Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

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 hi...

"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 develo...

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 th...

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 f...

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...

Scotland'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...

Lawyer, 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 par...

At 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 o...

U.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...

Jason 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 momen...

Liberal 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 J...

This 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 e...

It'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,...

Nick 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 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 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....

This 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...

Former 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.&nbsp...

Wildlife 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 aut...

We'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...

Royal 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 th...

This 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.

He'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:...

Liverpudlian 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 chrismccaus...

James 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 t...