LanguaTalk

The Shift with Sam Baker

The Shift is a podcast that aims to tell the truth about being a woman post-40, created and hosted by writer and broadcaster, Sam Baker. Did you ever wonder why you stop hearing so many women's voices once they pass 40? That's where The Shift comes in - a frank, funny, sometimes heartbreaking, always honest look at what it means to be a woman in midlife and beyond. Work, life, love, health, sex, money, identity, body image... What does it all mean when everything around you (and inside you...) is changing? Each week, award-winning author and journalist Sam Baker asks a d...

Lisa Taddeo on women, power and the success stitch-up

39 mins; July 04, 2022

Janey Godley on kicking the "I'm fine" compulsion & being proud to be gallus

48 mins; June 27, 2022

Sabrina Pace-Humphreys on rural racism, alcoholism and the life-saving power of running

58 mins; June 20, 2022

Ruth Ozeki on why menopause is the new adolescence - FROM THE ARCHIVES

41 mins; June 16, 2022

Christie Watson on menopause, midlife and mischief

50 mins; June 13, 2022

Sheila Hancock on sexism, classism and the double-edged sword of being seen as a "strong woman"

53 mins; June 06, 2022

Natalie Lee on breaking free of shame and finding sexual freedom

45 mins; May 30, 2022

Amy Bloom on love, death, dignity – and tarot!

42 mins; May 23, 2022

BONUS: Sam Baker on menopause, the HRT lottery and the power of invisibility

36 mins; May 20, 2022

Minnie Driver on ageing, expectation and creased Brad Pitt!

43 mins; May 16, 2022

Abi Morgan on embracing catastrophe and rebuilding just about everything in your 50s

51 mins; May 09, 2022

Chitra Ramaswamy on memory, mothering & the "mid-life gift" of responsibility

54 mins; May 02, 2022

Nina Stibbe on the relationship-saving power of a sofa bed!

34 mins; April 25, 2022

Jojo Moyes on radical life change in your 40s - FROM THE ARCHIVES

48 mins; April 18, 2022

Philippa Perry takes issue with your inner critic - FROM THE ARCHIVE

39 mins; April 11, 2022

Lindsey Hilsum on menopause in a warzone - FROM THE ARCHIVES

40 mins; April 04, 2022

Delia Ephron on getting a second chance at life and love in your 70s

46 mins; March 28, 2022

Kat Farmer has the answer to all your "my wardrobe hates me" dilemmas

52 mins; March 21, 2022

Dana Spiotta on putting paid to menopause shame

46 mins; March 14, 2022

Clover Stroud on grief, love, sex and sisterhood

55 mins; March 07, 2022

Barbara Blake Hannah on feeling new at 80 and why she believes in miracles

48 mins; February 28, 2022

Christina Patterson on how to deal with the blows life throws at you

39 mins; February 21, 2022

Marian Keyes is BACK!

45 mins; February 14, 2022

Jami Attenberg on the joy of starting over and finding a place of your own

38 mins; February 07, 2022

Dorothy Koomson on how she learnt to be enough

39 mins; January 31, 2022

Nicola Sturgeon on power and the fiftysomething woman

40 mins; January 24, 2022

Pepsi and Shirlie on miscarriage, mental health and 40 years of friendship

51 mins; December 13, 2021

Lynda La Plante on breaking boundaries and why there STILL aren't enough good roles for women

53 mins; December 06, 2021

Liz Fraser on living with and loving an alcoholic

47 mins; November 29, 2021

Mariella Frostrup on fearlessness, menopause and knowing your worth

47 mins; November 22, 2021

Bobbi Brown on taking a leap at 64

47 mins; November 15, 2021

Ruth Ozeki on why menopause is the new adolescence

41 mins; November 08, 2021

Fi Glover and Jane Garvey on Fortunately, friendship and pushing boundaries in your 50s

44 mins; November 01, 2021

Paula Sutton on how age has liberated her and the rejuvenating power of dressing up

45 mins; October 25, 2021

Val McDermid on anger, ageing – and an unlikely "cure" for menopause

39 mins; October 18, 2021

Sophie Ellis Bextor on music, men and motherhood

40 mins; October 11, 2021

Tasmina Perry on career, confidence and how not to get stuck at the amber light (from the archives)

56 mins; September 27, 2021

Marian Keyes on menopause, Botox and learning to be shameless (from the archive)

45 mins; September 20, 2021

Isabel Allende on feminism, anger and being fatally heterosexual (from the archive)

37 mins; September 13, 2021

Denise Mina gets frank about HRT, sex and ageing (from the archive)

50 mins; September 06, 2021

Jess Phillips on why we need to talk about menopause in parliament

46 mins; August 30, 2021

Lucy Kellaway on fear, freedom and starting a whole new life in her 50s

41 mins; August 22, 2021

Elif Shafak on the power of older women and why menopause can be the end of shame

46 mins; August 16, 2021

Paula Hawkins on midlife success and the importance of financial independence

35 mins; August 09, 2021

Laura Friedman Williams on sex and the newly single 40something mum

52 mins; August 02, 2021

Torrey Peters on finding a roadmap for ageing as a trans woman

41 mins; July 26, 2021

Terri White on work, class and mental health

48 mins; July 19, 2021

Anita Rani on ditching the baggage, owning her anger and why her 40s are her power decade

45 mins; July 12, 2021

Dr Jen Gunter on menopause, mental health and why we all need a meno-party

47 mins; June 14, 2021

Esther Freud on motherhood, guilt and upending your life in your 50s

41 mins; June 07, 2021

Kate Mosse: why caring is a feminist issue (from the archives)

43 mins; June 02, 2021

Pragya Agarwal on shame, surrogacy and the many faces of motherhood

45 mins; May 31, 2021

Annie Mac on turning 40 and why middle aged women are a force to be reckoned with

42 mins; May 24, 2021

Mona Eltahawy on anger, ambition and ageing disgracefully

47 mins; May 17, 2021

Alison Bechdel on her search for inner and outer strength. Plus tarot

39 mins; May 10, 2021

Anya Hindmarch on beating self doubt and why fashion needs to take some responsibility

44 mins; May 03, 2021

Tamsin Calidas: the truth about the "escape to the country" dream

39 mins; April 26, 2021

Tracey Thorn on being a woman in a bloke’s world, hormones and going statement grey

43 mins; April 19, 2021

Mel Giedroyc on starting a new career at 51 and being a menopause dodger

48 mins; April 12, 2021

Lindsey Hilsum on Marie Colvin, menopause in a warzone and why going grey is NOT brave

40 mins; March 22, 2021

Sadie Frost and Frances Ruffelle on 40 years of friendship - and why it's more important than love

42 mins; March 15, 2021

Nana-Ama Danquah on the triple burden of mental health, menopause and being black

47 mins; March 08, 2021

Isabel Allende on feminism, anger and being "fatally heterosexual"

37 mins; March 01, 2021

Rosie Green: a how to cope with mid-life crisis special

47 mins; February 22, 2021

Sarah Pinborough on why women need to get comfortable talking about money

37 mins; February 15, 2021

Alexandra Heminsley on body image, identity and building an LGBTQ+ family

44 mins; February 08, 2021

Kate Mosse on why caring is a feminist issue

43 mins; February 01, 2021

Salena Godden on why 40-plus is where the party is

34 mins; January 25, 2021

Philippa Perry on getting hold of the "steering wheel of life"

39 mins; January 18, 2021

Season 3 of The Shift with Sam Baker is back!!

2 mins; January 18, 2021

Gabby Logan on resilience, reclaiming middle age – and why equality begins at home

48 mins; December 07, 2020

Erica Davies is here to help you rediscover your fashion mojo

42 mins; November 30, 2020

Maggie O'Farrell on imposter syndrome and why she didn't think she was "the marrying kind"

42 mins; November 23, 2020

Denise Mina on the feminism, HRT and how to be assertive

50 mins; November 16, 2020

Meg Mathews on menopause, osteoporosis and feeling like she'd "lost it"

47 mins; November 09, 2020

Jodi Picoult on sexism, Donald Trump and why everyone has a "what if?" moment

47 mins; November 02, 2020

Bryony Gordon on alcoholism, mental health & why she feels lucky to be 40

36 mins; October 26, 2020

Karen Arthur on how to turn a breakdown into a breakthrough and #MenopauseWhilstBlack

40 mins; October 19, 2020

Emma Freud on millennials, going grey and why she'll never lie about her age

49 mins; October 12, 2020

Kate Spicer on menopause stereotypes, being child-free and single at 50

41 mins; October 05, 2020

Jo Whiley on regaining your confidence, finding your fashion mojo and... gardening

48 mins; September 28, 2020

Caroline de Maigret on being older but better and grown up style

42 mins; September 21, 2020

Jojo Moyes on visibility, imposter syndrome and female friendship

48 mins; September 14, 2020

Sara Collins on the power of women and turning a midlife crisis into success

50 mins; September 07, 2020

Marian Keyes on menopause, Botox and learning to be shameless

45 mins; August 31, 2020

Tasmina Perry on career, confidence and how not to get stuck at the amber light

56 mins; August 24, 2020

Coming soon

2 mins; August 11, 2020

Click here to see more

The Shift with Sam Baker

Useful pages

Find a tutor

Languages