Origin Story with David McIntosh Jr

Jason “Wee Man” Acuña is one of the most recognisable faces from Jackass, the MTV show and movie franchise that changed comedy, skateboarding, stunts and chaos forever. But before Jackass, before the movies, before people were shouting “Wee Man’s here!” in the streets of Japan, Jason was a skater from California who found his name, his confidence and his community through skateboarding. In this ep...

John McCalla-Leacy is a former KPMG global executive, coach, speaker, former international canoeist, martial arts champion and one of the most extraordinary origin stories ever told on this podcast. In this episode of Origin Story, John sits down with David McIntosh Jr for a deeply inspiring and almost unbelievable conversation abouzt homelessness, resilience, reinvention, race, social mobility, f...

Michael Smoak (HigherUpWellness) is a coach, creator, podcaster and online voice known for helping people turn pain into purpose through faith, fitness, discipline and brutally honest conversations about grief, masculinity and healing. In this episode of Origin Story , Michael Smoak sits down with David McIntosh Jr in Long Beach, California for a deeply honest and surprisingly life-affirming conve...

Andy Macdonald is a skateboarding legend, Team GB Olympian, 23-time X Games medallist and officially the oldest Olympic skateboarder in history. In this episode of Origin Story , Andy Macdonald sits down with David McIntosh Jr for a funny, thoughtful and surprisingly inspiring conversation about Scottish roots, skateboarding culture, vert skating, Team GB, the Olympics, X Games, fatherhood, risk,...

Rufus Rice is a comedian, podcaster, musician and viral TikTok creator known for his posh-boy persona, chaotic storytelling, sharp class commentary and cult online catchphrases like “Hello shaggers.” In this episode of Origin Story , Rufus Rice sits down with David McIntosh Jr at Spotify HQ for a hilarious and surprisingly revealing conversation about class, private school, boarding school, TikTok...

Carol Kane is the co-founder of Boohoo, the brand Boohoo - she built from a £1,500 website in 2006 into a £1.5 billion publicly listed group. She served as co-CEO and Executive Director of Boohoo Group, overseeing its IPO in 2014 and the acquisition of brands including Debenhams, PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal, Dorothy Perkins and Karen Millen. She is a pioneer of influencer and celebrity marketing...

Daniel Sloss is a comedian, author, and father. From a 17-year-old at Edinburgh's Stand Comedy Club to causing 100,000 breakups worldwide, Daniel Sloss shares the moments that nearly broke him, and ultimately transformed him, on his journey to becoming one of comedy's most authentic voices. In this episode, Daniel takes us inside the make-or-break moments behind his career, including the night his...

Ben Barlow is the lead vocalist of Neck Deep — the Welsh pop-punk band formed in Wrexham in 2012 that’s become one of Britain’s biggest modern rock exports. Neck Deep are one of my favourite bands In this episode of Origin Story , we do it properly: in a skatepark — because skate culture and pop-punk aren’t aesthetics… they’re a philosophy. Ben talks about growing up in skateparks, why “living on...

Jimmy Carr is back. Jimmy Carr is one of the most recognisable comedians on the planet: world-touring stand-up, TV host, and author - famous for brutal roasts and surgical one-liners. But in this episode, you get the sharper edge and the deeper thinking: why 2026 is going to feel like a turning point and how young men can get control back. Jimmy is one of the most respected comedians in the world:...

Benny Higgins is a Scottish Banker and Former CEO of RBS, Bank of Scotland and Tesco Bank. He is also the chairman of a portfolio of companies. He's a lover of Art and Poetry. He is also my good friend. Benny Higgins grew up in Toryglen tower blocks, captained Celtic’s youth team, and became a defining force in modern Scottish business — from CEO of RBS during the NatWest takeover, to building Tes...

Dan Boerman is a Comedian and TV Personality on Jimmy Carr's Am I The A**hole. He is also a good friend. I’ve wanted to record this conversation for a long time. Dan Boerman is a New Zealand comedian who left a steady job, moved to the other side of the world, and has been relentlessly chasing stand-up ever since – from sleeping in a kid’s dinosaur bed outside Edinburgh to getting a thousand peopl...

In this episode of Origin Story, I sit down with a Red Bull F1 tyre technician to unpack how he went from watching races in pubs to travelling the world with Max Verstappen’s team - Vegas, Brazil, Mexico and beyond. We get into the pressure of sub-2 second pit stops, the chaos of race weekends, and what life really looks like inside the world’s most famous F1 team. In this episode we cover:Growing...

Fin Taylor is a standup comedian and podcaster. He is the creator of Fin Vs History and Fin vs The Internet. Comedian Fin Taylor joins Origin Story to unpack how a Glasgow kid who relocated to a Oxford girls’ boarding house (7–13) got “cancelled” at 14 , started stand-up at 18, and went from £500/month gigs to sold-out tours and a cult podcast. We get into why TV exposure ≠ audience, how to actual...

I travelled from Scotland to Morocco on holiday. As soon as I arrived I knew I needed to interview the locals. They were the most philosophical people I had met. Taghazout is a fascinating surf village perched on Morocco’s Atlantic coast - sun-soaked, salt-stained, and full of surprises. We spent 2 days exploring this strange-and-beautiful place, and found way more than perfect waves: unexpected k...

Oliver Burkeman is a British writer and former Guardian columnist best known for Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, exploring how accepting life’s limits beats chasing productivity hacks. We recorded this right before Oliver’s show, crammed into his dressing room at the Assembly Rooms. It’s intimate, honest, and very Origin Story: where did these ideas come from, and how do they sha...

Writer, rapper and social commentator Darren McGarvey joins Origin Story to unpack the “trauma economy,” working-class rage, AI warping our narratives, and the safeguards every storyteller needs. Content note: This episode includes discussion of addiction, withdrawal, violence, and mental health. 00:00 Welcome, why Poverty Safari mattered to me 01:02 Pollok in the 80s, safety, and the two-minds di...

Chris “The Problem” Duncan is a UFC fighter with one of the most powerful and painful stories you’ll ever hear. The day before his very first fight, his mum was murdered. Instead of walking away, Chris fought — and won. From that moment on, he carried pain into every battle, turning trauma into purpose. In this episode, Chris opens up about:The moment with Michael Bisping that went viral. Training...

Ruby Lola is a Podcaster and Host of The Personal Best Podcast. What does personal best really mean? And why do men and women get such different messages about how to achieve it? In this episode of Origin Story , I sit down with Ruby Lola — host of Personal Best — to unpack the surprising truth about ambition, gender, and the pressure to “be enough.” Ruby opens up about: Growing up with an alcohol...

In this episode of Origin Story, I sit down with someone truly one of a kind—Dylan Lombard. Dylan is one of only 15 people in the world with MDP Syndrome (Mandibular Dysplasia with Deafness and Progeroid Features), a condition that affects physical appearance, fat distribution, and hearing. But Dylan isn’t defined by a diagnosis—he’s a force of creativity, kindness, and visibility. We talk about w...

In this raw, wide-ranging interview, Ukrainian stand-up comic Iryna Gil tells the story of how her rising comedy career collided with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine just 11 days after she filmed her first special — and how she’s using comedy to challenge war fatigue, weaponised headlines, and Western apathy. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Kyiv under fire: A first-hand account of air-raid sirens, evacu...

I am joined by Sir Tom Hunter – Scotland’s first home-grown billionaire, serial entrepreneur turned venture philanthropist. He, along with his wife Lady Hunter, founded The Hunter Foundation. And previously, had built Sports Division from a £10 K loan, sold for £290 M, now invests in education & poverty relief. Step inside Blair Estate with me for a truly special episode—one that’s personal an...

Will Storr is an award-winning author, journalist, and former photographer whose work explores the deep psychology of human behavior and storytelling. He’s the author of several critically acclaimed books including The Science of Storytelling , Selfie , The Status Game , and The Heretics . His writing has appeared in The Guardian , The New Yorker , and The Sunday Times , and he’s lectured on narra...

Rory Sutherland is back and he's as hilariously unconventional as ever. I genuinely think this might be the best we've ever gotten him. As the Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK and a pioneer in behavioral science, Rory has spent decades unraveling the quirks of human behavior and the illogical decisions that drive us. In this episode, we dive into everything from the economics of nicotine to the psycholo...

Krish Ramineni is the co-founder and CEO of Fireflies.ai, an AI-powered meeting assistant used by over 200,000 organizations. A University of Pennsylvania alumnus, he previously served as one of Microsoft's youngest product managers. Krish has been recognized on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. In this conversation, I wanted to explore more than just how Fireflies became one of the most powerful AI tools...

The origin story of Brennan Reece, a renowned comedian and actor known for his roles in 'Skins' and 'Hollyoaks', and his award-winning stand-up comedy career as the English Comedian of the Year in 2015. - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: www.instagram.com/davidmcintoshjr Email: david@davidmcintoshjr.com