Happy Christmas from Greg and the team!

Summary

You're Dead to Me – Episode Summary: "Happy Christmas from Greg and the Team!"

Release Date: December 23, 2024
Host: Greg Jenner
Podcast: You're Dead to Me, BBC Radio 4

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Introduction to the Christmas Specials

In the festive episode titled "Happy Christmas from Greg and the Team!", Greg Jenner warmly welcomes listeners to the Christmas season, highlighting a collection of beloved Christmas specials from the podcast’s archives. He emphasizes the blend of comedy and historical insight that defines the show, setting the stage for a nostalgic and informative journey through past episodes.

Christmas with Charles Dickens

One of the standout specials Greg highlights is "Christmas with Charles Dickens." This episode features Dr. Emily Bell and Mike Wozniak, who delve into the profound impact Dickens has had on our modern celebration of Christmas.

Mike Wozniak provides fascinating historical context:

"[02:13] Dickens may be part of the reason that our idealised Christmas is snowy and it was so icy during Dickens's early years that the River Thames froze in February of 1814 and London celebrated its final Thames Frost Fair that year."

Wozniak elaborates on the Thames Frost Fair, describing the lively festivities that took place on the frozen river, including tents, vendors, drinking, dancing, bowling, and even an elephant being led across the ice:

"[02:13] So what they would do is roll out tents and vendors onto the ice, do drinking, dancing, bowling, and there was even an elephant being led across the river just below Blackfriars Bridge."

Greg humorously muses about the logistics of such an event:

"[02:39] An elephant walking on ice. Mike, imagine the insurance forms you have to pay for that, the health and safety risk assessment."

Medieval Christmas with Miles Jupp and Dr. Elena Yanaga

Moving forward, Greg introduces the medieval Christmas episode featuring Miles Jupp and Dr. Elena Yanaga. This episode explores the evolution of Christmas traditions during the medieval period and leads up to Candlemas on February 2nd, marking the end of the Christmas season.

Miles Jupp shares his humorous take on the prolonged Christmas spirit:

"[03:17] Do you know what I mean? I think that point where you're looking forward to, you know, when you start thinking, when is the first bin collection after Christmas... that seems like the end of Christmas, I suppose, the big bin day."

This lighthearted perspective underscores the enduring and sometimes overwhelming nature of Christmas celebrations.

Victorian Christmas with Dr. Fern Riddell and Russell Cain

Greg also revisits the podcast’s inaugural Christmas special, which delves into Victorian Christmas traditions with Dr. Fern Riddell and Russell Cain. This episode examines why certain quirky traditions, such as singing carols, using crackers, and bringing in a Christmas tree, became staples of the holiday.

Greg reflects on the uniqueness of these traditions:

"[03:38] Now, that's the one to listen to if you want to know why on earth we celebrate Christmas with cars, crackers and dragging a tree inside our house, which, when you think about it, it's quite a weird thing to do."

Additional Festive Recommendations

For those looking to extend their holiday listening, Greg recommends the episode on the history of chocolate, perfect for enjoying alongside Christmas sweets:

“If all that doesn't keep you going until 2025, you might like to tuck into our episode about the history of chocolate while you polish off your Christmas selection box. Delicious.”

Looking Ahead: A New Series in the New Year

Wrapping up the Christmas reflections, Greg announces the return of "You're Dead to Me" with a brand new series set to launch in the new year. He promises fresh content featuring new jokes, historical facts, and exciting guests. Additionally, he informs UK listeners that new episodes will be available 28 days earlier on BBC Sounds compared to other platforms.

Greg extends his heartfelt holiday wishes:

“So just a big, warm, lovely, festive hug to you all. I hope to see you in the new year for a brand new series. Lots of new jokes, lots of new facts, great guests, take care. Thank you. Bye.”

Conclusion

"Happy Christmas from Greg and the Team!" serves as a delightful recap of the podcast’s Christmas-themed episodes, blending humor with rich historical narratives. Greg Jenner expertly navigates through various eras, showcasing how Christmas traditions have evolved and the lasting influence of historical figures like Charles Dickens. This episode not only celebrates the festive season but also teases exciting developments for the future, making it a must-listen for both long-time fans and newcomers alike.

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Note: The summary excludes advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections to focus solely on the episode’s main discussions and insights.

Transcript

[BBC Announcer]

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[Podcast Host]

BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts.

[Greg]

Ho ho ho. Hello friends. Greg here. I hope you're having a lovely Christmas season and a great new year is on the horizon for you. I just thought I'd pop in here to remind you of our lovely Christmas specials from the back catalog. We've got three, of course to enjoy. If you scroll down in the feed, the first one you'll find is the radio edit of Christmas with Charles Dickens. A bit further down you'll find the full length podcast version. Our guests there were Dr. Emily Bell and of course Mike Wozniak. It's a lovely one.

[Mike Wozniak]

Dickens may be part of the reason that our idealised Christmas is snowy and it was so icy during Dickens's early years that the River Thames froze in February of 1814 and London celebrated its final Thames Frost Fair that year. So what they would do is roll out tents and vendors onto the ice, do drinking, dancing, bowling, and there was even an elephant being led across the river just below Blackfriars Bridge.

[Greg]

An elephant walking on ice. Mike, imagine the insurance forms you have to pay for that, the health and safety risk assessment.

[BBC Announcer]

They must have had a moment where.

[Greg]

They thought, this is probably not going to be worth it, surely, lads, come on. And if you keep scrolling, or if you just want to type things into the search box, if that's easier for you, you will find both long and short versions of our medieval Christmas episode with miles Jupp and Dr. Elena Yanaga. There's a large festive period that goes.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

All the way through January and it.

[Greg]

Leads up to what is Candlemas, and that's on the 2nd of February, which marks the end of Christmas time. Wow, Miles, could you go to February 2nd? Can you commit to that kind of level of engagement with Christmas spirit?

[BBC Announcer]

No, to me, I have to say, that seems slightly long. Do you know what I mean? I think that point where you're looking forward to, you know, when you start thinking, when is the first bin collection after Christmas? To me, that seems a vital date. When are we going to get rid of these bottles? That, to me seems to be like the end of Christmas, I suppose, the big bin day.

[Greg]

And even further back in the feed, in fact, all the way back to the end of series one, you will find our very first Christmas special, which was about the Victorian Christmas with Dr. Fern Riddell and Russell Cain. Again available in both long, lovely pod form and shorter radio edit. Now, that's the one to listen to if you want to know why on earth we celebrate Christmas with cars, crackers and dragging a tree inside our house, which, when you think about it, it's quite a weird thing to do. And if all that doesn't keep you going until 2025, you might like to tuck into our episode about the history of chocolate while you polish off your Christmas selection box. Delicious. Oh, and finally, I'm delighted to tell you that we are back for a brand new series in the new year. New episodes will be released on Fridays, wherever you get your podcasts, but if you're in the UK, you can listen to the latest episodes 28 days earlier than anywhere else. First on BBC Sounds. So just a big, warm, lovely, festive hug to you all. I hope to see you in the new year for a brand new series. Lots of new jokes, lots of new facts, great guests, take care. Thank you. Bye.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Hi, I'm Ronald Young Jr. And I'm here to introduce myself to all of you who love listening to podcasts in the uk. Welcome to my world on the other side of The Pond. I'm the host of Pop Culture Debate Club, the show that debates the important issues of our time. Is West Wing better than Veep? Does an iPhone beat an Android? Such questions we battle over on Pop Culture Debate Club with comedians and pop culture commentators. We'd love to welcome you all, too. It's a competition, but a really fun one. You can find us on BBC Sounds and any other podcast provider. You'd be so welcome to join us.

[Podcast Host]

Yoga is more than just exercise. It's the spiritual practice that millions swear by. And in 2017, Miranda, a university tutor from London, joins a yoga school that promises profound transformation.

[Miranda]

It felt a really safe and welcoming space. After the yoga classes, I felt amazing.

[Podcast Host]

But soon that calm, welcoming atmosphere leads to something far darker. A journey that leads to allegations of grooming, trafficking and exploitation across international borders.

[Miranda]

I don't have my passport. I don't have my phone. I don't have my bank cards. I have nothing. The passport being taken, the being in.

[Greg]

A house and not feeling like they can leave.

[Podcast Host]

World of secrets is where untold stories are unveiled and hidden realities are exposed. In this new series, we're confronting the dark side of the wellness industry, where the hope of a spiritual breakthrough gives way to disturbing accusations.

[Greg]

You just get sucked in so gradually and it's done so skillfully that you don't realize.

[Miranda]

And it's like this. The secret that's there. I wanted to believe that, you know, that whatever they were doing, even if it seemed gross to me, was for some spirit, spiritual reason that I couldn't yet understand.

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Revealing the hidden secrets of a global yoga network.

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I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this and to put my reputation and everything else on the line. I want truth and justice and for other people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future.

[Greg]

To bring it into the light and almost alchemize some of that evil stuff that went on and take back the power.

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World of secrets. Season 6 the Bad Guru Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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