- 17 minutes 24 secondsHappy Place Hotline: Making connections and finding joy
It’s that time again - the hotline is open!
On this week’s Happy Place Hotline, Fearne helps busy listener Hannah find ways to slow down.
We also hear from Claire in Norfolk, who feels like she’s doing life alone and wants to find connection.
Plus, Steve brings a tear to Fearne’s eye with his love of painting.
Got something you want to share with Fearne? Email [email protected], or send us a DM or voice note on Instagram @happyplaceofficial
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12 November 2026, 5:00 am - 51 minutes 12 secondsNara Smith: “I have a real issue with people trying to put women in boxes” Influence and identity
Model and influencer Nara Smith is one of TikTok’s most recognisable faces. With over 15 million followers across social media, she’s become known for her aesthetic cooking videos and signature ASMR-style voice. Think making skittles from scratch, wearing haute couture.
In this wide-ranging chat with Fearne, Nara talks about raising four young children alongside a flourishing career, pushing against society’s need to put women in boxes and the challenge of making friends when you’re just so busy.
She also opens up about her life behind the camera, the warped sense of reality created by the content we consume online, and the pressure she feels to be perfect.
Plus, Nara reveals her love for builders tea - and the shocking number of sugars she’ll take in her cuppa!
Nara Smith’s cook book, Homemade, is out now.
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9 November 2026, 5:00 am - 34 minutes 4 secondsBook Club Meets: Bringing back Miss Marple, with Lucy Foley
The iconic Miss Marple returns to the page with her first murder mystery in over fifty years. This time, it’s set against the mountaintop Grand Alpine Hotel. A guest has been killed. In the frame for their murder is a notorious actress, a high-flying politician, an inscrutable political wife, a reckless friend and a shrewd doctor… It’s up to Miss Marple to find the culprit before they get away…or even kill again.
In this special live Book Club episode, recorded at The Pig near Bath hotel, Fearne is joined by author Lucy Foley to talk about her book, Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel. They discuss the challenge of taking on Agatha Christie’s beloved character half a century after her last outing, going back to a more analogue form of storytelling and taking inspiration from our elders.
Our November book pick is This is What Happens When Women Read, by Julianna Glasse.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the use of the Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel audio book, narrated by Hugh Kermode.
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
Book Club Meets: Imani Thompson
Book Club Meets: Candice Carty-Williams
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5 November 2026, 5:00 am - 47 minutes 15 secondsWill Mellor: “Wait another day, don’t give up” Fame, family and managing grief
Actor Will Mellor burst onto the nation’s screens as Jambo from Hollyoaks in 1995. Since then he’s tackled the ups and downs of fame, the heartbreak of loss and the joy of becoming a father.
He and Fearne talk about going back 30 years (!), discuss the complex relationship he has with his dad and why Fearne thinks more dads should cry. They also talk about the tough journey of working through grief, and what can fall into your lap when you’re ready to give up.
Plus, Will leaves us with a striking mental image of Prince William at a urinal.
Will’s debut memoir, Where There’s a Will: My Story is out on the 5th of November 2026.
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2 November 2026, 5:00 am - 18 minutes 49 secondsHappy Place Hotline: Excruciating embarrassment and resisting rest
That moment you want the ground to swallow you whole - we’ve all been there!
On this week’s Happy Place Hotline, Fearne helps listener Charlotte get an embarrassing moment off her chest, and shares some of her own red-faced experiences.
We also hear from Olivia, who feels like she’s carrying the weight of friends, family and colleagues on her shoulders.
Plus, Rosie asks Fearne a very relatable question - how do you stop resisting rest?
Got something you want to share with Fearne? The Happy Place Hotline is open! Email [email protected], or send us a DM or voice note on Instagram @happyplaceofficial
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 October 2026, 5:00 am - 1 hour 6 minutesDr Sophie Bostock: “I think about rest as protection” Sleep, stress and feeling safe
When did you last look at the sky? Sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock takes Fearne from her windowless studio onto the streets of London to remind her what daylight looks like, before they delve into how we get good quality rest.
Fearne unpacks her own longstanding battle with switching off her racing thoughts and getting good sleep, and gets some tips from Sophie on how to quieten a busy mind, and stop fighting sleep.
Plus, Sophie shares her upcoming adventure - rowing unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean. A journey of 3,000 miles which will see her having to sleep in 2 hour intervals, something which will undo years of work establishing a sleep routine. So what will she learn about sleep as she faces the waves?
You can follow Sophie’s incredible journey across the Atlantic here.
If you have questions about Melatonin, NICE has published guidance for both adults and children.
We'd love to hear from you - email Fearne at [email protected]
If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:
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26 October 2026, 5:00 am - 20 minutes 39 secondsHappy Place Hotline: Ending friendships and embracing hibernation
The Happy Place Hotline is officially open… and we want to hear from YOU!
This is a bonus dose of Happy Place, inspired by your stories.
Whether you have a dilemma, or problem that needs solving, thoughts on a recent episode of Happy Place, or just want to get something off your chest - Fearne is here to listen!
We have a shiny new email address [email protected], where you can send all your correspondence. And, as always, you can send us a DM or voice note on Instagram @happyplaceofficial
So, what are you waiting for?
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22 October 2026, 4:00 am - 55 minutes 19 secondsGemma Cairney: “We need mischief in our lives” Sisterhood and challenging the status quo
How do you find joy in the darkest of times? Broadcaster, writer and DJ Gemma Cairney has some ideas. She joins Fearne in the Happy Place studio to talk about sisterhood, shame and subverting the status quo.
Fearne and Gemma go way back. From their heady days on Radio 1, to trudging through the fields of Glastonbury, they reflect on the industry that tried to mould them as young women.
Gemma opens up about growth, the messiness of the human experience and the beauty we should see in the world around us - even if it is intense and terrifying.
Plus, she shares more about the women in her imagined sisterhood, from Erykah Badu to Marsha P. Johnson, and the bottle of wine she shared with her hero, Grace Jones.
Gemma’s book, The Immortal Sisterhood: 12 Guiding Stars to Grow, Heal and Navigate Life, is available now in paperback.
We'd love to hear from you - email Fearne at [email protected]
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19 October 2026, 4:00 am - 1 hour 5 minutesChris Olsen: “Addiction is so complicated because there’s no right answer”
TikToker Chris Olsen shot to stardom during the pandemic. But while all eyes were on his viral videos, he was struggling to forgive himself for the challenges of his past.
In this candid conversation, Chris sits down with Fearne in New York City to talk about fame, recovery, and his journey to self-forgiveness.
He talks about the addiction that consumed his late teenage years, and the life-changing intervention staged by his friends and family.
He also reflects on his time in rehab, and why the worst version of yourself doesn’t have to define you.
Chris’ book, I Think My Therapist Hates Me: A Memoir, is out now.
A warning that this episode contains references to alcohol and drug addiction. If you’re affected by these issues, please listen with care.
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15 October 2026, 4:00 am - 52 minutes 51 secondsJesse Tyler Ferguson: “If things don’t scare you, what’s the point?” Facing fear head-on
Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson spent 11 years on our screens as Mitchell Pritchett in the hit series, Modern Family. But when the opportunity presented itself to be alone on stage, in front of a sell-out audience, a different feeling started to creep in.
In this chat with Fearne, Jesse opens up about the fear that drives him. He reflects on how he’s learned to work through it, and what he does to lean in and embrace the challenges ahead.
He also talks about how playing Mitchell helped him prepare for fatherhood, and the impact his relationship with his onscreen daughter had on him becoming a dad.
Plus, Jesse shares some of the White House secrets he learned when interviewing former First Lady, Jill Biden.
You can catch Jesse as Truman Capote in Tru at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London until the 14th November 2026.
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12 October 2026, 4:00 am - 51 minutes 9 seconds“I know I’m safe but my body doesn’t!” Megan McKenna is coping with PTSD and sleep paralysis
Entertainment personality Megan McKenna was once advertised in a straitjacket. She was nicknamed Mental Megan, branded mouthy, and edited down to her worst moments on camera. Now, she can see that none of that was who she really was.
In this chat with Fearne, live from the Happy Place Festival, Megan explores how she’s learnt to live more authentically. For her, that means less drinking and more home cooking for her young family.
Megan also opens up about the anxieties and sleep issues she’s been left with after a traumatic robbery. Fearne has some gentle advice for when your body feels unsafe, and your mind is spiralling.
Plus, Megan reveals what really goes on behind the scenes on reality TV shows, from being plied with alcohol, to being nudged into confrontations by producers.
Megan’s latest cookbook, Love Gluten Free, is out now.
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