Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

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Salman Rushdie: When I die, I know there will be nothing May 24, 2024

Show notes

One of the world’s most acclaimed, award-winning authors Salman Rushdie has spent the last thirty years with a death threat attached to his head. A threat that almost became a reality two years ago when he brutally stabbed 15 times by a stranger. Few people have come so close to death and lived to tell the story. Salman returns to Full Disclosure to tell James about the day he almost died and the aftermath that followed.

Salman has written a deeply personal account of the brutal attack on his life. Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder is out now.

This episode contains sensitive topic discussions around graphic and disturbing violence. Listener discretion is advised.

Zeinab Badawi: Setting the record straight on African history May 17, 2024

Show notes

Zeinab Badawi is an award-winning broadcaster, journalist and the President of SOAS University of London. Born in Sudan, she has worked in the British media for several decades. She has recently published her first book which promises to reshape our understanding of Africa. Zeinab tells James what led her to write her instant Sunday Times bestseller, An African History of Africa.

Julie Hesmondhalgh: How good telly and theatre can change the world May 10, 2024

Show notes

Lancaster legend Julie Hesmondhalgh is an actor, writer and activist. She's best known for playing Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street in what started as a short-term punchline and turned into a 16 year career. Since leaving the cobbles, Julie has gone on to star multiple dramas including Broadchurch, Happy Valley and more recently, Mr Bates vs The Post Office. She’s recently joined the cast of the world premiere of James Graham’s new play Punch, about the power of forgiveness.

Tickets for Punch are available at nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events

Angela Hartnett: One of the UK's top chefs shares her recipe for success May 03, 2024

Show notes

Angela Hartnett is a Michelin starred chef, restaurateur and podcast host. After studying for a history degree, she began working in a local pub before joining Gordon Ramsay at his first restaurant, Aubergine. She worked with Gordon for 17 years before deciding to go it alone. She now runs several restaurants of her own including the Michelin-starred Murano in Mayfair. Angela's podcast, Dish from Waitrose, is available on all podcast providers.

Caroline Lucas: Being Britain's first and only Green MP Apr 26, 2024

Show notes

In 2010 Caroline Lucas made history when she was elected as the MP for Brighton Pavilion, becoming the first Green Party candidate to enter Parliament. She has increased her majority at every election since and served as the Green leader twice. In her 14 years in Westminster, Caroline has used her platform to put environmental and equality issues on the political agenda. Her latest book, Another England sets out how we can reclaim England's national story from Brexit cheerleaders and the radical right.

Bassem Youssef: Egypt's Jon Stewart on Palestine, the press and Piers Morgan Apr 19, 2024

Show notes

In 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 Piers Morgan on the conflict in Gaza, which went viral.

Tickets for his latest tour, The Middle Beast, are available at livenation.co.uk

James Timpson: The secrets to running a successful business and making money Apr 12, 2024

Show notes

"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 published a book packed with leadership advice for a happier, healthy workforce. The Happy Index: Lessons in Upside-Down Management is out now.

Bryony Gordon: My OCD made me think my family would die Apr 05, 2024

Show notes

Bryony 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 Mar 29, 2024

Show notes

Growing 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 Canterbury since 2013. He tells James about his struggles growing up with an alcoholic father and why he speaks out on political issues like the Rwanda Bill.

Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean: From Nottingham council estates to winning gold at the Olympics Mar 22, 2024

Show notes

It'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 www.torvillanddean.com

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