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Strangers on a Bench

EPISODE 84: Called To The Fanny

20 Apr 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the concept behind 'Strangers on a Bench'?

4.165 - 22.275 Tom Rosenthal

hello sorry to bother you um can i ask you a slightly odd question um i'm making a podcast um called strangers on a bench where essentially i talk to people i don't know on benches for 10 or 15 minutes um are you up for that do you want to give it a go

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37.983 - 48.757 Ella

Why am I nervous all of a sudden?

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49.098 - 56.588 Tom Rosenthal

Because it's a terrifying proposition talking to a stranger on a bench, no? Because it's just life. And it's all possible. You ready?

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56.868 - 57.289 Ella

I'm ready.

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57.729 - 61.154 Tom Rosenthal

Great. Do you have a favourite day of the week?

62.035 - 72.322 Ella

Not really, no. I guess Friday. But it kind of is meaningless because I work any day. So I think that's just ingrained leftover from school.

72.362 - 75.086 Tom Rosenthal

Yeah. Okay, let's imagine a Friday.

Chapter 2: How does the guest feel about talking to strangers?

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75.847 - 89.286 Tom Rosenthal

You have complete freedom. You don't have to work. How would you spend that day? What for you represents a really good day spent on earth on that Friday? I...

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89.671 - 103.825 Ella

I'm in the very fortunate minority where I love my job. So realistically, probably... Doing the job. Probably doing the job. I mean, it's a fucking slog. Am I allowed to swear?

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104.466 - 105.148 Tom Rosenthal

Just have.

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105.128 - 105.669 Ella

Okay.

106.009 - 108.592 Tom Rosenthal

Well, I've done it now. You've done it now and you are allowed to swear.

Chapter 3: What does a perfect day look like for the guest?

108.772 - 111.175 Ella

Okay. Yeah, it is a fucking slog.

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111.596 - 113.939 Tom Rosenthal

A job? Yeah. Right. But you like a slog. Love a slog.

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113.959 - 120.947 Ella

I would feel like it was a day well spent. I think if I was left to my own devices, I probably would like to sleep in.

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121.167 - 122.669 Tom Rosenthal

You'd just rot away. You wouldn't know what to do.

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123.11 - 127.575 Ella

No. I mean, what I usually do, to be fair, is that this is my favourite place in London.

127.792 - 128.955 Tom Rosenthal

This particular park?

128.975 - 130.7 Ella

This particular bench?

Chapter 4: How does the guest describe their daily routine?

130.72 - 131.803 Ella

Not even this bench.

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131.843 - 132.725 Tom Rosenthal

Is it dedicated to you?

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133.006 - 133.969 Ella

It's not, actually.

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133.989 - 134.39 Tom Rosenthal

No.

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134.53 - 138.561 Ella

But I have made it known that when I die, I will be getting a bench here.

138.895 - 162.591 Ella

yeah all right so you're always on benches here i am usually in this park doing the crosswords on my day off yeah fantastic okay let's do a day off so so far we know you like doing crosswords yeah but if you take me from like waking up what time okay well so basically i don't wake up at a normal time i'm actually waiting to get sleep study done

162.571 - 171.028 Ella

because shift work has slightly ruined my circadian rhythm. So today I woke up at 2 p.m. and then I was like, shit, there's sunshine, must seize the day.

171.38 - 172.441 Unknown

You woke up at 2pm?

172.481 - 184.577 Ella

Yeah, so I ran out of the house, go to a little bakery and get my coffee. I go to the same place every day, which is kind of nice. I like it. It's like a little community. Do they know you?

Chapter 5: What unique experiences does the guest have as a midwife?

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185.698 - 187.781 Tom Rosenthal

How much do you know about them? First name terms?

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188.061 - 195.19 Ella

First name terms, yeah. Quite a lot of people have just left. I haven't met the next gen yet.

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195.831 - 197.353 Tom Rosenthal

Was that a sad moment when they left?

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197.333 - 203.099 Ella

It is kind of, yeah, because I tend to go to the same places always because I like building relationships with people.

203.479 - 205.902 Tom Rosenthal

It is nice to build relationships with people.

205.922 - 208.325 Ella

Yeah, I don't massively plan, I just go on vibe.

208.345 - 209.626 Tom Rosenthal

What are the tactics?

210.507 - 223.02 Ella

One stone at a time? It's hard to get me to shut the fuck up. To be honest, I feel like I'm more just subjecting people to my personality and then eventually they'll lose stamina and think, Jesus, and probably fake that they need the toilet and leave.

Chapter 6: How does the guest handle emotional challenges in their profession?

225.342 - 227.729 Ella

Yeah. I wouldn't surprise me.

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227.769 - 231.696 Tom Rosenthal

Is that how people actually do react to you? No, they don't.

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232.137 - 240.314 Ella

I don't think to my face, no. But I feel like I probably... What do people not like about you, do you think? I think people can find me too much.

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240.674 - 240.955 Tom Rosenthal

Really?

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241.235 - 241.656 Ella

Yeah.

242.378 - 244.001 Tom Rosenthal

But I feel like... Is that their problem, though?

244.422 - 245.644 Ella

Yeah, then go find less.

246.386 - 247.067 Tom Rosenthal

Exactly.

247.773 - 251.259 Ella

It used to bother me a lot as a kid. I was always told I was too much.

Chapter 7: What insights does the guest share about relationships and parenting?

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252.841 - 254.003 Tom Rosenthal

Oh, by who? Everybody?

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254.183 - 263.138 Ella

Everybody. But then I got diagnosed with ADHD like a year ago. So it all sort of made sense. And then I was like, oh, I am too much, but it's clinical. So you can't be mean.

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263.759 - 276.146 Tom Rosenthal

Yeah. What did it do to your kind of general spirit to be constantly told you're too much? I mean, looking at you now, does it look like it's been overly dampened? No. But maybe it has.

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276.907 - 283.513 Ella

No, I feel like out of pettiness, I will continue to be too much and quite annoying.

284.855 - 285.455 Tom Rosenthal

This is perfect.

Chapter 8: How does the guest view their personal growth and future?

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286.356 - 290.681 Tom Rosenthal

When was the last time even you were considered like, I really did go too hot and heavy there?

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291.381 - 317.808 Ella

Probably earlier today. I woke up and I was really excited that the sun was shining. My flatmate at the moment is visiting her parents, so she's got somebody subletting. Luckily this girl is lovely and I really get on with her, but I like bounce into the kitchen when I saw the sun had come out and was like dancing. And I think she was a bit shell shocked. Maybe I'm just a small dose person.

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320.852 - 327.671 Ella

That's really all you need, just like a line. You just need a little bump of my personality.

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327.791 - 332.676 Tom Rosenthal

If I only could have had one question, what one question should I have asked you?

332.997 - 343.889 Ella

That is such a confusing question. What question would I want you to ask me? Isn't that your job? Why am I coming up with the questions for you?

344.65 - 349.515 Tom Rosenthal

What would be a good question? What would really arrow in?

350.153 - 360.949 Ella

What is a good question to ask me? I don't know, because as soon as it'll be in one ear and then something else will pop in. So the question is kind of irrelevant.

361.089 - 374.648 Tom Rosenthal

Yeah. Let's go back a bit. So you woke up at 2pm because you were doing what in the night?

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