No Filter

What were you doing on Boxing Day morning in 2004?  Sarah Ayles was on a beach in Sri Lanka, putting on a mask about to go snorkelling with her business partner and ex-boyfriend, when her life changed forever.  The Boxing Day Tsunami was caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean and experts say it had the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs.  227,898 people lost their lives across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand but Sarah survived. And now, she’s going on Australian Survivor to push herself even more... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. Listen to Sam Bloom's inspiring story here: https://omny.fm/shows/no-filter/an-extraordinary-tale-of-tragedy-and-beauty  CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Sarah Ayles. You can watch her on Survivor now.  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mentioned at apple.co/mamamia No Filter is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows he

This week on the show we spoke to psychic medium John Edward, who over the last three decades has helped thousands of people communicate with loved ones who have crossed over to the other side.  But when Mia finished her interview with John, she realised she forgot to ask him one very important question.  What about lost babies? Do they ever come through? John’s answer may make you a little teary, but if you believe in it, it is worth a listen. Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest John Edward. Find out about his Australian tour here. Listen to the original interview with him here: https://omny.fm/shows/no-filter/john-edward-interview  Join our Never Forgotten Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mamamianeverforgotten/  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mentioned at apple.co/mamamia No Filter is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more s

John Edward is a psychic medium who over the last three decades, has helped thousands of people communicate with loved ones who have crossed over to the other side. In fact, if you were around in the early 2000’s you probably saw his show Crossing Over on television.  But when he was young John grew up being very skeptical about psychics.  And he had good reason to be. He lived with his grandmother, in Long Island New York, and she was a psychic. She also had lots of psychics visit her house. But John didn’t want a bar of it. So what changed that? Well, as he tells Mia, a lot... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest John Edward. Find out about his Australian tour here. Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mentioned at apple.co/mamamia No Filter is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the start of the year, we had an episode of No Filter that we got a lot of feedback about so we thought we’d revisit this story... For years, Leigh Campbell, our executive editor here at Mamamia kept a secret.  It was about her fertility. And the struggles she had to fall pregnant.  Leigh and her husband Rich had been trying to have a baby for years.  They had countless rounds of IVF. Failed attempts and miscarriages that almost broke them.  On this updated episode of No Filter, we revisit Leigh’s story and share some very happy news that arrived just over three weeks ago... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. Listen to Leigh Campbell's birth story on This Glorious Mess here: https://omny.fm/shows/this-glorious-mess/leigh-campbell-birth-story  Join our Never Forgotten Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mamamianeverforgotten/  CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Leigh Campbell. Follow her on Instagram @leighcampbell Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH

When Lisa Taddeo set out to write a book about female desire she had no idea she would spend eight years inserting herself into three very different women’s lives. Tracing their history, capturing their stories and being a fly on the wall when it came to their sex lives.  Lisa is an American writer and journalist. She’s a wife, a mother and her new book Three Women is one of the most anticipated reads of 2019.  Elizabeth Gilbert has compared it to Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold Blood’. Gwyneth Paltrow is obsessed. This book is incredible, and Lisa joins Mia now to talk about it.  Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Lisa Taddeo, find her book Three Women here.  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mentioned at apple.co/mamamia No Filter is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every family has a secret. But some secrets are more shocking than others. Some secrets take longer to come out. Angela Hamilton always had an inkling that there was something not quite right with her dad. She hated him and feared him. He was violent towards his wife and three children throughout their lives and prone to explosive racist outbursts. He rarely spoke about his past but it always seemed like he was running away from something. And it turns out he was. There’s a new SBS series called Every Family Has A Secret and the makers of the show helped Angela to unearth the brutal truth of hers... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Angela Hamilton, watch her episode of Every Family Has A Secret on SBS on demand here: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1535724611931/every-family-has-a-secret-angela-hamilton-and-david-field  Listen to Eddie Jaku's episode of No Filter here: https://omny.fm/shows/no-filter/hes-98-and-surprisingly-hes-the-

To subscribe to our new podcast Tiddas 4 Tiddas, click here.  Marlee Silva is 23 years old. She grew up in suburban Australia with her sister and her parents, not realising that some people perceived her family as different.  All that changed one day when she was 12 years old and it marked a turning point in Marlee’s life as a proud Kamilaroi, Dunghutti woman. Marlee is the host of our new podcast Tiddas 4 Tiddas, where every week she will be speaking to some of the brightest and most interesting Indigenous women in Australia, but today we wanted Marlee to share her story. Because it’s a great one... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Marlee Silva. Follow Tiddas 4 Tiddas on Instagram here and to subscribe to our new podcast Tiddas 4 Tiddas, click here.  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mentioned at apple.co/mamamia No Filter is a podcast by M

Richard Lowenstein first met Michael Hutchence when he was 23 making music videos for the likes of Hunters & Collectors and Cold Chisel. Michael liked what Richard made and commissioned him to make some music videos for INXS.  Little did Richard know almost 40 years later he’d be the man making a documentary about his best mates life. The good. The bad and all the mysteries that followed him until the very end.  Richard’s documentary, Mystify: Michael Hutchence is a captivating movie filled with rarely-seen footage and intimate home videos of Michael’s life - at home, on holidays, backstage, on the road, even in bed. It also features stories from three of the four most important women in Michael's life - Michelle Bennet, Kylie Minogue and Helena Christensen. And it's truly fascinating.  Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Richard Lowenstein - find more about the Mystify film here  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 0

Amanda Keller has been on our screens and in our ears for over 30 years. She’s done everything from host breakfast radio with Andrew Denton, and now Brendan Jones, to stick her head out of a submarine on national TV as a presenter on Beyond 2000. She’s made people laugh and think for three decades and now, because of that, Amanda Keller is nominated for a Gold Logie. The shining star of awards in Australia. But behind those laughs, has been a very private home life.  And she joins Mia now to talk about all of it. The highs, the lows and the bits that make life great. Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Amanda Keller. You can vote for Amanda to win the Gold Logie by clicking on this link. Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mentioned at apple.co/mamamia No Filter is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here.   See omnystudio.com/listener for pr

On the 20th of June this year, con-man Hamish McLaren was sentenced to 16 years in prison after stealing more than $7.5 million from his victims, including his ex-wife Bec Rosen. Today on No Filter we're revisiting Mia's chat with Bec. The first time Bec Rosen met Hamish McLaren she thought he was a bit of a tosser.  Bec was a single mum who had just ended a bad marriage and, along with her three young sons, she’d moved to Blueys Beach on the NSW North Coast. Bec’s family were in the early stages of rebuilding their lives when Hamish appeared and made himself indispensable.  So indispensable in fact, that Bec and Hamish got married in 2011. And that was when Bec started to uncover the extraordinary lies her husband had told and the twisted secrets he was keeping from her and her boys. If you've listened to the podcast Who the hell is Hamish? You already know a bit about Hamish McLaren...or Hamish Watson...or any of the other names he used.  But you haven't heard all of Bec's story.  Until now... Click her

When Pauline Hanson was elected into politics in the mid-90s, author Benjamin Law was in high school on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. He’d grown up in a very white area. But up until that point, he hadn’t really considered his race. Sure, he was Asian Australian, but that had never really been a problem. And then, Pauline Hanson made her maiden speech in Parliament and all of a sudden, Ben’s ethnicity was associated with something negative. His family was seen as different....He was Asian Australian, his parents were divorced and he was gay. Ben Law has gone on to become one of Australia’s most respected journalists. He’s also the creator of the hit SBS show The Family Law, which is now in its third season. And he’s been in a relationship with his partner Scott for more than half his life. He’s a really interesting guy, a great ally to women, and this interview with Mia will make you laugh... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Benjamin Law

When Georgie Dent was asked when her nervous breakdown began, she had to think. Really think. Was it at 19 when she found herself diagnosed with a disease she’d never heard of? Was it a few months later when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease? Was it at 24 when by all accounts, her life was perfect - working as a lawyer at a prestigious firm in Sydney and living with her then boyfriend and now husband, Nick? Or was it all of those things, combined? And did it really matter? Because it happened. At the age of 24, Georgie Dent’s life fell apart. And she found herself in a psychiatric hospital. Georgie's written a book called Breaking Badly that details this part of her life and she joins Mia now to speak about it... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Georgie Dent Find her book here https://www.booktopia.com.au/breaking-badly-georgie-dent/prod9781925712780.html  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386

How do you prepare for an interview with a woman who changes people’s faces for a living? You look at your face for a very long time. At least that’s what Mia Freedman did before this interview with Dr Naomi McCullum, a woman also known as the doll maker. Dr. Naomi McCullum is a cosmetic physician who runs a luxury clinic in Sydney called The Manse, where she and her team sculpt women's faces using injectables, fillers, botox, and laser.  As you can imagine, Mia had a lot of questions... Just a note, this is a judgment-free interview, so leave your preconceptions at the door. If you want to hear more from Unity and Dr. Naomi, head to mamamia.com.au/video to see their interview with our incredible video team. Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Dr. Naomi https://www.instagram.com/themanseclinic/?hl=en  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mention

A lot can happen in 30 years of someone’s life. You can build a solid career. Meet the love of your life. Have a baby. Mourn the loss of your dad. Enjoy the family you’ve built. And then watch it implode. Over the past 30 years, Angela Bishop has become one of Australia’s best-known entertainment reporters. She’s been on every red carpet at every awards ceremony in Australia, Hollywood, and London. And she’s met a lot of celebrities. In fact, we wouldn’t be going out on a limb here to say she’s almost met every celebrity ever. But the past two years have been particularly devastating for Angela Bishop, and she joins Mia now to talk about it all. The ups, the downs and the moment that split her life in two.  Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Angela Bishop https://www.instagram.com/angelabishop10/?hl=en  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mention

One in four adults and one in five children currently suffer from anxiety. And yet two in five people believe the condition is not a treatable mental health illness. Anxiety, defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome is a debilitating illness that people still aren’t talking enough about. But today on No Filter, we’re changing that. Because today Mia Freedman is joined by Dr Jodie Lowinger, the founder and Principal Clinical Psychologist of the Sydney Anxiety Clinic to talk about how anxiety presents itself, what causes it and what people who suffer from it can do to treat it. If you’re suffering from anxiety make sure you speak to your GP and if you need support, visit Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety  Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Dr Jodie Lowinger https://www.sydneyanxietyclinic.com/  Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999

On the 16th of May 2019, Bob Hawke passed away peacefully in his home with his wife Blanche d'Alpuget. Today on No Filter we're revisiting Mia's chat with Blanche. Blanche d’Alpuget has spent 62 of her 74 years exploring lust, longing and a lifelong quest for love. It was 1970 in Jakarta when a then married Blanche met a then married Robert Hawke. She thought his name was Robin. Little did she knew he would go on to become the great love of her life. Six years later, in 1976, she met Robert again. Their affair began and continued on and off until 1995 when they married. In person, Blanche is extraordinarily beautiful down-to-earth, quick to laugh, searingly honest and still madly in love with the man who has - along with her career and her son - been the big love of her life. She joins Mia to talk about Bob, love and her new book On Lust and Longing… CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Blanche d'Alpuget Buy Blanche's book at apple.co/mamamia or here. Producer: Elissa Ratliff GE

Today on No Filter, we're revisiting an episode that Mia did with Chloe Shorten on the 26th of April, 2017.... Chloe Shorten has attracted a lot of attention over the last few weeks. As the wife of Bill Shorten - who will potentially be our next Prime Minister - many have said that in this election campaign, they wished they could vote for Chloe. Chloe is a businesswoman, author, daughter of former Governor-General Quentin Bryce and mother of three. As a kid, she dreamed that she’d grow up, meet the love of her life, get married, have kids and grow old …..with that same person. But, like one in three marriages, Chloe’s life didn’t work out that way because her relationship fell apart. When Chloe Shorten separated from her husband of 10 years, she was concerned that it might affect her two young children. Then, when she remarried Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and blended her family, she got even more concerned. So, she went hunting for help. For books, for studies, for information about the best way to d

What do you really want to know? When preparing for an interview that’s the first question journalist, TV host and comedian Andrew Denton asks himself. Andrew has been interviewing celebrities and regular people for more than 20 years, first on his ABC show Enough Rope, and now on his new show on Seven, Interview. But he very rarely has the tables turned on him. Today, Andrew sits down with Mia Freedman to talk about dealing with depression, the ups and downs of his marriage to journalist Jennifer Byrne and what’s going through his head when he’s interviewing someone in front of an audience who doesn’t want to be there.  It’s an interview not to be missed... Click here to subscribe to No Filter. CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Andrew Denton Andrew Denton’s Interview airs Tuesday’s at 9pm on Seven. Catch up on 7plus. Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find any book mentioned at apple.co/mamam

If you’ve ever been in a romantic relationship of any kind and you’ve been together a while, you will have probably encountered your partner’s mother. The image we have of a mother-in-law is pretty grim, generally. They don’t get great press. But for many women, their relationship with their mother-in-law is one of the most fraught in their lives and there are good reasons for this! They are intimately connected to your partner and so are you, obviously, but to one another, you’re pretty much strangers. Sally Hepworth noticed this when she started collecting stories for her latest novel, aptly called The Mother-In-Law. Women would tell her stories about their partners mothers bringing over a raw chicken after they’d just had a baby, or of mothers-in-law who have keys to their child's house and use them regularly. And so, her fifth novel was born. Sally is one of Liane Moriarty’s favourite Australian authors - she’s written five books, she has 3 children and she’s spent a long time talking to people who had

In December 2017, Kristen Roupenian’s life changed forever when her short story in The New Yorker went viral. ‘Cat Person’, which was published in The New Yorker‘s December 11 issue, navigates a brief relationship between a 20-year-old university student named Margot, and an older man – Robert – who she meets while working in a movie theatre candy bar. You can read it here:  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/cat-person It’s not a complex plot. But, like all the best pieces of fiction, it articulates aspects of life and culture in a way the rest of us have never quite been able to manage. It resonated with millions of women around the world and was just before #MeToo really took off. But it also turned Kristen's life upside down. So what does her life look like two years on? She joins Mia now... CREDITS: Host: Mia Freedman  With thanks to special guest Kristen Roupenian https://twitter.com/kroupenian?lang=en Producer: Elissa Ratliff GET IN TOUCH: Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386. Email