Spinning Plates with Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Helen Dukes is an entrepreneur and DJ, and mum to 2 daughters, 11 year old Anya and 19 year old Lottie .

She is the founder of Disko Kids, a clothes and accessories brand that I love for its roots in music, festivals, sparkles and fun.

It also has at its heart a deep connection with charities such as Winston’s Wish. This child bereavement charity helped Helen navigate the death of her partner Ade when their daughter Lottie was just 3.

Helen told me how she strove to create video memories of Ade for Lottie, which was very hard for Ade at the time, but which Lottie really appreciates now, aged 19.

We talked about being a female founder and the passion for her business that has kept her going throughout the past 10 years. Helen says that Disko Kids is like her third child - frustrating at times but she loves it to bits. I know that feeling all too well!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Lunoe is an Australian DJ, singer, songwriter and producer. She lived and worked in LA for 8 years, performing at festivals such as Coachella.

She’s now back in her hometown of Sydney, and has an 8 year old daughter and a 6 year old son and I caught up with her after she’d spent the night in Sydney Zoo for her son’s birthday.

I loved her idea of 2 night reset away, alone, every few months, which she and her husband take turns in doing.

Last year Anna released the song ‘Girl’, a collab with Melanie C, another of my inspiring Spinning Plates gals.

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fran Cutler is famous for organising wild parties attended by A-listers. Things really took off in the 90s when she started organising parties for Oasis albums with Meg Matthews.

She’s a self-confessed technophobe and she’s using this fallow Glastonbury year, to write a memoir which she promises will be both salacious and funny.

She brought up her daughter Mercy on her own, after the father left 3 months into her pregnancy. She resolved at that moment to work twice as hard as anyone else to support her daughter who she is super close to, along with her mum, sister and nieces.

Fran told me about her dubious claim to fame: projectile vomitting! And she shared her tips for getting rid of problematic party guests. Let’s I hope I never prove to be one of them!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamie Genevieve is a Scottish make up artist and entrepreneur. I follow her on Instagram and am so impressed by the brand she’s launched. Some of her products have now become my make up staples.

We talked last month about how she started out as a makeup counter girl, loving demonstrating makeup and selling it, moving onto YouTube herself and then launching her own brand Vieve.

Jamie has a little girl called Romy who will be 3 in May, and she revealed to me mid podcast that she has a second baby due in August!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicole Appleton is a singer and a mum to Gene aged 24, and Skipper who is nearly 6.

She first came into our lives in the 90s when she and her elder sister Natalie were members of the hugely successful band All Saints. Together, the Appleton sisters have just brought out a new single ‘Falling Into You’ and it’s gorgeous. Very much their classic, warm and optimistic selves.

She and I talked about the joy of having children so far apart in age. Nicole said she feels she and her eldest, Gene, grew up together. And with Skipper, who she had at 44, she felt more of a mum.

She also talked about how she kept her whole pregnancy with Skipper a complete secret, even from her closest friends. How incredible is that! In all the podcast conversations I’ve had, I think this was the most impressive birth announcement story I’ve ever heard.

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.