Mad, Sad and Bad with Paloma Faith - Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Getting Trolled Makes Me Mad! | MAD, SAD & BAD MOMENTS

Episode Date: October 14, 2026

We’ve shared so many unforgettable conversations on Mad, Sad & Bad, and I’m looking back at some of my favourite moments from the podcast.This time, I’m revisiting a conversation with the brilliant Leigh-Anne Pinnock. Leigh-Anne opens up about her love-hate relationship with social media, dealing with trolling and navigating life in the spotlight. We also talk about balancing motherhood to twins with wanting to give your career 100%, and the pressure of trying to do it all.Watch the full episode HERE. Credits: Producer: Jemima Rathbone Video: Grisha Nikolsky, Josh Bennett and Harry Sawkins Sound: Joe Richardson Edit producer: Rema Mukena Assistant Producer: Alex Reed Mix: Dan King Original music: BUTCH PIXY Senior Social Media Manager: Laura Coughlan Exec Producer for JamPot: Jemima Rathbone & Ewan Newbigging-Lister Exec Producers for Idle Industries: Dave Granger & Will Macdonald Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi everyone, it's me Paloma Faith. I'm looking back at some of my favorite conversations from Mad, Sad and Bad, and this one with the wonderful Leanne really stayed with me. We got into the madness of social media, the pressure that comes with being constantly connected, and that very complicated love-hate relationship we can all have with it. Here's part of our conversation, but you can catch up on the whole episode anytime you like.

This is funny with coming to you, because whenever I've met you, I feel like you're really together and intelligent. And I don't know I always do I always think oh she's really You seem really grounded Like maybe someone I would guess would have

It feels like you've got good people around you That you've kept grounded And you've never like gone on a crazy moment Or you know like that But I just wonder with What what comes to mind for you When I say mad Like have you ever been felt on the brinket

of it yourself or have you witnessed madness? Yeah. I, okay, what makes me mad? So I feel like I've always had this like love hate thing with social media. I think it can, there's so many pros to it, you know, like obviously talking about social issues, like in things getting spread out quicker. I think that's all great. And obviously the relationship with my fans, like I can really sort of speak to them and

that's amazing. But then there's this like real dark side. And I think going solo, I've sort of just seen it even more. So, yeah, trolls make me mad. But then... Do you look? Oh, God, I'm so mad. Although, that's a type of madness.

Yeah, the looking. It is. It is. Like, I do still search my name in X, Twitter. And I need to... I know. It's literally the worst one. It's the worst one.

But, like, I feel like... What have you seen on there that was really awful? Oh, God. when I was younger I guess the black one in Little Mix can't sing or the black one in Little Mix da da da la la like just little thing

well it's not little things it's not awful things but I don't know why I still do it I don't do it as much to look for the negative now I think I used to do it when I was younger to look for the negative and I don't know why that is definitely probably that's madness right I guess yeah I think it's like you know

also I think most people in the public eye got there because they want to prove something and maybe don't feel that good about who they are. So try and get the validation of like external sources. Yes. So if you've got voices in your head saying you're not the best, you're not great, you're not worthy or whatever or all of your life experiences, you might go and look for something to confirm that. And that's a bit of an illness. I have to stop myself doing it because it can become a bit of an addiction. Yeah. You're like, see, this person agrees with me.

I'm absolutely untalented. Crazy. And it will be like one person, however many positive ones, and you still look at that one. Yeah. It's just, yeah, I definitely feel like that has been an issue for me. But like I said before, I feel like I've changed the relationship a little bit where I more so just search, I guess, just in general, you know, not to look for the negative as much. But the one thing that also makes me mad, though, so obviously, like leaving the group. All of us girls have our own fan bases naturally.

But then obviously we'll have fans that will come with all of us and appreciate all of us. But what makes me mad is like going on and seeing the different fan bases attacking each other. How strange. Attacking each other and then attacking each of us as well, like bringing us down. That's so sad. It's bizarre because we are all so close and like sisters. So why would you then as a fan attack the other guy? Do you know what I mean?

It just doesn't make any sense. Someone you're protective of. You're all like are a bit of a family, aren't you still? Literally, yeah. So like you should all support. I feel like there's a culture of cruelty that's like getting worse and worse. And it's responsible for loads of social and political problems. Like people seem to be enjoying being mean.

Right. Like more than ever, right? Yeah. And I don't know why. What's the closest to being mad that you've ever been? That's such a good question. Come on, you've had twins. Of sure.

Literally. Yeah. Do you know what? Yes, the transition from obviously, yeah, not having any kids to all of a sudden having to look after humans. Like, what?

And do you not feel as well? Like, you feel like you're the only person going through it? Because it's so... Yes, even though you have people around you, but you still feel, oh, it's bizarre, isn't it? Like that feeling.

But... And also, You said to me before we started rolling that you wanted to do everything by yourself. Yeah. And then at some point everyone who muckedilla was like, no, Leanne, it's too hard. Yeah, just having half term as well. That's just so intense, my first half term. They both just started reception.

Yeah, so in school. And yeah, that was intense. But in the best way, like, they needed a break and it was just so amazing to spend the whole week with them. Like, it was lovely. But I think another thing, yeah, so juggling my time. with them but then trying to put 100% into my career, which is just so kind of impossible now. You know, I don't, I know, how do you feel?

Like, do you feel like you can put 100% into something else? I do think you expand in ways that you didn't expect. Like, I think what you're doing, what you can achieve is beyond what you anticipate. Yeah, yeah. But I, but I also think that one thing always falls short. If you do more career, then children, you feel like bad for, But actually, Adele gave me some advice because she had the baby first before most of us. And she was like, you have to be rigid in your diary and tell your team that I need to be there from five till seven every day.

Me at the minute, I'm like, here, and then I'm here, then I'm here. Yeah. And you just block it in your diary and it's like, this is my time. Leanne, leave me alone. Yeah. And then you can just like do that and dial. back up. Do you know what else it is though?

Social media is kind of like a full-time job now. So like the content, you've got to be posting every day and you've got to be in people's faces and even the filming the content, there's just so much stuff that you have to get for online. So I think that now feels like an extra job. So I'm kind of like trying to make sure that this is all in line. And even though I've got a team to help me,

I'm still wanting to oversee everything and like... Micromanaging. But it's a sign that you can, which I think means. that is why your stuff is actually brilliant, attention to detail. Have you ever been jealous of anyone in your life? Oh. I feel like we all naturally feel a little bit of jealousy, I think, at times.

Oh, because I think social media sort of promotes jealousy. It does. Because everyone looks like they're doing better than you or they're, like, they're aging better or whatever it is. Or they've lost their baby weight. better quicker. I have all these people like after I have babies saying, I bet you don't have the cesarean skull with a bit of fat rolling over or whatever.

And I was like, I do. But I think everyone just thinks that like you haven't done anything. Yeah. Yeah. So like jealousy, do you ever feel or even jealous of like people you see on socials that you don't know that have the life that's like where they're just full-time mom or something? Yeah, I know what you mean.

Because I think it doesn't actually matter what you're going through sometimes. Being able to look at your children and see that bestness, like, it doesn't matter. Like, I've literally got you. And like this is everything I feel like I've ever even worked for anyway without even knowing it. Like, does that make sense? Yeah, like some sort of inner peace or something. 100%. Have you ever been pursued by hysterical?

Well, I know the answer, but hysterical fans that are a bit mad. So, yeah, they'll let go when they touch you and something. stuff. Do you know what? Our fans are actually like, I don't feel like I've ever been like, but there was a time when we was in Japan and literally we had fans running after us. That was the first time we felt like... Were you running away?

Kind of. Yeah. No, but like where to get to. We had to go as well. But like, it felt like just this rock star moment. Like it was wild. Have you ever been a hysterical fan in your life? Not a super fan.

I've been like a fan. And like I had posters up on my wall. Who of? So I had S-Clob 7, Justin Bieber. Oh my gosh. Do you remember Lil Romeo? Yeah. Yeah.

I was obsessed with him. Gosh. Still. No. Sorry, I'm sorry. No. Yeah. Who else did I have?

Yeah, that's all I can remember, to be honest. That's good. Yeah. I had DiAngelo posts of R-O-P. Oh. So sad. Everyone loved his body. Gosh.

Yeah. He was more than that, though. Yeah. He was sick.