Love Stories

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What’s your love language? The Australian Women's Weekly Love Stories is for the chronically curious about the strongest of our emotions. Hosted by Tiffany Dunk, this podcast swaps cliché romcom endings for real, messy, magnetic connections told by unforgettable voices from The Australian Women’s Weekly universe. From lifelong mateship to unexpected soulmates to finding love both within and beyond yourself, Love Stories is intimate, surprising and quietly empowering.

Episodes

  1. 9 HR AGO

    MasterChef to the NICU with Twins: Sarah Todd & Declan Cleary

    On paper, Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary’s love story looks like a match made in heaven: two chefs meet on MasterChef Australia: Back to Win, he cooks the “marry me” barbecue fish, she makes the French bouillabaisse, and they ride off into the sunset with matching aprons. In reality, it’s messier, braver and far more interesting a story about second chances, blended families and a birth that almost broke them before their twins even took their first breath. In this episode of Love Stories Tiffany Dunk Deputy Editor of The Australian Women's Weekly, Sarah and Declan rewind to the beginning: the green‑room chats when they were “definitely just friends”, the weekend hangs that became a safe house from the pressure cooker of reality TV, and the exact moment in the elimination line when Declan, convinced he might never see her again, blurted out a date request while she was wearing the black apron. From there, they trace how a friendship forged under studio lights quietly turned into a relationship that had to make room for a child, a dog, two careers and the logistics of building a life in the real world, not just on camera. But the centre of the episode is the birth of their twin girls: an emergency C‑section that descended into 14 of the longest minutes of their lives, when both babies came out silent and Sarah’s health started to spiral. Declan talks about standing in a theatre full of doctors, thinking he might lose all three of them; Sarah remembers waking up to seizures she couldn’t control, trying to do skin‑to‑skin with cannulas up her arms while her body shook. It’s raw and precise and somehow still full of gratitude: for the surgeon who wrapped Declan in a hug and said, “your three girls are going to be all right,” for the NICU staff who moved mountains to get the twins to her chest, and for the fact that the story doesn’t end in that operating room. Moments You’ll hear: How two fiercely focused competitors went from “we’re just here to win” to admitting the butterflies that were there all alongand why Declan chose the most stressful possible moment to ask Sarah out. The realities of blending a family: what it meant for Sarah, as a single mum, to protect Phoenix’s world while letting someone new in, and how Declan approached being “a good bloke and a role model,” not a replacement parent. An unvarnished account of a birth trauma: silent twins, emergency interventions, nine days in hospital, and the complicated feelings that come with not being able to give your babies the “ideal” start you’d imagined. How they found their way back to each other afterward through fear, guilt, gratitude and the slow work of telling the story out loud until it felt like theirs again, not just something that happened to them. If you’ve ever looked at your own love story and thought, “this is too chaotic, too hard, too weird to be anyone’s happy ending,” this episode is for you. Thank you for listening ❤️  And just a heads up, this episode discusses birth trauma. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the free services below: Griefline — 1300 845 745Support for anyone experiencing loss, grief or loneliness.Visit griefline.org.au Blue Knot Foundation — 1300 657 380Support for adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse.Visit blueknot.org.au SANE Australia — 1800 187 263Support for people living with complex mental health issues and their families.Visit sane.org Mental health and emotional support services Lifeline — 13 11 1424/7 crisis support and suicide prevention. You can also chat online at lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue — 1300 22 463624/7 support for anxiety, depression and emotional distress. Webchat available via beyondblue.org.au 13YARN — 13 92 7624/7 national crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are feeling overwhelmed or having a tough time. Staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis supporters who listen with understanding, without judgement, and in a culturally safe space. Visit 13yarn.org.au Suicide Call Back Service — 1300 659 467Free phone and online counselling for people at risk of suicide, concerned about someone, or bereaved by suicide. QLife — 1800 184 527Anonymous, LGBTIQA+ peer support and counselling from 3pm to midnight every day. Visit qlife.org.au NSW Mental Health Line: Call 1800 011 511 If you are outside Australia Find international hotlines and support services at findahelpline.com, a global directory of free crisis helplines. You are not alone Reaching out for help is a sign of strength. If you or someone you know needs support, please connect with one of the services above. The Weekly will continue to share stories of courage, recovery and hope, and we encourage you to take care of yourself while listening before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing Sarah and Declan's story  Their Relationship in pictures  The Twins Girls See more Sarah Todd  and Declan Cleary    🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary, Baby Claudia and Charlotte    Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    54 min

  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    Bonus Episode: The Love Note You're Not Broken...You're Becoming: Saving your skin In Menopause

    Sensitive issues raised 💓 Love Notes bonus episode is part of our series of Love Stories -  short, quiet episodes from The Australian Women’s Weekly. With small reminders that love is something we practise, not just something that happens to us. In this Love Note, Charmaine Caldwell, CEO and founder of VIXIN   returns to discuss with Deputy Editor Tiffany Dunk the part of midlife we rarely see: a decade‑long menopause journey, running a business through what she calls “100 mental breakdowns,” and the quiet work of learning to be kind to herself again. She talks about choosing a mostly natural path through perimenopause, why education and connection sit at the heart of her brand, and the messages from women saying “you saved my skin” that helped her keep going. Charmaine also opens up, for the first time publicly, about surviving domestic violence and what it took to build a new life on the other side. You’ll hear her best practical advice on self‑love starting with how you speak to yourself, putting your own mask on first, and letting small acts of care snowball into something bigger. If you need a gentle reminder to keep going, or permission to start talking to yourself like someone you actually care about, this Love Note is for you.  Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories. Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 See More:  Menopause Symptoms No One's Talking About Naiomi Watts 'Menopause It's Not The End' If you loved hearing about Charmaine, you can follow her on Instagram and learn more about her products :  Learn More About Vixin VIXIN Instagram   🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Today’s episode is brought to you by VIXIN Beauty, high performance, Australian Made skincare built for real skin and real results. No complicated routines, no watered down formulas, just powerful actives that support your skin at every stage. Explore the range at vixin.com.au and enjoy up to 30% off bundles Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    12 min

  3. 12 APR

    What We Protect When We’re Falling Apart: Miss Universe Lexie Brant and Her Mum Penny on Cancer, Healing and an Unbreakable Bond

    Who loves you for the longest? Not in the dramatic, fireworks way but in the quiet “did you book your scan?” way. In this episode, we sit with Miss Universe Australia Lexie Brandt and her mum, Penny, in the kind of conversation that usually happens in hospital corridors or parked cars outside imaging clinics Lexie was 11 when Penny was diagnosed with high grade breast cancer on the same day Lexie started Year 6 and became a school captain. It’s the age when you’re meant to be stress crying about friendships and braces, not mammograms and mortality. Overnight, the roles between mother and daughter shifted: Penny became “the patient,” but she was still quietly choreographing everyone else’s feelings, telling Lexie, “This is sad, but we’re getting it fixed,” and turning terror into a family action plan. Tiffany Dunk Deputy Editor of The Australian Women's Weekly asks Penny and Lexie to take us through the journey, the GP visit Penny almost said no to, the waiting room that slowly emptied until there were only two women left, the phone call where Lexie half remembers 'something different was happening" and remembers asking for an ice block because kids still want snacks even when the adults are falling apart. They talk about how you tell an 11 year old you have cancer without breaking her, how you parent when you’re the one who can’t get out of bed, and what it means for a daughter to grow up with the C‑word as a constant, invisible third in the room. Moments You'll Hear:  How a routine 41st‑birthday check up one Penny initially tried to decline caught her breast cancer early and probably saved her life. Lexie’s memory of “the day Mum told me,” and how Penny’s language of action over despair became the moral she now lives by. The messy logistics of illness:  families, step siblings, proud partners who relish accepting a lasagne drop off, and the invisible admin women shoulder while they’re meant to be “resting.” What helped most: bringing “home” into hospital rooms with photos and soft pyjamas, letting friends drive the school run, and allowing themselves to accept help instead of performing strength The way cancer rearranged their bond but didn’t define it Lexie still sending outfit pics for approval, Penny still being the person everyone else orbits, and both of them now using their story to push other women towards early checks and being part of the strong community and event The  Mother’s Day Classic. If you’ve ever been the child trying to stay brave for a sick parent, or the parent editing your own fear so your kid can sleep, this one will feel uncomfortably, tenderly familiar Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing Lexie and Penny's story see more  Support and be apart of the Mothers Day Classic  Lexie Brantt Miss Universe Learn about the Mothers Day Classic    🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy Lexie and Penny and The Mothers Day Classic  Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min

  4. 5 APR

    You Know That “Head vs Heart” Choice? David and Lisa Campbell Actually Took It

    Have you ever talked yourself out of something big because it sounded “unrealistic” on paper new city, new partner, new life and then spent years wondering what might’ve happened if you’d just gone with your gut? In this episode of Love Stories hosted by our Deputy Editor Tiffany Dunk, David and Lisa Campbell rewind to the moment they met by chance in Melbourne him in a musical with Magda Szubanski, her in a serious UK theatre production—and let us into the slightly unhinged decision that followed: three weeks of knowing each other, then a one‑way ticket across the world. With Magda playing fairy godmother, an email about “crumbs off love’s table” that changed everything, and a Neighbours‑era Angry Anderson cameo, it’s the kind of meet‑cute that should not have worked…and yet somehow absolutely did. They talk honestly about what came after the rom‑com montage: visas, no career safety net, tiny apartments, call‑centre jobs, homesickness, therapy and the pressure of knowing “I moved countries for you, so we really need to get this right.” There’s the mafia‑movie Yum Cha where Lisa faces the full Barnes clan, the moment David realises he actually likes himself more with her in his life, and the years of parenting that followed twins included that felt, in their words, like being strapped into a rapids ride together, just adding more people to the boat. You’ll hear: The full story of how Magda Szubanski became their accidental Cupidand why an email from her pushed Lisa to fight for something her head had already written off. What it’s really like to throw in your whole life for love in your 20s, and how they handled the resentment, money stress and identity loss that followed. The therapy tools that stopped their early fights from derailing the relationship, and how they still use them 20 years and three kids later. The “audition” Lisa had to pass with Mahalia Barnes and a table of soul singers, and how the Barnes and Campbell families ended up holidaying and living side‑by‑side. How they’ve kept their relationship feeling like a whirlwind romance, even as life has become school runs, work trips and the chaos of a big, blended clan If you’ve ever wondered whether you should listen to your head or your heart, or if you’re in the middle of your own scary leap and need proof it can actually work out, this is your episode Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing check out their  Austenverse Podcast here Family life with Lisa and David Campbell   🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy Lisa and David Campbell    Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min

  5. 29 MAR

    Not 'Just a Dog': For Anyone's Who's Ever Built a Life Around A Pet

    In this episode of The Australian Women’s Weekly Love Stories, we’re talking about the kind of love that pads down the hallway on four legs and leaves a paw-shaped crater when it’s gone. 🐾💓You’ll meet Ryan Wilson, a former SAS soldier whose life was literally saved by a military dog named Fax during a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan, and whose heart was later held together by Kenny, the clumsy, grinning working dog who became his shadow for 15 years.  Ryan shares the moment Fax sensed danger on the wind, found the hidden fighters waiting to kill them, and paid for that instinct with his life.  He walks us through the ramp ceremony they gave Fax, just as they would any fallen soldier, and why he’s certain the death toll in Afghanistan would have been far higher without dogs like him.Back home, Ryan turns that shock into devotion, retraining as a dog handler and being paired with Kenny, a Belgian Malinois who bolts the first time he’s let off lead and later becomes the unit favourite the dog who runs into trees, matches Ryan’s clumsiness, and still gives 110% every time he works.  We follow Kenny into retirement on the couch and down to the beach, but also into the quiet, awful reality of a working dog’s body breaking down: spinal damage, failing back legs, and the moment Ryan has to admit the pain is too much.If you’ve ever stayed up all night on the floor beside a pet, convincing yourself a tiny mouthful of food means they’re “doing better,” this conversation will feel uncomfortably close.  Host Tiffany Dunk shares her own recent goodbye to her beloved cat, and together she and Ryan sit in that specific, complicated grief: wishing the animal would slip away in their sleep instead of forcing you to make the call, bargaining with the small wins, and then living with the decision long after the vet’s car has driven away.  Ryan talks about how he got through the day he let Kenny go inviting 15 old comrades over to his house, telling stories, having a drink, and putting Kenny to sleep at home, surrounded by the people who knew what he’d done and who he’d been.This episode also peels back the curtain on what a “life of service” really means for military dogs once the missions end.  Ryan explains why these dogs so often retire with serious injuries, how common PTSD is in canine veterans, and why handlers are suddenly left to shoulder eye‑watering vet bills completely alone.  Out of that injustice came Working Paws Australia, the charity Ryan co‑founded to pay for the surgeries, medications, and ongoing care retired working dogs need so handlers no longer have to choose between their mortgage and their best friend’s pain.  We hear about the dogs they’ve already helped, the families who were on the brink of financial freefall, and why simply listing each dog’s tours of duty on the Working Paws website feels like its own kind of honour roll.Through it all, this is a story about unconditional love in its purest, least performative form: the dog who greets you the same way whether you’re your best self or your worst, who jumps out of helicopters with you and sleeps at your child’s feet, who doesn’t ask for anything back.  Ryan reflects on what dogs can teach us about love that humans often can’t manage loyalty without conditions, presence without judgment, and the quiet insistence that you are worth showing up for, every single day.  And in the space Kenny has left, Ryan is pouring that love into his young daughter and into every retired working dog his charity can reach.If you’re listening with a dog at your feet, or still reaching for a pet who isn’t there anymore, this episode is for you.Moments You'll Hear:   A war story where the hero has four legs, not a medal.The private, unvarnished reality of deciding it’s time to say goodbye to a pet you can’t imagine your life without.How it feels when your grief for “just a dog” or “just a cat” is so big you hide it from social media—and why it deserves to be taken seriously. The creation of Working Paws Australia and the families they’ve already pulled back from the brink of losing both their home and their dog.A gentle, raw conversation about the ways love doesn’t end when a life does—it just has to find somewhere new to go. Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing Ryan's story find out more about the work he does with Working Paws and how you can support too.   🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy Ryan Wilson  Kenny, Armani and all of our four legged furry friends 🐾   Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min

  6. 22 MAR

    Get Yourself a Wife: Narelda Jacobs & Karina Natt on Motherhood and Making Their Own Rules

    Journalist and TV host Narelda Jacobs and her wife, political strategist Karina Natt, join Deputy Editor of the Australian Women's Weekly, Tiffany Dunk on the Love Stories couch to share the very modern, very tender story of how friendship across state lines became a marriage, a baby and a whole new way of living. From a chance meeting in the ABC Q+A green room, through late‑night five‑hour phone calls and a WorldPride first date, to Karina packing up her life in Adelaide for Sydney, they talk about choosing partnership when you’ve spent years insisting you don’t “need” anyone.They open up about the quiet at home proposal that left them both in tears, why the word “wife” still matters for queer couples navigating a world that often fails to see them as a family unit, and how they landed on their daughter Sanna’s name (and the surprisingly fraught decision of which surname comes last). They also reflect on their experience with an Aboriginal midwifery program, the gaps in post‑birth hospital care and what it showed them about advocacy, privilege and the women who don’t have the same voice.Now on extended parental leave together, Narelda and Karina share what it’s like to build a blended family with their known donor “Daddy Mitch”, why they wrote a satirical picture book about queer parenting, and how visibility can be both a responsibility and a joy. They talk candidly about shutting out online “expert” pressure, trusting that Karina is the expert on Sanna, and what they hope to teach their daughter about love, ego, independence and emotional intelligence.Moments You'll Hear:  How friendship between two “strong, independent women” became a long distance love story  WorldPride, phone calls and the moment they realised they couldn’t get through the day without each other   Moving states, supporting the Voice referendum roadshow and building a life as a team   The at‑home proposal, why “wifey” turned into “wife”, and the power of language for queer couples  Conceiving Sanna with their friend Mitch, choosing her name and negotiating surnames  The importance of culturally safe, queer inclusive maternity care    Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing Narelda and Katrina's story, you can follow him on Instagram and check out their new book:  Queers Weren't Meant To Have Kids - Book Narelda Jacobs website Narelda's Instagram  and Karina's Instagram 🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy Narelda, Karina and Baby Sanna ABC    Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min

  7. 18 MAR

    Bonus Episode: The Love Note Charmaine Caldwell Copied Into Every Journal for 16 Years

    Sensitive issues raised 💓 Love Notes bonus episode is part of our series of Love Stories -  short, quiet episodes from The Australian Women’s Weekly. With small reminders that love is something we practise, not just something that happens to us. In this Love Note, we sit with Charmaine Caldwell, CEO and founder of VIXIN and Deputy Editor Tiffany Dunk as she uncovers something special she calls her “why book”: a journal stuffed with handwritten messages from customers, friends, charities and, most of all, her son. She reads a note she wrote to herself 16 years ago a letter for the days when everything feels heavy, and quitting would be easier and explains why she carefully copies it into every new book she starts Charmaine talks about raising her son alone, walking through a decade of menopause “fog” while building a skincare brand for women who no longer recognise their own faces in the mirror, and the messages from customers that have kept her going including one woman with cancer who asked to be buried with her VIXIN products because they made her feel beautiful on her worst days. This is a 'Love Note' episode about the love we pour into other people and the love we’re still learning to offer ourselves: packing orders with intention, sticking Maya Angelou’s “they’ll never forget how you made them feel” on the warehouse wall, and trying, every day, to be kinder in the way we speak to ourselves than the world is. If you need a gentle reminder to keep going, or permission to start talking to yourself like someone you actually care about, this Love Note is for you.  Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories. Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 See More:  Menopause Symptoms No One's Talking About Naiomi Watts 'Menopause It's Not The End' If you loved hearing about Charmaine, you can follow her on Instagram and learn more about her products :  Learn More About Vixin VIXIN Instagram   🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Today’s episode is brought to you by VIXIN Beauty, high performance, Australian Made skincare built for real skin and real results. No complicated routines, no watered down formulas, just powerful actives that support your skin at every stage. Explore the range at vixin.com.au and enjoy up to 30% off bundles Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    13 min

  8. 15 MAR

    Dr Karl just gave us all a lesson in the science of love, lust and the decisions we make

    What if your armpit smell, your birth control, and a dying octopus all had something to say about your love life? In this episode of Love Stories with beloved Dr Karl Kruszelnicki - Australia’s loudest shirt and sharpest science brain we pull apart the chemistry, hormones and fascinating questions behind who we want, why we stay, and when we should absolutely run alongside Deputy Editor of the Australian Women's Weekly, Tiffany Dunk. We start with the body: menstrual cycles, the pill, and how shifting hormones can quietly reroute your attraction, your moods, and even how “into” your partner you feel. Then we go down the rabbit hole of smell - yes, your armpit funk and whether your odour is secretly swiping right on your behalf, nudging you toward someone whose immune system is a good match, or away from someone who suddenly just smells…not quite right for you. From there, it gets even more real. We ask if your “butterflies” are actually your gut‑brain axis hitting the panic button, and how your fight or flight reflex can make you do objectively unhinged things in the name of “love”. Dr Karl advises "never have sex with someone who has more problems than you" : a thesis, a warning, and a t‑shirt. Moments you'll hear: We talk lust versus love the hot infatuation you feel in the early “honeymoon” haze versus the slower chemistry of long term attachment and how to tell whether you’re addicted to the drama, or actually building something with a new partner. What happens after you come out of honeymoon mode and realise you’re in a real relationship with a real human who leaves dishes in the sink? How do you keep going when the dopamine drops.Along the way, Dr Karl brings one of the wildest animal stories you’ll ever hear: the octopus mother who quite literally self‑destructs after laying her eggs. Then we ask: what can human parents learn from this about burnout, personal 'tradeoffs', and the quiet ways our love for our kids evolves over time?Because this is 2026, we can’t not go there: AI and modern love. People are not just flirting with chatbots anymore; they are forming real feeling relationships and emotional affairs with coding. We pull apart the psychology and neuroscience of why humans can bond so intensely with an always available, never arguing, perfectly attentive AI – and the big uncomfortable question: are we actually falling in love with AI, or with a mirror of ourselves?All of it is filtered through Dr Karl’s signature true style as Australia's Favourite Science Dad - rigorous, effervescent scientific communication and our favourite thing on Love Stories: messy modern mysterious love. In this episode, we ask:Is your armpit smell helping you fall in love  or warning you off?Can stopping the pill really change whether you fancy your partner?  Why do you get butterflies in your stomach, and when should you ignore them?How does fight‑or‑flight make us do wild, sometimes self‑destructive things in relationships?  Are you in love or in lust, and how do you tell the difference when you’re in deep?  What actually keeps a relationship going after the honeymoon phase evaporates?What can an octopus’s hormone‑fuelled death spiral teach us about heartbreak and parental burnout? Can a mother not be genetically related to her child, and what does that do to our idea of “real” family?Can you really mend a broken heart, or do you just grow around itHow does your love for your kids change as they grow and can science help you be kinder?Are we actually falling in love with AI, and what does that say about us?If you’ve ever stayed with someone because the sex was great but everything else was chaos, wondered why your partner suddenly smells “off” when you come off the pill, or found yourself crying over a chatbot at 1am, this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with a new way to see love – as chemistry and choice, hormones and history....all stories you will absolutely tell at your next coffe catch up.    Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories.https://drkarl.com/ Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing Dr Karl, you can follow him on Instagram and listen to his podcast:  A Shirtload of Science: AI Episode A Periodic Tale Book    🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy Dr Karl  ABC    Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min

  9. 8 MAR

    A Recipe When Fame Finds an Ordinary Family: Julie Goodwin, Her Rock Mick, and the Cost of Holding It Together.

    Sensitive issues raised. 💓 Before she was the first winner of MasterChef Australia, Julie Goodwin was a 19‑year‑old girl on Pennant Hills Road, in a car with a quiet boy who loved rock music. The Angels came on, “I Just Want to Be With You” started to play, and somewhere between the traffic lights and the chorus, Mick casually said, “This’d be my song for you.” For Julie, that was it. Her heart locked on. “This is my person. In this episode of The Australian Women’s Weekly Love Stories with Deputy Editor Tiffany Dunk , we meet Julie and Mick not as TV talent and “the husband”, but as two teenagers who grew up together through youth‑group blanket drives, three babies under three, sickeningly tight finances and one life altering car accident that broke both of Mick’s legs and quietly cemented Julie’s love.  Then life does what it does. There’s the global juggernaut of MasterChef and the strange disorientation of fame strangers kissing Julie in the supermarket, overseas trips, new opportunities and the pressure of becoming a “public person” overnight. There’s the reality of raising three boys while money was so tight that beer and pizza with friends feels like unthinkable luxury, and the dawning recognition that “the best cuisine comes from poverty” because you learn to make magic out of whatever is in the pantry. And then there is the crash you didn’t see on TV: the years of unrelenting standards, perfectionism and deepening mental ill‑health that Julie became expert at hiding – even from the man she calls her best friend. “I think my best energy was put towards making sure he didn’t know how bad I was,” she says. “He’s the person I wanted to let down the least, which of course means he’s the person I let down the most.” Mick speaks quietly about the guilt of not seeing, the anger at himself, and the moment he realised there was something much bigger happening than being “a bit stressed” Together, they talk about breakdown, hospitalisation, shame that “dies in daylight”, and the long, work it took of building a life back up, as a series of daily choices to stay, to love and listen and to sit in pain with someone you are devoted to. They describe their marriage as shoulder‑to‑shoulder, facing outwards: sometimes pulling in opposite directions, often resetting to remember that they still want the same point on the map. Along the way there are grandparent fart jokes, volunteer shifts in homeless kitchens, a caravan they’re restoring, and a promise to aim for 60 years together. What makes this conversation so affecting is not just what they’ve survived, but how ordinary it all feels  a love story that moves from school‑captain youth group meetings to national fame to ICU waiting rooms and back again, without ever losing the thread of “we”. Julie says she plans to keep falling in love with every iteration of Mick that comes next. Mick says this is simply “the life we signed up for”  the rollercoaster they agreed to ride, side by side If you’ve ever loved someone through a hard season, hidden your own unraveling from the person you trust most, or wondered how couples actually stay together when life goes sideways, this episode has something to say to you.    Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   For support: Contact https://www.lifeline.org.au/ free of charge 13 11 14 What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories. Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing Julie, you can follow her on Instagram and read her book:  Your Time Starts Now    available now wherever you get your books.  Julie’s Tour dates and locations Julie Goodwin website   🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our new home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min

  10. 1 MAR

    From Supermodel Runways To Real Life. How Samantha Harris Found Her Forever Love

    There’s nothing quite like that giddy the rush of first love. But while not every first romance will last the distance, for Samantha Harris her first love became her husband… and now the father of her newly arrived baby daughter Bella. In this intimate conversation with Love Stories host Tiffany Dunk – deputy editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly – new mum Sam talks to her journey from shy small-town teen to international supermodel to the latest member of the new mum club, with the sleepless nights, self-doubt and reflection that come along with that ride. This episode marks an exciting new chapter for The Australian Women’s Weekly as it steps beyond the page and the screen and into your ears, with stories now living across socials, the website, and this new podcast. It’s the same warm storytelling you know, now designed for your commute, your kitchen bench, and those late-night scrolls. Moments you’ll hear: The thrilling moment that, after months of disappointment, a pregnancy test finally “lit up like a Christmas tree” and began a whole new chapter for Samantha and her little family. Sam relives the moment the first boy she ever dated asked her out, her thrill at received her first Valentine’s Day rose and the low-key Maccas and KFC dates that fuelled her young relationship. Grab your tissue box as Sam reveals the heartbreaking loss that inspired her daughter’s special name. As sleepless nights set in, Sam unflinchingly talks about her new mum uncertainty, what sustains her and what she wants others in the same situation to know. And she talks about the importance of keeping your spark alive – an Listen now for a sweet and relatable journey of a girl who grew up in front of our eyes learning how to raise a daughter of her own – and keep her spark along the way. Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories. Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing from Sam, you can follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sam_harris Sam has written a memoir with her mother, Myrna Davison. Role Model: Taking up pace in the fashion world is available now wherever you get your books.    🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our new home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min

  11. 22 FEB

    Jessica Rowe and Peter Overton: The Pussycat, The Newsman and The Case For Why Opposites Attract

    Love stories rarely look this cinematic in real life, but Jessica Rowe and Pete Overton make a strong case for the romcoms they both adore. In this intimate new conversation with host Tiffany Dunk Deputy Editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly, the long time couple pull back the curtain on 22 years of marriage, IVF heartbreak and joy, teenage daughters, rescue pets, and the small daily rituals that keep their love stubbornly, gloriously alive.  This episode marks an exciting new chapter for The Australian Women’s Weekly as it steps beyond the page and the screen and into your ears, with stories now living across socials, the website, and this new podcast. It’s the same warm storytelling you know, now designed for your commute, your kitchen bench, and those late night scrolls.  🎧Moments you’ll hear:   From a work experience crush at Channel Nine to a Logies night almost‑miss, Jess and Pete trace the slow burn origin story that became a lifelong partnership.  They relive the phone call that changed everything, when Jess decided to break the rules and ask him out herself  and why they now tell young women (and men) to “pick up the phone” and risk the yes.  Their wedding was unapologetically cat coded: a Tom Jones bridal waltz to “What’s New Pussycat,” feline themed cake, and cat cupcakes for guests.  Jess shares the raw reality of IVF  the repeated attempts, the car park phone call when “third time lucky” didn’t happen, and the Milan hotel room moment when Pete finally heard, “You’re going to be a father.  Pete reveals the story that broke his on‑air composure the murder of Hannah Clarke and her daughters and what it taught him about letting the audience see his humanity  Listen for a tender, funny, quietly radical love story  and a very Australian reminder that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is make the call, say the thing, pour the coffee and share an honest  conversation.     Thank you for listening ❤️  before you leave...  🗣️ Get in touch   What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.auEmail us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories. Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription  👈🏽 If you loved hearing from Jess, follow her on Instagram or listen to The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show podcast.  Peter presents Nine News Sydney nightly at 6pm https://www.9news.com.au/sydney    👀 See more  The Ying and Yang of Jessica Rowe and Peter Overtons relationship Putting Yourself First  Welcome to the Australian Women's Weekly Love Stories Podcast   🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our new home:  Vixin  real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy.   Credits:  Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace  Production by Thomas Crnkovic   Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team   Learn More: Womens Weekly Website        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min

  12. TRAILER

    Introducing The Australian Women's Weekly "Love Stories"

    What’s your love language? The Australian Women's Weekly Love Stories is for the chronically curious about the strongest of our emotions. Hosted by Tiffany Dunk, this podcast swaps cliché romcom endings for real, messy, magnetic connections told by unforgettable voices from The Australian Women’s Weekly universe. From lifelong mateship to unexpected soulmates to finding love both within and beyond yourself, Love Stories is intimate, surprising and quietly empowering. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 min

Trailer

About

What’s your love language? The Australian Women's Weekly Love Stories is for the chronically curious about the strongest of our emotions. Hosted by Tiffany Dunk, this podcast swaps cliché romcom endings for real, messy, magnetic connections told by unforgettable voices from The Australian Women’s Weekly universe. From lifelong mateship to unexpected soulmates to finding love both within and beyond yourself, Love Stories is intimate, surprising and quietly empowering.

Information

  • Channel
    Are Media
  • Creator
    The Australian Women's Weekly
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Love Stories

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