Conversations

Sarah and Richard give you a sneak peek behind the scenes of the Conversations Live Tour, Adelaide edition. Legendary sports broadcaster, Bruce McAvaney was one of the special guests who appeared on stage to share some photos close to his heart, and the stories attached to them. Further information To see Bruce's photos for yourself, head to the ABC Conversations Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos/]. https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos/ [https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos/] To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Sarah and Richard give you a sneak peek behind the scenes of the Conversations Live Tour, Adelaide edition. London Bombing survivor, Gill Hicks was one of the special guests who appeared on stage to share some photos close to her heart, and the stories attached to them. Further information To see Gill's photos for yourself, head to the ABC Conversations Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos/]. https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos/ [https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos/] To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Longtime TV casting agent, Kirsty de Vallance was 16 when Police searched the house and arrested her father on serious drugs charges. Throughout her teen years she had to navigate the complexity of having a parent in prison.  The family went into freefall and a short time later Kirsty's mother died. Her two older sisters raised Kirsty and she stayed in touch with her father until his release from prison. The effects on the family were far-reaching and devastating and as a result, Kirsty volunteers with children who find themselves in a situation like hers — with parents in jail. For many years Kirsty ran a successful casting agency with her husband and together they found contestants for TV shows including Masterchef and Project Runway. Further information First broadcast June 2015. 2025 update: Kirsty continued working in TV casting up until recently, but now she and her husband focus on the wellbeing side of production.  Their company ‘Strength on Set’ looks after the health and wellbeing of cast and crew on shows like ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ and ‘The Bachelor’. Kirsty has also returned to studying, and is completing a Diploma in Counselling. Standout story: Nicholas Hammond You can hear Richard's full conversation with Nicholas Hammond on the ABC Listen app [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/nicholas-hammond-the-sound-of-music-cinderella-julie-andrews/14069188] or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/nicholas-hammond-the-sound-of-music-cinderella-julie-andrews/14069188 [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/nicholas-hammond-the-sound-of-music-cinderella-julie-andrews/14069188] You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784 [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784#Richard Fidler reflects on 20 years of Conversations] The Executive Producer of this episode of Conversations was Pam O'Brien. This episode of Conversations explores parents in prison, kids with a parent in prison, drugs charges, heroin, early death, mentoring, prison, jail, Ireland, TV casting agent, Farmer Wants a Wife, Masterchef and Project Runway. To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Male midwife, Christian Wright tells stories of emergency evacuations and surfing with crocodiles while working in remote Indigenous communities, helping Yolŋu women birth their babies. Growing up South of Sydney as one of six boys, midwifery wasn't the occupation Christian Wright expected for himself. At the age of nine he experienced a vision that gave him a sense of his future in a life of service. In the tiny town of Nhulunbuy, right on the tip of the Northern Territory, Christian worked with Yolŋu women of remote Arnhem Land to help them birth their babies. Further information First broadcast March 2021. 2025 update: Several years ago, Christian married his beloved, Caroline in Gove. On the first day of their honeymoon as they were driving up the track, their troop carrier rolled.  Christian’s spine was broken, and he was airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where the doctors feared that he may not walk again. Christian went back to work within six months of the accident and has since worked in the NT and Papua New Guinea. He and Caroline now have a baby boy. And yes, Christian did deliver the baby! Learn more about Christian's research [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christian-Wright-7] into pregnancy and birth. Discover the Djakamirr [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etfvPLRhjS8&t=188s] program, training doulas to help Yolŋu women give birth on their own country. Christian also recommends the book [https://www.whywarriors.com.au/product/why-warriors-lie-down-and-die/] Why Warriors Lie Down and Die by Richard Trudgen as a valuable resource on Indigenous Australia. Standout story – Nigel Newton You can hear Richard's full conversation with Nigel Newton on the ABC Listen app [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/publisher-nigel-newton-on-harnessing-the-harry-potter-effect/7788834] or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/publisher-nigel-newton-on-harnessing-the-harry-potter-effect/7788834 [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/publisher-nigel-newton-on-harnessing-the-harry-potter-effect/7788834] You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784 [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784#Richard Fidler reflects on 20 years of Conversations] This episode of Conversations explores birth, midwifery, Yolŋu country, First Nations birthing, the fourth trimester, active labour and a male midwife. To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

The co-creator of Absolutely Fabulous says her remarkable career as one of the world's funniest women is all down to a series of happy accidents.  When she and her great pal Dawn French were making their first series, French & Saunders, they were given complete freedom by the BBC, including the freedom to fail. Despite a few mishaps along the way and a battle with breast cancer, Jennifer now says that early freedom, risk-taking and random opportunities were the best things that could possibly have happened to them. Further information First broadcast in April, 2014. You can hear Sarah's full conversation with Timothy Spall on the ABC Listen App [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/timothy-spall/11752648 ], or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] This episode of Conversations explores memoir, books, writing, TV comedy, Ab Fab, celebrity memoir, battling cancer, survival stories, breast cancer, British humour, dark humour, Black Books, the Comic Strip, Friends, Roseanne, Adrian Edmondson,  Edina Monsoon, Joanna Lumley, Patsy Stone, Muppets, Spice Girls, Top Gear.