Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

When he graduated with a master's degree from the University of East Anglia, Ian McEwan did his level best not to have a job. He is now recognised as one of the finest British writers of his generation. Born in Aldershot, McEwan spent his childhood crossing continents wherever his father, an army officer. was posted. His latest novel, Lessons is his most autobiographical yet.

When Emily Maitlis started reporting from Hong Kong as a young journalist, by her own admission, she wasn't very good. Since then she has interviewed some of the most powerful people in the world and her 2019 interview with Prince Andrew dropped a bombshell which led to the Duke of York having to give up his royal duties. She now presents The News Agents, a Global Player Original podcast.

John Cleese is one of Britain's most celebrated cultural icons. The actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer is best known for Monty Python and for playing Basil in Fawlty Towers, co-written with his first wife, Connie Booth. With a career spanning over half a century, Cleese realised he could make people laugh before he'd reached his teenage years.

Some of us manage to embody a youthful playfulness throughout our lives and the writer, broadcaster and academic, Michael Rosen is probably one of the best examples. He is one of Britain's best-known and most-loved authors, continuing to write books and poems which capture the imagination of children and adults alike. His latest book, Goldilocks and the Three Crocodiles is out on 15th September.

For 23 years Figen Murray worked as a counsellor helping people to get back on track so that they could lead happier, healthier lives. But on the 22nd of May 2017 her life as she new it changed forever. Figen's son, Martyn Hett was one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing. Remarkably Figen decided to forgive his killer. She now campaigns for better security in public places, has graduated with a Masters in counter-terrorism and speaks to thousands of children about radicalisation.

In what would turn out to be the first of many media interviews, Brian Cox hopped off the plane from Geneva and found himself on Jeremy Paxman’s sofa arguing the case for the Large Hadron Collider against the UK’s most senior scientist. It was the beginning of a broadcasting career which has led to him being described as the natural successor to David Attenborough. He speaks to James about what society, and in particular the politicians who run our nations can learn from physics. Tickets for his 2022 tour, Horizons – A 21st Century Space Odyssey are available now.

Mick Lynch has been hitting the headlines from the picket throughout the summer and makes batting off stereotypical lines of questioning from the right-wing media commentariat look like a blood sport. One interviewer accused him of seeing himself as an evil criminal terrorist mastermind. But ultimately the RMT's General Secretary describes himself as a working class, good natured, second generation Irish immigrant leading an industrial dispute. James speaks to the man wielding the rhetorical scalpel about his political views and life before his rise to public prominence.

Miriam has worked with some of the best in the business and in some great films such as the 1990s film Romeo and Juliet. Many of you of course will know her as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films. Her autobiography, This Much is True is now out in paperback. I sat down for a lovely chat this week with Miriam about her life, career and being outspoken at times.

He’s best known for his forensic select committee cross examination of cabinet ministers but the Labour MP for Rhondda lived multiple lives before reaching parliament in 2001. Originally a member of the Conservative Association at Oxford, Chris Bryant went on to become a priest before quitting and becoming a Hackney Labour councillor. In this remarkable and warm episode of Full Disclosure he speaks to James about his sexuality, religious beliefs and the state of politics under Prime Minister Johnson.

In 1997 Chris Patten walked away as the final British governor of Hong Kong in a symbol of Britain's continual imperial decline. Having taken the blame for Margaret Thatcher's hated poll tax, he was ousted as the Conservative MP for Bath in the 1992 general election and has been described by The Observer as 'the best Tory Prime Minister we never had'. His book, The Hong Kong Diaries has been published by Penguin to mark the 25th anniversary of the handover.