Changes with Annie Macmanus

This week, Annie has some news. Changes is changing! Annie talks through how she has come to the decision to pause this podcast and shift the Changes conversation onto Substack.You can now find Changes with Annie Macmanus here:https://anniemacmanus.substack.com/p/welcome-to-changes-with-annie-macmanus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DJ Fat Tony is one of the most iconic figures of London’s nightlife scene. Tony’s extraordinary four-decade career at the heart of music and clubbing has seen him spinning tracks for everyone from Madonna to Prince, but his rise to stardom was paired with a drug addiction that almost killed him. Tony’s 2022 Sunday Times bestselling memoir ‘I Don’t Take Requests’, is a shocking, honest yet also at times hilarious account of his life. It’s filled with wild stories about his past and heartbreaking reflections on his journey through addiction, recovery, and transformation.In this live episode of Changes, recorded at Before Midnight in Gunnersbury Park, Annie and Tony dive deep into Tony’s life from his upbringing in Battersea, to his teenage years spent on the legendary Kings Road, to the dark depths of addiction and his return to clubbing as a sober DJ. They talk about Tony’s love for music, how UK nightlife has evolved over the years and offer a raw insight into the highs and lows of DJ culture. Content warning: this episode discusses addiction and abuse and has very strong language from the start.GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are few writers more renowned for pushing the boundaries of modern fiction than Scottish literary icon and author of the 90s cult classic Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh.Irvine grew up as a working class boy in Edinburgh surrounded by drugs, crime, poverty and unemployment. It was this harsh environment and the people he grew up around that became the influence for the literary worlds he went on to create. After a tough start to life, including being arrested aged 8 and later dealing with a heroin addiction, Irvine became a published author in 1993 aged 30 after he wrote Trainspotting a book that would go on to change his life forever. The book became a cultural phenomenon, catapulting Irvine into the public eye. Through all this, Irvine continued to stay grounded through his writing, becoming a prolific bestselling author whose novels reveal the uglier sides of society, exploring life on the fringes. His latest book, Resolution, came out in July this year, and is the final instalment in his CRIME trilogy which has now been adapted into a hit ITV series.In this unfiltered conversation Irvine reflects on his early experiences growing up in Edinburgh and the tough lessons he learnt early on. He discusses how these have informed his work and shaped him as both a man and a writer. Annie and Irvine also discuss masculinity - how it has changed, the different iterations and perceptions of it, as well as the softening that comes with ageing, especially when it comes to his male friends and affection. Irvine is a true legend and we hope you enjoy hearing his changes. You can buy a copy of Irvine’s latest book Resolution here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/458494/resolution-by-welsh-irvine/9781787334755GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes to move forward, you have to look back and in today’s episode Annie is joined by her dear friend Clara Amfo who opens up for the first time publicly about the life-altering event in her childhood that changed her forever. Broadcaster, pop culture aficionado and British ‘it girl’ Clara Amfo is an unstoppable force when it comes to British tv and radio. She has hosted many of the UK's biggest music and cultural moments, from Glastonbury to the BRIT Awards. But for Clara, living authentically is at the heart of everything she does and earlier this year, after a decade of success on BBC Radio, including on 1xtra and presenting the Live Lounge and Future Sounds on Radio 1, Clara felt it was time to explore different parts of her professional and personal journey, marking a time of significant change and reflection.In this radically honest episode, Clara opens up to Annie about something she has never discussed publicly before. She reveals how unpacking her past has helped her to judge herself less, de-root feelings of shame and fight for deeper self love and acceptance. Clara shares the realities of being a black woman in the spotlight. They also discuss the search for contentment in a world that often demands more. This deeply personal conversation between friends is a lesson in understanding your own power and showing up as your true self despite all the odds.Warning: this episode discusses acts of racism and child sexual abuse.If you need additional support after listening to this episode you can use the links below to find more information on some places to go:Call the Samaritans on 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org/https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/https://247sexualabusesupport.org.uk/https://www.survivorsuk.org/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bestselling author of ‘The Outrun,’ Amy Liptrot is proof that change is not only possible but life-saving. When Amy found herself in rehab for alcoholism aged 30, she left London behind and returned to her family’s farm on Orkney, a remote Island off the coast of Scotland. Overcoming addiction on an isolated island, Amy found solace in the wild landscapes that she’d grown up in. Her outstanding memoir ‘The Outrun’ is an account of these experiences and in 2016 the book was awarded the Wainwright Prize and the PEN/Ackerley prize. The film adaptation of The Outrun starring Saoirse Ronan is in cinemas later this week, it is incredibly beautiful and an absolute must see.In this profound and illuminating conversation, Amy and Annie talk about The Outrun, Amy’s involvement in the film version and what it’s like to see your life played out on screen. They talk about Amy’s childhood on Orkney and the effect that her mother’s strict religion and father’s mental health had on her upbringing. They also talk about the path of addiction, getting sober, different kinds of loneliness, the healing power of nature and the definition of home. This was a truly intimate and deep conversation looking at life's biggest questions.The Outrun is in Cinemas this Friday.GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AJ Tracey is one of the most influential artists in the UK music scene today but his life could have taken a very different direction had he not made some serious changes. AJ is known for his groundbreaking contributions to grime, drill and UK garage. Last year he celebrated 1 billion streams in the UK and was honoured with the Brits Billion Award. His triple platinum-selling hit Ladbroke Grove is an homage to his West London neighbourhood where he was raised by his single mum. For AJ, the reality of growing up as a black, working class boy in London meant being surrounded by gangs, violence, and a culture of fear. These early experiences led him to carry weapons and sell drugs, but through all this, music became AJ’s lifeline, offering him a way out and ultimately led to his rise as an independent artist. In this frank and eye opening episode AJ and Annie dive deep into his journey from early days on council estates to headlining stages as a multi-platinum artist. They talk about the pressures of becoming the man of the house at a young age, protecting his family, and navigating the harsh realities of The London postcode clash. They also discuss the issues facing young people today, how his rise to fame and making money have changed him and how he manages to stay grounded while breaking boundaries in the music industry. Warning: This episode discusses knife crime and violenceGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Model turned comedian Michelle de Swarte’s life story has more twists and turns than most novels. A born and bred South Londoner, Michelle was scouted aged 19 and moved to New York to begin her modelling career working for the likes of Dolce and Gabbana and Versace. After two decades on the runway Michelle started doing stand up comedy and eventually moved back to London. Now making it as a successful writer and actor, Michelle is constantly evolving and redefining what it means to live life on your own terms. Her critically acclaimed BBC sitcom ‘Spent’, came out in July. Both written by and starring Michelle, it’s a hilarious, loosely autobiographical story of a bankrupt, ex model navigating the realities of her new life.In this funny yet reflective episode, Michelle brings her deadpan humour to dive into the extreme amount of change that she has gone through, discussing her upbringing being raised by her single mother, her queer grandmother, her time as a model and what working in the industry was actually like. Annie and Michelle also talk about Michelle’s transition into comedy, money, the currency of beauty and how modelling young taught her the dangers of everyone curating their life on social media today.Watch Spent now on BBC Iplayer.GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first guest of the series is the phenomenally popular author Bella Mackie. Bella’s debut novel ‘How To Kill Your Family’ was a #1 Sunday Times Bestseller and lined the top 10 book charts for a staggering 47 weeks. It has just been announced that Netflix will adapt the book with Anya Taylor-Joy starring as Grace Bernard. Bella is back with a brand new novel ‘What a Way To Go’ which comes out on 12th September. It’s a story that indulges Bella’s fascination with slapstick murder and the mega rich, something Annie and Bella discuss.Bella is, like her books, funny and raw, in a way that feels so relatable. In this refreshingly honest conversation, Annie and Bella talk about Bella’s life living with anxiety disorder and OCD since her childhood and how running and writing about it in her memoir ‘Jog On’ have helped her through some of the most challenging times. Bella speaks openly about her short-lived first marriage, her relationship with Greg James (Radio 1’s Breakfast host) and the personal growth that is often born out of romantic relationships. They also discuss privilege, not having children and Bella’s passionate hatred for wellness. Hope you enjoy! Order Bella's new book 'What A Way To Go' here: https://smarturl.it/WAWTGGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final Changes Focus of the series we are focusing on Bodies, one of the topics from our popular mini series earlier this year which seemed to resonate with so many of you. With that in mind we’ve pulled out some of the highlights. You’ll hear from the brilliant musician (and fellow Dubliner) CMAT, who gives her refreshing perspective on body image and being a female pop star. We’ve also got the fantastic writer Marian Keyes who talks about her journey with self acceptance and brings some home truths around being honest about ageing and botox. Journalist and author Afua Hirsch shares some shocking revelations on the origins of when and why we started to remove our body hair, and the internets go to gynaecologist and author Dr Jen Gunter answers one of our listener questions on sex after giving birth and cultivating desire in a relationship. You can find all the featured episodes in full wherever you get your podcasts.Vote for Changes at the British Podcast Awards! Voting is open until 29th August. Just click this link and search for Changes. https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This weeks episode of Changes Focus is a celebration of Trans lives. On this podcast we try to build empathy and connectedness through sharing people’s personal stories and the only way we can understand what it’s like to be a Trans person is by actually listening to those people who are living it every day. In this episode we’ve got Chelsea Manning, the former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and whistleblower, who discusses her journey of transitioning while in military prison, the incredible poet and musician Kae Tempest shares their thoughts on going through puberty as a Trans teenager and the importance of being your authentic self. Performance artist and author of ‘None of The Above’ Travis Alabanza shares their definition of transness and talks about how they got to the point of feeling able to come out as gender non conforming. And finally, activist and author of ‘The Transgender Issue’ Shon Faye shares her experiences of transphobia and her thoughts on why people are so scared of change when it comes to gender. You can find all the featured episodes in full wherever you get your podcasts.Vote for Changes at the British Podcast Awards! Voting is open until 29th August. Just click this link and search for Changes. https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Changes Focus we’re zooming in on a big change that we will probably all experience at some point - grief. Grief shapes us in different ways and hearing other people’s experiences of how they have coped with their loss can help in moving through our own. In this tender and insightful episode, Annie revisits conversations with Cariad Lloyd, comedian and creator of the podcast 'Griefcast', who shares her reflections on how therapy helped her with the grieving process after losing her dad aged 15. Food critic and podcaster Grace Dent talks about her experience of losing her parents, returning home to care for her mum in the final period before she died and how this shaped her feelings of grief. Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Yebba (real name Abigail Smith) opens up about the heartbreaking death of her mother and how it influenced her music. And comedian and writer of the BAFTA winning ‘Big Boys, Jack Rooke, discusses his experience of losing his dad as a teenager and how he has channelled his grief into creativity and comedy.Trigger Warning: This episode contains mention of suicide.You can find all the featured episodes in full wherever you get your podcasts. Vote for Changes at the British Podcast Awards! Voting is open until 29th August. Just click this link and search for Changes. https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a new series of Changes Focus where we focus on a specific area of change and hear multiple perspectives from some of our incredible guests. In this episode the focus is on Changemakers - people who are working hard to drive meaningful, positive change in the world.In this powerful episode, Annie revisits her conversation with poet and advocate for prison reform Lady Unchained. She talks about her own experience within the criminal justice system and how this led her to work with other ex offenders. We hear from Baroness Beeban Kidron - documentary filmmaker turned member of the House of Lords - who talks about her tireless efforts to change and update the laws around child safety online. Ex right wing group leader Nigel Bromage shares his story of life after leaving the far right and how this inspired him to help others to do the same. And finally we’ve got actor Rose Ayling Ellis, who’s memorable appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 paid tribute to the deaf community and was responsible for a huge rise of interest in British Sign Language. Rose talks to us about how important being a part of this community is for her. You can find all the featured episodes in full wherever you get your podcasts. Vote for Changes at the British Podcast Awards! Voting is open until 29th August. Just click this link and search for Changes. https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aged 24 in Ibiza, Matt Haig’s life changed forever when he had a breakdown. Now 49 he has returned to the island, facing his past head on, returning with a whole new perspective, more optimism, and now, a new book called ‘The Life Impossible’. Matt has sold over 9 million copies of his books worldwide, and they have been translated into 58 languages. His bestselling book ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ has touched millions of lives and was game changing for many people with depression and anxiety. Since then, his novel The Midnight Library has become a global phenomenon and spent over 50 weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller charts and over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller charts. In this episode, as well as talking about the new book, Matt discusses returning to Ibiza, hope and sobriety. He also talks about surprising early forays in writing, how an adult diagnosis of ADHD helped him look at his younger self differently and how his experience of social media and mental health has impacted his children's relationship with it too. It feels like a whole new chapter in Matt’s life and we’re delighted to have him on to talk about it. Vote for Changes at the British Podcast Awards! Voting is open until 29th August. Just click this link and search for Changes. https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello folks, for this episode I took myself into the rave shed and reflected on the big changes that have taken place in my life over the last year. It’s my birthday week, as I’m a Cancer I am trying to extend it into a whole month. I love any excuse for a party so there will be one of those happening for sure, but I also love, more and more, an opportunity to reflect and remember the events of my life, partly because my memory is so shite that if I don’t make the effort to remember, things disappear, but also because by understanding how I’ve evolved (or not) in the past, it gives me clarity on looking forwards. Reflection helps me to understand what I want and what I don’t want and this always feels settling, in a way. The episode holds quite the gamut of changes. I cover taking up old hobbies with surprising results, making new friends, internalised ageism, resolving body issues, loneliness, perimenopause, hopefulness and loads more. I hope you enjoy it. Also I’d love to hear about any changes YOU went through in the last year. Have a think and let me know by sending a short voice note to changespod@gmail.com Thanks, as always, for listening.Vote for Changes at the British Podcast Awards! Voting is open until 29th August. Just click this link and search for Changes. https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This conversation is astonishing. Prepare to be completely engrossed and moved beyond belief by the phenomenal Decca Aitkenhead. The Chief Interviewer at the Sunday Times, Decca talks so beautifully with a warmth and lightness that contrasts with what she has lived through. The love story between her and her late husband Tony is like nothing else you have ever heard before.Tragically, in 2014, Decca Aitkenhead’s husband Tony died while they were on holiday in Jamaica with their two young sons. A life shattering change. Here, Decca talks about why Tony was the most interesting person she has ever met - himself transforming his life in very surprising ways and describes how, throwing all logic out of the window, he completely changed her life. She also reflects on that fateful day, suddenly being a single mum and magical thinking. Decca Aitkenhead’s top tier journalism has seen her interviewing the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Hilary Clinton and Johnny Depp. Her long list of writing achievements include the Catherine Pakenham Award, Interviewer of the year and the BBC’s Russell literary prize. Her memoir ‘All At Sea’ was nominated for the 2017 PEN Ackerley prize and tells her story with a raw vulnerability and depth.Caution: this episode discusses sudden death, cancer and references drug addiction. Buy Decca's book 'All At Sea' here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-at-Sea-Decca-Aitkenhead/dp/0008142149Read Decca's articles for The Times here: https://www.thetimes.com/profile/decca-aitkenheadGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From inside Ruby Wax’s bedroom, Annie gets up close and personal about Ruby’s life changes - from her troubled childhood and creating a comic persona as a result, feeling like a freak when she became a mother to those famous interviews on ‘When Ruby Wax Met,’ which changed how she was perceived. Ruby’s latest book and touring one-woman play, ‘I’m Not as Well as I Thought I Was’ saw Ruby trying to find meaning by going on life changing journeys but it ended with her being in a mental clinic again. Here, Annie and Ruby discuss the ups and downs of mental illness, the juxtaposition of that with being funny and how she really is now.Ruby Wax was a fearless pioneer of the celebrity interview with her groundbreaking BBC series including interviews with Sharon Stone, Bette Midler, Madonna, Donald Trump, Bill Cosby and many more (each of which she reacts to here). Beyond her TV fame, Ruby is a prolific author with seven Sunday Times bestselling books including ‘Sane New World’, ‘A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled', and ‘How to be Human’. With a degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy from Oxford University, Ruby has bravely shared her own struggles with mental illness and her tireless efforts in this field have earned her an OBE. But, has mindfulness and her studies changed her life?You can buy Ruby's books and book tickets to her tour ‘I’m Not as Well as I Thought I Was’ here:https://www.rubywax.net/booksGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Rooke is the recent BAFTA winning comic genius behind the incredible multi award winning sitcom Big Boys. Jack won his BAFTA for Best Comedy Writer after using his own life experience of losing his Dad, when Jack was 15, to write and narrate Big Boys. The show follows Jack leaving his mum to go to University where he navigates making new friends and exploring being gay, something he hasn’t told his mum yet. Big Boys was adapted from Jack’s debut show Good Grief and his second show Happy Hour which was commissioned by Soho Theatre. Both received critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He’s also had a documentary on BBC 3 called Happy Man exploring alternatives to the male mental health crisis and published a memoir called Cheer the F**k Up. His work is both hilarious and sad with smart, spit your drink out laughing moments. This conversation is no exception. Now 30, Jack talks about success in your 20s, what losing a parent so young does to someone, how his grief has changed, why humour is so important to him and, in his opinion, in all life situations, Big Boys being seen as radical and new tattoos. You can watch both series of Big Boys on Channel 4 https://www.channel4.com/programmes/big-boys.GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine being forced to leave your country for being gay or face death. This Refugee Week, we welcome Aderonke Apata, a Nigerian refugee who had to leave Nigeria under threat of persecution for being in love with a woman. When she reached the UK, she embarked on a 13-year battle through the UK immigration system including periods of homelessness, detention and near deportation. She was also accused of lying about her sexuality. Her lover in Nigeria was sadly killed. Today, Aderonke has trained to be a barrister and is an expert on immigration law helping others who are going through a similar experience to hers. She founded the African Rainbow Family in Manchester, highlighting the importance of providing support and safe spaces for LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers. In this deeply moving and enlightening conversation Aderonke discusses her experience, the complexities of sexuality and asylum claims, the astounding and brave changes she has made in her life to live as a proud lesbian and her desire to make change for others. Aderonke’s story is a testament to the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit.Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Taking place every year in the week around World Refugee Day on 20th June, Refugee Week encourages understanding and solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers through arts, culture, and educational events. This Refugee Week, let’s stand in solidarity with those who have faced unimaginable hardships in their pursuit of safety and acceptance.Warning this episode references homophobia, sexual abuse, violence and murderFor more information visit:www.refugeeweek.orgwww.africanrainbowfamily.orgGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vernon Kay is one of the most recognised people on British TV and radio known for his infectious smile and warm Bolton accent. He first made his mark on Channel 4’s T4 in the early 2000s and has since hosted popular shows like All Star Family Fortunes and Comic Relief. In 2020 he appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! He has been presenting shows on BBC radio since 2004, most recently taking over the coveted mid-morning radio show on BBC Radio 2, following in the footsteps of Ken Bruce. Last year, Vernon raised over £6,000,000 for Children In Need, by running an Ultra-Ultramarathon from Leicester to Bolton.Vernon has been married to Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly for 20 years. Together, they have two daughters and are one of the UK's most beloved showbiz couples.In this funny and candid conversation, Vernon discusses joining BBC Radio 2 and the connection he built with listeners during his Children In Need challenge, navigating his career and how showbusiness has changed since he started, his youth, his enduring marriage to Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly and the joys and challenges of balancing family life with a demanding career. He also talks about his work encouraging men to talk openly about their feelings and his evolving perceptions of happiness and success.GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesPlease Note: The transcript is automatically generated in case you come across any typos or misquotes during your reading. Enjoy the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miranda July’s staggering new novel ‘All Fours’ might just completely change the way you think about your life. Miranda is not one for sticking to the rules. An LA based artist, writer and award-winning filmmaker, she has been creating unapologetic, boundary pushing work since her involvement in the Riot Grrrl feminist movement of the 1990s, where she gained recognition for her zines and performance art. She has gone on to create across many mediums, including her breakthrough 2005 feature film debut, "Me and You and Everyone We Know," which she wrote, directed, and starred in. The film garnered critical acclaim, winning the prestigious Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. You might have noticed Miranda July’s name popping up all over the place since the release of ‘All Fours’ last month, and there is a reason why. This book is astonishing. It takes everything you think you know about what it means to be a woman in mid life, a mother, a lover, a friend, and makes you rethink it all. The story follows a woman in her forties who embarks on a physical and metaphorical journey of rediscovering herself. In this episode Annie and Miranda unpick some of the brilliant themes from the book including the institution of marriage, motherhood, perimenopause, hormones, sex, as well as real experiences from post menopausal women (positives and negatives). They also discuss Miranda’s upbringing, her personal changes and how her life bleeds into her work. Listen to this episode and then go and buy this book immediately. Warning: this episode discusses suicide, please be mindful if this could impact you.Buy a copy of 'All Fours' and find out more about Miranda and her work here:https://mirandajuly.com/all-fours/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 22nd October 2023, Ahmed Alnaouq woke up to the unthinkable news that 21 members of his family had been killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.Ahmed Alnaouq is a Palestinian journalist from Gaza and the co-founder of We Are Not Numbers - a non profit organisation that specialises in sharing Palestinian stories. In this episode, Ahmed shares his story. He explains how the war in Palestine didn’t begin last year, but has been ongoing throughout his entire life. Ahmed talks about family members who have been killed, how this horrific experience has changed him and his outlook, the importance of sharing stories to incite change, what the end of this war could look like and what he thinks people in the West can do.Changes is fundamentally about the power of sharing stories. It is through stories that we find hope, connection and spread empathy and that is what we hope today’s episode will do.Warning: This episode contains explicit and upsetting content about the war in Gaza that some listeners may find distressing.Find out more about We Are Not Numbers and read the stories here:https://wearenotnumbers.org/about/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sara Pascoe has a magic ability to take life’s absurdities and turn them into comedy gold, but how does she approach change? Sara’s quick, intelligent wit has seen her competing on many of the UK’s most popular comedy panel shows such as QI and Taskmaster and she also hosts ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’. Not only is she one of the country’s foremost comedians, Sara is a bestselling author too, having written three books - ‘Animal’, ‘Sex Money Power’ and her debut novel ‘Weirdo’, which is out on paperback now. She’s also a book fan and co-hosts the podcast ‘Sara and Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club’ with her friend, and previous guest on Changes, Cariad Lloyd.In this refreshing and light hearted conversation, Sara opens about her untraditional upbringing, her transition to vegetarianism at a young age and her changing relationship with her parents after her Dad left when she was seven. Reflecting on her latest novel, "Weirdo,", Sara also discusses her evolving relationship with her own confidence, detachment from show business as a new mum and her self-worth as a comedian.Buy 'Weirdo' here:https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/weirdo-unlike-many-debut-novels-this-one-will-stick-with-you-for-a-long-time-guardian-main/sara-pascoe/paperback/9780571374540.htmlListen to Cariad Lloyd's Changes episode here:https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/59c1bc1991700462b988d47248a3ce8831095b5b/viewGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Mpanga, aka George the Poet, is a voice for change but, is it enough to just be a successful Black man in the war on Blackness? From his humble beginnings in North London with Ugandan parents, to graduating from Cambridge University as well as visiting Uganda, George knows a thing or two about the big changes that can shape your life’s direction.George is best known for his work as a spoken word artist, rapper and podcaster with the multi award-winning podcast ‘Have You Heard George’s Podcast?’. He is also a PHD researcher, recently became a father and is now an author with his recent memoir "Track Record: Me, Music, and the War on Blackness." It is essential reading. In this deeply personal and engrossing conversation, Annie and George unpack the complexities of his identity as a Black entertainer, his shift from Black liberal to Black radical and why, for him, radical thinking is essential to bring about systemic change, the power of honesty, their shared experience of imperialism (Annie of course from an Irish perspective), falling in love, and Black music and the restrictions he felt on his own creativity in the industry. From challenging the status quo of capitalism to advocating for equality and justice, George leaves us with a message of hope and empowerment, oh, and his favourite Nas lyric.Find out more about George here: https://www.georgethepoet.com/Order George's book 'Track Record: Me, Music, and the War on Blackness' here: https://lnk.to/TrackRecordGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rounding off this miniseries on Bodies, the incredible journalist, broadcaster and bestselling author Afua Hirsch unpacks Eurocentric beauty standards and discusses unlearning some of the myths around women’s bodies. Why do western cultures think body hair is bad? How do non western cultures treat puberty and aging? Can we change how we view our bodies from our ancestors? Certainly, what we think we know about women's bodies is very narrow.Afua Hirsch is at the forefront of discussions about race, history, and culture in Britain today. Her book ‘Brit(ish)’ was an award winning Sunday Times bestseller and delves into the uncomfortable truth about race and identity in Britain today. Her latest book is called ‘Decolonising My Body: A Radical Exploration Of Rituals And Beauty’.  It was a 2023 political book of the year for Waterstones, described as 'ground-breaking' by Bernardine Evaristo and makes her perfect for discussing Bodies and change. Originally training as a human rights barrister, since being a journalist, Afua has presented documentaries for the BBC, been a regular contributor to Sky News debate show The Pledge and current affairs programmes including Channel 4 News, Newsnight, Question Time, and CNN. She has also written for multiple prestigious publications including British Vogue where she interviewed Rihanna! In this incredibly enlightening episode, as well as covering different cultural views on bodies, Afua and Annie discuss Afua’s view of her body as a young black girl and how that has changed, a life altering moment with Oprah and why she personally wanted to unlearn and then relearn everything when it came to understanding her body.Find out more about Afua Hirsch and order her book ‘Decolonising My Body’ here:www.afuahirsch.comwww.amazon.co.uk/Decolonising-My-Body-radical-exploration/dp/1529908663Other books and people mentioned in this episode:Maisie Hill - Period Powerwww.maisiehill.comLaurence Moniassewww.moniasse.com/about-meGET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of our Bodies Mini Series, renowned gynaecologist Dr. Jen Gunter tackles your burning questions about your bodies as she and Annie delve deep into the complex world of women's health and the changes involved. Dr. Jen Gunter is the author of bestsellers "The Vagina Bible" and "The Menopause Manifesto," and is the ultimate authority on all things bodies. Her new book “Blood” mixes her trademark blend of expertise and accessibility, empowering readers to understand their bodies better than ever before. Listen to this special Q&A style episode for a wealth of information on orgasms, libido, period symptoms, hormones, menopause, incontinence and plenty more. It will leave you feeling more informed, empowered, and ready to navigate changes in your body. Find out more about Dr. Jen Gunter, order her books and read her blog here:https://drjengunter.com/Other books mentioned in this episode:Emily Ngowski - Come As You Are https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-You-Are-surprising-transform/dp/1925228010Dr. Lori Brotto - Better Sex Through Mindfulnesshttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Better-Sex-Through-Mindfulness-Cultivate/dp/1771642351GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To open a new mini series on Bodies we welcome boundary pushing musician, CMAT whose low cut, bum crack exposing dress created one of the most viral moments at the BRIT Awards this year. Her unapologetic attitude towards body image caused a storm on the internet attracting a wave of opinions.CMAT, real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson is a one in a million artist. She writes songs that are both hilarious and heartbreaking, and she is utterly captivating on stage. She’s a future superstar in the making. Both of CMAT’s albums have gone straight to number 1 in the Irish Charts, she is part of the BBC Sound of 2024 longlist, she has been described by NME as Dublin’s answer to Dolly Parton and she was at the Brits this year having been nominated for Best International Artist alongside Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and SZA. This is the first of three open and candid conversations in our Bodies mini series in which we explore body image and weight, unrealistic beauty standards and ageing covering everything from menopause to weight loss and much more. Here, Ciara talks to Annie about her changing relationship with her body from her teenage years experiencing acne and eating disorders to being a pop star in the spotlight. They discuss a wealth of issues including societal pressures and social media, the problem with capitalism and Ozempic diets. Ciara is completely unfiltered and very funny. We hope that you will leave the conversation feeling relieved that you are most definitely not alone when it comes to any thoughts you may have about your body and inspired to care less. Content warning: eating disorders/anorexia, addiction to painkillers.Buy CMAT's music and find her tour dates here: https://cmatbaby.com/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spring is here(!) and we begin our new season with global phenomenon Marian Keyes. Marian is one of Ireland’s most prolific and successful writers of all time with her books having sold over 35 million copies worldwide.Marian has won multiple awards and is an expert in honest storytelling. She writes characters you’ll love with imperfections you’ll recognise and her wisdom is felt in every story she tells. In this refreshing, funny and unfiltered conversation, Marian discusses her upbringing in Ireland and how this affected her aspirations in life, her experience of addiction in her 20s, the monumental change of becoming sober, especially when it comes to love and self acceptance, being 60, a woman’s right to enjoy sex and and ultimately why she refuses to hide or lie about anything (hello botox). How lucky we are to have Marian Keyes in the world! Marian’s new book ‘My Favourite Mistake’ is available to buy now.https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/316031/my-favourite-mistake-by-keyes-marian/9780241441145GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Changes Focus we are zooming in on parenting. Whether you are a parent yourself or not, we have all been parented in some way and many of us spend time around people who are parents. We therefore all have experience of parenting and the huge effect it has on our lives. It is no surprise that many of our guests on Changes choose becoming a parent as the biggest change of their adult life. In this hilarious and heartwarming episode, author Zadie Smith gives her profound thoughts about why having children has changed her outlook on freedom, Annie’s husband Toddla T talks about his ADHD and how this affects his parenting, comedian Jen Brister gets into the difficulties of talking about porn with kids and comedian and host of the ‘Parenting Hell’ podcast, Josh Widdicombe, remembers his misguided thoughts about labour and gets real about the reality of being a father. Has parenting changed you? Let us know at changespod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Changes Focus! where we zoom in on one popular Changes theme and bring you multiple takes from different guests. In this episode the focus is Education. Our younger educational years can really define us, so much change and growth can happen. Many of our amazing guests have cited their school or university years as experiences that shaped their lives drastically. Their stories explore the highs and lows of education such as bullying, fitting in, integrating into new schools and young love.In this reflective episode, you will hear from writer Dolly Alderton who looks back at the difficulties she faced as a teenager at an all girls school, comedian Rosie Jones on the life defining change of going to a mainstream school as a child with cerebral palsy, broadcaster Louis Theroux and actor Idris Elba who both discuss their experiences of changing schools at a young age and the impact that had and, finally, actor Michael Sheen recounts some of his early experiences of romance during his school years in Wales.What Changes did you experience in education? Let us know at changespod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viva la season finale! Where we welcome a total trailblazer and change maker, the iconic sports broadcast Gabby Logan. In her almost 30 year career, Gabby has been at the centre of phenomenal change in a predominantly male dominated industry. She has presented many of the country's biggest sporting events including the Olympics, the Commonwealth games, the World Cup and the 2022 Euros which changed the face of women's football in Britain when the Lionesses won. Gabby has paved the way for other women and played a vital role in the promotion of women’s sport. On top of all this, Gabby has received an MBE, is the host of two hit podcasts; ‘The MidPoint’ and, the brand new, ‘The Sports Agents’ which she co-hosts with fellow broadcaster Mark Chapman, and has even found the time to write her memoir ‘The First Half’.In this inspiring episode, Annie and Gabby discuss the slow but important changes in sports and broadcasting for women, the parallels in their careers - navigating being the token woman and bringing others through, how her upbringing in a sporty family with a footballer father helped shape her career, and how a tragic death of her brother in her teens taught her about dealing with grief and making the most of life. Gabby’s podcast The Sports Agents is available nowhttps://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42Kx2B/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The day after St Patrick’s day, we welcome an astonishing Irish woman who epitomises change; Katriona O’Sullivan’s incredible no.1 bestselling memoir ‘Poor’ has dominated Irish bestseller lists for 10 months. The book documents her life - from living in poverty raised by parents who were heroin addicts, becoming pregnant and homeless at 15 to changing everything and completing a PHD at Trinity College in Dublin after a life changing encounter. Today Katriona is a psychologist and award winning lecturer at Maynooth University challenging barriers to education for working class and disadvantaged children. As Barry Keoghan of Saltburn says, ‘Katriona is a legend’. Even now ‘Poor’ is at number one in the Irish Non Fiction bestseller charts and won Biography of the Year and  the Listeners' Choice Award, at the Irish Book Awards 2023. In this unforgettable episode, the now “Dr.” Katriona O’Sullivan, talks about her life in poverty, including her relationship with her parents, myths and privilege, how she changed her life and the people who were fundamental to that happening, who she thinks holds the keys to change and ultimately why we must help children to flourish, have hope and opportunities.Poor by Katriona O’Sullivan is out in paperback 18th April and is published by Penguin. You can pre order it here:https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/452168/poor-by-osullivan-katriona/9780241996768GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken Loach is one of the greatest film directors of all time and a true British icon. He is known for his powerful, socially engaged films including ‘I Daniel Blake’, which won him a BAFTA for outstanding British film. At 87 years old, Ken’s career spans nearly six decades and his long list of awards includes the first ever British Independent Film Award and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival, which he has won twice.His films shine a light on real human stories and the social injustices of working class lives. From Kes about a bullied and abused working class boy who trains his kestrel, to The Wind That Shakes The Barley which stars Cillian Murphy fighting for Irish independence, to his most recent film, The Old Oak set in an old mining community in the north east of england, where syrian refugees are being homed. In the 60s and 70s some of his work was considered controversial and added to conversations around homelessness, abortion, poverty and much more. In the 80s some of his work was banned. In this illuminating episode, as well as sharing his biggest life changes, Ken discusses whether films can create change, his early life, starting out as a director at the BBC “rattling a few cages”, the social issues highlighted in his films, struggling to retire and what you can do to help change the world. Prepare to be charmed. GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the week of International Women’s Day we speak to the Guilty Feminist herself, Deborah Frances White. Host of the hugely successful, award winning podcast ‘The Guilty Feminist’, Deborah is also a bestselling author, screenwriter and comedian. Growing up in Australia as part of a restrictive Jehova's Witness community, Deborah describes her teenage years as “being controlled by a male cult”. This experience steered her towards comedy and feminism and ultimately led her to establish the Guilty Feminist - a community of women fighting for change.In this episode, Deborah discusses how feminism has evolved since starting the Guilty Feminist, how being part of a “cult” changed her, the revelations she had from using psychedelics - an experience which changed her life and, ultimately, why she never wants to stop changing. You can find out about the Guilty Feminist including live shows and buy the book here: https://guiltyfeminist.com/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fourteen months after starting a relationship online, Anna discovered that she was a victim of romance fraud. ‘Antony’ wasn’t in fact who he said he was. Now, Anna is using her story to fight for change and is considered an expert in this field. Catfishing, romance fraud and scams are more prevalent than ever. Last year alone the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau in the UK received 8,036 reports of romance fraud resulting in a loss of more than £92m. But how does this happen? How do you find yourself in a relationship with someone who is using a fake identity? Do you think it would never happen to you?In this gripping episode, Anna shares her story and speaks to Annie about the work she’s doing now to change the stigma around romance scams with her website Catch the Catfish and organisation LoveSaid. This includes speaking at the House of Commons with the fraud select committee, campaigning for the police to take these cases more seriously and for legislation to change around the creation of fake identities on dating sites. You can get help and support and find out more about Anna and her work here:https://catchthecatfish.com/https://www.lovesaid.org/@catchthecatfish123GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony Ray Hinton spent 30 years on death row for a murder he did not commit. There was no evidence against him, he was charged because he is black. During his time on death row, he made some unlikely friends and never lost hope. Anthony’s incredible story is one of unimaginable injustice but also of resilience and forgiveness. During his incarceration, Anthony watched 54 inmates walk to their deaths on the electric chair. The same death penalty that sentenced Anthony in Alabama has been in the news recently due to an offender being put to death using pure nitrogen gas - the first death row inmate to be executed using this method anywhere in the world. Whether the death penalty should be used is being increasingly debated. Anthony himself is advocating for change and, here, as well as sharing his own story, tells us why. Anthony’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. This episode will grip you, enrage you and stay with you. It may even change your views on redemption and the death penalty. Content Warning: Racism, murder and witnessing executionsBuy  a copy of Antony’s book ‘The Sun Does Shine’ here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/437647/the-sun-does-shine-by-anthony-ray-hinton/9781846045745Recent articles on the death penalty https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68097008https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-45835584GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Valentine’s week we’re celebrating romance with an unlikely agony uncle - the legendary punk poet, also known as the bard of Salford, John Cooper Clarke. A self-confessed romantic, John’s iconic love poem ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ has become one of the most popular poems to be performed at weddings in Britain and was famously used by the Arctic Monkeys in their song of the same name. John first began performing his poetry amidst the punk scene of the 1970s sharing stages with the Sex Pistols, the Buzzcocks and the Clash. His trademark style and Mancunian delivery has made him one of Britain’s most recognisable poets.In this Valentine’s Day special, John talks about his early life growing up in Salford and his rise to fame as a performance poet. He also gives you an exclusive performance of ‘I Wanna be Yours’ and answers some romance dilemmas. Can John Cooper Clarke help change your love life?! Let’s find out.Pre-order a copy of John’s new book of poems WHAT here.Book to see John Cooper Clarke on tour here: https://johncooperclarke.com/gigs/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2020, Scottish comedian Fern Brady was diagnosed with autism. Her award-winning Sunday Times Bestselling book ‘Strong Female Character’ is an incredibly honest and hilarious account of Fern’s life as an autistic girl and woman. Fern regularly appears on comedy panel shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats and Taskmaster as well as touring her own shows all over the world. In this episode, she discusses her catholic upbringing in Scotland and when she realised that she was different to other people, the “unrelenting chaos” prior to her diagnosis (including her time working at a student newspaper and lap dancing at the same time) and how her autism diagnosis as an adult has changed her. There’s no holding back. Fern is currently preparing for her worldwide 2024 stand up tour ‘I Gave you Milk to Drink’. Tickets are on sale now.https://fernbradycomedian.com/Buy a copy of Strong Female Character here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/strong-female-character-fern-brady/6460207?ean=9781914240447GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Deptford to the Amazon - For the final episode in our Joy January mini-series we’re joined by a very inspiring guest. Kwesia, also known as City Girl in Nature, grew up on an estate in South East London and struggled with violence and trauma from an early age but after a life-changing expedition to the Amazon she connected with nature in a way that sparked joy and transformed her perspective on life. Kwesia is now the award-winning host of the birdwatching podcast ‘Get Birding’. Through this and her initiative ‘City Girl in Nature’ she encourages inner-city kids to connect with nature through local adventures.In this episode, Kwesia explains how her trip to the Amazon helped her realise her capabilities, how nature can be a source of strength and happiness, especially in times of darkness and why she's now on a mission to inspire others to find joy in unexpected places. This is a gorgeous episode to end Joy January. You will immediately want to embrace some element of nature near you!You can subscribe to Kweisa's You Tube channel City Girl In Nature and find more about her story here:https://youtu.be/4P0UQ50yKHc?si=rJsI-dcTTTBfN4qlHer original Rainforest Adventure video is here:https://youtu.be/-bpw5yinOMU?si=E82zy41RGfJxTNUpKwesia is now an ambassador for the British Exploring Societyhttps://www.britishexploring.org/welcoming-our-new-explorer-ambassador/ Content warning: references knife crime, murder and shootings.GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you find joy in the aftermath of tragedy or immense adversity? Celebrated poet, author, professor and broadcaster, Michael Rosen has had to learn to do just that after his son passed away suddenly from meningitis aged 18. Michael himself also came close to losing his own life twice, the second time to Covid in 2020. Despite this, in 2023, he was awarded the prestigious PEN Pinter Prize for his ‘ability to address the most serious matters of life in a spirit of joy, humour, and hope.’ Michael has been involved in writing over 140 books, including the beloved, award winning children’s classic ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’. His latest book is ‘Getting Better: Life lessons on going under, getting over it, and getting through it.’ For Joy Month on Changes, Michael discusses how play, absurdity and curiosity all play a part in finding joy, the duality of joy and grief and shares why he thinks everyone can use writing to help them have a more joyful existence. It’s a beautiful episode and an important reflection on joy. The paperback for ‘Getting Better’ is out on 8th Feb. You can pre order it here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/447363/getting-better-by-rosen-michael/9781529148909GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes. Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What small changes can you make to your daily life to cultivate more joy? As we continue Joy Month, we welcome to Changes one of the most influential experts in Happiness globally, Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen is a bestselling author who has written six books on the topic of happiness (all of which have become New York Times Best Sellers), including the widely acclaimed ‘The Happiness Project’. She is host of the hit podcast “Happier with Gretchen”, has been interviewed by Oprah and has walked arm in arm with the Dalai Lama!In this remarkably practical episode, Annie and Gretchen discuss joy and happiness and how you can get more of both without having to make monumental changes to your life, new year's resolutions and why knowing your tendencies can help with happiness. Don’t miss it!Take the happiness quizzes discussed by Gretchen here: https://gretchenrubin.com/quiz/You can buy Gretchen’s books here: https://gretchenrubin.com/books/GET IN TOUCHContact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to JOY January - a mini series! The aim is for you to finish these episodes with more joy to start your 2024. Who better to lead us than the most joy filled musician around - the incredibly talented bandleader and drummer of the award-winning jazz group Ezra Collective, Femi Koleoso. When Femi hits the drums, the world listens. He is on a mission to bring joy to all through music. His career has seen him play all across the world including with Gorillaz and Jorja Smith, and last year Ezra Collective became the first ever jazz act to win the prestigious Mercury Prize. Femi’s heartfelt acceptance speech highlighting the importance of London’s youth clubs went viral. This episode is the perfect antidote to that post Christmas slump. Annie and Femi discuss the difference between happiness and joy, the importance of music, how his upbringing in a Nigerian Christian household shaped his mindset, faith and joy, the importance of gratitude and most importantly, how you can bring more joy to your own lives through small changes. Here’s to a joyous 2024! Find Femi on instagram and twitter @femiondrumsChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we get ready to bid farewell to 2023, it’s time to retrace the highs and lows of the year as we bring you our annual Changes End of Year Special! Annie is joined by comedian, tv presenter and co-host of the new political podcast Pod Save the UK, Nish Kumar. Together they dive into some of the year's biggest political, cultural and societal changes, offering their perspectives on the moments that defined 2023; a year of war and conflict, AI becoming more powerful (can it replace Nish?), Prince Harry’s memoir, Barbenheimer, the Women’s World Cup, Russell Brand being exposed, the Beckham documentary and so much more. You can listen to Pod Save The UK here or whereve you get your podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pod-save-the-uk/id1683411536Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Addressing loneliness is a public health issue as important as tobacco or obesity”.In a world that is more interconnected than ever via technology and social media, why do so many of us feel lonely? And how can we change that?Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 21st Surgeon General of the United States is the man putting loneliness at the top of the public health agenda. Nominated by Barack Obama and Joe Biden as ‘the Nation’s Doctor’, his ground-breaking work on the physical and mental impact of social disconnection is changing the narrative around loneliness and shifting much of the shame and stigma that exist around this topic.In this significant conversation Dr. Murthy and Annie discuss what loneliness actually looks like, their own personal stories of loneliness and tips for how you can address loneliness in your own life.To find out more:Twitter: @Surgeon_General Instagram: @u.s.surgeongeneral Facebook: @U.S. Surgeon General  For all of Dr. Murthy’s priority issue areas, please visit surgeongeneral.gov/prioritiesYou can buy a copy of Dr. Murthy’s book ‘ Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World here: https://www.vivekmurthy.com/together-bookDr. Murthy also hosts his own podcast called House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy, you can find it anywhere you listen to podcasts or at surgeongeneral.gov/housecallsLoneliness charities: https://www.samaritans.org/ and https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/Annie’s article about loneliness:https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/09/dj-annie-macmanus-it-was-a-shock-to-realise-i-was-lonelyChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘I am a woman but a different kind’. The double Olympic gold medalist and three time World Championship winner Caster Semenya has spent her entire adult life trying to change people’s minds on the definition of womanhood. One of the most recognisable intersex women in the world with a condition called DSD (differences in sex development), Caster’s has an elevated level of testosterone, which according to World Athletics, must be reduced by taking hormones in order for her to be allowed to compete professionally in women’s races. She took those hormones for six years but now refuses and is no longer able to run. Instead, she is fighting for change. Most recently, Caster took her case to the European Court of Human Rights where she won a discrimination case against World Athletics, but it doesn’t change her right to compete. Following the release of her brilliant new book The Race To Be Myself,Caster speaks to Annie about her upbringing, the moment when her gender was first questioned on the world stage, differences and discrimination, why sport will never be fair, being a mother to two girls and her ultimate purpose.You can buy a copy of The Race To Be Myself here.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can we alter the course of climate change? One woman who can answer with authority is the internationally recognised leader on global climate change, Christiana Figueres. An absolutely remarkable woman, Ms Figueres was formerly the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Demonstrating immense diplomacy, resilience and determination, she successfully orchestrated negotiations with 196 countries to reach the historical Paris Agreement of 2015. Now hugely decorated, she is the co-founder of an organisation called Global Optimism, co-host of the podcast “Outrage & Optimism” and the co-author of the recently published book, “The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis".As the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) approaches next week, Ms. Figueres sits down with Annie to explain where the world is right now - what has been agreed, what needs to be done and importantly, what YOU can do. As well as discussing climate change, she explores her own changes, reveals her greatest obstacles and shares the influence of her father in making her the woman she is today; one who, with stubborn optimism makes the impossible possible. This is an important episode for anyone who wants a better future for our planet.You can buy a copy of The Future We Choose here: https://www.globaloptimism.com/the-future-we-choose Find out more about Christiana Figueres here: https://christianafigueres.com/#/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlotte Church is full of surprises. An opera singer turned alt-pop star and political activist who’s now turned to nature and sound healing. Famous at 11 with a no 1 album in the classical charts at 12. She celebrated her 15th birthday at the Grammys, sang for the pope, the queen and presidents including at George Bush’s inauguration and even sat a GCSE exam at the White House. She has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. Her fame was stratospheric but she always remained true to her roots.Since then, she has changed a lot, experimenting with music, hosting her own chat show on channel 4 and her famous club night Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon as well as being a political activist, always under the scrutiny of the press and the public eye. Today, Charlotte and her family live in rural Wales where she is very connected to nature and runs a new wellness retreat called The Dreaming. She is as outgoing and fun as ever with an infectious laugh. Here, she talks to Annie about her ‘hardcore childhood,’ her passion for activism and improving people’s lives, why criticism is fuel, staying normal and how she learnt to cry again.You can book The Dreaming here: https://www.thedreaming.co.uk/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born in Jamaica to a father who belonged to the 'strictest and most radical sect of Rastafari', Safiya Sinclair was made to wear dreadlocks and subjugated from a young age. She was forbidden from climbing trees, riding a bike, wearing trousers, and told her virtue was in her silence and submission. Rastas were ostracised in Jamaica and Safiya’s dreadlocks came to define her. In her isolation, Safiya’s only refuge was when her mum introduced her to literature and poetry, which changed the trajectory of her life. Now a writer and Associate Professor of creative writing at Arizona University, Safiya has written an astonishing memoir ‘How To Say Babylon’. Already tipped to be one of the books of the year, Safiya shines a light on the female experience of this particular sect of Rastafarianism, juxtaposing her harrowing experiences with the use of luscious and beautiful prose. The writer Marlon James said of How To Say Babylon; “ To read it is to believe that words can save.”Here, in a truly captivating conversation, Safiya talks Annie through her changes.You can find out more about Safiya and the 'How To Say Babylon' and buy a copy here: https://safiyasinclair.com/home-how-to-say-babylonChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Described by Lena Dunham as ‘the bard of modern love’, Dolly Alderton is an award-winning author and journalist, as well as agony aunt for the Sunday Times with her phenomenally popular column Dear Dolly. Her books have all become Sunday Times Bestsellers and her brilliant memoir Everything I Know About Love was adapted into a TV series last year. Her other books include her first novel Ghosts, and Dear Dolly, a collection of her agony aunt columns. Now, she is back with a brand new novel Good Material written from the perspective of a man, which is out on 9th November.In this very open conversation, Dolly talks to Annie about going through puberty, heartbreak, societal expectations of women, being 35, single and child free, handling success and so much more. You will want to share this episode with every friend that you know who is dealing with heartbreak or wanting to feel reassured about their relationship status. Enjoy. You can pre order Good Material here.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2010, aged 22, whilst on leave from deployment to Iraq, Chelsea Manning leaked half a million US military incident reports on Wikileaks. She had 12 hours before her flight back to Iraq and was relying on a wifi connection at Barnes and Nobles. Chelsea knew she’d lose her job but instead she was made an example of by the military and lost her anonymity and her freedom. Since then she has also changed her name and her gender, her identity being something she had questioned for many years. Chelsea has always claimed that she released the information in the public interest to expose human rights abuses and discrepancies in public awareness. Some celebrated her, some condemned her as a traitor. Prior to her trial she was kept in military prison for three years and was subjected to solitary confinement for eleven months. Eventually, she was given a 35 year sentence. It was whilst in prison that Chelsea came out publicly as identifying as a woman. In 2017, seven years into her sentence, Chelsea wrote President Obama a letter pleading for her release and he commuted her sentence. Chelsea now lives in Brooklyn New York, she has written a memoir called README.txt, referring to the file name she used for the leaks and she has a documentary called XY Chelsea on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Here, she joins Annie to talk through these monumental moments of change in her life, her life before Iraq, experiencing homelessness, war and prison - three extreme situations, and exactly what freedom is.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this week is the beloved Bolton broadcaster Sara Cox! Currently BBC Radio 2's drive time host , Sara started out as a model before turning to TV.  In the 90s she was on Channel 4 presenting the Girlie Show. She went on to work on Channel 5, presented MTV Hot and became a regular on the hugely popular programme The Big Breakfast. Sara was in her early twenties, incredibly beautiful, effortless funny and deliciously northern. An irresistible booking for Radio 1, who put her in charge of the Radio 1 breakfast show, following on from Chris Evans and Zoe Ball. Radio 1 is where Annie and Sara met and became friends.Since then, Sara started at Radio 2 and continued working in television including hosting the Great Pottery Throwdown and her own book show called Between the Covers on BBC 2. She is also the author of a best selling memoir and novel and is currently writing her second novel. Sara came round to Annie’s house after her show armed with a miniature bottle of red wine and ready to talk all things Change…You can get copies of Sara’s best selling memoir Till The Cows Come Home and novel Throne here.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Casey Armstrong defied the odds of many young care leavers but her experience with foster care came at a huge personal cost. Entering foster care at fourteen after a turbulent upbringing, Casey didn’t realise the clock was ticking before she would be forced to leave her stable foster home. Due to something called the Care Cliff, Casey was expected to be independent at eighteen. The relationships and support she knew suddenly ended and her life fell apart. Now, 5 years later Casey is at University studying Astrophysics, a subject that inspired her to change her life. However, her journey could have been different and she desperately wants to see change in the care system. Here, she talks to Annie about her experience before and after going into care, what she endured due to the Care Cliff and how, despite this, she managed to change her life for the better. Content warning: multiple references to attempted suicide. Thank you to Become Charity for partnering us with Casey (The charity for children in care and young care leavers). The charity is campaigning to end the Care Cliff. You can find out more about Become Charity here: https://becomecharity.org.uk/Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We give you global superstar Idris Elba. Idris is an award-winning actor, a film director, a producer, a DJ and rapper, entrepreneur, podcaster, UN goodwill ambassador, kickboxer, the list goes on. Suffice to say this is a man who is comfortable with change. Or is he?In this conversation Idris zooms in on the big changes in his life, being sickly as a child, moving schools, discovering acting, becoming a father, starting therapy, and the bigger changes in his professional life, namely the SAG-AFTRA strikes and how streaming has changed things for working actors. Viva le Idris! Enjoy!Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lorraine Candy does not mess around when it comes to midlife and the menopause. In this impassioned episode, her heartfelt desire for sharing information about both, including HRT and how society views women’s pain, is palpable. Lorraine is the former Editor in Chief of Elle, Cosmopolitan and the Sunday Times Style, now co-host of the podcast ‘Postcards from Midlife’ and author of ‘What’s Wrong With Me: 101 Things Midlife Women Need To Know’. Midlife is often a huge period of great change for women, whether it’s yourself or someone you know. Lorraine, like many women, has been through seismic changes - from leaving her career after 30 years, seeing her children leave home and experiencing perimenopause.Here, she talks to Annie about these changes, how they materialise, the Void, changing systems, societal expectations and ultimately how to navigate what can be a destabilising period and come through invigorated. You can buy Lorraine’s books and find her other content here:https://linktr.ee/lcandyclubChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I am the girl accused of murder”. Amanda Knox is an exoneree, a writer, activist and podcaster. In 2007, when she was 20, Amanda was studying abroad in Italy when her roommate, British student Meredith Kercher, was raped and murdered. Meredith was 21 years old. Amanda was arrested and vilified by the press. She spent the following 8 years either on trial or in prison, for a crime she didn’t commit. Here, Amanda talks about how her life has changed, including surviving prison with a 26-year sentence, how Meredith's death and her own story are able to coexist, being blamed for her own wrongful conviction and how she navigates life today. You can listen to Amanda’s podcast Labyrinths here:https://www.knoxrobinson.com/labyrinths.htmlChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The number of adults receiving an ADHD diagnosis has skyrocketed in recent years. In one of the most popular episodes ever of Changes, Annie’s husband Tom Bell (AKA music producer Toddla T) shared his experience of being diagnosed with ADHD. Eighteen months on the couple get back together to see what’s changed for him (and them) since. However, this time, to get a female perspective on ADHD, Annie and T are also later joined by multi-award-winning comedian, writer, podcaster, and film-maker, Josie Long. Josie was diagnosed with ADHD in lockdown when she was trying for her second child. Josie has had nine critically acclaimed tours, has made series for Radio 4 and has comedy specials on Amazon Prime (Cara Josephine) and Netflix (Something Better).In this frank and hilarious episode, Josie and T both discuss living with ADHD and how it shows up for them in different and similar ways, how they manage it around family life and how a diagnosis has changed their opinion of themselves and their relationships. Josie is touring the UK with her brand-new show ‘Re-Enchantment’ till the end of October this year. Tickets are available at josielong.com. There, you can also get a copy of her book of short stories called ‘Because I Don’t Know What You Mean and What You Don’t’.You can stream all of Toddla T’s music on streaming platforms and find his YouTube channel here: Toddla T You Tube.The original Changes episode with Toddla T is here.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesYou may find the following resources useful:https://adhdaware.org.uk/what-is-adhd/getting-nhs-diagnosis/https://aadduk.org/help-support/specialists-support-and-coaches/Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are starting series 10 with a bang. Described as the “voice of the 21st Century” by the Sunday Times, the multi award winning author Zadie Smith is back with a brand new novel, ‘The Fraud’. Zadie's first historical novel, the book is inspired by a legal trial dividing Victorian Britain looking at truth and fiction, Jamaica and Britain. It’s a great excuse to get Zadie back on Changes to talk about her biggest life changes and the changes she'd like to see. Zadie Smith became famous and hugely praised aged 24 for her debut novel ‘White Teeth’. She is also the author of ‘The Autograph Man’, ‘On Beauty’, ‘NW’ and ‘Swing Time’, among others. Two years ago, Zadie appeared on Changes in lockdown, around the release of her collection of short stories ‘Intimations’. Then, she talked about the major changes from the pandemic and moving from New York to London during that time. In this episode, we go back to the start as she shares personal stories from her time at school and University, talks openly about her childhood and family, what freedom means and looks at the reasoning and history behind her incredible new novel ‘The Fraud’.As with her writing, Zadie has an encapsulating and wise way of speaking that you can’t help feeling reassured by. She is a voice of reason and makes you look at life in a whole new way. ‘The Fraud’ is out on Thursday 7th September. You can pre order / buy the book here:https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/308246/the-fraud-by-smith-zadie/9780241336991Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesVOTE FOR CHANGES!If you love the podcast, please vote for Changes in the British Podcast Awards here:https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women’s football is more popular than ever. One key player leading the change is England captain Leah Williamson. Her mum had to pretend to be a boy to play football and Leah had to play on a boys' team as a young girl. Yet, a year ago today, Leah captained the Lionesses to victory in the UEFA Women's Euros 2022 and again, this year, in the Finalissima against Brazil. The team's success has changed the landscape of women’s football. This year, as the World Cup gets underway, Leah has had to change her goals after an ACL injury meant she can't join the England team in Australia and New Zealand.Here, as the World Cup kicks off, Leah talks about life not always going to plan, changing tactics and mindset, commitment to change in the face of resistance, family, what she’s learnt about winning and losing, the challenges and discrepancies in football and ultimately how football has changed her. You can order Leah's books here: https://www.waterstones.com/author/leah-williamson/611710Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesVOTE FOR CHANGES!If you love the podcast, please vote for Changes in the British Podcast Awards here:https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Hartnett has become one of the most high-profile women in the restaurant world. Now, as well as running her many restaurants, she has turned her hand to podcasting as the co-host of the Waitrose podcast ‘Dish’ with Nick Grimshaw. Having first studied history, Angela went on to work for Gordon Ramsey for 17 years, despite many of her male colleagues thinking she would last a week or two at most, something she discusses here. She got her first Michelin star at The Connaught in London in 2004 and opened her restaurant Murano in Mayfair in 2008, winning a Michelin star within 4 months of opening. In 2022 she was awarded an OBE for services to the hospitality industry and the NHS during Covid. Here, Angela gets personal and shares her biggest changes covering family, reactions to change and winning people over, when she decided to go it alone, the hardest challenges she has faced, her wedding and of course her new friendship with Annie’s mutual friend Nick Grimshaw.You can listen to the podcast Dish here:https://podfollow.com/1626354833/viewYou can watch the documentary “Gordon Ramsay - Trouble at the Top: A New Menu, Angela Hartnett” which Annie and Angela discuss here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA791WOIehMVOTE FOR CHANGES!If you love the podcast, please vote for Changes in the British Podcast Awards here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is one of our favourite episodes. An Irish writer, Louise Kennedy is funny boned and great craic, with a remarkable life story to tell.  Louise grew up in Belfast before moving when her family's pub was targeted with bombs twice. A chef for 30 years, Louise was dragged along reluctantly by a friend to a writing group and her life changed. Inspired by her own experiences in Northern Ireland, Louise’s debut novel ‘Trespasses’ is a love story between a protestant and a catholic set in a small town near Belfast in 1975 at the height of The Troubles. It became a number 1 bestseller, was novel of the year for publications like the Times and the Guardian, won The British Book Awards Book Of The Year for Debut Fiction, the An Post Irish Book Awards Novel Of The Year 2022, was shortlisted for the Women's Prize of Fiction 2023 and many more. Here, Louise catches up with Annie about the stories from her childhood in Belfast and the huge transitions that have happened in her life, including a cancer diagnosis. In typical Irish fashion, Louise is hilariously self-deprecating and despite her huge success and challenges plays everything down with a wit and humour that will make you laugh out loud at times. You may even be inspired to take up something new, you never know what could happen. You can buy Louise’s book ‘Trespasses’ here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trespasses-Louise-Kennedy-ebook/dp/B09G1MHJFM Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Young has dealt with huge changes both in his personal and professional life. The original Pop Idol winner turned writer and actor has had eight albums, four of which went to number one, won two brit awards and a Laurence Olivier nomination for his performance in Cabaret in the West End. He is currently starring in the one man play Song From Far Away at Hampstead Theatre in London and hosts his own podcast 'The Wellbeing Lab’ which discusses mental health and wellbeing. He's also written five books including 'Anything is Possible', 'To Be a Gay Man' and 'Be Yourself and Happier, the A-Z of Wellbeing'.In this compelling episode, Will talks to Annie about his relationship with change, snobbery in music, courage and standing up to Simon Cowell, his childhood at boarding school, learning boundaries, his brother's suicide and his search for joy. You can listen to The Wellbeing Lab here:https://podfollow.com/1614065266/viewContent warning: this episode discusses suicide. Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.  Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zoë Colville has gone from high end hairdresser in London to shepherdess on a farm in Kent. She’s also changed from a vegetarian to a farmer learning about death and going to abattoirs, an experience which surprised her. Far from being your typical farmer, with her trademark long curly red hair and gold hoop earrings as well as her humour and honesty, she has challenged people’s views of farmers and their relationship with the animals. In turn, despite many personal hurdles, she has found her purpose. Using her Instagram account, The Chief Shepherdess, Zoë shares stories from the farm and wants to educate people on how animals are reared and how farming is changing. Here, she talks about all of this, why she made her drastic life change, her relationship with her fiancé Kriss and the unexpected events in her life that have transformed her. You can buy a copy of Zoë’s book “The Chief Shepherdess, Lessons in Life, Love and Farming” here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-chief-shepherdess/zoe-colville/9781787635746Content warning: includes a detailed explanation of how animals are slaughtered.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Change is equal to hope”. Shiva Mahbobi has never lost hope for change in Iran. At the age of 12, living in Iran, Shiva was arrested for campaigning for women’s rights. At just 16 she was imprisoned and tortured for over 3 years. Over 25 years later, in 2022, huge protests were sparked in Iran and around the world after it was reported that a 22 year old Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, died after being beaten by police for allegedly violating Iran’s strict rules by not wearing a hijab. Women in Iran burnt their hijabs, cut their hair and people took to the streets to demonstrate. Shiva knows their anger all too well and has worked tirelessly as an activist to make a difference. Once released from prison, Shiva sought asylum in Turkey before moving to Canada and eventually the UK where she lives now. Here, she is the spokesperson for the Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran, which she co-founded. Last week, 20th of June, was an annual International day of action to support political prisoners in Iran. Here, Shiva talks to Annie about the reality in Iran for women and children, her own experiences as a child campaigner, in prison and solitary confinement, her own frustrations and family, her work as an activist and a psychotherapist, making change in Iran and how we can help. Content warning: references to physical abuse and torture, rape and mass killings.If you would like to help and Take Action by sending an email to the UK Foreign and Common Wealth Office (FCO) and/or your MP, you can find a template here: https://cfppi.org/take-action-2/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“If I’d done this three years ago, I’d have been getting through it without revealing anything”. Josh Widdicombe is a changed man. The hilarious podcast Parenting Hell, which Josh co-hosts with fellow comedian Rob Beckett, has become a sensation. It’s changed him as well as the conversation around men being parents.  Described as an “ace observationist” by the Guardian, Josh is also known for being a star of Channel 4’s The Last Leg and this year has released a brand-new Sky Max series Hold the Front Page with co-star Nish Kumar. In this episode, he talks openly to Annie about being an obsessive child and his journey to comedy, how he dealt with his wife's labour, becoming a parent (of course), how he has changed since starting Parenting Hell and his very recent decision to go sober. Expect chat about Great Expectations and park poos, what else would you want? You can buy a copy of Parenting Hell here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Parenting-Hell-funniest-gift-Fathers/dp/1788707478/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=And find more about what Josh is up to and links to his memoir here: https://www.joshwiddicombe.com/Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode around alcohol, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Bates has dedicated her life to addressing gender inequality. She is the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project and a Sunday Times Bestselling author. Laura has released five books including Girl Up, Misogynation, Men Who Hate Women and her most recent book, Fix the System, Not the Women. She works closely with politicians, businesses, schools, police forces and organisations from the Council of Europe to the United Nations to tackle gender inequality. Here, Laura talks to Annie about the problem with today’s systems, shocking stories and statistics highlighted in her book and on the Everyday Sexism website, the ways her own life has changed doing this work, our relationship dynamics and how they can change, education, parenting and much more. No doubt every woman will recognise aspects of this conversation and everyone (of all genders) can learn something from it. Content warning:  sexual abuse, rape and violent threats are all mentioned.You can buy Laura’s book and find out about Everyday Sexism and her other work here: https://linktr.ee/laura_bates__The organisations which Laura mentions are here:Centre for Women’s Justice: https://www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/Rights of Women: https://rightsofwomen.org.uk/Level Up: https://www.welevelup.org/Women for Women: https://www.womenforwomen.orgChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louis Theroux tells stories about what it is to be human. His unique documentaries explore the darker corners of the human condition, from cults and porn to eating disorders and dementia. After being given a break on Michael Moore’s TV Nation in America, Louis began his long career at the BBC with the BAFTA winning Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends and When Louis Met…, which included that much discussed Jimmy Saville episode. Louis’ trademark informal and non-judgmental style has led to a cult following. Other award-winning specials include The Most Hated Family in America, Miami Mega Jail, Altered States and the feature-length documentary, My Scientology Movie. More recently, Louis has interviewed celebrities in his BBC podcast Grounded and TV series Louis Theroux Interviews… which featured Dame Judi Dench and Stormzy. Tomorrow, he launches a brand-new Spotify podcast, The Louis Theroux Podcast.Here, Louis joins Annie in her Kitchen in London to talk about life as a father, boarding school, family, his response to achievements, pushing the limits in TV including criticisms and personas, his curiosities and traits, how he has changed and how he wants to change, interviewing methods and so much more. It’s a true insight into the man most of us just know from the television. The Louis Theroux Podcast is available for free exclusively on Spotify, with new episodes weekly from 6th June.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you change your relationship with success? Writer and podcaster Emma Gannon has written a new book called ‘The Success Myth’ which, for one, has changed how Annie looks at her life. After experiencing burn out, Emma has become even more passionate about debunking the traditional ideas of success.  Emma is a Sunday Times bestselling author with five books to date, including The Multi-Hyphen Method, Sabotage, Disconnected and her novel Olive. In 2018, she was selected in the Forbes 30 under 30 list in media. She has been a columnist for the Times, the Telegraph and Elle and also writes a popular weekly newsletter on SubStack called The Hyphen that is an exploration of ideas that have got her thinking in new ways. Through her careers podcast ‘Ctrl, Alt, Delete’ she has spoken to hundreds of people about their work and idea of success. Clearly, Emma is successful. However, she found that traditional markers of success did not make her happy. So, what was the problem? In this conversation, Emma discusses helpful things she’s learnt about changing our idea of success, burn out, her decision to not have children and much more. You can buy The Success Myth here: https://linktr.ee/thesuccessmythFind out more about all of Emma's projects here: https://linktr.ee/emmagannonukChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosie Jones is an unstoppable force. Describing herself as a triple threat - disabled, gay and female, she is changing the world. A stand up comic, children’s author, TV writer and actor with cerebral palsy - Rosie challenges perceptions of people with disabilities (and people from Yorkshire). She has appeared on countless TV shows including 8 out of 10 cats, Would I Lie to You?, The Last Leg and Live at the Apollo. Her Channel 4 travel show Trip Hazard is BAFTA nominated. She has also written for Netflix’s Sex Education, wrote and starred in Channel 4’s Disability Benefits and has a new documentary for them on the way about ableism and abuse. Her books, the adventures of Edie Eckhart are about a young girl with cerebral palsy. Currently, she is touring the UK with her show Triple Threat. In this beautifully frank episode of Changes, Rosie speaks to Annie about growing up and living with cerebral palsy and how she has dealt with her disability (even as a 4 year old), the impact of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, activism and comedy, being gay, handling relationships and of course, making change. Please enjoy the legendary Rosie Jones. You can find out more about Rosie and book tickets to her show here: https://rosiejonescomedy.com/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the release of ‘The Mess We’re In’, the tables are turning and, for the first time on Changes, your host Annie Macmanus is the interviewee. Annie’s new novel, which is out now, is laced into her own life experience and changes. It’s a coming-of-age story with themes about moving from Ireland to London. So, the interviewer had to be someone who can relate, someone who is Irish, a fellow Dubliner who also currently lives in London; enter one of Ireland's best, a former guest on Changes, the wonderful comedian and host of the podcast My Therapist Ghosted me, Joanne McNally. It’s the first interview Joanne has ever done and we thought she nailed it. Together, Joanne and Annie chat about the novel, being Irish abroad, Annie’s biggest changes going right back to being a teenager on a different trajectory to DJing and writing, re discovering her childhood journals, having children as a female DJ, leaving BBC Radio 1 after 17 years, the yearn for Ireland, wanting to feel settled and so much more. There’s plenty of laughs along the way. Huge thanks go to Joanne for popping her interviewing cherry for Changes.You can buy ‘The Mess We’re In’ now here: https://geni.us/TheMessWereInChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesYou can listen back to Joanne McNally's Changes episode here: https://play.acast.com/s/findingannie/joanne-mc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you change yourself and heal from your past? Dr LePera believes so. With 6.6 million followers on Instagram, she has become the leading voice in psychological self-healing. Her accessible advice has been deemed life changing by many. Dr LePera’s first book How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Yourself was an international bestseller recently followed by her new book How To Meet Yourself: the Workbook for Self Discovery. After qualifying as a clinical psychologist and running her own practice in Philadelphia, where she was born, Dr LePera actively pursued a new methodology based on the integration of the mind, the soul and the body called holistic psychology. She took her ideas online and created a self-healers circle with members all over the world. As part of her work, Dr Lepera has shared her own healing journey, including removing herself from her family for a period of time. She also recently announced that she is in a throuple with her wife Lolly and new partner Jenna who she hosts a podcast with called Self Healers Soundboard. Here, she speaks to Annie about behavioural patterns, authenticity, the definition of trauma, her own personal changes including navigating a three person relationship, and of course her ideas around healing. This conversation was a real pleasure.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesAlso mentioned in this conversation are these Changes episodes:Gabor Maté https://shows.acast.com/findingannie/episodes/gabor-mateAna Kirova (CEO of progressive dating app Feeld)https://shows.acast.com/findingannie/episodes/ana-kirova Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming out as non-binary publicly, in their own words, has been “the beginning of a happiness I’ve never known, not since childhood”. Kae Tempest is a poet, a writer, a lyricist, a performer and a recording artist. They have published 3 plays, a novel, a book-length essay, 7 books of poetry including their latest ‘Divisible by Itself and One’ and released 5 albums, two of which received nominations for the Mercury Prize (‘Everybody Down’ and ‘Let Them Eat Chaos’). They’ve also received two Ivor Novello nominations, received the Ted Hughes Award and they were named a Next Generation Poet in 2014 by the Poetry Book Society, a once-in-a-decade accolade. Their books have been translated into eleven languages and published to critical acclaim around the world.In 2020, Kae came out as non-binary and here speaks, incredibly beautifully as you may imagine, about the pain of going through puberty and struggling with being themselves. Their use of language to describe life, their relationship to change and their journey is, as you may expect, astounding. They are wise, thought provoking and generous, just like their work. This conversation was a privilege and could have extended for hours.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From unknown train fan to viral trainspotting sensation, Francis Bourgeois has changed the face of what it is to be a trainspotter. His heartwarming and contagious videos of his euphoric reaction to spotting trains have made millions of people happy. He is now the world's most famous trainspotter with over 2.8 million followers on Tik Tok, more than 60 million likes and 1.6 million followers on instagram. Many celebs are fans too, with Joe Jonas and Thierry Henry joining Francis trainspotting and brands like Gucci collaborating with him. He has written a book The Trainspotter's Notebook, and currently hosts the series Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois for Channel 4 with guests like AJ Tracey and Aisling Bea. Francis’ real name is Luke Nicolson and despite his huge success, after some old school photos appeared of him looking very different to the Francis we know, many people questioned his authenticity. He discusses how this made him feel here and the changes he made at school to fit in. You may even shed a tear listening to Francis speak about his life. He’s an inspiration to so many children and adults. One thing is for sure, there is no denying his impact and the joy he brings. The world needs more Francis.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we bring you a conversation that has been on the cards for a long time! A TV and radio presenter turned businesswoman with her ever expanding brand of Happy Place, Fearne Cotton has both experienced and enabled big change in her life. One significant change for Fearne was making the decision to leave her job presenting one of the biggest shows on BBC Radio 1 after 10 years. Fearne and Annie were colleagues, and as part of this episode, they finally get a chance to revisit their time at the station together and explore their  respective decisions to leave.Curating her own world with Happy Place, Fearne is now an award winning podcaster, has a Happy Place festival, a publishing imprint and an app, all of which advocate for a wider conversation around mental health, self-care and helping people live happier lives. She’s also an author with multiple Sunday Times Best Sellers including her latest and most personal book, ‘Bigger Than Us’.In this episode, as well as discussing Radio 1 days, Annie and Fearne discuss Fearne being CEO of her business, being women in the entertainment industry, bulimia, step parenting and much more. You can get tickets to the Happy Place Festival and find out more about all things Happy Place here:https://www.happyplaceofficial.co.uk/events/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Easter Monday we give you comedian Joe Lycett and producer Mark Ronson. Joe Lycett has got a reputation for cleverly using comedy to bring our attention to issues he believes need addressing. He calls out people who exploit or capitalise off marginalised people and, in the process, makes us question things. His show ‘More, More, More, How Do you Lycett? How Do you Lycett?’ brilliantly highlighted LGBTQ issues. It’s a masterpiece. In this revisited episode Annie asks Joe when he realised that he could enact change through being a comedian. You can now see Joe every Friday evening at 10pm on Channel 4 with his new show Late Night Lycett, a live show from Birmingham.Seven-time grammy winning producer Mark Ronson has just become a father. He himself was born in London but raised in New York City from the age of 7 after his parents divorced. In this episode from last year, we jump in when he talks about his transition from being a DJ to a producer and finding where he belongs and feels most creatively happy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are revisiting Irish comedian Joanne McNally and Lottery winner Susan Herdman. One of the most popular guests ever on Changes, Joanne McNally is currently touring her acclaimed show The Prosecco Express. She is also the co-host of the hugely successful podcast ‘My Therapist Ghosted Me’ with her friend Vogue Williams. Here, we revisit her talking about the end of her struggles with bulimia and move into comedy in her 30s.  Susan Herdman’s life changed when she won almost £1.2 million on the lottery. Prior to that she was a hairdresser and sometimes worried about turning on the heating. Here, we return to the night she realised that she had won. Listen back to the full episodes here:Joanne McNally https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/81b0a8bdf7a14c9c2e6b7fd9336a6a46247d2146/viewSusan Herdmanhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/88b5162ac5cc7268eb87c5e15cb3d6f0bcf569ff/viewContent warning: bulimia / eating disorders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norman Cook has been a fixture as superstar DJ Fat Boy Slim since the 90s. He started his musical career as part of the band the Housemartins but it was Fat Boy Slim that changed his life. In 1998, his second album "You've Come Along Way Baby" went to number 1, featuring the now classic dance tracks "Praise You”, "Right Here Right Now” and “Rockafeller Skank”. His legendary party Big Beach Boutique II, took place on Brighton beach 20 years ago and made the history books as the biggest outdoor party to have ever taken place in the UK. Sky recently released a documentary about it called “Right Here, Right Now”. Here, Norman talks about that day, his journey to success, family, getting sober and life now. Norman has two children with his ex wife, radio presenter Zoe Ball and still lives in Brighton, where he even served coffee during the pandemic. All hail, Norman Cook.Find out about gigs here: https://www.fatboyslim.net/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a story about intense love, immeasurable loss and incredible strength. Behind the happy positive personality that is Sarah Gwonyoma, founder of @WhatSarahReadNext (a platform that she uses to review books and interview authors), is a woman who has been through unbelievable changes. After meeting Tim, Sarah moved to the other side of the world to be with him. It’s a beautiful film-like story but sadly, in 2017, Sarah’s world was turned upside down when both her brother and husband died unexpectedly. Here, she shares her story, which includes her struggles with fertility and becoming a single mum overnight. Through it all, what’s clear is Sarah’s immense strength, courage and radiant positivity. She has since used her experiences for good and as a tool to heal, deciding to change careers and turn her passion for books into a job.Sarah’s story will both astound and inspire you.  Follow Sarah here: @whatsarahreadnextFind out more here: https://linktr.ee/what_sarah_read_nextChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesContent warning: detail around fertility issues including operations, miscarriages and IVF.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jake Shears is the opposite of a fun sponge, he’s the life and soul of every party, a positive force. Jake is the frontman of Scissor Sisters, a band which made a huge impression on pop and club culture; their debut album was the biggest album in the UK in 2004. Jake and Scissor Sisters came up in the gay scene of New York and with their fun loving, extravagant performances, the band were instrumental in paving the way for other mainstream queer artists. Now a solo artist, Jake has written for and toured with Kylie, duetted with Cher, starred in Kinky Boots on Broadway and recently wrote the lyrics for the sold-out 'Tammy Faye' musical alongside good friend Elton John, who wrote the music. He has just released a new single ‘Too Much Music’ ahead of the release of his life affirming new album ‘Last Man Dancing’ - a big love letter to club culture and pop music. In this conversation he discusses growing up in different places in America, coming out, starting out in New York as a Go-Go Dancer before Scissor Sisters exploded, struggles with his identity when the band finished and the changes he has experienced himself and in his relationships.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jen Brister calls herself the ‘other mother’, the non-biological one, a gay comedian raising twin boys with her partner Chloe. She draws on this in her comedy with millions of views on instagram of her hilarious observations about mothers and their relationships with their children. Jen is currently touring her show The Optimist described by the Guardian as “expertly calibrated crabbiness”, “no one rages against the world better”. Jen is a regular on UK TV having performed on Live at the Apollo, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Mock the Week, QI, Hypothetical and Sara Pascoe’s comedy Lectures on Dave. Her sell out show ‘Meaningless’ can be streamed on Amazon Prime. She has also written a book called ‘The Other Mother’ and has a brilliant weekly podcast called Women Talking Bollocks with her two comedian friends, Maureen Younger and Allyson June Smith. Here she talks to Annie about her defining changes, parenting, porn and children, grief, success in your 40s (if you need inspiration for persevering with your dreams, Jen is perfect) and much more.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the age of 18, just about to start her adult life, Sophie Morgan was in a car crash which instantly paralysed her from the chest down. She was told she would never walk again. Since that day, rather than let her disability defeat her, Sophie has used it as nothing but motivation and is now one of the first, and only, female disabled television hosts in the world as well as an award-winning disability advocate.Sophie has presented at the Paralympics in London, Rio and Tokyo, led ground-breaking documentaries such as Dispatches and Unreported World, is a regular Loose Women panellist and is now hosting her own Channel 4 series ‘Living Wild: How to Change your Life.’ She has also written a memoir called Driving Forwards. In this conversation she tells Annie about the day everything changed and takes us through her life and experiences before and after the crash. Sophie is an incredibly positive, determined person, an unstoppable force who will make you want to take on the world. You can watch Sophie's Channel 4 series, buy her memoir and find out more here: https://www.sophiemorgan.com/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we welcome double Oscar nominated, golden globe and BAFTA winning actor Samantha Morton. She is one of the finest actors of her generation, acting since the early 90s, in Hollywood, independent movies and TV. You may know Samantha from the films Emma and Jane Eyre, Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report with Tom Cruise, Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown, Elizabeth the Golden Age and the TV series Harlots and The Walking Dead. This year, she stars in The Whale alongside Brendan Fraser, who is nominated for an academy award and The Serpent Queen, in which she stars as Catherine DeMedici, has a second series. Samantha was born in Nottingham and taken into care as a baby, being moved around foster homes and children's homes until she was 16, with a spell of being homeless in her early teens. She suffered abuse, both sexual and physical and was in trouble with the police. As a successful actor, she is passionate about working to highlight the issues within the care system in the UK. Her directorial debut, The Unloved was inspired by her story and the stories of other girls she met in care. It won a BAFTA for Best Single Drama and even led to her working with the labour government around child care at the time. Last year, Samantha starred in the film She Said as an ex assistant to Harvey Weinstein about the New York journalists who broke the story on Weinstein being a sexual predator. It’s a full circle role given that Samantha was one of the few young actors to publicly speak up about Weinstein’s bullying behaviour way before the Me Too movement began. She speaks here about some of the behaviour she experienced as a young actor. But what are the changes that Samantha feels have defined her own life? Annie finds out.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesWarning: contains descriptions of physical and sexual abuse and inappropriate sexual misconduct on film sets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever been curious about changing things up in your love life? Or changing the way you view romantic partnerships? Would you consider an open relationship? What about jealousy? Ana Kirova is the CEO of the progressive dating app Feeld for open minded couples and singles to look for potential partners. In 2022, she featured in Forbes 30 under 30 list for technology and ELLE Magazine described her as “the woman taking responsibility for bringing a new era of radical sexual honesty to the masses.” More and more people are seeking out different relationships; a national survey by YouGov in 2020 found that only 56 percent cited complete monogamy as their ideal relationship style. Apps like Feeld are reflecting that and facilitating this change in habit with more than 20 sexualities and gender identities to choose from on the app. On the week of Valentine's Day, Ana shares her personal experience which led to wanting to make a change and her thoughts and lessons from running a dating app.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trevor Nelson is a legendary broadcaster. He changed the world of radio and what was played, becoming a figurehead of R&B and black music. He has had a phenomenally successful career broadcasting for 35 years. The list of people he has interviewed is hard to rival - Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Jay Z, Kanye, P Diddy, Muhammed Ali. It goes on. Trevor started on Kiss, when it was a pirate station, before joining Radio 1 in 1996 hosting the first ever national RNB show. At one point he had a show on three BBC networks (Radio 1, 1xtra and Radio 2), something only he has achieved. In the late 90s, Trevor presented The Lick on MTV and has won two MOBO awards for Best DJ. He has paved the way for others, all whilst being incredibly humble and unfazed by being a minority in the room. But who is the man behind the voice? What has changed him? Annie finds out. You can currently hear Trevor on BBC Radio 1xtra every Sunday at 11am and Radio 2, Monday to Thursday at 10:30pm. Warning: does reference suicidal thoughts. Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you live after surviving the holocaust? This is a story of hope and determination against all odds. Edith Eva Eger is a holocaust survivor. Her parents were killed in Auschwitz. She got out and dedicated her life to helping others with PTSD by becoming a psychologist. Once a ballerina and part of the Hungarian Olympic gymnastics team, Edith was sent to Auschwitz with her sister and parents when she was 16. After being separated from her parents, she was made to dance for Josef Mengele known as the Angel of Death, endured horrendous conditions and after a gruelling death march to Gunkirchen, when her kindness in Auschwitz to others came back around, she was eventually found having been left for dead by a US soldier who saw her hand move. Now 95 years old, she has written two books, her memoir The Choice - Embrace the Possible and The Gift - 12 Lessons to Save Your Life. Edith is an inspiration. A gracious, incredibly strong woman. Here, she shares her unimaginable experience with Annie, the reasons she thinks she survived and how what she learnt during the war can help everyone today to handle adversity.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesContent warning: this episode contains some very upsetting content about the horrors of the holocaust and the events that took place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there anything Jayde Adams can’t do? Acting, comedy, cooking, hosting, dancing, all things she’s had huge success in. After her sister died of a brain tumour, Jayde has done her proud; she co-hosted the BAFTA nominated series Snackmasters and Crazy Delicious with Heston Blumenthal, starred in the BAFTA winning series Alma’s Not Normal, made an Amazon prime stand up special called Serious Black Jumper sharing her views on the Kardashians and celebrity life, and performed on Strictly Come Dancing, to name a few!With her recognisable Bristolian accent, working class background and appetite for changing perceptions and norms in TV, which she does just by being herself, Jayde has become a star. She’s funny, compelling and full of wisdom about life and work. Here she talks to Annie about why she loves change and how the biggest changes in her life have made her untouchable. Jayde’s latest stand up show Men, I Can Save You is touring the UK in March.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year, America’s Nickelodeon child star Jennette McCurdy released her memoir ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’ and it exploded, becoming a number one New York Times Best Seller. Hugely famous in the US starring in ‘iCarly’ and alongside Ariana Grande in ‘Sam and Cat’, no one would have guessed that behind the all smiles, successful glitz of child fame, Jennette was being unbearably controlled by her mother who was obsessed with Jennette becoming famous. In the book, which is full of dark humour, Jennette gives a detailed account of the unbelievable difficulties she went through as a child including being put on calorie restriction, her puberty being denied, being given extensive makeovers like teeth whitening to try and keep her looking as young as possible and being inspected and showered by her mum until she was 16. There were also the problems that came with being a child star, her Nickelodeon experience and being forced to go through gruelling auditions from the age of 6. The abuse Jennette went through as a child changed her but how she has gone about changing her life since her mom's death and having lots of therapy is incredible. Her account of her early life is absolutely not what you would expect from someone who seemingly had it all. Here, she candidly talks to Annie about her biggest changes and what she’s learnt through it all. Content warning: child abuse and eating disorders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are revisiting Annie sitting down with her husband Tom (known as producer Toddla T) to talk about his adult diagnosis of ADHD and speaking to Danila Khomutovsky, a Ukrainian man as he sheltered in Ukraine immediately after Russia invaded.T and Annie had been together 13 years when this conversation was recorded and spoke openly about how T's ADHD impacts their relationship and family life. Danila Khomutovsky, a voice artist and co-founder of a Ukrainian radio station, woke up in his home city of Kyiv the day Russia invaded, an event which has had an impact across the world. Annie spoke to Danila from a wooden cabin he had escaped to, after leaving his wife and son at the border of Poland. Here, in a raw and emotional recollection just a couple of weeks after the first bombs hit on 24th February 2022, he tells us about that fateful day. We will be back with a new series of Changes next week, subscribe now so you don't miss it.Listen back to the full episodes here: Toddla Thttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/2c1686576ca68056aaf70b004dfab36fc7cfb969/viewScattered Minds by Gabor Mate https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scattered-Minds-Origins-Attention-Disorder/dp/1785042211Danila Khomutovskyhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/2bd75dec089ff7d898dd313a0db2905a2eba2e31/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first week of 2023, when you might be thinking about changing some things in your life, big or small, we are revisiting two very different guests who could change your view of things personally and in the world. One, a pop star sensation from Sweden and another a teacher, a filmmaker and an activist who is also a Syrian refugee who experienced crossing the sea to Greece in a rubber Dingy. Robyn is a hugely loved sad banger connoisseur and to get to speak to her about her life and the changes that have shaped her music was a privilege. She had so much wisdom and changed our perspective on many things including her adulthood change which she likened to taking mushrooms...  Now living in the UK, where he landed after a treacherous journey from Syria, a journey which we see reported on the news often, Hassan Akkad wrote a memoir called ‘Hope Not Fear’. Here, he tells us exactly what that journey is like and his relationship with hope. His positivity in the face of adversity is inspirational. Listen to the full episodes here:Robynhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/d0bff10e097d9c2b0b2c166b0657fe49ec512b0f/viewHassan Akkadhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/d2a3a497f3be82eced4eb58d063d0a9e31940f47/viewBuy 'Hope Not Fear' here:https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/hassan-akkad/hope-not-fear/9781529059830 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oceans and Porn - this boxing day we have a unique and intriguing offering for you courtesy of highlights from Orla Doherty and Caitlin Moran. Orla Doherty is a TV producer and environmentalist making change through deep sea filming. Orla produced ‘the Deep’ episode and the finale of Blue Planet II with David Attenborough. We revisit her Changes episode as she describes in precise detail the magic of diving and filming in the deep ocean. It’s as if you are there. A perfect escape.  Caitlin Moran is a gear change but that’s what we’re here for after all. A journalist, author and broadcaster, one of the nation’s favourites, Caitlin is known for not holding back. This highlight is no exception, prepare for porn chat and maybe one day, porn to change the world.  Full episodes here: Orla Dohertyhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/73154a0e981aaeea323f5c71eae4aa5e5387c47d/view Caitlin Moranhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/3e730ec6830f51a1daabd7e9cb1cf21e4b5a6715/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the festive period we are revisiting some previous Changes episodes. This week we look back at highlights from presenter and now author Nick Grimshaw and Bake Off’s Prue Leith. Both episodes discuss changing as we get older, which as we end another year, seems appropriate. Nick Grimshaw was the host of BBC Radio 1’s breakfast show, something he had dreamed of forever but in this conversation he and Annie had just left Radio 1 after many years and talked about the big change, moving on and embracing ageing. Since then Nick has started a podcast called Dish with Michelin star chef Angela Hartnett and written a memoir called Soft Lad. This is a look back at how both Nick and Annie felt whilst in a period of huge change. Prue Leith has led a hugely varied life with novels, cook books, Michelin star winning restaurants, catering companies, cookery schools, the list goes on. She has great advice for how to keep things fresh in your life and a brilliant perspective on change. Listen to Dish here: https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/content/podcastBuy ‘Soft Lad’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soft-Lad-collection-stories-about/dp/1399703307Listen to the full episodes here:Nick Grimshaw https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/3c329f3e35b56bbc18f706c65fbaa354670c469e/viewPrue Leithhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/6f830a1d930611c1940ca0d953ff5bda8927ec02/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s that time of year again, an end of year special! Who better to join Annie to look back at the madness and events of 2022 than Rebecca Taylor aka, Self Esteem; a popstar who not only speaks her mind and does not hold back (yes, this is no exception), but has also had a phenomenal year and seen her career change irrevocably after releasing her album Prioritise Pleasure. There’s been Brit and NME nominations, a Mercury Prize nomination, which she will never forget, not least because the Queen died on the night the ceremony was about to start meaning it had to be postponed (this is discussed). She’s played 31 festivals including Glastonbury wearing an outfit designed to honour the shopping centre Meadowhall in Sheffield, she’s supported Adele at Hyde Park, appeared on Later…with Jools Holland, Graham Norton, the front cover of Grazia and Stylist, her success and schedule have been bonkers. Much like this year which has seen 3 prime ministers in the UK, Joe Lycett faking the Sue Grey report and calling out David Beckham, the England women’s football team winning the Euros, queue gate after the Queen died, Matt Hancock in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! and so much more. Where do we start? In a pub with Rebecca Taylor is where. Prepare for hilarity.The David Bowie documentary Rebecca references is Moonage Daydream which is in cinemas and available on streaming services.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prepare to be amazed by Beeban Kidron, a woman who took on the tech giants and won, making urgent, life impacting changes to digital regulation and the online experiences of children and young people. As a member of the House of Lords, Beeban pushed through the world’s first ever Design Code into law in the UK, radically changing how social media treats children. Beeban is also a film and documentary director, her credits including ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason’, the 3 time BAFTA winning adaptation of Jeanette Winterson's autobiographical novel ‘Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit and the drag queen road movie ‘To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar’ starring Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze.For her documentary called InRealLife, Beeban spent hundreds of hours with children discovering how the internet affects their lives including meeting people, porn and bullying. It was this experience that encouraged Beeban to change her life from film maker to lawmaker in order to protect children. She is one of the most impressive people to ever be on Changes. Here she shares what she’s learnt, what change looks like in the digital world and, really helpfully, shares some tips for those who want to help children navigate the internet. Warning, you may want to leave your job and go and join her. You can watch the documentary InRealLife here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/InRealLife-Beeban-Kidron/dp/B00J8PGGI8Beeban's 5 Rights Foundation, with more information, is here: https://5rightsfoundation.com/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In support of World Aids Day on 1st December, Annie spoke to Sasha who was born with HIV but only found out about her hidden diagnosis when she was 16 after going to A&E with an injury. She had spent most of her childhood in hospitals but wasn’t told why. Sasha is part of the first cohort of babies to survive with HIV and has struggled with treatments for most of her life. After she found out about her diagnosis, she faced a lot of stigma. Now in her 30’s, she has had 3 children and lives a happy and healthy life. Sasha’s mum, who also had HIV and had lived for 20 years unmedicated, sadly died in her forties. It was Sasha’s experience with her mum that motivated Sasha to do what she does today. Having gone on a course which changed her perspective completely, Sasha now mentors and educates others about the realities of HIV today, the misconceptions and stigmas, how it affects people, how to manage pregnancy and how to live life. Here, Sasha shares her knowledge and unbelievable story. Thank you to the Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK's leading HIV and sexual health charity for putting us together with Sasha. You can find out more about HIV and the support available on their website: https://www.tht.org.uk/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Goldie is a music legend; a producer and DJ, graffiti artist and actor, instantly recognisable for wearing gold grills on his teeth. In the 90’s he became a pioneer of jungle and drum and bass music in the UK and launched the now legendary music label Metalheadz with DJ duo Kemistry & Storm. He released his ground breaking album Timeless in 1995, which went on to sell 250,000 copies. He dated Björk and Naomi Campbell. His success was immense and his impact and influence hasn’t stopped since. Born Clifford Joseph Price to a Jamaican father and Scottish mother, Goldie was raised in children’s homes and foster families from the age of 4. During his time in care, he was physically and sexually abused, which he discusses here. The man Annie speaks to today has sought to heal from his past and tells us how. He now lives with his wife and youngest daughter in Thailand and spoke to Annie from there about the many twists and turns in his life.Goldie's two memoirs can be bought here:https://www.waterstones.com/book/all-things-remembered/goldie/9780571332090https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nine-Lives-Goldie/dp/0340824786Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be here: http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.htmlChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How and why should we change the conversation around death and grief? Cariad Lloyd is an award winning actor and comedian but she might be best known for starting a much needed public conversation around grief. In 2016, Cariad launched her multi award winning podcast, Griefcast - a podcast that examines the human experience of grief and death but with comedians, so it’s cheerier than it sounds. Having lost her Dad as a teenager, Cariad made it her mission to help anyone dealing with grief. With a new book ‘You Are Not Alone’ coming out in January, Annie speaks to Cariad about her personal changes and experience with grief, something we will all experience at some point. This is a brilliant and insightful episode which may just change your approach to both life and death.You can find out more about Cariad's work here: https://cariadlloyd.com/Pre order her book 'You Are Not Alone' here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Are-Alone-Cariad-Lloyd/dp/1526621835Listen to Griefcast: https://play.acast.com/s/griefcastShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.htmlChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Cox was the most sought after shoe designer of the 90s, now he is a toad facilitator in Ibiza. When it comes to changes, you can’t get much more extreme. Patrick (otherwise known as Party Pat thanks to Janet Jackson) is the creator of the Wannabe, a modern style loafer, wanted and worn by everyone in the Brit Pop era. Every pop star you can think of had them - George Michael, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, the list is endless. The queues to get a pair were huge and at the peak frenzy, as many as 1 million pairs a year were sold. Patrick lived the high life and became great friends with Elton John, Kylie and Elizabeth Hurley. So, why then does he now live an entirely different life living in Ibiza on his own working with the psychedelic toad poison? Annie headed to Ibiza to find out.Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is a story of love and how love can change your life. It’s a story about marriage, family, health and grief but at its core is love. Love at all costs.  Tembi Locke is an actress and an author and now the co-writer and executive producer behind the new Netflix’s series, ‘From Scratch’, based on Tembi’s beautiful and heartbreaking life story which she wrote about in her New York Times best-selling memoir. ‘From Scratch’ has been adapted and produced by Reece Witherspoon and stars Zoe Salanda. As an actress Tembi has appeared in TV shows, comedies and films including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Beverly Hills and 90210. But it’s her improbable and extraordinary story which has captured attention; meeting and marrying her Sicilian husband Saro, winning over his estranged family who rejected his life choices, including Tembi as a black American, and ultimately caring for Saro as he died. Tembi writes so beautifully in her memoir about her life and the intimacy of witnessing Saro dying and raising a grieving child. Her story is defiant and moving. It’s about bringing families together despite their differences, changing your life because of love and the challenges that come with that.  It may even change your idea of romance and what it is to love someone. 'From Scratch' is on Netflix now and you can buy the memoir here:https://www.tembilocke.com/book/Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode there is always someone to talk to. In the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you heal yourself from trauma and change the course of your health? Gabor Mate believes you can. Gabor is a physician and an internationally renowned bestselling author and addiction expert in huge demand to speak about his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. Gabor teaches that as human beings we are creatures of our environment and that our bodies are inseparable from our psychology and social relationships. His new book The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture, which he wrote with his son, looks at the context in which illnesses originate and develop looking at social context and trauma. Gabor was born in Hungary, in 1944 during the second world war and is a survivor of the Nazis holocaust. His maternal grandparents were killed in Auschwitz when he was five months old and he was separated from his mother for safety. He emigrated to Canada in 1956. Gabor believes this start in life impacted the way he behaves today and is part of why he now helps others. Here, he speaks to Annie about all of the above, change, the problem with being too nice, authenticity, oh, and clubbing at Berghain in Berlin at the age of 78.You can buy Gabor's new book The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture here: https://drgabormate.com/book/the-myth-of-normal/Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode there is always someone to talk to. In the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Willan is fabulous; an actor, comedian and writer from Bolton, whose sitcom ‘Alma’s Not Normal’ earned her two BAFTAs. Her writing manages to be both fearless in tackling serious themes, and incredibly funny. You only have to watch Sophie’s reaction to winning her first BAFTA and acceptance speech for the second to realise how hilarious Sophie is and just how much her success means. Growing up Sophie was looked after by her Grandma and spent time in the care system due to her mother being a heroin addict. When she was older, to help fund her career, Sophie worked as an escort. She has utilised her past experiences in her shows ‘On Record’ and ‘Branded’, selling out at the Edinburgh Fringe with national tours and a subsequent Radio 4 series of ‘On Record’. Sophie founded a writing and outreach organisation called Stories Of Care for exceptional new writers from diverse backgrounds and set up a paid training programme for young people from low income and Care Experienced backgrounds on the production of her sitcom Alma’s Not Normal.  Alma’s Not Normal is a semi autobiographical comedy which focuses on Alma living in Bolton trying to make the most of what she has and dreaming of being an actress, detailing the ups and downs of her relationships including with her mum, grandma and best friend, played by Strictly star Jayde Adams. The show looks at class, sexuality, prejudice, mental health, abuse, and societal systems like social care, all whilst making you laugh out loud.This is a conversation about Sophie’s personal changes but also change in systems, change in prejudices and changing the concept of normal. Alma’s Not Normal is back on iPlayer for the month of October. Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.htmlSophie mentions Lemn Sissay who’s Changes episode can be found here: https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/d006cf556767a3eb86b4249eb1704a789cb3d618/viewChanges is now a deaf friendly podcast. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘You never quite know the ripple effect you have when you’re telling a tale’. Anne Marie Duff is a storyteller at heart. She is currently starring as Grace, a wife in an abusive relationship in Sharon Horgan’s phenomenal dark comedy, Bad Sisters which is being talked about everywhere. She’s an award-winning actress known for her BAFTA nominated roles in Shameless, The Virgin Queen and Nowhere Boy. She’s also starred on Broadway and at the National Theatre playing women like Lady Macbeth or Joan of Arc and alongside Dame Judy Dench in Notes On A Scandal and Meryl Streep in Suffragette, amongst others. Recently she appeared in Netflix’s Sex Education playing the role of a Mother who is a recovering drug addict, and now with the character of Grace in Bad Sisters, she portrays a bullied and abused women who is being slowly isolated from her sisters and the world. Anne Marie is incredibly versatile and, in her work, takes on complicated women in all forms. Anne Marie grew up in a working-class Irish family in London and has been through lots of change, from school to marriage to the actor James McAvoy, divorce and having a child all whilst balancing a successful career. Here, she spills the tea on Bad Sisters, and brings us through the biggest changes in her life to date. The final episode of Bad Sisters airs this Friday, 14th October on Apple TV.Content warning: domestic abuse Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.htmlChanges is now a deaf friendly podcast. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Smith is back and on fire. They’re releasing new music and being completely themselves, knowing exactly who they are. Sam’s achieved monumental success - four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. In 2019, Sam came out as non binary and today, their music is more popular than ever with their current single Unholy instantly becoming the number 1 trending song in the world. Having known Sam for many years, Annie, along with the rest of the world, has watched Sam evolve as a person and it’s beautiful to see. In this wonderfully honest conversation, Sam talks about not waiting for people to come with them anymore, this is it now, and goes deep on their career, family, identity and heartbreak. So, are you in?Changes is a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesIf you missed it, you may also be interested in a recent Changes guest Shon Faye, a writer and journalist who wrote The Transgender Issue - an argument for justice having provided commentary as a Trans Woman for years. It is a really important and insightful conversation covering representation, shame, education, addiction, love and so much more. https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/639b08b60e2c49d1961ce4bb2558591452c8e5c2/viewShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, there is always someone to speak to. In the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Changes, we welcome Shon Faye journalist and author of The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice, the biggest selling book on this topic in Britain and a Sunday Times Bestseller. Shon also hosts the podcast Call Me Mother which features conversations with LGBTQ+ trailblazers about what it means to be queer today. Shon’s book has been described as both urgent and important and something which everyone should read. It presents the facts about trans people in Britain today uncovering the reality of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society whilst offering solutions.Here Shon talks Annie through her changes, her own experience of being trans, media misrepresentation, education, family, shame, addiction and love.Content warning: references are made to abuse, alcoholism and drug addiction.You can buy Shon’s book The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transgender-Issue-Argument-Justice/dp/0241423147Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.htmlChanges is a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can knowing more about the Universe change your life? Professor Brian Cox has the answer. A Former rock star turned physicist who has gone from playing keys in the band D:Ream, which had a UK No. 1 hit with "Things Can Only Get Better", to becoming everyone’s favourite physicist selling out arenas around the world with his fascinating shows about the Universe. Brian has previously been compared to David Attenborough in the science world having presented numerous documentaries for the BBC including the ‘Wonders of’ series, starting with ‘Wonders of the Solar System’. He’s also co-written 8 books with his latest ‘Black Holes: The Key to Understanding the Universe’ coming out in October. This episode will make you think about our significance in the Universe and maybe even change your mind about your ability to change things - Brian's certainly tried to do that with our world leaders delivering a definite mic drop moment which he relives here. You can buy tickets to the world tour of Horizons – A 21st Century Space Odyssey with Brian and comedian Robin Ince here: https://briancoxlive.co.uk/ You can also pre order Brian’s new book here:https://www.waterstones.com/book/black-holes/professor-brian-cox/professor-jeffrey-forshaw/9780008597061Changes is a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s fair to say Robbie Williams knows a thing or two about change - catapulted from Stoke On Trent to superstar fame as a teenager in Take That before becoming one of the best selling artists of all time, a spotlight which came with relentless scrutiny and pressures. Robbie has achieved 13 number one UK albums, a record 18 Brit Awards and sold 80 million records worldwide. Today, he is a husband and father to four children, makes his own art which was showcased at Sotheby’s in London and has just released a new album, ‘XXV’ celebrating 25 years as a solo artist. There’s also a big tour coming up and a biopic of his life being made called ‘Better Man’, so it felt like a good time to speak to Robbie about the changes that have defined his life. In this conversation we get a real insight into his childhood, what it really felt like to join Take That, the fame game and its impact, his purpose and why he’s up for trying new things, including his first experience of DJing in Ibiza. As you’d expect Robbie is incredibly giving and doesn’t shy away from the big stuff.You can buy tickets to Robbie's tour and buy the new album here: https://robbiewilliams.com/Content: references to suicide and drug useShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.htmlChanges is a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready for a South Dublin takeover! Annie is joined by the Irish comedian Joanne McNally, who, as well as hosting the phenomenally successful podcast ‘My Therapist Ghosted Me’ with her friend Vogue Williams, has sold out 60 nights at the Vicar Street venue in Dublin with her stand up show The Prosecco Express (that’s 63,000 tickets for that venue alone), played 4 sold out shows at the Palladium in London and recently sold out the Apollo with extra dates added. As the Guardian says, 'she radiates relatability; she’s able to sum up many women’s innermost thoughts and feelings with lightning wit and an invariably hilarious turn of phrase.'In her late thirties now, Joanne has had a completely unconventional route to comedy success, taking in seven years to complete her university degree, a phase working in PR, and spell in an eating disorder recovery programme. Joanne is unflinchingly honest and open about her life and this episode is predictably hilarious but also revealing and inspiring for anyone who feels like they are lost or unsure of what their path in life is. Content: eating disorders are discussed.Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesFor tickets head to: https://www.joannemcnally.com/Listen to My Therapist Ghosted Me Here: https://podfollow.com/1560176558/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are revisiting actress and director Billie Piper and Bexy Cameron who was born into a cult called the Children of God.Billie Piper has been famous since she was 14, first a popstar then an award winning actress often playing complicated female characters, starring in Doctor Who, Secret Diary of A Call Girl, Collateral, I Hate Suzie, Yerma (for which she won 6 best actress awards) and, in 2021, Rare Beasts, which she wrote and directed. On Changes, Billie opened up about her life, relationships and early fame and the impact of that on her, including having to answer inappropriate questions in high profile interviews.  Bexy Cameron, was born into one of the world’s most notorious cults called the Children of God which her parents became the leaders of. She was 9 years old when she experienced her first exorcism. Children in the cult were raised to believe that sex was love and there were no boundaries. Bexy escaped and is now leading a happy life and is able to speak about what happened to her having written a book about her experience called 'Cult Following: My Escape and Return to the Children of God'. Here we revisit the beginning of her story before she escaped. Content warning: child abuse is referencedYou can buy Cult Following: My Escape and Return to the Children of God by Bexy Cameron here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cult-Following-escape-return-Children/dp/1786580926Listen to the full episodes here:Billie Piperhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/8a434451433883c231836d9712570fe60355a3e8/viewBexy Cameron https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/c6f46ccbea3e9988fb9e901a3cfdd9a26e639543/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looking back at some stand out episodes, this week we revisit Davina McCall and Billy Porter. National treasure and TV legend Davina McCall has become a voice for women going through menopause raising awareness and understanding. She has also been through a lot in her life, here talking about being left with her Granny as a child and her subsequent fear of abandonment which she unintentionally came to face as an adult with a hypnotist. She also spoke so openly about her experience and knowledge of the menopause. We revisit some important lessons. Billy Porter, the incomparable Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winning actor, singer, writer and fashion icon literally sings to you about change here. In spite of all his success with Kinky Boots, Pose, a Strange Loop and so much more, Billy has had a difficult life leading up to it with a lot of trauma. He has overcome huge obstacles, prejudices and changes in his life, so we had to revisit this episode and his relationship to change. Billy’s directorial debut Anything's Possible is now out on Amazon Prime. Content warning: references child abuse and homophobiaListen to the full episodes here:Davina McCall https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/d05c49b36647de927e41b9b57dc24c68ae04c73e/viewBilly Porterhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/b0b7620c4ec62f86dc1850cf9c439a21239ec115/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we revisit highlights from two impactful episodes, the incredible author Zadie Smith and Jhemar Jonas who’s brother Michael was fatally stabbed to death.Since the night of his brother’s death, when Jhemar was 16, Jhemar has been trying to change the world advocating for youth-led solutions to violence and knife crime. He has mentored students and provided consultancy for City Hall, the Metropolitan police and Google about youth culture and violence prevention. He’s also a rapper who goes by the name of Rippa. The episode is one of Annie's favourites to date, an essential listen for an insight into the problem of knife crime in London. Here, we revisit that fateful night he lost his brother, as well as how Jhemar’s own mentor has changed his life.  Highly celebrated, bestselling and award winning author Zadie Smith spoke to us about New York and coming home. In her early days she wrote about her experiences as a young black woman growing up in London and changed the landscape in the publishing world. She spoke to Annie during lockdown when she had just written six personal, powerful and reflective essays called Intimations exploring ideas and questions around the new reality during the pandemic and the things it made her reflect on including socialism and the dangers of individualism. Zadie had just moved back from New York to her home city of London, when Trump was still President, and spoke about that change, the events of 2020 and the differences between the two cities.Listen to the full episodes here:Jhemar Jonashttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/374003823e75775dd520a560e71f7e88c7b1b8fc/viewZadie Smith https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/04620326c73bb820b8cc28750958f7811ee42d59/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In August 2015 author Katherine May set out to walk the 630-mile south west coast path. Setting her feet down on the rugged and difficult path by the sea answers long standing questions. What followed was the journey of self discovery documented in her book The Electricity of Every Living Thing which has just been adapted into an immersive Audible Original drama. This week, we invited Katherine to talk about the physical and psychological journey that she undertook in the Electricity of Every Living Thing. Katherine kindly and patiently tells us her story of discovery, the repercussions of growing up unaware that she was autistic, the ways she coped and struggled and masked over the years, the profound relief of being able to put a name and a community around her experiences, and how nature has become her best friend, in all its sensory glory.  Katherine’s story gives a life affirming message of what it means to be different and how we handle change within ourselves. The Electricity of Every Living Thing is now available as an Audible Original immersive audio drama. Listen for free with your 30-day trial at audible.co.uk. From £7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See audible.co.uk/FT for eligibility Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes If you've been affected by today's show or want further resources around autism or autism diagnosis please visit: https://katherine-may.co.uk/autism-resource-page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are revisiting highlights from two very prominent people in British Media - Romesh Ranganathan and Katie Price.Romesh is one of the UK’s most successful comedians but as you will hear in this conversation he experienced seismic changes in his life before he became famous. His whole world was turned upside down as a child when within the space of six months, his house was repossessed, he changed schools, his mum found out his dad was having an affair and his dad went to prison! Here we revisit him telling us about his childhood and relationship with his Dad after these events.  Katie Price, best known as a glamour model ‘Jordan’ has had a rollercoaster of a life, so this episode in March 2021 was the same. She discussed her early days and fame, her relationships (she’s been married 3 times), her five children, online abuse and feeling more herself. But here we revisit Katie telling us about her mental health, what was then her recent stay in the Priory and her relationship with the press. Listen to the full episodes here:Romesh Ranganathanhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/6c73fb35adf9f5a1b1667634f5086aeb09d98778/viewKatie Pricehttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/ca37ffd7ecfa29c243f45d9a3caaaca2b2b55144/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do people commit violent crimes? Do we all have the capacity to be evil? And is it possible to change the mind of a murderer? This week on Changes, we speak to one of Britain’s leading forensic psychiatrists Dr Gwen Adshead, co-author of the Sunday Times Bestseller The Devil You Know: Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry. Dr Adshead has spent over thirty years providing therapy inside secure hospitals and prisons like Broadmoor working with violent offenders who have committed terrible crimes - serial homicide, stalking, arson. Her job is to help them to better know their minds and in turn understand why people do what they do. In this conversation, we look at the concept of evil, her work and lessons learnt, her experiences and the benefits of therapy. It will challenge you, it may even change how you think about offenders and evil.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denise Gough is a double Olivier Award winning actress having blown away critics in the plays People, Places and Things and Angels in America, but before seeing her name in lights, Denise was a homeless drug addict begging on Shaftesbury Avenue. This is her account of her remarkable story of change, from a small town in Ireland to being one of the most in demand actresses today. That success includes starring alongside Keira Knightly in Collette, giving a phenomenally powerful performance in a psychological crime drama Too Close on ITV with Emily Watson and this summer becoming an even bigger star in the new Star Wars series Andor. Denise’s story is one of tragic revelations from her childhood in Ireland, where she grew up with 10 brothers and sisters, coming to terms with the experiences that she lived through and ultimately now owning her past and using it to be able to touch people through her acting today.Content warning: references to child abuse, sexual abuse and drug addiction.Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big Zuu is changing the face of television. From growing up on the Mozart Estate in West London to winning two BAFTAs for Big Zuu's Big Eats, delivering a powerful acceptance speech, he is a shining example of what people can achieve given the chance. Big Zuu’s mum arrived in the UK from Sierra Leone when she was pregnant. Since then, together, they have navigated changing circumstances, with Big Zuu studying to be a youth worker before becoming a rapper/grime MC and now huge TV personality and chef, winning people over by being unapologetically himself - upbeat, fun, charismatic, warm. He’s a man people want around and luckily for us we will be seeing much more of him. In this conversation he walks us through the biggest changes in his life from his humble beginnings to now and importantly, the changes he’d like to see. WatchHungry For It, out now on BBC ThreeBig Zuu’s Big Eats Series 3, just returned to Dave on Mondays Sneakerhead, Zuu’s acting debut, out on Wednesday 13th July on Dave Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the age of 20, Lady Unchained went to prison. She didn’t believe she was the type of person who would ever do that. She went to church, was about to launch her own business and had no former convictions, but one day everything changed. She spent eleven months behind bars and five months tagged. Inside, she faced systemic racism and had to adapt to survive. It changed her, and leaving prison, she realised she was facing an uphill battle in changing people’s perceptions. Here, she shares her gripping account of her story leading up to, during and after her prison sentence.  Since her release, Lady Unchained has made it her mission to become an advocate for life after prison - a poet, performer, award winning broadcaster and now author with her new book ‘Behind Bars: On punishment, prison & release’. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Unchained Poetry, an artistic platform for artists with lived experience of the Criminal Justice System and runs poetry workshops in prisons and in Women Centres.  This is an inspiring and moving conversation. It will make you think, perhaps even change you.Content warning: references to suicide and racist abuse.  Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html You can buy Lady Unchained’s book Behind Bars: On punishment, prison & release here:https://linktr.ee/lady_unchainedhttps://www.unchainedpoetry.com/Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a conversation about class, identity, ambition and grief. It's Grace Dent stripped back. Grace is a broadcaster, columnist, author, award winning food critic and now host of the brilliant podcast Comfort Eating. But she is also just a woman from humble working-class beginnings who grew up in Carlisle in the north of England and grafted and adapted to get to where she is today. Despite now living a glittering media life in London, appearing on MasterChef, dining in some of the best restaurants in the world and critiquing the food of Michelin star chefs, Grace has never forgotten where she is from or shied away from who she is - her accent, relationship to money, her perspective, all of which is covered here. She also lost her mum last year and dealt with her Dad having dementia before he died, experiences that changed her and which she doesn’t shy away from. In her own words, “why on earth did I choose those subjects, they’re so intimate and confessional”. But that is why this conversation is so illuminating, from Carlisle to London to facing mortality, it’s real, relatable and heartfelt. Grace's memoir Hungry: A memoir of wanting more can be bought here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hungry-Highly-Anticipated-Greatest-Writers/dp/0008333173You can also currently watch Grace hosting a new show with Ainsley Harriott called Best of British By The Sea for Channel 4https://www.channel4.com/programmes/best-of-britain-by-the-seaChanges is now a deaf friendly podcast please spread the word. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 It’s been 3 years but finally Glastonbury will be back in all its magnificent glory this week. The biggest festival in the world. A festival like no other. To get excited, co-organiser Emily Eavis made a visit to Annie’s rave shed to talk about all things change; personal change and changes at the festival which turned 50 in 2020! This year back on Worthy Farm in Somerset, the family and 200,000 revellers will finally be able to properly celebrate. Emily grew up on Worthy Farm so has witnessed it evolve since the 80s, taking on the role of co-organiser after her mum died when Emily was 19. Since then, she has had her own family and made her mark on Glastonbury, a festival with the most legendary line ups of all time. Annie and Emily talk through early memories, the festival's beginnings and roots, personal highlights and that defining moment of booking Jay Z to headline in 2008. All hail Emily Eavis.Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, ahead of Glastonbury, we welcome to Changes the incredible powerhouse that is Irish singer Róisín Murphy! Former frontwoman of Moloko and a solo artist with five solo albums to her name, nominations for the Mercury Music Prize, the Brit Awards and the Ivor Novello Awards and an icon in the world of fashion, with incredibly extravagant stage outfits and wild performances to match. She’s the queen of electronic music. Bold, unafraid and uniquely herself. No one exists like Róisín Murphy. Born in Arklow in Ireland, she moved with her family when she was 12 to Manchester. It was here that her life got turned upside down experiencing huge changes at a young age and ultimately immersed herself in music. Fearless, unique and not to be missed, on stage or otherwise. Find out more here:https://www.roisinmurphyofficial.com/Róisín has two playlists she curates and updates regularly on Spotify you can listen to here:Mum's Old School:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3GLct83KuPD9lfpPcSa7ON?si=54b69510fa3e448aRóisín Caviar:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ewxLnbONaLb2keK5fCTC9?si=b7c1420ccf07495eChanges is a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first ever live guest for Changes!! Ella Vaday is the drag persona of Nick Collier and self-proclaimed “drag beast from Dagenham East” who dominated the UK’s third series of Drag Race UK, almost winning. In this special episode recorded in front of a live audience at the London Podcast Show, Nick explains how despite appearances he hasn’t always been so confident in his identity. As a young boy Nick went through numerous challenging changes in quick succession and was always in denial about being gay unti much later in life. Here, he discusses how he came through these changes, came out to his family and starred in West End musicals like Wicked, Book of Mormon, Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat and Cats. That is before the pandemic forced him to stop rehearsing for Hairspray and start stacking shelves in Morrisons. It was then that Nick honed his skills as drag queen Ella Vaday, on instagram, in lockdown before applying for Drag Race, the rest, as they say, is history! This is a conversation about identity, gender conditioning, starting things later in life, believing in yourself to overcome setbacks and how we can change the world if we can just allow ourselves to to live our truth!  Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Long Covid is something which has changed many people’s lives, Kate Weinberg is one of them. According to the Office for National Statistics 1.3 million people in the UK were experiencing Long Covid symptoms as of 2 January 2022. Of those people more than four in 10 (so 42 per cent) were experiencing Long Covid symptoms more than a year after their first suspected infection. But what is it? How does it impact people? And most importantly, how do people get better? Kate Weinberg is an author who was at the height of her career having released her first novel ‘Traunts’ to great acclaim when she got Covid, which then developed into Long Covid. She is also a journalist and since suffering with Long Covid has written about her experience, being completely debilitated by it and coming through the other side 18 months later. In this episode, Kate shares the many symptoms she had, the countless things she has tried and tested and what she has learnt along the way and through her research. Long Covid has changed her. Much of what Kate has been through and felt could also apply to other long term conditions and will be relatable to many. Kate is incredibly articulate and we hope this will be a helpful insight for anyone suffering or supporting others.  You may find the following websites useful for further information, statistics, advice and tips on symptoms:https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/long-covidhttps://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/long-term-effects-of-coronavirus-long-covid/https://www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk/what-is-covid-19/long-covid/We must note the first port of call for anyone with covid symptoms should be your GP. You can find more about Kate and buy her novel here: https://www.kateweinbergwriter.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roddy Doyle is a cultural beacon of Ireland and an absolute joy to listen to. In this episode the renowned novelist speaks to Annie about art, identity, growing older and a changing Ireland. Roddy won the Booker Prize in 1993 for his seminal novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, and is the author of eleven acclaimed novels including The Commitments, The Snapper,The Van and Smile. Roddy grew up in Dublin in the 60s and talks in this episode about his really uncomfortable experience of attending a Christian Brothers School in Ireland and how that shaped him, how he started out as a writer, bad reviews, his use of the Dublin dialect, and how becoming a Father didn’t just change when he wrote but how he wrote.  Content warning: references to sexual abuse of children and corporal punishment. You can find more about Roddy’s work and buy his books here:http://www.roddydoyle.ie/index.htmlBIG NEWS! Changes is going Live tomorrow on 24th May at the Podcast Show in London with drag queen Ella Vaday! Find out more and buy your tickets here:https://www.thepodcastshowlondon.com/homehttps://thepodcastshowlondon.seetickets.com/event/changes-with-annie-macmanus/business-design-centre/2338017Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Lycett is one of Britain's most loved comedians affecting change through his comedy in the most brilliant and beautiful ways. Not one to shy away from the bigger issues at play, Joe invites people to think, and actively questions about the systems we live in. After the death of his friend who died in lockdown, a change which has had a huge impact on Joe’s life, his mockery of the official inquiry into party gate by tweeting a fake Sue Grey report made headlines. Even the Government was concerned there was a serious leak! And, as you will hear, a chance meeting with Conservative MP Nadine Dorries at the BAFTAs went really well!Joe is also an artist, pansexual and openly addresses LGBTQ+ issues in his work.  His current UK tour More More More! How Do You Lycett? How Do You Lycett? does just that and has a big reveal which Joe has been working on for years, a show which confirms just how possible it is to change communities for the better. We love Joe. This episode will show you the changes that fuelled his life today, why he does what he does and the changes he still wants. You can find ticket details to Joe’s tour here:https://joelycett.com/ComedyYou can find Joe’s tweeted fake Sue Grey Report here:https://bit.ly/3PfCPQfBIG NEWS! Changes is going Live on 24th May at the Podcast Show in London with drag queen Ella Vaday! Find out more and buy your tickets here:https://www.thepodcastshowlondon.com/homehttps://thepodcastshowlondon.seetickets.com/event/changes-with-annie-macmanus/business-design-centre/2338017Changes is now a deaf friendly podcast and you can access transcripts here, spread the word! https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week it is Mental Health Awareness Week so to talk through his own journey, specifically his experience with psychosis, is actor, director and now author, David Harewood, best known for his roles as CIA Counterterrorism Director David Estes in Homeland.From Birmingham, born to parents from Barbados, David has had huge success on stage, in TV and in Hollywood. Yet, in his recent memoir ‘Maybe I Don’t Belong Here’, David details the racial abuse he suffered as a black British boy and man growing up in the UK, abuse which ultimately led to, as he describes, his “unravelling” and being sectioned under the Mental Health Act twice. His BAFTA nominated BBC documentary David Harewood: My Psychosis and Me is shocking and insightful particularly around the difference in psychiatric treatment of black people in hospitals. In this episode he talks through his life and experience, the things that led to his psychosis, the voices in his head, the contrasts between America and the UK and how he became a successful actor despite all of this psychological upheaval and racial abuse. His book Maybe I Don’t Belong Here is crucial reading. You can buy it here:https://linktr.ee/DavidHarewoodChanges is now a deaf friendly podcast. You can access transcripts here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changesContent references: racism, racist abuse, psychotic episodes. Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week is Deaf Awareness Week, so we welcome Eastenders actor and 2021 Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling Ellis to Changes, our first deaf guest. Rose has been deaf since birth and is a British Sign Language user, recently backing the campaign to make it a recognised language in England. This year, Rose received the Visionary Honours Award for Inspirational Person of the Year whilst her appearance on Strictly last year has significantly helped in changing people’s perceptions of deaf people and given confidence to the deaf community. Her Couple's Choice dance with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice featured a period of silence as a tribute to the deaf community and became an award winning TV Moment of the Year. Since her appearance on Strictly there has been a 4000 per cent increase in uptake of British Sign Language classes! Rose creates change just by being present, showing what she is capable of and breaking down barriers. She boldly seeks to change perceptions and the law to make life fairer for the deaf community. She’s also irresistibly charming.  We are delighted to say that Changes is now an accessible podcast for deaf people. You can find a transcript of this episode and all future episodes on the below website, please spread the word. https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Changes Revisited is a chance to revisit some of our most compelling and entertaining episodes from the archives. This week we look back at highlights from two very different episodes and two very different people - Kelis and Dr Larch Maxey (a climate activist).Kelis, the multi-platinum, Grammy nominated artist, fashion icon, entrepreneur, mother, and now Cordon Bleu chef and farm owner, talks about these changes in her life including going from city life to tending to animals. She also shares her unique perspective on motherhood and the power of women. It’s a favourite on Changes!Dr Larch Maxey is a man who’s dedication to affecting change knows no boundaries. Larch is part of the Extinction Rebellion. We spoke to him in February 2021 from underground as he and a small group of other protesters occupied tunnels outside Euston station in London protesting against the high speed rail project HS2. Larch talked through fighting for what he believes in, his first experience of learning about climate change and the turning point that made him dedicate his life to activism. It was a rare, emotional and insightful conversation.Further reading https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-am-being-punished-for-peaceful-protest-before-appearing-in-court-k992m58l8https://juststopoil.org/https://www.hs2rebellion.earth/Listen to the full episodes here:Kelis:https://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/d002397ffc232691d2724ae61da43072b6f2dd1e/viewDr Larch Maxeyhttps://podfollow.com/changeswithanniemacmanus/episode/daf25c4b320565e72dd61d7fd2e190e0c07c1376/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's difficult not to divide Grace Spence Green's story into a before and after. The event that splits the two is one of the most dramatic instances of change that you can possible imagine: in 2018, Grace, then a 22 year-old medical student, was walking through a London shopping centre when a man jumped from a balcony, three storeys above, and landed on her. When she awoke, seven minutes later, surrounded by people, she realised she couldn't feel her legs. So began a painful process of coming to terms with the full extent of what had just happened – a process that, a few years later, is still in some sense on-going. Because while Grace quite quickly accepted the reality of her injury, and the implications it would have on her day-to-day, what she couldn't have predicted was the ways it would change her understanding of care, empathy and other people. This is a conversation about autonomy, quiet prejudice, and Grace's rejection of the expectations and limitations that society places on disabled people. It's also a powerful testament to something we all know, but avoid considering: unbelievable, uncontrollable changes can rear their heads at any ordinary instant. We may be powerless to stop them, but we can certainly control how we react to them. And in that way, Grace's story is profoundly inspiring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Douglas Stuart is the 2020 Booker Prize winning author. His story is one of survival, perseverance and defying people’s expectations. Douglas’ incredible debut novel Shuggie Bain was inspired by his upbringing in Glasgow, a time when he describes himself as a young queer son of a single mother struggling with addiction and poverty. Following his mother’s death, Douglas fended for himself and remarkably went on to study fashion at the Royal College of art in London where he was recognised and moved to New York to work for some of the biggest fashion brands in the world. He still lives in New York but now finally, after many rejections, as a writer, an acclaimed writer. Revisiting his past and putting pen to paper changed everything for him.  His writing is so immersive, due to his granular descriptions of the worlds his characters inhabit. They struggle against and around brutal violence and substance use and always with the backdrop of relentless poverty. His stories are sad, and frightening and viscerally told. His books take over your world and you can’t forget them. Here he shares the story of his life changes with Annie. Stuart’s second novel Young Mungo will be published this Thursday (14th April). You can pre order it here: https://www.douglasdstuart.com/books-1Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ronson is one of the most celebrated and successful music producers around. Oscar, Golden Globes, Grammys, you name it he’s been awarded it for his services to era defining pop music. He’s made records with Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Queens Of The Stone Age, Bruno Mars, and the list goes on and on.  Annie has interviewed Mark Ronson countless times in her career, but this was a different flex of interview, where they were able to zoom out on his whole journey, and explore his processes of music production, growing older in the music game, a new template of success, a new marriage, and how all his big personal changes are rooted in his beloved New York City (Cue Odyssey - Native New Yorker!) Enjoy!Annie and Mark mention Yebba in this episode who you can listen back to on Changes here:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/changes-with-annie-macmanus/id1465937091?i=1000535968549 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we bring you a conversation with TV legend Scarlett Moffatt. Gogglebox legend, I’m A Celeb winner, Podcaster and now documentarian. Scarlett joined me to talk through her biggest changes, from road accidents to bell's palsy to bullying to TV stardom, to extreme celebrity to how she eventually found her way back to herself. Scarlett experienced brutal changes in her childhood and surreal and extreme changes in adulthood but none of them have held her back thank god. Talking to Scarlet was refreshing and uplifting and a total tonic. Hopefully listening to this will be the same for you. Scarlett Investigates... will be out on Channel 4 this Spring.You can listen to Scarlett's podcast here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08c6f5x/episodes/playerShould you be affected by bullying or any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.htmlIf you like this episode you may also be interested in listening to Lisa Nealan's story: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/lisa-nealan/id1465937091?i=1000538890862 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Danila Khomutovsky is a 38 year old Ukrainian man. He is a husband and a father to a 7 year old son, a voice artist, co-founder of the radio station Aristocrats and has lived in Kyiv for the last 10 years.  On 24th February 2022, his life and the lives of millions was upended when Russia invaded Ukraine. Despite peace talk efforts, Russian artillery and warplanes are continuing to pound cities and towns across Ukraine. More than three million people have now fled Ukraine since Russia began its invasion — a rate of more than a million per week, the International Organisation for Migration has said.  Danila is now taking shelter in the Ukrainian countryside and working for ICTV channel as a voice of the “Civil Defence” program, volunteering for state agencies and private studios, recording voice overs in four languages to help win the war. He reached out to Annie on instagram as a listener to Changes and they spoke on the morning of Friday 11th March 2022.  In this important and compelling listen, Danila tells his story and experience of life in Ukraine before the war and now.  You can find out all about Artistocrats here:https://aristocrats.fm/Danila can be found here:https://m.facebook.com/100000473788642/twitter.com/DanKhomutovskiy instagram.com/danila_onemoretimehttps://m.soundcloud.com/danila-khomutovskiy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the vast majority of the Irish Diaspora, St Patrick's Day offers a regularly scheduled opportunity to get in touch with all of those warm, fuzzy notions of Ireland and home. But what if your relationship to home is a little bit more complicated? Emma Dabiri is the best-selling author of Don't Touch My Hair and What White People Can Do Next – two monumentally important discussions about race that have offered vital nuance and context at a time where more and more people have become engaged with identity politics. She also happens to be Irish! In fact, there are plenty of parallels between her life and Annie's. She grew up in Dublin, walking the very same streets at the very same time. Then, like Annie, she moved to London and started a new life, and a family, away from Ireland. But unlike Annie, her nostalgia for Ireland will always be tempered by her memories of growing up black in the overwhelmingly white context of Dublin in the '80s and '90s. It's led her to have a more delicate, and less rose-tinted, understanding of Ireland than many of her compatriots – but it's also imbued her with a strong sense of potentiality for Ireland's future. This is an honest conversation about Ireland's past, but it's also an optimistic look at that future, and the ways in which a country that, until recently, has had little experience of diversity – might be able to start with a blank slate, and avoid some of the pitfalls that have dogged nations with long, tangled histories of systemic racism. But more broadly, it's a conversation about home, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For International Women's Day tomorrow, we wanted to highlight women who experience homelessness. The average age of death for women sleeping rough or in emergency accommodation is four years lower than a man at just 41 years old.  Women are at much greater risk of physical and sexual violence, and more likely to be struggling with complex trauma, mental health issues, physical health, domestic abuse and/or substance misuse and some are permanently separated from their children. These traumatic experiences make it harder for some women to trust support services and harder to reach to offer support. There also just isn’t enough specialist accommodation for women in England.Someone who has experienced and witnessed all of the above is Kerri Douglas. In this episode, she shares her heartbreaking and remarkable story. After spending years on the streets battling severe substance and physical abuse as well as losing custody of her first child, she has become a force for change helping to inspire and educate others. She is now a mother to two more children (twins) and a certified substance abuse counsellor, studying for a psychology degree. The big turning point for Kerri was when she met some brilliant outreach staff from a charity dedicated to helping people who experience homelessness, called St Mungo's. The fact that Kerri is alive and thriving today is testament to her herculean strength and determination. Content warning: references to drug abuse, suicide, sexual abuse, miscarriage and violence. You can buy Kerri’s book Gutter To Glory: From Pavements to Parliament and listen to her podcast Conversations with Kerri here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blessed-Assurance-Gutter-Kerri-Douglas-ebook/dp/B07P58CX7Xhttps://anchor.fm/conversationswithkerri/episodes/A-Driving-Force-For-Change-e1e8gbhhttps://dropthelabel.co.uk/the-blog/ You can also contact St Mungo’s or donate to the charity here:  www.mungos.org/annieShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special bonus episode of Changes, Annie talks about nightclubs with The Blessed Madonna - their history, their cultural significance and their tenuous future after Covid restrictions ravaged the industry in the last two years. Through statistics, lived experience and passion for what night-clubs can do to and for a person, Marea and Annie explore exactly why clubs matter.We couldn’t think of a better person to speak with than Marea; with years of DJing experience at some of the most treasured nightclubs in the world, from Smart Bar in Chicago to Berghain in Berlin. And fittingly, the voice of Fred again..’s ‘We’ve Lost Dancing’ song that documented the sadness, confusion and optimism of the events of last year. In 2021, as countries began to ease COVID-19 restrictions, iconic venues all over the globe reopened their doors to welcome back DJs and dancers. Although there were joyous moments throughout the summer and Autumn, the year of reopening did not mark the “roaring 20s'' we all predicted.While technically open for business, many dance music venues are facing pandemic-related debts that threaten to close their doors for good. A few have been passed over for crucial reopening grants, and others were affected by another round of lockdowns.  In 2022, dance music scenes and venues all over the globe are fighting for survival. Join Annie and The Blessed Madonna to hear their unique perspective, as they share their thoughts and stories. You can also watch this conversation, sponsored by Amazon Music here:Amzn.to/ChangesPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What entity better captured the spirit, energy, and atmosphere of the '90s than the Spice Girls? From the outside, it was a fairytale: five girls, all utterly relatable and recognisable, were plucked from obscurity and turned into the world's biggest popstars. Melanie Chisholm was one of those girls, but we didn't know her by that name. To us, she was Mel C, or Sporty Spice – and all these years later, she's still figuring out where one identity ends and the other begins. The Spice Girls, in its first iteration, was over almost as soon as it begun – just a couple of short years of world domination – but the ripple effects of that period have followed Melanie well into her adulthood. This is a conversation about the realities of becoming an overnight sensation, both positive and negative, and the long road to self-discovery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent years, there has been a huge change in eating habits, with many of us choosing to eat more plant-based foods. Even some of the biggest fast-food chains in the world are now offering plant-based alternatives and nearly 1 in 3 Brits drink plant-based milk alternatives.  In this bonus episode of Changes, sponsored by Oatly, we explore this transition with the help of vegan chef Rachel Ama. We discuss why it’s happening now, the trends and the myths, along with the idea of making a plant-based diet work around your life, not rule it. Rachel Ama became vegan 7 years ago and now has over 600k subscribers to her YouTube channel. She won the Observer Food Monthly Rising Star award in 2019, the same year she released her bestselling debut cookbook Vegan Eats, and last year she released her second cookbook, One Pot: Three Ways. You can buy those here: https://www.rachelama.com/new-page-31. Rachel is the perfect guest to speak about our new normal and share her expertise.  Our sponsors Oatly have recently launched ‘The New Norm & Al Show’ featuring Norm & Al, oat drink carton puppets who, like many of us, are trying to navigate the switch to plant-based eating. You can stream it at https://www.oatly.com/. Reference is made in this episode to the following survey:https://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/the-cream-of-the-vegan-milk-crop-sales-of-oat-milk-overtake-almond-in-the-uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you imagine not knowing anything about your family, being rejected by the one you thought you knew and, at 17, finding out your real name and that your mother did in fact want you? In honour of Care Day, the world's largest celebration of the successes and achievements of children and young people with experience of care, which took place on Friday, we welcome to Changes, the hugely celebrated poet, writer and phenomenal human, Lemn Sissay. A man who was stolen from his mother, rejected by his foster family and moved through the care system from one brutal institution to the next. Lemn is now a BAFTA nominated International prize winning writer and was appointed an OBE in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to literature and charity. In this episode, Lemn recounts in detail the physical journeys he took when being driven away from his foster family, the only life he knew and, later in life, travelling to meet his mother for the first time in Africa. It is deeply moving.  Lemn’s unique and incredible story of determination as well as his perspective on the concept of family, home and how we can improve care for children are both humbling and incredibly important. Here Lemn shares his unbelievable story with Annie, his most recent changes and his relationship now to the word ‘Care’.  Lemn’s incredible Memoir, My Name Is Why was a number one Sunday Times Bestseller. You can buy it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Name-Why-Lemn-Sissay/dp/1786892340His new children's book Don’t Ask The Dragon can be pre ordered here (released Friday 24th February 2022) https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09DZ477R5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i4Visit Lemn’s exhibition at the Foundling Museumhttps://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/event/superman-was-a-foundling/ You can find out more about Care Day here: https://careday.org/ Content: Abuse, neglect, racism, addiction. Should you be affected by anything raised in this episode, there is help on hand. In the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We bring you a very unique episode this week, where Annie speaks to her husband Tom (a music producer who goes by the name Toddla T). It’s an incredibly insightful and generous conversation about being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, becoming sober and how they have both navigated those changes together. ‘Four years after meeting Tom at Fabric nightclub, we had a baby together. We had another kid just under four years later. We’ve been together for 13 years in all. We’ve both had to grow up a lot since becoming parents, but since we got married in 2018, Tom has had a reckoning of sorts in terms of understanding himself, and this is all due to a huge change that happened in his life a few years ago, where he got an adult diagnosis of ADHD. I asked him to talk to me about his changes, and we covered his journey from being a misunderstood kid in school, to his epiphany of discovering music, to becoming famous, to becoming sober and the crippling anxiety that came as a result of that, to finally finding clarity after visiting an ADHD specialist and the work in progress that is his recovery. ‘We really hope you enjoy this very special episode of Changes. All the links that Annie and Tom mention in the episode are as follows:https://adhdaware.org.uk/what-is-adhd/getting-nhs-diagnosis/https://aadduk.org/help-support/specialists-support-and-coaches/Scattered Minds by Gabor Mate https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scattered-Minds-Origins-Attention-Disorder/dp/1785042211The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Grayhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Unexpected-Joy-Being-Sober-alcohol-free/dp/1912023385Untangle Your Anxiety: A Guide To Overcoming An Anxiety Disorder By Two People Who Have Been Through It by Joshua Fletcher and Dean Stotthttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Untangle-Your-Anxiety-Overcoming-Disorder/dp/B08YQM9SPY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1ZXJHAT5OSQA5&keywords=anxiety&qid=1644340522&sprefix=anxiety+%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-4ADHD and Anxietyhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CZiPPFHK7Xp/?utm_medium=copy_linkShould you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damon Albarn is a man whose whole creative ethos is based on change. His career spans over three decades now, with thirty albums released. His band Blur have released 8 studio albums, with Park Life released in 1994 the same year that Oasis released Definitely Maybe. It defined an era, making Blur synonymous with the 90s and the term Britpop. As co-founder of Gorillaz with Jamie Hewlett he has sold over 25 million records worldwide. He is prolific collaborator, forming various bands, like The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Paul Simonon of the Clash, Simon Tong of the Verve, and Tony Allen of Fela Kuti and Rocket Juice And The Moon, again with Tony Allen and flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers. He’s worked with the Strokes, Bobby Womack, De La Soul and so many more! Damon has also created film scores, composed an opera, written music for a musical called Wonderland and is one of the people behind the Africa express movement, a platform for exchanges between African and western musicians. Damon is 53 now, with a grown up daughter and spends him time between London and Devon and Iceland, where he has just received Icelandic citizenship. He is as busy as ever. His latest solo album The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows, has had rave reviews and is out now. You can buy it here: https://damonalbarn.ochre.store/?ffm=FFM_bc82b474204774cc44f23dbfe8711498  We met at Damon’s studio in Tottenham before Christmas and had a lovely meandering conversation starting with Damon as a teenager going through bullying in school, moving to rural Essex, the start and the end of Blur, the inception of Gorillaz, social media addiction, metal detecting, and being witchy … Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Changes is back for a new year and kicking off with an emotional and inspirational conversation with award winning journalist, broadcaster and author Elizabeth Day.From the outside Elizabeth Day’s career has been an indisputable success story, a double first in history at Cambridge, a British Press Award for Young Journalist of the Year in 2004, endless writing credits and five novels. But it’s her podcast How To Fail and her memoir How To Fail: Everything I’ve Ever Learned From Things Going Wrong and Failosophy: A Handbook For When Things Go Wrong that have ironically been her biggest successes. Elizabeth talks us through her biggest changes, from a move to Northern Ireland at the age of 4 and her troubles fitting in with an English accent in school there, to her divorce in her late thirties and her struggles with trying to have a baby. All of these things changed her sense of self and they way she looked at the world. And in that way that change can, she was able to do things differently as a result of them. How To Fail was her reaction to her own personal failures and has been a huge success as a podcast. And her latest novel Magpie, is borne out of Elizabeth wanting a book to exist in the world that tells the story of those women who struggle with infertility. The result is a thrilling, unique, and at times, heart wrenching novel. Elizabeth is remarkably open and articulate in talking about her IVFs and her miscarriages here, in a way that so many women will relate to and will find comforting and constructive. We thank her! And hope that you enjoy this episode.  You can buy Magpie and any of Elizabeth’s previous books here:https://www.elizabethdayonline.co.uk/booksYou can listen to How To Fail, the podcast here:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-to-fail-with-elizabeth-day/id1407451189 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Changes is back for one last lap of 2021. It's been a year of high hopes, broken promises, and, in amongst it all, some fairly profound changes (end of Trump! Vaccine! Billionaires flying to space in rockets!). To help us make sense of it all, we've invited the excellent comic and actor, Lolly Adefope onto the show for a bit of a debrief on the year that was. Lolly's been busy charming audiences on both sides of the Atlantic for the last few years – with roles in Ghosts, This Time with Alan Partridge, and the TV adaptation of Lindy West's memoir, Shrill. Even amongst the turmoil of the pandemic, she's been moving from strength to strenth, so we're thrilled to welcome her onto the show now, before bidding adieu to 2021 for good. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Series finale time, and we're not just talking "a" change, we're talking THE change – with a bona fide national treasure, no less. Davina McCall is part of the fabric and texture of day to day life in the UK. As a TV presenter she has been a warm, generous, and deeply empathetic fixture on our televisions since the dawn of Big Brother at the beginning of the millennium. The path she'd taken to that point was pretty bumpy, and you'll hear her talk a little bit about that in this conversation, but the main reason that we've invited Davina onto Changes is to talk about the menopause. Like countless women, Davina was blindsided by the first signs of her own perimenopause, ten years ago, and she's spent much of the time since trying to get to the bottom of the truth about what was happening to her body. She's discovered more than she could have possibly imagine, and she's on a mission to share that information with as many people as possible, so that the big change of menopause might be less of an ambush for generations of women still to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prue Leith is a living legend, and one of the most joyous conversationalists we've ever hosted on Changes. It's difficult to know where to start with the life that Prue has led. Most will know her as one of the judges of The Great British Bake Off, but you can pretty easily get dizzy reading her CV – novels, cook books, michelin star winning restaurants, catering companies, cookery schools – etc ad infinitum. Prue believes that life should be punctuated by plenty of little revolutions, and she's made an astounding career of practicing exactly what she preaches. Given that outlook, she's exactly the kind of guest we love on Changes – full of insight and perspective about the nature of change itself. It is quite simply a delight to hear her talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Billy Porter is a man at the peak of his powers. Emmy, check. Tony, check. Grammy, check. Critically acclaimed memoir, first directorial film, major label recording contract; check, check, check. With a CV that reads like that, you'd be forgiven for assuming that Billy Porter has never had any trouble finding recognition for his creative powers. But the truth is, the man you see before you today, strolling up and down red carpets in a staggering ballgowns, is the product of so much change, trauma, and healing. Before booking the succession of parts that changed his life (Angels in America, Kinky Boots, and Pose), he spent a decade teetering on the brink of total obscurity, running on nothing but his own determination. The path that has delivered Billy Porter to the pinnacles of success was, at times, almost unbearably difficult, and it has gifted him with a laser sharp perspective on the tides of fate and the nature of change itself.You can hear Billy Porter's new single, Children, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CbrteAcXGI&ab_channel=BillyPorter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Ratajkowski has made an unbelievably successful life by commodifying her body. She'd be the first person to tell you that. And for the first part of her career, she felt very comfortable with that reality. On all of her shoots, she believed herself to be strong, capable, and in control. But somewhere along the line, something changed, and Emily began questioning the truth of her out look. She started looking back at the situations she'd been placed into as a young model, and finding new depths of nuance in the power dynamics at play there. She started writing things down, largely to figure out her what she really felt about her life, and was surprised to discover two things: firstly, that much of what she'd told herself about the world she moved in was wrong; secondly, that she felt a deep, powerful connection to the act of writing – and that it could offer her something she'd never experienced in her modelling work. This is a conversation about a fundamental change in world view and belief systems, all the more radical for arriving at the very pinnacle of success.You can buy Emily Ratajkowski's book, My Body, here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/my-body/emily-ratajkowski/9781529420906 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you discover that your entire world is based upon a lie, how do you begin to pick up the pieces and move ahead? Bexy Cameron spent the first part of her life convinced that the apocalypse was coming, and that she'd be dead by the age of 15. That's because she was brought up, alongside her 11 siblings, in a cult called the Children of God. No school, no TV, no contact with the outside world; all she knew was what the cult's mysterious and dangerous leader told them. The details of what Bexy went through, during the first part of her life, are harrowing to hear about – but they are not the end of her story. Bexy has lived a brilliant life since leaving the Children of God as a teenager, and she has now written about her experiences, as well as the unbelievable journey she went on to make sense of it all, in a memoir called Cult Following. In this conversation, she recounts some of the unbelievable things that she's been through, and offers rare perspective on the most earth-shattering changes imaginable. You can buy Cult Following here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/cult-following/bexy-cameron/9781786580924 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your entire life has been about working towards one goal, what happens when you've reached it? For Nick Grimshaw – that goal was becoming a presenter on BBC Radio 1, and specifically, hosting its famous breakfast show. It's a dream that came true for him in 2012. But now, like Annie, he has decided to leave Radio 1, and set off in pursuit of a new adventure – the specifics of which remain pleasantly undecided in his mind. For both Annie and her old pal, Grimmy, it's been a year of big changes. So, this conversation is an opportunity to catch up and connect over the shared experience of it all – the nerves, the thrills, the weirdness – as well as reminisce about the days in which they knocked around the BBC together. It's a chance for two old friends to sit round the kitchen table and put the world to rights.Transition – Galaxy 2 Galaxy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkZ_vKWF8e8&ab_channel=Scubadevils Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we making progress in the war against gender inequality? If anyone should know, it's Caroline Criado Perez. A couple of years ago, she released Invisible Women: Exposing Gender Bias in a World Designed for Men. It was a book, founded upon an enormous amount of research, that made explicit something known instinctively by many: the world we move in was not created with women in mind, and that the repercussions of that oversight are too many to count, ranging in impact from minor annoyance to potentially life-threatening. With the recent murders of Sabina Nessa and Sarah Everard once again focusing attention on the treatment of women in society, we thought it a pertinent time to ask Caroline onto Changes, to discuss the ways things have and haven't shifted since her book exploded onto the scene. As you will hear, there is cause for sadness and frustration, as always, but there is also more reason than ever to educate yourself and join the fight. You can buy Invisible Women here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1113605/invisible-women/9781784706289.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can a stutter or a stammer change the way you move through the world? If you speak fluently, you've likely never given it a great deal of thought, but talk to Lisa Nealan and you'll start to understand the ways a speech impairment might dominate your day-to-day existence. That was the case with Lisa for years. At the age of eight, she suffered an accident that left her speech permanently changed, and she subsequently built her entire life around her stutter, avoiding any and all situations that might require her to speak. Though you'd never know it to hear her talk, now. That's because at the depths of one of the most desperate periods of her life, Lisa managed to carry out some awe-inspiring personal changes, that have left her entire world expanded and transformed. This is a thrilling and powerful conversation about one woman finding her voice after so many years of silence.If you're affected by some of the themes in today's episode, you can reach the Samaritans by phone on 116 123, or email them at jo@samaritans.org.In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Line can be reached 1-888-628-9454.You can find the Change – The Glow of Love (referenced in her intro) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMrDJLPlq20&ab_channel=AuntieSoul34 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Perez Hilton is not a popular man. He'd be the first one to tell you that, by his own estimation, 80% of people hate him. That's because he pioneered a certain type of celebrity gossip blog – the kind that trades in secrets, scandal and shame – and he was rewarded handsomely for it. To the outside world, he seemed perfectly comfortable playing the villain, but if Perez is to be believed, something was amiss the entire time. These days, Perez Hilton says he has changed a great deal, even though he knows full well that many will never forgive him for the way he behaved during the peak of his success. This is a conversation about what might drive a person to behave venomously, what could cause that person to stop, and whether it's ever too late for true, meaningful change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Jimmy Carr was 25 years old, his life looked very different. He was a marketing exec at an oil company, a practicing Catholic, a virgin. And he was sad. In order to change that. He asked himself one question: "What do I want?" He soon discovered that knowing the answer to that question was half the battle. In this conversation, you'll hear exactly how Jimmy Carr turned a quarter-life crisis into an astonishingly successful career in comedy – and why he'd recommend a similar degree of upheaval to anyone stuck in a rut.You can purchase Jimmy Carr's new book, Before & Laughter, here: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/jimmy-carr/before-laughter/9781529413076/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's it like to say goodbye to your family, your friends, your entire life – and head out into the unknown, never to return? As the Migrant Crisis continues to displace hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year, and as Priti Patel weighs up policies to deter those who wish to seek asylum in the UK, Annie zeroes in on the human experience at the centre of something too often reduced to statistics and rhetoric. Hassan Akkad has lived the world-upending change of seeking asylum. Born and raised in Damascus, Syria, he was arrested and imprisoned for taking part in protests against the Assad dictatorship. He was subjected to horrific abuse at the hands of his captors, and eventually fled the country. His journey to the UK began on a rubber dinghy off the coast of Greece, and ended, months later, in the arrival hall of Heathrow airport. What happened in-between transformed his world, forever. But Hassan's story does not end with his arrival in the UK. He is a teacher, an activist, a filmmaker – and now, an author. His memoir, Hope Not Fear, is a powerful and moving account of the treacherous journey that Hassan and countless others have been forced to make. It is also a vital, optimistic portrait of resilience and the human spirit – which makes fertile ground for one of the most inspiring conversations we've heard on Changes.Hope Not Fear is available for purchase here: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/hassan-akkad/hope-not-fear/9781529059830 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it feel like to stand on the brink of a total, all-encompassing change? Abbey Smith, who releases music as Yebba, would be a good person to ask. After collaborating with Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Sam Smith, and Drake – and being touted as a 'once in a generation' voice – she is now releasing her long-awaited debut album, and it's poised to make her a superstar. That's about as dramatic a change as life can throw at you, but Yebba is used to upheaval. Five years ago, just as her singing career was really beginning to take off, she lost her mother to suicide, and she has spent much of the time since wrapping her head around the grief and trauma that followed – often in the form of the songs that comprise the album. When the album was finished, she called it Dawn, after her mother. In this conversation, Abbey is open and honest about the impact of her grief, and the ways it still plays out in her day-to-day, but she is also defiant, strong, and powerfully inspirational – ready to finally release the album that took so much out of her, and to face whatever comes next.If you have been affected by the themes of this episode, there is help on hand. In the UK, the Samaritans can be reached from any phone on 116 123In the USA, the Suicide Prevention Line is 1-800-273-8255 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Very few artists win the Turner Prize. Very few filmmakers win an Oscar. Only one person has won both. That person is Sir Steve McQueen, the acclaimed director of Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave, and Widows. With each film, Steve McQueen expanded the scope of his fierce, unflinching gaze – from Irish republicanism, to the Slave Trade in the Deep South – but for his most recent project, he turned that gaze inwards, to the world that he knows most intimately. Small Axe is a love letter to his parents' Windrush Generation, who lit London ablaze with music, politics, and culture, on their arrival from the West Indies. It is the project that Steve McQueen has been circling around and sizing up for much of his life, but only recently felt able to take on.In the first episode of the new season of Changes, you'll hear a maverick artist unleash the energy and intellect that has become his trademark on a wide array of subjects: the school system; privilege; cinema; Grenfell. This is a conversation about the need for all-encompassing, systemic change – as well as the profound, personal change that comes with setting your own blueprint for success in a landscape hostile to your every creative breath. It's a conversation that will leave you dizzy, angry, and, inevitably, inspired. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Annie Macmanus returns with another crop of fascinating guests, from all walks of life, for conversation about the changes that define us.Changes, series four – launching September 13th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the final part of the Mother Mother Mini-Series, and it’s a big one. Ciaran Thapar has written an explosive, game-changing study of youth violence in London: Cut Short. It’s based on his years of experience as a youth worker in the borough of Lambeth, where he has helped bridge the divide between distinct communities that share the same streets but live entirely parallel experiences. In that work, Ciaran has observed the realities of endemic poverty, racism, and knife crime that plague young men growing up in the city, but Cut Short is more than a survey of those brutal circumstances; it’s a blueprint for change – both individual and institutional – and a clarion call for engagement, activism, and empathy. It is also, fundamentally, a book that paints a vivid picture of the volatile transition from boyhood to manhood – and in this way, it mirrors some of the themes of Mother Mother, which zooms in on TJ’s experience of becoming a man in difficult circumstances. It's that shared perspective that provides the foundation for a far-ranging and inspiring conversation about youth, community, and monumental change.You can buy Cut Short here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/316/316628/cut-short/9780241434987.htmlAnd tickets for Changes LIVE at the Roundhouse’s Last Word Festival can be purchased here: https://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/2021/the-last-word-2021/changes-with-annie-macmanus/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part three of the Mother Mother Mini-Series is all about living with grief – something Nikesh Shukla gets to terms with in his memoir, Brown Baby. Nikesh has written novels for adults and children, and he curated the acclaimed essay collection, The Good Immigrant, but this is the first time he’s delved so deep into his own life for material. It’s a gorgeous, vulnerable book, about the dual experience of becoming a father and losing a mother, and the ways those two events became tangled up in Nikesh’s mind. That theme, of the way grief can alter your perspective, and colour each waking moment, plays a central role in Annie’s novel, Mother Mother, and there is plenty of discussion here about the devastation of losing someone dear to you. But this is also a conversation about finding joy amongst the rubble, and creating a world full of wonder and beauty for those who remain to move through.You can buy Nikesh’s memoir here: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/nikesh-shukla/brown-baby/9781529032918 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second part of the Mother Mother Mini-Series, Annie speaks to journalist, and now best-selling author, Sophie Heawood about her memoir, The Hungover Games. It’s an outrageously funny book about something that didn’t feel particularly funny at the time: Sophie was in her mid-30s, living in LA, covering showbiz for the UK press, and quite happily swerving most of the responsibilities that come with adulthood. Then, a doctor told her she’d never conceive a child – at which point she immediately, unexpectedly, did exactly that, with a man who had no interest in being a father. Like Mother Mother, this is a story that hinges on the seismic shock of an unplanned pregnancy, and both books explore all the ways that motherhood recalibrates your perspective. This is a conversation about all the things that people get wrong about single motherhood. It’s about finding the courage to tell a story you’ve been sizing up for years and years. It’s about taking ownership of your own narrative, your own body, and your own future – and kindly requesting all those who have a problem with that to jog on.You can buy The Hungover Games here: https://www.foyles.co.uk/all?term=9781787330511 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first part of the Mother Mother Mini-Series, Annie speaks to Francisco Garcia about the Missing Persons Crisis. When he was seven years old, Francisco's father walked out of his life, and entered into the messy hinterland of the missing. Now, as a journalist, Francisco has become fascinated with the wide spectrum of experience that gets bundled into the term 'missing person', and he takes that fascination, as well as his own curiosity about what became of his father, as the basis for his first book, If You Were There. Like Mother Mother, it's a story that interrogates the motivations that might cause a person to leave, as well as the impact on those left behind – all of which serves as the foundation for a fascinating conversation about a world too often misunderstood.Francisco's book is available here: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/if-you-were-there-missing-people-and-the-marks-they-leave-behind-francisco-garcia?variant=32674626535502 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark the release of Annie's debut novel, Mother Mother, Changes returns with a special mini-series. Four conversations. Four authors. A whole heap of change.Launching June 7th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We end the series with a wild and raucous cautionary tale of change. Shaun Attwood’s life is something you would expect to see in a film. He grew up in a small northern town and went on to become a stockbroker millionaire in Arizona. He then became a kingpin in drug smuggling, bringing up to £4 million of ecstasy into America. Eventually this lifestyle caught up with him and led to a SWAT team knocking his door down in 2002. He faced a 200 year sentence and after a legal battle and serving two years in the notorious Maricopa County Jail he was sentenced to 9 ½ years. He served almost 6 years in total, the final years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, before being deported to the UK. After submerging himself in thousands of books in prison including psychology and philosophy, Shaun changed his perspective and is now an author, speaker and activist about the war on drugs sharing his experience, issues affecting prisoners rights and the consequences he faced by getting involved in drugs and crime. Shaun’s story is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. You can find all the details of Shaun’s books, podcast and you tube channel here:https://shaunattwood.com/Shaun Attwood on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/derickatt/featured Warning: This episode references drug abuse and addiction throughout with references to sexual abuse, violence and suicide.  Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here; http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2020, the world changed in ways none of us could ever have imagined. Dr Steven Taylor is the author of The Psychology of Pandemics, the first-ever comprehensive analysis of this subject which he published before Covid 19 broke out. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has so far resulted in over 2.7 million deaths worldwide, with over 126,500 deaths in the UK alone. As the vaccination program beds in and the rules start to fall away, Annie wanted to bring you a conversation that could act as a useful tool in helping us to move forwards out of Covid 19 in the healthiest way possible.  Enter Dr Steven Taylor - an award winning Professor and Clinical Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia. Steven is an expert at human behaviour in pandemics and in this conversation Annie quizzes him about Covid 19 in relation to pandemics of the past, and how this one has compared - have we learnt anything? We discuss patterns in behaviour when it comes to freedoms being curtailed, the psychology of our journey and how the pandemic has changed us from panic buying to lockdown loneliness, resulting societal changes in terms of relationships, birth rates and wearing masks and what really affects how well people cope. We are introduced to new phrases like ‘anchoring bias’, where we predict our future based on how we’re feeling now and ‘post traumatic growth’, the idea that you go through an ordeal, a trauma or a pandemic, and you don't just bounce back to where you were, but you actually grow as a human being.  This is essential listening, reflecting on the biggest change the world has seen in a long time.  Warning: This episode discusses the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Dr Steven Taylor's book can be found here:https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Pandemics-Steven-Taylor/dp/1527539598You can find our more about his work here:https://www.drsteventaylor.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready because this week’s guest is best selling author, glamour model and TV personality, Katie Price and there’s no holds barred! Katie has experienced huge changes in her life (she has six autobiographies to show for it), not least was her recent stay at the Priory, which she explains has transformed her. Ever since she first appeared in the Sun in 1996, Katie’s life has constantly been in the press. She’s appeared on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here where she met Peter Andre who she then married, released an album, starred in a string of her own reality television series, been a panelist on the talk show Loose Women, a period in her life which she talks about here, and in 2015 she won Celebrity Big Brother. Katie has been married three times - to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and her last husband Kieran Hayler who she divorced for cheating with their nanny (having already had an affair with her best friend)! She is now in a happy relationship with former love island contestant Carl Woods. Katie is mum to five children Harvey, Junior, Princess, Jett, and Bunny who are also in the public eye and she is now pregnant with her sixth child! She also lobbies for change as a result of her disabled son Harvey being subjected to online abuse. Katie has been encouraging people to sign her petition which aimed to remove anonymity online and make trolling illegal. Since recording the petition has been debated in parliament and you can read the Government's response here. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575833 Here Katie talks Annie through a plethora of shocking events and dramas from her childhood to now when she is full of life and happier than ever.  You can follow Katie on instagram and twitter @katieprice Warning: This episode discusses rape, drugs and mental illness including references to suicide and depression. Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, in the UK, The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. You can also contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk.In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shaun King is a civil rights activist for the 21st Century. Previously named in Time magazine's top 25 most influential people on the internet, Shaun uses his vast social media following to advocate for justice and fundraise for the families of victims' of police brutality and discrimination. He posts videos and information about racially motivated crimes to help find the perpetrators. He’s headed social media campaigns which led to the identification and arrest of the men responsible for the assault of DeAndre Harris as well as exposing information in seeking justice for the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Michael Brown. He heads a number of organisations focussed on changing criminal justice - Real Justice helping to elect prosecutors who support criminal justice reform in the United States and the North Star, a crowd funded independent, media platform for liberation-journalism. A quick google search will throw up an array of opinions and criticisms around Shaun King. He has had to repeatedly defend himself against accusations such as mishandling of funds, disinformation and a lack of accountability and retaliating harshly to naysayers. He has also had to defend his racial identity. In this conversation Annie finds out about the man behind the name. His views on the controversies, the double edged sword of social media, which can be used for good but also backfire. Shaun’s passion for activism stems from a traumatic experience in his childhood which changed the course of his life forever. In this episode you will get a sense of the man behind the news stories - his beginnings, his motivation, his regrets and his hope for change.Content Warning: this episode references suicide and includes explicit references to racism and racially motivated crimes.You can order Shaun’s book here called “Make Change: How to Fight Injustice, Dismantle Systemic Oppression, and Own Our Future”https://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Change-Injustice-Dismantle-Oppression/dp/0358048001You can follow Shaun on instagram and twitter @shaunkinghttps://www.shaunking.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Billie Piper has changed from teen pop star to award winning actress starring in Doctor Who, Secret Diary of A Call Girl, Collateral, I Hate Suzie and now releasing her debut self written and directed film Rare Beasts. She has been BAFTA nominated and won six Best Actress awards including an Olivier Award for her performance in the play Yerma. It’s safe to say Billie is drawn to portraying very real female characters not shying away from the complications of being a woman today but instead embracing its many facets.  Billie has been married and divorced twice including to DJ Chris Evans, something which was talked about a lot in the press at the time, in part due to their age gap (she was 18, he was 35), with some probing interviews that are really uncomfortable to watch now - Annie and Billie talk about this and the pressures of young fame. Billie now has 3 children. Here, she talks to Annie about how she has navigated the many changes in her life both professionally and personally from career moves to relationships, motherhood and therapy. You can follow Billie on Twitter and instagram @billiepiper Content Warning: this episode references eating disorders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On International Women’s Day meet Ariel Bruce, a phenomenal woman who profoundly changes people’s lives by tracing missing family. Described as the Agatha Christie of the adoption world, Ariel works on ITV’s Long Lost Family and specialises in finding people affected by adoption, using her unique skills as a social worker and her background in care to reunite families all over the world. Born in London, Ariel’s parents were Jewish refugees and at the age of 12, she was placed into care and went on to have 6 different foster parents. Here she tells Annie about her childhood, her work spanning almost 40 years and shares her experience of why people do and don’t search for family, when she feels people shouldn’t be traced and what she would like to see change in the future (her answer may surprise you). Ariel is one of a kind, a real character - witty, cheeky and incredibly endearing.  You can find out more about Ariel and her work here:https://arielbruce.com/And you can watch Long Lost Family here - have tissues ready!https://www.itv.com/hub/long-lost-family/1a8904 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Candice Carty-Williams is a writer and author of the award winning Sunday Times bestselling novel Queenie, which changed the game in publishing! Candice has transitioned from first working in publishing to becoming both the first black person and first black woman to win "Book of the Year" at the British Book Awards in 2020. In this raw, open and fascinating conversation you will hear just how strong Candice is and the numerous changes she has navigated - an unsettled childhood, experiencing loss in her twenties and learning to accept praise as a bestselling author. Candice is so personable - you will be left wanting to go to the pub with her (once we’re allowed)!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we want to let you know about a new show that we’re loving. It’s called Ian Wright’s Everyday People, where each week Wrighty meets someone with an incredible story of bravery, resilience or transformation. He gets to the heart of how they’ve changed the world for the better and why they do the things they do.There's Major Chris Brannigan, a doting father-of-three who took on an impossible 700 mile barefoot walk, raising funds to create a pioneering treatment for his daughter, diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, and millions of other children suffering with rare diseases. Ian also meets Munira Mahmoud, a survivor of Grenfell Tower who has been preparing home cooked meals for families struggling to put food on the table during the pandemic. Ian then invites Andy Hider on the podcast, a mum of three from Bristol who fostered over 150 children over three decades to hear about the story that saw her recognised with an MBE for her services to children. If you like what you heard, search ‘Ian Wright’s Everyday People’ to listen to the full episode. Available every Tuesday on all major podcast platforms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travis Alabanza is a performer, writer and theatre maker who identifies as black, trans feminine and gender non-conforming. They are the youngest person to be awarded a residency at The Tate, the first black trans person to sell out a show at Southbank Centre and have had work featured at the V&A, Roundhouse and, most recently, the Bush Theatre with their play ‘Overflow’. As one of the most prominent emerging trans voices in the arts and beyond, Travis talks to Annie about their journey with change - from wearing a dress on stage for the first time stepping into the role of a Lady Gaga witch at school, to selling out venues with their award winning play Burgerz which sees Travis confronting the audience about their attitude to trans people, after they were called a “tranny” and had a burger thrown at them in broad daylight on waterloo bridge. With their usual charm and warmth, Travis openly discusses attending a summer camp in the US and learning about pronouns for the first time, putting on act, starting and dropping out of University to be an artist, their relationship with their mum and brother and becoming a trans voice in the art world. Want to find out more? Head to:http://travisalabanza.co.uk/ You can follow Travis on Twitter and instagram: @travisalabanzaThe TED talk mentioned in the podcast is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAwcTTOq4k&feature=youtu.be Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 27th January, in the heart of London, nine activists, who call themselves HS2 Rebellion, have been trying to affect change by occupying a network of tunnels which they dug under Euston station. Larch Maxey is one of them. They are protesting against HS2, the High speed rail project planning to connect London to Birmingham up to Manchester and Leeds, a project which will lead to faster travel and better links between the north and south. It is estimated to cost over £100 billion. The activists are protesting due to the environmental and ecological impact of the scheme. The Government has said that the cost of tackling climate activists at HS2 sites has hit nearly £50 million - here Larch addresses the critics and explains why he believes this is the only way to affect change.   Despite losing their high court case for a right to protest, the HS2 rebellion are still underground and resisting eviction by bailiffs. Annie spoke to Larch on Saturday 13th February after 18 days in the tunnels. As they spoke he received calls about new digs taking place to get them out. In this rare insight, Larch tells us about life underground, why they refuse to leave and the journey he has taken to be there, from fighting off bullies at school to being a single parent and the turning point that made him leave his job and dedicate his life to fighting climate change. It’s an emotional, informative and important listen.  To find out more about HS2 Rebellion and their campaign head to:HS2Rebellion.earthTwitter: @Hs2Rebellion  To support the tunnelers https://www.gofundme.com/f/25c4b0w040?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill https://www.ceebill.uk/ Want to help further?If you want to help HS2 rebellion you can lobby your MP and ask them to:1. support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, https://www.ceebill.uk/2. cancel HS2 and 3. call off the Eviction.   Larch also talks about this organisation - Balanced View https://www.openintelligenceandlove.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bez is a legendary figure of the Manchester music scene - the wild maraca playing dance man of Happy Mondays and a member of Black Grape, he has since traded the party days to lead a healthy lifestyle and become an unlikely fitness instructor with his You Tube classes "Get Buzzin’ with Bez”. A multi faceted man, Bez won Celebrity Big Brother in 2005, previously stood as a candidate in the UK General Election running on a platform of "free energy, free food and free anything" and has explored community living. Here Bez talks to Annie about the many changes in his life - the highs and the lows, his new approach to healthy living, why males in his age group might be more reluctant to embrace change and a sustainable lifestyle, and his love of beekeeping!This episode is sponsored by Oatly. Oatly has launched a campaign called – ‘Help Dad – a guide to help dads quit dairy’ which is designed to encourage open-minded conversations between different generations about dairy consumption, plant based diets, and how what we eat and drink can affect the environment. For more information, stats, tools and tips just head to Oatly’s campaign website - oatly.com/helpdad. You can follow Bez on instagram @bezmondaysYou can watch and join in with Get Buzzin With Bez here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGJyQCUuEsspqeg4XD8eE7g Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warning! This episode will make you want to buy a farm in the middle of nowhere! Kelis is a queen of change - a multi-platinum, Grammy nominated artist, born in NYC, she signed to her first record deal when she was 17 years old. Her remarkable voice and groundbreaking songs like Caught Out There, Milkshake, Millionaire catapulted her to fame, which peaked in 2005 when she married the rapper Nas. They divorced five years later soon after the birth of her son Knight. Midway through her career Kelis enrolled in culinary school and is now a Cordon Bleu chef. After moving from NYC to LA she recently bought a remote farm in California and has moved there with her partner, 3 children and a plethora of animals! She has leaned into change all her life and speaks about it so brilliantly in this conversation with Annie. It’s a riot! Enjoy listening to the gospel of Kelis. And you can follow Kelis on instagram and twitter @kelisAnd check out Kelis’ website Bounty and Full, music and everything else here:https://linktr.ee/kelisofficial/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Strictly sensation and Radio 1 buddy Clara Amfo is hijacking the feed to give you a sneak peek at her new series of This City, which explores the best city in the world (London) through some very special guests...Discover past episodes and get new ones as they drop when you subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From growing up in Wales, attending RADA in London and becoming a Hollywood film star living an LA life, to refocusing on activism and developing community projects in his home town of Port Talbot, Michael Sheen has changed a lot over the years. Here Michael talks about all these changes - his early childhood memories of moving around and feeling displaced, his first ever heartbreak, having a bruised ego and crisis of confidence in drama school, struggling with the move to LA, his relationship break down with his ex wife Kate Beckinsale, his career changing moments and ultimately why he changed focus from acting to activism. He covers it all!!Michael talks enthusiastically about his project ‘the Passion’ in Port Talbot, setting up the End High Cost Credit Alliance to stop exploitation of people with no money and his commitment to causes being tested when he was faced with putting everything on the line for the Homeless World Cup. It’s a fascinating listen!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2% of the population suffer from Body Dysmorphic disorder. This week’s guest, Denise, hated her nose so much that she eventually had surgery to alter it. Following the surgery, her mental health deteriorated and she was sectioned and diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. BDD is characterised by someone having a preoccupation with perceived flaws in their physical appearance, which are unnoticeable to others. People don’t want to leave the house, or see other people at all. It took 15 years for Denise to be diagnosed! In this conversation she tells us about her experience of living with BDD and the impact on her life, how her stay in a psychiatric ward helped her to change her life and her strong belief that our attitudes and education about mental health need to drastically change. What could improved mental health services look like? Denise draws on her experience of the systems currently in place to explore some ideas with Annie.Denise volunteered to share her story through the charity Mind. Huge thanks to both Mind and Denise. Denise discusses how philosophy and stoicism have helped her. You can find out more about stoicism here: https://dailystoic.com/what-is-stoicism-a-definition-3-stoic-exercises-to-get-you-started/Warning: This episode discusses mental illness including references to suicide and depression. Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, In the UK, you can contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. The Samaritans can also be contacted 24/7 on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here: http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alison Lapper is a celebrated artist, best known for being the subject of a very famous piece of art, a Marc Quinn sculpture which caused uproar at the time depicting her ‘limbless body’, no arms and very short legs, heavily pregnant with her son Parys. The statute rested on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar square and proved quite the subversive neighbour to the other male war heroes depicted on the other plinths. Parys was born able bodied and healthy and his arrival was the beginning of nearly two decades of Alison having to prove herself capable as a Mother to the social services and to the general public. In the Summer of 2019, Parys died at the age of 19 following struggles with mental health and addiction. In this raw conversation with Annie, she talks about her mother’s rejection of her as a baby, her childhood in care and the challenges she has faced in society as a disabled person and mother. Alison speaks about her unique bond with Parys and the issues surrounding his death, including the changes that she thinks we need to help those living with disabilities or mental health illnesses. Alison is remarkable with a strength of will, humour and determined spirit like no other. If you would like to find out more about Alison you can go to:Website: www.alilapper.comInstagram: alison_lapper_mbeFacebook: Ali LapperAlison is a full member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, that would be fantastic, website link - mfpa.ukWarning: This episode discusses mental illness including depression and addiction, drug misuse and has references to suicide.Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tammie Jo was told ‘girls don’t fly’ before defying the odds to become one of the first female pilots in the US Navy, going on to save 148 lives when she landed a plane after an engine exploded cracking a window, and sucking one passenger half way out. In this gripping conversation, Tammie Jo tells Annie about the many doors slammed in her face by the army and the navy and how with her dogged persistence and self belief, she eventually triumphed as a fighter pilot and went on to be a trailblazer for women in aviation in the US. We hear how she dealt with anxiety as a child and how she learnt to fight off bullies from a young age for her sister and how when she piloted Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 on that fateful day in April 2018, her childhood experiences helped her to remain calm in the face of panic all around her. Tammie tells Annie why, despite her experience that day, which sadly ended with one fatality, she is still in love with flying and how she now uses her flying skills to help people in need by volunteering for the nonprofit organisation, Angel Flight. Tammie is a beacon of change! Such a calm and humble woman and this is a must-listen if you need to feel inspired!  You can buy a copy of her book here: Nerves Of Steel: How I Followed My Dreams, Earned My Wings, and Faced My Greatest Challengehttps://www.amazon.com/Nerves-Steel-Followed-Greatest-Challenge/dp/0785228314/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=nerves+of+steel&qid=1554931659&s=gateway&sr=8-5You can follow Tammie Jo on instagram and twitter @captainshultsWarning: This episode discusses in detail the events of part of a plane exploding mid flight and a passenger losing their life which could be sensitive for some listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you believe people with extremist views can change? Our guest this week is Nigel Bromage, who spent decades in dangerous far right organisations such as the National Front, British Movement and Combat 18. In this unique and revealing conversation, Nigel tells Annie how he was groomed into the National Front as a teenager, when he was at his most vulnerable after his Mother’s death, and how after over 20 years in the far-right, he finally managed to escape. Since then he has worked tirelessly to effect change by helping people to leave far right groups and educating communities about extremism through Exit UK, which he founded. He has even come face to face with someone he committed a hate crime against in his past, something which Nigel tells you about here. In a world where the far right movement is growing exponentially to dangerous effect, there has never been a more important time for Nigel and Exit UK’s work. His story is a real insight into the minds of extremists, and a stark reminder that we are all, no matter how much hate we carry, ultimately the same emotionally vulnerable people underneath. And how no matter how far we go down a road, it is always possible to change course.Content Warning: this episode discusses far right extremism with references to hate crimes, racism and violence. If you want to know more, need help or know someone who does head to www.exituk.orgYou can contact them via:info@exitfamilysupport.orgfacebook.com/exituk0800 999 1945 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beth Ditto went from growing up in the conservative south of the USA to being the punk front woman of Gossip and posing nude on the cover of NME. She is a queer icon and a feminist who promoted body positivity long before it was cool. With her usual hilarity and frankness, Beth Ditto speaks to Annie about her unconventional childhood in a huge family and living with her Aunt in her teens, a relationship which shaped Beth and influenced her passion for feminism. She opens up about how at 15 years old her Aunt’s death changed her, coming out to her family as gay and leaving the south behind. At 32, Beth married her best friend. Here, she reflects on divorce and how her current relationship with Ted Kwo, a trans man, has finally made her feel fulfilled and changed her perspective on love and how that should feel. A queen like no other - can you guess what she would like to change in her life now? Content Warning: this episode references child carers, underage sex, death and religion. There are explicit references to sex and strong language. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Surprise! In this special episode on change, our planet and sustainability, award winning producer for Blue Planet II, Orla Doherty, shares her incredibly unique perspective on our oceans. Orla made huge changes in her life to get to where she is today - her love for the ocean came later in life at the age of 30 when she learnt to scuba dive, but when she fell, she fell hard!! She went on to quit her job in London as a TV producer and spent 10 years on a boat exploring coral reefs. After returning to dry land, turning 40 and moving back in with her parents, she went on to marry her TV work with her ocean exploration experience and spent over 500 hours at depths of 1,000 metres in three oceans filming ‘The Deep’ and the series finale of Blue Planet II. The series was a huge success being the most watched TV series on the BBC in 2017 sparking conversations around the world about the effect of plastic on our oceans - known as the Blue Planet effect. Orla shares her phenomenal journey and her thoughts on the changes we need to make, the biggest challenges in effecting change and why she would happily live under the sea.  This special bonus episode is sponsored by The Mercedes-Benz A-Class which is now available as a Plug-in Hybrid with an all-electric range of up to 44 miles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this wonderfully compelling conversation, The Booker Prize winning author opens up to Annie about her childhood, going to the Youth Theatre, losing herself in a toxic relationship with another woman and her hopes for the future of society. As the first black woman to win the Booker Prize, Bernardine Evaristo is, rightly so, unashamedly basking in the huge success of her ninth novel ‘Girl, Woman, Other’. In this episode, Bernardine takes Annie through her journey with writing and speaks about enjoying mainstream recognition much later in life, believing in herself and the sacrifices she has made. She describes herself as “unstoppable” - something which may not have happened had she not experienced the changes she has in her life. You can buy the book and find out more about Bernardine’s work here: https://bevaristo.com/girl-woman-other/You can follow Bernardine on twitter: @BernardineEvari and instagram: @bernardineevaristowriter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever wondered what actually happens when you win the lottery? How you deal with the reality of this overwhelming amount of money? Susan Herdman won the lottery in 2010, on a 14 million to one chance. In this episode she tells us about her life before and after the win, the strange heightened night when she knew that she had won but it was unconfirmed by the lottery, and where she went and did karaoke with the winning ticket tucked in her bra (every woman knows of course that this is the safest place for an uncashed lottery ticket)! She explains how she panicked afterwards and clung on to her previous life before having an epiphany at the age of 41. We also talk about her teenage acne and how despite all this good fortune in her life, she still has trouble looking in the mirror. Listen now! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a child within the space of six months, Romesh Ranganathan’s house was repossessed, he changed schools, his mum found out his dad was having an affair and his dad went to prison! Later in life, Romesh changed careers from being a maths teacher to a comedian, something he almost gave up following his Dad’s death. Since then Romesh has become a BAFTA winner and one of the most successful comedians in the UK. In this interview Romesh talks openly about all these changes with his usual cynical wit, including the very personal conversations he had with his Dad, lessons learnt, failure and of course the laughs along the way!  Romesh’s new book ‘As Good As It Gets - Life Lessons from a Reluctant Adult’ is out on 15 October 2020. You can pre order it here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/as-good-as-it-gets/romesh-ranganathan/2928377041731You can buy tickets for his 2021 tour 'The Cynic's Mixtape' here: https://www.romeshranganathan.co.uk/tour/And you can follow Romesh on instagram and twitter @romeshranga  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During early lockdown, in response to these extraordinary times, the bestselling, award winning author Zadie Smith wrote six personal, powerful and reflective essays exploring ideas and questions around our new reality. In this honest conversation, Zadie talks with Annie about the change the world has seen through her own personal experience in both New York and back in her home city of London and the differences between them. She reflects on what we notice about ourselves and our relationship between time and work, homeschooling, what other other people mean to us, community, the danger of individualism, and the importance of art. This conversation was recorded at the end of July 2020. Read the new collection of essays, Intimations - all royalties go to charity. You can buy a copy here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/321/321775/intimations/9780241492383.htmlContent Warning: this episode discusses the effects of Covid 19 and events that occurred during lockdown including brief references to mass death and violent protests.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a childhood spent caring for her mother, to her own struggles with “wonky hips” and leukaemia, Sinéad has had a unique take on the way our health shapes our perspective of life and love.In this discussion with Annie, the bestselling author talks about illness, the body, and how women are treated by male doctors.Follow Sinéad: @sineadgleeson on twitterRead her new collection of essays, Constellations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Burke has seen a lot of change. In this roller coaster of an interview with Annie, we hear the moments that led Paddy into a life on the streets... and the moment that brought him back from the brink.Warning: this episode discusses substance abuse and violencePaddy supports the work of Shelter. We should too. Support their work at this most difficult of times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The bestselling author joins Annie to talk through the biggest changes in his life - from the bullying that defined his childhood, to his escape to London and how that shaped his world. Jon Ronson has had an uncanny knack of predicting some big cultural shifts, from the online mob to the way the porn industry has changed all our lives. Annie delves into his past to discover how he does it.Follow @jonronson on Twitter, and binge-listen to The Butterfly Effect and The Last Days Of August Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since her very first day in primary school, Sinéad understood the power of education and how it can challenge the status quo and to give agency and opportunity to the most vulnerable.Across her career so far she has visited schools, workplaces, government agencies and the White House to enact change... which all started after she was asked to do a TED Talk about disability and design. Annie finds out how these two moments - the first day at school and that defining talk - has impacted her life, and many others, for the better.Further readingFollow her thesineadburke on Twitter and InstagramPodcast: As Me with Sinéad Enjoy that TED talk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Mayor of Bristol has been in the national conversation this week, as Black Lives Matter protests addressed the issue of statues honouring slavers in our major cities.In this extended conversation with Annie, he discusses the changes that brought him into politics, his love of multicultural Bristol, and why his words have been some warmly received by everyone that wants equality now.Follow Marvin: @MarvinJRees on TwitterExpand your knowledge with some of these, inspired by our conversation:DocumentariesThe Colour of FearUnfinished BusinessFilmGood Will HuntingPeople“There’s nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come” - Victor HugoHistorian David Olusoga’s work can be read hereOrganisationsSARI (Stand Against Racism & Inequality): sariweb.org.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clover Stroud has made her colourful family life in the country the subject of her two best selling books. She has five children and is fearlessness in her writing about the darker sides of motherhood. For more than one reason, Clover has had to navigate an abundance of traumatic change in her life and is truly inspirational in the way she talks about over coming them. Content warning: suicideYou can follow @clover.stroud on instagram. Her most recent book, ' My Wild and Sleepless Nights: A Mother's Story' is available now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Waad has documented her life on camera in war torn Aleppo, Syria. While conflict, violence, death and cruelty raged around her, she fell in love, got married and had a baby daughter.Her film, ‘For Sama’, is a love letter from a young mother to her daughter - and in this conversation with Annie, she reveals the moments of change in her eventful life, capturing stories of loss, laughter, sacrifice and survival.You can follow @waadalkateab on twitter and instagram - and watch For Sama, for free, right now on All 4.Go to actionforsama.com to help make a change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Candice became a mother, she found that, flicking through Instagram, she didn't see many people that looked like her. So where were all the black mothers?This revelation set Candice on a course that has seen her lighting a path for others, as well as making a few enemies along the way.In this interview with Annie, the founder of Make Motherhood Diverse discusses her stories of change.Follow Candice: @CandiceBrathwaite on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Jhemar was 16, his brother Michael was stabbed to death. Since that night, he has been trying to change the world through lobbying campaigns and his own entrepreneurship. In this woozy, late night chat with Annie, he discusses that night and its impact on his life, of those around him, and what needs to change, right now.You can read about Jhemar's story of change here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-45683971 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From travelling around Sweden with her theatrical family, to walking away from the safety of the record labels, Robyn has never been one to stand still.Recording from her sun-dappled window seat in Stockholm, the chart-topping singer tells Annie about the two changes that have had the biggest impact on her life... and why psychoanalysis is like magic mushrooms.Go discover Robyn's exceptional back catalogue including Robyn (2005) and Body Talk (2010) and follow her @robynkonichiwa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode has been bleeped and can be heard with the kids around. Please note it contains references to self-harm.Homeschooled from the age of 11, the eldest of 8 kids, Caitlin Moran wrote the bestselling 'How To Be A Woman' and recently wrote the screenplay of the similarly bestselling book 'How To Build A Girl'. In this pre-lockdown discussion with Annie, the Times columnist discusses her two biggest changes in her life - including growing up without that formal education, her regret at how she acted as a young music journalist, pornography and how mucking about will save us all.How To Build A Girl stars Beanie Feldstein and Alfie Allen and will be available to stream from May 8. You can follow Caitlin on twitter, where she is at her absolute best, @caitlinmoran Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Homeschooled from the age of 11, the eldest of 8 kids, Caitlin Moran wrote the bestselling 'How To Be A Woman' and recently wrote the screenplay of the similarly bestselling book 'How To Build A Girl'. In this pre-lockdown discussion with Annie, the Times columnist discusses her two biggest changes in her life - including growing up without that formal education, her regret at how she acted as a young music journalist, pornography and how mucking about will save us all.How To Build A Girl stars Beanie Feldstein and Alfie Allen and will be available to stream from May 8. You can follow Caitlin on twitter, where she is at her absolute best, @caitlinmoranTrigger warnings: reference to self harm, sex Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A brand new series for these times of massive change - and DJ Annie Mac is here to tell you more... New episodes from Monday - stay subscribed to this feed to get it as soon as it drops! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The TV presenter and former X Factor star joins Annie in her Rave Shed to talk about humour, childhood and craving fame. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My Dad Wrote A Porno made Alice Levine an international star, making people laugh week after week. But does she think of herself as funny - or as a comedian? Annie brings Alice into the Rave Shed to discuss the rollercoaster of being labelled 'a funny woman.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does food affect your wellbeing? GP Dr Rupy founded The Doctors' Kitchen, a place to improve your health through food. In this chat with Annie, they discuss how we need to fix our love of animals, so they don't end up on our plate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The outspoken MP has only been in parliament since 2015, but has made a big impact in that short time as a campaigner for social justice... and a reminder that not all politicians belong to 'the ruling class.'This episode is part of 'Finding Annie', a special series of podcasts discussing life's biggest themes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's no textbook for growing older, but Suzanne Moore's columns for the Guardian have been a comfort to Annie, revealing a world where the process of aging is a blessing not a curse.This episode is part of 'Finding Annie,' a special series of podcasts looking at the big themes of life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Annie was the 'new girl' at Radio 1, still learning the ropes, Zane Lowe would be the one to look up to. When he wasn't asleep in the studio with a newspaper over his head. In this catch-up with Zane, they talk about those early days, the power of live radio, and the beautiful chaos that he orchestrated for the nation.This episode is part of 'Finding Annie.' a series of special podcasts recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden and featuring deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The model and former Club Kid speaks to Annie about The Divine Feminine, in this fascinating and fun chat about her life as an activist and artist.This episode is part of the special series 'Finding Annie.' Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, these are deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac returns with series 2 of her podcast Finding Annie. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac returns with series 2 of her podcast Finding Annie. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac returns with series 2 of her podcast Finding Annie. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast from broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac where she tackles her terrible memory problem by enlisting the help of her family and friends to explore the forgotten parts of her life. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast from broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac where she tackles her terrible memory problem by enlisting the help of her family and friends to explore the forgotten parts of her life. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast from broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac where she tackles her terrible memory problem by enlisting the help of her family and friends to explore the forgotten parts of her life. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast from broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac where she tackles her terrible memory problem by enlisting the help of her family and friends to explore the forgotten parts of her life. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast from broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac where she tackles her terrible memory problem by enlisting the help of her family and friends to explore the forgotten parts of her life. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast from broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac where she tackles her terrible memory problem by enlisting the help of her family and friends to explore the forgotten parts of her life. Recorded in the ‘rave shed’ at the end of her garden, expect deeply personal and hilarious discussions on life’s biggest themes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.