I get to interview someone I have been a fan of for years and years today - the brilliant and iconic Helen Lederer (Ledgenderer more like. It's going to catch on). I found the clip of her on Wogan that I mention in the intro. To make it even more enthralling, it's a real pleasure to see how confused Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan are by the whole thing. Forgot they were on the sofa too! Watch that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIvbOA8XLgw We talk about trying to phone Mickey Dolenz from the payphone at school; crushing on George Harrison; and dating artists. We also talk about Helen's new book "Not That I'm Bitter", which lifts the lid behind the scenes of the comedy world of the 1980s and 90s. It's been described as frank and funny and a bit mad - which I'm pleased to say was exactly how she was in person too. Have I said that I'm interviewing Three Bean Salad's own Henry Paker for the live show at Mach? If I haven't, I'm saying it now. I think there are a couple of tickets still left, so if you'll be at Mach, please come and join us. And come and say hi! https://machcomedyfest.co.uk/show/2024/margaret-cabourn-smith-crushed/ I think that's all the admin for this week. You can find Crushed at Substack, and if you want to follow us there we'd love to have you. You can also sign up for an ad free version of the show if that's your bag. Til next time, Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A brilliant episode this week with the hilarious BAFTA-winning actress Kimberley Nixon (Fresh Meat, Cranford, Agatha Christie's Marple) The automatically AI-generated show notes for this ep included the phrase '(Kim) discusses her rich fantasy life and how she can play out multiple scenarios in her head', but let's be honest: that barely scratches the surface here. From her suave encounter with J Smith Cameron, to sliding in to Megan Ganz's DMs, to her lifelong crush on her husband (d'aww..), you're in for a real treat. As always, if you want to come and hang out at crushedbymcs.substack.com then please do - you can sign up there for an ad free version of the show if that's your bag or just show your love by subscribing for free. A few tickets are still available for our upcoming live show at Machynlleth Comedy Festival with the brilliant HENRY PAKER Love you lots, MCS xxx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest is the amazing Elizabeth Day (How To Fail podcast and author of Friendaholic) who joins me in poring over her many and varied crushes - from a teenage Peter Phillips to Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables - as well as the time she brought a dead bat into school. It was such a funny chat - I loved spending an hour in her company and know that you will too! As always, if you want to find out more, we are crushedbymcs.substack.com – you can join as a member for an ad free version of the show if that’s your bag, or, just come and hang out. thanks for listening! MCS xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a glorious one this week from Cuddle Club's own Lou Sanders! Pin back your ears for tales of chasing boys down in parks, hosting parties to impress boys, and why she'd give it all up for the romantic allure of a cosy retirement with Keanu Reeves.  One. Not. To. Miss.  As always, if you want to find us, we are crushedbymcs.substack.com - you can sign up there for an ad free version of the show if that's your thing, or just come and hang out.  And if you're going to be in Machynlleth for the Comedy Festival in May, get your tickets for our live show. I literally can't wait.  thanks for listening. Love ya! Margaret xxx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now, I'm not a fan of the most romantic day of the year TM. In fact I like it so little that I banned celebrating it when I got together with my now husband and 21 years later, we have yet to eat an overpriced meal in mid-February. So, for a treat this week Isy Suttie and I sat down to discuss V-Day - the highs, the lows, and why it might have been most enjoyable in our primary school years. Hope you like it, whether you listen today with a rose and a glass of fizz, or at your leisure (have the fizz anyway - why not!?) love Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I think you are going to enjoy this episode. My guest is the wonderful Sarah Hadland (who you'll probably know from Miranda, and The Job Lot and Quantum of Solace). She is wonderfully indiscreet about her early crushes/kidnapping attempts (depending on what side of the curtain you were on); and about briefly meeting some of her more famous crushes through work. Her Brandon Flowers story really tickled me. Hope you like it! As always, if you want to find us, we are crushedbymcs.substack.com - you can sign up there for an ad free version of the show if that's your bag, or, just come and hang out. We are hopefully going to announce a new live date soon, and we'll do that there first. thanks for listening! Love ya, Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just squeezing in to January, it's our Best Bits 2023. It was such a blast listening back to the interviews we've had over the last year. It honestly made me want to go back and revisit all of these conversations again in full. So, I hope you enjoy this short dip back into the past. From Alison Spittle, explaining the huge part Morrissey played in her early Crush-life (before he let us all down), to Juliet Cowan sharing my passion for Union Leader Mick Lynch, via Rosie Jones talking about using stand up to help her talk about her sexuality honestly for the first time, and Sali Hughes and Caitlin Moran talking about the love that dare not speak it's name (could you have sexual feelings for a sash window?). And of course my favourite bit from the special anniversary episode with husband of the podcast, Dan Tetsell. A patient, patient, man. We've got some lovely episodes coming up in 2024 - Lou Sanders, Elizabeth Day and Sarah Hadland in the next few weeks, and a special Valentine's Day episode with Isy Suttie for V-Day itself. Stay tuned! (Can you tune a podcast?) And come and join the Substack if you haven't. Even just the free bit, as it means we can send you the occasional email when something super exciting happens. You can also join us there for the subscriber-only ad-free version of the show, if ads aren't your thing. Thanks for listening in 2023. Please keep listening in 2024. Love you! Margaret xxx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is the easily embarrassed Athena Kugblenu, talking about her teen crushes. We dredge our memories for long forgotten 90s boy bands, ponder when an older man is too old and decide whether our allegiance was to George Clooney or Goran Višnjić in the great E.R. Crush Wars of 1999. It's a fantastic episode - not least because Athena seems genuinely embarrassed, and that's always very funny. You can hear more of her in BBC Sounds' DMs are Open which is out now. And more of us next week (or dip into the back catalogue if you haven't for a while!?) As always, you can find us (ad free) on Substack, if that floats your boat. For a little less than $5 a month you can support the show, and stop hearing ads. Or carry on here for a free show, and some ads. It's all good! If you like the show do rate and review it - it's the cheapest way to show your love ;) We have more FANTASTIC guests coming up in the next few weeks. Sneaky peek on Substack soon. Lots of crushy love, Margaret xxx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year Crushos! This episode is a great one to kick us off - in fact it might be my favourite ever episode. Is that disloyal to all the other episodes? I don't know. It's how I feel now. It features the glorious Kerry Howard on starting slow, and ending up a female incel - taking in scenic stops at how best an 8 year old can compliment a girl in his class, and when Jimmy Carr lost his virginity. It's a hoot. By the way, if you hear what sounds like a lot of heavy breathing, it's not, the producer's husband was using a steam iron in the next room, and we didn't realise it was being picked up. Sorry about that! Come and say hello on Substack if you haven't already - you can also subscribe there to get the episodes ad free if you prefer no ads. Or stick right here if you love 'em! https://crushedbymcs.substack.com lots of Crushy hugs, Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi all, this week's show features someone I have known for more than 20 years - writer and performer Barunka O'Shaughnessy, as I think you'll be able to tell from the level of giggling. Barunka has a list of credits as long as your arm, including Motherland, Up the Women and Hunderby. But by the end of this episode you'll know her best as a woman with a fine set of childhood crushes - including indie goth legend Robert Smith. Hope you enjoy it. We'll be back the other side of Christmas with a chat with Kerry Howard about her crushes. We met up a couple of weeks ago, and it was absolutely bonkers, so I'm looking forward to sharing that! If you're subscribing on Substack, there will be a festive Christmas Day episode for subscribers in which Julia Raeside and I do the maths for pretty much everyone in Love Actually. I wanted to find a way to say a BIG thank you for supporting the show this year. I really, truly, appreciate it. And you! So, dip in and find that if you're on Substack. And if not - see you on the other side of the turkey. Lots of love and Christmas hugs, Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is actor and Penny Dreadful - David Reed. I love his attitude to crushes - and indeed, his attitude to this conversation. He said afterwards "sorry if I didn't answer all your questions, I had a lot of things I wanted to get off my chest", and I think this is one of those episodes that really digs in to the the loneliness and longing of early unrequited crushes. It's still a funny episode - don't panic. He's very funny and very charming, otherwise, this would just be therapy. David started out as one of two boys at an all-girls school, so has an unusual take on primary school crushes, and a lot of great anecdotes about the embarrassment and heartbreak of crushing as a teen and young adult. I think you're going to love it. If you're not already subscribing, you can join us at crushedbymcs.substack.com, where you can get new episodes ad-free for around $4 a month. There will be a bonus Christmas minisode dropping there for subscribers on 24th December because I really do want to say thank you for the support. It's an enormous boost - and I don't even mean financially. love to you all, Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holly Burn is my wonderful guest this week, and it's one of my giggliest episodes. You may not know Holly - but she's one of my favourite people. Really open and honest, and this conversation is honestly incredible. We mainly talk about one of her earliest crushes on her friend's brother, and it all gets a bit deep and therapeutic. And very, very funny. Thank you Holly for sharing your inner turmoil so generously. If this wets your appetite for more madness, Holly is appearing in Harry Hill's new film, The Last Caveman, which is out this week. Check it out! Do also check out our Substack if you haven't already. It's building up a stash of articles, extra content from the show, and the occasional candid thing we don't want to put out more widely. It's also the place to go if you'd like to support the podcast in return for ad-free episodes, early access to live shows and subscriber-only content like my Ryan Reynolds story, and a special Christmas episode. I really, really appreciate the support. And if you can't support the podcast financially - tell a friend about it, or leave us a nice review. I love that too. That's it from the blurb this week - til next time, lots of love Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megan Ganz, the amazing writer whose work includes Community and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (and co-host of The Always Sunny Podcast) is my guest this week, as we swap stories about crushes real and fictional, and politely mark our territory with regards to Hugh Laurie. He's mine, back off buster. Expect teenage angst aplenty, alongside 90s nostalgia for the now-traditional animated crush of the week - in this case Trent, from Daria. We'll also have a little insight into one of our former guests (who is also Megan's husband) - my Ryan Reynolds obsession-enabling friend Humphrey Ker. Thanks so much to people who have sponsored us (that can't be the right word, we're not a walk) on Substack or Kofi. It means the absolute world to have you with us. If an ad-free version is up your street, check us out at https://crushedbymcs.substack.com/ And if merch is your thing, check out our merch store https://crushed-by-mcs.teemill.com/ We make absolutely no money from the merch (actually, that's not quite true, we make about 80p per tote bag) but we love merch so much ourselves that we had to set it up. lots of Crushy love Margaret xxx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm so excited to share this episode. I've been looking forward to putting it out since we recorded it with lovely, lovely Sarah Millican at the Leicester Square Theatre in July. In a cupboard, in case you thought podcasting was always glamorous. Sarah was in town recording RHLSTP with Richard Herring, so I managed to catch up with her backstage to chat about her crushes - pure and not so pure. It's a brilliant episode, full of stuff that made me HARD RELATE - and also has some excellent advice for how to tell a boyfriend he's less than fragrant. Not that either of us need it right now. It's also been a big week for the podcast as we've decided to turn on subscriptions on Substack - which is terrifying, and exciting, in around about equal measures. Thanks to everyone who has sponsored us so far - it means THE WORLD. It honestly does. I really want to keep the podcast fortnightly, and we just can't do that without ads and sponsorship. https://crushedbymcs.substack.com/ is the place to head if you want to check it out. The good news is that nothing changes - if you're not in a place right now where you can subscribe, or you dip in and out and you just don't want to right now then that's absolutely fine. We still love you! You can still get the podcast via your normal route, with ads, and those ads help us put the show together. If the idea of an ad-free version appeals - or you want to give us a bit of extra support - head to substack and subscribe - either for a month at $5, or a year at $50. We'll bung some extra premium content there a couple of times a month (it will be things like the first thing we're putting up - my story of meeting Ryan Reynolds backstage at Wrexham). Do footballers call it backstage? It sounds a bit weird. Anyway, if you subscribe this week, that will be waiting for you to enjoy. If you're super-keen, you can also become a Founder where your one-off donation will get you a free ticket to the next live show you can make, and a video from me doing the maths for you and your crush. We've already got 2 founder members (THANK YOU) and I am really looking forward to some extra maths. IT'S SCIENCE. Head to https://crushedbymcs.substack.com/ if you like the show and want it to keep coming. We had some tweets after we set up the Substack that some people would prefer to have the option to pledge on Kofi - and you absolutely can send us a coffee that way if you prefer.              Ko-fi.com/crushedbymcs            So, there it is - hope you stick with us, hope you'll support us if you can. But if you can't afford it and you want to support us another way - recommend the show, share an ep on socials or leave us one of the old 5 star reviews somewhere. Thanks guys - I really love making this show and it means the world that you listen. Love Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Margaret Cabourn-Smith steps into the world of unrequited infatuation with the delightfully frank Anna Richardson, host of Channel 4's "Naked Attraction." Anna reveals her formative crushes and the candid tales behind them, from memorable encounters with Tom Cruise to playful - if unsuccessful - flirtations with Mick Hucknall and the alluring mystique of a certain hot priest. It'll have you reminiscing about your own past crushes, and maybe even blushing a little. Or a lot, when they get on to anuses. For more of Anna's candidness, be sure to check out her own podcast, "It Can't Just Be Me," available here. Anna's podcast promises to solve listeners big dilemmas - from sex and motherhood, to menopause and divorce. Do come and join us on the Substack if you haven't already - we're going to have some merch news for you next week. (Is it just us who love merch? No problem. We will WEAR IT ALL OURSELVES). Love ya, Margaret & Team Crushed x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a bumper episode today - true tales of lust and heartbreak from the fabulous Caitlin Moran and Sali Hughes, sharing anecdotes as only best mates can. This episode is a romp through their lives in crush form, from Hip Hop Dads, to toilet graffiti. Thanks for listening! love you! Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello! In this episode, I talk to Ghosts' Kiell Smith-Bynoe about his crushes and unrequited loves. From a primary school wedding, to dating his parents' best friend's daughter, and falling in love with the prettiest girl on the bus - it's a funny, silly, set of stories. Do come over and say hello on Substack if you haven't - we post there infrequently, so won't bombard you, but it's a good way to get details of gigs when we're doing them. Talking of gigs - we're at The London Podcast Festival on 14th September (tonight, if you're listening early) so looking forward to seeing some of you there. Come and say hi. Especially if you're accompanied by a dog in knitwear. Guests are Caitlin Moran and Sali Hughes. And if you can't make it - I know not everyone is based in London, or keen on live shows - we'll be releasing it as an episode soon so definitely look out for that. I've been told to ask Caitlin about Vladimir Zelensky and sit back... Whatever that means, we will find out! Enjoy the show. Love you! Margaret x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hot off the editing desk, here is a very special episode recorded at the Soho Theatre in last month. A glorious mash up of Crushed and The Guilty Feminist, with one of my favourite stand ups, Sindhu Vee, and one of my first ever guests, the glorious Deborah Frances White. Expect indiscretion galore, plenty of embarrassment and more than a little smut. And if you've got a taste for the live episodes, don't wait a moment longer! Hop over to the London Podcast Festival and book a ticket for our live recording on 15th September with two amazing guests - Caitlin Moran and Sali Hughes! Two for the price of one. Guests, not tickets. And if you do come, please, please come and say hi afterwards. I would absolutely love that. https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/crushed-by-margaret-cabourn-smith/ I think that's all the admin for this week. Love you, Crushos. Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tatty MacLeod joins Margaret to talk about crushes and unrequited love. We talk about the procrastination crush; how a cute guy in a library can improve your mood; and why French and English women approach crushes very differently. We've just announced our guests for the London Podcast Festival - Caitlin Moran and Sali Hughes. Do not miss it, it's going to be a riot. Not literally, hopefully. Though with those two... Tickets available here: https://shop.kingsplace.co.uk/29529/29532 I think we've got enough badges to go round too. Note to self - order more merch. See you next time! Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an Edinburgh special with Non-Censored's Rosie Holt making time to talk to me before she heads to the festival. It's the most wonderful time of the year - I met some of my favourite crushes, and one of my favourite husbands in Edinburgh, after all. Rosie's Crush journey is full of lovely moments - from the Guardian reading, sarcastic boy in the sixth form common room, to the pressure of living up to a will-they won't-they build up. I definitely felt we have a lot in common. Or at least, we'd have fought over the same boys, aged 16. Keep an eye on Instagram if you want to find out how I get on tracking down Ryan Reynolds in Wrexham (this is only going to end in tears), and if you haven't already, please get your tickets for the London Podcast Festival on 15th September - we have two amazing guests and you'll kick yourself if you miss it. That's all for now. See you next time, if I'm not I jail for Ryan Reynolds related reasons. Actually it's fine, we've already recorded the next episode so even the law won't hold me back. Margaret xx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices