This episode includes discussion of sensitive topics, including addiction, that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care while listening, and feel free to pause or step away if you need to.

DJ Fat Tony has spent a lifetime turning chaos into charisma. Long before he became one of the most recognisable figures in British nightlife, he was a kid from Battersea learning, far too young, how to protect himself, how to perform, and how to survive. His childhood wasn’t without love or colour - he speaks warmly about his glamorous, indulgent mother, his complex but protective father, and the freedom and style that shaped him - but it was also marked by abuse, secrecy and the sense that he had to grow up far too quickly.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with DJ Fat Tony to trace the path from those early years to the centre of London’s club culture. Tony reflects on sneaking into nightlife as a teenager, finding his people on the King’s Road, and building a reputation not through technical brilliance but through instinct, energy and an unerring ear for what moved people.

He speaks candidly about trauma, addiction, identity and the masks he wore to stay in control, as well as the extraordinary highs of a life lived at full volume - from the golden age of clubbing to the friendships, fame and excess that came with it. Tony opens up about recovery, honesty and the hard work of building a life that no longer depends on performance or escape.

It’s a funny, moving and often startling conversation about survival, reinvention and what it means to finally feel at home in yourself.

Find out more about Recover Me by DJ Fat Tony here

Additional support:

If you've been affected by anything you've heard in this episode, please take a moment to read the resources listed: We Are With You, Change Grow Live, Turning Point

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Nina Conti has built a career out of saying the unsayable, turning ventriloquism, improvisation and audience interaction into something far stranger, deeper and more daring than anyone expected. From early struggles with shyness and self-doubt to creating a completely original form of performance, Nina’s work has always lived somewhere between chaos and control, invention and instinct.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Nina to explore the unusual path that led her from an acting dynasty and an uneasy start in the profession to becoming one of the most distinctive live performers in Britain.

Nina reflects on growing up in the shadow of famous parents, her complicated relationship with acting, and the influence of the late Ken Campbell, whose mentorship helped unlock the ventriloquism that would ultimately become her artistic home. She explains how improvisation, risk and an appetite for the unexpected shaped her work, and why putting words into other people’s mouths became the key to finding her own voice.

They also discuss performance, shyness, subversion, film-making and the strange alchemy of making something feel alive in the moment. Along the way, Nina reveals how a career that could easily have taken a more conventional route was instead built on accidents, instincts and a willingness to follow the more interesting door.

Find out more about Nina Conti’s live shows here

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Russell T Davies has spent a career changing what British television can be, moving from children’s drama to fearless queer storytelling and one of the nation’s most enduring cultural institutions, Doctor Who. Whether reinventing Saturday night television, capturing the emotional truth of the AIDS crisis in It’s a Sin, or turning the anxieties of modern Britain into gripping drama in Years and Years and his new series Tip Toe, his work has consistently shaped the conversation as well as entertained millions.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Russell to explore the childhood in Swansea that first formed him: a home full of books, teachers and respect for television, a huge comprehensive school where he learned to keep his head down, and the youth theatre that gave him both his tribe and his future.

Russell reflects on the early obsession with Doctor Who, the long road into writing, and the Manchester years that changed everything, professionally and personally. He talks about finding his voice through queer characters, the shock of Queer as Folk becoming a cultural flashpoint, and why television has always felt like the natural home for the stories he wants to tell.

They also discuss politics, backlash, imagination, gay identity and the darker mood shaping modern Britain. Along the way, Russell explains why storytelling is a form of witness, why no childhood is too happy to produce serious art, and how the obsessions of youth can become the work of a lifetime.

Watch Tip Toe on Channel 4 from May 31st here

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Fern Britton spent decades in Britain’s living rooms, mastering the art of making live television feel warm, effortless and intimate, even when life behind the scenes was at times anything but. From breakfast TV and Ready Steady Cook to bestselling novels and a new chapter in Cornwall, Fern’s career has been defined by reinvention, resilience and an instinctive understanding of how to connect.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Fern to explore the winding path that took her from regional television to the very centre of British daytime broadcasting, and from household-name presenter to successful novelist.

Fern reflects on the strange chemistry of live television, the professional confidence that grew alongside public recognition, and the moments when success came at a personal cost. She talks about the reality of working in some of TV’s biggest shows, the complicated dynamics behind the camera, and the scrutiny that followed her when private struggles became public spectacle.

They also discuss friendship, ageing, writing, fame and the pull of Cornwall - a place that has long offered Fern both escape and inspiration. Along the way, she reveals how a career that often looked carefully planned was in fact built by saying yes, trusting her instincts and learning, time and again, how to begin again.

Find out more about A Cornish Legacy by Fern Britton here

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He is one of Britain’s most high-energy comics, but Russell Kane’s story begins far from the world he now inhabits: on a council estate, in a home shaped by discipline, class tension and a rigid idea of masculinity. What followed was not a straight line to success, but a series of reinventions powered by anger, ambition and the discovery that books could open doors his upbringing never knew existed.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Russell to explore how a bright, restless boy from Enfield became a comic, writer, broadcaster and storyteller with an insatiable appetite for reinvention.

Russell looks back on a childhood dominated by his father’s force of personality, a school life in which fitting in often mattered more than applying himself, and the moment everything changed: a late awakening to education that sent him hurtling towards A-levels, university and a career in advertising. He explains how that same momentum eventually pulled him towards stand-up, where the risk of failure became part of the thrill.

They discuss class, reading and the seductive force of self-improvement; the emotional legacy of being loved but not always understood; the tension between public success and private insecurity; and why children’s books, biohacking and Shakespeare all make sense within Russell Kane’s ever-expanding world.

Funny, frank and full of nervous energy, this is a conversation about family, class, ambition and the lifelong process of working out who you are.

Find out more about When Brian Met Terry by Russell Kane here

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Before she became one of Britain’s most trusted psychotherapists and writers, Philippa Perry had already lived many different lives: boarding school child, dyslexic misfit, debt collector, McDonald’s manager, art student, Samaritan volunteer and a blooming therapist.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Philippa to trace the winding path behind her public voice on relationships, parenting and emotional life - from a childhood shaped by emotional restraint, class anxiety and the sense of never quite being seen, to the books, ideas and experiences that helped her begin to understand herself.

Philippa reflects on growing up in a materially comfortable but emotionally limited world, being sent away to boarding school, and the long-lasting effects of feeling misunderstood both at home and at school. She describes how reading, work and sheer curiosity opened up new ways of seeing people- and how her early jobs, from tracing debtors in Oxford to managing staff at McDonald’s, taught her as much about human nature as any formal training.

They discuss class, confidence and social mobility; the hidden damage of criticism and the transformative power of kindness; why so many therapists are trying to make sense of their own lives; and how motherhood changed Philippa’s understanding of what a child needs in order to feel safe, known and loved.

Funny, searching and deeply moving, this is a conversation about childhood, reinvention, emotional survival and the lifelong work of becoming yourself.

Find out more about Shrink Solves Murder by Philippa Perry here

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Before she became the entrepreneur behind Kardashian-founded brands Good American and Skims, Emma Grede was a kid from Plaistow with severe dyslexia, few qualifications, and a fierce belief that she could build a bigger life for herself.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Emma to trace the story behind her remarkable rise- from helping raise her younger sisters in East London and struggling in a school system that never seemed to fit, to building a career in fashion through sheer audacity, instinct and relentless hard work.

Emma reflects on the work ethic she inherited from her mother, the unpaid placements and early setbacks that taught her how business really worked, and the confidence that drove her to knock on doors others were too intimidated to approach. She explains how she discovered her gift for negotiation, why relationships became the foundation of her success, and how those instincts helped her build businesses alongside the Kardashians that would go on to reshape modern fashion and culture.

They discuss class, ambition and social mobility; the difference between talent and opportunity; the myths we tell about success; and why Emma believes women need a more honest conversation about work, money and power.

Sharp, funny and full of hard-won insight, this is a conversation about ambition, reinvention and what it really takes to get to the top.

Find out more about START WITH YOURSELF: A New Vision for Work & Life by Emma Grede here

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Before he became known to millions as Jack Whitehall’s gloriously dry and impeccably mannered father, Michael Whitehall had already lived several lives: socially ambitious schoolboy, drifting young journalist, unlikely prep school teacher, theatrical agent and producer to some of the biggest names in British entertainment.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Michael to uncover the family story behind the public persona- a mother determined to climb the social ladder, a childhood shaped by love, embarrassment and aspiration, and the “disputable” mythology that surrounded the Whitehall name.

Michael reflects on being sent away to boarding school, the clever and comic ways he learned to survive there, and the early signs of the charm, wit and adaptability that would later define his career. He also looks back on a series of improbable early jobs, and the extraordinary good fortune that eventually led him into the world of agents, actors and television production.

They discuss class, performance and social mobility; the strange gap between being adjacent to fame and becoming famous yourself; and the warmth at the centre of Michael’s life, from his parents to Hillary, his children, and the now-beloved on-screen relationship with Jack.

Funny, perceptive and full of brilliant stories, this is a conversation about family, class, luck and a life spent moving between worlds.

Listen to The Wittering Whitehall’s podcast here

Find out more about Shark Infested Waters by Michael Whitehall here

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