Some moments change you. Some experiences turn you into a smarter, or more thoughtful, or tougher person. They build your resilience, your sense of humour and your empathy too. InĀ Experience is Everything, the nation's favourite lexicographer and media personality Susie DentĀ talks to household names to find out what theyāve learned over their extraordinary lifetimes.
In enthralling conversations with actors, comedians, athletes, musicians and celebrities weāll discover the most surprising, comical and moving moments that made them who they are today⦠because thereās no substitute for experience.
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Lorraine Kelly ā How Scotlandās daytime queen almost never made it
Season 2 Ā· Episode 9
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 ⢠Duration 50:55
NEW SERIES: Lorraine Kelly is the new host of Experience is Everything.
Before taking over the microphone, Lorraine joins outgoing host Susie Dent for a special handover episode looking back on the highs, lows and surprises of more than 40 years in television.
She reveals how she was told sheād never make it because of her Scottish accent, being dropped from GMTV during her maternity leave, and the extraordinary moments that shaped her career:Ā from reporting on national tragedies like Lockerbie and Dunblane to meeting some of the most famous people in the world. Plus, Lorraine opens up about life away from the cameras, becoming a grandmother and the recent loss of her father.
Now, Lorraine reflects on what four decades in the spotlight have taught her and why sheās ready for her next chapter.
Saga Insurance is exclusively designed for people over 50. When experience matters, choose Saga. Search Saga Insurance today.
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Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā
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Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.
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How to have healthy knees for life with Dr. Mark Porter and Jonathan Bell ā Health Edition
Season 2 Ā· Episode 9
Thursday, August 6, 2026 ⢠Duration 41:26
Experience is Everything: The Health Edition with Dr. Mark Porter, is brought to you by Saga, providing you with the very latest health advice that you can trust. We know that keeping fit, healthy and happy is paramount for our listeners and viewers and so, with the help of leading experts, we'll be diving into essential topics to help you do just that.Ā
Todayās episode is about a very common complaint: knee pain.Ā
Around half of those over 50 ā mostly women ā will have experienced some degree of knee trouble over the last year, with around a third seeking help from their GP.Ā Might you be one of them? Here to discuss the causes and treatments of painful knees, what you can do to help yourself and how you can protect your joints is consultant orthopaedic knee surgeon Jonathan Bell.
Dr. Mark Porter has worked as an NHS GP for nearly 40 years. He is an award-winning journalist, having spent much of his career at the BBC, and is currently a health columnist for Saga Magazine and The Times.
Saga Health Insurance is exclusively designed for the over 50s. Search Saga Health Insurance for a quote today. T&Cs apply.ā www.saga.co.uk/healthinsuranceā
Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā Ā
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ā Facebookā
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Experience is Everything is aĀ PodmastersĀ production for Saga.Ā
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How to lower your blood pressure with Dr. Mark Porter and Dr. Pauline Swift ā Health Edition
Season 2 Ā· Episode 7
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 ⢠Duration 39:02
Experience is Everything: The Health Edition with Dr. Mark Porter,Ā is brought to you by Saga, providing you with the very latest health advice that you can trust. We know that keeping fit,Ā healthyĀ and happy is paramount for our listeners and viewers and so, with the help of leading experts,Ā we'llĀ be diving into essential topics to help you do just that.Ā Ā
Todayās episode is all about blood pressure.Ā Ā
At least one in four adults in the UK now has high blood pressure, and the older you are the more likely that is. We need some pressure to circulate blood around our bodies, but if it is too high it can lead to problems rangingĀ from an early heart attack or stroke,Ā to kidney disease, visualĀ lossĀ and dementia.Ā Ā
It is the original āsilent killerā,Ā the leading preventable risk of death and disability worldwide, and for every ten people who have been diagnosed, there are thought to be another seven whoĀ remainĀ undiagnosed and untreated. Might you be one of them? And what can you and your doctor do to bring yours down?Ā
To help provide clarity on all of this and more is Dr. Pauline Swift, Consultant Nephrologist and Chair of the charity Blood Pressure UK.
Dr. Mark Porter has worked as an NHS GP forĀ nearly 40Ā years. He is an award-winning journalist, having spent much of his career at the BBC, and is currently a health columnist forĀ Saga MagazineĀ and The Times.Ā
Saga Health Insurance is exclusively designed for the over 50s. Search Saga Health Insurance for a quote today. T&Cs apply.www.saga.co.uk/healthinsurance
Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā Ā
YouTube: @EIEpodĀ Ā
Facebook
Instagram:Ā eiepodĀ
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Experience is Everything is aĀ PodmastersĀ production for Saga.Ā
saga.co.ukĀ
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Dame Elaine Paige on the price of fame, surviving cancer and her love affair with musical theatre
Season 2 Ā· Episode 6
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 ⢠Duration 47:31
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.Ā
Dame Elaine Paige is the undisputed First Lady of Musical Theatre. Catapulted to international stardom as Eva Perón in Evita, she has since graced the West End and Broadway with unforgettable performances in Cats, Chess, Anything Goes and Sunset Boulevard.
Beyond the stage, Elaine has released more than 20 albums, with another on the way, and for the past 22 years has been the trusted voice behind her much-loved BBC Radio 2 show.
On this episode ofĀ Experience is Everything, Elaine joins Susie Dent to reflect on the moments that shaped her remarkable career: the time she came within touching distance of walking away from musical theatre, returning to the stage after breast surgery, and the promise she made to King Charles.
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Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā
YouTube: ā ā @EIEpodā ā
Facebook: ā ā Experience is EverythingĀ ā ā
Instagram: ā ā Eiepodā ā
TikTok: ā ā Eiepodā ā
Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.
ā ā saga.co.ukā ā
ā ā podmasters.co.uk
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Carol Kirkwood on finding love in your fifties, TV mishaps and leaving the BBC
Season 2 Ā· Episode 5
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 ⢠Duration 41:06
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.Ā
Carol Kirkwood spent 28 years bringing the weather into Britain's living rooms, becoming one of the BBC's most beloved presenters and a nine-time TRIC Award winner. But away from the forecasts, she's built a second career as a bestselling novelist and found love again in her fifties.
On this episode of Experience is Everything, Carol joins Susie Dent to talk about finding love later in life, accidentally taking a photo of the King's nostrils, leaving the BBC after nearly three decades, and knowing when it was finally time for a new chapter.Ā Ā
Saga Insurance exclusively designed for people over 50. When experience matters, choose Saga. Search Saga Insurance today.
ā www.saga.co.uk/insuranceā Ā
Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā
YouTube: ā @EIEpodā
Facebook: ā Experience is EverythingĀ ā
Instagram: ā Eiepodā
TikTok: ā Eiepodā
Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.
ā saga.co.ukā
ā podmasters.co.uk
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Dame Dr Maggie Aderin on resilience, reflection and reaching for the stars
Season 2 Ā· Episode 4
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 ⢠Duration 48:07
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.Ā
Dame Dr Maggie Aderin is one of the leading space scientists in the UK. She has worked on some of the worldās biggest space projects, such as the James Webb telescope and the Gemini Observatory in Chile, and has presented the BBCās astronomy show The Sky At Night for more than 12 years. She is Chancellor of the University of Leicester and is the first black woman to win aĀ gold medal in the Physics News Award. She also previously served as President of the British Science Association. But as the dyslexic daughter of Nigerian immigrants, her journey hasnāt been the easiest and she is committed to breaking down barriers relating to race, class and gender.Ā
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Maggie talks to Susie about advocating for diversity in science; her worry that we will ruin space; and where she plans to retire!
Saga Insurance exclusively designed for people over 50. When experience matters, choose Saga. Search Saga Insurance today.
www.saga.co.uk/insuranceĀ Ā
Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā
YouTube: @EIEpod
Facebook: Experience is EverythingĀ
Instagram: Eiepod
TikTok: Eiepod
Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.
saga.co.uk
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Angela Rippon on leaving the BBC and saying yes to Strictly!
Season 2 Ā· Episode 3
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 ⢠Duration 54:59
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.
Ā
Angela Rippon is a trailblazer. One of the most consequential figures in British broadcasting, her remarkable career spans 60 years. A journalist, director and producer, she was the first long-serving female presenter of the BBC National News, and has presented entertainment shows such as Eurovision, Top Gear, Come Dancing, Antiques Roadshow, and Rip-Off Britain.
She has an OBE and a CBE, and her incredible high leg kick on the Morecambe and Wise show has gone down in TV history.
Ā
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Angela tells Susie about broadcasting from the Queenās funeral, how she stays friends with her ex-husband and doing the splits at the age of 81.
Ā
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Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.
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Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.
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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on River Cottage, getting fired and letting go in the kitchen
Season 2 Ā· Episode 2
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 ⢠Duration 40:10
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.Ā
Chef, writer and broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is passionate about food ā good, ethically sourced, sustainable food. Famous for creating the River Cottage brand, Hugh has written more than 25 cookbooks and is a staunch campaigner on issues such as food waste, unsustainable fishing, and poor animal welfare.
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Hugh tells Susie about how moving out of London changed his life; the moment he got fired from world famous restaurant River Cafe; and why his children have told him to butt out of the kitchen.
If youāre dreaming of a safari in South Africa, an immersive experience in India, or exploring the Galapagos Islands, an escorted tour with Saga, may be just what youāre dreaming of. Every unforgettable tour has been created exclusively for people over 50 by our team, and their 2027 escorted tours are on sale now. Search āSaga escorted toursā today. ATOL protected. Saga.co.uk/toursĀ
Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā
YouTube: @EIEpod
Facebook
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Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.
saga.co.uk
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Johnny Ballās greatest stories ā From Ringo Starr to Queen Elizabeth II
Season 2 Ā· Episode 1
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 ⢠Duration 45:49
NEW SERIES: Award-winning presenter and Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent discovers life lessons from living legends.Ā
Johnny Ball has been in the entertainment industry for more than 60 years, from his days as a Butlins Redcoat to becoming one of the UKās most beloved childrenās TV presenters. He single-handedly made maths and science exciting for so many, turning educational television into an absolute must-watch.
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Johnny talks to Susie about how he got the gig presenting hit childrenās TV show Play School; what happened when he told the Duke of Edinburgh he had a crush on Queen Elizabeth IIl; and how he told The Beatles āthereās no money in n rollā.
Saga Insurance exclusively designed for people over 50. When experience matters, choose Saga. Search Saga Insurance today. www.saga.co.uk/insuranceĀ
Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā
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Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584091016049#
Instagram: eiepod
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Experience is Everything is a Podmasters production for Saga.
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Jane Horrocks on Absolutely Fabulous and finding a purpose in life
Season 1 Ā· Episode 10
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 ⢠Duration 43:05
NEW SERIES: Award-winning Radio 4 broadcaster and Daily Mail columnist Jenni Murray discovers life lessons from living legends.Ā
Jane Horrocks has one of the most recognisable voices in entertainment. Known for her strong Lancashire accent, she became a household name after being offered the role of the quirky Bubble in Absolutely Fabulous, and amazed us all with her ability to impersonate the greatest singers in the world in Little Voice.
In this episode of Experience is Everything, Jane talks to Jenni about the moment she fell in love with acting; the support she has received from acting legends such as Alan Rickman; how her distinctive voice has become part of her personality; and how to find a purpose in life once your children have left home.
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Find Experience is Everything every two weeks on your favourite podcast platform.Ā
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