The Convex Conversation

Avalanche Search and Rescue expert Caroline Elliott shares some of her life-saving missions in the mountains.

She was the first British woman to join the French Fire and Rescue Specialist Mountain Unit as a dog handler, with retriever Fjord by her side, and the first to qualify in all disciplines for the elite French ski patrol.

Every second counts when saving lives – teamwork and communication are key. Caroline translates valuable lessons learned in often harsh, hostile mountain conditions to corporate and everyday life. 

As Lauren Child celebrates 25 years of writing and illustrating her much-loved Charlie and Lola children’s books, we chat at her London studio about everything from libraries, art galleries, dolls houses and writers’ block to growing up in the seventies. 

Lauren has worked with UNESCO in places like Mongolia - where she adopted her daughter from - and was Children’s Laureate.

I Am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas is out now. Lauren laughs when she reveals she started writing it 20 years ago and apologies to her US agent for making her wait 10 million 512 thousand minutes!

ITV/Lorraine producer and breast cancer survivor Helen Addis MBE on ‘making noise’ with her Change & Check Campaign which has saved lives and earned her the MBE. 

TV star Davina McCall has just revealed she has breast cancer and has caught it early thanks to seeing the campaign’s stickers. Helen documented her gruelling treatment for aggressive grade 3 cancer to emphasise the importance of early diagnosis. 

The campaign has taken her to Downing Street to lobby the Government, her choir has performed for the King, and she’s pushing for her posters and stickers to be displayed throughout the NHS.

The founder of 2wish, Rhian Mannings MBE, caught the world’s attention when Prince William joined her for a cup of tea in her kitchen in Cardiff to discuss her experience of suicide and find out more about its devastating impact.

The future King was overcome with emotion at one point as Rhian spoke openly about the double tragedy of her 33-year-old husband Paul unexpectedly taking his own life five days after the couple lost their one-year-old baby, George. No berevement help was available as she navigated their devastating loss. 

Rhian set up 2wish in Paul and George's honour, to provide a lifeline for those who suffer the sudden loss of a child or young person. The chat with Prince William coincided with the Prince and Princess of Wales’s Royal Foundation pledging £1 million to launch The National Suicide Prevention Network and World Mental Health Day. 

Deaf actor, comedian and podcaster Samantha Baines takes us on her fascinating life journey – from acting in some of Britain’s top dramas, working with stars like John Lithgow, Channing Tatum and Miriam Margolyes; creating an award-winning podcast out of her divorce to the challenges of stand-up comedy.

She’s a passionate champion and advocate for the deaf and disabled communities - diagnosed as deaf when she was 29, and more recently with ADHD.

Sam has written a best-seller - Living with Hearing Loss and Deafness – to help people own their deafness, as well as children’s books featuring deaf lead characters. She explains why she wouldn’t give her deafness away and how she’s learned to love being one of the 18 million people in the UK with hearing loss.  

Founder of The Good Grief Trust Linda Magistris OBE has shared her vision for ensuring everyone who is bereaved finds the help and hope they need during a conversation with HRH the Prince of Wales at her investiture at Windsor Castle. 

Linda started the charity nine years ago after struggling to find the support she needed when her partner, BAFTA-winning director Graham Theakston, died aged 62.

In our updated Convex Conversation, Linda explains how interested Prince William was in the work the charity does and her aim to have signposting cards in NHS hospitals, schools, universities, GP surgeries etc to ensure no one in the UK faces grief alone. The charity unites more than 1,000 bereavement organisations under one umbrella. 

The Good Grief Trust supporters Greg Wise and Dame Penelope Wilton

Linda and her partner Graham Theakston

As Editor-in Chief, journalist George Webster helped conceive CNN Style, working in the dynamic world of global media, until he discovered a passion for functional mushrooms and the fascinating fungi kingdom. 

Describing himself as an amateur mycologist, George turned entrepreneur. Frustrated by the seeming lack of high-quality mushroom supplements on the market, he founded The Functional Mushroom Company.

George takes us on a journey which began more than a billion years ago, sharing stories from the discovery of fungi in space to the well-documented health benefits of intriguing ancient species like lion’s mane, chaga, turkey tail, cordyceps and reishi.  

To find out more about George and his supplements go to: https://thefunctionalmushroom.co

Former Sky Sports presenter and Yorkshireman Dave Clark was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when his children were just seven and four, but he continued to host live sport for another decade. 

Dave is credited with transforming darts, helping to make it the second most popular sport on Sky, taking the World Championships from a strip club on the A13 to Ally Pally where a million pints were supped!

Dave's father also suffered with the neurological condition and tragically took his own life when Dave was 18. His dad’s struggles have played a huge big part in Dave’s determination to live positively & raise more than half a million pounds for research. Dave hosts the podcast 2 Parkies in a Pod with his friend Kuhan to help others cope with the challenges. 

.  Dave with his 2 Parkies in a Pod co-host Kuhan

.   Dave and Ruby

Acclaimed children’s author Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE recalls being captivated by watching Much Ado About Nothing, aged just seven, sitting in the cheap seats with his brother in the gods of Shakespeare’s Stratford theatre. 

Michael believes all children should see Shakespeare and enjoy the magnificent tales the Bard re-told for everyone. His latest book – More Tales from Shakespeare – re-tells eight plays for a new generation.

With more than 150 books to his name, Michael talks about his knighthood, the fireside chat which inspired his classic War Horse, and the charity, Farms for City Children, which he co-founded with his wife Clare 50 years ago, giving inner city kids the chance to experience life on a farm. 

                                                                            Lady Clare Morpurgo MBE

Tech/AI journalist Lara Lewington reveals how technology and AI can save our health - and our lives - and unravels some of the myths and fears. Lara says the biggest positive change is coming in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. 

Lara has travelled all over the world interviewing longevity experts, scientists and doctors - often testing out the latest tech herself - for documentaries and her new book, Hacking Humanity. 

She’s met characters like 103-year-old Mildred who lives disease-free in a Blue Zone near LA, and American entrepreneur Bryan Johnson who’s going to extremes to reverse his biological age. But Lara's passion lies in how cutting-edge science, powered by AI, can help us all live better. 

Lara with a 3D printed model of her brain, created for her BBC documentary Mind Over Matter

Lara in California with tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, exploring his extreme regime to reverse his biological age

103-year-old Mildred chats to Lara about life in a Blue Zone near LA

A tortuous moment during the shoot for Lara’s longevity show