Shows
Crisis What Crisis?Three Dads Walking on suicide, grief and finding light in the darkest of placesIn this episode recorded in 2024 and republished to mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2025, Andy is joined by three remarkable men, Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen – better known as Three Dads Walking. All would rather have never met but through a common and tragic bond – the loss of their daughters, Sophie, Beth and Emily, to suicide – they did.Brought together by a shared grief, these three dads connected and decided to shine a light on the shocking number of young people who take their own lives in the UK.A 300-mile walk between their homes...
2025-09-101h 06
Crisis What Crisis?Anthony Scaramucci: Crisis, character and comebacks.Wall Street titan, White House survivor, and now podcast provocateur, Anthony Scaramucci joins Andy Coulson for an unfiltered, useful, funny and at times emotional conversation about all things resilience. From being fired after just eleven days as Trump’s Communications Director to losing millions in the FTX crypto collapse, Anthony’s life reads like a script with no shortage of plot twists.In this episode of Crisis What Crisis? “The Mooch” shares a high-stakes story of risk and renewal. He reflects on how missing the birth of his son, nearly losing his marriage, and facing public humiliation pushed h...
2025-07-2951 min
Crisis What Crisis?Wrongly convicted Libor trader Tom Hayes tells his incredible story of resilience.Tom Hayes is the city trader who spent five years in prison and who lost his wealth, reputation and home thanks to an appalling miscarriage of justice. Since his conviction in 2014, Tom has always maintained his innocence and the Supreme Court has now officially confirmed that he was, in fact, innocent.In this emotional episode Tom explains how managed the anger and bitterness that came with the near total unravelling of his life. He also talks about how the trial brought an unexpected revelation – his Asperger’s diagnosis , which he argues played a crucial role in his acti...
2025-07-2358 min
Crisis What Crisis?Cally Beaton on finding freedom from falling apartTV executive turned stand-up comic and best-selling author Cally Beaton joins Andy to share a powerful story of breakdown, reinvention, told with unflinching honesty. From high powered Hollywood boardrooms to hitting bottom in a psychiatric hospital, Cally’s journey is anything but linear — and that’s the point.In this episode, Cally opens up about losing control and taking it back on her own terms. How her midlife mental health crisis ultimately pushed her towards a life of greater meaning and connection, and how comedy helped her find her voice. She reflects on the realities of solo parent...
2025-07-151h 01
Crisis What Crisis?The AI apocalypse or awakening? Mo Gawdat on raising Superman, self-evolving machines and why the real crisis is human stupidityWhat if the biggest existential threat of our time isn’t artificial intelligence – but the people programming it?In this urgent and mind-expanding Crisis What Crisis special, host Andy Coulson is joined by the inimitable Mo Gawdat– former Google X Chief Business Officer, global bestselling author, and one of the most vital thinkers at the intersection of tech and humanity.Mo returns with a stark warning: self-evolving AI is here, and it’s learning faster than we can comprehend. His latest project ALIVE – co-written with an AI persona called Trixie and shaped by a growing community...
2025-07-0131 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Alix Popham's Crisis CompassAlix Popham took hundreds of thousands of hits on the pitch – but the biggest came years after retirement. His is a story of crisis and clarity. Of choosing purpose over bitterness. And of how the mindset that wins matches can also save lives.Here is Alix's Crisis Compass.—————–This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson Partners.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalF...
2025-06-1703 min
Crisis What Crisis?Rugby Star Alix Popham on early onset dementia and starting a revolution in sportGrand Slam-winning rugby hero, Alix Popham took hundreds of thousands of hits on the pitch – but the biggest came years after retirement. Diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE, he’s now leading a powerful campaign to expose the truth about brain injury in sport to ensure its safety and longevity for generations to come. Still proud of his career, Alix is using that same warrior mindset to fight for change, purpose and the lives of others.This is a story of crisis and clarity. Of choosing purpose over bitterness. And of how the mindset that wins...
2025-06-1054 minCrisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Simon Weston's Crisis CompassSimon Weston CBE is a veteran, a charity campaigner and one of the most inspiring survivors of our times.In 1982, while serving with the Welsh Guards in the Falklands War, Simon suffered devastating injuries when the RFA Sir Galahad was attacked. The burns he sustained covered nearly half his body and led to more than 90 major operations over many years. But his story – as Simon shares in his extraordinary conversation with Andy – is not simply one of survival, but of incredible resilience, and spirit.Here is Simon's Crisis Compass - his points of navigation for when...
2025-06-0304 min
Crisis What Crisis?Simon Weston on anxiety, control and the battle from withinLessons in Grit from a Falklands Hero - Simon WestonSimon Weston CBE is a veteran, a charity campaigner and one of the most inspiring survivors of our times.In 1982, while serving with the Welsh Guards in the Falklands War, Simon suffered devastating injuries when the RFA Sir Galahad was attacked. The burns he sustained covered nearly half his body and led to more than 90 major operations over many years. But his story – as Simon shares in this extraordinary conversation – is not simply one of survival, but of incredible resilience, and spirit.Simon talk...
2025-05-271h 02Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Amanda Knox's Crisis CompassWhat happens when your name becomes shorthand for a crime you didn’t commit? At just 20 years old, Amanda Knox was catapulted into global infamy after being accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while studying abroad in Italy.Now, Amanda joins Andy to share the raw, painfully-earned insight that comes from surviving one of the most widely known miscarriages of justice in modern history – a journey through shock, shame, and ultimately, perspective and peace.Here is Amanda's Crisis Compass - her points of navigation for when trouble comes.This podcast is brought to y...
2025-05-2005 minCrisis What Crisis?Amanda Knox on identity, imprisonment, and finding purpose through traumaWhat happens when your name becomes shorthand for a crime you didn’t commit? At just 20 years old, Amanda Knox was catapulted into global infamy after being accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while studying abroad in Italy.What should have been a formative experience turned into a wrongful conviction, four years in prison, and a sustained and lurid mischaracterisation by the world – casting her not as an innocent young woman caught in the crossfire, but as a cold-blooded killer.Now, Amanda joins Andy to share the raw, painfully-earned insight that comes from surviving one...
2025-05-1258 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: John Roberts' Crisis CompassJohn Roberts is one of Britain's most successful and energetic businessmen, a lad from Bolton who turned a one pound bet with a friend into a billion pound success story. In this special Business episode, John joins Andy to share the invaluable lessons behind building one of Britain’s most trusted brands. From selling deformed gingerbread men in school to pioneering e-commerce out of Bolton, John reveals how cheek, grit and imagination shaped AO, but the journey to success has not been a straight road. He talks openly about the crushing lows — including losing a £160 million gamble in Ge...
2025-04-2202 min
Crisis What Crisis?Founder and CEO of AO.com John Roberts on risk, empowerment, and the power of a one pound betJohn Roberts is one of Britain's most successful and energetic businessmen, a lad from Bolton who turned a one pound bet with a friend into a billion pound success story.In this special Business episode, John joins Andy to share the invaluable lessons behind building one of Britain’s most trusted brands. From selling deformed gingerbread men in school to pioneering e-commerce out of Bolton, John reveals how cheek, grit and imagination shaped AO, but the journey to success has not been a straight road. He talks openly about the crushing lows — including losing a £160 million gamble in Ge...
2025-04-151h 10
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Simon Woodroffe's Crisis ComfortsSimon Woodroffe has lived many lives - he started as a stage designer for music legends like Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, then took a leap of faith and built YO! Sushi into a global brand. But before his success, Simon faced struggles that could have derailed him entirely: a turbulent youth, including time in a young offender’s institution, and a personal crisis that left him at rock bottom. Here are Simon Woodroffe’s three Crisis Comforts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yosimonwoodroffe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yosimonwoodroffeLinkedIn: https://www.link...
2025-02-2504 min
Crisis What Crisis?Simon Woodroffe on risk-taking, reinvention, and creating Yo! SushiWhat does it take to turn adversity into opportunity?Simon Woodroffe has lived many lives - he started as a stage designer for music legends like Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, then took a leap of faith and built YO! Sushi into a global brand. But before his success, Simon faced struggles that could have derailed him entirely: a turbulent youth, including time in a young offender’s institution, and a personal crisis that left him at rock bottom.In this episode, Simon opens up about his journey from hardship to entrepreneurial success. From pioneering co...
2025-02-1855 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Tom Hayes’ Crisis ComfortsWho better to explore the road to resilience than someone who has endured one of the most dramatic falls from grace?Tom Hayes was once a high-flying city trader, living a life of wealth and status— until the notorious LIBOR scandal in 2015 changed everything. Convicted and imprisoned, he lost his fortune, his luxury cars and his home - all while maintaining that his conviction was unjust. His trial also brought an unexpected revelation— his Asperger’s diagnosis, which he argues played a crucial role in his actions and the case against him. Here are Tom Hayes’ three crisis c...
2025-02-1105 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Paul Stewart's Crisis ComfortsPaul Stewart is a former England footballer who played for Manchester City, Spurs and Liverpool. But behind the success was a harrowing secret – years of unimaginable childhood abuse at the hands of a trusted coach. He shares his powerful journey from suffering to recovery – a story of pain, resilience but lasting hope. Here are Paul Stewart’s three crisis comforts.Full episode: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/england-star-paul-stewart-on-turning-a-secret-trauma-into-a-mission-of-hope/LinksTwitter: @PStewy103Website: https://paulstewartofficial.comPaul’s book ‘Damaged: My Story – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damaged-My-Story-Paul-Stewart/dp/1910335738
2025-01-2805 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Paul McKenna's Crisis ComfortsPaul McKenna is not just a world-renowned hypnotherapist; he’s a one man self-help powerhouse, a best-selling author, and a sought-after behavioural scientist who has helped thousands overcome their greatest challenges. And now with his new book Power Manifesting – he is on a mission to empower as many as possible to lead a better and more productive life. Here are Paul McKenna’s three crisis comforts.Full episodehttps://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/paul-mckenna-on-purpose-gratitude-and-living-your-full-potential/Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iampaulmckenna/Twitter: @ImPaulMcKenna Website: https://www.paulmckenna.com
2025-01-1405 min
Crisis What Crisis?Paul McKenna on purpose, gratitude and living your full potentialWe have the perfect guest to take us into a more resilient, more productive 2025.Paul McKenna is not just a world-renowned hypnotherapist; he’s a one man self-help powerhouse, a best-selling author, and a sought-after behavioural scientist who has helped thousands overcome their greatest challenges. And now with his new book Power Manifesting – he is on a mission to empower as many as possible to lead a better and more productive life.With his signature blend of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), and psychological techniques, Paul has an unshakable belief in the power of the mind. In this...
2025-01-0749 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Dame Stephanie Shirley's Crisis ComfortsHaving arrived in Britain as a five-year-old refugee fleeing the Nazis on the Kindertransport, Dame Stephanie Shirley went on to build one of Britain's most successful software companies. She built a business valued at $3 billion and has dedicated the last three decades of her life to philanthropy, giving away most of her personal wealth. Here are Dame Stephanie’s three crisis comforts.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/dame-stephanie-shirley-on-91-years-of-resilience-and-brilliance/Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damestephanie_/?hl=enWebsite: https://www.steveshirley.com/Book...
2024-12-2402 min
Crisis What Crisis?Dame Stephanie Shirley on 91 years of resilience and brillianceHaving arrived in Britain as a five-year-old refugee fleeing the Nazis on the Kindertransport, Dame Stephanie Shirley went on to build one of Britain's most successful software companies. Using the pen name ‘Steve’ to be taken more seriously by clients, she built a business valued at $3 billion, turning 70 staff members into millionaires along the way. But her impact goes far beyond the business world. Dame Stephanie has dedicated the last three decades of her life to philanthropy, giving away most of her personal wealth. Once the 11th richest woman in the UK, she’s the only person to drop off th...
2024-12-1742 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Katie Melua's Crisis ComfortsKatie Melua has sold more than 11 million albums and picked up 56 platinum awards along the way. She had her first hit aged just 19 and was thrown immediately onto the treadmill of writing, recording, tours, promotion. More hits followed, but not without a very heavy price - her sudden fame contributed to an acute psychotic breakdown in 2010. Here are Katie’s three crisis comforts.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/100th-guest-special-singer-katie-melua-on-teenage-fame-a-psychotic-breakdown-and-how-she-found-her-way-back/Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiemeluaofficial/Website: https://katiemelua.com/ Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet...
2024-12-1003 min
Crisis What Crisis?Live from the CBI Conference: Dawn Airey on breaking down barriers, failure and leadership resilienceIn our first live podcast recording at the 2024 CBI Annual Conference, Andy speaks to Dawn Airey CBE, one of the most remarkable figures in British media. In front of an audience of business leaders and policy makers, they discussed resilience and reputation along with the crises and triumphs that have defined her career.Dawn has spent her career thriving on challenge, and along the way earned a reputation as a bold and unapologetic trailblazer. For some who couldn’t keep pace she became Scary Airey or Zulu Dawn.From her early days at ITV navigating a...
2024-12-0329 min
Crisis What Crisis?100th guest special - Singer Katie Melua on teenage fame, a psychotic breakdown and how she found her way backSelling 11 million albums, more than a million concert tickets and picking up 56 platinum awards along the way, Katie Melua is one of Britain’s most successful singer songwriters.In this episode, she takes us on a very candid and emotional journey - from Georgia to Belfast to London and to fame at just 19 years old where she was thrown immediately onto the treadmill of recording, tours and promotion. But the impact of her sudden stardom took a heavy toll on Katie’s mental health.In 2010 she suffered an acute psychotic breakdown. In frankly frightening detail, Kati...
2024-11-261h 01
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: David Holmes' Crisis ComfortsOn January 28th, 2009, a rehearsed stunt on set of Harry Potter went horrifically wrong. David, who had been the lead stunt double for his friend Daniel Radcliffe for a decade, was left paralysed from the chest down. His is a story of acceptance, of finding positives in the darkest of places and of the power of human spirit. Here are his three crisis comforts which helped and continue to help him reject bitterness about his old life and instead pursue a different life … one full of meaning and purpose.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/po...
2024-11-1903 min
Crisis What Crisis?101. Harry Potter stuntman David Holmes on finding purpose - and positivity - beyond paralysisOn January 28th, 2009, a rehearsed stunt on set of Harry Potter went horrifically wrong. David, who for a decade was the lead stunt double for his friend Daniel Radcliffe, was left paralysed from the chest down.A number of long and dangerous operations followed, many of them lifesaving. David survived but his condition is degenerative - each year bringing yet more challenge for him.From being an elite gymnast and professional stunt double for the most famous boy in the world at the time… as someone who was defined by their physicality … David’s accident stripp...
2024-11-1256 min
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Lindsay Nicholson's Crisis ComfortsOn the face of it, magazine guru Lindsay Nicholson has had a brilliant, glamorous and high-powered career. Yet she achieved all this whilst her own life has been marked with crisis, with drama and the most unimaginable grief.Here are her three crisis comforts which helped and continue to help her survive and thrive through the most extreme and painful experiences.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/series/series-7/ Links Lindsay’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsayannenicholson/Lindsay’s X: https://x.com/linsnicholsonBook...
2024-11-0503 min
Crisis What Crisis?100. Magazine megastar Lindsay Nicholson’s astonishing lessons on how to cope when life unravels … again and again and againLindsay Nicholson transformed some of our best-known magazine titles including Cosmopolitan, Prima and, most famously, Good Housekeeping. On the face of it a brilliant, glamorous and high-powered career for which she was awarded an MBE in 2018.But Lindsay achieved all this whilst her own life was marked with crisis, with drama and the most unimaginable grief. In 1992 Lindsay lost her first husband, the journalist John Merritt, when she was pregnant with their second child, Hope. Five years later, their nine-year-old daughter Ellie died from the same rare form of leukaemia.Lindsay then faced her own...
2024-10-291h 00
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Charley Boorman's Crisis ComfortsAdventurer Charley Boorman - whose life is full of motorbike journeys, personal challenge, crisis and resilience – shares his three crisis comforts.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/charley-boorman-on-severe-dyslexia-loss-and-the-motorbike-crash-that-almost-claimed-his-life/ Links Charley’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charleyboorman/?hl=enCharley’s website: https://www.charleyboorman.com/Charities: UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org.uk/Dyslexia Action: http://dyslexiaaction.org.ukUnited World Schools: http://www.unitedworldschools.org/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome...
2024-10-2205 min
Crisis What Crisis?99. Charley Boorman on severe dyslexia, loss and the motorbike crash that almost claimed his lifeYou know him from his epic road trips with Ewan McGregor in Long Way Round, Down and Up but adventurer Charley Boorman’s life is full of journeys of an entirely different kind … of personal challenge, crisis and resilience.As a child actor Charley, the son of director John Boorman, starred in movies including The Emerald Forest but severe dyslexia got in the way. He then faced the devastating loss of his beloved sister before his own health crisis with cancer.Working as a builder, Charley found his true purpose and passion after becoming friends with...
2024-10-151h 03
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Sarah de Lagarde's Crisis ComfortsOn the night of September 30, 2022, at High Barnet station, Sarah de Lagarde slipped between the train and the platform. She lost two limbs and almost her life.With resilience and an unyielding spirit, Sarah has embarked on a journey of recovery and of advocacy.Sarah’s story is one that tells a truly shocking story but also provides insight and learnings for us all. Here are her three crisis comforts.Links Sarah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjdelagarde/?hl=enSarah’s website: www.sarahdelagarde.comCharit...
2024-10-0804 min
Crisis What Crisis?98. Sarah de Lagarde on surviving horror, saying ‘thank you’ to her lost limbs and a return to KilimanjaroOn the night of September 30, 2022, at High Barnet station, Sarah de Lagarde slipped between the train and the platform.Trapped there, unseen and unheard, Sarah was hit by the train as it left the station, severing her right arm. 11 minutes after she first fell, she was struck by a second tube as it entered the station, crushing her right leg.In the aftermath of this unimaginable accident, Sarah faced long term physical and emotional challenges. Yet, with resilience and an unyielding spirit, Sarah has embarked on a journey of recovery and of advocacy....
2024-10-0157 min
Crisis What Crisis?97. Dylan Jones on a violent childhood, recovery from rape and life shaping headlinesDylan Jones is a true titan of the world of media … someone who has helped shape the cultural landscape of the UK for the last four decades.A lad from High Wycombe who rose to become one of the best connected and sharpest operators here and in the US … along the way editing GQ magazine 22-year years, writing or editing over 25 books and picking up a cabinet full of awards including an OBE. He is now Editor in Chief of London’s Evening Standard.Dylan’s latest book – his memoir These Foolish Things, tells the story of t...
2024-09-171h 04
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Dr Rachel Clarke's Crisis ComfortsDr Rachel Clarke is a dedicated palliative care doctor, passionate NHS advocate and bestselling author. In this conversation, Rachel helps us look hard at how we talk about – or too often fail to talk about - death. I urge you to listen to the full episode but for now, here are Rachel’s three crisis comforts.Links Rachel’s Twitter: https://x.com/doctor_oxfordCharityHospice Ukraine: https://www.hospiceukraine.com/what-we-doBooks2024: The Story of a Heart TV adaptation of Breath...
2024-09-1004 min
Crisis What Crisis?96. Dr Rachel Clarke on death…how to manage, talk about and embrace itDr Rachel Clarke is a dedicated palliative care doctor, passionate NHS advocate and bestselling author. Through her work, Rachel has become a powerful voice and important influence on how we approach the ultimate collective crisis. We’ve discussed our unwillingness to make loss a part of mainstream conversation with other guests on the pod. In this conversation Rachel helps us look hard at how and why we should fix that failure. Her brilliant new book, The Story of a Heart, looks at death – and love – from an entirely different and deeply moving perspective.Links Rachel’s Twitte...
2024-09-031h 04
Crisis What Crisis?91. Christian O’Connell on panic attacks, a professional unravelling and how story telling saved himRadio presenter Christian O’Connell talks to Andy about his crippling panic attacks, life changing therapy and the danger zone of men’s mental health. As a young teenager Christian was hit with anxiety - beginning, as he puts it ‘as a whisper’ - until it forced him off air … leading him to leave Britain’s most popular breakfast show and risk it all on a life in Australia.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------From working as a dustman, being fired from hospital radio and working in telesales - Christian O’Connell went on to host the Number 1 breakfast show on Absolu...
2024-06-2053 min
Crisis What Crisis?72. Andy Coulson on regrets, resilience and recoveryIn today’s episode we revisit a conversation from three years ago, when I swapped seats and let my friend, the journalist and broadcaster Jane Moore ask me the questions.Listening back to this interview, my approach to life after crisis remains relatively unchanged, but I also realise that there’s so much more I’ve learnt as a result of the 60+ episodes I’ve recorded since then.The judgement free platform we provide for our guests to talk about their experiences of crisis, mean that we’ve been able to build an incredibly valuable archive pa...
2023-09-041h 06
Crisis What Crisis?Bonus Episode: Victoria Milligan & Henry Scowcroft's Crisis ComfortsThis Crisis Comforts episode features previous guests Victoria Milligan and Henry Scowcroft. Victoria, who joined us early in Series One, described how in a moment she went from a perfect life to becoming a “widow, a bereaved parent, a single parent and an amputee” all in one horrific boat accident in 2013. In her Crisis Comforts, she explains how she navigated her appalling grief by focusing on doable, achievable goals and learning how to seek out and embrace joy in the small pleasures of life.Henry, a guest from Series Four who lost Zarah, his girlfriend of six year...
2023-08-0408 min
Crisis What Crisis?69. Sir Nigel Wilson on failure, leading in crisis and a move into politicsNigel Wilson is the Group Chief Executive of Legal & General, the 200-year-old multi-national institution, and is one of Britain’s most acclaimed business leaders.He joins us to share his remarkable story from a boy raised in a two-bedroom council house in Darlington to now leading a global company managing £1.2 trillion. We learn about what drives him and motivates him, his strategy of ‘inclusive capitalism’ and his invaluable perspective on the economic, political, and commercial crises that dominate our world. A must listen for anyone trying to gain or maintain control of their own business or life.We...
2023-07-211h 11
Crisis What Crisis?68. Mark Beaumont on breaking records, cheating death, and pedalling with purposeMy conversation today will focus on a key crisis skill – endurance. And I’m thrilled to say that we have the perfect guest to help us – record-breaking, long-distance cyclist, adventurer, broadcaster and author Mark Beaumont.Mark is a man who certainly knows what it means to endure. In 2008 he broke the world record for a circumnavigational bike tour of the world, travelling 18,000 miles from Paris to Paris. The new record was set at 194 days and 17 hours, beating the previous record of 276 days. His video diaries of that ride won him a BAFTA nomination.Swapping the bike for a boat...
2023-06-301h 16
Crisis What Crisis?67. Aasmah Mir on racism, merciless bullying and family traumaMy guest for this episode is the multi-award-winning broadcaster, journalist and writer Aasmah Mir. Starting her career on Scottish TV, Aasmah has worked on our screens and radios for more than 25years including as co-presenter of Radio 4’s Saturday Live, Radio 5’s Drive show and now as the co-presenter of Times Radio’s Breakfast show.But beneath Aasmah’s trailblazing success lies a story of resilience and triumph over adversity. As the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, Aasmah faced the turbulent challenges of racism, identity crises, and the painful experience of seeing her beloved, severely autistic brother being sectione...
2023-06-161h 14
Crisis What Crisis?66. Michael Gove on being fired by Boris, battling with The Blob and the day he almost quit politics.Our guest for this episode of Crisis What Crisis? is one of Britain’s best-known politicians, Michael Gove. A man who has held numerous jobs in Cabinet, working under four Prime Ministers – he is of course now the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.For well over a decade, Michael has been at the heart of a series of political crises, including the forming of the Coalition in May 2010 (when we worked together), Brexit, the pandemic, and more recently the aftermath of the Liz Truss experiment.In the moments of relative calm, incl...
2023-06-021h 20
Crisis What Crisis?TrailerAs we approach our third birthday – host Andy Coulson gives a short reminder of what Crisis What Crisis? is all about – where you can listen, watch and read full transcripts of every one of our 65 episodes to date. To the incredible guests we have featured so far, the listeners (and now viewers) who have subscribed – thank you so much for all your loyalty and support. LinksDon’t forget that you can get in touch – we want to hear from you!Email - https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/contact/LinkedIn - https://www.linked...
2023-05-2602 min
Crisis What Crisis?65. Ben Goldsmith on losing his daughter Iris, a desperate search for meaning and how nature saved himOur guest for this episode is the passionate environmentalist and financier Ben Goldsmith. A leading figure in the UK’s rewilding movement, as well as a pioneer of green investment, Ben’s focus on our environmental crisis is now entwined with a deep sadness. In July 2019 he lost, unexpectedly and tragically, his 15-year-old daughter Iris, in an accident on the family farm in Somerset. Paralysed by grief, Ben threw himself into an extraordinary search for answers, attempting to make sense of the tragedy, but also to maintain his deep bond with Iris. In that search Ben...
2023-05-191h 11
Crisis What Crisis?64. Piers Morgan on failure, grief and the unsubtle art of not giving a f**kJoining us in this episode is Britain’s, arguably the world's, most followed journalist - former newspaper editor, presenter, news broadcaster, author and self-confessed controversialist Piers Morgan. As you’ll most likely be aware, Piers is someone with opinions. Those clear views, alongside an absolute obsession with news and an unrelenting work ethic, have driven Piers to tremendous success both here in the UK and in the US. But there have also been high-profile moments of failure and drama. Career setbacks and criticism that would have sent most people diving under their duvet – death threats as a result...
2023-05-051h 08
Crisis What Crisis?63. Nick Goldsmith on combat, PTSD and the healing power of natureHaving completed six tours in the most hostile of environments, including four in Afghanistan, former Royal Marine Commando Nick Goldsmith was a broken man. Diagnosed with complex PTSD, Nick was paralysed with paranoia, shame, and as he describes it, survivor’s guilt. All a result of horrific experiences that saw him lose close friends in battle and become submerged in the other horrors of war. Once back in the UK, Nick was initially lost in the military health system, eventually receiving the intensive psychiatric support he needed.But it was a very different type of th...
2023-04-2941 min
Crisis What Crisis?61. Julia Samuel on grief, post traumatic growth and dealing with our dark sideIn one of our most valuable crisis conversations yet, we’re joined by one of the world’s best psychotherapists – author and fellow podcaster, Julia Samuel – and in this episode we focus on possibly the most important theme that has come out of our conversations so far. That is grief. How we approach it, how we accept it and how we then move forward productively. In the sixty episodes we’ve recorded so far, we’ve had some incredible discussions with our guests on this subject - and so today we look back on some of those con...
2023-03-311h 09
Crisis What Crisis?60. Sarah Standing on chemo, dodging Dr Google and life at full throttle“Cancer not only makes the person going through it appreciate every nuance of life, it also make the people who love you speak their minds.”In this episode we are joined by Sarah Standing – journalist, toy shop owner and author.On the face of it, Sarah has enjoyed – and appreciated – a charmed life. The daughter of actress Nanette Newman and director, writer and actor Bryan Forbes, and sister of well-known TV presenter Emma Forbes, Sarah is also married to the brilliant British actor Johnnie Standing.Mum of three, grandmother to two … Sarah is the glue at...
2023-03-1757 min
Crisis What Crisis?59. Special episode – Slavery at homeIn this special episode, which is brought to you in partnership with the Centre for Social Justice, we’ll be shining a light on the crisis of modern slavery, and in particular the increasing prevalence of Cuckooing – a terrible new trend that you might have seen featured in the TV show Happy Valley. Cuckooing is a deeply damaging and frankly cruel practice used by criminals to take over someone’s home, someone’s life, as a base or as a cover for their own illegal activities.Led by the former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, one of m...
2023-03-031h 00
Crisis What Crisis?58. Andy McNab on being tortured, facing an execution squad and the upside of being a psychopath“I’ve got the ability to kill people and not sort of worry about it too much.”In this episode, I’m joined by the former SAS soldier, hugely successful writer, campaigner and clinically diagnosed psychopath Andy McNab. Andy’s life began in crisis .. abandoned after birth on the steps of a London hospital, he was later adopted and raised in Peckham. After several run-ins with the law as a teenager, Andy’s life was transformed when he was given a choice – prison or the army. He went on to become one of the most decorated soldiers of his generat...
2023-02-1759 min
Crisis What Crisis?54. Crisis Cures: Roopa Farooki & Virginia BuckinghamIn this Crisis Cures episode we hear from two remarkable women who faced down two very different challenges. For Roopa Farooki, that took the form of facing down the daily crisis of Covid, with all its drama and tragedy, during the peak of the pandemic in her role as an NHS junior doctor. And for Virginia Buckingham, the former boss of Logan international airport in Boston, it was the shocking personal impact of being widely, and very unfairly, blamed for the 9/11 attacks in New York. In these extracts from our full podcast conversations (links below) both women explain what...
2022-12-1605 min
Crisis What Crisis?53. Crisis Cures: Nile RodgersLegendary musician Nile Rodgers has endured and managed dramatic crises for him and his loved ones throughout his life. Here he gives us his three top Crisis Cures for when life unravels. You can listen to this valuable conversation in full and all previous episodes, here or wherever you get your podcasts.Nile's full interview is available here: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/nile-rodgers/Full episode transcript available at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/nile-rodgers-crisis-curesNile's Crisis Cures: 1st Crisis Cure – Work – I look to my a...
2022-12-0206 min
Crisis What Crisis?52. Col. Andrew Milburn on Putin’s big mistake, addiction to crisis and griefAndrew Milburn is the British educated would-be lawyer who became a decorated US Marine Colonel. A 31year career spent in the midst of crisis in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Now, as the Founder and CEO of the Mozart Group – a response to Putin’s evil Wagner Group – he trains and rescues Ukrainian civilians. In this conversation, Andrew gives us an extraordinary insight into the psychology of those fighting on both sides and describes how Putin has misjudged the incredible resilience of the Ukrainian people. Andrew is also no stranger to personal crisis. He suffered a terrible personal loss w...
2022-11-191h 09
Crisis What Crisis?51. Fergal Keane on addiction, PTSD and why he will never go back to the frontlineFergal Keane is the multi-award-winning BBC Foreign Correspondent and author - a man who through the very nature of his job has spent much of his 33-year career immersed in crisis. The newsreels of genocide and mass atrocities in places like Rwanda and Sudan, that we all have watched from the comfort of our homes, are first-hand horrors embedded in Fergal’s mind. Memories that have caused him to be diagnosed with complex PTSD and other mental health issues. So, this is a conversation first and foremost about resilience. But it is also a discussion about how to find po...
2022-11-041h 00
Crisis What Crisis?50. George Osborne on Truss, Boris and the Tories’ self inflicted crisisIn what is possibly our most topical episode to date our guest is the former Chancellor George Osborne. Talking on the day after Liz Truss’s resignation, George delivers a detailed view on the unravelling political and economic crisis and explains why he fears the end is nigh for the Tory government. And he also talks revealingly about the crises that came before … from the 2008 financial collapse to Brexit and his role in it. Delivering a lesson that any employer should hear, he tells me what happened on the day he was brutally fired – after six years as Chancellor – by There...
2022-10-211h 12
Crisis What Crisis?49. Britain’s lockdown shame – the story of the Forgotten 500kIn this special episode we reveal the ongoing crisis being endured by the Forgotten 500,000 … those British people whose compromised immune systems mean they live in constant fear of infection, serious illness or death. For a large number of those men, women and children lockdown has never ended because of a government refusal to act. You’ll hear a shocking first-hand account from English Professor Martin Eve, who is now entering the 134th week of isolation at home. He’s joined by Dr Lennard Lee – a leading NHS oncologist who is campaigning with Martin to bring an end to this appallin...
2022-10-1739 min
Crisis What Crisis?47. Richard Clemmow on the terror of brain cancer, fighting for time and the desperate need for a new approachMy guest for this episode is the journalist, documentary maker and radio script writer, Richard Clemmow. Richard and I are both trustees of Our Brain Bank, a charity which supports people affected by Glioblastoma – one of the most complex and aggressive brain cancers. GBM is a cancer which sadly we both have a very personal connection with. I became a trustee after my family lost my sister Deb almost four years ago after she was diagnosed with a GBM.Richard was married to the pioneering TV executive Jana Bennett. As Director General at the BBC, Jana reached hi...
2022-06-241h 03
Crisis What Crisis?46. James Timpson on almost losing it all, the UK’s prison crisis and the underrated power of kindnessMy guest this today is James Timpson OBE – the inspiring and successful businessman whose family-run company boasts over two thousand Timpsons, Snappy Snaps and other high street brands. In this conversation you’ll hear how the impact of lockdown almost took the company down. As he said, “half of me thought, this is a business experiment to see if we can survive - the other half thought, if we’re going to go down, we might as well go down in style sticking to our values.” You’ll also hear about his loving but somewhat unconvention...
2022-06-101h 05
Crisis What Crisis?45. Dr Nate Zinsser on how to develop the confidence to survive crisisIn this episode I’m joined by the world-renowned performance psychologist, Dr Nate Zinsser. Dr Zinsser (or Dr Z as he’s known) - is the Director of the Performance Psychology Programme at West Point, the US Army’s famous officer training facility. In that role he prepares new and experienced soldiers for the mental stresses of battle. He also works for the FBI and is a top US sports psychologist, helping to guide a number of NFL and Olympic athletes to glory. Dr Z’s new book, The Confident Mind – a Battle Tested Guide for Unshakable Performanc...
2022-06-0359 min
Crisis What Crisis?44. William Hague on managing global crisis, the art of resigning and the pursuit of happinessMy guest today is the former Foreign Secretary William Hague. As someone who has been ‘in the room’ as the decision maker at so many moments of political drama, Lord Hague has an incredibly valuable voice to add to this conversation that we’re having about crisis. From his challenging time as Conservative Party leader, the wilderness years out of frontline politics, the four he spent as Foreign Secretary - and now as businessman and commentator - William has a unique perspective on what makes a crisis and how those in public life should approach managing them. Threaded throughout our di...
2022-05-271h 02
Crisis What Crisis?43. Andrew Marr on his stroke, survival and squeezing the juice out of every dayMy guest today, I am thrilled to say, is one of Britain’s best broadcasters – the brilliant Andrew Marr. Perhaps best known for his Sunday morning politics show, which he recently left after more than 20 years, Andrew is a true polymath – a man who can not only present but who writes prolifically, is a talented painter and who has forgotten more than most of us have learnt about Britain’s history.Andrew is also a survivor – in 2013 he suffered a catastrophic stroke that his wife and children were told would claim his life. He defied his doctors, of course...
2022-05-201h 00
Crisis What Crisis?42. Virginia Buckingham on 9/11, the unbearable burden of blame and moving forwardTo kick off this new series I’m joined by Ginny Buckingham – the quietly spoken, devoted mum-of-two who for a period of her life faced the frankly unfathomable trauma of being publicly blamed for thousands of deaths.Ginny was the boss of Boston’s Logan Airport where, on the morning of September 11th 2001, a group of terrorists boarded American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, airliners that of course very soon after take-off, they would hijack and later fly into New York’s World Trade Centre.Ginny led a daunting, frankly unprecedented crisis management operation at Logan...
2022-05-131h 04
Crisis What Crisis?41. Ukraine Special Episode – Jeremy Bowen speaks to Andy Coulson from KyivMy guest for this special episode – talking to me from the world’s crisis capital Kyiv – is BBC broadcaster Jeremy Bowen.Jeremy’s dramatic dispatches, with his trademark focus on the moving, at times frankly horrific, human stories of loss and despair, have revealed the appalling impact of Russia’s invasion.This is a truly frontline crisis conversation with a man who felt compelled to put himself in danger once more to tell what he describes as the most important story of his 38year career in news.A love for, and perhaps even an addicti...
2022-04-0155 min
Crisis What Crisis?40. Nick Robinson on political crisis, cancer and the long-tail of griefNick Robinson is a man who for more than 25 years has had a seat in the front row of so many political crises. First as a news producer and then in front of the camera as political editor for ITN and the BBC Nick really has witnessed it all when it comes to Westminster drama.Since 2015 Nick has also, of course, fronted Radio 4’s Today Programme, a role in which his piercing interview style has made him respected and feared by our politicians in equal measure.But Nick is also someone who has faced down a...
2022-02-041h 08
Crisis What Crisis?39. Ellis Watson on the search for his Mum, success from crisis and how to spot a bad billionaireFor our first outdoor episode media business leader and one of a kind motivational speaker Ellis Watson joins me for a walk in the Scottish Highlands.Ellis has worked at the sharp end of corporate crisis – heading a national newspaper business, turning around The Greyhound bus operation in the US and as Global CEO of Simon Cowell’s Syco Corporation, before taking charge of UK media group DC Thomson.But behind his professional success is a personal story of resilience and hope. Ellis was given up for adoption as a baby and his teenage search for...
2022-01-2857 min
Crisis What Crisis?38. SHORTCUTS - Roopa Farooki on grief, betrayal and BorisIn this week’s Shortcut episode, we are joined by award-winning author and junior doctor, Roopa Farooki. In February 2020, Roopa - who is the daughter of the celebrated Pakistani novelist, Nasim Ahmed Farooki - lost her sister Kiron to breast cancer. Then weeks later she found herself struggling to cope in an overstretched and under-resourced ITU department, caring for the critically ill Covid-19 patients who were arriving daily at an alarming rate.Her powerful memoir Everything is True, acclaimed by the Guardian as a 2022 must read, is a story of bravery at a time of pe...
2022-01-2119 min
Crisis What Crisis?37. Professor Steve Peters on how to train your brain for crisisIn this episode we have something different as I’m joined by the brilliant psychiatrist Prof. Steve Peters, author of the best-selling The Chimp Paradox.Steve’s landmark book has become a bible for anyone looking to cope with crisis or break down the barriers that can prevent us from living a fuller, happier life. During an illustrious career Steve has worked with people facing life threatening challenges to athletes looking to improve performance - most famously the British cycling team.The Chimp Paradox, which gave Steve rock star status as a psychiatrist, sets out a mi...
2022-01-141h 03
Crisis What Crisis?36. SHORTCUTS - Peter Owen Jones on adoption, authenticity, and unanswered questionsPeter Owen Jones is the former ad man who gave it all up to become a parish priest. By the late 1980s, the former farm boy had carved out a successful career working as a creative director for a top London agency. But shortly before his 30th birthday, Peter walked away from his lucrative career to embrace a simpler, more meaningful life.Known to many as the ‘vicar in the hat’, and seen often on TV, Peter is an unconventional priest – whose views and approach are often at odds with classic Church of England doctrine. Given...
2021-12-2414 min
Crisis What Crisis?35. Pauline Stonehouse on injustice, scandal and survivalPauline Stonehouse found herself at the centre of what is one of Britain’s biggest miscarriages of justice. Between 2000-2015, the post office bullied and prosecuted more than 700 innocent sub post masters and post mistresses. Those prosecutions carried out by the post office’s criminal law division were based on evidence gathered from a recently installed but as it turned out fatally flawed computer system. Some went to prison following convictions for false accounting and theft. Many were financially ruined and shunned by their communities. Others died before their names were cleared. Pauline was forced into bankruptcy, lost her home...
2021-12-171h 08
Crisis What Crisis?34. Bill Browder on murder, guilt and living with fearBill Browder describes himself, with justification, as Vladimir Putin’s number one enemy. His best-selling book Red Notice – an autobiography that reads like a thriller - tells the story of how the grandson of one of America’s best-known communists became one of Russia’s most successful capitalists.Bill is founder of The Hermitage Fund which at its peak became not only the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia but the best performing fund in the world. But when Bill fell foul of Putin’s personal agenda, he was suddenly and dramatically kicked out of Russia. Bill reacted by...
2021-12-101h 11
Crisis What Crisis?33. Guy Hands on fortune, failure and the fear of the ‘Under Toad’In this first episode of our fifth series I talk to Guy Hands - a man who Tom Wolfe would have described as ‘A Master of the Universe’. A private equity titan who through his skill and sheer force of personality has been one of the most successful dealmakers of the last three decades.Not every deal has gone well though – some in fact have gone spectacularly wrong. Most famously his acquisition of EMI was a multi-million-pound failure which still stings. Guy talks with candid honesty about those professional crises and peels back the lid on the secret...
2021-12-031h 00
Crisis What Crisis?32. Dr Richard Shepherd on a career immersed in crisis, his unravelling and why Brits are so bad at deathDr Richard Shepherd (Dick) is an Expert Forensic Pathologist who has conducted over 20,000 post-mortems throughout his illustrious career. Many of these have been in the aftermath of some of the world’s most shocking disasters of recent times – including 9/11, the Clapham rail disaster, 7/7 and the death of Princess Diana.But in 2016 Dick suddenly struggled to separate his work and homelife, something he’d always prided himself on being able to do. It started with a panic attack whilst flying a light aircraft over the town of his first high profile assignment, Hungerford. And it culminated with the simple...
2021-08-271h 01
Crisis What Crisis?31. SHORTCUTS - 15 minutes with author Henry ScowcroftHenry Scowcroft is an award-winning science writer for Cancer Research UK. In 2016, his girlfriend of six years, Zarah Harrison was diagnosed with an aggressive stage four tumour. After a short and brave battle she sadly passed away, with Henry by her side, just as he had been throughout her treatment. Struggling to cope and with a need to understand what had happened, Henry channelled his grief into writing ‘Cross Everything’ – a book which documents both his personal relationship with Zarah and her illness but also their struggle to understand and come to terms with her cancer.The...
2021-08-2019 min
Crisis What Crisis?30. Nimco Ali on the brutality of FGM, intimidation and Girl PowerOur guest this week is Nimco Ali OBE. A leading survivor activist, author and political strategist. Born and raised in Manchester, at the age of six whilst on a trip to Somalia with her Grandparents, she found herself caught in the crossfire of a civil war. Forced to flee and unable to return home, she was for a time a child refugee. She found safety with her family but the following year, faced an altogether different trauma. Organised and encouraged by her own mother, Nimco underwent the brutality of FGM. She later became seriously ill as a result of...
2021-08-061h 02
Crisis What Crisis?29. SHORTCUTS - 15 minutes with former NFL player, Anthony TrucksFor our second Shortcuts episode, we are joined this week by former NFL athlete, Anthony Trucks. Anthony had an incredibly difficult start in life, given up by his mother at the age of three, he was placed into the US foster care system, where he was physically and mentally abused, tortured and starved. At the age of six he was finally placed into a loving family home and at 14 was adopted.Despite the stability, Anthony went dramatically off the rails as a teenager before football rescued him. He went on to play for three NFL teams but...
2021-07-2718 min
Crisis What Crisis?28. Sebastian Coe on Olympic crises, integrity and a sense of the absurdToday’s guest is Lord Sebastian Coe. Double Olympic Gold Medal winner, politician and driving force of the brilliant 2012 London Olympics. Seb’s career has largely been one of triumph. But as President of World Athletics he has also known what it is to be at the centre of crisis … and to have your own integrity questioned. Seb talks about the ups and downs of his life in compelling and frank detail. And he explains how his resilience – both in times of success and difficulty – came from his Yorkshire upbringing and his father and trainer Peter, a man who survived a...
2021-07-201h 17
Crisis What Crisis?27. SHORTCUTS - 15 minutes with Squeeze's Chris DiffordChris Difford is a lyricist and co-founding member of 70’s & 80’s new wave pop band Squeeze. With classic hits such as Tempted, Up The Junction, Labelled With Love & Cool For Cats, his contribution to the British music scene has been considerable and long lasting.In this conversation Chris talks with power and candour about the challenges he has endured and survived including addictions and chronic dyslexia which impacted his childhood deeply.Despite being hindered by a stammer and labelled as ‘backward’ by an unsympathetic school system, Chris was determined to follow his dream to join a band a...
2021-07-0914 min
Crisis What Crisis?26. Lorraine Pascale on rejection, the pity pool and making the mess your messageScouted at the age of just 16 – Lorraine Pascale was the first black model to appear on the cover of US Elle magazine. She featured in the 1998 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and was photographed by the late Corinne Day for The Face magazine with supermodel, Kate Moss. When the modelling career came to an end, she went on to new heights as a chef, an author and TV presenter, achieving success on both sides of the Atlantic.But her early life was a far cry from her later triumphs. Fostered shortly after her birth, then raised by a wo...
2021-07-0254 min
Crisis What Crisis?25. Nick Bailey on being poisoned, losing everything and finding peaceFormer Detective Nick Bailey’s life changed forever with the simple opening of a door. In March 2018, whilst searching the property of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, who’d earlier that day been found collapsed on a Salisbury park bench, Nick came into contact with the deadly nerve agent Novichok. The Salisbury Poisonings, as they came to be known, set off a chain of events which not only put Nick’s life in grave danger but also saw him and his family become collateral damage in an international incident.In this episode Nick talks us through those days of inc...
2021-06-251h 14
Crisis What Crisis?24. Nick Allott OBE on bringing theatre back to life, grief and the art of recoveryNick Allott OBE is one of Britain’s most successful theatre executives. For over 40 years he’s been at the forefront of some of the biggest West End and Broadway shows, including Oliver! Cats, Miss Saigon and Les Misérables. He was executive producer of the Oscar winning Les Mis film and was one of the team who brought Hamilton to London. Now as Vice Chairman of Cameron Macintosh, Nick has also led the fight to save theatre – an industry stricken by the pandemic. In this episode he talks in detail about his approach to crisis management. But he’...
2021-06-181h 12
Crisis What Crisis?Series Four trailerIn this fourth series of Crisis What Crisis, host Andy Coulson will be joined by an array of brilliant guests, all with extraordinary stories of crisis to share. From both a personal and professional perspective, all of our guests offer their wisdom and experience in an attempt to put together the ultimate crisis tool kit. This series also sees the launch of Crisis Shortcuts – shorter episodes that will sit alongside the longer podcasts, in which individuals tell us in their own words about their crises, and how they got through them.
2021-06-1404 min
Crisis What Crisis?23. Nicky Campbell on adoption, guilt and a dog called MaxwellNicky Campbell is one of Britain’s best-known radio and TV presenters - a voice and face of calm, decency and reason. A personality whose talent, craft and ambition led him to Radio One, Wheel of Fortune, Top of the Pops and Watchdog. For the last 18years he has presented the Radio Five Live Breakfast Show and since 2011 Long Lost Family – where he helps reunite adopted children with their birth parents. Yet for so many years, away from the microphones and cameras, Nicky was secretly battling mental health issues that flowed from his own adoption as a baby in Edin...
2021-03-151h 13
Crisis What Crisis?22. Tracey Crouch MP on cancer, resigning from Government and Harry KaneFormer Government Minister Tracey Crouch is the kind of MP who restores your faith in politics. Authentic, no-nonsense and, as she puts it, determined to stay the same person who occasionally goes to the supermarket in her slippers. In this episode she talks us through the crises she’s faced in politics and her personal life, including a diagnosis last year with breast cancer. The Spurs loving former Sports Minister tells us how she managed that crisis with a pragmatic approach driven by perspective, a focus on the positives and a determination to ‘max out on life.’ In this episod...
2021-03-081h 08
Crisis What Crisis?21. Mark Sedwill on handling the COVID crisis, a gun in the face and the power of pizzaMy guest for this episode is someone who can not only talk about what it is to personally face down a life-threatening crisis, but who has worked at the epicentre of multiple crises that have affected us all.Mark, (now Lord) Sedwill, was Cabinet Secretary from 2018 until last year. He was Britain’s most senior civil servant and, to quote from the musical Hamilton, ‘He is the man who was in the room where it happened.’ He has worked at the right hand of two Prime Ministers as they navigated crises including Brexit, the Salisbury poisonings and of cou...
2021-02-201h 06
Crisis What Crisis?20. Claire Danson on being paralysed, avoiding bitterness and finding purposeThis week’s guest is the remarkable former GB triathlete, Claire Danson. Claire’s life was torn apart on August 28th 2019 when she collided with a tractor whilst out training on her bike. Her injuries included the fracture of every bone in her neck, every one of her ribs, both wrists and shoulders and a puncture to both lungs. Tragically she also completely severed her spinal cord, leaving her paralysed from the chest down. Claire, who underwent multiple surgeries, which she was warned she might not survive, was forced to adapt her life drastically – in her words to “learn everythi...
2021-02-1258 min
Crisis What Crisis?19. Dame Jenni Murray on fat shaming, cancer and a call to the SamaritansThe renowned broadcaster and writer Dame Jenni Murray is my guest for Episode 19. For 33 years the brilliant and calm voice of Woman’s Hour, Jenni talks powerfully about the myriad private crises she has faced. Her difficult relationship with her mother led to a lifelong battle with obesity, low self-esteem and, at her most desperate, a call to the Samaritans. In 2006 - the same week that she lost her mother, Jenni was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer resulting in a mastectomy. Jenni, who underwent drastic surgery in 2015 to lose weight, speaks candidly about these and other challenges in her li...
2021-02-051h 14
Crisis What Crisis?18. Nile Rodgers on highs, lows and getting luckyOur guest for episode 18 is the legendary writer, performer, producer and all-round genius Nile Rodgers. Nile is perhaps best known as the co-creator of Chic and the producer of an incomparable list of classic albums by artists including David Bowie, Madonna and Diana Ross. More recently he’s collaborated with Sam Smith, Disclosure and Daft Punk. All of this resulting in 500million worldwide album sales, 75million singles and multiple Grammy Awards. But Nile’s life, from birth, has seen a litany of crises interwoven with stellar success. An upbringing of continual drama, addictions, grief and cancer are just some of t...
2021-01-291h 13
Crisis What Crisis?17. Hemant Oberoi on the Mumbai attacks, loss and humanityIn this first episode of our third series, we talk to Hemant Oberoi. One of India’s best-known chefs, Hemant has cooked for world leaders, Bollywood and Hollywood stars. He is also a man who, when crisis came to his door at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, reacted with a level of courage and selflessness that’s almost impossible to comprehend. In our conversation Hemant talks us through what happened in the terror attacks of 2008 – a few days of horror that left hundreds dead and injured. Thanks to the heroics of Hemant and the staff a significant number of guests...
2021-01-221h 20
Crisis What Crisis?Series Three trailerIn this third series of Crisis What Crisis host Andy Coulson will be joined by guests from all walks of life but all with crisis in common. At the time of recording, we’re once again in the midst of a national lockdown, trying to make sense of an uncertain world but with hope on the horizon. These personal, revealing and sometimes shocking conversations are designed to provide useful guidance and support for anyone facing down their own difficulties.
2021-01-2004 min
Crisis What Crisis?16. Wilko Johnson on mortality, miracles and musicWilko Johnson is one of Britain’s most revered rock stars … the Dr Feelgood guitarist who inspired Paul Weller and Joe Strummer. He’s also a man with a unique perspective on mortality as well as music. After an astonishing career (that included a role in Game of Thrones) Wilko was told in 2013 that he had terminal pancreatic cancer and only months to live. He rejected chemotherapy and set about saying goodbye to his fans around the world in the only way he knew how … with a farewell tour and hit album. Towards the end of his last year a fan –...
2020-12-2850 min
Crisis What Crisis?15. Lemn Sissay MBE on his stolen childhood, a fight for the truth and forgivenessIn this bonus episode I talk to the poet, playwright and broadcaster Lemn Sissay, MBE. Lemn was born in the late 60s to an unmarried Ethiopian woman who was forced to hand him over to social services. Renamed Norman by a social worker of the same name he was fostered by a deeply religious Lancashire family. His mother’s efforts to get him back were ignored and he remained with the same family until the age of 12 when, inexplicably, they handed him back into the care system. Lemn then spent the next eight years being moved around ho...
2020-12-111h 09
Crisis What Crisis?14. Connie Yates on the fight to save her son Charlie Gard, losing control, and the power of hopeIn this final episode of series two I talk to Connie Yates, mother of Charlie Gard who in 2017 was at the centre of a crisis and debate that stretched from the High Court in London, to the Vatican, the White House and into homes across the world. That debate raised issues of medical ethics and the fundamental rights of parents. But for Connie and partner Chris it brought only pain. For the question being asked was the most heart rending imaginable – should their son be kept alive to receive treatment that might extend his life? This is ultimately the st...
2020-11-021h 22
Crisis What Crisis?13. Sir Kim Darroch on Trump, leaks and the art of the resignationSir Kim Darroch is the US Ambassador who, after his unflattering views of President Trump were leaked, found himself persona non grata in the White House. In this episode Sir Kim gives a full and detailed account of the crisis that led to his shock resignation last summer. And he explains how he managed and coped with the high-profile political scandal that brought an end to his 42year diplomatic career. With just days to go to the US election, Sir Kim, whose memoir Collateral Damage is now available, also shares his unique and waspish insights on the President and...
2020-10-261h 02
Crisis What Crisis?12. Payzee Mahmod on child marriage, honour killing and freedomIn this episode fashion stylist and activist Payzee Mahmod gives an intense and moving account of a young life etched with horror, pain but now also, years later, with hope. Payzee was just 15 and living in South London when her Kurdish father ordered her to marry a stranger twice her age. Her 17-year-old sister Banaz had already suffered the same fate. Whilst Payzee lived her own nightmare with an abusive husband, Banaz managed to run away from hers. When she later began a relationship with another man, her punishment was to be abducted, raped and murdered. With a police...
2020-10-191h 13
Crisis What Crisis?11. Mark Hix on going bust, losing his name and battling backMark Hix is one of the greats of British food. His HIX empire spread across London and beyond with a string of critically acclaimed restaurants. But when the COVID lockdown struck, the HIX group quickly crumbled. Mark – having previously handed control to investors – lost everything including the right to use his own name. In his words, he was: “Done, gone, finished for good”. Back in his native Dorset, and a bottle of wine in, he decided to get back in the game … by buying a mobile food truck, converted from an American ambulance, on eBay. This is the astonishing story of a...
2020-10-101h 10
Crisis What Crisis?10. Frank Warren on near-death, fighting Mike Tyson and staying positiveFrank Warren, one of boxing’s greatest ever promoters, has survived and coped with an astonishing amount of incoming crisis throughout his 40-year career. An attempt on his life, a high-profile court case that could have seen him jailed, and the collapse of his dream venue, The London Arena are just three of the dramas that Frank has bounced back from. The question, of course, that I wanted to focus on in this conversation was “How?”. Frank’s formula for resilience is anchored in his ability to stay focused and strategic when all seems lost. As he explains: “I get a big...
2020-10-051h 06
Crisis What Crisis?9. Ruby Wax on anger, optimism and taking ownership of your crisisTV presenter, best-selling author, mental health campaigner and academic – Ruby Wax is a woman always on a mission. That she’s achieved so much whilst managing clinical depression and the burden of a deeply troubled childhood, makes her all the more remarkable. In this episode Ruby talks with power and honesty about how she confronted her demons to reach a deep understanding of what makes her brilliant, but at times troubled, mind tick. And – after travelling far and wide to research her inspirational new book And Now For The Good News – To The Future With Love - she also speaks m...
2020-09-2851 min
Crisis What Crisis?8. Andy Coulson on regrets, resilience and recoveryIn this first episode of the second series, Andy puts himself on the other side of the microphone and talks to journalist and broadcaster Jane Moore about his five-year crisis. A high-profile scandal which unravelled his life and led to a spell in prison. Andy talks about confronting his mistakes and the strategies he deployed to cope and recover. As Andy says, having heard so many crisis stories from others on the podcast, he thought it was only fair that he now shares his. Andy's Crisis Cures: 1. Charles Dickens and The Pickwick Papers: “The old ma...
2020-09-181h 03
Crisis What Crisis?Series Two trailerIn this second series Andy Coulson, former newspaper editor, No10 Communications Director and inmate of HMP Belmarsh, will be joined by another fascinating and eclectic mix of guests. They all have one thing in common...survival in the face of crisis. With such uncertainty remaining in all our lives, these are shocking, moving and, at times, amusing stories worth sharing.
2020-09-1004 min
Crisis What Crisis?Series One trailerIn this new series, Crisis What Crisis? Andy Coulson – former newspaper editor, Downing Street Communications Director and inmate of HMP Belmarsh – talks to the embattled, shamed, courageous, ruined, resilient, unlucky (and lucky) survivors of crisis. Some names will be familiar, some less so. But they will talk honestly, with humour and in the hope that they have valuable lessons to share at a time when crisis has become the new normal. Crisis What Crisis? is all about frank, authentic and useful storytelling. First episode coming soon...
2020-06-0502 min