We are starting a new era of the podcast as we mean to go on, with a brilliant guest who epitomises all the things we celebrate on this show. Laura Smyth decided to radically change her life at the midpoint, leaving her dependable job as a teacher for the uncertain world of stand up comedy. But just as she was getting into her stride, Laura was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She talks to Gabby about all she has learned from that experience, including how she dragged herself out of a...

Journalist, broadcaster, and one half of the 5 Live Breakfast presenting team, Rachel Burden, joins Gabby on the podcast this week. Rachel talks about how years of very early wake up calls have taught her not to get too paranoid about the amount of sleep she gets, instead looking at the bigger picture and the positive effects of being stimulated and nourished by a job you love. As a working mum of four, Rachel also discusses making life decisions as a family unit, striving to have the things...

Gynaecologist and bestselling author Dr Jen Gunter is our special expert guest this week! Dr Gunter is here to shed some light on what is happening to the body when it goes through the menopause transition. Jen also takes your questions on everything from brain fog to weight gain and supplements to HRT - busting a few myths along the way! Hopefully you’ll feel better informed about what is happening to your body through this time, but also hopeful about what awaits on the other side of the...

It’s not every week we have a double olympic champion on the podcast, but this week rower Helen Glover is adding a touch of greatness to proceedings. Speaking directly from a training camp in Portugal ahead of what will hopefully be her fourth olympic games, Helen reveals what motivated her to come out of retirement - not once, but twice - and what it’s like juggling motherhood with the demands of being an elite athlete. Helen speaks about the way that her perspective has changed as she’s got...

One of the nation’s best loved presenters, Matt Baker, brings his infectious enthusiasm to the podcast this week! By happy accident, this episode is all about midlife pivots and making bold steps towards doing more of the work you love. Listen to hear the unlikely story of how Matt came to be on our screens presenting Blue Peter; how his dyslexia set him up with what he describes as a high tolerance for failure and gave him a sense of fearlessness; how he navigated the role reversal that many...

Jill Douglas MBE has been part of some of the biggest sporting events on television for the last three decades, and this week she joins Gabby to reflect on how this Scottish farmer’s daughter became a self confessed newshound, then somewhat unexpectedly found herself presenting Rugby Special - and hasn’t looked back since! They discuss some of the secrets to longevity in an industry that was obsessed with youth, and how in midlife, Jill is more motivated than ever to keep doing the job she...

TW: This episode contains references to child sexual abuse, and discussions about suicide. Gabby is joined by one of the great voices of our time; radio and television broadcaster, Nicky Campbell. They discuss Nicky’s professional versatility and esteemed career; his midlife diagnosis of ADHD; his great love of animals and how his beloved dog, Maxwell, helped him through a mental breakdown; his antics on The Masked Singer and why sometimes you need to do something purely for the fun of it....

On the cusp of taking on arguably the biggest job in women’s sport, six-time Women's Super League winning football manager, Emma Hayes, joins Gabby on the podcast this week. As well as revealing the relentlessness of life as a top coach, Emma speaks candidly about her struggle with Endometriosis; what it was like entering sudden menopause after having an emergency hysterectomy; the ecstasy and agony of making a huge life decision whilst in the fog of grief after losing her beloved father; how...

Hot off the Strictly Come Dancing tour and straight from presenting a live news bulletin, Gabby is joined today by Krishnan Guru-Murthy! Krishnan is a longstanding presenter of Channel 4 News and has reported from all over the world in the 26 years that he’s been part of the team, but it’s not his distinguished career that the two discuss at length today. Krish shares what Strictly gave him in terms of unbottling his fun side and reconnecting with frivolous fun in his fifties, and how the...

TW: This episode contains references to eating disorders. Model, content creator, and author, Louise Boyce aka Mama Still Got It, is stopping by Gabby’s podcast room this week. Louise shares her experiences as a very young model in the 90’s; how she healed her relationship with her body after suffering from bulimia; re-entered the industry as a ‘plus size model’ (at a healthy size 14) and made a successful career out of it. She explains how that journey has led her to where she is now: a...

The Queen of Taupe joins Gabby on the podcast this week! Interior designer and entrepreneur, Kelly Hoppen CBE, shares some easy wins when it comes to refreshing your home interiors, as well as the secret to remaining energised and passionate about your work even when you’ve been doing it for five decades. Kelly shares why she doesn’t think she’ll ever retire, the morning routine that sustains her, finding love after divorce, and why age is irrelevant when it comes to beauty. As Gabby steps up...

Former Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! magazine, and now creative consultant, coach, author, and podcast host, Rosie Nixon, drops by Gabby’s podcast room for a chat this week. From the outside, Rosie seemed to have it all in midlife; the job, the family, the glamorous lifestyle. But on the inside things felt very different, and although she loved her job, she was edging closer and closer to burnout. Rosie hit a breaking point and decided that she needed to make some radical changes; she wanted to...

For some, sleeping is as easy as closing your eyes, for others, it’s a nightly struggle. The cornerstone of good health can be frustratingly elusive, particularly in midlife, so we thought it was time to speak with an expert on all things the land of nod! Sleep Physiologist and the Chief Medical Officer of re-sleep, Stephanie Romiszewski, has some no-nonsense advice to share, based on scientific research and her years of clinical experience, including delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy...

TW: There are references to fertility treatment and miscarriage in this episode, so please take care whilst listening. Journalist and broadcaster, Emma Barnett, is on the precipice of midlife, and so she joins Gabby this week to talk about how she feels about this next stage of life. Emma also sheds light on what it's like living with endometriosis - a condition which, as yet, has no cure - as well as what it’s like hosting Woman’s Hour, one of BBC Radio 4’s flagship shows; her journey...

Singer songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor is Gabby’s guest this week! Gabby chats to her about being a working mum to five boys and what it’s like when your eldest is leaving home the same week that your youngest is starting school; how her legendary Kitchen Discos came about; hearing the voice of her inner critic less as she ages and the liberation this brings; and her ‘rate your childhood’ survey that you won’t be able to stop thinking about! Zoologist and author of Bitch, Lucy Cooke, also...

Today is a first for the podcast: it’s the first time our celebrity guest and our expert guest are a married couple, recording from the same house. Gary Neville is known for his glittering football career playing for Manchester United and England, while his wife, Emma, is a counsellor and Menopause Coach with her own online platform This Is Me. The couple chat to Gabby about everything from dealing with teenagers who find you painfully embarrassing, to Gary’s emotional attachment to oven...

Warning: This episode contains some Christmas spoilers and is best enjoyed by adults only!   Kenny Logan joins Gabby this week for a walk down memory lane and to discuss the highs and lows of Logan Christmases past. From the best and worst gifts - including nipple tassels, dressing gowns, and unicycles - to food failures, and Santa spycams! As we look towards New Year they also reflect on the importance of Hogmanay in their household and ponder their new year's resolutions. Hosted on Acast....

TW: There are references to eating disorders in this episode.  Psychotherapist and best-selling author, Julia Samuel, is back on the podcast for a festive special. Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of year, but despite our best intentions, it’s not always as simple as that! Between grief, heartbreak, illness, and challenging family dynamics, Christmas can be a difficult time to navigate. This is why Julia is back to respond to some of your questions and dilemmas and share some of the...

Double GRAMMY award winner LeAnn Rimes dropped by to chat with Gabby this week about all the lessons she’s learned on her way to the midpoint. LeAnn opens up about surviving child stardom and how she ended up divorced and in rehab by the age of thirty; rebuilding her sense of self in the early stages of new romance; healing through music and finding her place within a blended family; and how middle age has bestowed on her more confidence than ever, plus a newfound passion for tennis! LeAnn...

TW: The episode contains references to suicide and depression, so please take care whilst listening. If you are affected by anything you hear in this episode, you can reach out to The Samaritans for free on 116 123. Journalist, broadcaster, and new host of University Challenge, Amol Rajan, is Gabby’s guest this week. Amol speaks very openly about how he’s recalibrating his sense of self since turning 40 and learning how to live with grief since his beloved father died. He also chats about his...

TW: There are references to pregnancy loss and infertility in this episode. Presenter, producer, and journalist, Anna Richardson, joins Gabby this week to talk about everything from returning to education in your 50’s, to the lonely road of infertility; from how difficult yet vital it is to speak truth to power, to what a memory palace is! Beauty guru Nadine Baggott is also back with lots of beauty tips for our midlife skin, including what neck cream you really need - the answer might...

This week, we have an expert taking centre stage! Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist and Psycho-Sexologist, Kate Moyle, is here to talk sex and intimacy. It’s something many people still struggle to talk about, but midlife can radically change the landscape when it comes to sex; certainly, when we asked The Mid.Pointers for questions to put to Kate, you delivered! In this episode, Kate tries her best to answer those questions on everything from libido imbalance to fetishes, pelvic floor...

Gabby is joined by one of the most recognisable names in the British restaurant world: Michelin Star chef, restaurateur, and broadcaster, Angela Hartnett OBE. Angela shares her experience of going through the menopause in somewhere as hot and pressurised as a top kitchen; how she’s learned in midlife that sometimes you need to ask for help; where her love of food comes from and why food and family are so intertwined; as well as the things she’s doing to ensure that she’s thriving when she is...