For this very special, bonus episode of the Radio Times Podcast, I, Kelly-Anne Taylor am joined by Oscar-winning Hollywood A listers, Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. They both grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts and have been friends since childhood. Their teenage years were spent travelling to New York to auditions – and both eventually dropped out of university (Matt from Harvard, and Casey from Columbia) to pursue acting full-time. And – it paid off. Matt rose to fame, writing and starring in Good Will Hunting – and went on to carve out a rich and brilliant career, with movies like The Martian, The Talented Mr Ripley, and Jason Bourne. Similarly, Casey Affleck, the younger brother of Ben Affleck, has also made his mark – winning an Oscar for his turn in Manchester by the Sea. Now, the pair have teamed up for Apple TV’s action-packed heist drama, The Instigators. They play two strangers from different walks of life, thrown together to rob a corrupt politician. In this episode, we talk about how they met, handling fame and press intrusion – and, how being behind the screens has given them greater autonomy over their careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For this very special, bonus episode of the Radio Times Podcast, I, Kelly-Anne Taylor am joined by Oscar-winning Hollywood A listers, Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. They both grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts and have been friends since childhood. Their teenage years were spent travelling to New York to auditions – and both eventually dropped out of university (Matt from Harvard, and Casey from Columbia) to pursue acting full-time. And – it paid off. Matt rose to fame, writing and starring in Good Will Hunting – and went on to carve out a rich and brilliant career, with movies like The Martian, The Talented Mr Ripley, and Jason Bourne. Similarly, Casey Affleck, the younger brother of Ben Affleck, has also made his mark – winning an Oscar for his turn in Manchester by the Sea. Now, the pair have teamed up for Apple TV’s action-packed heist drama, The Instigators. They play two strangers from different walks of life, thrown together to rob a corrupt politician. In this episode, we talk about how they met, handling fame and press intrusion – and, how being behind the screens has given them greater autonomy over their careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, for our series finale, I, Kelly-Anne Taylor, bring to you our Olympics special – it is an interview with the most successful British gymnast of all time – the six-time Olympic medallist, and the most successful pommel horse worker in the Games’ history – it’s Max Whitlock. In this episode, we reflect on his career – how he started gymnastics, his training regime during his teenage years (which hit highs of 35 hours a week – alongside school!) and competing in London in 2012. We also talk about a period of low mental health that he experienced after the Tokyo Olympics – and how having his daughter Willow, altered his approach to the sport. Plus, he talks about preparing for the Paris games and reveals why he has chosen to retire now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I, Kelly-Anne Taylor, am joined by the best-selling author, Emma Gannon. She began her career working in magazines – she’s written columns for The Telegraph and The Sunday Times and was the Social Media Editor at Glamour. She created the hit podcast, Ctrl, Alt, Delete which racked up over 13 million downloads and saw her sit down with the likes of Elizabeth Gilbert, Lena Dunham and Gillian Anderson to talk about their work, wellbeing and creativity. She is also the writer behind The Hyphen on Substack, a six-figure business – which is described as ‘a cosy, online space for curious readers’. On top of that – she has written six best-selling books to date including The Success Myth, and, her debut novel Olive. Now, she is releasing A Year of Nothingness – a memoir, focusing on her time spent doing nothing following a period of burn-out. In this episode, we talk about the joys of slowing down, the beauty of cold water swimming, the power of slow news – and learning to say ‘no’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whilst I, Kelly-Anne Taylor, was away, reporting from the field at Glastonbury – RT had the incredible opportunity to interview Diane Von Furstenberg for the podcast. Despite my absence, I didn’t think it was fair – that our lovely listeners should miss out on an incredible episode with an incredible guest and so I recruited, my Smart TV co-host, the wonderful Caroline Frost, to take-over for this episode! Diane Von Furstenberg – you’ll know as the iconic fashion designer who created the wrap-dress. But, she is also a lady who has lived and a new documentary, Woman in Charge on Disney+, gives us a glimpse into her fascinating life story. She was born and raised in Brussels in 1946. Her mother, only 18 months before Diane was born, had been imprisoned at Auschwitz. Diane’s mother left a lasting impact and influence over Diane – which she talks about with Caroline in the episode. Diane entered high-society when she married a German Prince, Egon von Furstenberg. They moved to New York and this is when Diane kickstarted her fashion career. It was the 70s and life was governed by hedonism – in this episode, she talks about turning down a threesome with Bowie and Mick Jagger and rubbing shoulders with the greats. She also reflects on the highs and lows of her life, her sensuality and how it defined her brand and breaking glass ceilings as a woman in business. I hope you enjoy this episode and I’ll be back next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining me, Kelly-Anne Taylor, for this very special bonus episode of the Radio Times Podcast is the phenomenal actress, Emma Myers. Born and raised in Orlando in America, Emma had an eclectic childhood – she was one of four and was homeschooled, often spending her days roaming the Disney theme park local to her house. Dance was her initial passion – but, after her family moved to Atlanta, she began to pursue acting. Her life changed forever, when she was cast as Enid Sinclair in Tim Burton’s Wednesday – Netflix’s second most watched show of all time. In this episode, we talk about starring in Wednesday – and how she went from having 900 followers on Instagram to just under 12 million in a matter of weeks – and how she dealt with that explosion in popularity. Plus, we talk about A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – in which she stars as Pip, a precocious teenager who decides to investigate the unsolved murder of a young schoolgirl. It’s a delightful bonus episode – I really hope you enjoy it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To launch series five of the Radio Times Podcast, host Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by the double-Bafta winning TV chef Big Zuu. Born Zuhair Hassan to a mother from Sierra Leone and a dad from Lebanon, he grew up on the Mozart Estate in West London. He started cooking aged nine to, as he says, ‘help around the house’ when his mother fell pregnant with his younger brother. It was whilst he was studying to become a social worker at University, that he decided to drop out in pursuit of a full-time music career. After making a name for himself as a Grime MC/Rapper, he turned the heads of TV commissioners when he started posting videos of himself on social media cooking. That landed him his Dave show Big Zuu, Big Eats. In this episode, Big Zuu talks about his love of Strictly, why his mum thought he was possessed by the devil and learning Latin with Boris Johnson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is a hallmark of British TV – it’s national treasure, David Tennant. He sits down with Kelly-Anne Taylor to talk about his first TV memory – watching Doctor Who, and witnessing Jon Pertwee turn into Tom Baker – and how he can’t wrap his head around how things ultimately panned out. Plus, we talk about Good Omens, Christianity and why Michael Sheen isn’t the ying to David’s yang. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our series finale Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by the restaurant critic and MasterChef regular, Grace Dent. Grace is the host of the chart-topping podcast Comfort Eating – in which she invites celebrity guests to talk about their lives through the prism of food. Now, she gifts us a book – Comfort Eating: What We Eat When Nobody’s Watching – which as well as talking about everyone’s favourite foods – delves into Grace’s own life. In this episode she speaks about how writing the book – after the passing of her mother – wasn’t cathartic, but like picking a wound. Plus, they discuss the pressures placed on women to look a certain way, why Grace has ditched the booze and how coronation street has informed her perception of glamorous women. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest on the Radio Times Podcast is Romesh Ranganathan. Born and raised in Crawley, in West Sussex – Romesh’s childhood was a tale of two halves. Life started in a two-up, two-down house and he attended private school – but after his father was imprisoned, life as he knew it was upended. Years later, he left his job as a Maths Teacher to pursue comedy full-time – and although, he doesn’t shy away from how tough it was at first to make ends meet – what has ensued is a glittering career which has established him as one of Britain’s leading comics. In this episode, he talks to Kelly-Anne Taylor about diversity in comedy and what he thinks of people who brand women ‘un-funny’. Plus, they talk about why he wouldn’t send his kids to private school, how his three young boys keep him humble and why, if his career ended tomorrow, you’d still find him with a mic hooked up to a lamppost in the park. Tickets to his live tour can be purchased here: https://www.romeshranganathan.co.uk/tour/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, joining me, Kelly-Anne Taylor, on the Radio Times sofa, is the comedian who has been a staple on our televisions for almost two decades – Jack Whitehall. He broke into telly, aged 19, while presenting E4’s Big Brother’s Big Mouth – but he soon became a household name as a panellist on the likes of Would I Lie To You, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Mock the Week. His stand-up career has been glistening – with multiple sell-out shows, and he’s also made his mark in the world of TV and film – starring in Fresh Meat, Bad Education and most recently, Apple TV’s The Afterparty. In this episode, we talk about the highs and lows of his career, what it’s really like making a TV show with a parent and working on his American accent… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by the Scottish actor, Martin Compston. Born and raised in Greenock, Scotland – he first made his name starring in the Ken Roach film, Sweet Sixteen (which won the Best Screenplay Award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival). It was his role as Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in Jed Mercurio's Line of Duty that made him a household name. In this episode, he talks about how that role changed his life, what it’s like living in Vegas – and why he’s doing less on-screen nudity. Plus, he chats about his latest travelogue Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling and what it was like running with wolves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode, host Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by TV chefs, Si King and Dave Myers – aka The Hairy Bikers. Dave was born and raised in Barrow-in-Furness, and Si in Kibblesworth County Durham and both brought up in working-class families. They met on the TV set on Catherine Cookson’s The Gambling Man – Si was the second assistant director and Dave, head of make-up. It was their united love of motorbikes and good grub that helped launch The Hairy Bikers – but it’s not always been an easy ride. In this episode, they discuss low-ratings and the Christmas special that was supposed to be their swan-song, Dave’s on-going battle with cancer and why Christmas means so much to them this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the season finale of the podcast, Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by Adam Buxton. The actor, comedian and podcaster attended Westminster School – where he befriended future-documentary-maker Louis Theroux, and Joe Cornish, who he would later star alongside in Channel 4’s The Adam and Joe Show. His podcast, The Adam Buxton Podcast, has been a hit – featuring conversations with everyone from Zadie Smith to Robbie Williams to Paul McCartney. In this episode, Buxton discusses the sacrifices his parents made to send him to public school, how he felt when Louis Theroux decided to launch a podcast and which interviews have been his best… and worst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by the popstar-turned-actor Lily Allen and the TV presenter Miquita Oliver. They grew up in Ladbroke Grove, West London, in creative households, spending much of their youth roaming Portobello market and flunking school. Allen’s mother is the film producer, Alison Owen, and her father is the actor, Keith Allen. Oliver was raised by her mother, the broadcaster and chef, Andi Oliver. Both Oliver and Allen made their name at a young age – Oliver as a TV presenter on Channel 4’s music show Popworld and Allen for her debut-smash-hit Smile. In this episode they talk about the perils of fame and how they handle trolls. Plus, they reminisce about the hedonism of the 00s and reveal why they never listened to the advice imparted by their famous family members. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our Radio Times Podcast Christmas special, host Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by the comedian, actor and screenwriter, Mae Martin. Their first foray into stand-up came aged 13 – and by 15 Mae had dropped out of school to pursue comedy full-time. They relocated to London in their early 20s and made a name for themselves on the British comedy circuit. With two Netflix comedy specials under their belt, they’ve also conquered the world of television with the Netflix series Feel Good – which Mae stars in alongside Charlotte Richie. In this festive episode, Mae talks about how they spend the big day, what the best part of a Christmas dinner is, what part to avoid – and the worst Christmas present they have ever received. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is the comedian, Rose Matafeo. Having made a name for herself on the UK comedy scene, she has successfully turned her hand to television. She writes and stars in the BBC rom-com series Starstruck which follows a young woman named Jessie who has a one-night stand with a celebrity. In this episode she talks to Kelly-Anne Taylor about gender parity in comedy, how she managed to break into the industry at the age of 12 and why she has a more mature outlook on love in her thirties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining me, Kelly-Anne Taylor, for the first episode of this brand-new series of the Radio Times Podcast, is the Scottish actress who took Hollywood by storm, Karen Gillan. Born and raised in Inverness, she moved to London aged 18 to pursue acting – after two weeks at drama school, she dropped out and worked in a pub until she was cast in a role that would change her life – the brilliant Amy Pond in Dr Who. Since then, she’s conquered Hollywood with her role as Nebula in the Marvel film franchise. In this episode, we discuss losing your anonymity, the pressures placed on women’s bodies and her brand new show Douglas is Cancelled. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s episode host Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley! From Broadchurch to The Crown to The Favourite, Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman has become a staple of British film and television. And Irish co-star Jessie Buckley boasts an impressive CV herself, starring across the big and small screen in projects like War & Peace, Chernobyl and Wild Rose. As a pair, Colman and Buckley previously worked together on Netflix movie The Lost Daughter – they played the same character at different ages and were both nominated for Oscars – and now share the screen again as warring neighbours in Wicked Little Letters, a comedy about a real-life poison pen scandal that shocked 1920s England. In this episode, we talk about sexism in the film industry, the importance of equal pay, the female-led films dominating the box-office and they share what they’ve learnt from their worst auditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For this special episode of the Radio Times Podcast, Kelly-Anne Taylor is joined by the conservationists Chris Packham and Megan Mccubbin. Packham was born in Southampton in 1961 and spent much of his childhood exploring the nature he found at his doorstep. As a teenager with autism, he was picked on at school – his solace was the outside world. After studying Zoology at the University of Southampton, Packham found himself in the world of television and film, taking still photographs – but it was his audition for The Really Wild Show which kickstarted his career. Today, he is recognised as one of Britain’s most prominent wildlife TV presenters. He joins the podcast, alongside his step-daughter the conservationist and TV presenter, Megan McCubbin. In this episode, we discuss the perils of activism, the everyday changes everyone can make to fight climate change – and, the beauty of watching telly together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices