How To Be 60 with Kaye Adams

On this week's Midweek Catchup, Karen marks a year since her breast cancer diagnosis and admits she's only just starting to feel it. Because no one tells you that you don't process it while you're in it.Plus: Kaye's hearing aid has started whistling (her daughter keeps clocking it, much to Kaye's denial), Karen has befriended Amanda the pharmacist, and the great fringe debate returns.Friday's guest: telly exec turned stand-up Cally Beaton, with her paperback Namaste, Motherf**kers out this week.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philippa Perry on why adult children go no contact, what they wish their parents understood, and why the door might open again if you try a different one. Plus, her debut cosy crime novel Shrink Solves Murder is out May 7th. Whether you're the parent wondering what went wrong or the adult child wondering if they'll ever be understood, this one will sit with you.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, we're back together after Karen's Crete holiday and straight into the big questions: is Kaye developing a six-pack or just losing weight? Neck or arms first? And is hearting someone's dog photo actually rude? Plus holiday gifts, the Devil Wears Prada sequel verdict, and why daytime drinking at 60 is a whole different sport. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we're joined by Mia Mauge, who went from feeling invisible in her forties to walking onto a Marks & Spencer's lingerie set at 54 — and she still can't quite believe it either.Mia spent almost 20 years dyeing her hair out of shame, navigating single life in midlife, and wondering where women like her had gone in the shops she was still spending money in. Then she stopped. Stopped fighting, stopped hiding, stopped waiting for the gatekeepers to notice her. She went public on Instagram, got scouted by four modelling agencies, and became the voice a whole generation of women didn't know they were waiting for.She talks to Kaye and Karen about the two-year hair transition that involved a communal gasp in a salon and a bleach disaster her daughter still laughs about. About why "ageing backwards" made her walk away from a campaign. About being single at 60 and why younger men keep showing up while men her own age can't get past the silver hair. Whether you're embracing the grey or still clutching the box dye every fortnight, Mia's story isn't really about hair. It's about what happens when you stop performing youth and start showing up as yourself — and discover the world was ready for you all along.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, we discover that Kaye has been staring at her belly button in the mirror and what she found there is... haunting. Karen's reporting live from Crete - where she forgot her pyjamas and is sharing a bed with her friend Caroline behind a glass bathroom door that hides absolutely nothing. There's a big announcement: How To Be 60 is heading back to the Edinburgh Fringe (August 7th–9th, same museum, 2:45pm — mark it now). Kaye filled out the forms and had to formally confirm there'd be no pyrotechnics or scenes of a sexual nature, which Karen found debatable. There's a hair update, an onion-in-sock verdict, and a sneak peek at Friday's guest — the brilliant positive ageing activist Mia MaugéGet in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we're joined by Victoria Hislop, bestselling author, honorary Greek citizen, and the woman who celebrated her 60th birthday waterskiing with a glass of champagne in her hand.Victoria's been through the lot in her sixties: losing her mum, breast cancer, lockdown, the empty nest hitting like a train she swore she was ready for. But here's the thing nobody expects her to say: she found all of that easier to handle than her own success. The overnight bestseller who was more shaken by a number one slot than a cancer diagnosis. The woman who poured the grief of not having another child into the novel that changed her life.She talks to Kaye and Karen about why happiness has to come from the inside (Aristotle told her, and she believed him), why "don't get above yourself" might be the most damaging motto our generation inherited, and why the secret to a 45-year marriage is never, ever going to the supermarket together. Plus: the real reason she sobbed in the toilets on Greek Dancing with the Stars, and what happens when your dance partner is younger than your own children.Victoria's new novel, The Wine Dark Sea, is out in September.Whether you've ever felt more rattled by something going right than something going wrong, or you're still figuring out what "selfish in a nice way" actually looks like in your sixties, this one's going to land.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, Kaye's in Milan playing loyal assistant on Donna May's business trip (hairbrush already cleaned, wash bag already judged), while Karen's at home trying to save her voice before a nurse appointment that could delay her chemo jab. She's not above putting half an onion in her sock to make it happen.Karen survived the John Lewis foundation counter: a 23-year-old who made her look like a ghost, offered her casket perfume, and said "anti-ageing" without flinching. Kaye went to Liz Earle's book launch and came home with the news that your bum skin is what your face could look like if you'd kept it out of the sun. Karen had follow-up questions nobody needed answered.There's new specs, a mystery telling-off from Lisa, a ballet that was not their thing, and a chronic arm itch that's now gone international. Victoria Hislop is coming up this week.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we're joined by Wendi Peters - Corrie legend, current star of the touring theatre production Glorious, and living proof that the best stuff doesn't always arrive on schedule. Wendi talks finding love again after 33 years of marriage (via a wine-fuelled evening and a very niche dating app), why being told to lose weight at 16 by a headmistress eating chocolate digestives only made her more determined, and how approaching 60 as a leap year baby (she's technically 14 and a half) feels like the start of something rather than the end of it. Whether you've sworn off love for good or you're secretly wondering if there's one more chapter left, this one's warm, funny, and exactly the reminder you didn't know you needed. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] is currently starring in the 20th anniversary UK tour of Glorious!, playing Florence Foster Jenkins - the American socialite dubbed the worst singer in the world. The tour runs until June 2026. Dates and tickets at gloriousplay.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, Kaye nearly video-calls a professional contact from the loo (don't judge - you've done it), Karen's losing her voice to zero sympathy, and both of them are quietly jealous of Karen's sister Ag, who's just casually bouncing between Australia, Japan and New York with a glass of white wine permanently in hand. There's a Milan trip on the cards, which dredges up the time Kaye was dumped mid-pasta by a gorgeous Italian who put down his cutlery, said "this isn't working," and walked out - romance died in Lombardy and nobody paid the bill. But the real moment comes when Kaye finds a letter from 10 Downing Street confirming her interview with Margaret Thatcher, dated 15th April 1986 - forty years to the day, tucked inside a big book marked "Cuttings" with nothing else in it, because apparently nothing else measured up. Plus: should they do Edinburgh Festival this year, and this Friday Wendy Peters joins - Cilla from Crossroads, currently touring in Glorious as Florence Foster Jenkins. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we're joined by Jo Hamilton, the village sub-postmistress who was wrongly convicted of false accounting in the Post Office Horizon scandal — and who spent nearly two decades fighting to clear her name and the names of hundreds of others.Jo talks about running a little shop that was more drop-in centre than convenience store, the moment a faulty computer system started destroying her life, remortgaging the family home to cover money that was never actually missing, and standing in Winchester Crown Court genuinely believing she was going to prison. She tells Kaye about the village that clubbed together to keep her afloat, the extraordinary woman who paid off her mortgage with a six-figure cheque, and the moment she lay in bed after the High Court victory and looked up and told her late mum and dad: we did it.It's a story about shame, silence, and what happens when a fundamentally honest person gets trapped in an impossible situation. But it's also about discovering, in your fifties and sixties, a version of yourself you never knew was in there. Because sometimes the thing that nearly breaks you is the thing that shows you exactly what you're made of.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, Kaye bought a Peter Kay VIP package, forgot about it entirely, and queued in the rain like a mug. Karen lost her earbuds for three days, bought replacements, then found the originals in her dressing gown. There's eyelid surgery chat, a three-wheeled electric bike that defeated two grown adults, building work that so far involves moving junk from one room to another, and a place called Kinky Cottage that we're not getting into. Happy Tuesday.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we're joined by Tessa Peake-Jones, one of Britain's most beloved actors (yes, Raquel from Only Fools and Horses, and yes, she knows you were going to say that), who's currently starring in a new comedy drama called Invisible Me about three sixty-somethings navigating love, loneliness and everything in between.But this isn't just a conversation about dating apps and swiping left. It's about what happens when the kids leave, the relationship ends, and for the first time in your life, the only person you have to answer to is yourself. Tessa talks about growing up as an only child with a bipolar mother, why she's never married, and how reaching 60 unlocked a freedom and a confidence she never expected. There's a listener email from Margaret that will hit you right in the chest (is it too much to ask at 63 for someone who'd ring you on a Tuesday and say, do you fancy the pictures?). And there's a proper conversation about the things nobody wants to say out loud: that solitude can be a privilege, not a punishment. That glasses genuinely make you invisible. And that sometimes, the starfish in a double bed all to yourself is the happy ending.Tessa Peake-Jones stars in Invisible Me at Southwark Playhouse Borough from 8th April.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, we're reporting live from separate corners of Spain (well, almost) with tales of holiday chaos that'll feel painfully familiar. Kaye's mango obsession has turned the kitchen into a crime scene, her Duolingo is fooling nobody, and her daughters have started doing that thing where they look at each other and just... laugh. At her. For no stated reason. Karen and Stephen's romantic Seville getaway involved a phone that doesn't work, an iPad with no Wi-Fi, and accommodation instructions on a scrap of paper. There's a bucket hat. There are hair straighteners that were hiding in a bathroom drawer for an entire week. There's a man bag purchase that raises more questions than it answers. And tucked inside all the nonsense, there's a moment that really matters: Karen's MRI results are in, and she's clear.Because no one tells you that the funniest thing about getting older is realising you've become the comedy act your kids never asked for. Whether you're the one buying the bigger trousers "just in case" or discovering GHDs on the last day of the holiday, this one's for everyone who's ever felt like the punchline in their own family.Plus, a look ahead to Friday's guest: the lovely Tessa Peake-Jones, who joins us to talk about her new London play Invisible Me and life well beyond Raquel.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Kaye and Karen are joined by Donna Ashworth. Bestselling poet, wellbeing advocate, and author of Loss: The New Collection.Donna talks about the family diagnosis that rewired everything. Dropping the perfectionism. Saying what she actually thinks. Building a life that's calmer and more honest, even when it's messy.They get into grief beyond bereavement. Outgrowing identities, letting go of roles that no longer fit, and why walking away from something takes more courage than anyone tells you.A conversation about permission, getting older, and why the best bit might still be ahead.Get in touch at [email protected]'s new book Loss: The New Collection is available now in hardcover, featuring nearly 150 poems including previously unpublished work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, we're recording across borders — Kaye at home, Karen on a sunny balcony in Seville, and honestly, it's never felt more deserved. Because behind the coral sandals and the cold red wine is a week that nearly didn't happen. Karen shares the full story of her three-day hospital stay, the scans, the scares, and the moment she ran out the door with the cannula still in. We talk about why "you've finished chemo" doesn't mean you feel finished, why therapy in real time might be smarter than toughing it out, and why nobody warns you that turning a corner still feels like looking over your shoulder. On the lighter side, Kaye reveals Ian's new tap dancing obsession (performed in a t-shirt that wasn't quite long enough), a mango-related betrayal at breakfast, and the news that a portaloo has appeared in the driveway. Plus, a heads-up that this Friday's guest is the brilliant Donna Ashworth. Whether you're mid-treatment, post-treatment, or just trying to steal five minutes of sunshine for yourself — this one's for you.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Rosie O’Donnell, who opens up about building a life that finally feels like her own - from leaving America for Ireland, to raising a teenager in her 60s, and redefining what really matters.It’s never just about getting older, it’s about what you carry with you. Rosie reflects on losing her mother at a young age, how that shaped her drive, and why every birthday now feels like “extended play.” There’s honesty, humour, and a refreshing refusal to pretend that life or fame has all the answers.Whether you’re questioning what success looks like now, juggling family in a different season of life, or quietly wondering if you’re allowed to want something simpler, this one hits home. Because no one tells you that peace can sometimes mean stepping away, not pushing harder.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] brings her acclaimed show Common Knowledge to the Glasgow Comedy Festival, appearing at the King’s Theatre for her Glasgow debut on 26 March Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re coming to you from a Glasgow hospital waiting area — because life doesn’t pause neatly for podcasts, does it? Between tests, tetchy staff, smuggled snacks and rearranged furniture, we chat Mother’s Day highs, birthday surprises (including tap-dancing ambitions), and the strange domestic dilemmas that somehow follow you even into hospital — from rogue garden branches to whether a beloved scooter or baby grand piano defines your legacy.Whether you’re juggling health worries, family chaos, or simply wondering how your life became a series of oddly specific decisions no one prepared you for, this one’s a reminder that it’s never just about the big things — it’s the absurd, funny, human bits in between that keep you going. Because no one tells you that later life can feel both deeply serious and utterly ridiculous at the same time.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Sheila Nollert, who decided that turning 65 was exactly the moment to do something many people said she shouldn’t.After retiring from her job with the Ontario government, Sheila found herself searching for purpose and wondering who she was without work. Then a chance sighting of a woman paddling alone into the Canadian wilderness sparked an idea she couldn’t shake: could she do that too?Four years later, she pushed off in a canoe and spent four days navigating remote lakes completely alone, carrying her own gear, setting up camp in bear country and confronting both the physical challenge and the mental battle of being out there by herself.We talk about the quiet ways ageism shows up once you reach your sixties, the doubts other people project onto you, and the bigger question beneath it all: when did we start telling ourselves it’s too late to try something new?Because no one tells you that some of the most meaningful moments of your life might still be ahead - if you’re brave enough to go looking for them.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] can find Sheila on Instagram at @sheilanollert and read more about her book No Expiry: A Woman Fights Fear and Ageism and Takes on the Wilderness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, Kaye and Karen chat about the things that creep up on you in midlife — from unstoppable snacking (hello oatcakes and popcorn) to the strange habits we develop when the afternoons get a bit too quiet.But it’s never just about food. Kaye also talks about navigating an unexpected change with the BBC, the wave of support she’s received, and why she’s turned to journaling to make sense of it all. Because sometimes writing things down is the only way to clear your head when life throws something completely off-script.There are also coughing husbands, mysterious nose-whistling, and a slightly chaotic hunt for logs for the fire — just another normal week.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Daisy Goodwin, novelist, screenwriter and creator of Victoria, who joins Kaye and Karen for a candid conversation about anxiety, ambition and what life really feels like in your 60s.Daisy has spent decades creating powerful stories about women, but in this conversation she turns the lens on herself. From a childhood shaped by her mother leaving when she was five to building a prolific creative career, she explains how what’s now called “high-functioning anxiety” became both her challenge and her driving force.The three discuss the strange mismatch between outward success and inner self-doubt, why many women never feel quite as confident as they appear, and how getting older can bring a surprising kind of freedom. Daisy describes this stage of life as a “second adolescence”, a time when children have grown up, routines loosen and curiosity returns.They also talk honestly about breast cancer, creative insecurity, the pressure success can place on children, and the relief of learning to be a little less hard on yourself.Whether you’re rediscovering independence, questioning the stories you tell yourself, or simply wondering if anyone else still feels like a teenager inside, this episode is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t stop at 60.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we unpick the drama that gripped absolutely no one but us… Loggate. Yes, the missing firewood, the woodyard showdown, and why sometimes it’s never just about the logs.But alongside the axe-wielding determination (don’t ask), things take a more tender turn. A bruised neck after a thyroid biopsy. That familiar spiral when you’re waiting on results. The strange competitiveness of “who’s got the better medical story” when you’re both trying to stay upbeat.We talk regrowth — hair, eyebrows, underarms — and the small, defiant joys of spring. A two-year-old’s birthday party with dumper trucks instead of pink plastic. Teenage daughters who quietly prop you up when life wobbles. An ageing dog who can’t hear you calling but still makes you laugh.Whether you’re juggling health scares, family shifts, or just the price of gas, this one’s about holding it together — badly, bravely and with humour.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Suzi Quatro, who at 75 is still doing exactly what she loves ... releasing new music and heading back out on tour.Suzi talks about the determination that drove her from a big Detroit family onto the world stage, why she’s never seen age as a barrier, and how finding your own voice can shape an entire life. It’s never just about success - we also talk about family tensions, heartbreak, divorce and the difficult choices that come with staying true to yourself.Whether you’re feeling confident about getting older or quietly wondering what comes next, Suzi’s story is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t stop at 60, and that freedom can come from finally being comfortable in your own skin.We also hear about her brand new album Freedom, a return to her original rock roots, and her upcoming UK tour this spring, including dates across the country and a final show at the London Palladium. Find out more about both at suziquatro.comGet in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Midweek Catchup, we need to warn you. The first ten minutes involve Karen, a stomach bug, and a decision no woman should have to make between a toilet and a sink at speed. Stephen was downstairs on Duolingo. He did not come up.From there it's Kaye's renovation nightmare (seven and a half grand for a gas pipe, just the pipe), the lost ring saga taking a beautifully unhinged turn thanks to a listener called Tracy and a sewing needle, and Kaye forcing Ian to turn the car around because she forgot her lucky mandarin. He didn't say a word. Keeper.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we're joined by Olympic gold medallist and all-round legend Sally Gunnell, who, just months out from her 60th birthday, is proving that the woman who once held every major athletics title simultaneously has absolutely no intention of slowing down now.Sally opens up about what it really feels like to approach 60 when your body has been your career, your identity, and your instrument. She talks candidly about the strange grief of losing elite fitness, why pregnancy was actually a smoother transition than retirement, and how she learnt, slowly, honestly, to stop being the centre of her own universe. Spoiler: it took a few years and three boys.We get into the messy, relatable stuff too: the menopause weight that won't budge no matter how many walks you take, the confidence that quietly disappears, and why Sally's online programme Life's Hurdle was born from exactly that frustration. Because whether you were a world record holder or just trying to get round the Great North Run, the struggle at this stage of life turns out to be remarkably similar.Sally's outlook, control the controllables, live in the now, look forward not back, is either deeply inspiring or mildly infuriating depending on your relationship with catastrophising. It's never just about fitness. It's about who you are when the thing that defined you has changed and how you build something new, stronger, and honestly more fun.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we wander cheerfully off-piste — from the unexpected thrill of blue duck eggs and medication-induced hunger, to Valentine’s gestures that don’t quite go to plan. But it’s never just about the small stuff.Kay opens up about losing her mum’s ring and why it’s shaken her more than she expected, sharing listener stories that prove lost things have a habit of turning up when you least expect them. Along the way, we get into inherited superstitions, magpies, lucky mandarins, and the strange rituals we lean on when life feels a bit wobbly.Whether you’re fiercely practical or quietly superstitious, this one’s about memory, meaning, and why objects — and habits — can carry far more weight than they should. Because no one tells you how emotional the “little things” can become as you get older.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we're joined by journalist-turned-celebrant Mandy Appleyard, who shares the extraordinary story of what happened when her fiercely independent mum suffered a devastating stroke at 81 and then asked her daughters to help her die at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.Mandy opens up about the gruelling reality of becoming a carer overnight, the slow heartbreak of watching her mum lose her speech and independence, and the moment she and her sister Kay realised they couldn't talk their mum out of her decision. Because no one tells you what it's actually like - the hidden costs, the bureaucratic maze, the private flight over the Alps, the Swiss chocolates before the final drink, and the knock on the door from police the very next evening.It's never just about one decision. It's about grief you can't process, guilt that lingers, a two-year criminal investigation, and somehow finding your way back to a life that looks nothing like before. Mandy's honesty about the messy, complicated reality of loving someone enough to let them go, even when every part of you wants them to stay, is breathtaking.Whether you've been a carer, lost a parent, or simply wondered what you'd do if someone you loved asked you for the unthinkable, this one will stay with you.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re talking about the strange emotional whiplash of midlife — from Valentine’s Day expectations (or lack of them), to the shock of realising how attached we are to things we swear don’t matter.Kay opens up about losing her mum’s ring — and being blindsided by how deeply it hurts — while Karen reflects on the small, handwritten things you’d be devastated to lose, even though no one else would understand why. Along the way, there’s chat about ageing bodies, dodgy mattresses, grand-puppies, hotel keycard chaos, and why some weeks just hit harder than others.Whether you’re quietly sentimental, fiercely unsentimental, loved-up, rolling your eyes at Valentine’s Day, or just having one of those weeks, this one’s a reminder that it’s never just about the thing itself — it’s about what it holds for you.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Michaela Strachan, TV icon, wildlife champion and a woman very clear on who she is at nearly 60. Michaela talks openly about early career labels, imposter syndrome, surviving breast cancer, menopause, mobility fears and the freedom that comes with no longer needing to perform for approval.Whether you’re still carrying old narratives, adapting to a changing body, or quietly wondering what the next decade is really for, this conversation goes deeper than ageing clichés. It’s never just about looks. It’s about authority, resilience, scars you stop hiding and the relief of finally being comfortable in your own skin.Michaela also shares why she’s very much not slowing down, as she heads out on her UK theatre tour, Not Just a Wild Life, starting this spring. It’s a live, reflective look back at an extraordinary career and the life lessons that came with it.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re waving goodbye to January, welcoming a galloping Year of the Horse, and asking whether manifestation actually works, or if you just need to press the button and hope for the best.We talk big life decisions, house projects, pensions, and that moment when you realise your home really is your future, alongside small but strangely emotional wins, clean rugs, tomato seedlings, and the unexpected joy of a cancelled Sunday.There’s also knitting, the £40, still-not-finished sock kind, the reality of post-chemo hair, ongoing side effects, and navigating travel insurance with forensic detail. Add in comfort TV you barely follow, and a proposed shared hobby that may or may not involve paddle tennis, industrial estates, and a firm demand for proper heating.Whether you’re downsizing, starting again, stitching slowly, or just trying to get through the week with humour intact, this episode is a reminder that it’s never just about the thing, it’s about finding momentum when life’s been on pause.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Josie Lawrence - comedy icon, improv legend, and living proof that confidence and anxiety can happily coexist. Josie talks about going on stage with no script at 66, why birthdays still matter, and how you can be fearless in one part of life while catastrophising in another.We get into what improvisation has taught her about ageing, control, and letting go - plus friendships as soulmates, the idea of a “man from Cornwall,” and why being content might be the most underrated life goal of all.Whether you’re craving reinvention, quietly questioning what’s next, or wondering how some women seem brave and terrified at the same time, this episode lands right where many of us are.Because no one tells you that getting older isn’t about slowing down — it’s about choosing what’s worth the energy.You can catch Josie Lawrence live with the London Comedy Store Players every Sunday night at The Comedy Store in London — or, if you’re outside the capital, on a short UK tour running from February to March.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re knee-deep in the small-but-consuming realities of midlife: mysterious itches that turn out to be nerve damage, sinus infections that knock you sideways, and the peculiar stress spiral of trying to buy travel insurance when your medical history has opinions.Whether you’re juggling post-treatment side effects, wondering if every new twinge means something dreadful, or just trying to book a holiday without remortgaging your house, this one will feel uncomfortably familiar. Because it’s never just about the ailment - it’s about control, reassurance, and staying optimistic when your body has its own agenda.There’s also birthday talk, partners who go to bed at 9.30pm, surprise dreams involving jigsaws, and a gentle reminder that ageing is as absurd as it is unavoidable. No big answers. Just honesty, humour, and the comfort of knowing you’re not the only one Googling symptoms at 2am Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Alese Johnston, founder of Fabulous 70 and unapologetic queen of reinvention, who believes life doesn’t wind down at 60 - it cracks open.Alese reflects on the decade that changed everything: divorce, therapy, finally asking herself “what do I want?”, and deciding to try 70 new things in her 70th year. From pole dancing to boudoir photo shoots, erotic blueprints to learning how to say yes, this is a conversation about curiosity, confidence, sexuality, and refusing to fade politely into the background.It’s never just about novelty. It’s about agency. Pleasure. Honesty. And taking up space in your own life.Whether you’re happily settled or quietly restless…With reinvention very much in the air, Alese's story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to become more yourself - even if it means doing a few things that feel wildly outside your comfort zone.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] learn more about Alese Johnston and her approach to reinvention in later life, head to fabulous70.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we talk pink cheeks, overdue roots, and the strange intimacy of finishing radiotherapy - plus the unexpected emotional fallout that comes after the “big milestones” are ticked off.There’s honest chat about bodies that don’t quite feel like yours anymore, the relief (and anti-climax) of treatments ending, and why booking holidays can feel like both triumph and admin hell at the same time.We also wander - as ever - into the comforts that keep us sane in the in-between bits: knitting socks, jigsaws, mushrooms, late-night hoovering, NHS sleep apps, eating an entire sleeve of Jaffa Cakes in a car park, and the quiet joy of deciding you absolutely deserve it.Whether you’re navigating recovery, wrestling with sleep, rethinking food rules, or just wondering when dinner got so late (and why that now feels impossible), it’s never just about hair, or habits, or snacks. It’s about agency, comfort, and finding small pleasures when life has been anything but small.Because no one tells you that after the hard part ends, there’s still a lot to process - and sometimes companionship is simply hearing someone else say, “Yes, that’s exactly it.”Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Lucy Kellaway OBE, 64 — former Financial Times columnist who did something genuinely radical on the edge of 60: she left her job, her marriage, and her Highbury home to retrain as a secondary school teacher in an inner London school.Lucy talks candidly (and with real humour) about what pushed her to jump. By 2013, her marriage was deteriorating, her father’s health was failing, and decades at the FT had tipped into burnout and career malaise. Teaching wasn’t a neat reinvention. It meant starting again at the bottom, navigating teenagers, parents, younger colleagues, and an education system that doesn’t bend easily - all while rebuilding identity and confidence in midlife. Later, she relocated again to teach in the north east.That experience didn’t stop with her. Lucy went on to found Now Teach, the UK’s only dedicated career-change charity for teaching. Now Teach has helped over 1,300 people retrain - and crucially remain - as secondary school teachers. Their free service offers 1-to-1 guidance, wellbeing, subject and career coaching, plus access to a peer network to share problems and find practical solutions. To learn more or apply: [email protected] January still deep in “fresh start” territory, this episode is for anyone quietly asking a dangerous question: is it too late — or am I finally ready?Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re talking about those very specific midlife moments no one warns you about. When your roots feel louder than your opinions, your nose develops a mind of its own, and holding your breath becomes a daily medical requirement.From zoning out on Zoom calls and freezing houses that should probably be illegal, to radiotherapy reality checks, relentless itching, eyebrow mishaps at the beauty counter, Pilates-induced body scrutiny, and the deeply controversial topic of marmalade hygiene. It’s never just about the grey hair or the sniffles. It’s about what happens to your patience, your body, and your sense of humour when life keeps shifting the goalposts.Whether you’re navigating treatment side effects, questioning why sleep is suddenly so elusive, or just wondering how you ended up needing tissues in every coat pocket, this one’s for you. Because no one tells you that ageing can be simultaneously absurd, exhausting, and weirdly funny, often all before breakfast.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Jackie Kay - poet, novelist, former Scots Makar and one of the sharpest, warmest thinkers on identity, belonging and getting older without shrinking. We talk about turning 60 as a clarifying moment, why writing is a lifelong form of processing, living on the margins by choice, love without cohabitation, grief, friendship, and what really matters as you age.Whether you’re rethinking who you are, how you live, or how much of yourself you’re willing to give away, this is a conversation about staying whole, because it’s never just about getting older, it’s about getting clearer.See Jackie Kay live in conversation with Russell T Davies at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on 16 JanuaryGet in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re easing into 2026 the only way we know how: chatting through the small domestic dramas that somehow say everything about where we’re at. From the brutal satisfaction of taking the Christmas decorations down early (and judging everyone else who hasn’t), to the chaos of tangled fairy lights, surprise clothing labels, itchy arms, ageing bodies, drum kits, camper vans and gift-giving politics.It’s never just about the tree - it’s about control, fatigue, humour, and learning to laugh at yourself when life refuses to be tidy. Whether you’re quietly relieved Christmas is over, negotiating changing bodies, or wondering why the men in your life are suddenly buying musical equipment, this one will feel very familiar.A warm, rambling, honest start to the year - proof that companionship sometimes looks like two friends talking absolute nonsense and accidentally telling the truth.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re firmly in that strange in-between zone where no one knows what day it is, Christmas feels like it happened months ago, and normal rules no longer apply. Kaye and Karen swap Twixmas stories - from quiet family Christmases and gifts bought (or bought for oneself), to beachside holidays, culinary regrets involving oysters, and the weird emotional flatness that can creep in when the festivities fade.It’s never just about what you did for Christmas. It’s about routines disappearing, bodies doing unexpected things, and realising that rest, recovery and small comforts matter more than forced cheer. Whether you escaped abroad, stayed close to home, or are still wondering where the week went, this episode is a warm, funny reminder that you’re not the only one feeling slightly untethered.Because no one tells you that this bit - the lull after the sparkle - can be just as revealing as the big day itself.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re recording on Christmas Eve and doing what we do best — talking honestly about how life actually feels at this age. From finishing a final round of chemo (and the brutal side effects no one really prepares you for), to the strange satisfactions of ticking off medication charts, to the sudden realisation that facial hair is… expanding.There’s festive exhaustion, pension chat, karaoke confessions, overpriced Pilates mishaps, and the quiet emotional weight that sits underneath Christmas when you’re knackered, grateful, fragile, and still trying to make things feel “normal.”Whether you’re powering through the holidays, stepping back to recharge, or laughing at the absurdities your body keeps throwing at you, this one’s a reminder that it’s never just about the jokes — it’s about getting through, together, with humour intact.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Sir Chris Bryant - MP, minister, memoirist, and living proof that life rarely runs in straight lines. Chris talks with fierce honesty about growing up too fast, coming to terms with being gay in a far less forgiving era, the strange road through the priesthood, and why resilience isn’t about pretending things didn’t hurt.It’s never just about politics. This is a conversation about identity, shame, adventure, boredom, cancer, ageing, and why curiosity might be the real secret to staying alive inside. Whether you’re reflecting on the lives you didn’t live, settling into who you are now, or wondering how much past hardship really shapes us, this one lands with warmth, grit and unexpected laughs.Because no one tells you how many versions of yourself you might have to survive before you feel at home.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re checking in just days before Christmas — with Kaye broadcasting from a hotel bathroom in London (puffer jacket, luggage rack and all) and Karen at home, navigating the final stretch of chemotherapy, festive expectations, and the strange emotional weather that comes with both.It’s a wide-ranging, very real conversation about not quite feeling “Christmassy,” the pressure to show up when your body and head aren’t there yet, and how humour carries you through when things feel heavy. There’s talk of hair loss in unexpected places, steroid-fuelled appetites, vegan Christmas puddings, jigsaws as an emotional support system, and the joy (and menace) of a mystery Secret Santa chocolate bar.Whether you’re powering through December on fumes, quietly opting out of forced fun, or discovering that ageing is never just about getting older — it’s about adjusting expectations — this one will feel familiar.Because no one tells you how odd the in-between bits can feel: not ill, not fine, not festive, not miserable — just human. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Sunday Times bestselling author Lesley Kara, whose brand-new psychological thriller The Troublemaker is landing next year — and trust us, it’s going to keep a lot of women up past their bedtime.We dig into the extraordinary story behind her so-called “late start”: the years of motherhood, endometriosis, surgical menopause, teaching stress, and sheer exhaustion that pushed her into clinical depression… and the single conversation that flipped her life from survival mode to creativity.Lesley talks honestly about stepping into her sixties, the shock of sudden success, and what it feels like to finally do the thing she was born to do.Whether you’re wondering if you’ve missed your moment, quietly nurturing a dream of your own, or just need a reminder that reinvention is real — this one will land.Because no one tells you how powerful it can be to back yourself at 55.Whether you’re rediscovering old ambitions, supporting ageing parents, or trying to work out who you are after everyone else has been looked after — you’ll feel seen here.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we tumble through the very specific flavour of December mayhem — Karen accidentally sleeping through chemo while the nurses wait to go home, the slow disappearance of her right eyebrow, and a restaurant saga that ends with a truly dreadful pizza and a packet of chocolate éclairs to recover from it.Whether you’re still counting out sleeping tablets like an advent calendar or noticing that every jumper you own now looks suspiciously like your mother’s, there’s something familiar here for anyone navigating midlife with a raised eyebrow (or… half of one).It’s never just about the cold cap or the cancelled booking — it’s the absurdity, the warmth, and the little shocks of recognition when life over 45 throws up another “oh, so this is who I am now” moment.We also hear from listeners — including Jill, whose “Year of Being Brave” feels like exactly the kind of spark so many women are craving as 2026 approaches. Plus: tiny trip-hazard dogs, quiet-table negotiations, and why Kaye absolutely should not come to Karen’s final chemo session Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fitness expert Jacqueline Hooton joins Kaye and Karen for a grounded, funny and honest conversation about ageing well. She talks about staying strong through shoulder surgeries and osteoarthritis, tackling internalised ageism, navigating post-menopause health, and why balance, bone strength and everyday mobility matter more than any “anti-ageing” promise.It’s a warm, motivating reminder that you’re never past the point of starting — and you don’t need to shrink your life to fit anyone’s expectations.Jacqueline’s book Strong is out now.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re talking Christmas chaos, stubborn husbands, and the kind of A&E visit that derails even the best-laid festive plans. Kaye finds herself doing the night shift in a waiting room full of germs, Karen is wrapping up head-torches and shoehorns like they’re luxury gifts, and both of them are wondering when life got quite this ridiculous.Whether you’re panic-buying presents, fighting off winter bugs, or just trying to get one night of proper sleep, this one will feel comfortingly familiar. It’s never just about the holidays, of course. It’s about ageing with humour, muddling through the medical dramas, and realising no one tells you how often you’ll end up discussing footwear aids in your sixties.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Scott Hastings, the rugby legend who has lived through the unimaginable and still finds a way to smile. After losing his wife and teenage sweetheart, Jenny, to suicide after 45 years together, Scott shares the reality of grief, resilience, and what it means to choose joy without ignoring pain. Whether you’re navigating your own storms or supporting someone through theirs, this conversation meets you with honesty, tenderness, and hope. We talk about living with someone you love through mental illness, how grief changes a family, and why being kind - even when you’re tired - matters more than ever. Because no one tells you how to survive after the future you planned disappears. Yet here Scott is swimming in Wardy Bay each week, celebrating small joys, finding peace where Jenny found hers, and holding love and loss in the same breath. Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re braving the Baltic chill with toilet confessions, rap-induced bafflement at Hamilton and the ongoing saga of Karen’s chemo side effects. Whether you’re the type who cleans your loo with a brush or a wad of loo roll, you’ll feel right at home.It’s never just about the weather. It’s the insomnia, the metallic taste, the pockets of joy found in ginger puddings and planting tulip bulbs in the rain. And because no one tells you this, we also cover the sheer discipline required when you suddenly work from home in a house that’s somehow nine degrees.If you’ve ever wondered why your dog needs a dressing gown, why hugs from strangers hit differently now, or why your heating rules are basically a Presbyterian religion, this one’s for you.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Maria McErlane, who brings sharp humour, unapologetic honesty, and a lifetime of mischief as she talks about ageing, invisibility, reinvention, sex, grief, and why she finally surrendered to an e-bike.Whether you’re feeling more third age than old age or still trying to work out who you are at 60+, this one lands. Maria opens up about changing identities, losing confidence, chasing curiosity, and why keeping your world small is the fastest way to feel older than your years.She also shares stories from her years in showbiz, the realities of life on the fringes of fame, and how she and Graham Norton now dish out dilemmas and laughter on their own podcast Wanging On.Because no one tells you that the most interesting part of your life might start right when society decides you’re invisible.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we tumble from hairstyle envy to spit jars, chemo side effects and the baffling joy of a bowel screening kit. Whether you’re currently debating how often to wash your neck, dealing with metallic mouth, or wondering if your partner’s dawn chorus of throat noises means anything medically, this one’s for you.It’s never just about hair, feet or poo samples. It’s about laughing through the slog, finding comfort in shared indignities, and remembering that somewhere out there is a woman who genuinely enjoys her screening kit.Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Fiona Clark, author of Menowars, who’s calling time on the confusion around menopause. From HRT debates to vaginal health taboos, Fiona tackles the mixed messages women face - and reminds us that post-menopause isn’t “after the storm,” it’s the rest of our lives.Whether you’re wondering if you should be on HRT, baffled by conflicting advice, or just tired of whispering the word vagina, this one’s for you. Because no one tells you how much grey area there really is between hot flushes and healthy ageing.Fiona's book "Menowars" is available now from Amazon and all good bookstores!Get in touch with your thoughts at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.