Great Company with Jamie Laing

• BEL PRIESTLEY: TRANS WOMEN AREN'T THE PROBLEM

  When I saw the news about the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of ‘sex’, I knew it was a topic I needed to understand better. As a straight cis man, it could be easy for me to ignore these news stories, but as a human, I know it’s a topic I can’t ignore.Bel Priestley is a trans actress, best known for her breakout role in Netflix’s Heartstopper, but her journey to that point is a story filled with pain, bravery and incredible strength. I’ve known Bel a while, and having seen her tearful TikTok after the Supreme Court ruling, wanted to invite her into the studio to chat.At just 21, Bel has lived through extremes - from being bullied at school to rising as one of Gen Z’s most influential LGBTQ+ voices. Through honesty and courage, she’s turned her platform into a beacon for trans visibility. She opens up about what it means to be a trans woman in the UK today, especially in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that’s shaken her community, and what it’s like to navigate love and hate when the odds feel relentlessly stacked against you.Bel shares, with heartbreaking honesty, the darkest chapters of her life: surviving sexual assault, enduring years of abuse and rejection, and the mental toll of fighting simply to exist. But she also shares what it means to find power through pain, how vital her chosen family has been, and why she’s most worried not for herself, but for the next generation of trans youth.Through it all, Bel radiates warmth, humour and wisdom. This is a conversation about strength, identity, and the fundamental right to be who you are.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• AMANZA SMITH: FROM SURVIVING ABUSE & ADDICTION TO STARRING IN NETFLIX’S SELLING SUNSET

  Amanza Smith might be best known for Selling Sunset, but her journey to the woman she is today is jaw-dropping. She’s lived one of those lives which makes you stop and wonder how she made it through. That’s why it was such a privilege to sit down with her today.Having survived a traumatic childhood marked by abuse and racism, Amanza battled with addiction that almost cost her life, but possessing a strength you rarely see, she got herself clean through sheer willpower. She spoke to me about how her daughter saved her life, triggering a path towards healing from the abuse she’d experienced as a child. Amanza spoke openly about cutting ties with her mother, and how she became a single mother overnight when her partner vanished, and who she’s never had contact with again.Despite experiencing so much, Amanza was brimming with laughter and joy - this conversation is rich in emotion, in positivity and in feeling. It’s a powerful reminder that even when it feels like life is breaking you, you can always rebuild.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerEditor: Dan KingVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• WHY LACK OF SLEEP IS AS DANGEROUS AS SMOKING - with SLEEP EXPERT, DR LINDSAY BROWNING

  Sleep is something we all do, or at least we’re supposed to do. But for many people, it’s far from a restful reset; it’s a daily struggle that affects every part of life and is a powerful took for protecting both our mental and physical health. I was keen to chat to Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist and sleep expert, about the biggest misconceptions around sleep and how we can help ourselves when it comes to resting well.From improving memory and mood, to long-term health, Dr Lindsay breaks down what sleep actually is, and explains how the brutal cycle of insomnia is usually triggered by an anxiety which is often easier to treat than many realise, offering real hope to anyone feeling stuck. I then asked her about sleeping trends - mouth taping, sleepy teas - is there any truth in these, and is eight-hours really the optimum amount of sleep to get? She also explains why teenagers are biologically programmed to wake up later, and even answers my burning question: should you sleep naked?This is a fascinating conversation about something that makes up a third of your life.If you want to find out more about the work Dr Lindsay does, you can find her on @DrBrowningSleep or troublesleeping.co.ukYou can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• HE'S MENTORED THE GREATEST CHEFS IN THE WORLD BUT HE'S SELF TAUGHT - THIS IS THE BOLD STORY OF RAYMOND BLANC

  When I was at uni, I’d come home from a day of lectures and put Raymond Blanc’s shows on my laptop - he was my safe space, and watching him would always calm any anxiety and make me feel calm. So when he replied to my message inviting him onto my show, excited is an understatement. Raymond is a true legend of the culinary world - holding two Michelin stars for the last 41 years, mentoring some of the greatest - from Heston Blumenthal to Marco Pierre White - and being entirely self-taught! You could say there’s a romance to his childhood, but growing up in post-war France was far from easy; gardening a lot of their own food, the hard work instilled by his father, combined with his obsession with the details, led him to seek excellence, becoming the best cleaner, the best waiter, the best chef and ultimately cultivating the best culinary experience in the country. Then during the pandemic, Raymond nearly lost it all when he developed a very serious case of COVID, but his relentless drive never faded, making a full recovery.Raymond’s story is one of boldness and strength, how through grit, humility and a deep belief in your craft, you can create joyYou can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• £200 MILLION to MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON - THE INSANE STORY OF RIORDAN MAYNARD

  This episode is a little bit different: it’s with someone whose name I doubt you’ll know, but it’s a story which, as soon as I heard, I knew I wanted to share with you all on Great Company.Riordan Maynard was a high flying business man until one day it all came crashing down - he doesn’t shy away from the crimes he committed - but they resulted in him serving almost seven years in a maximum high security prison in the states for tax fraud. Promised a low-security camp to serve his sentence, instead he was sent to a maximum security prison, he came into contact with real violence and aggression.Riordan doesn’t hold back about the realities of life in prison - how it almost broke him, spiralling mentally, and riddled with guilt for leaving his family without provision. But that time away also taught him mental resilience and he has since come out a different man.This is a raw, powerful conversation about accountability, redemption and the strength of the human mind to shift, even when in the darkest of places.You can also follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @greatcompanypodcast and if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected] to expect in this episode:Writing letters from prisonBeating boredom and making the most of each dayHow I became a businessmanBreaking ground in the mobile phone gameHow I ended up behind barsWhen the business started to fall apartThe morning of the arrestThe charges brought against meFirst impressions of prison lifeHow I felt being found guiltyFighting the temptation to go on the runWhy prison was actually good for meHow brutal those first few months inside wereBeing forced into a gang while in prisonWitnessing a prison murderMy first night behind barsThe impact it had on my familyThe moment I realised I could change my mindsetThe Final Eight Questions--THE CREDITSExec Producer: Jemima RathboneAssistant Producer: Gurlina HeerVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura CoughlanGreat Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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