Different with Nicky Campbell

Sarah Jane Downing was a victim of the now imprisoned surgeon Ian Paterson. Ian Paterson specialised in breast cancer operations, and between 1997 and 2011, he subjected more than 1000 patients to unnecessary and damaging surgeries, many of them mastectomies. He's currently serving a 20 year sentence after being found guilty on 17 counts of wounding with intent, and three counts of unlawful woundi...

Wim Hof is an extreme athlete who held the record for swimming under ice, prolonged full body contact with ice and completing a half marathon barefoot on ice and snow. Now an author, tv star and motivational speaker he encourages everyone to embrace the cold - whether it’s wild swimming, cold showers or ice baths. He talks to Nicky’s wife Tina who’s a devoted wild swimmer, hears Nicky’s experience...

In 1984 college student Angela Samota was found dead in her Texas apartment, her murder went unsolved for more than 30 years. Nicky speaks to Angela’s friend Sheila Wysocki who pressured police into reopening the case and finally finding the killer. Sheila is now a private investigator who focuses on cold cases and unsolved murders - she tells Nicky what the police think of her, what it’s like to...

Michael Scott Moore is an American journalist living and working in Berlin - in 2012 he was reporting on the court case of a group of Somali pirates being tried in Germany and planning on writing a book on piracy. He travelled to Somalia where he was taken by pirates and held for the next 2 and half years of his life. He tells Nicky about what it was like to come home, the cruelty of the pirates a...

This week on Different Nicky meets Tony King, a record promoter who worked with John Lennon, the Rolling Stones, Freddie Mercury and remains a close friend of Elton John’s. He tells Nicky about working with the most famous people on earth, Studio 54 in its heyday and shopping with Freddy. WARNING: This episode contains adult content and references to substance abuse. Produced by Audio Always Produ...

This week on Different Nicky explores the band which changed his life, with two people who were there while the music was being made - Pattie Boyd and Tony King. Pattie Boyd was married to George Harrison, then later Eric Clapton, and George wrote the song "Something" for her. She tells Nicky about meeting him, her career as a model, what it was like to be married to a Beatle and how George and Er...

In 2013 Bryan Johnson sold his company to Paypal for $800 million, since then he’s founded two new companies, and began Project Blueprint - the regimen designed to make him live forever. He tells Nicky about his gruelling daily routine, being the most measured man in human history and why he thinks perfect health is on its way. WARNING:This episode contains adult themes. Produced by Audio Always P...

Journalist and author AJ Jacobs tells Nicky about his year long mission to understand the bible better - by following every rule it sets. From not shaving the corners of his beard, to stoning adulterers and having to bring his own camping chair on the subway because of some extremely restrictive rules on where he could sit. He and Nicky discuss how much of the bible was meant to be taken literally...

Jamie Hull had left the SAS when he went to America to train as a pilot - part of his longer plan to work as a commercial airline pilot. In his final weeks of training Jamie took his plane up on a solo flight, where it caught fire. He tells Nicky about jumping from the plane, what it’s like to think you’re moments from death, and his long road to recovery. WARNING: This episode contains descriptio...

What’s it like to be a psychopath? Nicky finds out with diagnosed psychopath ME Thomas. They talk about guilt, love and why most serial killers are too emotional to be actual psychopaths. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Ailsa Rochester

Bruce Findlay ran legendary Edinburgh record story Bruce’s before going on to manage band Simple Minds. He tells Nicky about meeting the biggest names in music, why he and Simple Minds parted company and how his shop was the first in Scotland to sell the Beatles White Album. WARNING: This episode contains bad language Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Ailsa...

Nicky talks to Martin Davidson, a historian who discovered as an adult that his Grandfather was a mid ranking SS Officer in the Nazi party - and had joined the party far before Hitler came to power. He and Nicky discuss what he uncovered about the holocaust, recognising evil and family secrets. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob Green

Nicky talks to forensic psychiatrist and author Dr Gwen Adshead about working with violent offenders, psychopaths and the dangers of certainty. WARNING: This episode includes discussion of violent crimes, child sexual assault and rape. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob Green

Jason Bray, a minister in the Church of Wales talks about his job as a deliverance minister - explaining why if you think you're possessed you definitely aren’t, where the bible stands on ghosts and why he considers himself a sceptic. WARNING: this episode contains references to mental illness, self harm and the occult Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob G...

Nicky learns how the power of super-smeller Joy Milne has been harnessed to make a new test to diagnose Parkinson’s. They discuss her ability, how she found out that she had identified the smell of Parkinson's, the other illnesses she can smell and the ethical dilemma that comes with being able to diagnose with her nose. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob...

Dream decoder and author Theresa Cheung talks about being homeschooled by a family of spiritualists and astrologers, getting into Cambridge and the red flags to watch out for if you visit a psychic. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob Green

Seoyhun Lee’s father was one of North Korea’s privileged party members, but when the regime came for their friends the family made the decision to defect. Seoyhun Lee tells Nicky about her best friend's kidnapping by the state, what’s really going on in Pyongyang and life in America. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob Green

Rhonda McCrimmon explains to Nicky what being a shaman is all about, plays him the drum that takes you into a dream state and explains why Scotland is so tied up with ancient magic. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Craig Edmondson

Dr Jill Bolte Taylor is an author and neuroanatomist who used her own stroke to better understand how her brain perceives reality. She tells Nicky about that experience, about how her brother’s schizophrenia inspired her to start her career, and they explore which bits of the brain do what.

Nicky talks to Giles Duley, a conflict photographer, chef and founder of the Legacy of War Foundation. Giles lost three limbs when he stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan, where he was embedded with US troops and reporting on the conflict. He tells Nicky about overcoming his injuries and his determination to return to war zones as a triple amputee, and how cooking has helped with his mental health...

In the first series of Different Nicky spoke to journalist Alex Renton about the abuse that he saw and experienced at his school, the Edinburgh Academy, in the 1970s. Since the episode, ‘Edgar’ was published, many more victims have come forward, and the case against the alleged living abuser continues. After that episode Nicky received many emails, one of which was from the daughter of the man who...

Richard Reeves tells Nicky about his new book which explores “the male malaise” and investigates whether boys and men are failing at everything from school, to work and relationships. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob Green

Nicky hears what it’s like to quit the rat race in a big way. Gaynor Leeper left her London city life to move to the Arctic Circle and train sled dogs - despite a fear of dogs. They talk about dark mornings, racing sleds and owning 43 dogs. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Craig Edmondson

Ex undercover operative Mubin Shaikh tells Nicky how he became radicalised as a teenager, before changing his views and being recruited by the Canadian government to gather information on terror suspects. He talks de-radicalisation, terror threats and his faith now. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Rob Green

Nicky spends time with David Denison who has pancreatic cancer and is now in end of life care. David has been campaigning for assisted dying to be made legal in the UK and believes he should have been allowed the legal right to choose when he dies - without criminalising his partner. He tells Nicky what it’s like to know you’re nearing the end of your life, his legacy and why he thinks assisted dy...