Happy Place

Fearne Cotton

Fearne Cotton talks to incredible people about life, love, loss, and everything in-between as she reveals what happiness means to them.

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465 episodes
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Episodes465

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Jun 27, 2025 · 41 min
Seasons change, so will you: Become the thriving person you want to be
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 – Kirsty Gallagher Jo Bowlby Rob Da Bank Tara Brach Estelle Bingham Poppy Delbridge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 25, 2025 · 28 min
No one would hire me - so I built my own business! Brandon Hulcoop on lifting barriers for blind people
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 23, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
Joel Dommett: “Pretending’s the first step!” Build confidence and quieten nerves
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: Mo Gilligan Julian Clary Joanne McNally Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 16, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
How to stop saying “yes” when you mean “no”, with Natalie Lue
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 The Good Girl Rebellion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 10, 2025 · 59 min
Feel walked over? Mel Robbins on turning pain into personal power
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: The Good Girl Rebellion Estelle Bingham TJ Power Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 6, 2025 · 30 min
Book Club Meets: Ambitious women and generational trauma, with Emily Henry
Two writers are competing for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a famous reclusive heiress. One of them is going to uncover the truth behind one of the most scandalous families of the 20th century. The thing is, heiress Margaret is giving each writer different tantalising little pieces of her story... Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry was May’s Happy Place Book Club read. In this chat with Fearne, Emily explains why she’s intrigued by the idea of generational trauma affecting our day to day, and why it’s important to interrogate where your sense of ambition comes from. Is your drive coming from within, or are you trying to prove something to someone? Plus, Fearne and Emily explore why reading fiction is such a brilliant way to examine your own opinions, values, and moral tendencies through how you react to the characters. Thank you to Penguin Audio for the use of Great Big Beautiful Life audiobook, narrated by Julia Whelan. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Listen to Book Club Meets: Lorna Tucker Listen to Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall Listen to Book Club Meets: Holly Bourne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 2, 2025 · 1 hr 25 min
Munroe Bergdorf: “I’m scared for my safety!” Bodily autonomy & femininity as armour
Identity has become tribal, and it’s stopping us understanding each other’s humanity. Activist, writer, and model Munroe Bergdorf explains how fear and anger for society’s issues have been misdirected towards trans people. In this chat with Fearne, Munroe talks through what the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on biological sex and gender means for trans women, cis women, and society more widely. How, for example, are trans rights intimately connected to abortion rights? Fearne and Munroe chat about how to practice self-acceptance, particularly around body image, and how to use your voice to create positive change. They also cover grief, and numbing out as a way of dealing with poor mental health. Munroe’s new book, Talk To Me, is out on June 5th, and you can watch her documentary, Love and Rage, in cinemas from June 10th. This episode also contains an exclusive first listen to a chapter of Kirsty Gallagher’s new book, Your Cosmic Purpose, which is published by Happy Place Books on June 5th. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Emma Dabiri Olly Alexander Kirsty Gallagher Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 30, 2025 · 44 min
The Good Girl rebellion: How to stop caring if you’re likeable
Fearne’s been thinking a lot lately about how much of her life she’s spent people pleasing as a result of wanting to be liked. So today, how to break free from the ‘good girl’ your family, friends, colleagues, and society expect you to be... In this episode – -Louise Redknapp clarifies why being described as ‘nice’ isn’t a compliment and how she’s gone about making people see her as a multi-faceted human -Paloma Faith pinpoints the ways women make themselves smaller in order to make others feel more comfortable -Sophie Ellis-Bextor explains how she’s learnt to navigate mum guilt while not minimising the importance of her career -Natasha Bedingfield talks about the powerful effects of physically speaking your truth and voicing your needs -Afua Hirsch reflects on how colonisation in her native country Ghana has affected her notions of what it means to be good, pure woman -Florence Given explores not letting outside opinion dictate who you are and how to stop feeling the need to defend or explain yourself -Dawn French waxes lyrical about the joy of getting things wrong and embracing imperfection -Emily Atack explains how online abuse almost broke her, but ultimately strengthened her resolve to be an even bolder version of herself Listen to the full episodes here – Louise Redknapp Paloma Faith Sophie Ellis Bextor Natasha Bedingfield Afua Hirsch Florence Given Dawn French Emily Atack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 26, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Ashley Walters: Prison changed my mindset! How to reinvent yourself
How have you come back from your rock bottom? Ashley Walters has reinvented himself over and over again, through music, acting, directing, parenthood, prison, and addiction. In this chat with Fearne, Ashley talks through the mindset that allows him to take accountability for his actions instead of falling into victimhood, and why failure shouldn’t be viewed as an end point. He explains why you should want to be the “dumbest person in the room”, and why if you feel you want to run away from a challenge, it’s exactly the challenge you should take on. Fearne and Ashley tackle the big topics that have come out of Netflix show Adolescence, including online misogyny and male violence. Plus, Ashley reveals what his six year old daughter said to him that broke his heart and made him stop drinking... If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Kate Silverton Pete Doherty Chiwetel Ejiofor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 19, 2025 · 52 min
Should I have children? Ellie Simmonds on genetic disability diagnoses
What beliefs, hopes, worries, and questions would you have if your unborn baby was given a diagnosis of a disability? It’s something retired paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds has spent a lot of time considering. In this chat with Fearne, Ellie explains what she’s learnt from talking to both her parents and her birth mum about their experience of her dwarfism, as well as debating the pros and cons of modern genetic testing. They also chat about Ellie’s decision to retire from swimming: how will you know when it’s time to call something quits, and how can you then cultivate new passions? Plus, how to untangle self-worth and self-esteem from achievements... Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? will be available to watch on ITV from the 27th of May. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about baby loss and abortion, so do take care while listening. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Liberty Mills Sophie Morgan Samantha Renke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 12, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Mo Gilligan: Why success can lead to ego and how to laugh through misery
Is there a reason so many comedians can struggle with their mental health? Mo Gilligan knows all too well that finding the funny in everything can sometimes mean having to suppress sadness. In this chat, Fearne and Mo talk about how a single passing comment can stay with you and eat away at your self-esteem over time, and why we need to be better at celebrating our talent and achievements. Plus, can scrolling through memes be a positive form of escapism when you’re low...? Mo Gilligan: Beginning, Middle, and End is available to listen to now! If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: How to Laugh When You’ve Been To Hell and Back Fats Timbo Zayn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 5, 2025 · 52 min
“You’re old, you’ll probably miscarry”: What’s really causing infertility? With Liberty Mills
At age 43 Liberty Mills was told she had a 0.7% chance of having another baby with her own eggs – and that was with the assistance of IVF. But she and her partner decided to continue their fertility journey with the help of integrative medicine, and after a lifestyle overhaul, she conceived her daughter naturally, and gave birth two weeks before her 45th birthday. In this chat with Fearne, Liberty explains how her own experiences inspired her to become a Certified Integrative Health and Nutrition Coach, helping other individuals and couples to amend their lifestyles to optimise their ability to conceive. Liberty talks through how everything from vaping, to stress, to the plastics in your kitchen are affecting both female and male fertility. Not planning on having a baby? All these lifestyle changes are still important for our overall health and mental wellbeing. Plus, Fearne and Liberty do a deep dive into negative self-talk, body image, and the shame that can be attached to infertility. Liberty’s book, 360 Fertility, is out on May 22nd. Some extra reading you might find useful: Nutrient depletion from prescribed medications Nutrients depleted by the contraceptive pill How prescriptions deplete nutrients If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Estelle Bingham Holly Bourne Paloma Faith Dynamo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 2, 2025 · 39 min
Book Club Meets: Homelessness and addiction, with Lorna Tucker
Bare is the vital true story of Lorna Tucker’s fight to survive living on the streets of London. She had to lie, steal, strip, and just about everything in between to survive. This really important portrait of female homelessness was April’s Happy Place Book Club read. In this chat with Fearne, author and filmmaker Lorna explains how chance – those five minutes that seem insignificant at the time – can send your life in a completely different direction. She talks through the reality of all the different reasons people might end up living on the street, and why she has so much empathy, and a desire to understand, what drives addiction and violence. Plus, Fearne and Lorna share how their brains can spiral into dread and insecurity, and offer advice on how to work through shame about perceived flaws. Thank you to Brazen for the use of Bare audiobook, narrated by Lorna Tucker. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Listen to Book Club Meets: Clare Leslie Hall Listen to Book Club Meets: Holly Bourne Listen to Book Club Meets: David Larbi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 28, 2025 · 52 min
Dannii Minogue: “Resilience is a muscle!” Surviving The X Factor, divorce, and Kylie’s cancer
Does going through a rough time make you untrusting of fleeting joyful moments, or make you lean into them harder? For Dannii Minogue it’s the latter. In this chat with Fearne, Dannii explains why getting divorced and having to borrow money from family, coping with sister Kylie’s cancer, and having her body critiqued by the press have taught her to appreciate happiness when it comes. Fearne and Dannii worked together on The X Factor for a bit, and they both discuss what it was like to work on such a juggernaut programme, and chat about how to understand what boundaries you might need to set in your career. They also talk about why Dannii’s so passionate about wrapping queer and non-conforming people in so much love and joyful celebration. Plus, a little PSA from Dannii: try not to get bitten by a poisonous spider, it won’t end well...! Dannii’s back as the host of I Kissed A Boy on BBC Three in May. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Louise Redknapp Sophie Ellis-Bextor Olly Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 25, 2025 · 38 min
Spring clean your life: how to make a fresh start
Is your lifestyle in need of a spring clean? Maybe now’s the moment to pivot your career, pick up healthier habits, or embrace a new life you wouldn’t have chosen, but now need to make the best of? In this episode, Fearne reflects on the Happy Place episodes that’ll give you a bit of a push – or a bit of inspiration – to get you making that fresh start you’ve been thinking about for ages... In this episode you’ll hear from – -Poet Donna Ashworth on making a slow, organic career change later in life, and re-finding who you really want to be under the crap that real life shovels on top of you -TV personality Mille Mackintosh on giving up alcohol and acknowledging the big moment when you realise something needs to change -Author Raynor Winn on being forced into a huge lifestyle change by factors out of your control, and choosing to make the best of a bad situation -Musician Shania Twain on how illness can change you, and how to come back stronger after a huge setback -Musician Kesha on rethinking and embracing a different side of your character, so your personality reflects who you really are, not who others want you to be -Charlotte Church on her career change from singer to healer, and how ceremony can help move you into a lifestyle re-birth If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: How to stick two fingers up to beauty standards How to laugh when you’ve been to hell and back Saying no: more boundaries, less people pleasing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 21, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Fearne Cotton: “I’m completely out of my depth!” Happy Place turns seven
It’s Happy Place’s 7th birthday! To celebrate, Fearne’s put down her own trusty notebook and let her presenter mate Alex Jones turn the interview tables! In this chat, Alex asks Fearne about Happy Place’s evolution from a podcast, to a book publisher, to a festival, and now a marketplace too. Fearne opens up about feeling bleak and being on anti-depressants before she created Happy Place, as well as all the moments she’s cocked up personally and professionally over the last seven years. Do you have imposter syndrome and a deep desire to be liked? Fearne chats about how to cope with those feelings. Fearne’s also got better at admitting she’s ambitious and proud of her work, and wants you to be allowed to feel good when you’re good at something too! You’ll hear some exclusive BTS stuff: how does Fearne pick guests for the show? What does she look club in Book Club author? And how the bloody hell does she manage her time as a brand founder, presenter, mum, and mate?? (Spoiler: she tells Alex about the reality of bringing her kids to work!) Plus, Fearne answers the questions you’ve voicenoted her on Instagram! One of you has sparked an important conversation about fertility, and Fearne and Alex cover other big topics like taking more time to consider death and grief. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Alex Jones Elizabeth Gilbert Bjorn Nathikko Lindeblad YungBlud Paloma Faith Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 14, 2025 · 55 min
Pete Doherty: “I was seen a wreck head!” The truth behind the headlines
Does anxiety or darkness drive you to create? Is creativity the ultimate catharsis? For musician Pete Doherty making art has, at times, been a matter of survival. In this chat with Fearne, Pete explains why taking drugs was less about trying to escape, and more about what he was trying to find. Now he’s stopped taking drugs, how does he unlock and express his creativity differently? Pete also confirms that ‘addict’ is the right word to describe his behaviour, but that our attitude towards addiction needs to change. Fearne and Pete catch up about the early days of The Libertines, and what Pete labels as ‘the chaos and risk of youth’. He describes how he was sold on the enticing mythologies of a rock n roll lifestyle, but is now much more comfortable living quietly in rural France with his family and dogs. For contributions to #2 of Pete’s ‘On Strap’ fanzine please post to: 'ON STRAP’ FANZINE c/o The Heavy Horse Hôtel le Rayon Vert Rue Général Leclerc 76790 Etretat Normandie FRANCE Pete’s fifth solo studio album, Felt Better Alive, is out May 16th. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: DJ Fat Tony Matt Willis What Really Happens At Therapy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 7, 2025 · 58 min
Manifesting won’t make you happy: Express true emotion with Estelle Bingham
So many of us have had to shut down our heart and numb our emotions to survive. Estelle Bingham is dubbed ‘The Heart Whisperer’; she knows the greatest anxiety can come from suppressing parts of ourselves. In this chat with Fearne, Estelle – a holistic therapist and healer – explains how when the mind is spiralling out of control, the heart can bring us back to stillness. She shares how to feel your emotions in your body instead of just analysing them in your head. Fearne has done her own personal work with Estelle, and they talk though how Estelle’s guidance can banish shame and put a circuit breaker in negative thought patterns. Plus, why Estelle reckons the type of manifesting you see on Instagram is “a load of old cobblers”, and how she would recommend manifesting joy instead... Estelle’s book, Manifest Your True Essence, is out on April 8th. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Florence Given Gabby Bernstein Joey Hulin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 4, 2025 · 27 min
Book Club Meets: First loves and sliding doors, with Clare Leslie Hall
If you had a second chance at your first big love, would you take it? What about if you were already married to a very different kind of person? This is the dilemma Beth is faced with in Broken Country, the Happy Place Book Club novel for March. In this chat Fearne and author Clare Leslie Hall talk about why first love can be so intoxicating, and why it’s only human to feel the pull between very different lifestyles, knowing there are multiple ways you could be happy... Clare explains that Broken Country used to be a very different book, and she almost abandoned it entirely, so what can we learn about being patient with our creative blocks? Plus, if you ever fancy going to Dorset – where the book is set - Fearne and Clare go off on a tangent about all the best places to visit... Thank you to John Murray Press for the use of Broken Country audiobook, narrated by Hattie Morahan. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Listen to Book Club Meets: Holly Bourne Listen to Book Club Meets: David Larbi Listen to Book Club Meets: Dame Harriet Walter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 31, 2025 · 41 min
“Don’t talk to yourself like that!” Teddy Swims on learning self-compassion
We change all the time, which means self-love is an ongoing practice; we’re constantly learning to love the person we are today. Musician Teddy Swims wants you to be able to look in the mirror and see what a great person you are every day. In this chat with Fearne, Teddy explains why he and his partner chose to go to couples therapy to help them prepare to become parents, as well as the incredible impact having an emotionally articulate father had on his ability to process his own big feelings. Fearne and Teddy both see music, art, writing, and creativity in general as cathartic outlets for emotions, but can this sometimes tip into wallowing in the same negative thought patterns over and over again? Plus, Fearne spotted a tattoo gun on Teddy’s dressing room table... will she let him tattoo her even though he’s “not very good yet”...? Teddy’s album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2), is out now. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Olly Alexander Yung Blud Jon Bon Jovi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.