Big Fish with Spencer Matthews

Welcome back to this Big Fish mini series which follows me as I attempt to complete a Guinness world record of 30 marathons in 30 days on sand through the Jordanian desert. If you're listening on release, I'm flying to Jordan right now and the enormity of this challenge is really dawning on me. This is part two of this episode with my running coach Chris Taylor and my trainer Shaun Stafford as we take you through how we’ve been training and planning for this world record attempt. Please donate at www.makesomenoise.com/spencer-matthews-challenge

Published: 25 July 2024

Welcome to this Big Fish mini series which follows me as I attempt to complete a Guinness world record of 30 marathons in 30 days on sand through the Jordanian desert. I fly out on Saturday, and start the race on Monday 29th July. Many people think this challenge isn't even possible; but I disagree. In this episode I'm joined by my running coach Chris Taylor and trainer Shaun Stafford to go through all the details of the race, including the route, how I've been training and all the challenges we're expected to encounter. Please donate if you can, at www.makesomenoise.com.

Published: 23 July 2024

Richard Whitehead is a world-class athlete. He’s a double gold and double silver Olympic medalist, a four time world champion and four time European champion. All this success with no legs.Richard runs with prosthetic legs as he has a double knee congenital amputation - but this never stopped Richard from becoming the best in the world. In 2004, aged 27, he dreamt of running a marathon and signed up for the New York Marathon having never run a mile. With pure determination and discipline, Richard has become one of the most inspirational British athletes.

Published: 18 June 2024

We’ve reached the end of the series, and I’ve absolutely loved recording these bonus episodes with my friend and personal trainer Shaun Stafford. Our aim was always to give you a quick deep dive into popular health trends to help you understand them better or change your perspective. I wanted to take a look at some of the top facts and tips I’ve learned in this series, which can help you to make small changes to live a healthier life. In this episode, we’re looking at sleep, caffeine and alcohol - we’re debunking myths, sharing some crazy facts and giving you some top tips so you can easily create new, healthier habits.

Published: 13 June 2024

Paul Chowdhry is an acclaimed and multi-award winning stand-up comedian, actor, writer and podcaster, he hosts The Paul Chowdhry PudCast for Global Player. He’s renowned as the most successful British Indian stand-up comedians in history, and has sold out Wembley Arena, putting him in the top 10 bestselling comics in 2017. His comedy is known for being outspoken and sometimes shocking, tackling subjects like race, sex culture. But in this interview we see a much more serious side to Paul. He talks about the impact of losing his mother at just 5-years-old, the horrific racist abuse he and his family experienced and how he’s built a resilient mindset to become an acclaimed comedian.

Published: 11 June 2024

We’re coming to the end of the series, and I’ve absolutely loved making these bonus episodes with Shaun. I wanted to take a look at my personal highlights from the series. So I’ve rounded up the best evidence-based tips on the most popular topics we’ve covered in this series. We’re looking at fasting, cold plunging and clean eating - it’s a quick lowdown on the benefits and drawbacks of each, plus how you can get started.

Published: 6 June 2024

Deborah Meaden is one of Britain’s best known business names - and I’ve been wanting her on the podcast ever since we launched. She’s a highly successful entrepreneur and has been an investor on Dragons’ Den since 2006. Her new book, Deborah Meaden Talks Money has been described as an unmissable book about money and finance for young people - and it’s out now. In this episode we talk about how to nail a Dragons’ Den pitch, whether she regrets any of her investments on the show and why money should never be your goal if you want to be successful.

Published: 4 June 2024

Metabolism is a bit of a buzzword at the moment. This week Spencer and Shaun explore what it is and whether you can actually speed it up.

Published: 30 May 2024

Gordon Smart is a broadcaster and journalist. His impressive rise to one of the jobs at the Sun newspaper at such a young age is absolutely remarkable. He became the showbiz editor at just 26 years old, and was appointed editor of the Scottish Sun at just 32. But at 36 he decided to pack it all in - telling me he couldn’t handle it, could no longer sleep at night and very nearly had a nervous breakdown. After leaving newspapers, he now presents on Radio 5 Live, co-hosts the Global podcast Restless Natives with Martin Compston and is editor-at-large of Men’s Health. Listen to Restless Natives here: https://linktr.ee/restlessnativespodcast

Published: 28 May 2024

In this episode, the lowdown on supplements and whether they can really benefit your health and lifestyle. Multivitamins, omega 3, vitamin D, protein powders and creatine... Shaun and Spencer bust some of the myths that surround them.

Published: 23 May 2024

Angela Scanlon is a presenter and author. She’s presented huge shows for the BBC including The One Show, and has just taken over Graham Norton as the weekend breakfast presenter on Virgin Radio. She’s also the co-founder of the jewellery brand frkl. In this interview we talked about how she manifested her hugely successful TV career, how being a self-confessed workaholic nearly led to burnout and the impact of battling a 15-year eating disorder.If you've been affected by anything in this episode, please see this website for more help and support: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/get-help-for-myself/i-need-support-now/helplines/

Published: 21 May 2024

In this episode we're telling you all you need to know about the gut microbiome - and why a healthy gut is crucial for improving your physical health, mental health and immune system.

Published: 16 May 2024

Timucin Lam, known professionally as Jax Jones, is a DJ, record producer and remixer. He rose to prominence in 2014 by featuring on Duke Dumont's number-one single "I Got U". Jax Jones is a trailblazer in the music industry - he has 8 UK Top 10 singles, 8 UK platinum singles, over 60 million single sales and a staggering 10 billion global audio streams. He’s also been honoured with multiple Grammy, Brti and Ivor Novello nominations and has worked with legends like Whitney Houston, Ed Sheeran, Diana Ross, RAYE and Mark Ronson. I absolutely LOVED this conversation with Jax. We talked a lot about his upbringing - how being abandoned as a baby fuelled his drive to succeed and make a name for himself. But also how that’s shaped his relationships and impacted his mental health.

Published: 14 May 2024

What are the best ways to recovery after a gruelling workout or endurance training? In this episode of Extra Catch with Shaun Stafford we're looking at the best ways to maximise recovery.

Published: 9 May 2024

Jason Fox, usually known as Foxy, is a television personality, adventurer and former UK Special Forces soldier and Royal Marine Commando. He joined the marines at just 16 - serving for ten years, after which he passed the gruelling selection process for the special forces. After leaving the military he’s become a bestselling author and is probably best known for presenting SAS: Who Dares Wins. His new book Embrace the Chaos is out now - it’s all about challenging your limits and changing your habits to transform your life. In this episode we talked about his gruelling SBS selection, his experiences of PTSD and repeatedly hitting the self-destruct button.

Published: 7 May 2024

Are you scared to lift weights out of fear you'll get too muscly? Do you want to give it a go but haven't a clue where to start? In this episode of Extra Catch with Shaun Stafford, we're giving the lowdown on why women should strength train: weight loss, increased metabolism, improving bone and joint health and hormonal balance. PS: You won't end up looking as big as Shaun, it's taken him 20 years to look that hench.

Published: 2 May 2024

TJ Power is a neuroscientist, co-founder of Neurify and author of The DOSE effect, which is out later this year. TJ has gained a huge following online for his groundbreaking approach to mental health - particularly in the face of the challenges posed by our modern, digitally-driven lives. In this episode, TJ breaks down how we can all optimise our brain chemistry to rewire our thinking for happier, healthier and more productive lives. DOSE stands for the four key chemicals that rule are thinking and behaviours: Dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.

Published: 30 April 2024

How much caffeine is too much? In this episode of Extra Catch with Shaun Stafford, we're taking a deep dive into caffeine. Is it actually bad for you? How can I optimise it for performance? And when does its overuse become too dependent?

Published: 25 April 2024

This episode contains discussion around suicide and eating disorders. If you are affected by anything you hear in this episode and need support, please see the suggested helpline and website links below. Christine McGuinness is a television personality, former beauty queen and most recently, an influential advocate for autism awareness. A few years ago, her three children were all diagnosed with autism and shortly after, Christine discovered she was autistic herself - being diagnosed at 33-years-old. In this episode we talk about how Christine’s autism hugely impacted her childhood. There were times where she felt suicidal and sensory issues around food resulted in an eating disorder. She also left school before she was 14 because her school didn’t know how to support her. We also talk about her relationship with her father, who has recently beaten a 40-year long heroin addiction. Samaritans helpline: 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/talk-us-phone/Beat eating disorders: 0808 801 0677https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/

Published: 23 April 2024

What is the secret to endurance training? I've completed multiple extreme challenges - most recently an ultra marathon in the Amazon jungle and another in the Sahara, Marathon des Sables. In this episode with Shaun Stafford are giving you the lowdown on how I train for such events and how I keep focussed. I'll also reveal how I'm currently training for my toughest challenge to date.

Published: 18 April 2024

This episode contains discussion around addiction and mental health. If you are affected by anything you hear in this podcast, please speak to your GP.Bryony Gordon is a journalist and author. Across her Telegraph column and bestselling books, she’s spoken openly about her mental health struggles, including living with OCD, alcoholism, drug addiction, depression and binge eating disorder. Her groundbreaking memoir Mad Girl was published back in 2016 and was a raw and jaw-droppingly truthful celebration of life with mental illness. 8 years on, she’s published her latest book Mad Women - where she reassessed everything she thought she knew about mental illness. In this episode we both talk extremely honestly about our struggles with alcohol, addiction and getting sober.If you're struggling with alcohol, Drinkline is the free national alcohol helpline. You can call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).

Published: 16 April 2024

What actually happens to your mind and body when you drink alcohol? In this week's episode of Extra Catch with Shaun Stafford we're exploring why alcohol is so damaging for you. If you're struggling with alcohol, Drinkline is the free national alcohol helpline. You can call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).

Published: 11 April 2024

Is happiness overrated? What's the secret to achieving true wealth? This week I'm joined by Robin Sharma - a bestselling author and globally celebrated leadership expert - to find out how you can transform your life. Robin's mentored sports superstars and financial titans and reveals the incredible secrets to their success. Robin's sold more than 25 million copies of his books worldwide and his latest book, The Wealth Money Can't Buy: The 8 Hidden Habits to Live Your Richest Life has just been released. This is one of my favourite interviews to date - and I know you'll learn as much as I did from this incredible guest.

Published: 9 April 2024

One of the most common questions in my direct messages is 'what do you eat?' So in this episode Shaun Stafford and I are talking about diet and clean eating. We discuss: what clean eating is, what the benefits are and whether clean it's too difficult to sustain long-term.

Published: 4 April 2024

Sophia Webster is a British luxury accessories designer, who founded her label in 2012. Her instantly recognisable shoes have been worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Rhianna, Taylor Swift and Oprah. She was first stocked in Brown’s after winning a shoe designer competition when studying at the Royal College of Art and is now sold in over 200 stores worldwide. Sophia turned her immense talent and strong vision into an iconic British brand, all under the age of 30.

Published: 2 April 2024

Is a fitness tracker essential for training? What does the data tell us and how can it be optimised? In this episode with Shaun Stafford, we talk you through how you can best use your tracker and whether they're worth the money.

Published: 28 March 2024

Amy Dowden is a professional dancer, best known for being one of the pros on Strictly Come Dancing, one of the UK’s most-watched TV programmes. Amy has shown phenomenal strength and resilience throughout her whole life. As a teen she was diagnosed with Crohn’s - an inflammatory bowel disease - and in May last year, she was diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer at just 32. But last month she received the incredible news that her latest check up shows "no sign of the disease". Amy’s ill-health has never stopped her from dancing and achieving her dreams - and this interview will inspire anyone who listens. A new series of her hit show Dare to Dance is out now.

Published: 26 March 2024

Sleep: why do you need it and how can you optimise it? In this episode of Extra Catch with Shaun Stafford, we talk you through why sleep is crucial to our wellbeing and we also bust some common sleep myths.

Published: 21 March 2024

Richard Hammond is best known as one of the presenters of Top Gear - one of the most commercially successful ever BBC shows, which was watched by more than 350 million people across the world. Along with Jeremy Clarkson and James May they presented the show from 2002 until 2015, and since 2016 presented The Grand Tour for Amazon. 18 years ago, Richard severely injured his brain after a high-speed jet-powered car he was piloting crashed at 319 mph. He was put in a coma for two weeks. In this episode, we talk about what he experienced when faced with death and how he has recovered. Now he’s on a mission to destigmatise conversations around masculinity and mental health with his brand new podcast Who We Are Now, which has launched on Global Player.

Published: 19 March 2024

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know I LOVE ice bathing. It's a recent addition to my morning routine, but I don't think I'll ever go back. In this episode of Extra Catch with Shaun Stafford we're talking about deliberate cold exposure: how I got into it, what the benefits are and what actually happens to your body. As always, please do your own research before trying it or speak to your GP if you have concerns.

Published: 14 March 2024

Aston Merrygold is best known as a member of JLS - one of the most successful ever acts from the X-Factor. JLS have achieved five number one singles and a number one album - and sold more than 10 million records, making them one of the most successful British boy bands. They disbanded in 2013, before reuniting in 2020 with a huge sellout tour. In this episode we go behind the scenes of what it was actually like auditioning and filming the X-Factor.

Published: 12 March 2024

Welcome to a brand new series of bonus episodes of Big Fish. Last series we focused on improving our mental health and resilience, but this series we're turning our focus to physical health. This year I'm training for something incredibly exciting - I'm trying to break a world record for charity and I need to be as fit as possible. I've roped in my good friend and trainer Shaun Stafford to help me.

Published: 7 March 2024

Romesh Ranganathan is a comedian and presenter. He's one of the UK's most popular and successful stand-up comics, who's about to embark on his new tour Hustle. Romesh is so honest in this interview. He talks about suffering from imposter syndrome and the impact of his world changing overnight when his dad left his mother for another woman and soon after went to prison, all when Romesh was just 12 years old.

Published: 5 March 2024

Season 4 of Big Fish is launching next Wednesday 6th March with Romesh Ranganathan. I cannot wait to share this next series with you - we're also launching a brand new series of bonus episodes, which I'll share with you soon.

Published: 28 February 2024

In the final episode of season 3, Chip and I discuss the importance of learning from failure for personal and professional growth. Plus why making mistakes is essential to helping achieve your goals. We also have a chat about being prepared to failure and taking risks by stepping out of comfort zones can not only lead to personal growth but most importantly some entertaining stories to share with your mates.

Published: 25 January 2024

Ali Abdaal is a doctor and one of the world’s most-followed productivity experts.In 2017, during his final year at Cambridge University, Ali started posting YouTube videos about health and productivity. His channel now has 7 million monthly views and over 5 million subscribers. And his online productivity courses have hundreds of thousands of students. In addition to his work as a productivity expert, Ali is a medical school lecturer, a former junior doctor in the UK’s National Health Service and the author of ‘Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You’.

Published: 24 January 2024

We are over half way through January. But how is it going? In today's episode, with lots of people coming in to the month with plans for a whole reinvention of themselves to look healthier, be fitter and sober, Chip and I discuss all things for tackling sobriety in Dry January and beyond, plus how resilience plays a big part in our success.

Published: 18 January 2024

Scott Walker is one of the world’s most experienced kidnap for ransom negotiators. Over the course of his career, he’s helped resolve over 300 cases or similar crises. Scott spent 16 years as a Scotland Yard detective engaged in counter-terrorism operations and resolving kidnap for ransom cases and was also deployed to hostile environments on behalf of military intelligence to conduct covert interrogation operations. Now Scott uses his unique understanding of how people think, especially in times of adversity, to train leaders over the world in resilience, negotiation, crisis-management and communication. 

Published: 16 January 2024

I'm sure you've heard of the phrase 'imposter syndrome' - but what is it? Is it real? In today's episode, Chip and I discuss why so many of us experience feeling like an imposter at work - and what the difference is between not feeling confident or competent and suffering from imposter syndrome.

Published: 11 January 2024

This episode is suitable for over 18s only and contains details some people may find distressing. The episode includes a personal account of being trafficked, held captive, raped and abused.Lurata Lyon is a survivor of human trafficking. She grew up in former Yugoslavia and as the brutal war in Kosovo broke out, she was kidnapped by a human trafficking gang where she suffered horrific abuse. Against all odds, she managed to escape. However, in an extraordinary turn of events, after returning home, Lurata was kidnapped by Serbia's illegitimate army. She was tortured, abused and held in captivity for 6 months. This is an astonishing story of how someone can survive absolute horror, her journey of recovery and healing will absolutely inspire you.

Published: 9 January 2024

Happy new year! Today we're talking about the health changes I made last year which I will be taking into 2024. In 2023 I found myself exploring and experimenting with a variety of different health fads, but here are the top 3 that have vastly improved my life. As always, please do your own research or consult your GP before trying any of these.

Published: 4 January 2024

This episode contains detailed discussion around panic attacks. If you or someone you know has been affected by anything you hear in this episode please speak to your GP.Ovie Soko is a TV personality and professional basketball player. He was catapulted into fame after reaching the final of Love Island in 2019. He won the public’s hearts with his wisdom and openness and in 2020 released his inspirational self-help book You Are Dope. In this conversation we talk about the impact of instant fame and Ovie tells me that after leaving Love Island, he suffered panic attacks after feeling like the world was watching his every move on social media.

Published: 2 January 2024

I've absolutely loved recording these bonus episodes for season 3 of Big Fish. In this episode we're releasing our top 3 tips from 2023 - how to set goals, how to manage stress and how to identify whether you're a problem drinker. If you'd like to listen to these episodes in full, please listen back to episode 1 on drinking, episode 3 on goals and episode 5 on stress.

Published: 28 December 2023

Eddie Jordan is an Irish businessman, former motorsport team owner.Eddie is a champion of young talent, with a host of drivers owning their breaks to him - he even gave Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher their very first drives.Having suffered a number of major accidents while competing in racing, he retired and set up his Jordan team in the 80s.Inspired by the success of his junior drivers, Eddie set up Jordan Grand Prix in 1990 and entered Formula 1. He eventually sold Jordan Grand Prix in January 2005. This is a fascinating listen for any F1 fans.

Published: 26 December 2023

Why do we have a fear of missing out? This week Chip and I discuss the psychology behind FOMO and how we can we navigate it, especially during the festive period.This episode covers:1’00 - What is FOMO?2’00 - What’s the psychology behind it?6’00 - Times I’ve felt FOMO17’00 - How can we navigate FOMO at Christmas?

Published: 21 December 2023

You may know Simon for his famous street interviews asking people 'Would you ever start a business of your own?'. His videos have had over 1 billion views on social media. Simon has spent the last 30 years as an entrepreneur. He started his first company when he was homeless at 15-years-old, and he sold his last company Fluid to PwC.  His life imploded when he was 15 years old. His father died in front of him and after a fall out with his mother, he left home and was penniless, jobless and forced to sleep in a stairwell. But today Simon is the founder of the world's first Help2Earn platform - HelpBnk - which helps people learn how to start and scale a business for free. He has also invested in over 70 startups in the last 15 years. In this episode we talk about how he turned his life around from sleeping on the streets, how luck played an important part in his success story and why he thinks retirement is bullshit.

Published: 20 December 2023

Why are so many of us scared of change? In this week's bonus episode we're discussing how to get unstuck.This episode covers:2’00 - What is the cycle of change?6’00 - How can I use this cycle in my own life?9’00 - Why do we fear change?13’00 - How do I get unstuck?15’00 - How do know when you need to change your relationship 20’00 - Are men better at change than women?

Published: 14 December 2023

Ben Frow is the definition of a big fish in the TV world. He’s Paramount’s UK content chief - he’s responsible for all of their content in the UK, including being the boss of Channel 5.He’s known as an outsider in the TV world. He doesn’t have a degree, he’s not a member of any exclusive clubs and started his career as a stylist for Richard and Judy on This Morning. He worked his way to the top without ever applying for a job.He transformed Channel 5’s reputation and boosted its audience by commissioning more history, documentaries and drama and railed against an extremely snobby industry.In this conversation we talk about his fear of rejection and why he secretly quit his job last year due to burnout. If you’ve ever wanted an insider's perspective into the multi-billion pound TV industry, this is a must-listen.

Published: 12 December 2023

British women have recently topped a list of the world’s biggest binge drinkers. In this episode I'm asking why do Brits drink so much? It's important to note that men were found to consistently drink more heavily than women do, including in the UK where 45% of men and 26% of women are binge drinkers.This episode covers:1'00 - What is binge drinking?4'00 - What's the difference between alcohol dependency and binge-pattern drinking?7'00 - Why do Brits drink so much? 19'00 - Top tips for how you can drink less this Christmas

Published: 7 December 2023

Tommy Mallet is an entrepreneur and TV personality - best known for appearing in The Only Way Is Essex. He started his own affordable footwear brand Mallet London in 2015, after being bullied at school for not being able to afford the best trainers. Mallet London has gone from strength to strength - with celebrity fans like Drake, Craig David and Will.I.Am. Tommy struggled academically at school, he was diagnosed a few years ago with ADHD and his dyslexia meant he struggled to read and write. He left school without any qualifications - and found his drive to earn money after working in luxury houses. This is a fascinating conversation about drive and perseverance.Catch up with Tommy and his wife Georgia in the brand-new series of Georgia and Tommy: Baby Steps on ITVBE and ITVX, coming soon.

Published: 5 December 2023