What's Up Docs? podcast | Listen online for free

131 episodes

Doctors' Notes: Cholesterol
07/04/2026 | 31 mins.
Chris and Xand take a closer look at cholesterol - what it is, why it worries so many people, and how diet and medicine fit into the picture. They’re joined again by Professor Nita Forouhi, Professor of Population Health and Nutrition at the University of Cambridge, to discuss why foods like seed oils become controversial, when cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins make sense, and how her thinking on cholesterol has evolved over her career.
Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken
Guest: Professor Nita Forouhi
Producer: Faye Lyons-White
Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar
Editor: Jo Rowntree
Researcher: Grace Revill
Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable
Social Media: Leon Gower
Digital Lead: Richard Berry
Composer: Phoebe McFarlane
Sound Design: Olga Reed
At the BBC:
Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.
How should we think about cholesterol?
07/04/2026 | 29 mins.
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken untangle the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.
In this episode, they take on one of nutrition’s most misunderstood topics: fat. What is it, and why does our body need it? At what point does something normal and essential become something we worry about? What do cholesterol blood tests actually measure, and how well do they predict disease?
Chris and Xand also explore the relationship between diet and cholesterol, asking how much influence what we eat really has, whether certain fats deserve their bad reputation, and what gets lost when we focus on single nutrients instead of overall dietary patterns.
They’re joined by Nita Forouhi, Professor of Population Health and Nutrition at the University of Cambridge, to help separate evidence from hype and offer a clearer way to think about fat, cholesterol, and healthy eating.
If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.
Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken
Guest: Professor Nita Forouhi
Producer: Faye Lyons-White
Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar
Editor: Jo Rowntree
Researcher: Grace Revill
Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable
Social Media: Leon Gower
Digital Lead: Richard Berry
Composer: Phoebe McFarlane
Sound Design: Olga Reed
At the BBC:
Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4
Doctors' Notes: Light
31/03/2026 | 19 mins.
Chris and Xand continue their conversation about the sun's effect on our happiness with Professor Hester Parr, human geography and research lead of Living with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
The doctors want to know how low light affects those with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), how the disorder is viewed and what research is being done to help treat those with it, including that being conducted by Professor Parr.
If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.
Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken
Guest: Professor Hester Parr
Producer: Claire Justin
Visual Producer: Leon Gower
Executive Producer: Jo Rowntree
Editor: Claire Justin
Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable
Social Media: Leon Gower
Digital Lead: Richard Berry
Composer: Phoebe McFarlane
Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby
At the BBC:
Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Why do we feel happier when the sun’s out?
31/03/2026 | 28 mins.
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.
In this episode, Chris and Xand will shine a light on…light. They discuss why the sun can help lift our mood, and its effects on our sleep and general wellbeing. Joining them to discuss this is Professor Hester Parr, a professor of Human Geography with an interest in sunlight's effect on mental health and runs the research group Living with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.
Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken
Guest: Professor Hester Parr
Producer: Claire Justin
Video Producer: Leon Gower
Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar
Editor: Jo Rowntree
Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable
Digital Lead: Richard Berry
Composer: Phoebe McFarlane
Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby
At the BBC:
Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4
Doctors' Notes: Buildings
24/03/2026 | 32 mins.
Chris and Xand continue their conversation about how the built environment affects our health, with architect Lisa Finlay from Heatherwick Studio.
They ask when wellbeing first became a serious consideration in architecture, how Lisa weaves it into her own projects, and whether cities can be designed in ways that actively support public health.
They also explore what the “healthy building” of the future might look like, and whether architecture could play a bigger role in preventing illness before it starts.
If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.
Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken
Guest: Lisa Finlay
Producer: Faye Lyons-White
Visuals Producer: Leon Gower
Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar
Editor: Jo Rowntree
Researcher: Grace Revill
Assistant Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis
Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable
Digital Lead: Richard Berry
Composer: Phoebe McFarlane
Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby
At the BBC:
Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

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About What's Up Docs?

In this BBC Radio 4 podcast, Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves.Although they are identical twins, Chris and Xand are very different and they never stop thinking and arguing about science and health. They want to lead healthy, happy lives and as doctors, they want this for everyone. Yet they tussle over how best to get there.When it comes to looking after our own health, it can be confusing. Medicine and science produce amazing new treatments and diagnostics every day and we are bombarded with so many headlines and pieces of advice; but how are we supposed to know what's really best for us and then successfully apply it to our lives?Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken embrace this challenge; even as they marvel at the scientific breakthroughs, they grapple with the competing claims about health, wellbeing and how to live.From understanding testosterone therapies to microplastics in our diets, and the concept of 'hangriness' to the power of saying no - this podcast deals with the health stresses we all face every day, while taking on board how the decisions by corporations and governments affect all our health.Each episode, Chris and Xand are joined by an expert guest to examine the latest research, psychological insights, and data, to help listeners navigate the overwhelming amount of information and advice out there. They talk about the trials and tribulations in their own lives in their characteristically witty way - each teasing the other as they search for solutions. Xand has trouble sleeping , Chris has noisy knees, one of them has got an embarrassing itch. They have different ways of looking at things and find it really helpful to get the other one's point of view. These doctors are trying their best and encouraging listeners to do the same.Email: [email protected] Whatsapp: 08000 665123A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

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