Sam Ryder

What beliefs, hopes, worries, and questions would you have if your unborn baby was given a diagnosis of a disability? It’s something retired paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds has spent a lot of time considering. In this chat with Fearne, Ellie explains what she’s learnt from talking to both her parents and her birth mum about their experience of her dwarfism, as well as debating the pros and cons of modern genetic testing. They also chat about Ellie’s decision to retire from swimming: how will you know when it’s time to call something quits, and how can you then cultivate new passions? Plus, how to untangle self-worth and self-esteem from achievements... Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? will be available to watch on ITV from the 27th of May. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about baby loss and abortion, so do take care while listening. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Liberty Mills Sophie Morgan Samantha Renke   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there a reason so many comedians can struggle with their mental health? Mo Gilligan knows all too well that finding the funny in everything can sometimes mean having to suppress sadness.   In this chat, Fearne and Mo talk about how a single passing comment can stay with you and eat away at your self-esteem over time, and why we need to be better at celebrating our talent and achievements.   Plus, can scrolling through memes be a positive form of escapism when you’re low...?   Mo Gilligan: Beginning, Middle, and End is available to listen to now! If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: How to Laugh When You’ve Been To Hell and Back Fats Timbo Zayn   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At age 43 Liberty Mills was told she had a 0.7% chance of having another baby with her own eggs – and that was with the assistance of IVF. But she and her partner decided to continue their fertility journey with the help of integrative medicine, and after a lifestyle overhaul, she conceived her daughter naturally, and gave birth two weeks before her 45th birthday. In this chat with Fearne, Liberty explains how her own experiences inspired her to become a Certified Integrative Health and Nutrition Coach, helping other individuals and couples to amend their lifestyles to optimise their ability to conceive. Liberty talks through how everything from vaping, to stress, to the plastics in your kitchen are affecting both female and male fertility. Not planning on having a baby? All these lifestyle changes are still important for our overall health and mental wellbeing. Plus, Fearne and Liberty do a deep dive into negative self-talk, body image, and the shame that can be attached to infertility. Liberty’s book, 360 Fertility, is out on May 22nd.   Some extra reading you might find useful:   Nutrient depletion from prescribed medications   Nutrients depleted by the contraceptive pill   How prescriptions deplete nutrients   If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:   Estelle Bingham   Holly Bourne   Paloma Faith Dynamo   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bare is the vital true story of Lorna Tucker’s fight to survive living on the streets of London. She had to lie, steal, strip, and just about everything in between to survive. This really important portrait of female homelessness was April’s Happy Place Book Club read. In this chat with Fearne, author and filmmaker Lorna explains how chance – those five minutes that seem insignificant at the time – can send your life in a completely different direction. She talks through the reality of all the different reasons people might end up living on the street, and why she has so much empathy, and a desire to understand, what drives addiction and violence. Plus, Fearne and Lorna share how their brains can spiral into dread and insecurity, and offer advice on how to work through shame about perceived flaws. Thank you to Brazen for the use of Bare audiobook, narrated by Lorna Tucker. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:   Listen to Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall   Listen to Book Club Meets: Holly Bourne   Listen to Book Club Meets: David Larbi   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does going through a rough time make you untrusting of fleeting joyful moments, or make you lean into them harder? For Dannii Minogue it’s the latter. In this chat with Fearne, Dannii explains why getting divorced and having to borrow money from family, coping with sister Kylie’s cancer, and having her body critiqued by the press have taught her to appreciate happiness when it comes. Fearne and Dannii worked together on The X Factor for a bit, and they both discuss what it was like to work on such a juggernaut programme, and chat about how to understand what boundaries you might need to set in your career. They also talk about why Dannii’s so passionate about wrapping queer and non-conforming people in so much love and joyful celebration. Plus, a little PSA from Dannii: try not to get bitten by a poisonous spider, it won’t end well...! Dannii’s back as the host of I Kissed A Boy on BBC Three in May. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:   Louise Redknapp   Sophie Ellis-Bextor   Olly Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.