The Crossroad

This week, Rachel Aitken is joined by Dame Sarah Storey, British Paralympic athlete, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Paralympians of all time. In this emotional and inspiring episode, we unpack navigating school pressures from unkind peers, all the while training as a teenage Paralympian swimmer, to winning three gold medals in the same summer she received her A-level results. You wi...

‘Being a Jack of all trades is really a super power.’ Diving into the moments that truly shape us, this week’s guest, Kelly Bond, is nothing short of extraordinary. We explore the pivotal phone call in the midst of the pandemic that completely changed the trajectory of Kelly’s singing career — and how that professional crossroad collided with a deeply personal one soon after. From navigating PCOS...

This week, Rachel Aitken sits down with highly successful Sports Broadcaster, Chris Mallaband to talk about the long crossroads of turning a dream into reality. From writing match reports in Cubs at just eight years old to developing what he calls a “huge, disproportionate obsession” with sport, Chris always knew where his passion lay — even if it felt a million miles away from his upbringing in H...

Rachel Aitken sits down this week with adventurer, author and world-first record holder, Mark Agnew. From “Captain Calamity” headlines to an arrest in the Arctic Circle, Mark’s journey is anything but straightforward. In this gripping, honest and often humorous conversation, he opens up about failure, identity and the relentless pursuit of something bigger than himself. Mark shares the reality beh...

Rachel Aitken sits down this week with ChroME Founder, author, TedX speaker and Presenter, Kate Harrison.  Kate brings light into darkness. Her presence truly glows in a room! However, it hasn’t always been light for Kate. In this vulnerable, honest and empowering conversation, Kate opens up about how she pulled herself out of the crossroad of post-natal depression, the fall of a successful busine...

This week, Rachel Aitken sits down with comedian and podcaster Joel Wood — a creator with over a million followers who’s built a huge online audience through sharp humour and painfully relatable moments. In this episode, Joel opens up about the paradox of being naturally shy while finding his spark in drama class, navigating school bullies, and the unexpected life lessons that came from working on...

In this weeks episode of The Crossroad Podcast, Rachel is delighted to sit down with fellow Scottish lass, Jennifer Reoch. Jennifer is a former Miss Scotland winner, law graduate, national Radio Presenter, BBC Broadcaster - alongside so much more. In this episode, Jennifer unpacks the realities behind her multifaceted journey. Balancing the world of beauty pageants with a law degree and a love for...

This week, the crowd goes wild as Rachel Aitken sits down with 'the one and only' Chesney Hawkes. This is truly a candid conversation about life, music, and the split second moments that change everything. From growing up in a rock-and-roll household to the surreal feeling of what he calls “John Lennon’s fairy dust” brushing his career, Chesney reflects on the highs, the stories behind the...

Our guest this week is Iona Stephen, professional golfer turned broadcaster, who has quickly become one of the most recognisable voices in the game. Iona’s story is one of resilience and reinvention. After her playing career was cut short by injury, she found herself at a crossroads, stepping away from competition and into the world of sports media. Since then, she’s worked with Sky Sports Golf, t...

Our guest this week is David Smith MBE, gold medallist, multi-disciplinary athlete, and someone who has faced more crossroads than most of us can imagine.  David’s story is one of relentless resilience. From missing out on the Winter Olympics by a hundredth of a second, to standing on top of the podium at London 2012 just two years after a life-changing cancer diagnosis, his journey has been marke...

Our guest this week is Rachael Dean, an illustrator best known for bringing to life the beloved stories of Dame Jacqueline Wilson. Rachael’s journey has been anything but straightforward. From long nights sketching in her childhood bedroom to being headhunted by Penguin Random House, her path has been shaped by persistence, family support, and a belief in manifestation. Within just a few years, sh...

Hayley’s story is one of resilience and reinvention. Originally on the path to midwifery, a rejection at university pushed her in a different direction. One that would eventually lead her to national television, festivals across the UK, and the launch of her own cake business and community projects. In this conversation, Hayley shares how baking became more than a career: a way to connect people,...

Our guest this week is Bec Johnston, head of marketing at Wathall's - The Funeral Directors and founder of her own creative consultancy for independent funeral directors. Bec’s story is not one of straight lines. At 22, a family tragedy changed her entire outlook on life and pulled her into the family business, a path she never imagined taking. Nine years later, she is at the forefront of reim...

This week’s guest is UK’s leading life coach, bestselling author, and mindset powerhouse Jacqueline Hurst. Her story is not one of overnight success but one of deep transformation. From living in a squat and battling addiction, to becoming clean, sober, and building a 20-year career helping over 9,000 clients, Jacqueline shares the raw truth of what it takes to rebuild a life with purpose. With he...

Our guest this week is the brilliantly talented illustrator, author and creative force behind Murphy’s Sketches: Kerri Cunningham. From growing up with a passion for art to navigating the twists and turns of motherhood, mental health, and running her own creative business, Kerri’s journey is as inspiring as it is honest. She shares openly about overcoming postnatal anxiety, supporting her son’s au...

Our guest this week is none other than international speaker, best selling author and High Performance Podcast Host: Professor Damian Hughes. With any crossroad, this one is not a tale of overnight success. Far from it. Damian takes us right back to a 14 year old lad, living in Manchester, with family roots and values that have shaped the person he has become today. An awe inspiring journey on the...

This episode comes with a trigger warning regarding baby loss. Loneliness and grief juxtaposed by an incredible fearlessness, resilience and inner strength; this week is a powerful and important conversation Rachel Aitken has with author and practising midwife, Sophie Martin – more popularly known to her huge network of followers as @the.infertile.midwife. In this candid, emotional and raw convers...

How on earth does a lad from Edinburgh become a British Olympic athlete?! With accolades including three times world medallist, six times European medallist, 2021 Olympic finalist in Tokyo, 2022 Commonwealth Champion and 2018 bronze medallist; Rachel Aitken sits down with professional diver, James Heatley, to unveil the secrets behind achieving an Olympic career. In this candid conversation, James...

Tenacious, fun, confident, raw, open and hilarious – this week, Rachel sits down with curve model, body confidence coach and content creator Sophie Hughes to talk how giving life saving surgery to Sophie’s 10 week old nephew changed her world over night. Sophie shares her crossroad being completely unplanned, as she went from a size 6 super model to a size 16 curve model in the aftermath of surger...

Growing up in a space where you feel like you don’t fit in; feeling like a fish out of water around your own loved ones, Jaxon Feely opens up about transitioning from female to male over the course of the last three years…all the while still working in a male prison as an officer. Mind blown?! This conversation is a reminder that we all carry wonderful complexities that make us unique, and despite...

Tired of your 9-5? Well this episode is for you! From the rat race to sled racing…this week, Rachel Aitken sits down with the extraordinary Gaynor Leeper, who left her London city life almost overnight to move to the Artic Circle. Terrified of dogs when she set out on her new quest, Gaynor discusses how she conquered her fear and now not only owns 45 dogs but works with them, loves them and cares...

This week, Rachel sits down for an incredibly heart warming chat with an old friend, James Henderson. Podcaster for one of the leading golfing channels, Official Top 100, they delve into topics like navigating dyslexia from a young age, viewing the world with a wide lens, the challenges of losing a loved one, plus so much more. James is someone who inspires positivity and advocates change. You are...

Get ready for an iconic episode of The Crossroad! We’re joined by none other than Political Public Strategist to some of the biggest names in politics, Jo Tanner. In this candid conversation, Jo opens up about her journey balancing life as not only a successful business woman but Mum to teenage son and carer to her own lovely Mum, amongst so much more. Jo is the ultimate example of how you can thr...

Today, we’re joined by the ray of sunshine that is Daisy’s Travel Diaries. Daisy is a positivity rebel, mindset shifter, and incredibly successful globe trotting digital nomad. Daisy personifies the phrase ‘living your absolute best life!’ In this candid conversation, Daisy opens up about being a digital nomad, sharing insights on how she navigated change in all its many guises and found her way t...

Roisin Quinn is here! Best known for smashing it on this years BBC Interior Design Masters – she’s here to dish out all the details on how on earth she built up the courage to quit her job and follow her dream. Join us on The Crossroad as Roisin shares her experiences on how she has got to where she is now, navigating personal challenges along the way. Roisin is a huge advocate for change because…...