Happy Place

Latest Episodes:

Is there life after death? What happens when we die, with Brian Cox Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

We can learn a lot from scientists about getting comfortable with being wrong, says physicist Professor Brian Cox.

In this chat with Fearne, Brian explains the difference between ‘having an argument’ and ‘making an argument’. The latter gives us confidence to ask curious questions, come to our own conclusions, and remain open to being wrong, without letting ego get in the way of connection or progress.

Brian talks through what the physics behind the universe says about the meaning of being human, including finding personal motivation and purpose, and whether there’s life after death.

Fearne and Brian also wonder how we can make sure young girls aren’t discouraged from pursuing science, and Brian tells the story of being on the set of a famous alien movie...

Tickets for Brian’s 2026 world tour – Emergence – are available now.

Brian’s reading list:

Richard Feynman – The Value of Science

Carl Sagan – The Demon Haunted World

Johannes Kepler – Harmonice Mundi

Arthur C. Clark – 2001

Erwin Schrödinger – What is Life?

Sir Paul Nurse – What is Life?

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Jane Goodall

Bjorn Natthiko Lindeblad

Major Tim Peake

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Jamie Laing on fatherhood, family, loneliness, and male body image Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Broadcaster and entrepreneur Jamie Laing had big fears about having kids... and yet he’s about to become a dad any day now.

In this chat with Fearne, Jamie’s honest about the pros and cons he deliberated over before deciding to have children. He talks through how his parents’ divorce expanded his world in beautiful ways, as well as why he chose to re-kindle his relationship with his dad as an adult.

Jamie also talks for the first time about his body image and eating disorder. Given Fearne has been through her own experience of bulimia, Jamie looks to her for advice on how to break free from the shame that’s gripped him for much of his life.

Jamie can now say he genuinely likes himself, but explains how throughout his teens and twenties he felt a real need to be popular, liked, and validated by others. How did he learn to cultivate self-compassion in his thirties? And what does he reckon is the best way to get men to open up to their mates?

Jamie’s book, Boys Don’t Cry, is out now.

If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:

Erling Kagge

Emily English

Ben West

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Blame achieves nothing! How to forgive yourself and others, with Charlie Mackesy Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Blame isn’t helpful. Illustrator and author Charlie Mackesy thinks learning to forgive yourself and others will lead to more peace.

In this chat, Fearne and Charlie talk from personal experience about just how physical shame can feel. Charlie explains how fear of abandonment keeps us silent about our insecurities, but that in reality the moment we start talking about our shame is the moment real human connection is made.

Charlie and Fearne also chat about how polarised the world is becoming, and offer advice for how to cope with fear, as well as why it’s important to disagree respectfully.

Plus, why did Charlie feel he needed to hide away in the toilets at the Oscars?

Charlie’s latest book, Always Remember: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, The Horse, and The Storm, is out now.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains some conversation about suicidal ideation.

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Teddy Swims

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Olly Alexander

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Greg James: Stop sleepwalking through life! Find your childlike self-belief Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

What did you love doing when you were 10 years old? Broadcaster Greg James reckons we all need to prioritise fun and silliness more, and thinking about your childhood passions is a great place to start.

In this chat, Fearne and Greg talk about how bleak, boring, and anxiety-inducing being a responsible grown up can be sometimes, and why that means it’s vital to choose to laugh every day.

Greg also explains why it’s important to stop and ask yourself if you really want to get married, have kids, or earn lots of money, or if you’re sleepwalking into someone else’s vision of a perfect life.

Plus, why did 21 year old Greg think he had a chance with Fearne when he first arrived at Radio 1...?

Greg’s book, All The Best For The Future, is out now.

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Book Club Meets: Meeting their ex, jealousy, and heartbreak, with Aisha Muharrar Oct 03, 2025

Show notes

Loved Ones – the Happy Place Book Club pick for September – tells the story of Julia, whose first love Gabe dies aged 29, launching her into a world-wide quest to recover the possessions he left with friends and acquaintances across the world. It also brings her into contact with the last woman Gabe loved...

In this chat, Fearne and author Aisha Muharrar wonder what would happen if you met others who had dated the same person as you. Would you get on and have loads in common? Or would there be intense jealousy? They also explore the strange idea that different people know and love very different sides of you.

Aisha was a script writer on TV show Parks and Recreation, and she brings that comedy and levity to the messy topic of grief in Loved Ones. Writing her debut novel was very much a new challenge though – Aisha explains to Fearne why she pretty much had to re-write the whole book!

Enter our competition with Bookshop.org to be in with a chance of winning books for life here: https://woobox.com/9jfwes

Thank you to Fourth Estate for the use of Loved One audiobook, narrated by Emma Ladji.

If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:

Book Club Meets: Cally Beaton

Book Club Meets: Emily Henry

Book Club Meets: Lorna Tucker

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Get your sh*t together: How to achieve work life balance Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

September always has a back-to-school feeling, so this episode is all about getting back into a successful work routine after the summer, without burning yourself out...

In this episode –

-Entrepreneur Grace Beverley chats through how to set boundaries to create a work life balance that works foryou, and how to create new organisation habits so you can spend less time procrastinating

-Researcher Brene Brown tackles perfectionism and how self-compassion can stop you putting so much pressure on yourself

-UniLad founder Alex Partridge offers some practical tips if you’re feeling anxious at work, including asking for flexible hours and advocating for walking meetings

-Fashion and beauty mogul Trinny Woodall explains how she’s built her professional confidence and how she deals with rejection

-Olympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds gives relatable advice about how to know when it’s time to quit and find a new career passion

Listen to the full episodes here –

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Lulu: “I deeply disliked myself!” Recovering from alcoholism and trauma Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Lulu shot to fame at 15, and she’s been playing that part, masking who she really is – Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie – for the six decades since.

In this chat with Fearne, Lulu explains how she felt that everything from her real name and accent, to her personality and childhood weren’t good enough, so she created a character for the public to love. However, this kind of emotional suppression can have painful consequences, and she’s since learned to stop running from her messy parts.

Lulu talks through the moment she realised she was an alcoholic, and how recovery has helped her truly like herself. They chat about how to trust your intuition, and reinvent yourself in every decade should you want to... but prepare for others to find your growth uncomfortable.

Plus, there are revelations about her relationship with David Bowie that Lulu’s never publicised before, and details about how she put her father in jail as a child.

Lulu’s new book, If Only You Knew, is out now.

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Joanna Page: I was breastfeeding on set! How to have a career and children Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Gavin and Stacey’s Joanna Page didn’t want kids, until she suddenly did at 35! In this chat with Fearne, Joanna explains how she had to bring her baby on set in order to keep working as a new mum, and why she ultimately decided to focus on family over career.

They chat about why it’s ok to do average – or even shit – work sometimes, and why perfection doesn’t need to be the goal. Joanna’s noticed on set that younger women seem to have much higher self-worth than she had at their age; what can we learn from their assertiveness?

Plus, which Hollywood actor did Joanna fart in front of, and how did the Love Actually sex scenes work behind the scenes?

Joanna’s new book, Lush, is out on September 25th.

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Paddy McGuinness: “I was drowning and needed help!” Raising autistic kids and clinical depression Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

Men are starting to open up. Presenter and comedian Paddy McGuinness used to work on building sites where vulnerability would have been seen as a weakness, but he’s seen things changing...

In this chat with Fearne, Paddy talks about his own clinical depression, and what he’s learnt from therapy about keeping his mental health in check. He explains that understanding why you’re reacting a certain way will give you the power to change your behaviour.

Paddy’s three children all have autism, and he’s frank about how he felt when he first got the news. He talks through the common misconceptions, and what he wishes more people understood about the realities of raising autistic children.

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Book Club Meets: Namaste Motherf*ckers! How to nail midlife, with Cally Beaton Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

Cally Beaton spent much of her career in male-dominated board rooms. She, in her own words, was a ‘boring businessperson’. Now? She’s a stand up comedian!

Namaste Motherfuckers was the Happy Place Book Club pick for August. It’s Cally’s manifesto for embracing the radical change that comes with midlife and menopause, proving it’s never too late to reinvent your life.

In this chat with Fearne, Cally explains that she’s particularly passionate about better understanding perimenopause after being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, and is candid about being a single mum to an autistic child.

Thank you to Headline Home for the use of Namaste Motherf*ckers audiobook, narrated by Cally Beaton.

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Book Club Meets: Emily Henry

Book Club Meets: Lorna Tucker

Book Club Meets: Lisa Jewell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.