This week, I’m joined by Matt Haig – bestselling author, mental health advocate, and the man whose books have quietly sat on so many of our bedside tables, getting us through the dark nights. Matt’s new novel, The Midnight Train, returns to the universe of The Midnight Library and asks what happens when we stop chasing “what if” and start making peace with the life we’ve actually lived. We talk about depression, suicide, and what it really feels like to be trapped in your own mind – and why survival, not tragedy, is now the story we should tell about mental illness. Matt opens up about late-diagnosed autism and ADHD, agoraphobia, shame, and shoplifting, and how all of it somehow turned him into a writer. We also explore why books are still the bravest kind of media, how travel helped his recovery, and why he now dreams of opening a bookshop. If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out, like you’re “too much” or “not enough”, this conversation will make you feel a little more seen – and a little less alone.

BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Matt’s new book, The Midnight Train, is available to buy from 21st May.

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If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx

CREDITS:

Host: Bryony Gordon

Guest: Matt Haig

Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig

Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard

Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

Editor: Rowan Jacobs

Exec Producer: Jamie East

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.

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

In our first conversation, Paris Paloma talked about patriarchy, protest songs and mental illness; now I’m asking her a different question: what are the three things she absolutely cannot live without when the world feels too loud? From the chaos of the music industry to the emotional toll of being permanently online, Paris shares the small, grounding essentials that keep her tethered to herself and her joy. We talk about what really sustains her offstage, how she carves out space to be a human being as well as an artist, and why learning to ask for what you need is not “being a diva” – it is survival.

ALBUM DETAILS:

Paris’ new album, Fatal Flaw is released on 4th September 2026.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram.

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx

CREDITS:

Host: Bryony Gordon

Guest: Paris Paloma

Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig

Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard

Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

Editor: Luke Shelley

Exec Producer: Jamie East

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.

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

My guest this week is my new musical obsession, Paris Paloma – an artist whose songs about diet culture, ageism, mental illness and toxic beauty standards have racked up hundreds of millions of streams around the world. Paris writes blisteringly honest music about what it means to live as a woman under patriarchy, and why so many of us are taught to shrink ourselves just to survive. We talk about the viral success of “Labour” and the messages she gets from listeners who say her work has transformed the way they see themselves and their place in the world. We dig into what it means to be labelled a “political” artist, why nothing is truly apolitical, and how patriarchy harms men as well as women. Paris also opens up about depression, therapy and the “warring parts” of herself that inspired her song “Hunter”, and why turning pain into art can be a lifeline.

ALBUM DETAILS:

Paris’ new album, Fatal Flaw is releasing on the 4th September 2026.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Got something to share? Message us on @lifeofbryonypod on Instagram.

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it – it really helps! Bryony xx

CREDITS:

Host: Bryony Gordon

Guest: Paris Paloma

Producer: Laura Elwood-Craig

Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard

Studio Manager: Mitchell Lias

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

Editor: Luke Shelley

Exec Producer: Jamie East

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.

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