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 discover if they are friends, and whether or not George would be invited over to the Balls-Cooper household for lasagne.

Political Currency is availble on all podcast platforms!

Follow Ed on instagram @edballs

You can buy your copy of Ed’s brilliant book Appetite: a memoir in recipes of family and food here!

Thank you to Handpicked Hotels for hosting us at their dog friendly hotel Wood Hall during our trip to Yorkshire. Raymond was throughly spoiled and he loved his mini break!

Follow Emily:

Instagram - @emilyrebeccadean

X - @divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Faye Lawrence

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

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

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 about Ed’s experience at Harvard (once he had worked out where it was located on a map) and whether he cried when he lost his seat in the 2015 General Election.

Political Currency is availble on all podcast platforms!

Follow Ed on instagram @edballs

You can buy your copy of Ed’s brilliant book Appetite: a memoir in recipes of family and food here!

Thank you to Handpicked Hotels for hosting us at their dog friendly hotel Wood Hall during our trip to Yorkshire. Raymond was throughly spoiled and he loved his mini break!

Follow Emily:

Instagram - @emilyrebeccadean

X - @divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Faye Lawrence

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

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

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 her life, and some of the lessons she has learned from her guests.

Listen to Emily and Ray's first walk with Gabby from April 2017

Follow Gabby on Instagram @gabbylogan

Gabby’s podcasts The Midpoint and The Sports Agents are available wherever you get your podcasts!

You can get your copy Gabby's autobiography of The First Half here!

You can get your copy of The Midpoint Plan here

Follow Emily:

Instagram - @emilyrebeccadean

X - @divine_miss_em

Walking The Dog is produced by Faye Lawrence

Music: Rich Jarman

Artwork: Alice Ludlam

Photography: Karla Gowlett

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