The Convex Conversation

Avalanche Search and Rescue with Caroline Elliott

Avalanche Search and Rescue expert Caroline Elliott shares some of her life-saving missions in the mountains.
She was the first British woman to join the French Fire and Rescue Specialist Mountain Unit as a dog handler, with retriever Fjord by her side, and the first to qualify in all disciplines for the elite French ski patrol.
Every second counts when saving lives – teamwork and communication are key. Caroline translates valuable lessons learned in often harsh, hostile mountain conditions to corporate and everyday life. 
 
 
 

In the Studio with Charlie & Lola Creator Lauren Child

As Lauren Child celebrates 25 years of writing and illustrating her much-loved Charlie and Lola children’s books, we chat at her London studio about everything from libraries, art galleries, dolls houses and writers’ block to growing up in the seventies. 
Lauren has worked with UNESCO in places like Mongolia - where she adopted her daughter from - and was Children’s Laureate.
I Am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas is out now. Lauren laughs when she reveals she started writing it 20 years ago and apologies to her US agent for making her wait 10 million 512 thousand minutes!
 
 

Saving Lives with Helen Addis’s Change & Check Campaign

ITV/Lorraine producer and breast cancer survivor Helen Addis MBE on ‘making noise’ with her Change & Check Campaign which has saved lives and earned her the MBE. 
TV star Davina McCall has just revealed she has breast cancer and has caught it early thanks to seeing the campaign’s stickers. Helen documented her gruelling treatment for aggressive grade 3 cancer to emphasise the importance of early diagnosis. 
The campaign has taken her to Downing Street to lobby the Government, her choir has performed for the King, and she’s pushing for her posters and stickers to be displayed throughout the NHS.
 

Rhian Mannings and Prince William Discuss Suicide Prevention

The founder of 2wish, Rhian Mannings MBE, caught the world’s attention when Prince William joined her for a cup of tea in her kitchen in Cardiff to discuss her experience of suicide and find out more about its devastating impact.
The future King was overcome with emotion at one point as Rhian spoke openly about the double tragedy of her 33-year-old husband Paul unexpectedly taking his own life five days after the couple lost their one-year-old baby, George. No berevement help was available as she navigated their devastating loss. 
Rhian set up 2wish in Paul and George's honour, to provide a lifeline for those who suffer the sudden loss of a child or young person. The chat with Prince William coincided with the Prince and Princess of Wales’s Royal Foundation pledging £1 million to launch The National Suicide Prevention Network and World Mental Health Day. 
 

Samantha Baines on Being Part of the Incredible Deaf Community

Deaf actor, comedian and podcaster Samantha Baines takes us on her fascinating life journey – from acting in some of Britain’s top dramas, working with stars like John Lithgow, Channing Tatum and Miriam Margolyes; creating an award-winning podcast out of her divorce to the challenges of stand-up comedy.
She’s a passionate champion and advocate for the deaf and disabled communities - diagnosed as deaf when she was 29, and more recently with ADHD.
Sam has written a best-seller - Living with Hearing Loss and Deafness – to help people own their deafness, as well as children’s books featuring deaf lead characters. She explains why she wouldn’t give her deafness away and how she’s learned to love being one of the 18 million people in the UK with hearing loss.  
 
 

Linda Magistris OBE Shares Her Vision for Grief with Prince William

Founder of The Good Grief Trust Linda Magistris OBE has shared her vision for ensuring everyone who is bereaved finds the help and hope they need during a conversation with HRH the Prince of Wales at her investiture at Windsor Castle. 
Linda started the charity nine years ago after struggling to find the support she needed when her partner, BAFTA-winning director Graham Theakston, died aged 62.
In our updated Convex Conversation, Linda explains how interested Prince William was in the work the charity does and her aim to have signposting cards in NHS hospitals, schools, universities, GP surgeries etc to ensure no one in the UK faces grief alone. The charity unites more than 1,000 bereavement organisations under one umbrella. 
The Good Grief Trust supporters Greg Wise and Dame Penelope Wilton
Linda and her partner Graham Theakston

From Global Media to Mycology with George Webster

As Editor-in Chief, journalist George Webster helped conceive CNN Style, working in the dynamic world of global media, until he discovered a passion for functional mushrooms and the fascinating fungi kingdom. 
Describing himself as an amateur mycologist, George turned entrepreneur. Frustrated by the seeming lack of high-quality mushroom supplements on the market, he founded The Functional Mushroom Company.
George takes us on a journey which began more than a billion years ago, sharing stories from the discovery of fungi in space to the well-documented health benefits of intriguing ancient species like lion’s mane, chaga, turkey tail, cordyceps and reishi.  
To find out more about George and his supplements go to: https://thefunctionalmushroom.co
 
 

Sky Sports Presenter Dave Clark on Living Positively with Parkinson’s

Former Sky Sports presenter and Yorkshireman Dave Clark was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when his children were just seven and four, but he continued to host live sport for another decade. 
Dave is credited with transforming darts, helping to make it the second most popular sport on Sky, taking the World Championships from a strip club on the A13 to Ally Pally where a million pints were supped!
Dave's father also suffered with the neurological condition and tragically took his own life when Dave was 18. His dad’s struggles have played a huge big part in Dave’s determination to live positively & raise more than half a million pounds for research. Dave hosts the podcast 2 Parkies in a Pod with his friend Kuhan to help others cope with the challenges. 
 
.  Dave with his 2 Parkies in a Pod co-host Kuhan
.   Dave and Ruby

Sir Michael Morpurgo On Shakespeare For A New Generation

Acclaimed children’s author Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE recalls being captivated by watching Much Ado About Nothing, aged just seven, sitting in the cheap seats with his brother in the gods of Shakespeare’s Stratford theatre. 
Michael believes all children should see Shakespeare and enjoy the magnificent tales the Bard re-told for everyone. His latest book – More Tales from Shakespeare – re-tells eight plays for a new generation.
With more than 150 books to his name, Michael talks about his knighthood, the fireside chat which inspired his classic War Horse, and the charity, Farms for City Children, which he co-founded with his wife Clare 50 years ago, giving inner city kids the chance to experience life on a farm. 
 
                                                                            Lady Clare Morpurgo MBE

Hacking Humanity with Tech/AI Journalist Lara Lewington

Tech/AI journalist Lara Lewington reveals how technology and AI can save our health - and our lives - and unravels some of the myths and fears. Lara says the biggest positive change is coming in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. 
Lara has travelled all over the world interviewing longevity experts, scientists and doctors - often testing out the latest tech herself - for documentaries and her new book, Hacking Humanity. 
She’s met characters like 103-year-old Mildred who lives disease-free in a Blue Zone near LA, and American entrepreneur Bryan Johnson who’s going to extremes to reverse his biological age. But Lara's passion lies in how cutting-edge science, powered by AI, can help us all live better. 
 
Lara with a 3D printed model of her brain, created for her BBC documentary Mind Over Matter
Lara in California with tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, exploring his extreme regime to reverse his biological age
103-year-old Mildred chats to Lara about life in a Blue Zone near LA
A tortuous moment during the shoot for Lara’s longevity show

Still Standing with Attempted Murder Victim Natalie Queiroz

Natalie Queiroz MBE shares her story of survival and determination to make a difference after being stabbed 24 times with a carving knife in a frenzied nine-minute assault whilst eight months pregnant.
She recounts the moment she realised her hooded attacker was her partner Bob – the love of her life – and father of her unborn child. He’s now in prison for attempted murder.
Natalie’s life changed in many ways that afternoon. She’s become a victims advocate for West Midlands Police, speaks to murderers and gang members serving time in category A prisons, is a trained specialist in youth violence helping youngsters find a better path, and through it all retains an extraordinary sense of humour and grace. 
 
Natalie receiving the MBE for services to young people & the prevention of knife crime
Natalie with her former partner Babur Karamat Raja (Bob), now serving time for her attempted murder
Natalie with baby Leah after the stabbing
*Leah's name has been changed to protect her identity
 
Babur Karamat Raja (Bob) photographed by West Midlands Police

Neil Basu on 30 Years of Policing, Politics & Prejudice

Former Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police Neil Basu talks candidly about serving in Counter Terror when the threat level against Britain was at its highest since the Northern Ireland troubles of the ‘70s. 
In part two of our special, Neil quotes Dickens when he describes those seven years as “the best of times and the worst of times”, liaising closely with MI5 to stop terrorists attacking the UK.
Neil reveals more stories from his book Turmoil - an extraordinary insight into serving in the biggest police force in the UK – and what he misses about being ‘in the room’ at the heart of policing. 
 
Neil Basu photographed by Antonio Olmos at the Old Bailey

The Truth About Modern Policing with Neil Basu

Neil Basu - former Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police - retired as the most senior officer of colour in the UK, dedicated to a service that has a problem with race and, according to the Casey Review, remains institutionally racist. 
As a mixed-race detective, he stuck with it through bombings, murders, kidnaps, extortion and during his time running counter terrorism, working closely with MI5 to foil 29 plots against Britain. 
Neil shares eye-opening and, at times, uncomfortable stories from his new book Turmoil, which he describes as a love letter to policing - a vocation which defined him for decades. It's a deeply personal account of what it was like to serve for the biggest police force in the UK and the toll it ultimately took on his career, family and mind.    
 
Neil Basu photographed by Antonio Olmos at the Old Bailey
 

Surviving against the odds with US Journalist Jon Gluck

New York Magazine/Vogue journalist Jon Gluck was living the dream at 38 - married, loving his first New York apartment and enjoying his baby daughter. 
But, after a minor, innocuous slip on a patch of ice, he was devastated to be diagnosed with a rare, incurable blood cancer and given just 18 months to 3 years to live. 
22 years on and counting, Jon has written a searingly honest account of his survival. 'An Exercise in Uncertainty – A Memoir of Illness and Hope’ documents how he’s beaten the odds and, more broadly, offers some gems on how to cope with uncertainly of any kind. 
 

Teenager Emma Schwerin on Conquering the Seven Summits

At 5.44am on May 15th, 17-year-old Emma Schwerin from Montana reached the summit of Mount Everest with her dad, Sam, and earned not one, but three world records! 
She’s the youngest American female ever to summit Everest, as well as Mount Vinson in Antarctica, and the youngest woman in the world to conquer the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each continent. 
Emma – who describes herself as ‘a fierce 4ft 11’ – says climbing the notoriously dangerous Icefall on Everest, she repeated the quote 'if it wasn't scary, it wouldn't be big enough' to conquer her fear. Her aim is to inspire other young girls and women to dream big and show that anything is possible with grit, hard work and determination.
Just moments away from conquering Mount Everest - the last of the Seven Summits
 
Emma climbing Mount Everest in her 8,000m suit
 
Emma becomes youngest American woman to summit Mount Vinson in Antarctica, standing with her dad Sam
 
Climbing the most challenging mountain, Denali in North America
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The FTD Brothers Running for a Cure

Cian Adams and his brother Jordan have a gene mutation which means they will almost certainly develop devastating symptoms of a rare form of frontotemporal dementia in their 40s. The same gene robbed them of their mum, Geraldine, when she was just 52, as well as their aunt, nana and other relatives.
Known as the FTD Brothers, Cian and Jordan take on epic running challenges – including a 903-mile run from John o’ Groats to Land’s End in 2024 - to raise £1 million for Alzheimer’s Research UK of which they’re ambassadors. 
Helen talks to 24-year-old Cian about the family turmoil of seeing his mum suffering when he was a young boy and how he copes with the knowledge of what the future likely holds for him. He’s joined on the podcast by his girlfriend, Helen Jolly, who’s studying for a PhD in Dementia at Oxford University and gives an insight into the science behind this cruel disease. 
 
Cian & Jordan’s mum, Geraldine.
 

Virtual Field Trips to the Arctic with Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop

There’s a small square of the Arctic – 3 metres by 3 metres - behind the UK Research Station in Svalbard, which Encounter Edu Founder & former teacher Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop calls his own.
Huddled in sub-zero temperatures on the ice, he’s spent hours there, broadcasting to more than 150,000 children from 57 countries, sharing the magical northernmost region of the Earth with them, bringing scientists’ work to life and inspiring young minds to understand our planet.
Encounter Edu produces live lessons for schools on some of our most pressing global issues - climate change, ocean health, the refugee crisis, Ai, and unites students living with conflict with classrooms around the world. The Encounter Edu team has reached more than 24 million youngsters in 91 countries. 
 
UK Arctic Research Station, Svalbard
 
 
 

Navigating Football with No1Fan.club’s CEO Marcia Lewis

When 18-year-old Arsenal & England star Myles Lewis-Skelly showed serious potential on the pitch as a young lad, his mum Marcia experienced how confusing and lonely the world of youth football can be, and realised she needed expert knowledge for their journey ahead. 
So, she studied for a Masters in Football Business and took agency exams, before setting up No1Fan.club – the UK’s first platform to help parents navigate the intricacies of the football industry, from grassroots and academy to Premier League. Marcia and her team run workshops, one-on-one sessions and talks.
Myles made history in March, becoming the youngest player to score on his England debut, and has had a ground-breaking season at Arsenal. He’s very proud of No1Fan.club and wants other children to experience the support and guidance he feels grateful to have. 
 

Behind the Scenes of Iconic Themes with Composer David Lowe

David Lowe was outed on TikTok as the composer of some of TV's most iconic music when his 'how I created the BBC News themes' post to mark the 25th anniversary went viral! 
He's the man behind the opening music for programmes like The One Show, Panorama, Grand Designs and BBC Countryfile, as well as top TV ads. And he arranged a special version of Chariots of Fire by Vangelis for the 2012 Olympic medal ceremony when Andy Murray took gold in the tennis. 
David shows Helen how he builds the tracks, loved by millions of viewers. He's composed our new music for The Convex Conversation with guitarist James Nisbet, who plays for artists like Kylie Minogue & Belinda Carlisle, and West End trumpet player Jim Lynch on flugelhorn live in the studio. 
 
 

From Grief to Growth – Supporting Bereaved Military Children

Nikki Scott shares the story behind founding Scotty’s Little Soldiers after her husband, 26-yr-old Corp Lee Scott of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, was killed on active duty in Afghanistan. 
As Nikki navigated her devastating loss with their 5-yr-old son & baby, she realised there was little help for children and young people grieving the death of a military parent. 
Scotty’s supports hundreds of young people & is proud to have Prince Harry as their very hands-on Global Ambassador.
 
 
 

Anyone Can Be An Entrepreneur - Sahar Hashemi OBE

Sahar Hashemi OBE reveals how her love of skinny lattes in '90s New York led to her giving up her career as a lawyer and starting Coffee Republic with her brother, Bobby.
Sahar talks openly about the highs and lows of growing the business from the kitchen table to a £30 million empire with 110 American-style coffee bars, as well as the pain of leaving. 
As well as mentoring executives in how to retain a start-up culture in large companies, Sahar champions more than 2,000 female founders in a movement she created - Buy Women Built - leaning on her own mantra ‘leap and the net will appear’ to form it.
 
 

A Deep Dive into Mud & Worms with Marine Biologist Dr Ceri Lewis

Mud on the seabed and the diverse, weird and wonderful invertebrates who live in it are having their climate moment, according to Marine Biologist Dr Ceri Lewis.
Based at the University of Exeter – Ceri is part of the five-year Convex Seascape Survey researching how a healthy ocean can help fight climate change. She’s passionate about worms – from microscopic to 3 metres long - and how they influence carbon stores on the seabed. 
Ceri also talks about her latest scientific trip to the Galapagos where she’s studying the effects of the exponential growth in microplastics on our marine life. 
 

Wendy Fulcher’s Personal Campaign For More Brain Tumour Research

Wendy Fulcher shares the story of losing her husband and soulmate John when he was just 52 to an aggressive stage 4 glioblastoma and how it led to her setting up a powerful, research charity. 
John was under the care of TV star Davina McCall’s consultant neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill who we featured in our last episode. 
Kevin and Wendy set up the Brain Tumour Research Campaign together more than 20 years ago after Kevin expressed frustration at the field being woefully underfunded. 
BTRC supports Kevin’s ground-breaking research, lobbies Government, is run entirely by volunteers and has raised more than 4 and half million pounds so far to help find a cure. 
 
Wendy with consultant neurosurgeon Kevin O'Neill, chair of BTRC

Neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill – the Man Davina McCall Says Saved Her

Davina McCall’s consultant neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill gives a fascinating insight into the five-hour surgery he carried out on the TV star, navigating his way between the brain’s two hemispheres to successfully remove a rare colloidal cyst Davina nick-named ‘Jeffrey’. 
Kevin recounts the journey into the centre of Davina’s brain and recalls the moment he came face to face with Jeffrey who, he laughs, was waving at him, smoking his pipe! 
Kevin is passionate about the ground-breaking research he leads with the Brain Tumour Research Campaign. He co-founded BRTC more than 20 years ago with next week’s guest Wendy Fulcher who’ll be sharing her personal journey. 
 
 

Lord Prescott’s Son David on his Mission for More Govt Alzheimer’s’ Support

Former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott’s son David gives a very personal insight into his father – a giant of the Labour movement – revealing family stories and anecdotes from his life at Westminster.
David was born two days after John became MP for Hull East, serving his constituents and the country for 40 years.  Former Prime Ministers Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown regularly kept in touch with John as advanced dementia took hold. He died, aged 86. David is now focussed on getting Alzheimer’s at the heart of Labour’s new ten-year health plan and ran the London Marathon for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
He shares memories of the shy, working-class ship’s steward - full of self-doubt that never left him - who went on to fight for social justice and better working conditions, leading him to Downing Street and the Lords.
 

Crime Reporter Martin Brunt Reveals Undisclosed Stories Behind the Headlines

Crime reporter Martin Brunt has covered some of the biggest, shocking and most notorious crime stories in British history for Sky News over the last four decades. 
Still working in 24-hour breaking news, his book - No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason – filled with previously undisclosed details and fascinating inside track is about to come out in paperback. 
Martin shares gripping dispatches about his relationship with violent prisoner Charles Bronson; an unusual encounter with his music hero Sir Paul McCartney; discusses the nations insatiable appetite for crime - both real-life and fiction - and reveals how his fascination with Valerio Viccei, the charismatic Italian robber behind the Knightsbridge safe deposit heist, ended in a death threat!
 
 Photograph by Mark Senn
 

Robin Greenfield - The Robin Hood of the Modern World

Inspired by the teachings of Mahatma Gandi, social reformer, author and Ted Talk speaker Robin Greenfield explains why and how he’s simplified his life - strand by strand - so others can simply live. 
38-year-old Robin was on his way to his first million in his 20s, drove a new car, ran a marketing business in the States and was immersed in consumerism. Now he undertakes extreme experiments and adventures to demonstrate more sustainable ways of living in harmony with the planet and which don’t exploit others around the world. 
He’s just walked 1600 miles from the US/Canadian border to LA with only the basics to survive to inspire people to slow down and take a look at their lives and what we perceive as societal norms. He’s now given away the few possessions he had to do an experiment in non-ownership. 
 
 

Surgeon Gabriel Weston’s Alternative Look at Our Anatomy

ENT surgeon Gabriel Weston’s new book is a deeply personal and provocative journey through the human body.
In this captivating, alternative exploration of our anatomy, Gabriel dissolves the boundaries which often divide surgeon and patient, pushing beyond the limit of what science can tell us about who we are. 
Gabriel has just sold the rights to her first book Direct Red, about life as a young female surgeon, to Netflix and Brad Pitt’s company Plan B so watch this space for a new medical drama. 
 
 

Ungovernable by Former Chief Whip Simon Hart

Simon Hart reveals why he’s published his personal diary entries in his new book, Ungovernable – The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip, lifting the lid on what really went on at Westminster during one of the most turbulent times in British politics. 
Simon had a front-row seat at the heart of government - in the cabinet under Boris Johnson; as Chief Whip for Rishi Sunak and cast out to the side lines by Liz Truss for her 49-days at Number 10. 
Simon describes the Whip’s office as a field hospital where MPs are patched up; reflects on some of the jaw-dropping issues he dealt with, and looks at the impact social media has on politics, which he believes makes leading the country much harder for current Prime Minister Keir Starmer. 
 
 
 
·*  Ungovernable – The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip is out now, published by Macmillan

How Five Minutes a Day Can Transform Your Life

Successful entrepreneur and co-founder of Intelligent Change Alex Ikonn shares how he turned his life around through the simple habit of gratitude. 
Alex’s teenage years were tough - he lost his father to cancer, suffered hardships at home with little money, mum worked round the clock to make ends meet – but by changing his mindset and practising daily gratitude, things started to improve. 
He co-founded Intelligent Change to create tools and methods to help others transform their lives and become more intentional. From the Five Minute Journal (which Alex describes as ‘a toothbrush for your mind’) to The Life Designer – their beautiful books and apps have helped millions of people find meaning and purpose.
 
 
 
 

A Life in Music with Exec Producer Malcolm Gerrie

In part two of our special with music legend and CCO of Whizz Kid Entertainment, Malcolm Gerrie gives an insight into the new film he’s just finished shooting with blind tenor Andrea Bocelli. 
Malcolm and the team from Lionsgate have had incredible access to the star and his family at their home and venues all over the world. The much-anticipated film comes out in the autumn.
Malcolm also chats about his 23 years exec producing the BAFTA's – and revamping the Brits, introducing unexpected collaborations with artists like Eurythmics and Stevie Wonder, Robbie Williams and Tom Jones.
 
 

Breaking the Rules with Music Legend Malcolm Gerrie

In part one of our two-part special, the story of how a teacher from Newcastle pushed the boundaries in music, creating the legendary eighties show The Tube.
Malcolm Gerrie booked ‘low priority act’ Madonna for her first UK performance, helped U2 break America at Red Rocks, breathed fresh life into Tina Turner’s career and exec produced live performances from Elton, REM, The Who, The Jam and many more. 
Malcolm exec'd the Bafta's for 23 years, revamped The Brits, and has just finished making a film with blind tenor Andrea Bocelli. He feels the time is ripe for a new music show which reflects what’s going on in the world right now - something radical which creates some noise - and he challenges Sky Arts or Netflix to get cracking! 
 

Hacked Off’s Emma Jones on Prince Harry’s Press Victory

Hacked Off board director Emma Jones explores Prince Harry’s ‘monumental victory’ against News Group Newspapers and what it means for hundreds of other victims of press intrusion. 
Emma was at London’s High Court when Rupert Murdoch’s group settled with the Duke of Sussex at the eleventh hour, minutes before the trial was due to start. NGN issued an unequivocal apology for incidents of unlawful activity and serious intrusion as well as paying substantial damages.  
Hacked Off campaigner Hugh Grant is now calling for the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police to investigate a criminal prosecution for phone hacking and the use of private investigators by NGN newspapers, including The Sun. Emma says the actor wanted his day in court but believes civil cases are weighted against claimants and reluctantly settled. 
Prince Harry's barrister says NGN have paid out more than a billion pounds in settlements and legal costs. 
 
 

John Hajdu MBE Shares His Story of Survival as a Boy During the Holocaust

80 years since Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated, 87-year-old Holocaust survivor John Hajdu MBE shared his story of survival with the Princess of Wales this week and got a big hug. 
So, we’re re-running our episode where John tells Helen about his harrowing life as a young boy in Budapest seeing Jews persecuted & killed and his parents forced to labour camps. Comforted by his teddy bear as the horrors unfolded, the bear remains his constant companion.
John was honoured to be photographed by Rankin two years ago. Rankin said: “John’s bear is a tangible reminder that the stories we are telling happened in recent history and we must learn from these events – for a better future.”
 
Black & white photographs by Rankin

Drawing Testimonies in Situ in War Zones with Illustrator George Butler

Award-winning artist George Butler creates ink and watercolour drawings in situ in war zones, refugee camps and disaster areas all over the world and some of his work can be found in museum archives, including at the V&A.
His testimonies of ordinary people capture suffering, courage, moments of hope, and introduce us to real characters behind the headlines, whose situations we rarely hear about on the news. 
George has drawn in a leprosy clinic in Nepal; spent time with The Hazda tribe in Tanzania as they work with the honeyguide birds, and most recently been in Syria where Action Syria UK - a charity he co-founded - funds doctors and teachers.
His new book – Ukraine : Remember Also Me – is described by BBC's Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet as “a remarkable first draft of history – raw and revelatory”. 
 
Photograph by Mauricio Gris
Petro collecting books after a missile strike - Kramatorsk, Ukraine
Photograph by Bram Janssen
Matriarch & great-grandmother 99-year-old Madame Olga - Kyiv, Ukraine
Photography by Tim Brown
 
 
 
 

Climbing Blind with Guinness Record Holder Jesse Dufton

Jesse Dufton was the first blind person to lead a climb of The Old Man of Hoy – a daunting sea stack in the Orkney Islands, off the coast of Scotland. It earned him a Guinness world record and was the subject of Alastair Lee’s multi-award-winning documentary Climbing Blind. 
In newly-released Climbing Blind II, Jesse describes being “right at his limit” and “redlining for what felt like an eternity” as he leads a brutal and painful ascent of Devils Tower in Wyoming with his sight guide, wife Molly. 
Jesse has been climbing from the age of two, has many first to his name, and refuses to give in to a genetic condition which totally robbed him of his sight in his mid 20s.
 
Image from Devils Tower from Climbing Blind II, thanks to Alastair Lee, Brit Rock Films
Image from Devils Tower from Climbing Blind II, thanks to Alastair Lee, Brit Rock Films
Devils Tower, Wyoming
 

Pioneering Jockey Khadijah Mellah - Our 200th Guest!

Pioneering jockey Khadijah Mellah, from Peckham, became the first UK jockey to compete in a horse race in Britain wearing a hijab. 
A minute later, she made history again by riding her mount, Haverland, to victory in the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood. A film was made of her remarkable story and an academy set up in her name to help other youngsters from under-represented urban areas pursue a career in racing.
24-year-old Khadijah explains how, as a young Muslim woman, she’s changing perceptions in sport. She recently chatted to the King and Queen, who she's met a number of times, and took part in the Hillclimb at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed in an Aston Martin Valkryie with F3 legend Peter Dunbrek. 
 
 
 

New Revelations in the Search for Lord Lucan

Investigative journalist Glen Campbell details his decades long search for fugitive Lord Lucan – the Eton-educated gambler who disappeared without trace after murdering his children’s nanny, Sandra Rivett, in 1974.
Glen forms an unlikely partnership with Sandra’s son, Neil Berriman, and their investigations all over the world are subject of a gripping new BBC three-part documentary, Lucan.
They speak to Lucan’s aristocratic friends, his brother, the nanny’s boyfriend, and the clues finally lead them to Australia to confront a man of interest. Find out what happens next in a hunt which has enthralled detectives and press alike for half a century.
 
Investigative journalist Glen Campbell with Sandra Rivett's son, Neil Berriman

From the Boardroom to the Kitchen Sink with Laura Harnett

Laura Harnett spent 20 years as a high-flying corporate executive, in the boardroom at Selfridges and working for brands like IKEA and Coca-Cola. Never did she imagine she’d be championing a humble cleaning sponge.
However, frustrated by supermarket aisles full of microplastic-filled cleaning tools, and a devastating diagnosis of breast cancer, she gave it all up to become an entrepreneur in her 40s and start Seep.
Seep is a B Corp which designs eco-friendly, plastic-free, biodegradable cleaning accessories using natural renewables like wood, loofah and bamboo, and aims to stop a billion plastic cleaning tools going to landfill by 2030.
* 20% off for Convex Conversation listeners using HELEN20 at www.theseepcompany.com 
 
 
 
 

A Line in the Sand with Miles Spencer

Miles Spencer has mentored tech founders for more than 30 years, and has created hundreds of jobs while founding, financing, building, and exiting three digital media companies. But he’s also strayed a long way from his US home.
 
He led 1500 people across 14 miles of open sea in kayaks, raising more than a million dollars for charity; ran with the bulls in Pamplona, and trekked 1,100 miles through the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria with his great friend, Wells Jones.
 
The eye-opening trek inspired Miles and Spencer to write A Line in the Sand – a best-selling sleuthing adventure capturing the essence of the Middle East through the eyes of two lifelong friends, following clues left by Lawrence of Arabia. 
 
 

The Story Behind Sustainable Fragrance Brand Floral Street

Michelle Feeney founded Floral Street Fragrances – an award-winning British brand with sustainability at its core – after a dynamic career leading top global beauty names, including Estee Lauder and Mac Cosmetics.
The inspiration to create clean, affordable fragrances which won’t impact the planet, came during what Michelle describes as her gap year, aged 51. Inspired by flowers and vibrant culture, Floral Street has collaborated with the Van Gogh Museum and watch this space for another exciting partnership. 
As Black Friday approaches, Michelle explains what Floral Street is doing to help, partnering with Clean Hub, given the sales frenzy generates 25% more waste – an excess of 100 million tonnes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Fossil vs Future – An Intergenerational Look at Climate Change

Seasoned barrister & environmentalist James Cameron - one of the leading architects of COP – reflects on three decades of arguing for a fairer and more sustainable planet.
He co-hosts a new podcast series – Fossil vs Future – with his 30-year-old god-daughter Daisy Nicholls who works in sustainable finance. It’s a refreshing, authentic conversation exploring the climate crisis through different generational lenses.
Together they discuss a series of what they call ‘what abouts’ – what about the ocean, food, China, international law, nature-based solutions, the role of finance and much more.
 
​

A Chilly Dip with Coach Gilly McArthur

Helen takes an 11-degree chilly dip in Windermere in the Lake District with renowned Cold Water Swim Coach Gilly McArthur to experience the benefits of cold exposure and blue spaces.
Gilly is part of a world-class team working on an NHS research project with Oxford and Portsmouth Universities, investigating whether cold water & outdoor swimming can help alleviate anxiety and depression.
Gilly explains the compelling science behind how the cold improves our physical and mental wellbeing, what it does to our brains and bodies, and how nature and ice-swimming has helped her through some painful times.
 
 
 

Life as a Forensic Psychologist with Kerry Daynes

Forensic Psychologist Kerry Daynes delves into the psyche of some of the most disturbed criminal minds to understand what lies behind their often heinous actions.  
Her work as one of the most sought after forensic psychologists in the business has taken her from maximum-security prisons, police interview rooms and the witness box to the wards of secure hospitals where patients are detained under the Mental Health Act. 
These experiences have provided Kerry with a wealth of stories for her best-selling books - including What Lies Buried and The Dark Side of the Mind - which reveal that staring into the darker side of life comes with a price. 
 

Style for Soldiers with Emma Willis

When Jermyn Street shirt-maker Emma Willis MBE heard a documentary on Radio 4 about injured soldiers recovering from life-changing injuries on their return from Afghanistan, she knew she wanted to help.
Emma has spent years visiting patients at Headley Court Military Hospital in Surrey, gently measuring burns victims, Armed Forces men and women who have lost limbs and suffered dreadful injuries, to make bespoke shirts as a thank you for their courage.
Her charity, Style for Soldiers, was born out of Emma spending time listening to their traumatic stories, helping morale and boosting confidence, and realising a need to help young ex-service people find jobs, stay connected with each other after treatment, and start to rebuild their lives.
 
 

Giles Duley MBE on the Legacy of War

Photographer & storyteller Giles Duley MBE joins me from Ukraine where his NGO – the Legacy of War Foundation – is providing ambulances to the frontline to evacuate civilians, many of them elderly.
Giles lost both legs and an arm when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2011 whilst embedded with 101st Airborne. Locked in his own mind for 46 days, only able to blink, he was lucky to survive.
He explains how, even before his injury, his work was focussed on drawing attention to the legacy of conflict and the common themes experienced by those whose lives it tears apart. He was inspired by the haunting work of legendary photographer Sir Don McCullin.
After a heady few years in rock ‘n’ roll, photographing bands like Oasis & Massive Attack, Giles travelled extensively capturing real-life stories against a backdrop of war, bonding over simple, shared meals, and now, discovering ways his NGO can make a difference. 
 
 

Sam James’s Edinburgh Fringe Debut as a Producer

Find out what it’s like to produce your first ever play and put it on alongside 3,800 other shows at The Edinburgh Fringe.
Sam James, Technical Head of Claims at Convex and winner of the company’s Dream Pitch, produced ‘Girlhood’ which examines the roles of mothers and the impact of mother figures on our lives.
Armed with a copy of The Accidental Producer, Sam recruited six young actors as well as up and coming writer Tiegan Byrne & director Cecilie Fray and opened to rave reviews.
 
 
 
 

Discover the Science of Eating for a Lifetime of Health with Dr Federica Amati

Dr Federica Amati - one of Britain’s top nutritional scientists – recalls the eureka moment studying with legendary Professor Elio Riboli when she realised the power of food on good health, preventing many chronic diseases.
The Italian-born scientist teaches medical students at Imperial College London – something that didn’t happen five years ago – and is fuelled by a desire to help us all discover the science of eating for a lifetime of health, as documented in her new book – Every BODY Should Know This.
As Head Nutritionist for ZOE and WellFounded, Dr Fede helps hundreds of thousands of people as well as individuals. She’s also in discussions with politicians and supermarkets in a bid to dramatically change our food environment by reducing the amount of ultra-high processed products on offer and making fresh produce more affordable.
 
 

Adventuring in the UK with The Travel Project

Charlie Wild and Jessica Last have spent three years exploring the UK in search of unique and exciting adventures on our doorstep. 
From climbing peaks in the Scottish Highlands to surfing the breaks off Northern Ireland; foraging in the deepest forests of Snowdonia to camping wild on Dartmoor, they’ve discovered extraordinary places and wonderful characters.
52 of their most unforgettable trips are beautifully documented in their new book, Achievable Adventures, showing that regular adventure isn't exclusive to intrepid explorers or dependent on big budgets or faraway lands. Charlie and Jess inspire us to venture outside more, embrace the benefits of being in nature, and forge more sustainable travel habits. 
 

Breaking the Sound Barrier with the Fastest Man on Land

When Wing Commander Andy Green OBE broke the sound barrier in a supersonic jet car in 1997, he became the fastest person on land – a world record he still holds, almost three decades on. 
Andy explains the risks involved, the spectacularly small mathematical margins for error, lessons learned, and reveals the thrills of driving more than 763 mph across Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in the British-designed Thrust SSC - 54ft long, weighing 10 tons and featuring two military jet engines.
Even NASA thought the attempt would push the limits too far and end in failure. But the former RAF fighter pilot was part of a world-class team, led by the previous land speed record-holder Richard Noble OBE and the brilliant aerodynamicist Ron Ayres, and achieved the unthinkable. 
 
 

Life in the Legendary Pathfinders as a Lancaster Bomb Aimer

101-year-old Jack Dark reflects on life in WW2 as part of the RAF’s elite Pathfinder Force.
Just a lad at 18, Jack was a Bomb Aimer and Navigator in the Lancaster Bomber. The Pathfinders went in first to find and mark the targets. Their accuracy is said to have changed the course of the Second World War.
Jack is one of a few surviving Pathfinders and is in demand by film and documentary-makers for his valuable memories of those daring, dangerous, nighttime missions.
 
Jack Dark photographed on a Lancaster Bomber by Robin Savage
Photograph by Robin Savage
Jack front row, left
 

Chris Levine - Using 7.83 Hertz to Highlight the Health of Our Oceans

Artist Chris Levine, renowned for his portraits of the late Queen, describes 7.83 Hertz – his new immersive installation featuring cutting edge lasers - which he hopes can be scaled to highlight the vital role our ocean plays in tackling the world’s climate crisis.
Created in collaboration with the Convex Seascape Survey, Chris explains how understanding more about the Benthic zone, a living ecosystem deep on the seabed, and talking to scientists involved in the 5-year research project, inspired him.
Chris also talks about his excitement at unveiling a sculpture at the Great Pyramid of Giza in October. ‘Quadrivium’ extrapolates some of the intriguing mathematical, geological  and astronomical design mysteries the pyramids hold.
Meditation, light, lasers, stillness, energy, frequencies – take a journey with Helen into Chris’s thought-provoking world from his barge in Hampshire.
Chris Levine by Michael Fung Photography
Chris Levine and the late Queen
7.83 Hertz - Let it Be
7.83 Hertz - Blipvert
Lightness of Being 
 
 
 
 
 

Drama Producer Gareth Neame on a Life in Cinematography

Golden Globe, BAFTA & Emmy-winning drama producer Gareth Neame OBE shares stories behind some of the most-watched original dramas he’s created – from global phenomena Downton Abbey to the BBC hit Spooks.
As filming for the third Downton film nears the end with a cast who are like family, Gareth gives a sneak peek into other dramas he’s making, including The Day of the Jackal with Eddie Redmayne, Lockerbie, starring Colin Firth and The Gilded Age.
The CEO of Carnival Films is fourth generation in a long line of eminent film-makers and reflects on a childhood immersed in cinematography, recalling wonderful days on the sets of movies like Star Wars before we knew what it was!
 
Gareth’s great-grandmother Ivy Close – actress & silent movie star
 
 
 

Tim Shipman on the Glory Days of Political Journalism

As Britain experiences the first two weeks of a Labour Government, award-winning Chief Political Commentator of The Sunday Times, Tim Shipman, assesses where we’re at and what’s in store under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Tim gives an insight into what it takes to be a trusted political insider, likening it to the spy world where members of the Cabinet, ministers, special advisors and so on are sub agents of his network and need to be treated right!
Tim’s hotly anticipated third instalment in his gripping sequence of four political books – No Way Out - has just hit book shelves. Covering the last seven years at Westminster, it offers an unflinching, unfiltered account of some of the most turbulent, chaotic years in British politics.
 

Triathlete Dame Flora on Defending her Olympic Gold in Paris

When reigning Olympic Gold triathlete Dame Flora Duffy takes her place on the pontoon on the Seine in Paris in three weeks’ time, it marks the end of a long, frustrating battle to make the start line.
Flora finished 2022 on a high, winning her second Commonwealth Gold, but was devastated not to race at all in 2023 due to a painful, complicated knee injury which she feared might end her incredible career.
Flora is relieved to be under the radar for Paris 2024, having been favourite for five years leading up to her victory at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, and says the thought of competing as defending Olympic Champion has been a driving force through the tough times.
Taylor Swift's new album has also played a role! Flora plans to see her perform live in Vienna after the Games. 

Dakar Winner Jane Daniels on her Adrenalin-Fuelled sport

Four time British FIM Enduro World Champion Jane Daniels aimed simply to complete her first ever Dakar race – an extreme endurance event. 
But she won the 2024 Women’s Class, racing across 7,891km of towering sand dunes, vast oases, and dramatic rock formations in Saudi Arabia, sponsored by Italian motorcycle company Fantic.  
Jane, from Wigan, shares the thrills and challenges of her high-octane sport. She started racing when she was 12, inspired by her road racer dad Andy, has been crowned Enduro World Champion four times and remained unbeaten for two years.
 
 

Oli France's Journey from Death Valley to the Summit of Denali

Explorer Oli France on his 64-day, 3,588-mile 'human powered' journey, cycling alone for 39 days from Death Valley in California to Denali, eventually reaching the summit of one of the world’s most challenging mountains.
Oli spent ten years dreaming of and five years planning ‘The Ultimate Seven’ project – expeditions which will culminate in, hopefully, him becoming the first person to travel from the lowest to the highest point of every continent, under his own steam.
Oli describes the highs and lows of part 2, from close encounters with bears and speeding trucks to traversing the wild Alaskan wilderness where few humans have been, crossing vast glacial crevasses, icy fords and treacherous terrain where zero complacency is essential for survival. 
 
 
 
 
 

Dr Jack Wolfson’s Natural Way to Heart Health

Dr Jack Wolfson practised as a traditional hospital cardiologist in the States for more than 16 years, following in his eminent father’s footsteps.
An epiphany moment with his now wife, Dr Heather Wolfson, led him on a different journey - to investigate the cause of heart disease and illness, rather than ‘put a Band-Aid’ over the symptoms.
Based in Scottsdale, AZ, Dr Jack runs Natural Heart Doctor, embracing good nutrition, nature, healthy living, avoiding chemicals and toxins in the battle to tackle heart disease – the world’s number one killer – and heal other illnesses.
 
 

Decision-making Unravelled with Behavioural Scientist Elspeth Kirkman

In this week’s Convex Conversation we explore behavioural science and its role in helping tackle some of the greatest challenges in society.
Behavioural scientist Elspeth Kirkman – Chief Programmes Officer at innovation charity Nesta – reveals how issues like the nation’s health, domestic decarbonisation and the disparity in early childhood are being viewed through different lenses to bring about positive change. 
Elspeth explains how thinking like an artist can improve our decision making – a concept explored in her new book ‘Decisionscape’ - and reveals her shock at delivering a speech at the UN with no idea she was doing it! 
 

Royal Marines Assoc Paddle Group D-Day Tribute

To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Helen joins the Paddle Group, Royal Marines Association, on the Thames in a folding two-man boat, known as a Klepper, made famous by the Cockleshell heroes. 
As she paddles with former Royal Marines corporal Chris Maynard and some of the team preparing to cross the Channel to Normandy, she discovers how these expeditions help personnel from all the forces with their mental health, bridging the no man’s land some experience between serving and civvy street. 
The Paddle Group will re-enact some of the key events and landings of 1944, with 99-year-old veteran Norman Stanley Ashford watching from the beaches. 
 
Fmr Corporal 
Chris Maynard LC2 RM
 
Phil Gilby MBE 
The Royal Marines Charity
 
Colour Sergeant
Lee Waters ML1 RM
 
 
 
 

Catherine Fairweather's Life in Travel & Conflict News

Travel writer Catherine Fairweather talks about her new podcast series, Voices from the Frontline, exploring lives shaped by war.
In the first episode she interviews her husband, revered photo-journalist Sir Don McCullin, and recalls how she first heard about Don from foreign correspondent Jon Swain when she was 11, living in Laos during the Indochina Wars.
Catherine’s father was a diplomat and her mother Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher’s translator. Their exciting life living all over the world experiencing different cultures gave her a thirst for adventure which led to a career as a travel editor for magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and Porter. Catherine reveals the places she’s left her heart, including Bhutan in the Himalayas.
 
Photograph by Max McCullin
Photograph by Sir Don McCullin
 
 
 

At the Sharp End of the Charity Sector

Prince William is building 24 sustainable homes on his Duchy of Cornwall land at Nansledan to provide temporary accommodation and support for some of the many people sleeping rough in the county, in partnership with homelessness charity St Petrocs. 
Jon Sparkes OBE is a trustee of St Petrocs; ran Crisis; Scope; is currently CEO of UNICEK UK and is about to move to Mencap, where he’ll be pushing for change for the 1.5 million people in Britain with learning disabilities.  
Jon shares his very personal story of why he ended up in the charity sector, reveals the frustrations and rewards it comes with, and discusses the depths we’ve fallen to in terms of social care policy, including the £7 billion pound reduction in spending on it over the last decade.  
 

Dinosaur Discoveries with Palaeontologist Prof Paul Barrett

Deep in the sub-basement of the Natural History Museum in London, surrounded by a vast collection of dinosaur bones, world-leading palaeontologist Prof Paul Barrett gives an insight into how prehistoric times can inform current issues like climate change. 
In this golden age for prehistoric reptiles, where on average one new dinosaur is discovered every week, innovative digital tests and detailed online archives mean we can find out more about their life on Earth, our planet & evolution. 
Paul has an armoured dinosaur named after him - Vectipelta Barretti - and describes finding a new fossil, and being the first human to see it, as a moment of pure discovery. 
 

Rory Stewart – Politics On The Edge

An insider’s view from former cabinet minister Rory Stewart OBE on the upcoming UK election and the difficulties a new Government will face taking over a country that he believes is bust, with public services we can't afford. 
Rory is already selling out venues like the O2 in the autumn with his The Rest is Politics podcast co-host Alastair Campbell when they'll be debating the issues before the nation votes. 
He shares candid stories from his eye-opening decade at the heart of Government, detailed in his memoir Politics On The Edge, saying there are elements of privilege in elected politics but it’s “bruising beyond imagination and only very unusual personalities usually survive in it.” Rory reveals he’d like to work on public policy for a Labour government, perhaps chairing a commission on Ai in the NHS.
 

Royal Commentator & Historian Major General Alastair Bruce OBE

Major General Alastair Bruce OBE is known for his engaging live TV commentary, here and in America, on royal weddings, jubilees, and the King's Coronation, giving viewers an accurate insight into ceremonial life and history.
Alastair - a direct descendant of the revered warrior king Robert the Bruce - is the current Governor of Edinburgh Castle, a role which dates back to 1107. 
He reveals his love of the realm goes back to childhood when he made a detailed replica of the crown jewels from clay and a ballcock! Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11, was intrigued by his long-held fascination when he filmed a documentary featuring an intimate conversation with the Monarch about her coronation of 1953. 
Alastair has served 45 years in the Army, advised on set throughout the making of Downton Abbey and puts his extraordinary historical and royal knowledge to use on major films, including The King’s Speech.
 

Exclusive with the UK’s Former Chief of the Defence Staff

Former Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter gives his assessment on the current conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as reflects on his 45 years serving in the military. 
Sir Nick says the world looks a lot more like it did in the 1910s and 1930s and explains the geopolitics behind why he believes conflict is now possible at a scale and intensity he hoped we’d never see again after 1945 came to an end. 
Britain’s longest serving military chief since Lord Mountbatten shares fascinating stories from the start of his career as an 18-year-old soldier in the Northern Ireland Troubles to advising Prime Ministers and securing billions for defence. 
General Carter is now lecturing at Stanford University in California, advising leading businesses and working for the Tony Blair Institute as well as with the charity Supporting Wounded Veterans. 
​

Astronaut Selection with Dr Tess Morris-Paterson

As NASA prepares to land people on the Moon for the first time since 1972, aerospace physiologist Dr Tess Morris-Paterson talks about her work selecting astronauts for missions like Artemis and what it takes to become an astronaut. 
Tess explains the lunar orbit of the Moon's South Pole, discusses plans for astronauts to live and work under the Moon's surface, and how these missions will pave the way to travel to Mars using hydrogen from the lunar ice caps. 
Tess went through the gruelling selection process herself with the European Space Agency. Combining her aerospace knowledge with a decade working in Formula One and Premier League football, she founded Astro Perform to design selection programmes and prepare candidates for the challenges of space flight. 
 

Bonita Norris on Conquering Everest at 22

Bonita Norris became the youngest British woman to summit Everest in 2010, aged just 22. What was even more remarkable about her feat, was that she only started mountaineering at university.
Inspired and driven by the thought of seeing the curvature of the Earth from the world’s highest peak, Bonita explains how she conquered tough mental, physical and practical challenges to achieve her dream.
She recounts the moment she fell on the way down, landing on the treacherous Hillary Step – a near vertical rock face where many have perished. Find out how she survived.
 
 
 

How Our Body Clock Can Revolutionise Our Sleep and Health

Eminent scientist Russell Foster, Professor of Circadian Neuroscience at Oxford University, shares some of his extraordinary life’s work, taking us on a fascinating journey through the science of our body clocks.
As work and recreation time has become increasingly blurred, we’ve neglected our 24-hour biological clock which guides us towards the best time to sleep, eat and think.
Using his own studies and those of other international sleep scientists, Russell explains how new science has proved that living out of synch with our clock not only disrupts sleep, but leaves us more vulnerable to infection, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and mental illness.
However, with the right knowledge, we can get back into our rhythm and live healthier, sharper lives.
 

Alice Loxton – Bringing History to Life for Millions on Socials

Historian Alice Loxton is on a mission to bring history to a wider, younger audience using the power of her 2 million followers on socials.
 
The 28-year-old presenter and author travels up and down the UK, filming intriguing bite-sized historical facts and little-known stories from various periods in authentic settings.
 
Alice has packed a lot in – working with The National Trust, Downing Street, Sky Arts, Christies, Sotheby’s, and more – and hosts documentaries on History Hit TV with Dan Snow who calls his co-presenter ‘the star of her generation - the next big thing in history’.
 
Her debut book Outrage is released in paperback this month and her new book, 18, is available to pre-order.
 
 
 
 

Shoshana Stewart on Protecting Heritage & Communities at Risk

When a 26-year-old American astrophysics major arrived in the Old City of Kabul in Afghanistan to volunteer, she had no idea the work would become a major part of her life, helping tens of thousands of people survive and thrive in unstable, war-torn countries. 
Shoshana Stewart, President of Turquoise Mountain, explains how the international NGO started with a chance conversation between the then Prince of Wales and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, followed by an extraordinary mission for her now husband Rory Stewart. 
Eighteen years on, Shoshana shares the compelling story of how the charity supports artisans like rug makers, carvers, and jewellery designers whose lives and ancient traditions in Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Middle East are under threat, giving them a livelihood and restoring their pride in their cultural heritage. 
 
The King's Lodge at The Connaught designed by Guy Oliver with support from Turquoise Mountain artisans
The King's Lodge at The Connaught designed by Guy Oliver with support from Turquoise Mountain artisans
 
 

How One Woman Exposed the World’s Biggest Fraud

Investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown reveals the remarkable story behind her exposing the 1MDB fraud in which billions of dollars were embezzled from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund. 
From her kitchen table in London, Clare worked doggedly with the FBI and US Department of Justice on her one-woman investigation which toppled a government, implicated top politicians, leading institutions and involved Hollywood names, diamonds & a $250 million super yacht.
The complex story – which began for Clare as an environmental expose into the destruction of Borneo’s tropical rainforest - is the subject of a new Netflix documentary, Man on the Run. 
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is serving 12 years in jail for his part in the fraud, and his alleged mastermind, Jho Low, remains on the run, wanted for money laundering. 
 

How the UK Brought Back its Monuments Men

Six years ago, the British Army tasked Lieutenant Colonel Tim Purbrick OBE with forming a unit to defend and preserve some of the world’s greatest cultural treasures, at risk of theft or destruction in conflict.
The former tank commander explains how the lessons learned by the real-life ‘Monuments Men’ in World War 2 - documented by Sir Leonard Woolley and whose story formed the basis of George Clooney’s film - were invaluable when he set up the British Cultural Property Protection Unit.
Tim designed a course for UNESCO to train Ukrainian armed forces in how to address these issues in the current conflict, and he’s just returned from Estonia where he’s been working with Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian forces.

Former Hello! Editor in Chief Rosie Nixon on Reinventing Herself

Hello! Magazine’s former Editor in Chief Rosie Nixon talks openly about how she unexpectedly found herself on the brink of burnout after 16 years at Britain’s favourite celebrity magazine.
 
Despite incredible career success, Rosie was running on empty and didn’t feel the same joy from the adrenalin-fuelled, glamorous publishing world she had once thrived in.
 
She spent hours walking in the Surrey hills, digging deep into how she felt and what she wanted, and has now trained as a life coach, helping other exhausted mid-lifers reinvent themselves. Rosie remains at Hello! one day a week as Editor at Large.
 
Photographs by David Venni 
 
 
 
 

The Good Grief Trust - Help and Hope in One Place

Grange Hill star Linda Magistris founded The Good Grief Trust after she lost her partner – BAFTA-winning director Graham Theakston - to a rare cancer and found little support to help her cope with his early death.  
Linda has grown it into the UK’s leading bereavement network, bringing more than 900 specialist charities & services together under one umbrella for individuals and health care professionals. 
Actors Greg Wise, Afterlife and Downton Abbey star Dame Penelope Wilton and Todd Carty are among its dedicated ambassadors. 
The Trust is run for the bereaved, by the bereaved – people who understand different kinds of loss and who can offer some hope, gentle guidance, and expert direction to ensure the right, tailored help is found.
 
 
 
 
 

An Inside Look at Organised Crime in Britain

Operation Ringtail culminated in convictions following the smashing of a drugs ring who smuggled more than £1.5 billion worth of cocaine into the UK, hidden in boxes of frozen chicken. 
Leading the investigation was this week’s guest, Detective Chief Superintendent Carl Galvin - Head of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit.
Carl talks about his 25 years as a covert operative, the ever-changing face of organised crime & how his expert teams work to stay ahead of the criminals. New crimes are constantly emerging, like the 3D printing of automatic weapons destined for terrorists which led to the first UK conviction for privately manufactured firearms. 
Serious and organised crime is estimated to cost the UK taxpayer a staggering £47 billion a year, making it the most significant national security threat to our economy. 
 
 

Adventures of The Jungle Doctor, Dr Chloe Buiting

Dr Chloe Buiting, known as The Jungle Doctor, is an Australian wildlife vet & conservationist whose love for nature & animals started as a teenager on the remote Lord Howe Island, described by Lord Attenborough as “so extraordinary it’s almost unbelievable.”
Chloe’s work includes fitting prosthetics on elephants in Chiang Mai who have lost limbs through treading on landmines; dehorning rhino in Africa to prevent poachers killing or maiming them & treating koalas burned in the Australian bush fires. 
She’s an official Advocate for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize; on the board of Zoos Victoria – the first carbon neutral zoological facility in the world – and a consultant for Fauna & Flora.
 

Driving Change in Women’s Sport with Sue Anstiss

2024 is an exciting year for women’s sport, not least with the Olympics in Paris on the horizon - the first Games in history to offer gender parity.
Sue Anstiss MBE has been involved in women’s sport for more than three decades - dedicating much of her working life to fighting for equality and driving change. 
We explore the impact of teams like the Lionesses, some fascinating history, the challenges which still lie ahead and what equality in sport can do more broadly within society.  
Sue directed the recent Netflix documentary ‘Game On – The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport’ featuring trailblazers like Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, broadcaster Clare Balding and Olympic gold heptathlete Dame Denise Lewis. 
 

Pioneering Nature-Based Solutions to Help Society & the Planet

As our climate emergency deepens, the CEO of Triodos Bank UK – one of the world’s most sustainable banks – explains how the current global banking system needs strong mandatory regulations to become a catalyst for a more sustainable future and fairer economy. 
Dr Bevis Watts is the first, and perhaps only, environmentalist to lead a UK bank and has spoken at key conferences like Blue Earth Summit and COP26.
We explore how our financial world can use nature-based investments to tackle issues which threaten our way of life as well as the planet, providing more help for those in society who need it. 
Bevis - former CEO of a wildlife trust and passionate scuba diver - also chats about his Swallows and Amazons-style adventure in a kayak which led to the discovery that wild beavers are back on the River Avon for the first time since Tudor days. 
Beaver photographs by Dr. Bevis Watts

Capturing ’Mambabatok’ Apo Whang-Od’s Beauty for Vogue’s Cover

When Vogue Philippines asked Artu Nepomuceno to trek to the remote mountain village of Buscalan to photograph 106-year-old tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od, he said yes immediately!
Apo Whang-Od is the last 'mambabatok' of her generation, keeping the thousand-year-old practice of 'batok' alive by training and inspiring her grandnieces in the ancient art of inking. Artu's intimate portraits of Apo Whang-Od - a cultural icon in the Philippines and beyond - graced the cover of Vogue worldwide, re-defining beauty.
He shares the stories and emotions behind what was a very personal journey, humbly insisting he was “just the photographer”. Artu says the spotlight belongs to 106 years of Apo Whang-Od’s pure beauty.
 
 

Hannah Shergold on Science, Art, Psychology and Conservation

Scientist, painter and former Army helicopter pilot Hannah Shergold on her "fascinating yet peculiar" journey to becoming an artist.
Hannah is one of the UK's most successful self-represented artists, best known for her extraordinary wildlife pieces which have raised more than £300,000 for conservation charities like Tusk and the Invictus Games Team UK.
She shares stories from her missions to austere & remote parts of places like Afghanistan and African trouble spots recovering the wounded in the Lynx; reveals her usual methods of creating her work - joking paint thinner is her assistant - and talks about her passion for psychology.
 

Gomi - Turning Plastic Waste into Beautiful Products

It’s shocking to learn that two million plastic bags are used every minute and a truckload of plastic is dumped into our ocean every 60 seconds.
Gomi - Japanese for trash - is the name of a young design studio in Brighton who are making stunning bespoke Bluetooth speakers and portable phone chargers with second-use Lime bike batteries and so-called ‘non-recyclable’ waste ordinarily destined for landfill.
Gomi co-founder and designer Tom Meades explains how they actually create the speakers and chargers inspired by artists like Jackson Pollock and why they're collaborating with thought-provoking brands like Paul Smith and Brewdog to reduce our impact on the planet and make something meaningful that lasts a lifetime.
 

Healing in Cabilla’s Ancient Temperate Rainforest

Against the backdrop of an ancient temperate rainforest at Cabilla on Bodmin Moor, a high-flying couple - both deeply affected by mental illness – have dramatically changed their lives and turned to the restorative powers of nature to help them and others heal. 
 
Merlin Hanbury-Tenison served as a British Army Major and completed three tours of Afghanistan, but had a breakdown triggered by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from an IED explosion. His wife Lizzie, who worked with dynamic founders of brands like Green and Blacks and Charlotte Tilbury, suffered burnout and postnatal depression. 
 
Together they’ve created a nature-inspired relaxing space for retreats where stressed out, worn-out people – including US military personnel and exhausted nurses - can recharge and reconnect with nature.  Sound baths, somatic movement, wild water swimming, guided walks in the forest, yoga, pilates are just some of the offerings. 
 
Photo by John Hersey
Photo by Bex Aston
Photo by Jenna Foxton
Photo by Sophie Bolesworth
Photo by Beth Druce
Photo by Bex Aston
 

Waterhaul - Transforming Harmful Ocean Plastic into Sunglasses

Frustrated by abandoned fishing nets - known as ‘ghost gear’ - dumped on their local Cornish beaches and coastline, marine biologists & keen surfers Harry Dennis and Gavin Parker searched for a sustainable solution. 
 
They discovered the very properties which make discarded fishing gear such a threat to the ocean & marine life - it’s abundance, strength, durability and flexibility - make it a perfect material to work with, and so risked everything to set up Waterhaul.
 
After much trial and error, they’re collecting the nets and end-of-life material, recycling the plastic, separating the polymers, and turning harmful waste products into stylish sunglasses and eyewear, with plans to scale their already successful business. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Physician & explorer Dr Jack Kreindler on putting more life into our years

Recently back from a scientific study to the South Pole, health tech entrepreneur Dr Jack Kreindler talks about his life in emergency and high-altitude medicine and how we can put more life into our years.
 
Jack says he thinks of health as a gift and asset born of luck, inheritance, and a wise investment strategy with its purpose to not merely extend our days but to help us live our fullest lives.
 
Jack has worked with stars like Alan Shearer, Robbie Savage and Davina McCall on the extreme Comic and Sport Relief challenges and, in our podcast, explores how we can all ‘kick ass’ in our 80s and 90s thanks to the latest health tech as well as embracing fundamental basics like sleep, hydration, community, good nutrition and music.  
 
Jack has also created WellFounded to enhance the mental and physical health of some of the most successful entrepreneurs and founders, treating them in much the same way as elite athletes, and he runs the ACT for Cancer Foundation with his wife. 
 
South Pole drone footage courtesy of Taavet Hinrikus 
 
 
 

Judith Tebbutt’s kidnap story of hope, resilience & survival

Jude Tebbutt was on holiday in Kenya with her husband David in 2011 when she was snatched in the dead of night by Somali pirates wielding AK47s. 
 
Unbeknown to Jude at the time, the gunmen murdered her husband that night and held her for ransom in squalor, with barely any food, in filthy conditions for six and a half months. 
 
Jude explains how she developed techniques to help her survive, stay mentally strong, cope with the daily threat of being shot and make it home “without going mad” to her wonderful 25-year-old son Ollie who negotiated her eventual release.  Jude is a patron of Sir Terry Waite’s charity Hostage International – supporting kidnap victims and their families, and author of A Long Walk Home. 
 
 
Photographs courtesy of Stephanie Belton Photography
 
Photograph courtesy of N Nastia Photography
 

Dawa Geljen Sherpa on Classrooms in the Clouds

Expert mountain guide Dawa Geljen Sherpa grew up in a big family in Lukla in Nepal – known as The Gateway to Everest.
 
As a young boy he worked hard tending his parents’ livestock with no access to school until he ran away from home aged ten in search of an education, funded by work he did on Everest as a kitchen porter.
 
After travelling the world guiding expeditions on some of the world’s most challenging mountains, Dawa founded Classrooms in the Clouds so children in the poorest, remotest parts of Nepal can learn.
 
The charity has so far built 70 earthquake-resistant, warm, safe classrooms and sponsored 26 female teachers as role models.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Ultimate Seven Challenge with adventurer Oli France

Oli France is back home in Wigan after completing the first of seven extraordinary expeditions – to travel under his own steam from the lowest to the highest point of every continent - an extreme challenge which has been five years in the planning.
 
He’s just cycled the equivalent of London to Moscow through Africa – facing furnace-like temperatures in Djibouti; hostilities & traffic chaos in Ethiopia; the kindness of the Masai in Kenya, as well as the knowledge he was a perfect ‘meal on wheels’ for lions! He finished on the summit of Kilimanjaro.
 
Oli explains what drives him to push himself to the limit, how he manages risk and builds mental resilience, as well as talks us through the expeditions ahead, including sub-zero conditions in the Antarctic, Mount Denali in Alaska, a 2,000- mile cycle across the Australian Outback and ocean row in Oceania, and Everest in Asia.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mark De-Lisser - Connecting the World Through Song

If you watched the King’s Coronation Concert, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee music extravaganza, or were one of the millions tuned in to Prince Harry’s wedding, you’ll have heard some of choir director Mark De-Lisser’s arrangements.
 
Mark puts bespoke choirs together for major events, liaising with artists like Lionel Ritchie, Alicia Keys, Katie Perry and Andrea Bocelli. But he tells Helen it took years to discover his purpose in life after a series of failures in the wrong direction.
 
Mark gets the nation singing; leads Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir; features in shows like Songs of Praise and The Masked Singer and is about to embark on quantifiable research to discover how singing affects our bodies and brains.  
 
 
 
 
 
 

Artists Olly & Suzi’s Expeditions in the Wild Interacting with Endangered Species

Olly Williams and Suzi Winstanley – known simply as Olly and Suzi – have travelled the world together tracking, painting, sketching and photographing endangered species in the wild.
 
Their unique method of creating their art has led to powerful interactions and encounters with bears and buffalo, sharks and seals, hyenas and wild cats, and more.
 
They’ve trekked through jungles, deserts, the poles and remote wildernesses experiencing the natural world at its most raw and humbling and have become passionate conservationists, using their art to highlight the threats many of their subjects face.
 
Olly and Suzi’s work is held in private and public collections - including the Damien Hirst “Murder Me” collection and at the Natural History Museum - and Olly has just published his first poetry book, Draw of the Wild.
 
* Images courtesy of Greg Williams Photography and ollysuzi.com
 
 
 
 

Conductor Dalia Stasevska Using Her Profile to Help Ukraine

Acclaimed Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska opened this year’s prestigious First Night of the Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall and went straight to Glyndebourne for a run of Benjamin Britten’s iconic A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
 
But in-between her high-profile musical appearances, Dalia – who was born in Ukraine - has been driving trucks into the war-torn city of Lviv, delivering generators, sleeping bags, warm clothes and essential supplies to those struggling to survive, as well as performing there. 
 
She tells Helen she considered giving up her career in music for a while to concentrate on volunteering full-time but has decided to use her platform to keep people informed of the ongoing atrocities and to ensure the world doesn’t tire of the plight of Ukrainian people.
 
Photographs by Veikko Kahkonen
 
 
 
 
 

The Power of Mindset on the World’s Toughest Row

Find out how Theresa Patricios, Head of Investments at Convex, and Cam Parker from Swiss Re overcame extreme mental and physical challenges to complete the World’s Toughest Row in record time.   
 
The Pacific Discovery 2023 four-strong team rowed 2,800 miles in just 34 days, 8 hours and 22 mins – the fastest mixed team ever – and have become the first reinsurance team to complete the race.
 
Theresa and Cam reflect on how they kept going through harsh weather, serious technical issues, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation. And they share their excitement at passing on the baton so another industry team can rise to the challenge, raising more funds for mental health charity Mind.
 
Photographs courtesy of World’s Toughest Row and Penny Bird 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

John McCarthy CBE on his role at Hostage International with Sir Terry Waite

Journalist John McCarthy was held hostage in Lebanon for more than five years. Now, three decades on, he’s helping others in similar situations through his role as Patron of Hostage International.
 
The charity was originally founded by John’s former cellmate and great friend Sir Terry Waite who himself was held for more almost five years, much of it alone.
 
John reflects on the fanfare he came home to in Britain, how the experience has influenced his life and how honoured he is to help Terry and Hostage International support families and former hostages through the ordeal of kidnap and illegal detention, which remains a global problem.
 
 
 
 
John's return to RAF Lyneham, UK
 
John reunited with former cellmates Brian Keenan and Terry Waite
 
Jill Morrell campaigning for John's release
 
John McCarthy with former girlfriend Jill Morrell
 
 

YouTuber Geoff Marshall shares his YouTube success

YouTube star Geoff Marshall reveals how and why he started making great quality, informative, interesting, fun transport films which have attracted more than 82 million views on his channel and are appreciated by his 314,000 plus subscribers.
 
Geoff travelled to all 2,563 trains in the UK followed by Ireland's 198 and held the Guinness World Record twice for visiting every London Underground station in the fastest time!
 
He shares his YouTube story, his passion for transport, chats about his new stand-up show - World’s Biggest Tube Nerd – and, in a rare contemplative moment, talks about a moving film he made about how travelling by train can sometimes help when people feel low.

Impressionist Jon Culshaw on playing long-form characters like David Bowie

Dr Who celebrates 60 years in November with special new episodes featuring former Time Lord David Tennant and Catherine Tate, and the release of an audio book voiced by impressionist Jon Culshaw in which the third and fourth Doctors meet and work together.
 
A life-long Dr Who fan, Jon came up with the idea for The Box of Terrors, written by Lizzie Hopley, based on Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker's time as the Doctors. 
 
In part two of our special, Jon talks about the responsibility of playing David Bowie in an audio documentary on what it might of been like in the studio as Bowie recorded his final album, Blackstar. 
 
Plenty of other guests drop in on this week's podcast including HRH King Charles, Chris Eubank, Tony Blair, William Hague, Les Dawson and Julian Clary. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Impressionist and Dead Ringers star Jon Culshaw on the changing face of satire

On this week’s podcast we hear from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, King Charles, Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis and former PM Boris Johnson, thanks to the incredible talent and wit of impressionist Jon Culshaw.
 
Jon, who is busy rehearsing two shows for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe – LENA and Imposter Syndrome – stops off for a chat and some laughs on his way to record the latest episode of BBC Radio 4’s comedy programme Dead Ringers.
 
He shares his thoughts on how satire has changed since he first graced our screens on Spitting Image; recalls butterflies the size of seagulls when he got through to the then Prime Minister Tony Blair at No 10 posing as Leader of the Opposition William Hague, and explains how he starts to build and develop a new voice.
 
 
 

Dame Barbara Windsor’s widower on his dementia mission

Scott Mitchell talks about his life loving Dame Barbara Windsor - one of Britain’s national treasures - and their heart-breaking battle with dementia. 
 
Scott is an Ambassador for Alzheimers' Research UK and is involved in campaigning, fundraising, and taking part in trials to help find a cure for a disease which affects more than a million people in Britain. 
 
Scott says he feels blessed to have shared almost three decades with Carry On and Eastenders star Barbara and shares lots of happy, wonderful memories of their life together.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Painter David Remfry RA on coordinating this year’s Summer Exhibition

Acclaimed British painter and Academician David Remfry confesses he thought he’d never be asked to coordinate the Royal Academy's world-famous Summer Exhibition. When the call came, the 80-year-old artist says he was over the moon and said yes immediately.  
 
Helen catches up with David at his London studio surrounded by his stunning work to find out what’s involved; hear about his colourful life in London and New York, and his daily passion for Afrobeats dancing.
 
David recalls leaving Hull in the '60s with his paintings packed in the back of a £50 van to seek his fortune in London; reminisces about living for two decades at the infamous Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan and talks about how his love of people inspires much of his work.
 
Main photograph courtesy of the Royal Academy of Arts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Milliner to rock stars and royalty, Jess Collett on her passion for hats

Twenty-five years ago, a young hat-maker secured a grant from The Prince’s Trust to help fund her own atelier.
 
So as milliner Jess Collett joined millions watching the King’s Coronation, she felt grateful for the help she’d received but also knew all eyes were on the stunning head pieces she’d designed for the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte in collaboration with Alexander McQueen. Jess said she’d waited "all her hat-life" for that moment!
 
She’s designed for Madonna, Helena Bonham Carter, Princess Eugenie, Samantha Cameron, Pippa Middleton and many more famous people, but her passion is making hats for everyone and seeing the confidence the right one can bring.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

BAFTA and Emmy-winning cameraman Doug Allan on climate change

In part two of our special with multi-BAFTA and Emmy-winning wildlife and documentary film-maker Doug Allan, he discusses climate change and, in particular, the impact it’s having on the polar regions.
 
Doug says if the world had paid more attention to indigenous people in the Arctic and elsewhere, and listened seriously, we might have been more aware of the dangers ahead.
 
Doug shares more incredible stories behind capturing breathtaking material for landmark series like The Blue Planet and Frozen Planet as well as filming with Sir David Attenborough, who says cameramen don’t come much more special than Doug.