On today's show: Nicole has an anxious vagina and is feeling mumsy on a Saturday night out, whilst Lauren is trying to play matchmaker in A&E with her friend and a hot Italian doctor.  Because nothing says romance quite like fluorescent lighting and a triage wristband. In Midlife News we reveal that one in six women have considered leaving work because of menopause symptoms. Elsewhere, a listener asks whether any supplements actually help with peri symptoms after her GP informed her she’s “too young” - spoiler alert…she is not.
There’s also an update on foster dog Jeff - (and it’s not good news) and a New Zealand Quasser who reports that peri-menopause has gifted her spontaneous public farting with absolutely no warning whatsoever. Office, supermarket, gym - her arse is now essentially working freelance. If you enjoy the episode, please share it with a friend who also suspects peri-menopause is basically your body leaving a one-star review of itself.

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This week on 40ish: Nicole and Lauren find themselves nominated alongside fellow 40-something Romesh Ranganathan for a comedy award which, considering he’s an actual professional comedian and we mainly discuss pelvic floors, peri-menopause and Real Housewives, feels both surreal and deeply flattering. We were completely overwhelmed by your response to our conversation about friendship breakups and apparently being quietly phased out of a women’s friendship group in your 40s is basically the adult version of being picked last in PE, except now there are secret WhatsApp groups, girls’ trips to Thailand and emotionally devastating photos appearing on Instagram without you. Some of these listener stories are genuinely brutal.
Plus, one listener's dilemma absolutely breaks our hearts. After years of carrying the mental load for her family; the cooking, cleaning, shopping, birthday planning, emotional labour and working full-time her birthday arrives with barely any acknowledgement. 
We talk about the quiet loneliness of feeling invisible in midlife, the resentment that builds when everyone takes you for granted, and why so many women end up feeling completely emotionally exhausted. If you’re enjoying the show, please share it with a friend who needs a laugh, a cry, or simply reassurance that other women are also lying awake at 3am replaying a text from 2017.

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Today on 40ish: Nicole goes to the women’s physio and discovers that pelvic floor assessments are essentially the medical equivalent of rummaging around in a paper bag full of sweets. Dignity? Gone. Mystery? Also gone.
Meanwhile, Lauren is absolutely thriving thanks to two things: a garden centre discount and her new boyfriend, Jeff. He’s golden, handsome, emotionally available, and a dog - which, frankly, makes him the ultimate man.
We also hear from a listener who’s questioning whether ending her marriage was the right decision after watching her ex-husband thrive post divorce. Meanwhile she feels stuck,sad and overwhelmed. We talk honestly about loneliness, regret, comparison, and if “starting again” in midlife is less Eat Pray Love and more Admin Laundry Telly. 
Plus, one listener suffers a full-blown fashion identity crisis after attempting to reinvent herself but suffers an emotional return to Dorothy Perkins energy. There are meltdowns, laughs, uncomfortable truths, and the usual reminder that none of us know where to shop anymore, our pelvic floors are hanging on by a thread, and honestly? We’re all just trying our best.

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This week on 40ish:
Lauren has put her neck out by sleeping on the wrong pillow, which feels deeply unfair considering that in our twenties we could sleep on a laminate floor and wake up absolutely fine. Meanwhile, Nicole has discovered a brand new menopause symptom because apparently the gift that keeps on giving… keeps on giving.
In Midlife News, Damian Lewis has released a music video while Nicole Kidman has trained as a death doula because because apparently celebrities are now speedrunning midlife reinventions We also tackle a listener dilemma around self care: are people genuinely moisturising their entire bodies every single day? Are we all double cleansing, gua sha-ing and serum layering while some of us are still clinging proudly to a Pears soap and flannel routine? Plus, one truly unforgettable listener meltdown featuring a forgotten bag of toddler turd that unknowingly accompanied an entire afternoon of errands. Some images simply never leave you.Come for the laughs, stay for the solidarity, and leave feeling reassured that absolutely nobody has midlife fully figured out.

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This week on 40ish Lauren reaches peak midlife as she attends an wholesome Ottolenghi Cooking Club; yet somehow gets embroiled in a conversation about anal s*x within 3 minutes of arrival. Meanwhile Nicole realises that you know when you’re spending too much time with your gyne when he feels fully comfortable eating crisps off your plate. In midlife news it turns out almost half of middle-aged Brits are still traumatised by school PE - not surprising if you remember being asked to climb that rope in a pair of big navy pants. We hear from listeners navigating menopause in toxic workplaces, sharing the very real fear of education being weaponised, but also why the conversation still has to happen. Today’s dilemma asks: Is it actually possible to lose weight in your 40s? Despite doing “all the right things” (gym, PT, food), social media is screaming that unless you buy a miracle pill, it’s game over.

We get into the pressure, the myths, and the reality of midlife bodies.

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Today on 40ish Lauren wonders if Nicole is a totally new person post menopause. It  kicks off with what may genuinely be the world’s worst lunch and ends as she rolls out of a hospital bed and attends a sip & paint evening (weird as she neither sips nor paints). The 40ish feedback on menopause education has been overwhelming and you are coming in all guns blazing. From rallying cries about women’s health and the absolute state of menopause support in the UK, to rightful rage about medical misogyny. This is the group chat energy we are here for! Today’s dilemma is a brutal one: being quietly dumped by your friendship group in your 40s. We unpack the rise of midlife “mean girls,” the paranoia of “is it me?,” and whether you should go full detective for closure or just block, delete, and emotionally relocate. Plus, we discuss the “7 year shed” Is it true we replace half our friends every 7 years? Because honestly, that explains a LOT. We have also been trolled and Lauren has plenty to say about it. (Mainly, stay under the bridge where you belong) If you’ve ever questioned a friendship, a life choice, or a £34 lunch that tasted like regret, this episode is for you.

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Today on 40ish:
Lauren ambushes Nicole with a Spring Style Special - a surprise absolutely nobody asked for (least of all Nicole), but like all good midlife crises, we commit and carry on anyway. Together they tackle the truly vital issues: are denim jackets officially mumsy now? And why someone calling Lauren “brave” for butter yellow nails is somehow both a compliment and an insult.

They cover the reality of living in leggings, debating if New Look is no longer acceptable and wondering if co-ords are effortlessly chic or just giving pyjamas?  Also, Lauren has bought jelly shoes. Yes, really. No, we’re not okay. Expect tangents, mild outrage, and a cautionary tale from a listener of the “jelly bra” that promised lift, separation and miracles… and delivered absolutely none of the above.If you love it, share it with a friend who’s also standing in front of their wardrobe wondering what happened.

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This week on 40-ish:
Nicole is in BAD MOOD and Lauren is not helping by regaling her with her wholesome tale of foraging and pesto making. Of course, it wouldn’t be the podcast without a dilemma that makes you squirm. This week: what do you do when your judgy Mcjudge pants BFF best friend gets lip filler… and it’s not great? Should you say something, or take it to the grave? Elsewhere, expect the usual glorious tangents including the depressing moment when you realise you’re using No7 but your own child has upgraded to NARS, and a trip to the optician that took longer than a commercial flight to Europe.
Finally, a listener meltdown that “trumps” all others. A sunny dog walk, a moment of overconfidence… and the horrifying realisation that you’ve been audibly farting in surround sound with an audience directly behind you the entire time.
If you love the episode, share it with a friend who also enjoys a mix of chaos, candour, and questionable decision-making.

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This week on 40ish, Lauren is feeling self conscious about rocking up to the pool with her HRT patch fully on display and Nicole has zero empathy. She’s too busy wondering what happens post-menopause. Who are you when you arrive? Do you get a badge? A certificate? A lie down? Anyone? Meanwhile; A listener has spent good money on a thoughtful, meaningful 40th birthday gift for her sister only to discover she has quietly flogged it. Rude? Practical or deeply offensive?
This week’s meltdown is a masterclass in idiocy. Imagine smugly organising a full online food shop for your holiday only to discover you sent it to the wrong house. Somewhere in the UK, a very confused family is enjoying a fully stocked fridge, while you’re stranded with nine hangry people. Honestly, we need a moment for this. If you’re loving 40ish, share it with a friend. 

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This week on 40ish, we’re discussing one of the most delusional acts of midlife optimism: packing holiday clothes for a version of yourself that absolutely does not exist. Does adulting mean that we have finally worked out that we just need the same two outfits on rotation and flat shoes? We’re also deep in a very important debate: what are we actually calling you lot? Fabbers (40 and fabulous, obviously) or Middlers Strong opinions welcome. Also, shoutout to the listener who is spreading the peace sign in traffic. In other feedback; One listener slid in with some strong opinions on our menopause chat. We’re not here to whisper politely. We’re loud, honest, occasionally unhinged, and very much ourselves. It won’t be for everyone and we’re oddly fine with that. Meanwhile, a mum is worried about her daughter’s weight gain. Do you say something or keep quiet and avoid knocking her confidence? It’s a tricky one.

If you’re loving 40ish, share it with a friend ( ideally one who’s also packed five outfits but worn the same jumper for three days straight)

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