Showing results by author "Holly Newson" in All Categories

Gray has written for many major publications, such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, Grazia, BBC Earth and Marie Claire. During her 20s, Gray worked for Glamour and Cosmopolitan. As you might have read in her debut book, The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, Gray battled addiction to alcohol during her 20s and early 30s but managed to keep holding down her job. We spoke to Catherine Gray about what counts as ‘fun gratitude’, what the significance is of the Hedonic Treadmill and why ordinary things are so great.   

Joining us at Audible Studios is scientist and broadcaster Adam Rutherford. Rutherford is the presenter of BBC Radio 4's Inside Science, as well as author of a number of books, including How to Argue with a Racist. Adam Rutherford spoke to us about his latest publication, How to Argue with a Racist, and we discussed the history of genetics, race being a social construct, his thoughts on ancestry testing kits and more. 

Joining us in the Audible Studios to talk about his latest novel, The Lost Witch, is acclaimed British children’s fiction author Melvin Burgess. Most recognized for his award-winning young adult novel Junk (1996), which won the Carnegie Medal and Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, Melvin Burgess is back with a new fantasy thriller, The Lost Witch. Melvin Burgess talks to us about his first young adult novel in years, what he’s reading at the moment and the success of Junk. 

As a property entrepreneur, Rob has earnt millions, and he’s gone on to set up a company to teach what he’s learnt and help others get there. Rob’s books Money and Life Leverage have received rave reviews, and his latest, Start Now. Get Perfect Later., is all about saying good-bye to procrastination and looking at the most effective ways of getting things done. Rob talks to us about how to let go of being perfect, what he wants the world to know about money and what it’s like to record his podcast, The Disruptive Entrepreneur.

Louise Allen talks to us about the release of her first audiobook, Thrown Away Child, a memoir in which she revisits a childhood plagued with abuse and neglect from the very people who were supposed to protect her. Louise explains why she has set out to challenge the UK’s foster system. Hoping to improve the lives of the many foster children whose futures hang in the balance, Louise offers firsthand insight as to why we need to change our approach in dealing with vulnerable children and why she is now in a position to speak out.

A freelance journalist and author, Reni Eddo-Lodge is one of the country’s critical young thinkers, focusing her work on feminism and exposing structural racism. Her debut Jhalak Prize-winning title, Why I’m No longer Talking to White People About Race, was published in June 2017. Reni Eddo-Lodge talks to us about narrating her audiobook, her thoughts on positive discrimination and what makes her hopeful about Britain today.  

In this interview, geneticist Dr Giles Yeo discusses how genes influence our eating habits and tells us about his key areas of research. He visited Audible Studios to talk about his audiobook, Gene Eating: The Science of Obesity, and the truth about diets, and we talked about what role scientists should play in our ‘post-truth’ world, how much we know about the gut microbiome and why we should avoid extreme diets.  

Joining us at Audible Studios is David Nicholls, the best-selling and award-winning author of One Day, Us, Starter for Ten, and his latest release Sweet Sorrow. Sweet Sorrow tells the coming of age story of Charlie, a pretty average kid who meets a girl called Fran. Things at home aren’t great for Charlie, so he would like to spend the summer anywhere but there. A theatre company would have been pretty low down his list, but Fran is there, so why not give it a go?   

Joining us in the Audible Studios to talk about his latest book, Our Great Canal Journeys: A Lifetime of Memories on Britain’s Most Beautiful Waterways, is lauded British stage, film and television actor Timothy West. With a career spanning over 50 years in the industry, Timothy West has appeared frequently in film and television, including time on Coronation Street and EastEnders as well as many classical theatre performances. Since 2014, West and his wife, Prunella Scales, have been seen travelling together across British canals in the Channel 4 series Great Canal Journeys.

In this World Mental Health Day Audible Sessions Special, nine celebrities discuss their experiences with mental health. We hear what their mental health problems feel like to them; their experiences of speaking to friends, family, professionals and the public; and the things that can help them feel better. In these conversations, we cover topics from social media to suicidal thoughts, and we say that whether you sometimes find it difficult to leave the house; you have anxiety, depression, or OCD; or you need to airplane your phone every now and then to stop it becoming addictive - that’s okay. 

Joining us at Audible Studios is Esme Young, English fashion designer and judge on the BBC's The Great British Sewing Bee. Beginning her career in the 1970s, Young established her brand 'Swanky Modes', opening a shop in Camden Town. Her designs were sought after, and appeared in ID and Nova. She has also designed costumes for films such as Bridget Jones's Diary and Trainspotting, including the iconic bunny outfit for Renée Zellweger.   Esme Young has now written Behind the Seams, her memoir looking back over her life and time in fashion.

Ruth Ware visits the Audible studio to talk about her latest thriller, The Lying Game. Both Ware’s debut thriller, In a Dark, Dark Wood, and the follow-up, The Woman in Cabin 10, were Sunday Times top 10 best sellers in the UK and New York Times top 10 best sellers in the US. Here she talks about writing female friendships; her protagonist, Isa; and her fascination with boarding schools.

Following her break out role in Circle of Friends in 1995, Minnie Driver has starred in a wide range of films, including Grosse Pointe Blank and Good Will Hunting, with nominations for Academy Awards and an Oscar nod. Despite her many accolades, awards and nominations, Driver has not appeared in a vast number of movies, firmly believing that she takes the roles that are right for her, happily saying no to job offers and knowing that the journey often opens better doors. 

George Monbiot is renowned for his passionate and impactful writing on political, social and environmental issues. A fearless investigative journalist, he’s travelled the world in search of stories and has written about subjects as varied as mahogany extraction from Indian reserves in Brazil to the effect of the loneliness epidemic on the health of the British population.  

Launching to fame after the infamous 2013 'Blurred Lines' music video, Emily Ratajkowski has made a name for herself as a formidable fashion model, walking for Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu and Versace, to name but a few. She has regularly been listed as 'sexiest female', 'woman of the year' and 'hottest sex symbol', but Ratajkowski is far more than her appearance. She is a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, and a political activist, endorsing Bernie Sanders. She has also starred in several feature films, such as Entourage, Welcome Home, and Gone Girl. 

Easily one of the most recognisable pop singers from the '90s, thanks to his trademark style, the founder, front man and sole consistent member of Pulp, Jarvis Cocker, is deeply ingrained in the world of music. He has written for The Guardian and presented the BBC Radio 6 Music show, Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service, for seven years. So much of his life relates to music, is influenced by it and, in turn, he is influenced by the music surrounding him at any given time.

Gordon began her career in journalism, working for papers such as The Daily Telegraph. Alongside her journalistic career, Bryony has written several books which document her struggles with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction. Speaking out about mental health has given Gordon a new perspective and drive on the matter, prompting her to run the London marathon two years in a row for mental health charities and start a support group, 'Mental Health Mates'. 

Joining us at Audible Studios is award-winning novelist and mental health advocate Nathan Filer. His new book, The Heartland, breaks down the misconceptions associated with schizophrenia. It asks big questions, like whether we spend enough time listening to those suffering with mental health issues and whether we truly understand the complex diagnosis of schizophrenia. Filer, who previously worked as a mental health nurse, opens our minds to new way of thinking about mental health and about ourselves. 

Joining us at Audible Studios is British advertising executive Rory Sutherland, whose TED talks have been viewed nearly seven million times. He has recently released his book Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense. In many areas of our lives, reason plays an infinitesimal part. We are driven by unconscious desires. We are drawn to the beautiful, the extravagant and the absurd, such as tiny bottles of fragrance. If you want to influence people's choices, you have to bypass reason.

Joining us for a chat is the people's poet laureate, the punk performance poet, John Cooper Clarke, who is releasing his memoir I Wanna Be Yours. Clarke, born in Salford, is well known for his classic look of drainpipe jeans, wild black hair and sunglasses, whatever the weather, something which hasn't changed since the 1970s. Being inspired and encouraged by an English teacher at school, Clarke decided that he would make a living from poetry. He performed with many hugely successful bands, such as The Sex Pistols, Joy Division and New Order.