Be My Guest with Rory Smith

Haemin Sunim is a Zen Meditation Teacher & International Bestselling Author from South Korea. His teachings on mindfulness, emotional well being, and finding joy and balance in the midst of a busy modern life has touched millions of people across the world. His books have sold over six million copies - and have been translated into more than thirty eight languages. In South Korea his book beca...

Miriam Moriarty Owens was born in Ireland in the 1950s and sentenced as a baby to an industrial school. For the next 14 years she was abused physically and mentally by nuns. The effects of the horrendous abuse stayed with Miriam for the rest of her life. In 1999 the Irish state apologised for the atrocities but in 2025 Miriam and three others went on hunger strike outside Government buildings on b...

Cheslie Kryst was an Emmy-nominated correspondent, Miss USA 2019, an attorney and a racial inequality activist. To many she 'had it all'. But behind the smile, Cheslie was battling a mental illness. She began writing her memoir, but she didn't finish it. She died by suicide in 2022 at just 30-years-old. Her last wish was that her mum, April Simpkins, complete her book. The first half o...

Steven Petrow is an award-winning journalist and author who has written for the Washington Post, New York Times and USA Today.  His book,  The Joy You Make, shows readers how to find, and cultivate joy. He shares the most difficult period in his life when, in just a matter of months, both of his parents died, his marriage broke up and his sister was diagnosed with cancer. He transformed from a 'jo...

Charlotte Osho is the author of her first autobiography, The Jagged Path. The inspiring book tells the story of Charlotte's journey from an idyllic life in rural 1940’s Nigeria, through the heartbreak of losing her parents, tumultuous years with uncaring guardians, an abusive marriage which ended in betrayal, to finally finding hope and happiness. I had the honour of visiting Charlotte at her home...

Alisa Divine is the CEO of a publishing company, the author of award-winning and best-selling books, a wife and a mum. She's also an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse after having her own experience in an abusive relationship with her ex-husband and father to her children. In this intimate conversation Alisa bravely shares her story of that time, a story that she is now owning and writing t...

Deesha Dyer served as White House Social Secretary for President Obama and Michelle Obama during their administration, all the while dealing with and hiding her imposter syndrome. In this astonishingly honest interview Deesha opens up about doubting her skills, achievements, successes and self-worth whilst working in the highest office in the land. A remarkably revealing insight into how someone o...

Asma Khan is the founder of one of the most popular restaurants in London, she features on a hit Netflix show and she's been named on TIME’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world. In this intimate conversation Asma shares her greatest lessons in finding your purpose, the meaning of success and how to define your legacy. Asma is passionate about fighting injustices across the world a...

How would you parent a struggling child? That's the question Kristina Kuzmič didn't even have time to ask herself when her teenage son Luca was facing mental health challenges. Now, with reflection and hindsight Kristina looks back at what Luca actually needed from his mum at the time, not what she thought he needed. Kristina has put those lessons, her wisdom and her story in a new book 'I Can Fix...

Adam Lind lives full time on a 59ft Narrowboat with his wife and dog and shares fascinating insights into the daily highs and lows of life onboard to his 700k+ online followers. After experiencing tragedy and grief Adam is now a huge advocate for male mental health and believes that being vulnerable and sharing how we feel can allow others to know that they can do the same. He shares with Rory the...

Patrick Foster spent his life chasing his sporting dreams in the hope the darkness he felt would disappear - but even huge success on the outside couldn't fix how he felt on the inside. He appeared to 'have it all' but he was distressingly hiding a debilitating gambling addiction. Huge bets led to hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of debt - even losing £50k on a single horse. But g...

Ben Kaye is the recipient of an Attitude Pride Award in 2021 in recognition for overcoming chemsex addiction and the work he has done since to help others. He spent years feeling lost, alone and unhappy in his own skin, constantly wanting to change the way he felt. Drugs and sex became his escape. But one journey to Brighton would change his life forever. A remarkable story of one man learning to...

***TRIGGER WARNING: CONTAINS CONVERSATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE AND OTHER MATURE THEMES*** This is a deeply disturbing, brutal and harrowing story. But one that needs to be told. Belgium born Anneke Lucas was sold by her mother as a child sex slave to a murderous paedophile network. She was raped by hundreds of men, most of them prominent Belgian politicians, aristocrats and businessmen. At just eleven...

She's an activist and content creator with more than 2.9 million fans on TikTok where she teaches her followers about dwarfism or in her words, little people, with her trademark humour and warmth. Fats Timbo is a force to be reckoned with. But life wasn't always this way for her. In her teens she struggled with her condition and wanted to hide herself from the world. In this intimate conve...

He may not have huge financial wealth but to me Jon Jandai is the richest farmer on earth. After growing up in one of the poorest areas of rural Thailand he moved to Bangkok in search of money and opportunities. But it was there that he realised he already had back home what he was searching for in the city. He now lives a life that is fun, easy and abundant and he shares with me his profound wisd...

At the time of this recording her book is Oprah's Book Club selection and it's clear to see why. Lara Love Hardin has spared no details in sharing the darkest moments of her life, innermost thoughts and disguised feelings in her book 'The Many Lives of Mama Loves'. Whilst battling addiction Lara found herself in prison facing at one point a potential 27 years away from her four boy...

Lisa Plumb's mother and father were paedophiles. At the age of eleven she was also forced to spend time with a couple she had never met, becoming a prisoner in their pedophile den before being introduced to a child murderer. It took a miracle for Lisa to finally escape a life of perversion, addiction, and abandonment. ---------- ***CONTENT WARNING: This episode is for adults only and includes...

Lisa Plumb's mother and father were pedophiles. At the age of eleven she was also forced to spend time with a couple she had never met, becoming a prisoner in their pedophile den before being introduced to a child murderer. It took a miracle for Lisa to finally escape a life of perversion, addiction, and abandonment. ---------- ***CONTENT WARNING: This episode is for adults only and includes c...

How often have you heard a man sharing their deepest thoughts and feelings about the unborn child or children they have lost? In this honest and raw interview Kelly Jean-Philippe shares the pain, confusion and depths of despair he experienced as he and his wife navigated their way through multiple miscarriages. Kelly hopes by doing so that it removes the stigma of dads openly talking about its imp...

Santis O'Garro is a mum of two who found herself in 15k debt at the height of her shopping addiction in 2018. With nowhere to turn and ashamed of her situation Santis hit her 'rock bottom'. In a self-described 'Hollywood movie' Santis was able to clear her debt in under one year. How did she do it? And what she learn from the experience? Some people continue to trivialise shopp...

Lizzie Acker is one of the most well loved stars from The Great British Bake Off after instantly becoming a fan favourite in 2021. She was praised across the nation for being so open about living with ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Now she has a huge following on social media where she uses her voice and platform to share both her amazing bakes and her life with Neurodiversity. Lizzie is on a missi...

This is one of the most powerful, honest and raw interviews I've ever done. Claire Farrington gave birth to her son Theo eleven weeks early in 2016 and three weeks after his birth she and her partner Andrew were told that baby Theo has Down's syndrome. In her own words Claire bravely admits the diagnosis was "frightening", the future was "dark" and she "barely knew...

Jonathan Niziol is an international male model who had a life that looked perfect on the outside but he was harbouring deep secrets on the inside. His harrowing story highlights the importance of male mental health; from tragedy, addiction, intense feelings and isolation. He is now taking the brave step of sharing his story in the hope that it encourages other men who need help to acknowledge thei...

Katy was born into a London cult where she was trapped for 30 years. During that time she was never told who her parents were. Today she shares intimate details about the horrific conditions inside the cult including how she was rarely allowed outside and wasn't even allowed to go to school. She tells me how she finally escaped and reveals how she eventually found out who her real parents were...

HH Princess Olga Romanoff is Queen Elizabeth II's cousin, meaning the princess is related to His Majesty King Charles. The princess lives in a 28 room private estate in England's Kent countryside and she invited me to her home to have tea. During our conversation we talked about her relationship with the British royal family today, how she looks after her country residence, tragedy in her...