Afternoons with Helen Farmer

Why do we still fall for toxic leaders, and what does that say about how we see the world? A new study reveals how our worldview might shape the leaders we choose, and how happy we are at work. The lead author of the research Christine Nguyen joins us live from Columbia Business School, with leadership consultant Paul Littlejohn in studio.

Then: “Summer shading” has been dubbed the worst dating trend of 2025. But could pressing pause on love during the heat of the season actually teach us something deeper about relationships? Relationship expert Nicola Beer weighs in.

And finally, would you take a job that exposes you to the internet’s darkest content, daily? We go behind the scenes with a person who protects your feed. Hear the story of a content moderator from one of the world's biggest social media platforms, plus expert insight from Dr. Kirin Hillier and Prof. Talal Abdul Ghani Shaikh.

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In today’s episode of Afternoons, Jen Crichton unravels why so many of us delay sleep—staying up late to reclaim “me time.” Is it a nightly rebellion or a sneaky sabotage of our well‑being? 

We then dive into the Y2K trend and nostalgia resurgence, exploring how brands and media use memory as a marketing weapon and a bridge to our emotions. 

Finally, we examine the rise of therapy‑speak in everyday talk. Words like “gaslighting” and “boundaries” have crossed into casual conversation, but are we using them wisely, or diluting their meaning?

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Join Jennifer Crichton as she explores what it truly means to feel good about yourself—starting with the pressures teens face today, from beauty standards to social media. We’ll hear from body image coach Victoria Henry and makeup educator Nitasha Saxena, who share empowering strategies for building self-esteem.

Next, we shift to travel—cooler destinations are booming among UAE families. Now, with the new Unified School Calendar—how might this shift your travel plans? Emily Jenkins from DW Travel breaks down what it means for your next getaway.

We also delve into groundbreaking advances in personalized cancer care. Join Dr. Anwar Baban as we uncover how genetic testing is reshaping treatments to be more effective and kinder in the UAE.

And finally, in a market full of property agents - how do you choose the right one? Harrison Rackham Beadle of Haus & Haus has the answer.

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Sustainability and locality has amplified hugely here in Dubai in recent years but despite that, true farm to table dining remains very rare here in the UAE. We speak to one restaurant that does chef-farmer collaborations and seasonally-curated menus.

We also look at 21Grams team’s newest opening in Alserkal focusing on pies.

Food writer extraordinaire Courtney Brandt fills us with the weird and wonderful headlines from the world of food.

William Mullally gives us updates on the biggest events to look forward to in the UAE and of course, about his recent interview with the one and only Lindsay Lohan.

And we meet the drums teacher taking Dubai's kids viral.

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A recent study by the British Heart Foundation found nine out of 10 British adults had abandoned at least one hobby they pursued as children. 40 per cent from the figure say the last time they engaged in a childhood hobby was over 10 years ago. So, why do so many of us step away from creative pursuits in adult life and what's stopping us getting back to them? Jennifer shares her own story as she's joined by three people who would very much love to change the picture- Craig Arnolds, dancer and coach at Studio Republik, Tiffany Schultz, Co-founder of The Courtyard Playhouse and Eli Sibua, vocal coach & UAE National Director of the World Championships of Performing Arts.

A new research by Yahoo Finance has shone fresh light on the gender gap when it comes to finance. Now of course, we know that there is still a gender pay gap - women earn roughly 85 per cent of what men do in developed nations. But what's surprising about this research is that it’s less to do with money than about confidence, support, and openness to risk. We unpack it with Beth Clay from Financed Well. 

And do we have too much health data now? Dr Shefali Verma, Integrative Medicine Doctor at The Flow Space, tells us if it's doing more harm than good.

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Mankeeping is the new term for a common trend in which women feel they need to actively manage their male partners' emotional and social lives for them. So, is it a sign of shifting gender dynamics or emotional labour gone too far? We ask a man- and international dating and relationship coach Hunt Ethridge.

Experts in the UAE are warning that emotional venting online can lead to serious legal consequences especially under strict defamation and privacy laws. So, what's permitted and when does badmouthing an ex become a legal issue? We speak with lawyers Devanand Mahadeva and Byron James.

Access to menopause education, care and medication is increasingly affecting everybody. Misinformation about what perimenopause and menopause care is not just costing women their health, it's also costing our businesses and our economy. So, why is the right care and medication so hard to come by? We're joined by Sophie Smith, Founder and CEO of Nabta Health and Dr Jasmine Malek, Consultant Family Medicine at HealthBay.

And how does education change when the whole world is your classroom? Amanda Ashworth, Founder of Worldschooling Hub Goa shares her story.

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Whether it's biology, or the traditional, capitalist norm of the mum as a carer and dad as a breadwinner, it's easy to think of fathers as the secondary parent. However, it is scientifically provable that more involved dads create huge value for our kids, and for society as a whole. Jennifer gets more information from Dr Anna Machin, a doctor of evolutionary anthropology, author of the book The Life of Dad: The Making of the Modern Father, and a world-renowned pioneer in the field of fatherhood science.

This week a new experimental male contraceptive pill has passed its first human safety trials. So, after decades of hope for an alternative to the traditional female contraceptive pill, are we actually, finally, getting somewhere? Dr Luciano Nardo, a Consultant in Reproductive Medicine & Infertility and Dr Samina Dornan, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist give their take.

And as more young people turn to TikTok for news, around 39 per cent of under thirties, according to the latest research, it also found that many of them don't know how to separate fact from fiction online. So, how concerned should we be about the potential for misinformation to be spread as fact? And what does this tell us about the need to train our kids - and ourselves - about how to navigate a new media landscape? Sociologist and senior lecturer in journalism Dr Ruta Vaidya joins Jennifer live in the studio.

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If you've been driving between Abu Dhabi and Dubai at all this summer, you'll likely have noticed the billboards promoting Abu Dhabi's Safe Summer campaign. The capital has put a huge focus on keeping kids secure on the roads including the importance of seatbelt and car seat use. But what are the penalties for motorists who ignore those rules?

There is also another joint initiative in the capital promoting a culture of positive and immediate response when it comes to giving way for emergency vehicles. How can motorists develop empathy and responsible decision-making on the roads? Dr Mustafa Aldah from MA-TC Traffic Consulting has all the updates

Experts are sounding the alarm over a troubling trend - a rise in vaping among teenagers, and for the first time in a decade, an accompanying rise in youth smoking. What are the long-term health risks associated with nicotine use starting in adolescence? Does it make a difference if teens use vapes or cigarettes? We ask Consultant Pulmonologist Dr Rachel Kaminski

And a new type of skin cancer screening has been created in France, with the help of AI. So, could it change the game? Dr. Akreti Sobti, dermatologist and co-founder of Athena Dermatology gives her take.

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That's only one of lots of food news we have for you today on Afternoons as Jennifer speaks with writer and editor Devina Divecha

How reliable are vitamin patches? It's the latest wellness trend to dominate social media feeds that claim to deliver nutrients straight through the skin and bypass the need for pills or gummies. But do they actually work? We find out from Dr Fiji Antony, Chief Clinical Dietician at NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Nahda, Dubai

How can restaurants make or break your hotel experience? We hear from Chef Prabhash of Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah

William Mullally is back for more entertainment updates

For the first time ever, the UAE is sending a national team of organ transplant recipients to compete in the World Transplant Games in Germany this month. We have kidney transplant recipients/ athletes Fatima and Omar in the studio

And there's a new route on the running map for marathoners... you will be surprised.

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A recent study found nearly a quarter of UAE residents are expected to spend more than AED 10,000 per person on travel this summer. And that's a choice, of course, but with ticket prices on popular routes up to 300 per cent higher this year, many families are finding an annual holiday is now something that requires some serious financial planning. So, do you need a holiday? Are there ways to cut costs? Financial independence coach Steve Cronin has the advices you need

England became the champions of Europe once again in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 final, defeating world champions Spain on Sunday. We often assume tournaments are won by the most-skilled, but it seems, here and in many other sporting events, the answer might be breathwork. We speak with life coach and breathwork teacher Sam Adams who has worked on resilience and stress management with a host of local, national and top flight football clubs in the UK.

We also turn our attention on the new permit for social media influencers-- what will it mean for your feed? House of Social's Alex Maia talks us through the current rules and how big a change this is.

And a new research by Sapien Labs found that children spending more than seven hours a day on screens show higher rates of anxiety, depression and disrupted sleep. To break down what this means for our kids and for us, Jen is joined by Dr Alison Burrows, Professor of Education and Childhood Studies at Middlesex University Dubai.

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