Great Company with Jamie Laing
I’m Jamie Laing and this is Great Company – a weekly podcast full of inspiring conversations about resilience, joy and self-improvement. Each week I sit down with fascinating guests from entertainment, business and psychology to share the stories that help us learn, grow and feel more connected.New episodes every Wednesday.A JamPot Productions Original Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Subscribe to this podcast
Episodes
-
DR ROBERT WALDINGER: This Is How You Make 2026 The Happiest Year of Your Life
Wednesday, 7 January 2026
We all want to be happy and live a good life but how do we actually get there? It’s a big question, and one that most of us don’t have a clear answer to. This episode will help you find your happiest self.In fact, we’re often told that money, status and success are the keys to happiness. But according to professor and psychiatrist Dr Robert Waldinger, we’ve been getting it wrong.Dr Waldinger is the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest-running study on happiness ever conducted. I was so excited to sit down with him to discuss what more than 85 years of research rev...
-
Why We Choose Unhealthy Partners | ALAIN DE BOTTON THROWBACK
Wednesday, 31 December 2025
Happy New Year’s Eve! As we get ready for a new year, I wanted to revisit one of my all-time favourite episodes of Great Company with the incredible Alain de Botton. I’ve been lucky enough to sit down with Alain not once, but twice on the show and every time I speak to him, I come away feeling calmer, a little wiser and thinking about life in a new way. I keep coming back to this episode because every time I do, I take something new from it. Alain’s insights into human connection, love and emotional growth are fascinating. They’ve shaped how I think about my relationships, my friendships an...
-
GREATEST COMPANY OF 2025
Wednesday, 24 December 2025
Wow. What a year.2025 has been an unforgettable year for Great Company. We’ve had so many incredible guests who’ve shared funny, inspiring and truly special conversations on the show. To celebrate another amazing year, I wanted to look back at some of those moments with you. These are conversations that made me see things differently, learn new things and reminded me how powerful it is to connect with others.In this episode, we look back at six incredible guests: Cat Burns on small talk Riordan Maynard’s time in US prisonJessie J opening up about her cancer diagnosis Amol Rajan on coping wi...
-
JASON DONOVAN on Dr*gs, Partying in the 90s & Why Having His Daughter Changed His Life
Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Jason Donovan is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. I grew up knowing him as the golden boy from Neighbours so, it was surprising to hear how desperate he was to shake off that teenage heart throb image.Fame hit him young and fast, and before he’d had chance to figure out who he was, Jason found himself trapped in a world that expected him to stay the same blue eyed, blonde haired version of himself that everyone had fallen in love with.In the ‘90s, he pushed back hard: three-day bender, a coc*ine overdose at LA’s Viper Room and using dr*gs to escape the squeaky-clean persona...
-
MARY PORTAS: My Mother Died, My Father Disappeared & I Was Left Homeless At 19
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Mary Portas is a retail expert who has built her career on instinct, creativity and a drive to do things differently.She redefined Britain’s shopping culture in the 1990s, transforming Harvey Nichols from a tired department store into the ultimate shopping destination and later, became a household name through her hit TV series, Mary, Queen of Shops.I first met Mary a few months ago and she completely blew me away. What I didn’t know then were the circumstances that pushed her into retail in the first place. By 19, Mary had lost both her parents and found herself homeless, suddenly responsi...
-
KATE GARRAWAY: I'm No Longer Afraid To Seek Joy & Love After Losing My Husband
Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Kate Garraway is a woman who has lived several lifetimes. There’s the broadcaster we all know: bright, curious, endlessly warm. And then there’s the Kate who has weathered unimaginable change, held a family together through crisis, and somehow emerged with her hope and positivity intact.This episode isn’t a retelling of headlines - it’s the Kate we rarely hear: a woman learning how to breathe again after six years of being on high alert and re-discovering her joy.We cover:Losing her husband and life after griefKate's wild years in her 30sHow she met her late husband DerekGrowing up with low...
-
JOANNE MCNALLY: The Identity Crisis of Being Adopted, Finding Success In My 30s and Why I’m Single
Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Joanne McNally is a hilarious woman. Her comedy has resonated with people all over the world, with her tours selling out wherever she goes, making history as the first Irish female comic to headline Dublin’s 3Arena. And with her podcast, ‘My Therapist Ghosted Me’, Joanne has become one of the most compelling, unfiltered voices in comedy right now.What I love about Joanne is that she didn’t follow the “perfect plan”. She built her comedy career in her thirties after realising she wasn’t living the life she actually wanted. Feeling unfulfilled and eager to tap into her creative side, she took...
-
ALEX JONES: Having Kids Later In Life, The One Show and Davina McCall Invigilating My University Exams
Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Few presenters feel as instantly familiar as Alex Jones. For over 15 years, she has been the heart of The One Show and her warmth, wit and natural connection with people shines through. In real life, she’s an even brighter star, lighting up every room she enters.What stands out about Alex is her disarming honesty. Despite decades in the spotlight, she speaks so openly about self-doubt and what it truly takes to stay grounded in an industry that’s always moving.In our conversation, she shares some of the parts of her life rarely seen on camera. From growing up in West Wales with a ‘small tow...
-
VIKKSTAR: The Sidemen Almost Ended Because Of Me
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
With an average of more than 1 billion hours of content watched every single day on YouTube, the platform vastly outperforms traditional television and signifies a huge change in the media landscape.Vikkstar is a part of British YouTube royalty, the Sidemen. I have always been fascinated with the group and how they've managed to build a YouTube empire from constant content creation, crazy ideas and a strategy that works unbelievably well. I was so excited to sit down with Vikkstar and find out more about who he is and his incredible success.We cover:• How the Sidemen were formed• Why Vi...
-
JILL SCOTT: Bullied For Being The Only Girl On The Football Pitch & Why It Made Me Determined Not To Quit
Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Jill Scott is England's second most capped player of all time. A Lioness legend, Euros winner and Queen of the Jungle, she is without a doubt one of the hardest working footballers that England has ever produced.What I love about Jill is her determination to succeed, even when the odds are stacked against her. Growing up in Sunderland, she was bullied by her classmates - and their parents - for playing football. But she kept showing up, every single day, training harder than anyone else and never once gave up on her dreams.Jill talks so openly about her vulnerabilities and the pressures she...
-
DANI DYER on Confidence Struggles, Dad's Addictions & Why I Never Visited My Son's Father In Prison
Wednesday, 29 October 2025
We all fell for Dani Dyer when she appeared on Love Island back in 2018. She’s a proper family girl - lives just a 6 minute drive from her parents - she once tried living 20 minutes away but that was too far, and I think this is what people love about Dani: she’s warm, charming and down to earth. Her dad also happens to be the tough guy actor, Danny Dyer which makes her bubbly sweetness even more likeable. I was excited to have her into the studio for a proper chat.What stood out to me the most about our chat was her battles with self confidence, which I believe something to be so universal...
-
Traitors & England Rugby Star, JOE MARLER: Being An Alpha Male Came At A Price
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Joe Marler is a former England rugby player and currently on Celebrity Traitors who spent fifteen years as one of the sport’s biggest personalities, both on and off the pitch. He’s described himself as a bully who battled through a rocky career… and maybe that’s true. But what really stands out to me is how openly Joe now talks about his mental health and how passionate he is about encouraging other men to do the same.Talking about your feelings can be really hard - it’s something I’ve found tough over the years too. But hearing someone like Joe, a proper “man’s man” speak so vulnerably is ...
-
PROFESSOR GREEN: Diagnosed With Autism Age 40 & Why Working Class Men Are Lost
Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Stephen Manderson aka Professor Green, in today’s episode really reminded me to listen. The most successful people are the ones who listen rather than talk, they learn rather than pretending to know it all. Although we come from totally different backgrounds, we’ve always connected in such a genuine way. We first met when life was very different; Stephen was dating my friend Millie Mackintosh. A lot has happened since then, a lot of growing up and self reflection...When people come into the studio, sometimes they might ask to not discuss certain topics but Stephen was a complete open book, ...
-
RUNNA FOUNDER, BEN PARKER ON BUILDING ONE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST FITNESS APPS IN JUST 4 YEARS
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
You might not have heard of Ben Parker, but you’ve almost definitely heard of Runna — the incredible running app that just sold to Strava for millions For me, this one’s probably my biggest regret but also one of my biggest lessons. A few years ago, a young entrepreneur came up to me after an event to tell me about his business. It sounded brilliant, but honestly… I couldn’t see it: “Why would a running app take off?” I thought. Well, that business was Runna, the app that’s now one of the biggest fitness apps in the world. And that young entrepreneur was Ben Parker. Missing the chance to in...
-
KATHERINE RYAN: HOW I CHANGED MY MINDSET & MADE A LIFE FOR ME & MY DAUGHTER
Wednesday, 1 October 2025
How Katherine Ryan turned grit into greatness. Katherine Ryan might just be the funniest person on Earth. She’s a brilliant comedian, actress, writer and podcaster who says it exactly how it is.I first met Katherine a few years ago and I’ve always admired her energy and determination to succeed. Long before she became one of the UK’s biggest comedians, she was working on the stand-up circuit while raising her daughter Violet as a single mum. Now, with an incredible career and her fourth child on the way, she’s still doing it all completely on her own terms.We cover:How Katherine navigated l...
-
SPENCER MATTHEWS: OUR FIRST HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR FRIENDSHIP
Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Spencer Matthews is a very old friend of mine - we grew up together sharing some pretty embarrassing moments on television, making a name for ourselves as podcasters interviewing (and winding up) some of Hollywood’s finest, in our podcast, ‘6 Degrees’.However, in the last few years, our friendship has begun to wane, and it’s a question I’m asked all the time: "Have you and Spencer fallen out?". To tell the truth, I've never really known the answer to this… We’ve hardly seen each other for a number of reasons, and so when he reached out about this recording, I thought it’s time to get to the...
-
GSTAAD GUY: INSIDE THE MINDS OF THE ULTRA-RICH
Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Gstaad Guy is a creator I’ve followed for a few years, the anonymous creator who lifts the lid on the 0.01%. He gained fame for impersonating and poking fun at the lavish lifestyle of the ultra-wealthy in luxury ski resorts like Gstaad, created an alter ego, Cousin Colton, to represent the "new money" crowd.The fascinating thing about Gstaad guy is that despite satirising the ultra-wealthy, poking fun at their absurdity, he is loved by billionaires, with a huge concentration of them among his following. I was absolutely fascinated to have him in the studio to find out more…We cover:The madn...
-
TIM KEY ON THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND, FAMILY & WHAT HE'S REALLY LIKE WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE OFF
Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Tim Key is a poet, a comic and someone who I developed an unlikely friendship with through various television appearances together. A few months ago, I went to see The Ballad of Wallis Island and was totally blown away by Tim who not only starred in the movie, but wrote it too. He is a total star and I was excited to have him in the studio - his dry wit combined with my restless energy always makes for a fun time.Tim is quite a personal guy, and like many comics, uses humour to deflect, but he shared a side of him I’d never really seen.We cover:How Tim faked going to Cambridge to get into t...
-
ALAIN DE BOTTON: WHY MAKING FRIENDS AS AN ADULT FEELS IMPOSSIBLE (BUT ISN'T)
Wednesday, 3 September 2025
Alain de Botton came on the show one year ago and totally blew me away. We spoke about relationships with parents, partners, attachment styles and so much more. And now he’s back and we’re talking all about a relationships we often overlook but is potentially one of the most important in our lives: friendship.Alain artfully dissects the issues we run into with deepening our friendships, why it’s so scary to vulnerable but how and why letting people in can lead us to a richer life. We cover:How to open up to having more meaningful friendshipsSexual anxiety in friendship particularly among me...
-
LOUIE SPENCE: I MAKE EVERYONE ELSE HAPPY BUT I CAN’T FIND HAPPINESS MYSELF
Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Louie Spence is a showbiz icon. For thirty years he was a professional dancer, performing on the West End and touring with the Spice Girls and Take That. But it was his starring role on Sky 1’s Pineapple Studios that made him a celebrity. I’ve met Louie a couple of times before now and he genuinely lights up every room he’s in. But beneath his larger-than-life character is a different, quieter person who has struggled with anxiety and depression for as long as he can remember. We cover: His lifelong struggle with anxiety and depression His mum Pat’s secret battle with alcoholismFinding his ...
-
EXCLUSIVE - JESSIE J: I'M FINALLY READY TO TALK ABOUT MY CANCER DIAGNOSIS
Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Jessie J’s voice is unparalleled - a true superstar. Having been a fan for years, I was so excited to have her in the studio, but what she revealed during the record I had never expected to hear…In May, Jessie came into record and shared with me that she’d recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. A week later, she asked if she could come back in to record following her surgery. We’ve never recorded an episode in two parts before, but it felt important to give Jessie the space to share her story in the way that felt most authentic to her.For the first time in a long form, Jessie explains ...
-
EXCLUSIVE - TULISA'S UNTOLD TRUTH BEHIND DRUGS SCANDAL
Wednesday, 13 August 2025
You may know Tulisa from N-Dubz or as an X Factor judge in the 2010s, but one day it all came crashing down as she found herself at the heart of a sting, which saw her lose her reputation, her career and almost her life. She came into the Great Company studio to chat openly and exclusively with me about the last few years and share ALL the detailsWe cover:The court case that almost ruined her lifeThe truth behind those headlines that changed everythingFinding fame with N-DubzWhy she chooses to be celibateThis conversation is a wild ride and a reminder of never taking anything for granted. L...
-
CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY: I TRIED TO BE SOMEONE I WASN'T
Friday, 8 August 2025
It’s a special bonus FRIDAY episode of Great Company!Chad Michael Murray is someone we all grew up watching - he was the teen heart throb I wished I was. I was a huge fan of One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls and of course, Freaky Friday and as he was over to promote the sequel, Freakier Friday, I was delighted to get some time to chat to him…Chad opened up about feeling boxed in by stereotypes earlier in his career, and how having a family has taught him to free himself of others’ expectations. He tells me how an accident which resulted in months in hospital lead to his first big break. He also ...
-
TJ POWER: PHONE ADDICTION IS REAL & HERE'S HOW WE BEAT IT
Wednesday, 6 August 2025
I am addicted to my phone. I use it for work, I use it for my personal life, I use it to unwind to and be entertained by, but I’m also very aware I probably use it too much. TJ Power is a neuroscientist whose mission is to explain and help us take control of the dopamine addictions so many of us nurture - be it co-dependence on our phones, overwatching porn or struggling to motivate ourselves through the day. Author of ‘The DOSE Effect’, TJ explains the roles dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins play on our decision making, the importance of finding balance and harmony between them....
-
Introducing Write Me Dirty
Thursday, 31 July 2025
We’re all about stories that surprise you—and this one seriously delivers.Meet Write Me Dirty: the outrageously funny podcast where comedy collides with self-penned erotica. Hosted by the incomparable Katherine Ryan, each week brings chaotic writing prompts (think: canned beans, zombies, accidental threesomes) and even wilder celebrity storytelling face-offs.It’s weird. It’s spicy. It’s the best kind of brilliant. Here is a little 10 minute sneak peek for your enjoyment.Need a little creative chaos in your week? You’re in Great Company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...
-
CHLOE BURROWS: I'VE FINALLY FOUND LOVE AFTER LOVE ISLAND
Wednesday, 30 July 2025
I’ve always been fascinated by the world of Love Island. Having come up on reality, I know how tough it can be both during the show and building a career afterwards, maintaining relationships that the public feel ownership over, and what that does to your mental health. Chloe Burrows was on the seventh series of Love Island in 2021, and was a fan favourite for her no-filter charm. She’s also one of the few islanders who’s managed to make a name for herself beyond the villa, hosting her own hugely successful podcast and numerous TV docs…We cover:• How she ended up on Love Island as a bombs...
-
DAVID GANDY: HOW EMBRACING IMPOSTER SYNDROME CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Wednesday, 23 July 2025
I’ve sadly never been heralded for my fashion sense but one man who definitely has, is David Gandy. He’s one of the most successful international male models, standing out in an industry where very few men have reached his level of fame and house-hold recognition. David didn’t plan on becoming a model. In fact, it all started when a friend secretly entered him into a modelling competition on ITV’s ‘This Morning'. He ended up winning and his life changed almost overnight. From there, he became the face of exclusive designers Dolce & Gabbana, famously fronting their hugely successful D&G Ligh...
-
ASHLEY ROBERTS: BEING IN THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS ALMOST KILLED ME
Wednesday, 16 July 2025
TW: This episode contains discussion of suicideI’ve know Ashley Roberts for a long time - she’s someone who lights up whatever room she walks into, but the thing that always strikes me about her, is that she’s lived a tough life and yet still has this sunny disposition. I was really excited to have her come onto the pod and she did not disappoint - laughs, tears and everything in between…We cover:The brutal reality of being in the pussycat dollsHow she honours her dad’s memory after losing him to suicideBeing the break in the cycle of family traumaThe power of breathwork to calm her anxiety...
-
PART 2 RIORDAN MAYNARD - REBUILDING LIFE AFTER PRISON & LOSING EVERYTHING
Wednesday, 9 July 2025
This is a first for me - a part 2. If you haven’t heard my first interview with Riordan Maynard, the businessman who got sent to maximum security prison in the US for 6 years, go back and listen now! The reaction from that first episode was astonishing so we simply had to get him back in to answer all those burning questions you all had sent in…We talk about the lasting impact of prison on his confidence, his identity, and most of all, his family. And of course, dive into the ins and outs of what prison in the states is really like.We cover:• The PTSD he now lives with after leaving jail•...
-
FORMULA 1 RISING STAR BIANCA BUSTAMANTE: I CANNOT FINANCIALLY AFFORD TO CRASH
Wednesday, 2 July 2025
I’ve loved watching the F1 on a Sunday afternoon since I was a kid - the cars, the glamour, the spraying everyone in champagne on the podium - it’s iconic. It’s a sport that’s known for its opulence and, despite being a gender mixed sport, it’s always been a male dominated space, but things are finally starting to change… Bianca Bustamante is a 20 year old driver from the Philippines. Her family sacrificed everything to get her to where she is today: her story is one of determination and perseverance. I was absolutely delighted to have her come join me in the studio to talk about her journe...
Listen Live
-
Rainbow Radio Wales
Rainbow Radio Wales is a radio station based in Aberystwyth, Broadcasting across the UK. We play a wide range of music 365 days a year!
Rainbow Radio Through The Night playing I Had Some Help (Feat. Morgan Wallen) by Post Malone