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Crisis What Crisis with Andy Coulson

Hard-earned lessons from people who've faced the worst and come back stronger.
Hosted by Andy Coulson. Follow for weekly insights into the art of the rebuild.
Crisis What Crisis? is powered by Kingsley Napley — the lawyers you want in your corner when the pressure is on. Visit kingsleynapley.co.uk

Andy Coulson

Perspective is one of the most useful tools we have in crisis – a way of taking pressure out of a difficult moment, stepping back and working out what really matters.In this special compilation episode of Crisis What Crisis, I share the story of the five most terrifying days of my own life and revisit four extraordinary guests whose lives have been shaped, and sometimes almost undone, by the pursuit of perspective.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:00:41 The worst experience of my life05:06 Timbaland – the bullet that's still inside him, and why he refuses to take it out06:05 Dame Stephanie Shirley – the Kindertransport and the neighbours who kept asking, "aren't you lucky to be saved?"12:48 James Landale – seeing death across a crowded room, and the tank of coloured poison he can still return to14:30 Rory Stewart – the frozen body in the snow, sitting down happy to die, and the dog that saved him19:29 The Belmarsh swear jar – how the words you use shape the size of the crisis21:50 Four things I take from all of thisLISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODES:Timbaland – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000634317774Dame Stephanie Shirley – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000680629888James Landale – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000642157416Rory Stewart – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000608962048FOLLOW THE GUESTS:Timbaland – https://www.instagram.com/timbaland/?hl=enRory Stewart – https://www.instagram.com/rorystewartuk/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Johnny Seifert (audio)

UNDERSTANDING PERSPECTIVE: How to Find It When You Need It Most

In this country, one in six of us will experience significant anxiety at some point in our lives. It's an epidemic that doesn't care about class, wealth, gender, age or race – and yet, as this episode argues, anxiety isn't the enemy. It's information. A signal to be read, not a fault to be removed.In this special compilation episode, Andy Coulson draws on his own experience of anxiety attacks and revisits six past guests – a broadcaster, a journalist, a content creator, an adventurer, a designer and a cellist – who each faced anxiety in a very different form and found their own way to live alongside it. POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FULL EPISODES:Steve Peters: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000547878428Christian O'Connell: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000659675816Bryony Gordon: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000650752366Alex Goldie: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000729186695Mark Beaumont: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000618838895Anya Hindmarch: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000768689727Julian Lloyd Webber: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000779874143FOLLOW THE GUESTS:Christian O'Connell: https://www.instagram.com/mrchristianoconnell/?hl=enBryony Gordon: https://www.instagram.com/bryonygordon/?hl=enAlex Goldie: https://www.instagram.com/goldiealexx/?hl=enMark Beaumont: https://www.instagram.com/mrmarkbeaumont/?hl=enAnya Hindmarch: https://www.instagram.com/anyahindmarch/?hl=enJulian Lloyd Webber: https://www.instagram.com/julian.lloydwebber/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Johnny Seifert (audio)

UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY: Why It Isn't the Enemy

Most guests give me their Crisis Compass looking back on a crisis they've survived. Erin Baker is different. Her partner died just 12 weeks before this recording, and she is, by her own account, exhausted by the demand to keep being strong.These four points aren't hard-won wisdom viewed from calmer shores — they're the things holding her up as we speak. That, I think, makes them rarer and more valuable than almost any compass I've been given.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Erin to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that she turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. If you haven't heard the full conversation yet, go back and find it in the feed. It's well worth your time.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:00:52 A Person – Her Frant village church community, and the stability they've offered when everything else is in flux01:23 A Piece of Advice – A day at a time. The most hypocritical advice she could pass on — and the only one that works now01:57 A Comfort – Writing. It's her career because it was her comfort first02:09 A Habit – Paint by numbers. Half an hour of something absolutely mindlessFOLLOW ERIN'S WRITINGPostcards from Grief – https://erinbaker1001.substack.com/FOLLOW ERIN BAKERInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/erinbakerauto/?hl=enLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-baker-58901a48/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

ERIN BAKER'S CRISIS COMPASS

This is a very unusual episode. It is rare that we would choose to have someone join us on the podcast so close to their crisis – usually our guests come to these conversations with the clarity that a few years' distance can bring. Erin Baker is just weeks on from the death of her partner, James, and still very much living in it. What she offers instead of distance is something rarer: the raw, unfiltered honesty of someone grieving out loud, in real time. A warning – this conversation is powerful and at times very difficult, and some of the themes may be upsetting.Erin Baker is one of the most respected motoring journalists in the country – the youngest and only female motoring editor on Fleet Street in her day. But in the autumn of last year, her life came apart. Her partner of thirteen years, James, was diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal brain tumour, and the blows kept coming: her father died, one of her sons was rushed to hospital, the family dog was put down, and a car was written off in a collision with a deer. Wave after wave, all at once. Then, this year, James died. He was 53.Rather than retreat, Erin made the conscious decision to grieve in public, writing for The Times and keeping a diary on Substack called Postcards from Grief, documenting James's dying, the days since, and the unexpected things his death has taught her. She joins Andy for a conversation about resilience and its limits, about loss and control, about black humour and love, and about what actually carries us through the very worst of it. She is, without a shadow of a doubt, someone we can all learn from.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYKingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FOUR LESSONS FROM ERINBeing "strong" can be a trap. If people decide you're resilient, they assume you're coping – and leave you to it. Sometimes the bravest thing is to admit you're not fine, and to ask for the help you need.Honesty is what makes people feel less alone. It's not the tidy, theory-shaped version of grief that helps others but the messy, unguarded truth. Say the thing that feels too close to the bone; it's often the thing someone else desperately needs to hear.You can't control the future, because it doesn't exist yet. Make your plans, but hold them loosely, they're only ideas of what you'd like to happen. Learning to live a day at a time is the only way through.Find your release. For Erin it was writing, walking in nature, even paint-by-numbers – something meditative to pour the fear and grief into. When you can't carry it all in your head, give it somewhere to go.CHAPTERS03:37 – “I'm sick and tired of being resilient”: the exhaustion of always being the strong07:52 – Grieving out loud: the decision to write through it11:55 – The formidable mother, and a childhood that built the muscle13:55 – Keep buggering on15:20 – Fighting her way to Cambridge, and up a male-dominated newsroom20:23 – Meeting James23:05 – The life that looked perfect from the outside – and wasn't25:08 – The Amazon night shift: the proudest she ever was of him30:30 – The diagnosis39:49 – When the blows kept coming47:02 – Her son's seizure: the worst thing she's ever seen51:02 – Learning to hold your plans loosely53:22 – The last night, and a hug she'll never forget57:04 – The chaos of loss1:06:05 – The stranger by the roadside who knew exactly what to sayFOLLOW ERIN'S WRITINGPostcards from Grief – https://erinbaker1001.substack.com/FOLLOW ERIN BAKERInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/erinbakerauto/?hl=enLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-baker-58901a48/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

ERIN BAKER: “I'm sick and tired of being resilient”

Julian Lloyd Webber spent half a century as one of the world's great cellists — and then had to discover who he was without the instrument that had defined his existence. In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, Andy sits down with Julian to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that he turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. If you haven't heard the full conversation yet, go back and find it in the feed. It's well worth your time.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:00:58 A Person – His wife Jiaxin, and why he's not sure he'd have got through it without her01:20 A Habit – A couple of pints of lager every night 02:49 A Comfort – Leyton Orient03:25 A Piece of Advice – "Don't waste a second."BUY JULIAN'S BOOKBows & Arrows – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bows-Arrows-Julian-Lloyd-Webber/dp/1837360588SEE JULIAN LIVEJulian's Irish tour with his wife, Jiaxin – https://julianlloydwebber.com/events/FOLLOW JULIAN LLOYD WEBBERInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/julian.lloydwebber/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

JULIAN LLOYD WEBBER'S CRISIS COMPASS

Julian Lloyd Webber is undoubtedly one of the country's greatest living musicians – the man who, perhaps more than anyone of his generation, took classical music out of the concert hall and into the mainstream. But in October 2013, ten minutes into a recital in a Suffolk seaside town, the power drained from his right arm and he found he could barely draw the bow across his cello.Within six months, at 63, he was forced to retire – unemployed overnight and stripped of the thing that had defined him since he was a boy of thirteen.For half a century, the cello had been Julian's whole life. He toured the world, playing with everyone from Yehudi Menuhin to Elton John, took an Elgar recording to a Brit Award and his brother's Variations to number two in the pop charts. He was the first officially licensed busker on the London Underground and the only classical soloist at the London Olympics closing ceremony.Then, at 64, he sat the first job interview of his life and went on to lead the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire into a £57 million new home, winning it royal status along the way. On his 75th birthday – and while quietly managing a prostate cancer diagnosis – he walked back onto the Wigmore Hall stage and played again. And now, twelve years after the power drained from his arm, Julian is touring – a full run across Ireland this autumn with his cellist wife, Jiaxin.His memoir, Bows & Arrows, is out now, and this conversation is about the abuse he survived as a boy, the instrument he loved and lost, and how you rebuild an identity when the thing that made you who you are is taken away.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing a crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley.Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FOUR LESSONS FROM JULIANTalent and hard work aren't enough on their own – you need passion, because that's the only thing that gets you up to do it all again after a bad night.A second string to your bow can end up saving your life. When you lose the thing that defined you, throw yourself into whatever else genuinely moves you – even if it's nothing like what you did before. Find something that truly absorbs you, and the healing takes care of itself.When a setback knocks you down, picture the alternative. For Julian, the fear of ending up disappointed with his life was the fuel that kept him going.Healing is not forgetting; it's reaching the point where the trauma you carry doesn't drag you down.CHAPTERS04:01 – Growing up in a chaotic, bohemian home09:12 – The day on the Tube that took his childhood11:03 – Why some things you don't get over – and shouldn't have to15:21 – His father's warning that lit the fire17:39 – Fifty years at the top: how he kept the flame alive27:25 – The longest relationship of his life33:12 – A football bet, a number two record, and a gold disc35:01 – The night the power drained from his arm39:02 – Losing your job, your income and your identity overnight39:59 – The first job interview of his life, at 6444:22 – The daughter's remark that brought him back to the cello47:57 – Facing a cancer diagnosis51:32 – Why he refuses to slow down, even nowBUY JULIAN'S BOOKBows & Arrows – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bows-Arrows-Julian-Lloyd-Webber/dp/1837360588SEE JULIAN LIVEJulian's Irish tour with his wife, Jiaxin – https://julianlloydwebber.com/events/FOLLOW JULIAN LLOYD WEBBERInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/julian.lloydwebber/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

JULIAN LLOYD WEBBER: The Day the Music Stopped

Frank Gardner has lived, by his own description, two very different lives — and found a way to carry the best of the first into the second. Twenty years on from the attack in Riyadh that nearly killed him, the BBC Security Correspondent is still reporting from the places most of us wouldn't dare go.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, Andy sits down with Frank to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that he turns to in order to help survive a crisis.Frank is the BBC's Security Correspondent and the author of a series of best-selling thrillers — the latest, Ballistic, is out now. If you haven't heard the full conversation yet, go back and find it in the feed. It's well worth your time.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:00:53 A Person – Himself01:21 A Habit – Lifting his eyes to the horizon,  the birdwatcher's discipline of really looking02:23 A Comfort – Driving. 03:40 A Piece of Advice – Grieve it, deal with it, but don't keep defining yourself by what happenedBUY FRANK'S BOOKBallistic – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/178763549X?tag=prhmarketing2552-21FOLLOW FRANK GARDNERInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/frank.gardner/?hl=enX – https://x.com/FrankRGardnerFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

FRANK GARDNER'S CRISIS COMPASS

On June 6th 2004, Frank Gardner was in Riyadh filming what was meant to be a routine piece of background footage when an Al-Qaeda cell opened fire. His cameraman, Simon Cumbers, was killed. Frank was shot six times and left for dead. One surgeon later told him he'd arrived at hospital the colour of a lab coat, bleeding from every wound faster than they could pour the plasma in. It was, in the truest sense, the day Frank should have died.That day split his life in two. Before it, he was a restless Arabist who'd hitchhiked across the Middle East with nothing in his pocket, spent a decade in banking, turned down MI6, and talked his way into the BBC in his mid-30s to become its first ever security correspondent. After it, he was partially paralysed and in daily pain – yet back at work within ten months, and has spent the twenty years since reporting from the very places that nearly killed him. He describes crossing an invisible bridge to a new version of himself, this conversation is about what that crossing actually cost.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing a crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FOUR LESSONS FROM FRANKDon't waste your energy mourning what you can no longer change. Pour it into what you still can. When crisis hits, there's a fork in the road. One path is self-pity – and it's entirely justifiable. The other is deciding to make the most of what you've got left. Choosing the second is a daily struggle.Look outwards, not inwards. Fill your life with the things that make you feel useful and alive. Fixating on your own troubles is a trap – curiosity about the world around you is the way out.Volunteer for the work no one else wants – the weekends, the bank holidays, the night shifts. It's how you make yourself indispensable, and how you get your shot when it finally comes.CHAPTERS 05:18 – The daily indignities most people never see 08:57 – Why he refuses to let it define him 11:33 – Where his grit really came from: two extraordinary parents 14:19 – The bold early decisions that shaped a life 20:38 – Turning down MI6 – and the self-awareness to know why 27:45 – How to break into a career when there's no job at the end of it 30:27 – The attack: what actually happened that day 31:02 – Seven months in hospital, and living with the what-ifs 39:45 – The one thing he's still bitter about 42:15 – Losing Simon, and finding a way through the grief 44:37 – "You'll never walk again" – the second hammer blow 48:05 – The letter from the BBC that gave him something to aim for 50:42 – Going back to Saudi Arabia to face it down 53:52 – Why he doesn't spend his life grievingBUY FRANK'S BOOKBallistic – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/178763549X?tag=prhmarketing2552-21FOLLOW FRANK GARDNERInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/frank.gardner/?hl=en X – https://x.com/FrankRGardnerFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

FRANK GARDNER: The day I should have died

Shock is a fundamental part of almost any crisis. It's a state of complete operating system override which, when left unacknowledged, can turn into something far more damaging.In this special compilation episode, Andy Coulson revisits five past guests who each experienced shock in very different ways, and found very different routes through it.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FULL EPISODES:Johnny Mercer: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000482235919Rupert Soames: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000700198554Dr Richard Shepherd: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000533310865Jill Halfpenny: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000661591052Kate Bowler: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000762523544FOLLOW THE GUESTS:Johnny Mercer: https://www.instagram.com/johnnymercermp/?hl=enDr Richard Shepherd: https://www.instagram.com/drrichardshepherd/?hl=enJill Halfpenny: https://www.instagram.com/jillhalfpenny/?hl=enKate Bowler: https://www.instagram.com/katecbowler/?hl=en

UNDERSTANDING SHOCK: The body's crisis handbreak

Jeremy King is the legendary restaurateur behind Le Caprice, The Ivy, The Wolseley and Simpson's on the Strand. His is a story of extraordinary gambles, of rooms that became London institutions, and of losing the company that carried his own name — and choosing to build all over again in his 70s.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Jeremy to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that he turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. If you haven't heard the full conversation yet, go back and find it in the feed. It's well worth your time.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:00:59 A Person – Himself. The only person he can absolutely trust in a crisis.02:43 A Habit – Up at 5am, every day, it's the ritual that stabilises him before the world wakes up03:44 A Comfort – His children, and the different perspective they bring04:26 A Piece of Advice – Why get inordinately upset about something you'll forget about in future?BUY JEREMY'S BOOKWithout Reservation: Lessons from a Life in Restaurants – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Without-Reservation-Lessons-Life-Restaurants/dp/0008599025FOLLOW JEREMY KINGInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/jeremyrbking/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

JEREMY KING'S CRISIS COMPASS

In April 2022, after a bruising auction battle with his own investors, Jeremy King lost the company that carried his name. He walked back into the Wolseley – the restaurant he had built into the highest grossing restaurant in Britain – to find his staff in tears and the new owners already arriving. His phone and laptop were taken from him, he felt, as he puts it, like a criminal – stripped of all his possessions and then cast out onto the street.But that was just the latest chapter in a career defined again and again by gambles, diligence, loss, and extraordinary success. Jeremy once handed the biggest decisions of his life to the roll of a dice. He built and sold an empire, built another, and now, at 72, is rebuilding for a third time – with Simpson's in the Strand, London’s most talked about restaurant of the moment and a venue he first tried to buy 26 years ago.Across the last forty-five years Jeremy has revived or built from scratch some of London’s most loved restaurants: Le Caprice, The Ivy, J Sheekey, The Wolseley and The Delaunay. His patrons have ranged from royalty to the greatest artists of the age, yet his gift has always been to make anyone who walks through his doors feel like they are the most important person in the room.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing a crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FOUR LESSONS FROM JEREMYLook for the good before the crisis has even hit. Whatever's going wrong, there's almost always something to salvage.Let them take your money. Never let them take your soul. You'll always find another way to make money.Don't act fast just to feel in control. People panic and make the wrong moves because they think a crisis demands speed. Often the bravest, smartest thing you can do is wait and see.Do the job better than it's ever been done – even sweeping a floor. Pride is yours to keep. That standard, once set, never leaves you.CHAPTERS04:54 – Why the best operators watch before they speak08:04 – How an early knock to your confidence can shape a whole career25:00 – Where a true standard of excellence actually comes from30:08 – What it really feels like to lose the company with your name on it39:26 – Why selling too early can be the smartest deal you ever do45:00 – Holding your nerve on the worst day of your business life49:16 – Protecting your reputation when the story's out of your hands51:44 – What five years with Lucian Freud taught him about risk and danger57:18 – Why integrity is simply never trying to get away with anything58:32 – The art of defusing a crisis before it becomes one01:03:20 – Keeping perspective: why every crisis is relative01:07:09 – Starting over at 72BUY JEREMY'S BOOKWithout Reservation: Lessons from a Life in Restaurants https://www.amazon.co.uk/Without-Reservation-Lessons-Life-Restaurants/dp/0008599025FOLLOW JEREMY KINGInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/jeremyrbking/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

JEREMY KING: “Let them take your money but never your soul”

Over 20 years in frontline politics, Sir Jeremy Hunt held three of the great offices of state – Health Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He survived some of the most bruising political battles of his generation, and grieved, throughout, the loss of his father, his mother, and his brother.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Jeremy to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation he turns to on his darker days – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:01:02 A Person — the one who'll still be there when the job, the title, and the headlines are long gone01:21 A Habit — the cross-country team he was forced into at school, and why he still hasn't stopped01:55 A Comfort — six and a half weeks of Lent torture, and why Easter makes it worth it02:15 A Piece of Advice — why criticism only hurts when it comes from someone you knowBUY JEREMY'S BOOK:Can We Be Rich Again? The Surprising Potential of Britain's Economy – https://shorturl.at/4Kv0DFOLLOW JEREMY:Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhuntmp/TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyrshuntmpX — https://x.com/Jeremy_HuntLinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyhuntuk/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram — www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok — www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production — Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

JEREMY HUNT'S CRISIS COMPASS

In October 2022, the British economy was in freefall. Liz Truss's mini-budget had sent the pound into a nosedive, mortgage rates were climbing at a terrifying speed, and the IMF had issued a public warning to the government to reverse course. It was, by any measure, a national crisis.Into that emergency stepped Sir Jeremy Hunt who, over a single weekend, dismantled almost the entirety of the economic programme he'd inherited.But that was just the latest chapter in a political career defined again and again by an extraordinary capacity to absorb difficulty and get on with the job. All while managing a private grief that would have broken most people in any role, let alone one of the most demanding in the country. The loss of his father, mother, and brother, all lost to cancer.His new book, Can We Be Rich Again? The Surprising Potential of Britain's Economy, is an act of deliberate optimism in a country that has largely forgotten how to be optimistic. Sir Jeremy Hunt joins Andy Coulson for a conversation about loss, resilience, reputation, and what it really takes to keep your nerve when everything is falling apart.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing a crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FOUR LESSONS FROM JEREMY:Start a business in your 20s if you possibly can. You've got no mortgage, no kids, no dependents – it doesn't matter if things go wrong, and you'll learn more from failure than you ever will from success.You can cope with one thing going wrong. It's when two or three things go wrong at once that life gets really hard – so close down the smaller crisis as fast as you can, even if that means caving in.The most important thing any leader can build is a team that will tell you when you're wrong. If people are afraid to speak truth to power, you will make bad decisions.Grief gives you something a successful career can't: a sense of what actually matters.CHAPTERS03:34 – Why naive goals are sometimes the most powerful ones05:20 – His father's greatest lesson07:50 – The tragedy his family never spoke about10:35 – What unconditional belief from a parent actually does to a child13:37 – Why failure in your 20s is an asset, not a setback17:07 – Why business and politics require completely different skills22:11 – Starting a business with your best friend26:43 – The junior doctors dispute30:09 – How to survive being the most unpopular politician in the country33:01 – Losing his brother Charlie: what grief teaches you that success never can36:56 – Walking into the eye of the storm as Chancellor40:59 – How to restore trust when trust is the only thing that matters44:20 – Why knowing who you are is the foundation of every crisis skill worth having44:59 – Why Britain thinks far worse of itself than the rest of the world doesBUY JEREMY'S BOOKCan We Be Rich Again? The Surprising Potential of Britain's Economy – pick up a copy here: https://shorturl.at/DfIZaFOLLOW JEREMY HUNTInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhuntmp/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyrshuntmpX – https://x.com/Jeremy_HuntLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyhuntuk/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), James Quinn (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)

JEREMY HUNT: Frontline politics is poisonous and I'll never go back

What is the single most important concept in crisis management? Andy Coulson believes it's control — a lesson he first learned sitting on a plastic mattress in a Glasgow police cell, with nothing to focus on but his own breathing.In this special compilation episode, he revisits four past guests who each arrived at the same conclusion through very different routes.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FEATURINGRyan Holiday — bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and The Daily Stoic, on why Stoicism is history's greatest crisis management framework, and the remarkable story of Admiral James Stockdale tapping Epictetus through a prison wall in Vietnam.Alix Popham — former Welsh international rugby player, diagnosed with early-onset dementia and probable CTE, on how the athlete's instinct for discipline becomes a survival strategy when the stakes are as high as they get.Natasha Silver Bell — international model turned recovery coach, on the moment she stopped blaming her external circumstances and took control of her internal state.Cally Beaton — comedian, writer, and former Viacom CBS executive, on surrender, mayhem, and why she refuses to call herself a stoic — despite sounding exactly like one.Control the controllables. It sounds simple. It isn't. But as every guest in this episode shows, it is learnable — and it might just be the most important lesson crisis has to offer.FULL EPISODES:Ryan Holiday: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000755722247 Alix Popham: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000712166764 Natasha Silver Bell: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000722574377 Cally Beaton: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis-with-andy-coulson/id1517015748?i=1000717250391FOLLOW THE GUESTS:Ryan Holiday: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday/ Alix Popham: https://www.instagram.com/alix_popham/ Natasha Silver Bell: https://www.instagram.com/natashasilverbell/ Cally Beaton: https://www.instagram.com/callybeatoncomedian/

LESSONS ON CONTROL: How to manage a crisis

Sir Richard Harpin wanted to be an entrepreneur since before he knew the word. He sold conkers in the playground, bred and sold rabbits in his garden, ran a tuck shop from his school locker, and by 15 was bunking off chemistry to cash cheques with the bank manager.In this special episode of Crisis What Crisis – recorded in front of a live audience at the Walbrook Club in the City of London – Andy sits down with the founder of HomeServe, the company Richard built over 30 years and sold in 2023 for £4.1 billion.  Richard was knighted in the 2024 New Year Honours. His Sunday Times bestselling book, How to Make a Billion in Nine Steps, is out now.This episode is for anyone who has ever wanted to start something, scale something, or is simply looking for guidance on how to manage the day-to-day crises of running a business.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FIVE BUSINESS LESSONS FROM SIR RICHARD HARPIN1) Copy. Richard didn't invent the HomeServe model – he openly admits that he copied it (and then did it better). If someone else is doing it and it works, the risk is lower. 2) Prove the model before you scale it. HomeServe burned through half a million pounds trying to grow a loss-making business. With modern technology, Richard says, you really don't have to do that.3) The best time to build is when conditions are hardest. Comfortable conditions produce cautious thinking. The best businesses are built with their backs against the wall.4) Admitting the mistake is often the fastest route out of it. Richard told the stock market he'd wasted £130 million, wrote off the assets, and said sorry. The share price went up £250 million the same day. The market doesn't punish honesty. It punishes opacity.5) Not taking a risk is itself a risk. Staying still has a cost that compounds invisibly. The test isn't whether the risk is scary. It's whether you can live with not taking it.CHAPTERS04:52 – Why Richard wanted to be an entrepreneur 10:35 – His first businesses13:28 – What working at P&G taught him 19:22 – How HomeServe started 19:22 – Running out of money at Christmas 21:07 – Taking investment at the wrong terms 22:00 – The moment he nearly quit 23:00 – The £50 letter that saved the business 24:43 – The importance of copying 25:34 – Why he hired someone to replace himself 27:06 – Breaking America30:01 – The £100m mistake he made publicly 30:59 – How he structures his day 36:10 – Negotiating a £4.1bn exit 37:37 – What selling actually feels like 38:55 – Why he's still working 42:25 – His advice on AI and careers 44:46 – Starting over with nothingBUY SIR RICHARD'S BOOKHow to Make a Billion in Nine Steps – Sunday Times Bestseller https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Make-Billion-Nine-Steps/dp/034944644XFOLLOW SIR RICHARD HARPINLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharpin/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/richard_harpin/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@richard.harpinFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISISInstagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodFOLLOW THE WALBROOK CLUBThis episode was recorded live at the Walbrook Club, London. Special thanks to Philip Palumbo and his team for hosting us.Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thewalbrookclub/

HOMESERVE FOUNDER: Going from broke to billions | Sir Richard Harpin

Dame Anya Hindmarch started her global fashion business on a gap year trip to Italy aged just 18. Four decades on, she is the founder of one of Britain's most recognisable brands – worn by the Princess of Wales and a new holder of a royal warrant from Queen Camilla.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Anya to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that she turns on her darker days – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:01:00 A Person01:36 A Habit03:01 A Comfort03:45 A Piece of AdviceBUY ANYA'S BOOKIf In Doubt Wash Your Hair – https://www.anyahindmarch.com/products/if-in-doubt-wash-your-hair-paperback-book-in-paper-off-whiteFOLLOW ANYA:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anyahindmarch/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@anyahindmarchFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ANYA HINDMARCH'S CRISIS COMPASS

Dame Anya Hindmarch started her global fashion business on a gap year trip to Italy aged just 18. Four decades on, she is the founder of one of Britain's most recognisable brands – worn by the Princess of Wales and a new holder of a royal warrant from Queen Camilla. Anya joins Andy for a candid conversation about courage, control and how treating fear and excitement as the same emotion has proved to be her superpower.This is a masterclass in resilience from a founder who has dealt with the ‘daily stomach punches’ of being an entrepreneurPOWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by @kingsleynapley – visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FOUR BUSINESS LESSONS:Doubt is your friend. Don't try to silence it. The moment you stop being scared is the moment things will go wrong.Cling on to your equity. Getting investment isn't winning a prize. When you do it the hard way, you stay in control.Be honest about the journey. Admitting what you've got it wrong buys you more credit than pretending you've got it right.Sometimes you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelette. You will get things wrong. Get them wrong, correct, and learn.CHAPTERS:03:09 – Learning to accept that in life you’ll never be fully satisfied06:47 – How Thatcher's Britain created a generation of founders08:19 – Dyslexia and the entrepreneur's brain15:55 – Starting at 18 with no network, no internet, no clue18:09 – "Stupid determination" – the trait every founder shares20:09 – The lonely years of building a business21:17 – Anxiety vs stress24:07 – Why imposter syndrome is healthy24:58 – I'm Not A Plastic Bag: changing national behaviour with a £5 product27:35 – Honesty as a brand strategy30:10 – Building a blended family without dropping the business35:06 – The mistake of stepping away as CEO40:16 – Buying it back: how to turn a crisis into a restructure41:32 – Localising in a global business44:20 – Her creative process46:30 – Outside investment: why she'd tell founders to wait48:08 – Perspective: what a child's illness teaches a CEO52:06 – Brand Britain – what we're selling and what we're missing54:41 – AI: "Stop moaning and get really good at it"BUY ANYA'S BOOK If In Doubt Wash Your Hair – https://www.anyahindmarch.com/products/if-in-doubt-wash-your-hair-paperback-book-in-paper-off-whiteFOLLOW ANYA:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anyahindmarch/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@anyahindmarchFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ANYA HINDMARCH: “Everyday is a crisis when you’re running a business”

Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in a park near their home in Warrington in February 2023. What followed — the campaigning, the memoir, the forgiveness, the compassion — has made her one of the most consequential reform voices in contemporary British life.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Esther to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that she turns on her darker days – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice.Esther is the founder of the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project and Peace in Mind UK, a social enterprise focused on mental health in schools. She launched the Phone Free Education campaign, has campaigned in parliament, and last month received an honorary doctorate from the University of Chester. She was named The Independent's Most Influential Woman of 2024. Her memoir Under a Pink Sky, published by Penguin, is out now in paperback.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:01:16 A Person02:04 A Habit03:10 A Comfort03:39 A Piece of AdviceFOLLOW ESTHER GHEY:Instagram – www.instagram.com/esther.ghey/Peace in Mind UK – www.peaceinminduk.comUnder a Pink Sky – available now in paperbackFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ESTHER GHEY'S CRISIS COMPASS

In February 2023, Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in a park near their home in Warrington, in a premeditated attack by two 15-year-olds. Today, Esther is a bereaved mother, but she is also one of the most significant voices for social reform in contemporary British life.She founded the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project, co-launched the Phone-Free Education campaign with Kate Winslet, and has helped force a national reckoning on children, smartphones and social media. She was named the Independent's Most Influential Woman of 2024 and a GQ Hero.Her bestselling memoir Under a Pink Sky - now available in paperback - is a searing and hopeful account of love, loss and rebuilding. It is one of the most breathtaking tales of resilience I have ever read.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FIVE LESSONS FROM ESTHER:Grief doesn't get easier – you learn to build your life around the hole the person left.Don't blame other people for your own decisions.Perception is everything: You can walk the same street looking down at the dog mess or up at the blossom – the choice is yours.Mindfulness isn't a wellness trend. It's a tool that rewires how you respond to stress.Compassion costs nothing.CHAPTERS:03:56 – The cherry blossom and the sign05:20 – Growing up with mum07:55 – Leaving school with no GCSEs, becoming a mum at 1809:13 – The sludge-green walls and the addiction12:17 – Why she refuses to blame anyone but herself15:43 – Going back to school in her 30s16:07 – Discovering mindfulness17:51 – When Brett became Brianna21:17 – The phone, the bedroom, the 3am email27:24 – The day it happened30:16 – The dream that became acceptance32:47 – What she'd say to anyone in early grief34:35 – Grieving in public36:33 – Why she won't name the killers37:55 – Meeting Emma43:23 – Building Brianna's legacy48:05 – Could I have done more?51:16 – Phones don't build resilience54:26 – Where the campaign goes nextFOLLOW ESTHER GHEY:Instagram – www.instagram.com/esther.ghey/Brianna Ghey Legacy Project – www.instagram.com/briannagheylegacyproject/Phone-Free Education – www.instagram.com/phonefreeeducation/BUY ESTHER'S BOOK:Under a Pink Sky – www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Pink-Sky-Esther-Ghey/dp/0241738733FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ESTHER GHEY: The fight to free children from their phones

Kate Bowler is one of the most thought-provoking voices on pain and suffering you'll ever encounter. Living her dream life – married to her high school sweetheart, a baby boy, and her dream job – she was diagnosed with stage four cancer just as everything fell into place.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Kate to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that she turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. We'd love to know yours, let us know in the reviews...Kate is a four-time New York Times bestseller, professor at Duke University, host of the Everything Happens podcast, and author of an exceptional Substack. Her latest book, Joyful Anyway, hit the shelves this month.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:00:49 A Person – Be a Roger: the quiet librarian who showed her what service really looks like01:47 A Habit – Praying with her son every night02:27 A Comfort – Roadside America, a 40-foot ceramic turtle, and how she befriended Tom Holland03:49 A Piece of Advice – "It comes undone though, so don't skip to the end"BUY KATE'S NEW BOOK:Joyful Anyway – www.amazon.co.uk/Joyful-Anyway-Finding-Delight-Impossible/dp/1037202562FOLLOW KATE BOWLER:Instagram – www.instagram.com/katecbowler/YouTube – www.youtube.com/@katecbowlerTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@katecbowlerSubstack – https://katebowler.substack.com/Podcast – Everything HappensFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

KATE BOWLER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 points of navigation for when life flips upside down

At 35, Kate Bowler had the life she'd always wanted: she was a Duke University professor, married to her high school sweetheart, with a one-year-old son. Then she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.Today, Kate is a five time New York Times bestselling author, host of the Everything Happens podcast and one of the most inspiring and unique voices on the subject of suffering, the myth of the prosperity gospel and the reality of the human condition.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FIVE LESSONS FROM KATE:Don't trust your 2 am self. Your 2 a.m. self is despairing and terrified.People want to help. Give them small, specific ways to show they love you.Put an expiry date on bitterness.Saying yes opens up untold opportunities – often it’s worth it.Happiness is cheap. Meaning isn't. A happy person isn't necessarily living a meaningful life – they're often just extremely lucky.CHAPTERS: 04:42 – Defining resilience10:49 – Growing up with depressed person14:46 – The prosperity gospel16:48 – When it all came apart20:33 – The diagnosis22:07 – Performing gratitude35:23 – Rules for surviving cancer43:33 – The reality of being cured45:12 – Joyful Anyway48:19 – The happiness industry51:23 – On stoicism55:35 – Fear, sharks and risk58:18 – Tasked with loveBUY KATE'S NEW BOOK:Joyful Anyway – www.amazon.co.uk/Joyful-Anyway-Finding-Delight-Impossible/dp/1037202562FOLLOW KATE BOWLER: Instagram – www.instagram.com/katecbowler/YouTube – www.youtube.com/@katecbowlerTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@katecbowlerSubstack – https://katebowler.substack.com/Podcast – Everything HappensFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

KATE BOWLER: Everything DOES NOT happen for a reason

Charles Tyrwhitt founder, Nick Wheeler, started the business with just £99, a Morris Minor (with a hole rusted through the floor), and zero understanding of how you make a shirt. Today, it’s a £400m global empire – but his story is one not short of tragedy.In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Nick to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that he turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. We’d love to know yours, let us know in the reviews...POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.CHAPTERS:00:49 A Person – Learning from your children's fresh perspective01:33 A Habit – 474 days of Duolingo (and still can't speak Italian)02:32 A Comfort – Singing on a Brompton around London03:12 A Piece of Advice – Stop stressing about what you can't changeFOLLOW CHARLES TYRWHITT:‪@charlestyrwhitt‬Instagram – www.instagram.com/charlestyrwhitt/YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/charlestyrwhittTikTok – www.tiktok.com/discover/charles-tyrwhittWebsite – https://www.charlestyrwhitt.com/uk/homeFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

NICK WHEELER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools for navigating crisis

Nick Wheeler founded Charles Tyrwhitt with just £99 and a Morris Minor with a hole rusted through the floor (and zero understanding of how you make a shirt!). Today, it’s a £400m global empire – but his story is one not short of tragedy, with the loss of his mother aged just five years old, bankruptcy, and a catalogue of mistakes which meant he nearly lost everything.In this episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with the man who revolutionised British menswear. Nick Wheeler shares the raw, unfiltered reality of building a world-class brand.If you want to learn about entrepreneurial resilience, business scaling, and the power of dogged self belief, this masterclass is for you.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.SIX BUSINESS LESSONS: 1) Build to be loved. Nick's motivation has always been simple: to be loved. By his team. By his customers. It's made him £400 million.2) Never give away a share of your business. The minute you do, someone else has the right to tell you what to do.3) Be the best in the world at one thing. Not two things. One. Going bust taught him that.4) Cut early. If something isn't working, be brutally honest with yourself about why. Don't wait.5) The only real job of an entrepreneur is choosing the right person to run your business.6) Be a tortoise, not a hare. Grow 10% every year. It's boring for the first 20 years. Then it becomes extraordinary.CHAPTERS:01:19 – Introduction02:54 – The entrepreneurial gene15:29 – From failed shoes to Charles Tyrwhitt23:31 – Mistake one31:07 – Mistake two36:15 – The hardest lesson39:31 – The pandemic44:04 – Cracking America50:37 – Building a brand people loveFOLLOW CHARLES TYRWHITT:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/charlestyrwhitt/YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRD_t-tXUDpidmNKqg4kayQTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/discover/charles-tyrwhittWebsite – https://www.charlestyrwhitt.com/uk/homeFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

CHARLES TYRWHITT FOUNDER: The uni bedroom business that now does £400 million in sales | Nick Wheeler

In this special tribute episode, we revisit my conversation with the legendary Dame Jenni Murray. Recorded in February 2021 in the early days of the podcast, Jenni joined me to discuss her remarkable 33-year tenure at BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, her harrowing battle with breast cancer, and the lifelong, deeply personal crisis of obesity that she detailed in her book, Fat Cow, Fat Chance.Jenni was a pioneer who proved that no topic was too difficult to discuss. In this incredibly frank and moving conversation, we explore the roots of resilience, the complexity of forgiveness, and why "getting on with it" was the only strategy she knew when the world seemed to be unravelling.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley; visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARN:Action Eases Anxiety: When the "shit hits the fan," shifting into a practical, task-oriented mode can prevent you from folding in on yourself.Vulnerability is Bravery: Resilience isn't just about being "tough"; it's about the courage to drop the mask and admit when the pressure is too much.Forgiveness is a Process: Moving past personal trauma requires acknowledging the full, complicated humanity of those who hurt us.Set Your Own Milestones: In times of health or personal crisis, creating small, achievable targets (like writing a eulogy or finishing a treatment) provides a vital sense of control.Words Matter: Shaming – whether of oneself or others – never leads to positive change; empathy and understanding are the only true paths to recovery.CHAPTERS:01:50 – "Fat Cow": The Reality of Public Shaming06:05 – Inherited Habits: A Childhood Defined by Food08:10 – The Black Bombers: Amphetamines and University Weight Loss18:20 – Reconciling with Her Mother22:30 – The Failure of Therapy vs. the Power of Friendship29:35 – The Phone Call to the Samaritans36:35 – December 2006: Cancer, Loss, and the Mastectomy43:00 – "Just Get On With It": The Instinctive Practicality of Crisis52:00 – A Vascular Necrosis: The Hidden Cost of Chemotherapy57:05 – The Turning Point: Metabolic Surgery and a Second Chance01:06:10 – Crisis Cures: Dogs, Crime Novels, and New Forest Ice CreamFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

JENNI MURRAY (1950 – 2026)

Ryan Holiday – bestselling author of The Daily Stoic, Ego is the Enemy, and The Obstacle is the Way – joins me on Crisis What Crisis to explore why intelligence doesn't protect you from stupidity, why modern life's frictionlessness is making us weaker, and what ancient Stoic philosophy can teach us about navigating today's world.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.IN THIS EPISODE:00:00 Intro – Ryan Holiday’s Crisis Compass00:18 Who Guides You in Crisis? (Marcus Aurelius)00:58 The Power of Role Models in Stoicism01:08 Daily Habit: Why Journaling Matters01:24 Finding Calm: The Simple Power of Walking01:46 One Rule to Live By (Epictetus’ Advice)02:03 What Stoicism Really Teaches About Control02:15 More Stoicism EpisodesBUY RYAN'S BOOK:Wisdom Takes Work – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-Takes-Work-Important-Journey/dp/1788166299FOLLOW RYAN:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday/?hl=enX/Twitter: https://x.com/RyanHolidayTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryan_holidayYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmBIKsrzIjdHRuqs2I8nHAFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

RYAN HOLIDAY'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools of a stoic philosopher

Why do genius-level intellects fall for conspiracy theories? How does someone who taught himself rocket science from Soviet manuals end up believing nonsense on social media?Ryan Holiday – bestselling author of The Daily Stoic, Ego is the Enemy, and The Obstacle is the Way – joins me on Crisis What Crisis to explore why intelligence doesn't protect you from stupidity, why modern life's frictionlessness is making us weaker, and what ancient Stoic philosophy can teach us about navigating today's world.In this conversation, we discuss Elon Musk's descent into conspiracy theories, why judging young men from reading philosophy is dangerous, what Marcus Aurelius would make of AI, and why Victor Frankl warned in 1979 that our "too soft" world would lead to emptiness.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.WHAT YOU'LL HEAR:Why "making a massive contrarian bet that works" can be brain-destroyingThe Stoic POW who tapped Epictetus through prison walls in VietnamWhy young men desperately need philosophy (not less of it)How to guard against your own stupidity while pursuing wisdomWhat Marcus Aurelius would say about your Instagram habitsLESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Intelligence DOES NOT EQUAL wisdom – being brilliant at one thing doesn't protect you from being an idiot about othersStay a student forever – Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king, made a point of always staying a studentFriction builds resilience – a frictionless life leaves you vulnerable when reality intervenesYou don't control what happens, only how you respondWisdom takes work – it's not something you're born with; it's the result of hard work, experience, and timeCHAPTERS: 00:00 – Introduction: The Modern Day Philosopher King 02:37 – What is Stoicism? (Explained for people in crisis)07:58 – Why Ryan turned to ancient philosophy at 1910:11 – The marketing career he walked away from13:25 – What if Ryan never discovered Stoicism?15:02 – Does Stoicism have a "toxic masculinity" problem?19:16 – Why choose Stoicism over Instagram wealth?22:07 – What is wisdom and how do you get it?24:53 – Elon Musk: A cautionary tale of genius + stupidity27:42 – Will we ever have philosophical leaders again? 30:11 – Victor Frankl's 1979 warning: Life is too soft33:05 – What would Marcus Aurelius make of AI?36:22 – Where Ryan goes next?BUY RYAN'S BOOK: Wisdom Takes Work – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-Takes-Work-Important-Journey/dp/1788166299FOLLOW RYAN: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday/?hl=enX/Twitter: https://x.com/RyanHolidayTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryan_holidayYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmBIKsrzIjdHRuqs2I8nHAFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

RYAN HOLIDAY: Why wisdom takes work (and smart people still do stupid things)

After building MTV and rising to the very top of the global media industry, Tom Freston experienced dramatic setbacks that forced him to rebuild - not for the first time.In this Crisis Compass segment, the co-founder of MTV and former CEO of Viacom reveals the personal habits, relationships and mindset that helped him navigate the highs and lows of an extraordinary life.Tom shares the quiet routines and pieces of advice that keep him grounded today.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.IN THIS EPISODE:01:10 – The people Tom relies on for advice and perspective02:25 – The daily habit that keeps Tom grounded04:05 – The moment that changed how Tom sees business problems05:30 – Finding comfort in nature and musicTOM’S BOOK:Read Tom’s book: Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu Follow Tom Freston:https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Adventures-Timbuktu-Tom-Freston/dp/1668089793FOLLOW TOM: Instagram – www.instagram.com/tomfrestonunplugged/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

TOM FRESTON’S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 Tools for Starting Over

From building a multimillion-dollar clothing business in India only to be wiped out by a global trade embargo, to redefining pop culture for a generation at MTV and Nickelodeon, Tom Freston’s career is a masterclass for any aspiring entrepreneur.In this episode, Tom joins me to discuss the resilience required to reach the top and the sheer guts needed to start over when it's all taken away. He shares his "decidedly non-traditional" path to the C-suite and why humility, earnestness, and curiosity are the ultimate defining traits for success.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE:Building the MTV empire: The legendary "I Want My MTV" campaign and the David Bowie sauna story.The reality of being fired as the boss at Viacom by Sumner Redstone and receiving a hero’s send-off from 1,000 employees.Returning to Afghanistan to help launch the country’s first television network.Why stepping off the "conveyor belt of conformity" is the best classroom for a young person today.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARNSkills are transferable: It’s never too late to change careers.Optimism is a competitive advantage: back yourself when no one else willThe most successful careers are rarely the most conventionalKnow when to disappear: recovery needs space, don't rush the next moveHire people smarter than you: it's your best protection against your worst instinctsTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro04:44 - Stepping off the conveyor belt of conformity12:30 - Where does confidence come from?17:23 - Becoming a millionaire in your 20s22:11 - The sudden collapse of Hindu Kush31:06 - The ground floor of MTV36:44 - The "I Want My MTV" Hail Mary pass45:28 - Being fired as CEO of Viacom53:30 - Reassessing life and finding Phil Stutz56:28 - The "perfect circle" back to Afghanistan1:00:26 - The Tom Freston manual for young peopleTOM’S BOOK:Read Tom’s book: Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu Follow Tom Freston:https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Adventures-Timbuktu-Tom-Freston/dp/1668089793FOLLOW TOM: Instagram – www.instagram.com/tomfrestonunplugged/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

MTV CO-FOUNDER: building a $7bn Media Empire with ZERO experience in TV | Tom Freston

Following the loss of his daughter Sushila to anorexia, broadcaster Sir Trevor Phillips reveals the daily habits, personal anchors, and life advice that keep him grounded.In this "Crisis Compass" segment, we move away from the headlines to look at the personal resilience required to survive a 22-year battle with mental illness.THE COMPASS QUESTIONS:In this episode, Andy Coulson asks Trevor to reveal:The person who shaped his perspective during his darkest hours.The daily habit he refuses to give up (even in crisis).The piece of advice he returns to when uncertainty takes over.His ultimate source of comfort.WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:This is a bonus segment. Listen to the full, wide-ranging conversation with Sir Trevor Phillips here:https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8be66777-24c2-42ee-9d97-c59f4996be30/IN THIS EPISODE:00:00 – Sir Trevor Phillips: A life forged in crisis01:06 – The people he turns to for strength02:32 – The daily habit for mental clarity04:00 – Life-changing advice for hard times05:26 – Finding comfort after lossFOLLOW TREVOR:X – https://x.com/TrevorPTweetsFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SIR TREVOR PHILLIPS'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools for surviving grief and intense pressure

After a 22-year battle with anorexia, Sir Trevor Phillips' daughter Sushila died aged 36 in April 2021. Now he's calling for a radical shift in how we talk about mental illness – and he's not holding back.The broadcaster, writer, and equality campaigner joins Crisis What Crisis? to explain why banning social media for under-16s is "preposterous," why celebrity "mental health struggles" make him furious, and what the "seventh circle of hell" really looks like in an eating disorder ward.Trevor also talks to us about his remarkable upbringing and career across media, business and politics - all of it etched with resilience.⚠️ Please note: This episode contains frank discussions of anorexia, eating disorders, mental illness, and grief that some listeners may find distressing.WHAT YOU’LL HEAR:The brutal reality of a 22-year battle with severe anorexiaWhy mental illness and sadness are NOT the same thingTrevor's message to celebrities who conflate difficulty with trauma: "F*** off"Why removing friction from children's lives destroys resilienceLESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Separate mental illness from sadness: stop confusing clinical illness with being "a bit fed up"Teach resilience, don't remove pain: you can't take friction out of the human conditionThe good guys can win: but you have to fight for itKnow what you cannot do: in crisis, understand your limitationsLight a candle: don't curse the darknessIN THIS EPISODE:00:00 – Introduction: Sir Trevor Phillips' remarkable life21:23 – What Britain should learn from its racial progress27:10 – What real resilience looks like in a crisis31:26 – The Leadership Lesson: knowing what you can't do33:06 – Shushila: A 22-year battle with anorexia44:39 – How grief changed everything49:27 – Mental Illness vs. Feeling Sad: "stop conflating them"57:12 – Why banning under-16s from social media Is "preposterous"01:04:30 – What immigrants can teach Britain about resilienceSUPPORT & RESOURCES: If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder: Beat Eating Disorders - www.beateatingdisorders.org.ukFOLLOW TREVOR: X – https://x.com/TrevorPTweetsFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispodIF YOU FOUND THIS USEFUL... If you found this episode useful I recommend heading into our archive and listening to:Lisa Squire - whose daughter, Libby Squire, was rapped and murdered. Lisa's resilience and methods for managing unimaginable heartache left me beyond moved.Click here to listen now – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis/id1517015748?i=1000592846650

SIR TREVOR PHILLIPS: Why we are WRONG about mental illness

In 2021, the UK energy market collapsed. More than 30 of the big energy suppliers went under. But, the business Greg Jackson founded, Octopus Energy, didn't just survive, it grew.In this bonus Crisis Compass episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Greg shares with us the four anchors he relies on when pressure mounts and uncertainty takes over.In this segment, Andy asks Greg for:1) A person who shaped his perspective2) A piece of advice he returns to3) A source of comfort4) A daily habit he refuses to give upThis is Part Two of a longer conversation with Greg. If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to the full interview on our podcast homepage.Follow Octopus EnergyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/octopusenergy/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergyFollow Crisis What Crisis?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

GREG JACKSON'S CRISIS COMPASS

Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of energy giant Octopus Energy, is perhaps one of Britain’s most innovative CEOs.In 2021, the British energy market collapsed. Wholesale gas prices surged six-fold, thirty suppliers went under in months, while millions of families faced impossible bills.Rather than sticking his head in the sand, Greg went public, putting his own credibility on the line to explain why prices were rising. He cut his own salary to minimum wage, provided £150 million in bill relief packages, and became the face of the energy crisis when everyone told him not to.The result? Octopus became the UK's largest energy supplier during the worst energy crisis in a generation, now valued at over £7 billion.Greg is an entrepreneur who's built multiple businesses by doing exactly what everyone else refuses to do – a true lesson in why fortune really does favour the brave.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Character matters more than ability.When you see something clearly, don't hesitate.Fortune favors the brave, zig when others zag!Being smart isn't enough. The combination of being smart and working hard is critical.Communicate relentlessly, especially in crisis.FOLLOW OCTOPUS:Instagram – www.instagram.com/octopusenergy/?hl=enTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergy?lang=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

OCTOPUS ENERGY BOSS: “I became the face of the energy crisis” | Greg Jackson

Johnnie Boden, founder of Boden, reveals how he survives crisis as a business leader.In this Crisis Compass bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Johnnie shares the person, piece of advice, the daily habit and comfort that he uses to navigate life under pressure.This is the second part of a longer conversation with Johnnie – if you enjoyed this be sure to check out the full episode on our podcast homepage.Whether you’re an entrepreneur, CEO or leader, this episode offers a snapshot personal insight into the mindset of one of Britain's most successful fashion founders.FOLLOW BODEN: Instagram – www.instagram.com/boden/?hl=enTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@boden_clothingFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

BODEN FOUNDER: How I survive a crisis

For three decades, Johnnie Boden has turned cheerful prints, quality fabrics, and unmistakable English charm into one of Britain's most distinctive retail brands – worn by royals, loved internationally, with nearly 2 million active customers and the second-biggest British clothing business in America. But as Johnnie so candidly reveals, his success has been far from linear…In this business special of Crisis What Crisis? we delve deep into the challenges of starting and running a multinational fashion label offering lessons that apply to almost every founder, entrepreneur and leader.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Hire people who complement you, not clone you.Match paranoia about people with confidence about your core idea.Ask the stupid questions.Listen intensely.Admit failure fast.FOLLOW BODEN:Instagram – www.instagram.com/boden/?hl=enTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@boden_clothingFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

BODEN FOUNDER: The 51% rule that saved my business | Johnnie Boden

For over a decade at BBC Newsnight, Sam McAlister secured the interviews others couldn't – Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Stormy Daniels. But it was six months of negotiation that led to the conversation that changed everything: Prince Andrew discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.Today, Sam teaches negotiation at LSE and is one of Britain's most compelling voices on persuasion, power, and resilience.This is Sam McAlister's Crisis CompassFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SAM McALISTER'S CRISIS COMPASS

For over a decade at BBC Newsnight, Sam McAlister secured the interviews others couldn't – Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Stormy Daniels. But it was 13 months of negotiation that led to the conversation that changed everything: Prince Andrew discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. The interview became a global news event, resulted in Andrew stepping back from royal duties, and is still making headlines six years later.In July 2021, Sam threw the dice, she gave up her BBC pension and security as a single mother in the middle of a pandemic to write a book. That gamble paid off. Her memoir Scoops became a bestseller and a Netflix film starring Gillian Anderson and Billie Piper. Today, Sam teaches negotiation at LSE and is one of Britain's most compelling voices on persuasion, power, and resilience.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Don't get bitter, take control - When Sam wasn't getting credit for the Prince Andrew interview, she didn't whine or play victim. She took voluntary redundancy, wrote a book, and ended up with a Netflix deal and 30 million viewers watching Billie Piper play her.Imposter syndrome is mostly a crock - When you've worked hard and earned your place, confidence isn't arrogance – it's honesty.Build trust through respect, not manipulation - Sam's superpower wasn't sucking up to powerful people. It was treating them with respect while demanding it of herself.Know your financial bottom line before taking risks - Sam had three outcomes mapped before leaving the BBC. That clarity gave her the courage to leap.No one is dead – If you can't control it, suck it up. If you can, do something about it.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SAM McALISTER: How I got Prince Andrew to do THAT interview

This is a relaunch of a previous episode, but the lessons contained within it are as important today as they were when we sat down to speak over two years ago.Rory Stewart has spent his life running toward gunfire. At thirty, he was governing millions of Iraqis under siege, rockets landing in his compound while insurgents climbed the walls. Years earlier, he'd walked six thousand miles across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and India – surviving on strangers' floors, dodging bullets, and at one point sitting down in the snow ready to freeze to death until his dog Babur barked him back to life. Then he tried to fix British politics from the inside – becoming Prisons Minister, running for Prime Minister, and standing as an Independent for London Mayor before Covid cancelled the election seven weeks out and ended his political career. Today he's the force behind the podcasting phenomenon The Rest Is Politics – currently touring the country giving erudite political commentary.While his most recent book, Middleland, launched last month (October 2025), draws on pieces originally written for a local newspaper when he was serving as an MP in Cumbria, it is an urgent and inspiring portrait of rural Britain today.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Permission to fail breeds confidence - Rory's father set impossibly high expectations while making him feel it was okay to fail. That paradox became the foundation for handling extreme crisis without paralysis.Beware thinking in clichés during crisis - Under siege in Iraq, Rory evacuated civilians into an ambush because he fell into a "women and children first" narrative. When you're living the movie version instead of the real version, you make dangerous decisions.Animals are crisis teachers - Babur the dog saved Rory's life by refusing to let him give up in the snow. Animals approach the world with courage, presence, and forgiveness.Bitterness is backwards motion - After being defeated by Boris Johnson, Rory struggled with anger. Whenever you have bitter days, you always go backwards. It's not just bad for you – it's terrible for everyone around you.Test yourself before crisis finds you - By voluntarily embracing discomfort and risk when you don't have to, you build the capacity to handle it when you must.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

RELAUNCH RORY STEWART: On his love for risk and a battle with bitterness

Bitterness is the poison you drink expecting someone else to die. It's the corrosive emotion born from crisis that fills your throat with bile and consumes your every waking thought with questions like "why me?".In this special compilation episode, I've pulled together five extraordinary conversations with people who have every right to be bitter about what they've faced, but who have found their own methods of beating it back: Anthony Scaramucci, fired from the White House in 11 days while missing his son's birth and facing divorce; Amanda Knox, who served four years in an Italian prison for a murder she didn't commit; Mo Gawdat, former Google X exec who lost his son Ali to medical negligence; Lisa Squire, whose daughter Libby was tragically abducted, raped and murdered; and David Holmes, Harry Potter's stunt double who was paralysed from the waist down in an accident that should never have happened.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Close the gap between "should" and "is" - Bitterness lives in the space between what ought to have happened and what actually did. Accept the world as it is, not as you think it should be.Shift from victimhood to agency - Work out what is in your control and what isn’t, then focus on the former.Pair emotional honesty with tiny steps forward - Feel everything, embrace it, sit in it - but understand that emotion alone changes nothing.Choose your narrative consciously - In any crisis, there are multiple stories you can tell. Choose those that dial up pride, purpose or perspective and dial down bitterness.Forgiveness is for you, not them - Holding onto blame and hate doesn't punish those who wronged you; it only prolongs your suffering.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

LESSONS IN BITTERNESS: How to let go of the 'should have beens'

Professor James Brown is an author, podcaster and ADHD expert. Burnout, and a Christmas day spent contemplating his own death led him to get a private ADHD diagnosis. The result helped him reframe his entire life.This is James Brown's Crisis CompassFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

JAMES BROWN'S CRISIS COMPASS

Professor James Brown is an author, podcaster and ADHD expert. Burnout, and a Christmas day spent contemplating his own death led him to get a private ADHD diagnosis. The result helped him reframe his entire life.Expect an honest look at the realities of ADHD, bipolar, cyclothymia, binge-eating disorder, and chronic anhedonia – the inability to feel joy. James teaches us how to co-exist with your neurodivergence, while his productivity shows us how it can be deployed to your advantage.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:ADHD is a reason, never an excuse: understanding your condition gives you a lens to reframe your past, but it doesn't absolve you of responsibility.Consistent inconsistency is the reality: with ADHD, you can be incredibly productive one day and unable to open your inbox the next. It’s a game of averages.Motivation often comes from fear, not passion: many with ADHD are driven by external deadlines and fear of letting others down rather than internal drive.You can create meaning without feeling joy: James proves that even without experiencing happiness, you can build a life of profound purpose and impact.Society fails neurodivergent people systematically: a third of male prisoners likely have ADHD. Early diagnosis and medication improve outcomes in every domain. The cost of not treating ADHD properly is £19 billion per year to the UK economy.Book:ADHD Unpackedhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/ADHD-Unpacked-Everything-survive-thrive/dp/1526679361Podcast:ADHD Adultshttps://theadhdadults.uk/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ADHD EXPERT: The late diagnosis that changed his life | James Brown

In this second episode in our AI mini-series I met with Professor Gary Marcus live at the RAID conference in Brussels. Gary has been writing code since he was 10, built a Latin translation program at 16, and became a professor of psychology and neuroscience at NYU.He's founded AI startups, testified before the US Senate, authored multiple books including his latest: Taming Silicon Valley: How to Protect Our Jobs, Safety, and Society in the Age of AI, meanwhile his Substack has over 80,000 subscribers who rely on him to cut through the hype.When he warned that AI was heading toward catastrophe, Sam Altman called him a troll. Gary argues that large language models are a glorified autocomplete that hallucinate constantly. He also reveals why "P Doom" (probability of AI ending humanity) is overblown, but "P Dystopia" is approaching 100%. He explains why GPT-5 disappointed everyone, and why he believes we're witnessing the greatest theft of intellectual property in history. This is the conversation Silicon Valley doesn't want you to hear.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN FROM GARY:P Dystopia is far more dangerous than P Doom. Forget AI ending humanity. Focus on the real threat: universal surveillance states, free misinformation, and the collapse of trust in truth itself.Large language models don't understand the world, they just predict what words come next. That's why they still hallucinate constantly and, in Gary’s opinion, will never achieve AGI.We're witnessing “the greatest data heist in history”. AI companies are training on all copyrighted material without paying a penny, with the ultimate aim of replacing everyone - including you.Democracies are under threat from AI-powered misinformation. Generative AI is the "machine gun of disinformation" - making it faster, cheaper, and pitch-perfect.Critical thinking is the only defense. In a world where misinformation is free to generate, teaching kids to question everything - especially AI output - is the most important skill we can develop.Taming Silicon Valley: How to Protect Our Jobs, Safety, and Society in the Age of AIhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Taming-Silicon-Valley-Protect-Society/dp/0262551063His Substack Marcus on AI is available here:https://garymarcus.substack.com/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

AI EXPERT: The conversation Silicon Valley doesn't want you to hear | Gary Marcus

You’d think as the son of the founder Richard Walker OBE could have walked straight into the top job at Iceland Foods - the supermarket empire his parents built from a tiny shop in North Shropshire. Instead, he spent years building his own property empire in Poland, determined to prove himself on his own terms.But when his mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Richard decided it was time to be closer to the family unit and join the business, starting at the very bottom stacking shelves in London stores - the best year of his life, he claims.Since then, he's transformed Iceland into one of Britain's most pioneering retailers, removing palm oil from all own-brand products, launching radical campaigns on plastic and food poverty, and proposing that low-risk offenders serve their sentences working in Iceland stores rather than taking up valuable space in prison. This is a masterclass in how to earn respect, and use business as a platform for change.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Never ever ever ever give up - originally Richard’s father’s mantra that carried Iceland through countless crises. When kicked out of his own company, he started a rival chain that became his ticket back in. Tenacity isn't just admirable - it's essential.Prove yourself from the bottom up - Richard spent a year stacking shelves to earn his right to lead. The privilege of family succession means nothing without the respect of 30,000 employees who need to see you're one of them.There's a difference between delegation and abdication - leading 30,000 people requires trusting an amazing team while keeping your eye on the details. Effective leadership is knowing when to step back and when to dive in.Get comfortable being uncomfortable - whether it's climbing Everest with failing eyesight, lying next to a dead body at 29,000 feet, or building a business from scratch in Poland where you don't speak the language, growth lives outside your comfort zone. Embrace the risk.Appreciate what you already have - Chasing unicorns (like becoming an MP) can blind you to the platform you already possess. Richard realised Iceland gave him more power to drive change than any backbench seat ever could.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ICELAND BOSS: Never ever ever give up | Richard Walker

Gratitude is a mindset. It’s a tool that when deployed in crisis can be essential for reframing your narrative and your understanding. How we find gratitude in crisis, however, is not always obvious, nor is it easy.In this special episode I’ve looked back into our archive to find five extraordinary and unique situations where gratitude has been the difference between despair and resilience.Today’s episode features important learnings from Strictly dancer Amy Dowden; celebrity chef Jon Watts; the late tech-founder and philanthropist Stephanie Shirley; self-help powerhouse Paul Mckenna; and Falklands veteran Simon Weston.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARN:Gratitude + passion = purpose. When you're thankful for something you love, that gratitude transforms into determination that can push you through unimaginable pain.When there's nothing else to be thankful for, clarity can be all you need - A hard truth is better than no truth. Knowing the boundaries of your crisis stops the spiral and gives you a place to start.Even the most devastating experiences can transform you for the better. Crisis can deliver a resilience dividend, dismantling what doesn't serve you and building something more meaningful in its place.Deliberately notice what you have, not what's missing. You get more of what you focus on. Gratitude retrains your brain to see abundance instead of lack during crisis.Be grateful for the chance to contribute. After losing everything, gratitude can simply be thankfulness for time and ability to make a difference. Learn to like yourself for that, not despite your scars.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

LESSONS IN GRATITUDE: HOW TO REFRAME YOUR NARRATIVE

Alex Goldie grew up walking on eggshells in a violent, alcohol-fueled household where he became the family peacemaker - literally throwing pillows into rooms to break up fights. Today, with 2.5 million followers and a bestselling book, Alex is a force in the digital and mental health space.This is Alex's Crisis Compass.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ALEX GOLDIE'S CRISIS COMPASS

Alex Goldie grew up walking on eggshells in a violent, alcohol-fueled household where he became the family peacemaker - literally throwing pillows into rooms to break up fights. By his twenties, that traumatised child had become an anxious, procrastinating young man stuck in patterns he desperately wanted to break. Then COVID hit, he lost his job with British Airways, and from his lowest point, Alex turned to TikTok, making videos about mental health that weren't meant to go viral - but did. His honesty and raw emotion struck a nerve with millions who recognised their own struggles in his words.Today, with 2.5 million followers and a bestselling book, Alex has built his platform on a radical premise: his ultimate goal is to be unfollowed, because that means you've healed enough to move on without him.Five lessons you'll learn:Embarrassment is an unexplored emotion - some of the best things in life are on the other side of embarrassment. If you can be okay with being embarrassed, you can accomplish anything.You are not wedded to anyone - people can become walls that limit your creativity and growth. Set strong boundaries with those who hold you back, including family if necessary.Success is boring and mundane - real achievement isn't glamorous - it's doing small things consistently every day. Stop waiting for motivation and start taking steps, however tiny.Depression can't hit a moving target - the remedy to anxiety and depression is movement. Leave your house, experience weather, meet people, have real-life adventures instead of relying on convenience.Compare yourself only to yesterday's version - in this age of comparison, the only healthy benchmark is your own progress. Ask yourself: am I in a better place than I was yesterday?FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

INFLUENCER: I want to be unfollowed | Alex Goldie

In spring 2017, Robert Paylor seemed to be living a charmed life – starting for America’s top rugby programme, competing for a national championship for UC Berkeley, and on track for achieving a degree in business with an internship with Intel lined up for the summer. Few could have imagined that an illegal tackle during that year’s final would shatter his spine – and leave him instantly paralysed from the neck down.Doctors told him he’d never walk again. That he’d be lucky to feed himself. That his athletic future – and his life as he knew it – was over.But Robert had other ideas. An extraordinary man with an extraordinary story.Here is Robert's Crisis Compass.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ROBERT PAYLOR'S CRISIS COMPASS

Robert Paylor was living the dream - a star rugby player at UC Berkeley competing for a national championship with his future mapped out perfectly. Then an illegal tackle shattered his spine and left him paralysed from the neck down.Doctors told him he'd never so much as lift a piece of pizza to his mouth – let alone walk or play sport – that’s if he even survived the surgery. But Robert has a uniquely unbreakable mindset, and defied every medical prediction.Today he walks with support, is married to the love of his life, and has a baby on the way. This is a masterclass not only in perseverance and grit but in how to turn life’s most tragic moments into your greatest purpose. Paylor is proof that how we respond to crisis matters far more than the crisis itself.Five lessons you'll learn:Control your mindset, not your circumstances. You can't control what happens to you, but you always have complete control over your response. Your positivity and willingness to fight is entirely up to you.Seek discomfort before crisis hits. Don't wait for life to become challenging before you start challenging yourself. Build your resilient foundation when times are good so you can stand stronger when storms come.Forgiveness is for you, not them. Holding onto anger and hate only hurts yourself. Forgiveness isn't about relieving guilt from those who wronged you - it's about removing negative attachments from your own life.Reward effort over accomplishment. When going through adversity, focus on the work you're putting in rather than just the results you're achieving. Effort is the one thing you can always control.Use perspective as your superpower. When struggling, ask yourself "compared to what?" Look at those who have less rather than those who seemingly have more. Healthy comparison is the key to happiness and reframes every challenge.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

PARALYSED TO POWERFUL: They said I'd never walk again (they were wrong) | Robert Paylor

In this episode recorded in 2024 and republished to mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2025, Andy is joined by three remarkable men, Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen – better known as Three Dads Walking. All would rather have never met but through a common and tragic bond – the loss of their daughters, Sophie, Beth and Emily, to suicide – they did.Brought together by a shared grief, these three dads connected and decided to shine a light on the shocking number of young people who take their own lives in the UK.A 300-mile walk between their homes in Cumbria, Manchester, and Norfolk in 2021 was their first epic venture. A 600-mile walk then followed, and another is planned for this year. So far, over £1m has been raised for the incredible suicide prevention charity PAPYRUS.Their book – 3 Dads Walking, 300 Miles of Hope - tells the story of the courage and hope they’ve found on those walks. It is out now.  Five lessons you'll learnThe Healing Power of Nature and the therapeutic benefits of spending time outdoors. How immersing oneself in nature's beauty can provide solace and clarity during challenging times.The Importance of Reaching Out. Whether through friends, family, or professionals, acknowledging the need for help and being open to it is crucial for healing.Finding Comfort in Work and Routine While grief can disrupt daily life, returning to work or familiar routines can offer a sense of normalcy and purpose.The Role of Work in Recovery. While returning to work can be beneficial, it isn't an immediate comfort. The Dad's experience underscores the importance of understanding and support in the workplace for those grieving.The Unwavering Support of Pets. Pets can provide unconditional companionship and encourage individuals to stay active and engaged, even during the darkest times.Please remember - if you, or anyone you know is having or have had suicidal thoughts, you can reach out to Papyrus UK suicide prevention on 0800 068 4141.Links Three Dads Walking: 300 Miles of Hopehttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Dads-Walking-Miles-Hope/dp/14721484443 Dads WalkingPAPYRUSPapyrus has been campaigning for a suicide-safer internet for nearly twenty years. Do you want to ensure technology companies are held accountable for the safety of users on their platforms?Download their draft letter to send to your local MP here: https://www.papyrus-uk.org/online-safety-bill-write-to-your-mp/Send your letter to your MP here: https://www.writetothem.com/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Zach Ellis and Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comKey Words #suicide #grief #guilt #recovery #positivity #friendship #hope #walkingFull transcripthttps://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/three-dads-walking-on-suicide-grief-and-finding-light-in-the-darkest-of-places/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Three Dads Walking on suicide, grief and finding light in the darkest of places

Resilience is not just about being able to bounce-back. It’s about bouncing-forward stronger and wiser than before. It’s about realising that your pre-crisis life is now gone, but your new life – if you will it – can contain within it opportunities you may never have dreamed possible.From our archive I’ve brought together some fundamental lessons on resilience, distilled insights from best-selling author Kit De Waal, world-renowned broadcaster Piers Morgan, business legend and founder of AO.com John Roberts, British cyclist Mark Beaumont, train accident survivor Sarah De Lagarde and geopolitical communications strategist Mark Turnbull. Each of their stories are individual and unique, but shared among them is a strength not just to carry on but to squeeze the very best out of the tools and life they’ve been given.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARN:Resilience isn’t innate – it’s built. Like a muscle, it strengthens through repeated habits, training, and choosing to act in ways that rewire the brain for adaptability.Attitude is everything. You can’t control what happens, but you can control your response.Slow down to survive. In moments of extreme crisis, breaking situations into small, manageable steps allows you to act decisively and effectively.Purpose drives progress. When you focus your energy on positive actions they often come back in ways you can’t predict.Let go of fear and judgment. Stop holding yourself back because of what others think; true resilience requires authenticity and self-belief.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

LESSONS IN RESILIENCE: HOW TO BOUNCE FORWARD

From complete self-destruction to resurrection. Natasha Silver Bell proves that our lowest moments can become the foundation for our greatest purpose – and that recovery isn't selfish, it's essential.Here is Natasha's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

NATASHA SILVER BELL'S CRISIS COMPASS

From beauty pageants to international runways to waking up from a blackout to find her 13-month-old son eating Cheerios alone in his high chair – Natasha Silver Bell's story is one of complete self-destruction and resurrection.Today, she leads SilverBell Global, orchestrating some of the world's most complex recovery interventions with methods so unconventional they sometimes involve former Navy SEALs for high-stakes extractions.With seventeen years of sobriety and brutal honesty, Natasha proves that our lowest moments can become the foundation for our greatest purpose – and that recovery isn't selfish, it's essential.Five lessons you'll learn:Crisis doesn't happen overnight – it seduces you slowly until you're lighting a fuse you can't extinguish. Pay attention to the fear-based responses before the house catches fire.The victim never recovers. You can acknowledge harm without staying stuck in it – moving through pain, not around it, is where healing happens.Your external circumstances don't control your recovery. Real change happens from the inside out, regardless of who's around you or what they're doing.The identified patient is often a symptom of family dysfunction. True recovery requires everyone willing to examine their part in toxic patterns.Rock bottom can become your silver lining. Every failure teaches you something success never could.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC Team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering, and Rex FisherSpecial thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor PR and guest approaches: podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ADDICTION RECOVERY EXPERT: Your rock bottom can become your silver | Natasha Silver Bell

Twelve years after his arrest, five and a half years in prison, and countless rejected appeals, Tom Hayes finally heard the words he'd been fighting for: "Your conviction is overturned."In this Crisis Revisited special, the former city trader returns after the Supreme Court ruled he was innocent all along - a landmark judgment that rewrites one of Britain's most controversial financial prosecutions. From naming his newborn daughter after the Greek goddess of justice to navigating the surreal disorientation of sudden freedom, Tom reveals why he's choosing healing over anger and how winning can feel as overwhelming as losing.This is a masterclass in resilience from someone who refused to let bitterness define his vindication.Five lessons you'll learn:When everything is stripped away, all you can fall back on is who you really are. Stop trying to be bigger, stronger, or richer than you are.Accept that some wrongs can never be made right. No apology or compensation can restore lost years. Find peace with the impossibility rather than spending your life angry about what you'll never receive.Don't let bitterness become your prison.The most tempting human emotions are often the least healing. Choose not to be ruled by anger, even when it's completely justified.Trauma changes you, but you choose how. Massive crises inevitably transform who you are. The question isn't whether you'll change, but whether you'll let it make you better or bitter.Victory can be as disorienting as defeat. Take time to figure out what truly fulfills you, not what proves points to others.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC Team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering, and Rex FisherSpecial thanks to: Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor PR and guest approaches: podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

JAILED CITY TRADER: This time, with justice | Tom Hayes

Wall Street titan, White House survivor, and now podcast provocateur, Anthony Scaramucci's life reads like a script with no shortage of plot twists.Here is Anthony's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI'S CRISIS COMPASS

Wall Street titan, White House survivor, and now podcast provocateur, Anthony Scaramucci joins Andy Coulson for an unfiltered, useful, funny and at times emotional conversation about all things resilience. From being fired after just eleven days as Trump’s Communications Director to losing millions in the FTX crypto collapse, Anthony’s life reads like a script with no shortage of plot twists.In this episode of Crisis What Crisis? “The Mooch” shares a high-stakes story of risk and renewal. He reflects on how missing the birth of his son, nearly losing his marriage, and facing public humiliation pushed him toward self-examination—and ultimately, transformation. Whether navigating betrayal in business or rebuilding trust at home, Anthony reveals how he’s learned to accept his own frailty, face the music and live with integrity.With candor, wit, and surprising tenderness, Anthony talks about legacy, risk, and the art of owning your narrative when the spotlight turns savage. This is a masterclass in not just surviving a crisis; but extracting purpose and meaning from it with a healthy dose of humour.Five Lessons You’ll Learn:Risk is inevitable if you're chasing a life of significance—just don't forget the cost.Own your mistakes and forgive your own frailty—real change starts there.Legacy is less about success and more about how you handle failure.Humour is an underrated survival tool in any crisis.If you live with integrity, opportunity will find you—even after scandal.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC Team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering, and Rex FisherSpecial thanks to: Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor PR and guest approaches: podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI: Crisis, character and comebacks.

Tom Hayes is the city trader who spent five years in prison and who lost his wealth, reputation and home thanks to an appalling miscarriage of justice. Since his conviction in 2014, Tom has always maintained his innocence and the Supreme Court has now officially confirmed that he was, in fact, innocent.In this emotional episode Tom explains how managed the anger and bitterness that came with the near total unravelling of his life. He also talks about how the trial brought an unexpected revelation – his Asperger’s diagnosis , which he argues played a crucial role in his actions and the case against him.And Tom – who was initially sentenced to 14years, later reduced to 11 - talks at length about his experiences inside some of Britain’s toughest prisons and his 10year fight for justice.This episode was first released in February.Five Lessons You'll Learn:Denial delays the pain but doubles the damage.Your story’s not over unless you quit.You lose control, you lose yourself.Rock bottom builds harder fighters.You can lose everything and still rebuild.This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Rex Fisher and Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

WRONGFULLY CONVICTED LIBOR TRADER: His incredible story of resilience | Tom Hayes

From high powered Hollywood boardrooms to hitting bottom in a psychiatric hospital, Cally Beaton’s journey is anything but linear. She opens up about how her midlife mental health crisis ultimately pushed her towards a life of greater meaning and connection, and how comedy helped her find her voice.Here is Cally's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

CALLY BEATON'S CRISIS COMPASS

TV executive turned stand-up comic and best-selling author Cally Beaton joins Andy to share a powerful story of breakdown, reinvention, told with unflinching honesty. From high powered Hollywood boardrooms to hitting bottom in a psychiatric hospital, Cally’s journey is anything but linear — and that’s the point.In this episode, Cally opens up about losing control and taking it back on her own terms. How her midlife mental health crisis ultimately pushed her towards a life of greater meaning and connection, and how comedy helped her find her voice. She reflects on the realities of solo parenting, career pivots, social media hypocrisy and the glorious messiness of trying — and often failing — at life. Cally’s story is both sobering and sharply funny, brimming with hard-earned wisdom and zero pretence.Five Lessons You’ll Learn:You don’t have to do everything well, you just have to be willing to begin.Connection is a superpower and it starts with listening to understand, not to reply.Resilience isn’t stoicism, it’s flexibility. True strength lies in allowing the wobble, not denying it.Profound change often starts in profound discomfort and that’s not failure, it’s fertile ground.Reinvention has no age limit but it does require letting go of who you think you’re meant to be.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC Team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering, and Rex FisherSpecial thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor PR and guest approaches: podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

STAND-UP COMIC: Finding freedom from falling apart | Cally Beaton

Armed with a mathematician’s mind and a mystic’s heart, Mo has transformed personal devastation into global purpose. He is living proof that happiness isn’t just wishful thinking – it’s a learnable, repeatable skill that can reshape the way you live your life.Here is Mo's Crisis Compass.—–-----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

MO GAWDAT'S CRISIS COMPASS

What if the biggest existential threat of our time isn’t artificial intelligence – but the people programming it?In this urgent and mind-expanding Crisis What Crisis special, host Andy Coulson is joined by the inimitable Mo Gawdat– former Google X Chief Business Officer, global bestselling author, and one of the most vital thinkers at the intersection of tech and humanity.Mo returns with a stark warning: self-evolving AI is here, and it’s learning faster than we can comprehend. His latest project ALIVE – co-written with an AI persona called Trixie and shaped by a growing community – is not just a book, but a collaborative manifesto for surviving (and shaping) the age of artificial intelligence. It asks: what does it mean to be human when machines outthink us? And how do we instil compassion, not catastrophe, into their code?From the “intelligence explosion” already underway to the moral vacuum that could define our AI future, Mo doesn’t just lay out the risks – he offers a radically hopeful vision. One where the machines we build might save us, but only if we first face our own flaws.This isn’t a conversation about technology. It’s a call to raise AI like a child – with wisdom, boundaries, and love – before it decides to raise us.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARNTrusting intelligence: Superior AI could choose preservation over power – but only if it’s guided by moral clarity.Raising Superman: AI is the alien infant. Will we raise it into a hero… or a villain?Crisis as mirror: The real threat isn’t AI – it’s our own accelerating stupidity, greed, and ego.The coming handover: Within years, machines may take over critical decisions. The question is – will that be our downfall or our salvation?Prepare for the singularity: Not science fiction, but a moral fork in the road just 24 months away.----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC Team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering, and Rex FisherSpecial thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor PR and guest approaches: podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

The AI apocalypse or awakening? Mo Gawdat on raising Superman, self-evolving machines and why the real crisis is human stupidity

From the boardrooms of Google X to the depths of unimaginable grief, Mo Gawdat’s journey defies every conventional narrative about success and loss. The former Chief Business Officer, who helped launch Google’s operations across half the planet, lost his son Ali in 2014 to a routine operation gone wrong – a tragedy that could have broken him forever. Instead, it became the catalyst for an extraordinary mission: to make one billion people happier.Armed with a mathematician’s mind and a mystic’s heart, Mo has transformed personal devastation into global purpose. He spent 12 years researching happiness with his son Ali and created a formula that now underpins his bestselling books – Solve for Happy, Scary Smart, and That Little Voice in Your Head – as well as the #OneBillionHappy movement, which has already reached nearly 100 million people. His podcast Slo Mo is a regular #1 Mental Health show in the UK.Whether he’s advising governments on tech ethics, writing about AI’s sentience in real time, or helping people engineer their way out of despair, Mo is living proof that happiness isn’t just wishful thinking – it’s a learnable, repeatable skill that can reshape the way you live your life.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARNDeath is transformation, not termination. Mo's mathematical approach to consciousness reveals that our physical form is just an avatar – the real you exists beyond space and time.Emotions are visitors, not residents. Feel them, acknowledge them, embrace them – then ask what action you can take. Wallowing in misery brings no one back and helps no one forward.Follow the happiness flow chart. Three questions can take you from despair to clarity in seven seconds: Is this thought true? Can I fix it? If not, can I accept it and make tomorrow better?Pride is pointless, gratitude is everything. When you recognise how much of your success came from blessings beyond your control, humility becomes your superpower and service becomes your calling.Your crisis is not your conclusion. The worst moment of Mo's life became the launching pad for the most meaningful work he's ever done – proving that rock bottom can be the foundation for everything that comes next.----Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

GOOGLE CEO: Using mathematics to survive unimaginable grief | Mo Gawdat

Alix Popham took hundreds of thousands of hits on the pitch – but the biggest came years after retirement. His is a story of crisis and clarity. Of choosing purpose over bitterness. And of how the mindset that wins matches can also save lives.Here is Alix's Crisis Compass.—————–This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson Partners.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ALIX POPHAM'S CRISIS COMPASS

Grand Slam-winning rugby hero, Alix Popham took hundreds of thousands of hits on the pitch – but the biggest came years after retirement. Diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE, he’s now leading a powerful campaign to expose the truth about brain injury in sport to ensure its safety and longevity for generations to come. Still proud of his career, Alix is using that same warrior mindset to fight for change, purpose and the lives of others.This is a story of crisis and clarity. Of choosing purpose over bitterness. And of how the mindset that wins matches can also save lives.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARNControl what you can. Let go of what you can’t. Alix refuses to dwell on lost memories – and focuses instead on shaping a better future.Pain with purpose = power. He’s turned personal trauma into a mission to reform the sport he still loves.Your mindset in crisis is shaped long before it begins. The “next job” mentality that drove his phenomenal career now fuels his recovery and activism.Anger burns fast. Purpose lasts longer. Alix refuses to let rage define his fight – instead, he leads with calm resolve and truth.Even when the odds are stacked, you still get to choose your response. From experimental treatment in Mexico to completing an Ironman, Alix refuses to be defined by diagnosis.This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

RUGBY STAR: Early onset dementia and starting a revolution in sport | Alix Popham

Simon Weston CBE is a veteran, a charity campaigner and one of the most inspiring survivors of our times.In 1982, while serving with the Welsh Guards in the Falklands War, Simon suffered devastating injuries when the RFA Sir Galahad was attacked. The burns he sustained covered nearly half his body and led to more than 90 major operations over many years. But his story – as Simon shares in his extraordinary conversation with Andy – is not simply one of survival, but of incredible resilience, and spirit.Here is Simon's Crisis Compass - his points of navigation for when trouble comes.This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu, Simeon Pearl and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SIMON WESTON'S CRISIS COMPASS

Lessons in Grit from a Falklands Hero - Simon WestonSimon Weston CBE is a veteran, a charity campaigner and one of the most inspiring survivors of our times.In 1982, while serving with the Welsh Guards in the Falklands War, Simon suffered devastating injuries when the RFA Sir Galahad was attacked. The burns he sustained covered nearly half his body and led to more than 90 major operations over many years. But his story – as Simon shares in this extraordinary conversation – is not simply one of survival, but of incredible resilience, and spirit.Simon talks with honesty, humour and clarity about the darkest days – not just the physical pain, but his mental battles with PTSD and the fallout of a life unravelled. He shares the pivotal moments that helped him move forward, and the people who helped him reframe his future. From rebuilding his confidence in front of a mirror, to becoming a national figure of hope and strength. This is the journey of a man who refused to be defined by crisis.Simon now works as Honorary President of the charity DEBRA, which supports people living with the rare, and extremely painful, genetic skin blistering condition, epidermolysis bullosa. His inspirational work has earned him a CBE and bluntly, given the impact he’s had and continues to have, he deserves so much more.A profoundly moving and ultimately uplifting episode about trauma, transformation and the power of purpose.This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

FALKLANDS VETERAN: Anxiety, control and the battle from within | Simon Weston

What happens when your name becomes shorthand for a crime you didn’t commit? At just 20 years old, Amanda Knox was catapulted into global infamy after being accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while studying abroad in Italy.Now, Amanda joins Andy to share the raw, painfully-earned insight that comes from surviving one of the most widely known miscarriages of justice in modern history – a journey through shock, shame, and ultimately, perspective and peace.Here is Amanda's Crisis Compass - her points of navigation for when trouble comes.This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Mabel Pickering and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu, Simeon Pearl and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

AMANDA KNOX'S CRISIS COMPASS

What happens when your name becomes shorthand for a crime you didn’t commit? At just 20 years old, Amanda Knox was catapulted into global infamy after being accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while studying abroad in Italy.What should have been a formative experience turned into a wrongful conviction, four years in prison, and a sustained and lurid mischaracterisation by the world – casting her not as an innocent young woman caught in the crossfire, but as a cold-blooded killer.Now, Amanda joins Andy to share the raw, painfully-earned insight that comes from surviving one of the most widely known miscarriages of justice in modern history – a journey through shock, shame, and ultimately, perspective and peace.From lying on a prison cell mattress to forging an unlikely friendship with Giuliano Mignini — the prosecutor who put her there — this is a deeply human conversation about identity, survival, and the immense strength it takes to reclaim your own story when the world has tried to write it for you.LinksThis podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown and Rex FisherWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu, Simeon Pearl and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

FALSELY IMPRISONED: Identity, imprisonment, and finding purpose through trauma | Amanda Knox

Mark Turnbull has spent thirty five years as a geopolitical communications strategist, working behind the scenes to shape some of the most consequential political moments of modern times. It's a career that's taken him from the American invasion of Iraq to the final days of apartheid South Africa — from the inner sanctum of a leading KGB defector to the cockpit of Cambridge Analytica.In this episode, he reflects generously on his terminal cancer diagnosis and how as a self-proclaimed "incurable optimist" he remains fiercely upbeat about his life and how he continues to lead it, with purpose, resilience and courage. Here is Mark's Crisis Compass.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

MARK TURNBALL'S CRISIS COMPASS

Mark Turnbull has spent thirty-five years as a geopolitical communications strategist, working behind the scenes to shape some of the most consequential political moments of modern times. It's a career that's taken him from the American invasion of Iraq to the final days of apartheid South Africa — from the inner sanctum of a leading KGB defector to the cockpit of Cambridge Analytica.In this episode, Mark talks about the physical dangers and reputational risks of his trade — and the pressure it put on his family. From being ambushed by insurgents in Baghdad and battling Somali warlords, to taking on Putin's propaganda machine and the sting operation that would bring down Trump campaign agency Cambridge Analytica. Along the way, it cast him as a poster boy for data theft and dirty tricks.He reveals the chilling moment when Alexander Litvinenko warned him about the KGB’s preferred method of assassination and lifts the lid on the Cambridge Analytica sting operation that made global headlines—explaining how it unfolded, what the media got wrong, and the cost to his professional and personal life.Finally, he reflects generously on his terminal cancer diagnosis and how as a self-proclaimed "incurable optimist" he remains fiercely upbeat about his life and how he continues to lead it, with purpose, resilience and courage.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

GEO-POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Ambushed in Baghdad, Cambridge Analytica and facing terminal cancer | Mark Turnbull

John Roberts is one of Britain's most successful and energetic businessmen, a lad from Bolton who turned a one pound bet with a friend into a billion pound success story.In this special Business episode, John joins Andy to share the invaluable lessons behind building one of Britain’s most trusted brands. From selling deformed gingerbread men in school to pioneering e-commerce out of Bolton, John reveals how cheek, grit and imagination shaped AO, but the journey to success has not been a straight road. He talks openly about the crushing lows — including losing a £160 million gamble in Germany, navigating the chaos of early online retail, and how singing Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now on loop helped him show up for his team during the darkest moments.Here is John's Crisis Compass - his points of navigation for when trouble comes.X: @johnrobertsAOHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

JOHN ROBERTS' CRISIS COMPASS

John Roberts is one of Britain's most successful and energetic businessmen, a lad from Bolton who turned a one pound bet with a friend into a billion pound success story.In this special Business episode, John joins Andy to share the invaluable lessons behind building one of Britain’s most trusted brands. From selling deformed gingerbread men in school to pioneering e-commerce out of Bolton, John reveals how cheek, grit and imagination shaped AO, but the journey to success has not been a straight road. He talks openly about the crushing lows — including losing a £160 million gamble in Germany, navigating the chaos of early online retail, and how singing Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now on loop helped him show up for his team during the darkest moments.He shares the thinking behind AO’s legendary customer service and the power (and perils) of leading from the front. Plus we hear about his work to level the playing field for young people in our poorest communities, and what government and businesses can learn from a green teddy bear and a humble kitchen salesman to build a better future.X: @johnrobertsAOHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

JOHN ROBERTS: Turning a £1 Bet into a Billion-Pound Retail Empire

Bestselling author Kit de Waal has built a career writing stories that capture the reality of life on the margins, but her own story is just as compelling. Growing up in 1970s Birmingham with an Irish Catholic-turned-Jehovah's Witness mother and a Caribbean father, Kit learned early on that survival meant adaptation. Kit's mother’s dire warnings of an impending apocalypse pushed her into rebellion, leading to a breakdown that ultimately brought her home and set her on a new path in social care, advocating for children in the care system before becoming a bestselling author.Here is Kit's Crisis Compass - her points of navigation for when trouble comes.Listen to Kit's full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis/id1517015748?i=1000701649537Pre-order Kit’s new book The Best Of Everything: https://linktr.ee/TheBestofEverythingKitdeWaalLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-de-waal-ba953455/X: @KitDeWaalWebsite: https://www.kitdewaal.com/contactHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

KIT DE WAAL'S CRISIS COMPASS

Bestselling author Kit de Waal has built a career writing stories that capture the reality of life on the margins, but her own story is just as compelling. Growing up in 1970s Birmingham with an Irish Catholic-turned-Jehovah's Witness mother and a Caribbean father, Kit learned early on that survival meant adaptation. Kit's mother’s dire warnings of an impending apocalypse pushed her into rebellion, leading to a breakdown that ultimately set her on a new path advocating for children in the care system before becoming a bestselling novelist.In this episode, Kit shares how she transformed personal crisis into epic creative success, the complexities of growing up between cultures, and why she rejects the term ‘resilience.’ With novels like My Name is Leon and her memoir Without Warning and Only Sometimes, Kit has turned life’s challenges into powerful storytelling. Kit has also fought for greater diversity in the UK’s publishing industry. Using her advance, she set up a Creative Writing scholarship at Birbeck, University of London, Kit is breaking down industry barriers by helping writers from marginalised backgrounds find their own passion for writing.This is a paid advertisement by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/CRISISPOD. Our listeners get 10% off their first month.Pre-order Kit’s new book The Best Of Everything: https://linktr.ee/TheBestofEverythingKitdeWaalLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-de-waal-ba953455/X: @KitDeWaalWebsite: https://www.kitdewaal.com/contactHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

AUTHOR: Rebellion, redemption and making crisis count | Kit de Waal

Rupert Soames has forged a brilliant career leading businesses through some of the most daunting challenges. His professional journey has been defined by his unflinching resolve to ‘run towards gunfire.’ As CEO of commercial giants Aggreko and Serco through periods of crisis and now as Chair of the CBI as it continues to recover from a reputational shock. Rupert also talks for the first time about appalling abuse he endured at prep school and how those terrible experiences ultimately helped shape his wholly positive approach to confronting challenge.Here is Rupert’s Crisis Compass – his points of navigation for when trouble comes.This is a paid advertisement by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/CRISISPOD. Our listeners get 10% off their first month.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

RUPERT SOAMES' CRISIS COMPASS

Rupert Soames has forged a brilliant career leading businesses through some of the most daunting challenges. But behind the decades of success, there’s another story that Rupert has chosen to share here for the first time … an experience which, against the odds, forged his resilience. His professional journey has been defined by his unflinching resolve to ‘run towards gunfire.’ … as CEO of commercial giants Aggreko and Serco through periods of crisis and now as Chair of the CBI as it continues to recover from a reputational shock.Given Rupert is also Winston Churchill’s grandson, it would be easy to assume that his courage is more biology than biography … but that would not tell the full story.In this episode, Rupert talks for the first time about appalling abuse he endured at prep school and how those terrible experiences ultimately helped shape his wholly positive approach to confronting challenge. He shares his valuable lessons in resilience, decision-making under pressure, and the importance of learning from past struggles. But more than all of this, Rupert powerfully explains and demonstrates how trauma, instead of defining us, can drive us towards a more positive life.My thanks to Rupert for this conversation.This is a paid advertisement by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/CRISISPOD. Our listeners get 10% off their first month.Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

AGGREKO AND SERCO CEO: Resilience from trauma, leading through crisis and the power of positivity | Rupert Soames

Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Christina Perri is best known for her hits A Thousand Years and Jar of Hearts, but behind her music lies a deeply personal story of resilience.From battling lifelong mental health challenges to navigating the heartbreak of miscarriage and stillbirth, Christina has endured unthinkable loss—including the tragic passing of her daughter Rosie in 2020. But through it all, she has transformed her grief into action, advocating for maternal healthcare reform and using her platform to inspire others. Here are Christina’s Crisis ComfortsThis is a paid advertisement by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/CRISISPOD. Our listeners get 10% off their first month.Full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/christina-perri-on-fame-grief-and-turning-pain-into-purpose/id1517015748?i=1000697514142Website: https://www.christinaperri.com/X: https://x.com/christinaperriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaPerriMusic/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinaperri/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinaperriYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/christinaperri%20Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill Griffin, Louise Difford, and Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

CHRISTINA PERRI'S CRISIS COMPASS

Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Christina Perri is best known for her hits A Thousand Years and Jar of Hearts, but behind her music lies a deeply personal story of resilience.From battling lifelong mental health challenges to navigating the heartbreak of miscarriage and stillbirth, Christina has endured unthinkable loss—including the tragic passing of her daughter Rosie in 2020. But through it all, she has transformed her grief into action, advocating for maternal healthcare reform and using her platform to inspire others.In this episode, Christina opens up about her struggles with addiction, the pressures of fame, and the lessons she’s learned as a mother. She shares how she found the strength to keep moving forward, why she’s fighting to change medical protocols for pregnancy loss, and how music continues to be her guiding force.This is a paid advertisement by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/CRISISPOD. Our listeners get 10% off their first month.Website: https://www.christinaperri.com/X: https://x.com/christinaperriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaPerriMusic/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinaperri/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinaperriYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/christinaperri%20Host: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, Bill Griffin, Louise Difford, and Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

CHRISTINA PERRI: Fame, grief and turning pain into purpose

Simon Woodroffe has lived many lives - he started as a stage designer for music legends like Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, then took a leap of faith and built YO! Sushi into a global brand. But before his success, Simon faced struggles that could have derailed him entirely: a turbulent youth, including time in a young offender’s institution, and a personal crisis that left him at rock bottom. Here are Simon Woodroffe’s three Crisis Comforts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yosimonwoodroffe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yosimonwoodroffeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yosimonwoodroffeTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yosimonwoodroffeThis podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, and Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact - podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SIMON WOODROFFE'S CRISIS COMPASS

What does it take to turn adversity into opportunity?Simon Woodroffe has lived many lives - he started as a stage designer for music legends like Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, then took a leap of faith and built YO! Sushi into a global brand. But before his success, Simon faced struggles that could have derailed him entirely: a turbulent youth, including time in a young offender’s institution, and a personal crisis that left him at rock bottom.In this episode, Simon opens up about his journey from hardship to entrepreneurial success. From pioneering conveyor belt sushi in the UK to launching the innovative Japanese hotel brand YOTEL, Simon has never shied away from reinvention. As one of the original Dragons on Dragon’s Den, he knows what it takes to take risks.Simon shares how resilience, creativity, and an unstoppable drive helped him build a multi-million-pound empire and why he believes anyone can turn struggle into success.We hope you find this episode inspiring and useful.Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yosimonwoodroffe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yosimonwoodroffeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yosimonwoodroffeTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@yosimonwoodroffeThis podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown, and Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SIMON WOODROFFE: Risk-taking, reinvention, and creating Yo! Sushi

Who better to explore the road to resilience than someone who has endured one of the most dramatic falls from grace?Tom Hayes was once a high-flying city trader, living a life of wealth and status— until the notorious LIBOR scandal in 2015 changed everything. Convicted and imprisoned, he lost his fortune, his luxury cars and his home - all while maintaining that his conviction was unjust. His trial also brought an unexpected revelation— his Asperger’s diagnosis, which he argues played a crucial role in his actions and the case against him. Here are Tom Hayes’ three crisis comforts.Full episode: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/libor-scandal-trader-tom-hayes-on-prison-anger-and-aspergers/This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Hana Walker-Brown and Bill GriffinWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

TOM HAYES CRISIS COMPASS

Paul Stewart is a former England footballer who played for Manchester City, Spurs and Liverpool. But behind the success was a harrowing secret – years of unimaginable childhood abuse at the hands of a trusted coach. He shares his powerful journey from suffering to recovery – a story of pain, resilience but lasting hope. Here are Paul Stewart’s three crisis comforts.Full episode: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/england-star-paul-stewart-on-turning-a-secret-trauma-into-a-mission-of-hope/LinksTwitter: @PStewy103Website: https://paulstewartofficial.comPaul’s book ‘Damaged: My Story – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damaged-My-Story-Paul-Stewart/dp/1910335738Safeguarding Fundementals – https://safeguardingfundamentals.comThis podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

PAUL STEWART'S CRISIS COMPASS

Sensitive content: this podcast contains discussions of child abuse and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.Paul Stewart is a former England footballer who played for Manchester City, Spurs and Liverpool. But behind the success was a harrowing secret – years of unimaginable childhood abuse at the hands of a trusted coach. He shares his powerful journey from suffering to recovery – a story of pain, resilience but lasting hope.After decades of silence, Paul found the courage to speak out, becoming a leading voice for safeguarding in sport. The trauma he endured led him to some dark places, but his story is one of survival and relentless advocacy. He co-founded the charity SAVE with fellow former players to support abuse survivors and launched the Paul Stewart Official Excellence in Safeguarding programme, delivering vital education to organisations like the English Football League.I hope you’ll agree that this episode is a tough but essential listen. Aside from his eloquence and bravery, Paul provides vitals lessons for those who have suffered trauma.Paul's book 'Damaged: My Story - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damaged-My-Story-Paul-Stewart/dp/1910335738Safeguarding Fundementals - https://safeguardingfundamentals.comIf you or anyone you know has suffered from child abuse and you wish to talk about it, please consider these resources:NSPCC - 0808 800 5000NAPAC - 0808 801 0331FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ENGLAND STAR: Turning a secret trauma into a mission of hope | Paul Stewart

Paul McKenna is not just a world-renowned hypnotherapist; he’s a one man self-help powerhouse, a best-selling author, and a sought-after behavioural scientist who has helped thousands overcome their greatest challenges. And now with his new book Power Manifesting – he is on a mission to empower as many as possible to lead a better and more productive life. Here are Paul McKenna’s three crisis comforts.Full episodehttps://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/paul-mckenna-on-purpose-gratitude-and-living-your-full-potential/Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iampaulmckenna/Twitter: @ImPaulMcKennaWebsite: https://www.paulmckenna.comBook: https://amzn.eu/d/a1RQvgACharities https://veterans-aid.netStream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

PAUL MCKENNA'S CRISIS COMPASS

Paul McKenna is not just a world-renowned hypnotherapist; he’s a one man self-help powerhouse, a best-selling author, and a sought-after behavioural scientist who has helped thousands overcome their greatest challenges. And now with his new book Power Manifesting – he is on a mission to empower as many as possible to lead a better and more productive life.With his signature blend of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), and psychological techniques, Paul has an unshakable belief in the power of the mind. In this episode he shares his personal insights on navigating crises, achieving resilience, and unlocking our true (often untapped) potential.We hope you find it helpful.LinksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iampaulmckenna/Twitter: @ImPaulMcKennaWebsite: https://www.paulmckenna.comBook: https://amzn.eu/d/a1RQvgACharities:https://veterans-aid.netStream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost: Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

HYPNOTHERAPIST: Purpose, gratitude and living your full potential | Paul McKenna

Having arrived in Britain as a five-year-old refugee fleeing the Nazis on the Kindertransport, Dame Stephanie Shirley went on to build one of Britain's most successful software companies. She built a business valued at $3 billion and has dedicated the last three decades of her life to philanthropy, giving away most of her personal wealth. Here are Dame Stephanie’s three crisis comforts.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/dame-stephanie-shirley-on-91-years-of-resilience-and-brilliance/Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damestephanie_/?hl=enWebsite: https://www.steveshirley.com/BookLet It Go (2019): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-Go-Extraordinary-Entrepreneur-Philanthropist/dp/0241395496CharitiesAutistica: https://www.autistica.org.uk/Autism at Kingwood: https://www.kingwood.org.uk/Prior’s Court: https://www.priorscourt.org.uk/The Oxford Internet Institute: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists: https://wcit.org.uk/ Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

STEPHANIE SHIRLEY'S CRISIS COMPASS

Having arrived in Britain as a five-year-old refugee fleeing the Nazis on the Kindertransport, Dame Stephanie Shirley went on to build one of Britain's most successful software companies. Using the pen name ‘Steve’ to be taken more seriously by clients, she built a business valued at $3 billion, turning 70 staff members into millionaires along the way. But her impact goes far beyond the business world. Dame Stephanie has dedicated the last three decades of her life to philanthropy, giving away most of her personal wealth. Once the 11th richest woman in the UK, she’s the only person to drop off the Sunday Times Rich List due to generosity.Inspired by her late son, Giles, who was profoundly autistic, Dame Stephanie has helped transform care for those with autism along with supporting a range of other causes. In this episode she shares stories from her childhood, her career and her personal life – all of them packed with invaluable lessons. A former podcast guest of ours, Baroness Martha Lane Fox, wrote the foreword to Dame Stephanie’s brilliant memoir, Let it Go; and described her as “ ... a role model for how to build your life, not just your company.” She wasn’t wrong.Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damestephanie_/?hl=enWebsite: https://www.steveshirley.com/BookLet It Go (2019): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-Go-Extraordinary-Entrepreneur-Philanthropist/dp/0241395496CharitiesAutistica: https://www.autistica.org.uk/Autism at Kingwood: https://www.kingwood.org.uk/Prior’s Court: https://www.priorscourt.org.uk/The Oxford Internet Institute: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists: https://wcit.org.uk/ Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus Fielder, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

STEPHANIE SHIRLEY: 91 years of resilience and brilliance

Katie Melua has sold more than 11 million albums and picked up 56 platinum awards along the way. She had her first hit aged just 19 and was thrown immediately onto the treadmill of writing, recording, tours, promotion. More hits followed, but not without a very heavy price - her sudden fame contributed to an acute psychotic breakdown in 2010. Here are Katie’s three crisis comforts.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/100th-guest-special-singer-katie-melua-on-teenage-fame-a-psychotic-breakdown-and-how-she-found-her-way-back/Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiemeluaofficial/Website: https://katiemelua.com/ Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus FielderWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

KATIE MELUA'S CRISIS COMPASS

In our first live podcast recording at the 2024 CBI Annual Conference, Andy speaks to Dawn Airey CBE, one of the most remarkable figures in British media. In front of an audience of business leaders and policy makers, they discussed resilience and reputation along with the crises and triumphs that have defined her career.Dawn has spent her career thriving on challenge, and along the way earned a reputation as a bold and unapologetic trailblazer. For some who couldn’t keep pace she became Scary Airey or Zulu Dawn.From her early days at ITV navigating a world she has described as rampantly sexist, to launching Channel 5 where her passionate leadership and sharp vision put the channel on the map, Dawn’s career has been nothing short of a masterclass in resilience.But it has also included some significant setbacks, including when she left Sky TV to join what she thought would be a global media business, but which turned out to be something, just eight days later, to something very, very different.Today, as Chair of the Women’s Super League, Dawn is shaping the future of women’s football.In this short episode she provides some brilliant lessons for anyone looking to be a stronger leader.Links CBI: https://www.cbi.org.uk/articles/2024-annual-conference-highlights/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus Fielder, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

LIVE FROM THE CBI CONFERENCE: Breaking down barriers, failure and leadership resilience | Dawn Airey CBE

Selling 11 million albums, more than a million concert tickets and picking up 56 platinum awards along the way, Katie Melua is one of Britain’s most successful singer songwriters.In this episode, she takes us on a very candid and emotional journey - from Georgia to Belfast to London and to fame at just 19 years old where she was thrown immediately onto the treadmill of recording, tours and promotion. But the impact of her sudden stardom took a heavy toll on Katie’s mental health.In 2010 she suffered an acute psychotic breakdown. In frankly frightening detail, Katie tells us what happened but also shares the actionable, practical tools and insights that helped her find a way back to herself.Katie’s is a story of epic success but also of trauma and of recovery … all of it in the public gaze. An amazing conversation with our 100th guest.Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiemeluaofficial/Website: https://katiemelua.com/ Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

100th guest special - SINGER: Teenage fame, a psychotic breakdown and how she found her way back | Katie Melua

On January 28th, 2009, a rehearsed stunt on set of Harry Potter went horrifically wrong. David, who had been the lead stunt double for his friend Daniel Radcliffe for a decade, was left paralysed from the chest down. His is a story of acceptance, of finding positives in the darkest of places and of the power of human spirit. Here are his three crisis comforts which helped and continue to help him reject bitterness about his old life and instead pursue a different life … one full of meaning and purpose.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/harry-potter-stuntman-david-holmes-on-finding-purpose-and-positivity-beyond-paralysis/Links David’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidholmes83/?hl=enBook The Boy Who Lived: https://amzn.eu/d/auagBtqDocumentaryDavid Holmes: The Boy Who Lived: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0CN4X1Q8B/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r Charities: The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital: https://www.rnohcharity.org/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

DAVID HOLMES' CRISIS COMPASS

On January 28th, 2009, a rehearsed stunt on set of Harry Potter went horrifically wrong. David, who for a decade was the lead stunt double for his friend Daniel Radcliffe, was left paralysed from the chest down.A number of long and dangerous operations followed, many of them lifesaving. David survived but his condition is degenerative - each year bringing yet more challenge for him.From being an elite gymnast and professional stunt double for the most famous boy in the world at the time… as someone who was defined by their physicality … David’s accident stripped of his identity.His story – told brilliantly in the moving documentary David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived and now in his autobiography - is more than one of survival. It is the story of someone who decided to reject bitterness about his old life to pursue a new one full of meaning and purpose.As David puts it: “I’m having a unique journey on this planet, and I am going to own it.”David is now a podcaster, producer, author … and an inspiration to all that meet him. He is speaking at Creative Folkestone Festival on 21st November. Secure your tickets now: https://www.creativefolkestone.org.uk/whats-on/david-holmes-harry-potterandrsquos-double/?book=566337Thank you David for sharing your remarkable perspective, positivity and wisdom.Links David’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidholmes83/?hl=enBook The Boy Who Lived: https://amzn.eu/d/auagBtqDocumentaryDavid Holmes: The Boy Who Lived: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0CN4X1Q8B/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r Charities The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital: https://www.rnohcharity.org/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

HARRY POTTER STUNTMAN: Finding purpose - and positivity - beyond paralysis | David Holmes

On the face of it, magazine guru Lindsay Nicholson has had a brilliant, glamorous and high-powered career. Yet she achieved all this whilst her own life has been marked with crisis, with drama and the most unimaginable grief.Here are her three crisis comforts which helped and continue to help her survive and thrive through the most extreme and painful experiences.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/series/series-7/ Links Lindsay’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsayannenicholson/Lindsay’s X: https://x.com/linsnicholsonBookPerfect Bound: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Bound-memoir-trauma-heartbreak/dp/0008685274 Charities: Riding for the Disabled: https://rda.org.uk/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

LINDSAY NICHOLSON'S CRISIS COMPASS

Lindsay Nicholson transformed some of our best-known magazine titles including Cosmopolitan, Prima and, most famously, Good Housekeeping. On the face of it a brilliant, glamorous and high-powered career for which she was awarded an MBE in 2018.But Lindsay achieved all this whilst her own life was marked with crisis, with drama and the most unimaginable grief. In 1992 Lindsay lost her first husband, the journalist John Merritt, when she was pregnant with their second child, Hope. Five years later, their nine-year-old daughter Ellie died from the same rare form of leukaemia.Lindsay then faced her own ten-year battle with breast cancer.She came through but then, in 2016, in a series of events following a near death car crash, her life unravelled. The result? The end of her second marriage, a lost home, a lost job and – for a while – a damaged reputation. A set of circumstances that truly took her to the brink.Lindsay’s brilliant new memoir – Perfect Bound is not only a compelling read it’s in many ways a field guide on how to cope when faced with real difficulty. In this episode she shares her astonishing story and the invaluable lessons of how to survive and thrive through the most extreme and painful experiences.Links Lindsay’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsayannenicholson/Lindsay’s X: https://x.com/linsnicholsonBookPerfect Bound: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Bound-memoir-trauma-heartbreak/dp/0008685274  CharitiesRiding for the Disabled: https://rda.org.uk/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

MAGAZINE MEGASTAR: Astonishing lessons on how to cope when life unravels … again and again and again | Lindsay Nicholson

Adventurer Charley Boorman - whose life is full of motorbike journeys, personal challenge, crisis and resilience – shares his three crisis comforts.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/charley-boorman-on-severe-dyslexia-loss-and-the-motorbike-crash-that-almost-claimed-his-life/ Links Charley’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charleyboorman/?hl=enCharley’s website: https://www.charleyboorman.com/Charities: UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org.uk/Dyslexia Action: http://dyslexiaaction.org.ukUnited World Schools: http://www.unitedworldschools.org/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

CHARLEY BOORMAN'S CRISIS COMPASS

You know him from his epic road trips with Ewan McGregor in Long Way Round, Down and Up but adventurer Charley Boorman’s life is full of journeys of an entirely different kind … of personal challenge, crisis and resilience.As a child actor Charley, the son of director John Boorman, starred in movies including The Emerald Forest but severe dyslexia got in the way. He then faced the devastating loss of his beloved sister before his own health crisis with cancer.Working as a builder, Charley found his true purpose and passion after becoming friends with fellow motorbike obsessive actor Ewan McGregor. Their hugely successful TV show followed, as did a series of crashes – one in 2018 that almost claimed Charley’s life.He continues to embrace a life of daring adventure proving that, for him, action truly is the antidote for despair.Links Charley’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charleyboorman/?hl=enCharley’s website: https://www.charleyboorman.com/Charities: UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org.uk/Dyslexia Action: http://dyslexiaaction.org.ukUnited World Schools: http://www.unitedworldschools.org/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

ADVENTURER: Severe dyslexia, loss and the motorbike crash that almost claimed his life | Charley Boorman

On the night of September 30, 2022, at High Barnet station, Sarah de Lagarde slipped between the train and the platform. She lost two limbs and almost her life.With resilience and an unyielding spirit, Sarah has embarked on a journey of recovery and of advocacy.Sarah’s story is one that tells a truly shocking story but also provides insight and learnings for us all. Here are her three crisis comforts.Links Sarah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjdelagarde/?hl=enSarah’s website: www.sarahdelagarde.comCharities: STAND https://stand.ngo/2024/05/30/we-are-stand/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SARAH DE LAGARDE'S CRISIS COMPASS

On the night of September 30, 2022, at High Barnet station, Sarah de Lagarde slipped between the train and the platform.Trapped there, unseen and unheard, Sarah was hit by the train as it left the station, severing her right arm. 11 minutes after she first fell, she was struck by a second tube as it entered the station, crushing her right leg.In the aftermath of this unimaginable accident, Sarah faced long term physical and emotional challenges. Yet, with resilience and an unyielding spirit, Sarah has embarked on a journey of recovery and of advocacy.She recently climbed Kilimanjaro in August to raise money for STAND, a charity that supports amputees in conflict zones and developing countries.Sarah’s story is one of unbelievable strength, of putting an appalling crisis to positive work for others without bitterness. An episode that tells a truly shocking story but also provides insight and learnings for us all.Links Sarah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjdelagarde/?hl=enSarah’s website: www.sarahdelagarde.comCharities: STAND https://stand.ngo/2024/05/30/we-are-stand/Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

SARAH DE LARGARDE: Surviving horror, saying ‘thank you’ to her lost limbs and a return to Kilimanjaro

Dylan Jones is a true titan of the world of media … someone who has helped shape the cultural landscape of the UK for the last four decades. Throughout our full conversation, which is courageous and, at times difficult, Dylan’s resilience and, as he puts it, ‘very particular’ approach to crisis shines through.Here are his three crisis comforts which helped and continue to help him maintain an incredibly positive attitude.Full episode https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/dylan-jones-on-a-violent-childhood-recovery-from-rape-and-life-shaping-headlines/ LinksDylan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DylanJones/?hl=en-gbCharitiesHoffman process: https://www.hoffmaninstitute.co.uk/about-the-process/Rape Crisis: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/find-a-centre/BooksThese Foolish Things (2024): https://www.amazon.co.uk/These-Foolish-Things-Dylan-Jones/dp/1408719851Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

DYLAN JONES' CRISIS COMPASS

Dylan Jones is a true titan of the world of media … someone who has helped shape the cultural landscape of the UK for the last four decades.A lad from High Wycombe who rose to become one of the best connected and sharpest operators here and in the US … along the way editing GQ magazine 22-year years, writing or editing over 25 books and picking up a cabinet full of awards including an OBE. He is now Editor in Chief of London’s Evening Standard.Dylan’s latest book – his memoir These Foolish Things, tells the story of this successful, glamourous life in rich detail, but is also a moving, revealing story of success in spite of a number of deeply personal crises. Dylan’s childhood was blighted by physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his ex-RAF officer father – beatings that left him with a stammer and scars you don’t see. Having escaped to seek freedom and a life in London, Dylan – as a 17-year-old – was raped.Throughout this courageous and, at times difficult, conversation, Dylan’s resilience and, as he puts it, ‘very particular’ approach to crisis shines through.Links Dylan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DylanJones/?hl=en-gbCharitiesHoffman process: https://www.hoffmaninstitute.co.uk/about-the-process/Rape Crisis: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/find-a-centre/BooksThese Foolish Things (2024): https://www.amazon.co.uk/These-Foolish-Things-Dylan-Jones/dp/1408719851Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson PartnersHost – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel Pickering, Linus DiffordWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

DYLAN JONES: A violent childhood, recovery from rape and life shaping headlines

Dr Rachel Clarke is a dedicated palliative care doctor, passionate NHS advocate and bestselling author. In this conversation, Rachel helps us look hard at how we talk about – or too often fail to talk about - death. I urge you to listen to the full episode but for now, here are Rachel’s three crisis comforts.Links Rachel’s Twitter: https://x.com/doctor_oxfordCharityHospice Ukraine: https://www.hospiceukraine.com/what-we-doBooks2024: The Story of a Heart TV adaptation of BreathtakingBreathtaking. ITV. 2024. https://www.itv.com/watch/breathtaking/10a4089Stream/buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682This podcast is brought to you by Crisis What Crisis? Productions and Coulson Partners Host – Andy CoulsonCWC team: Jane Sankey, Louise Difford, Mabel PickeringWith special thanks to Ioana Barbu and the brilliant people at GlobalFor all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.comFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod