Play with Emily Murray

My guest for today’s episode is Katie Woods, the force of nature behind hit interiors Instagram account @Comedowntothewoods, which has a mind-blowing 217,000 followers.

As well as being one of the UK’s most successful influencers with a stunning house and a real eye for pattern and design, Katie also happens to be a dentist. She and husband Chris live in Leeds with their 4 children, a dog and two kittens, and are doing up a holiday rental property in Devon! 

During our chat, Katie reveals the secret to home schooling four children while running two businesses and staying sane. She talks about her evolution from dentist to influencer, and how her family has reacted to this strange new career. We also discuss why she doesn’t care if people unfollow her and the importance of good manners on social media, plus why you shouldn’t bother tidying your house, and the book that saved her marriage. 

Play with Emily Murray is the podcast that’s all about finding the fun in our day-to-day lives. I’m your host Emily Murray, the author, blogger and trapeze owner behind Instagram’s @pinkhouseliving, and a strong proponent of playfulness. Each episode I’ll be asking my guest how they bring the joy into their lives, and how we can usher it into ours.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review – and you can subscribe to make sure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!

Today’s guest is Gord Ray, Instagram’s brand development lead for Europe, Middle East and Africa, and proud Canadian in the UK. Gord is the former Publishing Director at achingly hip style magazine Wallpaper, and used to be Global Marketing Director at luxury brand Georg Jensen in Denmark. 

Gord’s @gordray Instagram account is one of my favourites for putting a smile on my face – whether he’s sharing his latest #secretLondon finds, facetiming his hamster, testing out the latest filter, or coming up with a witty anecdote or observation. 

During our fascinating chat, Gord shares insider secrets on how to use social media to enhance your life – and your business. He even talks about how to get that elusive blue tick! We also discuss the joys of Ferris Bueller, exploring London, and how to stay positive during lockdown.

Play with Emily Murray is the podcast that’s all about finding the fun in our day-to-day lives. I’m your host Emily Murray, the author, blogger and trapeze owner behind Instagram’s @pinkhouseliving, and a strong proponent of playfulness. Each episode I’ll be asking my guest how they bring the joy into their lives, and how we can usher it into ours.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review – and you can subscribe to make sure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!

My guest for today’s episode is Emma Hill CBE, founder of my favourite handbag brand Hill & Friends and owner of one of Instagram’s most famous front doors which has seen countless people – myself included – make a pilgrimage to Holland Park for a photo with the hot pink door with its huge googly eyes. 

I’ve been a huge fan of Emma’s work for a long time – she was Mulberry’s creative director during their heyday – hence the CBE award – and responsible for some of their most successful handbag designs, including the pretty and practical Alexa, one of the first designer bags I ever bought. 

In this episode Emma talks about how she’s made it her mission to make fashion more fun and inclusive, why lockdown has seen her welcome Hill & Friends customers into her actual home, her strength of feeling about the US election result and the game that had all her neighbours knocking on her pink front door to complain…

Play with Emily Murray is the podcast that’s all about finding the fun in our day-to-day lives. I’m your host Emily Murray, the author, blogger and trapeze owner behind Instagram’s @pinkhouseliving, and a strong proponent of playfulness. Each episode I’ll be asking my guest how they bring the joy into their lives, and how we can usher it into ours.

If you enjoyed this episode then I’d be so grateful if you’d leave a rating or review – and you can subscribe to make sure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!

My guest today is Dan Cooper AKA Mr Christmas, the Christmas buyer at John Lewis & Partners, where he has worked for 25 years. For Dan, Christmas is for life, not just for, well, Christmas! He lives and breathes this most magical time of the year every single day, and, because he starts planning each Christmas 18 months ahead, he already has his eye on Christmas 2022, when hopefully Covid-19 will be no more than a bad memory. This year, however, the ‘rona is very much still around, and people are turning to Christmas like never before to help bring some much-needed joy and sparkle into their lives.

I absolutely loved chatting with Dan to get the inside scoop on all things Christmas. He tells me about the 8 trees he puts up in his home, his biggest festive turn-offs, the not-so-sexy Christmas tree that creaked, décor no-nos and top tips…and whether he is actually Santa in disguise. Follow Dan on Instagram @the_world_of_mrchristmas 

Play with Emily Murray is the podcast that’s all about finding the fun in our day-to-day lives. I’m your host Emily Murray, the author, blogger and trapeze owner behind Instagram’s @pinkhouseliving, and a strong proponent of playfulness. Each episode I’ll be asking my guest how they bring the joy into their lives, and how we can usher it into ours.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review – and you can subscribe to make sure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!

Today’s guest, Helen Thorn, has helped me and so many others through 2020 with her wit and warmth. Comedian, writer, podcaster and all-round excellent human, Helen is one half of the hilarious comedy duo The Scummy Mummies, a joyous advocate of body positivity and someone whose mission on earth is to make other people happy. 

In this episode, Helen talks about the unexpected joy of becoming a single parent during a global pandemic, the ‘delicious treat’ that is online dating after being with one man for 22 years, how wearing gold catsuits on stage helped her learn to adore her size 18 body, and why rotten cucumbers are key to social media success. Follow Helen on Instagram @scummymummies and @helenwearsasize18.

Play with Emily Murray is the podcast that’s all about finding the fun in our day-to-day lives. I’m your host Emily Murray, the author, blogger and trapeze owner behind Instagram’s @pinkhouseliving, and a strong proponent of playfulness. Each episode I’ll be asking my guest how they bring the joy into their lives, and how we can usher it into ours.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review – and you can subscribe to make sure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!

My guest for this first episode of Play with Emily Murray is the truly fabulous double MOBO award winner YolanDa Brown. A prolific broadcaster and world-renowned saxophonist, YolanDa is best known for her delicious fusion of reggae, jazz and soul, but passionate about all kinds of music. The host of award-winning CBeebies series YolanDa’s Band Jam, she’s as comfortable bopping with 5-year-olds as she is duetting with Rick Astley on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny while 8 months pregnant.

YolanDa and I chat about everything from meeting the Queen and performing with Nicole Scherzinger at 30,000 feet, to why jazz is just like interior design and her dream of becoming a Formula 1 racing driver. The album for Yolanda’s CBeebies show YolanDa’s Band Jam will be released on 29 January 2021 – an excellent spirit lifter in the depths of winter. Follow her on Instagram @yolandabrown.

Play with Emily Murray is the podcast that’s all about finding the fun in our day-to-day lives. I’m Emily Murray, the author, blogger and trapeze owner behind Instagram’s @pinkhouseliving, and a strong proponent of playfulness. Each episode I’ll be asking my guest how they bring the joy into their lives, and how we can usher it into ours.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review – and you can subscribe to make sure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!

Subscribe now to Play by Emily Murray, the podcast that's all about finding the fun in our day-to-day lives. Host Emily is the author and blogger behind Pink House Living, and has a trapeze in her lounge that wasn't installed for the kids. She chats to fabulous guests about how they bring the joy into their lives, and how we can usher it into ours.