Happy Place

Are you approaching the festive season without loved ones? Comedian, presenter, and author Matt Lucas has been thinking a lot about what it’s like to be grieving around this time of year. In this chat with Fearne, Matt talks through some of the personal experiences that led him to write a children’s book about a boy who’s approaching Christmas without his mum. They also share that creativity has the ability to pull them out of depressions. Plus, using parts of his own life as examples, Matt explains why we might need to think more about the prison population, and why it’s important to understand the back story of what it means to be gay in the UK. Matt’s musical children’s book, The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas, is out now.

Stripped of her character and confidence, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock felt she was fading away in the band. In this chat with Fearne, Leigh-Anne details the moment it clicked how big a part racism was playing, and why she now feels a duty to speak out. She explains how – as well as re-building her self-worth through therapy – she finds it helpful to ask herself what her fearless children would do. Fearne and Leigh-Anne also wonder whether we always have to know exactly who we are, or whether we can just let ourselves be... Leigh-Anne’s book, Believe, is out now, published by Headline and available at all good bookshops.

Do you know how to set boundaries without feeling like a mean-spirited person? Singer songwriter LeAnn Rimes has learnt to give herself permission to politely say no. In this chat, Fearne and LeAnn share their experiences of learning to find fun when life had been so business-oriented for both of them from such a young age. They also compare notes on step-parenting, and talk about how children can trigger important revelations about your own insecurities. Plus, they chat about the concept of wellness, and why we need to be careful not to just let it become another stick to beat ourselves with... LeAnn will be performing at the O2 Arena in London on the 8th May 2024.

What other people think about you is their own business. Actress, musician, and talk show host Jada Pinkett Smith looks internally for her self-worth. In this chat with Fearne, Jada explains why it’s so important to take responsibility for how you feel about yourself. They also talk about why we’re sometimes just as afraid to embrace our own light as we are to acknowledge the shadow parts of ourselves. Plus, Jada details the difference between trauma and adversity, and makes it clear the latter is both necessary and transformative. Jada’s book, Worthy, is out now. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about suicidal thoughts, so do take care while listening.

Sport should unite people; that’s what England women’s football coach Sarina Wiegman believes, and it’s something she achieved when the Lionesses won the Euros in 2022. In this chat with Fearne, Sarina explains that succeeding at a high level is important because it provides a platform to drive meaningful cultural change. She also talks about why a good leader should be empathetic to the individual characters of those they’re managing, and why clarity – being clear and honest in communication – is a key value of hers. Sarina’s book, What it Takes: My Playbook on Life and Leadership, is out on the 9th November.

In moments of worry, it can be useful to zoom out and see the bigger picture. As an astronaut, Major Tim Peake is one of the few people who’s been able to physically gain this kind of perspective, looking back at the planet from space. In this chat with Fearne, Tim explains how his experiences have built resilience that he can bring back into his everyday life back on Earth, as well as how he analyses and compartmentalises risk in a potentially dangerous job. He also talks about coming to the realisation that not setting long-term goals, but instead working with two-year visions, has helped him enjoy the journey more. Tim’s book, Space: The Human Story, is out now.

Have you spoken to your parents and grandparents about their own life experiences? For Sir Lenny Henry, it’s been important to document his family’s stories. In this chat with Fearne, Lenny talks about his community’s culture of overcoming big life events as a collective, explains how his humour won him allies when he was being bullied, and thinks about what still needs to be done to tackle racism in the UK. You can catch episode one of Three Little Birds on ITVX now, and episode two will be on ITV on Sunday 29 October. Lenny’s latest children’s book, The Boy With Wings: Clash of the Superkids, is out now. CONTENT WARNING: This episode frankly discusses incidents of racism. 

The band is 34 years old, but Take That feel they’re just getting started. In this chat with Fearne, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald, reveal if they can see themselves on stage well into their 70s and 80s... Plus, they chat about how much of a positive impact having children has had both on their own characters, and on the logistics of being in a band. They also explain what it takes to be physically capable of performing huge live shows – the gym and nutrition both play a part. Take That’s new album, This Life, is out on November 24th.Tickets for the 2024 tour are on sale now, just visit: https://takethat.com/

Can you look at yourself and say ‘I am happy’? Supermodel Ellie Goldstein, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, says she can. In this chat with Fearne, Ellie and her mum Yvonne talk about the obstacles she’s overcome to grace the covers of Vogue and Glamour, as well as become the UK ambassador for a Barbie doll based on a person with Down’s Syndrome. They chat about the importance of making sure kids feel a part of a community. It doesn’t matter how quickly they pick up a hobby, or how good they are at it – what matters is that they’re enjoying themselves. Against All Odds By Ellie Goldstein (with foreword by Katie Piper) is out now.