The Courage to Speak

Leonie Mellinger
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Actor and communication skills coach Leonie Mellinger speaks to influential figures about what it takes to have the courage to speak up in life. Her guests include leading journalists, actors, sports personalities, authors and academics.

  1. Fernando Montaño: Expression Through Art

    22/12/2025

    Fernando Montaño: Expression Through Art

    British-Colombian dancer and artist Fernando Montaño is Leonie Mellinger’s guest in the final episode of the series. In Christmas week, Fernando talks about what it is like to perform in The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House. Born and brought up in very difficult financial circumstances in Colombia, Fernando began his ballet journey in Cali before earning scholarships to the Cuban National Ballet School and at La Scala in Milan. Despite having to audition in complete silence, he was next invited to join the Royal Ballet, making his Covent Garden debut in 2006. Fernando became the first Colombian - and one of the few black dancers at the time - to join the company. He performed with them for 15 years, rising to soloist and then principal. He has subsequently danced as a guest principal with leading companies across the world, including major performances in France, USA, Cuba, Italy, Peru and Colombia. And he has expanded his artistic passions with his own fashion and jewellery collections. In this fascinating and thoughtful interview, Fernando tells Leonie about his background and career and why dance and art are so important to his life. He now creates artwork through dance and has become a self-taught sculptor. He speaks about suffering from anxiety about his colour while at the Royal Ballet and how, for several years, even tried to lighten his skin. Fernando reflects on how he’s been able to use his profile to champion causes he’s passionate about, including the work of the Marine Conservation Society. Fernando discusses becoming friends with Vivienne Westwood and making global headlines when flown to Bogota by President Santos to perform an extraordinary private dance for the then Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in the Colombian presidential palace! If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    54 min
  2. David Byrne: Ahead Of Public Taste

    15/12/2025

    David Byrne: Ahead Of Public Taste

    David Byrne, the Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre in London is Leonie Mellinger’s guest in this episode. In a fascinating conversation, that must surely be essential listening for anyone writing plays in the UK today, David details the process of getting new work commissioned at the theatre. He tells Leonie about his cultural philosophy and why it is important for challenging pieces to be staged at the Royal Court, including plays that no other theatre would consider. An award-winning playwright, in 2010 he was part of the founding team at the New Diorama Theatre in Camden. He spent 13 years there as Artistic Director before moving on to Sloane Square in 2024. The Royal Court celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2026, having built its reputation on new writing and often provocative work. From Joe Orton and John Osborne to Jez Butterworth and Caryl Churchill, many highly-rated post-war writers have been given opportunities at the theatre. David shares what it is like to run the Royal Court in an age of social media, financial pressure, cancel culture and polarisation and discusses why he believes passionately in completely backing writers whose work he programmes, as well supporting the next generation of British talent. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    1 hr
  3. Julie Etchingham: Modern Slavery

    08/12/2025

    Julie Etchingham: Modern Slavery

    Journalist, broadcaster and ITV news anchor Julie Etchingham is Leonie Mellinger’s guest in this episode. They discuss the shocking issue of modern slavery, especially the devastating impact it has on victims around the UK. Julie’s reports and documentaries have highlighted modern slavery at home and around the world, in places like Nigeria, Italy and the Philippines. She made a documentary on women kept as slaves in domestic servitude in London. Victims of modern slavery, especially those who are being sexually exploited, might face violence or threats, be forced into inescapable debt, or have their passport taken away. Many fall into this trap when trying to escape poverty, improve their lives or support their families. In this conversation Julie discusses some of the places that modern slavery may occur in plain sight across the country, including nail bars, car washes and in agriculture. Global charity Anti-Slavery International has identified seven categories: human trafficking, forced labour, bonded labour, people who are born into slavery, child slavery, forced or early marriage and domestic servitude. Julie has moderated several conferences on the subject, including at the Vatican with Pope Francis. She is on the advisory board for the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre and she won an award from the Human Trafficking Foundation for her reporting on cuckooing in the UK. As one of our most accomplished and experienced presenters, Julie is best known for anchoring ITV’s News at Ten and co-hosting their coverage at many of the nation’s biggest events. These include prime ministerial debates, royal weddings and funerals, and the coronation of King Charles III.  She has twice been named Presenter of the Year by the Royal Television Society and was the first woman to win that award. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    51 min
  4. Amanda Barrie: My Life With Dyslexia

    01/12/2025

    Amanda Barrie: My Life With Dyslexia

    Dyslexia has been a serious issue for actress Amanda Barrie throughout her 75-year career, especially when she had to learn scripts for theatre, film and TV. In this hugely entertaining conversation, Amanda tells Leonie Mellinger about how the condition became a “nightmare” and about the techniques she then developed to cope with it. Her new autobiography I’m Still Here was recently published to coincide with her 90th birthday and it tells the story of a most extraordinary life. Having lied about her age and moved into a hostel in Soho as a 13 year old, Amanda performed in dance, review, cabaret and television in the 1940s and ‘50s. That was followed by long spells on stage as a lead actress in the West End and major touring productions, while also appearing in many films including her iconic lead role in Carry On Cleo. Amanda then established herself as one of the best loved characters on television - Alma in Coronation Street.  She was a key member of the cast for 13 years until Alma’s dramatic departure in 2001. She also lived with two secrets throughout most of her career, secrets which caused great anguish and pain, about which she writes very movingly in the book. Her sexuality, and her dyslexia. This interview focuses mainly on the latter and how she learned to deal with dyslexia in the decades when the condition was rarely recognised, with Amanda struggling to learn scripts amid insinuations of laziness or stupidity. In addition, she discusses the pressure on young actresses in the 1960s, when she developed eating disorders. She describes the special diets that actresses and dancers were advised to adopt and talks about her use of amphetamines to get through the long working days and nights. We also hear about her fear of being open about her sexuality, about being outed while on Coronation Street and how she eventually found great happiness with wife Hilary Bonner. Plus, there are stories about Gordon Ramsay, George Cole and Dora Bryan. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    48 min
  5. Caroline Wheeler: Exposing Britain’s worst health scandal

    24/11/2025

    Caroline Wheeler: Exposing Britain’s worst health scandal

    This episode is about the national disgrace known as the infected blood scandal. Caroline Wheeler is the political editor of the Sunday Times and for almost a quarter of a century she has been investigating what she describes as “the deadliest man-made disaster in British post-war history.” She joins Leonie Mellinger to discuss her acclaimed book Death in The Blood which exposed the full horror of more than 30,000 people becoming infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products imported from the USA into the NHS. The victims in the 1970s and ‘80s included those who required blood transfusions following routine surgery, childbirth or accidents, plus thousands of haemophiliacs, especially children who died of AIDS. Caroline shares some of the shocking stories she uncovered about individual victims and their families, the politicians and civil servants who turned a blind eye to the emerging scandal, the role of companies who put profit before ethics, and the school where dozens of children were experimented on without their knowledge or consent. She also tells how her passion for justice led to her ‘crossing the Rubicon’ in Parliament when she personally lobbied MPs to vote in favour of a key amendment relating to the campaign. Caroline’s reporting has revealed yet another example of British establishment incompetence, lies, secrecy and cover-ups damaging the lives of tens of thousands of people who have since been seeking justice, compensation and closure. She won journalist of the year, and political journalist of the year, in December 2024 in recognition of her work on this story and her campaigning on behalf of the victims. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    1 hr
  6. Gina Miller: Democracy and Death Threats

    17/11/2025

    Gina Miller: Democracy and Death Threats

    Campaigner and businesswoman Gina Miller is Leonie Mellinger’s guest in this episode, discussing how she took the governments of Theresa May and Boris Johnson to court, winning on both occasions. Gina explains why she believed they were trying to illegally prevent Parliament from scrutinising proposed Brexit legislation. She is also remarkably candid about the terrifying abuse and death threats that she and her family received after she dared to fight for British democracy. She also speaks about her long, successful career as an entrepreneur, a passionate advocate for women’s rights in the workplace, a campaigner to end financial misconduct and her work on the Modern-Day Slavery Bill. And Miller talks through some of the many difficult personal situations she’s faced, including escaping an abusive relationship, being raped just before her final law exams and bringing up a daughter who tragically suffered brain damage during her birth. Gina is now being treated for a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer but this extremely powerful, inspirational interview demonstrates that her energy and passion for fighting injustice remain at astonishingly high levels. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠.   Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    58 min
  7. Sir Michael Palin: Stammering Therapy and Seeing The World

    10/11/2025

    Sir Michael Palin: Stammering Therapy and Seeing The World

    Leonie Mellinger’s guest is Sir Michael Palin, one of the most loved and respected figures in British TV and film. From the Frost Report, Monty Python and Ripping Yarns, through The Missionary, A Fish Called Wanda and The Death of Stalin, to Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole and now Venezuela, Sir Michael has been a fixture on our big and small screens for more than 60 years. He joins Leonie to talk about the organisation that bears his name and which has enjoyed his support since it was founded, The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering. They discuss its impact and how he became involved in the first place, while Leonie shares her and her daughter’s own experience of the centre’s important work. Michael also talks about how a stammer affected his father and their family life and reflects on playing Ken with a stammer in the iconic comedy film, A Fish Called Wanda. They chat about his recent travel series in Venezuela, undertaken at the age of 81, and the prospect of military intervention against President Nicolás Maduro’s regime by Donald Trump’s America. Sir Michael also reflects on his friendship with the late Terry Jones, the loss of his wife Helen and how he's coping with his grief. And, of course, there are entertaining stories and the suggestion that he should one day be designated the patron saint of silliness! The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering provides life-changing therapy for children who stammer, helping them find their voice and unlock their potential. They help 500 families a year and provide 250 new families with a charitably funded assessment every year. The centre’s therapists develop a personalised programme including individual or intensive group therapy. For more information on The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering and please visit their website michaelpalincentreforstammering.org. If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠ Follow us: on Instagram ⁠⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    52 min
  8. Ramita Navai: Gaza Doc Under Attack

    03/11/2025

    Ramita Navai: Gaza Doc Under Attack

    Leonie Mellinger’s guest is the multi-award-winning journalist, writer and documentary maker, Ramita Navai.  She speaks passionately about impartiality and ethics in journalism and describes the chain of events surrounding the BBC’s decision not to broadcast her documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack which was instead shown on Channel 4. Ramita has strong views about the way she and her team were treated by BBC senior managers.  Her extraordinary career has taken her to some of the most dangerous places in the world and she talks about terrifying experiences ‘in the field’, and why it is so important to give a voice to those who would otherwise have been silenced.  Ramita's family left Tehran for Britain when she was a child, following the Islamic revolution, but her return to Iran decades later helped launch her journalistic career. Her own ‘courage to speak’ has seen her become a critic of the Iranian government, record with dissidents in Assad’s Syria, outwit the Taliban to film inside an Afghan prison and to investigate whether Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza. For more information on Ramita and her work please visit her website ramitanavai.com If you would like to discuss sponsorship or advertising on The Courage to Speak, please email the podcast team: info@thecouragetospeak.com⁠. Follow us: on Instagram ⁠@the_couragetospeak⁠and ⁠@leoniemellinger⁠⁠ or Leonie’s X and LinkedIn accounts. The Courage to Speak is from Leonie Mellinger Ltd. It is produced by Square Elephant Productions with Danny Garlick. Theme music composed by Guy Pearson.

    59 min
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About

Actor and communication skills coach Leonie Mellinger speaks to influential figures about what it takes to have the courage to speak up in life. Her guests include leading journalists, actors, sports personalities, authors and academics.

Information

  • Creator
    Leonie Mellinger
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Leonie Mellinger
  • Show Website
    The Courage to Speak