Jonathan Van Ness is one of the most recognisable and beloved figures in pop culture today - but in this conversation, they open up about the chapters of their life few people truly understand.

Jonathan speaks candidly about addiction, relapse, sex addiction, and living with HIV, including the moment they realised contracting HIV ultimately saved their life by forcing them to confront a dangerous relationship with meth. With extraordinary honesty, Jonathan reflects on survival, recovery, shame, joy, and what it really means to heal.

We also talk about identity, coming out as non-binary, people-pleasing, impulse behaviour, and why healing isn’t a destination — it’s a lifelong practice. Alongside the heavy moments, Jonathan brings humour, warmth and deep compassion, sharing how movement, group fitness, love, and chosen family helped them rebuild a life they want to stay in.

This is a powerful, vulnerable and deeply human conversation about staying alive, finding joy after trauma, and learning how to come home to yourself.

For information about Jonathan's upcoming Hot and Healed Tour head here. 

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

We’re giving away a Your Reformer Pilates bed (worth $3,400) Subscribe to enter.

CREDITS:

Guest: Jonathan Van Ness

Host: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Tina Matalov

Video Producer: Josh Green

Recorded with Session in Progress studios.

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world of New Year, New Me promises, Celeste Barber has built a career on doing the opposite. She keeps it real—big knickers, unflattering angles, and a refusal to pretend life is anything other than messy.

Celeste built a global following by parodying celebrity perfection and making millions of people laugh on Instagram. But in this episode of No Filter, she steps away from the selfies and punchlines to talk about the parts of her life the internet rarely sees.

In this candid conversation with Kate Langbroek, Celeste opens up about the chaos of her childhood, her ADHD diagnosis, the burnout that nearly broke her, and the pressure of being the internet’s favourite funny woman. She talks honestly about her marriage to ‘Hot Husband’ Api, what it’s like raising kids under public scrutiny, and the work she’s done to decide which parts of her life stay private.

She reflects on what fame has given her, what it’s taken, and why resisting the urge to constantly “fix” herself has become an act of self-preservation.

Yes, she’s hilarious. But she’s also thoughtful, vulnerable, and still figuring it out—one small, imperfect win at a time.

This is the real Celeste Barber, beyond the selfies, the knickers, and the punchlines.

You can follow Celeste Barber and find tickets to her upcoming Australian regional tour Backup Dancer here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guests: Celeste Barber

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not constitute medical advice. Any references to medications, including Ozempic, are made in the context of cultural commentary only. This podcast does not endorse, promote, or recommend any prescription medicines or treatments. For personalised medical advice, please consult your healthcare professional.

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it's just Jess and David, everything is fabulous. But in public, Jess feels like a secret. David doesn't post photos of them, he hasn't introduced her to his family, and she barely knows his friends. Jess is left feeling like a "side piece," good enough for him, but not for his image.

In this session, a couple confronts the painful gap between their private connection and their public life. They’re facing different definitions of what constitutes cheating, a history of trust issues, and the raw feeling of being ashamed by the person you love.

Listen to the second part of Jess & David's session here

Resources (Australia-only)

• 1800RESPECT: The national domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling, information, and support service.
• Beyond Blue: For support with anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention.
• Lifeline Australia: For 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services.
• Motivated Minds: Learn more about host Sarah Bays’ practice.
• Relationships Australia: A leading provider of relationship support services for individuals, families, and communities.

The End Bits

• Want To Be On This Is Why We Fight? Apply here.
• Host: Sarah Bays
• Executive Producer: Naima Brown
• Studio Engineer: Lu Hill
• Audio production: Thom Lion and Jacob Round
• Production support: Leah Porges and Coco Lavigne
• Follow This Is Why We Fight on Instagram for sneak peeks and more relationship therapy content

Explore all Mamamia’s podcasts here.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the time you’re listening to this, Tanya Hennessy will have welcomed her baby girl. So this conversation now lands in a very different chapter of her life.

Tanya has never shied away from letting us into her world. Behind the jokes and the videos that rack up millions of views, she has been open about living with endometriosis, navigating fertility treatment, and the long stretch of heartbreak that came with desperately wanting a baby.

In this episode of No Filter, Tanya sits down with Kate Langbroek to talk about the road that led her here. She reflects on the years of uncertainty, the emotional toll of trying to conceive, and what it was like to finally reach a moment she once worried might never come.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

• Living publicly through infertility and endometriosis

• The fear, hope and vulnerability that shaped Tanya’s fertility journey

• What it meant to finally share her pregnancy after so many setbacks

• How humour helped her survive some of the hardest years of her life

Funny, emotional and deeply honest, this is Tanya Hennessy in full voice—open, unfiltered, and profoundly human.

THE END BITS:

Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review

CREDITS:

Guest: Tanya Hennessy

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Recorded with Session in Progress studios.

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She’s about to take centre stage at the Sydney New Year’s Eve countdown on the harbour, but before that, here is Melanie Chisholm (aka Mel C) for her most open conversation yet.

You know the name—Sporty Spice. But before the world tours, the crop tops and the legacy of Girl Power, Melanie was just a 20-year-old answering a flyer to audition for a girl band. In this episode of No Filter, Kate Langbroek speaks with Melanie in a rare, full-length conversation that goes far beyond the headlines and the pop mythology.

Melanie reflects on the real story behind the Spice Girls, what it was like to rise to global fame almost overnight, and the personal cost that came with it.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The dizzying highs and private heartbreaks of being in one of the biggest girl bands of all time

• How sudden fame shaped Melanie’s mental health and sense of self

• The bond she still shares with her Spice sisters today

• Why she’s finally made peace with that chapter of her life

Honest, grounded and deeply reflective, this is Melanie Chisholm as you’ve never heard her before.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review

CREDITS:

Host: Kate Langbroek

Guest: Melanie Chisholm

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Grace Rouvray

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

G Flip is one of Australia’s most exciting and versatile musical talents. Known for their electrifying performances, genre-blurring sound, and fearless authenticity, they’ve won fans around the world.

But behind the music, G Flip’s life has been just as compelling. In this episode of No Filter, they open up to Kate Langbroek about their marriage to Chrishell Stause, navigating love in the public eye, and the emotional rollercoaster of trying to start a family through IVF.

G Flip talks candidly about the challenges and joys of building a life together, the moments that tested their relationship, and the truths about love, identity, and family that rarely make it into the headlines. It’s a heartfelt, honest conversation about the highs and lows of life both on stage and off.

You can follow G Flip here.

You can find G Flip’s Dream Ride Tour information and tickets here.

G Flip’s album Dream Ride is out now.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review

CREDITS:

Guest: G Flip

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Recorded with Session in Progress studios.

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Mamamia, we spent weeks debating whether this interview should happen at all.

Every woman on the team had strong feelings about Bonnie Blue. We talked, argued, researched, and questioned whether giving her any space was responsible. We knew our audience would feel the same tension we did.

So why did we do it?

Because Bonnie Blue asked us for this interview. She reached out to No Filter, specifically and we needed to understand why.

In the lead-up, we watched every interview she has done. Most were either sensationalist, openly hostile, or enthusiastically cheering her on. None of them asked what we genuinely needed answered:

Does she understand the implications of what she does?

Does she understand the misogynistic language she uses about women?

Why does her behaviour evoke such visceral anger in women?

And crucially — does she care?

What we learnt, very quickly, is that behind the shock value and headlines is a deeply strategic marketing machine — one built on outrage, provocation and attention. Bonnie Blue told us plainly: she rage-baits on purpose. She knows that women’s fury spreads faster than anything else online, and she has learnt how to leverage that to build her name and her business.

This episode is not designed to rehabilitate her image, and it certainly isn’t designed to promote her.
It is designed for one purpose only: to understand what she’s doing, why she’s doing it, and what it means for the rest of us.

This is a conversation that unsettled us, challenged us, and left us with more questions than answers.
But it is an important one — because it sits at the crossroads of sex, power, misogyny, internet fame, and the culture that rewards outrage above everything else.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guest: Bonnie Blue

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Subscribe to be in the running to WIN THE ULTIMATE SUMMER HOLIDAY: Royal Caribbean Cruise Giveaway! Click here for more information

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What really happens when you open up your marriage?

This week on No Filter, Kate Langbroek sits down with writer Deepa Paul, whose book Ask Me How It Works chronicles the decade she has spent in an open marriage with her husband, Marcus. While the conversation around open relationships has been everywhere lately, Deepa’s story offers a different perspective. For her, non-monogamy didn’t break her marriage. It reshaped it.

Deepa was raised in the Philippines, where divorce is still illegal and the expectation for women is clear: marry once, stay devoted, stay desirable, stay monogamous. But after moving to Amsterdam with her husband, Deepa discovered a version of herself she’d never had permission to explore. One that included desire, autonomy, and eventually, a boyfriend she also loves deeply.

In this candid conversation, Deepa answers the questions so many people have about open marriage but rarely ask out loud:
How does it work? How do you handle jealousy? What happens when one partner gets more attention? How do you parent inside a non-traditional structure? And what do you do when you fall in love with someone else?

You can follow Deepa Paul here. 

THE END BITS:

Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guest: Deepa Paul

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Video Producer: Josh Green

Subscribe to be in the running to WIN THE ULTIMATE SUMMER HOLIDAY: Royal Caribbean Cruise Giveaway! Click here for more information

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turia Pitt has been called inspiring, extraordinary and resilient, but her new book is about something far less shiny: selfishness.

After surviving the fire that changed her life, Turia built a career as an author, speaker and endurance athlete. From the outside, she looked unstoppable. Inside, she was exhausted, overwhelmed and edging towards a breakdown she didn’t see coming.

In this conversation, Turia opens up to Kate about the moment she realised she needed help, how burnout crept into her life without her noticing, and why putting everyone else first was slowly destroying her. She talks honestly about motherhood, boundaries, the pressure to be grateful, and the small habits that pushed her to the brink.

This is a side of Turia Pitt you haven’t heard before. It’s thoughtful, surprising and full of the kind of honesty that makes you rethink your own life.

Turia Pitt’s new book, Selfish, is out now.

You can follow Turia Pitt here. 

THE END BITS:

Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guest: Turia Pitt

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Video Producer: Josh Green

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After five miscarriages, Chloe Fisher had almost given up hope of becoming a mother.

Behind the glamorous life she shares with her husband, DJ and producer Paul Fisher, was a story of heartbreak, IVF and years of quiet grief that few people ever saw. In this deeply emotional conversation, Chloe sits down with Kate Langbroek to talk about the love that carried her through unimaginable loss, the friendship that helped her heal, and the miracle that changed everything.

She opens up about the physical and emotional toll of infertility, the painful things people say when they don’t know what else to say, and how her bond with Ellidy Pullin—forged through shared grief—became one of the great loves of her life. Chloe also reflects on the moment she finally held her daughter Bobbi, the peace that followed years of heartbreak, and the joy of now being pregnant again.

Her story is one of love, resilience and an unshakable belief that even after everything, hope can return.

You can follow Chloe Fisher here. 

If you or someone you love has experienced miscarriage or fertility loss, you can find support through The Pink Elephants Support Network.

THE END BITS:

Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guest: Chloe Fisher

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Video Producer: Josh Green

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dita Von Teese has spent her life turning beauty into power.

Born Heather Sweet in small-town Michigan, she grew up dreaming of old Hollywood glamour, satin corsets, and the kind of femininity that shimmered on the silver screen. When she opened her first bra as a teenager—a plain white cotton thing inside a plastic egg—she was deeply disappointed. That moment, she says, is where it all began. If the world wouldn’t make things beautiful, she would.

In this conversation, Dita opens up about the art and discipline behind the spectacle that made her a global icon. She talks about her early days as a model and Playboy cover star, the power and intention behind creating the Dita Von Teese persona, and how she’s kept mystery alive in a world prone to oversharing.

She also shares what it was like collaborating with Taylor Swift on Bejeweled and how rare it is, even now, to be approached by another artist with such genuine respect for her craft. Dita explains that while many have imitated her, Taylor came to her as a true collaborator.

Now, as she brings her new show Nocturnelle to Australia in 2026, Dita talks about control, longevity, and the quiet strength behind the glamour. Click here for tour information. 

THE END BITS:

Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: [email protected]

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guest: Dita Von Teese

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Video Producer: Julian Rosario

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.