The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan

My guest today is someone whose life reads like a series of things most of us would consider utterly impossible. Vicki Anstey is a world record holder, a human performance coach, an entrepreneur and an adventurer — and that only scratches the surface. She was one of the first women to reach the final stages of SAS Who Dares Wins, rowed the mid-Pacific unaided, and in 2024 cycled 3,000 miles across America in one of the toughest endurance races on the planet. She has raced 250 kilometres across the Arctic in minus 35 degrees and across the Savannahs of Kenya in 50 degree heat. Vicki is also a passionate advocate for girls and young women through her role as UK Ambassador for Inspiring Girls International. She is a perfect Midpoint guest because at the heart of everything she does is a belief that we are all capable of so much more than we think — and her own life is the proof. Her brilliant new book, Other People Are Like The Weather, is published by Northside House and is out on the 17th of June in hardback from Waterstones and Amazon. You can also pre-order a signed and dedicated copy —https://vickianstey.co.uk/product/other-people-are-like-the-weather/

Gabby' s guest today is one of Britain's greatest ever Olympians. Victoria Pendleton is a nine-times world champion cyclist who won gold at two Olympic Games — and then, just to keep things interesting, retrained as a jockey, attempted Everest and walked a high wire over the Olympic Stadium. Victoria has never been someone who stands still. She has a new book out called The Fear Opportunity, and at the centre is a powerful idea — that the things that scare us most are actually the greatest opportunities we have to grow. But this book is also something much more personal than a self help guide, and Victoria talks with real openness today about the experiences that shaped it. She is a brilliant Midpoint guest because her whole life has been about pushing through fear to discover what you are truly capable of — and she has learned some hard lessons along the way that she shares with extraordinary honesty. This is an inspiring, moving and honest conversation. Victoria's book The Fear Opportunity is out now and is published by Bluebird.

Sarah Jossel is one of the most respected names in beauty journalism — a woman who has built a brilliant career helping people look and feel their best while navigating all the twists and turns that come with life in a fast moving industry. In this episode of Midpoint, Gabby sits down with Sarah for a conversation that is part career deep dive, part listener Q&A — because you had questions and Sarah had answers. From the secrets of the beauty world to the bigger questions about confidence, ageing and how we feel about ourselves as we reach our own midpoints, this is a really open and honest conversation. Sarah is warm, knowledgeable and refreshingly straight talking — and your questions made it even better. This one is for anyone who has ever wanted to know what really is behind the beauty myths and what actually works!

My guest today is someone who has been part of British television for decades. Fern Britton is one of the most recognisable and beloved faces on our screens — from Ready Steady Cook to This Morning, she has entertained and connected with millions of people over the years with her warmth, her humour and her extraordinary ability to make everyone feel at ease. But as many of you will know, Fern's life hasn't always been straightforward, and she talks with real honesty today about the journey that has brought her to where she is now. And the next chapter of her life is one she has very much written herself — as a novelist who is producing work that her readers absolutely love. Her latest book, A Cornish Legacy, published by Harper Collins, is out now and it is a brilliant read. She is a perfect Midpoint guest because her story is really one of resilience, reinvention and finding out who you truly are. This is a warm, funny and deeply honest conversation and I am so pleased to have her here today.

Sam McAllister spent years working behind the scenes as one of the BBC's most tenacious and determined producers — pitching, pushing and refusing to give up until she got the story. And it was that relentless determination that led to her securing one of the most explosive television interviews in recent memory — Prince Andrew's Newsnight interview that shocked the world. In this episode of Midpoint, Gabby sits down with Sam to talk about the ambition and resilience it takes to succeed in a male dominated industry, what really goes on behind the camera in journalism, and the moment her own story broke. Sam talks about the things she's achieved and how she got there - even when things werent straightforward.

My guest this week is someone whose words have stopped people in their tracks all over the world. Donna Ashworth is a poet whose work has taken social media by storm — honest, warm and deeply human poems that somehow manage to say exactly what so many of us are feeling but can't quite find the words for ourselves. What I love about Donna's story is that it didn't happen overnight — she came to poetry later in life, through her own personal journey, and that experience is at the heart of everything she writes. She is a perfect Midpoint guest because she understands better than most what it means to find your true purpose when you least expect it. This is a really beautiful and uplifting conversation about creativity, self discovery and the extraordinary power of the right words at the right time.

My guest this week is one of Britain's most respected and fearless journalists. Cathy Newman spent twenty years at Channel 4 News, interviewed eight Prime Ministers, and broke some of the biggest stories of the last decade — including the investigation that led to the Archbishop of Canterbury resigning for the first time in history. She's just been named Journalist of the Year and Interviewer of the Year, and she's now embarking on an exciting new chapter at Sky News fronting her own show. But away from the headlines and the political interviews, who is Cathy Newman? What drives her, what has she sacrificed, and what does it feel like to be at this particular midpoint — leaving somewhere you've called home for two decades and stepping into something completely new? This is a really honest and fascinating conversation and I think you're going to enjoy it.

WE MISSED YOU, REUBEN!This week I'm doing something a little different — I'm joined by my husband Kenny and our daughter Lois. Yes, I'm interviewing my own family. Kenny is someone who has never been short of an opinion, and has had quite a journey both on and off the pitch that he talks about with real openness. Lois is twenty, at university, and absolutely not afraid to say what she thinks — especially about me and her dad. Between the two of them I barely got a word in. We chat about meeting in-laws, giving back and how technology is taking over our communication methods.What I love about this conversation is that it's a proper family chat — the kind where nothing is really off limits and everyone is fair game. It's honest, it's fun and at times it's fairly revealing. I really enjoyed making this one and I hope you enjoy listening to it.

Hilary Whitehall is warm, funny, razor sharp and utterly brilliant company — someone who has lived a life full of joy, laughter and love. And right now life is particularly sweet — she's embracing the wonderful chaos of being a grandmother, and with Jack's wedding to Roxy on the horizon, the Whitehall family is about to have even more to celebrate. Hilary has played hockey all her life and that commitment to staying active hasn't slowed down one bit — she's found a brilliant PT and is more determined than ever to keep fit and healthy for the grandchildren she adores. She is a perfect Midpoint guest because this is a woman who has arrived at this chapter of life with real grace, real energy and a genuine appreciation for everything it brings. This is a funny, warm and deeply heartfelt conversation about family, love, keeping yourself going and the very particular joy of watching your children find their happiness.