S1 Episode 1 - It's a Man's World with Anna Foster

In this engaging conversation, Anna Foster shares her journey through the radio industry, discussing the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field and the evolution of women's roles in media. She reflects on her experiences with pay inequality, the impact of ageing on confidence, and the importance of storytelling. The discussion also touches on the value of interviewing ordinary people, personal growth, and the significance of connection and friendship in life.

 Anna Foster has been on the air in the North East for 27 years, presenting on TFM, Metro and Magic Radio. She now hosts the mid-morning programme on BBC Radio Newcastle where local people are the stars. She has three grown up children that still leave pizza boxes under their bed, a patient husband and a dog called Hope she found. She is an advocate for those with OCD and passionate about good mental health for all, she loves Tech music, singing Mozart and the Durham fells.

Takeaways

Anna's journey into radio began with a passion for storytelling and curiosity about people.

The radio industry has historically been male-dominated, presenting challenges for women.

Pay inequality was a significant issue in the media industry until 2016.

Ageing can impact confidence, but it also brings a sense of empowerment.

Interviewing ordinary people often yields more profound insights than celebrity interviews. 

Being honest and vulnerable on air fosters trust with listeners.

Building connections and friendships is vital for personal growth and happiness.

Embracing opportunities for growth and change is essential at any age.

Sound Bites

“We were known as giggle bitches or gag slags”

“Radio was … quite a man's club”

“And as far as pay goes, like, woof, no equality at all”

“If you share your vulnerabilities, then you might make somebody else feel better”

“Would I want to go through what I did in my 30s? No…. And I wish probably I had stood up a little bit earlier, but I didn't. Because I think we were frightened for our jobs.”

“In a world that's a bit topsy-turvy at the minute, it's nice to know there's a lot more good people”

“People teach you things, amazing things, which actually celebrities tend not to teach you.”

“Time's the most precious thing we have”

“When you get to a certain age, you need to give yourself some challenges.”

“And then I think, why am I too old? Madonna's still slut dropping…you should be allowed to dance. You should be allowed to be seen”

“You're never too old to make new friends”

“And when you are with those people, putting your bloody phone down is really important.”

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Transcript

Hear Me Roar (00:32)

Hello!

This is our second go because I cocked it up the first time. So what have you been up to? 

Well, shall I tell you about my little escapade into being a film star? 

Oh, yes, yes.

She jests. Well, so I got a message on Sunday night from a friend to say, did I fancy being in a video promo down at the shopping centre to which I straight away said, absolutely count me in. So I went down quarter past seven in the morning I was down there. Who was up at that time? 

Me. 

Crack of ridiculous. Actually you are. We often message each other about half six in the morning, don't we? 

I know. But be honest, if you messaged me at half four I'd probably be awake. Quite likely. I just can't sleep. 

I know. It's the old menopause, late insomnia.

Yes, it was very exciting. So I had to pretend to be part of a couple and we were filmed walking in and having a coffee and going up the escalators, which was fun because I got on and it was slow and then it suddenly sped up and I nearly fell off the damn thing. that would be, I don't know whether she'll cut that bit out. I don't know. And then we had to go into Hobbs and pretend that Hobbs is a shop. We actually shop in. 

But I don't know because you know my tartan…What's the word?

Pinafore. 

Pinafore thing, yeah. That's from Hobbs. 

Yeah? 

Yeah. But they are, quite expensive. 

Quite expensive. I've got a Hobbs dress which I bought for my son's graduation because it was for a special occasion. It's the sort of shop you go for that, isn't it? 

Yeah, well, that was it. My Pinafore was a Christmas present from my husband. 

Yeah. But lovely clothes. I do have a couple of Hobbs tops, but they were in the sale. 

I find them. There's just the odd thing. I think, wow, that's great.But then I find other bits that they have a little bit old fashioned. But then that's just maybe me. Maybe I'm just not quite at their age group yet. I don't know. 

Yeah, maybe. 

Whereas you're ancient, so. 

Do you know, I was just thinking in my head, what is she insinuating here? I've just told her I've got a dress from there and now she's calling me old. This is what I have to put up with. 

Anyway, you were a film star for a …

I was a film star for a day, darling. I was, yes. And it's fabulous.

And today we're talking to another star, a friend, Anna Foster. 

Very funny lady. 

Yeah, yeah. She's absolutely hilarious. It's like trying to kind of, I don't know, pin the tail on the donkey, trying to have a conversation with her. She's brilliant. 

You're in for a treat. 

Anyway, she's a radio presenter and she's been doing it for 27 years across various commercial stations including Metro, TFM and Magic. She now is a presenter for BBC Radio Newcastle and I think she loves it because she says it's where local people are the stars. 

She's interviewed us, hasn't she? 

She has, yeah. So she's got three grown-up children that still…What does she say? They still leave pizza boxes under their beds. 

We know about that, don't we? 

Yeah. And she has a patient husband and a lovely dog called Hope. And she's an advocate for those with OCD and she's passionate about good mental health for all. And that's something which we did want to talk about, but it's such a big subject that we're going to do another interview with her on that.Because that is her thing, she really is passionate about it. She loves tech music, singing Mozart and Durham, what is it? Fells. 

Durham Fells. I think that must be walking. 

Yeah, it must be. So yeah, let's go and meet her.

Hear Me Roar (04:43)

Hello Anna! Hello Anna!

Anna Foster (04:47)

Hello I was just checking and the dog's licking her bits behind me, which isn't ideal as a start, but never mind.

Hear Me Roar (04:49)

Well,

I think that sets the tone for the episode, doesn't it, somewhat?

Anna Foster (04:56)

Well,

I think the last 30 minutes has actually set the tone with me trying to get the right phone, me trying to plug the right thing in and being complete chaos and you being very patient girls.

Hear Me Roar (05:01)

Yeah.

Yes, it has been half an hour of absolute chaos. We were just sitting here having a sip of tea every time you said fuck.

Anna Foster (05:13)

I work for the BBC I don't say fuck

Hear Me Roar (05:15)

It was

like a middle-aged drinking game. We've been eating Kit Kats as well to soak up all the tea.

Anna Foster (05:25)

God,

well, I should have crisps because I thought when you said get your cocktail ready that you meant bring a cocktail. So I've bought a cocktail with me as opposed to thinking about my actual cocktail that I was going to make at the end. So I might drink it. I might be professional.

Hear Me Roar (05:40)

So just out of interest, what is your cocktail in that can?

Anna Foster (05:45)

So, Auntie Mally bought these for the kids and I've stolen it. Because I figure I've birthed them, I've paid for university, they're still living in my house. So I figure it's okay for me to steal their cocktails. Mix of total happiness. I have chosen one that I think they'll hate, it's a Negroni. So I thought I'll steal that one. Yeah. So I'm gonna go for it. Yes, I'll go for it, but I'll sip it gently because I am trying to cut back on the booze.

Hear Me Roar (06:04)

yeah. Nice. Well, you enjoy drinking it.

Right. Do want to do your introduction now?

Anna, today we're just going to talk about your career, discover a bit more about you and how you got to where you are now, which is a presenter for BBC Radio Newcastle and the bumps along the way. Is that fair to say? Yeah.

Anna Foster (06:24)

Yeah?

Yep.

Yeah. Yeah!

Hear Me Roar (06:37)

I'll let you kick off. So, radio presenter, is it something you always wanted to be?

Anna Foster (06:44)

Well, not really. I'm a terribly frustrated actress. No, I did... And an opera singer. Well, when I was little, actually, the way that I would be entertained by my mum...

Hear Me Roar (06:49)

and singer I believe and opera singer

Anna Foster (07:02)

was to give me, you remember those old record players that they used to have in the 70s with the tape recorder on it? The record player there, the tape recorder, it would take up the whole of a sideboard. So my granny and grandpa had one of those and they had a little microphone and I used to tell stories all the time and I've actually got sort of tape decks of me telling those stories. because I was born in Carlisle, when I listened back to them, it's like...

Hear Me Roar (07:10)

Yeah.

Yeah.

wow.

Anna Foster (07:30)

I'm going, yeah, I'm going here, mum, and I'm going downstairs and here I am. And it's very like, I've got a really like strong kind of Carlisle accent, which has gone over the years. But yeah, so I think I always told stories, but also I think I was always, I'm a very curious person. So I was, I'm always very curious about other people and their stories. And I think that's probably what's led me to stay in radio for as long as I have. Yeah.

Hear Me Roar (07:31)

you

Yeah.

So we're right in thinking that you actually went to the Trinity Music College. That was obviously a career you fancied.

Anna Foster (08:03)

Yeah, so after kind of, did have like a couple of failures at university, didn't do as well in my A levels as I thought, ended up going to university to study something I didn't really want to study, fell in love with the Scouse drummer, left there because he broke my heart, then I ended up falling into music college because that first degree Italian and history and art wasn't a thing and then a friend of mine said, look,

You're a lovely singer. You've got grade eight. You're a very musical person. Why don't you think about music? So at that point, I was a bit lost as you are sometimes in your early 20s. And, you know, I know we're going to chat about mental health another time, but I think also I wasn't terribly well, so I wasn't making great decisions. And I thought, fine, yeah, I'll be an opera singer. I love Mozart. I love singing. The idea of going to London. So I auditioned and I got into Trinity College of Music and I was there for...

Hear Me Roar (08:38)

Yeah.

Anna Foster (08:57)

two years.

And then I fell in love with this Irish baritone. I won't say his name, but he hasn't become terribly famous, so I'm quite happy. And he sort of broke my heart. I ended up leaving after two years, and London just wasn't the place for me. And then I came back home to North Yorkshire, and it was there that my mum said, look, you've always been interested in other people. You've always been interested in telling stories. You love music. What about radio? So I

fell into radio, I went along to Stray FM in Harrogate, 97.2, Harrogate's best music mix. Yeah, and I started there on £12.50 a show, there was a lovely man called Brian Lister who's quite famous in radio in the North East and I went along for one day just to follow the journalist around and he said, look, I think you might have something, come and do the breakfast show for £12.50 a show. And I said, all right then, 50 quid a week, you're on.

Hear Me Roar (09:56)

£12.50 for a whole show! Wow.

Anna Foster (09:58)

Yeah and I got up at four

30am.

Hear Me Roar (10:01)

How old were you at this time, at this point?

Anna Foster (10:05)

I must have been, that was 96. So what does that make me? 72, 82. What does that make me then? If I was born in 72, 24. Not very good at maths, even though my dad was the teacher. So yeah, was 24 when I worked at Stray FM. And it was kind of, it was a bit of a baptism of fire really. I had a lovely presenter, a really lovely male presenter that I worked with. And in those days,

Hear Me Roar (10:12)

24, 25.

you

Anna Foster (10:33)

Females, I mean you had Joe Wiley who was sort of leading the way but in those days in the early 90s we were, forgive the language, but we were known as giggle bitches or gag slags.

Hear Me Roar (10:44)

yeah, you're going to have to explain that. Yeah. Take a sip. Strap in everybody.

Anna Foster (10:46)

I'll just take a sip and then I'll explain.

So our role was to laugh at men or to be a gag slag, so to sit there and to laugh at the gags. So that was really the role. And I think, I think actually things were sort of they were trying to change things then. And the first man that I worked with was really lovely, but then he wasn't edgy enough, so they got

Hear Me Roar (10:55)

Okay.

Right.

Anna Foster (11:14)

you know, he was, he went and then I got another gentleman who was an absolute nightmare. And I won't go into too many details, but he's actually in prison now because he committed a yeah, he committed a terrible crime. well, he murdered his girlfriend. It was absolutely horrific. It was horrific. So I worked with some true, a truly, you know, an ex..., very, very unpleasant man who committed the ultimate in domestic violence. And I found it, that was, you know, probably

Hear Me Roar (11:23)

God.

Thank you.

you

Anna Foster (11:39)

the most traumatic thing that was a start in a radio career really. And I knew that he didn't have empathy when we were studying Dunblane. We went in and Dunblane had happened. And I went in and he just went, God, there's nothing in here except for, there's no showbiz, it's all just this. And I thought, where is the empathy? Where's the understanding? So I left. yeah, I left.

Hear Me Roar (11:45)

Mm.

Bye.

Yeah.

Anna Foster (12:03)

And I left radio for a bit actually, and then I fell into traffic and travel where you would do sort of 15 bulletins an hour. And I met lots of people and I learned how to make up traffic and travel.

Hear Me Roar (12:14)

Did

you just make it up? A1 completely blocked all the way between Newcastle and London.

Anna Foster (12:22)

Well,

the A1231, Westington Way in both directions, absolutely heaving. Let's head over to the A183, Chester Road heading down into Sunderland, past Merrill's Chip Shop. it's slow and heavy. And then I would flick over from Sun FM to Yorkshire Coast Radio. The one, is it the 174? I think it's the 174. And then I would flick from there to Minster FM, the A64 heading into York. But it taught you a lot about, and it was all male presenters that I worked for. would sort of, they would use me to chat around.

different topics because, you know, it's tough doing a show on your own. Some people like it, but they would sort of use me. And that's when I sort of met a lovely lad called John Foster, who I ended up working at Sun FM with and then Great North Radio. And that's really what kind of changed my career really. so because he, because he sort of...

He said you're more than just traffic. And by the way, traffic is, you know, to be a really good traffic presenter is I'm not saying that that's not a good thing because it is, but he he wanted to use me for more. And then I ended up co-presenting with him at Great North Radio. And then I went to TFM and then Metro Radio. Yeah.

Hear Me Roar (13:26)

Wow.

Now you've got your own show on the BBC. That must have felt massive when that happened.

Anna Foster (13:35)

Yeah, I mean, it was really strange, you know, because radio and I don't know if you guys want to talk about this, but radio was as I've kind of alluded to, it was really, it was quite a man's club, really. And I was told actually by a female boss that I would never have my own show because people didn't like to listen to women on the radio because we just giggled and talked nonsense.

Hear Me Roar (13:49)

Mm-hmm.

great.

Anna Foster (14:04)

And I

thought, wait a bit, I hear a lot of blokes talking nonsense. Now I hear a lot of brilliant blokes. There's some fantastic men that I've worked with, incredible presenters, but also quite a lot that talk nonsense. And it seemed that the playing field wasn't fair. If there was a bad male presenter, they kind of got away with it. If there was a bad female presenter, then there was all manner of sort of, yeah, come back on that.

Hear Me Roar (14:19)

No.

Yeah.

Yeah. Come back.

Anna Foster (14:32)

And as far as pay goes, like, woof, no equality at all. I remember being at TFM and being on, when I actually had my own show at TFM. And that was amazing, stepping into doing my own show. And I remember at that point, I was on a certain amount of money and everybody else, all the men were on about nine grand more.

Hear Me Roar (14:50)

Wow. That's crazy. So how did that start to change? that has changed now, hasn't it?

Anna Foster (14:57)

Yeah, in 2016. I've been in radio for years. Yeah, years.

Hear Me Roar (14:59)

Well, not that long

ago then really.

Anna Foster (15:04)

I mean, when I was at Metro Radio and I was on quite a famous breakfast show that because that was a huge show, Metro Radio Breakfast. And I have a lot of respect for the gentleman that I worked with . In terms of broadcast it was difficult. He's a pretty extraordinary broadcaster, but it was difficult. And he would say that as well. He was, yeah, a complex character. And he was on a lot more because it was his name on the, you know, on the on the signposts and everything. But

Hear Me Roar (15:23)

Mm.

Yeah.

Anna Foster (15:33)

I still did a lot of the work and it was still very, very... commercial radio was miles behind. And then when I went to the BBC, even then it was still quite behind and it was in 2016 and I'd been there since 2014 and it took another woman quite high up in the BBC as a correspondent, I think she was correspondent over in China, to kind of start saying, hang about, there has to be parity. And I think they started looking at it then and...

They had started looking at it before and relative to a lot of other companies, you know, they did start getting their ducks in order and now there is parity and there is fairness.

Hear Me Roar (16:12)

So, does commercial radio, has that caught up in terms of parity now?

Anna Foster (16:20)

there's hardly any left because what they've done well there is but what they've done is they've got rid of local they've just got rid of local so so the last local radio show breakfast show pretty much around anywhere metro radio was just gone it's hits radio now so it's it's gone so really with the BBC I feel I do feel super proud to work for it

And I think they are getting there with women. you know, I'm with, I'm with, I suppose the whole.

menopause thing as well, you know, I broadcast and have a fan by the side of me, I had Jimmy Nail in front of me and I had to, Jimmy stop,  got to put me fan on!

Hear Me Roar (16:56)

you

Anna Foster (16:56)

Gotta take my shoes off, Jimmy!

Hear Me Roar (16:59)

Would that be your Jimmy Choos?

Anna Foster (17:05)

My crocodile Jimmy Choo's.

Hear Me Roar (17:06)

Yeah.

Anna Foster (17:07)

some people might think that I might be too honest on air but I think if you can be honest about things, you know, trying to do an interview with Keir Starmer whilst coping with a massive hot sweaty flush, trying to press the right buttons, forgetting the damn word for, you know, umbrella because I forget words all the time whilst I'm on air.

Hear Me Roar (17:21)

Mmm.

Yeah.

Yeah, brain fog.

Anna Foster (17:31)

brain

fog all of that you know whilst thinking about being filmed and the fact that you've probably got a tache because you haven't plucked it out then then i think it's good for us as as women in our 50s to talk about that because turning 50 was scary

Hear Me Roar (17:37)

No.

Yeah.

Absolutely. Being honest about these things, I think it must build trust with your listeners as well.

Anna Foster (17:52)

sometimes worry because I think, am I too open? But then I think if, and you know, I just think if you share your vulnerabilities, then you might make somebody else feel better. And yeah, you might piss somebody off and somebody might get annoyed and might say, shut up about that. But you know what, if you've made one person feel better and annoyed five people who don't have any empathy, well, you know what, in my book,

Hear Me Roar (18:01)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Anna Foster (18:15)

That's

actually bloody well fine.

Hear Me Roar (18:17)

Yeah, I would agree with you. I know that 27 years ago, the behaviour of people in the workplace was completely different. And I suspect, and you can tell me if I'm wrong, that in the media arena...

then it was probably 10 times worse than anything I experienced in an office. What sort of things did you have to put up with when you were up and coming?

Anna Foster (18:45)

my gosh, so much, like so much in the early, early days. I mean,

I was at the time I was always in a relationship so and I was actually to be honest I was like permanently pregnant I was pregnant for three solid years whilst I was broadcasting and because in commercial I didn't get any maternity pay you couldn't really take time off because somebody else wanted your job so and I came back after four weeks after I had Jamie my son I came back at four weeks so

Hear Me Roar (19:13)

Whoa.

Anna Foster (19:21)

So I wasn't kind of like the sexy sassy single girl. So they knew that I was with somebody, but it didn't stop the fact that, you know, occasionally maybe get your backside slapped and I was told to like get in the studio, your fat c*n* like a couple of times. mean, I've got...

Hear Me Roar (19:37)

No way!

Anna Foster (19:42)

I've got a pretty good sense of humor and I think... And I think I do consider that there is banter to be had in a workplace. But sometimes it was a bit beyond that. And I have to say...

Hear Me Roar (19:50)

Yeah.

Anna Foster (19:54)

I would say at times there was bullying. Yeah, there was bullying, definitely, and there wasn't even an HR department.

Hear Me Roar (20:01)

So there would be nobody for you to take that to to complain.

Anna Foster (20:05)

Nah, you would just end up, no, in

those days it was like, well, you know what, there's probably 10 other people that want your job, you know.

Hear Me Roar (20:11)

Wow, so

you just have to shut up and put up. Yeah.

Anna Foster (20:15)

shut

up and put up. And so things have changed for the better in that way.

And actually, you know what? We do have a lot of fun and we have a lot of fun in the BBC offices.

we are allowed to have a laugh and have a good laugh. So I think that's because I work with a bunch of really good people, but I do think it has changed. But actually, if I look back and think, would I want to go through what I did in my 30s? No. And I mean...

Hear Me Roar (20:26)

Yeah.

and

Anna Foster (20:41)

That's not to say that I didn't meet brilliant people and have huge respect for the people that I work with, but I don't think it's a particular, it was a particularly healthy working, I don't think it was a healthy working atmosphere. Not really. If I'm absolutely truthful, not really. And I wish probably I had stood up a little bit earlier, but I didn't. Because I think we were frightened for our jobs.

Hear Me Roar (20:49)

No.

I

don't think most of us did. I experienced, when I got engaged to someone when I was in my early twenties and my manager asked me when I was leaving to have babies. No, you couldn't do that now.

Anna Foster (21:16)

Yeah.

Hear Me Roar (21:18)

I couldn't believe he'd said it. But that kind of, those sorts of things happened. And I didn't complain, but these days I think I would.

Anna Foster (21:20)

Yeah.

Hear Me Roar (21:27)

Yes, but would you at that age? I think that's the difference

Anna Foster (21:27)

Yeah. No.

Hear Me Roar (21:30)

when you're younger, you don't complain. I don't know. I think the young ones are more confident about these things. And they they kind of they feel like they're more entitled to respect these days.

Anna Foster (21:43)

And in a way, that's a good thing. In a way, it's a good thing. So long as there's resilience and people aren't taking the mick at work and not turning up because it's like cold or whatever. So long as there's resilience as well. I kind of applaud that strength that women are now showing. As long as young lads aren't being ignored as well. Because as we know, ignore young lads at your peril. It's very important that we don't and teach them about progressive masculinity. That's really important as well.

Hear Me Roar (22:05)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Anna Foster (22:11)

And that's the other thing with this job, you know, I think I've learned a lot about a lot of different sort of movements and, you know, minorities, but also people that are doing amazing things in our community. And in a world that's a bit topsy-turvy at the minute, it's nice to know there's a lot more good people really. There's a lot more good people. Yeah. People that I meet like you.

Hear Me Roar (22:26)

Mm.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I think. Well, obviously.

Polishes Halo. So you have interviewed lots of people famous and

not famous and you have a lot of people on your show that aren't celebrities that they're not famous. Who do you think makes the most interesting people to interview? Is there anybody that's like stuck out? That's obviously not including us obviously because you know.

Anna Foster (22:58)

Obviously, you guys. No, but I think you're wonderful because I think women can start to feel, and it's 100 % true, you can feel invisible, you can feel a bit hopeless, you can feel like your kids are fleeing the nest, you can feel a bit like, the heck am I doing? What's going on with my life? And so, you you're wonderful guests. I would say, truthfully, I have interviewed interesting celebrities.

Hear Me Roar (23:07)

Mm-hmm.

Anna Foster (23:24)

I loved Dawn French, she was gorgeous, but she was selling a book. There's heaps of people from actors and all sorts of people, pop stars, Cheryl, all sorts of people. But when you're interviewing celebrities, more often than not, they are there to sell something. They are there to sell a book, sell a film, sell a podcast. That's what they're there to do. Whereas when you interview ordinary people that are doing extraordinary things,

Hear Me Roar (23:40)

Yes.

Mm-hmm.

Anna Foster (23:52)

Whether it's, I interviewed a lovely lad the other day doing 128 marathons in 128 days for his brother who he lost to suicide. And I found him incredible. people teach you things, amazing things, which actually celebrities tend not to teach you.

Hear Me Roar (23:58)

my god!

Anna Foster (24:09)

You get more, I think, from ordinary people.

For me, I get nervous with celebrities. I don't sound it, because I try to do that sounding like a swan thing on the surface, but underneath like that. Steve Carell, I loved interviewing Steve Carell, because he was so warm and gorgeous, you know, from The Office and Despicable Me and all of that. He's probably the biggest celebrity that I, he's probably the biggest that I have interviewed, as far as A-listers go.

Hear Me Roar (24:21)

Mad panic.

Wow. Yeah, he's a, he's a big name.

Anna Foster (24:35)

all of that backstage stuff is quite nerve wracking. But with ordinary people, they are there to share their extraordinary stories. So I find that better.

Hear Me Roar (24:45)

What about the celebrities? Do you get bad behavior from them or are they generally very courteous and lovely? Obviously you can't. Obviously you won't want to name them.

Anna Foster (24:52)

you

Name

them. No, I've had some lovely people. I've also had some people who were more difficult.

Hear Me Roar (24:58)

Hahaha!

Anna Foster (25:05)

You'll get one's, I can't say who, but I did a Geordie Shore interview where this person was, and I was quite into Geordie Shore, I was watching it quite a lot, even though it was a pretty shocking show, I was into it. And this person was like 25 minutes late for the interview. Well, in live radio, you can't be late. So 25 minutes late, so I was on edge and panicking and I lost control of the interview because I was sort of panicking. And my boss at the time called me in and he went, that's the worst interview I've ever heard

Hear Me Roar (25:24)

No.

So you touched on aging a bit ago about losing your confidence because I was thinking when I was in my 20s if I'd had some hassle like at work I know I would not have said anything and I would have just ignored it and cracked on. Now I'm in my 50s I absolutely would stand up and say something but I don't know if that's because it's me as a person or because I'm now older and I'm prepared to stand up and say no.

What do you think?

Anna Foster (26:06)

I think you give less of a fiddle-dee-dee.

Hear Me Roar (26:08)

I think you're right.

Anna Foster (26:10)

And I just think also, think that actually it's your time to say something because time's the most precious thing we have and you know what? We don't have it forever. When I lost and we all lost our gorgeous friend Lisa Shaw, you know, Lisa was all over the papers because of course with the AstraZeneca she was the one in a million or more than that who was deeply affected. Well, yeah, she lost her life.

Hear Me Roar (26:21)

Yeah.

No.

Anna Foster (26:39)

And that threw me so much and it just threw me massively in it. I just kept thinking, well, this life is an absolute privilege and you're not here forever. And it's scary to think about that, but actually if something is there, not that you wish ever to hurt anybody or upset anybody or be offensive to anybody, but you still can stand up and say something if you communicate it correctly. I think it's about listening.

Hear Me Roar (26:46)

Mm.

Yeah.

Yes.

Anna Foster (27:06)

as well.

Hear Me Roar (27:06)

Yeah, yeah, there's a way to tackle things, isn't there? You can't just wade in with your big boots on. You have to think about, down you. I've got like massive size 20s when it comes to stuff like that. I just offend people. I don't mean to. I'm hopeless. I can't imagine you offending anybody. Well, I don't mean to usually. And I just somehow.

Anna Foster (27:22)

No, I hate confrontation.

Hear Me Roar (27:34)

I don't even know how I do it. I really don't. I was born...

Anna Foster (27:37)

Well, I've

never been offended by you, everyone, so that's fine.

Hear Me Roar (27:41)

That's she's not put a big size 20 boots on. Thank you very much, you ugly cow.

Anna Foster (27:49)

really,

Hear Me Roar (27:49)

Yeah, that's funny. So what's next for you, Anna? After BBC Life and all the glamour and the glitz and the...

Anna Foster (27:57)

It's not glamorous.

You've had BBC coffee, it's awful. Well, I feel so privileged to do the job that I do and I love the job that I do. Because I get to tell stories of the people of the North East and things that I'm passionate about, mental health and all of those things. So I do love the job that I do. I also think when you get to a certain age, you need to give yourself some challenges.

Hear Me Roar (28:03)

No comment.

Mm-hmm.

Anna Foster (28:24)

and

I think otherwise you can kind of stagnate and I've done radio for a long time. So I'll tell you one thing that I have started doing. A friend of mine, Jo Lyons, who's great actually, she started writing books and like you Yvonne, and she's written a load of rom-coms and she's got a publishing deal and she's asked me to read the books. So I've started to do that and I'm really...

Hear Me Roar (28:35)

Hmm?

Anna Foster (28:51)

loving it. I'm loving narrating books. So I'm really enjoying that. So that's good fun. You know, I'm hosting quite a few events. I'd like, I'd love to do a counselling course. I'd love to do like a mental health counselling course. I'd really, yeah, I would like to do that a lot and then run a goat therapy farm on the Isle of Skye.

Hear Me Roar (28:52)

Okay, that's...

Yeah.

I'm sorry. You

can't just slip that in and not explain. Do you mean you give therapy to the goats or what?

Anna Foster (29:21)

You

have like lovely little little pygmy goats and then people come along who are a bit stressed. You might do a counselling session and then get to play with the goats and then live on the Isle of Skye or Bamburgh but I can't afford Bamburgh.

Hear Me Roar (29:25)

Yeah.

You need to tell them that clearing up goat poo is also therapeutic. Yeah. And also cleaning out the goat shed. Yeah. All those sorts of things. You'll thank me one day. Yeah. And also, what about singing?

Anna Foster (29:39)

Therapeutic.

Yeah!

goats.

Yes, I want to sing more. So I sing with a little choir in the North East and I love it up near Stanley and we meet every week and I really enjoy my singing. And yeah, I do some solos and things and bits and bobs and then I might do a few concerts here and there. I would like to be brave and try and do a bit more. So I am very much a classical singer.

Mozart, some light Puccini, Handel, Schumann, Schubert, that kind of thing. But I would also like to try a bit of kind of jazz. And a friend of mine plays in a bar in, I think it's North Shields or Whitley Bay. And he said, will you come along and do some like Gershwin and that kind of thing. So I might be brave and do that girls at some point.

Hear Me Roar (30:37)

Yeah.

Anna Foster (30:44)

It's the age thing

that puts me off. Are you singing?

Hear Me Roar (30:48)

No, was just going to say, funny you should say that because it's my 60th birthday next year and I'm having it in a jazz bar and I'm looking for a singer Anna.

You could start your career.

Anna Foster (31:05)

It's

a yes from me! I mean... The thing is, you say no, but you... You think you're too old. That's the thing, is that I go, ah, I'm too old at 52 to be getting up and singing in a nice little sassy dress. And then I think, why am I too old? Madonna's still slut dropping. I slut drop when I'm not in front of people. Why shouldn't I get out there and, you know, have a good... And I'm very passionate about that, by the way, that you should be allowed to dance. You should be allowed to be seen.

Hear Me Roar (31:09)

Ha

Well, what we have jokes about!

Mm-mm.

Yeah.

Anna Foster (31:34)

allowed to go out and party. You can have fun. I mean, you know, I go meet a friend in Glasgow and we go and listen to tech music in the sub club and why shouldn't we? I love that. I love my dance music. I don't think we should have a label on us. So, but it's that bravery that you've got to have.

Hear Me Roar (31:48)

No.

There's no age limit on having fun and going out and dancing and doing anything you want. And sadly, society can sometimes make us feel there is, but there isn't. Yeah. Just go for it. Yeah. You're made to feel like a discoing granny, aren't you? Mum dancing. Yeah.

Anna Foster (32:08)

Yeah.

Yeah, I don't care.

I'm a good mum dancer and I'm happy with it. So, I mean, I've got a completely flat bottom, but it's like totally flat. It's like Norfolk. It's flat and a bit dull, but I'll still slut drop.

Hear Me Roar (32:15)

Yeah, good.

Ha

Well, I have, but I'm known amongst my friends for my slut dropping, so you're in good company, Anna.

Anna Foster (32:32)

Yeah, well it's good for your thighs as well, it's really good for your thighs.

Hear Me Roar (32:35)

Yeah.

I think I need to get a bit more limber in the thigh department. I think you maybe do darling. Limber up those inner thighs.

Anna Foster (32:43)

Yeah, good. That's another thing you shouldn't stop doing just because you get older.

Hear Me Roar (32:48)

Right. Well.

My husband would definitely agree. So I want to move us on now because we are dying to hear about your cocktail,

Anna Foster (33:07)

Right, okay, so obviously this is very last minute because I thought it meant drink a cocktail whilst I was on air. So I'm gonna go for, it's gonna be called, The Chaotic But Kind.

Right? I'm gonna have vodka in it because A, it gets you drunk and B, it makes me bouncy. So I'm gonna have vodka in it. I'm gonna have raspberry and amaretto in it. Raspberry because the fruit is good for you and quite... Yeah, and it's wholesome. So I like to think that I'm a reasonably...

Hear Me Roar (33:20)

Mm-hmm.

One of your five a day.

Anna Foster (33:43)

wholesome half decent person that might be good for somebody, I don't know. Ask my family. And then amaretto, because that's almond and that's a bit nutty and let's face it, that's a bit of... That's fine, the only normal people you know, the ones you don't know very well, very important to remember that. And then I'm going to have a massive amount of soda water.

Hear Me Roar (33:55)

Yes.

Anna Foster (34:07)

because even though the vodka is quite bad for you, or a bit of gin in there as well, just to add a bit of like, add a bit of a bit of an exotic mixture, the  soda water, because ultimately that'll be kind and that'll be kind to you and you'll thank me for it. So, and I like to think there's a bit of kindness in here. So.

Hear Me Roar (34:27)

there's more

than a bit of kindness in you, Anna. There's a lot of kindness in you. There's also a lot of nuttiness, but that's just what we like. Which is probably why we've become friends and we've been out and had a laugh because, you know, like-minded women.

Anna Foster (34:29)

Well.

You

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. And as soon as I met you, I, you know, I loved that. And that's the thing. when you meet somebody and you truly click with them and I clicked with you guys, and I think we're of...

Hear Me Roar (34:50)

Yeah.

Anna Foster (34:53)

that age and actually we met again, in a shop looking at products. I was feeling absolutely... We were in the menopause aisle in a health shop.

Hear Me Roar (34:58)

or the menopause.

We were, and that's how we met. Both. We got chatting because that's what women do, isn't it? We just, we just start to chat. So we were both looking for something to help us through the menopause.

I think also you're never too old to make new friends. I mean, we've only known each other a couple of years. Yeah, I was just thinking that earlier, actually, it'll be nearly nearly two years since we met. Yeah. And like we've become friends with you and.

Anna Foster (35:14)

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

I think that's.

think that's very interesting because it's that saying yes thing to opportunities and you learn things from people because sometimes people are like, nah I'm that old now, I can't be arsed with anybody. But actually it's opportunities to learn and also you change as you grow older and you meet people that might be like-minded to you as you've grown older. I think that's lovely and actually in an age of where there isn't a lot of human connection.

Hear Me Roar (35:32)

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes.

No.

Mm-hmm.

Exactly, yeah.

Anna Foster (35:54)

I know phones are important, we're on one now. It's what's happening in the world. But I also think actually meeting people face to face and when you are with those people, putting your bloody phone down is really important. Yeah. So cheers to that and no, no phones at the table. So yeah, so cheers to that and meeting and having a drink and no phones soon.

Hear Me Roar (36:07)

Yes, absolutely. Yeah, no phones at the table.

Exactly.

Right, OK. Thank you very much for coming on and thank you for thank you for being our friend.

Well, it's been fab chatting to you. Thank you very much. I'll see you soon. Take care. Bye.

Anna Foster (36:30)

Thanks, 

Lovely talking to you as well, girls. Thank you. Yes.