This is a story about intense love, immeasurable loss and incredible strength. Behind the happy positive personality that is Sarah Gwonyoma, founder of @WhatSarahReadNext (a platform that she uses to review books and interview authors), is a woman who has been through unbelievable changes. After meeting Tim, Sarah moved to the other side of the world to be with him. It’s a beautiful film-like story but sadly, in 2017, Sarah’s world was turned upside down when both her brother and husband died unexpectedly. 
Here, she shares her story, which includes her struggles with fertility and becoming a single mum overnight. Through it all, what’s clear is Sarah’s immense strength, courage and radiant positivity. She has since used her experiences for good and as a tool to heal, deciding to change careers and turn her passion for books into a job.
Sarah’s story will both astound and inspire you.  
Follow Sarah here: @whatsarahreadnext Find out more here: https://linktr.ee/what_sarah_read_next
Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes
Content warning: detail around fertility issues including operations, miscarriages and IVF. 

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Sarah Gwonyoma

DJ Annie Macmanus chats to artists, writers, musicians and a host of fascinating people about CHANGE. Each guest talks through the biggest changes they have overcome in childhood and adulthood, and how they effect change. The podcast explores how change punctuates our lives, how it can totally derail us and define who we are. How we confront it, react to it and how we try to activate change has never been more important than in this moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

To open a new mini series on Bodies we welcome boundary pushing musician, CMAT whose low cut, bum crack exposing dress created one of the most viral moments at the BRIT Awards this year. Her unapologetic attitude towards body image caused a storm on the internet attracting a wave of opinions.
CMAT, real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson is a one in a million artist. She writes songs that are both hilarious and heartbreaking, and she is utterly captivating on stage. She’s a future superstar in the making. Both of CMAT’s albums have gone straight to number 1 in the Irish Charts, she is part of the BBC Sound of 2024 longlist, she has been described by NME as Dublin’s answer to Dolly Parton and she was at the Brits this year having been nominated for Best International Artist alongside Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and SZA. 
This is the first of three open and candid conversations in our Bodies mini series in which we explore body image and weight, unrealistic beauty standards and ageing covering everything from menopause to weight loss and much more. Here, Ciara talks to Annie about her changing relationship with her body from her teenage years experiencing acne and eating disorders to being a pop star in the spotlight. They discuss a wealth of issues including societal pressures and social media, the problem with capitalism and Ozempic diets. Ciara is completely unfiltered and very funny. We hope that you will leave the conversation feeling relieved that you are most definitely not alone when it comes to any thoughts you may have about your body and inspired to care less. 
Content warning: eating disorders/anorexia, addiction to painkillers.
Buy CMAT's music and find her tour dates here: https://cmatbaby.com/
GET IN TOUCH Contact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.
Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CMAT on body image, fluctuating weight and Ozempic diets

Spring is here(!) and we begin our new season with global phenomenon Marian Keyes. Marian is one of Ireland’s most prolific and successful writers of all time with her books having sold over 35 million copies worldwide.
Marian has won multiple awards and is an expert in honest storytelling. She writes characters you’ll love with imperfections you’ll recognise and her wisdom is felt in every story she tells. 
In this refreshing, funny and unfiltered conversation, Marian discusses her upbringing in Ireland and how this affected her aspirations in life, her experience of addiction in her 20s, the monumental change of becoming sober, especially when it comes to love and self acceptance, being 60, a woman’s right to enjoy sex and and ultimately why she refuses to hide or lie about anything (hello botox). 
How lucky we are to have Marian Keyes in the world! 
Marian’s new book ‘My Favourite Mistake’ is available to buy now. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/316031/my-favourite-mistake-by-keyes-marian/9780241441145
GET IN TOUCH Contact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.
Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marian Keyes

In this week’s Changes Focus we are zooming in on parenting. Whether you are a parent yourself or not, we have all been parented in some way and many of us spend time around people who are parents. We therefore all have experience of parenting and the huge effect it has on our lives. It is no surprise that many of our guests on Changes choose becoming a parent as the biggest change of their adult life. 
In this hilarious and heartwarming episode, author Zadie Smith gives her profound thoughts about why having children has changed her outlook on freedom, Annie’s husband Toddla T talks about his ADHD and how this affects his parenting, comedian Jen Brister gets into the difficulties of talking about porn with kids and comedian and host of the ‘Parenting Hell’ podcast, Josh Widdicombe, remembers his misguided thoughts about labour and gets real about the reality of being a father. 
Has parenting changed you? Let us know at changespod@gmail.com

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Changes Focus: Parenting - Zadie Smith, Toddla T, Josh Widdicombe and Jen Brister

Introducing Changes Focus! where we zoom in on one popular Changes theme and bring you multiple takes from different guests. 
In this episode the focus is Education. Our younger educational years can really define us, so much change and growth can happen. Many of our amazing guests have cited their school or university years as experiences that shaped their lives drastically. Their stories explore the highs and lows of education such as bullying, fitting in, integrating into new schools and young love.
In this reflective episode, you will hear from writer Dolly Alderton who looks back at the difficulties she faced as a teenager at an all girls school, comedian Rosie Jones on the life defining change of going to a mainstream school as a child with cerebral palsy, broadcaster Louis Theroux and actor Idris Elba who both discuss their experiences of changing schools at a young age and the impact that had and, finally, actor Michael Sheen recounts some of his early experiences of romance during his school years in Wales.
What Changes did you experience in education? Let us know at changespod@gmail.com



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Changes Focus: Education - Dolly Alderton, Louis Theroux,  Idris Elba, Rosie Jones and Michael Sheen

Viva la season finale! Where we welcome a total trailblazer and change maker, the iconic sports broadcast Gabby Logan. In her almost 30 year career, Gabby has been at the centre of phenomenal change in a predominantly male dominated industry. She has presented many of the country's biggest sporting events including the Olympics, the Commonwealth games, the World Cup and the 2022 Euros which changed the face of women's football in Britain when the Lionesses won. Gabby has paved the way for other women and played a vital role in the promotion of women’s sport. On top of all this, Gabby has received an MBE, is the host of two hit podcasts; ‘The MidPoint’ and, the brand new, ‘The Sports Agents’ which she co-hosts with fellow broadcaster Mark Chapman, and has even found the time to write her memoir ‘The First Half’.
In this inspiring episode, Annie and Gabby discuss the slow but important changes in sports and broadcasting for women, the parallels in their careers - navigating being the token woman and bringing others through, how her upbringing in a sporty family with a footballer father helped shape her career, and how a tragic death of her brother in her teens taught her about dealing with grief and making the most of life. 
Gabby’s podcast The Sports Agents is available now https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42Kx2B/
GET IN TOUCH Contact us at changespod@gmail.com with your emails and voice notes.
Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Gwonyoma

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