JO GOOD AND MATILDA THE BULLDOG
This radio presenter, actress and broadcaster has only just gone and launched a fantastic new podcast, Dogs And The City! Meet her, and Matilda…
Hands up who listens to BBC Radio London. I have both hands up. It’s my favourite radio station, and actually gets me through my day: Vanessa Feltz in the morning, then Jo Good at lunch time. Oh, and don’t forget on a Thursday afternoon Jo hosts The Barking Hour. Any guesses what that segment is about?
And not to be a total cringey idiot, but I’ve been on Jo’s show before, talking about this website. I asked her to be featured on it a while ago, for us to go into her home and photograph her and the lovely Matilda, but schedules haven’t allowed it. Up until now. (Although these pictures are out and about in London)
Jo has one of those infectious, vibrant, bubbly personalities that you just can’t help falling in love with. She is lots of fun to talk and listen to, hence why Dogs And The City has quickly become one of my favourite podcasts to date. For 30 brilliant minutes, Jo and Matilda go on a walk with a guest and their pup to talk about owning a dog, recent projects and, erm, poop scooping!
So far we’ve been treated to Julian Clary and Albert, Michelle Collins and Humphrey and most recently, Maureen Lipman and Diva.
Of the podcast, Jo said: “I’ve been released from the constraints of the studio to record on the streets of London. I used to think it was only me who thought any excursion is made better with a dog… but now I know I’m not alone!”
Scroll down to hear more from Jo…
On life with Matilda: Matilda is very much a city dog. She grew up in London and my friend, Julian Clary, gave me some good advice when I brought her home as a puppy; he said take her on buses, tubes, escalators and lifts so that she will adapt to city life.
I take her everywhere I can, but being a bulldog, she is also quite lazy so if I have filming and can’t walk her... she just sleeps all day! She comes with me everywhere; sees everything I see and experiences everything I do. She’s my companion and soul mate.
A day in the life of Jo & Matilda: I am an early riser and so is Matilda. I take her out at 6am and then feed her before I go off to my early yoga class. I have a roof terrace that overlooks Marylebone – that’s where she has all her meals – and she likes to sit and look at the sky and lie in the sun.
After yoga and breakfast, we have a quick walk around the tennis courts in Regents Park. We are part of a group of local dog owners, who offer to walk the dogs while owners are busy… but I never let anyone else walk her. I’m very possessive!
Now that Matilda is 10, she usually sleeps whilst I’m at work at BBC Radio London. One day a week we have the Barking Hour on the radio show which she joins me, the audience, and celebrity guests for. We also currently have our weekly recording of my Dogs and the City podcast, where Matilda and I stroll around London chatting with celebs, their pet pooches, and sometimes even meeting celebs of the dog world! Matilda has been in studios and on TV sets all her life, so she just takes it in her stride.
In the evening, I will meet friends for drinks, often at the Chiltern Firehouse which is very dog friendly, and they always supply Matilda with a pearl encrusted dog bowl.
I usually spend my weekends in Brighton as the sea air is good for both me and Matilda, and there is a dedicated dog-friendly beach which is the best place to sit in the summer.
If I am in London on a Sunday, I will take Matilda to the Piccadilly Picture House Central where they have screenings for pets and their owners. It’s amazing - none of the dogs ever fight… and when you sit behind a row of dogs looking at the screen, it’s hysterical!
On Jo’s dream podcast guest: I really want Graham Norton. We shared a dressing room floor at ITV when Matilda and I were weekly guests on the Alan Titchmarsh Show.
Once, Graham turned up with his two dogs to record an episode with Lady GaGa and walked with them outside our dressing room. We didn’t get a chance to meet properly, so I’m desperate to have a good long walk with him in East London.
And any sneak peeks of celeb guests? So far, we have lined up Greg James, Maureen Lipman, Liz Jones… and we even have non-human celebs in the form of Instagram famous pups! Word has got out and celebs are coming to me, which shows how much everyone loves to talk about their pets.
Favourite dog-friendly places in London? The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead, The Chiltern Firehouse & The Milestone Hotel, Kensington.
Tell us one thing people don't know about you... I have driven to the emergency vet in my pyjamas thinking Matilda was bleeding from her rear, only to be told she had sat in red dye - most probably from the shavings of my lip pencil. That cost £100, which I could have put towards a handbag...!
Dogs and the City is available to download via BBC Sounds or other podcasting platforms,
with new episodes every Thursday.
Follow Jo on social media @MiddleAgedMinx