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, to tackle youth violence, and create safe spaces for children and teens to express themselves.   After meeting the Royals at a Big Lunch event last year, Steve, together with his organisation Project Zero, and the local community, will be putting on his own Coronation Big Lunch over the bank holiday weekend. The Big Lunch, made possible by National Lottery Players, brings millions of people together annually to boost community spirit, whilst encouraging neighbours to share friendship, food and fun.   In this chat with Fearne, Steve explains how understanding the root causes of knife violence – mental health, school performance, home life anxieties – is the key to reducing anti-social and offending behaviour, and promoting social inclusion. He also opens up about how knife crime has directly affected his family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Barnabis

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.

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Perfection has taken on a life of its own in recent years. Dawn French worries that the pursuit of perfection is stopping us from being who we are, and from making mistakes we can grow from.   In this chat, Fearne and Dawn explore why when we have low tolerance for others making mistakes, we’re likely judging ourselves for our mistakes too. So, in order to have more self-compassion, we have to talk about the cringey times we’ve held inside for fear for being shamed.   They also discuss the best ways to apologise when we’re in the wrong, and to allow space for robust debate that might just change our minds. Plus, why it’s so important to be able to say “I don’t know”.   Dawn’s book, The Twat Files, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dawn French: Shame, apologies, and being a twat

Cancer, and having a stoma, has changed DJ and broadcaster Adele Roberts’ perception of her own body for the better. It’s shown her it’s ok to cry, and it’s ok to ask for help.   In this chat with Fearne, Adele talks through the symptoms of bowel cancer, what the experience has taught her about positive mindset, as well as the realities of going through chemo.   They also chat about why it’s never too late to embrace and practice a new passion later in life, and why it’s important not to write off the entire day just because it started a bit crap.   Personal Best, Adele’s memoir, is out on the 11th of April. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adele Roberts: Bowel cancer, marathons, and mashed potato

Don’t underestimate the power your voice has. This is the key message to come from Happy Place Book Club read, Killjoy, which tells the incredible true story of the No More Page 3 campaign, and the unlikely everyday women who made a generational change possible.   Fearne chats to author Jo Cheetham about their early memories of Page 3, street harassment, and how cultural messages can affect the way we relate to our own bodies.   They also talk about acknowledging anger and channelling that rage into something productive, and Jo shares how self-sabotage nearly stopped her writing this book in the first place.   Join the Happy Place Book Club on Instagram @happyplacebookclub – DM your messages and voicenotes about April’s read, The List Of Suspicious Things, to have your thoughts shared on the podcast!   ...and don’t worry, there are no Killjoy plot spoilers in this episode!   This episode features extracts from the audiobook of Killjoy, narrated by Jo Cheetham, with thanks to Picador.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book Club Meets: Activism, misogyny, and Page 3, with Jo Cheetham

“Am I mad, or did it happen?” This is a question that poet Lemn Sissay regularly finds himself asking. Having grown up in care, he has no family members to bear witness to his life experiences; is his understanding of his own identity correct?   In this chat with Fearne, Lemn talks through why it’s important for us not to compare trauma, that everything’s relative, and no one deserves more or less empathy. He also exposes the reality of the care system in the UK, and offers practical ways for all of us to help those who’ve been in care better integrate into society.   Between them, they suggest how to watch out for when you’re performing to a crowd, rather than being present – that’s where a true feeling of belonging lies – and how to mitigate the negative voices that want to knock your confidence.   Lemn’s latest poetry collection is Let the Light Pour In and his memoir is My Name Is Why. Both are published by Canongate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lemn Sissay: Foster care, belonging, and snake charming

A disciplined lifestyle isn’t restrictive, it’s freeing. That’s how dietician, nutritionist, and plant-based cook Radhi Devlukia-Shetty feels about the habits, boundaries, and guidelines she's implemented. They allow her to be in control, rather than outside factors controlling how she lives.   In this chat with Fearne, Radhi explains why committing to something – and following through – increases self-worth as it proves you can trust yourself. Trusting your instincts is something she wants you to be doing more of when it comes to nourishing food in particular. They chat through some practical ways to transition into eating more plant-based food, especially by using spices that invigorate and give you energy.   Plus, why is it important to check your own mental health when you realise you’re gossiping about other people...?   Radhi’s recipe book, JoyFull, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Barnabis

Download our free app to listen on your phone