Jasper Rees is the author of "Let's Do It" the authorised biography of Victoria Wood. The book was written with the consent of Victoria's children following her death in 2016. Jasper wrote the book by listening to audio recordings mad by Wood herself in preparation to write a memoir.  "Let's Do It" has just been published in paperback and is a must read for any Victoria Wood fan. The book was described by the guardian as "a brilliant tribute while also – somehow, almost – bringing Victoria Wood back to life in all her complicated glory". This interview was recorded live at the Cat Laughs Podcast Festival in Kilkenny in December 2020. You can buy "Let's Do It" by Jasper Rees here Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Jasper Rees Twitter: @JasperRees

Bright Light Bright Light is welsh musician, artist and songwriter Rod Thomas. Originally from a small town in Wales, Rod has become one of our most respected independent queer artists with approval in the form of collaborations and touring opportunities from some of the world's biggest stars. He began learning piano, guitar and saxophone as a child and began performing acoustically under his own name. In 2010 he defined his synth sound with the release of his debut single "Love Part ii".  He has gone on to release 4 albums and has just released a compilation album "So Gay, So Dramatic". He has toured with Cher, Scissor Sisters and Elton John.  In this conversation we chat about LGBTQ representation, his place in the music industry and how he has done everything in his career himself.  You can support Fascinated by becoming a member of headstuff+ on headstuffpodcasts.com. In return for your support, you will get access to bonus exclusive bonus content. In the bonus content for this episode, you can hear Rod talk about remixing Dannii Minogue's iconic "All I Wanna Do" and we chat about our mutual love of Gayle and Gillian. You can listen to Bright Light Bright Light's Music on Spotify, download on Apple or buy gorgeous physicals on brightlightx2.com Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Bright Light Bright Light Twitter: @brightlightx2 Instagram: brightlightx2 Facebook: /brightlightx2

Ireland has always had a great reputation for rock music. In the 90s Sinead O'Connor, U2 and The Cranberries led the pack. It took a while for the explosion of bubblegum pop which was happening in the UK and Europe to hit Ireland. Una was one of the first Irish female pop vocalists to be launched around the time the success of Boyzone was starting to attract international attention.  Already a session singer she had recorded backing vocals for Something Happens and Aslan. In 1994 she released her debut single "Crawl" which became a huge Irish hit.  But it was with the release of a cover version of Randy Crawford's "You Might Need Somebody" that she discovered the harsh realities of the music industry. Una continued to perform and formed Boogie Nights a hugely successful party band and continued to release music independently. She then went on a world tour as a solo vocalist in Michael Flatley's "Celtic Tiger". After this She performed in the TV special "The Voice Within" and in 2012 was beaten by Jedward in an attempt to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest after which she took time out to start a family. When Una's back catalogue goes online there will be a link to it here! Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Luciana Twitter: @UnaGibney Instagram: gibneyuna Facebook: Una-Gibney-342844672405318

Una Healy was a gigging singer/songwriter when she answered an ad looking for a female singer for a girlband. What followed was a phenomenal seven years in The Saturdays one of the new millennium's biggest girlbands. A string of massive hits in the UK led to them getting signed by Island Def Jam in America and making their own reality series "Chasing the Saturdays" for the E Network.  Since then Una has been a regular on Irish and UK television as a presenter and released a solo album  "The Waiting Game" and a string of silly releases including a duet with Sam Palladio. Una returned to Ireland during the lockdown and is back living in the town where she grew up. She is one of the loveliest people and has an incredible new single "Until You".  You can support Fascinated by becoming a member of headstuff+ on headstuffpodcasts.com. In return for your support, you will get access to bonus exclusive bonus content. In the bonus content for this episode, you can watch the interview with Una. You can listen to Una's music  and The Saturdays back catalogue on Spotify. Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Una Twitter: @UnaHealy Instagram: unahealy Facebook: /unahealy

This is just a teaser for the Bonus Episode that is now available to subscribers of Headstuff+. You can subscribe for €5 per month and get bonus material for each episode as well as a bonus episode each month. For this month's Bonus episode I chat to Sean Smith about his new album "Swing For The 90s" and we dive in track by track. You can listen to Sean Smith  here You can order CD and Vinyl copies of the "Swing For The 90s"  here Follow Gearoid Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly">@gearoidfarrelly Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly">gearoidfarrelly Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly">;/gearoidfarrelly Follow Sean Smith Twitter: @seansmithsolo Instagram: seansmithsolo Facebook: /SeanSmithSolo

What a guest and what a story. These are the episodes that I love to make! Luciana Caporaso has been an undercover popstar hiding in plain sight since the 90s. Fate conspired against her for no less than five albums. This episode charts her journey from fresh faced teenager writing music for a detective series in the UK to becoming the Queen of Electro based in Los Angeles. She has found herself in pop groups and rock bands, signed to 5 major labels. Albums were torpedoed by everything from mismanagement to world events. But when success came it was on her own terms as an independent artist now writing for and collaborating with the biggest artists in the world. This is one hell of a story. You can support Fascinated by becoming a member of headstuff+ on headstuffpodcasts.com. In return for your support you will get access to bonus exclusive bonus content. In the bonus content for this episode I showed Luciana some photos and CDS and we continued our chat! You can listen to Luciana's music on Spotify Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Luciana Twitter:  @LucianaCaporaso Instagram: theLucianaCaporaso Facebook: /iloveluciana

I’m delighted to kick off season 7 of "Fascinated" with the fabulous Samantha Mumba. Samantha is pop royalty and after an almost unforgivable hiatus she returned to music last December with a double whammy of releases. She dropped two new tracks “Cool” and “Process” within weeks of each other.  Samantha shot to fame in 2000 with the worldwide smash hit “Gotta Tell You”. She followed it with a string of hits and a huge debut album which sold 4 million copies. She then cared out a successful movie career which started with her starring in the Hollywood feature film “Time Machine”.  This episode was recorded on 20th December 2020 at the Set Theatre in Kilkenny as part of The Cat Cast. The Kilkenny Cat Laughs festival could not run last year because of Covid so in December some comedians live streamed the recording of podcasts from the stage of the empty Set Theatre in Kilkenny. Samantha Zoomed in from her home in Los Angeles.  If you would like to support Fascinated you can subscribe to HPN+ on headstuffpodcasts.com where for just €5 a month you can listen to bonus content from all of the shows on the network including Fascinated. For this episode you can watch the interview with Samantha Mumba.  You can listen to Samantha's music on Spotify Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Samantha Mumba Twitter:  @Samanthamumba1 Instagram: Samanthamumba Facebook: /SamanthaMumbaFans

In The first of a special two-part episode I chat to 90s pop star Kavana. For as long as he can remember Kavana was determined to become a pop-star and he made it happen. At the time Take That were disbanding and a chance meeting with their manager led to him recording a song written by Howard Donald. He became a household name and mega-stardom followed. While he was very well known he didn't have immediate chart success until he released a carefully chosen cover version of "I Can Make You Feel Good". Kavana's journey to fame and the aftermath have been an astonishing test of his resilience. He is a lovely guy and this is story that needed two episodes. In this episode we talk about his rise to fame in 90s pop. If you really enjoy this podcast you can support me by buying me a coffee on Kofi. You can listen to Kavana's music on Spotify You can check out Kavana's YouTube Channel here. Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Kavana Twitter: @kavana_official Instagram: kavana.official Facebook: /Kavana-837714399647674 Past Guests Sean Smith has released his debut album "Solo". It's on all streaming and download platforms and you can buy physical copies here. Chely Wright has re-released "Lifted Off The Ground" on vinyl. You can get copies here.

In The first of a special two-part episode I chat to 90s pop star Kavana. For as long as he can remember Kavana was determined to become a pop-star and he made it happen. At the time Take That were disbanding and a chance meeting with their manager led to him recording a song written by Howard Donald. He became a household name and mega-stardom followed. While he was very well known he didn't have immediate chart success until he released a carefully chosen cover version of "I Can Make You Feel Good". Kavana's journey to fame and the aftermath have been an astonishing test of his resilience. He is a lovely guy and this is story that needed two episodes. In this episode we talk about his move to LA, coming out of the closet, his relationship with Stephen Gately and reality TV. If you really enjoy this podcast you can support me by buying me a coffee on Kofi. You can listen to Kavana's music on Spotify You can check out Kavana's YouTube Channel here. Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Kavana Twitter: @kavana_official Instagram: kavana.official Facebook: /Kavana-837714399647674 Past Guests Sean Smith has released his debut album "Solo". It's on all streaming and download platforms and you can buy physical copies here. Chely Wright has re-released "Lifted Off The Ground" on vinyl. You can get copies here.

In July of 2013 Chicago singer-songwriter Steve Grand uploaded a video for his song "All American Boy". It was a video for a country song with a bare bum and a gay twist and a within days it had a million hit and Steve was the face of new gay country. Except that he wasn't and he wasn't even a country singer but he was in demand. To date steve has had two successful albums and recently launched a range of underwear called Grand Axis. I catch up with Steve to talk about his music, coping with online hate and of course underpants. If you really enjoy this podcast you can support me by buying me a coffee on Kofi. You can listen to Steve Grand's music on Spotify. You can watch the video for All American Boy here. You can buy Steve Grand physical copies and merch here. Check out Grand Axis Underwear designed by Steve here. Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Steve Grand Twitter: @stevegrandmusic Instagram: stevegrandmusic Facebook: /SteveGrandArtist Past Guests Sean Smith has released his debut album "Solo". It's on all streaming and download platforms and you can buy physical copies here. Chely Wright has re-released "Lifted Off The Ground" on vinyl. You can get copies here.

In this episode, Gearóid meets singer/songwriter and choreographer Doris Pearson who shot to fame with her brothers and sisters as Five Star.  Doris is currently in lockdown in the UK and is working on solo material. We had a chat about her time in her family supergroup. We chatted about the humble beginnings, fame, money and family. Truly a family business Five Star were managed by their father Buster and they stacked up hit albums and singles in the mid to late 80s earning a grammy nomination and a Brit Award for Best British Group in the process. Success meant they moved from their home in Romford to a Mansion in Surrey. The tabloid-friendly family became the subject of a press witch hunt and they left for LA. The group disbanded officially in 2002 and regrouped in 2012 to perform at UK festivals. This is the performance mentioned in this episode https://youtu.be/VQg-8MlBITY In 2019 Five Star Gold was released. If you really enjoy this podcast you can buy me a coffee on Kofi https://ko-fi.com/gearoidfarrelly You can listen to Five Star here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4toJT7YydhWcrYNgWJK4hW?si=v5Rt9Tb9SrqF6qkxu_d5iA Follow Gearoid Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly Follow Doris Pearson Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thedorispearson Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dorismpearson Facebook: https://facebook.com/Doris-Pearson-692176227828566/

In this episode I chat to singer songwriter Lesley Roy. As teenager Lesley would busk on the streets of Dublin and instead of dreaming of superstardom she actively chased it. She signed a record contract with and American Label and spent two years in Sweden learning to write pop songs under the direction of Max Martin who produced her 2008 debut album "Unbeautiful". The album was released and expectations were high but it wasn't to be. Lesley began cowrite for other artists like Ms Montreal and Adam Lambert.  This year she was returned to performing and was due to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam with her song "The Story Of My Life". The song was released and lauded however on the 18th March the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was cancelled due to the outbreak of Covid-19.  If you really enjoy this podcast you can buy me a coffee on Kofi https://ko-fi.com/gearoidfarrelly">https://ko-fi.com/gearoidfarrelly https://open.spotify.com/album/1rHXAzNDnX5EU6eAZo7BWm?si=8ksts61uQe-FVa_I3lsCnQ">You can listen to “Unbeautiful” here https://music.apple.com/ie/album/story-of-my-life-single/1502388582">You can buy to “Story Of My Life” here Follow Gearoid Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly">@gearoidfarrelly Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly">gearoidfarrelly Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly">;/gearoidfarrelly Follow Lesley Roy Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lesleyroyreal "> @lesleyroyreal Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lesroy">lesroy

This is the live “Fascinated” show from the Dublin Podcast Festival to YouTube. My guests on the night were the fabulous singer-songwriter Naimee Coleman and the wonderful Niamh Kavanagh. Hits were sung and we even recreated the moment Niamh won the Eurovision Song Contest. The full show can be watched on YouTube. If you really enjoy this podcast you can buy me a coffee on Kofi https://ko-fi.com/gearoidfarrelly Enjoy it and stay safe 

In this episode I catch up with the wonderful Jann Arden in the midst of the worldwide Corona Virus epidemic. Last week she was supposed to be  inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards but the ceremony was cancelled amid fears around the outbreak. Last week she streamed a mini-concert from her living room as part of a movement by artists to entertain those in isolation and to urge people to stay at home.  Jann Arden is a huge recording artist in Canada and had international success in 1994 with her "Living Under June" album. She has just released her 14th album "These Are The Days" and has released more than 40 singles. She has been nominated for 19 Juno awards and won 8 of them. She has contributed to movie soundtracks and is a regular on Canadian television. Leonard Cohen visited her in the studio when she was recording one of his songs and wrote to her afterwards to tell her how her version "stays with him". Aside from music Jann has written four books and regularly appeared in challenges with TV Host Rick Mercer which caused her to become a viral sensation to a new generation of fans. Her live shows are as popular for her story-telling as for her music. She has even hosted a gala at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. Her sit-com "Jann" was a smash hit in Canada in 2019 and the new season drops soon. Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Jann Arden Twitter: @jannarden Instagram: jannarden Facebook: /JannArdenOfficial

The first album I ever got was a cassette copy of Bananarama’s “Greatest Hits Collection”. When I discovered pop music with their anthem “I Want You Back” I listened to it over and over. At the time I was too young to be allowed read pop magazines so i didn’t know what they looked like until I finally saw them in my friends copy of smash hits.  But when I go the greatest hits that christmas I was surprised that there was a different girl on the cover. I learned that this girl was the original member of the band but not the girl that had appeared on their current hits.  It made no sense to me on that Christmas Day in 1988.  Jacquie O’Sullivan was the former lead singer of Rockabilly band the Shillelagh Sisters when she was called to a meeting and asked to replace Siobhan Fahey who was leaving Bananarama, then the biggest girlband in the world. Jacqui had four years of wild partying in the band until she was suddenly not there any more and Bananarama reemerged as a duo.  In this chat Jacquie talks for the first time about life in the band, her shock departure and life since. When she left the band she was one of the most famous women in the UK and she needed a job. She eventually fled to Thailand and led a very different life to that of a member of  the biggest girlband in the world. Before coming home she found yoga and trained for two years to become a teacher.  https://music.apple.com/ie/artist/slippry-feet/165818619">You can listen to Slippry Feet here https://music.apple.com/ie/artist/shillelagh-sisters/270295465">You can listen to the Shillelagh Sisters here https://music.apple.com/ie/artist/bananarama/720991">You can listen to Bananarama here Follow Gearoid Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly">@gearoidfarrelly Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly">gearoidfarrelly Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly">;/gearoidfarrelly Follow Jacquie O'Sullivan Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jacquie0007"> @jacquie0007 Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jacquieoofficial">jacquieoofficial Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jacquieosullivanofficial"> /jacquieosullivanofficial

In this episode Gearóid chats to actress and comedian Jessica Chaffin.  In podcasting circles Jessica is well-known for her genius comedy creation Ronna Glickman formerly of the “Ronna and Beverly” podcast. She has just launched her advise show “Ask Ronna” with Bryan Safi.   Jessica has also appeared in a whole pile of sitcoms and movies. Most recently she can be seen on “Abbys’ on NBC. She is also on “Big Mouth” on Netflix and has previously had roles on “Veep”, “Two Broke Girls”, “Weeds”, “Search Party”, “Episodes” and “Man With A Plan”.  She has also appeared in “Spy”, “The Heat” and “Ghostbusters” all directed by Paul Feig who directed the original Showtime pilot for “Ronna And Beverly” and their subsequent UK chat show for Sky Atlantic.  A new episode of “Ask Ronna” drops every Tuesday and it is available wherever you get your podcasts. 

In 2007 Sean and his Sarah caught the eye of a production runner while queuing to audition for the X Factor. Within a couple of months they were both performing live together every saturday night to millions of viewers. Each week to Same Difference astonished producers by clocking up millions of votes. Their cheesy but note-perfect performances had won the hearts of the viewing public and there was no turning back. They were beaten in the final but went a way with an album deal and a legion of fans. The following year the financial crisis played havoc with the campaign for the major label release of their debut album "Pop". A major image overhaul accompanied their next album. There were acoustic sessions and naked photo shoots. Having made a lot of money Same Difference called it a day in 2014. Sean hit the gym and launched a solo career and hasn't looked back.  Follow @seansmithsolo  Buy Sean's music https://www.energiserecords.com/sean-smith/

Ep 41: Beyonce That’s Who with Matthew Marsden In this episode Gearóid chats to former soap-star, former pop-star and proper Hollywood star Matthew Marsden. After a stint as a male model Matthew began his acting career in the UK soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street. A brief but productive music career followed. He recorded the album “Say Who” for Sony. Notable because his backing singers on his second release were none other then Destiny’s Child with one Beyonce Knowles. Matt tells Gearoid how he ended up in the recording studio with Beyonce and why he walked away from music.   After starring opposite Michael Caine in the movie “Shiner” Matthew relocated to Hollywood and has never looked back. Roles in “Black Hawk Down”, “Transformers” and “Anacondas” followed. On TV he appeared in “NCIS” and “Two And A Half Men”. He also chats about his introduction to Stallone when they worked together on “Rambo”.  As well as acting Matthew has just completed his first project as writer, director and actor. His movie “I Am That Man” is the story of a Navy seal trying to reintegrate into civilian life. Matthew has spent his career playing military roles and with this movie he was determined to accurately portray the lives of the people who serve.  You can watch a trailer for the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6YDlbClJVw

In this episode Gearóid talks to his favourite actress of all time: Tyne Daly. Tyne Daly is a celebrated star of stage and screen. She once dreamed of becoming a nun to the theatre, but a stint as Dirty Harry's sidekick in "The Enforcer" led to her starring opposite Loretta Switt in a tv movie of the week called "Cagney & Lacey" which was a buddy film about two women working as New York police officers. The movie turned into a series and despite some bumps and cast changes the show went on to become iconic television. During the series run both Tyne and her co-star Sharon Gless were nominated for the Best Actress Emmy with one of them taking home the prize each season. Tyne won an unprecedented three in a row and also took another in the last season. "Cagney and Lacey" was the first time in the history of network television that an hour was turned over to tell stories about women. It is widely accepted that the show changed the way women were perceived in television. Tyne's hasn't stopped working since. She went to Broadway and one a Tony for "Gypsy" and returned to the theatre in a string of new plays including the Pulitzer Prize winning "Rabbit Hole". Recently she starred opposite Sally Field in "Hello My Name Is Doris", the revival of ninties sitcom "Murphy Brown" and "Spiderman: Homecoming". This interview was recorded live at the Townhall Theatre, Galway as part of the Galway Film Fleadh where Tyne was promoting her new movies "The Bread Factory Parts One and Two" Directed by Patrick Wang. You can purchase the complete "Cagney & Lacey" series here Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Tyne Twitter: @tynedalyonline Instagram: @tynedalyonline Facebook: /TyneDalyOnline Follow Cagney & Lacey Twitter: @Cagney_andLacey Facebook: /CagneyAndLacey

This is another side to a story we've already told but what a story this is. In this episode comedian Gearoid Farrelly chats to singer and actress Celena Cherry about her time as the front woman of 90's R&B band the Honeyz along with band members Heavenli Denton and Naima Belkhiati. The band debuted in 1998 and had a massive hit with the self-penned "Finally Found". They followed it closely with other mega-hits like "End Of The Line" and "Won't Take It Lying Down". The band struggled with internal conflict and Heavenli left just as they were about to sign a million pound deal with Def Jam records in the US, then unprecedented for a 90's girlband.  But the deal falling apart wasn't only drama caused by the line-up change. In a bizarre move the groups management salvaged a promotional tour of Australia by adding to the lineup a lookalike of Heavenli Denton (the band member that had left) in the hope that Australian fans won't notice. Almost 20 years later fans uncovered this slight of hand in internet footage from the tour and so was born the Honeyz meme "Fake-Hev". As heard in episode one, Mariama Goodman from the band Solid Harmonie joined the group and the hits continued. But Naima who was powerful force in the group clashed with her from day one. Eventually after eleven months Mariama and the accepted story is that the management brought Heavenli back to the group and insisted she rejoin much to the horror of Celena and Naima. But Celena explains that this isn't exactly how it actually happened.  The Honeyz gave us some of the best RnB songs of ninties but they existed in an industry that was inherently misogynistic and unapologetically racist.  https://music.apple.com/ie/artist/honeyz/219651229">You can purchase Honeyz music here Follow Gearoid Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly">@gearoidfarrelly Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly">gearoidfarrelly Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly">/gearoidfarrelly Follow Celena Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CelenaHoneyz">@CelenaHoneyz Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cherrycelena">@cherrycelena Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/">cherrycelena1

Ep 38: The Song With Wings with Chesney Hawkes In this episode comedian Gearoid Farrelly chats to nineties heart-throb Chesney Hawkes about the song that catapulted him to the top of the charts in 1991 and went on to become the 20th biggest selling song of the nineties. As well as reflecting on the dark days after the success had gone away Chesney also tells about his life before stardom came along In this episode Gearoid learns Chesney was the paper boy for another 80s pop-star, that a very famous film director has featured Chesney’s song in every one of his movies and Gearoid finally gets an answer to a question that has been tormenting him…. Did Chesney Hawkes write a song about sitting at home watching porn? Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly

Bianca Kinane is the big voiced Irish superstar that we almost had back in 1996. Bianca is from Clonmel and in 1994 took part in "Stars In Their Eyes" as Mariah Carey. A big recording contract with Pete Waterman followed. A huge media campaign promising an Irish Mariah Carey from 'County Clonmel' (sic) accompanied the release of some singles but the album never materialised. Though it was finished and ready, internal politics and budgetary problems saw the record label go bust before it's released. Bianca dusted herself off and got on with life after pop. She toured with Jools Holland and did session work. However three years later it happened all over again. She was again signed up to a big deal. She made an album, released singles and then at the eleventh hour before the albums release, the record label went into liquidation.  Bianca continues to record vocals on many hit dance tracks and club hits and is a respected session singer in the UK. People are fascinated with her pop past and are devastated on her behalf when hear that lightening strike twice. Bianca is by no means devastated she makes a good living doing what she loves and enjoys telling the tale she calls "Do you know who I nearly was".

In 1999 Daphne and Celeste burned pop music to the ground. They arrived from New York and released their debut single “ooh Stick you” and almost instantly had a hit. But there was more to Daphne and Celeste then the kitch pop tracks. They couldn’t take their newfound pop career seriously. They were astonished by straight faced interviewers asking their favourite vegetable. They would turn cheery kid’s tv presenters to defensive grumps as they lied their way through interviews and giggled uncontrollably. Essentially they were inventing trolling. The media cooked up controversy around their second record “U.G.L.Y” charging Daphne and Celeste with advocating bullying. The situation today would surely require media analysts or PR experts but Daphne and Celeste effortlessly batted the controversy away with eye-rolls and bored answers. It was quite spectacular. The girls wanted to see how far they could push it which led to them booking their infamous appearance at the Reading. They ignored all advise and performed to a crowd of 50,000 furious rock fans at the Reading Festival during which they were continuously pelted with bottles food and as you will here a wheelchair. After the breakup of Daphne and Celeste, both girls had successful acting careers. Daphne (Real Name Karen Di Concetto) is also a successful television writer (She was exec Producer of “Recovery Road” on ABC) and Celeste continues to act (she previously appeared in an episode of 30 Rock). Recently producer Max Tundra contacted the girls about reforming and this collaboration spawned a successful album and reunion tour. The genius of Daphne and Celeste was they didn’t pretend to be anything other then what they were, which was a flash in the pan novelty act. But weirdly it is this very self awareness that has us still talking about them 18 years later. [Email The Show](mailto:fascinated@headstuff.org) **Follow Gearoid** Twitter: [@gearoidfarrelly](https://twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly) Instagram: [gearoidfarrelly](https://instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly) Facebook: [/gearoidfarrelly](https://facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly) **Follow Daphne And Celeste** Twitter: [](https://twitter.com/Daphne_Celeste)[@Daphne_Celeste](https://twitter.com/Daphne_Celeste) Instagram: [](www.instagram.com/daphneandceleste)[daphneandceleste](https://instagram.com/daphneandceleste) Facebook: [](www.facebook.com/daphneandceleste)[/daphneandceleste](https://facebook.com/daphneandceleste) [Go to the Daphne And Celeste store](https://daphneandceleste.tmstor.es) **Follow Max Tundra** Twitter: [](https://twitter.com/maxtundra)[@maxtundra](https://twitter.com/maxtundra) Instagram: [](www.instagram.com/maxtundra)[maxtundra](Https://instagram.com/maxtundra) Facebook: [](www.facebook.com/maxtundra)[/maxtundra](https://facebook.com/maxtundra) [Buy Max’s Music on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B000APCCYC?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true)

In 2003 Michelle McManus shot to fame as the winner of the second series of Pop Idol. Throughout the series she stood out for her powerhouse soul voice. But she also got huge amounts of press coverage for her weight.   Today plus-size is celebrated, body positivity is embraced and everyone is encouraged to be who they are. In 2003 this was not the case. She was pilloried, debated, vilified and criticised every day in the media for the duration of the competition. But it never through her off course and she won with 58% of the public vote.  You would imagine that when an audience has spoken and a winner declared that the powers that be would just accept it. But that isn’t what happened. When she was announced as the winner one of the judges stormed off the set on live television as she was about to reprise the song. Michelle now lives back in Scotland where she works constantly as a radio and television host and of course as a singer. But there is also another side to Michelle. In 2012 she took her first one-woman show to the Edinburgh fringe and has been a sell-out success every year since. The shows are mix of comedy and cabaret and she plays every night of August to packed audiences at the Stand Comedy Club. (I saw her show last year and it was absolutely hilarious!) [Book Tickets to see Michelle McManus: Reloaded at this years Edinburgh Festival](https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/michelle-mcmanus-reloaded) “A very, very good comedian… the new queen of the one woman show” ***** Daily Record Email the show: [fascinated@headstuff.org](mailto:fascinated@headstuff.org) Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Michelle McManus Twitter: @ladym_mcmanus Instagram: ladym_mcmanus Facebook: /LadyMcManus1980 Previous Guests [See Marcella Detroit Live in London in July](https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/marcella-detroit) [Chely Wright is crowdfunding two new EPs](https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/chely-wright)

In 1998 my friend Niamh Kavanagh was making an album and she recorded some cover versions of a Canadian singer songwriter Jann Arden. I then listened to Jann's orignal versions and I have been hooked ever since. Jann Arden is a huge recording artist in Canada and had international success in 1994 with her "Living Under June" album. She has just released her 14th album "These Are The Days" and has released more than 40 singles. She has been nominated for 19 Juno awards and won 8 of them. She has contributed to movie soundtracks and is a regular on Canadian television. Leonard Cohen visited her in the studio when she was recording one of his songs and wrote to her afterwards to tell her how her version "stays with him". Aside from music Jann has written four books and regularly appeared in challenges with TV Host Rick Mercer which caused her to become a viral sensation to a new generation of fans. Her live shows are as popular for her story-telling as for her music. She has even hosted a gala at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and is in pre-production on a sitcom. Jann's mother is a huge fixture in her life. Her parents lived 60 meters from her on her land. A few years ago Jann's father suffered a stroke resulting in severe memory loss around the same time her mother began showing signs of Alzheimers which was diagnosed two days after her father died. I spoke to Jann on a surprisingly snowy morning in Calgary, just 6 weeks after she had finally agreed to put her mother in a Memory Care Centre. She was dealing with the emotion of this and her mother's distraught dog. After we spoke her day became even more strange; the first chapters of James Comey's autobiography had been released and he had used a quote from her on the first page of chapter one. If you were one of the people asking "Who is Jann Arden?". Well this is the podcast that will tell you everything you need to know. [This is the link to a clip of a phone going off in the audience of one of Jann's shows with hilarious results.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh2OnOyk4h4) Email the show [fascinated@headstuff.org](mailto:fascinated@headstuff.org) Follow Gearoid Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Instagram: gearoidfarrelly Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly Follow Jann Arden Twitter: @jannarden Instagram: jannarden Facebook: /JannArden

In this episode I got to meet up with 90s RnB pop goddess Michelle Gayle. But as you can see from the photo below myself and Michelle Gayle are old friends. I won a competition to meet her back in the mid-ninties and because I was under eighteen I had to bring my Dad. Michelle was a struggling singer who became an actress and then a very successful singer. Sh appeared in Eastenders and in the space of three years released two albums and a string of top 20 singles. She was nominated for three Brit awards and then mid-way through promoting her second record which was stared off more successful than the first, she disappeared. There were rumours of her changing record labels. But fans never knew what happened until now. She went on to star in Beauty and The Beast on the Westend becoming the first black woman to play a disney princess in the UK. After that she took part in the reality series “Reborn In The USA” where she competed with fellow ex-popstars in the US for a new record contract. The series ended up being a lot more then what they had signed up to and despite the very bizarre circumstances Michelle ended up in the final. Michelle has written three novels and is currently touring in “Son Of A Preacher Man”. She will be performing in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre with the show from 22nd to 26th May. For “Son Of A Preacher Man” tickets click [here](Tickets http://bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/index.php/artist/son-of-a-preacher-man) Stay subscribed there will be a new episode soon! Email the show fascinated@headstuff.org Follow Gearoid Twitter: [@gearoidfarrelly](http://www.twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly) Instagram: [gearoidfarrelly](http://www.instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly) Facebook: [/gearoidfarrelly](http://www.facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly) Follow Michelle Gayle Twitter: [](http://www.twitter.com/michellegayle1)[@michellegayle1](http://www.twitter.com/michellegayle1)

A teaser for the new season of Fascinated with Gearóid Farrelly. The season starts on Wednesday 2nd May 2018.

The Comebacks (Part 2): Deirdre O’Kane The Fascinated Live show as the Dublin Podcast Festival was an embarrassment of riches. In part one I was joined by fabulous Singer/Songwriter Naimee Coleman and in part two the fantastic Deirdre O’Kane. This is interview is proof if it was needed that Deirdre is very very funny.

The Comebacks (Part 1) This is the first half of a show recorded live at the Dublin Podcast Festival 2017 with guests Deirdre O’Kane and Naimee Coleman. In this episode Naimee Coleman picks up where she left off in our last chat where she had decided to get back to writing and playing music having taken time out to have children. 

In 2015 between the Marriage Referendum results and the American Supreme Court Ruling a video of a romantic proposal was shared on the Huffington Post website. It was one of those videos that melt your heart before you’ve even got out of bed. But aside from the romance of the whole thing one of the guys was very familiar.  Craig Young a member of the fleeting 90s pop group; Deuce.  In an episode that accidentally ended up in the archives Gearoid chat to Craig about his time as a pop singer which was considerably less glamorous then it looked and his transition to a successful career on US television in shows like; NCIS, Hawaii 5-0, Sabrina the Teenaged Witch, Charmed and The Last Ship. A very interesting chat with a lovely guy about his fascinating journey. 

In this episode Gearoid heads to London to meet Ben Adams. Ben is a music producer and songwriter. He has written and produced hits for some of today’s brightest stars. But Ben is probably best know for having the most famous pair of curtains in pop. Ben is a member of the boyband a1. They […] La entrada Ep 29: Same Old Brand New Ben with Ben Adams from A1 se publicó primero en Headstuff.

Actor James Dreyfus has just finished a 5 year run in the series “Mount Pleasant”. Gearoid visited him at his home in London to chat about his career which has included some iconic british comedies. He recalls his first professional job in Panto with Graham Norton. A star turn in in Jennifer Saunders’ hit series “Absolutely Fabulous” led to his casting opposite Rowan Atkinson in Ben Elton’s “The Thin Blue Line”.  Following that he starred opposite Kathy Burke in the series “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme”.  While the series was a massive ratings hit, it was panned by critics. The gay press attacked James viciously. When accepting a British Comedy Award Kathy Burke defended her friend and co-star and called out the gay press for their treatment of him.  After the second season of “Gimme Gimme Gimme” the show transferred to BBC1 and James was approached to star opposite Bette Midler in her US sitcom as the Divine Ms. M was a big fan.  He talks about the influence the roles he has played have had on his career and recalls the night someone in a theatre audience got the wrong end of the stick.  James is an extraordinarily talented lovely and a very lovely man.  

In 2010 Chely Wright became the first major country music star to come out as gay. In this episode Gearoid talks to Chely Wright about the struggle to be authentic and the price you pay when you are not. Since the age of 4 Chely has wanted to be a country music star. At 18 she moved to Nashville to follow her dream. Her dreams came true and she achieved more success than she had ever dreamed. But in her personal life Chely was struggling. She was secretly gay and this was at odds with her profession and her religion.  In 2007 she almost paid the ultimate price but instead decided to honestly tell her story. A secret three year plan was put in place for Chely to come out to the world. The process was documented in her multi award winning documentary “Wish Me Away”.  Follow Chely  Twitter: @chelywright Facebook: www.facebook.com/chelyw Webstore: www.chely.com Chely’s albums “I Am The Rain” https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/i-am-the-rain/id1130151406 https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/single-white-female/id7468328 https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/lifted-off-the-ground/id716744160 Documentary Autobiography: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/movie/chely-wright-wish-me-away/id553267633  “Like Me” https://itunes.apple.com/ie/book/like-me/id553829224?mt=11 If you like this episode don't forget to please rate it on iTunes and leave a nice review. Best of all you could share it with your friends or on social media.  There will be a new episode in two weeks. Follow Gearoid on Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly Email the show fascinated@headstuff.org

It is two years since Ireland voted in favour of a constitutional change to allow gay people to marry.  It was a monumental step for gay rights. But the run up to referendum was a difficult time for LGBTQIA people when even simply watching a youtube video meant you had to endure an anti-equality message.  This episode contains clips of interviews with three people you won’t have heard of who each campaigned in different ways from different perspectives.  These interviews were recorded in May 2015.  

Gearóid meets athlete Oliver Dingley the olympic diver who changed nations to become the first diver in sixty eight years to represent Ireland in the Olympic games. He then made history by becoming the first Irish diver to make it to the final finishing a very respectable eighth position. In order to compete for Ireland Oliver had to make big sacrifices.  He moved to Ireland with his coach and he lives on campus in the national sports centre.  He is by his own admission a bit of a hermit.  We chat about the psychology of staying focussed when the world is watching, free food at the olympics and meeting his idols.   Oliver Dingley came to prominence when in 2008 at the age of 15 he became the youngest ever British Men’s one meter springboard champion. He won the title again in 2009, 2011, 2013. In 2010 he won gold at the British cup for the three meter springboard. Despite his success he wasn’t selected for a world cup or world championships. In Olympic trials for London 2012 he finished second. The divers that finished first and third were selected for team GB instead. When he won bronze commonwealth games in 2014 he decided to change nations and dive for Ireland.Oliver’s commitment to his training is very impressive. He trains for 25 hours a week and has never been on a diet.   Follow Olly  Twitter: @oliverdingley  Instagram: oliverjdingley Facebook:/oliver.dingley Donate to Olly’s fundraiser for Pieta House https://dil-phoenix-park.everydayhero.com/ie/oliver If you like this episode please rate it on iTunes and leave a nice review but best of all please share it with a friend. There will be a new episode in two weeks.  Follow Gearoid on Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly  Email the show fascinated@headstuff.org

In this episode Gearoid travels to Henley on Thames to pay a visit T’pau singer and 80s rock queen Carol Decker. We take a nostalgic look back at her glory days and chat about everything from fridges to “The Killing”. In the 80s Carol Decker and her former partner Ronnie Rogers shared a damp flat in which they wrote songs chasing their dream of superstardom which remained elusive for six years. They endured the heartache of publishing deals falling through but always believed in their songs. When success came it was worth the wait and their band T’Pau (named after a Star Trek character became huge all over the world) with hits like “Heart and Soul”, “China in your Hand” and “Valentine”.  When it all ended Carol mourned her fame for a long time until she met a new manager, a new man and embraced her past.  She is now the mother of two teenagers and has forged a solo career. She reunited with Ronnie for a 25th anniversary T’pau tour and they made another critically acclaimed T’pau album.  Carol tours regularly and has released her autobiography “Heart & Soul”.   If you enjoy this episode please share it and leave a review on iTunes and while you are there why not treat yourself to some T’Pau!  Follow Carol: @caroldecker Follow Gearoid: @gearoidfarrelly http://www.tpau.co.uk/shop http://www.universalmusic.ch/music/artist/t-pau/release/0602557203660

Kelle Bryan’s fascinating story is one of eternal resilience. In 1992 Kelle Bryan went underage clubbing with her friend Louise and dramatically changed the course of both their lives. At the time they both were studying at the famed Italia Conti stage school. Louise was spotted by a record producer who was putting together an R&B band. She roped in her friend Kelle and Eternal was born. Within three years they were in the Guinness book of records with the biggest selling debut album for a UK girlband. Shortly after that Louise left the group. Kelle remained with sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett and they were relaunched as a three-piece. The group completed 4 world tours and sold in excess of 15 million records. Eternal continued to go from strength to strength. The girls became hugely successful. But success was bittersweet. Relations within the band were very strained and Kelle was fired by fax after the release of their Greatest Hits album. She immediately signed to a solo deal and straight away began work on an album. However recording halted when Kelle was struck down with Lupus. Kelle has worked as an agent for the past 17 years and is CEO of her own Entertainment Agency. She continues to battle Lupus and is a patron of St. Thomas Lupus Trust. You can help her by donating at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/IGaveToKelsCoz If you enjoy this episode please share it and leave a review on iTunes and while you are there why not treat yourself to Eternal’s Greatest Hits! Donate to Kelle’s fundraising for St Thomas Lupus Trust: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/IGaveToKelsCoz Follow Kelle Bryan: @kellebryan Follow Gearoid Farrelly: @gearoidfarrelly You can listen to the rest of the fascinating episodes from previous series here on HeadStuff, or by subscribing on iTunes or where ever you get your podcasts.

A teaser for the new season of Fascinated with Gearóid Farrelly. The season starts on Wednesday 12th April 2017. You can catch up on all 23 previous episodes over on the HeadStuff Podcast Network. You can check out the full video promo right here. La entrada Fascinated New Season Promo: Listen Here se publicó primero en Headstuff.

Shelly Poole and her sister Karen work independently of each other as much sought-after hit-writers for today’s pop acts. But their success began jointly as hit makers themselves; lining up the soldiers and shooting them all down from 1996 to 2001. Their career began in their friends attic where their band Alisha’s Attic was born. They racked up hit after hit before consciously uncoupling after their third album. I met Shelly in London a few months back and we talked for hours. In fact we were thrown out of the rented meeting room for massively outstaying out allotted time-slot. Shelly talked about her ferocious work ethic and the difficulty she faces in separating her life into her writing day-job and her night time passion project Red Sky July. The americana band with her husband Ally McErlaine (Texas) and Charity Hair (The Alice Band) which she describes as her heart. She also reflects on her time in Alisha’s Attic and we struggle to come to terms with their debut being released 20 years ago today. Whether you were tragically unaware of Alisha’s Attic or you were a die-hard Dangel-wearing FAN-ATTIC you will find Shelly a wonderfully inspiring person.  Die-hard fans can be content we did address (and perhaps put to bed) the Attic Vaults 2 debacle and we also discover the most famous Fan-Attic. So grab a coffee and tune in to a time when it felt like Alisha really did rule the world. www.redskyjuly.com @shellypoole @alishasband @redskyjuly https://www.facebook.com/RedSkyJuly/ https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/voyager-ep/id1144874421

In this special episode, food-writer Lilly Higgins and former White-House correspondent Gina London join Gearoid for the first “Fascinated – Live”. This show was recorded in front of an audience in the green room of the Cork Opera House as part of the Cork Comedy festival. Gina tells Gearoid about reporting live from the White House, fleeing Egypt and the danger of hot microphones. Lilly and Gearoid chat about (and try to start) bake-off rumours, cook-books and non-compulsory marriage.

Jo Youle has lived two lifetimes. In the 90s she was part of the band Scarlet who had a massive hit with the song “Independent Love Song”. Her life was writing and recording music and a whirlwind of promotion, photoshoots and the terrifying prospect of playing live to huge audiences.  Alongside her music career Jo also worked as a volunteer at the Samaritans. Scarlet’s pop stardom ended, after their ill-fated second album. Jo continued volunteering at the Samaritans and then went on to become a director of Helplines at Missing People;  a UK charity which is a lifeline when someone disappears. In 2012 she became the organisation’s Chief Executive.  As well as having a very unusual career path, chatting with Jo was fascinating because of her passion and commitment to her work. For more information about missing people  http://www.missingpeople.org.uk I Hope – Missing People Choir and Friends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfjr8XD2E5M https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/i-hope-single/id1109372930

Mo Gaffney from Absolutely Fabulous joins Gearoid to chat about comedy, her career and put the world to rights. Mo is a very respected actress, writer, comedian and activist. She began her career as part of a double act with Kathy Najimy with whom she wrote two smash hit off-Broadway shows; Parallel Lives and The Dark Side which were subsequently were filmed for HBO and won a string of awards. She has appeared in a string of sitcoms in the US including Friends, Mad About You, That 70s Show and most recently 2 Broke Girls and Veep. In the UK she created the hapless Taffy Turner for Ruby Wax’s BBC series The Full Wax and of course appeared in every series of Absolutely Fabulous. Jennifer Saunders recently declared Mo the funniest performer she has ever worked with. Mo is a longtime activist and has written and spoken extensively on the rights of Women and the LGBT community. She is an all round good egg and is an absolute delight.

In this episode Gearoid (with a little help.. ok a lot of help from Dave Moore)  tracks down Irish singer songwriter to find out what became of the Dundrum songstress after her second album. Naimee made her first record soon after she left school and her debut album “Silver Wrists” was a hit in Ireland and around Europe and had hits with “Care About You”, “Ruthless Affection” and “Sometimes”.  No-one was more surprised then Naimee when she discovered on a promotional trip to Japan that she was huge there.  After her second album Naimee went off the grid and moved to Los Angeles where she continued to work as a singer songwriter.  Naimee Coleman is lovely, funny and full of great stories. She tells Gearoid how she ended up songwriting with Chesney Hawkes in a french castle, eating her lunch next to a Beatle, performing at the Hollywood Bowl with a few hours notice, touring with a Bee Gee and writing music for US telly.

In this episode Gearoid heads to Cobh (the new Kinsale) to chat to “Great Irish Bake-Off” judge Lilly Higgins. Lilly is a food writer, chef and photographer with a background in art and design. With a CV like that it is no surprise that her books are so beautiful. Once it is established that Lilly is not in a girlband they chat about her new venture into the world of food production. Gearóid learns about cacao, Lilly talks about Mary Berrying on “The Great Irish Bake Off” and working with her comedian sister Maeve on their cult comedy cooking show “Fancy Vittles”. Then in a dark turn Gearoid and Lilly both conspire to commit defamation in what became the first beeped out moment on this podcast.  Lilly is one of the most delightful people you could hope to meet. She has produced two cook books “Make Bake Love” and “Dream Deli” and writes a weekly column in The Irish Times.

In 1998 the Spice girls were busy dealing with over-exposure and the departure of Geri Halliwell.  Their crown was deftly snatched away by an Irish foursome who jigged and twinkled their way to the top of the charts pumping out hit after hit.  B*witched struck hard and fast and world domination followed. For Edele it was the beginning of a punishing schedule and unrelenting hard work. A few years later with the world at their feet and two double platinum albums under their belt the record company pulled the plug on the girl’s third record essentially ending their careers with a phonecall.  Over the years relationships between the girls became strained. Edele continued to work behind the scenes as a songwriter until ten years later an offer came to reunite B*witched. They patched up their differences and returned to the spotlight with new music.  Edele chats about her time in the band and how her life has changed since the reunion.

If you were a child of 80s Ireland, Bosco was almost certainly a big part of your childhood. Bosco has now been off the air for 20 years, and there hasn’t been a new episode in 30. Yet, Bosco remains as much a part of our Irish identity as the shamrock or stew. In her first ever interview, Gearóid talks to Paula Lambert who has been the hand and voice behind Bosco since the early 80s.  They chat about making the series, the hallowed “inside Bosco’s box” scenes, merchandise and that record. Gearóid finds out how much of a fan he was by talking to someone who knows best and Bosco even makes an unscheduled appearance.  This is a schmalzy nostalgia-fest. Enjoy with wine.

In this episode Gearóid chats to two stars in the making; Mark Ronson’s latest protege Keyone Starr (vocalist on his grammy winning album) and Dubliner Hallie Ridgeway. Keyone Starr has already caught the attention of Mark Ronson when he travelled the bible belt in search of a gospel singer for his song “I Can’t Lose”. He was blown away by her voice and she recorded the track on his grammy winning album “Uptown Special”. Twitter: @keyonestarr  |  Instagram: @Keyonestarr

Two-time Olivier nominated Navan-man Killian Donnelly is one of the West-End’s brightest stars. His versatile singing voice has helped him rack up numerous starring roles on the London stage. He has also appeared in the movie of “Les Miserables” (correct Navan pronunciation please!) and performed at the Oscars. Last year he was nominated for an Olivier award for the role of Hughey in “Memphis The Musical” where he starred opposite Beverly Knight. Gearoid popped along for a chat in his dressing room at the Adelphi Theatre where he is currently wowing audiences in his award-winning role as Charlie in the London premiere of Kinky Boots. With a career going from strength to strength in the UK Killian chats about the importance of the amateur scene in Ireland, getting star-struck and his desire for a gig on home turf.

In this episode Gearoid chats to singer songwriter Marcella Detroit who is well-known for her solo records and her time in Shakespears Sister (sic). Before she was a recording artist in her own right she was also a respected songwriter, session singer and backing vocalist working with greats such as Aretha Franklin, Better Midler, Burt Bacharach, Belinda Carlisle and many more. She toured extensively with Eric Clapton and was responsible for some of his best loved songs (she co-wrote “Lay Down Sally” and more with him). Marcella chats about the highs and lows of Shakespears Sister. The heady period where they attained the longest-running number one for a female artist, a record still unbroken today, to the awards ceremony where it all imploded as they picked up a best album award. She ruminates on the changes in the music industry and her pride at producing her own records in her home studio and constantly reinventing her sound. She recalls the heady glamour days of lear-jets, live-aid and Elton John. The constant in all of that is her consistently brilliant music. Follow Gearoid on Twitter More Information: www.marcella-detroit.com Watch a cool documentary about the old-school recording of her album “The Vehicle” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPE4t8zS_Rk Read about and buy her brilliant new album “Gray Matterz” (“Fascinated” Listeners can get a signed copy!) http://www.graymatterz.info Watch a cool documentary about the old-school recording of her album “The Vehicle” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPE4t8zS_Rk Buy her music https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/marcella-detroit/id42111298 Connect https://www.facebook.com/marcelladetroitofficial https://twitter.com/marcelladetroit There is no greatest hits so here is Gearoid’s “Best of Marcella Detroit” Playlist: I Believe (From the album “Jewel”) Stay (from the Shakespears Sister album “Hormonally Yours”) You’re History (from the Shakespears Sister album “Sacred Heart”) Goodbye Cruel World (from the Shakespears Sister album “Hormonally Yours”) Digital Age (From the album “Gray Matterz”) You Don’t Tell Me Everything (From the album “Jewel”) Home (From the album “Gray Matterz”) Love X A Million (From the album “The Vehicle”) I’m No Angel (From the album “Jewel”) What’s the Time In Tokyo (From the album “Gray Matterz”) Tell Me (From the album “The Up Side Of Being Down”) I Hate You Now (From the album “Feeler”) Good Girl Down (From the album “The Vehicle”) England Calling (From the album “Gray Matterz”) Built For Speed (From the album “Dancing Madly Sideways”) The Vehicle (From the album “The Vehicle”) Still Not Smiling (Demo from Marcella’s Soundcloud page)

In this episode Gearoid meets ventriloquist Nina Conti the morning after her sold-out show for the Galway Comedy Carnival. She is mid-way through her largest tour to date. She chats about her start in ventriloquism, her puppet Monk and why she never wants to be an actress. Nina is a prolific comedian and documentary maker. She received a BAFTA nomination for her film “Her Master’s Voice” in which she took the puppets of her deceased mentor Ken Campbell to Vent Haven in Kentucky. Nina has won a British Comedy Award, stormed Live at the Apollo, Russell Howard’s Good News, Sunday Night at the Palladium – all without even moving her lips.

As part of Stock, Aiken and Waterman, Mike Stock is the most successful writer producer in British chart history. His music was the soundtrack to the late 80s and early 90s he wrote some of the most enduring floor-fillers, revived the flagging careers of legends like Donna Summer and Cliff Richard, created stars from the boys and girls next door and turned an actress into one of the worlds biggest pop stars. Mike talks about the intensity of the period where at one point they had five studios working 24 hours a day churning out hits for artists. Hence is responsible for 54 top ten hits in the UK, 18 number one hits worldwide and over 100 top 40 hits. He continues the Stock, Aiken and Waterman ethos of giving music fans what they want and recently produced a crowd-funded album for Shayne Ward.

Stephen Bradley is the writer and director of the recent bio-pic of Christina Noble. In this fascinating chat he takes us on the journey from the lunch where the project began, right up to the eve of it’s American release. The film has had a stellar run at film festivals winning numerous awards along the way. Stephen tells us of the logistics of shooting a film on 35mm half-way around the world, the obstacles of capturing a huge life on film; when a staggering reality can be more unbelievable than fiction. I also chat to Deirdre O’Kane about playing a real person and shadowing Christina Noble in Vietnam to prepare for the role.

Tony award winner Frances Ruffelle is a singer, actress, mother, francophile and cabaret chanteuse. She originated the iconic role of Eponine in the first production of “Les Miserables” and took it from the West-End to Broadway and won a Tony award in the process. Last Year I met her smack bang in the middle of London’s West-End. She had just finished a run in a new musical and the very first run of new cabaret show “Paris Original” to follow her Edinburgh smash hit “Beneath The Dress”. We talked about her return to the stage after a long sabbatical for motherhood, the bizarre record deal where she never recorded a not but got paid a fortune and why she no longer sings her “Les Mis” showstopper.

Carnie Wilson is a singer that went into the family business. She and her sister Wendy and their childhood friend Chynna Phillips make up the group Wilson Phillips. In the early ninties they achieved massive success with a string of hits following the footsteps of their famous parents. They disbanded and remained apart for almost a decade. I chat to Carnie about growing up as Brian Wilson’s daughter and following in his musical footsteps. The heartbreak of the unexpected demise of her group and returning to celebrate their parents music. Carnie Wilson really is a dream-guest.

Since 1995 Pauline McLynn is seldom mentioned without a reference to tea. I offered her tea and then accidentally gave her coffee. Pauline tells us about her time in Trinity College, her first performance and her secret Eurovision fetish. Our chat takes us from a parochial house on Craggy Island to Clatterford with Jennifer Saunders and she even reveals a stage role she has her eye on. Pauline is an actress, an author and an absolute delight.

When David W. Ross was a frustrated closeted member of a boy-band he never dreamed that almost 20 years later his movie, about equal rights for gay marriages, would be in cinemas at one of the most important points in the struggle for marriage equality in the US. He talks about how photographing proposition 8 rallies led him to turn what was originally a gay marriage-themed comedy, into a heartfelt, romantic drama. Also Irish politician John Lyons speaks about taking a stand for himself and everyone else in the midst of Panti-gate.

Who doesn’t love to win? Whether it’s a GAA final or an argument with your partner we all love to come out top dog. In this episode I talk to singer Niamh Kavanagh about representing Ireland and winning the Eurovision song contest in 1993, a time when, as she says “Ireland were just starting to become winners in the world”. Twenty years later, people still approach her to talk about their memories of the night she won. Also comedian Neil Delamere recalls the night someone he had cheered for showing up in his audience.

We all have our teen-idols and in this episode I come face to face with mine… sort of. In my younger school-days I was mad about Gayle & Gillian Blakeney from Australian soap opera “Neighbours”. There was a time you couldn’t open a magazine or turn on a TV show without seeing them. Afterwards they moved to LA and their careers took an unlikely twist which saw them building companies and brands. Today Gillian runs a very successful fashion label Leigh & Luca (Madonna has been seen in her creations!). Her diverse career has seen her become vice president of a vitamin company and along with her sister Gayle they revamped a toy company with a little help from the Osbournes. She has gone from playing a successful business woman on television to becoming a driven entrepreneur with a very impressive “get-it-done” attitude. I am also joined by Irish writer and comedian Kathleen O’Rourke, who was thrilled when her short film got an Oscar nomination… mainly because she hoped she would get a photo with her teenage obsession George Clooney. I wonder what happened!!!

For this episode Irish comedian and author Maeve Higgins and I go back to the 80s and discuss the legacy of my favourite TV show “Cagney and Lacey”. The show is widely recognised as the show that changed the role of women in television. The was largely due to the work of my guest Barney Rosenzweig the man who created and produced the show, saved it from cancellation twice and steered it to it’s rightful place in the history books as iconic television rather than vintage. Special thanks to the Archive of American Television for licensing the clip.

Cooks and bakers are big stars, tweeting a photo is part of dinner and cookbooks are bedtime reading. It’s safe to say food is the new rock ’n’ roll. In this episode I head to Ballymaloe Cookery School for a chat with the lovely Rachel Allen about the rise of the foodie. Also we discover the dark side of Donal Skehan as he tells us about his journey from pop music to the kitchen.

Radio producer Riyadh Khalaf attempts to take charge of this episode about jobs in which Eleanor Tiernan talks about the day she tried to return to life as a civil engineer after a five year career-break to pursue standup comedy. Mariama Goodman from the girlband the Honeyz talks about how she believes “if you don’t like your job, you don’t like your life”. She surprised her friends and family by leaving the chart-topping band and retraining as a midwife. The band reformed for a reunion tour in 2013 which she managed to juggle with her day-job.