Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

For 20 years, Queen guitarist and astrophysicist, Brian May had been too busy to realise that he didn’t belong to a record label. Then at the height of lockdown he decided to reissue his 1992 solo album, Back To The Light. He speaks to James about his friendship with Freddie Mercury, his love of science and becoming a grandfather.

After leading a series of successful challenges to the Brexit process, Jolyon Maugham QC was thrust into the limelight and depicted by right-wing Brexiteers as an out of touch, elitist, Remainer. But for the first 17 years of his life, Jolyon was unaware of the existence of his biological Eton-educated father and was brought up on ‘nuisance payments’ of £5 a week. He is now the Director of the Good Law Project, a not-for-profit campaign organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public - regardless of the way they voted in the 2016 referendum.

Aged 10 and deeply unhappy, Anthony Horowitz OBE realised that he was a writer. Since then he has been difficult to pin down. His diverse oeuvre ranges from Midsomer Murders and Foyle’s War, to the bestselling Alex Rider teen spy series. In his latest book, A Line To Kill, Horowitz himself enters the fictional fold.

When John Amaechi OBE was a boy, his white grandfather would lean out of the car window to shout racist abuse at other drivers whilst he sat in the back. He went on to become the first British NBA star and is now an organisational psychologist, called upon to solve intractable people problems in companies wanting to embrace workplace diversity. His new book, The Promises of Giants is out now.

Joe Lycett, the comedian formerly known as Hugo Boss has no discernable backstory of trauma to speak of. He has ‘a tendency to do just enough’ and is frustrated with himself when he accepts the offer of work. But he is motivated by a strong moral compass and a desire to dazzle. Tickets for his 2022 UK and Ireland tour, More, More, More! How do you Lycett? How do you Lycett? are on sale now.

Having separated from her husband, Lucy Kellaway quit her full-time, high-status job as a journalist at the Financial Times to become a trainee teacher at a secondary school. In Re-educated, Lucy shows that age is no barrier to ripping up and starting again. Her charity, Now Teach encourages experienced people to step into the classroom to help plug the colossal teacher shortage and bring freshness to the system.

Before the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic, scientists Professor Sarah Gilbert and Dr Catherine Green had already started developing a vaccine against the virus which would go on to bring the world to a standstill. Their book, Vaxxers reveals the story behind the Oxford AstraZeneca jab, one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of medicine.

Mary Portas made her name transforming the luxury retailer, Harvey Nichols into a destination. But as the high street crumbles, and as the earth continues to buckle under the pressure of consumerism, the Queen of Shops is dedicating herself to transforming her industry.

Rushdie's life changed forever on February 14, 1989, when Iran’s spiritual leader ordered his execution. Forced to spend the subsequent 13 years living under a false name and constant police protection, he now lives freely in New York.

Peter Oborne is a British journalist and broadcaster. He is the former chief political commentator of The Daily Telegraph, from which he resigned in early 2015. He is author of The Assault on Truth - Boris Johnson,