How do you unwind at the weekend?
Like most in the media, I often work seven days a week. Making the new series has been a long auld haul but maybe the highlight was a visit to Killard Point, a tiny peninsula off the south Down coast. It has a glorious beach and rock formations formed when Ireland began, maybe 450 million years old or more. What happens now is staggered visits over the weekends from my seven grandchildren. They are Kevin, twin girls Tess and Grace, Conall, Fionn, and the two babies, Aodhan and Darragh. Fionn's only three and enjoys standing on the back of the lawnmower when I cut the grass, of which there's a lot in our suburban garden. The older ones are too busy with their smartphones. You wouldn't want them all over at once. It's lovely to have them here, though - and as they say, lovely to hand them back.
What do you recall most about weekends growing up?
I'm one of the few people born inside the city walls of the Maiden City. We moved out of the city centre when I was two and I grew up on the Creggan Estate. My weekends were spent repairing my bicycle, an old machine with a big saddle and pedals you couldn't reach. I also hung out with friends and went fishing on the rivers on the borders with Donegal. I caught and cooked trout. Back in the day, we would eat it with simply peas and potatoes.
Friday night or Saturday night?
Every Friday night for a long time I'd go for a jar with friends. We used to be eight, now shrunk to five, but Zoomed the event during lockdown. I had a pint next to the screen but can only manage a glass of wine now. When we tried again the first week out of lockdown, couldn't get over how noisy the place was. We've got used to the quiet and I spotted a rare jay in our garden recently.
Do you have you a must-listen radio show or podcast?
Saturday usually begins with The John Toal Show, I love the programme and it sets the tone for the day.
Must-watch TV programme/Netflix?
I'm a sucker for Scandi-noir, as long as it has subtitles. Wallander with Kenneth Branagh was slit-your-wrists time but he's a great actor, another Laurence Olivier in his work on Shakespeare.
Is Sunday still special?
It's just a relaxing day. At the moment, half of the day is probably taken up with work. I'm happy to say I have worked with the same cameraman, Vinny Cunningham, and sound man, Billy Callaghan. I taught them everything they know.
Favourite eatery, or is it a takeaway?
My favourite eatery is home, although I like the Pyke 'n' Pommes on the City Quays. My wife Phil (Philomena, but she's not so keen on her name, people have thought I was Phil and she was Jo...) is a great cook with specialities such as paella and simple things like casseroles. She is also a great baker and I've taken in to work her batch of almond slices, now they want more.
On Sunday night, how do you feel about Monday morning?
I love my job, so it's OK. I feel I am lucky to have this work, so many have been furloughed that I'm doing much more but that's all right. We make programmes people want to watch.
Joe's new series, Mahon's Way, starts on UTV on Monday July 5 at 8pm.
