Miss Me? - Oh My 2025!

Episode Date: January 2, 2025

Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver discuss their worst New Year’s Eve’s and their resolutions for 2025.This episode contains very strong language and adult themes. Credits: Producer: Jonathan O’Sullivan Technical Producer: Will Gibson Smith Production Coordinator: Hannah Bennett Executive Producers: Dino Sofos and Ellie Clifford Assistant Commissioner for BBC: Lorraine Okuefuna Commissioning Editor for BBC: Dylan Haskins Miss Me? is a Persephonica production for BBC Sounds

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. This week's episode of Miss Me contains some very strong language and some adult themes. We're starting the year as First show. Makita, what is your Christmas tree still doing up? It's the second so that's fine. This is like that kind of depressing week where you keep your Christmas tree up and it kind of just makes you feel depressed

but you still can't take it down. I'm gonna go to the sixth. I'm usually on a holiday on the sixth. Oh, right. One of those people like Lauren Jones, yeah. Lauren said to me once, I don't really like to spend winters in England. I was like, cool, neither do I, but that's how it is, Lauren.

So you travel for January, usually you like to be out of the country. Yes, you know, usually I'm visiting family or on holiday in Kenya with you, for instance. That was a good way to start last year, actually. That was good. Yeah. But, you know, well, you got me today instead. But of course, I can tell you why it's the sixth that you take it down. Please, please enlighten us.

Basically, Christmas took over standard yule and winter solstices. Solstices. Solstices, which would have been a magical and wonderful and pagan-y. And then Christmas comes in with its like gaudy fucking energy, takes over everything, but then retains some of the core values of these pagan traditions. And it's about the spirits, really. So I think what you're doing with Christmas, setting up the tree and everything, but then retains some of the core values of these pagan traditions. And it's about the spirits really. So I think what you're doing with Christmas, setting up the tree and everything is you're allowing the spirits in. You're inviting them in.

You're inviting them in to kind of do what they do at Christmas, which is probably, you know, like they probably were a bit part of that, like, narcy fight you had with Uncle Joe. They might be the reason that you like teary-ly text your ex-boyfriend, but also maybe the magic and joy, but either way you've let them in. By the 12th, sorry, the 12th night. I let pagans in all year round. Yes, what weird fucking dodgy spirits. Constantly.

Come hither, pagans. But by the 12th, the 12th night, they turn. So if I don't get this stuff down on the sixth, they'll stay in my yard with their weird pagan energy, which I don't mind because I quite like having that kind of spiritual energy. But in Christianity, it's about marking the visit of the three wise men to baby Jesus and then your return to normal life. So that's why it's depressing because everyone suddenly has to go back to normal life. But I don't mind I think our normal lives are quite fun. Yeah. I mean you've had no sleep you're under a blanket. Yeah I'm giving like... You don't want to be here. It's very

New Year energy for me. I'm here with my blanket on, no makeup, just got off of a red eye, three hours sleep. Oh god. Three hours sleep. Oh God. And um, yeah. Yeah! Do you feel completely knackered or eyes after Christmas usually? Yeah, but you know,

I'm looking forward to this new year and what it's gonna bring. Mm-hmm. Who knows what's gonna happen. Well, let's not go there yet cause you've got quite a heady, oh, heady year. Yeah.

Do you get it? Heady year, yeah, yeah, heady year. That's right, cause you're playing he a heady year. You get it? Heady year. Yeah, yeah, heady. That's right, because you're playing Header Gabler. I am. The Ibsen play. That starts in June. Goodness me, Lily. I'm going to be going to Los Angeles

for a long period of time to, you know, continue writing. Continue writing. What else am I doing? I actually think you're gonna make the album of your dreams this year. I was looking into Madonna and what she was doing at 40 and 40 is Ray of Light time and boy, what a time. Cause everyone thinks she started with Ray of Light

but she actually started with Frozen. You only see what your eyes want to see and she has like henna on her hands dark raven hair raven locks she's in a desert is that wait you have to do this we all know who can do that hand movement. Come on show the people. Bring the whirligig dance back. If I could melt your heart. But it was vibey right? Because she was working with people she gave a shit about like creatives that you knew she'd kept an eye on in the years that she was off having lorders and stuff.

She has a baby she comes back and by the way at this time everyone's like, oh god, she's 40. She looks absolutely brilliant. Like she looks 20. Well she doesn't, she looks 40 but she looks young and useful because 40 is young and useful. So I hear. So we're told. No we're not told that at all, we have to affirm that. So I'm telling myself by looking at the journeys of other women who've and what they were doing at that stage in their life. Barbara made Yentl Madonna put out ray of light. Okay. These are great years.

These are the openings. So that you think that that's like a vibe. She gets Chris Cunningham little to direct the video. Remember this side note totally snogged him. Samantha Morton's kids bedroom once. Just remembered that while I was doing my research. Hi Chris Cunningham. Do you remember that? Little Triss. But he was a genius. He did like Apex twins videos and shit. I know who Chris Cunningham is. Anyway, yeah, so that would be nice. I would like to, I'm gonna do a play.

Well, firstly, I'm gonna go and get my head straight for a bit. And then I, yeah, I'm doing a little bit of work on myself in this beginning period of the year. Take a little time. Then I'm gonna do my play. Well, then I'm gonna do some more writing. Then I'm gonna do my play.

Hopefully, like maybe get an album out by the end of the year. That would be nice, wouldn't it? You didn't fucking tell me that. End of. It's not real. play hopefully like maybe get an album out by the end of the year that would be nice wouldn't it? You didn't fucking tell me that! End of... It's not real I'm just saying it like I'm just trying to manifest it now you know? Yeah but you haven't spoken like that about music for years you little freedom bitch. Yeah why not?

Come on then end of the year because if you look at the Madonna trajectory well this is where I wanted to bring it up a little what she does is frozen yeah great everyone's like okay we get it you're henna'd up and you have dark hair the next trajectory, well this is where I wanted to be a little. What she does is frozen. Yeah, great. Everyone's like, okay, we get it. You're hennaed up and you have dark hair. The next thing she puts out is ray of light. And she looks completely different. This little double denim outfit, little jacket, jeans. I remember because I had MTV in my room in the Ridley Road flat.

And Madonna just brought her like chameleon energy that no one can ever test. And she showed us that she wasn't limiting herself to, I'm back and I've made an album. She was like, I found people that I find interesting that fill me up creatively, and I'm gonna put whatever I want out. And remember she found William Orbit, no one knew who he was.

And he was thrust into the spotlight. And then everyone worked with him. She's a leader, not a follower like you. That made it sound like she's a leader, not a follower like you. I'm not a follower. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. She's a leader, not a follower, just as you are.

You are a fucking leader and this is the year to remember to lead. So that's what I'm saying. Throw a bit of country in but you could also do some like mob deep shit if you want it. Babe, I'm... Yeah, listen, I got this. I've got it. Yeah, yeah. We're bringing Lillian back in 2025. My god, I love hearing you talk like this. 2025. What else do we see our big new years looking like?

I quite like the way it's around here. It's like 2025. 2024 is a bit like... This is like a warm bosom of joy. And if you ask Phoebe, something's going on with Pluto. Yeah, you could make 2024 out of matchsticks and 2025 would be a bit harder, isn't it? Yeah, it's like, it feels safer. And you know, world is your oyster. Two and five are my lucky numbers. And you're turning 40. Interesting.

The less said about that, the better. No, no. Oh, fuck it, who cares? Yes, correct, fuck it. There are people that don't admit to it and they look like they're in pain and they're scared You have to embrace it and you look like for so it's fine Because when I was at the family lunch last week, your mom was like by the way, Lily's taught you if we have to get on that

I was like we got ages. She was like no don't it's like four months away So we're all over that as a family. Don't you worry gonna show you a good time Interesting. There's a good time. Look. Does a good time look to you? What are we gonna do? For your 30th, do you remember what we did? Paintballing? Oh yeah, Friar's shot me in the face. I can't blister.

Alfie came for me. It was a dark day for me and the paintballing, well I realised I don't like it. I was really going for Alfie though as well. I remember like following him around and just like point blank, like getting him in the back of His shins. Yeah, but that's why I don't like paintballing because it's like a war I don't really want to be a part of you and Alfie were like I think I'd like to do paintballing for my forties

Well, how are activity based? Fun what like go karting? No, no, no, no, no, let's level it up a bit. What about skiing or something like that? No, I don't want to if I fall over skiing or snowboarding. I'm gonna break bones. So I just think that's bit dangerous Okay, that seems more like a 65 year old birthday answer. But okay We're looking to something else well only because I had a fall a couple of years ago when I went snowboarding and It's you know, really impinged my rotator cuff in my shoulder I've never really recovered from it.

My range of movement is not good in my shoulder as a result of a snowboarding injury. So I'm just a little bit scared. That's totally understandable. Also, it's quite shocking when you fall over skiing or snowboarding. If you're going at speed, which obviously I am because I'm such a daredevil.

I didn't know you were such a bad man snowboarder because I'm a really gifted skier. You do know that, right? Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say I'm gifted but you know I can snowboard. The outfits will look good on you. Oh I know. Okay well the family are all over it is what I wanted to say. Thinking about the way our years are gonna look I think mine is gonna be because I still can't exercise till March. That's tough. Or play sports or anything like that. Oh, and of course we've got live shows coming up, like, well there's loads happening this year! Oh yeah, that! Oh yeah, that! That's a really big part of our year. Shit, yeah. Do you know what the weirdest full circle moment of the live shows is, I realised yesterday?

When we did our first episode of Miss Me all the way back in March 2024 of last year, I told that stupid fucking story on Wikipedia about me doing a hit revival of Oliver Twist at the Hackney Empire, sold out. Yeah, I remember. And now we actually have sold it out, but for Miss Me. So it feels kind of like we're coming home and there's something quite satisfying about the fact that we're doing it in Hackney. Do you know what I mean?

Surrounded by all our family and friends. Do you think I could do a Nancy number from Oliver at Hackney Empire? As long as he needs me. As long as he needs me. I was thinking about how we can bring musicality into the live shows because we can't play music on the show because we can't afford the rights. We could turn it into like a weird jungle meets musicals. I love him right or wrong.

My mom hates that song. She's always like, it's so bloody weak. He's beating her and she's like, as long as he needs me. As long as he needs me. Do you know I lied to Matthew Dunster when he called me up and asked me, Matthew Dunster is the director of every play that I've done. Yes. Only person in theatre that believes in me.

Stop it. And he asked me if I'd ever acted before. And I said, yes, I have. I played Nancy in Oliver, total lie. I was gonna say, the fuck did that happen? Didn't happen, but I loved it. And he was like, oh, interesting. Tell me about that production. And I was like, no fuck did that happen didn't happen, but I loved it and he was like, oh interesting Tell me about that production and I was like no, that's cool

Tell me about that production. I lied about being Nancy in Oliver at school as my CV I've got this I've done stage. The thing is though lies after what we just saw if he said Bang out as long as he needs me, he'd be like, as long as he needs me. So actually, I think lying on your CV is not too bad if you could, I know quite a lot of actors that told me they did lie and then they just like jump on the horse and they're like, okay, I guess I just need to learn how to horse ride. No one reads CVs anyway.

Exactly, CVs, they still exist. But yeah, business and sport are my year. Okay. That's my year. And do you want to know my New Year's resolution? I do. Don't be afraid, just stay curious. My New Year's resolution is a bit based around something that Jane Fonda said which is stay curious, keep learning and keep growing, always strive to be more interested than interesting. That is a bloody good one. What is a resolution? Is that something like an intent or like a...

Don't worry. Don't worry. I think we did some research. We've got Google to hand, it's fine. It's not Google! We are... What search engine are you using then? Jesus Christ. We are in there with books. Okay, yeah. And Wikipedia. Yeah. Wikipedia. I think they're just a promise to oneself, aren't they? Okay. So what is your promise to yourself? I think it's more just like a something to keep in mind. And

I think it's like, you know, if it's meant for you, it will come. Absolutely. Well, then there's also if you build it, they will come. Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner. And it's a really good one, that one. If you build it, they will come. I think I'm going to try and be less of a narcissist in 2025. That's the other thing. Oh, really? Yeah. That's quite a big one to tackle.

We can try and get rid of that narcissist energy. You know what would help with that Buddha? Because Buddha is, you know, the light that takes you away from the ego. I'll send you Buddhism day by day if you want. Thank you. Yeah. That would be great. That would be quite helpful for you. No, I need to be more empathetic.

I've been quite wrapped up in myself and victimhood lately and I am ready to move on. Oh sweetheart. Yes. That's really nice to hear. Do you want to hear about all my sports plans and actually like really get invested in that? Like you can, this is your first test. Ready? Yeah.

Okay. So this is the time everyone's thinking like, people always say, I'm going to do exercise. It's like, yeah, right. But like, what do you want your life to look like? And now that I have had sports and... Is that an I'm interested face? I'm not sure.

Yeah. I'm like, I'm resting. Like I'm listening. Oh. I'm not even thinking about what I'm going to say'm resting. Like I'm listening. Oh. I'm not even thinking about what I'm gonna say next. I'm just like invested. With me. Yeah. Cause I've had it stricken from my life. No sport, no exercise for another two months.

I'm going to play tennis and squash two to three times a week. I'm gonna circuit train five times a week. And then I'm gonna do Pilates in the evenings, like three times a week. And then I'm gonna introduce the greatest game that I've never played into my life which is Paddle. I will be playing Paddle with Will. Dylan is this okay HR wise? Yes, Dylan from the BBC is with us today. It's a bloody new year's party. A teacher is it?, but Paddle is a combination of squash and tennis.

And just to remind everyone, I know what it is. Oh, have you played? I have actually, yeah. I played in Atlanta. Tell me all about it. Well, I didn't play very well and it wasn't, you know, but it's quite big here in America. Yeah, well there's one place in Stratford that me and Will could go to, but it is getting bigger over here as well.

And I think also because I'm building a company that is centered around sports, I just wanna be immersed in sports in every way. And they make me so happy. I hear you and I'm not trying not to cut you off because it's 2025 and I'm not being a narcissist. That sounds like a lot of sport in a week. Slightly worried about you. I think I'm talking like someone who had surgery

and hasn't been able to face sport in a while. Yeah, I think maybe we could just cut back a little bit. Spread it, you know, just a little bit. Spread it a bit. Well, just, you know, leave some room for like, you know, meeting someone. I have time for that shit. So speed dating.

Oh my God. Look, I was gonna save this for loneliness, but... I've just seen quite a lot of people not that happy recently, and I just don't know where the partners are the way forward. Sorry. I know it's a little bit crazy to say, but I just, I think I'll build a year for myself, and if someone absolutely fantastic with longish hair, who's possibly an artist from, like, Cam Camberwell wants to meet me. Fine. I can put up some shelves. If it's meant for you, it will come. Oh exactly, if it's meant for me it will come. But for me this year is about business and sport.

And obviously Miss Me Live. Have you had any ideas about how we're gonna do it? I've had quite a few ideas. I think I've got it. I think I know what we're going to do. I haven't, but it should be a surprise. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But me and you should have a meeting of some kind. We should have a talk. We should definitely have a talk. Well, it's just lovely to spend the second day of the year with you, my love. Isn't it just?

I think we've probably spent a few New Year's together, but let's save those stories for after the break. Shall we have a little break? We've only just got into this new break. Should we have a little break? We've only just got into this new year. Let's have a little breather and come back to talk about all of our terrible New Year's Eve's. Let's take a few. Oh my 2025, we're back in the room! Back in the room. January, we intend on having good

Januaries. We really do. I like a good January, really sets up the year. Do you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But obviously it usually entails a lot of the stuff that I'm not able to do. So I'm gonna do a lot of other stuff. I'm gonna do a lot of reading books and research. Look at this book that my agent Jess got me when I was in surgery. It's called Luna and it's like the history of like the moon and how it's been depicted in lots of different ways. I have millions of these kind of books and I go thank you so much and I never open them. So I was like let me look at these coffee table books and actually finish the Diane Keaton autobiography for fuck's sake that I've been trying to finish for two years. Really? I start things and I don't finish

them. Work stuff, no, but other stuff, yes. I always put work first. Maybe this year's about maybe not putting work first. Yes, I think you need to put a bit of you time in the diary. That comes into those New Year's resolutions. Let me tell you a little bit about actually the history of resolutions. It was the Babylonians that started resolutions, but I was hoping you could tell me who the Babylonians are again. Babylon?

Yeah, Babylon. That's all I can think of. Babylon for come. I mean, Babylon is just like everyone bad it's capitalism isn't it yeah because so what in rasta it's like fear the Babylon yeah it's not like hey we are the Babylon fear the Babylon it's like the Babylon is bad yeah I think so I'm not sure is Babylon the western world yeah it's like the feds you know institutions um it's the system that puts the white wealthy male at the top of the pyramid scheme. That's Babylon.

Right, okay. I wonder why they started resolutions. I think we might be talking about different Babylonians and the Babylonians, two different things. Answers on a postcard, because I'd love to know and I refuse to use Google or Wikipedia for my research. That is something I'm going to do this year. I'm going to go to the British Library and take a picture. That is a good resolution. Or no more Google or Wikipedia.

That's a good resolution. You have to go to the British Library once a week to do all your historical research. Otherwise you're not allowed to say it. Maybe we'll do that and see if I get some different shit because maybe everything I'm saying is quite googly. You will a hundred percent like Google research. I like a big To the producer has just informed me that the Babylonians were an ancient Mesopotamian Mesopotamian They were an ancient Mesopotamian people who lived in the region of Babylon, modern-day Iraq. They are known for their advanced civilization including contributions to law, mathematics,

mathematics, astronomy and literature. Sounds like Babylon to me. No, but doesn't that sound like good Babylon? No, law, no. Mathematics, no. Users against us. Yeah. Law? No. Mathematics? No. Users against us? Yeah. Astronomy and literature? Lovely. Depends what you subscribe to, doesn't it? What you subscribe to defines your approach to the Babylonian.

Also, the other thing is that if you go to the British Library to absorb your information that you're genuinely interested in seeking out, then it will stay in your brain. When you Google things, it doesn't. Exactly. The way we learn changes what we keep, right? It changes the way we store things. Yeah. Just like trauma. Speaking of trauma, just going to talk about the worst news even of my life. I actually was just like reiterating it to all of you. I was like, this is actually really upsetting me but I need to say it because they're just the worst when they're bad. And this one, my friends was the motherfucking millennium and we were not together. I don't know where you were I remember where I was on the millennium

I was like, you know out on the river like on the Thames watching the fireworks like with your parents We were like 15. What's that? Where's the where's the lawyer bit? What's that bit called the CLEEK street something? No, it's called like the no, that's the writing bit temple temple Is that where all the lawyers are? I didn't know that. Anyway, Ruby Platts Mills, our mate. I think her granddad was a lawyer that lived down there and he had a millennium party.

Barn. On the river. Strange part of London. Yes, the sort of legal vibes. And it was a nightmare. It was an absolute nightmare. Getting in there, getting out of there. I really don't like crowds

unless I'm standing in front of one. Unless I'm on a stage in front of them. Unless they're all there for me. That was a 2024 comment. I know. That was a heart back to a 2024 energy. It was a joke. I could still be funny Sometimes no, but I don't like I love going to Notting Hill Carnival

But I hate the like getting in we know when it starts to get like traffic a human traffic. Mm-hmm I hate that. I don't think people understand what the vibe was like before the Millennium It's like think about it think about New Year's Eve But this is like the turn of a century that no one in this lifetime has ever experienced so it's just the pressure was next level and also there was like this sense of like impending doom as well because everyone thought that like the computers were gonna lose their minds and like planes are gonna stop falling out of the sky and shit so it was like, it was really intense. It like, you count down to like, oh, is

it all about to end? I know, you know what I liked when it finally turned everyone the next year was like, how do we say it? Do we say 2002-0 or 2020? No one knew what the fuck we were in. Everyone was quite lost at the beginning. 2001. 2001. Fuck, that feels so, actually... Actually of course it was all very... People had made songs and films about what the world would look like. And strangely I don't feel like we were in this futuristic technological place, but then

kind of that was the beginning of suddenly everything being like that very quickly. But anyway, back to my shitty New Year's Eve. Yeah, tell us your shitty story. Not shitty story, Of shittness. The story that is of shit nature. Perfect description of this horrible tale. I was with Jasper, my lovely ex-boyfriend, but he wasn't lovely to me on this trip at all. And I'd met Jasper in squat parties, so even though he was a rich kid from Kensington in London, he had dreads.

What? Do you remember when Jasper had dreads? No, I don't RIP Jasper, but I had I did not know that as you know, I have dated three white men Not okay, but I'm here to just tell my truth so Jasper had dreads This is an important part of the story. White man with dreads. I was going out with Jasper and I didn't fancy him. I thought he was a bit of a loser. And then I dumped him and he started going out with Nina and then he cut his hair off and he was suddenly the most handsome boy at the squat party. And I was like, fuck. And then they broke up. I started going out with him. We were together. And he was like, come to my mum's house. His mum had a big company and they had a penthouse.

So I was like, okay, yeah, I'll go to New York. And I was really nervous. I was like, very nervous. It's your boyfriend. And everything I was scared of was true, which was I was a bit too scatty for his sister Anna and her extremely expensive Upper East Side friends. One was called like Taraja. And she like an upper east side gothic family penthouse in the sky. It was just like 70 rooms and we had this quite strange night with them where they all sort of hit on Jasper and looked at me like I had ginger dreads and they were like, who is this kid in like parachute trousers, Lily. And then the next night Jasper was like, look, next night's millennium, I don't want to bring you back there.

Like, I'm a bit ashamed of you. So let's have it together on our own, like in the flat. And it was just the worst night and it was the Millennium. So there was all this like noise everywhere. We sort of got really drunk and argued and had bad sex and then argued more. Did he say that he was embarrassed of you? Yeah, but we were children. No, we're not going to excuse it. That's a horrible thing for someone to say of you. Yeah, but we were children. No, we're not gonna excuse it.

That's a horrible thing for someone to say to you. But I love his mother and his sister and he has passed and I really did love Jasper and we had a beautiful relationship at lots of different times. I love Jasper too, but that doesn't take away from the fact that that's a really hard words to hear. Very hard and I was so out of my depth

in like 1999 New York. I thought I was going to walk into sex in the city and I did and I was like dressed like a rubbish bin like I just wasn't prepared and they were like do you want a cocktail? And I was like um I don't think I drink cocktails and they were like it's just a mixed drink like little things like that I just wasn't ready. I was a kid, but because we'd done squat parties for years, I was like, I get drugs and crack heads and danger and all that, but it's a very different kind of social scene to jump into.

Anyway, he then sent me home. He said, I want you to go home and I'm gonna stay. So I had to change my ticket and come home to my mom heartbroken. And I said, what is this feeling? What is this? Did you break up then? No, that's the thing He was just like you just need to go I see to think but like all I can hear is I'm ashamed and get out of here

I was just god. It's so traumatic. And then when I got home, I said mom, what is this? And she said babe I think this is your first heartbreak. I was like, no, please I can't handle it listen to Otis Redding for two weeks Then he came back and was like, can I come around to talk to you? And I was like, it's on. Okay, we are still together. Okay, thank God. And mum made spaghetti bolognese and clean boroughs road the best we could with one wall missing. And he came around and was like, I'm just cementing that like we're not together

and you're dumped. I was like, okay. And then I really was heartbroken. So that was the worst New Year's Eve of my life. It was really hard. So then he did end it. Yeah, that was the worst New Year's Eve of my life. It was really hard. Oh, so then he did end it. Yeah, that was the end of me and Jasper. And the opening for you to sleep with him.

I'm joking. It happened like 10 years later. Exactly, 10 years later when we all were friends again and we could all laugh about this millennium night. But I think people have shit New Year's Eves and I think they stay with you because they're markers. They're not just Wednesdays or that bad Saturday Have you got some really bad ones? No, I tend not to go out on New Year's Eve. Mmm. I don't really subscribe to it

I'll do a resolution. No crowds. I also just think like there's a lot of Expectation for it to be like a great night and it just never is obviously. I don't drink I don't do drugs, I've got no interest. So what would be your idea of how you want to bring in your new year? Because it's regardless of a party. I probably would be asleep. I'd like to have a nice bath with my pine essence and you know do my facial routine and write a little gratitude list and go to bed. Yeah. I sound like so much fun, don't I?

Listen, maybe you'll be a fun summer bitch. New Year's isn't your fun time, that's okay. Another great thing about this decade that you're about to join me in this year. So this is the greatest. I'll see you know, it's so every year I forget every year I go finally she's going to be this age. It's like, but remember the week before you turn a year off so you will be 40. No, you're going to be 41 this year. I'm going to be 40 fucking on this. I was like, oh yeah, it just keeps coming. But that's fine. I have a lot of gratitude for being alive and healthy, especially after the surgery

I went through last year. I feel very, very lucky. And I'm going to keep being lucky this year. Just watch me now. It's the year of our luck, babe. Let's hold hands, be strong, dive in together. Yeah, let's do it. So we started the new year together.

This time next year we'll be doing the same thing. My God. Wait, how long do you want to do this to me? Five years? Ten? Don't know, look, Dylan's in the room so let's not give anything away. Let's get that contract written now, Dylan.

Five years? He's been so impressed by sitting in in this incredible conversation. We've just had five years renewed. So see you guys every week for the next five years. Lily, I will see you for the first Listen Bitch of the year. First Listen Bitch of the year. Sorry that I made it such a depressing subject.

I thought it was being poignant and now I'm dreading it. Yeah. I wish we were talking about butterflies, but no. The theme is, tika-dun, tika-dun, down loneliness. Sorry to bum everyone out. It is in fact, loneliness. Great.

So, can't wait. See you there. See you on Monday. Bye honey. Bye. Thanks for listening to Miss Me with Lily Allen and Makita Oliver. This is a Persephoneca production for BBC Sounds. In the shadows of Glasgow, two crime families rose to power.

You're either with the Daniel family or you're with the Lions family. There's no in between. A brutal war for control of Glasgow's lucrative drug trade that still rages today. Police think it's the work of a criminal gang. Join me Livy Haydock as I investigate the battle that shattered the old school rules of crime. They just slashed, firebombed, terrorizing people wherever they went. It's almost off biblical scales. Gangster, the story of the Daniels and the Lions. Listen on BBC Sounds. Yoga is more than just exercise.

It's the spiritual practice that millions swear by. And in 2017 Miranda, a university tutor from London, joins a yoga school that promises profound transformation. It felt a really safe and welcoming space. After the yoga classes I felt amazing. But soon that calm welcoming atmosphere leads to something far darker, a journey that leads to allegations of grooming trafficking and exploitation across international borders. I don't have my passport, I don't have my phone, I don't have my bank cards, I have nothing. The passport being taken, the being in a house and not feeling like they can leave. World of Secrets is where untold stories are unveiled and hidden realities are exposed.

In this new series we're confronting the dark side of the wellness industry where the hope of a spiritual breakthrough gives way to disturbing accusations. You just get sucked in so gradually and it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. And it's like this, the secret that's there. I wanted to believe that, you know, that whatever they were doing, even if it seemed gross to me, was for some spiritual reason that I couldn't yet understand. Revealing the hidden secrets of a global yoga network.

I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this and to put my reputation and everything else on the line. I want truth and justice. And for other people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future. To bring it into the light and almost alchemize some of that evil stuff that went on.

And take back the power. that evil stuff that went on and take back the power. World of Secrets, season six, The Bad Guru. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.