Roast Chestnuts Roast Chestnuts

It's the final episode of season two! Irish Times writer Patrick Freyne returns to the podcast to talk with Alan and Jeanne about Netflix's big 2018 Christmas film, The Princess Switch. Netflix ran the Hallmark formula through their magic algorithms and made a super-charged Christmas movie.

 Lonely, straight-laced baker Stacy travels to Belgravia to enter their big baking competition. She bumps into Duchess Margaret, the fiancée of Edward the Prince of Belgravia . They look identical. Margaret wants to love life as a commoner for two days so her and Stacy switch places. Stacy falls for the prince, Margaret falls for Stacy's best friend Kevin. Will it all work out? Yes!

 The Princess Switch stars Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio and Nick Sagar, was written by Robin Bernheim and Megan Metzger, and directed by Mike Rohl. 

 Our chosen charity for this episode is the Simon Community, which provides support and services to over 11,000 people and their families experiencing or at risk of homelessness every year. 

You can find Patrick Freyne's writing in The Irish Times and you should because it's amazing. His Twitter is @PatrickFreyne1 

Find Jeanne and Alan on Twitter @jeannedesutun and @alan_maguire. Jeanne's newsletter is here 

If you like Roast Chestnuts then please follow us on Twitter, subscribe, and consider rating and/or reviewing us on your local podcast app. And tell your friends, that’s the best thing. 

Original artwork by Dee McDonnell

Theme Music by Daniel McAuley 

This episode was produced by Alan + Brian

Jeanne and Alan go guestless to talk about 2017's hotel renovation/dance recital Christmas combo Enchanted Christmas.

Project manager Laura returns to her hometown to fix up The Enchanted Lodge, an abandoned hotel which used to host the big Christmas event in town. Laura's dancer ex is also back in town and he's performing at the Christmas event. Will Laura get the hotel finished in time for the concert and rekindle her old relationship and ALSO rekindle her love of dance and keep her daughter happy? It's entirely possible. 

Enchanted Christmas stars husband and wife team Alexa PenaVega and Carlos PeneVega, was written by Catherine Fridey and Rick Garman, and directed by Terry Cunningham.

Our chosen charity for this episode is The Endometriosis Association Of Ireland, which provides support and resources for people with endometriosis. 

Find Jeanne and Alan on Twitter @jeannedesutun and @alan_maguire. Jeanne's newsletter is here

If you like Roast Chestnuts then please follow us on Twitter, subscribe, and consider rating and/or reviewing us on your local podcast app. And tell your friends, that’s the best thing.

Original artwork by Dee McDonnell

Theme Music by Daniel McAuley

This episode was produced by Alan + Brian

Writer Valerie Loftus joins Alan and Jeanne to talk about Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe, a 2018 Hallmark movie starring the Queen of Christmas, Lacey Chabert. It's not really based on Pride & Prejudice at all. Instead it's a heartwarming tale of an investment expert who goes home for Christmas to help her mother organise a charity event in their huge stately home. Her old debate team nemesis is a chef now and gets brought in to help with the event. Can Lacey run the charity event, and fall in love, AND stave off a hostile takeover from her business partners? Hell yeah! 

Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe stars Lacey Chabert and Brendan Penny, was written by Nina Weinman based on a book by Melissa de la Cruz and directed by Don McBrearty. 

Our chosen charity for this episode is Dogs Angels Dublin, which rescues unwanted dogs from harrowing situations and provides care for them until they find new, loving homes. 

Valerie Loftus is @valerieloftus on Twitter. Her first book Thanks, Penneys, is out now and it's very funny and you should buy it for people. 

Find Jeanne and Alan on Twitter @jeannedesutun and @alan_maguire. Jeanne's newsletter is here

If you like Roast Chestnuts then please follow us on Twitter, subscribe, and consider rating and/or reviewing us on your local podcast app. And tell your friends, that’s the best thing.

Original artwork by Dee McDonnell

Theme Music by Daniel McAuley

This episode was produced by Alan + Brian

Writer Caroline O'Donoghue joins Jeanne and Alan to talk about 2017's You Can't Fight Christmas, the heartwarming tale of Leslie Major, an interior decorator working in the Chesterton Hotel, a neighbourhood landmark whose new owner wants to take away everything special about it. Can Leslie make the new owner Edmund fall in love with her AND the Chesterton before it's too late? Very possibly. 

You Can't Fight Christmas stars Brely Evans and Andra Fuller, was written by Marnie Martin and directed by Kenny Young. 

Our chosen charity for this episode is The Peter McVerry Trust which was set up by Fr Peter McVerry to reduce homelessness and the harm caused by drug misuse and social disadvantage.

Caroline O'Donoghue is @czaroline on Twitter. Her debut novel Promising Young Women is out now and it is so good, like really, really good. 

Find Jeanne and Alan on Twitter @jeannedesutun and @alan_maguire. Jeanne's newsletter is here

If you like Roast Chestnuts then please follow us on Twitter, subscribe, and consider rating and/or reviewing us on your local podcast app. And tell your friends, that’s the best thing.

Original artwork by Dee McDonnell

Theme Music by Daniel McAuley

This episode was produced by Alan + Brian

Totally Dublin music editor Danny Wilson joins Jeanne and Alan to talk about 2017's Coming Home For Christmas, the heartwarming tale of Lizzie Richfield, a woman who loves Christmas and takes a job as house manager in a big old mansion where everybody's in need of Christmas cheer. Will Lizzie thaw out this frosty old house and make two brothers fight over her? Maybe! 

Coming Home For Christmas stars Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe, was written by Nina Weinman based on a novel by Jenny Hale, and directed by Mel Damski. 

 Here's the Slade video Danny was talking about. 

Our chosen charity for this episode is The Alzheimer Society Of Ireland which provides dementia specific services and supports and advocates for the rights and needs of all people living with dementia and their carers. 

You can find more of Danny Wilson in Totally Dublin. 

Find Jeanne and Alan on Twitter @jeannedesutun and @alan_maguire. Jeanne's newsletter is here

If you like Roast Chestnuts then please follow us on Twitter, subscribe, and consider rating and/or reviewing us on your local podcast app. And tell your friends, that’s the best thing.

Original artwork by Dee McDonnell

Theme Music by Daniel McAuley

This episode was produced by Alan + Brian

Bandwagons host and Love Island expert Fionnuala Jones joins Alan and Jeanne to analyse 2010's Christmas Cupid, the heartwarming tale of a heartless career woman who gets visited by the ghost of her dead client and the ghosts of boyfriends past, present, and future. Will she turn her life around AND pull off the party of the Christmas season AND reconnect with the boyfriend she left behind for her career? Only maybe because this is an ABC Family movie, not Hallmark or Lifetime so anything can happen. We also talk about selling your books and buying gold, and how Groupon destroys restaurants. 

Christmas Cupid stars Christina Milian, Ashley Benson, and Chad Michael Murray, was written by Aury Wallington, and directed by Gil Junger.

Our chosen charity for this episode is Inner City Helping Homeless which is a 100% volunteer run organisation that provides services to people in homeless situations. 

Fionnuala Jones co-hosts Bandwagons and is the best person on Instagram. She's @FionnualaJay on Twitter.

Find Jeanne and Alan on Twitter @jeannedesutun and @alan_maguire. Jeanne's newsletter is here

If you like Roast Chestnuts then please follow us on Twitter, subscribe, and consider rating and/or reviewing us on your local podcast app. And tell your friends, that’s the best thing.

Original artwork by Dee McDonnell

Theme Music by Daniel McAuley

This episode was produced by Alan + Brian