I have always believed that the best stories aren't the most polished - they're the most honest.
This was the idea behind Uncut, my new podcast that puts real people and real conversations at the heart of the mic. No scripts. No spin. Just space for the stuff that usually gets left out of polished soundbites and media-trained interviews; and, in all honesty, we’re all a bit tired of the gloss.
Even more so after years of working in PR and communications and not only witnessing, but also participating in a world where messaging is often manicured and every word weighed. That world has its place. What I craved, and what I believe audiences crave too, is something more human. Messier. More alive.
With Uncut, I wanted to create something that felt like sitting in the back room of your favourite bar with someone you admire – not for their title, their value, their connections; but for their insight. The guests are thinkers, founders, artists, and everyday change-makers. Some are household names, others are completely under the radar. All of them have something unfiltered to share.
Our first episode, recorded here in the North East, touched on identity, resilience, ambition, strength – all in under 45 minutes. It was raw. At times, confronting. However, the best art encourages us to think, to feel, to challenge, to push. Not only boundaries, but also ourselves as creatives, as human beings.
The North East has a long tradition of storytelling. Though too often, stories from this region are told about us – not by us. That’s something I want to change. Uncut isn’t about performance, it’s about presence, and giving people the mic to say what they actually mean, not just what they think they should say.
There’s also something about hearing a voice – truly hearing it, flaws and all – that reminds us of our shared humanity. Podcasts allow us to slow down, listen in, and connect beyond the scroll.
So why Uncut? Because I want these conversations to feel like they’ve been lifted straight from the cutting room floor – untouched, unrefined, but unmistakably real.
We’ve got episodes coming up with a culinary entrepreneur reimagining experiential dining, a creative on the rise who’s navigating building a brand, and a former corporate leader who left it all behind to build something slower.
Each voice brings something different – but what connects them all is their honesty.
Uncut isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being real, and in a business full of noise, this feels like an act of rebellion.
You can find Uncut on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you get your audio fix. If it resonates, share it – or better yet, start your own conversations.
The most powerful stories are often the ones we haven’t heard yet.
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