The W Word

A Pussycat Doll, radio host, actress and dancer – it can only be the talented Ashley Roberts, who is our final guest on this series of The W Word. But before bidding farewell, Ashley joins Anna and Kimberley to put fact to fiction on activated charcoal, from its medical uses as a detoxifier to its growing popularity as a cosmetic product. Toothpaste aside, Ashley shares her advice for dealing with stress and anxiety, the wellness habits she's adopted over time and what it's really like to be a contestant on I'm A Celeb. Episode 6 also shines the spotlight on Kimberley, author of How to Build a Healthy Brain and our wellness guru throughout this series, to find out how she promotes physical and mental wellbeing in her day-to-day life. Finally, we touch on inner strength, life as a Pussycat Doll and following your gut instinct, especially when it comes to navigating the highs and lows of 2020. 

From extreme meditation to sound healing, The W Word has been on an enlightening journey through wellness and its many forms, but what happened when the conversation turned to goat yoga? In episode 5, Anna and Kimberley sit down with another national treasure in Jorgie Porter. The Hollyoaks star and actress gives her thoughts on one of the world’s more bizarre wellness trends, which some claim can raise levels of the cuddle hormone oxytocin – although there isn’t any scientific evidence yet. Goats aside, Jorgie also gives an honest take on life in the spotlight, from the bright lights of LA to surviving the I’m A Celebrity jungle, and finding confidence and belief through inner strength.

The W Word has seen a strong line-up of guests, but not many people can claim the title of World's Strongest Man, as Eddie Hall did when he won the competition in 2017. Physical strength doesn't always translate to mental strength, however, with this week's special guest admitting lockdown hasn't been without its challenges. 2020 aside, episode 4 sees Anna and Kimberley quiz Eddie on his relationship with mental health, from being diagnosed with depression at 13 to finding inner strength through his many successes, including the world record for deadlifting – a title he still holds today. Elsewhere, Eddie opens up about why he switched to Arla Lactofree after being diagnosed as lactose intolerant, along with stories about muscle injuries, his diet regime and this week's wellness trend cryotherapy, a form of muscle therapy that sees the body exposed to temperatures of -100 to -140 degrees celsius. You might want to wrap up for this one.

After exploring sleep therapy and sound healing, The W Word lifts the lid on extreme meditation and the ancient method of vipassana, which involves sitting in stillness and silence for hours at a time. In episode 3, Anna and Kimberley are joined by Michelle Elman, a five-board accredited life coach and the face behind the popular Instagram community Scarred Not Scared. A torchbearer for body confidence, Michelle draws on her 15 childhood surgeries and opens up about finding the courage to pose in a bikini with her scars on show for all to see - a milestone that inspired her to publish her book ‘Am I Ugly?’. Reflecting on her personal experiences in this empowering episode, Michelle also touches on gut instinct, speaking to your inner ten-year-old and listening to what your body tells you. 

Our deep dive into the wellness world continues with episode 2 of The W Word. This week’s guest is a real national treasure in Myleene Klass, whose musical journey has seen her go from Hear’Say superstardom to performing in front of thousands at Wembley. A classically trained pianist with a fine-tuned ear, it’s no surprise she knows a thing or two about the ancient practice of sound healing, which is this week’s key wellness trend. Now a mum of three beautiful children, Myleene also shares the mental health and wellness lessons she’s passed on to her kids before opening up about gut instinct, inner strength and fame with Anna and Kimberley.

Welcome to The W Word, the podcast that navigates wellness with a host of special guests. Who better to kick off episode 1 of this new Arla Lactofree podcast than Busted legend and teen heartthrob Matt Willis. A self-confessed sleep nerd who uses trackers and CBD oil to get the perfect sleep, Matt joins The W Word’s Anna Whitehouse and wellness expert Kimberley Wilson for a no holds barred conversation about life on the road, wellness routines and sleep therapy. Episode 1 also weighs in on the psychological impact of not getting enough sleep and the science of going with your gut, something which Matt has had plenty of experience doing throughout his decade-spanning career.