Happy Place with Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton talks to incredible people about life, love, loss, and everything in-between as she reveals what happiness means to them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episodes
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Paddy McGuinness: “I was drowning and needed help!” Raising autistic kids and clinical depression
Monday, 15 September 2025
Men are starting to open up. Presenter and comedian Paddy McGuinness used to work on building sites where vulnerability would have been seen as a weakness, but he’s seen things changing...In this chat with Fearne, Paddy talks about his own clinical depression, and what he’s learnt from therapy about keeping his mental health in check. He explains that understanding why you’re reacting a certain way will give you the power to change your behaviour.Paddy’s three children all have autism, and he’s frank about how he felt when he first got the news. He talks through the common misconceptions, a...
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Book Club Meets: Namaste Motherf*ckers! How to nail midlife, with Cally Beaton
Friday, 12 September 2025
Cally Beaton spent much of her career in male-dominated board rooms. She, in her own words, was a ‘boring businessperson’. Now? She’s a stand up comedian!Namaste Motherfuckers was the Happy Place Book Club pick for August. It’s Cally’s manifesto for embracing the radical change that comes with midlife and menopause, proving it’s never too late to reinvent your life.In this chat with Fearne, Cally explains that she’s particularly passionate about better understanding perimenopause after being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, and is candid about being a single mum to an autistic child.Than...
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Vogue Williams: My health anxiety is bad! How to stop catastrophising
Monday, 8 September 2025
Have you noticed your body changing with age? Vogue Williams has suddenly become aware that she needs to make a point of staying physically and mentally strong.In this chat with Fearne, Vogue explains why having a drink and having fun are just as important as exercising and sleeping well when it comes to feeling good. She talks through how her health anxieties have manifested in the past, and how she’s used medication and therapy to move her through difficult periods of heartbreak and grief.Vogue explores why she and husband Spencer Matthews are so good together. Plus, why she got kicked ou...
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Prue Leith: “You can’t have it all!” How to ask for help with work and family
Monday, 1 September 2025
Can women have it all? Renowned restauranteur, cookery writer, and Great British Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith doesn’t think so.In this chat with Fearne, Prue explains why she’s glad she built her career before having children, and why no one should feel ashamed of asking for help with their business or family in order to keep everything afloat.Prue – who had the confidence to found a restaurant when she’d never worked in one – gives advice on never letting a lack of knowledge get in the way of starting a new passion project.She also tells the story of finding love again at 70 after being ...
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“Self-care isn’t selfish!” How to keep fit and have fun
Friday, 29 August 2025
Fearne’s been loving the UEFA Women’s EUROS, so this episode celebrates the huge summer of sport we’re having by listening back to some brilliant sportspeople who’ve told their stories on Happy Place. Plus, if you’ve been inspired to move your own body more, how can you set your own fitness goals and – most importantly! – enjoy the process?In this episode – -Broadcaster Gabby Logan reflects on just how momentous it was when the Lionesses won the EUROs in 2023-UFC fighter Molly McCann explains what happens when you’re on your period as an athlete-Olympic rower Helen Glover chats about how mo...
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Your mental state manifests physically! How your body impacts your brain
Monday, 25 August 2025
Do you notice your body telling you when your brain is struggling? We’re headed back to this year’s Happy Place Festival in Gunnersbury Park, where loads of our guest speakers took to the Talk Stage to talk about the power of the mind-body connection... In this episode – - Breath and mindset coach Richie Norton explores the mind-body connection and how you can always start over with your physical and mental health-Broadcaster Julia Bradbury explains how nature has a very real impact on how healthy our bodies are, and how she approached her cancer diagnosis-Rizzle Kicks Jordan Stephens and t...
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Sara Cox: I need to be left alone! How to take your holiday reading seriously
Thursday, 21 August 2025
Are you obsessed with finding the best books – yes, multiple – to read on holiday? Broadcaster Sara Cox is!Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Sara share their thoughts on how to take your holiday reading more seriously. They natter about the joy of reading a novel set in the country you’re holidaying in, and whether the vivid descriptions of a location have inspired them to travel there themselves.They also swap their own experiences of writing books, and reveal the beautiful locations that have informed eleme...
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Why don’t you like yourself? Gabby Bernstein: How to stop numbing difficult emotions
Monday, 18 August 2025
Getting lost in anxiety, shame, or self-loathing? Spiritual leader Gabby Bernstein wants you to acknowledge all the messy parts of your true character. Spoiler: you’re not going suddenly to like yourself overnight, but acknowledging the uncomfortable bits will get you there sooner!In this chat with Fearne, Gabby explains how ‘protector parts’ like perfectionism, people pleasing, and numbing out can spiral into extreme self-soothing behaviours like drug or porn addiction if they’re not dealt with.Fearne and Gabby chat about anxiety as a protection mechanism, exploring why being focused on th...
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Book Club Meets: I’m obsessed with romance scams! Gaslighting and misogyny, with Lisa Jewell
Monday, 11 August 2025
Do you love a true crime scam documentary? Our latest Happy Place Book Club read is for you! Iconic author Lisa Jewell has written Don’t Let Him In, a thriller about a perfect man... who’s a fraudulent liar.In this chat with Fearne, live from The Happy Place Festival, Lisa explains how she got into the mind of a psychopath despite being a very honest person herself. They explore how people fall for charming romance scammers, and how Lisa has become a relentlessly happy person.Plus, Lisa’s written 24 novels but has given up on trying to be a ‘professional’ kind of person – she explains how t...
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Clara Amfo: “I’m afraid of being bored!” How to take your holiday hobbies seriously
Thursday, 7 August 2025
Are holidays for switching off... or for fun activities? Broadcaster Clara Amfo is big into travelling solo so she can unapologetically indulge her own passions, like live music and salsa dancing.Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Clara share their thoughts on how to take your holiday hobbies and passions more seriously, including signing up for local classes, and swapping partying for fitness retreats.They also reminisce on the moment Fearne passed the Radio 1 Live Lounge over to Clara, and chat about how to ...
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Davina McCall: “What if I don’t make it?” Embracing life after a brain tumour
Monday, 4 August 2025
Are you living the life you want to live? Broadcaster Davina McCall’s recent health scare has shown her the importance of living boldly, with no regrets.In this chat, live from The Happy Place Festival, best pals Fearne and Davina share how having tumours removed within a few months of each other brought them closer together.Davina explains how you can turn fear into joy through mindset changes, and how to apologise so you’re not carrying the weight of guilt anymore. She also reflects on how being in Narcotics Anonymous finally enabled her to like herself, warts and all.If you liked this ep...
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“I’m used to making mistakes!” Harriet Kemsley on how to stop worrying about being cringe
Monday, 28 July 2025
It’s ok to make mistakes! Comedian Harriet Kemsley says her dyspraxia meant she learnt very early on not to take herself too seriously.In this chat with Fearne, live from The Happy Place Festival, Harriet explains how to get through the cringe part where you’re really rubbish at something new, and why it builds resilience for all parts of your life.Harriet also chats about the chaos that comes with co-parenting and dating after divorce, and has the final word on that eye-roll stereotype that men don’t like funny women...If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Florence...
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Release yourself from the male gaze: How to have more orgasms!
Friday, 25 July 2025
It’s National Orgasm Day on July 31st, so Fearne is listening back to Happy Place conversations about female sexuality, fantasy, and – obviously – orgasms, so that we can reclaim our bodies and desires as our own...In this episode – - Crystal Hefner describes what it was like living as a sexualised woman at the Playboy House-Emily Ratajkowski unpacks how we can remove our sexuality from the male gaze-Dita Von Teese gives her take on nudity and building confidence in your body-Gillian Anderson chats about what she learnt from collecting essays on women’s fantasies-Miranda July explains why s...
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Richard E. Grant: Nigella recommends restaurants to me! Take your holiday food and drink seriously
Thursday, 24 July 2025
Be honest... do you pick your holiday destination based on the food you can eat there? You’re in good company – that’s just what Richard E. Grant does!Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Richard share their thoughts on how to take your holiday food and drink more seriously, including asking mates (Nigella Lawson, if you’re Richard!) for recommendations, looking for restaurants with small menus, and testing ingredient quality via a Caesar salad starter.They also get into a heated debate about whether perusing th...
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How Trinny Woodall deals with rejection: Learning from failure and feedback
Monday, 21 July 2025
Are you more confident in your work life than in your personal life? Or vice versa? Entrepreneur and beauty & fashion icon Trinny Woodall is aware of where she needs to build her own self-worth.In this chat, Fearne and Trinny explore everything that comes with being the founder and CEO of Trinny London, being brazen enough to back your own ideas to women earning more than their male partners. Plus, Trinny is candid about her business endeavours that went pretty sideways, and explains how to be direct in asking for feedback without fear of rejection.Trinny is also open about the huge moments...
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Rita Ora: "It's all about what your body needs!" Body confidence starts with self-care
Wednesday, 16 July 2025
The size zero trend... the circle of shame... the fad diets... Millennial women who grew up during the 2000s now have the lowest body confidence of any generation, and Rita Ora understands the pressure for women to look a certain way all too well.In this chat, brought to you by Dove, Fearne and Rita explore the factors that might have influenced their relationships with their bodies over time – from magazines, to catwalks, to so-called health hacks.As part of Dove’s Self Esteem Project, Fearne and Rita chat about how to focus more on how your body feels, than how it looks. Millennial women ...
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Life doesn’t end at 40! How to live well for longer, with Dr Jenna Macciochi
Monday, 14 July 2025
Hit midlife? What do you want to do with the second part of your life? Immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi wonders that despite living longer now, we’re not necessarily living as healthily or as fully as possible during that time.In this chat with Fearne, Jenna talks through how we can keep our bodies as resilient as possible as we age, so we have the strength to properly embrace the fun parts, and better cope with the shit parts.Jenna breaks down the science of immunity and its relationship with ageing, but there’s no mad biohacking here, just simple advice to make sure your body is a comforta...
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Tess Daly: “I’m rubbish at switching off!” Take your holiday wellness seriously
Thursday, 10 July 2025
How good are you at switching off on holiday? Are you even any good at taking a proper holiday in the first place? Broadcaster Tess Daly reckons wellness is being physically and mentally able to turn up for everything in life that demands your time... And that includes prioritising time off from a busy schedule!Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Tess share their advice on how to take your holiday wellbeing more seriously, including making lists ahead of time, locking your phone away, having your feet rubbed, a...
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Dita Von Teese: “You don’t look like a Playboy girl!” How to value your unique differences
Monday, 7 July 2025
Do you find stripping and nudity empowering or degrading? Burlesque performer Dita Von Teese says feminism is about respecting each other’s choices, even if they wouldn’t be your own.In this chat with Fearne, Dita charts her life from working in strip clubs in the 90s, to performing in sold out burlesque shows now. Painfully shy as a kid, Dita explains how turning herself into a femme fatale helped her feel confident and powerful in her own skin.Fearne and Dita talk about the joy of getting older and understanding more about how to handle your sexuality, and Dita reveals how she makes herse...
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Book Club Meets: Sliding doors and the power of a name, with Florence Knapp
Friday, 4 July 2025
Has your name influenced who you’ve become? Would you have different characteristics, would people react differently to you, would your life have turned out differently, if you had a different name? These are the questions author Florence Knapp grapples with in her book The Names – our Happy Place Book Club read for June.In this chat, Fearne and Florence share their own experiences of having slightly unusual names, and how they shaped them. Florence also explains the long journey she’s been on to get a novel published, having started writing in the late ‘90s, and wonders that she likes gett...
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“Feel it, process it, move on!” Mary Earps: How to find gratitude after hardship
Monday, 30 June 2025
Do you trust your gut to make the best decision for yourself? Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps has had to make some bold, brave choices recently.In this chat with Fearne, Mary explains how she knew retiring from international football was right for her, and they both explore the importance of having different chapters and challenges in your life.Having experienced periods of real mental darkness, Mary talks through the practices that now ground her in the present. She also reckons setting life goals might just be setting you up for disappointment. Should we be focusing on progress, inst...
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Seasons change, so will you: Become the thriving person you want to be
Friday, 27 June 2025
Fearne is marking the summer solstice by reflecting on the Happy Place episodes that’ll help you connect with nature, mysticism, and in turn, your inner self. It’s time to get back in touch with who we really are deep down underneath all the external, modern-day trappings of busyness, success and material things. In this episode – -Kirsty Gallagher talks about living alongside nature’s cycles to help you let go of things that are distressing you-Jo Bowlby explains why spirituality is the science of exploring your inner world-Rob Da Bank loves hot and cold practices to help get in touch wi...
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No one would hire me - so I built my own business! Brandon Hulcoop on lifting barriers for blind people
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
23 year old Brandon is the regional winner of the Enterprise category at the 2025 King's Trust Awards. In this chat with Fearne, Brandon explains how, before starting his braille business with the help of The Trust, he had applied for over a thousand jobs without any success. He always struggled to get past the interview stage either due to a lack of experience or due to his visual impairment. Fearne and Brandon explore misconceptions about his visual impairment, the importance of supportive mentorship, and why starting a business has to come with some hilarious trial and error! Plus, Brand...
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Joel Dommett: “Pretending’s the first step!” Build confidence and quieten nerves
Monday, 23 June 2025
Do you find yourself running a mental list of what you’ve got to do tomorrow...next month... instead of living in the moment? Comedian and presenter Joel Dommett is getting better at appreciating the present.In this chat, Fearne and Joel debate if it’s a good or bad thing to set career goals, and explore how to focus on the process rather than an outcome. Joel also has some advice about faking confidence in order to build it, and explains why his marathon efforts brought out his shadow side...Plus, Joel justifies some of his more questionable tattoos, and reveals some big behind the scenes ...
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How to stop saying “yes” when you mean “no”, with Natalie Lue
Monday, 16 June 2025
Who would you choose to be if you weren’t shit scared about what other people might think about you? Writer and speaker Natalie Lue has noticed that people pleasing is often a response to anxiety.In this chat with Fearne, Natalie explains how when you desperately people please, you’re putting your self-esteem on the chopping block. In becoming disassociated from your “no” you become disassociated from your needs, desires, opinions, and limits.Natalie talks through the five ways people pleasing might show up in your life, including ‘efforting’ (e.g. over-achieving at school and work), and ‘s...
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Feel walked over? Mel Robbins on turning pain into personal power
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Do you feel deep injustice at how others treat you? Mel Robbins is an award-winning podcast host and best-selling author; she says if other people want to behave in a shitty way... let them!In this chat with Fearne, Mel explains the difference between saying “let them”, and letting people walk all over you. She talks about how “let them” doesn’t make your problems disappear, but you’ll see them differently so they’re less distressing to you. The phrase will also make you feel more confident in your authentic self-expression.Feeling victimised? Stop hoping you can change a bully’s behaviour....
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Book Club Meets: Ambitious women and generational trauma, with Emily Henry
Friday, 6 June 2025
Two writers are competing for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a famous reclusive heiress. One of them is going to uncover the truth behind one of the most scandalous families of the 20th century. The thing is, heiress Margaret is giving each writer different tantalising little pieces of her story...Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry was May’s Happy Place Book Club read. In this chat with Fearne, Emily explains why she’s intrigued by the idea of generational trauma affecting our day to day, and why it’s important to interrogate where your sense of ambition comes from. I...
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Munroe Bergdorf: “I’m scared for my safety!” Bodily autonomy & femininity as armour
Monday, 2 June 2025
Identity has become tribal, and it’s stopping us understanding each other’s humanity. Activist, writer, and model Munroe Bergdorf explains how fear and anger for society’s issues have been misdirected towards trans people.In this chat with Fearne, Munroe talks through what the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on biological sex and gender means for trans women, cis women, and society more widely. How, for example, are trans rights intimately connected to abortion rights?Fearne and Munroe chat about how to practice self-acceptance, particularly around body image, and how to use your voice to cr...
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The Good Girl rebellion: How to stop caring if you’re likeable
Friday, 30 May 2025
Fearne’s been thinking a lot lately about how much of her life she’s spent people pleasing as a result of wanting to be liked. So today, how to break free from the ‘good girl’ your family, friends, colleagues, and society expect you to be...In this episode –-Louise Redknapp clarifies why being described as ‘nice’ isn’t a compliment and how she’s gone about making people see her as a multi-faceted human-Paloma Faith pinpoints the ways women make themselves smaller in order to make others feel more comfortable-Sophie Ellis-Bextor explains how she’s learnt to navigate mum guilt while not minim...
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Ashley Walters: Prison changed my mindset! How to reinvent yourself
Monday, 26 May 2025
How have you come back from your rock bottom? Ashley Walters has reinvented himself over and over again, through music, acting, directing, parenthood, prison, and addiction.In this chat with Fearne, Ashley talks through the mindset that allows him to take accountability for his actions instead of falling into victimhood, and why failure shouldn’t be viewed as an end point.He explains why you should want to be the “dumbest person in the room”, and why if you feel you want to run away from a challenge, it’s exactly the challenge you should take on.Fearne and Ashley tackle the big topics that ...
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