Natalie Heller is a tradwife influencer online. She’s got the perfect life: a brood of beautiful children and a handsome cowboy husband who eat her homemade bread and jams in their gorgeous red barn. What her millions of followers don’t know is that she’s got a whole army of hidden staff and industrial kitchen appliances helping her out.

Then, one day... she wakes up in the 1800s, and is forced to live this traditional fantasy for real.

Yesteryear was our Happy Place Book Club read for May. In this chat, author Caro Claire Burke joins Fearne to talk about the manosphere, motherhood, religion, and modern feminism. Plus, what does Caro make of Anne Hathaway turning her book into a film?

In June, we’ll be reading Honey by Imani Thompson.

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Book Club Meets: Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees

Book Club Meets: Emma Gannon

Book Club Meets: Maggie O’Farrell

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Mary Berry has been married for 60 years and says she and her husband have never had a cross word. Her secret? Do a lap of the garden before saying the thing you might regret.

In this chat with Fearne, Mary shares the simple principles that have guided her life: be kind, contribute to community, and prioritise time in nature.

Mary’s 91, and her mum lived to 105. She believes a busy mind makes a happy person, so offers advice for getting into your gardening era (Fearne’s not quite there yet) regardless of how much outdoor space you have.

Mary also reflects on the wartime childhood in Bath that saw her school being bombed and her family needing to grow their own food. Plus, how do you move through the grief of losing a child?

Mary’s book, My Gardening Life, is out now.

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Mary Berry’s first Happy Place chat

Ruth Langsford

Liz Earle

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Alan Cumming's dad told him he was worthless, and his mum told him he was precious. Figuring out how he feels about himself has been a life’s work.

In this chat with Fearne, Alan’s open about the ways he’s allowed people to treat him badly, and how he’s learnt to get comfortable with confrontation and setting boundaries. He also explains why the rage in the script of his new TV show triggered painful childhood memories.

Fearne and Alan share their experiences of oscillating between relentless, excited creativity (constantly manifesting bigger and better jobs) and a desire to rest (Alan’s fantasies about becoming a tradwife...!)

Plus, what really happens on the Traitors’ set and how on earth does Alan manage to keep that poker face all the time?

Alan will be creatively involved in four different productions at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre this year, and you can watch Alan in Channel 4’s new show Tip Toe from May 31st.

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Nicole LePera

Shauna Tiffany

Zayn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.