This Girl Is On Fire

Andrea McLean

Welcome to the This Girl Is On Fire podcast, where I bring you conversations with women who have one thing in common - they are on fire! You will hear how they got to where they are in life, how thinking differently about their circumstances helped them - whether that was to overcome hardship, discover their calling or achieve success. You will also hear what their greatest life lesson has been, what their definition of living is and how they feel when they are truly thriving. These women all know exactly what they need to do to Get Brave, Get Confident and Get Going! Who am I: For over two decades I worked as a national Daytime Television broadcaster in the UK. Then, in 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, I decided to jump… I quit my job as the longest serving host of a multi-award-winning TV show to focus on doing what I love - helping women around the world Think Differently about themselves, their circumstances and the challenges that life throws at each and every one of us. I’m the Sunday Times Best Selling author and co-founder of This Girl Is On Fire, and the creator of life-changing personal development courses, motivational talks and inspirational interviews. If you heard something today and it made you think of a friend or someone you love - click like, and pass it on! It all really helps us to help women everywhere like you to get brave, get confident and get going. Click subscribe to hear more great episodes, just like this one. I’ll see you next time. Links: https://andreamclean.com/ Andrea McLean Instagram

  1. 05/02/2023

    Kelly Bryan

    Kelle Bryan has worked in the entertainment industry for over two decades – something that her 11 year-old self would be pretty pleased with, as she decided at that young age that entertainment – acting, singing, dancing and presenting - was the career she wanted to be known for.  Kelle grew up in London, an only child of working-class parents with a strong work ethic and positive, but realistic mindset that they ingrained in their daughter. Kelle learned she had to ‘think differently’ from a young age, through experiencing repeated racism, classism and bullying. She gained a scholarship to attend the prestigious Italia Conti Stage School in Central London, where the trajectory of her life changed forever. She bonded with and became best friends with a young Louise Nurding (who went on to become Louise Redknapp), a South London girl also attending stage school on a scholarship. One night out clubbing in London, the girls were approached by a record producer who said he was putting a girl band together. The two teenagers went on to become part of Eternal, one of Britain’s most successful R&B bands. Their debut album became the first album by a girl group in the UK to sell over a million copies. They went on to sell over ten million records, embarking on four world tours and even singing for Pope John Paul II. Since leaving the band, Kelle has gone to have a successful career as a singer, a West End star, an actress in television and film, and launched her own talent agency Advocate, where she nurtures and represents actors and actresses from stage and screen. Kelle’s biggest challenge however has been with her health. In 1998 she became ill with the autoimmune disease Lupus, from which she has had a number of relapses – the most serious being in 2014 when it affected her brain. Following a seizure, Kelle had to learn to walk and talk again, and still suffers mentally with occasional short term memory loss. The living embodiment of resilience and faith in God and herself, Kelle joined Andrea remotely from her home to record this interview after testing positive for and being laid up with Covid 19. Website: kellebryan.co.uk Instagram: @kelle.bryan

  2. 04/18/2023

    Emma Guns

    Emma Gunavardhana is an award-winning journalist, podcaster and public speaker. Her podcast, The Emma Guns Show, is in the Top 10 Self-Improvement shows on Apple Podcasts, with over 15 million global downloads. Emma joins me today to speak, as she always does, from the heart and pass on her learnings and insights in the hope that they can help others. We discuss the impact of growing up as she calls it, “the fat kid of the fittest man in the village”, and how being bullied about her weight at school, then reminded of it at home led to a never-ending spiral of not feeling good enough. It drove her to want to be amongst the shiny and beautiful people of the world, hoping that somehow their success would rub off on her.  Emma spent ten years working for OK magazine in its heyday, rubbing shoulders with A-list celebrities, attending glamorous parties, weddings and photo shoots, and commanding respect as a Beauty Editor. But it wasn’t until she decided to pivot and strike out on her own, that Emma realised all the glitter in the world can’t make you feel golden if you don’t believe in yourself. In today’s candid and open conversation, Emma discusses the challenge of losing and gaining the same 40 pounds, the effect her fear of rejection and abandonment has had on both her professional and personal life, and how finally building the mental muscle to let go of her people pleasing ways has set her free. Emma Guns is one of the smartest, warmest and most articulate women I’ve ever had the pleasure to spend time with, and I know that you are going to love our conversation today.   Emma's Website Instagram: @emmaguns  Facebook: The Emma Guns Show Podcast: The Emma Guns Show

  3. 03/22/2023

    Hibo Wardere

    *TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast contains detailed discussion of female genital mutilation and abuse, which some listeners may find upsetting. Hibo Wardere is mother, a wife and a fantastic raconteur. Her mission in life is to empower women to understand that they have a choice when it comes to their bodies and what happens to it; a topic that has become increasingly important in the past few years for a multitude of reasons.  Hibo’s driving force is deeply and painfully personal, because at the age of just six, she became a victim of Female Genital Mutilation, a traumatising experience which went on to shape the rest of her life. After fleeing Somalia as a teenager when civil war broke out in her country, Hibo made her way to what she calls “the glorious UK”, where she has lived and worked ever since, campaigning and helping to educate police, social workers, healthcare professionals, teachers and children about the practice of FGM, which affects around 200 million girls around the world. Our conversation today is an emotional one, which some listeners may find upsetting, as Hibo describes in detail what happened to her that day. She also explains how she flips her pain around, and turns it into strength. She talks with warmth and love about the moment her life changed for ever – when she became a mother, and made a promise to her first-born that no harm would ever befall them. Hibo Wardere is an exceptional human being. Let her story inspire you to find strength and bravery when you feel you have none.   Instagram: @HiboWardere

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to the This Girl Is On Fire podcast, where I bring you conversations with women who have one thing in common - they are on fire! You will hear how they got to where they are in life, how thinking differently about their circumstances helped them - whether that was to overcome hardship, discover their calling or achieve success. You will also hear what their greatest life lesson has been, what their definition of living is and how they feel when they are truly thriving. These women all know exactly what they need to do to Get Brave, Get Confident and Get Going! Who am I: For over two decades I worked as a national Daytime Television broadcaster in the UK. Then, in 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, I decided to jump… I quit my job as the longest serving host of a multi-award-winning TV show to focus on doing what I love - helping women around the world Think Differently about themselves, their circumstances and the challenges that life throws at each and every one of us. I’m the Sunday Times Best Selling author and co-founder of This Girl Is On Fire, and the creator of life-changing personal development courses, motivational talks and inspirational interviews. If you heard something today and it made you think of a friend or someone you love - click like, and pass it on! It all really helps us to help women everywhere like you to get brave, get confident and get going. Click subscribe to hear more great episodes, just like this one. I’ll see you next time. Links: https://andreamclean.com/ Andrea McLean Instagram