Book Club Meets: Desire, hormones, and tampons, with Miranda July

How good are you at switching off on holiday? Are you even any good at taking a proper holiday in the first place? Broadcaster Tess Daly reckons wellness is being physically and mentally able to turn up for everything in life that demands your time... And that includes prioritising time off from a busy schedule! Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Tess share their advice on how to take your holiday wellbeing more seriously, including making lists ahead of time, locking your phone away, having your feet rubbed, and eating delicious local bread and desserts. Plus, Tess reveals Strictly’s contingency plan for if things go wrong on the dancefloor, and the incredibly sweet vow renewal husband Vernon Kay organised for her… British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected, offer a 24hr holiday helpline, and allow you to book with a low deposit. All holidays include a generous baggage allowance per person. Go to Ba.com/holidays to find out more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you find stripping and nudity empowering or degrading? Burlesque performer Dita Von Teese says feminism is about respecting each other’s choices, even if they wouldn’t be your own. In this chat with Fearne, Dita charts her life from working in strip clubs in the 90s, to performing in sold out burlesque shows now. Painfully shy as a kid, Dita explains how turning herself into a femme fatale helped her feel confident and powerful in her own skin. Fearne and Dita talk about the joy of getting older and understanding more about how to handle your sexuality, and Dita reveals how she makes herself feel more sensual if she’s not particularly in the mood... There’s also advice about how to own your unique look and characteristics, and be more assertive in using your voice. Dita’s new show, Diamonds and Dust, is on at London’s Emerald Theatre now! Dita is also returning to the UK’s grand stages in early 2026 with her most enchanting show to date: Nocturnelle. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:   Munroe Bergdorf   Florence Given   Zandra Rhodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has your name influenced who you’ve become? Would you have different characteristics, would people react differently to you, would your life have turned out differently, if you had a different name? These are the questions author Florence Knapp grapples with in her book The Names – our Happy Place Book Club read for June. In this chat, Fearne and Florence share their own experiences of having slightly unusual names, and how they shaped them. Florence also explains the long journey she’s been on to get a novel published, having started writing in the late ‘90s, and wonders that she likes getting lost in fictional worlds because she’s naturally introverted. Thank you to Phoenix for the use of The Names audiobook, narrated by Dervla Kirwan, and to composer and musician Jeni Saint for the opening music. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:   Book Club Meets: Emily Henry   Book Club Meets: Lorna Tucker   Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you trust your gut to make the best decision for yourself? Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps has had to make some bold, brave choices recently. In this chat with Fearne, Mary explains how she knew retiring from international football was right for her, and they both explore the importance of having different chapters and challenges in your life. Having experienced periods of real mental darkness, Mary talks through the practices that now ground her in the present. She also reckons setting life goals might just be setting you up for disappointment. Should we be focusing on progress, instead of perfection? Mary has advice on how to be ok with not being good at everything! Plus, Mary recalls the euphoric day the Lionesses won the 2022 EUROs, and reflects on the emotional impact it’s had on women across the world. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:   Sarina Wiegman   Leah Williamson   Molly McCann Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fearne is marking the summer solstice by reflecting on the Happy Place episodes that’ll help you connect with nature, mysticism, and in turn, your inner self. It’s time to get back in touch with who we really are deep down underneath all the external, modern-day trappings of busyness, success and material things.    In this episode –  -Kirsty Gallagher talks about living alongside nature’s cycles to help you let go of things that are distressing you -Jo Bowlby explains why spirituality is the science of exploring your inner world -Rob Da Bank loves hot and cold practices to help get in touch with patience and a slower pace  -Tara Brach pinpoints how spirituality is able to quieten your inner critic  -Estelle Bingham explores manifesting as a way to uncover your core self -Poppy Delbridge leads a live tapping session to set intentions for the rest of the year Listen to the full episodes here –  Kirsty Gallagher Jo Bowlby Rob Da Bank Tara Brach Estelle Bingham Poppy Delbridge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.