Danielle Lawler

Katie Derham recounts how her husband, entrepreneur John Vincent, proposed when they first met at a Cambridge University ball, though she assumed he was joking; they later reconnected and married in 1999. She discusses their family life, Vincent’s co-founding of healthy fast-food chain LEON, her BBC broadcasting career and long association with the BBC Proms, including encounters with King Charles III. Derham also reflects on her mother Margaret’s early-onset dementia and death, saying the experience made her more determined to value family, work and life.

Jenny Powell reflects on becoming a television presenter at 16, hosting major British entertainment programmes and experiencing intense fame alongside relationships with Bros’ Matt Goss and Take That’s Jason Orange. She recalls jealous fans posting lit cigarette butts through her letterbox and describes the imposter syndrome and burnout that followed years of work, bereavement, health difficulties and divorce. Therapy helped her rebuild confidence, while her engagement to sports therapist Martin Lowe and her openness about women’s health, parenting and dating reflect a happier and more self-assured stage of life.

Celebrity chef and broadcaster Andi Oliver discusses how her brother Sean’s death triggered a breakdown and serious eating disorder, and how motherhood and therapy helped her recover. She credits daughter Miquita Oliver with giving her a reason to seek help and praises lifelong friend Neneh Cherry for their enduring support. Oliver also reflects on supporting Lily Allen through her divorce, her long-term relationship with Garfield Hackett, and the impact of visiting Malawi with WaterAid and the Wimbledon Foundation to see water-access projects.

West End performer Kerry Ellis discusses her career breakthrough in My Fair Lady and We Will Rock You, becoming the first British actress to play Elphaba in Wicked, and recognizing Cynthia Erivo’s early talent. She also describes persistent body-image struggles caused by performing-industry pressures, while emphasizing fitness, self-acceptance and mentoring younger people. Ellis is preparing to perform at the Girl Guides’ Big Gig concert, which she sees as an opportunity to empower young women.

Robinne Lee describes pushing back against ageist Hollywood casting by writing The Idea Of You, depicting a vibrant midlife romance that counters stereotypes about women over 40. She reflects on shifting careers, fulfilling a long-held dream of living in Paris, and maintaining a long-term partnership. Her latest novel, Crash Into Me, continues her creative trajectory as she emphasizes self-belief and perseverance.

Emma Straub argues that the reduced attention directed at middle-aged women can become a liberating form of invisibility. Feeling safer and less judged may help women act more authentically, build confidence, travel alone and pursue activities without waiting for company. The piece also highlights Jules Verne’s statistic that people aged 50 and over comprise more than 70% of its solo travelers, and cites Ramit Sethi’s advice to use an imagined “invisible cloak” to reduce fear of judgment in professional situations.

Bestselling author Emma Straub discusses enduring years of rejection, balancing writing with motherhood and running the Books Are Magic bookstore, and speaking openly about fibroids, fertility struggles and perimenopause. Her novel American Fantasy drew on a teenage crush on New Kids on the Block’s Joey McIntyre, who later became her friend, while writing the book also helped her process the death of her father, author Peter Straub. The novel is being adapted into a film by Elisabeth Moss.

Paula Sutton describes how creative pursuits and sharing joyful images on social media helped her cope with profound grief after her mother’s death. Grief counsellor Lizzie Pickering explains that experiencing joy alongside sorrow supports healthier emotional adaptation, recommending creative activities to give the grieving mind relief. Sutton’s approach led to personal healing, increased online support, and a new career direction, reinforcing the importance of balancing grief with moments of beauty and resilience.

Dr Nirusha Kumaran emphasizes a personalized approach to hormone replacement therapy, noting that gut health, liver function, and genetic factors influence how well hormones are processed. She advocates blood and urine testing to identify imbalances and tailor treatment, differing from guidance from the British Menopause Society. She highlights the importance of optimizing progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone at the right time and dose, and explains how detoxification pathways affect hormone clearance. Supportive practices such as dry brushing, saunas, and supplements may improve hormone metabolism. The core message is to listen to individual symptoms and take a holistic approach for effective midlife health.

Paula Sutton describes how burnout, a serious pregnancy-related health crisis and the demands of her career and family led her and her husband to leave London for the Norfolk countryside in 2010. After her mother’s death in 2020, Sutton began sharing joyful vintage fashion, interiors and lifestyle content on Instagram to cope with grief, eventually building a substantial following and writing the book The Body in the Kitchen Garden. She says her 50s brought renewed confidence, creative purpose and freedom from concern about others’ judgment, encouraging women facing a midlife crisis to embrace reinvention.

Broadcaster Jo Good made her first public appearance since the fatal Bedford train crash, in which 162 people were injured and train driver Shaun Burton died. Still recovering from a fractured cheekbone, Good described the accident as a near-death experience that changed her outlook on life. She credited the NHS and her female friends with supporting her, and said returning to work and speaking publicly had helped her heal. Good also discussed vulnerability, aging, career changes and finding confidence during midlife.

Fran Cutler reflects on her career organizing parties for celebrities including Kate Moss, Oasis, Lily Allen and Naomi Campbell, as well as her reputation as a formidable nightclub gatekeeper. She is writing a memoir but says she will avoid revealing secrets that could seriously hurt people. Cutler explains why she declined to appear on The Real Housewives of London, describing the show as artificial and incompatible with her work. She also discusses friendships that have faded, raising her daughter Mercy as a single mother, dating younger men and her happiness living independently at 63.

MasterChef star and Mowgli founder Nisha Katona reflects on the challenges and renewal of her 25-year marriage to musician Zoltan Katona. She says couples should assess whether they are companions, enjoy one another’s company, share compatible values and leave each other feeling empowered and fulfilled. Katona also emphasizes openly communicating individual needs and “love languages,” arguing that long-term relationships require ongoing effort, honesty and willingness from both partners to adapt.

Celebrity chef Nisha Katona describes leaving a 20-year career as a family barrister to pursue Indian cooking, publish a bestselling cookbook and launch the Mowgli restaurant chain in Liverpool in 2014. Despite concerns from her family and bank managers, she expanded Mowgli to 26 venues. Katona also discusses her diagnosis with chronic Crohn's disease, substantial weight loss and her determination not to let illness or age limit her ambitions. She emphasizes passion, purpose and joy as drivers of a fulfilling second act in life.

Bestselling author Jane Green describes losing her sense of identity after her marriage and established life fell apart, leading her to leave the relationship and travel alone to Marrakech. Life coach Mhairi Todd argues that such midlife crises can expose identities shaped by social expectations and create an opportunity for more intentional living. Todd offers three exercises: identify six areas needing change and define what a 10 out of 10 would look like, focus on the area with the greatest potential ripple effect, and reinforce new possibilities through affirmations. Green’s book Rewilding explores similar themes of authenticity and reinvention.

HELLO!’s Second Act is hosting its first live podcast event at London’s Bankside hotel on June 29, 2026. Jo Good and Ateh Jewel will discuss living life on one’s own terms in midlife, with audience questions, drinks, nibbles and goodie bags included with tickets.

Bestselling author Jane Green describes ending her 18-year marriage after feeling emotionally unsupported, losing her identity and experiencing a decline in her career. After moving to Marrakech, partying and then confronting her grief, she used somatic therapy and writing to rebuild her life and publicly acknowledge that she is bisexual. Green also says menopause prompted a profound reassessment of the compromises she had made to maintain family harmony, ultimately helping her pursue a more authentic and joyful life.

Nicki Chapman, a former Spice Girls promoter and presenter of Escape to the Country, shares optimistic advice for navigating midlife after surviving a brain tumour in 2019. She recommends looking for small victories, refusing to dwell on past difficulties, accepting situations that cannot be changed and mentally filing away negative experiences. Chapman also argues that phones and social media can improve wellbeing when used to seek positive content, such as nature, flowers, sunsets and National Trust imagery, rather than negativity.

Nicki Chapman discusses her career in music public relations and television, including work with the Spice Girls, Take That and S Club 7, and her role as a Pop Idol judge. She explains how a resilient attitude helped her navigate the entertainment industry and reflects on learning that Robbie Williams experienced severe mental-health difficulties during his Take That years. Chapman also recounts her 2019 diagnosis with a benign brain tumour, the potentially fatal surgery to remove it and the renewed gratitude and positivity she gained from the experience. Now working at Magic Radio and appearing on Escape to the Country, she emphasizes gardening, self-acceptance and making the most of ageing.

Laughter and humour are presented as inexpensive, accessible ways to support midlife women's mental health, particularly amid perimenopausal depression, grief and stress. Comedian Shazia Mirza explains that performing comedy helps her process anger and difficult experiences, while cited research links shared laughter with reduced isolation and improved wellbeing. The piece encourages women to seek out comedy, light entertainment and social laughter, while acknowledging that talking therapy can also help with deeper issues.

After decades of partying in Ibiza, Danielle Lawler visits Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel for a low-stress longevity programme aimed at midlife health. The retreat combines healthy food with a 3D body-composition scan, posture and movement recommendations, infrared therapy, cryotherapy and hypoxia oxygen therapy. The experience highlights issues including forward-head posture, knock-knees and a frozen shoulder, prompting Lawler to commit to Pilates, strength training, mobility work and better nutrition so she can remain active and return to Ibiza in later life.

Comedian and EastEnders actress Shazia Mirza describes leaving science teaching to pursue stand-up comedy despite her strict family’s expectations. She explains how midlife self-consciousness weakened her confidence, while supportive friends helped her recognize her achievements. Mirza also discusses cultural barriers, her parents’ initial disapproval, the changing comedy scene and why growing older has given her more freedom and material as a performer.

Andrea McLean discusses the shame and loss of identity that can follow redundancy, career breaks, illness or business failure. After leaving Loose Women to launch a business that collapsed while she was seriously ill with pneumonia, sepsis and long Covid, and after unsuccessfully applying for a job at Starbucks, she reassessed her skills and wrote Shameless as a way to process her experience. She advises people starting over to make the best decision possible with the information available, accept that plans may need repeated adjustment, and avoid becoming paralysed by the search for a perfect choice.

Former Loose Women presenter Andrea McLean describes losing her home, savings, health and professional identity after business difficulties, the impact of Covid and a life-threatening illness. After leaving television to launch a lifestyle brand with her husband Nick Feeny, McLean was forced to sell possessions, seek work and move with her family into a modest rental in Spain. She says shame initially prevented her from telling friends, but argues that attempting something that failed is not a reason to hide. Her book Shameless and appearance on HELLO!’s Second Act podcast explore the experience, her relationship’s survival and her ongoing effort to rebuild her life.

Author Jennie Godfrey describes how severe perimenopausal symptoms, including anxiety and declining confidence, prompted her to leave a long HR career and pursue her lifelong ambition of becoming a writer. Her debut novel, List of Suspicious Things, became a major bestseller, while writing about her Yorkshire childhood and the Yorkshire Ripper brought her closer to her estranged father, David, who had also undergone a midlife career change. David died 11 days before the book’s publication, but Godfrey continued with the launch, honoring him through the book’s dedication. She now views her midlife career pivot as transformative and encourages other women to reconsider their options during menopause.

Gabby Logan explains that the death of her younger brother Daniel from an undiagnosed heart condition, followed by her parents’ separation, left her carrying unresolved grief into early adulthood. A conversation with an acupuncturist and talking therapies helped her recognise the need to discuss her emotions and look after her mental and physical health. Logan says grief, divorce and later the death of her father Terry taught her that sadness is an inevitable consequence of loving and feeling connected to others, and that openness and emotional support can help people cope.

Gabby Logan discusses experiencing menopause-related anxiety despite having few major physical changes, and explains why she wants to speak openly with her children about aging and life’s difficulties. She reflects on how her memoir shocked her daughter by revealing past mistakes, credits mutual support and humor for her 25-year marriage to Kenny Logan, and describes the lasting impact of her brother Daniel’s death, her parents’ divorce and the recent loss of her father, Terry Yorath. Logan says learning to experience grief and other difficult emotions has helped her find happiness.

Women are urged not to leave all household financial responsibilities to their partners, because divorce, death, job loss or other disruptions can expose them to serious financial problems. Fashion designer Karen Millen describes regretting her lack of involvement in her finances after losing the fortune made from selling her company, while financial adviser Hannah Mayfield says social conditioning and intimidating money-related language often discourage women from engaging with financial matters. Couples should discuss goals, priorities, accounts and contingency plans openly, and everyone should maintain at least a basic overview of their finances.

After a painful gym injury highlighted her physical vulnerability at age 47, Danielle Lawler explains why women in midlife should prioritise leg strength. A DEXA scan showed that while her bones were strong, her muscles needed more work. Personal trainer Claudia Evans recommends consistent squats, lunges and weighted deadlifts to build strength, balance and stability. The article also cites research linking stronger leg and overall muscle mass with better circulation, cognitive performance and potentially lower risks of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

Zoe Ball discussed losing the opportunity to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as host of Strictly Come Dancing, acknowledging her grief and disappointment while expressing gratitude for having been considered and enthusiasm for Emma Willis. Therapist Marisa Peer used Ball’s reaction to illustrate how people can reframe rejection, arguing that awareness and deliberate changes in thinking can overcome primitive fears and negative self-talk. Peer particularly encouraged women over 40 to view their later years as a period of confidence and opportunity rather than decline.

Fashion entrepreneur Karen Millen describes how selling her business with former husband Kevin Stanford for £100 million was followed by emotional and physical exhaustion, the end of their 27-year marriage and the loss of her professional identity. A series of poorly advised investments later left her bankrupt and without the home she had owned for two decades. Unable to use her own name commercially because of the original business deal, Millen is rebuilding her career in her 60s by working behind the scenes with her daughter Jordan and supporting the Creative Women’s Platform. She views turning 60 as a fresh start and says experience and renewed energy are motivating her next chapter.

Journalist and author Bryony Gordon says sleeping separately from her husband, Harry Wilson, has helped sustain their marriage because she needs uninterrupted sleep while he watches documentaries in bed. Speaking on Ateh Jewel’s Second Act podcast, Gordon reflects on her alcoholism, OCD, depression and rehab, acknowledging the strain her behavior placed on their relationship and crediting Wilson’s patience and love with helping her learn self-acceptance. Their arrangement reflects a wider trend: National Bed Federation data indicates that 15% of cohabiting British couples sleep apart, most often in separate rooms, with better sleep cited as the central reason.

Bryony Gordon says she tried Botox after friends challenged her opposition to cosmetic treatments but disliked the frozen, unnatural effect on her expressive face. Having recovered from alcoholism, she worries that regular “tweakments” could trigger her addictive tendencies and lead to increasingly extreme procedures. She advocates skincare as self-care rather than a way to change one’s identity, particularly when discussing social-media beauty pressures with her teenage daughter, and supports the growing “no-tox” trend toward natural ageing and non-invasive treatments.

Bryony Gordon discusses her lifelong OCD and depression, alcohol and cocaine addiction, and the moment she recognized she needed sobriety after returning home at 10 a.m. to her young daughter. She credits the unwavering support of her husband, Harry Wilson, with helping her through rehab and rebuilding her self-worth. Gordon also explains why she continues running marathons in her underwear: to challenge filtered images of women’s bodies and promote a healthier view of mental and physical wellbeing. She says recovery has brought her a deep sense of joy and pride.

Adele Roberts describes how running helped her manage grief, mental strain and the aftermath of bowel cancer treatment, including her decision to run the 2026 London Marathon in her underwear while wearing a stoma. Running coach Sabrina Pace-Humphreys addresses common barriers facing midlife women, including feeling too old or unfit, lacking time, insecurity about appearance and concerns about pace. She encourages beginners to start from their current ability, prioritise movement that feels good, reject narrow ideas of what a runner looks like, and use supportive communities and accountability to maintain the habit.

Goldie Hawn says maintaining a sexual relationship with Kurt Russell has contributed to her happiness after 42 years together. She also values the freedom of remaining unmarried, describing their relationship as spontaneous and mutually respectful. The feature places her comments alongside research from Age UK and advice from Miriam Stoppard, arguing that intimacy and sexual expression can remain meaningful in later life and should not be treated as taboo.

HELLO! contributing editor Danielle Lawler describes how grief and prolonged stress may appear as facial tension, dullness, puffiness and changes around the eyes, jaw and mouth, drawing on explanations from celebrity acupuncturist Sarah Bradden and concepts from Chinese medicine. At Bradden's Belgravia clinic, Lawler underwent a bespoke treatment involving facial massage, lymphatic drainage, acupuncture, ear needles, oxygen, red light therapy, sound therapy and reiki. She reports feeling lighter and noticing reduced eye puffiness and brighter eyes afterward. The feature also outlines Bradden's DIY facial fascia-release routine, including gentle massage around the collarbones, neck, jaw and cheeks, while framing the treatment as complementary emotional-wellness support rather than a medically established cure.

Radio One DJ Adele Roberts discusses her bowel cancer diagnosis, recovery and decision to run the 2026 London Marathon with her stoma bag, nicknamed Audrey, visible to raise awareness and support the Bowel Babe Fund. She says survivor stories helped her cope after surgery and describes the illness as giving her a renewed sense of purpose. Roberts also recalls encouragement from Prince William and the Princess of Wales, and reflects on the emotional difficulties of her 2002 Big Brother appearance, grief and struggles with her sexuality.teile

Glynis Barber says her 30-year marriage to Michael Brandon has endured because neither partner gives up, they share a sense of humor and have learned to accept each other’s flaws. Speaking on the Second Act podcast, she explains that couples must evolve together, maintain personal boundaries and recognize that partners may express care differently. She also describes learning to accept responsibility for planning her own birthday celebrations rather than interpreting Brandon’s lack of surprise planning as a lack of love.

Facialist Keren Bartov, whose clients include Victoria Beckham, Kate Hudson and Isla Fisher, says hydration, patience and consistent daily skincare are more important for mature skin than shortcuts. She recommends treating water intake as essential, layering a hydrating serum, barrier-protecting cream and mist, and pursuing long-term collagen and skin-health strategies rather than relying solely on Botox or surgery. Her RedTouchPro laser and other device-led treatments are presented as options for wrinkles, laxity, pigmentation and photoaging with little downtime.

Actress Glynis Barber describes experiencing severe anxiety and depression during menopause, which she says threatened her career and took her by surprise. She explains that organization, self-compassion, avoiding alcohol and limiting caffeine—especially coffee—helped her regain control. Now 70, Barber has returned to the stage in Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. She also discusses her long marriage to Michael Brandon, emphasizing humor, perseverance and evolving together.

Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee discusses finding love after 40 and building a blended family with partner Ben Richardson, his son Ted and their daughter Rae. She describes Ted as her “bonus” son, rejects the word “step,” and says the family treats Ted’s biological mother as an important and valued part of their shared support network. Mee argues that adults should put children first after separation and reflects on the demands of parenting alongside her broadcasting career.

Nutritionist Shona Wilkinson explains seven lesser-known symptoms associated with perimenopause: formication, burning tongue, altered spatial awareness, body odour changes, tinnitus, electric-shock sensations and gum disease. The symptoms are linked to hormonal fluctuations, declining oestrogen, changes in sweating and vaginal microbes, and effects on the nervous system and oral health. Recognising these unusual effects may help women understand bodily changes and seek appropriate support.

Perimenopause and menopause can affect libido, vaginal health, mood, sleep and comfort during sex, creating a gap between partners’ expectations and desire. Gynaecologist Maria Sophocles advises open communication, medical evaluation for underlying causes of pain, lubricant use and, where appropriate, vaginal estrogen. She also encourages people to understand their bodies, remove pressure to perform and discuss intimacy without judgment. Sexual satisfaction can return or improve later in life by adapting expectations, positions and routines, with menopause potentially becoming a period of greater freedom and sexual fulfillment.