Fortunately... with Fi and Jane

Fi and Jane chat to Jess Salomon and Eman El-Husseini, hosts of Comedians vs The News on the BBC World Service. The couple beam over from New York to offer their thoughts on making global audiences laugh, Jess' former career in The Hague and their non-lethal dog. Before Jess and Eman join, Jane reports back from a rare sojourn to a spa and Fi reveals her favourite bit of memorabilia.

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This week on Fortunately, Fi and Jane are joined by the broadcaster Helena Merriman. The creator of the hit Radio 4 podcast Tunnel 29 shares her new series Room 5, which looks into how different diagnoses changed people's lives. Alongside that Helena gets the Fortunately seal of approval for a new acoustically friendly blog and is given the name of her next project. Before Helena logs in, Jane's trip to Heathrow turns into an epic odyssey and Fi discovers her right honourable alter-ego.

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On this week's podcast, Fi and Jane chat to the new 5Live Breakfast host Rick Edwards. Fi quizzes Rick on his interesting career in presenting, from Tool Academy to science podcasts. He also updates them on his mission to read a book a week in 2022 and the charms of pétanque. Before Rick joins the meeting, there's online craze explanations, and the dinger makes a return.

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This week on Fortunately, Fi and Jane chat to the author and presenter Paris Lees. Paris tells them about her podcast The Flipside, which offers interesting insights on human nature through two stories that seem opposing, exploring topics such as extremism and forgiveness. She also discusses her book What It Feels Like for a Girl and how she is getting on with driving lessons. Before Paris logs in there is bouncebackability and Boney M. Radio 4’s The Flipside is available on BBC Sounds.

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Fi and Jane kick off a new series with the actor and broadcaster Liza Tarbuck. Liza shares the philosophy behind her wildly popular Radio 2 show, stories from growing up with her dad, Jimmy & mum Pauline, and her go-to TV dinner. Meanwhile, to the delight of her cat Dora, Jane has the decorators in and Fi outs her dog Nancy as a festive mischief maker.

In a special Christmas Day edition of the podcast, Fi Glover and Jane Garvey are joined by broadcasters and spouses Clare Balding and Alice Arnold. The four of them share a festive conversational meander, covering thoughts on their careers so far, a glimpse of Christmas in their household and reflections on the year gone by.

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In this edition of Fortunately, Fi and Jane mark the end of the year by going through some of the best listener emails. Correspondence covers parliamentary operations, military jogging, literary ancestors and much much more.

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Children's author Jacqueline Wilson joins this week's episode of the Fortunately podcast.

In a Fortunately first, the writer Jon Ronson joins Fi and Jane for his second appearance on the podcast. The author of So You've Been Publicly Shamed and host of The Last Days of August tells them about his new podcast Things Fell Apart, exploring tales form the culture wars. Before Jon zooms in, Jane has crane fantasies and there's a shout out to listeners currently having the snip.

Things Fell Apart is available on BBC Sounds, where you can also hear an audiobook version of So You've Been Publicly Shamed. Get in touch: [email protected]

This week on the Fortunately podcast, Fi and Jane chat comedian Josh Widdicombe. The star of the Last Leg and host of the Parenting Hell podcast tells Fi and Jane what he learnt from a childhood of TV watching, chronicled in his book 'Watching Neighbours Twice A Day'. He also lifts the veil on Who Do You Think You Are? and looks back on an infamous moment in Gary Lineker's playing career.

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