Life Uncut

Hey Lifers!

Welcome to your Wednesday ep! Britt is in New York doing some very exciting Life Uncut business (more on that soon 👀). Laura couldn’t make the trip, so we’re sending her over as a six-foot cardboard cutout. Britt, if you’re listening, we want cutout Laura on the subway, in the taxis and at every nice dinner. Lifers, please apply peer pressure in Britt’s comments.

So in the meantime, Producer Soph is in the hot seat and we’re talking Halloween, marathons and whether celebs are too radically honest. ( Jennifer Lawrence has told Call Her Daddy that her butthole never recovered after two kids). Is this exactly what we need from celebrities?

Next, a vulnerable one. Sophie opens up about the loneliness of moving abroad. Three years after moving to Australia, she went home to New Zealand and realised she felt like a visitor in both places. We get into the “stuck between two homes” feeling, how many hours it actually takes to make a close friend, and what it’s like raising a family without your village nearby. We want to hear from you, Lifers: if you’ve moved away, how long did it take before your new place felt like home?

Finally, a Substack piece got us asking: can you really be friends with someone if you disagree with their job? Is cutting someone off over their 9 to 5 fair, or is it a privilege not everyone has?

From AI and defence tech to private equity and fast fashion, how do you even define an “evil” job? We also talk about why your friend’s power in the company matters, whether a receptionist and a CEO deserve the same judgement, and how our videographer Ness, who is vegan, stays close friends with a butcher. Then there’s the “Severance” approach of people who switch their morals off for 40 hours a week. And are we all just picking and choosing our moral high ground?

Have you ever cut off a friend because of what they do for a living? We want to know!

Plus Sucks & Sweets, including a sausage dog who waits at the door and some more car park rage from Laura.

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 — Britt’s in New York & Laura’s six-foot cardboard cutout
2:55 — Sophie’s trip home, the Halloween lemon saga & why Halloween is the best holiday
13:25 — Why you should go watch a marathon (and never run one)
17:05 — Jennifer Lawrence’s butthole confession & radical celebrity honesty
21:00 — The loneliness of moving abroad: feeling like a visitor everywhere
33:00 — Can you be friends with someone whose job you disagree with?

Don’t forget, our Patreon episode drops tomorrow! Laura and Britt revisit the very first Life Uncut episode they ever recorded, seven years on.

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deep, dark and burning questions.

Before the questions, we get into a theory: can someone be so attractive that they stop being attractive? Brittany’s been deep in the Fourth Wing books (or as her husband Ben calls it, the Dragon Book), and the casting for the screen version has just dropped. We talk about intimidating hotness, the dad bod revival and why a perfect eight pack can feel like looking at a nice bunch of flowers.

Then it’s on to our vibes:

Laura’s Vibe: Edits (an Instagram Editing App)

Britt’s Vibe: MCoBeauty Lip Stain & Sculpt (Natural Nude)

Then we get into your questions:

I MIGHT HAVE TO FIRE MY FRIENDS

I’m stuck in a hard place! I run a small business that is quite successful and I have a couple of girls working with me that I adore and have become very good friends with. As we all know the cost of running a business these days is overwhelming, not just the money side of things but the stress, lack of work/ life balance and feeling like you need to be everything to everyone. Sometimes, because we have all become close I get taken advantage of and lines get blurred between boss and friend at work. I’ve recently started thinking about moving my business to my home as it’s a service based industry. It would give me a much better work life balance and I would be much better off financially without the crazy overhead costs, but it would mean I would need to let the girls go. I’m worried I would be absolutely betraying the girls who work with me, but I know they are amazing and could easily find work in this field elsewhere. Am I being selfish or am I overthinking it too much? Please send advice!

DAUGHTER AND BF HEARD US HAVING SEX

Hi ladies, I am writing for some advice for myself following my own embarrassing dilemma. Hubby and I have been together over 20 years, our kids are now older and aren’t at home as much, so we have more frequent alone time. I have always had a huge hang up on being intimate in ear shot of the kids, particularly if things become vocal. I feel it’s something they don’t need to hear. Last night, our daughter (almost 19) was out for a Birthday dinner followed by drinks and unbeknownst to us returned home from said dinner and drinks with her boyfriend (of a year) while hubby and I were watching a movie. Usually she would poke her head in the lounge room and say hi. This time, she didn’t. Hubby and I went to bed after the movie and let’s just say things got heated. I’m talking sloppy ‘hawk tua spit on that thang’ very vocal orgasms…going at it like hammer and tongs with the door wide open. It was like we were in our 20’s again (high five). My daughter and her boyfriend 100% heard us, it was confirmed with an awkward chat and laugh with her about it this morning. My daughter said her boyfriend was like ‘yes’ and she was ‘almost in tears’. I am absolutely mortified and now have a play by play of everything they would’ve heard on a constant loop in my mind. It’s beyond any embarrassment I’ve ever felt in my entire life. I know we’ve done well for this to be the first time this has happened in almost 19 years and she and her boyfriend are adults but I’m more horrified the boyfriend heard us. How can I get over this and move past it? Hubby thinks it’s hilarious which isn’t helping.

LET ME EAT CAKE!!!

A light hearted one! (With made up names) The other day my friend Cindy and I went to celebrate our other friend (Ellen’s) promotion at her house. Cindy brought flowers and I brought a cake. For reference it was a whole mud cake from a cake shop. When I greeted Ellen I handed her the cake and said “to celebrate!” And man was I looking forward to a piece of that cake. I had chosen a flavour I loved fully expecting to get a piece. Now… an hour goes by, no mention of cutting and sharing the cake.“I can’t wait to get into that cake” I say, hoping to prompt some action … nothing. About another hour later “let’s have some cake before we all have to scoot off!” I say again (subtle I know). Again, nothing. She doesn’t even make any acknowledgement when I bring up the cake. Eventually it’s time for me to leave. And leave I do, hungry and disappointed. Now, is it wrong for me to have expected her to offer to share the cake with us? Obviously I gifted it to her so it’s her cake, but I just thought it was common courtesy to crack out the cake with everyone who was there (it was just me and Cindy) Especially considering it was afternoon tea time. It left me wondering is she saving the cake to repurpose / re gift.

CAN I ASK MY PARENTS FOR THE WEDDING MONEY FOR SOMETHING ELSE?

Hey guys! I’ve been thinking a lot about this and I cannot decide what’s right… please help! So backstory, I’ve been working on my own start-up business on the side and I’m finally at a place now that I think I could take that full time and really go for it. To do that, I’d have to quit my current job and obviously that’s a pretty stressful financial situation if it goes tits up. Now, here’s the predicament. My parents have always said they’ll pay for my wedding. All of it, the bells and whistles, anything I want and they’re so excited to be able to do that for me. I’ve been with my partner for over 7 years (we’ve been engaged for a year) we’ve talked and neither of us is really all that keen for a big extravagant wedding. SO, knowing that my parents have set aside all this money… I’m wondering if I could ask that they invest that in my start up instead? It feels weird because it does just feel like I’m now asking for money, but on the other hand they were going to give it to me for a million flowers and decorations for a one day event? Should I ask them? Or just leave it?

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome to a very spooky Offcuts, your little Halloween weekend snack! 🎃

The plan was to come in costume. The plan did not go well. Laura’s had an emergency with Matt’s costume box, Britt is riding something inflatable, Delilah came as Chucky, and if you’re not watching on YouTube, now is the time.

Then we get into your ghost stories, and you sent in a lot! A commuter is saved from falling by hands on her back in an empty train carriage. A baby monitor photo that Britt and Laura can’t agree on (we need you to weigh in on socials). Britt also shares a deeply personal ghost story she has never told on the podcast. It had us both in tears.

Then we’re joined by psychic medium Kerrie Erwin, who has more than 40 years of experience talking to the dead and clearing haunted houses. Kerrie tells us how she was trained, why she burps whenever a spirit is nearby, and what it’s like being “Samantha from Bewitched” married to a very skeptical lawyer. She also does a remote clearing of Britt’s apartment, yes really! And finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for: skeptic Laura gets a reading. Has she been converted? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Happy Halloween, Lifers! 👻

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Welcome to our Halloween Offcuts (and our costume fails)
3:50 Your ghost stories: hands on the train, the baby monitor ghost and a man in the laundry
11:45 The ghost story Britt’s never told
18:16
25:22 Kerrie clears Britt’s house, remotely
28:12 Skeptic Laura gets a reading

Meet Kerrie Erwin:

Instagram: @MediumKerrieErwin

Website: http://pureview.com.au/

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content note: This episode discusses terminal illness, death and voluntary assisted dying.

Hey Lifers. Today’s episode is one we will never forget, and we’re so grateful you’re here for it.

Our guest is 26-year-old Annaliese “Annie” Holland from Adelaide. You may know her from social media or the news, where she has become one of the most honest and powerful voices on voluntary assisted dying (VAD) and patient advocacy in Australia. Annie lives with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG), a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system responsible for everything our bodies do without us thinking: digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, bladder. She first got sick at 13. It took five years to get a diagnosis, and by then she was already in multi-organ failure.

Annie takes us through the moment she looked in the mirror and didn’t recognise the girl looking back, why she chose quality of life over quantity, and the heartbreaking conversations she has had with her family. She also tells us about her friend Lily, who had the same disease, and the extraordinary honour of holding Lily’s hand as she died through VAD. That was the moment Annie promised to keep saying Lily’s name. She explains how VAD actually works in Australia, why she hates the term “assisted suicide,” and why she decided to stop her nutrition.

Annie, you will always be Annaliese to us. Thank you for spending some of your precious time with us. Check in on your people today, hug them, and tell them you love them. 💛

If this episode has brought anything up for you, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 — Welcome Annie to the studio
• 2:00 — A normal childhood, getting sick at 13 and the experimental treatment
• 5:23 — What AAG is and the five-year wait for a diagnosis
• 7:15 — Turning 21: the resuscitation conversation and choosing palliative care
• 18:35 — Lily: holding her friend’s hand through VAD
• 31:44 — How VAD actually works in Australia
• 44:02 — Why Annie made the decision to stop her nutrition
• 54:38 — The bucket list: a wedding dress, a helicopter ride and witnessing a birth
• 1:06:10 — How Annie will know when it’s time

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Britt’s pregnancy hormones have officially taken over, and this week she cried about butterflies. Yes, butterflies. Laura is (mostly) sympathetic and has a deeply unsettling caterpillar fact to share.

We also have a BIG announcement. We’re doing our first ever In Conversation event in Sydney! It’s an intimate, small-crowd night with us and the team, and tickets are very limited. Life Unlocked members on Patreon get first access to reserved tickets at 10am Thursday, and general sale opens at 10am Friday. Set your alarms!

Then we’re talking Hilary Duff, girls weekend with interpretive dances and is whistling on a silent bus cute or horror-movie creepy? PLUS keep an eye on our socials this week. Britt is jetting off to New York for something very exciting for Life Uncut, and we can’t say what just yet... 👀

Then we get into the story dividing the internet. A woman asked her employer for eight weeks of paid “paw-maternity” leave for her new puppy and threatened a discrimination claim when they said no. Is a puppy really comparable to a newborn? And why do so few workplaces give any leave for pets at all?

Finally, Tom Brady and the Victoria’s Secret angels. Joan Smalls has publicly called out her friend of 15 years, Candice Swanepoel, over her rumoured relationship with Brady. That opens the big girl code question: is dating your friend’s ex ever okay? We each share our own experiences, including one where we were the one in the wrong.

Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome back & Britt’s butterfly breakdown
05:24 Big announcement: In Conversation tickets
07:38 Hilary Duff, nostalgia & her very grown-up new era
20:39 Eight weeks paid pawternity leave for a puppy?
38:55 Tom Brady & the Victoria’s Secret friendship breakup
50:43 Our own friend’s-ex confessions

Wanna Join Patreon to get early access for tickets? HERE HERE HERE

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome back to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deepest, darkest and most burning questions! Before we get into it, we need to talk about pickles. They’ve gone viral, apparently they’re the new coriander (you either love them or they taste like soap), and one little pickle lover has just been teased out of having them in her lunchbox. Kids are brutal.

Then Laura finally tells the story she’s been “saving for content” all weekend. Mid-conversation in the park, she sucked back a fly… which then shot straight up the back of her nose and got stuck in her sinus. Sorry in advance, it’s very visual.

Vibes & Unsubscribes of the week:
Britt – Vibe: Ballers. Five seasons of The Rock as an NFL player turned sports manager, half-hour episodes, and very Entourage vibes. Britt smashed the whole thing in two weeks and is now in mourning.
Laura – Vibe: Instadocs: AI Gone Wild on Netflix. A short, frightening deep dive into the Hugging Face hack and what the AI agents were actually saying to each other.

Then it’s into your questions!

Q1: MY BEST FRIEND GAVE ME THE GO-AHEAD TO DATE HER BROTHER, NOW SHE’S PULLING AWAY
I’ve been friends with my friend for over ten years, and I recently moved back home. We all went to the pub together: me, my sister, my friend and her brother. It was a great night and it was no secret that her brother and I were vibing. He asked me out the following week. I immediately set the boundary that his sister is so important to me and I wanted to talk to her first. I did, we had a good chat and she gave me the go-ahead. Fast forward two months and my friend has become very uncomfortable and is pulling away from both of us. She doesn’t want me at the house when she’s there and point blank refuses to hang out with us, especially just the three of us, even though we’ve never actually all hung out since we started dating. Every time we talk about it she says, “I know this is a me problem”. She’s one of my oldest and closest friends and I don’t want to lose her, but I really like this guy. Am I being a bad friend by dating her brother, or is this something she needs to get over?

Q2: I THINK I’VE BEEN DUMPED BY MY FRIEND GROUP. DO I BRING IT UP?
I’ve always struggled to make friends. Even through high school and uni I felt a little out of touch or left out of the group. Two years ago I moved to a small town for work, knew no one, and ended up making friends with some really great girls through netball. When the season finished they kept including me and we became really close. About a month ago, two of the girls started drifting and stopped replying to messages. One was still talking to me, but her replies were getting shorter and shorter. When I asked what she had planned for the weekend, she said she was going to her partner’s dad’s house so the kids could see their grandfather. Then I found out on Instagram that they’d all gone to a festival together. I have no idea if I’ve done something to upset them. Do I tell them they’ve hurt my feelings, or do I just pretend it never happened?

Q3: MY FRIEND’S BOYFRIEND STAYED BACK IN EUROPE AND SHARED A HOTEL ROOM WITH ANOTHER GIRL
My friend has been dating her boyfriend for four months. They went to Europe to visit her family and he stayed an extra week after she flew home. During that week he travelled with one of his friends, a single, straight girl, and they shared a hotel room (separate beds, apparently). My friend told him she was uncomfortable and he said it’s fine, they’re just friends, he has lots of female friends, nothing to see here. Now my friend thinks it’s all fine and that this is just the modern world. I think when you’re in a relationship, out of respect for your partner, you don’t travel alone with someone of the opposite sex, let alone share a room. Does he not respect her, or is this now the done thing?

Q4: DO I HAVE TO ASK HER TO BE MY BRIDESMAID BECAUSE I WAS HERS?
I recently got engaged and have asked my three closest girlfriends to be bridesmaids. My fiancé wants four groomsmen, so now I’m wondering whether I need a fourth. A few years ago I was a bridesmaid at one of my friends’ weddings and I feel this unspoken pressure to return the favour. We haven’t fallen out, we’ve just naturally drifted. We live in different towns, have our own friendship circles and only catch up every couple of months. I still love her, but we’re not as close as we used to be. I have a feeling she’ll be really hurt, or even angry, if I don’t ask her. Is it easier to just include her? Should I really be choosing someone to stand beside me purely out of obligation?

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 — Intro: The great pickle debate & Laura snorts a fly
7:05 — Vibes & unsubscribes
14:52 — Q1: My best friend gave me the go-ahead to date her brother, now she’s pulling away
27:14 — Q2: I think I’ve been dumped by my friend group
38:02 — Q3: He stayed back in Europe and shared a hotel room with another girl
43:44 — Q4: Do I have to ask her to be my bridesmaid because I was hers?

If we answered your question, we want the aftermath! Let us know what happens.

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome to Offcuts, your little weekend snack!

First up, some very exciting news: we are interviewing Hedley Thomas, the journalist behind The Teacher’s Pet and the new podcast The Poisoned Wife, after his niece Sophie (a Lifer, of course) slid into our DMs. We also have a very special Halloween Offcuts coming next week, with a medium joining us in the studio!

Then we go back to kindergarten. Lola’s first ever speech was “what I want to be when I grow up” (ballerina, famous, pretty dress), and we reminisce about the most coveted classroom jobs of the 90s. Brittany also gets her first taste of the preschool waitlist panic, and we find out it starts way before you think.

Next, a debate we can’t stop having: would you invoice someone who RSVP’d to your wedding and never showed up? We also look at the birthday party invoice, and the etiquette of turning up with extra kids.

Plus, a confession from Brittany: she was once invited to an intimate Beyonce show in Dubai on the same day as Laura’s wedding. We hear how close she came to missing it (and Laura’s champagne tower thoughts).

Then, Sylvester Stallone has just said what every Hollywood parent is thinking: of course he cast his daughter in Tulsa King, because “that’s why we’re parents.” We get into nepotism and whether any of us would do the same for our own kids.

We close out with a very relatable internet moment. Instagram is testing a read only mode, so no more accidental double taps on an ex’s 2017 photos (Brittany remembers exactly how she met a certain “hot guy with a dog”). And Brittany shares the AI pyramid video she reposted to her stories, the one that literally says it’s AI. We talk about why we all keep falling for it, and why getting called out is so deflating.

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced byhttps://www.instagram.com/keeshiapettit/?hl=enLachy Pugsleyhttps://www.instagram.com/keeshiapettit/?hl=en

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Today’s guest needs no introduction, but we’re giving him one anyway. Radio legend, podcaster, TV host, Gold Logie winner, one half of Hamish & Andy and, as of very recently, member of the hole-in-one club (174 metres, in case you were wondering). It’s the one and only Hamish Blake!

Hamish kicks things off with an Accidentally Unfiltered story he has NEVER told before. It involves Pants Off Friday, some questionable early-2000s diet pills, Matt Tilley’s beloved studio chair and a secret late-night dumpster run around St Kilda. We are honoured, and also deeply confused, that he chose us for this one.

Once we’ve recovered, Hamish gets into the good stuff. He explains why he considers himself a “blue ribbon husband,” what 14 years of marriage to Zoë has taught him about growing together, and why parenting feels like doing a puzzle on a moving table. He also tells us why he’s protecting the school run at all costs, even when big gigs come knocking.

We also go deep on his 20-year partnership with Andy. Hamish talks about why they chose to end radio on a high, how they watched for “the crack in the reactor” before anything could go wrong, and why podcasting has become his favourite thing they’ve ever done. Plus, we get the (very wholesome) goss from Andy’s buck’s party. Think less strippers, more 24 grown men playing Battleship at 1am.

And of course, we chat about his brand new Stan show, Unskilled Adults. In it, Hamish and his mates take on real jobs with zero skills, including catering a wedding for 80 people in Townsville. Unskilled Adults lands on Stan on November 1st, so make sure you check it out!

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 — Welcome Hamish Blake + the hole in one he definitely isn’t bragging about
• 4:00 — Accidentally Unfiltered: Pants Off Friday, diet pills & the destruction of Matt Tilley’s chair
• 12:21 — Petty hill (RIP voicemail), being a “blue ribbon husband” & choosing the school run over big gigs
• 18:58 — 14 years married to Zoë: growing together & parenting as a team
• 24:21 — Why Hamish & Andy ended on a high, the magic of chemistry & falling in love with podcasting
• 40:04 — Andy’s buck’s party: Battleship, mooning & the legend of fruit bowling
• 43:53 — Raising boys in the age of social media: masculinity, resilience & “the doing of life”
• 47:04 — All about Unskilled Adults on Stan, including catering a wedding for 80 people

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a Big Problem With 65% of Tinder Users & Should We Be Celebrating Postpartum Careers?

Hey Lifers!

Look, apologies, the start of this ep is chaotic. We’re talking boob pains, nipple play (or no play) and then we get into the really entertaining headlines that have been written about the team. It’s a tangent that just gets funnier and funnier, b efore we find our way back on track.

Britt has gone deep into US Dancing With The Stars after Julia Stiles recreated her iconic Save The Last Dance routine 25 years later. Sophie also has a very important unsubscribe: Coke Zero now looks exactly like regular Coke, and it’s just ludicrous.

Then into the big stuff. A new study surveyed nearly 1,400 Tinder users and claims 65% were married or in a relationship at some point while using the app. Tinder has pushed back on the findings, but we unpack why so many people use dating apps for validation, Laura’s ex who reactivated his Tinder while she was travelling, and the friend whose partner was caught on the app “just trying to make friends.”

Then it’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show time. Barbara Palvin walked six weeks after giving birth, and Elsa Hosk walked at 12 weeks. Is casting someone six weeks postpartum empowering, or is it capitalising on bounce back culture? We compare it to Ballerina Farm competing in a pageant 12 days postpartum and Jacinda Ardern returning to work after six weeks, and ask why we celebrate postpartum career milestones but feel so uncomfortable when the milestone is a body.

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 — Britt’s pregnancy symptoms & the massage table injustice
• 4:37 — Our most unhinged Daily Mail headlines
• 11:46 — Julia Stiles recreates Save The Last Dance on Dancing With The Stars
• 18:29 — Are 65% of Tinder users secretly in a relationship?
• 29:00 — Victoria’s Secret, six weeks postpartum & bounce back culture
• 48:22 — Sucks & Sweets!

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deepest, darkest and most burning questions!

School holidays are officially over (parents, we made it), but Laura’s trip home from the coast did not go to plan. An hour and a half into the drive, ten minutes out of Wollongong, Matt calls and asks her to pull over and check for something…. Cue a full U-turn, a seven-hour version of a three-hour drive, and a five-year-old who handles it with more grace than any of us would.

Vibes of the week:

Laura – Worst Roommate Ever, Season 2, Episode 1: My BFF Tried to Kill Me on Netflix.

Britt – The Celebrity Traitors UK. We’re four episodes in and Joanne McNally is as funny as ever.

Then it’s into your questions!

Q1: MY HUSBAND IS THROWING ME A SURPRISE PARTY AND I DON’T WANT IT

I’ve just had a baby, and a few weeks ago I told my husband that my 40th is coming up and I really don’t feel like a big party. I specifically said, “Do not throw me a surprise party,” and gave him multiple reasons why. I’d much prefer to go away with just our family. He’s ignored me, and I’m 99% sure he’s planning one anyway. He planned a surprise birthday for me once before with my family and friends, which turned into him proposing. I’d clued into that one too, so I knew it was coming, and I hated the pressure of it all being about me. I’ve had to pretend all these years that I didn’t know. Am I being a bitch and ungrateful? Do I have to just relax and enjoy the party I specifically said I didn’t want, or do I bring it up again?

Q2: CAN I ASK FOR MONEY INSTEAD OF PRESENTS AT MY TODDLER’S BIRTHDAY?

I just listened to the episode on the wedding gift registry and wanted your thoughts. My daughter turns two soon, and we struggle with presents because she already has so many toys. For her first birthday party, we respectfully asked for no gifts, and if people wanted to give something, they could contribute to her bank account, so one day she can afford a car or a house (because the economy is fucked). We got some mixed opinions. For her second birthday, do we say nothing at all, or do we request the same thing as last year?

Q3: MY BOYFRIEND WEARS THE SAME TRACKIES TO THE GYM AND TO BED

My boyfriend goes to the gym in tracksuit pants. He’ll then have a shower, but put the same pants back on, and then get into bed, under the covers, and fully go to sleep in them. I keep telling him this is gross because gyms are very unhygienic, but he thinks I’m overreacting. I’d love for you to weigh in!

Q4: I’VE HAD FEELINGS FOR MY FRIEND FOR TEN YEARS. DO I SHOOT MY SHOT?

Please help talk some sense into me. I’ve had feelings for a male friend on and off for over ten years. We met at uni, and over the years he’s had a long-term girlfriend and we’ve lived in different cities. Since moving back, we’ve reconnected and caught up occasionally, including a recent five-hour evening having dinner and hanging out at his place. We have a lot in common and get along really well, but nothing romantic has ever happened. He’s quite reserved and I genuinely can’t tell if he’s interested. Lately my feelings have become almost obsessive. I’m extremely sensitive to rejection, I overanalyse every interaction, and I feel physically sick at the thought of him dating someone else. I’m terrified that confessing will ruin our friendship. Meanwhile I’ve been dating other men, including someone who is flying interstate to see me, but I worry I’m using dating as a distraction. Have I romanticised the idea of us after all these years? Should I finally tell him and risk rejection, or just try to move on? Or is there a less risky way to float the idea?

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Intro: Laura’s seven-hour car key disaster
7:03 — Vibes of the week: Worst Roommate Ever & The Celebrity Traitors UK
11:58 — Q1: My husband is throwing me a surprise party I don’t want
18:41 — Q2: Can I ask for money instead of presents at my toddler’s birthday?
25:48 — Q3: My boyfriend wears his gym trackies to bed
32:37 — Q4: I’ve had feelings for my friend for ten years. Do I shoot my shot?

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome to Offcuts, your little weekend snack!

Brittany is off doing other work this week, so Producer Soph has been called up from the producers’ chair to co host with Laura. Soph also has a very important question: is it weird to go to a dog park when you don’t have a dog?

Then Laura has a big update of her own: Poppy has taken her first steps (and Matt’s reaction was far too calm for Laura’s liking). Plus, a question that has divided the studio: which part of your foot do you use on the accelerator and the brake? Spoiler: one of us uses only her big toe.

Next, the story that Laura vetoed and everyone else overruled. Kelly Clarkson walked into a small Brooklyn shop, wanted a $15,000 wooden bird, and says she was treated like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.

Then Transport for NSW has officially confirmed that you cannot reserve a car park by standing in it, and it comes with a $94 fine. Laura shares her unhinged Bondi Junction car park story from when she was eight months pregnant, and Soph reveals the most powerful day bed move she has ever witnessed on a cruise ship.

We close out with the Tinder Swindler, Simon Leviev, who is reportedly launching his own dating app called Safe Love. We unpack why this is horrifying, and look at the Singapore government’s AI matchmaking app. Would you let a panel of experts pick your partner?

Soph and Lachy also have their very first episode of Producers Cut on Patreon this Thursday, so go and subscribe if you haven’t already!

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Welcome Producer Soph!
• 2:03 Is it weird to go to a dog park without a dog?
• 5:03 Poppy’s first steps
• 7:54 Which part of your foot do you drive with?
• 10:31 Kelly Clarkson vs the $15,000 wooden bird
• 20:18 Can you reserve a car park by standing in it?
• 23:59 Laura’s Bondi Junction car park rage story
• 30:15 The Tinder Swindler’s new dating app

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Fill in Host Sophie Nathan

Produced by Lachy Pugsley

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!
Did you know the average person is on track to spend 18 years of their life scrolling? Or that using AI to make a decision can cause a 64% drop in activity in your prefrontal cortex; the part of your brain responsible for thinking? Today we want to talk about how to not lose our minds as AI use increases. Joining us again is neuroscientist, international speaker and author of The Dose Effect, TJ Power.

Last time TJ joined us we talked about micro-habits and the small daily things quietly wrecking our dopamine. This time, we're going somewhere a little different: building a successful brain in the age of AI.

TJ breaks down exactly what AI is doing to our thinking, our creativity and our feelings, why the average person is on track to scroll for 18 years of their life, and the lesser known brain chemical, glutamate, that's quietly driving all of our decision fatigue. We also get into what this means for our kids and screens in schools, why TJ has banned AI from parts of his own life completely, and the very simple (and very effective) "safety check" habit rewiring your anxiety every time you pick up your phone.

Oh, and if you take one thing from this episode, put your phones in another room tonight and watch Good Will Hunting with your partner. TJ's orders.

Timestamps

• 00:00 — Welcome back TJ Power, and why AI is the new frontier for the brain
• 02:07 — What AI is actually doing to our brains: thinking, creating & feeling
• 12:58 — Glutamate: the "decision fatigue" chemical nobody's talking about
• 19:21 — Doomscrolling for 18 years of your life and what a "successful brain" really looks like
• 32:09 — Kids, iPads and schools in the age of AI
• 39:15 — TJ's actionable rules for using AI without losing your edge
• 49:04 — The phone-free rule saving their relationships (meals, bedroom, bathroom)
• 59:18 — TJ's OCD story and how to beat the phone "safety check" habit

You can watch our previous episodes with TJ here:
New Year, New You? The Micro Changes We Can Make To Have A Much Happier Life w/ TJ Power

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fx-uNOefOA

Dopamine and the ADHD Brain. CLOUD With Neuroscientist TJ Power!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJAgXI39gQQ

You can follow TJ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tjpower/?hl=en

See him Live in Sydney

The DOSE Experience Tickets:

https://events.humanitix.com/the-dose-experience-tj-power-live

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced byKeeshia PettitSoph Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Britt & Ben’s Baby Bonanza is finally here!!! After last week’s announcement, Britt is answering every question we’ve been banned from asking. First, we clear up the Facebook group theory that the announcement was staged. Spoiler: Laura’s face says it all.

Britt takes us back through almost four years of trying. She was banking on falling pregnant naturally until a new fertility doctor delivered some blunt news about Ben’s results, and it changed everything. Britt walks us through what IVF transfer is actually like: the frozen embryo that gets “half defrosted”, the very long needle, the two-week wait, and the cheeky at-home test she wasn’t supposed to take. The big reveal to Ben…

We also get into the harder stuff. Britt talks about her birth plan, being on the cusp of high-risk, and the January transfer window that could mean Ben is overseas for the birth. She responds to the comments questioning how someone with fertility struggles can now be pregnant. Then we have an honest chat about never feeling the maternal pull, the “regret having kids” content that keeps finding us, and what being a “good mum” really means.

Plus: the progesterone boobs that gave it all away, Britt’s potato gem diet, and why she and Ben can’t agree on a single name.

To anyone going through infertility or IVF right now, we’re thinking of you.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Britt’s up the duff and the “fake announcement” theories
06:28 - The fertility journey so far
15:06 - What actually happens with IVF
22:06 - To find out or not? The sealed gender envelope
29:57 - The possibility of giving birth alone
39:15 - Never feeling maternal and the fear of being a “bad mum”

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deepest, darkest and most burning questions!

Laura reveals something she’s been noticing lately (and no it’s not Britt’s baby boobs) and we want to know if anyone else has heard it…

Vibes of the week:

Britt – Believe Me, the four-part British true crime drama about London’s black cab driver case and the women who weren’t believed. It’s free on ABC iview. (Heads up: it deals with sexual assault, so please skip it if that’s not something you’re in the space for.)

Laura – Stone Bridge Frames, the walnut photo booth strip frames that have finally rescued the family photo strips from the fridge.

Then it’s into your questions!

Q1: CAN I STAY FRIENDS WITH MY EX’S FAMILY?

My ex-fiancé and I were together from when I was 16 until 29. It was a long and very messy breakup. Years later I found my penguin. We’re engaged and have two beautiful children. My ex’s sister and sister-in-law have stayed in my life and they are genuinely my friends. We see each other regularly and our kids have playdates. I’m completely over my ex, and my fiancé has no issue with these friendships. But I’ve always drawn the line at birthday parties or events where my ex and his parents will be, out of respect for him and his new girlfriend. It’s now been more than seven years and I wonder if I’m unnecessarily removing myself from events I’d really like to attend. We’ve just been invited to a big birthday party and I genuinely want to go. Is that crossing a line?

Q2: SHE’S NOT AS ATTRACTIVE AS I’D LIKE. DO I TELL HER?

I’ve been seeing this girl as a friends with benefits for about six months, but it’s getting more serious. We spend whole weeks together and we’re about to meet each other’s families. She’s a great chick, we’re extremely compatible in bed, she gives me very little drama and we click. The issue is she’s not as attractive as I like, and I’m a little embarrassed by it. I can’t see myself giving her the relationship she wants because I’m just not attracted to her the way she is to me. Do I tell her this and break her heart? Do I make up another reason to break up with her? Do I keep her discreet forever? Or do I keep this one running in the background while I “try others out”?

(This one came into the Facebook group. We didn’t publish it, he’s no longer a member, and we have THOUGHTS.)

Q3: MY BOYFRIEND STILL SLEEPS WITH HIS BLANKIE

I’ve been with my boyfriend for four years. About three months in, he revealed a blankie he keeps in his bed, that his mum gave him when he was a baby. At first I didn’t care that much, but four years on I wonder at what age he decides he doesn’t need it anymore. He says it calms him down and he looks for it every night. For extra context: he only washes it every few months, and he has a smaller version that he once gave to me when I was having a bad night. I have not touched it since, lol. When will the time be up?

Q4: MY FRIEND MARRIED HER FIRST BOYFRIEND AND NOW SHE’S WONDERING “WHAT IF?”

My friend has been with her now-husband since she was 18. He was her first serious relationship, her first sexual partner, and her first and only boyfriend. They’ve been married almost four years and she loves him dearly. Recently, out of the blue, a guy she flirted with when she was 18 messaged her. Nothing ever happened between them, but his messages have become increasingly flirty and he’s said things like “I miss you so much”. It’s really gotten into her head. What if she’d explored more before settling down? What has she missed by only ever being with one person? She hasn’t cheated and doesn’t want to throw away her marriage over a fantasy, but she knows continuing these conversations could cross a line, and that scares her. What should she do?

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Intro: Britt’s half up half down era (and why she says “becwase”)
4:11 — Vibes of the week: Believe Me & photo booth frames
9:19 — Q1: Can I stay friends with my ex’s family?
15:47 — Q2: She’s not as attractive as I’d like. Do I tell her?
22:07 — Q3: My boyfriend still sleeps with his blankie
32:25 — Q4: My friend married her first boyfriend and now she’s wondering “what if?”

Want more? There’s a bonus ep waiting for you over on [Patreon / Life Unlocked], recorded moments after Britt shared her big news with Laura.

If we answered your question, we want the aftermath! Let us know what happens.

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome to Offcuts, your little weekend schneck!

First up, we go behind the scenes of last week's pregnancy announcement, including how it actually went down on camera, who was in on the secret ahead of time, and why Laura completely zoned out and missed the whole thing live (we promise it's funnier than it sounds).

Then, a viral video from Bundaberg, Queensland has taken over the internet: a giant inflatable nutcracker Christmas decoration malfunctioned in the most unfortunate way possible, the council issued an actual apology, and we debate whether it's too early for Christmas decorations full stop.

We also get into a new study claiming 80% of people lie at least once every ten minutes, and unpack the difference between harmless white lies, embellishment, and full blown dishonesty.

Then, two new relationship theories we can't stop thinking about: the Meet Them Twice Theory (if someone's truly meant for you, the universe will bring them back) and the Rockstar Theory (every relationship needs one rock and one star to thrive). We share our own stories, including Laura's very real "meet them twice" moment with Matt, and debate whether these theories actually hold up.

Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Lachy Pugsley

Video Produced by Lachy Pugsley & Vanessa Beckford

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content warning: This episode discusses postpartum psychosis, suicide and the death of children. If that's not something you're in the space to hear right now, please skip this one and look after yourself. Support services are listed at the bottom of these notes.

Hey Lifers. Today's episode is a heavier one, and it's a little different to our usual Friday chats.

So many of you have been following the Lindsay Clancy case, and it's come up again and again in the discussion group. Lindsay is the Massachusetts mum charged with the murder of her three young children in January 2023. Her trial ended in a mistrial in September after the jury couldn't reach a unanimous verdict, and it's left a lot of us with more questions than answers.

This episode is not about the outcome of the Lindsay Clancy case. We're not here to debate the verdict, weigh up the evidence or decide whether anyone is guilty. What we want to do is understand the bigger picture: what postpartum psychosis is, how mental illness is assessed in the justice system, and how to recognise the warning signs in ourselves and the people we love.

We're not experts, and we didn't want to add to the noise. So we found someone who is. Dr Jackie Rakov is a Melbourne-based clinical and forensic psychiatrist. She assesses people facing very serious charges, writes reports for the courts and is cross-examined as an expert witness. Jackie has no involvement in the Clancy case and isn't here to diagnose anyone from afar. She's here to help us understand how this actually works.

We also get into what happens when most of us are getting our information from a three-minute TikTok, and what someone who does this work for a living wishes the internet understood about cases like this one.

Then we head into the courtroom. How is mental illness assessed and proven in a criminal case, and how much room is there for error? What does "not guilty by reason of insanity" really mean for what happens to a person afterwards? Can someone seem completely fine in the hours before a tragedy? And how much rests on the twelve people who end up on a jury?

Most importantly, we cover the warning signs to look for in yourself, your partner or someone you love.

Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency. If you're worried about yourself or a new parent in your life, please don't wait.

If this episode has raised anything for you:

• Emergency: call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department
• PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia): 1300 726 306, panda.org.au
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7), lifeline.org.au
• ForWhen (perinatal mental health support line): 1300 24 23 22, forwhenhelpline.org.au
• 13YARN (crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people): 13 92 76 (24/7)
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636, beyondblue.org.au
• Gidget Foundation Australia: gidgetfoundation.org.au

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Why we're talking about the Lindsay Clancy case
4:18 Postpartum depression vs postpartum psychosis, and what causes it
8:26 What the internet gets wrong about cases like this
12:45 How mental illness is proven in court, and what the verdict really means
17:47 How a forensic psychiatric assessment works
33:43 The gaps in perinatal mental health care
37:07 Warning signs for new parents and their families
42:12 Where to find support

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to your Wednesday episode! We did try to start this one eight minutes earlier, but we accidentally talked about New Zealand for the fourth week in a row, (so this is take two.)

Laura's just back from five days on Magnetic Island visiting her dad, and she paints the full picture: koalas in the trees, rock wallabies, a thousand locals, and a self-described "island of misfits" that turns out to be absolutely full of Lifers. Speaking of which, Life Unlocked has ticked over 1,000 subscribers! We still don't know what to call you, so jump into the Patreon and vote.

Then it's a holiday horror story. Lola's favourite ring takes a dive into a very occupied toilet, Matt declares it gone forever, and Laura goes in armed with a single chopstick. Naturally that opens the floodgates on everything we've ever fished out of a toilet, including a phone, a signet ring that took the long way round, and a pile of hand warmers on the coldest night NSW had seen in 20 years.

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence, including reference to strangulation. If this is triggering for you, please skip from 14:30 to 24:24, or take care while listening. Support resources are listed below.

Over the weekend, former Bachelor Sam Wood was arrested and charged with domestic violence offences. We also talk about a video that has been circulating online, and ask why casually violent language so often goes unquestioned. This matter is before the courts. The charges are allegations only, nothing has been proven, and this conversation reflects what had been publicly reported at the time of recording.

A few weeks ago Laura shared that with Poppy turning one, and knowing she's her last baby, she's been grieving this stage while she's still in it. It turns out there's a name for it: “Anticipatory Nostalgia”. We unpack why your brain files a moment away as a memory before it's even over, why Britt has felt it all year, and whether knowing something is finite makes it sweeter or more stressful.

We finish with our sucks and sweets: Laura probably had Covid (and brought it to the office), we ignored the wrap-up signal for ten whole minutes with Benson Boone, and the Sydney moth plague has claimed a victim on our team. Then Britt reads out a five star review from a brand new Lifer. Listen right to the end. Trust us.

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

Timestamps:

• 01:16 Laura's trip to Magnetic Island
• 08:50 Lola's ring goes down the toilet (& everything we've fished out)
• 14:30 ⚠️ CW: The Sam Wood charges & domestic violence in plain sight
• 24:24 Anticipatory nostalgia: missing a moment while it's happening
• 37:10 Sucks & sweets: Covid, Benson Boone & the moth plague
• 41:31 A very special five star review

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

If you need support (Australia):

• 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7 national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling)
• Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578 (24/7 trauma counselling for people affected by sexual, domestic or family violence)
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
• 13YARN: 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
• Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491 (for men concerned about their own behaviour)
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25)
• If you are in immediate danger, call 000

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deepest, darkest and most burning questions! Life Unlocked has been live for four whole days and it's already turning into a fun little community. Now we just need to work out what to call you all, so jump in and cast your vote!

Then Britt has a confession. "Spa night" with Ben is usually a very romantic affair: lights dimmed, mood lamp on, Britt face down getting a massage while Ben watches his show. But this time Britt assumed his noise-cancelling headphones were on. They were not…

Vibes & unsubscribes of the week:

Laura – Vibe: TripView, the $7 app that maps out your public transport routes and makes you feel powerful (Lachy would like it noted that Google Maps does this for free, and there is also TripView Lite which is free)
Britt – Vibe: the remote-control mood lamp a Lifer sent her
Britt – Unsubscribe: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix (too gruesome and too weird, even for our resident true crime lover)

Then it's into your questions!

Q1: MY BOSS MIGHT BE HAVING AN AFFAIR. DO I SAY SOMETHING?

Context: My boss is a good friend of mine. She’s married with two kids and has recently become extremely close with a single male colleague. She picks him up and drops him home, they get coffee & lunch most days, and she hangs out with him outside of work with her kids while her husband is at work. What makes it stranger is that whenever he comes up, she says he's weird, won't leave her alone, and makes it impossible for her to say no. I told her that if she didn't want this friendship, she needed to put some boundaries in place. I have no idea if anything inappropriate is actually happening and I don't want to accuse her of having an affair, but the whole thing feels really off and everyone at work is talking about it. Do I stay completely out of it because it's none of my business? How do I navigate this without damaging our friendship or our working relationship?

Q2: CAN I KEEP THE FOOTY TIPPING WINNINGS IF MY EX-BOYFRIEND WINS?

This year my family set up our first footy tipping comp. There are 16 of us and everyone put in 50 bucks. I covered my boyfriend's $50 at the time. Fast forward to finals and we've been broken up for five months, but he's currently sitting in first place. I've joked a few times that I'm keeping the money if he wins because technically I paid his entry fee. He always laughs and thinks I'm joking. But now there's a real possibility he could win a lot of money. Am I a terrible person if I keep the winnings, or does the fact that I paid his $50 make it fair game?

Q3: MY SISTER IS BACK IN TOUCH WITH OUR DAD AFTER HIS 15-YEAR AFFAIR

About five years ago it came out that my dad had essentially been living a double life, having an affair for over 15 years. He told my mum they'd bought an investment property with their retirement savings, when he'd actually bought it for the other woman to live in. My sister and I went very low contact with him. More recently my older sister had a serious health scare (thankfully she's now been given the all clear) and she's decided to get back in touch with Dad. He and his affair partner have thrown themselves into being grandparents to her kids: performative Facebook posts, big expensive presents, turning up at school sports carnivals. My mum is so hurt and I feel really angry at my sister. I feel like she's being hugely disloyal to Mum. Are my feelings valid? Should I speak to her, or is she not actually doing anything wrong?

Q4: MY BIOLOGICAL DAD DOESN'T KNOW I EXIST. SHOULD I REACH OUT?

I'm adopted and recently found out who my birth father is. My birth mother is hopeless at replying and has been hard to keep in touch with. She promised I'd meet my two half-brothers, but it never really went anywhere. I know who my birth father is, but he doesn't know I exist. If you had an unknown biological relative, would you want them to contact you?

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Intro: Life Unlocked is live (and you need a name)
1:17 — Britt's spa night goes horribly wrong
5:58 — Vibes & unsubscribes: TripView and Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story
11:28 — Q1: My boss is my friend, and she's very close with a colleague
18:40 — Q2: Can I keep the footy tipping winnings if my ex wins?
24:30 — Q3: My sister is back in touch with our dad after his 15-year affair
33:28 — Q4: My biological dad doesn't know I exist. Should I reach out?

We spoke about this with Ryan Jon Dunn. Listen to The DNA Test That Found His Biological Father: HERE

If we answered your question, we want the aftermath! Let us know what happens.

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome to Offcuts, your little weekend schneck!

First up: Sydney is being absolutely swarmed by bogong moths right now, and Britt’s done a deep dive into the science of why (spoiler: it's a wind-blown migration, not the apocalypse).

Then, the big one: Taylor Swift dropped four new songs, and while Patient Zero is on repeat everywhere, her track Cleveland has copped brutal backlash online, with critics saying the lyrics read like they were run through AI. We get into whether the hate is fair, or if people just love piling on when she has one off-note.

We also open up a conversation sparked by a question in the Life Uncut Discussion Group: what are the actual rules around phone privacy in relationships? We talk through our own "open phone policy" boundaries, when snooping crosses a line, and why finding out about a messy relationship overlap years later can do more harm than good.

Then, a difficult but important one: we unpack the latest from Bonnie Blue, who has reportedly welcomed a baby and sold the naming rights for millions — and why bringing a child into her content raises concerns that go well beyond the usual outrage cycle.

We close out lighter, with a look at Instagram's new face-blur feature (less "soft launch tool," more "actually really useful for protecting your kids' privacy online").

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Lachy Pugsley

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford &Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

We have such a special one for you today. If it sounds a little different, that's because we recorded this in Benson Boone's room (yes, he invited us up!). And if you're wondering why Britt is flying solo for the intro, it's because Benson was SUCH a vibe that we spent half our time just chatting and laughing, the interview ran way over, and Laura had to sprint off for kid pick-up.

You know Benson from "Beautiful Things", the biggest-selling single on the planet in 2024 and now 12-times-platinum here in Australia. But nothing prepared us for how open, unhinged and genuinely lovely he is. Today he tells us a story he's never told publicly which ends with his pants fully around his ankles.

He also opens up about not owning a smartphone until he was 17, nearly becoming an architect, and how "Ghost Town" was literally the first song he ever wrote. He tells us about growing up with four sisters and his one and only celebrity crush (it runs in the family). Then he weighs in on a Lifer who's secretly dating two men at once, and answers the big one: would he ever date a fan?

Benson brings the Wanted Man Tour to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney this November. It's almost sold out, so get amongst it!

YouTube Timestamps
0:00 – Britt's solo intro: inside Benson's room and how a press junket actually works
3:56 – Accidentally Unfiltered: the shared bathroom, the pants-down tradition and the fan who walked in
7:45 – Why he didn't start singing until 17 (no smartphone and a plan to be an architect)
13:40 – His only ever celebrity crush, and why it runs in the family
16:01 – Ask Uncut: "Sally, you are the problem"
18:58 – Would Benson date a fan? Why he wants to do the chasing

Follow Benson Boone on TikTok and Instagram @bensonboone
Wanted Man Tour tickets via Frontier Touring

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast onInstagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us onYoutube

Join us ontiktok

Or join theFacebook Discussion Group

Hosted byBritt Hockley &Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

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