Bedside Manners

From the Strictly ballroom to a breast cancer diagnosis, Dr Punam Krishan’s life changed dramatically in the space of a year. In this deeply personal episode of Bedside Manners, the GP, broadcaster and author joins her friend and colleague Dr Oscar Duke to share what happened when she became the patient—and why being a doctor didn’t make the news any easier to hear.

Punam opens up about the discomfort that led her to seek help, the shock of her diagnosis and the difficult task of telling her children. She explains why she kept her cancer private during treatment, the extraordinary support of her breast cancer nurse, and why recovery means more than finishing treatment—it also means learning to feel safe in your body again.

Plus, breast oncologist Professor Peter Schmidt joins Oscar to explain how treatments are tailored to each patient and discuss managing menopausal symptoms when HRT isn’t an option.

Dr Oscar Duke is joined by Hilary and Michael Whitehall for a candid, funny and surprisingly revealing conversation about getting older.

From the realities of changing bodies and shifting priorities to staying curious, connected and healthy as the years go by, the Whitehalls bring their trademark warmth, honesty and sharp humour to the subject of ageing. Together, they explore what it really means to grow older well — and why a good sense of humour may be one of the best medicines going.

In this episode of Bedside Manners, Dr Oscar Duke is joined by rugby star Keegan Hirst to talk openly about heart failure — from recognising the warning signs and understanding the diagnosis to managing life after treatment.

Keegan shares his personal experience of living with heart failure, the impact it has had on his health and everyday life, and what he wishes he had known sooner. Dr Oscar explains what heart failure really means, how it can affect people of all ages, and why early support and medical advice matter.

Dr Oscar Duke is back for a second season of Bedside Manners.

This week, Gabby Allen, the Love Island star, fitness professional and SAS: Who Dares Wins contestant, joins Dr Oscar to discuss being diagnosed with severe scoliosis at 11 and undergoing major spinal surgery. She shares the impact on her dancing, confidence and fitness career.

Dr. Oscar Duke welcomes Leanne Quigley—former British Army officer, logistics expert, and triumphant winner of The Traitors season three—to share her extraordinary journey through IVF, premature birth, and neonatal intensive care. Leanne reveals how the most intense battle of her life unfolded not on a gameshow set or the parade ground, but on the front lines of fertility treatment and parenting premature twins.

Leanne opens up about her lifelong dream of starting a family, the challenges of same-sex conception, and the rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak that IVF brought for her and her partner, Sophie.

TV and radio presenter Jenny Powell joins Dr Oscar Duke for an open, honest conversation about perimenopause, chronic pain, and major surgery – and what it takes to keep going when your body starts changing faster than you can keep up.

Jenny reflects on the invisible symptoms of perimenopause, from brain fog to emotional overwhelm, and how years of discomfort led to a diagnosis of adenomyosis – a condition many women live with in silence.

She shares the story behind her decision to have a robotic hysterectomy to remove her womb and ovaries, how it impacted her physically and emotionally, and why better awareness around women’s health is so urgently needed.

Oscar is also joined by Dr Mahshid Nickkho-Amiry, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist from HCA Healthcare UK, who explains the stages of perimenopause, and how personalised care and surgical advances can improve quality of life.

This episode is sponsored by HCA Healthcare UK.

When BBC broadcaster Mark Mardell and High Court judge Sir Nicholas Mostyn were diagnosed with Parkinson’s, they didn’t just face a life-altering medical condition — they helped start a movement. In this episode of Bedside Manners, they sit down with Dr Oscar Duke to talk about the early signs they missed, the impact on their careers and identities, and how a pub support group evolved into their podcast community Movers and Shakers.

From misdiagnoses and difficult consultations to dark humour and unexpected optimism, Mark and Nick speak candidly about the daily realities of Parkinson’s — and the importance of seizing life while you can.

Oscar also meets with Professor Mark Edwards from HCA Healthcare – a neurologist at King’s College London – who answers their biggest questions about treatment, dopamine, and the future of Parkinson’s care.

This episode is sponsored by HCA Healthcare UK.

TV presenter and nature lover Julia Bradbury joins Dr Oscar Duke to share her breast cancer story. She opens up about discovering a lump while filming in Costa Rica, the delays and doubts of early diagnosis, and the moment she heard the words: “It’s cancer.” She shares the emotional impact of telling her children, navigating life post-mastectomy, and how her daughter helped name her reconstructed breast “Motzy.”

From biopsies to body image, from walking through forests to walking through fear, Julia speaks with honesty and hope about surviving and thriving.

Oscar is also joined by consultant breast and oncoplastic surgeon Joanna Franks from HCA Healthcare UK, who breaks down breast screening, dense breasts, genetic testing, and what every woman (and man) should know about risk and early detection.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠HCA Healthcare UK⁠.

Paralympian and broadcaster Ade Adepitan joins Oscar for this week's episode. From his early life in Nigeria and contracting polio just one dose before full vaccination, to becoming a sporting hero and TV personality, Ade shares a powerful story of resilience, family sacrifice, and self-discovery. We hear about the challenges of parenting with a disability, confronting stigma, and why he had to hide his own wheelchair from his parents. Plus, Ade opens up about how crawling up a volcano changed his sense of control – and how to protect your body when you rely on it every day.

Oscar is also is joined by Dr Robin Chatterjee from HCA Healthcare UK (a leading consultant in musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine) who offers expert advice on shoulder injuries, long-term joint health, and the impact of Omega-3s – whether you’re a Paralympian or just dealing with everyday aches.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠HCA Healthcare UK⁠.

As Rosie Kelly Smith prepares to welcome her first child, she and her mum, TV legend Lorraine Kelly, sit down with Dr Oscar Duke for a candid conversation about motherhood.

Recorded last year, the conversation captures a personal and honest exchange in the weeks directly before the birth. Lorraine looks back on her own pregnancy and early parenting years while managing a growing television career, and reflects on how those experiences shaped her. Rosie talks candidly about her plans for a caesarean birth, her feelings in the lead-up to becoming a mum, and the practical and emotional preparations involved.

Dr. Oscar is also joined by Jess McMicking, a consultant obstetrician from HCA Healthcare UK, who answers Rosie’s key questions about pregnancy symptoms, labour options, and postnatal health.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠HCA Healthcare UK⁠⁠.