MUMBELIEVABLE with Sonia Beldom

In this episode of MumBelievable, host Sonia Beldon speaks with Teresa Weiler, who shares her profound journey of being adopted at a young age and the complexities of her identity. Teresa discusses her upbringing with adoptive parents, the emotional struggles of feeling unworthy, and her quest to uncover her biological roots. The conversation delves into the impact of family secrets, the emotional toll of discovering her birth mother's identity, and the eventual reconciliation with her adoptive family. Through her story, Teresa highlights the importance of understanding one's background and the legacy of motherhood.00:00Introduction to MumBelievable Podcast01:21Theresa's Adoption Story03:13Growing Up with Adoptive Parents05:34The Impact of Adoption on Identity08:41The Search for Biological Roots10:41Discovering Family Secrets13:58The Emotional Toll of Family History15:49Revealing the Truth to Family18:28Meeting the Birth Mother21:51The Aftermath of the Meeting24:14Understanding the Past26:33Rebuilding Relationships with Adoptive Family28:28Reflections on Birth Mother and Adoptive Mother31:12The Legacy of Mothers and Their Influence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this heartfelt episode of Mumbelievable, host Sonia Beldom welcomes broadcaster, novelist, and television personality Fern Britton. Fern reflects on her glamorous yet emotionally complex mother, Ruth, whose wartime experiences, fierce personality, and unconventional parenting shaped her life. She shares vivid memories of Cornwall, family holidays, military drills in the garden, and a mother who never complained despite enduring separation, war, heartbreak, and hardship. Fern also opens up about her own experiences with depression and postnatal depression, the misunderstandings surrounding mental health, and how grief and divorce later led her to rebuild herself physically and emotionally. Alongside Sonia’s own reflections on growing up with a mentally ill mother, the episode becomes a moving exploration of the complicated but enduring bonds between mothers and children — the love, humour, damage, strength, and legacies passed down through generations.00:00Introduction to Mumbelievable and Personal Stories01:17A Cornish Legacy: Exploring Family Secrets03:12Childhood Memories and the Influence of Place04:36Growing Up Without a Father Figure06:03Ruth: A Glamorous and Complex Mother08:27The Impact of Parental Relationships on Life Choices10:18The Journey into Showbiz and Career Beginnings11:45Mother's Pride and the Legacy of Scrapbooks12:15Understanding Mental Health and Family Dynamics14:50War Experiences and Their Lasting Effects16:14Generational Legacies and Family Traditions18:12Reinventing Oneself After Loss20:06Navigating Postnatal Depression and Support22:32Coping Mechanisms and Personal Struggles25:39Turning Points and Health Transformations27:07Reflections on Maternal Influence and Legacy28:03Conclusion: Celebrating Unbelievable Mothers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Clarke is a British Garden Designer who shot to fame in 2015 as BBC’s Instant Gardener aged 58. When he branded himself “The Black Gardener” everything went crazy and he was in demand and discovered as an emerging television star. He has also graced our screens with a host of popular garden makeover shows and horticultural advice. In 2019, he joined the ITV ‘This Morning’ team presenting colourful and creative garden transformations. Danny is now a member of Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Garden team, the current season being televised on ITV. November 2021 saw Danny co-present a unique garden makeover show on 5Star/Channel 5, Filthy Garden SOS.Despite a troubled childhood with a difficult mother who used to beat him and subject him to emotional abuse, Danny is committed to help bring change and harmony to young people and disadvantaged communities by encouraging them into horticulture ana into a good relationship with our planet. His father came to England aged 20 and spent a lot of time away from his young family while on active duty and leave. He also runs his own bespoke garden design company, the Black Gardener and co-directs CIC Grow 2 Know, who are committed to bringing horticulture to young people and disadvantaged communities. His story is a bittersweet tale of a child who grew up convinced his mother didn’t love him, never having his birthdays celebrated or his parents telling him they were proud of him. But all this has shaped him into a strong, caring grandfather and business man who inspires everyone he meets.00.0    00.00 Introduction to Danny Clark and his gardening journey02.51 The Impact of gardening on mental health06.05 Reflection on family and dhildhood trauma12.13 Understanding maternal relationships and their complicated links17.49 The journey of forgiveness and acceptance24.06 Legacy and lessons from motherhood Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martine Croxall is a journalist and TV news presenter, currently working for the BBC. Her tenure at the beeb has not been without incident. She was suspended for 11 days for an impartiality review after a comment she made about Boris Johnson withdrawing from the Conservative party leadership contest being "very exciting". She was reinstated but later, along with a number of other journalists, was axed from her presenting job. She sued the BBC for discrimination on a number of grounds and she's back on the air. Sonia finds out about Martine's background and the influence of her parents but particularly her mother. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edd China is the quintessential British eccentric; TV presenter, inventor, engineering product designer and Wheeler Dealers’ favourite mechanic. Fixing things, Engineering Product Design, innovation and mechanical engineering are what make him tick. Always keen to connect things that aren't normally connected, he created the World's first street legal driving sofa in 1998; the ‘Casual Lofa’, which got him his first Guinness World Record for “Fastest Furniture” at 87mph! Since then he’s gone on to set many other records, most recently; World's Fastest Electric Ice Cream Van revolutionising the industry by developing the World's first all electric ice cream van. In Mumbelievable he talks to Sonia about the influence his dynamic mother had on him and how she stopped him becoming a top sportsman instead of the career he chose. Sonia was his producer on the successful Panic Mechanic tv show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.