Queen of colour, Sophie Robinson (Sops) is a TV presenter and interior designer. Her little brother Edward (Smudge) left a career in fashion for interiors, also appearing on telly. Their love of a project was inspired by their DIY- mad parents, who moved the kids around the country, renovating houses as they went. This nomadic period of childhood was an adventure for ‘golden-child’ Sophie, but a bit tough for Edward, who was struggling with his identity. In this episode they talk about rainbow wallpaper, fancying your games teacher, pyromania and confiding in each other as adults.

Professor Sir Christopher Frayling - or Podge - is one the country's leading cultural historians. His older brother, The Very Reverend Nicholas Frayling - or Nick the Vic - was the Dean of Chichester before he retired. Born shortly after World War 2 to an ambitious father and a trailblazing mother, the boys had very different paths to success. Being sent away to school at 7 was tough for both 'Frayling Major and Frayling Minor', who became "partners is adversity" during those difficult years. Academia saved one boy, music saved the other. Now though, they look back at their childhood together with a lot of affection and celebrate each others remarkable careers.

Comedian (and Scummy Mummy) Helen Thorn is a whopping 14 years younger than her brother John, who remembers her as a precocious and hilarious little blonde princess. While John went to grammar school in Melbourne, Australia, Helen had a different childhood - sent to tough it out in some harsher environments. Their childhoods may have been really different, but as adults they understand each other’s worlds perfectly. When times are tough they are safe havens for each other, spending lots of time together as buddies and now colleagues.

TV quizzer Bobby Seagull and his polymath big brother Davey Jose (artist, tech analyst, mathematician) grew up in a council house in East London, where "using your mind" was valued above all else. 2 of 4 boys, the pair have been close from the start, inheriting their bouncy positivity from their parents. An accident as a toddler meant Davey went to special school until fate stepped in and he had the chance to go to mainstream school like Bobby. Sibling rivalry spurred both boys on to academic success: Bobby went to Eton on a full scholarship and then to Oxford to study Maths. He would have gone to Cambridge like Davey, but they argued over their beloved rival football teams and the rest is history!

Author and columnist Lucy Mangan (AKA ‘Boogaloo’) and her IT-whizz little sister Emily Thomas (AKA ‘Minefrog’) are very, very different. Brought up in Catford by their indomitable "displaced Northerner" mother and their introverted father (nicknamed 'The Potato'), Emily remembers their mother making Lucy's bed with her still in it, nose stuck in a book. Lucy recalls Emily never sitting still, and always embarking on projects and adventures. In this episode they talk about making friends, being introverted or extroverted, getting one over on your sister – and the complex and numerous Mangan House Rules. Lucy's terrific new book 'Are We Having Fun Yet?' is out now.

Appearing on Love Island was a dramatic move for pharmacist Anna Vakili. She now works as an influencer with her little sister Mandi - which is a "dream come true" for the girls. Brought up in London by ambitious Iranian parents, the pair reflect on the adjustments their parents have made and how life has changed for everyone since the show. They also talk about coming of age in the post 9/11 and 7/7 era, an environment which was very hostile to Muslims, and discuss their new joint mission to represent Middle Eastern women in the media, proving you can be both "sexy and smart".

Classical Brit nominated sisters Hannah and Naomi (or Hanomi) are mirror twins, who have equally beautiful soprano singing voices. Bullied at school, the pair found their confidence through encouragement from their parents and singing teacher to start to perform. Appearing on The Voice in 2015 launched their career and they have since sung for royalty, for a packed Wembley arena at at The Royal Albert Hall as Classical Reflection. In this episode, they talk about being each other's number one priority, the drama of driving tests, and whether they ever think about a life apart.

For 38 years, actor and theatre-maker Emma Spearing was Robin, and her identical twin Charlie, was Batman. Since Charlie died seven years ago, Emma has been trying to figure out what the hell happens to her role as sidekick now that she is alone. Her new one-woman play 'Whole' is about the disorientating grief of losing a sister and the future you imagined together – and it’s funny, too. In the second of two episodes on siblings and grief , Emma talks about having a shared ego, caring for her sister, the goodness of friends and where she finds specific help, now that she is a twin on her own.

Priest, journalist and broadcaster Giles Fraser talks about his brother Jonathan, who died before Giles was born. His parents' grief shaped the way he was parented and has even influenced the way he approached fatherhood. In this episode, he talks about: the sadness that is always close to the surface, loving someone you never met, philosophy, teenage rebellion and acquiring a new brother at 13.

If you have been affected by stillbirth, miscarriage or SID, please be aware that this podcast talks about them all, as well as 'saudade' – the Portuguese word which expresses sadness and longing for something that is missing.

Steve and Suzie Fletcher from the BBC show The Repair Shop grew up in rural Oxfordshire, where they had a very free range childhood. Their hard-working horologist father inspired Steve to go into a career mending clocks and watches but for Suzie, it was only ever horses, which she loved with a passion that took her to the USA – where she stayed for 22 years. The now-reunited siblings talk creativity, postnatal depression, shyness, and the absolute joy of roaming the countryside from breakfast until tea.

Netball international duo Sasha and Kadeen Corbin grew up in a sporty household. Their dad played cricket for Glamorgan and as a girl their mum raced Tessa Sanderson on the track. Early success in gymnastics gave way to a passion for netball which saw both girls represent the country together. In this episode they talk the pain of injury, the heartbreak of not being selected to play when your sister has been and the fun of sharing a dream.

Professor of psychology and sibling expert Alison Pike joins Catherine again to talk about family roles, childhood labels and why we grow up so differently to our brothers and sisters. Do we become clumsy if we are called clumsy ? Is it all down to our parents? And do our roles in the family translate into our identities or reputations in life more generally?

Catriona and Antonia (or Catinks and Noon) are only 20 months apart: as children they lived around the world, keeping unusual pets, playing at horses (and riding real horses) and generally enjoying wonderful freedom. Dartmoor in Devon was the one constant in their lives – but much as they loved it, their house was terrifying for author Catriona - who now writes horror fiction for a living. In this episode they talk about fitting in in new places, fighting over each other’s possessions and the important role of aunty.

Meet Alison Pike - a professor of child and family psychology who has been studying sibling relationships for the last 25 years. Over the next few weeks, she will join Catherine for a series of bonus conversations on things like rivalry, roles and family memories and stories… In this short episode, she talks about her own family, and why she is so interested in brothers and sisters.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Isata Kanneh-Mason are two of seven musical siblings from Nottingham, who still argue over board games and – as children – strove to win the annual Christmas bedroom-decorating competition. But their on-stage relationships are totally different, revelling in each other’s unique skills and abilities. In this episode they talk about the importance of creativity for its own sake, family WhatsApp groups and their new album ‘Muse' – their first as a duo...

Susie Dent is a whizz with words. The lexicographer and etymologist’s fascination with language started early, when she would devour German and French vocab books in the back of the car on the way to family holidays. In this episode of Relatively, Catherine asks Susie all about the words we use to talk about families – from sibling to sister and brethren to relative. A fascinating delve into the dictionary with Susie Dent!

Gok (“Babe”) and Kwoklyn Wan’s grandfather came to the UK from Hong Kong in 1958, and opened the very first Chop Suey house in Leicester four years later. Their mum and dad were also restaurateurs, and the pair grew up (like twins) learning to be perfect hosts: helping in the kitchen, dancing to ABBA in the basement, and eating steak and rice at 3AM after service with their fun-loving parents. Home was a bubble which protected the siblings from the bullying and abuse endured in 1980s Britain. Later on, Gok suffered from anorexia, after trying to lose weight to fit in – a period his brother still finds hard to talk about.

Meg and Chris (‘the Bag’) Clothier were brought up by their seafaring, hardy parents who met one another ocean racing. Childhood holidays spent ‘bored wet and cold’ nevertheless left the pair with a deep love and respect for the sea. As straight A students, they headed to Oxbridge and became 'real' friends although tomboy Meg remembers Chris as always being a 'really nice playmate' (or maybe first mate!). In this episode, they talk about: the sea (of course), teenage fashion, the heartache of divorce and the joy of shepherd’s pie.

TV presenter Kirsten O'Brien and her little brother Tim had a globetrotting childhood, racking up the airmiles following their engineer dad's career to some pretty far flung corners of the world. Living the ex-pat life made them close and gave them a world view way beyond their native Middleborough, where they were the first people to have a microwave and a VHS. The pair scrapped and fought a lot, something Kirsten - as a self-professed "wind-up merchant" - takes full responsibility for. However, as older teens their shared indie-kid identity brought them close, a bond which was tested by the grief which followed the death of their mother when she was just 54.

Labour MPs Angela and Maria Eagle were encouraged to aim high from as early as they can remember. At eight years old, the twins started beating their dad at chess and quickly moved on to defeating the boys at their local chess club. As well as chess, their parents also taught them about equality for women and the value of education. At home they were immersed in politics - debating and arguing with each other as well as "shouting at the telly" if a Conservative happened to be on "spouting Tory nonsense." As serving members of Parliament they are sustained by the bond forged as children – and in 2016, when Angela made her bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn as party leader, Maria provided emotional support in the face of relentless trolling and abuse, some of which focused on her sister's sexuality.