PRsonal

This is the 50th episode of PRsonal – and we’ve marked it with a rather special live episode. Filmed in front of a packed audience at TedXTeessideWomen, host Charlotte Nichols is joined live on stage by Halo Project founder Yasmin Khan. An awe-inspiring guest, Yasmin reveals how she has relentlessly campaigned to tackle domestic abuse, forced marriage, and honour-based violence. She reveals the ho...

Max Freer has faced her fair share of challenges on the road to success. At the age of just eight, her dad was diagnosed with cancer while her sister was born disabled. Then she spent five years trying for IVF – only to almost lose one of her twins to sepsis on his first birthday. On this episode of PRsonal, she talks with host Charlotte about her journey to motherhood and how her Catholic faith h...

Music is a huge part of Mark Deeks’ life. As a speaker and piano teacher (with a PHD in heavy metal), music is a huge part of Mark Deeks’ life. As is his family – and on this episode of PRsonal, he reveals experiencing the agonising moment ‘every parent dreads’ during his daughter’s 20-week scan. He talks to host Charlotte about the heartache of losing his daughter during pregnancy, but also the j...

At 29, Lisa Gosnay visited her GP for her first ever set of blood tests. Overnight, her world changed forever. In this episode of PRsonal, she reveals how a phone call at the end of work was the start of a life-changing battle with aplastic anemia. She opens up about undergoing involved gruelling stem cells transplants, how she’s relied on over 100 bags of donated blood – and a five-month hospital...

As an animal lover, Chris Bray has many people’s dream job. He’s Chief Executive at Newcastle Cat and Dog Shelter – and on this episode of PRsonal he talks abut the reality of working to find animals their forever homes. From the XL Bully ban to the impact the cost-of-living crisis on pet ownership, Chris  also discusses the big issues currently facing the shelter. But he also discusses deeper the...

Ronnie Peet has superpowers.  And in this episode of PRsonal, he delves into them – as well as his neurodiversity.  Sage’s Global IT Director opens up about how his hidden ADHD resulted in him failing his exams and, quite literally, left him pulling his own hair out.  Having been diagnosed only five years ago, he also discusses how the late diagnosis left him in tears – but how conditions such as...

Alec Berry remembers the worst train journey of his life. Racing home from London, he didn’t know if his baby boy would still be alive. Little Joseph, who is now nine, has a heart condition. So far, he’s required eight major operations – including open heart surgery. In this episode of PRsonal, Alec discusses the family’s journey, from coping with mental health to holding his son’s hand on the ope...

Sarah Pike is a break-up and divorce coach. And in this episode of PRsonal, she delves into her own divorce and outlines why you shouldn’t be scared to ‘grieve’ for a relationship that doesn’t work out. She also shares her wisdom and guidance on love, life, and relationships – from learning to heal to discussing why a divorce is the second most traumatic life event. Having started as a model, Sara...

Astrid Blake’s story will break your heart. Having longed for a baby, she couldn’t wait to be a mum. Then, in Astrid’s words, everything went black. Her whole world suddenly vanished. Astrid suffered a stillbirth.  In perhaps the most emotional episode of PRsonal to date, Astrid discusses that life-altering event with host Charlotte Nichols. From holding her beautiful baby, Lyra, to coping in the...

Just over ten years ago, Gemma Holmes’ intestines fell out. Yes, you read that right. It was shocking. It was sudden – and incredibly dramatic. And on this dramatic episode of PRsonal, Gemma tells the full story about what happened shortly after childbirth. And Gemma, who is Talentheads’ business development manager,  also discusses the highs and lows of raising a son with autism, fighting skin ca...

Michelle Minnikin isn’t very fond of people in balaclavas. Perhaps that isn’t so surprising, given she grew up in Northern Ireland during the height of the troubles. The psychologist, coach and author tells host Charlotte Nichols how, as a child, she had to check for a bomb underneath the family car using nothing but a mirror on a stick – even when she just popped to the shop. And in this fascinat...

Natalie Silva knows the sadness of losing her parents. As a toddler, she was placed in an orphanage due to a deadly civil war in El Salvador. After being adopted and brought to Britain, she tragically lost both her adoptive parents by the age of 15. In this emotional episode of PRsonal, Natalie, the director of Thumbs Up Marketing, talks about how it all shaped her – and how becoming a mum herself...

It should have been a holiday full of memories the family cherished forever. But within hours of flying home, Louise Woods’ five-year-old son, Will, was diagnosed with cancer. Just three days later, he tragically died. In this highly emotional episode of PRsonal, Louise discusses those fateful 72 hours and the impact Will’s death had on both herself and her family. In the decade since Will’s death...

Ammar grew up in Newcastle immersed in racism. From name-calling to having Alsatians set on him, Ammar built resilience from a young age.  From riches to rags, family life growing up wasn’t always easy growing up, but that is what has shaped Ammar into the kind and successful man he is today, always encouraging inclusion and collaboration in everything that he does.  Constantly in fight or flight...

Neil Chapman has been involved with some of the biggest stories of the past 45 years. As a journalist, he helped report the Yorkshire Case ripper case while as a PR guru, Neil was tasked with handling the crisis that followed the Deepwater Horizon tragedy. On this gripping episode of PRsonal, he discusses both as part of a lookback at an astonishing media career that has taken him across the world...

Nicola Cook is an entrepreneur, investor, and author. And she’s also had an abortion. In this startling episode of PRsonal, Nicola talks about that abortion publicly for the first time ever, and how it shaped her – and ultimately made her a better mother when the time was right. And she shares messages of hope for anybody has been through, or may go through, a similar experience. This is a powerfu...

Steve Turner hasn’t had an easy ride in politics.  Accused of everything from sexual assault to punching a pensioner, the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner has faced 18 serious allegations he claims are politically motivated attacks designed to ruin his reputation.  In this explosive episode of PRsonal, he reveals the devastating toll the accusations have had on both himself and his family –...

It is one of the most memorable moments in Big Brother history.  Now almost 20 years later, Series Six winner Anthony Hutton finally sets the record straight about what happened in the hot tub with Makosi.  In the latest episode of PRsonal, Anthony discusses his time on the show and the ‘extreme taste of fame’ that followed for the County Durham TV star – including the dark moments which left him...

Lyndon Longthorne overcame unimaginable obstacles – and he did so when he wasn’t even one.  As a baby, Lyndon was just four hours from death after contracting meningitis.  He needed multiple amputations – including on both legs – but that didn’t stop him fulfilling his dreams.  In this superb episode of PRsonal, Lyndon sits down with host Charlotte Nichols to discuss his road to the Paralympics al...

Paul Edwards thought he was buying his dream house.  Instead, he was buying a nightmare.  His saga ended with a High Court Summons, a potential six-figure bill – and a surprise appearance in the Daily Mail.  But that isn’t the only house drama in this engrossing episode of PRsonal, as Paul reveals a spine-tingling encounter he had inside a 200-year-old Georgian property in Newcastle.  Sit back, re...

This is real as it gets.  Catherine Devereux was a happily married mum to three daughters.  Then on May 6 2018 her entire world was shattered.  Her husband, Russ, committed suicide.  In this raw episode of PRsonal, Catherine bravely opens up about the harrowing aftermath – from the moment the police arrived to having to tell her children their dad had died.  Since then, Catherine has launched The...

Claire Walton turned to Match.com in a bid to find ‘Mr Right’ for her daughter.  And the man who caught her eye did turn out to be perfect – for Claire.  In this episode of PRsonal, the executive coach turned bestselling author opens up to host Charlotte about a love life that has included three marriages and four engagements (including one that lasted just six weeks).  Having first married aged j...

Shannon Robinson has been in a dark place.  In this remarkable episode of Pack PRsonal, Harvey & Hugo’s design ace reveals that at her lowest ebb, Shannon didn’t see a future for herself.  During their frank conversation, Shannon opens up to Charlotte about her battle with depression, and how she pulled herself back from the brink.  The pair also discuss Shannon’s pansexuality and the shocking...

Carl Swansbury didn’t take the traditional route to the top.    He tells PRsonal host Charlotte Nichols how he became one of the UK’s youngest ever chartered accountants – and didn’t go to university. Having turned down the chance to study law at Durham University, he instead joined PwC on-route to his current role as head of corporate finance at Rycroft Glenton  In this episode, the pair discuss...

It is finally Charlotte Nichols’ turn in the hotseat.    Roles are reversed as the PRsonal host is grilled by the show’s first ever guest Mel Coutts in this special end of year episode.    Having only launched in 2023, the pair discuss the highpoints of PRsonal’s first year – including being nominated for an international podcast award – along with the most shocking and funniest clips from the sho...