The Couch to 5K Podcast - Jodie Ounsley - on Defiance to be a Gladiator, Rugby Player and Runner whilst Profoundly Deaf
Giovanna Fletcher introduces Jodie Ounsley as her latest Couch to 5k guest. Jodie has a remarkable back-story. She was profoundly deaf as a baby and became the youngest person in the country to have a cochlear implant. She takes us on her journey to being a sport loving youngster and taking up rugby despite the risks of a contact sport.
Jodie became a professional rugby player but her life took another twist when she successfully applied to be a Gladiator on the BBC TV series. She's now best known as Fury from that programme.
She's gone on to appear on Masterchef and Strictly Come Dancing and worked as part of the presentation team for Channel 4 at the Paris Paralympics. She's very honest about her struggles to run 5k. She also talks about how deaf people can now use the NHS Couch to 5k app.
The NHS Couch to 5K app is audio-based, which can create barriers for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or experience tinnitus. To help address this, the Department of Health and Social care have worked with the charity RNID to help better understand these challenges and identify ways to remove some of the these barriers and improve accessibility.
Insights from RNID, combined with technical guidance, have changed the app with things like dynamic transcriptions and haptics(vibrations).
Presenter: Giovanna Fletcher
Producer: Mark Shardlow
Exec Producer: Katherine Hogan
For more information on the NHS Couch to 5K programme follow the link below and download the free app.
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/?WT.mc_ID=Couch_Podcast_BetterHealth&wt.tsrc=display
What is Couch to 5K? It’s a simple, free running plan for absolute beginners
How do you do Couch to 5K? Download an app(details below) and away you go!
Can you do Couch to 5K on a treadmill? Yes, on a treadmill or outside.
How does Couch to 5K work? You will have a trainer in the app starting you off with a mix of running and walking.
How long does Couch to 5K take? You’ll be going out 3 times a week for 9 weeks at a pace that feels right for you. You’ll run a little further each week. You can repeat weeks and take longer if you want to.
You'll find the NHS Couch to 5K app in all the usual places you get your apps from.
Published on Monday, 2nd March 2026.
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We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the The Couch to 5K Podcast webpage.