This week, Gabby chats to both her twins together - Reuben and Lois - in a Mid.Point first!

On the day of their 20th birthdays, Lois and Reuben talk about how it feels to be properly into adulthood, moving further away from home and being more permanently independent.

Gabby reflects on this point in her life, two decades in to being a mum, and talks about how their relationship has changed over the years. There's also quite a bit of chat about leaf blowers and air fryers!

We'll take a short break for the summer now, but will be back with more great guests and expertise in September!

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Gabby is joined by Consultant Psychiatrist Professor Steve Peters, who - for the last thirty years - has helped people from all walks of life to better understand the way their brains work and optimise their psychological health. These people include elite athletes and Olympians, household names such as Sir Chris Hoy, who previously said on this podcast that Steve was a “once in a lifetime person”. 

We hear how Steve came to recognise psychological dysfunction when he was a junior doctor, and how he realised that psychiatry was crucial to people’s lives whilst training to become a GP. We learn how this set him on a course to developing the Chimp Paradox mind management model, and then - as he describes it - going undercover at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. Fast forward to today, and he has provided consultancy to over twenty Olympic and national sporting teams. 

As well as expanding on how the chimp paradox works, Steve also shares his thoughts on screening ADHD and later life diagnoses; ways we can teach children to understand their brains better, so that they are more mentally resilient later on in life; and how the teenage brain is different and influenced by feeling not fact, so we must adapt our language accordingly. We also learn more about Steve’s own sporting success, after he rediscovered sprinting in midlife, and his thoughts and advice for keeping our brains fit and healthy into old age. 

This is an uplifting episode, full of tips and tools to help keep your psychological health in check, which will leave you with the sense that we are all more resilient than we might think. 

If you want to learn more about Professor Peters’ mind management programmes, his books The Chimp Paradox and A Path Through The Jungle are available now.

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Comedian and writer, George Lewis, sits down with Gabby to speak about what it feels like to be reaching new heights in his career on the cusp of midlife! They chat about George’s journey through comedy and how relatability is not something to be underestimated - he’s proved that dad jokes are in fact very funny! He also gives a deeply emotional account of what it’s like going through the process of having your child assessed for autism, and why he feels a diagnosis is important for both children and parents. George also talks about the innate gratitude he’s had since he was young, and why it’s more bucket hats than bucket lists for him! This is an unexpectedly philosophical chat, packed full of warmth and joy. 

George is running the 2026 London Marathon in aid of Autistica - the charity he is an ambassador for - and you can find out more about the charity at www.autistica.org.uk

George’s tour Best Thing You’ll Ever Do continues from 3rd September 2025, and tickets are available at www.georgelewiscomedian.com

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Professor Sarah Berry has been conducting research at Kings College London for the last 25 years, and leading studies into how dietary components influence cardiovascular disease risk. She is also Chief Scientist at nutrition science company ZOE, and in 2024, they released their findings from a study that looked at the links between personalised nutrition plans and the severity of perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. In this episode, Sarah breaks down their findings, highlighting key points that are of interest to all women at the midpoint, including; how when you eat is just as important as what you eat for women in this phase of life, how improving the diet of the study’s participants (increasing whole foods, decreasing ultra processed foods) led to a 35% reduction on average in their menopausal symptoms, and how taking a food based approach - thinking about the type of food that your fats or carbohydrates are delivered in - can have a profound effect on how healthy you feel. 

You can learn more about the study’s findings at https://www.morressier.com/o/event/6655b1890ec964e1cccef602/article/6671b57ac9b69e0de564d19e

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It’s been a while since the Logans were on the podcast together, but this week Kenny’s back to talk about the cycling challenge that he has just completed in honour of his former Scotland teammate, Doddie Weir, raising vital funds for research into the disease which claimed his friend’s life. Kenny talks about how moving it was to meet people along the way who are living with Motor Neurone Disease, and how it kept the physical brutality of the challenge in perspective and kept Kenny and the team pushing on - and up those Irish hills!

They discuss how challenges like these take you beyond what you thought was possible, and how powerful a change of mindset can be when overcoming other challenges in midlife. Gabby and Kenny also catch up on all the family news since Christmas, including how they’ve been getting used to an empty nest, Gabby’s feelings about being one of the new Match of the Day presenters, and why Kenny is hiding his pants somewhere in the house!

You can still donate to the Doddie'5 Lions Challenge Ireland here or get started with your own fundraiser by visiting www.myname5doddie.co.uk/fundraising-support 

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Comedian Russell Kane is on the cusp of 50, and here to spill the beans on all he’s learned about staying youthful. He tells Gabby what it was like trying to break into comedy - an industry that’s famously a young person’s game - in his thirties, and the ways he used his already keen interest in biohacking to appear younger than he was. Russell speaks about his refusal to believe that aging is predestined, and what he does to slow down the process on a mitochondrial level. They also speak about his later in life diagnosis of ADHD, as well as his main worries as a father - that children are growing up over exposed to the digital world and under exposed to the real world. As you’d expect from someone who is famous for posting his rants online, this “raver reader” is not about to enter his fifties quietly! 

Russell mentions Shakespeare North, and you can find out more about what’s on at www.shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk

Check out his upcoming stand up dates at www.russellkane.co.uk/tour-dates

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Entrepreneur and star of Dragon’s Den, Sara Davies MBE tells Gabby how she started her hugely successful crafting business from her university bedroom, simply by identifying an envelope related problem and finding a solution. After putting her all into her work for many years, she talks about how her business ambitions have changed now she’s in her forties, and why she’s zoning in on what’s really important to her. Sara also talks about being a home girl and deciding to stay in the North East; getting into healthy habits before the menopause; and having accountability angels which help her to stay on track with her health goals. 

For more on what Sara has learned about business, check out her new book The Six-Minute Entrepreneur.

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Comedian, writer, and actor, Jessica Knappett, talks to Gabby about how making people laugh by accident at a school cello recital was her first foray into comedy, and they swap stories from performing at the Edinburgh Fringe in their student days. Jessica is also very honest about some of the darker realities she has had to confront over the course of her career in comedy. She also chats about living in Los Angeles and her decision to move back to West Yorkshire, as well as accepting the realities of being a working parent - it’s a work in progress! As you'd expect, this episode is full of laughs about everything from communes to perfect days, growing cress to parenting hacks.

Warning: There are some references to sexual assault in this episode. 

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Warning: This episode contains some strong language. 

Nutritionist and author of The 30g Plan, Emma Bardwell, joins Gabby to talk about a different way of building your meals that may help you feel healthier and happier in midlife. Emma has come up with new recipes to try and help you get 30g of protein per meal, 30g of fibre per day, and to eat 30 different plants per week, and in this episode, she explains why these portions are important for optimal health. 

Emma also talks about protein stacking to ensure we are safeguarding our muscle - or as she describes it, the organ of longevity! - and how to reintroduce fibre-rich foods into your diet so that you can tolerate them better and enrich your gut. She also takes your questions on everything from how much is too much when it comes to protein, and which types of protein supplements are best.

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This week, broadcaster and now author Naga Munchetty, joins Gabby to talk about her journey to the midpoint.

As Naga explains in this episode, it wasn’t until midlife that she was diagnosed with adenomyosis and realised that, despite what she had been told her entire adult life, her periods had always been far from normal. It motivated her to understand more about what is going on in women’s health and why women’s reproductive issues are not better diagnosed or understood. She has put all of this into her new book It’s Probably Nothing, and here she shares some of the anecdotes and advice from it; for example, how best to prepare for a medical appointment in order to get the help you need.

They also talk about how Naga found exercise in midlife, how fortunate she feels to be doing a job she loves, and the pros and cons of not letting her condition curtail her life and passions.

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Fashion designer Amanda Wakeley OBE talks to Gabby about how her grandmothers were her early style icons; how taking ownership of her career in midlife has been incredibly liberating and exciting; and what it was like dressing Princess Diana. Amanda also talks about pivoting her business and losing her brother at the same time, and how grief really is something you have to work hard at. She also shares some of her expert style advice for those of us at the midpoint in life, and which high street brands she thinks are getting it right.

You can listen to Amanda’s podcast StyleDNA here or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Clinical Psychologist, Dr Tara Porter, has worked with children and adolescents for over 25 years, including as the lead of a NHS CAMHS Psychology Team. She has seen first hand the increase in children being referred to these services, and has written a new book based on what she believes are some of the root causes of the problems that children - and parents - are struggling with today. Tara does not profess to have all the answers, or to be the perfect parent herself; far from it, the focus of her book is on parenting that’s “good enough” - not perfect. She explains to Gabby the reasoning behind this, and how the strive for perfection has caused a disparity between opportunities and expectations, which is harming both parents and children. 

As well as explaining what she’s come to see as her three principles of “good enough” parenting, Dr Tara answers some of your questions including how best to support your child through exam stress, and how to help your child navigate friendships and school dynamics. They also discuss some of the issues raised in the recent Netflix series, Adolescence, and her take on how to approach the issue of smartphones with your children to try and ensure they stay open about what’s going on in their digital world. 

Dr Tara’s new book Good Enough: A Framework for Modern Parenting is available now, as is her debut You Don't Understand Me: the Young Woman's Guide to Life.

You can find out more about the therapeutic services she provides at www.taraporterpsychologist.com

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Son of Queen Camilla, Tom Parker Bowles, joins Gabby this week to talk about his career as a food writer, turning 50, and why he considers long lunches to be one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Tom shares some of his earliest food memories of his mother’s home cooking, why the dining table has always been so important to him and his family, and why he believes food is endlessly fascinating and has always been political. They also discuss what it was like for him growing up within a family in the glare of the media spotlight, how our relationship with our parents changes as we age, and how hangovers have become much more “psychological” as he’s gotten older! 

As well as diving deep into his book Cooking and the Crown - an exploration of royal food - and the inspiration behind his new podcast Intoxicating History, Tom gives us an insight into Christmas celebrations with the King and Queen.     

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It’s not everyday that the Managing Director of one of the biggest media platforms drops by the studio, but today, Gabby is joined by Alison Lomax - MD of Youtube UK and Ireland.

Alison explains how she came to be doing a job that didn’t even exist when she was graduating from university, and how she took a massive chance by working in digital advertising - a chance that has really paid off! She also speaks about what it was like climbing the ladder in a male dominated industry and how it took her a long time to find her leadership style, plus how she learned how to juggle her responsibilities as a mother with her career.

She speaks openly about taking a sabbatical in midlife in order to recharge and to help her daughters through their exams, and how it enabled her to attack her dream job with new energy and rigour. She also shares what it’s been like since discovering she had breast cancer 18 months ago, and how it led to a health reset and even more gratitude for life and all the opportunities it presents. 

Alison mentions Future Dreams in this episode, and to find out more about the charity’s work visit futuredreams.org.uk

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This week Fitness Coach and Founder of Caroline’s Circuits, Caroline Idiens, shares what she’s learned about strength training in midlife. Caroline’s passion for movement and fitness is infectious, but as you’ll hear throughout this episode, as a busy working middle-aged mum she is also mindful of keeping workouts achievable; the key thing for Caroline is consistency, not complicated equipment, fancy gyms, or long sessions. Gabby and Caroline chat about tailoring workouts in midlife so that they future-proof your daily activities, how strength training can help prevent injuries, and most importantly, the empowerment and inner confidence that Caroline sees time and again when her clients start to lift weights. 

They also discuss the six week plan that features in her new book Fit At 50, and Caroline busts some myths around strength training and addresses the questions she is most asked online.

As well as practicing what she preaches, Caroline is also the living embodiment of someone who has made a huge success out of doing what they love! And she shares her story of how she went from online workouts in lockdown for a select few, to a global following of over 2 million people.

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Musician turned priest, and now author and broadcaster, the Reverend Richard Coles, joins Gabby to talk about his fabulous and varied journey to the midpoint! Richard speaks about his early years in London as a self-described gay runaway, and working with Jimmy Sommerville; how he went from 80’s pop to the pulpit; and dealing with the death of his husband in midlife before finding love again. 

Richard is really enjoying his sixties, and speaks about his return to piano lessons and the importance of learning new things at any age. They also touch on topics both big and small, including assisted dying, Gaelic football, and Richard’s time on Strictly and in The Jungle! 

Richard’s latest podcast The Apple & The Tree unpacks the complex bonds between parents and their grown-up children, and you can listen to it now on all podcast platforms.

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Holly Tucker MBE sits down with Gabby this week to share her fascinating journey to the midpoint in life, and how she’s using her mortality as a motivating force to ensure the next chapter is a healthy and purposeful one. The trailblazing entrepreneur and founder of Holly & Co has dedicated the last twenty years to championing small businesses, and especially, turning people’s attention to the power of the female pound! We find out why her nickname is Holly Hurricane; what exactly a “marigold clause” is; and why doing things differently has been the one constant in Holly’s life. She also talks about why guilt is a wasted emotion when it comes to juggling parenting with a successful career, and how women in midlife have an opportunity to reclaim themselves and own their power, both in business and in life. 

Just like Holly, this episode will leave you with a sense of belief, purpose, and power!

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In this deeply emotional and inspiring episode, Gabby chats to former British Number 1 tennis player Annabel Croft. At 15, Annabel became the youngest Briton to play in Wimbledon’s main draw for nearly 100 years! And after retiring from tennis at 21, she turned her attention to TV and has been working as a presenter and pundit ever since.

In this episode Annabel opens up about the loss of her husband Mel who died of stomach cancer in 2023 and the grief she's experienced. She and her husband, Mel, were married for nearly 30 years and established the Annabel Croft Tennis Academy together, which now has a permanent centre in Portugal. Annabel also tells Gabby about her decision to join Strictly Come Dancing after her husband's passing, revealing how dancing became a form of healing. 

This episode is a raw and powerful conversation that goes far beyond the tennis court.

Annabel is also set to embark on her upcoming 28-date tour across England, Scotland, and Wales starting September 2025. For more information on the tour visit https://www.awaywithmedia.com/tours/annabel-croft 

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