JAMIE LAING: THE UNEXPECTED COST OF RUNNING 5 ULTRAMARATHONS

In March 2025, I embarked on probably the hardest challenge of my life, running from London to Manchester, completing five ultramarathons in five days with Radio 1 for Comic Relief.I don’t think anyone anticipated how big the challenge would become - nor did I fully appreciate the scale of what I was undertaking, but needless to say it was a life changing experience and raised £2.26million for an incredible cause.I wanted to bring you - our wonderful Great Company listeners - a bonus episode of the show, to dive back into that week and give you insight into my reasons for running and the toll it took on me mentally.To be totally honest, I’ve not quite felt fully back to normal since completing the challenge, but I wanted to be open with you all and say that wherever you are, and whatever you’re going through, you really are not alone - people are truly amazing and when we support each other, the world is a much brighter place that it can seem. It’s ok to admit when you’re not OK - in fact, it’s more than OK, it’s incredibly strong.So, after a few weeks to reflect, here’s my open and honest account of that wild week in March, when we ran from London to Manchester.Jamie xYou can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kane Brown is a trailblazer in country music, with two diamond records, platinum albums, and chart-topping collaborations that have set him apart. Despite his massive success, his path has been anything but easy: Kane is someone who finds it hard to open up, so I was honoured to get a chance to sit down with him…We started by talking about emotions—how Kane’s struggle to feel them deeply stems from a tough childhood marked by abuse from his stepdads, and constantly moving, attending over a dozen schools. He shared how depression made happiness feel out of reach, but learnt to communicate through his music which has gone on to connect with millions of people - starting on Facebook and refusing to quit, he built his profile to be one of the biggest country stars of today. Kane also shared with me how his understanding of success has changed since becoming a father: his children are his greatest success.This conversation is the epitome of showing resilience; the strength to keep going, find hope, and change your own path, even when life feels impossible.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever listened to a podcast and felt it’s changed your life? That happened to me when I listened to an episode of my guest today’s podcast at one of my lowest points. It’s one of the reasons I love podcasting - that ability to really connect and speak to people, and I was so delighted to welcome Dr Rangan Chatterjee onto my own podcast today…Dr Rangan is one of the UK’s most well-known doctors, but he’s also a best-selling author and host of the aforementioned, hugely successful podcast, Feel Better, Live More. We talked about stress—what it really is, how it can spiral into anxiety, and how it is driving the growing issue of low libido in younger age groups. Rangan shared his unique perspective on regrets, and he shared some useful tips on how to change your mindset and grow healthier habits.He also shared two powerful questions he asks himself every morning to start the day feeling empowered, along with his advice for anyone struggling to see how life can get better.This conversation was a reminder that small, consistent actions can have a huge impact—and that showing compassion to others and ourselves matters more than we realise.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] Dr. Rangan Chatterjee’s new book Make Change That Lasts here: https://drchatterjee.com/books/make-change-that-lasts/--THE CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessie Reyez is a Canadian singer-songwriter who’s worked with the likes of Eminem, Duo Lipa, Calvin Harris - she’s a real musician’s musician, but the thing that has always struck me about Jessie was her energy: her music oozes emotion so I was excited to get her in the studio to chat.Jessie chatted to me about those big emotions she feels - how music saved her from the depths of depression age 16 and has continued to be a necessary outlet for her feelings. She opened up about her sobriety, sharing that even though she is nearly two years sober, she still misses alcohol during her lowest moments, but she is clear that life is so much better now. Jessie also bravely spoke about a producer who took advantage of her, without naming names, and why she the felt guilt in the aftermath of it all.This conversation was a powerful reminder of the importance of giving yourself space to feel and process your emotions and how strength often comes from leaning into those lows.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] Jessie's new album Paid in Memories here: https://www.jessiereyez.com/--THE CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Aliza Pressman is a renowned childhood expert and developmental psychologist with two decades of experience; she also has a hugely successful podcast and has written multiple books about how to raise good humans. I was excited to speak to her as the topic of children becomes more and more relevant in my life…Aliza chatted to me about the incredible way both children and parents’ brains develop, the importance of boundaries and structure in nurturing a child. Our conversation goes beyond the research, giving into the realities of parenting, the power of secure attachment and how our own inner child shapes the way we raise our kids.This conversation reminded me that there is no one size fits all approach with parenting - it’s a journey, not a test.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] if you want to listen to more of Dr. Aliza you can find her podcast Raising Good Humans here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCujIiYYaZ3vI1ZE9VBts?si=36e97be6841e4bd7--THE CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerEditor: Dan KingVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ItalianBach is a hugely successful digital star with close to 5million followers; he’s someone who relentlessly works and studies his craft so I was fascinated to have him in the studio to find out about not only how he’s building his business, but where that drive and motivation comes from. Isaac chatted to me about how he chose his alias, ItalianBach, and his first forays into making content. Together we joked about some of our most embarrassing moments from being anxious children and how, despite experiencing burnout from time to time, the persistent desire to keep creating content will never abate. This conversation was truly engrossing for anyone who loves YouTube and how sometimes the oldest and simplest tricks will always be the best. You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ekin-Su graced our television screens in 2022, winning Love Island, earning a place as royalty on the show. Since then, she’s been heralded as both genuine and fake. In this exclusive interview, Ekin opens up about the reality of putting yourself out there…Ekin is a producer’s dream - she brings high drama, hilarious moments and meme-able content to anything she appears on. But before rising to fame, she had a tough time at school with bullying and developed a strange relationship with her appearance, placing too much value on her looks alone. After her huge success on Love Island Season 8, she fell into a cycle of needing external approval, culminating in appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in 2024, which she exited to boos, transporting her back to the messages her school bullies would make her believe. Feeling like she’d hit rock bottom, the only place to go was up…This conversation reminded me that you can never judge a book by its cover, and how, once we learn to love ourselves, we can find true happiness.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mo Gilligan is a very funny man - he’s one of the biggest comedians in the UK, he’s hosted the BRITs, numerous TV shows and is currently on a world tour. He’s hugely successful, but what happens when you achieve all your dreams? Do you feel fulfilled? Or lost without that direction of a goal? Mo’s someone I’ve wanted to have on the show for a while, so I’m really excited to have him join me on the show this week.Mo chatted to me about his journey - from growing up on an estate and fostering a sense of community, to being catapulted into the limelight when his comedy skits went viral. He was candid about how difficult he found that time and his late 20s; the pressure, the expectations, and the weight of success didn’t fulfil him in the way he’d imagined. And as someone who is also dyslexic, we bonded over how being the class clown was both a way to connect and a survival tool in school. Looking back, he credits his younger self—the daydreamer who never took life too seriously—with shaping the comedian he is today.This conversation is a reminder that no matter how successful someone looks from the outside, we all face struggles. And sometimes, the most important thing we can do is give ourselves permission to feel.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rory Sutherland is one of my heroes. You might not know his name, but you’ve definitely been influenced by his work— as the Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK he has shaped the face of marketing and advertising as we know it today. He’s also become a recent TikTok phenomenon as others have realised what an absolute genius this man is. I was beyond excited to have him join me on the show.Rory is not only a marketeer, but an expert in behavioural science, talking me through how trends work and change over time. We spoke about memetics; how a herd mentality can massively dictate our tastes and the important role social awkwardness plays in swaying opinions. I also asked him about the best and worst marketing successes and failures, from Ryanair to bubble tea, nuclear power to wearing shorts in winter.This conversation was brimming with great advice - it’s definitely a conversation I’ll be coming back to; my main takeaway was to never blindly follow logic, but to question and push to boundaries to create something new!You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] you or anyone you know has been affected by suicidal thoughts, you can head to CALM to find support: www.thecalmzone.net--THE CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amol Rajan is a master of tough conversations - from conducting Phillip Schofield’s first interview to speaking to the likes of Novak Djokovic, Richard Branson and Greta Thunberg. However, I never imagined that I would find my conversation with Amol so challenging for myself, effortlessly opening me up.Having become the editor of the Independent aged 29, Amol’s hard work ethic has seen him take over from Jeremy Paxman as host of University Challenge and presenting Radio 4’s Today Programme. But behind the glamour of an illustrious career, Amol and his wife were living through the rollercoaster of IVF and grieving the loss of his father. We talk about our relationships with our fathers and cherishing the time we have together.This conversation went a direction I did not foresee but am so thankful for - it reminded me of the power of conversation and connection to unlock parts of ourselves perhaps we didn’t realise we had inside.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] you or anyone you know has been affected by suicidal thoughts, you can head to CALM to find support: www.thecalmzone.net--THE CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.