From Diversity to Fatherhood: Jordan Banjo on the Hardest Parts of Being a Dad | No Parental Guidance
No Parental GuidanceShow Notes
This week we’re joined by the brilliant Jordan Banjo. Diversity icon, radio host, two-time jungle campmate and dad of three who is not afraid to overshare.
From panic-laughing at a positive pregnancy test to getting a vasectomy from a man called Dr Acorn, this episode is honest, chaotic and absolutely hilarious.
Jordan takes us back to becoming a dad at 24. No plan. No friends with kids. No clue. He opens up about laughing for 20 minutes when he found out his wife was pregnant, refusing to talk about it for two months, and the guilt he feels now looking back. He talks about reflux, feeling disconnected in those early months, and the pressure to instantly “bond” when actually what he felt first was responsibility… not fireworks.
We get into the reality of juggling a 3am breakfast radio alarm with three young kids. The night wake-ups. The teamwork. The falling asleep at 8.15pm mid-series. The dad guilt when tour dates clash with school runs. The moment he accidentally sighed when his son tried to talk to him and immediately wanted the ground to swallow him whole.
There’s also a terrifying hospital story when his youngest became septic at just a few months old. The instinct his wife had that something wasn’t right. The fear. The viral meningitis diagnosis. And the reminder that sometimes you have to be the “annoying parent” and ask every question.
And yes, we talk about the vasectomy.
The lockdown cancellation.
The honeymoon surprise pregnancy.
The airport test in Doha.
The shrivel. The tape. The swelling. The Spider-Man moment.
Nothing is off limits.
We also hear about doing I’m A Celebrity twice, crumbling the first time, coming back stronger the second, and cutting his honeymoon short while secretly panicking about an early pregnancy scan back home.
It’s funny, raw and refreshingly honest about the bits dads don’t always say out loud.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, guilty, exhausted, terrified you’re doing it wrong, or laughed inappropriately in a life-changing moment… this one’s for you.
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@NoParentalGuidance?sub_confirmation=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/no_parental_guidance/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noparentalguidancepod
No Parental Guidance is the unfiltered, laugh out loud parenting podcast that cuts through impossible standards with honesty, chaos and empathy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from No Parental Guidance
🎙️ Baby Loss Awareness Special | Hope, Healing & Unfiltered Truths | Jorgie Porter, Alex Bowen, Danae MercerWelcome back to a very special, and deeply personal, episode of No Parental Guidance.This week, we are stepping away from our usual unhinged antics to hold space for an important conversation dedicated to Baby Loss Awareness. Baby loss and pregnancy trauma is something 1 in 2 of us experience, yet so few feel empowered to speak about openly. Louise and Hannah have both experienced the deep heartbreak of baby loss, and while this episode is close to our hearts, our aim is simple: to shine a gentle light into the dark days and help anyone listening feel a little less alone.If this episode feels like too much for you right now, please take care of yourself—our usual chaotic episodes are just a click away in - can I recommend Sara Pascoe’s recent episode for unhinged parenting hacks that work a treat!And if you’re joining us today, welcome, we are honored to share three incredibly honest, moving, and uplifting conversations with our wonderful guests:💖 Jorgie Porter opens up about her extraordinary journey of naturally conceiving quadruplets, the overwhelming shock of her diagnosis, navigating a silent/missed loss, and how going through extreme grief together brought her and her partner Ollie closer than ever.💙 Alex Bowen brings a vital father’s perspective to the table. He reflects on his journey from Love Island to fatherhood, and candidly shares what it felt like to navigate Vanishing Twin Syndrome with Olivia—reminding us why men’s mental health and emotional openness matter just as much during baby loss.✨ Danae Mercer joins us to discuss the heartbreak of missed miscarriages and chemical pregnancies, the silent obsession with early pregnancy tests, and why we need to strip away the stigma and talk about just how common early loss really is.Thank you for being part of our community. Together, let's break the silence. 🤍📍 Episode Chapters00:00 - Baby Loss Awareness Introduction01:57 - Jorgie Porter Quadruplet Pregnancy Scan07:00 - Jorgie Porter Quadruplet Miscarriage Grief11:55 - Men's Mental Health After Miscarriage13:09 - Alex Bowen Love Island Journey18:48 - Alex Bowen Vanishing Twin Loss28:15 - Danny Mercer Missed Miscarriage Diagnosis30:26 - Chemical Pregnancy and Fertility Testing33:38 - Baby Loss Certificates and Support 💙 Support & ResourcesIf you or someone you know has been affected by baby loss, pregnancy loss, or fertility struggles, please know that support is always available:Tommy's (Pregnancy & Baby Loss Charity): tommys.orgSands (Stillbirth & Neonatal Loss Charity): sands.org.ukMariposa International (Saying Goodbye) (Comprehensive Global bereavement support, remembrance services, and resources supporting miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal, and infant loss) sayinggoodbye.org4Louis (Baby Loss Charity providing support, memory boxes and in hospital care) 4Louis.co.ukThank you to Aldi and their Mamia Range for supporting this special episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Relatable parenting? 💬 Unfiltered birth stories? 💖
This week, we are joined by the absolute goddess herself, Lauren Cowell! 💕
This week, we are joined by the absolutely iconic comedian, author, and mum of two, Sara Pascoe!
🎙️ JORGIE PORTER | "Good Cop/Bad Cop" Parenting, Postpartum Survival Guide & The Ultimate Mum Hair Hack! 💇♀️✨