Natalie Haynes: Paestum, Italy

Never meet your heroes unless they are Natalie Haynes.

I first met Natalie back when I was a teenager on the comedy circuit. She had one of the best Edinburgh shows I’ve seen (I’ve seen plenty - still the one I most want to go back to and watch again is Al Pitcher and his full moon/wolf show. Natalie had a show with an entire routine about a parrot on a skateboard which might mean I just overly focus on animals but I still think was terrific). She also writes incredible books - her latest Divine Might is the most easily digestible summary of Greek Goddesses you will ever have the pleasure of reading. Relatable, funny and fascinating. She manages to cover the complex and the basic without once being condescending to someone who knows zip all about classics.

When I was starting out doing the Z List Dead List Podcast she not only came and did the show for virtually no money, she also made her self available for interviews. All this while she was busy working on her Radio 4 Series Stand Up for The Classics (new series starting soon!) and her many many extraordinary novels and books.

Also, we both came into fitness later in life and do martial arts: hers is kickboxing, mine jiu jitsu. The question is whether the unspoken threat of violence was any help in convincing Shaun to visit the temples of Paestum. It is an ancient Greek City just casually hanging out in Italy and by rights should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Listen to Your Place Or Mine on Radio 4 at 10am on Saturdays or anytime you please on BBC SOUNDS.