Most authors never have a bestseller. Even fewer come to define an entire decade. Trainspotting, both the book and the film that followed it, was a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s, catapulting writer Irvine Welsh into literary infamy.In this unflinching interview with James O’Brien, Irvine talks candidly about the drug-fuelled hedonism of the ‘80s and ‘90s that he both participated in and distilled into stories, how he pulled himself out of a vicious heroin addiction, the whirlwind of success that followed Trainspotting, and his unbridled passion for tennis and Andy Murray.

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He’s best known as Luke Skywalker, but who was Mark Hamill before he picked up the lightsaber? The Star Wars legend joins James O’Brien for a very special interview, exploring his early love for show business, being cast by George Lucas in the first Star Wars movie, the wild space ride that he, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher were all launched on, and passing the torch to a new generation of heroes.

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As the Nazis closed in on Prague, a six-year-old Alf Dubs was carried away from his native Czechoslovakia on the Kindertransport rescue operation that saved 669 predominantly Jewish children.In a remarkable interview with James O’Brien, Lord Dubs talks about the modest bravery of Nicholas Winton, the man who organised the rescue, growing up in Britain with a love of politics, the horrors he witnessed in the Calais Jungle, and spending his life fighting for the rights of refugees even through to this day.Thank you to Help Refugees for their assistance on this episode.

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In a laugh-filled look behind the curtain of comedy, stand-up legend Richard Herring takes James O’Brien through his partnership with Stewart Lee, climbing the greasy pole of comedy, the various disputes and fallings out that come with collaboration, and how the pair of them managed to get away with some of the most outlandish television ever commissioned. Comedy fans will not want to miss this interview.

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The first sitting MP to appear on Unfiltered, David Lammy has represented the people of Tottenham for the best part of two decades. In that time, he has been privy to some of the most extraordinary moments and developments in British politics.In this incisive and impassioned interview with James O’Brien, David Lammy shares the impact of his father abandoning his family at the age of 12, the terror of being subjected to ‘stop and search’ by the police, his anger at the failures of Grenfell and the chaos of Brexit, and how, despite everything, he manages to stay optimistic.

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After almost drowning at the age of four, Scroobius Pip developed a stutter. Not only did it not stop him from becoming a successful rapper, spoken word poet, actor and fellow podcaster, he believes it was directly responsible for all of it.He joins James O’Brien for a fun and thought-provoking interview that will leave you believing that you too can do anything, just as long as you put your mind to it.To hear more from Scroobius, search your podcast client for Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip.

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In 2012, at the end of their tether, Jack Monroe wrote a blog detailing the depths of the bitter poverty they had fallen into. After going viral, the post catapulted Jack from the brink of despair and into the spotlight.In a raw and exploratory interview, Jack takes James O’Brien through struggling to making ends meet, the realities of austerity in Britain, identifying as a non-binary and preferring the pronoun ‘they’, and their legal battle with Katie Hopkins.

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Few British psychologists can also boast a successful career in the NBA, but John Amaechi can. In this enthralling and thoughtful interview with James O’Brien, John recounts his struggles growing up black, nerdy and exceptionally tall in 1980s Stockport, a chance encounter with a stranger that led him to pursue basketball, his decision to come out after leaving the NBA, and the realities of being a gay professional athlete.

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Politics is a brutal game, and few politicians know this as well as Nick Clegg. The former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Liberal Democrats leader gives James O’Brien an in-depth and revealing interview, covering his years in coalition with the Conservatives and his relationship with Prime Minister David Cameron, the Lib Dem massacre at the 2015 election and subsequent decline of the party, and his belief that Brexit can, in fact, be stopped.

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If there’s one thing Gary Lineker is not going to do, it’s ‘just stick to football’. The broadcaster joins James O’Brien for a boundless interview, from his time at the top-flight of football to dealing with the corruption rotting its core, to facing the fire and fury of the right-wing press for simply speaking his mind.

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