Jon Culshaw: The Impressionist Who Fooled the Prime Minister

Jon Culshaw: The Impressionist Who Fooled the Prime Minister

Author: Global July 4, 2025 Duration: 1:00:26

Long before Dead Ringers or Spitting Image, Jon Culshaw was a schoolboy with a knack for mimicry and a fierce determination to escape into voices- finding freedom, fun, and a future through the radio dial.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jon to explore how a shy kid from Lancashire became one of the UK’s best-loved impressionists. They trace his early love of radio, his first gigs as a hospital DJ, and the key moments that transformed a quiet obsession into a celebrated career.

Jon reflects on the emotional intelligence behind impersonation, how he’s always felt a sense of companionship in voices, and what he learned by studying the characters he came to embody- from Boris Johnson to David Bowie

Endearing, reflective and full of rich storytelling, it’s a portrait of an artist who built a career out of listening- and reveals how sometimes, speaking in other people’s voices can lead you closer to your own.

Find out more about Dead Ringers 25th Anniversary tour here


You know that feeling when a conversation goes deeper than you expected, moving past the headlines and soundbites into something more real? That’s the space where Full Disclosure with James O'Brien lives. Hosted by the award-winning LBC presenter and author, this podcast is built on a simple but powerful premise: a genuinely curious interviewer meeting fascinating people from politics, news, and entertainment. James O’Brien brings his thoughtful perspective to each discussion, not to debate, but to understand. The result is a series of compelling dialogues that feel more like eavesdropping on a great chat between insightful minds than a formal interview. You’ll hear guests reveal layers of their experiences and opinions in a way that only happens when the questions are interested, not just interesting. It’s a refreshing take in a crowded field, focusing on the substance and the story behind the public persona. For anyone interested in the forces shaping our society, arts, and culture, this podcast offers a nuanced and engaging listen. Each episode is a chance to step away from the noise and into a conversation that prioritizes depth and disclosure, all delivered with the intelligence and clarity listeners have come to expect from James O’Brien.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Full Disclosure with James O'Brien
Podcast Episodes
Leo Varadkar: Former Prime Minister of Ireland on Power and Letting Go [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
Before becoming Ireland’s youngest Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was a Dublin GP with bold ambitions and a belief that politics could be a kind of medicine for society.In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits dow…
Natalie Haynes: Greek Myths, Medea and the Comedy of Classics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:23
Natalie Haynes has never been easy to categorise. A stand-up comedian turned broadcaster and best-selling author, she has built a career out of making the ancient world vivid, funny and urgent. In this episode of Full Di…
From The Vault: Brian Cox [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:05
From a childhood in Dundee marked by loss, poverty and resilience, to becoming one of the most respected actors of his generation, Brian Cox’s life and career have been defined by an unrelenting pursuit of truth on and o…
From The Vault: Miriam Margolyes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:08
From a childhood in Oxford shaped by unconditional love, Jewish heritage and a keen sense of curiosity, to a career spanning stage, screen, voice work and bestselling memoir, Miriam Margolyes’ life has been anything but…
Cariad Lloyd: Talking About Grief Changed My Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:05
Cariad Lloyd never set out to become the voice of modern grief, but after losing her father at just fifteen, the silence around death stayed with her. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks with the act…
Kevin Rowland: Beyond Come On Eileen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:08
From a shifting childhood split between Wolverhampton, rural Ireland and London, to fronting one of the most distinctive and uncompromising bands of the 1980s, Kevin Rowland’s life has been defined by defiance, vision an…
Irvine Welsh: We’re More Addicted Now Than in Trainspotting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:43
From the high-rises of Muirhouse to the heart of countercultural Britain, Irvine Welsh has built a literary universe fuelled by punk energy, dancefloor euphoria, and radical empathy. In this episode of Full Disclosure, J…