Happy Mum

This week Giovanna sits down with the incredibly talented Annabel Scholey!

You’ll know Annabel from Rivals and, of course (the Happy Mum team’s personal favourite) The Split. But behind the scenes, Annabel was navigating the end of her own marriage, alongside balancing her acting career and raising her daughter.

Annabel opens up to Gi about the moment she knew her marriage was over, and talks about the grief that came with accepting she doesn’t have the ‘traditional’ family unit she once planned.

You can catch Annabel in Winter on ITV now, and Rivals Part 2 arrives on 11 November.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you’ve spent so long holding everything together that you simply can’t anymore?

This week, Giovanna sits down with former Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! Magazine Rosie Nixon to talk about the breakdown that became the catalyst for transforming her life.

Rosie opens up about motherhood, the pressure to keep going and the guilt that can come with admitting you’re struggling.

Rosie’s book, The PRO Method: Pause, Reflect & Organise, is available now!

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Trigger warning: this episode includes discussions around bereavement and cancer. If you feel this may be a difficult listen, please choose another episode x

Giovanna is joined this week by her good friend and CoppaFeel! co-founder Maren Sheldon.

Maren opens up about navigating first-time motherhood alongside her twin sister Kris's incurable breast cancer diagnosis. and shares the honest, sometimes heartbreaking, and often unexpectedly funny realities of parenting through grief.

The new edition of Kris Hallenga's memoir Glittering a Turd, featuring new material from Maren and a foreword by Dawn French, is out 24th September. 

Head to CoppaFeel! for more helpful information and resources xx

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This week, the hilarious Maddy Lucy Dann joins us for a chat about becoming a mum for the first time.

Maddy tells Gi what it’s really like balancing life as an A&E doctor with pregnancy, including navigating night shifts while expecting, and how becoming a mum has changed the way she sees her work.

She also opens up about sharing her aspects of her life online, including the criticism she faced over a breastfeeding video, and the reaction to her viral discussion of Bonnie Blue.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Happy Mum, we are joined by strong, inspiring and incredible mother of two Sophie Derry.

When Sophie's daughter Odette started vomiting on car journeys and having headaches, doctors initially put it down to travel sickness. An eye test changed everything, revealing a brain tumour that would lead to emergency surgery and fifteen further operations over seven months. Before the family could catch their breath, Sophie's younger daughter Eliza was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Sophie opens up to Gi about what it's like to face childhood cancer not once but twice -- the fear, the exhaustion, and the moments of hope.

If you’d like to show your support for some of the charities that have been there for Sophie, you can find links to them below:

PASIC 

https://www.pasic.org.uk

When You Wish Upon a Star 

https://www.whenyouwishuponastar.org.uk

Young Lives v Cancer 

https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk

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This week, our favourite reality star turned singing and cooking sensation Megan McKenna joins Giovanna in the Happy Mum studio!

Megan tells Gi all about becoming a mum to Landon, including her experience with IVF and what it’s like living between two countries as a new mum.

She also reflects on the bullying she experienced at school, and how it shaped her confidence and the way she wants to parent.

Plus, stay tuned for a surprise at the end of the episode! 👀

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Made in Chelsea's Sam and Alice Vanderpump join Giovanna to talk about the reality of becoming parents.

Alice bravely opens up about what life feels like for her right now as she navigates postnatal depression. She talks honestly about anxiety, feeling isolated and how she hasn't felt like herself since becoming a mum.

Sam shares what it has been like supporting Alice through her mental health struggles, while also reflecting on his own health journey and how becoming a dad has given him a new perspective on what his own parents went through.

Find out more about Sam's end-stage liver disease diagnosis -- Made in Chelsea: Sam Vanderpump’s Story is available to stream on Channel 4 now

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The summer holidays are in full swing... and if your usual routines have gone completely out the window, you're definitely not alone!

Whether you're juggling work and childcare, surviving later bedtimes, entertaining little ones, or simply trying to keep everyone fed, this special episode is here to remind you that you're doing a better job than you think.

00:54 – Keira Knightley gets refreshingly honest about sleep deprivation, survival mode and the reality of those early months

09:47 – Lucy Watson on letting go of expectations, trusting your instincts and why comparison is never helpful

19:03 – Carrie Hope Fletcher & Joel Montague discuss juggling careers and family life, and why you don't have to follow anyone else's path

25:18 – Lacey Turner shares why she's become more relaxed with each child, and why sometimes you just have to throw the parenting books out the window

35:37 – Emma Willis on why accepting help doesn't make you a bad parent...it makes you human!

☀️☀️☀️

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We might only be halfway through the summer holidays, but for many families the countdown to a new school year has already begun. And September can bring a whole mix of emotions for children and parents alike.

So, as part of Matalan’s Back to School Special, Giovanna sits down with NSPCC expert Gail Sayles to talk about something that can make all the difference when those school gates open again: confidence.

Drawing on years of supporting children through everything from school anxiety and bullying, to exams and friendship worries, Gail shares thoughtful, practical advice on how we can help our children navigate big feelings, build self-belief and feel empowered as they head back to school.

And the confidence doesn’t stop here! The Matalan Confidence Caravan is hitting the road this August, giving you the opportunity to add a personalised message to your little one’s pre-purchased Matalan uniform. The Confidence Caravan will be visiting four stores: Bilston, Preston, Luton and Swindon - check @shopmatalan or in-store for dates.

For more support, please visit the links below:

Childline counsellors are available to take calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from children and young people under 19

NSPCC Helpline is available between 10am and 4pm, Monday - Friday if you have concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing

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Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of miscarriage and pregnancy loss. If you think you may find this difficult to listen to, please choose another episode x

You might know her from Pop Idol, starring in the West End as Tina Turner, or her recent stint joining Take That on tour, but this week Zoe Birkett is reflecting on her role as a mum.

Zoe shares with Gi how she never imagined motherhood for herself, how meeting her husband changed everything, and why returning to a career she loves has made her a better mum.

She also opens up about her experience of pregnancy loss while performing as a leading lady in the West End, opening up about navigating grief behind the scenes, and the support that helped her through.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.