Blended

Kate Ferdinand

Hosted by Kate Ferdinand and co-host Priscilla Kessie and Nathalie Holmes - Lewis. This podcast is a celebration of blended families - exploring the stories of relationships bound by love, no matter what their circumstances are. Covering subjects such as second marriages, divorce, parenting, life after loss, step kids, co-parenting, fostering and (not-so-wicked!) stepmothers, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 15h ago

    Terri Walker: When A Step-Parent Steps Up

    This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-host Nathalie Holmes-Lewis and special guest co-host singer, songwriter Terri Walker. Terri opens up about growing up in Germany with her mum and stepdad, the close bond they built and the huge role he played in shaping her life. The first dilemma comes from a heartbroken mum whose 14 year old daughter wants to stay living with her stepdad after the adults have separated. While she never imagined being apart from her daughter, she also knows her daughter sees her stepdad as a father figure and has built her life around him, her school, her friends and the home they've shared for years. Kate. The panel discuss whether teenagers should have more say in where they live and whether sometimes doing what's best for your child can be incredibly painful as a parent. The second dilemma leaves the whole panel shocked. A mum writes in after her husband, who has helped raise her daughter since she was six years old, suddenly changes his mind about adopting her. After years of treating her like his own, he admits he loves her but not in the same way he loves his biological children. The panel tries to understand what could be behind his decision. Is it about inheritance or legal obligations? Or is it something much deeper? Most importantly, they discuss how a mother explains that rejection to a daughter who already sees him as her dad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min

  2. Jun 10

    Natalie Lue: People Pleasing, Projection and Breaking the Cycle

    This week on Blended, Kate is joined by Nathalie and special guest co host Natalie Lue, author of The Joy of Saying No and host of The Baggage Reclaim Sessions. Today’s dilemma comes from a stepmum who had a moment that shook her. During a situation where her stepdaughter was being praised, she corrected something small and immediately felt like she had taken the shine off her. It triggered a deeper fear that she might be repeating the same subtle patterns she experienced growing up. They discuss how old wounds can quietly show up in parenting, especially in blended families where emotions can already feel heightened. Nathalie talks about how simply acknowledging the pattern is something previous generations often never did. Kate opens up about how she sometimes swings between overreacting and then overcompensating. She shares how easy it is to correct too quickly, then feel guilty and flip into people pleasing mode to balance it out. Natalie Lue breaks down the “mother load” and how much emotional responsibility women carry without even realising it. She challenges the idea that every moment needs to be handled perfectly and asks what would actually happen if we didn’t overmanage everything. It’s an honest conversation about insecurity, boundaries and the fear of passing down patterns you worked so hard to escape. Don’t forget to rate and review, also we love hearing from you so follow @blended on Instagram to share your story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr

  3. Jun 3

    Rio & Tate Ferdinard: Family Takeover

    Kate is joined by Rio & Tate Ferdinand to discuss a few dilemmas and family whilst on holiday in Portugal In the first, a 16 year old boy is struggling with his stepmum moving in and trying to set boundaries. Tate speaks candidly about how he felt when Kate first became part of his daily life and what teenagers really need when a new adult enters their space. In the second dilemma, a stepmum shares that telling her stepchildren about a new baby didn’t go well at all. Tears, anger and even one child saying they wished the baby would “disappear.” Tate opens up about how he truly felt when Kate and Rio told him they were expecting Cree, and Kate asks Rio how he would have handled it if the children had reacted that way. Plus, Tate does quick fire quiz revealing who’s the strictest parent, who’s the better cook and who’s secretly the boss of the house. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min

  4. May 27

    Blending Teenagers of Different Genders: Mindful or Overthinking?

    In this week’s episode, Kate Ferdinand is joined by Nathalie Holmes-Lewis and Cilla Kessie to discuss a topic that feels uniquely blended. The first dilemma comes from a mum whose 11 year old daughter becomes giddy and excited when her partner’s teenage son comes around. They have only met a handful of times but it has made her think about the future and dynamics she had never really considered before. The second dilemma is from a mum with a 15 year old daughter who is thinking about moving in with her partner full time. He has two teenage sons. She has noticed how they talk about girls and about women and it has made her pause. Her daughter’s dad has also raised concerns. Is she overthinking normal teenage behaviour or should boundaries be set before blending fully? The panel have a strong and honest debate. Kate feels that not every interaction needs to be treated as a warning sign and that excitement can simply be part of growing up. Nathalie feels more firmly that teenage attraction and energy should never be ignored and that boundaries need to be clear from the start. They explore whether parents can sometimes be naive when they are focused on love and blending. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

  5. May 20

    When A Mum’s Affair Breaks The Family: Can It Be Fixed?

    On a previous episode, Travis Jay made a bold comment. You always know your dad’s dirt, but you never know your mum’s. So the ladies decided to look into it. In this episode, Kate Ferdinand is joined by Nathalie Holmes-Lewis and Cilla Kessie as they unpack two dilemmas that flip the narrative and explore women who cheat. In the first, a married woman admits to having an affair. She broke it off and says it was a mistake. Her husband found out and is devastated, but instead of separating fully, they are living under the same roof for the sake of the children. She wants to know if reconciliation is possible while sharing a home, or if the damage is already done. In the second dilemma, things are even more complicated. A woman has been sleeping with both her ex and her current partner. She is now pregnant and does not know who the father is. Her ex has a hold on her but she wants a future with her current partner. She is trying to navigate the situation without destroying multiple lives. The panel does not hold back. Cilla is clear on consequences. Kate questions whether we judge women differently. Nathalie shows sympathy in the first dilemma, especially where remorse is genuine, but asks whether the reaction would be the same if it were a man. Rio drops in to give his honest opinion on the second dilemma. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min

  6. May 13

    A High Conflict Ex and Emotional Cheating: How Much Is Too Much?

    How much is one person supposed to handle? In this episode, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-hosts Nathalie Holmes-Lewis and Cilla Kessie to unpack one layered and emotionally heavy dilemma from a stepmum who feels like she is drowning. She is navigating a high conflict ex who tells the children that their parents would still be happy if she was not around, even though she had nothing to do with the breakup. At the same time, she has discovered emotional cheating in her own marriage, messages, pictures and behaviour that have left her questioning how far it really went. Between solicitor emails, blended family pressures and constant tension, she feels like she is carrying more than one person should. The ladies do not hold back. They discuss whether emotional cheating can sometimes cut deeper than physical betrayal, how much damage a high conflict ex can really do to a relationship and whether love is enough when trust keeps being shaken. They believe you should do everything you can to protect your marriage, but the panel also ask a hard question. Where is the line? At what point does staying become self sacrifice? This episode is honest, uncomfortable and full of the realities many blended families face behind closed doors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min

  7. May 6

    Keeping Secrets from Your Partner for the Kids: Betrayal or Protection?

    In this episode, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-hosts Nathalie Holmes-Lewis and Cilla Kessie to tackle two dilemmas that spark a strong debate around trust, loyalty and parenting boundaries. In the first, a stepmum who has worked hard to build a close relationship with her stepdaughter discovers a secret TikTok account with content her patrtner would find inappropriate for her age. The stepdaughter begs her not to tell her dad. She does not want to betray the trust she has built, but she also does not want to betray her partner. In the second dilemma, a biological mum finds graphic images on her son’s phone. He is deeply embarrassed and asks her not to tell his dad. She feels torn between protecting her son’s confidence and parenting as a united team. Kate shares her view that some things can stay between you and your child, but when it comes to safety and serious issues, secrets are not protection, they are responsibility. The ladies do not hold back. They discuss whether there are ever circumstances where keeping a secret is justified, whether the rules change between stepchildren and biological children, and where the line sits between protecting trust and undermining your partner. They have an open conversation about why is sex taboo and the dangers of young boys watching porn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min

  8. Apr 22

    Travis Jay: Girl Dads and Exes Controlling The Narrative

    In this episode of Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-host Cilla Kessie and special guest co-host comedian, actor and writer Travis Jay, who’s bringing the male perspective as more and more dilemmas from dads land in the inbox. The first dilemma is from a father whose teenage children want nothing to do with his new partner after their mum told them he had an affair. Her children have welcomed him warmly, but his own kids are cold and distant. Should children even be told about affairs? And if an affair did happen, does that change what they deserve to know? The conversation quickly heats up. Travis argues that if he didn’t cheat, he should fight the narrative. That sparks debate about loyalty, accountability and whether kids ever really know the full truth about their parents. The panel also get into a bigger question, do women cheat as much as men, or are we just not talking about it? The second dilemma comes from a dad struggling with his ex moving on. He insists it’s not jealousy, but he’s uncomfortable with another man spending time around his daughter and wants to meet him. His ex says it’s too soon. The panel question whether if it’s too soon to meet the dad, it’s too soon to meet the child. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
See All (114)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Hosted by Kate Ferdinand and co-host Priscilla Kessie and Nathalie Holmes - Lewis. This podcast is a celebration of blended families - exploring the stories of relationships bound by love, no matter what their circumstances are. Covering subjects such as second marriages, divorce, parenting, life after loss, step kids, co-parenting, fostering and (not-so-wicked!) stepmothers, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Kate Ferdinand
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    114
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Blended 2025
  • Show Website
    Blended

You Might Also Like