Life Changing

BBC Radio 4

In this series Dr Sian Williams talks to people who have lived through extraordinary events that have set their lives on an entirely different course.

This podcast is all about the human experience, how people deal with obstacles that turn their lives upside down. The journeys are not always straightforward and there are often some remarkable discoveries along the way.

Would you like to appear on the podcast? Do you have an extraordinary story to tell? We'd love to hear from you: lifechanging@bbc.co.uk

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20 episodes
Updated June 10

Episodes20

Newest first

June 10 · 28 min
The courage to ask for help
GP Trevor dutifully nursed his ailing partner, but struggled to ask for help for himself.
June 3 · 28 min
Triumph for a medical guinea pig
A bike crash and medical trial transforms a ‘speed freak’.
May 27 · 28 min
From gym workout to world champion
Approaching 50, Anna Bailey tried out the gym - and discovered a world-beating talent.
May 20 · 28 min
I fell 900ft to the ground - and survived
A mid-air collision plunged Rob Bugden 900ft to the ground - miraculously, he survived.
May 13 · 28 min
40 years to find my birth father
Dr Sian Williams talks to a woman whose long search for her birth father ends just in time
May 6 · 28 min
I fled for my life at 16 to escape the Iranian regime
Dr Sian Williams talks to a young woman forced to flee her Iranian home to save her life.
April 29 · 28 min
The agony of losing my son in Nottingham attack
Emma Webber talks about the agony of losing Barnaby, and her campaign for an inquiry.
Dec 31, 2025 · 28 min
Turning trauma into award-winning art
Former engineer Michael Ashcroft explains how art emerged from personal agony.
Dec 24, 2025 · 28 min
A long wait for justice
After 30 years, child abuse survivor Jess Martinez gets justice.
Dec 17, 2025 · 28 min
Two Days Underground
George Linnane tells Sian how he survived a 50-hour cave rescue.
Dec 10, 2025 · 28 min
Camel Tours and Sliding Doors
A spontaneous decision led Jacqui Furneaux to an unexpected adventure.
Dec 3, 2025 · 28 min
I shook hands with the man who nearly killed me
Sian Williams talks to Paul Kohler about the brutal assault that led him to seek answers.
Nov 26, 2025 · 28 min
Lost at sea
A woman whose father died at sea finds a transformative way to remember him.
Nov 19, 2025 · 28 min
A traumatised veteran’s unlikely saviour
Veteran Geoff was plagued by PTSD - but an unusual partnership restored his independence.
Jun 25, 2025 · 28 min
The Vicar of Bray's Daughter
Dr Sian Williams talks to Carol Cairns, who rediscovered a lost love in her 70s.
Jun 18, 2025 · 29 min
The Singing Bus Driver
Phillip Browne shares his incredible journey from London bus driving to West End stardom.
Jun 11, 2025 · 29 min
The Yachtsman Survivor
When yachtsman Robin was violently attacked, a life-or-death decision had to be made.
Jun 4, 2025 · 28 min
The Great Escape
Angela Tilley explains how a life-changing purchase helped her overcome agoraphobia.
May 28, 2025 · 28 min
The Reluctant Hero
Despite not being able to swim, Larry O’Brien saved over 30 people from a sinking ferry.
May 21, 2025 · 28 min
The Girl Gambler
When Stacey Goodwin got a new job, it triggered a destructive gambling addiction.