On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re checking in just days before Christmas — with Kaye broadcasting from a hotel bathroom in London (puffer jacket, luggage rack and all) and Karen at home, navigating the final stretch of chemotherapy, festive expectations, and the strange emotional weather that comes with both.

It’s a wide-ranging, very real conversation about not quite feeling “Christmassy,” the pressure to show up when your body and head aren’t there yet, and how humour carries you through when things feel heavy. There’s talk of hair loss in unexpected places, steroid-fuelled appetites, vegan Christmas puddings, jigsaws as an emotional support system, and the joy (and menace) of a mystery Secret Santa chocolate bar.

Whether you’re powering through December on fumes, quietly opting out of forced fun, or discovering that ageing is never just about getting older — it’s about adjusting expectations — this one will feel familiar.

Because no one tells you how odd the in-between bits can feel: not ill, not fine, not festive, not miserable — just human.

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On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Sunday Times bestselling author Lesley Kara, whose brand-new psychological thriller The Troublemaker is landing next year — and trust us, it’s going to keep a lot of women up past their bedtime.

We dig into the extraordinary story behind her so-called “late start”: the years of motherhood, endometriosis, surgical menopause, teaching stress, and sheer exhaustion that pushed her into clinical depression… and the single conversation that flipped her life from survival mode to creativity.

Lesley talks honestly about stepping into her sixties, the shock of sudden success, and what it feels like to finally do the thing she was born to do.

Whether you’re wondering if you’ve missed your moment, quietly nurturing a dream of your own, or just need a reminder that reinvention is real — this one will land.

Because no one tells you how powerful it can be to back yourself at 55.

Whether you’re rediscovering old ambitions, supporting ageing parents, or trying to work out who you are after everyone else has been looked after — you’ll feel seen here.

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we tumble through the very specific flavour of December mayhem — Karen accidentally sleeping through chemo while the nurses wait to go home, the slow disappearance of her right eyebrow, and a restaurant saga that ends with a truly dreadful pizza and a packet of chocolate éclairs to recover from it.

Whether you’re still counting out sleeping tablets like an advent calendar or noticing that every jumper you own now looks suspiciously like your mother’s, there’s something familiar here for anyone navigating midlife with a raised eyebrow (or… half of one).It’s never just about the cold cap or the cancelled booking — it’s the absurdity, the warmth, and the little shocks of recognition when life over 45 throws up another “oh, so this is who I am now” moment.

We also hear from listeners — including Jill, whose “Year of Being Brave” feels like exactly the kind of spark so many women are craving as 2026 approaches. Plus: tiny trip-hazard dogs, quiet-table negotiations, and why Kaye absolutely should not come to Karen’s final chemo session

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Fitness expert Jacqueline Hooton joins Kaye and Karen for a grounded, funny and honest conversation about ageing well. She talks about staying strong through shoulder surgeries and osteoarthritis, tackling internalised ageism, navigating post-menopause health, and why balance, bone strength and everyday mobility matter more than any “anti-ageing” promise.

It’s a warm, motivating reminder that you’re never past the point of starting — and you don’t need to shrink your life to fit anyone’s expectations.

Jacqueline’s book Strong is out now.

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected].

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re talking Christmas chaos, stubborn husbands, and the kind of A&E visit that derails even the best-laid festive plans. Kaye finds herself doing the night shift in a waiting room full of germs, Karen is wrapping up head-torches and shoehorns like they’re luxury gifts, and both of them are wondering when life got quite this ridiculous.

Whether you’re panic-buying presents, fighting off winter bugs, or just trying to get one night of proper sleep, this one will feel comfortingly familiar. It’s never just about the holidays, of course. It’s about ageing with humour, muddling through the medical dramas, and realising no one tells you how often you’ll end up discussing footwear aids in your sixties.

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected].

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On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Scott Hastings, the rugby legend who has lived through the unimaginable and still finds a way to smile. After losing his wife and teenage sweetheart, Jenny, to suicide after 45 years together, Scott shares the reality of grief, resilience, and what it means to choose joy without ignoring pain.

Whether you’re navigating your own storms or supporting someone through theirs, this conversation meets you with honesty, tenderness, and hope. We talk about living with someone you love through mental illness, how grief changes a family, and why being kind - even when you’re tired - matters more than ever.

Because no one tells you how to survive after the future you planned disappears. Yet here Scott is swimming in Wardy Bay each week, celebrating small joys, finding peace where Jenny found hers, and holding love and loss in the same breath.

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected].

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re braving the Baltic chill with toilet confessions, rap-induced bafflement at Hamilton and the ongoing saga of Karen’s chemo side effects. Whether you’re the type who cleans your loo with a brush or a wad of loo roll, you’ll feel right at home.

It’s never just about the weather. It’s the insomnia, the metallic taste, the pockets of joy found in ginger puddings and planting tulip bulbs in the rain. And because no one tells you this, we also cover the sheer discipline required when you suddenly work from home in a house that’s somehow nine degrees.

If you’ve ever wondered why your dog needs a dressing gown, why hugs from strangers hit differently now, or why your heating rules are basically a Presbyterian religion, this one’s for you.

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected].

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On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Maria McErlane, who brings sharp humour, unapologetic honesty, and a lifetime of mischief as she talks about ageing, invisibility, reinvention, sex, grief, and why she finally surrendered to an e-bike.

Whether you’re feeling more third age than old age or still trying to work out who you are at 60+, this one lands. Maria opens up about changing identities, losing confidence, chasing curiosity, and why keeping your world small is the fastest way to feel older than your years.

She also shares stories from her years in showbiz, the realities of life on the fringes of fame, and how she and Graham Norton now dish out dilemmas and laughter on their own podcast Wanging On.

Because no one tells you that the most interesting part of your life might start right when society decides you’re invisible.

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we tumble from hairstyle envy to spit jars, chemo side effects and the baffling joy of a bowel screening kit.

Whether you’re currently debating how often to wash your neck, dealing with metallic mouth, or wondering if your partner’s dawn chorus of throat noises means anything medically, this one’s for you.

It’s never just about hair, feet or poo samples. It’s about laughing through the slog, finding comfort in shared indignities, and remembering that somewhere out there is a woman who genuinely enjoys her screening kit.

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]

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On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Fiona Clark, author of Menowars, who’s calling time on the confusion around menopause. From HRT debates to vaginal health taboos, Fiona tackles the mixed messages women face - and reminds us that post-menopause isn’t “after the storm,” it’s the rest of our lives.

Whether you’re wondering if you should be on HRT, baffled by conflicting advice, or just tired of whispering the word vagina, this one’s for you. Because no one tells you how much grey area there really is between hot flushes and healthy ageing.

Fiona's book "Menowars" is available now from Amazon and all good bookstores!

Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected].

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