The Scummy Mummies Podcast

Which phase of raising a child is the hardest? Are any of us the kind of mum we thought we'd be? And are there any lessons women can learn from men when it comes to saying sorry? Helping us answer all these questions is the amazing Em Clarkson! This episode was recorded at Big Feastival in August, in front of a live tent-based audience. We discuss Em's political activism and how she's...

She's back! We are joined for this episode by Helen Russell, the brilliant author of The Year of Living Danishly and now a fantastic new novel.  Helen tells us why she's decided to return to her native Britain after more than a decade of living in glorious Denmark. We compare and contrast life in the two countries, plus English village life versus trying to survive in Catford.  We discus...

In this episode, we celebrate the kids going back to school. Join us as we sit down for a nice cup of tea and a catchup for the first time in six weeks.  We talk about what we did on our holidays, our differing laundry strategies, and a show on Netflix that Ellie hates yet watches compulsively. It's more fun than it sounds. (This episode, not the show.) It's a bumper crop of confessions this...

What are the four things you need to be a writer? Why are we so fascinated by other people's sad stories? And what is the best way to get seeds out of a pomegranate? Answering all these questions is the wonderful Ella Risbridger!  She tells us all about her latest book, The Kitchen Book . We find out how she came up with brilliant recipes like No-Knife Potato and Prawn Curry, and learn why He...

It's a spectacular summer special as we hang out with the legendary and hilarious Dick and Dom! Not in da bungalow, but live on stage at the brilliant Camp Bestival!  Having been together for 30 years, they know a thing or two about being in a double act, so we talk about that. Which Scummy Mummy is most like Dom, and who is a Dick? How does neurodiversity affect the dynamic, and what are the...

Our guest for this episode is the hilarious comedian, cook and author George Egg! He shares some of his best recipes, including the chicken dish Ellie makes every week. We discuss George's favourite comfort food and argue about the best way to make cheese on toast. As usual we go off on a variety of tangents, including grandparenthood, skiffle, chutney, and being locked in the freezer at McDonald'...

On this episode we have a rollercoaster of a conversation with TV legend Andrea McLean. We cover everything from the menopause to money problems, losing your home to losing your libido and more.  Andrea tells us about her latest book, Shameless , which is out now. She discusses leaving her job as a presenter on Loose Women to build her own business, and what happened when it all went wrong. W...

It's a travel special! We sit down for a good old chinwag about our latest jaunts to the opposite ends of the world.  Helen talks about her trip to South Africa with Sports Tours International, and what it's like to run the Cape Town marathon when you're suffering from gastroenteritis. Listen in to find out what got her through, and the biggest lessons she's learned over the course of running...

Our guest for this episode is the brilliant Sheyi Martins-Allen. You might know her for her political rants on Instagram, her hilarious agony aunting, or her strong views on adapting Pride and Prejudice for the small screen.  She is also a fantastic singer - she tells us how her recent show went, and about her plans for the future. We find out how she became friendly with Dolly Alderton, how...

Why does it take a whole year to make a kids' book? What's it like to visit Richard Branson's private island? And who doesn't love a Nissan Micra? Answering all these questions is bestselling children's author Rachel Bright!  She tells us how she went from losing hope after an early rejection to landing a three-book publishing deal, and enjoying huge success with The Lion Inside . We talk abo...

How common is sibling estrangement? Does birth order really determine your destiny? And is there anything we can do to make our kids get along? Helping us to answer all these questions is the awesome author Catherine Carr.  It's a big episode for Ellie, as she talks publicly for the first time about being estranged from her brother - why it's happened, and how she's learned to make peace with...

She's Britain's favourite pantomime dame (oh no she isn't, etc) - it's Mama G! Join us for a hilarious chat covering everything from panto and children's books to lesbian grandmas and Irene from Home and Away.  We delve deep into Mama G's origin story, and find out how she got started in the panto game. What was it like to play Bungle in the Rainbow stage show, and what happened when she met...

How do you stop being a people pleaser? Is it wrong to pee in the shower? And how do you end up having a fight with Giles Brandreth? Helping us to answer all these questions is the brilliant Bryony Gordon. Bryony tells us all about her new novel,  People Pleaser , which is out on Thursday. Helen reveals how she learned to ask for what she wants, and Ellie explains how it has made their relati...

What's going on in our brains when we can't sleep? What if you find it easy to drop off, but wake up a few hours later? How does the perimenopause play a part? Joining us to answer all these questions is the brilliant Lorna MacDonald.  Lorna is a neuroscience-based hypnotherapist and coach who's been helping Ellie get a bit more shut-eye. She explains why so many middle-aged women struggle wi...

IT'S HERE! Well, almost. Helen's brand new book,  How to Face Big Change and Come Back Stronger , is out on 2nd April! So we sat down for a chat about it.  Listen in to find out why Helen wanted to write the book, and what she learned during the writing process. Ellie discusses what it's like to support a friend through hard times, and there's some chat about healthy and not-so-healthy w...

Our guest for this episode is the brilliant comedian Cariad Lloyd!  We talk about her award-winning podcast, Griefcast, and why she decided to stop making it after seven years. We discuss helping a friend through grief - is it ever too late to offer support? What's the best way to handle tricky times like Mother's Day? And why is death sometimes so bloody funny?  Cariad shares what...

It's just the two of us as we sit down with some of the funniest and filthiest audience confessions from our live show. This is the stuff you just couldn't make up... Tune in to hear all sorts of tales about badly behaved teachers, a wrongfully accused cat, a hoovering accident and more...  Huge thanks to everyone who has shared their hilarious stories with us, and to everyone who has been to...

What are the top three things we should be doing for our health as we get older? How can we help ourselves through the menopause? And is it OK to eat Minstrels for breakfast? Helping us to answer all these questions is fitness expert Kate Rowe-Ham!  She tells us all about her new book,  The Longevity Solution: 21 Days to Health, Strength, and Vitality . We discuss why we might need to ch...

Our guest for this episode is the brilliant and hilarious Fay Reid, known on Instagram as  @9to5menopause . We talk about her experience of entering perimenopause at 45. She discusses the stigma that she feels exists within the Black community around the topic, how she built up the courage to speak out, and what happened when she did.  Fay also tells us about her attempts to have a child...

How do you stay married for 33 years? What's it like to live with your kids when they're adults? And what's the best thing about being over 60? Answering all these questions is hilarious Guardian columnist Tim Dowling!  It's been a decade since Tim was last on the podcast, so we have a bit of a catchup, and are pleased to learn both his marriage and tortoise are still thriving.  We discu...

She's back! The star of our most downloaded podcast ep returns for a big old chat about all sorts of things.  We talk about how far she's come since starting her business,  Don't Buy Her Flowers , and what it's like to sell a company you started from scratch.  There's some debate about what's harder - the toddler years or the teenage phase? Steph discusses coping with anxiety, Ellie...

Oh God. Time for some loud swearing, heavy drinking, and ludicrous conversations about nothing of any note - it's the Scummy Mummies Christmas Special!  This year we have an argument about bodily fluids, and Steve shares his novel alternative to having a vasectomy. We talk about our favourite and least favourite shows of the year. There's a world exclusive book announcement, and Ellie reveals...

Vasectomies, pornography, dick jokes and poo logistics - we cover it all with the help of hilarious comedian and actor, Sam Pamphilon!  Sam tells us all about what it was like to have the snip, in graphic detail. We hear about the brilliant short film he recently starred in -  The Man That I Wave At . And we discuss the sketch we tried out that was so filthy it never made it into the mai...

Why do people have affairs? What effect does it have on kids? How do you learn to love again after your partner has cheated? Answering all these questions is the brilliant psychotherapist Juliet Rosenfeld!  She tells us all about her fascinating book,  Affairs: True Stories of Love, Lies, Hope and Desire . We discuss what is going on in the minds of cheaters and what it's got t...

Imagine taking up athletics in your forties, discovering you're great at the triple jump, and going on to set a brand new record. That's what Emily Murray (aka @pinkhouseliving) did - and she's here to tell us all about it.  We learn about the Masters Athletics Federation, and how they offer people of all ages the chance to compete for actual medals. We discuss the pros an...