WHERE TO START

Happy Place reaches its 200th episode! Here’s where to start listening…

Published on November 28, 2022

Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast has released its 200th episode! This milestone is coveted by many podcasts, and Fearne has made it by steadily releasing authentic interviews since 2018. This makes her one of the earlier radio presenters to convert to podcast – in fact, we featured Fearne as our cover star way back in issue #007 of the Pod Bible magazine!

Over the last four years, Fearne has spoken to guests from all walks of life – from household names like Dawn French, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Dame Kelly Holmes, to individuals finding happiness in the hardest of times, and even her own family.

As with all podcasts, there is a wider team behind the microphone sourcing these interviews, producing the sound and updating the socials. Reaching this milestone gives them a good chance to reflect on their favourite episodes too. And if you’re new to the show and finding the episode list a bit overwhelming, here are five episodes to start with, recommended by the Happy Place team:

Fearne Cotton, Happy Place Founder:
‘Björn Natthiko Lindeblad’

I chose Bjorn Nathiko the forest monk. I feel so honoured that I was able to have such an open discussion about life and death with this wise human. Knowing he didn’t have long to live gave him an expansive understanding of life. His words have never left me. I’m so grateful to have had such a special hour with Bjorn.

Sarah White, Senior Talent Manager, YMU, Fearne Cotton + Happy Place:
‘Björn Natthiko Lindeblad’

Bjorn’s episode was the first posthumous podcast we’ve released on Happy Place. It was incredibly poignant to be organising a recording with a guest knowing that when the podcast went live to our listeners, he would no longer be with us. He spoke about life with such optimism, and death with such eloquence.

Holly Bott, Global MD, YMU Entertainment:
‘Dawn French’

This was the first episode we ever recorded. To be invited into Dawn French’s house and for her to speak so warmly and with no restraints, was the point we realised that this idea was not just a good one on paper, but something important and that could work.

Anouszka Tate, Happy Place podcast Producer:
‘Ashley Cain’

Knowing that we’ve spent a number of years creating a safe space for mental health to be explored, athlete and TV personality Ashley Cain chose the podcast as the place he would talk out loud for the first time about losing his eight month old daughter to leukaemia, educating listeners about the disease, and making others feel less alone in the process. That he made the decision to do that shows what a beautiful community Fearne has created with Happy Place beyond the podcast.

This episode also featured relatively little of Fearne – which feels like a counter intuitive reason for her unapologetically proud producer to pick this episode – but it’s real testament to her world-class skills as a storyteller. She knows when there’s more power in listening than talking. In a world where everyone wants to be the loudest voice, have the strongest opinion, be the centre of attention, we need more people like Fearne who know exactly when to use their platform to pass the mic to someone else.

Amelia Kanaris, Senior Social Media Manager, Happy Place:
Lin Cotton ‘Mother’s Day Special’

One of the most memorable for me is the Lin Cotton Mother’s Day special episode. Fearne and Lin exploring the mental wellbeing throughout generations of their family made for an heartfelt and raw listen. The response from our community to take action and talk with their relatives about their own experiences was incredibly moving. It’s moments like this which really show that Fearne has created something so special with Happy Place.