The Convex Conversation

Mark Fallon spent 27 years as an NCIS special agent and was the US Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism. He’s been undercover in some of the darkest corners of the world - with drug lords in Thailand buying heroin, capturing poachers in the Kenyan Bush and spent time questioning prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Mark says the most frightening thing of his entire career was a decision made by...

As Britain prepares to host the United Nation's Climate Change Conference COP 26, the CEO of NGO Plastic Oceans International talks to Helen about the catastrophic situation the world is in and the serious threat to our ecosystems.  More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year. 10 million tonnes end up in our oceans with only 10 per cent recycled. Julie explains if we don't chan...

West End actors Ed Currie & Andy Coxon met in 2015 rehearsing for a punishing schedule of live performances of Beautfiful: The Carole King Musical in London. In the mele & drama of performing an intensely physical show under hot lights & high pressured conditions, theatre-life inspired them to create a natural deodorant balm which not only solved a problem for their fellow actors (!) but has been...

Dr Hilary has been broadcasting on breakfast shows like ITV's Good Morning Britain & Lorraine for more than 30 years, keeping his finger literally on the pulse of the nation!  Never has he faced a more “fascinating & professionally challenging” time than throughout the pandemic. Hilary talks about the responsibilities which come with being a TV doctor; how he helped people in one of the most remot...

TV presenter Anneka Rice talks about her latest project - performing stand-up comedy for BBC Radio 4 in which she goes in search of her missing Madame Tussauds waxwork head! It's 30 years since Challenge Anneka drew TV audiences in their millions. Annie reveals she's still involved with most of the show's 60 projects, including the Romanian orphanages she drew the world's attention to. Anneka also...

  Astronomer Mark Thompson DSc is preparing to deliver a 140-hour marathon lecture – a first in terms of studying extreme sleep deprivation & an attempt which will hopefully break a Guinness world record. A familiar face from BBC1’s The One Show & Stargazing Live, Mark will be scientifically monitored as he lectures on deep space, our solar system, black holes, the fact all our body atoms were cre...

Downton Abbey, Cold Mountain, Batman & Outlander are just some of the dramas & films food stylist Lisa Heathcote has worked on, cooking up screen dishes & banquets for stars like Nicole Kidman, Dawn French, Hugh Bonneville & Dame Maggie Smith. She's currently letting her imagination run wild on the set of the new series of Bridgerton for Netflix. Lisa worked on Downton from episode one & shares be...

Jon Allen was originally discovered by Mark Knopfler gigging in a small club in Shepherd’s Bush in 2006 which led to him touring in the UK & Europe with Dire Straits.   Jon plays alongside artists like Seal, Dionne Warwick & Damien Rice. He’s had more than 5 million downloads on Spotify, is back on the road performing tracks from his new studio album 'Meanwhile' & laughs about how the whisky-soake...

George Bye, founder & CEO of Bye Aerospace in Colorado, has created the eFlyer – stunning & innovative all-electric aircraft designed for two, four & eight passengers which will revolutionise the skies. A pilot himself, George tells Helen how sustainable electric flying will not only eliminate CO2 and noise, it will significantly reduce costs, making the thrill of aviation accessible to many more...

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor reveals how feeling paralysed by a lack of creativity & inspiration during lockdown, and "with no manual for how to do this", her musician husband Richard came up with the idea for her much-loved kitchen discos.  Sophie tells Helen how her podcast series Spinning Plates featuring inspirational mums has been one of the best projects she's taken on; talks about writing her...

  The Princess of Wales believed young people have the power to change the world. Alex Holmes talks about Diana’s legacy and how the only charity set up in her memory is continuing her work.   Alex suffered severe racial bullying as a young boy and, thanks to his award-winning efforts, there are now more than 35,000 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in the UK & Europe. Alex sits on the board of the Gates...

  Jay Flynn shares with Helen how his idea to host a virtual pub quiz for his mates in lockdown took off overnight & led to more than 180,000 households across Britain uniting.   Jay has broken a world record for the number of participants; is a regular on Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 breakfast show & has been joined on the quiz by Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross & other celebrities. He’s also raised more than a...

  Karen Gibson MBE tells Helen how life for The Kingdom Choir changed after 2 billion people watched them perform at Harry & Meghan’s wedding.     The unexpected call on the 87 bus & stunning performance at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, has led to tours of the US, Australia & UK; appearances at The Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, Invictus Games, a recording deal with Sony & to singing with legen...

  On August 20 2011, RAF Red Arrows pilot Flt Lt Jon Egging lost his life whilst completing a display at Bournemouth Air Festival.    Dr Emma Egging shares the inspirational story of how she started the Jon Egging Trust ten years ago to realise her husband Jon’s dream of inspiring youngsters through his love of aviation, teamwork & leadership, empowering them to achieve without limits.    JET has...

Loraine Martins OBE has spent the last eight years gradually making positive change at Network Rail to ensure their 43,731 strong staff come from all walks of life & feel valued in their work.   Loraine - who played a key role in developing London’s Olympic Park - talks about growing up in London with her Jamaican parents; tells stories which reveal where her great sense of social justice comes fr...

Wing Commander David Montenegro OBE - Officer Commanding of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team – chats to Helen about the Reds’ role on the world stage & the images he’ll never forget of the G7 leaders captivated by their display.   Monty talks about the innovative work going on with students & industry to develop a sustainable synthetic fuel mix for the iconic red, white & blue smoke; shares the...

Back on Scotland’s beautiful Isle of Harris, Helen meets Apothecary Amanda Saurin & finds out how she creates her natural skincare range as well as botanicals for drinks companies using flowers, bark, blossom, roots, moss - everything “Mother Nature’s larder” has to offer. Amanda - who founded the small batch distiller A.S Apothecary - is also a homeopath & distiller and drew on her knowledge of h...

  Anderson ‘Burr’ Bakewell fell in love with the rare & elusive spirit of the beautiful, remote Isle of Harris & pondered how one could bottle the island & share it with the world.   Shona Macleod – one of the first members of staff at the Isle of Harris Distillery – reveals how the distillery came about with a focus on providing employment for the community & describes how that spirit is captured...

  Inspired by his brother-in-law’s battle with dementia, Frank Rothwell explains why he took on the 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic race alone, aged 70, arriving early after 56 days at sea.    Frank raised more than a million pounds for Alzheimer’s Research UK & hopes it will make a difference supporting the charity's scientists in their quest to find ground-breaking ways of treating the disea...

  Chris Floyd takes us on a wander through his photographic archives - both film & digital - sharing stories behind the portraits he's taken of some of the world's most famous artists, musicians & actors.  Chris's images of The Verve; David Hockney; Damian Hirst; Sir Paul McCartney; Oasis; Adrian Lester; Dame Sheila Hancock; Paul Weller; Naomi Watts; Olivia Colman; John Lee Hooker; Iggy Pop & Robe...

Katie Nicholl gives a fascinating insight into 15 years of life as a Royal commentator & a look at what’s going on behind the Prince Harry headlines.    She shares her thoughts on Harry’s latest revelations of wanting to break the cycle of “genetic pain” & explores the rift with the Princes. Katie talks about the very modern future of the Monarchy with the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge leading the w...

  Sarah Wood shares the remarkable story of how she co-founded the global video advertising marketplace ‘Unruly’ with her husband knowing little about the tech world yet sold to News Corp, just nine years & a lot of hard work later for £114 million!   Sarah was running late on the day of the 7/7 bombings in London, narrowly missing the terrorist attacks. That moment led to her reassessing life, le...

Helen discovers how polymetallic nodules lying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean could be the answer to making more sustainable batteries to power electric vehicles.   The four metals needed are in abundance in the rocks. The Metals Company CEO & environmentalist Gerard Barron explains the work his scientists are doing & the benefits of extraction from the seabed over deep land mining which is de...

Diane is one of America's leading business women - a senior executive & board member at Bye Aerospace, at the cutting edge of the the design & production of the world's first all-electric aeroplanes. She explains how writing an honest, raw account based on her journals about the trials & triumphs of breast cancer treatment has helped her heal & reveals she's found a new self & purpose on the other...

  Alastair Campbell – writer, strategist & famous for being former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Director of Communications – talks openly & frankly about his long battle with depression & the techniques he’s discovered to help him cope.   He also reveals why, after more than four decades together, he’s finally tied the knot in a civil partnership with Fiona Millar; his life-long passion for Burnley...