Spinning Plates with Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Amy Lee is an American singer songwriter and co-founder of the rock group Evanescence who have sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

I spoke to her mid tour, after the release of her 6th album ‘Sanctuary’.

We agreed that we have found our 40s is our most exciting and powerful decade yet, and we swapped notes on the pros and cons of taking our children on tour with us. Amy’s 12 year old son Jack loves coming on the road and often watches the gigs.

We also spoke about singing and music making as a catharsis and a place to explore all our emotions including grief, which was a driving force for Amy in the founding of her band. As creatives, we feel lucky to have a place to put all our big emotions. It’s especially sacred for Amy when she’s signing to see how those emotions resonate with the crowd.

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Harnett is an entrepreneur and mum of two teenagers.

She is the founder of Seep, a non toxic cleaning range of eco-friendly, plastic-free sponges.

The idea came to Laura in her late 30s when she was recovering from breast cancer treatment, when she realised she wanted to take as many toxins out of her household as possible.

Laura and I talked about her nerve-wracking appearance on Dragons Den, including the rush of adrenalin in the lift and her mind going blank when the lift doors opened! She was successful though, and she talked about the great support she’s had while growing the brand, from her two dragons, Deborah Meadon and Trinny.

She also revealed she has become addicted to checking on how Seep sales are going, through an app on her phone. This has resulted in her teenagers sometimes hiding her phone from her, especially on holiday. I love that role reversal!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frankie Bridge began her pop career aged just 12, as a member of S-Club Juniors. She was later in the hugely successful girl band The Saturdays.

We talked about the pressures of being successful as a young teenager, and how Frankie has pivoted and reinvented herself so many times since.

Frankie had her two boys, now aged 11 and 13, when she in her 20s. We talked about how her mental health was affected when her body changed during her first pregnancy, while she was still performing on stage, and how every change was scrutinised and criticised in the press.

10 years ago she started the online business @favestheedit. Faves began as a place where she shared her high street fashion finds every week, and has now become a strong online community where Frankie aims to empower women and give them confidence and authority as their own lives change.

Frankie and I agreed that the timing of our chat was perfect as it marks a very special anniversary for us - our Trick or Treating anniversary! Frankie was about 12 at the time, and I was about 22! Tune in to find out how my Halloween maths let me down disastrously that day!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joeli Brearley is a mum of two boys aged 10 and 12. She is a campaigner and author who founded the charity Pregnant Then Screwed, which campaigns against female discrimination in the workplace.
Her work on the campaign was so all-consuming that she suffered burnout after the pandemic and now suffers from auto immune disease caused by that stress.

Some stark statistics for you: 77% of women experience some form of discrimination in the workplace. And 74,000 women a year get pushed out of their job for being pregnant or taking maternity leave.

Joeli herself was pushed out of her job the day after she informed them she was pregnant. She was sacked by voicemail.
Her campaigning has influenced Westminster, with the huge aim to end the motherhood penalty, where women end up so much poorer than men, as soon as they become parents.
Joeli also co-hosts a podcast To Be A Boy, about modern boyhood, and we talked about how useful car journeys are with her sons as they can talk about difficult subjects, while staring ahead at the road, with no eye contact whatsoever!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Petrie is a bereavement midwife. The time when you would meet her in her professional capacity is at the most painful time of a parent’s life: when you have been told, during your pregnancy, that your baby has died.

Lauren’s eldest daughter Mia is studying at University. Her second daughter Jada was stillborn. It was Lauren’s experience of how she was treated - good and bad - during that traumatic time, that has influenced her career and determination to create positive changes in Jada’s name.

Lauren’s story came to my attention when comedian Russell Howard shared earlier this year that he and his wife Cerys had lost their baby, and how they had been helped in their darkest times by Lauren.

We talked about how important it is for parents to spend time with their beautiful baby after the birth, to hold and talk to their baby and to take photos, to create the only memories they will ever have of that child.

With Baby Loss Awareness Week running 9-15 October, this felt like the right time to bring this chat to you.

Although this is incredibly difficult subject matter, Lauren is warm, generous and wise, and she left me feeling inspired by the way she has leaned into her grief, and has created a hugely positive legacy for Jada.

TRIGGER WARNING. This podcast contains upsetting content about losing a baby.

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.