"I am officially overwhelmed. Thank you for listening."

When I started The Brilliant Humans Podcast, I wanted to shine a light on the people who make our lives better. I didn't realise quite how many of you across the world were waiting for these stories.

In this short "Phase One" wrap-up, I want to say a massive thank you to:

• The Guests: Who shared their vulnerability, their laughter, and their heroes.
• The Brilliant Humans: The Paul Morts, the Uncle Freds, the Irinas, and the Bobs who make the world a better place.
• The Listeners: Every stream, comment, and share has meant the world to me.

I’m taking a short break to recharge and prepare for the next chapter. We’ll be back in the New Year with more stories, more brilliance, and more reminders of what makes us human.

Until then, remember Logan's advice: Be kind, and pick people up if they fall down.

See you in 2026!

#PodcastCommunity #Gratitude #BrilliantHumans #SeasonFinale #PodcastGrowth #HumanStories #Community #2026Relaunch

#BrilliantHumansPodcast #KindnessMatters #ChristmasEpisode

In this very special Christmas bonus episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, I’m joined by my son, Logan, for a short, joyful, and surprisingly wise conversation about kindness, courage, and what it really means to be a brilliant human.

Released on Christmas Day 2025, Logan shares what his day looked like, explains his important role as a school assembly assistant, and talks about why helping others, cheering people on, and being kind really matter. With the clarity and honesty that only a seven-year-old can bring, Logan offers life lessons we could all use - whether we’re seven or seventy.

This episode is a gentle reminder that brilliance doesn’t come from titles, achievements, or status - it comes from kindness, listening, standing up for others, and helping people back up when they fall.

A short, heartwarming listen for the festive season - filled with family, laughter, and a simple message the world always needs more of.

🎄 Merry Christmas from The Brilliant Humans Podcast.

#BeKind #LifeLessons #ParentingMoments #FamilyPodcast #ChristmasSpecial #HumanKindness #RaisingGoodHumans #Wisdom

#MentalHealthAwareness #MensMentalHealth #BrilliantHumansPodcast

Content Warning - This episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast contains references to suicide. Please take care while listening, and if this feels too heavy today, it’s okay to skip this episode or return when you feel ready.

On this deeply moving episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan Griffiths is joined by Chris McIntosh - founder of Always Forward.

Chris is here to talk about his brilliant human: his brother Grant, who tragically died by suicide in 2017.

What follows is an open, honest, and compassionate conversation about grief, brotherhood, mental health, and the invisible weight so many people carry - often without those around them ever knowing.

Chris shares who Grant really was; the life and soul of the party, fiercely generous, deeply loved, and unforgettable to everyone who met him. He also reflects on the shock of losing someone with “no warning signs,” the unanswered questions that follow suicide, and the long road of learning how to live with loss.

From that pain came Always Forward - a powerful movement where Chris takes on extreme physical challenges, including running 50km and 100km wearing a weighted vest, raising nearly £30,000 for mental health charities. The weight, he explains, is a symbol of the unseen burdens people carry every day - and the relief that comes when we don’t carry them alone.

This episode is about:

• Suicide, grief, and the reality behind “happy faces”
• Why checking in on people really matters
• Men’s mental health and learning to talk
• Turning pain into purpose
• Carrying love forward, even when someone is gone

Above all, it’s a reminder of this simple truth:

You are loved. You are wanted. And you matter more than you know.

If this episode brings anything up for you, you don’t have to face it alone:

• Samaritans — Call free, 24/7: 116 123
  Or visit: https://www.samaritans.org/
• NHS 111 — Ask for the mental health crisis line in your area
  (24/7 support across England)
• If you are in immediate danger, please call 999

Chris’s challenges have raised vital funds for these incredible organisations:

• Tiny Changes — supporting young people’s mental health https://tinychanges.com/
• Suicide & Co — counselling for those bereaved by suicide https://www.suicideandco.org/
• SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) — including The Nook, a walk-in mental health service https://www.samh.org.uk/

Find Chris and his work on Instagram:
@always_forward_mental_health

If this episode resonates, please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing. Stories like Grant’s, and Chris’s, deserve to be heard.

And if someone came to mind while listening…

maybe send them a message today.

#SuicidePrevention #AlwaysForward #GriefAndLove #TalkingSavesLives #YouAreNotAlone #MentalHealthMatters #TurningPainIntoPurpose #PodcastStories #HumanStories #RealConversations #LifeAfterLoss

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan sits down with PR and communications professional James Sweeney. A natural storyteller, community builder, and advocate for people with stutters, James brings warmth, honesty, and quiet courage to every conversation he enters.

Today, he celebrates his friend Gareth Bone - a man he describes as “the human personification of a hug.” Across five and a half years of friendship, Gareth has helped James find his voice, reminded him to be himself, and shown him what it means to show up for the highs, the lows, and the everyday in-betweens.

Together, Jonathan and James explore:

• How true relationships aren’t transactional - they’re chosen commitments
• Why being unapologetically yourself helps others do the same
• What it feels like when someone sees you, supports you, and celebrates you
• The moment Gareth helped James recognise his own worth - and the LinkedIn post that made him feel truly valued

From virtual meetups in lockdown to hiking weekends, karaoke nights, and simple messages to just check in, James paints a vivid picture of a friend whose intentional kindness and infectious energy make the world feel lighter. It’s a heartwarming celebration of the people who help us speak up, show up, and step more fully into who we are - and why those humans are worth honouring every chance we get.

The Brilliant Humans Podcast - celebrating the people who remind us what makes us human.

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan Griffiths talks with Jamie Cartwright, a former professional footballer, Ironman competitor, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, dad, husband, and passionate mental-health advocate.

From gritty football pitches to gruelling endurance events and the intense challenge of appearing on Channel 4's SAS Who Dares Wins, Jamie has lived a life shaped by ambition, adversity, and transformation.

But the person he credits with changing everything? A humble grassroots-club chairman named Bob Bowers. As a 10-year-old Jamie joined Bob’s local football club, where he wasn’t just the boss - he filled the roles of coach, tea-server, maintenance man, and supporter, building community with grit, generosity, and authenticity.

Through Bob’s quiet leadership, teaching Jamie to own failure, show up for others, and flip the traditional hierarchy on its head, Jamie learned the fundamentals of resilience, humility, and real leadership. Years later, when football ended and life felt uncertain, it was Bob who helped him reorient, rebuild, and carve a new path.

This episode explores:

• What it really takes to turn raw talent into success and how the right mentor can make all the difference
• How failure, heartbreak and identity loss can lead to reinvention
• Why authentic, humble leadership and community-minded values matter more than fame or fortune
• How to build a “giving-first” mindset and why giving back can be your greatest strength
  

The Brilliant Humans Podcast honours the unsung heroes - the people who quietly shape lives, communities and values.

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan speaks with Helen Amery - Mace Energy Method Practitioner, founder of Wild Fig Solutions, and someone devoted to helping people release limitations and rediscover emotional freedom.

Helen pays tribute to her Uncle Fred - a gentle, warm, endlessly funny presence who shaped her childhood with kindness, silliness, and a deep sense of belonging. From daft jokes to playing the fool, Fred was the kind of person who filled rooms with laughter and made everyone feel seen.

In this conversation, Helen reflects on:

• How Fred’s warmth and humour became a defining part of her family
• The power of silliness and why laughter is one of the purest forms of love
• The comfort of unconditional acceptance from an adult who truly “gets” you
• How loved ones can shape who we become long after they’ve gone

A gentle, uplifting celebration of a man who embodied kindness, community, and joy - and a reminder that the people who make us feel safe, seen, and light-hearted are often the ones we carry with us forever.

🎧 The Brilliant Humans Podcast celebrates the people who remind us what makes us human.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and bereavement.

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan sits down with teacher, choreographer, and lifelong musical theatre lover Jo Burston, as she shares the deeply personal story of the brilliant human who changed the course of her life.

Jo opens up about the lifelong anxiety she carried from childhood, the trauma of a serious car crash, and the profound heartbreak of losing her brother to suicide. Feeling lost in her early twenties - unsure of her path, disconnected from the joy of dance, and struggling to find her place in the world - a chance conversation in a nightclub led her to Andrew Tilling, who helped her on a transformative journey of coaching, clarity, and finally feeling seen.

With honesty, warmth, and humour, Jo reflects on:

• How Andrew guided her through overwhelming self-doubt and helped her reclaim confidence
• The strange and beautiful coincidences that connect their lives, including the name of her son
• Why the right person, at the right time, can shift your entire direction
• The power of being encouraged by someone who truly believes in you

This is a story about the unexpected moments that alter who we become, the people who walk beside us when life is too heavy to carry alone, and the brilliance of giving someone the courage to be themselves.

The Brilliant Humans Podcast celebrates the people who remind us what makes us human.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan Griffiths speaks with Paul Naisbitt - a survivor of domestic abuse, advocate, volunteer, and campaigner raising funds to create the first male refuge in the North of England.

Paul shares his remarkable journey from feeling trapped and voiceless to rebuilding his life with purpose and compassion. He opens up about the moment that changed everything - discovering coach and speaker Paul Mort, whose honesty, accountability, and belief in personal responsibility helped him regain his confidence and sense of self. Paul tells Jonathan how 'The Cliff Video' started it all, which you can watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7OJjSiKw7I&t=475s

Together, Jonathan and Paul explore what it means to take back control, to rebuild after trauma, and to find freedom through focus and kindness.

The Brilliant Humans Podcast celebrates the people who remind us what makes us human.

Content warning: this episode includes references to domestic abuse and suicide, which some listeners may find difficult. Please take care while listening, or feel free to skip this one if it feels too much right now.

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Jonathan Griffiths talks with Chip Means about the power of laughter, vulnerability, and what we can learn from Conan O’Brien’s unique blend of humour and humanity.

From late-night comedy to quiet moments of self-doubt, Chip reflects on how Conan’s openness about mental health and imperfection makes him not just funny - but profoundly relatable. Together, they explore why the best humour often comes from honesty, how comedy can connect and heal, and why being human will always be funnier - and braver - than pretending to have it all figured out.

🎧 The Brilliant Humans Podcast celebrates the people who remind us what makes us human.

When your big brother becomes a professional footballer, admiration can take many forms. For Steve Shaw, it grew into a lifelong respect for habits, humility, and hard work that separate raw talent from true brilliance.

In this episode of The Brilliant Humans Podcast, Steve reflects on the powerful lessons he learned from his brother Paul Shaw - lessons forged through nearly two decades in professional football with clubs including Arsenal, Millwall, and Gillingham. From the discipline behind a 19-year career to the resilience needed to stay grounded under pressure, Steve shares how those same principles now guide his own approach to business, leadership, and family.

A thoughtful and inspiring conversation about persistence, character, and what it really means to pursue excellence on and off the pitch.