When I saw the news about the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of ‘sex’, I knew it was a topic I needed to understand better. As a straight cis man, it could be easy for me to ignore these news stories, but as a human, I know it’s a topic I can’t ignore.

Bel Priestley is a trans actress, best known for her breakout role in Netflix’s Heartstopper, but her journey to that point is a story filled with pain, bravery and incredible strength. I’ve known Bel a while, and having seen her tearful TikTok after the Supreme Court ruling, wanted to invite her into the studio to chat.

At just 21, Bel has lived through extremes - from being bullied at school to rising as one of Gen Z’s most influential LGBTQ+ voices. Through honesty and courage, she’s turned her platform into a beacon for trans visibility. She opens up about what it means to be a trans woman in the UK today, especially in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that’s shaken her community, and what it’s like to navigate love and hate when the odds feel relentlessly stacked against you.

Bel shares, with heartbreaking honesty, the darkest chapters of her life: surviving sexual assault, enduring years of abuse and rejection, and the mental toll of fighting simply to exist. But she also shares what it means to find power through pain, how vital her chosen family has been, and why she’s most worried not for herself, but for the next generation of trans youth.

Through it all, Bel radiates warmth, humour and wisdom. This is a conversation about strength, identity, and the fundamental right to be who you are.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

Amanza Smith might be best known for Selling Sunset, but her journey to the woman she is today is jaw-dropping. She’s lived one of those lives which makes you stop and wonder how she made it through. That’s why it was such a privilege to sit down with her today.

Having survived a traumatic childhood marked by abuse and racism, Amanza battled with addiction that almost cost her life, but possessing a strength you rarely see, she got herself clean through sheer willpower. She spoke to me about how her daughter saved her life, triggering a path towards healing from the abuse she’d experienced as a child. Amanza spoke openly about cutting ties with her mother, and how she became a single mother overnight when her partner vanished, and who she’s never had contact with again.

Despite experiencing so much, Amanza was brimming with laughter and joy - this conversation is rich in emotion, in positivity and in feeling. It’s a powerful reminder that even when it feels like life is breaking you, you can always rebuild.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Editor: Dan King

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

Sleep is something we all do, or at least we’re supposed to do. But for many people, it’s far from a restful reset; it’s a daily struggle that affects every part of life and is a powerful took for protecting both our mental and physical health. I was keen to chat to Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist and sleep expert, about the biggest misconceptions around sleep and how we can help ourselves when it comes to resting well.

From improving memory and mood, to long-term health, Dr Lindsay breaks down what sleep actually is, and explains how the brutal cycle of insomnia is usually triggered by an anxiety which is often easier to treat than many realise, offering real hope to anyone feeling stuck. I then asked her about sleeping trends - mouth taping, sleepy teas - is there any truth in these, and is eight-hours really the optimum amount of sleep to get? She also explains why teenagers are biologically programmed to wake up later, and even answers my burning question: should you sleep naked?

This is a fascinating conversation about something that makes up a third of your life.

If you want to find out more about the work Dr Lindsay does, you can find her on @DrBrowningSleep or troublesleeping.co.uk

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

When I was at uni, I’d come home from a day of lectures and put Raymond Blanc’s shows on my laptop - he was my safe space, and watching him would always calm any anxiety and make me feel calm. So when he replied to my message inviting him onto my show, excited is an understatement. 

Raymond is a true legend of the culinary world - holding two Michelin stars for the last 41 years, mentoring some of the greatest - from Heston Blumenthal to Marco Pierre White - and being entirely self-taught! You could say there’s a romance to his childhood, but growing up in post-war France was far from easy; gardening a lot of their own food, the hard work instilled by his father, combined with his obsession with the details, led him to seek excellence, becoming the best cleaner, the best waiter, the best chef and ultimately cultivating the best culinary experience in the country. Then during the pandemic, Raymond nearly lost it all when he developed a very serious case of COVID, but his relentless drive never faded, making a full recovery.

Raymond’s story is one of boldness and strength, how through grit, humility and a deep belief in your craft, you can create joy

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

This episode is a little bit different: it’s with someone whose name I doubt you’ll know, but it’s a story which, as soon as I heard, I knew I wanted to share with you all on Great Company.

Riordan Maynard was a high flying business man until one day it all came crashing down - he doesn’t shy away from the crimes he committed - but they resulted in him serving almost seven years in a maximum high security prison in the states for tax fraud. Promised a low-security camp to serve his sentence, instead he was sent to a maximum security prison, he came into contact with real violence and aggression.

Riordan doesn’t hold back about the realities of life in prison - how it almost broke him, spiralling mentally, and riddled with guilt for leaving his family without provision. But that time away also taught him mental resilience and he has since come out a different man.

This is a raw, powerful conversation about accountability, redemption and the strength of the human mind to shift, even when in the darkest of places.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

What to expect in this episode:

• Writing letters from prison
• Beating boredom and making the most of each day
• How I became a businessman
• Breaking ground in the mobile phone game
• How I ended up behind bars
• When the business started to fall apart
• The morning of the arrest
• The charges brought against me
• First impressions of prison life
• How I felt being found guilty
• Fighting the temptation to go on the run
• Why prison was actually good for me
• How brutal those first few months inside were
• Being forced into a gang while in prison
• Witnessing a prison murder
• My first night behind bars
• The impact it had on my family
• The moment I realised I could change my mindset
• The Final Eight Questions

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

In March 2025, I embarked on probably the hardest challenge of my life, running from London to Manchester, completing five ultramarathons in five days with Radio 1 for Comic Relief.

I don’t think anyone anticipated how big the challenge would become - nor did I fully appreciate the scale of what I was undertaking, but needless to say it was a life changing experience and raised £2.26million for an incredible cause.

I wanted to bring you - our wonderful Great Company listeners - a bonus episode of the show, to dive back into that week and give you insight into my reasons for running and the toll it took on me mentally.

To be totally honest, I’ve not quite felt fully back to normal since completing the challenge, but I wanted to be open with you all and say that wherever you are, and whatever you’re going through, you really are not alone - people are truly amazing and when we support each other, the world is a much brighter place that it can seem. It’s ok to admit when you’re not OK - in fact, it’s more than OK, it’s incredibly strong.

So, after a few weeks to reflect, here’s my open and honest account of that wild week in March, when we ran from London to Manchester.

Jamie x

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

Kane Brown is a trailblazer in country music, with two diamond records, platinum albums, and chart-topping collaborations that have set him apart. Despite his massive success, his path has been anything but easy: Kane is someone who finds it hard to open up, so I was honoured to get a chance to sit down with him…

We started by talking about emotions—how Kane’s struggle to feel them deeply stems from a tough childhood marked by abuse from his stepdads, and constantly moving, attending over a dozen schools. He shared how depression made happiness feel out of reach, but learnt to communicate through his music which has gone on to connect with millions of people - starting on Facebook and refusing to quit, he built his profile to be one of the biggest country stars of today. Kane also shared with me how his understanding of success has changed since becoming a father: his children are his greatest success.

This conversation is the epitome of showing resilience; the strength to keep going, find hope, and change your own path, even when life feels impossible.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

Have you ever listened to a podcast and felt it’s changed your life? That happened to me when I listened to an episode of my guest today’s podcast at one of my lowest points. It’s one of the reasons I love podcasting - that ability to really connect and speak to people, and I was so delighted to welcome Dr Rangan Chatterjee onto my own podcast today…

Dr Rangan is one of the UK’s most well-known doctors, but he’s also a best-selling author and host of the aforementioned, hugely successful podcast, Feel Better, Live More. We talked about stress—what it really is, how it can spiral into anxiety, and how it is driving the growing issue of low libido in younger age groups. Rangan shared his unique perspective on regrets, and he shared some useful tips on how to change your mindset and grow healthier habits.

He also shared two powerful questions he asks himself every morning to start the day feeling empowered, along with his advice for anyone struggling to see how life can get better.

This conversation was a reminder that small, consistent actions can have a huge impact—and that showing compassion to others and ourselves matters more than we realise.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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Find Dr. Rangan Chatterjee’s new book Make Change That Lasts here: https://drchatterjee.com/books/make-change-that-lasts/

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

Jessie Reyez is a Canadian singer-songwriter who’s worked with the likes of Eminem, Duo Lipa, Calvin Harris - she’s a real musician’s musician, but the thing that has always struck me about Jessie was her energy: her music oozes emotion so I was excited to get her in the studio to chat.

Jessie chatted to me about those big emotions she feels - how music saved her from the depths of depression age 16 and has continued to be a necessary outlet for her feelings. She opened up about her sobriety, sharing that even though she is nearly two years sober, she still misses alcohol during her lowest moments, but she is clear that life is so much better now. Jessie also bravely spoke about a producer who took advantage of her, without naming names, and why she the felt guilt in the aftermath of it all.

This conversation was a powerful reminder of the importance of giving yourself space to feel and process your emotions and how strength often comes from leaning into those lows.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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Find Jessie's new album Paid in Memories here: https://www.jessiereyez.com/

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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

Dr. Aliza Pressman is a renowned childhood expert and developmental psychologist with two decades of experience; she also has a hugely successful podcast and has written multiple books about how to raise good humans. I was excited to speak to her as the topic of children becomes more and more relevant in my life…

Aliza chatted to me about the incredible way both children and parents’ brains develop, the importance of boundaries and structure in nurturing a child. Our conversation goes beyond the research, giving into the realities of parenting, the power of secure attachment and how our own inner child shapes the way we raise our kids.

This conversation reminded me that there is no one size fits all approach with parenting - it’s a journey, not a test.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected]

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And if you want to listen to more of Dr. Aliza you can find her podcast Raising Good Humans here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCujIiYYaZ3vI1ZE9VBts?si=36e97be6841e4bd7

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THE CREDITS

Exec Producer: Jemima Rathbone

Assistant Producer: Gurlina Heer

Editor: Dan King

Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby

Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot

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