Anya Lautenbach is a gardener who I discovered on Instagram as anya_thegarden_fairy. From Poland originally, Anya moved to to the UK 17 years ago and has two boys aged 12 and 14. 

We talked about the grief which Anya has experienced because of her sister having two sons with a rare genetic condition which turned out to be terminal. 

Anya explained how every time she had bad news from home, she turned that into another garden border and has ended up creating a beautiful garden out of her ocean of grief. 

We also talked about her ADHD diagnosis which came soon after her son’s diagnosis, and how gardening helps her to escape the overwhelming busyness of her mind. 

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Jo-Ann D’Costa-Manuel is a charity pioneer. She received an OBE for her years of voluntary work raising the profile of hidden disabilities. She persuaded airlines to recognise green lanyards with sunflowers, as a symbol of a family member flying with a hidden disability. She was also behind the ‘quiet hour’ in supermarkets to help children like her own son, who is autistic, and needs a quiet environment to be able to do a food shop.

Jo-Ann now works for philanthropist John Caudwell to help raise money for children and youth projects, and she has just started her own podcast speaking to women over 40, called ‘It’s Your Time.’

Jo-Ann’s son is now 16, and her daughter is 19. And to Jo-Ann’s delight - and her daughter’s horror - they are often mistaken for sisters!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Francesca Amber is a successful entrepreneur, podcaster and author who turned her life around using manifesting after everything went wrong for her in 2020.

She has 3 daughters. Her eldest is 8 years old, and she has 4 year old twins who are starting school this September. 

In lockdown she lost her beauty business and her income and then had her twins as a single mother. She says she had a savage 5 years. But now her new book 'Manifesting Like a Mother' is published the day her twins start school and we mulled over how the timing is on this is so dramatic. We discussed the terminology of 'manifesting' and how Francesca thought I might have manifested the success of Murder on the Dancefloor!

We agreed being a martyr as a mum is not a good thing, and Francesca described how she likes to schedule in quality time for herself, and buy herself lovely presents for her birthday and Mother's Day - and I've decided she should definitely treat herself to one of the tassley outfits I wear on stage!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Genevieve Turley is a make up artist who posts funny content online, making light of makeup tutorials and not taking her self seriously at all.

We talked about how wearing makeup makes us both happy. She told me about her career in the RAF, her IVF journey and her life now, doing bridal makeup and creating comedy content online.

Genevieve has two children aged 6 and 7, and after a 3 year renovation project with her husband Richard, they are at last close to moving into their family home.

We also discovered a mutual love of an Urban Decay eye colour called Acid Rain, still in my makeup drawer, decades after I first bought it! 

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Ro Fielden-Cook is a woman with a heck of a life story. 

She has 3 sons: twins Alfie and Charlie (aged 15) and Freddie (aged 7).

She is the founder of a wellbeing and fitness community ‘The SHE Collective’ which has a holistic approach to giving busy women more life, more confidence and more energy. 

She had her twins as a single mother as she left University. One of the twins, Alfie, was diagnosed with a life-limiting condition called SMA when he was still a baby. Her story of fighting for her son’s health and then falling in love is jaw-dropper.

Ro talks about her wonderful rock of a mum, and also about losing her incredible-sounding dad when she was a teenager. 

Ro’s positive spirit is inspiring and I guarantee you’ll be using her dad’s motto ‘Onwards and upwards’ when you’ve finished listening. 

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Ranvir Singh is a TV news presenter on Good Morning Britain, who I met on the set of ‘Lorraine’ about a year ago - and I’ve been wanting to talk to her in more depth ever since.

Ranvir is a single parent to her 13 year old son Tushaan.

She grew up in a very religious Sikh household, having lost her Dad when she was only 9. 

She was the first girl in her family to go to University, and despite pressure to get married as soon as she left Uni, her laser beam focus on her career path remained.

Ranvir and I shed some tears as she described the few minutes she would need to take on the driveway after work, before putting her key in the door. And towards the end of our chat, she shared some very emotional advice for any listener who feels themselves overwhelmed, and in that same position now.

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Laura Hamilton is a TV presenter best known for presenting A Place in the Sun. 

She’s been renovating properties since the age of 19 and has just taken on her first overseas project in Majorca, which she’s filming, to create a guide to buying and renovating abroad.

Laura has two children, 11 year old Rocco and 10 year old Tahlia, who she co parents 50/50 with her ex.

Laura went back to work 3 weeks after having each of her children. She explained that was because she was scared someone else would jump into her shoes if she was away for longer. 

Laura’s career to date is so jam-packed including being gunged on CITV, appearing in pantos, running the marathon, Dancing on Ice, and The Jump. 

She credits her Dad and his difficult start in life before finding music and happiness, saying life is just your story, and you’ve got to enjoy writing it. Cheers to that, Laura! 

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Cathy Dennis is a singer and a songwriter. I have been a huge fan of hers for years both through her solo music career and I’ve been lucky enough to write with her and get to know over the years. She is a true talent and a champion for music and creativity. 

She had a successful solo career in the early 90s, and then changed to songwriting in the 2000s, including writing Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’, Britney’s ‘Toxic’ and Katy Perry’s ‘I Kissed a Girl’.

Cathy told me how she was bullied at school, from the age of 7-12, and how that may have equipped her to be strong and tenacious enough to be a woman in the music industry.

She became a mum in 2004 (the same year I became a mum!) and found it a challenge to carry on with her career at that point but here she is, still writing and involved in music. 

Cathy credits her son Seb with being her solace when she’s found her self on the ’nothing will ever be perfect’ train. 

It was so gorgeous to talk to a friend who I admire and whose career is constantly evolving. A lovely conversation! X

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

Jill Halfpenny has been an actor since the age of 10, first coming to our screens in Byker Grove in 1989, and most recently appearing in the Channel 5 drama The Feud. She has also appeared in Coronation Street, Eastenders, numerous TV dramas, on the West End stage and in Strictly Come Dancing.

We shared our thoughts on dealing with downtime as performers, which has its challenges even in a busy career.

Jill has a son Harvey who is nearly 17, and they clearly have a close relationship, based on honesty and openness, including during difficult times such as when her partner Matt died suddenly 8 years ago, in circumtances similar to how she lost her Dad aged 4. Sadly they both had unexpected heart attacks. Jill has recently written a beautiful memoir 'A Life Reimagined', which touches on both these deaths.

Finally, I tried out Jill's Agony Aunt skills as she has a podcast 'Dear Jill' where she answers listeners' questions, from her Newcastle studio. I can now tell you that I am either on the right tracks as a mum or Jill was being extremely kind to me!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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

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