
The Way They Were
The podcast where every celebrity split is the one that got away. Each week comedians Grainne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate take a deep dive into a celebrity breakup, chosen by a special guest, that still lingers in their hearts and minds. We scour interviews, over-analyse iconic pictures and search for meaning in post-breakup media statements. Celeb gossip hounds will feel right at home, but really anyone who's experienced a breakup can appreciate hearing how the rich and famous take heartbreak to a whole new level. They might uncouple ‘amicably with love and respect for one another’ - but we never get over these lost loves! Join us every Friday for a new episode.
Latest episodes

May 30, 2025 • 25min
Top 5 Sex and the City Breakups: Patreon Preview!
In New York, love is everything — until it isn’t. This week on The Way They Were, Chantal and Gráinne celebrate the return of And Just Like That by taking a walk down memory lane. So pour the cosmos and let’s count down the top five Sex and the City breakups. From Post-it notes to wedding day bust-ups, we couldn't help but think: is Sex and the City the best TV show of all time? Let us know in the comments!
The full episode is available now on our Patreon — sip, listen, and support us here: https://patreon.com/TheWayTheyWere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 9, 2025 • 9min
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: Patreon Preview!
We’ve just dropped our very first Patreon-exclusive episode—and trust us, you’re going to want in on this.
In the full episode: Gráinne reignites her long-running feud with Taylor Swift, Chantal digs up the reality TV roots of Travis Kelce's love life, and absolutely nobody cares about Matt Healy).
It’s loose, it’s potentially liabilous and it’s only on Patreon.
If you like what we do and want even more of it uncut, unfiltered, and a little bit unhinged come join us: patreon.com/TheWayTheyWere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 2, 2025 • 1h 22min
Stuart Laws: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
It’s the season finale, and it’s time for Bennifer! No, not that Bennifer. We’re talking about the sequel duo: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner — and things are getting messy. Gráinne and Chantal have called in Alias superfan and casual observer of all things Affleck, Stuart Laws, to help make sense of this rebound for the ages.
From Daredevil to that bizarre Oscars speech — and what was the deal with the nanny? We’re covering it all.
PLUS, we reveal our big end-of-season surprise: the brand new The Way They Were Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 27, 2025 • 53min
Emergency Episode! Jojo Siwa, Kath Ebbs & Chris Hughes
STOP THE PRESS! Another celebrity breakup has rocked our world, so Gráinne and Chantal dropped everything to bring you this emergency episode on a Sunday morning. Karmas a bitch, and she's with us right now as we dive into the end of the relationship between 'gay pop princess' Jojo Siwa and influencer Kath Ebbs.
We cover all the ins and outs that led up to our star-crossed lovers publicly announcing their split after four months. Plus, we dig into Jojo's experience and personal growth in the Celeb Big Brother house — and her unlikely friendship with Chris Hughes.
So if a 14-minute TikTok wasn't enough to satisfy your curiosity about this breakup, this emergency ep is here for YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 25, 2025 • 1h 23min
Nikki Druce: George IV and Caroline of Brunswick
Put on your best powdered wig, pour a generous brandy, and brace yourself for scandal as we revisit one of history's messiest royal romances: the unholy matrimony of King George IV and Caroline of Brunswick. It’s a love story makes Charles and Diana look dull.
Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate welcome special guest Nikki Druce, the undisputed queen of macabre history podcasts, to spill the gory details. From odious first impressions to the most embarrassing coronation crash you don't want to miss this one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 18, 2025 • 1h 13min
Alice Hopkins: Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin
Light a pungent candle, get yourself comfortable perched on a jade egg, and prepare to consciously uncouple as The Way They Were dives into the iconic noughties love story of Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin. Just remember, nobody said it was easy...
Hosts Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate welcome BBC Radio 1’s early-morning queen Alice Hopkins to explore this revolutionary pair. From the most iconic child name in celebrity history to the ultimate euphemism for a breakup, this duo rewrote the rulebook for celebrity couples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 11, 2025 • 1h 17min
Paul F. Tompkins and Janie Haddad Tompkins: Captain & Tennille
They thought that love could keep them together, but not even a Captain could weather this romantic storm. So pour yourself a piña colada, weigh anchor, and yacht rock into the night for the spectacular 100th episode of The Way They Were!
Our very own centurions, Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate, are joined by comedy power couple Paul F. Tompkins and Janie Haddad Tompkins to explore the heartbreaking love story of Captain & Tennille.
So grab your elastic bands, slap on your skipper’s cap, and answer the question: will you do it with us one more time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 4, 2025 • 1h 11min
Eleanor Morton: Princess Margaret & Lord Snowdon
Pour yourself a gin, pop on your pearls, and dust off your stiff upper lip as hosts Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate peer behind the velvet curtains of royal heartbreak in this special episode of The Way They Were. Joining them for a jolly good gossip is comedian, author, and undisputed queen of feminist history books, Eleanor Morton. Together, they'll dissect the delightfully doomed romance between the original royal rebel, Princess Margaret, and the roguishly charming Lord Snowdon. Expect scandalous insights into swinging sixties soirées, a sassy photographer called Cecil and the worst love notes of all time. Buckle up, dear listeners; it's a right royal affair! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 28, 2025 • 1h 5min
Jonn Elledge: Jeremy Corbyn & Diane Abbott
Crack open a tin of M&S cocktails and hop aboard the love train, because this week we’re diving into a political pairing that’s had more ups and downs than the Spring statement. Yes, it’s the low-key, long-rumoured, and quietly history-making relationship between Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott. Joining Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate to unpack it all is journalist and political power house Jonn Elledge. From motorbike rides and graveyard dates to depressing Christmas dinners, these political trailblazers broke boundaries but their story of heartbreak is one for the ages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 21, 2025 • 1h 7min
Michelle Shaughnessy: Sylvester Stallone & Brigitte Nielson
This week, we're getting into a real Rocky romance—the kind with muscles, shoulder pads, and more drama than the entire Rambo franchise. Yes, it’s the short, wild, and gloriously roided-up love affair between Sylvester Stallone and Brigitte Nielsen. Helping Gráinne Maguire and Chantal Feduchin-Pate make sense of it all is the effortlessly glamorous comedian Michelle Shaughnessy—a woman with a deep love for the ’80s and a not-so-secret crush on Sly.From secret love notes to interfering mums, we’ve got it all—so grab your protein shake and your peroxide as we look back at one of the decade’s most iconic (and chaotic) love stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices