Conversations

ABC Australia

Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption.

Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling.

Conversations Live is coming to the stage! Join Sarah Kanowski and Richard Fidler for an unmissable night of unforgettable stories, behind-the-scenes secrets, and surprise guests. Australia’s most-loved podcast — live, up close, and in the moment. Find out more at the Conversations website.

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2,000 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes2000

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Aug 12, 2025 · 54 min
20th Anniversary Collection: Surviving my dad's arrest and learning to thrive
Longtime TV casting agent, Kirsty de Vallance was 16 when Police searched the house and arrested her father on serious drugs charges. Throughout her teen years she had to navigate the complexity of having a parent in prison. The family went into freefall and a short time later Kirsty's mother died. Her two older sisters raised Kirsty and she stayed in touch with her father until his release from prison. The effects on the family were far-reaching and devastating and as a result, Kirsty volun
Aug 10, 2025 · 52 min
20th Anniversary Collection: The comic genius of Jennifer Saunders
The co-creator of Absolutely Fabulous says her remarkable career as one of the world's funniest women is all down to a series of happy accidents. When she and her great pal Dawn French were making their first series, French & Saunders, they were given complete freedom by the BBC, including the freedom to fail. Despite a few mishaps along the way and a battle with breast cancer, Jennifer now says that early freedom, risk-taking and random opportunities were the best things that could possibly
Aug 7, 2025 · 51 min
20th Anniversary Collection: Judy Sharp and the remarkable rise of Laser Beak Man
When Judy Sharp was told by doctors that her son would never communicate or learn to love, she refused to believe it and set about to secure a brilliant life for her neurodivergent son, Tim. Judy's eldest son, Tim, was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. When Judy was told Tim would never communicate or be able to love she refused to accept those limitations. As a mother, Judy took many risks to secure a good life for both of her sons, including escaping an abusive marriage. Her r
Aug 6, 2025 · 53 min
20th Anniversary Collection: How power and fear play out in the dentist's chair
Sharonne Zaks is not your average dentist. After treating a patient named Anna, Sharonne saw the power relationship with her patients differently. She developed a new branch of dentistry to help care for survivors of sexual assault. Sharonne grew up in a family of dentists, and when she too became a dentist, she developed an empathetic relationship with her patients, never judging them even if they'd avoided the dentist for years. A patient named Anna profoundly changed Sharonne's understandin
Aug 5, 2025 · 52 min
20th Anniversary Collection: A lion named Christian, and the men who loved him
In the swinging '60s, Anthony 'Ace' Bourke and John Rendall bought a lion cub from a luxury department store. They eventually released him to his natural habitat in Africa. Footage of their emotional reunion in the wilds of Africa nearly broke the internet, decades later. In 1969, Anthony 'Ace' Bourke and John Rendall bought a lion cub for just under £300 from Harrods Department Store. They named the cub Christian, and lived with him as a pet in their Chelsea flat, above a furniture shop. Eve
Aug 4, 2025 · 53 min
20th Anniversary Collection: Bryan Brown’s ticket from Bankstown to Palm Beach
Bryan Brown has played more than 80 roles on stage and screen. Raised in working-class Sydney, his talent, hard work, and unmistakable presence have been his ticket to the world. Now in his late 70s, Bryan has had more film and television acting roles than he’s had birthdays, and is an instantly recognisable figure on screens around the world. From Breaker Morant and Newsfront to Two Hands and Sweet Country, a huge number of classic Australian films feature Bryan, a testament to his talent, po
Aug 3, 2025 · 52 min
20th Anniversary Collection: the story of the unwitting woman behind cell research and 'immortality'
Henrietta Lacks was the first human being that we know of to get close enough to 'immortality' to touch it. She died more than 50 years ago but her cells live on. 'HeLa' cells were the first human cells to be grown for research, and have been vital in medical advances since the 1950s. But what fascinated science major Rebecca Skloot the most about these cells, was how little was known about the woman behind the name. So she set out to discover who Henrietta Lacks really was. Further informat
Aug 1, 2025 · 48 min
Wild — Story Collection
Adventurous spirits take us way out into the world's wild places — stories from across 20 years of Conversations. Travel high in the mountains with Kazakh eagle hunters. Join an endurance horse race across the Mongolian steppe. Feel the edge of darkness, paddling a kayak solo across the Great Australian Bight. These tales of wild landscapes and creatures, of courage and awe, invite you to share the adventure along with some of our many intrepid guests: Palani Mohan, Bonnie Hancock, Chris Wats
Aug 1, 2025 · 1 hr
Teachers — Story Collection
Memories, motivation and life lessons from those at the front of the classroom - stories from across 20 years of Conversations. Teachers share stories from their life’s work. Facing up to challenging students, sitting alongside a young person in turmoil, making lifesaving decisions for an entire school, and the simple joy of seeing knowledge take root. We celebrate the dedication found in schools across the country by featuring some extraordinary principals and teachers. Content warning: S
Aug 1, 2025 · 1 hr
Digging Up Mum and Dad — Story Compilation
The secret lives of parents — stories from across 20 years of Conversations. Espionage, Hollywood scandal, a second family, daring wartime missions, and a deadly weapon — revelations unearthed by adult children delving into the lives of parents long gone. Familial mysteries are some of the most spellbinding in our archives, and this collection features life stories from around the globe, revealed in the hunt for answers. Further information Listen to the full episodes from featured guests:
Aug 1, 2025 · 51 min
A Feast of Cooks — Story Collection
Our chefs and cooks and the food that made them — stories from across 20 years of Conversations. Unforgettable sensory moments from childhood are behind the devotion of some of Australia’s most well known chefs. From Gary Mehigan’s grandfather’s secret chocolate stash, to the aroma of the traditional Cantonese broth, made by Hetty McKinnon’s mother, wafting from her morning kitchen. This tasting plate of stories about food and cooking also includes stories from Gary Mehigan and George Calomb
Aug 1, 2025 · 51 min
Maximum McInnes
A collection of some of the best moments from actor and writer William McInnes — celebrating 20 years of Conversations. The voice of actor William McInnes is unmistakable, whether in larger than life TV roles; or as himself, telling true stories. A firm favourite of Conversations’ listeners, this episode is a collection of highlights from his many appearances on the program. You’ll enjoy William’s rendition of a Perry Como classic; hear him wax lyrical about the mayhem and magic of family life
Jul 31, 2025 · 53 min
Shipwrecked and alone: surviving the Blythe Star
At 18 years old, Mick Doleman miraculously survived when his ship capsized in the freezing Southern Ocean off Tasmania. But as he floated in a life raft with his nine crewmates, his ordeal at sea had only just begun.
Jul 30, 2025 · 51 min
Crushing on Aladdin and Nigella Lawson — how Daniel learnt to love himself
Writer and journalist Daniel Nour on the pressures of his vivacious Egyptian-Australian family, and 'inviting people in' instead of 'coming out'. Daniel grew up in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, the only son of Egyptian migrants. He dearly loved his parents, who taught him how to stand up to bullies, drove him to Tournament of the Minds competitions, and helped him buy his first car, but he could never be his whole, true self around them. For most of his life, Daniel was in denial about being gay
Jul 29, 2025 · 50 min
The walking nun — Sister Clare Nolan on entering the convent and saving lives
Sister Clare Nolan was the head of nursing at St Vincent's Hospital when the HIV/AIDS epidemic reached Australia. She met with politicians, brothel workers and gay activists in the same room to work out how to save the men under her care in Ward 17 South. Clare was 21 years old when she entered the convent, against her mother's wishes, joining the Sisters of Charity novitiate to prepare for life as a nun. Clare had already completed her training as a nurse, and so she didn't want to join a con
Jul 25, 2025 · 52 min
Encore: What does a 'disaster specialist' actually do and how do they survive?
When there's a plane crash, a bomb blast, a flood or a pandemic, Lucy Easthope's phone starts ringing. This is how she stays cheerful and trusts her gut in the face of never-ending disasters. (R) When Lucy was 10 years old, she was at home with her dad watching a Liverpool Football Club match when all hell broke loose. The Hillsborough Disaster, as it came to be known, was a fatal crowd crush that killed almost 100 people and as Lucy and her dad watched it all unfold on the television, she rem
Jul 24, 2025 · 50 min
Miss Australia, gangland girlfriend, counsellor and ex-criminal: Felicia Djamirze's story
Felicia Djamirze grew up in the criminal underworld, then became a beauty queen. But her life outside the pageant circuit was mired in the world of drugs, bikie gangs and violence.(CW: graphic discussion of domestic violence and crime) Felicia Djamirze is a counsellor, an advocate for women's justice, a three-time Miss Australia winner and in a former life, a convicted drug trafficker. Felicia grew up surrounded by drug abuse and crime in a rough part of Sydney. Her family was marked by addic
Jul 23, 2025 · 50 min
A Dad's mission to save his daughter, and conquer cancer
Matt Dun left school at 17 to join the Australian navy as a submariner and later finished his high school certificate as an adult attending TAFE at night. He then trained in biomedical science and was researching childhood leukaemia when his family received some devastating news, their little daughter Josie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Matt turned all his energy and expertise into searching for treatments to help Josie and other children like her. He found running was one thing t
Jul 22, 2025 · 52 min
Teaching Nina Simone how to love me: a daughter's story
Singer Lisa Simone is the only person in the world who can call Nina Simone 'mommy'. Lisa was the beneficiary of Nina's incredible talent and her affection, but she was also at the mercy of her mother's erratic moods. Lisa is the only child of the legendary singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist Nina Simone. As a little girl, Lisa loved trying on her mum’s stage costumes and singing with her at the piano at home. But after her parents divorced, Nina’s moods became erratic, and Lisa wa
Jul 18, 2025 · 50 min
Encore: The secret world of servos after dark
David Goodwin spent years working the graveyard shift at his local service station in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. The grungy work quickly took over his life (R). He took the job to support his university studies, but working overnight made study impossible and soon the work took over. From his brightly lit perch behind the anti-jump wires, David saw a collection of very strange people come through the auto-doors. There was the man dressed as a giant bee, a woman who offered to pay for her