Blended

This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co host Cilla Kessie and husband Rio Ferdinand, fresh back from The World Cup. Rio shares what the experience was like, before the trio reflect on the incredible response to Tate’s recent appearance.

The panel then tackle two listener dilemmas. The first comes from a dad with two children from a previous relationship whose wife desperately wants a baby of her own. He’s finally through the sleepless nights and nappies and doesn’t want to start again, but she feels she’s sacrificed so much as a full time stepmum and longs to experience motherhood herself. The panel discuss whether it’s selfish to say no, whether having a baby for your partner could lead to resentment, and whether becoming a stepmum is ever the same as becoming a mum.

The second dilemma is from a full time stepmum who feels completely overwhelmed. She works full time, raises her partner’s children alongside their baby and carries the day to day responsibility for the whole family. While she sees everything she does as an act of love, her partner tells her she doesn’t show him enough affection. On top of that, he still enjoys nights out and time with his friends, leaving her feeling unsupported and increasingly resentful.

The conversation explores the invisible mental load of parenting, why stepparents often feel unseen, and the importance of appreciation, communication and sharing the responsibility at home. Kate and Cilla discuss whether the balance in this relationship is fair, while Rio offers his perspective on how men and women often communicate differently and why sometimes the message needs to be simpler and more direct for your partner to truly hear what you’re saying.
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This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-host Nathalie and her husband, Sayce Holmes-Lewis, Founder and CEO of Mentivity.

The panel tackle two dilemmas that many blended families will relate to. First, a father is struggling after his son moved back home following university. While he wants to support him, his wife feels it’s time for him to leave. The extra financial pressure and the impact on their relationship have created growing tension. The panel discuss how long adult children should stay at home, balancing loyalty to your child with your partner’s needs, and what happens when those priorities clash.

They also answer a dilemma from a mum who believes her teenage son is negatively influencing his younger stepbrother. As the boys grow closer, the younger child is staying out later, pushing boundaries and changing his behaviour, leaving the parents divided over how to handle it.

Drawing on years of experience working with young people, Sayce shares why teenagers need guidance, structure and patience as they learn to become adults. The conversation explores the lasting impact of the pandemic on this generation, why influence is inevitable, and how parents can set healthy boundaries without pushing teenagers away.

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This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-hosts Nathalie Holmes Lewis and Cilla Kessie for a much needed catch up.
Cilla is back and shares what she's been up to, how life has been treating her recently, and the realities of juggling studying, motherhood and co-parenting.

They then tackle a dilemma from a mum who is struggling with her ex's latest relationship. Just months after their separation, he's moving in with the woman he had an affair with while she was pregnant. After years of an on-off relationship, she worries he's making another impulsive decision . Her biggest concern is that in less than a year, he's moved house several times and she also wants to meet his new partner before the children stay there, but he's refused.

The panel discuss whether parents have a right to meet a new partner, how much say they should have over where their children stay and whether inconsistency should influence co parenting decisions. Kate shares why she'd always want to know the person caring for her children, while the ladies explore the importance of stability, trust and putting children first after a separation.

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This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-host Nathalie Holmes-Lewis and Parenting Consultant and Child Behaviour Specialist, San Kaur Mehra.
Together, they dive into one of the biggest challenges parents face, understanding children's behaviour. From tantrums and screen time to discipline, boundaries and emotional regulation, San shares practical advice to help parents navigate those everyday moments that can feel overwhelming.

Kate opens up about some of the situations she's experienced with her own children, while Nathalie reflects on how parenting styles have changed over the years. The conversation explores whether gentle parenting works for every child, how many of us are trying to parent differently from the way we were raised and why there's no one size fits all approach.

The panel also tackle a dilemma from a mum whose six year old has daily meltdowns whenever screen time comes to an end. Despite limiting her daughter's time on the iPad and trying to stay calm, she's worried she's doing something wrong. San explains why these big reactions happen, shares practical techniques to help children transition away from screens and offers advice on building healthy boundaries that actually work.

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This week on Blended, Kate Ferdinand is joined by co-host Nathalie Holmes-Lewis and TV and radio presenter, and founder of Clean Curls, Sarah-Jane Crawford.
Sarah-Jane shares her personal story of growing up adopted, the close relationship she had with her dad and the impact losing him at a young age had on her life. She also opens up about becoming part of a blended family herself.

The panel then discusses a dilemma from a mum who adopted her daughter with her husband. Years later, after welcoming a biological baby together, she feels something has changed. While everyone acknowledges that life naturally shifts when a new born arrives, the mum can't shake the feeling that her husband is different with their adopted daughter.

The conversation explores whether those changes are simply part of adjusting to life with a baby, or whether a mother's intuition is sometimes telling us something important. Sarah-Jane shares why she believes it's important to trust those instincts, while Kate and Nathalie discuss how families can make sure every child continues to feel equally loved, secure and seen.

It's an honest conversation about adoption, identity, intuition and what it really means to be family.
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