Professor James Calder joins Dr. Hilary to share what it takes to repair and prepare elite athletes for action. They talk about the high-stakes world of sports surgery, the pressure of operating on stars like Neymar, and the importance of rehabilitation over the surgery itself. Professor Calder also opens up about leading the UK’s sports concussion committee, his humanitarian work in disaster zones, his role in reopening elite sports during the pandemic, and the brutal reality of trekking the Ne...
Jul 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 34
Francis Rossi joins Dr. Hilary to talk openly about the years he lost to cocaine and alcohol, the damage it caused, and the daily habits he now sticks to without fail. He explains why these days, he still does vocal warmups, crunches, and watches what he eats. They discuss his friendship and eventual distance from Rick Parfitt, the moment he showed his damaged nose on live TV, and why he chose to have a hair transplant. At 76, he’s still touring — but only by staying disciplined, physically acti...
Jun 26, 2025•31 min•Ep. 33
Huntington’s disease affects thousands of families across the UK — but many still haven’t heard of it. And when it comes to men’s health, taboo and time can be two of the biggest barriers to care. Dr. Hilary sits down with two very different guests sharing one goal: better health through awareness, support, and accessible solutions. First, Steve Lewis , filmmaker and devoted husband, opens up about caring for his wife Sarah and raising awareness about Huntington’s through their powerful story. T...
Jun 19, 2025•46 min•Ep. 32
HRT has become one of the most talked-about—and misunderstood—topics in women’s health. This week, Dr. Hilary is joined by GP, media doctor, and author Dr. Ellie Cannon to separate fact from fiction. With her new book, The Little Book of HRT , Dr. Cannon offers practical, no-nonsense advice rooted in everyday NHS care, cutting through commercial hype and confusion. Together, they discuss: • Why HRT isn’t simply good or bad—it’s personal • How the menopause conversation has evolved • The dangers ...
Jun 13, 2025•32 min•Ep. 31
Skin and lung cancers are among the deadliest — and most common — cancers in the world. But there is real hope, better outcomes, and more effective treatments than ever before. Dr. Hilary sits down with renowned consultant oncologist Dr. James Wilson to unpack the realities behind cancer diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. From world-class research at Oxford to life-saving innovations in radiotherapy and immunotherapy, Dr. Wilson shares his knowledge, and why early detection could save your li...
Jun 06, 2025•26 min•Ep. 30
The king of the one-liner, comedian Tim Vine , joins Dr. Hilary for a brilliantly conversation—filled with reflections on life on the comedy circuit, writing jokes, and finding lightness in even the heaviest moments. From his world-record-breaking joke streak to his Elvis tribute act Plastic Elvis , and his love of the move, Jaws, Tim offers insights into health, happiness, and finding laughter in everyday moments. Together, they explore: Why Tim avoids stress and finds joy in simple things (lik...
May 29, 2025•37 min•Ep. 29
This week Dr. Hilary Show is joined by Larry Lamb – a man who’s played everyone from lovable Mick Shipman in Gavin and Stacey to the infamous Archie Mitchell in EastEnders. But there’s much more to Larry than iconic characters. He’s a novelist, broadcaster, and passionate storyteller. Larry opens up about his fascinating journey from the oil fields of Libya to global film sets, his deep respect for the crews who make the magic happen, and how a long-held film idea became the blueprint for his de...
May 23, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 28
👉 Vanessa Lloyd Platt has seen it all—from high-profile splits to deeply personal breakdowns. As one of the UK’s most sought-after family lawyers, she brings decades of experience, candour, and compassion to the often-overlooked health impacts of divorce. In this episode, she joins Dr Hilary for an eye-opening conversation about why divorce doesn’t just break hearts—it can break your health. From the emotional toll of loneliness and insomnia to the physical risks like diabetes and heart disease...
May 15, 2025•34 min•Ep. 27
👉 A former NHS doctor and now YouTube’s Head of Health UK, Dr Vishaal Virani joins Dr Hilary for a wide-ranging conversation about the power—and perils—of online health content. They discuss how YouTube combats misinformation, the rise of AI deepfakes, and how technology is helping both patients and doctors alike. Plus: real stories of lives saved by videos, the unexpected benefits of virtual wards, and why getting outdoors might be the best health hack of all. 💬 Ask Dr Hilary. Whether it's ad...
May 08, 2025•40 min•Ep. 26
👉 Lorraine Kelly is one of the UK’s best-loved broadcasters, known for her warmth, wit, and decades of breakfast TV brilliance. In this episode, she joins Dr Hilary for a candid conversation about breaking taboos on live television — from menopause to testicular exams — and why normalising health talk has always been part of her mission. Lorraine reflects on her journalism roots, her leap to TV-AM, and why she’s always treated everyone the same — from celebrities to guests sharing deeply person...
May 01, 2025•45 min•Ep. 25
👉 Michael Rosen is a YouTube sensation. His poem HOT FOOD has had 52m views. The author, poet and former children's poet laureate tells Dr Hilary how he became a meme, what inspired him to become a writer in the first place, plus his brush with death when he was hospitalised with Covid in 2020 and ended up in a coma for 48 days. Michael also talks about his first choice of career — medicine! 💬 Ask Dr Hilary. Do you need advice on sleep, diet, mental well-being, or everyday medical concerns, no...
Apr 24, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 24
👉 Adele Roberts is an award-winning broadcaster, author, and TV personality. In 2021 she was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Two years later, she completed her third marathon - her first one running with a stoma - and set the Guinness World Record as the fastest female with an ileostomy. Now she's raising money for Cancer Research UK & The Attitude Magazine Foundation to help raise awareness of bowel cancer — the second biggest cancer killer in the UK - by tackling all six major World Marathon...
Apr 17, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 23
👉 Dr. Rob Cohen has been a psychiatrist for 30 years, treating people for a variety of conditions, but especially anxiety and depression. But how has treatment changed in that time? Is there any evidence that children today are less resilient than they once were? Dr. Cohen reflects on how changes in modern life, including social media, affect our mental health. He also explains how anxiety is linked to the human survival instinct, the difference between trait and state anxiety, and whether ther...
Apr 10, 2025•21 min•Ep. 22
👉 Brian Conley hosted the Royal Variety Performance an impressive eight times. He’s headlined West End musicals like Hairspray, Jolson, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In this wide ranging interview he reflects on a long career that includes joining the cast of EastEnders, and dazzling on the Strictly. He also talks about coping with grief after the death of his father, and how it led to crippling panic attacks. Plus, how thanks to counselling, he hasn’t had a drink in 21 years. He also tells Dr H...
Apr 02, 2025•38 min•Ep. 21
👉 Sir Sadiq Khan gave up a career in law for a life in politics, serving as an MP in South London for 11 years before he successfully stood to be Mayor of London. Under his leadership, improving respiratory health with initiatives like the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been a major priority. Now, in his third term, Sadiq discusses air pollution, how he copes with criticism and the pressures of the job, plus what needs to happen next with the NHS. Additionally, he shares how he went to the ...
Mar 13, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 20
👉 Over one billion young people face the risk of permanent hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds during recreational pastimes such as listening to music and video gameplay. That's according to figures from the World Health Organisation to mark World Hearing Day, 2025. The good news is that simple changes can make a massive difference, such as using headphones safely and following the 60/60 rule — that's listening at no more than 60% of your device's volume, and taking a break af...
Mar 05, 2025•42 min•Season 1Ep. 19
👉 Angela Rippon has been on our TV screens for nearly six decades. As the first regular female BBC newsreader, she broke barriers and went on to host shows including Come Dancing, Top Gear, and Antiques Roadshow. Her performance on Morecambe and Wise's Christmas Special became television history. In 2023, at 79, she came full circle by competing on Strictly Come Dancing. With her lifelong love of dance, Angela has now founded, Let's Dance. She tells Dr Hilary all about the national campaign to ...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 18
👉 Comedy wasn’t Harry Hill’s first choice of career. He chose medicine, instead, qualifying as a doctor after training in London. He reflects on those early days as medical student, and why he followed that path after a teacher at school told him there was “no way he would get into medical school.” Harry tells Doctor Hilary how the profession has changed in the intervening years, and that he probably should "never have been a doctor in the first place.” Harry won the Best Newcomer Award at the ...
Feb 12, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 17
👉 Gloria Hunniford OBE was the first woman on Radio 2. In a wide-ranging interview, Gloria discusses the loss of her daughter, Caron, from breast cancer 20 years ago, and how Caron spent her final years in the sunshine, in Australia. Plus, she reflects on the death of her husband, Steven, in August last year. Gloria also discusses her pre-diabetes, her diagnosis, and how she’s learned to handle the condition. 👉 Plus, there are now 4.6 million people in the UK with a diagnosis of diabetes, up f...
Feb 06, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 16
👉 Our first celebrity guest of the year is Shaun Wallace, aka The Dark Destroyer, from ITV's The Chase. Shaun won Mastermind in 2012. His specialist subject was FA Cup Finals. Shaun is also a barrister and discusses how he manages to balance two careers, working in television and the law courts. Plus, hear how he invests in his health with a daily workout including a thousand crunches every morning (spoiler alert – it used to be two thousand!) 👉 Plus, keeping fit and healthy in your own home i...
Jan 09, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 15
👉 From Piers Morgan's story about curing long Covid by flying around the world, to the advice given to Gyles Brandreth by the late Duke of Edinburgh on using "the appliance." 👉 Rory Cellan Jones, the BBC's former technology correspondent speaks movingly about living with Parkinson's Disease, and Esther Rantzen answers questions put to her by her daughter on her campaign for assisted dying. 👉 Plus, there's Richard Madeley, Tony Blackburn, Christine Lampard, Matthew Kelly and John Culshaw’s hil...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 14
This episode is brought to you by Drinkaware How much alcohol is too much? Plus, journalist Sarah Vine Almost two-thirds of us will drink more alcohol over Christmas than at other times of the year, according to a new survey from the alcohol-harm charity drinkaware. 18-34-year-olds are twice as likely to feel pressure from friends to have a drink during the festive period. My guest is Karen Tyrell, CEO of drinkaware, the charity which aims to reduce alcohol harm. Take the drinkaware Drinking Che...
Dec 12, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 13
This episode is brought to you by The Body Doctor. How can you have your best menopause? Right now, over a billion women worldwide are going through menopause – that's a billion experiences, and a billion unique journeys. In the UK, that’s 15.5 million and many feel overlooked, underserved, and invisible, with little education or support. We’re joined by Heather Jackson, CEO of Gen-m.com - The universal shopping symbol for menopause-friendly products, and the broadcaster, Kaye Adams. Plus, one o...
Nov 27, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Most of us know that being overweight increases people’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and, of course, joint problems. Yet hardly a day goes by when there isn't some new, and often conflicting, advice on diet and nutrition. Nutritional therapist, Laura Southern talks about the part diet plays in our health, quick-fix weight loss jabs, and the latest thinking on ultra-processed foods and the microbiome. Plus, the British broadcaster, writer and former Conservativ...
Nov 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Hear the latest news and breast cancer research from Claire Rowney, CEO of Breast Cancer Now, and Dr Cliona Kirwan, a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon and Professor of Surgical Trials. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 15% of all new cancer cases. That’s more than 150 women diagnosed every day. The positive news is that survival rates have doubled in the last 50 years in the UK. Early detection and research are as vital as ever. Helen Addis, who was diag...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Scott Mitchell was with his partner and wife, Dame Barbara Windsor, for 27 years. They went public with the news of her Alzheimer's in 2018. Today, he's the People's Champion for the government-funded "Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission," and an Ambassador for Alzheimer's Research UK. You'll hear about his work and their life together, and their meeting with the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. Scott shares some vital advice on the how to tell someone you're concerned about their memory, a...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Assisted dying has never been legal in the UK, but that could be about to change. Several proposals have been presented over the years, but none have passed into law. I’ve been talking to Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter, Rebeca Wilcox. And Dame Esther answers some questions that Rebeca asked her mum, on my behalf. My celebrity guest this week was Mr Saturday Night for years, on Game for a Laugh, You Bet, and the iconic Stars in Their Eyes. On stage, he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Acto...
Oct 02, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Also, this week, how do we get better at spotting and preventing sepsis? And a warning from the UK Health Security Agency about meningitis. How can you spot the warning signs? My guests this week include Charlotte Armitage, a psychologist and psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience. Her forthcoming book, "Generation Zombie," explores the impact of excessive screen time on children's development. Plus, Rory Cellan-Jones OBE, who was the BBC's technology correspondent until 2021. Two year...
Sep 18, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Did you know heart disease is the #1 killer worldwide? One in four deaths in the UK is from heart attacks or strokes. Can you recognize the warning signs? In Episode 6 of The Dr. Hilary Show, brought to you by Healthspan, we focus on cardiovascular health with Julie Ward, a Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation. Learn the 3 biggest risk factors for heart disease, how to interpret palpitations, and what your blood pressure readings really mean. For more advice, visit bhf.org.uk . P...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In Episode 5 of The Dr Hilary Show, brought to you by Healthspan ( https://www.healthspan.co.uk/) we are discussing eye care with Denise Voon, from the College of Optometrists and eye health expert Ros Mussa. This episode emphasises the importance of regular eye exams to prevent issues like glaucoma and dry eye syndrome, which often go unnoticed until it's too late. Both professionals stress the importance of early intervention through regular eye exams, warm compresses, artificial tears, and ma...
Aug 21, 2024•58 min•Season 1Ep. 5
