The Gurls Talk Podcast

Releasing an album in the middle of a global pandemic wasn’t part of her plan, but this week’s guest Dua Lipa did exactly that. In this week’s episode, she talks through the process of launching her new album Future Nostalgia , the pitfalls of listening to social media, and explains how she’s taking care of her mental health during isolation. This episode explains how the pressure for this to be a...

There’s nothing more important right now than a good chat with a wise friend, and that’s exactly what Dr. Ciara Dockery is for both myself and every member of the Gurls Talk community. Ciara is a clinical psychologist and our new chief clinical advisor and she’s here to show us how we can do more than just survive isolation, we can thrive in it.  This episode teaches us all about how our mental he...

Starting a conversation with some spiritual handholding is always a good sign. And that’s the vibe Bea and Tina from the TARA Sisters, and Nike athlete Zeina Nassar brought to this episode from the Gurls Talk Berlin live event. Both the TARA Sisters and Zeina are playing their part in changing the world. For Bea and Tina, it’s about recognising how our youth are key to building a peaceful and comp...

I really hope that you and your loved ones are all well and staying safe and healthy. I’m extremely happy to be back with you all for our new season. Given the global crisis caused by Covid-19, we are releasing this in an increasingly uncertain and scary time.  Now, more than ever, it is important to create safe spaces that encourage open and honest conversations and help us stay connected. While...

It’s not every day that I get to sit down and talk to an Olympic fencer. And Ibtihaj Muhammad is so much more than her sporting accolades that catapulted her into the spotlight. Being the first American athlete to compete in the Olympics wearing a hijab was simply the springboard to everything that she’s done since – from writing books, to launching a clothing company and being an all-round superh...

Recovery is no walk in the park, it’s hard work. But the thing about recovery, is that you can come back as a better version – the 2.0 you. And that’s what Tally’s done. In our conversation, we rewind five years to when we met in treatment to get clean and sober. As two very different people, we found our similarities and realised that although recovery can be lonely, it’s less so when you’ve got...

Self-care doesn’t have to mean celery juices, mineral face masks and sage-burning yoga classes overlooking the ocean. Self-care is whatever makes you feel good. This is something the brilliant Kai-Isaiah Jamal and I spoke about in this week’s podcast. We discussed the power of preventative recovery, about knowing your triggers, setting boundaries and understanding what protective practices bring y...

Let’s get one thing clear – it’s absolutely OK to admit that things aren’t OK. But so often, our fears around mental health can be what holds us back from getting the support we need. I really wanted to get a male perspective on mental health and loved talking to Ashley as he opened up about his own experiences of suffering with depression and overcoming the macho, suck-it-up, don’t-share-your-fee...

Relationships are tough – sexual relationships, family relationships, friendships – because we all have stuff . We're all flawed and make mistakes. Candice Carty-Williams' brilliant debut book Queenie ­ is all about living with our stuff and understanding our value.   In this week's episode, Candice and I had a very frank conversation about the themes in her book. We talked about se...

Spots, cysts, acne, bright-red-tomato-face with skin flaking off. Whatever your breakout, we know how much of a confidence-kill troubled skin can be. I have battles with my own skin, but I hide it quite well – I say no to jobs, I don’t go to events, I wear a hoodie.   We’re so used to retreating to the shadows when our skin flares up. We apologise for it, feel judged because of it. But Louisa is m...

There are a lot of things we don’t have to think about on a daily basis. Such as, if you’re a 3ft 5” adult, how do you reach the locks on public toilet doors, or sinks, or soap dispensers? Or where can you get this season’s shoes? No, not the light up ones for kids, but well designed, flats and heels. When you start seeing the world through the lens of a little person like Sinéad, you realise how...

Like many of you, I was glued to Love Island over the summer. And when Ovie Soko, came on to our screens, I think we all fell slightly in love with him, as he showed us a refreshing version of masculinity. Ovie’s been a bit of a Love Island and general reality TV anomaly. But he shouldn’t be. It opens up the conversation about the toxicity that pervades masculinity, which has fuelled a one-dimensi...

I remember being ten. It was fun. That sense of freedom, when your summer holiday feels never-ending and it’s all sleep-overs and how much flavoured sugar you can convince your parents to let you have. I definitely did not get asked to perform on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury like our youngest ever Gurls Talk guest, Princess K, did. This year alone, she has managed to tick that off her list, as...

I love, love, love babies. But we all know motherhood is hard work, and when you’re a young mum, it comes with its own set of challenges. So, I invited Fiona Small, the founder of Young Mums Support Network (YMSN) and two incredible young mums – Yannicke Clarke and Dylan Downs – on to the podcast to talk about what young mums face in today’s society.   Young mums certainly don’t have it easy. From...

Thank God for Gen Z. They truly care about wanting to make the world better. When I first met Amika a few years ago, she wasn’t old enough to vote, yet she was on a mission to change government policies to fight period poverty with her Free Periods movement. And she still is.   Our theme for July is YOUTH, and Amika was at the top of the list of people I wanted to get on Gurls Talk. She embodies h...

Being one of the greatest athletes of all time is obviously a monumental accolade. But when Serena and I sat down, we didn’t just talk about kick-ass serves and Grand Slam wins. Like you, I wanted to know how she wins at life, not just on the court. When it comes to learning life skills – our theme for June – Serena is the perfect powerhouse woman to turn to.   I loved hearing about Serena’s relat...

Reading Ore Ogunbiyi’s ‘A letter to my fresher self: Surviving Cambridge as a black girl’ hits such an emotional chord with me. Being a minority in a predominantly white institution creates some serious life skills. Which is why I invited Ore on to the podcast this week. We chat about discrimination in the classroom, overcoming imposter syndrome, and when you arrive back at uni with braids – no, y...

  I may have known Sharmadean for a while but that doesn’t mean I’m not flabbergasted by her selfless, raw and boundary-pushing talents every time I meet her. As the founder of Wah Nails and Beautystack, Sharmadean is no stranger to business and changing the world through tech. This conversation blew me away, not least because I found out just how much this phenomenal woman has achieved for hersel...

I think I’m in love with JJ, the UK’s first hijab-wearing and female referee who’s got her sights set on reffing the world’s biggest games. The Somali refugee spent her teens hiding her love of football from her family for cultural reasons, but now she’s proudly changing stereotypes and thrashing barriers on the pitch as she coaches, plays and refs all around the world.   Listen now to hear how sp...

Yes, we're all bored of Brexit. And it's hard to keep up with what politician is making what terrible decision. Sometimes it's easier to just look the other way. But that's literally the worst thing we can do. On Thursday 24 May, I urge you all to vote in the European election.   Femi Oluwole breaks it down for us, giving us a 101 of what these elections mean. As a co-founder o...

Watching my country’s reaction to migration has broken my heart many many times. Choosing love should be in our DNA, but too often we choose hate, which is why I want to dedicate May to this sensitive subject as we all try and change the script and help be the good we want to see in humanity.   For our first episode, I’ve invited Philli Boyle, one of the founders of Help Refugees whose work on the...

We couldn’t talk about 'Gender’ without getting this trailblazing voice of the trans community on the podcast. Her eloquence is only outshone by her passion for society’s acceptance of all genders, and I learnt so much from our conversation.   I’ve walked away from the episode knowing how we can all open our world to things we don’t understand. We might be scared of saying the wrong thing, bu...

I’m obsessed with love, absolutely obsessed! And to close this month’s theme of love and sex, there is no one more apt that the incredible Dolly Alderton. Full disclosure, Dolly is someone I have a huge girl crush on.   As you’ll hear in the episode, Dolly’s book captured everything I’ve been feeling, and I’m delighted to be able to sit down with @dollyalderton and share this conversation with my...

Carrying on with this month’s theme of love and sex, we move our focus to all things love, and on this week’s episode I am delighted to be joined by netball stars, Sasha and Kadeen Corbin. Not only are they incredible netball players, but they are also sisters. Sisters with an unbreakable bond both on and off the court.   We speak all about love for the game, family and beyond, and @Sasha_Corbin a...

It’s a new month, and a new theme, and this month we’ll be talking all about Love and Sex. On this week’s episode I am joined by the awesome Aimee Lou Wood and Emma Mackey from Netflix’s breakout show, Sex Education. We chat about, sex, boys, falling in love, and us girls learning what we like… If you’ve seen the show you’ll know exactly what i’m talking about!   When it comes to talking about the...