From growing up in Wales, attending RADA in London and becoming a Hollywood film star living an LA life, to refocusing on activism and developing community projects in his home town of Port Talbot, Michael Sheen has changed a lot over the years. Here Michael talks about all these changes - his early childhood memories of moving around and feeling displaced, his first ever heartbreak, having a bruised ego and crisis of confidence in drama school, struggling with the move to LA, his relationship break down with his ex wife Kate Beckinsale, his career changing moments and ultimately why he changed focus from acting to activism. He covers it all!!

Michael talks enthusiastically about his project ‘the Passion’ in Port Talbot, setting up the End High Cost Credit Alliance to stop exploitation of people with no money and his commitment to causes being tested when he was faced with putting everything on the line for the Homeless World Cup. It’s a fascinating listen! 

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2% of the population suffer from Body Dysmorphic disorder. This week’s guest, Denise, hated her nose so much that she eventually had surgery to alter it. Following the surgery, her mental health deteriorated and she was sectioned and diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. BDD is characterised by someone having a preoccupation with perceived flaws in their physical appearance, which are unnoticeable to others. People don’t want to leave the house, or see other people at all. It took 15 years for Denise to be diagnosed! In this conversation she tells us about her experience of living with BDD and the impact on her life, how her stay in a psychiatric ward helped her to change her life and her strong belief that our attitudes and education about mental health need to drastically change. What could improved mental health services look like? Denise draws on her experience of the systems currently in place to explore some ideas with Annie.

Denise volunteered to share her story through the charity Mind. Huge thanks to both Mind and Denise. 

Denise discusses how philosophy and stoicism have helped her. You can find out more about stoicism here: https://dailystoic.com/what-is-stoicism-a-definition-3-stoic-exercises-to-get-you-started/

Warning: This episode discusses mental illness including references to suicide and depression. 

Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, In the UK, you can contact Mind on 0300 123 3393 or head to mind.org.uk. The Samaritans can also be contacted 24/7 on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here: http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html

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Alison Lapper is a celebrated artist, best known for being the subject of a very famous piece of art, a Marc Quinn sculpture which caused uproar at the time depicting her ‘limbless body’, no arms and very short legs, heavily pregnant with her son Parys. The statute rested on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar square and proved quite the subversive neighbour to the other male war heroes depicted on the other plinths. Parys was born able bodied and healthy and his arrival was the beginning of nearly two decades of Alison having to prove herself capable as a Mother to the social services and to the general public. In the Summer of 2019, Parys died at the age of 19 following struggles with mental health and addiction. 

In this raw conversation with Annie, she talks about her mother’s rejection of her as a baby, her childhood in care and the challenges she has faced in society as a disabled person and mother. Alison speaks about her unique bond with Parys and the issues surrounding his death, including the changes that she thinks we need to help those living with disabilities or mental health illnesses. Alison is remarkable with a strength of will, humour and determined spirit like no other. 

If you would like to find out more about Alison you can go to:

Website: www.alilapper.com

Instagram: alison_lapper_mbe

Facebook: Ali Lapper

Alison is a full member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, that would be fantastic, website link - mfpa.uk

Warning: This episode discusses mental illness including depression and addiction, drug misuse and has references to suicide.

Should you be affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html

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Tammie Jo was told ‘girls don’t fly’ before defying the odds to become one of the first female pilots in the US Navy, going on to save 148 lives when she landed a plane after an engine exploded cracking a window, and sucking one passenger half way out. 

In this gripping conversation, Tammie Jo tells Annie about the many doors slammed in her face by the army and the navy and how with her dogged persistence and self belief, she eventually triumphed as a fighter pilot and went on to be a trailblazer for women in aviation in the US. We hear how she dealt with anxiety as a child and how she learnt to fight off bullies from a young age for her sister and how when she piloted Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 on that fateful day in April 2018, her childhood experiences helped her to remain calm in the face of panic all around her. Tammie tells Annie why, despite her experience that day, which sadly ended with one fatality, she is still in love with flying and how she now uses her flying skills to help people in need by volunteering for the nonprofit organisation, Angel Flight.

Tammie is a beacon of change! Such a calm and humble woman and this is a must-listen if you need to feel inspired!  

You can buy a copy of her book here: Nerves Of Steel: How I Followed My Dreams, Earned My Wings, and Faced My Greatest Challenge

https://www.amazon.com/Nerves-Steel-Followed-Greatest-Challenge/dp/0785228314/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=nerves+of+steel&qid=1554931659&s=gateway&sr=8-5

You can follow Tammie Jo on instagram and twitter @captainshults

Warning: This episode discusses in detail the events of part of a plane exploding mid flight and a passenger losing their life which could be sensitive for some listeners.

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Do you believe people with extremist views can change? Our guest this week is Nigel Bromage, who spent decades in dangerous far right organisations such as the National Front, British Movement and Combat 18. In this unique and revealing conversation, Nigel tells Annie how he was groomed into the National Front as a teenager, when he was at his most vulnerable after his Mother’s death, and how after over 20 years in the far-right, he finally managed to escape. Since then he has worked tirelessly to effect change by helping people to leave far right groups and educating communities about extremism through Exit UK, which he founded. He has even come face to face with someone he committed a hate crime against in his past, something which Nigel tells you about here. 

In a world where the far right movement is growing exponentially to dangerous effect, there has never been a more important time for Nigel and Exit UK’s work. His story is a real insight into the minds of extremists, and a stark reminder that we are all, no matter how much hate we carry, ultimately the same emotionally vulnerable people underneath. And how no matter how far we go down a road, it is always possible to change course.

Content Warning: this episode discusses far right extremism with references to hate crimes, racism and violence. 

If you want to know more, need help or know someone who does head to www.exituk.org

You can contact them via:

[email protected]

facebook.com/exituk

0800 999 1945

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Beth Ditto went from growing up in the conservative south of the USA to being the punk front woman of Gossip and posing nude on the cover of NME. She is a queer icon and a feminist who promoted body positivity long before it was cool. 

With her usual hilarity and frankness, Beth Ditto speaks to Annie about her unconventional childhood in a huge family and living with her Aunt in her teens, a relationship which shaped Beth and influenced her passion for feminism. She opens up about how at 15 years old her Aunt’s death changed her, coming out to her family as gay and leaving the south behind. At 32, Beth married her best friend. Here, she reflects on divorce and how her current relationship with Ted Kwo, a trans man, has finally made her feel fulfilled and changed her perspective on love and how that should feel. A queen like no other - can you guess what she would like to change in her life now? 

Content Warning: this episode references child carers, underage sex, death and religion. There are explicit references to sex and strong language.

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Surprise! In this special episode on change, our planet and sustainability, award winning producer for Blue Planet II, Orla Doherty, shares her incredibly unique perspective on our oceans. Orla made huge changes in her life to get to where she is today - her love for the ocean came later in life at the age of 30 when she learnt to scuba dive, but when she fell, she fell hard!! She went on to quit her job in London as a TV producer and spent 10 years on a boat exploring coral reefs. After returning to dry land, turning 40 and moving back in with her parents, she went on to marry her TV work with her ocean exploration experience and spent over 500 hours at depths of 1,000 metres in three oceans filming ‘The Deep’ and the series finale of Blue Planet II. The series was a huge success being the most watched TV series on the BBC in 2017 sparking conversations around the world about the effect of plastic on our oceans - known as the Blue Planet effect. Orla shares her phenomenal journey and her thoughts on the changes we need to make, the biggest challenges in effecting change and why she would happily live under the sea. 

This special bonus episode is sponsored by The Mercedes-Benz A-Class which is now available as a Plug-in Hybrid with an all-electric range of up to 44 miles.

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In this wonderfully compelling conversation, The Booker Prize winning author opens up to Annie about her childhood, going to the Youth Theatre, losing herself in a toxic relationship with another woman and her hopes for the future of society. 

As the first black woman to win the Booker Prize, Bernardine Evaristo is, rightly so, unashamedly basking in the huge success of her ninth novel ‘Girl, Woman, Other’. In this episode, Bernardine takes Annie through her journey with writing and speaks about enjoying mainstream recognition much later in life, believing in herself and the sacrifices she has made. She describes herself as “unstoppable” - something which may not have happened had she not experienced the changes she has in her life. 

You can buy the book and find out more about Bernardine’s work here: https://bevaristo.com/girl-woman-other/

You can follow Bernardine on twitter: @BernardineEvari and instagram: @bernardineevaristowriter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a child within the space of six months, Romesh Ranganathan’s house was repossessed, he changed schools, his mum found out his dad was having an affair and his dad went to prison! Later in life, Romesh changed careers from being a maths teacher to a comedian, something he almost gave up following his Dad’s death. Since then Romesh has become a BAFTA winner and one of the most successful comedians in the UK. In this interview Romesh talks openly about all these changes with his usual cynical wit, including the very personal conversations he had with his Dad, lessons learnt, failure and of course the laughs along the way!  

Romesh’s new book ‘As Good As It Gets - Life Lessons from a Reluctant Adult’ is out on 15 October 2020. 

You can pre order it here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/as-good-as-it-gets/romesh-ranganathan/2928377041731

You can buy tickets for his 2021 tour 'The Cynic's Mixtape' here: https://www.romeshranganathan.co.uk/tour/

And you can follow Romesh on instagram and twitter @romeshranga 

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