Creative coach and "born-again illustrator" Kerry Lyons burnt down everything so you don’t have to. After rising to the top of a career in graphic design, she realised her heart was not in it and left everything behind to rediscover what really inspired her. She's on a mission to help high-achieving creatives who've lost their mojo, to stop comprom…

If you’ve ever wanted to get into acting but wonder if you’ve left it too late, this episode is for you. Michelle Jeram and I discuss the benefits of coming to acting with a wealth of life experience and a different career under your belt. Michelle had a 23-year career as a police officer until she was medically retired after an assault on duty. Ra…

Think you can only sustain a creative career by compromise? Ivan Weiss doesn't agree. He's built his photography business by relentlessly following his own vision. We talk about how two days with the right mentor helped crystallise his decision to take the leap and leave his corporate career, loving the tech and the gadgetry but focusing on feeling…

If you’re procrastinating, juggling multiple projects or feeling the fear of taking a leap or sharing your work, this episode will help. We talk about how to build a life and a model of success that works for you. I know I will be coming back to it. Corrie Legge is a multi-passionate artist and productivity coach for creatives. As an actor and voic…

Have you ever thought about taking a leap but somebody else has tried to put you off? When Ben Haynes wanted to leave his job in NHS communications and go full-time in music production, he was met with a lot of opposition. But it only served to spur him on. From his early days playing drums on saucepans to taking the plunge and leaving his comforta…

How do you tackle the challenge of being a full-time creative after years of structured work? That's the question Tindara Sidoti-McNary is wrangling with after leaving teaching to return to a full-time art practice. After all, timing is everything - a chance encounter meant soon after moving to Margate she had met fellow artist Catrin Osborne and e…

If you’re struggling with growing your creative business, Martin Whiskin has some top tips. Actively seeking to be helpful, promoting and connecting other creatives and setting up the Creative Collective with Ben Bowles has grown Martin’s voiceover business. We talk about the power of connection, the importance of community and how great it feels w…

How can it be more than a year since the last series of Creative Twist? I'm Sally Vanderpump and I've been busy acting, writing and recording voiceovers. And in between occasionally wondering whether to get a 'normal' job. So here I am, back with season two, talking to people who have taken a twist in their career path and returned to creativity. I…

Nitin Ganatra’s long and distinguished career in acting began after he graduated from the University of Bristol with a BA Honors in Drama, Film and Television and went on to study with experimental theatre maestro, the late Jerzy Grotowski. He has worked alongside some highly accomplished actors and directors such as Sam Mendes, Tim Burton, Ray Win…

Louise Breckon-Richards is a playwright and actress. She trained at The Guildhall School of music and drama. She has appeared in TV shows including We Hunt Together, Temple, Coronation Street, Cuckoo, Doctors and Sherlock. She has performed at The National Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse and with the English Shakespeare company among many others.…

Vicky Arlidge has been composing for television, theatre, musicals and radio for more than 25 years. Her albums of music for young children are streamed more than 30 million times worldwide each year and her comedy videos have garnered more than 70,000 views on YouTube. Today she joins me on Creative Twist podcast to talk about how the humour she f…

Sasha classes herself as a writer, doubter and doer. Even though she's been writing since the age of eight, she only started calling herself a writer last year - a rebellious act against her self-doubting nature. She's an avid journaller and lover of words, who wants to use them to challenge the negative narratives that women can have about themsel…

After burning out in advertising, Andy Poplar discovered that he could take iconic items of glassware and bring them to life with the tools of typography, wit, wordplay and a slightly askew way of looking at the world. From apothecary jars to laboratory glass, nostalgia filled milk bottles to one-off vintage pieces, it never fails to amaze him that…

Artist Jeweller Ella Fearon-Low had a career in international development but after the birth of her second daughter in 2012, she began making jewellery and a business was born at the end of 2016. With influences as varied as 17th-century glassware, postmodern architecture and Roman jewellery, Ella’s designs won Goldsmiths’ Awards in 2018 and 2020 …

What are your creative dreams? Would you love to be an artist but doubt your talent? Do you long to be an actor but think you should get a 'proper' job? Maybe you've got a novel tucked away but are riddled with imposter syndrome. I've been there and so have my guests but we've all rediscovered creativity after a break or taken some twists and turns…

What's it like to rediscover your creative passion when you haven't done it for years? How do you overcome the fear and doubt to get past the blank canvas or page? Hit subscribe to join me as I talk to some great guests - from painters and writers to comedians and actors - about what it's like to rediscover creativity after a break. Find out more a…