Walking The Dog with Emily Dean

It’s time to Live, Laugh, Layton!  This week - Emily and Ray are in Dulwich Park with actor, singer, dancer and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Layton Williams!  Layton is quite possibly one of the most charismatic people that we’ve ever met. He’s immensely warm, authentic and knows his own worth - so even though he doesn’t have a dog, we’re pretty much in love! Starting life out on an es...

We’re in Battersea Park with the brilliantly interesting and incredibly warm Amanda Wakeley - the legendary fashion designer! Amanda tells us about some of the extraordinary people that she’s dressed in her career - including the late Princess Diana. She also tells us how she averted a near-international incident by helping Theresa May choose the outfit she wore while taking office. We also hear t...

This week, Emily and Raymond are taking a walk in Battersea Park with the legendary fashion designer Amanda Wakeley and her Labrador Luna (who was sporting a very stylish red bandana!)  Amanda tells us about her happy and chaotic childhood with a succession of Labs and Jack Russells and her family in Cheshire. We find out what life was like for Amanda at Cheltenham Ladies’ College and how mak...

We’re halfway through our walk with the brilliant Candice Brown as well as her three dogs Albus, Severus and Sibyl! Candice tells us more about her pre-Bake Off life working as a secondary school teacher in a special educational needs department and how she is driven by a strong sense of injustice.  We also get a peek into the intensive process of getting on the Bake Off - and the positives a...

We’re on a delightful country walk this week with the legendary Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown!  Candice has three dogs - Albus, Severus and Sibyl, and there are a plethora of other dogs in the Brown family! It’s clear Candice has a real passion for her dogs - and she tells us the story behind how she came to rescue each of them.  After growing up in pubs run by her parents...

We're midway through our stroll in Regent's Park with the international bestselling author Cecelia Ahern!  Cecelia tells us about what it was like to have her debut novel PS I Love You adapted into a film when she was in her early twenties. We chat about Cecelia's new novel, Into The Storm, which explores themes of unprocessed guilt, complicated female characters and the influence of pre-Chri...

Join Emily and Raymond in London's Regent's Park for a walk with the international bestselling author Cecelia Ahern!  Cecelia has a dog called Buddy, he's a standard poodle with a regal attitude, who is back at home in Dublin while Cecelia is in London working - but we think we need to plan a trip to Ireland because it sounds like he and Raymond would get on VERY well.  Cecelia grew up i...

This week Emily and Ray are sheltering from the rain on the sofa in Battersea with the journalist, broadcaster, podcaster and author Bryony Gordon!  Bryony tells us about how she got into journalism, why she chose to write about her twenties and how she feels about being raw and open in her writing. She also tells us about a very special friendship… You can listen to Bryony’s brilliant podcas...

It’s a rainy day in Battersea - so join Emily and Ray as we get cosy on Bryony Gordon’s sofa!  Byrony is journalist, broadcaster, podcaster and bestselling author. She doesn’t have a dog - but we’ll forgive her because she let Raymond sit on her very fabulous tassled blanket. Our chat covers everything from Bryony’s legendary childhood dog Polo, to her stuggle with OCD and how she has le...

Emily and Raymond are on Hampstead Heath with Bella Mackie and her labrador, Barney (who we can all agree is a bit of a national treasure)  Bella tells us about her love story with Greg James and how a childhood obsession with Victorian true crime started her on the journey to writing her million-selling first novel How To Kill Your Family. We also chat about being direct - and whether that c...

This week we’re on Hampstead Heath with the brilliant author Bella Mackie - and her labrador, Barney!  Barney (aka Banana Head) is no stranger to Walking The Dog - he has previously appeared on this podcast with Bella’s husband Greg James! He’s a pretty special dog - and we were thrilled to take him out again.  Bella’s always had dogs throughout her life and Barney came into her life aft...

Join Emily, Mabel, Isla, Luna, Inca and Nala for the second part of our walk with James Middleton in Berkshire! James tells us about how his dog Ella helped him in the hardest time of his life and how she also led him to meet his wife Alizée.  We also chat about that time which we all dread - losing a pet. James tells us how he coped with losing his beloved Ella and the gifts that she gave hi...

We’re in Berkshire this week with the brilliant James Middleton and five of his dogs: Mabel, Isla, Luna, Inca and Nala.  James *actually* has six dogs - but Zulu is currently staying with James’ parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, because Mabel is in season. But we had a lovely time with the fabulous five! We met on Bucklebury Farm - which is run by James’ family - and it was animal h...

Yorkshire’s Pontefract Racecourse is the backdrop today for Emily and Ray’s walk with the brilliant Ed Balls.  Ed tells us about how his wife, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, encouraged him to go on Strictly Come Dancing - and the piece of advice that changed his atttiude towards the show. We also find out how he came to host a podast with his former political opponent George Osborne - we disco...

We’ve taken a trip to West Yorkshire this week to meet broadcaster and former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls for a stroll around the beautiful Pontefract Racecourse.  Ed doesn't have a dog at the moment - but he's very much a dog person. He tells us how he was replaced by a dog when he went to university, and a dog has helped his family cope with his mother’s dementia.  We also find out abou...

We’re in Buckinghamshire with Gabby Logan and her dogs Milo, Maggie and Maverick!  In this part of the chat, Gabby tells us about her career as a rhythmic gymnast, reluctantly competing in the Rose of Tralee - and she reminds us of some of her pre-Kenny romances.  Gabby also tells us about her brilliant podcast The Midpoint - and how the podcast has helped her to navigate this point in h...

Joining us on our dog walk this week is legendary broadcaster Gabby Logan! We met Gabby at home in Buckinghamshire and we then took a lovely walk around the woods with her three dogs Milo, Maggie and Maverick. Maverick is a new addition to the Logan household since Gabby was last on the podcast - he’s an absolutely delightful standard poodle, who is VERY enthusiastic about catching tennis balls.&n...

Join Raymond, Emily, Janette and Lyra for the second part of our walk around London’s Burgess Park!  Janette tells us about some of the challenges of Strictly Come Dancing and how devastated she felt about being voted out on her first series. She also reveals what happened when she got the call to present It Takes Two… We also chat about Janette’s brilliant new book Tiny Dancer, Big World. Ja...

Today we’re in South London’s Burgess Park with television presenter, choreographer and professional dancer Janette Manrara - and we have a very special bonus guest - her daughter Lyra! Janette is best known for appearing as a professional dance on Strictly Come Dancing - and since 2021 she has co-hosted Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two! Janette is married to her Strictly co-star Aljaž Škorjane...

Emily and Ray take a walk with Phil Wang in Peckham Rye Park for the second part of this week’s Walking The Dog!  Phil tells us about being the president of the Cambridge Footlights, how he feels about celebrating his successes and making the decision to spend more money on his haircut. He also tells us what it was like to record his new Netflix special by candlelight... Phil’s absolutely hil...

This week Emily and Ray met the brilliant comedian Phil Wang for a stroll round Peckham Rye Park!  Phil is a former dog-hater, but he and Raymond got on very well. Phil even offered to carry Ray and gave him a whole new perspective on the world. After being born in the same hospital as Robbie Williams - Phil spent what he describes as a ‘nice but boring’ childhood growing up in Malaysia, befo...

Join Emily and Ray for the second part of our chat with the brilliant chef, author and social media sensation Poppy O’Toole - and her dogs Crypto and Red.  We discuss Poppy’s worst ever mistake in the kitchen, how she has accidentally gained a reputation for innuendo, and Emily takes the opportunity to get some potato advice from the Potato Queen herself.  The Actually Delicious Slow Coo...

Emily and Ray have taken a trip up to Worcestershire this week for a walk with professional chef, TikTok star and Sunday Times bestselling author Poppy O’Toole - who is better known as Poppy Cooks.  Poppy has two dogs: a pug called Crypto and a German Shepherd called Red. Together with Ray - they make a very unlikely gang of dog pals! Poppy tells us about how losing her job as a chef in...

The wonderful Louise Minchin joins Emily and Raymond from home in Cheshire this week, with her lovely labradors Waffle and Ruby! In this part of our chat, Louise tells us about her time presenting BBC Breakfast, her fight for equal pay and then why she ultimately made the decision to leave (much to Emily's dismay!) We also chat about Louise’s brilliant new book Isolation Island - and how her love...

This week on Walking The Dog, we’re joined by the fabulous journalist, television presenter and author Louise Minchin!  Louise joins us from home in Cheshire with her two gorgeous labradors Waffle and Ruby and she tells us all about growing up Hong Kong, and the family legend surrounding her birth.  We also chat about Louise's positive attitude, a life changing trip to Argentina, and wha...