The Radio Times Podcast: Series Six

Make sure to follow our Radio Times Podcast channel, wherever you listen to your podcasts, to never miss an episode. You can catch up on our past series too, Series Five, Series Four, Series Three, Series Two and Series One.

Browse our available episodes here!

Heartstopper Special Part Two: Kit Connor and Joe Locke

Hello and welcome to the Radio Times Podcast, I am Kelly-Anne Taylor and joining me today are Kit Connor and Joe Locke.

In the first part of this episode, I’ll be talking to Kit, who plays the heartthrob rugby-playing, Nick Nelson, about introducing sex to series 3 of Heartstopper, how he is actually an introvert – and what’s next for his career. Afterwards, you’ll hear me in conversation with Joe Locke – in which we talk about the impact playing Charlie has had on his life, handling fame and entering the Marvel Universe.

Heartstopper Special Part One: Alice Oseman

Hello and welcome to the Radio Times Podcast. I am Kelly-Anne Taylor, your host, and interviewer – and I am so excited to release part one – of two very special bonus episodes to mark series three of Heartstopper. Joining me is the creator, writer and brains behind it all, Alice Oseman.

We talk about Charlie and Nick’s origin story, the explosion of her webcomic, and how it has changed their life. It’s a remarkable episode – Alice is a delight to be in conversation with. Please do set a reminder on your phones, on the 3rd of October, this Thursday, part two will be released – and you can tune in to listen to my episode with Kit Connor and Joe Locke.

Matt Damon and Casey Affleck on growing up together, handling fame and The Instigators

For this very special, bonus episode of the Radio Times Podcast, Kelly-Anne Taylor is 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.

OLYMPICS SPECIAL: Max Whitlock on Paris 2024, life as a gymnast and retirement

This week, for our series finale, Kelly-Anne Taylor brings to you an Olympics special. It's 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, 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.

Emma Gannon on writing, the joys of slowing down and Ctrl Alt Delete

This week, Kelly-Anne Taylor is 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 Nothing – 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'.

Diane Von Furstenberg on the secret to her success, marrying royalty and turning down David Bowie and Mick Jagger

Whilst Kelly-Anne Taylor was away, reporting from the field at Glastonbury, RT had the incredible opportunity to interview Diane Von Furstenberg for the podcast – recruiting Smart TV 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 has also lived a fascinating life, and a new documentary, Woman in Charge on Disney+, gives us a glimpse into her remarkable 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 David 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.

Emma Myers on Wednesday, British accents and not going out

Join 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.

Dolly Wells on ambition, the beauty of ageing and Emily Mortimer

Joining Kelly-Anne Taylor this week is the writer, director and actor, Dolly Wells. She grew up off of Kensington High Street in London – the youngest of six children. Aged 18, she discovered that her stepfather was actually her biological father – the great comic actor, John Wells. In her 20s, Dolly worked as an actress – but also as a photographer’s assistant, she had a stall in Portobello Market and wrote book reviews for the Express. It was only when she had her daughter in her 30s that she really decided to go for it.

Since then, she's made her mark – and there seems to be very little that she can't do. She's played a vampire-hunting nun in Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat's Dracula, a woman locked in a basement with David Tennant in Inside Man and an incompetent assistant in the Sky comedy Doll & Em (which she co-wrote with her best friend, the actress Emily Mortimer). Now, she turns her hand to directing BBC Three's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder – which follows a bright-eyed, precocious teenager Pip (who decides to investigate the unsolved murder of a schoolgirl. In this episode, we talk about the beauty of ageing, her life-changing friendship with Emily Mortimer, and how female directors are changing the industry.

Suranne Jones on Coronation Street, Gentleman Jack and why she's obsessed with witches

Joining Kelly-Anne Taylor in the studio is the actress Suranne Jones. Born and raised in Greater Manchester, she first rose to prominence playing Karen McDonald in ITV’s Coronation Street. After leaving the soap, she has cemented herself as one of Britain’s finest actresses – winning a BAFTA for her performance as Gemma Foster in Doctor Foster, and critical acclaim for her role as Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack and Amy Silva in Vigil.

In this episode, we discuss the early days of her career – and how press intrusion and the era of lad mags, impacted her relationship with her body. And, she talks bravely about her mental health breakdown in 2018, and the coping mechanisms and boundaries she has put in place since then. Plus, we also discuss her brand new documentary Suranne Jones: Investigating Witch Trials.

Karen Gillan on Doctor Who, the Marvel Universe and working with Steven Moffat

Joining 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 Doctor Who.

Since then, she’s conquered Hollywood with her role as Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this episode, we discuss losing your anonymity, the pressures placed on women’s bodies and her brand new show Douglas Is Cancelled.

Check out previous episodes of the Radio Times Podcast. You can also write to the Radio Times Podcast team and let us know your thoughts at: podcast@radiotimes.com.

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