Begin Again with Davina McCall

Are We Failing Young Men?

In this episode of Begin Again, David Gandy opens up about masculinity, mentorship, and the reality behind becoming the world’s highest-paid male model. From feeling like he didn’t fit the mould to building one of the most iconic careers in fashion, David reflects on insecurity, identity, and what young men really need in a world that often sends them the wrong message.

But this conversation goes far beyond modelling. David speaks candidly about shyness, insecurity, self-criticism, and the strange contradiction of becoming one of the most photographed men in the world while still hating having his picture taken. He shares how those early feelings shaped him, how he learned to channel them, and why confidence is often far more complicated than it looks from the outside.

The episode also explores masculinity, mentorship, and why so many young men are struggling to find their place. David reflects on the role models that shaped him, the importance of guidance, and why he believes we need a more positive conversation around masculinity, respect, and responsibility. Rather than blaming or dividing, he argues for better examples, stronger values, and more honest conversations about what young men actually need.

At its core, this is a conversation about identity, resilience, and what it means to stay in control of your life and career in a world that is always trying to define you.

🌟 Follow for more honest conversations about identity, growth, and beginning again.

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(00:00) Intro

(01:09) The Modelling Industry in the Early 2000s

(02:55) A Message From David’s Agent and Mentor

(09:38) David on Defying Expectations and Landing Dolce & Gabbana (13:51) David’s New Partnerships With M&S and Jaeger Menswear

(18:40) David on His Parents and Upbringing

(23:06) Balancing Relationships and Career

(26:37) Saily Ad

(27:33) Shopify Ad

(28:34) Overcoming Shyness and Insecurities

(34:38) How Modelling Shaped David Long-Term

(37:01) Changing Body Standards in Modelling

(39:04) David on His Daughters and Modern Parenting

(42:27) David on His Relationship With His Dad

(44:51) Supporting Young Men and Addressing Male Suicide

(48:15) Toxic Masculinity and the Demonisation of Young Men

(50:43) What’s Happening With the Manosphere?

(53:08) The Need for Positive Role Models for Young Men

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These are just two powerful moments from full Begin Again episodes. Want the full story? You can watch and listen to the complete conversations on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this eye-opening episode, Eleanor Mills shares her deeply personal experience with psilocybin, exploring how a guided psychedelic retreat helped her confront fear, let go of the past, and rediscover a sense of connection and purpose. From moments of surrender to profound emotional breakthroughs, Eleanor reflects on how the experience reshaped her understanding of herself and the world around her.

Joining the conversation, Professor David Nutt, one of the world’s leading experts on neuroscience and psychedelics, breaks down the science behind hallucinogens. He challenges common misconceptions, explains why substances like psilocybin are classified the way they are, and reveals their potential to treat conditions such as depression and PTSD.

Together, they explore the line between stigma and science, risk and healing, asking whether psychedelics could play a transformative role in mental health and personal growth.

The full episode with Eleanor Mills can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsxiUp6fV_4&t=2079s

The full episode with Professor David Nutt can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82IejQ3tEI
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What if staying true to yourself cost you everything?

In this episode of Begin Again, Kate Nash opens up about the reality of building a career in an industry that often tries to control, define, and silence you. From becoming a breakout star at 18 to being labelled, misunderstood, and written off, Kate shares what it really feels like to grow up in the public eye and fight to stay yourself.

She speaks candidly about the music industry today, why it’s no longer sustainable for artists, and the difficult decisions she’s had to make to keep her career alive including starting an OnlyFans to fund her tours. For Kate, it’s not about controversy, it's about survival, independence, and refusing to play by rules that no longer work.

This conversation also explores the emotional side of that fight. The pressure to be perfect, the anger that once fuelled her, and the conscious decision to move beyond it. Kate reflects on identity, feminism, and the power of women supporting each other in a world that often tries to pit them against one another.

At its core, this is a story about resilience, creative freedom, and what it takes to take back control on your own terms.

🌟 Follow for more honest conversations about identity, growth, and beginning again.

Follow us here:

📸 www.instagram.com/beginagain

🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@beginagainpod

Follow Kate: https://www.instagram.com/katenash/

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(00:00) Intro

(00:01:31) Intro to Kate Nash, fame and problems of public image

(00:04:51) Exploring identity and history through music

(00:08:01) The evolution of Kate’s Music and dealing with online hate

(00:12:34) Kate's Catholic upbringing, the challenges of Shame

(00:19:15) Kate's relationship with her sisters

(00:23:06) Do Health Ad

(00:24:27) Bloom and Wild Ad

(00:25:29) Kate's heart surgery

(00:32:17) Kate deciding to quit her job and start performing music

(00:36:26) Dealing with fame

(00:39:20) Manager stealing from her, and healing from

(00:47:33) Moving to LA

(00:48:57) Kate's breakout role in Netflix series *Glow*, and learning to wrestle

(00:58:31) Why the music industry is broken!

(01:01:41) Starting an OnlyFans account to fund her career

(01:06:04) How fans can support the music industry

(01:08:23) Kate's protest around London

(01:12:00) The reasons Kate is fighting for the music industry and culture

(01:16:12) A surprise letter for KateSponsored by:

Do Health - The waitlist is open. Begin Again listeners get fixed early access pricing when they sign up today at dohealth.co/beginagain use code BEGINAGAIN

Bloom & Wild - use code DAVINA for 15% off at https://www.bloomandwild.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=begin_again 

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In this week’s Moments episode, we bring you two powerful clips from full Begin Again conversations exploring the reality of anxiety and how to navigate it.

Fearne Cotton opens up about her personal experience with anxiety, reflecting on the period of her life that triggered it and how it continues to show up in unexpected ways. She shares the challenges of living with racing thoughts, disrupted sleep, and the pressure of environments that no longer feel safe, while also offering an honest look at the progress she’s made and the self-awareness she’s built along the way.

Following that, mental health expert Owen O’Kane offers a grounded and reassuring perspective on anxiety, explaining why it’s a natural human response rather than something that defines us. He explores how anxiety can become something we rely on for protection, and shares practical ways to better understand and manage it without letting it take over.

This is a Moments episode, featuring two impactful clips designed to give you insight, perspective, and practical takeaways in a short space of time.

The full conversations with Fearne and Owen are available now wherever you get your podcasts, just search their names, or watch them here on YouTube:
Fearne Cotton: https://youtu.be/XZHZ_Ltbv08
Owen O’Kane: https://youtu.be/fR2WPgWBtRM

✨ Access theBegin Again newsletter here: https://linkly.link/2g2xx

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What does fame at 17 really do to you?

In this episode of Begin Again, Jason Donovan opens up about growing up in the spotlight and what happens when success comes before you’ve had time to understand yourself.

Thrust into fame as a teenager on Neighbours, Jason shares what it was like navigating a world where everyone thought they knew him, while he was still figuring out who he was. Behind the success, there was pressure, confusion, and a lack of guidance that led him down a path he struggled to control.

He speaks candidly about the reality of those years; the partying, the expectations, and the feeling of having to navigate it all alone. At a time when mental health wasn’t openly talked about, Jason reflects on how difficult it was to process everything he was experiencing.

But this is also a story of change.

Jason shares how becoming a father became a turning point giving him purpose, grounding, and a reason to rebuild. He reflects on the lessons he’s learned, what he knows now that he didn’t then, and how he’s found a way to balance creativity, family, and peace.

At its core, this is a conversation about fame, identity, and what it takes to take back control of your life no matter where you started.

🌟 Follow for more powerful conversations about resilience, growth, and beginning again.

Follow us here:

📸 www.instagram.com/beginagain

🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@beginagainpod

✨Begin Again Newsletter: https://linkly.link/2g2xx

(00:00) Intro

(02:36) The Face Magazine Outing Scandal

(14:38) Jason's Upbringing And Relationship With His Parents

(20:34) Saily Ad

(21:30) Bloom & Wild Ad

(22:32) Jason's Relationship With His Father And Stepmother

(27:01) The Beginnings Of Jason's Career & Working With Kylie

(28:47) Jason On Neighbours And Meeting Kylie

(31:10) Spirituality And Getting Older

(35:07) Paramount + Ad

(36:23) Begin Again Newsletter

(37:17) Jason's Wife Angela And The Buzz Of Performing

(41:37) Drug Addiction And Mental Health Battle

(47:24) Recovery, Meeting His Wife And Becoming A Father

(52:41) A Letter From Jason's Father

(55:23) What's Next For Jason And What Else He'd Like To Do

Sponsored by:

Saily - Download from the app store and use code DAVINA at the checkout for 15% off 

Bloom & Wild - use code DAVINA for 15% off at https://www.bloomandwild.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=begin_again

Paramount+ - Episodes 1-3 of The Madison are available to stream on Paramount+ now: https://www.paramountplus.com/gb/shows/the-madison/

Episodes 4-6 will be available to stream from 21 March
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