This week’s guest on Under The Skin is Ricky Gervais. 

Ricky Gervais is one of the greatest comedy stars the world has ever known. He’s the creator of ‘Extras’ and ‘The Office’, and is a genius up there with Chaplin, Cleese and Coogan.

This is a fantastic episode, a brilliant conversation covering God, atheism, animals, love and class. It was a real privilege to speak to him.

Season 2 of Ricky’s new show, ‘After Life’ is streaming now on Netflix.

This week I spoke with to David Eagleman - the Brian Cox of Neuroscience, the Neil deGrasse Tyson of the mind, brilliant, lucid humorous and great storyteller of scientific narratives.

David is a neuroscientist who specializes in brain plasticity, time perception, synaesthesia, and the intersection of science with social policy. 

He is adjunct professor at Stamford University, a New York Times bestselling author and head of the Center for Science and Law.

My wife Laura’s new book The Joy Journal for Magical Everyday Play has just come out. You can get a copy of it here: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781529025590?gC=5a105e8b&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7vDNhdT36AIVhLHtCh2eIQPgEAQYASABEgKygvD_BwE

This week’s guest on Under The Skin is parenting guru Dr. Shefali.

Dr. Shefali received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia University, specializing in the integration of Western psychology and Eastern philosophy. She is an expert in family dynamics and personal development. We speak candidly about both our parenting styles, how we all fall into different parenting prototypes and the damage our ego can have on our children. She explains the importance of knowing the difference between the form and formless and how we can learn so much from children, as spiritual teachers.

You can get Dr. Shefali’s new book Superpowered here:

https://getsuperpowered.com

Charles Eisenstein returns to Under The Skin for a second time, this time with some interesting and in depth analysis on the current situation facing the world as Covid-19 begins to reframe how we see society and power. I was particularly inspired by Charles’s latest essay “The Coronation” - which you should read if you have the time.

In this podcast we discuss our relationship with death, our need for belief in authority and whether governments are preparing for civil unrest, conspiracy theories vs alternative ideas and Charles’s analysis on where we are going wrong and what we could be doing to make things right!

This week’s guest is Helena Norberg-Hodge! Helena is founder and director of Local Futures. Local Futures is a non-profit organization "dedicated to the revitalization of cultural and biological diversity, and the strengthening of local communities and economies worldwide.

We discuss the importance of localized framing versus globalisation systems, what a future after this pandemic and lockdown eases should look like in order for society to thrive, and Helena divulges the incredible lessons she’s learned from her time in Tibet and traveling.

If you’re interested in real, practical solutions to many of the issues we’re facing right now, this is the podcast for you.