Episode 183: Siobhan Priest
Spinning Plates with Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Kat Rulach
4.8 • 527 Ratings
🗓️ 25 May 2026
⏱️ 71 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Siobhan Priest - or Shiv - appears as @thefiremum on Instagram and I love seeing her posts about her life as a firefighter in the London Fire Brigade.
Shiv started her working life as a model and continued in that job when she became a single mum to her daughter, at the age of 24.
However she says she was always looking for a helping role in life. Firefighting appealed from an early age but it took many years for her to research it properly and then go for it when her second child, her little boy, was starting school.
She loves the routine and stability that her job gives her, and being part of a watch where she has 10 ‘brothers’.
Shiv says that every day is different, and putting out a fire is fun, as it’s a hands-on job and they are professional problem-solvers.
Shiv is proud of being a firefighter and of influencing other women to follow in her footsteps, and it was an absolute joy to meet someone so excited and fulfilled by their job.
Extra info:
Home Fire Safety Checker:
Get tailored advice for your home or for someone you care for. Our tool allows you to carry out a thorough check of your home in only a few minutes. It’s simple and practical, giving you specific advice for your family and your home. Visit: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/home-fire-safety-checker/
#ChargeSafe campaign
On average there is a fire from a lithium battery in an e-bike or e-scooter every two days in London. Many of these fires are caused by incompatible chargers, modifications to e-bikes, or faulty or counterfeit products which are purchased online. This includes chargers, lithium batteries and conversion kits for e-bikes. For safety tips, check out our campaign webpage: www.london-fire.gov.uk/chargesafe
Cadets
London Fire Brigade Fire Cadets is a free programme for young people aged 13-17, available across all London boroughs. The course gives young people a chance to learn valuable life skills and build their confidence, whilst gaining an insight into careers in the emergency services. https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/community/young-people/fire-cadets/
Outreach/Recruitment
If you are interested in finding out more about jobs/careers at London Fire Brigade, email: outreach@london-fire.gov.uk to request updates and info on recruitment activities and events. To find out more about Firefighter Siobhan Priest’s typical working day, watch her in London Fire Brigade’s You Tube film - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ASQfxHIO8
Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello, I'm Sophia Sbexter and welcome to Spinning Plates, the podcast where I speak to busy working women who also happen to be mothers about how they make it all work. |
| 0:14.4 | I'm a singer and I've released eight albums in between having my five sons, age between seven years old and nearly 22, |
| 0:21.6 | so I spin a few plates myself. |
| 0:23.6 | Being a mother can be the most amazing thing, |
| 0:26.6 | but it can also be hard to find time for yourself and your own ambitions. |
| 0:30.6 | I want to be a little bit nosy and see how other people balance everything. |
| 0:34.6 | Welcome to spinning plates. |
| 0:42.3 | I hope where I'm speaking to you from isn't going to be too annoying and loud and buzzy because I'm actually on my tour glass and I've realised that it's not a very quiet environment. |
| 0:48.3 | It's like a hum coming for something. But anyway, hopefully it's all right. |
| 0:52.3 | It is day one of two things. Day one of the |
| 0:56.5 | festivals this summer. So I am at a place called Farm Fest today. It's also day one of the |
| 1:03.7 | heat wave in the UK. And I'm wondering how many people are already complaining about the weather. |
| 1:09.6 | We have had really |
| 1:11.7 | dodgy weather for the last few weeks. You know, it's been quite cold and rainy. And now we're at |
| 1:19.0 | the beginning of proper heat. So I think today is around 29, 30 degrees. I guess what, guys? |
| 1:27.1 | It's a bit hot out there. |
| 1:28.5 | It's like pretty full on. |
| 1:31.1 | And this is going to continue for about a week minimum. |
| 1:33.8 | So let's see how many people are still loving it at all a couple of days in. |
| 1:39.4 | But it is nice to see a blue sky. |
| 1:42.7 | And it's nice to, you know, wear lighter clothes and have your pins out on that kind of thing. |
| 1:48.6 | I mean, I say it would say that I'm a tart. |
... |
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