The Greaterverse

What happens when the sport you fall in love with is the one you’re told you shouldn’t play? This week on The Greaterverse, I’m joined by Adam Franks, former professional ice hockey player, entrepreneur and epilepsy advocate. Diagnosed with epilepsy at 11, Adam faced barriers to playing the sport he loved. Then one doctor asked a question that changed everything: “What do you want to do with your...

Going viral can lead to some unexpected encounters, from discovering Jerry Seinfeld is a fan to receiving a message from Beyoncé. Behind those moments are years of work, personal challenges and a desire to create something that means something to others. In this episode, host Anne-Marie Kruk revisits conversations with comedian Jake Lambert, dancer and choreographer Dance God Lloyd, and film direc...

Ollie Cook spent nine years training full-time to reach the Olympics. When Tokyo ended in a heartbreaking fourth-place finish, he faced a difficult decision: return for another Games or build a different future. In this episode, host Anne-Marie Kruk talks with Ollie about his journey into rowing, spending three years as a reserve, and discovering that working harder wasn’t the same as having the t...

What’s it like to put your arm inside a shark’s mouth or swim beside a rare white whale? In this ocean special, Anne-Marie brings together highlights and previously unheard footage from three extraordinary guests: 🦈 Cristina Zenato shares how she began removing fishing hooks from sharks, the personalities she’s come to know, and why some sharks settle into her lap. 🐋 Pip Jacobs from ORRCA reveal...

What if a small, hand-sewn heart helped save someone’s life? In this special episode for World Mental Health Day, I bring together conversations about happiness, connection and the small things that can make a profound difference, with moments from four incredible guests, most of which have never been shared before. I also share a little of my own story: how living with PTSD led me to create The G...

Danielle Alakija reached the Olympics at just 16. Running took her from Fiji onto the world stage, but her story didn’t end at the finish line. In this episode, host Anne-Marie Kruk, talks with Danielle about loving the feeling of running, finding her way into sports photography, and using the camera to show female athletes for their strength, skill and years of work. They discuss what young women...

At 28, newly married and building her career, Allie Brummel discovered that the lump she had been told was “nothing” was triple-negative breast cancer. This week, Anne-Marie is joined by Allie Brumel, breast cancer survivor and co-founder of The Breasties: a global nonprofit supporting people affected by breast and gynaecological cancers through community, education and advocacy. What began with s...

Sharks have survived five mass extinctions, can sense hurricanes before they arrive and have distinct personalities. Yet we continue to view more than 500 different species through one narrow lens: something to fear. In this episode, Anne-Marie is joined by Cristina Zenato, shark ecologist and behaviourist, professional diver, cave explorer and ocean advocate who has spent more than three decades...

For Alek Lev, creativity is not simply about what gets made. It is about the life lived while making it. In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Alek Lev, director, writer, producer, editor, podcaster and nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter. Alek’s creative path has taken him from making films with two VCRs as a child to theatre, filmmaking and workin...

For Joshua Coombes, connection begins with one thing: truly seeing the person in front of you. In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Joshua Coombes, speaker, author, educator and founder of #DoSomethingForNothing, a movement encouraging people to use their skills and time to connect with others. Joshua’s journey began when he took his scissors onto the streets of Londo...

For Sam Trull, saving sloths has always been about one thing: getting them back where they belong, in the wild. In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Sam Trull, co-founder and Executive Director of The Sloth Institute, a Costa Rica-based organisation dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, release and conservation of sloths. Sam’s journey to sloths began with a lifelo...

One hand for one child changed the direction of Mat Bowtell’s life. In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Mat Bowtell, engineer and founder of Free 3D Hands, which creates 3D-printed hands and arms for people around the world completely free of charge. Mat’s journey began while he was working as a senior engineer at Toyota Australia. After making an Iron Man-style hand...

What happens when your greatest struggle becomes your greatest purpose? In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Lucca Bevan , epilepsy advocate, neuroscience graduate and corporate leader. Together, Anne-Marie and Lucca explore what it was really like being diagnosed with epilepsy at just 14, how it changed her life overnight, and why she spent years hiding her condition...

What happens when reaching the Olympic stage becomes the beginning of something bigger? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Kevin Wekesa, Kenyan rugby sevens player, Paris 2024 Olympian, mechanical engineer and founder of Play Green. Together, Anne-Marie and Kevin explore his journey from discovering rugby as a teenager to representing Kenya on the world stage, the se...

How did a simple YouTube channel become a source of comfort for millions? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Rob Kenney, creator of Dad, How Do I?, the YouTube channel that has helped millions of people learn the life skills many of us take for granted. Together, Anne-Marie and Rob explore the childhood that shaped him, the unexpected journey behind Dad, How Do I?, w...

What happens when four women decide to solve some of the world's biggest problems? In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by four extraordinary entrepreneurs who are tackling climate change from completely different angles, from fashion and AI to construction, manufacturing and venture building. Together Kae, Kathryn, Malini and Marie share what inspired them to leave conv...

What do you do when life gives you a second chance? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie speaks to Louise Pritchard about unimaginable loss, a life-saving liver transplant, and the decision to truly live. After losing her twins and facing a devastating health crisis, Louise was given a donor liver and a second chance at life. In a letter to her donor's family, she made a promise: she wo...

What can dance teach us about life? More than you might think. In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by internationally renowned dancer, choreographer and founder of Dance Grow Live, Dance God Lloyd. Together, Anne-Marie and Dance God Lloyd explore how dance took him from Ashaiman, Ghana to the global stage, why Ghana has become a destination for dancers from around the w...

What happens to a bottle of wine after the last glass is poured? It could take 10,000 years to break down. In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Paul Gabie, founder and CEO of ecoSPIRITS, a company developing innovative circular packaging solutions for the wine and spirits industry. Together, Anne-Marie and Paul explore why more than 70 billion single-use wine and spir...

Could a crime novel help keep a 47-year-old cold case alive? A conversation with her mum led bestselling crime author Candice Fox down an unexpected path. In this special bonus episode, Candice shares the remarkable true story behind her new book Redbelly Crossing and the unsolved double murder that inspired it. After taking a possible lead to police, Candice turned to the one thing she knows best...

What do crime writing, wildlife rescue and a healthy dose of nosiness have in common? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Candice Fox, one of Australia's bestselling crime authors whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. Known for her gripping novels and collaborations with James Patterson, Candice has built a career around understanding people and telling...

What if kindness wasn't just a value, but the foundation of a business? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Sonica Beckmann, founder of House of Kind, a fashion brand built around kindness, equality and empowering women. After a successful international legal career that saw her become Head of Legal for a multinational company by the age of 30, Sonica took a leap into...

It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to ask for help. And it’s okay to go to therapy, even when you’re happy. In this episode of The Greaterverse , Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Shreeya Giri, founder of Happy Minds, a mental health organisation transforming access to care across Nepal. After experiencing her own struggles while living in London during the pandemic, Shreeya returned home to Nepal determined...

After losing her 17-year-old son, marine photographer and whale guide Tris Sheen found a deeper understanding of grief, compassion and what it means to keep moving forward. In this special conversation from The Greaterverse, Tris reflects on "emotional evolution", the lessons nature has taught her, and why we should never assume we know what someone else is carrying.

What happens when a childhood fascination with animals turns into a life spent swimming with whales? In this conversation, I'm joined by Trish Sheen, underwater photographer, whale guide and founder of a whale swimming school in Tonga. From growing up on boats and exploring the ocean with her family, to photographing some of the world's most remarkable marine life, Trish has spent decades building...