Book Club Meets: Ambitious women and generational trauma, with Emily Henry

Two writers are competing for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a famous reclusive heiress. One of them is going to uncover the truth behind one of the most scandalous families of the 20th century. The thing is, heiress Margaret is giving each writer different tantalising little pieces of her story...Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry was May’s Happy Place Book Club read. In this chat with Fearne, Emily explains why she’s intrigued by the idea of generational trauma affecting our day to day, and why it’s important to interrogate where your sense of ambition comes from. Is your drive coming from within, or are you trying to prove something to someone?Plus, Fearne and Emily explore why reading fiction is such a brilliant way to examine your own opinions, values, and moral tendencies through how you react to the characters.Thank you to Penguin Audio for the use of Great Big Beautiful Life audiobook, narrated by Julia Whelan.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Listen to Book Club Meets: Lorna Tucker Listen to Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall Listen to Book Club Meets: Holly Bourne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Identity has become tribal, and it’s stopping us understanding each other’s humanity. Activist, writer, and model Munroe Bergdorf explains how fear and anger for society’s issues have been misdirected towards trans people.In this chat with Fearne, Munroe talks through what the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on biological sex and gender means for trans women, cis women, and society more widely. How, for example, are trans rights intimately connected to abortion rights?Fearne and Munroe chat about how to practice self-acceptance, particularly around body image, and how to use your voice to create positive change. They also cover grief, and numbing out as a way of dealing with poor mental health.Munroe’s new book, Talk To Me, is out on June 5th, and you can watch her documentary, Love and Rage, in cinemas from June 10th.This episode also contains an exclusive first listen to a chapter of Kirsty Gallagher’s new book, Your Cosmic Purpose, which is published by Happy Place Books on June 5th.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:Emma DabiriOlly AlexanderKirsty Gallagher Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fearne’s been thinking a lot lately about how much of her life she’s spent people pleasing as a result of wanting to be liked. So today, how to break free from the ‘good girl’ your family, friends, colleagues, and society expect you to be...In this episode –-Louise Redknapp clarifies why being described as ‘nice’ isn’t a compliment and how she’s gone about making people see her as a multi-faceted human-Paloma Faith pinpoints the ways women make themselves smaller in order to make others feel more comfortable-Sophie Ellis-Bextor explains how she’s learnt to navigate mum guilt while not minimising the importance of her career-Natasha Bedingfield talks about the powerful effects of physically speaking your truth and voicing your needs-Afua Hirsch reflects on how colonisation in her native country Ghana has affected her notions of what it means to be good, pure woman-Florence Given explores not letting outside opinion dictate who you are and how to stop feeling the need to defend or explain yourself-Dawn French waxes lyrical about the joy of getting things wrong and embracing imperfection-Emily Atack explains how online abuse almost broke her, but ultimately strengthened her resolve to be an even bolder version of herselfListen to the full episodes here –Louise RedknappPaloma FaithSophie Ellis BextorNatasha BedingfieldAfua HirschFlorence GivenDawn FrenchEmily Atack  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How have you come back from your rock bottom? Ashley Walters has reinvented himself over and over again, through music, acting, directing, parenthood, prison, and addiction.In this chat with Fearne, Ashley talks through the mindset that allows him to take accountability for his actions instead of falling into victimhood, and why failure shouldn’t be viewed as an end point.He explains why you should want to be the “dumbest person in the room”, and why if you feel you want to run away from a challenge, it’s exactly the challenge you should take on.Fearne and Ashley tackle the big topics that have come out of Netflix show Adolescence, including online misogyny and male violence. Plus, Ashley reveals what his six year old daughter said to him that broke his heart and made him stop drinking...If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:Kate SilvertonPete DohertyChiwetel Ejiofor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What beliefs, hopes, worries, and questions would you have if your unborn baby was given a diagnosis of a disability? It’s something retired paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds has spent a lot of time considering.In this chat with Fearne, Ellie explains what she’s learnt from talking to both her parents and her birth mum about their experience of her dwarfism, as well as debating the pros and cons of modern genetic testing.They also chat about Ellie’s decision to retire from swimming: how will you know when it’s time to call something quits, and how can you then cultivate new passions? Plus, how to untangle self-worth and self-esteem from achievements...Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? will be available to watch on ITV from the 27th of May.CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about baby loss and abortion, so do take care while listening.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:Liberty MillsSophie MorganSamantha Renke  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there a reason so many comedians can struggle with their mental health? Mo Gilligan knows all too well that finding the funny in everything can sometimes mean having to suppress sadness. In this chat, Fearne and Mo talk about how a single passing comment can stay with you and eat away at your self-esteem over time, and why we need to be better at celebrating our talent and achievements. Plus, can scrolling through memes be a positive form of escapism when you’re low...? Mo Gilligan: Beginning, Middle, and End is available to listen to now!If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:How to Laugh When You’ve Been To Hell and BackFats TimboZayn  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At age 43 Liberty Mills was told she had a 0.7% chance of having another baby with her own eggs – and that was with the assistance of IVF. But she and her partner decided to continue their fertility journey with the help of integrative medicine, and after a lifestyle overhaul, she conceived her daughter naturally, and gave birth two weeks before her 45th birthday.In this chat with Fearne, Liberty explains how her own experiences inspired her to become a Certified Integrative Health and Nutrition Coach, helping other individuals and couples to amend their lifestyles to optimise their ability to conceive.Liberty talks through how everything from vaping, to stress, to the plastics in your kitchen are affecting both female and male fertility. Not planning on having a baby? All these lifestyle changes are still important for our overall health and mental wellbeing.Plus, Fearne and Liberty do a deep dive into negative self-talk, body image, and the shame that can be attached to infertility.Liberty’s book, 360 Fertility, is out on May 22nd. Some extra reading you might find useful: Nutrient depletion from prescribed medications Nutrients depleted by the contraceptive pill How prescriptions deplete nutrients If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Estelle Bingham Holly Bourne Paloma FaithDynamo  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bare is the vital true story of Lorna Tucker’s fight to survive living on the streets of London. She had to lie, steal, strip, and just about everything in between to survive. This really important portrait of female homelessness was April’s Happy Place Book Club read.In this chat with Fearne, author and filmmaker Lorna explains how chance – those five minutes that seem insignificant at the time – can send your life in a completely different direction.She talks through the reality of all the different reasons people might end up living on the street, and why she has so much empathy, and a desire to understand, what drives addiction and violence.Plus, Fearne and Lorna share how their brains can spiral into dread and insecurity, and offer advice on how to work through shame about perceived flaws.Thank you to Brazen for the use of Bare audiobook, narrated by Lorna Tucker.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Listen to Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall Listen to Book Club Meets: Holly Bourne Listen to Book Club Meets: David Larbi  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does going through a rough time make you untrusting of fleeting joyful moments, or make you lean into them harder? For Dannii Minogue it’s the latter.In this chat with Fearne, Dannii explains why getting divorced and having to borrow money from family, coping with sister Kylie’s cancer, and having her body critiqued by the press have taught her to appreciate happiness when it comes.Fearne and Dannii worked together on The X Factor for a bit, and they both discuss what it was like to work on such a juggernaut programme, and chat about how to understand what boundaries you might need to set in your career. They also talk about why Dannii’s so passionate about wrapping queer and non-conforming people in so much love and joyful celebration.Plus, a little PSA from Dannii: try not to get bitten by a poisonous spider, it won’t end well...!Dannii’s back as the host of I Kissed A Boy on BBC Three in May.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Louise Redknapp Sophie Ellis-Bextor Olly Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is your lifestyle in need of a spring clean? Maybe now’s the moment to pivot your career, pick up healthier habits, or embrace a new life you wouldn’t have chosen, but now need to make the best of?In this episode, Fearne reflects on the Happy Place episodes that’ll give you a bit of a push – or a bit of inspiration – to get you making that fresh start you’ve been thinking about for ages...In this episode you’ll hear from –-Poet Donna Ashworth on making a slow, organic career change later in life, and re-finding who you really want to be under the crap that real life shovels on top of you-TV personality Mille Mackintosh on giving up alcohol and acknowledging the big moment when you realise something needs to change -Author Raynor Winn on being forced into a huge lifestyle change by factors out of your control, and choosing to make the best of a bad situation -Musician Shania Twain on how illness can change you, and how to come back stronger after a huge setback -Musician Kesha on rethinking and embracing a different side of your character, so your personality reflects who you really are, not who others want you to be -Charlotte Church on her career change from singer to healer, and how ceremony can help move you into a lifestyle re-birth If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: How to stick two fingers up to beauty standards How to laugh when you’ve been to hell and back Saying no: more boundaries, less people pleasing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.