This week, Eddie is in London, looking over a wind-damaged O2 Arena with the man who will be lighting up the ring on the weekend: WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie. Ahead of a crucial bout, Eddie and Lawrence take a step back and look at his career; from being an amateur working at McDonalds, seeing AJ and Usain bolt take London 2012 by storm, to deciding to follow his dream, which led him to Rio 2016, the Commonwealth Games, and eventually to being a world champion. This series, you can get in touch with the show if you have a question for Eddie, you can email the show at nopassionnopoint@bbc.co.uk and your email could be read out on the show. Production Coordinator : Sarah Nicholls
Sound Recordist: David Thomas The producers were Rajiv Karia & Gwyn Rhys Davies, and it’s a BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 5 Live.

Lawrence Okolie

Eddie Hearn, one of the world’s best-known sports promoters, goes behind the scenes with some of the biggest names from the worlds of sport and entertainment. First episodes include YouTube star KSI, England's leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney and world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua.

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Sports

Rapper and actor Bugzy Malone talks to Eddie about his tough childhood in Manchester and his journey to stardom. Stabbed when he was just 11 years old, he got involved in crime as a young teenager. After a short stint in prison he determined to improve his life and turned to boxing where he learned to use discipline and hard work to achieve his dreams in music. Bugzy tells Eddie about his new album, The Great British Dream, the rumours about him fighting Floyd Mayweather, acting alongside Jason Statham and his growing business involvement in fashion and fragrance. If you’ve been affected by the topics discussed, you can find more information and support on the BBC Action Line website: http://bbc.co.uk/actionline

Bugzy Malone

Magician and illusionist, Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo, talks to Eddie Hearn about his tough childhood in Bradford, his rise to stardom and how being open about his mental health struggles has led to him creating magic out of joy for the first time. Dynamo is one of the world's most celebrated magicians. His tricks have seen him walk on water and stroll down the side of a huge building and his TV series Magician Impossible was watched by millions of people around the globe. But it hasn't been an easy path to success. It was being badly bullied at school that led to him learning magic in the first place. He’s also has Crohn's disease, a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease, since he was a teenager. He used these challenges to build a stunning career but has hidden behind the persona he created. In recent years he’s opened up about his mental health struggles and attempted suicide but says he’s now happier than ever and looking forward to creating new magic. If you’ve been affected by the topics discussed, you can find more information and support on the BBC Action Line website: http://bbc.co.uk/actionline

Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo

Rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield talks to Eddie Hearn about being a father, coach and charity ambassador. They discuss how raising money and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease has been the most fulfilling work he’s ever done and how it’s changed him as a person. He learned early in his career that he relied on the team to do well and the way to get the best out of those around him was to try and support them. He played rugby league for England and Great Britain and captained Leeds Rhinos to seven Super League championships and two Challenge Cup wins. Kevin has taken the sense of camaraderie from team sport in to retirement taking on astonishing challenges to support one of his best friends and fellow Leeds player Rob Burrow who has MND. Whether it’s running seven marathons in seven days from Glasgow to Manchester, or seven marathons in seven days in seven cities he’s raised millions of pounds along the way. “The best thing when I look back is not the money, it's not the trophies, it's the friendships and the memories I've got. And I do know that if I fell on some difficult times there'd be some people I played alongside for a number of years... would be there for me and I don't think you can put a price on that.”

Kevin Sinfield

Eddie Hearn talks to one of the best darts players of all time, Michael van Gerwen. “Mighty Mike” is a three-time PDC World Champion, and in May 2023 made Premier League darts history with his seventh title, beating Phil Taylor’s record of six. At just 17 years old he won the 2006 World Masters and threw a nine-dart finish in the 2007 Masters of Darts – the youngest player to do both. In 2014, at the age of 24, van Gerwen became the youngest winner of the PDC World Championship, a record he still holds, as well as being one of only five players to win it more than once. He tells Eddie that other players might be better at one thing or another – but he believes he’s the only player with both great technical ability and strong mental attitude.

Michael van Gerwen

Eddie Hearn talks to Charley Hull, a golfing superstar who's been obsessed with the game of golf since she was a toddler and always believed she’d be a professional player. When she turned professional in 2013, Hull achieved five consecutive second-place finishes on the Ladies European circuit winning Rookie of the Year, and became the youngest competitor to participate in the Solheim Cup aged 17 years. Her career so far has included two victories on the LPGA Tour and three on the Ladies European Tour. After a diagnosis for ADHD and anxiety in 2023 she came second in two majors and tells Eddie how that’s helped her understand herself better and come up with strategies to cope.

Lawrence Okolie

Download our free app to listen on your phone