This is a global player original podcast. I thought it was going to be flashed there for a moment. I love you. He's a politician. I know. God, I loaves them all. Fuck off, you c- I'm getting undressed, okay? No, no one wants that. You didn't even recognise his existence.

Hello, and let me be the 345th person to wish you all a very happy new year. It's where politics meets history with me, Ian Dale, and her, Tessa Dunlop.

Whoa. Actually, I don't think enough people fully lean into the New Year vibe. I was in Tesco's really early this morning. Happy New Year, by the way. Oh, we've got a girl editing the show. A girl? A young lady. Oh, you're not allowed to say, guys. Cut that, please. Eleanor. She'll take it. She's a beauty, a rat.

She's James O'Brien's producer.

She's been beauty, right?

You're not like to object to my. She's James O'Brien's producer.

She's been producing me all this week. Can you imagine the difference in producing James O'Brien and me? Have you found it, Eleanor? I think it's been very enjoyable. She says it's been very enjoyable. There have been moments of levity, usually when I've got something wrong. Do you know, I'm sure you never get anything wrong, but I'm still mesmerized by the fact that I have a co-female working alongside me. It's been an exclusively all-male year working on where politics meets history. It's unusual for me as well. Instantly, I feel more relaxed. I sort of feel sure now that the show will be. Not that Corey doesn't do a job and Sam and everyone else, but there's something about, you know, birds of a feather flocked together. You, me and Queen Camilla against all the men in the world. Can we say just, happy new year again? Happy New Year. I knew that would trigger you. Are you on something? No, I'm not. No sleep, as usual. I've had two new years across two time zones. I actually made the newspaper today.

You're right, on page two of the times.

It's very rare.

And I'm with you and I put my full eyelashes on on the tube that was thankfully running. because I got up and I thought maybe a bit like Christmas Day the tube doesn't run and you'd sent me an edict from on high saying,

you cannot be late. He's behind the screens, ladies and gentlemen. He's been quite a Christmas

Scrooge, this festive period. I'm doing 13 shows in a row, says Ian. I have a cold. Actually, it's 12,

because Matt Frye is doing a Saturday show, so I don't have to do that. But I have worked very hard this Christmas to keep the nation entertained. To make sure that Keirstarm has someone to tax. And as Eleanor will confirm, I've had lots of lovely texts and WhatsApp messages saying, oh, can you please stay at 10 o'clock so you can do the 10 o'clock show and james o'brien can do yours yeah

i don't think that would go down very well with james though because there's a bit of cross-fertilization

between the at where politics meets history instagram account run by moha and ian dale's fan

club i do get some of the sort of overspill the slop slop, this sort of weird, slightly right of centre,

dribbling, loving, the backwash to Ian Dale sitting in for James O'Brien.

You have a few fans.

A few, a few.

But I know, I know my place.

Eleanor says that we're both authentic.

You can't ask for more than that.

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