The Convex Conversation: Recent Episodes
Convex
Human rights journalist Zahra Joya shares her powerful story of survival growing up in Afghanistan under Taliban rule in the nineties, disguising herself as a boy to go to school.
After the US-led invasion, her world flourished. But when the Taliban regained power in 2021, women were once again erased from public life. Zahra was airlifted from Kabul to London where she lives in exile running Rukhshana Media - an agency dedicated to amplifying stories of Afghan women.
Activist Malala Yousafzai describes Zahra’s new book, The Vanishing Girl of Kabul, as a memoir that doubles as a warning. Co-written with journalist Amie Ferris-Rotman, it’s a clarion call to a world too willing to look away from gender-based oppression.
Zahra attending school dressed as a boy
Zahra's father
Zahra with journalist friend & co-author of The Vanishing Girl of Kabul, Amie Ferris-Rotman
Almost downing aged six was a catalyst for a life of conformity, shaped by inner fear. Vicki Anstey bravely went in search of who she really was aged 40, leaving a controlling marriage and successful business behind, and unexpectedly became a world record-breaking adventurer.
Vicki pushed herself to the limit in SAS Who Dares Wins, rowed the Pacific unsupported, tackled marathons in the frozen Arctic and sweltering heat of the desert but stresses you don’t have to go to extreme lengths to find yourself and make change. It can be one small step at a time.
In Vicki’s candid memoir – Other People are Like the Weather – she shares her epic adventures and offers practical steps to help us stop managing the forecast and start mastering ourselves.
Steve Perry – Head of Delivery at Convex Insurance – was shocked when he won the company’s Dream Pitch. His idea - to join forces with friends and colleagues to cycle the entire coastline of Great Britain in a single day.
Starting simultaneously from locations across England, Scotland and Wales, the 120-strong team completed the challenge – thought to be a first - using GPS trackers and covering more than 7,000 kilometres.
Steve divvied up the coastline into different length rides – all varied in terms of terrain, scenery and difficulty – and every mile covered raised vital funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
As the Festival of Speed kicks off at Goodwood in Sussex, the 11th Duke of Richmond reveals how and why he created it in 1993, and how it’s grown into the world’s greatest celebration of motor sport.
F1 champions like Lando Norris, Valentino Rossi and Damon Hill will be joined by the Andretti family and astronaut Tim Peake – just some of the names to look out for this year.
Charles recounts stories from his youth, including a joyride in his mum’s MG on the now famous Hill Climb aged 16, which ended in hospital. His Grace credits his grandfather – a motor sport pioneer, aviator, driver and engineer who reopened the Goodwood Motor Circuit in 1948 - for inspiring his passion for beautiful cars, speed and racing.
The Duke of Richmond at the 2022 Festival of Speed, photographed by Jonathan James Wilson
The Duke of Richmond, captured at Goodwood by Uli Weber
Photograph by Uli Weber
Recording The Convex Conversation in His Grace's office at Goodwood House
Over 24 years, British diplomat Ian Proud became one of the most accomplished crisis experts in the Foreign Office, dealing with global emergencies like the Bali Bombing, Salisbury poisonings and 911.
He talks openly about the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder he suffered as Head of the Political Section in Thailand after being one of the first on the scene of the Boxing Day Tsunami and how he believes his PTSD was caused by feeling abandoned by the British Government.
Ian’s new book, Searching, is a fictional love story set in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami – cathartic and emotional to write. Ian hosts The Peacemonger podcast which examines foreign affairs and geopolitical issues, and the need to get back to diplomacy.
Friqtao, the Paris-born pianist known for spontaneous performances in train stations, went viral when he started sharing his music on socials, striking a chord with more than 3.5 million TikTok followers.
Wearing his signature beanie and headphones and inspired by all kinds of culture including Japanese Ghibli films, the 24-year-old morphs pop and hip-hop, posting his own compositions and covers by artists like Kanye West and Harry Styles.
Friqtao has played by ear since he was five. He’s on tour in the States in the autumn, has ambitions to write film scores and dreams of opening his own piano schools in major cities to make learning more accessible.
Cally Beaton reveals how a chance conversation with the late, great Joan Rivers led to her leaving her high-flying career in TV & film and multi-million-pound contracts behind for the unpredictable life of a comedian.
Cally was 50 when she quit the boardroom at ViacomCBS. As a single mum of two, it was a huge risk but she quickly became one of the most exciting stand ups on the comedy circuit, appearing on shows like Live at the Apollo and QI.
Seven years on, she’s touring her one-woman show 'Namaste Mother F**kers' - an unapologetic, irreverent look at midlife – and her debut bestselling book of the same name, based on her radical re-invention, is out now in paperback.
Reigning Strictly champion Carlos Gu shares his incredible story, from growing up in a remote village in China with dance coursing through his veins, to winning the coveted glitter ball with Lioness Karen Carney.
Carlos is currently on tour with fellow pro Amy Dowden in their breathtaking show, Amy and Carlos Reborn, and they star in Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted which goes out on our screens next year.
Carlos says China is where he’s from, but London is his home and the culture here has allowed him to embrace who he is. He’s performing at Asian Pride in London next month.
Former Sky Sports presenter and Yorkshireman Dave Clark was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when his children were just seven and four, but he continued to host live sport for another decade.
Dave is credited with transforming darts, helping to make it the second most popular sport on Sky, taking the World Championships from a strip club on the A13 to Ally Pally where a million pints were supped!
Dave's father also suffered with the neurological condition and tragically took his own life when Dave was 18. His dad’s struggles have played a huge big part in Dave’s determination to live positively & raise more than half a million pounds for research. Dave hosts the podcast 2 Parkies in a Pod with his friend Kuhan to help others cope with the challenges.
. Dave with his 2 Parkies in a Pod co-host Kuhan
. Dave and Ruby
Acclaimed children’s author Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE recalls being captivated by watching Much Ado About Nothing, aged just seven, sitting in the cheap seats with his brother in the gods of Shakespeare’s Stratford theatre.
Michael believes all children should see Shakespeare and enjoy the magnificent tales the Bard re-told for everyone. His latest book – More Tales from Shakespeare – re-tells eight plays for a new generation.
With more than 150 books to his name, Michael talks about his knighthood, the fireside chat which inspired his classic War Horse, and the charity, Farms for City Children, which he co-founded with his wife Clare 50 years ago, giving inner city kids the chance to experience life on a farm.
Lady Clare Morpurgo MBE
Tech/AI journalist Lara Lewington reveals how technology and AI can save our health - and our lives - and unravels some of the myths and fears. Lara says the biggest positive change is coming in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Lara has travelled all over the world interviewing longevity experts, scientists and doctors - often testing out the latest tech herself - for documentaries and her new book, Hacking Humanity.
She’s met characters like 103-year-old Mildred who lives disease-free in a Blue Zone near LA, and American entrepreneur Bryan Johnson who’s going to extremes to reverse his biological age. But Lara's passion lies in how cutting-edge science, powered by AI, can help us all live better.
Lara with a 3D printed model of her brain, created for her BBC documentary Mind Over Matter
Lara in California with tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, exploring his extreme regime to reverse his biological age
103-year-old Mildred chats to Lara about life in a Blue Zone near LA
A tortuous moment during the shoot for Lara’s longevity show
Natalie Queiroz MBE shares her story of survival and determination to make a difference after being stabbed 24 times with a carving knife in a frenzied nine-minute assault whilst eight months pregnant.
She recounts the moment she realised her hooded attacker was her partner Bob – the love of her life – and father of her unborn child. He’s now in prison for attempted murder.
Natalie’s life changed in many ways that afternoon. She’s become a victims advocate for West Midlands Police, speaks to murderers and gang members serving time in category A prisons, is a trained specialist in youth violence helping youngsters find a better path, and through it all retains an extraordinary sense of humour and grace.
Natalie receiving the MBE for services to young people & the prevention of knife crime
Natalie with her former partner Babur Karamat Raja (Bob), now serving time for her attempted murder
Natalie with baby Leah after the stabbing *Leah's name has been changed to protect her identity Babur Karamat Raja (Bob) photographed by West Midlands Police
Former Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police Neil Basu talks candidly about serving in Counter Terror when the threat level against Britain was at its highest since the Northern Ireland troubles of the ‘70s.
In part two of our special, Neil quotes Dickens when he describes those seven years as “the best of times and the worst of times”, liaising closely with MI5 to stop terrorists attacking the UK.
Neil reveals more stories from his book Turmoil - an extraordinary insight into serving in the biggest police force in the UK – and what he misses about being ‘in the room’ at the heart of policing.
Neil Basu photographed by Antonio Olmos at the Old Bailey
Neil Basu - former Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police - retired as the most senior officer of colour in the UK, dedicated to a service that has a problem with race and, according to the Casey Review, remains institutionally racist.
As a mixed-race detective, he stuck with it through bombings, murders, kidnaps, extortion and during his time running counter terrorism, working closely with MI5 to foil 29 plots against Britain.
Neil shares eye-opening and, at times, uncomfortable stories from his new book Turmoil, which he describes as a love letter to policing - a vocation which defined him for decades. It's a deeply personal account of what it was like to serve for the biggest police force in the UK and the toll it ultimately took on his career, family and mind.
Neil Basu photographed by Antonio Olmos at the Old Bailey
New York Magazine/Vogue journalist Jon Gluck was living the dream at 38 - married, loving his first New York apartment and enjoying his baby daughter.
But, after a minor, innocuous slip on a patch of ice, he was devastated to be diagnosed with a rare, incurable blood cancer and given just 18 months to 3 years to live.
22 years on and counting, Jon has written a searingly honest account of his survival. 'An Exercise in Uncertainty – A Memoir of Illness and Hope’ documents how he’s beaten the odds and, more broadly, offers some gems on how to cope with uncertainly of any kind.
At 5.44am on May 15th, 17-year-old Emma Schwerin from Montana reached the summit of Mount Everest with her dad, Sam, and earned not one, but three world records!
She’s the youngest American female ever to summit Everest, as well as Mount Vinson in Antarctica, and the youngest woman in the world to conquer the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each continent.
Emma – who describes herself as ‘a fierce 4ft 11’ – says climbing the notoriously dangerous Icefall on Everest, she repeated the quote 'if it wasn't scary, it wouldn't be big enough' to conquer her fear. Her aim is to inspire other young girls and women to dream big and show that anything is possible with grit, hard work and determination.
Just moments away from conquering Mount Everest - the last of the Seven Summits Emma climbing Mount Everest in her 8,000m suit Emma becomes youngest American woman to summit Mount Vinson in Antarctica, standing with her dad Sam Climbing the most challenging mountain, Denali in North America
Cian Adams and his brother Jordan have a gene mutation which means they will almost certainly develop devastating symptoms of a rare form of frontotemporal dementia in their 40s. The same gene robbed them of their mum, Geraldine, when she was just 52, as well as their aunt, nana and other relatives.
Known as the FTD Brothers, Cian and Jordan take on epic running challenges – including a 903-mile run from John o’ Groats to Land’s End in 2024 - to raise £1 million for Alzheimer’s Research UK of which they’re ambassadors.
Helen talks to 24-year-old Cian about the family turmoil of seeing his mum suffering when he was a young boy and how he copes with the knowledge of what the future likely holds for him. He’s joined on the podcast by his girlfriend, Helen Jolly, who’s studying for a PhD in Dementia at Oxford University and gives an insight into the science behind this cruel disease.
Cian & Jordan’s mum, Geraldine.
There’s a small square of the Arctic – 3 metres by 3 metres - behind the UK Research Station in Svalbard, which Encounter Edu Founder & former teacher Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop calls his own.
Huddled in sub-zero temperatures on the ice, he’s spent hours there, broadcasting to more than 150,000 children from 57 countries, sharing the magical northernmost region of the Earth with them, bringing scientists’ work to life and inspiring young minds to understand our planet.
Encounter Edu produces live lessons for schools on some of our most pressing global issues - climate change, ocean health, the refugee crisis, Ai, and unites students living with conflict with classrooms around the world. The Encounter Edu team has reached more than 24 million youngsters in 91 countries.
UK Arctic Research Station, Svalbard
When 18-year-old Arsenal & England star Myles Lewis-Skelly showed serious potential on the pitch as a young lad, his mum Marcia experienced how confusing and lonely the world of youth football can be, and realised she needed expert knowledge for their journey ahead.
So, she studied for a Masters in Football Business and took agency exams, before setting up No1Fan.club – the UK’s first platform to help parents navigate the intricacies of the football industry, from grassroots and academy to Premier League. Marcia and her team run workshops, one-on-one sessions and talks.
Myles made history in March, becoming the youngest player to score on his England debut, and has had a ground-breaking season at Arsenal. He’s very proud of No1Fan.club and wants other children to experience the support and guidance he feels grateful to have.
David Lowe was outed on TikTok as the composer of some of TV's most iconic music when his 'how I created the BBC News themes' post to mark the 25th anniversary went viral!
He's the man behind the opening music for programmes like The One Show, Panorama, Grand Designs and BBC Countryfile, as well as top TV ads. And he arranged a special version of Chariots of Fire by Vangelis for the 2012 Olympic medal ceremony when Andy Murray took gold in the tennis.
David shows Helen how he builds the tracks, loved by millions of viewers. He's composed our new music for The Convex Conversation with guitarist James Nisbet, who plays for artists like Kylie Minogue & Belinda Carlisle, and West End trumpet player Jim Lynch on flugelhorn live in the studio.
Nikki Scott shares the story behind founding Scotty’s Little Soldiers after her husband, 26-yr-old Corp Lee Scott of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, was killed on active duty in Afghanistan.
As Nikki navigated her devastating loss with their 5-yr-old son & baby, she realised there was little help for children and young people grieving the death of a military parent.
Scotty’s supports hundreds of young people & is proud to have Prince Harry as their very hands-on Global Ambassador.
Sahar Hashemi OBE reveals how her love of skinny lattes in '90s New York led to her giving up her career as a lawyer and starting Coffee Republic with her brother, Bobby.
Sahar talks openly about the highs and lows of growing the business from the kitchen table to a £30 million empire with 110 American-style coffee bars, as well as the pain of leaving.
As well as mentoring executives in how to retain a start-up culture in large companies, Sahar champions more than 2,000 female founders in a movement she created - Buy Women Built - leaning on her own mantra ‘leap and the net will appear’ to form it.
Mud on the seabed and the diverse, weird and wonderful invertebrates who live in it are having their climate moment, according to Marine Biologist Dr Ceri Lewis.
Based at the University of Exeter – Ceri is part of the five-year Convex Seascape Survey researching how a healthy ocean can help fight climate change. She’s passionate about worms – from microscopic to 3 metres long - and how they influence carbon stores on the seabed.
Ceri also talks about her latest scientific trip to the Galapagos where she’s studying the effects of the exponential growth in microplastics on our marine life.
Wendy Fulcher shares the story of losing her husband and soulmate John when he was just 52 to an aggressive stage 4 glioblastoma and how it led to her setting up a powerful, research charity.
John was under the care of TV star Davina McCall’s consultant neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill who we featured in our last episode.
Kevin and Wendy set up the Brain Tumour Research Campaign together more than 20 years ago after Kevin expressed frustration at the field being woefully underfunded.
BTRC supports Kevin’s ground-breaking research, lobbies Government, is run entirely by volunteers and has raised more than 4 and half million pounds so far to help find a cure.
Wendy with consultant neurosurgeon Kevin O'Neill, chair of BTRC
Davina McCall’s consultant neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill gives a fascinating insight into the five-hour surgery he carried out on the TV star, navigating his way between the brain’s two hemispheres to successfully remove a rare colloidal cyst Davina nick-named ‘Jeffrey’.
Kevin recounts the journey into the centre of Davina’s brain and recalls the moment he came face to face with Jeffrey who, he laughs, was waving at him, smoking his pipe!
Kevin is passionate about the ground-breaking research he leads with the Brain Tumour Research Campaign. He co-founded BRTC more than 20 years ago with next week’s guest Wendy Fulcher who’ll be sharing her personal journey.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott’s son David gives a very personal insight into his father – a giant of the Labour movement – revealing family stories and anecdotes from his life at Westminster.
David was born two days after John became MP for Hull East, serving his constituents and the country for 40 years. Former Prime Ministers Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown regularly kept in touch with John as advanced dementia took hold. He died, aged 86. David is now focussed on getting Alzheimer’s at the heart of Labour’s new ten-year health plan and ran the London Marathon for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
He shares memories of the shy, working-class ship’s steward - full of self-doubt that never left him - who went on to fight for social justice and better working conditions, leading him to Downing Street and the Lords.
Crime reporter Martin Brunt has covered some of the biggest, shocking and most notorious crime stories in British history for Sky News over the last four decades.
Still working in 24-hour breaking news, his book - No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason – filled with previously undisclosed details and fascinating inside track is about to come out in paperback.
Martin shares gripping dispatches about his relationship with violent prisoner Charles Bronson; an unusual encounter with his music hero Sir Paul McCartney; discusses the nations insatiable appetite for crime - both real-life and fiction - and reveals how his fascination with Valerio Viccei, the charismatic Italian robber behind the Knightsbridge safe deposit heist, ended in a death threat!
Photograph by Mark Senn
Inspired by the teachings of Mahatma Gandi, social reformer, author and Ted Talk speaker Robin Greenfield explains why and how he’s simplified his life - strand by strand - so others can simply live.
38-year-old Robin was on his way to his first million in his 20s, drove a new car, ran a marketing business in the States and was immersed in consumerism. Now he undertakes extreme experiments and adventures to demonstrate more sustainable ways of living in harmony with the planet and which don’t exploit others around the world.
He’s just walked 1600 miles from the US/Canadian border to LA with only the basics to survive to inspire people to slow down and take a look at their lives and what we perceive as societal norms. He’s now given away the few possessions he had to do an experiment in non-ownership.
ENT surgeon Gabriel Weston’s new book is a deeply personal and provocative journey through the human body.
In this captivating, alternative exploration of our anatomy, Gabriel dissolves the boundaries which often divide surgeon and patient, pushing beyond the limit of what science can tell us about who we are.
Gabriel has just sold the rights to her first book Direct Red, about life as a young female surgeon, to Netflix and Brad Pitt’s company Plan B so watch this space for a new medical drama.
Simon Hart reveals why he’s published his personal diary entries in his new book, Ungovernable – The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip, lifting the lid on what really went on at Westminster during one of the most turbulent times in British politics.
Simon had a front-row seat at the heart of government - in the cabinet under Boris Johnson; as Chief Whip for Rishi Sunak and cast out to the side lines by Liz Truss for her 49-days at Number 10.
Simon describes the Whip’s office as a field hospital where MPs are patched up; reflects on some of the jaw-dropping issues he dealt with, and looks at the impact social media has on politics, which he believes makes leading the country much harder for current Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
·* Ungovernable – The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip is out now, published by Macmillan
Successful entrepreneur and co-founder of Intelligent Change Alex Ikonn shares how he turned his life around through the simple habit of gratitude.
Alex’s teenage years were tough - he lost his father to cancer, suffered hardships at home with little money, mum worked round the clock to make ends meet – but by changing his mindset and practising daily gratitude, things started to improve.
He co-founded Intelligent Change to create tools and methods to help others transform their lives and become more intentional. From the Five Minute Journal (which Alex describes as ‘a toothbrush for your mind’) to The Life Designer – their beautiful books and apps have helped millions of people find meaning and purpose.
In part two of our special with music legend and CCO of Whizz Kid Entertainment, Malcolm Gerrie gives an insight into the new film he’s just finished shooting with blind tenor Andrea Bocelli.
Malcolm and the team from Lionsgate have had incredible access to the star and his family at their home and venues all over the world. The much-anticipated film comes out in the autumn.
Malcolm also chats about his 23 years exec producing the BAFTA's – and revamping the Brits, introducing unexpected collaborations with artists like Eurythmics and Stevie Wonder, Robbie Williams and Tom Jones.
In part one of our two-part special, the story of how a teacher from Newcastle pushed the boundaries in music, creating the legendary eighties show The Tube.
Malcolm Gerrie booked ‘low priority act’ Madonna for her first UK performance, helped U2 break America at Red Rocks, breathed fresh life into Tina Turner’s career and exec produced live performances from Elton, REM, The Who, The Jam and many more.
Malcolm exec'd the Bafta's for 23 years, revamped The Brits, and has just finished making a film with blind tenor Andrea Bocelli. He feels the time is ripe for a new music show which reflects what’s going on in the world right now - something radical which creates some noise - and he challenges Sky Arts or Netflix to get cracking!
Hacked Off board director Emma Jones explores Prince Harry’s ‘monumental victory’ against News Group Newspapers and what it means for hundreds of other victims of press intrusion.
Emma was at London’s High Court when Rupert Murdoch’s group settled with the Duke of Sussex at the eleventh hour, minutes before the trial was due to start. NGN issued an unequivocal apology for incidents of unlawful activity and serious intrusion as well as paying substantial damages.
Hacked Off campaigner Hugh Grant is now calling for the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police to investigate a criminal prosecution for phone hacking and the use of private investigators by NGN newspapers, including The Sun. Emma says the actor wanted his day in court but believes civil cases are weighted against claimants and reluctantly settled.
Prince Harry's barrister says NGN have paid out more than a billion pounds in settlements and legal costs.
80 years since Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated, 87-year-old Holocaust survivor John Hajdu MBE shared his story of survival with the Princess of Wales this week and got a big hug.
So, we’re re-running our episode where John tells Helen about his harrowing life as a young boy in Budapest seeing Jews persecuted & killed and his parents forced to labour camps. Comforted by his teddy bear as the horrors unfolded, the bear remains his constant companion.
John was honoured to be photographed by Rankin two years ago. Rankin said: “John’s bear is a tangible reminder that the stories we are telling happened in recent history and we must learn from these events – for a better future.”
Black & white photographs by Rankin
Award-winning artist George Butler creates ink and watercolour drawings in situ in war zones, refugee camps and disaster areas all over the world and some of his work can be found in museum archives, including at the V&A.
His testimonies of ordinary people capture suffering, courage, moments of hope, and introduce us to real characters behind the headlines, whose situations we rarely hear about on the news.
George has drawn in a leprosy clinic in Nepal; spent time with The Hazda tribe in Tanzania as they work with the honeyguide birds, and most recently been in Syria where Action Syria UK - a charity he co-founded - funds doctors and teachers.
His new book – Ukraine : Remember Also Me – is described by BBC's Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet as “a remarkable first draft of history – raw and revelatory”.
Photograph by Mauricio Gris
Petro collecting books after a missile strike - Kramatorsk, Ukraine
Photograph by Bram Janssen
Matriarch & great-grandmother 99-year-old Madame Olga - Kyiv, Ukraine
Photography by Tim Brown
Jesse Dufton was the first blind person to lead a climb of The Old Man of Hoy – a daunting sea stack in the Orkney Islands, off the coast of Scotland. It earned him a Guinness world record and was the subject of Alastair Lee’s multi-award-winning documentary Climbing Blind.
In newly-released Climbing Blind II, Jesse describes being “right at his limit” and “redlining for what felt like an eternity” as he leads a brutal and painful ascent of Devils Tower in Wyoming with his sight guide, wife Molly.
Jesse has been climbing from the age of two, has many first to his name, and refuses to give in to a genetic condition which totally robbed him of his sight in his mid 20s.
Image from Devils Tower from Climbing Blind II, thanks to Alastair Lee, Brit Rock Films
Image from Devils Tower from Climbing Blind II, thanks to Alastair Lee, Brit Rock Films
Devils Tower, Wyoming
Pioneering jockey Khadijah Mellah, from Peckham, became the first UK jockey to compete in a horse race in Britain wearing a hijab.
A minute later, she made history again by riding her mount, Haverland, to victory in the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood. A film was made of her remarkable story and an academy set up in her name to help other youngsters from under-represented urban areas pursue a career in racing.
24-year-old Khadijah explains how, as a young Muslim woman, she’s changing perceptions in sport. She recently chatted to the King and Queen, who she's met a number of times, and took part in the Hillclimb at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed in an Aston Martin Valkryie with F3 legend Peter Dunbrek.
Investigative journalist Glen Campbell details his decades long search for fugitive Lord Lucan – the Eton-educated gambler who disappeared without trace after murdering his children’s nanny, Sandra Rivett, in 1974.
Glen forms an unlikely partnership with Sandra’s son, Neil Berriman, and their investigations all over the world are subject of a gripping new BBC three-part documentary, Lucan.
They speak to Lucan’s aristocratic friends, his brother, the nanny’s boyfriend, and the clues finally lead them to Australia to confront a man of interest. Find out what happens next in a hunt which has enthralled detectives and press alike for half a century.
Investigative journalist Glen Campbell with Sandra Rivett's son, Neil Berriman
Laura Harnett spent 20 years as a high-flying corporate executive, in the boardroom at Selfridges and working for brands like IKEA and Coca-Cola. Never did she imagine she’d be championing a humble cleaning sponge.
However, frustrated by supermarket aisles full of microplastic-filled cleaning tools, and a devastating diagnosis of breast cancer, she gave it all up to become an entrepreneur in her 40s and start Seep.
Seep is a B Corp which designs eco-friendly, plastic-free, biodegradable cleaning accessories using natural renewables like wood, loofah and bamboo, and aims to stop a billion plastic cleaning tools going to landfill by 2030.
- 20% off for Convex Conversation listeners using HELEN20 at www.theseepcompany.com
Miles Spencer has mentored tech founders for more than 30 years, and has created hundreds of jobs while founding, financing, building, and exiting three digital media companies. But he’s also strayed a long way from his US home. He led 1500 people across 14 miles of open sea in kayaks, raising more than a million dollars for charity; ran with the bulls in Pamplona, and trekked 1,100 miles through the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria with his great friend, Wells Jones. The eye-opening trek inspired Miles and Spencer to write A Line in the Sand – a best-selling sleuthing adventure capturing the essence of the Middle East through the eyes of two lifelong friends, following clues left by Lawrence of Arabia.
Michelle Feeney founded Floral Street Fragrances – an award-winning British brand with sustainability at its core – after a dynamic career leading top global beauty names, including Estee Lauder and Mac Cosmetics.
The inspiration to create clean, affordable fragrances which won’t impact the planet, came during what Michelle describes as her gap year, aged 51. Inspired by flowers and vibrant culture, Floral Street has collaborated with the Van Gogh Museum and watch this space for another exciting partnership.
As Black Friday approaches, Michelle explains what Floral Street is doing to help, partnering with Clean Hub, given the sales frenzy generates 25% more waste – an excess of 100 million tonnes.
Seasoned barrister & environmentalist James Cameron - one of the leading architects of COP – reflects on three decades of arguing for a fairer and more sustainable planet.
He co-hosts a new podcast series – Fossil vs Future – with his 30-year-old god-daughter Daisy Nicholls who works in sustainable finance. It’s a refreshing, authentic conversation exploring the climate crisis through different generational lenses.
Together they discuss a series of what they call ‘what abouts’ – what about the ocean, food, China, international law, nature-based solutions, the role of finance and much more.
Helen takes an 11-degree chilly dip in Windermere in the Lake District with renowned Cold Water Swim Coach Gilly McArthur to experience the benefits of cold exposure and blue spaces.
Gilly is part of a world-class team working on an NHS research project with Oxford and Portsmouth Universities, investigating whether cold water & outdoor swimming can help alleviate anxiety and depression.
Gilly explains the compelling science behind how the cold improves our physical and mental wellbeing, what it does to our brains and bodies, and how nature and ice-swimming has helped her through some painful times.
Forensic Psychologist Kerry Daynes delves into the psyche of some of the most disturbed criminal minds to understand what lies behind their often heinous actions.
Her work as one of the most sought after forensic psychologists in the business has taken her from maximum-security prisons, police interview rooms and the witness box to the wards of secure hospitals where patients are detained under the Mental Health Act.
These experiences have provided Kerry with a wealth of stories for her best-selling books - including What Lies Buried and The Dark Side of the Mind - which reveal that staring into the darker side of life comes with a price.
When Jermyn Street shirt-maker Emma Willis MBE heard a documentary on Radio 4 about injured soldiers recovering from life-changing injuries on their return from Afghanistan, she knew she wanted to help.
Emma has spent years visiting patients at Headley Court Military Hospital in Surrey, gently measuring burns victims, Armed Forces men and women who have lost limbs and suffered dreadful injuries, to make bespoke shirts as a thank you for their courage.
Her charity, Style for Soldiers, was born out of Emma spending time listening to their traumatic stories, helping morale and boosting confidence, and realising a need to help young ex-service people find jobs, stay connected with each other after treatment, and start to rebuild their lives.
Photographer & storyteller Giles Duley MBE joins me from Ukraine where his NGO – the Legacy of War Foundation – is providing ambulances to the frontline to evacuate civilians, many of them elderly.
Giles lost both legs and an arm when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2011 whilst embedded with 101st Airborne. Locked in his own mind for 46 days, only able to blink, he was lucky to survive.
He explains how, even before his injury, his work was focussed on drawing attention to the legacy of conflict and the common themes experienced by those whose lives it tears apart. He was inspired by the haunting work of legendary photographer Sir Don McCullin.
After a heady few years in rock ‘n’ roll, photographing bands like Oasis & Massive Attack, Giles travelled extensively capturing real-life stories against a backdrop of war, bonding over simple, shared meals, and now, discovering ways his NGO can make a difference.
Find out what it’s like to produce your first ever play and put it on alongside 3,800 other shows at The Edinburgh Fringe.
Sam James, Technical Head of Claims at Convex and winner of the company’s Dream Pitch, produced ‘Girlhood’ which examines the roles of mothers and the impact of mother figures on our lives.
Armed with a copy of The Accidental Producer, Sam recruited six young actors as well as up and coming writer Tiegan Byrne & director Cecilie Fray and opened to rave reviews.
Dr Federica Amati - one of Britain’s top nutritional scientists – recalls the eureka moment studying with legendary Professor Elio Riboli when she realised the power of food on good health, preventing many chronic diseases.
The Italian-born scientist teaches medical students at Imperial College London – something that didn’t happen five years ago – and is fuelled by a desire to help us all discover the science of eating for a lifetime of health, as documented in her new book – Every BODY Should Know This.
As Head Nutritionist for ZOE and WellFounded, Dr Fede helps hundreds of thousands of people as well as individuals. She’s also in discussions with politicians and supermarkets in a bid to dramatically change our food environment by reducing the amount of ultra-high processed products on offer and making fresh produce more affordable.
Charlie Wild and Jessica Last have spent three years exploring the UK in search of unique and exciting adventures on our doorstep.
From climbing peaks in the Scottish Highlands to surfing the breaks off Northern Ireland; foraging in the deepest forests of Snowdonia to camping wild on Dartmoor, they’ve discovered extraordinary places and wonderful characters.
52 of their most unforgettable trips are beautifully documented in their new book, Achievable Adventures, showing that regular adventure isn't exclusive to intrepid explorers or dependent on big budgets or faraway lands. Charlie and Jess inspire us to venture outside more, embrace the benefits of being in nature, and forge more sustainable travel habits.
When Wing Commander Andy Green OBE broke the sound barrier in a supersonic jet car in 1997, he became the fastest person on land – a world record he still holds, almost three decades on.
Andy explains the risks involved, the spectacularly small mathematical margins for error, lessons learned, and reveals the thrills of driving more than 763 mph across Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in the British-designed Thrust SSC - 54ft long, weighing 10 tons and featuring two military jet engines.
Even NASA thought the attempt would push the limits too far and end in failure. But the former RAF fighter pilot was part of a world-class team, led by the previous land speed record-holder Richard Noble OBE and the brilliant aerodynamicist Ron Ayres, and achieved the unthinkable.
101-year-old Jack Dark reflects on life in WW2 as part of the RAF’s elite Pathfinder Force.
Just a lad at 18, Jack was a Bomb Aimer and Navigator in the Lancaster Bomber. The Pathfinders went in first to find and mark the targets. Their accuracy is said to have changed the course of the Second World War.
Jack is one of a few surviving Pathfinders and is in demand by film and documentary-makers for his valuable memories of those daring, dangerous, nighttime missions.
Jack Dark photographed on a Lancaster Bomber by Robin Savage
Photograph by Robin Savage
Jack front row, left
Artist Chris Levine, renowned for his portraits of the late Queen, describes 7.83 Hertz – his new immersive installation featuring cutting edge lasers - which he hopes can be scaled to highlight the vital role our ocean plays in tackling the world’s climate crisis.
Created in collaboration with the Convex Seascape Survey, Chris explains how understanding more about the Benthic zone, a living ecosystem deep on the seabed, and talking to scientists involved in the 5-year research project, inspired him.
Chris also talks about his excitement at unveiling a sculpture at the Great Pyramid of Giza in October. ‘Quadrivium’ extrapolates some of the intriguing mathematical, geological and astronomical design mysteries the pyramids hold.
Meditation, light, lasers, stillness, energy, frequencies – take a journey with Helen into Chris’s thought-provoking world from his barge in Hampshire.
Chris Levine by Michael Fung Photography
Chris Levine and the late Queen
7.83 Hertz - Let it Be
7.83 Hertz - Blipvert
Lightness of Being
Golden Globe, BAFTA & Emmy-winning drama producer Gareth Neame OBE shares stories behind some of the most-watched original dramas he’s created – from global phenomena Downton Abbey to the BBC hit Spooks.
As filming for the third Downton film nears the end with a cast who are like family, Gareth gives a sneak peek into other dramas he’s making, including The Day of the Jackal with Eddie Redmayne, Lockerbie, starring Colin Firth and The Gilded Age.
The CEO of Carnival Films is fourth generation in a long line of eminent film-makers and reflects on a childhood immersed in cinematography, recalling wonderful days on the sets of movies like Star Wars before we knew what it was!
Gareth’s great-grandmother Ivy Close – actress & silent movie star
As Britain experiences the first two weeks of a Labour Government, award-winning Chief Political Commentator of The Sunday Times, Tim Shipman, assesses where we’re at and what’s in store under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Tim gives an insight into what it takes to be a trusted political insider, likening it to the spy world where members of the Cabinet, ministers, special advisors and so on are sub agents of his network and need to be treated right!
Tim’s hotly anticipated third instalment in his gripping sequence of four political books – No Way Out - has just hit book shelves. Covering the last seven years at Westminster, it offers an unflinching, unfiltered account of some of the most turbulent, chaotic years in British politics.
When reigning Olympic Gold triathlete Dame Flora Duffy takes her place on the pontoon on the Seine in Paris in three weeks’ time, it marks the end of a long, frustrating battle to make the start line.
Flora finished 2022 on a high, winning her second Commonwealth Gold, but was devastated not to race at all in 2023 due to a painful, complicated knee injury which she feared might end her incredible career.
Flora is relieved to be under the radar for Paris 2024, having been favourite for five years leading up to her victory at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, and says the thought of competing as defending Olympic Champion has been a driving force through the tough times.
Taylor Swift's new album has also played a role! Flora plans to see her perform live in Vienna after the Games.
Four time British FIM Enduro World Champion Jane Daniels aimed simply to complete her first ever Dakar race – an extreme endurance event.
But she won the 2024 Women’s Class, racing across 7,891km of towering sand dunes, vast oases, and dramatic rock formations in Saudi Arabia, sponsored by Italian motorcycle company Fantic.
Jane, from Wigan, shares the thrills and challenges of her high-octane sport. She started racing when she was 12, inspired by her road racer dad Andy, has been crowned Enduro World Champion four times and remained unbeaten for two years.
Explorer Oli France on his 64-day, 3,588-mile 'human powered' journey, cycling alone for 39 days from Death Valley in California to Denali, eventually reaching the summit of one of the world’s most challenging mountains.
Oli spent ten years dreaming of and five years planning ‘The Ultimate Seven’ project – expeditions which will culminate in, hopefully, him becoming the first person to travel from the lowest to the highestpoint of every continent, under his own steam.
Oli describes the highs and lows of part 2, from close encounters with bears and speeding trucks to traversing the wild Alaskan wilderness where few humans have been, crossing vast glacial crevasses, icy fords and treacherous terrain where zero complacency is essential for survival.
Dr Jack Wolfson practised as a traditional hospital cardiologist in the States for more than 16 years, following in his eminent father’s footsteps.
An epiphany moment with his now wife, Dr Heather Wolfson, led him on a different journey - to investigate the cause of heart disease and illness, rather than ‘put a Band-Aid’ over the symptoms.
Based in Colorado, Dr Jack runs Natural Heart Doctor, embracing good nutrition, nature, healthy living, avoiding chemicals and toxins in the battle to tackle heart disease – the world’s number one killer – and heal other illnesses.
In this week’s Convex Conversation we explore behavioural science and its role in helping tackle some of the greatest challenges in society.
Behavioural scientist Elspeth Kirkman – Chief Programmes Officer at innovation charity Nesta – reveals how issues like the nation’s health, domestic decarbonisation and the disparity in early childhood are being viewed through different lenses to bring about positive change.
Elspeth explains how thinking like an artist can improve our decision making – a concept explored in her new book ‘Decisionscape’ - and reveals her shock at delivering a speech at the UN with no idea she was doing it!
To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Helen joins the Paddle Group, Royal Marines Association, on the Thames in a folding two-man boat, known as a Klepper, made famous by the Cockleshell heroes.
As she paddles with former Royal Marines corporal Chris Maynard and some of the team preparing to cross the Channel to Normandy, she discovers how these expeditions help personnel from all the forces with their mental health, bridging the no man’s land some experience between serving and civvy street.
The Paddle Group will re-enact some of the key events and landings of 1944, with 99-year-old veteran Norman Stanley Ashford watching from the beaches.
Fmr Corporal Chris Maynard LC2 RM Phil Gilby MBE The Royal Marines Charity Colour SergeantLee Waters ML1 RM
Travel writer Catherine Fairweather talks about her new podcast series, Voices from the Frontline, exploring lives shaped by war.
In the first episode she interviews her husband, revered photo-journalist Sir Don McCullin, and recalls how she first heard about Don from foreign correspondent Jon Swain when she was 11, living in Laos during the Indochina Wars.
Catherine’s father was a diplomat and her mother Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher’s translator. Their exciting life living all over the world experiencing different cultures gave her a thirst for adventure which led to a career as a travel editor for magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and Porter. Catherine reveals the places she’s left her heart, including Bhutan in the Himalayas.
Photograph by Max McCullin
Photograph by Sir Don McCullin
Prince William is building 24 sustainable homes on his Duchy of Cornwall land at Nansledan to provide temporary accommodation and support for some of the many people sleeping rough in the county, in partnership with homelessness charity St Petrocs.
Jon Sparkes OBE is a trustee of St Petrocs; ran Crisis; Scope; is currently CEO of UNICEK UK and is about to move to Mencap, where he’ll be pushing for change for the 1.5 million people in Britain with learning disabilities.
Jon shares his very personal story of why he ended up in the charity sector, reveals the frustrations and rewards it comes with, and discusses the depths we’ve fallen to in terms of social care policy, including the £7 billion pound reduction in spending on it over the last decade.
Deep in the sub-basement of the Natural History Museum in London, surrounded by a vast collection of dinosaur bones, world-leading palaeontologist Prof Paul Barrett gives an insight into how prehistoric times can inform current issues like climate change.
In this golden age for prehistoric reptiles, where on average one new dinosaur is discovered every week, innovative digital tests and detailed online archives mean we can find out more about their life on Earth, our planet & evolution.
Paul has an armoured dinosaur named after him - Vectipelta Barretti - and describes finding a new fossil, and being the first human to see it, as a moment of pure discovery.
An insider’s view from former cabinet minister Rory Stewart OBE on the upcoming UK election and the difficulties a new Government will face taking over a country that he believes is bust, with public services we can't afford.
Rory is already selling out venues like the O2 in the autumn with his The Rest is Politics podcast co-host Alastair Campbell when they'll be debating the issues before the nation votes.
He shares candid stories from his eye-opening decade at the heart of Government, detailed in his memoir Politics On The Edge, saying there are elements of privilege in elected politics but it’s “bruising beyond imagination and only very unusual personalities usually survive in it.” Rory reveals he’d like to work on public policy for a Labour government, perhaps chairing a commission on Ai in the NHS.
Major General Alastair Bruce OBE is known for his engaging live TV commentary, here and in America, on royal weddings, jubilees, and the King's Coronation, giving viewers an accurate insight into ceremonial life and history.
Alastair - a direct descendant of the revered warrior king Robert the Bruce - is the current Governor of Edinburgh Castle, a role which dates back to 1107.
He reveals his love of the realm goes back to childhood when he made a detailed replica of the crown jewels from clay and a ballcock! Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11, was intrigued by his long-held fascination when he filmed a documentary featuring an intimate conversation with the Monarch about her coronation of 1953.
Alastair has served 45 years in the Army, advised on set throughout the making of Downton Abbey and puts his extraordinary historical and royal knowledge to use on major films, including The King’s Speech.
Former Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter gives his assessment on the current conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as reflects on his 45 years serving in the military.
Sir Nick says the world looks a lot more like it did in the 1910s and 1930s and explains the geopolitics behind why he believes conflict is now possible at a scale and intensity he hoped we’d never see again after 1945 came to an end.
Britain’s longest serving military chief since Lord Mountbatten shares fascinating stories from the start of his career as an 18-year-old soldier in the Northern Ireland Troubles to advising Prime Ministers and securing billions for defence.
General Carter is now lecturing at Stanford University in California, advising leading businesses and working for the Tony Blair Institute as well as with the charity Supporting Wounded Veterans.
As NASA prepares to land people on the Moon for the first time since 1972, aerospace physiologist Dr Tess Morris-Paterson talks about her work selecting astronauts for missions like Artemis and what it takes to become an astronaut.
Tess explains the lunar orbit of the Moon's South Pole, discusses plans for astronauts to live and work under the Moon's surface, and how these missions will pave the way to travel to Mars using hydrogen from the lunar ice caps.
Tess went through the gruelling selection process herself with the European Space Agency. Combining her aerospace knowledge with a decade working in Formula One and Premier League football, she founded Astro Perform to design selection programmes and prepare candidates for the challenges of space flight.
Bonita Norris became the youngest British woman to summit Everest in 2010, aged just 22. What was even more remarkable about her feat, was that she only started mountaineering at university.
Inspired and driven by the thought of seeing the curvature of the Earth from the world’s highest peak, Bonita explains how she conquered tough mental, physical and practical challenges to achieve her dream.
She recounts the moment she fell on the way down, landing on the treacherous Hillary Step – a near vertical rock face where many have perished. Find out how she survived.
Eminent scientist Russell Foster, Professor of Circadian Neuroscience at Oxford University, shares some of his extraordinary life’s work, taking us on a fascinating journey through the science of our body clocks.
As work and recreation time has become increasingly blurred, we’ve neglected our 24-hour biological clock which guides us towards the best time to sleep, eat and think.
Using his own studies and those of other international sleep scientists, Russell explains how new science has proved that living out of synch with our clock not only disrupts sleep, but leaves us more vulnerable to infection, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and mental illness.
However, with the right knowledge, we can get back into our rhythm and live healthier, sharper lives.
Historian Alice Loxton is on a mission to bring history to a wider, younger audience using the power of her 2 million followers on socials.
The 28-year-old presenter and author travels up and down the UK, filming intriguing bite-sized historical facts and little-known stories from various periods in authentic settings.
Alice has packed a lot in – working with The National Trust, Downing Street, Sky Arts, Christies, Sotheby’s, and more – and hosts documentaries on History Hit TVwith Dan Snow who calls his co-presenter ‘the star of her generation - the next big thing in history’.
Her debut book Outrage is released in paperback this month and her new book, 18, is available to pre-order.
When a 26-year-old American astrophysics major arrived in the Old City of Kabul in Afghanistan to volunteer, she had no idea the work would become a major part of her life, helping tens of thousands of people survive and thrive in unstable, war-torn countries.
Shoshana Stewart, President of Turquoise Mountain, explains how the international NGO started with a chance conversation between the then Prince of Wales and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, followed by an extraordinary mission for her now husband Rory Stewart.
Eighteen years on, Shoshana shares the compelling story of how the charity supports artisans like rug makers, carvers, and jewellery designers whose lives and ancient traditions in Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Middle East are under threat, giving them a livelihood and restoring their pride in their cultural heritage.
The King's Lodge at The Connaught designed by Guy Oliver with support from Turquoise Mountain artisans
The King's Lodge at The Connaught designed by Guy Oliver with support from Turquoise Mountain artisans
Investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown reveals the remarkable story behind her exposing the 1MDB fraud in which billions of dollars were embezzled from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.
From her kitchen table in London, Clare worked doggedly with the FBI and US Department of Justice on her one-woman investigation which toppled a government, implicated top politicians, leading institutions and involved Hollywood names, diamonds & a $250 million super yacht.
The complex story – which began for Clare as an environmental expose into the destruction of Borneo’s tropical rainforest - is the subject of a new Netflix documentary, Man on the Run.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is serving 12 years in jail for his part in the fraud, and his alleged mastermind, Jho Low, remains on the run, wanted for money laundering.
Six years ago, the British Army tasked Lieutenant Colonel Tim Purbrick OBE with forming a unit to defend and preserve some of the world’s greatest cultural treasures, at risk of theft or destruction in conflict.
The former tank commander explains how the lessons learned by the real-life ‘Monuments Men’ in World War 2 - documented by Sir Leonard Woolley and whose story formed the basis of George Clooney’s film - were invaluable when he set up the British Cultural Property Protection Unit.
Tim designed a course for UNESCO to train Ukrainian armed forces in how to address these issues in the current conflict, and he’s just returned from Estonia where he’s been working with Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian forces.
Hello! Magazine’s former Editor in Chief Rosie Nixon talks openly about how she unexpectedly found herself on the brink of burnout after 16 years at Britain’s favourite celebrity magazine.
Despite incredible career success, Rosie was running on empty and didn’t feel the same joy from the adrenalin-fuelled, glamorous publishing world she had once thrived in.
She spent hours walking in the Surrey hills, digging deep into how she felt and what she wanted, and has now trained as a life coach, helping other exhausted mid-lifers reinvent themselves. Rosie remains at Hello! one day a week as Editor at Large.
Photographs by David Venni
Grange Hill star Linda Magistris founded The Good Grief Trust after she lost her partner – BAFTA-winning director Graham Theakston - to a rare cancer and found little support to help her cope with his early death.
Linda has grown it into the UK’s leading bereavement network, bringing more than 900 specialist charities & services together under one umbrella for individuals and health care professionals.
Actors Greg Wise, Afterlife and Downton Abbey star Dame Penelope Wilton and Todd Carty are among its dedicated ambassadors.
The Trust is run for the bereaved, by the bereaved – people who understand different kinds of loss and who can offer some hope, gentle guidance, and expert direction to ensure the right, tailored help is found.
Operation Ringtail culminated in convictions following the smashing of a drugs ring who smuggled more than £1.5 billion worth of cocaine into the UK, hidden in boxes of frozen chicken.
Leading the investigation was this week’s guest, Detective Chief Superintendent Carl Galvin - Head of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit.
Carl talks about his 25 years as a covert operative, the ever-changing face of organised crime & how his expert teams work to stay ahead of the criminals. New crimes are constantly emerging, like the 3D printing of automatic weapons destined for terrorists which led to the first UK conviction for privately manufactured firearms.
Serious and organised crime is estimated to cost the UK taxpayer a staggering £47 billion a year, making it the most significant national security threat to our economy.
Dr Chloe Buiting, known as The Jungle Doctor, is an Australian wildlife vet & conservationist whose love for nature & animals started as a teenager on the remote Lord Howe Island, described by Lord Attenborough as “so extraordinary it’s almost unbelievable.”
Chloe’s work includes fitting prosthetics on elephants in Chiang Mai who have lost limbs through treading on landmines; dehorning rhino in Africa to prevent poachers killing or maiming them & treating koalas burned in the Australian bush fires.
She’s an official Advocate for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize; on the board of Zoos Victoria – the first carbon neutral zoological facility in the world – and a consultant for Fauna & Flora.
2024 is an exciting year for women’s sport, not least with the Olympics in Paris on the horizon - the first Games in history to offer gender parity.
Sue Anstiss MBE has been involved in women’s sport for more than three decades - dedicating much of her working life to fighting for equality and driving change.
We explore the impact of teams like the Lionesses, some fascinating history, the challenges which still lie ahead and what equality in sport can do more broadly within society.
Sue directed the recent Netflix documentary ‘Game On – The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport’ featuring trailblazers like Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, broadcaster Clare Balding and Olympic gold heptathlete Dame Denise Lewis.
As our climate emergency deepens, the CEO of Triodos Bank UK – one of the world’s most sustainable banks – explains how the current global banking system needs strong mandatory regulations to become a catalyst for a more sustainable future and fairer economy.
Dr Bevis Watts is the first, and perhaps only, environmentalist to lead a UK bank and has spoken at key conferences like Blue Earth Summit and COP26.
We explore how our financial world can use nature-based investments to tackle issues which threaten our way of life as well as the planet, providing more help for those in society who need it.
Bevis - former CEO of a wildlife trust and passionate scuba diver - also chats about his Swallows and Amazons-style adventure in a kayak which led to the discovery that wild beavers are back on the River Avon for the first time since Tudor days.
Beaver photographs by Dr. Bevis Watts
When Vogue Philippines asked Artu Nepomuceno to trek to the remote mountain village of Buscalan to photograph 106-year-old tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od, he said yes immediately!
Apo Whang-Od is the last 'mambabatok' of her generation, keeping the thousand-year-old practice of 'batok' alive by training and inspiring her grandnieces in the ancient art of inking. Artu's intimate portraits of Apo Whang-Od - a cultural icon in the Philippines and beyond - graced the cover of Vogue worldwide, re-defining beauty.
He shares the stories and emotions behind what was a very personal journey, humbly insisting he was “just the photographer”. Artu says the spotlight belongs to 106 years of Apo Whang-Od’s pure beauty.
Scientist, painter and former Army helicopter pilot Hannah Shergold on her "fascinating yet peculiar" journey to becoming an artist.
Hannah is one of the UK's most successful self-represented artists, best known for her extraordinary wildlife pieces which have raised more than £300,000 for conservation charities like Tusk and the Invictus Games Team UK.
She shares stories from her missions to austere & remote parts of places like Afghanistan and African trouble spots recovering the wounded in the Lynx; reveals her usual methods of creating her work - joking paint thinner is her assistant - and talks about her passion for psychology.
It’s shocking to learn that two million plastic bags are used every minute and a truckload of plastic is dumped into our ocean every 60 seconds.
Gomi - Japanese for trash - is the name of a young design studio in Brighton who are making stunning bespoke Bluetooth speakers and portable phone chargers with second-use Lime bike batteries and so-called ‘non-recyclable’ waste ordinarily destined for landfill.
Gomi co-founder and designer Tom Meades explains how they actually create the speakers and chargers inspired by artists like Jackson Pollock and why they're collaborating with thought-provoking brands like Paul Smith and Brewdog to reduce our impact on the planet and make something meaningful that lasts a lifetime.
Against the backdrop of an ancient temperate rainforest at Cabilla on Bodmin Moor, a high-flying couple - both deeply affected by mental illness – have dramatically changed their lives and turned to the restorative powers of nature to help them and others heal.
Merlin Hanbury-Tenison served as a British Army Major and completed three tours of Afghanistan, but had a breakdown triggered by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from an IED explosion. His wife Lizzie, who worked with dynamic founders of brands like Green and Blacks and Charlotte Tilbury, suffered burnout and postnatal depression.
Together they’ve created a nature-inspired relaxing space for retreats where stressed out, worn-out people – including US military personnel and exhausted nurses - can recharge and reconnect with nature. Sound baths, somatic movement, wild water swimming, guided walks in the forest, yoga, pilates are just some of the offerings.
Photo by John Hersey
Photo by Bex Aston
Photo by Jenna Foxton
Photo by Sophie Bolesworth
Photo by Beth Druce
Photo by Bex Aston
Frustrated by abandoned fishing nets - known as ‘ghost gear’ - dumped on their local Cornish beaches and coastline, marine biologists & keen surfers Harry Dennis and Gavin Parker searched for a sustainable solution.
They discovered the very properties which make discarded fishing gear such a threat to the ocean & marine life - it’s abundance, strength, durability and flexibility - make it a perfect material to work with, and so risked everything to set up Waterhaul.
After much trial and error, they’re collecting the nets and end-of-life material, recycling the plastic, separating the polymers, and turning harmful waste products into stylish sunglasses and eyewear, with plans to scale their already successful business.
Recently back from a scientific study to the South Pole, health tech entrepreneur Dr Jack Kreindler talks about his life in emergency and high-altitude medicine and how we can put more life into our years.
Jack says he thinks of health as a gift and asset born of luck, inheritance, and a wise investment strategy with its purpose to not merely extend our days but to help us live our fullest lives.
Jack has worked with stars like Alan Shearer, Robbie Savage and Davina McCall on the extreme Comic and Sport Relief challenges and, in our podcast, explores how we can all ‘kick ass’ in our 80s and 90s thanks to the latest health tech as well as embracing fundamental basics like sleep, hydration, community, good nutrition and music.
Jack has also created WellFounded to enhance the mental and physical health of some of the most successful entrepreneurs and founders, treating them in much the same way as elite athletes, and he runs the ACT for Cancer Foundation with his wife.
South Pole drone footage courtesy of Taavet Hinrikus
Jude Tebbutt was on holiday in Kenya with her husband David in 2011 when she was snatched in the dead of night by Somali pirates wielding AK47s.
Unbeknown to Jude at the time, the gunmen murdered her husband that night and held her for ransom in squalor, with barely any food, in filthy conditions for six and a half months.
Jude explains how she developed techniques to help her survive, stay mentally strong, cope with the daily threat of being shot and make it home “without going mad” to her wonderful 25-year-old son Ollie who negotiated her eventual release. Jude is a patron of Sir Terry Waite’s charity Hostage International – supporting kidnap victims and their families, and author of A Long Walk Home.
Photographs courtesy of Stephanie Belton Photography
Photograph courtesy of N Nastia Photography
Expert mountain guide Dawa Geljen Sherpa grew up in a big family in Lukla in Nepal – known as The Gateway to Everest.
As a young boy he worked hard tending his parents’ livestock with no access to school until he ran away from home aged ten in search of an education, funded by work he did on Everest as a kitchen porter.
After travelling the world guiding expeditions on some of the world’s most challenging mountains, Dawa founded Classrooms in the Clouds so children in the poorest, remotest parts of Nepal can learn.
The charity has so far built 70 earthquake-resistant, warm, safe classrooms and sponsored 26 female teachers as role models.
Oli France is back home in Wigan after completing the first of seven extraordinary expeditions – to travel under his own steam from the lowest to the highest point of every continent - an extreme challenge which has been five years in the planning.
He’s just cycled the equivalent of London to Moscow through Africa – facing furnace-like temperatures in Djibouti; hostilities & traffic chaos in Ethiopia; the kindness of the Masai in Kenya, as well as the knowledge he was a perfect ‘meal on wheels’ for lions! He finished on the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Oli explains what drives him to push himself to the limit, how he manages risk and builds mental resilience, as well as talks us through the expeditions ahead, including sub-zero conditions in the Antarctic, Mount Denali in Alaska, a 2,000- mile cycle across the Australian Outback and ocean row in Oceania, and Everest in Asia.
If you watched the King’s Coronation Concert, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee music extravaganza, or were one of the millions tuned in to Prince Harry’s wedding, you’ll have heard some of choir director Mark De-Lisser’s arrangements.
Mark puts bespoke choirs together for major events, liaising with artists like Lionel Ritchie, Alicia Keys, Katie Perry and Andrea Bocelli. But he tells Helen it took years to discover his purpose in life after a series of failures in the wrong direction.
Mark gets the nation singing; leads Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir; features in shows like Songs of Praise and The Masked Singer and is about to embark on quantifiable research to discover how singing affects our bodies and brains.
Olly Williams and Suzi Winstanley – known simply as Olly and Suzi – have travelled the world together tracking, painting, sketching and photographing endangered species in the wild.
Their unique method of creating their art has led to powerful interactions and encounters with bears and buffalo, sharks and seals, hyenas and wild cats, and more.
They’ve trekked through jungles, deserts, the poles and remote wildernesses experiencing the natural world at its most raw and humbling and have become passionate conservationists, using their art to highlight the threats many of their subjects face.
Olly and Suzi’s work is held in private and public collections - including the Damien Hirst “Murder Me” collection and at the Natural History Museum - and Olly has just published his first poetry book, Draw of the Wild.
- Images courtesy of Greg Williams Photography and ollysuzi.com
Acclaimed Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska opened this year’s prestigious First Night of the Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall and went straight to Glyndebourne for a run of Benjamin Britten’s iconic A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
But in-between her high-profile musical appearances, Dalia – who was born in Ukraine - has been driving trucks into the war-torn city of Lviv, delivering generators, sleeping bags, warm clothes and essential supplies to those struggling to survive, as well as performing there.
She tells Helen she considered giving up her career in music for a while to concentrate on volunteering full-time but has decided to use her platform to keep people informed of the ongoing atrocities and to ensure the world doesn’t tire of the plight of Ukrainian people.
Photographs by Veikko Kahkonen
Find out how Theresa Patricios, Head of Investments at Convex, and Cam Parker from Swiss Re overcame extreme mental and physical challenges to complete the World’s Toughest Row in record time.
The Pacific Discovery 2023 four-strong team rowed 2,800 miles in just 34 days, 8 hours and 22 mins – the fastest mixed team ever – and have become the first reinsurance team to complete the race.
Theresa and Cam reflect on how they kept going through harsh weather, serious technical issues, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation. And they share their excitement at passing on the baton so another industry team can rise to the challenge, raising more funds for mental health charity Mind.
Photographs courtesy of World’s Toughest Row and Penny Bird
Journalist John McCarthy was held hostage in Lebanon for more than five years. Now, three decades on, he’s helping others in similar situations through his role as Patron of Hostage International.
The charity was originally founded by John’s former cellmate and great friend Sir Terry Waite who himself was held for more almost five years, much of it alone.
John reflects on the fanfare he came home to in Britain, how the experience has influenced his life and how honoured he is to help Terry and Hostage International support families and former hostages through the ordeal of kidnap and illegal detention, which remains a global problem.
John's return to RAF Lyneham, UK
John reunited with former cellmates Brian Keenan and Terry Waite
Jill Morrell campaigning for John's release
John McCarthy with former girlfriend Jill Morrell
YouTube star Geoff Marshall reveals how and why he started making great quality, informative, interesting, fun transport films which have attracted more than 82 million views on his channel and are appreciated by his 314,000 plus subscribers.
Geoff travelled to all 2,563 trains in the UK followed by Ireland's 198 and held the Guinness World Record twice for visiting every London Underground station in the fastest time!
He shares his YouTube story, his passion for transport, chats about his new stand-up show - World’s Biggest Tube Nerd – and, in a rare contemplative moment, talks about a moving film he made about how travelling by train can sometimes help when people feel low.
Dr Who celebrates 60 years in November with special new episodes featuring former Time Lord David Tennant and Catherine Tate, and the release of an audio book voiced by impressionist Jon Culshaw in which the third and fourth Doctors meet and work together. A life-long Dr Who fan, Jon came up with the idea for The Box of Terrors, written by Lizzie Hopley, based on Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker's time as the Doctors. In part two of our special, Jon talks about the responsibility of playing David Bowie in an audio documentary on what it might of been like in the studio as Bowie recorded his final album, Blackstar. Plenty of other guests drop in on this week's podcast including HRH King Charles, Chris Eubank, Tony Blair, William Hague, Les Dawson and Julian Clary.
On this week’s podcast we hear from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, King Charles, Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis and former PM Boris Johnson, thanks to the incredible talent and wit of impressionist Jon Culshaw.
Jon, who is busy rehearsing two shows for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe – LENA and Imposter Syndrome – stops off for a chat and some laughs on his way to record the latest episode of BBC Radio 4’s comedy programme Dead Ringers.
He shares his thoughts on how satire has changed since he first graced our screens on Spitting Image; recalls butterflies the size of seagulls when he got through to the then Prime Minister Tony Blair at No 10 posing as Leader of the Opposition William Hague, and explains how he starts to build and develop a new voice.
Scott Mitchell talks about his life loving Dame Barbara Windsor - one of Britain’s national treasures - and their heart-breaking battle with dementia.
Scott is an Ambassador for Alzheimers' Research UK and is involved in campaigning, fundraising, and taking part in trials to help find a cure for a disease which affects more than a million people in Britain.
Scott says he feels blessed to have shared almost three decades with Carry On and Eastenders star Barbara and shares lots of happy, wonderful memories of their life together.
Acclaimed British painter and Academician David Remfry confesses he thought he’d never be asked to coordinate the Royal Academy's world-famous Summer Exhibition. When the call came, the 80-year-old artist says he was over the moon and said yes immediately.
Helen catches up with David at his London studio surrounded by his stunning work to find out what’s involved; hear about his colourful life in London and New York, and his daily passion for Afrobeats dancing.
David recalls leaving Hull in the '60s with his paintings packed in the back of a £50 van to seek his fortune in London; reminisces about living for two decades at the infamous Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan and talks about how his love of people inspires much of his work.
Main photograph courtesy of the Royal Academy of Arts
Twenty-five years ago, a young hat-maker secured a grant from The Prince’s Trust to help fund her own atelier.
So as milliner Jess Collett joined millions watching the King’s Coronation, she felt grateful for the help she’d received but also knew all eyes were on the stunning head pieces she’d designed for the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte in collaboration with Alexander McQueen. Jess said she’d waited "all her hat-life" for that moment!
She’s designed for Madonna, Helena Bonham Carter, Princess Eugenie, Samantha Cameron, Pippa Middleton and many more famous people, but her passion is making hats for everyone and seeing the confidence the right one can bring.
In part two of our special with multi-BAFTA and Emmy-winning wildlife and documentary film-maker Doug Allan, he discusses climate change and, in particular, the impact it’s having on the polar regions.
Doug says if the world had paid more attention to indigenous people in the Arctic and elsewhere, and listened seriously, we might have been more aware of the dangers ahead.
Doug shares more incredible stories behind capturing breathtaking material for landmark series like The Blue Planet and Frozen Planet as well as filming with Sir David Attenborough, who says cameramen don’t come much more special than Doug.
Sir David Attenborough says cameramen don’t come much more special than Doug Allan.
The multi-BAFTA and Emmy-winning wildlife cameraman has filmed some of the most spectacular sequences for landmark programmes like Blue Planet. Orcas attacking gray whales off California; polar bears trying to catch belugas in a frozen hole in Arctic Canada and killer whales washing seals off ice floes in Antarctica. All on-screen firsts.
In part one of our two-part special, Doug recounts wonderful stories and adventures from his 60+ trips to the poles over the last five decades, filming underwater and on land.
He also recalls how he managed to escape the terrifying clutches of a determined walrus who mistook him for a seal!
Journalist Kate Silverton tells Helen why she left a hugely successful career in broadcasting to become a child therapist.
Since studying psychology at Durham University, Kate has been fascinated with the complexities of how the brain works and the role it plays in shaping behaviour as well as our future mental health.
She works closely with The Princess of Wales on Her Royal Highness’s Shaping Us campaign and says they are both passionate about the science behind the importance of a child’s early years.
Kate’s first book – There’s No Such Thing as Naughty – is a best-seller and her second, There’s Still No Such Thing as Naughty, is due out this autumn.
Crime reporter Martin Brunt has covered some of the biggest and most notorious crime stories in British history for Sky News for the last three decades.
Still working in 24-hour breaking news, he’s finally found time to write a book - No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason – filled with previously undisclosed details and fascinating inside track.
Martin shares gripping dispatches about his relationship with violent prisoner Charles Bronson; an unusual encounter with his music hero Sir Paul McCartney; discusses the nations insatiable appetite for crime, both real-life and fiction, and reveals how a fascination with Valerio Viccei, the charismatic Italian robber behind Britain’s biggest ever jewellery heist, ended in a death threat!
Photograph by Mark Senn
Convicted robber Valerio Viccei
Helen joins Chef Tom Sellers at his stunning new London restaurant, Story Cellar in Neal’s Yard, for an honest and open chat about his journey and the next chapter in Tom’s story.
From the age of 16, he worked unforgiving hours in the kitchens of some of the world's most influential chefs – Tom Aikens, Thomas Keller and Rene Redzepi – and earned his first Michelin star just 16 weeks after opening Restaurant Story near Tower Bridge.
Ten years on and two stars to his name, he talks about the fear and pressure of opening somewhere new, being in the right mindset for a new challenge, how his journey has shaped him, provenance and his love of food, including baked beans on toast!
He also shares the narrative behind some of his well-known dishes, including the beef dripping candle which was inspired by his dad and his working-class roots.
Daniel Wiegand shares the story of how he came up with the concept and architecture for the electric Lilium jet as a young engineering student inspired by the V-22 Osprey - a vertical take-off US military aircraft - and how he’s grown the company from the ground up.
More than a billion euros and some of the finest minds in aerospace and engineering are behind the creation of the world’s first, zero emissions electric vertical take-off and landing jet, an eVTOL, which it’s hoped will revolutionise the way we travel regionally.
Helen becomes the first British journalist to fly in the simulator at Lilium’s HQ in Munich where more than 800 people from 56 countries are working towards the aircraft's certification in 2025.
Blue Marine Foundation’s co-founder and former award-winning British film-maker George Duffield explains how overfishing is destroying the ocean’s biodiversity and its ability to store carbon yet is one of the world’s most solvable problems.
George hopes robust data gleaned from Blue’s partnership with scientists from Exeter University and Convex in the five-year Convex Seascape Survey will reveal how much carbon is stored in the seabed and he's confident the findings will provide a solution to help with runaway global temperatures.
Helen also hears some of George's favourite adventures as a diver and wildlife photographer - swimming with whale sharks and hammerheads in the Galapagos and diving under the ice with leopard seals in Antartica, which led to George winning the Natural History Museum's Underwater Photographer of the Year.
Herbert Hall Winery in Kent produces just 20,000 bottles of English sparkling wine a year but can be found in some of the most prestigious places, including Fortnum & Mason, and King Charles’s Highgrove collection.
Herbert farmed in Marden at the end of the nineteenth century. His great-grandson Nick explains why the land is perfect for growing grapes like Chardonnay, Pinor Noir and Pinot Meunier, and making wine in the Methode Champenoise, known as the traditional method.
Climatic changes have seen a dramatic rise in successful wineries in the south of England – and the perfect conditions have tempted Champagne Houses like Taittinger to buy acreage here in the UK.
Photographs by Andrew Yates
Hot on the heels of his exciting new album release, Grammy winning Bluegrass fiddler Michael Cleveland wows Helen with his breathtaking playing, live from his studio in Indiana.
Michael was born blind and is partially deaf, yet has risen to the absolute top of his game, collaborating with music legends like Alison Krauss, Bela Fleck and Vince Gill. As a youngster he played alongside ‘the father of Bluegrass’ Bill Monroe and has won countless awards.
Thanks to Airgigs.com, Michael records tracks for musicians all over the world from his basement studio. Lovin' of the Game - with his band Flamekeeper - is out now.
Wim Hof Instructor Belinda Raphael explains the many health benefits and compelling science behind the famous Wim Hof Method, and shares stories from a recent expedition to Poland with The Iceman himself.
Belinda discovered cold-water therapy accidentally after she was left suffering chronic pain following a severe attack by a patient in her role as a critical care nurse practitioner.
Now she’s one of Wim’s 900 Warriors, teaching breath work and mindset techniques to increase cold water exposure and allow people to feel the invigorating and life affirming advantages.
Wim Hof has set more than two dozen world records for extreme temperature exposure – both in freezing cold and blistering heat – but his mission is to pass on the what he's learnt so millions can experience the health benefits.
The Metaverse is predicted to be a fast growing trillion-dollar industry by 2030, but how much do we know about it or understand how it might enrich our lives?
Vault Hill Founder/CEO Jimi Daodu and his team are building the first human centric virtual world designed to enhance human experiences.
Jimi takes us on a fascinating journey from his offices in Dubai through the endless exciting possibilities the Metaverse has to offer and explains how we can be part of this 3D phenomenon.
Helen and Jimi discuss everything from the virtual property boom to how it can be used for education, work, entertainment, climate change and they explore the measures needed to keep us safe.
The Black Cop – winner of Best British Short Film at last year’s BAFTAs – is the story of Gamal ‘G’ Turawa’s life - growing up with a white foster family in Kent, abuse by his biological parents and his experiences in the Metropolitan Police.
Despite the racism he suffered in the force, including having his face painted white by fellow officers, ‘G’ is proud to have served 25 years in the Met. He explains to Helen how he tried to fit in, desperately wished he was white, and concealed the fact he’s gay.
G now speaks all over the world, including to police forces, to help people own their story, find a sense of belonging and embrace who they are. The Black Cop was made by film-maker Cherish Oteka and can be watched on You Tube.
Theresa Patricios - Head of Investments for Convex Insurance - and life-long friend Cam Parker talk about the mental and physical challenges of their upcoming 2,800-mile row across the Pacific, raising funds for mental health charity Mind.
As part of an organised race, their four-man team – Pacific Discovery 2023 – estimate spending 40 days at sea, rowing in two-hour slots, and carrying out research for the Convex Seascape Survey. Their ambition - to become the first re-insurance team to tackle an ocean.
Theresa has been drawn to the sea since she was a child growing up in Johannesburg and Cam is an accomplished free diver with the same passion for the ocean and an Atlantic row under his belt.
“Seeing John hold his bear made it really hit home that he was just a child when he was facing the Holocaust in Hungary” Rankin
Holocaust Survivor John Hajdu describes life as a small boy in Budapest as Jews were rounded up & killed, and his parents taken to concentration/labour camps in World War 2.
He describes the fear of hiding in a dark cupboard as four-year-old, surviving in a cramped ghetto with little food and dead bodies on the streets, being forced to wear a Yellow Star, and finally escaping Hungary through a minefield with just his teddy bear & clothes given to him in Vienna.
John, now 85, finds it’s desperately painful watching history repeat itself in Ukraine.
He was honoured to be photographed recently by Rankin who said: “John’s bear is a tangible reminder that the stories we are telling happened in recent history and we must learn from these events – for a better future.”
* Photographs by Rankin
Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies / economist Paul Johnson explores the state of Britain’s economy and explains what’s needed for recovery and vital economic growth.
Paul – who writes a column for The Times newspaper – says the absolute priority is for inflation, currently at a 40-year high, to come down and be under control, and explains how trade-offs are essential.
He's a regular on programmes like Today on BBC Radio 4 and made front page headlines when he predicted Liz Truss’s economic pledges as she fought to become Prime Minister would crash the public finances, which they did in her Autumn mini budget.
Light Artist Chris Levine takes us behind the scenes on his sittings at Buckingham Palace to create the first holographic portraits of The Queen and explains how Her Majesty embraced his innovative and complex techniques.
‘Lightness of Being’ - which captures the Queen with her eyes closed wearing the Diadem she wore to her Coronation – and ‘Equanimity’ hang in London’s National Portrait Gallery.
Meditation informs Chris’s work - the Queen told him gardening at Balmoral was hers. He talks about being the wild card for the shoot; how he was allowed to choose what Her Majesty wore and their private audiences afterwards to look through the work.
He also reveals the Dalai Lama chuckled a lot as he posed for a rare portrait to mark his 80th birthday; recounts talking holograms with David Bowie in a chance conversation as the rock icon left the dry cleaners and hints at an upcoming major light project at Stonehenge.
Hazel Findlay has been climbing for 27 of her 33 years. She tells Helen how tackling the most difficult, vertical, steep rocks is what motivates her most and shares her joy of sleeping in a makeshift hammock hanging from a sheer rock face.
On a recent expedition to Greenland, Hazel made two ‘first ascents’, climbing massive walls that no one has ever conquered, and explains how much harder it is to stay focussed in sub-zero temperatures and snow storms, with painful bare hands and frozen feet.
Inspired by the mental & psychologicalchallenges of her very physical sport, Hazel has set up a coaching business - Strong Mind - to help other athletes overcome their fears and limitations – lessons she says are valuable for life in general.
Images by Jon Griffith and Cameron Maier Footage by Max Montgomery
More people have been to space than have been Yeoman Warders at The Tower of London - a role created by King Henry V11 after the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
Former Royal Marine Commando Andy Merry talks about the Yeoman Warders’ role in modern day history, giving us a behind the scenes look at guarding Her Majesty The Queen as she lay in state; their involvement in the proclamation of King Charles 111, and in the upcoming Coronation.
From his home in the shadow of The Crown Jewels, Andy shares some of the lesser-known stories and tales from the iconic Royal palace and fortress’s thousand-year history and invites Helen to witness the Ceremony of the Keys which has taken place every night at The Tower for the last 700 years. Andy also talks about tackling Mont Blanc after his MS diagnosis.
In our first podcast of 2023, Mindset Coach Kamran Bedi talks about how to deal with the overwhelming feelings many people have as a new year dawns, and how to achieve a positive mindset and live more in the present.
Kamran – author of The Anxiety Antidote & Your Mind is Your Home – tells Helen that now is a good time to take a look at our minds and shares positive tips on how to start.
He also reflects on the struggles he had with his own mental health in his twenties when there wasn’t as much help available and reveals the tools he uses to live a happy, content life.
Entrepreneur and pioneer Margo Marrone reveals how she grew her business from a shop in London’s Kings Road 20 years ago - at a time when there was a lot of scepticism about ‘organic’ - into a global brand with a presence in more than 40 countries.
Margo – a pharmacist, homeopath, yogi and shaman - has dedicated her life to healing and finding natural ways to promote wellness of the mind, body and skin.
Her passion started as a young child growing up in Iran, inspired by the vibrant bazaars and remedies her mum and grandmother used. She qualified first as a pharmacist before exploring the world of homeopathy and the science behind a more natural approach.
Sam Zeller shares the story behind lifting the first ever World Cup for Physical Disability Rugby League for England, beating New Zealand 42-10 in a tough game to become champions.
Sam - a 23-year-old claims adjuster at Convex - says the England team's focus is now on getting more exposure for the game to ensure more people are able to play.
The England side is made up of players with cerebral palsy, brain injuries, missing limbs and so on, but Sam - who was born without a right hand - says the split makes the team special. He talks about training under former England full-back Shaun Briscoe, the commitment of Australian comedian/player Adam Hills to the sport and the pride his parents felt watching the game.
Consultant anaesthetist Dr Manish Raval of Moorfield’s Eye Hospital reflects on 11 years volunteering for Orbis, travelling to places like Peru, Zambia and Mongolia to work on surgeries on board their state-of-the-art Flying Eye Hospital and in the community.
Manish explains that 1.1 billion people have some sight loss yet 90% is avoidable. Orbis - a non profit organisation - empowers local medics in developing countries with the skills and resources to fight blindness on their own, teaching surgeries and techniques.
Manish specialises in paediatric anaesthesia and takes us round the world with examples of the charity's work.
In Ethiopia Orbis is heavily involved in eradicating trachoma – a bacterial infection which is the leading preventable cause of blindness. In Bangladesh volunteers teach cataract procedures and in Vietnam, where diabetes is a big problem, diabetic retinopathy surgery.
It’s Friday night at St Columba’s Church in London’s Knightsbridge. Helen joins Haircuts4Homeless founder Stewart Roberts at work and chats to some of those who turn up for a free cut and warm meal.
Stewart started offering homeless people haircuts eight years ago. He now has 600 volunteers who have given more than 40,000 cuts all over the UK and Ireland, and the charity is proud that Game of Thrones star Lena Headey is an ambassador.
Hear Me, See Me - a beautiful book of black and white portraits of Haircuts4Homeless guests shot by Jack Eames – is on sale to help raise funds so the work can continue. Stewart says: “It might be ‘just a haircut’ but it’s the kindness shown that makes a homeless person know people care.”
Portraits by Jack Eames
As COP27 approaches, Callum Roberts - Professor of Marine Conservation at the University of Exeter - talks about the Convex Seascape Survey, an ambitious five-year scientific research programme to fathom out how the ocean could be a vital asset in slowing planetary warming.
The seabed is the ultimate sink for carbon emissions but has been overlooked and undervalued because of insufficient and inconclusive data.
Working with BLUE Marine Foundation, scientists will gather and analyse accurate data to quantify how healthy seascapes thriving with life can absorb carbon, in a project which has never been more critical.
Globally renowned business expert Adam Kingl talks to Helen about the three generations in today’s workforce - baby boomers, Gen X and Gen Y
By 2025, it’s estimated Gen Y will make up 75% of the global workforce but a typical Gen Y doesn’t tend to stay in a job long-term.
Adam explains the paradigms and events which have led to the creation of a generation who demand a better work-life balance; more flexibility; positive career development; commitment to a more sustainable world and strong team culture.
We discuss reverse mentoring, side hustles, digital natives, Gen Z and the importance of assessing the health of a company through the lens of a sociologist – by observing behaviours.
As Hampton Court Palace prepares to host the 10th Tusk Conservation Awards, Helen is in Northern Kenya with the awards' partner/co-creators Ninety One to meet their first ever winner, Tom Lalampaa.
Tom - CEO of the North Rangelands Trust - explains how he’s found success brokering peace with feuding tribes in Northern Kenya using a conservancy method to ensure communities, wildlife and the habitat can thrive together.
Tom tells Helen about life in the Samburu Tribe, growing up with nomadic parents and 16 siblings, and reflects on what it meant to receive his award in London from Tusk’s royal patron HRH William, the Prince of Wales.
As the UK’s cost of living crisis deepens, Helen meets the Deputy Editor of MoneySavingExpert.com - Helen Saxon - for advice on what we can all do to survive the coming months.
With energy rates soaring, as well as food, broadband, council tax and fuel going up in a way we haven’t seen since the 1970s, Helen shares her expertise and offers some practical advice.
Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis started the business 20 years ago when a discount email to friends took off. Martin and his MSE team have gone on to help millions of people cut costs, find great deals, beat the system and fight their corner.
60 years ago Sean Connery uttered those immortal words “Bond, James Bond” when Dr No premiered in October 1962.
As the franchise celebrates the milestone with a focus on the iconic music scores, Helen talks to Neal Callow - Art Director of the last five Bond films starring Daniel Craig – and Austrian entrepreneur Jakob Falkner – the man behind the world’s first permanent Bond installation.
Neal and Jakob created ‘007 Elements’ 3,000m above sea level inside a glacier in Solden in the Austrian Alps where the most dramatic chase scenes from Spectre were filmed at Ice Q.
Neal gives an insight into what it’s like being part of the Bond family, the pleasure of working with Daniel Craig and explains why designing Elements to pay homage to the music, films, gadgets, action-scenes, characters and locations with Jakob was so special.
Music from Bond 25 - played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Fresh from performing 25 one-woman shows at the Fringe, New York comedian Emily Wilson talks to Helen about her “life-changing” experience in Edinburgh.
In the show, written by Emily and Sam Blumenfeld, Emily shares the humiliating story of being a finalist on The X Factor USA when she was just 15, performing in front of Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger and the other judges.
Through hysterical, self-deprecating stand-up, archive footage and original songs, Emily transports audiences back to 2011 and the embarrassing moments of her rollercoaster journey through boot camp to the finals and - boy - do we share her pain!
FIXED will be in London at the Soho Theatre January 12th through the 21st.
Ten-year-old Betsi Rose Powley tells Helen that sharing her battle with Ewing Sarcoma - a rare form of cancer - with 70,000+ followers on Instagram has kept her positive through gruelling chemo & radiotherapy, and made her happy she's helped others cope with with their treatment.
In her first podcast, Betsi says making short films from her hospital bed at The Royal Marden kept her going, gave her the confidence to talk to other young cancer patients for support and sparked the idea for a unique project to help other poorly children.
She’s raised more than £23,000 so she can design pyjamas with special areas for tubes & ports so PJs no longer get cut up during treatment and has started her own label BAM Wear - Betsi And Monkey. Follow @betsiatthemarsden
Pilot and founder of Spitfires.com Matt Jones shares extraordinary stories with Helen from his record-breaking and risky circumnavigation of the globe in G-IRTY - a beautifully restored 1943 Mk IX Silver Spitfire.
Matt and his team flew 22,138 nautical miles around the world in just four months, crossing deserts, red mountains, barren areas of Russia, fields of ice and stunning cobalt lakes - climbing “a pilot’s Everest”.
They aspired to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the iconic single-engine aircraft, honouring its role in history, and succeeded. A stunning documentary of the expedition is out soon.
This week Helen visits a small primary school in Ntumbiri in Northern Kenya to meet Ephantus Mugo - winner of Disney's Conservation Hero Award 2020 - to find out and experience how children are learning the value of conservation to improve their lives.
Ephantus explains the challenges rural communities in Kenya face and how, in his role as Conservation Education Programme Coordinator for Lewa Conservancy, he’s helping them to solve those challenges and co-exist in harmony with the beautiful endangered species who share the land.
Ephantus grew up in the coffee producing area of Mount Kenya seeing nothing more than squirrels (!) in terms of wildlife. He tells Helen what drives him to make a difference and talks about the success of the Next Generation of Conservationists project pupils took part in with families from investment firm Ninety One.
Stephen King described Sarah Pinborough’s psychological thriller Behind Her Eyes as ‘bloody brilliant’. Netflix snapped it up and made it into a hugely successful six-part series in record time
The ending - #wtfthatending - trended on social media and the book, like many of Sarah’s others, shot to the top of best-sellers lists all over the world.
Sarah talks us through what happened, how her mum fell asleep when it aired, how the ending of all her books has to be written first, and teases her new thriller Insomnia which is also being adapted for TV.
This week I’m in Northern Kenya with an 11-person team from investment firm Ninety One to document their unique experience taking part in Tusk's annual marathon through the beautiful Lewa Wildlife Conservancy alongside some of the world’s most endangered species.
The corporate team raised money for Tusk and visited incredible projects funded by the conservation charity, including schools, to see first-hand the difference the fundraising makes.
More than £6 million has been raised since the marathon began 22 years ago, helping save the black rhino population from the brink of extinction, protecting critically endangered Grevy's zebra, and providing healthcare, water, education programmes, and much more.
Find out how Emily, Steph, Ethan, Sheena and Marius from Ninety One’s London and Cape Town offices got on in the African Bush competing in one of the world's most challenging marathons and the impact the trip had on them all.
London’s Ambulance Service is the busiest in the world, receiving around seven thousand 999 calls a day.
Jules Lockett shares stories from her 21 years at the heart of the Emergency Operations Centre - as a call-handler, trainer & now EOC General Manager – and reveals her pride in wearing the NHS/Ambulance uniform.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Jules talks about 50 years of Pride and how London Ambulance Service supports LGBT, ensuring staff can be themselves and feel supported. Jules is Co-Chair of the LAS LGBT Network.
In part two of our special, F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart explains the dangers of emotion & how he managed to remove that emotion before a race by forcing himself to read despite having severe dyslexia.
The former three-times World Champion talks about how dangerous racing was in the sixties & seventies, his crash at Spa in 1966 and the safety measures he fought hard to bring in, even though it didn’t make him popular.
Sir Jackie, who remains one of motor sport’s greatest ambassadors, reveals how he started the champagne spraying tradition on the podium by accident & chats about today's star Lewis Hamilton.
In part one of our two-part special, former three-times World Champion Sir Jackie shares stories from his heyday in racing – the close bond with other F1 drivers & their families, the excitement, glamour & adrenalin but also the incredible dangers & sadness of losing friends on the track.
Jackie’s beloved wife of 60 years, Helen, was his stopwatch, timing his laps to the millisecond with unwavering accuracy. Lady Stewart is suffering from dementia and Jackie talks about how he’s using the sharpness & speed of motorsport to inspire the finest young PhDs in the world to find a cure.
Some of those PhDs will be attending the Sir Jackie Stewart Classic in Scotland, an event to help raise funds for his charity, Race Against Dementia.
Simon Jeffries, co-founder of The Natural Edge, explains how mindset is a skillset & the path to long-term happiness begins & ends with our minds.
Drawing from his own personal experiences, including eight years & three tours as a Special Forces soldier, Simon shares some simple tips for making positive change, starting the journey to turn our potential into peak performance.
If you’ve plateaued, hit a wall, or feel frustrated with life, then Simon’s words will resonate & hopefully help you see how a change of mindset is key & there for everyone.
Led Zeppelin’s frontman Robert Plant is to thank for two of the nation’s most loved & respected broadcasters hitting the road to share extraordinary stories from a combined 100 years in the music business.
Bob Harris & Danny Baker have been touring Britain with ‘Harris and Baker’s Backstage Pass’ recounting tales from the most seminal moments in music history featuring icons like David Bowie, Marc Bolan, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Van Morrison, The Beatles & many more greats.
Helen secures her own backstage pass and catches up with Bob & Danny in their dressing room at the New Wimbledon Theatre in London.
To mark Dementia Action Week, Dr Dennis Chan from UCL reveals the ground-breaking work he & research colleagues are doing to detect Alzheimer’s disease - one of the biggest causes of dementia - years, even decades, before symptoms like memory loss show.
Dr Chan explains how Virtual Reality is useful in testing & how everyday digital data like our heart rates, sleep patterns & breathing patterns gathered on smart devices can be crunched to identify ‘fingerprints’ which allow the earliest signs of diseases like Alzheimer’s to be detected.
EDoN – Early Detection of Neurodegenerative diseases – is an ambitious global project, spearheaded by Alzheimer’s Research UK. It’s hoped this kind of big data will help scientists like Dennis make faster breakthroughs, enabling them to test new preventions and treatments.
Helen travels to the southern tip of the Western Isles to learn everything there is to know about one of life’s great delicacies & what it’s like to be an oyster farmer in one of the most beautiful, remote places in the Outer Hebrides.
Gerard MacDonald founded the company after a visit to France & the realisation that the cold pristine waters of the Atlantic could offer the perfect habitat. Landing on a white sandy beach in a small aircraft, Helen discovers Gerry’s work is not for the faint-hearted!
Triathlete Dame Flora Duffy dreamt of winning the Olympics from the age of seven when she started competing in triathlons in Bermuda where she was born & spent her childhood.
Fast-forward to Tokyo 2020, and the 34-year-old won gold in typhoon conditions – finishing her cycle, swim & run more than a minute clear of Britain’s silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown.
Flora gives Helen an insight into the mindset of an Olympic champion, the pressure she felt as favourite in Japan, her brutal training regime and how she has her sights set on defending her Commonwealth title this year & her Olympic title at Paris 2024.
Line of Duty star Vicky McClure introduces us to her Dementia Choir, subject of a third series on BBC1 this autumn.
She explains how science has proved the positive impact music has on those living with dementia, something she sees when she’s with the choir members and experienced with her nonna Iris, who died of dementia.
Vicky also reveals how she uses music to help her prepare for roles in dramas like Trigger Point; chats about an incredible decade in Line of Duty, and the first film she's made with her production company - Build Your Own Films - in her home town of Nottingham.
After 24 years as a correspondent, Foreign Affairs Editor & Diplomatic Editor at Sky News, award-winning journalist Tim Marshall has used his experiences to write best-selling books using maps of crucial regions to explain the geo-political strategies of world powers.
Tim - who is commentating on the situation in Ukraine and writing for publications like The New Statesman - explains why he thinks this conflict is the best example in the world of geography being a determining factor.
He tells Helen there's been an outpouring of need for context in what he describes as a 'watershed moment' in our history - from both a detailed level on the ground and a bird's-eye view of why this is happening and the deep background & history to it all.
Coinneach Macleod, who comes from a small crofting settlement on the remote island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, reveals how he’s unexpectedly become known to millions all over the world as The Hebridean Baker.
Coinneach’s unique blend of delicious recipes & fascinating stories from the Scottish Islands, music, stunning scenery, culinary secrets from his Aunt Bellag (93) & Gaelic in his one-minute baking films has attracted more than 17 million views on TikTok.
The fact the videos went viral have led to publication of a beautiful cookery book - featuring a “wee slice” of the Hebridean life Coinneach's so proud to share - numerous TV appearances & an upcoming book tour of America.
Actor Neil Morrissey was catapulted to fame in Men Behaving Badly & has been on our screens for the last four decades, in drama & comedy.
The Good Karma Hospital star tells Helen about growing up in children's homes from the age of ten, being taken away from his parents, and how acting saved him.
He also explains what it was like being a household name through the phone hacking years, talks about his pub, brewing his own Morrissey Blonde, new projects with broadcaster Sara Cox & Richard Osman & his love of relaxing in the middle of nowhere in France.
The Ukrainian refugee crisis is the fastest growing in Europe since the second world war & could last years, with more than 2 million people already abandoning their homes following Russia’s invasion.
Founder & CEO of Indigo Volunteers Holly Penalver talks about her charity’s role at the Ukranian borders, the extraordinary international response & the need for the UK to urgently issue more visas.
Holly and her teams work in the field in countries like Serbia, Bosnia & Greece long after the headlines are over, coordinating the grassroots refugee response and matching volunteers to organisations which provide vital support.
She says the current momentum for Ukraine is unlikely to be sustained therefore explains the need to pace ourselves for the mid- to long-term humanitarian crisis.
To mark International Women's day, we hear from Shabnam Dawran – a national news presenter from Afghanistan – who made headlines all over the world for standing up to the Taliban in Kabul when she was refused entry to her TV studios in the first few days of the new regime.
The 26-year-old was forced to flee her home country a few months ago after being threatened at gun point & sharing her story on social media.
With support from Convex, Shabnam is building a new life in the UK with her younger brother and sister but dreams of returning to her family in Afghanistan in safer times & resuming her career as a national news anchor.
Broadcaster & editor-in-chief of The Frank Magazine Melanie Sykes speaks openly to Helen about her recent discovery she’s autistic & her new-found determination to speak out & help others.
Melanie has embraced her diagnosis at the age of 51 & says she’s looking at life through a different lens, unpicking and making sense of some of the past.
Melanie also talks passionately about the magazine she founded; her love of creating, interviewing, elevating & inspiring others, and a life-changing trip to India to connect with her family’s roots.
As a young boy, Alessandro Savelli grew up in Genoa in Italy enjoying pasta made by his grandmother. When he wanted to start a brand from scratch, he came up with the idea for Pasta Evangelists, offering hand-made fresh pasta and the ingredients for delicious sauces delivered through the letterbox.
Alex and his partner Finn pitched on Dragons Den two years ago for £75,000 of investment but were turned down. They humbly listened to the Dragons’ advice but continued with their plans and sold a major stake in their company last year for £40 million.
Netflix say The Queen's Gambit has broken all records for the most watched limited series, with 62 million households gripped by their seven-part drama. But the story behind it is just as fascinating.
Co-creator & executive producer Allan Scott bought the rights to the Walter Tevis book in the eighties & tells Helen the trials & tribulations behind trying to get studios interested in the story of orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Chess being the blocker.
Allan, who brought us iconic films like Don’t Look Now starring Donald Sutherland & Julie Christie and the musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, jokes he thought he was hallucinating when he watched the first episode air from his hospital bed!
Helen first met & interviewed fifth generation organic dairy farmer James Robinson at a BBC Countryfile Live event where he discussed the importance of food provenance, sustainability, bio-diversity & the challenges family farms face in Britain.
So, for this week’s podcast, she heads to the Cumbrian countryside to experience life at Strickley Farm, sample some raw milk & meet the bovine stars of his social media posts – a rare & beautiful ancient herd of pedigree Shorthorns.
As well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions fade & over-ambitious goals for a new body start to slip, wellness guru Rhian Stephenson explains the power of food and how to feel good & energised all year round.
Rhian is a nutritional therapist & naturopath who gave up her role as CEO of Psycle London to create her own wellness company, ARTAH out of her passion to help and inspire people to enjoy optimal health.
As a child Rhian suffered unexplained respiratory illnesses & skin conditions which were only resolved when, aged 17, a naturopath discovered she was allergic to a protein in milk.
British actor Peter Wight tells Helen about filming the upcoming BBC drama The Reckoning, based on the life of disgraced entertainer Jimmy Savile. He also chats about working with Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage on Cyrano which is out at cinemas now.
Peter, who has graced our screens & performed on stage for five decades, shares stories of working with legendary film director Mike Leigh; brushing shoulders with Hollywood’s Brad Pitt & Kiera Knightley & explains what drove him as a teenager to become one of Britain’s finest theatre actors.
Fredi Nwaka’s latest film, On the Other Foot, about a white racist cabbie who find himself stuck in a black body for 72 hours is comedic as well as thought-provoking.
Fredi looks back on growing up as the only black child in the seaside town of Deal in Kent; reflects on his time in a notorious London gang and explains how he draws on his experiences to mentor young offenders & gang members to help steer them away from a life of crime.
The award-winning writer & rapper works in schools, prisons and in America with Crips & Bloods gang members.
Simson Uri-Khob is CEO of Save the Rhino Trust Namibia & this year’s winner of Prince William's Tusk Lifetime Award for Conservation in Africa.
He explains why he’s dedicated his life to protecting the world’s last free-roaming black rhino population in the desert from poachers & preserving their habitat with the vital help of local communities and leading conservation charity Tusk.
Simson also recalls taking the Duke of Cambridge rhino tracking in Namibia’s Kunene region & their joy at finally seeing one for 30 seconds after hours of trekking!
Annie Auerbach explains how learning to flex in our work & home lives, being rebellious & reinventing the rules, helps to create a smarter, happier life.
Annie is the co-founder of trends & cultural insights agency Starling and an expert in the future of work.
Her book on living & working on our own terms was written before the pandemic & has been critically acclaimed by the FT, Sunday Times Style, Stella & many more publications. Discover how Annie's findings can help you.
Born in the UK to American parents, Jared Blumenfeld is one of America’s most innovative environmental leaders. He attended COP26 in Glasgow & gives us his take on what was achieved at the UN’s climate change summit as well as talking about the progress being made in California & the extreme weather America’s largest state is experiencing.
Jared believes we’ve gone beyond the precipice with climate change & that big business needs to be held more accountable for its actions. He also describes his extraordinary one-man 2,662-mile trek from Mexico to Canada, across searing deserts & rugged mountain ranges, on the stunning Pacific Crest Trail.
Sabine knew at the age of 15 she wanted to design jewellery & work for herself. She shares fascinating stories of making a bracelet for Morgan Freeman for the Oscars; a golden corset for Angelina Jolie for the Maleficent 2 red carpet & reflects on precious time she spent with former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Sabine explains how she helped women in Botswana make a living, teaching them to make more sophisticated jewellery from ostrich eggshells & talks about the importance of giving back after surviving a terrifying cloud burst & devastating floods in India which destroyed entire villages & mountainsides.
This year’s Pride of Britain Fundraiser of the Year & Royal Marines Veteran Mark Ormrod tells Helen how his life was devastated in a split second in the early hours of Christmas Eve 2007. He stepped on & triggered an improvised explosive device on routine foot patrol in Afghanistan. He was just 24 & lost both legs & his right arm.
Mark has raised more than £600,000 to help other veterans & a film is being made of his inspirational story based on his book, Man Down.
He shares how, with the unwavering support of friends & family, he came back from suicidal thoughts, changing his mindset to become an 11-times medal winner at the Invictus Games, a peak performance coach & motivational speaker.
Dr Hannah French takes Helen on a musical journey through her life as a baroque flautist, studying and tutoring at the Royal Academy of Music. She talks about her passion for Bach & the pleasure she gets helping audiences unlock the fascinating secret stories classical music holds.
Hannah has Ehlers Danlos syndrome – a genetic collagen deficiency which means she dislocates easily. She explains how she copes with the chronic pain, describing it as a constant companion she’s learnt to live with, and reveals how she fights the pain to make way for her music.
Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth gives a fascinating insight into his job as as Britain’s first ever Director Space for the Ministry of Defence, responsible for building & delivering a national space programme for the UK.
A fast-jet pilot of 20 years & former leader of the combat arm of the Royal Air Force, AVM Smyth reveals he’s currently concentrating on low earth orbit, operating 63 miles above our planet and beyond.
His focus is looking back at Earth from space, using satellites & state- of-the-art technology to help with issues like climate change, agriculture, coastal erosion & to militarily protect & defend our nation.
As Britain prepares to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26, meteorologist Clare Nasir talks about the deep learning and research going on at the Met Office where she works by some of the biggest brains in climate science.
Clare says the science behind climate change has been known for decades and points out that this autumn the Nobel Prize for Physics went to two scientists for their work on the Earth's climate & reliably predicting global warming back in the sixties.
But we're now on the frontline, experiencing extreme weather, and chasing our tails. Clare stresses the need has never been more urgent to change our lifestyles and reduce our CO2 emissions.
Helen free-falls at 125mph from 15,000 feet for an exhilarating sense of life as a member of The Tigers Army Parachute Display Team, in the capable hands of their leader, Sgt Frank Millerick.
Frank has done more than 3,000 jumps and talks about his passion for instructing hundreds of soldiers, watching them go from zero to hero, and seeing that light bulb moment. He talks openly about the challenges of life in the military and his pride at being part of the British Army’s Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.
As we mark World Mental Health Day, Dan Keeley shares his battles with his own mental health in the hope his journey can help others who may feel too afraid to speak up.
Dan, who describes being bi-polar as both a blessing & a burden, talks about his extreme adventures including running unsupported from Rome to Home – 1,250 miles in 65 days – to raise awareness. His sights are now set on Mont Blanc’s ultra-marathon.
He’s just delivered his first TEDx talk on the power of speaking up when we’re suffering for which he received a resounding standing ovation.
TEDx photographs by Simon Finley
Mark Fallon spent 27 years as an NCIS special agent and was the US Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism. He’s been undercover in some of the darkest corners of the world - with drug lords in Thailand buying heroin, capturing poachers in the Kenyan Bush and spent time questioning prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.
Mark says the most frightening thing of his entire career was a decision made by the US Government to “embrace torture as an instrument of national policy”.
He talks about the rapport techniques he’s developed based on science which preserve the dignity of the process and the people on both sides of the interrogation table, resulting in more reliable information.
Mark’s book - Unjustifiable Means, The Inside Story of How the CIA, Pentagon, and US Government Conspired to Torture – was published in 2017 but with more than 113 redactions.
As Britain prepares to host the United Nation's Climate Change Conference COP 26, the CEO of NGO Plastic Oceans International talks to Helen about the catastrophic situation the world is in and the serious threat to our ecosystems.
More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year. 10 million tonnes end up in our oceans with only 10 per cent recycled. Julie explains if we don't change our sight line, it will have catastrophic results for the planet. She shares innovative stories of positive projects happening in communities around the globe and stresses the massive difference we can all make collectively towards ending plastic pollution.
West End actors Ed Currie & Andy Coxon met in 2015 rehearsing for a punishing schedule of live performances of Beautfiful: The Carole King Musical in London.
In the mele & drama of performing an intensely physical show under hot lights & high pressured conditions, theatre-life inspired them to create a natural deodorant balm which not only solved a problem for their fellow actors (!) but has been voted top in its field by Vogue.
Ed & Andy have become unlikely yet hugely successful entrepreneurs & share their unusual story in this week’s podcast.
Dr Hilary has been broadcasting on breakfast shows like ITV's Good Morning Britain & Lorraine for more than 30 years, keeping his finger literally on the pulse of the nation!
Never has he faced a more “fascinating & professionally challenging” time than throughout the pandemic.
Hilary talks about the responsibilities which come with being a TV doctor; how he helped people in one of the most remote areas of the world as a young medic & reveals the inspiration behind his epic WW1 debut novel, Frontline.
TV presenter Anneka Rice talks about her latest project - performing stand-up comedy for BBC Radio 4 in which she goes in search of her missing Madame Tussauds waxwork head!
It's 30 years since Challenge Anneka drew TV audiences in their millions. Annie reveals she's still involved with most of the show's 60 projects, including the Romanian orphanages she drew the world's attention to.
Anneka also talks about her dad's ten year battle with Alzheimer's & how she's championing Alzheimer's Research UK.
Astronomer Mark Thompson DSc is preparing to deliver a 140-hour marathon lecture – a first in terms of studying extreme sleep deprivation & an attempt which will hopefully break a Guinness world record.
A familiar face from BBC1’s The One Show & Stargazing Live, Mark will be scientifically monitored as he lectures on deep space, our solar system, black holes, the fact all our body atoms were created inside stars (!) & much more.
Marks explains the results will likely have real implications, including the possible development of an algorithm to detect when people are too tired to drive.
Downton Abbey, Cold Mountain, Batman & Outlander are just some of the dramas & films food stylist Lisa Heathcote has worked on, cooking up screen dishes & banquets for stars like Nicole Kidman, Dawn French, Hugh Bonneville & Dame Maggie Smith.
She's currently letting her imagination run wild on the set of the new series of Bridgerton for Netflix.
Lisa worked on Downton from episode one & shares behind the scenes stories of how she not only makes the 20th century fare look the part upstairs and below stairs, but ensures it's historically accurate, edible & survives the studio lights & retakes.
Jon Allen was originally discovered by Mark Knopfler gigging in a small club in Shepherd’s Bush in 2006 which led to him touring in the UK & Europe with Dire Straits.
Jon plays alongside artists like Seal, Dionne Warwick & Damien Rice. He’s had more than 5 million downloads on Spotify, is back on the road performing tracks from his new studio album 'Meanwhile' & laughs about how the whisky-soaked “husk” he tried to lose as a teenager has paid the bills!
George Bye, founder & CEO of Bye Aerospace in Colorado, has created the eFlyer – stunning & innovative all-electric aircraft designed for two, four & eight passengers which will revolutionise the skies.
A pilot himself, George tells Helen how sustainable electric flying will not only eliminate CO2 and noise, it will significantly reduce costs, making the thrill of aviation accessible to many more people. The eFlyer 2 is expected to be FAA certified by the end of next year.
Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor reveals how feeling paralysed by a lack of creativity & inspiration during lockdown, and "with no manual for how to do this", her musician husband Richard came up with the idea for her much-loved kitchen discos.
Sophie tells Helen how her podcast series Spinning Plates featuring inspirational mums has been one of the best projects she's taken on; talks about writing her autobiography, and the pleasure of being back on stage performing at live gigs throughout the UK.
The Princess of Wales believed young people have the power to change the world. Alex Holmes talks about Diana’s legacy and how the only charity set up in her memory is continuing her work.
Alex suffered severe racial bullying as a young boy and, thanks to his award-winning efforts, there are now more than 35,000 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in the UK & Europe. Alex sits on the board of the Gates Foundation & was the first person in the UK to receive a Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award.
Jay Flynn shares with Helen how his idea to host a virtual pub quiz for his mates in lockdown took off overnight & led to more than 180,000 households across Britain uniting.
Jay has broken a world record for the number of participants; is a regular on Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 breakfast show & has been joined on the quiz by Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross & other celebrities. He’s also raised more than a £1 million pounds for charities including Connections which helped him get his life back on track when he was homeless for two years in London.
Karen Gibson MBE tells Helen how life for The Kingdom Choir changed after 2 billion people watched them perform at Harry & Meghan’s wedding.
The unexpected call on the 87 bus & stunning performance at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, has led to tours of the US, Australia & UK; appearances at The Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, Invictus Games, a recording deal with Sony & to singing with legends like Barbra Streisand & Gladys Knight.
On August 20 2011, RAF Red Arrows pilot Flt Lt Jon Egging lost his life whilst completing a display at Bournemouth Air Festival.
Dr Emma Egging shares the inspirational story of how she started the Jon Egging Trust ten years ago to realise her husband Jon’s dream of inspiring youngsters through his love of aviation, teamwork & leadership, empowering them to achieve without limits.
JET has helped more than 30,000 young people to overcome adversity & reach their full potential and aims to help 1 million over the next decade.
Loraine Martins OBE has spent the last eight years gradually making positive change at Network Rail to ensure their 43,731 strong staff come from all walks of life & feel valued in their work.
Loraine - who played a key role in developing London’s Olympic Park - talks about growing up in London with her Jamaican parents; tells stories which reveal where her great sense of social justice comes from, and gives inspirational advice on how to make a difference in ED&I.
Wing Commander David Montenegro OBE - Officer Commanding of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team – chats to Helen about the Reds’ role on the world stage & the images he’ll never forget of the G7 leaders captivated by their display.
Monty talks about the innovative work going on with students & industry to develop a sustainable synthetic fuel mix for the iconic red, white & blue smoke; shares the thoughts that went through his mind as he made history leading the team into China & reveals the split-second decisions which saved his life when he & his synchro teammate clipped each other as they flew their Hawks towards each other at a closing speed of 800mph.
Back on Scotland’s beautiful Isle of Harris, Helen meets Apothecary Amanda Saurin & finds out how she creates her natural skincare range as well as botanicals for drinks companies using flowers, bark, blossom, roots, moss - everything “Mother Nature’s larder” has to offer.
Amanda - who founded the small batch distiller A.S Apothecary - is also a homeopath & distiller and drew on her knowledge of healing to play an unexpected & much appreciated role in the pandemic, helping nurses, frontline workers, care home staff & many more.
Anderson ‘Burr’ Bakewell fell in love with the rare & elusive spirit of the beautiful, remote Isle of Harris & pondered how one could bottle the island & share it with the world.
Shona Macleod – one of the first members of staff at the Isle of Harris Distillery – reveals how the distillery came about with a focus on providing employment for the community & describes how that spirit is captured in Harris Gin & will be in The Hearach, their first legal dram, when it’s ready.
Inspired by his brother-in-law’s battle with dementia, Frank Rothwell explains why he took on the 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic race alone, aged 70, arriving early after 56 days at sea.
Frank raised more than a million pounds for Alzheimer’s Research UK & hopes it will make a difference supporting the charity's scientists in their quest to find ground-breaking ways of treating the disease many years before symptoms show.
Chris Floyd takes us on a wander through his photographic archives - both film & digital - sharing stories behind the portraits he's taken of some of the world's most famous artists, musicians & actors.
Chris's images of The Verve; David Hockney; Damian Hirst; Sir Paul McCartney; Oasis; Adrian Lester; Dame Sheila Hancock; Paul Weller; Naomi Watts; Olivia Colman; John Lee Hooker; Iggy Pop & Robert de Niro - to name but a few - have graced the covers of magazines over the last two decades. And recently Chris was invited to Kensington Palace to photograph Willliam & Kate for their tenth wedding anniversary.
Photograph of Chris by Berit von Enoch
Katie Nicholl gives a fascinating insight into 15 years of life as a Royal commentator & a look at what’s going on behind the Prince Harry headlines.
She shares her thoughts on Harry’s latest revelations of wanting to break the cycle of “genetic pain” & explores the rift with the Princes. Katie talks about the very modern future of the Monarchy with the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge leading the way & lets us in on the amusing tack Prince William uses to make people feel at ease in his presence.
Sarah Wood shares the remarkable story of how she co-founded the global video advertising marketplace ‘Unruly’ with her husband knowing little about the tech world yet sold to News Corp, just nine years & a lot of hard work later for £114 million!
Sarah was running late on the day of the 7/7 bombings in London, narrowly missing the terrorist attacks. That moment led to her reassessing life, leaving academia behind & finding the courage to take the plunge as an entrepreneur.
Helen discovers how polymetallic nodules lying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean could be the answer to making more sustainable batteries to power electric vehicles.
The four metals needed are in abundance in the rocks. The Metals Company CEO & environmentalist Gerard Barron explains the work his scientists are doing & the benefits of extraction from the seabed over deep land mining which is destroying rain forests, causing massive CO2 emissions & displacing communities.
Diane is one of America's leading business women - a senior executive & board member at Bye Aerospace, at the cutting edge of the the design & production of the world's first all-electric aeroplanes.
She explains how writing an honest, raw account based on her journals about the trials & triumphs of breast cancer treatment has helped her heal & reveals she's found a new self & purpose on the other side.
Alastair Campbell – writer, strategist & famous for being former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Director of Communications – talks openly & frankly about his long battle with depression & the techniques he’s discovered to help him cope.
He also reveals why, after more than four decades together, he’s finally tied the knot in a civil partnership with Fiona Millar; his life-long passion for Burnley Football Club & his love of playing the bagpipes.
Toby Foxcroft coached some of the world’s top tennis stars, working alongside US tennis legend Nick Bollettieri.
In this week’s Convex Conversation, Toby explains how he uses lessons learned during his time in elite sport to mentor international business leaders.
He also shares an unexpected friendship with Muhammad Ali & talks about his involvement with the Coalition of Hope which aims to use two decommissioned aircraft carriers to help with humanitarian crises & natural disasters.
Storms with waves up to 10 metres high; extreme sleep deprivation; military rations & painful injuries – all in a day at sea for four extraordinary young Marines who spent 49 days, 19 hours & 45 minutes rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.
Afghanistan veterans Juniour Mcilhiney & Will Schweppe teamed up with serving Marines David Bruce & Sam Edwards to raised tens of thousands for The Royal Marines Charity under The Cockleshell Endeavour banner.
When Dan Parry-Williams told his careers teacher he wanted to design racing cars, he was handed leaflets about banking & the legal profession.
But, inspired by growing up listening to the "angry sound of bees" from Brands Hatch at the bottom of his garden, Dan pursued his dream & shares incredible stories of being the chief designer of McLaren's iconic & limited-production P1 as well as other impressive supercars.
Reza shares some of his extreme adventures & reveals what drives him to tell untold stories – often putting his life at risk to do so - in the world’s most dangerous places.
Indigenous tribes whose lives & cultures have remained unchanged for centuries but whose reliance on nature is making them vulnerable in today’s modern world are often at the heart of Reza’s films as he takes viewers on extraordinary journeys.
Reza is a Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society.
Images by @simonbuxton & @nomadmark
As Lara celebrates ten years as a tech journalist & co-presenter of the BBC's flagship technology programme Click, she explains her passion for how innovation can change lives for the better.
Lara reveals the initial challenges of being 'on air' from home, the fact she's head of tech in her family life & laughs about being called Mrs MSE by her husband, Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis.
Horatio’s Garden is named after 17-year-old Horatio Chapple who dreamt of becoming a doctor. He realised there was nowhere for spinal injury patients to go to begin to come to terms with their life-changing injuries when he volunteered at an NHS unit in Salisbury.
Horatio’s vision has been brought to life by his mother Olivia & his father David – a spinal surgeon – along with friends & family, after he was killed on a summer camp to Svalbard in an attack by a polar bear.
This is a story of unbelievable courage & hope, borne out of the most appalling tragedy.
Celebrities Rob Brydon & Rory Bremner got behind an extraordinary campaign to save a RDA stables in Teddington from closure. Park Lane Stables helps disabled riders, youngsters with difficulties, able-bodied riders & basically makes riding accessible for all.
People power & a heart warming appeal saved the day. Ten of thousands of small donations flooded in & even Her Majesty The Queen was so touched she's invited 12 people from the stables to visit her horses.
Main photo: Rebekah Morgan
In part two of our podcast, Rory reveals his affection & admiration for Prince Charles & HRH's keen sense of humour.
He talks about his gratitude to legendary broadcaster the late Sir Terry Wogan for his first break on TV; his patronage of conservation charity Tusk including his escape from the paparazzi to Africa during his honeymoon & explains candidly how his ADHD is both friend & foe.
In this week's podcast, Helen encounters Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, President Biden and a plethora of famous faces as she chats to impressionist Rory Bremner, well-known and well-loved for political satire.
Rory shares how recently released National Archives have revealed his spoof calls to former PM John Major's backbench rebels may have helped keep him in Downing Street & explains how he develops voices in the hope of eventually inhabiting the character he's taking off.
Trevor Robinson OBE is the man behind some of the UK's most successful ad campaigns. Think Haribo, Pot Noodles & You've Been Tangoed! He reminisces about growing up on a rough estate in London where riots & racism were rife & reveals how he went on to become one of the most respected talents in advertising.
Trevor has relaunched his Create Not Hate campaign following the murder of George Floyd to champion diversity in his industry, open up opportunities & prepare teenagers for the racism they're sadly still likely to face.
Maria Kempinska helped launch the careers of many of today’s top comedians including Rory Bremner, Eddie Izzard, Graham Norton & Lee Mack.
She gave up her own dreams of performing on stage to open her first club in 1983 where many of them got their first break. Maria shares stories of the challenges of life in comedy & how humour is a vital part in her work as a psychotherapist.
The Apprentice & Countdown star Nick Hewer talks about stepping down from C4’s popular afternoon quiz-show after a decade at the helm.
Nick shares surprising & amusing stories from his autobiography ‘My Alphabet – A Life From A-Z’ including working with Lord Sugar; eye watering adventures on the 12,000-km Mongol Rally in a battered Renault 4; his passion for tractors & old bangers & plans for his new best friend Molly, the Labrador pup.
Ruben Tabares - one of the world’s most sought-after health & wellness gurus - offers simple & achievable goals to help us all get & stay fit.
Ruben shares incredible stories of training former World Heavyweight Boxing champion David Haye to victory; getting Hollywood actor Jeremy Piven in shape for romantic scenes in Mr Selfridge & talks about the pleasure of working with stars like Tinie Tempah, P Diddy, Naomi Watts & Dina Asher-Smith.
Lorraine Kelly talks about the privilege of broadcasting throughout the pandemic & the importance of keeping the nation's spirits up even when she felt low & anxious at times.
Lorraine chats about her incredible 35 years in the industry; the major stories she’s covered; the celebrities she’s interviewed & laughs about her appearance on C4’s The Last Leg & the fallout when she named ITV's Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan her hero.
Chef Tom Kerridge calls for a Ministry for Hospitality to help the industry get back on its feet after the pandemic & an end to politicians calling low-paid workers "low-skilled".
Tom & Helen discuss their shared passion for saving Britain's pubs, subject of his latest BBC2 series, & Tom reveals how providing meals for exhausted NHS staff when his businesses like two Michelin starred The Hand and Flowers closed has led to him forming a charity cooking for the elderly & vulnerable.
Andrew Ritchie MBE shares the fascinating story of how he invented the now iconic folding Brompton Bicycle 45 years ago in his bedroom overlooking London’s Brompton Oratory.
Whip rounds from friends got him started & set him off on what he describes as a perilous journey at times, but which resulted in his award-winning bike being used & loved all over the world, revolutionising city travel.
As Tusk celebrates 30 years as one of the world’s leading conservation charities, Charlie Mayhew says having Prince William as a Royal patron from the early days has been of immense value to conservation in general & the projects Tusk supports.
Charlie shares his personal story of how he started out at Lloyd's of London, fell in love with Africa after hearing stories of life in the Bush from his aunt & uncle, & explains how what started as almost a hobby has developed over the last three decades, providing protection for endangered wildlife & much needed support for communities.
Cleo Rocos, who shot to fame starring alongside comedy legend Kenny Everett in the eighties, tells Helen about growing her award-winning tequila brand from scratch including trips to Mexico working in the fields with the jimadores on the agave harvest.
Cleo also reminisces about life on set with Kenny; their close friendship & secret fun times with Queen's Freddie Mercury & Princess Diana who loved to quote sketches from the BBC primetime show.
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In this week’s Convex Conversation, actor & man of Kent Neil Stuke talks about his roles in everything from Silk & Dr Foster to Silent Witness, Dr Who & Game On.
He also shares his passion for community & saving the great British pub; his love of art, architecture & design, & reveals how an early morning cold swim in the sea off the Kent coast kick starts his day!
Cover photograph by Liam Duke
In this week’s Convex Conversation, Hilary Evans talks about the pioneering research the charity is leading to find effective treatments for Alzheimer’s. Digital fingerprints could lead to early detection and treatments years before symptoms even show.
Actor & supporter Samuel L Jackson speaks movingly about how he & his family have been affected by dementia & gives us an insight into the disease & how it takes hold.
John takes us on a culinary journey to some of the incredible places he’s visited & the dishes he’s brought back to share in his beautiful cookery books. Middle Eastern & North African food are a favourite & John’s cooking films have inspired many on Instagram.
He also talks about his experiences in Gaza for The World Food Programme which supports millions of refugees.
Crystal is responsible for social media for Google UK, at just 30, her contribution to the tech & media world has already been recognised in a series of awards.
Crystal shares her leadership style; the secrets to driving positive change by being 'more pirate' & reveals she's writing a book of things she wished she'd known when she started in the industry.
American-born sculptor Helaine Blumenfeld gives a fascinating insight into how she creates her public sculptures - some of which are five metres high - in materials like white Italian marble & bronze.
Helaine talks about her extraordinary life from growing up in New York; studying under Russian sculptor Ossip Zadkine who after admiring her early work, expected her to be a man, to living in England with her husband & sons & working in her studio in Pietrasanta in Tuscany.
Taking Risks image with Helaine by Henryk Hetflaisz
Adil Ray, of Good Morning Britain & Citizen Khan fame, talks about his upcoming film with Dame Judi Dench; the joys of live broadcasting on ITV & Lingo - the new word game he’s hosting.
Mr Khan makes a welcome appearance, as Helen & Adil explore his early days growing up in Birmingham; the surprise discovery he’s related to the Bugandan royal family & his fascination with socks!
Personal trainer Patrick Hutchinson made headlines all over the world when an unforgettable photograph of him carrying a far-right protestor to safety during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in London went viral.
Patrick tells Helen how his life changed that day.
His unexpected notoriety has given him & his friends a platform to set up UTCAI – United To Change And Inspire – aimed at overcoming injustice & prejudice, & championing equality for all.
BLM protest image by Dylan Martinez, Reuters
Portraits by Chris Floyd
Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh describes the harsh dangers & absolute beauty of swimming in a glacial river under the ice sheet in Antarctica in just his Speedos to highlight the devastating effects of climate change.
Lewis explains how all of our futures will be determined by the polar regions which are melting at a frightening rate. He continues to push himself to the absolute limit to encourage global leaders & policy makers to be courageous & take the urgent action that’s needed – now.
Photographs by Kelvin Trautman
Camille talks about the challenges & joys of transforming the Docklands wasteland of the early nineties into a stunning city within a city.
She also shares her love of art which she’s brought to the Canary Wharf estate; discusses the importance of women at senior levels; talks about the drive & determination she believes she got from her father & laughs about her well-known dislike of holidays!
Neil gives a fascinating insight into what it's like flying advanced trauma medics to the scene of critical incidents including stabbings, shootings & road accidents in the capital.
London has one of the world's most complex & crowded airspaces and the aim is to take the hospital to the roadside to deliver life-saving care for patients like Yair & Victoria who we hear from in this week's Convex Conversation.
Former Communard, vicar of Finedon, co-presenter of BBC's Saturday Live, musician, writer & Twitter lover Richard Coles shares stories from his youth, his days as an accidental pop star & life as a vicar.
Richard also talks about coping with grief after the unexpected loss of the love of his life and reveals he’s "standing up & facing forward".
Dee shares remarkable stories from her six circumnavigations of the globe. She earned a place in the record books & an MBE for being the first woman to go solo the ‘wrong’ way, against prevailing winds & currents, inspired by Sir Chay Blyth.
Dee talks frankly about life alone in some of the most hostile waters & conditions; learning to live with herself 24/7; the beauty & power of nature; devastating plastic pollution & the leadership skills she’s developed as a skipper.
Ben shares his extraordinary business journey. He started out selling sandwiches & opened his first café more than 20 years ago with his brother Hugo, hence the name ‘Benugo’.
He talks to Helen about the ups & downs of growing his business into a £100-million-pound empire, the challenges of being in some of Britain’s most prestigious museums & galleries including the V&A, & the importance of Benugo culture.
Helen chats with former UK Special Forces operative Ollie Ollerton from Channel Four's reality show SAS : Who Dares Wins.
Ollie talks frankly about the battles he's been determined to overcome, including a vicious & traumatic attack when he was a young boy & shares how he uses his own extreme personal & military experiences to help others turn their lives around through his organisation, Break-Point.
Helen chats to Gethin Jones about his time on Celebrity MasterChef 2020 including his surprise departure at the final stages.
Gethin also talks about presenting on The One Show & Radio 2, his Blue Peter audition & the autism foundation he’s set up inspired by his nephew. And he attempts to teach Helen some Welsh!
Presenter & journalist Penny Smith chats about her career in live broadcasting, her passion for opera & theatre, and shares the five things she can’t live without!
She also reveals the terrifying moment she found herself on the wrong end of a submachine gun and feared her time was up.
Helen meets refugee Eid Aljazairli & hears about his extraordinary escape from war torn Syria at the hands of smugglers & the moment he feared he would drown at sea when the small wooden boat he was in collapsed.
Despite being a non-swimmer when he left his family in Damascus, Eid is now training for Tokyo 2021 where he hopes to compete as a swimmer for the Olympic Refugee Team & is a financial intern at Convex.
One of Britain’s favourite actors Amanda Redman chats to Helen about how the devastating burns accident she had as a child inspired her to come up with a new plotline for ITV drama The Good Karma Hospital; reminisces about happy times on the set of New Tricks with Dennis Waterman, Alun Armstrong & James Bolam & shares her passion for her drama school.
Gyles shares with Helen everything from his friendships with Dame Judi Dench and Mrs Thatcher to his relationship with the Royal family.
He keeps his synapses supple by reciting poetry & talks about the podcast series he does with Countdown’s etymologist Susie Dent on their shared passion for words.
Greg Jenner, of Horrible Histories & You’re Dead to Me, shares how his childhood interest in toy knights & Tony Robinson’s sitcom Maid Marian and her Merry Men may have contributed to him becoming a public historian. We explore the history of celebrity, discuss why comedy & history work so well together, and find out about Greg’s mission to inspire those who don’t think history is their thing to find a love for it.
Barnardo’s CEO Javed Khan talks about the devastating effect COVID has had on Britain’s vulnerable youngsters & the crippling drop in funds now faced by Britain’s leading children’s charity as a result of lockdown.
He warns the current children’s mental health crisis could become a catastrophe; shares his thoughts on #BlackLivesMatter & his personal experiences of racism growing up in the seventies in inner city Birmingham. He speaks about the privilege of leading Barnardo's & how his job as CEO doesn’t feel like work.
C4 Countdown’s Susie Dent reveals how a shy lexicologist from Oxford first ended up on our screens more than 25 years ago.
She confesses to a fascination for the hot topic of swearing, shares her favourite & least favourite words and reveals the fun behind Eight of Ten Cats & recording her new podcast, Something Rhymes with Purple, with Gyles Brandreth in her kitchen.
Sir Chris Bonington has lived life on the edge. In The Convex Conversation, he talks to Helen Fospero about the draw of the beauty of the mountains, his desire to push himself to the limit on expeditions and the attraction to the risks involved.
Chris describes his emotional ascent to the summit of Everest; takes us on a journey to the north face of the Eiger and gives an insight into the shy young boy from Hampstead whose life became defined by his passion for climbing.
© Chris Bonington Picture Library
Photo by Jim Fotheringham © Chris Bonington Picture Library
Chris & Pertemba after summiting Everest 1985 © Chris Bonington Picture Library
Chris & mum © Chris Bonington Picture Library
Chris & Wendy's wedding day 1962 © Chris Bonington Picture Library
Chris & Loreto by Paul Ross © Chris Bonington Picture Library
Chris & Ang Lhakpa on the summit of Everest 1985 © Chris Bonington Picture Library
Entrepreneur Anna Jones tells us why she quit her job as CEO of a top publishing house to set up a members’ club aimed at championing women in business, networking and developing their careers.
A chance meeting at a party led to the formation of AllBright in the UK and in the States.
The name was inspired by former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright who famously said: “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”
Music legend Bob Harris joins us from his studio ‘Under The Apple Tree’.
He reminisces about happy times with John Lennon in New York, being on tour with Queen in Vegas, and friendships with Robert Plant, Marc Bolan, Sir Elton John & Sir Alex Ferguson.
He also reveals how doctors saved his distinctive voice, loved by millions, during life-saving treatment for an aortic tear.
And Whispering Bob shares favourite tracks from The Shires and Elles Bailey.
Blind entrepreneur and TV presenter Amar Latif talks about his life and how blindness has helped him see the world.
Amar’s passion for travel has taken him to more than 100 countries. He’s clocked up half a million miles including trekking through inhospitable jungles & shark infested waters in Nicaragua, and reaching the summit of North Africa’s highest peak, Mount Toubkal.
He set up the world’s first tour operator for blind and sighted travellers.
Convex CEO & Chairman Stephen Catlin gives a personal insight into his life as an insurance underwriter & entrepreneur.
He shares stories from his childhood; his youth in the seventies; becoming a ‘scratch boy’ for Lloyd’s of London despite his mum’s misgivings about his suitability for an office job; his passion for the great outdoors, and his excitement at starting all over again with a blank sheet of paper & long-term investment at Convex.
When Claire Lomas was paralysed in a riding accident, she remembers thinking in her darkest days how dull life would be. In our Convex Conversation she reveals how wrong she was. Claire talks about the extraordinary challenges she’s taken on, not least of them becoming a mum against the odds. She’s raised more than three quarters of a million pounds for spinal research, including for The Nicholls’ Spinal Injury Foundation. She races motorbikes; skis; walks marathons in a bionic suit & is learning to fly.
In our debut Convex Conversation, Perty reveals the challenges of being Red One; the extraordinary trust that exists between the pilots & engineers; a close shave on frontline duties in Afghanistan and why The Queen has a photo of him in her handbag!
I hope you enjoy our podcast – we'd love you to share Red One’s story with friends and family.