This week’s episode is a little different — no deep dive, no wrap-up, just a short, sweet dose of real life from the slightly foggy, slightly festive edge of midlife. You know that feeling when your brain’s juggling twelve tabs at once and every ping, reminder, and WhatsApp message sends you over the edge? Same. In The Hat Trick, I talk about that creeping mental overload that comes with this time of year (and maybe with being this age), before revisiting a piece of writing from 2014 — back when life felt like one big game of “how many roles can you play before you combust?” It’s about the hats we wear — parent, partner, worker, dreamer — and how to stop them from slipping down over your eyes. So, take ten minutes, take a breath, and take it easy on yourself. You’re doing f*cking brilliantly.

This week I’m talking about doing it all on my own — not the kind of “solo” you’re thinking of (behave), but the scary kind where you have no one to blame but yourself. It’s about fear, freedom, and that weird middle ground where you want help… but also absolutely don’t touch anything.

Going out used to be easy. Now it takes a rare planetary alignment and a motivational speech just to put proper shoes on. This week I’m talking about the great energy shift — from 90s chaos and sticky dancefloors to middle-aged comfort and seated gigs — and asking whether we’ve really slowed down, or just redirected the energy somewhere else (like the sofa).

Shorter one today and it's about my first silly decision in my 50s! It’s been 11 years since I last ran a marathon — and I swore I’d never do it again. Yet here I am, lacing up my trainers and setting my sights on Amsterdam 2026. This isn’t about fitness goals or midlife reinvention (well, maybe a little). It’s about falling back in love with running… or at least learning to tolerate it again — one slow, slightly salty mile at a time.

This week on Life on the B Side, it’s my birthday — the big 5-0 — and I’m finally learning how to stop sabotaging my own celebrations. From chip shop dinners and awkward family anniversaries to surprise flights across the Atlantic, this episode is a love letter to birthdays gone wrong (and right), and to finally taking control of what makes you happy. So grab a slice of cake (because why the fuck not) and tune in for a story about expectations, growing older, and finally figuring out how to celebrate yourself — without the drama.

This week on Life on the B Side, I’m taking a short break from moaning about my impending 50th birthday (yes, it’s still happening) to share a story I first wrote six years ago — one that marked the first time I ever spoke publicly about growing up in a home with domestic abuse. It’s not the chirpiest of topics, but it is an important one — especially as October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. The story begins in 1989, with a 13-year-old me belting out The Bangles’ “Eternal Flame” and believing I was Susanna Hoffs… until my neighbour’s applause revealed something much darker: that the walls we thought kept our family secrets actually didn’t. If this episode brings up anything for you, please know you’re not alone. Support links are shared at the end of the show.

Turning 50 isn’t the big, shiny reinvention everyone makes it out to be. You don’t wake up on the morning of your birthday suddenly wiser, richer, or with fewer wrinkles — the dishwasher still needs emptying and the dog still needs walking. But looking back on half a century of living (that’s five whole decades, folks), I realised life isn’t really lived in neat 10-year slices. All the chapters vary in length and lesson. In this episode, I take you on a whistle-stop tour through my own ordinary-extraordinary 50 years — because birthdays aren’t deadlines for who you should be by now — they’re milestones to celebrate how far you’ve come.

Episode 41: Fear, F*ck Ups & Finding My Voice – A Year of Talking to the Wall Almost a year ago, I hit “publish” on my very first podcast episode (recorded in a cupboard, no less). Forty-something episodes later, I’m still here — slightly less terrified, a lot more sweary, and definitely finding my voice. In this episode I’m looking back at everything I’ve learned in a year of podcasting: the fear that nearly stopped me, the f*ck ups that taught me more than perfection ever could, and the joy of connection (even when it feels like I’m still just talking to the wall). If you’ve ever thought about starting something new but fear, procrastination or perfectionism got in the way — this one’s for you.

I’ve had two names in my life and I’ve never liked either of them. One no one could pronounce properly, the other belongs to a family I barely see. Neither feels like me. So, what’s a girl to do? Change it, of course. In this episode, I share why I’ve decided it’s time to choose my own name alongside the mess, the meaning, and the mischief in finally picking a name that actually fits. Because if you can’t own your own name, what can you own? Oh and you can have a say if you fancy it...?

Autumn has always felt like a natural reset — a season for slowing down, turning inward, and finding comfort in small rituals. And I am going ti milk autumn as an excuse for all of the above this year. In this episode, I talk about how past therapy now helps me mirror the rhythm of the seasons, why ROMO (Relief of Missing Out) feels especially powerful right now, and the comfort TV that makes my autumn evenings feel just right. I also need suggestions for new comfort TV please…      

Today I am celebrating 21 years of marriage to a man I met at a work event. And with that in mind, I decided to share (without planning or script or anything for that matter) the brief story of how that happened. Unlike my marriage, this episode is short, sweet and without incident ;) No, but honestly, this is just me sharing a meet-cute that I think set us off on the right foot…

It's a bit of a stretch to say that there are life lessons to be found in foam parties and champagne diving in the Med. But as I've had cause to think about the holidays I took in my twenties, I thought there MUST be something in those escapades, something that is more than just memories of questionable decisions, cheap cocktails and painful sunburn. And I am I the only one dreading the sound of that Saga Holiday brochure hitting the door mat and it actually being relevant to my age group????

Need some life coaching? Best place to start? Classic 1980s John Hughes films… What does a day off with Ferris Bueller have to do with how we see our own lives? Quite a lot, actually. In this episode of Life on the B Side, I explore the power of perspective — from standing high above Newcastle at Grey’s Monument, to gazing at dots in an art gallery, to watching Ferris and his friends seize the day in Chicago. We might not have realised how much advice Mr Hughes packed into his films when we were young, but rewatching them now is having a profound effect on me so I thought I’d share it with you. P.S. You’re not dying, you just can’t think of anything good to do…

Camping isn’t just a holiday — it’s a crash course in family life.From sleepless nights in a teepee tent to teens glued to campsite WiFi, and one unforgettable trip with a stubborn VW campervan named Albert, I’ve camped through every season of parenthood. Join me for campsite characters, family mishaps, and a reminder that sometimes the soggiest trips make the best stories and teach us the most about ourselves.

Bit of a nostalgia trip in this episode — but not the dreamy, golden kind. Today I’m taking you back to the summer I was 16. A holiday that was meant to be a break from real life... but turned into two long, emotional weeks that I’ve never quite forgotten. It involved: One well-meaning but emotionally unavailable dad A lot of alcohol (not mine) Silent dinners, full ashtrays, and no way home And a teenager trying to make sense of it all It’s raw, it’s honest, and — looking back — it taught me more about boundaries, expectations, and emotional survival than any sunny postcard moment ever could. Because not all holidays are fun.And not all coming-of-age stories come with a sunset.

Ever feel like you're the glue holding everything (and everyone) together? Same. In this episode, I dive into the reality of being the family linchpin and the trap of being a ‘capable woman’. And I accidentally discover what drove me to become the Carlsberg Wife and the decision I have taken to step into something new, whatever that might be…

I gave up booze – and it wasn’t all gains. In this episode, I talk honestly about what I lost, what I found, and what surprised me when I stepped away from alcohol. No preaching, just real talk about sober curiosity, social shifts, and what’s left behind. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction issues, head to  www.drinkaware.co.uk and click on support lines – there's a dozen places you can call for support or advice.

This episode is 4 days late. 4 days! And that’s all down to the one skill I have comprehensively mastered, honed and turned into an art form. Procrastination. Come with me to discover how you too can achieve boss-level procrastination. You might never get anything done again, and you will feel uncomfortable the whole time but then where’s the fun in feeling accomplished? Send help. Please.

Yes, I have been missing for two weeks! But I come back and bring you tales of post-natal ghosts, house-buying and my very own Nurse Ratched. And yes they are all linked!!    

Just because school’s out doesn’t mean we don’t keep learning a thing or two. What a f*cking ramble this is! It’s been like a parent therapy session for me :) The ‘lessons’ and observations in here apply to school life whether your child has just finished formal education or they’re just starting out. TBH they probably apply beyond the school years so if you wanna hear someone chatter on about catholic convent school in the 80s and 90s, modern creative way kids can torture each other and how there is no grey area in maths (you’re either great or shit at it) then this episode is for you. Well done Class of 2025! You did it! (And Covid will not spoil the celebrations this time).