What I Wish I'd Known

Rob Rinder MBE is a barrister, broadcaster and host of Judge Rinder. He speaks to Rachel and Alice about how homophobia, anti-Semitism and his grandfather's experiences during the holocaust informed who he is today.Buttle UK: www.buttleuk.orgStonewall: www.stonewall.org.ukJewish Blind & Disabled: www.jbd.orgThis podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.orgProducer: Lucy Ditchmont Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Rebanks is a British author and farmer. Rachel and Alice join him at his farm to discuss his childhood acting out at school to shake off his rural roots, leaving school at 15, and how the death of his grandfather forced a rift between him and his father.Right to Succeed: www.righttosucceed.org.ukThe Princes Countryside Fund: www.princescountrysidefund.org.ukThe Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution: www.rabi.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.

Huma Abedin is an American political staffer who worked as Hillary Clinton’s top-advisor for 25 year. She speaks to Rachel and Alice from America about how her childhood in Jeddah, coming to terms with her father's death, and her husband's sexting scandal - not only destroyed their marriage but potentially damaged Hillary's bid to become President.Fumble: www.fumble.org.ukRunnymede Trust: www.runnymedetrust.orgMacmillan Cancer Support: www.macmillan.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.

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE is a broadcaster World Cup winning cricketer and Director of Women's Cricket at Surrey CCC. She sits down with Rachel and Alice and speaks candidly about the injury that left her unable to walk for a year, the impact the murder of her brother when she was five, and how she dealt with race in cricket.NSPCC: www.nspcc.org.ukLives Not Lives: www.livesnotknives.orgShow 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.

Jay Blades MBE is a broadcaster, furniture restorer and host of the Repair Shop. He joins Rachel and Alice to talk about how dealing with racism at school, his divorce and battling with his mental health has helped him to become the man he is today and allowed him to mentor others including Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock.Samaritans: www.samaritans.orgRunnymede: www.runnymedetrust.orgThe Black Fund: www.theblackfund.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.

Sir James Dyson is a farmer, businessman and world known for vacuum cleaners and strawberries. Rachel and Alice visit him at the Dyson Institute to talk about how the death of his father when he was just nine drove him to create and to become Britain's richest man.Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfectWinston's Wish: www.winstonswish.orgChild Bereavement UK: www.childbereavementuk.orgJames Dyson Foundation: www.jamesdysonfoundation.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.

Lawrence Chaney is the reigning champion of Ru Paul's Drag Race UK. They join Rachel and Alice in the studio to discuss how they overcame the violent bullying they received at school, struggling with their gender identity and how they found their true-selves through drag.Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfectBullies Out: www.bulliesout.comStonewall: www.stonewall.org.ukMermaids: www.mermaidsuk.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.

Dr Waheed Arian is an Afghan refugee, leading radiologist and recently announced as the UK's Best Doctor at The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards. He joined Rachel and Alice in the studio to discuss how he fled Afghanistan arriving in Britain illegally and alone at 15, self-schooled his way out of a youth detention centre and into Cambridge University to study medicine and how he set-up his own charity providing phone consultations to the sick in war zones.Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfectArian Teleheal: www.arianteleheal.comRefugee Action: www.refugee-action.org.ukBritish Medical Association: www.bmacharities.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.

Shirley Ballas is a ballroom dance champion who became known as 'The Queen of Latin' and is now the head judge on Strictly Come Dancing. She joins Rachel and Alice to talk about the struggles of leaving home at 15 to become a professional dancer, the impact of the sudden death of her brother, and how the bullying and abuse she feels she has suffered both in and out the industry spurred her on to succeed.Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfectSamaritans: www.samaritans.orgAlder Hay Hospital: www.alderhey.nhs.ukAction for Children: www.actionforchildren.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.

Angela Rayner MP is the Member or Parliament for Ashton under Lyne and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. She sat down with Rachel and Alice to relive her childhood on a council estate in Stockport where she began caring for her mother at the age of 10 as she couldn't read or write and suffered from Bipolar disorder, became pregnant at 15 and left school a year later at 16 without any qualifications.  Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfectBipolar UK: www.bipolaruk.orgYoung Mums Support Network: www.ymsn.co.ukThe Honeypot Children's Charity: www.honeypot.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.