Celebrity Best Days Out – Isy Suttie

Isy Suttie is one of those brilliantly funny people who feels like she might accidentally turn a trip to the park, a bus ride or a slightly chaotic family pizza into a full sitcom – probably with some knitting, a pigeon and a child asking a deeply inconvenient question halfway through.

Best known to many as Dobby from Peep Show, Isy is also a comedian, writer, actor, podcaster and now CBBC mum in High Hoops, a family comedy about basketball, friendship and finding your tribe. In real life, she’s also a mum who clearly knows that the best London days out don’t need to be wildly expensive or military-planned.

We asked Isy for her favourite childhood London spots, where she takes her own kids now, and her perfect family day out. Expect theatre, birds, boats, pizza – and very sensible advice about not walking while you’re on the bus.

Tell us what you’re up to…

I’m currently in High Hoops on CBBC which is a really fun family comedy about girls’ basketball. I play Brid, the mum of the main character. Aoife, and it’s so much fun to film. I’m also doing a lot of knitting! 

What were your favourite three places to visit in London as a kid and why?

Covent Garden because the Novelty Automaton museum (now in Holborn) was there – somewhere I still love visiting to this day with my kids. Trafalgar Square to see the pigeons. The Rainforest Cafe, sadly no more. 

Now name three places you love going today with your kids.

Can I say the Novelty Automaton museum again? Thanks, I will! The Thames, especially on the South Bank, to watch the Boats. Any theatre show – we recently went to see Hercules, in which my friend Steve is playing Hades, which we all loved, and a brilliant clowning show at the Unicorn Theatre called By Trial and Error. 

Where is your favourite place to eat with family?

We recently went to Fatto a Mano and the pizza was so gorgeous it’s become my new favourite place in town.

Where in London (or the UK) would you recommend to another family?

St James’ Park.

What would be your perfect LONDON day out with your family?

Walk from Victoria station to St James’s Park to see all the birds, carry on to the West end to catch a show, get pizza then an ice cream. 

Bus, tube, taxi, walk or cycle?

Walk and bus. But don’t walk whilst you’re on the bus. People will think you’re a bit weird! 

Give us a #Londonlifehack

Try and walk if you can. It’s so much easier than cramming kids onto the tube. Especially at rush hour. Lots of the West End stations, like Green Park, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Covent Garden, are pretty close together.