The Dr Hilary Show

Skin and lung cancers are among the deadliest — and most common — cancers in the world. But there is real hope, better outcomes, and more effective treatments than ever before. Dr. Hilary sits down with renowned consultant oncologist Dr. James Wilson to unpack the realities behind cancer diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. From world-class research at Oxford to life-saving innovation...

The king of the one-liner, comedian  Tim Vine , joins Dr. Hilary for a brilliantly conversation—filled with reflections on life on the comedy circuit, writing jokes, and finding lightness in even the heaviest moments. From his world-record-breaking joke streak to his Elvis tribute act  Plastic Elvis , and his love of the move, Jaws, Tim offers insights into health, happiness, and f...

This week Dr. Hilary Show is joined by Larry Lamb – a man who’s played everyone from lovable Mick Shipman in Gavin and Stacey to the infamous Archie Mitchell in EastEnders. But there’s much more to Larry than iconic characters. He’s a novelist, broadcaster, and passionate storyteller.  Larry opens up about his fascinating journey from the oil fields of Libya to global...

👉 Vanessa Lloyd Platt has seen it all—from high-profile splits to deeply personal breakdowns. As one of the UK’s most sought-after family lawyers, she brings decades of experience, candour, and compassion to the often-overlooked health impacts of divorce. In this episode, she joins Dr Hilary for an eye-opening conversation about why divorce doesn’t just break hearts—i...

👉 A former NHS doctor and now YouTube’s Head of Health UK, Dr Vishaal Virani joins Dr Hilary for a wide-ranging conversation about the power—and perils—of online health content. They discuss how YouTube combats misinformation, the rise of AI deepfakes, and how technology is helping both patients and doctors alike. Plus: real stories of lives saved by videos, the unexpected...

👉 Lorraine Kelly is one of the UK’s best-loved broadcasters, known for her warmth, wit, and decades of breakfast TV brilliance. In this episode, she joins Dr Hilary for a candid conversation about breaking taboos on live television — from menopause to testicular exams — and why normalising health talk has always been part of her mission. Lorraine reflects on her journalism...

👉 Michael Rosen is a YouTube sensation. His poem HOT FOOD has had 52m views. The author, poet and former children's poet laureate tells Dr Hilary how he became a meme, what inspired him to become a writer in the first place, plus his brush with death when  he   was hospitalised with Covid in  2020   and ended up in a coma for 48 days. Michael also talks about his first ch...

👉 Adele Roberts is an award-winning broadcaster, author, and TV personality. In 2021 she was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Two years later, she completed her third marathon - her first one running with a stoma - and set the Guinness World Record as the fastest female with an ileostomy. Now she's raising money for Cancer Research UK & The Attitude Magazine Foundation to help raise awareness of...

👉 Dr. Rob Cohen has been a psychiatrist for 30 years, treating people for a variety of conditions, but especially anxiety and depression. But how has treatment changed in that time? Is there any evidence that children today are less resilient than they once were? Dr. Cohen reflects on how changes in modern life, including social media, affect our mental health. He also explains how&nbsp...

👉 Brian Conley hosted the Royal Variety Performance an impressive eight times. He’s headlined West End musicals like Hairspray, Jolson, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In this wide ranging interview he reflects on a long career that includes joining the cast of EastEnders, and dazzling on the Strictly. He also talks about coping with grief after the death of his father, and how it led to...

👉 Sir Sadiq Khan gave up a career in law for a life in politics, serving as an MP in South London for 11 years before he successfully stood to be Mayor of London. Under his leadership, improving respiratory health with initiatives like the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been a major priority. Now, in his third term, Sadiq discusses air pollution, how he copes with criticism and the press...

👉 Over one billion young people face the risk of permanent hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds during recreational pastimes such as listening to music and video gameplay. That's according to figures from the World Health Organisation to mark World Hearing Day, 2025. The good news is that simple changes can make a massive difference, such as using headphones safely and follo...

👉 Angela Rippon has been on our TV screens for nearly six decades. As the first regular female BBC newsreader, she broke barriers and went on to host shows including Come Dancing, Top Gear, and Antiques Roadshow. Her performance on Morecambe and Wise's Christmas Special became television history. In 2023, at 79, she came full circle by competing on Strictly Come Dancing. With her lifelong love of...

👉 Comedy wasn’t Harry Hill’s first choice of career. He chose medicine, instead, qualifying as a doctor after training in London. He reflects on those early days as medical student, and why he followed that path after a teacher at school told him there was “no way he would get into medical school.” Harry tells Doctor Hilary how the profession has changed in the intervening...

👉 Gloria Hunniford OBE was the first woman on Radio 2.  In a wide-ranging interview, Gloria discusses the loss of her daughter, Caron, from breast cancer 20 years ago, and how Caron spent her final years in the sunshine, in Australia. Plus, she reflects on the death of her husband, Steven, in August last year.  Gloria also discusses her pre-diabetes, her diagnosis, and how she’s l...

👉 Our first celebrity guest of the year is Shaun Wallace, aka The Dark Destroyer, from ITV's The Chase. Shaun won Mastermind in 2012. His specialist subject was FA Cup Finals. Shaun is also a barrister and discusses how he manages to balance two careers, working in television and the law courts. Plus, hear how he invests in his health with a daily workout including a thousand crunches every morni...

👉 From Piers Morgan's story about curing long Covid by flying around the world, to the advice given to Gyles Brandreth by the late Duke of Edinburgh on using "the appliance." 👉 Rory Cellan Jones, the BBC's former technology correspondent speaks movingly about living with Parkinson's Disease, and Esther Rantzen answers questions put to her by her daughter on her campaign for assisted dying. 👉 Pl...

This episode is brought to you by  Drinkaware How much alcohol is too much? Plus, journalist Sarah Vine Almost two-thirds of us will drink more alcohol over Christmas than at other times of the year, according to a new survey from the alcohol-harm charity drinkaware. 18-34-year-olds are twice as likely to feel pressure from friends to have a drink during the festive period. My guest is K...

This episode is brought to you by  The Body Doctor. How can you have your best menopause? Right now, over a billion women worldwide are going through menopause – that's a billion experiences, and a billion unique journeys. In the UK, that’s 15.5 million and many feel overlooked, underserved, and invisible, with little education or support. We’re joined by Heather Jackson, CEO of Gen-m.com - The un...

Most of us know that being overweight increases people’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and, of course, joint problems. Yet hardly a day goes by when there isn't some new, and often conflicting, advice on diet and nutrition. Nutritional therapist, Laura Southern talks about the part diet plays in our health, quick-fix weight loss jabs, and the latest thinking on ul...

Hear the latest news and breast cancer research from Claire Rowney, CEO of Breast Cancer Now, and Dr Cliona Kirwan, a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon and Professor of Surgical Trials. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 15% of all new cancer cases. That’s more than 150 women diagnosed every day. The positive news is that survival rates have doubled in the l...

Scott Mitchell was with his partner and wife, Dame Barbara Windsor, for 27 years. They went public with the news of her Alzheimer's in 2018. Today, he's the People's Champion for the government-funded "Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission," and an Ambassador for Alzheimer's Research UK. You'll hear about his work and their life together, and their meeting with the then Prime Minister, Boris Johns...

Assisted dying has never been legal in the UK, but that could be about to change. Several proposals have been presented over the years, but none have passed into law. I’ve been talking to Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter, Rebeca Wilcox. And Dame Esther answers some questions that Rebeca asked her mum, on my behalf. My celebrity guest this week was Mr Saturday Night for years, on Game for a Laugh, Yo...

Also, this week, how do we get better at spotting and preventing sepsis? And a warning from the UK Health Security Agency about meningitis. How can you spot the warning signs? My guests this week include Charlotte Armitage, a psychologist and psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience. Her forthcoming book, "Generation Zombie," explores the impact of excessive screen time on children's devel...

Did you know heart disease is the #1 killer worldwide?  One in four deaths in the UK is from heart attacks or strokes. Can you recognize the warning signs?  In Episode 6 of The Dr. Hilary Show, brought to you by Healthspan, we focus on cardiovascular health with  Julie Ward, a Senior Cardiac Nurse  at the British Heart Foundation.  Learn the 3 biggest risk factors for heart disease, how to interpr...