YVIE Breaking meows: Timple talked on radio

The mezzo-soprano from Methlick and vocal coach to the stars

Ifind it hard to tell now what counts as an exciting week. I’m so easily pleased these days. I honestly find loading up my cupboards and fridge a lot more exciting than I should, and bumping into someone I know when I’m out for a walk and having a socially distanced chat can make my day.

So this week I’ve done a few things which are even more exciting than that.

The first noteworthy event was my cat Timple speaking on the radio.

Yes, you heard me right. I did say speaking.

Those of you who have been reading this column for years will know that I reckon Timple can say quite a few words. His best one is “Mum” which he always says when he comes home, and often in the style of a stroppy teenager if I don’t give him attention. “Muuuuuummm” can be heard very loudly even if I’m teaching singing with the door of my studio closed.

His next trick is to scratch on the door and say “time”, especially if he thinks the lesson is encroaching on his lunch hour.

He has one other word which we get very rarely, but anyone who hears it has a complete double-take. This word is “hello”, and again it is usually used very much in context if he is being ignored.

So how did his talent end up on the radio?

Carol Vorderman does a Saturday show for BBC Radio Wales. Her theme this week was talented pets, so of course I sent her a little video of Timple saying “Time, time, hello”.

She played it to her listeners to see what they thought and we honestly laughed so much when we heard his dulcet tones being played on air. Strangely enough though, I haven’t had any phone calls from agents wanting to sign him up!

No sooner had we got over that excitement than I announced to Gordon that he needed to help me dye my hair. I’d had enough of the black strip across the top of my head and it was time for action.

I think Gordon quite enjoyed it and was certainly very chuffed when I put the finished results on Instagram and people, including my London hairdressing salon, were applauding his efforts.

I think the highlight of our week was being asked to do a day’s filming by Channel 5.

In the summer, I went into London to film with them because, of course, lockdown restrictions had eased. This time, however, they sent all the camera equipment to our house and we did a Zoom call with the producer, director, camera supervisor and sound man. It was so enjoyable to be working and they were fun people to spend the day virtually with.

Thankfully, Gordon was really up for the challenge of putting together all the equipment and following detailed instructions on how to work it all.

This programme we were filming was about different musical decades, and in a few weeks’ time it’s going to be the ’80s. Gordon, of course, was responsible for signing many successful acts at that time, so after they had filmed me, Gordon was promoted from behind the camera to in front of it.

He reckons he didn’t really enjoy talking on camera but absolutely loved setting up the equipment.

But who knows, it might not just be agents calling to book Timple. Gordon might be getting his own series.

If the past year has taught us all anything, it’s that we can be a lot more flexible than we used to be. We have learned to make do, try new things, cope with technology, even if we didn’t want to, and most of all to enjoy anything that gives us a moment of light relief.

This week, the talk is of heading towards an exit from lockdown and possibly getting back to as near to normal life as we can by the summer.

I just hope we don’t forget how far we have come and how we have coped without having it all. I for one am not in a big rush to go to some exotic location. I will be happy with whatever we are allowed to do because I’m more easily pleased, more grateful for little things and I want to try to stay feeling like this.

I’d love to know things that you have learned to do in lockdown and intend to continue with.

I’m sure we have all become better cooks if nothing else.

Those of you who let me know you tried my simple banana pancakes, including Tony, Jean and Sheila, I’m glad you liked them.

Have a good week,

MANE MAN: Gordon is pictured having a go at dyeing Yvie’s hair and getting ready for his TV appearance. BURNETT