The Breakup Monologues with Rosie Wilby

In a special live online episode recorded in partnership with Poplar Union, Rosie is joined by comedian and Hoovering podcast host Jessica Fostekew. They discuss her journey along the sexuality spectrum, pansexuality, the privilege attached to coming to queerness later in life after a more heteronormative existence, how therapy helped her to break up as kindly as possible with the father of her ch...

Rosie investigates how to move on (or not) after trauma. She speaks to author Laura Kay about her novel The Split and the real life breakup experiences that inspired it, whether we need travel discounts for the newly broken-hearted, the nuances of queer endings and why she thinks the aftermath of a separation is a good time to make big life decisions. Rosie also chats to actor, comedian and writer...

Rosie investigates how travel can help us heal after a breakup. She speaks to author and travel writer Anna Hart about a youthful hedonistic post-heartbreak trip to Holland which involved sleeping wrapped in a curtain on a drug dealer's floor, the joyful power of dancing and how we can still channel the spirit of travel when we have to stay in one location. Rosie also chats to award-winning comedi...

Rosie unravels the mystery of why one of her breakups, after only a couple of dates, ripped to the heart of her vulnerabilities... and transported her right back to feeling excluded at school. She speaks to comedian and coach Sarah Southern about how one of the 'rules' of breakups - the idea that the length of time it takes to recover is proportional to the length of time you were together - doesn...

Rosie investigates the future of breakups. She speaks to author of The Future of Seduction and cultural critic Mia Levitin, who re-entered the dating game after divorcing in her thirties... and found that dating really had become a game. They discuss ghosting, the paradox of choice, video dating and robot companions. Rosie also chats to award-winning comedian Shazia Mirza about the near-future pos...

To launch this brand new season, Rosie investigates and celebrates singledom. She speaks to Scummy Mummies podcaster Helen Thorn, who found herself suddenly single after twenty-two years of marriage just as the U.K. went into lockdown. Helen entered a sort of 'separation boot camp', filled with sad songs and sneaky fags at the back of the garden, in the absence of being able to hug friends. But sh...

While the Breakup Monologues team await the return of live shows, Rosie presents a few highlights from episodes recorded in 2019 at Kings Place and Port Eliot Festival. Featuring Miranda Sawyer, Carly Smallman, Nat Luurtsema, Kate Leaver and Abigail Tarttelin on sexual health misdiagnosis mishaps, friendship breakups and much more.    If you listen to The Breakup Monologues, please go to www.podca...

In this bonus episode, Rosie is joined by comedian and podcaster Kate Cheka to discuss how social distancing and lockdown are affecting the dating scene in Berlin and what happens when you move in with someone you've only just met. If you listen to The Breakup Monologues, please go to www.podcastviews.com and fill in the short survey. You could win a £50 Amazon voucher. You can now follow The Brea...

In the second part of a special mini season, Rosie hears your stories about the ways in which drugs we currently take (such as SSRI antidepressants, contraceptive pills and recreational drugs like alcohol) are influencing our romantic choices and asks whether you would ever take a love drug. Contributors include comedian Kate Smurthwaite, author Abigail Tarttelin and podcaster Caitlin Durante. Thi...

In the first part of a special mini season, Rosie is joined by Brian D. Earp, author of Love is the Drug, to discuss the ways in which drugs we currently take (such as SSRI antidepressants, contraceptive pills and recreational drugs like alcohol) are influencing our romantic choices. How could SSRIs and MDMA be used either to help us stay in a long-term relationship or to reduce the traumatic effe...

Rosie is joined by comedians Chris Neill and Faye Treacy to discuss glasses, exploding bras, looking for a dog after a breakup, being dumped while on a flight to New York to see your lover, dating apps, unrequited love, growing up queer and giving up drinking. Recorded at Poplar Union on Feb 13 2020.    The next London live recordings are at Kings Place on March 20 and April 24. Book tickets:  htt...

Rosie is joined by comedians Lee Peart and Diane Spencer to discuss sex, open relationships, whether or not to cut off contact with an ex, whether the drama of toxic relationships can become addictive and getting breathalysed by the police while dressed in a cowboy outfit and a trench coat. Recorded at Poplar Union on Feb 13 2020.    The next London live recordings are at Kings Place on March 20 a...

Rosie is joined by comedian Matt Hoss and poet Kate Fox to discuss the role that outdoor swimming plays in our breakups, whether getting a dog ruins your sex life, the idea of liminality and the creative space that breakups open up, falling in love while going through a breakup, Richard Linklater's Before trilogy and the bizarre experience of recording a podcast about breakups just down the road f...

Rosie is joined by comedians Sadia Azmat, Kemah Bob and Mariana Feijó to discuss how polyamory changes the conversation around breakups, the stigma faced by divorced Asian women, sex with the ex, advising your mum to be poly, dating in a foreign language and the problems with serial monogamy. Recorded at Kings Place on Nov 8 2019. Our next live recordings are at Podcast Social Club in Thirsk on No...

Rosie is joined by authors Helen Croydon and Luke Turner to discuss the new journeys and life adventures that we embark on in the wake of a breakup, bisexuality, forests, nature, running, extreme sports and the ex who takes all the CDs and cutlery and lands you with a speeding ticket when they borrow your car. Recorded at Kings Place on Nov 8 2019. Our next live recordings are at Podcast Social Cl...

Rosie is joined by evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin and science communicator Charvy Narain to discuss the similarities between breakups and drug withdrawal, sniffing babies, divorce rates around the world, the increase in divorces among UK women over fifty, eating chocolate to recover from heartbreak, the ethics of love drugs and being dumped online versus face to face. Recorded at The B...

Rosie is joined by academic, therapist and author Meg-John Barker, comedian and podcaster Iszi Lawrence and journalist Sharan Dhaliwal to discuss looking beyond the binary breakup scripts of needing to move rapidly from love to hate, relationship anarchy, placing a value on friendships and other types of connection outside of traditional romantic relationships, breakup language, bisexuality, bipho...

Rosie is joined by journalist and author Kate Spicer and comedian and podcaster Miranda Kane to discuss how dogs and cats bring levity into our relationships but disrupt our sex lives when they hog the middle of the bed, the transformative nature of breakups, how sex workers are depicted in the media and harnessing our sexual power. Recorded at Kings Place on Oct 11 2019. The next London live reco...

Rosie is joined by comedian and author Katy Brand and journalist and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer to discuss how cultural influences from Dirty Dancing and Mary Poppins to James Bond books and Blondie influenced their early thoughts about love and sexuality, internet dates in the days of dial-up, how desire waxes and wanes during midlife particularly for women at perimenopause and how this can lead...

Rosie is joined by comedians Robyn Perkins and Lynn Ruth Miller to discuss the third date rule, the evolutionary drives underpinning our relationship behaviours, lesbian divorce rates, participating in scientific sex research and online dating for the over-80s. Recorded at Kings Place on May 10 2019. The next London live recordings are at Kings Place in the Autumn (however you can also catch us at...

Rosie is joined by advice columnist and author Beth McColl, presenter, writer and sex educator Alix Fox and author and comedian Viv Groskop to discuss micro-cheating, breakup 'anniversary' dates, fantasy celebrity shag lists, whether ghosting existed in the 'olden days' of fax machines and meeting in real life, what to do when love is just not enough and the hottest topic of all... lesbian polyamo...

Rosie is joined by former Labour adviser, columnist, commentator and comedian Ayesha Hazarika, Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee 2018 Olga Koch and journalist and author Kate Leaver (The Friendship Cure) to discuss friendship breakups, friendships with ex-partners, whether or not sex ruins a friendship, dating younger men, political breakups and more. Recorded at Kings Place on April 12 2019. The nex...

Rosie is joined by comedians Debra-Jane Appelby and David Mills to discuss how divorce law has changed for trans people, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' non-monogamy agreements, coming out, marriage and more. Recorded at Kings Place on April 12 2019. The next live recordings are at Kings Place on May 10. Book tickets at  https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/the-breakup-monologues/ You can now follow The...

Ahead of more live recordings, Rosie presents some highlights from season 1: Podcaster and author Dolly Alderton and psychotherapist Liz Bentley on ghosting, comedians Sofie Hagen and Brett Goldstein on rollercoaster relationships, author Isabel Losada on enriching her sex life and comedians Kate Smurthwaite and Joe Sutherland on new relationship language.  The next live recordings are at Kings Pl...

Rosie is joined by evolutionary psychologists Diana Fleischman and Geoffrey Miller who discuss their polyamorous relationship, how being poly can help you to have 'better' breakups, whether a primary partner can or should help you through a breakup with another lover and why men might be keener than women to stay in contact with an ex. Recorded at Kings Place on March 15 2019. The next live record...