Pod Insights Happy Place Fearne’s mates have joined the chat! Divorce, overwhelm, and festive drinking games About this episode You’ve heard Fearne talking about them loads over the years... now it’s time to meet her best school mates! This episode is basically your girls’ Whatsapp chat come to life; Becky, Rebecca, Lucy, Ally, and Fran are here to talk through navigating Christmas when you’re co-parenting, sober, grieving, single, or just desperately trying to find a new place to put the bloody Elf on the Shelf.
Everyone’s wearing their sequinned outfits, and like any good girls get together, there are cheeky games that elicit stories about teenage club nights, muting the school mums chat, and sliding into Craig David’s DMs… Oh, and you lot have been sending in your festive dilemmas too!
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Transcript 9,297 words · 15 speakers
Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
0:00 Speaker 00 Hi, I'm Natalie Dormer and I'm proud to be an ambassador for Childline. This year, Childline turns 40. To market, I've made Child on the Line, a three-part documentary podcast. We hear why children needed a helpline in 1986, how it was built against the odds and the challenges children face today, from abuse and mental health to social media and AI. Search Child on the Line and listen wherever you get your podcasts.
0:28 Fearne Cotton? Hello, I'm Fran Cotton and this is Happy Place. And today, I've got something a little bit different for you. I am joined by Rebecca, Becky, Lucy, Ally and Fran, aka my best mates from school.
0:45 Speaker 02 I always love Christmas, always have, but this year does feel a little bit overwhelming.
0:49 Fearne Cotton? It's been a really hard year, so I'm also really focusing on sort of new beginnings.
0:56 Speaker 03 When you've been a family for so long and you've always done it that way, and then now all of a sudden you're like, oh, well, Christmas is still the same, but we're not anymore.
1:04 Fearne Cotton? It's really easy to get swept up in the magic and, you know, the sodding elf on the shelf. I think this is a safe space, guys. Do any of us want to be on the school WhatsApp group?
1:13 Speaker 02 And who cares what someone else thinks? Actually, the majority of this time when people judge you, it's because they're judging themselves.
1:17 Fearne Cotton? Single at Christmas, SOS.
1:19 Speaker 04 Get the mistletoe out.
1:22 Fearne Cotton? Never younger again, we are going older.
1:25 Speaker 03 Yes.
1:25 Fearne Cotton? Shit together, mature, look after me.
1:28 Speaker 04 Shit together. No matter what we're doing in our lives, we kind of have evolved into like middle aged, together.
1:35 Speaker 03 Like, breaking news, glitter nail polish is allowed from the 10th of December.
1:41 Fearne Cotton? Do you know what? This was one of those ideas that came from me just having a conversation with a couple of members of the Happy Place team. We were just having like a really nice general chat about friendships. And I was saying how all of my girlfriends are just, they're always full of advice. We're in a WhatsApp group together and we're all going through stuff, like everybody is. And the thing I love about this WhatsApp group is I come away every time feeling better because someone's either sent me a silly meme, told me something I really needed to hear, reminded me of like the love and support around me. And I know that I'm offering the same for them too. Like, we all just love each other and they are. Wise, brilliant human beings with very funny stories to tell.
2:24 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, so look, we've all known each other since school, some of us since we were five. So we know each other, we're sisters, we're essentially sisters. And I love these girls to the boat, like I would be lost without them. I don't know what I would do, I really, really don't know what I'd do. So we had a lot that we wanted to talk about, navigating Christmas when you're co-parenting, because for three of us, that's the case. Also grief around Christmas, because, I mean, many people out there have experienced grief around this time of year, but I think when there's a loss, this is when you really feel it. So one of my pals has a lot to say about that. Also being sober around Christmas, because Lucy hasn't drunk now for, I think it's five
3:06 Fearne Cotton? years, so to sort of navigate December can be a little bit treacherous. We also play a couple of drinking games, which feel free to steal, by the way, because I think if you're looking for some party games, these are some pretty good ones.
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4:38 Fearne Cotton? All right, let's do it. Let's crack on with the show.
5:02 Fearne Cotton? So, this episode of Happy Place is a little bit different to normal because I have got five of my best friends in the studio for a chat. It's just gonna be a gang of middle-aged gals having a chat. Oh my god.
5:19 Speaker 09 Middle age?
5:21 Fearne Cotton? Well, we are though. I mean, I know we identify as 22, but we are, I think we are like peak middle age. Now, there are only six of us here today. Normally, there's seven, but Hayley lives in New York, so time difference, but also she would be really late, so. She definitely wouldn't be here yet. We're just gonna crack on without her. So, the backstory is, we've all known each other since we were five, slash some of us 11. We went to the same schools, and we also lived in the same town. Some of us like one street from the other. I could get to your house, Lucy, in about 45 seconds, I think. Yeah, I think I could see your garden from my bedroom window. Correct. So, we know each other inside out, but you're gonna get the opportunity
6:05 Fearne Cotton? to do the same now. So, we're gonna have a good old chat. First of all, let me introduce my gang to everybody. Ali, you look like you're about to literally shit yourself. I'm really enjoying myself. Okay, good. Tell your face. I feel very happy. Shitting myself with my happy face. Okay, we'll start with Becky. Becky to my left. Becky, who would regularly sprain her ankle as a kid. I mean, like, every month. Probably every week, actually. Every week? You've just got weak ankles. On the puss with the ankle. Constantly. Rebecca, who just this summer drunkenly sang Fog on the Tyne to Declan Donnelly. That actually happened.
6:46 Fearne Cotton? Key moment of my life, that. He really enjoyed it, actually. But did he? Did he? I think he did. There was a point where Ally, this was at a party at my house, Ally was looking at me going, Oh, it was million. Make sense. Fran, who used to regularly wait outside Elstree Studios for Paul Nichols and once I went along for the ride.
7:07 Speaker 10 Twice, maybe, I think you get it.
7:10 Fearne Cotton? And I saw it, we saw him in the car, but never in real life.
7:13 Speaker 10 We used to throw gifts at him and the car just used to keep on driving.
7:15 Fearne Cotton? She's there again, drive. We're so in love with him still, such a shame. Lucy, who used to sit in the front row of English class because she fancied the teacher. Not true. Absolutely not true. Fake news, fake news, everyone. And Ally, who once tried to stay in Greece because she fell in love with a glass collector. I knew it would be that intro. Forty-three years of existence and that's still my wildest moment. That's your legacy. So good.
7:44 Speaker 10 I stand by it.
7:45 Fearne Cotton? So, look, we are going to have a chat about all sorts today. I thought where we should begin is talking about this time of year because it is a weird time of year. There's all this hype around it and also for us as mums, there's so much to organise and sort out. It can be a real mix of emotions. So, heading towards Christmas, now we're in December, how do we all feel? Ally, how are you feeling about December?
8:09 Speaker 10 Um, I feel like it's an emotional rollercoaster. I feel like with young kids, it's really easy to get swept up in the magic and, you know, the sodding elf on the shelf. And I'm trying to stay magical with them. Also, it comes with massive overwhelm, financial overwhelm, emotional overwhelm, school WhatsApp groups going off. It's been a really hard year, so I'm also really focusing on sort of new beginnings. I'm one of those creeps that's like, I love a New Year's resolution. I love... You know, the end of one year, the start of another. So, yeah, I've manifested the shit out of 2026.
8:51 Fearne Cotton? Yes.
8:51 Speaker 10 I'm like, I'm ready.
8:52 Fearne Cotton? Yes.
8:53 Speaker 10 So, yeah, it's, it's, it's an emotional one, but yeah, I feel like that's, that's my bag. That's my vibe.
9:00 Fearne Cotton? I mean, we were all talking on WhatsApp the other day about this year was the year of the snake. Because we've all of a sudden like jumped on this Chinese thing.
9:06 Speaker 10 Yeah, we're all over it.
9:07 Fearne Cotton? And then the next year is the year of the horse. And it's really optimistic.
9:10 Speaker 10 Fire horse.
9:12 Speaker 03 And the snake is about shedding.
9:14 Fearne Cotton? Yes.
9:14 Speaker 03 So you're getting rid of it all, and you've got till February, so it's not January 1st. Yeah, because it's Chinese New Year. So you've got to get rid of all your shit. And then you're ready to bolt on that horse.
9:25 Fearne Cotton? We're doing it.
9:26 Speaker 03 With your fire chariot in hand.
9:27 Fearne Cotton? Yes.
9:28 Speaker 03 And yeah, and ride into 2026.
9:31 Fearne Cotton? Funny, how are you feeling? Like me, you co-parent over Christmas, so it's always, you know, complex. How do you feel about that?
9:37 Speaker 03 Yeah, it's such a weird one because I think the thing is with Christmas, it like comes around every year. So it's always the same. So you're like, Christmas again, Christmas again. So then when you've been a family for so long and you've always done it that way. And then now all of a sudden you're like, oh, well, Christmas is still the same, but we're not anymore. Do you know what I mean? And it's a massive adjustment for you. And like you said, us mums, we take everything on. So you're trying to have that adjustment for yourself, but also for your kids as well. Constantly making sure, are they going to be all right? Can they deal with this? Do you know what I mean? So it's a tough one, but I think you've just got to, in my head now, I'm like, do you know what? It's one day. It's one day. I'll get through it. Like I've got through all the other crap days I've had in my life.
10:22 Speaker 03 I'm still here to tell the tale. We'll be all right. The kids will open a present. Let's be honest, that's all they really care about. Do you know what I mean?
10:30 Fearne Cotton? So you're like.
10:31 Speaker 03 And they'll be happy.
10:33 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
10:33 Speaker 03 And, and then that's it. And like Ali said, new horizon and you never know what the next year is going to hold for you. And next Christmas may be better.
10:42 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, exactly. And that's a really sensible approach. And it is one day. It's crazy that there's this whole for all around one day. I mean, Lucy, you don't drink and that I find December is tricky for that because there's Christmas parties and there's lunches and everything comes with booze. How do you navigate that?
10:58 Speaker 04 Well, I think because I haven't drank for nearly five years now, so it's been quite a long time. I don't even think about it because there's so much. I mean, I'm, as you know, greedy, so I like the food.
11:12 Speaker 04 So the food is more than enough, you know, I like the profiteroles for breakfast over the Christmas holidays, like anything to do with the food. So I like, I love the build up to it, but I think it's really overwhelming, like really overwhelming. There's just so much, like with schools that you've got to get ready for the kids, then you've got all the stuff at the house to do. And then if you've got people over for Christmas, so there's just, it's busy, busy and stressful and you kind of need a month off after it.
11:38 Fearne Cotton? You do.
11:38 Speaker 04 Don't worry. But yeah, I think, yeah, I don't, the drinking doesn't bother me. It's just as long as I've got like loads of food.
11:46 Fearne Cotton? Amazing, you've done five years.
11:48 Speaker 04 I'm fine, yeah, I know. It's gone so quickly, I can't imagine. Five years without a hangover. Yeah. But now if I feel sick, I'm like, really annoyed. I'm like, oh my God, and I used to do this to myself on purpose. Like if we went for a night out or something, I'd feel sick the next day. And now I can't actually stand the feeling of being sick at all.
12:07 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
12:07 Speaker 04 And I think we can relate.
12:08 Fearne Cotton? I think so.
12:09 Speaker 04 Code break.
12:11 Fearne Cotton? I think so.
12:11 Speaker 04 Under the sick bus.
12:13 Fearne Cotton? Rebecca, you navigate Christmas with grief in the mix with your mum not being here. How have you coped with that over the years?
12:21 Speaker 11 I think it was, we had a couple of Christmases where my mum was really ill and we weren't, we weren't sure if she was going to make it. And then she did, and she did, she was, we had two Christmases of her being ill. And that was really hard. And then when she passed, I think you start to really dread Christmas because it just becomes something that brings up so many emotions. And it's such a hard time for so many people who have lost people or going through something. And I think Christmas can be the worst time of the year for so many. And I think I had that for a few years. But now I'm trying not to be like that. And you, it does change you. It makes you see things so differently when you don't have people around you who you like, want to be with at Christmas.
13:06 Speaker 11 And you have to concentrate on the good things about it, which I would say is wearing a pair of sparkly bell bottoms. And just living like Christmas, like it's such a fun time, actually, if you just don't think about being overwhelmed, because there are so many things we are concentrating on, negative things, but like there are positive things, like seeing each other right now is really nice and like you get to see more people over Christmas that you don't probably see any other time of year, wearing your best outfits. I went out on Saturday in London and everyone's dressed up and it's just so nice to see everyone wearing like just glammed up to the max, which you just don't see any other time of year. And I just love that about, December for me is the best time for fashion.
13:51 Speaker 11 So you can just wear whatever you want at 10am, put your sparkly dress on and it's it's fine because it's Christmas.
13:59 Fearne Cotton? What we should mention is you're a knitwear designer, so this is like a deep core.
14:02 Speaker 11 This is a passion and like knitwear at this time of year, I mean, I'm in my element. It's amazing.
14:08 Fearne Cotton? It is the best.
14:09 Speaker 11 Layered like knit on knit, knits off.
14:12 Fearne Cotton? Knit on knit.
14:13 Speaker 11 Fluffy, pure fluff is just the best way to be and it just gives you that comfort feeling, doesn't it? So I'm always like dressed up to the max in all my knits in December and January and it's just, that's what makes it better for me. Just embrace the fashion and that's makes you feel good, so.
14:30 Fearne Cotton? As I said when we all walked in, I knew at least three of us would be in sequins. We've got four of us actually and Fran would obviously be in leather.
14:38 Speaker 11 Yes.
14:39 Fearne Cotton? Sexy Franny. Sexy Franny. Franny, one, two, three. Franny B, one, two, three. Franny B. One, two, three. For any gents watching, there's going to be about two. Fran is single currently, so just putting that out there.
14:53 Speaker 11 Get the DMs going.
14:58 Fearne Cotton? Becky, you have got a baby in the mix. Well, she's, this is your second Christmas with Baby Cherry.
15:05 Speaker 02 It is my second Christmas. Yeah, last year she was two months old, so couldn't really, it was kind of a very different Christmas for me. Not that I remember much of it, I was in the haze of the newborn bubble. Um, so this year I am, there is an element of excitement because I think for my daughter, she's starting to know light, she's starting to understand, you know, what's going on and, um, you know, historically for me, as you all know, I have a really big family. So Christmas has always been really important.
15:32 Fearne Cotton? You have like 50 people for Christmas lunch or something absurd.
15:35 Speaker 02 Around that, yeah. So I always love Christmas, always have. Um, but this year does feel a little bit overwhelming. I don't know if it's because I've got a daughter in the mix, or if it just feels generally more pressure, like financially, like I feel the cost of living crisis. You know, there's a hell of a lot of pressure, I think, that is actually making it slightly more overwhelming than usual. Um, and I think, I just feel like there's not enough time in the day. Like, yeah, I just, I'm at that stage where I do love it, but I'm also quite looking forward to the, in the new year and like the other girls, you know, the year of the horse and just, I think, you know, I think this is
16:12 Fearne Cotton? Which is Chinese medicine experts, like Chinese
16:15 Speaker 03 I read one thing on Instagram and I'm like, oh, let me tell you.
16:21 Speaker 02 I only found out in December, it was the year of the snake. Literally didn't know that.
16:26 Fearne Cotton? I love that, but I also love that we're approaching a new year in a way we may not have done 20 years ago. Before it'd be like, where are we going for New Year's Eve? What are we doing? And now we're like, just get me to January, it's a fresh start, I want to get on with it. We used to historically always on Christmas Eve, go to Barisa in Watford, obviously. Like that was a big night out, which was flawed because Christmas Day, you would feel like absolute dog shit. Like you would feel so bad. But that was fun. Is anyone doing a Christmas Eve drinking night?
16:59 Speaker 02 I wish. I would love to be going down to the pub.
17:03 Speaker 10 Yeah, we're going to the pub.
17:04 Speaker 02 You know, I'd like, I, I really wish we were.
17:08 Fearne Cotton? So Ali, you mind?
17:08 Speaker 10 Yeah, we are. Yeah, yeah, yeah. My boys love it. We go to our local.
17:12 Fearne Cotton? Also with your children, good.
17:13 Speaker 10 With my kids, yeah, sorry. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm going to take Uno, Margarita, we can live it up.
17:19 Speaker 03 Yeah, no, it's a new tradition and my kids really like it. So yeah, I plan to get drunk.
17:25 Fearne Cotton? I tried to find some pictures of Barisa. They're like in the depths of my cupboard somewhere. But we had some good nights out there.
17:32 Speaker 11 It was amazing.
17:33 Speaker 03 Oh, the bar.
17:33 Fearne Cotton? The bar in the middle.
17:35 Speaker 03 It was a square bar, so you could walk around the bar.
17:37 Fearne Cotton? You used to do a lap.
17:38 Speaker 11 Yeah, we'd say we're gonna do a lap.
17:39 Fearne Cotton? All the ready fitties.
17:40 Speaker 03 I'm just gonna do a lap. I'm just gonna do one more. With you Bacardi breather.
17:45 Speaker 11 Just waving at everyone, you know.
17:47 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, exactly like the Queens of Watford. So is Barisa still there?
17:51 Speaker 03 No.
17:51 Fearne Cotton? No, what is it?
17:52 Speaker 03 Uh, I think it's like a walkabout or something.
17:54 Speaker 11 It's changed again.
17:55 Speaker 03 But the DJ, the DJ has like had a comeback and has like a whole following now. And like, we've been to a couple of his nights and you like literally like, oh, I know you from Barisa.
18:06 Fearne Cotton? From 25 years ago.
18:09 Speaker 03 Yeah, but still playing some tunes.
18:11 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, Ray Raymond. Ray Raymond.
18:15 Speaker 11 Name checked him, Ray Raymond.
18:17 Fearne Cotton? Ray Raymond.
18:18 Speaker 11 We even saw the bouncer recently, didn't we, at his Ray Raymond's birthday?
18:22 Fearne Cotton? No, I don't remember the bouncer. Fran, you had some run-ins with him.
18:27 Speaker 03 I don't remember.
18:29 Fearne Cotton? Fran had some big run-ins with the bouncer of Barisa. Not tonight. Out. Don't even try. Um, so should we play a game?
18:39 Speaker 11 Why not?
18:40 Fearne Cotton? It does involve alcohol, which is trepidatious for me because I'm only on the cusp of recovering from feeling like I was dying yesterday from drinking too much Saturday night. So this could be very sketchy, but I'm gonna explain the rules of the game. First of all, let me hand out, oh, I think that's my word.
18:56 Speaker 11 Yeah, thank you.
18:56 Fearne Cotton? Thank you very much. And it's just to give everybody a bit of context, it's 11am, so this is.
19:02 Speaker 03 Ally's straight into the straight.
19:06 Fearne Cotton? No, no, no, you can. You can, you absolutely can. So this game is called, I've never done a game before on here. This is quite exciting. It's called sip or spill. So let me explain. I'm gonna throw out a question and each one of us has a choice. We can either take a sip of the drink, which means we're dodging the question. I mean, they're not gonna be that bad. Or we can spill and we can truthfully answer. But Ally will probably be doing both at the same time.
19:28 Speaker 03 I know, I'm very excited.
19:29 Fearne Cotton? Whatever. Okay, so Ally, why don't we start with you? What's your unexpectedly spicy festive crush that you've not admitted publicly? Or maybe we know about.
19:40 Speaker 10 Oh, Minty, all my crushes.
19:43 Fearne Cotton? Minty?
19:44 Speaker 10 Shut up. No, I've got a real thing about Tom Selleck at the moment. I can't explain it.
19:49 Fearne Cotton? Tom Selleck now or in Friends?
19:50 Speaker 10 No, not now. No, we're talking old school Tom Selleck.
19:54 Speaker 04 Free men and a baby.
19:54 Speaker 10 Free men and a baby. We're talking moustache, we're talking older, shit together. Yeah, that's kind of what I'm obsessing about right now.
20:03 Fearne Cotton? Is that the kind of man you're hoping rocks up to the pub, God?
20:06 Speaker 10 Good Christmas Eve. I mean, no, we are in the depths of divorce, so we're absolutely not.
20:12 Fearne Cotton? Not there yet, not there yet.
20:13 Speaker 10 No, no, no. But yeah, yeah, Tom Selleck vibes. Never younger again. We are going older.
20:20 Fearne Cotton? Yes.
20:21 Speaker 10 Shit together, mature, look after me, money, moustache.
20:26 Speaker 04 Moustache. Don't hold back, Kestrel.
20:29 Speaker 10 Can we mention Mr. Good Head of Hair? Yeah. I mean, not that I've overthought it, but...
20:35 Fearne Cotton? No, seemingly not. Year of the horse, babe.
20:38 Speaker 10 Year of the horse.
20:38 Speaker 04 Year of the horse.
20:39 Speaker 10 Yeah.
20:39 Fearne Cotton? I mean, feel free to drink, anyway.
20:41 Speaker 04 It's one of your least weird crushes, I will just say.
20:43 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, exactly. You have a penchant for like quite off-centre people normally.
20:49 Speaker 10 Yeah, Matt Branning was a low point, wasn't he?
20:51 Fearne Cotton? Just curveballs, like unexpected.
20:53 Speaker 04 Quirky.
20:53 Speaker 10 Oh, yeah. What can I say?
20:56 Fearne Cotton? Lucy, worst gift you've received at Christmas?
21:00 Speaker 04 Oh, God, I don't know. Worst gift?
21:04 Fearne Cotton? Anything that you have to get out when someone comes over, because...
21:07 Speaker 10 No, I don't bother doing that.
21:08 Fearne Cotton? Does Miss ever fail you, surely?
21:10 Speaker 04 We don't, do you know what, actually? We don't really get each other Christmas gifts. So that's probably a bad gift, isn't it? We just don't really do it at Christmas. We're the same. Yeah, because then I'll end up just ordering it myself and he'll end up ordering something himself.
21:23 Speaker 10 Yeah.
21:25 Speaker 04 Send links and buy. And it's so expensive with everyone else's presents and stuff, we just don't bother. So I don't think I've ever had a gift that I really didn't like.
21:33 Speaker 10 No.
21:33 Speaker 04 Or if I did, I'd probably return it.
21:35 Fearne Cotton? We should say for the listeners, your wonderful husband, Miss, was in Blazing Squad back in the day, which is the best fun fact about you ever.
21:43 Speaker 04 He used to be in Blazing.
21:44 Fearne Cotton? Strider.
21:45 Speaker 04 I tell people all the time. It's not myself. He used to say that. Strider, yes.
21:49 Fearne Cotton? Strider. The greatest name of all time. Does anyone call him that still?
21:54 Speaker 04 No.
21:54 Fearne Cotton? Me?
21:55 Speaker 04 Just you.
21:56 Fearne Cotton? Just me and Ali. I must tell that story once a month. I'm sure I'm putting this out there, crossroads, absolute banger.
22:02 Speaker 04 Banger.
22:02 Fearne Cotton? What a tune.
22:03 Speaker 03 The best was when, oh, my hen do, when we done karaoke and we put her name down to do a Blazing Squad song and she was like, oh, I can't, I can't, I can't. And then literally rap every single word.
22:15 Speaker 04 I do love a big karaoke. But we used to do pictures of us standing, before I met him, of us doing like crossroads poses.
22:23 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, we were obsessed.
22:24 Speaker 04 And then went on and met him.
22:25 Fearne Cotton? Manifested it, babe.
22:26 Speaker 04 Manifested it.
22:27 Fearne Cotton? Well, you used to be a backing dancer for them.
22:28 Speaker 04 Yes, I did, I danced.
22:29 Fearne Cotton? Because once, when I was hosting, what was it even called, like the Saturday show or something?
22:34 Speaker 04 Yes, in Scotland.
22:34 Fearne Cotton? Kids TV show, yeah, you came up with Blazing Squad and you popped into my dressing room, it was like, this is the weirdest thing that's ever happened.
22:41 Speaker 04 Yeah, we came to hang out backstage.
22:43 Fearne Cotton? Madness.
22:44 Speaker 04 Very weird.
22:45 Fearne Cotton? Next one, okay, Franny, have you ever slid into someone's DMs after a mulled wine and regretted it? Tell the truth.
22:57 Fearne Cotton? This was the right question.
22:59 Speaker 03 Next, the whole thing.
23:00 Speaker 04 Spill.
23:01 Fearne Cotton? No, speak.
23:05 Speaker 03 I don't know, if you'd asked me this question a year ago, absolutely not. I can't be responsible for my actions.
23:12 Fearne Cotton? You've had like a switch up in the last year and I'm so here for it. We should probably talk about our Craig David night out because we went, it was one of the funnest nights.
23:21 Speaker 03 I've slid into his, I've attempted to slide into his DMs.
23:24 Fearne Cotton? Who, Craig's?
23:27 Speaker 04 So many times.
23:28 Speaker 03 His DMs. Yeah, when I had the video for my birthday, I was like, I just want to thank you so much. Trying to be cool, very uncool.
23:36 Fearne Cotton? So we had the funnest night out in the summer, didn't we? It was so good, we went to Kew Gardens where Craig was performing. The, the peak of the night was Fran mounting a stranger's shoulders and just living, like living your best life.
23:51 Speaker 03 Oh, it was, it was like definitely top night of the year. It was so fun, not a care, not a worry, just, and then I was like, I said to Lucy, well, first I got Lucy's shoulders and then I was like.
24:04 Fearne Cotton? I've got that on video. With your bum, like.
24:06 Speaker 03 With my bum.
24:08 Fearne Cotton? I don't even know how you achieved such a thing.
24:09 Speaker 03 And then I was like, oh, I thought I peaked, but I was like, no, I haven't peaked. I was like, I need to get on someone else's shoulders. I just asked this guy, he had his top off, he had all glitter. And I was like, you're my man. I was like, can I get on your shoulders? He was like, absolutely.
24:22 Fearne Cotton? So good. Sorry, but you know, there's this thing, we, I think we were again chatting about this on the WhatsApp group the other day, that we are now, our generation are redefining the 40s. Your 40s used to be like, oh God, you were past it, you were over the hill. And now our generation are going, like Sienna Miller, leading the way, going, actually, it's the ageless 40s, guys. We're doing as we please. Yeah, get on someone's shoulders. Why not? Get on someone's shoulders. Wear a leather vest on the school run. For crying out loud.
24:55 Speaker 06 Then I thought, what if, I've scaled businesses. What if I scaled my philanthropy? What if I did as much in one year as I've done in my whole life?
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25:37 Speaker 12 Hello, this is Susie Ruffel. And Maisie Adam. And together we host Big Kick Energy. Hey Mais, what is it? Only the best podcast ever. Yeah. A comedy entertainment podcast with a focus on all things women's football, all things hilarious, all things friendship. It's a laugh is what it is, Ruffel. Yeah, and a fair bit of gossiping too. Oh, and a lovely bit of gossip. Chow down on the gossip. Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, you just need to search Big Kick Energy. Grab a knife and fork and tuck in, baby.
26:10 Fearne Cotton? Right Rebecca, what am I going to ask you about of these ones? Okay, I don't even know if you would do this, but what's the most outrageous lie you've told to get out of a festive situation?
26:19 Speaker 11 I cannot lie.
26:21 Fearne Cotton? You can't, can you?
26:22 Speaker 11 I cannot lie. I am the most honest person you ever meet. And I hate it about myself because I get so much trouble for being too honest. So I actually, I wouldn't lie, I would just say the truth and that would get me into trouble.
26:36 Fearne Cotton? So I don't want to go.
26:38 Speaker 11 I don't like you, really.
26:38 Fearne Cotton? I don't like you, I don't want to go.
26:40 Speaker 11 I really cannot lie and I feel like that's, yeah, something that is good and bad about myself. So yeah, I couldn't lie about anything like that.
26:49 Fearne Cotton? But you also love a festive party.
26:50 Speaker 11 And I wouldn't ever get out of a party.
26:52 Fearne Cotton? No, you love it.
26:53 Speaker 11 It's something I wouldn't do.
26:55 Fearne Cotton? That's more me or a Babs move.
26:56 Speaker 11 So I think that, yeah.
26:57 Fearne Cotton? Me and Babs are the ones that are like, can't be fucked.
26:59 Speaker 02 Back in the day.
27:01 Fearne Cotton? Back in the day, but now, absolutely not. I've not even got an excuse. Becky, who are you most likely to mute on WhatsApp? Can you even say?
27:11 Speaker 02 I would really love to say the truth here, but I cannot say the truth.
27:20 Speaker 02 That is a really good question.
27:23 Fearne Cotton? Me, so I don't send you a 20 minute voice note?
27:25 Speaker 02 No, it's none of you. I live for your voice notes.
27:29 Fearne Cotton? I love an Ali Baba's podcast.
27:31 Speaker 02 I'm terrible for it as well. I get distracted halfway through and end up like 20 minutes long. I'm going to say probably the nursery mums.
27:40 Fearne Cotton? What's up?
27:41 Speaker 11 Wow.
27:42 Fearne Cotton? I mean, drop that hand grenade and run, Becky. You better have said the mother-in-law than that. But sorry, do any of us, I think this is a safe space guys, do any of us want to be on the school WhatsApp groups?
27:54 Speaker 02 No.
27:55 Fearne Cotton? It's insane. How come parents did none of this? Side group. The splinter groups. Splinter off. The splinter groups are great, but it's too much information. It's too much. Some days I'm like, I have to spool back like 10 miles of WhatsApp groups. It's insane.
28:12 Speaker 02 That's what archiving is for. Just archive the message.
28:15 Fearne Cotton? But sometimes I do need key information about things I'm not bothered to look. Pop back into it. Yeah.
28:20 Speaker 04 It's a reminder about the PE kid or something.
28:22 Fearne Cotton? Correct.
28:23 Speaker 03 Or like it's not a uniform day.
28:24 Fearne Cotton? Our parents used to go, bye.
28:26 Speaker 04 Oh.
28:26 Fearne Cotton? We would walk out of the house. I tell my kids are so bored. And actually Rex mocks me constantly. He's like, how long was your walk to school? I'm like 40 minutes there, 40 minutes back. But we used to meet on the corner, wait for Hayley for an hour. And we would have on any.
28:40 Speaker 04 Probably waiting for me as well.
28:41 Fearne Cotton? Probably a bit for you, but I'd meet you earlier at the letterbox on the corner. And then on any one day, violin, backpack, art folder.
28:49 Speaker 04 Sandwich.
28:50 Fearne Cotton? Sandwich.
28:51 Speaker 04 Drop it.
28:55 Speaker 03 No water bottle though.
28:57 Speaker 04 They use guitar.
28:57 Speaker 03 No water bottle. We never left the house with a water bottle. I mean now your kids can't like step outside the front door without a water bottle.
29:05 Speaker 04 What is it?
29:06 Fearne Cotton? What did we drink?
29:07 Speaker 04 What did we even drink?
29:07 Speaker 03 Nothing. We had a gross fountain. At noon and we had a gross fountain.
29:11 Speaker 04 Did we have a carton of something?
29:12 Speaker 03 You'd be lucky if it was working and we all had to share.
29:14 Speaker 04 Robinson's carton.
29:15 Speaker 03 We had a carton if we were lucky.
29:16 Speaker 04 Robina Light.
29:17 Fearne Cotton? When we found Robina Light, I was like, this is, yes. Our parents would pack us off with the shittest sandwich of all time. White bread. White bread, a pack of crisps and like no water and we survived.
29:27 Speaker 04 And we used to ask, go round the playground asking for 5p off everyone so we could buy an ice cream. And the ice cream van that came into our school.
29:34 Fearne Cotton? Our school, it was parked in the car park. Not now, that wouldn't happen. We had an ice cream van. I know. In the, this is so problematic. So, and what we would do, this is another strange thing. We might not have dissected over the years, but we would historically eat lunch in the first break, 10am.
29:49 Speaker 04 Yeah.
29:50 Fearne Cotton? Then at lunchtime, have nothing left. So I go and eat a massive fuck off ice cream. With a witch, the witch's hat.
29:56 Speaker 04 With an ice cream on top, so an ice cream or an ice cream. And a bubble gum at the bottom.
30:00 Fearne Cotton? Oh, the, yeah, the snow. And you were worried this morning that your mum gave your kid a crumpet.
30:08 Fearne Cotton? What's going on? I was going back and there'll be a witch's hat on a lolly.
30:12 Speaker 03 That's why, that's why we're the best generation. We are the best generation because we lived through the witch's hat. But we know our crumpet is bad. Do you know what I mean?
30:21 Speaker 04 We survived.
30:21 Fearne Cotton? Playing back 80s parenting, I say. It was so. Bring back the crispy pancakes. Finest crispy pancakes.
30:27 Speaker 04 Chips and beans and chicken.
30:28 Fearne Cotton? Bacon in a bun. Bacon in a bun. We ate like absolute queens back in the day, guys. Me too. Alphabet, remember the alphabet, they were great. And our parents basically didn't parent us. They just used to be like, yeah, we'll go to school and then might see you later. I know. Okay, cool.
30:42 Speaker 04 Might see you later.
30:44 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, who knows? If you're back. Me, if I'm true. I won't know, because I'll be at work. So, let yourself in and make yourself some tea. I'll see you at some point. We'll find out at six.
30:55 Fearne Cotton? That's fucking brilliant.
30:56 Speaker 03 Can I ask you one?
30:57 Fearne Cotton? Oh, yeah, go on, Fran. Class.
30:59 Speaker 03 Okay. Best celeb that you've ever interviewed that you fancied the most, like during the interview?
31:04 Fearne Cotton? Great question.
31:07 Fearne Cotton? Maybe Bradley Cooper, who came on Radio One and spoke fluent French. And I lost my mind. I couldn't, it's too much. Like, him speaking fluent French is the sexiest language. Yeah. And that was a moment. Really sexy anyway, yeah. Hmm, who, I mean, we all know that I've got a crush on Diplo.
31:26 Fearne Cotton? No surprise. Oh, my God. The Diplo deep dives, we've done. I'll just play another Diplo track when we're all drunk. Um, but I've not interviewed him. Who else? Dave Grohl?
31:36 Speaker 03 I remember when-
31:37 Fearne Cotton? Dave, but I don't know, I'm not, I'm less in today, at the time.
31:40 Speaker 03 I remember when you first interviewed Brad Pitt and we were like, oh, I-
31:45 Fearne Cotton? But I fucked that interview up so bad. I was too young and I, this makes me actually feel sick, admitting this. You've hit a nerve here, Fran. So, I remember, it was his era where he, and we had obviously watched Thelma and Louise eight million times. And he had that, like, long, amazing hair. That era, the best era. That era. There was this interview, and it was one of those awful movie junkets where you get 10 minutes with someone. And I was about 19 and very childlike and, uh, I'm so mortified. I, I thought, he doesn't want to just do like a boring interview. He's done that all day. So, I, bleh.
32:26 Speaker 03 Did you do sip or spill?
32:28 Fearne Cotton? That would have been way better than what I did. I said, I've heard you're into art, so whilst I'm asking you questions, you're going to draw me and I'm going to draw you. And he took it and not, yeah, and he was like, oh. I did not want to do it. And I remember, and I was sat there like- And then I think I saw, he turned his page round and it was like, Stickman.
32:55 Speaker 03 Kill me.
32:56 Fearne Cotton? Generic stick.
32:57 Speaker 11 This is the best story.
32:58 Fearne Cotton? It was, and I still wake up at three in the morning sometimes and I'm like, I can't believe.
33:04 Speaker 03 But we were so in awe of you. We were like, she actually met Brad Pitt.
33:08 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, and made an absolute, yeah, of myself.
33:12 Speaker 11 You didn't. That was your character.
33:14 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, a dork.
33:15 Speaker 03 I reckon he tells this story. I reckon he's gonna do a podcast with his mate.
33:20 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
33:20 Speaker 03 And they're like, sip or spill.
33:27 Fearne Cotton? There's this girl one time in London. A juristic man.
33:34 Fearne Cotton? Anyway, cheers for that.
33:35 Speaker 03 Cheers.
33:35 Fearne Cotton? Oh my gosh.
33:36 Speaker 03 That was a good one.
33:38 Fearne Cotton? Right, I've got here some lovely audience questions. So these are things that have been sent in by the Happy Place community. They're a lovely bunch. And they want some advice. So the first one is, how do you deal with not being in the festive spirit?
33:54 Fearne Cotton? I feel so burnt out. That's from Stella. Rebecca, have you got any advice?
33:59 Fearne Cotton? Rebecca's just like.
34:02 Fearne Cotton? So Stella feels burnt out. She doesn't feel festive. What can she do?
34:06 Speaker 11 Well, I mean, I understand her pain, but we're all a bit burnt out. But.
34:11 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
34:11 Speaker 11 Put on some red lipstick, as I was talking about earlier. Put on your red lipstick, put on something sparkly and you will feel better instantly. Just, just by making yourself, jazz yourself up a bit. Blam yourself up, jazz yourself up. And also, let them. That's my number.
34:28 Fearne Cotton? Let them.
34:29 Speaker 11 Mel Robbins, let them. That would be the best advice at this time of year because you just don't wanna like buy into anyone's shit.
34:36 Fearne Cotton? Exactly.
34:37 Speaker 11 Let them and let everyone just do what they wanna do and you'll be happy.
34:41 Fearne Cotton? Too right. Mel Robbins came on the pod this year. So if you haven't listened to that episode, go back into the archive because it is, she is so, she, she speaks the truth. I mean, this one, we could apply the same answer. This is from Megan. Becky, what advice can you give to Megan? How to cope with being judged against family members, specifically at family gatherings?
35:01 Speaker 02 Depend, I guess it depends on what you feel like you're being judged at. Like, you know, an interesting one is, I feel like I'm always judged being an older, older mum. And so for me, that's quite an anxiety provoking thing. But a bit like, a bit like Rebecca just said, like, I've just, I can't, I think, I think just learn to just be comfortable in yourself, be comfortable in your own skin. And who cares what someone else thinks? Actually, the majority of the time when people judge you, it's because they're judging themselves.
35:25 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
35:26 Speaker 02 So I think, you know what, even fake it till you make it. If you, if you're really feeling like someone is judging you, who cares? Put some red lipstick on, put a sequins skirt on.
35:35 Fearne Cotton? Always.
35:36 Speaker 02 Some fuck them.
35:37 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, fuck them. Too right. Fran, this one is definitely going to you. It's from someone called Smorin. Single at Christmas, SOS. Get the mistletoe out. Simple as. Get it brown, we've got to get you some. Have you got yours ready?
35:54 Speaker 03 Ready and willing to go.
35:58 Fearne Cotton? Ready and dangling.
35:59 Speaker 02 You, you wore the mistletoe.
36:01 Fearne Cotton? I love it. I've never, oh, this is so good. I've never particularly liked or agreed with my in-laws, but they come for Christmas every year. Should I just suck it up for one day? From Kat. Lucy, any advice?
36:14 Speaker 02 No.
36:17 Speaker 02 No, do something else. Do something on your own. If you see them every year and you don't get on with them, then just have a Christmas doing your own thing.
36:24 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
36:25 Speaker 02 I think you should, we have to be a bit selfish. I think it's always all about the kids and lots of family, but you have to enjoy it as well. And if you're not enjoying it how it's been, I think you should kind of just say, we're just going to have a little one this year and do it on your own. I think that's fine.
36:41 Fearne Cotton? This is the age where I think we're all coming to those conclusions. If you're, it could be a man or a woman, but you know, we have a lot of female listeners of this age, you start to go, do you know what, I don't want to do that anymore. That doesn't work. Whatever it is, you know, in any situation, this is the age where you start to really work out who you are, what you want, what you don't want, more importantly, and you're not prepared to put up with it anymore.
37:04 Speaker 02 Yeah. And I think you could do another Christmas Day.
37:08 Speaker 04 Earlier or after Christmas, but if you on Christmas Day wanna be with just you and your immediate family, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think there's a lot of pressure for everyone to be together and that doesn't work for every family. So I think if you wanna be on your own, you be on your own.
37:22 Speaker 02 I also think there's a lot of like people pleasing. I think we're all in, we all wanna people please. And actually for the sacrifice of what ourselves, like for having a really rubbish time, like.
37:30 Speaker 03 Yeah. It comes round, it comes round so quick every year. So what's the big deal if you skip a year? Do you know what I mean? It's still gonna be there next year. So like it's always coming Christmas and it can't, I feel like as you get older, time goes quicker. So before you know it, it'll be Christmas again. So you can be like, hey, no, not this year, but maybe next year. And that's fine.
37:50 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
37:50 Speaker 03 You know?
37:51 Fearne Cotton? Too early. If they're pissed off, as Rebecca said, let them.
37:53 Speaker 04 Let them.
37:54 Fearne Cotton? Rebecca, you are our very own Mel Robbins. Let's do another game.
37:59 Speaker 03 Yes.
37:59 Fearne Cotton? Okay, so this one is merry, meh, or meltdown. I'm gonna read out a few festive scenarios, the kind that we all deal with at this time of year. And we are each gonna say whether it makes us feel merry or meh, or it brings on a full-on meltdown. No judgment, just be as honest as you like. Merry, meh, or meltdown. So it's kinda like merry, snog avoid, whatever way around that is, but Christmas, Christmas edition. So first of all, we're gonna start in a lighthearted fashion. Christmas pudding. I'm like meh about meh. Wouldn't you rather use your calories on something just like straight on Quality Street?
38:39 Speaker 03 A witch's hat. That is like an old person's thing.
38:41 Fearne Cotton? And we are not.
38:43 Speaker 03 We're not old.
38:44 Speaker 02 Something nice about it though.
38:46 Speaker 03 That is like Charles Dickens putting the sixpence in the.
38:48 Fearne Cotton? Charles Dickens!
38:49 Speaker 03 Yeah.
38:50 Fearne Cotton? Right, history lesson, guys.
38:51 Speaker 03 Yeah.
38:52 Fearne Cotton? Put your sixpence in the.
38:53 Speaker 02 No, I don't understand it.
38:54 Fearne Cotton? No, it's like a steamed pudding.
38:55 Speaker 03 No.
38:56 Fearne Cotton? I'm making a, I love making a trifle at Christmas. That's my like number one Christmas pudding. Cause I never, it's such a palaver to make. But Christmas is the only time I'll tolerate it, but I love a trifle.
39:06 Speaker 03 It's nostalgic as well.
39:07 Fearne Cotton? That's such a, my nan thing, I bet your nan used to make trifles. Oh, a trifle?
39:11 Speaker 03 Oh, yeah, yeah.
39:12 Fearne Cotton? Oh, loads of custard. And now I'm like ditch being a vegan, I'm so about all the dairy. Yeah, I'm loving it, all the cheese.
39:19 Speaker 03 Full on trifle.
39:20 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, yeah, loads of booze in there. Shit loads.
39:23 Speaker 03 Bees and trifle, I love it.
39:24 Fearne Cotton? I'm anticipating the answer for this, Elf on the Shelf, meltdown.
39:28 Speaker 03 Meltdown.
39:29 Fearne Cotton? I've run out of ideas already, I hope there's no kids listening to this. I've run out of ideas already, what, we're on like day eight of December? It's just more.
39:37 Speaker 02 I've started, she's only 12 months.
39:39 Fearne Cotton? Oh, don't bother, Becky, no, just don't start that, you make a rod for your own back. I started making bloody advent calendars two years ago, I'm stuck with doing that.
39:48 Speaker 03 No, no.
39:49 Fearne Cotton? Silly, silly idea that was, very silly. Okay, next one, office parties. Nah.
39:56 Speaker 03 I think merry.
39:57 Fearne Cotton? I'm quite merry, yeah, I quite like a. I can't be bothered.
40:00 Speaker 03 That's because you've never been to one.
40:02 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
40:02 Speaker 03 I used to.
40:03 Fearne Cotton? So friends and air steward, do you have like air steward Christmas parties?
40:07 Speaker 03 No, there's too many of us and everyone has to work.
40:09 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
40:09 Speaker 03 But, but still, I think it's like the office vibes, you know, if you've got a little crush on someone.
40:16 Fearne Cotton? You're thinking about Love Actually, which isn't real life maybe, right, okay.
40:22 Speaker 03 Or, or it's just, and you work all year.
40:24 Fearne Cotton? Yeah.
40:24 Speaker 03 And now your boss is paying for the drinks, so yeah, get merry.
40:28 Fearne Cotton? Did you have a good party, Fran? I've never thought about your work Christmas parties.
40:31 Speaker 03 We don't have one, we don't have one, no.
40:32 Fearne Cotton? Do you, does it feel festive when you're flying? Like, do you start wearing like sundogs and stuff?
40:36 Speaker 03 They make a rule, you're allowed to wear, oh, like breaking news, glitter nail polish is allowed from the 10th of December. Do you know what I mean?
40:44 Fearne Cotton? Well done.
40:45 Speaker 03 And then you are allowed to wear like jumpers and stuff like that.
40:48 Fearne Cotton? Will you be doing that?
40:49 Speaker 03 Hmm.
40:52 Speaker 03 Sexy jumpers, sexy Christmas knick.
40:54 Fearne Cotton? Mistletoe headband.
40:55 Speaker 03 Yes, yes.
40:56 Fearne Cotton? Oh, yes, that's what you love.
40:58 Speaker 03 I love that, I was surprised.
40:59 Fearne Cotton? Mistletoe headband. Are you flying to any Christmasy locations?
41:03 Speaker 03 I have a few flights next week, so like where like Germany and stuff, where there's like people go for Christmas markets and stuff like that. So I think people will be festive. I mean, it's a funny one travelling because you have people for all, obviously, all different reasons, do you know what I mean? So, but there will be, it's busy in December, so there will be way more fun people than the boring business people, I think.
41:26 Fearne Cotton? War.
41:27 Speaker 03 I love other grenades.
41:29 Fearne Cotton? Boring business people.
41:32 Fearne Cotton? Last minute online Christmas shopping. We're too organised for that, aren't we?
41:37 Speaker 02 Oh, I quite like it. I quite like it two days before sometimes, if I can get it.
41:42 Fearne Cotton? Becky, no way.
41:43 Speaker 02 No, because what I do is I get all the presents and I think, oh, I haven't got that person enough and I haven't got that person enough and I end up.
41:48 Speaker 03 Because you're too generous.
41:49 Fearne Cotton? Yeah, you are very generous. But I think we were all brought up by basically the same woman. Like, our mums are really similar.
41:56 Speaker 02 Yeah, that's really true.
41:57 Fearne Cotton? And we were all brought up in a working class environment where it was like, this is how the day goes and this is how we do things. And we're all very house proud and we're organised and we try and have our shit together. So I'm imagining most of us have done our Christmas shopping.
42:08 Speaker 02 Yeah, I've done it all.
42:09 Speaker 03 Done it and wrapped, 80% wrapped. Because it's just a burden hanging over you for the whole of December.
42:16 Fearne Cotton? Agreed, yeah, absolutely agreed. We've had so many amazing times together and still, my favourite moments when, I mean, it's so hard to orchestrate us all being around at the same time. We all live all like, you're in, them in Newcastle now, we're all over the gaff and Hayley's in New York. But when we can all get together and have a dinner or a lunch or go away for a couple of nights, it is the best fun ever.
42:42 Speaker 02 It's the best.
42:42 Fearne Cotton? Our little weekends away that we've had over the last few years have been magic.
42:46 Speaker 03 But it's always like we saw each other yesterday, always.
42:48 Speaker 02 That's the beauty of our friendship.
42:49 Speaker 03 And that's how you know two friendship.
42:51 Fearne Cotton? I agree, I agree. And no one's expecting anything of each other, like, oh, well, she's not been in touch or this hasn't happened. It's just like, we pick up where we left off and it's all good. And I love that.
43:01 Speaker 02 We all appreciate each other, don't we?
43:03 Fearne Cotton? We do, we do. Oh my God, I would be lost without you lot. Same words. I don't know what I'd do.
43:08 Speaker 02 I love our Dorset bangers group.
43:09 Fearne Cotton? Our Dorset bangers group has just had such fun in Dorset, swimming in the sea, going out for brilliant dinners. It's just been the greatest thing. I know. And I think you realise how rare it is at this age to still have friends from that era of your life. I don't really know many other people who have, I mean, I know there'll be people out there listening to that going, well, that's me, that's me. But I think it's rarer and rarer as people move away, that you lose touch. And I'm so grateful that we've always just remained so close. It's the best.
43:38 Speaker 02 And like, no matter what we're doing in our lives, we kind of have evolved into like, middle aged. Together, like we're all kind of, we've still got the roots where we know each other so well, so it's.
43:50 Fearne Cotton? And such similarities of what we're going through. I know. We've all got, we go through all our shit together. We do. We really do. We go through babies, we go through divorce, we're literally like in sync and it helps so much. I can say that.
44:03 Speaker 02 It's like group therapy, our group, isn't it?
44:05 Fearne Cotton? It is.
44:06 Speaker 02 Our WhatsApp group, like, there's no judgement, it's just like, oh, this has happened or that's happened, or I'm feeling like this, like, can we have advice?
44:11 Fearne Cotton? Like it's. It's my favourite WhatsApp group.
44:13 Speaker 02 I get really excited when I see it.
44:14 Fearne Cotton? Country mile. And just the silliness as well, like talking about absolute shit.
44:18 Speaker 02 Yeah, but if you just say what's on your mind, can't you? You just know no one's gonna like judge you or whatever.
44:22 Fearne Cotton? It is the very best.
44:24 Speaker 02 Let's never stop that.
44:25 Fearne Cotton? Never. We're never to stop that. Cheers to that one. Cheers. Merry Christmas.
44:30 Speaker 02 Dorset bangers.
44:34 Speaker 02 Oh, actually, I am as well.
44:36 Fearne Cotton? Becky, yes. So nice. I'm so grateful that you all managed to get days off work, travel from all over the shop to get here today to do this. And I think hopefully lots of other women going through all different shades of life in December have taken things from that conversation. And to know that we're all in it together, the chaos and the overwhelm and just the everything about December and Christmas. But I wish you all the best Christmas ever. Here's to the year of the horse. I love you all.
45:09 Speaker 04 Love you.
45:10 Fearne Cotton? Love you.
45:11 Speaker 02 Thank you.
45:21 Fearne Cotton? Oh my God, I love you lot so much. I love, love, love those women more than I can articulate. And I'm pretty sure that after you've listened to that, you feel maybe not quite as deeply in love because you don't actually know them. But I'm sure that you will feel deeply fond of them. They're very, very special people. Of course, we continued that chat directly after that recording off mic in a little restaurant with some espresso martinis. I think the first one that we ordered landed on the table at midday, which felt. Very, very cheeky. But we continue chatting away at the speed of light.
46:02 Fearne Cotton? Like all just talking at the same time. But it was just, I feel very lucky to have those ladies in my life. Very, very, very lucky. Love you all. Right, here we are then. God, I'm going to see you on the other side of Christmas, you lovely lot. I hope there are some really nice pockets of joy during your festive break, whatever you're doing. I want to say a huge thank you again to Becky, Rebecca, Ally, Lucy, Fran, you absolute queens. Thank you for coming all the way to London. Ally came from Newcastle, for goodness sake for that. Love you, Al's. Big thank you to the producer, Anushka Tate, Happy Play Studios. Thanks, Anushka, for an amazing 2025 of producing our podcast and to everybody at Happy Play
46:42 Fearne Cotton? Studios, my amazing team. You are the absolute tits. And to you lot, you are the greatest listeners of all time.
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47:33 Speaker 08 At Humana, our Medicare Advantage plans are easy to understand and easy on your wallet, like offering more benefits than you'd get from original Medicare alone, and including dental, vision, and hearing coverage in every plan. And the best part is, every plan has a $0 or low monthly plan premium, which makes it easier to save, too. So this Medicare planning season, plan well with Humana. Learn more at gethumana.com. Humana is a Medicare Advantage, HMO, and PPO organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal.
48:04 Speaker 12 It's time. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Halloween!
48:13 Speaker 14 And you guys know we don't do Halloween by halves. Full costume, full prosthetics, full commitment. I'm a rat. And I'm the chef. It's our Ratatouille special. Then we're grabbing our broomsticks for the witches. We've got a spooky hotline caller. An update from our woman who was in love with the ghost of Prince Albert. And your tarot card dilemmas. Listen to our Halloween specials, search for The Girls Bathroom.
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