The UncerTwenties
By Karis Aldridge
New episodes on Tuesdays!
Follow on instagram: www.instagram.com/theuncertwenties/
The UncerTwentiesNov 24, 2022
#45 - The Disgraceful Ms Grace Campbell
TW: This episode discusses sexual assault and rape, please take care whilst listening.
Today’s guest is an actor, author, comedian and self-professed celebrity in North-West London. She grew up in the world of privilege and politics as the daughter of labour politician Alastair Campbell who has attended Hannah Montana concerts with Boris Johnson AND went to school with international pop sensation Dua Lipa.
Her book, AMAZING DISGRACE, was described by Katherine Ryan as 'An outpouring of truth, wit, and beautiful comedic wisdom' and Scarlett Curtis as 'Bold, vulnerable and hilarious.' The front cover, which shows Grace riding a dick-shaped, should say everything you need to know about what's in store.
On 6th August, during of her stint at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, she published an article in the Guardian, discussing a sexual assuault that had happened whilst in the US the previous year. The article spoke sensitively about assault, the topic of consent and a failing judicial system that cannot protect victims of rape (most notably women). The piece immediately garnered an outpouring of praise and if you haven’t read it already, I urge you to pause this podcast and read it immediately.
It is this vulnerable honesty surrounding not just the topic of intimacy, but destigmatising shame around sex, mental health, and the female body - that has made her so beloved amongst her fans.
She is a loud, unapologetic “sex positive” , shame embracing comedian who hosts her own comedy night “the disgraceful club” and is taking her critically acclaimed show “A Show About Me(n)” on tour around the UK next year.
Said about herself -
“GRACE CAMPBELL IS THE FUNNIEST PERSON SHE HAS EVER MET. IF SHE WASN’T HER, SHE WOULD WANT TO BE HER. ”
She’s an utter disgrace that all women love and tory men are afraid of, healing the nation, one fanny fart at a time.
Grace Campbell, it is a HUGEE pleasure to welcome you on to the podcast!
***Today’s episode is in partnership with Deshall Beauty.***
Early listeners will know that the first EVER episode of this podcast was with my amazingly talented good friend Tanyia Ahmed, Founder of Deshall. This month she launched the website www.deshall-uk.com and I couldn’t be more proud of her.
Deshall Beauty is a multi-brand south-asian beauty retailer with exclusive rights in the UK working with incredible brands in India. Right now listeners can get 20% off with the code THEUNCERTWENTIES20 so sign up and try the products for yourself!! I’ll put the code in the show notes so you don’t miss out.
You can also follow their tiktok and instagram pages @deshallbeauty for products, playlists and much more.
#44 - Going solo w/ musician Dan D'lion
Today’s guest was born to a jazz drummer dad and a music-obsessed family, where he was inspired by artists from Stevie Wonder to Rage Against The Machine.
He moved to London at the age of twenty to focus on writing and producing music, where he began curating his musical influences including Sampha, Jamiroquai, Tame Impala and N.E.R.D among others.
Bartlett's twisted, honest song-writing coupled with his funky instrumentation formed the sound of Dan D’Lion. His debut EP 'BETTERMAN' demonstrated his ability to modernise and transcend the alt-pop genre, with Notion calling him the soul and sound to watch in 2020. As a producer, he has an impressive writing and production CV that includes the likes of Little Mix, Salen, Punctual, Zilo and Feder.
Now in 2022, with over 100,000 monthly streams on Spotify, Dan has certainly captivated a huge audience with his innovative and fearless genre-bending material. And he’s just finished his first album which will be coming out later this year.
His motto - “to be the smallest fish in the biggest pond” shows a earnest willingness to constantly finesse and relearn his craft and it’s clear he’s only just getting started.
Welcome Dan Bartlett, aka Dan D’lion.
Listen to Dan's new single "Knock Knock" here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJjWIRiePew
#43 - Everybody's Talking About Jamie w/ @jamie_windust
Today’s guest is an award-winning writer, activist, Ted Talk speaker, cultural commentator, model, and author of In Their Shoes. Talk about a multi-hyphenate!
They have written for The Independent, Gay Times, British GQ, and Cosmopolitan, and were named as one of London’s most influential people in the storytelling category.
Within their activist work they have campaigned for non-binary and trans rights within the UK government, and appeared on BBC London, Sky News and ITV discussing topical news surrounding the trans and non binary community in a tireless effort to forward the discourse and championing LGBTQ+ rights.
Jamie Windust, it is a true privilege and pleasure to have you on the podcast!
Watch Jamie's Tedtalk here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-feXLvBscc
And buy 'In Their Shoes' here - https://gayprideshop.co.uk/products/in-their-shoes-navigating-non-binary-life-book?variant=32820130709558&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1vSZBhDuARIsAKZlijQC5S7QNt2Qc4AbrOiQgX4ZD5rRhgwl-_geoiBAOGBwRiF0AGD6WnEaAukiEALw_wcB
#nonbinary #transactivist #activism #intheirshoes
#42 - A Toronto-Twenty-Something w/ Emma Tindall @20notsomething
My guest today is a radio producer, writer, TV freelancer and of course the host of “20 Not Something” The Podcast for 20 Something’s who haven't figured out what their 'something' is yet - which is perfect for me as I could not fit that category of person MORE RIGHT NOW. Having featured incredible guests such as screenwriter Gemma Hurley, GB Paralympian Aaron Phipps and of course author, and podcast extraordinaire Elizabeth Day. Through 20 Not Something, Emma’s here to gently reassure the world that despite the chaos, everything will be alright in the end which now more so than ever is a sentiment we all need. Welcome Emma Tindall!
#travelinyourtwenties #solotravel #elizabethday #UKpodcaster
#41 - Acting the part with Eliza Bennett (from CW's Dynasty)
TW: this episode briefly discusses sexual assault, rape in the context of a TV show.
Today's guest is a Berkshire-born actress and singer, best known for her roles in The Prince and Me, Inkheart, childhood CLASSIC Nanny McPhee, West End musical Loserville and critically acclaimed hit show Broadchurch.
She's currently residing between her LA home and Atlanta with her husband and her incredibly cute dog , where she's playing Amanda Carrington on the CW Network’s Dynasty, and her upcoming EP is set to be released later this year!
We discuss LOADS in this jam-packed episode that talks about her early childhood roles and how she was able to overcome the 'child actor' curse with the help of her overly supportive family and parents. We talk about the biggest pieces of advice given to her on the set with some heavy-hitter industry legends including Helen Mirren, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson.
We also discuss her hit show Sweet/Vicious - why the show has such a cult following (with an 100% rating on rotten tomatoes) and inhabiting a nuanced character who has experienced trauma and the frustrations with network TV.
Eliza also discussed her current role in Dynasty and what she's most excited about for her character Amanda's storyline this season.
Recently turned 30, Eliza looks back on the biggest lessons she's learnt in her twenties and how that's influenced her recent foray into songwriting for her upcoming EP, to be released later this year!!
Welcome Eliza Bennett!
#40 - The ultimate BABE Jasmine Douglas, Founder of @babesonwaves
Today’s guest studied at King's College London, completed a computer science course at Harvard University and her company Babes on Waves has won a grant from the Clear Futures Initiative, been featured in the Guardian, Huffington Post, and BBC Politics. It goes without saying that she’s got an incredibly impressive CV.
But Jasmine has been very vocal about growing up with low self confidence, self esteem and internalised racism. Now in her mid-twenties, she’s the founder of Babes on Waves, the first diverse female founders club for next-gen Black & POC female founders, giving them tools to build confidence in themselves and their brand.
Through Babes on Waves she launched the BLOOM TOGETHER CAPSULE COLLECTION raising an amazing £500 for Sistah Space, for black female survivors of domestic abuse. More recently, she’s announced an incredible partnership and campaign with office shoes and converse london, AND hosted THE international women’s day event to remember, with tonnes of guest speakers incl. singer Ray BLK amongst others.
Her ultimate mission is to create a world where all women can champion one another, and make their dreams a reality.
When asked what her career has taught her in life so far, she very thoughtfully answered - “that everything is always working out for you, even if you can’t see it” which is the perfect sentiment for this podcast.
https://www.instagram.com/babesonwavesclub/
https://www.instagram.com/transatlanticbabe/
#39 - The utterly delightful James Timmins talks food, first dates & co-founding @utterwaffle
Today’s guest is a trained professional chef, who just over three years ago, alongside his business partner Jules, decided to launch his own restaurant, called Utter Waffle. Having since been featured in @codehospitality ‘s 30 Under 30 List. His business, accompanied by his trusty little van Reggie, has travelled all over the country serving waffles to the nation, from Christmas at Kew Gardens, Warner Bros film sets, Wimbledon, Covent Garden and Chiswick House to name just a few locations.
However, like many independent businesses and restaurants, the last two years have not been without their challenges, with James being forced to pivot his business due to the effects of covid-19.
Now, in 2022, they are four-time British street food winners who have featured on Sunday Brunch and ITV News, proving those 14 hour working days to be worth it and the biz to be an utter success!!
In this episode we discuss where his love of cooking came from, chef influences, his favourite country for food whilst travelling around South America, his multiple kitchen nightmares, his experience on First Dates hotel and much much more!!
I had such a blast recording this convo and I hope you all enjoy it!
Kaz xxx
BONUS EPISODE: Documentary-filmmaking & Social Change with the Director of 'Dear Future Children'
Today’s episode is a little different from the usual framework because I have the pleasure of chatting to Franz Bohm, a german-born, Hot Docs-winning film director and producer whose work centres around youth resistance, activism and social issues.
He is the director of ‘Dear Future Children’ a powerful documentary nominated for the 2021 First Steps Awards following the life of activists in Hong Kong, Uganda & Chile.
#37 - Besties in Business with Kitty & Verity (co-founders of @heyflumi)
*To celebrate their new rebrand and our loyal listeners, Kitty and Verity have VERY kindly offered our listeners a 10% discount on all their products! Just type in UNCERTWENTIES10 when checking out to enjoy their gorgeous products!!
My guests today began making candles as a lockdown hobby. Little did they know after a few short weeks they’d find themselves being inspired to turn that hobby into a fully developed business.
When they struggled to find high quality, conscious products online, they decided it was time to carve out their own space and make their own brand.
Enter: Flumi - an earth-conscious homeware brand; creating products that are good for the home, mind and planet.
And so it was that this small idea, very quickly turned into a thriving business. With over 15k followers on instagram, Flumi has been featured in Glamour, Popsugar, Stylist and HEAT magazine, they've hired 2 additional team members and just celebrated their first birthday.
They might be too modest to acknowledge this achievement but their success comes as no surprise to the rest of us.
Before becoming co-founders, Kitty studied textiles at uni, and was a senior merchandising assistant at ASOS for over 2 years before quitting earlier this year to focus on Flumi full time.
Verity worked at Gleam and in 4 short years went from coordinator to senior talent manager. Implementing successful six figure brand campaign and was invited to speak at the Women In Leadership Empower Conference in March 2020.
With both having such impressive credentials it’s no surprise they’re moving from strength to strength.
#36 - Yazzzz queen! With @yasmincoutinho
Today’s guest is a senior casting manager at Playboy who has travelled all over the world for her studies and work. She can call LA, Hawaii, Texas, New York, London, Australia her home.
It’s safe to say though she’s only 26, she’s already built up one seriously impressive resume.
She worked at Whalar for 2 years as a Talent Manager representing some of the most exciting content creators across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Whalar is also where she was listed as one of the Top 15 talent managers in the industry by the Business Insider.
Despite her never-ending list of incredible accomplishments, Yaz has faced periods of serious uncertainty - from figuring out how to say goodbye to a long term relationship to truly understanding her purpose. Her path may still seem unclear but there’s one thing I’m certain of which is that her future is full of success.
Welcome Yasmin Coutinho!
Glennon Toyle - Untamed - https://www.waterstones.com/book/untamed/glennon-doyle/9781785043352
#35 - Cinema strife & Sydney life with Hannah Keogh @hannah__keogh
I am so excited to be taking the Uncertwenties INTERNATIONAL today because guest is from the land of Aus! At only 24 years old she’s already making waves in the radio, film and television industry.
She previously studied film and television on the Gold Coast in the hopes of pursuing her passion to produce content that champions authentic Australian stories.
However, having been one of the unfortunate many to lose their jobs when covid first hit, lockdown was no easy transition to say the least. But it did provide Hannah with an opportunity to reflect on what exactly it was she wanted to achieve from life and set out to get it.
Her goal is to one day work alongside government screen bodies to bring local content from script to screen. Given that she’s already held prestigious positions at film companies incl. Electric and Umbrella Ent, I think she’s well on her way to surpassing that goal.
WELCOME HANNAH!
*This episode is sponsored by Nonna Tonda*
With Nonna Tonda, you can receive restaurant quality fresh pasta every week. All their produce is sourced locally where possible and their eco-friendly packaging means you can indulge with a guilt-free conscience! Every delivery is designed to be made in under 5 minutes so it's completely fuss free! Sign up to Nonna Tonda today and use the code PASTA1 to enjoy 50% off your first two deliveries. Thank you so much Nonna Tonda.
#34 - When Harry met Karis @harrytrevaldwyn
Today’s guest is an actor, comedian and writer known for his roles in THE KING starring Robert Patterson, Joel Egerton and the internet’s beloved boyfriend Timothee Chalamet himself.
In 2020, he wrote and starred in a series of original sketches for ITV. His sketch work has amassed millions of views online, been shortlisted for several awards and screened at the BFI garnering praise from national newspapers including The Times, Independent, The Guardian. Currently he’s developing two original long-form shows for television and filming for the upcoming English Language remake of the Netflix comedy Call My Agent called Ten Percent. His upcoming Judd Apatow project The Bubble is out now!
In his instagram bio he refers to himself as “a very shy national treasure” - that he most definitely is.
#33 - Portrait of a girl on FIYAHH with Hannah Williams of (@thepaintlab__)
Today’s guest is only 26 and already lived a thousand lives. In her early teens she swam competitively, and after school graduated as an Interior Architect. She’s lived in Australia on a farm, as an au pair, in a bar, and mystery shopper.
She lived in Milan as an English teacher, worked on a super yacht in the south of France and studied a PGCE in Liverpool.
Lockdown has been a struggle for many, but it allowed Hannah the perfect amount of stillness to re-centre herself and focus on her mental health and wellbeing. It also gave her the opportunity to launch her own business “The Paint Lab” organising paint parties for beginners (something that I’ve participated in during lockdown and LOVED) with the PaintLab even featuring on a festival line-up this summer. You only have to take a quick peek at her instagram @thepaintlab__ to see how talented she is.
Now, Hannah is living in London as Head of Art in school and is setting her sights on using art as a tool to help others struggling with their mental health.
She might refer to herself as insatiable but I think we can all agree it’s inspiring and wildly ambitious!
It’s safe to say she’s been on a huge personal journey over the last 6 years and I cannot wait to absorb her wisdom.
Welcome Hannah Williams!
***This week's episode is sponsored by Nonna Tonda****
I started using Nonna Tonda last year because I, like so many, really missed going to restaurants during lockdown.
With Nonna Tonda, you can receive restaurant quality fresh pasta every. Single. Week.
All their produce is sourced locally where possible and their eco-friendly packaging means you can indulge with a guilt-free conscience!
Plus if (like me) you struggle to find the time to make elaborate meals then fear not!
Every delivery is designed to be made in under 5 minutes so it's completely fuss free!
So what are you waiting for! Sign up to Nonna Tonda today and use the code PASTA1 to enjoy 50% off your first two deliveries.
Thank you so much Nonna Tonda.
#32 - Fearlessness and Fashion journalism with Shei Mamona
Today’s guest is a Maths grad that is now busy playing with lipsticks. A beauty nerd that is passionate about racial equality, Shei is a self professed “jack of all trades, master of some…” In the past she’s interned for leading beauty magazines in the UK, including ELLE, Marie-Claire and The Sunday Times Style.
As a freelance journalist she’s written for British Vogue, The Telegraph, The Irish Times Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Stylist, AND interviewed Queer Eye ICON Jonathan Van Ness, Gossip Girl's very own Ed Westwick and the queen of Hot Girl Summer Megan Thee Stallion.
Now she’s starting a new chapter in London whilst she works as the Beauty & Entertainment Assistant for Glamour Magazine.
You can follow Shei on instagram @sheimamona
Produced by Robbie Scott, Edited by Karis Aldridge.
#31 - Life's an itch with Lydia Finnegan @lydslife
My guest today is not only a Vice President at Goldman Sachs but a wellness and skincare influencer that creates content focussed on relationships/mental health/chronic illnesses/ personal struggles. Lydia had never suffered from eczema as a child but between 2014-2016 after a series of big lifestyle changes (including a new graduate job, new relationship, new house, lots of stress and no control) her skin took a quick downward spiral. In February 2016, she found herself on the verge of a mental breakdown through burnout and ‘life-limiting’ eczema.
After posting about her experiences online she quickly gained a following and positive comments for finally having open and honest conversations around eczema and skin issues generally. From there she created her website https://www.itchie-scratchie.com/ to blog about her personal journey using her experiences to share helpful tips about how to maintain healthy skin and have a balanced life.
You can follow Lydia - @lydslife she's always posting really helpful skincare tips and products for those with sensitive skin!
Edited by Noam Motzeri, Produced by Robbie Scott.
- Kaz xx
#30 - Redundancy and Resilience with Perla Bloom (Think Twice Podcast)
Today’s guest is a marketing strategist who recently landed an exciting new role in the gaming industry. However, it wasn’t all plain sailing in her early twenties - Perla felt unsatisfied with her job, which, coupled with a break-up left her questioning herself and her purpose. In 2020 Perla was made redundant - a situation few people find themselves in so early on in their career. But she refused to be defined by this set back and instead harnessed her marketing expertise to create and co-host her amazing podcast called “Think Twice” analysing cultural insights based on speculation. If anything, the last few years have gifted her with the confidence to step outside her comfort zone and into more exciting roles.
We talk about how to manage redundancy early on in your career, what to look for in job roles and how/why to leave toxic environments whether that be in the workplace or relationships.
We also discuss her podcast which helped her find purpose during lockdown.
NABS - https://nabs.org.uk/
#29 - Ted Talks, Activism and Allyship with Sophie Williams @officialmillennialblack
Today’s guest is an Author, Ted Speaker, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Contributing Writer for several magazines and of course the brains behind the HUGE instagram account @OfficialMillennialBlack.
When Sophie began her career she immediately recognised it to be a predominantly white male space. It was clear that in her professional life it was going to be harder navigating such a space as a black woman which is why she created - The Official Millennial Black.
After the devastating and violent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in the US last year, her posts about anti-racist work got over ¼ million likes, garnering attention from around the world - including pop sensation Justin Bieber! Her book “How to become an Anti-Racist Ally” which she wrote in only 8 days, has sold copies internationally making it onto almost every ‘introduction to activism’ list there is. It’s inspired many, including myself, to look at their actions and how they can create change in their own life/workplace.
Her new book “Millennial Black: The Ultimate Guide for Black Women at Work” is a labor of love that has been years in the making. Amongst all the insightful statistics about black women in the workplace, its main purpose is to give productive tips on how we move forward to create a more inclusive landscape and inspire positive change.
You can buy her books here -
https://linktr.ee/officialmillennialblack
Watch Sophie's Ted Talk on Youtube here -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nMbKkgqork
Leigh-Anne Documentary "Race Pop and Power" -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09fy1qy
KPMG story - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/12/kpmg-bill-michael-resigns-after-telling-staff-to-stop-moaning
#28 - Being a fasHUN with Monet Aluko
**THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED VIRTUALLY OVER ZOOM - AUDIO QUALITY IS AFFECTED (SORRY!) **
Today's episode is with guest Monet Aluko!
She graduated with a degree in sociology and criminology in 2015 and shortly after made her big move to New York where she worked for a private equity firm.
Upon returning to the UK she found herself in between temp jobs trying to figure out her next career move. By pure coincidence her friend, who was working for a Fashion PR agency, was looking for someone to help out for a press day. Monet offered her services and the rest was history.
Since then, she’s worked in a variety of roles from showroom manager to senior account exec working with international clients on high profile shows including Paris fashion week.
In this episode we discuss the importance of perseverance and pursuing careers that truly excite and motivate you instead of settling. Monet talks about the issues with comparison, not measuring your success by other people's standards and having patience with the process.
We also discuss how (THE OG reality TV show) 'The Hills' was a huge inspiration for her to get into Fashion PR (forever grateful to you Lauren Conrad) and how the fashion industry is evolving to become more inclusive and sustainable, especially for the plus size community.
Hope you enjoooooy!
Karis x
#27 - Guilty verdicts and "snap back" culture
Happy Monday everyone!
This week I got together with co-host Ellie to discuss the Derek Chauvin guilty verdict on the George Floyd trial and what this means for future police reform in the US . We briefly touch on the collapse of the super-league controversy in relation (apologies to real football fans - we really know NADA) and a particularly controversial picture posted by Emily Ratajkowski and whether it's fuelling a conversation about "snap back" culture for post-partum bodies and potentially triggering image for new mothers.
We also chat about the revival of the iconic Axel F 'Crazy Frog' tune (referred to by many as a noughties classic) by none other than RITA ORA (of course it had to be her).
Hope you enjooooooy.
K
#26 - Nuance is necessary with Tanyia
Helllooooooo
I hope you all had a lovely easter weekend - I think it was the mini break we all needed!
Today's episode I'm joined by Tanyia to chat about the college admissions scandal (Documentary on Netflix) cultural appropriation vs appreciation and park dates / peeing your pants. It's a whirlwind ep.
Hope you enjoy!!!
Kaz and Tan xxxxx
#25 - Diversify your life with Shana Gujral (LILA)
Today’s guest is an award winning advertiser, diversity coach & founder. As a young asian woman, Shana grew up never feeling a sense of belonging in the UK, from education to entrepreneurship to her own career.
This inspired her to create inclusive opportunities and groups wherever she went - beginning with a night at University dedicated to women in music and continuing into her professional life becoming a diversity champion and consultant to over 1500 employees in her career.
In 2019, Shana started up her own business, but after experiencing job burnout she decided to close the business and move out of London to rethink her options. That coupled with covid and lockdown became a period of serious uncertainty but also a crucial time for reflection.
In 2020, Shana set up LILA - a diversity and inclusion company that focuses on “the business of belonging”. Her 360 business model is all about giving every person agency in decreasing the diversity gap. It comes as no surprise that most (if not all) industries are severely lacking representation from marginalised communities. As we record this episode in March 2021 there are no black executives in any of the top three roles at Britain’s top 100 companies. Clearly, there’s A LOT of work to do and Shana’s business LILA is here pulling up for change.
This year she was listed as one of The Dots 100 Rising Stars - an accolade for those who are ‘transforming the industry of today and inspiring the generation of tomorrow’. A pretty impressive feat of which I’m sure there’s many more to come.
Atomic Habits - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/1847941834/ref=asc_df_1847941834/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310973726618&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2721868514805544149&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046001&hvtargid=pla-551566274852&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
Edited by Karis.
#24 - International Women's Day: Reflections on Womanhood
Today I'm joined by co-host Ellie on IWD and we are discussing and CELEBRATING womanhood -
This episode comes after quite a devastating week in which we've seen Meghan Markle attacked and openly mocked for opening up about her deteriorating mental health, and the harrowing murder of Sarah Everard by a police officer. To say that there's a long way to go for the protection of women in society would be an understatement.
We chat about Serena Williams reading the Kipling poem 'If' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/56294852
We discuss the problem with the patriarchy pitting women against each other and fuelling female comparison, the way women are depicted and fetishised as vulnerable - and how media and advertising perpetuates this.
How we should change the discourse around women losing their virginity because it refers to outdated ideas of women's sexuality being corrupted.
https://www.intimina.com/blog/losing-your-virginity/
The way the world sets a bar for womanhood to be interpreted through constant dichotomies and fuelling the male gaze.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpDHNbjGivo
The issues with language being inherently sexist and how we can change the discourse around problematic phrases like "man up" and "don't be a pussy".
And Ellie reads a beautiful poem by the glorious Rupi Kaur "Oh but the pussy is brave".
For this episode we're going to be making a donation to women's aid - an organisation to help protect women and children against domestic abuse, if you'd like to donate please click here -
https://www.womensaid.org.uk/
Love Kaz and El xxxx
#23 - Engineering your future with Liam Parsons
*preface this by saying this episode was recorded over zoom so the audio quality is affected*
HELLO and Happy International Women's Day!
Today’s guest is the WONDERFUL Liam Parsons! He graduated in 2017 as Structural Engineer - but after placements and a 2 year job working for Structural Engineering Consultancy he decided that engineering was not the path he wanted to pursue. Since then, he’s become an established group and fitness GURU, giving us all some inspiration to get ourselves active and motivated in lockdown.
However, fitness was one of the sectors most affected by covid, leaving Liam floating in and out of a job for the best part of a year. With Boris’ roadmap pointing to gyms reopening on 12 April, the end is in sight (hurrah).
We discuss his transition from engineering to fitness, his experience coming out and coping in the fitness sector during covid.
To say that he’s successfully navigated periods of uncertainty and come out much stronger the other side would be an understatement.
Thank you Liam for the lovely chat - please come back anytime!
You can follow the podcast on insta @theuncertwenties and @karischloe
Edited by Karis and Robbie xxx
#22 - #Megxit, Tracy Beaker and Golden Globes noms with Holly
This week I'm joined by best pal and housemate Holly K to discuss watching the new Tracey Beaker on BBC, which is a far cry from the beloved OG series.
We also discuss MEXIT aka the big news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially stepping back from the royal family. We discuss the absolute TRAVESTY that was the Golden Globe nominations which had a severe lack of diversity and a felt absence of Michaela's Coel's masterpiece 'I May Destroy You' which further highlights the institutional and covert racism within the industry.
Edited by Karis.
#21 - Unpredictable Career Paths & Undermining Societal Expectations with Taylor and Georgina (Safe and Sound podcast)
We unpack A LOT in this episode! Discussing unpredictable career paths after Georgina's decision to leave uni after her first semester and Taylor's toxic work environments in post-uni roles.
We discuss the art of not caring and how freeing that can be to pursue passions in life, Georgina's decision to not have children and how that plays into her views of femininity and relationships and Taylor's experience of coming out and the problematic ongoing conversations surrounding it.
We also chat (OF COURSE) about their love of MUSIC! What was the first album they bought and why they started their podcast.
Thank you as always to Georgina and Tay for bringing such honest candidness to our conversation! It made me think a lot about these topics and how I will approach those conversations in the future.
I hope you enjoy! You can follow them on instagram and twitter @safeandsoundpod
Edited by Robbie Scott (Goldcrest Films)
#20 - Happy Galentines Day!
I'm joined by my new co-host Tanyia and we are celebrating V day by sharing our Valentines Day memories and doing the The 36 Questions That Lead to Love.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/style/no-37-big-wedding-or-small.html
#19 Female friendship, Embracing Vulnerability and Mentoring with Seun Toye-Kayode
*This episode is recorded over zoom so the audio quality is affected* It's very rare to come across people that are so inspiring they leave you speechless. Seun Toye Kayode is one of those people! This episode for me was all about absorbing her wisdom and feeling inspired to make myself a better person - I hope you feel the same! In this episode we talk about - How her faith has helped her reconcile feelings of anxiety whilst we're in a state of uncertainty. Setting up ACAwomanhood (A conversation about womanhood) a weekly discussion which provides a safe space for women to be vulnerable (now available to join virtually). The importance of female friendship, how women have been suppressed by the patriarchy for so long and how we can collectively support and empower each other. What it truly means to be a good friend and the law of attraction. The difference between a longterm relationship and marriage. The biggest lessons she's learnt from mentoring others and her own mentors. Having patience with the journey and learning that success is a process and doesn't happen overnight. Thank you so much Seun for gifting us with this incredibly insightful conversation - I will remember it for years to come! Edited by Karis. Available on all podcast platforms.
#18 - MAFS, Bridgerton, Biden's Inauguration and HSM's 15th Anniversary
It’s really exciting this season because we’re shaking things up a little bit. Firstly, I’m going to be joined by 2 exciting new co-hosts Ellie and Tanyia!
We’re bringing you a bi-weekly discussion about life, love, work, and all things pop culture.
In this episode we discuss Biden's Inauguration and the fabulous Amanda Gorman, the 22 year old poet laureate who wowed the world with her beautiful poem "The Hill We Climb"
We discuss binging Bridgerton and Married at First Sight Australia.
We also celebrate the ICONIC TRILOGY THAT IS HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL! Which is celebrating it's 15th anniversary this week.
Enjooooooy.
Kaz and El xxxx
*Creditz to Robbie for co-editing.
#16 - CHRISTMAS SPECIAL SEASON FINALE!!
Just want to preface this by saying we recorded the episode before the terrible tier 4 news. For the end of the season we wanted to do something light-hearted and fun to forget the woes of 2020.
Today's episode I am joined by Holly and Tanyia to play some fun Christmas games and discuss our fav Christmas traditions to get ourselves into the festive spirit.
Thank you so much to everyone who's listened, shared and supported the podcast in it's first season! It's been amazing.
As it's Christmas, and it's been such a difficult year for so many with many job losses etc through covid, The Uncertwenties will be making a donation for The Trussel Trust which helps those in poverty get access to food banks - https://www.trusselltrust.org/
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Looking forward to a bigger, brighter 2021 for all!
The UncerTwenties will be back in January with very exciting new announcements.
#15 - Fitting into the Film Industry with Lucy Heath
*This episode was recorded in lockdown over zoom so the quality might be worse than usual SORRY!!*
Today’s guest is an actor and writer. We first met at the performing arts school Italia Conti WAYYYY back when and she’s since studied drama at the prestigious Guildford School of Acting. She’s also starred in projects like Mating Call (Channel 4) and Richard III (Globe Stage)
Her first short film Better, was described as “Sublime, evocative and moving” by indiewire, went on to win THE IRIS PRIZE and can now be found on 4OD (see below)
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/better
In 2020 she set up her own production company, Silver Rose Productions, which is committed to creating work for underrepresented communities, both in front of the camera and behind it.
https://www.silverroseprod.com/
More recently she’s finished filming her next short film PRAGMA during lockdown, which she wrote and starred in. To say she has many strings to her bow would be a bit of an understatement.
Welcome Lucy Heath!
#14 - Eat, Slay, Love with Tilly Pielichaty
Today's episode is with one of my oldest friends Tilly! We met on our first day at Uni and the rest was history!
I've always admired Tilly for being someone who throw herself into situations outside of her comfort zone, which is why I wanted to get her on the podcast! In this episode we discuss Tilly's decision to go travelling alone for 4 months and the biggest lessons she's learnt from that experience. We also discuss the problems she faced coming home from travelling with a newfound confidence to then land herself in a job in a very toxic environment and how that took a toll on her mental health. Tils also bravely decided to move to South Korea in 2018 for a year to teach English - and we discuss her experience moving abroad by herself to a country that is culturally very different to the UK.
We also discuss the importance of female friendship and having an amazing mum to look up to!
If you enjoy the episode please link, rate and subscribe on Apple or Spotify Podcasts.
Edited by Noam Motzeri!
xxx
#13 - Becoming your best self with Zahrah Kazim
**Due to the crazy covid rules we’re back in lockdown recording this episode over Zoom so I do apologise in advance if the quality of the recording isn’t quite as good.**
I’m very excited because as some listeners might know already, I’m very passionate about black female entrepreneurship, having previously had guests such as Nicole Crentsil on the show. So as you can imagine, I was really excited to stumble across Become The Programme online, which was founded by Zahrah and Aimee. Become is an initiative to help young women of colour get ahead in their careers by providing them with the skillset needed and creating opportunities for a demographic that is largely underrepresented in most industries, especially at senior level.
To quote Zahrah “women of colour are unfairly put into boxes, being told they should be a certain way, dream a certain way and achieve goals within restricted parameters” this initiative is a chance to put an end to that.
In this episode we discuss the lack of POC representation in all job sectors, the reasons Zahrah and Aimee set up their new initiative Become, why black hair has become such an important symbol, and the problematic nature of celebrities like the Kardashians culturally appropriating black culture.
*Edited by Noam Motzeri
You can follow Become on instagram @become_theprogramme
or their website - https://www.becometheprogramme.com/
#12 - 'Rona, Reunions and Rethinking Mental Health with Ellie Roberts
I’m very excited because today we have a returning guest!
When I asked Ellie Roberts to come on the podcast in February this year, it was because, as one of my closest and oldest friends, I thought it would be an easy chat – and it helps that she’s hilarious and incredibly interesting.
But what I didn’t quite anticipate, was her brave honesty and candour – especially when discussing the topic of grief, and how she dealt with her brother, Sam Roberts, unexpected death in 2014. Her open candidness resonated with a huge audience and it’s by far the most played ep to date.
Now that Gill Mann’s book A Song Inside has been released AND Ellie finds herself back at school teaching a class of Year 6’s during a global pandemic, it felt like the right time to invite her back on to discuss the book’s success and the changes she’s faced in 2020.
Welcome back Ellie!!!
Listen to Gill's beautiful excerpt from A Song Inside at 43:00 mins.
All profits made from A Song Inside will be going to local mental health charities to support families - if you'd like to buy the book you can do so here-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-Inside-heartbreaking-uplifting-memoir/dp/1838043004
And if you'd like to donate to mental health charities here are a few:
https://www.mind.org.uk/donate/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIruHF1Oiu7AIVlcx3Ch2ogwt4EAAYASAAEgIOJfD_BwE
https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/fundraising/get-active/ride-for-mental-health/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhfj33Oiu7AIVye7tCh1g8Ax6EAAYASAAEgLFw_D_BwE
https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/
https://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/family-life/bereavement-support/supporting-bereaved-people/further-help
Edited by Noam Motzeri.
#11 - Breaking down Politics with Julia Belle
This week's episode is with hilariously talented Julia Belle, host and creator of The Breakdown podcast which is, as I'm sure you can imagine from the title, breaking down the biggest political news stories minus the complicated jargon and making politics easy and accessible for everybody.
We discuss how she began her career in presenting, what she learnt from hosting and producing her own radio shows, how she's coped during lockdown having moved back to her family home, and how she's managed to rebuild momentum on the podcast throughout it all. She also speaks incredibly candidly about her mounting anxieties that manifested during lockdown about her life and career, whether it's possible to per se "have it all" and how to balance it all.
We discuss the craziest headline stories this year (including Kanye 4 President obvs) the difference between UK and US politics and whether Julia would appear in her own politics musical (her Nicola Sturgeon impression is undeniably spot on).
I hope you all enjoy the episode as much as I enjoyed recording it!
Julia's podcast The Breakdown is available on all main platforms, Spotify/google/apple.
You can see more of what she's up to, including her Patreon page here - https://many.link/juliabelle_x
#10 - Sistas are doin' it for themselves - with Tanya Aldridge
Very excited to be back and recording it our exciting new studio in Soho! Hopefully this is the end of annoying sirens and background noise during the episodes (don't hold your breath). This weeks podcast is with my very own sister! She's spent her twenties travelling around South-east Asia, America and living in New York. In today's episode as she approaches the big 3-0 Tan takes some time to reflect on her twenties, the biggest lessons she's learnt and what advice she'd give to her younger self. She also looks forward to what's in store for her thirties, her acceptance of growing older and not rushing herself to fulfil box ticking standards imposed by society.
I loved having my sis on the pod, she's been an instrumental person in helping to shape the woman I am today and an inspiration to me growing up - so a massive thanks Tan for the good mems!
If you enjoy the episode please like/rate and subscribe to the episode on itunes and/or spotify!
Edited by Noam Motzeri and special thanks to Robbie at Goldcrest for the recording space!
x
#9 - Going with the FLO (with Flo Charlton)
Since then she’s pursued a career in Art and Commercial Photography, completing internships and work experience as a Fashion PR assistant at New Look, a fashion styling assistant at ITV Studios and Studio Assistant at Selfridges.
She is also the co-founder Natcho Creative, alongside her boyfriend Nathan, which is a company and creative studio that offers a variety of visual content for brands and events, generating high quality commercial photos and videos.
In this episode we discuss the difficulties facing new businesses during Covid, managing mental health during university and lockdown.
Check out their website and projects they've previously worked on here www.natchocreative.com/
You can follow on instagram here - www.instagram.com/natcho_creative/
Edited by Noam Motzeri.
#8 - Black Girl Magic with Nicole Crentsil
Today’s guest is Nicole Crentsil who truly is the definition of a multi-hyphenate BOSS. She’s the founder and curator of Unmasked Women, an exhibition that focuses on mental health through the lens of black British women. In 2018, Forbes listed her as one of 100 women to follow on Twitter and LinkedIn (I suggest everyone give it a follow - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-krystal-crentsil-4008ab75/?originalSubdomain=uk). Awarded as TimeOut's 1 of 50 Londoner’s shaping the city’s cultural landscape, she is an established public speaker, curator & the festival director of Black Girl Fest.
In today's episode we discuss her coping mechanisms and self care methods during lockdown (includes Ugly Betty & perfecting Banana Bread recipes), furthering conversations around mental health in black communities and how she uses her social media channels to be transparent and vulnerable with her followers. We discuss Nicole's upcoming project Big Sis which is a collaborative network that brings together women in creative industries for advice and support.
We also discuss her success with Black Girl Fest https://www.blackgirlfest.com/ and decision not to do the festival this year to focus on their fantastic academy programme which is a seven month community-focused creative programme in association with Apple and The Mayor of London aimed at young black women aged between 17-25.
*Since recording, Nicole has become an incredibly successful ANGEL investor, helping lots of black female-founded companies gain investment.
You can follow Nicole on instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nkrystal_/ and all her amazing projects here - @bigsis.co @blackgirlfest @unmaskedwomen
Black Girl Magic Definition: "Celebrate the beauty, power and resilience of Black women", as described by Julee Wilson from HuffPost, and to congratulate Black women on their accomplishments.
You can now vote for this podcast on the British Podcast Awards Listeners Choice Award - https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote (Please check your spam/junk folders as the confirmation email usually goes there!).
Edited by Noam Motzeri.
Love, K
#7 - Black Lives Matter - Amplifying black voices
Hey guys, we’re back with another episode where we discuss the Black Lives Matter movement sparked by the tragic murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many others. It’s been a discombobulating and exhausting time for many – for black people having to cope with “the emotional impact of watching white people wake up to racism in real-time” (which is articulated perfectly in this article https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/12/emotional-impact-watching-white-people-wake-racism-real-time-12839920/?ito=cbshare) and our white allies who are confronting their own white privilege, supremacy and looking for ways to change and re-examine their behaviour.
There are already a number of resources and platforms intelligently discussing these issues much better than I ever could, and I personally felt fatigued and overwhelmed after the last few weeks with the amount of information my brain could intake, so I’ve decided to use the pod to discuss some books/TV shows/podcasts that I and my lovely housemates have consumed over the last year that we thought could be both entertaining AND continue these complex conversations about race and privilege. We were nervous about recording this episode and making sure we articulate ourselves in the right way but again, a lot of what we’re learning is that we’ll inevitably make mistakes and learning from them is part of the process – so forgive us!
I’d love to hear people’s thoughts and please like, share and subscribe if you enjoy the ep.
Sending all my love to everyone during this difficult time – let’s spread love guys!
Love,
K
In this episode we discuss –
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Girl, Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/bernardine-evaristo-publishing-diversity
https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/performative-grief-online
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adiche. You can watch her Ted talk “We can all be feminists” here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Little Fires Everywhere – based on the novel by Celeste Ng, available on amazon prime & hulu.
13th Documentary by Ava Duverney (available on Netflix)
When They See Us by Ava Duverney (available on Netflix)
Sitting in Limbo (available on BBC iplayer here https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p08g29ff/sitting-in-limbo#:~:text=Sitting%20in%20Limbo,Office%20and%20threatened%20with%20deportation.)
Reasons to be Cheerful with Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd on BLACK LIVES MATTER here -https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Ey8S9aTKgM2vaE6zUrKJ3
Barack Obama’s Vice Webinar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhC5tGFZSrI
#6 - Amst(ill standing)! Moving Abroad with Simi Nayyar
#5 - Life is a Coronacoaster you just gotta ride it (with Ellie and Trixie)
Bringing you this episode in isolation - hence the slightly dodgy delay at times (apologies!)
In this episode we discuss Marie Kondo-ing our bedrooms, isolation reads, learning the ukulele in lockdown and "Too Hot to Handle".
*The official definition of Coronacoaster:
The ups and downs of your mood during the pandemic. You’re loving lockdown one minute but suddenly weepy with anxiety the next. It truly is “an emotional coronacoaster”.
Edited by Noam Motzeri.
#4 - Life Ain't a Rehearsal - Comedy Writing with Briony Puddepha
Hello Everyone!
I hope you're all coping in these strange ole times we're living in & practising social distancing.
It feels more prevalent than ever to be discussing uncertainty right now and I'm hoping this episode can bring a little bit of happiness during the self isolation period! So crank it up on your home speakers and listen with housemates/friends/yourself.
Today's episode is with Briony Puddepha, we first met at university where we sang our little hearts out in the Musical Theatre society together. Briony has since moved her talents off stage and turned to the pen, having completed a masters in screenwriting at the prestigious London Met Film School. Nowadays she's writing for Cinegirl Magazine, Succubus and Turtle Canyon Comedy.
Briony discusses the ups and downs of life as a female comedy writer, her attempts at doing stand-up and her experience show running her first web series, LIVE WITH IT (more details below).
She also discusses her long struggle to get a diagnosis for Ulcerative Colitis, and how the illness has impacted her daily life, as well as the struggles she faced moving home after her illness worsened and she decided to focus more on building her professional portfolio.
Thank you so much Briony for your hilarious honesty! Move over Phoebe Waller Bridge.
You can now watch the full season (8 episodes) of LIVE WITH IT here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL-C0y9Y1nIHn6_6VtZo0nw
You can also visit Briony's page http://brionypuddepha.com/ and Cinegirl where she is a regular contributor here https://www.cinegirl.net/
Edited as always by the lovely Noam Motzeri.
#3 - Learning Lessons with Ellie Roberts
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Apologies for the delay in getting this episode out it's been a hectic few weeks!
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I'm so excited to release this episode with my bestie @eleanorkate I absolutely loved our chat - her candidness, honesty and humour are but a few of my favourite things about her ! Dedicating this to you by posting a few pics of us in our prime over the last 10(ish) years.
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In this episode we discuss the ups and downs of life as a teacher and the troubles with how the education system is perceived in this country. She also discusses very openly the deterioration of her brothers mental health and battle with Schizophrenia and the effect it's had on her family. We also sing some incredible harmonies. They're amaZing.
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The Roberts family are now working hard to destigmatize mental health in public discourse and help other families get the support they need.
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Gill Mann's book is called "A Song Inside" and will launch on the 2nd July @gillmann9 - so please please please read!
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Ellie, I cannot thank you enough for recording this pod with me, I hope this conversation will help any others who have struggled with family members/friends with schizophrenia to reach out to others and find the right resources to help. I find your strength, humility, and ability to still be such a hilarious and positive human so inspiring. You will forever be my favourite! Dedicating this episode to her brother Sam ❤️
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#mentalhealthawareness #schizophrenia #podcast #podcastlife #podcasting #podcast🎧 #teachersofinstagram #teacher #lesson101 #spotify
#2 - Working in Charity & Vacay mishaps with Holly K
#1 - Beauty, Biznazzz and Break-Ups with Tanyia
Welcome to the UncerTwenties first episode! I’m Karis and I started this podcast because I feel like I'm constantly failing at adult life and I hope I’m not the only one....
I’m going to be speaking to friends and people I admire about struggles they’re facing now or have in the past and how they’re still able to smash life.
***There's still a lot to be worked on editing-wise so bear with me during these first few episodes!! Your feedback is appreciated!***
Today’s podcast is with Tanyia, we discuss everything from our time together at Uni, to getting over a breakup, and her new skincare company Deshall, which is a platform for incredible South Asian skincare. So I hope you guys enjoy!
You can follow Deshall on instagram @deshall , Tanyia on @tanyiahmed and this podcast on @theuncertwenties
Kaz x