Is there such a thing as a "maths brain"? How do you help a child who's struggling with numbers? And why should you never tell a kid they're clever? Here to answer all these questions is the legendary Bobby Seagull!

He tells us how he gave up a career in the city to become a teacher, and ended up going viral after an appearance on University Challenge. We discuss Bobby's dating life, and how he explained it to his mum using a PowerPoint presentation. Ellie attempts a Keir Starmer impression, Helen reveals how she embarrassed herself in front of a hot young man, and we invent a new catchphrase for Britain. Plus: a maths rap and a quiz!

Bobby's books, The Life-Changing Magic of Numbers and The Monkman and Seagull Quiz Book, are out now. Follow Bobby on social media for more Seagull magic or visit bobbyseagull.com.

WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD! Our brand new show Hot Mess is coming to theatres all over the country in 2025 and beyond. Many shows are SOLD OUT already so get your tickets NOW for Leeds, Sheffield, Stroud... Then we're off to Dunstable, Chelmsford, Worthing, Cardiff, Worcester, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets.

*WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY!

We're on X, Instagram, and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe.

Thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this episode is the awesome Tasha Thompson, founder of Black Girls Do Run!

She tells us what inspired to set up the organisation, why she started running, and what keeps her going more than 25 years later. We discuss the challenges women face when it comes to getting involved in sport. Tasha talks about why we need to get out there, and how to do it.

There's a lot of chat about chafing, and we share our top running tips. Tasha tells us what her favourite gadget is, and Helen reveals the handy hack that has changed her life.

Follow Tasha on Instagram @tasharunstings, and Google "Black Girls Do Run" for info on their upcoming events.

WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD! Our brand new show Hot Mess is coming to theatres all over the country in 2025 and beyond. Many shows are SOLD OUT already so get your tickets NOW for Leeds, Sheffield, Stroud... Then we're off to Dunstable, Chelmsford, Worthing, Cardiff, Worcester, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets.

*WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY!

We're on X (@scummymummies), Instagram, and Facebook. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe.

Thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this episode is the amazing Emma Campbell, aka Limitless Em - author, marathon runner, cancer survivor, and single mum of four.

She tells us about her experience of being diagnosed with cancer when her triplets were just six months old. We discuss the best way to talk to kids about cancer, and Em's top tip for getting through a crisis.

Follow Em on Instagram @limitless_em for more from her, including links to her excellent podcast, Open. She's running this year's London Marathon for Cancer Research as part of #TeamBowelBabe - have a look at her sponsorship page to donate.

WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD! Our brand new show Hot Mess is coming to theatres all over the country in 2025 and beyond. Many shows are SOLD OUT already so get your tickets NOW for Leeds, Sheffield, Stroud... Then we're off to Dunstable, Chelmsford, Worthing, Cardiff, Worcester, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets.

*WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY!

We're on X (@scummymummies), Instagram, and Facebook. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe.

Thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the right age to give a child a mobile phone? How long should kids spend on screens each day? Why don't we need to feel as guilty about our children's phone use as we might think? Answering all these questions is the awesome neuroscientist Dean Burnett.

He explains the difference between compulsion and addiction, and why he doesn't think Australia's plan to ban social media for under 16s is a good idea. We look at tricky issues like explicit content, cyberbullying, and the effect of staring at a screen on kids' eyesight - and find out what we can do about them. Dean tells us how long his own children spend on screens each day, and we are relieved.

Along with giving us some tips on dealing with teens, Dean reveals how we can stave off the brain fog that comes with age. We end with some Scummy Mummy Confessions involving dirty pants, the Miami International Psychedelics Convention, and a packet of ham. And keep listening right to the end for some very strong language as we learn the Welsh term for "jellyfish".

Dean's brilliant books, Why Your Parents Are Driving You Up The Wall And What You Can Do About It and Why Your Parents Are Hung Up On Your Phone And What To Do About It are out now. For more from Dean go to deanburnett.com.

WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD! Our brand new show Hot Mess is coming to theatres all over the country in 2025 and beyond. Many shows are SOLD OUT already so get your tickets NOW for Stockport, Birmingham, Wrexham, Leeds, Sheffield, Stroud... Then we're off to Dunstable, Chelmsford, Worthing, Cardiff, Worcester, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets.

*WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY!

We're on X (@scummymummies), Instagram, and Facebook. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe.

Thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this special live episode we took a trip to lovely Liverpool, and had a fabulous time. We discussed how our feelings about exercise have changed over the years, and what we've learned about the different ways we can motivate ourselves. We also showed off about the time we went to Everest, and told the story of how we visited the wrong Brookside.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Sweaty Betty. We absolutely love their workout gear, especially the super comfy leggings with the pockets, and we've been wearing it for years, so we're very happy to work with them.

Sweaty Betty’s mission for the past 25 years has been to empower women through fitness – and for 2025 they’re doubling down on this by encouraging women to release that inner pressure and move in a way that makes you feel good. You might be strong today but struggle tomorrow. Or you might train for success, or to shut out the noise. Working up a sweat looks different to everyone; it’s about finding a fitness that fits you.

Our new show, Hot Mess, is almost ready for its world premiere! Our first few shows have already sold out, so get your tickets now... scummymummies.com

Thanks for sponsoring us, Sweaty Betty.

And thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

302: Self-love, second chances and dick pics with Lou Featherstone

Ever dreamed of leaving your husband, buying a leopard print bus, and touring America's Bible belt while throwing vibrators out of the window? That's what Lou Featherstone did, and she tells us all about it in this episode.

We hear how a dick pic inspired her to leave her marriage after 20 years. We find out what it's like to give a Ted talk and to find new love with an old flame, and Lou shares her top tip for self-love. We also hear about her plans to take her beloved bus on the road here in the UK.

To finish up we enjoy some amazing Scummy Mummy Confessions involving a Portuguese taxi driver and a threesome via a Harvester.

For more from Lou, including dates for her new tour, follow her on Instagram @luinluland.

We are bringing our BRAND NEW SHOW, Hot Mess, to theatres all over the country in 2025! Nunhead, Horsham and Farnham are SOLD OUT already... So get your tickets NOW for Stockport, Harlow, Birmingham, Wrexham, Salisbury, Leeds, Sheffield, Stroud and Epsom... Then we're off to Dunstable, Chelmsford, Worthing, Cardiff, Worcester, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets.

*WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY!

We're on X (@scummymummies), Instagram, and Facebook. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe.

Thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got a live one! This special episode was recorded in front of a lovely audience at the Soho Hotel. We talk about our relationships with fitness - everything from Helen's epic running to Ellie's dodgy knees.

We discuss how we both hated exercise at school, and why that changed as we got older. Helen explains how getting out of her marriage led to a change in mindset, and Ellie confuses herself with a complicated analogy about hobs and saucepans, or something.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Sweaty Betty. We've been wearing their exercise gear for years, so we're very happy to be working with them.

Sweaty Betty’s mission for the past 25 years has been to empower women through fitness – and for 2025 they’re doubling down on this by encouraging women to release that inner pressure and move in a way that makes you feel good. You might be strong today but struggle tomorrow. Or you might train for success, or to shut out the noise. Working up a sweat looks different to everyone; it’s about finding a fitness that fits you.

We're doing another live podcast with Sweaty Betty on 12 February, in Liverpool - tickets are available now.

You can sponsor Helen for completing all the World Major Marathons in Tokyo in March for the Borne Charity here.

And our new show, Hot Mess, is almost ready for its world premiere! Our first few shows have already sold out, so get your tickets now... scummymummies.com

Thanks for sponsoring us, Sweaty Betty.

And thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the secret to a happy marriage? Which one of us didn't know what a reacharound is until today? Are bouquet garnis worth it? We answer all these questions, along with the most important one of all: why are people still listening to this nonsense, 300 episodes in?

Joining us is the brilliant Rob Deering. He tells us about his 25 year career in comedy, and what he believes has kept him and his wife together for so long. Ellie also shares her top tip for staying married (spoiler: it involves a lot of WhatsApp groups.)

As this is our 300th episode, we thought we'd bring back our fave game of yesteryear, Handbag Surprise. Plus, a daft quiz! And, of course, some Scummy Mummy Confessions, involving sex, burping, and a Christmas present fail.

Do check out Rob and Paul's excellent running podcast, Running Commentary, wherever you get your podcasts. Rob's book is called Running Tracks and it's out now. The other podcast Ellie mentions in this episode is called The Swinging Palm Trees.

Rob is directing our brand new show, HOT MESS! Tickets are now on sale for billions of gigs all over the country throughout 2025. Come and see us in Horsham, Stockport, Wrexham, Birmingham, Farnham, Leeds, Sheffield, Stroud, Harlow, Dunstable... And that's just March and April! Check scummymummies.com for more dates and tickets.

Huge thanks to all the amazing guests we've had over the last 300 episodes. It has been such a joy and a privilege to meet so many interesting, clever, funny people, and also Steve Hill. But the biggest thanks of all goes to everyone who has listened to and left lovely reviews for our silly old podcast. We never thought we'd still be here 300 episodes later, but we're so happy that we are.

Thank you, so much, for listening. x

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.