Fearne Cotton: “I’m completely out of my depth!” Happy Place turns seven

It’s Happy Place’s 7th birthday! To celebrate, Fearne’s put down her own trusty notebook and let her presenter mate Alex Jones turn the interview tables!In this chat, Alex asks Fearne about Happy Place’s evolution from a podcast, to a book publisher, to a festival, and now a marketplace too.Fearne opens up about feeling bleak and being on anti-depressants before she created Happy Place, as well as all the moments she’s cocked up personally and professionally over the last seven years. Do you have imposter syndrome and a deep desire to be liked? Fearne chats about how to cope with those feelings. Fearne’s also got better at admitting she’s ambitious and proud of her work, and wants you to be allowed to feel good when you’re good at something too!You’ll hear some exclusive BTS stuff: how does Fearne pick guests for the show? What does she look club in Book Club author? And how the bloody hell does she manage her time as a brand founder, presenter, mum, and mate?? (Spoiler: she tells Alex about the reality of bringing her kids to work!)Plus, Fearne answers the questions you’ve voicenoted her on Instagram! One of you has sparked an important conversation about fertility, and Fearne and Alex cover other big topics like taking more time to consider death and grief.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:Alex JonesElizabeth GilbertBjorn Nathikko LindebladYungBludPaloma Faith   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does anxiety or darkness drive you to create? Is creativity the ultimate catharsis? For musician Pete Doherty making art has, at times, been a matter of survival. In this chat with Fearne, Pete explains why taking drugs was less about trying to escape, and more about what he was trying to find. Now he’s stopped taking drugs, how does he unlock and express his creativity differently? Pete also confirms that ‘addict’ is the right word to describe his behaviour, but that our attitude towards addiction needs to change. Fearne and Pete catch up about the early days of The Libertines, and what Pete labels as ‘the chaos and risk of youth’. He describes how he was sold on the enticing mythologies of a rock n roll lifestyle, but is now much more comfortable living quietly in rural France with his family and dogs. For contributions to #2 of Pete’s ‘On Strap’ fanzine please post to: 'ON STRAP’ FANZINE c/o The Heavy HorseHôtel le Rayon VertRue Général Leclerc76790 EtretatNormandieFRANCE Pete’s fifth solo studio album, Felt Better Alive, is out May 16th. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: DJ Fat Tony Matt WillisWhat Really Happens At Therapy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So many of us have had to shut down our heart and numb our emotions to survive. Estelle Bingham is dubbed ‘The Heart Whisperer’; she knows the greatest anxiety can come from suppressing parts of ourselves. In this chat with Fearne, Estelle – a holistic therapist and healer – explains how when the mind is spiralling out of control, the heart can bring us back to stillness. She shares how to feel your emotions in your body instead of just analysing them in your head. Fearne has done her own personal work with Estelle, and they talk though how Estelle’s guidance can banish shame and put a circuit breaker in negative thought patterns. Plus, why Estelle reckons the type of manifesting you see on Instagram is “a load of old cobblers”, and how she would recommend manifesting joy instead... Estelle’s book, Manifest Your True Essence, is out on April 8th. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Florence Given Gabby Bernstein Joey Hulin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you had a second chance at your first big love, would you take it? What about if you were already married to a very different kind of person? This is the dilemma Beth is faced with in Broken Country, the Happy Place Book Club novel for March. In this chat Fearne and author Clare Leslie Hall talk about why first love can be so intoxicating, and why it’s only human to feel the pull between very different lifestyles, knowing there are multiple ways you could be happy...Clare explains that Broken Country used to be a very different book, and she almost abandoned it entirely, so what can we learn about being patient with our creative blocks?Plus, if you ever fancy going to Dorset – where the book is set - Fearne and Clare go off on a tangent about all the best places to visit... Thank you to John Murray Press for the use of Broken Country audiobook, narrated by Hattie Morahan. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Listen to Book Club Meets: Holly Bourne Listen to Book Club Meets: David Larbi Listen to Book Club Meets: Dame Harriet Walter  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We change all the time, which means self-love is an ongoing practice; we’re constantly learning to love the person we are today. Musician Teddy Swims wants you to be able to look in the mirror and see what a great person you are every day.In this chat with Fearne, Teddy explains why he and his partner chose to go to couples therapy to help them prepare to become parents, as well as the incredible impact having an emotionally articulate father had on his ability to process his own big feelings. Fearne and Teddy both see music, art, writing, and creativity in general as cathartic outlets for emotions, but can this sometimes tip into wallowing in the same negative thought patterns over and over again?Plus, Fearne spotted a tattoo gun on Teddy’s dressing room table... will she let him tattoo her even though he’s “not very good yet”...?Teddy’s album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2), is out now.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:Olly AlexanderYung BludJon Bon Jovi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has fear ever stopped you from making the changes you want to make in life? Even if you know what you want, how do you turn your big goals into manageable daily habits? And what role does mindset play in enacting real change? The Happy Place Festival Talk Stage hosted loads of speakers across the weekend at Tatton Park last summer, who all explored these questions, and Fearne wants to bring you in on the Festival magic! In this episode you’ll hear from: -Dr Rangan Chatterjee on making transformative change that lasts, and learning to listen to your own gut instinct to create the life that works best for you -Founder of mental health and wellbeing app Shoorah, Lorri Haines, on how to build routines and habits that over time lead to positive lifestyle changes -Life coach Michelle Elman on the beautiful confidence that comes from feeling fearful but doing the scary thing anyway -Musician Beverley Knight and her husband James O’Keefe, founder of men’s mental health retreats Unguarded Warrior, on trusting that you have the answers and power to make changes inside you already -Broadcaster Adele Roberts and her partner Kate Holderness on what a cancer diagnosis has taught them both about coping with change you didn’t ask for  Tickets for the 2025 Happy Place Festivals in Gunnersbury Park and Tatton Park are available now at happyplacefestival.com. Listen to Rangan Chatterjee’s Happy Place episode Listen to Beverley Knight’s Happy Place episode Listen to Adele Roberts’ Happy Place episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coping with mental health conditions is never easy, but it does get easier; that’s what actor Will Poulter has learnt through his own experiences with OCD, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts. In this chat with Fearne, Will explains how OCD has manifested for him ever since he was a young kid. He also talks through why finding reasons to be grateful for the lessons mental health conditions have taught you can be helpful. If you’re honest with yourself... would you give yourself or others more grace if they had to take time off work because they’d broken their leg, as opposed to because their mental health was poor? Fearne and Will unpack that one, as well as discussing the importance of personalisation in looking after our brains. The same medication, meditation practice, or diet, is going to affect us all differently. Plus, do you constantly worry that you’ve said the wrong thing and pissed someone off? Fearne and Will have been there and offer their advice for overcoming that spiral... You can see Will in UK cinemas in Death of a Unicorn from April 4th, and Warfare from April 18th. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Joanna Lumley Mel Robbins Tuppence Middleton Jordan Stephens Chiwetel Ejiofor  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it a compliment to be called ‘nice’? Singer Louise Redknapp isn’t so sure. She’s always been the good girl, but she’s ready to embrace – and express – different facets of her character now. In this chat with Fearne, Louise explains that being in a 90s girlband, and being married to a sports star, forced her to be shiny and polished at all times. That led to a crippling fear about saying or doing the wrong thing, but she’s learning to trust her own gut instinct. Fearne and Louise chat about how never knowing her dad, and becoming a mother herself, have impacted her confidence and identity. Plus, can gratitude combat overwhelm?Louise's fifth studio album, Confessions, will be released on May 23rd.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Anastacia Shania Twain Naomi Watts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can laughter ease anxiety? Comedian Julian Clary certainly thinks so. After living through some incredibly dark events and anxious times, he’s decided to choose to laugh and think positive thoughts. In this chat with Fearne, Julian talks about feeling naturally happier and more comfortable in his skin as he got older. Most things, he says, just aren’t as important as you think they are, and that’s a freeing realisation. Julian also explains why he’s embraced causing outrage and even offence. Fearne and Julian share how they’ve each combatted poor sleep, and the sleeping aids, medications, and techniques that have worked for them. Plus, Julian’s not a massive fan of therapy, so he turns the tables on Fearne and quizzes her about her experience of it... A Fistful of Clary, Julian’s western-themed stand-up tour, will be heading out round the UK from 30th April. Get your tickets now: julianclary.co.uk If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Olly Alexander David Tennant Scott Mills Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi have been friends since university. Now in their thirties, life is pulling them in different directions - but the girls are reunited when Charlotte organises the baby shower from hell for pregnant Nicki.Tensions are high as these women are forced to confront their own and eachother’s views about motherhood... while also dealing with a fire at the baby shower. February’s Happy Place Book Club novel was So Thrilled for You, by Holly Bourne.In this chat, Fearne and Holly talk about how wildly the pretty Pinterest version of motherhood is from the raw, battlefield of a reality. Holly reckons if we want the world to be a better, happier place we need to be supporting mums emotionally and practically. How have you navigated some friends having babies, some struggling to conceive, and some not wanting them at all? Fearne and Holly explore the judgements, assumptions, and irritations that can arise between old friends when everyone’s lives look so different. Plus, how to cut out the noise and trust your gut when you’re working on a creative project...Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for the use of So Thrilled For You audiobook, narrated by Emily Spowage, Evie Ward-Drummond, Kelly Hotten, Paul Hezberg and Rosalind Lailey. Listen to Book Club Meets: David Larbi Listen to Book Club Meets: Dame Harriet Walter Listen to Book Club Meets: Liane Moriarty Listen to Book Club Meets: Miranda July   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.