Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

• Natalie Haynes: Greek Myths, Medea and the Comedy of Classics

  Natalie Haynes has never been easy to categorise. A stand-up comedian turned broadcaster and best-selling author, she has built a career out of making the ancient world vivid, funny and urgent. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien talks with the presenter of Stand Up for the Classics about her unusual path from Birmingham bookshops to the Edinburgh Fringe, and from Radio 4 to re-imagining Medea.They explore the strange alchemy of combining scholarship with humour, the myths that refuse to let her go, and why Jason may be one of antiquity’s least heroic heroes. Natalie reflects on the teachers and family who first filled her life with books, the risks of carving out a career that no one else was doing, and the joy of turning classical stories into something alive for modern audiences.Clever, warm and very funny, Natalie shows how ancient tragedy and modern comedy can illuminate each other- and why she still feels most at home with the ghosts of Greece.Find out more about Natalie Haynes book and tour No Friend to This House here

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• From The Vault: Brian Cox

  From a childhood in Dundee marked by loss, poverty and resilience, to becoming one of the most respected actors of his generation, Brian Cox’s life and career have been defined by an unrelenting pursuit of truth on and off stage. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner reflects on the death of his father at eight years old, the formative influence of his mother’s struggles with mental health, and the teachers who first spotted his talent.Cox charts his journey from the Dundee Repertory Theatre to the Royal Shakespeare Company, the West End and Hollywood, revisiting the defining roles that shaped his craft- from portraying Hannibal Lecter before Anthony Hopkins to his acclaimed turn as Logan Roy in Succession. He speaks candidly about the compromises and convictions that have steered his career, the cultural and political forces that have shaped his worldview, and his ongoing belief in the power of storytelling to confront injustice.Thoughtful, uncompromising and rich with anecdote, this episode offers a compelling portrait of an actor whose commanding presence is matched by his fierce intellect and refusal to play by the rules.

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• From The Vault: Miriam Margolyes

  From a childhood in Oxford shaped by unconditional love, Jewish heritage and a keen sense of curiosity, to a career spanning stage, screen, voice work and bestselling memoir, Miriam Margolyes’ life has been anything but ordinary. In this candid conversation with James O’Brien, the beloved actor reflects on the security of her early years, the sting of antisemitism, and the moment she first felt at home on stage. She recalls her path from Cambridge Footlights to the BBC, the breakthrough of her one-woman show Dickens’ Women, and the global recognition that came with Harry Potter.Margolyes speaks openly about her voracious appetite for people and stories, her refusal to shy away from controversy, and the enduring influence of her parents- from her mother’s theatrical aspirations to her father’s financial frankness. Along the way, she shares unvarnished memories of working with Hollywood greats, the exhilaration of live performance, and the friendships collected across decades in the public eye.Frank, funny and utterly herself, this episode offers an unfiltered portrait of a national treasure who remains as curious, mischievous and compelling as ever.

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• Cariad Lloyd: Talking About Grief Changed My Life

  Cariad Lloyd never set out to become the voice of modern grief, but after losing her father at just fifteen, the silence around death stayed with her. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks with the actor, comedian and creator of Griefcast podcast about how turning her personal loss into public conversation has transformed both her life and others'.Together they explore the tension between comedy and sorrow, the strange rituals of mourning, and why so many of us feel unequipped to talk about death. Cariad shares the moments that shaped her, the people she’s never forgotten, and how the making of her book You Are Not Alone helped her say what so many struggle to find words for.Poignant, funny, and gently radical, Cariad reflects on love, loss, and learning to hold space for the chaos of being human.Find out more about Cariad Lloyd’s children’s book, Where Did She Go?: A heartfelt story to help children understand loss here

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• Kevin Rowland: Beyond Come On Eileen

  From a shifting childhood split between Wolverhampton, rural Ireland and London, to fronting one of the most distinctive and uncompromising bands of the 1980s, Kevin Rowland’s life has been defined by defiance, vision and resilience. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Dexys Midnight Runners frontman reflects on the lasting impact of a father’s harsh words, the struggle to find his place in the world, and the burning drive to prove himself through music and style.Rowland speaks candidly about the creation and evolution of Dexys- from their soulful beginnings and fiercely protected aesthetic, to the extraordinary success of Come On Eileen and the pressures that came with it. He recalls the relentless control he exerted to protect his artistic vision, the personal cost of that intensity, and the creative compromises he would later come to regret.The conversation also explores his battle with addiction, the turning point that led to his recovery in 1993, and the revelations that followed as he began to confront the past he had long avoided. Now, with three decades of sobriety behind him, Kevin talks about continuing music on his own terms, embracing new ideas, and learning to be kinder to himself.Honest, unflinching and unexpectedly uplifting, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the man behind Dexys, the making of a global hit, and the life that came after.Find out more about Kevin Rowland’s memoir Bless Me Father here

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