Happy Place

How good are you at getting quiet and sitting with yourself? Jazz singer Gregory Porter feels that this is the place your most authentic, distinctive creativity will come from.In this chat with Fearne, Gregory explains why you don’t need to be an overnight success. It’s ok to take your time, indeed you’ll benefit from taking that time to learn, and hone your craft. He also talks through the false starts his career has seen, and why it was his vivacious mother who encouraged him to keep persevering.Gregory’s new album, Still Rising, is out now, and he’ll be on tour in the UK in May 2022.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s much more productive – and will ultimately make you happier – to strive for excellence rather than perfection. A research professor at the University of Houston, Brené Brown has spent 20 years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She’s clear that perfectionism is actually a defence mechanism to shield us from failure and shame. In this chat with Fearne, Brené explains the difference between guilt and shame, as the former can be helpful in some situations, whereas the latter can be debilitating and define entire lifetimes. Plus, they explore why humility and self-compassion are needed for us to admit when we’re wrong. Brene is a prolific writer; her latest book, Atlas of The Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connections and the Language of Human Experience, is out on November 30th.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Although she keeps much of her life private, Leona Lewis has recently felt a real need to speak up. In this chat with Fearne, she talks through why she’s so passionate about issues including racism and animal welfare, as well as explaining where her impressive work ethic comes from. Leona is the UK’s Queen of Christmas; she’s all for embracing the magic the festive period brings because it’s so important for her to spend quality time with family. ‘Christmas, With Love Always’, a special repack of Leona’s 2013 festive album ‘Christmas, With Love’, is out now. Leona is also on a UK tour with Gary Barlow throughout November and December 2021.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are not living at a natural pace. The modern world forces us to move through life incredibly quickly; Shaman Jo Bowlby helps people slow down and embrace stillness. In this chat with Fearne, Jo explains why we should be pursuing wisdom rather than just intellect, why quieting our analytical mind can help us get back in touch with our human essence, and how to rid ourselves of self-limiting beliefs. A Book For Life: 10 Steps to Spiritual Wisdom, a Clear Mind and Lasting Happiness is out now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s never too late to make a change; Annie Mac has left Radio 1 after 17 years of broadcasting and is ready to embrace parts of her identity she hasn’t had time to explore until now. In this chat with Fearne, Annie talks about feeling that we need to allow people to be more than one thing - that we need to embrace the sunshine and joy, but the darkness and sadness too. Fearne and Annie also think about the notion of having endless space out in front of you and why, although scary, it might be positive to allow time to exist without plans. Annie’s debut novel, Mother Mother, is out now, and her podcast Changes is available to listen to on your favourite podcast app.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You’ve achieved the goals you set yourself for your career and personal life; what’s next? That’s the question Holly Willoughby has found herself asking recently.When you’re used to excellence and achievement, how do you break the loop of constantly living in the future, looking ahead instead of existing in the present and thinking about what will bring joy right now? In this chat with Fearne, Holly explores her experience of detaching from herself in order to feel safe, and how she’s discovered ways to come back to herself.Reflections: Life Lessons on Finding Beauty – Inside and Out untangles topical and emotional issues and explores what it means to live a beautiful life in the modern world. The book is published by Century and out now: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1445093/reflections/9781529135718.html  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It can at times feel like the cycle of negative news is endless, and living in fear can be debilitating, but ethologist and conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, is able to turn despair into hope. In this chat, she and Fearne talk about why we might want to be in nature to heal when feeling low, and where science and spirituality can interact. The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide For an Endangered Planet is Jane’s new book, and it’s out now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A person’s identity is not up for debate; drag queen Bimini Bon Boulash is on a mission to ensure everyone feels safe to express who they are without fear. In this chat, Fearne and Bimini explore how everyone can question and choose to reject societal rules that they don’t personally resonate with, as well as how to better understand and support others as they do the same.A sense of belonging can directly impact mental health, so they also discuss the benefits of social media in finding a community of likeminded people, and what we can learn about unleashing our inner confidence from drag queens.Bimini’s book is called Release the Beast: A Drag Queen’s Guide to Life, and it’s out now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How kindly do you talk to yourself? TV host, author, and speaker Mel Robbins spent a lifetime caught in a loop of negative self-talk, but she’s now learnt how to validate herself in the way she champions others.In this chat with Fearne, she explains the importance of daily habits. There’s no silver bullet when it comes to building confidence; you have to be disciplined and put in the daily grind. Mel also explains what panic attacks actually are on a physiological level.Mel’s book, The High 5 Habit, is out now.CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of sexual abuse  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s often said that comparison is the thief of joy, and this proved to be true for Jesy Nelson. In this chat, she and Fearne talk through the fear of not being liked, and the freedom that’s come with reinventing herself as a solo artist.Jesy’s first solo single, Boyz, is out on Friday 8th October.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There’s adventure in not knowing what comes next, and having the confidence to throw yourself in anyway. Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl has spent a lifetime doing just that. In this chat with Fearne he explains why he wants to grow old gracefully, but stay young at heart by embracing the spirit of exploration and curiosity.More of Dave’s stories from his energetic life can be found in his new book, The Storyteller, out 5th October.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gambling addictions are not well understood; former footballer Paul Merson is hoping to change that by sharing his own story. In this chat with Fearne, Paul explains why his having a gambling addiction really isn’t about the money. It’s about escapism, and experiencing extreme highs and lows.He also talks through the role that lying plays in addiction, and the relationships and practical coping mechanisms that now help him tackle one day at a time. It’s taken him many decades, but he now understands that addiction is an illness, and doesn’t make him a bad person.Paul’s book, Hooked: Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery, is out now.CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about suicidal thoughts, as well as gambling, alcohol, and drug addiction, so do take care while listening.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You are the sum of everyone who’s come before you in your family, and it can be useful to learn about your ancestors in order to understand how much of their character is in you. Actress Miriam Margolyes has a passion for genealogy and family trees; in this chat with Fearne, she discusses her own identity, and the parts of it that have made her feel like an outsider at times.We’re often scared to challenge things we don’t agree with, perhaps for fear of being disliked or cancelled, but Miriam explains how and why she’s always spoken her truth, even if it might be controversial.Miriam’s book, This Much Is True, is out now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Psychosis is very rarely talked about, even within spaces dedicated to mental health. Actor David Harewood had an episode that saw him sectioned at 23 years old, and wonders that psychosis is still seen as the ‘scary’ mental health issue, a perception he’s now working hard to change.We often hear about post-traumatic stress, but in this chat with Fearne, David discusses the concept of post traumatic growth, and what that’s looked like for him. Plus, he explores how this journey of discovery has changed his perception of his father, who also had psychosis. David’s book, Maybe I Don’t Belong Here, is out now.CONTENT WARNING: as David recalls racist abuse, this episode contains offensive and distressing language.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We often write ourselves a story about the type of person we are, and the things we can do with our lives, but YouTuber, actor, and singer Joe Sugg doesn’t like to put limits on what he can achieve. In this chat with Fearne, he explains why he’s given himself opportunities to change as a person and not be limited by what his fans might expect of him. Plus, having grown up online, Joe talks through what he feels needs to be done to make the Internet a kinder place.Joe’s new single, Wild Things, is out now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The concept of a mid-life crisis has become a funny cliché, and that’s what Christian O’Connell jokingly told people he was having when he left his successful radio career in the UK to start a new life in Australia in 2018. The truth was that he had had what he now recognises as a break down, and needed to find adventure and joy as an adult to reignite the fire in his belly.In this chat, Fearne and Christian share their experiences of having panic attacks, and compare notes on how they both use distraction techniques to avoid confronting difficult realities.Christian’s book, No One Listens To Your Dad’s Show, is out now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In April 2021, Ashley Cain’s eight month old daughter Azaylia Diamond Cain passed away. At eight weeks old she had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia; Ashley and his partner Safiyya captured the nation’s hearts as they used social media to document their journey, raise awareness for childhood cancer and encourage people to become bone marrow donors both for their daughter and thousands of other children.In this chat with Fearne, Ashley talks for the first time since Azaylia’s death about losing his child, about helping others grieve, and about why he feels he now has a real purpose for the first time in his life.To find out more about the Azaylia Foundation, and to donate, visit www.theazayliafoundation.com IG: @theazayliafoundationTwitter: @azayliafdnFacebook: @theazayliafoundationCONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about the grief of losing a child throughout, so do take care while listening.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy

Becoming a parent will have its highs and lows for everyone, but Frankie Bridge became a mum knowing she already had existing mental health issues to contend with too. In this chat with Fearne, Frankie discusses how she talks to her children about their own emotions as well as hers. Publicly we’re having more frank conversations about post-natal depression, but antenatal depression still isn’t discussed as widely, so Frankie also opens up about her mental health while she was pregnant. Frankie’s book, Grow: Motherhood, Mental Health, and Me, is out now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Confidence fluctuates and has to be practiced daily. Natalie Imbruglia feels writing her new album has allowed her to regain confidence after finding herself on shaky ground. In this chat with Fearne, she explains why she now chooses to live in the moment and not make plans, and why she thinks there’s strength in allowing yourself to fall apart, because there’s often a breakthrough on the other side. Natalie’s new album, Firebird, is out on September 24th.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Many of us are guilty of refusing to stop, of continuing to distract ourselves while anxieties build beneath the surface. This is something BAFTA-winning actress Suranne Jones tackles in her new TV show I Am Victoria. In this chat with Fearne, Suranne talks about the grief of losing her mum shortly after having a baby, and why she wanted to draw on her own experience of managing her mental health to create character Victoria.I Am Victoria is available to watch now on All4.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.