When life takes you to a new town, a new job, marriage or children, how do those solid, biblical David-and-Jonathan or Ruth-and-Naomi friendships endure? Premier Christianity’s Emma Fowle joined Esther as a guest presenter and brought her longtime friend Sarah Yardley, former leader of Creation Fest in Cornwall to share what makes friendship thrive.
Guest presenter and deputy editor of Premier Christianity, Emma Fowle, joins Esther and Betsy de Thiery, founder of Trauma Recovery Global, to talk about confronting our past, experiencing true healing, and her new memoir, All The Times You Were Not There — which reveals how her dad’s steroid addiction nearly upended her family.
Did you ever read Lord of the Flies at school? Golding’s 1954 novel has haunted generations and is back in the spotlight with a new tv adaptation. But how can Christians interpret the seminal text? Are humans naturally evil, or does society create monsters? Broadcaster Tony Wilson joined Esther to explore why it still resonates today.
Have you heard of Curfew? The thriller envisions a world where men are required to observe a 7pm–7am curfew for the safety of women. Fiction, yes, but the issues are real. In the UK, violence against women and girls is a national emergency, making up nearly 20% of crime. Bekah Legg, CEO of Restored, and campaigner Gavin Drake join Esther to discuss how churches can address blind spots and make women safer.
We’re at the start of Lent, a season of fasting and spiritual discipline. Some give up treats or social media… but what about giving up all your comforts at once? Programmes like Exodus 90 are growing in popularity, challenging participants to 90 days of prayer, sacrifice and accountability. Matt Parkes joined Esther, alongside Ayoola Bandele of Daily Bible Devotions, to discuss whether the harder path is always the holier one.
Jasper Warwood may be fresh out of school, but he’s already seen God do some remarkable miracles in his lifetime, particularly through Alpha. Now spending a discipleship year at St Thomas’ in Newcastle, he joined Esther to talk about how we can respond to young people’s growing openness to faith and why God never stops!
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, but unlike Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday, it often passes us by. So what’s it all about, and what could we be missing? Sister Gemma Simmonds, theologian and spiritual director, joined Esther with a quick “Bluffer’s Guide” to the season, fresh from her early-morning Ash Wednesday service.
Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid caused a storm on the slopes last week when he publicly apologised for having an affair. But was such openness wise? Speaker and entrepreneur Kika Ashanike and Jack Valero, founder of Catholic Voices, joined Esther Higham to unpack the Sacrament of Confession, public vs private apologies, and why we can't live without forgiveness.
Heaven is something most people believe in, even if they’re not Christians. It’s often imagined as a place up in the sky, somewhere beyond the clouds. But what if that’s where we’ve gone wrong? According to theologian Tom (N. T.) Wright, heaven isn’t simply a place we go to when we die, it's much, much more. He joined Esther to share more about it and his new book on the subject.
American pop star Meghan Trainor recently faced fierce backlash after posting a photo with her newborn, praising her “superwoman surrogate.” But what does the Bible have to say? And was Jesus technically born via a surrogate? Esther spoke to Dr Susan Marriott from the Christian Medical Fellowship, Tim Dieppe, Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern, and Dr Pia Matthews, senior lecturer at St Mary’s University, Twickenham.
How far would you go for someone you love? Daniel Forrester is walking more than 5,000 miles for the person he loves, his fiancée Caroline, who died from cancer in 2024. Starting in the UK, Daniel hopes to finish in Caroline’s home country of Ghana, where he plans to scatter her ashes while also raising money for charity. He’s made it as far as southern Spain and phoned in to share how the journey is going and how God has met him along the way.
With a national social media ban for under-16's on the horizon, could this keep children from encountering Jesus? Young people are spending more time online than ever, but is the risk worth it if they might encounter faith content in the middle of the endless scroll? To help us, Esther was joined by Dr Ben Chang, a medical doctor and author; Judith Davey-Cole, CEO of Girls Brigade; and content creator Esther Tikare to unpack how a social media ban could affect the faith of under-16's...
Some young people are finding aspects of Jesus’s character challenging, according to a report from Youthscape. Gemma Madle, Senior Researcher at Youthscape, and Peter Wright, Assistant Director of Growing Young Disciples, join Esther to reflect on the Troubling Jesus report and whether our Saviour was a mansplainer...
Shara Grylls takes Esther Higham behind the scenes of her marriage to explorer and broadcaster Bear Grylls. From the unique challenges high-profile couples face to the simple power of holding hands, Shara reveals the lessons she’s learned from decades of an adventurous marriage — and the Bible verse engraved inside her own wedding ring.
Premier’s Max Avard sat down with Tabitha Heathcote – mum of three and family discipleship trainer – to explore the enduring charm of Paddington Bear, star of page, screen and now stage. Why do children love him so much? And in what ways does his story and character echo the person of Jesus?
