Mental health podcast How Do You Cope…? With Elis and John, presented by comedy duo Elis James and John Robins, will return to BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds on Tuesday, June 6 with a host of new celebrity guests.
From addiction and grief to mental health and big career changes, the fourth series hears from big-name guests such as television presenter Gabby Logan, British rowing champion James Cracknell and activist, writer and presenter, Katie Piper. All the guests open up about some of the greatest challenges they’ve faced, both mentally and physically.
While the series delves deep into some serious topics, the discussion is never without a positive tone, highlighting Elis and John’s ability to use warmth and understanding to create a series of discussions with people who have gone through their own challenges in life.
The first episode will hear comedians and long-standing best friends Elis and John open up about the struggles they have faced since recording the last series. Elis talks about the stresses of moving house with his family in tow, while John opens up about battling his relationship with alcohol.
Other episodes include chats with snooker player Shaun Murphy, on struggles with his weight, and former broadcaster Iain Lee on changing his career path to become a counsellor.
James said: “It has been a privilege to conduct some of the most illuminating conversations I have ever had for this new series. I can’t wait for our listeners to hear people in the public eye speak so candidly about some of the challenges they have had to face in private. Whether it’s Lady Unchained, discussing her experiences in prison and the power of poetry in her rehabilitation, or Maria Romanenko’s experience as a journalist fleeing her native Ukraine and the challenges she faced beginning a new life in England, I have been enlightened, educated, and impressed in equal measure.”
Robins added: “I’m so looking forward to sharing another selection of incredible conversations with remarkable people. What makes this podcast such a source of hope is that these discussions aren’t about superhuman responses to impossible problems, they are conversations about the kind of situations we all might find ourselves or our loved ones dealing with, lived experiences we can all draw inspiration and strength from.”
Other guests on the podcast include Moisin Zaidi talking about his battle to acknowledge his sexuality and sharing it with his parents, and Jordan Gray’s story of transition and efforts to portray transgender identity through live performance.
A new episode will be released every week via BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds from Tuesday, June 6. Elis James and John Robins joined BBC Radio 5 Live in May 2019 and present an award-winning weekly entertainment show on Friday afternoons. Previous guests on the podcast include Sir Brian May, George Ezra, Lemn Sissay, Ruby Wax and Azeem Rafiq.
