Today's offering of The Way They Were will have anyone with even a passing interest in the escapades of The G.C and Arg absolutely delighted, because thanks to comedian and podcaster, James Barr, that's the only way we're going with this ep! Yes, the Burton and Taylor of reality TV started their wild romance in the year of 2012, the Mayans were right to end their calendar then, as the next 10 years was truly the age of Essex. As always, Grainne has spent days in the archives in order to dig out ...
Aug 30, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 98
In today's episode, we see that young love can be just as heartbreaking and nuanced as any adult relationship - especially if the people concerned have stayed at the age of eight for 35years... which is exactly the state of play for Lisa Simpson and her bad boy love interest Nelson Muntz. Yes, that right, we're going all the way back to the golden year of 1996, when our saxophone playing precocious genius, Lisa had her head turned by the local tearaway, Nelson, and for that we have writer, comed...
Aug 23, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 97
STOP ALL THE CLOCKS... CUT OFF THE PHONE... STOP THE DOG FROM BARKING WITH A JUICY BONE... The day has finally arrived when the bell has tolled on Bennifer 2:0. As you can imagine, the WhatsApp group sprang into action to bring you the SECOND emergency episode this week, as Grainne and Chantal invite Viv Groskop back on the show to once again pick over the carcass of this failed A-Lister love. Are JLo and Bennifer Affleck the Burton and Taylor of our times? The jury's out on that one, but have a...
Aug 22, 2024•50 min•Ep. 96
STOP THE PRESS! Another celebrity break-up has rocked our world, so Grainne and Chantal dropped everything to bring us this emergency episode, discussing what happened to make Molly-Mae and Tommy Fury finally call it quits. We hear all the ins and outs that lead up to our star-crossed lovers publicly announcing their split, and we get the answers to all the burning questions including, who owns the house? What's the deal with the engagement ring? And who in their right mind would call their kid ...
Aug 19, 2024•29 min•Ep. 95
In this week's episode of TWTW, we are transported back to the first decade of the new millennium, when the IT girl of the era hitched her wagon to the frontman de jour, and we were gifted with Alexa Chung and Alex Turner stepping out at Glasto and gracing the gossip pages. Comedian Amy Matthews is to thank for finally allowing us a good old dissecting of this much lamented king and queen of indie culture, so get your ballet pumps and skinny jeans on, and we'll see you down at Bungalow 8. Come a...
Aug 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 93
This episode of The Way They Were is far from immaterial, as we take a holiday, with none other than Madonna and Sean Penn! Yes, thanks to author Justin Myers it's 1986 again, and the hottest man in movies just so happens to hook up with overnight mega star, Madonna .... and as you can imagine, everything went really well, with zero dramas... NOT! Seriously. stap in guys, cos Andy Warhol's got something to say about attending the Ciccone, Penn nuptials... Come and see TWTW LIVE at this year's Ch...
Aug 09, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 94
If you've been wondering just when your hot girl summer will begin, well it starts NOW, as Grainne and Chantal are back with a brand new series of The Way They Were. Kicking things off, we have the wonderful author, Caroline O' Donoghe who allows us all to bathe in the hot mess of the mid 2010s when our couple got hitched, right the way to the Covid fever dream that was John Mulaney and Annamarie Tendler's split. It's also worth exploring events that occurred in the aftermath of this twisty and ...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 92
We're so excited to announce that Grainne and Chantal are back with another live podcast recording on October 19th in London as part of the Cheerful Earful Podcast Festival. Tickets are on sale now so get it in your diary! No excuses! Spend your Saturday afternoon with us at the beautiful Bedford Pub in Balham. Stay tuned to hear who our special guest will be... Secure your tickets here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 17, 2024•3 min
STOP THE PRESS! The Way They Were bring you an emergency episode following the demise of one of daytime TV's greatest love stories. Where were you on Saturday 25th May 2024, when Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford announced they are divorcing? Well, Grainne and Chantal were all over the Whatsapp group in the aftermath of this devastating news and saw no other choice than to break their summer hiatus and get back on the mic to share their thoughts and insights of this shocking revelation. Learn mor...
May 28, 2024•21 min•Ep. 91
To mark the end of this epic season of The Way They Were, Grainne and Chantal once again took to the stage to entertain the masses and bring a long lost love story back to life, helping them with this task is comedian and all round good egg, Rachel Paris! But 'who is the couple that will see out the current series?' I hear you all scream... perhaps an icon of pop and their Hollywood A-lister lover? Maybe someone from the royal dynasty... or does it involve someone who was *in* Dynasty?.... no no...
May 03, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 90
This week, the team welcomes a guest from across the pond, as writer, comedian and podcaster Chelsea Devantez ignores the time difference to bring us a couple who are the epitome of late 80s glamour and glitz - plus a firm favourite of Chantal's - it's Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson! On paper this couple had everything, but behind the scenes it was a different story with some rather dark moments to boot. But what would a night out with this pair be like and was that famous moustache a third whe...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 89
Today Grainne and Chantal show their cultured sides, as they rub shoulders with the literati, courtesy of this week's guest, the very highbrow comedian, Jen Brister! Not only do we get to imagine what a night on the town in the roaring twenties with Virgina Woolf and Vita Sackville-West might look like, but we are also treated to some excellent dramatisations of what went down with some award-winning performances by guest Jen and our very own Chantal ... and SCENE! Learn more about your ad choic...
Apr 19, 2024•1 hr
This week's episode is a fever dream for everyone involved, as not only is one-half of this week's couple an actual friend of the show and past guest, but it's perhaps one of the most notorious celebrity romances to have emerged from reality TV. Yes, it's true to say that this week's guest, writer Emer McLysaght played an absolute blinder when she brought the very public saga of Samuel Preston and Chantelle Houghton to the table for us to gorge on. And it would appear the show has now eaten itse...
Apr 12, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 87
In today's episode, hosts Grainne and Chantal couldn't be more decided on which couple thrived and who survived in the power struggle that was Chris Pratt and Anna Faris! Cos if getting hench doesn't signal impending doom, joining an alt-right Christian religion sure as hell will! Huge thanks to presenter and actor Scott McGlynn for finally allowing us some closure with this long-lamented showbiz couple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 05, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 86
Although it's very common to see May to December romances in Tinsel Town, today's showbiz couple raised eyebrows in the gossip pages, when an older woman dared to court a man below her age bracket - but the world was a different place when Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher were stepping out, and now women have no prejudice against them for age, or looks and equal pay, so PHEW! The guest we have to thank for this EPIC tale of toxicity is the fantastic comedian, Olga Koch. As you can imagine, Grainne'...
Mar 29, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 86
In today's episode, we say 'Hello Dolly' to 'Funny Girl' Sooz Kempner, who brings us epic proportions of Hollywood heartbreak, courtesy of a couple who probably STILL lament, 'The Way We Were' even after several decades apart. Grainne and Chantal would cross 11,12 or even 13 Oceans to find out what a night was like on the town with Barbra Streisand and Elliott Gould, no doubt it would be a bit of a 'Mash', but everyone would stay the best of 'Friends'.... Oh, and one of our star-crossed lovers b...
Mar 22, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 84
This week we're breaking down the fourth wall and digging into the weeds of the wild relationship between the OG Newlyweds, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey! Thanks to our incredible guest, podcaster Yolanda Copes-Stepney, we get the chance to relive truly iconic reality TV moments and remember the magic of the noughties... the cream turtle necks, spicy email correspondence and THAT conversation about tuna. So what could possibly get in between these two young, good-looking lovebirds? Money? God?...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 83
This week's ep brings us the final 'Word' on what happens when geeks fall in - and out - of love, as we find out why the king and queen of Silicon Valley's feelings towards each other ultimately went micro-soft. Yes, prepare to nerd out on the story of Bill and Melinda Gates, all thanks to this week's guest, writer and comedian, Daniel Foxx! What would a night on tiles with this pair look like? And did a certain Mr Epstein have anything to do with the romance's downfall? Join Chantal and Grainne...
Mar 08, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 82
Helloooo London! We're back with another live show at the wonderful Museum of Comedy in Holborn. We all need something to look forward to right now and this is just the ticket. Kicking off at 7pm on April 3rd, Grainne and Chantal will be dissecting a brand new couple breakup chosen by our ultra special guest, comedian Rachel Parris! We can't wait to see you there. So that's Wednesday April 3rd at 7pm. Grab your tickets here, friends! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 04, 2024•4 min
Time to cast your minds back to the heady days of 2022 for this week's celebrity mess brought to us by live link-up all the way down under with Australian comedian and actor Michelle Brasier. Yes, this week The Way They Were straddles many time zones, as our London-based hosts speak to our antipodean guest to explore the total car crash that was the romance of Kanye West and Julia Fox. Hat's off to Chantal, who guesses this erstwhile love match in record time, despite the clues set by Grainne......
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 81
And we're back in the room, as we kick off the series proper with the next batch of celebrity guests, bringing us their fave showbiz couples for Grainne and Chantal's take on why things just didn't work out. This week, actor and comedian Sunil Patel brings us a hot mess of 90s East / West Coast, with a story notorious in just about every way, as we find out just what happened when Notorious B.I.G/Biggie Smalls and Faith Evans became the star-crossed lovers of the rap scene... and it would appear...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 80
It’s award season, which can only mean one thing …. Yes Grainne and Chantal are BACK! Before they get stuck in to the latest incredible series with guests such as Sunil Patel, Olga Koch, Daniel Foxx and Emer McLysaght, they are here to give out some trophies of their own, as they announce the nominees and winners of the inaugural ‘Breakie Awards', giving recognition to the stars of stage and screen for their skills in breaking up with their partners gracefully. We also hear from some past guests...
Feb 16, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 79
Ho Ho HOOOOOOOO! It's the Yuletide season and the elves have been working around the clock to bring you a Christmas special episode of The Way They Were! Yes, Grainne and Chantal had their annual IRL meet-up to discuss iconic romances from festive films and which celebrity couples they lament the break-up of in 2023, while also looking ahead to the new year and which showbiz partnerships look to be on the ropes. Grainne does what she does best by giving us her take and a VERY deep dive into Chri...
Dec 22, 2023•46 min•Ep. 78
The long-awaited second part of Grainne and Chantals double bill at The Museum of Comedy with the wonderful Cariad Lloyd is finally here! That's right, if you couldn't make it on the night, then you can finally find out what happened when Cariad transported the room back to the golden age of Hollywood where an extramarital affair could ruin a starlet’s career and get you blacklisted from the film industry... It's soon clear that today's A-listers have nothing on the dramas that befell Vivian Lei...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 77
This episode tells the tale of when Chantal and Grainne took to the stage at the iconic London Venue, The Museum of Comedy with a double bill of brilliant shows. Up first, is the hilarious comedian Alexandra Haddow who was bursting at the seams to unleash the early noughties emo hell that was Pete Doherty and Kate Moss on us all! You'll be pulling on those skinny jeans, getting a ticket to next year's Glasto with your Hunter wellies and running around Primrose Hill even before you get to the par...
Nov 24, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 76
Now, this is a story all about how Grainne and Chantal got flipped-turned upside down by this week's guest Miranda Sawyer, so take a minute and sit right there to learn how Will and Jada became Prince and Princess of Bel-Air, before seemingly abdicating by way of their stranger than soap opera style relationship... It's all here, the weird toxic positivity, the unwanted 40th birthday documentary, the 'open' marriage and of course, THAT slap. So, take this podcast's name out of your goddamn mouth...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 75
Oops they did it again, yes Grainne and Chantal have another incredible guest on the show, who really brings the A-game of celebrity couples for us to pick our way through, so let's let comedian Sikisa, 'hit us baby one more time', as we cry a river over the lost iconic love of Britany Spears and Justin Timberlake! This episode transports us back to a world where the prince and princess of pop's love burned brightly for the world to see, and when Sikisa was no doubt choreographing her own moves ...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 74
Today's episode is a wonderful flight of fancy in which we delve into what we all thought was the teenage dream, but looking back was in fact a toxic hellscape of a relationship, and it's all thanks to brilliant guest, Steve Bugeja! Chantal was 'Saved By The Bell' when guessing who this week's couple was, as Grainne's clues 'Screeched' everything about who they were... and no doubt, you know too that this week, it's TV's teen IT couple, Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski from 'Saved By The Bell'. Do...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 73
In this week's episode of The Way They Were, we're selling sunsets galore with a couple who were PERFECT partners in lockdown, but couldn't really manage the bliss of forever. Comedian Mary O'Connell spent her lockdown well, as she studied a romance which had one ruby slipper in showbizness land and one lace-up brogue firmly planted in the nine to five, when pop icon Ariana Grande decided that estate agent Dalton Gomez was selling the sunset she wanted to walk into. But it didn't take long for t...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 72
This week's episode will cause hysteria for listeners who hail from the Emerald Isle, while those from other parts of the globe will have an education like NO OTHER, as we hear all about the ultimately doomed 'romance' between Ireland's biggest star and her philandering, oboist husband. It's not often you hear about a cheating oboist, but thanks to this week's guest, comedian, writer Tara Flynn, we get schooled in the messy, messy saga of Adele King - aka Twink and her on – off fella, David Agne...
Oct 20, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 71
