Scummy Mummies - Podcast

Our guest for this episode is the awesome Ayo Akinwolere - Blue Peter presenter, documentary maker, fitness champion, and all-round bloody good bloke. He tells us how he went from not being able to swim to crossing the deepest trench of the ocean in just ten weeks. We talk about the cultural divide that separates swimmers and non-swimmers in Britain, and how Ayo is trying to change things. Will he turn Ellie into an open water wanker?There's some serious chat about Ayo's experience of moving to the UK from Nigeria as a child, and the racism his family faced. We discuss the British class system, and whether meritocracy is a myth. Then it's back to the usual old nonsense as we share confessions involving a language barrier, an email sent to the wrong person, and a child licking a cake. You can follow Ayo and his adventures on Instagram - @ayoakinwolere.**WE ARE ON TOUR!** Come and see our live comedy show in 2023! We are on our way to Southampton, Leamington Spa, Corby, Harrogate, Middlesbor

Do we all need therapy? How do you talk to a partner about sharing the mental load? And what's the first thing you need to do if you feel you're approaching burnout? Answering tricky questions like these is the awesome psychotherapist Karen Hartley! Along with her brilliant wisdom, she shares some practical tips for things like coping with anxiety. We discuss whether there's a generational divide when it comes to therapy and mental health, and how to help teenagers cope with their feelings. Helen talks about the advice she gives to people who are starting the divorce process, and Ellie reveals the most annoying thing her husband and comedy partner have in common. Plus: we discuss when and where we're happiest, the downside of to do lists, and whether Karen ever gets bored listening to people bang on about their feelings. You can find out more about Karen and the workshops she runs over at karenhartley.co.uk. Follow her on Instagram @karen_hartley_.**WE ARE ON TOUR!** Come an

What's the best way to avoid family days out turning into disasters? How do you stop kids asking for snacks all day? And what do mums have in common with combine harvesters? Helping us to survive the last few weeks of the summer holidays is Susie Lodge!She tells us all about the website she founded, wikiplacesforkids.com, which is an excellent resource for anyone looking for ways to entertain the kids. We get some great tips for pleasing children with different ages and interests, saving money at the cinema, and generally making outings more bearable. We discuss the virtues of the pack mentality versus the divide and conquer strategy, and share war stories of our worst days out ever. And Susie tells us about her brilliant network for mums in business, wikimama. The game Ellie bangs on about is called Heads Up! and it's free to download via the Apple and Google Play stores. **WE ARE ON TOUR!** Come and see our live comedy show in 2023! We are on our way to Sout

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains two of Ellie's Dad's jokes. He joins us to share some tall tales about a magical dog, the funeral of King George VI, and the time he was at a party with Elton John (or not.)We discuss the tall tales (lies) our parents told us, and come clean about the myths, legends, and big fat whoppers we've told our own children. (NB: There's a bit of Santa chat you might not want to listen to with little ones around.) And we share some brilliantly hilarious tall tale confessions from listeners.This is a special episode of the podcast, because we’ve partnered with Audible to celebrate the release of their brand new original audiobook, The World According to Grandpa.The World According to Grandpa is available to listen to now, only on Audible and you can even sign up to a 30 day free trial to listen now. Subscription required. See Audible.co.uk for terms.**WE ARE ON TOUR!** Come and see our live comedy show in 2023! We are on our way to Southampton, Leamington Spa, Corby, Harrogate, Mi

It's hard to believe it's been a whole decade since we sat down on Ellie's sofa to record the first episode of the Scummy Mummies Podcast. But here we are, having survived premature childbirth, a shitty divorce and a global pandemic, still on the sofa, and better friends than ever. In this special anniversary episode, we reminisce about the good old days, and reflect on whether we should be grateful for the bad times too. We tackle some tricky questions - how bad do the catsuits REALLY smell? What's better to make with lemons than lemonade? And how much longer do we actually think we can get away with this bullshit? Tune in to find out. We play two games - an old favourite returns, and Helen introduces Guess the Guest, which makes Ellie get something in her eye. We finish with Scummy Mummy Confessions, for the 261st time. We have TWO fabulous sponsors for this special podcast! Thank you to Their Nibs and HotSquash - two London based fashion brands we LOVE. "Their Nibs" creates gorgeous pyj

What's hardest part of parenting - the baby bit, toddler tantrums, or teenage rage? What's it like to live with your dad at the age of 40? And what's the best way to cope with an emergency nipple hair situation? Helping us answer all this questions is the hilarious Esther Manito! She tells us all about her experience of starting comedy after having two kids. We discuss sharing domestic chores and balancing out the mental load, and generally have a good old moan. Esther discusses living with her dad, and the influence her Lebanese heritage has had on her own parenting. We round off with some tip top confessions involving theme park rides and hairy nipples, and describe our breasts for the listener. Esther's tour of her new show, Hell Hath No Fury, kicks off at the Soho Theatre on 17 August. Then she's off to Southend, Birmingham, Bristol, Oxford, Newcastle, Brighton, Edinburgh, Glasgow... Follow her on instagram @esthermanito or visit esthermanito.co.uk for dates and tic

How do fighter pilots get their callsigns? What's it like to risk your life every time you go to work? And why should you never eat out-of-date fudge? Answering all these questions is the amazing Mandy Hickson! She tells us how she became one of the UK's first female fighter pilots, despite the best efforts of the Bloody Patriarchy. We talk about her 17 years in the RAF, her time in Iraq, and why she thinks motherhood is much harder than flying planes. Then Mandy discusses her new career as a motivational speaker, and the number one nugget of wisdom she likes to pass on. We round off with some excellent Scummy Mummy Confessions involving an obscene tattoo, a fart in a lift, and a poo in a bush. Sorry, Leeds. Mandy's brilliant book, An Officer, Not a Gentleman, is out now. For more from marvellous Mandy go to mandyhickson.com.**WE ARE ON TOUR!** Come and see our live comedy show in 2023! We are on our way to Horsham, Southampton, Tunbridge Wells,

What's the best way to deal with an angry child? Why should we be saying "thank you" to our kids instead of "please"? And how do you get them to put their bloody shoes away? Answering all these questions is the awesome Marie Gentles! Marie has loads of practical parenting tips, from managing screen use to carving out quality time - and what to do if your children don't want to spend it with you. She tells us why it's not always a good idea to ask kids what's wrong, and where to start with a child who doesn't want to hear what adults have to say. We hear about Marie's time working in schools and pupil referral units with kids who are upset, unresponsive, and even violent. She reveals how her own experience of emotional abuse motivated her to do the work she does today, and why she developed her "No blame, no shame" philosophy. And of course, we finish with some Scummy Mummy Confessions - this time involving socks, shouting, and bannisters. Marie's marvellous book,&n

257: TV's Dr Zoe Williams on teenage girls, healthy farts and being a Gladiator!Our guest for the episode is the fabulous Dr Zoe Williams off of the This Morning and Gladiators. She tells us about how she became a doctor via an epiphany in Ayia Napa, what it's like to be an actual Gladiator, why it's important to get your teens into sports, and she attempts to solve Helen's farting problems.Then we have some brilliant chat about Dr Zoe's new book You Grow Girl: The Complete No Worries Guide to Growing Up. Dr Zoe gives us some tips about how to talk openly to your daughters and sons about their bodies, how to have an effective argument, and the impact of social media. The book is aimed at girls aged 9 - 15, but we will be reading it to our sons, too! It is a brilliantly honest and approachable guide to all the big questions and issues young people face.We finish the episode with some sophisticated confessions involving too much lube, too many balls and why "vulva" was our strangest heckle at a recent gig. We f

Our guest for this episode is the awesome Kate Ferdinand! She tells us about her experience of becoming a stepmum to three kids at the age of 26, and shares what she wishes she'd known at the start of her parenting journey. Kate is brilliantly honest about how she really feels about pregnancy, and the expectations around forming a blended family versus the reality. We discuss some hot topics like when you should introduce a new partner to your kids, whether you should kiss in front of them, and how to deal with discipline. Kate reveals the one thing that's been key for her family, and we hear some wise words from a kid who's been through it themselves. To finish up, Kate shares a superb Scummy Mummy Confession. Helen tells us about the time her vagina turned into a trumpet, and Kate's response leaves our jaws on the floor. Kate's new book, How to Build a Family, is packed with more fantastic advice, and it's out now. Do also check out her lovely children's book, The Family Tree, and y

What's the best food to make for date night? How long should you really cook a fish finger for? And is grapefruit ever acceptable? Answering all these questions is the brilliant Sarah Rossi, aka @tamingtwins! We talk about her fab new book, What's for Dinner?, and how she saved Ellie's Christmas. We share our filthy food secrets including our laziest comfort recipes, and our favourite kitchen gadgets. Ellie has a confession to share about a romantic gesture she made for Pete, and Helen reveals what she likes to do with a pyrex bowl and a cheese slice. There's also some personal chat as Sarah tells us how she went from food blog to cookery book. We talk about how going through IVF affected her parenting in the early years, and she shares the one thing you should never say to a new mum who's having a tough time. The awesome What's for Dinner? is one of the best cookery books we've ever read, and it's out now. The sequel, What's for Dinner in One Pot?, will be re

In this episode we're joined by Nicki Bamford-Bowes, aka @andthentheywentwild, and Wayne Perrey, the TV carpenter! They're here with loads of tips for improving your interiors, whatever your budget. Nicki tells us the number one thing you should do before you start any design or diy project, and Wayne has a great idea for giving kids their own space in a shared room. We talk about whether interior design skills can be learned, and dealing with clients who have their own ideas about what looks good. Nicki has some suggestions for how to let teens express themselves without messing up your whole house, and we reveal what our own teenage bedrooms were like. Ellie launches a furious attack on Wayne for reasons that involve the monarchy, flowers, and Alan Titchmarsh. And we finish with some excellent Scummy Mummy Confessions! You can follow Nicki on Instagram @andthentheywentwild. For more from Wayne, including details of his awesome new House Proud members group, visit thetvcarp

This month marks TEN YEARS together as the Scummy Mummies! So we decided to celebrate in the traditional way - by walking to the foot of Everest to break the world record for the highest ever stand-up comedy gig! Listen in to find out how it all went, and why we decided to go on this nonsensical adventure in the first place. We discuss the joy of hot water bottles, the misery of sleeping in -25 conditions, and the consistency of Helen's farts. We explain what it's really like to spend a fortnight trekking to the world's highest mountain and back, and share our top tips for anyone thinking of giving it a go. You can still sponsor us if you like, via GoFundMe - all donations go direct to the awesome Borne charity, who do lifesaving research into premature birth. Huge thanks to everyone who has given money so far, it means such a lot. Come and see our live show in 2023! We are on our way to Milton Keynes, Winchester, Newcastle, Lichfield, Rotherham, Twickenham, Leeds, Birmingham, Cr

What a Mann, what a Mann, what a Mann, what a mighty fine Mann - it's Olly Mann! The podcasting legend from Answer Me This, Today in History with the Retrospectors, The Modern Mann and many more joins us for a chinwag. We cover everything from the invention of home pregnancy testing kits to the shock of fatherhood, and who we'd rather have it off with out of Colonel Sanders and Captain Birdseye.There's a bit of serious chat as Olly discusses the sudden loss of his Dad, just six days after his son was born. He reveals the advice he gives to anyone grieving a parent about how to ensure they have a presence in their own children's lives. Then it's back to the usual nonsense as we share our Scummy Mummy Confessions and show off about our trip to Everest Base Camp. You can sponsor us via GoFundMe. And assuming everything goes to plan regarding the weather and the broadband connection, we'll be streaming our record breaking gig live via Twitch.tv/elliegibsongames - tune in at

One of our favourite guests returns to the podcast to tell us about her fabulous new book! And along the way we cover everything from family secrets and maternal relationships to pubic hair shame and Beowulf. There's some chat about how we feel about our kids getting older, and Helen shares her experience of Teensplaining. Ellie explains why she's never taking advice on days out from Instagram again, and Abigail reveals a surprising fact about Marmite.Abigail's brilliantly dark and hilarious novel, Mother's Day, is out now! You can follow her on Instagram @abbie_burdess.Come and see our live show in 2023! We are on our way to Milton Keynes, Winchester, Newcastle, Lichfield, Rotherham, Twickenham, Leeds, Birmingham, Crewe, Lowestoft, Bristol, Brighton, Bath... And new dates are being added all the time! Keep an eye on scummymummies.com for announcements and tickets. **WE HAVE A SHOP!** Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE

Why do we always want to eat rubbish when we're tired? Are low carb diets really a good idea? And is it OK to clap your own crap? Answering all these questions is Dr Sarah Berry! Sarah is an associate professor at King's College and also the chief scientist at Zoe, which helps people to work out which foods suit them best. Ellie talks about her experience of the program, and how her favourite bit was probably the thing with the poo hammock.We quiz Sarah on the best way to talk to kids about what they're eating. There's also some chat about gut health, intermittent fasting, and how the way we process food can change as we enter the menopause. Basically it's loads of really interesting, science-based stuff about health and nutrition from a woman who likes a pain au chocolat and a glass of red wine. Result. Dr Sarah is on instagram @@drsarahberry. Do check out the Zoe podcast, it's great. Come and see our live show in 2023! We are on our way to Cheltenham, Lancaster, Caernafon, Burn

Our guest for this episode is TV's Adrian Chiles! We talk about everything from booze and Bette Midler to coping when your kids go off to uni. Adrian tells us why he decided to cut down on the booze, and Ellie apologises for copying him by doing a podcast about the same thing, titled Sort Your Shit Out and available now wherever you get your podcasts or https://pod.link/1663245629.We hear how Adrian's regional accent was an advantage when he started working at the BBC. He shares his advice for parents of younger children, and we discuss what to tell your kids before they leave home. Ellie and Adrian bond over their shared farting styles and hatred of skiing, and Helen reveals the terrible thing she did in the M&M's World. Adrian's excellent book, The Good Drinker, is out now. Come and see our live show in 2023! We are on our way to Catford, Cheltenham, Lancaster, Caernafon, Burnley, Milton Keynes, Winchester, Newcastle, Lichfield, Rotherham, Twic

Our guest for this episode is the hilarious comedian Alasdair Beckett-King. He tells us why he decided to write a children's murder mystery book, even though he has no kids and has never killed anyone. We talk about how Alasdair went from doing shit gigs in terrible pubs with us to starring on Mock the Week. He explains how a failure at film school kicked off his comedy career, and why he believes a bad first gig is better than a good one. Helen excels herself with the running order for this episode, managing to spell our guest's name wrong, reveal a weird fixation with his age, and insult his appearance. Alasdair tells us what it's like to be a person of hair colour, and we unfairly test his knowledge of parenting with a stupid quiz. ABK's brilliant book, Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum, is out on 2 February. Word count update: 34,892. Follow him on Twitter for supremely funny videos @MisterABK, listen to the Loremen podcast, and buy tickets to his tour via abe

What makes social media so addictive? How do we get our kids off their phones? Why is multitasking a myth? And what's it like to be mates with Oprah and fat-shamed by the Dalai Lama? Answering all these questions is best-selling author Johann Hari! He tells us how a trip to Graceland with a phone-obsessed teenager kicked off his investigation into how our brains are being changed by technology. We discuss the rise in ADHD being diagnosed in kids, and the 12 factors affecting our ability to stay focused. Johann offers some practical tips for reclaiming our attention, and reveals the one thing he reckons we should all buy for our homes. So yes, some serious chat, but we also talk about online dating and dick pics. Johann reveals how an experience at KFC made him reevaluate his whole life, and Helen shares what he describes as "The most redundant piece of advice ever." Johann's brilliant book, Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention, is out now in paperback. For more about his work, and to

We are smashing the patriarchy in this episode with the help of Laura Bates - campaigner, writer, speaker, and all-round excellent woman. She explains why she started the Everyday Sexism project, and we discuss how the landscape has changed in the decade since. Laura tells us what she'd change tomorrow if she had a magic wand, and we ask her advice on how to raise our kids so they don't turn out to be terrible sexists. There's some real talk about pornography, and the effect it's having on men's behaviour during sex. As usual we round off with some ludicrous Scummy Mummy Confessions, this time involving a date fail, ladder theft, and ham. Laura's brilliant book, Fix the System Not the Women, is out now. Check out everydaysexism.com and follow her on instagram @laura_bates__.@laura_bates__.Come and see our live show in 2023! We are on our way to Lincoln, Kettering, Redhill, Catford, Camberley, Cheltenham, Lancaster, Caernarfon, Burnley, Milton Keynes, Winchester, Newcastle, L