James Acaster

James Acaster is a man of many talents - he’s one of Britain’s best loved comedians, the co-host of our rival podcast (yet we love them!) Off Menu, a regular on the telly, and most recently became a very reluctant Traitor on the Celebrity Traitors. James joined us for a chat about his early days in stand-up, the story of his band The Wow Scenario, and we hear about his latest comedy creation, Craig Simons - the UK's number one James Acaster tribute act! We chatted about his experience in the Traitors castle, his lovely friendship with Romesh Ranganathan, and the time he caused a public outcry by punching a fake polar bear on Saturday Kitchen. What a lovely treat to be joined by such a fab guest, thank you James for such a fun afternoon! James’ new YouTube comedy special ‘James Acaster is Craig Simons’ is released on 1st December.Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Arlene Phillips really has stories to last a lifetime! She’s worked with icons like Whitney Houston, Freddie Mercury, Elton John, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin, choreographed legendary West End & Broadway musicals and also created the iconic Hot Gossip dance troupe. The legendary choreographer joined us for a brilliant trip through her extraordinary career, we heard about a shy Whitney finding her confidence, teaching Elton to dance and how kind Freddie was on set. Arlene also took us back to her childhood in Manchester, how she started her dance training and her unexpected route into choreography that began with Ridley Scott, Miriam Margolyes, and a Dr Pepper advert! Of course we chatted Strictly, Starlight Express, Guys and Dolls and we hear her crazy food combo of bagels with pickles, strawberry jam and cream cheese! Thank you Arlene for such a gorgeous and fascinating afternoon.Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Mohammed is a man of many talents - actor, comedian, presenter, and even a magician! Best known for Ted Lasso and his unforgettable stint on The Traitors, Nick joined us this week to chat about his latest role in legal thriller 'War'. We also found out what it was really like inside the Traitors castle, how his hilarious alter ego 'Mr Swallow’ came to be, that he swapped a potential career in science for comedy, meeting his wife in the university orchestra, his Greek Cypriot and Trinidadian family roots, and you really don’t want to miss his recipe for his guilty pleasure pasta dish! We couldn’t let Nick leave before showing us a magic trick, and of course it was as amazing as we’d hoped! Thanks for such a brilliant afternoon Nick - you can catch him in ‘War' now available on Sky Atlantic in the UK and HBO in the US.Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The brilliant Ashley Walters is over for dinner this week. From his days as Asher D in So Solid Crew, to Top Boy and Adolescence, Ashley has had an incredible career and now he’s stepping behind the camera for his directorial debut ‘Animol'. Mum made sea bass with tomato and anchovy dressing followed by a vegan apple and apricot cake. We chatted about growing up in Peckham, his early days in Oliver! in the West End, how he ended up in prison, working with Stephen Graham and the comfort foods that take him back to childhood - including oysters! Thank you Ashley for such an honest and lovely evening. ‘Animol’ will be released in cinemas from 30th October.Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re beyond excited to welcome the fabulous Christine Baranski to the table. Christine joined us fresh from rehearsals for her West End debut in 'Hay Fever' alongside Richard E Grant, so we had plenty to talk about. We heard about Christine growing up in a Polish-American family in Buffalo, her nana’s theatrical influence, the Christmas traditions she keeps alive with her own family, how she went from Broadway to becoming a television star in Cybill and also some fab on set stories from The Gilded Age and Mamma Mia - plus we get Christine’s take on whether a third film could be on the cards 👀 Thank you Christine for such a wonderful afternoon. You can see Christine alongside Richard E Grant in Hay Fever at the Wyndham’s Theatre.Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is absolute gold! Joining us for lunch this week it's the wonderful Stephen Graham! Stephen came over for a slightly chaotic brunch where I made a Meera Sodha gochujang & cheddar cornbread with bacon and eggs, and mum made a raspberry & blueberry tiramisu that sadly ended up on the kitchen floor… We heard all about Stephen growing up in Kirkby, his nana’s legendary Scouse, his childhood breakdancing crew, and the very romantic story of how he finally told his wife Hannah he loved her at New Cross station after five years of friendship (with benefits). Stephen also spoke beautifully about fatherhood, and the phenomenal success of Adolescence, plus we hear about his meetings with Bruce Springsteen, his love of meditation, and the exciting news that he’s reuniting with Leonardo DiCaprio for Heat 2! Stephen, thank you for being so open, warm and for embracing the absolute chaos in the kitchen! Letters to Our Sons is out now and you can watch Stephen in Nocturne on Apple TV from the 30th October.Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back! Series 19 is here and we’re kicking things off with the phenomenal Kelly Rowland! Fresh off a flight from LA, Kelly joined us for a chicken, peach & mint salad followed by a raspberry poke cake. We heard all about her Southern food roots, her mum’s legendary fried chicken & peach cobbler, coming to London with Destiny’s Child as a teenager where she tried sushi for the very first time, we also get the answer we’re all waiting for - whether we could ever see a Destiny’s Child reunion! Plus, we find out Kelly’s ultimate food ‘Dilemma’… hot dog or hamburger?! Thank you Kelly for being the most glorious guest to kick off our brand new series! Kelly is the new face of the Olay ‘Super’ collection, available now.Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a belter of a guest for our Second Helpings finale! The wonderful, charming and funny Rob Brydon came to see us midway through his huge UK tour back in 2021; he popped over to mum’s for some spatchcock chicken, pecan pie (we recorded this episode on thanksgiving), a right old gossip and sing song. We spoke about Rob growing up in Wales, eating his grandma’s custard tarts, his comedy heroes, favourite food spots in London, ‘The Trip’, ‘mucus’ topping ‘moist’ as the worst word & life with 5 children! We end the episode with the biggest sing song we’ve ever had; mum’s favourite way to spend an evening!Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re travelling way back to 2019 and to close Series 8 of Table Manners we decided to get an absolute Christmas cracker in, the Mother of ALLLL mothers, the Mother of Dragons! After hearing this lady was a fan of the podcast I swooped in like a baby dragon and coaxed her with the promise of chicken soup (her request!) and she even broke her gluten free policy to sample mum's matzoh balls. We talk to our dream girl about her dear late dad's passion for food, salad in a bag, boarding school meals and setting up her charity, 'Same You' with her mum after having 2 brain aneurysm in her twenties. What a treat to have the nation's sweetheart over for dins! Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in summer 2021 we welcomed actress, director and writer, the phenomenal Emerald Fennell round to Lennie’s for Tarragon Chicken and banana ice cream! We chat everything from her time in Call The Midwife, to writing & directing the absolute must-see Promising Young Woman and her latest venture at the time, writing Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical 'Cinderella’. She talks about meeting her husband in Paris, the art of getting a free Pret coffee and what she’s working on next. We loved having you Emerald and we’re still inviting ourselves over for a Fennell Eurovision / karaoke night!!Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.