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Comedy

Comedy

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Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated 30/01/2023
Comedy

Comedy

Updated weekly

20 FEB

Arthur Smith: I got arrested for breach of the peace and possession of a megaphone

From the bomb sites of post war South London to the stages of the Comedy Store and the studios of Radio 4, Arthur Smith’s life has been driven less by ambition than by curiosity. The son of a Second World War prisoner of war turned police officer, and a grammar school girl who filled the house with books and poetry, Arthur grew up in a home where humour and humanity went hand in hand. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the comedian to trace a journey that begins in Bermondsey and winds its way through the birth of alternative comedy, and the strange alchemy that turned a literature graduate into one of Britain’s most distinctive comic voices. Arthur reflects on discovering the thrill of laughter as a child playing Captain Hook, on being elected head boy, and on why poetry and stand up share more in common than most people realise. They revisit the early days of the Comedy Store, the emergence of a new kind of comedy in the 1980s, and the moment television fame arrived via Grumpy Old Men. Arthur speaks candidly about the seductions of drink, the shock of acute pancreatitis, and how a brush with mortality reshaped his relationship with success. For Arthur, comedy has never been about domination or design, but about delight: finding the precise word, the perfect pause, the unexpected turn. Find out more about Arthur Smith’s upcoming gigs here EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/fulldisclosure Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

20 Feb

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57 min
13 FEB

Sadiq Khan: You Cannot Be Popular Every Single Day in Government

From the son of a bus driver on a South London council estate to the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital, Sadiq Khan’s story is inseparable from the story of modern London. But with that journey has come a decade at the sharpest end of British politics. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Mayor of London to trace the path from a crowded flat in Tooting to City Hall. Khan reflects on his parents’ migration from Pakistan, the racism he experienced growing up, and the teachers who helped him see that the rooms of power were not off limits. He describes the leap from human rights lawyer to MP, the gamble of running for mayor, and the reality of governing a city through terror attacks, Brexit, a pandemic and deep political division. They discuss the resurgence of overt racism, the personal cost of public life, and why Khan refuses to let abuse dictate his politics. He speaks candidly about the backlash he faced over equal marriage, the solidarity he believes minorities must show one another, and the responsibility he feels to prove that London remains a city where progress is possible. Attention also turns to the future of the Labour Party. As calls emerge for Keir Starmer to stand down, Khan addresses the speculation directly. He reflects on party unity, leadership under pressure and the dangers of allowing internal divisions to overshadow the broader task facing Labour. For Khan, the question is not about personalities but about purpose: what Labour is for, who it represents, and how it responds at moments when confidence wavers. At its heart, this is a conversation about resilience, representation and the fragile idea of social progress. Can a city that once displayed signs reading “No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs” continue to move forward. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/fulldisclosure Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

13 Feb

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1h 7m
30 JAN

Jonathan Pryce: I was told for years that I was worthless

From a small village in North Wales to some of the most iconic stages and screens in the world, Jonathan Pryce’s career has been shaped as much by doubt and accident as by talent and ambition. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the actor to trace an extraordinary life in performance, beginning with a childhood marked by class, kindness and upheaval, and moving through art school, repertory theatre and a late discovery of confidence in his own abilities. Pryce reflects on failure at school, the teachers who held him back and the mentors who quietly opened doors, as well as the personal loss that shaped his most searching work on stage. He talks candidly about imposter syndrome, the slow realisation that he might actually be good at his job, and why acting only began to make sense to him later in life. They discuss the freedom and chaos of seventies theatre, the strange mechanics of success, and the moments that changed everything, from Comedians and Hamlet to Brazil, Miss Saigon and beyond. Along the way, Pryce shares stories that are funny, bruising and deeply human. Warm, reflective and quietly profound, this is a conversation about craft, luck and resilience, and about learning, eventually, to trust your own voice. Under Salt Marsh will launch with two episodes on Sky and streaming service NOW on January 30th, followed by one episode weekly for 4 weeks EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/fulldisclosure Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

30 Jan

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1 hr
6 FEB

Mark Constantine: Homeless at 16 to Founding LUSH

From a fractured childhood in Weymouth to the creation of one of Britain’s most distinctive ethical brands, Mark Constantine’s life has been shaped by loss, sensitivity and an intense drive to make sense of the world through the senses. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the co-founder and CEO of the British cosmetics retailer, LUSH. Expect a wide ranging and deeply personal conversation about abandonment, creativity and the long shadow of early experiences. Constantine traces his story from a family marked by absence and instability, through periods of homelessness and self doubt, to an unconventional career that fused science, intuition and care. He reflects on grief, panic and the “entrepreneur’s wound”, and explains how synaesthesia shapes the way he understands people, memory and emotion. Smell, he suggests, can communicate what words cannot, reaching places in the brain where language falls short. Along the way, he speaks candidly about failure, fear of pride, and the mentors and partners whose kindness helped steady him. They explore the unlikely origins of LUSH, the principles that guided its growth, and the tension between success and insecurity that has never fully gone away. Thoughtful, intimate and unexpectedly tender, this is a conversation about resilience, care and finding meaning through sensation rather than certainty. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/fulldisclosure Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

6 Feb

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1h 4m
20 FEB

100. Happy Birthday

Iain and Tessa discuss Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest and what it could mean for the wider Royal Family - as well as the history of Royals and the law. They also talk about Iain's speeding, what to do with the Houses of Parliament, suggestions for new right-wing party names and more! This episode was recorded yesterday afternoon, before Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's release on bail. Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, not sexual offences which he also denies.

20 Feb

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56 min
23 JAN

Rutger Bregman: What are we actually doing with our lives?

From calling out billionaires at Davos to challenging institutions that would rather stay comfortable, Rutger Bregman has built a career around one simple question: what are we actually doing with our lives? In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the historian and author of Moral Ambition to talk about purpose, power and the quiet pressure to go along with things we know are wrong. Bregman reflects on his upbringing, his loss of religious faith, and how that search for meaning became a drive to make ideas matter in the real world. They discuss why small groups of people have always been the engine of change, how ego and idealism often overlap, and why so many smart, capable people feel stuck doing work that doesn’t align with their values. From abolitionists and resistance movements to modern politics, media cowardice and the rise of authoritarianism, Bregman argues that change usually starts when someone simply asks others to step up. Thoughtful, accessible and quietly challenging, this conversation is about agency, responsibility and the uncomfortable idea that waiting for someone else to act is itself a choice. Find out more about Moral Ambition: How to Find Your Purpose by Rutger Bregman here EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/fulldisclosure Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

23 Jan

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1h 8m
2 JAN

From The Vault: Dawn French

From the dislocated, sun soaked childhood of an RAF family to a life spent shaping British comedy, Dawn French’s story is one of resilience, warmth and hard won self knowledge. In this generous conversation with James O’Brien, recorded five years ago, she reflects on the moves that defined her early years, the confidence gifted to her by loving parents, and the shock of losing her father just as adulthood was beginning. She recalls her time at boarding school in Plymouth, the drama teacher who changed her life, and the year she spent in New York after winning a fiercely competitive debating scholarship. Dawn speaks openly about stumbling into comedy by accident, her early days at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and the moment living with Jennifer Saunders set the course for their four-decade partnership. She revisits the wild beginnings of The Comic Strip, moonlighting as a teacher by day and performing in a smoky Soho club by night. Along the way, she discusses the unusual pressures of fame, the introversion that sits behind the jazz hands, and the fierce, uncomplicated love that shaped her as both daughter and mother. Warm, candid and often very funny, this episode offers an intimate portrait of a national treasure who remains thoughtful, grounded and endlessly generous in spirit.

2 Jan

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47 min
3 DAYS AGO

Charles was warned about his brother's 'secret deals'

Email proves Charles was warned about his brother's 'secret deals' whistleblower told Palace. The T-shirt that could save thousands of lives and government clarity over future SEND support in schools.

3 days ago

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2h 16m
2 DAYS AGO

355. Andrew Gold

Iain Dale interviews host of the Heretics podcast Andrew Gold about the shifting sands on both the left and the right, times guests have had a go at him, his experiences with Tommy Robinson and more.

2 days ago

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1h 7m
19/12/2025

Martin Shaw: The Professionals was a monster that swallowed my career

From bomb sites in postwar Birmingham to the centre of British stage and screen, Martin Shaw’s life has been shaped by curiosity, kindness and a refusal to play the part he was expected to play. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with one of Britain’s most enduring actors to trace the journey behind the performances. Shaw reflects on growing up with parents marked by war and frustration, discovering storytelling at school, and the teachers who unlocked a sense of freedom, confidence and purpose. He talks about leaving security behind for drama school, confronting imposter syndrome, and the moment he realised that great acting is not about showing off but about listening. The conversation moves through a remarkable career. From early theatre work and transformative mentors, to working with Roman Polanski on Macbeth, sharing kitchens with Anthony Hopkins, and navigating the highs and costs of fame after The Professionals. Shaw speaks candidly about alcohol, masculinity, spiritual searching and the quiet anger that can linger beneath success. He also explains why kindness on set matters to him, how one encounter with a fan reframed his view of his own work, and why the stage has always remained his creative home.

19/12/2025

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1h 1m

Leading Britain's Conversation