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Afternoons with Helen Farmer

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Would you buy A BIT of a house in Dubai? 

Episodes

1 hour 7 minutes | Wednesday, 11 February 2026
Tokenisation of Dubai’s property market took a major step forward this week, opening the market to a whole new category of investors. But what do they need to know? Helen asks the experts.Plus, we talk ‘hot take dating’ – the idea that we should get all those controversial opinions out of the way on date one – and we talk resilience and what we can learn from the Winter Olympics’ greatest competitors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 15 minutes | Tuesday, 10 February 2026
As global vaccine rates stall or fall, Dr Howard Podolsky joins Helen to bust some myths and answer your questions. Plus, we talk rage and how to channel it, and learn how to make friends as a grown-up...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 8 minutes | Monday, 9 February 2026
From shorter school hours and longer work hours to a pressure to perform in an ever-changing market, Helen asks a host of industry experts what workers, and employers and realistically and legally do to protect family time? Plus, as a growing body of evidence suggests shielding kids from failure can make them more anxious, Adam the OT joins with his advice for raising resilient kids.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 19 minutes | Monday, 9 February 2026
From movies and TV to awards ceremonies to the food finds you need to know, we've got your social life sorted!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
25 minutes | Thursday, 5 February 2026
Rent increases, eviction notices, bounced cheques, off-plan delays—property questions land in our inbox every single week, and for many people the rules still feel confusing and stressful. We open up a UAE property law clinic today on the show with Bassel Boutros, Partner at BSA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 17 minutes | Wednesday, 4 February 2026
Is our obsession with digital speed quietly eroding the human skills that matter most: deep thinking, empathy, judgement and creativity? Helen discusses this with internationally-renowned graphologist Emma Bache.  If it feels like everyone you know is sick right now, you’re not imagining it. Doctors across the UAE are warning we may be in a second peak of flu season, with clinics seeing a steady stream of patients with fever, cough and exhaustion. Dr Rania from Circle Care Clinic shares ways to rebuild our immunity. We're unpacking why hormone health remains so misunderstood, under-taught a...
1 hour 23 minutes | Wednesday, 4 February 2026
Last week, we were preparing to talk to you about buying gold. And then, it crashed. So, when markets are so predictable we get the experts to guide you in investing and saving. Why does neurodiversity impact our sleep and what can you do if your brain wakes up when your head hits the pillow? A new book may have the answer… And in our psychology hour... Gen Z have got their first ‘retirement’ facility to help them recover from burnout. Meanwhile, biscuit firm Kit Kat has launched a round the clock Teams meeting aimed at helping employees ‘pretend’ to be busy so they can take a break at work...
1 hour 11 minutes | Monday, 2 February 2026
The headlines are a challenge for even adults right now – but with our kids exposed to news online at ever- younger ages, how do we parent through all of these unprecedented times? Helen asks Maha Cooper, a family-focussed counselling psychologist at The Free Spirit Collective. Plus, we talk equality in sport and go behind the scenes at a new course aimed at improving driving standards on the UAE’s roads.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 5 minutes | Friday, 30 January 2026
From arts and culture to Wicked at Dubai Opera to the foodi finds you need to know, we've got your social life sorted!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
38 minutes | Friday, 30 January 2026
Advertiser permits become a legal requirement for influencers in the UAE from this weekend - but who needs them and what does it entail? Helen puts your questions to media lawyer Martin Hayward. Plus, we're live from Xposure in Sharjah, where we meet the filmmakers and world creators in town to teach the Middle East's next generation of creators.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
60 minutes | Wednesday, 28 January 2026
French rugby pro Thibaud Flament made headlines this week when he said he’d miss his country’s Six Nations opener due to fertility treatment and his wife’s cycle. So why has his move sparked such a chord with so many? Helen asks racing driver and male fertility campaigner Toby Trice and Dr Luciano Nardo from Orchid Fertility.We talk cervical cancer awareness month – and ask why screening rates remain stubbornly low – with Dr Natasha Shah. And as new research suggests our uncertain times are changing holiday plans in unexpected ways, we talk repeat destinations with luxury travel expert Rowe...
1 hour 19 minutes | Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Research from the children’s finance app GoHenry estimates that Gen Alpha now have around £3.3 billion in spending power through their influence on household purchases, with 26 percent of parents saying their children directly shape how money is spent. Helen gets the lowdown from financial coach Carol Glynn.Plus, lawyer Byron James tells us what the UAE’s new digital laws mean for your family, and we discuss Hamnet and its portrayal of parental grief with doula Lala Langtry-White and psychologist Tanya Dharamshi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
58 minutes | Monday, 26 January 2026
New research has found 70% of UAE residents want to buy property this year. But what do you need to know if you’re taking your first steps into the market? Helen puts your questions to industry expert Clementine Munro. Meanwhile, as we’re live from Gulfood, we discuss the importance of variety – in diet and exercise alike – with Dr Shef, and we find out how cultivated foods could change the way we eat, forever, with cardiologist and founder of Upside Foods, Dr Uma Valeti.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
59 minutes | Monday, 26 January 2026
Afternoons is live from the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, getting the lowdown on all the fun - sporting and otherwise - on site for 2026...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
56 minutes | Thursday, 22 January 2026
It’s the challenge of our time - how to maintain respectful dialogue with people we vehemently disagree with. Could a new book help? Helen meets Paul Dolan, author of Beliefism: How to Stop Hating the People We Disagree With.Plus we meet the teen skier headed from Ski Dubai to the Winter Olympics, and talk childhood anxiety with the author aiming to tackle it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 17 minutes | Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Brand Beckham has long been presented as the ultimate tight-knit family, but this week that image cracked. So, behind the gossip, what does their story really tell us about family breakdown? Helen asks psychologist Noha Al Khatib. Meanwhile, we discuss new research into why so many of us are looking for a new career path with recruiter David MacKenzie. And dating coach Hunt Etheridge lets us in on the difference between realism – and settling for less than you deserve.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 14 minutes | Tuesday, 20 January 2026
It’s the biggest social trend on TikTok right now – sitting down with pals for an evening to tackle those jobs you’ve been procrastinating about. But why are admin nights becoming so popular – and do they actually work? Helen talks it over with Ali Khawaja, author of Understanding ADHD: A Short Guide for Loved Ones.Meanwhile, as Novak Djokovich says he’s not retiring, discuss knowing when it’s time to move on – and what we can all learn from the post-sports pivot – with two sports industry pros, and Dr Thoriya joins Helen to discuss closure, and why we all crave it so badly after a big life...
1 hour 7 minutes | Monday, 19 January 2026
Exam season is here - and hitting straight after the holidays, leading many parents to turn to tutors over the festive break. But as new research suggests, is over tutoring creating more problems than it solves? Helen asks education consultant Heather Harries. Plus, we meet two women determined to help us master the return to work – or mid-career pivot – with confidence, and ask the author of a new book why he thinks the way we breathe might be making us ill…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 11 minutes | Friday, 16 January 2026
We find out all about the upcoming Al Quoz Arts Fest, and go behind the scenes at the Golden Globes with judge, William Mullally.Plus, Helen faces House of Habanero’s hot sauce challenge, meets the chef behind the original Dubai Chocolate and discuss the launch of Tresind Studio’s first cookbook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
54 minutes | Thursday, 15 January 2026
From workplace bullying and employers withdrawing benefits to research showing the detrimental impact of a work-heavy work/life balance, early headlines this year have workers worried. So, what can we do to improve our own professional lives? Rohini Gill has the answers you need. Plus, we meet the man making life easier for left-handed learners…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 12 minutes | Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Single person and childless households are on the rise. A Chinese app called Are You Dead has gone viral. And 56% of UAE-based workers say they experience loneliness. So what’s behind the trend, and how do we counter it? Helen asks Scott Armstrong, founder of Mentl, and Wifag Adnan, Associate Professor of Economics at NYU Abu Dhabi. We also discuss a new study suggesting a link between screen use in early years and language development problems, and take your questions on the financial and legal implications on new laws for influencers in the UAE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...
1 hour 15 minutes | Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Amid a global furore over its use, Grok’s ability to remove the clothes from women and children has been put behind a paywall, but creator Elon Musk says he won’t row back on the tech’s abilities. So, how worried should we be? Helen speaks to global cybercop Susan McLean and Dubai-based media lawyer Martin Hayward.Plus, as the KHDA and DHA warn parents about risky behaviour, we get some lessons in communication with our teens from Kristin MacDermott, founder of the MacDermott Method, and after yesterday’s clinic on divorce law, we shift our focus to the emotions of a break-up with family sy...
1 hour 11 minutes | Monday, 12 January 2026
It’s what’s commonly known as Divorce Month, with lawyer’s offices across the world packed out every January. But what are your next steps here if you believe your marriage is in trouble? Lawyer Madeleine Mendy answers your questions. Plus, as Dubai launches an AED10million fund to help families in rent arrears, Steve Cronin joins Helen to discuss budgeting in the real world, and education and inclusion consultant Louise Dawson has the latest on the KHDA’s updated inclusion and SEND assessment rules too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 33 minutes | Friday, 9 January 2026
The Natural History Museum has opened as a living research hub – but how can it help shape how we understand our planet, our past and our future? Helen asks the museum’s Director of Science and Research, Professor Phillip Manning, Director of Science and Research, and Emirati curator Noora Albalooshi. Meanwhile, on the food front, we celebrate Sharjah’s homegrown food scene with restaurateur Lourds Adalia-Evertse, delve into the food trends and openings to expect in 2026 with Laura Coughlin, and our resident culture expert William Mullally is on hand with all the recommendations you need fo...
1 hour 7 minutes | Thursday, 8 January 2026
From Ivy League graduate to global fashion runways, from Hollywood sets to birth advocacy to Dubai’s Gladiator Summit, Yaya DaCosta joins Helen to discuss how her career has never followed a single lane. Meanwhile, the precautionary recall of a specific infant formula by Nestlé has some parents worried – but should they be? We ask Aisling Oslizlok, Paediatric Dietitian at Genesis Healthcare Center.And with some parents across the UAE discovering their child may be eligible to start school earlier than OT Adam Griffin and educational designer Hollie Mayes talk school readiness. See omnystudi...
1 hour 25 minutes | Wednesday, 7 January 2026
A UK GP has been suspended after faking appointments so she could leave work in time for the school run- leaving many parents asking the same question: why does it still feel risky to be honest about childcare at work? Helen asks campaigner Joeli Brearly, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, and workplace culture consultant Lorna King. Plus, as new research suggests tracking our kids could make them less independent and more anxious, we talk tech and trust with psychologist Mark Samways, while digital educator Philippa Wraithmell is on hand with all the info you need to make your household’s d...
1 hour 23 minutes | Tuesday, 6 January 2026
She’s amassed millions of followers for her kitchen DJ sets. Now, 63-year-old Crazy Auntie Ann is in Dubai to show us how to live it up at any age – while the founders of Please Leave By 10 say you don’t even need to stay up late to have a dance.Meanwhile, Helen delves into the British Embassy’s updated advice to new arrivals to the UAE, and as the UAE lowers its legal age of adulthood, we discuss the realities of growing up with Dr Thoriya.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 30 minutes | Monday, 5 January 2026
BNPL schemes boomed across the Middle East at the end of 2025 - but how many people are now waking up to the reality of putting off costs into the new year with fear? Financial coach Beth Clay talks us through how to get 2026 started out on the right financial foot. Meanwhile, Ruth Dance and David MacKenzie talk recruitment and team spirit in January, David Harkin of 8 Billion Ideas joins us to discuss motivation and imagination for kids, and we ask Pulmonologist Dr Rachel Kaminski about a new drug bringing hope to asthma sufferers…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 9 minutes | Friday, 2 January 2026
From the world’s best hotels, cruises, to new flights launching this new year, we’ve got you covered. Connecting Travel's Sarah Hedley Hymers has all the details for you. Courtney Brandt joins us to separate the fads from the future when it comes to the UAE’s booming dining landscape. And what's the best phone when it comes to photography? Tech journalist Kevin Sebastian has the answer based on his personal experience, plus info on other gadgets that you might need this new year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hour 28 minutes | Tuesday, 30 December 2025
We get that from Dr Thoraiya Kanafani as we discuss celebrating pacing your peaks and trusting your own path. Dubai Health's Dr Sara Kazim shares what's in place to ensure safety of crowds celebrating New Year's Eve in the city. We also discuss how common heart diseases and cardiac arrest are among teens following the tragic death of a 17-year-old student in Sharjah. Hollie Mayes guides us on how to declutter properly, especially when emotions are hindering you. And are experiential gifts better presents for kids?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Would you buy A BIT of a house in Dubai? 
Afternoons with Helen Farmer

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