At first glance this promised to be a full blown Britain’s Got Talent conversation, a look behind the scenes at what it’s like to step onto that famous stage, to meet Simon, Amanda, Alesha and Bruno, and to experience the whirlwind of television fame.

But this story sits somewhere else entirely.

When Mark Smutz Smith, respected artist manager, lecturer, songwriter and creative mentor, heard about the Post Office scandal and the plight of those caught up in it, he couldn’t just stand by. A life immersed in music became the catalyst for something far greater, a mobilisation of people and places from his past. Reaching back through friendships and old connections, he found himself part of a movement that, almost instinctively, helped to form a choir that would lift not only voices but spirits.

Through those connections runs a thread that leads to Bequia, the small Caribbean island that anchors friendships and emboldens connections, an idyllic backdrop to the tumultuous life events that unfold in this compelling interview.

The Gobsmacked! moment comes when the conversation shifts. What begins in the world of showbiz and performance opens into something deeply human. When family stories surface and truth begins to settle, this becomes a story about redemption, belonging, and the power of song to bring people home to themselves, even when grief and disorientation still reverberate.

This podcast is dedicated to Avril Teresa Smith.

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