Cockney & Son
Cockney & Son: Two Generations, One London is what happens when I sit down with my straight-talking, old-school Londoner dad to try and make sense of the world we’re living in today.
From parenting and politics to prices and pronouns, nothing’s off-limits — and trust me, nothing gets sugar-coated. We see life through two very different lenses, but it’s all grounded in laughs, honest opinions, and the kind of unfiltered banter only a father and son can get away with.
Whether you remember phone boxes or need subtitles when he starts chatting, this one’s for you.
Cockney & Son
Holiday Madness, Tube Strike 2.0 and Stop Overthinking
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Back to reality… and it’s chaos.
After what feels like half a year of kids being off, back-to-back holidays, ferry trips, theme parks, and a household bug wiping Rich out, we’re finally back behind the mics — just about holding it together.
This week on Cockney & Son:
- Bit of a Natter: The madness of post-Easter life, juggling kids, travel, and trying to get back into some sort of routine
- Adam & Eve It: Tube Strike 2.0 — have they gone too far this time? Honest opinions incoming
- Say It Like Steve: “Most people overthink things that don’t really matter” — and why we all need to just crack on sometimes
- Bleedin’ Dad Jokes: Dark, questionable… and probably our best/worst yet
Real life, proper opinions, and a lot of chaos — just how we like it.
If you’ve ever needed a break after a break… this one’s for you.
🎧 Cockney & Son: Two Generations, One London
New episodes every week – unfiltered chat, real opinions, and a proper bit of banter between father and son.
Got a question or topic you want my dad’s take on?
Send it over on Instagram: @twodadsinlondon
Thanks for listening — if you enjoyed it, give us a follow, leave a rating, and share it with someone who remembers when milk came in bottles.
Cockney and son. Now don't be dafty. We've got proper opinions and plenty of graft. Old school chat with the podcast twist.
SPEAKER_01So stick the kettle on you don't wanna miss Cockney and Son two generations who are London. Go blame it, Governor.
SPEAKER_02Hello everyone, and welcome back to Cockney and Son episode eleven. We are back live and back on track. Yes. After what happened? Well, I will get into that. What happened? It's back to reality this week. The kids have basically been off for about half a year. Richard's been wiped out, and somehow we're all meant to just snap back into routine like nothing's happened. Safe to say it's been chaos coming up. We're talking post-Easter madness. Why you somehow need a break after a break, and you've got some thoughts on why we overcomplicate life a bit too much. You have no idea what's going on. I know. Like normal. So on today's bit of a natter, we're talking about back to routine. So this did feel like the kids had been off for a very, very long time. It did seem like a long time, didn't it? First thing I'm gonna say is single parents, I take my hat hat off to you.
SPEAKER_00You can see the stress.
SPEAKER_02I was stressed. Like, firstly, if you're unaware, the kids broke up back in January. They broke up and I took them straight to Halen Island by myself, didn't I? Yeah. And let's I know that everyone's gonna say it's it's fine, it's easy, but the kids are full on. Yeah. Yeah. They're at those ages now, gonna be eight and eleven, so into very different things. Old school, back in the 70s, yeah. I took them to a beach which had big rocks, and that entertained them both for like two hours. Yeah. So that got rid of one day.
SPEAKER_00It was good because like throwing the old stones in, weren't they?
SPEAKER_02Throwing big stones at no, throwing stones at bigger stones to break into little stones.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, exactly. Yeah, why not?
SPEAKER_02And it was free. Yeah. It was free. Hailing Island on a budget. Exactly. I didn't even pay for the caravan. That's what you want. That's what you need. So I took them to the Hailen Island, didn't I? And then you used came down on the Saturday.
SPEAKER_00Calmed down, got in that swimming pool of like ice water.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Did he give you post-traumatic stress disorder, reminded of when you jumped off the Titanic that time? It was terrible. Women and children and post-men first. It's phrasing, wasn't it? Yeah. I didn't I didn't really notice it. From there, we drove home. I had one day to repack to then go off to Holland for the week. So I'm not I know it sounds like I'm moaning about all these things. All these holidays, yeah. It is stressful. Yeah, it must be. You know, imagine like some people didn't go away at all. Easier, they don't have to do nothing. Yeah. So then obviously, put reality into it. Richard came down on the Friday because he Thursday? No, Friday. He didn't come on the Thursday. Did he? No, he stayed an extra day to get his mortgage work done. Oh, okay. So whenever it's the school holidays, Richard always seems to have a lot of backed up mortgage work. So then I'm single handling the kids, like life, myself, do you know what I mean? Getting things prepared. You got barbs of the tissue, I'm welding up. Eggs were melting in the back of the car. So obviously Holland was amazing in the world.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, good, I had a great time.
SPEAKER_02You had a good time here. I did. You did? Me and Bill. I had a call from the neighbour saying, You've either been broken into or there's a ghost. Because I keep seeing this old man, and you looked quite similar to the old man that used to live in this house. Yeah, it's imagining that shed. I'm scared to extrafate anything out the background. I can imagine. So then we go to Holland, which was really good. Yes. It was stressful, because obviously it's theme park swimming, theme park swimming, theme park swimming. Well what's I say? I didn't even have time to sit down. There's four kids, eleven, eight. Yes, it's it's four A-Lobs, don't it? Six. Well, come back, yeah. So this is where things get even more actually stressful. Come back. So you have to get the ferry back, and it gets in five o'clock in the morning, and you have to you they give you like 30 minutes to get off this boat. So it's kind of like we're trained for.
SPEAKER_00What happens after 30 minutes then?
SPEAKER_02It goes back to Holland.
SPEAKER_00Oh it's just like holler. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02They they push your car off into the water. And it was Richard's dad's birthday. Okay. Right. So we go off the boat at five, and then they wanted to go for a walk around Hyde Park, yeah. Before we went for dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. Now, before I get into it, there's been no why do you walk around St.
SPEAKER_00James's Park that's nearer?
SPEAKER_02I don't know.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_02Hyde Park without we went to Wonderland, it's just a big open space.
SPEAKER_00It is, yeah, it's massive, isn't it?
SPEAKER_02There's been no evidence or anything to confirm that the restaurant we dined in for Richard's dad's birthday had anything to do with the family members getting this bug.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_00It could have been anywhere, couldn't it? Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So I won't mention the restaurant. We went to this really nice restaurant. Yeah. It all went downhill from there, and then Richard got like a 48-hour bug where he lost eight pounds. Yeah. And he looked very pale, he did white. He did. But using my bedside nursing skills, I just locked him in the bedroom. Yeah. And painted a black cross on the door. Yeah. And said, You manage ten days in COVID, two days is nothing.
SPEAKER_00But he was he's suffering, wasn't he? He had the old Avenge on it.
SPEAKER_02We laugh about it now. Well, because he doesn't listen to the podcast. But he goes, because he said it really light up so it goes. He's thrown up in the night, apparently, because I slept in with the girly. Yeah. And he's going, I just kept thinking, if I choke on the music, no one's gonna know. But he's like this. And I just couldn't catch my breath. And he was really going into details. But I think that's where um a panic attack, was he? No, no, no. I think he would just obviously when you know when you've been sick and you just like don't know when it's gonna end. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And plus it was coming out both ends, yeah. So I gave him a bowl. Yeah, no. It's the bar wash bells pausing. Oh. Sorry, Bell. So yeah, so if with everything going on, it felt like a lot longer than two and a half weeks. So that's my life. What have you been up to? Well, you know, I was here, wasn't I? Yeah, but I'm saying what did you get up to? Well, actually, we've done I got you out of the show on Haley Island. You enjoyed that show. It was good.
SPEAKER_00I ended up going to um South Sea. Yeah, with the kids. To uh like this sort of modern arcade. It was like neon lights and it was like a bit confused. It was very, very modern wandering around. And very like, you know.
SPEAKER_02Where's the penny machines? Yeah, where's all the where's the pinball machines?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Oh, they had a couple of pinball machines, but I mean some of the machines out there is like frightening, really. But you had a good time there. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02The kids loved it. Although it's they they just live in their own little world where they think this is normal. Well, they're just here, there, and everywhere. Yeah, yeah, of course.
SPEAKER_00And now I mean they they I mean, for for a look for a little caravan site, they do like it down there, don't they? Yeah, they love a caravan and the little and the little fun fair that's down there. Yeah. I mean, we went when we came back from the arc the arcade thing, there was a firework display.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Which they loved. Was it free? It was free, yeah. Because we just pulled onto the beach, opened up the sunroof, they just stood up looking.
SPEAKER_02I don't know why. If you really look into it, like if you can be bothered, there are lots of things for free. Of course. Like on that day where I w where I went to the beach, I looked at Portons, you know, Portons Park or whatever it's called, yeah. Pipp Pepper Pig World, or whatever, because that was about an hour drive. Yeah. And that was, if you booked on the day, it was like 50 quid per person. So that would have cost me like 150 pounds to take the kids. And then there was like a swimming thing that was ridiculous, and I ended up going to the beach, yeah. Free. Then I went to feed the alpacas, and that was a pound for a little bit. Easier. There's a pound a bag, yeah. And I spent, I think that was about five pounds I spent. And then I did spend 16 pounds each on the kids for their wristbands. Yeah, yeah. But they was in there for like three hours.
SPEAKER_00I know this, I mean for the size of the the uh fanfare and the rides, it is it's got money, good value for money, isn't it? No, yeah, I mean you've done well really to entertain them on your own, Danny till we arrived.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I just want to say, like, obviously, jug those those parents out there that have to juggle work, yeah, like a job that you go to, you know, if you're a single parent, then the childcare on top keeping kids entertained. Because I can't stand that stuff, which I know we've spoken about before, like the paying 50 quid for like an hour.
SPEAKER_00I'm surprised some of these places are still open, the prices they're charging, you know.
SPEAKER_02It's insane. The funny thing is, they've only got five weeks.
SPEAKER_00And I think there's a bank holiday in there. There's a bank holiday, uh yeah, you got one early bank holiday, early May, which is yeah, and then you got one at the end, didn't you? Which is a school holiday. They should have they should change the one of the bank holidays. You don't need two bank holidays in the same month. Tell that to people that work in a job that they don't want to be there. Yeah, I know, but I mean you could get you know, you could have another uh month with with another bank holiday. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I'm glad to have some normality back with the kids being at school. I've been in the garden. Yes, you have. I've felt it. I've really felt it in my life.
SPEAKER_00Well, that garden's hard work, isn't it?
SPEAKER_02As we were saying, a couple of episodes ago, it was hard work. I need to go back and change my mind about Astroturf. I've just got to get one big sheet of AstroTurf to the back, job done. Everyone falls over and get burns. Yeah. Bell bell sticking to it, she can't get back. Uh but yeah, I've been impressed with what I've been able to get done in the two days. And I'm just looking forward to some normality. Back to the podcast.
SPEAKER_00Yes. I imagine people must be wondering what's what went on.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00It was like, where is it? Where's where's the episode?
SPEAKER_02I mean, all the DM. Can only say DMs, all the DM about it, and that was from you. But yeah, we're back on track, but with everything positive, yes, comes the negatives. What's happened?
SPEAKER_01Adam and Eve with you. I can't believe it. Adam and Eve.
SPEAKER_02It's time for Adam and Eve it, and it's been a while since you've spoken about something that's current in the news. It is. Something that may cause upset to the followers and the listeners. This topic you have touched on before, and we do I think you did get some trolling. Are you prepared for trolling 2.0? Okay, so what are we talking about today?
SPEAKER_00Well, another tube strike.
SPEAKER_02I mean Right, okay. So in London today, yeah, there is a London underground tube strike. 24 hours. 24 hours, not overground.
SPEAKER_00No.
SPEAKER_02Just the just the underground. Just the underground again. Okay. So what is what did they get what they wanted in the last tube strike?
SPEAKER_00They got their pay rise. Right. Right. And this one is they they've been they went in a four-day week.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Part of the deal. Which they had now been offered a four-day week. But they're saying that they might have to the four days, they might have to work longer, hours. Yeah. And now they're complaining about that health and safety and tiredness and so what did they want last time? Well, again, paying paying conditions, didn't they? They wanted to go down to a thirty thirty-two hour week or something. Right. From a thirty-five, but they still wanted the same money. So did they not get that? They might they did get it, but they but now they want but but the conditions were that the that the hours would be a bit longer. Yeah. You know, so if you're gonna work four four days, you've got to put in more than more hours. If you're working for thirty-two hours, you've got to put the hours in. But they they're saying it might be they might get fatigued, tired, you know, no breaks.
SPEAKER_02Well But I'm confused. So so this strike today is that continuation from la last strike?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they're gonna be a little bit more than it. Yeah, because they mostly was told that they were going to get a four-day week. Oh, and they still so the okay the the the management that said, right, for that week you we you might have to work you know, longer hours. So the the unions went, Oh no, I'm not having that. Okay, so let's let's do a bit of improv. So you know, so you people people that are trying to get to work again. Yeah. And people that you know you have to get the bus. Well, no, it's yeah, and also like people that have like come into London for you know see the sites to get get to see a show or something, you know. Or they might have tried to do my loo on location. I mean once it once the tubes are gone through it, the buses are running. But the the the queues and uh it's it's ridiculous. You could just can't get about. Okay, so and they get well paid as well, you know, you know, isn't it? They must you know, the amount of times they go and strike can afford it, can't they?
SPEAKER_02Because last time we said Yeah, and I think the thing that got up some people's noses was the skills the skills it took to actually drive the underground. Like I get it, it's underground, and you said, well, that comes with the job because of the name of the job.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well yeah, they get a bit like underground. Yeah, they get they get stressed and they are working in in the tunnels by miners. Yeah, yeah. Um you go for a job in the underground. I got told you get on the tube and then you get stressed because you're working underground.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I'm not so again, this is this is not fact. Yeah. This is that's what you have to say on social media now. If you want to say something and not get sued, okay, you have to say this is for entertainment purposes only.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, entertainment purposes only, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So this is for entertainment purposes only. Yeah. I got told that tube drivers now, it's so advanced the the driving that they don't actually do anything, they just open the doors or they just push a button.
SPEAKER_00Well, I mean, in some countries don't have drivers, do they? So automate automation, eh?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You know?
SPEAKER_02So do you not think that oh god, sounds really bad because you'll be getting rid of a load of jobs. But do you not do you think there is an actual way to make London Underground operate without sure the technology's there?
SPEAKER_00Because if other countries do, I mean, look when we go to Paris. We get the Eurostart at Paris, then we have to we get a train across the metro the metro train across the other side to get the tr the other train. Don't they have those buttons? Don't they think the kids were playing with it? They're like Dockland Railways, they got no drivers. You know. Well other countries are seem to be doing fine, you know, they've got to be careful, you know, because one day it may all come in.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. What would they do if they said, right guys, we've got six months and then we're activating the AI.
SPEAKER_00Well, they got rid of the uh the um the guards. There used to be a guard on the train at the back, didn't they? He was the one that opened the doors. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I always remember not a train, but the bus conductor the ticket. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Got rid of all them.
SPEAKER_02Imagine that nowadays.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, but the thing is that I mean them drive, then but the bus drivers, then you you said to take the money, but now they don't take the money. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's all so you are the head of Ludden Underground who makes the decisions on this, yeah?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02These are a fact, what you've just said. I want to work four days, but I don't want to work longer. What is what would you say in that situation?
SPEAKER_00Well, you know, you you can't have it both rates, can you? Yeah. You wanna you want a 32-hour week, you've got to work the 32 hours, surely. Yeah. You know? So that's a no for the yeah. No, no, but when you think that when you think that some jobs are like 12 hours, you know. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I used to work 12 hours.
SPEAKER_0012 shifts and all that, yeah. That's what I mean.
SPEAKER_02I didn't go, oh, I'm I might accidentally inject them in the wrong.
SPEAKER_00And they get well paid and they get you know, they get good holidays, you know, it's just you know and you can see why people get the um, they pay good money.
SPEAKER_02Do you know what they should do? Not if it's about being underground, they should just buy one of those clocks from Liddell. Oh what's and just put sun UV sunlights in the room. Surely that's the thing.
SPEAKER_00It's just it's yeah, you're trying to get to work. Yeah. You know, when people get people to travel into the main line stations in London, then they some of them might have to get a tube to their office. Alright, so last it's just holding a ransom all the time, isn't it?
SPEAKER_02Final fault on the tube on the tube drivers. Yeah. Do you know any personally?
SPEAKER_00No.
SPEAKER_02Okay. Right. Tell them how you feel. Tell them what London is feeling at the minute.
SPEAKER_00Well they're they're obviously upset again. Yeah. Because it's like and there's that one it was Tuesday to wednesday, and it's gonna be Thursday to Friday. Well, another one. But the thing is, when they go and strike, they've they walked out at twelve o'clock midday, and they're supposed to go, it finishes today at midday. But when they go back to work, there's always delays. They don't the trains ain't running perfectly again, and you figure why.
SPEAKER_02So again, we are saying bring in the robot drivers.
SPEAKER_00Well, just you know, why do you keep going strike? Like, you can't let everything your own way.
SPEAKER_02Remember what I said before? If they got if they did an outreach of like 18-year-olds, yeah. Yeah. 18 or graduates or whatever, become a London tube driver and do it for two years and we'll clear your university.
SPEAKER_00They get I mean they get perks as well. They get, you know, they the the tube drivers that and the they're a member of the family get to get free travel, you know?
SPEAKER_02So what you're saying is you're lazy. Well, I'm not saying they're lazy, but get under the ground. It just seems push that button and just get under the thing that they want to bring in. They don't they not have music? I suppose it's a distraction, but if they're not driving it, give them a U uh give them a sun lamp and an Apple iPod.
SPEAKER_00Well, when you think that they're what how many how many minutes in between each station? I don't know. I don't really get the London underground.
SPEAKER_02There we go. That is your views on the strike. So now prepare for Karen to DM.
SPEAKER_00Fair enough that they've got their opinion. You're out of order. Well, that's that's a print, isn't it? But the thing is, is they're you know, these people that if they didn't work for London Underground, they'd mostly be thinking the same, wouldn't they?
SPEAKER_02They're the spouses who are getting the free transport, that's why. Otherwise, Karen won't be getting to be able to get into Central to go into bingo. Yeah, exactly. But you know. Right. Ending it there. London, sort it out or get robots, basically. Don't sugarcoat it.
SPEAKER_01Sometimes in life, you just gotta say it like Steve.
SPEAKER_02So it's a statement. Okay. Short and sweet, please. Okay. Okay. Most people overthink things that don't really matter. Yeah, that's quite yeah, that's that yeah, people do. So, what's your take on simple living? Well So obviously that is basically saying that people overthink. Nowadays, when people say stuff, like obviously you said before that you can't really say what you want to say. And even when you say the the cotton, what's it wrapped in cotton wool version, they still can't woke. They still can't take it.
SPEAKER_00No, it's woke. It's yeah, it it's uh yeah, people overthink stuff.
SPEAKER_02It's yeah, but it it it's more about what people are thinking. Yes, they do have they do overthink things, and then like what do you what is something that you think people overthink about?
SPEAKER_00Well, it's just modern life, isn't it? You know. It's all going to hell.
SPEAKER_02Well, it's not, you know, uh, it's obviously you're gonna get different generations talking about it, but it's like Because I just don't think like it was so straightforward as much as you think it was back there, where you didn't go, everyone was so blunt and brutal with what they think that it didn't affect anyone.
SPEAKER_00No, it's right.
SPEAKER_02It's but as you say, but now it's secret you did it, you all kept a straight face, went home and cried.
SPEAKER_00No, but no, no, no, no. But it's like you just it just seems like you used to talk about things, but now you you try and you talk about things now. But you've got to be careful what you say. Because you know, you know, some someone at work might be like going through a rough spot and you try and comfort them. Yeah, and then you might say something that upset them. It's like the other day, you know that programme, the repair shop, whatever it's called. Yeah. People take old stuff in there. Well, anyway, they found Bob Monkhouse, the old comedian. Yeah. His old joke book. Anyway, he's falling in a bit, so they took it into the show. Yeah. Anyway, one of the researchers, someone made a couple of jokes, got upset with some jokes, and they wouldn't put it on the programme. What are the jokes? Can we use them for our section? Well, I mean, oh he he he was a family entertainer, he obviously when he done his obviously when he done his yeah not on the T V shows, and he was doing his going around the country doing his acts, he mostly told a few Yeah.
SPEAKER_02But that's what it was back then. It's like finding anything to do.
SPEAKER_00But why read it, you know? Yeah. You you was told to repair it, not read it. I mean, did you get permission to read what was inside? That's like it's like eating reading someone's diary without their permission, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Fifty years time and someone having a DVD of Ricky Gervais.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but it's that one that one person has read read what what whatever they they they read and it they oh I I don't agree with that. No, the world So they gone to their they gone to the their boss I don't agree with that and this boss has gone Okay then we won't put it But shouldn't the boss say well you shouldn't have read that you should only be repairing it Yeah You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02It's not it's not about what yeah your skills are repairing not reading Yeah exactly get on with the manual work Yeah you know But you if he said that it'd get upset you didn't know who Bob Munkenhouse was but it's you know it's it's it is a shame where you know you got sometimes you got a you you gotta walk an egg girl's ready I I read something if this was more about people overthinking things that it's something like you you worry or you overthink something a hundred percent but the thing that you're overthinking the person or people are actually thinking about that one percent. Yes so basically it's like people aren't really thinking about the things that you are overthinking about.
SPEAKER_00Yeah yeah but you you know sometimes people overthink they get and make they're getting stressed in a call and a steak in a stake do I so stop overthinking yeah and just crack on get on with it right have a laugh have a good arm vitamin D.
SPEAKER_02Yeah right it's time to make each other laugh with the bleeding dad joke get ready to laugh it's now time for the bleeding dad joke oh you don't have a notepad this week you have just a little bit of paper ripped out of your notepad can you get a smaller bit of paper next time I should notepad I'll use that one oh my god and are you sure so we've had text messages and now you're unprepared what was if we got picked up by a live production company hang on I know you're paying three grand for this podcast episode with a little bit of paper right I went first last time to first go well the other day right what I bought a book that's not true right how to how to survive on ten pounds it was only twelve ninety nine That's quite good that one okay mine are quite dark yeah because I was just feeling a bit like overwhelmed overstimulated from Easter break why is it that if you donate a kidney people love you but if you donate five they call the police sounds good so you know we talked about a tube a minute ago yeah I went to two closing the other day right I lost I lost my balance on the uh escalator yeah I was falling for three hours it's actually true but we we have lost your balance on that right ready yeah go listen to this one I'll just try I was digging in our garden the other day and I found a chest full of gold coins I was about to run inside and tell my wife but then I remembered why I was digging the garden I was gonna bury her. Yeah of course okay so I hope you enjoyed this week's episode unless you are a tube driver yeah yes well you bury a tube driver's wife yeah plenty of time to listen to it yeah but we will see you next week which will be May right yes yeah already do you know what they do in May do you know what the in-sync thing is for May the the song no it's gonna be May do you know that no oh god you're so old anyway May and we're gonna talk about that because I've got two birthdays to celebrate yes you have again so close to each other and it's only gonna cost me£8,000 yes of course and that's just going somewhere for an hour drink donate any brands out there want to donate their services let me know that's it for this week's Cockney and Sun if you had a laugh hit follow or subscribe whatever button's in front of you leave us a review if you're feeling fancy and don't forget to share with someone who loves a bit of a moan. We're on Instagram and TikTok at Cockney and Sun so come say hello. Thanks again if you've made it this far and until next time cheers from the old man and the not so young one.