How Downton Abbey Saved Our Family (Our Hardest Location Podcast Yet)

How Downton Abbey Saved Our Family (Our Hardest Location Podcast Yet)

Author: Liz Deacle and Brian Deacle September 24, 2025 Duration: 1:04:59

We recorded this week's marriage diary podcast on location under the famous Sycamore Tree in Bampton, the real village of Downton Abbey. But it was harder than we thought.

Downton Abbey has become our family's anchor, so when we found ourselves in the UK close to the location where many of the show's outdoor scenes were filmed, we packed our microphones and set off to record a podcast.

While we were talking about why this show has become a lifeline for both our marriage and our family, a coachload of tourists turned up. I've never felt so awkward and self-conscious in my life. But Brian refused to stop filming.

So you will hear my awkwardness in all its glory...

After a year of loss and leaving our home in New Zealand, Liz and Brian, husband and wife, have been living out of suitcases, feeling nomadic and uncertain.

In this very raw episode, we talk about how binge-watching Downton Abbey has given our family a surprising sense of routine, safety, and connection as we travel the world and heal after loss.

We also open up about the expat's identity crisis, what it's like to not know where "home" is, and pushing through the fear of being seen when you're grieving.

This is one of our most authentic and vulnerable conversations yet, and we hope you enjoy it.

Thank you for joining us, you are what make this happen.

Our hearts

Liz and Brian xx

Kia Kaha.

Liz and Brian xx

PS: If you haven't yet joined my inner circle of friends, my life-letter readers, please do. You will be the first person I share everything with. I'd love to have you. Go here to join us.  

❤️Join my inner circle. Liz's free newsletter is here: https://itsadrama.com/frontrow/

❤️ Like what you heard? Please rate and review the It's a Drama Podcast here, or if you are on Spotify, please review us over there. Your short review helps us massively and encourages us to continue!

🏡 We are staying in an Airbnb in Greece, but nine times out of ten, Brian and I house-sit.

It has saved us approximately $30k in accommodation around Europe.

If you want to join us in using TrustedHousesitters to travel the world, use our exclusive discount code to get a WHOPPING 25% off HOUSESITTING yearly membership. It's cheaper than one night's stay in an Airbnb.

⛑️Safety wing Nomad Travel insurance. If, like us, you are travelling for more than a couple of weeks, then we recommend getting a "rolling pay-as-you-go insurance". We use Safety Wing. They have been brilliant and offer us everything we need at a great price.

💰 ✈️ Travelling overseas and don't want to pay hefty credit card charges? We love the brilliant all-in-one Wise Card. The one card allows you to spend and receive money worldwide. No more annoying charges and the need to face credit cards when you return home. Check out WISE here for ease, availability and the best rates!

❤️ Like what you heard? Please rate and review the It's a Drama Podcast here, or if you are on Spotify, please review us over there. Your short review helps us massively and encourages us to continue!
 

You might think from the title It's a Drama Podcast that you're in for some heavy theatrics, but it's actually the opposite. Hosted by world traveller and best-selling comedy author Liz Deacle alongside her husband Brian, this is a space for the gloriously unfiltered and often hilarious conversations that happen between two people sharing a life and a suitcase. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair at their kitchen table, where the topics roam freely from travel mishaps and cultural observations to the everyday dramas of family, food, and navigating the second half of life with a sense of humor. Liz and Brian’s candid dynamic is the heart of the podcast, offering a blend of laughter and genuine honesty that makes the personal feel universal. You’ll find yourself in the middle of stories that are both frank and funny, often accompanied by the clink of a wine glass and the admission that adulthood isn't always a dignified affair. It’s less about destination and more about the messy, joyful, and relatable journey, making this a uniquely comforting listen for anyone who appreciates real conversation served with a generous side of comedy.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

It's a Drama Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How's Life Alone? Tessa. (Behind The Scenes) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:14
This week's podcast is a behind-the-scenes chat with Liz and her daughter, Tessa. Tessa (19) is a regular guest on the podcast. Since her last visit, she has flown the nest to start a new life alone in the capital city o…
Up Yours, Hugh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Duration: 45:02
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Banging on the Ceiling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:10
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All Down Hill from Here [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:51
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Wedding Thug [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:34
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Laughing all the way to the BANK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:39
Ohh...you're in for a real chuckle today peeps! Victor Hugo famously said that "laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face." Hmm. I'm not sure if I'd go that far. I just spent forty-five minutes laughing…
The Birthday [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:29
Last weekend, Big Bri celebrated his birthday, and, as promised, in this week's episode, we are going to share ALL the juicy details as to what it looks like when you turn the corner of another decade in New Zealand! Enj…
Bye-Bye 50's [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:40
Guess what day it is tomorrow?? Go on. Have a guess. It's Bri's birthday. That's right; tomorrow is Bri's big SIX-O! And what better way to celebrate the end of one's sixth decade than by making a podcast with and for th…
Was it Even Worth it? Cost of a Weekend in Wellington, NZ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:42
Liz and Brian are back from their four-day long weekend in Wellington, New Zealand, where they spent three nights housesitting and spending time with their daughter. In this week's show, they share the exact cost of what…