I am thrilled to kick off season four - season bloody four! - of The Shift with today’s guest, Mel Giedroyc (and yes I did practice saying that 935 times). Mel is (she reckons) the more punctual half of beloved comedy duo, Mel and Sue, an actress, writer and, drum roll, NATIONAL TREASURE thanks to the best part of seven years spent eating cake. (Nice gig if you can get it) And now - bloody over-achiever - she’s written her debut novel, The Best Things, which is as warm, hilarious and full of pin-sharp observation as you’d expect.

Mel talks ironing - and asks the big question: who actually irons? The terror of hitting the financial skids and walking away from the Bake Off payday. Being a menopause-dodger and the importance of bringing more perimenopausal characters to our screens. AND writing her first novel at 51. 51! There is hope for us all! (Or is Mel just exceptional... I'll leave it to you to decide.) Either way there's tons of juvenile humour and plenty of sniggering. You have been warned.

You can buy all the books mentioned in this podcast at Bookshop.org, including the book that accompanies this podcast, The Shift: how I lost and found myself after 40 - and you can too by Sam Baker and The Best Things by Mel Giedroyc.

The Shift (on life after 40) with Sam Baker is created and hosted by Sam Baker and edited by Emily Sandford. I'd love to hear what you think - please rate and review, or let me know on twitter @sambaker or instagram @theothersambaker.

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