The latest episode of The ChickPeeps Podcast hosted by Evanna Lynch, Robbie Jarvis, Momoko Hill and Tylor Starr welcomes fellow podcaster of Happy Place and bestselling author of Happy Vegan, Fearne Cotton.
Fearne is also a popular TV and radio personality, who presents Sounds of the 90s on BBC Radio 2.
In this episode of ChickPeeps, Fearne discusses her own journey of veganism, sharing how an understanding of the meat transportation industry had a significant impact on her.
“When I was 11 years old in the early nineties, I watched a Newsround report about live animal transportation. I had no clue what that meant as an 11 year old,” she remembers and adds, “I had no concept of how the food I was eating arrived in my home, let alone the supermarkets, or the whole process. I remember saying to my mum, ‘do you know how this meat is made, and what happens?’ On that very day, after the horrible realisation, we both turned vegetarian.”
Fearne also references the exciting evolution of vegetarian and vegan food that’s become available over the last 10 years and says that the veganism movement has been so powerful and potent. She cooks a lot of vegan food and has become really interested in it.
She thinks it’s important for her children to be aware, but that they don’t have to make any choices yet. Both her kids know that mum and dad are vegan and understanding it is important, but that’s enough for now. She says: “Growing up, and knowing about all different ways of cooking, eating, and keeping your body fuelled is really positive because I essentially want them to make their own decisions when they’re old enough.”
Having presented on television and radio shows such as Top of the Pops and BBC Radio 1, Fearne also shares her own experiences with mental health as an entertainer, and why the topic is at the forefront of everything she does.
Talking about once hitting a big low herself and having had a very depressive year or two, Fearne reveals she lost her confidence and had to change everything in her life. She began writing, which led to her “Happy” brand.
“I didn’t have any clue that it would lead to any of the stuff I’m doing today. From writing the first book ‘Happy’, the podcast, and then all the happy place stuff we do now from festivals, to the albums, to all the other projects that we’re working on at the moment,” she says.
This episode of The ChickPeeps podcast is available from Wednesday 18 November on Apple, Spotify and all major podcast platforms.
