The Following Through Podcast

A Career in Journalism – Ep8 S3

Journalism is a difficult profession to break into, but not so for Alex, who stumbled into it by chance and somehow built a career he still does alongside comedy.   In this episode, Siobhan speaks to Alex about his 18 years of journalism and editorial experience, starting out at a local paper aged 23 with no training or experience, learning on the job in a rural setting under a brutal editor. He recalls some of the articles he wrote, from the trivial about a pigeon to a big national story, as well as attending three or four parish council meetings every month.  Lasting just over a year in the role and burnt out, he decided to quit and move to London to pursue comedy, but ended up working regular shifts for a national publication for a couple of years. So, how does Noel Edmonds fit into this?  In Sh*t or Miss, Siobhan uses her growing reporter skills to extract another tale. The story involves someone on a coach trip in India with a weakened stomach, saved by a stop in a rural village and the urgent hunt for a toilet.  Music is by Rich Shillitoe.

Becoming a Property Owner – Ep7 S3

In this episode, Alex and Siobhan discuss their very different routes to becoming property owners in opposite parts of London.   Alex also recalls some of his house share horror stories and only wanting to buy a flat to avoid living with strangers again with their weird habits.   Siobhan explains how she arranged viewings for the majority of properties on sale in Morden, bringing her family and a ladder for second viewings.     In Sh*t or Miss, pro-wrestler Jerry Bakewell tells a tale about an incident in a German night club followed by a kebab.   Music is by Rich Shillitoe.

Starting a Fermented and Organic Food Business – Guest: Keir Boxshall from Wild and Cultured – Ep6 S3

Many dream of turning a hobby into a business, but hesitate to take the leap. In this episode, Alex and Siobhan are joined by Keir Boxshall, founder of Wild and Cultured, who turned his hobby into a thriving business. Keir, who makes organic fermented sauces and condiments, met Siobhan at a food festival in London after his stall caught the attention of her husband.   Keir had a high-level role for an international engineering company, but the stress from work was having a negative impact on his health. He started eating more fermented foods to improve his gut health and had been making his own sauces and condiments for years. The pandemic gave him a chance to have a rethink. Encouraged by his partner, he began his company three years ago and turned his hobby into a successful business. And Wild and Cultured was born.   Keir sells his unique spin on many well-known sauces and condiments, but uses fermentation techniques and organic ingredients to create live, non-ultra-processed products, which provide healthy bacteria to the gut and support the microbiome, providing positive health benefits.     He explains his business origins, challenges with perfecting recipes, and talks about the importance of a healthy microbiome. For more info, visit: https://wildandcultured.co.uk [https://wildandcultured.co.uk].   And in Sh*t or Miss, Alex provides Keir with a choice of four options from his personal archive. Keir selects a tale entitled Norovirus in the Woods.   Music is by Rich Shillitoe.

Being a Pro-Wrestler – Guest: Jerry Bakewell – Ep5 S3

Pro-wrestler and comedian Jerry Bakewell joins Alex and Siobhan in this episode. As a lifelong wrestling fan, Alex is delighted.    Jerry talks about how he got into wrestling almost 20 years ago, his time training, his first match, why he started wearing a mask, and the clips online that he really wishes weren't available.    He also discusses his infamous Britain's Got Talent audition, what went on behind the scenes, and the hilarious stuff that was cut.    In Sh*t or Miss, Jerry recalls two incidents that took place in a wrestling ring. The second story took place at a wrestling event as part of a festival, where the audience was distracted by a dog show next door. Jerry took a high-impact move, but what were the consequences?   Music is by Rich Shillitoe.

Joining a Gym – Ep4 S3

After doing nothing fitness-related since 2011, Siobhan has acquired a gym membership after her brother-in-law won it in a raffle and passed it on. She tells Alex all about the programme a trainer has designed for her and the double struggles of fitness and boredom from cardio.    Her initial goal was to not be out of breathe after dancing enthusiastically to Footloose, but Siobhan has now set her sights on becoming a fully fledged gym w*nker.   While Alex proudly explains how he has never held a gym membership in his life, but did dabble briefly in gyms as a teenager to play rugby or become a pro-wrestler. In other Alex news, he gives an update on how his flat sale is going and a potential geographical change in the pipeline.    In Sh*t or Miss, there is a tale of a camping trip in the Australian bush from a familiar contributor. What do you do when nature calls, and the nature happens to be full of scary things?   Music is by Rich Shillitoe.