Begin Again with Davina McCall

Amanda de Cadenet became famous as a teenager, but behind the headlines was a young girl trying to survive. This is the story of the woman behind the image.

In this episode of Begin Again, Amanda de Cadenet joins Davina to talk about fame, shame, care, motherhood, sobriety, recovery, and what it means to finally tell your own story.

Amanda opens up about growing up fast in the public eye, going out clubbing at 14, being surrounded by older men, and trying to act like an adult long before she was ready. She reflects on the pain of feeling unprotected, the shame she carried as a young woman, and how being put into care while already famous became one of the most frightening and defining experiences of her life.

Davina and Amanda also explore the brutal reality of press intrusion, from paparazzi outside her school and care home to the tabloid body-shaming that eventually pushed her to leave the UK and start again in Los Angeles. Amanda speaks honestly about becoming a mother at 19, getting sober, breaking generational cycles, and why her daughter helped save her life.

They also discuss Amanda’s work as a photographer, storyteller and advocate for women, including how her own experiences of postpartum depression, grief and shame led her to create spaces where women could speak openly about the things they had been taught to hide.

At its heart, this is a conversation about survival, self-forgiveness, and reclaiming the parts of yourself that the world tried to define for you.

Amanda de Cadenet reminds us that shame can only survive in silence, and that sometimes beginning again means finally telling the truth in your own words.

🌟 Like, comment, and subscribe for more honest conversations about identity, growth, and beginning again. Tap the bell to stay connected with new episodes of Begin Again.

Follow us here:

📸 www.instagram.com/beginagain

🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@beginagainpod

✨Follow Amanda de Cadenet: https://www.instagram.com/amandadecadenet/ 

✨Sign up for the Begin Again newsletter for all your behind the scenes access, recommendations and much much more at: https://linkly.link/2g2xm

(00:00) Intro

(01:31) How Amanda And Davina First Met

(02:16) Why Clubbing At 14 Changed Everything

(03:32) How Absent Parents Shaped Amanda’s London Upbringing

(08:48) What Happens When Vulnerability Meets Predatory Men

(11:20) How Drugs And Alcohol Entered Amanda’s Life So Young

(13:19) SexualAssault At 14

(14:54) Why Amanda Went Into Care After Being Arrested

(26:23) How Amanda Began A Relationship With Duran Duran’s John Taylor (28:00) What Hosting The Word Really Meant For Amanda

(32:31) Why Media Harassment Pushed Amanda To Leave The UK

(35:15) How Atlanta Saved Amanda’s Life

(36:53) What Getting Sober Finally Made Possible

(38:23) How Amanda Started Over In America Without Fame

(40:21) How Amanda Found Her Passion For Photography

(44:31) When Amanda Photographed Keanu Reeves For Vogue

(45:59) The Real Story Behind The Conversation With Demi Moore

(53:31) How Grief Led Amanda To Become A Counselor

(58:21) Amanda’s Advice For Processing Grief In A Healthy Way

Sponsored by:

Do Health - The waitlist is open. Begin Again listeners get fixed early access pricing when they sign up today at dohealth.co/beginagain use code BEGINAGAIN

Saily - Download from the app store and use code DAVINA at the checkout for 15% off

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most moving parts of Begin Again is the moment a guest receives a letter from someone who has loved them, inspired them, or helped shape their journey. These letters often reveal the impact we have on others in ways we never fully see ourselves.

In this special Begin Again Moments episode, we bring together three unforgettable letters of gratitude.

Andi Oliver receives a heartfelt letter from one of her greatest inspirations, Floella Benjamin, reflecting on the influence she has had and the path she has forged for others.

Tom Davis is surprised with a deeply personal letter from his wife, Kathryn, who shares her gratitude for the strength, love and resilience he showed throughout their fertility journey, and the father he has become.

And Seann Walsh receives an emotional letter from his partner, Grace, who reflects on watching him grow into the kind of parent he once needed himself.

Together, these letters are a celebration of love, growth, resilience and the extraordinary power of hearing what we mean to the people closest to us.

To hear the full conversations, watch the complete episodes on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Sponsored By:Do Health - The waitlist is open. Begin Again listeners get fixed early access pricing when they sign up today at dohealth.co/beginagain use code BEGINAGAIN
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

behind Fatboy Slim.

In this episode of Begin Again, Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, joins Davina to talk about fame, family, sobriety, music, and the chaos behind becoming one of Britain’s most iconic DJs.

Norman opens up about the early years of discovering music, changing his name, finding freedom through punk, and realising that DJing was not just about playing records, but about bringing people together. From The Housemartins to Fatboy Slim, he reflects on the moments that shaped him, the identity he created, and why he always wanted to be remembered.

Davina and Norman also explore his relationship with Zoe Ball, becoming a tabloid “power couple,” raising children in the middle of fame, and what happens when life becomes chaotic behind the scenes. He speaks honestly about partying, parenthood, divorce, friendship, and why their greatest triumph has been remaining a family even after the relationship ended.

At its heart, this is a conversation about legacy, joy, and learning to begin again when the life you built no longer fits who you are becoming.

Fatboy Slim reminds us that success is not the same as peace, and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is change the music and keep dancing.

🌟 Follow for more honest conversations about identity, growth, and beginning again.

Follow us here

:📸 www.instagram.com/beginagain

🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@beginagainpod

✨Follow Fatboy Slim: https://www.instagram.com/officialfatboyslim/?hl=en  

✨Sign up for the Begin Again newsletter for all your behind the scenes access, recommendations and much much more at: https://linkly.link/2g2xm

(00:00) Intro

(01:47) The Real Reason He Changed His Name To Norman

(03:14) How His Family Sparked A Lifelong Obsession With Music

(06:49) Why Music Became More Than Just A Hobby

(08:26) How Punk Music Changed Everything

(22:17) Do Health Ad

(23:27) Why Brighton Became The City That Shaped His Future

(26:23) How Joining The Housemartins Changed His Life

(28:54) What Legacy Does Norman Want To Leave Behind?

(32:14) How Norman And Zoe Ball Navigated Fame, Love, And Divorce

(36:32) Coffee Rave Promo

(37:02) How Skint Records Was Born And Why He Became Fatboy Slim

(39:05) What Happened When Fatboy Slim Made His First Two Albums

(40:38) The Story Behind The Rockafeller Skank's Global Success

(42:09) Why Music Still Matters More Than Ever

(44:23) What Woodstock ’99 Was Really Like From The Stage

(45:53) How Big Beach Boutique Became A Brighton Legend

(51:41) What Happens When Clubbing Culture Changes With Age?

(54:51) Why He Stopped Performing Drunk And Chose Sobriety

(01:05:58) A Letter From Damian Harris And What It Revealed

(01:08:01) What His Son’s Letter Meant To Him

(01:13:32) Epilogue: Norman Signs His Book For Davina

Sponsored by:

Do Health - The waitlist is open. Begin Again listeners get fixed early access pricing when they sign up today at dohealth.co/beginagain use code BEGINAGAIN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this inspiring episode of Begin Again Moments, we bring together two powerful conversations about reinvention, resilience, and finding a new path when life doesn't go to plan.

Ruby Wax reflects on what happened when she lost her BBC show and found herself searching for a new sense of purpose. From studying psychotherapy to becoming a life coach and even selling handbags, Ruby shares the unexpected twists and turns that helped her build a meaningful new chapter in midlife.

Mel Robbins then reveals the simple tool that transformed her life during one of her darkest periods. Struggling to get out of bed as her career, finances, and confidence unravelled, she discovered what would become the world-famous 5 Second Rule, a practical technique that helped her take action when motivation had disappeared.

Together, these moments offer a powerful reminder that it's never too late to start again, reinvent yourself, or take the first small step towards a different future.

To hear the full conversations, watch the complete episodes on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if success is not the end of the story, but the beginning of becoming yourself?

In this episode of Begin Again, bestselling author Jojo Moyes joins Davina to talk about rejection, reinvention, and the story behind becoming one of the world’s most loved writers in midlife.

Jojo opens up about the years before Me Before You, when books were rejected, sales were low, and she wondered whether she would have to find a new career. Then everything changed. Her work went on to sell millions around the world, but success brought new challenges: emotional responsibility, pressure, and the painful realisation that she had no boundaries.

Davina and Jojo also explore childhood loneliness, becoming fiercely independent, learning to ask for help, and the cost of always saying yes. They discuss why achieving the life you once dreamed of does not protect you from having to begin again.

Jojo speaks honestly about divorce, and how even when it is messy and complicated, handling it with kindness can bring a clarity you never expected. They talk about identity, midlife loneliness, dating again and motherhood. How ambition and trusting yourself are the secrets to protecting your peace after years of pushing through.

At its heart, this is a conversation about what happens when the life you dreamed of finally arrives, and you still have to learn how to live inside it.

Jojo Moyes reminds us that beginning again is not about starting from nothing. It is about learning to honour who you are now, not just who you had to become to survive.

Buy We All Live Here: https://amzn.to/4dQHepU

🌟 Follow for more honest conversations about identity, growth, and beginning again.

Follow us here:📸 www.instagram.com/beginagain🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@beginagainpod

✨Follow Jojo: https://www.instagram.com/jojomoyesofficial/?hl=en 

✨Sign up for the Begin Again newsletter for all your behind the scenes access, recommendations and much much more at: https://linkly.link/2g2xm

(00:00) Intro

(02:07) What Is A Narcissist?

(09:26) Identifying A Narcissist

(15:48) The Different Types Of Narcissists

(21:57) How Narcissistic Parents Affect Their Children

(30:08) What Is Gaslighting? Narcissism In Relationships

(34:18) Shopify Ad

(35:19) Why Some People Are Attracted To Narcissists

(43:47) Why It’s So Hard To Leave A Narcissistic Relationship

(53:15) Narcissism In Kids

(01:03:29) Why People Go Back To Narcissists

(01:06:04) Narcissism In The Workplace

Sponsored by:

Do Health - The waitlist is open. Begin Again listeners get fixed early access pricing when they sign up today at dohealth.co/beginagain use code BEGINAGAIN

Saily - Download from the app store and use code DAVINA at the checkout for 15% off

Shopify - Shopify.co.uk for £1 a month trial

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices