Emma & AJ Get To Work | Interview with Emma & AJ

What interested you in this series?

EMMA WILLIS: AJ and I have so much fun working on The Voice together that we have wanted to do something else with just the two of us for, what feels like, 10 years. We liked the idea of this show because so many people had their lives disrupted due to Covid, and this really highlighted the effects it has had on longterm, family-run businesses and the small start-up businesses who had strived over the past year. The series puts a spotlight on their individual stories and the people we got to meet throughout the series were really inspiring.

AJ ODUDU: From a young age my mum has instilled in me a strong work ethic, we have always been taught to work hard and it’s been eye-opening seeing how many different jobs and pressures other people have. The last few years have been so tough on business, and we loved the opportunity to go in and lend a hand.

You got to spend time in some lovely places all over the UK. Where did you enjoy visiting most?

EW: I don’t think I can pick my favourite. I’d never been to any of the locations that we visited before, but they were all so lovely and each one surprised me. I’d heard of The Mumbles because we all know that’s where Catherine Zeta Jones is from. I imagined it being quite a ‘Kiss Me Quick’ seaside town and then when I got there, it was like walking back in time – I loved it. I also really enjoyed exploring Robin Hood’s Bay and would love to go back and visit with the family. It really goes to show that we have so many incredible places to explore on our doorstep. I suppose that’s one positive of lockdown, that we all got to know our surroundings better and realised we don’t have to travel abroad to explore hidden gems and stunning scenery.

AJ: That’s such a hard question, we have seen some beautiful sights across the whole country, rolling hills, stunning beaches. I think I probably enjoyed driving Emma around and watching the countryside change the most, although I’m not so sure she loved my driving in the same way.

What new skills did you pick up along the way?

EW: Well, I can shear a sheep!

AJ: Shearing a sheep was definitely a skill to learn, although I’m not sure how handy that will be in my day-to-day life?

EW: We also got shown how to make a candle, which was something I’d never thought about trying before. And who knew that making fish and chips is such an art form? You have to put the fish in the fryer in a very specific way and I discovered the existence of chipping machines. I had this image in my head of someone out the back peeling spuds and cutting them up because my dad used to do it as a job when he was a kid. Turns out there’s a massive machine that does it for you! I’d also never been involved in a festival-style wedding before which was quite amazing, so I feel like I’ve learnt a lot along the way.

What did you love most about making the series?

AJ: Working with Emma was so much fun, and I loved being part of a wedding – they always make me cry, and not having been to one while restrictions were in place made it feel even more special.

EW: AJ and I like being busy and doing stuff so when we were told that we could get properly involved at each of the businesses we were like ‘YEAH! Let’s go and get stuck in’. I also loved being able to spend loads of time with the wonderful AJ and witness her exceptional moves in a bear costume!

Tell us about your friendship

EW: Well, we first met way back in 2012 I think, when AJ worked on Big Brother’s Bit on the Side. We never really worked on the same days, so we met but we didn’t have the opportunity to get to know each other. But we got to really solidify our friendship when we started working together on The Voice. She’s one of those people that walks into a room, and you can just sit there and listen – she’s mesmerising! She doesn’t just look like a goddess, but she has the most wonderful brain and she’s incredibly funny, so put all of those things together and you’ve got a perfect specimen of a human. She’s just brilliant and isn’t she just phenomenal on Strictly?!

AJ: Emma is literally the friend you want everyone to have. She’s beautiful inside and out. We met years ago on Big Brother and she was so welcoming. We spoke loads during lockdown and had plenty of zoom quizzes, which were hilarious. But obviously we couldn’t see each other in person, so I was buzzing about being able to spend so much time together and try new things. Not only is she the perfect shoulder to cry on, but she’s also kind, smart, funny, charismatic, and a great laugh.

The first episode sees you visit Mumbles Pier, where family was at the very heart of Fred and Burt’s business. What was your favourite part of this trip?

EW: This visit really highlighted the work that the brothers did and the struggles that they experienced. The pandemic almost caused them to lose one of the only family-run piers in the country, as their grandfather bought it and handed it down through the generations. They really didn’t want to drop the ball, so this was quite an emotional visit and, after a whole year of nothing, they were so happy when we rocked up to help them prep for a family day on the pier and breathe new life into the place. It was amazing to get an insight into how a pier is run and see how much pride they took in what they do.

Next stop was in Aberdeen, where you spent time with a Nigerian homeware business. What did you enjoy most about the weekend you spent with the inspiring couple, Ebi and Emmanuel?

EW: The people. That family were absolutely incredible, they took us into their home and put on a Nigerian feast for us and really showed me part of their culture that I didn’t know anything about.

AJ: I loved everything about it. They have a strong family bond which is something I really empathised with. Family and doing good are the core values I really admire, and I connected with that. I was moved with how much they trusted us with their new business, something they poured their heart and soul into.

EW: It was a really feel-good experience, and their business is brilliant – it’s all sustainable and they import products from Nigeria, so they know exactly where it’s come from and who’s made it. AJ was just in her element as well. She knows what she likes, and she has a vision with things, so setting up a shop…I mean she had all guns blazing! She was quite emotional on that shoot as well which was a side of her, I’d never seen before.

Is candle making going to be a new hobby?

AJ: Possibly – when Strictly is finished and I have a bit of spare time, it could be really relaxing.

EW: I loved the experience and while I don’t think it’s going to become a new hobby for me, I think it could definitely be something for my kids. I brought some candle-making kits home because the company that we visited sold them and the kids absolutely loved them! It’s a brilliant little thing for them to do in the school holidays.

Robin Hood’s Bay is the stop in episode 3. This weekend really packed a lot in, with activities at the Old School House and a wedding! What tasks were you set and how did you get on?

EW: We did alright, I think! AJ and I were really put to task and cleaned a fully functioning canteen, all the bunk rooms and changed all the beds, plus we went crabbing, fed the kids, made their packed lunches and then helped set up a wedding. I mean I’m used to making packed lunches for kids, but not enough for a school!

AJ: We fit so much into that weekend – making beds, making rice crispy cakes, helping paint signs for the wedding party and being the behind the bar, making sure all the guests had their drinks and personalised cups for the day. I think we did alright. The day went without a hitch, and we loved being a part of it.

EW: We got into a bit of upcycling as well, because the couple who own the School House have just opened a store in Robin Hood’s Bay which we visited and helped sand down some of the pieces and set up the desk for the till. And then a wedding! The most amazing wedding, with multiple bands on a stage in a field with tipis and a massive marquee. It was like a mini festival so AJ and I handpainted the sign to help direct people where to go. So yeah, we learnt quite a lot on that one!

Your last visit was with the Red Shepherdess (aka Hannah Jackson). What did you learn about farming?

AJ: Farming isn’t just farming, there is a lot of admin involved, which I didn’t realise. It’s also really hard! You have to be so strong to hold the sheep and shear them and I was so impressed by how entrepreneurial Hannah was. She completely blew away any stereotypes I had of a farmer and I loved how she was using social media to farm in a completely different way.

EW: I learnt that it’s bloody hard work and women don’t stand much of a chance in it because it’s such a male-dominated industry. Hannah really struggled to get into it as there weren’t many people willing to give her a chance, not only because she’s a woman but because she was so young. But she persevered, found a couple of people that believed in her and now she’s 26 with a small farm of her own. She’s also put a digital spin on it because she shares the whole process with her Instagram followers, from the life of the animals right from when they’re born to selling her meat through the app. It’s great because it’s direct from her to the customer. She also taught us how to train a sheep dog, which I was quite good at!

What did the series teach you about running a business?

EW: That it’s really hard work and that you’ve got to know what you’re doing. You also need to surround yourself with the right people. All the businesses that we saw were family run which was a lovely thing to see.

AJ: It taught me that running a business is hard work and you get out what you put in. But, as well as passion, you do need support. You can’t do it alone and should never be afraid to ask for help.

What do you hope viewers will take away from the series? AJ: That if they have a brilliant idea, a new way of doing things, then they should try. It’s an example of what is possible if you persevere. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

EW: I hope that people find it an easy but feel-good watch, and that maybe it inspires people to give it a go themselves. Like the family that we met in Aberdeen, Ebi started the business about a month before Covid hit and then was like ‘what the hell am I going to do’. She thought it was all going to fall on itself and now she can’t keep up with the demand. Maybe we should all give something a go because who knows what might come of it?