Great Company with Jamie Laing

Vanessa Williams is an absolute powerhouse. She’s a Grammy-nominated recording artist, an award-winning actor and a global cultural icon, known for roles in Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives and currently starring as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada on the West End.

At just 20 years old, Vanessa became the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown. It was a historic moment that changed her life overnight. But making history came at a cost: she faced de*th threats, FBI protection and a level of public scrutiny few could imagine.

In this episode, we cover:
How Vanessa broke barriers as the first Black woman to win Miss America
Navigating de*th threats and hate after her win
Singing live at the Super Bowl and the Oscars
Aging on camera and her thoughts on cosmetic surgery
What Vanessa's mum told Elton John when they met

This is a conversation about strength, resilience and refusing to be defined by other people.

Vanessa Williams is Great Company.

If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us:
Instagram- @greatcompanypodcast
TikTok - @greatcompanypodcast

And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected]

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THE CREDITS
Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima Rathbone
Producer: Helen Burke
Assistant Producer: Issy Weeks-Hankins
Video: Jake Ji & Josh Bennett
Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grief is something we’ll all experience at some point in our lives and that can feel quite daunting. But my conversation on Great Company with the incredible singer-songwriter Cat Burns completely changed the way I think about it.

In this Great Moment, Cat opens up about losing her dad and the impact that grief had on her. She reflects on how it reshaped the way she connects others, and why people who experience loss are often some of the most loving people you’ll ever meet.

Listen to the full episode HERE!

If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us:
Instagram- @greatcompanypodcast
TikTok - @greatcompanypodcast

And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected]

THE CREDITS
Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima Rathbone
Producer: Helen Burke
Assistant Producer: Issy Weeks-Hankins
Video: Jake Ji
Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MIKA’s music is full of colour. It’s bold, joyful and instantly recognisable. It’s the kind of music that lifts you up and meeting MIKA, that same energy radiates through.

He’s lived a fascinating life, shaped by bright moments and darker ones too. In this conversation, we talk about the years before his success, the awkwardness of putting yourself out there and how, at his treasured white piano, he found a place of freedom where creativity led, identity didn’t need explaining and he could be himself.

We cover:
- Fleeing Beirut with his family after civil war broke out
- The teacher who tormented him and why he was forced to leave school
- How music became a warm ‘hug’ when everything else fell apart
- Turning up at Warner Music aged 12 with his demo tracks
- Celebrating his sexuality through his music
- Why embarrassment can be a force of good

MIKA’s story is a reminder that the things that make us different are often the very things that save us.

MIKA is Great Company.

If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us:
Instagram- @greatcompanypodcast
TikTok - @greatcompanypodcast

And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected]

THE CREDITS
Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima Rathbone
Producer: Helen Burke
Assistant Producer: Issy Weeks-Hankins
Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby
Social Media: Laura Coughlan & Anthony Barter

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you struggling to find your purpose? Unsure what - or who - you should be investing your time in. Well, this is a conversation you need to hear.

Robin Sharma is one of the world’s top leadership experts and author of one of my favourite books, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. He helps people discover their “why” and grow into the best version of themselves.

In this Great Moment, Robin challenged me to ask the hard questions: Are we really investing our time in the right places? He reminded me that often our purpose is right in front of us - we just need to notice it.

Listen to the full episode HERE!

If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us:
Instagram- @greatcompanypodcast
TikTok - @greatcompanypodcast

And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected]

THE CREDITS
Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima Rathbone
Producer: Helen Burke
Assistant Producer: Issy Weeks-Hankins
Video: Jake Ji
Social Media: Laura Coughlan

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all want to be happy and live a good life but how do we actually get there? It’s a big question, and one that most of us don’t have a clear answer to. This episode will help you find your happiest self.

In fact, we’re often told that money, status and success are the keys to happiness. But according to professor and psychiatrist Dr Robert Waldinger, we’ve been getting it wrong.

Dr Waldinger is the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest-running study on happiness ever conducted. I was so excited to sit down with him to discuss what more than 85 years of research reveals about living a good life and how we can all make this year the happiest year of our lives - starting now.

We cover:
What really matters for long-term happiness
How to live a happy life
Why loneliness is one of the biggest threats to our wellbeing
What we get wrong about happiness and how to get it right
The most common unhealthy traits in our relationships
Simple ways to meet people and make meaningful connections

This conversation will leave you feeling hopeful and give you a renewed appreciation for the people in your life.

Dr Robert Waldinger is Great Company.

Learn more about Dr Waldinger's book 'The Good Life ' HERE

If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us:
Instagram- @greatcompanypodcast
TikTok - @greatcompanypodcast

And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected]

THE CREDITS
Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima Rathbone
Producer: Helen Burke
Assistant Producer: Issy Weeks-Hankins
Video: Jake Ji & Ryley Kirby
Social Media: Laura Coughlan & Anthony Barter

Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.