In this special episode of It Can’t Just Be Me, Anna Richardson sits down with radio and TV presenter Sian Welby, along with special guest Jordan Adams. Both Anna and Sian share their experiences of having a parent living with dementia, while Jordan offers a deeply moving account of how dementia has affected his family after his mother was diagnosed at just 47, when he was only 15. Following this, he underwent genetic testing and learned that he has inherited the faulty gene that caused his moth...
Oct 09, 2024•46 min
In this episode of It Can’t Just Be Me, Anna Richardson sits down with The Traitors star Charlotte Chilton who shares her journey of navigating an unexpected pregnancy following a one-night stand. Amidst a separation from her wife, Charlotte opens up about her surprise at becoming pregnant and her feelings of betrayal by the baby’s father. Despite the challenges, she talks about her excitement at finally welcoming a baby after enduring years of heartbreaking fertility struggles. If you are strug...
Oct 02, 2024•38 min
In this episode of It Can’t Just Be Me, Anna Richardson sits down with TV Chef Nadiya Hussain to reflect on a decade since her victory on The Great British Bake Off. They explore the inspiration behind Nadiya’s new book, Cook Once, Eat Twice and engage in an open conversation about her childhood experiences, coping with anxiety and her long journey to self-belief. As her children prepare to leave home, Nadiya shares her thoughts on this new chapter in her life and her aspirations for the future....
Sep 25, 2024•43 min
In this episode of It Can’t Just Be Me , Anna Richardson has an open conversation with TV and Radio star Leigh Francis. They delve into the reality beyond the iconic personas Leigh has crafted for the screen. He shares his experiences navigating a changing television and comedy landscape, his sadness at losing his Dad and his friend Caroline Flack and his support network behind closed doors. In this candid chat Leigh explains why he decided to write his book Leigh, Myself and I and opens up on h...
Sep 18, 2024•42 min
In this episode of It Can’t Just Be Me, Anna Richardson sits down with Radio and TV Presenter Katie Thistleton for an honest discussion about mental health. Katie opens up about her personal battles and how she overcame struggling in the workplace. They discuss how her brave decision to seek treatment and begin therapy not only helped her manage her depression but also sparked a complete transformation in how she lives her life. Katie speaks openly to encourage listeners to take whatever steps t...
Sep 11, 2024•26 min
Anna Richardson chats to broadcaster and Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard as they share an intimate look into Danny’s lifelong struggle with emotional eating, fad diets, and the growing trend of Ozempic use. In this very honest discussion, they explore the underlying issues driving Danny’s relationship with food and the impact of using “skinny jabs.” Does chasing thinness truly bring happiness? In this episode we’ll be talking about weight loss in a way that could be challenging if you have strug...
Sep 04, 2024•40 min
Join Anna Richardson and the multi-talented musician, actor, and author Jordan Stephens for part two of their chat as they delve into his journey navigating ADHD, overnight fame and profound personal challenges. In this very candid conversation, Anna and Jordan openly discuss his struggles with anger and grief and how his self-soothing techniques ultimately led to a breakdown. Discover how hitting rock bottom became a catalyst for his incredible transformation towards sobriety, and finding his w...
Aug 28, 2024•45 min
Ahead of the series' full relaunch, join Anna and the multi-talented musician, actor, and author Jordan Stephens as they unpack the emotions surrounding the recent violence that has gripped the UK. In this mini-episode, after his heartfelt response went viral online, Jordan shares his insights on why he thinks people are experiencing such profound anger and why that anger is misdirected. It Can't Just Be Me returns on Wednesday August 28th. If you have an It can't Just Be Me you would like discu...
Aug 21, 2024•16 min
Last week, it was reported that the middle-aged population in Britain is the loneliest in Europe, so Anna has invited TV presenter and broadcaster, Gaby Roslin , to interrogate why that might be . Gaby is passionate about curbing the epidemic of loneliness, which can impact people of all ages and looks different for everyone. In this episode, she shares some of what she’s learnt from her investigations into loneliness – including tips on how to prevent it, as well as explaining just how detrimen...
Mar 27, 2024•44 min•Ep. 41
The entire nation was gripped by the lies and betrayals in the hit TV show The Traitors, with viewers particularly impressed by Jaz Singh’s (a.k.a Jazatha Christie) ability to sniff out the traitors. Today, Anna has Jazatha Christie himself in the studio to talk about earth-shattering family secrets, to which Jaz is no stranger. When Jaz revealed on The Traitors that his dad has a second family, he was overwhelmed with messages on social media from people going through similar heartbreak over fa...
Mar 20, 2024•37 min•Ep. 40
The wellness industry is worth about $5 trillion worldwide and it feels like there's always something we should be spending money on to benefit our mind, body and soul. But the quest to feel our best can come at a cost that extends beyond the financial - it can impact our relationships too. Here to unpack the world of wellness, spirituality and radical healing with Anna is Charlotte Church (singer and founder of wellness and healing centre, The Dreaming ) and Michele Knight (psychic, astrologer ...
Mar 13, 2024•43 min•Ep. 39
To mark International Women's Day this week, Anna puts the spotlight on one of the most dangerous issues that many women are facing - domestic abuse. Anna is joined in the studio by Charlie Webster (award-winning broadcaster, journalist, and Women's Aid Ambassador) who shares her own moving story of surviving abuse, Sarah Davidge (Women's Aid Head of Research) and psychotherapist Fiona Kau . Together, the group unpack a dilemma from a woman who had an abusive partner when her daughter was young....
Mar 06, 2024•44 min•Ep. 38
This episode centres around one powerful voicenote from a listener called Fiona – a trans woman who grew up in the 1950s. Fiona got in touch to share the turmoil she went through growing up and the ripple effect it’s had on her life. Fiona asks how we can stop young trans people today feeling the same level of shame and ultimately create a more accepting society for future generations. To unpack this question, Anna is joined by one of the most prominent trans male voices in the UK today Jake Gra...
Feb 28, 2024•47 min•Ep. 37
Nearly 14 million people watch porn every month in the UK alone. Yet, many people keep their relationship with porn under wraps – a secret between us and our screens. In this episode, Anna opens conversations about porn into the public sphere by having an honest and frank conversation about porn and the ethics behind its production. She’s joined by television personality, Megan Barton-Hanson , who made a name for herself on Love Island and is now one of the UK’s highest earners on Only Fans. And...
Feb 21, 2024•47 min•Ep. 36
For this Valentine’s Day special , Anna is joined in the studio by actor, broadcaster and CEO Kelle Bryan, alongside author Becky Holmes to deep dive into romance scams and coercive relationships. With psychotherapist Fiona Kau , Anna and her guests share their personal experiences of scams and coercive relationships and tackle a dilemma from a listener who’s worried their colleague is caught up in a romance scam. You can find out more about fraud, including how to report it, via ActionFraud . Y...
Feb 14, 2024•47 min•Ep. 35
A couple of weeks ago, Anna asked you to get in touch with your questions about the menopause. And, oh boy – did you deliver! We were inundated with your responses – which varied from questions about vaginal dryness, worries about the impact of menopause on libido, concerns around HRT, and experiences of mental health struggles during the menopause. So today in the studio, Anna is joined by broadcaster and presenter, Kate Thornton and GP and menopause specialist, Dr Louise Newson . Together, the...
Feb 07, 2024•46 min•Ep. 34
Anna is joined this week by Irish icon, Vogue Williams – one of the few people who could bring a touch of humour to the difficult subject of grief. Vogue reflects on her own experience of navigating grief, after losing her dad, Freddie, in 2010. She recounts the guilt she felt following his passing, and – with the power of perspective gained after 14 years – considers her reaction in the early days of grief. With the assistance of psychotherapist Fiona Kau , Vogue and Anna respond to a dilemma f...
Jan 31, 2024•39 min•Ep. 33
This week, Anna is joined by comedian, author, actor and host of the podcast 28 Dates Later , Grace Campbell to talk all about family breakdowns over politics and toxic jealousy in friendships. Anna, Grace and psychotherapist Fiona Kau discuss Grace’s experience growing up in a family where she witnessed her fair share of intense debates. Now, as an adult, Grace speaks about how she sees her feminism influencing her father's (Alastair Campbell) politics. Together, they get into a dilemma from a ...
Jan 24, 2024•38 min•Ep. 32
In today's episode, Anna digs into rage, anxiety and intrusive thoughts with Psychotherapist, best-selling author and fellow podcaster, Anna Mathur . Together, they speak candidly about collective rage in the world today, the shame attached to anger and how to express this emotion in a healthy way in our personal relationships. They also tackle two dilemmas - one from a listener who’s struggling to live with her partner’s temper and another from a listener who is experiencing intrusive thoughts ...
Jan 17, 2024•35 min•Ep. 31
Is it ever possible to transition from a romantic relationship to a friendship? This week, Anna welcomes writer, actor, presenter, comedian and all-around National Treasure - Sue Perkins - to unpick this very question, along with the help of psychotherapist Sam Pennells-Nkolo. The trio hear from a listener who, after coming out as gay to her husband, is struggling with their new dynamic. Together they consider how deep love and respect can still exist in a relationship even when it's no longer r...
Jan 10, 2024•37 min•Ep. 30
This week, Anna invites the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley into the studio to respond to a dilemma from a listener who is apprehensive about preparing for her second baby. She recounts just how challenging she found her first weeks and months of early motherhood and shares some of her unique memories of this time. Anna and Jess are joined by psychotherapist, Sam Pennells-Nkolo , who shares her professional advice, as well as relating to Tiffany as a mum. The trio discuss the importance of buil...
Jan 03, 2024•38 min•Ep. 29
This week we have a special treat for anyone missing the glitz and glam of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing – Anna is joined in the studio by the show’s head judge, Shirley Ballas ! In the spirit of looking forward to the New Year, and the changes that may be on the horizon, they’re talking all about change, and how best to navigate it. With the assistance of psychotherapist Fiona Kau , Shirley and Anna respond to a dilemma from a listener called Amanda. She’s experiencing two major changes – one...
Dec 27, 2023•34 min•Ep. 28
This week we’re looking back on some of the fun, powerful and moving moments captured on It Can’t Just Be Me so far. Since launching the podcast, we've welcomed extraordinary guests and experts into the studio who have shared their personal stories with us and given their advice in response to your burning dilemmas. So here are just some of our highlights from the series - are they the same as yours? Get in touch and let us know your favourite moments from the series so far! We’ll be back next w...
Dec 20, 2023•23 min•Ep. 27
It’s a festive special in the studio today as Anna and guests tackle the classic seasonal dilemma of how to split your time at Christmas while doing your very best to keep everyone happy. Our listener Ellie is not only trying to figure out how to fit in time with family and friends alongside a job with anti-social hours, but she’s also in a long-distance relationship. Luckily, Anna has seasoned podcaster, TV personality and content creator Sophie Habboo on hand to help work through Ellie’s conun...
Dec 13, 2023•42 min•Ep. 26
Today’s dilemma is from an entrepreneur and mum to two young children. She’s finding it increasingly frustrating that the responsibilities of parenting aren’t split equally between her and her male partner. It’s a cliche she’s always been keen to avoid, so she wants to know what practical steps she can take to redress the balance in her relationship. Cue iconic shoe designer, entrepreneur, and mum to five – Sophia Webster . Sophia has found a way to make this seemingly impossible balancing act w...
Dec 06, 2023•35 min•Ep. 25
We are bursting with excitement as we have Dr Alex George in the studio this week to talk through a dilemma from a listener who’s thinking about cutting down on alcohol, in the run up to the festive season. Dr Alex is a former A&E doctor, ex-Love Islander and expert Mental Health Ambassador. He gave up drinking in December 2022, so he couldn’t be better placed to give some advice to our listener. With the help of psychotherapist Nadiyah Davis , Anna and Dr Alex talk about why it’s not just t...
Nov 29, 2023•45 min•Ep. 24
Come on into this episode where we’re talking all about coming out as a teenager. In the studio with Anna, we have the inspiring LGBTQ+ advocate, author, TV presenter and celebrity-masterchef, Riyadh Khalaf . Riyadh’s challenging, but incredibly powerful, story of coming out as a teenager to his then Irish Catholic mother and Iraqi Muslim father, means he has much wisdom to pass on to our listener today. Our dilemma is from a listener struggling to come out to her parents, whilst also dealing wi...
Nov 22, 2023•47 min•Ep. 23
Grace Victory is one of those people who just draws you in — she is utterly compelling. So, it was a total pleasure to have her join Anna in the studio to offer some advice to a listener who is struggling with intimacy following a previous trauma. Having experienced trauma herself — both in her early years, and more recently — Grace generously shares her own story and the wisdom she's gathered on her own healing journey. With the assistance of super psychotherapist, Sam Pennells-Nkolo, Grace and...
Nov 15, 2023•41 min•Ep. 22
Anna can really relate to this week’s dilemma - it comes from a woman who’s severely struggling with her perimenopause symptoms and is asking why it seems to be so much harder for some women than others. So, Anna has called on the expert sports broadcaster and host of The Mid.Point podcast , Gabby Logan , to share her sage advice. With the assistance of TV doctor extraordinaire, Dr Ellie Cannon , Anna and Gabby share anecdotes from their own perimenopause and suggest some of the tips and tricks ...
Nov 08, 2023•43 min•Ep. 21
One more week until It Can't Just Be Me returns with special guest Gabby Logan! In the meantime, how's this to keep you busy? This is an episode of Where's Home Really?, an award-winning podcast that sets out to discover what home means to famous faces from the worlds of TV, music, comedy, food and beyond. In this episode, Jimi meets chef, author and broadcaster Andi Oliver. to discuss cultural appropriation, jerk rice and the time Andi accidentally joined a punk band. You can subscribe to Where...
Nov 01, 2023•39 min
