The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8th March, Gabby has brought a very special group of women together to talk about the road to parity; what progress has been made, and what still needs to happen to secure gender equality. All four of these women have achieved sporting greatness, and redefined what it means to be a female in sport; Karen Carney OBE played football well over 100 times for England, hurdler Sally Gunnell OBE once held the Commonwealth, European, World, and Olympic titles concurrently, Dame Denise Lewis was the first British woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the heptathlon, and two-time Olympic champion Helen Glover MBE blazed a new trail when she came out of retirement to compete at the Olympics after having her children. All of them have overcome gender barriers at the cutting edge of elite sports and are passionate about leaving things in a better place for the next generation of women whatever their goals or aspirations may be; they embody the determination and will - not to mention, the competitive nature! - that's needed to #AccelerateAction this International Women’s Day.

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Sir Chris Hoy is a British sporting icon who has battled his way to the top of the Olympic podium multiple times, but little did he know that the toughest battle was awaiting him in midlife. At the age of 47, Chris was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. In this episode, Chris opens up about the shock and emotion of the first few weeks and months, and how he tried to use all the tools he’d learned from his time as a professional athlete to get through the treatment that was keeping him alive. He is candid about how different his mindset is even compared to six months ago, and how his wife, Sara, has helped him to see how lucky they are as a family, despite receiving her own life changing diagnosis at the same time. Remarkably, Chris has found a way to stay in the moment and not hang on too tightly to a future that is guaranteed to no-one; this episode will certainly get you thinking about what is truly important in life.

For more from Chris, check out his autobiography All That Matters which is out now. Gabby and Chris also mention Professor Steve Peters’ book The Chimp Paradox. 

To find out more about Chris’ fundraising efforts and the Tour de 4 cycling event in September 2025, visit www.tourde4.com.

For more information about prostate cancer and to check your own level of risk, visit www.prostatecanceruk.org.

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Wellness expert Adrienne Adhami is on a mission to help make decision making easier in a world of endless choice - the premise of her latest book Decisions That Matter. Adrienne talks Gabby through her six rules for decision making, as well as some of the potential stumbling blocks when it comes to being decisive in the modern world. They discuss how confidence can impact decision making; why it's important to assess the urgency of a decision; and how good decisions may not always feel good in the moment. 

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If you’re missing The Traitors, we’ve got just the thing for you… Gabby’s guest this week is S3 finalist, Frankie Rowan-Plowden. We get the lowdown on why Frankie decided to apply for the show, how she kept it a secret from her four sons, and the (surprising) key to her fashion choices within the castle! Frankie also shares how she survived to the end of the show, what she has learned about gut health since her recent ADHD diagnosis, and why midlife was the perfect time to embark on something daring and outside of her comfort zone! She might inspire you to do the same…

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Jennie Gow is a journalist and broadcaster who has been covering motorsport for over a decade, and is an expert on all things Formula 1. But fast cars are not the main focus of today’s episode; she joins Gabby to talk about an experience away from the track that she never envisaged happening to her at the midpoint. At the age of 45, Jennie suffered a stroke, and has been learning how to walk and talk again over the last two years. Jennie describes what it was like for her; why getting angry helped her find her voice again; and the impact its had on her relationship with her young daughter. She also speaks about her remarkable journey back to broadcasting and her first interview with Lewis Hamilton, why she cries at everything now, and has absolutely no idea what to expect from the menopause as a stroke survivor! Jennie’s story is one of survival, love, and determination, which is not to be missed.  

Remember, the FAST acronym (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) is a test to quickly identify the three most common signs of stroke.

• Face weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
• Arm weakness: Can the person raise both arms fully and keep them there?
• Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred?
• Time to call 999: if you see any one of these signs.

Jennie’s book How to Read F1: Everything you need to know about racing in the fast lane is available now.

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Double Olympic champion, Dame Kelly Holmes, joins Gabby to talk about why she is truly living her best life at the midpoint. Kelly explains how she became consumed by fear of being outed and lived like a recluse after her huge success in Athens, but the death of her mum coupled with the pandemic in 2020, brought her to her lowest point and she reluctantly sought psychological help which changed the trajectory of her life. Now she is living more authentically than ever, and learning how she used her sporting success as a mask to hide behind. They also talk about taking the menopause month by month, getting competitive at Park Run, and Kelly’s views on the importance of doing things to keep yourself feeling youthful. 

Warning: There are references to suicidal thoughts in this podcast.

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Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos has been looking into the cognitive impact of self-perception for many years, and so in this episode, we put your questions on body image directly to her, and discuss some of the challenges that are unique to midlife when it comes to accepting how we look. Gabby and Linda talk about how confidence can impact so many things, and why it’s important we manage the way we speak to ourselves - the only thing we can truly control!

They also discuss the impact that social media can have on how we feel about ourselves, and ways to build digital resilience and protect ourselves - and our loved ones - online. Linda shares a little about what she has discovered from studying psychodermatology over the last two decades, and explains how our thoughts have a tangible impact on our bodies, especially when it comes to our skin.

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Nicki Chapman joins Gabby this week to share what it was like promoting the biggest bands in the world of pop, and working at the top of the music industry for twenty years. She’s candid about her strengths and weaknesses, and how it's easy to work hard at a job you love. Nicki also shares what it was like facing her own mortality at the midpoint, when she was diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumour. She talks about her ‘Cry For 30 Seconds’ rule; feeling grateful; and not being afraid to move on from things that no longer make you happy.

Nicki’s book So Tell Me What You Want is available now.

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Warning: This episode contains some strong language.

Comedian Suzi Ruffell joins Gabby to talk about growing up and realising she was gay without any positive point of reference, and why now - on the cusp of midlife - she’s more determined than ever to celebrate the joy of being gay and having a family of her own. They also talk about the Kate Winslet effect; why it’s only when you really try for something and risk failure that you create something you’re really proud of; and why Suzi’s dad is more proud of the miles she travels than the TV shows she appears on! Spoiler alert: Suzi’s dad might be the real star of this episode. 

Tickets are available for Suzi’s forthcoming 2025 tour called The Juggle, and you can listen to her podcasts - Big Kick Energy, Like Minded Friends, and Out with Suzi Ruffell - on all podcast platforms. 

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