== Subscribe for new episodes, released every Monday == This week's guest is a true pioneer of mixed martial arts. Mark 'the Wizard' Weir etched his name into the history books with the fastest ever knockout on his UFC debut, the first time the promotion came to the UK in 2002. That night, UFC boss Dana white told Mark: ‘Years from now you remember this, you remember what you've done today. You just don't know what you've done yet'. Born and raised in Gloucester, England in 1967, Mark was a double taekwondo world champion by just 20 years old, becoming the youngest fighter to ever win a World Championship. Also an undefeated kickboxer, Mark was once ranked the number 1 mixed martial artist in the UK. Alongside running his gym Range Martial Arts Academy, Mark is the coach of UFC middleweight rising star Christian Leroy Duncan (you can listen to his interview from series one). Christian will be fighting on the main card of UFC 304 in Manchester this coming Saturday. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/uk/podcast/the-starting-line-with-rich-leigh/id1701825108 Listen and subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46IufelOtcvvBzdidS4oUl 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. Go back and enjoy series one guests including Levi Roots, James Cracknell OBE and Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells. *About me, Rich Leigh* Your starting line doesn't have to define you. My upbringing wasn't great. But I remember thinking - I have to, and I CAN - break the cycle. That single thought changed my life. 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 without a penny to my name, determined to rewrite my story. By 30, I was a successful PR agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities. Using that influence, I helped 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 conversations with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers. *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 *Timestamps:*

== Subscribe for new episodes, released every Monday ==

This week's guest is comedian, poet, performer and one half of BBC Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage, Robin Ince.

We talked about everything from his love of books, comedy and science through to his time on tour with Ricky Gervais, working with Professor Brian Cox, his upbringing, family and neurodivergence.

A fun, sprawling conversation, just hours before Robin spoke at Cheltenham Science Festival.

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

*About me, Rich Leigh*

Your starting line doesn't have to define you.

My upbringing wasn't great.

But I remember thinking - I have to, and I CAN - break the cycle. That single thought changed my life.

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 without a penny to my name, determined to rewrite my story.

By 30, I was a successful PR agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities.Using that influence, I helped 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 conversations with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

*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

== Subscribe for new episodes, released every Monday == This week's guest is super prime estate agent Alex Bourne (joined on and off by his lovely dog, Noodles).

- Oh, and forgive the pesky gremlins and the weird intro glitch, thank you, please - Alex had a starring role in Netflix's Buying London, giving viewers a glimpse at the houses and the property market of the super rich. The Guardian gave it 0 stars out of 5, and said it was 'probably the most hateable TV show ever made'. Despite the critical reception, the show was in the top 10 Netflix shows in more than 50 countries. In this episode, we talk about family life in the public eye, as it was even before the show, social media trolling and unkindness, Alex's path from a young soap opera actor to selling houses to the richest and most famous people in the world and more. 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. Go back and enjoy series one guests including Levi Roots, James Cracknell OBE and Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells. *About me, Rich Leigh* Your starting line doesn't have to define you. My upbringing wasn't great. But I remember thinking - I have to, and I CAN - break the cycle. That single thought changed my life. 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 without a penny to my name, determined to rewrite my story. By 30, I was a successful PR agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities. Using that influence, I helped 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 conversations with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers. *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

== Subscribe for new episodes, released every Monday ==

Dudley 'Tal' Stokes was the captain and founding member of the Jamaican bobsled team the hit Disney movie Cool Runnings was based on.

He competed at the 1988, 1992, 1994 and the 1998 Winter Olympics, and after his competitive career, became a coach and the president of the Jamaican Bobsleigh Federation.In this conversation, we talk about Tal's upbringing, his time in the army, the true story of Cool Runnings - and whether there could be a sequel - and much more.

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

*About me, Rich Leigh*

Your starting line doesn't have to define you.

My upbringing wasn't great.

But I remember thinking - I have to, and I CAN - break the cycle. That single thought changed my life.

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 without a penny to my name, determined to rewrite my story.

By 30, I was a successful PR agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities.

Using that influence, I helped 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 conversations with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

*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

== Subscribe for new episodes, released every Monday ==

You know he loves a Chinese. You know he loves a bosh.

In this interview, filmed at Chariots fish and chip shop in Romford (NOT ESSEX RICH, you blithering idiot), you'll get to know the real Big John.

He dismisses the idea of being an influencer, and that's one of the reasons I wanted to have this conversation - I'm intrigued by somebody that became well-known as he approached 50, and how it's changed his and his family's lives.

In John's words: 'I'm just a normal bloke who's got a bit of a following, who can resonate with people. There are hundreds of thousands of people just like me."

Enjoy this interview, where we talk about everything from being paid to travel the world, famous friends and fans - including Conor McGregor, what he did before becoming well-known and the most surprising answer to the dinner party question I've ever heard.

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*

Your starting line doesn't have to define you.

My upbringing wasn't great.

But I remember thinking - I have to, and I CAN - break the cycle. That single thought changed my life.

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 without a penny to my name, determined to rewrite my story.

By 30, I was a successful PR agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities.Using that influence, I helped 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 conversations with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

*Follow The Starting Line on social media:*

Instagram: instagram.com/startinglineshow

Twitter: twitter.com/startinglinesho

TikTok: tiktok.com/startinglineshow

Facebook: facebook.com/startinglineshow

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/startinglineshow

== Subscribe for new episodes, released every Monday! ==

This week’s conversation is with American writer, producer, director, voice actor, and radio personality Lazlow.

In a fitting request, I was asked that this episode was audio-only.

Alongside his radio work, Lazlow is perhaps best known for his in-game radio shows and ads across the Grand Theft Auto series, lending his writing and vocal talents across eight games since GTA3 (as well as appearing, motion captured, in GTA5).

Lazlow worked with Rockstar Games for almost 20 years, across 17 games, also writing for the Red Dead Redemption series.

We sat down to talk a few weeks ago, the day after Lazlow had talked at the Podcast Show 2024 in London, where he had been discussing his new audio fiction series, A Better Paradise.

Created and written by former Rockstar colleague Dan Houser and directed by Lazlow, the series is set in the near future and tells the story of the ill-fated development of an ambitious but addictive game-world.

Starring the Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln, Paterson Joseph - you’d probably know him as boss Alan Johnson in Peep Show - Rain Spencer and Shamir Anderson, the first two episodes are available wherever you listen to your podcasts at the time of recording this.

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.

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

*About me, Rich Leigh*

Your starting line doesn't have to define you.

My upbringing was rough. I'm sure I'll fill in the blanks sometime.

But I remember thinking - I have to, and I CAN - break the cycle. That single thought changed my life.

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 without a penny to my name, determined to rewrite my story.

By 30, I was a successful PR agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities.

Using that influence, I helped 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 conversations with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

*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.

== Subscribe for new episodes, released every Monday! ==

Today's episode is with one of the most exciting and unorthodox talents rugby has ever seen, Gloucester and England backrower James Forrester.

James is now the CEO of Gloucester-Hartpury - reigning Premier 15s champions.

Having burst onto the scene for Gloucester, in 2002, at just 21, Forrester made his England debut against the Barbarians, scoring a 65m wonder-try, skimming none other than the great Jonah Lomu.

James’ rugby career was to come to an eventual end, with a ‘blood curdling’ scream and an injury the operating surgeon said was the worst sporting he’d ever seen, comparing it to someone who’d been in a car crash.

Olympic gold medal winning Fijian coach, Ben Ryan - who'd coached James at school - said of his retirement: "The tragedy is we never saw the best of him – he could do things on the field that defied belief. The game is losing a great talent".

Enjoy this interview with a true Gloucester and rugby legend, as we talk about his life and career.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/uk/podcast/the-starting-line-with-rich-leigh/id1701825108

Listen and subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46IufelOtcvvBzdidS4oUl

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.

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

*About me, Rich Leigh*

Your starting line doesn't have to define you.

I wouldn't wish our upbringing on anybody.

But I remember thinking - I have to, and I CAN - break the cycle. That single thought changed my life.

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 without a penny to my name, determined to rewrite my story.

By 30, I was a successful PR agency owner with a #1 best-selling book. We were working with some of the UK’s leading brands, entrepreneurs and celebrities.

Using that influence, I helped 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 conversations with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, philanthropists and thinkers.

*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.