On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Elise Johnston, founder of Fabulous 70 and unapologetic queen of reinvention, who believes life doesn’t wind down at 60 - it cracks open.

Elise reflects on the decade that changed everything: divorce, therapy, finally asking herself “what do I want?”, and deciding to try 70 new things in her 70th year. From pole dancing to boudoir photo shoots, erotic blueprints to learning how to say yes, this is a conversation about curiosity, confidence, sexuality, and refusing to fade politely into the background.

It’s never just about novelty. It’s about agency. Pleasure. Honesty. And taking up space in your own life.

Whether you’re happily settled or quietly restless…

With reinvention very much in the air, Elise’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to become more yourself - even if it means doing a few things that feel wildly outside your comfort zone.

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com

To learn more about Alese Johnston and her approach to reinvention in later life, head to fabulous70.com.

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we talk pink cheeks, overdue roots, and the strange intimacy of finishing radiotherapy - plus the unexpected emotional fallout that comes after the “big milestones” are ticked off.

There’s honest chat about bodies that don’t quite feel like yours anymore, the relief (and anti-climax) of treatments ending, and why booking holidays can feel like both triumph and admin hell at the same time.

We also wander - as ever - into the comforts that keep us sane in the in-between bits: knitting socks, jigsaws, mushrooms, late-night hoovering, NHS sleep apps, eating an entire sleeve of Jaffa Cakes in a car park, and the quiet joy of deciding you absolutely deserve it.

Whether you’re navigating recovery, wrestling with sleep, rethinking food rules, or just wondering when dinner got so late (and why that now feels impossible), it’s never just about hair, or habits, or snacks. It’s about agency, comfort, and finding small pleasures when life has been anything but small.

Because no one tells you that after the hard part ends, there’s still a lot to process - and sometimes companionship is simply hearing someone else say, “Yes, that’s exactly it.”

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com

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On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Lucy Kellaway, former Financial Times columnist who did something quietly radical at 58: she walked away from a high-status career and retrained as a secondary school teacher - and hasn’t looked back.

Lucy talks honestly (and hilariously) about what it’s really like going back to square one when you’re old enough to know better: the nerves, the mistakes, the teenagers, and the oddly thrilling feeling of being alive again. It’s never just about a job change either - it’s about identity, confidence, and what happens when the “successful life” stops feeling like your life.

With January still in full “fresh start” mode, this one lands perfectly if you’ve been quietly wondering: Is it too late to reinvent myself… or is this actually the ideal time?

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com.

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re talking about those very specific midlife moments no one warns you about. When your roots feel louder than your opinions, your nose develops a mind of its own, and holding your breath becomes a daily medical requirement.

From zoning out on Zoom calls and freezing houses that should probably be illegal, to radiotherapy reality checks, relentless itching, eyebrow mishaps at the beauty counter, Pilates-induced body scrutiny, and the deeply controversial topic of marmalade hygiene. It’s never just about the grey hair or the sniffles. It’s about what happens to your patience, your body, and your sense of humour when life keeps shifting the goalposts.

Whether you’re navigating treatment side effects, questioning why sleep is suddenly so elusive, or just wondering how you ended up needing tissues in every coat pocket, this one’s for you. Because no one tells you that ageing can be simultaneously absurd, exhausting, and weirdly funny, often all before breakfast.

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com

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On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Jackie Kay - poet, novelist, former Scots Makar and one of the sharpest, warmest thinkers on identity, belonging and getting older without shrinking. We talk about turning 60 as a clarifying moment, why writing is a lifelong form of processing, living on the margins by choice, love without cohabitation, grief, friendship, and what really matters as you age.

Whether you’re rethinking who you are, how you live, or how much of yourself you’re willing to give away, this is a conversation about staying whole, because it’s never just about getting older, it’s about getting clearer.

See Jackie Kay live in conversation with Russell T Davies at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on 16 January

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com.

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re easing into 2026 the only way we know how: chatting through the small domestic dramas that somehow say everything about where we’re at. From the brutal satisfaction of taking the Christmas decorations down early (and judging everyone else who hasn’t), to the chaos of tangled fairy lights, surprise clothing labels, itchy arms, ageing bodies, drum kits, camper vans and gift-giving politics.

It’s never just about the tree - it’s about control, fatigue, humour, and learning to laugh at yourself when life refuses to be tidy. Whether you’re quietly relieved Christmas is over, negotiating changing bodies, or wondering why the men in your life are suddenly buying musical equipment, this one will feel very familiar.

A warm, rambling, honest start to the year - proof that companionship sometimes looks like two friends talking absolute nonsense and accidentally telling the truth.

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re firmly in that strange in-between zone where no one knows what day it is, Christmas feels like it happened months ago, and normal rules no longer apply. Kaye and Karen swap Twixmas stories - from quiet family Christmases and gifts bought (or bought for oneself), to beachside holidays, culinary regrets involving oysters, and the weird emotional flatness that can creep in when the festivities fade.

It’s never just about what you did for Christmas. It’s about routines disappearing, bodies doing unexpected things, and realising that rest, recovery and small comforts matter more than forced cheer. Whether you escaped abroad, stayed close to home, or are still wondering where the week went, this episode is a warm, funny reminder that you’re not the only one feeling slightly untethered.

Because no one tells you that this bit - the lull after the sparkle - can be just as revealing as the big day itself.

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com

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On this week’s Midweek Catchup, we’re recording on Christmas Eve and doing what we do best — talking honestly about how life actually feels at this age. From finishing a final round of chemo (and the brutal side effects no one really prepares you for), to the strange satisfactions of ticking off medication charts, to the sudden realisation that facial hair is… expanding.

There’s festive exhaustion, pension chat, karaoke confessions, overpriced Pilates mishaps, and the quiet emotional weight that sits underneath Christmas when you’re knackered, grateful, fragile, and still trying to make things feel “normal.”

Whether you’re powering through the holidays, stepping back to recharge, or laughing at the absurdities your body keeps throwing at you, this one’s a reminder that it’s never just about the jokes — it’s about getting through, together, with humour intact.

Get in touch with your thoughts at podcast@htb60.com.

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