Latest news with #JoWhiley
Telegraph
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley's new podcast might just get me gardening
'Anyway, I digress…' said Zoe Ball during the debut episode of Dig It, a new bi-weekly 'visual' podcast she is hosting with her friend and BBC Radio colleague Jo Whiley. Yet if there was a format designed with the sole function of being impossible to digress from, it's Dig It. The podcast is sort-of about gardening – hence the title – but it's not really. It's about everything and nothing. 'These are the conversations that you and I would have with each other,' Ball told Whiley. 'It's about life, it's about being working mums, it's about our teenagers and what they're up to, it's about our parents, ageing, keeping healthy… It's about 'Can I get away with wearing a Hunza G swimsuit?'. No. I can't….' Anyway, she digresses. You see? It's about everything and nothing. For most of the time, Dig It aspires to be little more than a cuppa and natter, an audio equivalent of those momentarily amusing little books you'd buy at the till in HMV with titles such as 'The Little Book of Gin' or '1001 Funny Dogs'. However, there's no doubt that a cuppa and a natter with Ball and Whiley is a perfectly lovely thing. These are two pleasant, intelligent middle-aged women with stellar broadcasting careers, outstanding radio voices and inoffensively enviable lifestyles. Not every podcast has to change your life. To give them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps this first episode was an opportunity to stretch their legs and get all the clichés out, even if it occasionally drifted into the dangerously banal. 'The joy of getting older is you have experience,' said Whiley, before informing Ball that 'when you throw a big party, you have so much to do'. 'How do you know how much food to put in your fridge?' asked Ball, shortly after telling us about her flatpack shed. With these sorts of 'mum' podcasts, I worry about the teenage children, who probably don't need a warts-and-all insight into their parents' lives. The Ball and Whiley broods have nothing to fear here, with the biggest revelation being that Ball's son calls her 'Madre'. If they wanted to, the pair could produce a barnstorming production, filled with scurrilous tales from their decades in the business, but Dig It is deliberately second-gear. A tantalising glimpse was offered when they briefly discussed how they met – sharing an office while the pair of them were employed on The Big Breakfast and The Word, respectively. 'Most people who worked in that office now run most of television,' said Ball. Oh really, do tell. Alas, industry gossip was not forthcoming and we instead had to make do with a (genuinely lovely) anecdote about how Whiley's sister Frances, who has learning difficulties, heckled her way through Whiley's wedding. The show deserves Brownie points for actually giving some thought to the visual side of the podcast, giving us some graphics and family photos, where most other 'visual' podcasts merely stick a camera in front of their hosts and press record. Towards the end of the episode, something remarkable happened – it stopped being about everything and nothing, and started actually being about gardening. Neither woman, particularly Ball, makes any pretence of being an expert in this area, but this is what gave their horticultural ramble its appeal. When Monty Don tells me I need to start mulching the flowerbeds and I should be giving my herbaceous perennials a 'Chelsea chop', I assume it's beyond my meagre talents. However, when Ball and Whiley discussed it, with the zeal of the keen hobbyist, I found myself taking notes. It was utterly charming and surprisingly inspiring. I'll certainly drop in at Ball and Whiley's for a cuppa and a natter again – but I hope they digress to the garden when I do.
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley go rogue: best podcasts of the week
BBC broadcasting besties Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley follow those who have enjoyed new freedom in the podcast world. In a breezy series, which was nearly called 'Jo and Zo's Big Bushes', they invite listeners to ask them questions on subjects from kids to gardening, interiors, music and the menopause. What they won't be talking about, Zoe confirms, is band members they slept with in the 90s. Sorry! Hollie Richardson Widely available, episodes weekly Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock joins the BBC's space podcast for the third season's look at the space shuttle program and its attempt to create a reusable craft. Given her excitable voiceover – plus a bombastic soundtrack that could have come straight out of 24 – it's a drama-packed tale. Alexi Duggins Widely available, episodes weekly Do Donald Trump's political decisions look wild and incoherent? They're not, according to this measured, fascinating show: they're the classic moves of someone trying to establish an autocracy. Garry Kasparov, chess champ and lifelong democracy activist who lived under Putin for many years, hosts the second series of this look at the US's slide into a pseudo dictatorship. AD Widely available, episodes weekly This Emilia Fox-fronted podcast looks at shocking crimes and the locations where they were committed, from Wales to New South Wales. It's grisly, by-the-numbers stuff, beginning with the (already much-publicised) story of the Todt family, residents of a Florida town once owned by Disney who died in an alleged murder-suicide in 2019. Hannah J Davies All episodes available, Audible Sign up to What's On Get the best TV reviews, news and features in your inbox every Monday after newsletter promotion Defying segregation in the 40s and 50s, a South Carolina nightclub brought together Black and white patrons for performances by the likes of Little Richard and Ella Fitzgerald. This richly told series offers a history of Charlie's Place, where art defied racism – but which became, perhaps unsurprisingly, a target for the Ku Klux Klan. HJD Widely available, episodes weekly
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley go rogue: best podcasts of the week
BBC broadcasting besties Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley follow those who have enjoyed new freedom in the podcast world. In a breezy series, which was nearly called 'Jo and Zo's Big Bushes', they invite listeners to ask them questions on subjects from kids to gardening, interiors, music and the menopause. What they won't be talking about, Zoe confirms, is band members they slept with in the 90s. Sorry! Hollie Richardson Widely available, episodes weekly Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock joins the BBC's space podcast for the third season's look at the space shuttle program and its attempt to create a reusable craft. Given her excitable voiceover – plus a bombastic soundtrack that could have come straight out of 24 – it's a drama-packed tale. Alexi Duggins Widely available, episodes weekly Do Donald Trump's political decisions look wild and incoherent? They're not, according to this measured, fascinating show: they're the classic moves of someone trying to establish an autocracy. Garry Kasparov, chess champ and lifelong democracy activist who lived under Putin for many years, hosts the second series of this look at the US's slide into a pseudo dictatorship. AD Widely available, episodes weekly This Emilia Fox-fronted podcast looks at shocking crimes and the locations where they were committed, from Wales to New South Wales. It's grisly, by-the-numbers stuff, beginning with the (already much-publicised) story of the Todt family, residents of a Florida town once owned by Disney who died in an alleged murder-suicide in 2019. Hannah J Davies All episodes available, Audible Sign up to What's On Get the best TV reviews, news and features in your inbox every Monday after newsletter promotion Defying segregation in the 40s and 50s, a South Carolina nightclub brought together Black and white patrons for performances by the likes of Little Richard and Ella Fitzgerald. This richly told series offers a history of Charlie's Place, where art defied racism – but which became, perhaps unsurprisingly, a target for the Ku Klux Klan. HJD Widely available, episodes weekly
Daily Mirror
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jo Whiley's sadness at dad's illness as she makes important vow
Much loved Radio DJ and TV host Jo Whiley reveals her life has been filled with ups and downs so far this year Jo Whiley says she is choosing not to slow down after hitting 60 - and thinks birthday milestones are 'not a big deal'. After posing in a colourful magazine shoot she insisted: 'We should never say someone looks good for their age, we should just say they look good!' BBC Broadcaster Jo certainly does look good and tried out a variety of outfits before sitting down to speak to woman&home. On turning 60 this month she insisted: 'Another birthday really isn't a big deal for me because I don't see age as important. It's something that you very much don't want to be a thing, but it becomes a thing because everybody focuses on it and asks you about it constantly. It's a bizarre situation to be in because I'm only another year older than I was last year, and a year younger than I will be next year. There's an obsession with reaching certain milestones due to your age. People focus on it too much and I don't know what to say. 'You have a birthday, you wake up the next day, and you carry on. I'm doing my radio show, going to the gym and looking after the kids, so nothing has changed at all. There's probably a focus because people used to retire earlier than they do now, and now that concept is mind-boggling." On exercise and her body she added: 'Your body undoubtedly changes as you get older, and things don't look the same. Your skin changes, and that's one of my biggest revelations. I do weights, which has become increasingly important, but no matter how many weights I lift, I can't do anything about the skin that's hanging off on my arms, or the papery texture my skin has. Why did nobody tell me about that? I'm not quite sure what the answer is, apart from wearing long sleeves and covering up, but I don't want to do that. I wish I could say I'm great with self-care and that I moisturise my body all the time, but I'm rubbish at all of that. I have so many aches and pains, but I consider myself very lucky to be healthy. I have got arthritis, which is really painful, and my rotator cuff in my shoulder is hurting at the moment. I haven't had any serious health issues – I get migraines sometimes, but I think they are linked to the stress and strains of living.' The Radio DJ and TV host has also been dealing with some real highs and lows of family and work life recently, having fronted some of the BBC 's Glastonbury coverage in June and launched a new podcast called Dig It with friend Zoe Ball. But away from the cameras she and her family have had to get their head around some big news for her father Martin, a former electrician. She has been married to music executive Steve Morton, 60, since 1991, and they are parents to India, 32, Jude, 26, Cassius, 23, and Coco, 16. Jo explained: 'The things that keep my feet on the ground are probably the same as everyone else's. There's all the stuff that goes with dealing with ageing parents. Dad has just been diagnosed with Parkinson's, so I need to look after him and help my mum. It's those day-to-day realities of life that keep you grounded. 'We had been suspecting something was going on with my dad for a while, so it was good to get a diagnosis, and now we're trying to make sense of it all. It's really early days, and he's quite confused about it. Something like that puts everything in perspective and stops you from worrying about rubbish. Everyone will be dealing with those things in real life. That's the reality of being my age; that you end up having more people to look after and more responsibilities.' The news of her dad is sure to have made her feel emotional and it is a side of her which she often shows. 'I'm a sensitive person, and it's difficult for me not to show my emotions,' she explained. 'It's good to share how you're feeling. I can't imagine a life where I didn't cry. I wish I cried less and if I could take a magic pill to stop myself, I probably would. I cry when I'm tired, so I will suddenly break down for seemingly no reason. 'Someone will ask what's going on, but it's just that I'm exhausted. If I don't want anyone to know how I'm feeling, I'll cry while I'm driving or swimming, and I have to try not to swallow loads of water! Sometimes, there's just too much going on in your life and head, and the only way to deal with it is to let the tears flow.' Another reason for tears is the changing of the family unit as her kids get older. Jo is having to prepare herself for Empty nest syndrome. She said: 'The whole 'empty nest' thing is becoming more of a reality. It was the worst feeling in the world when India left home and went to uni. I was in floods of tears dropping her off. Coco has got two more years at home and then she'll be going off to university, and I'm already panicking about it. Any parent will know that impending sense of doom when you're shopping for kitchen utensils and feeling like you're doing a funeral procession around Ikea. The drive to uni and saying goodbye is awful, followed by the horrible feeling of heading home knowing they won't be there. I do know they'll come back, though.' Despite turning 60, Jo is still very much heading out and about this Summer to music festivals, but it is parties closer to home she now enjoys. She explained: 'Festivals are great, but my favourite parties are the ones we have at our house. They're a whole weekend event. We have DJ decks, lighting and candles, and it's so much fun. The day after, about 40 of us go to the Super Sausage, our local transport cafe, and have a fry-up. Then it's back to ours for films and a curry in the evening. I adore those weekends.' * The September issue of woman&home is on sale July 24. Jo Whiley is on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds each Monday to Thursday, 7-9pm.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jo Whiley reveals shocking discovery she made about her body since turning 60 as she stuns in stylish shoot: 'Why did nobody tell me about that?'
She has been a leading voice of BBC Radio for 30 years. But when it comes to her body image, Jo Whiley struggles. Posing in a bold pink feather coat on the cover of Women and Home, the 60-year-old said: 'Your body undoubtedly changes as you get older, and things don't look the same. 'Your skin changes, and that's one of my biggest revelations. 'I do weights, which has become increasingly important, but no matter how many weights I lift, I can't do anything about the skin that's hanging off on my arms, or the papery texture my skin has.' She continued: 'Why did nobody tell me about that? I'm not quite sure what the answer is, apart from wearing long sleeves and covering up, but I don't want to do that. The mother-of-four India, 30, Jude, 24, Cassius, 21 and Coco, 14, revealed last year she has osteoarthritis in her fingers, which can cause swelling and pain, making it difficult to make a fist on some days. Elsewhere in the shoot she revealed her arms in a strapless beige dress while sitting on a chair. She continued: 'I wish I could say I'm great with self-care and that I moisturise my body all the time, but I'm rubbish at all of that. I have so many aches and pains, but I consider myself very lucky to be healthy.' Last year Jo revealed that she'd achieved a six pack after turning to the gym to 'save' herself from debilitating menopause. She confessed: 'I really lost myself when the menopause hit. I cried all the time. I mean, I cry a lot anyway, but I cried all the time. I just felt very weak. 'And going to the gym and getting myself strong has played a really, really big part in helping me be the person I am today. It really saved me.' Whiley, who shares four children flexed her toned torso on the cover of Women's Health in a red sports bra and underwear. She also revealed that life was not so sex, drugs and rock'n'roll for her in the 90s as she suffered from anxiety when DJing on stage to large crowds. She said: 'I remember doing one gig and I was just so scared, I thought I can't go on like this. This is ridiculous. It's ruining my life because I'm just such a ball of anxiety. 'But then I realised how happy it was making people when I do these gigs and that was a game changer.' Posing in underwear, Ms Whiley took the opportunity to speak out against the culture of 'lad mags' - lifestyle magazines from the 90s and early noughties aimed at men and typically featuring a woman also in her underwear. The BBC presenter said: 'There was so much objectification and judgment of women and their bodies. 'It was a ludicrous time to be a woman, but I just kept my head down and weathered the storm.' 'I think [the current generation of girls] is still dealing with a lot. 'There are so many crises and so much pressure and so much to worry about in the world. [But] there's an army of [young] women who are fearless, absolutely fearless, and they take no prisoners, and they will be who they want to be. And it's much healthier.' Read Jo's interview in Woman & Home out now Meanwhile Jo has also claimed her children will 'never be nepo babies ' even though she has achieved huge career success over the years. But despite all her success, she has claimed her four children will never be nepo babies as the label alone 'horrifies them', according to The Sun. She told the publication: 'My kids will never be nepo babies; they are very determined never ever to make it because I'm their mum. 'It really horrifies them - the thought that anybody would ever employ them because of what I do. 'So they're so determined to get jobs and do work on their own merits, and they will never take advantage of me at all.' The former Radio One presenter is starting a podcast with her longtime friend and fellow DJ, Zoe Ball. With two episodes a week, the veterans will be discussing family life, health and their careers.
