Easter Sunday 2025, I was joined on the show by a guest I’ve known for every single second of her 30 years — and, if we’re getting technical, even before that, when she was giving me heartburn, and heart attacks with in the lead up to her grand entry into the world.

All said, this amazing woman is my first true love. The most beautiful princess in all the land and, quite frankly, one of the scariest people I’ve ever met.

Fierce doesn’t even begin to cover it — her razor-sharp intuition, unshakeable standards, and piercing blue eyed gaze have been the driving force behind some of my biggest life decisions… largely because I was terrified of disappointing her.

But beyond all that, she’s kind, caring, strong, hilarious, endlessly thoughtful, and loves nothing more than creating magical moments for anyone in her vision.

And the 20th of April was special. Not just because we were on the radio together, but because we’ll be doing “us” in an environment we’d never shared before.

We dove straight into the magical world of motherhood — across generations. Talking through what it was like raising Rose in the 90s and 2000s, and how she’s now raising my granddaughter, Evelyn, in a world that looks very different. From parenting philosophies and old-school values to the things she’s reinventing, holding onto, or letting go of — we explored it all.

There we laughed, cried, cracked a Kath ‘n Kim reference and played some Kings of Leon in the breaks.

She’s one of my favourite people in the world and mother to the most talented, gifted, and beautiful granddaughter that ever walked the earth.

It was a long-awaited honour to speak with UK men’s health advocate Mark Brooks OBE, where we unpacked the often-dismissed issue of domestic and family violence against men and boys.

As a sector leader in male health, education, inclusion, and domestic abuse, Mark brings over 25 years of experience and thought leadership to this important topic.

He has played a pivotal role in championing the rights of male victims through his work with organisations like the The ManKind Initiative in the UK, which continues to raise awareness and provide critical support to men facing domestic abuse.

Mark's recent achievements include leading the campaign for a Men's Health Strategy for England, publishing influential reports on male suicide and boys' education, and raising the profile of male victims of domestic abuse. He also leads the successful INTERNATIONAL MEN'S DAY (UK) LTD. platform, which engaged over 800 organisations in 2024.

Historically, the gender-specific needs of male victims have been overlooked in both research and service provision, making this discussion essential.

Through our discussion, Mark and I aimed at sparking a broader conversation, bringing men and boys into the dialogue, exploring their involvement in ending domestic violence, the unique challenges men face in harmful relationships, as well as barriers to effective support.

For listeners, I want exercise some self disclosure and reflection - also a heartfelt apology to Mark. Great friend of mine and the show, Mike Hagan, who also expertly produces my podcast, bought to my attention in his incredibly kind, thoughtful, and generous manner—that during the conversation, I became a bit of an interrupter, cutter offerer and over talker of Mark. Mike, in his usual gracious way, acknowledged my enthusiasm and intent as noble, but still, I want to own it, disclose it and learn from it as I listen through the show.

Anyway, in any case I hope you enjoy our conversation ❤️

On International Men's Day, I'm extraordinarily proud to stand within a sector of dedicated individuals, committed to making better lives for men and boys ❤️🌍.