How to have Extraordinary Relationships

Dr Stella Duffy OBE is an existential psychotherapist, award-winning writer, speaker and theatremaker with a career spanning therapy, literature and the arts. Alongside her private practice, she has worked in NHS cancer support, hospice bereavement services and community mental health, helping people navigate life's biggest challenges with warmth, honesty and compassion.  Awarded an OBE for S...

Luke Jennings is the bestselling author and journalist whose self-published Villanelle novellas became the global phenomenon Killing Eve . Originally released as a series of Kindle Singles, Jennings' stories introduced readers to the brilliant and terrifying assassin Villanelle and the intelligence officer obsessed with tracking her down, Eve Polastri. The books quickly attracted attention an...

Sandra Parsons is a British journalist, editor, author, and qualified yoga instructor best known for her wellness and longevity work, including the book Age Less and the “Ageless Method.” Formerly an editor at The Times, Sandra combines personal experience with modern health science to explore ageing, wellbeing, and lifestyle transformation. After overcoming serious health challenges, she develope...

On this episode, writer and human rights campaigner Sophie Radice talks about many issues that need a deeper conversation; xenophobia, travel vs escape, identity and how she ended up on court after working in the Jungle in Calais. Her latest novel, The Year of Bad Maps , is a deeply personal and politically resonant story inspired by her solo travels across ten countries and her experiences surrou...

On this week's How To Have Extraordinary Relationships, I talk to 'Victoria' about what happened when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She generously offered to come on the show for many reasons; one was to help other people who have cancer and also those around them but the other one is to talk about what many people fear; what do you do when you are told you have a major illn...

Melissa Jones is a British novelist, journalist and non-fiction writer known for her intelligent, psychologically rich storytelling. Born in London and educated at Oxford, she began her career in television and journalism before turning to fiction.  Her novels often explore complex emotional landscapes and moral ambiguity, with notable works including Cold in Earth , Sick at Heart , and The Hidden...

A woman in love. A devastating break-up and heartbreak. And a dog that in his own naughty way kind of saved the day.... Sophia Money-Coutts is a British journalist, columnist, and bestselling author known for her witty, modern takes on relationships, manners, and contemporary life. Born in 1985 into the historic Money-Coutts banking family, she was educated at the London School of Economics, where...

Dr Lucy Pollock is a British consultant geriatrician celebrated for her clear-eyed, compassionate approach to ageing and end-of-life care. With decades of experience in the NHS, she has guided countless patients and families through the often complex, emotional decisions that come with growing older. She is the author of The Book About Getting Older , a candid and reassuring guide that demystifies...

Vinnie Tortorich is an American fitness expert, author, and podcast host known for his no-nonsense approach to health and weight loss. A former elite endurance athlete and Hollywood trainer, he has spent decades helping clients transform their bodies through his “NSNG” (No Sugar, No Grains) lifestyle. He is the author of Fitness Confidential and host of the long-running Fitness Confidential Podcas...

Dr Sian Williams is a Welsh journalist, broadcaster, and Chartered Counselling Psychologist, best known for her long career in British television and radio. She spent over a decade as a presenter on BBC Breakfast and later became the lead anchor of Channel 5 News, building a reputation as one of the UK’s most trusted news faces.  Alongside her broadcasting career, she retrained in psychology, earn...

Jessica Pratezina is a coach and speaker who helps people reconnect with their confidence, identity, and sense of freedom. After leaving a strict religious upbringing, she embarked on a deeply personal journey of self-discovery—reclaiming her voice, her autonomy, and her relationship with her own sexuality. Today, Jessica works with clients to break free from limiting beliefs, challenge ingrained...

Philippe Tahon is a London-based psychotherapist, coach, and author who specialises in transforming people’s relationship with food, body image, and self-worth. Originally from Belgium, Philippe made a bold career shift from running restaurants to becoming one of Europe’s most sought-after therapists, following his own deeply personal journey with weight and self-image.  With over two decades of e...

Jennie Young returns to the podcast for a second time. Jennie is a professor of rhetoric, writer and cultural critic known for her sharp, witty take on modern dating and communication. She’s the creator of the “Burned Haystack Dating Method,” a bold approach that helps people cut through the chaos of dating apps by recognising the hidden signals in language and behaviour.  She’s also the author of...

Louise Chunn is a British journalist, author and former magazine editor best known for her influential career in women’s media. She served as editor of Cosmopolitan UK during the late 1990s, helping shape the magazine’s modern voice around careers, relationships and independence for young women. After leaving mainstream publishing, Chunn founded Welldoing , a platform connecting people with therap...

Evelyn Scott is based in Surrey, UK and works as an academic and women’s health advocate.  She has described enduring painful periods and debilitating symptoms since her teens, yet for many years was told such pain was “normal”.  She was finally diagnosed with severe endometriosis around age 30.  Her diagnosis came after roughly 15 years of mis- or under-diagnosis and medical dismissal of her symp...

Annalisa Barbieri is a British journalist, columnist, and podcaster best known for her long-running Guardian Saturday magazine advice column, where she offers thoughtful, compassionate responses to readers’ personal dilemmas. Known for her warmth, wit, and insight, Barbieri’s writing explores the complexities of family life, relationships, and emotional wellbeing with honesty and humanity. Alongsi...

Viv Groskop is an award-winning writer, broadcaster and stand-up comedian, best known for blending sharp wit with smart cultural insight. She is the author of the bestselling books How to Own the Room and Lift As You Climb , which explore confidence, communication and female leadership through the lens of performance and storytelling. A familiar voice on BBC Radio 4 and a regular contributor to ma...

Lucy Sewill is a British portrait and editorial photographer whose work bridges celebrity portraiture, equine imagery, and deeply personal visual storytelling.      Early Life & Health Struggles Lucy was born prematurely, spending early life in an incubator.  At age 12, she suffered a serious heart infection and a stroke, which caused months of hospitalization and required her to re-learn how...

Sophie Ziegler is the founder and creative force behind The OTTO Connection , a real-world social community designed to reconnect single people through relaxed, fun, low-pressure events and friendships. After finding traditional dating scenes uninspiring, Sophie launched OTTO in 2022 to build a welcoming space where being single feels vibrant and where people can expand their lives alongside like-...

A subject that has caught the imagination of the nation. Fat Jabs! A special episode with Sarah Vine and Lucy Cavendish, with role reversal - Sarah interviewing Lucy! A fascinating, relatable and insightful conversation. Hello and welcome to the podcast where we talk honestly about weight loss, body image, and everything that comes with it, emotionally, socially, and psychologically. Two brilliant...

Eve Simmons is an award-winning journalist, author, and broadcaster known for making complex topics feel human, practical, and refreshingly honest. As co-author of What to Do When Life F cks Up*, she draws on years of reporting on health, psychology, and wellbeing to offer clear-eyed guidance for navigating life’s messier moments. Alongside her writing, Eve is a familiar media voice, regularly con...

Nick Harding is an award-winning British freelance journalist and feature writer known for his engaging, often personal take on health, lifestyle, relationships, science and well-being topics. He regularly contributes articles to The Telegraph , writing about fitness experiments, ageing, food, and everyday life challenges, mixing evidence-based insight with first-person reflection. His work also a...

Katinka Blackford Newman is a London-based documentary filmmaker, author, journalist, and life coach.    She trained with the BBC and has worked on a variety of high-profile factual programmes for broadcasters such as BBC, Discovery, ITV and Channel 4.  In 2012, during a personal crisis connected to divorce and insomnia, she was prescribed an antidepressant which triggered a severe adverse reactio...

Sarah Vine is a British journalist and columnist best known for her opinion writing on politics, culture, family life, and social change. Over the course of her career, she has written for major UK publications including the Daily Mail and The Times , establishing herself as a prominent and often polarising voice in British media. Her columns are characterised by a highly personal style, combining...

Narelle Chidwick is the creator behind Instagram’s midlife.reallife, where she champions a “live more with less” philosophy focused on mind, body, food & mood for women navigating mid-life.  Based in [location unspecified], she blends honest conversation about ageing, lifestyle change and simplifying life with practical 15-minute tips, everyday wins and an inclusive, no-judgement tone. Her con...