Happy Place

By Fearne Cotton

Personal Journals Society & Culture

What's Happy Place about?

Fearne Cotton talks to incredible people about life, love, loss, and everything in-between as she reveals what happiness means to them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Racism,...

11.27.2023

Stripped of her character and confidence, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock felt she was fading away in the band. In this chat with Fearne, Leigh-Anne details the moment it clicked how big a part racism was playing, and why she now ...

Happy Place episodes:

11.27.2023 Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Racism, perfectionism, and hallucinations Stripped of her character and confidence, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock felt she was fading away in the band. In this chat with Fearne, Leigh-Anne details the moment it clicked how big a part racism was playing, and why she now ...
11.20.2023 LeAnn Rimes: Childhood fame, saying no, and crying Do you know how to set boundaries without feeling like a mean-spirited person? Singer songwriter LeAnn Rimes has learnt to give herself permission to politely say no. In this chat, Fearne and LeAnn share their experiences of learning to find ...
11.13.2023 Jada Pinkett Smith: Adversity, validation, and unchecking boxes What other people think about you is their own business. Actress, musician, and talk show host Jada Pinkett Smith looks internally for her self-worth. In this chat with Fearne, Jada explains why it’s so important to take responsibility for how ...
11.06.2023 Sarina Wiegman: Leadership, failing, and puffer jackets Sport should unite people; that’s what England women’s football coach Sarina Wiegman believes, and it’s something she achieved when the Lionesses won the Euros in 2022. In this chat with Fearne, Sarina explains that succeeding at a high level is ...
10.30.2023 Major Tim Peake: Perspective, risk, and 3D printed organs In moments of worry, it can be useful to zoom out and see the bigger picture. As an astronaut, Major Tim Peake is one of the few people who’s been able to physically gain this kind of perspective, looking back ...
10.23.2023 Sir Lenny Henry: Truth telling, support networks, and bad handwriting Have you spoken to your parents and grandparents about their own life experiences? For Sir Lenny Henry, it’s been important to document his family’s stories. In this chat with Fearne, Lenny talks about his community’s culture of overcoming big life ...
10.16.2023 Take That: Families, imposter syndrome, and Pinterest The band is 34 years old, but Take That feel they’re just getting started. In this chat with Fearne, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald, reveal if they can see themselves on stage well into their 70s and 80s... ...
10.09.2023 Ellie Goldstein: Confidence, being underestimated, and Gucci hairbands Can you look at yourself and say ‘I am happy’? Supermodel Ellie Goldstein, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, says she can. In this chat with Fearne, Ellie and her mum Yvonne talk about the obstacles she’s overcome to grace ...
10.02.2023 Rick Astley: Generational trauma, gut instincts, and village halls There’s beauty in letting go and not having your life mapped out for you. That’s something musician Rick Astley has learnt in the years after calling it quits on his successful music career when he was just 27. In this ...
09.25.2023 Vicky Pattison Parenting your parent isn’t something any child thinks they’ll need to do, but TV personality, podcaster, and author Vicky Pattison found herself looking after her alcoholic dad. This in turn made her reassess her own relationship with alcohol. In this ...
09.18.2023 Vex King Do you notice yourself reacting to situations, rather than taking the time to respond with a clear mind? Visionary writer Vex King explains why consciously responding rather than quickly reacting can have a positive effect on your mental health. In ...
09.11.2023 Nick Grimshaw What happens after you’ve ticked achieving your big dream off the to do list? Broadcaster Nick Grimshaw had always wanted to present the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, which he did, extremely successfully. Then in 2021, he left the station, and ...
09.04.2023 Billy Porter Fabulousness and seriousness can co-exist. In fact performer Billy Porter is clear that it’s important that they do co-exist. In this chat with Fearne, Billy explains why he feels artists have an obligation to speak truth to power if they ...
08.28.2023 Ruby Wax Have you noticed yourself repeating negative patterns of behaviour throughout your life? Comedian and best-selling author Ruby Wax has become aware she was doing this in order to feel safe after a tumultuous childhood. In this chat with Fearne, Ruby ...
08.21.2023 Tom and Giovanna Fletcher How many times have you looked at a couple and labelled them ‘goals’? Couple goals is a phrase Tom and Giovanna Fletcher are keen to steer clear of, because they acknowledge all relationships go through their highs and lows, and ...
08.14.2023 Tan France If outward accomplishment is coupled with great internal distress, is that really success? It’s a question Tan France had to ask himself when his business was doing brilliantly, but his mental health wasn’t. In this chat, Fearne and Tan swap ...
08.07.2023 Tom Grennan More exercise, more therapy, and less alcohol: these are some of the things artist Tom Grennan knows he needs in order to stay mentally well. In this chat with Fearne, live from the Happy Place Festival in Chiswick, Tom explains ...
07.31.2023 Professor David Nutt Psychedelics have been stigmatised and criminalised for over 50 years, but David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology and a leading worldwide authority on drugs, feels we’re on the cusp of a major revolution in psychiatric medicine and neuroscience that could ...
07.24.2023 Bronnie Ware Engaging with death can help us live more in the present. That’s one of the many lessons Bronnie Ware, who worked in palliative care, has discovered over the years. In this chat, Fearne and Bronnie explore the idea of using ...
07.17.2023 Jason Derulo Is success down to luck, or obsessive hard work? For chart-topping artist Jason Derulo routine and discipline are at the heart of his success. In this chat with Fearne, Jason explains why he feels it’s his obsession with his craft ...
07.10.2023 Dua Lipa Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Artist Dua Lipa is definitely the latter, choosing to unwind by surrounding herself with old friends, going to galleries, and exploring new restaurants. In this chat Fearne and Dua talk about the role ...
07.03.2023 Jono Lancaster Born with a facial difference that meant he felt he didn’t fit in, Jono Lancaster has spent a lifetime practicing self-acceptance. Having been abandoned at birth, his adoptive mum provided immense support and care, but the confidence he felt at ...
06.26.2023 Your stories It starts with you. Those are the words life coach Sam Adams lives by. She also likes to wonder how our lives would be different if we believed the universe was conspiring for us, not against us, as our paranoid ...
06.19.2023 Kirsty Gallagher There’s a difference between routine, and real ritual. Kirsty Gallagher is a moon mentor, a soul alignment coach, and a yoga and meditation teacher; she says ritual is so important because it’s about being present. In this chat with Fearne, ...
06.12.2023 Beverley Knight Getting older is something to be celebrated. Queen of British Soul, West End star, and Olivier winner Beverley Knight is celebrating turning 50 by releasing new music, and is clear that life has only continued to get better as she’s ...
06.05.2023 Fats Timbo Do you have main character energy? Comedian, model, and social media megastar Fats Timbo reckons we should all have the confidence to play the main role in our own lives, but that being confident is a skill that needs to ...
05.29.2023 Florence Bark Masturbation should be as big a part of your self care routine as your meditation, breathwork, or morning walk. Content creator and sex & relationships expert Florence Bark feels masturbation is central to our self-esteem and wellbeing. In this chat ...
05.22.2023 Kesha Is it art if no one sees or hears it? In this chat, musician Kesha joins Fearne to talk about our sometimes obsessive relationship with feedback, and why your own opinion of your work is the only one that should ...
05.15.2023 Bob Waldinger Are you aware of the importance of relationships and human connection to your happiness? Psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and Zen priest Robert ‘Bob’ Waldinger leads the world’s longest scientific study of happiness, and has found relationships to be crucial. In this chat, ...
05.08.2023 Ronnie O'Sullivan Giving yourself permission to enjoy something is a discipline that requires practice. This is just one of the many lessons snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan has learnt as he’s changed his approach to the game over the years. In this chat ...
05.03.2023 Steve Barnabis In this special episode in partnership with The National Lottery, Fearne speaks to East Londoner Steve Barnabis who's dedicated his life to saving children from knife crime. He’s spent his entire career working to improve the lives of young people, ...
05.01.2023 Kate Ferdinand Kate Ferdinand found herself with three step children when she fell in love and moved in with now-husband Rio six years ago. Since then, she’s become a supportive voice for others with blended families. In this chat, Fearne and Kate ...
04.24.2023 Joey Hulin Self-compassion is vital in manifesting. Meditation teacher and mentor Joey Hulin knows we have to believe that we deserve good things in order to lean into going after them. In this chat with Fearne, Joey explains that manifesting means intentionally ...
04.17.2023 Charlotte Church Are you conscious of the importance of connecting with nature? Does it help you better connect with yourself? That’s certainly the case for Charlotte Church. After years in the spotlight as a singer, Charlotte has now created The Dreaming – ...
04.10.2023 Melissa Urban Setting boundaries might feel uncomfortable and sound callous, but best-selling author Melissa Urban believes setting boundaries is one of the kindest things you can do in any relationship. In this chat with Fearne, Melissa explains how to start small when ...
04.03.2023 How To Fail x Happy Place In this special episode, Fearne chats to fellow podcaster and great friend Elizabeth Day about the episodes of both Happy Place and How To Fail that have changed their lives. Talking to Roman Kemp about mental health has made Fearne ...
03.27.2023 Sir Bradley Wiggins Are you conscious of fear and shame driving your behaviour? Cyclist Bradley Wiggins feels those emotions have dictated a lot of his decision making across his life. In this chat with Fearne, Bradley explains that putting all his energy into ...
03.20.2023 Spencer Matthews Spencer Matthews was 10 years old when his older brother Michael became the youngest Brit to reach the summit of Everest in 1999. On his descent, he encountered a number of unfortunate circumstances and was never seen again. Over two ...
03.13.2023 All On The Board PTSD, social anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks, and imposter syndrome are just some of the things Ian Redpath and Jeremy Chopra have experienced between them. Known collectively as All On The Board, Ian and Jeremy are the TFL customer service assistants ...
03.06.2023 Katherine May How often do you cultivate quiet moments that are just for you? Best-selling author Katherine May believes being alone doesn’t necessarily mean feeling lonely. In this chat, Fearne and Katherine talk about how nature retreats and blooms across the seasons, ...
02.27.2023 Taylor Jenkins Reid For author Taylor Jenkins Reid, fame is a brilliant lens through which to examine societal expectations of women. The female celebrities in her glamourous novels all navigate the restrictions put on their behaviour in very different ways, in turn mirroring ...
02.20.2023 Gabor Maté Women are often made to look after the emotional needs of their families, while simultaneously denying their own. Gabor Maté – who has decades of experience as a doctor working with mental illness, trauma, and addiction – says that’s having ...
02.13.2023 Jay Shetty We need to be intentional about finding, and keeping, love in our lives. #1 Sunday Times bestselling author, award-winning podcast host of On Purpose and Chief Purpose Officer of Calm Jay Shetty thinks the purpose of life is to understand ...
02.06.2023 Shania Twain Music can change your state of mind. Shania Twain, the best selling female artist in country music history, has been using songwriting as therapy as she works through a difficult period in her life. In this chat with Fearne, Shania ...
01.30.2023 Joanna Lumley and Stephen Barlow Does music have the power to emotionally transport you? It certainly does for actress Joanna Lumley and composer Stephen Barlow. Married for nearly 40 years, they share a huge passion for classical music in particular. In this chat with Fearne, ...
01.23.2023 Emily Atack How does sexual harassment – both online and in real life – affect a person’s sense of self worth? This is one of the many questions actor and comedian Emily Atack has been asking herself and others in her new ...
01.16.2023 Dr Julie It’s important to let the down days happen, to acknowledge them as part of the human experience rather than trying to fight them. Clinical psychologist and online educator Dr Julie believes the goal of therapy shouldn’t be to make ourselves ...
01.09.2023 Raynor Winn The human spirit is capable of enduring more than we might think. That’s something long distance walker and writer Raynor Winn discovered when she and her husband Moth became homeless the same week Moth was told he was terminally ill. ...
01.02.2023 Jambo Truong There’s great power in physical touch. Jambo Truong believes that self-touch is the greatest path to self-love, and holding others is where we’ll find real connection. In this chat with Fearne, Jambo explains the physical signs we can spot in ...
12.26.2022 Yung Pueblo Meditation is chaos – it’s ok if you can’t completely quiet your mind. In fact, meditator, poet, and New York Times best-selling author Yung Pueblo says that’s kind of the main point. In this chat with Fearne, he explains that ...

Older episodes

Happy Place

What's Happy Place about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Happy Place episodes:

Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Racism, perfectionism, and hallucinations

LeAnn Rimes: Childhood fame, saying no, and crying

Jada Pinkett Smith: Adversity, validation, and unchecking boxes

Sarina Wiegman: Leadership, failing, and puffer jackets

Major Tim Peake: Perspective, risk, and 3D printed organs

Sir Lenny Henry: Truth telling, support networks, and bad handwriting

Take That: Families, imposter syndrome, and Pinterest

Ellie Goldstein: Confidence, being underestimated, and Gucci hairbands

Rick Astley: Generational trauma, gut instincts, and village halls

Vicky Pattison

Vex King

Nick Grimshaw

Billy Porter

Ruby Wax

Tom and Giovanna Fletcher

Tan France

Tom Grennan

Professor David Nutt

Bronnie Ware

Jason Derulo

Dua Lipa

Jono Lancaster

Your stories

Kirsty Gallagher

Beverley Knight

Fats Timbo

Florence Bark

Kesha

Bob Waldinger

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Steve Barnabis

Kate Ferdinand

Joey Hulin

Charlotte Church

Melissa Urban

How To Fail x Happy Place

Sir Bradley Wiggins

Spencer Matthews

All On The Board

Katherine May

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Gabor Maté

Jay Shetty

Shania Twain

Joanna Lumley and Stephen Barlow

Emily Atack

Dr Julie

Raynor Winn

Jambo Truong

Yung Pueblo