Heartstopper fans, if you loved Charlie as much as I did this episode is for YOU, as today we are joined by the man himself, Joe Locke. And he’s even greater in real life, if you can believe it!

Joe beat 10,000 hopefuls to win his first ever on-screen role as Charlie in the hit Netflix show, which follows his character as he falls for the school jock, Nick, played by Kit Connor. If you haven’t seen it the show - WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN - it’sbased on the graphic novels by Alice Oseman, so get onto Netflix right now because it will make you feel all the feelings, and its a joyful celebration of queer love that is beyond needed on our screens.

In this episode Joe joins us from his family home on the Isle of Man where he is currently juggling overnight fame with revising for his A-Levels, and talks about his journey from island life to the set of a Netflix hit show and the lifetime friendships he built working on it.

Joe also talks about feeling like an outsider - much like Charlie does in the show - and how we need to rethink viewing that as a negative thing, and I couldn’t agree more! He also chats about tearing up the rule book about what a leading man should be and look like, and he shares his thoughts on coming out.

Like so many of you, this show means so much to me so I hope you love listening to this episode with Joe as much as I did talking to him. I also hope you continue to listen and find the power to Reign in your own lives. If you love this episode, please get in touch (follow me across social media @joshsmithhosts), I love hearing from you. Love, Josh xxx

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