Headliners with Nihal Arthanayake

"An honour to be a part of these young people’s lives". Five-time Chortle-award winning comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean speaks to Nihal Arthanayake about her new show ‘Peacock’, which is based on how she and her partner became foster carers.

Radio genius Richard Bacon is back on the 5 Live airwaves for the latest Headliners slot – so will there yet be a return of the Special Half Hour, 15 years on? A radio mastermind and no slouch in the TV department either, the pair also delve into Richard’s TV production credits both sides of the Atlantic, and discuss how his ADHD diagnosis and near death experience in adulthood have affected him: “’You were meant to die’, I think about that phrase everyday’.” Oh, and how he’s technically married to Britney Spears; what happened when he played a montage of Partridge-inspired on-air moments to Steve Coogan; why he has high hopes for a high tech phone case you’ve never seen before; and how life in LA has changed his perspective of what’s realistically achievable. Enjoy, Great Britain, wherever you are!

Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson shot to fame in Hollywood in Bridesmaids and the Pitch Perfect trilogy, where she played a character called "Fat Amy”. She has just released her autobiography, ‘Rebel Rising’, charting her course to fame. She also dives deep into her personal and private life, documenting her struggles with weight, romance and fertility.

'I'm not a victim, I call myself a survivor'Former Manchester United defender, Patrice Evra, discusses how he was sexually abused aged 13, and why he's now working with the UN and WHO to ensure other children grow up in a world free of violence and abuse.He also reflects on his time at Manchester United, his early life growing up as one of 24 siblings, and how his partner Margaux changed his life. As a warning to listeners - some of this podcast makes for difficult listening – with discussions of sexual abuse.

“When I arrived at the hospital they thought it might already be too late” The Booker Prize-winning author, Sir Salman Rushdie speaks to Nihal. He is one of most famous and most celebrated authors of our time. And in August 2022 he was stabbed on stage in New York. Sir Salman said he is using his new book, ‘Knife’, as a way of fighting back against what happened. As a warning to listeners - some of this podcast makes for difficult listening – with depictions of violence.

Comedian Helen Lederer on evolving attitudes toward neurodiversity, how alternative comedy has developed since the 1980s, and how her definition of happiness changes with age.Helen and Gordon also get into social media and entertainers' relationships with reviews, working with great comedians like Harry Enfield, and why her candid new memoir Not That I’m Bitter proves “you can be funny about sad things”.

Comedian Jason Byrne on varying degrees of honesty from family and different audiences, the list of eccentricities he’s noticed of his Scottish and Irish fans he’s met from world tours, his new show for Edinburgh Festival, and how his late father’s wisdom has helped shape an award-winning one-man play. The pair also get into Jason trying to connect his brand of comedy to children, health, heart disease and being awake during six (yes, six!) stent installs, mental health coping strategies, growing up in Dublin, and what it’s like meeting up with old mates who’ve no filter and no fame.

Paralympian and TV presenter Ade Adepitan (now an honorary Scotsman according to Gordon!) reflects on his life and career. Particularly on his surreal experience of visiting an all-white South-African community of Orania for a documentary, and the life-affirming, outlook-changing feat of spending nearly seven hours crawling to the peak of live volcano in Nicaragua.The pair also get into the rise of extremism, the difficulties that come with navigating hostile environments, and how Ade’s background in elite sport helps him find focus when his anger rises in some of these environments. Ade also touched on his love for ‘home from home’ Edinburgh, the pros and cons of considering a career in politics, and the power of accepting who you are.

Actor Danny Mays on working with Michael Douglas on new period drama Franklin and the process of auditioning for and being offered the part of Ed Bancroft. Danny talks through all the different wigs wardrobe had him try on, “One of which I thought I looked like my nan, Molly!”, and living in Paris during filming. The pair also get into being bothered about fame, having performances cut from movies, working with Daniel Day Lewis, and how starring in just one episode of BBC drama Line of Duty was a “game changer” for Danny.

“What does being in the establishment actually mean?” He’s the best-selling author and screenwriter famous for his Alex Rider series. ‘Close to Death’ is the fifth instalment of Anthony Horowitz’s ‘Hawthorne and Horowitz’ series, in which he appears as a character. He told Nihal Arthanayake all about it, whether or not he thinks he’s in the “establishment”, and what small things in life wind him up the most.