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On this week's episode, we're joined by journalist-turned-celebrant Mandy Appleyard, who shares the extraordinary story of what happened when her fiercely independent mum suffered a devastating stroke at 81 and then asked her daughters to help her die at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. Mandy opens up about the gruelling reality of becoming a carer overnight, the slow heartbreak of watching her mum lose her speech and independence, and the moment she and her sister Kay realised they couldn't talk their mum out of her decision. Because no one tells you what it's actually like - the hidden costs, the bureaucratic maze, the private flight over the Alps, the Swiss chocolates before the final drink, and the knock on the door from police the very next evening. It's never just about one decision. It's about grief you can't process, guilt that lingers, a two-year criminal investigation, and somehow finding your way back to a life that looks nothing like before. Mandy's honesty about the messy, complicated reality of loving someone enough to let them go, even when every part of you wants them to stay, is breathtaking. Whether you've been a carer, lost a parent, or simply wondered what you'd do if someone you loved asked you for the unthinkable, this one will stay with you. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re talking about the strange emotional whiplash of midlife — from Valentine’s Day expectations (or lack of them), to the shock of realising how attached we are to things we swear don’t matter. Kay opens up about losing her mum’s ring — and being blindsided by how deeply it hurts — while Karen reflects on the small, handwritten things you’d be devastated to lose, even though no one else would understand why. Along the way, there’s chat about ageing bodies, dodgy mattresses, grand-puppies, hotel keycard chaos, and why some weeks just hit harder than others. Whether you’re quietly sentimental, fiercely unsentimental, loved-up, rolling your eyes at Valentine’s Day, or just having one of those weeks, this one’s a reminder that it’s never just about the thing itself — it’s about what it holds for you. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Michaela Strachan, TV icon, wildlife champion and a woman very clear on who she is at nearly 60. Michaela talks openly about early career labels, imposter syndrome, surviving breast cancer, menopause, mobility fears and the freedom that comes with no longer needing to perform for approval. Whether you’re still carrying old narratives, adapting to a changing body, or quietly wondering what the next decade is really for, this conversation goes deeper than ageing clichés. It’s never just about looks. It’s about authority, resilience, scars you stop hiding and the relief of finally being comfortable in your own skin. Michaela also shares why she’s very much not slowing down, as she heads out on her UK theatre tour, Not Just a Wild Life, starting this spring. It’s a live, reflective look back at an extraordinary career and the life lessons that came with it. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re waving goodbye to January, welcoming a galloping Year of the Horse, and asking whether manifestation actually works, or if you just need to press the button and hope for the best. We talk big life decisions, house projects, pensions, and that moment when you realise your home really is your future, alongside small but strangely emotional wins, clean rugs, tomato seedlings, and the unexpected joy of a cancelled Sunday. There’s also knitting, the £40, still-not-finished sock kind, the reality of post-chemo hair, ongoing side effects, and navigating travel insurance with forensic detail. Add in comfort TV you barely follow, and a proposed shared hobby that may or may not involve paddle tennis, industrial estates, and a firm demand for proper heating. Whether you’re downsizing, starting again, stitching slowly, or just trying to get through the week with humour intact, this episode is a reminder that it’s never just about the thing, it’s about finding momentum when life’s been on pause. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Josie Lawrence - comedy icon, improv legend, and living proof that confidence and anxiety can happily coexist. Josie talks about going on stage with no script at 66, why birthdays still matter, and how you can be fearless in one part of life while catastrophising in another. We get into what improvisation has taught her about ageing, control, and letting go - plus friendships as soulmates, the idea of a “man from Cornwall,” and why being content might be the most underrated life goal of all. Whether you’re craving reinvention, quietly questioning what’s next, or wondering how some women seem brave and terrified at the same time, this episode lands right where many of us are. Because no one tells you that getting older isn’t about slowing down — it’s about choosing what’s worth the energy. You can catch Josie Lawrence live with the London Comedy Store Players every Sunday night at The Comedy Store in London — or, if you’re outside the capital, on a short UK tour running from February to March. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re knee-deep in the small-but-consuming realities of midlife: mysterious itches that turn out to be nerve damage, sinus infections that knock you sideways, and the peculiar stress spiral of trying to buy travel insurance when your medical history has opinions. Whether you’re juggling post-treatment side effects, wondering if every new twinge means something dreadful, or just trying to book a holiday without remortgaging your house, this one will feel uncomfortably familiar. Because it’s never just about the ailment - it’s about control, reassurance, and staying optimistic when your body has its own agenda. There’s also birthday talk, partners who go to bed at 9.30pm, surprise dreams involving jigsaws, and a gentle reminder that ageing is as absurd as it is unavoidable. No big answers. Just honesty, humour, and the comfort of knowing you’re not the only one Googling symptoms at 2am Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Alese Johnston, founder of Fabulous 70 and unapologetic queen of reinvention, who believes life doesn’t wind down at 60 - it cracks open. Alese reflects on the decade that changed everything: divorce, therapy, finally asking herself “what do I want?”, and deciding to try 70 new things in her 70th year. From pole dancing to boudoir photo shoots, erotic blueprints to learning how to say yes, this is a conversation about curiosity, confidence, sexuality, and refusing to fade politely into the background. It’s never just about novelty. It’s about agency. Pleasure. Honesty. And taking up space in your own life. Whether you’re happily settled or quietly restless… With reinvention very much in the air, Alese's story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to become more yourself - even if it means doing a few things that feel wildly outside your comfort zone. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] To learn more about Alese Johnston and her approach to reinvention in later life, head to fabulous70.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we talk pink cheeks, overdue roots, and the strange intimacy of finishing radiotherapy - plus the unexpected emotional fallout that comes after the “big milestones” are ticked off. There’s honest chat about bodies that don’t quite feel like yours anymore, the relief (and anti-climax) of treatments ending, and why booking holidays can feel like both triumph and admin hell at the same time. We also wander - as ever - into the comforts that keep us sane in the in-between bits: knitting socks, jigsaws, mushrooms, late-night hoovering, NHS sleep apps, eating an entire sleeve of Jaffa Cakes in a car park, and the quiet joy of deciding you absolutely deserve it. Whether you’re navigating recovery, wrestling with sleep, rethinking food rules, or just wondering when dinner got so late (and why that now feels impossible), it’s never just about hair, or habits, or snacks. It’s about agency, comfort, and finding small pleasures when life has been anything but small. Because no one tells you that after the hard part ends, there’s still a lot to process - and sometimes companionship is simply hearing someone else say, “Yes, that’s exactly it.” Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Lucy Kellaway OBE, 64 — former Financial Times columnist who did something genuinely radical on the edge of 60: she left her job, her marriage, and her Highbury home to retrain as a secondary school teacher in an inner London school. Lucy talks candidly (and with real humour) about what pushed her to jump. By 2013, her marriage was deteriorating, her father’s health was failing, and decades at the FT had tipped into burnout and career malaise. Teaching wasn’t a neat reinvention. It meant starting again at the bottom, navigating teenagers, parents, younger colleagues, and an education system that doesn’t bend easily - all while rebuilding identity and confidence in midlife. Later, she relocated again to teach in the north east. That experience didn’t stop with her. Lucy went on to found Now Teach, the UK’s only dedicated career-change charity for teaching. Now Teach has helped over 1,300 people retrain - and crucially remain - as secondary school teachers. Their free service offers 1-to-1 guidance, wellbeing, subject and career coaching, plus access to a peer network to share problems and find practical solutions. To learn more or apply: [email protected] With January still deep in “fresh start” territory, this episode is for anyone quietly asking a dangerous question: is it too late — or am I finally ready? Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re talking about those very specific midlife moments no one warns you about. When your roots feel louder than your opinions, your nose develops a mind of its own, and holding your breath becomes a daily medical requirement. From zoning out on Zoom calls and freezing houses that should probably be illegal, to radiotherapy reality checks, relentless itching, eyebrow mishaps at the beauty counter, Pilates-induced body scrutiny, and the deeply controversial topic of marmalade hygiene. It’s never just about the grey hair or the sniffles. It’s about what happens to your patience, your body, and your sense of humour when life keeps shifting the goalposts. Whether you’re navigating treatment side effects, questioning why sleep is suddenly so elusive, or just wondering how you ended up needing tissues in every coat pocket, this one’s for you. Because no one tells you that ageing can be simultaneously absurd, exhausting, and weirdly funny, often all before breakfast. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Jackie Kay - poet, novelist, former Scots Makar and one of the sharpest, warmest thinkers on identity, belonging and getting older without shrinking. We talk about turning 60 as a clarifying moment, why writing is a lifelong form of processing, living on the margins by choice, love without cohabitation, grief, friendship, and what really matters as you age. Whether you’re rethinking who you are, how you live, or how much of yourself you’re willing to give away, this is a conversation about staying whole, because it’s never just about getting older, it’s about getting clearer. See Jackie Kay live in conversation with Russell T Davies at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on 16 January Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re easing into 2026 the only way we know how: chatting through the small domestic dramas that somehow say everything about where we’re at. From the brutal satisfaction of taking the Christmas decorations down early (and judging everyone else who hasn’t), to the chaos of tangled fairy lights, surprise clothing labels, itchy arms, ageing bodies, drum kits, camper vans and gift-giving politics. It’s never just about the tree - it’s about control, fatigue, humour, and learning to laugh at yourself when life refuses to be tidy. Whether you’re quietly relieved Christmas is over, negotiating changing bodies, or wondering why the men in your life are suddenly buying musical equipment, this one will feel very familiar. A warm, rambling, honest start to the year - proof that companionship sometimes looks like two friends talking absolute nonsense and accidentally telling the truth. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re firmly in that strange in-between zone where no one knows what day it is, Christmas feels like it happened months ago, and normal rules no longer apply. Kaye and Karen swap Twixmas stories - from quiet family Christmases and gifts bought (or bought for oneself), to beachside holidays, culinary regrets involving oysters, and the weird emotional flatness that can creep in when the festivities fade. It’s never just about what you did for Christmas. It’s about routines disappearing, bodies doing unexpected things, and realising that rest, recovery and small comforts matter more than forced cheer. Whether you escaped abroad, stayed close to home, or are still wondering where the week went, this episode is a warm, funny reminder that you’re not the only one feeling slightly untethered. Because no one tells you that this bit - the lull after the sparkle - can be just as revealing as the big day itself. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re recording on Christmas Eve and doing what we do best — talking honestly about how life actually feels at this age. From finishing a final round of chemo (and the brutal side effects no one really prepares you for), to the strange satisfactions of ticking off medication charts, to the sudden realisation that facial hair is… expanding. There’s festive exhaustion, pension chat, karaoke confessions, overpriced Pilates mishaps, and the quiet emotional weight that sits underneath Christmas when you’re knackered, grateful, fragile, and still trying to make things feel “normal.” Whether you’re powering through the holidays, stepping back to recharge, or laughing at the absurdities your body keeps throwing at you, this one’s a reminder that it’s never just about the jokes — it’s about getting through, together, with humour intact. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Sir Chris Bryant - MP, minister, memoirist, and living proof that life rarely runs in straight lines. Chris talks with fierce honesty about growing up too fast, coming to terms with being gay in a far less forgiving era, the strange road through the priesthood, and why resilience isn’t about pretending things didn’t hurt. It’s never just about politics. This is a conversation about identity, shame, adventure, boredom, cancer, ageing, and why curiosity might be the real secret to staying alive inside. Whether you’re reflecting on the lives you didn’t live, settling into who you are now, or wondering how much past hardship really shapes us, this one lands with warmth, grit and unexpected laughs. Because no one tells you how many versions of yourself you might have to survive before you feel at home. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.