This is a special episode in partnership with British Airways.Gabby and Kenny Logan reminisce about the memorable trips they’ve taken over the course of their lives, from Kenny’s first long haul flight when he was initially selected to play rugby for Scotland, to Gabby’s trip to the Commonwealth Games as a 16 year old athlete; from an unforgettable break to Bali where they fully recharged, to and trips with their young children to Japan and South Africa which changed their perspectives on the world. They discuss how their approach to travel has changed over the years - Kenny no longer takes pride in arriving as close as he can to check-in closing, and Gabby is trying to slow down and enjoy the airport experience more. As well as the travel opportunities that have been unlocked now they are in midlife. Some travel experiences change you forever and stay with you long after you’ve touched down on home soil - even embarrassing moments that you might rather forget, as Gabby explains! So the Logan’s also give their top tips for making the most of your next trip. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 pit of despair and resentment by learning to love herself fully and throwing herself unabashedly down what she describes as a wellness rabbithole. Laura also speaks about learning that stress is a sign to rest, and why she doesn’t feel bad about saying no to things anymore. Laura’s story proves that it’s never too late to build the life you want, but also that things don’t always go to plan, so don’t wait until you’re facing death to really start living. You can catch her on tour in 2024 - grab your tickets here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 you want in life rather than trying to have it all, and how her youngest child’s premature birth proved just how little we can actually control in life. Rachel also talks about the joy of taking up walking football in midlife, and her new project - Cafe Hope - which she’s hoping will provide some relief from the daily news cycle. Dr Danny Penman also joins to speak about his experience using meditation as pain relief after a serious paragliding accident, and how taking time out for meditation can actually save you time in the long run. His new book Deeper Mindfulness: The New Way to Rediscover Calm in a Chaotic World is available now.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 menopause. You can find out more about Dr Gunter’s published works here including The Menopause Manifesto. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 older; how going through multiple pregnancies has actually made her feel stronger; and her anxieties about retiring completely from the job she still loves. Author of How To Build A Healthy Brain, Kimberley Wilson, also joins to discuss the relationship between exercise and brain health, and why every time you move your body you give your brain a boost! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 of us go through in midlife when our parents begin to need more help and support; and there’s even an old fashioned midlife chat about the thankless task of trying to exercise with a bad back! Head Tutor at The Raymond Blanc Gardening School August Bernstein also joins to talk about making the most of your green spaces, and how you can get started on growing your own vegetables with nothing more than a windowsill.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 loves. Jill speaks about her longtime friend, former Scottish rugby player Doddie Weir; how his diagnosis of motor neurone disease sharpened her own focus, and the charity they helped build together before his death (My Name’5 Doddie Foundation). MND is most commonly diagnosed in midlife, so Professor of Neurology and Complex Disease Genetics at King’s College London, Ammar Al-Chalabi, also joins to discuss some of the misconceptions about the disease and some advancements that have been made thanks to fundraising in recent years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Nicky also talks about the moment he realised that the sexual abuse he and his classmates had suffered when they were at school was publicly known, and he had to confront what had happened to him in his childhood. Nicky decided to use his professional platform to help others do the same, and was inundated with calls and emails from survivors; some middle aged men had never told a soul about what had happened to them prior to speaking with Nicky. He speaks about how challenging that was at times, but also how galvanising survivors to seek justice and representing them at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, is a great source of pride for him. They also speak to Simon Gunning - CEO of suicide prevention charity, CALM - about how talking openly about suicide as a human behaviour might actually help prevent it. You can find Nicky’s podcast Different here, and the episode of The Spark which Simon refers to (featuring Rory O’Connor), here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 fighting for others can sometimes feel more natural than fighting for oneself, and that scheduling meetings with yourself might actually be the best form of selfcare! Menopause fitness coach and author of Owning Your Menopause: Fitter, Calmer, Stronger in 30 Days, Kate Rowe-Ham, also joins to talk about the kinds of exercise that could help women navigate midlife.  TW: This episode does contain references to miscarriage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 last year has seen him take back control and refuse to give up on his health. Dr Emily Porter, specialist dietician at The Gut Health Clinic, also joins to shed more light on ways you can improve your gut health by thinking about both the contents and timings of your meals, and how a pre-diabetic or T2 diabetes diagnosis does not mean you lose all agency over your blood sugar levels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 middle-aged social media star, who makes thousands of people laugh with her videos depicting the mundane - and often challenging - aspects of motherhood. Stylist and founder of Green Edit, Charlotte Handley Green, is also on the podcast to talk about fashion and styling in midlife. She speaks about the importance of streamlining your wardrobe and building up ‘staples’ and ‘showstoppers'; how style is ageless and we should only be concerned with how our clothes make us feel - as well as the importance of good underwear! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 her half marathon training and as part of her ongoing partnership with Runna, Olympic marathon runner and coach, Steph Davis, is also here to share her top tips for anyone thinking of getting into or returning to running in midlife. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 enter her fifties on her terms. Rosie tells Gabby all that she’s come to realise through this process, including reassessing her values and redefining what success means to her at this stage of her life. They also speak with psychodynamic psychotherapist, Isobel Williams, about how it's never too late to make a little space for yourself and explore how talking therapy can be helpful at any age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 for Insomnia (CBTi). You might be surprised to learn that bedtimes are out, and get up times are in; sleep aids and nighttime routines can sometimes increase sleep anxiety and actually keep you awake; changing your expectations of sleep might be key to making sleeping easier; and couples who sleep in separate beds might have had it right all along! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 through fertility treatment and why she felt compelled to share the realities of it; as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with people who have had similar experiences to you when you’re going through challenging or traumatic times. Dr Nighat Arif, a GP specialising in women’s health, also joins to talk about thyroid health and why women may see their thyroid function change as they age. Dr Arif’s book, The Knowledge, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 joins to talk about how sex and heteronormative bias have been present in the scientific study of animals since Darwin’s day, and have influenced the way we see the females of all sorts of species – including our own. Listen on to hear how Orcas recognised the power of post-menopausal women before humans did!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 chips. They both share their perspective on Emma’s early menopause, and discuss the many quirks of the Neville family – a modern day sporting dynasty! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 wisdom she’s gleaned from over 30 years’ worth of clinical experience.Together they discuss navigating your first Christmas after the death of a loved one; ways you can support someone who is grieving at this time of year; how to try to make the best of your last Christmas with someone who has a terminal illness; developing rituals - which Julia describes as habits with soul – which might help you manage triggers; why sometimes family issues such as favouritism are best discussed in January; and managing clashes of personality between your partner and your parents. Plus, why the turkey is almost certainly not going to be perfect! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 will be back in the UK to finish her latest world tour at The London O2 on 8 May 2024. Personal Trainer and J7 Health Centre owner, Javeno Mclean, also joins Gabby to speak about how he is determined to help everyone – regardless of age or ability – to benefit from exercise. Disabled people travel far and wide to train with Javeno, but through social media he’s encouraging people around the world to reframe their thinking and focus on what people can do rather than what they can’t do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.