The Life of Bryony

Ever feel like everyone else has it together, while you’re clinging on for dear life? You’re not alone and Bryony Gordon is here to prove it. Each week, Bryony and her guests explore the hidden struggles so many of us face but rarely say out loud. If you’ve ever thought is it just me? Welcome. You’re in the right place. From anxiety to addiction, break-ups to bereavement, this is your go-to space for honest conversations about the messier bits of life, with no shame and no filters. Got a question or dilemma? Email us at lifeofbryony@dailymail.co.uk Follow us on Insta or TikTok @lifeofbryonypod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @TheLifeofBryony Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. The Life Of You - Cat Sims on sober mum life, solo escapes and talking to yourself

    5d ago ·  Bonus

    The Life Of You - Cat Sims on sober mum life, solo escapes and talking to yourself

    On this weeks bonus episode, Bryony sits down with writer, creator and “sober mum” Cat Sims for a brilliantly honest conversation about the three things that help her live her best life. From daily AA meetings and the reality of long-term sobriety, to why she unapologetically takes solo trips away from her family for four nights at a time, Cat opens up about the routines and boundaries that keep her sane. The pair also get into the double standards around motherhood, the joy of being alone, and why making a cup of tea for one can feel oddly euphoric. Cat also reveals the surprisingly therapeutic habit that might just change your life, having full-blown conversations with yourself while walking around the park in AirPods. Funny, raw and wildly relatable, this is a conversation about recovery, motherhood, freedom, and finding small ways to hold onto yourself in the chaos of everyday life. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx CREDITS: Host: Bryony Gordon Guest: Matt Haig Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig  Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard  Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Editor: Rowan Jacobs Exec Producer: Jamie East  A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 min
  2. Cat Sims on Alcoholism, Motherhood and the Truth About Getting Sober

    May 25

    Cat Sims on Alcoholism, Motherhood and the Truth About Getting Sober

    This week, I’m joined by writer, creator and fellow sober woman Cat Sims for a conversation that is raw, funny, uncomfortable in places, and deeply hopeful. We talk about what “functioning alcoholism” really looks like when you’re a mother, why so many women struggle in silence, and the strange loneliness of feeling completely out of control while still appearing to hold everything together. Cat opens up about blackout drinking, cocaine, shame, motherhood, marriage, and the terrifying moments that finally forced her to confront her addiction. We also talk about recovery, AA, emotional sobriety, social media, parenting teenage daughters, and why learning to apologise might be one of the bravest things a person can do. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered if their drinking has become a problem, and for anyone who needs reminding that change is possible, even when it feels impossible. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx CREDITS: Host: Bryony Gordon Guest: Cat Sims  Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig  Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard  Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Editor: Rowan Jacobs Exec Producer: Jamie East  A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  3. The Life of You – Matt Haig on Structure, Sobriety and the People Who Saved Him

    May 22 ·  Bonus

    The Life of You – Matt Haig on Structure, Sobriety and the People Who Saved Him

    Matt Haig is back for this bonus episode! After our main conversation about The Midnight Train and his mental health journey, I wanted to dig into the three things he actually leans on when his brain wants to sprint off in twelve different directions at once. Matt talks honestly about addiction, breakdown and why undiagnosed ADHD made his life feel like constant self-sabotage. He shares how the “boring” stuff – sleep, routine and structure – became his first line of defence, why sobriety turned out to be the most exhilarating decision of his life, and how love, friendship and family stopped him disappearing into the darkness. If your mind feels messy, addictive or out of control, this episode is a reminder that you don’t need perfect habits – just a few non-negotiables that help you keep going. BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE Matt’s new book, The Midnight Train, is available to buy from 21st May. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx CREDITS: Host: Bryony Gordon Guest: Matt Haig Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard  Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Editor: Rowan Jacobs Exec Producer: Jamie East  A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
  4. “I Knew I Wouldn’t Get Through It”: Matt Haig on Depression, Undiagnosed ADHD and Learning to Build Resilience

    May 18

    “I Knew I Wouldn’t Get Through It”: Matt Haig on Depression, Undiagnosed ADHD and Learning to Build Resilience

    This week, I’m joined by Matt Haig – bestselling author, mental health advocate, and the man whose books have quietly sat on so many of our bedside tables, getting us through the dark nights. Matt’s new novel, The Midnight Train, returns to the universe of The Midnight Library and asks what happens when we stop chasing “what if” and start making peace with the life we’ve actually lived. We talk about depression, suicide, and what it really feels like to be trapped in your own mind – and why survival, not tragedy, is now the story we should tell about mental illness. Matt opens up about late-diagnosed autism and ADHD, agoraphobia, shame, and shoplifting, and how all of it somehow turned him into a writer. We also explore why books are still the bravest kind of media, how travel helped his recovery, and why he now dreams of opening a bookshop. If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out, like you’re “too much” or “not enough”, this conversation will make you feel a little more seen – and a little less alone. BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE Matt’s new book, The Midnight Train, is available to buy from 21st May. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx CREDITS: Host: Bryony Gordon Guest: Matt Haig Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig  Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard  Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Editor: Rowan Jacobs Exec Producer: Jamie East  A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min
  5. We’re Taught to Shrink Ourselves to Fit a Patriarchal World: Paris Paloma on Using Music to Call Out the Physical and Emotional Cost of the Patriarchy

    May 11

    We’re Taught to Shrink Ourselves to Fit a Patriarchal World: Paris Paloma on Using Music to Call Out the Physical and Emotional Cost of the Patriarchy

    My guest this week is my new musical obsession, Paris Paloma – an artist whose songs about diet culture, ageism, mental illness and toxic beauty standards have racked up hundreds of millions of streams around the world. Paris writes blisteringly honest music about what it means to live as a woman under patriarchy, and why so many of us are taught to shrink ourselves just to survive. We talk about the viral success of “Labour” and the messages she gets from listeners who say her work has transformed the way they see themselves and their place in the world. We dig into what it means to be labelled a “political” artist, why nothing is truly apolitical, and how patriarchy harms men as well as women. Paris also opens up about depression, therapy and the “warring parts” of herself that inspired her song “Hunter”, and why turning pain into art can be a lifeline. ALBUM DETAILS: Paris’ new album, Fatal Flaw is releasing on the 4th September 2026. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx CREDITS: Host: Bryony Gordon Guest: Paris Paloma Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig  Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard  Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Editor: Luke Shelley Exec Producer: Jamie East  A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m
  6. The Life of You – Ruby Wax on Medication, Meditation and More Time with Cats

    May 8 ·  Bonus

    The Life of You – Ruby Wax on Medication, Meditation and More Time with Cats

    This week, Ruby Wax is back and, instead of talking about fame and despots, she’s letting us into the three things she genuinely can’t live without. These are the anchors she leans on when life feels a bit wobbly and she needs something to bring her back to herself – from the pills that keep her stable, to the “mind gym” practices that help her stay present, to the furry companions who somehow make everything softer and funnier. We talk about what actually supports her day-to-day, how she keeps herself on a more even keel, and why looking after your mind is mostly about small, consistent acts of care. If you’ve ever wondered what really keeps Ruby steady(-ish), this episode is for you USEFUL LINKS: Tickets to Ruby’s tour, Absolutely Famous, can be bought here. And you can join Frazzled Café online 7 days a week here: https://www.frazzledcafe.org/  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx CREDITS: Host: Bryony Gordon Guest: Ruby Wax Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard  Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Editor: Rowan Jacobs Exec Producer: Jamie East  A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 min
  7. “Being Well Liked Is Like Heroin” – Ruby Wax on Fame, Interviewing Celebrities and Living with a Fragile Mind

    May 4

    “Being Well Liked Is Like Heroin” – Ruby Wax on Fame, Interviewing Celebrities and Living with a Fragile Mind

    This week, I’m joined by Ruby Wax – comedy hurricane, TV icon and the woman who gave many of us permission to talk honestly about our own “mad” minds. Ruby looks back on the glory days of nineties telly, when she was let loose on the world’s biggest names and told to make mischief – all while quietly battling depression behind the scenes. We talk about fame as an addiction, why being liked felt like her life support, and how she ended up in clinic even when everything looked perfect on paper. There are unforgettable stories of chaotic interviews with Madonna and Trump, surreal dinners with Fergie and Andrew, and despots who thought she was their new best friend – plus what all of that taught her about ego, fear and survival. If you’ve ever wondered how someone can be the funniest person in the room and still be struggling inside, this episode will stay with you long after you’ve listened. USEFUL LINKS: Tickets to Ruby’s tour, Absolutely Famous, can be bought here. And you can join Frazzled Café online 7 days a week here: https://www.frazzledcafe.org/  WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx CREDITS: Host: Bryony Gordon Guest: Ruby Wax Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig  Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard  Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Editor: Rowan Jacobs Exec Producer: Jamie East  A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Ever feel like everyone else has it together, while you’re clinging on for dear life? You’re not alone and Bryony Gordon is here to prove it. Each week, Bryony and her guests explore the hidden struggles so many of us face but rarely say out loud. If you’ve ever thought is it just me? Welcome. You’re in the right place. From anxiety to addiction, break-ups to bereavement, this is your go-to space for honest conversations about the messier bits of life, with no shame and no filters. Got a question or dilemma? Email us at lifeofbryony@dailymail.co.uk Follow us on Insta or TikTok @lifeofbryonypod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @TheLifeofBryony Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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