Begin Again with Davina McCall

What if staying true to yourself cost you everything?

In this episode of Begin Again, Kate Nash opens up about the reality of building a career in an industry that often tries to control, define, and silence you. From becoming a breakout star at 18 to being labelled, misunderstood, and written off, Kate shares what it really feels like to grow up in the public eye and fight to stay yourself.

She speaks candidly about the music industry today, why it’s no longer sustainable for artists, and the difficult decisions she’s had to make to keep her career alive including starting an OnlyFans to fund her tours. For Kate, it’s not about controversy, it's about survival, independence, and refusing to play by rules that no longer work.

This conversation also explores the emotional side of that fight. The pressure to be perfect, the anger that once fuelled her, and the conscious decision to move beyond it. Kate reflects on identity, feminism, and the power of women supporting each other in a world that often tries to pit them against one another.

At its core, this is a story about resilience, creative freedom, and what it takes to take back control on your own terms.

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

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Follow Kate: https://www.instagram.com/katenash/

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(00:00) Intro

(00:01:31) Intro to Kate Nash, fame and problems of public image

(00:04:51) Exploring identity and history through music

(00:08:01) The evolution of Kate’s Music and dealing with online hate

(00:12:34) Kate's Catholic upbringing, the challenges of Shame

(00:19:15) Kate's relationship with her sisters

(00:23:06) Do Health Ad

(00:24:27) Bloom and Wild Ad

(00:25:29) Kate's heart surgery

(00:32:17) Kate deciding to quit her job and start performing music

(00:36:26) Dealing with fame

(00:39:20) Manager stealing from her, and healing from

(00:47:33) Moving to LA

(00:48:57) Kate's breakout role in Netflix series *Glow*, and learning to wrestle

(00:58:31) Why the music industry is broken!

(01:01:41) Starting an OnlyFans account to fund her career

(01:06:04) How fans can support the music industry

(01:08:23) Kate's protest around London

(01:12:00) The reasons Kate is fighting for the music industry and culture

(01:16:12) A surprise letter for KateSponsored 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

Bloom & Wild - use code DAVINA for 15% off at https://www.bloomandwild.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=begin_again 

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In this week’s Moments episode, we bring you two powerful clips from full Begin Again conversations exploring the reality of anxiety and how to navigate it.

Fearne Cotton opens up about her personal experience with anxiety, reflecting on the period of her life that triggered it and how it continues to show up in unexpected ways. She shares the challenges of living with racing thoughts, disrupted sleep, and the pressure of environments that no longer feel safe, while also offering an honest look at the progress she’s made and the self-awareness she’s built along the way.

Following that, mental health expert Owen O’Kane offers a grounded and reassuring perspective on anxiety, explaining why it’s a natural human response rather than something that defines us. He explores how anxiety can become something we rely on for protection, and shares practical ways to better understand and manage it without letting it take over.

This is a Moments episode, featuring two impactful clips designed to give you insight, perspective, and practical takeaways in a short space of time.

The full conversations with Fearne and Owen are available now wherever you get your podcasts, just search their names, or watch them here on YouTube:
Fearne Cotton: https://youtu.be/XZHZ_Ltbv08
Owen O’Kane: https://youtu.be/fR2WPgWBtRM

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What does fame at 17 really do to you?

In this episode of Begin Again, Jason Donovan opens up about growing up in the spotlight and what happens when success comes before you’ve had time to understand yourself.

Thrust into fame as a teenager on Neighbours, Jason shares what it was like navigating a world where everyone thought they knew him, while he was still figuring out who he was. Behind the success, there was pressure, confusion, and a lack of guidance that led him down a path he struggled to control.

He speaks candidly about the reality of those years; the partying, the expectations, and the feeling of having to navigate it all alone. At a time when mental health wasn’t openly talked about, Jason reflects on how difficult it was to process everything he was experiencing.

But this is also a story of change.

Jason shares how becoming a father became a turning point giving him purpose, grounding, and a reason to rebuild. He reflects on the lessons he’s learned, what he knows now that he didn’t then, and how he’s found a way to balance creativity, family, and peace.

At its core, this is a conversation about fame, identity, and what it takes to take back control of your life no matter where you started.

🌟 Follow for more powerful conversations about resilience, growth, and beginning again.

Follow us here:

📸 www.instagram.com/beginagain

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

✨Begin Again Newsletter: https://linkly.link/2g2xx

(00:00) Intro

(02:36) The Face Magazine Outing Scandal

(14:38) Jason's Upbringing And Relationship With His Parents

(20:34) Saily Ad

(21:30) Bloom & Wild Ad

(22:32) Jason's Relationship With His Father And Stepmother

(27:01) The Beginnings Of Jason's Career & Working With Kylie

(28:47) Jason On Neighbours And Meeting Kylie

(31:10) Spirituality And Getting Older

(35:07) Paramount + Ad

(36:23) Begin Again Newsletter

(37:17) Jason's Wife Angela And The Buzz Of Performing

(41:37) Drug Addiction And Mental Health Battle

(47:24) Recovery, Meeting His Wife And Becoming A Father

(52:41) A Letter From Jason's Father

(55:23) What's Next For Jason And What Else He'd Like To Do

Sponsored by:

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

Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.co.uk/Host

Paramount+ - Episodes 1-3 of The Madison are available to stream on Paramount+ now: https://www.paramountplus.com/gb/shows/the-madison/

Episodes 4-6 will be available to stream from 21 March
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this deeply personal episode, Ms. Jo Malone CBE opens up about her childhood and the emotional scars that shaped her, from the chaos of her family dynamic to the survival tactics she adopted at a young age. Jo shares her journey of healing, emphasising the importance of reconnecting with your inner child and embracing vulnerability.

Renowned philosopher Alain de Botton joins the conversation to provide expert insights on how to heal your inner child. Drawing on his wisdom, Alain explores how early childhood experiences shape our sense of self and our relationships, offering practical advice on how to confront and nurture our emotional wounds.

This episode is a journey into the heart of healing, teaching us how to better understand our past to foster peace and emotional growth in our present.

Full Episode with Ms. Jo Malone CBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j6JX6GkD_8

Full Episode with Alain De Botton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PXHx275Oa8&t=1928s
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What if the place you’re meant to feel safest… never was?

In this episode of Begin Again, Ruby Wax opens up about a life shaped by chaos, fear, and an unrelenting search for safety. Growing up in a home filled with instability and emotional unpredictability, Ruby shares how those early experiences have stayed with her, long after she left.

She reflects on the strange reality that, even now, she often feels safest in the most dangerous situations and why home has never been the place that gives her comfort. From childhood trauma to a lifelong battle with depression, Ruby speaks candidly about what it really feels like to live inside a mind that can turn against you.

She also revisits some of the most defining moments of her career, interviewing figures like Bill Cosby and Donald Trump, navigating the power dynamics and darkness she encountered along the way. These weren’t just interviews, they were experiences that shaped how she sees people, the world, and herself.

At the heart of this conversation is Ruby’s journey toward understanding her mind. From studying neuroscience to exploring mindfulness and meditation, she shares how she’s learned to manage the noise, the fear, and the patterns that once controlled her.

This is a story about survival, self-awareness, and what it takes to rebuild a sense of safety from the inside out.

🌟Follow Begin Again for more powerful conversations about resilience, growth, and starting over.

Follow us here:

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

Ruby’s Tour “Absolutely Famous”

https://www.rubywax.net/livetour

✨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
(01:24) Ruby On Her Upcoming Tour “Absolutely Famous”
(04:16) Why She Is Unable To Lie
(05:13) Interviewing Bill Cosby And Donald Trump
(07:54) Her Parents And Challenging Upbringing
(10:33) Discovering The Truth About Her Family History And Generational Trauma
(16:33) Safety And Insanity
(18:43) Finding Safety In Dangerous Situations
(20:13) Feeling Like An Outsider Growing Up
(21:33) Ruby’s Experience Of Menopause
(26:21) Airbnb Ad
(27:28) Paramount+ Ad
(28:44) Her Depression And Learning To Manage It
(34:49) Ruby Reflects On Her Relationship With Husband Ed
(37:40) Getting “Kicked Out Of TV” And Finding A New Purpose
(39:20) Ruby’s Menopause
(40:17) Friendship With Alan Rickman And Carrie Fisher
(46:20) Becoming Ruby Wax And Asking Her Husband To Marry Her
(49:11) I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Friendship With Angry Ginge
(50:43) Discovering The Power Of Mindfulness
(57:18) Relationship With Gelong Thubten And A Month-Long Silent Retreat
(01:01:15) Being With Alan Rickman When He Died
(01:05:20) A Letter From Alan Rickman’s Niece

Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.co.uk/Host

Paramount+ - Episodes 1-3 of The Madison are available to stream on Paramount+ now: https://www.paramountplus.com/gb/shows/the-madison/

Episodes 4-6 will be available to stream on 21 March.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices