Victoria Vanstone has lived the nightlife of a rockstar – blazing through bars across the world, waking up in random locations with hazy memories of the night before, with clubbing injuries and risky scenarios all part of her weekly experience. It was a blisteringly good time – until it wasn’t. As a mum of three kids, and an author with a thriving podcast, Vic is now sober and living in Queensland, in stark contrast to her blackout days. She has had some wild adventures, that she recounts in quite hilarious fashion, in her book A Thousand Wasted Sundays. We got right to the heart of things, un ..read more

We are back with Season 6 and we’re kicking things off with a huge announcement! Plot Twist! You’ll hear it here first and I’m so thrilled to finally be able to spill the beans. Following that big announcement, we welcome back returning guest, comedian Chris Franjola – live from Las Vegas. Well, he was live on location at the time of recording anyway. Chris brings some much-needed laughter and lightness into the conversation, and we talk about his Hollywood connections, what’s next for Megan Markle, a tangential royal education for Chris – and the realities of life on the road as a touring com ..read more

Welcome to the final episode for 2024… And what an ep it is! In this lucky last conversation for the year, I had the absolute privilege of meeting one of my favourite content creators, the brilliant Sean Szeps. If you’re not already a fan – you soon will be. Sean is an American expat, author and a married father of twins who makes a living creating hilarious content on the (rude) realities of parenting. But in this conversation, I got to know the more serious side of Sean. The real Sean. Growing up in a religious family in New Hampshire, Sean’s early discovery that he might be gay was a terrif ..read more

Get ready for Part 2 of The Road to Self via Paris, with Rachael Coopes. This episode opens with a personal interruption, that could not have been more perfectly timed. It illustrates the balance we are daring to strike at all times, as busy working parents, pulled between commitments and responsibilities, with demands on our time and energy tugging us in every direction. So how do we find ourselves in and among all of this beautiful chaos? How do we find stillness, follow our hearts and thrive in the middle of the maelstrom? We unpack that and plenty more, in this zinger of a second half of a ..read more

Apologies for the delay in releasing this episode, although I know many of you will understand. With so much grief and horror unfolding in the Middle East, and then such sadness and disappointment with the referendum here in Australia, I thought it important to take a pause and recalibrate a little bit. I know that so many of you have needed that too. Thinking of everyone affected by the war and terror in Israel and Gaza, and standing with our First Nations families, here at home, hopeful for a brighter future for all. In this episode, the beautiful, bright light that is Rachael Coopes joined ..read more

In this episode, I had the distinct privilege of sitting down with RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, S2 WINNER, Spankie Jackzon! I became a huge fan of Spankie’s when the season aired last year, thanks to her raw honesty, genuine empathy and sparkling sense of humour. She wasn’t afraid to speak up when things weren’t right and showed the world that you can be a winner without tearing other people down to get there. Spankie is an absolutely riot, so funny and full of zest, but it wasn’t always sequins and sparkles in Spankie’s world. Before she was Spankie, Blair Macbeth had to survive a tough chi ..read more

You might know Brooke Blurton as Australia’s first Indigenous, bisexual Bachelorette. Or perhaps as the contestant who walked away from the Honeybadger, on his infamous season of The Bachelor. You might have also seen her on Bach in Paradise. But Brooke is so much more than just a reality television OG. Brooke’s journey to success came out of a childhood filled with unimaginable challenges, enormous loss but most importantly, immense love. Brooke is a podcaster, author and a youth worker, and we sat down for an in-depth conversation about the way that Brooke’s childhood and survival mentality ..read more

Ever wondered what really happens inside the stadiums of Hillsong? Or what exactly it is that draws people into these large-scale production religious events, that have even had the likes of Justin Bieber front and centre? And what encourages church members to dedicate their entire lives to the church, at what can sometimes be huge financial and personal costs? Well, you’re about to find out. In this episode, I sat down with renowned journalist Marc Fennell, to unpack his experience making the brilliant new documentary, The Kingdom. Marc grew up in the Pentecostal church and brings a unique pe ..read more

This episode is a little bit different to our usual style, here at The Curious Life, and that’s because we all need a little brain break from time to time. For some people it’s long walks on the beach or a hot bath – in my case? It’s reality television. In this episode, I had the thrill of chatting with American pop culture expert and podcaster, Ryan Bailey. If like me, you’ve been glued to the hourly updates from Scandoval HQ or are a fan of the Real Housewives in any capacity, then this will be a real treat for you too. If you’re new to reality TV or are sceptical about it in any way, there ..read more

Yumi Stynes is a broadcaster, a host, an author, a cook, a parent of many and so much more. Her new book Welcome to Sex¸is the fourth in the “Welcome To” series, co-written with former Dolly Doctor (yes, that Dolly Doctor!) Dr Melissa Kang, that unpacks the sticky topics that are much needed for young people and their families. Periods, boobs, consent and now sex. They are filled with a robust and honest explanation of the big moments in young people’s lives, that empowers tweens, teens and parents alike, to understand bodies and relationships in a real and relatable way. Yumi is a firecracker ..read more