Life Changing Podcast
Dr Sian Williams talks to people who have lived through extraordinary events that have reshaped their lives in the most unpredictable ways.
In this series Dr Sian Williams talks to people who have lived through extraordinary events that have set their lives on an entirely different course.
This podcast is all about the human experience, how people deal with obstacles that turn their lives upside down. The journeys are not always straightforward and there are often some remarkable discoveries along the way.
Would you like to appear on the podcast? Do you have an extraordinary story to tell? We'd love to hear from you: [email protected]
Episodes to download
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Turning agony into award-winning art
Wed 3 Dec 2025
Former engineer Michael Ashcroft explains how art emerged from personal agony.
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A long wait for justice
Wed 26 Nov 2025
After 30 years, child abuse survivor Jess Martinez gets justice.
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Two Days Underground
Wed 19 Nov 2025
George Linnane tells Sian how he survived a 50-hour cave rescue.
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Camel Tours and Sliding Doors
Wed 12 Nov 2025
A spontaneous decision led Jacqui Furneaux to an unexpected adventure.
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I shook hands with the man who nearly killed me
Wed 5 Nov 2025
Sian Williams talks to Paul Kohler about the brutal assault that led him to seek answers.
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Lost at sea
Wed 29 Oct 2025
A woman whose father died at sea finds a transformative way to remember him.
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A traumatised veteran’s unlikely saviour
Wed 22 Oct 2025
Veteran Geoff was plagued by PTSD - but an unusual partnership restored his independence.
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The Vicar of Bray's Daughter
Wed 28 May 2025
Dr Sian Williams talks to Carol Cairns, who rediscovered a lost love in her 70s.
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The Singing Bus Driver
Wed 21 May 2025
Phillip Browne shares his incredible journey from London bus driving to West End stardom.
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The Girl Gambler
Wed 21 May 2025
When Stacey Goodwin got a new job, it triggered a destructive gambling addiction.
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The Yachtsman Survivor
Wed 14 May 2025
When yachtsman Robin was violently attacked, a life-or-death decision had to be made.
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The Great Escape
Wed 7 May 2025
Angela Tilley explains how a life-changing purchase helped her overcome agoraphobia.
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The Reluctant Hero
Wed 30 Apr 2025
Despite not being able to swim, Larry O’Brien saved over 30 people from a sinking ferry.
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The Piano Tuner's Tale
Wed 16 Apr 2025
Ed Stewart reveals how his life and career were defined by a violent row at a teen party.
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A White Christmas for Annabelle
Wed 18 Dec 2024
Lisa Hover shares the emotions of coping with her daughter’s life-limiting condition.
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Volunteering for Freedom
Wed 11 Dec 2024
MFA Zaman, a victim of modern slavery, explains how he found freedom by helping others.
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Everything and Nothing
Wed 4 Dec 2024
Dad of triplets Paul Mason explains how fatherhood brought wildly contrasting emotions.
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Finding a New Voice
Wed 27 Nov 2024
Mum-of-two Tanja Bage describes how she prepared for a life without her voice.
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From Skid Row to Stardom
Wed 20 Nov 2024
At 12, Dan Edozie and his mother were homeless - until a bus journey changed his life.
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A Wild Child’s Buried Trauma
Wed 13 Nov 2024
She had a colourful hippy life – but Sarah Fairbairns was haunted by a childhood trauma.
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Hostage Survival
Wed 6 Nov 2024
Nick Hitch describes the terrifying moment he was caught up in a violent hostage crisis.
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Introducing the new series of Life Changing
Tue 5 Nov 2024
Dr Sian Williams looks forward to another series of extraordinary stories.
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The crocodile, the twins and the bond that saved them
Wed 15 May 2024
Georgia and Melissa are swimming in a Mexican lagoon, when one of them is dragged under.
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'I will make amends'
Wed 8 May 2024
In 1988 experienced medical doctor Tony answers a call for help — it nearly breaks him.
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Excluded
Wed 1 May 2024
Marginalised his whole life, aged 24, Tier demands a reckoning with the education system.
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Finally Meeting Mum
Wed 24 Apr 2024
Su’s in a race against time to finally meet her birth mother, on the last day of her life.
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Trading places
Wed 17 Apr 2024
Fundamentally unhappy as an oil trader, Dan takes a giant personal gamble.
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Delivering Change
Wed 10 Apr 2024
As midwife Agnes’ third baby is delivered, she's confronted by a profound need for change
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Witness
Wed 3 Apr 2024
Just 14 when her mum is murdered, Georgia vows that she will never be forgotten.
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Harriet: What Happened Next
Boxing Day 2023
Former guest Harriet tells a live audience how her podcast appearance changed her life.
BBC Action Line
Information and support for issues covered in Life Changing.
