In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful Nikita Kuzmin, the conversation moves from the Strictly spotlight to what really drives him, his discipline, his love of dance, and the mindset that’s taken him from training as a child to performing on some of the biggest stages in the UK.

There’s also more of Mabel, who is clearly being trained to an exceptionally high standard, and Ray doing his best to keep up with proceedings.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one. And if you want to see Nikita live, his brand new show Supernova is touring the UK this June and July. Tickets and dates are available at https://nikitasupernova.uk.

Follow Emily:

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Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray take a South London stroll with Strictly Come Dancing favourite Nikita Kuzmin, joined by his adorable Chihuahua, Mabel.

Nikita chats to Emily about his journey from growing up in Ukraine to moving to Italy as a child to pursue dance with his sister, and the moment his life changed when he got the call to join Strictly. They also talk about his partnerships on the show, including his much-loved routines with Layton Williams and Amber Davies, and how he’s navigated the sudden attention that comes with it.

On the walk, it quickly becomes clear just how popular Nikita is, with fans stopping to say hello throughout. Ray, meanwhile, receives exactly one comment, from a child who thought he looked like a cloth.

Nikita also shares his excitement about his brand new live dance show Supernova, which is touring the UK throughout June and July. Tickets and dates are available at https://nikitasupernova.uk.

It’s a warm, open and genuinely charming conversation with someone who clearly loves what he does but keeps his feet firmly on the ground (apart from when dancing), even if he’d prefer not to be called famous.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful Fin Taylor, the chat turns to Fin’s brilliantly chaotic Fin vs The Internet series, including the unforgettable appearance of Bonnie Blue, and how moments like that have helped shape his career.

They also get into the realities of modern comedy, from building and owning your own IP to how platforms like YouTube and Patreon have completely changed the game for comics trying to do things on their own terms.

If you haven’t already, do go back and listen to part one. And if you want to see Fin live, his upcoming show The Fin Taylor Pre-emptive Comeback Special is touring later this year. Tickets and dates are available at https://www.livenation.co.uk.

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Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray head to Beckenham Place Park for a stroll with comedian and writer Fin Taylor, joined by his ridiculously cute Cavapoo, Winnie.

Fin chats to Emily about his journey into comedy, from growing up with teacher parents and attending an all-girls boarding school (with Emma Watson!), to performing his first stand-up gig at just 15. Since then, he’s built a hugely successful career, appearing on shows like Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats and The Last Leg, as well as creating his popular YouTube series Fin vs. The Internet, where he conducts brilliantly awkward interviews with content creators.

They also talk about his podcast Fin vs. History with Horatio Gould, and his upcoming live show The Fin Taylor Pre-emptive Comeback Special, which is touring later this year. Tickets are available now at https://www.livenation.co.uk.

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Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of Emily and Ray’s walk with the wonderful John Robins, the conversation carries on with more honesty, humour and great storytelling.

If you haven’t already, do catch up on part one. And be sure to pre-order John’s brilliant memoir Thirst: 12 Drinks That Changed My Life, which is out on May 7th.

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Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray head to the Buckinghamshire countryside for a walk with comedian, podcaster and writer John Robins.

John is best known for his award-winning stand-up and his long-running partnership with fellow comedian Elis James, as well as his brilliantly competitive turn on Taskmaster. On the walk, he chats to Emily about his childhood growing up near Bristol, his time at Oxford where he briefly considered becoming a poet, and his early days in comedy, including sharing a flat with Jon Richardson and Russell Howard.

They also talk about John’s powerful and deeply personal new memoir Thirst: 12 Drinks That Changed My Life, which explores his relationship with alcohol and his journey into recovery and sobriety. It’s a beautifully written, funny and moving read, and is out on May 7th, available to pre-order now. It’s a thoughtful, honest and very funny conversation, with John bravely navigating both the countryside and the realities of dog ownership, while Ray does his best to win him over.

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Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's part two of Emily and Ray’s Sussex walk with the wonderful Olly Smith, joined by his lovely dog Busby.

If you haven’t already, do catch up on part one. And be sure to pre-order Olly’s brilliant debut crime novel Death by Noir, so you can dive straight in when it’s published on June 18th.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily and Ray head to the Sussex countryside for a stroll with wine expert, author and Saturday Kitchen favourite Olly Smith, alongside his adorable dog Busby.

You’ll likely know Olly from his regular appearances on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, as well as shows like House of Games and The Wheel. But beyond the screen, he’s had a fascinating journey, from growing up in Jersey to singing as a chorister at King’s College, Cambridge, and discovering his love of wine while working at a local merchant’s.

On the walk, Olly chats to Emily about his early career as a TV and film writer, including working on Charlie and Lola and even Pingu, before finding his true calling in wine. They also talk about his brand new crime novel Death by Noir, a brilliantly funny and fast-paced mystery set in the world of wine. It’s out this June and available to pre-order now from all major booksellers. Links can be found on Olly's website.

Warm, funny and full of life, Olly is exactly the kind of person you instantly feel better for spending time with, and Busby more than holds his own alongside Ray.

Follow Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadean

X: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Will Nichols

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.