Helena Nicklin, Aidy Smith and Eddy Temple-Morris tell Chris Evans about The Three Drinkers in Cognac

Virgin Radio

23 May 2023, 10:36

Helena Nicklin, Aidy Smith and Eddy Temple-Morris joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with cinch to talk about new series, The Three Drinkers in Cognac.

Following The Three Drinkers Do Scotch Whisky (2019) and The Three Drinkers in Ireland (2022), award-winning drinks duo Helena Nicklin and Aidy Smith’s show is back for its third series, with all four episodes available now on Prime Video, and our very own Eddy Temple-Morris joins as a special guest ‘Third Drinker’, as does food culture and travel TV presenter, Eulanda Shead-Osagiede.

Speaking about the new series, in which they embark on a cultural and gastronomic journey in and around the picturesque French region of Cognac, Helena told Chris: “Our big challenge was trying to get Eddy to love cognac, because he is a self-proclaimed dark spirits… hater?”

“Sceptic,” Eddy interjected.

Helena continued: “We took him on a journey, because we wanted him to live and breathe cognac. So, we started in the vineyards, and then we took him into where they distil it. And then the tasting definitely helped.”

Speaking about how “It's not brandy per se, it's just neat alcohol. I'm not that guy,” Eddy told Chris: “That’s where I began, but these guys’ incredible knowledge and passion and dedication, and telling me the whole story of what's in a bottle, I got there.”

Eddy explained: “I'll tell you what swung it for me, was the tonnellerie, which would be a cooperage in this country. That was amazing. The smell of that wood. 

“And this guy…. he was moving a barrel like you know, like Michael Jordan moves a basketball. Incredible. And he had four fires going, actual fires. You've seen them scorch a bourbon barrel with a flamethrower, right? None of that! Actual fires. And he's using bits of other barrels, the offcuts, to make the fires. And he's judging with his eyes and with his ears and with his nose, exactly the toastage of every barrel, with a real fire in it.

“Imagine a massive, great cognac barrel. It's huge. And he's flipping it and turning it with one movement, and flipping it over and turning it around like you’d turn a piece of toast. It was incredible. I think that's what turned me.”

Speaking about his partnership with Helen, Aidy told Chris: “Helen specialises a bit more on the wine side, I’m a bit more on the spirit side. And that's why we come together and intertwine our knowledge for the greater good of anyone who likes a drink in their glass.”

Aidy continued: “We tried to change things up a bit. There's not many women in drinks and spirits, so having the female empowerment angle, and the neurodiversity from our standpoint. I mean, I'm the only TV presenter in the UK with Tourette Syndrome, for example. We've got ADHD over here with Eddy. We're representing across the board. We got Eulanda who came in, so she's bigging up for ethnicities within the black population. Drinks is a place which is so welcoming for everyone, and I really hope that that comes across and on camera as well.”

When Chris asked what the secret was to them all looking so well, Aidy explained: “A glass of water in between every single drink that you have, to keep hydrated," and to “Make sure that it's quality over quantity. Don't drink something that isn't very good. Don't buy loads of cheap stuff. Spend a little bit more but drink less.”

Helena said: “It’s a lot of water. It's trying to get as much sleep as possible. But we didn't we spit a lot, professionally. When filming, we don't really drink, because you just can't.” 

Eddy added: “The Wim Hof Method. Do the Wim Hof thing, then hangovers become a thing of the past. You wake up with a hangover, but then, as soon as you do your breathing, it's like it was never there. It's like it never happened.” 

Chris asked Helena whether Eddy is part of the gang now, to which she replied: “Once a Third Drinker, always a Third Drinker.”

Eddy added: “The will is there. I want to do more.”

The Three Drinkers in Cognac is available now on Prime Video.

Eddy Temple-Morris is on Virgin Radio, Monday to Friday, 10am - 1pm AND Virgin Radio 80s+, Monday to Friday, 6pm - 10pm. 

For more great interviews listen to  The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with cinch weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio, or catch up on-demand here.