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The Health Lottery’s 'Paying it Forward' podcast, hosted by Scots born radio and TV personality, Danni Menzies explores the essence of big and small wins in life and the importance of giving back. Her first guest is filmmaker and photographer Doug Allan, whose awards include eight Emmys and fiv BAFTAs over his long and distinguished career.

With a remarkable £130 million contributed to health and wellness initiatives throughout communities in Great Britain, The Health Lottery has long recognised the transformative power of paying it forward. Now, through the 'Paying it Forward Podcast,' audiences are invited to listen to snack-sized episodes featuring tales of kindness, resilience, and generosity.

Fife-born filmmaker, photographer Doug Allan has worked extensively on wildlife and nature programmes for the BBC and National Geographic. He was a research diver and biologist in the Antarctic when a chance meeting with David Attenborough changed his life. He moved from science to cameras. “Up close and personal with killer whales, penguins, or polar bears is truly thrilling!” according to Doug. Sir David Attenborough said: “Wildlife cameramen don’t come much more special than Doug”.

Each 15-minute episode of The Health Lottery’s ‘Paying it Forward’ podcast promises intimate dialogues with guests from diverse realms, spanning film, TV, music, sports, philanthropy, and literature. From surmounting challenges to attaining wellness milestones, from earning prestigious accolades to spreading acts of kindness, the podcast highlights the tapestry of human experiences through the prism of paying it forward.

Doug Allan preparing to film beneath the ice in Canadian Arctic. June 1995

In addition to Allan, the roster boasts personalities such as biohacker and Willpowders founder Davinia Taylor, TV vet Dr. Scott Miller from This Morning, and former Brookside actress Nicola Stephenson who is soon to be joining the cast of Emmerdale.

Expressing her enthusiasm, Danni Menzies remarked, "I'm thrilled to be on this podcasting journey with The Health Lottery and am super excited to be sharing uplifting and entertaining tales of kindness, resilience, and achievements from individuals across all walks of life!"

Carly Troullis, Marketing Manager for The Health Lottery, echoed the sentiment, stating, "We're delighted to introduce the 'Paying it Forward Podcast' as a platform for showcasing stories of triumph, generosity, and community solidarity. We hope this podcast will inspire listeners to embrace the joy of giving back and celebrating all of life’s little wins”

The Health Lottery's 'Paying it Forward Podcast' is slated for debut on all major podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music, with new episodes set to release fortnightly, commencing Thursday, May 23, at 7:00 a.m.

Fife-born Blue Planet ilfmmaker and photographer Doug Allan on The Health Lottery Podcast