Full Disclosure with James O'Brien
231 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 104 ratingsAward-winning LBC presenter and best-selling author James O’Brien hosts a series of compelling conversations with fascinating people. These are revealing interviews with people who rarely give in-depth interviews, be it from politics, entertainment or news. Subscribe to get a new episode every Friday.
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Episodes
Bassem Youssef: Egypt's Jon Stewart on Palestine, the press and Piers Morgan
April 18, 2024 23:15 - 52 minutes - 48 MBIn 2011 Bassem Youssef was a little-known heart surgeon in Cairo. A year later, he was hosting his own political satire TV show, Al-Bernameg, drawing in 30 million weekly viewers as he made fun of the Egyptian regime. Bassem's comedy was groundbreaking but it proved too controversial to remain on air. In 2014 he was forced to move to United States, where he has since had to work to re-establish his career in a new language. Now, he's back in the news thanks to an explosive interview with Pie...
James Timpson: The secrets to running a successful business and making money
April 11, 2024 23:15 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MB"The best ideas don't come from the boardroom, the best ideas come from the frontline." James Timpson is the chief executive of Timpson, a family-run business known for its key cutting and watch repair services. James does business differently. His unconventional leadership style has raised eyebrows - but it works. Since taking over Timpson, he has grown the business to over 2,000 stores by developing new ideas, giving ex-prisoners a second chance and putting his employees first. He has ...
Bryony Gordon: My OCD made me think my family would die
April 05, 2024 02:00 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBBryony Gordon is a bestselling author, mental health campaigner and founder of Mental Health Mates. She has been a columnist for the Telegraph for over twenty years where she has written honestly and openly about her experiences of mental illness and addictions. Her latest book, Mad Woman details her experiences of OCD, binge eating and the endless battle to stay sober. Bryony tells James about the realities of living with dark, intrusive thoughts and how exercise became her salvation.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby: Finding my faith amidst hangovers, beatings and abuse
March 28, 2024 23:15 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBGrowing up, Justin Welby thought his home life was normal. It wasn't until he was a teenager that he realised being brought up by an abusive, alcoholic father was anything but. He found faith and the love of God as a student at Cambridge, bringing with it a sense of peace and security. He graduated and then spent 11 years working in the oil industry. From such unlikely beginnings, Justin Welby’s faith became his life. He was ordained a priest in 1993 and has been the Archbishop of Canterbu...
Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean: From Nottingham council estates to winning gold at the Olympics
March 22, 2024 03:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIt's 40 years since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won gold at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Around 24 million people turned on their TVs to watch the Nottingham duo make history on the ice rink. It was the moment that changed Jayne and Chris' lives forever. Since then, they have won multiple World Championships, sold out international tours and become the faces of ITV's hit show Dancing on Ice. Tickets for their last ever UK tour, Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance, are available at ww...
Humza Yousaf on Islamophobia and toxicity in politics
March 14, 2024 23:15 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBScotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf became interested in politics when he was just 16, believing it was the best way to make meaningful change. He joined the SNP whilst studying politics at the University of Glasgow and by 26, had become one of the youngest MSPs to enter Holyrood. Humza has gone to make history as the first Muslim leader of any Western democracy, as well as Scotland's youngest leader. He joins James to discuss the state of UK politics, Scottish independence and why he b...
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi: "I don't enjoy politics. There is a lot of BS"
March 08, 2024 00:15 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBLawyer, businesswoman, campaigner and the first female Muslim UK cabinet minister. Baroness Warsi has broken glass ceilings throughout her career and tirelessly campaigned against Islamophobia within both society and the Conservative party. She joins James to discuss why she believes she's in a toxic relationship with the Conservative party and which cabinet minister is to blame for taking the party away from its conservative values and turning it towards the far-right. Sayeeda hosts a bran...
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi: "I don't enjoy politics... there's a lot of BS"
March 08, 2024 00:15 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBLawyer, businesswoman, campaigner and the first female Muslim UK cabinet minister. Baroness Warsi has broken glass ceilings throughout her career and tirelessly campaigned against Islamophobia within both society and the Conservative party. She joins James to discuss why she believes she's in a toxic relationship with the Conservative party and which cabinet minister is to blame for taking the party away from its conservative values and turning it towards the far-right. Sayeeda hosts a bran...
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi: "I don’t enjoy politics. There’s a lot of bullsh*t.”
March 07, 2024 23:15 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBLawyer, businesswoman, campaigner and the first female Muslim UK cabinet minister. Baroness Warsi has broken glass ceilings throughout her career and tirelessly campaigned against Islamophobia within both society and the Conservative party. She joins James to discuss why she believes she's in a toxic relationship with the Conservative party and which cabinet minister is to blame for taking the party away from its conservative values and turning it towards the far-right. Sayeeda hosts a bran...
Gary Stevenson: Why I gave up making millions as a City trader to fight wealth inequality
March 01, 2024 00:15 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBAt 21 years old, Gary Stevenson joined Citibank as its youngest trader. Three years later, he became the bank's most profitable trader by betting on the collapse of the economy. He went from living in his parents' two-bed terrace in east London to earning millions. But it didn't feel right to make money betting on disasters. So, he quit, leaving his dream job in the City to campaign on the issue of wealth inequality. He tells James why our obsession with money is destroying the things that m...
Bernie Sanders
February 22, 2024 23:15 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBU.S. Senator and former presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders is the longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history. He joins James to discuss social inequality, the dangers of corporate media in both the UK and America and why he is determined to stop Donald Trump from getting back in the White House. Bernie Sanders’ book, It’s OK To Be Angry About Capitalism is available to buy now.
Jason Watkins
February 15, 2024 23:15 - 57 minutes - 53 MBJason Watkins has become one of Britain’s most sought after actors. His breakout role came in the 2014 ITV drama, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies which won him a BAFTA for Best Actor. He’s also had roles in Doctor Who, the Nativity, Trollied, The Crown and Line of Duty. Jason tells James about his early ambitions to become a PE teacher, why he turned to acting and he reflects on the moments that have shaped his life and career.
Sir Ed Davey
February 09, 2024 00:15 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBLiberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey has been a carer for most of his life. First for his mum, who died of cancer when he was just 15. Then for his Nana and now, he and his wife Emily care for their disabled son John. Ed could be furious at the world – but he’s not. Instead, he has spent his political career standing up for carers and fighting for investment in the NHS and social care. Ed tells James how his personal experiences have shaped his politics and why he’s committed to making real...
Dame Sheila Hancock
February 01, 2024 23:15 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBThis interview truly stands out. Dame Sheila Hancock is one of the most respected actors and writers of our time. She became a household name in the 1960s in the BBC sitcom The Rag Trade. Since then she has starred in everything from Carry on Cleo, the award-winning Cabaret, The Sixth Commandment and Edie. Now at 91, Dame Sheila sits down with James to look back on her life. From being a wartime evacuee who joined a gang to dealing with stage fright, being nominated for a Tony in her Broadwa...
James Blunt
January 25, 2024 23:15 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBIt's 18 years since James Blunt released his hit single, You’re Beautiful which reached No.1 around the world. It helped James's debut album, Back to Bedlam sell 12 million copies and become the UK’s best-selling album of the 2000s. But his global success was met with an immediate backlash that saw him ridiculed by the press and pop establishment. James responded to his critics by moving to Ibiza, where he partied hard and joined Twitter. Since Back to Bedlam, he has released a further succe...
Nick Wallis: Exposing the Post Office scandal
January 18, 2024 23:15 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBNick Wallis was presenting the breakfast show for BBC Radio Surrey in 2010 when he was contacted by a listener with a story he’s been investigating ever since. Nick helped expose one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in UK legal history – the Post Office Horizon IT scandal that has devastated the lives of hundreds of innocent hardworking people across the country. His work has been published in Private Eye and broadcast on BBC Panorama, The One Show and BBC Radio 4. It is also the basis...
Stephanie Beacham
January 11, 2024 23:15 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBIn a career spanning almost six decades, Stephanie Beacham is a household name on both sides of the Atlantic. She achieved global renown for her role as Sable Colby in the US soap opera Dynasty and its spin-off The Colbys. She's appeared on stage at Broadway and the West End and has multiple film credits to her name.
Full Disclosure is taking a short break for Christmas... We'll be back in January 2024!
December 28, 2023 23:15 - 1 minute - 1.43 MBFull Disclosure is taking a short break over Christmas but don't worry, we'll be back in January 2024 with a line up of exceptional guests. If you can't wait until then, why not catch up on some of the episodes you might have missed. It's been a vintage year with incredible guests including Hugh Laurie, Dawn Butler and Chris Packham. Every episode of Full Disclosure is available on Global Player. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas...
Fatima Whitbread
December 21, 2023 23:15 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBThis episode contains discussion of sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised. Fatima Whitbread is a former javelin world champion, double Olympian and former world record holder. This week she was honoured with the Helen Rollason Award at Sports Personality of the Year 2023 for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity. Fatima was abandoned by her mother as a baby and spent her first 14 years in care homes. She faced neglect, physical and sexual abuse. In her teens, she discov...
Dominic Grieve
December 14, 2023 23:15 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBFormer Conservative MP Dominic Grieve never set out to be a rebel. In his words, he was a member of the establishment. He was president of the Oxford University Conservative Association and before being elected to parliament, he was a QC. He served in David Cameron’s government as Attorney General, but as the EU referendum loomed, he became increasingly vocal in his opposition against Brexit. He opposed Theresa May’s withdrawal deal three times and in 2019, he was one of 21 Tory MPs who had ...
Chris Packham
December 07, 2023 23:15 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBWildlife TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham has always been fascinated by the natural world. As a child, he spent hours collecting slugs, snails, ladybirds and tadpoles from the garden to store in jam jars. He struggled to fit in at school and was bullied by other students. Chris knew he was different but didn't understand why. It wasn't until his forties that he was diagnosed with autism, finally providing an explanation as to why he experiences the world differently to other pe...
What To Listen To Next - The News Agents
December 02, 2023 23:15 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MBWe're dropping into your feed to share another Global Player Original podcast with you. Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host a daily news podcast: The News Agents. They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed. If you're not already following or subscribed, search for The News Agents to hea...
Omid Scobie
December 01, 2023 04:45 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBRoyal biographer Omid Scobie was thrust into the spotlight when he began writing about Prince Harry and Meghan. His first book Finding Freedom, about the Sussexes’ and their split from the Royal Family, made headlines across the world. And – his stories about the Royals are once again dominating the front pages following the release of his new book Endgame. Omid tells James how he came to write the biggest story in town - and why he has become part of the story.
Emily Maitlis interviews James O'Brien on his book 'How They Broke Britain'
November 24, 2023 00:15 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBThis week, the tables have turned and James is in the hot seat. He sits down with journalist and host of The News Agents podcast, Emily Maitlis to discuss his bestselling book, How They Broke Britain, naming and shaming those responsible for the decline in politics, media and the economy.
Miles Jupp
November 16, 2023 21:00 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MBHe's a comedian, writer and star of stage and screen. Miles Jupp started performing stand-up as a student at Edinburgh University. In his third year, he got the role of Archie the Inventor in the children's show Balamory and has never looked back. He's appeared in major television series, Hollywood films and has created his own radio sketch shows. Tickets for his latest stand-up tour, Miles Jupp: On I Bang are available at milesjupp.co.uk
Chris McCausland
November 09, 2023 21:30 - 58 minutes - 54 MBLiverpudlian comedian Chris McCausland gradually started losing his eyesight due to a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa. His sight got so bad in his 20s that he was forced to give up his job as a web developer and ended up unemployed. He decided to give stand-up a try and is now a regular fixture on the comedy circuit. Tickets for his latest show, Yonks! are available at chrismccausland.com
From The Vault: Dame Prue Leith
November 02, 2023 21:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBJames has brought back another incredible guest from the Full Disclosure vault this week. He's revisiting his 2019 interview with Dame Prue Leith, star judge on the Great British Bake Off. Prue has lived an incredible life. She grew up in South Africa during the Apartheid era, then moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne before making a name for herself as a restaurateur in London. She's gone on to become a food writer and broadcaster on shows including the Great British Menu and the Great B...
From The Vault: Steve Coogan
October 26, 2023 21:00 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBJames has been looking back at some of his all-time favourite guests on Full Disclosure. He's dug deep into the vault and plucked out an episode that really stands out. It's a classic with one of his very first guests, the comedian and actor Steve Coogan. Steve Coogan is such a private individual for someone who's so incredibly well-known. He rarely does interviews. James waited 25 years to get one with him. So when it happened in 2019, James was both incredibly nervous and incredibly excit...
Tim Peake
October 19, 2023 21:00 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBIn 2008, Tim Peake answered an advert from the European Space Agency looking for astronauts. Six years later he became the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station and carry out a spacewalk. But Tim didn't always want to be an astronaut. As a child, he fell in love with flying and pursued a career in aviation. He progressed from the school Cadet Corps to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and then into the Army Air Corps. By the time Tim retired from the Britis...
Mary Beard
October 12, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBArguably the world’s most famous classicist, Mary Beard has an incredible talent for making ancient history engaging for everyone. Her fascination with the past began at the age of five. During a visit to the British Museum, she saw a slice of ancient Egyptian cake on display and was thrilled when a curator opened the case and got it out for her. For nearly forty years, she was a Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge before retiring in 2022. She’s also a TV and radio presenter...
Susie Dent
October 05, 2023 21:00 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MBLexicographer, etymologist and Queen of Countdown’s Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent has always been fascinated by words. As a child, she would read the labels of shampoo bottles at bath time, marvelling at the fact they were written in a different language. She studied modern languages at Oxford University before getting a job at Oxford University Press. She made her first appearance on Channel 4’s Countdown in 1992. Since then, she has appeared in more than 8,000 episodes and is the longest s...
Naomi Klein
September 28, 2023 21:00 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MBOver the past twenty-five years, Naomi Klein has charted and documented our politics and culture with a series of bestselling-books from No Logo to The Shock Doctrine. She’s known as one of the most influential left-wing voices of our time. But she wasn’t always this politically active. As a teenager, she resented being dragged along to demonstrations by her activist parents and rebelled by being normal. It all changed when she went to university. There, she began to challenge the status quo...
Gabby Logan
September 21, 2023 21:00 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBBroadcasting legend, podcaster and former gymnast for Wales and Great Britain, Gabby Logan is a force to be reckoned with. She started her broadcasting career as a student at Metro Radio in Newcastle. She's gone on to become one of Britain's best loved sports presenters, hosting high-profile events including the Olympics, Premiership football and the most recently, the FIFA Women's World Cup. Gabby's podcast, The Mid Point is available to listen to now on Global Player. https://www.globa...
Clive Myrie
September 14, 2023 21:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBHe's one of the most recognisable faces on British television, covering some of the biggest stories of our time. BBC News presenter and Mastermind host, Clive Myrie grew up in Bolton - the son of Windrush generation parents - with dreams of becoming a journalist. He studied law at university but ended up accepting a position on the BBC's journalism trainee scheme. He's gone on report from more than 90 different countries including war zones in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently, Uk...
Sebastian Faulks
September 07, 2023 21:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBNovelist Sebastian Faulks has the rare quality of being both literary and popular. He’s best known for his historical novels set in France, and in particular, Birdsong, adapted for the screen and starring Eddie Redmayne. Now for the first time Faulks has ventured into the future - but not very far - setting his latest novel from 2030, beginning with an experiment at an IVF clinic which challenges ethical boundaries. His 16th novel, The Seventh Son is out now.
Mark Gatiss
August 31, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBFew of us realise the dreams we have as 8-year-olds, but actor, screenwriter and director Mark Gatiss, obsessed with horror, Dr Who and Sherlock Holmes as a child, has managed to incorporate his early passions into his professional life. Now a grown-up with an astonishing catalogue of work, Gatiss no longer pursues the macabre with adolescent fervour, but a darkness continues to run through even the most camp and comedic additions to his oeuvre. From December 2023 he'll be starring in The Mo...
Dawn Butler
August 24, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBDawn Butler was the first black woman to speak at the despatch box in the House of Commons. But as a young person it had not once occurred to her to go into politics. In this episode, Dawn explains how an injustice she experienced at primary school triggered a series of events, encouraging her to confront wrongs where she sees them, even within her own ranks. Her book, A Purposeful Life is out now.
Polly Toynbee
August 17, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBWhen Polly Toynbee arrived at The Observer in the late 1960s, she quickly concluded that she'd make a poor news reporter. Hailing from a long line of well-heeled and highly educated liberals and social reformers, Polly surmised that she didn't know enough about the country she'd grown up in. Since then, Polly has worked in factories, hospitals and care homes, shedding light on the nature of work and class. Now regarded as one of the country’s best journalists, her latest book, An Uneasy Inhe...
Dale Vince
August 10, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBEnvironmentalist Dale Vince was appalled to learn, as a child, that many adults don't enjoy going to work. Rejecting convention, he decided to hit the road, becoming a New Age traveller - living off the land in alternative communities around England. It's not the obvious starting point for somebody who'd go on to build a company worth £100m.
Best of Full Disclosure
August 04, 2023 10:18 - 1 hour - 61 MBAfter a brief summer hiatus, James brings you some of the most extraordinary moments you might not have heard from Full Disclosure. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode featuring a fascinating guest James has always wanted to speak to.
Shaparak Khorsandi
July 13, 2023 12:03 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBComedian and author Shaparak Khorsandi speaks to James about being diagnosed with ADHD in her forties, her Iranian background and ambitions to become a psychotherapist. Her book, Scatter Brain, is out now.
Alan Titchmarsh
July 06, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 55 MBHe's one of the nation's favourite broadcasters, but when Alan Titchmarsh was a young lad, his parents worried about him. Disliking secondary school and leaving with one O-Level in art, Titchmarsh, to his father's dismay, journeyed closer towards his first love: gardening. He speaks to James about his lengthy career in television, radio and print and describes the surreality of being recognised everywhere after starring in the hit garden makeover series, Ground Force.
Rob Rinder
June 29, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 65 MBBroadcaster, criminal barrister, columnist and now novelist, Rob Rinder is too curious a person to stay in one place for long. He speaks to James about how he fell out of love with the law as well his first novel, The Trial, which draws upon his real life experience of the British legal system and the cases he's worked on.
Wendell Pierce
June 23, 2023 18:15 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBWendell Pierce was on the verge of quitting acting after he graduated from Juilliard - but decided to "give it a year". Four decades on, he's one of the most celebrated character actors working today. Wendell speaks to James about his childhood in New Orleans, his big break in The Wire and the new series of his hit thriller series, Jack Ryan. Please be advised that this episode contains a highly offensive term.
Dexter Fletcher
June 15, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 60.7 MBAfter 50 years in TV, film and theatre, James O'Brien sits down with one of his heroes, actor turned big-time director, Dexter Fletcher to discuss the lows and soaring highs of his life and career.
Joan Bakewell
June 08, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBShe was made a peer in 2011, but Dame Joan Bakewell regards herself first and foremost as a journalist and writer. From a very young age, Joan developed a passion for reading, leading to a discovery of 'an internal life'. She speaks to James about her disciplinarian mother, the enormous freedom she had making television in the 1970s and her philosophy.
Mark Steel
June 01, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBA master at throwing interviewers off his own scent, comedian Mark Steel got so bored of being asked the same questions that he started making things up. Swerving his traps, James speaks to Mark about his totally real but fantastical sounding family background and new tour.
Alastair Campbell
May 25, 2023 10:23 - 1 hour - 60.7 MBSelf-confessed workaholic Alastair Campbell can't help but feel that he's not doing enough. He's written 18 books, is editor at large of The New European newspaper and his podcast, The Rest is Politics, co-hosted with Rory Stewart, is usually ranked top of the UK charts. But Alastair promised his mum that he'd never go back to the political front line. Alastair's latest tome, But What Can I Do?, seeks to empower its readers to make their own difference.
Evie Meg
May 18, 2023 10:54 - 56 minutes - 51.5 MBEvie Meg, AKA thistrippyhippie has over 16 million followers on TikTok, making her one of the most prominent online disability advocates. Conversely, one of Evie's conditions, PANDAS, is little-known and often misunderstood. For Mental Health Awareness Week, Evie speaks to James about how her life is impacted by PANDAS and Tourette's syndrome, shedding light on how the boundaries between physical and psychological health are often blurred.
Introducing: Unprecedented
May 15, 2023 14:32 - 3 minutes - 3.45 MBBrexit, Covid, Partygate, lockdowns, leaks, the war in Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis and the scandals that plagued our politics. Guto Harri was in the room when the big decisions were made. In this podcast, expect unprecedented access behind the shiny black door of Number 10 Downing Street, during one of the most chaotic periods in British political history. Guto was Boris Johnson’s Communications Chief. When he first walked over the Number 10 threshold, things weren’t normal. A set of...