The Next Chapter by Ellie Barker Ellie Barker

What is it really like in the world of celebrity?

Lisa has always loved learning about people  - she has been, in her own words ‘nosy’ since she was a child. It was this curiosity which took her to journalism and eventually to be the Editor-in-Chief at OK magazine for ten years.

She has partied with the Beckhams, she was also with Katie Price when she married Peter Andre. She’s been on a boat with George Clooney & Brad Pitt and has spent time with Prince William. She has in other words, been behind the scenes and seen it all.

But when the world of celebrity began to change (and not in a good way, she explains), Lisa began to feel it was time to do something else. She also suffered personal heartbreak and then had her own diagnosis to deal with – so she moved from London back to her roots in York.

Lisa now runs her own PR consultancy looking after high-end brands like The Ivy restaurants. But she’s also a screenwriter and is bringing the stories of inspiring, historical women we’ve hardly heard of, back to life. Her love of learning about people continues.

Lisa is also writing a series on one of the greatest historical mysteries of all time, what happened to the Princes in the Tower? The project - called The Cold King - will be based on the theory that King Edward V was secretly sent to Coldridge in Devon.

Lisa is very open, honest and brave in this conversation – we cover all sides of life - and do be warned we touch on some very difficult parts too. But Lisa believes we have to take these tough times and use them to help drive us into our Next Chapters. She believes we are all capable of creating our dreams and the only person standing in our way is us.



To learn more about Lisa's work you can find her here: https://www.lisabyrnepr.com/



To learn more about our charitable partners Empire Fighting Chance you can find them here: https://empirefightingchance.org/



And to sign up to my weekly-ish notes (and I'd love that) you can find me and my books here: https://www.elliebarkerwrites.com/

Graham had what he describes as a ‘casual relationship’ with university, but then again, Graham has always done things ‘slightly differently.’ His jobs have included organising snowboarding events while living in the French Alps, working on the Boomtown Festival in Winchester and  being co-founder and Managing director of Wake The Tiger – the world’s first amazement park, based in Bristol which attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world.

So, what is an amazement park and how do you get millions of pounds of investment when you can’t even explain what it is? And, how do you do all this when there is a global pandemic happening too? Some may say it would be impossible – Graham has a different story.

He believes it all comes down to how much we believe in what we’re doing.  He tells us how he copes with rejection and gets back up time and time again – plus he gives the real story of how Wake The Tiger got it’s name.

Graham’s story shows what really is possible –  he believes anyone can achieve anything and we don’t have to always follow the rules.  But he also says it always helps if we’ve got some wonderful people by our side.

Joanna Toye grew up as an only child surrounded by adults - and she wonders if this is what gave her her love for stories. She’s spent her whole career telling them. She worked for decades as a scriptwriter & producer for Radio 4’s The Archers, as well as other treasures like Crossroads and EastEnders.

But then there was a twist in her own story, and Joanna decided it was time to create her own world - one which suited her and her family. A trip to an exhibition changed everything and she began writing historical saga novels.

In this conversation Joanna tells us what it’s really like to be a writer of some of the biggest storylines on our biggest soaps (it’s fascinating, I promise!). We discuss what happens when real-life doesn’t go to plan, plus we discover the inside truth of a story involving EastEnders, Dot Cotton and her recycling.. (cue EastEnder DOOF, DOOF, DOOF, DOOFs).

Joanna is open about her own fears and wobbles and she really is a wonderful storyteller. She believes there’s no such thing as failure. She also believes we must find a way to be true ourselves because this is what gives us the power to create a world truly meant for us. 



To learn more about Joanna and her books you can find her at : https://www.facebook.com/joannatoyewriter/?locale=en_GB



To discover more about the work of the boxing charity Empire Fighting Chance you can click here: https://empirefightingchance.org/



And I'd love for you to join my mailing list so we can keep in touch with more of these conversations (and my books too) you can find me here: https://www.elliebarkerwrites.com/

(Go on... I know you want to) 

Ruby developed a love for make-up when, as a child, she’d watch her mum dress up for cocktail evenings and dinners where they lived in Nigeria. She later had pictures of models (not pop stars) on her wall – but back then she
thought she’d be a doctor, just like her dad.

A chance encounter changed everything. Ruby went on to become a leading make-up artist working with supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and
Cindy Crawford. She began her own groundbreaking make-up brand ‘Ruby & Millie’ with her friend and business partner, Millie - which was sold in Boots.
Then, in 2007 Ruby received an MBE for services to the cosmetics industry.

You could say Ruby had done more than enough. But after some time out after the passing of her beloved mum – she knew, deep down, she had another Next Chapter - so she launched ‘Ruby Hammer Beauty.’ Ruby believes we should never have any regrets.

I remember watching Ruby on television when I was a teenager. The Clothes Show cheered Sunday afternoons and I always watched Ruby in awe. She was so cool, poised and oozed glamour. I couldn’t quite believe it when she agreed to come on my podcast – but this is who Ruby is – kind, generous, supportive and a big believer in the power of the Next Chapter. She is so full of energy, hope
and a love of life, I hope you’ll find this conversation a tonic for the soul.

To learn more about Ruby you can find her here:  https://rubyhammer.com/

And just in case you were wondering you can find me and my books here: https://www.elliebarkerwrites.com/bookshop

Nick Hounsfield cannot fail to inspire. He trained as an osteopath and set up the wonderful Family Practice with his wife Juliana, in Bristol. Some would say this was already a big enough dream. But a life-changing event and a Eureka moment gave Nick a vision he could not ignore. He thought it would take two years to build a surfing lake in Bristol. It took ten years and more than twenty-six million pounds. But despite the hurdles, the twists and the turns, nothing stopped him and this vision is now a real destination, visited by people from all over the globe.



Nick speaks honestly and bravely about his Next Chapter and how another life-changing event nearly threatened it all. But Nick shows how vision, determination and his six week optimism window has given him a life he and his family love and a place for thousands to enjoy.

One simple conversation and the story which would become one of our biggest musicals and Hollywood films of all time was born.



It all started for Catherine when she worked in her local record shop in Yate, S. Gloucs



Catherine believes we can all live the dreams meant for us - so long as we learn not to listen to that niggling voice.



This episode is brought in partnership with the boxing charity Empire Fighting Chance



And in case you wanted to find out more about me and my books I'm right here !