Wendell Pierce was on the verge of quitting acting after he graduated from Juilliard - but decided to "give it a year". Four decades on, he's one of the most celebrated character actors working today. Wendell speaks to James about his childhood in New Orleans, his big break in The Wire and the new series of his hit thriller series, Jack Ryan.Please be advised that this episode contains a highly offensive term.  

Dexter Fletcher, a seasoned actor turned director, reflects on his 50-year career with James O'Brien. They discuss his childhood at a specialized school for performers, the influence of his talented grandmother, navigating success and loneliness in the industry, struggles with substance abuse, and the journey of rebuilding his career in directing.

She was made a peer in 2011, but Dame Joan Bakewell regards herself first and foremost as a journalist and writer. From a very young age, Joan developed a passion for reading, leading to a discovery of 'an internal life'. She speaks to James about her disciplinarian mother, the enormous freedom she had making television in the 1970s and her philosophy.

A master at throwing interviewers off his own scent, comedian Mark Steel got so bored of being asked the same questions that he started making things up. Swerving his traps, James speaks to Mark about his totally real but fantastical sounding family background and new tour.

Self-confessed workaholic Alastair Campbell can't help but feel that he's not doing enough. He's written 18 books, is editor at large of The New European newspaper and his podcast, The Rest is Politics, co-hosted with Rory Stewart, is usually ranked top of the UK charts. But Alastair promised his mum that he'd never go back to the political front line. Alastair's latest tome, But What Can I Do?, seeks to empower its readers to make their own difference.

Evie Meg, AKA thistrippyhippie has over 16 million followers on TikTok, making her one of the most prominent online disability advocates. Conversely, one of Evie's conditions, PANDAS, is little-known and often misunderstood. For Mental Health Awareness Week, Evie speaks to James about how her life is impacted by PANDAS and Tourette's syndrome, shedding light on how the boundaries between physical and psychological health are often blurred.

Brexit, Covid, Partygate, lockdowns, leaks, the war in Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis and the scandals that plagued our politics. Guto Harri was in the room when the big decisions were made. In this podcast, expect unprecedented access behind the shiny black door of Number 10 Downing Street, during one of the most chaotic periods in British political history.  Guto was Boris Johnson’s Communications Chief. When he first walked over the Number 10 threshold, things weren’t normal. A set of circumstances, scandals and chaos that will never be repeated. It was unprecedented. Episode one out now on Global Player.

His first stand-up gig was at the tender age of 16. It was not critically well received. But Jack Whitehall quickly became a firm favourite on our screens, dominating the television comedy circuit and starring in shows such as Fresh Meat and Bad Education. But his early success also had its problems. Jack speaks to James about how challenging it was finding his voice as well as his new UK tour, Settle Down.

At 34 years old he's the SNP's youngest ever leader in Westminster, moving at breakneck speed from supermarket checkout boy to Rishi Sunak's political adversary at PMQs. With Nicola Sturgeon's shock resignation and continuing investigation into the party's finances, he picks up the mantle during a turbulent time for the independence movement. But Flynn seems cool and collected about the task ahead. He speaks to James about his background and explains how having a disability inadvertently led him to the Commons.

Former undercover detective Liam Thomas shares gripping stories from his time in the Metropolitan Police's Covert Surveillance Unit, including infiltrating criminal enterprises and investigating corrupt officers. He reflects on childhood influences, coping mechanisms, and the complexities of undercover work, emphasizing the importance of secrecy and personal motivations in law enforcement.