Full Disclosure with James O'Brien: Recent Episodes
LBC
Award-winning LBC presenter and best-selling author James O’Brien hosts a series of compelling conversations with fascinating people. These are revealing interviews with people who rarely give in-depth interviews, be it from politics, entertainment or news. Subscribe to get a new episode every Friday.
Beloved TV doctor, children’s author and NHS paediatrician Dr Ranj Singh tells James O’Brien the extraordinary story behind the smile - from the collapse of the life he thought he was supposed to want, to the painful process of working out who he really was.
He speaks candidly about growing up in a traditional Indian family, the pressure to follow a respectable path, and the emotional cost of spending years trying to fit expectations. He recalls his sexuality being “outed” to his parents before he was ready, the heartbreak and confusion that followed, and the therapy that helped him understand his identity and start living more truthfully.
They also explore his career in medicine, his decision to step back after decades in the NHS, and the creative life he has built beyond the hospital ward. From children’s television to musical theatre, Dr Ranj reflects on chasing joy, embracing vulnerability, and why his real job - in whatever form it takes - is simply to make people feel better.
Find out more about Dr Ranj’s Human Body Encyclopedia here
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As the magnetic frontman of James, Tim Booth has spent more than four decades turning raw emotion into some of Britain’s most loved music - from Sit Down and Laid to a run of acclaimed new records.
Tim joins James O’Brien to trace the unlikely journey that led him to the band: a difficult childhood, the brutality of boarding school, a life-changing Patti Smith album and a chance encounter with three teenage musicians in a Manchester bar. Within days, he was on stage; before long, James were building a devoted following through their fiercely independent, improvisational live shows.
He reflects on the extraordinary communal power of Sit Down, the band’s relationship with The Smiths and Factory Records, and the pressures that eventually drove him to leave. Tim also discusses James’s reunion, their distinctive songwriting process and the creative restlessness that continues to push the band into new territory.
Along the way, he speaks candidly about illness, dance, meditation and altered states - and the belief that a great gig can become a shared act of transcendence. With a new album in progress and documentary ‘James: Getting Away With It’ charting James’s four-decade story, this is an intimate, funny and deeply moving conversation about survival, creativity and staying open to the unknown.
Find out more about James’ tour dates and ‘James: Getting Away With It’ documentary here
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From growing up on a Gloucester council estate to becoming one of Britain’s best-known culinary success stories, Tom Kerridge has built a career defined by resilience, risk and an enduring belief in people.
Tom joins James O’Brien to discuss his unlikely path into hospitality, from washing up in country house hotels to the intensity of London’s leading kitchens and the creation of The Hand and Flowers - the UK’s first pub to hold two Michelin stars. He reflects on the energy of professional kitchens, the mentors who shaped him, and why he believes being a chef is “nothing to do with food”.
They also explore his growing role as an advocate for hospitality, the pressure of running businesses and supporting hundreds of staff, and his engagement with politics and VAT reform. Tom discusses his television career, his latest series Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy, and why success means seeing the people around him thrive.
Tom first appeared on Full Disclosure remotely in 2020, during the Covid period. Returning to the studio, he and James pick up the conversation for a candid, funny and deeply personal look at family, ambition, food and finding purpose through connection.
Watch Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy here
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What makes someone run towards places most people are desperate to escape?
Long before Ravi Singh became one of Britain’s most remarkable humanitarian figures, he was a child caught between worlds: born in Singapore, raised in a Punjabi village, and brought to Britain at 11, where he encountered racism, loss and dislocation almost as soon as he arrived. Years later, he would go on to found Khalsa Aid, the international relief organisation known for delivering aid in some of the most dangerous and devastated places on earth.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Ravi to trace the experiences that shaped his lifelong commitment to service - from a childhood marked by community, faith and hardship, to the moment he realised that compassion could become a form of action in the face of injustice.
Ravi reflects on growing up in a village shared by Sikh, Muslim and Hindu families, losing his father at a young age, and arriving in Britain unable to speak English, where he was confronted almost immediately by racism and exclusion. He describes the values instilled by his mother, the discipline and belonging he found in the Air Cadets, and the personal and political awakening that followed news of atrocities in Punjab.
They discuss faith, identity and activism; the Sikh principles of seva and Sarbat Da Bhala; the founding of Khalsa Aid during the Kosovo crisis; and what it means to deliver practical help in places devastated by war, displacement and disaster - from Iraq and Syria to Somerset and Slough.
Passionate, reflective and deeply moving, this is a conversation about loss, service, solidarity and the moral courage required to see other people’s suffering as your own.
Find out more about Khalsa Aid here
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Full Disclosure is taking a short break, but we’ll be back very soon with brand new episodes.
Until then, why not dip back into the archive! There are some brilliant episodes to catch up on, including conversations with Jonathan Pryce, Billy Idol, Grace Dent, Sadiq Khan, Dawn French, Irvine Welsh, Hugh Laurie, Jon Ronson, David Harewood and Brian Cox. And that’s only scratching the surface!
Full Disclosure is a Global Production
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Baroness Beeban Kidron has lived several lives in one. Award winning filmmaker, Hollywood director, crossbench peer and one of the earliest and most persistent critics of Big Tech, she has spent years sounding the alarm about the digital world long before the rest of us caught up.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Beeban to trace the path from a radical North London childhood to the House of Lords, via Greenham Common, Hollywood and a career spent telling stories about power, exclusion and who gets heard. She reflects on the childhood operation that left her unable to speak, the camera that gave her purpose and the instinct that has driven everything since, from filmmaking to political campaigning.
Beeban explains why the arrival of smartphones felt like a turning point, how her documentary work with teenagers exposed the hidden costs of life online and why she believes the harms caused by tech are not accidental but built into the system. She speaks about lobbying, political failure and the transfer of power, money and control from public life into private hands.
It is a fiercely intelligent, deeply personal and often incendiary conversation about technology, democracy and what it will take to fight back.
Find out more about Users: How Big Tech Took Control and How to Fight Back by Beeban Kidron here
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Cressida Cowell is on of the most beloved children's authors, selling millions and millions of books worldwide, including 'How to train your dragon' which is now a global film franchise too.
In this episode of Full Disclosure with James O'Brien, Cressida tells us about her loving childhood with summers spent on Little Colonsay in the Inner Hebridies - a small, inhabited island that her environmentalist dad bought. From boarding school to sixth form, she charts back through her love or reading and illustrating to the struggles, and sometimes lack of, that she faced to become a successful author.
A self-proclaimed misfit at school who struggle with concentration and organisation, Cressida tells james how she felt powerless as a child and loved reading stories with strong female heroes - something she strives for in her writing.
But school never held her back, and with some good fortune of meeting the right people at the right time, Cressida discusses how she got her big break, 'How To Train Your Dragon' didn't become an instant hit, but a cult one and how Hiccup came to be.
Find out more about Cressida Cowell and her new book How To Train Your Dragon School: Fight of the Flamestrike here.
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After Andy Burnham's landslide win against Nigel Farage's Reform party in Makerfield, we thought you'd love to hear his interview with James O'Brien again, first released in 2022
Dubbed 'King of the North' at the height of the pandemic, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham speaks to James about why he sees the country of his birth as containing 'two Englands'. After growing up in a catholic Labour family in Aintree, Burnham went on to study at Cambridge but did not fit in. He tells James why.
This episode includes discussion of sensitive topics, including addiction, that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care while listening, and feel free to pause or step away if you need to.
DJ Fat Tony has spent a lifetime turning chaos into charisma. Long before he became one of the most recognisable figures in British nightlife, he was a kid from Battersea learning, far too young, how to protect himself, how to perform, and how to survive. His childhood wasn’t without love or colour - he speaks warmly about his glamorous, indulgent mother, his complex but protective father, and the freedom and style that shaped him - but it was also marked by abuse, secrecy and the sense that he had to grow up far too quickly.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with DJ Fat Tony to trace the path from those early years to the centre of London’s club culture. Tony reflects on sneaking into nightlife as a teenager, finding his people on the King’s Road, and building a reputation not through technical brilliance but through instinct, energy and an unerring ear for what moved people.
He speaks candidly about trauma, addiction, identity and the masks he wore to stay in control, as well as the extraordinary highs of a life lived at full volume - from the golden age of clubbing to the friendships, fame and excess that came with it. Tony opens up about recovery, honesty and the hard work of building a life that no longer depends on performance or escape.
It’s a funny, moving and often startling conversation about survival, reinvention and what it means to finally feel at home in yourself.
Find out more about Recover Me by DJ Fat Tony here
Additional support:
If you've been affected by anything you've heard in this episode, please take a moment to read the resources listed: We Are With You, Change Grow Live, Turning Point
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Nina Conti has built a career out of saying the unsayable, turning ventriloquism, improvisation and audience interaction into something far stranger, deeper and more daring than anyone expected. From early struggles with shyness and self-doubt to creating a completely original form of performance, Nina’s work has always lived somewhere between chaos and control, invention and instinct.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Nina to explore the unusual path that led her from an acting dynasty and an uneasy start in the profession to becoming one of the most distinctive live performers in Britain.
Nina reflects on growing up in the shadow of famous parents, her complicated relationship with acting, and the influence of the late Ken Campbell, whose mentorship helped unlock the ventriloquism that would ultimately become her artistic home. She explains how improvisation, risk and an appetite for the unexpected shaped her work, and why putting words into other people’s mouths became the key to finding her own voice.
They also discuss performance, shyness, subversion, film-making and the strange alchemy of making something feel alive in the moment. Along the way, Nina reveals how a career that could easily have taken a more conventional route was instead built on accidents, instincts and a willingness to follow the more interesting door.
Find out more about Nina Conti’s live shows here
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Russell T Davies has spent a career changing what British television can be, moving from children’s drama to fearless queer storytelling and one of the nation’s most enduring cultural institutions, Doctor Who. Whether reinventing Saturday night television, capturing the emotional truth of the AIDS crisis in It’s a Sin, or turning the anxieties of modern Britain into gripping drama in Years and Years and his new series Tip Toe, his work has consistently shaped the conversation as well as entertained millions.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Russell to explore the childhood in Swansea that first formed him: a home full of books, teachers and respect for television, a huge comprehensive school where he learned to keep his head down, and the youth theatre that gave him both his tribe and his future.
Russell reflects on the early obsession with Doctor Who, the long road into writing, and the Manchester years that changed everything, professionally and personally. He talks about finding his voice through queer characters, the shock of Queer as Folk becoming a cultural flashpoint, and why television has always felt like the natural home for the stories he wants to tell.
They also discuss politics, backlash, imagination, gay identity and the darker mood shaping modern Britain. Along the way, Russell explains why storytelling is a form of witness, why no childhood is too happy to produce serious art, and how the obsessions of youth can become the work of a lifetime.
Watch Tip Toe on Channel 4 from May 31st here
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Fern Britton spent decades in Britain’s living rooms, mastering the art of making live television feel warm, effortless and intimate, even when life behind the scenes was at times anything but. From breakfast TV and Ready Steady Cook to bestselling novels and a new chapter in Cornwall, Fern’s career has been defined by reinvention, resilience and an instinctive understanding of how to connect.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Fern to explore the winding path that took her from regional television to the very centre of British daytime broadcasting, and from household-name presenter to successful novelist.
Fern reflects on the strange chemistry of live television, the professional confidence that grew alongside public recognition, and the moments when success came at a personal cost. She talks about the reality of working in some of TV’s biggest shows, the complicated dynamics behind the camera, and the scrutiny that followed her when private struggles became public spectacle.
They also discuss friendship, ageing, writing, fame and the pull of Cornwall - a place that has long offered Fern both escape and inspiration. Along the way, she reveals how a career that often looked carefully planned was in fact built by saying yes, trusting her instincts and learning, time and again, how to begin again.
Find out more about A Cornish Legacy by Fern Britton here
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He is one of Britain’s most high-energy comics, but Russell Kane’s story begins far from the world he now inhabits: on a council estate, in a home shaped by discipline, class tension and a rigid idea of masculinity. What followed was not a straight line to success, but a series of reinventions powered by anger, ambition and the discovery that books could open doors his upbringing never knew existed.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Russell to explore how a bright, restless boy from Enfield became a comic, writer, broadcaster and storyteller with an insatiable appetite for reinvention.
Russell looks back on a childhood dominated by his father’s force of personality, a school life in which fitting in often mattered more than applying himself, and the moment everything changed: a late awakening to education that sent him hurtling towards A-levels, university and a career in advertising. He explains how that same momentum eventually pulled him towards stand-up, where the risk of failure became part of the thrill.
They discuss class, reading and the seductive force of self-improvement; the emotional legacy of being loved but not always understood; the tension between public success and private insecurity; and why children’s books, biohacking and Shakespeare all make sense within Russell Kane’s ever-expanding world.
Funny, frank and full of nervous energy, this is a conversation about family, class, ambition and the lifelong process of working out who you are.
Find out more about When Brian Met Terry by Russell Kane here
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Before she became one of Britain’s most trusted psychotherapists and writers, Philippa Perry had already lived many different lives: boarding school child, dyslexic misfit, debt collector, McDonald’s manager, art student, Samaritan volunteer and a blooming therapist.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Philippa to trace the winding path behind her public voice on relationships, parenting and emotional life - from a childhood shaped by emotional restraint, class anxiety and the sense of never quite being seen, to the books, ideas and experiences that helped her begin to understand herself.
Philippa reflects on growing up in a materially comfortable but emotionally limited world, being sent away to boarding school, and the long-lasting effects of feeling misunderstood both at home and at school. She describes how reading, work and sheer curiosity opened up new ways of seeing people- and how her early jobs, from tracing debtors in Oxford to managing staff at McDonald’s, taught her as much about human nature as any formal training.
They discuss class, confidence and social mobility; the hidden damage of criticism and the transformative power of kindness; why so many therapists are trying to make sense of their own lives; and how motherhood changed Philippa’s understanding of what a child needs in order to feel safe, known and loved.
Funny, searching and deeply moving, this is a conversation about childhood, reinvention, emotional survival and the lifelong work of becoming yourself.
Find out more about Shrink Solves Murder by Philippa Perry here
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Before she became the entrepreneur behind Kardashian-founded brands Good American and Skims, Emma Grede was a kid from Plaistow with severe dyslexia, few qualifications, and a fierce belief that she could build a bigger life for herself.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Emma to trace the story behind her remarkable rise- from helping raise her younger sisters in East London and struggling in a school system that never seemed to fit, to building a career in fashion through sheer audacity, instinct and relentless hard work.
Emma reflects on the work ethic she inherited from her mother, the unpaid placements and early setbacks that taught her how business really worked, and the confidence that drove her to knock on doors others were too intimidated to approach. She explains how she discovered her gift for negotiation, why relationships became the foundation of her success, and how those instincts helped her build businesses alongside the Kardashians that would go on to reshape modern fashion and culture.
They discuss class, ambition and social mobility; the difference between talent and opportunity; the myths we tell about success; and why Emma believes women need a more honest conversation about work, money and power.
Sharp, funny and full of hard-won insight, this is a conversation about ambition, reinvention and what it really takes to get to the top.
Find out more about START WITH YOURSELF: A New Vision for Work & Life by Emma Grede here
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Before he became known to millions as Jack Whitehall’s gloriously dry and impeccably mannered father, Michael Whitehall had already lived several lives: socially ambitious schoolboy, drifting young journalist, unlikely prep school teacher, theatrical agent and producer to some of the biggest names in British entertainment.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Michael to uncover the family story behind the public persona- a mother determined to climb the social ladder, a childhood shaped by love, embarrassment and aspiration, and the “disputable” mythology that surrounded the Whitehall name.
Michael reflects on being sent away to boarding school, the clever and comic ways he learned to survive there, and the early signs of the charm, wit and adaptability that would later define his career. He also looks back on a series of improbable early jobs, and the extraordinary good fortune that eventually led him into the world of agents, actors and television production.
They discuss class, performance and social mobility; the strange gap between being adjacent to fame and becoming famous yourself; and the warmth at the centre of Michael’s life, from his parents to Hillary, his children, and the now-beloved on-screen relationship with Jack.
Funny, perceptive and full of brilliant stories, this is a conversation about family, class, luck and a life spent moving between worlds.
Listen to The Wittering Whitehall’s podcast here
Find out more about Shark Infested Waters by Michael Whitehall here
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This episode includes discussion of sensitive topics, including addiction, that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care while listening, and feel free to pause or step away if you need to.
From a privileged childhood in Surrey to the chaos of addiction, expulsion and eventual recovery, Marcus Brigstocke’s early life was far more turbulent than his public persona might suggest.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the comedian, writer and performer to explore the experiences that shaped him: boarding school at seven, a damaging relationship with food from childhood, and the compulsive behaviours that would later give way to alcohol, drugs and despair while he was still in his teens.
Marcus speaks with extraordinary candour about shame, survival and the long road to recovery, reflecting on the pain of being sent away so young, the sense of being trapped inside patterns he could neither control nor explain, and the intervention that ultimately saved his life before adulthood had properly begun.
They discuss the strange overlap between addiction and comedy, the instant feedback of making people laugh, and the role performance played in helping him endure what was happening offstage. Marcus also reflects on class, masculinity, recovery, parenthood and the double life of a stand-up- thick-skinned and vulnerable, commanding and needy, all at once.
Funny, forensic and deeply moving, this is a conversation about trauma, reinvention and the hard-won joy of becoming the person you might not have lived long enough to meet.
Additional support:
If you've been affected by anything you've heard in this episode, please take a moment to read the resources listed: We Are With You, Change Grow Live, Turning Point
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Full Disclosure is taking a short break over the Easter holidays, but we’ll be back very soon with a brand new episodes!
Until then, why not dip back into the archive and catch up on some of this year’s standout episodes, with guests including Jonathan Pryce, Sadiq Khan, Gary Lineker, Naz Shah and more.
Listen now on Global Player, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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From a childhood in Islington to more than three decades on one of Britain’s biggest television shows, Natalie Cassidy’s life has unfolded in public for almost as long as she can remember.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the actor to trace a journey that began in a close-knit working-class family, took shape at the Anna Scher Theatre, and changed forever when she was cast in EastEnders at just ten years old.
Natalie reflects on growing up surrounded by adults, losing the privacy her parents had valued, and navigating fame before she was old enough to understand what it meant. She speaks movingly about family, grief and guilt, the loss of her mother at nineteen, and the grounding influence of the women who helped shape her, from Wendy Richard and Barbara Windsor to the incomparable June Brown.
They discuss the strange psychology of child stardom, the realities of soap acting, and the courage it took to step away from a role that had defined her for so long. Along the way, Natalie talks with warmth and honesty about money, motherhood, class, friendship, ambition and the need, now, to be brave enough to try something new.
Funny, candid and deeply perceptive, this is a conversation about identity, resilience and what it means to build a life when the whole country thinks it already knows who you are.
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For 25 years, Fast Food Nation has shaped the way we think about what we eat, how it is made, and who pays the price. Its author, Eric Schlosser, did more than expose the hidden realities behind the fast food industry. He revealed a much bigger story about corporate power, political influence and the human cost of profit.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the acclaimed investigative writer to mark the anniversary of the book that changed the conversation around food. Schlosser reflects on a childhood shaped by privilege, culture and intellectual curiosity, before explaining how early ambitions as a playwright and screenwriter eventually gave way to a career in long-form journalism.
They discuss the reporting behind Fast Food Nation, from slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants to boardrooms and lobbying operations, and why Schlosser came to see the industry as a lens through which to understand modern America. He explains how the story of fast food became a story about labour, inequality, deregulation and the alliance between government and big business.
The conversation also ranges across his wider body of work, including prisons, nuclear weapons and the enduring appeal of investigative writing that challenges power rather than flatters it. Thoughtful, unsparing and deeply timely, this is a conversation about journalism, capitalism and why the systems shaping our lives deserve much closer scrutiny.
Find out more about the 25th anniversary edition of Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser here
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From Le Caprice and The Ivy to The Wolseley and Brasserie Zédel, Jeremy King has helped define the way London eats, drinks and sees itself. His restaurants became institutions, attracting everyone from Princess Diana and Lucian Freud to generations of actors, artists, politicians and power players.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the legendary restaurateur to trace an extraordinary life behind some of the capital’s most iconic dining rooms. Jeremy reflects on a childhood shaped by shyness, social awkwardness and a lasting sense of being an outsider, before explaining how an early fascination with risk led him to make major life decisions according to the throw of a dice, including the choice that pulled him away from Cambridge University and into hospitality.
They discuss his first jobs in the restaurant world, the formative partnership with Chris Corbin, and the instincts that helped create some of London’s most celebrated establishments. Jeremy reveals why great restaurants are about far more than food, how atmosphere and service can transform a room, and why making people feel they belong matters just as much as what is on the plate.
From celebrity diners and royal visits to business setbacks, reinvention and the long-awaited reopening of Simpson’s, the conversation moves through the highs, the risks and the resilience behind a singular career. Warm, candid and full of hard won insight, this is a conversation about ambition, instinct and the subtle art of creating places people never forget.
Simpson's in The Strand
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From suburban England to the front lines of the punk revolution and the stadium stages of MTV era rock, Billy Idol has spent a lifetime reinventing what rebellion looks like.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the singer to trace an extraordinary life that began in a childhood split between England and the United States, moving between places and possibilities before music gave him a sense of direction. Idol reflects on growing up in a close knit family, the influence of his parents, and the early restlessness that would eventually pull him towards London at the moment punk was beginning to erupt.
They discuss the raw energy of the mid seventies scene and the formation of Generation X, when a group of young musicians with little formal training suddenly found themselves at the centre of a cultural explosion. Idol recalls the excitement of those early days, when punk felt less like a genre and more like a declaration that a new generation had something to say.
From there the conversation moves to New York, reinvention and the birth of the unmistakable Billy Idol persona that would come to dominate the early years of MTV. He reflects on fame, excess and survival, the uneasy balance between punk credibility and global success, and how rock and roll changed as the movement he came from entered the mainstream.
Frank, reflective and full of energy, this is a conversation about rebellion, reinvention and the enduring power of rock and roll.
Billy Idol Should Be Dead documentary, coming to Sky Arts on 26th March
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This episode includes discussion of sensitive topics, including sexual assault and violence, that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care while listening, and feel free to pause or step away if you need to.
At fifteen, Naz Shah was forced into a marriage thousands of miles from home. Years earlier, she had been sent from Bradford to rural Pakistan, pulled out of school and dropped into a life that felt a world away from the one she had known.
But the road that would eventually lead her to Westminster begins much earlier. It starts in a Bradford childhood shaped by poverty, upheaval and a mother trying desperately to hold her family together after being abandoned and left dangerously vulnerable.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Shah to explore the experiences that shaped her life. She recalls growing up amid instability, belongings packed into black bin liners, and the powerful expectations around honour and reputation that governed the choices available to women and girls.
As the conversation unfolds, Naz reflects on the moment her childhood ended and the shock that followed her return to Britain. A family crisis would eventually lead to her mother being imprisoned for killing the man who had controlled and abused her for years, a truth that emerged only gradually and changed the course of Naz’s life.
This is a conversation about survival, silence and the weight of honour. How does a girl who left school at twelve find her way to Parliament? And what happens when the story behind a family tragedy finally comes into the light?
Find out more about Honoured by Naz Shah here
Additional support:
If you've been affected by anything you've heard in this episode, please take a moment to read the resources listed: Rape Crisis, Women's Aid, Victim Support
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Gary Lineker took questions from the live Full Disclosure audience and nothing was off the table. He discusses the scrutiny that follows every World Cup, including the tournament in the United States, and considers whether sports broadcasters should speak out more in politically volatile times.
He also reflects on his own social media controversies, football’s growing tribalism, and whether today’s game might have suited him better than the heavy pitches and harder tackles of his playing days.
Candid, thoughtful and often wry, this is the unfiltered extra from a memorable live show.
Gary Lineker has scored in World Cups, fronted the nation’s biggest football programme, and weathered a political firestorm that nearly ended it all. But at the height of his success, turning to a teammate after scoring four for England, his reaction was disbelief: “Why am I so f**ing lucky?”
In this live edition of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien charts the full arc of Lineker’s extraordinary career. From a market trader’s son in Leicester to Golden Boot winner and the face of Match of the Day, Gary reflects on self doubt, ambition, and the surreal reality of becoming a national institution.
He opens up about the brutal culture of tabloid scrutiny, the shock of discovering he had been followed by investigators, and the emotional weekend when the BBC stood him down- only for colleagues to walk out in solidarity. He explains why he refused to apologise when he believed he was right, the mistake that ultimately cost him his role, and why speaking out became unavoidable.
Funny, disarmingly honest, and unexpectedly vulnerable, this is Gary Lineker as you have never quite heard him before- on luck, loyalty, outrage, and starting again.
This episode was recorded at The Royal Geographical Society to raise money for charity Make Some Noise. You can find more information about the charity here
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From the bomb sites of post war South London to the stages of the Comedy Store and the studios of Radio 4, Arthur Smith’s life has been driven less by ambition than by curiosity. The son of a Second World War prisoner of war turned police officer, and a grammar school girl who filled the house with books and poetry, Arthur grew up in a home where humour and humanity went hand in hand.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the comedian to trace a journey that begins in Bermondsey and winds its way through the birth of alternative comedy, and the strange alchemy that turned a literature graduate into one of Britain’s most distinctive comic voices. Arthur reflects on discovering the thrill of laughter as a child playing Captain Hook, on being elected head boy, and on why poetry and stand up share more in common than most people realise.
They revisit the early days of the Comedy Store, the emergence of a new kind of comedy in the 1980s, and the moment television fame arrived via Grumpy Old Men. Arthur speaks candidly about the seductions of drink, the shock of acute pancreatitis, and how a brush with mortality reshaped his relationship with success. For Arthur, comedy has never been about domination or design, but about delight: finding the precise word, the perfect pause, the unexpected turn.
Find out more about Arthur Smith’s upcoming gigs here
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From the son of a bus driver on a South London council estate to the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital, Sadiq Khan’s story is inseparable from the story of modern London. But with that journey has come a decade at the sharpest end of British politics.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Mayor of London to trace the path from a crowded flat in Tooting to City Hall. Khan reflects on his parents’ migration from Pakistan, the racism he experienced growing up, and the teachers who helped him see that the rooms of power were not off limits. He describes the leap from human rights lawyer to MP, the gamble of running for mayor, and the reality of governing a city through terror attacks, Brexit, a pandemic and deep political division.
They discuss the resurgence of overt racism, the personal cost of public life, and why Khan refuses to let abuse dictate his politics. He speaks candidly about the backlash he faced over equal marriage, the solidarity he believes minorities must show one another, and the responsibility he feels to prove that London remains a city where progress is possible.
Attention also turns to the future of the Labour Party. As calls emerge for Keir Starmer to stand down, Khan addresses the speculation directly. He reflects on party unity, leadership under pressure and the dangers of allowing internal divisions to overshadow the broader task facing Labour. For Khan, the question is not about personalities but about purpose: what Labour is for, who it represents, and how it responds at moments when confidence wavers.
At its heart, this is a conversation about resilience, representation and the fragile idea of social progress. Can a city that once displayed signs reading “No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs” continue to move forward.
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From a fractured childhood in Weymouth to the creation of one of Britain’s most distinctive ethical brands, Mark Constantine’s life has been shaped by loss, sensitivity and an intense drive to make sense of the world through the senses.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the co-founder and CEO of the British cosmetics retailer, LUSH. Expect a wide ranging and deeply personal conversation about abandonment, creativity and the long shadow of early experiences. Constantine traces his story from a family marked by absence and instability, through periods of homelessness and self doubt, to an unconventional career that fused science, intuition and care.
He reflects on grief, panic and the “entrepreneur’s wound”, and explains how synaesthesia shapes the way he understands people, memory and emotion. Smell, he suggests, can communicate what words cannot, reaching places in the brain where language falls short. Along the way, he speaks candidly about failure, fear of pride, and the mentors and partners whose kindness helped steady him.
They explore the unlikely origins of LUSH, the principles that guided its growth, and the tension between success and insecurity that has never fully gone away. Thoughtful, intimate and unexpectedly tender, this is a conversation about resilience, care and finding meaning through sensation rather than certainty.
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From a small village in North Wales to some of the most iconic stages and screens in the world, Jonathan Pryce’s career has been shaped as much by doubt and accident as by talent and ambition.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the actor to trace an extraordinary life in performance, beginning with a childhood marked by class, kindness and upheaval, and moving through art school, repertory theatre and a late discovery of confidence in his own abilities.
Pryce reflects on failure at school, the teachers who held him back and the mentors who quietly opened doors, as well as the personal loss that shaped his most searching work on stage. He talks candidly about imposter syndrome, the slow realisation that he might actually be good at his job, and why acting only began to make sense to him later in life.
They discuss the freedom and chaos of seventies theatre, the strange mechanics of success, and the moments that changed everything, from Comedians and Hamlet to Brazil, Miss Saigon and beyond. Along the way, Pryce shares stories that are funny, bruising and deeply human.
Warm, reflective and quietly profound, this is a conversation about craft, luck and resilience, and about learning, eventually, to trust your own voice.
Under Salt Marsh will launch with two episodes on Sky and streaming service NOW on January 30th, followed by one episode weekly for 4 weeks
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From calling out billionaires at Davos to challenging institutions that would rather stay comfortable, Rutger Bregman has built a career around one simple question: what are we actually doing with our lives?
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the historian and author of Moral Ambition to talk about purpose, power and the quiet pressure to go along with things we know are wrong. Bregman reflects on his upbringing, his loss of religious faith, and how that search for meaning became a drive to make ideas matter in the real world.
They discuss why small groups of people have always been the engine of change, how ego and idealism often overlap, and why so many smart, capable people feel stuck doing work that doesn’t align with their values. From abolitionists and resistance movements to modern politics, media cowardice and the rise of authoritarianism, Bregman argues that change usually starts when someone simply asks others to step up.
Thoughtful, accessible and quietly challenging, this conversation is about agency, responsibility and the uncomfortable idea that waiting for someone else to act is itself a choice.
Find out more about Moral Ambition: How to Find Your Purpose by Rutger Bregman here
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From the intensity of life as one of the most recognisable children on the planet to the creative freedom he has carved out as an adult, Daniel Radcliffe’s story is one of curiosity, discipline and quiet resilience. In this conversation with James O’Brien, recorded six years ago, Daniel reflects on the unusual contours of a childhood spent on film sets, the luck and judgement that helped him grow up with his feet on the ground, and the agency he has learned to exercise over what he shares with the world.
He speaks candidly about the gap between how fascinating others find his life and how ordinary it feels to him, the early lessons in saying no, and the responsibility he carries toward those who met him first as Harry Potter. He reflects on guidance from older actors, the grounding influence of his parents, and the strangeness of growing up inside a global phenomenon, tracing his love of film sets, the friendships that endured, and the ways fame has shaped him. He also discusses loneliness, the shock and freedom of life after Potter, and the delight he takes in unpredictable roles, inventive collaborators and the intellectual challenge of Beckett.
Wry, thoughtful and self aware, this conversation offers a rare, unvarnished portrait of an actor who has grown up in public yet remains grounded, curious and determined to follow his own creative path.
From the dislocated, sun soaked childhood of an RAF family to a life spent shaping British comedy, Dawn French’s story is one of resilience, warmth and hard won self knowledge. In this generous conversation with James O’Brien, recorded five years ago, she reflects on the moves that defined her early years, the confidence gifted to her by loving parents, and the shock of losing her father just as adulthood was beginning. She recalls her time at boarding school in Plymouth, the drama teacher who changed her life, and the year she spent in New York after winning a fiercely competitive debating scholarship.
Dawn speaks openly about stumbling into comedy by accident, her early days at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and the moment living with Jennifer Saunders set the course for their four-decade partnership. She revisits the wild beginnings of The Comic Strip, moonlighting as a teacher by day and performing in a smoky Soho club by night.
Along the way, she discusses the unusual pressures of fame, the introversion that sits behind the jazz hands, and the fierce, uncomplicated love that shaped her as both daughter and mother. Warm, candid and often very funny, this episode offers an intimate portrait of a national treasure who remains thoughtful, grounded and endlessly generous in spirit.
A Boxing Day reflection on a standout year of Full Disclosure. James O’Brien revisits key guests and conversations from 2025, offering perspective on the ideas, stories and people that shaped the podcast over the past twelve months. With sincere thanks to everyone who has listened, shared and stayed curious, your company makes these conversations possible. We’ll be back in the new year with even bigger guests and more in depth discussions.
From bomb sites in postwar Birmingham to the centre of British stage and screen, Martin Shaw’s life has been shaped by curiosity, kindness and a refusal to play the part he was expected to play.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with one of Britain’s most enduring actors to trace the journey behind the performances. Shaw reflects on growing up with parents marked by war and frustration, discovering storytelling at school, and the teachers who unlocked a sense of freedom, confidence and purpose. He talks about leaving security behind for drama school, confronting imposter syndrome, and the moment he realised that great acting is not about showing off but about listening.
The conversation moves through a remarkable career. From early theatre work and transformative mentors, to working with Roman Polanski on Macbeth, sharing kitchens with Anthony Hopkins, and navigating the highs and costs of fame after The Professionals. Shaw speaks candidly about alcohol, masculinity, spiritual searching and the quiet anger that can linger beneath success. He also explains why kindness on set matters to him, how one encounter with a fan reframed his view of his own work, and why the stage has always remained his creative home.
From missing the most famous penalty in English football to leading the national team into a new era, Gareth Southgate’s story is one of quiet resilience, modern leadership and emotional intelligence forged under relentless public pressure.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Gareth to trace the long road that shaped him. From being an introverted, late-developing youngster released by Southampton, to captaining Crystal Palace, enduring searing public failure, and eventually becoming England manager. They talk candidly about masculinity in football, learning to lead without bluster, and why authenticity matters more than authority.
Southgate reflects on the moments that changed him most. The heartbreak of rejection, the pressure of managing people older and wealthier than him, the lessons drawn from defeat, and the responsibility of becoming a role model far beyond the pitch. He explains how England became a mirror for modern Britain, why he wrote Dear England, and what leadership really looks like when things go wrong.
Thoughtful, honest and quietly powerful, this conversation goes well beyond football. It is about growth, failure, emotional courage and the belief that leadership is something you learn, not something you pretend to be.
Find out more about Dear England: Lessons in Leadership by Gareth Southgate here
Jan Ravens, the acclaimed impressionist at the heart of Dead Ringers, grew up learning to change the mood of a room long before she ever changed her voice on stage. In this conversation with James O Brien, she reflects on a childhood shaped by humour, instability and her father’s illness, and how those early pressures sharpened the instincts that later defined her career.
She traces the journey from school impressions to Cambridge Footlights, becoming the first woman to direct its revue, and the leap from Carrott’s Lib to Spitting Image and beyond. Jan talks candidly about ambition, class, resilience and the unexpected power of comedy to steady you when life feels uncertain. It is an honest, warm and often very funny look at how she found her place in British satire.
Find out more about Dead Ringers 25th Anniversary tour here
Before he became one of the most recognisable storytellers on the comedy circuit, Hal Cruttenden was a shy kid from West London who spent years trying to be what he thought others wanted him to be. He trained as an actor, chased approval, and tried to outrun a gnawing sense that something in his life was not quite aligned. It took heartbreak, therapy, and a very honest look at himself to turn that tension into the comedy voice audiences now know so well.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the stand up to trace the path from drama school hopeful to seasoned touring comic finding unexpected clarity in midlife. They talk about navigating divorce in the public eye, the strange elasticity of masculinity, and the way comedy can both hide and reveal the truth about who we are. Hal reflects on family, fear, and the moments when laughter becomes a lifeline rather than a performance.
It is a conversation about reinvention, vulnerability and starting again. And at its heart is Hal’s realisation that the most powerful thing he has ever done on stage is simply tell the truth- however messy, painful or absurd it happens to be.
Find out more about Hal Cruttenden: Can Dish It Out But Can’t Take It here
Before he became one of Britain’s most familiar faces, Stephen Mangan was a bookish North London boy from an Irish working-class family- the son of a builder and a barmaid- who won a scholarship to a boarding school his parents didn’t want him to attend. From there to Cambridge, to RADA, and to the West End, his path looks polished. But behind it lies grief, grit, and a fierce curiosity about the world that’s shaped every creative choice he’s made.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the actor, writer and presenter to trace Stephen’s journey from a bullied schoolboy to star of Green Wing, Episodes and The Split. They talk about losing both parents young, finding refuge in acting, and why he now writes children’s books with his sister, Anita- stories that rekindle the magic of reading he discovered as a boy with a book wedged between him and his dad at the dinner table.
It’s a conversation about loss, love, and laughter- and how Stephen’s career, from Cambridge plays to Hollywood sitcoms, has been guided not by fame, but by joy, curiosity, and the determination to make work that he’d genuinely want to watch, read, or share with his own children.
Find out more about Barrie Saves Christmas here
From Truman Capote to Mr Bates, Toby Jones has built a career on disappearing- an actor whose transformations are so complete they can seem alchemical. But behind that versatility lies a story of inheritance, self-doubt and quiet rebellion. The son of two actors, Toby grew up watching his father’s unpredictable career and vowing never to feel so exposed to fate. Yet the pull of performance, and the curiosity that drives it, proved impossible to ignore.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the actor to trace the path from an Oxford childhood to radical student politics in 1980s Manchester and a life-changing spell at a Paris theatre school that taught him never to wait for permission to create. They talk about class, curiosity, and the discipline of transformation; about how he’s learned to find meaning rather than momentum in his work; and why humility, not ambition, has been his most enduring guide.
It’s a conversation about vocation and value- how an artist keeps searching for truth in an industry built on illusion, and why, for Toby Jones, the work itself has always mattered more than where it leads.
An explosive new production of Othello at the Theatre Royal Haymarket stars David Harewood as Othello, Toby Jones as Iago and Caitlin FitzGerald as Desdemona- a gripping retelling of Shakespeare’s epic story of manipulation, jealousy, power and desire. Find out more about the production here
As the creative mind behind Blackadder, Spitting Image, Not the Nine O’Clock News and QI, John Lloyd has quietly shaped British comedy for more than forty years. In this episode of Full Disclosure, he sits down with James O’Brien to look back on the work that defined his career-and the questions that have driven him ever since.
Lloyd reflects on his peripatetic naval childhood, his years at Cambridge and the realisation that comedy, not law, was his calling. He shares candid stories about discovering Rowan Atkinson, collaborating with Douglas Adams on The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and co-creating The Meaning of Liff. Alongside the triumphs came struggle- including a midlife breakdown that forced him to re-examine success, purpose and the art of living.
Blending humour, honesty and philosophy, Lloyd explores the connection between curiosity and creativity, why he believes comedy can change how we see the world, and how even life’s disasters can turn out to be gifts.
Find out more about The 42nd anniversary edition of The Meaning of Liff here
Long before it became one of the most visited websites on Earth, Wikipedia began as a radical idea from a curious boy in Huntsville, Alabama. Raised by a father who managed a grocery store and a mother and grandmother who ran a tiny, Montessori-inspired school where “each one teach one” was the guiding principle, Wales grew up surrounded by early computers, space rockets and encyclopaedias bought from door-to-door salesmen. It was there he developed both a fascination with information and a belief that learning should be open to all.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the founder of Wikipedia to trace the unlikely journey from small-town America to one of the most visited websites on the planet. Wales recalls the early days of the internet, the chaotic birth of Wikipedia, and how a community of volunteers built something that “became part of the world’s infrastructure.”
It’s a conversation about trust, optimism and collaboration- from a man who still believes that most people, given the chance, will choose to build something good together.
Find out more about The Seven Rules of Trust: Why It Is Today's Most Essential Superpower by Jimmy Wales here
Before he was Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones or the commanding presence of The Jewel in the Crown, Charles Dance was a boy from Worcestershire whose father died when he was three and whose mother built a new life for the family, remarried to their lodger. A childhood marked by loss, a stammer and humble beginnings gave little hint of the commanding actor he would become.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy-nominated actor to trace an extraordinary journey from working-class Devon to the stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Hollywood sets alongside Meryl Streep, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maggie Smith. Dance reveals how two eccentric mentors in rural Devon taught him to speak, act and think like an actor, and why, even now at 79, he still considers himself a “working actor” rather than a star.
It’s an intimate, reflective conversation about identity, perseverance, class, craft and the enduring magic of the stage- told with the wit and humility of a man who’s seen it all and still can’t quite believe his luck.
Before Pointless, Classic FM and comedy stardom, Alexander Armstrong was a restless kid growing up in rural Northumberland- lonely at boarding school, obsessed with music, and quietly desperate to perform. In this revealing conversation with James O’Brien, he opens up about the bruises and eccentricities of his childhood, the teachers who changed everything, and the nights at Cambridge that set him on the path to Armstrong & Miller.
They talk about the shock of failure, the seduction of success, and why he’ll always be torn between the comfort of the choir stalls and the chaos of the comedy circuit.
Find out more about Evenfall: The Golden Linnet by Alexander Armstrong here
Growing up in Bristol, acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne was a shy, politically driven kid who believed he could change the world- first through politics, then acting, before discovering that storytelling was where his voice truly belonged.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy and BAFTA-winning creator of This Is England, His Dark Materials, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child and Adolescence to trace Jack’s journey from a lonely teenager to one of the most prolific writers of his generation. They talk about ambition, failure, neurodiversity, and the years of illness that left Jack literally allergic to movement, and how that experience shaped his empathy, activism and craft.
This conversation reveals a writer driven not by fame, but by purpose- to make television and theatre more inclusive, more truthful, and more alive to the lives of those too often left out of the story.
Find out more about television series The Hack here
In 2013, businesswoman and mum Cor Hutton was given just a five percent chance of survival after contracting pneumonia that developed into sepsis. She pulled through, but lost both hands and her legs below the knee.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks to Cor about her extraordinary journey- from relearning how to live as a quadruple amputee to becoming the first person in Scotland to receive a double hand transplant. They discuss her founding of the charity Finding Your Feet, the physical and emotional resilience behind her recovery, and the mountains- literal and metaphorical- she has climbed since.
Powerful, moving and often laced with humour, this conversation reveals Cor not just as a survivor, but as a campaigner, mother and relentless optimist- someone who proves that lives can be rebuilt and transformed, no matter how impossible the odds.
Right now, too many people are facing their toughest challenges - alone. Families living with life-limiting illness. People struggling with their mental health. Those trapped in abuse or unable to afford the basics. They need help. And they need it now. At Global’s Make Some Noise, we’re funding vital projects in communities right across the UK, small charities working on the front line of these challenges - but we can’t do it without you. Every day without funding means someone goes without support. Your donation could mean a safe place to turn, a vital phone call answered, a life changed. Help us to make sure no one faces life’s toughest challenges alone.
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Before he became one of the world’s best-known chefs, Jamie Oliver was a dyslexic kid growing up in his parents’ pub in rural Essex, learning the value of hard work, fresh food, and family.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jamie to trace his journey from peeling veg at his parents’ pub to fronting The Naked Chef, reshaping school dinners, and building - then losing - a restaurant empire. They talk about the resilience required to recover from failure, his uncompromising campaigns on child health, and why he still feels driven to “stir the pot” when government policy falls short.
Candid, emotional and often surprising, this conversation goes beyond the celebrity image to reveal Jamie as a father, activist and creative obsessive- a man who sees food not just as sustenance, but as a way to change lives.
Find out more about Jamie Oliver’s Eat Yourself Healthy here
Before becoming Ireland’s youngest Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was a Dublin GP with bold ambitions and a belief that politics could be a kind of medicine for society.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the former Prime Minister to explore his extraordinary rise from a mixed-heritage childhood in 1980s Ireland, to leading his country through Brexit battles, historic referendums and the turbulence of the pandemic. They discuss the unlikely path that took him from medical practice to the world stage, the emotional costs of leadership, and why he chose to step away at just 45 years old.
Frank, reflective and often surprising, this is a conversation about resilience, identity, and what it really means to hold power in a changing Ireland
Find out more about Leo Varadkar’s memoir Speaking My Mind here
Britain’s leading forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd has performed over 23,000 postmortems and given evidence in some of the most high-profile cases of our time, from Hungerford to Hillsborough, from Princess Diana to David Kelly. But his fascination with death began much earlier, when his mother died suddenly from heart disease and he was left with questions no one could answer.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, Dr Shepherd tells James O’Brien how that childhood loss set him on the path to forensic medicine, how his father’s emotional openness shaped him, and how a book brought into school by a friend gave him his first glimpse of a profession that would define his life. He reflects on the leap from observing to performing autopsies, the responsibility of telling the truth in court, and the lasting emotional toll of cases that never leave you.
Candid, unflinching and deeply human, Dr Shepherd shares how a lifetime spent uncovering the truth about death has shaped the way he lives.
Find out more about Dr Richard Shepherd Time of Death tour here
Actor, comedian and bestselling author Arabella Weir grew up in a family that prized intellect and appearances but struggled to offer love. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she tells James O’Brien how an unsettled childhood shaped her fearless streak, her need to perform, and her instinct to turn pain into comedy.
From the brutal remarks of her mother to the liberating chaos of Camden School for Girls, Arabella charts the path that took her from rejection at drama schools to finding her voice on The Fast Show and beyond. She reflects on the role of therapy, the challenge of writing, and what it means to live alongside the little girl she once was.
Wry, fearless and full of heart, Arabella shares how survival became strength- and why she’s determined to live on her own terms.
Find out more about An Evening with The Fast Show here
Natalie Haynes has never been easy to categorise. A stand-up comedian turned broadcaster and best-selling author, she has built a career out of making the ancient world vivid, funny and urgent. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien talks with the presenter of Stand Up for the Classics about her unusual path from Birmingham bookshops to the Edinburgh Fringe, and from Radio 4 to re-imagining Medea.
They explore the strange alchemy of combining scholarship with humour, the myths that refuse to let her go, and why Jason may be one of antiquity’s least heroic heroes. Natalie reflects on the teachers and family who first filled her life with books, the risks of carving out a career that no one else was doing, and the joy of turning classical stories into something alive for modern audiences.
Clever, warm and very funny, Natalie shows how ancient tragedy and modern comedy can illuminate each other- and why she still feels most at home with the ghosts of Greece.
Find out more about Natalie Haynes book and tour No Friend to This House here
From a childhood in Dundee marked by loss, poverty and resilience, to becoming one of the most respected actors of his generation, Brian Cox’s life and career have been defined by an unrelenting pursuit of truth on and off stage. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner reflects on the death of his father at eight years old, the formative influence of his mother’s struggles with mental health, and the teachers who first spotted his talent.
Cox charts his journey from the Dundee Repertory Theatre to the Royal Shakespeare Company, the West End and Hollywood, revisiting the defining roles that shaped his craft- from portraying Hannibal Lecter before Anthony Hopkins to his acclaimed turn as Logan Roy in Succession. He speaks candidly about the compromises and convictions that have steered his career, the cultural and political forces that have shaped his worldview, and his ongoing belief in the power of storytelling to confront injustice.
Thoughtful, uncompromising and rich with anecdote, this episode offers a compelling portrait of an actor whose commanding presence is matched by his fierce intellect and refusal to play by the rules.
From a childhood in Oxford shaped by unconditional love, Jewish heritage and a keen sense of curiosity, to a career spanning stage, screen, voice work and bestselling memoir, Miriam Margolyes’ life has been anything but ordinary. In this candid conversation with James O’Brien, the beloved actor reflects on the security of her early years, the sting of antisemitism, and the moment she first felt at home on stage. She recalls her path from Cambridge Footlights to the BBC, the breakthrough of her one-woman show Dickens’ Women, and the global recognition that came with Harry Potter.
Margolyes speaks openly about her voracious appetite for people and stories, her refusal to shy away from controversy, and the enduring influence of her parents- from her mother’s theatrical aspirations to her father’s financial frankness. Along the way, she shares unvarnished memories of working with Hollywood greats, the exhilaration of live performance, and the friendships collected across decades in the public eye.
Frank, funny and utterly herself, this episode offers an unfiltered portrait of a national treasure who remains as curious, mischievous and compelling as ever.
Cariad Lloyd never set out to become the voice of modern grief, but after losing her father at just fifteen, the silence around death stayed with her. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks with the actor, comedian and creator of Griefcast podcast about how turning her personal loss into public conversation has transformed both her life and others'.
Together they explore the tension between comedy and sorrow, the strange rituals of mourning, and why so many of us feel unequipped to talk about death. Cariad shares the moments that shaped her, the people she’s never forgotten, and how the making of her book You Are Not Alone helped her say what so many struggle to find words for.
Poignant, funny, and gently radical, Cariad reflects on love, loss, and learning to hold space for the chaos of being human.
Find out more about Cariad Lloyd’s children’s book, Where Did She Go?: A heartfelt story to help children understand loss here
From a shifting childhood split between Wolverhampton, rural Ireland and London, to fronting one of the most distinctive and uncompromising bands of the 1980s, Kevin Rowland’s life has been defined by defiance, vision and resilience. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Dexys Midnight Runners frontman reflects on the lasting impact of a father’s harsh words, the struggle to find his place in the world, and the burning drive to prove himself through music and style.
Rowland speaks candidly about the creation and evolution of Dexys- from their soulful beginnings and fiercely protected aesthetic, to the extraordinary success of Come On Eileen and the pressures that came with it. He recalls the relentless control he exerted to protect his artistic vision, the personal cost of that intensity, and the creative compromises he would later come to regret.
The conversation also explores his battle with addiction, the turning point that led to his recovery in 1993, and the revelations that followed as he began to confront the past he had long avoided. Now, with three decades of sobriety behind him, Kevin talks about continuing music on his own terms, embracing new ideas, and learning to be kinder to himself.
Honest, unflinching and unexpectedly uplifting, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the man behind Dexys, the making of a global hit, and the life that came after.
Find out more about Kevin Rowland’s memoir Bless Me Father here
From the high-rises of Muirhouse to the heart of countercultural Britain, Irvine Welsh has built a literary universe fuelled by punk energy, dancefloor euphoria, and radical empathy. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien meets the novelist and cultural icon to trace a life shaped by rebellion, recovery, and relentless storytelling.
They discuss Irvine’s early years in working class Edinburgh, his brushes with heroin and grief, and the accidental discipline learned on a council computer that helped turn his chaotic brilliance into a career. The pair unpack the emotional weight behind his new book Men in Love, why he believes we’re living in a post-cultural age, and the creative lessons of rave, romance, and rock bottom.
Sharp, soulful, and defiantly untamed, Irvine reflects on belonging, addiction, and the mad joy of letting characters run the show.
Find out more about Irvine Welsh’s book, Men in Love here
From a working-class childhood in Tottenham to the Cabinet table, David Lammy’s path to becoming Foreign Secretary was anything but straightforward. Raised by a single mother after his father disappeared when he was twelve, David’s early life was shaped by absence, ambition and a fierce sense of justice.
In this deeply personal conversation with James O’Brien, David opens up about the chaos of his childhood, the teachers and parish priests who changed his life, and the duality of growing up between two worlds- North London and a Peterborough choir school. He reflects on the trauma of police harassment, the fear of prison that haunted his youth, and the rage and hope that drove him to become a barrister and, eventually, an MP.
They discuss what it means to represent a place like Tottenham, the emotional toll of public service, and the long shadow of imposter syndrome- even as a Cabinet minister. With disarming honesty, David revisits his father's alcoholism, the moment he chose not to see him before he died, and how he finally shook off the feeling he didn’t belong- only when he became Foreign Secretary.
From LA Law dreams to Harvard halls, David charts the improbable course that brought him to Number 10. And he reveals why, despite the calls for him to run for PM, he’s convinced he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.
Now at the heart of British foreign policy during a time of global instability- from Ukraine, to Sudan and the continuing crisis in Gaza- David also shares the limits and frustrations of diplomacy, the responsibility of not being complicit, and the moral weight of trying to end a war that feels impossible to stop.
Before she was a MasterChef judge and one of Britain’s most distinctive food writers, Grace Dent was a Carlisle kid eating crispy pancakes and dreaming of life beyond beige dinners. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she joins James O’Brien to talk about blagging her way into London media, finding her voice through food, and why she still can’t believe they let her near the foie gras.
Grace reflects on growing up in a loud, loving, working-class family, and how her obsession with pop culture, Smash Hits and Paula Yates convinced her she was destined for something bigger. They talk about class, ambition, the snobbery that still haunts food writing- and why MasterChef was the job her mum would’ve loved most but never got to see.
With sharp wit, candour and zero pretence, Grace dishes up a story of rejection, reinvention and the joy of really good jam.
This episode was recorded on 24th June 2025, prior to the release of the report into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by MasterChef's presenters on 14th July 2025.
Find out more about Zopa Bank here
Before he became known as the quirky, banana-snacking John Shuttleworth, Graham Fellows was a kid from Sheffield with dreams of classical acting and a knack for writing unforgettable songs. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien meets the man behind the cult characters to trace the unpredictable path from Jilted John to Chicken Town.
They explore Graham’s early life, from his mum’s quiet environmentalism to a fleeting moment of baby photo fame, and his parallel passions for drama and music that led him to Manchester Youth Theatre and, later, punk-inflected pop stardom. Graham reflects on the shock of overnight fame, the decades spent wrestling with alter egos, and the complex relationship between creator and character.
Thoughtful, eccentric and candid, this is the story of a performer who’s built a singular career by blurring the line between parody and poignancy.
Find out more about Chicken Town here
Long before Dead Ringers or Spitting Image, Jon Culshaw was a schoolboy with a knack for mimicry and a fierce determination to escape into voices- finding freedom, fun, and a future through the radio dial.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jon to explore how a shy kid from Lancashire became one of the UK’s best-loved impressionists. They trace his early love of radio, his first gigs as a hospital DJ, and the key moments that transformed a quiet obsession into a celebrated career.
Jon reflects on the emotional intelligence behind impersonation, how he’s always felt a sense of companionship in voices, and what he learned by studying the characters he came to embody- from Boris Johnson to David Bowie
Endearing, reflective and full of rich storytelling, it’s a portrait of an artist who built a career out of listening- and reveals how sometimes, speaking in other people’s voices can lead you closer to your own.
Find out more about Dead Ringers 25th Anniversary tour here
Before The Big Short, Moneyball or The Blind Side became bestsellers (and Hollywood hits), Michael Lewis was just trying to make sense of a world where things didn’t add up- from Wall Street to the government to the rules of sport.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the celebrated writer to unpack the origins of his outsider lens, his instinct for spotting value in unexpected places, and why he’s drawn to stories where people are swimming against the current. They explore his unlikely route into writing, the moral questions behind some of his biggest books, and how he’s tried to find meaning through chaos.
Curious, candid and full of surprising insight, this is a conversation about how institutions lose their grip, how outsiders make their mark and why the truth is often stranger (and more important) than fiction.
Find out more about Michael Lewis, Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service here
Former Home Secretary who chose principle over position, Amber Rudd has spent much of her life at the centre of power. From banking to frontbench politics, her career has spanned the high-stakes worlds of business, government and Brexit-era turmoil.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Amber to reflect on the decisions, mistakes and tensions that shaped her time in office. From her alliance with Theresa May to her public resignation from Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, Amber offers an unusually frank look at what it means to hold power- and when to walk away from it.
She speaks candidly about the human cost of leadership, the moral complexity of the Home Office, and the fallout of political compromise. And she reflects on what it takes to recover- personally and professionally- from being publicly vilified.
Grounded, introspective and refreshingly sincere, Amber revisits the pressure points of her political life, the people who’ve shaped her, and why disagreement doesn’t have to mean disloyalty.
She also shares why she’s returned to public conversation with The Crisis Room- a new podcast co-hosted with journalist Mark Urban and former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos. Each week, the team unpicks the biggest crises shaping the UK and the world. With insider perspectives drawn from the gritty underbelly of investigative reporting, the corridors of Westminster and the shadowy realm of intelligence, they break down what’s really happening behind the headlines, and what’s at stake for our future.
Listen to The Crisis Room here
Actor, activist, and unapologetic truth-teller, Jameela Jamil has lived many lives and survived every single one of them with grit, wit, and an unwavering sense of justice.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jameela to explore a journey that defies expectation. From a childhood shaped by illness, isolation and relentless bullying, to becoming a pioneering British radio and TV presenter, to an accidental breakout in Hollywood with roles in The Good Place and She-Hulk, Jameela’s story is one of extraordinary reinvention.
She speaks openly about how trauma shaped her values, why comedy became her lifeline, and how she built I Weigh- a platform and podcast that champions mental health, challenges toxic norms, and encourages people to question what they’ve been taught to value.
Candid, sharp and disarmingly funny, Jameela reflects on the cost of speaking out, the privilege of being heard, and how embracing chaos has often led her to exactly where she needed to be.
Find out more about Jameela Jamil’s podcast Wrong Turns here
Known to millions as Mick Shipman in Gavin & Stacey and Archie Mitchell in EastEnders, Larry Lamb has lived a life far more complex than any character he’s played. From a fractured childhood in postwar London, to becoming one of Britain’s most familiar faces- his story is one of survival, resilience and transformation.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Larry to explore the lesser-known journey behind the fame. Larry speaks candidly about the trauma of growing up with an abusive father and shares the unexpected twists that took him from oil rigs and sales jobs to amateur theatre and eventual stardom.
Moving, measured, and full of reflection, this conversation offers a rare window into how we carry our past, and how it can shape- without defining- the people we become.
Find out more about Larry’s debut novel All Wrapped Up and national book tour here
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with cricketing icon Jimmy Anderson to trace the arc of a record-breaking career- from growing up as a shy kid in Burnley, to becoming the most successful fast bowler in Test history. Jimmy reflects on the early self-doubt that plagued him, the physical toll of a 20-year career, and the inner battles he faced behind the scenes.
They discuss everything from the fierce rivalries that shaped him, to being dropped from the England squad after nearly two decades. Jimmy also shares personal revelations about his mental health, the strength he drew from family life, and how loss, resilience, and therapy helped him endure some of his darkest moments.
As he steps into retirement, Jimmy opens up about what the game has taught him, why he’s still not finished giving back, and how he plans to navigate life off the pitch. Reflective and candid, this conversation reveals the human side of a sporting great who’s spent his life finding calm amid the chaos.
Find out more about Jimmy Anderson: Finding the Edge: The Autobiography here
From the war zones of Bosnia to the frontlines of Gaza, Christiane Amanpour has reported from the epicentres of global upheaval for over three decades. Her commitment to being “truthful, not neutral” made her one of the most respected correspondents of her generation and a sharp, unwavering voice in the age of misinformation.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Christiane to explore the emotional and political terrain of her career. They trace her journey from Tehran to CNN’s international anchor desk, discussing the deep personal impact of motherhood, the shifting challenges for women in journalism, and the influence of her high-profile marriage to diplomat Jamie Rubin. From candid reflections on the media’s role in Trump-era America to her evolving understanding of clarity, empathy and leadership, this is a conversation shaped by the past but rooted firmly in the turbulent present.
Christiane also opens up about her new podcast, The Ex Files, co-hosted with her ex-husband Jamie Rubin. Told through the prism of their 20-year marriage and subsequent divorce, the series explores the biggest issues of the day and the historical moments that shaped them- from Donald Trump’s return to office, to the escalating global economic crisis, the war in Gaza, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine- all examined through lived history on opposite sides.
Listen to The Ex Files here
From founding the Everyday Sexism Project to unpicking how AI is entrenching misogyny, Laura Bates has become one of the UK’s most unflinching feminist voices. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she joins James O’Brien to explore how one devastating week in her early twenties sparked a lifetime of activism- and why storytelling, statistics, and school visits remain central to her mission.
Laura traces her path from a bookish childhood to acting ambitions, before recounting the moment a string of seemingly “everyday” experiences of harassment triggered a wider awakening. The conversation spans her battles with media hostility, the evolution of digital misogyny, and the personal toll of online abuse. With clarity and urgency, she discusses how sexism is coded into everything from CV-sorting algorithms to deepfake pornography, and why AI may be the next great battleground for gender equality.
Honest, analytical, and deeply human, this conversation delves into what drives Bates to keep going, and what gives her hope for the next generation.
Find out more about Laura Bates book,The New Age of Sexism, here
From dominating the UK airwaves to starting over on the other side of the world, Christian O’Connell is a broadcaster and writer who has built a career out of connection, candour, and comedy.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Christian to trace the path from his childhood in Hampshire to becoming one of the UK’s most celebrated radio voices- and the breakdown that forced him to confront what success really meant. They explore the roots of Christian’s anxiety, the healing power of storytelling, and the courage it took to walk away from it all to begin again in Australia.
Warm, unfiltered and often profound, Christian opens up about family, fame, fear and finding clarity in chaos- a conversation about reinvention, honesty, and what it takes to truly come home to yourself.
Discover more about The Heart of Speaking here
From the world of variety to the West End stage, Brian Conley has built a career around his infectious energy, unique humour, and remarkable talent. In this episode of Full Disclosure, Brian opens up about his journey, from growing up in a working-class family to finding solace and confidence in showbiz. He reflects on the highs of performing with legends like Tom Jones to his struggles with dyslexia and alcohol. With his trademark wit, Brian shares how his love for comedy, musicals, and warm-up performances led to a stellar career, while touching on the personal challenges that shaped him along the way. Insightful, raw, and full of laughter, Brian’s story is a testament to resilience and the power of finding your true calling.
You can buy tickets to The Prat Pack tour here
Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, has spent over three decades at the forefront of the global human rights movement, challenging abusive governments and fighting for justice. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O'Brien sits down with Kenneth to discuss his extraordinary career, from his early years learning his father’s refugee story, to his pivotal role in shaping international human rights advocacy.
Kenneth reflects on the strategies he employed to push oppressive regimes into compliance, from leveraging international pressure to navigating the complex geopolitics of the world’s most powerful autocrats. He offers a candid look at the personal and professional challenges he faced while battling dictators like Putin, Xi Jinping, and Assad, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
Insightful and unflinching, Kenneth shares stories of victories and setbacks, the evolution of the human rights movement, and how he remains motivated by the belief that positive change, however incremental, is always possible. This episode explores the sacrifices, triumphs, and complexities of a career dedicated to exposing injustice and holding the powerful accountable.
Righting Wrongs: Three Descased on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments, by Kenneth Roth. Available to order now.
Ash Atalla, the creative mind behind some of the most beloved British comedies, sits down with James O'Brien to explore his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in Northern Ireland to becoming a powerhouse producer in television. From The Office to The IT Crowd, Big Boys and more, Ash shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, including the unexpected path that led him to comedy and the challenges he faced along the way.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, Ash opens up about his early years, including contracting polio when he was just a baby, and how his parents decision to move from Egypt to Belfast in the 1970s impacted his life. He reflects on the lessons his father instilled in him, his rise from a failed stockbroker to a major figure in the TV industry, and how he helped bring The Office to life against all odds.
Thoughtful, candid, and full of wit, Ash discusses his work, his family, and what drives him to create stories that resonate deeply with audiences.
Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo, takes us on an extraordinary journey from the tough streets of Bradford to becoming one of the world’s most celebrated magicians. In this revealing episode of Full Disclosure, Steven opens up about his transformative life experiences- growing up in a single-parent household, dealing with adversity, and finding magic in the most unexpected places. From overcoming bullying and a challenging childhood to battling a life-threatening illness, Steven shares how these personal struggles led him to redefine what magic truly means.
James O'Brien speaks with Steven about his path to success, the emotional complexities of his public persona, and his decision to step away from the Dynamo name to embrace his true self. Touching on themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the power of reinvention, Steven reflects on how magic has helped him navigate life's obstacles and find purpose.
Engaging, introspective, and filled with wisdom, Steven’s journey offers a poignant look at how embracing one’s vulnerabilities can lead to extraordinary transformations.
You can buy tickets to Steven Frayne’s Up Close and Magical show here
Carol Vorderman is best known as the queen of Countdown, but there’s far more to her than just numbers. From growing up in a single-parent household to becoming one of the most recognisable women in British television, her journey has been anything but ordinary.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O'Brien explores Carol’s path from excelling in mathematics to navigating the world of television, her deep passion for education, and her outspoken activism in politics. With strong views on social justice and a fearless approach to calling out inequality, she shares how she found her voice.
Unfiltered, passionate, and refreshingly honest, Carol opens up about the power of speaking out and the causes closest to her heart.
This episode was recorded at Leicester Square Theatre to raise money for charity Make Some Noise. You can find more information about the charity here
From investigating the minds of psychopaths to examining the impact of public shaming in the digital age, Jon Ronson is a journalist and author who has built a career exploring stories that reveal the complexities of human nature.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O'Brien sits down with Jon to unpack the experiences that shaped his unique outlook- from growing up in Cardiff to embedding himself with fringe groups and conspiracy theorists around the world. They discuss the emotional weight of documenting turbulence and the personal moments that led Jon to seek out the humanity in the most unexpected places.
Insightful, sharp, and deeply empathetic, Jon reflects on life at the margins, the characters he’s encountered, and what it truly means to understand those who challenge the norm.
You can buy tickets to Jon Ronson’s Psychopath Night here
David Harewood is one of Britain's finest actors, but fame found him late in life after he was cast as CIA Director David Estes in smash-hit show Homeland.
In this fascinating episode of Full Disclosure, join James O'Brien as he takes a tour around David's life, from his early childhood, racist abuse from theatre reviewers, his psychosis diagnosis and how he's become first black president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada).
This episode deals with issues of race and racism and strong language is used from the outset and throughout.
Alistair McGowan is a man of many talents, as well as being one of the UKs most beloved impressionists. From award winning performances on the West End Stage, sell-out pianist shows and dominating the 90s and 00s sketch TV scene, he is a man that never disappoints to entertain.
In this episode, James O'Brien goes back in time to Alistair's school days, his warm upbringing in Evesham and to the moment where he got his big break at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The pair discuss the nuance of a great impression, why Gen-Z may struggle to understand the humour and what 2025 and beyond has in store for Alistair too. We will give you a hint, it's busy, very busy.
You can book tickets for on of Alistair's many ventures here
From busking on the streets to topping the charts, KT Tunstall has carved a career defined by resilience, reinvention, and raw talent.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien dives into KT’s journey from growing up in Scotland in a family with no musical background, to discovering her biological father’s Irish singing roots, and ultimately shaping her own unmistakable sound.
KT shares the story of her breakout Later… with Jools Holland performance, the moment that catapulted her to stardom, and how she has navigated the challenges of hearing loss and living with tinnitus as a musician. She also talks about her latest passion- musical theatre, including composing the original score for the West End musical Clueless.
Funny, inspiring, and deeply honest, this conversation explores how KT Tunstall keeps pushing creative boundaries, proving that reinvention isn’t just possible, it’s essential.
You can buy tickets to Clueless The Musical here
Matt Forde is an eternal optimist. From growing up on a council estate to a single mother on benefits, to playing sold out nights at the London Palladium, he's a comedian and broadcaster with a very different story to most.
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O'Brien takes a tour of Matt's formative years from the industrial city of Nottingham in the 1980s, his time working for the Labour party in Stoke-on-Trent to moving to the countries capital to begin his journey in stand-up Comedy.
At the age of 9 he fell in love with politics and became obsessed with equality and justice, which led him on the journey of joining the SWP before finding his policial home in Labour. After finding his funny bones he took his time in politics to the stage and started performing in comedy clubs up and down the country, mixing political activism and jokes.
Funny, moving and honest, Matt has lived a varied life that was tested massively in 2023 when he was diagnosed with cancer and told he would never walk again. In the open conversation, he shares how hard the last 18-months have really been.
You can see Matt on tour or buy tickets to his Party Political Podcast here
Zoe Lyons is a comedian that has graced our screens for over two decades, being a regular panelist on Mock the Week as well as numerous appearances on Have I Got News For You and Live at the Apollo.
She grew up in rural Ireland, with a peripatetic childhood that would see her move to England, America and Scotland all by the time she reached 10-years-old.
In this episode, James O'Brien takes a tour through Zoe's adolescence and hatred of school & school bullies, her parents divorce and her love of the Peter Sellers & Dick Emery. The pair navigate Zoe's slow-burn career and delve deep into why it takes her three years achieve her goals and what the future looks like for her too.
You can see Zoe Lyons tour dates here
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is a British physician, author, television presenter, and podcaster, known for his alternative approaches to health and wellbeing, aiming to find the root cause of disease rather than simply treating symptoms.
During this episode of Full Disclosure, James O'Brien sits down with Dr. Chatterjee to find out how his childhood shaped his career path, how he deals with criticism from the public for his methods and his brilliant new book 'Make Change That Lasts' which looks at 9 simple ways to break free from the habits that hold you back.
The pair also sit down and discuss how culture has impacted Dr. Rangan Chaterjee's view of himself and the techniques that we can all add to our daily routines to help us relax.
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is embarking on his first ever UK live tour, The Thrive Tour: Be The Architect Of Your Health And Happiness, in March 2025. Tickets are available at here
Full Disclosure is taking a short break over Christmas but don't worry, we'll be back at the end of January with a line up of exceptional guests.
If you can't wait until then, why not catch up on some of the episodes you might have missed. It's been a vintage year with incredible guests including Rob Brydon, Sir David Jason, Sally Lindsay and lots more.
Every episode of Full Disclosure is available on Global Player. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com.
See you soon.
As we take short break for Christmas – here's a selection of some of our favourite conversations from 2024.
Full Disclosure will be back in the new year with more brilliant guests. In the meantime, why not listen back to your favourite episodes or catch up on the ones you might have missed. You can find them all on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks, as always, for listening.
Rob Brydon has done pretty much everything you can. From radio DJ & Voice over artists, hosting one of the UKs most loved panel shows to being the star of Gavin & Stacey and acting alongside Margot Robbie in smash-hit Barbie.
Rob is a comic that has never lacked ambition, but his success came later in life, during one of his darkest personal moments.
In this episode, James O'Brien goes back in time to Rob's school days, charting his self-taping and repeated rejection from acting agents and discovering how he teamed up with Steve Coogan to finally land his big break.
Shaun Keaveny is one of the UKs most beloved broadcasters, having spent 11 years presenting one of the countries biggest music breakfast radio shows.
His journey began upon leaving college, where he knew he wanted to work in a creative industry with a passion for writing skits, listening to the radio and playing music.
Shaun soon got his first break at XFM London, presenting overnights to a miniscule audience where he could flex his creative flair before moving with the times and fronting a digital only breakfast show at the newly formed 6 Music.
In this episode James sits down to explore Shaun's childhood and the close bond he has with his family, his late diagnosis of ADD, how Terry Wogan took him under his wing and how leaving the BBC had a heavy impact on him.
You can listen to Shaun's excellent Community Garden Radio show and become a fully fledged member here
Alex James is the bass player in one of Britain's biggest bands, Blur.
With millions of record sales and 2 sold-out nights at Wembley in 2023, he sits down with James O'Brien to discuss his early childhood, the emergence of Blur, cheese making and his brilliant new book 'Over the Rainbow'.
With a self-confessed short attention span, Alex failed his A-Levels and was worrying what was next to for him. All that changed when he met his soon to be bandmates. From touring America to going on a health kick after lockdown, in this episode we find out what Alex's gateway to music was? How he kept the secret of Blur's comeback from his own kids? And what's in store for him in the future.
'Over the Rainbow' is out now.
"As I grew up, I realised I had to look after myself because no one else was going to do it for me."
Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey joined the House of Lords in 2004, becoming one of its first Black female members. But from the age of eight weeks old to eighteen years old, she moved between foster care placements and care homes in north London. In this episode, she tells James about her upbringing and her recent journey to discover more about her childhood.
Eight Weeks: Looking Back, Moving Forwards, Defying the Odds by Lola Young is out now.
Dan Snow makes history exciting. Whether it’s through his award-winning documentaries, bestselling books, or popular podcast History Hit, he has a gift for bringing the past to life and showing us why it still matters today.
Coming from a family of celebrated journalists—his father is broadcaster Peter Snow and his mother is Canadian journalist Ann MacMillan - Dan was immersed in storytelling from an early age. But what sets him apart isn’t just his passion for history, it’s his ability to look ahead. Spotting how storytelling and broadcasting were changing, he launched History Hit, a streaming platform that’s redefined how we engage with history.
In this episode, Dan talks about growing up in a journalist household, his dad’s attempt to steer him away from broadcasting and why he decided to break away from traditional media. Dan’s new book The Story of England: The Making of a Nation is out now.
For thirty-six year, James has been chasing this interview and now, he's finally secured it. Actor, writer and director Rupert Everett joins him to talk about the highs and lows of his extraordinary 40-year career in show business.
Rupert discovered performing when he was a young boy and got a thrill from showing off in school plays at Ampleforth College - so much so, that he left school at 15 to pursue a career in acting. His breakout role came in 1981 when he was cast as Guy Bennett in Another Country. He went on to find fame in Hollywood, starring opposite Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding.
Despite his success, Rupert admits he lacked the confidence to fully embrace Hollywood. He continued working in films and theatre but started to concentrate more on his writing. After a decade in the making, he released his first screenplay The Happy Prince in 2018 - a deeply personal project which he also directed and starred in.
Growing up on a Lake District farm that had been in his family for centuries, James Rebanks always knew his place in the world. School wasn't for him - he felt his teachers looked down on farming and his grandparents worried education might lure him away from the land. By the age of 15, he had left school with just two O-Levels to work full-time on the family farm. But in the evenings, a new world opened up to him as he read through the books on his mum's bookshelves.
Inspired, James began reading everything he could. In his twenties, he went to night school and then got a place at Oxford University where he graduated with a double first in history. Today, James is a bestselling author, telling the stories of the "nobodies" - ordinary people living extraordinary lives, who like him, are deeply rooted in the land. A farmer and a writer, James has managed to carve out a unique space as both a man of letters and man of the soil.
His latest book, The Place of Tides is available now.
"I really need a future. What happened to me is so dark and so depressing that I've got to believe in something."
On Boxing Day 2022, Hanif Kureishi's life changed forever. The acclaimed novelist and playwright had a fall that left him paralysed, a single, shattering moment that split his life in two. In this episode, Hanif tells James about the life he lived before the accident and what's happened since.
Hanif has written about this extraordinary experience in his new book, Shattered, a deeply personal account of the accident and its profound aftermath. Shattered is available to buy now.
This episode contains offensive language and sensitive topic discussions including racism. Listener discretion is advised.
One of Britain’s most celebrated French chefs, Michel Roux Jr is restaurant royalty. Born into the legendary Roux family, his father and uncle, Albert and Michel Roux Snr founded Le Gavroche, the first British restaurant to earn three Michelin stars.
Determined to follow in their footsteps, Michel left school at 16 to begin a pastry apprenticeship in Paris and later trained under the legendary Alain Chapel. Despite his father’s attempts to bring him into the family business, Michel initially resisted working at Le Gavroche. When he finally joined, it proved to be extremely tough but rewarding. In this episode, Michel talks about growing up at Fairlawne - grand country estate, the pressures of living up to his family's legacy and why he's left behind his "angry chef" persona.
"I wasn’t driven by being famous, I was driven by being successful. I wanted to be recognised by my peers, people who I considered ‘posh actors’”.
Award-winning actor and bestselling author, Sir David White, is better known by his stage name David Jason. His career has spanned over 50 years, and is best known for his iconic roles Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses and Jack Frost in A Touch of Frost.
His childhood dream of becoming an actor was ‘crushed’ by his father, who couldn’t afford to support his acting career after his brother was accepted to RADA. David spent years as an electrician, whilst learning his craft in amateur theatre. In this episode David talks about his passion for performance, the heartbreak of losing a role in Dad’s Army and why he’s addicted to making audiences laugh.
His latest memoir This Time Next Year is out now.
"I'm that lucky guy who found his hobby and was able to turn it into a job."
William Dalrymple is a multi-award winning and bestselling historian. Growing up on the Dalrymple family estate in North Berwick, with an almost Edwardian childhood, William was sent off to Ampleforth College at just eight years old. It was there that his passion for history grew and he spent his free time on archaeological digs and getting lost in history books.
William has gone on to turn that childhood fascination into an incredible career. He has written numerous bestselling books including White Mughals and The Last Mughals. His latest book The Golden Road is out now.
Graeme Park is a legendary DJ and one of the founders of the UK's house music movement. Best known for his nine-year residency at Manchester's iconic superclub, The Hacienda, Graeme's journey into DJing was far from planned. In fact, he stumbled into it almost by accident. However, his passion for sharing the music he loved had a huge impact on the dance scene of the 80s and 90s, influencing a generation of club-goers, including sixteen year old James O'Brien.
Today, Graeme continues to perform to fans old and new around the world. He also DJs alongside the Manchester Camerata Orchestra as part of the Hacienda Classical shows, which have been touring the UK since 2016 and even opened the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 2017.
You can find out more details about Graeme's upcoming gigs on thisisgraemepark.com
"Britain is nowhere near as bad as America but let's not get complacent about the risk."
Jon Sopel is a journalist, broadcaster and author who launched the hugely successful The News Agents podcast with Emily Maitlis and Lewis Goodall in August 2022. Previously, he was the BBC’s North America Editor, covering U.S. elections including Donald Trump’s presidency. He is the author of several books including: If Only They Didn’t Speak English and A Year at the Circus: Inside Trump’s White House. His latest book: Strangelandis out now.
James is back with another incredible guest from the Full Disclosure vault. Angela Rayner is a politician you simply can’t ignore, Her story is as inspiring as it is unlikely. She grew up in poverty in Stockport, left school at 16, pregnant and without a single qualification to her name. And yet through sheer grit, she’s fought her way up to become Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.
Angela joined James on Full Disclosure back in 2021. She talks about everything from her chaotic childhood to how she raised her own children out of poverty and her remarkable rise in politics. If you haven’t heard it yet, it’s a brilliant conversation with one of the most vibrant voices in British politics and if you have, it’s well worth another listen…
James revisits one of the most memorable episodes of Full Disclosure with none other than the current Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer.
Sir Keir’s journey to Downing Street was far from straightforward. In fact, for a long time his life was headed in a completely different direction. He joined James for a live recording of Full Disclosure back in 2022, when he was still Leader of the Opposition.
Sir Keir talks about his childhood, the values that shaped him, his time as a human rights lawyer and how he handles the intense pressure and scrutiny of life in the public eye. Whether you're listening for the first time or revisiting the episode, this is a chance to gain real insight into the man now leading the country.
Radio legend Tony Blackburn has spent the past 60 years entertaining listeners with his cheeky charm and passion for soul music.
His journey in broadcasting began in 1964 on the offshore pirate stations Radio Caroline and Radio London. Just three years later, he made history as the first DJ to be heard on BBC Radio 1, launching the station with his exciting new music show.
Tony quickly became a household name, hosting iconic shows like Top of the Pops, the Top 40 and Capital Gold's award-winning Breakfast Show. In 2015 he made history again, becoming the first person to receive two Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Radio Academy. Still going strong, he continues to entertain on the airwaves, with no plans to hang up his headphones just yet...
Tickets for his UK tour, Sounds of the Sixties, are available here.
Jordan Stephens is a writer, musician and actor, best-known as one half of the hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks. His late teens and early twenties were a whirlwind of hit records, sold-out shows and wild parties, fuelled by a heady cocktail of drugs, drink, sex and chaos. It was fun until is wasn't.
In 2017, everything fell apart when Jordan cheated on his then-girlfriend, leading to a painful break up that left him heartbroken for the first time. Desperate to make sense of it all, Jordan set out on a journey of self-discovery, facing his emotions and slowly pieced himself back together. He opens up to James about his experience of heartbreak and why love is such an important, yet misunderstood, topic for young men today.
His new book, Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs is out now.
"When I signed up to the police my friends said, 'Why on earth are you joining a corrupt and racist organisation?'"
Neil Basu joined the police force as uniformed officer in 1992. He rose through the ranks to become an assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 2015, a role he held until 2021. Alongside this, he served as the UK's head of counter terrorism policing and Met assistant commissioner of specialist operations, working closely with MI5. During that time, he led investigations into 12 terror attacks, foiled 29 plots and charged three Russian state assassins in connection with the Salisbury Novichok poisonings.
In this rare and candid conversation, Neil doesn't hold back. He talks about the racism he's faced, the barriers he's had to break down and the tough leadership lessons he's learned throughout his career. But perhaps most powerfully, he explains why he firmly believes the Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist and why police chiefs must acknowledge it and apologise.
This episode is not suitable to those under 18 and contains sensitive topic discussions including racism and violence. If you are affected by anything you hear in this episode and need support, please see the suggested website links below.
HOPE not hate
SARI
Stop Hate UK
Paul Sinha never really had a life plan and yet, somehow he's ended up with a career that's way beyond anything he could have imagined. He originally pursued a career in medicine, largely to keep his parents happy. But, whilst working as a junior doctor, he decided to give stand-up comedy a try. Now, he's not just a successful comedian but also a professional quizzer, best-known as one of the six Chasers on the ITV quiz show, The Chase.
He tells James what it was like to hide his sexuality at school, his unexpected break into comedy and the overwhelming sense of relief he felt when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019.
Paul's memoir One Sinha Lifetimeis out now.
Raised in an Irish Catholic family as one of nine siblings, Martin O'Neill was brought up with Gaelic football but he dreamt of becoming a professional English footballer. Aged 18, he was scouted by Nottingham Forest and quit his law degree to sign for the club. He went on to become an integral part of Brian Clough's legendary Nottingham Forest team, winning back-to-back European Cups and he made history as the first Catholic player to captain Northern Ireland's national team.
After hanging up his boots, Martin achieved remarkable success as a manager, leading Celtic and Leicester City to major titles and taking the Republic of Ireland to the knockout stages of the 2016 Euros. He is now the chairman of the League Managers Association and co-hosts the Global podcast The Football Authorities with Clive Tyldesley. You can listen to The Football Authorities here: https://the-football-authorities.captivate.fm/
A chance encounter with the director Lindsay Anderson changed Robin Askwith's life forever. It led to his first acting job, playing the schoolboy Keating in Anderson's film if.... which became one of the most popular British films of all time.
If.... kickstarted Robin's incredible career that spans an extraordinary period of time. Over the past 50 years, he's appeared in everything from Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Canterbury Tales to the Confessions comedies to Inside No. 9, The Madame Blanc Mysteries and even a stint in pantomime that saw him batting bread rolls with Ian Botham. Now he's enjoying something of a renaissance moment. And boy, does he have some stories to tell...
James Graham is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter for TV and film. His plays include Ink, This House and Dear England, about the struggles and successes of England’s former football manager Gareth Southgate. His acclaimed TV dramas include Quiz and Sherwood, set in the north Nottinghamshire village where he grew up.
James was born into the close-knit community of Kirkby-In-Ashfield and witnessed the deep and permanent divisions from the 1980s miners’ strikes. He wrote his first play whilst studying drama at the University of Hull and seeing his words come alive on stage inspired him to keep writing. He’s gone on to establish himself as one of the most influential playwrights of his generation, taking inspiration from moments in history that illuminate a particular social or political anxiety of the moment, and telling stories that help us make sense of the world.
His adaptation of Alan Bleasdale's TV drama, Boys From The Blackstuff, is currently playing at the West End's Garrick Theatre. Tickets are available at boysfromtheblackstuff.com
"I had this inner feeling that something would happen to take me away from my mundane life".
The first twenty years of Russell Watson's life were very ordinary. He grew up in Salford, left school at 16 with almost no qualifications and joined the government's Youth Training Scheme. By the age of 20, he was working on the shop floor of a factory, making nuts and bolts.
He started singing in local pubs and working men's clubs after winning a local talent competition organised by Manchester Piccadilly Radio. It was tough, and Russell considered giving up - until one night in Wigan changed everything.
Russell has gone on to become one of the UK's most popular classical artists, selling over 7 million records and performing for notable figures including Pope John Paul II, members of the Royal Family and the Emperor of Japan. Tickets for his Magnificent Buildings concert tour are available at russellwatson.com
When Joe Pasquale was just seven years old, his mum was involved in a car accident that left her with concussion and epilepsy. She struggled to look after Joe and his three siblings and became severely depressed. Determined to try and fix things, Joe made it his mission to make her laugh every single day.
Forty years on, he has become a staple in British comedy, bringing joy and laughter to millions. Tickets for his latest show, The New Normal, 40 Years of Cack! are available at joepasquale.com
“I’m a Walter Mitty who’s actually done it.” Growing up in a tenement on the outskirts of Glasgow, Midge Ure dreamt of being a rock star, even though it seemed impossible for a working-class kid like him. But he had something special.
At just 18, he got his first break as the guitarist for the pop band Slik and went on to be part of several influential bands in the 1970s and 80s, including Rich Kids, Thin Lizzy and Ultravox. Alongside Bob Geldof, he set up Band Aid, collaborating on the 1984 hit Do They Know It's Christmas? With a career spanning over 50 years, he has firmly established himself as a rock legend, making all his dreams come true.
Tickets for Midge Ure Catologue: The Hits Tour are available at midgeure.co.uk
Nick Lowles is chief executive of HOPE not hate, the UK's largest anti-racism and anti-extremism movement. For the last 35 years, he has tirelessly fought against those who try to exploit frustrations, create divisions and pit groups against each other.
Nick began his involvement with the anti-fascist movement as a student volunteer. He then worked for the anti-fascist magazine Searchlight before founding HOPE not hate in 2004. In his first ever interview about his life, Nick tells James why he's dedicated his life to fighting extremism and what keeps him awake at night.
This episode is not suitable to those under 18 and contains sensitive topic discussions including racism and violence. If you are affected by anything you hear in this episode and need support, please see the suggested website links below.
HOPE not hate
SARI
Stop Hate UK
Actor, writer and producer Sally Lindsay has always loved the spotlight. She made her TV debut aged 7 when her school choir performed their No.1 single There’s No One Quite Like Grandma on Top of the Pops. But it wasn’t until university that she realised she could turn her passion into a career. Since then, she’s starred in Phoenix Nights, Coronation Street, Scott & Bailey, Mount Pleasant and her latest project, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, where she's the writer, co-creator, producer and star.
Sally tells James how she landed her first TV role in The Royale Family, the struggles that working-class actors face and what she’s doing to tackle inequality in the industry.
Helen Lederer is a writer, actress and comedian. She began her career on the alternative comedy circuit, performing alongside many of today’s household names, and quickly landed roles in iconic sitcoms such as Absolutely Fabulous, Bottom and Girls on Top. Since then she’s appeared on TV and radio, written bestselling books and set up the Comedy Women in Print prize. Despite this, Helen admits she often struggles to believe in her own success. She tells James about her fascination with status and explains why she feels she has never quite made it.
Not That I’m Bitter - A Truly, Madly, Funny Memoir by Helen Lederer is out now.
Danny Wallace is a bestselling author and broadcaster who loves nothing more than thinking up fun ideas and seeing how far he can take them. His first book, Join Me, tells the true story of how he he accidentally started a cult. His second book, Yes Man, describes what happened when he decided to say yes to everything - a story so compelling it was adapted into a Hollywood film starring Jim Carrey.
Now he's delving into the world of conspiracies with his new book, Somebody Told Me. Danny tells James how he fell down a rabbit hole of disinformation and well-told lies and why he's never been afraid of rejection.
Somebody Told Me: One Man's Unexpected Journey Down The Rabbit Hole of Lies, Trolls and Conspiracies is out now.
Comedy legend Frank Skinner returns to Full Disclosure just days after he signed off his final Absolute Radio show, wrapping up an incredible 15 years. He tells James why he will always love radio, reveals the one regret that will stay with him forever and gives a refreshingly honest take on what it's really like to be famous.
Frank is extending hiscritically acclaimed stand up tour show, 30 Years of Dirt, with an additional 24 dates across the UK this autumn. Tickets are available at frankskinnerlive.com
You can listen to his first interview on Full Disclosure here.
Enjoying Full Disclosure with James O'Brien? Here's another podcast you might like. Broadcaster, Jemma Forte, and political commentator, Marina Purkiss, scroll through Twitter so you don’t have to.
In the latest episode, James O'Brien finds himself on the opposite side of the interrogating questions. Marina and Jemma talk election, Brexit, and take a trip down memory lane with some caller clips that never get old.
The Trawl is now available to listen on Global Player, for free. Download it from the App Store, or head to globalplayer.com and search 'The Trawl'.
One of the world’s most acclaimed, award-winning authors Salman Rushdie has spent the last thirty years with a death threat attached to his head. A threat that almost became a reality two years ago when he brutally stabbed 15 times by a stranger. Few people have come so close to death and lived to tell the story. Salman returns to Full Disclosure to tell James about the day he almost died and the aftermath that followed.
Salman has written a deeply personal account of the brutal attack on his life. Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder is out now.
This episode contains sensitive topic discussions around graphic and disturbing violence. Listener discretion is advised.
Zeinab Badawi is an award-winning broadcaster, journalist and the President of SOAS University of London. Born in Sudan, she has worked in the British media for several decades. Zeinab explains how her TV series led her to write her instant Sunday Times bestseller. An African History of Africa is available now.
Lancaster legend Julie Hesmondhalgh is an actor, writer and activist. She's best known for playing Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street in what started as short-term punchline and turned into a 16 year career. Since leaving the cobbles, she’s gone on to star multiple dramas including Broadchurch, Happy Valley and Mr Bates vs The Post Office. She’s recently joined the cast of the world premiere of James Graham’s new play, Punch, about the power of forgiveness.
Tickets for Punch are available at nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events
Angela Hartnett is a Michelin starred chef, restaurateur and podcast host. After studying for a history degree, she began working in a local pub before joining Gordon Ramsay at his first restaurant, Aubergine. She worked with Gordon for 17 years before deciding to go it alone. She now runs several restaurants of her own including the Michelin-starred Murano in Mayfair. Angela's podcast, Dish from Waitrose, is available on all podcast providers.
In 2010 Caroline Lucas made history when she was elected as the MP for Brighton Pavilion, becoming the first Green Party candidate to enter Parliament. She has increased her majority at every election since and served as the Green leader twice. In her 14 years in Westminster, Caroline has used her platform to put environmental and equality issues on the political agenda. Her latest book, Another England sets out how we can reclaim England's national story from Brexit cheerleaders and the radical right.
In 2011 Bassem Youssef was a little-known heart surgeon in Cairo. A year later, he was hosting his own political satire TV show, Al-Bernameg, drawing in 30 million weekly viewers as he made fun of the Egyptian regime. Bassem's comedy was groundbreaking but it proved too controversial to remain on air. In 2014 he was forced to move to United States, where he has since had to work to re-establish his career in a new language. Now, he's back in the news thanks to an explosive interview with Piers Morgan on the conflict in Gaza, which went viral.
Tickets for his latest tour, The Middle Beast, are available at livenation.co.uk
"The best ideas don't come from the boardroom, the best ideas come from the frontline."
James Timpson is the chief executive of Timpson, a family-run business known for its key cutting and watch repair services. James does business differently. His unconventional leadership style has raised eyebrows - but it works. Since taking over Timpson, he has grown the business to over 2,000 stores by developing new ideas, giving ex-prisoners a second chance and putting his employees first.
He has published a book packed with leadership advice for a happier, healthy workforce. The Happy Index: Lessons in Upside-Down Management is out now.
Bryony Gordon is a bestselling author, mental health campaigner and founder of Mental Health Mates. She has been a columnist for the Telegraph for over twenty years where she has written honestly and openly about her experiences of mental illness and addictions. Her latest book, Mad Woman details her experiences of OCD, binge eating and the endless battle to stay sober. Bryony tells James about the realities of living with dark, intrusive thoughts and how exercise became her salvation.
Growing up, Justin Welby thought his home life was normal. It wasn't until he was a teenager that he realised being brought up by an abusive, alcoholic father was anything but. He found faith and the love of God as a student at Cambridge, bringing with it a sense of peace and security. He graduated and then spent 11 years working in the oil industry.
From such unlikely beginnings, Justin Welby’s faith became his life. He was ordained a priest in 1993 and has been the Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013. He tells James about his struggles growing up with an alcoholic father and why he speaks out on political issues like the Rwanda Bill.
It's 40 years since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won gold at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Around 24 million people turned on their TVs to watch the Nottingham duo make history on the ice rink. It was the moment that changed Jayne and Chris' lives forever. Since then, they have won multiple World Championships, sold out international tours and become the faces of ITV's hit show Dancing on Ice.
Tickets for their last ever UK tour, Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance, are available at www.torvillanddean.com
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf became interested in politics when he was just 16, believing it was the best way to make meaningful change. He joined the SNP whilst studying politics at the University of Glasgow and by 26, had become one of the youngest MSPs to enter Holyrood.
Humza has gone to make history as the first Muslim leader of any Western democracy, as well as Scotland's youngest leader. He joins James to discuss the state of UK politics, Scottish independence and why he believes Islamophobic conspiracy theories have become part of the mainstream discourse.
Please be advised that this episode is not suitable to those under 18 and contains offensive language and sensitive topic discussions. Listener discretion is advised.
Lawyer, businesswoman, campaigner and the first female Muslim UK cabinet minister. Baroness Warsi has broken glass ceilings throughout her career and tirelessly campaigned against Islamophobia within both society and the Conservative party. She joins James to discuss why she believes she's in a toxic relationship with the Conservative party and which cabinet minister is to blame for taking the party away from its conservative values and turning it towards the far-right.
Sayeeda hosts a brand-new podcast with comedian, David Baddiel. A Muslim & A Jew Go There. It's available to listen on all podcast platforms: https://linktr.ee/amuslimandajewgothere
At 21 years old, Gary Stevenson joined Citibank as its youngest trader. Three years later, he became the bank's most profitable trader by betting on the collapse of the economy. He went from living in his parents' two-bed terrace in east London to earning millions. But it didn't feel right to make money betting on disasters. So, he quit, leaving his dream job in the City to campaign on the issue of wealth inequality. He tells James why our obsession with money is destroying the things that matter. Gary's new book, The Trading Game: A Confession is out on 5th March.
U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders is the longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history. He joins James to discuss social inequality, the dangers of corporate media in both the UK and America and why he is determined to stop Donald Trump from getting back in the White House. Bernie Sanders’ book, It’s OK To Be Angry About Capitalism is available to buy now.
Jason Watkins has become one of Britain’s most sought after actors. His breakout role came in the 2014 ITV drama, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies which won him a BAFTA for Best Actor. He’s also had roles in Doctor Who, the Nativity, Trollied, The Crown and Line of Duty. Jason tells James about his early ambitions to become a PE teacher, why he turned to acting and he reflects on the moments that have shaped his life and career.
Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey has been a carer for most of his life. First for his mum, who died of cancer when he was just 15. Then for his Nana and now, he and his wife Emily care for their disabled son John. Ed could be furious at the world – but he’s not. Instead, he has spent his political career standing up for carers and fighting for investment in the NHS and social care. Ed tells James how his personal experiences have shaped his politics and why he’s committed to making real change happen.
This interview truly stands out. Dame Sheila Hancock is one of the most respected actors and writers of our time. She became a household name in the 1960s in the BBC sitcom The Rag Trade. Since then she has starred in everything from Carry on Cleo, the award-winning Cabaret, The Sixth Commandment and Edie. Now at 91, Dame Sheila sits down with James to look back on her life. From being a wartime evacuee who joined a gang to dealing with stage fright, being nominated for a Tony in her Broadway debut, Entertaining Mr Sloane and writing her first book aged 70. Dame Sheila has led an extraordinary life.
It's 18 years since James Blunt released his hit single, You’re Beautiful which reached No.1 around the world. It helped James's debut album, Back to Bedlam sell 12 million copies andbecome the UK’s best-selling album of the 2000s. But his global success was met with an immediate backlash that saw him ridiculed by the press and pop establishment. James responded to his critics by moving to Ibiza, where he partied hard and joined Twitter. Since Back to Bedlam, he has released a further succession of successful albums, every one of them a Top 10 hit. His new album Who We Used To Be is out now.
Nick Wallis was presenting the breakfast show for BBC Radio Surrey in 2010 when he was contacted by a listener with a story he’s been investigating ever since. Nick helped expose one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in UK legal history – the Post Office Horizon IT scandal that has devastated the lives of hundreds of innocent hardworking people across the country. His work has been published in Private Eyeand broadcast on BBC Panorama, The One Show and BBC Radio 4. It is also the basis of his first book, The Great Post Office Scandal.
Tickets for his show, Post Office Scandal - the Inside Story are available at postofficescandal.uk
In a career spanning almost six decades, Stephanie Beacham is a household name on both sides of the Atlantic. She achieved global renown for her role as Sable Colby in the US soap opera Dynasty and its spin-off The Colbys. She's appeared on stage at Broadway and the West End and has multiple film credits to her name.
Full Disclosure is taking a short break over Christmas but don't worry, we'll be back in January 2024 with a line up of exceptional guests.
If you can't wait until then, why not catch up on some of the episodes you might have missed. It's been a vintage year with incredible guests including Hugh Laurie, Dawn Butler and Chris Packham.
Every episode of Full Disclosure is available on Global Player. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Thanks for listening!
This episode contains discussion of sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised.
Fatima Whitbread is a former javelin world champion, double Olympian and former world record holder. This week she was honoured with the Helen Rollason Award at Sports Personality of the Year 2023 for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity. Fatima was abandoned by her mother as a baby and spent her first 14 years in care homes. She faced neglect, physical and sexual abuse. In her teens, she discovered a passion for javelin and was coached by Margaret Whitbread, a former GB thrower. Margaret and her husband later adopted Fatima, and described her as "completing the family unit".
Former Conservative MP Dominic Grieve never set out to be a rebel. In his words, he was a member of the establishment. He was president of the Oxford University Conservative Association and before being elected to parliament, he was a QC. He served in David Cameron’s government as Attorney General, but as the EU referendum loomed, he became increasingly vocal in his opposition against Brexit. He opposed Theresa May’s withdrawal deal three times and in 2019, he was one of 21 Tory MPs who had the whip withdrawn over their opposition to a no-deal Brexit. Was this how he thought his parliamentary career would end?
Wildlife TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham has always been fascinated by the natural world. As a child, he spent hours collecting slugs, snails, ladybirds and tadpoles from the garden to store in jam jars. He struggled to fit in at school and was bullied by other students. Chris knew he was different but didn't understand why. It wasn't until his forties that he was diagnosed with autism, finally providing an explanation as to why he experiences the world differently to other people.
We're dropping into your feed to share another Global Player Original podcast with you. Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host a daily news podcast: The News Agents. They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed.
If you're not already following or subscribed, search for The News Agents to hear more. Episodes are available every weekday afternoon.
Find the latest episode of The News Agents here on Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KuVj/
Royal biographer Omid Scobie was thrust into the spotlight when he began writing about Prince Harry and Meghan. His first book Finding Freedom, about the Sussexes’ and their split from the Royal Family, made headlines across the world. And – his stories about the Royals are once again dominating the front pages following the release of his new book Endgame. Omid tells James how he came to write the biggest story in town - and why he has become part of the story.
This week, the tables have turned and James is in the hot seat. He sits down with journalist and host of The News Agents podcast, Emily Maitlis to discuss his bestselling book, How They Broke Britain, naming and shaming those responsible for the decline in politics, media and the economy.
He's a comedian, writer and star of stage and screen. Miles Jupp started performing stand-up as a student at Edinburgh University. In his third year, he got the role of Archie the Inventor in the children's show Balamory and has never looked back. He's appeared in major television series, Hollywood films and has created his own radio sketch shows. Tickets for his latest stand-up tour, Miles Jupp: On I Bang are available at milesjupp.co.uk
Liverpudlian comedian Chris McCausland gradually started losing his eyesight due to a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa. His sight got so bad in his 20s that he was forced to give up his job as a web developer and ended up unemployed. He decided to give stand-up a try and is now a regular fixture on the comedy circuit. Tickets for his latest show, Yonks! are available at chrismccausland.com
James has brought back another incredible guest from the Full Disclosure vault this week. He's revisiting his 2019 interview with Dame Prue Leith, star judge on the Great British Bake Off. Prue has lived an incredible life. She grew up in South Africa during the Apartheid era, then moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne before making a name for herself as a restaurateur in London. She's gone on to become a food writer and broadcaster on shows including the Great British Menu and the Great British Bake Off.
To listen to the latest episode of Full Disclosure on Alexa, just say "Alexa ask Global Player to play Full Disclosure."
James has been looking back at some of his all-time favourite guests on Full Disclosure. He's dug deep into the vault and plucked out an episode that really stands out. It's a classic with one of his very first guests, the comedian and actor Steve Coogan.
Steve Coogan is such a private individual for someone who's so incredibly well-known. He rarely does interviews. James waited 25 years to get one with him. So when it happened in 2019, James was both incredibly nervous and incredibly excited. Steve talks about everything from his early life in Manchester, the creation of Alan Partridge and conquering Hollywood.
In 2008, Tim Peake answered an advert from the European Space Agency looking for astronauts. Six years later he became the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station and carry out a spacewalk.
But Tim didn't always want to be an astronaut. As a child, he fell in love with flying and pursued a career in aviation. He progressed from the school Cadet Corps to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and then into the Army Air Corps. By the time Tim retired from the British Army as a major, he was regarded as a highly talented, hugely professional pilot. Just the kind of person the European Space Agency was looking for.
After his six-month space mission, Tim returned to the UK to work and engage students in STEM. This year, he became the European Space Agency's first honorary STEM ambassador. He has also written several best-selling books and hosted a TV series about space.
Tim Peake’s latest book Space: The Human Story is out now published by Penguin. For more info visit: https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/239553/tim-peake
Arguably the world’s most famous classicist, Mary Beard has an incredible talent for making ancient history engaging for everyone. Her fascination with the past began at the age of five. During a visit to the British Museum, she saw a slice of ancient Egyptian cake on display and was thrilled when a curator opened the case and got it out for her. For nearly forty years, she was a Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge before retiring in 2022. She’s also a TV and radio presenter, classics editor for the Times Literacy Supplement and has written numerous books on classical history and culture. Her latest book, Emperor of Rome, is out now.
Lexicographer, etymologist and Queen of Countdown’s Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent has always been fascinated by words. As a child, she would read the labels of shampoo bottles at bath time, marvelling at the fact they were written in a different language. She studied modern languages at Oxford University before getting a job at Oxford University Press. She made her first appearance on Channel 4’s Countdown in 1992. Since then, she has appeared in more than 8,000 episodes and is the longest serving member of the current on-air team. Susie has also written several books including her latest, Interesting Stories About Curious Words and Roots of Happiness.
Over the past twenty-five years, Naomi Klein has charted and documented our politics and culture with a series of bestselling-books from No Logo to The Shock Doctrine. She’s known as one of the most influential left-wing voices of our time. But she wasn’t always this politically active. As a teenager, she resented being dragged along to demonstrations by her activist parents and rebelled by being normal. It all changed when she went to university. There, she began to challenge the status quo through her writing. Her latest book, Doppelganger, is her most personal one yet. In it, she explores the world of conspiracy theories, drawing from her own experiences with mistaken identity.
Broadcasting legend, podcaster and former gymnast for Wales and Great Britain, Gabby Logan is a force to be reckoned with. She started her broadcasting career as a student at Metro Radio in Newcastle. She's gone on to become one of Britain's best loved sports presenters, hosting high-profile events including the Olympics, Premiership football and the most recently, the FIFA Women's World Cup.
Gabby's podcast, The Mid Point is available to listen to now on Global Player.
https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KsTe/
He's one of the most recognisable faces on British television, covering some of the biggest stories of our time. BBC News presenter and Mastermind host, Clive Myrie grew up in Bolton - the son of Windrush generation parents - with dreams of becoming a journalist. He studied law at university but ended up accepting a position on the BBC's journalism trainee scheme. He's gone on report from more than 90 different countries including war zones in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently, Ukraine. Clive's memoir, Everything is Everything reflects on how being black has affected his perspectives of issues he's encountered in his thirty years reporting the news.
Novelist Sebastian Faulks has the rare quality of being both literary and popular. He’s best known for his historical novels set in France, and in particular, Birdsong, adapted for the screen and starring Eddie Redmayne. Now for the first time Faulks has ventured into the future - but not very far - setting his latest novel from 2030, beginning with an experiment at an IVF clinic which challenges ethical boundaries. His 16th novel, The Seventh Son is out now.
Few of us realise the dreams we have as 8-year-olds, but actor, screenwriter and director Mark Gatiss, obsessed with horror, Dr Who and Sherlock Holmes as a child, has managed to incorporate his early passions into his professional life. Now a grown-up with an astonishing catalogue of work, Gatiss no longer pursues the macabre with adolescent fervour, but a darkness continues to run through even the most camp and comedic additions to his oeuvre. From December 2023 he'll be starring in The Motive and the Cue at the Noel Coward Theatre whilst directing The Unfriend at Wyndham’s Theatre next door. Tickets available now.
Dawn Butler was the first black woman to speak at the dispatch box in the House of Commons. But as a young person it had not once occurred to her to go into politics. In this episode, Dawn explains how an injustice she experienced at primary school triggered a series of events, encouraging her to confront wrongs where she sees them, even within her own ranks. Her book, A Purposeful Life is out now.
When Polly Toynbee arrived at The Observer in the late 1960s, she quickly concluded that she would make a useless news reporter. Hailing from a long line of well-heeled and highly educated liberals and social reformers, Polly surmised that she didn't know enough about the country she'd grown up in. Since then, Polly has worked in factories, hospitals and care homes, shedding light on the nature of work and class. Now regarded as one of the country’s best journalists, her latest book, An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals tracks her genealogy and takes a deep dive into what it means to be privileged in Britain.
Environmentalist Dale Vince was appalled to learn, as a child, that many adults don't enjoy going to work. Rejecting convention, he decided to hit the road, becoming a New Age traveller - living off the land in alternative communities around England. It's not the obvious starting point for somebody who'd go on to build a company worth £100m.
After a brief summer hiatus, James brings you some of the most extraordinary moments you might not have heard from Full Disclosure. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode featuring a fascinating guest James has always wanted to speak to.
As is common with the outwardly facing Iranian diaspora, Shaparak Khorsandi is a comic unable to escape the disproportionate attention that her Iranian background affords her. But in this episode of Full Disclosure, Shaparak dives into the virtues of psychotherapy and the value of 'doing the work' when it comes to family relationships and personal growth.
He's one of the nation's favourite broadcasters, but when Alan Titchmarsh was a young lad, his parents worried about him. Disliking secondary school and leaving with one O-Level in art, Titchmarsh, to his father's dismay, journeyed closer towards his first love: gardening. He speaks to James about his lengthy career in television, radio and print and describes the surreality of being recognised everywhere after starring in the hit garden makeover series, Ground Force.
Broadcaster, criminal barrister, columnist and now novelist, Rob Rinder is too curious a person to stay in one place for long. He speaks to James about how he fell out of love with the law as well his first novel, The Trial, which draws upon his real life experience of the British legal system and the cases he's worked on.
Wendell Pierce was on the verge of quitting acting after he graduated from Juilliard - but decided to "give it a year". Four decades on, he's one of the most celebrated character actors working today. Wendell speaks to James about his childhood in New Orleans, his big break in The Wire and the new series of his hit thriller series, Jack Ryan.
Please be advised that this episode contains a highly offensive term.
After 50 years in TV, film and theatre, James O'Brien sits down with one of his heroes, actor turned big-time director, Dexter Fletcher to discuss the lows and soaring highs of his life and career.
She was made a peer in 2011, but Dame Joan Bakewell regards herself first and foremost as a journalist and writer. From a very young age, Joan developed a passion for reading, leading to a discovery of 'an internal life'. She speaks to James about her authoritarian mother, the enormous freedom she had making television in the 1970s and her philosophy.
A master at throwing interviewers off his own scent, comedian Mark Steel got so bored of being asked the same questions that he started making things up. Swerving his traps, James speaks to Mark about his totally real but fantastical sounding family background and new tour.
Self-confessed workaholic Alastair Campbell can't help but feel that he's not doing enough. He's written 18 books, is editor at large of The New European newspaper and his podcast, The Rest is Politics, co-hosted with Rory Stewart, is usually ranked top of the UK charts. But Alastair promised his mum that he'd never go back to the political front line. Alastair's latest tome, But What Can I Do?, seeks to empower its readers to make their own difference.
Evie Meg, AKA thistrippyhippie has over 16 million followers on TikTok, making her one of the most prominent online disability advocates. Conversely, one of Evie's conditions, PANDAS, is little-known and often misunderstood. For Mental Health Awareness Week, Evie speaks to James about how her life is impacted by PANDAS and Tourette's syndrome, shedding light on how the boundaries between physical and psychological health are often blurred.
Brexit, Covid, Partygate, lockdowns, leaks, the war in Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis and the scandals that plagued our politics. Guto Harri was in the room when the big decisions were made. In this podcast, expect unprecedented access behind the shiny black door of Number 10 Downing Street, during one of the most chaotic periods in British political history.
Guto was Boris Johnson’s Communications Chief. When he first walked over the Number 10 threshold, things weren’t normal. A set of circumstances, scandals and chaos that will never be repeated. It was unprecedented.
Episode one out now on Global Player.
His first stand-up gig was at the tender age of 16. It was not critically well received. But Jack Whitehall quickly became a firm favourite on our screens, dominating the television comedy circuit and starring in shows such as Fresh Meat and Bad Education. But his early success also had its problems. Jack speaks to James about how challenging it was finding his voice as well as his new UK tour, Settle Down.
At 34 years old he's the SNP's youngest ever leader in Westminster, moving at breakneck speed from supermarket checkout boy to Rishi Sunak's political adversary at PMQs. With Nicola Sturgeon's shock resignation and continuing investigation into the party's finances, he picks up the mantle during a turbulent time for the independence movement. But Flynn seems cool and collected about the task ahead. He speaks to James about his background and explains how having a disability inadvertently led him to the Commons.
For more than a decade, Liam Thomas worked as an undercover detective in the Metropolitan Police’s Covert Surveillance Unit, mixing with dangerous criminals and eventually investigating corrupt officers within his own force. A self-styled keeper of secrets, Liam believes he and his profession are recruited in childhood. His book, The Buyer is a gripping, self-reflective memoir and dramatic account of what it means to be on the inside and the outside at the same time.
On paper, a professorship at Cambridge is not an obvious outcome for a person who could not read or write until the age of 18, or who could not speak before the age of 11. But listening to Jason Arday speak, it is not long before it feels more like what he was destined to do. Now a sociologist at one of the world's most prestigious universities, Jason speaks to James about perseverance, love and the importance of the collective.
Her career contains stand-up, marathon-running, acting and campaigning; all of which tend to reappear in no obvious or particular order. Now Eddie is trying her hand at doing everything all at once: playing all 19 characters in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations on stage. She speaks to James about the multitudes in her life. Tickets for the London show are available now.
Brought up in a household where showing off was effectively banned, an acting career was perhaps the antithesis of what Hugh Laurie's parents expected of him. He did, for a short period follow in the footsteps of his Olympic rowing gold medallist father - but it was not to be. His new production of Agatha Christie's 'Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?' broadcasts on ITV1 across Easter and streams on ITVX thereafter.
Emergency Planner and Disaster Expert Lucy Easthope has advised on everything from plane crashes and tsunamis to pandemics and terror attacks. Lucy speaks to James about the Government’s decision-making during the coronavirus pandemic and what life was like for disaster planners under austerity. Her new book, When The Dust Settles, lifts the lid on a career spent picking up the pieces.
As with The Beatles, James Corden and Hugh Laurie, Mehdi Hassan is one of the rare British exports to break America. But he's profoundly depressed by the state of his adopted nation. The journalist speaks to James about the impact Trump has had on his personal life and his book, Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading and Public Speaking
He's the nation's most loved maître d' and the first face seen by singletons looking for love of Channel 4's First Dates. But behind the friendliness and warm exterior is a man serious about service and hospitality. Fred speaks to James about his how his parents' career in the French health service made him the man he is today as well as his latest series, Fred's Last Resort which sees him train British contestants in the art of high-end hotel service.
She's best known for starring in Countdown, one of Britain's longest-running television game shows. But Carol Vorderman has managed to fit twice as much into her life as most of us. She speaks to James about her chaotic but loving upbringing, culture shock at Cambridge and new life as the country's most vociferous anticorruption crusader.
Comedian Phil Wang has decided he's got to start being silly in response to a world which he thinks is getting serious. Born in Stoke on Trent to an English mother, Wang moved to Malaysia where his father is from one week after being born. He speaks to James about going to a Chinese school, his views on empire and his new extended tour, Wang In There, Baby!
Actress Amanda Abbington, star of Sherlock and Netflix thriller Safe, speaks to James about her misdirected early attempts at dancing, the moment she realised she was an actor and the adrenaline rush of the stage. Her latest show The Unfriend is at London's West End Criterion Theatre until April 16.
He is credited with reestablishing the Labour Party as a mainstream, centrist political force after a period of hard-left internal conflict. Sound familiar? The former leader of the Labour Party speaks to James about his Welsh upbringing, enduring marriage and political philosophy.
Broadcaster Terry Christian grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in Manchester where not attending mass or university was out of the question. After dropping out of a chemistry course he didn't want to start, a young Terry caught the eye of a TV producer, kickstarting his presenting career. His big break came in the form of The Word, a youth-led and often anarchic TV show for Channel 4.
Blackadder legend Tony Robinson talks to James about the state of British politics, the power of meditation and the return of Time Team.
Content warning: this episode contains descriptions of racial violence, racial slurs and suicidal feelings. By the time Matthew Collins was 15 years old, he was enthralled by the far-right and had joined the National Front. But after one particularly violent incident in South East London, Collins began passing on his secrets to the other side. Now an activist for the anti-fascist organisation, Hope Not Hate, he tells James his remarkable story.
The internment of Japanese Americans across the U.S. during World War II is not an obvious subject on which to develop a musical, however it is exactly what George Takei, Star Trek legend and social media icon has done. Now in his mid-eighties, Takei brings a show inspired by events from his own childhood to London’s Charing Cross Theatre. Tickets for ‘George Takei’s Allegiance’ are available now until Saturday 8 April.
Back in the day when she was best known as Tricia Armstrong in Coronation Street, Tracy Brabin did not shy away from national politics, appearing in Labour campaigns and using her stardom to generate interest in the political project. But it was the tragedy and brutal murder of her friend Jo Cox in Tracy's hometown which catapulted her into the Commons. Now the first Mayor of West Yorkshire, she speaks to James about her life and the shocking events in the aftermath of Jo's death.
From union General Secretary, to Home Secretary to award-winning writer. By his own admission, Alan Johnson has lived a charmed life. He speaks to James about his tricky early years and political heroes. His book, One of Our Ministers is Missing is his latest spy thriller.
A quick glance at Lisa Nandy's family tree shows that politics runs through her veins, but when she first arrived in the House of Commons it wasn't an easy transition. She speaks to James about her life growing up in Manchester, her political ambitions and a very embarrassing job interview. Her book, How We Build a Country That Works is out now.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa's pursuit of the truth has landed her in trouble with the most powerful man in her motherland: President Duterte of the Philippines. Ressa has racked up over 100 hours of potential prison time and multiple warrants for arrest. Her book, How to Stand Up to a Dictator is a story told from the frontline of the digital war, mapping networks of disinformation ranging from Duterte's drug wars to Britain's Brexit.
Dr Gabor Maté is one of the world's most revered physicians, specialising in addiciton, trauma, ADHD, stress and childhood development. As a young person, strangers would stop him in the street to remark upon his frightened-looking demeanour. Dr Maté believes he inherited trauma from his mother, a Hungarian Jewish woman trying to escape the Nazis. His book, The Myth of Normal is his first book in 14 years and seeks to understand and respond to the epidemic of physical and mental illness throughout society.
He’s most famous for his role in HBO’s Succession, playing Logan Roy, the ruthless, capitalist, pater familias at the top of media conglomerate, Waystar Royco. But the actor Brian Cox has lived on both ends of the wealth gap and his latest passion project, How the Other Half Live is a two-part television show exploring money itself. He speaks to James about his own upbringing and how it shaped him. How the Other Half Live was first broadcast on Channel 5 in November 2022 and is available to watch on the catch-up service, My5.
Ever since he arrived on our screens in the early noughties, illusionist Derren Brown’s dramatic television stunts routinely generated controversy, with complaints originating from sources as diverse as the GMB union, church groups and on one occasion, the police. But they were never upheld. Derren speaks to James about the humanity at the heart of his craft and what led him to it. His latest stage performance, Showman runs from December 9 2022 – March 18 2023 and is his most personal show to date.
How does a shy little boy go on to perform to arenas brimming with thousands of screaming fans? Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet fame speaks to James about how his life was transformed by a local drama school teacher and how it led him to the dizzying heights of rockstar fame. Martin's book, Ticket to the World is a celebration of 80s culture from one man at the centre of it all.
Hey listener, we’ve got a new LBC podcast that we think you’d like called Sweeney Talks with old-school reporter, John Sweeney.
John is trouble. He's taken on Vladimir Putin, challenged Donald Trump, and after months of uncovering hard truths in Ukraine, he’s back. John is never silent about what he’s experienced. Sweeney talks, and in this podcast, so do his guests. John speaks to people like him, who are not prepared to be part of the silent majority. They refused to toe the line, and have found themselves in trouble. Big trouble. Activists, agitators, heroes… or villains. You decide. Listen and subscribe to Sweeney Talks on Global Player. https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KuWd/
Go to Global Player for exclusive bonus episodes where John offers candid reflections on what he's discovered during each interview, what surprised him and what we can learn from it all.
https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KuWb/
Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com
Adrian Chiles has graced our television screens for over two decades. On this episode of Full Disclosure he discusses the pressures of being in the public eye, his Brummie background and his difficulties with alcohol. His latest book, The Good Drinker is out now.
Noel Fitzpatrick is the face of Channel 4's factual series The Supervet. Previously to landing his role Noel was an actor, appearing in Heartbeat and The Bill in the early 2000's. He speaks to James about his life and his love for animals. He also speaks bravely to James about his own experience of being sexually abused as a child.
Since she was 14 years old Sara Pascoe knew she wanted to be famous. Her passion for performing was realised after being sent to drama classes as punishment for a chaotic house party Sara hosted. The multi award-winning comedian's brand new and biggest live tour to date, Success Story runs from November 2022 - April 2023.
At one of the highest and most remote locations in England sits Swaledale hill farm where Amanda Owen tends to her thousand sheep and nine children. Despite having no agricultural blood, she has become the most famous farmer in the country, starring in Channel 5’s highest rated factual series, Our Yorkshire Farm. She is now the author of five Sunday Times Bestselling books, that latest of which, Celebrating the Seasons is out now in paperback.
Moments of high drama in Britain's recent history are punctuated by the voice of one man. For nearly half a century, broadcaster David Dimbleby has led us through the shifting sands of general elections, referendums and royal deaths. He speaks to James about the magic of those moments as well as BBC impartiality and bedtime reading. His autobiography, Keep Talking: A Broadcasting Life is out now.
Dubbed 'King of the North' at the height of the pandemic, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham speaks to James about why he sees the country of his birth as containing 'two Englands'. After growing up in a catholic Labour family in Aintree, Burnham went on to study at Cambridge but did not fit in. He tells James why.
When he graduated with a master's degree from the University of East Anglia, Ian McEwan did his level best not to have a job. He is now recognised as one of the finest British writers of his generation. Born in Aldershot, McEwan spent his childhood crossing continents wherever his father, an army officer. was posted. His latest novel, Lessons is his most autobiographical yet.
When Emily Maitlis started reporting from Hong Kong as a young journalist, by her own admission, she wasn't very good. Since then she has interviewed some of the most powerful people in the world and her 2019 interview with Prince Andrew dropped a bombshell which led to the Duke of York having to give up his royal duties. She now presents The News Agents, a Global Player Original podcast.
John Cleese is one of Britain's most celebrated cultural icons. The actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer is best known for Monty Python and for playing Basil in Fawlty Towers, co-written with his first wife, Connie Booth. With a career spanning over half a century, Cleese realised he could make people laugh before he'd reached his teenage years.
Some of us manage to embody a youthful playfulness throughout our lives and the writer, broadcaster and academic, Michael Rosen is probably one of the best examples. He is one of Britain's best-known and most-loved authors, continuing to write books and poems which capture the imagination of children and adults alike. His latest book, Goldilocks and the Three Crocodiles is out on 15th September.
For 23 years Figen Murray worked as a counsellor helping people to get back on track so that they could lead happier, healthier lives. But on the 22nd of May 2017 her life as she new it changed forever. Figen's son, Martyn Hett was one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing. Remarkably Figen decided to forgive his killer. She now campaigns for better security in public places, has graduated with a Masters in counter-terrorism and speaks to thousands of children about radicalisation.
In what would turn out to be the first of many media interviews, Brian Cox hopped off the plane from Geneva and found himself on Jeremy Paxman’s sofa arguing the case for the Large Hadron Collider against the UK’s most senior scientist. It was the beginning of a broadcasting career which has led to him being described as the natural successor to David Attenborough. He speaks to James about what society, and in particular the politicians who run our nations can learn from physics. Tickets for his 2022 tour, Horizons – A 21st Century Space Odyssey are available now.
Mick Lynch has been hitting the headlines from the picket throughout the summer and makes batting off stereotypical lines of questioning from the right-wing media commentariat look like a blood sport. One interviewer accused him of seeing himself as an evil criminal terrorist mastermind. But ultimately the RMT's General Secretary describes himself as a working class, good natured, second generation Irish immigrant leading an industrial dispute. James speaks to the man wielding the rhetorical scalpel about his political views and life before his rise to public prominence.
Miriam has worked with some of the best in the business and in some great films such as the 1990s film Romeo and Juliet. Many of you of course will know her as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films. Her autobiography, This Much is True is now out in paperback. I sat down for a lovely chat this week with Miriam about her life, career and being outspoken at times.
He’s best known for his forensic select committee cross examination of cabinet ministers but the Labour MP for Rhondda lived multiple lives before reaching parliament in 2001. Originally a member of the Conservative Association at Oxford, Chris Bryant went on to become a priest before quitting and becoming a Hackney Labour councillor. In this remarkable and warm episode of Full Disclosure he speaks to James about his sexuality, religious beliefs and the state of politics under Prime Minister Johnson.
Hey James O'Brien listeners, here’s a brand new podcast we think you’d like, called The Followers. Shelagh Fogarty began her LBC career as a guest presenter in 2014, and her balanced and calm presenting style soon earned her a permanent role. Heartbreakingly, it was this calm approach which led to the most harrowing ordeal of Shelagh's life, when a man stalked her for nearly 2 years. In 2017, Shelagh began to notice the same face appearing in crowds, on the tube, outside her work. She dismissed it at first, but then the appearances became more and more frequent and noticeable - he was there when she met friends, when she travelled across London, at her local train station, and even when he followed her home?The Followers is a 5-part LBC podcast series where Shelagh talks about the disturbing stages she went through during her stalking: dismissing it, fearing it, and feeling powerless as she was forced to live a limited life. The podcast also included conversations with experts and victims, looking at how societal views, misogyny and popular media tropes may be enabling stalkers to commit crimes without intervention? Shelagh wanted to tell her story and to speak with various experts to understand more about obsessive and controlling behaviour, to deal with what happened to her on a personal level and to help others identify the behaviour that can lead to stalking. All 5 episodes will be available from July 4th exclusively on Global Player. Download it now from the App store or go to https://www.globalplayer.com If you think you or someone you know is being stalked, please call the police or the National stalking helpline on 0808 802 0300
In 1997 Chris Patten walked away as the final British governor of Hong Kong in a symbol of Britain's continual imperial decline. Having taken the blame for Margaret Thatcher's hated poll tax, he was ousted as the Conservative MP for Bath in the 1992 general election and has been described by The Observer as 'the best Tory Prime Minister we never had'. His book, The Hong Kong Diaries has been published by Penguin to mark the 25th anniversary of the handover.
When he was elected as the MP for Ilford North in 2015, Wes Streeting achieved the biggest swing towards Labour from the Conservatives in the general election. Despite growing up in relative poverty and having family members in prison, Streeting attended Cambridge University and went on to become President of the National Union of Students. He credits his varied upbringing with being able to bring people over to his side and believes in engaging the world where he finds it rather than how he wishes it was. He is now the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Known best for playing Gareth in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Simon Callow is a critically acclaimed actor, writer and director. Raised by a host of eccentric and strong-minded women, he eventually found his feet at the National Theatre at the Old Vic under the tenure of Sir Laurence Olivier - much to his mother's displeasure. Tickets for his latest show, the award-winning musical, Anything Goes, are available at anythinggoesmusical.co.uk (June 2022 - September 2022).
He’s known mostly to his younger fans for playing Ben Harper in the decade-long running sitcom, My Family and to an older audience as the eponymous Marxist in Citizen Smith. In this episode of Full Disclosure James is joined by the BAFTA and Olivier award-winning actor Robert Lindsay who discusses moving from humble beginnings in the Derbyshire industrial town of Ilkeston to being accepted at the highly selective and prestigious drama school, RADA, where his dramatic career began.
An unusual episode of Full Disclosure: one in which the identity of our guest is not revealed. No name, no gender, no details about where they grew up or went to school. The Secret Barrister is a criminal lawyer, best-selling author and Twitter stalwart. Their latest book, Nothing but the Truth attempts to establish why the public at large thinks what it does about justice and explores why a young Secret Barrister was so ready to believe the prevailing stereotypes about lefty lawyers and liberal judges.
Irish comedian Ed Byrne was born in County Dublin and attended a school run by the Christian Brothers Catholic order. It was so badly managed that he had to leave. After one year away, he was back again, finding the local alternative even worse. Whilst not admitting it at the time, Byrne felt that comedy was always his calling. Tickets for his latest show, If I’m Honest… are available at edbyrne.com
Hoards of men would troop past Andy Hamilton's window every Saturday on the street he grew up on in Fulham. Minutes away from Stamford Bridge, and despite being by his own admission a 'sickly child', he was eventually allowed to attend a Chelsea game at the age of 5. Best known as a comedian and game show panelist, Hamilton also co-wrote the much-loved and award-winning sitcom, Outnumbered. His novel, Longhand was published last year and tickets for his 2022 tour are available now.
For as long as he can remember, James Wong has been obsessed with botany. He shares his small central London flat with 500 houseplants and has incorporated them into coffee tables and TV stands. Having trained at the prestigious Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, his media career began with the hit series Grow Your Own Drugs and he’s written 6 best-selling books. Follow James on Instagram and Twitter @Botanygeek
Simple lies over complex truths have always troubled the actor, Eddie Marsan. Growing up in London’s East End, Marsan rejected the racists who blamed their problems on other people, questioning everyone but themselves. As a performer, Marsan frequently plays the type of toxic characters he encountered in his youth. He stars in The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, a true story about a man who fakes his own death to claim life insurance, and whose abuse makes us reassess our own behaviour. It’s available to watch now on ITV and ITV Hub.
In Central London in the 1970s, a household catering to sick Iranians housed Omid Djalili. Balancing school with his home life proved to be a challenge, and the effects of the noise and the chaos filtered into Djalil’s adulthood. In spite of it all, the actor and comedian made it onto the silver screen in Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. Tickets for his latest show, The Good Times Tour are available now.
Jonathan Pie is a fictional broadcast reporter created and performed by comedian Tom Walker who is this week’s guest. Walker brought Pie to life in the aftermath of Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader and the character went viral, racking up millions of views almost overnight. His critically acclaimed sell out show, Jonathan Pie: FAKE NEWS is now available at jonathanpie.com
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James speaks to Mark Drakeford. Born and brought up in West Wales he started off his career as probation officer and youth Justice worker. A professor at both Swansea and Cardiff Universities before moving into politics full time he rose from councillor to First Minister of his beloved Wales
In this episode of Full Disclosure, James speaks to Mark about his background, the challenges he has faced as First Minister and his hopes for the people of Wales and beyond.
When he was forced to move 800 miles away from the outskirts of Hollywood to Idaho as a boy, Curtis Stigers was furious. After school he gravitated back towards the centre of things - to New York City, where his career as a musician began in earnest. He’s worked with the likes of Elton John, Eric Clapton, Prince, and Rod Stewart and achieved commercial success in the 1990s, most notably with the international hit, “I Wonder Why”. His latest album, This Life is out now and dates for his 2022 tour are at curtisstigers.com
When she was a teenager, Caroline Criado Perez found feminism embarrassing. But then she read a book which changed her life. It documented how our language is used to make women invisible, and set her on a mission to make the specifics of the female experience as self-evident as men's. Her book, Invisible Women is a #1 Sunday Times best-seller and you can sign up for the Invisible Women newsletter at carolinecriadoperez.com
He was nearly shot on one of his first jobs as a 25 year old, and throughout his illustrious career, John Simpson has continued to dice with death, reporting from thirty war zones and most recently during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. In the context of his early years it looks like fate; whilst Simpson was still in the womb, a V-1 bomb fell on his neighbour’s house but within a week of his life he had returned to the site. His latest novel, Our Friends in Beijing is the second in his Jon Swift series and is out now.
The Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer has had a meteoric rise from his humble beginnings in a small Surrey town. The Starmer household was a busy three-bed occupied by his parents’ four children and four dogs, and in 1985 he became the first to graduate in his family. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James speaks to Starmer live at the Leicester Square Theatre in support of Global’s Make Some Noise, LBC’s charity that supports small charities in local communities across the UK. To donate go to makesomenoise.com
Known across the world for fearlessly holding dictators to account, Christiane Amanpour, as a young staffer at CNN found herself kicked off the network after a disastrous first attempt at reporting. The knock-back did not stop her; Amampour went on to cover conflict hotspots in the Gulf and Balkans, later the humanitarian crises of Hurricane Katrina and the 2011 Japanese tsunami. She is now the Chief International Anchor for CNN and will be honoured with the Larry Foster Award for Integrity in Public Communications.
Born to Jamaican parents, Beverley Knight grew up in a dedicated Pentecostal household where church attendance and music performance were inextricably linked and singing was an act of devotion to God. By the time Knight was a young adult she regarded her passion as a serious professional prospect, and as she completed her philosophy degree her records played in the clubs of Cheltenham. She’s now starring in The Drifter’s Girl at the Garrick Theatre in London.
As the younger son, Adil Ray was given more freedom to pursue his creative instincts than his older, more academic sibling. Before moving into the mainstream, Adil spent his student days in an elderly Jamaican woman’s loft hosting a pirate radio show. He now appears on millions of television sets across the country presenting ITV’s Good Morning Britain, hosting the revival of game show Lingo, and is the creator and star of sitcom, Citizen Khan.
Charlotte Church was catapulted into the spotlight at the age of 11 after singing down the line on television show, This Morning. Within two years Church had performed at Rupert Murdoch’s wedding to Wendi Deng, opened for Shirley Bassey and played the Royal Albert Hall. As a teenager she had her phone hacked and was hounded by the tabloids - but these experiences also helped her find her political voice. Her new TV show, Charlotte’s Dream Build, sees her transform the former home of Laura Ashley into a wellness retreat in Wales and is available on Really and Discovery+
When ‘Teenage Kicks’ by The Undertones was released in 1978, legendary DJ John Peel took the unprecedented step of playing it back to back on Radio 1. The lead singer was 20 year old Feargal Sharkey and the band were formed out of a desire to prove that five young men growing up in the Derry conflict zone could successfully learn to play instruments, write their own songs and hit the big time. Taking action is a thread which runs throughout Sharkey’s life, and after a successful solo career and time as chief at UK Music, he now plays a pivotal role in the campaign against the pollution of Britain’s rivers and seas.
Despite being named by The Times as the best current English-language comedian in the world, Stewart Lee insists that nobody really knows who he is. His absence from the panel show circuit, resistance to social media and use of multiple on-stage personae may be contributory factors. In the first Full Disclosure of 2022, James tries his hand at getting to know the man behind the accolades. Tickets for his autumn show, Basic Lee are available now.
Realising there was nothing he could not do, Johnny Vaughan left school and did nothing. Before becoming the presenter of the Big Breakfast and the drivetime host on Radio X, Vaughan spent much of his life navigating a host of hostile institutions and forming unlikely friendships. In this week’s episode, James speaks to Johnny about his life before broadcasting. Johnny Vaughan presents on Radio X, 4pm - 7pm, Monday - Friday.
When Sue Perkins was asked by her manager to present a programme about competitive baking, she declined the offer on multiple occasions. After lots of persuading, Perkins finally agreed to work on the show that would go on to become the most-watched programme on British television. At its peak, The Great British Bake Off attracted an audience of 16 million people. This week she speaks to James about her career, her relationship with comedy partner, Mel Giedroyc and the impact the English class system had on her family life growing up.
Sue Perkins is also the host of new podcast ‘At Your Leisure’ with the LEGO Group – available on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts.
The comedian, actor and musician, Bill Bailey describes his upbringing in the town of Keynsham in Somerset as idyllic. He credits his strong work ethic to his father who was a GP in the village and whose waiting room was situated in the front of their family home, where, occasionally he’d bump into ailing strangers as they attempted to navigate the various doors. Bailey believes his work ethic is what helped him to become the oldest winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2020. His En Route To Normal tour kicks off in Plymouth on Sun 12 December and runs through to mid January. Tickets and dates can be found at www.BillBailey.co.uk
Les Dennis has been a star in Britain's light entertainment scene for decades, but his career began off screen as a stand-up comedian in the working men's clubs of Northwest England. By the 1980s Dennis had become a household name, including as the host of the much-loved Family Fortunes. After a professional lull accompanied by a turbulent private life, Dennis took part in one of the first series of Celebrity Big Brother, endearing himself to a new generation of viewers. Dennis currently stars in Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera, HMS Pinafore which is on at the London Coliseum until Dec 11 2021.
When he published his first memoir back in 2014, the actor and author Alan Cumming took a deep dive and opened up about his traumatic childhood. In his second memoir, Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life, he dispels the myth that he had 'overcome' his trauma or 'triumphed' over it. Cumming believes that a willingness to be vulnerable is what captivates audiences, whether it be on stage or on screen, and he boasts an eclectic filmography ranging from Stanley Kubric's Eyes Wide Shut to Spice World. In this episode of Full Disclosure, he speaks to James about what he values about all of these experiences. His second memoir is out now.
How does a miner's daughter from Bishop Auckland in County Durham end up in the White House? Whilst her community was small, a combination of luck, opportunity and sharp intellect led Fiona Hill to Russia, opening her eyes to our shared human experience and deepening her geopolitical understanding. Hill's diplomatic qualities helped her work under both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Then in the first quarter of 2017 Hill was appointed by President Trump to his National Security Council. Two years later she would testify in the impeachment inquiry against him. Her book, There Is Nothing for You Here is out now.
As a professional cricketer he was nicknamed ‘Whispering Death’ for his light-footed, silent run up to the bowling crease. As a commentator he was known for his unflinching and direct analysis of the game. Then, in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Michael Holding lead an impassioned and unexpected message about the “dehumanisation of the black race” within our collective human history. In this episode of Full Disclosure he speaks to James about his life and career. His book, ‘Why We Kneel, How We Rise’ is out now.
When he was 25 years old, Jimmy Carr realised that material wealth would not bring him happiness. He decided to sack off his safe job in middle management to become a comedian despite having no previous comedy experience. He went on to become one of Britain’s biggest names but still believes he possesses no inherent talent for his craft. His first book, Before & Laughter is part memoir and part self-help book, written for those stuck in a bit of a rut.
She would not have become an MP were it not for her sister, Jo Cox who was murdered on a street in Birstall, West Yorkshire in 2016 by a white supremacist terrorist. Speaking to James one week after the killing of Sir David Amess MP, Kim Leadbeater questions how much has changed since her sibling's death. After fighting and winning a toxic campaign in her late sister's constituency of Batley and Spen, safety for politicians is an issue at the top of Leadbeater's agenda as she forms her own unique political voice and seeks to build what she describes as a more compassionate society.
Joe Tracini was only 18 months old when he first performed on stage with his Dad, Joe Pasquale. By the time he was 15 he was named as the most promising comedy act by Ken Dodd. Tracini then landed a role in Hollyoaks but his acting career was overwhelmed by a serious drug and alcohol addiction. Then in 2018 Tracini revealed that he had been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and he started to make short films explaining the condition, drawing in a new crowd and taking on a new relevance during the coronavirus lockdowns. His book, Ten Things I Hate About Me is available on pre-sale.
Anyone impacted by this story or feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.
When Bernardine Evaristo was in her thirties she decided she wanted to win the Booker Prize. After breaking away from her career in theatre, Evaristo eventually became the first Black British person to receive the literary award and was catapulted into the international spotlight with her novel, Girl Woman, Other. But Evaristo’s life began in “curtain twitching” white suburbia where racists routinely smashed in the windows of her family home. Her first non-fiction book, Manifesto is also her memoir - a guide to never giving up.
Waheed Arian spent his childhood fleeing the war zones of Afghanistan. After recovering from an almost fatal illness at a Pakistan refugee camp as a child, he set his sights on becoming a doctor. Putting his life in the hands of people smugglers, Waheed eventually reached the UK and studied medicine at Cambridge. He now saves lives as an NHS A&E medic and is the founder of charity, TeleHEAL, providing volunteer medical support to people around the world. His book, In the Wars is out now.
The Deputy Leader of the Labour party was brought up by a parent who could not read or write. After getting pregnant and leaving school aged 16, Angela Rayner became a home carer where she found her feet as a union representative, eventually rising to be Unison’s most senior official in the North West. Now she’s taking on the government over workers’ rights and cronyism; her battles no longer fought on the estate she grew up on, but from across the despatch box.
In the run up to the 2016 Trump election, Joe Mulhall of Surrey, England managed to convince the American white supremacist terrorist group, the Ku Klux Klan, of his support for them. Shortly afterwards he found himself armed and accompanying an Alabaman militia group on the hunt for undocumented migrants and ISIS members on the Mexican border. Mulhall works for Hope Not Hate, an advocacy group that campaigns against racism and fascism. His book, Drums in the Distance: Journeys Into the Global Far Right is out now and documents his decade as an anti-fascist infiltrator.
For 20 years, Queen guitarist and astrophysicist, Brian May had been too busy to realise that he didn’t belong to a record label. Then at the height of lockdown he decided to reissue his 1992 solo album, Back To The Light. He speaks to James about his friendship with Freddie Mercury, his love of science and becoming a grandfather.
After leading a series of successful challenges to the Brexit process, Jolyon Maugham QC was thrust into the limelight and depicted by right-wing Brexiteers as an out of touch, elitist, Remainer. But for the first 17 years of his life, Jolyon was unaware of the existence of his biological Eton-educated father and was brought up on ‘nuisance payments’ of £5 a week. He is now the Director of the Good Law Project, a not-for-profit campaign organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public - regardless of the way they voted in the 2016 referendum.
Aged 10 and deeply unhappy, Anthony Horowitz OBE realised that he was a writer. Since then he has been difficult to pin down. His diverse oeuvre ranges from Midsomer Murders and Foyle’s War, to the bestselling Alex Rider teen spy series. In his latest book, A Line To Kill, Horowitz himself enters the fictional fold.
When John Amaechi OBE was a boy, his white grandfather would lean out of the car window to shout racist abuse at other drivers whilst he sat in the back. He went on to become the first British NBA star and is now an organisational psychologist, called upon to solve intractable people problems in companies wanting to embrace workplace diversity. His new book, The Promises of Giants is out now.
Joe Lycett, the comedian formerly known as Hugo Boss has no discernable backstory of trauma to speak of. He has ‘a tendency to do just enough’ and is frustrated with himself when he accepts the offer of work. But he is motivated by a strong moral compass and a desire to dazzle. Tickets for his 2022 UK and Ireland tour, More, More, More! How do you Lycett? How do you Lycett? are on sale now.
Having separated from her husband, Lucy Kellaway quit her full-time, high-status job as a journalist at the Financial Times to become a trainee teacher at a secondary school. In Re-educated, Lucy shows that age is no barrier to ripping up and starting again. Her charity, Now Teach encourages experienced people to step into the classroom to help plug the colossal teacher shortage and bring freshness to the system.
Before the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic, scientists Professor Sarah Gilbert and Dr Catherine Green had already started developing a vaccine against the virus which would go on to bring the world to a standstill. Their book, Vaxxers reveals the story behind the Oxford AstraZeneca jab, one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of medicine.
Mary Portas made her name transforming the luxury retailer, Harvey Nichols into a destination. But as the high street crumbles, and as the earth continues to buckle under the pressure of consumerism, the Queen of Shops is dedicating herself to transforming her industry.
Rushdie's life changed forever on February 14, 1989, when Iran’s spiritual leader ordered his execution. Forced to spend the subsequent 13 years living under a false name and constant police protection, he now lives freely in New York.
Peter Oborne is a British journalist and broadcaster. He is the former chief political commentator of The Daily Telegraph, from which he resigned in early 2015. He is author of The Assault on Truth - Boris Johnson,
You might not have heard of her, but you'll certainly have seen her work: she is the academic at the centre of an escalating row over the National Trust’s efforts to explore links between its properties and colonialism.
Nish Kumar talks to James O'Brien about plans for his new 2022 tour : Control, and finding the funny again after a turbulent few months
Rev Richard Coles on The Madness Of Grief, his account of coping with the death of his long-term partner
Last year, emergency surgery saved Robert Webb's life. This year, he's back with a new show and a new book.
Prolific thriller writer Harlan Coben joins James O'Brien to mark surpassing 73 million sales
Podcaster Elizabeth Day, who stormed the zeitgeist with her novel 'How to Fail' joins James O'Brien on this week's episode of Full Disclosure
Nicky was adopted at just four-days-old, leaving him with a “fragile” identity growing up and at times feeling he was “living a lie”. In this week's Full Disclosure, James and Nicky share their experiences of growing up adopted.
British journalist and author, Sathnam Sanghera, joins James O'Brien to talk about his new book: Empireland.
From south London to LA, Tim Roth has been Hollywood royalty for almost three decades. Speaking to James right the end of Donald Trump's premiership, Roth gives his thoughts on the outgoing President, Brexit and the COVID-19 response
Palliative care doctor & campaigner Rachel Clarke, better known as @doctor_oxford on Twitter, is on this week's episode of Full Disclosure with James O'Brien. In her most recent book, ‘Breathtaking: Inside the NHS in a time of Pandemic’, Dr Clarke writes what it was really like inside the NHS for patients, staff and families during the first wave of Covid-19. Rachel joins James on the day the UK reached 100,000 COVID related-deaths.
Last week, social media was full of images of food parcels sent to parents to feed their children. They were not substantial. James speaks to journalist and food writer, Jack Monroe about campaigning on poverty issues.
James talks to Pointless co-host and gameshow producer, Richard Osman, who has released his first novel, The Thursday Murder Club.
Chef extraordinaire, Tom Kerridge, has been working to save Britain's pubs. Incredibly, his quest was interrupted by Coronavirus - changing the project's nature but not its course. The pandemic has been catastrophic for our nation's locals; Kerridge's insight is frighteningly well-timed.
While COVID reigns supreme on the news cycle, the Grenfell inquiry has taken a backseat. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O'Brien sits down with Edward Daffern, a former resident of the tower. Daffarn had predicted the tragedy years before the fateful night that claimed at least 72 lives. His insight to the processes that led to the catastrophe will astound you.
Hi Full Disclosure fans
LBC have a new podcast we think you’ll enjoy - Hosted by legendary reporter John Sweeney, Hunting Ghislaine is a 6 part series about Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of a disgraced billionaire and the former partner of a super-rich paedophile who killed himself while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
After hiding for almost a year, she now finds herself facing multiple charges for helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually exploit and abuse under-age women which could lead to her spending the rest of her life in jail.
In this new podcast series, Hunting Ghislaine, reporter John Sweeney investigates a fairy story which happens the wrong way round, of how a princess ends up accused of being the monster and no-one at all ends up happily ever after. First Episode available 19th November. Listen on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts
James O'Brien speaks to comedian and author Dawn French on the release of her new book, Because of You.
This week James speaks to Piers Morgan. Hear how Piers was flown to Florida at the age of 28 to meet with Rupert Murdoch and had no idea why...
A bit of a departure this week as James is interviewed by journalist Marie Le Conte about the release of his new book. Did you know James had a new book out?
"The nation's PE teacher" Joe Wicks joins James O'Brien on this week's episode of Full Disclosure, discussing everything from his difficult upbringing to becoming a household name during the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to his livestreamed "PE with Joe" lessons.
Hi Full Disclosure fans
LBC have a new podcast we think you’ll enjoy - Hosted by Lionel Barber, the former Editor of the Financial Times, What Next? focuses on life after COVID-19 and sees the multi-award-winning journalist and author discover how the world is adapting to the pandemic, what needs to change and, most importantly, what lessons we have learnt that will shape our lives for the future. Each week, Lionel will be speaking to some of the biggest leading influential figures in the health, politics, business, technology, arts and environment world, such as former Prime Minister Tony Blair; Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation; ITV’s Chief Executive Dame Carolyn McCall and many more. Follow Lionel on Twitter: @lionelbarber. Listen and subscribe now on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts
Comedy legend Ruby Wax sits down with James O'Brien to talk mental health 'Frazzled cafes' and passing the comedic torch to her children.
Gardening legend Monty Don joins James O'Brien on this week's episode of Full Disclosure. Diagnosed with cancer at the age of 10 and struck by stroke mid-way into his fruitful career, his life hasn't been all roses. Through tragedy, he's triumphed and found happiness in horticulture.
James O'Brien is joined this week by Syrian refugee and BAFTA-winning filmmaker Hassan Akkad
James O'Brien is joined this week by the actress, writer, comedian, director and producer, Kathy Burke
James O'Brien's award-winning podcast returns this week with superstar Matty Healy from the 1975
On this week's Coronavirus special, we delve into the politics of lock-down. Some of you are getting reckless, and I want to know if you're ready to start going back to work. When the Government lift the lock-down, will you be straight out the door? Or will you stay secluded in safety? Next week: Full Disclosure returns to normal with superstar Matty Healy from the 1975
This week, we're talking politics; specifically: the politics of Coronavirus. We're doing our bit by staying indoors, but are the Government holding up their side of the bargain? Are they providing enough PPE? Are they providing enough tests? Are they providing economic stability? All this, and more, in this week's Full Disclosure. Don't forget you can e-mail the show on coronacrisis@global.com
The response to last week's edition of Full Disclosure was overwhelming, so we've decided to do it again. This week, the focus is your mental health.
CONTENT WARNING - This episode is a hard listen. It features a number of callers who have found themselves struggling during the lockdown. If you are struggling to cope, you are not alone.
The Samaritans will take your call 24 hours a day on 116 123. You can also search online for Mind and The Citizen's Advice Bureau. Do not suffer alone, talk to someone.
Have we missed something? Email the show: coronacrisis@global.com
This week, we're doing this a little differently. Full Disclosure turns the spotlight onto the heroes stabilising our National Health Service. Listen to best calls made this week to James O'Brien's daily show - cherry picked and guaranteed to make you see the crisis differently. From nurses, to police to carers - hear stories from the frontline of the pandemic. Share your thoughts with James himself, on coronacrisis@global.com
Your childhood hero, David Radcliffe, joins James O'Brien for this week's Full Disclosure
London-born spoken word performer, George Mpanga, has taken the literary world by storm. Listen to this week's episode to find out how.
The formidable Sharon Horgan is a staple of British television. Now, as she prepares to make the leap to the silver screen, she calls in for a chat with O’Brien. From her humble beginnings on a Turkey Farm, through the perils of Catholic school to her life as an established writer, director and actor - Horgan’s personal life is as exciting as her on-screen persona.
ORDER.. ORDERRRR - The Former Speaker of the House of Commons is here with James O'Brien to prattle all things Parliament.
In 1993, Hashi came to Britain as a child refugee. Listening to him now, a natural orator, it's hard to conceive he arrived speaking no English. Now a top Barrister, he's here to talk about social mobility, and how in these turbulent political times, this is the conversation we need to be having.
Having worked as an MP under Margaret Thatcher, Matthew Parris shook the political hemisphere when he announced he was voting Liberal Democrat in the recent general election. A man of principle, his disdain of Brexit has never been a secret, and he willfully sold his Conservative roots to preserve his principles. So what caused this change of heart? And how does he feel about the looming, but steadily nearing, 31st January?
As deputy leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson championed gambling addiction. But late last year, he hung his hat over the party’s Brexit stance and inability to handle anti-semitism. This week, in his first in-depth discussion since standing down, Tom talks to James about the highs and lows of overseeing Her Majesty’s opposition.
Full Disclosure is taking a short break over the Christmas period. Back soon with loads more episodes starting Jan 2020!
Ankd remember that you can listen to all this years episodes on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe and listen now!
Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
TV legend, John Sweeney, divulges his life story in the world of broadcast. Still in recovery from his infamous Scientology expedition, Sweeney talks about the perils of Journalism: from being chased through Russia by Putin, to grizzly sights at the scene of the MH17 plane crash - if it has made world news, Sweeney has covered it.
Former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party, Lord Michael Heseltine, gives a searing account of his life and times in Politics. 'Ashamed' to be part of the generation that orchestrated Brexit, his is a stark warning against the current Tory party, gripped by the 'narrative of Farage' and invaded by Trumpism. Ahead of this week's general election, this is a must-listen.
Oscar-nominated actress, Lesley Manville, joins James O'Brien this week for an in-depth look at a career in acting. Since leaving school at 15, Manville has been a regular haunt of the West End - only recently breaking Hollywood. Despite her stardom, she still takes the bus and is now on a campaign against becoming the 'poster girl' for the older female actor. You might know her for playing Margaret Thatcher - but as this podcast-exploration shows, her politics don't quite match the role.
Staple of British Television, David Mitchell, joins James O'Brien for a rarely heard, in-depth discussion of his life and rise to fame. Produced by Ava Evans & Chris Janes
One of Nazir Afzal's first jobs as chief crown prosecutor was on the Rochdale sex trafficking gang, overturning all previous decisions and initiating prosecutions. He brought the case to the public eye, and expose a deep-rooted evil operating previously without conviction. Afzal has spearheaded many inequality campaigns, fighting what he calls 'white male power' presiding over minority communities. Making his name as being one of the first to prosecute an honour killing, he is the true face of British justice.
Longtime-listener Ross Noble has flown in from Australia to make his Full Disclosure debut. Now an expat, Ross catches James' daily show from down under - and has a few pointers for him. Esteemed comedian, motorbike-mad, and politically charged Noble is one of James' best interviews.
Gulwali Passarlay came to the UK from Afghanistan in the back of a refrigerated lorry. In a fascinating episode of Full Disclosure, the TedX speaker told James O'Brien about his journey as a refugee to Britain.
Best-selling author Lemn Sissay speaks to James O'Brien about growing up facing racism, the moment his foster family "gave him back" and being the official poet of the London 2012 Olympics.
Living legend Lenny Henry sits down with James O'Brien for an in-depth look at his life and times on the small screen.
Growing up in Crawley, Romesh Ranganathan was given the name Jonathan by his parents - to help him 'fit in'. Now at 41, with a chart-topping podcast, a hit television series, and now a book, his aim is far from fitting in. During this in-depth conversation with James, Romesh talks mental health, the need for therapy, and the familial death that has come to shape him.
Hear the life story and experiences of Author Sir Michael Morpurgo, writer of some of the most influential children's novels including War Horse, Beowolf and Running Wild. Join LBC's James O'Brien to explore Sir Michael's childhood years, his years as an educator and his appreciation of a story told well. We hear how Sir Michael used city farms provided a place of imagination and inspiration for some of the children he taught.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Monday 30th September is International Podcast Day, and is an international celebration of the power of podcasts! To celebrate, James is sharing some of his favourite podcasts and why you should be listening too! Have a listen, subscribe to some new shows and share your favourite shows on Twitter by using the hashtag #InternationalPodcastDay
One of the UK's best loved comedians Russell Howard joins James this week. They discuss Russell's rise to fame. From Stand-Up at the age of 18, to the encouragement of his parents for him to pursue comedy full time, and how Mock the Week became the turning point in his career.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
He's one of the most influential writers that has shaped the last 30 years of British Comedy. This week, James sits down with writer, comedian, author, playwright and director, Ben Elton. Together they discuss how he began writing from the age of 12 and how his formative years lead him on to his first major job as a sitcom writer on The Young Ones, the inspiration behind one of his biggest and most successful shows to date, We Will Rock You, and how he feels about his return to stand up comedy, after 15 years.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Comedy legend, Sir Michael Palin joins James to discuss his life and incredible career. They talk about the origins or Monty Python and how he became apart of one of the most revolutionary sketch shows and comedy groups of all time, as well as his later career and back catalogue of travel programmes, including his most recent TV show, which is now also a book, Michael Palin in North Korea.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Actor Timothy Spall joins James O'Brien this week to discuss his career journey, how he got to where he is today and how he discovered the thrill of performing from an early age. They also discuss his new film, Mrs Lowry and Son, where he gives an outstanding performance as the artist, L.S. Lowry.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
In his first long form interview since leaving the BBC, broadcaster Danny Baker is in conversation with James. They discuss the breadth of his 40 year career from leaving school at the age of 14 to establishing a long standing career in radio and TV. They also discuss in depth the tweet and comments about Meghan Markle that ultimately cost him his job at BBC Radio 5 Live.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Former doctor, turned writer and comedian Adam Kay joins James O'Brien this week. Together they discuss his best selling book, 'This is Going to Hurt' which reflects on his experiences as a junior doctor and why he eventually left the profession, and how he took a different path into comedy and writing for some of the UK's top TV shows such as Mitchell and Mrs Brown's Boys.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
From being in the running for party leader, to being asked to leave the party in the space of a mere six weeks, Tory Leadership Contender and Politician joins James O'Brien in his first long form interview since leaving the Conservative party. Together they discuss the breadth of his career from his political life, to being a lecturer at Harvard University, running an NGO and spending 2 years walking across Asia, where he documents his experience in his book, 'The Places in Between.'
Together they discuss his 'disastrous' performance in the Conservative leadership debate, what he thinks will happen with Brexit and what he's planning for the next step in his career.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Chris Moyles: always the interviewer, never the interviewee, sits down with James O'Brien for a tantalizing look through the keyhole at the life of one of Britain's most infamous broadcasters.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Paloma Faith is known for her voice: but did you know she found it in campaigning? From Maggie Thatcher's poll tax, to encroaching climate change Paloma has striven and struggled against it all. Join Faith and O'Brien for this in-depth look at one of Pop music's most-formidable singers.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
James O'Brien meets the infamous Canadian-Irish comedian writer presenter and actress Katherine Ryan. They discuss her formative years, her unwaivering self-esteem and her journey from Hooters-girl to revered comedy writer and TV personality. Find out how she has managed to balance her hectic working life with being a single mother and remain grateful for life's experiences. Subscribe on Global Player now!
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
This week, we're doing it a little differently: with thanks to Penguin Random House, James is handing his microphone over to Danny Wallace. Live from The Shaw Theatre in London, the two discuss the secrets of James' bestselling book 'How To Be Right In A World Gone Wrong', now available in Paperback.
Frank Skinner is a household name - the comedian, also known for his writing, acting and presenting is in conversation with James O'Brien this week. Together they discuss his career from the very beginning - from being expelled from school, his early days performing as a stand up at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and how he eventually broke into the comedy world and became one of the UK's most loved comedians.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Best known for his role in Love, Actually, actor Bill Nighy is in conversation with James O'Brien this week. Together they discuss life growing up, how he came to fame and dealt with the pressures of it in his mid 40s and his most memorable moments from his career so far.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Living Legend Billy Bragg joins James O'Brien on this week's episode of Full Disclosure. The Barking born, rock & roll raised, English icon takes us on a tour of a lifetime of activism: from the mining strike, the rise (& calamitous fall) of the BNP, right up to the Brexit fallout, Bragg has seen and campaigned against it all.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Have I Got News For You legend, Ian Hislop, sits down with James O'Brien for this week's episode of Full Disclosure. Discover the man behind the machine that is Private Eye: ascending to Editor at the tender age of 26, Hislop boasts over 30 years experience at the brink of breaking news - could he teach James anything?
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Radio royalty Steve Coogan joins James O'Brien for this week's episode of Full Disclosure. Join the two on Coogan's couch in Lewes, as James lifts the veil on Partridge.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith joins James O'Brien on this week's episode of Full Disclosure. In the fascinating interview, she discusses growing up in apartheid era South Africa, learning how to cook in France and whether she doubted whether to take the Bake Off job.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Father of the House, Ken Clarke, joins James O'Brien on this week's episode of Full Disclosure. Walking James through his near-50 years as a Member of Parliament, from the rise of Margaret Thatcher to the fall of parliamentary decorum during Brexit proceedings, Ken recalls his highs and lows for this week's installment of James' brand new podcast.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
This week James O'Brien is joined by Brian Wood, a former Colour Sergeant who was awarded the Military Cross, one of Britain’s highest awards for gallantry in combat, following his courageous leadership under enemy fire in Iraq. However, five years later he was wrongly accused of war crimes. In this episode, Brian discusses his love affair with the army, the public enquiry into the Battle of Danny Boy and how his reslience through these experiences led him to becoming a best selling author and public speaker, through sharing his experiences from the battlefield and suggesting ways that the lessons he has learnt can be applied in the corporate world.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
This week, James O'Brien is joined by comedian, actor and writer, Sanjeev Bhaskar, who is best known for his roles in Goodness Gracious Me, The Kumars and Porters. He discusses growing up in UK in an Asian family in London and navigating self identification as he grew up.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Dragon's Den star and entrepenuer Deborah Meaden joins James O'Brien this week for an inclusive and in-depth interview. Deborah discusses her journey from starting her own businesses at the age of 19, to becoming a business investor and one of the most famous business women in the UK. She also discusses her view on Brexit and her take on why she feels retainers are the true patriots who love their country.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
James O'Brien meets Simon Amstell as he reveals the inspiration behind his film Benjamin, his struggles with social confidence and how his life experiences have spilt into his career. Join James O’Brien as he sits down with Simon Amstell in an in-depth, candid interview for the third episode of Full Disclosure.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
In the wake of the release of his new show, Ricky Gervais talks about his thoughts and inspirations behind Afterlife. Ricky reveals how his real life experiences play a part in his writing, and how he negotiates hostile reactions to his risqué comedy. Join James O’Brien as he sits down with Ricky Gervais in an in-depth, candid interview for the second episode of Full Disclosure.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
With Brexit drawing nearer, Tony Blair discusses his stance on Britain leaving the EU, the newly formed Independent Group, as well as his disappointment of the Anti-Semitism claims within the Labour party, and his point of view on the recent 'White Savior' debate surrounding his former colleague David Lammy and Comic Relief. Join James O’Brien as he sits down with Tony Blair in an in-depth, candid interview for the debut episode of Full Disclosure.
Full Disclosure is an in depth interview series chatting to the world's most fascinating people, hosted by James O'Brien.
Rate and subscribe on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and connect with James on Twitter: @mrjamesob
Full Disclosure with James O'Brien - a series of in-depth, revealing, long-form interviews with stars of screen, stage, sport, comedy, politics, music and much more.