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Are you obsessed with finding the best books – yes, multiple – to read on holiday? Broadcaster Sara Cox is!
Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Sara share their thoughts on how to take your holiday reading more seriously. They natter about the joy of reading a novel set in the country you’re holidaying in, and whether the vivid descriptions of a location have inspired them to travel there themselves.
They also swap their own experiences of writing books, and reveal the beautiful locations that have informed elements of their own novels. Plus, Sara explains why she’s trying to stop writing about characters who are useless and dysfunctional in her books, and why she’s re-living her party-girl days...
You can find a list of all of Fearne and Sara’s recommended reads below!
British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected, offer a 24hr holiday helpline, and allow you to book with a low deposit. All holidays include a generous baggage allowance per person. Go to Ba.com/holidays to find out more.
Fearne and Sara’s reading list:
Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby Van Pelt
Girls – Kirsty Capes
Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
Butter – Asako Yuzuki
The Convenience Store Woman – Sayaka Murata
The Island – Victoria Hislop
Daisy Jones And The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Carrie Soto Is Back – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Girl On A Train – Paula Hawkins
The Compound – Aisling Rawle
Ma’am Darling – Craig Brown
Lady In Waiting – Anne Glenconner
Chocolat – Joanne Harris
The Thousand Lights Hotel - Emylia Hall
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Getting lost in anxiety, shame, or self-loathing? Spiritual leader Gabby Bernstein wants you to acknowledge all the messy parts of your true character. Spoiler: you’re not going suddenly to like yourself overnight, but acknowledging the uncomfortable bits will get you there sooner!
In this chat with Fearne, Gabby explains how ‘protector parts’ like perfectionism, people pleasing, and numbing out can spiral into extreme self-soothing behaviours like drug or porn addiction if they’re not dealt with.
Fearne and Gabby chat about anxiety as a protection mechanism, exploring why being focused on the heart palpitations and hyper-vigilance is stopping you dealing with your deeper wounds.
Plus, Fearne notices that her OCD is back so Gabby takes a moment to help her check in with her current stress levels – you can follow along with this exercise too!
Gabby’s latest book, Self-Help, is out now.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
Tell Self-Limiting Beliefs To Bugger Off
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Do you love a true crime scam documentary? Our latest Happy Place Book Club read is for you! Iconic author Lisa Jewell has written Don’t Let Him In, a thriller about a perfect man... who’s a fraudulent liar.
In this chat with Fearne, live from The Happy Place Festival, Lisa explains how she got into the mind of a psychopath despite being a very honest person herself. They explore how people fall for charming romance scammers, and how Lisa has become a relentlessly happy person.
Plus, Lisa’s written 24 novels but has given up on trying to be a ‘professional’ kind of person – she explains how to sod the rules and build confidence in your own process.
If you’re new to Happy Place Book Club episodes, don’t worry, there are no spoilers here! If you want to join the Book Club, we’re on Instagram @happyplacebookclub, and Book Club episodes are released the first Friday of every month!
Thank you to Penguin Audio for the use of Don't Let Him In audiobook, narrated by Richard Armitage, Joanna Froggatt, Louise Brealey, Gemma Whelan and Tamryn Payne.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall
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Are holidays for switching off... or for fun activities? Broadcaster Clara Amfo is big into travelling solo so she can unapologetically indulge her own passions, like live music and salsa dancing.
Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Clara share their thoughts on how to take your holiday hobbies and passions more seriously, including signing up for local classes, and swapping partying for fitness retreats.
They also reminisce on the moment Fearne passed the Radio 1 Live Lounge over to Clara, and chat about how to know when you’re ready to move on from a chapter in your life. Plus, do you find your personality getting lost so you’re more palatable to others? Clara has some advice to stop that happening...
British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected, offer a 24hr holiday helpline, and allow you to book with a low deposit. All holidays include a generous baggage allowance per person. Go to Ba.com/holidays to find out more.
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Are you living the life you want to live? Broadcaster Davina McCall’s recent health scare has shown her the importance of living boldly, with no regrets.
In this chat, live from The Happy Place Festival, best pals Fearne and Davina share how having tumours removed within a few months of each other brought them closer together.
Davina explains how you can turn fear into joy through mindset changes, and how to apologise so you’re not carrying the weight of guilt anymore. She also reflects on how being in Narcotics Anonymous finally enabled her to like herself, warts and all.
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It’s ok to make mistakes! Comedian Harriet Kemsley says her dyspraxia meant she learnt very early on not to take herself too seriously.
In this chat with Fearne, live from The Happy Place Festival, Harriet explains how to get through the cringe part where you’re really rubbish at something new, and why it builds resilience for all parts of your life.
Harriet also chats about the chaos that comes with co-parenting and dating after divorce, and has the final word on that eye-roll stereotype that men don’t like funny women...
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
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It’s National Orgasm Day on July 31st, so Fearne is listening back to Happy Place conversations about female sexuality, fantasy, and – obviously – orgasms, so that we can reclaim our bodies and desires as our own...
In this episode –
- Crystal Hefner describes what it was like living as a sexualised woman at the Playboy House
-Emily Ratajkowski unpacks how we can remove our sexuality from the male gaze
-Dita Von Teese gives her take on nudity and building confidence in your body
-Gillian Anderson chats about what she learnt from collecting essays on women’s fantasies
-Miranda July explains why she included a particularly taboo fantasy in her novel All Fours
-Florence Bark talks through how to get to know your own anatomy better, so you can properly lean into all that pleasure your body is capable of
Listen to the full episodes here –
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Be honest... do you pick your holiday destination based on the food you can eat there? You’re in good company – that’s just what Richard E. Grant does!
Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Richard share their thoughts on how to take your holiday food and drink more seriously, including asking mates (Nigella Lawson, if you’re Richard!) for recommendations, looking for restaurants with small menus, and testing ingredient quality via a Caesar salad starter.
They also get into a heated debate about whether perusing the aisles of a foreign supermarket is the best way, or the worst way, to spend your holiday! And Richard offers to pack Fearne’s suitcase for a very specific reason...
Plus, Richard explores why grieving can make us more likely to notice the little joys in life, as well as wondering if we all need praise and accolades to some extent.
British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected, offer a 24hr holiday helpline, and allow you to book with a low deposit. All holidays include a generous baggage allowance per person. Go to Ba.com/holidays to find out more.
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Are you more confident in your work life than in your personal life? Or vice versa? Entrepreneur and beauty & fashion icon Trinny Woodall is aware of where she needs to build her own self-worth.
In this chat, Fearne and Trinny explore everything that comes with being the founder and CEO of Trinny London, being brazen enough to back your own ideas to women earning more than their male partners.
Plus, Trinny is candid about her business endeavours that went pretty sideways, and explains how to be direct in asking for feedback without fear of rejection.
Trinny is also open about the huge moments that changed her life, including her time in rehab and dealing with grief.
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about suicide, so do take care while listening.
In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
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The size zero trend... the circle of shame... the fad diets... Millennial women who grew up during the 2000s now have the lowest body confidence of any generation, and Rita Ora understands the pressure for women to look a certain way all too well.
In this chat, brought to you by Dove, Fearne and Rita explore the factors that might have influenced their relationships with their bodies over time – from magazines, to catwalks, to so-called health hacks.
As part of Dove’s Self Esteem Project, Fearne and Rita chat about how to focus more on how your body feels, than how it looks. Millennial women are 1.3x more likely to define self-care as working on their appearance, so, how can we create self-care routines that really listen to what our individual bodies need to be strong and energised instead? Rita also opens up about how she manages the anxiety that comes from her internal chatter.
If you want more support, Dove has created a journal full of body confidence exercises to help in building better awareness about our internalized beauty belief systems that might be more harmful to you than helpful. You can find it at dove.com/why2k.
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Hit midlife? What do you want to do with the second part of your life? Immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi wonders that despite living longer now, we’re not necessarily living as healthily or as fully as possible during that time.
In this chat with Fearne, Jenna talks through how we can keep our bodies as resilient as possible as we age, so we have the strength to properly embrace the fun parts, and better cope with the shit parts.
Jenna breaks down the science of immunity and its relationship with ageing, but there’s no mad biohacking here, just simple advice to make sure your body is a comfortable home to live in: we’re talking food to support your gut microbiome, oral hygiene, and reducing stress. Plus, there’s chat about how your social life is affecting your immune system! (Spoiler – you’ve got an excuse to hang out with your mates more!)
Jenna’s book, Immune To Age: The Game Changing Science of Immune Health, is out now.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
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How good are you at switching off on holiday? Are you even any good at taking a proper holiday in the first place? Broadcaster Tess Daly reckons wellness is being physically and mentally able to turn up for everything in life that demands your time... And that includes prioritising time off from a busy schedule!
Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Tess share their advice on how to take your holiday wellbeing more seriously, including making lists ahead of time, locking your phone away, having your feet rubbed, and eating delicious local bread and desserts.
Plus, Tess reveals Strictly’s contingency plan for if things go wrong on the dancefloor, and the incredibly sweet vow renewal husband Vernon Kay organised for her…
British Airways Holidays are ATOL protected, offer a 24hr holiday helpline, and allow you to book with a low deposit. All holidays include a generous baggage allowance per person. Go to Ba.com/holidays to find out more.
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Do you find stripping and nudity empowering or degrading? Burlesque performer Dita Von Teese says feminism is about respecting each other’s choices, even if they wouldn’t be your own.
In this chat with Fearne, Dita charts her life from working in strip clubs in the 90s, to performing in sold out burlesque shows now. Painfully shy as a kid, Dita explains how turning herself into a femme fatale helped her feel confident and powerful in her own skin.
Fearne and Dita talk about the joy of getting older and understanding more about how to handle your sexuality, and Dita reveals how she makes herself feel more sensual if she’s not particularly in the mood...
There’s also advice about how to own your unique look and characteristics, and be more assertive in using your voice.
Dita’s new show, Diamonds and Dust, is on at London’s Emerald Theatre now!
Dita is also returning to the UK’s grand stages in early 2026 with her most enchanting show to date: Nocturnelle.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
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Has your name influenced who you’ve become? Would you have different characteristics, would people react differently to you, would your life have turned out differently, if you had a different name? These are the questions author Florence Knapp grapples with in her book The Names – our Happy Place Book Club read for June.
In this chat, Fearne and Florence share their own experiences of having slightly unusual names, and how they shaped them. Florence also explains the long journey she’s been on to get a novel published, having started writing in the late ‘90s, and wonders that she likes getting lost in fictional worlds because she’s naturally introverted.
Thank you to Phoenix for the use of The Names audiobook, narrated by Dervla Kirwan, and to composer and musician Jeni Saint for the opening music.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall
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Do you trust your gut to make the best decision for yourself? Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps has had to make some bold, brave choices recently.
In this chat with Fearne, Mary explains how she knew retiring from international football was right for her, and they both explore the importance of having different chapters and challenges in your life.
Having experienced periods of real mental darkness, Mary talks through the practices that now ground her in the present. She also reckons setting life goals might just be setting you up for disappointment. Should we be focusing on progress, instead of perfection? Mary has advice on how to be ok with not being good at everything!
Plus, Mary recalls the euphoric day the Lionesses won the 2022 EUROs, and reflects on the emotional impact it’s had on women across the world.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
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Fearne is marking the summer solstice by reflecting on the Happy Place episodes that’ll help you connect with nature, mysticism, and in turn, your inner self. It’s time to get back in touch with who we really are deep down underneath all the external, modern-day trappings of busyness, success and material things.
In this episode –
-Kirsty Gallagher talks about living alongside nature’s cycles to help you let go of things that are distressing you
-Jo Bowlby explains why spirituality is the science of exploring your inner world
-Rob Da Bank loves hot and cold practices to help get in touch with patience and a slower pace
-Tara Brach pinpoints how spirituality is able to quieten your inner critic
-Estelle Bingham explores manifesting as a way to uncover your core self
-Poppy Delbridge leads a live tapping session to set intentions for the rest of the year
Listen to the full episodes here –
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23 year old Brandon is the regional winner of the Enterprise category at the 2025 King's Trust Awards. In this chat with Fearne, Brandon explains how, before starting his braille business with the help of The Trust, he had applied for over a thousand jobs without any success. He always struggled to get past the interview stage either due to a lack of experience or due to his visual impairment.
Fearne and Brandon explore misconceptions about his visual impairment, the importance of supportive mentorship, and why starting a business has to come with some hilarious trial and error!
Plus, Brandon tells the story of how not being able to access shower instructions led to him setting a hotel fire alarm off, proving just how vital it is that public spaces are accessible for everyone.
...and stick around to the end of the episode because there’s a big surprise in store for Brandon!
All Things Dotty makes accessible products for visually impaired people, their families, and businesses – everything from braille menus and greetings cards, to colouring books and art work. You can visit the website here!
Find out more about The King’s Trust.
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Do you find yourself running a mental list of what you’ve got to do tomorrow...next month... instead of living in the moment? Comedian and presenter Joel Dommett is getting better at appreciating the present.
In this chat, Fearne and Joel debate if it’s a good or bad thing to set career goals, and explore how to focus on the process rather than an outcome. Joel also has some advice about faking confidence in order to build it, and explains why his marathon efforts brought out his shadow side...
Plus, Joel justifies some of his more questionable tattoos, and reveals some big behind the scenes gossip from The Masked Singer!
Joel’s Happy Idiot tour has been extended into the autumn; get your tickets here.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
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Who would you choose to be if you weren’t shit scared about what other people might think about you? Writer and speaker Natalie Lue has noticed that people pleasing is often a response to anxiety.
In this chat with Fearne, Natalie explains how when you desperately people please, you’re putting your self-esteem on the chopping block. In becoming disassociated from your “no” you become disassociated from your needs, desires, opinions, and limits.
Natalie talks through the five ways people pleasing might show up in your life, including ‘efforting’ (e.g. over-achieving at school and work), and ‘saving’ through trying to fix other people’s problems. Plus, a word of warning that pushing past your mental and emotional limits can lead to physical health issues.
Natalie’s book, The Joy of Saying No, is out now.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
Saying No: More Boundaries, Less People Pleasing
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Do you feel deep injustice at how others treat you? Mel Robbins is an award-winning podcast host and best-selling author; she says if other people want to behave in a shitty way... let them!
In this chat with Fearne, Mel explains the difference between saying “let them”, and letting people walk all over you. She talks about how “let them” doesn’t make your problems disappear, but you’ll see them differently so they’re less distressing to you. The phrase will also make you feel more confident in your authentic self-expression.
Feeling victimised? Stop hoping you can change a bully’s behaviour. Mel also explains how to use the phrase “let me”. Let me recognise what I can change about the situation or change about how I respond. Remember you have the power to leave any dinner table or any message exchange at any point.
Plus, why you should listen to your jealousy; it’s telling you a lot about your desires and ambitions...
Mel’s best-selling book, The Let Them Theory, is out now.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
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