The Good Listening To Show – Details, episodes & analysis

When Andy Gotts was 18, a stranger in Norfolk asked him why he didn't look happy. That single question and the Photography Teacher it quietly led him to, set in motion a 36 year path from a college darkroom in King's Lynn to Hollywood's most idiosyncratic black-and-white portraits.

In this Stories of Distinction & Genius episode, Chris Grimes welcomes Andy "One Shot" Gotts into The Clearing to trace the whole arc: From the 300 letters with not a single reply, the 1 yes from Joss Ackland at his son's wedding in Clovelly, and the line "what do you do and who shagged who?!" that finally gave the wish list its theme. 

Andy talks about the 150 Actors he set out to photograph in 1995, the long, patient pursuit of Gary Oldman that ended this year through Big Mo and a young actress sliding into his DMs, and how Paul Newman himself christened him "One Shot Gotts" after a 4 minute shoot in Connecticut.

The conversation moves through the people who shaped him: His milkman father leaving for work at 3:00 every morning, his devoted mother, Dr Tony Leach who taught him Photography on Saturdays in Holt, Stephen Fry whose 90 second portrait at a college Q&A genuinely started his career, and Sir John Hurt, born on the very same day as Andy's dad. Andy shares the afternoon in East Runton when John told him over a pint of red wine that he had cancer and months to live, and asked Andy back the following weekend to direct him. What followed - John in his late father's priest's robes, speaking 'Imagine' as a parable in a single take - became John Hurt's last ever recording.

There are also the secret Monty Python reunion shoots at Duke's at 3:00 in the morning; LS Lowry, Hitchcock and Sidney Poitier's story about Tony Curtis and The Defiant Ones; Bob Ross's happy little clouds taking over lockdown; three years spent funding a degree as a Norfolk Nightclub Bouncer; an unwavering refusal to retouch a single line on a face; and the epitaph Ringo Starr gave him, "the Ansel Adams of faces."

A warm, story-rich hour and a half about tenacity, taste, and what it really means to "stay on the bus!"

🌐 andygotts.com

🌐 thegoodlisteningtoshow.com

CONTACT ANDY GOTTS

WEBSITE:

https://www.andygotts.com

X:

https://x.com/DrGotts

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/drgotts

INSTAGRAM:

https://www.instagram.com/drgotts/

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

To record your Life Story or GIFT an episode to someone that you love, with Chris as your host, then do get in touch about how ‘Legacy Life Reflections’ can help:

LEGACY LIFE REFLECTIONS WEBSITE:

https://www.legacylifereflections.com

E MAIL: chris@legacylifereflections.com

WHATS APP: +44 7711 644 094

LINKEDIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/chris.grimes.167

Only a tiny proportion of Professional Speakers are able to land the best stages again-and-again-and-again - and it is not always the celebrities. I’m joined by Maria Franzoni, Speakers' Advocate, Speaker Coach and former Speaker Bureau Owner, to dig into what actually drives paid Speaking engagements, repeat bookings, and higher Keynote Speaker fees. If you’ve ever wondered why brilliant talks still struggle to sell, Maria brings the Agent’s-eye view that cuts through noise and gives you practical clarity. 

We start with the story behind the strategist: growing up British Italian, learning to navigate culture and language, and inheriting a serious work ethic from parents who built stability through sheer persistence. That personal foundation matters, because the stage is never only about slides and scripts. We also talk openly about gender assumptions, what it means to choose a childfree life, and how those experiences shape confidence, boundaries, and message. 

Then we get into the heart of it: Maria’s "Bookability Formula" and what the top 1% of bookable Speakers do. We break down the four pillars the market rewards most: being relevant to a paying market, being known for one clear thing, being memorable to audiences and bookers, and being easy to find and easy to work with. We also explore the multiplier of value (ROI, outcomes, change) and the role of ego, which can help you step on stage but can also undermine trust if it grows too big. 

If you want a sharper speaker positioning, a more commercial topic, and a clearer route to getting booked more often, this conversation gives you a grounded framework to act on. Subscribe, share this with a speaker friend, and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts.

CONTACT MARIA FANZONI:

WEBSITE:

https://www.mariafranzoni.me

X:

https://x.com/MariaFranzoni

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SpeakingBusiness

LINKEDIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariafranzoni/

YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MariaFranzoni

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

To record your Life Story or GIFT an episode to someone that you love, with Chris as your host, then do get in touch about how ‘Legacy Life Reflections’ can help:

LEGACY LIFE REFLECTIONS WEBSITE:

https://www.legacylifereflections.com

E MAIL: chris@legacylifereflections.com

WHATS APP: +44 7711 644 094

LINKEDIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/chris.grimes.167

What if the moments that break you could become the blueprint for how you lead? That’s the heartbeat of our conversation with Gina Gardiner—leader, author, broadcaster, and unapologetic catalyst for change—who turned a devastating ski accident and years of chronic pain into a living masterclass on resilient, human leadership.

We trace the arc from breaking gender barriers as a young deputy head, to running a high-performing school largely from a wheelchair, to building a global platform that champions empowerment and psychological safety. Gina shares the operating system she designed under pressure: define excellence together, make praise habitual, and treat people as the treasure of your organisation. The approach is crisp, compassionate, and deeply practical—built from assembly halls and classrooms, refined in boardrooms, and now delivered across airwaves and social channels via Genuinely You.

This conversation goes beyond tactics. We dig into the cost of over-responsibility, the discipline of protecting health, and the courage to confront injustice—whether that’s unfair systems at work or the quiet disregard for the “little people” who keep everything moving. Gina also opens up about her partnership with Olympian Fatima Whitbread, working to improve outcomes for young people in and leaving care, proving that leadership at its best builds communities, not just KPIs.

If you’re hungry for a people-first, performance-strong model that you can use tomorrow—clear standards, kinder feedback, braver conversations—this one will land. Leadership is how you show up, moment by moment. Subscribe, share with a leader who matters to you, and leave a review to tell us the one habit you’ll change after listening.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

CONTACT GINA GARDINER:

https://genuinely-you.co/index

X: https://x.com/Genuinely_You

INSTAGRAM:

https://www.instagram.com/georgina.gardiner/

LINKEDIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginagardinerassociates/

PODCAST:

https://genuinely-you.co/podcast/show

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/genuinelyyouprograms/

What if staying sharp has nothing to do with age and everything to do with curiosity? We sit down with Harry Mount, Editor of The Oldie Magazine, for a brisk, generous tour through a life shaped by language, architecture, bicycles, and the courage to change course. Harry opens with the soul of the magazine—why it prizes wit over celebrity and celebrates people “with snap in their celery”—and takes us inside Oldie Of The Year, where legends and unsung heroes share a stage and a laugh.

From there, we travel to his “clearing” on the Pembrokeshire cliffs and the four moments that defined his path: the quiet impact of a brother he never met, a childhood powered by worry and exams, a sharp pivot from barrister-in-waiting to gossip columnist, and finally the long, lively challenge of editing a 100-page print institution. Along the way, Barry Humphries’ razor wit, Giles Brandreth’s encomiums, and the thrill of clean copy land with warmth and precision.

Harry’s passions animate every page: the “R factor” of great buildings, from Vanbrugh to Hawksmoor; the classics as living tools woven through two-thirds of English; and the deceptive ease of comic prose from Wodehouse, Waugh, Mitford, and Amis. He shares honest distractions—the tug of the internet, the tonic of Hampstead ponds—and a love of press trips where purpose beats the pressure to have fun. There’s a personal twist too: his distant cousin Tony Adams, whose openness about addiction helped shift the culture around recovery.

Two lines frame the wisdom here. From Virgil: “One day it will help to remember even these things,” a balm for hard seasons and a nudge toward meaning. From Arthur Balfour via Bill Deedes: “Nothing matters very much, and very few things matter at all,” a reminder to edit life with a lighter touch. The dream? To be remembered for a great comic novel—and, failing that, for meeting interesting people, doing interesting things, and writing them up right.

If you love good stories, beautiful buildings, late‑period Elvis, and the feeling of wind-in-your-face clarity on a bike, you’ll feel at home. Listen, share with a friend who needs a purposeful nudge, and leave a review so more curious minds can find us.

WEBSITE:

https://www.theoldie.co.uk

INSTAGRAM:

https://www.instagram.com/theoldiemagazine/

X:

https://x.com/oldiemagazine

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/OldieMagazine/

Legacy Life Reflections: The Unstoppable Force of Nature Christine Marsh, trailblazing at 84 as THE Global Influencer on 'Living Life to the Full’, into your 90's and Beyond!                           

EPISODE NOTES:

Meet Christine Marsh, a force of nature who at 84 became a model and is now trailblazing on a path to becoming THE Global Influencer on "Living Life to the Full" into your 90’s and beyond! Wrapped in sunflower yellow and radiating unstoppable energy, Christine shares her extraordinary journey from being born in India during wartime, to International Business Change Facilitator, Speaker, and Author.

Christine's story is one of perpetual reinvention and refusal to accept limitations. Born to a military father who had "ordered a son," she grew up being called "Bill"—yet rather than breaking her spirit, this fueled her determination. Unable to read conventionally until a teacher recognized she saw patterns rather than letters, Christine developed unique problem-solving abilities that would later define her career. At 50, when corporate life deemed her past her "sell-by date," she pivoted. At 81, following her husband's death, she faced a blank canvas and chose to "mature disgracefully" rather than retire quietly.

Throughout our conversation, Christine shares wisdom that feels both timeless and urgently relevant: "Change is inevitable. Stress is manageable. Misery is optional." She illuminates her approach to facilitation with the metaphor of an orange negotiation exercise, showing how collaboration trumps competition. With the eye of a detective, she spots patterns others miss, embodying Leonardo da Vinci's principle that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

What emerges is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention. Christine's philosophy—"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent"—has carried her through decades of breaking barriers. Her book "Flashpoint Transformation: Life's Choices" poses a question we all face: "Are you ready to jump or waiting to be pushed?" As she puts it with characteristic directness: "You only have the moment. You can't change the past, you can't determine the future. Please savour every single moment."

Ready to rethink what's possible at any age? Christine's story might just be the spark that ignites your own transformation. Visit www.thechristinemarsh.com to connect with this remarkable woman who doesn't know the meaning of "can't."

WEBSITE: https://thechristinemarsh.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechristinemarsh/

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

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

Story of Distinction: Actor & Atlantic Rowing Super Hero Cal MacAninch, on the profound lessons-learned by rowing 3,000 miles for the Talisker Whisky Challenge 

                        EPISODE NOTES:

Proud and delighted to welcome BACK for a second row past - with the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean for his 'Clearing', Scottish Actor Cal MacAninch, here to describe his Epic Quest and the profound lessons-learned from having just rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in a Crew of 5, as part of "Atlantic Body & Soul" for the Talisker Whisker Atlantic Challenge.

A story of Distinction & Genius indeed: Massive waves, sleep deprivation, pain, flying fish and hallucinations akimbo to name but some of what was experienced during an epic quest of 39 days and gargantuan proportions.

Cal MacAninch is a wonderful & versatile Scottish Actor and now an Atlantic Rowing Superhero & Legend to boot (or to boat - see what I'm doing there?!)

More about Cal: 

Whatever Cal MacAninch has achieved as an actor - and the body of his work is impressive - he now has a rare achievement indeed to add, as a rower. Cal has just rowed the Atlantic! And this is no mean achievement - for almost 40 days, Cal and the other 4 crew members set about this extraordinary journey in consecutive 2 hour shifts, 24/7. The effects of daily sleep deprivation and almost endless, constantly painful physical exercise are virtually unimaginable.

Fortunately for us, Cal MacAninch has an actor’s memory and a wonderful way with with words. This podcast focuses relentlessly on his one truly epic and almost certainly life-changing experience. 

Cal tells us about the constant need for calories and hydration, up to 6000 every day and endless refreshment. Yet the impact still left everyone in a state that Cal describes as ‘breakdown’ and in his case, the witness of numerous totally lifelike hallucinations. 

The whole journey was undertaken to raise money for two chosen charities whose primary purpose is to improve mental health care for young people - but the crew’s own mental health was severely tested in the process! Cal is now debriefing his personal experience to a leading neurological scientist in Scotland. 

He acknowledges that it was was an ordeal but one that changed him - for the better! It left him he believes, with a better perspective: a more tolerant attitude, a kinder man, a better listener. 

Hear it all here for yourself. It is a truly extraordinary story - and it’s all true! Harrowing though it is at times, Cal MacAninch tells it calmly and quietly but with a refreshing brand of candour and his own uniquely authentic Scottish sincerity.

IMDB:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531229/

WEBSITE:

https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/cal-macaninch/cv

INSTAGRAM:

https://www.instagram.com/calmacaninch/

Founder Story:

Matt Zeigler, the Ultimate Polymath! Super Connector, Producer, Community Builder & Fellow Show Host of "Just Press Record" for perfect Collaboration!EPISODE NOTES:What if the shortest path to better work is learning to be where your feet are? That’s the spark behind our conversation with Matt Zeigler—producer turned financial adviser, community builder, and host of the very excellent "Just Press Record" Podcast —who showshow presence, listening, and thoughtful connections can turn chance into momentum.We trace Matt’s arc from teenage gigs and studio life to a mid-career pivot into finance, where he discovered the same skill set applies: translate feelings into form, complexity into clarity, and fear into decisions. When a singer once asked for “more yellow,” he knew what to do. Years later, executives arrive with different words for the same fog—and Matt helps them find the signal by naming the gap between story and reality.That gap is the heart of Epsilon Theory and Panoptica, where Matt collaborates to decode how narratives shape markets, media, and culture. Think of epsilon as the error term between the map and the terrain—the place where headlines distort, incentives mislead, and human judgment goes sideways. Matt shares how better questions, cleaner language, and subtraction over addition can align plans with reality. It’s strategy as craft: roll off the noise, let the truth breathe.We also dive into the “three-body problem” of networks: you, one other person, and both of your audiences. The math stops behaving, and that’s the point. Serendipity compounds when you curate introductions and record the moment, which is exactly what Just Press Record does so well. Along the way we meet his “squirrels” (Premier League football and new music), hear why introverts make strong hosts, and unpack a line that 

Matt ZeiglerMatt Zeigler is currently a Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor with Sunpointe Investments, and the author of the ‘Cultish Creative’ Blog and Newsletter.Blog/Newsletter:

https://cultishcreative.com/X: @cultishcreativeLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-zeigler-a58a0a60/Professional:https://sunpointeinvestments.com/

David L. Deutsch is a world-renowned direct response copywriter, marketing strategist, author, and copywriting coach. In addition to creating winning promotions from scratch, he often works with clients and writers behind the scenes to turn under-performing promotions into winners.

David started at Ogilvy & Mather on Madison Avenue, working with clients such as Merrill Lynch, General Foods, and American Express.

He then switched to direct response, where he has generated a billion dollars in sales for leading direct response marketers, entrepreneurs and publishers, including Agora, and Boardroom Inc. (now Bottom Line Publications), for whom he has had as many as six winning “controls” at once.

David supervises, coaches, and trains writers and copy teams both in the U.S. and around the world (including Germany, China, Singapore, England, Columbia, and Romania).

He is the creator of the A-List Copywriting Secrets course, in which he reveals the secrets that have enabled him to sell over a billion dollars of his clients’ products, author of Million Dollar Marketing Secrets as well as Think Inside the Box!, an acclaimed book on generating ideas. He has also written a memory course and co-authored a guidebook to Bermuda.

Website: https://davidldeutsch.com

Leadership Reflections: Working for Cause Not Applause with World Renowned Keynote Speaker & 'Chief Zoo Keeper’, Nigel Risner, on ‘Food for Thought’ Leadership 

Entertaining and unreservedly direct, Nigel isn’t just a motivational speaker – he is a company turnaround specialist driving everyone from CEOs to school children to ignite excitement and action in their life.

For more than 20 years, Nigel has been on his quest to make you the best by sharing his techniques and tools to break through the boundaries we put up around us. His always animated and interactive presentations have inspired thousands of FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 delegates, school children, charities, and prison inmates, in groups of five to 5000 and all over the world, into taking positive strides in their work and personal life.

No longer living the dress rehearsal of their life, Nigel’s words whip up listeners into action; energized and passionate.

WEBSITE:

https://www.nigelrisner.com

X:

https://x.com/Nigelrisne

LINKEDIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigel-risner-chief-zoo-keeper-09632/

YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/user/NSR0207

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/nigel.risner

He helped raise £225 million, worked punishing weeks, and then walked away from it all. Jon Kaye joins me in The Clearing to unpack the moment he stopped chasing the obvious definition of success and started rebuilding a life around creativity, community, and better questions.

We talk through Jon’s founder story in private equity: the risk of resigning with a pregnant wife, a new house, and no salary, and the life-changing power of one credible person saying “yes”. From there, the conversation turns to burnout, the decision not to launch “fund two”, and the radical reset of taking three young children out of school to travel the world for a year. If you’re thinking about career change, work life balance, or designing a second act, John’s honesty lands hard.

From his basement music studio packed with modular synthesizers and miles of cables, Jon explains why friction matters and why making things harder can lead to more original work, especially in a world flooded with AI content. We dig into his Unmastered newsletter ethos of thinking clearly, living deliberately, and creating without chasing, plus the community-first mission behind DO Radio, a live station you can’t pause or download by design.

If this conversation sparks something in you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review. What would you stop chasing first if you could redesign your life this week?

CONTACT JON KAYE:

NEWSLETTER WEBSITE:

https://unmastered.life

LINKEDIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayejonathan/

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

To record your Life Story or GIFT an episode to someone that you love, with Chris as your host, then do get in touch about how ‘Legacy Life Reflections’ can help:

LEGACY LIFE REFLECTIONS WEBSITE:

https://www.legacylifereflections.com

E MAIL: chris@legacylifereflections.com

WHATS APP: +44 7711 644 094

LINKEDIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/chris.grimes.167