Just Get A Real Job

In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined once again by writer Philip Ralph for his fourth appearance on the podcast. After years of recording remotely, Jamie & Phil finally get to sit down together in real life following a busy week at the Edinburgh TV Festival to ask: where does the TV industry go from here? They reflect on the conversations happening at the festival, the reality facing freela...

It’s been a while since I’ve done a solo episode, so this week I wanted to check in and have an honest chat about where I’m at and what’s been happening behind the scenes at Just Get A Real Job. I reflect on reaching 200 episodes, navigating freelance life after redundancy, why it’s such a difficult time for people working across the creative industries and a few reasons to still feel optimistic....

In the final episode of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe series I’m joined by Justin Butcher live from Assembly Gardens. Justin has spent more than 35 years building a career across theatre, television and performance. We chat about his journey into the creative industries, his love of clowning and storytelling, and the incredible 25 year journey of his show Scaramouche Jones , which has been performe...

Today on Just Get A Real Job , I’m joined by playwright Emery Schaffer, recorded live from Assembly Gardens at the Edinburgh Fringe. Emery shares her journey from studying theatre in New York to moving to Scotland and building a career as a playwright, as well as the story behind her new play BearGirl . We chat about the realities of making a living as a creative, why career paths are rarely linea...

This week I’m joined by the hilarious Susie McCabe for a brilliant conversation about comedy, class and being back at the Edinburgh Fringe with her latest show Coming of Rage . Live from the Assembly Gardens , Susie spoke to me about how a dare led her from working in construction to stand-up, why it took eight and a half years to go full-time and the reality of building a sustainable career in co...

This week on Just Get A Real Job, I’m joined by American comedian Drew Lausch for a brilliant conversation about stand-up, rejection and building a career in the New York comedy scene. Drew is currently making his Edinburgh Fringe debut with his show Friendliest. We chat about:🎭 Going from musical theatre into stand-up comedy🌾 Growing up in Fargo, North Dakota🗽 Moving to New York and finding hi...

In this very special 200th episode, Jamie is joined once again by musician and songwriter Matt Hickman, better known as Brownbear. Matt returns for a record fifth appearance on the podcast, having first come on the show back in 2021. Three years on from his last appearance, we catch up on everything that’s changed for Matt, from becoming a dad and taking a step back from music to learning to slow...

In this week's episode, Jamie is joined by Olivia Claw and Fraser Scott . Olivia is a Scottish actor, while Fraser is a theatre director and writer. Their critically acclaimed play Common Tongue is at the Edinburgh Fringe throughout August, celebrating Scottish identity, language and working-class stories through humour, heart and powerful storytelling. We chatted about: 🏴 Scottish identity, lang...

In this week's episode, Jamie is joined by acclaimed Scottish actor Darren Brownlie. Best known for playing Mikey in River City, Darren has built a career across television and theatre. With River City coming to an end, Darren reflects on what the show has meant to him, his journey as an actor, and why he's excited to be taking his critically acclaimed one-man musical *Crocodile Rock* to this year...

In this week's episode, Jamie is joined by actor, entrepreneur and former Apprentice star Reece Donnelly From starting his career as a child actor in shows including Waterloo Road to founding the Theatre School of Scotland, Reece has built a career around creating opportunities for himself and the next generation of performers. In this conversation, Reece spoke about: 🎭 His journey into acting an...

In this week's episode, Jamie is joined by critically acclaimed comedian Milo Edwards. From performing stand-up on Russian television in his early 20s to touring internationally, hosting multiple successful podcasts and returning to the Edinburgh Fringe with his brand new show, Catamaran, Milo has become a well-known name on the UK comedy circuit. Milo chats about: 🎭 Building a career in stand-up...

In this week's episode, Jamie is joined by Scottish author Margaret McDonald, who in 2025 became the youngest ever winner of the Carnegie Medal for Writing for her debut novel Glasgow Boys , which has been widely praised for its honest, hopeful portrayal of friendship, identity and growing up in Scotland. Margaret shares the journey behind Glasgow Boys , from writing fanfiction as a teenager i...

In this week's episode, Jamie is joined once again by writer and filmmaker Gabriella Leonardi. After moving to London for what was meant to be a two-month acting job, Gabriella is now pursuing a career as a writer and director, developing her own projects and navigating an industry that feels more risk-averse than ever. Gabriella speaks about: 🎬 Why breaking into film feels harder than ever 💰 Ma...

In this week's episode, Jamie is joined by Chloe Maylaw for an honest conversation about leaving the TV industry, creative burnout and building a life that's more aligned with the work you actually want to make. After a few years of working in television, Chloe made the difficult decision to step away from what many would consider a dream career. She opens up about the realities of working...

In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined by Glasgow-based performer and artist Craig Manson for an honest conversation about creativity, performance and the realities of working in the arts today. Known for his satirical and hilarious videos about the arts world, Craig chats about why his content has resonated so strongly with creatives online, and how humour can sometimes become a coping mechanism...

In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined by abstract artist David Kirkman for an honest conversation about creativity, neurodivergence and what it’s really like to build a career in the arts today. David shares his journey into abstract painting, how ADHD and autism have shaped both his work and the way he sees the world, and the realities of trying to sustain a creative career. David opens up abou...

In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined by poet Robbie Hood to talk about what it actually looks like to build a creative career right now. From starting out at open mics to finding an audience online, Robbie shares his journey into poetry and how social media has helped him get his work seen by a wider audience. Robbie opens up about: 🎤 Finding your voice as a poet 📱 Social media and going vira...

In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined by acting agent Ruth Hollyman , founder of Strange Town Agency , to talk about what it actually means to represent actors and build a career on the other side of the industry. Based in Edinburgh, Strange Town Agency represents some of the most exciting acting talent emerging from Scotland, with clients working across film, TV and theatre in the UK and intern...

In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined by poet Luke Wright to talk about what it actually means to build a career as a full-time poet. Luke has been writing and performing poetry for over 25 years, taking his work to theatres, festivals and pubs across the world. He’s created fifteen solo shows, three plays, and published various collections. Luke opens up about: 🎤 Building a long-term career as...

Jamie is joined by Claire Duffy and Maureen Hascoet live from the HB Film Festival for an honest conversation about the state of Scotland’s screen industry and what it really takes to build work from the ground up right now. Claire and Maureen open up about: 🎬 Building creative careers outside traditional media pathways🌱 Why grassroots movements and community-led initiatives matter more than eve...

In the first episode of 2026, Jamie is joined by writer, executive producer and founder of MsMono, Karla Williams Posiuniene , for an honest conversation about taking control of your creative career and what it’s really like being a writer in a changing media landscape. Karla opened up about: 🎬 Breaking into the industry as a writer 🎭 Why she chose to part ways with her agent and how that decisi...

In this year’s Christmas and New Year episode, Jamie is joined by returning guest Ashley Dick for a reflective look back on the past year. Ash opened up about: 🎬 How she has grown her production company and channel, Cinora 💸 The realities of crowdfunding a film 📈 Building an online audience without burning out 🎥 Reflections on some of the best Scottish films of 2025 🌱 The lessons learened thi...

This week, Jamie sits down with Hutch.on. Film for a really interesting conversation. Hutch is leading the charge in helping a new generation of indie filmmakers find and build an audience. Having worked across a number of projects in Hollywood including as an Executive Producer on the Emmy-nominated RZR . Hutch has now built an online community of filmmakers and grown a huge audience through his...

This week, Jamie welcomes Ian Murray, the UK’s Minister for Creative Industries, for an open and honest conversation about the state of the creative sector and what the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is doing to help more young people get into creative careers. Ian shares how his own upbringing shaped his understanding of accessibility in the arts, and why it still feels so difficult for...

This week, Jamie sits down once again with comedian and writer Kate Hammer for a funny, honest and wide-ranging chat about navigating life as a freelancer in 2025. Since she was last on the podcast, Kate has gone full-time as a stand-up comic and writer and is now literally a government-approved comedian on a global talent visa. Kate spoke about: 🎤 Making the jump into stand-up and building a car...