Spinning Plates with Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Salima Saxton is a writer, an actor and a coach, and she co-presents the podcast ‘Women are Mad’. She has 3 children aged 9, 12 and 15 and she recently caught my attention with her amazing Moth story about a Valentine’s Day announcement by her husband which changed her life. It’s 5 minutes of supreme story telling; you must listen! Salima and I talked about how she grew up with an alcoholic Dad and was always trying to be a ‘good girl’. Now she embraces a messy, crazy family life and says it’s vital to show up as yourself. Early in our chat we also confessed that we are both ‘secret control freak’ mums, but let’s not concentrate on that! I love Salima's idea of connecting with your 8 year old self and maybe doing some of the things that SHE used to love doing. Now, where are my rollerskates...?Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Karni Arieli is a photographer. Her lockdown project Eye Mama @eyemamaproject asked photographer mums all over the world to share honest pictures of their own experiences of motherhood. She has just had it published as a book. She also makes short films, commercials and music videos and has recently had a BAFTA nomination for a film about the life of a salmon, played by a woman and narrated by Marianne Faithfull.Karni and I talked about how showing our children our weakensses is important and she shared how her first experience of motherhood was extremely tough as she had a herniated disc and couldn't walk or lift her baby for the first 8 months of his life.Karni also shared her life motto that she's passed on to her children: 'Do it like you mean it'. And she described her love of 'awe walks' with her children, which I am defintiely going to practise on the walk to school from now on!https://www.instagram.com/eyemamaproject/?hl=enhttps://eyemamaproject.com/Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Olympic athlete and TV commentator Paula Radcliffe lives in Monaco with her husband Gary, and her two children Isla and Raphael.Paula is a 3 time winner of the London Marathon and held the Women's World Marathon Record for 16 years (2003-2019). I spoke to her just after she competed in the Tokyo Marathon aged 51, her first marathon since retiring aged 40.Paula recently co-hosted a lighthearted training podcast Paula's Marathon Run Club for the 16 weeks leading up to the London Marathon. She had a parental interest in this year's race as her own daughter Isla ran in aid of Children with Cancer UK. Paula talked to me about how her daughter went through a cancer diagnosis at the age of 13 and a half. She has happily since been given the all clear.  Paula also described her family life in Monaco and I admit I looked up the weather forecast there and felt pretty envious!Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Daria Khrystenko fled her home in Kyiv on the day that Russia invaded Ukraine 3 years ago. She, her then 10 year old son, her mum and her 3 cats travelled to Poland where Daria now works with CARE Poland, as a translator and advocate, helping other refugee women rebuild their lives.Daria told me about the day the war broke out, and how she packed and left home in 20 minutes. She explained how she tries to create a new stability for her family in Poland and how she longs for fair peace in Ukraine.Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Susie Crow runs a small business called Let Us Pretend, in which she ‘makes sparkly things’. I have bought wonderful brightly coloured, fringed capes from her which say ‘Happy New Year!’ and ‘Happy Christmas!’ She also makes personalised banners. Originally from Newcastle, Susie now lives in Sussex and has three children and a creative job that she loves. And she is the only person I can think of who has more sequins in her life than I do!Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Actress Tuppence Middleton is perhaps best known for playing Lucy Branson in Downton Abbey.She has a little girl with her Swedish husband and divides her time between England and Sweden.I spoke to Tuppence the week before her memoir Scorpions was published. It’s a highly personal book about living with OCD and it really helped me understand the day to day complexities of dealing with OCD and with emetophobia - the fear of being sick.We also talked about how OCD has given her a greater empathy for other people, and how it means she is always prepared for the worst case scenario.Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.