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Ellie Simmonds was awarded an MBE at the age of 13 - and still holds the record for being the youngest ever recipient.

She now has an OBE, five Paralympic gold medals, eight World Championship gold medals and 10 European Championship golds under her belt.

In this interview with swimming star, author, TV presenter and just all-round lovely human being Ellie we discuss everything from her career, dwarfism and drugs, the importance of role models both in society and on the screen, her upbringing, adoption, drive, travel, what she’s been up to since retiring, favourite TV shows and more.

Follow Ellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliesimmonds

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bszsyL4WHE0

Patreon: Support the show by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/startinglinepod for just £5 a month

Website: https://www.startinglinepod.com

Contact: If you have guest suggestions or would like to talk about sponsorship opportunities, please email hello@startinglinepod.com

About The Starting Line Podcast

The Starting Line Podcast, hosted by award-winning serial entrepreneur, PR expert, and best-selling author Rich Leigh, is all about drive, ambition and curiosity.

Speaking to entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers, guests open up about positivity, success, resilience, perseverance, mistakes and more.

In series one Leigh spoke to three OBEs, one MBE, world champions, world record holders, Olympic medal winners, and multi-millionaires, alongside people giving back and supporting communities in unique and incredible ways.

Go back and enjoy series one guests including Levi Roots, James Cracknell OBE and Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells.

About me, Rich Leigh

From a turbulent childhood marred by domestic violence, addiction and crime to being named the #1 most influential PR person, my journey has been anything but conventional.

At 17, I dropped out of school. At 18, I became a father for the first time, and left the chaos of my family council house, determined to rewrite my story and break the cycle so many understandably struggle to.

By 30, I was a successful agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities, building, shaping and protecting reputations, using my influence to raise more than a million pounds for sick children.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, The Starting Line Podcast is your weekly dose of inspiration, featuring powerful interviews with entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

Together, we explore the themes of curiosity, resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of success, proving that your starting line doesn't define or limit your potential.

Listen every Monday as we discuss life's challenges with positivity, perseverance and a touch of silliness.

Follow The Starting Line on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startinglineshow

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/startinglinesho

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/startinglineshow

Facebook: https://facebook.com/startinglineshow

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startinglineshow

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Undefeated professional boxer Nina Hughes, born in Essex, UK, became bantamweight world champion at the age of 39 - having come back into the sport and only gone pro after having two children.

Nina spoke about everything from Ebanie Bridges and Shannon Courtenay ducking her, US Boxing's decision to allow trans women to box biological women - calling it 'dangerous', pointing to deaths in boxing and asking why women would take the risk, female boxers and OnlyFans, the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight, how much female boxers are paid, her upbringing, her time with Team GB, how she found boxing and more.

Nina defends her title again this weekend, Sunday 12th May, against Cherneka Johnson at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, and, all being well, believes she can become undisputed world champion within three fights.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Patreon: Support the show by becoming a patron at patreon.com/startinglinepod for just £5 a month

Website: startinglinepod.com

Contact: If you have guest suggestions or would like to talk about sponsorship opportunities, please email hello@startinglinepod.com

About The Starting Line Podcast

The Starting Line Podcast, hosted by award-winning serial entrepreneur, PR expert, and best-selling author Rich Leigh, is all about drive, ambition and curiosity.

Speaking to entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers, guests open up about positivity, success, resilience, perseverance, mistakes and more.

Go back and enjoy series one guests including Levi Roots, James Cracknell OBE and Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells.

About me, Rich Leigh

From a turbulent childhood marred by domestic violence, addiction and crime to being named the #1 most influential PR person, my journey has been anything but conventional.

At 17, I dropped out of school. At 18, I became a father for the first time, and left the chaos of my family council house, determined to rewrite my story and break the cycle so many understandably struggle to.

By 30, I was a successful agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities, building, shaping and protecting reputations, using my influence to raise more than a million pounds for sick children.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, The Starting Line Podcast is your weekly dose of inspiration, featuring powerful interviews with entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

Together, we explore the themes of curiosity, resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of success, proving that your starting line doesn't define or limit your potential.

Watch or listen every Monday.

Follow The Starting Line on:

Instagram

Twitter

TikTok

Facebook

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second series of interview podcast The Starting Line kicks off with an exclusive conversation with star of screen, stage and film, two-time Olivier Award winner Brian Cox.

Recorded in his north London home around new year, Cox spoke about everything from religion, politics, cannabis, the actor he’d most like to act alongside, whether he'll reprise his role as William Stryker in Deadpool 3 and much, much more.

The Succession star opined about Trump, Israel and Gaza, the state of British politics, how the Bible is the ‘worst’ book ever written and his thoughts about billionaires, having played one of the best known billionaires in TV history, among many other topics.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Patreon: Support the show by becoming a patron at patreon.com/startinglinepod for just £5 a month

Website: startinglinepod.com

Contact: If you have guest suggestions or would like to talk about sponsorship opportunities, please email hello@startinglinepod.com

About The Starting Line Podcast

The Starting Line Podcast, hosted by award-winning serial entrepreneur, PR expert, and best-selling author Rich Leigh, is all about drive, ambition and curiosity.

Speaking to entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers, guests open up about positivity, success, resilience, perseverance, mistakes and more.

Go back and enjoy series one guests including Levi Roots, James Cracknell OBE and Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells.

About me, Rich Leigh

From a turbulent childhood marred by domestic violence, addiction and crime to being named the #1 most influential PR person, my journey has been anything but conventional.

At 17, I dropped out of school. At 18, I became a father for the first time, and left the chaos of my family council house, determined to rewrite my story and break the cycle so many understandably struggle to.

By 30, I was a successful agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities, building, shaping and protecting reputations, using my influence to raise more than a million pounds for sick children.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, The Starting Line Podcast is your weekly dose of inspiration, featuring powerful interviews with entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

Together, we explore the themes of curiosity, resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of success, proving that your starting line doesn't define or limit your potential.

Watch or listen every Monday.

Follow The Starting Line on:

Instagram

Twitter

TikTok

Facebook

LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Starting Line Podcast is BACK.

The first episode of series 2 is being released next Monday - Monday 29th April - and this time, you can choose to watch on YouTube or listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

You won't want to miss it - it's an exclusive conversation with star of stage, screen and film, Brian Cox, recorded in his London home. Brian was open, honest and wonderfully opinionated.

Watch the Series 2 video trailer and subscribe to the show on YouTube here: youtube.com/watch?v=ZXE_Ptj3MzM

Patreon: Support the show by becoming a patron at patreon.com/startinglinepod for just £5 a month

If you have guest suggestions or would like to talk about sponsorship opportunities, please email hello@startinglinepod.com.

About The Starting Line Podcast

From a turbulent childhood marred by domestic violence, addiction and crime to being named the #1 most influential PR person, my journey has been anything but conventional.

At 17, I dropped out of school. At 18, I became a father for the first time, and left the chaos of my family council house, determined to rewrite my story and break the cycle so many understandably struggle to.

By 30, I was a successful agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities, building, shaping and protecting reputations, using my influence to raise more than a million pounds for sick children.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, The Starting Line Podcast is your weekly dose of inspiration, featuring powerful interviews with entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

Together, we explore the themes of curiosity, resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of success, proving that your starting line doesn't define your potential.

Join me every Monday as we discuss life's challenges with positivity, perseverance and a touch of silliness.

Follow The Starting Line on:

Instagram

Twitter

TikTok

Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

***Parental advisory and all that***

In short - if you don't like bad language, or jokes some might consider vulgar, this is not the Christmas special for you.

As I say in the intro, there are plenty of other podcasts out there. You know, including many chart-topping podcasts listened to by millions of people about real-life terrible things like serial killers, making tonnes of money for the people behind those podcasts, for you to listen to instead. And also, while I'm at it, if you haven't listened to Tim Minchin's 'Pope Song', it makes this point wonderfully. Again, terrible, naughty language absolutely not to be played in front of young ears, but wonderful nonetheless.

Onto the episode!

Kunt and the Gang is a chart-topping British comedy songwriter and performer, a best-selling author and the man behind Shannon Matthews: The Musical (and the upcoming Shannon Matthews: The Musical: The Movie).

With ten studio albums under his belt, and four top twenty singles, Kunt has enjoyed both mainstream and indie success.

He has achieved five UK top five indie hits, with 2 number ones.

He's taking a break from releasing songs around Christmas for 2023, and backing a mystery band, The Krackpots, for this year's Christmas number 1, with their 'love letter' to Christmas hits of years gone by, Proper Christmas. And The Krackpots are definitely, definitely nothing to do with him, OK?

Enjoy!

Follow Kunt on Instagram here and Twitter here.

About The Starting Line Podcast

From a turbulent childhood marred by domestic violence, addiction and crime to being named the #1 most influential PR person, my journey has been anything but conventional.

At 17, I dropped out of school. At 18, I became a father for the first time, and left the chaos of my family council house, determined to rewrite my story and break the cycle so many understandably struggle to.

By 30, I was a successful agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities, building, shaping and protecting reputations, using my influence to raise more than a million pounds for sick children.

Hosted by me, Rich Leigh, The Starting Line Podcast is your weekly dose of inspiration, featuring powerful interviews with entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and more. Together, we explore the themes of curiosity, resilience, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of success, proving that your starting line doesn't define your potential.

Join me every Monday as we discuss life's challenges with positivity, perseverance and a touch of silliness.

Follow The Starting Line on:

Instagram

Twitter

TikTok

Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode of series one, we take you behind-the-scenes of the second half of interviews in this chart-topping first series, with some of the most successful people in the country, from world record breakers to multi-millionaire OBEs.

Join me, Rich Leigh, and, once again, please welcome friend of the show, listener and one of my best friends - of 25+ years! - (Ashley) Stokes.

After exactly 14 weeks since we released episode one - 98 days to be precise - it's goodbye to this first series, and hello to planning for series two!

Subscribe if you haven't already, and you'll be the first to know when the next series begins again, as it'll automatically download and notify you.

Don't be a stranger. Email hello@startinglinepod.com with guest suggestions, what you'd like from the next series or anything else you might want to say, or alternatively, say hi to us on social media.

Follow The Starting Line Podcast on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startinglineshow

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/startinglinesho

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@startinglineshow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/startinglineshow

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this second bonus episode, we take you behind-the-scenes of the podcast, answering listener questions and a few posed by returning special guest, listener and one of my best friends of 25+ years, (Ashley) Stokes.

We speak about why ‘now’ for me to start this show, and how a certain Comedy Dave gave me a kind and gentle nudge, despite concerns that nobody needed another podcast from a straight white man in his thirties.

We speak about emotional interviews, and how my intention is absolutely not to find the person in the world with the ‘worst’ starting line.

I’m asked about my own definition of success - a question I’ve asked all guests.

We get into what, on reflection, I’d have done differently in this first series. We speak about:

• the relentlessness of self-promotion
• the process of getting guests in front of the mic
• dealing with rejection from potential guests
• having A-listers pulled at the last second
• dream guests and more

We’re back with our final episode of series one next week, covering the second half of our guests.

Thank you as ever.

If you’ve got any questions, you’ve got until the end of TODAY to ask them, before we record our final, final episode of this series. 

Email hello@startinglinepod.com, or message us on social media.

Follow The Starting Line Podcast on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startinglineshow

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/startinglinesho

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@startinglineshow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/startinglineshow

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, we take you behind-the-scenes of the first half of interviews in this first series, with some of the most successful people in the country, from Olympic gold medallists to multi-millionaire OBEs.

From revealing the name of the now-famous undercover cop Levi Roots claims set him up and landed him in prison, to sharing the story of how a beloved TV star accidentally stood us up, we want to bring you closer to the fun and madness of how we built a chart-topping podcast in just a few short months.

Join me, Rich Leigh, and welcome one of my best friends and special guest (Ashley) Stokes, who’s supported me for as long as I’ve talked about creating this show. He’s listened to every episode, and having known me for 25+ years, brings a thoughtful balance and asks questions you might well have had while listening.

We’re back with a Q&A episode mid-week, and will have a second bonus behind the scenes episode for you next week, covering the second half of our series one guests.

If you’ve got any questions, you’ve got just a few days to ask them, before we record our final, final episode of this series. 

Email hello@startinglinepod.com, or message us on social media.

Follow The Starting Line Podcast on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startinglineshow

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/startinglinesho

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@startinglineshow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/startinglineshow

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.