What I Wish I'd Known

In this episode, Alice Thomson and Rachel Sylvester speak to James Cleverly, Secretary of State for the Home Department, about his childhood as a young black man growing up in South East London and how the racism he encountered then is...

In this episode, Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, tells us about how her childhood and passion for chess have shaped her identity as a woman within male dominated environments. Producer: Florence de Schlichting Hosted...

“And when I went into the church hall, every little girl, every single one, was in pink ballet shoes. And I walked in with my green ballet shoes, which were half price in the sale. And I did want to run back out through those great big...

In this episode we talk to BBC broadcaster and presenter Ashley John-Baptiste about his significant achievements, despite having suffered childhood trauma from his upbringing in foster care.Producer: Florence de Schlichting Hosted on...

"People don't want you to be able to see anything, report anything, or say anything intelligent. You just have to be an object of beauty." In this episode, Hollywood legend Sharon Stone talks to us about her new career as a painter and...

Times Journalists Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thomson return to talk to more extraordinary people about how their past has shaped their lives and how their childhoods have defined who they are today.In this series they are joined by the...

“Your life is built on the way you do things and the way people see you and the way you react”. The former Home Secretary, David Blunkett, says he is unsure whether he would choose the ability to see if he could. Born blind, David has...

“I felt uncomfortable with my passions and with my life at school,” says Steve Backshall. The naturalist has wowed British children for years with shows such as Deadly 60, but his own childhood discomfort with his passion for nature is a...

The Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey says on his parliamentary profile that he had a happy childhood with no financial hardships, but it was also one driven by such heartache that it’s hard to comprehend. He was just four years old when...

“Perseverance can lead to a life that maybe society thinks you're not going to have”, that’s what Jimmy Akingbola tells us despite being placed in a children's home at the age of two years old. The actor, best known for his roles in Ted...

“Everyone was fake in the world I was in”, that’s what Jamie Wood, step son of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, says of growing up in the shadow of a rockstar. He claims he was unwittingly introduced to drugs at a young age, which...

“The birds will help you”, says Mya-Rose Criag. The 21-year old ornithologist, author and campaigner explains how catching glimpses of rare birds has the ability to heal and soothe. She saw the positive effect in her own life as she...

“People talk about being obsessive like it’s a bad thing… but it’s not, it’s a really good thing. It drives you,” says Gary Numan. The influential pop star explains how he has come to see his Asberger’s diagnosis as a superpower, despite...

“I am so grateful for everything that’s ever happened,” says Suzie Fletcher. The Repair Shop’s resident leather expert explains how traumatic experiences have shaped her into the person she is today. Chief among those was the abusive...

“If you love your kids, they will be more resilient than you think,” says Joe Wicks. The nation's P.E.teacher talks about how his parents’ enduring love shaped Joe into the person he is today. Through his dad’s struggles with drug...

“I’ve been able to be equal parts missionary and mercenary,” says Karl Lokko. In this episode of What I Wish I’d Known, the venture capitalist and former gang leader talks of how his extraordinary youth has led to a clear purpose in the...

Best selling writer Anthony Horowitz, shares how he believes his astonishing drive and creativity was born out of trauma. He fought against countless people telling him he would never be good enough, including his own father, and now...

“Life is what is in front of you” says Deborah Meaden. In this episode of What I Wish I’d Known, the business leader shares how the challenges she faced in her early years shaped her as the entrepreneur we know today. At four years old...

Why is it that often people with the hardest beginnings in life become the most successful adults? And is there something to learn from those people who perhaps have the strongest sense of what matters most?Times Journalists Rachel...