The Health Lottery’s Podcast with Cartoonist Guy Venables

Sussex-based Guy Venables, renowned cartoonist for The Metro newspaper and regular contributor to Private Eye and The Spectator magazines, recently shared his insights and experiences on the popular Paying It Forward podcast from The Health Lottery, hosted by Danni Menzies.

In this engaging episode, Venables recounted pivotal moments in his career, including his early success with a cartoon published in Punch magazine at the age of 15, which marked the beginning of his journey as a professional cartoonist. Reflecting on his upbringing in an artistic household, Venables emphasised the importance of practice and dedication in honing his craft.

During the podcast, Venables also discussed the supportive community of cartoonists and comedians, highlighting instances where industry veterans offered valuable guidance and encouragement. Notably, Venables shared an inspiring story about a collaborative project with fellow cartoonists to create a colouring book for children in refugee centres across the UK. This heart-warming initiative aimed to provide comfort and support to young refugees while showcasing the collective talent of British cartoonists.

Following the public outrage at the Home Office decision to remove child-friendly murals of Mickey Mouse and Baloo the bear at its Manston refugee centre near Ramsgate, 38 Degrees and the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation (PCO) joined forces to counter the cruel move, with the launch of a brand-new colouring book for newly arriving children in the UK.

The project brought together over 50 cartoonists, including Guy Venables, Terry Gilliam and Quentin Blake, to put together ‘The Great British Colouring Book’ for children arriving in this country. The colouring book, aimed at children of all ages, includes drawings of different quintessential aspects of British culture – from the full English breakfast to the Loch Ness Monster.

As a result, more than 4,000 colouring books have made their way into the hands of newly arrived children. Due to popular demand, the colouring books are available to members of the public for a limited time and for a one-off donation. This updated version features more than 100 original cartoons from the UK’s best cartoonists.

“We all got together and we raised a lot of money. It was a self-fulfilling project, and I just hope one day one kid will read it and find out that we all had their back.”

The episode also delved into Venables’ foray into stand-up comedy and his transition to writing for television programs, offering listeners a glimpse into his diverse creative pursuits.

Reflecting on his experience on the podcast, Venables expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share his story and engage with audiences interested in the intersection of creativity, humour, and social impact.

Listeners can tune in to the “Paying It Forward” podcast to hear the full episode featuring Guy Venables, available on all major podcast platforms. Guy’s episode drops at 7am on Thursday 26th September. Never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify.