
What I Wish I'd Known
The Times
How do those often facing the hardest beginnings in life become so successful? Alice Thomson and Rachel Sylvester talk to extraordinary people living astonishing lives to learn from those who excel in sport, politics, the arts, business and more, despite real adversity. We hear their secrets and their inspirations, and learn how you too can thrive after life’s setbacks.
Thoughtful, revealing and inspirational, follow the podcast now and never miss an episode.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Top 10 What I Wish I'd Known Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best What I Wish I'd Known episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to What I Wish I'd Known for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite What I Wish I'd Known episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Henry Marsh
What I Wish I'd Known
06/20/22 • 48 min
Henry Marsh is the world’s best-known neurosurgeon who has spent the last forty years doing some of the most technical and delicate operations in the world on the brain. Rachel and Alice sit down with Henry to discuss his story of saving lives under intense pressure from Nepal to Ukraine as well as in the UK. And how he is now navigating his own journey of living with cancer after witnessing a vast amount of dying and death, grief and bereavement in his career.
MUCH LOVED: www.muchloved.com
The National Brain Appeal: www.nationalbrainappeal.org
DEC: www.dec.org.uk
This podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.org
Producers: Anya Pearce and Lucy Dichmont
Series producer: Ben Mitchell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Bridget Phillipson
What I Wish I'd Known
07/28/23 • 51 min
In this episode of What I Wish I’d Known, we hear British politician Bridget Phillipson’s first hand account of growing up in poverty on a council estate in Sunderland. From house burglaries, to school bullies and feeling ‘caught between two worlds’ as a student at Oxford university.
WARNING: contains some strong language and discussion of sensitive topics including: Death, abuse
Series producer: Anya Pearce
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lemn Sissay OBE
What I Wish I'd Known
08/04/23 • 56 min
In this episode of What I Wish I’d Known, we hear renowned poet Lemn Sissay OBE share the harrowing but compelling story of his childhood. Stolen from his birth mother and rejected by foster parents, Lemn endured years of mistreatment within the UK care system.
WARNING: contains some strong language and discussion of sensitive topics including: Death, illness, abuse, racism
Series producer: Anya Pearce
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Cleverly
What I Wish I'd Known
06/21/24 • 39 min
In this episode, Alice Thomson and Rachel Sylvester speak to James Cleverly, Secretary of State for the Home Department, about his childhood as a young black man growing up in South East London and how the racism he encountered then is different to the situation now.
Producer: Florence de Schlichting
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony Horowitz CBE
What I Wish I'd Known
10/19/23 • 56 min
Best selling writer Anthony Horowitz, shares how he believes his astonishing drive and creativity was born out of trauma. He fought against countless people telling him he would never be good enough, including his own father, and now he’s one of Britain's most prolific writers with more than 55 books, including the Alex Rider teen spy series that has sold over 21 million copies, and adding to the James Bond series of thrillers.
WARNING: contains discussion of sensitive topics.
Series producer: Anya Pearce
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deborah Meaden
What I Wish I'd Known
10/12/23 • 60 min
“Life is what is in front of you” says Deborah Meaden. In this episode of What I Wish I’d Known, the business leader shares how the challenges she faced in her early years shaped her as the entrepreneur we know today. At four years old she lived with a surrogate family whilst her mother worked to make ends meet. She met her biological dad on her doorstep as a teen, and left school at 16, and her first company failed.
Deborah prides her success in later life from the determination, grit and tenacity that she learnt from the challenges she faced in childhood.
WARNING: contains discussion of sensitive topics.
Series producer: Anya Pearce
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Daley
What I Wish I'd Known
08/31/20 • 47 min
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Rob Rinder
What I Wish I'd Known
11/29/21 • 49 min
Rob Rinder MBE is a barrister, broadcaster and host of Judge Rinder. He speaks to Rachel and Alice about how homophobia, anti-Semitism and his grandfather's experiences during the holocaust informed who he is today.
Buttle UK: www.buttleuk.org
Stonewall: www.stonewall.org.uk
Jewish Blind & Disabled: www.jbd.org
This podcast has been produced in association with Speakers for Schools: www.speakersforschools.org
Producer: Lucy Ditchmont
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Balls
What I Wish I'd Known
03/15/21 • 49 min
Ed Balls is a broadcaster, former Labour Politician and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and the winner of Celebrity Best Home Cook 2021. He talks openly to Rachel and Alice about his time in government, how he overcame the bullying he faced as a child and why he kept his lifelong stammer a secret.
Get The Times free for a month: thetimes.co.uk/pastimperfect
Bullies Out: www.bulliesout.com
Young Minds: www.youngminds.org.uk
The Brittish Stammering Associtation: www.stamma.org
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suzie Fletcher
What I Wish I'd Known
11/09/23 • 59 min
“I am so grateful for everything that’s ever happened,” says Suzie Fletcher. The Repair Shop’s resident leather expert explains how traumatic experiences have shaped her into the person she is today. Chief among those was the abusive 15-year marriage to her late husband, Rob. Despite facing violence and psychological manipulation, Suzie maintains an open and ever curious approach to understanding abusers as well as their victims; “he was a human being, too. He had all the same emotions”.
WARNING: contains discussion of sensitive topics.
Series producer: Anya Pearce
Producer: Calum McCrae
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does What I Wish I'd Known have?
What I Wish I'd Known currently has 97 episodes available.
What topics does What I Wish I'd Known cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on What I Wish I'd Known?
The episode title 'Henry Marsh' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on What I Wish I'd Known?
The average episode length on What I Wish I'd Known is 47 minutes.
How often are episodes of What I Wish I'd Known released?
Episodes of What I Wish I'd Known are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of What I Wish I'd Known?
The first episode of What I Wish I'd Known was released on Jul 3, 2020.
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