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PODCAST

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien

Award-winning LBC presenter and best-selling author James O’Brien hosts a series of compelling conversations with fascinating people from the worlds of politics, news and entertainment. These are thoughtful conversations with a curious and interested interviewer. For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com

society & culture

All Episodes

01:05:34

Jimmy Wales: The man who built Wikipedia

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/10/31

Long before it became one of the most visited websites on Earth, Wikipedia began as a radical idea from a curious boy in Huntsville, Alabama. Raised by a father who managed a grocery store and a mother and grandmother who ran a tiny, Montessori-inspired school where “each one teach one” was the guiding principle, Wales grew up surrounded by early computers, space rockets and encyclopaedias bought from door-to-door salesmen. It was there he developed both a fascination with information and a belief

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58:58

Charles Dance: From builder’s labourer with a stammer...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/10/24

Before he was Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones or the commanding presence of The Jewel in the Crown, Charles Dance was a boy from Worcestershire whose father died when he was three and whose mother built a new life for the family, remarried to their lodger. A childhood marked by loss, a stammer and humble beginnings gave little hint of the commanding actor he would become.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy-nominated actor to trace an extraordinary journey

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53:58

Alexander Armstrong: My default setting is fear- I...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/10/17

Before Pointless, Classic FM and comedy stardom, Alexander Armstrong was a restless kid growing up in rural Northumberland- lonely at boarding school, obsessed with music, and quietly desperate to perform. In this revealing conversation with James O’Brien, he opens up about the bruises and eccentricities of his childhood, the teachers who changed everything, and the nights at Cambridge that set him on the path to Armstrong & Miller.They talk about the shock of failure, the seduction of success,

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01:06:24

Jack Thorne: “I was allergic to moving - the doctor...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/10/10

Growing up in Bristol, acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne was a shy, politically driven kid who believed he could change the world- first through politics, then acting, before discovering that storytelling was where his voice truly belonged.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy and BAFTA-winning creator of This Is England, His Dark Materials, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child and Adolescence to trace Jack’s journey from a lonely teenager to one of

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51:59

Cor Hutton: The Quadruple Amputee Who Found Her Feet

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/10/06

In 2013, businesswoman and mum Cor Hutton was given just a five percent chance of survival after contracting pneumonia that developed into sepsis. She pulled through, but lost both hands and her legs below the knee.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks to Cor about her extraordinary journey- from relearning how to live as a quadruple amputee to becoming the first person in Scotland to receive a double hand transplant. They discuss her founding of the charity Finding Your Feet, the

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01:03:22

Jamie Oliver: “I’d gone from being skint to having a...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/10/03

Before he became one of the world’s best-known chefs, Jamie Oliver was a dyslexic kid growing up in his parents’ pub in rural Essex, learning the value of hard work, fresh food, and family.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jamie to trace his journey from peeling veg at his parents’ pub to fronting The Naked Chef, reshaping school dinners, and building - then losing - a restaurant empire. They talk about the resilience required to recover from failure, his

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01:05:21

Leo Varadkar: Former Prime Minister of Ireland on...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/09/26

Before becoming Ireland’s youngest Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was a Dublin GP with bold ambitions and a belief that politics could be a kind of medicine for society.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the former Prime Minister to explore his extraordinary rise from a mixed-heritage childhood in 1980s Ireland, to leading his country through Brexit battles, historic referendums and the turbulence of the pandemic. They discuss the unlikely path that took him from medical

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01:01:49

Dr Richard Shepherd: Lessons from 23,000 Postmortems-...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/09/19

Britain’s leading forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd has performed over 23,000 postmortems and given evidence in some of the most high-profile cases of our time, from Hungerford to Hillsborough, from Princess Diana to David Kelly. But his fascination with death began much earlier, when his mother died suddenly from heart disease and he was left with questions no one could answer.In this episode of Full Disclosure, Dr Shepherd tells James O’Brien how that childhood loss set him on the path to

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01:00:56

Arabella Weir: At nine my mum said, “I can’t bear the...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/09/12

Actor, comedian and bestselling author Arabella Weir grew up in a family that prized intellect and appearances but struggled to offer love. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she tells James O’Brien how an unsettled childhood shaped her fearless streak, her need to perform, and her instinct to turn pain into comedy.From the brutal remarks of her mother to the liberating chaos of Camden School for Girls, Arabella charts the path that took her from rejection at drama schools to finding her voice on

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01:04:23

Natalie Haynes: Greek Myths, Medea and the Comedy of...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/09/05

Natalie Haynes has never been easy to categorise. A stand-up comedian turned broadcaster and best-selling author, she has built a career out of making the ancient world vivid, funny and urgent. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien talks with the presenter of Stand Up for the Classics about her unusual path from Birmingham bookshops to the Edinburgh Fringe, and from Radio 4 to re-imagining Medea.They explore the strange alchemy of combining scholarship with humour, the myths that refuse

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01:09:05

From The Vault: Brian Cox

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/08/29

From a childhood in Dundee marked by loss, poverty and resilience, to becoming one of the most respected actors of his generation, Brian Cox’s life and career have been defined by an unrelenting pursuit of truth on and off stage. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner reflects on the death of his father at eight years old, the formative influence of his mother’s struggles with mental health, and the teachers who first spotted his talent.Cox charts his

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01:00:08

From The Vault: Miriam Margolyes

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/08/22

From a childhood in Oxford shaped by unconditional love, Jewish heritage and a keen sense of curiosity, to a career spanning stage, screen, voice work and bestselling memoir, Miriam Margolyes’ life has been anything but ordinary. In this candid conversation with James O’Brien, the beloved actor reflects on the security of her early years, the sting of antisemitism, and the moment she first felt at home on stage. She recalls her path from Cambridge Footlights to the BBC, the breakthrough of her

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01:01:05

Cariad Lloyd: Talking About Grief Changed My Life

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/08/15

Cariad Lloyd never set out to become the voice of modern grief, but after losing her father at just fifteen, the silence around death stayed with her. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks with the actor, comedian and creator of Griefcast podcast about how turning her personal loss into public conversation has transformed both her life and others'.Together they explore the tension between comedy and sorrow, the strange rituals of mourning, and why so many of us feel unequipped to

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59:08

Kevin Rowland: Beyond Come On Eileen

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/08/08

From a shifting childhood split between Wolverhampton, rural Ireland and London, to fronting one of the most distinctive and uncompromising bands of the 1980s, Kevin Rowland’s life has been defined by defiance, vision and resilience. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Dexys Midnight Runners frontman reflects on the lasting impact of a father’s harsh words, the struggle to find his place in the world, and the burning drive to prove himself through music and style.Rowland speaks

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01:01:43

Irvine Welsh: We’re More Addicted Now Than in...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/08/01

From the high-rises of Muirhouse to the heart of countercultural Britain, Irvine Welsh has built a literary universe fuelled by punk energy, dancefloor euphoria, and radical empathy. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien meets the novelist and cultural icon to trace a life shaped by rebellion, recovery, and relentless storytelling.They discuss Irvine’s early years in working class Edinburgh, his brushes with heroin and grief, and the accidental discipline learned on a council computer

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54:57

David Lammy: I’ve had imposter syndrome my whole...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/07/25

From a working-class childhood in Tottenham to the Cabinet table, David Lammy’s path to becoming Foreign Secretary was anything but straightforward. Raised by a single mother after his father disappeared when he was twelve, David’s early life was shaped by absence, ambition and a fierce sense of justice.In this deeply personal conversation with James O’Brien, David opens up about the chaos of his childhood, the teachers and parish priests who changed his life, and the duality of growing up between

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01:02:35

Grace Dent: Almost Everything I’ve Done, I’ve Been...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/07/18

Before she was a MasterChef judge and one of Britain’s most distinctive food writers, Grace Dent was a Carlisle kid eating crispy pancakes and dreaming of life beyond beige dinners. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she joins James O’Brien to talk about blagging her way into London media, finding her voice through food, and why she still can’t believe they let her near the foie gras.Grace reflects on growing up in a loud, loving, working-class family, and how her obsession with pop culture, Smash

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59:30

Graham Fellows: Playing John Shuttleworth Came at a Cost

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/07/11

Before he became known as the quirky, banana-snacking John Shuttleworth, Graham Fellows was a kid from Sheffield with dreams of classical acting and a knack for writing unforgettable songs. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien meets the man behind the cult characters to trace the unpredictable path from Jilted John to Chicken Town.They explore Graham’s early life, from his mum’s quiet environmentalism to a fleeting moment of baby photo fame, and his parallel passions for drama and music

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01:00:26

Jon Culshaw: The Impressionist Who Fooled the Prime...

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/07/04

Long before Dead Ringers or Spitting Image, Jon Culshaw was a schoolboy with a knack for mimicry and a fierce determination to escape into voices- finding freedom, fun, and a future through the radio dial.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jon to explore how a shy kid from Lancashire became one of the UK’s best-loved impressionists. They trace his early love of radio, his first gigs as a hospital DJ, and the key moments that transformed a quiet obsession into a

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01:01:03

Michael Lewis: America Is Run by Bullies

Full Disclosure with James O"Brien ·

2025/06/27

Before The Big Short, Moneyball or The Blind Side became bestsellers (and Hollywood hits), Michael Lewis was just trying to make sense of a world where things didn’t add up- from Wall Street to the government to the rules of sport.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the celebrated writer to unpack the origins of his outsider lens, his instinct for spotting value in unexpected places, and why he’s drawn to stories where people are swimming against the current. They

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304 results

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