Something from the Cellar: Dame Arlene Phillips

Joining us this week is one of British television’s most loved and consistently brilliant actors. From No Angels to EastEnders, Ackley Bridge to Stay Close, she’s become a mainstay on our screens — and now she’s back with a gripping new drama. It’s the wonderful Jo Joyner! In this conversation, Jo looks back on the defining chapters of her life, from the heartbreak of fertility struggles to the joy of becoming a mum to twins through IVF. She shares the instinctive decision that led to her pregnancy, the happiness she’s found in family life, and why she wishes she’d appreciated her body more in her younger years.She also opens up about navigating surgical menopause, the new ways she’s showing up for herself — including a transformative solo retreat — and how she’s learning to embrace this next chapter of life. Plus, she's also got stories from the set of Little Disasters, what it’s like working with a dream team of brilliant women, and why she’s embracing midlife entirely on her own terms. Enjoy! Little Disasters is available to stream now on Paramount+. Fill out our survey here to have a chance at winning a PS5! For all the latest news, click here to follow us on Instagram! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re revisiting our brilliantly fun chat with the one and only Vernon Kay – radio powerhouse, TV favourite, and all-round good guy! In this feel-good episode, Vernon shares how a chance stint in modelling kickstarted his broadcasting career, what life is really like with wife Tess Daly, and even the time he heroically saved an ITV producer from drowning in Florida! Packed with warmth, laughs, and classic Vernon charm, this one’s guaranteed to lift your spirits. For all the latest news, click here to follow us on Instagram! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining us this week is a man whose personal story and political mission are inextricably linked. A long-serving MP and the current leader of the Liberal Democrats, he’s also a carer and campaigner whose life has been shaped by love, loss, and a fierce determination to improve the lives of others. It’s Ed Davey! In this episode, Ed opens up about the defining experiences that have shaped his worldview, from caring for his mother through terminal cancer when he was a child, to raising his son with a rare neurological condition alongside his wife, Emily. He shares how these formative moments inspired his new memoir ‘Why I Care and Why Care Matters’ and why he believes caregiving should be recognised as a central part of both public life and policy. With warmth, candour and emotional clarity, Ed reflects on the everyday realities of home life, including the relentless fight to access support for his son John, their revolutionary discovery of a treatment facility in Budapest and the unwavering spirit that holds his family together. He also speaks movingly about the lasting influence of his late parents and why gratitude and love, even in the hardest of circumstances, have been his greatest teachers. Why I Care and Why Care Matters is out now wherever you get your books. For all the latest news, click here to follow us on Instagram! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re throwing it back to our unforgettable conversation with the sensational Beverley Knight – a true powerhouse of British music and theatre. In this episode, Beverley reflects on the people and moments that have shaped her extraordinary career, from being championed by legends like Prince and David Bowie to sharing a stage with Stevie Wonder, her journey is nothing short of iconic. And with an Olivier Award under her belt for her role in Sylvia, she continues to shine as one of the West End’s brightest stars. An episode packed with star power, humility, and inspiration – enjoy! For all the latest news, click here to follow us on Instagram! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining us this week is a master of observation – an author, journalist and documentarian whose work has delved into the furthest margins of modern life. From conspiracy theorists to the inner world of psychopaths, his stories always keep one foot in the world of misfits and outsiders. It’s the brilliant Jon Ronson! In this episode, Jon reflects on his remarkable journey from a bullied teen in Cardiff to one of the most distinctive non-fiction storytellers of our time. He shares how a squatting stint in London and a chance role in the Frank Sidebottom band helped him find his tribe, and how a single regretful sentence written in his twenties changed his entire approach to journalism. Jon also reflects on how being fired from a local Manchester radio station became a painful but pivotal moment that reshaped both his career path and creative outlook. He goes on to explore how his work has evolved alongside the shifting media landscape – from his early days at Smash Hits, to creating the acclaimed BBC podcast Things Fell Apart – and shares why he remains optimistic about the future of factual storytelling, even in the age of AI. Tickets for Psychopath Night, Jon’s latest live UK tour, are available now. You can also catch up on both series of Things Fell Apart on BBC Sounds. For all the latest news, click here to follow us on Instagram! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.