Want to know who's coming up next? Hit follow wherever you get your podcast and you'll be the first

to find out. She says you've got to want to sound like come in a three pack. Yeah. It's me and Tom

and Dan. And that's the reality. Join Granada in 1982 and met Judy Finnegan. And after about 18

months, we realized we were more than just, you know, good colleagues

and good friends.

We were falling for each other.

So we ended up getting married and having kids.

And I became stepfather to Judith's twins by her first marriage.

So there were, you know, the six of us in this kind of family unit.

I mean, obviously, one of Judah's main concerns, and she said this openly before, was obviously her kids. They came first, front and foremost in any move that she might make. I remember her saying to me, when it became clear that we were falling for each other, and we were tentatively beginning to talk about maybe having a life together, she said, you've got to understand, I come on a three-pack.

Yeah.

It's me and Tom and Dan, and that's the reality.

And I took that very seriously.

And once, before this morning started, obviously because we were married by then,

but I think by about 1985 it would have been.

So we'd been working and sharing our days together at the office for

three years by then. We're on the point of deciding to live together, so that was about three

years in. But Gide was really, really concerned that I knew what I was doing as far as being a stepdad

was concerned because of the boys were going to live with her. Yeah. We're living with her.

So I went off on my own. I went off to Greece for two weeks on a kind of a solo holiday to think about it because I didn't want to rush, well, I wasn't rushing, but I didn't want to make that mistake. I didn't want to say airily and with super confidence, oh yeah, it'll be fine, you know, I'm happy to be a stepfather. I needed to know that I could deliver and that I meant it, that I really meant it. So I went away for two weeks and just thought, basically, sat on the beach for two weeks and just thought quite deeply about the future and about, you know, how I felt about it. And I felt very comfortable with it. And I went back and told her that. I mean, the boys were adorable. They're only seven that season. They're absolutely adorable. And we went away for a week together. All four of us. We rented a cottage in Cornwall. Just as a little trial to see how we all got on. And it was fantastic. We had a great time. And that kind of sealed it. So I moved in. We got formally engaged and we got married as soon as we could. Wow. I mean, did becoming a stepfather feel like a natural thing for you? Yes, it did. And I, again, you talk about luck. It's partly because of the boys. They were lovable. They were very, very lovable. Very attractive, you know, little blonde mop-headed lads.

Very biddable.

I love them to pieces.

...