No Filter

Today, I’m Skyping with Trinny Woodall: TV host, author, fashion and makeover expert, founder of beauty company Trinny London.   Trinny is isolating in her London home with her family, including her teenaged daughter Lyla and her partner, 76 year old advertising executive Charles Saatchi. Her mother, in a care home, has been diagnosed with COVID19 and is a super-carrier.  I asked h...

Tracey Cox knows about sex. She's been writing about it since before she was even having it.  Her books have taught generations of women how to receive and give pleasure in a way that gives them complete agency over their sex lives, and her new book is called Great Sex Starts At 50 .  She's got advice and stories for every woman's sexual appetite: and she also reveals the surprising thin...

Today, I’m Skyping with Osher Gunsberg: TV host, podcast, author, mental health advocate and new dad. He and his partner Audrey recently had a baby called Wolfie and now they’re a family of four along with Audrey’s teenage daughter from a previous marriage. Osher had been three weeks into shooting the new season of the Bachelor when the decision was taken to close down production...

We wanted to update and revisit an interview I did with Holocaust survivor, Eddie Jaku, who describes himself as The Happiest Man Alive. Today his 100th birthday (I called up his granddaughter Danielle to find out how he's planning to celebrate) but as well as that, people are looking for wisdom and perspective and joy right now. Eddie is full of life, advice and stories about a world few people r...

The first time Simi Polonsky Hoffman was on No Filter , she was deep in grief.  Her husband, Shua, had died of a sudden illness, leaving her with two children and another on the way. Simi and her sisters run a clothing line in New York City inspired by their Orthodox Jewish Faith and without Shua, she didn't know what her future looked like.  But there's a new chapter in Simi's story tha...

Today, I’m Skyping with Turia Pitt- mining engineer, athlete, motivational speaker, author, mother and bloody legend. I wanted to ask her about how to cope with adversity and she has some sage advice.  You can listen to the other two No Filter interviews I’ve done with Turia  HERE and HERE. And you can buy her books and courses HERE. Listen to Turia on No Filter here , and he...

Today, I’m Skyping with Alison Brahe-Daddo - the iconic Australian model who married the iconic Australian TV host, Cameron Daddo, moved to LA, had three children and then moved back home a couple of years ago to start again. Again.  Here's my first No Filter interview with Alison ‘The Original Aussie Supermodel’ and my interview with Cameron Daddo. And the podcast they do t...

You may know Julia from her columns in Australian newspapers and the New York Times and from the TV where she hosts daily current affairs show, The Drum on the ABC. She’s also written several books including an award winning biography of Queen Victoria. Her latest book though, is much more personal. A few years ago, Julia's life took an unexpected twist that brought with it many challenges a...

Today I’m calling up Susan Carland - who is an academic, author, feminist and television presenter. She lives with her husband, Waleed Aly and their two children in Melbourne. Join Mamamia's Anxiety Course -  learn how to grow your confidence, identify your anxious triggers and reclaim your life with simple and effective strategies. CREDITS: Host : Mia Freedman  . You can find Mia...

Today I’m calling up one of my best friends, Amelia Lester who some of you may know if you listened to the podcast we used to host together about Trump’s America called Tell Me It’s Going To Be Ok. Amelia and I met when she was the editor of the Good Weekend magazine and living in Sydney - it’s her hometown but she’s lived most of her adult life in America ever since...

It's been nearly twenty years since Sara-Marie Fedele bum danced her way into the heart of any Australian who had a TV, during the first season of Big Brother.  Shortly after that, being one of the millions of Australians who fell in love with her, Mia put her on the cover of Cosmopolitan and nearly lost her job for it.  Sara-Marie paved the way, unintentionally, in so many ways: in the...

It's time now to hear about what happened to Susan next, after meeting Wayne and going to Spain with tragic consequences - to hear the first part of her story, click here . Never has the cliche “truth is stranger than fiction” applied more than to the woman on today's episode. You couldn’t make Susan Francis’s life up - it has too many twists. It begins with an adoption sto...

Hey, it's Mia and I am dropping into your feed with a new series of mini-episodes of No Filter called How Are You Doing? - a special spin-off series of No Filter where I call someone to find out how they are doing in this strange new world we’re all living in. And what they're distracting themselves with! Today, I’m Skyping with Libby Trickett - the former Olympic Swimming Golden Girl...

Never has the cliche “truth is stranger than fiction” applied more than to the woman on today's episode. You couldn’t make Susan Francis’s life up - it has too many twists. It begins with an adoption story and the mystery of her biological parents, it includes a secret sister, a heartbreaking confrontation, unexpected love and a series of events that were so dramatic that s...

Before they met one another, Kate Jones and Mandy Hose were both pregnant with twins at the same time. They each gave birth prematurely and after white-knuckling their way through the terrifying world of the newborn intensive care unit, eventually got to bring their babies home. In time, both Mandy and Kate's twins would be diagnosed with additional needs and so began a new life for their two fami...

If you have a vagina or live with anyone who has one, this episode is a must-listen. Dr Ginni Mansberg joins Mia to talk about the very unexpected things that start happening to your body as early as your late thirties and can continue for up to a decade.  Ginni is a GP in fifties who's just written a book called The M Word, which is full of things she wants everyone to know about menopause a...

Megan Gale was a superstar in Italy before Australians knew who she was.  She'd been ready to give up modelling when she landed a life-changing gig in Italy in the nineties. Her sudden fame overseas meant Australia finally learned her name and she spent a few years juggling careers in different countries. She was the face of David Jones for nearly two decades.  When the time came to star...

Here are some things worth knowing about school life:  Teachers aren't on call for parents 24/7... and under no circumstances should a parent ever follow a teacher home from school to talk about their child. Seriously. That happens. Gabbie left teaching a few years ago and did odd jobs like cleaning while she wrote her first book, the best-selling 'Teacher'.  She's back now with a new bo...

For anyone dreaming of starting their own business and being their own boss... the doors The Lady Startup Activation Plan are open for 2020! And we want you (and your business idea) to join us. Over six weeks, Lady Startup founder Mia Freedman will guide you through the steps you need to launch your business the right way, in a series of videos you can watch anywhere, anytime. So if you're ready t...

There is a stage in everyone’s life where you realise your parents are not bulletproof.  For some of us that comes when our mum or dad starts forgetting things or when they go through a period of unexpected turmoil. But for many of us, it often comes when a parent suddenly becomes unwell.  When journalist, author and screenwriter Amal Awad’s father was diagnosed with kidney f...

Ellie Cole lost her leg to cancer when she was just 3 years old and shortly after, her family received a list of things from the doctor that she wouldn't be able to do. The list included things like rollerblading and riding a bike but Ellie had other plans.  Ellie doesn't remember much about losing her leg and she grew up with a family who treated her like everyone else, so she set about tick...

When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced they were leaving the royal family the commentary went one of two ways: how very dare they and good on them. But so much of the vitriol was aimed at Meghan and if we look back at history, it tells a chilling tale of what happens to women when they don't fit the perceived idea of what a “princess” should be. In this episode, Mia is joined by...

Here's what we know about Tim Minchin. He's an actor, writer, composer, lyristist and director.  But he’s also a self-described nerd, who became wildly famous after the success of Matilda and then fell from grace when an animated film he was working on for 4 years got shut down. In this interview, he talks to Mia about being battered by America, the feeling of knowing your most successf...

Tory Shepherd doesn't have kids and if you ask her why she’ll consider telling you that she lost her uterus in a tragic fishing accident. It's not actually true but she reckons that answer is easier for people to accept than the truth. Tory is 42 and a prominent Australian journalist who has written a book called On Freedom about women who choose not to have children and the stigma that come...

Season 2 of Tiddas 4 Tiddas launches today, so we are popping into your feed to share the first episode!  Today is January 26th and if you've ever wondered why this day causes so much controversy, or how it can affect Indigenous Australians, this episode is a must-listen. Kamilaroi and Dunghutti woman, Marlee Silva, is joined by her sister Keely, to discuss what the day means to them, why the...