This week we are celebrating all things love and we are joined by an artist I, and so many of you love, Joy Crookes.

The BRIT Award nominee shot to fame with her top five debut album, Skin which gave us the absolute belters ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’ and ‘When You Were Mine.’

Now as Joy prepares for release album two in September this year - which has already given us ‘I Know You’d Kill’ and ‘Carmen’ - we take a look back at Joy’s journey from growing up in South London doing Irish Dancing for a McDonald’s Happy Meal (that’s our gal!) to picking up an Argos guitar and finding her way to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. 

As we look back we also talk about how Joy isn’t interested in being an artist who doesn’t use her voice and platform, the politics of shame and the power of strangers. 

There is so much to take away from this chat but what I found so refreshing about this episode is how honest Joy is about how finding love made her really reflect on herself and started a mental health crisis. This really spoke to me because it isn’t always a honeymoon period when you are truly seen by someone for the first time but it’s so worth it in the end.  

If you loved this conversation with Joy as much as I did, please do get in touch as I love talking to you. You can get me on @joshsmithhosts and come back on Thursday because we will be serving you a bonus episode of the podcast with the audience questions from the show! It’s an absolute hoot so you don’t want to miss it! Love, Josh x

P.S. I am so happy that today’s episode is brought to you with the support of Pandora. Reign and Pandora both stand for the power of telling your own story in your way, and that’s where Pandora’s charm bracelets come in. Each charm can tell a different story about who we are - from the memory of an incredible trip that we loved, to the birthstone of someone special in our lives, or a charm to celebrate an achievement, however big or small! Start telling your story with Pandora by heading to pandora.net

P.P.S If all this self-love chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones, check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Talk To Anyone. Make New Connections. Improve Your Relationships’ is out now in paperback and audiobook! Whether you are socially anxious or a confident communicator already, the book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone in any situation, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it!

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Why have one episode of the podcast with Jodie Comer in a week when you can have TWO!?! 

Jodie is the guest that keeps on giving so I decided to spoil you this week by dropping a bonus episode with the audience questions from ‘Reign’ live on the West End at the Adelphi Theatre.

The audience really delivered with the questions, so I wanted to share this part of the show with you. We cover a lot of bases here, from Jodie’s surprising first celebrity crush to her amazing words on building a legacy. 

I really hope this brings you as much joy and inspiration as it did me and just remember, in the words of the iconic boy band Blue, “one love is all you need,” babes! 

Make sure you listen to the full live recording with Jodie, if you haven’t already and  I really hope we get to do another live event soon, so follow me on @joshsmithhosts to get updates and I’ll see you soon for another episode of Reign. Love Josh x

P.S If all this self-love chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones, check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Talk To Anyone. Make New Connections. Improve Your Relationships’ is out now in paperback and audiobook! Whether you are socially anxious or a confident communicator already, the book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone in any situation, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it!

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I have lost count how many times you have asked me to get Jodie Comer back on the podcast so when we did we had to go big or go home! So this episode was recorded in front of a 1000 plus strong audience at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End - it was a dream come true, everyone who came bought the energy and the chat really delivered! 

In this episode Jodie reflects back on her career from her very first performance, to her Bafta and Emmy award winning role as Villanelle in ‘Killing Eve’. Just before Jodie embarks on a nationwide tour of her Olivier and Tony Award winning role in the one woman play, ‘Prima Facie’ we talk about the game changing conversations around consent the show has started and of course we cover her latest movie role in the eagerly anticipated sequel, ‘28 Years Later’ which is out in cinemas now! 

As the event also celebrated the paperback release of my book, ‘Great Chat: Talk To Anyone. Build New Connections. Improve Your Relationships’ Jodie shares some of the great chats that have shaped her and the power of feeling seen in intimate relationships. 

There is so much to take away from this conversation but I really hope Jodie’s words inspire you to get out of your own way and find your worth. 

If you loved this conversation with Jodie as much as I did, please do get in touch as I love talking to you. You can get me on @joshsmithhosts and come back on Thursday because we will be serving you a bonus episode of the podcast with the audience questions from the show! It’s an absolute hoot so you don’t want to miss it! Love, Josh x

P.S If all this self-love chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones, check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Talk To Anyone. Make New Connections. Improve Your Relationships’ is out now in paperback and audiobook! Whether you are socially anxious or a confident communicator already, the book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone in any situation, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it!

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I am so excited to share this very special bonus episode of the podcast with you, it’s an extract of my audio book, ‘Great Chat: Talk To Anyone. Make New Connections and Improve Your Relationships’ which is out now finally out in paperback and a new updated audiobook! 

Get your copy and listen to the audiobook here: geni.us/GreatChat

Listen to the audiobook on Spotify Premium for free here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1HH55EZsUSYtajczP6yjjJ?si=d25fe2b16afd4d4b 

If you don’t know what ‘Great Chat’ is about, it's a self help book that will turn you into a more confident communicator. Whether you are socially anxious or a social butterfly there are seven vital lessons to make us all better communicators for ourselves and the people around us - no matter what social situation you find yourself in! So if you are finding it difficult to build meaningful connections on dates, I have got you! If it’s hard to network - I have got you! 

At the end of each chapter is a ‘chatterbox’, which is a challenge to practice all the amazing lessons you will learn in the book, so it’s really packed full of practical advice and guidance. 

Here’s even more exciting news! The paperback and audiobook have special bonus content that wasn’t in the hardback edition. You will find an extra chapter about some life changing lessons I have learnt from conversations which will inspire you to get out there and get chatting. What you, my ‘Reign’ listeners will LOVE is that I’ve extracted these lessons from my Reign guests including the amazing Kerry Washington, Richard E Grant, Cynthia Erivo, Rebecca Ferguson and Sadiq Khan AND there’s also an additional ‘Chatterbox' in the new edition on how we can all be better allies to the neurodivergent community in coversations which is so vital! 

The audio edition was so much fun to create and I went back into the studio a couple of weeks ago to record not only the bonus content that you can all find in the paperback but some bonus BONUS content just for the audiobook, too.

For the lucky audiobook listeners, I will share some special bespoke advice from me. I asked you on my Instagram for some questions around chatting and communication, so you’ll have to get the audiobook to see if I answered them! Don’t forget, from the initial publication of ‘Great Chat’, we also have the GREATEST chat with my friend and fantastic presenter Emma Willis, at the end of the audiobook, too. So when I say the audiobook it’s super special, it really is.

Now, as we did with the hardback publication, I’m going to treat you to another exclusive extract from the audiobook. In this special episode of ‘Reign’ here’s the very first chatterbox in the book: ‘Check Your Inner Chat.’ Because the first step to becoming a more confident communicator starts with the conversation you have with yourself! 

I hope you enjoy it and if you do, it would mean the world to me if you had a listen to the audiobook or buy the book and leave a comment wherever you get it! Hope you love it! Josh x

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I have been a Rita Ora fan since she popped off with ‘Hot Right Now’ back in 2012, so I am so excited to have her on the show today.

Since then Rita has amassed over 10 billion global streams, had 13 Top 10 UK singles, four of which have gone number 1 and she hasn’t stopped there, she’s entertained us on the likes of ‘The X-Factor’ and ‘The Masked Singer’ and she’s now tackling the acting world starring alongside Henry Cavill in the upcoming ‘Voltron’ and Disney’s ‘Descendants’.

As Rita releases her latest single, ‘Heat’ - which is giving pure summer fun with the girl's energy and we truly love to hear it - Rita joins us for an interview whereby by her own admission she shares more than ever before. 

We talk about making mistakes, finding staying power, dealing with misogyny, owning her music and learning to work on her mental health. 

One of things I love most in this chat is when Rita chats about looking after her inner child which is a great reminder for us all to practice self love. If you love this conversation too, get in touch with me across socials @joshsmithhosts as I always love hearing from you. I’ll see you next week for another episode of ‘Reign’. Love, Josh x

P.S. This is an Advertisement for BetterHelp. The power of conversation is so important and asking for help instead of trying to face stuff alone can be SO empowering. Empowerment is what we’re all about on ‘Reign’ so I am so pleased this episode is brought to you in partnership with online therapy platform, BetterHelp. With over 5,000 therapists who have a diverse variety of expertise in mental health in the UK already, BetterHelp can provide you with access to the best mental health professional for you. With BetterHelp you can have online therapy on your schedule, wherever you are and build your support system, 

If you need support now you can get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp by visiting betterhelp.com/reign.

P.P.S. If all this self-love chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Seven Lessons for Better Conversation, Deeper Connections and Improved Wellbeing’ which is out now! The book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it!

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We say the word iconic a lot, but it really does apply to this week’s guest Cynthia Nixon! 

After starting her career as a child actor, in her early 30s Cynthia took the role of Miranda Hobbs in ‘Sex and The City’ and not only did her life change, but the show’s conversations around dating and sexuality changed the lives of women across the world. Off screen Cynthia also changed the game when she came out in the early 00s. 

As she reprises the role of Miranda in the third season of ‘And Just Like That’ - which you can watch exclusively in the UK on SKY and NOW - Cynthia joins me in Paris for a great chat that looks back on her career and her incredible advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community. 

We talk about how Cynthia almost lost the role of Miranda, getting with nuns (hey Rosie O'Donnell!), how you can come of age at any time, and the unforgettable chat on the set of ‘Sex and The City’ that changed her life. 

It’s crazy to think when Cynthia came out the only out queer women were her and Ellen, and whilst this episode shows how far we have come with LGBTQIA+ visibility I hope - especially given the world we are living in right now - is shows much further we need to go and how so many of our long fought for rights need protecting this pride month and beyond. 

If you love this episode as much as I do, get in touch with me across socials @joshsmithhosts as I always love hearing from you. I’ll see you next week for another episode of ‘Reign’. Love, Josh x

P.S. If this chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Seven Lessons for Better Conversation, Deeper Connections and Improved Wellbeing’ which is out now! The book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it!

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Today we are joined by an up and coming talent you are going to become obsessed with, Ellis Howard. 

Ellis has been treading the theatre boards for a while including in the Olivier nominated, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ and pulling together an incredible screenwriting career but now he’s about to become a role model to many, starring in the exceptional BBC drama, ‘What It Feels Like For A Girl’. Based on the powerful memoir by previous Reign guest, Paris Lees (head back to episode 18) the show follows Ellis’s character Bryon in the year 2000 trying to break out of their small town and start their queer journey, which eventually leads to Byron transitioning. 

Today we talk about how Ellis landed a role that really changed his life in so many ways and how he went from “running away from himself at 100 miles per hour,” growing up queer in a working class background to embracing his identity fully. 

When I say I loved talking to Ellis, I mean it with my whole gay heart because sometimes there is nothing more comforting than sitting across from a fellow queer and having a chat that really speaks to you. 

So I hope wherever you are, however you identify, something in this great chat resonates with you. And if you love this chat please get in touch with me across socials @joshsmithhosts as I always love hearing from you. I’ll see you next week for another episode of ‘Reign’. Love, Josh x

P.S. If all this self-love chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Seven Lessons for Better Conversation, Deeper Connections and Improved Wellbeing’ which is out now! The book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it!

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Mia Theapleton makes her podcast debut on ‘Reign’ and I am so excited for you to get to know this incredibly talented and super fun actor! 

You might already know Mia from her incredible performance opposite her mother, Kate Winslet  in Channel 4 drama, ‘I Am Ruth’ where she played Freya, a teenager who’s mental health spirals because of social media. Or you may have seen her in Apple TV’s answer to ‘Bridgerton’, ‘The Buccaneers’ which returns for season two very soon. 

Now Mia is taking the big screen by storm in Wes Anderson’s latest movie, ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ where she stars as a young nun, Liesel who goes on the most bizarre adventure with her billionaire father, Zsa-zsa Korda played by Benicio del Toro. Throw in a basketball playing Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and a who’s who of acting and you are in for a real trip, trust me! 

We cover everything in this episode from auditioning for the role of a lifetime with a dirty napkin on the top of her head, to her fear of crumpets, Mia’s journey with self confidence and dealing with dyslexia growing up - a conversation I think many will love. 

As you know each episode ends with an incredible rule to live by and I think Mia’s might be my favourite one to date, so get ready and if you love listening to this conversation as much as I do, get in touch with me across socials @joshsmithhosts as I always love hearing from you. I’ll see you next week for another episode of ‘Reign’. Love, Josh x

P.S. If this chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Seven Lessons for Better Conversation, Deeper Connections and Improved Wellbeing’ which is out now! The book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it!

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I am so excited that today we are joined by a true trailblazer, Rose Ayling-Ellis who I have wanted to have on the podcast for ages and trust me this conversation was worth the wait! 

Rose has achieved so many firsts: she is the first deaf person to win ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ which even won her a BAFTA, the first deaf person to host live sports coverage on British TV as a presenter for the 2024 Paralympics, and the first deaf actor to be nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance in ‘As You Like It’. 

And now after acting for 13 years she has landed her first lead role in ITV’s gripping new TV drama, ‘Code of Silence’ which follows her character Alison who is plucked from working in the police station canteen and recrutied to lip read for the police on a dangerous case. Plot spoiler: it’s INCREDIBLE! 

In this episode we talk about the hurdles and prejudice Rose has had to overcome to pursue the career she’s dreamed of, the lessons she’s learned from resilience and the pressure that comes from being a trailblazer. 

We also chat about the mental health problems in the deaf community which we all need to pay more attention to and how we can all make space for oneanother to become a truly inclusive society. 

If you love this conversation as much as I do, get in touch with me across socials @joshsmithhosts as I always love hearing from you. I’ll see you next week for another episode of ‘Reign’. Love, Josh x

P.S The power of conversation is so important and asking for help instead of trying to face stuff alone can be SO empowering. Empowerment is what we’re all about on ‘Reign’ so I am so pleased this episode is brought to you in partnership with online therapy platform, BetterHelp. With over 5,000 therapists who have a diverse variety of expertise in mental health in the UK already, BetterHelp can provide you with access to the best mental health professional for you. With BetterHelp you can have online therapy on your schedule, wherever you are and build your support system, 

If you need support now you can get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp by visiting betterhelp.com/reign.

P.P.S. If all this self-love chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Seven Lessons for Better Conversation, Deeper Connections and Improved Wellbeing’ which is out now! The book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You will have seen Faye Marsay in so many incredible movies and TV shows, including my favourite movie Pride, playing Maisie William’s arch nemesis, The Waif in Game of Thrones and Ten Pound Poms but it’s her latest TV show that has got millions of people talking. 

In case you have missed it, Faye plays DS Misha Frank in Netflix’s limited series, Adolescence which follows a family and society turned upside down after 13-year Jamie is arrested for murdering a female schoolmate. 

In this episode Faye drops some many insightful and interesting stories about filming the show and the overdue conversations the show is starting about incel culture, misogyny and how social media is raising our children. Faye also opens up about her own horrific experiences with social media whilst she starred in Game of Thrones and one of the moments on a set that shows we need more vocal male allies for women. 

Faye also talks about dealing with clssisim as a northern working class actor, exploring her sexuality and just how meaningful it was to play one of the first openly queer characters in the 50 year long history of the Star Wars franchise, in the Disney+ show, Andor which is back for season two on 23rd April. 

We really pack a lot into this episode and if you love this conversation as much as I do get in touch with me across socials @joshsmithhosts as I always love hearing from you. I’ll see you next week for another episode of Reign. Love, Josh x

P.S I am so happy that today’s episode is brought to you with the support of Pandora. Both Pandora and Reign are all about celebrating love in all its forms - be that romantic love, love for our friends and family or the practice of self love. This episode, like every episode of Reign, hopes to give you a loving dose of positivity, and to serve as a reminder that love - whether we give it, receive it or feel it has the power to uplift and heal. That’s why we’re empowering you to BE LOVE through these conversations - get out there and feel love, embody love and pass it on because you never know how much it could change your life or someone else’s. Head to pandora.net to discover the latest jewellery collections and more.

P.P.S. If all this self-love chat has left you wanting to improve your relationships and build new ones check out my self help book, ‘Great Chat: Seven Lessons for Better Conversation, Deeper Connections and Improved Wellbeing’ which is out now! The book gives you so much advice on how to have incredible conversations with everyone, and how you can turn everyday conversations into a self development practice so you can improve your relationships and mental health in the process. You can get your copy here https://geni.us/GreatChat and I really hope you love it! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices