331: Cariad Lloyd on grief, writing, and problematic face painting

More from The Scummy Mummies Podcast

1. 

   21 Apr 2026 · 55 min

   334: People pleasing, sex, and Giles Brandreth, with Bryony Gordon

   How do you stop being a people pleaser? Is it wrong to pee in the shower? And how do you end up having a fight with Giles Brandreth? Helping us to answer all these questions is the brilliant Bryony Gordon. Bryony tells us all about her new novel, People Pleaser , which is out on Thursday. Helen reveals how she learned to ask for what she wants, and Ellie explains how it has made their relationship stronger. We talk about the pros and cons of rawdogging your emotions, and whether you can be 80 per cent sober. There's also a bit of chat about shagging, and of course Scummy Mummy Confessions,…

2. 

   7 Apr 2026 · 56 min

   333: How to sleep better with Lorna MacDonald

   What's going on in our brains when we can't sleep? What if you find it easy to drop off, but wake up a few hours later? How does the perimenopause play a part? Joining us to answer all these questions is the brilliant Lorna MacDonald. Lorna is a neuroscience-based hypnotherapist and coach who's been helping Ellie get a bit more shut-eye. She explains why so many middle-aged women struggle with sleep, and gives us lots of practical ideas for improving things. We talk about the stress bucket, and the difference between slutty and classy dopamine. There's some chat about alcohol and hormonal…

3. 

   24 Mar 2026 · 44 min

   332: Just the Two of Us - Helen's New Book!

   IT'S HERE! Well, almost. Helen's brand new book, How to Face Big Change and Come Back Stronger , is out on 2nd April! So we sat down for a chat about it. Listen in to find out why Helen wanted to write the book, and what she learned during the writing process. Ellie discusses what it's like to support a friend through hard times, and there's some chat about healthy and not-so-healthy ways of coping. Plus, discover what makes Helen laugh more than anything else, and why Ellie is now really into oil rigs. We are on tour, just for a change. But also - Helen is doing a book tour! And Ellie is…

4. 

   24 Feb 2026 · 31 min

   330: Confessions special: cats, gynaecologists, and Sky broadband engineers

   It's just the two of us as we sit down with some of the funniest and filthiest audience confessions from our live show. This is the stuff you just couldn't make up... Tune in to hear all sorts of tales about badly behaved teachers, a wrongfully accused cat, a hoovering accident and more... Huge thanks to everyone who has shared their hilarious stories with us, and to everyone who has been to our shows and heard them live. Our Hot Mess tour is running right up until Christmas - Hertford this week, Scotland next week, and then everywhere from Norwich to Northern Ireland! Go to…

5. 

   10 Feb 2026 · 51 min

   329: How to stop feeling so bloody old with Kate Rowe-Ham

   What are the top three things we should be doing for our health as we get older? How can we help ourselves through the menopause? And is it OK to eat Minstrels for breakfast? Helping us to answer all these questions is fitness expert Kate Rowe-Ham! She tells us all about her new book, The Longevity Solution: 21 Days to Health, Strength, and Vitality . We discuss why we might need to change our strategies for things like exercise and fasting as we age, and how to track improvements. Kate discusses her views on supplements, nutrition, and the importance of community, and we find out how much…

6. 

   27 Jan 2026 · 52 min

   328: Fay Reid on the menopause, not having kids, and getting strong

   Our guest for this episode is the brilliant and hilarious Fay Reid, known on Instagram as @9to5menopause . We talk about her experience of entering perimenopause at 45. She discusses the stigma that she feels exists within the Black community around the topic, how she built up the courage to speak out, and what happened when she did. Fay also tells us about her attempts to have a child, and the grief and acceptance that followed. She shares the top three things she wishes she'd known at the start of her journey, and reveals the benefits of being menopausal - yes, there are some! There's a…

7. 

   5 Oct 2026 · 45 min

   346: Em Clarkson LIVE at Big Feastival

   Which phase of raising a child is the hardest? Are any of us the kind of mum we thought we'd be? And are there any lessons women can learn from men when it comes to saying sorry? Helping us answer all these questions is the amazing Em Clarkson! This episode was recorded at Big Feastival in August, in front of a live tent-based audience. We discuss Em's political activism and how she's finding motherhood. There's also some chat about exercise, and how you know if running is right for you. We end as always with some Scummy Mummy Confessions, this time involving an embarrassing incident abroad…

8. 

   21 Sep 2026 · 41 min

   345: Books, being busy and Britain vs Denmark with Helen Russell

   She's back! We are joined for this episode by Helen Russell, the brilliant author of The Year of Living Danishly and now a fantastic new novel. Helen tells us why she's decided to return to her native Britain after more than a decade of living in glorious Denmark. We compare and contrast life in the two countries, plus English village life versus trying to survive in Catford. We discuss Helen's hilarious and highly relatable novel Laura Clark is Away From Her Desk , which is out now. We talk about how hard it is to switch from writing non-fiction to novels, and Helen shares her top tips for…

9. 

   8 Sep 2026 · 38 min

   344: Just the Two of Us: Catchup & Confessions

   In this episode, we celebrate the kids going back to school. Join us as we sit down for a nice cup of tea and a catchup for the first time in six weeks. We talk about what we did on our holidays, our differing laundry strategies, and a show on Netflix that Ellie hates yet watches compulsively. It's more fun than it sounds. (This episode, not the show.) It's a bumper crop of confessions this episode as we share the stories from our Big Feastival gig. Helen announces some exciting personal news, and we exclusively reveal the title and theme of our new stage show, coming your way in 2027... The…

10. 

    24 Aug 2026 · 48 min

    343: Ella Risbridger on food and writing.

    What are the four things you need to be a writer? Why are we so fascinated by other people's sad stories? And what is the best way to get seeds out of a pomegranate? Answering all these questions is the wonderful Ella Risbridger! She tells us all about her latest book, The Kitchen Book . We find out how she came up with brilliant recipes like No-Knife Potato and Prawn Curry, and learn why Heinz tomato soup is the secret ingredient Ellie has been seeking for the last six years. There's some writing chat - Helen and Ella discuss the challenges of writing memoir, and how they feel about their…

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