Scummy Mummies

Comedians Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn met at a gig in a shipping container under a flyover in Deptford, back in 2013. They bonded over their experiences of motherhood and love of wine. They released their first Scummy Mummies podcast that summer, and then began performing as a double act. Today the podcast has been downloaded over 4 million times in 150 countries, they have written a best-selling book, and they have over 135,000 followers on Instagram. Pre-lockdown, they also performed their comedy show to packed out audiences around the country. In 2019 they performed their debut Edinburgh show and sold out the entire 25-night run, earning a 5 star review. They are doing their first socially distanced drive-in gig in Brent Cross on 25 July. They have an online shop, scummymummiesshop.com, selling mugs and t-shirts. 

1) Women don't talk about how hard being a mother can be. One of the things I enjoy most about your Instagram is that you are showing the world that motherhood can be messy and chaotic; not just an unattainable picture of perfection like we often see on social media. What made you want to show a more realistic version of motherhood?

Oh, we love talking about how hard being a mother can be! It was one of the things that drew us together - we like a good moan! The podcast started just because we enjoyed making each other laugh with honest stories of our parenting failures. We were surprised it got such a huge response but we realised quickly what a big appetite there is for this kind of chat. So we just kept doing it!  

2) Motherhood often requires some comic relief - especially when you are covered in vomit and haven't slept in months. Have you always been comedians? 

Did motherhood affect your ability to make people laugh?

Helen was a comedian in Australia, before she moved to the UK and had kids, and took a six year break. Ellie became a comedian after she had her first baby. She met Helen on her third ever gig, and Helen's first after her break. We have found that motherhood has not affected our ability as comedians, quite the opposite as we have loads of material...

3) How did you meet and become such brilliant friends and colleagues? Could you tell us how Scummy Mummies started?

We met at a comedy gig and just really got on. We enjoyed our chats so much, we thought we'd turn them into a podcast. We had fab feedback from people so we just kept going, and then came up with the comedy show. It was years before we made any money, even though we were working really hard, but we had so many hilarious adventures it all seemed worth it, even then! 

4) Your award winning parenting podcast often deals with some really important topics which range from mental health, miscarriages to postnatal depression and body image. How did the idea of the podcast come about and how do you pick your topics?

Sometimes potential guests get in touch, sometimes we contact them if we've really enjoyed someone's book, comedy show, etc. We like mixing it up with experts, funny people, and sometimes just our mates. We never set out to educate, just to entertain, but thanks to our brilliant guests sometimes it appears we do that by accident...

5) I was at your Catford show and it was by far one of the funniest things I went to see in 2019! It was exhilarating to see so many women in a theatre laughing and cheering. Do you think that there is a 'Scummy Mummy' in all of us and your shows are a chance to embrace her?

We like to say our show is for less-than-perfect parents - so that's all parents. We're not about judging other mums; we're all about laughing at ourselves, and if you want to join in, then great.

6) The Scummy Mummies confessions were a particular highlight. Why do you think it's such a popular part of the show?

We have done the confessions in every show we've ever done - people seem to love them! I think it's about getting things off your chest and realising you're not alone. 

7) As the strange times continue and the future of theatre shows remains uncertain. Do you have plans to live stream any of your shows? 

We're looking at it, but I have to say, the current situation is ridiculous. Theatres can open, but only to show videos of previous performances - people can't perform. We are in a bubble, so we could go to a theatre and sit next to each other and watch a video of ourselves, but we couldn't be on the stage, further away from the other audience members. I could work in a bingo hall, and call out numbers into a microphone, but I couldn't stand in the same room of people and tell a joke. I understand the need for safety, and that should always be the priority. But the rules seem totally ludicrous and inconsistent at the moment. 

8) Lockdown has put such a strain on parents, especially mothers. How did you and your families deal with all the homeschooling, cooking millions of meals etc?

It's been tough! Some days it's hard to get out of bed in the mornings. But when you have kids, you don't really have a choice. So we've been coping by taking it easy on those days, and being kind to ourselves. Sometimes you just need a pyjamas and telly day. You can always start again tomorrow...