Rylan delves into modern love, marriage and life with another celebrity guest in the latest episode of his podcast series, Rylan: How to Be in Love.
In episode four, the Radio 2 and TV star sits down with psychotherapist and agony aunt Philippa Perry to unpack how fame affects relationships and why the perfect partner is a myth.
Philippa opens up about her marriage to artist Grayson Perry, explaining how a simple accident with a coffee pot showed her what real care looked like: “He came downstairs and went, “Oh my God, you poor thing, let me help.” And that hit me like a bullet. I’d never had that before… somebody not blaming me.”
Philippa, who has been married to Grayson for more than three decades, also talks candidly about the so-called ‘plus one syndrome’ that comes with being married to someone in the spotlight: “This person steps in front of me to look at Grayson and goes “oh hi”… it’s really annoying,” she says.
The conversation turns to Rylan’s own love life and the challenges he faces meeting someone genuine in a world dominated by online dating. “I find myself falling into this trap of talking to people, never meeting them… I would never feel confident going up to someone because of my job,” he admits.
Philippa is clear that the search for ‘the one’ is often misguided: “No, they do not exist. What there is, is good raw material… someone in the ballpark.”
She also reveals that she and Grayson take separate holidays, describing how their different interests keep things healthy: “He likes cycling across Spain in the heat and I like lying in the sun and doing nothing.”
Meanwhile, Rylan lifts the lid on his ‘Secret Single Behaviour’ at home: “I might talk to the coffee machine in the morning… some people might think I’m unwell. I’m not. It’s my Secret Single Behaviour,” he reveals.
When asked what he really wants from a partner, he keeps it simple: “One is that you make me laugh and don’t make me cry. And the other one is when I walk into the house, or you walk into the house, you ask me or I ask you, ‘how was your day?’”
Episode four of Rylan: How to Be in Love is available on BBC Sounds and iPlayer from today, Wednesday 18 June.
