Reign with Josh Smith

Start your engines because Shane Jenek AKA Courtney Act joins me for the final episode of my mini-series, Reign with Pride! Shane has had many iconic international and historic moments as his drag persona, Courtney Act after they appeared in the first series of Australian Idol in 2003, becoming the first LGBT contestant to openly appear on a reality TV talent show downunder.International fame came knocking after Courtney Act became the runner up in the sixth season of Ru Paul’s Drag Race and was later named as the third most powerful drag queen in America by New York Magazine. Courtney went on to win UK’s Celebrity Big Brother and in 2019 was the first same-sex pairiing in the Australian version of Dancing With The Stars. Now Shane has launched his own podcast, Building Queertopia on BBC Sounds, which brings together members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community by asking them to envision a perfect ‘queer utopia’ where everyone is welcome. But before you RACE off to listen to it, this episode is a corker as we talk about growing up fearing straight men, how drag affected his mental health and how his relationship with body image has changed. SO much of what Shane says in this episode speaks of my own experiences grappling with my identity so I hope you feel heard and seen by the episode! If you have missed this series so far, this mini-series of four episodes features some of the most prominent role models in the LGBTQ+ community - from Cara Delevingne to Samira Wiley - to celebrate Pride Month. It’s something that means so much to me because when I was growing up I didn’t feel like I truly had any role models - like Shane- and I know that listening to these guests would have helped ‘younger me’ and also, ‘adult me’ during the multiple times in my life when I have struggled with taking pride in who I am. If you are struggling with your identity at the moment or just need someone to talk to please reach out to the LGBT Foundation, who I mentioned in this episode. Their helplines are always open and confidential and you can find out more at lgbt.foundation. I truly hope this series will help you take pride in your identity no matter how you identify. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you! Love Josh xxx Thank you to our sponsors this week, Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances. When it comes to embracing the LGBTQ+ community in its entirety, there is no one quite like Jean Paul Gaultier! The brand is a symbol of queer freedom and the gorgeous new RAINBOW limited edition Le Male Pride collector bottle symbolises just that. 100% of profits will go towards the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, AKT who have provided over 250,000 nights off the street for LGBTQ+ young people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness. You can pick up your very own Le Male Pride bottle right now from Look Fantastic. P.S You will also have heard an advert for my favourite skincare brand, Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay! FYI - Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne. And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author, activist and transgender trailblazer, Paris Lees joins me for the third episode of my mini-series, Reign with Pride, and it is one of the most eye opening conversations I have ever had. Paris Lees is the definition of a LGBTQIA+ trailblazer. She was the first openly trans woman to present a show on Radio 1, to present a show on Channel 4, to appear on Question Time and become a contributing editor for Vogue. She’s even had a cameo on Hollyoaks, addressed the Oxford Union in 2014, and in 2016 gave evidence at the home affairs select committee on prostitution laws.But her personal story, which she details in her powerful new memoir 'What It Feels Like For A Girl', tells even more of a story. It is a brutally honest account of her being groomed for sex work as a teenager, the abuse she suffered from her father, being physically bullied at school, and how she came to terms with her identity. In spite of all this adversity and ending up in prison as a teenager after committing a robbery, Paris went to college and went on to graduate at Brighton University with a degree in English language and literature and finds herself where she is today. Hearing Paris Lee's lived experiences in this episode was remarkable as we reflected on chosen family, spectrum grace in the LGBTQIA+ community and how despite experiencing the darkest of times she found her power. This mini-series of four episodes will feature some of the most prominent role models in the LGBTQ+ community from Cara Delevingne to Samira Wiley, to celebrate Pride Month - something that means so much to me! When I was growing up I didn’t feel like I truly had any role models - like Samira - and I know that listening to these guests would have helped ‘younger me’ and also, ‘adult me’ during the multiple times in my life when I have struggled with taking pride in who I am. If you are struggling with your identity at the moment or just need someone to talk to please reach out to the LGBT Foundation, who I mentioned in this episode. Their helplines are always open and confidential and you can find out more at lgbt.foundation. I hope you love this episode as much as I do and I truly hope this series will help you take pride in your identity no matter how you identify. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you! Love Josh xxx Thank you to our sponsors this week, Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances. When it comes to embracing the LGBTQ+ community in its entirety, there is no one quite like Jean Paul Gaultier! The brand is a symbol of queer freedom and the gorgeous new RAINBOW limited edition Le Male Pride collector bottle symbolises just that. 100% of profits will go towards the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, AKT who have provided over 250,000 nights off the street for LGBTQ+ young people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness. You can pick up your very own Le Male Pride bottle right now from Look Fantastic. P.S You will also have heard an advert for my favourite skincare brand, Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay! FYI - Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne. And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May the lord open! The Emmy award winning The Handmaid’s Tale star Samira Wiley joins me for the second episode of Reign with Pride, opening up about being same-sex parents, coming out, and learning to take pride in the intersections of her identity. Samira Wiley has been the definition of a role model since she first starred as Poussey in Orange Is The New Black. Samira went on to win an Emmy Award for her performance as Moira in The Handmaid’s Tale which she dedicated to her wife, Lauren. She received the Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award, and appeared as a couple on the cover of OUT magazine, giving same sex relationships the visibility they deserve! YES! I caught up with Samira just a few months after the birth of their baby daughter, George and she has so many amazing words about raising a new generation to take pride in their identity. Samira herself is now proud to call herself a ‘gay woman’ but it hasn’t always been the case, as as Samira revealed she was encouraged to enter into a fake ‘relationship’ with a gay male friend to protect her career. Now Samira, who credits playing Moira in The Handmaid’s Tale with helping her find her voice, sees her relationship as one of her greatest achievements and we love to hear it! I have to confess that I have been obsessed with Samira since I started watching The Handmaid’s Tale - which I think is THE best TV show ever made (it’s a fact!) - so of course we had a little chat about season four. If you haven’t caught up, there are some plot spoilers in the first ten minutes so listen with caution! This mini-series of four episodes will feature some of the most prominent role models in the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate Pride Month - something that means so much to me! When I was growing up I didn’t feel like I truly had any role models - like Samira - and I know that listening to these guests would have helped ‘younger me’ and also, ‘adult me’ during the multiple times in my life when I have struggled with taking pride in who I am. If you are struggling with your identity at the moment or just need someone to talk to please reach out to the LGBT Foundation, who I mentioned in this episode. Their helplines are always open and confidential and you can find out more at lgbt.foundation. I hope you love this episode as much as I do and I truly hope this series will help you take pride in your identity no matter how you identify. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you! Love Josh xxx Thank you to our sponsors this week, Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances. When it comes to embracing the LGBTQ+ community in its entirety, there is no one quite like Jean Paul Gaultier! The brand is a symbol of queer freedom and the gorgeous new RAINBOW limited edition Le Male Pride collector bottle symbolises just that. 100% of profits will go towards the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, AKT who have provided over 250,000 nights off the street for LGBTQ+ young people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness. You can pick up your very own Le Male Pride bottle right now from Look Fantastic. P.S You will also have heard an advert for my favourite skincare brand, Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay! FYI - Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne. And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cara Delevingne joins me for the first episode of my new mini-series, Reign with Pride and opens up about sexuality, sex and even some hilarious stripper stories - I promise this episode has it all! This mini-series of four episodes will feature some of the most prominent role models in the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate Pride Month - something that means so much to me! When I was growing up I didn’t feel like I truly had any role models, and I know that listening to these guests would have helped ‘younger me’ and also, ‘adult me’ during the multiple times in my life when I have struggled with taking pride in who I am. Cara Delevingne has been a role model to many since she started her modelling career just after leaving school. She went on to be the face of quite literally everything from Dior to Chanel, she’s won Model of The Year at the British Fashion Awards twice, and has found huge - and at times - isolating levels of fame. Cara then stepped into the world of movies with a role in Anna Karenina before taking on leading roles in Suicide Squad, Paper Towns before landing as a fairy in Amazon Prime’s TV extravaganza, Carnival Row. I caught up with Cara on a HAWT day whilst she was filming on location in Prague - so hot in fact that the windows had to be open - sorry about the background noise, but a girl has to stay cool! She opens up about becoming an entrepreneur with her sex tech brand, Lora DiCarlo, the stigma around female masturbation - including being shamed for masturbating at boarding school - and how after coming out as Pansexual last year, she is now defining her own sexuality on her own terms. We also talk about her ongoing journey with mental health, her views on plastic surgery and what pride means to her. Cara’s honesty in this episode is incredible, and shows that even role models don't have all the answers - because at the end of the day, who does? And that is the most reassuring thing of all, especially when you are discovering who you are! If you are struggling with your identity at the moment or just need someone to talk to please reach out to the LGBT Foundation, who I mentioned in this episode. Their helplines are always open and confidential and you can find out more at lgbt.foundation. I hope you love this episode as much as I do and I truly hope this series will help you take pride in your identity no matter how you identify. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you! Love Josh xxxThank you to our sponsors this week, Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances. When it comes to embracing the LGBTQ+ community in its entirety, there is no one quite like Jean Paul Gaultier! The brand is a symbol of queer freedom and the gorgeous new RAINBOW limited edition Le Male Pride collector bottle symbolises just that. 100% of profits will go towards the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, AKT who have provided over 250,000 nights off the street for LGBTQ+ young people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness. You can pick up your very own Le Male Pride bottle right now from Look Fantastic.P.S You will also have heard an advert for my favourite skincare brand, Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay!FYI - Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne.And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready for Reign with Pride: a special four-part mini-series, where Josh talks in-depth with some the LGBTQ+ community's biggest trailblazers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pop queen Anne-Marie joins me for the first ever live recording of Reign! I think the clapping, the screaming and the laughter show just how much I loved recording this episode. Anne-Marie's honesty both in her music and on social media about her battles with anxiety, body image and being perfect make her the kind of role model we all need in our lives - plus she has the infectious laughter to match! If you didn't know already Anne-Marie has nine Brit Award nominations to her name, 4 million album sales and 5 UK top ten singles (CASUAL) and now she is about to release her second album, the aptly titled Therapy on 23rd July. So, in this episode we delved into her mental health journey, how she dropped to rock bottom during lockdown, how resorting to therapy last year saved her and she reveals just how close she was to quitting music. Anne-Marie's words about becoming her own ally, how lockdown made her review her definition of success and failure and how she has defined 'perfect' on her own terms are so powerful and needed - especially now - so I hope you love this episode just as much as I do. Anne-Marie and I recorded this episode LIVE at the LiveNow studios in London. AND, it was live streamed, so you can head to www.live-now.com to watch it back! This is actually the last episode in season two - I can't believe we got to this point when Make It Reign was only launched in January - so I just wanted to thank you for listening. Thank you for your messages saying how much the podcast has helped you and I hope Reign continues to be a place you come to hear stories that help you find your own power and wear your crown with pride. Love Josh xxxP.S. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you! Thank you to our sponsor this week, Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay! FYI - Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne. And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nathalie Emmanuel, star of Game of Thrones and The Fast and The Furious is our guest queen on this episode of Reign with me, Josh Smith! I first watched Nathalie back in my university (very hungover) days when I was addicted to Hollyoaks as she starred in the show for four years playing Sasha Valentine - remember that?! But after quitting the soap and finding it difficult to find work, Nathalie took on a zero hours contract - something she powerfully opens up about in this episode. But soon the world of Westeros came calling, and for seven seasons, Nathalie starred as Missandei in Game of Thrones before meeting a brutal and controversial end. She went on to star in Mindy Kaling’s TV reimagining of Four Weddings and a Funeral (available via Amazon Prime). And now, she is taking things up a gear for a third time in The Fast and The Furious franchise - which is now in its NINTH film! In this chat we talk about diversity in casting after THAT debate following her Game of Thrones exit, the resilience she gained from being bullied as a teenager and where she draws the line about nudity on screen. There are so many amazing words about working out what your boundaries are, and sticking to them, too - something I could learn from as we step into post lockdown life! Hope you love this episode as much as me and let me know what you think as I LOVE hearing from you! Josh x P.S. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you! Thank you to our sponsors this week: Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay! FYI - Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne. And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! We are also proud to be working with the leading CBD beauty brand CBII. Their products can change people’s lives through better quality sleep and managing symptoms of stress and anxiety. CBII products come in so many different forms – you can choose between an oil, a capsule, a skincare range or candle so you are spoilt for choice! And if you’ve never used CBD products before, CBII have a 7 Day Discovery Duo starter kit of their two best-selling CBD oils to get you going. You can get it for half price at just £8! Just head to www.cbii-cbd.com and use the code MAKEITREIGN and you can experience the feel good difference for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming live from her childhood bedroom, Ginny and Georgia star, Antonia Gentry is the latest guest on Reign! Not familiar with Ginny and Georgia? Well prepare to become obsessed! It focuses on a mother-daughter relationship between Georgia and Ginny, who have to navigate a 15 year age gap, relocate to a New England town, deal with everyday discrimination and avoid a mysterious past. Antonia was born and raised in Atlanta, and after getting her her start in a small Netflix film, Candy Jar in 2018, she was in the middle of graduating when she landed her lead role in Ginny and Georgia. She since gone on to be nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance - so deserved! In this episode we talk about the intersections of Antonia’s identity, the trials and tribulations of growing up and rediscovering some of her hilarious childhood diaries from said childhood bedroom.I literally loved talking to Antonia as she has so many wise AF words about sitting back and listening to others which I think we could all learn a lot from. So I hope you love this episode too. Love, Josh xxP.S. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you! Thank you to our sponsors this week:Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay!FYI - Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne.And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do!We are proud to be working with the leading CBD beauty brand CBII. Their products can change people’s lives through better quality sleep and managing symptoms of stress and anxiety. CBII products come in so many different forms – you can choose between an oil, a capsule, a skincare range or candle so you are spoilt for choice!And if you’ve never used CBD products before, CBII have a 7 Day Discovery Duo starter kit of their two best-selling CBD oils to get you going. You can get it for half price at just £8! Just head to www.cbii-cbd.com and use the code MAKEITREIGN and you can experience the feel good difference for yourself! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hold on tight to your magic carpet, because in this episode of Reign I am joined by a real life Disney Princess; Princess Jasmine herself, Naomi Scott! I loved her and her commitment to wing eyeliner in a lockdown.Naomi (who has also starred in Power Rangers and the latest Charlie's Angels reboot) is currently lending her voice to the new dramatic podcast, Soft Voice, which is about a London estate agent who navigates two very different voices inside her head. Naomi is also about to star in Netflix's new series, Anatomy of a Scandal where her character is involved in a sexual assault allegation, which she talks about so powerfully in this episode.If like me, you fell in love with Naomi showing us a whole new world and new feminist Disney Princess you are going to love this episode as she is the LITERALLY best friend we all wished we had!Naomi opens up about her changing relationship with her Christian faith - after growing up with her pastor parents - how marrying her husband, footballer, Jordan Spence at 21 years-old has enabled them to grow together (and forced Naomi to *actually* tidy up) and how not fitting into the ‘English rose' demographic of female actors has affected her.The way Naomi talks about her faith and her identity has really stuck with me so I hope you love listening to her as much as I did! Love, Josh xxP.S. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from you!Thank you to our sponsors Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay!FYI Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne.And as a treat for you, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are as obsessed with Netflix's new smash hit TV show, Shadow and Bone as I am you are going to LOVE this episode of Reign with it's star, Jessie Mei Li. But if you haven't watched it already (where have you been?!?) Shadow and Bone is basically Netflix’s answer to Game of Thrones. It follows Jessie’s character - Alina; a young woman with unique powers who has overcome her fair share of monsters, hot boys and the fold. Think of it as just another day socialising at the park, then! Before she found the power within her on screen, Jessie had dropped out of university and was working as a special-education teaching assistant. She enrolled in some acting lessons, and went on to land an agent and a role in the West End production of All About Eve before Netflix came calling! In this episode Jessie opens up about how the rise in anti-asian hate has affected her, her and her family's experiences of racism and how she navigated feeling like an 'outsider' growing up. There are so many amazing words about defining your identity on your own terms and refusing to adhere to the labels society can place on you, so I hope you love listening to Jessie just as much as I did chatting to her! Love, Josh xxP.S. You can follow me at @joshsmithhosts across social media and please get in touch as I love to hear from the queendom! Thank you to our sponsors Aurelia London who are, not only, THE experts in Probiotic Skincare but using their Probiotic Concentrate with my Aurelia London Day Moisturiser has bought back my glow, just in time for me to re-enter civilisation! Yay!FYI Aurelia London's probiotic skincare is effective for skin conditions from dullness to ageing to rosacea and pigmentation to acne. And as a treat for you Queens, you can get 20% off the entire range by heading to aurelialondon.com and using the code JOSH20 at the check out! Hope you love it as much as I do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices