It's A Death Sentence: An Unexpectedly Funny, Deeply Human Podcast About Death & Life

Twelve months. One year. 365 days. And somehow… it still doesn't quite feel real. In this deeply personal episode of It's A Death Sentence, Emma and Carrie reflect on 12 months of grief after losing two of the people they loved most: Emma's dad and Carrie's brother. What actually changes when you reach that one-year mark? Is grief different at 12 months, or are you simply different...

When we picture someone grieving, we’re often shown the same image: hollow cheeks, a shrinking body, clothes hanging from a suddenly smaller frame. The beautiful, tragic, almost glamorous picture of the bereaved person who has simply… stopped eating. But what happens when grief does the opposite? In this episode of It’s A Death Sentence, Emma and Carrie have one of their most candid conversations...

We are SO proud to have interviewed Francesca Amber on the podcast! For those who don’t know her, Francesca is a Sunday Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and host of the UK’s number-one self-development podcast, Law of Attraction Changed My Life. She’s also the author of Manifest Like a Mother — a book that, as it happens, played a rather important part in this particular episode coming to li...

We’ve talked a LOT about death and grief on this podcast… but what happens when you throw manifestation and the Law of Attraction into the mix? In this episode, Carrie and Emma get personal about their own experiences with manifestation, gratitude and visualisation — and why they’ve both loved and used the Law of Attraction in their own lives. Both of us started with The Secret, the classic beginn...

In this fascinating episode of It’s A Death Sentence, Carrie and Emma are joined by Ahmed Hraichie — The Muslim Undertaker, also known as the Aussie Mammoth — an Australian funeral service professional whose work and social media have reached a global audience. Ahmed takes us on a journey through his remarkable path into the death industry, from his early days working in mortuary removals and ceme...

How It All Began: The Story Behind It’s A Death Sentence Why on earth would two women decide to make a podcast about death, dying and grief ? Well… there’s quite a story behind it. Carrie and Emma are both bereaved, and death has become as much a part of their lives as life itself. Carrie has lost her mother-in-law, her uncle and, more recently, her beloved brother David. Emma has lost both of her...

What if the very place we fear most at the end of life is actually where we find the most joy, connection, and purpose? In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down with Stephen and Pete, two men who share their deeply moving experiences at the Primrose Hospice. Far from the sombre, quiet place they initially feared, they discovered a vibrant community filled with laughter, dominoes, and...

When you hear the word "hospice," what is the first thing that comes to mind? In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down with Sarah McDowell from Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre to dismantle the common misconception that hospices are simply places where people go to die. Sarah shares her personal journey into the charity sector, inspired by her mother's 16-year career as a...

When multiple losses hit in quick succession, how do you find the space to grieve while still holding everything together for everyone else? In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down with Jenna Smalley, a 34-year-old mother of two who experienced the unimaginable loss of three close family members in just two years. Jenna shares her deeply personal journey of losing her father suddenly...

How do you find the light in the darkest of times? In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with Rachel Watts, a social worker, trustee, and dedicated supporter of Primrose Hospice. Rachel shares her deeply personal journey following her sister Liz’s terminal cancer diagnosis, and how the hospice became a lifeline for her entire family. We explore the vital role of peer support for gr...

What if the secret to truly living lies in accepting our own mortality? In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with the incredible Kim Chandler at the Primrose Hospice. Kim shares her journey of living with a terminal secondary breast cancer diagnosis, far outliving her original prognosis, and how she chooses to embrace every single day with humour, honesty, and a refreshing lack of...

Ready for a fun, cheeky quiz to test how much you’ve been paying attention? In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we put our (and your) knowledge to the test with a quiz covering everything from the biology of death and the body to grief, desire, psychology, and philosophy to revisit key themes from previous episodes. What You’ll Discover - Death and the Body : From the most common causes of d...

What if the most profound way to honour the dead is to find the courage to truly live and maybe even laugh along the way? In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with David Ferrugio, host of the DEAD Talks podcast and author of the upcoming book, Not Dead Yet. David shares his deeply personal journey of losing his father in the World Trade Centre on 9/11 when he was just 12 years old...

There is a strange, quiet comfort in knowing that the person standing next to you is feeling exactly as devastated as you are. In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we dive deep into the heavy, fascinating world of collective grief. From the profound national mourning that followed the death of Princess Diana to the shared, daily trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic, we explore why we cry for peopl...

This is one of those topics that we just don't talk about enough in our daily lives, mostly because we get so caught up in the busyness of simply getting by. In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down once again with Emma Johnson. She shares a deeply personal account of what it was like to care for her father at the end of his life. We explore the complexities of navigating a difficult...

Sex and death - two of life’s biggest taboos, explored with honesty and zero judgment. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we dive into the often unspoken connection between grief and sexuality. From heightened desire as a form of comfort or escapism to the phenomenon known as “widow’s heat,” we discuss how loss can reshape intimacy in surprising ways. What You’ll Discover - Grief and Libido...

This was one of those episodes that took us right back to our childhood. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we unpack how Disney films shaped our early understanding of death - from parental loss in Bambi and The Lion King to dramatic villain endings, the afterlife in Coco, and the emotional punch of stories like My Girl and Watership Down. What You’ll Discover - How Disney Handles Death :...

This episode felt different because we handed the big questions over to the children. In this special episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we run a kids’ workshop and ask young people what they think about death, grief, the afterlife, funerals, and how they’d support a friend who is sad. What You’ll Discover - Honest Answers from Children : What they believe happens when we die, whether they think th...

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we explore near-death experiences - what people report seeing, feeling, and learning when they come close to dying and return. What You’ll Discover - Common Elements of Near-Death Experiences : Bright lights, feelings of peace and wholeness, out-of-body sensations, and encounters with loved ones or beings. - The Science vs. The Mystery : How the brain migh...

This was one of those conversations where you end up equal parts fascinated and slightly horrified. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we getting into what actually happens to your body after you die. Carrie, who performs autopsies for a living, takes us through the full process of decomposition - from the very first changes to the bloating, purging, skin slip, maggots, and everything in be...

This episode goes right to the heart of one of the most tender, complicated spaces we’ve ever explored. In this episode, we sit down with John Kramer, founder of Guardian Angels, to talk openly about using AI as a tool in grief. John shares his own journey through loss, the accidental beginnings of the platform, and how it evolved from an experiment into a structured, therapist-guided journaling e...

This episode felt different to record because, if we're honest, there’s a lot of frustration in it. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we take a proper look at social media. The good, the bad, and the parts that are genuinely dangerous. From the pressure to be liked, to the impact on our mental health, and the very real consequences for young people, this is an honest, unfiltered conversati...

We’ve both felt this, but no one really prepares you for it. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down and talk about how grief completely warps your sense of time. One moment everything feels frozen, like it just happened, and the next, months have passed in a blur you can barely remember. This is a raw, honest conversation about what that actually feels like, why it happens, and why...

This special bonus episode from It’s a Death Sentence offers a gentle, guided meditation designed to bring comfort, calm, and a sense of connection in moments of loss. Written and produced by Emma Skipp and Leon Payne, this meditation was created from a deeply personal place. Emma, who finds great comfort in guided meditation, wanted to craft something specifically for those navigating g...

This conversation really stayed with us because it’s one of those stories that feels both deeply personal and quietly powerful. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with Jayne Thomson, a funeral director who came into the industry after losing her Mum, to explore what it’s like to work so closely with death every day. We talk about grief, purpose, the reality behind the role, and...