Pottering with Tom Allen

This week, I am joined in the garden by the wonderful JB Gill! 🚜 From boyband sensation JLS to The One Show sofa, there's plenty of reasons to know JB, and these days he’s just as at home in a pair of wellies as he is on stage! It was such a pleasure to have him pop by for a spot of Pottering. 🌱 We chat about boybands and barnyards, the beauty of bees, and teaching the next generation all about the countryside on CBeebies. We also hear about his appearance on ITV’s The Box which is all rather exciting! So, without wanting to Beat Again around the bush, pull on your wellies, pop the kettle on and join us for some Pottering. 🪴 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. And please do like and subscribe, or leave a review! @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I was joined among the sunflowers by the fabulous Nina Conti! 🌻 Ventriloquist, writer and director, it was so lovely to catch up and reminisce over our first meeting in Edinburgh many moons ago. Nina is back up at the Fringe next week with the delightfully named Nina's C*nti Cabaret, and do also catch her brand new film Sunlight, available now on Prime Video. 🐒 We chat the snobbery of theatre, monkey business in New Mexico and the shininess of the 80s ladybird. We also briefly discuss growing drugs in our back garden, which is neither medically nor horticulturally accurate. 🐞🌱So yes, take off that monkey suit, pour yourself a refreshing drink and settle in for another dose of Pottering. 🪴 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. And please do like and subscribe, @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back, dear friends, to my garden for another series of Pottering! The sun is still shining, my Pinky Winky are in bloom, and I have a whole host of fabulous guests for you to enjoy. ☀️ This week, I am joined by the ever-delightful Jake Lambert! A hilarious comic and one of life’s marvellous eccentrics, you may be familiar with his splendid social videos or his global stand up success, and it was such a pleasure to invite him into the garden. We chat school bullies, Bee Movie and meditation. And do listen out for some sage advice from Jake on avoiding mouth ulcers. Yes, Pottering is educational too. 🐝 Now, prep the ice bag, pop the kettle on, tea bag in for three minutes please, and join me for some Pottering. 🪴 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify or listen wherever you get your podcasts. And please do comment, like and subscribe, @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another week and more musings from the garden! While Pottering enjoys a small summer sojourn, I’m bringing you another collection of my favourite moments from the series. Clippings, if you will. 🌱 This week, we’ll be joined by Alan Carr, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Sarah Hadland, Ashley James, Ginger Johnson, Henry Agg, Sara Cox and Philippa Perry. From horticultural heroes to dear comedy colleagues, there really is something for everyone! We discuss lunar mysteries and Mary Berry memories, Strictly secrets and drag delights. We explore the highs and horrors of social media and hark back to the humble fax machine. A simpler time. So, slather on the Factor 50, shoo those Cabbage Whites away and join me in the garden for some Pottering. 🦋 Do like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Pottering! And why not send me your garden pictures over on Instagram? I’d love to know how your cavolo nero has got on. 🪴 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An absolute joy this week to be joined among the hydrangeas by gardening guru Henry Agg! 🌸Garden designer and social media sensation, I love Henry’s accessible approach to gardening and was thrilled when he agreed to pop by for some Pottering.Listen in as we discuss Henry’s rather dramatic career change from the glamour of IT recruitment to the garden shed, the mental health benefits of spending time outdoors, and our highlights from this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. Henry also tells us all about his brilliant book, The Weekend Gardener, packed with tips, tricks and a plethora of projects to fill your weekends. 📖🌱So, dust off your trug, pour yourself a glass of something cold, and let’s go Pottering. 🪴🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.And please like and subscribe! @tomallenClick below to discover QVC’s My Garden Escape, whether you're a seasoned gardener or a horticultural novice, it's your ultimate gardening destination. And don’t forget to use the code POTTER for £10 off your first purchase (minimum spends apply, see QVC website for full terms and conditions)https://www.qvcuk.com/content/garden-and-leisure/my-garden-escape.html?cid=PR-IF-Pottering&e22=MGE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining me this week in the gentle summer rain is the fabulous Philippa Perry! ☔ Author, psychotherapist, artist and agony aunt, Philippa is perhaps best known for the captivating The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read, and now her brand new cosy crime novel, Shrink Solves Murder, is out too! 📖Join us for a fascinating conversation, and an occasional visualised therapy session, where we chat writing fiction, why Mum’s comments about my chairs hurt more than they should, and newsletter reading newts. We also discuss whether a chatbot would make a good psychotherapist, and the importance of shagging in our youth. 🤖😘 Do take a look at Philippa’s new book, Shrink Solves Murder, and oh I urge you to follow her on Substack! 👈 So, settle down under our murder gazebo, stop scrolling on Rightmove, and let’s go Pottering. 🪴 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.And please do like and subscribe, or leave a review! Just don't mention the postman! @tomallen Click below to discover QVC’s My Garden Escape, whether you're a seasoned gardener or a horticultural novice, it's your ultimate gardening destination. And don’t forget to use the code POTTER for £10 off your first purchase (minimum spends apply, see QVC website for full terms and conditions) https://www.qvcuk.com/content/garden-and-leisure/my-garden-escape.html?cid=PR-IF-Pottering&e22=MGE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I was joined in my Pottering patch by the glorious Kiri Pritchard-McLean! Stand up comedian, podcaster and all round delight, I’ve known Kiri for a long time so it was such a joy to catch up. 🌸 🐓🌾 Straight from the countryside in her transit van, Kiri arrived with tales of dead rats, learning from the past in her own farming adventures, and her wonderful fostering work. There is also a rather lovely memory involving a stripper in my mum and dad’s kitchen. Ah, wonderful times. Now, pop that kitten back in its box, grab your favourite plant based snack, and come Pottering with us. 🐈 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.And please do like and subscribe, @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we welcomed the wonderful Laura Checkley in to the garden! A glorious actor and brilliantly funny, you’ll know Laura from King Gary, Action Team, Screw, Detectorists and, well, so many things besides! 🎬 🪴 We chat firing guns in Bulgaria, neighbourhood Facebook groups and what growing up gay did to our wardrobes. My bathroom birdsong also gets another mention, what a successful purchase that has turned out to be! 🐦‍⬛ So, stick on that little beanie hat, grab yourself some chicken wings and let’s go Pottering. 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. 🌷 Please do like and subscribe as they say! 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code tomallen at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/tomallen⛵ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining me this week in our little Pottering oasis is the delightful Cariad Lloyd! Comedian, author and podcast sensation, Cariad is co-host of the brilliant Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club with Sara Pascoe, and part of the all-star improv show Austentatious, which is in the West End and on tour throughout 2026, so do check that out! 🌷🎭We chat nineties nostalgia, the wonderful world of improv, yes and hear all about Cariad’s amazing children’s book Where Did She Go? Both proud members of the Dead Dad Club, Cariad has such a wonderfully honest way of chatting about death and grief. If the conversation intrigues you, please do seek out her books, and take a listen to Griefcast, (once you’re all up to date and subscribed to Pottering, of course!) 😉💕🌹 Now, put a bookmark in that copy of Sense and Sensibility, dust off your old DMs, and let’s go Pottering.🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.And please do like and subscribe, @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining me this week in the garden is the delightful Ashley James! Broadcaster, campaigner and Sunday Times Bestselling author, Ashley's debut book Bimbo is out right now! 🌸 We chat about turning our hands to gardening, sometimes at the expense of Dad’s daffodils, the surprisingly fascinating origins of the ‘Crazy Cat Lady’, and the highs and lows of being a woman online. 🐈 🌻 So, switch off This Morning, grab a little sachet of wildflowers, and come pottering with me. 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. And please do like and subscribe, @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oh what joy to have the marvellous Sarah Hadland joining me in the garden this week. 💃🏼🪩 Strictly sensation, such fun sitcom star and a truly fabulous actress, soon to be lighting up the London stage in The Truth.🦊 We chat fox poo, the perils of Slip 'n' Slide and, of course, getting pissed with Alan Titchmarsh. And stay tuned to hear all about a rather alarming encounter with a bull in East Croydon!So, get a sink at the ready (just in case), don those Strictly sequins, and do please join me for some Pottering.🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify or listen wherever you get your podcasts.And please do like and subscribe, @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oh hello, and welcome back to the garden, lovely listeners. 🌱 Spring has sprung, the daffodils are doing their thing, and the doctor is in! Yes, joining me this week is the ever-delightful Dr Amir Khan. 🩺 We had a lovely chat about grief and gardening, his work with the RSPB, and what it’s like being the nation’s favourite GP. Plus, listen in to discover why a rather unfortunate rash brought Amir’s garden centre visit to an abrupt end... 👀 Now, put down that cheeky little rascal, apply your ointments, and come pottering with us... It’s very good to be back. 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code tomallen at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/tomallen⛵ 🎧 Watch on YouTube and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. And do like and subscribe, @tomallen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices