Over the Back Fence

Welcome to our Summer Series where we're replaying some of our most popular episodes over the last 3 years so you can discover episodes you haven't heard before or re-listen to some fan favourites. In this episode, Nicola and Di chat with the hilarious and uplifting Kathy Lette. Kathy is a celebrated comic writer who has penned 20 novels, many of which have become international bestsellers and been turned into films, TV series and even an opera. Kathy’s career began when she wrote the iconic novel Puberty Blues when she was just 17. She went on to do stints as a singer, a newspaper columnist and a sitcom writer for Columbia Pictures in LA. These days she’s an author, travel writer and TV presenter and her latest book, The Revenge Club, is a must-read for every woman.  Kathy talks about life in her sixties - or as she lovingly calls them, her sexties. She shares how life just gets better, you enjoy life more and you can finally put yourself first for a change. Kathy shares about the importance of female friendships and how much of a positive impact they’ve had on her life.  We hear what it was like for Kathy when she fell in love with Geoffrey Robertson after appearing on a TV show with him, when she was still married to her first husband, Kim. Kathy tells great stories about her life in London with Geoffrey and some of the incredible people that stayed in their attic - James Hewitt, Julian Assange and Salman Rushdie to name just a few.  You won’t want to miss Kathy’s story about that time she got asked out by George Clooney (an unknown, fresh-faced actor) and said ‘No’. The good news is, it’s all worked out for Kathy who met her current partner whilst walking through the park on a hot summer’s day - another great story you’ll want to hear.  We also talk to Kathy about the benefits of laughter, her positive spirit, and the joy that she brings to the world. It was an absolute delight having Kathy entertain us in the studio and we hope you laugh as much as we did.  Follow Kathy Lette on IG here Buy The Revenge Club here Find more of Kathy’s books here Follow Nicola and Di on IG here Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our Summer Series where we're replaying some of our most popular episodes over the last 3 years so you can discover episodes you haven't heard before or re-listen to some fan favourites. In this episode, Nicola and Di chat with the entertaining and multi-talented Tottie Goldsmith. Tottie has been part of the Australian performing arts industry for 4 decades, with an incredible career that spans music, film, television, radio and theatre. In the 80s, Tottie became known as Melbourne’s IT girl, and was part of the pop group, The Chantoozies. Over the next few decades she appeared on so many iconic Australian TV shows including Young Doctors, Prisoner, Neighbours, and The Sex/Life series to name just a few. Tottie is also a proud mum, a marriage celebrant and the niece of our beloved Olivia Newton-John. In 2020 Tottie was awarded an OAM for her contribution to charity and the performing arts.  We hear all about Tottie’s unconventional upbringing and some of the incredible stories from her childhood. She was born in the 60s to a legend of the Australian nightclub industry, Brian Goldsmith and the model and actress Rona Newton-John. We hear the heartbreaking story of how Tottie’s mum left her and her 2 siblings, when Tottie was only 2.5, to pursue a career overseas and the huge impact that had on Tottie’s life.  Tottie opens up about the absolutely beautiful relationship that she had with her aunt Olivia, who was always looking out for her and loving her in ways that her mother wasn’t able to. Olivia was a true angel in Tottie’s life.  Not only that, but we hear some fun stories from Tottie’s love life and the lessons she’s learned along the way through the relationships she’s had. Tottie is someone who really has done a lot of work on herself, and is committed to continuing to learn and grow. It’s inspiring to listen to. We had so much fun in this chat with Tottie - it was absolutely like having another girlfriend with us over the back fence. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  Follow Tottie on IG here Support the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre here Find out more about Tottie’s work here Follow Nicola and Di on IG here Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our Summer Series where we're replaying some of our most popular episodes over the last 3 years so you can discover episodes you haven't heard before or re-listen to some fan favourites. In this episode, Nicola and Di chat with the fabulous and dynamic, Alex Andrews. Alex is a sought-after executive, business and life coach with a passion for helping her clients find purpose, peace and fulfilment in both their personal lives and career. Alex is also a trainer, a speaker, a Tony Robbins top coach, a literary agent and a small business owner. On top of all this, she’s a mum of 3 beautiful adult-aged children.  In this chat, Alex talks about what it’s like to work as a coach and how she helps her clients with the different types of challenges they are facing. Alex shares some great and practical tips for how to deal with overwhelm and how to be open and honest with a friend you may need to confront about something so that resentments don’t build. She talks about the power of surrender and letting things go.  We hear about what it was like walking on coals with Tony Robbins and how it is that you can overcome fear by using the power of your brain. We chat about intuition and how important it is to come inside yourself, be grounded and feel what’s right for you. It’s all about balancing what you’re hearing from your head, your heart and your gut.  Alex also opens up about how difficult divorce is and what it was like after separating from her husband of 35 years. Nicola, Di and Alex all share about the hard times they went through with the breakdown of their marriages and Alex describes these rock bottom moments, as a cracking open.  Alex is full of words of wisdom and we hope you enjoy this lively conversation with her.   Follow Alex on IG here: @alex.andrews.mypersonalcoachAlex's website and coaching: https://www.alexandraandrews.com/Contact Alex: coach@alexandraandrews.com, 0419 953 233 Follow Nicola and Di on IG here Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our Summer Series where we're replaying some of our most popular episodes over the last 3 years so you can discover episodes you haven't heard before or re-listen to some fan favourites. In this episode, Nicola and Di chat with the hilarious Vince Sorrenti. Vince is one of Australia’s most successful and popular comedians, with a career that has spanned over 4 decades. As well as his incredible work as a stand-up comedian, Vince has an enormously long list of radio and TV credits and has written 2 feature films, including an award-winning environmental documentary. He’s also a big family man, and we get a glimpse into what life is like at home with his beautiful wife Kate and their 4 children.  In this conversation we chat about how comedy has changed over the years and whether political correctness and wokeness has gone too far. Vince shares why comedy is essential and why he believes that comedy is the answer to a lot of the challenges life throws at us.  We hear the story of how it all started for Vince - as an architecture student at Sydney University, he began doing skits in uni revues and fell in love with comedy and the stage. Vince talks about his first stand-up gig in the 80s and how he’s never looked back. We also spoke about Vince’s creative process - where he gets his ideas from and how he puts together a show.  Vince shares a couple of stories from his latest stand-up show I’m Offended, and we were in stitches. There’s nothing quite like a good belly laugh, and we were so lucky to have a bunch of those in the studio with Vince. We hope you laugh as much as we did.   Find out more about Vince and his work here Follow Nicola and Di on IG here Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our Summer Series where we're replaying some of our most popular episodes over the last 3 years so you can discover episodes you haven't heard before or re-listen to some fan favourites. In this episode, Nicola and Di chat with the uplifting and inspiring Steffani LeFevour. Steff is one of the world’s top happiness coaches, a best selling author, international speaker and master at manifesting. She’s also a wife and mother of two kids.   In this conversation Steff shares some really practical tips for how you can manifest your deepest desires, as well as why she believes so many people are caught up in manic manifesting, which ultimately doesn’t work. Steff gives us some powerful mantras that anyone can use to bring great things into their life.  We hear some incredible stories of the things that Steff has manifested, including how she met Oprah and many other influential spiritual leaders she looked up to. Steff also shares some great tips for how you can change your thoughts when you find yourself stuck in negative thinking, and what the five toxins are that we all need to be aware of and stop doing.   Steff opens up about the loss that she’s faced in her life and shares some beautiful thoughts about grief and how she has personally moved through it.  We were so grateful to Steff for joining us from her home in Chicago and being so generous with the tips and guidance she shared. If you’re looking for practical ways to start changing your mindset, this is the episode for you.  Follow Steff on IG here Find out more about Steff and get her free happiness resources here Follow Nicola and Di on IG here Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our Summer Series where we're replaying some of our most popular episodes over the last 3 years so you can discover episodes you haven't heard before or re-listen to some fan favourites. In this episode, Nicola and Di chat with the energetic and vivacious Susan Bratton. Susan is an intimacy expert to millions and has been helping people improve their intimate relationships and sex life for the past 2 decades. Susan has written thousands of magazine and website articles, as well as over 40 books and programs to help people experience shame-free, frequent sexual pleasure, which she believes is a vital element of being alive. Susan also regularly appears on TV and podcasts from all over the world. She has been married for over 30 years and has so much to share.  In this conversation Susan talks about how she got started as a sexpert, as a married woman in her 40s who was deeply unhappy with her sex life and wanted to do something about it. As Susan and her husband started going to therapy and attending sex workshops, they learnt so many skills and became closer than ever, which made Susan passionate about teaching everything she was learning to others. She went on to create a media company, and write dozens of books and programs that have helped millions of people.   Susan shares so many juicy tips with us in this chat - it is full of ideas for how you can improve your love life, including a sex bucket list and what Susan likes to call hot sex dates. We hear about Susan’s desire dozen - the 12 things you can do to increase your pleasure and get more from your relationship.  We also talk about how Susan is feeling now that she’s in her 60s - the good news is, she’s absolutely loving it and having the best sex of her life!  We had so many laughs in this episode because it’s full of cheeky chat, but it’s also super informative and helpful. We hope you have a giggle along with us and get as much from this conversation as we did.  Follow Susan on IG here  Download Susan’s FREE Sex Life Bucket List here Download Susan’s FREE Sexual Soulmate Pact here Get Susan’s Tips, Videos and Articles here  Find out more about Susan’s work here Follow Nicola and Di on IG here Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Nicola and Di this week as they reflect on 2025 and their favourite moments and highlights from some of the incredible guests they’ve had on the podcast this year. They’ve been lucky enough to chat to psychics, actors, comedians, journalists, authors, Olympians, world champions, psychologists, entrepreneurs, and the list goes on. It’s true what they say, variety really is the spice of life. Share in some laughs and stories, as we remember some of our favourite moments from Season 3.  We want to thank all of our guests for sharing their stories (and their hearts), our team at DM podcasts for their constant support, and most importantly our listeners - we love creating this show for you and we’re thrilled that you tune in each week. We wish you all a very happy and healthy holiday season and we can’t wait to be back in 2026 with even more amazing conversations for you to enjoy. Thanks for being part of our Over The Back Fence community.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Shop in-store or online at danmurphys.com.au. Lowest Liquor Price Guarantee. T&Cs apply. Choose to Drink Wise.  Donate to the Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter Christmas Appeal here - https://nbws.supporterhub.net.au/donations/christmas-appeal-2025 Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the incredible Mary Coustas. Mary is one of Australia’s most loved actors and comedians, best known for her character Effie Stephanides. She’s been performing and entertaining audiences for over 35 years, and became known as part of the groundbreaking stage show Wogs out of Work in the 80s, which led to the sitcom, Acropolis Now. Mary also has one of the most amazing personal stories of determination, persevering through 23 IVF attempts with her husband George, before finally giving birth to her daughter at the age of 49. Mary wrote about this in a beautifully honest book, All I Know, and her most recent book Mary Pause, is a funny physical memoir about menopause.  In this episode, we chat to Mary about what it was like growing up as a Greek Australian in the 70s, and how she turned her cultural background, which had been a liability at school and the source of a lot of bullying, into an asset and created one of the most iconic characters on stage and screen in Australia, Effie Stephanides. Mary also shares about her incredible journey to motherhood, which took 23 IVF attempts, a miscarriage and a stillborn, before she finally got her miracle baby girl at the age of 49. This story is like nothing you’ve ever heard and Mary tells it with such openness and honesty - there were plenty of goosebumps and tears in the studio that day.  We also chat to Mary about her latest book Mary Pause, which is a hilarious memoir about Mary’s experience with menopause. Mary wants to give everyone more knowledge about what menopause is really like, as well as help them with access to excellent care - which is why she’s set up the telehealth platform UnPause to provide Peri and Menopause care across Australia.  We cannot wait for Mary’s next stage show, Frigid to Feral, where Effie is going through Peri!  This was such an amazing conversation with Mary, who generously shared about so many parts of her life with us. We cried, we laughed and were enthralled by her stories. We hope you love this episode as much as we did.   This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com For more on UnPause (Mary’s Peri and Menopause Care platform) go here -  https://unpause.com.au/ To buy tickets to Mary’s next show and for more on her work go here - https://www.maryandeffie.com/ Buy Mary’s latest book Mary Pause here - https://unpause.com.au/marypause Buy Mary’s book All I Know here - https://www.maryandeffie.com/books/all-i-know Follow UnPause on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/unpauseposse Follow UnPause on TikTok here - https://www.tiktok.com/@unpauseposse Follow Mary (Effie) on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/effiegoodthanks/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di are back with an end-of-year Christmas episode of Over The Money Fence with Roger Montgomery. This series aims to help you take control of your finances with clarity and confidence. Roger is the Founder and Chairman of Montgomery Investment Management, has over 30 years’ investing experience and is a highly respected financial commentator featuring on various ABC programs, as well as his popular column in The Australian newspaper. He is also the author of best-selling investment guidebook Value.able. In this episode, we take a look at what really shaped investment markets in 2025 and what we should all think about as we head into 2026. We chat about the impact that Trump has had on the world of finance and what the main themes were from the year - the big one being artificial intelligence (AI), along with increased interest in Gold and Bitcoin.  Roger talks about the impact that AI technologies have had on the markets, and why he believes there isn’t enough money to provide a return on the amount of investment being funnelled into AI, so the bubble will either burst or gradually deflate over time.  We also wrap up the key takeaways from the 6 episodes of Over The Money Fence this year, answer some listener questions, and talk about what may be in store for investors in 2026.  As always, we loved having this conversation with Roger in the studio. We are so grateful to have found someone that makes us feel safe and relaxed to talk about our finances and empowers us with the tools to take control and feel more confident. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did and we can’t wait to welcome Roger back to Over The Money Fence in 2026. This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Find out more about Montgomery Investment Management here - https://montinvest.com Find out more about Montgomery private credit funds here -    https://www.montinvest.com/privatecredit Learn more about Roger and read his articles here - https://rogermontgomery.com Buy Roger's book Value.able here - https://rogermontgomery.com/valueable-book/ Follow Roger on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/rogerjmontgomery/ Follow Roger’s YouTube channel here  - https://www.youtube.com/user/rogerjmontgomeryFollow Roger on X here - https://x.com/rjmontgomery Follow Roger on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/montgomeryroger/Follow Roger on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogermontgomery/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Nicola and Di on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with an internationally recognised expert on imposter syndrome, Alison Shamir. Alison is a former tech exec turned global speaker, coach and author. She has a clear, science-backed approach to help you recognise, understand and overcome imposter syndrome and we loved chatting through the tools in her book, Conquer Your Imposter, in this powerful episode.  We chat to Alison about what imposter syndrome really is, the differences between imposter syndrome, masking and self-doubt, and understanding why these things may show up in our lives. We learn how 70% of people are affected by imposter syndrome, so if this conversation resonates with you it’s because you’re certainly not alone! We also hear Alison’s personal story of what it was like to be a high-achieving tech executive in her 30s, being overwhelmed by imposter syndrome, having panic attacks and feeling like a fraud. Alison’s research into uncovering what was going on for her and why she was struggling, is what led to her fascination with imposter syndrome and giving people the tools they can use to overcome it and be able to realise their own worth and unlock their true potential.  We talk about the power of language and the words you say to yourself and we go through the simple 3-step process you can use to conquer your imposter - you’ll want to tune in for this!  We were blown away by Alison’s knowledge on this topic and the way she shared such practical tips for anyone who may be challenged by feelings of imposter syndrome or self-doubt. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com   Follow Alison on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/alisonshamir/ Buy Alison’s book Conquer Your Imposter here - https://www.amazon.com.au/Conquer-Your-Imposter-undermines-potential/dp/1925452972/ Find out more about Alison’s work and coaching here - https://alisonshamir.com/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the warm and charming Nelson Aspen. Nelson is one of the most popular and well-known entertainment reporters, having spent three decades on morning television shows around the world, bringing the latest in entertainment, celebrity news and pop culture to millions of viewers. He has interviewed just about everyone in Hollywood, from Robin Williams to Merryl Streep, Lady Gaga, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Joan Rivers and the list goes on and on. Nelson is also a talented cabaret performer and the author of 10 books, including his latest book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale.  In this episode, we get to hear about some of the more memorable moments from Nelson’s career as a Hollywood reporter - including the stars who were rude and disrespectful, his favourite celebrities to interview, what it was like to interview Robin Williams, and why Nelson loves older stars in their 60s, 70s and beyond! We also hear the incredible story of how Nelson got his start on breakfast television - it involves teaching step aerobics to Princess Diana! We talk to Nelson about his funny obsession with Titanic, including his podcast, his latest book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale, and a trip he took to Belfast to visit the Titanic museum, which has now turned into Nelson leading a tour of Ireland next year.  We also chat to Nelson about his cabaret career and he treats us to a little sing-a-long! We had so much fun chatting to Nelson and hearing all of his Hollywood stories. He’s so friendly and such an entertainer and we hope you love this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Nelson on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/nelsonaspen/ Buy Nelson’s book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale here - http://www.nelsonaspen.com/KindredSpirits/ Travel with Nelson to Ireland in 2026! - http://nelsonaspen.com/TravelWithNelson/ Brekky with Nelson on line, Wed Feb 4.  9-10am Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/dd394281-dc0d-489d-b25f-2f933fde48b9@d1a98fdf-2a28-4e76-892d-6aefaf259c79 Nelson's Steamy Semi-Autobiographical Series (Adults Only!) Dancing Between the Raindrops - http://nelsonaspen.com/dancingBetweenTheRaindrops/ Dancing Between the Raindrops: The Hollywood Years - http://nelsonaspen.com/DancingBetweenTheRainDrops-HollywoodYears Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the fearless trailblazer, Ita Buttrose. From Cleo to The Australian Women’s Weekly and beyond, Ita has shaped media, championed women, and inspired a nation. In her new memoir, Unapologetically Ita, she shares her incredible story. At just 23, Ita became editor of the Sunday Telegraph and The Daily Telegraph. At 30 years old, she launched Cleo magazine and at 33, Ita became the youngest ever editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly. In her extraordinary career, Ita has won countless awards, including Australian of the year In 2013, the highest national honour, Companion of the Order of Australia, along with AO, OBE, 3 honorary doctorates, a place in the Australian Media Hall of Fame, and an Outstanding Lifetime Achievement award for excellence in journalism. She served as Chair of the ABC and is also a passionate advocate for dementia awareness, brain health, HIV education and macular eye disease. Not only that, Ita is also a proud mum of 2 and grandma of 5. In this episode we get to hear some of the most extraordinary stories from Ita’s career. We go all the way back to when she got her start in journalism at just 15 and how she was determined to dream big and go after those dreams. We chat to Ita about what it was like to work alongside the biggest names in media - Sir Frank Packer, Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch - and what she learnt along the way.  We hear the incredible story of how Cleo magazine got started almost by accident, after the Packers lost the rights to Cosmopolitan magazine to their rivals. We talk about how Cleo broke so many boundaries, including the first nude centrefolds and Ita shares who her favourite centrefold was.  Ita talks about her time as Chair of the ABC which she found quite challenging and we also talk about the really important work she’s doing for dementia awareness, brain health and macular eye disease. We get to hear another side of Ita too when she opens up about how much she loves being a grandma.  Ita has some great life advice and tips for us all and she is truly a role model and inspiration. We were so honoured and thrilled to get to speak with Ita and we hope you love this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Buy Ita’s book Unapologetically Ita here - https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Unapologetically-Ita/Ita-Buttrose/9781761428739 Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the entertaining and genuine Ben Fordham. Ben is one of Australia’s most well-known media personalities, hosting the incredibly popular Breakfast Show for 2GB. Ben started working in radio when he was just 15, and he’s built an incredibly successful career over the past 30 years, with no signs of that stopping. In 1997, Ben became the youngest reporter in history to win a Walkley-Award double in the same year, for his coverage of the Thredbo landslide disaster and excellence in journalism. Ben’s also known for his work on TV, including for Sky News, the Today Show, A Current Affair and Nine News. When he’s not working, Ben is a huge family man, married to his beautiful wife Jodie and proud father of their 3 kids, Freddy, Pearl and Goldie. In this episode Ben tells us so many great stories from his career and family life. We hear how Ben started in the industry as a work experience kid, and always found great mentors to help him in his career. This is one of the reasons why Ben loves doing the same for young people entering the industry - he talks about some of the amazing people who’ve started as work experience kids for him, including Nicola’s daughter, Gabriella, and the way he continues to mentor them and loves seeing them succeed.  We find out about the time when Ben was the most nervous interviewing someone, and the bombshell that he dropped in that interview, not knowing how his guest was going to react. He also shares the behind-the-scenes details of one of the most difficult stories he’s ever had to cover. Ben opens up about his family life, the incredibly close relationships he has with his mum and siblings, and the fact that not once, but twice, his family members shared a back fence. And you’ll need to stay tuned to hear the advice Ben gave to his son Freddy about dealing with a school bully - it’s gold!  We also hear all about Ben’s relationship with the late John Laws, some of the funny lunches they shared in recent years as well as Lawsie’s last words to Ben.  As Nicola says in this episode, Ben is one of the greatest storytellers around, and this chat was so much fun - Ben kept us entertained and enthralled the entire time! We hope you love it as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Ben on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/benfordham9/ Listen to the Ben Fordham Live podcast here - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ben-fordham-live-on-2gb-breakfast/id157670116 Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the passionate and inspiring Sarah Rusbatch. Sarah is the best-selling author of Beyond Booze, an award-winning health and wellness coach, and an accredited grey area drinking coach. Through her programs, Sarah helps women in midlife to live with more confidence, energy and purpose. Since quitting booze in 2019, Sarah has coached more than 10,000 women, hosting sober parties and showing that life can be healthier and lots of fun.  In this conversation, we chat to Sarah about the moment that made her realise that it was time to go from ‘Party Girl’ Sarah, always with a drink in her hand, to giving up alcohol completely. Sarah shares how even though she was never an alcoholic, it came to a point where she realised alcohol and drinking had become her go-to way to spend her free time and she was noticing the negative effects it was having on her life.  Sarah explains what grey area drinking means and talks about why it’s important not to associate drinking alcohol with stress relief. Stay tuned for some great tips for what you can do in those moments when it’s 5pm and you might be craving a drink.   We also talk about the specific challenges for women when it comes to alcohol, and what can happen during menopause if you have a habit of drinking regularly. The good news is, Sarah shares all the positive things that she’s experienced since quitting booze in 2019, the way she feels like she’s aging backwards, the hobbies she’s rediscovered and the new sense of energy and vitality she has.  This is such a good episode to learn more about alcohol and to bring awareness to your own relationship with drinking. This isn’t about telling anyone to stop drinking, we love a glass of champers, it’s about being more informed so we can make empowered choices that help us to live our best lives.  We loved chatting with Sarah and we hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Sarah on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/ Find out more about Sarah’s work here - https://sarahrusbatch.com/ Buy Sarah’s book Beyond Booze here - https://sarahrusbatch.com/beyond-booze Join the Womens Wellbeing Collective Facebook group here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/342319476897067/ Special Offer: Free linen Laguna towel (valued at $149) with code OTBF on all purchases - https://coastnewzealand.com/discount/OTBF Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with Australia’s golden girl of swimming Lisa Curry AO. Lisa is a triple Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion. She’s been a household name for decades, appearing on everything from Uncle Toby’s health bars, to her own Hot Curry swimwear line. Lisa has lived a very full life already - raising her beautiful family, achieving incredible sporting and business success, and navigating both the highs and heartbreaking lows of losing her daughter Jaimi. She’s written a moving memoir, where she shares her story Lisa - Life, Love & Loss. As if that wasn’t enough, Lisa also supports the health and wellbeing of millions of women through her company and community Happy Healthy You. In this episode we chat to Lisa about what it was like to be a triple Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion, and how it felt to stand on that podium. Lisa talks about the deep respect she has for her coaches and the way the things she learnt in her swimming career and the strategies she used back then to become successful are still tools she uses today.  We also talk about her marriage to Grant Kenny and what it was like to suddenly become Australia’s golden couple, with so much media attention, and how difficult it was years later when they separated and went through a divorce in the public eye.  Lisa shares very openly and honestly about the devastating loss of her daughter Jaimi. She talks about Jaimi’s tragic battle with an eating disorder and alcohol addiction that would eventually take her life. We talk about the grieving process and what Lisa does these days to calm her mind when things feel overwhelming.  We also get to hear about the positive things in her life at the moment, including her beautiful love story with her husband Mark and the work she does for women’s wellbeing through her company Happy Healthy You. This was such an incredibly honest and moving conversation with Lisa and it felt like we were having a cup of coffee and a chat over the back fence with a girlfriend. We hope you love it as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com   Follow Lisa on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/lisacurry/ Take the Happy Healthy You assessment here - https://happyhealthyyou.com.au/pages/assessment Join the Happy Healthy You Facebook group here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/happyhormones/ Follow Happy Healthy You on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/hhyhappyhealthyyou/ Buy Lisa’s memoir 60 years of life, love & loss here - https://www.amazon.com.au/Lisa-memoir-years-life-love/dp/1460761405 Special Offer: Free linen Laguna towel (valued at $149) with code OTBF on all purchases - https://coastnewzealand.com/discount/OTBF Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the energetic and inspiring Amelia Phillips. Amelia has spent more than 2 decades helping Australians live healthier, more balanced lives. Amelia is a nutritionist, exercise scientist, TV presenter, entrepreneur and health advocate who has guided over half a million women toward better health. From owning her own gym when she was just 24, to co-founding the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation and being named one of BRW’s top 50 places to work, Amelia has seen every side of the health industry - the good, the hype and the hard earned truth. These days she’s focused on helping women in midlife cut through the noise from the so-called longevity hacks.  In this episode we get to hear Amelia’s story of when her fascination with the human body, nutrition and exercise started, which was all the way back in year 3. Amelia shares the challenges she had in her teenage years, struggling to fit in, which led to an eating disorder as she tried to be as thin as she could.  A story that unfortunately, many women can relate to. Amelia gives us some great tips on everything women in midlife need to know to be healthier, have more energy and feel their best. We talk about the 4 different types of exercise that are important to incorporate into your routine, the 3 best supplements you can take to supercharge your health as well as the particular diet that’s the best for longevity.  We also talk about sugar addiction, Amelia’s personal struggle with this, and her best tips for how you can get a sugar addiction under control so that it doesn’t have a hold over you.  This was an episode packed full of super practical tips for anyone that wants to feel healthier and more energised. Amelia is so passionate about supporting women with their health and we loved chatting to her in the studio. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Amelia on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/_amelia_phillips/ Find out more about Amelia and her work here - https://www.ameliaphillips.com.au/ Listen to Amelia’s podcast Healthy Her here - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/healthy-her/id1477160157 Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/ Find out more about Coast New Zealand’s Products and enjoy $50 off here - coastnewzealand.com Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the one and only Maggie Beer AO, Australia’s culinary queen. Maggie is a beloved cook, restaurateur, author and food icon. She’s spent a lifetime stirring up joy, creativity and a love of good food across the country. Maggie has inspired generations through her best selling cookbooks, TV shows, and of course her delicious products. To top it all off, in 2010 Maggie was awarded Senior Australian of the year for her impact on Aussie food and local produce. Now at 80, Maggie is gracing the cover of the Australian Women’s Weekly and is truly a role model for so many people. In this episode we chat to Maggie about her love of food and how she’s cooked her whole life because she came from a family where good food and music were the two things that were incredibly important and the biggest sources of joy. She shares how she learnt by osmosis from her parents the beauty of simple, nutritious food and because she grew up around it, she’s always intuitively known how to put flavours together.  Maggie also tells us about the fall that changed her life. She shares the story of how it happened, the time she had to spend in hospital, her extensive rehabilitation and what it was like to experience the quietest time in her life, being forced to rest and rely on the support of her husband Colin, her family, friends and community. Maggie describes how despite the physical pain, it was the least stressful time in her life and really transformed the way she sees the world. We ask Maggie about her secrets for a long, happy marriage and she shares what she loves about her husband Colin, who she’s been married to for 55 years and counting.  We also talk to Maggie about becoming Senior Australian of The Year and the incredible foundation that she’s created where she is helping to transform the kitchens and food across aged care centres in Australia. It was absolutely inspiring to chat to Maggie - a woman who is so vibrant at 80 and pursues life with so much passion and purpose that you can’t help but feel uplifted and energised talking to her. We hope you love this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Maggie on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/maggie_beer/ Buy Maggie’s products and hampers here - https://www.maggiebeer.com.au/ Follow Maggie Beer Foundation on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/maggie_beer_foundation/ Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/ Find out more about Coast New Zealand’s Products and enjoy $50 off here - coastnewzealand.com Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we are sharing our most replayed and requested interview - an incredible conversation with the absolutely amazing Dr. Gladys McGarey. At the time of this interview, Gladys was a 103 year-old holistic doctor, who’d written several books and had so much wisdom to share with us. Her final book, The Well-Lived Life, has become Nicola and Di’s bible and is full of Dr. Gladys’ secrets for living a healthy and happy life. Just 7 months after we recorded this interview, Dr. Gladys passed away, but we want to share this episode with you again to keep her wisdom alive.  In this chat Gladys shares some incredible stories of what it was like growing up in the Himalayas of India with her parents who were both doctors, well ahead of their time. Gladys says she knew she wanted to be a doctor ever since she was a little girl and announced it to her parents as soon as she could speak. She witnessed the power of love as a healer and medicine, which led her down the path of holistic medicine.  We hear about the 5 ‘L’s that Dr. Gladys says we all need to live a good life and how love is the key that activates them all. Dr. Gladys also tells a heart-wrenching story of what it was like when her husband of 46 years asked for a divorce, and how she was able to turn that around and ultimately see the gift of the end of her marriage. You’ll need to listen in to hear the end of that story - you won’t believe what happens!  Dr. Gladys also shares some beautiful and powerful advice for the small steps that you can take to give love, receive love and tap into the flow of life. We talk about the importance of community and how we can each build it together.  This is such a beautiful and special conversation with a woman who knew what it was like to live a happy, healthy and long life. We are so grateful that Dr. Gladys gave us her time that day and shared her wisdom and stories with us and we hope you’ll be as captivated as we were.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Buy Gladys’ Book The Well Lived Life here Follow Nicola and Di on IG hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to another episode of bitesize chats with Nicola and Di. Mini moments, without any guests, where you get to listen in on a fun chat between besties. This week they chat about what friendship means to them, the qualities they each appreciate in a friend, and how connection is really the key to a beautiful life. They also chat to their producer Sam about her take on friendship and the joy and richness that comes from having friends across all different generations.  We’d love to hear from our backfencers too - what does friendship mean to you? This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future.  Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the humble leader Philip Corne. Philip has an extraordinary career story - by accident, in the 1980s he found himself working for a little-known company called Louis Vuitton. He went on to help Louis Vuitton become the world’s leading luxury brand and the LVMH Group become the world's most successful luxury group, comprising 70 brands with sales in excess of 46 billion euros. These days he serves on several boards including Camilla, APT Travel and many more. He’s also a proud husband and father of two sons.  In this conversation, we get to hear the incredible story of how Philip overcame a learning disability at school, went on to study economics at Sydney University, and then found himself having a conversation with a friend in his backyard on a Sunday afternoon, which led to an interview for a financial controller position for a company he’d never heard of, called Louis Vuitton. The rest is history.  Philip shares some of his best lessons from an amazing career at Louis Vuitton, which culminated in him becoming CEO of Louis Vuitton Oceania, as well as a period as CEO of Louis Vuitton North America. We talk about the power of building a brand, the core values behind the brand and why leadership is really about listening and leading by example.  Philip opens up about what it was like to be working in New York on September 11, 2001 when the twin towers fell, and how this really helped remind him that at the end of the day, the only important things in his life were his wife and kids.   We also love what Philip shares about giving things a go, not being complacent, and always having humility in what you do.  We really loved chatting to Philip and hearing his wisdom and insights. We hope you learn as much from him as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Philip on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-corne-37a3b86/? Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.