The High Performance Podcast

Top Gear Boss On Show's Meteoric Rise, BBC Exit & Clarkson Sacking | Andy Wilman (E382)

Andy Wilman is the legendary executive producer behind Top Gear and The Grand Tour, the creative force who helped turn a small, ageing motoring show into one of the most-watched programmes on the planet. In this revealing conversation, Andy sits down with Jake to open up about the chaotic, brilliant, and often bruising journey behind the scenes. From the early days when Top Gear was “held together by accidents,” to the lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry that formed between Clarkson, Hammond and May, Andy explains how a mix of creative instinct, insecurity, and outright stubbornness shaped the show’s rise. He also discusses the strange alchemy behind iconic ideas like The Stig, the happy mistakes that became formats, and the moments where the team’s success began to run away from them. Andy reflects on the personal cost of building a global juggernaut: the burnout, the pressure of chasing ever-bigger audience numbers, the fear of being “found out,” and the toll it took on his home life and mental health..  This episode goes far beyond cars. It’s a conversation about leadership, the dangers of unchecked momentum, the creative magic that comes from imperfection, and the deeper human truth Andy only recognised with hindsight: that success means nothing if you never stop long enough to enjoy it. Want the exclusive story on the high-stakes Amazon deal that launched The Grand Tour? Watch Andy on 'The Room Where It Happened' [https://www.youtube.com/@The-Room-Where-It-Happened]with Jake. Surfshark 👉 Go to https://highpfrmc.com/HPP_Surfshark_AU or use code HIGHPERFORMANCE at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!    Simba 👉 Jake believes better performance starts with better sleep. Discover Simba, start your 200-night trial today now: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-simba-au   Vestiaire Collective 👉: Buy and sell preloved menswear now: https://highpfrmc.com/vestiaire-au   [https://highpfrmc.com/vestiaire-au  ] Babbel 👉 Learn a new Language and get up to 55% off your subscription at: https://highpfrmc.com/HPP-Babbel-AU [https://highpfrmc.com/HPP-Babbel-AU] Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Gemini Intergalactic UK, Ltd is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, under Firm Reference Number: 921817 HP Foundation 👉Do you want to kick-start an evolution that will change the lives of millions of children? Find out more about the High Performance Foundation: https://hppod.co/foundation  HP Corporate Events 👉Click here to book High Performance Events: https://hppod.co/corporate-events  Explore offers and discounts through our other partners: https://hppod.co/partners Andy’s book ‘Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure’ is out now and available to purchase - https://hppod.co/mr-wilmans-motoring-adventure-clarkson  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Secret to Feeling Calm When Out of Your Depth

We all feel out of our depth, but the real secret is learning to stay calm anyway. In this episode, Jake and Damian explore a universal human experience, the moments when we feel completely out of our depth, and reveal why calmness, clarity, and growth often begin right there. Drawing on powerful lessons from guests like Tom Aspinall, Petr Čech, Alex Greenwood, Nick Cox, and Alex Honnold, they uncover the mindset shifts that help us stay steady when everything feels uncertain. They discuss the importance of naming your fears instead of suppressing them, accepting what you can’t control, and breaking big challenges into small, manageable steps. Through stories of athletes and leaders who chose discomfort, built resilience through “micro-dosed” challenge, and repeatedly stepped into the unknown, Jake and Damian show that fear isn’t a sign you’re failing, it’s a sign you’re expanding. This episode is a reminder that the secret to feeling calm isn’t eliminating fear, but learning to move with it: acknowledge it, act despite it, and trust that confidence grows through action, not certainty. Listen to the episodes mentioned: Tom Aspinall: https://pod.fo/e/2d3d2e Petr Čech: https://pod.fo/e/21c565 Alex Greenwood: https://pod.fo/e/30cbd0 Nick Cox: https://pod.fo/e/138399 Alex Honnold: https://pod.fo/e/25ce8e ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How Changing Shoes Got Me Gold! Olympic Champion Denise Lewis

Win a behind-the-scenes experience at a High Performance record day! Pre-order our brand new book Micro-Habits and use code MICROHABITS26 for 25% off before the launch on 1st January to be in with a chance of winning: https://hppod.co/HPComp [https://hppod.co/HPComp] Denise Lewis knows what it feels like to stand on the biggest stage in the world with everything on the line. But what makes her story remarkable isn’t just the gold medal, it’s the simple habit that helped her win it: the power of a reset. At the Sydney Olympics, after a shaky high jump that threatened her entire heptathlon, Denise didn’t spiral or cling to the mistake. She walked back to her room, reached for a different pair of shoes, slicked her hair back, and told herself: “You’re not Denise anymore, you’re Astrid.” With that small ritual, she shifted her identity, her energy, and her belief. It wasn’t superstition, it was psychology. Long before researchers named it “enclothed cognition,” Denise was living it: what you put on the outside can transform what you feel on the inside. In this episode, we explore how Denise turned seven events into seven fresh starts, and how the same principle can help all of us recover faster, perform under pressure and move forward after setbacks. Together, we dig into: Why symbols and rituals help us reset after mistakes How acceptance clears the mind and restores decision-making The alter-ego effect and why borrowing strength works What resilience really looks like in the moments no one sees How transitions, at work, at home, or in sport, shape our identity If you’ve ever struggled to let go of a bad moment, wished for a clean slate, or needed a way to step into the next chapter with confidence, Denise’s story has something powerful to teach. Listen to the full episode with Denise Lewis: https://pod.fo/e/2c05ac ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Secret Link Between Gut Health & Depression: Prof. Tim Spector (E381)

We welcome back world-leading gut health expert Tim Spector to unpack the simple, science-backed shifts that can dramatically transform your wellbeing. Tim explains why the gut sits at the centre of immunity, energy, mood, and long-term health, and why modern diets have quietly broken the delicate ecosystem our bodies rely on. He reveals the overlooked power of fermented foods, the ancient “food alchemy” our ancestors relied on, and why these gut-friendly ferments often outperform common fibre hacks. From busting myths about salt, fats, probiotics, and coffee to explaining the rapid benefits of gut rest and time-restricted eating, Tim offers practical, inclusive steps anyone can take, starting today. This is a hopeful, transformative conversation that reframes nutrition not as restriction, but as adding diversity, culture, and life back into your food, giving you the single most effective fix to repair your gut and reshape your health. Surfshark 👉 Go to https://highpfrmc.com/HPP_Surfshark_AU or use code HIGHPERFORMANCE at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!  Simba 👉 Jake believes better performance starts with better sleep. Discover Simba, start your 200-night trial today now: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-simba-au    Vestiaire 👉 Buy and sell preloved menswear now: https://highpfrmc.com/vestiaire-au  HP Foundation 👉Do you want to kick-start an evolution that will change the lives of millions of children? Find out more about the High Performance Foundation: https://hppod.co/foundation  HP Corporate Events 👉Click here to book High Performance Events: https://hppod.co/corporate-events  Explore offers and discounts through our other partners: https://hppod.co/partners ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Barry Hearn: How I Still Wake Up Every Day Hungry to Win

Barry Hearn joins Jake and Damian for a no-nonsense masterclass in ambition, resilience, and the mindset that turned a kid from a council estate into one of the most influential figures in global sport. The legendary Matchroom founder opens up about the work ethic shaped by his formidable mother, the chip on his shoulder that fuelled his rise, and the Christmas Eve moment in 1988 when he stood on the brink of bankruptcy, before one audacious deal changed everything. Across the conversation, Barry lays out his 10 Rules for Life: why “everything is a competition,” how sheer graft can make you look like a genius, why honesty is a superpower, and what it means to be “unbeatable” even when life dents you. He reflects on building empires in snooker, darts, and boxing, the importance of thinking poorly to stay sharp, and the role fire, fun, and relentless optimism have played in his seven decades of success. This is Barry Hearn in full force, funny, fierce, and fiercely honest, offering the timeless laws of success from a man who refuses to be beaten. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.