14 minutes | Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Send us Fan MailIf you could do one thing today to make life easier for yourself in ten or twenty years, what would it be?It's a question more of us are beginning to consider as we think about our “future selves”, and it's something I discussed with renowned Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner when she joined me on The MarshyCast.Although before we got to the sensible stuff, there was an important injustice to address.Anthea finally has her Gold Blue Peter badge!Given everything Anthea did during her time on Blue Peter, you might assume a Gold badge had been safely tucked away somewhere for years.Apparently not.Anthea told me she eventually received one, not necessarily because somebody looked back at her achievements and decided the time had come, but because she moaned that she didn't have one.Sometimes asking really does work.And Anthea certainly hasn't stopped taking on challenges since her Blue Peter days.She recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for charity, which led us onto the increasingly adventurous things some of us seem to do as we get older.You'd think age might encourage a quieter life.Instead, Anthea has climbed Kilimanjaro and previously found herself jumping out of a plane on Celebrity SAS.Looking after the person you'll becomeBehind the adventures was a more serious conversation about planning for later life.Looking after your future self isn't just about putting money aside. It's also about staying on top of your health and making decisions now that could make life easier further down the road.We talked about the financial side too, including smart meters and how having a clearer picture of the energy you're using can help households understand their usage.Although Anthea identified another potential benefit.They can help you win arguments.If someone insists they're definitely not responsible for the energy bill, having the numbers in front of you may suddenly turn domestic debate into a particularly low-budget episode of CSI.We also talked about attitudes towards money among younger generations.Being sensible with money and knowing how to save might not sound like the most romantic qualities on a dating profile, but financial habits can matter when people think about building a future together.Ultimately, whether it's health, finances or simply continuing to challenge yourself, the conversation comes back to one question:What can you do now that your future self will be grateful for?Although if that future self fancies climbing another mountain or jumping out of an aeroplane, Anthea might be setting the bar slightly high.🎧 Hear my full conversation with Anthea Turner now on The MarshyCast, available on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. Find me on all social media @paulswampymarsh