Each week, join Michael and Seth as they discuss the Films and TV they watch as well as various topics of interest to the serious Christian and Serious Film Aficionado.
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This is a podcast where well-known people talk about what they’ve learned from life - particularly the tough times. Guests have come from the worlds of entertainment, politics, business and journalism, including: Richard Curtis, George Alagiah, Amber Rudd, the Rev. Richard Coles, Lyse Doucet and David Baddiel. It’s a chance to hear their wisdom - and to think about how it might apply to your life… After the Brexit vote, Craig Oliver's high-powered job and privileged position at the heart of ...
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Baroness Tanni-Grey Thompson is one of Britain’s most successful athletes, having won 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 golds. In part two of our conversation, we talk about what Tanni has learnt from moving from being a elite athlete to working in the House of Lords...as well as the wisdom her father gave her, when he told her to think of herself…
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Baroness Tanni-Grey Thompson is one of Britain’s most successful athletes, having won 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 golds. Since retiring, she’s transferred her drive to a different arena, the House of Lords. In part one of our conversation, we discuss where her positive attitude comes from and explore how she’s achieved such remarkable succes…
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Sir Trevor McDonald is one of our country’s most celebrated journalists and news presenters. In part two of our conversation, Sir Trevor talks in more detail about some of the defining moments of his career, including his reaction to hearing Nelson Mandela’s wisdom when he was released after nearly three full decades in prison. This episode is prod…
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Sir Trevor McDonald is one of our country’s most celebrated journalists and news presenters. He rose from a poor childhood in Trinidad, to cover the biggest stories of our times - and became one of the most famous people in Britain while he was at it. It’s a unique story and in part one of our conversation we talk to Sir Trevor about what his child…
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As part of season three, this is a special compilation episode featuring guests from season one and two. In the last couple of years we have had many inspiring conversations with people including Richard Curtis, the late George Alagiah, Amber Rudd, Sian Williams, David Baddiel and many more. You can listen to all of these episodes on our website - …
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Robi Damelin is a peace activist based in Israel. She's a leading voice in The Parents Circle - a grassroots Israeli-Palestinian organisation, made up of over 600 families who’ve all lost family members in the conflict and campaign for a non-violent response. Robi’s life was changed forever when her beloved son David was killed by a Palestinian sni…
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On Desperately Seeking Wisdom this week, we’re doing something we haven’t done before – speaking to a guest who has already been on the podcast, the comedian Matt Forde. We recorded Matt's first chat on the series less than a year ago and when we did Matt was about to get married. But soon after the happy day, he was diagnosed with cancer - a spine…
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On Desperately Seeking Wisdom this week, we’re doing something we haven’t done before; speaking to a guest who has already been on the podcast, the comedian Matt Forde. We recorded Matt's first chat on the series less than a year ago and when we did Matt was about to get married. But soon after the happy day, he was diagnosed with cancer - a spine …
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James Cracknell is a double Olympic Gold medallist, adventurer, and now Parliamentary candidate. In part two of our conversation, we discuss the horrific cycling accident that James suffered which changed his life forever - how he coped with it and what he's learnt from it. We also discuss his constant desire to tackle new challenges and what that …
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James Cracknell is a double Olympic Gold medallist, adventurer, and now Parliamentary candidate. He’s faced some extraordinary highs and devastating lows – including being left brain-damaged after being hit by a truck travelling at 65mph. In part one of our conversation, we discuss how how he bounced back from the agony of having to miss his first …
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This is part two of our conversation with Clive Myrie, one of the most recognisable and versatile broadcasters in the UK. He’s equally at home reporting from a warzone as he is in the studio, grilling contestants on Mastermind or presenting BBC News at Ten. In this part, Clive talks about what he's learnt through his life as a journalist, reporting…
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Clive Myrie is one of the most recognisable and versatile broadcasters in the UK. He’s equally at home reporting from a warzone as he is in the studio, grilling contestants on Mastermind or presenting BBC News at Ten. In part one of this wide-ranging conversation, he talks about the wisdom behind the title of his bestselling book, 'Everything is Ev…
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Rory Bremner is one of the country's leading comedians and impressionists. He's been making the nation laugh since the 1980s, often by taking a satirical look at the people in power. Rory’s career has seen him write and star in iconic shows like Spitting Image, Whose Line Is It Anyway and Mock the Week, as well as his long-running series Bremner, B…
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Rory Bremner is one of the country's leading comedians and impressionists. He's been making the nation laugh since the 1980s, often by taking a sideways look at the people in power. Rory’s career has seen him write and star in iconic shows like Spitting Image, Whose Line Is It Anyway and Mock the Week, as well as his long-running series Bremner, Bi…
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James Graham is an exceptionally talented playwright and screenwriter. His critically acclaimed plays and scripts – including Ink, Sherwood, Brexit: the Uncivil War, and Dear England, have captured the imagination of critics and audiences. He often takes pivotal moments in our history to show how and why we’ve ended up where we are now. In an open …
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James Graham is an exceptionally talented playwright and screenwriter. His critically acclaimed plays and scripts – including Ink, Sherwood, Brexit: the Uncivil War, and Dear England, have captured the imagination of critics and audiences. He often takes pivotal moments in our history to show how and why we’ve ended up where we are now. In this par…
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Emily Maitlis is one of the most well-known and successful broadcast journalists in Britain. She’s covered the biggest stories of our times – and interviewed some of the most famous and powerful people, including Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Russell Brand and Prince Andrew. More recently she’s become one of the lead presenters of the highly rated po…
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Emily Maitlis is one of the most well-known and successful broadcast journalists in Britain. She’s covered the biggest stories of our times – and interviewed some of the most famous and powerful people, including Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Russell Brand and Prince Andrew. More recently she’s become one of the lead presenters of the highly rated po…
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Rory Stewart is a man of many talents. He’s been a politician, diplomat, professor, explorer and now a highly-successful podcaster.In this conversation we talk about his highs and lows, and the shame he felt at his mistakes – one so bad he considered suicide. He also gives his verdicts on the many Prime Ministers he’s worked with, explains why he’s…
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Rory Stewart is a man of many talents. He’s been a politician, diplomat, professor, explorer and now a highly-successful podcaster. In this conversation we talk about his highs and lows, and the shame he felt at his mistakes – one so bad he considered suicide. He also gives his verdicts on the many Prime Ministers he’s worked with, explains why he’…
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Desperately Seeking Wisdom - Season Three Trailer
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After years working 24/7 at the top of media and government, Craig Oliver realised he wasn’t happy. He wanted to discover the secrets of a more fulfilled life. That’s what his podcast, Desperately Seeking Wisdom, is all about. In season three, he's sitting down for intimate chats with thought-provoking guests like Rory Stewart, Emily Maitlis and Ja…
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Matt Forde is one of our funniest comedians – carving out a niche for himself as a sharp satirist and brilliant mimic of the likes of Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer. What’s really interesting about him is the humanity he brings to his podcast, The Political Party, where he treats politicians as fully-rounded and complex individuals who deserve our …
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Michael Singer has taught me so much. His New York Times bestselling books such as The Untethered Soul, are manuals on how to look at and experience life. He teaches how to radically shift our perspective on what it means to be alive – and how to accept both the past and the world we live in. There’s so much to learn from him...…
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Jacqui Smith scaled the heights of British politics when she became the first female Home Secretary. It all came crashing down during the expenses scandal, when – among other things – it emerged her husband had claimed for pornographic movies. She’s since rebuilt her life as a broadcaster and political commentator. Jacqui is fascinating, open and h…
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Professor Azza Karam is the Secretary General of Religions for Peace – a body set up to find a common purpose in the world’s great religions. She grew up in a loving, but restrictive Muslim family, where a strong mother thought she was helping her by limiting her achievements. I was fascinated by how she has come to terms with her past, her faith a…
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Sir Simon Baron-Cohen is a leading clinical psychologist and expert in autism. He has written a number of popular science books exploring subjects ranging from empathy (and the lack of it) to understanding how the neurodivergent mind works. He believes terms like “good” and “evil” don’t help us see how and why people operate as they do - and it’s i…
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Jack Davenport is one of our best and most recognisable actors. His credits include: The Pirates of Caribbean, The Talented Mr Ripley, This Life and most recently, Ten Percent. He talks freely about staying centred while acting in a major production, what it was like growing up with film stars dropping in, and why he refuses to have anything to do …
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David Baddiel has been at the top of comedy for many years – often using stories about his complex family for his hilarious, but sometimes painful material. He’s also a celebrated writer, having a huge impact with his children’s books and the polemic, Jews Don’t Count. His most recent book, The God Desire (published on April 13th, 2023), explains w…
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Lyse Doucet is one of the best and most recognised journalists in the world. Her story of how she came to report on some of the poorest and most war-torn parts of the world is remarkable – but what is truly impressive about her is the empathy she brings to everything she does. We discuss how she stays grounded, her choice not to have a family and h…
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Anthony Scaramucci achieved worldwide fame when he was fired as Donald Trump’s Director of Communications after just eleven days. When I first met him, I thought he would be just another loud-mouthed politico – but I discovered a man who had thought deeply about his life and the train-wreck of his career in politics. He couldn’t be further from his…
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The Reverend Richard Coles has had the most extraordinary life, from being an unlikely pop-star at the forefront of the gay rights movement in the 1980s, to being a Church of England vicar and much-loved broadcaster and writer. He talks about the harsh realities of being gay in the Church – and grieving for David, the love of his life, who died aft…
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John Simpson is a journalistic legend. At 78 he is still at the top of his game, reporting from the world’s hotspots, including the war in Ukraine. He talks openly about the seminal moment in his life when as a six-year-old boy he chose to live with his father over his mother. We also talk about why he keeps going and the impact of that on his sixt…
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Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse faced one of the most horrifying experiences anyone could suffer – being unable to save their beloved daughter, Natasha, when she had a severe allergic reaction to a Pret-a-Manger sandwich that wasn’t properly labelled. It’s tough to hear what they went through – but they are utterly inspirational in revealing the ha…
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Amber Rudd and I got to know each other by experiencing the bubbling cauldron of UK politics at the same time. As we became firm friends, I realised one of her amazing qualities was the ability to stay calm in a crisis and to keep everything in perspective. We talk about what she learned from her father going blind; how she ended up being “Aristocr…
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As a reporter, producer and anchor of some of the most watched television news programmes, Dr Sian Williams has been an eyewitness to some horrific events. Like many of us, she often used to wonder how to deal with such trauma. But Sian took things one step further. She re-trained as a psychologist, so she could help people emerge from their worst …
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When he was 16, Lord Michael Hastings decided he would dedicate his life to helping the poor. He went on to have a distinguished career in the public, corporate and non-profit sectors, as well as becoming an independent peer in the House of Lords. He believes that so many of our issues with life could be solved if we simply found ways to help other…
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Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer for Google X and the author of the international bestselling book “Solve For Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy.” For years, he studied happiness as if it was a mathematical problem to be solved, and believed he had cracked the secret of being content. But when his 21 year old son, Ali, died suddenly dur…
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In 2016, aged 57, Lucy Kellaway quit her prestigious, full-time job as a journalist at The Financial Times to become a trainee teacher. Around the same time, she also left her husband of 25 years, with whom she’d had four children, moved house and stopped dyeing her hair. Lucy wrote about her experiences in her book, “Re-educated: How I changed my …
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Two days after his 18th birthday, Kenny Imafidon was charged with a murder he did not commit. He spent the next 6 months on remand in Feltham Prison, and became the first person to complete his A levels there. He was eventually acquitted after a judge said there was no evidence whatsoever to support the charges against him. In the decade since, Ken…
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Tom Bradby is an award-winning journalist and TV presenter, and currently the presenter of ITV News at Ten. In his spare time, he’s written 10 novels and several screenplays. But a few years ago, his life came off the rails, when he had a breakdown and was signed off work for 3 months with acute insomnia. He speaks about what led to his breakdown, …
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The award-winning journalist Isabel Hardman talks about dealing with extreme trauma and a public breakdown while covering the Conservative Party conference. What she’s learned has helped her not just to cope, but thrive in the often brutal world of Westminster politics. She is a big proponent of the healing power of nature, which she outlines in he…
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The BBC Today programme presenter, Justin Webb, is known for mixing forensic journalistic skills with being a true gentleman. But he had a difficult childhood, brought up by a complex mother with lots of issues and a step-father with a severe mental illness. When he was eight, his mother told him the presenter he was watching on the news was his fa…
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Dr Bruce Perry is one of the world's leading experts on trauma. He recently co-wrote a book with Oprah Winfrey, in which he says for too long we have asked the question, “What’s wrong with you?” when we should be asking, “What happened to you?” He believes our lives would all be so much simpler if we really understood where each of us is coming fro…
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Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish Conservative leader, is known for her enthusiastic, joyful approach to life, but twice she’s suffered serious injuries. She also wrote candidly about her struggles with clinical depression in her book, “Yes She Can: Why Women Own The Future.” But she hasn’t allowed any of that to define her . She's found joy campa…
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Richard Curtis, the writer, director and co-founder of Comic Relief, is bright, optimistic, caring and a huge success at whatever he turned his hand to. His films are loved by millions around the world, and Comic Relief has had a positive impact on the lives of tens of millions of people. But like all of us, Richard has had his share of pain and un…
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Seven years ago, the BBC TV presenter and journalist George Alagiah was diagnosed with bowel cancer. The prognosis wasn't good, and he was told to get his affairs in order. George speaks movingly and frankly about coping with the knowledge that his life and relationships will be cut short, and what living in the shadow of a terrible disease has hel…
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A podcast for people hoping to live a simpler, more fulfilled life - and want to hear the wisdom others gained after facing life's challenges. In this series, Craig Oliver talks to some extraordinary people who have faced extremely difficult - often traumatic experiences - and finds out what they learned and what they believe will help others gain …
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The True Myth Media Podcast is a film discussion and review show focusing on the artistic qualities of film and our own personal journeys of faith, which releases every Friday Morning, barring unforeseen and sometimes foreseen circumstances ;) Past Episodes can be found on… Our Website: https://www.truemythmedia.com Our Podcast Page: https://truemy…
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The True Myth Media Podcast is a film discussion and review show focusing on the artistic qualities of film and our own personal journeys of faith, which releases every Friday Morning, barring unforeseen and sometimes foreseen circumstances ;) Past Episodes can be found on… Our Website: https://www.truemythmedia.com Our Podcast Page: https://truemy…
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continue reading
The True Myth Media Podcast is a film discussion and review show focusing on the artistic qualities of film and our own personal journeys of faith, which releases every Friday Morning, barring unforeseen and sometimes foreseen circumstances ;) Past Episodes can be found on… Our Website: https://www.truemythmedia.com Our Podcast Page: https://truemy…
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continue reading