Experience is Everything

Saga Group

Some moments change you. Some experiences turn you into a smarter, or more thoughtful, or tougher person. They build your resilience, your sense of humour and your empathy too. In Experience is Everything, the nation's favourite lexicographer and media personality Susie Dent talks to household names to find out what they’ve learned over their extraordinary lifetimes. In enthralling conversations with actors, comedians, athletes, musicians and celebrities we’ll discover the most surprising, comical and moving moments that made them who they are today… because there’s no substitute for experience.

  1. 3d ago

    How to lower your blood pressure with Dr. Mark Porter and Dr. Pauline Swift – Health Edition

    Experience is Everything: The Health Edition with Dr. Mark Porter, is brought to you by Saga, providing you with the very latest health advice that you can trust. We know that keeping fit, healthy and happy is paramount for our listeners and viewers and so, with the help of leading experts, we'll be diving into essential topics to help you do just that.   Today’s episode is all about blood pressure.   At least one in four adults in the UK now has high blood pressure, and the older you are the more likely that is. We need some pressure to circulate blood around our bodies, but if it is too high it can lead to problems ranging from an early heart attack or stroke, to kidney disease, visual loss and dementia.   It is the original ‘silent killer’, the leading preventable risk of death and disability worldwide, and for every ten people who have been diagnosed, there are thought to be another seven who remain undiagnosed and untreated. Might you be one of them? And what can you and your doctor do to bring yours down?  To help provide clarity on all of this and more is Dr. Pauline Swift, Consultant Nephrologist and Chair of the charity Blood Pressure UK. Dr. Mark Porter has worked as an NHS GP for nearly 40 years. He is an award-winning journalist, having spent much of his career at the BBC, and is currently a health columnist for Saga Magazine and The Times.  Saga Health Insurance is exclusively designed for the over 50s. Search Saga Health Insurance for a quote today. T&Cs apply.www.saga.co.uk/healthinsurance Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.   YouTube: @EIEpod   Facebook Instagram: eiepod  TikTok: eiepod  Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.  saga.co.uk  podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    How to lower your blood pressure with Dr. Mark Porter and Dr. Pauline Swift – Health Edition

  2. Jul 7

    Dame Elaine Paige on the price of fame, surviving cancer and her love affair with musical theatre

    NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.  Dame Elaine Paige is the undisputed First Lady of Musical Theatre. Catapulted to international stardom as Eva Perón in Evita, she has since graced the West End and Broadway with unforgettable performances in Cats, Chess, Anything Goes and Sunset Boulevard. Beyond the stage, Elaine has released more than 20 albums, with another on the way, and for the past 22 years has been the trusted voice behind her much-loved BBC Radio 2 show. On this episode of Experience is Everything, Elaine joins Susie Dent to reflect on the moments that shaped her remarkable career: the time she came within touching distance of walking away from musical theatre, returning to the stage after breast surgery, and the promise she made to King Charles. Saga River Cruises – experience all-inclusive river cruising with all the details taken care of. Search “Saga River Cruises.” T&Cs apply. ATOL protected. www.saga.co.uk/rivers Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.  YouTube: ⁠⁠@EIEpod⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠Experience is Everything ⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠Eiepod⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠Eiepod⁠⁠ Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga. ⁠⁠saga.co.uk⁠⁠ ⁠⁠podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Dame Elaine Paige on the price of fame, surviving cancer and her love affair with musical theatre

  3. Jun 23

    Carol Kirkwood on finding love in your fifties, TV mishaps and leaving the BBC

    NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.  Carol Kirkwood spent 28 years bringing the weather into Britain's living rooms, becoming one of the BBC's most beloved presenters and a nine-time TRIC Award winner. But away from the forecasts, she's built a second career as a bestselling novelist and found love again in her fifties. On this episode of Experience is Everything, Carol joins Susie Dent to talk about finding love later in life, accidentally taking a photo of the King's nostrils, leaving the BBC after nearly three decades, and knowing when it was finally time for a new chapter.   Saga Insurance exclusively designed for people over 50. When experience matters, choose Saga. Search Saga Insurance today. ⁠www.saga.co.uk/insurance⁠  Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.  YouTube: ⁠@EIEpod⁠ Facebook: ⁠Experience is Everything ⁠ Instagram: ⁠Eiepod⁠ TikTok: ⁠Eiepod⁠ Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga. ⁠saga.co.uk⁠ ⁠podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Carol Kirkwood on finding love in your fifties, TV mishaps and leaving the BBC

  4. Jun 9

    Dame Dr Maggie Aderin on resilience, reflection and reaching for the stars

    NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.  Dame Dr Maggie Aderin is one of the leading space scientists in the UK. She has worked on some of the world’s biggest space projects, such as the James Webb telescope and the Gemini Observatory in Chile, and has presented the BBC’s astronomy show The Sky At Night for more than 12 years. She is Chancellor of the University of Leicester and is the first black woman to win a  gold medal in the Physics News Award. She also previously served as President of the British Science Association. But as the dyslexic daughter of Nigerian immigrants, her journey hasn’t been the easiest and she is committed to breaking down barriers relating to race, class and gender.  In this episode of Experience is Everything, Maggie talks to Susie about advocating for diversity in science; her worry that we will ruin space; and where she plans to retire! Saga Insurance exclusively designed for people over 50. When experience matters, choose Saga. Search Saga Insurance today. www.saga.co.uk/insurance   Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.  YouTube: @EIEpod Facebook: Experience is Everything  Instagram: Eiepod TikTok: Eiepod Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga. saga.co.uk podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Dame Dr Maggie Aderin on resilience, reflection and reaching for the stars

  5. May 26

    Angela Rippon on leaving the BBC and saying yes to Strictly!

    NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.   Angela Rippon is a trailblazer. One of the most consequential figures in British broadcasting, her remarkable career spans 60 years. A journalist, director and producer, she was the first long-serving female presenter of the BBC National News, and has presented entertainment shows such as Eurovision, Top Gear, Come Dancing, Antiques Roadshow, and Rip-Off Britain. She has an OBE and a CBE, and her incredible high leg kick on the Morecambe and Wise show has gone down in TV history.   In this episode of Experience is Everything, Angela tells Susie about broadcasting from the Queen’s funeral, how she stays friends with her ex-husband and doing the splits at the age of 81.   Saga Boutique River Cruises. With so much included in the price, from a nationwide shared chauffeur service to all-inclusive drinks, an included excursion in every port, Wi-Fi and gratuities – it’s all included when you sail away with Saga. Search “Saga River Cruises.” 2027 season on sale now. T&Cs apply. saga.co.uk/rivers-2027   Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform. YouTube Facebook Instagram TikTok  Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga. saga.co.uk podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Angela Rippon on leaving the BBC and saying yes to Strictly!

  6. May 12

    Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on River Cottage, getting fired and letting go in the kitchen

    NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.  Chef, writer and broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is passionate about food – good, ethically sourced, sustainable food. Famous for creating the River Cottage brand, Hugh has written more than 25 cookbooks and is a staunch campaigner on issues such as food waste, unsustainable fishing, and poor animal welfare. In this episode of Experience is Everything, Hugh tells Susie about how moving out of London changed his life; the moment he got fired from world famous restaurant River Cafe; and why his children have told him to butt out of the kitchen. If you’re dreaming of a safari in South Africa, an immersive experience in India, or exploring the Galapagos Islands, an escorted tour with Saga, may be just what you’re dreaming of. Every unforgettable tour has been created exclusively for people over 50 by our team, and their 2027 escorted tours are on sale now. Search “Saga escorted tours” today. ATOL protected. Saga.co.uk/tours  Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.  YouTube: @EIEpod Facebook Instagram: eiepod TikTok: eiepod Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga. saga.co.uk podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on River Cottage, getting fired and letting go in the kitchen

  7. Apr 28

    Johnny Ball’s greatest stories – From Ringo Starr to Queen Elizabeth II

    NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.  Johnny Ball has been in the entertainment industry for more than 60 years, from his days as a Butlins Redcoat to becoming one of the UK’s most beloved children’s TV presenters. He single-handedly made maths and science exciting for so many, turning educational television into an absolute must-watch. In this episode of Experience is Everything, Johnny talks to Susie about how he got the gig presenting hit children’s TV show Play School; what happened when he told the Duke of Edinburgh he had a crush on Queen Elizabeth IIl; and how he told The Beatles ‘there’s no money in n roll’. Saga Insurance exclusively designed for people over 50. When experience matters, choose Saga. Search Saga Insurance today. www.saga.co.uk/insurance  Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.  YouTube: @EIEpod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584091016049# Instagram: eiepod TikTok: eiepod Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga. saga.co.uk podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Johnny Ball’s greatest stories – From Ringo Starr to Queen Elizabeth II

  8. Apr 14

    Jane Horrocks on Absolutely Fabulous and finding a purpose in life

    NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.  Jane Horrocks has one of the most recognisable voices in entertainment. Known for her strong Lancashire accent, she became a household name after being offered the role of the quirky Bubble in Absolutely Fabulous, and amazed us all with her ability to impersonate the greatest singers in the world in Little Voice. In this episode of Experience is Everything, Jane talks to Jenni about the moment she fell in love with acting; the support she has received from acting legends such as Alan Rickman; how her distinctive voice has become part of her personality; and how to find a purpose in life once your children have left home. • This podcast is brought to you by Saga Money - the personal finance experts for people over 50. Whether you want to save invest, review your will, release equity or get a mortgage, just go to⁠ Saga Money⁠: https://www.saga.co.uk/money Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.  YouTube: @EIEpod https://www.youtube.com/@eiepod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584091016049# Instagram: eiepod https://www.instagram.com/eiepod TikTok: eiepod https://www.tiktok.com/@eiepod Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga. saga.co.uk podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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About

Some moments change you. Some experiences turn you into a smarter, or more thoughtful, or tougher person. They build your resilience, your sense of humour and your empathy too. In Experience is Everything, the nation's favourite lexicographer and media personality Susie Dent talks to household names to find out what they’ve learned over their extraordinary lifetimes. In enthralling conversations with actors, comedians, athletes, musicians and celebrities we’ll discover the most surprising, comical and moving moments that made them who they are today… because there’s no substitute for experience.

Information

  • Creator
    Saga Group
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Saga Group Ltd / Podmasters 2026
  • Show Website
    Experience is Everything