Frankie Bridge began her pop career aged just 12, as a member of S-Club Juniors. She was later in the hugely successful girl band The Saturdays.

We talked about the pressures of being successful as a young teenager, and how Frankie has pivoted and reinvented herself so many times since.

Frankie had her two boys, now aged 11 and 13, when she in her 20s. We talked about how her mental health was affected when her body changed during her first pregnancy, while she was still performing on stage, and how every change was scrutinised and criticised in the press.

10 years ago she started the online business @favestheedit. Faves began as a place where she shared her high street fashion finds every week, and has now become a strong online community where Frankie aims to empower women and give them confidence and authority as their own lives change.

Frankie and I agreed that the timing of our chat was perfect as it marks a very special anniversary for us - our Trick or Treating anniversary! Frankie was about 12 at the time, and I was about 22! Tune in to find out how my Halloween maths let me down disastrously that day!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joeli Brearley is a mum of two boys aged 10 and 12. She is a campaigner and author who founded the charity Pregnant Then Screwed, which campaigns against female discrimination in the workplace.

Her work on the campaign was so all-consuming that she suffered burnout after the pandemic and now suffers from auto immune disease caused by that stress.

Some stark statistics for you: 77% of women experience some form of discrimination in the workplace. And 74,000 women a year get pushed out of their job for being pregnant or taking maternity leave.

Joeli herself was pushed out of her job the day after she informed them she was pregnant. She was sacked by voicemail.

Her campaigning has influenced Westminster, with the huge aim to end the motherhood penalty, where women end up so much poorer than men, as soon as they become parents.

Joeli also co-hosts a podcast To Be A Boy, about modern boyhood, and we talked about how useful car journeys are with her sons as they can talk about difficult subjects, while staring ahead at the road, with no eye contact whatsoever!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Petrie is a bereavement midwife. The time when you would meet her in her professional capacity is at the most painful time of a parent’s life: when you have been told, during your pregnancy, that your baby has died.

Lauren’s eldest daughter Mia is studying at University. Her second daughter Jada was stillborn. It was Lauren’s experience of how she was treated - good and bad - during that traumatic time, that has influenced her career and determination to create positive changes in Jada’s name.

Lauren’s story came to my attention when comedian Russell Howard shared earlier this year that he and his wife Cerys had lost their baby, and how they had been helped in their darkest times by Lauren.

We talked about how important it is for parents to spend time with their beautiful baby after the birth, to hold and talk to their baby and to take photos, to create the only memories they will ever have of that child.

With Baby Loss Awareness Week running 9-15 October, this felt like the right time to bring this chat to you.

Although this is incredibly difficult subject matter, Lauren is warm, generous and wise, and she left me feeling inspired by the way she has leaned into her grief, and has created a hugely positive legacy for Jada.

TRIGGER WARNING. This podcast contains upsetting content about losing a baby.

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.