Verandah Talk

Suzette Llewellyn and Suzanne Packer

Kick off your shoes, pour your favourite drink, and settle in for some good conversation. This is Verandah Talk. We’re Suzette and Suzanne. We’re both actors and have been close friends since the 1990s. In 2020, we became co-authors of Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism. We invited musicians, athletes, civil servants, doctors, lawyers, and other creative professionals to share their own experiences of racism. On this podcast, we're connecting with them again to deepen our understanding of their powerful stories. We're all at peace with our thoughts on our verandah. Come listen in.

  1. Trish Muirhead

    Apr 2

    Trish Muirhead

    We are honoured to welcome Trish Muirhead, CEO and founder of the Ashdon Jazz Academy, to our verandah. Following the tragic loss of her 14-year-old daughter to suicide, Trish channelled her grief into creating a lasting legacy. Today, her charity provides vital one-to-one mentoring and support for young women navigating emotional difficulties and mental health challenges. We’ve always been incredibly moved by Trish’s mission, which is why we chose her charity to receive the proceeds from our book, Still Breathing. In this episode, Trish shares funny, cherished memories of Ashdon, the prophetic conversation that sparked the academy's creation, and the profound healing she has found in lifting up others. It’s a deeply inspiring conversation about turning personal pain into positive change. Settle in, pour a drink, and join us.

    37 min
  2. Beverley Michaels

    Mar 19

    Beverley Michaels

    This week, we are absolutely thrilled to welcome our very dear friend and fellow BiBi Crew founding member, Beverley Michaels, to the verandah. Bev takes us right back to the 80s, reflecting on her starring role in the seminal Black British film Babylon. We share a lot of laughs reminiscing about our early days creating the UK’s first all-female Black comedy group, before exploring Bev's inspiring pivot from acting to education. Now a headteacher, she shares how she finds that same stage "buzz" in the classroom, using the arts to empower and uplift young people. We also have a wonderfully honest chat about ageing, encapsulating both the respect we have for our elders and us laughing about our own creaking joints!

    46 min
  3. Jackee Holder

    Mar 5

    Jackee Holder

    Leadership coach and author, Jackee Holder, joins us on our verandah in this episode. Jackee contributed to our book, Still Breathing, but Suzette’s connection actually goes back over 30 years to the early days in the Rhythm Writers group! Jackee is a passionate "tree advocate." She shares how a breathless run in a park during a period of burnout sparked a profound, lifelong connection with nature. We also have a beautifully honest chat about navigating single life as older women and the importance of choosing ourselves. Plus, Jackee reminisces about her grassroots work bringing literary giants like Toni Morrison and Iyanla Vanzant to the UK. Finally, she transports us to a deeply moving dream verandah under a Baobab tree in Benin.

    43 min
  4. Veronica McKenzie

    Feb 19

    Veronica McKenzie

    Filmmaker, activist, and curator Veronic McKenzie joins us on the verandah today. We hear about Veronica's award-winning films and her work on the Vanguard project, which documented Black queer history in the UK. We also hear about her chaotic experiences at Live TV in the 90s. Who remembers the News Bunny? Veronica also talks about her current project, a short film about Nina Simone, which she describes as a spiritual project for her.

    40 min
  5. Professor Uzo Iwobi

    Feb 5

    Professor Uzo Iwobi

    British-Nigerian solicitor and equalities practitioner, Uzo Iwobi CBE is our guest on the verandah this week. Professor Uzo talks about the racial discrimination she faced on route to becoming a solicitor, including being told she couldn't work in the legal profession due to her race. She went on to become an adviser to the Welsh Government as its Specialist Policy Adviser on Equalities. She highlights her work on anti-racism, including the first anti-racist action plan in Wales and the introduction of mandatory black history education. Professor Uzo also talks about the importance of community support and her ongoing advocacy for racial equality and cultural recognition.

    41 min
  6. Patrick Vernon

    Jan 22

    Patrick Vernon

    Patrick Vernon is a Windrush campaigner and chair of Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, which manages a £6 billion budget for 1.4 million people. He joins us on the verandah to talk about his incredible work in reducing health inequalities for which he's received an OBE. We also hear about the importance of representation in boardrooms to influence policy and decision-making. We talk Afrofuturism. Plus, how he ended up doing a Vogue photoshoot in his back garden!

    35 min
  7. Mzz Kimberley

    Jan 8

    Mzz Kimberley

    For our first episode of 2026, we’re delighted to welcome Mzz Kimberley onto our verandah.  Kim is a singer, actress, cabaret performer and a prominent LGBTQIA+ activist. In this episode, we learn about her vast portfolio of work and her role in organising a trans-led stage at London Pride.  She talks about the need for unity among Black and trans communities. “I always make a point of complimenting a Black woman”, she says, because she believes that regularly offering genuine compliments can foster confidence and connection.

    41 min
  8. Pamela Nomvete

    12/18/2025

    Pamela Nomvete

    Award-winning actor, writer and playwright, Pamela Nomvete joins us on our verandah today to talk about her career and some of the hurdles she’s overcome on the way.  Her parents were exiled from South Africa in the 1950s due to their opposition to the apartheid regime. She talks passionately about moving to her parents' newly free homeland in the 1990s to further her acting career, after a British director admitted her lack of opportunities was down to her being Black. Pam talks to us about the racism she experienced in television, both in South Africa and here on her return. But we also hear about the profound impact working in Rwanda for the HBO film Sometimes in April had on her, including the emotional experiences of meeting survivors and perpetrators of the country’s genocide.

    41 min
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Trailer

About

Kick off your shoes, pour your favourite drink, and settle in for some good conversation. This is Verandah Talk. We’re Suzette and Suzanne. We’re both actors and have been close friends since the 1990s. In 2020, we became co-authors of Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism. We invited musicians, athletes, civil servants, doctors, lawyers, and other creative professionals to share their own experiences of racism. On this podcast, we're connecting with them again to deepen our understanding of their powerful stories. We're all at peace with our thoughts on our verandah. Come listen in.

Information

  • Creator
    Suzette Llewellyn and Suzanne Packer
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Suzette Llewellyn and Suzanne Packer
  • Show Website
    Verandah Talk