The Convex Conversation

Clyde Best OBE was just 17 when he left Bermuda and came to London to play for West Ham United, becoming the first black superstar of First Division football in England. His dad told him in 1968 that he’d be playing for those coming after him. A new documentary - Transforming the Beautiful Game: The Clyde Best Story – shows just how many world-class black players Clyde has inspired, including Engl...

Retired detective Ash Smith, played by David Thewlis in Channel’s 4’s shocking new docudrama Dirty Business, talks about his decade‑long investigation with neighbour Professor Peter Hammond into England's water companies and the incredible response to the programme. It’s a dramatisation of the real-life story of how they uncovered the illegal dumping of raw sewage by water companies in Britain’s w...

The world’s fastest marathon runner over 50 shares his extraordinary story of resilience, redemption and personal transformation.  Ken Rideout grew up in a broken home in inner-city Boston, Massachusetts; became a corrections officer in a hard-core prison at 18; made millions as a trader on Wall Street but behind the financial success battled a long, dark addiction to opioids.  Adopting a baby fro...

Award-winning reportage artist and TED Fellow George Butler draws in ink and watercolour in war zones, refugee camps and disaster areas all over the world telling poignant, human stories we rarely hear on the news. His testimonies of ordinary people capture courage, resilience, strength and moments of hope, introducing us to real characters behind the headlines. George has drawn in a leprosy clini...

When Figen Murray’s 29-year-old son Martyn was murdered in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017, her family - and those of the 21 other victims - was torn apart.  No longer able to function as a psychotherapist, Figen studied for a Masters in Counter Terrorism and has spent the last six and a half years lobbying Government and the Lords to create a new law to make venues safer and protect...

Merseybeat poet Roger McGough on life as a poet, number one hits with sixties comedy band The Scaffold, hanging out with musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Keith Moon, growing up during the second world war in Liverpool and being part of the cultural movement. Roger reads from his new book – The Collected Poems: 1959-2024 - which he featured recently in his tour Alive and Gigging, and says...

The Princess of Wales braved blustery weather to get out in the Peak District with Mind Over Mountains, co-founded by adventurer Alex Staniforth. Catherine discovered how Alex and the team use nature, the outdoors and expert coaches to help people open-up about their mental health.  Plagued by adversity as a child – coping with epilepsy, bullying and a life-long stammer – Alex discovered the power...

Elizabeth Emanuel designs for stars like Rita Ora, Courtney Love and Madonna but her name will forever be remembered for creating Diana, Princess of Wales’, fairytale wedding dress with her then partner David Emanuel. From her London studio, Elizabeth shares stories behind the surreal royal experience which changed the young designers' lives forever. She recalls the extreme tactics used to conceal...

Renowned writer & TV producer Howard Sounes reveals fascinating stories behind his best-selling biographies on Bob Dylan, Sir Paul McCartney, Moors murderer Myra Hindley, serial killers Fred and Rose West, and more.  His latest book is based on exclusive access to 100 hours of Fred West’s police interviews which he helped turn into Netflix documentary series ‘Fred and Rose West: A British Horr...

Before Nahid de Belgeonne became ‘the nervous system whisperer’, she worked in high-growth fashion, tech, publishing and wellness start-ups, building her entire identity on composure, capability, and chronic motion. After a near-death experience and the eventual realisation she was living in a state of high-functioning anxiety and collapse, Nahid began to restore herself and went on to create The...

Investigative journalist Nick Stapleton - co-host of Scam Interceptors - talks about the worldwide fraud explosion, worth trillions, and how it’s getting even more sophisticated thanks to AI. Nick reveals what it’s like confronting scammers through ethical hacking on the BBC show, and shares stories from his career as an undercover reporter. He’s the son of TV legends John Stapleton and Lynn Fauld...

On his final tour of Afghanistan in 2009, British Army Officer Lt Col Stewart Hill was blown up by a crude Taliban bomb as he led his troops on Operation Panther's Claw. He suffered a devastating, invisible brain injury which left him hanging between life and death.   Tipped to become a fine general, Stewart was medically discharged from a world he loved. He’s spent years re-discovering his lost i...

Model maker Ethan Goodbody - founder of Mon Studios - takes us behind the scenes of the new BBC series The Marvellous Miniature Workshop, hosted by DJ and broadcaster Sara Cox. Ethan is one of a team of miniaturists who recreate someone’s meaningful place or room, beautifully crafting it in tiny proportions and fine detail.  From scaling down a 36-metre iconic mural to painting the spots on minute...

Nicholas Hopton – former UK Ambassador to Iran, Qatar, Yemen, and Libya – reveals how his diplomatic skills have come in handy as he’s breathed new life into a run-down olive farm in a little-known area of Tuscany.  Encounters with wild boar, leaky pipes, colourful local characters, attempts at olive oil production and wading through Italian bureaucracy are all part of Nick’s beautifully written a...

Avalanche Search and Rescue expert Caroline Elliott shares some of her life-saving missions in the mountains. She was the first British woman to join the French Fire and Rescue Specialist Mountain Unit as a dog handler, with retriever Fjord by her side, and the first to qualify in all disciplines for the elite French ski patrol. Every second counts when saving lives – teamwork and communication ar...

As Lauren Child celebrates 25 years of writing and illustrating her much-loved Charlie and Lola children’s books, we chat at her London studio about everything from libraries, art galleries, dolls houses and writers’ block to growing up in the seventies.  Lauren has worked with UNESCO in places like Mongolia - where she adopted her daughter from - and was Children’s Laureate. I Am Wishing Every Mi...

ITV/Lorraine producer and breast cancer survivor Helen Addis MBE on ‘making noise’ with her Change & Check Campaign which has saved lives and earned her the MBE.  TV star Davina McCall has just revealed she has breast cancer and has caught it early thanks to seeing the campaign’s stickers. Helen documented her gruelling treatment for aggressive grade 3 cancer to emphasise the importance of ear...

The founder of 2wish, Rhian Mannings MBE, caught the world’s attention when Prince William joined her for a cup of tea in her kitchen in Cardiff to discuss her experience of suicide and find out more about its devastating impact. The future King was overcome with emotion at one point as Rhian spoke openly about the double tragedy of her 33-year-old husband Paul unexpectedly taking his own life fiv...

Deaf actor, comedian and podcaster Samantha Baines takes us on her fascinating life journey – from acting in some of Britain’s top dramas, working with stars like John Lithgow, Channing Tatum and Miriam Margolyes; creating an award-winning podcast out of her divorce to the challenges of stand-up comedy. She’s a passionate champion and advocate for the deaf and disabled communities - diagnosed as d...

Founder of The Good Grief Trust Linda Magistris OBE has shared her vision for ensuring everyone who is bereaved finds the help and hope they need during a conversation with HRH the Prince of Wales at her investiture at Windsor Castle.  Linda started the charity nine years ago after struggling to find the support she needed when her partner, BAFTA-winning director Graham Theakston, died aged 62. In...

As Editor-in Chief, journalist George Webster helped conceive CNN Style, working in the dynamic world of global media, until he discovered a passion for functional mushrooms and the fascinating fungi kingdom.  Describing himself as an amateur mycologist, George turned entrepreneur. Frustrated by the seeming lack of high-quality mushroom supplements on the market, he founded The Functional Mushroom...

Former Sky Sports presenter and Yorkshireman Dave Clark was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when his children were just seven and four, but he continued to host live sport for another decade.  Dave is credited with transforming darts, helping to make it the second most popular sport on Sky, taking the World Championships from a strip club on the A13 to Ally Pally where a million pints were supped! Dave...

Acclaimed children’s author Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE recalls being captivated by watching Much Ado About Nothing, aged just seven, sitting in the cheap seats with his brother in the gods of Shakespeare’s Stratford theatre.  Michael believes all children should see Shakespeare and enjoy the magnificent tales the Bard re-told for everyone. His latest book – More Tales from Shakespeare – re-tells eig...

Tech/AI journalist Lara Lewington reveals how technology and AI can save our health - and our lives - and unravels some of the myths and fears. Lara says the biggest positive change is coming in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.  Lara has travelled all over the world interviewing longevity experts, scientists and doctors - often testing out the latest tech herself - for documentaries and her...

Natalie Queiroz MBE shares her story of survival and determination to make a difference after being stabbed 24 times with a carving knife in a frenzied nine-minute assault whilst eight months pregnant. She recounts the moment she realised her hooded attacker was her partner Bob – the love of her life – and father of her unborn child. He’s now in prison for attempted murder. Natalie’s life changed...