Experience is Everything
Some moments change you. Some experiences turn you into a smarter, or more thoughtful, or tougher person. They build your resilience, your sense of humour and your empathy too. In Experience is Everything, Lorraine Kelly sits down with household names to find out what they’ve learned over their extraordinary lifetimes. In enthralling conversations with actors, comedians, athletes, musicians and celebrities we’ll discover the most surprising, comical and moving moments that made them who they are today… because there’s no substitute for experience.
Gyles Brandreth on Prince Philip and the Royal Family, proposing on the first night and coping with his grandson’s cancer diagnosis
Award-winning presenter and queen of morning television Lorraine Kelly discovers life lessons from living legends.
Gyles Brandreth proposed to his future wife Michèle the night they met. He’s since made his mark in Westminster, become a familiar face on breakfast television in those colourful jumpers and written a biography of his friend Prince Philip. In this episode of Experience Is Everything, he tells Lorraine what the Duke of Edinburgh was like in private and what happened after that first-night proposal.
Gyles also reflects on why he still wants to make his parents proud, yea...
How do statins work, are they worth it, and why are they so controversial? – World-renowned expert Professor Bryan Williams explains
Statins. At least 15 million people in the UK are either taking one of these cholesterol lowering drugs, or are eligible to do so, to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. If you aren’t already taking one, some of your friends and family will be. Who should consider them and when, how do they work, what difference you can expect, are there any side effects, and how long should you take them for?
Professor Bryan Williams, Chair of Medicine at University College London and Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, joins Dr...
Trinny Woodall on her fertility struggles and becoming a CEO in her fifties
Award-winning presenter and queen of morning television, Lorraine Kelly discovers life lessons from living legends.
Trinny Woodall is a fashion and beauty entrepreneur who rocketed to fame giving frank and honest advice alongside Susannah Constantine on their TV show What Not To Wear. She went on to found the makeup and skincare brand Trinny London aimed at the over-40s market, a brand that defied expectations to become one of the leading beauty brands in the UK. She continues to lead the business as its CEO. Trinny knows what it means to fail, and to succeed. O...
Nigel Havers on auditioning for James Bond, I’m a Celebrity exit and winding up Judi Dench
Award-winning presenter and queen of morning television, Lorraine Kelly discovers life lessons from living legends.
For more than fifty years, Nigel Havers has been a familiar face on our screens, from his BAFTA-nominated performance in Chariots of Fire to roles in A Passage to India, Empire of the Sun and The Whistle Blower. He’s charmed audiences in Don’t Wait Up, The Charmer and Coronation Street, brought mischief to London’s West End in panto, and shared a sofa with his good friend Julian Clary on Celebrity Gogglebox. Now, he’s taking his stories on the road wit...
Anne Robinson on dating the Queen’s ex, losing her sight and being the Queen of Mean
Award-winning presenter and queen of morning television, Lorraine Kelly discovers life lessons from living legends.
Anne Robinson is one of Britain’s most recognisable TV presenters. She started off as a journalist on Fleet Street in the 1960s before moving into television in the 1980s. Then in 2000 she became the host of a new game show that earned her the nickname the Queen of Mean on The Weakest Link.
Known for her icy-cold demeanour, she is sharp and direct, unapologetic and formidable. But behind the fame and the fearless persona, the story is more complicated. Succ...
Experience is Everything - trailer
Lorraine Kelly is the brand new host of Experience is Everything! Interviewing legendary and beloved celebrities from the world of TV, radio, music, the stage and more, out fortnightly.
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Lorraine Kelly – How Scotland’s daytime queen almost never made it
NEW SERIES: Lorraine Kelly is the new host of Experience is Everything.
Before taking over the microphone, Lorraine joins outgoing host Susie Dent for a special handover episode looking back on the highs, lows and surprises of more than 40 years in television.
She reveals how she was told she’d never make it because of her Scottish accent, being dropped from GMTV during her maternity leave, and the extraordinary moments that shaped her career: from reporting on national tragedies like Lockerbie and Dunblane to meeting some of the most famous people in the world. Plus, Lor...
How to have healthy knees for life with Dr. Mark Porter and Jonathan Bell – Health Edition
Experience is Everything: The Health Edition with Dr. Mark Porter, is brought to you by Saga, providing you with the very latest health advice that you can trust. We know that keeping fit, healthy and happy is paramount for our listeners and viewers and so, with the help of leading experts, we'll be diving into essential topics to help you do just that.
Today’s episode is about a very common complaint: knee pain.
Around half of those over 50 – mostly women – will have experienced some degree of knee trouble over the last year, with around a third...
How to lower your blood pressure with Dr. Mark Porter and Dr. Pauline Swift – Health Edition
Experience is Everything: The Health Edition with Dr. Mark Porter, is brought to you by Saga, providing you with the very latest health advice that you can trust. We know that keeping fit, healthy and happy is paramount for our listeners and viewers and so, with the help of leading experts, we'll be diving into essential topics to help you do just that.
Today’s episode is all about blood pressure.
At least one in four adults in the UK now has high blood pressure, and the older you are the more likely that is. We need som...
Dame Elaine Paige on the price of fame, surviving cancer and her love affair with musical theatre
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.
Dame Elaine Paige is the undisputed First Lady of Musical Theatre. Catapulted to international stardom as Eva Perón in Evita, she has since graced the West End and Broadway with unforgettable performances in Cats, Chess, Anything Goes and Sunset Boulevard.
Beyond the stage, Elaine has released more than 20 albums, with another on the way, and for the past 22 years has been the trusted voice behind her much-loved BBC Radio 2 show.
On this episode of Experience is Everything, Elaine j...
Carol Kirkwood on finding love in your fifties, TV mishaps and leaving the BBC
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.
Carol Kirkwood spent 28 years bringing the weather into Britain's living rooms, becoming one of the BBC's most beloved presenters and a nine-time TRIC Award winner. But away from the forecasts, she's built a second career as a bestselling novelist and found love again in her fifties.
On this episode of Experience is Everything, Carol joins Susie Dent to talk about finding love later in life, accidentally taking a photo of the King's nostrils, leaving the BBC after nearly three decades, a...
Dame Dr Maggie Aderin on resilience, reflection and reaching for the stars
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.
Dame Dr Maggie Aderin is one of the leading space scientists in the UK. She has worked on some of the world’s biggest space projects, such as the James Webb telescope and the Gemini Observatory in Chile, and has presented the BBC’s astronomy show The Sky At Night for more than 12 years. She is Chancellor of the University of Leicester and is the first black woman to win a gold medal in the Physics News Award. She also previously served as Pre...
Angela Rippon on leaving the BBC and saying yes to Strictly!
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.
Angela Rippon is a trailblazer. One of the most consequential figures in British broadcasting, her remarkable career spans 60 years. A journalist, director and producer, she was the first long-serving female presenter of the BBC National News, and has presented entertainment shows such as Eurovision, Top Gear, Come Dancing, Antiques Roadshow, and Rip-Off Britain.
She has an OBE and a CBE, and her incredible high leg kick on the Morecambe and Wise show has gone down in TV history.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on River Cottage, getting fired and letting go in the kitchen
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.
Chef, writer and broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is passionate about food – good, ethically sourced, sustainable food. Famous for creating the River Cottage brand, Hugh has written more than 25 cookbooks and is a staunch campaigner on issues such as food waste, unsustainable fishing, and poor animal welfare.
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Hugh tells Susie about how moving out of London changed his life; the moment he got fired from world famous restaurant River Cafe; and why his children have tol...
Johnny Ball’s greatest stories – From Ringo Starr to Queen Elizabeth II
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.
Johnny Ball has been in the entertainment industry for more than 60 years, from his days as a Butlins Redcoat to becoming one of the UK’s most beloved children’s TV presenters. He single-handedly made maths and science exciting for so many, turning educational television into an absolute must-watch.
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Johnny talks to Susie about how he got the gig presenting hit children’s TV show Play School; what happened when he told the Duke of...
Jane Horrocks on Absolutely Fabulous and finding a purpose in life
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
Jane Horrocks has one of the most recognisable voices in entertainment. Known for her strong Lancashire accent, she became a household name after being offered the role of the quirky Bubble in Absolutely Fabulous, and amazed us all with her ability to impersonate the greatest singers in the world in Little Voice.
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Jane talks to Jenni about the moment she fell in love with acting; the support she has received from a...
Paul Lewis – “My cautiousness cost me money!”
The whole Saga team and family is deeply saddened by the passing of Dame Jenni Murray, who had been the wonderful host of this podcast. This episode is one of two last interviews she had recorded with us, and with the permission of her family we are releasing them – as we believe Jenni would’ve wanted both to be seen and enjoyed by the public.
In the first of these, Jenni spoke with award-winning financial journalist and Saga columnist Paul Lewis, who has been advising us on what to do with our money for more than 40 years. He’s...
Prue Leith – On leaving Bake Off and finding love again at 70
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
Dame Prue Leith has lived an eventful life. She blagged her way into cookery school, built a Michelin-starred restaurant from scratch, wrote sixteen cookery books and eight novels, and spent nearly a decade of British summers in a marquee judging cakes on The Great British Bake Off. Along the way she turned herself into one of the most recognisable and outspoken figures in the country.
In this episode of Experience is Everything, P...
Adjoa Andoh – On Bridgerton, punk music and growing up in the Cotswolds
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
Actor Adjoa Andoh has done it all from theatre to TV, film, radio and audiobooks. Directing and starring in Shakespeare plays, gracing our television screens on shows such as Casualty and Doctor Who, and working on films like Invictus alongside Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.
Adjoa talks to Jenni about what it was like growing up in The Cotswolds in a mixed race family; accepting her first acting job at the same time she found out she was p...
Tanni Grey-Thompson – “My wheelchair gave me my life”
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has 11 golds, four silvers and one bronze medal to her name. She’s won the London Wheelchair Marathon six times, has held more than 30 world records, and now sits in the House of Lords advocating for people with disabilities.
Tanni talks to Jenni about how her parents had to fight for her to go to a ‘normal’ school; how getting a wheelchair changed her life; what it feels like to lose; and how she has had...
Alex Kingston - "When Strictly called, I knew it was now or never"
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
Actor Alex Kingston has made it big on both sides of the Atlantic, from her role starring alongside George Clooney as Dr. Elizabeth Corday on ER, to playing the wife of Dr. Who, River Song.
Alex tells Jenni about how she survived heartbreak after the end of her first marriage to Ralph Fiennes; how she got her big break over in the States; how fighting cancer made her feel invincible; and the real reason she finally said yes to...
Tim Spector – “I realised I really didn’t want to die in my fifties”
NEW SERIES:
Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
Professor Tim Spector is one of the world’s leading experts in nutrition and gut health microbiome, having co-founded the personalised nutrition programme, Zoe. He is also a Professor at Kings College London and a best-selling author. But, becoming a doctor wasn’t always what he wanted to do. He explains to Jenni how he got into – and fell in love with medicine. Yet it wasn’t until a health scare in his fifties that the trajectory of his caree...
Sir Trevor McDonald – “The news life is an addiction”
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
Sir Trevor McDonald is one of Britain’s most beloved and influential journalists and newsreaders – but getting there wasn’t easy. He tells Jenni about the gulf between his dreams of a career in news and what his demanding parents wanted for him, the wrench of leaving his home country of Trinidad in 1969 to join the BBC World Service, and the cost of his determination and ambition on his family life.
From covering the Troubles in Northern Ireland to lan...
Tony Blackburn – “Retire? I’ve got a job to kill for!”
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.
This time Jenni hears the extraordinary story of one of the greatest broadcasters of all time. After cutting his teeth at sea on pirate radio, Tony Blackburn became the first voice on Radio One. He won the Radio Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award twice and gained a new generation of fans when he became the very first winner of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here. He tells Jenni how he faced success, setbacks, shipwrecks, a famous m...
Paul Merton – “You can cope with anything if you find the funny in it”
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray meets beloved household names and discovers the moments that changed them. What have they learned over their remarkable lifetimes?
In an extraordinarily frank, funny and poignant first episode, Have I Got News For You’s comic mainstay Paul Merton explains how a love of comedy got him through some of the hardest moments of his life. He reveals how it helped him cope with the death of his wife, and tells how it got him through both life-threatening illness and hospitalisation for mental health issues. It’s an...
