Just As Well, The Women's Health Podcast - Jodie Ounsley on Grief, Gladiators & The Strength You Can’t Train For

Episode Date: February 17, 2026

Jodie Ounsley may be known to millions as Gladiators’ Fury — powerful, fearless and unstoppable — but in this deeply honest conversation, she shares the strength that doesn’t come from the gym. . Joining Gemma Atkinson and Claire Sanderson on Just As Well, the Women’s Health UK podcast, Jodie opens up about losing her dad suddenly just weeks before performing on the Strictly Christmas Special. She reflects on navigating grief in the public eye and the emotional mountain challenge she’s taking on in his honour — carrying 56kg, one kilo for every year of his life. . Jodie also discusses: · Becoming the first deaf woman to represent a senior England rugby side · Growing up with a cochlear implant · Body confidence in women’s rugby · Switching between her Gladiators persona and her real self · Redefining what strength really means . A powerful, uplifting and deeply human episode about resilience, identity and vulnerability. . Hosts:  https://www.instagram.com/glouiseatkinson/  https://www.instagram.com/clairesanderson/  Director of photography : https://www.instagram.com/edmundcurtiscine/   Wellness video producer: https://www.instagram.com/chelia.batkin/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Visit medcan.com slash moments to get started. Hi, I'm Gemma Atkinson. And I'm Claire Sanderson. We have just recorded an episode of Just as Well with the fabulous Jodie Aounsley. Who is just remarkable. You may know her as being an England rugby player, the first deaf England rugby player.

You may know her as being a gladiator, Fury, or you may know her from Strictly Christmas special. Either way, she's got a lot of things going on and she was just brilliant, weren't she? Yeah, she was. So my daughter Nell was more impressed than I, that I was meeting Jodie than any other celeb or guests we've had on this podcast.

Because gladiators has become a TV moment again. But I love what she had to say about female body image, growing up, what strength means to her, the loss of her father, bless her. Which was eight weeks before filming this podcast. Yeah, yeah. So, so soon. Yeah. And only a week before she filmed the Strictly Christmas special

and anyone who maybe saw her on there could see her pain was playing. to see, so she spoke to us about how she's dealing with the grief of losing her dad. She was remarkable in terms of how she holds herself as a female athlete and she said her passion is now helping young girls, helping kids improve their strength, believing themselves, you know,

she's a fantastic role model. And me and Claire both realised when she left the room, and she got beautiful blue eyes. Her eyes are gorgeous. I thought there were contacts, they're not, they're real eyes. Stunning. Stunning lady, fantastic role model. Here's our chat with Jodie.

Hello, I'm Gemma Atkinson. And I'm Claire Sanderson. And we are about to record another episode of Just As Well. So hello and welcome. We're very, very excited about this episode. This is the Women's Health podcast where we talk about anything women's health. And occasionally we have legendary guests like we've got today. Today's guest is someone who, on paper, looks like the definition of strength.

Jodie Aounsley is here. She's an elite rugby player, a gladiator, a strictly come down. Christmas contestant and someone who has built her career around physical power and performance. But this conversation isn't just talking about strength, how we use it. It's about learning who you are when the kit comes off and when the lights go down and when life throws something at you that no amount of training can prepare you for. Jody, welcome to Just as well. Thanks for having me. You're like hyping me up in that intro like. It is a big height. I mean rugby, gladiator. It's incredible. How did that journey even start for you?

Oh gosh. Well, I started rugby when I was a bit later on in my teens, but I think I've always had a fire for sport. And it kind of started with the World Coal Carrying Championships, which is a very Yorkshire event. It's where you basically run a kilometre with sack of coal on your shoulders. A coal carrying championships, right. Yeah, so I started when I were like three years old.

I did my first, like, race. and then went on to do it pretty much every year and won it sort of five times now. So I think I always loved the adrenaline and a drive for competition and then it kind of sort of went into different sports and I think I discovered that I was very quite physical. I loved to like physical sports

so why I went into like sort of Brazilian jihitsu, karate, judo, and then when I discovered rugby, I was like, this is a bit of me. This is a bit of me. and it was just went pretty, it was just like a roller coaster, to be honest. It went pretty quickly.

And even now, thinking about it, I don't quite understand how I've sort of got here, but here we are. When you look back to playing rugby as a teenager as a girl, it wouldn't have been that common. It's more common these days, but I imagine it's not that long ago, you're only in your 20s,

but it must have been quite uncommon, especially up in Yorkshire. You know, how did that? clash, not clash, or your identity as a girl, as a teenage girl, how did you marry that with the very physical sport of rugby? I think even in the time that I've been sort of playing rugby, it's just like taken off and it's really been, it's been so refreshing to see how much the sport is growing.

But when I started, especially being, you know, from West Yorkshire, it was all about rugby league and, you know, all the lads playing rugby. But I only happened to went to my first rugby game because my younger brother started playing. So being a sister I am, I went to watch him train, watching play games, and I just thought,

I really want to try this sport, but it just didn't seem possible at that time. So it took a while for me to get there and for other different reasons with like being, you know, profiling the death and my cochlear implant, I didn't think I'll be able to play rugby. But when I started,

it was just like, this is where I belong and more girls were getting into it. and I think as the exposure and more people, more eyes on the game, it's just grown as we've gone on. And like we've had the Women's Rugby World Cup last year and, you know, obviously the Red Roses won it at a Home World Cup and different people are getting on board and brands and, you know, just wanting to really push the game.

So I think it's growing, but it's just going to take time for it to continue to grow. We've had, you're our fourth rugby player, female rugby player, player and it's interesting because a lot of, well two out of the four of you have said they got into it because their brothers played and they were just told, get out of the house, go and play rugby rugby with your brother and they just thought, I'm actually better than him. I can actually, I can actually do it. So I guess falling into a sport is brilliant and it's because of people like yourself and the other ladies who we had on that women are now actively making the choice to go and play rugby. I mean, you're a massive rugby fan, I am. I am. You can tell about my accent.

that I would be a rugby fan. But Wales, not England, sorry, Jody, but I'm a Wales rugby fan. But I went to the World Cup final when England women won at Twickenham and it was incredible. And the atmosphere was incredible. And there's a different vibe around women's sport, I think,

the men's sport as well, although rugby, I think, is a more warm atmosphere than Bale football. But it was an even warmer, excited atmosphere watching England win the World Cup. incredible. And I think like almost like perceptions are being changed as well of how, you know, people are viewing women's sport in general, but especially women's rugby. And I think with the World Cup, that was just like as really just taking it all off. But I think even leading up to

the tournament, like Fodafone did a campaign call, be it, see it, believe it. And that was basically showing that like probably like 70% of British people who, you know, don't like women's rugby or don't watch women's rugby are people who haven't actually seen a game. So it's more just saying like more eyes you get on the game, the more that you're bringing a new audience and, you know, just changing those perceptions. So I think that were really refreshing and hopefully we can, you know, continue to do that through the game.

Yeah, I would agree. I really enjoyed watching it because it relies less on brute strength and impact on more of moving that ball around and skill. I'm not saying it's any more or less going for other than men, but it is a different game to watch and really enjoyable. Yeah, and I think that's the thing.

We're not trying to be the same. It's different for so many reasons and I think that's what's so amazing about it and especially even with a fan base, that's different in terms of like that family feel. And just seeing girls in the crowds just being so buzzing and excited and I can't even like thinking to myself

as that young girl who was in contact sports if I saw these like tough women on the rugby field, I would just be absolutely buzzing. So I'm just really pleased that young girls do have like role models to look up to these days, which is really nice, obviously. When I told about the different body shapes, that's what I love about rugby. We've spoken about this at length, haven't you?

There's all different types of body shapes, but they're elite athletes. Yeah, and I think that's, again, it's, you know, today, there's a lot of pressure these days for girls, especially with social media and that. But with rugby, it sounds cliche, but it is so welcoming, no matter what you look like or how you feel or what background you come from, it's just a great sport to go into.

And it's definitely made me so much more confident in myself as a person and how I look as well. And I just, I can't recommend it enough for young girls to get into a sport like that. And the friendships you make and, you know, speaking as different people, going to different locations around the world playing rugby, it's just like, so cool. And you're obviously a role model for being a female rugby player. but you were the first deaf woman to play rugby for England, which again, a role model for another millions of people who may be deaf and thinking, oh my gosh, look what she achieved, I can.

How did that feel? I mean, it must have been amazing to know that all these little girls who are deaf were looking at you going, mum, that's what I'm going to do. I mean, it's crazy thinking about it now because I generally never even thought I'd even be able to play rugby. And that was the whole reason why I started so late is because, you know, doctors say that people with cochlear implants are not allowed to play contact sports due to the risks. And there's so many complications, but I just had that mindset of like, I really want to play rugby. I don't know. Something was pulling me towards it.

And like my mum and dad, they just have supported me no matter what since being a young girl. And they could see how passionate I was about it. And I kept sort of nagging them saying, can I play? Can I play? And they was like, Derry, you know you're not allowed to play due to the risks. So I think my dad got sick of me, to be honest. He looked into all different solutions, spoke to different specialists

and sort of came to a solution that I could play a game of rugby if I wore my head guard. That was number one rule. If I don't wear my head guard, you're not allowed to play. So I thought, brilliant. I don't care what I look like. I look like an egg. But I thought if that means I can play rugby, I'm going to do it.

And then I went down for my first. session and straight away I was so hooked and then in the space of a couple of years I sort of moved away from home at 16 to do a rugby sort of scholarship and then I went you know to got my first England contract at 18 and made that history which it just blew my own mind to be honest so looking back it's just mental but I'm just so grateful I have that opportunity now and hopefully other other kids feel like they can follow as well. It's brilliant. Yeah. It's fabulous. Yeah, and it's obviously excellent training for gladiators because a lot of the games are all about tackling people

and getting them off their feet and yeah. I mean it's so at my street, like so many games on gladiators is just like perfect for a rugby player. So I think that's what's really refreshing about the show. I am literally just myself. I don't have to try and be somebody else or mold myself into a different person. I'm just, you know, playing to my strengths,

tackling people as hard as I can on TV. And hopefully, you know, for especially young girls, I've seen not just myself, but the other girls on the show, I've just seen us as like strong women who you can be different people as well. Like I'm aggressive and I'm physical, but at the same time I'm very warm and a shy person and I like sort of being girly. So I think it's kind of just showing that you don't have to be one or the other kind of thing.

And with gladiators, how did that start? I mean, I'm 41 now, so I'm past my gladiator. days. Oh no, we want to get you on the celeb special. Yes. Well, growing up, you mentioned the strong women. I was obsessed with Jet and Lightning in my era. Those were my gladiators. And I remember

watching them thinking, they just looked strong. And it wasn't about what size they were. Never even entered my head. I just used to think, like Jet used to lift a leg up and Lightning used to do a cartwheel without using her hands. And it was just so inspiring. How did your rolling gladiators come about? Was it like

an audition process? Or were you scouted? It were different for everyone, but I was actually in an England rugby camp at the time, and I happened to see, you know, just it was some Facebook article or something saying, oh, gladiates is making an appearance. And I was, it were joking, the family was saying, oh my gosh, we're going to have to sit down as a family and watch this. Because it's always been a part of our family because my dad was actually a contender on the previous series. So I was like, I must have been about seven years old.

and I remember going to live shows to like watch him go up against the gladiators. And I just remember like it were yesterday. So it'd always been kind of a passion. And then my dad being my dad, he made all like the gladiator games in the garage at home and stuff. So when I were like seven, I was swinging on the rings. I were climbing walls.

I were doing tackling and things like that. So I never expected it to turn out how it did. And then I thought, my dad made a joke and said, well, why don't you apply to? to be a gladiator for like the laugh. And I thought, yeah, that's not going to happen. So I did.

And then, funny enough, got invited to this trial, which was just absolute savage, where so many different athletes came together and we just had to do like 10 stations of all testing, you like your speed, agility, tackling, fitness, cardio. It was just full on, yeah. And then you kind of just sort of got numbered down and then sort of went through the process.

And then next minute got the call. saying, do you want to be Fury the Gladiator? I was just like, I was going to ask you about the name if there are already names are picked or do you get to... Yeah, so I got given my name

and it was basically because they'd seen me play rugby and my persona in rugby is very much the same as my persona as Fury which when I get into that game mode, I switch on and it's just like, I mean business, I'm not messing around. And then as soon as the game finishes

or I come off the rugby field, I'm like hugging everyone and I'm just, you know, back to my child or self. So I love it now, but at the time I was thinking, I'm not really a furious person. I don't really know where that's come from. But now I just, I couldn't think of it.

But that's what makes you great as an athlete. Ellie Kledon, we had. Yeah, yeah, and she said she had friends who played for different teams. And she said, like, off the pitch, would chat in, what you're doing this weekend. She said, as soon as I'm on the pitch, she said, they're not my friends, they're in my way. She said, I need to get them out my way.

And then she said, as soon as we come off, It's like, hey, so we're going for this drink at weekend then? And I think the top athletes, they have that mentality, have been able to turn on and off. And I think you can be taught it throughout the years, but I think you have to be born with that as well. You have to have, like you say, your dad paved the way in terms of your fitness and getting out there

and setting all these things up. And my partner, he's like that with our daughter. She means she does swimming and jiu-jitsu and gymnastics. She does jiu-jitsu, and she loves it. And she comes on. And they do a run club. Tell us about a run- Yeah, they do a Thursday run club together.

So it's Mia and my partner Gorka and she got invited to her friends for tea on her 30 and she said, I've got run club on Thursday with Papa. And I said to him, what's this run club? And he says, yeah, every Thursday we go running. And he just picks her up from school and at 4 o'clock they go to the local park and they do two laps.

Oh, that's amazing. And it's something, I mean, I hate running so I'm glad they've got that little thing but it's something she'll remember doing and, you know, with a dad and I think it's brilliant that so many, people are encouraging kids to get into sport. Because, you know, you were saying your lad,

what's he squatting? 80 kilograms? Oh, yeah. 13, her son. 13. Yeah. He's six foot already, though. He's a rugby player, very good rugby player for his age. But yeah, he's already squatting 80 kg. He's already, it's annoying me, actually,

because I used to be able to squat more than him and dead lift more than him. And then he suddenly just shot up. And he goes to strength and conditioning classes where he's learning now to lift properly, which I never had that. That's when I was 12, 13, we, you know, kids these days, well, live a slightly healthier life than we did.

Because they don't do what you say, they do what you do. Yeah. And I think if you can encourage them to get out to, you know, to be healthy and still, you know, they're still going to mess up. Everyone's going to, aren't they? And I always say when that happens, I want them to say, I don't want them to be like, oh, don't tell mum and dad, they'll go mad. I want them to say, tell mum and dad, they'll know what to do.

You know, that's the relationship I hope. hope they have, but it is well, you know, a lot of kids these days, there's pressure, like you said, to be certain sizes. And, you know, we've had swimmers on who said it was very, and I know, to the dancer said it was very toxic in that they had to be weighed and had to be certain sizes, publicly weighed. How is that in rugby? Because obviously you're in, you need to fuel to train.

Was there any, did you ever find any pressure with food and stuff? Or were you just like, no, I'm eating to be healthy? I think like, like I said, I think rugby is generally. one of those sports where it is such a good feel about it and because you don't have to be a certain size, you really can just be your body size and you find a position that works for you and you have your role in the game.

But I think definitely myself, I've had felt pressure all over the years depending on what environment I've been in, especially playing for like England and being young and 18, I think me going into that environment, it was so new and I really wanted to be the best I could. So it was more, I need to be fit.

be faster or I need to change my diet and but really it's just kind of it was just learning along the way and kind of seeing food as like fuel you need you need fuel in your body to be able to do what you do rather than you know the numbers and the calories and certain foods yeah so now I've got a really good relationship with food and I see it as a like you fuel and your car basically do you know what I mean so um but I do understand for a lot of girls that there is a lot of pressure especially or social media. And it is even more so important that we have these conversations

about around food and health and how you view it and stuff. But yeah, I think it takes time and obviously you just got to learn as much as can along the way as well. That's why I think it's so wonderful what you guys are doing on Gladiators. My 10-year-old was beyond excited

that I was meeting you today. And we shot someone for the cover of Women's Health on Monday who was a global superstar. and my daughter couldn't care less. But the fact that I was meeting Fury today was she was quite literally, but I'm going to have to have a picture at the end or you're going to have to film something here. But I love that she's watching women like you with strong, healthy bodies

and she's seeing that as a role model. What does training look like for you now? Training for gladiators and just day-to-day healthy living for longevity? I think, well, my training changes all the time. I'm obviously going from like full-time rugby player to now going more into gladiators. It changes. But I think I always fall back to what do I actually enjoy doing. I'm moving my body in a way that makes me feel good.

So a lot of that is like I've always loved running. So I always running and my strength training. And then when we get closer to filming gladiators, I'll get more contact and rugby style drills in. But it changes with anything. Like if you do the same thing for so long, it can become quite repetitive or you lose motivation and a bit boring. So I always try and find new things that, you know, just keep it a bit more exciting.

So one minute I might be training for the World Coal Carrying Championships. Next minute I might be doing, you know, gladiators. So it's just keeping me on my toes, really. I love that you can do a coal. I was just saying, I love that you're sticking close your roots. Yeah, because I saw it on social media that you did that recently. A coal carrying championships. It feels like there should have been one in South Wales, where I'm from.

Yeah, I'm surprised it. I've got something like that. Where is it, where they've rolled cheese? Oh, that's cheddar. Is it? Is it Gloucester? Yeah. Down the hill and they all look like complete lunatics.

In Scotland they flip the logs. Yeah. Yeah. Surely they'll have one in Wales. It must be something in Wales. I think my coal carrying days are gone though. No, but so many people do it of like people who have never run in their life, they walk it instead.

Yeah. How heavy is the bag of coal? Does it have to be a certain way or? For the women it's 20 KG. Oh, right. And then for the men, 50. But there's guys like, there's veteran races and everything. And then kids races.

So, such a variety. It's so worth it, honestly, I'm telling you. I have to tell Gawker and Mia. She'll be loving it. You then, obviously, after gladiators, the new challenge, everyone dreads that theme tune. If you've done strictly and you hear that theme tune,

you dread it because you know the challenges. And again, being a gladiator, rugby player, I bet everyone thought you'd find it completely easy. It's really hard, isn't it? Oh, yeah. Like I said, I think people just assume, oh, you're an athlete. You know, dancing's just the same.

It's really not. I'm like, I can't express how much dance actually scares me. It's so not normal for me, even to the point, like, where my family have said, I've actually never once seen you dance before. I've never even seen you on the dance floor. I'm like, oh, they want, as soon as people go on the dance floor, I'm going to the bar to get out the way.

That's how much I don't like dance. But I thought, I wanted to challenge myself. And I just thought, you know what? What's the worst that can happen? I might dance. Totally national teasing. Yeah, I thought, if I dance really bad, at least I'm that kind of person. I can laugh it off and I take the mic out of myself.

It's good fun. But it really surprised me. And I actually loved it. And Neil were great, obviously. Just like made me feel really comfortable. And before I knew it, I was actually beginning to enjoy it. and learning so much along the way. And because the style of dance, it were like a, it were a bit of fun.

It was street commercial. So I won't do it like ballroom or anything like that. You have to do it this year. We have to get you on it this year. Don't be saying that now, honestly. But when I get you on it this year, partner with Gawker, then you can meet Mia and she'll be, I'll be the best mum in the world if I introduce her to work.

I think I can see them as a couple. I can. Yes. Yes. Yeah. And how tall are you? Five, seven. Perfect.

Yeah, I can see that. Yes. And you're up north. Do you still live up north? Yeah, up north, yeah. Perfect. Right. You can go and train and then still do the school run.

So we're going to put that out into the universe. Oh, God. Jody and Gorka, me and... Kai. Kai. Oh, Johannes. Johannes is tall. Eliash.

I think Aliash looks the strongest to be able to check my lamp. I don't think he is the strongest. Yeah, I need, I need like a bit of brute force to get me around. I love that. Love that. Put you with Neil. No, I don't think I did, yeah, because Neil's not, no, I'm quite tall as well. Yeah, Neil's lovely, but.

Oh, yeah, there he is. They're all lovely. It's a really nice. Again, it's like the camaraderie, isn't it? It's a really nice place and are you going to go and watch the tour? Because obviously Harry is doing the tour, Nitro, isn't he? Yeah, well, I'm going to try and get to one. I don't know which yet, but yeah, it's, and especially seeing like Harry and Montel on before,

they just did amazing. And them two generally loved Gantin as well. So yeah, I were just buzzing for him. I never ever imagined me going on that Christmas special, like no chance. Like if you ask anyone on the gladiators, they would literally put me at the bottom of the list. That is how much you wouldn't expect it. So we had Dr Zoe Williams on recently, who was an original gladiator back in the day. And she told us, I don't know what it's like now, you'll have to confirm it,

but she told us each gladiator back then got a whole chicken, full chicken for the lunch. She said that's what the chefs thought they had to feed them. They had a private chef back then and the chef asked what did the gladiators like to eat and the guy said just protein, they need protein. So she said they'd come backstage and every gladiator would have a full-cooked chicken just like there for them to eat.

Really? Yeah. I hadn't heard that one before. We definitely don't get that. But no, the guys eat a ridiculous smart food. It just blows my mind. I always remember Jamie who's giant. on like the first series, he came with his breakfast bowl,

but it were like, do you know, like a massive baking bowl, just porridge. And he's huge, isn't he? Like, giant by name, giant by nature. All the, most of the men seem to be huge. I was shocked when I met Harry, because I'd done a Zoom with him for a job years ago, but he was sat down on the Zoom, but he was broad. You could tell you had like big, he was like filling up the whole Zoom page.

Whereas I had, you know, kids either side of me. And I thought, you're filling that whole screen. And then when I met him in person, person. I mean, I'm 5'9 but I had to, he was massive. Well, I'm the one, is it Apollo? He's really tall. They're all really tall, aren't they? Oh, guys are pretty, pretty tall. Like, we literally look like kids stood next to be honest. It's a bit of mismatch sometimes, I think, with the male gladiators and the contestants. Like, with the women, it's a bit more evenly matched. You know, you're all similar heights. I know, I know Montel is really tall, but generally, but some of the

men, like they're like genetically unusual. Yeah, I always feel so, I always feel sorry for the, like, the male contenders because I'm thinking fair play, I have literally nothing but respect for you, like, you know, stepping up to the plate and coming on, like fair play. Yeah. It will hurt, wouldn't it, being tackled by anyone. Dual, being smacked in the face by some six foot seven bloke. No, thank you.

It's, it's, honestly, it's brutal. And I just like, yeah, every time, especially when they're coming in an environment, where it's so new for them, whereas we're kind of used to and we know what to expect, but you've got to be tough mentally as well as being like physically strong. So, Jody, you had some very sad news last year. I don't know if you're comfortable talking about it, but not long before you were on strictly, you lost your dad. And your pain was plain to see on that screen

because you'd lost him not very long before you danced on national TV. How have you managed to navigate? the grief that you've been going through? Well, I think it's a bit bizarre really because the timing of Strictly, it was like, it was almost like written in the stars that I needed to be in that environment. And I literally sort of remember,

it kind of just passed. And then within like two days later, I was in rehearsals. And then a week later, we were doing the recording. So I think I were just in kind of a state of shock that I just needed to put my mind on something. So obviously it's been, Well, it's been like probably two months now, so I'm still navigating it.

But I think the biggest thing is like my family are all dealing with it differently. So I think for me, I'm trying to sort of bring a positive situation and out of a sad situation. And he was like the fittest guy ever. We were watching your socials yesterday, weren't we? It made me because my dad passed away. It was exact same way yours did. I just got a phone call. And you said it's been two months and you're still navigating.

It's been 24 years and I still am. It's, I think it's one of those, until you've experienced it, you can't, I mean, everyone goes through, you lost your mum, didn't you? Yeah, a couple of years ago. And it's horrible, but you somehow learn to adapt to just your new norm. And I speak to my dad every day. People think I'm crazy, but when I'm driving in the car, I'm having little chat to him and stuff. But I always think it's testament to how well you've been raised by them in that you just, obviously you have to grieve, you have to ride that wave. but similar to you, I was filming Hollyoaks at the time a show on Channel 4

and they said take as long as you need and after a few days I went back and they said what are you doing? Like go and I was like do you know I just need to I just want to work I don't want to sit and and it came later on

I'll catch you out of nowhere but you just kind of get used to your new normality I don't think I don't think it gets easy does it? No. You kind of you always still need your dad

I think a girl does anyway. And it's like there's certain times and I think, oh, I really wish I could ring my dad and tell him this and I wish I could do that. But then I'm like, well, he's seen it anyway. What were you on about? He was there with you. He's part of that story for you.

He's probably aligned it up there. He's said, go on big fellow. You know, looking down, love that. Yeah, that's how I kind of deal with it. But I think the fact that you just carried on is remarkable. I really do. To be honest, I don't know how I did it.

I think something just came up. because in my head I knew how excited it was about it and he was supposed to be there watching me. And I was so nervous. I was like trembling and it just felt like it were there and I thought I just need to get through this dance and then we sort of did the dance and then it were like the funeral couple of days later

and I think that's when it kind of hit me. But sort of since then I think my way of kind of dealing with it I'm doing, I'm actually doing this challenge because he passed away on a mountain which was in the in the Yorkshire day ors and that was his favorite mountain and he walks it like so many times throughout his life and um on the day he on his final walk he never made the summit so my way of processing it is right i'm going to challenge myself to climb the mountain and you know finish the walk for him and i'm going to be carrying 56 kg which is a kilo for every year of his life

and yeah so that's what i'm doing i'm really money for the Elizabeth Foundation, which is a great charity that I've grown up with helping, you know, young deaf children with like speech and language. So I think that's like giving me a focus on as well. And hopefully the whole family and friends are going to like walk upon the day and just kind of make a good sort of day out of it. But yeah, like yourself, I think it's more just, I think getting your head around like how someone's just there. And then they're not. And then they're not. Especially like my daddy was so fit. You were like, you were like, you were like, you Yeah, just like you were the last person, you would expect something.

You expect them to be, my dad was 52. And he was six foot, strong, and he just at work, heart attack, boom. And you think, wow, when they were so, like, he was running around with me three days ago. Like, how the hell does that happen? It's the most, it's such the most bizarre thing, but it's something everyone has to experience at some point. And we had this conversation because, like, one of my friends, she lost her, dad, but he was really poorly and she watched him just whittle away. I mean, she could lift him in the end. And she said to me, however way they go is awful, but she said, your dad's going

to be forever 52 for you. Yeah. And he is. I, when I, if I picture him now, I can see him. He's strong, he's built. She said, the last image of my dad is me feeding him, me doing this. She said, you're never going to have that with your dad. He's forever 52, strong and fit. And I, that's what I take from it as well. Yeah, I never thought of it like that. You'll never see him as an old, unable person. He's just 56 on that mountain, stronger as hell. Yeah, it's bizarre in it, like, different ways you go through stuff like that.

Because, like, funny enough, I couldn't imagine my dad getting older and I don't know why. With my mum, I can, I can see, like, 20 years time. But my dad, I just always imagined him, like, training together and stuff like that. I couldn't imagine it. So it's quite ironic that it's a bit poetic. we kind of went on a mountain he loved doing and it was a glorious day like I can't tell you how the weather was horrendous for weeks and weeks and it was this one day it were like frost sun was out and he said I'm going to go for a hike today and it were just it were you know

it were even taking pictures as he were walking up and sending it to the family chart and then the last picture he took was like of this stunning view of the landscape and it was the most beautiful picture I've seen and then that's sort of you know how it kind of just ended there. But that gives me a lot of comfort of, you know, doing what he loved. Yeah, what he loved. And, you know, he had us on his mind and things like that.

So, yeah, that does make so much sense of how that's how we will always see our dads. Yeah. Mine's in his work suit. With a loose tie, putting his briefcase down going, I'm home. That's my last. That's brilliant. Kind of. So, yeah.

If anyone's listening, by the way, he has lost a parent recently. we do think of your heart goes out to you because it is tough. Oh, it is tough. I lost my mother two years ago but she was unwell, she had Alzheimer's, but the grief still hits me. It's when you're not expecting it.

Yeah, and I can be driving along and a song comes on or something happens that make me think of her and I'll start crying. And it's, you know, it's two years ago this month. So you've got to give yourself space to grieve. I ran the London Marathon because I was training when she passed away

and I still did it. remember as I was running around I was talking to her you know I was so this is for you ma'am and all this so that's what when you go off that mountain just try and connect with your dad on the way up yeah yeah and let's know when you do it and we'll share it or get as many it gets loads of money well let's hope I get to the top first start is yeah yeah I feel like anything will anything will get me to the top of that mountain so yeah and and and as you look at your life now and what you've achieved and you know everything you've accomplished what do you want to do moving forward?

Would you have any goals, like career goals, or is it just more of the same? I think, like, even if you asked me a year ago, what would I want to do? I think the opportunities that I've had this year, I've just done things that I never imagined myself doing, like even presenting at the Paralympics, that if someone told me that, I'll be like,

oh, no, I can't do that. I don't have the skills, I don't have the confidence, but I did it, and I was so surprised by myself. So I think, for me, I'm just, I don't quite, might know where my goal is but what I do know is I'm sticking to what I'm care about and what I feel passionate about which is being involved with kids and helping kids whether that's kids with disabilities or being profiled my death I don't know why I just that makes

my heart happy so I think I'll stick to those sort of morals and then see where it kind of takes me and to get on Strickley this year yes we're manifest in that now I think it's more likely Jody's going to get on it to be honest Oh no. Well, we'll say, we'll say, I'm always up for a challenge. That's how I've been, that is a challenge. That you'll be brilliant. Yeah, I'm going to manifest it.

Yeah. It's been lovely chatting. Before we wrap it up, we have some quickfire questions that we do with all our guests. They're only fun. Yeah, they're only fun. The first quick fire question is, myself and Claire, we're going to come to yours in the Yorkshire Dales

and have some tea. All right. Tea isn't, you'd say dinner. When you say breakfast, dinner and tea, you say breakfast, lunch and dinner. Well, it depends. Back in the day in Wales, I would have said breakfast, dinner and tea. It's just I'm, you know, terribly posh now. I've been Londonised.

Love that. So we're going to have our tea. What are you going to make us? What? Obviously, it's got to be like a Sunday roast. Oh, nice. We Yorkshire puddings. Yeah.

And extra gravy. Nice. Sounds good to me. Lovely. I don't even can beat a roast. No. That's good. can't be to roast.

You go into a desert island for one year and you can only take one thing. What is it? I think it's going to have to be... Well, can I just take water? I think water's a given. I think we're going to be kind and say, well, there's going to be a fresh water

for which you can drink from. So you can take something, you know, to entertain yourself, comfort yourself. I think maybe like a pitch with a family. Oh, no. Because that all, like, just give me... Mentally keep you going. Keep me going, yeah.

We've had a pick of the family. We've had a Kindle. Vibrator. I've had a dog. Jesse Jay said a dildo. Well, no, she said a dildo. What did she say? She said a vibrator.

Sorry. Dilder. Same thing. Sorry, Jesse. Yeah, same thing. She said it straight away though, didn't she? Oh yeah, off the cuff. You asked her straight away vibrator.

Yeah. Coffee or wine. Coffee. Yeah, same as us. We love of coffee. What's the last thing that made you belly laugh? I think it was one more. She's just so unhinged and she's so bizarre and crazy.

She just makes me laugh. I can't even tell you what we're laughing about, but she just really makes me laugh all the time. I love that. And finally, what's one thing that someone who's listening now can do today to make themselves feel better? It sounds simple, but just get out with some fresh air and even a walk, like just getting out, walking for 10 minutes.

That always makes me feel better, so hopefully outdoors, fresh air. We've had that answer to why quite a lot of people. It's a goodie. Yeah, and it's free. Yeah. It's free, easy, healthy. What's not to have. Well, Jody, thank you so much for coming in to see us.

And coming down from Yorkshire to see us as well, we're really privileged that you made the journey. So thank you for coming into House of Hearst. Thanks for having me.