Jimmy Wales: The man who built Wikipedia

Long before it became one of the most visited websites on Earth, Wikipedia began as a radical idea from a curious boy in Huntsville, Alabama. Raised by a father who managed a grocery store and a mother and grandmother who ran a tiny, Montessori-inspired school where “each one teach one” was the guiding principle, Wales grew up surrounded by early computers, space rockets and encyclopaedias bought from door-to-door salesmen. It was there he developed both a fascination with information and a belief that learning should be open to all.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the founder of Wikipedia to trace the unlikely journey from small-town America to one of the most visited websites on the planet. Wales recalls the early days of the internet, the chaotic birth of Wikipedia, and how a community of volunteers built something that “became part of the world’s infrastructure.”It’s a conversation about trust, optimism and collaboration- from a man who still believes that most people, given the chance, will choose to build something good together.Find out more about The Seven Rules of Trust: Why It Is Today's Most Essential Superpower by Jimmy Wales here

Before he was Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones or the commanding presence of The Jewel in the Crown, Charles Dance was a boy from Worcestershire whose father died when he was three and whose mother built a new life for the family, remarried to their lodger. A childhood marked by loss, a stammer and humble beginnings gave little hint of the commanding actor he would become.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy-nominated actor to trace an extraordinary journey from working-class Devon to the stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Hollywood sets alongside Meryl Streep, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maggie Smith. Dance reveals how two eccentric mentors in rural Devon taught him to speak, act and think like an actor, and why, even now at 79, he still considers himself a “working actor” rather than a star.It’s an intimate, reflective conversation about identity, perseverance, class, craft and the enduring magic of the stage- told with the wit and humility of a man who’s seen it all and still can’t quite believe his luck.

Before Pointless, Classic FM and comedy stardom, Alexander Armstrong was a restless kid growing up in rural Northumberland- lonely at boarding school, obsessed with music, and quietly desperate to perform. In this revealing conversation with James O’Brien, he opens up about the bruises and eccentricities of his childhood, the teachers who changed everything, and the nights at Cambridge that set him on the path to Armstrong & Miller.They talk about the shock of failure, the seduction of success, and why he’ll always be torn between the comfort of the choir stalls and the chaos of the comedy circuit.Find out more about Evenfall: The Golden Linnet by Alexander Armstrong here

Growing up in Bristol, acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne was a shy, politically driven kid who believed he could change the world- first through politics, then acting, before discovering that storytelling was where his voice truly belonged.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy and BAFTA-winning creator of This Is England, His Dark Materials, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child and Adolescence to trace Jack’s journey from a lonely teenager to one of the most prolific writers of his generation. They talk about ambition, failure, neurodiversity, and the years of illness that left Jack literally allergic to movement, and how that experience shaped his empathy, activism and craft.This conversation reveals a writer driven not by fame, but by purpose- to make television and theatre more inclusive, more truthful, and more alive to the lives of those too often left out of the story.Find out more about television series The Hack here

In 2013, businesswoman and mum Cor Hutton was given just a five percent chance of survival after contracting pneumonia that developed into sepsis. She pulled through, but lost both hands and her legs below the knee.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks to Cor about her extraordinary journey- from relearning how to live as a quadruple amputee to becoming the first person in Scotland to receive a double hand transplant. They discuss her founding of the charity Finding Your Feet, the physical and emotional resilience behind her recovery, and the mountains- literal and metaphorical- she has climbed since.Powerful, moving and often laced with humour, this conversation reveals Cor not just as a survivor, but as a campaigner, mother and relentless optimist- someone who proves that lives can be rebuilt and transformed, no matter how impossible the odds.Right now, too many people are facing their toughest challenges - alone. Families living with life-limiting illness. People struggling with their mental health. Those trapped in abuse or unable to afford the basics. They need help. And they need it now. At Global’s Make Some Noise, we’re funding vital projects in communities right across the UK, small charities working on the front line of these challenges - but we can’t do it without you. Every day without funding means someone goes without support. Your donation could mean a safe place to turn, a vital phone call answered, a life changed. Help us to make sure no one faces life’s toughest challenges alone. You can donate by textTo donate £30, £20, or £10, text GIVE30, GIVE20 or GIVE10 to 70766100% of your donation will go to Global’s Make Some Noise16 and over only. Please seek bill payer’s permission. Standard network charges may applyFull Ts&Cs are at makesomenoise.com

Before he became one of the world’s best-known chefs, Jamie Oliver was a dyslexic kid growing up in his parents’ pub in rural Essex, learning the value of hard work, fresh food, and family.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jamie to trace his journey from peeling veg at his parents’ pub to fronting The Naked Chef, reshaping school dinners, and building - then losing - a restaurant empire. They talk about the resilience required to recover from failure, his uncompromising campaigns on child health, and why he still feels driven to “stir the pot” when government policy falls short.Candid, emotional and often surprising, this conversation goes beyond the celebrity image to reveal Jamie as a father, activist and creative obsessive- a man who sees food not just as sustenance, but as a way to change lives.Find out more about Jamie Oliver’s Eat Yourself Healthy here

Before becoming Ireland’s youngest Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was a Dublin GP with bold ambitions and a belief that politics could be a kind of medicine for society.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the former Prime Minister to explore his extraordinary rise from a mixed-heritage childhood in 1980s Ireland, to leading his country through Brexit battles, historic referendums and the turbulence of the pandemic. They discuss the unlikely path that took him from medical practice to the world stage, the emotional costs of leadership, and why he chose to step away at just 45 years old.Frank, reflective and often surprising, this is a conversation about resilience, identity, and what it really means to hold power in a changing IrelandFind out more about Leo Varadkar’s memoir Speaking My Mind here

Britain’s leading forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd has performed over 23,000 postmortems and given evidence in some of the most high-profile cases of our time, from Hungerford to Hillsborough, from Princess Diana to David Kelly. But his fascination with death began much earlier, when his mother died suddenly from heart disease and he was left with questions no one could answer.In this episode of Full Disclosure, Dr Shepherd tells James O’Brien how that childhood loss set him on the path to forensic medicine, how his father’s emotional openness shaped him, and how a book brought into school by a friend gave him his first glimpse of a profession that would define his life. He reflects on the leap from observing to performing autopsies, the responsibility of telling the truth in court, and the lasting emotional toll of cases that never leave you.Candid, unflinching and deeply human, Dr Shepherd shares how a lifetime spent uncovering the truth about death has shaped the way he lives.Find out more about Dr Richard Shepherd Time of Death tour here

Actor, comedian and bestselling author Arabella Weir grew up in a family that prized intellect and appearances but struggled to offer love. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she tells James O’Brien how an unsettled childhood shaped her fearless streak, her need to perform, and her instinct to turn pain into comedy.From the brutal remarks of her mother to the liberating chaos of Camden School for Girls, Arabella charts the path that took her from rejection at drama schools to finding her voice on The Fast Show and beyond. She reflects on the role of therapy, the challenge of writing, and what it means to live alongside the little girl she once was.Wry, fearless and full of heart, Arabella shares how survival became strength- and why she’s determined to live on her own terms.Find out more about An Evening with The Fast Show here

Natalie Haynes has never been easy to categorise. A stand-up comedian turned broadcaster and best-selling author, she has built a career out of making the ancient world vivid, funny and urgent. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien talks with the presenter of Stand Up for the Classics about her unusual path from Birmingham bookshops to the Edinburgh Fringe, and from Radio 4 to re-imagining Medea.They explore the strange alchemy of combining scholarship with humour, the myths that refuse to let her go, and why Jason may be one of antiquity’s least heroic heroes. Natalie reflects on the teachers and family who first filled her life with books, the risks of carving out a career that no one else was doing, and the joy of turning classical stories into something alive for modern audiences.Clever, warm and very funny, Natalie shows how ancient tragedy and modern comedy can illuminate each other- and why she still feels most at home with the ghosts of Greece.Find out more about Natalie Haynes book and tour No Friend to This House here