Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

James O'Brien
James O'Brien
  • 4.7 (125)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Award-winning LBC presenter and best-selling author James O’Brien hosts a series of compelling conversations with fascinating people from the worlds of politics, news and entertainment. These are thoughtful conversations with a curious and interested interviewer. Full Disclosure with James O'Brien is a Global Production For advertising opportunities on this podcast, email: GlobalStudiosSales@global.com

  1. 2d ago

    Tony Hadley: “I Didn’t Think True Was a Single”

    Tony Hadley went from borrowing £20 in the pub while appearing on Top of the Pops to fronting one of the biggest bands in the world. Then came the fallings-out, a bruising court battle and a journey from packed arenas back to playing small clubs. Through it all, one thing never changed: he refused to give up. Tony joins James O’Brien to tell the extraordinary story of Spandau Ballet - from a working-class childhood in Islington and the school band that started it all, to the flamboyant world of the Blitz Club and the birth of the New Romantic movement. He remembers the anxiety of watching early success begin to slip away, and the song that changed everything, True - a record he never even thought should be a single, which went on to reach number one around the world. He reflects on the phenomenal success that followed with Gold, the reality behind the glamour of 1980s pop stardom and what happened when one of Britain’s biggest bands began to fracture. Tony speaks candidly about the legal battle that put homes on the line, the humiliation of going from Wembley Arena to club PAs, and why, even at his lowest point, he was determined to get back up and carry on. There are extraordinary stories along the way - including blagging his way backstage to meet Frank Sinatra at 17 - as well as reflections on family, ambition, ageing and the sheer euphoria of walking onto a stage. Nearly 50 years after first declaring himself the man to front the band, Tony is still touring, still making new music and still trying to become a better singer. This is a funny, revealing and unexpectedly moving conversation about what happens after the fame - and the stubbornness it takes to start again. Find out more about Tony Hadley’s tour dates here Tony Hadley Official Website | Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

  2. Sep 11

    Francis Fukuyama: The End of History author on democracy under threat

    He famously argued that liberal democracy marked the end of history. Now, with war, populism and authoritarianism reshaping the world, Francis Fukuyama asks whether liberal democracy can still win. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks to the political scientist and author about the ideas, accidents and encounters that shaped his life. Fukuyama reflects on growing up in a highly intellectual family, his early immersion in philosophy, and why a formative period in Paris led him away from literary theory and towards the realities of international politics. They discuss the collapse of the Soviet Union, the enduring misreading of The End of History, and why he believes the idea of equal human dignity remains powerful despite democratic backsliding around the world. Fukuyama also looks back on his time in US government, his break with neoconservatism over Iraq, and the danger of letting pessimism about democracy become self-fulfilling. Thoughtful, wide-ranging and urgent, this conversation is about big ideas, political mistakes and the case for defending liberal societies without pretending they are perfect. Find out more about In the Realm of the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama here Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

  3. Sep 4

    Jay Rayner: Why Trying to Be Liked Is a Recipe for Failure

    Jay Rayner has eaten some of the best meals in the world - and written some of Britain’s most memorable restaurant reviews. But the story behind the critic is even richer. In this candid conversation, Jay joins James O’Brien to talk about the unlikely path from a famously unconventional childhood to becoming one of Britain’s most recognisable writers and broadcasters. There are school expulsions, tabloid diary columns, high-stakes investigations, celebrity encounters and the restaurant review that became an international news story. Jay reflects on growing up with his mother, agony aunt Claire Rayner; discovering oysters at ten; and learning that food is a doorway into memory, class, politics and pleasure. He also reveals why he walked away from a fast-moving newspaper career, how he accidentally became The Observer’s restaurant critic, and why he still believes every great restaurant has a story to tell. Along the way, Jay talks about his move to the Financial Times, his love of broadcasting and jazz, and why - after decades in journalism - he still cannot retire from the inside of his own head. Find out more about Nights Out in the Kitchen by Jay Rayner here Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

  4. Aug 28

    Robert Harris: From Tony Blair’s Inner Circle to Hollywood’s Conclave

    From watching Tony Blair win a landslide from inside his living room to imagining a world where Hitler won the war, Robert Harris has made a career out of getting closer to power than most. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien meets the bestselling author behind Fatherland, Pompeii, The Ghost and Conclave. Robert recalls his working-class Nottinghamshire childhood, a mischievous school newspaper, nearly being sent down from Cambridge, and the leap from BBC journalist to one of Britain’s most successful novelists. He reveals what it was really like inside New Labour’s 1997 campaign, why his friendship with Tony Blair eventually fractured, and how the machinery of modern politics keeps reappearing in the ancient world. From writer’s block in a leaking country house to Hollywood adaptations, Roman emperors and the art of turning history into a thriller, this is a fascinating conversation about ambition, access, reinvention and the addictive pull of power. Find out more about Agrippa by Robert Harris here Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

  5. Aug 21

    Alexei Sayle: I never thought we’d end up here

    Alexei Sayle has spent a lifetime finding humour in anger, absurdity and the systems that shape us. Raised in Liverpool by fiercely committed communist parents, his childhood was filled with politics, protest marches and unusual cultural influences - from Soviet cinema to family trips behind the Iron Curtain. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the comedian, writer and actor to trace the path from a rebellious schoolboy and struggling art student to the incendiary force at the heart of alternative comedy. Alexei recalls discovering his voice at the Comedy Store, forging lifelong friendships with Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer and the Comic Strip generation, and becoming known for a furious on-stage persona that often bore little resemblance to the man offstage. He reflects on success, creative reinvention and the strange experience of falling out of fashion before returning to stand-up with a more personal, contemplative voice. Alexei also discusses his lifelong political activism, the ideals he inherited from his parents, and the tension between wanting to change the world and recognising the limits of protest. It’s a funny, candid and deeply thoughtful conversation about comedy, conviction, reinvention and the complicated business of staying true to yourself. Find out more about How I've Tried to Change the World: By Walking Down the Middle of the Street Shouting by Alexei Sayle here Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

  6. Aug 14

    Amelia Dimoldenberg: How Chicken Shop Date became a global phenomenon

    Before she became the creator behind Chicken Shop Date, Amelia Dimoldenberg was a relentlessly ambitious child from Marylebone, dreaming of editing Vogue, joining S Club Juniors and taking to the stage in Cats. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Amelia to trace the unlikely journey from a youth magazine in North West London to one of the most distinctive interview formats of a generation. Amelia reflects on growing up with a voraciously reading, politically engaged family; the confidence she found through school performances and extracurricular activities; and the teenage reinvention that left her temporarily without friends. She explains how The Cut magazine club introduced her to a new creative world, and how a throwaway conversation about the worst possible date location became the starting point for Chicken Shop Date. They discuss the painstaking preparation, performance and editing behind the show’s deliberately awkward charm; the instinct that stopped Amelia signing away her intellectual property; and the turning points that took her from student project to interviewing stars including Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Lawrence and Cher. Amelia also talks about Dimz Inc Academy, the initiative she created with Spiral Skills to help young people from underrepresented backgrounds access careers in digital media and production. Drawing on the opportunities she received as a teenager, she explains why practical experience, creative confidence and professional networks can make such a difference - particularly for young people facing barriers to work. Funny, candid and full of creative insight, this is a conversation about ambition, originality and the hard work behind appearing effortlessly cool. Find out more about Dimz Inc Academy here Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

  7. Aug 7

    Dr Ranj Singh: “I Was Outed To My Parents”

    Beloved TV doctor, children’s author and NHS paediatrician Dr Ranj Singh tells James O’Brien the extraordinary story behind the smile - from the collapse of the life he thought he was supposed to want, to the painful process of working out who he really was. He speaks candidly about growing up in a traditional Indian family, the pressure to follow a respectable path, and the emotional cost of spending years trying to fit expectations. He recalls his sexuality being “outed” to his parents before he was ready, the heartbreak and confusion that followed, and the therapy that helped him understand his identity and start living more truthfully. They also explore his career in medicine, his decision to step back after decades in the NHS, and the creative life he has built beyond the hospital ward. From children’s television to musical theatre, Dr Ranj reflects on chasing joy, embracing vulnerability, and why his real job - in whatever form it takes - is simply to make people feel better. Find out more about Dr Ranj’s Human Body Encyclopedia here Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/fulldisclosure Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

  8. Jul 31

    Tim Booth: The Story of James, Sit Down and Laid

    As the magnetic frontman of James, Tim Booth has spent more than four decades turning raw emotion into some of Britain’s most loved music - from Sit Down and Laid to a run of acclaimed new records. Tim joins James O’Brien to trace the unlikely journey that led him to the band: a difficult childhood, the brutality of boarding school, a life-changing Patti Smith album and a chance encounter with three teenage musicians in a Manchester bar. Within days, he was on stage; before long, James were building a devoted following through their fiercely independent, improvisational live shows. He reflects on the extraordinary communal power of Sit Down, the band’s relationship with The Smiths and Factory Records, and the pressures that eventually drove him to leave. Tim also discusses James’s reunion, their distinctive songwriting process and the creative restlessness that continues to push the band into new territory. Along the way, he speaks candidly about illness, dance, meditation and altered states - and the belief that a great gig can become a shared act of transcendence. With a new album in progress and documentary ‘James: Getting Away With It’ charting James’s four-decade story, this is an intimate, funny and deeply moving conversation about survival, creativity and staying open to the unknown. Find out more about James’ tour dates and ‘James: Getting Away With It’ documentary here Full Disclosure is a Global Production Listen or watch every Friday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

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4.7
out of 5
125 Ratings

About

Award-winning LBC presenter and best-selling author James O’Brien hosts a series of compelling conversations with fascinating people from the worlds of politics, news and entertainment. These are thoughtful conversations with a curious and interested interviewer. Full Disclosure with James O'Brien is a Global Production For advertising opportunities on this podcast, email: GlobalStudiosSales@global.com

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