Ctrl Alt Delete

Glennon Doyle is someone I've wanted to have on the podcast for years, ever since I read her book LOVE WARRIOR (which was an Oprah Book Club selection), as well as her New York Times bestseller CARRY ON, WARRIOR. An activist and thought leader, Glennon is the founder and president of Together Rising, an all-women led nonprofit organisation that has revolutionised grassroots philanthropy – raising over $25 million for women, families, and children in crisis. She lives in Florida with her wife and three children.In this episode we discuss Glennon's new book "Untamed. Stop pleasing, start living" which has gone on to become a #1 New York Times bestseller and (a Reese's Book Club selection).For many years, Glennon Doyle denied feeling unhappy in her life and marriage. Then, while speaking at a conference, she looked at a woman across the room (Abby Wambach) and fell instantly in love. the voice she had buried beneath decades of numbing addictions and social conditioning.Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanising wake-up call. It is the story of how she learned that a responsible mother is not one who gives up who she is for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is also the story of how each of us can unleash our truest, wildest instincts.We talk about how she got the book out to so many people during lockdown, how to spot our desires beneath the desires, how jealousy is a useful emotion and I ask Glennon about some of my favourite bits in the book and how we can be a little bit braver, and wilder in the lives we live. ENJOY!!!Glennon's book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glennon-Doyle/e/B073C6SQY1/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1You can pre-order OLIVE here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emma-Gannon/e/B07CNBMD9B/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renay Richardson is the founder and CEO of Broccoli Content, a company she founded in 2018.Broccoli is a new multi-genre podcasting joint venture between Renay and Sony Music and is focused on the development and distribution of original programming. Renay is a producer who has previously worked for podcast platforms including Acast & Audible and a successful independent podcast creator in her own right - her credits including About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge and The Receipts on 1xtra from BBC Radio 1Xtra. In this episode we talk about Broccoli's recent brilliant initiative called The Equality in Audio Pact - which the Guardian and BBC have just signed among many others - there are the 5 points:1 . Pay interns / No longer use unpaid interns.2. Hire LGBTQIA+, black people, people of colour and other minorities on projects not only related to their identity.3. If you are a company that releases gender pay gap reports, release your race pay gap data at the same time.4. No longer participate in panels that are not representative of the cities, towns, and industries they take place in.5. Be transparent about who works for your company, as well as their role, position and permanency.You sign the pledge here: https://www.broccolicontent.com/equality-in-audio-pactHope you enjoy this episode! I loved talking to Renay about her career, the future of podcasting and making the audio space more equal. Plus, getting into podcasting; first jobs; being a CEO; sharing the mic, what 'Broccoli' means; working on Reni Eddo-Lodge's podcast, racism in audio, working in podcasting in the UK and the US. On making About Race: "we were right, we were ahead, you get punished for having vision and for seeing the future and what is actually needed. We were held back and restricted in what we did."Please go and follow Broccoli Content and check out their amazing podcast series ANTHEMS: http://hyperurl.co/anthemspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is the brilliant Candice Brathwaite, Sunday Times Bestselling author of I Am Not Your Baby Mother. The book has been called 'an urgent part-memoir, part-manifesto about Black British motherhood' in Red magazine. When Candice fell pregnant and stepped into the motherhood playing field, she found her experience bore little resemblance to the photos of women in glossy magazines and Mumsnet and she found herself wondering: "Where are all the black mothers?".Candice started blogging about motherhood in 2016 and is the founder of Make Motherhood Diverse – an online initiative that aims to encourage a more accurately representative and diverse depiction of motherhood in the media.Candice's book I am Not Your Baby Mother is urgent, inspirational, funny, and very very important. It talks about her own childhood, pregnancy, how Black British women are 5 times more likely to die in childbirth, (and lots of eye-opening statistics that you will never forget), and the reality of living with racial micro-aggressions and unconscious bias at every point. It's one of the most important books I've read all year and I think it should be in schools. Candice writes with such humour, poignancy and depth - I love her straight-talking style and everyone should read it. Please do buy a copy. Hope you enjoy this episode, if you did please leaving a rating or review, thanks! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Layla F. Saad, #1 bestselling author of Me And White Supremacy and globally respected writer, speaker and host of the Good Ancestor Podcast. She speaks on the topics of race, identity, leadership, personal transformation and social change. As an East African, Arab, British, Black, Muslim woman who was born and grew up in the West, and lives in Middle East, Layla has always sat at a unique intersection of identities from which she is able to draw rich and intriguing perspectives. Me And White Supremacy is Layla's first book. Initially it was self-published online for free following an Instagram challenge and hashtag under the same name, and was downloaded by close to ninety thousand people around the world in the space of six months. It is now a New York Times Bestselling book. Layla's work has been brought into homes, educational institutions and workplaces around the world that are seeking to create personal and collective change.It is worth mentioning this conversation was recorded on 4th May, before the news of George Floyd. The advertising revenue for this week's episode will be donated to the Black Lives Matter Fund.To read:Do the work: an anti-racism reading list: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2020/jun/03/do-the-work-an-anti-racist-reading-list-layla-f-saad"I need to talk to spiritual white women about white supremacy" by Layla Saad: http://laylafsaad.com/poetry-prose/white-women-white-supremacy-1The Millions of Amy Coopers https://www.thecut.com/2020/05/why-amy-cooper-called-the-cops.htmlReni Eddo-Lodge's tweets: https://twitter.com/renireni/status/1266674554283401216Fighting the racism that killed George Floyd requires more than hashtags https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/02/white-people-racism-george-floyd?CMP=Share_iOSApp_OtherWe Need To Rethink Our “Pics Or It Didn’t Happen” Approach To Activism https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/performative-grief-onlineTo donate: Minnesota Freedom FundBLMOfficial George Floyd Memorial Fund Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Julia Ebner, bestselling author and Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, where she leads projects on online extremism, disinformation and hate speech. She has acted as a consultant for the UN, NATO, and the World Bank. Her journalism has appeared in the Guardian, Independent, Prospect and Newsweek, and she was a key contributor to a documentary for ITV on militant responses to Brexit, and a Radio 4 piece on women in the far right. Her first book, The Rage: The Vicious Circle of Islamist and Far-Right Extremism, was a bestseller and shortlisted for multiple awards. In this episode, we discuss her new book Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists. We touch on how Julia went undercover into online hate-groups; how to deal with trolls and how to improve education for young people in regards on online extremism. If you enjoy this podcast please do leave a rating or review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Today's guest is journalist and consultant Jessica Evans. She has previously written for the likes of Stylist, Refinery29, Elle and all the top magazines. She is also the founder and CEO of The Freelance Sessions, which is an indie organisation that helps both aspiring writers become freelance journalists and established journalists in their career. The heart behind the one-to-one sessions is to help more northern, working class women break into the elitist world of journalism. I came across Jess when I read a piece she wrote for The Independent called "The journalism industry is abysmal for working class women like me" (link below). In this episode we discuss freelancing, classism, the issue with "Londonising" and how to get more talented individuals into the industry. Jess's piece in The Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/class-discrimination-journalism-women-working-class-2020-london-a9264146.htmlMore info on PressPad here: https://presspad.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Emma Jane Unsworth - the award-winning novelist and screenwriter. Her latest novel, ADULTS, a comedy about a thirty-something woman whose life is falling apart and has been described as a "witty" and "virtuoso" satire by The Guardian and "sharp and funny" by The Times. Her previous novel, ANIMALS, was adapted into a film, for which Unsworth wrote the screenplay. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2019 and Unsworth won the award for Best Debut Screenwriter at the British Independent Film Awards 2019. She also writes for television and various magazines. She is currently adapting ADULTS for television.In this episode we discuss novel writing, script-writing, social media addiction, jealousy of other women, postpartum mental health - we cover it all. If you enjoyed this episode, please do rate and review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Hamilton is my guest today. For five years she worked at SUITCASE magazine and for two of those years she held the position of Editor-in-Chief. She is also Co-Founder and Content Director at Sonder & Tell, a new agency that helps brands find their voice and express themselves. Their practice involves bringing an editorial approach to brand content, applying storytelling techniques to creates work that cuts through the noise. I've worked with Sonder & Tell in the past on the book Comfort Zones that raised money for Women For Women International last year, and they also helped me rebrand my newsletter as The Hyphen which has now expanded into The Hyphen Book Club. In this episode we discuss how brands are responding to Covid-19, crafting a tone voice, storytelling, how to add value and what branding will look like in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Angela D’Orazio, master blender and chief nose officer at Mackmyra – a multi-award-winning Swedish whisky distillery, and the producer of the world’s first AI-created whisky. Really excited to bring you a special bonus episode in partnership with Microsoft all about how AI is changing the whisky industry. I loved hearing about how us humans can work with AI to achieve a different kind of creativity. We spoke about how she got into her job as a master blender; AI adds a new layer of creativity to her job; the things she's learned over the years and what she's looking forward to next.Thanks to Microsoft for making this one happen. If you liked this episode, please do rate and review it on your favourite podcast app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Dockrill is an award-winning author and illustrator. What Have I Done? is Laura's first book for adults. I have loved Laura's fiction and poems for years, and now this. I can already say it's one of the best memoirs I've ever read on mental health. It's about postpartum psychosis. It's moving, incredibly vivid and well written. Laura made me feel like I was standing in the corner of the hospital room with her when giving birth and then in her living room afterwards as she embarked on her road to recovery. The topic is so so important and it still feels so shrouded in secrecy, until now. I'm so glad this book exists. In this episode we discuss Laura's journey, recovery, what it's like when a raw blog article about your mental health goes viral, and why this book is a love letter to family and friends.If you'd like to read the article on Clemmie Telford's blog that we discuss in the interview, it is here: https://motherofalllists.com/2018/08/13/2018-08-13-postpartum-psychosis/And if you'd like to buy Laura's book 'What Have I Done?' you can do so here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/what-have-i-done/laura-dockrill/9781529110210Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed this episode please do consider leaving a rating or review! xo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christine Armstrong is an author, researcher and speaker on the future of work. She is a contributing editor of Management Today, She is known to 'blow up the bullshit about working parenting and dig into the truth about what works. And what really doesn’t.' You might have read her piece in the Times that went viral called 'why working mums are being sold an impossible dream about work/life balance — and how to set the record straight' a piece promoting the publication of her brilliant book The Mother of All Jobs: How to Have Children and a Career and Stay Sane(ish. We recorded this episode pre-lockdown, and Christine is now researching our response to working from home en masse and asking what people want to happen next. I really hope you enjoy this episode we got into the nitty gritty of parenting, work and why flexible working doesn't always work - and how we can try and get it right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[This episode was recorded in January 2020.) My guest today is the lovely Dani Dyer who won ITV2’s Love Island with a landslide 80% of the vote and captured the hearts of the nation. Trained as an actor, Dani has appeared in a number of films, as well as making her stage debut in Nativity! The Musical in 2018. Since leaving Love Island, Dani has raised money for Comic Relief, launched her own successful record-breaking fashion range and and has starred in her own hit reality show with ITVBe.In this episode we discuss Love Island, growing up, her bestselling book What Would Dani Do (out NOW in paperback), and her relationship with social media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Gemma Milne, the science/tech writer and author of Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It . Her works have been featured in the BBC, The Times and she is the co-founder of Science: Disrupt – a media outlet covering advances in science startups, research processes and industries such as space, energy, health and advanced computing. She works with the World Economic Forum as one of their Global Shapers, and is also an advisor to the European Commission and Innovate UK, helping them decide which scientific innovations should be funded with government money. So she's pretty impressive basically.Her book is all about the smoke and mirrors of many different industries, and how we can spot 'hype' and 'illusions' especially online. The book encourages critical thinking, the nuance of conversations and why we should be taught to scrutinise things more. I found her book and this conversation super interesting, hope you do too! xo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vex King is an author, mind coach and entrepreneur. He experienced many challenges when he was growing up and we talk about this within this episode; his father died when he was just a baby, his family were often homeless and he grew up in troubled neighbourhoods. Vex talks about how he has turned his life around through his popular Instagram account (@vexking) which has become a source of inspiration for thousands of young people. His book Good Vibes Good Life has been on the Sunday Times Bestseller lists for weeks now, and the book discusses things like how to ​practice self-care and overcome toxic energy; ​cultivate positive lifestyle habits, including mindfulness and meditation and finding your higher purpose. ​H​ope you enjoy this episode if you did please do leave a rating or review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Walker is a feminist activist, founding leader of the Women’s Equality Party, and recently-appointed chief executive of Young Women’s Trust, the charity representing and supporting women who are living on no or low pay. She is passionate about rebuilding society for and with (extra)ordinary women. You can follow her on Twitter under @sophierunning.Today I'm chatting to Sophie about her new book 'Five Rules for Rebellion' which is an inspiring, five-step journey to incorporating activism into our lives. Featuring stories of new and seasoned activists – including Amika George and Jack Monroe – campaigning on a range of issues from reproductive rights and poverty to the environment and access to education; the book shows us how to see activism not as a series of pitched battles but as a positive, lifelong learning experience. It's all about feeling less full of despair, and more able to channel anger, arm yourself with hope, practise perseverance and connect with others compassionately. She teaches us how we can convert our confusion and impatience into a powerful force for change. Hope you enjoy this episode :) If you did please do leave a review!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is the brilliant author Holly Bourne who started her writing career as a news journalist, where she was nominated for Best Print Journalist of the Year. She then spent six years working as an editor, a relationship advisor, and general 'agony aunt' for a youth charity - helping young people with their relationships and mental health. (TW: This episode discusses rape and sexual assault.)Inspired by what she saw helping young people, she started writing teen fiction, including the best-selling award-winning 'Spinster Club' series which helps educate teenagers about feminism. When she turned 30, Holly wrote her first adult novel How Do You Like Me Now?, examining the intensified pressures on women once they hit that landmark age, and the book became a Sunday Times bestseller. She now has her second adult fiction book out called Pretending. In one review of Pretending a reader says: "the book deals with trauma and sexual violence, there is also heart and humour throughout the pages". I feel like this sums up a lot of Holly's work - dealing with tough subjects through a lighter touch that makes her stories feel more accessible and real.I hope you enjoy this episode- and if you did please leave a lovely rating or review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is dedicated to all things Working From Home with the brilliant life coach Selina Barker. Selina is a life design and career change coach, writer, podcast host, co-founder of Project Love and creator of the Goodbye Hello journal. She is someone who gives very practical advice around designing your day and avoiding burn out so I thought she'd be the perfect guest for this week. She saved the day.Right now she is working on her first book - all about how to break out of the burnout cycle and learn how to thrive in a fast-paced modern world. Due to be published by Octopus in early 2021. If you enjoyed this conversation you can also listen to her every week on the Project Love podcast!In this episode, we dig into how to stay sane when working from home; how to set psychological boundaries when our physical boundaries have temporarily gone, and how to get a new routine on the go. I loved Selina's tips: the permission to unplug, step away from Zoom, setting up morning routines, working a shorter day, having breaks, setting boundaries, how to notice when anxiety is triggering old habits, and being kind to yourself.  If you enjoyed please leave a rating or a review - see you next week! :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is with psychotherapist and anxiety expert Anna Mathur. I wanted to do a special episode on how to deal with anxiety and anxious feelings, especially circumstantially around what is happening right now with Covid-19 and our daily lives looking very different right now.Anna is passionate about taking therapy out of the therapy room and into general accessible spaces, empowering people to use simple techniques that will help them reframe the way that they think on a daily basis, and she has run hugely popular online courses on Reframing Anxiety - so wanted to bring you an episode with some accessible mental health advice during this tough time we're all going through.I apologise about the audio quality of my side of the conversation, it turns out my mic wasn't plugged into properly, and I am still adjusting to this new set up of remote recording, so I hope you don't mind too much as I think it was a valuable conversation and I loved Anna's tips on how staying calm and staying present during stressful times.Anna's book Mind Over Mother, Every Mum’s Guide to Worry and Anxiety in the First Year is out on May 14th), and here is the link to the Reframing Anxiety course that we discuss within the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

*Please note this episode was recorded in early March.* My guest today is Samatha Clarke, an author and Happiness Consultant. She is a teacher of Guardian Masterclasses and lecturer at The School of Life and expert on work happiness, culture and relationships.Whenever I speak to Sam, she always says something that makes me reflect on my work life. She has given me amazing advice in the past on setting better boundaries which has therefore grown my business in turn because I'm less likely to burnout when my boundaries are firm.Sam has just released her first book called Love It or Leave It: How to Be Happy at Work, and she wants her readers to find a way to say goodbye to the dread of Monday morning. This guide is full of vital tips and tools that will help you either Love It and find ways to get more out of the job you have or Leave It by working out the skills you have to offer and identify the steps you need to take, whether that's switching jobs, starting a portfolio career or testing a new business idea.Love It Or Leave It has been described being a book for anyone who is...stuck in a job they hate; thinking about a career change; someone who may have landed their dream job but is struggling with a toxic workplace.Hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, please leave a little rating or review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ctrl Alt Delete! When I was in LA earlier this year, I did a little podcast swap with one of my favourite podcasts across the pond called Forever 35 at Kate's house in sunny California. It’s hosted by friends and writers Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer who dive into the self-care practices that we all text our friends about — from which serums they’re using right now to finding a great therapist, navigating the challenges of friendship, and what they’re making for dinner. No topic is off-limits, and Doree and Kate get into it with humour, honesty along with great guests. It’s one of those podcasts I listen to if I’m travelling solo, having a bath or want something comforting on in the background.So I hope you enjoy this little bonus episode. We recorded at Kate’s house and had a natter. We discussed everything from starting a self-care podcast, beauty, feminism and why Kate has decided to quit Twitter. And if you want more, I appeared on their podcast too, so check out my episode on the Forever35 podcast, we discussed everything from making a podcast into a business to solo travel to mental health practices when working freelance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Frankie Bridge, best known as one fifth of 'The Saturdays'. Frankie has been really open about her mental health issues over the years and has been an ambassador for MIND after opening up about her experiences of anxiety, depression and panic attacks, following her hospitalisation in May 2012. Having initially dealt with these issues in silence, Frankie has been keen to support MIND in making sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone. Recently, she's been a key player in helping to launch the MIND partnership with Heads Together, as well as lending her support to Time to Talk Day. Frankie launched her first podcast series OPEN MIND focussing on mental health in 2019 and which debuted in the top ten podcasts upon release. I hope you enjoy this episode and if you did please do leave a rating or review. <3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rana Foroohar is an author, Financial Times columnist and CNN analyst, writing and investigating into how today’s biggest tech companies are hijacking our data, our livelihoods, and our minds. I really wanted to do an episode on Big Tech - aka FANG - Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google). How tech has changed and how it's changed us. Her book Don't be Evil looks into how big tech has lost it's way over the past two decades. Through her skilled reporting and unparalleled access to these topics—won through nearly 30 years covering business and technology—Foroohar tells the story of how giddy idealism turned to greed, how a world where “information for free” became one in which we, the users, are the product being monetized, and how the “democratized” internet we were promised can threaten the very fabric of our democracy. In her book she lays out a plan for how we can resist and slightly rebel against tech. I wanted to ask that question: can we rebel against tech now or are we just too embedded? I hope you enjoy this fascinating episode. If you enjoyed, please do leave a rate or review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is New York Times Bestselling novelist Ann Napolitano. In this episode we are discussing her new novel Dear Edward. Unlike a lot of big new titles publishing in 2020, this isn’t the big debut push. Dear Edward is Ann Napolitano’s third book, her first novel was rejected 80 times, and her second novel hardly sold. And yet Dear Edward is set to be one of 2020’s biggest new novels. I absolutely loved this book. Here's the blurb: one summer morning, a flight takes off from New York to Los Angeles. There are 191 passengers aboard: among them a young woman taking a pregnancy test in the airplane toilet; a Wall Street millionaire flirting with the air hostess; an injured soldier returning from Afghanistan; and two parents moving across the country with their adolescent sons, bickering over who gets the window seat. When the plane suddenly crashes in a field in Colorado, the younger of these boys, 12-year-old Edward Adler, is the sole survivor. Dear Edward depicts Edward's life in the crash's aftermath as he struggles to make sense of the meaning of his survival, the strangeness of his sudden fame, and find his place in the world without his family. I really recommend buying this book and loved chatting to Ann about writing fiction. Please do rate and review if you enjoyed :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ruby Warrington is a lifestyle writer and former features editor of the UK's Sunday Times Style. In 2013, she created The Numinous, an online magazine that bridges the gap between the mystical and the mainstream. I wanted to invite Ruby onto the podcast to discuss her bestselling and hugely popular book Sober Curious which has been described as a bold guide to choosing to live hangover-free.Drawing on research, expert interviews, and personal narrative, Sober Curious is a radical take down of the myths that keep so many of us drinking. Inspiring, timely, and blame free, Sober Curious is both conversation starter and handbook essential reading that empowers readers to transform their relationship with alcohol, so we can lead our most fulfilling lives. As you'll see from our conversation there is a nuance to the sober curious movement, it's not that you can never drink again, nor is it a book necessarily for anyone with a problem, it's really for anyone who wants to be more curious about their drinking habits. Hope you enjoy this episode and if you did please do rate and review on iTunes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CORRECTION: In the intro I said Kiley Reid has written 'a number of novels and stories'. Such A Fun Age is actually her DEBUT novel. Apologies for this error.Kiley Reid is a New York Times Bestselling writer, earning her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she won a fellowship award and taught undergraduate creative writing workshops with a focus on race and class. Kiley has written a book of short stories but her DEBUT novel Such a Fun Age is a very big book for 2020. The story is about a babysitter called Emira and her white employer Alix. This book is about race and the messy dynamics of privilege.Here's some of the press it's picked up already:Reese Witherspoon's Book Club Pick for January 2020The Sunday Times One to WatchA Times Best Book of 2020A Stylist Best Book of 2020A New York Times Book to WatchA Vogue Best Book of WinterA Marie Claire Best Book of Winterif you liked the episode please don't forget to rate and review :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is the wonderful Gillian Anderson. You might remember my episode from two years ago when Gillian came on the podcas as a guest with her friend and co-author Jennifer Nadel; they wrote the bestselling book We: The uplifting manual for women seeking happiness.Today, Gillian is back in the Ctrl Alt Delete studio. She doesn't really need an introduction but I will do it anyway! She is the award-winning film, television and theatre actor who achieved international recognition for her role as ‘Special Agent Dana Scully’ on the AmericanTV series THE X-FILES. Gillian won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild awards for the series. She has tons of other brilliant television credits and earlier this year Gillian starred in Netflix’s hit series SEX EDUCATION and will return to play sex therapist, Jean Milburn in the second series out now. Gillian is currently filming THE CROWN, where she will join the cast in season 4 as UK Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.Gillian has also collaborated with WINSER. After a successful first collection last Autumn, she has collaborated again with Winser London’s design team again to create her second womenswear capsule collection for the brand, which includes a unique fundraiser jumper featuring a design of her lips with 20 percent of sales going o Gillian's chosen charity, @womenforwomen which helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives. Gillian’s collection is now live online at winserlondon.com.We spoke about turning fan art into charity merchandise, dipping a toe into another industry, trying new things, being a homebody, how TV has changed since the 90s, mental health anxiety, living with chronic pain and the joy of being in bed by 9. I love this quote from the episode:'It should be become so natural for people to talk freely [about mental health] without it making headlines. It's still in the press slightly mocked in headlining it. Ultimately, it should be discussed as easily as what we eat for breakfast. The majority of human beings on this planet do struggle with some form of fear, anxiety, depression and there are constant contributors in our world that are making those numbers grow." I hope you enjoy this episode, I absolutely loved recording it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Sarah Ellis who spent the first part of her career working in Marketing & Corporate Responsibility for brands including Boots, Barclays and Sainsbury's. She co-founded Amazing If - as a side-hustle - with her friend Helen Tupper. They describe their path as being accidental entrepreneurs and they recognise that the world of linear and predictable career ladders are disappearing. Instead, careers are now much more 'squiggly', where changing roles, industries and careers frequently and fluidly is becoming the new normal. Together they wanted to help everyone to develop the skills to succeed in a squiggly career in a way that is useful and relevant for today's world of work. Sarah has an MBA with distinction from Warwick Business School and has studied at both London and Harvard business schools. In this episode we discuss confidence gremlins, getting comfortable with disagreements, and the highs and lows of motherhood. This is part two of our Squiggly Career conversation, check out part one if you haven't already!I deffo recommend getting a copy of the Squiggly Career! It's a fantastically helpful book. You can also listen to their weekly podcast 'Squiggly Careers' - I've also been on as a guest recently. If you liked this episode please do rate or review so others can find it :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Sarah Ellis who spent the first part of her career working in Marketing & Corporate Responsibility for brands including Boots, Barclays and Sainsbury's. She co-founded Amazing If - as a side-hustle - with her friend Helen Tupper. They describe their path as being accidental entrepreneurs and they recognise that the world of linear and predictable career ladders are disappearing. Instead, careers are now much more 'squiggly', where changing roles, industries and careers frequently and fluidly is becoming the new normal. Together they wanted to help everyone to develop the skills to succeed in a squiggly career in a way that is useful and relevant for today's world of work. Sarah has an MBA with distinction from Warwick Business School and has studied at both London and Harvard business schools. This part one of our Squiggly Career conversation, check out part two next week!I deffo recommend getting a copy of the Squiggly Career! It's a fantastically helpful book. You can also listen to their weekly podcast 'Squiggly Careers'. If you liked this episode please do rate or review so others can find it :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is with Lucy Sheridan, the world's first and only comparison coach. She has helped thousands of people go from compare and despair to #ComparisonFree, and now she has condensed all of that insight and knowledge into her new book The Comparison Cure. Lucy came on Ctrl Alt Delete a few years back to talk about her passion in breaking down comparison triggers and it was so great to catch up again and to promote her brilliant book. The book is for anyone who has struggled with comparing yourself to others, which of course it a totally human thing, but sometimes it needs a bit of attention if/when it starts to take over your life. Lucy has a three-step tried and tested methodology to help you improve your self-worth and self-confidence (#1 recognise the symptoms; #2 start practising the remedies; and #3 keep your good new habits going), you will soon be able to let go of procrastination and start living a comparison-free life. Packed full of tips, examples and exercises to help you take back control of who you are and what you want, this positive and empowering book is the timely and necessary antidote we all need to the toxic comparison culture we're living in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is with Emma Forrest, one of my favourite writers of all time. She has published three novels, an essay collection and the memoir Your Voice In My Head, one of my favourite memoirs on mental health ever. She also recently wrote and directed her feature debut, Untogether. Today we're here to discuss Emma's new novel ROYALS which out now - which was a Radio 2 Book Club Pick and A Grazia Book of the Year.Royals has been described as devastating, dazzling, queer and radical, and a love story between unlikely friends from completely different worlds. It's about the power of art to transform lives and the power of families to destroy them. It's about working out who you are and what you want. It's a tale of giddy happiness, crushing lows and, ultimately, the fragility of lives lived too fast.I loved chatting to Emma about her career and creativity - if you like this episode please do leave a rating or a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Rachel DeLoache Williams,Vanity Fair photography editor and now author of My Friend Anna: The True Story Of The Fake Heiress Of New York City. One of TIME magazine's must-read books of 2019.This book is the true story of Anna Delvey through her friend Rachel's eyes -- someone you might have read about in the news, the fake heiress whose deceit and elaborate con-artistry deceived the Soho New York scene before her lies were dramatically exposed. This is Rachel's story who is still dealing with the consequences of being so betrayed.The pair met through mutual friends, and became inseparable. But after Anna’s debit card was declined in a Morocco whilst on holiday in a five-star luxury resort, Rachel began to suspect that her increasingly mysterious friend was not all she seemed.This book has been called Catch Me If You Can meets Gossip Girl with Instagram filters. Between Anna Delvey, Fyre Festival’s Billy McFarland (Anna even tried to scam Billy) and Elizabeth Holmes, whose start-up app duped the high and mighty of Silicon Valley, 2019 seems to have be the year of the scammer.Hope you enjoy this interview with Rachel and please do leave a rating or review if you did! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ayesha Hazarika is a columnist, journalist, comedian and broadcaster who is known for her insightful and witty opinions and observations on current affairs and politics. Having started her career as a stand-up comedian in comedy basements across the country, she then took what she thought was a natural diversion into politics as a Special Adviser for the Labour Party, helping politicians on their speeches, media and policy as well as heading up initiatives on topics such as Women and Equality.  In 2018, she took her new show Girl on Girl – The Fight for Feminism on tour across the UK including a week’s run at the Soho Theatre which followed a successful two week run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The show looked at the current state of feminism with humour and honesty and tackled topics such as Weinstein, #MeToo and Kavanagh as well as looking at the medias obsession with pitting women against women.In 2019, Ayesha took over as Editor of The Londoner, the Evening Standard’s Daily Diary section, plus she writes a popular weekly column for the Evening Standard as well. She was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2016 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to political service. She was such a brilliant guest, I really enjoyed this conversation - we spoke about refusing to be put in one box, her fascinating career, and how she makes it all work. Please rate or review if you liked it <3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is the wonderful Emily Weiss, founder of Glossier, who, after cultivating a passionate community on her website Into The Gloss, saw an opportunity to create a new beauty experience that celebrates and speaks to the customer directly. Founded in 2014, Glossier is a digital-first beauty company with a mission to give voice through beauty. Glossier has a "skin first, makeup second" philosophy, Glossier creates modern essentials (skincare, makeup fragrance, body) that intuitive, easy-to-use, and don't hide or cover you up. Since launching, Glossier has introduced 36 products, opened two permanent stores (NY and LA), brought temporary retail to over 6 cities, raised $186 million in venture capital funding, and has welcomed 3 million customers the Glossier community. I recently popped into the NYC flagship store which averages 50K visitors per month and it was buzzing. They have also this year brought temporary retail to Miami, Seattle, Boston, and Austin. Most recently, they've opened Glossier London, on 13 Floral Street in Covent Garden - definitely go and check it out and top on your Boy Brow and Milk Jelly Cleanser!It was a really highlight having Emily on the podcast, hope you enjoy this conversation and her insights! If you did please leave a rating or a review - thanks! x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is one of my most requested — it's Eva Chen! Instagram’s head of fashion partnerships. She's an avid user of Instagram herself with over 1 million followers and works closely with representatives from across the fashion industry to strategise different ways of storytelling on a platform that is becoming absolutely key for fashion labels and retailers.In this episode I chat to Eva about The Instagram Edit pop up shop at Selfridges in London which is open now - I went along after interviewing Eva at Instagram HQ and it was a really fun experience — getting to browse an Instagram feed IRL. The pop-up is a curation of eight loved fashion, jewellery, beauty and homeware brands that were born and built on Instagram — including Amme London, Atelier Stella and The Frankie Shop. As part of this campaign, Instagram has also taken over one of the iconic Selfridges Christmas windows, partnering with a 3D artist Antoni Tudisco.We talk about how Instagram has always been a great place to discover businesses of all sizes and also support smaller independents — after all 90% of people now follow a brand on Instagram.So why not go check out the pop-up? If you can’t get down to Selfridges in person, you can also buy the items featuring in The Edit through the @Selfridges Instagram grid, by tapping on the shopping bag icon on the pictures and videos. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Eva about the future of all things Instagram, why they are trialling hiding 'likes' and Eva's inspiring career backstory.if you liked it please leave a rating/review, it really helps the podcast grow!(ps: this episode was arranged by the team at Instagram, but it is not paid for or sponsored.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People. Paul Devoy has been heading up Investors in People since 2011. Paul led the buyout of the organisation from UK Government ownership into it becoming a Community Interest Company in 2017. In a previous life Paul was Head of Organisational Development at the Scottish Prison Service and during his time there all prisons in Scotland were awarded Investors in People accreditation. This podcast is all about finding a career you love and making pivots along the way, so it was a joy to chat to Paul about the work Investors in People are doing. Their products have made work better for over 11 million people across 75 countries since 1991. They are a community Interest Company, for purpose not profit. Most of us will spend 80,000 hours at work in our lifetime. For something that takes up that much of our time, Investors in People think people should get more out of it than just a pay cheque which I totally agree with. They help organisations put people first by turning them into communities and by bringing brilliant people closer together, it helps retain the talent within the company.Moving away from Government has allowed Investors in People to significantly redevelop and expand their products, and now they offer various accreditations as well as a free platform that supports organisations to focus more on people. In this episode we discuss the problems in the workplace today, what makes us truly happy at work, and what managers and bosses can do to make positive change.To find out more check out investorsinpeople.com/ to find out more on how to make work better. **This is a paid partnership** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elaine Welteroth is an award-winning journalist, author, judge on the new Project Runway TV show and now author of memoir More Than Enough. I quoted her in my book The Multi-Hyphen Method because she is a thriving multi-hyphenate who I often looked to as an inspiration along the way. She was most recently held the iconic position of editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue -- where she in 2017 became the youngest person ever appointed editor-in-chief and in 2012 had been the first African American ever to hold the post of beauty and health director at a Condé Nast publication. Prior to Teen Vogue, she was the senior beauty editor at Glamour and beauty and style editor at Ebony magazine. She’s now a leading expert and advocate for the next generation of change-makers and she is one of my favourite people to follow on Instagram. She has written for the hit show Grown-ish and has appeared on-camera for a range of media outlets including ABC News and Netflix. In this episode we discuss her career pivots and her brilliant book. if you liked it please rate / review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Pastiloff travels the world with her unique workshop On Being Human which now also a self-help memoir published by Penguin Random House. Her workshops are a hybrid of yoga-related movement, writing, sharing aloud, tears, and the occasional dance party. She has been featured on Good Morning America, New York Magazine, Health Magazine, CBS News, and others for her unique style of teaching. She has taught thousands of women in sold-out workshops all over the world and recently lead a sold-out workshop with previous Ctrl Alt Delete guest Elizabeth Gilbert in Philadelphia. She is also the founder of the online magazine The Manifest Station and @nobullshitmotherhood on Instagram. Jen and I found each other somehow on Instagram and I knew this would be a really interesting and honest conversation because the way Jen lives her life is fascinating and she makes her own rules which I love. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Please do rate and review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamie Bartlett is the bestselling author of The Dark Net, Radicals Chasing Utopia and People vs Tech. He is the Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think-tank Demos. His Ted Talk on the Dark Net is fascinating and definitely worth a watch. He also writes on technology for the Spectator, the Telegraph and for several other publications on how the Internet is changing politics and society. In 2017, Jamie presented the two-part BBC Two documentary series The Secrets of Silicon Valley. And the reason we are speaking today is because I have recently become totally addicted to his new podcast The Missing CryptoQueen, a gripping BBC Sounds podcast that has been at the very top of the iTunes charts for weeks now. Warning: there are spoilers in this episode! So what is the Missing Cryptoqueen about? It is a podcast uncovering the mysterious story of Dr Ruja Ignatova who persuaded millions to join her financial revolution, a new cryptocurrency called One Coin. Then she just totally disappeared off the face of the earth. Jamie Bartlett and Georgia Catt have made a podcast trying to track her down and present a story of greed, deceit and herd madness. The weekly episodes are addictive and get stranger and stranger. I emailed Jamie one weekend after binging the entire thing asking him to come onto this podcast to chat, and I really enjoyed it! if you did too, please do consider leaving a review, and definitely go and listen to The Missing Cryptoqueen if you haven't already. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marie Le Conte is a journalist living in London. She was previously the Evening Standard's political diarist, BuzzFeeds' media and politics correspondent and went freelance in June 2017. Since then, she has written for a wide variety of newspapers and magazines and has also appeared on the Today programme, Newsnight, Chatham House, and the House of Commons.She was named one of MHP's 30 To Watch, and Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2018. Her first book is out now called Haven't You Heard? where Marie looks at the role of gossip in politics - the whispers and tittle-tattle that play out in all areas of politics - from the MPs and their advisers, the press who cover them and the civil servants in the middle of it all. From policy rows which aren't about policy at all and boozy nights with dramatic consequences, to people spinning their way to the top and dark secrets never seeing the light of day, Marie explores in great and entertaining detail the human side of the people running the country against a backdrop of political mayhem.It was really interesting to chat about the way politics is covered in the British media and why people are still so interested in Westminster gossip. Tune in, and please do leave a review if you liked it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a Dawn O'Porter themed week! I hosted Q&A event with Dawn at Foyles which was so fun, we then recorded the podcast, and then her launch party!Dawn is the author of 6 books including the award-winning YA books Paper Aeroplanes and Goose, her first adult novel The Cows was a Sunday Times Bestseller and her latest book "SO LUCKY" is totally fantastic. The novel is about three women and how life really isn't as perfect as it looks. Ruby is feeling like she's failing as a mother and woman, Beth is in a sexless marriage and online influencer Lauren is not telling the truth on Instagram.We talk about writing fiction, finding inspiration and the power of saying no and quitting something that is making you miserable. If you enjoyed this chat please do rate/review!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scarlett Curtis is a 23 year old English writer, journalist, and blogger. She is the curator of the Sunday Times Bestseller and National Book Award winning Feminists Don’t Wear Pink & other lies; a collection of essays by 52 women on what feminism means to them, published by Penguin in 2018. She is contributing editor at The Sunday Times Style and has had work published in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, Vogue and more. In 2017 Scarlett co-founded The Pink Protest; a feminist activist collective committed to helping young people take action online and IRL. To date they have been a part of campaigns that have changed two laws; a bill to help end period poverty and a bill to get FGM into the Children’s Act. Scarlett’s second book It’s Not Okay to Feel Blue & other lies will be published by Penguin in October 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leandra Medine Cohen is my guest today! The author and founder of Man Repeller, a fashion website with a unique voice and concept. Manrepeller's whole thing is about trends that women love and men hate, but it's also the way Leandra combines fashion with humour.I have been following Leandra and her work since 2013 (when she released her first book, Man Repeller: Seeking Love, Finding Overalls) so I am thrilled to have sat down with her all these years later. I went to the Man Repeller HQ in New York, and I also did an event with her the following day and got to meet some amazing Man Repeller readers. Thank you Leandra, for being so welcoming! Leandra attended College at The New School for Liberal Arts in New York, and then had a fact-checking job at New York Magazine. She then started Man Repeller in 2010. Today, Man Repeller clocks millions of page views a month and she has collaborated with a long list of fashion brands and retailers, including Mango (new collection out now) Saks Fifth Avenue, Amazon and others. She really is fascinating, and I hope you enjoy this episode!!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen Whitaker is a journalist and author living in London. She was formerly the Entertainment Director of British Glamour. Her day job now is currently Deputy Editor of High Life magazine and she writes books in her spare lunch hours, evenings and any free time she has around parenting. We discuss finding the time to write (or work on any side project) when you just feel like you have NO time. We also chat about her brilliantly observational and funny debut novel The School Run which came out this year, and her new novel that is on the way soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marie Forleo is an entrepreneur, writer and online coach. She has been named by Oprah as 'a thought leader for the next generation'. I first discovered Marie's work via her award-winning online show, Marie TV and podcast where she interviews inspiring creatives such as Brene Brown. She is the founder of B-School, an online business school and she has mentored young business owners at the Richard Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship. MarieForleo.com is one of Forbes magazine's Top 100 Websites for Entrepreneurs, a fantastic free online resource. Today on the podcast, we are discussing her New York Times bestselling book 'Everything Is Figureoutable' - a phrase and attitudinal discipline that activates your spiritual and emotional strength. It's a rallying cry to tackle impossible tasks, heart-breaking challenges and daring dreams.Everything is Figureoutable will give you the courage to act in spite of your fears, the confidence to start and complete meaningful projects and the conviction to keep going - no matter what. Hope you enjoy this episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jess Phillips is a Labour Party politician and MP for Birmingham Yardley since 2015. An alumna of the University of Leeds and the University of Birmingham. Prior to becoming an MP, Jess worked within the charity and community sectors and was selected to be the Victims’ Champion for Birmingham, working with police and support groups. Her new book Truth To Power is out NOW. Her previous works include Everywoman: One Woman’s Truth About Speaking the Truth which was shortlisted for The Parliamentary Book Awards in 2017. In this episode we talk about standing up for yourself, the brave case studies in Jess's book, and why Jess believes silence will not save you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is the brilliant Susan Wokoma, an actor and writer. Best known for comedies such as Crazyhead on Netflix, Year of the Rabbit and Chewing Gum, Susan can be seen next year in both the feature film Enola Holmes (starring alongside Millie Bobbie Brown, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter and Fiona Shaw) and the new Amazon comedy Truth Seekers also starring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. Susan is also a seasoned stage actress having work in theatres such as the Royal Court, Bush Theatre, Almeida, and The Royal National Theatre. This summer she played the iconic role of Bottom to rave reviews in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Susan will next appear on stage in ‘Teenage Dick’ this December through to next feb at the Donmar Warehouse in London.As a writer Susan is currently developing 3 tv shows and is currently writing a feature film with BBC Films called ‘Three Weeks’ - a comedy drama about abortion. Susan’s short film Love The Sinner (which also stars her longtime friend Daisy May Cooper, co-creator of This Country) will be screened at London Film Festival this month.  Susan is also a regular co-host of The Guilty Feminist podcast. She was a member of The National Youth Theatre as a teenager before going on to train at RADA. We discuss acting, stand up, finding yourself and why it's OK to say out loud that you love what you do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PRE-ORDER SABOTAGE HERE: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/poundproject/the-pound-project-part-six-emma-gannon/descriptionMy guest is JP Watson, a writer, editor and the founder of The Pound Project, an independent publisher based in Birmingham. I've been following The Pound Project since pledging for previous books launched on the platform: including Jordan Stephens, Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes. JP started the company from a simple premise: is a good story worth something? I am really excited to announce that I have a launched a special limited edition pocket-sized book, with the Pound Project called Sabotage. It's a book all about a topic close to my heart (self-sabotage!) and in the book I investigate my own relationship with it and ask some experts too. Why do so many of us succumb to its temptation. Procrastination, jealousy, negativity, guilt: how can we overcome the obstacles that keep getting in our way? It's the evil stepsister to imposter syndrome and I couldn't find much on the topic so I decided to write something myself.So why did I partner with JP and the Pound Project?JP believes that reading and writing are incredibly valuable, and he set up an affordable, sustainable, democratic platform where content is paid for (starting from just £1) where writers receive an equal share. How does it work? To get involved and back SABOTAGE you pay just £1 if you want to read or hear my piece online. Or, if you would prefer it in print, for a mere £5 we will send you a beautiful pocket-sized book. You can also get signed copies, tote bags, t-shirts and personalised content if you want to invest a little bit more. Importantly, all of the company's output is made using ethically sourced and environmentally friendly materials. The company only produces what it is sells for a limited time while campaigns are live. Nothing is wasted.It all contributes to a movement dedicated to the power of storytelling.For more info and to back the current project, head to www.poundproject.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Barnett is an award-winning broadcaster and journalist. By day, she presents The Emma Barnett Show on BBC Radio 5 Live in which she interviews key figures shaping our times, from the Prime Minister to those who would very much like to be. By night, she presents the BBC’s flagship current affairs programme, Newsnight, on BBC Two and hosts Late Night Woman’s Hour on BBC Radio 4. Emma was named Radio Broadcaster of the Year by The Broadcasting Press Guild for her agenda-setting interviews. Previously, she was the Women’s Editor at The Telegraph. She now writes a weekly agony aunt column, ‘Tough Love’ in the Sunday Times Magazine and is a proud patron of Smart Works. 'Period' is her first book and we discuss all the ins and the outs. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Lotte Jeffs - author, journalist and previous acting Editor of ELLE magazine. She writes for a wide variety of publications including The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian covering topics from fashion and style to sexuality and gender to social trends, memoir, and observational humour pieces. As well as writing award-winning columns, she writes colourful and newsworthy celebrity interviews and has in the past two years written cover profiles of Kristen Stewart, Karlie Kloss, Lana Del Rey and Victoria Beckham, to name a few.Her new book How To Be A Gentlewoman: The Art of Soft Power in Hard Times is out now and in this episode we discuss book writing, failure and career pivoting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Alain de Botton, which is very exciting, I've been a huge fan of this work for years.He is a writer of essayistic books that have been described as a ‘philosophy of everyday life.’ He’s written on love, travel, architecture and literature. His books have been bestsellers in 30 countries. He started writing at a young age. His first book, Essays in Love  was published when he was twenty-three and went on to sell millions of copies.He is also the co-founder of the brilliant The School of Life, a platform and in real life space in London dedicated to a new vision of education, emotional intelligence and self-knowledge. It shows us a path to the better lives we all want and deserve. I really recommend checking out the youtube channel, it's an incredible resource of inspiration and I always come away having learned something new. The School of Life's latest book, published on September 2019 is a collection of essays, titled The School of Life: An Emotional Education.I hope you enjoy this episode as I much as I enjoyed recording it - thanks for tuning in each week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.