A Before The Lights podcast alumni returns as Olivia Cooke joins us for a catch up about life on set and stressful house renovations. Olivia Cooke makes her second appearance on the podcast for a catch up about life on the set of Game of Thrones spin-off House Of The Dragon, keeping healthy in down time and stressful house renovations. The British actor discusses her relationship with body image, the challenges of staying physically and mentally fit during rigorous press tours and what happens w...
Jul 03, 2025•46 min•Season 4Ep. 11
We welcome our first musician of the series in the form of producer, singer-songwriter and all round bloody lively guy SG Lewis. He joins Dave, George and his actual brother and Before the Lights trainer Josh Lewis for a deep dive into his career so far and where he's heading next. Along the way they discuss the highs and lows of life in music and the journey he's been on mentally and physically to balance the extremes of life on the road. Expect home truths, inspirational teachers and stories a...
Jun 26, 2025•55 min•Season 4Ep. 10
You might know Siobhán McSweeney from Derry Girls, The Great Pottery Throw Down, Amandaland, Ru Paul's Drag Race or (soon) Traitors Ireland... Basically, she's bloody everywhere and now she's added the Before The Lights podcast to that illustrious list of career highlights. In this discussion about her time on and off screen Siobhán explores her route to success, being "so proud" of herself after recovering from a life-changing injury and entertainment's role in creating stereotypes of who "is a...
Jun 19, 2025•49 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Ever wanted to know how to convincingly walk backwards for your role in a Christopher Nolan blockbuster? Of course you have. Then look no further than our conversation with Tenet, Yesterday and Don't Look Up actor Himesh Patel for that incredibly niche advice and so much more wisdom from a career which started as a teenager in EastEnders. We discuss his journey from soaps to Hollywood, his hopes that more actors can follow the same route and how it feels to practice being hit by a bus. Follow us...
Jun 12, 2025•38 min•Season 4Ep. 8
We take a detour from our usual world of film and TV to welcome a NASCAR legend (a term he's still getting used to) Jimmie Johnson to the show. Along the way we discuss how he kept a winning mindset to become one of the sport's all-time greats, life after full-time racing and how an elite American athlete ended up in a gym full of actors in London. He also talks us through his brief run-in with Hollywood and his work with Will Ferrell on the NASCAR parody Talladega Nights. Follow us on Instagram...
Jun 05, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 7
This week we welcome British broadcasting legend (our words not his) Greg James to the show to discuss his relationship with health, wrecking balls and not taking life too seriously. Greg looks back at an early - and continuing - fascination with Micheal Palin which got him into running and how a new-found enjoyment of exercise has helped him in pretty much every aspect of his life. He also explores his career at Radio One, being honest and open with your audience and his admiration for people l...
May 29, 2025•42 min•Season 4Ep. 6
We've heard some pretty incredible stories on this podcast, but Henry Ashton's nightmare audition is an instant all-time classic. The My Lady Jane and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder actor joins Dave and George to discuss some of his career highlights to date and the moment he knew he wanted to dedicate his career to acting. He also talks about his introduction to Before The Lights as "a sexy Tudor", the health secrets he's learned during his time at the club and stepping into the Game Of Thrones ...
May 22, 2025•40 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Model and activist Cora Corré joins us to discuss her career in fashion and the work she's doing to continue the legacy left by her grandmother Vivienne Westwood's Vivienne Foundation. Cora sits down with George and Dave to discus some of the challenges she faced in the early stages of her career in fashion, how she hadn't always planned to work with her family and introducing Vivienne Westwood to Instagram. Along the way they also explore her evolving relationship with her body image, growing u...
May 15, 2025•39 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Jacob Ifan instantly made a mark on the BTL studio/ library with an incredible Welsh discovery on the bookshelf. Once he'd delivered a romantic opening monologue, conversation turned to his time on the set of SAS Rogue Heroes, being naked in the gym and his multiple international personas. In Jacob's own words this episode is "mad", but it's well worth sticking around to hear about his run-in/ slip out of a "cock sock" and a seductive ending to the podcast. Follow us on Instagram for updates on ...
May 08, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 3
There's only one member of the Before The Lights who would request we install GTA on the treadmills; ladies and gentleman Tuwaine Barrett. Having worked with Tuwaine for most of his career is was a pleasure to sit down and discuss his route into acting via The Brit School, some hard conversations with his family and his desire to be "anyone but me" at certain stages of his life. His journey has seen him appear in Mike Leigh's Hard Truths, Daisy May Cooper's The Witchfinder and some seriously exc...
May 01, 2025•43 min•Season 4Ep. 2
We're back! Welcome to season four of Before The Lights. Where better to get things underway than with One Day and This Is Going To Hurt actor Ambika Mod, who instantly breaks down the mystique of actors being out of touch by admitting she Googled “PT for actors” to find the club because she was “tired all the time”… Something she’s managed to overcome since joining the club. With the barriers well and truly down, conversation turns to her love of improv comedy, the importance of regular bowel m...
Apr 24, 2025•52 min•Season 4Ep. 1
This time George, Dave and Georgia are joined by double-Scottish Bafta winner Lauren Lyle. We don't normally make too much of a big deal out of the awards our guests have won but when they get nicknamed "the twins" and involve a story about Lauren's dad talking to basically every famous Scottish person in one night it's hard to ignore. Along the way, the team discuss everything from her key roles so far Outlander, Vigil and Karen Pirie as well as growing up in New Zealand and being chased by a m...
Feb 27, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Yes, we can hear him Clem Fandango - this week's guest is Toast of London, What's Love Got to Do with It? and Rogue Agent actor Shazad Latif. He tells us throwing up moments before a huge scene with Liam Neeson, forcing table tennis scenes into films, and not getting the part on a TV show even though the character had the same name as him. There is also room for some semi-serious chat about how finding spirituality has helped Shazad keep his mental health in check and given him a healthier outlo...
Feb 20, 2024•37 min•Season 3Ep. 13
George and Dave cover some serious ground with The Winter King and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actor Iain De Caestecker on this week's episode. From horse-riding lessons from a 10-year-old to learning to acclimatise to LA and being part of the Marvel Universie, Iain explains how keeping on top of his mental and physical health on and off set have been key to the success in his career. Follow us on Instagram for updates on all aspects of the club. You can also click here to apply for Before The Lights...
Feb 13, 2024•37 min
This time the team catch up with Harris Dickinson to talk all things wrestling, mental health and passive aggressive teachers as they delve into his career. From politely declining the chance to become a hotel manager, to ice baths on major film sets the Before The Lights team explore how his ambition to succeed has seen him develop a mental and physical routine to help keep his mind and body on track. Follow us on Instagram for updates on all aspects of the club. You can also click here to appl...
Feb 06, 2024•39 min
Every now and again we uncover something pretty special about our guests. But nobody was ready for actor, writer and director Craig Roberts (Still Up, Just Jim, Submarine) to reveal his rapping alter-ego; Deadpan Man. That said, it quickly becomes apparent it was a lucky escape for everyone involved that he dropped his lofty ambitions being the Welsh Eminem and forged out a career in film and TV. As well as discussing his fading musical (and professional tennis) hopes Craig gives fascinating ins...
Jan 30, 2024•38 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This time we're joined by our first ever Disney prince; Jonah Hauer-King aka Prince Eric in 2023's live-action version of The Little Mermaid. He chats to Dave, Josh and George about training to be graceful on boats, on land and at sea despite not being a great swimmer. They also delve into his other roles like The Tattooist of Auschwitz and William Tell to explore how adapting your body can be a challenge both mentally and physically. Along the way they also uncover how an animal allergy has hau...
Jan 23, 2024•33 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Considering this is podcast focusses a lot on fitness, it's surprising this happened sooner; our first professional athlete joins the show in the form baseball legend Chase Utley. The World Series winner and six-time All Star player discusses how he kept in physical and mental shape across his 16-season career with Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers and how he made the transition into retirement from the sport. Given Before the Lights' background in film and TV it would be rude no...
Jan 16, 2024•34 min•Season 3Ep. 8
This week the Before The Lights team are joined by Sex Education, Killing Eve and My Lady Jane actor Edward Bluemel for tales of mermen, excessive running and denim theft. He also tells the team about his girlfriend's plans for a 'horny Instagram rebrand' and how he keeps his body in check between work now that he's found a successful routine in the gym. Follow us on Instagram for updates on all aspects of the club. You can also click here to apply for Before The Lights membership. This episode ...
Jan 09, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 7
This week the team welcome Shadow and Bone actor Freddy Carter! He discusses a whole set of skills he picked up for the role including fighting with a cane and rolling through windows while suspended at 80ft in the air. But that kind of acting prowess doesn't come from nowhere so he also reveals how he developed his range - and thick skin - in drama school by playing a giraffe in front of seven-year-olds. Along the way he also talks about how he deals with downtime between jobs, his upcoming rol...
Jan 02, 2024•34 min•Season 3Ep. 6
A Christmas treat on this week's episode with non-actor, non-director, all round food hero Nigel Slater. He's been training with Before The Lights for over a decade and in that time has managed to keep his love of food (and having puddings for breakfast) alive. Nigel discusses the importance of working with people you trust to keep a healthy mind and body, as well as his favourite KitKat flavours from around the world and why he'll never host a dinner party. Follow us on Instagram for updates on...
Dec 26, 2023•36 min•Season 3Ep. 5
This week it’s a full Before The Lights cast conversation with Izzy Laughland (Foundation, Ghosts, Good Luck To You Leo Grande). From her early start in Harry Potter and The Intebweeners, to her current work on Foundation via weightlifting and an incredible story about breakdancing she covers some serious ground with George, Dave, Josh and Georgia. Follow us on Instagram for updates on all aspects of the club. You can also click here to apply for Before The Lights membership. This episode was re...
Dec 19, 2023•36 min•Season 3Ep. 4
The Before The Lights team welcome their first returning guest in the form of Jacob Anderson, who is "on an apology tour" to make up for his last appearance on the show. During this second chat on the show Jacob explains how he's become a changed man and can now see the benefits of exercise on and off screen and knows it is "good for me". He also discusses prepping for Interview With a Vampire, accent work, his daughter's new nickname and balancing family life and work. Follow us on Instagram fo...
Dec 12, 2023•31 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This time we welcome our first writer and director to the show; Sam H Freeman! The BAFTA nominee, who has worked on shows like Industry, tells us about taking the leap into his directing debut FEMME and how the process encouraged him look at his mental and physical health differently. Along the way he discusses how he aims to keep casts engaged on set and his effort to make his work, as well as the teams he works with, welcoming spaces for young, emerging LQBTQ+ talent. Follow us on Instagram fo...
Dec 05, 2023•41 min•Season 3Ep. 2
The Before The Lights team return with a name you'll know from Barbie, Sex Education, SAS Rogue Heroes; Connor Swindells. As well as his acting career, Connor dives into his boxing background and how the lessons he learned in the ring helped him end up on set with some of his biggest acting inspirations despite having no traditional training... and how he nearly shat himself after a particularly hard punch. He also discusses how he keeps his mind and body in check between work and his efforts to...
Nov 28, 2023•41 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Rivers of gold in Lord Of The Rings, continuous sound effects and a terrifying alter-ego called Gladys... strap in for a journey with this week's guest Benjamin Walker. After realising Ben can contractually say *nothing* about his role in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power George, Josh and Dave move on to the next logical subject; a mask of an old lady that he keeps in the loft. Beyond being used as a prop at Halloween parties, it turns out 'Gladys' played a key part in Ben's early stage ...
Sep 01, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 8
It’s rare that one of the team cries during the recording of an episode. But this week’s guest Sacha Dhawan (who you’ll know from Doctor Who, Iron First, The Great and so much more) has no issue setting off the water works as he delivers an embarrassing story which Dave calls “one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard”. Before we get there though, the guys hear about Sacha’s journey from working for his dad to touring the world as one of the original cast of History Boys alongside the likes of ...
Aug 24, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 7
If you’re a fan of horse riding approach this episode with caution. If you’re not a fan of horse riding, there’s still a pretty wild story about riding horses on a film set. This week Josh, Dave and George and catch up with Kingsman and Infinite (among lots of other things that she may or may not have forgotten the name of) actor Sophie Cookson. As well as the usual heady mix of embarrassing stories and tangents about Josh’s trousers, the conversation explores how becoming a parent has shifted S...
Aug 17, 2022•32 min•Season 2Ep. 6
An audio guide to Belfast, 2.5 embarrassing stories and titbits of a load of projects that “I can’t talk about yet”; what more could you want when Before The Lights catch up with actor, writer and generally very busy man Conor MacNeill? As well as teasers of his upcoming role in a Liam Neeson action-thriller In the Land of Saints and Sinners and the return to hit finance drama Industry, Conor also tells Josh, George and David about bum training for a part in Derry Girls and how writing a script ...
Aug 10, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 5
The majority of the guests on this show have two things in common: 1/ They train with Dave, Josh, George and Georgia at Before The Lights. 2/ Julie Harkin has almost certainly played a part in their career. This week we're joined by our first 'behind-the-camera' guest as award-winning casting director Julie Harkin discusses her work on TV shows and films including the likes of Misfits, I May Destroy You, Industry and Utopia. Throughout her career, Julie and her team have been dedicated to making...
Aug 03, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 4
