Welcome to No Holds Barred. This is the first series of conversations I’ve had with ordinary people who have lived extraordinary lives. I started recording these podcasts way back in March 2020, just after the first lock down happened. Some of the convers
In the words from his website, Reuben Binns is an Associate Professor of Human Centred Computing, working between computer science, law, and philosophy, focusing on data protection, machine learning, and the regulation of and by technology.We sit down for an hour and talk about artificial intelligence, from the theory of singularity, to how it positively and negatively impacts our every day life and society today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nikita is a 28-year-old woman who has worked in the sex industry for ten years. Now recently retired from sex work, we chat about how her experiences have influenced the way she sees the world and the people that inhabit it, how she copes with the things that have happened to her, and offers some practical advice to men who insist on having objects put up their bum.This is Nikita. This is her story. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We sit down with Richard Bush, who has been directing pornography for the last 16 years. Just out of university he got an opportunity to become an assistant editor for a small adult entertainment production company in London, now he directs for the biggest producers in the world, Brazzers. This is his story. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We sit down with Denny/Denzel Jones, who has been a dating coach for The School of Attraction after he himself graduated from the programme years ago. In an open and honest discussion we discuss, among many other things, the reasons why some men might find the need to access such a course, and the role dating apps and social media have impacted the very humanistic notion of introducing yourself to someone you find attractive. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We sit down with Tabish, a neurologist in a top London hospital. We try to understand how the brain works, what dementia means in a physical sense, what headaches are, what dreams are, the impact of concussion, plus what happens as we get older and the brain no longer works in the way it should. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We sit down with Matt, a friend of The Fighting Cock podcast, an Englishman who has made a successful career in mortgages in the US. He went to America with no money, working for a charity, he met a girl, and got a temp job. From that point 15 years ago, he finds himself in a world where he deals with people who are very wealthy. We delve into the idea of wealth, taking opportunities when presenting with them, and the difficulties that come with expectation. And then we talk about bees. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apologies for the sound issues you might notice through this podcastWe sit down with Human Givens therapist Elaine, who works to cure people of the 'normal' difficulties that so many of us suffer with. A lot of what we talk about may sound evangelical, but it comes from a place of honesty, with a genuine drive to help people who may be struggling. It's good to talk. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We speak with Emily who considered it her calling to be a nurse. While the NHS would typically be where most nurses end up, Emily was destined for the military, and with it Afghanistan. This is her story. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode we talk comedian Carl Donnelly about how, during his twenties, he found himself married to a woman he no longer loved, and living a life no longer wanted to lead. He needed change. Unbeknown to him at the time, psychedelic drug use was offering him a way out - in more ways than one. This is his story. *This episode contains candid discussion about drug use. It's not big or clever, everyone's experiences are different, and we take several opportunities throughout this discussion to underline the fact that taking any drug can have a massively detrimental impact on your life. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Beardy The Magician returns to the No Holds Barred podcast because he's promised to do an audio only magic trick that would blow Flav's mind... if it works. Enjoy. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode we're joined by by Squadron Leader Will, whose current role in the RAF is Air Operations Officer in the Joint Expeditionary Force. Back in 2003 and 2006 he served in the Middle East. These are his experiences from the time, and his thoughts about the war 20 years on Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're joined by 'John' who is openly anti-vaccine. Understanding what that actually means is a little bit more complex than you first might think, and the reasons why someone might choose not get vaccinated cannot be simply dismissed as ignorance. John explains Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We sit down with professional Magician, Beardie, and have a fascinating chat about the world of magic. We discuss what magic is, the formations of the interest, hypnotism, and how the ethical boundaries of manipulation can be muddied between light entertainment and damaging. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Last year we recorded a podcast with Alex. He made a six figure sum from the crypto currency boom at the end of 2017 and early 2018. When we spoke Alex last was largely turning his back on trading, happy with his lot, and ready to return to a normal working life. A year on, things have somewhat changed. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Digital forensic analysts examine computers and other digital devices, such as mobile phones and cameras, for evidence of crime. They provide support to civil and criminal investigations and intelligence agencies by detecting, preserving, analysing and presenting digital evidence.We speak with Ryan, a man who has to sift through images and videos on digital devices to help prosecution services. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS) is a rare disorder that causes recurring periods of excessive sleepiness. In some cases, this means up to 20 hours a day are spent sleeping. For this reason, the condition is commonly referred to as “sleeping beauty syndrome.”We speak to Cai. A 21-year-old man who suffers from the one-in-a-million condition Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of No Holds Barred we speak with Abigail. She was diagnosed with the condition before she was a teenager and it has remained with her throughout her life. What you're about to listen to is a story that is sometimes difficult to listen to, that is dominated by a struggle, but is lined with hope. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
The origins of cult website B3TA.com, the thinking behind anonymous confessions twitter account @Fesshole, how to make bots for social media, and the role they will play in the future. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Olly was a lawyer for the Premier League, before joining the F1. His role in football was to find and attack organisations that pirate and distribute Premier League live games and footage. He was directly involved in the landmark case that saw them take on pub landlord Karen Murphy. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
The most of us walk around without really worrying about our health. But there are some of us who don't have that luxury. This genuinely is a story of a person who never had that option, who was confronted with unimaginable difficulty and who faced it with a stoicism that rarely exists in human beings. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ant transitioned from working as a pain management nurse to being retrained as an intensive care nurse, specifically for a Coronavirus ward. This is the story of his last four weeks. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
I'm writing in the first person - I usually don't do this. I'm not doing this to be poignant or to send a message; it was just easier. I spoke with Ashwin about his past in India and the racial prejudices that exist there, and how they've shaped how he views his world in the US, a place in which he has inhabited now for 12 years. We spoke about racism, privilege, and eventually the role of the white person in attaining an equilibrium where human beings are treated as equal. We also speak about the murder of George Floyd, a human being who now doesn't exist because another man used his position to of power to place his knee down on Floyd's neck and reduce his life to nothing. Nothing. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Billie was a star of Big Brother back in season 8. He spent just three weeks in the house, but it shaped his entire life following it. This is his crazy story. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tony D shares his story of growing up in a good household, stabbing his step dad, committing violent acts, selling weed, jumping drug dealers, being shot at and kidnapped, and the moment where he changed it all. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Living and working in London can be a stressful experience. Most people put up with the tube, the dirt, and the pressure of working in the city because the money is there. Others though make that... despite the risks, for a completely different life. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tony D talks through the current movement, what he has seen come before, all lives matter, and being hopeful for the future. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
David is an English expat. He has been living in the US fo many years and has dual citizenship. He is a republican, voted for Trump in previous elections and owns and carries a firearm. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Katy was born a boy and transitioned to a girl. This is her story. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Josh was 'game as f**k' when he ran with the Swindon Town firm in the late 90s. He speaks about the bravado, the violence, the feeling of belonging, having it with Millwall, the drugs, and his regrets. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Three guests, one year ago, three talking points surrounding Covid-19 Antony: Frontline specialist nurse working in the NHS Adam: Economics and Currency, discussing how the pound has dropped since Covid. Alex: Stuck in South America trying to get back to the UK during lockdown. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We spoke with 'Ben' about the fascinating life of a croupier in one of the most prestigious casinos in the UK. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Greg Jenner has published two books, has featured regularly on the BBC, and has worked on Horrible Histories for ages as well as loads of other stuff - all in the name of educating and enlightening people about history. We discuss what history actually is, how is it recorded, who can you believe and what the point of it all is. We also compare COVID-19 with the Spanish Flu and find out about the greatest celebrity that there has ever been. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We sat down with pilots Danny and Ben to talk through some common myths around flying, getting struck by lighting, people opening the door at 37000 feet, using the captain's hat, and scary landings Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
A few years ago 'John' had an awakening. Through study and a willingness to learn, together with an open mind, he arrived at a position where he believed the world is flat. In this podcast we discover what he actually believes, the myths around Flat Earthers, and most importantly why 'they're' trying to keep the secret under wraps Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We speak once again with Katy Montgomerie as we delve into the sometimes complicated world of people who identify with the acronym LGBTQIA, which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer/Questioning, Intersex and Asexual and/or Allies. We talk about the complications that come from the terms associated, the importance of sexuality, and the relevance of 'passing'. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jim Erwood has wiggled through every orifice of being an agent and now finds himself representing some of the most well known names on entertainment television today. He's probably exactly how you think him to be, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have some incredible stories. Enjoy. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We spoke with nurse Faye, to find out how her job had changed from fighting HIV to fighting Covid-19 as the first wave took Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We sit down with comedian Carl Donnelly and discuss the trappings of life as a comic, the difficulty in the rise to the top and why we hate twitter. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shona River is a pornstar, escort and OnlyFans creator. She comes from Hungary, is 29 and has been working in the adult industry for six years. This is her story. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dan opens up about hour he got got into the escort industry, the impact that has had on him, and the people who work for him, and how it has impacted his relationships through the years. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We speak with 'Al', a young man whose first purchase of cryptocurrency was to buy drugs, but who then became enveloped in a world he was previously barely aware off. He saw an opportunity. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
On 7th July, 2005, Mustafa Kurtuldu took a tube towards Aldgate in central London. That train also had on it a man with a bomb, who was intent of detonating it.How it happened, the press intrusion and the slow path to recovery - this Mustafa's story. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to No Holds Barred. This is the first series of conversations I've had with ordinary people who have lived extraordinary lives. I started recording these podcasts way back in March 2020, just after the first lock down happened. Some of the conversations you hear will be a snap shot of the time, specially the episodes where I spoke with nurses that worked directly on COVID wards during the first and second waves of the virus, or BLM movements, and other conversations are more ever green, like the podcast with adult film star Shona Rivers, or Mustafa who was on the tube train that was blown up on the London bombings in 2007.Whatever your interests there will be something the twenty odd conversations that you will find interesting. If you enjoy any of it please share with people you know.Just one more thing, there may be references to other podcasts and people that you might not be familiar with if you're unaware of the other podcasts I produce, you can just go ahead and ignore them – they're not important to the conversations you're about to listen to.Thanks for your time. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.