From The Vault: Dawn French
From the dislocated, sun soaked childhood of an RAF family to a life spent shaping British comedy, Dawn French’s story is one of resilience, warmth and hard won self knowledge. In this generous conver...
2 Jan 47min
Full Disclosure 2025: The Year Reviewed
A Boxing Day reflection on a standout year of Full Disclosure. James O’Brien revisits key guests and conversations from 2025, offering perspective on the ideas, stories and people that shaped the podc...
26 Dec 20256min
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 thi...
19 Dec 20251h 1min
Sir Gareth Southgate: There were days I didn’t want to get out from under the duvet
From missing the most famous penalty in English football to leading the national team into a new era, Gareth Southgate’s story is one of quiet resilience, modern leadership and emotional intelligence ...
12 Dec 202557min
Jan Ravens: “I lived with a nameless dread”
Jan Ravens, the acclaimed impressionist at the heart of Dead Ringers, grew up learning to change the mood of a room long before she ever changed her voice on stage. In this conversation with James O B...
5 Dec 20251h 2min
Hal Cruttenden: Divorce blew my mind- it hits harder than losing parents
Before he became one of the most recognisable storytellers on the comedy circuit, Hal Cruttenden was a shy kid from West London who spent years trying to be what he thought others wanted him to be. He...
28 Nov 20251h 4min
Stephen Mangan: When Mum died, I knew I couldn’t waste life being a lawyer- I had to act
Before he became one of Britain’s most familiar faces, Stephen Mangan was a bookish North London boy from an Irish working-class family- the son of a builder and a barmaid- who won a scholarship to a ...
21 Nov 20251h
Toby Jones: I never wanted to feel desperate about acting
From Truman Capote to Mr Bates, Toby Jones has built a career on disappearing- an actor whose transformations are so complete they can seem alchemical. But behind that versatility lies a story of inhe...
14 Nov 20251h 4min
