The Little Things

Francesca and Louise are joined by personal stylist and style coach Caitlin Taylor for a practical conversation about finding your personal style in midlife.

They discuss why wardrobes can become overwhelming as our bodies, lifestyles and confidence change, and how to work out what actually suits the person you are now.

Caitlin shares advice on understanding colour, identifying your “best bits”, clearing out clothes that no longer serve you, building a more useful wardrobe, avoiding impulse buys, and making getting dressed feel simpler, more confident and more fun.

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Broadcaster and No Such Thing As Normal host Sonia Gray joins Francesca and Lou to unpack what happens when  ADHD and perimenopause collide, and why so many women are only being diagnosed later in life.

From burnout and masking to hormones, anxiety and losing your ability to cope, Sonia shares her own late diagnosis journey and explains why understanding your brain can be life changing.

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Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales joins Francesca Rudkin and Louise Ayrey for a chat about trust, outrage and what the internet is doing to the way we see each other.

From doomscrolling and toxic algorithms to political division, online arguments and the collapse of nuance, Wales explains why social media can make humanity seem far worse than it really is, and why he believes algorithms are “feeding the trolls”.

He also shares why he deleted social media from his phone, what it really means to be informed in 2026, and why assuming good faith might be one of the most important skills we’ve lost online.

Plus:

• Why outrage spreads faster than kindness online 
• The danger of mistaking social media for real life 
• How politicians and algorithms exploit division • Why most people are more moderate than the internet suggests 
• The surprising role trust plays in healthy societies and relationships

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This week Francesca and Louise dive into the tricky topic of dealing with criticism and negative thoughts. They're joined by psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald, who shares his expertise on how to navigate negative feedback and the feelings that come with them.

Kyle offers practical advice on how to build resilience and maintain a positive outlook while Francesca and Louise give context to why criticism seems to hit harder in midlife. 

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Menopause expert Niki Bezzant has some bad news for us: we can't blame our midlife weight gain on menopause. Niki joins Francesca and Louise to discuss what's really behind that sneaky middle age spread and what role menopause plays if it doesn't directly cause it. They also discuss hormone therapy, breast density, and how to manage perimenopause and menopause symptoms.

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Microneedling, LED masks, Botox in a bottle - these are just a few of the many cosmetic trends we're bombarded with on a daily basis. But what works, what doesn't and what could actually do more harm than good? Francesca and Louise sit down with cosmetic medicine expert Dr Sarah Hart to separate hype from reality.

They also dig into skincare essentials, and the truth about trending ingredients like peptides and exosomes.

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Clinical psychologist Karen Nimmo joins Francesca and Lou for a discussion about navigating relationships when the kids leave the nest. Together they tackle the challenges of transitioning from a child-centric life to a more adult-oriented one, and the pressure this can put on relationships.

Karen shares her expertise on how to prioritise your partner during this time, and offers practical advice on how to rebuild intimacy, communication and connection. 

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Jana McPherson is a food blogger and business owner navigating life as a young widow after losing her husband Hamish in 2023. 

Joining Francesca and Louise to share her story of love, loss, and resilience, Jana discusses the challenges of widowhood, including financial stress, grief, and the emotional burden of caring for her children. 

She also opens up about the importance of self-care, finding support, and learning to move forward. 

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The danger of ultra-processed food has been dominating the headlines, but do these foods deserve all the negative press they're getting? 

This week Professor Sarah Berry from King’s College London and chief scientist at ZOE helps us cut through the noise as we unpack what “ultra-processed” actually means, why not all processed foods are created equal, and how some foods are designed to override our natural fullness signals.

Sarah explains the science behind hyper palatable foods, eating speed and why texture matters more than you might think. Plus, we tackle the seed oil debate and the truth about emulsifiers and additives.

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In a world where our attention is constantly pulled in multiple directions, how do we regain control of our focus? Professor Gloria Mark from the University of California, has spent her career studying what's happening to our attention spans and she joins Francesca and Louise to share some surprising statistics.

It's a wonder we get anything done at all! But don't panic, Gloria also shares plenty of great advice to help us reclaim our focus. 

This is the last episode of The Little Things for 2025. We'll be back next year to dive into more of the little things!

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