PODCAST · sports
The Game Changers
by Sue Anstiss
In this award-winning podcast Sue Anstiss MBE talks to trailblazing women in sport. These are the individuals who are knocking down barriers and challenging the status quo for women and girls everywhere. Along with openly sharing their historic careers, what drives them and how they’ve dealt with the toughest challenges, each episode explores key issues for equality in sport and beyond. We’re incredibly grateful to Sport England who support The Game Changers with a National Lottery award. You can find out about all the guests at https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers Fearless Women in Sport
Episodes
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Sue Campbell – The power of authentic leadership
“When I first walked into the FA, I felt completely out of place - like an alien at someone else’s party. The culture was so unfamiliar that I doubted whether I belonged at all. But by finding allies and quietly building a team who believed in change, I realised I could make an impact.” Baroness...
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Kat Craig: Power, ethics and building fairer futures in sport
“We’re at an inflection point - fans, sponsors and the next generation are demanding better. Sport has to decide what future it wants.” On today’s must listen episode of The Game Changers podcast, pioneering human rights lawyer and Athlead CEO Kat Craig explores how sport can change the world…
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Ramla Ali: Fighting for change
Ramla Ali: Fighting for Change “I carried the hopes of a nation into the ring - but also the dreams of every young girl who’d been told no.” Boxer, Olympian, model and UNICEF UK ambassador Ramla Ali shares her extraordinary journey from fleeing conflict in Somalia to making history in the boxing...
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Melanie Barratt: Breaking barriers in open water
Paralympic champion turned open-water pioneer Melanie Barratt shares her extraordinary story of resilience, courage and reinvention. Born with severe visual impairment, Melanie rose to the top of British swimming before stepping away from elite competition to explore new challenges. In 2024,...
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Giselle Mather: Coaching with courage and changing the game
Why are we still telling female rugby coaches they are ‘not ready’ to coach at the highest levels of the women’s game, when we then say to male players ‘you can go straight into professional coaching when you come off the field’? This is just one of the thought-provoking questions Giselle Mather...
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Emma Wilson: How joy became the competitive edge in windsuring
“Two bronzes, two completely different emotions. Tokyo was joy. Paris… it broke me inside. It’s taken a long time to process and move forward.” Emma Wilson is transforming the face of British windsurfing. A world champion at every age group, Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo, and now the youngest...
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Mari Thomas-Welland: Engineering support, inspiring confidence
How does it feel when images of one of the world’s most famous athletes go viral… and she’s wearing your brand? That’s the first thing we asked Mari Thomas-Welland on today’s episode of The Game Changers, after Serena Williams shared gym photos wearing the Maaree sports bra. Mari is a sports...
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Sarah Bern: Power, joy & redefining strength in women’s sport
“It’s so easy to chase perfection, but it doesn’t exist. The whole world is built on imperfection - and that’s what makes it beautiful.” It was our privilege to talk to World Cup winner and Bristol Bears tighthead Sarah Bern for today's episode of The Game Changers podcast as she relives that...
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Series 21 of The Game Changers
In series 21 we’re shining a light on the trailblazing women who are transforming sport and society. You’ll hear from Baroness Sue Campbell, one of the most respected and influential figures in British sport, as she candidly shares her leadership journey and lessons learnt from time working in...
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Lucy Adams: Building belonging in skateboarding
Lucy Adams has spent her life on a skateboard – but it’s her impact off the ramps that’s transforming the sport forever. From being one of only a handful of women in UK skateboarding in the ’90s to leading the charge for equity and inclusion today, Lucy has carved out a path where others once…
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Diane Edwards: Fighting for fairness in sport
Diane Edwards (Modahl) was one of Britain’s brightest middle-distance stars, a Commonwealth gold medallist and four-time Olympian whose remarkable career was thrown into turmoil when she was wrongly accused of doping in 1994. What followed was a devastating two-year battle to clear her name – a...
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Sally Horrox: Transforming the business of women’s sport
Our guest on The Game Changers today is Sally Horrox, Chief of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby. Sally has an incredible track record in transforming women’s sports. A former non-executive director of England Netball, advisor the FA, UEFA and other international football federations, Sally played a...
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Eboni Usoro-Brown: The reality for women in elite sport
"Women in sport shouldn’t have to choose between motherhood and their career. We need real investment, policies and understanding to make both possible." England netball legend Eboni Usoro-Brown (formerly Beckford-Chambers) wore the red dress 117 times across an extraordinary 15-year career,...
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Rhona Lloyd: Redefining what it means to be strong
"Missing Olympic selection again broke me, but it reminded me I'm more than a rugby player." Today on The Game Changers podcast it's our absolute joy to talk to Scottish rugby star Rhona Lloyd, who shares her remarkable journey from a young girl defying stereotypes to becoming one of Scotland’s...
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Sophie Power: The woman rewriting the rules of endurance sport
When a photograph of Sophie Power breastfeeding her three-month-old baby mid-race went viral, it sparked a global conversation about motherhood, sport, and equality. But for Sophie, the moment was never about heroics - it was about the barriers women face just to reach a start line. In this...
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Carla Ward: Game-changing leadership in women’s football
From jumpers for goalposts on a council estate to managing at the highest level of women’s football, Carla Ward’s journey is one of courage, resilience and breaking through barriers. Now leading the Republic of Ireland women’s national team with ambitions to reach the 2027 World Cup, Carla has...
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Sammi Kinghorn: Finding new paths forward
Sammi Kinghorn’s journey from a life-changing farming accident to the top of the Paralympic podium is nothing short of extraordinary. A double world champion, Commonwealth medallist, Paralympic gold winner and now a popular BBC presenter, Sammi’s story is one of unbreakable resilience. In this...
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Series 20 of The Game Changers
Welcome to The Game Changers – the podcast that celebrates extraordinary women in sport. In Series 20, we’re shining a light on the courageous, pioneering and fiercely passionate women who are re-defining the future of sport. You’ll hear from Diane Edwards, the Commonwealth 800m champion who...
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Mel Marshall: From broken dreams to building legends
"Great athletes aren’t just terrified of losing – they’re traumatised by it. That’s what drives them." In this powerful and inspiring episode, Sue Anstiss is joined by one of the most influential figures in British sport, Mel Marshall. A former Olympian turned world-renowned coach, Mel is best...
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Jess Thirlby: Coaching, courage and creating change
"I hate mediocrity. As soon as it feels like we’re sitting in the status quo, I feel like I’m failing." In this brilliant episode of The Game Changers, Sue Anstiss is joined by Jess Thirlby, Head Coach of the Vitality Roses and one of the most respected leaders in world netball. From growing up…
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Lucy Wray: Building culture, driving change and backing women’s sport
Lucy Wray: Building Culture, Driving Change and Backing Women’s Sport "Sport is this incredible rollercoaster of winning, losing, learning and bonding — I don’t think anything else creates that kind of magic." This week on The Game Changers, Sue Anstiss is joined by Lucy Wray – an inspiring and...
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Khalida Popal: Football, freedom and fearless activism
“When the world forgets Afghanistan, we keep speaking. We are the voices of the women who can no longer be heard.” What would you risk for the right to play sport? For Khalida Popal, the answer is everything. This powerful episode of The Game Changers tells the extraordinary story of a woman who...
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Jenny Meadows: Medals, mindset and meaning
"I’ve become the person I needed when I was younger – and that’s the greatest gift I can offer the athletes I coach today." Jenny Meadows is a former world-class middle-distance runner and now one of Britain’s most respected athletics coaches. Recently honoured – alongside her husband – as BBC...
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Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale: Revolutionising women’s sports science
“Women’s physiology isn’t a problem to be solved - it’s an opportunity to innovate.” In this fascinating episode of The Game Changers podcast, I speak with Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale, one of the world’s leading researchers in female physiology, about the critical need for women-focused sports...
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Sarah Massey: Mastering mega sports events
What does it take to lead some of the biggest sporting events in the world? In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Massey, Managing Director of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, to uncover the strategy, ambition and passion behind running global sports championships. With over 30 years of...
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Tracey Crouch: Breaking barriers in sport and politics
"Women’s sport has come so far, but there’s still a long way to go in terms of investment and opportunity." In this fascinating episode of The Game Changers, host Sue Anstiss sits down with Dame Tracey Crouch, an influential figure in both sports and politics. Tracey shares her personal journey...
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Series 19 of The Game Changers
Hello and welcome back to The Game Changers, the podcast where you'll hear from trailblazing women in sport who are challenging the status quo for women and girls everywhere. What can we learn from their stories as we explore equality in sport and beyond. This is the 19th series of The Game...
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Mhairi Maclennan: Ensuring sport is safe for everyone
“Anyone can get abused. Smart people, really intelligent people, old people, young people, beautiful people, average looking people. It doesn't matter who you are, you're not like exempt because of any characteristics that you have.” Mhairi Maclennan, Kyniska Advocacy Today’s episode of The Game...
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Mel Bound: Helping inactive women get moving
Our guest today is Mel Bound the founder of This Woman Runs (formerly This Mum Runs), the world's largest digital and in-person running community for women. Mel is driven by her vision to inspire women everywhere to enjoy the life-changing benefits of being active and in this inspiring episode...
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Laura Youngson: Pioneering a new era for women's sports kit
Our guest today is Laura Youngson, the co-founder of Ida Sports, the world’s leading female sports footwear brand that recently received $2M in investment funding. Laura is a huge advocate for gender equality and in 2017, led a group of women to the top of Kilimanjaro to play a record-breaking...
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Lucy Horsell: Leading the way in women’s sportswear
Lucy Horsell is a woman on a mission to empower female athletes at all levels as the co-founder of PeBe Sports Bras, a company that is transforming the sports bra market. This episode tracks Lucy’s journey from losing her way in formal education at school to becoming a successful entrepreneur.…
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Danielle Sellwood: Producing films that change our world
Our guest today is Danielle Sellwood, a former sportswear designer, trend forecaster and women’s sport publisher who now shares diverse stories of sport and adventure through powerful documentaries made by her company Find It Film. In 2008 Danielle co-founded Sportsister, a trail-blazing sports...
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Yvette Curtis: Making waves for women in surfing
Our guest today is Yvette Curtis, founder of Wave Wahines, a female surfing club dedicated to empowering women and girls in the sport. We discuss Yvette's journey from her childhood in Bristol to her current work in North Devon, the importance of fun and non-competitive environments in sports…
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Kelly Newton: Designing products to keep women moving
Kelly Newton is the founder of NIXI Body - absorbent & discreet underwear for periods and little bladder leaks. Nixi body has a focused mission – to keep women moving through menstruation, motherhood and menopause. Kelly is doing so much to open up the taboo conversation around female…
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Baz Moffat: The women’s health pioneer
Baz Moffat is having an extraordinary impact in the world of women’s health. A former GB Rower, Baz co-founded The Well HQ, an organisation that educates and empowers women to understand their bodies and use that knowledge to thrive in sport, health and life. Baz was in the GB Rowing team from...
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Series 18 of The Game Changers
In this, the 18th series of The Game Changers I’m talking to founders and entrepreneurs. These are the women who have set up organisations that help change the landscape for all women and girls across sport. There’s so much we can learn from their journeys as they openly share the challenges and...
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Penny Briscoe: Leading the transformation of Para Sport
As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Director of Sport, British Paralympic Association Penny Briscoe, which was first released on June 27, 2023. Our guest in this episode has been instrumental in the success of the British Paralympic team,...
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Jodie Ounsley: The impact of strong, powerful role models
As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Jodie Ounsley, who will be presenting at the games, which was first released on May 30, 2023. Today’s guest is Jodie Ounsley – a professional rugby player and Honorary President of UK Deaf Sport, who…
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Ellie Simmonds: Making impact beyond the pool
As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Ellie Simmonds, which was first released on October 23, 2023. Our guest in this episode is Ellie Simmonds, one of the world’s most celebrated Paralympians. A five-time Paralympic Champion and...
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Lauren Steadman: How para athletes change society's perceptions
This episode was previously released on October 29, 2019. Paratriathlon World Champion and Paralympic Silver medallist, Lauren also enthralled us all as a semi-finalist on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Ever wondered what it really takes to become a world champion? We're sitting down with...
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Sophie Carrigill: Challenging perceptions for all women with disabilities
As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Sophie Carrigill, which was first released on July 26, 2022. Sophie Carrigill is a British wheelchair basketball player who represented and co-captained Great Britain at the World and…
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Claire Taggart: The impact of Boccia – a totally inclusive sport
As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Claire Taggart, which was first released on February 13, 2024. Discover the intriguing world of Boccia with world champion and Paralympian Claire Taggart on this episode of Game Changers....
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Hannah Cockcroft: Maintaining motivation throughout your sporting career
As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft, which was first released on November 1, 2022. Hannah Cockcroft is one of Britain’s most successful para-athletes who burst onto the world stage in 2010, breaking 9…
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Sarah Storey: How to focus on the things you can control
As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, which was first released on September 15, 2020. Dame Sarah Storey is the most successful British female Paralympian of all time with 38 World titles, 14 Paralympic Golds…
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Stef Reid: Pioneering progress in Parasports and beyond
In this final episode of series 17, Sue Anstiss talks to Stef Reid, a remarkable para-athlete who has spent her life breaking boundaries. Stef is a track and field Paralympian - a World Champion, four-time Paralympian, triple Paralympic medallist and five-time world record holder. Having retired...
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Tara Dillon: Leadership lessons from the top
When it comes to building culture and leading an organisation there are few individuals doing it better than Tara Dillon, the CEO at CIMSPA (The Chartered Institute for Sport and Physical Activity). Voted as one of the top 5 CEOs in the Times best companies initiative Tara remains passionate…
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Molly Thompson-Smith: Fighting for inclusion in climbing
Can you be a professional climber and still be scared of heights? How much is success down to problem solving versus physical strength? And what can we do to ensure this fantastic activity is inclusive for all? These are just some of the questions I put to Molly Thompson-Smith, a shining light in...
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Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix: On faith, family and finding joy in diving
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix is the diving sensation who won Gold at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships last year and will be one to watch at the Paris Olympics where she’s competing in both the individual and synchronised 10 metre events. Andrea openly shares her journey in sport and...
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Charlotte Edwards: Breaking boundaries in cricket
My guest on The Game Changers today is cricketing legend Charlotte Edwards who shares her extraordinary journey from making her England debut at just 16 to becoming one of the sport's most influential figures as a player and coach. Breaking countless records throughout her 20-year playing career,...
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Catie Munnings: Driving change in motorsports
What drives one of Britain's top rally drivers to push the limits on and off the track? In today's episode of The Game Changers we hear from Catie Munnings one of Britain’s most successful racing talents, a rally driver, Red Bull sponsored athlete and TV presenter who now competes in Extreme E…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
In this award-winning podcast Sue Anstiss MBE talks to trailblazing women in sport. These are the individuals who are knocking down barriers and challenging the status quo for women and girls everywhere. Along with openly sharing their historic careers, what drives them and how they’ve dealt with the toughest challenges, each episode explores key issues for equality in sport and beyond.
We’re incredibly grateful to Sport England who support The Game Changers with a National Lottery award.
You can find out about all the guests at https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers
Fearless Women in Sport
HOSTED BY
Sue Anstiss
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Game Changers have?
The Game Changers currently has 246 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Game Changers about?
In this award-winning podcast Sue Anstiss MBE talks to trailblazing women in sport. These are the individuals who are knocking down barriers and challenging the status quo for women and girls everywhere. Along with openly sharing their historic careers, what drives them and how they’ve dealt with...
How often does The Game Changers release new episodes?
The Game Changers publishes regularly with 246 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Game Changers?
You can listen to The Game Changers on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Game Changers?
The Game Changers is created and hosted by Sue Anstiss.
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