Send us a text

Sam McAlister is a British journalist, producer, and author best known for her work as the interview booker for BBC Newsnight. Over more than a decade at the BBC, she secured many of the programme’s most high-profile and challenging interviews, including the landmark 2019 interview with Prince Andrew about his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

A former criminal defence barrister, McAlister moved into journalism with a talent for negotiation, persistence, and building trust with hard-to-reach guests. Her memoir, Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews, published in 2022, gives a candid account of her experiences securing exclusive interviews and navigating the pressures of broadcast journalism.

Today, she works as a speaker, consultant, and media strategist, sharing her insight into journalism, negotiation, and crisis communication.

Key points of the episode:

• How she got the man "Formerly Known As Prince Andrew" onto the Newsnight interview that started somewhat of a chain of events....
• Where it all started, in the earliest days...
• How her original home was a very limited world.
• Her former legal background - how she loved the job, but found it professionally arduous.
• The sartorial vibe she immediately adopted after she left the bar. (and the unconventional reason why)
• The good working relationship she had with the actress Billie Piper.
• The massive career choice and dilemma she faced.
• The fascinating process of writing her book.
• Her experience with Elon Musk and Julian Assange.
• How she is an "experience billionaire"
• The acid test of the groups she chooses to associate with.
• Her insistance on professional self promotion.
• Her life now and how full of awe she is at what she gets to do.
• What she would say to the little girl (her younger self) on Guernsey.
• The most important relationship in her life.

Check out the book and Netflix series - "Scoop"

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/

Send us a text

Monique Roffey (born 1965 in Port of Spain, Trinidad) is a Trinidadian-British writer and memoirist whose work spans novels, essays and literary journalism.

She studied English & Film at the University of East Anglia and earned a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University.

Her novels often explore themes such as identity, colonial legacy, sexual awakening, otherness, and the relationship between people and place — frequently drawing on her Caribbean heritage.

Her notable works include Sun Dog (2002), The White Woman on the Green Bicycle (2009), Archipelago (2012) — which won the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature — House of Ashes (2014), The Tryst (2017), and The Mermaid of Black Conch (2020), which won the Costa Book of the Year award.

She is also a lecturer in creative writing at Manchester Metropolitan University and is active in supporting emerging writers in Trinidad and the Caribbean.

Key points of the episode:

• Mermaids, and when and why they were dreamed up. Hint- it goes back a long way!
• How she does not always trust her feelings about her new book.
• How a small indie publisher took her book, and how she crowdfunded the publicity!
• Her connection to Trinidad, and its problem with femicide.
• Her current activism.
• The "Hey!" Festival she co-created and what it is.
• Her ongoing journey into Tantra and why she did it.

www.moniqueroffey.com

Insta: @moniqueroffey

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/

Send us a text

Lucy Easthope - The UK's Number One Disaster Recovery Expert!

Easthope is one of the UK’s foremost experts on disaster recovery, emergency planning and the long-term aftermath of major incidents.

Among her roles, she has been:

• Professor-in-Practice of Risk & Hazard at Durham University.
• Visiting Professor (Mass Fatalities & Pandemics) at the Centre for Death & Society, University of Bath.
• Research Associate at the Joint Centre for Disaster Research, Massey University in New Zealand.

Her work spans the real-world consequences of disasters: implementation of recovery, supporting bereaved families and communities, and critiquing the “recovery myth” (the assumption that communities return to “normal” after a disaster) in her academic writing.

Major works & impact

In March 2022 she published her memoir When the Dust Settles: Stories of Love, Loss and Hope from an Expert in Disaster, which brings together her experiences with major incidents (including 9/11, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 7/7 London bombings, the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire and the COVID-19 pandemic) and reflects on what recovery really means.

Her work emphasizes how disasters reshape lives permanently, how response must account for human and social dimensions (not just infrastructure) and how voices of impacted people must be heard.

From interviews, she speaks candidly about hope, fragility and the human dimension of her work. For example, she says:

Lucy and Lucy dive deep into a fascinating conversation here:

Key Points of the Episode:

• How she got into this line of work.
• A typical week in her life (it won't be like yours!)
• How she loves advocacy and social media.
• How there are more emergency planners than you might think!
• How some disasters are political.
• The "Reasonable Worst Case Scenario"
• How there has been an attitudinal shift towards her work.
• Her thoughts on Grenfell.
• How she feels like a "Cassandra" or seen as a "Debbie Downer"
• How her work has been seen as "foresight", not "hindsight"
• How children respond and engage differently to crisis, and the different help they need.
• What she has learned.
• Mental health maintenance and self care.
• "Fallow" time, and the use of it.
• How a "slump" is a natural part of healing and it to be expected.
• The difference between "Hope" and "Hopeium"
• First response to disasters.
• Potential disasters people worry about.

Reach Out To Lucy On:

www.whatevernext.info

Insta: @whenthedustsettleslucy

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/

Send us a text

Jane Thynne is a British novelist and journalist, best known for her historical fiction set in pre-war and wartime Germany. Born in Venezuela and educated at St Anne’s College, Oxford, she worked as a journalist for publications including The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, and the BBC. Her acclaimed Clara Vine series — beginning with Black Roses (2013) — follows an Anglo-German actress drawn into espionage in 1930s Berlin, blending meticulous historical research with compelling storytelling. Writing also under the pen name C. J. Carey, she is the author of Widowland (2021), an alternative history imagining a Nazi-occupied Britain. Thynne’s novels are praised for their atmospheric detail, strong female protagonists, and exploration of politics, culture, and power in turbulent times.

• How Nazi women are not often talked about through history.
• How Magda Goebbels went from being a devoted Zionist to a committed Nazi.
• Her experience of living in "Widowland", and the experience of her researched "Cemetry Women"
• Why she stopped being a journalist for a while.
• The sad loss of her husband.
• How the experience changed her and the way she thinks.
• How the "Good Cop/Bad Cop" dynamic then changed with her parenting.
• Some fascinating WW2 history.
• The only correct answer to the question, "Why do you want to do this job", when being interviewed for the secret services!
• Why Herman Goerings brother is commemorated as Righteous Among the Nations.
• A fascinating example of how one mans infactuation with an actress caused thousands to die and affect world geopolitics.

All her books are in good bookshops and Amazon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJaneThynne

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/janethynne_cjcarey

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/

Send us a text

Advantages of Age is a UK-based social enterprise and community platform founded by Rose Rouse and Suzanne Noble. Created to challenge the negative stereotypes surrounding ageing, the initiative celebrates the creativity, vitality, and entrepreneurial spirit of people over 50.

Through its online magazine, workshops, and community network, Advantages of Age promotes a positive, empowered view of later life. It highlights stories of reinvention, creative expression, and business innovation, showing that ageing can be a time of growth and opportunity rather than decline.

The founders bring a dynamic mix of experience to the project. Rose Rouse, a journalist, writer, and poet, has written extensively for The Guardian, The Independent and others, often exploring themes of identity, community, and social change. Suzanne Noble, an entrepreneur and jazz singer, co-founded the app Frugl and later created Startup School for Seniors, helping over-50s develop new business ventures.

Together, they’ve built Advantages of Age into a movement that celebrates wisdom, creativity, and resilience—encouraging people to live fully, regardless of age.

Key Points of the Episode:

• How it all began auspiciously in a hot tub.
• A feast from "Death World"
• Facebook Live Sessions - live from the hot tub - "Mini Salons!"
• The enjoyment of connecting people.
• The problem solving in the community they have created.
• The negative aspects of aging.
• ...and the positive aspects.
• Sex advice for mature people- and the success of a random Facebook page.
• How it became a massive podcast that now attracts worldwide experts.
• The joy of people finding their tribe.
• The balance of age being significant - with life experience, but not letting it define you.
• Some things on their bucket lists...
• The book, "Sex, Death and Inspiring Stories" - available on Amazon.
• What they would say to their younger selves.

Reach out and learn more here

https://advantagesofageawards.com

https://suzannenoble.co.uk

https://presenterly.com/profile/suzanne-noble

https://www.roserouse.co.uk

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/

Send us a text

Key Points of the Episode:

• Her mental health medal and her writings on mental health
• Her atheism and her thoughts on it.
• Why people judged her on writing about depression and the magic of "Dr. Journalism"
• Why she is a "Born Again Snowflake"!
• Her famous dog "Pimlico"
• Why nice woman and gay men are her people!
• Why her mother stopped talking to her and why.
• Her thoughts on self love and her therapy.
• How her and all her four siblings had radically different childhoods.
• Why there is no "wrong way" to grieve.
• Her ghost podcast "Uncanny" and her story.
• The horiffic death of her father.
• Why she laughed when a Dr. gave her bad news.
• What she does believe in even though she does not believe in God.
• Where to find this fascinating lady online.

Her podcast links:

Ghosts

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0012pcb

Drink

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1501716010?i=1000672152841

Troy

https://www.theoldie.co.uk/podcasts/troy-the-cradle-of-a-thousand-heroes-and-heroines

hjbetts@googlemail.com

Subscribe on hannahbetts.substack.com

Follow Hannah

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/

Send us a text

Jo Elvin is an Australian-born journalist and editor best known for her influential role as the founding editor of the British edition of Glamour magazine. Born in Sydney, Elvin began her career in journalism in Australia, working for publications such as TV Week and Cleo. She later moved to London, where she established herself in the UK media industry.

In 2001, Elvin launched Glamour UK, pioneering the concept of the “handbag-sized” glossy magazine. Under her leadership, Glamour became the UK's best-selling women's magazine, known for its accessible tone, celebrity features, and focus on modern women’s lives. Her innovative editorial approach earned her multiple industry awards and cemented her reputation as one of Britain’s most successful magazine editors.

After leaving Glamour in 2017, Elvin became the editor of You magazine, the Sunday supplement of The Mail on Sunday. Beyond her editorial work, she is also known for her charity involvement, witty public commentary, and presence on various media panels and podcasts.

Elvin remains a respected voice in fashion and lifestyle journalism, admired for her sharp editorial vision and trailblazing influence on women’s media.

• How angry she was that she was nearly deported, although there was no legal reason for it.
• How her desire to be a writer was based solely on wanting to meet pop stars.
• How it was a relief for her to hear pop stars that she looked up to say they hated high school too!
• How a comment from a comedian boosted her confidence.
• How magazines helped her feel what she truly wanted to feel.
• The success of her magazines about feminism post Sex in the City.
• How she became institutionalised and was scared to leave magazines....
• ....and how she finally took the leap.
• How she feels bad about some decisions she made.
• A very cool hashtag she has in Insta!
• An epic quote she uses daily.
• Some wisdom garnered from life lessons.

Reach out: www.instagram.com/jo_elvin

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/

Send us a text

Melinda McDougall is a registered Medical Herbalist (MSc, MNIMH) specialising in women’s health, based in London.

She holds a Master of Science degree in Herbal Medicine, where her training included anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmaceutical medicine, botany, biochemistry, diagnostic skills, and traditional herbal knowledge.

Melinda is particularly passionate about supporting women through key life transitions such as menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause. She works holistically, aiming to discover and treat root causes of symptoms rather than merely masking them.

She has consulted with women across the UK and internationally, offering support and guidance via an online clinic in addition to her London-based practice.

McDougall has also served as Vice President of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH), a professional body for medical herbalists in the UK (founded in 1864).

In addition to her clinical practice, she speaks at conferences, webinars, and podcasts, especially on herbal medicine and menopause.
Before becoming a herbalist, she worked in journalism and documentary-making, a background that she says helped her develop listening skills and the ability to dig into complex issues. Originally from Australia, she now lives and works in London.

Melinda’s professional philosophy blends scientific research with traditional herbal wisdom, emphasizing an integrative, patient-centred approach.

Key Points of the Episode:

• How medical herbalism adds a whole new layer to diagnosis and treatment.
• How we stand on the shoulders of our genius ancestors who worked it all out.
• How she spotted a massive gap in treatment.
• How we would not be here without plant medicine
• How the menopause can be a loss of some things, but a great gain in others.
• How many women have patterns that do not serve them, and how to address that.
• Archetypes and wise women.
• What young woman are simply not taught (but really should be)

Reach out to her here:

www.melindamcdougall.com

Support the show

Has this podcast inspired you and would you like to learn more?

You can reach out to Lucy, love coach, relationship counsellor, couples counsellor extraordinaire and author of "How to have extraordinary relationships with absolutely everybody".....

On:http://www.lucycavendishlovecoach.com/