Yes, it really has been 25 years since Ralph's Party was released! You are that old! Here to talk about that book, and all the brilliant ones she's written since, is best-selling author Lisa Jewell.  She tells us about her writing process, and how she cured herself of imposter syndrome. Lisa shares her top tips for budding authors, and introduces us to our new favourite website, doesthedogdie.com.  We talk discuss true crime, and why so many of us women like it so much. Then there's some chat...

We sit down for a serious chat in this episode as we celebrate the life of Lee, Helen's Mum, who passed away recently. And of course, we manage to have a few laughs along the way.  We talk about the kind of person Lee was, and how lucky Helen was to have her as a parent. We discuss what it's like to prepare for the death of someone you love, and strategies for managing grief. Plus, find out the roles ABBA and East 17 played in Lee's passing.  This episode is dedicated to Lee, with love. Thank...

Why do lesbians have the highest divorce rate? How do you navigate an open relationship? What goes on in a sex lab? Answering all these questions is the amazing Rosie Wilby!  The comedian and author tells us all about her brilliant books, Is Monogamy Dead? and The Breakup Monologues. We discuss some of the fascinating things she's discovered through her research, and learn a superb fact about bonobos. Rosie explains why she and her wife are considering opening up their marriage, and reveals...

What makes the Danish some of the happiest people on earth? How can we steal their ideas, and what's stopping us? Why are Norwegian women like oil rigs? Answering all these questions is the amazing Helen Russell!  We talk about her brilliant new book,How to Raise a Viking. Join us as we go on a wonderful journey to a land where the streets are paved with trampolines, children are given knives to play with, and men are having VR sex in enormous spunk factories.  We talk about dating in...

Comedian, immigration lawyer, burlesque dancer, trainee wrestler, and absolute legend - it's Sikisa! She tells us how she went from being a barmaid to being on stage, and some of the weirder things she's seen while MCing one of London's most famous open mic comedy nights. We learn what it's like to go on Live at the Apollo with a concussion.  There's a bit of serious chat as Sikisa discusses her work as an immigration lawyer, helping refugees and asylum seekers to stay in Britain. We hear...

What's the best way to write a bestselling book? Who would win in a fight between a shark and a gorilla? And what's it like to be bitten on the penis by a piranha? Answering all these questions is Matt Coyne, aka Man vs Baby!  He tells us all about his brilliant new novel, Frank and Red, which is out now. We discuss our different writing processes, and the best way to deal with procrastination.  Matt explains why one of his favourite facts about himself involves Ellie's Dad, and gives us a...

HELLO READERS! What's it like to go to Antarctica with your 76 year-old Dad? What is Ellie's problem with penguins? Why did she get taken away by Buenos Aires airport security, and why was it Jim's fault?   Answering all these questions are Ellie and Ellie's Dad! Helen quizzes them to find out all about the fortnight they've just spent on the frozen Continent. We hear all about the whales, the weather, and what it's like to go for a dip in 0.3 degree water.  Ellie and her father share some of...

Why are PTA quizzes the worst? Is Croydon really the Manhattan of London? And which star of The Chase has the most erotic fan fiction written about them? Here to play for a four-berth caravan and a fortnight in Tenerife are Lucy Porter and Jenny Ryan!  Lucy tells us how she went from comedian to quizzing legend, and Jenny reveals the origin story behind her Chase nickname, The Vixen. We discuss our favourite gameshows of yore, and our experts share their top tips for hosting your own quiz at...

What's it like to embrace Hugh Jackman? Which celebrity does Tom Price still dream of interviewing? And why does he want us to eat prawns off his wife's back? Answering all these questions is the actual Tom Price!  The Magic FM drive time DJ takes a break from his busy three hours of work a day schedule to spend some quality time with us. We have a good old moan about what it's like to live with teenagers, and share the nice bits too.  Then it's time for some hilarious star-studded anecdotes...

What is the collective noun for a group of Lindas? How is anal sex like relationship bitcoin? And which Hollywood action star would Sam Pamphilon pleasure orally for £50,000? Yes, it's the Scummy Mummies Christmas Special! As usual, we get too drunk and talk absolute nonsense for too long. The same old Christmas podcast traditions are back, but Ham Review gets a new twist this year, and Nurse Jessie shares some news that leaves our jaws on the floor. Steve Hill literally phones it in, while...

Christmas eating is great, but Christmas cooking can be stressful. Joining us with her top tips for creating calm in the kitchen is Sarah Rossi, aka @TamingTwins!  She shares easy make-ahead recipes for starters and desserts, and a great idea for what to feed picky eaters on the big day. We talk about how we should all be getting into dump bags, which are nicer than they sound. Ellie reveals how Sarah's 15 minute Baileys cheesecake saved her Christmas last year, along with her theory that...

Is there a way to argue constructively? What is the best way to help someone in crisis? Should we aim for happiness, or be content with contentment? Answering all these questions is the amazing psychotherapist, author, agony aunt and artist, Philippa Perry!  She tells us all about her brilliant new book, The Book You Want Everyone You Love to Read. We learn about the various styles of arguing, and discuss what our spice racks say about our personalities. We also talk about Philippa's work as...

We know it's only November, but we can't help it - we bloody love Christmas! So in our latest podcast episode, we are sharing some of our favourite festive confessions from previous shows - along with some personal stories of Christmas chaos.   We discuss our favourite things about Xmas, the worst gifts we've ever received, and what we're planning to wear on the big day. Ellie comes clean about her Elf on the Shelf spreadsheet, and shares her top tips for quick and easy elf pranks for lazy...

267: From Morrisons to Drag Race with Ella Vaday Our guest for this episode is Nick Collier, aka drag superstar Ella Vaday! He tells us how he went from working in Morrisons to wowing us with his Nigella impression on season three of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.  We hear about his time performing in the West End, and why he was banned from selling perfume in Harrods. We find out how scripted Drag Race really is, and how Nick feels about the way he was represented in the edit. Then there's some...

Our guest for this episode is the amazing Shareefa J - model, diversity activist, fitness champion, and all round bloody brilliant woman.  She tells us what it's like to watch a photographer lighten your skin tone, and to be told you're too fat when you're a size 10. We discuss how far the modelling industry still has to go when it comes to encouraging inclusivity and stamping out racism.  We get a bit personal as Shareefa and Helen discuss their experiences of being cheated on. If you're the...

What should you say to a friend who has cancer? If you're the one with the diagnosis, how do you tell your kids? And is it really possible to futureproof your body against illness? Answering all these questions is the brilliant Rosamund Dean.  She tells us about her journey from finding a lump in her boob to being cancer free, and what she wishes she'd known at the beginning. We discuss clipboard people versus duvet people, and whether early menopause is more like pick'n'mix or a Glastonbury...

Our guest for this episode is the awesome Ayo Akinwolere - Blue Peter presenter, documentary maker, fitness champion, and all-round bloody good bloke.  He tells us how he went from not being able to swim to crossing the deepest trench of the ocean in just ten weeks. We talk about the cultural divide that separates swimmers and non-swimmers in Britain, and how Ayo is trying to change things. Will he turn Ellie into an open water wanker? There's some serious chat about Ayo's experience of...

Do we all need therapy? How do you talk to a partner about sharing the mental load? And what's the first thing you need to do if you feel you're approaching burnout? Answering tricky questions like these is the awesome psychotherapist Karen Hartley!  Along with her brilliant wisdom, she shares some practical tips for things like coping with anxiety. We discuss whether there's a generational divide when it comes to therapy and mental health, and how to help teenagers cope with their feelings....

What's the best way to avoid family days out turning into disasters? How do you stop kids asking for snacks all day? And what do mums have in common with combine harvesters? Helping us to survive the last few weeks of the summer holidays is Susie Lodge! She tells us all about the website she founded, wikiplacesforkids.com, which is an excellent resource for anyone looking for ways to entertain the kids. We get some great tips for pleasing children with different ages and interests, saving...

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains two of Ellie's Dad's jokes. He joins us to share some tall tales about a magical dog, the funeral of King George VI, and the time he was at a party with Elton John (or not.) We discuss the tall tales (lies) our parents told us, and come clean about the myths, legends, and big fat whoppers we've told our own children. (NB: There's a bit of Santa chat you might not want to listen to with little ones around.) And we share some brilliantly hilarious tall...

It's hard to believe it's been a whole decade since we sat down on Ellie's sofa to record the first episode of the Scummy Mummies Podcast. But here we are, having survived premature childbirth, a s****y divorce and a global pandemic, still on the sofa, and better friends than ever.  In this special anniversary episode, we reminisce about the good old days, and reflect on whether we should be grateful for the bad times too. We tackle some tricky questions - how bad do the catsuits REALLY...

What's hardest part of parenting - the baby bit, toddler tantrums, or teenage rage? What's it like to live with your dad at the age of 40? And what's the best way to cope with an emergency nipple hair situation?  Helping us answer all this questions is the hilarious Esther Manito! She tells us all about her experience of starting comedy after having two kids. We discuss sharing domestic chores and balancing out the mental load, and generally have a good old moan.  Esther discusses living with...

How do fighter pilots get their callsigns? What's it like to risk your life every time you go to work? And why should you never eat out-of-date fudge? Answering all these questions is the amazing Mandy Hickson!  She tells us how she became one of the UK's first female fighter pilots, despite the best efforts of the Bloody Patriarchy. We talk about her 17 years in the RAF, her time in Iraq, and why she thinks motherhood is much harder than flying planes. Then Mandy discusses her new career as...

What's the best way to deal with an angry child? Why should we be saying "thank you" to our kids instead of "please"? And how do you get them to put their bloody shoes away? Answering all these questions is the awesome Marie Gentles!  Marie has loads of practical parenting tips, from managing screen use to carving out quality time - and what to do if your children don't want to spend it with you. She tells us why it's not always a good idea to ask kids what's wrong, and where to start with a...