What I Wish I'd Known

Henry Marsh is the world’s best-known neurosurgeon who has spent the last forty years doing some of the most technical and delicate operations in the world on the brain. Rachel and Alice sit down with Henry to discuss his story of saving lives under intense pressure from Nepal to Ukraine as well as in the UK. And how he is now navigating his own journey of living with cancer after witnessing a vast amount of dying and death, grief and bereavement in his career.MUCH LOVED: www.muchloved.comThe National Brain Appeal: www.nationalbrainappeal.orgDEC: www.dec.org.uk This podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.org Producers: Anya Pearce and Lucy Dichmont Series producer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nadhim Zahawi is an Iraqi-born British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Education since September 2021. Rachel and Alice sit down with Nadhim to talk about his turbulent childhood where he fled to the UK at age 11 during Saddam Hussein's early years in power, his father’s bankruptcy and how this left his family penniless and on benefits, and how his drive and charisma led him to establishing a firm place within parliament.  CARE: www.careinternational.org.ukSARI: www.saricharity.org.ukBarnardos: www.barnardos.org.uk This podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.org Producers: Anya Pearce and Lucy Dichmont Series producer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Kerridge is a broadcaster and multiple Michelin star winning chef. Rachel and Alice travel to his pub The Coach in Marlow to talk about his parents divorce, his father's death after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and turning his own life around after years of overindulgence of food and alcohol whilst working 100 hour weeks as a young chef.HOOP: www.hoopuk.org.ukFareShare: www.fareshare.org.ukDrink Aware: www.drinkaware.co.ukThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minnie Driver is an actor and musician who has released three studio albums and was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Good Will Hunting. Rachel and Alice meet Minnie in a south London apartment to talk to her about her new memoir "Managing Expectations", her unconventional unconventional childhood, the shock of coming to terms with fame and overcoming sexism in the industry from Harvey Weinstein.Fawcett: www.fawcettsociety.org.ukGingerbread: www.gingerbread.org.ukActing for Others: www.actingforothers.co.ukThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is a 16 time Paralympic medallist and now sits as a Cross Bench Independent Peer in the House of Lords. Rachel and Alice visit Tanni in the Palace of Westminster to talk to her about growing up with spina bifida and overcoming derogatory comments from strangers in the street as a child to become one of Team GB's most decorated Paralympians.Scope: www.scope.org.ukShine: www.shinecharity.org.ukWheelPower: www.wheelpower.org.ukThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justin Webb is a broadcaster who has spent almost four decades at the BBC; from North American Correspondent to co-presenter on Radio 4's Today programme. He joins Rachel and Alice in the studio to talk about the impact never meeting his father had on him, the mental health struggles that he experienced his step-father suffer from, and the bullying he faced at boarding school.Mind: www.mind.org.ukNSPCC: www.nspcc.org.ukKidscape: www.kidscape.org.ukThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ugo Monye is a broadcaster, Question of Sport captain and former England international rugby player. Rachel and Alice welcome Ugo to the studio to talk about his father leaving the family home, being racially abused at nursery and overcoming social class structures at school to succeed on the pitch. NSPCC: www.nspcc.org.ukWooden Spoon: www.woodenspoon.org.ukShow Racism the Red Card: www.theredcard.orgThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Times Journalists Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thomson return to talk to even more extraordinary people about how they overcome moments in their early lives achieve great success. This series they are joined by the likes of England and British & Irish Lions star Ugo Monye, Academy Award nominated actor Minnie Driver and Michelin star chef Tom Kerridge.New episodes every Monday.Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfectThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Kyle MP is a Labour politician and the Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland. He sits down with Rachel and Alice to discuss his life-long tussle with dyslexia, growing up as as a gay schoolboy under Section 28, and coming to terms with his mother's departure when he was a child after running away with his father's best friend.NSPCC: www.nspcc.org.ukStonewall: www.stonewall.org.ukBritish Dyslexia Association: www.bdadyslexia.org.ukThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Rose Tremain is the multi award-winning novelist and former Chancellor of the University of East Anglia. Rachel and Alice join Rose in her home to talk about her difficult life at boarding school in France, defying doctors with her cancer treatment and growing up with a mother who she doesn't think ever loved her.Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfectNSPCC: www.nspcc.org.ukAction for Children: www.actionforchildren.org.ukVoices in the Middle: www.voicesinthemiddle.comThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Ben Mitchell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.