Martin Shaw: The Professionals was a monster that swallowed my career

Martin Shaw: The Professionals was a monster that swallowed my career

From bomb sites in postwar Birmingham to the centre of British stage and screen, Martin Shaw’s life has been shaped by curiosity, kindness and a refusal to play the part he was expected to play.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with one of Britain’s most enduring actors to trace the journey behind the performances. Shaw reflects on growing up with parents marked by war and frustration, discovering storytelling at school, and the teachers who unlocked a sense of freedom, confidence and purpose. He talks about leaving security behind for drama school, confronting imposter syndrome, and the moment he realised that great acting is not about showing off but about listening.

The conversation moves through a remarkable career. From early theatre work and transformative mentors, to working with Roman Polanski on Macbeth, sharing kitchens with Anthony Hopkins, and navigating the highs and costs of fame after The Professionals. Shaw speaks candidly about alcohol, masculinity, spiritual searching and the quiet anger that can linger beneath success. He also explains why kindness on set matters to him, how one encounter with a fan reframed his view of his own work, and why the stage has always remained his creative home.

Jaksot(327)

Amanda Abbington

Amanda Abbington

Actress Amanda Abbington, star of Sherlock and Netflix thriller Safe, speaks to James about her misdirected early attempts at dancing, the moment she realised she was an actor and the adrenaline rush ...

23 Helmi 20231h 1min

Neil Kinnock

Neil Kinnock

He is credited with reestablishing the Labour Party as a mainstream, centrist political force after a period of hard-left internal conflict. Sound familiar? The former leader of the Labour Party speak...

9 Helmi 20231h 5min

Terry Christian

Terry Christian

Broadcaster Terry Christian grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in Manchester where not attending mass or university was out of the question. After dropping out of a chemistry course he didn't wa...

2 Helmi 20231h 11min

Sir Tony Robinson

Sir Tony Robinson

Blackadder legend Tony Robinson talks to James about the state of British politics, the power of meditation and the return of Time Team.

26 Tammi 20231h 3min

Matthew Collins

Matthew Collins

Content warning: this episode contains descriptions of racial violence, racial slurs and suicidal feelings. By the time Matthew Collins was 15 years old, he was enthralled by the far-right and had joi...

19 Tammi 20231h 11min

George Takei

George Takei

The internment of Japanese Americans across the U.S. during World War II is not an obvious subject on which to develop a musical, however it is exactly what George Takei, Star Trek legend and social m...

12 Tammi 20231h 5min

Tracy Brabin

Tracy Brabin

Back in the day when she was best known as Tricia Armstrong in Coronation Street, Tracy Brabin did not shy away from national politics, appearing in Labour campaigns and using her stardom to generate ...

5 Tammi 20231h 5min

Alan Johnson

Alan Johnson

From union General Secretary, to Home Secretary to award-winning writer. By his own admission, Alan Johnson has lived a charmed life. He speaks to James about his tricky early years and political hero...

22 Joulu 20221h 1min

Suosittua kategoriassa Yhteiskunta

sita
olipa-kerran-otsikko
kaksi-aitia
hupiklubi
i-dont-like-mondays
siita-on-vaikea-puhua
ihme-ja-kumma
uutiscast
poks
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
antin-palautepalvelu
kolme-kaannekohtaa
rss-murhan-anatomia
mamma-mia
aikalisa
yopuolen-tarinoita-2
meidan-pitais-puhua
rss-palmujen-varjoissa
mystista
terapeuttiville-qa