When the f**k did I become old?

Jo Parker
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  • Mental Health
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When the F**k Did I Become Old? is the no-holds-barred podcast for everyone over 55 who is done being invisible. Co-hosted by Jo Parker and her partner Kev Stockbridge, this is real talk about ageing from 55 onwards. With humour, honesty and a healthy dose of profanity, Jo and Kev tackle everything from hot flushes and shit sleep to grief, reinvention, sex after 55 and dating in later life. Plus menopause, loneliness, retirement, mental health and the art of staying visible when society wants you to disappear. If you’re over 55 and feel like life is shifting fast physically, emotionally, financially and nobody’s talking about it properly, this is your podcast. Each episode blends Jo and Kev’s raw reflections with unfiltered conversations from guests who have lived a little (and learned a lot). Jo and Kev’s mission? To break the silence around ageing, smash the stereotypes and make getting older something we can laugh at, cry through and fully own….together. It’s ageing, without the airbrushing   Season 1 - The Journney Begins... Season 2 - The Search for a Co-Host Season 3 - A new Co-Host; my partner Kev Stockbridge Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify   Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/whenthefkdidibecomeold/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WhenthefkdidIbecomeold/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@whenthefkdid_i_becomeold YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@WhentheFdidIbecomeold Email us whenthefkdidibecomeold@gmail.com  

  1. 2d ago

    A New Man in Number 10 - What Difference Does it Make...to me!

    Britain has a new Prime Minister. Andy Burnham walked into Number 10 on Monday 20 July, making him the seventh PM in a decade. We recorded this on his first day in office, so some of this may already be history by the time you're listening. We break down what his first 24 hours actually looks like behind the scenes, and then get into the financial policies being floated that could hit our wallets hard. Key Takeaways The first day as PM is far more dramatic than anyone tells you. Before lunch, Burnham had to handwrite four letters of last resort for Trident submarine commanders and draw up a nuclear bunker shortlist. The mansion tax threshold may drop from £2m to £1.5m, which would pull in 146,000 more London homes almost immediately. Inheritance tax could be scrapped and replaced with a health and social care levy. We still do not know whether that would leave us better or worse off. The 25% tax-free pension withdrawal remains in play as a target. It was nearly cut to £100k under Reeves and could be on the table again. The triple lock on the state pension looks safe for now, but the OECD is already pressuring the government to reform it given an ageing population. Mortgage holders on fixed rates expiring soon are facing a painful jump. We are personally looking at a fivefold increase when our 1.4% fix ends in six weeks. Annuity rates are the best they have been in a decade. Legal and General were quoting 7.37% last week for a 65-year-old, which makes them worth looking at again. The honest advice: do not panic, and do not make big financial moves until the autumn budget lands in November. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and context: why we recorded on day one 02:30 The James Bond schedule: nuclear briefing, letters of last resort, bunker shortlist 07:18 Setting up Number 10 North and the Manchester security problem 09:38 Mansion tax: the £1.5m threshold and what it means for the housing market 12:00 Inheritance tax: scrapping it and the social care levy alternative 14:20 Income tax thresholds and a possible wealth tax 16:47 Stamp duty, council tax reform, and the north/south divide 19:04 State pension, the triple lock, and OECD pressure 21:28 Private pensions: the 25% tax-free cash withdrawal and what might change 23:49 Interest rates rising and our very personal mortgage problem 26:17 Annuities: why we are suddenly paying attention 28:36 Final thoughts: hold steady until the budget

  2. Jul 16

    I Know What You Did Last Summer Part 2 - Trains, Cars, Bikes & Boats

    In this episode we pick up where we left off on our epic French road trip, covering everything from a stolen jumpsuit and a runaway camera, to an Aston Martin covered in warning lights and gale force winds on the Harley. We also open up about a major life change that landed the day before we left for holiday and what it means for the next chapter. Key TakeawaysHolidays rarely go to plan and the chaos is often what makes the story worth telling.A packed itinerary can feel like several holidays in one, but it comes at the cost of rest.Overbooking dinners (even brilliant ones) can leave you needing to slow down halfway through a trip.Redundancy hits differently depending on your age and stage of life. What felt manageable in your 30s and 40s feels far heavier as retirement age approaches.Even when you've been mentally preparing for a life transition for years, the reality of it still catches you off guard.Many close friendships form through work, so a career ending can quietly reshape your social circle. It's worth thinking early about which relationships you want to carry forward.Planning for retirement isn't just financial. It's emotional too, and it's worth asking what you want your time, purpose and relationships to look like next.Timestamps00:00 – Recap of the trip so far: Aston Martin to the south of France, collecting the Harley, days of motorbike touring, and a boat trip to the Porquerolles islands 01:00 – The missing jumpsuit saga: an alterations shop mix up, a stranger walking off with it, and a promise to replace it 04:00 – The Insta360 camera disaster: it falls off the bike and gets run over 05:30 – The Aston Martin's rocky return from the garage: a cracked windscreen, warning lights, and a locked door drama in a car park 07:30 – A last minute scare when the booked Harley is involved in an accident before pickup 09:00 – Reflecting on an ambitious route with long driving days and constant movement 11:30 – Extreme weather on the bike: sudden rain and dangerously strong winds 13:00 – Too many booked dinners and the reality of five course meals night after night 14:00 – Highlights from the route: Saint-Rémy de Provence, Fréjus, Bandol, and more 16:00 – Arriving at the villa and finally slowing the pace down 18:00 – A luxury dinner at a hotel used as a filming location for a well known TV series 19:30 – Sharing the news of redundancy the day before the holiday began 21:00 – Looking back on previous redundancies at different ages and why this one feels different 23:30 – Thinking about retirement after a 39 year career and the habits that come with it 24:30 – A book on early retirement and a favourite quote about designing a more deliberate life 26:00 – A discussion on friendships built through work and how they can shift after retirement 29:00 – What retirement might mean for time spent together versus time spent apart 30:00 – Wrapping up and looking ahead to future episodes on this journey

  3. Jul 9

    Old is cancelled - The Ageing Myths, Money and Marketing Special

    About This EpisodeBy 2050, 2.1 billion people on Earth will be over 60. That is one in four humans globally, and one in three in Europe and North America. So what does that actually mean for how we live, how we are perceived, and how brands are (badly) trying to sell to us? In this episode we dig into some genuinely surprising survey data on aging stereotypes, generational attitudes, and the enormous economic power that the over-55 cohort holds -- power that marketers are largely still failing to tap into. Key TakeawaysEvery generation thinks "old" starts just far enough away from their current age to feel safe -- Gen Z puts it at 61, boomers put it at 72Boomers are statistically more progressive on gender roles and trans rights than Gen Z males, which runs completely counter to the narrative we are fedOnly 8% of global ads feature a mature adult in a primary role, and when they do, it tends to be elasticated trousers, funeral plans, or Saga cruisesOver-55s are highly brand loyal and driven by quality, customer service, and peer reviews -- not advertisingThe silver economy is worth $330 billion now and heading to $680 billion by 2035, yet brands are still largely ignoring itRetirement is no longer a single life stage -- researchers are now segmenting older adults into four behavioural tribes: Simple Contentment, Strivers, Strugglers, and Chill IndulgenceTimestamps00:09 – Opening stat: 2.1 billion people over 60 by 2050 00:45 – When did you first think someone was "old"? And when do you think it starts now? 03:30 – The Ipsos Attitudes to Aging survey: 24,000 people, 32 countries, and what each generation actually said 05:30 – Millennials think old age starts at 65; Gen Z puts it at 61 06:30 – No age is too old to get married or start a degree -- what the data says about perceived capability 08:00 – What would you still be doing at 80? Driving, mobility, and why stopping the car shrinks your world 11:56 – Exercising into your 80s and what functional fitness actually looks like 13:00 – The Silver Marketing Association survey and a preview of their July report 14:20 – AI and technology: older adults are less scared of it than younger generations 15:30 – The gender roles surprise: boomers more supportive of stay-at-home dads than Gen Z males 18:40 – The Andrew Tate manosphere effect and what it might be doing to Gen Z survey data 20:00 – If you had to work until 70, what would you do? (Record shop gets a mention) 22:30 – The silver economy: $330 billion now, $680 billion by 2035 24:42 – The midlife men and brands survey: how over-55 males actually make purchasing decisions 27:03 – Only 1.5% of TV characters are over 65, and 92% of ads cast younger adults 29:26 – Brand loyalty, what makes men switch, and why customer service matters so much 31:47 – Why retirement is no longer one life stage and age is a poor segmentation tool 33:30 – The four tribes of the silver economy: Simple Contentment, Strivers, Strugglers, and Chill Indulgence -- which one are you? https://www.ipsos.com/en/ipsos-generations-report-2025 https://www.ipsos.com/en/golden-years-golden-opportunities https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/ipsos-ai-monitor-2024

  4. Jul 2

    Stop Scrolling, Start Living: How Behavioural Intelligence Could Change How You Age

    Jo sits down with entrepreneur and behavioural intelligence expert Daniel Akutt, who just a year ago was exhausted, foggy, and feeling like life was passing him by. He shares the turning point that changed everything, and reveals the tool he is building with us to help people stop drowning in health information and start making decisions that actually work for them. Key Takeaways Chronic stress can masquerade as hormonal or age-related decline. Brain fog, physical fatigue, and poor sleep are often signs of years of accumulated stress rather than simply getting older.Nobody is coming to save you. Change only happened for Daniel when he stopped waiting and started creating the conditions for it, beginning with a spontaneous 30-minute meditation in Bali inspired by Dr Joe Dispenza.The world does not have an information problem, it has an understanding problem. We are bombarded constantly, but rarely given tools to filter what is actually relevant to us personally.Social media is not relaxation. Scrolling feels passive but it is controlled, addictive, and designed to keep you buying. Becoming conscious of that is the first step to taking back control.Personality shapes your health journey. Two people given the same health plan will get different results if it does not account for how they individually think, make decisions, and stay motivated.We are building a diagnostic tool together rooted in behavioural intelligence that creates a personalised health roadmap based on who you are, not just what you should do.Meditation gave Daniel the answer to a business problem he could not crack logically. Quieting the mind creates space for solutions that thinking harder never will.Timestamps 00:09 Introduction and how Daniel felt a year ago 01:15 Chronic stress, brain fog and waking up exhausted 02:30 Realising nobody is coming to save you 04:41 The Bali moment and discovering Dr Joe Dispenza 06:10 Jo's experience at a Joe Dispenza retreat in Dallas 08:00 Heart rate, measurement and the value of meditation 09:30 The world's information problem vs understanding problem 11:00 How social media controls what you see and why 13:00 Introducing profiletest.ai and behavioural intelligence 16:30 The frightening reality of ill health in later life 17:15 The diagnostic tool we are building together 21:00 Why personalised pathways beat generic advice 24:00 Measuring progress and predicting outcomes over time 26:30 Social media as false relaxation and the dopamine trap 29:00 How meditation unlocked a major business breakthrough 31:00 What is coming next and where to follow the podcast

  5. Jun 25

    I Know What You Did Last Summer (Part One)

    Episode: South of France Special | Part One About This EpisodeWe are officially in pre-holiday mode and could not be more excited. In this episode, we walk you through our upcoming three-stage South of France adventure — a proper bucket list trip involving an Aston Martin, a Harley Davidson, lavender fields, Michelin-level dining, and a villa with views that go both ways across the peninsula. We cover the full itinerary, the five things we are each most looking forward to, and the challenges (some of them genuinely stressful) we have had to navigate just to get here. Key TakeawaysSometimes you have to stop waiting for the "right time" and just do the thing — especially when funerals start reminding you that rainy days are not guaranteedPacking for three completely different modes of travel (sports car, motorbike, villa) in one trip is a logistical challenge nobody warns you aboutA golf ball through the rear window of an Aston Martin, handled by the wrong windscreen company, can spiral into a two-month ordeal and a Skoda Fabia as a courtesy carThe "I've got nothing to wear" crisis hits differently when your entire wardrobe has to fit in a motorcycle pannierTaking your partner to places you have only ever been to with your mates is both exciting and slightly terrifyingTimestamps00:10 – Introduction and why we are calling this Part One 00:45 – The three-stage holiday overview: Aston Martin road trip, Harley Davidson tour, villa wind-down 01:30 – Bucket list thinking: do it now before the runway runs out 02:32 – Full itinerary breakdown: Folkestone to Burgundy, Provence, Gorges du Verdon, lavender fields, Isle sur la Sorgue, Bandol, and the villa near Saint-Tropez 09:33 – Day one detail: the Eurotunnel, EES nerves, and the long haul south 12:01 – First day on the Harley: Whispering Angel vineyard, Gorges du Verdon, and 38-degree heat in bike gear 16:39 – Call to action: please like, follow, subscribe and share 17:30 – Top five things we are each most looking forward to: meals, unique activities, places, views, surprises, and the wind-down 23:34 – Chateau de la Massadier, Matsuhisa restaurant, and why this venue is about to be very famous (White Lotus fans, take note) 26:00 – The Chateau Leoub discovery: Daylesford, a coffee table book, and a beach club lunch that became a must-do 29:00 – Pre-holiday wardrobe crises, packing in miniature, and the bikini vs swimsuit debate 32:59 – The golf ball incident: how a shattered rear window nearly derailed the entire trip 35:30 – Wrap-up and what to expect in Part Two when we report back on whether it all lived up to the hype

  6. Jun 18

    What No Glasto? The Search For Lost Music Venues

    Glastonbury is on a fallow year, so we take a trip down memory lane through the festivals and venues that shaped our musical lives. We also visit the V&A's new exhibition on lost music venues, which turns out to be more bittersweet than expected. Key Takeaways 25% of late night venues in the UK closed between 2020 and 2025, largely in the wake of COVIDThe V&A's Lost Music Venues exhibition (on until summer 2027, second floor) celebrates 50 significant UK venues that are gone foreverSeveral iconic London venues including the Astoria, LA2 and the Borderline were lost to the Elizabeth line developmentFestival lineups from the late 90s and early 2000s were genuinely extraordinary compared to todayThe Somerset area around Frome, Bruton and Pilton is seeing a revival of smaller, intimate gig venuesThe best way to do a festival? Five-star hotel or a rock star motorhome. Camping is optional.Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction: Glastonbury's fallow year explained02:32 - The V&A Lost Music Venues exhibition03:30 - The Astoria, Borderline and venues lost to the Elizabeth line04:00 - Brixton Academy, Simon Parkes and being filmed in a Frankie Goes to Hollywood video08:00 - Sydney in the 80s: intimate venues and celebrity encounters10:30 - Hammersmith Palais and Knebworth 1986 (Queen, Big Country, Status Quo)13:00 - Glastonbury 1987: sneaking in through farmers' fields, a police roadblock and a friend who later became a vicar19:00 - V Festival 1997: an insane two-day lineup and a snoring tent companion21:00 - Rock en Seine, Paris: the bougie festival experience done right25:30 - V Festival 2002 stag do: Fatboy Slim and Zoe Ball's Glastonbury motorhome29:30 - Reading Festival 2002: one song into the Foo Fighters and a tactical retreat33:00 - The Somerset venue revival and upcoming Jo Whiley gig in Frome

  7. Jun 11

    Netflix & Chill - What We Are Really Watching This Summer

    What are we watching this summer? We break down four upcoming and current series worth getting excited about, all featuring actors squarely in our generation, and all landing on streaming platforms between now and autumn. Key Takeaways Rivals (Disney+) is the nostalgic 80s romp we didn't know we needed, with a killer soundtrack and a Waitrose food collab to matchAlice and Steve (Disney+) tackles age gap relationships with award-winning credentials before it even landsTed Lasso Season 4 (Apple TV+) is back with a feel-good twist, this time centred around a women's squadRide or Die (Amazon Prime, 15 July) sees Hannah Waddingham go full action hero, and it sparked a streaming platform bidding war Timestamps 00:09 - Introduction and what inspired today's episode 01:00 - Rivals (Disney+): overview, cast and 80s nostalgia 05:00 - The Rivals soundtrack, brand partnerships and Waitrose collab 07:30 - Characters we love in Rivals, fashions we did (and didn't) wear 11:30 - Alice and Steve (Disney+): plot, cast and why we're excited 14:00 - Who is Jermaine Clement? Flight of the Conchords and What We Do in the Shadows 16:30 - Age gap relationships and why this show goes there 17:30 - Please like, follow and subscribe! And tell us what you're watching 18:10 - Ted Lasso Season 4 (Apple TV+): the women's squad twist, cast and big unanswered questions 22:30 - Ride or Die (Amazon Prime): Hannah Waddingham as an international spy, Bill Nighy guest stars, out 15 July If there is a series you think we have missed, drop us a message and tell us what you are watching and why you love it. Find us on Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Audible and YouTube.

  8. Jun 4

    Why You're Not Sleeping (It's Probably Not Your HRT): A Deep Dive with Hormone Geek Kate Thompson

    Jo finally gets answers about her chronic sleep issues and it's not what she (or most women) would expect. Hormone and nutrition specialist Kate Thompson joins to unpack why so many midlife women are misdiagnosed, overtreated for oestrogen, and completely missing the real culprit: cortisol burnout. From the Dutch test to dopamine depletion, this episode connects dots that most GPs simply don't have time to. Key Takeaways: Sleep problems in midlife aren't always hormonal. Chronic high cortisol can suppress melatonin and tank your neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin) long before your HRT needs adjustingThe Dutch test (dried urine comprehensive hormone panel) reveals cortisol patterns, neurotransmitter impact and sex hormones together, giving a far clearer picture than standard blood workHigh-intensity evening exercise spikes cortisol right when your body needs to wind down. Swap it for strength training or yogaYour first hour after waking matters: skip immediate coffee, get natural light and eat before you exerciseProgesterone is chronically underprescribed in the UK. Low progesterone means low GABA, which means an overactive brain at 3amFatty liver disease affects an estimated 70% of midlife people and largely goes undiagnosed. Ask for markers at your next blood test or request a look during any abdominal ultrasoundWomen spend roughly 25% of their lives in poor health. Decisions made in your 40s and 50s directly shape your health spanTimestamps: 00:09 Introducing Kate Thompson, the Hormone Geek01:10 Kate's backstory: city career, fertility, perimenopause, and retraining02:24 What a first consultation looks like; why women present with weight gain but leave with a fuller picture03:30 The Dutch test explained: cortisol, sex hormones, and neurotransmitters in one panel04:45 Jo's case: blood sugar monitor ruled out, Dutch test ordered05:45 What Jo's results actually showed (spoiler: it wasn't the HRT)07:20 Progesterone, GABA and the 3am wide-awake brain09:16 Four weeks in: real-world results amid a genuinely stressful period13:00 Why midlife changes everything: oestrogen drop, visceral fat, cortisol receptors, muscle mass14:10 A male CEO case study: what late-stage burnout actually looks like16:00 The exercise problem: why HIIT addicts are often the most cortisol-depleted17:30 Strength training for women and men: testosterone, decision-making, and longevity18:32 Success stories and the 12-week programme philosophy19:45 Simple morning habits: light, smoothie, then coffee; no phone as your first screen21:30 Evening routine: dimmed lights, early eating, no late cardio23:09 8,000 steps and why walking without your phone is stress medicine25:00 The Diet Coke trap: why artificial sweetness makes you crave the real thing26:00 New research on food texture and post-lunch sugar cravings28:00 Longevity vs health span: women live longer but spend more years unwell29:30 Fatty liver disease: the silent midlife epidemic and how to check for it https://www.instagram.com/thehormonegeek/ https://www.thehormonegeek.co.uk/

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About

When the F**k Did I Become Old? is the no-holds-barred podcast for everyone over 55 who is done being invisible. Co-hosted by Jo Parker and her partner Kev Stockbridge, this is real talk about ageing from 55 onwards. With humour, honesty and a healthy dose of profanity, Jo and Kev tackle everything from hot flushes and shit sleep to grief, reinvention, sex after 55 and dating in later life. Plus menopause, loneliness, retirement, mental health and the art of staying visible when society wants you to disappear. If you’re over 55 and feel like life is shifting fast physically, emotionally, financially and nobody’s talking about it properly, this is your podcast. Each episode blends Jo and Kev’s raw reflections with unfiltered conversations from guests who have lived a little (and learned a lot). Jo and Kev’s mission? To break the silence around ageing, smash the stereotypes and make getting older something we can laugh at, cry through and fully own….together. It’s ageing, without the airbrushing   Season 1 - The Journney Begins... Season 2 - The Search for a Co-Host Season 3 - A new Co-Host; my partner Kev Stockbridge Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify   Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/whenthefkdidibecomeold/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WhenthefkdidIbecomeold/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@whenthefkdid_i_becomeold YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@WhentheFdidIbecomeold Email us whenthefkdidibecomeold@gmail.com  

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