My Journey from TV News to my ‘New Chapters’ Podcast - and a Lifelong Love of Art

My name is Isabel Webster. I’m a journalist, and I’ve spent the past twenty years working in broadcasting, both as a correspondent and as an anchor. It has been a remarkable, humbling, and often exhilarating career. I’ve had the privilege of covering some of the biggest stories of my generation and meeting extraordinary people along the way - from world leaders to individuals whose quiet courage in their communities left an indelible mark on me. I’ve often thought of journalism as a calling, a way to illuminate truths, and to give voice to stories that might otherwise go unheard.

But over the past few years, the landscape of news has shifted in ways that have been hard to reconcile. The world seems angrier, more divided, and more hostile. Where once careful reporting and honest inquiry were respected, today, the very act of speaking truth can feel like whistling in the wind. It seems that good journalists are increasingly expected to fact-check conspiracy theorists, only to be abused online for doing so. Watching this unfold has been deeply demoralising. Politicians, it seems, are more likely to offer catchy, populist sound bites than nuanced truths - sound bites that may gain votes but help no one.

In that environment, I realised that I needed a break- not from journalism entirely, but from the relentless grind of news that often leaves me questioning the very value of what I do. I wanted to return to storytelling in a way that feels purposeful, authentic, and uplifting. So, I decided to launch an independent podcast: New Chapters with Isabel Webster.

This podcast allows me to use the skills I’ve honed over two decades - listening carefully, asking meaningful questions, and drawing out stories that matter - but with a new focus. Instead of chasing breaking news or analysing crises, I’m telling stories of reinvention, growth, and resilience. I want to explore how people navigate challenges, embrace change, and find their way to renewed purpose. My guests have included incredible individuals such as Amanda Wakeley OBE, Louise Roe, Alexandra Tolstoy, and Leah Lane, founder of My Mulberry House. Each brings a fascinating perspective, and nearly all share a connection to creativity or design, which is something I’ve always been drawn to.

My love of creativity is, in many ways, inherited. Both of my parents were architects, and I very nearly followed in their footsteps. My father, Sinclair Webster, once a partner at Sheppard Robson, designed the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. He was a pioneer in integrating art into healthcare environments in the UK. Long before it became fashionable to consider the impact of aesthetics on well-being, he believed that thoughtfully curated art could transform clinical spaces into therapeutic environments. If you’ve never visited, it’s truly worth seeing - the hospital houses more than 2,000 pieces of artwork in its enormous atrium and along its colourful corridors. The experience is uplifting, vibrant, and inspiring, a tangible demonstration of how art can bring life, calm, and beauty to otherwise functional spaces.

Credit: Chelsea & Westminster Hospital - Atrium 

I have a personal connection to that hospital, too. As the child of the architect I had the joy of gifting a silver spoon to the very first baby born there – I was 8 years old. It’s a memory that has stayed with me all my life. Later, I deliberately had both my children in the same hospital, linking my family’s personal milestones to the very building my father designed. And even now, at seventy-five, my father continues to paint every day. He describes his work as figurative and contemporary art, and our family home is covered wall to wall with his paintings. I have many of his pieces in my own home, as do most of our friends and family. Tonight, I will be taking my children to one of his exhibitions locally, and it strikes me that his tireless enthusiasm for art has shaped the backdrop of my entire life. I am deeply grateful for it.

Sinclair Webster

This lifelong immersion in creativity is certainly what led me to Julia Collins and her remarkable collection of affordable vintage art. Julia’s work resonates with me because it combines elegance, accessibility, and emotional impact. My taste is eclectic - shaped by growing up surrounded by modernist works that experimented with abstraction and bold forms, like Picasso and Matisse - but I am equally drawn to the softer, more romantic pieces inspired by French Impressionists, as well as nudes, still life compositions and a glorious vintage frame. Discovering Julia Collins’ collection felt like finding a treasure trove that perfectly fits my style.

Here are five paintings from Collins & Green Art that I would love to hang in my five-hundred-year-old house one day.

White Roses
This is my favourite painting currently available at Collins & Green Art. It captures everything I love in one composition: roses, a nod to the classic French aesthetic, a stunning vintage frame, and soothing yellow-and-white tones. It is both elegant and calming, the kind of piece that would look exquisite beside a bed or on a dressing table. I imagine its subtle charm adding a sense of serenity to a private space, inviting quiet reflection at the start or end of a day.

Nude 14
This expressive nude portrait immediately drew me in. It is contemporary and simple without feeling overly romanticised. There is a subtle intimacy to the gaze and form, which makes it striking without being overpowering. The inking’s elegance lies in its restraint - the ability to convey emotion and form with economy, drawing the viewer’s eye and holding it in quiet admiration.

Orange Lilies in a Red Vase
There is something wonderfully joyous about this oil painting. The extravagant, almost flamboyant colours and the bold juxtaposition against a rather ornate wooden frame make it a piece that energises a room. It is fun, uplifting, and celebratory - the kind of art that makes you happy simply by existing. It reminds me that art is not only about contemplation; it is about delight, and sometimes, sheer exuberance.

Haystacks and Fields
This painting nods to my love of the countryside and the quintessentially British bucolic landscape. It is the sort of work that makes me smile immediately, evoking the gentle rhythm of rural life. I could see it hanging in a study, a bathroom, or even a quiet corner of a living room, providing a moment of pastoral calm and nostalgia amidst the bustle of modern life.

Yellow Mug and Pears
Finally, this striking Swedish oil on canvas celebrates the charm of a classic still-life composition. It is fresh, uplifting, and perfect for a kitchen art wall. I am a devoted fan of still-life paintings - they capture the poetry of everyday objects, transforming the ordinary into something beautiful and visually engaging. This piece combines a playful vibrancy with compositional balance, making it ideal for a space where life is lived daily.

 
Returning to my podcast, I realise that these two passions - journalism and art - share a common thread: storytelling. They both connect, inspire, and invite reflection. From my early years surrounded by my father’s paintings to discovering treasures like Julia Collins’ collection, I’ve learned that creativity shapes how we experience the world. Each painting I choose, like delicate roses or vibrant still lifes, becomes part of a visual diary that complements my life, my home, and my work.

New Chapters with Isabel Webster brings that same ethos to conversation. By focusing on reinvention, resilience, and human ingenuity, the podcast celebrates curiosity, creativity, and connection. Each episode is an opportunity to explore new perspectives, share wisdom, and embrace the beauty in life’s chapters - reminding us that storytelling, whether visual or spoken, has the power to uplift and transform.
 
You can find ‘New Chapters wish Isabel Webster’ – OUT NOW - on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Follow Isabel on Instagram @isabelwebstertv

Get behind the scenes and her own new chapter @newchapterspodcast

Website: www.isabelwebster.com