In a beautifully warm festive wellbeing special, Riona O'Connor shares how her 80's- inspired Christmas tree made her weep for the nostalgia, talks candidly about her journey with ADHD and the part she plays in 'The Nightmare Before Christmas In Wonderland' alongside Emilia Clarke and Gerard Butler.

Opening up about her brother’s challenges with addiction and how it impacted her from an early age, the comedian, voiceover artist and musicals songstress Riona O'Connor sharing reflects on her very honest, real and ridiculous brand of humour.

A prolific creator, Riona chats to Andrew and Olga about living with depression and ADHD and how sleep is the only real remedy she’s ever found.

A real festive treat! And make sure you watch/listen to the end as she sings us out with Split Ends: The Musical!



NOTE:
Contains some strong language.
Riona’s live musical comedy shows have been a sell-out hit and she will be embarking on her first Live Nation Tour -alongside our very own Olga Thompson - in 2025.

In a very special episode filmed in the Split Ends salon ahead of the Pink Ribbon Foundation’s launch of the book BOLD, Andrew and Olga chat gratitude, pink hair and resilience with Natalie Mizuik.

A mum of three young children from Walthamstow, Natalie is a coach and emotional intelligence specialist. She’s just finished 14 months of treatment for triple negative breast cancer, modelled for BOLD, with her images shared in Piccadilly Circus and Times Square….and in case that wasn’t enough, she’s currently up a mountain in the Himalayas with BBC Dragon Sara Davies for the Coppafeeel trek!

Sharing how she felt determined to flip her diagnosis on its head so much that she could even be 'grateful for having cancer', Natalie speaks about how moments of joy, gratitude and laughter have played a huge part in what's been a soul-destroying year.

Filmed with huge thanks to BOLD photographer Caroline Sikkenk and Lisa Allen and all the team at the Pink Ribbon foundation

CREDITS:
BOLD images: Caroline Sikkenk
Event photography: Kelly Reeves Photography
https://youtu.be/oCkazOXM61E

"Refreshing, honest and soooo damn funny! "

Founder and CEO of the British Beauty Council, brand maker and brand leader, the Millie to the Ruby and the business woman championing the value of the beauty industry with integrity, passion and humour, Millie Kendall joins Andrew and Olga in the salon chair.

In a powerful episode launched alongside British Beauty Week, Millie shares her beauty tips, opens up about what keeps her well and her drive to challenge assumptions and injustices - just wait til you hear about the hidden class war of her Dad’s briefcase!

"Millie really does add the ALL to Ken and the business into Beauty"

"Live more, worry less!"

Proving that she is indeed 'Invincible NOT Invisible ' as her brand new book would suggest, business woman and author Fiona Lambert gives some top tips to Andrew and Olga as she shares her 'hair story' - and a few impromptu exercises -from the comfort of the salon chair!

Taking Androulla to task with some over-sized shampoo bottles, Fiona shares how even small steps can make a big difference. And Andrew shows her the tricks of the trade too with his 'magic wand' making all the difference for her short hair do for a very special day night out!

Determined to show that being 60 doesn't mean you have to stop, Fiona took on the audacious challenge to be in her best shape ever and has an Amazon best-selling book to show for it. Tune in for some of her split ends, highlights and lowlights.

Stylist & author Anna Cascarina takes to the salon chair to go a bit prairie mum ahead of a gig with her daughter..and takes us on a journey packed full of top tips, transformation and tattoos!

Having worked in fashion all her life, Insta stylist and Olga’s bestie Anna shares her struggles and her mission to make sure women like her feel seen, revealing her moment of “Where am I? I still love fashion!?”

So tune in, find out how to build ‘The Forever Wardrobe’ and how whales relate to the menopause too!

From a mother's guilt to a love of the 80s, this heroic episode shares how actor and comedian Nina Wadia OBE turned her son's shock diagnosis into an inspirational quest to find a cure for type 1 diabetes, whilst taking on a whole host of iconic characters along the way.

Getting serious about life behind the scenes of comedy sketch shows and soaps, Nina opens up to Andrew and Olga about being angry with God, understanding her purpose in life and ditching a seven year contract in LA to focus on her family and fundraising.

Laugh and cry along in this cliffhanger-meets -cheese -steak Subway delight, as comedy sketch show royalty Nina Wadia meets Split Ends' favourite salon trainee, Androulla.

And if you're holding out for a hero too, tune in to hear all about Nina's musical family, and her next hair-raising, back-combing project, 'Now that's what I call a musical!'


Nina's charity in the chair today: Breakthrough T1D

Twirling into the salon, Royal Ballet ballerina and teacher Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani and her daughter Chloé took to the chair for nothing short of a mega-chop in aid of a great cause.

As a passionate ambassador of the charity, Andrew skilfully preps and snips their lovely long locks as they brave a huge chop each for the wonderful Little Princess Trust. And these two beautiful ballerinas give Split Ends their most dramatic before and after shots so far!

With exclusive behind the scenes access to some of Tara’s brilliant wig and costume stories from some of her key character roles at the Royal Ballet, Tara also opens up about the mental and physical pressure of being a ballerina.

With Chloé also taking to the scissors to help with her mum’s giant snip, this episode is a mother-daughter delight and will have you twirling into next week like a little princess!

This is a special episode which is a love letter to the Little Princess Trust.

“Get your lippy on girl’” and hear the ‘hairstory’ and meaning behind the iconic red lipstick and strong glasses of stylist and fashion icon Nicky Hambleton-Jones.

Partners in crime with Andrew from the hit TV makeover show, ‘10 years younger’ , this episode of Split Ends is more likely to be called ‘10 years OLDER …and a bit more!’

In a show that digs deeper on ageism and ambition, Nicky shares how "fashion saves me every day" , speaks about her early dreams of being a hairdresser herself, and confesses to having recently tried Botox for the first time.

So, in the words of NH-J, “Get your lippy on girl! “ and listen to this one with a big belt cinching you in at the waist! You know it makes sense!




Nicky-isms:

“Fashion is one of those things that people think they should know what to do just because they get dressed every day, but if you need an expert eye, get one.”

“A lot of lipstick and a lot of bright colours in my wardrobe save me every day. Fashion saves me!”

On the subject of elastic tracksuit bottoms :
“You might darling….but I don’t!”

“There’s something about putting a bold lipstick that makes you act differently. Do that first! “

“Turning 50 is the most exciting thing that can happen to you because you know … who cares any more?! “

“Don’t call me ma’am and don’t call me mature…”