Sometimes, a story can save a life. This is one of those stories.

Anna Martin is a recovering gambling addict who, as you’ll hear, almost lost her life to this insidious industry.

Anna gambled in the shadows. She didn’t want anyone to know about her gambling habits, or the risks she was taking, or just how bad it got…to the point where she almost lost her life.

Shame and secrecy are killers. And gambling is shrouded in shame and secrecy. So it’s no small thing for Anna to share her story with No Filter.

Anna has turned her experience into action to help others through the Untangled Project - you can find out more about them here: Instagram: @theuntangleprojectaus

If you or someone you know needs help - the following organisations are a good place to start: GHLEE (Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts)

If you would like more information about research into the current state of gambling in Australia including how gambling is affecting women today, start here: The Grattan report: how Australia should prevent gambling harm https://grattan.edu.au/report/a-better-bet-how-australia-should-prevent-gambling-harm/

And if you need mental health support, please reach out to Lifeline: 13 11 14

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2000, Ada Nicodemou joined the cast of Home and Away, Australia’s second longest-running soap opera, after Neighbours. She signed on for a 6-month contract to play the role of Leah Patterson-Baker. But 21 years, and a few near-death experiences and a few husbands (Leah’s had way more husbands than Ada who has only had one) one of Australia’s best-known and most-loved actors is still at Summer Bay.

On this episode of No Filter, Ada and Mia discuss everything from love, to loss, to loyalty….

You can follow Ada on Instagram here.

You can listen to our most recent episode with Ada here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can hear part two of Mia's conversation with Ada here.

Ada Nicodemou is in love again…with her longtime co-star and on-screen husband, James Stewart.

Ada Nicodemou has played the character of Leah Patterson on our screens for 24 years as one of the most iconic stars of Home & Away. In this exclusive interview, Ada tells Mia how the last few years have seen her choose herself after a lifetime of choosing others.

They discuss the complexities of ending relationships and blended families, of dealing with paparazzi and tabloid culture, of ageing and beauty standards for women in the public eye, and…what it’s like to kiss your on-screen partner off screen for the first time…

Ada also shares her dreams and ambitions for the future…in so many ways, she’s just getting started.

You can follow Ada on Instagram here.

You can listen to our 2018 conversation with Ada here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can hear the second half of Mia's conversation with Suzanne here.

When Suzanne Heywood and her little brother were told by their parents that they’d be leaving the UK, leaving school, leaving their friends and their dog to go and sail around the world for three years…Suzanne had her doubts - but like so many little girls, she trusted her father - he was her hero.

But as you’ll hear in this captivating story, there is a fine line between adventure and survival. Between an extended family holiday and being held captive…by your parents.

What was supposed to be a three year journey turned into a ten year odyssey where Suzanne was severely injured, put in very unsafe environments as a teenage girl, and ultimately abandoned.

This story is kind of like a Greek Myth or an Action-Adventure complete with shipwrecks and desert islands…but for Suzanne, it was her life. And it’s her story. Listen now only on No Filter with Mia Freedman.

You can find Suzanne’s memoir here.

And, follow her on social media here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many years Paulina Porizkova was the most recognized face in fashion & beauty - from her iconic Sports Illustrated cover to being the face of Estee Lauder. When she married rock star Ric Ocastek from the iconic band, The Cars. From the outside looking in, it seemed like she was living the dream.

To look at her, she really did seem like the woman who had it all. But while Paulina was as visible as you could be…she didn’t feel like she was being heard. Not by the photographers and fashion people, not by producers and directors, and not by her husband, Ric.

But then, during COVID, she became known to a whole new generation of women for an unlikely reason…crying on Instagram. And as you’re about to hear - Paulina had a lot of really good reasons to cry. (But, she also gets the last laugh).

When Paulina hit her low point, she shared her grief and pain - and tears - with Instagram. As you’ll hear, Paulina had a lot of reasons to cry (and a lot of new reasons to laugh).

You can follow Paulina on Instagram here.

You can order Paulina’s book, No Filter, here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hugo and Spencer live with their loving parents, Michelle and Jono, and are surrounded by extended family, including their grandmother Jasmina and their Auntie Sophie.

But how Hugo and Spencer came to be in the world is a very unique and unusual story: their grandmother Jasmina and their aunt Sophie were actually - also - their surrogate mothers.

Why did Jasmina decide to be a surrogate for her daughter…at 52 years old? And how did her pregnancy go? How did she feel about the baby? How does it work now? What will they tell the boys when they're older? And - how did this decision come about to begin with?

This is a story about the great love that can emerge from great loss, and of great sacrifice and generosity, of motherhood and grandmotherhood - really, this is a love story like no other we’ve heard before.

You can find Michelle on Instagram here & Jasmina on Instagram here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Mamamia

Writer and activist, Africa Brooke, used to call people out on the internet all the time - because this is what the culture wars told her she needed to do.

Until one day - she suddenly stopped.

In 2021, Africa wrote an open letter and posted it online. She called it: “Why I’m Leaving the Cult of Wokeness” and it immediately went viral. The letter changed her life, but not in the way she expected it to.

So what did she write in that letter? And how did she become unafraid? Was she cancelled?

In this bold and timely interview - Africa Brooke and Mia Freedman discuss the pressures, expectations and risks of living in the Age of Intolerance.

You can find out more about Africa Brooke here.

You can follow Africa on Instagram here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Listen to Mamamia’s satirical podcast, Cancelled, here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Mamamia

On Halloween morning, Charlotte Cowles - an Ivy League educated journalist and mother of a two-year old son - received a life-altering phone call from a government agent who informed her that she had 22 bank accounts, nine vehicles and four properties registered in her name, and that she’d wired more than $3 million to Jamaica and Iraq, and that a car had been rented in her name that had been linked to drug trafficking in New Mexico…and that she had warrants out for her arrest.

As you will hear in this heart-stopping episode of No Filter, the government agent turned out to be a scammer - and the tactics he used against Charlotte amounted to all-out psychological warfare. And it worked.

It’s a story you need to hear to believe.

You can learn more about Charlotte and read her work here.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.