he became a Government Minister and a member of the House of Lords. But what does he make of the world of work surrounded by such geopolitical and economic uncertainty? All to chat with Mark Price the author of the book ‘Work Happier: How To Be Happy & Successful at Work'.

Welcome back to the Beautiful Business Podcast, brought to you by The Wow Company. In Part 2 of our Season 3 highlights, Chloe and Paul revisit even more standout conversations from across the series. From demystifying sales to the realities of succession, from happiness at work to building pioneering creative businesses, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and honest reflections.Episode HighlightsRyan Hall – Sales Coach & Author of Don't Sell Ryan reframed sales as relationship-building, showing how curiosity, generosity, and trust are the true drivers of growth. His “don't sell” mantra flips the script, proving that good business starts with being human.“Replace sales with relationship… it starts by talking to someone as a human, not a dollar sign.”Kelly Goodship – Managing Director, The Wow Company In a rare in-house conversation, Kelly opened up about stepping into the MD role and the fears, doubts, and imposter syndrome that came with it. Her candid reflections on succession, self-belief, and caring deeply for people resonated with leaders everywhere.“My fear is that I'm never going to do as good a job as you—but I won't let that bottle up. I'd rather just call and talk it through.”Lord Mark Price – Former MD of Waitrose & Deputy Chairman, John Lewis Partnership Mark shared his lifelong mission to make work happier. He revealed the six fundamentals of workplace happiness, and why the relationship with your line manager is the single biggest factor.“None of the six things I talk about are expensive—yet they massively improve productivity and performance.”John “Sinx” Sinclair – Co-founder, ustwo Sinx pulled back the curtain on building a pioneering creative studio, balancing client services with breakout products like Monument Valley. He spoke openly about the tensions of diversification, the risks of seeing client work as ‘bread and butter,' and why humility and simplicity matter most.“Clients don't want to be the bread and butter—they want to be the cream cake. You have to love what you're doing.”Practical TakeawaysRethink Sales Shift your mindset from closing deals to opening relationships. Trust and value come before transactions.Lead with Openness Succession planning isn't perfect—but candid conversations and care for people create lasting trust.Happiness Drives Performance Pay and perks matter, but culture, recognition, and relationships are what make work truly rewarding.Balance Bread & Butter with Bold Bets Diversification can bring breakthroughs, but only if client service remains something you love—not just a means to an end. If you've enjoyed Season 3 so far, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share your favourite moments with us—we'd love to hear from you.

Welcome back to another Friday episode of Retail Reflections! This week, we're diving into five hot topics that are shaping the retail landscape right now.We kick off with the much-anticipated return of Topshop. After months of build-up, the relaunch has finally landed  but does it live up to the nostalgia? We share our honest thoughts on the collection's design choices, its approach to sustainability, and whether the brand has truly captured the iconic spirit that made it a household name.Next up, we look at JoJo Maman Bébé's new pre-loved platform in partnership with The Little Loop. This initiative lets customers trade in outgrown children's clothes for instant credit. We unpack why circular fashion is gaining momentum, and why this collaboration feels like a real win for eco-conscious families.Then, it's onto Boots, who have just launched their first fragrance-only boutique in London. We discuss what this move means for their place on the high street, how it stacks up against specialist beauty retailers, and the emotional pull of fragrance as a category.We also explore M&S's £340 million investment into its food supply chain  the largest in the retailer's history  as they look to double their food business. From product innovation to plans for airport stores, we debate whether M&S is setting itself apart enough to challenge Waitrose and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive space.Finally, we close with Amazon, which is facing legal action over alleged price inflation and tough vendor agreements. We consider what this means for sellers and consumers.As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the topics we cover  so keep the feedback coming! And don't forget to tune in next week for more insights and reflections from the ever-changing world of retail.This week's top takeaways:Nostalgia isn't enough for a successful brand relaunch innovation and authenticity are key.Sustainability is no longer optional, with kidswear brands leading the way in circular fashion.High street icons like Boots and M&S are reinventing themselves to stay relevant in a fast-moving market.Support the showIf you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you!Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

A Turkish pop-up cafe has opened in Petersfield promising homemade Turkish delights and more. The new venture has opened next to Fez Turkish restaurant in the adjoining function room - keeping it in the family with daughter Ela Bozdag at the helm during her break from uni. She talks to Jo Gray. You can 'escape to Istanbul' in Bakery Lane, the alleyway running between Chapel Street and the Waitrose car park. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Tap'd Talks HR, we speak with Lord Mark Price, former Managing Director of Waitrose, Deputy Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, government Trade Minister, and founder of WorkL. With over 40 years of leadership experience, Lord Price shares why happiness at work matters, not just for employees, but for productivity, profitability, and long-term success. Drawing on insights from his bestselling book Happy Economics and his upcoming release Work Happier, Lord Price reveals: Why the John Lewis Partnership made happiness its “supreme purpose” nearly a century ago, The six essential drivers of workplace happiness (and why free pizza nights aren't one of them), The role of managers in shaping micro-cultures that define organisational success, and Practical steps HR leaders and individuals can take to build happier, more resilient workplaces. So, whether you're an HR professional, a business leader, or simply passionate about the future of work, this conversation will inspire you to rethink how happiness drives performance.

In this episode of The Retail Podcast, Alex speaks with Rupert Pick, Global MD of Hot Pickle, the award-winning brand experience agency behind iconic activations for Magnum, Guinness, Marmite, Pokémon, Waitrose, Tesco, and more.From physical brand homes to cultural relevance, Rupert reveals how Hot Pickle blends creativity, product innovation, and immersive retail activations to keep global CPG brands connected to their audiences. He explains why sampling should never be transactional, the formula for scaling playfulness, and how to avoid the “brand irrelevance” trap that's hit names like River Island and Claire's.

Anna Jones is a farmer based in the Welsh uplands who brings a thoughtful and practical perspective on sustainable livestock farming. Although she came into agriculture later in life, Anna grew up on her family's sheep and beef farm and returned in her mid-20s to help keep it in the family. She now works alongside her father and is gradually introducing more sustainable and data-informed practices to the farm. They supply Waitrose a high-end grocery store chain in the UK, known for its quality products, particularly fresh food and organic options. She's also exploring mixed grazing, breed changes to reduce land strain, and improvements to soil and slurry management, supported in part by Welsh government initiatives. Next for Anna and her family will be farm to table experiences on their farm. https://www.instagram.com/farmingwithmyfamily/),

Daniel Cray, an Australian entrepreneur and CEO of Phizz, pivoted from advertising to create a revolutionary three-in-one hydration, vitamin and electrolyte tablet that's now one of the UK's fastest-growing wellness brands. He shares his journey from bootstrapping with three friends to leading a category-defining company used by Premier League teams and travellers worldwide.• After discovering travellers lose up to six litres of water during flights, Dan identified hydration's broader impact beyond just athletic performance• Partnered with a neuroscientist co-founder to develop a scientifically-backed formula that enhances brain performance through proper electrolyte balance• Initially secured partnerships with Emirates Airlines, W Hotels and Premier League teams to build credibility while bootstrapping• Made the bold decision to relocate from Australia to London despite having no UK connections or secured funding• Transformed from a £250,000 revenue business to nearly £10 million by transitioning from brand partnerships to retail distribution• Maintained scientific integrity by including glucose in their formula despite "sugar-free" trends, as it's essential for optimal hydration• Successfully positioning Phizz as a category leader in "hydration enhancers" – creating an entirely new retail category in UK stores• Recently expanded into Middle East and European markets with plans for continued international growthCheck out Phizz in major UK retailers including Boots, Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, or online with Amazon.Support the show

Last night, Amelia Christie-Miller won THE GROCER GOLD ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR 2025!!We're so proud of you, Ed and your team, and honoured to have supported you right from the very start of your journey!!Amelia makes the point that this win is not just hers, but that "it belongs to every single person who believed in the bean revolution:

Season 7 comes to a close with more sausage chat than we possibly expected.  Nick and Angela are joined by British actress Sophie Turner for our final episode of the season. Sophie's career began on the cult fantasy show Game of Thrones where she played the steely Sansa Stark. Sophie, who was cast in the show at the age of 13, played the character throughout its eight seasons and has credited the production for her early career development. More recently, Sophie has starred as jewel thief Joan Hannington in Joan, her first lead acting role, and is due to star in Steal, a heist thriller and the horror film, Trust.  The show begins with a Hugo Spritz (made by Sophie) and is quickly followed by a starter snack that makes its first, and probably only, appearance on Dish. For the main course, Angela delivers Sophie's dream dishes in the form of cheesy lemon spaghetti and tomato salad with burrata and basil oil, accompanied by a glass of Pouilly-Vinzelles Joseph Drouhin.  This episode is a fitting finale with a guest who loved every second in the studio. What Sophie lacks in cooking skills she makes up for in her passion for good food including sausages, chocolate, pasta, obscure salads from New York and the mighty jacket potato. Just don't ask her to explain the Game of Thrones plot...  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode.Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Frances Quinn is a journalist, copywriter and bestselling author. Her new novel, 'The Lost Passenger', tells the story of Elinor Coombes, who boards the Titanic trapped in an unhappy marriage to a controlling husband. When it starts to go down, she sees an opportunity to escape for a new life.Frances began writing after winning a place on the Curtis Brown Creative Novel Writing Course, which led through a meandering path toward publication in 2021. Her debut was 'The Smallest Man'. She followed that up with 'That Bonesetter Woman', which both sold well, yet didn't manage to secure international rights. You can hear what Frances did to learn about foreign markets, in order to get her newest novel sold overseas.As a journalist and copywriter, Frances has written for 'Good Housekeeping', 'Woman's Weekly', and 'Ideal Home', also producing words for Waitrose and Easyjet. We discuss how this has influenced the novels she writes, and why she's forever thankful to her editor.We discuss genre, research, and how Frances learns about her character while having decided exactly what they're up to.You can hear why she's a moany writer, why she likes to exercise early, and why she still keeps office hours.Support the show at - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineIf you have science-mad kids, come and see my science-mad show this summer - funkidslive.com/tourSubscribe to the newsletter - writersroutine.substack.com@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick and Ange are joined by a Last One Laughing star - and the Dish table sees its first proposal. Lou Sanders is a comedian, writer and podcaster who has appeared on TV shows including QI, Dancing on Ice, Would I Lie to You, Live at the Apollo and Taskmaster, which she won in 2019. She joins us at the tail end of her latest stand-up tour, No Kissing in the Bingo Hall, and following her iconic appearance in Last One Laughing.  Earlier this year Lou launched a brand new podcast, A Psychic Told Us To Do It, with her best friend Georgie Bayford. The show puts Lou's passion for the spiritual front and centre, featuring chats about pet psychics, witchcraft, holistic foot therapy and manifesting. You can also read all about Lou's life and career in her 2023 book, What's That Lady Doing?. Angela serves a delicious creamy mushroom & pistachio tagliatelle, with a side of sauteed garlic and spinach. Our Waitrose wine experts suggest pairing this with a glass of  Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino but, for Lou, it's served with a glass of Thomson & Scott Noughty Rouge Dealcoholized Wine.  As you would expect, conversations in this episode roam freely, contemplating all the big questions: Is Lou in her gardening era?; Is her cat Bobert her husband from a past life?; And what is the deal with raw onion? Our tagliatelle dish is a vegan hit, earning Lou's seal of approval right from the first sniff, and the Fast Food Quiz finally meets its match.  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

If you are looking for a bit of purpose-led leadership inspiration and personal development – take a listen. Sustainability and social impact leader Nyika Brain, joins the Social Impact Pioneers podcast to share her experiences in global supply chains, delivering impact through business and explains why resilience is the new social impact and could be the way to navigate CSR and ESG challenges. Born in Malawi and shaped by her experiences across the Global South, Nyika offers a unique, real-world perspective on how business can — and must — be a force for good. From leading ESG at MM Flowers (a major supplier to UK retailers like M&S) to strategic roles at the bank Barclays and the supermarket Waitrose, she brings deep insights into how to embed impact into core business strategy. Nyika is a trustee of The One Foundation and John Lewis Partnership Foundation, and a key voice in the Business Fights Poverty Global Expert Network. Her philosophy? “Social risk is business risk. Managing this risk builds resilience – it's fundamental to core business and social impact.” In this episode, we explore:

Nick and Angela greet good friends who love to travel on two wheels. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman bring their passion for adventure to Dish following the release of their latest TV show, Long Way Home. Their fourth motorcycle trip together sees them plot a path through 17 European countries on two vintage bikes. The Long Way series began in 2004 when the pair embarked on an epic route from London to New York, via Asia, in Long Way Round. Each trip they take is characterised by beautiful landscapes, chance encounters, good (and not so good) food and Charley and Ewan's close friendship.  Ewan McGregor has been on our screens since his acting debut in 1993. His hugely successful career includes unforgettable roles in Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, Star Wars, Salmon FIshing in the Yemen and Moulin Rouge!. Charley, who met Ewan on a film set in 1997, is well known for his TV adventures, including By Any Means, which saw him travel from Ireland to Australia using any modes of transport he could find. He has also participated in the Dakar Rally, known to be one of the world's toughest and most dangerous motorsport competitions. There's not a lot of room to spare on this week's table, with a feast of food and drink to tempt our guests. At Ewan's request, Angela serves a slice of nostalgia in the form of Melba toast with chicken liver pâté, smoked mackerel pâté and pâté de campagne, before bringing out the haggis bon-bons. Drinks are negronis, tweaked by Charley, who suggests switching the gin for tequila, and a Pentire coastal spritz for Ewan. This is followed by an epic tomahawk steak with spicy dipping sauce and fries, paired with a glass of Journey's End Sir Lowry Cabernet Sauvignon. After arriving on motorbikes (a Dish first), Charley and Ewan quickly settle at the Dish table, where chat moves from boiled egg banter to bagpipes and classic Mongolian hospitality. Charley shares one of his favourite recipes and Ewan reminisces on an unforgettable meeting with Delia Smith. The episode finishes with Nick and Angela checking out the bikes, a moment you can watch on our YouTube channel as part of the full episode.   You can watch Long Way Home on Apple TV+ now. All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Nick and Angela welcome a brilliant broadcaster to our very own happy place.  Fearne Cotton is a TV and radio broadcaster and founder of the hugely successful Happy Place universe. Fearne, who grew up in Hillingdon, West London began her career at the age of 15 presenting kids TV show, The Disney Club. She went on to present shows including Diggit, The Saturday Show and The Xtra Factor, and cohosted Top of the Pops with Reggie Yates from 2004. Fearne is a great friend of Nick's and worked alongside him at BBC Radio 1, where she hosted  Live Lounge in the mid-morning slot.  Fearne currently presents Sounds of the 90s on BBC Radio 2, but is arguably best known for her Happy Place podcast, which has just celebrated its seventh birthday. She joins us to chat about the Happy Place Festival, which takes place in London's Gunnersbury Park on 12 and 13 July, and in Cheshire's Tatton Park on 30 and 31 August. The festival is full of inspiring guest talks, podcast recordings, yoga and workshops.  Angela provides plenty of happy plates in this episode, serving Fearne roast cauliflower with dates, spiced chickpeas, preserved lemons & green tahini with chicory salad, which is paired with a glass of No.1 Beaujolais Villages. Before the arrival of the main course, Fearne is handed a fiery lime margarita, which goes down a treat.  It's no surprise that this week feels like good mates catching up as Fearne and Nick share some of their more random tales of pop star interviews. Fearne talks about her approach to veganism (or ‘veganity'), including the time she broke all her own rules for an interview with Ludovico Einaudi. And is this our most considered Fast Food Quiz yet? You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode.Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

#AD We want our homes to smell great all the time, with a scent wardrobe to match every mood. Baylis & Harding's Signature Hand Wash collection lets you do just that: luxurious, affordable, and perfectly crafted to elevate your everyday. We were so happy to partner with Baylis & Harding for this episode, and to talk about our absolute favourites in their Signature collection…Both of us love the Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Hand Wash, a refreshing citrus blend with mandarin, grapefruit, soft florals and warm amber. We also adore the creamy, indulgent Jojoba, Vanilla & Almond Oil Hand Wash, rich with vanilla and sandalwood, plus the sophisticated Black Pepper & Ginseng Hand Wash, spicy with black pepper, bergamot and cedarwood. Nicola's picks include the fresh and floral Jasmine & Apple Blossom Anti-Bacterial Hand Wash, combining wild jasmine with crisp apple and peach, and the soothing Wild Lavender & Geranium Hand Wash, with eucalyptus, citrus, lavender and cedarwood. Suzy's favourites are the warm, woody Vetiver, Cedar & Lemongrass Anti-Bacterial Hand Wash, blending vetiver, juniper berries and moss, and the vibrant Peony, Lychee & Vanilla Hand Wash, a romantic mix of peony, pear, lily, rose, lychee and vanilla. Each hand wash is £2.25 and available at Waitrose, Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons and Ocado. Discover more at @baylisandhardingplc and baylisandharding.com PLUS, in this episode, after our deep dive into scenting our world and moods, we're thrilled to bring you an interview with @richard.e.grant – actor, author, broadcaster and founder of @jackperfume – about how he was ‘led by his nose' all his life, and eventually created his own fragrance house (hugely influenced by his own scent memories). Don't miss it!

Angela and Nick welcome an actor who definitely knows his way around a kitchen. Nick Frost is an actor, comedian and screenwriter and the first (and possibly only) participant in a Dish chop-off! Frost joins us after the release of his new film, How To Train Your Dragon, a live action remake of the hugely popular animated film series, based on Cressida Cowell's books. The movie sees him star as the popular blacksmith Gobber alongside Gerard Butler, Mason Thames and Nico Parker.  You will know Nick Frost from a range of TV and film roles, including the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End) alongside his good pal and long-time collaborator Simon Pegg. Frost also appeared with Pegg in the cult TV comedy Spaced. Other TV and film credits include Attack the Block, Paul, Truth Seekers, Green Wing, The Adventures of Tintin and Fighting With My Family, alongside costar Florence Pugh.  Nick loves life in a kitchen, having worked as a chef before getting into acting. His passion for food is beautifully detailed in his memoir/recipe book, A Slice Of Fried Gold, which is now available in paperback. Having met Angela once before, Frost finally gets to have a full conversation with her (and Nick) over a delicious meal of spicy barbecued lamb with minty tomato & watermelon relish, with Angela marinating the meat overnight for extra flavour. Nick opts for a Fanta, but for wine-lovers our Waitrose experts recommend a glass of PepperBox Shiraz.  At our request, Nick brought his favourite kitchen knife to the record for a demonstration of his chopping skills alongside Angela. Our hosts dig into Nick's passion for great tasting food (and clean surfaces), and get  the lowdown on the world's best pizza, discovered by Nick in Belfast.  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode.Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

It's all singing, dancing, chatting and eating at Dish this week. Cynthia Erivo is a British actor, singer and songwriter, well known for her phenomenal vocals and performances on stage and screen. She comes to the Dish table to talk about her new album, I Forgive You; a 20-track record which tells her life story in four distinct parts and showcases the full range of her incredible voice. It's released on 6 June, UK.  Erivo, who was born in Stockwell, London but now lives in Los Angeles, made her Broadway debut as Celie in The Color Purple alongside Jennifer Hudson, a role for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. She has also received two Best Actress Oscar nominations for her roles in Harriet (2019) and most recently Wicked! (2024) where she played Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande. Other notable projects include heist thriller Widows the Netflix crime thriller Luther: The Fallen Sun, and the drama Drift. To mark the start of June, Angela served the table a vegan roasted red pepper, aubergine & freekeh salad with additional courgettes (Angela's favourite). As Cynthia doesn't drink, the trio enjoyed a glass of Real Peony Blush Non Alcoholic Sparkling Tea alongside it. For those that do want to match their salad with a glass of wine, the Waitrose experts suggest a glass of Eminence de Bijou.  We begin the episode by getting to know Cynthia's love of vegan food, understanding her garlic allergy and dislike of the onion family (sorry, onion family). Over the salad, we learn more about her new record, including how Ariana Grande helped to make it happen and get a first-class demonstration of just how powerful her voice is. Plus, we finally found a good writer for the End of Show Question! You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Dish welcomes an Irish singer-songwriter and champion of butter!  Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, known professionally as CMAT, is a highly engaging and thought provoking musician enjoying a career that goes from strength to strength.  She released her debut album, If My Wife New I'd Be Dead, in 2022 with its follow-up, Crazymad, for Me, arriving a year later and receiving a number of accolades, including a place on the Mercury Prize Shortlist. She arrives at the Dish table ahead of the launch of her new record, Euro-Country, which includes the single Running/Planning out on August 29.  It's a busy summer for CMAT too, as she heads out on tour supporting Sam Fender across a run of dates before festival season, which includes a stop at Glastonbury with our Nick and Angela in the front row. The year then finishes with her album tour starting in October, including her biggest solo shows ever in Brixton and Dublin. Her energetic, fun live performances, with The Very Sexy CMAT Band, are not to be missed!  Angela delivers a Mexican-themed meal starting with guacamole, salsa and corn chips before a serving of Pescado a la Veracruzana – a one-pot wonder of a dish. It's served alongside a Château de Berne Provence Rosé which is one of CMAT's many food and drink passion points.  The trio get along famously, chatting about the brilliance of butter, the similarities between delivering a live music show and service at a restaurant and CMAT's choice to go to New York to make her third record– all finished off with two excellent lookalike observations.  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode.Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Felix James, co-founder and head brewer at Small Beer, takes us through his brewing journey from childhood experiments to pioneering the world's first brewery dedicated to beers under 2.8%. His passion for biology and fermentation forms the foundation of a revolutionary approach to creating full-flavoured beer with less alcohol.• Started brewing at age 4 with a home experiment using a milk bottle and bread yeast• Biology degree led to professional brewing, beginning at Budweiser where he learned rigorous quality standards• Met business partner James Grundy at Sipsmith, gaining crucial business experience beyond brewing operations• Spent over 18 months developing recipes before launching Small Beer• Designed custom brewing equipment focused on extracting maximum flavour rather than alcohol• Created the brewing system from scratch, taking personal risk when manufacturers initially questioned the design• Pioneered the "mid-strength" beer category in the UK market• Developed the concept of "coasting" as an alternative to alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks• Small Beer sits below the diuretic limit, reducing dehydration and hangover potential• Available in Waitrose, Ocado, Majestic Wines, and launching in M&S from June 18thSupport the show

Nick and Angela are joined by an Oscar winner for a vegan feast. Natalie Portman is an award-winning actor, director and activist who has been making films since her first role at the age of 12 in Léon: The Professional. In a highly acclaimed career, she has also starred in Closer, Jackie, Thor, Star Wars (Episodes I, II and III) and the 2010 film Black Swan, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.  She joins us to talk about her exciting new film Fountain of Youth, which is released on Apple TV+ on 23 May, UK. The action-packed movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, took its cast all over the world during production with shooting locations in Bangkok, Vienna, London and Cairo. Natalie is part of a star-studded cast including John Krasinksi, Domnhall Gleeson, Eiza González and Dish favourite Stanley Tucci. Natalie joined us just before a trip back home to Paris and was delighted to be fuelled by an array of vegan plates... and a Paloma cocktail to start. Angela served a vegan version of Waitrose's broccoli tabbouleh with preserved lemon & zaatar houmous and Lebanese baba ganoush. The wine experts at Waitrose suggest pairing the meal with Kaapzicht Granite Ridge Bush Vine Chenin Blanc.  We loved spending time with Natalie and we are sure you will too. She shared her passion for vegan food and told Nick and Angela about life (and food shopping) in Paris. We find out what it's like to star in a Guy Ritchie movie and Natalie revisits the year of her Oscar win.  You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Angela and Nick welcome a music icon and major food lover to the table. Neneh Karlsson, better known as Neneh Cherry, is a singer, songwriter, broadcaster and activist. Cherry arrives at Dish HQ to talk about the paperback release of her memoir A Thousand Threads which recounts her life story through vivid tales of family, art, friendship and food. The book has recently been nominated for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction.  Neneh was born in Stockholm, Sweden before moving to New York and then, when she was 15, to London where she lives now. She first came to public attention in 1988 with her music and the groundbreaking single Buffalo Stance. In a career that has seen her release six albums and collaborate with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Cher and Gorillaz, she has won two BRIT Awards, a MTV Europe Music Award and has a Grammy nomination. As part of a varied and always thought-provoking career, Neneh has also found time to hone her skills as a cook, and presented the TV cooking show Dish It Up with good friend Andi Oliver.  It's a pasta day for Neneh on Dish as Angela serves tagliatelle with peas, courgette & burrata which the Waitrose wine experts suggest is perfectly paired with a glass of Waitrose Blueprint Gavi. This episode sees Angela and Neneh meet for the first time, generating lots of mouth-watering and nostalgic food chat. Neneh shares her favourite food memories including being sent meatballs in the post, her favourite Swedish dish and also reflects on the word-of-mouth success of her book. You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Angela and Nick pull out all the stops for a quick-witted comedian. Dara Ó Briain is an Irish comedian known for his incredible stand-up shows and TV-presenting prowess,  including hosting BBC Two's panel show Mock the Week, which ran for 17 years.  Held in sky-high esteem by the comedy world and its audience, Dara began working in children's TV in 1994 after studying maths and theoretical physics at university. Through the 2000s, he continued to work in TV before  channelling his efforts into stand-up comedy.  He joined us at Dish HQ to talk about his new tour Re:Creation which focuses on the search for his biological father. The tour, which runs across the UK and Ireland, follows a sold-out run of his last show at 173 venues in 20 countries. Dara simply loves performing live.  Off stage, Dara has a run of brilliant TV credits including presenting Stargazing Live, Robot Wars, Mock the Week and Comedy Central's reboot of Blockbusters.  There were some great food options to choose from Dara's list of likes, with Angela deciding on chicken karahi, a recipe by Ravneet Gill. This was accompanied by a glass of Paolo Leo Varietali Primitivo Puglia and, of course, we had to satisfy Dara's sweet tooth with profiteroles adapted from Martha Collison's recipe for the best éclairs.  As expected, Dara was a hugely entertaining guest, lifting the lid on how his stand-up comes together, his time on Mock the Week and the ups and downs of writing with wine.   You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Nick and Angela welcome a master of his craft to Dish.  Alex Horne is an English comedian, writer and creator of the award-winning and highly original game show Taskmaster, which he cohosts with Greg Davies.  Horne, born in Chichester, began his comedy career as a student doing routines at open mic nights in Cambridge before appearing at his first Edinburgh Fringe in 2000. It was at the Fringe that Taskmaster came to life, before making its debut on our TV screens in 2009 (first on Dave and now on Channel 4). The show, now in its 19th season, has been broadcast in over 120 countries and recently was turned into a live immersive experience in London.  Alex, who lives in Chesham with his wife and three sons, is also the lead singer of The Horne Section, a ‘six-headed musical comedy band', who have extended their UK and Ireland  tour across the duration of 2025. They can also be seen on TV in the aptly titled The Horne Section TV Show, which returns for its second series later this year.  Nick, Angela and Alex start the episode over a Guinness with a side of Pringles, before enjoying meatballs in tomato sauce, a recipe by the one and only... Angela Hartnett. The perfectly crafted meatballs are served alongside a glass of Primitivo di Manduria Riserva. With so much going on in Alex's life, this episode covers a lot of funny ground, including the origins of Taskmaster, The Horne Section and Alex's skills in the kitchen, while Angela learns something new about Pringles… We are doing a live episode in Sheffield! On Friday 4 July, Dish will be at The Crucible Theatre at Crossed Wires Festival. For our second ever live show, Nick and Angela will be joined by the newly announced and hilariously funny comedian, Lucy Beaumont. Tickets are available now at crossedwires.live. You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Mark Price, former Managing Director of Waitrose, former UK trade minister and author of ‘Happy Economics. Why the happiest workplaces are the most successful'

This week's Dish is packed with laughter as Angela and Nick are joined by a man of many talents. Peter Serafinowicz is an actor, director, comedian and screenwriter who came to Dish armed with one of our longest ever list of food likes and dislikes. Serafinowicz, born in Liverpool, has made a big impression on TV viewers this year with his role as property developer Johannes in Amandaland. He's also the host of the Netflix gameshow Million Dollar Secret, where an undercover millionaire has to hide in plain sight.  Peter's substantial acting and TV credits are equal to his food likes list, with roles on both sides of the Atlantic in Parks and Recreation, The Simpsons, Star Wars, The Tick and, most famously, The Peter Serafinowicz Show, packed full of sketch comedy. He's an excellent impressionist and is starting to spend more time live on stage, touring the UK in 2024 with his character Brian Butterfield.  As ever, Angela hits the mark, serving Peter BLT pasta. The Waitrose wine experts suggest pairing it with Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz, while in this episode, Peter, Nick and Angela enjoy a glass of Equinox Kombucha. The Dish table is all the richer for Peter's humour, as the trio discuss his desire to be a pasta-shape designer, the fussiness of Come Dine with Me contestants and his love of mashed potato, all topped off with a great impression.  Side notes:  We are doing a live episode in Sheffield! On Friday 4 July, Dish will be at The Crucible Theatre at Crossed Wires Festival. Nick and Angela will be joined by a special guest for their second ever live show. Tickets are available now at crossedwires.live. You can watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

Welcome dear listeners, to our series of ‘Talk Haunts' – a chat that's all scary ... just for you. So, grab a hot chocolate, maybe a tea, pull up a chair … because this is Haunted UK Podcast's Talk Haunts – Exploring the Unknown with Neil Armstrong – writer, author and founder of Enigmazine – a magazine which explores the unknown and investigates the paranormal. Neil has a wealth of experience in the publishing world but alongside this he also brings a lifetime of ghostly encounters and experiences – that need to be heard …Join us as we chat with Neil about his supernatural experiences plus a recent ghostly encounter which ultimately saved his life. Listen as we discuss with Neil the whole gamut of supernatural phenomena from time slips to Cannock Chase to Bigfoot to death bed visions – you won't want to miss this – and there's so much content, so many stories that it comes as a glorious two-parter! Enjoy!!Also, on Patreon right now, you could be in with a chance to win two of Neil Armstrong's fascinating books, Ghostly Encounters and Phenomenon and Time Slip Phenomenon – simply join Patreon as a free member and comment on the pinned post. The prize draw will be drawn on May 19th, 2025.Enigmazine – the magazine which explores the unknown and investigates the paranormal is available to buy in WH Smiths, Tesco, Waitrose and Asda – you can also subscribe at Enigmazine's website.Presented by Steven Holloway and Marie Waller Produced by Pink Flamingo Home Studios Script editor: Marie Waller ProofreadingThe Haunted UK Podcast has teamed up with Northumbria University who are interested in sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is when people wake up and are unable to move and often see vivid experiences. We would particularly like to hear from people who are over eighteen years old and have paranormal experiences during sleep paralysis.We are proud to be a part of this fantastic study, and we'd love for all of you listeners to get involved if you've had any experience with sleep paralysis ... no matter how small.Get in touch using the following links:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ThingsThatBumpEmma.barkus@northumbria.ac.uknick.neave@northumbria.ac.ukcontactus@hauntedukpodcast.com

It's the Dish Easter special and Nick and Angela are joined for dinner by JADE. JADE is a singer/songwriter already making her mark as a solo artist. Born and raised in South Shields, JADE was part of the chart conquering girl group Little Mix, who were formed on The X Factor in 2011. Little Mix went on to release six studio albums and won a BRIT Award for British Group in 2021 before going on hiatus. JADE has since released her debut single Angel of my Dreams, followed up by the single FUFN, the video for which stars our very own Nick Grimshaw.  JADE's had a busy start to 2025 with a massive night at this year's BRIT Awards, where she landed a huge performance and won her first BRIT as a solo artist. Alongside the release of her debut album, JADE is also due to perform at Glastonbury, with Nick and Angela hoping to be on the front row.  She is also a huge fan of roasts. And we mean huge.  Which is lucky because Angela has prepared two recipes by Paul Gamble; Roast lamb with boulangère-style vegetables and Chargrilled green vegetables with wild garlic salsa verde. This is accompanied by El Rayo Olarra Rioja Crianza. The conversation begins with a mojito, a cocktail making its Dish debut.  This episode is the perfect Easter lunch, with JADE bringing her passion for roasts, gravy and potatoes while looking back at her first steps as a solo artist - including that big night at the BRITs.  Side notes;  Sadly the pistachio Easter egg mentioned by Nick was so popular it sold out! But we're confident you will find an equally moreish alternative in store or online.  We are doing a live episode in Sheffield! On Friday 4th July, Dish will be at The Crucible Theatre at Crossed Wires Festival. Nick and Angela will be joined by a special guest for their second ever live show. Tickets are available now at crossedwires.live. You can now watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

On Dish this week, Nick and Angela welcome a Grammy Award winning musician to the table. Gregory Porter is a much-loved jazz and soul singer who lives in Bakersfield, California with his wife and two sons. Porter rose to prominence in 2013 with the release of his third album, Liquid Spirit, which achieved huge commercial success and saw him win his first of two Grammy Awards. More recently, Gregory appeared on our TV screens as a giant Dressed Crab on The Masked Singer, finishing as runner-up.  Alongside his impressive back catalogue of releases, Porter's live shows come highly recommended, powered by his rich, soulful and emotional vocals. He joins Nick and Angela ahead of his upcoming UK tour that includes four nights at London's Royal Albert Hall. Nick, Angela and Gregory enjoy a Cabernario No. 8 as Angela pulls out all the stops serving Steak à l'échalote, a recipe by Claude Bosi, with two types of chips. To accompany their steaks, they have the choice of three sauces: a Beaujolais, a Béarnaise or a Café de Paris-style butter.  Gregory hosts his own cooking show, The Porterhouse, and brings fantastic culinary knowledge and appreciation to this episode. He shares his love of hosting big, big parties, shows plenty of love for touring life in the UK and reveals what life was like inside that heavy Dressed Crab head. You can now watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions.

This week on Dish, Nick and Angela are joined by a powerhouse couple. Brian Cox is a renowned Scottish actor whose career spans more than six decades. Born in Dundee, he was classically trained before becoming a key figure in British theatre. Brian Cox made history as the first actor to portray Dr Hannibal Lecter on screen in Michael Mann's Manhunter in 1986. He went on to star in highly acclaimed films including Braveheart and The Bourne Identity.  On television, Brian Cox is now a cultural icon, thanks to his award-winning portrayal of media titan Logan Roy in Succession. Brian married his wife Nicole in 2002, and they have two sons. Nicole Ansari-Cox is an actor, director and producer. Born in Cologne, she began acting at the age of nine with a breakthrough role in the German crime series Tatort. Her career includes roles in TV shows such as Deadwood and Succession. Nicole frequently shares the stage with her husband, including their current performance in The Score at Theatre Royal Haymarket. Nick prepares the couple's favourite cocktail, a frozen margarita, to start while Angela prepares roast trout with soy, orange and chilli, based on a sweet and spicy salmon recipe from Waitrose. The experts at Waitrose pair this with an English white wine, Chapel Down Bacchus. This episode is one of those great Dish double dates. Brian and Nicole talk about their new play and its parallels with modern life. They share some hilarious insights into their marriage and Brian's eating habits, and treat us to some amazing anecdotes from the set of Succession. You can now watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode.   Dish from Waitrose is made by Cold Glass Productions

NCF EXCLUSIVE: We speak with Ben Woods, the Waitrose employee of 25 years SACKED for expressing traditional views on X (formerly Twitter). We're pleased that Ben chose the NCF for his first interview.

Nick and Angela celebrate Mother's Day this week on Dish.  Stacey Dooley MBE is an investigative journalist, TV presenter and author. Born in Luton, she first appeared on television in Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts, a documentary exploring the realities of fast fashion in India. Stacey's curiosity and empathy prompted the BBC to commission Stacey Dooley Investigates, which began in 2009. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to broadcasting, she was awarded an MBE in 2018. That same year, Stacey won Strictly Come Dancing, taking home the glitterball trophy with her dance partner and now long-term partner Kevin Clifton. The couple welcomed their daughter, Minnie, in 2023. Stacey's new book Dear Minnie: Conversations with Remarkable Mothers is out now.  Angela provides some inspiration for Mother's Day, with an afternoon tea-style menu. She prepares a delicious puttanesca puff tart (packed with all of Stacey's favourite flavours) and Martha Collison's triple cheese scones. The experts at Waitrose pair this with a Masi Campofiorin.  This episode is full of fun and heartwarming moments. Stacey talks about the many loves of her life, principally: her family, her after-hours snack of choice and, despite never having met him, Nick's boyfriend Mesh. You can now watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help.  Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode.   Dish is a S:E Creative Studio production for Waitrose 

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 0:34 Iram leaves The Daily Mail and launched a Substack 3:38 Tribalism v consistent principles and Donald Trump 6:05 Reform UK civil war and race row 9:14 Waitrose employee suspended and investigated for social media posts 15:53 The rise of trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney 21:56 Virgin active gyms, Michelle Dewsbury mixed sex changing room row. 26:07 Ash Sakar becomes anti-woke? 31:46 Man attacked in London for burning a Qur'an. 44:41 Reflecting on 5 years since lockdown 56:07 White Lotus Season 3 57:25 Movie review: ‘A Real Pain'. 59:14 New live-action Snow White movie backlash Stephen Knight's Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Iram Ramzan's Substack: https://iramramzan.substack.com/ Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

Nick and Angela welcome one of their favourite comics to Dish HQ. Broadcaster, comedian, writer and conductor Sue Perkins was born in South London. A Cambridge University graduate, Sue's journey into comedy began when she joined the prestigious Footlights, where she met her friend Mel Giedroyc. The duo quickly made a name for themselves, hosting Channel 4's Late Lunch and Light Lunch in the nineties, while also writing for the legendary French & Saunders and, later, Absolutely Fabulous in 2003. Her biggest TV job to date came in 2010, when she and Mel cohosted The Great British Bake Off for seven wildly successful series. Outside of television, Sue's broadcasting credentials include hosting Britain's best-loved radio comedy Just A Minute on BBC Radio 4. You can watch her new TV show Chess Masters: The Endgame on BBC iPlayer and listen to her new podcast Mel and Sue: Should Know By Now on Audlibe.  Nick pours Sue a Botivo, a non-alcoholic aperitivo, to start, while Angela prepares a mouthwatering Malaysian prawn laksa curry. The experts at Waitrose pair this with a La Val albariño and for dessert Angela makes Sue her favourite black forest gateau. Nick and Angela are (in their words) giddy at the sight of Sue Perkins sitting opposite them and our trio collapse into fits of laughter throughout this conversation. Sue loves to cook and recounts her best and worst food moments. She also talks about the time she met a shaman in a hot tub, and listen out for her incredible response to the End of Show Question. You can now watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help. Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish is a S:E Creative Studio production for Waitrose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices